HAILEY  D.L. Evans Bank invites the public to attend a topping off ceremony Sept. 7 for its newest branch at 609 South Main St., Hailey.

The last beam (or its equivalent) will be placed atop the structure during the ceremony, which begins at 10 a.m. The full-service branch is expected to be completed in December.

We see the new building as an excellent opportunity to continue serving the City of Hailey and the surrounding area, by providing the best financial solutions to our customers and businesses in the Wood River Valley, President and CEO John V. Evans Jr. said in a statement.
Cantel Medical Corp. provides infection prevention and control products and services for the healthcare market. The company's Medical segment offers automated endoscope reprocessing systems; disinfectants and sterilants; detergents; leak testing and manual cleaning products; storage cabinets and transport systems; manual cleaning products; endoscope process tracking products; other consumables, accessories, and supplies for use in disinfect rigid endoscopes, flexible endoscopes, and other instrumentation; and technical maintenance services. Its Life Sciences segment provides dialysis water purification and bicarbonate mixing systems; hollow fiber filters, and other filtration and separation products; liquid disinfectants and cold sterilization products; dry fog products; room temperature sterilization equipment and services; and clean-room certification and decontamination services for the dialysis and other healthcare, research laboratories, food and beverage, and commercial industrial customers, as well as microbiological testing services. The company's Dental segment offers hand and powered dental instruments, instrument reprocessing and sterility assurance products, towels, bibs, tray liners, sponges, nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation equipment and related single-use disposable nasal masks, face masks, and shields. It also provides hand sanitizers, germicidal wipes, disinfectants, surface disinfectants, waterline treatment products, saliva ejectors, evacuator tips, plastic cups, prophy angles, and prophy paste. The company's Dialysis segment provides hemodialysis concentrates and other ancillary supplies; medical device reprocessing systems; and sterilants and disinfectants. The company sells its products through its direct distribution network in the United States; and directly or under various third-party distribution agreements internationally. Cantel Medical Corp. was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Little Falls, New Jersey.
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LSB Industries, Inc. engages in the manufacture, marketing, and sale of chemical products. The company provides nitrogen-based fertilizers, such as ammonia, fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate (HDAN), and urea ammonia nitrate for fertilizer and fertilizer blends for corn and other crops, and NPK fertilizer blends applications. It also offers high purity and commercial grade ammonia, high purity ammonium nitrate, sulfuric acids, mixed nitrating acids, carbon dioxide, and diesel exhaust fluids, as well as concentrated, and blended and regular nitric acids for various applications, including semi-conductor and polyurethane intermediates; pulp and paper, alum, water treatment, metals, and vanadium processing; power plant emissions abatement, water treatment, refrigerants, and metals processing; exhaust stream additive, and horticulture/greenhouse applications; and refrigeration. In addition, the company provides industrial grade ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, and HDAN solutions for ammonium nitrate fuel oil and specialty emulsions for mining, surface mining, quarries, and construction applications. It sells its products through distributors, as well as directly to end customers in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The company serves to the agricultural, industrial, and mining markets. LSB Industries, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Delek US Holdings, Inc. engages in the integrated downstream energy business in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Refining, Logistics, and Retail. The Refining segment processes crude oil and other feedstock for the manufacture of various grades of gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, asphalt, and other petroleum-based products that are distributed through owned and third-party product terminal. It owns and operates four independent refineries located in Tyler, Texas; El Dorado, Arkansas; Big Spring, Texas; and Krotz Springs, Louisiana, as well as three biodiesel facilities in Crossett, Arkansas, Cleburne, Texas, and New Albany. The Logistics segment gathers, transports, and stores crude oil, intermediate, and refined products; and markets, distributes, transports, and stores refined products for third parties. It owns or leases capacity on approximately 400 miles of crude oil transportation pipelines, approximately 450 miles of refined product pipelines, an approximately 900-mile crude oil gathering system, and associated crude oil storage tanks with an aggregate of approximately 10.2 million barrels of active shell capacity; and owns and operates ten light product distribution terminals, as well as markets light products using third-party terminals. The Retail segment owns and leases 248 convenience store sites located primarily in West Texas and New Mexico. Its convenience stores offer various grades of gasoline and diesel under the DK or Alon brand; and food products and service, tobacco products, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, and general merchandise, as well as money orders to the public primarily under the 7-Eleven and DK or Alon brand names. It serves oil companies, independent refiners and marketers, jobbers, distributors, utility and transportation companies, the U.S. government, and independent retail fuel operators. Delek US Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee.
EnPro Industries, Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, and service of engineered industrial products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Sealing Technologies, Advanced Surface Technologies, and Engineered Materials. The Sealing Technologies segment offers single-use hygienic seals, tubing, components and assemblies; metallic, non-metallic, and composite material gaskets; compression packing products; hydraulic components; expansion joints; wall penetration products; and dynamic, flange, resilient metal, elastomeric, and custom-engineered mechanical seals for chemical and petrochemical processing, pulp and paper processing, power generation, food and pharmaceutical processing, primary metal manufacturing, mining, water and waste treatment, heavy-duty trucking, aerospace, medical, filtration, and semiconductor fabrication industries. This segment also provides aseptic fluid transfer products for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. The Advanced Surface Technologies segment offers cleaning, coating, testing, refurbishment, and verification services for critical components and assemblies used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, as well as for critical applications in the space, aerospace, and defense markets; and specialized optical filters and thin-film coatings for various applications in the industrial technology, life sciences, and semiconductor markets. The Engineered Materials segment provides self-lubricating, non-rolling, metal polymer, engineered plastics, and fiber reinforced composite bearing products for various applications in the automotive, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, natural gas, health, power generation, machine tools, air treatment, refining, petrochemical, and general industrial markets. The company was incorporated in 2002 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The following companies are subsidiares of HP: 3Com, 3PAR, ABB CADE, AOME Holdings Ltd., Albacore Holdings Jersey Ltd, Alpha Holding One B.V., Alpha Holding Two B.V., Anatolus Holding B.V., Apogee, Apogee Corp, Apogee Corporation Ireland Limited, Apogee Corporation Jersey Limited, Apogee Corporation Limited, Apogee Europe Limited, Apogee France Holdings SAS, Apogee France SAS, Apogee Germany Holding UG, Apogee Group Limited, Apogee Rentals Limited, Apollo Computer, AppIQ, Applied Optoelectronic Tech, ArcSight, Arnon Holding B.V., Arteis, Artivision Technologies, Aruba Networks, Atos Origin, Atos Origin Middle East group, Autonomy Corporation, Avantek, BAS - Burosysteme GmbH, BT & D Technologies, Balreed Digitec Group Limited, Balreed Digitec North Limited, Balreed Digitec SE Limited, Balreed Digitec UK Limited, Bamberga Holding B.V., Bitfone Corporation, Bluestone Software, Boonton Radio, Bristol Technology Inc., Bromium, Bromium UK Limited, CEC Europe Service Management, CGNZ, CaLan, China HP Co. Ltd Hangzhou Branch, China HP Co. Ltd., China HP Co. Ltd. Chengdu Branch, China HP Co. Ltd. Guangzhou Branch, China HP Co. Ltd. Jiangan Branch, China HP Co. Ltd. Nanjing Branch, China HP Co. Ltd. Shanghai Branch, Choose Packaging, City Docs Limited, City Docs Solutions Limited, Colorado Memory Systems, Colubris Networks, Colubris Networks, Compaq Cayman Holdings Company, Compaq Cayman Holdings General Partnership II, Compaq Information Technologies, Compaq Information Technologies LLC, Computing and Printing Global Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Computing and Printing Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Consera Software, ConteXtream Inc, Convex Computer, David Vision Systems GmbH, Dazzle, Digipro Limited, Division, EDS (Electronic Data Systems), EEsof, EYP Mission Critical Facilities, ElseWare, Eon Systems, Eucalyptus Systems, Eunomia Holding B.V., ExcellerateHRO, Exstream Software, Extreme Logic, F&M Scientific Corporation, F. Smith & Co Office Equipment Limited, F.L. Moseley Company, Flame Holding B.V., Fortify Software, Four Pi Systems, GNA Biosolutions GmbH, HP Austria GmbH, HP Belgium BV, HP Bilgisayar ve Baski Teknolojileri Limited Sirketi, HP Brasil Industria e Comercio de Equipamentos Eletronicos Ltda, HP Brasil Industria e Comercio de Equipamentos Eletronicos Ltda. - Branch 01 Tambore, HP Brasil Industria e Comercio de Equipamentos Eletronicos Ltda. - Branch 2 Sorocaba, HP Brasil Industria e Comercio de Equipamentos Eletronicos Ltda. - Branch 3 Porto Alegre, HP Canada Co. HP Canada Cie, HP Canada Licensing L.P., HP China Holding B.V., HP Chongqing Co. Ltd, HP Chongqing Manufacturing Export Procurement and Settlement Co. Ltd, HP Colombia SAS, HP Computing and Printing Middle East FZ-LLC, HP Computing and Printing Nigeria Ltd, HP Computing and Printing Systems India Private Limited, HP Computing and Printing d.o.o., HP Deutschland GmbH, HP Deutschland Holding GmbH, HP Europe B.V., HP Europe B.V. - Abu Dhabi Branch, HP Europe B.V. Regional Dubai Branch, HP Europe BV Amsterdam Meyrin Branch, HP Finland Oy, HP France Holding SAS, HP France SAS, HP Global Trading B.V., HP Global Trading B.V. Kazakhstan Branch, HP Health Solutions Inc., HP Health Solutions Spain Sociedad Limitada, HP Hewlett Packard Group LLC, HP Inc AP Hong Kong Limited, HP Inc Argentina S.R.L., HP Inc Bulgaria EOOD, HP Inc Chile Comercial Limitada, HP Inc Costa Rica Limitada, HP Inc Czech Republic s.r.o., HP Inc Danmark ApS, HP Inc Gulf, HP Inc Hong Kong Limited, HP Inc Magyarorszag Kft., HP Inc Peru S.R.L., HP Inc Polska sp. z o.o., HP Inc Romania SRL, HP Inc Slovakia s.r.o., HP Inc Thailand Ltd., HP Inc Tunisie SARL, HP Inc UK Limited, HP India Sales Private Limited, HP Indigo B.V., HP Indigo Ltd, HP Information Technology R&D Shanghai Co. Ltd, HP International Pte. Ltd., HP International Pte. Ltd. Taiwan Branch, HP International Sarl, HP International Trading B.V., HP International Trading B.V. Puerto Rico Branch LLC, HP Israel Ltd, HP Italy S.r.l., HP Jade Holding LLC, HP Japan Inc., HP KSA Ltd., HP Korea Inc., HP Licensing Holding LLC, HP Luxembourg S.C.A., HP Malaysia Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd., HP Nederland B.V., HP New Zealand, HP Norge AS, HP Onyx Holding L.P., HP PPS Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., HP PPS Australia Pty Ltd, HP PPS Costa Rica Limitada, HP PPS India Operations Private Limited, HP PPS Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., HP PPS Maroc, HP PPS Philippines Inc., HP PPS Sales Sdn. Bhd., HP PPS Services India Private Limited, HP PPS Singapore Sales Pte. Ltd., HP PPS Sverige AB, HP Pakistan Private Limited, HP Panama Sales and Distribution S. de R.L., HP Print Services Ireland Limited, HP Printing Korea Co. Ltd., HP Printing Shandong Co. Ltd., HP Printing and Computing Solutions S.L.U., HP Printing and Personal Systems Hellas EPE, HP Production Company Limited, HP Puerto Rico LLC, HP R&D Holding LLC, HP R&D Singapore Pte. Ltd., HP Schweiz GmbH, HP Scitex Ltd, HP Singapore Private Limited, HP Solutions Creation and Development Services S.L.U., HP South Africa Proprietary Limited, HP South Africa Trust, HP Taiwan Information Technology Ltd., HP Technology Holdings LLC, HP Technology Ireland Limited, HP Technology Israel Ltd, HP Technology Shanghai Co. Ltd, HP Technology Vietnam Company Ltd, HP Trading Kunshan Co. Ltd., HP Trading Shanghai Co. Ltd., HP Trading Shanghai Co. Ltd. Dalian Branch, HP Trading Shanghai Co. Ltd. Zhangjiang Branch, HP UK Development Limited, HP US Digital LLC, HP USA Manufacturing LLC, HPCP  Computing and Printing Portugal Unipessoal Lda., HPI Bermuda Holdings LLC, HPI Brazil Holdings LLC, HPI Federal LLC, HPI J1 Holdings LLC, HPI Luxembourg LLC, HPQ Holdings LLC, Heartstream, Hewlett-Packard A.O., Hewlett-Packard Angola Lda., Hewlett-Packard Company Archives LLC, Hewlett-Packard Copenhagen B.V., Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P., Hewlett-Packard Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard G.K., Hewlett-Packard Global Holdings B.V., Hewlett-Packard Global Investments B.V., Hewlett-Packard Industrial Printing Solutions Europe BV, Hewlett-Packard Ireland 1 Limited, Hewlett-Packard Ireland Holdings Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Japan Holding B.V., Hewlett-Packard Japan NK Holdings C.V., Hewlett-Packard KSA Ltd. Qatar Branch, Hewlett-Packard Lisbon B.V., Hewlett-Packard MENA FZ-LLC Libya Branch, Hewlett-Packard Mercator B.V., Hewlett-Packard Sunnyvale B.V., Hewlett-Packard West Indies Limited, Hewlett-Packard World Trade LLC, Hiflex Software, HyperX, IBRIX, IndiGo, Indigo America Inc., Iseo Holding B.V., Kale Holding B.V., Kale Holding B.V. Puerto Rico Branch LLC, Knightsbridge Solutions, Kopiervertrieb Rhein-Ruhr GmbH, Lefthand Networks, Limited Liability Company HP Inc, Logoworks, Lyra Holding B.V., MacDermid ColorSpan, ManageOne, Manzana Bidco Limited, Manzana Holdings Limited, Melodeo, Mercury Interactive, Metrix Network Systems, NUR Macroprinters, Neoware, Nihon HP Nin-I Kumiai, Novadigm, NuView ManageX, OOO Hewlett-Packard RUS, Office Perfection Limited, OneFlow Systems Limited, Opelin, Opelin, Open Skies, Opsware, Opsware, Optimization Systems, Optotech, OuterBay Technologies, OuterBay Technologies, PERSIST Technologies, PIXACO, PROLIN, PT Hewlett-Packard Indonesia, Palm, Palm, Peregrine Systems, Perigee Holdco UK Limited, Perigee Midco UK Limited, Perseus Holding B.V., PipeBeach, Poly, PolyServe, PrinterOn America Corporation, Printware Limited, Qosnetics, RLX Technologies, Regor Holding B.V., SPI Dynamics, Samsung Printing Solutions, Scitex, Scitex Vision, Scope Communications, Security Force Software, Shunra Software, Shunra Software, Silverwire Holding, Simpress Comercio Locacao e Servicos Ltda, Snapfish, StorageApps, Stratavia, Synstar, Tabblo, Talking Blocks, Tall Tree Insurance Company, Technology Partners, Telegra, Teradici Corporation, Teradici Inc., Teradici UK Limited, The Danwood Group Limited, The Technology Partners, Tower Software, Tower Software Engineering Pty Ltd, Transoft Networks, Trellis Software & Controls, Triaton, Trinagy, TruLogica, Trustgenix, VeriFone, Verifone, Versatest, Vertica Systems, Vital Technology Pte Ltd, Voltage Security, VoodooPC, Xact Document Solutions Limited, and Xera-Logic Group Limited.

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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.
The following companies are subsidiares of MetLife: 10700 WILSHIRE LLC, 1201 TAB MANAGER LLC, 1350 EYE STREET MANAGER LLC, 1350 EYE STREET OWNER LLC, 150 NORTH RIVERSIDE PE MEMBER LLC, 1925 WJC OWNER LLC, 23RD STREET INVESTMENTS INC., 500 GRANT STREET ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, 500 GRANT STREET GP LLC, 6104 HOLLYWOOD LLC, AFP GENESIS ADMINISTRADORA DE FONDOS Y FIDECOMISOS S.A., AGENVITA S.R.L., ALICO HELLAS SINGLE MEMBER LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, ALICO OPERATIONS LLC, American Life Insurance Company, BEST MARKET S.A., BLOCK VISION HOLDINGS CORPORATION, BLOCK VISION OF TEXAS INC., BORDERLAND INVESTMENTS LIMITED, BOULEVARD RESIDENTIAL LLC, BUFORD LOGISTICS CENTER LLC, CC HOLDCO MANAGER LLC, CHESTNUT FLATS WIND LLC, CLOSED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY MASTER-D, COMPANIA INVERSORA METLIFE S.A., CORPORATE REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS LLC, COVA LIFE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, DAVIS VISION INC., DAVISVISION IPA INC., DELAWARE AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, EURO CL INVESTMENTS LLC, EXCELENCIA OPERATIVA Y TECNOLOGICA S.A de C.V., FORTISSIMO CO. LTD, FUNDACION METLIFE MEXICO A.C., GLOBAL PROPERTIES INC., General American Life Insurance Company, Grand Bank N.A., HASKELL EAST VILLAGE LLC, HOUSING FUND MANAGER LLC, INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL AND ADVISORY SERVICES LIMITED, INVERSIONES METLIFE HOLDCO DOS LIMITADA, INVERSIONES METLIFE HOLDCO TRES LIMITADA, LHC HOLDINGS LLC, LHCW HOLDINGS LLC, LHCW HOTEL HOLDING 2002 LLC, LHCW HOTEL HOLDING LLC, LHCW HOTEL OPERATING COMPANY 2002 LLC, LUMENLAB MALAYSIA SDN. BHD., Logan Circle Partners, MARKETPLACE RESIDENCES LLC, MC PORTFOLIO JV MEMBER LLC, MCJV LLC, MCPP OWNERS LLC, MCRE BLOCK 40 LP, MEC HEALTH CARE INC., MET 1065 HOTEL LLC, MET CANADA SOLAR ULC, METLIFE 1007 STEWART LLC, METLIFE 1201 TAB MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 425 MKT MANAGER LLC, METLIFE 425 MKT MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 555 12TH MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 8280 MEMBER LLC, METLIFE ACOMA OWNER LLC, METLIFE ADMINISTRADORA DE FUNDOS MULTIPATROCINADOS LTDA., METLIFE ALTERNATIVES GP LLC, METLIFE ASHTON AUSTIN OWNER LLC, METLIFE ASIA HOLDING COMPANY PTE. LTD., METLIFE ASIA LIMITED, METLIFE ASIA SERVICES SDN. BHD, METLIFE ASSET MANAGEMENT CORP., METLIFE ASSIGNMENT COMPANY INC., METLIFE BORO STATION MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAMINO RAMON MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAMPUS AT SGV MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAPITAL CREDIT L.P., METLIFE CAPITAL LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, METLIFE CAPITAL TRUST IV, METLIFE CB W/A LLC, METLIFE CC MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CHILE ADMINISTRADORA DE MUTUOS HIPOTECARIOS S.A., METLIFE CHILE INVERSIONES LIMITADA, METLIFE CHILE SEGUROS DE VIDA S.A., METLIFE CHILE SEGUROS GENERALES S.A., METLIFE CHINO MEMBER LLC, METLIFE COLOMBIA SEGUROS de VIDA S.A., METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE INCOME FUND GP LLC, METLIFE CONSQUARE MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CONSUMER SERVICES INC., METLIFE CORE PROPERTY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE CREDIT CORP., METLIFE DIGITAL VENTURES INC., METLIFE ENHANCED CORE PROPERTY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE EU HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED, METLIFE EUROPE INSURANCE d.a.c., METLIFE EUROPE SERVICES LIMITED, METLIFE EUROPE d.a.c., METLIFE EUROPEAN HOLDINGS LLC., METLIFE FINANCIAL SERVICES CO. LTD, METLIFE FM HOTEL MEMBER LLC, METLIFE FUNDING INC., METLIFE GENERAL INSURANCE LIMITED, METLIFE GLOBAL BENEFITS LTD., METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDING COMPANY I GMBH, METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDING COMPANY II GMBH, METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDINGS CORPORATION S.A. De C.V., METLIFE GLOBAL INC., METLIFE GLOBAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER PRIVATE LIMITED, METLIFE GROUP INC., METLIFE HCMJV 1 GP LLC, METLIFE HCMJV 1 LP LLC, METLIFE HEALTH PLANS INC., METLIFE HOLDINGS INC., METLIFE HOME LOANS LLC, METLIFE INNOVATION CENTRE LIMITED, METLIFE INNOVATION CENTRE PTE. LTD., METLIFE INSURANCE AND INVESTMENT TRUST, METLIFE INSURANCE BROKERAGE INC., METLIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF KOREA LTD., METLIFE INSURANCE K.K., METLIFE INSURANCE LIMITED, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL HF PARTNERS LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED LLC, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND I LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND II LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND III LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND IV LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND V LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND VI LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND VII LP, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT EUROPE LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC, METLIFE INVESTMENTS ASIA LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS PTY LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS SECURITIES LLC, METLIFE INVESTORS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, METLIFE INVESTORS GROUP LLC, METLIFE IRELAND TREASURY D.A.C., METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY FUND LP, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY OWNERS BLOCKER LLC, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY OWNERS LLC, METLIFE LATIN AMERICA ASESORIAS E INVERSIONES LIMITADA, METLIFE LEGAL PLANS INC., METLIFE LEGAL PLANS OF FLORIDA INC., METLIFE LHH MEMBER LLC, METLIFE LIFE INSURANCE S.A., METLIFE LOAN ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC, METLIFE LONG SHORT CREDIT FUND LP, METLIFE LONG SHORT CREDIT MASTER FUND LP, METLIFE LONG SHORT CREDIT PARALLEL FUND LP, METLIFE MAS S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MEXICO HOLDINGS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., METLIFE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MEXICO SERVICIOS S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT FUND II LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT GP II LLC, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT GP LLC, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT II RATED FUND LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT PARALLEL FUND LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT PARALLEL GP LLC, METLIFE MMPD II SPECIAL LLC, METLIFE MULTI-FAMILY PARTNERS III LLC, METLIFE OBS MEMBER LLC, METLIFE OFC MEMBER LLC, METLIFE ONTARIO STREET MEMBR LLC, METLIFE PARK TOWER MEMBER LLC, METLIFE PENSION TRUSTEES LIMITED, METLIFE PENSIONES MEXICO S.A., METLIFE PET INSURANCE SOLUTIONS LLC, METLIFE PLANOS ODONTOLOGICOS LTDA., METLIFE POWSZECHNE TOWARTZYSTWO EMERYTALNE S.A., METLIFE PRIVATE EQUITY HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE PROPERTIES VENTURES LLC, METLIFE RC SF MEMBER LLC, METLIFE REAL ESTATE LENDING LLC, METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF BERMUDA LTD., METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF CHARLESTON, METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF VERMONT, METLIFE RETIREMENT SERVICES LLC, METLIFE SECURITIZATION DEPOSITOR LLC, METLIFE SEGUROS S.A., METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING FINCO LLC, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING FUND LP, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING GP LLC, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING HOLDINGS LP, METLIFE SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS LLC, METLIFE SERVICES CYPRUS LTD., METLIFE SERVICES EAST PRIVATE LIMITED, METLIFE SERVICES EEIG, METLIFE SERVICES EOOD, METLIFE SERVICES SOCIEDAD LIMITADA, METLIFE SERVICES SP Z.O.O, METLIFE SERVICIOS S.A., METLIFE SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL FUND GP LLC, METLIFE SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL FUND LP, METLIFE SOLUTIONS PTE. LTD., METLIFE SOLUTIONS S.A.S., METLIFE SP HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE STRATEGIC HOTEL DEBT FUND GP LLC, METLIFE SYNDICATED BANK LOAN LUX GP S.A.R.L., METLIFE THR INVESTOR LLC, METLIFE TOWARZYSTWO FUNDUSZY INWESTYCYJNYCH S.A., METLIFE TOWARZYSTWO UBEZPIECZEN NA ZYCIE I REASEKURACJI S.A., METLIFE TOWER RESOURCES GROUP INC., METLIFE TREAT TOWERS MEMBER LLC, METLIFE WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS LLC, METROPOLITAN GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LLC, METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN LIFE SEGUROS E PREVIDENCIA PRIVADA S.A., METROPOLITAN LIFE SOCIETATE de ADMINISTRARE a UNUI FOND de PENSII ADMINISTRAT PRIVAT S.A., METROPOLITAN TOWER LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN TOWER REALTY COMPANY INC., MEX DF PROPERTIES LLC, MFA FINANCING VEHICLE CTR1 LLC, MIDTOWN HEIGHTS LLC, MIM CAMPUS AT SGV MANAGER LLC, MIM CLAL GENERAL PARTNER LLC, MIM CM SYNDICATOR LLC, MIM EMD GP LLC, MIM I LLC, MIM LS GP LLC, MIM METWEST INTERNATIONAL MANAGER LLC, MIM ML-AI VENTURE 5 MANAGER LLC, MIM OMD MANAGER LLC, MIM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC, MIM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OF GEORGIA 1 LLC, MIM SPOKANE INDUSTRIAL MANAGER LLC, MIM THIRD ARMY INDUSTRIAL MANAGER LLC, MISSOURI REINSURANCE INC., ML 300 THIRD MEMBER LLC, ML ARMATURE MEMBER LLC, ML BELLEVUE MANAGER LLC, ML BELLEVUE MEMBER LLC, ML CAPACITACION COMERCIAL S.A. DE C.V., ML CERRITOS TC MEMBER LLC, ML CLAL MEMBER LLC, ML CORNER 63 MEMBER LLC, ML DOLPHIN GP LLC, ML DOLPHIN MEZZ LLC, ML HUDSON MEMBER LLC, ML MATSON MILLS MEMBER LLC, ML MILILANI MEMBER LLC, ML OMD MEMBER LLC, ML ONE BEDMINSTER LLC, ML PORT CHESTER SC MEMBER LLC, ML SENTINEL SQUARE MEMBER LLC, ML SLOANS LAKE MEMEBR LLC, ML SOUTHLANDS MEMBER LLC, ML SOUTHMORE LLC, ML SPOKANE INDUSTRIAL MEMBER LLC, ML SWAN GP LLC, ML SWAN MEZZ LLC, ML TERRACES LLC, ML THIRD ARMY INDUSTRIAL MEMBER LLC, ML VENTURE 1 MANAGER S. DE R. L. DE C.V., ML VENTURE 1 SERVICER LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 1 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 2 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 3 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 4 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 5 LLC, ML-URS PORT CHESTER SC MANAGER LLC, MLIA MANAGER I LLC, MLIA PARK TOWER MANAGER LLC, MLIA SBAF COLONY MANAGER LLC, MLIA SBAF MANAGER LLC, MLIC ASSET HOLDINGS II LLC, MLIC ASSET HOLDINGS LLC, MLIC CB HOLDINGS LLC, MLJ US FEEDER LLC, MM GLOBAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER S.A. DE C.V., MMP CEDAR STREET OWNER LLC, MMP CEDAR STREET REIT LLC, MMP HOLDINGS III LLC, MMP OLIVIAN OWNER LLC, MMP OLIVIAN REIT LLC, MMP OWNERS III LLC, MMP OWNERS LLC, MMP SOUTH PARK OWNER LLC, MMP SOUTH PARK REIT LLC, MNQM TRUST 2020, MREF 425 MKT LLC, MSHDF HOLDCO I LLC, MSV IRVINE PROPERTY LLC, MTL LEASING LLC, MTU HOTEL OWNER LLC, NATILOPORTEM HOLDINGS LLC, NEWBURY INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED, OCONEE GOLF COMPANY LLC, OCONEE HOTEL COMPANY LLC, OCONEE LAND COMPANY LLC, OCONEE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LLC, OCONEE MARINA COMPANY LLC, OMI MLIC INVESTMENTS LIMITED, PACIFIC LOGISTICS INDUSTRIAL NORTH LLC, PACIFIC LOGISTICS INDUSTRIAL SOUTH LLC, PARK TOWER JV MEMBER LLC, PARK TOWER REIT INC., PJSC METLIFE, PLAZA DRIVE PROPERTIES LLC, PREFCO FOURTEEN LLC, PREFCO XIV HOLDINGS LLC, PROVIDA INTERNACIONAL S.A., SAFEGUARD HEALTH ENTERPRISES INC., SAFEGUARD HEALTH PLANS INC., SAFEHEALTH LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, SOUTHCREEK INDUSTRIAL HOLDINGS LLC, ST. JAMES FLEET INVESTMENTS TWO LIMITED, SUPERIOR PROCUREMENT INC., SUPERIOR VISION BENEFIT MANAGEMENT INC., SUPERIOR VISION HOLDINGS INC., SUPERIOR VISION INSURANCE INC., SUPERIOR VISION INSURANCE PLAN OF WISCONSIN INC., SUPERIOR VISION OF NEW JERSEY INC., SUPERIOR VISION SERVICES INC., Safeguard Health Enterprises, Security First Group Inc., THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH AVENUE MEZZANINE LLC, THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH RETAIL HOLDING LLC, THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH RETAIL OWNER, THE DIRECT CALL CENTRE PTY LIMITED, TRANSMOUNTAIN LAND & LIVESTOCK COMPANY, UVC INDEPENDENT PRACTICE ASSOCIATION INC., VERSANT HEALTH CONSOLIDATIONS CORP., VERSANT HEALTH HOLDCO INC., VERSANT HEALTH INC., VERSANT HEALTH LAB LLC, VIRIDIAN MIRACLE MILE LLC, VISION 21 MANAGED EYE CARE OF TAMPA BAY INC., VISION 21 PHYSICIAN PRACTICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, VISION TWENTY-ONE MANAGED EYE CARE IPA INC., Versant Health, WDV ACQUISITION CORP., WFP 1000 HOLDING COMPANY GP LLC, WHITE OAK ROYALTY COMPANY, WHITE TRACT II LLC, and Willing.

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Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut.
The donations were raised as part of the companys annual Family Day celebration. The funds will help the Salvation Armys afterschool program and healthy snack program.

Many families find it very difficult to stay afloat. We see that first-hand in the numbers of people coming to us for assistance, said Lt. Troy Cook, commanding officer of The Salvation Army. Its challenging when parents are struggling to pay rent and dont have options for their children after school. Thats why The Salvation Army provides this free after-school program to meet the need in the community.
Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the electric utility, banking, and renewable/sustainable infrastructure investment businesses in the state of Hawaii. It operates in three segments: Electric Utility, Bank, and Other. The Electric Utility segment engages in the production, purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity in the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, and Molokai. Its renewable energy sources and potential sources include wind, solar, photovoltaic, geothermal, wave, hydroelectric, municipal waste, and other biofuels. This segment serves suburban communities, resorts, the United States armed forces installations, and agricultural operations. The Bank segment operates a community bank that offers banking and other financial services to consumers and businesses, including savings and checking accounts; and loans comprising residential and commercial real estate, residential mortgage, construction and development, multifamily residential and commercial real estate, consumer, and commercial loans. This segment operates 42 branches, including 29 branches in Oahu, 6 branches in Maui, 4 branches in Hawaii, 2 branches in Kauai, and 1 branch in Molokai. The Other segment invests in non-regulated renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure in the State of Hawaii. Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. was incorporated in 1891 and is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The following companies are subsidiares of Tyson Foods: APF Legacy Subs LLC, Advance Food Company LLC, AdvancePierre Foods, AdvancePierre Foods Holdings Inc., AdvancePierre Foods Inc., Aidells Sausage Company Inc., Allied Specialty Foods Inc., American Proteins Inc, Artisan Bread Co. LLC, Australian Food Corporation Pty Limited, Australian Food Corporation Trust, BRF, Barber Foods LLC, Bosco's Pizza Co., Bryan Foods Inc., C.S. Grain LLC, C.V. Holdings Inc., CBFA Management Corp., Central Industries Inc., Chefs Pantry LLC, Clovervale Farms LLC, Cobb (Hubei) Breeding Co. Ltd., Cobb (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Cobb Ana Damizlik Tavukculuk Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Cobb Columbia S.A.S., Cobb Europe B.V., Cobb Europe Limited, Cobb Peru (Andina) S.A.C., Cobb-Heritage LLC, Cobb-Vantress Brasil Ltda, Cobb-Vantress Inc., Cobb-Vantress New Zealand Limited, Cobb-Vantress Philippines Inc., Coominya AFC Pty Limited, Coominya AFC Trust, DFG Foods Inc., DFG Foods L.L.C., Don Julio, Egbert LLC, Equity Group - Georgia Division LLC, Equity Group - Kentucky Division LLC, Equity Group Eufaula Division LLC, Equity Meat Corp., Flavor Corp., Flavor Holdings Inc., Foodbrands America Inc., Foodbrands Supply Chain Services Inc., Gallo Salame Inc., Global Employment Services Inc., Grow-Out Credit LLC, Grow-Out Holdings LLC, Haimen Tyson Poultry Development Co. Ltd, Hudson Foods Company, Hudson Midwest Foods Inc., Hybro Genetics Brasil Ltda, IBP Caribbean Inc., IBP Foodservice L.L.C., IBP Inc., International Affiliates & Investment LLC, Jiangsu Tyson Foods Co. Ltd, Keydutch Finance B.V., Keydutch Holdings I LLC, Keydutch Holdings II LLC, Keydutch Investments B.V., Keystone CLJV Holdings Limited, Keystone County House Road LLC, Keystone Foods, Keystone Foods (AP) Limited, Keystone Foods Holdco LLC, Keystone Foods Intermediate LLC, Keystone Foods LLC, Keystone Foods Pty Limited, Keystone Management Inc., Keystone Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, LD Foods LLC, M & M Express LLC, M&M Restaurant Supply (MI/OH) LLC, MFG (USA) Holdings Inc., Mac Food Services (Malaysia) SDN. BHD., Madison Foods Inc., McKey Food Services (Hong Kong) Limited, McKey Food Services (Shandong) Limited, McKey Food Services (Thailand) Limited, McKey Food Services Limited, McKey Luxembourg Holdings APMEA S.a.r.l., McKey Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., McKey Luxembourg S.a.r.l., McKey VI Holdings Limited, Myung Seung Food Company Ltd., National Comp Care Inc., New Canada Holdings Inc., Oaklawn Capital Corporation, Oaklawn IT Solution Private Limited, Original Philly Holdings Inc., PBX inc., Pierre Holdco Inc., River Valley Ingredients LLC, Rizhao Tyson Foods Co. Ltd, Rizhao Tyson Poultry Co. Ltd, Rural Energy Systems Inc., Sara Lee - Kiwi Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Diversified LLC, Sara Lee Foods LLC, Sara Lee Household & Body Care Malawi Ltd., Sara Lee International LLC, Sara Lee International TM Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Mexicana Holdings Investment L.L.C., Sara Lee TM Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Trademark Holdings Australasia LLC, Saramar L.L.C., Shandong Tyson-Da Long Food Company Limited, Smart Chicken, Southern Family Foods L.L.C., Southwest Products LLC, TF 20 B.V., TF 5201 B.V., TFA Leasing LLC, TFA Opportunity Zone Fund LLC, TFI of California Inc., Tecumseh Poultry LLC, Texas Transfer Inc., The Bruss Company, The Hillshire Brands Company, The IBP Foods Co., The Pork Group Inc., TyNet Corporation, Tyson (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Tyson Americas Holding Sarl, Tyson Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Tyson Breeders Inc., Tyson Chicken Inc., Tyson China Holding 2 Limited, Tyson China Holding 3 Limited, Tyson China Holding Limited, Tyson Deli Inc., Tyson Europe Holding Company, Tyson Farms Inc., Tyson Farms QOZB LLC, Tyson Foods Brasil Investimentos Ltda., Tyson Foods Canada Inc., Tyson Foods Europe (Netherlands) B.V., Tyson Foods Europe GmbH, Tyson Foods France S.A.R.L., Tyson Foods Germany GmbH, Tyson Foods Group Limited, Tyson Foods Holland B.V., Tyson Foods Huadong Development Co. Ltd, Tyson Foods Iberia Alimentos S.L.U., Tyson Foods Italia S.p.A., Tyson Foods Korea, Tyson Foods Netherlands B.V., Tyson Foods Products Limited, Tyson Foods Scotland Europe Limited, Tyson Foods Scotland Sales (Europe) Limited, Tyson Foods UK Limited, Tyson Foods Wrexham Limited, Tyson Foods oosterwolde B.V., Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., Tyson Fresh Meats Sales and Distribution LLC, Tyson Global Holding Sarl, Tyson Hog Markets Inc., Tyson India Holdings Ltd., Tyson International APAC Ltd., Tyson International Company Ltd., Tyson International Holding Company, Tyson International Holding Sarl, Tyson International Service Center Inc., Tyson International Service Center Inc. Asia, Tyson International Service Center Inc. Europe, Tyson Mexican Original Inc., Tyson Mexico Trading Company S. de R.L. de CV., Tyson New Ventures LLC, Tyson Opportunity Zone Fund LLC, Tyson Pet Products Inc., Tyson Poultry Inc., Tyson Prepared Foods Inc., Tyson Processing Services Inc., Tyson Refrigerated Processed Meats Inc., Tyson Sales and Distribution Inc., Tyson Service Center Corp., Tyson Shared Services Inc., Tyson Storm Lake Holdings LLC, Tyson Warehousing Services LLC, Tyson of Wisconsin LLC, Uninex SA, Universal Meats (UK) Limited, WBA Analytical Laboratories Inc., Wilton Foods Inc., Xamol Consultores e Servicos, and Zemco Industries Inc..

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The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Limited, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Limited, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AFD.TECH, AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, AIG Shared Services Business Processing Inc, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co. Ltd., Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) Pty Ltd, Accenture (UK) Limited, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Agencia Interativa Ltda, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture B.V., Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BPS Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A., Accenture Canada Holdings Inc, Accenture Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Limited, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co. Ltd, Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Pty Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SASU, Accenture Customer Services Ltd, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Delivery Poland S.p. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance II Limited, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services S.r.l., Accenture Financial Advanced Solution & Technology S.r.l., Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Global Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Global Engagements Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Limited, Accenture Global Services Limited, Accenture Global Solutions Limited, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc, Accenture Holding Brasil Ltda, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SASU, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services B.V., Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture International B.V., Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea B.V., Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Lithuania UAB, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Marketing Services LLC, Accenture Marketing Services Limited, Accenture Middle East B.V., Accenture Minority I B.V., Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi Pty Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations GmbH, Accenture Operations S.p. z o.o., Accenture Operations Services Private Limited, Accenture Operations Services Sdn Bhd, Accenture Outsourcing S.r.l., Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations B.V., Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru SRL, Accenture Post Trade Processing SASU, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture Qiyun Technology (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture S.p. z o.o., Accenture S.p.A., Accenture SASU, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sdn Bhd, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services and Technology S.r.l., Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Single Member S.A. Organization Information Technology & Business Development, Accenture Solutions Co. Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions S.p. z o.o, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc, Accenture Sub III Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions S.r.l., Accenture Technology Solutions SASU, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures B.V., Accenture Technology Ventures SPRL, Accenture Tecnologia Consultoria y Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co. Limited, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Ltda, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Advoco, Agilex Technologies Inc., Alfa Consulting, Allen International, AlphaBeta Advisors, Altevie Technologies S.r.l., Altima, Altima (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Altima Asia Ltd, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Altius Consulting Limited, Altius Data Solutions Private Limited, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Apis Group Pty Ltd, Appaloosa Technology SASU, AppsPro, AppsPro, Arca, Arca Ingenieros y Consultoria S.L., Arca Telecom S.L., Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Artio People (Payroll) Pty Ltd, Artio People Pty Ltd, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Automation Partners Pty Ltd, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda , Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Avieco, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, BRIDGEi2i, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, ClearEdge Partners, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Ergo, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Founders Intelligence, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Headspring, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, King James Group, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision LLC, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations  Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Olympus Systems Corporation, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, T.A. Cook, TXF LLC, Tambourine, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis AG, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zestgroup, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut.

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TWIN FALLS  Rachael Hilarides has returned to Freedom Auto Finders in Twin Falls as the business manager.

Hilarides is E-Bay Motors Certified to be a e-dealer certified consultant. She has training in social media marketing and more than eight years of experience in automotive finance and insurance .
GoDaddy Inc. engages in the design and development of cloud-based technology products in the United States and internationally. The company provides domain name registration product that enables to engage customers at the initial stage of establishing a digital identity. It also offers shared Website hosting products that provide various applications and products, such as web analytics, Secure Sockets Layer certificates, and WordPress; Website hosting on virtual private servers and virtual dedicated servers products, which allows customers to select the server configuration suited for their applications, requirements, and growth; managed hosting products to set up, monitor, maintain, secure, and patch software and servers for customers; and security products, a suite of tools designed to help secure customers' online presence. In addition, the company provides presence products, such as Websites + Marketing, a do-it-yourself mobile-optimized online tool that enables customers to build websites and e-commerce enabled online stores; a range of marketing tools and services designed to help businesses acquire and engage customers, and create content, as well as search engine optimization that helps customers get their websites found on search sites; and social media management services. Further, it offers business application products, such as Microsoft Office 365, email accounts, email marketing, and Internet-based telephony services; online store capabilities that allows customers to transact business directly on their websites; GoDaddy Payments, a payment facilitator; and point-of-sale (POS) devices, as well as software for POS. The company serves small businesses, individuals, organizations, developers, designers, and domain investors. GoDaddy Inc. was incorporated in 2014 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.
Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, including auto financing, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses. This segment offers financial products and services through branches, automated teller machines, and mobile sales network. Its Wealth Management segment provides a suite of advice-based solutions and strategies to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and institutional clients. The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its advice centers, RBC insurance stores, and mobile advisors; digital, mobile, and social platforms; independent brokers; and travel partners. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset servicing, custody, payments, and treasury services to financial and other investors; and fund and investment administration, shareholder, private capital, performance measurement and compliance monitoring, distribution, transaction banking, cash and liquidity management, foreign exchange, and global securities finance services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, advisory services, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, private equity firms, and governments. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
KBR, Inc. provides scientific, technology, and engineering solutions to governments and commercial customers worldwide. The company operates through Government Solutions and Sustainable Technology Solutions segments. The Government Solutions segment offers life-cycle support solutions to defense, intelligence, space, aviation, and other programs and missions for military and other government agencies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Its services cover research and development, advanced prototyping, acquisition support, systems engineering, cyber analytics, space domain awareness, test and evaluation, systems integration and program management, global supply chain management, and operations readiness and support, as well as command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services. This segment also provides various professional advisory services to deliver high-end systems engineering, systems assurance, and technology to customers across the defense, energy, and critical infrastructure sectors. The Sustainable Technology Solutions segment holds a portfolio of approximately 70 proprietary process technologies for ammonia/syngas/fertilizers, chemical/petrochemicals, clean refining, and circular process/circular economy solutions. This segment also includes advisory and consulting practices that focuses on energy transition and net-zero carbon emission consulting; and provides engineering, design, and professional services, as well as industrial solutions through KBR INSITE, a proprietary, digital, and cloud-based operations and maintenance platform that identifies opportunities for clients to achieve sustainable improvements in production, reliability, environment impact, energy efficiency, and profitability. KBR, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
AAR Corp. provides products and services to commercial aviation, government, and defense markets worldwide. The Aviation Services segment offers aftermarket support and services; inventory management and distribution services; and maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as engineering services. This segment also sells and leases new, overhauled, and repaired engine and airframe parts, and components; and provides inventory and repair programs, warranty claim management, and outsourcing programs for engine and airframe parts and components, as well as performance-based supply chain logistics programs in support of the U.S. department of defense and foreign governments. In addition, it offers airframe inspection, maintenance, repair and overhaul, painting, line maintenance, airframe modification, structural repair, avionic and installation, exterior and interior refurbishment, and engineering and support services; and repairs and overhauls components, landing gears, wheels, and brakes. The Expeditionary Services segment provides products and services supporting the movement of equipment and personnel by the U.S. and foreign governments, and non-governmental organizations. This segment also designs, manufactures, and repairs transportation pallets, and various containers and shelters; and provides engineering, design, and system integration services for command and control systems. The company serves domestic and foreign passenger airlines; domestic and foreign cargo airlines; regional and commuter airlines; business and general aviation operators; original equipment manufacturers; aircraft leasing companies; aftermarket aviation support companies; and domestic and foreign military customers. It primarily markets and sells products and services through its employees and foreign sales representatives. AAR Corp. was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Wood Dale, Illinois.
BlackRock, Inc. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks. It also provides global risk management and advisory services. The firm manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios. It also launches and manages open-end and closed-end mutual funds, offshore funds, unit trusts, and alternative investment vehicles including structured funds. The firm launches equity, fixed income, balanced, and real estate mutual funds. It also launches equity, fixed income, balanced, currency, commodity, and multi-asset exchange traded funds. The firm also launches and manages hedge funds. It invests in the public equity, fixed income, real estate, currency, commodity, and alternative markets across the globe. The firm primarily invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, SMID-cap, large-cap, and multi-cap companies. It also invests in dividend-paying equity securities. The firm invests in investment grade municipal securities, government securities including securities issued or guaranteed by a government or a government agency or instrumentality, corporate bonds, and asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. It employs fundamental and quantitative analysis with a focus on bottom-up and top-down approach to make its investments. The firm employs liquidity, asset allocation, balanced, real estate, and alternative strategies to make its investments. In real estate sector, it seeks to invest in Poland and Germany. The firm benchmarks the performance of its portfolios against various S&P, Russell, Barclays, MSCI, Citigroup, and Merrill Lynch indices. BlackRock, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is based in New York City with additional offices in Boston, Massachusetts; London, United Kingdom; Gurgaon, India; Hong Kong; Greenwich, Connecticut; Princeton, New Jersey; Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; Taipei, Taiwan; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, District of Columbia; Toronto, Canada; Wilmington, Delaware; and San Francisco, California.
VMware, Inc. provides software solutions in the areas of modern applications, cloud management and infrastructure, networking, security, and digital workspaces in the United States and internationally. It offers VMware multi-cloud solutions, including VMware vSphere, a data center infrastructure that provides the fundamental compute layer; vSAN and VxRail, which offers holistic data storage and protection options to applications running on vSphere; and vRealize Cloud Management solutions that manages hybrid and multi-cloud environments running in virtual machines and containers, as well as VMware Cloud Foundation, a cloud platform that combines its vSphere, vSAN, and NSX with vRealize Cloud Management into an integrated stack and delivers enterprise-ready cloud infrastructure for private and public clouds. The company also provides networking solutions, such as VMware NSX, NSX Distributed and Gateway Firewalls, NSX Network Detection and Response Engine, NSX Advanced Load Balancer, Tanzu Service Mesh, and VMware SASE; security solutions consisting of VMware Carbon Black Endpoint, Workload, and Container; and digital workspace solutions comprising Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management, Access, Intelligent Hub, and Horizon. In addition, it offers application modernization solutions, such as Tanzu Application and Operations Platform, Tanzu Application Service Platform, Tanzu Observability, Tanzu Community Edition, and Tanzu Labs; and cloud management solutions, including vRealize Cloud Management, vCloud Suite, and CloudHealth by VMware Suite. The company sells its products through distributors, resellers, system vendors, and systems integrators. VMware, Inc. has a strategic alliance with Amazon Web Services to build and deliver an integrated hybrid solution. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
Wipro Limited operates as information technology (IT), consulting, and business process services company worldwide. It operates through three segments: IT Services, IT Products, and India State Run Enterprise Services (ISRE). The IT Services segment offers IT and IT-enabled services, including digital strategy advisory, customer-centric design, technology and IT consulting, custom application design, development, re-engineering and maintenance, systems integration, package implementation, cloud and infrastructure, business process, cloud, mobility and analytics, research and development, and hardware and software design services to enterprises. It serves customers in various industry sectors, such as healthcare and medical devices, consumer goods and life sciences, retail, transportation and services, communications, media and information services, technology products and platforms, banking, financial services and insurance, manufacturing, hi-tech, energy, and utilities. The IT Products segment provides a range of third-party IT products comprising enterprise platforms, networking solutions, software and data storage products, contact center infrastructure, enterprise security, IT optimization technologies, video solutions, and end-user computing solutions. It serves enterprises in various industries primarily in the India market, which comprise the government, defense, IT and IT-enabled services, telecommunications, manufacturing, utilities, education, and financial services sectors. The ISRE segment offers IT services to entities and departments owned or controlled by the Government of India and/or various Indian State Governments. The company was incorporated in 1945 and is based in Bengaluru, India.
The UK's approach so far to Brexit negotiations was unsatisfactory, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Tuesday.

Speaking as EU and British officials met for the third round of talks, Juncker reiterated the European position that no trade talks could take place until the so-called main divorce issues were settled.

I have read with all necessary attention all the position papers drawn up by the UK government but none of them really give me satisfaction, so there is an enormous amount of questions that need to be resolved, he said.

"Not just on the border problems regarding Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is a very serious problem in respect of which we have had no definitive response, but we also have the status of European citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living on the continent."

"We need to be crystal clear that we will commence no negotiations on the new relationship - particularly a new economic and trade relationship - between the UK and the EU before all these questions are resolved. First of all we settle the past before we look forward to the future."

The EU wants Britain to pay a final divorce bill. UK Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson have both conceded that a financial settlement will have to be made, but have yet to articulate a figure.

The rights of EU citizens in the UK and the Irish border are also must resolve areas for European officials.

Juncker's comments were echoed by the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier, who told Britain to start negotiating seriously.

We need UK positions on all separation issues. This is necessary to make sufficient progress. We must start negotiating seriously. We need UK papers that are clear in order to have constructive negotiations. And the sooner we remove the ambiguity the sooner we will be in a position to discuss the future relationship and to a transitional period, he said.
UK manufacturers have called for urgent clarity from the government over their concerns about an impending recruitment crunch due to an exodus of European Union workers.

Around a quarter of manufacturers saw a decrease in job applications from EU nationals, while 16% reported an increase of EU residents leaving their employ, trade association the EE revealed in report on Tuesday.

The importance of EU workers to the industry was highlighted by the fact that two thirds of manufacturers recruit from outside of the UK due to an insufficient number of domestic applicants.

The EEF warned that skill shortages would likely worsen if post-Brexit migration restrictions that instituted a cap on companies employing residents of the bloc were instituted, saying that "appropriate workers" should be allowed unfettered access to work in Britain for up to five years.

Tim Thomas, director of employment at EEF said, "Skills shortages are endemic in manufacturing and engineering, and any points based-type system would choke off the skills needed by this sector. A highly-skilled STEM route should be introduced to enable non-EU STEM professionals to seek work in the UK without a job offer within a reasonable timeframe."

The EEF asked the government to clarify the proposed reciprocal rights between UK and EU nationals, as well as calling on it to map out a new model for migration, reinstate the Tier 1 post-study work route that enabled non-EU students to stay in the UK for up to two years after graduating to seek skilled employment, and reduce costs to businesses recruiting from outside the EU by abolishing the immigration skills charge and reversing the decision to remove the short-term intra-company transfer route.

"As a priority, the government should clarify the reciprocal rights of EU nationals in the UK and British nationals currently working in other EU member states. At the same time, ministers must map out a new model for immigration to come into force when the UK leaves the EU, including a phased implementation over a sustained period," said Thomas.
Upcoming military manouevres by the Kremlin in northwestern Russia will not exceed the 2011 Vienna Document limits, the country's defence ministry said.

The so-called Zapad 2017 military exercises in northwestern Russia, Belarus and Kaliningrad would only involve roughly 13,000 troops, the ministry said, according to Interfax.

Tuesday's report came close on the heels of others at the weekend, citing analysts, according to whom as many as 100,000 troops might be involved in what could be a ruse by the Kremlin to pre-position troops and or equipment in Belarus.

Moscow's intention was for the exercises, which were scheduled for between 14-20 September, to be strictly defensive and anti-terrorist in nature, the Russian MoD reportedly added.
Flooding from Hurricane Harvey that has led to at least eight deaths and disrupted business in the oil-rich state of Texas is set to worsen with another 127cm of rain expected to fall upon the state on Tuesday as the effects are also felt in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

President Donald Trump was set to visit areas hit by Harvey, which has been downgraded to a tropical storm, on Tuesday to receive a briefing on the relief operations in Corpus Christi, Texas before touring emergency operations centres in Austin.

Floods caused by the storm have led to around a fifth of oil refineries on the Gulf of Mexico coast being shut down, which contributed to US gasoline prices rising to their highest since 2015 at the start of the week, though oil prices fell on Monday.

But production at Gulf refineries has already recommenced and a large oversupply and, while imports and exports were blocked in East Texas ports, elevated levels of storage before the storm should quell any fears of crude shortages.

Between two and three million barrels per day of refining capacity is offline or in the process of shutting down, Barclays said, with more than 500,000 bpd of oil production offline.

Harvey's impact is likely to linger for several more weeks, the bank said, while others analysts suggested crude oil inventories will build up.

TRUMP SCRAPPING OF FLOOD PROTECTION

Days before the Hurricane hit, Trump had signed an executive order that saw many of the flood protections introduced by former US President Barack Obama scrapped to get infrastructure projects approved quicker.

The regulations, while not yet in effect, were put together to make it more difficult for roads, bridges and other such infrastructures to be erected in areas susceptible to flooding.

In a move praised by businesses but strongly opposed by environmentalist lobbies, the President said earlier in August, "We're going to get infrastructure built quickly, inexpensively, relatively speaking, and the permitting process will go very, very quickly."

Trump also noted that his threats to shut down the US government would not hamper the recovery effort.

Flooding has left at least eight people dead and almost 2,000 people have been rescues as regions in the Gulf of Mexico received a year's rainfall in one week.

"The breadth and intensity of this rainfall are beyond anything experienced before," tweeted the US National Weather Service. "Catastrophic flooding is now underway and expected to continue for days."

Flooding is set to worsen as federal engineers said they would be releasing water from overflowing reservoirs to keep it from escaping dams and running over into homes they are built to protect.

30,000 residents in Houston, the fourth-largest city in the US, were expected to be left temporarily homeless.
Donald Trump has said, "all options are on the table" when speaking of how the United States intended to respond to the launch of a North Korean missile over Japanese airspace in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

"The world has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear," said the president in a written statement, adding that the launch signaled North Korea's "contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour."

It was the first missile fired over an American ally by North Korea that was designed to carry a nuclear payload, a clear act of defiance in the face of joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington taking place just south of the border.

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," said Trump.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan said that "Japan and the US positions are totally at one," adding that both nations were in "total agreement" of an emergency UN Security Council to apply pressure on the DPRK.

Just last week, Trump praised Pyongyang's decision to dial back on threats of an attack previously made to the US territory of Guam in the Pacific Ocean.

"Kim Jong-un, I respect the fact that I believe he is starting to respect us," the president told those present at a campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona. "I respect that fact very much. Respect that fact. And maybe, probably now, but maybe something positive can come about."

Hua Chunying of the Chinese foreign ministry told a Beijing press briefing to, "Think hard about it, who do you think should take the blame, if China is urging all parties to calm down while one party holds constant military exercises [] and the other is constantly launching missiles?"

At a UN conference on disarmament in Geneva, Han Tae Song, a diplomat from the DPRK said, "Now that the US has openly declared its hostile intention towards the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, by waging aggressive joint military exercises despite repeated warnings  my country has every reason to respond with tough counter-measures as an exercise of its right to self-defence.

On a visit to the United Arab Emirates, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, told a news conference, "the launching of the missiles from North Korea, we stick to the resolutions of the United Nations and we insist on the fact that the North Koreans must respect those resolutions from the United Nations."
Stocks finished lower after North Korea fired what was being described as an "unidentified missile" over Japan with traders waiting on the response from the international community.

Acting as a backdrop, in the run-up to the Labor Day weekend in the States traders had been waiting on news of US tax and French labour market reform plans later in the week, amid still holiday-thinned trading volumes.

Also taing its toll on investor sentiment, early in the session the euro ht 1.2071 against the US dollar - its highest level since 2015.

By the closing bell, the benchmark Stoxx 600 had shed 1.04% or 3.87 points to 368.42, alongside a drop of 1.46% or 177.59 points to 11,945.88 in the Dax, while the Cac-40 was down by 0.94% or 47.83 points at 5,031.92.

In parallel, gold futures for December expiry were up by 0.37% to $1,320.20/oz.. on COMEX as the greenback fell by 0.63% against the Japanese yen to 108.57, which is traditionally seen as a safe haven currency.

Reacting to Pyongang's latest missile test, US president Donald Trump reportedly said that "all options are on the table".

The world "has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour."

A spokesman for Beijing also weighed in, reportedly reiterating previous calls for the North to suspend its missile tests in return for a cessation of the joint US-South Korean exercises.

For its part, Japan called an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

Commenting on the market backdrop, Mike van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets, said: "Equities are firmly in the red after North Korea delivered its biggest provocation in two decades by firing a ballistic missile over Japan, adding fuel to the fires of geopolitical uncertainty.

"The rush for safe havens and ditching of the USD is resulting in more unwelcome GBP and EUR strength, hurting the FTSE and DAX, while the US and oil markets deal with the effects of Hurricane Harvey."

Echoing van Dulken, Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda, added: "The missile launch comes as no surprise given proximity to the annual military exercises between the US and South Korea, but the fact that the missile was shot over Northern Japan and prompted warning sirens encouraging people to take cover is a concern."

Meanwhile, on the economic front, French household consumption grew by 0.7% month-on-month in July, alongside quarter-on-quarter GDP growth of 0.5% in the euro area's second-largest economy for the three months to June, according to INSEE.

Both readings were as expected by the market consensus.

According to GfK, its consumer confidence index for Germany referencing the month of September was seen climbing from a reading of 10.8 to 10.9 (consensus: 10.9).

Prosieben SAT1 Media was on the front foot amid reports it was looking for possible external investors to back its content production.

Renault and Nissan were also in the spotlight after announcing they were setting up a joint-venture with their partner Dongfeng Motor Group to design and build electric vehicles in China.
Stocks are holding lower after North Korea fired what was being described as an "unidentified missile" over Japan with traders waiting on the response from the international community.

Acting as a backdrop, in the run-up to the Labor Day weekend in the States traders had been waiting on news of US tax and French labour market reform plans later in the week, amid still holiday-thinned trading volumes.

Further denting stocks on the Continent, the euro was higher by 0.67% to 1.2059 against the US dollar - its highest level since 2015.

At 1215 BST, the benchmark Stoxx 600 was losing 1.28% or 4.75 points to 367.55, alongside a drop of 1.68% or 203.65 points to 11,920.14, while the Cac-40 was down by 1.26% or 63.42 points at 5,016.45.

In parallel, gold futures for December expiry shot up by 1.12% to $1,330.20/oz.. on COMEX as the greenback fell by 0.63% against the Japanese yen to 108.57, which is traditionally seen as a safe haven currency. Meanwhile, the VStoxx index measuring volatility on the Euro Stoxx 50 was 12.65% higher at 17.86.

Reacting to Pyongang's latest missile test, US president Donald Trump reportedly said that "all options are on the table".

The world "has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour".

A spokesman for Beijing also weighed in, reportedly reiterating previous calls for the North to suspend its missile tests in return for a cessation of the joint US-South Korean exercises.

For its part, Japan called an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

Commenting on the market backdrop, Mike van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets, said: "Equities are firmly in the red after North Korea delivered its biggest provocation in two decades by firing a ballistic missile over Japan, adding fuel to the fires of geopolitical uncertainty.

"The rush for safe havens and ditching of the USD is resulting in more unwelcome GBP and EUR strength, hurting the FTSE and DAX, while the US and oil markets deal with the effects of Hurricane Harvey."

Echoing van Dulken, Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda, added: "The missile launch comes as no surprise given proximity to the annual military exercises between the US and South Korea, but the fact that the missile was shot over Northern Japan and prompted warning sirens encouraging people to take cover is a concern."

Meanwhile, on the economic front, French household consumption grew by 0.7% month-on-month in July, alongside quarter-on-quarter GDP growth of 0.5% in the euro area's second-largest economy for the three months to June, according to INSEE.

Both readings were as expected by the market consensus.

According to GfK, its consumer confidence index for Germany referencing the month of September was seen climbing from a reading of 10.8 to 10.9 (consensus: 10.9).

Still on the economic calendar for Tuesday, S & P Case Shiller was scheduled to release its US home price index for the month of June at 1400 BST, followed by the Conference Board's consumer confidence gauge for August at 1500 BST.

Prosieben SAT1 Media was on the front foot amid reports it was looking for possible external investors to back its content production.

Renault and Nissan were also in the spotlight after announcing they were setting up a joint-venture with their partner Dongfeng Motor Group to design and build electric vehicles in China.
News that North Korea had fired what reports described as a ballistic missile over Japan saw a wave of risk aversion wash over markets amid still holiday-thinned trading volumes, especially in the run-up to the Labor Day weekend Stateside.

Further denting stocks on the Continent, the euro was higher by 0.67% to 1.2059 against the US dollar - its highest level since 2015.

At 0930 BST, the benchmark Stoxx 600 was losing 1.42% or 5.29 points to 367.00, alongside a drop of 1.62% or 196.48 points to 11,927.35 for the German Dax, while the Cac-40 was down by 1.37% or 70.06 points at 5,009.20.

In parallel, gold futures for December expiry shot up by 1.12% to $1,330.20/oz.. on COMEX as the greenback fell by 0.74% against the Japanese yen to 108.44, which is traditionally seen as a safe haven currency.

Commenting on the market backdrop, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, said: "After weeks of quiet, renewed geopolitical tensions and a soaring euro are combining to cause some impressive moves across markets this morning. We have seen triple-digit losses on the FTSE 100, while in Europe the surge in the euro past $1.20 has resulted in brutal morning for European equities.

"North Koreas dramatic escalation last night prompted some impressive risk-off moves in Asia, with the European session naturally following suit. US futures are under pressure, although everyone is waiting for the first tweet on the subject from the Commander-in-Chief before hitting the sell button too hard."

French household consumption grew by 0.7% month-on-month in July, alongside 0.5% quarter-on-quarter GDP growth in the euro area's second-largest economy for the three months to June, according to INSEE.

Both readings were as expected by the market consensus.

According to GfK, its consumer confidence index for Germany referencing the month of September was seen climbing from a reading of 10.8 to 10.9 (consensus: 10.9).

Still on the economic calendar for Tuesday, S & P Case Shiller was scheduled to release its US home price index for the month of June at 1400 BST, followed by the Conference Board's consumer confidence gauge for August at 1500 BST.

Prosieben SAT1 Media was on the front foot amid reports it was looking for possible external investors to back its content production.

Renault and Nissan were also in the spotlight after announcing they were setting up a joint-venture with their partner Dongfeng Motor Group to design and build electric vehicles in China.
London stocks were set for a negative open on Tuesday, tracking weakness in Asian markets after North Korea launched a missile over Japan.

The FTSE 100 was expected to open 42 points lower at 7,359.

CMC Markets analyst David Madden said: Tensions have been running high for a number of weeks now in relation to North Korea, and this move has sent traders running for cover. The situation surrounding North Korea has become more serious now, and we are seeing a risk-off strategy being adopted by traders.

There was a knee-jerk reaction to the missile being launched, but after a while traders nerves settled, and we saw a bounce back in equity markets - which are off the lows of the session.

Investors will also be digesting the latest survey from Nationwide, which showed that house price growth in the UK slowed to 2.1% in August from 2.9% in July, while month-on-month, prices fell 0.1% compared with a 0.2% increase the month before and expectations of a 0.1% gain.

In corporate news, distribution and outsourcing group Bunzl said the weak pound helped power interim pre-tax profits to 181.9m, a rise of 17%.

With more than 85% of the group's revenue generated outside the UK, the weakening of sterling against most currencies increased revenue, profits and earnings by approximately 12%, Bunzl said.

Bunzl also unveiled a new acquisition in China, with the purchase of HSESF and its associated companies, which are principally engaged in the sale of a variety of personal protection equipment.

The City watchdog has begun to probe the timing and preparation of a profit warning last September by Mitie Group, which is already being investigated by another regulator over its accounts.

Mitie revealed on Monday that the Financial Conduct Authority had on Friday told the facilities management outsourcing group that an investigation "in connection with the timeliness" of the profit warning that was announced by the company on 19 September 2016.

AstraZeneca announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Faslodex (fulvestrant) 500mg as monotherapy for expanded use in women with hormone-receptor positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative advanced breast cancer, who have gone through menopause and have not received previous endocrine therapy.

The FTSE 100 drugmaker said the FDA approval was based on data from the Phase III FALCON trial, as published in the November 2016 issue of The Lancet.
According to Mark Kleinman of Sky News, several leading shareholders intend to push Dixons Carphone chairman, Lord Livingston of Parkhead into a sped up succession plan amid growing pressure on current chief executive, Seb James, in the wake of last week's unexpected profit warning that cut the company's value down just shy of a quarter.

Mr James, who took the role in 2012 said the downturn in trading was due to consumers holding on to existing handsets for longer, while the drop in the value of sterling after the Brexit decision forced costs up on new UK consumer devices.

According to one of Kleinman's sources, disgruntled investors felt Mr James had "taken his eye off the ball" and "lost control of the company" in recent months as he was rumoured to be named as new chief executive of ITV, a role which Carolyn McCall, boss of easyJet ended up landing.

Carphone Warehouse, which merged with Dixons Retail in 2014 has seen its shares lose almost half their value in the last 12 months.

Six members of Dixon's management, including James and chairman Tony DeNunzio, purchased over 200,000 shares in the group on Friday which lead to some confidence in the company's future, despite credibility in the retailer's directorial team not being what it once was.

As of 1620 BST, Dixons shares were down 0.75% to 180.80p.
WPP s wholly-owned operating company, AKQA, the global brand experience studio, has acquired a majority stake in digital agency DIS/PLAY in Denmark for an undisclosed sum.

DIS/PLAY provides strategy, user experience, design, and technical development solutions to clients. Employing more than 100 people in Copenhagen and Aarhus, its clients include Amnesty International, ECCO and Vestas.

WPP said the acquisition builds AKQA's European presence and capabilities while providing DIS/PLAY with access to AKQA's global network and resources.

For the year ended 31 December 2016, DIS/PLAYs revenues were DKK105m, while gross assets were DKK49m.

The advertising giant said the acquisition continues its strategy in developing its services in important markets and sectors and strengthening its capabilities in digital marketing. In Denmark, its companies including associates generate revenues of over $150m and employ almost 1,000 people.
London's FTSE 100 was down 1% to 7,328.80 in afternoon trade on Tuesday as geopolitical tensions sparked a 'risk-off' session.

Precious metals miners Randgold Resources and Fresnillo shone, boosted by a rally in gold prices as North Korea's missile strike over Japan prompted a flight to safe havens.

CRH was in the red despite a positive note from JPMorgan Cazenove, which reiterated its 'overweight' stance on the stock. Last Thursday, shares in the building materials group rallied after it posted a 27% jump in first-half pre-tax profit as it announced an agreement to sell its Americas distribution division to Beacon Roofing Supply for $2.63bn in cash.

Broadcaster ITV was under the cosh after a revenue warning from German peer ProSiebenSat.1, which cut its third-quarter guidance on Tuesday as it cautioned that ad revenues in German-language markets were set to drop. ProSiebenSat shares were down just over 13%.

Morrisons was weaker as Deutsche Bank reiterated its 'hold' rating on the stock, saying the valuation is full, but lifted its price target to 235p from 225p.

Risers

Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 7,935.00p 4.82%

Fresnillo (FRES) 1,628.00p 3.04%

Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI) (CCH) 2,623.00p 0.88%

SEGRO (SGRO) 529.00p 0.28%

Mediclinic International (MDC) 755.00p 0.27%

Associated British Foods (ABF) 3,191.00p 0.22%

Land Securities Group (LAND) 990.50p 0.20%

Intertek Group (ITRK) 4,958.00p 0.20%

Anglo American (AAL) 1,341.50p 0.15%

Rentokil Initial (RTO) 294.60p 0.07%

Fallers

ITV (ITV) 154.50p -3.98%

Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (MRW) 242.60p -3.50%

CRH (CRH) 2,642.00p -2.87%

Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) 2,285.00p -2.72%

Smiths Group (SMIN) 1,524.00p -2.62%

Standard Life Aberdeen (SLA) 430.30p -2.56%

Barclays (BARC) 189.95p -2.24%

Standard Chartered (STAN) 760.60p -2.12%

Next (NXT) 4,056.00p -2.10%

Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 63.55p -2.10%
TWIN FALLS  A man and a woman were arrested Saturday after, police said, they stole shoes, clothes, jewelry and mascara from Shopko and the man threatened to kill an employee who tried to stop them.

The two suspects, Nicholas Coxey, 33, and Rebecca Dudley, 36, both of Twin Falls, took the items Saturday afternoon and tried to leave without paying, Shopko employees told Twin Falls police.

Two employees followed them out of the store to try to stop and said when one of them approached Dudley, she ran and screamed at them not to touch her. Coxey then dropped the items he was items and said I will (expletive) kill you to one of the Shopko employees, while holding a small folding knife, according to a police affidavit.

The employees let them go but called police. Twin Falls police stopped their car on Monroe Street. Police searched Dudleys purse and found a shirt, mascara and jewelry, worth about $66, as well as a used syringe. Police then searched the vehicle and found a knife that matched the description and two more syringes, one of which tested positive for heroin. Police said Coxey had taken $114.71 worth of items from Shopko, including mens and womens shoes, Hanes underwear, shirts and shorts.

Coxey is being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon or instrument, petit theft, and providing false information to an officer  police said he gave a false name initially. He is being held on $100,000 bond. Dudley is being charged with possession of a controlled substance and petit theft and was released. Their preliminary hearings are set for Sept. 8.
RUPERT  A Burley man planned to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old girl for sex and smoking pot, then jumped into the Snake River when he realized it was actually police officers waiting for him, court records say.

An officer who posed as a 14-year-old girl on Facebook received messages from 23-year-old Manuel Alejandro Ramirez on Aug. 5, police said. The conversation continued for several weeks and turned sexual, police said.

The officer told Ramirez he was a 14-year-old girl who liked to smoke marijuana and relax. Police said Ramirez continued to escalate the sexual conversation by discussing specific sex acts and positions and by sending him graphic sexualized animated drawings and cartoons.

The officer made plans for his persona to meet Ramirez near the Heyburn RV Park on Aug. 17, which Ramirez said was within walking distance of his home. Ramirez said they could go to the park and he knew of a hidden area on the walking path where they could smoke marijuana and have sex. The officer told Ramirez to bring condoms.

When police approached Ramirez he ran south toward the Snake River. Officers saw him throw his cell phone, a recently purchased box of condoms and a bag of marijuana into the river. The marijuana and condoms were found floating in the river and recovered by officers. His cellphone sank and was not recovered.

Police found Ramirez hiding in reeds in the river and he was arrested.

Police say Ramirez told them that he began speaking to the girl online due to fantasies. He had no intention of having sex, he told police.

Ramirez is charged with felony counts of enticing a child under the age of 16 via the internet, destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence, possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

A preliminary hearing is set in the case for Wednesday in Minidoka County Magistrate Court.
TWIN FALLS  Twin Falls Judge Richard Bevan has been named to the Idaho Supreme Court.

Bevan, who is the 5th Judicial Districts administrative judge, takes the place of Justice Daniel Eismann, who is retiring at the end of August. The other finalists for the appointment were Boise attorney Rebecca Rainey, 2nd District Judge John Stegner and 7th District Judge Greg Moeller.

Gov. C.L. Butch Otter announced Bevans appointment Tuesday.

I am honored and humbled to be chosen as Idahos next Supreme Court justice, Bevan said in a statement. I appreciate the confidence placed in me throughout this process. I pledge to act with all the power that I possess to be a faithful servant of the United States and Idaho constitutions, to the rule of law and to the people of the state of Idaho.

Eismanns last day on the bench is Thursday. Bevan said he still needs to find out when he will assume the Supreme Court seat, and whether they will want him to finish out any of the cases over which he is presiding  he is the judge in the murder case against Gerardo Raul Chavez, accused of killing 15-year-old Vason Lee Widaman, and that trial is scheduled to start next month.

I have a calendar thats just crazy between now and November, Bevan said.

Bevan was appointed to the bench by then-Gov. Dirk Kempthorne in 2003 and is in his third three-year term as administrative judge. He was a lawyer in private practice before that and also served a term as Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney, a position to which he was elected as a Republican.

As judge, he was instrumental in establishing and presiding over the 5th Judicial Districts Mental Health Court. He also presides over the Veterans Treatment Court, which was established in 2015 to hear cases involving veterans with service-related drug, alcohol or mental health challenges. Bevan said his role in those courts has been among the highlights of his career on the bench.

Ive just seen that court do amazing things with people with mental health (issues), he said.

As for cases, Bevan said he will remember the murder cases and ones involving children as victims.

You just remember those, he said. And they stick with you whatever the outcome.

Bevan plans to run for a full term on the Supreme Court next year. The election is in May, with a runoff possible in November.

Judge Bevans judicial demeanor, his sound and well-reasoned decisions, and his impressive knowledge and understanding of the legal issues that are most consequential to the citizens he serves on the bench recommend him highly for the Supreme Court, Otter said. He has consistently tackled tough, socially significant issues with an open mind and a determination to find solutions that protect both the community and the individuals who appear before him.

Bevan said he loves his job as a trial judge, calling it the highlight of his career. But, he said, he is also likes the idea of reviewing weighty legal issues on the Supreme Court.

I think an appellate position to sit and think and write and do those things really appeals to me at my age and where Im at in my career, he said.

He also looks forward to playing a role on the committees that influence the states court system, a role he thinks he will fit well in given his judicial and leadership experience and ability to get along with others.

Bevan will be the third judge on the five-member court with strong ties to the Magic Valley. Justice Robyn Brody practiced law in the Twin Falls area and Mini-Cassia for years before her election. And Chief Justice Roger Burdicks resume includes years in private practice locally followed by stints as a public defender, prosecutor and finally judge, eventually becoming 5th Judicial District administrative judge.

The 5th District judges will vote to pick one of their own as the new administrative judge for the rest of Bevans term, or until the end of 2018, said Trial Court Administrator Shelli Tubbs. If they cant make a decision, the Idaho Supreme Court will make the pick for them.

The Idaho Judicial Council will accept applications from and interview candidates for the soon-to-be district judge vacancy and recommend a few finalists to Otter, who will name one of them to the court.
Rare Ferraris are nothing new in the world of well-heeled collectors but when a special prancing horse emerges from the shadows forty years on as the only one of its kind in the world, the definition of rare is completely redefined.

This is the Ferrari 365 GTB/4, a living and (almost) breathing example of what can happen when precious things get stowed away and forgotten about for decades. The pedigree of such a car hails from 1969 to the late 70s where just 1,200 365 GTB/4 Daytonas were built. Five of those examples were constructed from light-weight aluminium and designated to racing duties only  except one. Ferrari built a single example of the race car in full street-legal trim and that car is the one you see before you.

Chassis no. 12653 has resided in a Japanese barn for the most part of four decades thanks to owner Makoto Takai who didnt want to sell it. That all changed this year with the Rosso Chiaro vehicle now heading to auction without reserve during Septembers Leggenda e Passione auction in Maranello.

Based on the images alone, the car is obviously in barn-find condition meaning itll need some work to bring it back to its former glory, but otherwise all original parts are intact. Inside the vehicle theres black Nero leather alongside features like matching engine numbers, transaxle, Scaglietti body numbers and the original spare tyre  unused of course.

The car had originally been in the hands of three owners in Italy before it was brought over to Japan in 1971 where it sits with 36,000km on the clock.

The price of exclusivity? 1,700,000 or a touch over AU$2,000,000. Place your bids here.
The Honda Monkey was born when a competition arose to manufacture the smallest bike and was initially used as an amusement park ride in Tokyo, back in 1961.

The first road-legal Honda Monkey, however, with a 50cc, single-cylinder air-cooled engine rolled off the production line in 1967.

After its launch, the Honda Monkey quickly gathered a strong fan following, especially with those looking for a compact motorcycle to tackle city traffic.

Features such as foldable handlebars and a compact design soon made the mini bike one of Honda's best-selling products.

DriveSpark Thinks!

Clever design and the ease of use made the Honda Monkey a practical commuter, and it is sad to see Honda killing the production of the motorcycle. However, the Honda Monkey was never sold in India, and if one is looking for something similar, the Honda Navi is the closest choice.
Attorneys representing 21 youth plaintiffs in the landmark climate case Juliana v. United States filed an answer to the Trump administrations mandamus petition Monday with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In their answer, attorneys make clear that the U.S. government already admitted that its actions imperil youth plaintiffs with dangerous, and unacceptable economic, social, and environmental risks, and that the use of fossil fuels is a major source of [greenhouse gas] emissions, placing our nation on an increasingly costly, insecure and environmentally dangerous path.

Attorneys for the youth plaintiffs also point to their July 20 deposition of Dr. Michael Kuperberg, head of the federal climate research program, who testified that he is fearful, that increasing levels of CO2 pose risks to humans and the natural environment, and that he does not think current federal actions are adequate to safeguard the future.

The Trump administration originally filed the mandamus petition on June 9, arguing the Ninth Circuits intervention was necessary due to what it characterized as burdensome discovery issues. On July 28 a panel of judges from the Ninth Circuit ordered youth plaintiffs attorneys to answer the petition. Now, the Trump administration will have 14 days to reply to the youth plaintiffs answer before the Ninth Circuit panel makes its ruling. Before the Trump administration filed the mandamus petition, the district court had issued an order for trial to begin on Feb. 5, 2018 in Eugene, Oregon, with Judge Ann Aiken presiding.

Dr. Harold Wanless, an expert geologist for plaintiffs from the University of Miami who has done work on sea level rise for both defendants and Exxon, said in his declaration filed Monday:

We are headed to catastrophic sea level rise a lot faster than we have anticipated. If we act now, we may not be able to save Naples and Miami and other low-lying regions. But if we do not act now, we have no chance to protect plaintiff Levis barrier island, and we will also be heading towards losing Orlando and many other places presently above any projected sea level rise.

A declaration submitted by Levi Draheim, 10-year-old Florida resident and youth plaintiff in the case reads:

Im scared about how climate change impacts and ocean acidification will continue to harm the beaches and streams in Florida and the wildlife that inhabit them. I can already notice the beaches around me getting smaller because of sea level rise. The reason why I care so much is I basically grew up on the beach. It is like another mother, sort of, to me.

Julia Olson, co-lead counsel for plaintiffs and executive director of Our Childrens Trust, avowed:

Whats clear is the burden of climate change impacts faced by our young plaintiffs far outweigh the federal governments exaggerated burden in participating in pretrial discovery. Even so, we have no interest in drawn out discovery and will work with attorneys from the DOJ to move this case expeditiously to trial in February.

Phil Gregory, co-lead counsel for plaintiffs and partner with Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP, in Burlingame, California, said:

The Fifth Amendment provides Americans the fundamental rights to personal security, property, life, and family autonomy and security. The federal court has decided that our youth plaintiffs have properly brought a complaint that the U.S. governments actions in causing climate change infringe upon those rights. Right now, the federal government is trying every trick to deny these youth access to a trial that will protect their rights. We are confident the courts will properly protect the youth of America from the growing climate crisis.

The Ninth Circuit invited the District Court of Oregon to answer the petition as well. In response, the District Court filed via a letter on August 25, referring to the issues presented by the youths case as vitally important. The letter, signed by federal Judge Ann Aiken and Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin, affirmed:

In short, we do not believe that the government will be irreversibly damaged by proceeding to trial. In our view, any error that we may have committed (or may commit in the future) can be corrected through the normal route of a direct appeal following final judgment. Indeed, we believe that permitting this case to proceed to trial will produce better results on appeal by distilling the legal and factual questions that can only emerge from a fully developed record.

The letter filed by the judges also recognized that the fossil fuel industrys broad denial of all allegations in the complaint was in part responsible for the original scope of the youth plaintiffs discovery requests. The letter went on to conclude that the withdrawal of three trade association defendants from the case in June should allow the plaintiffs to substantially narrow their discovery requests.

Juliana v. United States was brought by 21 young plaintiffs, and Earth Guardians, who argue that their constitutional and public trust rights are being violated by the governments creation of climate danger. The case is one of many related legal actions brought by youth in several states and countries, all supported by Our Childrens Trust, seeking science-based action by governments to stabilize the climate system.
Center for Food Safety (CFS) filed a federal lawsuit Sunday against the Trump administration for its failure to comply with the 2016 federal law on the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food.

Sec. of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are charged with implementing the new labeling rules, and part of that process is a study on electronic and digital disclosures (like QR codes) for GE foods, as opposed to on-package text. That study was required to be finished by July 2017, with an opportunity for public participation, but USDA never completed the study or published it for public comment.

Because this is a controversial topic and crucial decision, Congress required this QR code study be completed by July and that the publics views be included. In court, statutory directives matternot tweets. We wont let the Trump Administration get away with ignoring the law, said George Kimbrell, legal director for CFS.

The federal GE food law requires USDA to establish federal standards for labeling by July 2018. The withheld study will inform the agencys ultimate decision, which is why it was required to be completed a year earlier. One of the most controversial aspects of the law is how it will require companies to label GE foods, and whether companies will be able to forgo clear, on-package labeling through the use of QR codes and other digital disclosures. The new federal law allows USDA to consider several options: on-package text, a GE symbol on packages or electronic or digital disclosures, which would require shoppers to use a smart phone to scan packages to access a website or call a 1-800 number for every single product to find out if it was produced with genetic engineering. The study is crucial because it will analyze if this type of digital labeling will make the information accessible or not, based on several factors. If USDA concludes, based on the study, that these disclosures will not provide consumers sufficient access, then USDA must require consumers be given alternative options.

Americans deserve nothing less than clear on-package labeling, the way food has always been labeled, continued Kimbrell. Allowing companies to hide genetically engineered ingredients behind a website or QR code is discriminatory and unworkable.

In the U.S., there has never been a food labeling requirement met by QR codes instead of on-package labeling. Electronic labeling will not provide disclosure to a large portion of Americans, disproportionally affecting minority, low-income and elderly people:

Studies show that half of low-income people do not own smartphones.

Almost half of rural people do not own smart phones.

Minorities make up a disproportionate percentage of low-income and rural Americans.

Two-thirds of the elderly do not own smart phones.

Overall, only 64 percent of Americans own a smart phone.

Few people have ever used a QR code: only 16 percent have ever scanned a QR code and only 3 percent of those people do it regularly.

A shopper would have to scan all of the many items s/he is shopping for on any given shopping trip (which for a family of four could easily amount to more than 50 items). This would be an undue burden on the consumer and greatly impede access to information that is currently required for all other forms of food labeling. On-package labeling is simple, quick and effective. QR codes, websites and 1-800 numbers are not.
As some of the nations largest crude processors and refineries shut down their facilities amid 

unprecedented rainfall and flooding from Harvey, residents nearby are reporting noxious, gaseous smells clouding the air.

Ive been smelling them all night and off and on this morning, Bryan Parras, from the environmental justice group

TEJAS, told New Republic on Sunday.

Some locals are also experiencing headaches, sore throat, scratchy throat and itchy eyes, Parras added.

Paris said that the chemical-like smells emanate from Houstons East End and are particularly strong in communities nearby the petrochemical plants. Problem is, the fence-line community cannot leave or evacuate as they are surrounded by devastating flooding, so they are literally getting gassed by these chemicals, he said.

The source of the smell is likely caused by the abrupt shutdown of ExxonMobil, Petrobras, Shell, Chevron Phillips and other petrochemical facilities in the wake of Harveys historic flooding, reports suggest.

A 2012 analysis from the Environmental Integrity Project found that upsets or sudden shutdowns can release large plumes of sulfur dioxide or toxic chemicals in just a few hours, exposing downwind communities to peak levels of pollution that are much more likely to trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory systems.

Initial reports from Texas regulators indicate that more than 1 million pounds of harmful air pollution have been released into the air due to the closures, the Environmental Defense Fund noted in a blog post.

Furthermore, Chevron Phillips has already reported to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) that it expects to exceed permitted limits for pollutants such as 1,3-butadiene, benzene and ethylene during shutdown procedures.

Air pollution is one of the unseen dangers of the storm, said EDF senior health scientist Dr. Elena Craft. Poor air quality puts the most vulnerable among us, like children and seniors, at risk for asthma, heart attacks, strokes and other health problems.

Meanwhile, TCEQ has shuttered its air quality monitors in the Houston area to avoid water and wind damage from the storm, which leaves these plants and refineries to the honor system to report whatever gets emitted, the Houston Press points out.

Manchester resident Nayeli Olmos, who lives close to a Valero Refinery, noticed gas-like smells Saturday night when she stepped outside her house.

We figured it would go away on its own, but this morning it was still here, and it feels like whenever it rains the odor gets stronger, Olmos told Houston Press. Our neighbors were all talking about it and then I saw people from different neighborhoods talking about it on social media. Thats when I realized its not just us this time. Its all over East Houston.

Stephanie Thomas, from the nonprofit Public Citizen, also told the publication that the air smelled like burnt rubber with a hint of something metallic thrown in in the Second Ward near downtown Houston.

Here are some tweets relating to Houstons chemical stench:

There is a thick smell of oil in the air downtown #Houston  The Rhonda Ragsdale Show (@profragsdale) August 27, 2017

@DisasterPIO There is a widespread gas smell in Houston's East End. Any info?  RFH (@rfh02) August 27, 2017
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
TWIN FALLS  Think of it as an online farmers market.

At freshocal.com, just create an account and add food items to your cart. Within days, you can have fresh, local produce, meat, eggs and milk delivered to your door.

Freshocal, a new business here in the Magic Valley, aims to improve accessibility to local producers  which can be difficult for people who are too busy to attend the weekly farmers markets.

Most farmers dont have the technical ability to solve this problem, co-owner Kory Lloyd said. They get burned out on the marketing side and the delivery side.

Lloyd, an English professor at College of Southern Idaho, came up with the idea for Freshocal after talking with his student Spencer Mallett. The two had a lot in common. Lloyd grew up on a cattle ranch in Colorado. Malletts family runs an organic dairy in Hollister.

We really have had similar values and interests in sustainable farming, Mallett said.

And they wanted to see more people eating local produce.

Most of the produce we eat in the Magic Valley comes from California and Mexico, Lloyd said.

Farmers markets provide one venue for meeting producers face-to-face. But they also take away time the consumer might be spending relaxing with family, or time the producer might be doing work on the farm.

Some farmers, such as Matt Quesnell of Quesnell Canyon Farm, also work full-time jobs and cant make it to the farmers market.

Its not something that works for us, and its one reason we were excited to work with Freshocal, the Hansen egg producer said.

Freshocal delivers Quesnells farm-fresh chicken eggs to customers he otherwise would not have time to accommodate for deliveries.

Old Almo Dairy owner Phil Christensen said he used to go to farmers markets, but it took time away from milking cows and offered limited exposure.

I like the idea that I can drop off my milk at one location and be done, Christensen said. It also broadens my customer base, too.

Freshocal started just a few weeks ago, but Christensen got on board right away. Its almost like a mobile grocery store, he said.

How it works

If youre interested in ordering from Freshocal, you need to create an account on freshocal.com. Having all the customers information on hand makes it easier to contact them, Mallett explained. Customers can pay online with a credit card, or choose to pay with check or cash upon delivery.

The company will do home deliveries, or drop off at designated pick-up locations, in Twin Falls, Filer, Kimberly, Hansen, Murtaugh, Burley and Rupert. The window is typically 5 to 7 p.m., but a full schedule of times and dates is available online. Mallett recommends customers leave a cooler on their porch, just in case they miss the delivery.

Home delivery has an extra $5 delivery fee, Mallet said. In most cases, it will take three to five days before the items are ready to be sent out.

Freshocal currently works with six producers around the Magic Valley and Mini-Cassia, and Mallett hopes to offer at least some products year-round. Ground beef from steers raised on his grandparents organic dairy in Paul, for example, will always be available. And if all goes according to plan, you can also plan on yearlong offerings of dairy, beans, potatoes, eggs and pork.

See something thats out of stock? You can create a wishlist on the website and check back later.

There is currently no minimum order amount, but that could change.

Right now were just trying to get people excited about the potential for home delivery of their food, Mallett said.

Freshocal purchases items at a wholesale price and marks them up for resale. If a producer already sells that item at a farmers market, the price ends up being the same, he said.

In many ways its a super-product because of the locality and the freshness of it, Mallett said.

And maybe, getting local food and supporting local agriculture will be less of a scavenger hunt.

Information: Email info@freshocal.com or call 208-308-1000.
The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the IEEE Computer Society (IEEE-CS) jointly announced today that Shaden Smith of the University of Minnesota and Yang You of the University of California, Berkeley are the recipients of the 2017 ACM/IEEE-CS George Michael Memorial HPC Fellowships. Smith is being recognized for his work on efficient and parallel large-scale sparse tensor factorization for machine learning applications. You is being recognized for his work on designing accurate, fast, and scalable machine learning algorithms on distributed systems.

Shaden Smith's research is in the general area of parallel and high performance computing with a special focus on developing algorithms for sparse tensor factorization. Sparse tensor factorization facilitates the analysis of unstructured and high dimensional data.

Smith has made several fundamental contributions that have already advanced the state of the art on sparse tensor factorization algorithms. For example, he developed serial and parallel algorithms in the area of Canonical Polyadic Decomposition (CPD) that are over five times faster than existing open source and commercial approaches. He also developed algorithms for Tucker decompositions that are up to 21 times faster and require 28 times less memory than existing algorithms. Smith's algorithms can efficiently operate on systems containing a small number of multi-core/manycore processors to systems containing tens of thousands of cores.

Yang You's research interests include scalable algorithms, parallel computing, distributed systems and machine learning. As computers increasingly use more time and energy to transfer data (i.e., communicate), the invention or identification of algorithms that reduce communication within systems is becoming increasingly essential. In well-received research papers, You has made several fundamental contributions that reduce the communications between levels of a memory hierarchy or between processors over a network.

In his most recent work, "Scaling Deep Learning on GPU and Knights Landing Clusters," You's goal is to scale up the speed of training neural networks so that networks which are relatively slow to train can be redesigned for high performance clusters. This approach has reduced the percentage of communication from 87% to 14% and resulted in a five-fold increase in speed.

The ACM/IEEE-CS George Michael Memorial HPC (GMM) Fellowship is endowed in memory of George Michael, one of the founding fathers of the SC Conference series. The fellowship honors exceptional PhD students throughout the world whose research focus is on high performance computing applications, networking, storage or large-scale data analytics using the most powerful computers that are currently available. The Fellowship includes a $5,000 honorarium and travel expenses to attend SC17 in Denver Colorado, November 12-17, 2017, where the GMM Fellowships will be formally presented.

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About ACM

ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.

About IEEE Computer Society

IEEE Computer Society, http://www.computer.org, is one of the world's leading computing membership organizations and a trusted information and career-development source for a global workforce of technology leaders including: professors, researchers, software engineers, IT professionals, employers, and students. IEEE Computer Society provides high-quality, state-of-the-art information on an on-demand basis. The Computer Society provides a wide range of forums for top minds to come together, including technical conferences, publications, a comprehensive digital library, unique training webinars, and professional training. IEEE is the world's largest professional association for advancement of technology and the Computer Society is the largest society within IEEE.

About SC17

SC17, the International Conference for High Performance Computing, sc17.supercomputing.org, sponsored by ACM and IEEE-CS offers a complete technical education program and exhibition to showcase the many ways high performance computing, networking, storage and analysis lead to advances in scientific discovery, research, education and commerce. This premier international conference includes a globally attended technical program, workshops, tutorials, a world class exhibit area, demonstrations and opportunities for hands-on learning.
WASHINGTON, D.C., August, 29, 2017 -- Northern China's roadsides are peppered with deciduous phoenix trees, producing an abundance of fallen leaves in autumn. These leaves are generally burned in the colder season, exacerbating the country's air pollution problem. Investigators in Shandong, China, recently discovered a new method to convert this organic waste matter into a porous carbon material that can be used to produce high-tech electronics. The advance is reported in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, by AIP Publishing.

The investigators used a multistep, yet simple, process to convert tree leaves into a form that could be incorporated into electrodes as active materials. The dried leaves were first ground into a powder, then heated to 220 degrees Celsius for 12 hours. This produced a powder composed of tiny carbon microspheres. These microspheres were then treated with a solution of potassium hydroxide and heated by increasing the temperature in a series of jumps from 450 to 800 C.

The chemical treatment corrodes the surface of the carbon microspheres, making them extremely porous. The final product, a black carbon powder, has a very high surface area due to the presence of many tiny pores that have been chemically etched on the surface of the microspheres. The high surface area gives the final product its extraordinary electrical properties.

The investigators ran a series of standard electrochemical tests on the porous microspheres to quantify their potential for use in electronic devices. The current-voltage curves for these materials indicate that the substance could make an excellent capacitor. Further tests show that the materials are, in fact, supercapacitors, with specific capacitances of 367 Farads/gram, which are over three times higher than values seen in some graphene supercapacitors.

A capacitor is a widely used electrical component that stores energy by holding a charge on two conductors, separated from each other by an insulator. Supercapacitors can typically store 10-100 times as much energy as an ordinary capacitor, and can accept and deliver charges much faster than a typical rechargeable battery. For these reasons, supercapacitive materials hold great promise for a wide variety of energy storage needs, particularly in computer technology and hybrid or electric vehicles.

The research, led by Hongfang Ma of Qilu University of Technology, has been heavily focused on looking for ways to convert waste biomass into porous carbon materials that can be used in energy storage technology. In addition to tree leaves, the team and others have successfully converted potato waste, corn straw, pine wood, rice straw and other agricultural wastes into carbon electrode materials. Professor Ma and her colleagues hope to improve even further on the electrochemical properties of porous carbon materials by optimizing the preparation process and allowing for doping or modification of the raw materials.

The supercapacitive properties of the porous carbon microspheres made from phoenix tree leaves are higher than those reported for carbon powders derived from other biowaste materials. The fine scale porous structure seems to be key to this property, since it facilitates contact between electrolyte ions and the surface of the carbon spheres, as well as enhancing ion transfer and diffusion on the carbon surface. The investigators hope to improve even further on these electrochemical properties by optimizing their process and allowing for doping or modification of the raw materials.

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The article, "Supercapacitive performance of porous carbon materials derived from tree leaves," is authored by Hongfang Ma, Zhibao Liu, Xiaodan Wang and Rongyan Jiang. The article appeared in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy August 29, 2017 [DOI: 10.1063/1.4997019] and can be accessed at http://aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1063/1.4997019.

ABOUT THE JOURNAL

Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal covering all areas of renewable and sustainable energy relevant to the physical science and engineering communities. See http://aip.scitation.org/journal/rse.
A recently proposed method using lasers to remove soil contaminants may be cheaper and more efficient than conventional methods

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 29, 2017 -- There might be a new and improved way to rid contaminated soil of toxins and pollutants: zap it with lasers. By directly breaking down pollutants, researchers say, high-powered lasers can now be more efficient and cheaper than conventional decontamination techniques.

"Other methods are either costly, labor intensive, have low efficiency, or take a long time," said Ming Su, an associate professor of chemical engineer at Northeastern University. With two of his graduate students, Wenjun Zheng and Sichao Hou, he has shown how such a laser system could work, describing the proof-of-principle results this week in the Journal of Applied Physics, from AIP Publishing.

The biggest advantage of lasers, Su explained, is that they can be used at the site of decontamination. Many conventional decontamination methods require digging up contaminated soil, hauling it somewhere else to be cleaned, and then returning it -- a process that is expensive and time-consuming.

These methods also have shortcomings in how well they can decontaminate. One of the most popular methods uses water or organic solvents to wash away the pollutants. But oftentimes, washing doesn't eradicate contaminants; it only dilutes them. And even if the soil is clean, you might be left with another problem in contaminated water: The organic solvents can themselves be harmful to people, and the process can create byproducts that become secondary contaminants.

There are ways to decontaminate soil on-site, but they have their own limitations. Soil vapor extraction, in which air is pumped into the ground to remove volatile organic compounds, only works on permeable or homogeneous soils. Biological approaches to break down pollutants using plants or microbes are slow, and only work for low concentrations of certain contaminants.

Lasers, however, can be used on-site to completely break down contaminants. "There is no other method that can do it at such high efficiency," Su said.

To demonstrate that the new method is feasible, the researchers tested it on a simulated soil made from porous silica. They contaminated their artificial soil with a carcinogenic chemical called DDE, which is a product of DDT, the carcinogenic pesticide that was banned in the U.S. in 1972. The DDE molecules fluoresce under ultraviolet light, making them easier to detect.

Almost immediately after shining a high-powered infrared laser on the contaminated artificial soil, the glowing ceased. The lack of fluorescence indicated that the DDE was no longer present.

To remove the harmful substance, the laser light heats up the pollutant locally, reaching temperatures of thousands of degrees Celsius. This heat is sufficient to break the chemical bonds of the pollutant, fragmenting DDE into smaller, safer molecules such as carbon dioxide and water.

In principle, lasers should be able to work on all types of contaminants, from organic compounds to metal ions. But first, Su said, the researchers will have to do more experiments with other contaminants. Future studies also need to involve more careful analysis to determine whether all of the contaminant is, in fact, broken down sufficiently to meet standards.

Eventually, Su envisions a multi-laser system carried on the back of a truck. The laser light, channeled through fiber-optic cables that penetrate the soil, could perhaps couple to a plow that loosens the dirt, better exposing it to the laser light.

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The article, "Laser induced rapid decontamination of aromatic compound from porous soil simulant," is authored by Wenjun Zheng, Sichao Hou and Ming Su. The article will appear in the Journal of Applied Physics on August 29, 2017 [DOI: 10.1063/1.4985813]. After that date, it can be accessed at http://aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1063/1.4985813.

ABOUT THE JOURNAL

Journal of Applied Physics is an influential international journal publishing significant new experimental and theoretical results of applied physics research. See http://jap.aip.org.
Boston, MA-- Beginning Saturday, August 26, Brigham and Women's Hospital cardiologists and researchers will be presenting at the ESC Congress 2017, organized by the European Society of Cardiology. Press releases on BWH presentations include:

Paul Ridker, MD

Embargoed until 10:00UK/11:00 CEST/5:00 a.m. EDT, Sunday, August 27

Findings to be simultaneously published in both the New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet.

CANTOS - The Canakinumab Anti-Inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes Study

Christopher Cannon, MD

Embargoed until 13:00 UK/14:00 CEST/8:00 a.m. EDT, Sunday, August 27

Findings to be simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine

RE-DUAL PCI: Dual Antithrombotic Therapy with Dabigatran After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Robert Giugliano, MD

Embargoed until 13:00 UK/14:00 CEST/8:00 a.m. EDT, Monday, August 28

Findings to be simultaneously published in The Lancet

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Achieving Very Low LDL-C Levels With the PCSK9 Inhibitor Evolocumab in the FOURIER Outcomes Trial

Additional presentations:

Deepak Bhatt, MD, MPH

Embargoed until 10:00 UK/11:00 CEST/5:00 p.m. EDT, Monday, August 28

Dual antiplatelet therapy beyond 12 months?

State of the Art: P2Y12 inhibitors in acute coronary syndromes

Embargoed until 15:30 UK/16:30 CEST/10:30 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, August 29

The following BWH experts are available to discuss their involvement in the following studies:

Eugene Braunwald, MD

Clinical effects of anacetrapib in people with established vascular disease: Results of the Randomized EValuation of the Effects of Anacetrapib through Lipid-modification (HPS3/TIMI55-REVEAL) trial

*The BWH TIMI Study Group was a partner in this research

Deepak Bhatt, MD, MPH

COMPASS

COMPASS PAD

RE-DUAL PCI

MAUDE TAVR

Marc Sabatine, MD

A Naturally Randomized Trial Comparing the Effect of Genetic Variants that Mimic CETP Inhibitors and Statins on the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

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Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a 793-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare. BWH has more than 4.2 million annual patient visits and nearly 46,000 inpatient stays, is the largest birthing center in Massachusetts and employs nearly 16,000 people. The Brigham's medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in patient care, quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, and its dedication to research, innovation, community engagement and educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Brigham Research Institute (BRI), BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, more than 3,000 researchers, including physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by nearly $666 million in funding. For the last 25 years, BWH ranked second in research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) among independent hospitals. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses' and Physicians' Health Studies and the Women's Health Initiative as well as the TIMI Study Group, one of the premier cardiovascular clinical trials groups. For more information, resources and to follow us on social media, please visit BWH's online newsroom.
Biomedical engineering researchers at Case Western Reserve University are refining more than 15 years of work on an electrical nerve-block implant, focusing their next step on new applications related to treating asthma and heart failure.

The research by Niloy Bhadra, MD, PhD, an assistant research professor of Biomedical Engineering, Kevin Kilgore, PhD, a professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and three other Case Western Reserve investigators was bolstered this summer by a four-year, $2 million National Institutes of Health grant.

The new research, aimed at blocking unwanted generation of nerve impulses in many clinical applications, will be conducted at The MetroHealth System, where Bhadra is on the bioscientific staff. The study will be done in collaboration with teams at UCLA and Johns Hopkins University.

Bhadra and Kilgore, also both researchers at the Cleveland FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation) Center, have been developing the nerve block since 2000. Their technology is in commercial use for pain management by Neuros Medical Inc., a Willoughby Hills company which this summer received a $20 million boost from five venture-capital partners.

FES refers to the use of small, artificially generated electrical currents selectively applied to the central or peripheral nervous system to replace the actions of neurons damaged by injury or disease.

The Case Western Reserve team will focus on "inducing a reliable, rapid, gradable and reversible nerve block" to the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the functions of internal organs. The electrical block is proposed as an alternative to surgery or drugs to "calm down" nerves or reduce pain.

The collaboration with researchers at UCLA will focus on an application that aims for nerve control after cardiac failure, which is now primarily addressed with drugs. Similarly, the Johns Hopkins researchers will team up with Case Western Reserve to use the nerve block to keep bronchial tissue from constricting in asthma patients.

To do all of that, researchers are developing a "combined waveform," referring to the application of both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) at different times and for different periods in the treatment. Until now, the technology has been hampered by a dual problem: AC electricity can cause initial pain and DC can cause nerve damage.

"DC is the headache, because if you do it wrong, there's not only pain, but you can damage the nerve," said Jesse Wainwright, PhD, a research professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Case Western Reserve involved in the work.

"Historically, that's why people said DC is not safe," he said, "but we've developed a way to do it safely and accurately."

The advances made in this new research could also boost pain-management potential for the nerve-block technology--and that could play an important role in reducing an increasing societal reliance on medication, Wainright said.

"After knee or hip-replacement surgery, for example, patients now are sent home with some powerful drug packs," Wainwright said. "But our electrical nerve block could be implanted for a week or two to provide the same pain relief. That might eliminate the need for those drugs and possibly reduce the chance to become addicted to heavy narcotics."

Opioids are a broad category of drugs which include many legal painkillers as well as illegal drugs like heroin. Experts have said today's nationwide health crisis has roots in the increased availability and use of opioid painkillers in the 1990s.

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Other investigators on the project are Narenda Bhadra (Niloy Bhadra's brother) and Tina Vrabec from Case Western Reserve; Jeffrey Ardell from the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine; and Brendan Canning of Johns Hopkins University.

Case Western Reserve University is one of the country's leading private research institutions. Located in Cleveland, we offer a unique combination of forward-thinking educational opportunities in an inspiring cultural setting. Our leading-edge faculty engage in teaching and research in a collaborative, hands-on environment. Our nationally recognized programs include arts and sciences, dental medicine, engineering, law, management, medicine, nursing and social work. About 5,100 undergraduate and 6,200 graduate students comprise our student body. Visit case.edu to see how Case Western Reserve thinks beyond the possible.

The MetroHealth System is an essential health system committed to providing health care to everyone in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and improving the health of the community overall. Its 7,400 employees deliver care to everyone at its main campus, just west of downtown Cleveland, and at more than 20 other MetroHealth locations. It also provides health care at more than 40 additional sites in Cuyahoga County through community partnerships such as the School Health Program.

MetroHealth is home to Cuyahoga County's most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992 by the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons, and one of two adult and pediatric burn centers in the state of Ohio verified by the American Burn Association. MetroHealth also is home to a verified Level II Pediatric Trauma Center.

In the past year, MetroHealth provided more than 1.3 million patient visits in its hospital and health centers. MetroHealth also is an academic medical center committed to teaching and research; each of its active physicians holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. MetroHealth has earned Magnet status, which places it in the top six percent of all hospitals nationwide for nursing excellence.

MetroHealth's mission is, "Leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery and teamwork." For more information, visit metrohealth.org.
Barcelona, Spain - 29 Aug 2017: Ablation of atrial fibrillation improves quality of life more than drugs, even though the reduction in atrial fibrillation burden did not differ significantly between treatments, according to late-breaking results from the CAPTAF trial presented today in a Hot Line Session at ESC Congress.1

Previous randomised trials have reported that pulmonary vein isolation is more effective in preventing atrial fibrillation (AF) than antiarrhythmic drugs. However, none of the trials used continuous cardiac rhythm monitoring so the effects on AF burden could not be reliably assessed.

Until now, no AF ablation trial has used quality of life as the primary endpoint even though the main indication for AF ablation is symptom relief. "Instead, 30-second AF recurrences have been used as the primary endpoint which is hardly a relevant measure of successful therapy," said principal investigator Prof Carina Blomstrom-Lundqvist, Department of Medical Science, Uppsala, Sweden.

The main purpose of the CAPTAF trial2 was to compare the treatment effects of AF ablation and antiarrhythmic drugs using quality of life as the primary endpoint and an implantable cardiac monitor to assess AF burden.

The multicentre, prospective, randomised trial included 155 patients with symptomatic AF who had failed one drug for either rate or rhythm control. Patients had at least one AF episode documented on electrocardiogram (ECG) in the previous 12 months. At least one symptomatic paroxysmal episode had occurred in the previous two months, or at least two symptomatic episodes of persistent AF necessitating cardioversions in the previous 12 months.

Patients received an implantable cardiac monitor for a two month run-in period, then were randomised to ablation with pulmonary vein isolation or antiarrhythmic drug therapy with adequate dosages according to guidelines. The primary endpoint was the change in general health, as measured by the Short Form 36-item (SF-36) health survey, from baseline to 12 months. Secondary endpoints included quality of life (by SF-36 and EuroQol- 5 Dimension), symptoms, European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) Symptom Classification, AF burden, and safety.

After 12 months of follow-up, the primary endpoint general health score had improved significantly more in the ablation group (mean change, 11.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.7-15.2) than in the drug group (mean change, 3.1; 95% CI, -0.9-7.1), p=0.0084. Furthermore, all quality of life SF-36 subscales, except for bodily pain and social functioning, had improved significantly more in the ablation group than in the drug group.

The EHRA score improved significantly more from baseline to 12 months in the ablation group (from mean (standard deviation, SD) 3.0 (0.7) to 1.6 (0.8)) than in the drug group (from mean (SD) 2.9 (0.7) to 2.1 (1.1)), p=0.0079. The reduction in AF burden ( i.e. the proportion of time in AF), obtained from the implantable cardiac monitor, was numerically larger in the ablation than in the drug group but the change from baseline did not reach statistical significance between treatment groups. The complication rate between treatment groups was comparable.

Prof Blomstrom-Lundqvist said: "Using quality of life as the primary endpoint of a trial for the first time, we demonstrated that pulmonary vein isolation is significantly more effective than antiarrhythmic drugs in a mixed population of paroxysmal and persistent AF patients, even at an early stage of their disease. Quality of life should be the primary endpoint in future trials since the main indication for rhythm control is its improvement."

"The lack of a statistically significant difference between treatment groups in the reduction in AF burden suggests that other mechanisms may explain the better improvement of quality of life and symptoms achieved with pulmonary vein isolation compared to antiarrhythmic drugs," she added.

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The emergence of socially idle male bees with both paternal and maternal genetic material threatens the survival of the colony; study shows that queens rearing a high rate of diploid males are sacrificed in up to 20 days

Queens of stingless bee species (Meliponini) face a reproductive dilemma. If they mate with males with which they turn out to share the same sex determination gene, half of their offspring will consist of males, and the colony's workforce will fall by half, given that effectively only the females are workers.

In addition, males with both paternal and maternal (diploid) genetic material as a result of this unfortunate choice by the queen only consume the resources collected by workers and are usually sterile, contributing to diminished reproductive chances for the colony.

A research project supported by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) involving a team of scientists in universities of Brazil, Belgium, and the United Kingdom shows that the emergence of diploid males from this type of mating also leads to the death of the queen in colonies of the stingless bee species Scaptotrigona depilis.

According to Ayrton Vollet-Neto, first author of the study, the results suggest that this behavior may be common to all stingless bee species because it occurs in phylogenetically distant genera.

One possible explanation for the death of a queen which doesn't comply with the role of maintaining a proportional rate of worker bees in the colony is that a replacement daughter queen will be able to mate and ensure the colony's survival. Otherwise, the most probable outcome would be the death of the colony.

"If the queen is killed quickly, she can be replaced by a daughter that will have a chance to mate with a male that doesn't have the same sex allele," Vollet-Neto said.

The results of the study have been published in the Journal of Chemical Ecology.

Genetic accident damages male prole control

Vollet-Neto explains that female stingless bees are able to choose the sex of their offspring, a trait that they share with all insects in the order Hymenoptera, which include ants and wasps as well as bees.

Stingless bee queens mate only once in their entire lives. This happens when they are very young. They store sperm in the spermatheca, an organ located in the abdomen. In fertilizing ova with spermatozoa from the spermatheca, they generate diploid females, which have two copies of each gene (one from each parent) in their cells.

When queens want to produce males, they close a canal in the spermatheca to prevent the eggs from being fertilized. Haploid males (with only maternal genes) hatch from unfertilized eggs.

"Insects in the order Hymenoptera differ from other insects and from humans with regard to sex determination because males have no father and hatch from unfertilized eggs," Vollet-Neto said.

However, the sex determination mechanism in stingless bees can fail. By an unlucky chance, the queen may mate with a male whose genetic makeup will lead to the production of diploid males instead of females, he explained.

The reason is that sex determination in Hymenoptera is typically controlled by a complementary sex determination (CSD) gene, which may or may not has two alleles (copies). Moreover, if there are two alleles, they may be identical or different. If there is only one allele, the result is a male. If there are two different alleles in a diploid male, the result is a female. If there are two identical alleles, the result is another diploid male instead of a female.

"When there are two identical copies of the CSD gene, the insect's physiology interprets it as having only one. This results in a diploid male," Vollet-Neto explained.

"Male stench" triggers riot in the colony

To remedy the problem created when the queen chooses a mate with the same sex allele, the workers of the honey bee Apis mellifera, for example, are able to detect and kill diploid male larvae early in their development. This avoids a waste of resources and time, which would be invested in rearing them with no return for the colony.

In the case of stingless bees, there is little evidence of such behavior. Workers do not have access to brood cells to eliminate immature diploid males because the cells are sealed after oviposition and contain all the resources required by larvae to develop.

To test the hypothesis that stingless bees also have ways of remedying the consequences of diploid male production, the researchers performed an experiment in which they removed queens from colonies of S. depilis where diploid males were about to hatch and replaced them with "healthy" queens, which did not produce offspring with this trait.

The experiment showed that all the "healthy" queens introduced into the colonies where diploid males were about to emerge died within 10-20 days, whereas queens introduced into 20 control colonies without diploid male emergence did not die.

"These 'healthy' queens were not responsible for producing the diploid males that emerged in the colonies, so the conclusion we drew was that their death was determined by the emergence of diploid males," Vollet-Neto said.

Based on this finding, the researchers then tested the hypothesis that the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of diploid males somehow served as a chemical signal for queen execution.

The cuticle is an extracellular layer that completely covers the external surface of social insects. Cuticular hydrocarbons act as a chemical signature for each individual in the colony.

To test their hypothesis, the researchers compared the chemical profiles of diploid and haploid males at zero, five and 10 days of age. Analysis using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry showed that the cuticular hydrocarbon profile of diploid males differed significantly from that of haploid males as they grew older and that this occurred about 10 days after emergence - precisely when the queens began to die.

"This suggests male chemical profile differences may act as signals to trigger queen death," Vollet-Neto said. "But more research is needed to confirm or refute this hypothesis."

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The project was carried out by researchers at the University of Sao Paulo (USP), Brazil, in cooperation with peers from the University of Leuven, Belgium, from the Instituto Tecnologico Vale (Belem State, Brazil) and from University of Sussex, United Kingdom.

Vollet-Neto did his Ph.D. research with a scholarship from FAPESP at USP's Ribeirao Preto School of Philosophy, Science & Letters (FFCLRP), with Professor Vera Lucia Imperatriz-Fonseca as his supervisor.

About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships, and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. For more information: http://www.fapesp.br/en.
Boulder, CO, USA: The Geological Society of America has announced three 2017-2018 Fellows who will assist with efforts to increase efficacy in serving society through science.

The 32nd GSA-USGS Congressional Science Fellow (CSF), Melanie R. Thornton, will spend a year, beginning this fall, working as a staff member for a Member of Congress or congressional committee. Thornton is enthusiastic about collaborations between science, policy and public outreach, and developing strategies that use science to empower humanity for the betterment of communities. In her fellowship year she is looking forward to deepening her understanding of how Congress and federal agencies work together to draft public policies and prioritize funding.

Thornton earned a B.S. cum laude from Texas A&M University with an environmental geoscience major and geography minor, writing her undergraduate thesis on the Southern Ocean and Antarctica's contribution to changing climatic conditions. Thornton received her M.S. (2012) and Ph.D. (2017) in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences from Washington State University (WSU). Her doctoral research addressed water resource sustainability in the Spokane River Basin, where she used collaborative modeling and worked with stakeholders and scientists to solve regional watershed challenges. This experience developed her skills in collaboration, leadership, and communicating scientific information with both scientific and non-scientific audiences.

GSA Science Policy Fellow Lindsay Davis will serve as the "in-house" fellow, working with GSA's Director for Geoscience Policy to bring science and scientists into the policy process. This position acts as a science policy liaison, keeping GSA members informed, involved, and represented in national policy, including research funding, energy and natural resource assessments, climate change policy, and natural hazard mitigation and response. The fellow also works closely with GSA's Geology and Public Policy Committee on geoscience initiatives, including developing society-wide position statements on national issues.

Most recently, Davis worked as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in the Philippines, where she collaborated with the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer at a municipal hall to inspire and educate communities, politicians, and municipal government employees to prepare for disasters and climate change. She previously served as an Emergency Management Intern with California State University and a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador. Davis completed a Peace Corps Master's International degree in geology and has a Bachelor of Science in environmental health, honors, and geology minor from Colorado State University.

Inaugural GSA Science Communications Fellow Beth C. Geiger is passionate about communicating the value of geoscience to society and has extensive experience conveying scientific and technical information to mass audiences. She will use her skills to create engaging stories around GSA member research for lay audiences and help GSA to more broadly disseminate new earth science research.

Geiger earned a B.A. in geology from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, and holds an M.S. in structural geology from the University of Montana. She worked as a NSF-sponsored participant of the Juneau Icefield Research Program in Alaska, and as a consulting geologist for 12 years throughout the United States and Canada.

Geiger received a certificate in literary journalism from the University of Washington and launched her career as a science writer in the late 1990s. She has since published over 200 non-fiction pieces in national and regional publications including The Wall Street Journal, Earth Magazine, New Scientist, Science News, Nature Conservancy, and many others. Beth has a particular expertise in writing for young audiences, with a focus on middle and upper elementary school content. She has published in National Geographic Explorer, KidsDiscover, Science News For Students, Ranger Rick, and Boys' Life, among others. She received the 2006 Children's Science Journalism award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science for her efforts in this arena.

Geiger lives in the Seattle area and will be onsite at the 2017 GSA Annual Meeting there.

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The Geological Society of America, founded in 1888, is a scientific society with more than 25,000 members from academia, government, and industry in more than 100 countries. Through its meetings, publications, and programs, GSA enhances the professional growth of its members and promotes the geosciences in the service of humankind. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, USA, GSA encourages cooperative research among earth, life, planetary, and social scientists, fosters public dialogue on geoscience issues, and supports all levels of earth science education.

http://www.geosociety.org
Things aren't all black and white for giant pandas.

The beloved Chinese icons have basked in good press lately - their extinction risk status downgraded from "endangered" to "vulnerable," their good fortunes shown to rub off on their less charismatic forest neighbors that benefit from panda-centric conservation efforts.

Yet endangered vs. vulnerable isn't a pass/fail status. In Biological Conservation, Michigan State University (MSU) scientists agree with the logic of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for down-listing the pandas - to a point. The MSU team takes both a finer, and broader, look at panda habitat and finds gaps in understanding. Gaps big enough for panda survival to fall through.

"Sustainability of a species like the panda relies on holistic and thorough analyses," said Jianguo "Jack" Liu, Rachel Carson Chair in Sustainability. "We all want to do a victory dance for the panda, but need to continue to understand and address possible threats. There is no declaring a victory and moving on."

The IUCN drew heavily on data collected in the Third (1999 to 2003) and Fourth (2001 to 2004) National Giant Panda Surveys. The problem that researchers, led by PhD student Hongbo Yang, found is that the two surveys used somewhat different ranges and the habitat analyses based on the survey data did not incorporate range-wide information about bamboo (pandas' staple food). That meant they missed important changes in habitat suitability and how much of the habitat, however good, is fragmented.

The methods the MSU team used were a blend of detailed satellite images that provided rich information about bamboo and integrating that information with on-the-ground data. This study for the first time examines changes across the whole geographic range of panda habitat. What they see is agreement that high-quality panda habitat is indeed growing. In fact, they also find that areas outside nature reserves are showing increases in favorable panda habitat patches, thanks to sweeping nation-wide conservation efforts to curb deforestation and return cropland to forest. However, there was a growing fragmentation between those habitat patches, due to human activities such as roads or development, and natural events, such as the catastrophic Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008. This insight infuses "vulnerable" status with concern.

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The origins of autism remain mysterious. What areas of the brain are involved, and when do the first signs appear? New findings published in Biological Psychiatry brings us closer to understanding the pathology of autism, and the point at which it begins to take shape in the human brain. Such knowledge will allow earlier interventions in the future and better outcomes for autistic children.

Scientists used a type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), known as diffusion weighted imaging, to measure the brain connectivity in 260 infants at the ages of 6 and 12 months, who had either high or low risks of autism. The lengths and strengths of the connections between brain regions was used to estimate the network efficiency, a measure of how well each region is connected to other regions. A previous study with 24-month-old children found that network efficiency in autistic children was lower in regions of the brain involved in language and other behaviours related to autism. The goal of this new study was to establish how early these abnormalities occur.

Lead author John Lewis, a researcher at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital of McGill University and the Ludmer Centre for Bioinformatics and Mental Health, found network inefficiencies had already been established in six-month-old infants who went on to be diagnosed with autism. Inefficiencies in the six-month-olds appeared in the auditory cortex. He also found the extent of the inefficiency at six months of age was positively related to the severity of autistic symptoms at 24 months. As the children aged, areas involved in processing of vision and touch, as well as a larger set of areas involved in sound and language, also showed such a relation between inefficiency and symptom severity.

Identifying the earliest signs of autism is important because it may allow for diagnosis before behavioural changes appear, leading to earlier intervention and better prospects for a positive outcome. By pinpointing the brain regions involved in processing sensory inputs as the earliest known locations of neural dysfunction related to autism, researchers narrow down the genetic factors and mechanisms that could be responsible for its development. The fact that neurological signs are already present at six months also eliminates some environmental factors as potential causes of the disorder.

"Our goal was to discover when and where in the brain the network inefficiencies first appeared," says Lewis. "The results indicate that there are differences in the brains of infants who go on to develop autism spectrum disorder even at six months of age, and that those early differences are found in areas involved in processing sensory inputs, not areas involved in higher cognitive functions. We hope that these findings will prove useful in understanding the causal mechanisms in autism spectrum disorder, and in developing effective interventions."

The research comes from the Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS), a collaborative effort by investigators at the Montreal Neurological Institute, and four clinical sites in the United States, coordinated to conduct a longitudinal brain imaging and behavioural study of infants at high risk for autism.

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The work was supported by a National Institutes of Health grant, by the Azrieli Neurodevelopmental Research Program in partnership with the Brain Canada Multi-Investigator Research Initiative, and by funding from Autism Speaks, the Simons Foundation, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Government of Quebec, the National Science and Engineering Research Council, the Fonds Quebecois de Recherche sur la Nature et les Technologies, and La Fondation Marcelle et Jean Coutu.

About the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The Neuro)

The Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital - The Neuro - is a world-leading destination for brain research and advanced patient care. Since its founding in 1934 by renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Wilder Penfield, The Neuro has grown to be the largest specialized neuroscience research and clinical centre in Canada, and one of the largest in the world. The seamless integration of research, patient care, and training of the world's top minds make The Neuro uniquely positioned to have a significant impact on the understanding and treatment of nervous system disorders. In 2016, The Neuro became the first institute in the world to fully embrace the Open Science philosophy, creating the Tanenbaum Open Science Institute. The Montreal Neurological Institute is a McGill University research and teaching institute. The Montreal Neurological Hospital is part of the Neuroscience Mission of the McGill University Health Centre. For more information, please visit http://www.theneuro.ca
This appeared in the Lewiston Tribune:

If you want to glimpse into what kind of governor Congressman Raul Labrador might be, consider his dustup with Boise State University President Bob Kustra.

Irked at the BSU president, the Idaho Republican took a page from President Donald Trumps playbook and told a radio audience Monday that under a Labrador administration, Kustra more or less would be handed his walking papers.

When it comes to pushing peoples buttons, Kustra is no slouch himself. It was only seven years ago he opened fire at the University of Idaho and Moscow for fostering a culture that is nasty, inebriated and civilly doesnt give our fans the respect that any fan should expect when visiting an away team.

And in the midst of his Aug. 16 State of the University address, Kustra pushed Labradorsberating the congressmans belated response to the parade of racists that erupted into violence at Charlottesville, Va., four days earlier.

Labrador had it coming.

The Idaho Republican had whined about being pulled into the discussion, and expressed equal contempt for white supremacy ... black nationalism and other forms of identity politics.

Countered Kustra: And its like, let me Google that. When you Google black nationalism it takes you back to the 1960s and 70s. (Thats) a movement that I wont go into, but the fact is (black nationalism) has nothing to do with what happened last weekend.

Kustra wasnt the first or the last to call out Labrador for his statement. But its out of character for Idahos timid higher education leadership to challenge the political establishment.

In Labrador, you have someone who can be notoriously thin-skinned and not averse to blowing his stack on live radio. Two years ago, Congressman Mike Simpsons rebuke regarding a budget bill provoked Labrador into castigating his seat mate as an establishment politician who loves to go out drinking and smoking with GOP leaders while lying to the voters.

This time, Labrador unleashed a full volley at Kustra: He was a carpetbagger from Illinois. At 74 and after 14 years at BSU, he had overstayed his welcome.

Its interesting when you have a 60-something white male from a liberal state trying to tell me, a young Hispanic male, how I should react to racism, said Labrador, who moved to the Gem State in 1995 after attending schools in Nevada and Washington. I thought it was very inappropriate what he did. Maybe its time for him to go. Its time for him to decide that its somebody elses turn. It should be somebody elses turn to, you know, lead BSU.

Governors have had differences with campus leaders before. Gov. Cecil Andrus was no fan of former UI President Elisabeth Zinser. Andrus predecessor, Don Samuelson, was unhappy with the student unrest of the 1960s and the college presidents who presided over it.

Whats new is exposing this animosity.

Should Labradoras many expectsecure his partys nomination next spring and then take office, his tirade would take on a gubernatorial imprimatur.

University presidents do not serve at the pleasure of the governor; they answer to the State Board of Education. Labrador would have to bide his time, waiting for the opportunity to replace Gov. C.L. Butch Otters appointees on that panel.

But he would have a great deal to say about Kustras budget, especially over capital spending. Labrador could pressure the BSU leader into making an exiteven if it creates more instability at a time when Idaho State University and Lewis-Clark State College would be transitioning toward new leadership.

Not only does Labrador risk alienating the thousands of Treasure Valley voters whose automobiles sport the BSU Broncos logobut anyone else who cares about higher education.

How does this make sense politically?

Having a temper tantrum in publicwhether its a congressman or the president of the United States who is doing itnever does.

So youre left to wonder: When Labrador was campaigning beside Trump last fall, who rubbed off on whom?
Earth is 70 percent water, but only a tiny portion--0.007 percent--is available to drink.

As potable water sources dwindle, global population increases every year. One potential solution to quenching the planet's thirst is through desalinization--the process of removing salt from seawater. While tantalizing, this approach has always been too expensive and energy intensive for large-scale feasibility.

Now, researchers from Northeastern have made a discovery that could change that, making desalinization easier, faster and cheaper than ever before. In a paper published Thursday in Science, the group describes how carbon nanotubes of a certain size act as the perfect filter for salt--the smallest and most abundant water contaminant.

Filtering water is tricky because water molecules want to stick together. The "H" in H2O is hydrogen, and hydrogen bonds are strong, requiring a lot of energy to separate. Water tends to bulk up and resist being filtered. But nanotubes do it rapidly, with ease.

A carbon nanotube is like an impossibly small rolled up sheet of paper, about a nanometer in diameter. For comparison, the diameter of a human hair is 50 to 70 micrometers--50,000 times wider. The tube's miniscule size, exactly 0.8 nm, only allows one water molecule to pass through at a time. This single-file lineup disrupts the hydrogen bonds, so water can be pushed through the tubes at an accelerated pace, with no bulking.

"You can imagine if you're a group of people trying to run through the hallway holding hands, it's going to be a lot slower than running through the hallway single-file," said co-author Meni Wanunu, associate professor of physics at Northeastern. Wanunu and post doctoral student Robert Henley collaborated with scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California to conduct the research.

Scientists led by Aleksandr Noy at Lawrence Livermore discovered last year that carbon nanotubes were an ideal channel for proton transport. For this new study, Henley brought expertise and technology from Wanunu's Nanoscale Biophysics Lab to Noy's lab, and together they took the research one step further.

In addition to being precisely the right size for passing single water molecules, carbon nanotubes have a negative electric charge. This causes them to reject anything with the same charge, like the negative ions in salt, as well as other unwanted particles.

"While salt has a hard time passing through because of the charge, water is a neutral molecule and passes through easily," Wanunu said. Scientists in Noy's lab had theorized that carbon nanotubes could be designed for specific ion selectivity, but they didn't have a reliable system of measurement. Luckily, "That's the bread and butter of what we do in Meni's lab," Henley said. "It created a nice symbiotic relationship."

"Robert brought the cutting-edge measurement and design capabilities of Wanunu's group to my lab, and he was indispensable in developing a new platform that we used to measure the ion selectivity of the nanotubes," Noy said.

The result is a novel system that could have major implications for the future of water security. The study showed that carbon nanotubes are better at desalinization than any other existing method-- natural or man-made.

To keep their momentum going, the two labs have partnered with a leading water purification organization based in Israel. And the group was recently awarded a National Science Foundation/Binational Science Foundation grant to conduct further studies and develop water filtration platforms based on their new method. As they continue the research, the researchers hope to start programs where students can learn the latest on water filtration technology--with the goal of increasing that 0.007 percent.

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A Swedish pioneer in sustainability research has been recognized for his decades of research

Professor Carl Folke has been awarded the 2017 Gunnerus Award in Sustainability Science for his outstanding scientific work to promote sustainable development globally.

The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters (DKNVS) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) established the international Gunnerus Sustainability Award, which confers a prize of NOK 1 million (approximately USD 130,000), plus a gold medal and diploma.

The Gunnerus Sustainability Award honours outstanding scientific work for sustainable development globally and aims to promote research and strengthen the scientific basis of sustainability. The award will be presented during NTNU's Sustainability Conference on 19 October.

The award winner

Professor Carl Folke is science director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, and director of the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

He is one of the founders of the Stockholm Resilience Centre and of the Resilience Alliance, and has played a key role in developing the International Society for Ecological Economics.

Folke has university degrees in economics, administration and biology, with a focus on ecology. He is an elected member of the Royal Academy of Sciences and the US National Academy of Sciences.

The award winner has been an environmental adviser to the Swedish government. He has collaborated with UN organizations in areas such as biodiversity, ecosystem services, water management and sustainable cities.

Folke has participated in the work on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. He has been a member of many scientific councils and committees, such as the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis in Santa Barbara, California, and the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change.

Significant contributions

Folke has contributed in significant ways to sustainability as a field of research and is internationally considered to be one of the most important researchers in designing this new area of research.

In particular, he has helped stimulate research to better understand complex socio-ecological systems. He has been a pioneer in the pursuit of fruitful dialogue and cooperation between the social sciences, economics and natural sciences to illustrate the important sustainability challenges facing society.

Folke's initiative has opened new perspectives in understanding the dynamic interaction between human beings and nature, the features and services of ecosystems, as well as how socioeconomic conditions help to manage and maintain ecosystems' ability to cope with changes - their so-called resilience.

The award winner has created interdisciplinary environments for cooperation and contributed to the development of new research areas and approaches that have been adopted in science, education, politics and management, and more recently in the business community.

Leading the way

Folke's research stresses the importance of living systems at different levels of community development. It shows how we can strive for resilience in the ways we direct and administrate systems where society and nature interact. His work illustrates - in superb fashion - how social progress, prosperity and well-being depend on developments in the biosphere.

Professor Folke has given many scientific lectures as an invited expert at conferences around the world, in addition to his public lectures, seminars for politicians and media interviews.

In 1995, Folke was awarded the Pew Scholar Award in Conservation and the Environment. In 2004, he received the Sustainability Science Award of the Ecological Society of America.

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(Portland, Ore.) August 28, 2017 - Portland State researchers studying centuries-old trees in South America have found a tight correlation between wildfires and a warm weather fluctuation that has become more frequent in recent decades - and will continue to be more frequent as the climate warms.

PSU geography professor Andres Holz and his research team first discovered the correlation in 2011. Since then, the team fine-tuned and expanded the geographic scope of their discovery by studying 1,767 fire-scarred trees from 97 South American sites, encompassing multiple ecosystems. It is the largest network of fire-scarred trees outside the United States. Some of the trees dated back to 990 A.D., which gave the researchers a year-by-year, decade-by-decade view of fire activity.

It also provided a living record of how the fires corresponded with the weather fluctuation. The warm, dry weather was triggered by a climate oscillation called the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), a change in westerly wind patterns throughout the Southern Hemisphere.

"We found that wildfire activity over the centuries has been increasingly favored by the warm phases of SAM going back to 1665," Holz said.

He said SAM-related wildfires became more frequent in the 20th Century. Holz said climate modeling studies show the trend will accelerate in the 21st Century due to an increase in greenhouse gasses, setting the stage for more frequent wildfires.

Their newest findings were recently published in PNAS, the journal of the National Academy of Sciences.

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About Portland State University (PSU)

As Oregon's only urban public research university, Portland State offers tremendous opportunity to 27,000 students from all backgrounds. Our mission to "Let Knowledge Serve the City" reflects our dedication to finding creative, sustainable solutions to local and global problems. Our location in the heart of Portland, one of America's most dynamic cities, gives our students unmatched access to career connections and an internationally acclaimed culture scene. "U.S. News & World Report" ranks us among the nation's top 10 most innovative universities. http://www.pdx.edu | @PSUinfoandnews
Two sub-parallel belts, Cenozoic aged Himalayan leucogranite on the Tibetan Plateau, extend east to west over more than 1000 km, regarded as the largest granitic belts in the world. The diverse rare-metal mineralization was identified commonly related to these leucogranites.

The Himalayan leucogranite is unique with petrolgoical characteristics similar to the well -known rare-metal granites worldwide. However, relatively few studies on the rare-metal mineralization in this region have been published. The research groups in Nanjing University and Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese and Academy of Science organized a field expedition in south Tibet in the summer of 2016 to constrain the distribution of mineralization in the region, which was published in the Science China Earth Sciences.

The first exciting discovery identified in the field is the widespread Be-mineralization containing in most of leucogranitic plutons (Fig. 2a). The authors states in the article: "Aquamarine, a variety of beryl, major precious mineral resource in Nepal, has been widely explored and exploited and traded for a long time, and they may also be Be-mineralization potential on the Chinese side of the Himalayas."

Detailed microscope observation and microprobe analysis were conducted at the laboratories and twelve leucogranite plutons were found to contain rare-metal bearing minerals such as beryl (the representative of Be mineralization), columbite-group minerals (Fig. 2b), tapiolite, pyrochlore-microlite, fergusonite, Nb-Ta rutile (the representative of Nb-Ta mineralization), and cassiterite (the representative of Sn mineralization).

Based on the analytical results, the researchers revealed the distribution of the mineralization as: "Rare-metal mineralization was observed in both the Tethyan and Higher Himalayan belts. No clear differences between the two belts were identified. However differences are clear when comparing the eastern and western parts of the belts. The eastern plutons are characterized by Nb, Ta, Sn, and Be mineralization and Sn mineralization is notably absent in western plutons. These results suggest that rare-metal mineralization in the Himalayan leucogranites is regionally variable, but does not appear to be controlled by tectonic characteristics of granite emplacement and the pluton size."

Petrogenesis was also prepared for the Himalayan rare-metal leucogranite. The model of "magmatic fractionation" and the abundance of fluxing components in the melt (e.g., H2O, Li, F, B, and P) are very important for the formation of the granite and enrichment of rare metal in the melt and/or fluids.

Rare metal has the widespread application value in the strategic development of new industries. "China ranks high in resources and production of rare-metal mineral, especially in two granitic belts in the Nanling range and the Altai district (Xinjiang) with several world- class deposits", the authors in the article pointed out the immense value of the investigation in the Himalaya: "Our preliminary study on the Himalayan region shows additional enormous potential for the rare-metal mineralization in what may become the country's economically important metallogenic belt."

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This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos. 41230315 and 41130313) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 020614380057).

See the article: Wang R C, Wu F Y, Xie L, Liu X C, Wang J M, Yang L, Lai W, Liu C. 2017. A preliminary study of rare-metal mineralization in the Himalayan leucogranite belts, South Tibet. Science China Earth Sciences, doi: 10.1007/s11430-017-9075-8

This article was published online, in the Science China Earth Sciences, by Science China Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg .
WASHINGTON--Women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and are diagnosed at an earlier age with the condition, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. The nationwide study is the first to show a connection between T2D development and PCOS.

"Many women with PCOS are obese, but the risk for the development of diabetes in PCOS is unknown," said one of the study's authors, Dorte Glintborg, M.D., Ph.D., of the Odense University Hospital in Denmark. "In this study, we found that the risk of developing diabetes is four times greater and that diabetes is diagnosed four years earlier in women with PCOS compared to controls."

An estimated 5 million to 6 million women in the United States have PCOS, according to the Hormone Health Network. It is one of the most common endocrine conditions in women of childbearing age.

Women who have PCOS produce slightly higher amounts of testosterone and other androgen hormones than average. Although these reproductive hormones are typically associated with men, women also have small amounts. The elevated levels in women with PCOS can contribute to irregular or absent menstrual periods, infertility, weight gain, acne or excess hair on the face and body. Women who have PCOS also face a higher risk of developing other health problems, such as diabetes.

To determine the risk of T2D development in women with PCOS, researchers studied two populations with PCOS: All pre-menopausal Danish women with a diagnosis of PCOS in the National Patient Register (18,477 women) and a local sub-group of 1,162 women with PCOS who were examined at Odense University Hospital in Denmark. The local participants were tested for insulin and glucose levels, cholesterol, triglycerides and testosterone levels. Women with PCOS were compared with age-matched females who did not have the disorder, nor a previous diagnosis of T2D. Three women without PCOS were randomly selected from the Nation Patient register for each woman with PCOS.

Researchers found that women with PCOS were four times more likely to develop T2D compared to their counterparts who did not have the disorder. The average age for women with PCOS who received a diagnosis of T2D was 31 years. The average age for women without PCOS and diagnosed with T2D was 35 years.

Researchers also examined various factors related to T2D development in PCOS such as age, body mass index (BMI), number of pregnancies and prescriptions for oral contraceptives. Researchers used diagnosis codes in the Danish National Patient Register and medical prescriptions from the National Prescriptions Registry to make their findings.

Body mass index, insulin and glucose levels, and triglycerides were positively associated with development of T2D, whereas a higher number of births were negatively associated with the development of T2D.

The study's authors note that BMI and fasting blood glucose levels are the best predictors of the development of T2D in patients with PCOS. Increasing age, however, should not be included in future guidelines as a risk factor because most cases of diabetes in this study were found before the age of 40. The authors add that further research is needed to evaluate the effect of oral contraceptives and number of births for the risk of T2D development in PCOS.

"The increased risk of developing T2D in PCOS is an important finding," Glintborg said. "Diabetes may develop at a young age and screening for diabetes is important, especially in women who are obese and have PCOS."

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Other authors of the study include: Katrine Hass Rubin of the University of Southern Denmark; Mads Nybo of Odense University Hospital in Denmark; Bo Abrahamsen of the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital; and Marianne Andersen of Odense University Hospital.

The study, "Development and Risk Factors of Type 2 Diabetes in a Nation-wide Population of Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome," will be published online at https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article-lookup/doi/10.1210/jc.2017-01354, ahead of print.

Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at http://www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - A team of seven University of Maryland A. James Clark School of Engineering undergraduates earned the top prize in this year's National Institutes of Health (NIH) Design by Biomedical Undergraduate Teams (DEBUT) challenge for their efforts to develop low-cost tools to diagnose Alzheimer's disease before patients show symptoms.

"This represents a monumental achievement, not simply for the engineering community, but for the wider world of human health research," said Darryll J. Pines, dean of the Clark School and Nariman Farvardin Professor. "As rising sophomores, these seven students in many ways represent the future of biomedical innovation. Through collaborations with faculty and researchers across a range of disciplines, they have transformed ideas into innovation that could one day change how Alzheimer's and other diseases are diagnosed."

The team, known as "Synapto," was awarded $20,000 from the NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) for developing a portable electroencephalogram (EEG) that uses a specially designed headset and a new software analysis tool to detect Alzheimer's disease before a patient displays clinical symptoms. The device exploits changes observed in the brainwaves of Alzheimer's patients in response to special auditory tones. The team, which recently filed for a company LLC in Maryland, believes their work could help make dementia diagnosis more quantitative, more systematic, and less costly - allowing doctors to use it at regular check-ups.

"Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, costing the nation close to $259 billion this year," said UMD Fischell Department of Bioengineering (BIOE) undergraduate and Synapto team captain Dhruv Patel, citing data from the Alzheimer's Association. "Diagnosing the disease early on allows patients to open up treatment options, manage the disease properly, and slow its progression."

Today, PET scans, MRIs, and spinal taps are most commonly used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease. Such methods are expensive and, at times, invasive, so many patients are diagnosed based only on their symptoms.

"It can take up to two years after clinical symptoms arise for patients to receive a proper diagnosis, and by then, he or she may have already seen significant progression of the disease," Patel said. "To address this, our technique allows us to characterize an Alzheimer's patient's brainwave using a variety of mathematical analytical tools and compare it with a healthy patient's brainwave to create a machine-learning model that can then accurately predict the probability of the patient having the disease."

"Synapto's project serves as a prime example of how tomorrow's bioengineers are working today to find solutions to some of the most significant health challenges our society faces," said John Fisher, Fischell Family Distinguished Professor and BIOE chair. "It is inspiring to see our students driven to make a real-world impact so early in their academic careers, and I look forward to their future successes."

Organized by the UMD student chapter of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES-UMD), Synapto's team members are: BIOE students David Boegner, Megha Guggari, Chris Look (a computer science double-major), Anoop Patel, and Dhruv Patel; and Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering students Megan Forte and Brianna Sheard, a recent transfer from UMD. The group's participation in the competition was led, in part, by the BMES-UMD executive board and supported by faculty advisor Steven Jay, a BIOE assistant professor. Bill Idsardi, chair of UMD's Department of Linguistics, provided the initial hardware that helped accelerate the project.

The DEBUT challenge this year awarded $65,000 in prizes, supported by a public-private partnership between NIBIB and VentureWell, a non-profit higher-education network that cultivates revolutionary ideas and promising inventions. Of 41 eligible entries received from 22 universities across 16 states, NIBIB selected three winning teams based on the significance of the problem addressed, impact on clinical care, innovation of design, and evidence of a working prototype. VentureWell selected two additional teams based on market potential and patentability.

Each of this year's winners will be formally recognized at the annual Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) conference in Phoenix on October 12.

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COLUMBIA, Mo. - Extreme speech on social media--foul language, threats and overtly sexist and racist language--has been in the spotlight. While such language is not new, recent increases of extreme and offensive posts on social media have led to politicians, celebrities and pundits calling for social media platforms to do more in curbing such speech, opening new debates about free speech in the digital age. Now, a new study from the University of Missouri School of Journalism shows that while people tend to dislike extreme speech on social media, there is less support for outright censorship. Instead, people believe sites need to do a better job promoting healthy discourse online.

"Facebook and Twitter feeds have become the home to various breeds of questionable content," said Brett Johnson, assistant professor of mass communication. "As public discourse continues to move to online discussions, we are seeing more debates about the limits of free expression in digital realms."

Johnson used focus groups to examine individual opinions toward extreme speech in social media and if such speech should be regulated. Focus group participants were regular social media users divided into race and gender groups--African-American females, African-American males, white females and white males. The choice to make the groups homogenous was made to facilitate more open and honest conversation about extreme speech without alienating or creating conflict among participants.

Most participants defined freedom of expression on social media sites in terms of the speech having a very clear purpose or being an expression of one's individuality. When asked about freedom of expression in social media, it was revealed that while people tend to dislike extreme and offensive speech, there might not be an overwhelming willingness for social media sites to censor such speech.

However, a prevailing belief was that social media platforms need to be transparent in how they manage content and that they follow clear standards aimed at both promoting free speech and preventing harm against users. This was particularly true among female participants who tended to value the overall health of public discourse and protection of more vulnerable users. African-American female participants explicitly called for platforms to recognize a special duty to protect minority users.

"While the focus groups did not reveal an outright demand to censor extreme and offensive speech, we found a prevailing trend of participants calling for social networking sites to have clear and transparent policies related to permissible content," Johnson said. "Sites should communicate their policies clearly to users and frame speech policies as a means of promoting healthy public discourse rather than pledging to keep users safe from harmful speech."

Johnson hopes the findings from the focus groups will help social media companies better understand and manage problems posed by extreme speech on their platforms.

"Tolerating and managing extreme speech on social media" recently was accepted for publication in a special issue of the journal Internet Research devoted to the topic of "the dark side of social media." The issue is expected to be released in late 2017.

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Johnson's research was funded in part by a $2,500 grant from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication for being named a 2016-17 AEJMC Emerging Scholar, and a $1,000 grant from the Mixed-Methods Interdisciplinary Graduate Group at the University of Minnesota. Johnson would like to thank the staff at the Information Experience Lab at the University of Missouri's Allen Institute for facilitating the focus groups, including Neeley Current, Kenneth Haggerty and Shahzaade Cannon. He also would like to thank MU doctoral students Rachel Grant, Marina Hendricks and Yan Wu and graduate student Madeline McClain for their assistance in this research project.
AMHERST, Mass. - Using a combination of computational and experimental techniques, a research team at the University of Massachusetts Amherst led by molecular biologist Lila Gierasch has demystified the pathway of interdomain communication in a family of proteins known as Hsp70s - a top target of dozens of research laboratories trying to develop new anti-cancer drugs, antibiotics and treatments for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Gierasch says, "This one presented us with quite a scientific challenge, because all the techniques we usually use to look at communication between the different domains in proteins get stuck when the targets are flexible and not rigid, and the interdomain linker in Hsp70s is very flexible. We had to be clever in our approach." Details are in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

As she explains, heat shock proteins in the Hsp70 family - molecular weight 70 - are "a really important class of molecular chaperones that have many important jobs in the cell, including binding to client proteins to assist their folding, or to keep them from pathologically aggregating, or to keep them unfolded so they can pass threadlike through a membrane."

She describes the three parts of a folded Hsp70 protein as a nucleotide-binding domain and substrate-binding domain linked by a "mysterious" interdomain linker, which becomes part of the structure when a small molecule, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), binds to the Hsp70. When ATP releases energy for the cell's use, it changes to adenosine diphosphate (ADP). "You can think of this molecular machine like a Rube Goldberg apparatus," she notes. "We've known for years that the little linker that connects the two domains is important, and when ATP is present it is a part of the two-domain collapsed structure. But with ADP present, the domains move independently. The linker's role in this case was unknown, and posed a puzzle that was very hard to figure out."

Faced with limited direct experimental methods to watch the linker's movements, Gierasch and postdoctoral researcher Charles English, collaborating with adjunct faculty member Woody Sherman, also CSO of Silicon Therapeutics, Boston, conducted a computational study to understand the range of possible linker positions. They used a technique called molecular dynamics, which uses Newton's equations of motion to simulate how atoms and molecules move. This was aided by the massive computing power of graphics processing units and the nearby multi-university Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center in Holyoke.

Gierasch says Wenli Meng, a master of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques, obtained NMR data that validated the simulations. The linker is just 12 amino acids long, and Meng was able to directly extract linker information from among 636 amino acids. "That was a significant contribution to our work," she notes. "It gave us an experimental fingerprint to compare with what the computer simulation said, and we were delighted by the tight agreement. The combination of NMR data with our simulations made our findings much stronger. Integration of multiple disciplines is greatly advancing life sciences research like this."

She reports, "It turns out that when you look at this linker carefully, it's like a universal joint in a car." For Gierasch, who rebuilt an MG from parts as a graduate student, this analogy is not as unlikely as one might think. "In the driveshaft mechanism, there are rigid pieces connected by joints, and that's what this linker has, three rigid pieces connected by flexible hinges. The result is that the two domains tethered by the linker have restricted rotation with respect to each other. So this protein linker is not like a noodle or piece of yarn. It is rigid in some places yet flexible in others, and, to facilitate proper function of the chaperone, it can twist in ways that facilitate the chaperone's mechanism, but it can't go everywhere."

An "unanticipated bonus" she adds, is discovering that the linker made frequent pauses at a pocket on the substrate-binding domain, "that gives you a potential binding site to target with a drug. We didn't know about this little pocket before, but now we can imagine a way to stop the chaperone-assisted folding cycle by designing a little molecule that will bind at that site."

Gierasch acknowledges that this advance is, by itself, just one step in a long process, in fact one she has been working out for decades. "But that's how science works, one step at a time. With each piece of the puzzle you put in, it clarifies the larger picture." She and co-authors write that enhanced understanding of the interdomain linker's role they have now characterized "fills one more gap in comprehending how these molecular machines perform their myriad physiological functions." This work should be useful for research on Hsp70 targets for cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease and developing new antibiotics, they add.

"In addition, seemingly flexible linkers are widespread in signaling molecules in biology, and our work illustrates the importance of studying the roles of these ostensibly flexible units in depth. Delineating their conformational landscapes will shed light on how they may relay information from one region of a molecule to another."

Gierasch adds, "It's said that cancer cells are absolutely addicted to Hsp70s because they are making many proteins in large quantity, and these chaperones are greeting every newly synthesized protein and facilitating their adoption of a proper structure, which is why people are so interested in them. If you inhibit them you would slow the growth of cancers. The problem is that you also would make some other cells sick." Also, new antibiotics might be developed from inhibiting specific bacterial Hsp70s, and because Hsp70s help to protect cells against protein aggregation, inhibiting or manipulating them might lead to new treatments for the rare diseases resulting from protein clumping.

###

Funding for this work came from NIH's National Institute of General Medical Sciences and an Academic-Industry Fellowship between UMass Amherst and Schrodinger LLC.
Aug. 29, 2017 - If you're a smoker considering cosmetic surgery, your plastic surgeon will likely require you to stop smoking for at least two weeks before your procedure. A long-term follow-up study finds that many patients receiving these instructions will quit smoking, or at least smoke less, in the years after cosmetic surgery, reports the September issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

"Our results show an association between cosmetic surgery and smoking cessation at long-term follow-up," comments lead author Aaron C. Van Slyke, MD, MSc, of University of British Columbia, Vancouver. "Surgeons who request preoperative smoking cessation may influence patients' long-term smoking status."

Many Cosmetic Surgery Patients Quit or Reduce Smoking

The follow-up study included 85 patients who were smokers when evaluated for cosmetic surgery. Like most plastic surgeons, Dr. Van Slyke and colleagues required patients to refrain from smoking for at least two weeks before elective procedures. Those instructions reflect a well-demonstrated increase in wound healing problems and other negative outcomes among smokers after plastic surgery.

Five years after cosmetic surgery, 47 patients responded to a follow-up survey. Most of the patients were women; the average age was 40 years. The most common procedures were "tummy tuck" (abdominoplasty), breast lift (mastopexy), and facelift. After exclusion of five "social" smokers, the study included 42 patients who were daily smokers before cosmetic surgery.

In the follow-up survey, about 40 percent of patients said they no longer smoked cigarettes on a daily basis. Nearly one-fourth had not smoked at all since their cosmetic surgery procedure.

Most patients said they had reduced their cigarette use by any amount. Seventy percent agreed that discussing their increased surgical risks with the plastic surgeon influenced their ability to quit or reduce smoking.

However, one-half of patients admitted they did not follow the instructions to refrain from cigarette use before surgery. Nearly one-fourth continued to smoke up to the day of their procedure. Dr. Van Slyke and colleagues did not test to confirm whether patients had stopped smoking.

The complication rate after cosmetic surgery was higher in patients who continued to smoke: 24 percent versus 14 percent. (The difference was not statistically significant.) More serious wound-healing complications occurred in two patients--both of whom did not follow the instructions to stop smoking.

Due to the negative effects of smoking on wound healing, many plastic surgeons are unwilling to perform cosmetic surgery procedures in patients who smoke. Compared to studies in other groups, the new findings suggest that cosmetic surgery patients seem more likely to quit or cut back on smoking at long-term follow-up. "This is consistent with previous research showing patients who seek to obtain cosmetic surgery are more motivated to sustain positive lifestyle changes," Dr. Van Slyke and coauthors write.

The results suggest that patients were more motivated to quit by "targeted messaging" with specific examples of the negative effects of smoking, rather than by a description of the general health benefits of smoking cessation. The authors conclude, "[T]he dialogue between plastic surgeon and patient during the cosmetic surgery consultation serves as a unique moment to provide targeted smoking cessation counseling that may persist well beyond the surgical interaction."

###

Click here to read "Perioperative and Long-Term Smoking Behaviors in Cosmetic Surgery Patients."

Article: "Perioperative and Long-Term Smoking Behaviors in Cosmetic Surgery Patients" (doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000003604)

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is published by Wolters Kluwer.

About Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

For more than 70 years, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery has been the one consistently excellent reference for every specialist who uses plastic surgery techniques or works in conjunction with a plastic surgeon. The official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery brings subscribers up-to-the-minute reports on the latest techniques and follow-up for all areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery, including breast reconstruction, experimental studies, maxillofacial reconstruction, hand and microsurgery, burn repair and cosmetic surgery, as well as news on medico-legal issues.

About ASPS

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 7,000 physician members, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

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Texas showing we need first responders to new conditions

Rivers are displacing people. The Dams are being discharged. Water released on the spillways to keep the structures from breaking. The flood plain is covered with water and responders are helping evacuate families with citizen responders when possible.

Harvey's Storm is revisiting its landfall with rain much worse than a storm surge. Public and individual assistance is needed. Trevor Noah put out the call"send money" help out. The Cajun Navy in Texas. It's rescue time.

Our 4th largest city is being tested and bringing the issues of climate, weather, water, and warming Gulf to U.S. states. There is a call to action and a demand for new kinds of triage, use of computers, understanding earth science, and realizing where the need is, how to respond, preventing health hazards and deaths, using resources, working with a chain of command and FEMA and cooperating in the midst of challenges. Good men, good citizens invited to navigate to help. Pasadena, Texas getting help. So many people need resources, and are backing up the National Guard. Thank you to Louisiana's best. Thank you to the volunteers, the NASA data, the Weathermen, the press for help and information. Disaster responders requested by the Governor. 7 million people being told to stay in place until saved.

And the rain keeps falling. Brave citizens in the midst of a deluge. Logistics are now being used to bridge a spontaneous call for uncoordinated volunteers to building a network of angels on the go.

City looking to keep kids going to school soon and allowing shelter support to be coordinated to get people back to work and mundane connections as soon as its possible.

The President will be in San Antonio on Tuesday.

Dams decisions and the Army Corps of Engineers:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/army-corps-releases-water-houston-dams-levels-increased/story?id=49462262

Hurricane Harvey as a phenomenon for questions, reasoning, evidence, and claims:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phenomenon

https://science.nasa.gov/stem-activation-team/nesec

https://www.strategies.org/education/nasa-earth-science-education/

Flood Info:

http://www.floodsafety.noaa.gov/map.shtml

Rivers:

http://www.beg.utexas.edu/UTopia/images/pagesizemaps/river_basin.pdf

http://texasalmanac.com/topics/environment/rivers

http://kremesti.com/water/silt_clay_mud.htm

Soils:

https://www.globe.gov/web/elementary-globe/overview/soils/story-book

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/?cid=nrcs142p2_054167

4th Largest City:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSxNx4D2LxA

Johnson Flight Center closed:

http://myinforms.com/en-us/a/677999290-johnson-space-center-closed-as-major-flooding-hits-houston-area/

Houston Airports Closed:

http://fortune.com/2017/08/28/airports-hurricane-harvey/

Hurricane Katrina (Middle School Module)

http://nasawavelength.org/resource/nw-000-000-001-660

Hurricanes:

http://nasawavelength.org/resource/nw-000-000-004-002

EO Kids: Urban Heat Islands/Hot Times in the City:

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/eokids

Other curricula:

http://nasawavelength.org/list/1772

https://www.strategies.org/education/educators-toolkit/

https://www.globe.gov/web/elementary-globe/overview/aerosols/story-book

http://nasawavelength.org/resource/nw-000-000-002-213

Youtube News:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpaoere2c_s

Coastal Resiliency requires new and different ways of solving the problems of coastal vulnerabilities, built structures, and industry with flooding and urban infrastructure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90RCGVSCf54

Keep your phone charged:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2ZWfBuyr_k

Articles/Boomtown story not just Rice University weighing in about risks:

https://projects.propublica.org/houston-cypress/
WOOSTER, Ohio  Farmers and commodity groups shared their concerns about the last farm bill and the upcoming 2018 farm bill, with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown during a roundtable discussion Aug. 28 at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.

Brown, a Cleveland Democrat, heard from a group of dairy and livestock farmers, crop farmers and Ohio State University experts. Their concerns were broad, but most said the starting point should be making sure the farm bill isnt cut  especially when it comes to safety nets.

John Linder, a grain farmer from Morrow County, said crop insurance programs have been beneficial to his familys operation. Federal crop insurance requires 40 percent payment by the farmer, and 60 percent by the government.

The risk management built into the farm bill has been critical, Linder said. We really like the portion where we pay to participate.

Milk program

Matt Saal, a dairy farmer from Sterling, said dairy farmers are concerned with the current dairy protection program. He said its too confusing, its not widely used, and is doing little to benefit farmers during low prices.

Saal said farmers can sign up for different levels of margin protection, but he thinks its overly complicated, and not popular among the dairy farmers he knows.

Joe Shultz, Democratic staff director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, said the last farm bill saved the government $23 billion up front, which led to an actual savings of nearly $100 billion.

The crop insurance program was hailed as one of the biggest accomplishments of the 2014 farm bill, which did away with direct payments and encouraged farmers to invest in their own insurance.

President Donald Trump asked the farm bill writers to do even more cutting when he announced his budget proposal this spring, calling for an additional $29 billion cut to crop insurance, a $123 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and a $6 billion cut to conservation funding.

No more cuts

Those cuts resulted in widespread criticism from farm and conservation organizations, who said theyve already been cut enough.

Our message first and foremost is do not cut the farm bill, Shultz said. We do not need to be doing cuts. Not in nutrition programs, not in crop insurance, not in conservation, not in commodity programs.

Shultz said lawmakers have held five hearings on the farm bill and hope to have a new one in place before Sept. 30, 2018, when the 2014 farm bill expires.

He also expects the farm bill will continue to be a bipartisan effort, and that the new bill will continue the tradition of coupling ag programs with food assistance programs.

I think most people have learned their lesson that were going to have a bipartisan bill, and were going to have a bill that keeps (food and ag) together.

Brown said the safety net is important because farmers have so much at risk, including price and yield volatility, along with increasingly severe weather events.

The safety net is so important, he said. Its important partly because of things beyond your control.  plus its in our national interest to have a vibrant farm sector. You dont want any sector of the economy to get hurt too badly but especially agriculture  what it means down the road to feed our people and to help protect our national security.
An antibiotic pressure group has raised serious concerns over plans to build one of the UKs biggest pig farms in Limavady in Northern Ireland.

Around 3,000 letters of objection and petitions with 14,000 signatures have been posted to the council.

The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics said the plans for a farm producing 60,000 pigs per year are being "fiercely opposed" by local farmers and residents.

The group is raising concern on the grounds that there will be "significant risks" of antibiotic-resistant pathogens spreading from the farm to local residents.

The group said that large intensive pig farms are "frequently contaminated" by many antibiotic-resistant pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, enterococci and MRSA or Clostridium difficile.

Some studies have found evidence that some bacteria can spread environmentally from the farms, which the alliance says can "endanger local communities".

'Increased risk'

The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics said several strains of livestock-associated MRSA are now present in Northern Irish pig farms, and stated that there is "growing evidence" from Europe and the United States that MRSA can spread from pig farms via aerosols or when pig slurry is applied to local fields.

The group said that several studies have found living in proximity to intensive pig farms or to fields where pig slurry was applied is associated with increased risk of being infected by MRSA.

But the National Pig Association (NPA) said the public should not be worried.

Chief executive Zoe Davies said: LA-MRSA has not been deemed high risk by the government, and is not the same as hospital associated MRSA, so the public should not be worried. Hospital surveillance has picked up very few cases and none that are associated with people working directly with livestock.

I also want to stress that the link made between antibiotic usage on farms and the prevalance of bugs like LA-MRSA is not as simplistic as is made out in features like this. For example, Denmark has already significantly reduced antibiotic usage but LA-MSRA levels remain high.

However, we know LA-MRSA is here in the UK and, as a proactive industry we have worked with government to provide guidance for those working with pigs to reduce risk even further.

Suzi Shingler, campaign manager of the antibiotic alliance, said: Intensively farmed pigs receive by far the highest quantities of antibiotics in UK farming, and we know this leads to lots of different types of resistant bacteria that can transfer to humans.

This is often on food, but there is also increasing evidence that it can occur through the environment. The huge size of this pig farm will mean that this health threat to local residents will be magnified.
A Dorset tenant farmer has received a six-month suspended prison sentence and been banned from working in the waste industry for five years after burning waste at his farm near Poole.

The Environment Agency said David House broke a promise to stop burning waste on his land in Upton, near Poole.

Environment Agency officers visited Frenchs Farm, Watery Lane, Upton on 17 August 2015 to check whether David House had complied with a formal notice to remove illegal waste from the site.

Earlier checks revealed the farm was being used for the illegal storage and disposal of domestic and commercial waste.

Inquiries revealed Mr House had been disposing waste by burning at the site since 2013.

In fact, the agency had evidence from reports of 64 fires during a five-year period at the site. Dorset Fire and Rescue dealt with 11 fires within six months in 2015.

Spreading ash

During interview, Mr House claimed he had given permission to others to dump and burn waste and promised to clear the site within a month.

The Environment Agency said this was not done. In recognition of ill health, it was decided by the agency that Mr House would be given a caution as long as he removed the waste by a set deadline.

Instead, waste fires began again and, despite being told not to, Mr House spread the ash across his land. Tests revealed the ash contained arsenic, cadmium and lead.

During a second interview, Mr House flippantly introduced himself as former Coronation Street character Ena Sharples before blaming others for the waste on his land.

Appearing at Bournemouth Crown Court, Mr House pleaded guilty to knowingly causing the operation of a regulated facility without authority and disposing of controlled special waste in a manner likely to cause harm to human health.

He was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 15 months, and made the subject of a Criminal Behaviour Order that prevents him from being involved in the collection, transportation or disposal of waste from any premises.

'Flouting the law'

Under the order, Mr House is banned from setting or lighting any fire in the open for the purpose of burning controlled waste without obtaining permission, in advance and in writing, from the Environment Agency.

He is also prohibited from importing or allowing any person in a vehicle to import or bring any waste onto any land, business premises or residential premises of which he has control or is the occupier. The ban runs for five years.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "While the vast majority of waste sites we regulate are well run and provide a much needed waste management service, we recognise theres an issue with a small number of operators who break the rule of their permit.

"We tried to work with Mr House to rectify issues and to ensure he was operating within the law but to no avail. We will prosecute those willingly found flouting the law by undertaking illegal activity and causing harm to the environment and human health."
A Durham farmer has been killed in a "tragic accident" involving bale, police have confirmed.

Durham Police said the 51-year-old, who has not yet been identified, was killed while baling straw on a farm in Staindrop, County Durham, on Sunday (7 August). The incident happened at about 1.30pm.

Emergency services including the police, County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, North East Ambulance Service and Great North Air Ambulance Service attended.

Durham Constabularys duty inspector, Simon Gdaniec, confirmed that the man had lost his life despite their best efforts to save him.

He told The Northern Echo: Theres been an occupational-cum-industrial accident on the farm and one chap has sadly lost his life. There is nothing suspicious from a policing point of view but we have notified the Health and Safety Executive from a commercial workplace point of view.

As far as the police are concerned its a tragic, tragic accident.

A spokeswoman for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the organisation was aware of the incident.

The incident comes only a few weeks after the end of Farm Safety Week (July 24-28).

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures from the 2016/17 period showed agriculture is the most dangerous UK profession, with 27 work-related.

Last year, 30 people were killed in agriculture, compared with 29 the year before.
A 64-year-old man has died after his vintage tractor overturned and crushed him to death on-farm in Devon.

The man was towing another tractor in Umberleigh when it flipped, trapping him underneath yesterday (28 August).

He later died of his injuries at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Emergency services were called at 2.30pm after the 1950s Ferguson T20 tractor overturned in a field and trapped the driver underneath.

"The tractor had been towing another tractor when the incident happened.

"The driver, from Umberleigh, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on arrival at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth."

This is the second death to have happened on-farm over the Bank Holiday weekend. In other news, a Durham farmer has been killed in a "tragic accident" involving bale, police have confirmed.

Police collision investigators are investigating the incident and anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101@dc.police.uk or by phone on 101, quoting log number 560 of 28/08/17.
The Government should take advantage of the opportunity Brexit presents to create a regulatory environment for farming that is "streamlined, grounded in science and respects realistic farm practices", a new report released today urges.

As MPs return to Westminster and continue work on the EU Withdrawal Bill, the NFU has laid out its vision for a regulatory environment that supports farmers, the public and the environment in the final report of its 'Vision for the Future of Farming' series.

The NFU said it strongly believes that new rules can work better while maintaining the same high standards that the public expect.

NFU President Meurig Raymond said: Farmers recognise that regulation is a part of farming like any other business but they are often left frustrated with rules that do not always make practical sense on farm.

Leaving the EU provides a unique opportunity to develop a regulatory environment that is better designed and effectively implemented to allow farmers to do what they do best  provide a safe and affordable supply of British food.

'Realistic farm practices'

The NFU is calling for regulation that increases the role of science and evidence and respects 'realistic farm practices' in its design.

The farming union states regulation should take into account 'good farming practice' and membership of farm assurance schemes, and use this 'earned recognition' to reduce on-farm assessments.

It calls for better recognition over the impacts of rules on business costs and operation, and urges a more balanced application of the Precautionary Principle.

Finally, the NFU is calling for regulation that is proportional, taking into account the size of businesses.

Scientifically evidenced'

Mr Raymond added: The NFU has long maintained that any regulation should be scientifically evidenced, it should be implemented with minimal bureaucracy, and its impact on business should be fully assessed.

Britains withdrawal from the EU provides the opportunity for the UK government to embrace these positive principles, improving the competitiveness of British farm businesses while ensuring continued access for our great British produce into overseas markets.

However, to reach this point it is crucial the Government ensures the EU Withdrawal Bill provides certainty to farmers about the rules and regulation they will be subject to in the short and medium term, so that their businesses can thrive without considerable disruption after we leave the EU.

A system that offers farmers the best business environment to farm not only benefits food production but the countryside and rural economy as a whole.

In March, the NFU urged the government to forge a 'productive and profitable' agriculture sector in the first of its Vision for the Future of Farming reports.

And in July, the union released a report looking into the declining number of seasonal workers coming to Britain's farms.
The veterinary industry has expressed concern following an announcement regarding the reclassification of Startect Dual Active Oral Solution, an anthelmintic for sheep, from POM-V to POM-VPS.

The reclassification of the drug, by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), which is authorised for the treatment and control of mixed gastro-intestinal nematode infections and associated diseases of sheep, now legally permits pharmacists and suitably qualified persons, as well as vets, to prescribe it.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and Sheep Veterinary Society (SVS) are among those who have condemned the decision.

BVA Junior Vice President John Fishwick said: "We know that resistance to anthelmintics is increasing in grazing animals worldwide and needs to be addressed to avoid a potentially disastrous situation of being unable to tackle parasites.

The reclassification of Startect Dual Active from POM-V to POM-VPS is in direct opposition to the trend in Europe, where we are seeing increased control over dispensing of anthelmintics in species where resistance is posing a serious threat to animal health, welfare and profitable production; we're extremely concerned that we might start seeing resistance develop in Group 4 as a result.

BVA believes that the prescribing of anthelmintics requires a level of control best provided by a veterinary surgeon who has the animals under his/her care, and is based on a sound clinical diagnosis.

The drugs are best used as part of a flock health plan drawn up by farmers in conjunction with their vet in order to protect animal health and welfare and safeguard the efficacy of these products for the future.

Sheep Veterinary Society President Kathryn Dun said: Group 4 anthelmintics should be used only as part of a careful designed strategy for the individual farm and it is imperative that this strategy is worked out with a vet and is part of a flock health plan for that farm. The products need to be used, in the correct way, to help prolong the life of our other anthelmintics.

We are unlikely to have any further new groups of anthelmintics in the foreseeable future, so education of those buying and selling these products is crucial to ensure the longevity of the effective action of them against sheep parasites.
When They Met

Rosa had revealed it was a chance meeting that began it all. She met Saif during a show in Kenya and then love followed.''

Saif Didn't Tell Her About His Marriage To Amrita

''Rosa had revealed that Saif hadn't told her that he was a married man when the two had met initially and that she got to know of these things with time.''

Recommended Video Saif Ali Khan REVEALS Amrita Singh ABUSED my Mother

She Came To Know About His Divorce After Coming To India

''It was when she came to India, she realised that he was living somewhere else and was divorced and fathered two children.''

She Was Very Close To Sara & Ibrahim

''She had also mentioned that it was the kids that played a significant role in making her adjust so well in India and though it was heartbreaking to leave them, she still loves them madly.''

On Her Break-up With Saif

"I asked myself what, why and how things happened. But a person grows and realises things even though they are shocking. Plus, you don't know what other people are thinking or doing. Just one person can't do that because the effort has to be from both the sides.''

It Takes Two To Make Things Work

''It takes two people to actually make something work. Otherwise it's like being on the same boat where one person wants to go right and the other person wants to go left."

Saif Didn't Support Her Financially

''Saif is not supporting me financially. The one reason why I kept staying in India was because I used to work as and when projects used to come so that I was able to pay my bills and pay my rent.''

No One Paid My Bills In India

''And no one ever, I repeat, no one ever has paid my bills in India."

Was Kareena The Reason Behind Their Split?

''Not that I know of, but I don't think that was the reason.''

Truth Is...

''We parted ways much before that."
'I Would Not Averse To It'

Kajol was quoted as saying to DNA, "It would depend on the script. If the script demands it, I would not be averse to it."

'Films Today Have Different Subjects'

"I'm completely okay with it. Films today have different subjects and directors are dealing with them with a different sensibility and maturity, which is great."

But

Kajol refused to tell the name of the young actor she would want to work with.

Conditions Apply!

However, the 'VIP 2' actress has one big condition when it comes to working with younger heroes.

'He Should Be More Manly And Less Boyish'

She further added, "Whoever from the younger generation is cast opposite me, should be more manly and less boyish. I won't be naming anyone at all."

Meanwhile,

Kajol recently dropped by Gauri Khan's new store in Mumbai and couldn't resist clicking a selfie with her. Aww, that's so cute of them!
Contestants Speak Up!

"The two were asked to leave and our original plan of activity, cancelled. The rest of us were disappointed, but we understood that the call that was taken was an essential one," said another pair of contestants.

What Happened Next!

"They didn't want the others to feel dejected and thus, all the activity scheduled at a theatre and was shifted to a hotel, where the winners were put up."

Too Good!

"The actors spent quality time with fans while shooting for digital promos," revealed the pair of twins who met the actors.

Varun Dhawan

The contest was part of a 'twins' event where they could get to meet the filmy Judwaa, Varun Dhawan.

Jacqueline Fernandez

Despite being put off, Jacqueline Fernandez came up and spoke to the other twins who had come down to the event from all parts of the country.

Twins

50 pairs of twins were called to Mumbai for the event after winning an online contest.

Judwaa 2

Judwaa 2 stars Varun Dhawan, Jacqueline Fernandez and Taapsee Pannu in the lead roles.

Double Role

Salman Khan has a cameo appearance in Judwaa 2 and he too will be seen in a double role.

Two Times Varun

Varun Dhawan will be seen in a double role in the film.

Grand Release

Judwaa 2 is all set to hit the theatres on September 29, 2017.
When Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Asked Vishwas To Marry Priyanka

As per the daily, ''It was Valentine's Day in 1999 when Vishwas Gupta was asked by Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to marry Priyanka Taneja in a simple ceremony of exchanging garlands at Sirsa.''

Later Her Name Was Changed To Honeypreet

''Taneja, who was later named Honeypreet and adopted by the Dera head, shares his quirky fondness for bling and movies.''

The Lawyer Who Arranged Vishwas's Bail Reveals...

An attendant of the Dera chief is what she was all through her marriage, says MS Joshi, a Chandigarh-based lawyer, who later got Vishwas bail in a dowry case filed in Sirsa.

Vishwas Was Taken To Bangkok

"Vishwas was taken to Bangkok and hill stations in India with Honeypreet, who used to stay inside the babaji's room.''

But Honeypreet Used To Stay In Baba's Room

''In May 2011, she stayed with Ram Rahim at a Kodaikanal hotel.''

In June, He Saw Them In Objectionable Position

''In June, he saw them together in an objectionable position at the Dera.''

He Was Beaten By Ram Rahim & Told To Stay Mum

''He was beaten up by Ram Rahim and told to stay mum. After 11 years of marriage, Vishwas moved out of the Dera to Sector 15.''

Dera's Strongman Started Clocking His Every Moment

''A team of Dera strongmen, led by one Pradeep Singh, who was later arrested, started clocking his every movement. Vishwas moved the Punjab and Haryana high court for protection in October, accusing the Dera chief and Honeypreet of adultery.''

Honeypreet Filed A Dowry Case

''The Dera hit back. Honeypreet filed a case of dowry after 11 years of marriage, claiming Vishwas was demanding Rs 2 lakh from her.''

Why Would They Demand Rs 2 Lakh?

"The Guptas had ancestral property and his father had retirement benefits. Why would they demand Rs 2 lakh?" says Joshi.

An FIR Was Launched Against Vishwas

''Vishwas was soon facing an FIR in a cheque bounce case filed in Gujarat and another in Rajasthan. His petition to court says a sale deed of his 11 kanal ancestral land had also been forcibly executed in favour of the dera.''

The Gupta Family Was Under A Lot Of Pressure

''The pressure proved back-breaking for the Guptas. Though a Sirsa court granted Vishwas anticipatory bail in the dowry case, the Guptas first went underground and finally sought a widely-publicised apology before the dera chief.''

All Cases Were Withdrawn

''All court cases were withdrawn with mutual consent. Now remarried, Vishwas has started his new life at Panipat.''
Sanjay Dutt is extremely close to his daughter Trishala, who stays in New York, USA. The actor often keeps visiting her place whenever possible to spend some quality time with her.

Trishala has quite a huge following on Instagram and keeps updating pictures about her day-to-day activities. Yesterday, she shared a throwback picture where Dutt is seen holding Trishala in his arms. Such a perfect moment naa?

Sanjay Dutt had launched the trailer of his comeback film 'Bhoomi'. At the trailer launch, when Dutt was asked it was an intentional move to showcase the trailer on that day, he had replied in affirmative and added, "Yes, it was an intentional decision. It is her birthday today. We miss her here. No better day to release the trailer."

Further, the actor got all emotional when Trishala sent him an audio note on her birthday which said, "My dearest Papa Dukes, it's so nice to know that you have chosen to launch the trailer of Bhoomi on my birthday and it's a surprise. It gives so much happiness that you have chosen a film on father-daughter relationship as your comeback film. I am really proud of you Dad and you are stronger than you know. I am really blessed to be a part of you. Love you forever."

While speaking about Trishala, Dutt had earlier told a leading daily, "She has done well and has specialized in forensic science and I think that's a great thing to do. Even if she [Trishala Dutt] wants to join the industry, she has to learn Hindi because American (English) will not work here. It is not easy to be an actor. It looks easy but it is quite difficult."

When quizzed if there were any similarities between him and Trishala, the 'Bhoomi' actor had said, "Yes, there are similarities but Trishala wanted to be an actress and I wanted to break her legs, which I'm not doing here."

On the other hand, Trishala had once told in a HT interview, "I can tell you the one thing that I learned from him in spite of not even living with him, is that No means No. And there's no question about it afterwards. He's extremely loving when he wants to be, he can fool around with you when he's in the mood but he's strict as well. I think he's stubborn, and so am I. When we don't agree on certain things it can be a problem. We love each other at the end of the day."
It wouldn't be an exaggeration if we say that many Malayalam actors, do feature in the list of the greats that Indian cinema has ever seen. While stating Malayalam actors, the list doesn't confine to the lead actors alone.

Often we have seen other language actors speaking highly about Malayalam actors. Such is the impact that some of our finest talents have created, with their films. Most recently, Vijay Sethupathi opened up about the two Malayalam actors, whose performances have touched him a lot.

It was in a recent interview given to the popular magazine Vanitha, that Vijay Sethupathi opened up about the same. Any guesses on who those Malayalam actors are? Keep scrolling down to know about them..
Kiku Sharda

It has to be recalled that The Kapil Sharma Show's Kiku Sharda, got into legal trouble a while ago for allegedly making fun of (mimicking) MSG. He was even arrested and had to stay in judicial custody for 14 days. Later he was granted bail.

Twinkle Khanna & Chandan Prabhakar Tease Kiku!

While Twinkle Khanna took to social media and gave a tongue-in-cheek advice to Kiku, Chandan Prabhakar teased Kiku on MSG!

Twinkle Wrote

Twinkle Khanna wrote in her blog, "Anyway, all this monkey business reminds me of a certain cheeky monkey and old colleague, Kiku Sharda who was jailed for mimicking the Love Charger."

Twinkles Tongue-In-Cheek Advice

She further wrote, "I think he should immediately go to the nearest Chinese restaurant to celebrate, order a beer and tell the waiter, I don't want any monosodium glutamate in my Schezwan chicken, you people should lock away your MSG too. Cheers!"

Kikus Witty Reply!

Kiku responded to Twinkle's advice by sharing a picture of him with his wife in a restaurant. He wrote, "Enjoying a peaceful Chinese meal with no monosodium glutamate @mrsfunnybones @priyankasharda3."

Twinkle Further wrote

Twinkle replied to Kiku's tweet, "Hahaha! And life moves on with its tongue firmly in its cheek:)"

Chandan Prabhakar Teases Kiku

Meanwhile, Chandan Prabhakar also took to social media to tease Kiku. He wrote, "@kikusharda kiku ji ram ram...kese ho bhai..;)."

Sophie Choudhary Tweeted

"Wish it was more but at least he will pay for his crimes! His followers should know that No one is above the law!!"

Shruti Seth Wrote

"15 years too late but justice has been served."

Nivedita Basu Tweeted

"I'm sure the years the victims suffered the punishment seems less but #judgejagdeepsingh announced 10 yes also is BIGnow go on increasing."
Karanvirs Had A Working Birthday

Like every year, this year too was a working birthday for Karanvir. The actor was shooting for India's Best Judwaah.

Raghu & Rajiv Surprise KVB On His Birthday

The evening turned into a special occasion as all the contestants and producer of the show Raghu and Rajiv came on the stage with a cake.

Adaa Khan Surprises KVB On His Birthday

Moreover, his Naagin co-actor Adaa Khan came on the sets to surprise Karanvir on his birthday, which made the evening even more extraordinary.

Adaa Khan Wishes KVB

Adaa also shared a picture and wished KVB on his birthday. She wrote, "Happy birthday rockstar  a real sweetheart n a gem have a blast n a rocking year ahead."

KVBs Wifes Adorable Message

"#HappyBirthday to the kindest, sweetest, strongest, handsomest, most fun, most positive-minded, soul I know!  Happy first birthday as a Dad, my love. "

Teejay Further Wrote.

"Now you can add one more thing to your list of awesomeness!  Thank you for throwing yourself into my life path and taking us on this unbelievable journey! With each year, with each birthday, it just keeps on getting better!!  And I just keep loving you more.. "

Mouni Wishes KVB

Mouni shared a video and wrote, "Happy birthday to the always happy most amazing hooman @karanvirbohra  Pray you that you receive even more happiness & blessings than you give away to everyone around you Happyyy birthdayyyy xxx."

"P.S i miss my girls. Its been soooo long & i hope they refuse to come to you the next time i see em too ! @bombaysunshine."

Surbhi Jyoti Wishes KVB

Surbhi Jyoti wrote, "Happy birthday to the man who has the energy to make everyone smile  atleast I remember each time you made me laugh like a maniac  and I know you'll keep doing that coz that's youyou are one of your kind KV... love you lots @karanvirbohra."

Arjun Bijlani Wishes KVB

Arjun Bijlani shared a picture snapped with KVB and wrote, "Have a great one mere bhai @KVBohra .wassup wassup ."
Indian investors are having a great year. The sub-continent's economy is booming, bolstered by economic reform and investment from the central government, and stocks are following suit. As measured by iShares MSCI India ETF (INDA 0.04%), India-based shares are up 25% year to date. Shares of tech and outsourcing leader Infosys (INFY 2.87%), on the other hand, have been an exception.

The business, which specializes in tech consulting, software development, and other outsourcing services, has been grappling with a changing industry landscape. Whereas other India-based companies are riding the wave of economic growth, Infosys is exposed to disruptive new technology and shifting political and social sentiments around the world. It is against this backdrop that CEO Vishal Sikka announced his departure last week.

Re-imagining outsourcing

Outsourcing firms have been under fire in the last year. In years past, criticism has come mainly from workers in economies that have lost jobs to cheaper geographies like India.

With the election of Donald Trump, though, legislation is being kicked around in the U.S. at reforming the H-1B visa program -- used to fill high-skilled job openings with a foreign worker. That program has been used by Infosys and other technology outsourcing firms over the years, and has helped create a burgeoning high-tech workforce in India. The argument goes that companies have been abusing H-1B visas by bringing in lower paid workers from out of country rather than higher a local but higher-cost employee.

I'll leave the political debate for other to discuss, because a much bigger disruptor for outsourcing firms like Infosys has been technological advancement. Infosys built its business on providing a cheaper alternative workforce for what has been labeled mundane or time-intensive tasks (think, for example, of call centers and other types of customer service). As the world has changed, the company has morphed into a tech consultant and developer as well.

However, automation has entered the picture, and things like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have begun to replace the need for humans to perform many of these tasks. It has thus been another period of transition for Infosys as it tries to fit these new technologies into its business of outsourced cost savings.

Why Sikka called it quits

In the three years at the helm of Infosys, Sikka has helped transform the service-based business into a new type of technology company. He is responsible for launching several dozen new services, including new AI and other software as a service-style platforms.

The switch to a more technology-centric organization has paid off. Since 2014, Infosys revenue has been back on the rise again, all the while keeping its global employee base of nearly 200,000 intact. So much for robots taking jobs.

Metric 2015 2016 2017 Revenue $8.7 billion $9.5 billion $10.2 billion Earnings per share $0.88 $0.90 $0.94

Not everyone has been happy with the results, though. Infosys founder and former chairman Narayana Murthy has been on the attack all year, taking aim at everything from Sikka's compensation to the way the current board is governing the company. Murthy and the other co-founders still own 13% of Infosys, so what they say still carries a great deal of weight.

Citing the above political and social issues, as well as new technologies disrupting the industry, Sikka handed in a letter of resignation on August 18. The real issue may have been more personal, however, as Sikka said attacks against him have been "malicious and increasingly personal." The resignation is effective immediately, but Sikka will remain Executive Vice Chairman until a replacement is found no later than March 31, 2018.

Food for thought

In a letter to shareholders, Infosys' board of directors said it regretted Sikka's decision to step down and is "profoundly distressed by the unfounded personal attacks on the members of our management team." This sounds like a battle over Infosys and its current transformational business strategy may be gearing up between the current board and the old co-founders.

This could be a dangerous fight for shareholders. I'm never one to sell after a big plunge in share price, as initial reactions to events can often times be overblown. But shareholders should be aware that the stock could fall further if this battle doesn't go quietly, specifically if the management team and its goal to transform the company into an innovation-first organization loses out to the co-founders.
Whether you have a legal, tax, insurance, management or land issue, Farmers Weeklys Business Clinic experts can help.

Here, Fred Quartermain of law firm Thrings advises on changing holiday homes into dwellings.

Q I have three-holiday cottages in a row on a working farm. They were originally calf sheds.

Twenty years ago they were converted into the holiday homes and 10 years ago I got the closure of two months a year lifted so I could rent them for 52 weeks a year, with a 28-day let length restriction.

Now I want to turn one into a dwelling to live in and still operate the other two as holiday cottages.

The planning office has said no.

What can I do?

A It is not unusual for local authorities (LA) to impose this sort of restriction where the LA takes the view that permanent residential use is contrary to local or national planning policies.

Fred Quartermain

Solicitor and planning specialist, Thrings Fred QuartermainSolicitor and planning specialist, Thrings

Often these restrictions are coupled with a requirement to maintain a record of all the occupants of the units and to disclose those on request of the LA, although that doesnt seem to be the case here.

See also: Business Clinic  is my son a partner in the farm business?

It is often possible to successfully remove these restrictions; the precise approach for this depends on whether the restrictions were imposed by conditions, or via an obligation.

As a general rule, either route will require a formal application to the LA supported by evidence as to why the restriction is no longer required.

You say the LA planning team has already said no to your request. Depending on the type of application you made, there may be an avenue for appeal so it may be wise to seek specific advice.

The merits of such an appeal will depend on the LAs reasons for refusal and the local planning policy position.

Residential use

An alternative to the variation of the existing permission would be to consider a new full planning application for a residential use.

This would require the LA to consider your application afresh. As a part of this application, it may be possible to argue there is no material difference between the way the unit is used as a residential dwelling and its use as a holiday let.

The point has been considered by the courts and it has been confirmed that where a holiday let is occupied by family groups who, during their stay, constitute a single household, it is likely that the manner of occupation will remain the same.

As a result it will fall within the same class of use as a residential dwelling.

Planning policies

The LA will apply up-to-date local and national planning policies and take into account any other material considerations in making a determination on the appropriateness of the use itself rather than on the removal of the condition.

The material considerations to be considered by the LA will include things such as the availability of social infrastructure, which is more likely to be used by people occupying a property as their primary accommodation in comparison with holiday lets.

As with all planning applications, there is an appeal process for those who are refused permission. We would recommend you seek advice from a planning consultant or solicitor before taking this route.

If a holiday let restriction is not complied with, the LA may choose to take enforcement action to prevent the breach from continuing.

Assuming the restriction has been imposed by way of a condition, it is possible for the breach to acquire immunity from enforcement from long use.

The relevant period here is 10 years and it seems from your question that the breach has not yet commenced.

Again, there is an appeal process in relation to enforcement action, but we would recommend you seek advice as soon as possible if the LA does take action.

Do you have a question for the panel?

Outline your legal, tax, finance, insurance or farm management question in no more than 350 words and Farmers Weekly will put it to a member of the panel. Please give as much information as possible.

Send your enquiry to Business Clinic, Farmers Weekly, RBI, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS.

You can also email your question to fwbusinessclinic@rbi.co.uk.
A Scottish government has unveiled plans to modernise crofting legislation and encourage more new entrants to take on small-scale farms.

The Scottish government said crofts  small holdings averaging about 5ha in size  are vital to rural communities but it argues crofting legislation is overly complex.

There are more than 20,000 crofts in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, with more than 1,000 common grazings covering more than 550,000ha.

See also: Careers news and advice from Farmers Weekly

In 2016 alone, the sector generated an estimated revenue of 85.8m.

Scottish rural affairs secretary Fergus Ewing said: Crofting delivers valuable local benefits and a successful crofting sector helps our rural communities to thrive.

It is therefore vital the law that governs it is fit for purpose.

Need for change

Initial discussions have shown while there is plenty of agreement the current law needs to change  there are many views on what should replace it.

Mr Ewing said he hoped everyone with an interest in the future of crofting would respond to the Scottish government consultation.

It comes amid growing concern among many older farmers and crofters about a lack of willing heirs to take over the operational side of their businesses.

Earlier this month, NFU Scotland launched a separate project on the potential of share farming to encourage new entrants into farming and crofting.

Backed by the unions New Generation committee, the project aims to link potential new entrants to with farm and croft owners who are looking to take a step back from everyday farming.

A recent New Generation survey found the price of land and land availability was preventing new entrants from entering and progressing in the industry.

Potential solution

Share farming  with one party providing the land and often the machinery and the other providing the labour and expertise  is seen as a potential solution.

NFU Scotland food policy and campaigns officer Lindsey Macdonald said matching potential new entrants with existing farmers and crofters could be mutually beneficial.

On the one side, we have a generation of new and enthusiastic young farmers and crofters desperate to enter the industry and build their business.

On the other side, we have a huge number of farm and croft owners reaching retirement age and looking to step back but with no willing family members to take over.

Each arrangement will be different according to the parties involved but this is an exciting opportunity for new entrants and farm owners alike to mutually benefit one another.
From khinkali to churchkhela: a guide to Georgian food - GeorgianJournal
Samsung unveils three professional monitors ahead of IFA 2017 News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu Sasmungs CH89, CH80 and SH85 monitors unveiled.

The IFA 2017, one of the latest consumer electronics trade shows is all set to kick start on September 1 in Berlin.

With just four days left for the event to debut, Samsung seems to be too excited that it has made an announcement today. The company has unveiled three new professional monitors for modern workplaces. These monitors are dubbed CH89, CH80, and SH85. Notably, the CH89 is a 34-inch curved model, the CH80 is a 27-inch curved model and the SH85 is a 27-inch flat screen model. Of these, the CH89 features an aspect ratio of 21:9 while the other two have aspect ratios of 16:9.

Microsoft unveils Windows 10 Pro for Workstations

All the three professional monitors launched by Samsung feature the USB Type-C interface enabling seamless connectivity, optimized color presentation and clarity at ultra WQHD (CH89), FHD (CH80) and WQHD (SH85) resolutions. These monitors from Samsung feature a bezel-less design at three sides with the curved models amplifying the bezel-less effect with their curved structure. These Samsung monitors are aimed at streamlining setups that need multiple screens and equipment connected to a single monitor.

Lenovo introduces three new gaming desktops under the Legion banner

Professionals can customize their content presentation via Samsung's Easy Setting Box software. The intuitive interface of the program will let users select the best option from a detailed library of screen-size optimization and split-screen template options.

The CH80 and SH85 monitors come with the DP Out Daisy Chain technology for convenient collaboration and screen sharing. The users can extend that desktop across single monitors or a group of monitors via one DP connection by preventing the necessity to sync each monitor with either a PC or an external device.

Best Mobiles in India

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LG Q6+ with FullVision display coming soon to India News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu LG Q6+ to be released soon.

After the launch of the LG Q6 in India, the company is likely to be all set to release the upgraded variant - the LG Q6+ in the country in early September.

According to the information revealed by the Mumbai-based offline retailer Mahesh Telecom's Twitter handle, the LG Q6+ is all set to be made available offline in the first week of September. While there is no word on the exact pricing information of the device, it is expected to cost below Rs. 18,000. Notably, the LG Q6+ has similar looks and internal specifications as the LG Q6 expect for the difference in the RAM and storage capacity. While the Q6 features 3GB RAM and 32GB storage, the LG Q6+ comes with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage.

The major highlight of the LG Q6+ is its display as the other smartphones in the Q6 series. The device bestows a 5.5-inch FHD FullVision display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. This technology will let users enjoy an immersive experience while they watch videos, play games and multitask.

The other notable feature of the LG Q6+ that is slated to be launched soon in India is the square camera feature. This feature lets users utilize the 18:9 display fully. It lets splitting the screen into two identical squares so that the users can capture photos and review them at the same time.

Besides these aspects, the LG Q6+ is made using high-grade 7000 series aluminum, which is one of the metal alloys with the highest strength in the market. Under its hood, the smartphone employs an octa-core Snapdragon 435 SoC and a 3000mAh battery gives the necessary power to it. The LG G6+ flaunts a 13MP main camera at its rear with LED flash and a 5MP selfie snapper with 100-degree wide-angle lens. If you don't remember, this smartphone was unveiled in three color options - Marine Blue, Ice Platinum, and Astro Black.

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Xiaomi Mi A1, Android One smartphone to feature a full screen display News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu Xiaomi Mi A1 display details emerge online.

In the last week, we came across a report suggesting that the Xiaomi Mi A1 could be the company's first Android One smartphone. The device was spotted on the Indonesian certification website POSTEL revealing that it could be a Xiaomi Mi 5X sans the MIUI skin.

Now, the latest information revealed on the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo spotted by The Android Soul is that the Xiaomi Mi A1 might arrive with a full-screen display. Given that the Mi A1 will be based on the Mi 5X, we can expect the Android One smartphone to boast of a 5.5-inch FHD display, which is almost bezel-less.

Apart from the display and the bezel-less design, the upcoming Xiaomi Android One smartphone that is in the pipeline is believed to make use of an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC as well. The imaging aspects will include a dual rear camera setup as in the Mi 5X and stock Android out of the box instead of MIUI 9. The Xiaomi Mi 5X is all set to be launched in India on September 5.

In the POSTEL certification, the Xiaomi Mi A1 was spotted featuring the model number MDG2. The RF certification page of the device also confirmed the same model number tipping that it is the Android One smartphone that is in the making.

Android One is the attempt made by Google back in 2014 with a handful of smartphones in order to bring the stock Android experience to the budget phones. The Android One platform assured speedy software update to such smartphones. Though we have a sort of confirmation that the Xiaomi Mi A1 will be an Android One smartphone, there is no assurance that it will be unveiled with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. We can expect further reports to reveal more details regarding the availability and specifications of the alleged Xiaomi Mi A1.

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Hyatt has signed a management agreement with Lotte Tour Development Co., Ltd. for a Grand Hyatt hotel in Jeju City, South Korea.

The new hotel, expected to be the second largest Grand Hyatt hotel in the world, will be Hyatt"s sixth property in the country.

The Grand Hyatt Jeju will have 1,600 rooms, 11 food and beverage outlets, approximately 1,200 square meters of meeting space, indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center, two spas (Western and Korean) with a total of eight treatment rooms and two kids clubs.

Lotte Tour will be the lead developer of the Dream Tower Integrated Resort project in Jeju, along with Greenland Group, one of China"s largest state-run real estate developers. The project will feature two towers as well as a retail podium.

"We are extremely pleased to be collaborating with Lotte Tour for the first time. As one of South Korea"s leading multinational corporations, Lotte Tour has a deep legacy of travel and hospitality in the country," said David Udell, Group President, Asia-Pacific at Hyatt. "We look forward to working with Lotte Tour to create a new vision of the Grand Hyatt brand in Jeju, reflective of the island"s unique environment, and providing travelers with our first-class service and hospitality."

In 2016, over 12 million passengers flew between Seoul and Jeju, making the route one of the world"s busiest passenger air routes. The city has experienced a surge in Chinese demand within the past decade, seeing more than 3 million tourists from mainland China last year, and welcoming over 10 million visitors annually from South Korea, Japan and China.

Hotel website
From the big online travel players, to airlines, to hotels, to a host of start-ups, tours and activities are seeing huge interest and investment according to EyeforTravel's report, which is free to download now. This is because advances in technology and platforms have opened up the market and all of the aforementioned players are eyeing the area as a major growth opportunity.

TripAdvisor, believes we are at a turning point in the tours and activities market. "It's an exciting time to be in the attractions space  it's entering a significant growth phase as it continues moving online. It's TripAdvisor's largest long-term growth opportunity outside of hotels," says Laurel Greatix, Director of Communications. Indeed, the report notes that the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for the company's hotel revenue from 2013 to 2016 was 10% but its non-hotel revenue grew 85% a year.

Key to tapping into the growth will be mastering technologies, principally mobile and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Tours and activities booking engine GetYourGuide has seen a phenomenal shift towards mobile bookings. "Only four years ago, less than 5% of our customers booked tours and activities via mobile devices. This year we expect more than 50% of bookings to be mobile driven," says Johannes Reck, the company's CEO. Smartphone access to tours and activities is critical, as around half of consumers continue to book during the vacation itself according to EyeforTravel research, and consumers are getting better and cheaper access to data as they travel.

APIs are the second main technology transforming the space as they allow a much wider variety of brands to access inventory and offer this to their customers. In the case of tours and activities these are typically, response-request systems that allow developers to access inventory and present it to end users through incorporating HTML code. The ease of integration means many more players across the industry can sell tours and activities direct to the consumer. There are now more than 50 APIs that can be used to access torus and activities inventory, including Viator, Expedia, Musement, Trip.com, Rezdy, BeMyGuest, mTrip, Trekksoft, G Adventures, GetYourGuide and TourCMS to name just a few.

This is creating an exciting mix of new and established companies rushing into the space and expanding consumer access to tours and activities, which will push the sector to become a major growth engine in travel and tourism.

This entirely free report from EyeforTravel can be downloaded by clicking here. The report investigates:

The current state of the tours and activities market.

The technical challenges of incorporating tours and activities into a digital travel product.

New start-ups and disruptors.

How OTAs, hotels, and airlines are including tours and activities.

Technology and how it is shaping the future of this market.

Also make sure to check out all of EyeforTravel's free reports and white papers by clicking here.

About Reuters Events

Reuters Events is a community where the worlds top online travel brands  from hotels to airlines, online travel agents, cruise, car hire firms and more  come to meet to drive forward growth and innovation in the industry.

We know that working in the turbulent online travel industry is as exciting as it is challenging. In this constantly evolving market place, we appreciate that keeping up with the pace of change can be tough, not to mention time consuming. You need the right information, contacts and strategic insight to succeed.

Established in 1997, by Tim Gunstone, we offer a diverse product portfolio including industry analysis, insights, research, webinars, reports and conferences to suit the needs of our clients.

Our clients read as a whos who of online travel. From major hotel brands to new startups, we help our 80,000 strong customer base make better decisions, build better brands, close the most lucrative deals and ultimately sell more of their product. After all, increasing travel brand profit margins in the cutthroat travel industry is the name of the game!

No other online travel intelligence provider has been charting the growth of online travel as long as we have. We were here at the inception of online travel and we know the industry inside out. Whats more, were a small, friendly team. Forget impersonal hierarchies, we like to get to know our customers and work towards their exact needs.

Meredith Pistulka

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What makes some hotels more successful than others? It is true that the selection of a site, market, brand, and management team are crucial to the success of a property. But after many years at HVS in the Consulting & Valuation division, and hundreds of consulting assignments later, I contemplated the question, "Aside from these things, what really makes some hotels work?" In this article, I share what I believe to be some of the most important factors that must be considered in the acquisition or development of a hotel, which ultimately lead to a property's financeability, profitability, and long-term success. I have focused on owners, developers, or hospitality teams that consistently outperform the market with their acquisition or development projects, and have set to distill their priorities into an easy-to-understand summary. While some of the points below may not be anything new to some, it is important to keep in mind that it is the fact that these are considered a priority , not an afterthought, that leads to the success of hospitality projects.

1. Proximity to Demand Generators

We have all heard the real estate adage "location, location, location." While this remains true for hotels, nothing is more important to a hotel than its proximity to demand generators, as well as understanding the depth of those demand generators. For example, let's take a major U.S. market like Manhattan, where a hotel's demand generators are likely to be in the same building, on the same block, or in the immediate area. Companies in Manhattan often establish negotiated rates with hotels that not only meet their needs, but that are also located near their offices. They will likely turn down the opportunity to send their clients to a better hotel if its farther away, as this will add extra traveling time, along with transportation and safety implications to their employees. Now, of course, this scenario changes in other cities that are less dense, but it still holds true; hotel development is frequently "clustered" near major demand generators in respective submarkets, such as a Central Business District, Uptown District, or suburban business park. Visitors to one submarket are unlikely to stay in a hotel in a different submarket. As developers look to acquire or build hotels, it is vital for them to understand not only the location of the demand generators, but the depth of that demand. Will the hotel be located proximate to the demand generators, and will that demand be sufficient to support the hotel and/or its competitive set?

2. Proximity to Retail & Pedestrian-friendly, Vibrant Neighborhood/District

It is important to note that proximity to retail and a pedestrian-friendly vibrant neighborhood or district alone will not guarantee the success of a hotel project (aside from one scenario, in my opinion, explained in more detail below); however, today's traveler, whether for business or leisure, is looking to experience more of the area that is being visited. This is where proximity to retail, restaurants, bars, or simply a vibrant pedestrian-friendly neighborhood adds value to a hotel. More and more, we are seeing hotels developed within mixed-use communities that include retail, office, and residential. Today's traveler is increasingly seeking to experience the surroundings and nearby amenities, which is the easiest way to add to the lodging experience. The inconvenience of either renting a car or using a driver service, such as a city taxi or Uber, simply to go to a restaurant will eliminate a hotel from being selected by such travelers. While the larger, dense urban cities have a built-in advantage in respect to a typical hotel's proximity to other venues and attractions, this becomes increasingly important in other less-dense urban areas where the car is still king.

There is one exception, from my experience, where a hotel's location close to retail and/or in a more desirable neighborhood of the city has guaranteed its success, and this occurs in developing markets. In such scenarios, while the hotels were not located near the area's demand generators, the neighborhood surrounding those demand generators were so undesirable that travelers opted to travel farther to stay in a more vibrant and/or desirable location. This is common in developing countries that are undergoing growth and redevelopment, or simply cities that have not experienced as much growth. The only caveat with developing such project away from the demand generators is that, over time, cities grow and the lodging market become more segmented (i.e., more and more hotel submarkets are created). Retail or other attractions are eventually built closer to the demand generators, decreasing the attractiveness of the hotels farther away. When this happens, the demand that was previously accommodated by the hotels farther away is siphoned to the newer, more proximate lodging facilities, thus affecting the future performance of the original properties.

3. The Perfect Business Mix

Following a hotel's proximity to demand generators and its location near amenities in a desirable neighborhood, is the perfect business mix. This "perfect" mix will be different and will vary by each market. Generally speaking, properties that are too dependent on one source of demand have a higher risk of being affected or completely collapsing if that source of demand disappears. Returning to the Manhattan hotel example, we can see how a property in Manhattan can receive a steady flow of both business and leisure travel throughout the year. This mix can be drastically different for a traditional business-focused hotel in a suburban business park. While it may do extremely well in capturing business demand Monday through Thursday, occupancy levels may decrease substantially on Friday through Sunday nights. I use this example for illustrative purposes. Ideally, the business-park hotel will seek to maximize group and leisure travel during slower periods in order maintain or improve its operational performance. However, what happens if there is no group business or leisure travel to be captured? What happens if the single corporation supporting all hotels in the business park decides to relocate? Ultimately, the hotel's performance will be negatively affected. There are other well-established markets where the one-industry rule is often ignored and hotel occupancies remain elevated year-round, such as Miami Beach, for example. Nevertheless, even those markets experience seasonality, and it is crucial for hotels in those markets to maximize their demand segmentation. For those hotels, even though they are mostly dependent on leisure business, the capture of group, FIT (free independent traveler), and wholesale demand needs to be maximized so that the property is not dependent on one source of leisure business and is better able to handle the market's seasonality. A healthy mix of business, group, and leisure, along with a well-balanced demand segmentation, adds to the long-term success of a property.

4. Well-controlled Costs

h3While there is no doubt that top-line revenue is important in the performance of the hotel, this become meaningless if expenses are so elevated that they erode the profitability of the hotel. Some owners and developers make the mistake of assuming "standard" expense factors when completing their initial analyses and pro formas, and while this may be helpful in quickly understanding an asset, the reality is that expenses can vary significantly by region, and a full understanding is a must. Some of the most common offenders are labor costs, utilities, and property taxes. Remote locations or unionized hotels often have to operate with elevated labor costs that are near to impossible to change. Utilities can vary drastically, as well, and can be extremely high in various parts of the country or the world. Property taxes can also vary by county or jurisdiction, and are best forecasted through an in-depth analysis of the tax burden for competitive properties, along with a full understanding of that jurisdiction tax rates and assessment standards (e.g., property taxes can easily be less than 1% in some parts of the world, but closer to 10% in other areas). Understanding and preparing for a property's respective costs from the onset is a key component in the success of a hotel.

5. Fully Understanding Supply Dynamics

While we all know that there are two sides to the supply/demand equation, supply changes are often overlooked in the acquisition or development process. Besides the possibility of a main demand generator leaving the market, nothing can affect the future performance of a hotel more than unexpected changes in the supply dynamics. Hotel markets are always changing, and this may include future hotels closing (unlikely), as well as future hotels opening (highly likely). If new supply is not on the horizon in the near future, it is almost guaranteed that, at some point in the asset's holding period, new supply will enter the market. The impact that this new supply will have on the subject asset will depend on its competitive weight and the size of the market. If we are discussing a 4,000-room hotel market with 200 rooms planned to open, the impact will be minimal. However, this scenario drastically changes if we are discussing a highway exit market with 400 rooms and 200 rooms planned to open. In the latter scenario, the increase in supply represents a 50% increase. Will demand suddenly increase in line with the increase in supply? If not, we can imagine the negative impact this increase in supply will have on the future performance of all hotels in this market.

6. A Unique Experience

More and more guests are craving a unique travel experience, and hotels that reflect the uniqueness of their surrounding are well positioned to capture this demand. It is not a coincidence that hotel designs are becoming less standardized and more reflective of the local area, even for national brands. Similarly, in recent years, new brands have been released that seek to appeal to either the uniqueness of the traveler or the neighborhoods in which the hotels are located. This desire to experience more of the local surroundings also explains the rise of Airbnb. Technology continues to change the way we travel. Websites such as TripAdvisor, Kayak, and Booking.com, as well as many others, are making it incredibly easy for travelers to see in detail what they are purchasing before arriving at a property. Written reviews, photos, and even videos that point out all the good or bad can provide assurance to travelers that they are making the right or wrong decision, regardless of a hotel's brand affiliation. As such, all quality aspects being equal, a traveler may choose to go for the hotel that provides a more unique experience. This factor is now important to understand and take into account in the hotel's design, facilities, and amenities offering. How can the hotel be innovative and in line with the latest standards and expectations in order to add to the guest experience?

The acquisition or development of a hotel property can often be complex, forcing one to review and consider many factors. Often, the performance of the property or market, along with branding, management, and/or transaction considerations, can cloud other key aspects. There are owners or developers that consistently acquire or develop well-performing assets. It was my goal to set out to distill those priorities or nuggets of wisdom in this short article. By having a full understanding of these factors, owners and developers can incorporate them as priorities, allowing them to make informed and educated decisions that lead to the hotel's long-term success.

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Rap fans are spoiled. Our expectations are absurdly high and when theyre not met we react poorly. Lil Uzi Vert had to have known the lofty standards he was setting up for himself hen he first announced Luv is Rage 2 back in December. Luv is Rage is atop the shortlist of essential Soundcloud mixtapes, and Luv Is Rage 2 not only put the pressure akin to a debut studio release on Uzi, but fans also expected him to surpass the predecessor, Luv is Rage. Immediately, a change is noticeable on Luv is Rage 2. At the time of Luv is Rage, Uzi was a 21-year old kid that was deeply in love, and blinded by the glitz and glamor of stardom being within arms reach. On Luv Is Rage 2, Uzis position has obviously changed  he is haunted by heartbreak, and fully engulfed in the ritzy culture he dreamed of, like a post-makeover Brittany Murphy in Clueless.

Heartbreak albums can sometimes be blatantly inauthentic concepts, where the artist forces in a couple of lyrics about a relationship gone wrong, but really it is no different from anything else they have released (not that we havent actually seen true heartbreak manifest into masterpiece, Kanye Wests 808s & Heartbreak). Regardless, the essential of the genre that well focus on for the sake of this review is New Editions crying-in-the-club, meme-worthy album Heart Break, filled to the brim with broken-hearted club anthems. The New Edition checklist on how to have a successful heartbreak album is: 1) Is it quotable enough for Instagram captions? 2) Can we still dance to it? 808s & Heartbreak does fall in line with our checklist, and Lil Uzi Vert more than meets the New Edition criteria, adding elements that intensify your emotional connection to the album.

Uzis lyrics can be disheartening and even sad (I told myself that I wasnt gonna pop no pills no more, No, I cant feel no more he raps on Feelings Mutual), but even if the lyrics are wayward, Uzis animated delivery makes you want to perform karaoke instead of sulk. His delivery was one of the main contributors to XO Tour Lif3 becoming one of 2017s massive hits, he had everyone singing all my friends are dead with glee. (Conspiracy fodder for the forums: what if Uzi was created in a DJ Drama & Don Cannon-funded lab where a scientist meshed Brendon Urie of Panic At the Disco! and Chief Keef into a pint sized body?) Uzis lyrics are incredibly quotable, even when the line is nothing more than a throwaway. The Philadelphia native can hold a note, or slightly change his tone, to bring even more power to a record. On the Wondagurl-produced How to Talk Uzi says, Heard she talk to a ball player (what) its cool, and where most rappers would utter this line the same as any other, Uzi sighs through it and you start to feel as though youre just as broken as he is.

Uzi is fueled with teenage angst throughout Luv Is Rage 2. The project is reminiscent of a tragic teen film, as if, after Uzis break up, he locked himself in a studio with a pad, a pen and DVDs of 90s teenage cult classics like Heathers and Cruel Intentions. In these types of teen films, there is often a character who falls in love, and when that love is rejected, the character becomes instantly spiteful and vengeful to a point. Although Uzi seems to care less about actualizing any exact revenge, since fame itself suffices more often than not (Early 20 Rager: Nowadays I get like 80k a show Fuck your bitch, made her play double-dutch; Pretty Mami: I get money, fuck your bitch, stay real, ooh, thats three facts, but still, the cracks show at times: The Way Life Goes: But I like that girl too much, I wish I never met her; I had to get a me a new bitch to hold the pain; Feelings Mutual: Back then I saw no one but you / Gave you my racks and I splurged too)

On the Pierre Bourne and Metro Boomin-produced X, Uzi is, similarly, too prideful to fight for his relationship and instead brags and attempts to stimulate her jealousy, If you got options I got options baby who you?..So basically what Im saying, Im not scared to lose you. Uzis hubris continues to drag him down, because much ike our teen-film characters, Uzi wants to be seen as a full grown adult. His justification for it is his bank account and the number of times his flow has been stolen, but his overwhelming pridefulness prevents him from reaching out to guardian figures when he needs it most, You got the best advice but I wont call/I know Im grown so I do not need yall.

On Luv Is Rage Uzi was able to brush off the problems that he saw as inconsequnetial in the greater scheme of things, on Luv is Rage 2 Uzi is moody and allows his issues to linger. This is supposed to be his moment and all of his life has been building to this apex.

Wondagurls production on one of the strongest Uzi tracks to date, Feelings Mutual sounds like a prom gone wrong. Its harrowing Wondagurl guitar combined with Uzis borderline whine saying I cant feel no more nooo/I cant feel no more, sounds like Uzis world is internally ending. Uzi continues to play up the fact that he is a heartbroken rockstar, channeling the spirits of every 2000s emo-pop-punk band another theme within Luv is Rage 2 that speaks to Uzis youthfulness and era. He belts out cheerless lyrics Im so numb and Living life just with a curse/Before I go in the hearse. Uzi couldve easily written for Brand New as on Degausser Jesse Lacey says, Take me, take me back to your bed/I love you so much that it hurts my head in a shattering state similar to Uzis.

Pharrell appears on the opulent album standout Neon Guts, which is also the albums centerpiece. Richly-layered with vibraphone chimes, I started to picture Uzi joining one of Pharrells shady societies exclusively for absurdly rich people (this isnt true, but it sounds plausible). Uzi and Pharrell bounce off of each other jubilantly with Pharrell rapping the best he has in a decade, you can even picture Uzi bobbing his head in sync with every line and drum kick. Uzi is in the flex stage of the sadness, I got some lights on my chest/Dont confuse it with a heart calling the listener a Broke Boi while longing for compassion. You understand why his heart is gone on The Way Life Goes where he is learning, That just goes to show money dont attract a thing. All of these feelings are startling to Uzi who thought once you made it, it was supposed to be a fairytale from that point on. The Ike Beatz and Don Cannon beat fits Uzi perfectly as he says get over it, in his most serious of voices, over the gloomy keys.

Despite all these gut-wrenching tracks, Uzi doesnt lose his high energy he emulates the formula which is damn near-perfect on the single XO Tour Lif3 on Luv is Rage 2, exploring various avenues veering off from that singles content and sound. Funnily enough, that particular record becomes less memorable in the grand scheme of Luv is Rage 2, although it still bangs, as the album closer its almost forgotten about it (and perhaps its there to simply boost streaming numbers). Wondagurl, Don Cannon and Maaly Raw who handle most of the production layer the beats with drum patterns over the more somber parts of the instrumental, guaranteeing they all are club-ready. Unfazed featuring The Weeknd is missing the bounce that lets Uzi explore his eccentricities and, instead, is an unusual moment where it is no longer Uzis story its Abels. As an out-of-place song in the tracklisting, this addition too might be a ploy for streaming numbers.

Uzi is changed a person now, more weary of the world, less naively cheerful, and this is reflected on Luv is Rage 2. If he does have a heart, it may soon be blackened. Uzi is feeling vindictive, rather than just being happy to be here (as he was on Luv is Rage), hes looking, now, for admiration and acknowledgement thats deserved of him. Yes Im the one that really started all this/And you know I changed a lot of you niggas/In a matter of months I raised a lot of you niggas. Over the last five to six years, as talents such as Chief Keef and Young Thug led the way to popularize a more melodic approach to rap, the question became how far would the boundaries be pushed? Luv Is Rage 2 continues the push, although there is still appears to be space left to push further (enter artists like XXXTENTACION). All Lil Uzi Vert wanted was to get over his ex-girlfriend, and along the way he made a definitive piece for his fellow generation to relate to.
Mick Jenkins first hit my radar with the release of his phenomenal mixtape The Waters, which showcased a brilliant young lyricist capable of being both socially astute and undeniably clever. As his discography grew, Mick quietly developed into one of Chicagos most profound rappers, despite never quite reaching the commercial success of some of his peers. Despite that, you can always count on Mick Jenkins to deliver quality material, and his latest track A Layover is no exception.

Its been a minute since Mick delivered a new project, though he did come through with a few loosies in the interim  Margarine with Ottawas Training Season and the Multatto Beats produced Guilty Automatic were his most recent drops. On A Layover, Mick continues where both tracks left off, going in over some dark, hazy production courtesy of THEMPeople; RZAs aesthetic with Dillas bounce. While Mick has dabbled in a more soulful sound in the past, there is something about his baritone voice and imposing presence that acquaints itself well over a more ominous sound. I hope his recent sonic choices continue when it comes time to hop in the booth for his upcoming album.

A Layover showcases some of Mick Jenkins greatest strength as a writer. Over the course of the two-minute joint, the young rapper weaves an entertaining and tense narrative about trying to cross the border, loaded with themes of class disparity, racial prejudice, and the peaks and plights of being young, successful, and black. Jenkins delivers the narrative with a poets charisma, with lines like the driver hit me with an enchante. Fans know that Micks consistently finding inventive ways to deliver his thoughts, and it seems as if hes still coming into his own as a writer. And when he peaks, the industry might not be able to contain him.

Quotable Lyrics

First class got em lookin like who this motherfucka?

I likely drummer before rapper, I like to say writer before both

They wont give me my respect, its more smoke they request
Its safe to say PartyNextDoor has been keeping his fans plenty happy this Summer 17. Back in June, the Mississauga crooner kicked things off by surprising fans with his Colours 2 EP, before teaming up with fellow OVO duo Majid Jordan for the single One I Want. Then, Party contributed to DJ Stevie Js Appreciation 9 tape with the song Trouble and later lent out a couple features to Calvin Harris (Cash Out) & PeeWee Longway with His Name Is Casius, but yet thats still not all of it.

Just this past week alone, Party has released FOUR, yes 4, new songs on his soundcloud page, including Break Me Down, Damn, Naked, & most recently Put It On Silent. But it turns out the latter of the four, Put It On Silent, also features a rendition with Ty Dolla Sign on it, which Party hinted to us over the weekend, and alas here it is.

Leaving Partys verse & hook intact, Ty Dolla adds his Cali vibes & effortlessly croons about shooting his shot at a woman & being the only one his girl wants to be with. Its unclear at the moment if this collab will see life on Partys upcoming Club Atlantis project or Tys Beach House 3 project, but either way were all for it.

Take a listen & let us know what you think. You feelin Partys OG version or this new Ty Dolla upgrade?

Quotable Lyrics:

Niggas say shit ya I know ya I Know

She fuck me too think she tryne get on

Get it how you live I aint hatin

Had to put it back in rotation

Shoot my shot, Ima shoot my shot

How you gets so fly dollar bitch Im so tough

Why you always high why you always this

Why you always that when we gettin you and Party on a track

 Ty Dolla
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
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The state-run Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) has had to warn religious observers ahead of the Eid-al-Adha festival not to improvise the killing of sacrificial goats and sheep using their electricity pylons, power lines and other equipment.

Eid al-Adha, or the feast of the sacrifice, begins on Friday.

It honours Ibrahims commitment to God when ordered to offer up his only son - not named in the Quran as Ismail but widely accepted in Islamic literature as so - as a sacrifice.

Hajj 2017 Show all 16 1 /16 Hajj 2017 Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim partakes in the symbolic stoning of the devil at the Jamarat Bridge in Mina, near Mecca, which marks the final major rite of the hajj Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims take part in the symbolic stoning of the devil at the Jamarat Bridge in Mina, near Mecca, which marks the final major rite of the hajj Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim partakes in the symbolic stoning of the devil at the Jamarat Bridge in Mina Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim has his head shaven after throwing pebbles at pillars during the symbolic stoning of the devil Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim's head is shaved, after throwing pebbles at pillars during the symbolic stoning of the devil Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Saudi policeman spays Muslim pilgrims with water to cool them off near the Grand Mosque Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat, southeast of the Saudi holy city of Mecca Bandar Aldandani/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims at the Grand Mosque Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Iranian Muslim pilgrims wait at Jeddah airport in Saudi Arabia prior to the start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers perform prayers around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 An Iranian Muslim pilgrim reads the Koran as she waits at Jeddah airport in Saudi Arabia, prior to the start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Saudi Red Crescent paramedics show the press their emergency equipment Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers perform prayers around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers perform prayers around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers walk around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims sit around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP

In remembrance of the Ibrahim story, a goat or sheep is often slaughtered for feasts. One third of the meat is consumed by the family, another given to friends and relatives and the last part is donated to those in need.

It appears that rather than slashing the animals throat, as is usual in Muslim halal practices, there is a bizarre trend in the country in which people electrocute their Eid sacrifices instead.

 Eid celebrated in Trafalgar Square

The SEC said in a statement that field teams would be assembled to stop people trespassing on its property, endangering themselves and causing power cuts. Legal action would be taken against those found breaking the law, it added.

Eid al-Adha is one of the holiest celebrations in Islam and marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia which must be undertaken once in a lifetime all physically and financially capable Muslims.

It will be marked by a four or five day public holiday in most Muslim countries - although in Saudi Arabia, celebrations last a whole fortnight.

Earlier this month, the mostly state-controlled SEC announced it had signed loan deals with international banks to the tune of 1.35m in order to finance some of the companys capital expenditure projects.
Mumbai, Aug 29 (IBNS): Normal life in Mumbai was disrupted badly as continuous downpour for the past three days hit the city and left several low-lying areas inundated.

Watch CM @Dev_Fadnavis appealing the citizens to be safe and to take precautionary measures from Mumbai Police Main Control Room. pic.twitter.com/kJARdkY7wP  CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) August 29, 2017

Railway and traffic movement in the city has been badly hit due to incessant rain.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has urged people to stay indoors, avoid travel unless urgent and keep watch on Police and BMC advisories.

The Chief Minister visited State Disaster Management Control room to oversee the present scenario.

The Mumbai Police advised people to leave their cars if the water reached the level of the tyres, media reported.

"If D water on D roads is heading up to the level of your tyres, please abandon the car. Being on your 2 feet may be uncomfortable but safer," the police tweeted.

If D water on D roads is heading up to the level of your tyres, please abandon the car. Being on your 2 feet may be uncomfortable but safer  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017 Traffic closed on Bandra Worli sea link due to water logging at Worli end.  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

The high-tide around 4.50pm has worsened the situation and people have been advised by the MDMA to seek higher areas if necessary, media reports said

"#MumbaiRains Stay at safer - higher place. Expect high tide at 4:50 PM. Do not take risk by driving through water," NDMA India tweeted.

Met Office has predicted heavy rainfall: "Heavy rainfall spell over Gujarat, Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, southwest Madhya Pradesh and southeast Rajasthan during next 3 days."

With what is being described as a "typhoon like situation," the met office has predicted that the situation will remain grim at least for the next 48 years with a high tide likely to hit by the evening.

According to reports, the rainfall recorded by the automatic weather stations between August 27 at 8 am and August 28 at 8 am was 102 mm.

Rain in Worli was 63.75 mm, Byculla 78.21 mm, Bhandup, 90.63 mm and Vikhroli, 111.96 mm.

Between 8.30 am to 2.30 pm Monday, the regional Meteorological Centre, Colaba recorded 35.8 mm and the one at Santacruz recorded 28.6 mm of rain.

The reports said the rains have affected the movement of local trains, the lifeline of the city and its suburbs.

The Central Railway mainline services are operating with a delay of 30 minutes and the Harbour line services with a delay of 15 minutes.

The local train services on the Western Railway are also operating with a delay of 10 minutes due to heavy rainfall.

Road traffic has either been disrupted or diverted in several areas as a result of the downpour, causing owes to the commuters.

Several trains have also been cancelled while multiple flights are being delayed.

Predicting that the next 48 hours of the rains would continue to spell a bad period, the met office has advised people not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary.

The continuous showers caused waterlogging in Sion, Dadar, Mumbai Central, Kurla, Andheri, Sakinaka areas.

Mumbai had witnessed unprecedented rainfall on July 26, 2005. The city was paralysed due to floods and normal life disrupted.

Image: CMO Maharashtra Twitter page
Washington, Aug 29 (IBNS): Pancreatic cancer has one of the worst prognoses a with a five-year survival rate of 9 percent a in part because there are no telltale symptoms or non-invasive screening tools to catch a tumor before it spreads.

Now, University of Washington researchers are developing an app that could allow people to easily screen for pancreatic cancer and other diseases  by snapping a smartphone selfie.

BiliScreen uses a smartphone camera, computer vision algorithms and machine learning tools to detect increased bilirubin levels in a persons sclera, or the white part of the eye. The app is described in a paper to be presented Sept. 13 at Ubicomp 2017, the Association for Computing Machinerys International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing.

One of the earliest symptoms of pancreatic cancer, as well as other diseases, is jaundice, a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes caused by a buildup of bilirubin in the blood. The ability to detect signs of jaundice when bilirubin levels are minimally elevated  but before theyre visible to the naked eye  could enable an entirely new screening program for at-risk individuals.

In an initial clinical study of 70 people, the BiliScreen app  used in conjunction with a 3-D printed box that controls the eyes exposure to light  correctly identified cases of concern 89.7 percent of the time, compared to the blood test currently used.

The problem with pancreatic cancer is that by the time youre symptomatic, its frequently too late, said lead author Alex Mariakakis, a doctoral student at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. The hope is that if people can do this simple test once a month  in the privacy of their own homes  some might catch the disease early enough to undergo treatment that could save their lives.

BiliScreen builds on earlier work from the UWs Ubiquitous Computing Lab, which previously developed BiliCam, a smartphone app that screens for newborn jaundice by taking a picture of a babys skin. A recent study in the journal Pediatrics showed BiliCam provided accurate estimates of bilirubin levels in 530 infants.

In collaboration with UW Medicine doctors, the UbiComp lab specializes in using cameras, microphones and other components of common consumer devices  such as smartphones and tablets  to screen for disease.

In adults, the whites of the eyes are more sensitive than skin to changes in bilirubin levels, which can be an early warning sign for pancreatic cancer, hepatitis or the generally harmless Gilberts syndrome. Unlike skin color, changes in the sclera are more consistent across all races and ethnicities.The blood test that doctors currently use to measure bilirubin levels  which is typically not administered to adults unless there is reason for concern  requires access to a health care professional and is inconvenient for frequent screening. BiliScreen is designed to be an easy-to-use, non-invasive tool that could help determine whether someone ought to consult a doctor for further testing. Beyond diagnosis, BiliScreen could also potentially ease the burden on patients with pancreatic cancer who require frequent bilirubin monitoring.

Yet by the time people notice the yellowish discoloration in the sclera, bilirubin levels are already well past cause for concern. The UW team wondered if computer vision and machine learning tools could detect those color changes in the eye before humans can see them.

The eyes are a really interesting gateway into the body  tears can tell you how much glucose you have, sclera can tell you how much bilirubin is in your blood, said senior author Shwetak Patel, the Washington Research Foundation Entrepreneurship Endowed Professor in Computer Science & Engineering and Electrical Engineering. Our question was: Could we capture some of these changes that might lead to earlier detection with a selfie?

BiliScreen uses a smartphones built-in camera and flash to collect pictures of a persons eye as they snap a selfie. The team developed a computer vision system to automatically and effectively isolate the white parts of the eye, which is a valuable tool for medical diagnostics. The app then calculates the color information from the sclera  based on the wavelengths of light that are being reflected and absorbed  and correlates it with bilirubin levels using machine learning algorithms.



Next steps for the research team include testing the app on a wider range of people at risk for jaundice and underlying conditions, as well as continuing to make usability improvements  including removing the need for accessories like the box and glasses.To account for different lighting conditions, the team tested BiliScreen with two different accessories: paper glasses printed with colored squares to help calibrate color and a 3-D printed box that blocks out ambient lighting. Using the app with the box accessory  reminiscent of a Google Cardboard headset  led to slightly better results.

This relatively small initial study shows the technology has promise, said co-author Dr. Jim Taylor, a professor in the UW Medicine Department of Pediatrics whose father died of pancreatic cancer at age 70.

Pancreatic cancer is a terrible disease with no effective screening right now, Taylor said. Our goal is to have more people who are unfortunate enough to get pancreatic cancer to be fortunate enough to catch it in time to have surgery that gives them a better chance of survival.

Co-authors include Allen School undergraduate student Megan A. Banks, research study coordinator Lauren Phillipi and assistant professor of medicine Lei Yu.

The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Coulter Foundation and endowment funds from the Washington Research Foundation.
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 29 (IBNS): The Kerala High Court has once again rejected the bail plea of Malayalam actor Dileep who was arrested over alleged abduction and molestation of an actress, media reports said.

The actor, who was arrested in July, was also denied a bail on 24th of the last month.

Dileep was arrested over the alleged abduction and molestation of a popular Malayalam actress.

The Malayalam actor has been booked under 10 sections including conspiracy, gangrape and destruction of evidence.

The actress, who shared screen with Dileep in several films, stated in her complaint that she was abducted on the night of Feb 19 this year while she was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi.

She alleged that she was molested and her pictures taken by the abductors who later dropped her by the roadside near the house of a film producer, according to media reports.

The actress also named Sunil Kumar or Pulsar Suni as the leader of the gang who abducted her, in her police complaint, reports suggested.

Suni was later arrested by the police.
Mumbai, Aug 29 (IBNS) : Continuous downpour for the past three days threw life in Mumbai out of gear, inundating low-lying areas, overtopping railway tracks and causing traffic snarls on roads on Tuesday, reports said.

With what is being described as a "typhoon like situation," the meteorological office has predicted that the situation will remain grim at least for the next 48 years with a high tide likely to hit by the evening.

According to reports, the rainfall recorded by the automatic weather stations between August 27 at 8 am and August 28 at 8 am was 102 mm.

Rain in Worli was 63.75 mm, Byculla 78.21 mm, Bhandup, 90.63 mm and Vikhroli, 111.96 mm.

Between 8.30 am to 2.30 pm Monday, the regional Meteorological Centre, Colaba recorded 35.8 mm and the one at Santacruz recorded 28.6 mm of rain.

The reports said the rains have affected the movement of local trains, the lifeline of the city and its suburbs.

The the Central Railway mainline services are operating with a delay of 30 minutes and the Harbour line services with a delay of 15 minutes.

The local train services on the Western Railway are also operating with a delay of 10 minutes due to heavy rainfall.

Road traffic has either been disrupted or diverted in several areas as a result of the downpour, causing owes to the commuters.

Several trains have also been cancelled while multiple flights are being delayed.

Predicting that the next 48 hours of the rains would continue to spell a bad period, the met office has advised people not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary.

The continuous showers caused waterlogging in Sion, Dadar, Mumbai Central, Kurla, Andheri, Sakinaka areas.
New Delhi, Aug 29 (IBNS) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in China next month for a summit of BRICS, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said.

The summit of BRICS- a grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - will be held at the coastal city from September 3 to 5.

"At the invitation of the President of Peoples Republic of China, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in Chinas Fujian province during September 3-5, 2017 to attend the 9th BRICS Summit," MEA said in a statement.

The announcement comes a day after China and India started pulling out soldiers from the Doklam plateu, ending nearly 70-day stand-off at the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction.

According to a statement released on Monday by the MEA, both sides have agreed to expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site.

After attending the BRICS summit, the PM will visit Myanmar from September five to seen at the invitation of Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw, the MEA statement said.

This will be Prime Minister Modis first bilateral State visit to Myanmar.

During the visit, Prime Minister will hold discussions with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President U Htin Kyaw. Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, he will visit Yangon and Bagan.
Kolkata, Aug 29 (IBNS): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday summoned Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MP Sougata Roy and Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee in connection with its ongoing probe into Narada sting, official said.

According to sources, the Central investigation agency served notices to Sovan Chatterjee and Sougata Roy, asking them to appear at CBI's office at Nizam Palace in south Kolkata on Wednesday (Aug 30) and Thursday (Aug 31) respectively for interrogation.

However, no reaction has been received from these two senior TMC leaders so far.

Earlier on Monday, CBI grilled West Bengal Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee for nearly 8 hours in connection with the same case.

Since Mar 14 last year, news portal- Narada News- released several sting operation footage, where TMC's leaders, ministers, MPs and MLAs were allegedly seen accepting bribes.

From the beginning, TMC leadership had claimed that the sting footage was doctored and a conspiracy of the opposition parties.

After getting direction from the Calcutta High Court and Supreme Court, the CBI has started a probe into the case.

On April 17, the investigation agency registered an FIR in connection with the case under several non-bailable sections against 12 influential leaders, cabinet ministers, MLAs and MPs of TMC and one senior IPS officer, who were seen allegedly taking bribes in the sting footage, reports said.

Besides CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has registered a money laundering case in the Narada sting and currently investigating the case.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)
Chandigarh, Aug 29 (IBNS): Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief's son Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar, who were arrested for allegedly stalking a senior IAS officeras daughter Varnika Kundu earlier in August, were denied bail on Tuesday, media reports said.

Police arrested Vikas Barala (23) and Ashish Kumar (27) for stalking Varnika Kundu from the Housing Board light point on the same night of the incident.

However, both were later released on bail. Charges against them were also dropped leading to a controversy.

Later, Vikas was summoned and arrested on Aug 9.

The victim Varnika Kundu, who is a video jockey, alleged that her car was followed by a Tata Safari Storm (HR-23G-1008).

According to her, the men driving the SUV were drunk and pulled up close to her car several times.

She alleged that they even tried to block her way to force her to other routes.

She claimed that at one point, the SUV blocked her way and the person in the co-drivers seat got down and started walking towards her vehicle.

She then reversed the vehicle and started moving. However, the men continued to follow her.

The girl then called up the 100 helpline and gave the number details of the SUV and her location.
New Delhi, Aug 29 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people of Mumbai and its surrounding areas to stay safe as heavy rains dislodged and disrupted normal lives in the financial capital of India on Tuesday.

PM Modi took to Twitter to say: "Urge the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe & take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain."

Urge the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe & take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

In an early tweet, Modi said that he spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the present situation in Mumbai. "Spoke to Maharashtra CM @Dev_Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain in Mumbai & surrounding areas. @CMOMaharashtra."

Spoke to Maharashtra CM @Dev_Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain in Mumbai & surrounding areas. @CMOMaharashtra  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

Railway and traffic movement in the city has been badly hit due to incessant rain.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has urged people to stay indoors, avoid travel unless urgent and keep watch on Police and BMC advisories.

The Chief Minister visited State Disaster Management Control room to oversee the present scenario.

The Prime Minister even assured to provide all kinds of support to the Maharashtra government. "Centre assures all possible support to the Government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state."

Centre assures all possible support to the Government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

The Mumbai Police advised people to leave their cars if the water reached the level of the tyres, media reported.

"If D water on D roads is heading up to the level of your tyres, please abandon the car. Being on your 2 feet may be uncomfortable but safer," the police tweeted.

The high-tide around 4.50pm has worsened the situation and people have been advised by the MDMA to seek higher areas if necessary, media reports said

"#MumbaiRains Stay at safer - higher place. Expect high tide at 4:50 PM. Do not take risk by driving through water," NDMA India tweeted.

Met Office has predicted heavy rainfall: "Heavy rainfall spell over Gujarat, Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, southwest Madhya Pradesh and southeast Rajasthan during next 3 days."

With what is being described as a "typhoon like situation," the met office has predicted that the situation will remain grim at least for the next 48 years with a high tide likely to hit by the evening.

According to reports, the rainfall recorded by the automatic weather stations between August 27 at 8 am and August 28 at 8 am was 102 mm.

Rain in Worli was 63.75 mm, Byculla 78.21 mm, Bhandup, 90.63 mm and Vikhroli, 111.96 mm.

Between 8.30 am to 2.30 pm Monday, the regional Meteorological Centre, Colaba recorded 35.8 mm and the one at Santacruz recorded 28.6 mm of rain.

The reports said the rains have affected the movement of local trains, the lifeline of the city and its suburbs.

The Central Railway mainline services are operating with a delay of 30 minutes and the Harbour line services with a delay of 15 minutes.

The local train services on the Western Railway are also operating with a delay of 10 minutes due to heavy rainfall.

Road traffic has either been disrupted or diverted in several areas as a result of the downpour, causing owes to the commuters.

Several trains have also been cancelled while multiple flights are being delayed.

Predicting that the next 48 hours of the rains would continue to spell a bad period, the met office has advised people not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary.

The continuous showers caused waterlogging in Sion, Dadar, Mumbai Central, Kurla, Andheri, Sakinaka areas.

Mumbai had witnessed unprecedented rainfall on July 26, 2005. The city was paralysed due to floods and normal life disrupted.

President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, also tweeted to express his concern over the situation in Mumbai."Thoughts with families, especially children, in Mumbai & western parts of the country hit by heavy downpour."

Thoughts with families, especially children, in Mumbai & western parts of the country hit by heavy downpour 1/2 #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 29, 2017

"Govt & public agencies taking all steps amid heavy rains. Glad to note voluntary groups & citizens too coming together" the President added.
Kolkata, Aug 29 (IBNS): A twelfth-standard student of Kolkata's South Point School was found dead at his house at Kalighat area in south part of the city on Monday night, reports said on Tuesday.

According to reports, family members of the 18-year-old student, Srijan Chaudhary, found his body hanging from ceiling fan inside his bedroom.

Mother of the student claimed that her son had committed suicide after watching a horror film.

"Days ago my son, a bright student of South Point School, bunked his class and went to watch a horror movie with his friend and tried to hide the incident from me," Srijan Chaudhary's mother said.

"Later, my son told me that those who had watched the film, committee suicide," she added.

The middle-aged lady also said that Srijan was busy with his mobile phone for last few days and did not let anyone know what he was doing with it whole day.

"He kept himself busy with his cell phone and had been speaking minimum words with me and other family members after watching the movie," his mother said.

Describing the incident that took place on Monday night, a family member of the student said, "On Monday late evening he told me that he was going to study chemistry at his room and instructed us not to disturb him in next 1 hour."

"Few hours later when we did not get any response from him, we broke the door's lock of his room and found Srijan hanging inside," the woman added.

However, police have started probe into the matter and seized the student's mobile phone.

"We are examining the cell phone of the student to find a clue," an official of local Kalighat Police Station told IBNS.

"We are also trying to know which movie he did watch before his death," the official added.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha,Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Guwahati, Aug 29 (IBNS): Assam Public Works, a non-government organisation, on Tuesday alleged that a multi crore rupees anomaly was held in the ongoing upgradation process of the National Register of Citizenship (NRC) in Assam and demanded a high level probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged scam.

Following the allegations, the upgradation process of NRC is likely to derail while the Supreme Court ordered the authority to publish the draft NRC by December 31 next.

Assam Public Works president Abhijit Sarma said that, the man behind the entire anomaly is State coordinator of NRC Prateek Hajela.

According to Assam Public Works, the organisation had filed a writ petition (274/2009) before the Supreme court on July 20, 2009.

"Our allegations that 41 lakhs Bangladeshi voters in 2006 Assam voters list. As a result of the same, court's order on updating NRC been implemented in Assam under supervision of the Supreme Court. Where in the Union government allocated a sum of Rs 900 crores for the project. The work of updating NRC in Assam had started which is still active and ongoing till date. The NRC authority in Assam, headed by Prateek Hajela, IAS, issued work order on the basis of a single tender to 'WIPRO' for supplying IT manpower for the post of Data Entry Executive. Till date around 9000 persons have been engaged in work as Data Entry Executive in the entire state who is being paid only Rs 5000 per month," the organisation said.

"NRC authority had fixed an amount of Rs 14,500 against each Data Entry Executive per month, which is being drawn by WIPRO. However WIPRO had out-sourced the work of supply of IT man power to a third party namely ISS (Integrated Systems and Service) @ Rs 8000 against each Data Entry Executive per month and finally the employees are paid only a total of Rs 5000 per month. Keeping a share @ Rs 6,500 against each Data Entry Executive per month by WIPRO and keeping a share @ Rs 3,000 against each Data Entry Executive per month by 'Integrated Systems and Service' is totally illegal as the actual employees are getting only Rs 5,000 per month which is far below the amount fixed as per Minimum Wages Act presently in force for skilled labours," APW said.

Meanwhile, the organisation filed an FIR before the CBI at Guwahati office on August 25 last and demanded a probe into the scam.

The organisation demanded an investigation be carried out regarding the aforesaid aspects starting from tender, work order etc. up to disbursement of the fund as well as payment for bringing out the truth and doing the needful as per law.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Mumbai, Aug 29 (IBNS): Bollywood actors urged people of Mumbai to be safe as heavy rains completely dislodged and disrupted the lives in the financial capital of India on Tuesday.

Railway and traffic movement in the city have been badly hit due to incessant rain.

Actress Deepika Padukone was interacting with her followers on Twitter in the afternoon only when she stopped in the middle to urge people of Mumbai to be safe as the situation of the rain-hit city is getting worse with every hour.

She tweeted to say: "While I do this,alerts showing up on my phone about the rains in Mumbai.Please stay safe and take care everyone."

While I do this,alerts showing up on my phone about the rains in Mumbai.Please stay safe and take care everyone.  Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) August 29, 2017

Another Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra tweeted to say:" Stay safe mumbai....."

Stay safe mumbai.....  PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) August 29, 2017

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt shared his experience of how he was rescued by some strangers when he was trapped in the dreadful situation of Mumbai.

He said: "We were pulled out of our car just in time by generous strangers. ( Khar West , Mumbai. 4:30 pm )."

"We were pulled out of our car just in time by generous strangers." ( Khar West , Mumbai. 4:30 pm ) pic.twitter.com/XfxOiE4uXn  Mahesh Bhatt (@MaheshNBhatt) August 29, 2017

Bhatt's daughter and one of the leading Indian actors of the present time, Alia Bhatt, not only expressed her concern for the city people but also animals.

She tweeted: "Heard about the heavy rains in Mumbai!!! Please be safe.. And PLEASE make some room for stray dogs and cats in your buildings & compounds!"

Heard about the heavy rains in Mumbai!!! Please be safe.. And PLEASE make some room for stray dogs and cats in your buildings & compounds!  Alia Bhatt (@aliaa08) August 29, 2017

Like Alia, actress Shraddha Kapoor too cared for the animals as she tweeted:"Everyone please stay safe and indoors. Feel terrible about people and animals with no proper shelter or no shelter at all. #MumbaiRains."

Everyone please stay safe and indoors. Feel terrible about people and animals with no proper shelter or no shelter at all. #MumbaiRains  Shraddha (@ShraddhaKapoor) August 29, 2017

Actor Abhishek Bachchan also prayed for the people of Mumbai's safety.

Stay safe Mumbai.  Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) August 29, 2017

The Mumbai Police advised people to leave their cars if the water reached the level of the tyres, media reported.

"If D water on D roads is heading up to the level of your tyres, please abandon the car. Being on your 2 feet may be uncomfortable but safer," the police tweeted.

The high-tide around 4.50pm has worsened the situation and people have been advised by the MDMA to seek higher areas if necessary, media reports said

"#MumbaiRains Stay at safer - higher place. Expect high tide at 4:50 PM. Do not take risk by driving through water," NDMA India tweeted.

Met Office has predicted heavy rainfall: "Heavy rainfall spell over Gujarat, Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, southwest Madhya Pradesh and southeast Rajasthan during next 3 days."

With what is being described as a "typhoon like situation," the met office has predicted that the situation will remain grim at least for the next 48 years with a high tide likely to hit by the evening.

According to reports, the rainfall recorded by the automatic weather stations between August 27 at 8 am and August 28 at 8 am was 102 mm.

Rain in Worli was 63.75 mm, Byculla 78.21 mm, Bhandup, 90.63 mm and Vikhroli, 111.96 mm.

Between 8.30 am to 2.30 pm Monday, the regional Meteorological Centre, Colaba recorded 35.8 mm and the one at Santacruz recorded 28.6 mm of rain.

The reports said the rains have affected the movement of local trains, the lifeline of the city and its suburbs.

The Central Railway mainline services are operating with a delay of 30 minutes and the Harbour line services with a delay of 15 minutes.

The local train services on the Western Railway are also operating with a delay of 10 minutes due to heavy rainfall.

Road traffic has either been disrupted or diverted in several areas as a result of the downpour, causing owes to the commuters.

Several trains have also been cancelled while multiple flights are being delayed.

Predicting that the next 48 hours of the rains would continue to spell a bad period, the met office has advised people not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary.

The continuous showers caused waterlogging in Sion, Dadar, Mumbai Central, Kurla, Andheri, Sakinaka areas.

Mumbai had witnessed unprecedented rainfall on July 26, 2005. The city was paralysed due to floods and normal life disrupted .
New York, Aug 29(Just Earth News): Libya's future prosperity and stability depends on the international community further strengthening and unifying its efforts on behalf of the whole country, as well as Libyans themselves aseizing the window of opportunitya that is before them to ensure peace, the head of the United Nations mission there said on Monday.

We need to act; we need to act together and we need to act now, Ghassan Salame, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), addressing the Security Council for the first time since he took up the post last month.

Reporting on a wide-ranging series of meetings  throughout Libya and to Egypt, Algeria and Italy  Salame that all would benefit from a stable, peaceful and reconciled Libya.

And yet, despite a nearly two-year-old Political Agreement, Libya itself remains fraught with political divisions, mired in conflict and a stumbling economy. Saying that in his talks with the Libyan people a clear picture is emerging, Salame noted that insecurity, frustration, political dysfunction and economic despair are among the raft of challenges the country faces.

Despite its relative oil wealth, he said, endless cuts in utilities; sporadic violence across the country and political stalemate; were preventing the country from fulfilling it's potential.

There is obviously a serious problem of governance that can hardly wait to be addressed, Salame stressed, warning that people's welfare is a fundamental element to in Libya's future stability and in that regard, unless the economic challenges are addressed  and soon  the country's humanitarian crisis would deepen.

In addition, that irregular migration and the revenue it generates for smuggler networks had proven to be a direct threat to stability in parts of Libya, even as hundreds of thousands of migrants who are stuck in the country often suffer abuses and detention in inhuman conditions.

While he noted some positive steps, including improvements in the security situation in Tripoli and elsewhere, and a marked increase in oil production which allowed the Presidency Council and the Central Bank to work together to deliver a budget, the key to lasting stability requires addressing the overarching political situation, namely the status of the two-year-old Libyan political Agreement; the prospect of adopting a new constitution; and the possibility for fresh elections.

The UN stands willing and able to act in the best interests of all Libyans at equal distance from all parties, Salame told the Council, explaining that he very much hoped that with the trust of Libyan partners and the confidence of the regional organizations and concerned Member States, we are able to strengthen and unify our collective efforts and together restore Libya to its rightful place in the family of nations, one united stable, and prosperous country.

UN Photo/Kim Haughton

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Pyongyang, Aug 29 (IBNS): North Korea fired a short range missile directly over Japan early on Tuesday morning, prompting the latter to warn its residents to take cover, reports said.

Even though the missile landed harmlessly in the sea, the projectile's 1,700 miles flight was enough to disrupt several services in Japan.

Reports said that the missile flew over the northern island of Hokkaido.

Television programmes were interrupted and replaced by a warning screen that announced the missile's flight over the country.

Residents were asked to take cover and not leave home.

This is also only the third Korean missile to fly over the island nation since 1998.

The test was severely condemned by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who deemed the drill 'reckless'.

North Koreas reckless action of launching a missile that passed over Japan is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat," Abe was quoted in the media as saying.

Later he told reporters that he had a telephonic exchange with US President Donald trump and said that "Japan and the U.S. stances are completely matched."

Meanwhile, experts believe that the Nort Korean test was a direct challenge to Trump's 'fire and fury' statement.

Earlier this month, the US President had stated that North Korea would be 'met with fire and fury like the world has never seen', if it does not stop threatening America.

The statement was met with severe scorn by the Kim Jong-un run nation, who threatened to attack the US Pacific territory of Guam.

However, after days of engaging in rhetoric both parties toned down the volume.

The US-North Korea feud has also kept nations like Japan, South Korea, Russia and China on its toes.

The state-run North Korean KCNA news agency reportedly termed US' behaviour as 'criminal attempt to impose nuclear disaster upon the Korean nation".

It also termed the US as "the mastermind of nuclear threat, the heinous nuclear war fanatic."

Image: Screengrab


Berlin, Aug 29 (IBNS): A German male nurse who was earlier jailed for killing two patients with lethal drugs, may have killed 88 others, according to a three-year police investigation, reports said.

Niels Hogel, 40, was jailed for life in February 2015 for killing at least two intensive care patients at Delmenhorst hospital in northern Germany.

He was also charged with 'attempt to murder' of other patients in the same facility.

However, police have said that they have found another 88 cases after going through hundreds of files and exhuming more than 130 bodies in Germany, Poland and Turkey, where he worked.

"The death toll is unique in the history of the German republic," police said, adding that the death toll might be bigger as several of the deceased were cremated.

"There was evidence for at least 90 murders, and at least as many [suspected] cases again that can no longer be proven," chief police investigator, Arne Schmidt told the media.

Schmidt said that he himself was shocked by the findings.

Germany's Bild newspaper has already tagged Hogel as the country's 'worst serial killer'.

Police said that he carried out his first murder in February 2000 and after killing at least another 35 patients at a clinic in Oldenburg in Lower Saxony, within two years, he moved to to a hospital in Delmenhorst near the north-western city of Bremen.

"Hogel would inject patients veins with a cardiovascular drug in order to orchestrate medical emergencies that would require him to step in and resuscitate them in the hospitals intensive care unit," a report in The Guardian read.

According to the investigation, the number of intensive unit deaths doubled (from five percent to ten percent) at the Delmenhorst clinic.

Hogel would mostly use five different drugs including ajmaline, sotalol, lidocaine, amiodarone and calcium chloride, the report read.

An overdose of any of these is lethal enough to kill a patient.

However, the report also pointed out the lack of action on behalf of the hospital administrations where he worked.

Johann Kuhme, Oldenburgs head of police, believes that the 'murders could have been prevented', if the authorities would have acted faster.

"People at the clinic in Oldenburg knew of the abnormalities, he added.

In January 2015, when the case was brought back to court, the convict confessed to killing 30 patients but said he wasn't responsible for any more deaths.

Even though similar cases have shaken Germany in the last two decades, the magnanimity of this is unmatched.

In 2006, a male nurse was sentenced to life for murdering 29 patients at a hospital in Sonthofen, Bavaria.

A year later, a nurse was sentenced for the murder of five of her patients at Charite hospital in Berlin.



Image: Screengrab from youTube
New York, Aug 29(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres has condemned the latest ballistic missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The launch undermines regional security and stability and efforts to create space for dialogue, said a statement issued by UN spokesperson Eri Kaneko.

According to press reports, early Tuesday morning, the DPRK launched a ballistic missile that travelled some 2,700 kilometers, flying over Japan before crashing into the Pacific Ocean.

The Secretary-General calls on the Government of the DPRK to fully comply with its international obligations and to work to re-open channels of communication, the statement said, adding that Guterres remains in close contact with all parties concerned.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council is scheduled to meet urgently on the issue this afternoon at the request of Japan, the United States and the Republic of Korea.

UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre (file)

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Aug 29(Just Earth News): Deeply concerned at the reports of civilians being killed during security operations in Myanmar's Rakhine state, United Nations Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres on Monday reiterated the responsibility of the Government to provide security and assistance to those in need.

According to a statement from UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, this latest round of violence comes after the attacks on Myanmar security forces on 25 August.

The Secretary-General, who condemned those attacks, reiterates the importance of addressing the root causes of the violence and the responsibility of the Government of Myanmar to provide security and assistance to those in need, said the statement, adding that Guterres fully supports the recommendations of the report by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan [as Chair of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine state] and urged the Government to effectively implement them.

Recognizing that Bangladesh has hosted generously refugees from Myanmar for decades, the Secretary-General through the statement went on to appeal for the authorities to continue to allow the Rohingya fleeing violence to seek safety in Bangladesh.

Many of those fleeing are women and children, some of whom are wounded.

[Guterres] calls for humanitarian agencies to be granted unfettered and free access to affected communities in need of assistance and protection, the statement concluded, adding that the UN stands ready to provide all necessary support to both Myanmar and Bangladesh in that regard.

Photo: UNHCR/K.McKinsey

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Kabul, Aug 29 (IBNS): At least 30 people have died or have sustained injuries in a suicide attack which rocked Helmand province of Afghanistan, local Khaama Press reported.

The agency quoted officials as saying that the attack took place on Sunday evening.

Confirming the news, provincial governors spokesman Omar Zwak said that the attacker targeted a security vehicle.

He added that at least 13 people were killed, while 19 others sustained injuries.

Both civilians and security personnel were killed in the attack, officials confirmed.

No group has claimed the attack so far.

Image: Wallpaper
Kabul, Aug 29 (IBNS): At least five people were killed and eight others were injured when a suicide attack rocked Kabul city in Afghanistan on Tuesday, media reports said.

Khaama Press quoted Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior spokesperson Najib Danish as conforming the final toll hours after the incident took place close to Massoud Square.

Security guard of a private bank was among the dead in the incident.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Buildings in the area were also damaged due to the blast.
Kabul, Aug 29 (IBNS): A road mishap in Afghanistan's northwestern Jawzjan province left at least six people dead on Monday, media reports said on Tuesday.

Police chief, Rahmatullah Turkistani, was quoted as saying by Pajhwok Afghan News that the accident took place on the Andkhoi-Shaberghan highway on Monday night.

Three men, two women and one child died in the mishap.

Mishap occurred when a car carrying six passengers collided with a truck, media reports said.

The deceased people have not been identified so far.
Toronto, Aug 28 (IBNS): Michael Garron Hospital, earlier known as Toronto East General Hospital, developed an environment to provide a heart-touching experience for people belonging to the LGBTQ community, media report said.

Unlike several other hospitals, MGH brought about changes to make the LGBTQ-friendly environment.

The hospital has changed their way of approaches and languages. To support the LGBTQ community, the hospital has started to ask the parents to state how they should be addressed.

The hospital no longer describes a person as "him" or "her" on the basis of their sexual orientation.

Changes have been made in the signs used to refer the washroom as well. Instead of referring to it as "male" or "female", the washroom is identified with the picture of "toilet" or "sink".

Apart from the cosmetic changes, the staff members are also trained on how to interact with the people of LGBTQ community with an aim to provide cares for gender diverse individuals.

Jennifer Bordin, the hospital manager of newborn and child health services, was quoted by the Star: "People shouldnt be discriminated based on anything  sexual orientation, colour of their skin, how they self-identify  everyone should feel welcomed and safe, especially coming to a hospital."

One such instance where a same sex couple were enthralled by the hospital's approach was Asish Purushan and Krishneel Lall's giving birth to their child.

Both the men gave birth to a baby boy through surrogacy on Wednesday.

Speaking about the experience in MGH, Purushan told the Star: "We get treated a little differently because people always think were brothers or twins or friends and we laugh along and people dont assume  it never gets to their mind that we could be spouses."

Lall was quoted as saying: "Being treated the same was very heartwarming. Just making us realize, hey, we are accepted here. We can be ourselves."



(Reporting by Suman Das)
Santa Fe, Aug 29 (IBNS): At least two people were killed and four others were injured in a shooting incident which took place in US' New Mexico, reports said.

The fatal incident took place at the Clovis-Carver Public Library on Monday afternoon, according to Clovis City Manager Tom Phelps.

Phelps said that the shooter has been apprehended.

The victims were taken to a nearby hospital in Lubbock, Texas.

According to The Eastern New Mexico News, police surrounded the building for more than an hour and multiple ambulances, including air ambulances, were called to the scene.

Image: Wallpaper
Ottawa, Aug 29 (IBNS): The federal government has decided to invest $73 million in the key industries of Canada with an aim to provide paid jobs to students, media reports said.

The programme could provide 10,000 paid work placements in next four years.

The funding for the programme was announced by the federal government in 2016 budget.

The kind of job will also include contract-based and part times.

The industries with which the government has signed deals are information and communication technology, aerospace and aviation, the environment, and biotechnology and business.

The programme which is beginning from the school year 2017-2018, will provide wage subsidies to the companies related to these industries to cater active students who needs work placements for finishing their post-secondary programmes.

The report said the government will pay half of the student's wage upto $5,000 and 70% upto $7,000 for first year students and "underrepresented groups". "Underrepresented groups" refers to women in male-dominated programs, Indigenous students and people with disabilities.

Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, was quoted by the Star as saying: "There does tend to be a bit of a lag between students graduating and getting a position in their field."



"This allows us to try to address that and to close that gap" she added.



(Reporting by Souvik Ghosh)
Tribes in Texas and Louisiana are dealing with the devastating effects of Harvey as President Donald Trump heads to the region to see the destruction.

The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe is under a flash flood warning, according to the National Weather Service Houston/Galveston in Texas. Some roads on the reservation have become impassable, according to posts on Facebook , and the tribal offices remain closed for a second day in a row

"We have been hit by plenty of rain and more is expected today and tomorrow. People don't try to travel Poncho road it is about to be washed out in several areas," Carlos Bullock, a citizen who serves as the tribe's communications and media relations manager, wrote on Facebook on Monday morning.

The tribe canceled a softball tournament scheduled for this weekend due to weather conditions, Bullock said. Naskila Gaming , the tribe's Class II casino, remains open although with "diminished staffing," according to a post on Facebook

We have been hit by plenty of rain and more is expected today and tomorrow. People don't try to travel Poncho road it is about to be washed out in several areas. Stay safe. Posted by Carlos Bullock on Monday, August 28, 2017

Carlos Bullock on Facebook: 'We have been hit by plenty of rain'

The Alabama-Coushatta Reservation is about 110 miles, driving distance, northeast of Houston, which has seen unprecedented levels of rain and devastating floods since Harvey made landfall as a hurricane last Friday. Some tribal citizens live in the city, the state's most populous, and many live in the region in between the city and the reservation, an area that has been hit hard by what is now classified as a tropical storm.

Harvey also began creeping into Louisiana on Monday night. According to The Associated Press, the Louisiana Army National Guard has helped some citizens of the Coushatta Tribe evacuate the reservation as rain and flooding hits the state.

The tribe has dealt with hurricanes in the past and has welcomed evacuates to its reservation, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency . The reservation is about 40 miles northeast of Lake Charles, where tornado and flood watches have been issued, the AP reported.

Trump already issued a disaster declaration for Texas and approved an emergency declaration for Lousiana . Under an amendment to the Stafford Act , tribes are eligible for similar declarations if they request and qualify for them.

Trump and First Lady Melanie Trump are expected to land in Texas later on Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence said in an interview with KHOU-Houston . He said FEMA will likely be providing assistance in Texas for years

Read More on the Story: Louisiana braces for Harvey's wrath 12 years after Katrina (The Associated Press August 29, 2017) Harvey: Tornado, flood watches issued for Lake Charles, southwest Louisiana (The Associated Press August 28, 2017)

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Alaskas Small Villages Turn Toward RenewablesAnd Dont Look Back

Oil companies like to push the narrative that Alaskans want more oil development, but thats not true.By Stephen MillerYES! Magazine

Early in summer 2015, a barge hauling two deconstructed wind turbines lumbered out of Seattle bound for the Alaskan Arctic. It traveled along the western edge of Vancouver Island, passed the pristine wilderness of the Tongass National Forest, slipped across the Gulf of Alaska, rounded Cape Sarichef into the Bering Sea, and worked its way up the coast toward the Bering Strait, 3,000 miles from home.

By August, the ice in the Chukchi Sea had dispersed enough for the barge to get into Kotzebue Sound. There, the white towers, black blades, and the rest of the parts were loaded onto a smaller boat that made its way past Puffin Island to the southeast end of Eschscholtz Bay.

After winding 26 miles inland up the Buckland River, the turbines were placed on trucks for the last 5 miles to a hilltop where they were erected and began to spin.

That is one way to get to Buckland, a village of about 400 mostly Inupiaq Alaskans that sits near the Arctic Circle.

I hopped on a small plane in the coastal town of Kotzebue and landed on a red dirt runway on a clear morning in early May. A small welcoming party waited in the shade of a radio tower to receive returning family and friends.

Distance and isolation affect every aspect of life in rural Alaska. Nearly everything must be brought in at considerable expense. Groceries, construction materials, cars, toyseverything costs more. In a region with prolonged subzero temperatures and darkness, and where the cash economy merely supplements subsistence livelihoods, energy is prohibitively expensive. Arctic residents pay as much as five times more for power than those in the Lower 48.

The Arctic is not alone in its crippling reliance on oil. Alaska is in the throes of a deep fiscal crisis, due to the plunging value of crude, taxes on which account for about 85 percent of state revenue. Legislators need to close a $3.7 billion deficit. Theyve slashed spending on education and social services. Theyve trimmed the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend, an annual check thats gone to all Alaskans for more than 40 years. Theyre considering reinstating an income tax.

In Kotzebue, a city on the northwest coast of Alaska, frigid Arctic winters and high energy costs have encouraged renewable energy development since the late 1990s. Photo by Stephen Miller

I came to Buckland to see about a different option: a just transition to renewable energy. Wind turbines and solar arrays have been popping up across the state. I found wide agreement that its time to break ties with the fossil fuel industry and establish an economy that keeps everyones lights on independent of global oil markets. But I wanted to see if this transition toward renewables can really be just, improving all lives in concrete ways. Because the rest of the country isnt far behind in the kinds of issues that Alaska faces.

Im greeted by Mayor Tim Gavin, an Inupiaq man of 55, dressed in a neon green safety shirt and gray sweatpants. We ride through town on a pair of Honda four-wheelers.

Buckland is quiet this morning. Village life, Gavin says with a grin. Everyones up all night and sleeps to noon. Last night he took his daughters caribou hunting, and brown pelts are draped over a four-wheeler out front. Like the other houses in Buckland, Gavins place is single-story, wooden, rectangular, and built on stilts.

Its the shoulder season. The snow has nearly disappeared from the rolling hills but the tundra has not yet regained its vibrant green. For months out of the year, Buckland sits in the dark and cold. Now, each day adds about nine minutes of light, and the river is breaking up, taking chunks of ice downstream to the Chukchi Sea.

There is a school with about 180 students, a health clinic, and a grocery store where a gallon of milk typically runs around $8 and cigarettes $13. As with most Native villages, there is not much of a cash economy. The sale of homemade wares brings in a bit. Most paid jobs are with the tribe or state government, and these are most often held by women. Men pick up odd jobs and hunt and fish year round.

Hunting may put food on the table, but it doesnt keep on the lightsor the internet. This morning, one of Gavins daughters sings along to a YouTube video on a computer as another scrolls through her iPhone. Gavins electricity bill has run as high as $900 a month. Thats expensive, even by Arctic standards; though others in the region pay as high as $600. In the Lower 48, the average is $114. The turbines have helped bring Gavins bill down to around $400. To address cost disparities, Alaska pays a subsidy to rural users who draw less than 500 kilowatt-hours a month. Heavy users, like Gavin and businesses, see the immediate effects of renewables.

Homes there are built on stilts to keep them above annual floodwaters that, due to diminished snowfall, havent come in recent years. Photo by Stephen Miller

To say people here are dependent on oil is an understatement. Even with the turbines, the town relies on five 300-gallon tanks to supply its diesel generators, and each home has its own supply of heating fuel. We burn through them quick when its 40 below, Gavin says.

Alaska has become a proving ground for sustainable energy; in particular, the microgrida small power grid that serves one community in isolation.

Critics argue that renewable energy performs inconsistently, but microgrids mix sources like wind and solar with existing diesel generators. Engineers can manage a grid and keep fossil fuel input to a minimum. The Renewable Energy Alaska Project estimates that efficiency and renewable projects across the state saved 22 million gallons of diesel fuel in 2015 aloneworth nearly $61 million. While the grid does not yet run entirely on renewables, that is now within reach.

I had thought I could get to know Alaskas renewable energy transition by touring Bucklands renewable energy facilities, but it turns out the real story is more pragmatic.

The first stop is not the wind turbines on the hill, but a state-of-the-art treatment plant that pulls water from the river and filters it using a magnetic process that removes organic matter and inorganic contaminants like iron. There are only a few of these in the state. The facility was built when fuel prices were lower. As the cost of diesel to power the plant rose, residents couldnt afford their bills and began to default.

We realized we had a real crisis on our hands, says Ingemar Mathiasson, energy manager for the Northwest Arctic Borough. He says failing water and sewage systems and $12-a-gallon fuel pushed a coalition that included the borough and tribal corporations to look seriously into energy alternatives.

A dump outside Buckland. Photo by Stephen Miller

Mathiasson led a feasibility study and inventory of resources that found the region was rich in wind and, perhaps surprisingly, solar potential. Solar can work in the Arctic during the several months of the year when the sun hardly sets. Towns in other parts of the state have also tapped geothermal energy, and communities along the coast can use hydroelectric power. Kodiak, a town of 6,300 at the top of the Aleutian Islands, is the states poster child for renewable energy: Wind and hydro generate nearly all its power.

In 2010, the coalition received funding from the federal governments Coastal Impact Assistance Program. They then began the years-long process to install the 30 solar panels that now reduce the cost of powering the treatment facility, and the two wind turbines west of the village.

Its early afternoon when Gavin and I make our way up the hill to the two 100-kilowatt wind turbines. Its a clear day and a parade of clouds casts shadows on the tundra below. It appears endless.

The turbines looming 120 feet above us were developed specifically for the Arctic. Black blades reach out 68 feet from a rotating hub and pivot to make the best use of wind speeds as low as 7 miles per hour and as high as 56. The blades operate well in dense air at extremely low temperatures. On a decently windy day, the turbines can produce about a third of Bucklands power.

The parts, labor, and 5-mile cable back to town cost about $6.2 million, money the coalition scraped together from federal and state grants. Mathiassons research shows that the region, including Buckland, nearby Deering, and the city of Kotzebuea combined population of fewer than 4,000 peoplehas saved $4.5 million in diesel fuel since Kotzebues wind turbines came online more than a decade ago. Kotzebue has been experimenting with wind in the Arctic since the late 1990s. The village projects are new and relatively small, though planned solar and battery additions will significantly increase their impact.

The bottom line for rural Alaska is that the more independent we can become from having to import fuel from other places, the more resilient the communities and Alaska as a whole will be, Mathiasson says.

This year, May marks the early breakup of the Buckland River and the beginning of summer vacation for Ivory, Rosie, and Nita. Photo by Stephen Miller

Buckland and other communities take advantage of every possible energy savings. When the windmills generate more power than is needed, the excess goes to heat water pipes in the treatment plant. Waste heat from the diesel generators is used to warm the city office. In Kotzebue, the electricity co-op uses its waste heat in that citys hospital. Efficiency is the first step toward sustainability.

Heading back into town, I cant help noticing yards that spill over with nets, traps, engine parts, steel drums, and all manner of apparent refuse. Anything within reach, however, may still hold some value. Arctic life is a struggle just to get the things one needs. Imagine waiting for the sea to thaw to receive deliveries replacing something that had been thoughtlessly tossed away a season before.

The Inupiaq people of this region were semi-nomadic when Western settlers established towns. They still rely on the land and ocean for their food and living, but the land is changing.

On a projector in a back room of his house, Gavin traces the rivers course via Google Earth. He points out previous Bucklandsabandoned settlements his ancestors inhabited years ago, before the ever-braiding river or changing food sources caused them to relocate. The site of the previous village is within view, across the river where a few weathered wooden structures still cling to the tundra. The Inupiaq keep adapting.

Today, the river is foremost in Gavins mind. As long as anyone can remember, the river, swollen by melting snow, begins to break up in early June. The event lasts a couple of days and usually results in an ice dam that floods the village (hence, houses on stilts). But in recent years, the ice has slipped out quietly in May.

Look! Gavin says, pointing to a live-feed screen that displays a view of the river. Were supposed to be flooding right now, but there aint enough snow out there.

But its not really the flooding Gavins worried about. At this time in previous years, there would still be enough ice to support a snow machine, allowing hunters and trappers to work their routes. Instead, the river is a slushy mess not strong enough to hold a hunter, not open enough for a boat. Gavin and the others are usually stuck waiting on the banks.

Using a traditional Inupiaq reel, Vernetta Nay Moberly fishes the frozen Kotzebue Sound for sheefish, a diet staple on the Arctic coast. Photo by Stephen Miller

At breakfast the following morning, Oscar Walker drops by for coffee. His wife works for the school district, and he is a subsistence hunter who, unlike Gavin, has shunned the digital age. He prefers the old ways of doing things.

Walker recently learned that his wife has gout. The doctors want to put her on meds, but I wont let them, he says. They keep you in a cycle where you depend on them for assistance programs to make it easier. Instead, hes committed to healing her body by harvesting as much of their food from the land as possible.

That has become more difficult as the ice has dissipated, he says.

In recorded history, there has never been less ice in the Arctic seas than this past year. A biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Kotzebue put an early end to his teams study of Chukchi Sea polar bears because the ice had retreated so far north they couldnt find the animals.

In the spring and fall, the Inupiaq hunt oogruk, or bearded seal. Oogruk rest on shelves of solid ice between dives for mollusks. Hunters use the ice to get within striking distance of a seal. (Hit an oogruk in the water and good luck getting it out.) Poor ice has both diminished the chances hunters will find a seal and increased the difficulty of getting to it if they do.

Gavin and Walker know that these changes are the result of fossil fuel use on a grand scale. If Buckland were to power itself entirely on renewables, the impact on global warming would be negligible. But making that switch would save the community thousands of dollars a yearmoney that could then be spent at the grocery store to supplement a livelihood that used to come from the land.

Buckland Mayor Tim Gavins collection of ancient tools, found in the crumbling banks of the Buckland River, tells the story of the people who have inhabited the tundra for millennia. Photo by Stephen Miller

Construction of a few wind turbines in Arctic villages wont stop climate change and cant undo much of the damage the fossil fuel economy has already done here. But the transition to renewables and microgrids like Bucklands can provide local economies a measure of control.

Energy ownership is crucial to the just transition I came to the Arctic to explore. And this is where Alaska Native tribes are particularly well-positioned to benefit.

Alaskas tribal system is unique. Tribes were organized into 13 for-profit corporations under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, an effort to resolve ownership disputes over 44 million acres of land. Tribal corporations, like any other, invest and pass profits on to their shareholdersin this case, tribal members.

Though ANCSA resolved bitter land disputes in a way that empowered Native groups, some criticize it for encouraging tribal corporations to develop resources for profit. Sometimes living and thriving on your land is best accomplished without developing the land. But what is your cash economy in rural Alaska if you dont develop your land? said Elisabeth Balster Dabney, executive director of the Northern Alaska Environmental Center, which promotes conservation and sustainable resource stewardship in interior and Arctic Alaska. As resource extraction can damage the land on which indigenous cultures depend, tribal leaders looking to bolster their economies face difficult decisions.

Buckland falls within the NANA Regional Corporation, which owns the only hotel in Kotzebue and has investments ranging from an oil company in the Gulf of Mexico to the towns grocery store. Profits from these ventures are paid to Inupiaq members as a dividend, as are those generated by the energy co-op. This model localizes economic investment and keeps cash in the community.

The only sustainable future is harvesting energy as close to home as you can, Mathiasson says. By harvesting energy locally, youre also creating a local workforce, and that money stays in the communities instead of being part of the diesel fuel equation.

Thats not to say these small renewable grids are sizeable employers. Buckland sent two workers to Anchorage for training on the new systems and as line technicians to handle outages and other issues.

THE JUST TRANSITION ISSUE Issue 83 Fall 2017 The transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy is underway. Thats good news for the planet as well as the disadvantaged communities that bear an outsized burden of the extractive economy. As we make this transition, now is the moment to make sure the emerging economic system addresses the injustices of the old. Our fall 2017 issue looks at specific paths toward a just transitionone built on inclusivity and equity.

Buckland, Deering, and Kotzebue will add solar arrays and new batteries in 2018. The towns can then run almost entirely on renewables for half the year, and supplement with wind power year round. As these systems expand throughout the region, more technical positions will become available, with preference for local hires. The North Slope oil industry, in contrast, hires nearly 40 percent of its workforce from outside the state.For most people, a better future is about economics.

Fisheries built towns up and down the coast, and the Klondike gold rush brought tens of thousands of eager prospectors, but nothing transformed Alaska like the oil industry. The states first oil well was drilled in 1902, and at the peak in 1988, oil companies pumped 2 million barrels of crude a day. When the oil money was flowing, it built Alaskas schools, hospitals, roads, and bridges and established the Alaska Permanent Fundthe worlds only universal basic income program.

Now that the price of oil has plummeted, that money no longer fills the state treasury. And though industry investors are seeing profits decline, it is state residents who must live with the long-term effects. The oil companies are not committed to the long haul, and Native people are paying the price as their hunting and fishing get destroyed, says Enei Begaye, a Navajo woman who directs the indigenous rights advocacy group Native Movement in Fairbanks.

In the past when the economy slumped, state lawmakers responded by calling to expand drilling, to get oil flowing through the pipeline again. But the latest bust even has conservative residents doubting the economic strategy of drill, baby, drill.

The oil companies like to push the narrative that Alaskans want more oil development, but thats not true, Begaye says. Nothing will replace the oil money, and never again will the state see such profits. If we just think about how much money we can make, were missing out on what an economy can be.

The question I brought to the Arctic was whether this oil low point, coupled with the effects of climate change in a state proud of its wild beauty, is enough to tip the scale toward a new way of thinking.

Only a few of those I spoke to had even heard of the just transition movement. People here focus on more immediate, practical issuesbut thats why renewable energy is winning. It makes economic sense. The microgrid technology has been proven, and costs are coming down.

One important lesson for the Lower 48 is the need for political will. None of this transformation would exist without significant government investment, and the current fiscal crisis has brought many plans to a halt. For the transition to continue, Alaskas legislators will need to get fully on board.

Though the state has weathered economic downturns before, it hasnt had to do so with billions of dollars of infrastructure fixes necessitated by melting permafrost. It hasnt done so while ocean acidification threatens its fishing industry. And it hasnt done so at a time when renewable energy sources can outcompete oil.

Renewables are growing, Mathiasson says. I think the grassroots level is strong enough; the people want a cleaner energy source, and they want to see a better future.

This article originally appeared on YES! Magazine . It is published under a Creative Commons license

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Burma ARSA Rakhine Offensive is Move for Territory: Home Affairs Minister

The briefing on the current situation in Rakhine by the government on Tuesday at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center in Yangon. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  The latest attacks in northern Rakhine State show that the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) is trying to establish an Islamic State in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships, said home affairs minister Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe at a conference on Tuesday.

Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe and the governments national security adviser U Thaung Tun briefed diplomats and UN agencies on the current situation in Rakhine at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center in Yangon.

U Thaung Tun opened the briefing by dubbing the August 25 attacks on 30 police stations and an army base as Myanmars Black Friday.

He said the ARSA attacks have serious implications not only for the country but the region and beyond.

Police Brig-Gen Win Tun told the briefing that ARSA have territorial ambitions.

They plan to take over the area as a Bengali-only land, he said, using a term for Rohingya Muslims that implies they are interlopers from Bangladesh.

Brig-Gen Win Tun said militants have killed 63 people including Arakanese, government workers, security force members, and alleged government informers since ARSA attacked three border posts last October. The cases of 37 missing people are linked to the group, he added.

Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe also supported the comments, saying ARSA plotted to take Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships.

The terrorists are trying to dismantle the local administrative structure, he said, adding that the military has been requested to help police in the region.

He emphasized that the security forces are taking care to carry out their duties in keeping with their code of conduct and the law.

Terrorists caused conflict and frightened locals in to running away, Brig-Gen Win Tun said. The militants were taking four steps to gain land, he added: scaring locals from the area, killing government informers, the October attacks and the latest attacks.

However, ARSA has stated in a series of statements and videos that it is committed to securing citizenship and basic civil rights within Myanmar for the Rohingya and has maintained that the group does not target civilians.

Brig-Gen Win Tun pinned the killing of six ethnic Mro farmers in southern Maungdaw on the group, saying they were slaughtered to scare locals away from the area.

In the area of Buthidaung and Maungdaw, whenever the opportunity arrives they attack security forces, he said.

Militants had made land mines from construction materials such as ammonia nitrate fertilizer and metal pipes, which were taken from international humanitarian organizations, he added, without specifying any aid groups or expanding on how the militants were able to retrieve the materials.

The government has also implicated international aid groups with the militants by repeatedly posting pictures of World Food Programme (WFP) energy biscuits allegedly found at a militant camp. It is probing whether non-governmental organization staff had been involved in an alleged siege by militants of a village in Rakhine.

The US and British embassies have condemned the attacks, stressing that innocent civilians should now be protected and supported. Figures in Myanmars Muslim community have called for the government to take action against the perpetrators.

ARSA and the military have both accused each other of burning locals homes in the aftermath of the attacks. Satellite data shows widespread fires burning in at least 10 areas of northern Rakhine, according to a Human Rights Watch statement on Tuesday.

Thousands of Buddhists and Hindus have taken shelter in temporary camps protected by security forces in the region. Also in the thousands, Muslims have fled to the Bangladesh border. The UNHCR has urged Bangladesh to accept displaced people fleeing the violence, as reports have surfaced of people being turned away.
Burma Irrawaddy Region Police on High Alert in Wake of Rakhine Attacks

Irrawaddy Region police at an event to mark 70th Anniversary Martyrs Day in July, 2017. / Salai Thant Zin / The Irrawaddy

PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Region  Police stations along the coast of Irrawaddy Regions Pathein district have been put on high alert over fears that violence in Rakhine State could spill over to the adjacent region.

According to a police spokesperson, stations in Ngapudaw Townships Haigyi Island, as well as Chaung Tha, Ngwe Saung and Shwe Thaung Yan beaches and Thabaung Township were put on alert for potential terrorist attacks on Saturday following assaults on 30 police stations and one army base in northern Rakhine State on Friday.

The alert would remain in place until attacks in the adjacent state were suppressed, Police Lt-Col Khin Maung Latt, spokesperson of Irrawaddy Region Police Force, told The Irrawaddy.

He did not comment on whether the beefing up of security was in response to a specific threat or piece of intelligence.

Lt-Col Khin Maung Latt denied rumors that Muslim Rohingyareferred to as Bengali by the government to infer they are interlopers from Bangladeshhad fled to Irrawaddy Region from Rakhine State by boat.

The regional police force chief has checked on the ground, it is important that people dont believe rumors, he said, requesting that any sightings of people arriving from Rakhine be reported administrators or police.

In May 2015, authorities allowed more than 700 Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants to disembark from an overcrowded fishing boat in Ngapudaw Township.
Burma Lower House Discusses Sustainable Gem Mining

A gem mine in Kachin State. / The Irrawaddy

NAYPYITAW  The Lower House approved a proposal to systematize and effectively regulate Myanmars extraction of gems and minerals on Monday.

The proposal was tabled by lawmaker U Kyaw Lwin Aung representing Magwes Sidoktaya Township and endorsed by the Union minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Ohn Win.

The government will make sure the countrys future generations can enjoy gems and mineral resources for a long time, said U Ohn Win, adding that it was hard to manage excavations in conflict areas.

Lawmakers criticized the use of heavy machinery in mining, citing environmental degradation.

Illegal mining and the failure of mining companies to obey government rules have sent products into the black market, and the government is losing a large amount of funds in unrealized taxes, military representative Maj Myat Ko told the Lower House.

The National League for Democracy government suspended granting and extending mining licenses in April last year.

Lawmaker U Nai Ngan Kyaw of jade-rich Mogok Township in Mandalay Region suggested two separate laws should be enacted for jade and gems, in a separate bill tabled in the Lower House.

The government should hold public consultations with locals when granting mining licenses. If authorities just look at the site on the map and grant the license, the process wont be transparent, said U Nai Ngan Kyaw, adding that negligence in granting licenses had caused many land disputes.

The laws proposer U Kyaw Win suggested legitimizing individual prospectors by levying a tax on them.

He also called for a ban on large-scale mining with heavy machinery, saying that it would exhaust all resources in the next 20 years.

Myanmar joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in 2014, becoming the 45th country to ratify EITU.

According to the natural resources and environmental conservation ministry, a total of 2,561 jade and gems mines across seven locations including Lone Khin, Mohnyin, Mogok and Monghsu will see their licenses expire in August, with another 315 mining licenses expiring in September.
Burma No New Camps for Displaced People: Rakhine Govt

Displaced people in a temporary shelter in northern Rakhine. / Dr. Win Myat Aye / Facebook

YANGON  The Rakhine State government will not establish new camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the states northwest despite the number of residents of three townships fleeing the recent conflict rising to 10,000, according to state government secretary U Tin Maung Swe.

The state government has been evacuating Arakanese and Hindu families from Maungdaw, Buthidaung, and Rathedaung townships to temporary camps, military bases, monasteries and schools dotted around the region, he said.

However, the state government will return the villagers when the situation on the ground has stabilized, added U Tin Maung Swe.

Thousands of locals have fled their homes since Muslim militants attacked 30 border outposts and one army base on August 25, killing 10 policemen and one soldier. At least 59 militants died in the orchestrated assaults, with the ensuing violence swelling the death toll to at least 110 people, according to the government.

Safety Fears

The exodus comes amid government reports that the group that claimed the attack the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA)is targeting civilians.

On Sunday, the State Counselors Office said militants shot dead six members of a Hindu family in southern Maungdaw and state media reported on Tuesday that 22 ethnic Daingnet people were beaten by terrorists armed with sticks and machetes the previous day, leaving six of the community dead.

U Tin Maung Swe told The Irrawaddy over the phone on Tuesday that security forces were evacuating some of the villagers to 36 shelters protected by security forces.

Meanwhile, thousands of Rohingya Muslimslabeled by the government and many in Myanmar as Bengalishave escaped to the Bangladesh border, where they are beset by a lack of food, shelter, and medicine, and at risk of being sent back by Bangladesh authorities.

U Tin Maung Swe acknowledged that government workers have not seen a single Muslim seeking refuge in their designated shelters.

We will also help them if they take refuge under our care. They dont need to run to the neighboring countrys border if they have done nothing wrong and we also have a responsibility to protect innocent civilians, he said.

Food Shortage Concerns

Teacher Ko Min Min Zaw of sub-township Taungpyoletweimore than 40 kilometers from Maungdawtold The Irrawaddy that Rakhine chief minister U Nyi Pu and Union social welfare minister Dr. Win Myat Aye arrived by helicopter in the area, where they distributed noodles and eggs to about 1,000 displaced Arakanese.

The situation is calm here today but the clashes can occur anytime, he said.

Ko Than Zaw Oo, a member of Maungdaws emergency relief committee, said Buddhists and Muslims closing all their shops have caused a food shortage among displaced people.

About 4,000 IDPs including 1,400 Hindus sought refuge in downtown Maungdaw, he said, explaining the number was too big for his group alone to assist.

Other commodities are unavailable in the town so IDPs have been relying on rice and beans, he said. The state government has not distributed rice bags for the IDPs yet.

Local relief efforts have appealed to the public in Rakhine for funds to combat food shortages, with the money sent via bank accounts to locally-trusted aid groups.

Maungdaw residents censured the government for what they said were delays to food deliveries, stressing that displaced people do not have enough supplies to last them the week.

The Irrawaddy contacted several Muslim sources from Maungdaw but none of them could be reached on Monday.

U Tin Maung Swe said two-weeks worth of rations were being transported in military vehicles for immediate distribution, but he declined to comment on whether the state chief minister has a long-term solution to feed the displaced people.

Some people, he added, had sheltered with relatives in Rathedaung, Ponnagyun, and Kyauktaw townships as well as in the state capital Sittwe.

The government said it was investigating whether international non-governmental organization staff had been involved in an alleged siege by militants of a village in Rakhine. Reuters reported on Sunday that nearly 100 staff of international aid agencies had been seen leaving Buthidaung in speedboats following that statement.

The government also re-posted photographs of energy biscuits with the logo of the World Food Programme (WFP) on them, which it said had been found at a terrorist camp in August.

The government began shutting down three displacement camps in troubled Rakhine State in April following a call from the Rakhine Advisory Commission, led by former UN chief Kofi Annan, to close all of the states camps in order to heal simmering ethnic tensions.
Guest Column Gender Equality in Myanmar from a Life Course Perspective

Women carry bags of rice after collecting them from donors in Irrawaddy Region, Myanmar, Aug. 12, 2016. / Reuters

A recent article published in Tea Circle Oxford provoked some passionate responses arguing that more needs to be done to ensure the progress made on gender equality in Myanmar does not falter. The ensuing debate has largely favored the rejection of an ill-informed diagnosis that is based on conjecture surrounding the myth of the disempowered Myanmar woman. The thesis presented by Brandon Aung Moe was compelling in theory, and did establish that activists often view gender equality issues in Myanmar as a binary when in fact, they exist on a spectrum. More importantly however, the article failed to ground itself in the lived experience of not only Burmese women but also that of ethnic women who have historically suffered far greater injustices in troubled peripheries of the Union.

That liberal, left-leaning feminism can often adopt a paternalistic tone in discussions on womens rights is true, but this diagnosis merits further debate. If activists and advocates are indeed infected by a gender sameness virus, where do we begin looking for an antidote? Perhaps it is necessary for both sides of the debate to recognize that while women in Myanmar might have historically enjoyed freedom and known liberation, it does not necessarily mean that over their life course, these advantages have been available to them in the form of opportunities for tangible social services and support.

Brandon Aung Moes diagnosis that much of what seems to be discrimination against women is simply a result of economic and social conditions of those difficult times is not entirely untrue, but the argument that this discrimination has nothing to do with widespread sexism is problematic. In emerging countries around the world, ample evidence has suggested that respect for women and adherence to notions that qualify their freedoms as essential does not always translate into better living conditions for women.

In the case of Myanmar, it is important to note the intergenerational lack of these conditions bracketed by economic hardship and politico-religious instability. When evaluated from a life course perspective that first tries to look at the economic and social well-being of older women before analyzing whether factors influencing their conditions are also replicated among cohorts of younger women, the results are intriguing. Does this famed liberation of Myanmar women ensure their well-being across all stages of their life course? Research on female poverty and financial security conducted by HelpAge International Myanmar, in collaboration with Tsao Foundation in Singapore, sheds light on this issue.

When referring to well-being, our research looks at indicators across the spectrum of economic, social, and political conditions that affect a womans life in Myanmar. We find that although younger women in Myanmar fair better than their older counterparts, a gender equality debate that focuses singularly on younger women could have a pervasive effect on their well-being in old age. It is a new area of research in Myanmar, and suffers from a lack of systematic inquiry that is representative of studies of the female population. Nevertheless, some of the preliminary findings of the research are that:

Poverty and financial insecurity among women is caused by different factors that affect them through the life course, in particular traditional cultural norms, lack of government support, and ethnic conflict.

There is some evidence to suggest that the factors that lead to poverty among elderly women are now being replicated among younger female cohorts, although Myanmar women today have more opportunities than previous generations.

Two significant emerging trends at the moment that can affect future levels of well-being are: gaps in the traditional system of family support for the elderly, and a rise in the number of unmarried women in Myanmar.

The central thesis of the research is that women, as they become older, will be at a greater risk of poverty and financial security in Myanmar due to an intersection of factors that affect their opportunities to receive tangible social services and support at different stages of their life course.

The Current Situation of Aging in Myanmar

The 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census found that within Myanmar, the difference in mortality between sexes is very large; women on average live 9.1 years longer than men. Projections based on the 2014 Census findings indicate that by 2020, 7.6 percent of the female population in Myanmar will be in the 65 and older age group, and by 2040, this figure will rise to 13.6 percent. During the same period, the proportion of females in the 0-14 age group will fall from 25.7 percent in 2020 to 20.4 percent in 2040.

Myanmar still has a high rate of fertility compared to other Southeast Asian countries. At present, the total fertility rate (TFR) is 2.5 children per woman. At the time of the 1983 census, overall fertility was higher, with a national TFR of 4.7 children per woman. During the 1980s, fertility dropped rapidly to a level of 2.9 children per woman by 1991.

Income adequacy among older women is dependent overwhelmingly on children, and family support is a significant variable in relation to financial security among the elderly in Myanmar due to the absence of state support. It influences the availability of social and material support, quality of living arrangements, and healthcare access. Notably, a report titled The Situation of Older Persons in Myanmar, based on a nationally representative survey of older persons conducted by HelpAge International in 2012, also found that living alone is more common among older women than older men, reflecting their greater likelihood to be widowed. Because just more than half of older women (51.8 percent) are widowed, they must rely more heavily on their children, while three quarters (75 percent) of older men are still married.

Womens Well-being Across the Life Course

The research attempts to classify factors that lead to reduced well-being among women based on the following life stages: childhood and adolescence; youth and early working age; middle working age; late working age; retirement; and post-retirement.

Available data and key informant interviews suggest that women begin to experience the disproportionate effects of gender inequality during youth and early working age, and middle working age. According to the 2014 census, only 50.5 percent of working age women (those 15 years or older) were part of the labor force (compared to 85.2 percent of men). The 2015 Myanmar Labor Force, Child Labor and School to Work Transition Survey (hereafter referred to as the 2015 Labor Force Survey) conducted by The Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security (MoLES) and International Labor Organization (ILO) found that 48 percent of women (15+) were outside the labor force, and 64 percent cited housework and family responsibilities as the main cause for being outside the labor force. This divide was most pronounced in rural areas, but the reality was the same for women across the Union: access to work becomes more difficult for women because of social expectations that women will take on a larger share of household duties.

Even if women do enter the workforce, they are faced with norms about which industries to work in. Most women find jobs overwhelmingly in the agricultural sector, followed by the service sector and industry. Regardless of their profession, women overall receive consistently lower wages than men. Myanmars society typically values mens work as more valuable than womens and therefore pays both genders accordingly. The 2015 Labor Force Survey found that the average daily wage gap between males and females is 25 percent, while the average monthly wage gap is 20 percent. Women often migrate to urban areas  namely Yangon, Mandalay, and Naypyitaw  to look for better paying work. However, this relocation comes with its own risks including human trafficking, isolation from family, and continued wage discrimination.

Women of middle working age  those who have been working for a number of years and may be having children of their own  mark the point in the life cycle where certain factors begin to grow that will affect their financial stability later in life. Women still face the same issues as in the early working age life stage, but their situation is further complicated by other factors.

At this age, if women were engaged in the workforce, there is high potential that they will withdraw in order to care for families and/or start their own. One report titled Women and the Economy in Myanmar: An Assessment of DFATs Private Sector Development Programs found that Myanmar society tends to pressure women to prioritize such care over any career goals, which in turn perpetuates the cultures tendency to depict women only as mothers and not active members of the economy. In addition, those who continue working are often not promoted into management roles and are not involved in decision making in the workplace. This, coupled with societys depiction of women mainly responsible for the family, helps perpetuate norms that men are the real economic agents and breadwinners in society. Women therefore find themselves more and more dependent on men to provide income, which then erodes womens independence and security later in life.

Myanmar has traditionally relied on low-productivity subsistence agriculture as a source of livelihood for its predominantly rural population. However, a lack of mechanization and absence of opportunities to scale up and/or step out of agriculture have contributed to poverty. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Myanmar has recognized that although women form the backbone of Myanmars agricultural economy, on average they are paid less than men, their contribution is overlooked, and they get fewer opportunities to step out of low paying agriculture into other productive sectors. This can have lasting effects on women over the life course, although it can manifest in any or all life stages.

Are Younger Women Less Vulnerable?

As Myanmar undergoes dramatic transformation and continues to pass reforms, are women still facing the same factors? In short, will the young women of today face the same challenges when they become elderly themselves?

Government support services  such as childcare  continue to be low for women. The 2015 Labor Force Survey also found that more than double the number of women (17.1 percent) than men (7.7 percent) continue to be considered unpaid family workers and there are few policies set in place by the government to assist such women in entering the labor force. The National Strategic Plan for the Advancement of Women is one such government-led effort to institutionalize research, planning and implementation of policy efforts that focus on women across all ages. The focus on elderly women however, is still very limited. Overall, women have yet to benefit from reforms in a way that will substantially impact their ability to work. This continues to hinder their ability to be financially independent in later life and live without the support from children or their spouse.

Some progress towards tangible social services and support has been made by the government. Since June 2017, all older persons above the age of 90 years have begun to receive a social pension worth 10,000 MMK per month. The advent of social pensions is a significant step for Myanmar. Overall, although the conditions for younger womens mobility might be improving, there is still much work to be done to ensure that women across the country do not face insurmountable odds in order to ensure a more secure future. Unless development projects are able to intersect with financial reforms, it is likely that the change will be slow and the benefits that do come will struggle to sustain themselves nationally.

Emerging Trends and the Way Forward

Myanmar is still a very traditional society with strict gender roles and there is little evidence to show that these roles are changing quickly enough to match the countrys economic growth.

One key informant from the Gender Equality Network (GEN) noted that Myanmar cannot be characterized as a society that discourages women from working. More women are entering the labor force. However, much of that work is still in traditional roles that are informal, unpaid, or underpaid. And though there have been efforts to move beyond this  for example, the governments 2013 decision to enact a national minimum wage  there is still no clear evidence on just how much women have benefitted from such policies.

Another trend that remains rooted in tradition is that the family unit generally provides support for the elderly. Yet this may also change or lead to problems for future generations. The declining fertility rate across the country is also reducing family size. Moreover, the 2012 Situation of Older Persons in Myanmar report found that daughters and grandchildren are prominent sources of support for unmarried elders in Myanmar. Given the steady increase in the number of unmarried women in the country (12.4 percent of women over the age of 50 were not married according to the 2014 Census), it is possible that aging women will have fewer children they can rely on for support.

As demonstrated by this research, as well as numerous other commentators, the way forward for gender equality in Myanmar is in the hands of all stakeholders  the government, civil society, and women themselves. Social progress is a process that spans generations, and it is worth noting that the process has already begun in Myanmar. The vast potential for womens rights in the country cannot and must not be lost in an attempt to normalise discrimination. That women in Myanmar do continue to suffer from inequality is not a myth, and that the work of activists and advocates has contributed vastly to improved conditions for them is no legend either.

Shagun Gupta is a humanitarian worker, currently based in Yangon, Myanmar. Over the past two years, she has worked on food security and livelihoods with the United Nations in Myanmar (focusing on Rakhine State), and human rights documentation on the Thai-Myanmar border. This article is based on research done in her capacity as Programme Officer with HelpAge International Myanmar. The research is part of a regional effort to understand womens well-being over the life course in ASEAN countries.

This article originally appeared in Tea Circle, a forum hosted at Oxford University for emerging research and perspectives on Burma/Myanmar.
Guest Column Myanmars Post-Panglong Problems (Part 1)

Myanmar's leaders pose for a group photo after the opening ceremony of the 21st Century Panglong Conference in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, May 24, 2017. / Reuters

Myanmars history is defined by violence between a relatively stable lowland Bamar core and a fragile non-Bamar highland periphery. The country hosts numerous ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) including the worlds longest-running separatist insurgency. Since independence in 1948, Myanmar has never met Webers minimalist definition of a state as the holder of the monopoly of the use of physical force within a given territory. Beginning from a low point in 1948, when Karen separatists were assembled on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmars army or Tatmadaw grew over the years into a formidable military force as it asserted central control over all lowland areas, pushing insurgents year-by-year into more inhospitable and state-resistant terrain.

The countrys Panglong Peace Process, which seeks to end 70 years of insurgency in the countrys borderlands, has been subjected to significant criticism, not least from the participants themselves. Of the 17 EAOs who have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), in July 2017, eight formed a Peace Process Steering Team to evaluate the current NCA, referring to it as a deviation from the path they had envisioned. Other EAOs excluded from signing by the Tatmadaw, and still others who declined to participate, have come together under a bloc, the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), led by the most powerful EAO in the country, the United Wa State Party, but the government refuses to negotiate with them collectively.

Another bloc, the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), has, for all intents and purposes, fallen apart. Apparent from the process is the disconnect between the EAOs and the Tatmadaw in regard to sequencing: for example, EAOs want a political dialogue about the parameters of a federal state followed by security sector and constitutional reform, after which disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants (DDR) shall occur. Conversely, the Tatmadaw want DDR immediately, pressing for a disarmament prior to political negotiations. Each side has its own understanding of federalism that is, so far, incompatible with the other.

Lets assume, however, that the Panglong process continues: that the Tatmadaw and the EAOs eventually demonstrate realism and flexibility, and that an agreement on federalism leads to security sector and constitutional reforms that will serve as guarantors of future peace between the lowland Bamar state and its borderlands.

Far from being the closing of a chapter, such a success signifies the beginning of a more arduous and insecure process that will likely stretch across generations. It is only after federalism is agreed upon and peace agreements are signed that the process of DDR will likely begin amongst EAOs and other militias. This process is codified by the United Nations in the Operational Guide to the Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Standards, based on an accumulation of complex and not-always-successful DDR experiences across the 1990s and early 2000s. DDR now stands as a fundamental part of modern peace processes it seeks to address the post-conflict security problem that arises when ex-combatants are left without livelihoods or support networks, other than their former comrades, during the vital transition period from conflict to peace and development.

Combatants are disarmed, demobilized from armed structures, and are supported in their transition to roles in a licit peacetime economy through grants, job training, education, and so on. This process is important so that insurgents, stripped of their ideological justification for existence but still with their illicit funding streams, dont simply become another organized criminal gang for lack of alternatives. Many and in some contexts, the majority of ex-combatants reintegrate spontaneously: the concern is those who do not.

In Myanmar, this reintegration process will involve: the disarming of people across economically and infrastructurally undeveloped and geographically remote areas of the state whose livelihood is fighting; the dismantling (or more likely, conversion) of numerous insurgent command structures and the ending of revenues generated by extra-legal taxation and other means; and, the absorption of inappropriately-skilled combatants into local economies, much of them subsistence, which are also making the transition from illicit to licit. Overall, this is the altering of structures of non-state actor government and governance across areas of the Union of Myanmar, and the imposition of the state, where the Union government has held no sway for generations, if at all.

Numbers

An unknown number of insurgents exist in Myanmar. According to the Myanmar Peace Monitor, the largest EAO, the United Wa State Party, has around 30,000 fighters and an additional 30,000 reservists; the Kachin Independence organization has between 10,000 and 12,000, with other estimates as high as 20,000. The Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army South has 8,000 fighters; the Shan State Progress Party/ Shan State Army North, 8,000; the Taang National Liberation Army, 6,000; the Karen National Liberation Army/ KNU, between 5,000 and 7,000; the National Democratic Alliance Army (Mongla), 3,000; the Arakan Army, 3,000; the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (Kokang), 3,000, and so on. Numerous smaller insurgents, Karenni, Lahu, Mon, and Naga, exist. And then there are the Border Guard Forces (BGFs)  EAOs folded into the Tatmadaw command, of which the Democratic Kayin Benevolent Army, with 5,000 fighters, may be the largest.

Other former EAOs that have converted to BGFs include the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, which broke away from the above mentioned MNDAA to become a BGF. John Buchanan, in Militias in Myanmar, characterizes BGFs as a category of militia, of which there are hundredsmaybe thousands of such groups, most allied with the Tatmadaw, although a few are allied to the KNU and KIA. That publication notes that Major General Maung Maung Ohn, then head of the Directorate of Peoples Militias and Territorial Forces, reportedly estimated that the total strength of the militias, as of 2010, was over 80,000. The highest estimate thus far, from Min Zaw Oo, claims 180,000 militia members in 5,023 groups.

Combining the conservative estimates from Myanmar Peace Monitor which total roughly 85,000 fighters in the largest 20 or so groups, with the conservative figure of 80,000 militia members, gives us a minimum of 165,000 persons who make their living with guns and through such practices as extra legal taxation. This, of course, is an oversimplification; many will be part-time fighters, and may trade or farm, and many have family providing remittances from Thailand and further abroad. Many may also work within operations/logistics and administration in the more complex EAOs, UWSP in particular. But even such applied nuance will still leave a significant number of fighters with inapplicable skills to earn acceptable incomes, and engage in meaningful livelihoods, in peacetime.

Continued Absorption of EAOs into BGFs / Tatmadaw

We can anticipate that a minority of these fighters will continue to be relatively demobilized from their existing command structure and absorbed into Tatmadaw-affiliated border guard forces groups that the Tatmadaw actually pays and equips (unlike Tatmadaw-affiliated militias who are allowed to raise their own funds, and who will become a law and order issue in any future peace). The BGF initiative is very much found within the tenets of DDR: the primary reason it doesnt emerge in many other contexts, however, is that the military cannot afford the cost of maintaining such forces.

The Tatmadaw, however, is able to maintain its border guard forces as part of its deep state structure, and the further conversion of EAOs into BGFs will, to both it and the civilian government, be viewed as another pillar of support to the consolidated peace that may emerge from Panglong 21. But the KNU, KIA and UWSP will likely object, and given their sizes and territories, special accommodations may be reached for some type of national guard formation in their respective areas. A second, less plausible option would be to absorb these forces within new Karen Rifles and Kachin Rifles divisions of the Tatmadaw: something politically untenable for both the EAOs and the Tatmadaw.

At present, it is unlikely that the Tatmadaw would accept any large number of insurgent fighters into the mainstream military, much less the officer class. They cannot do so and retain what to its leadership must be its defining Theravada Buddhist and Bamar characteristics, which many a Karen or Kachin or Wa likely refusing to accept a thoroughly Bamar officer class. With these challenges in mind, the most likely outcome is that a significant number of EAO fighters will need to undergo DDR processes if the promise of Panglong is to be met.

Part Two of the series will explore the manner in which Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration strategies will unfold, especially within the context of Myanmars under-developed and illicit borderland economies.

Bobby Anderson ([email protected]) is a Myanmar-based Research Associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. The opinions expressed in this article are the authors own.

This article originally appeared in Tea Circle, a forum hosted at Oxford University for emerging research and perspectives on Burma/Myanmar.
Microsoft Azure is delivering parts of the ACT Governments digital transformation strategy which has cloud computing at the core.

The ACT Government says the digital transformation places individuals including almost 400,000 people who live, work and study in the ACT at the centre of the strategy.

According to Al Blake, the chief technology officer of the ACT, the Territorys overarching ambition is to become recognised as a digital leader, carving out a strong reputation for digital excellence and innovation, while promoting inclusion and equity for all residents and visitors.

And the ACT Governments digital strategy, launched in 2016, makes clear that cloud is the preferred platform for the future.

Cloud is a fine example of where massive scale and resource sharing has driven a radical price point shift. That point is an order of magnitude lower than that which could be achieved through on premise infrastructure within the ACT. In addition, the leverage of scarce skills in security and service management means that cloud is no longer the risky option, Blake says

Instead cloud is a powerful and important ally, creating robust digital foundations to deliver more responsive government services rapidly, effectively and efficiently.

The government points out that Microsoft Azure is delivering a sizeable chunk of those digital foundations, now the basis for a raft of emerging services with the promise of genuine and long-lasting impact.

When we examined the Health Directorates need for a data warehouse we identified that a Microsoft Azure implementation would be many hundreds of thousands of dollars a year less than our internal hosting model, Blake says.

Directorates will be able to respond more quickly, at lower cost, implement more quickly, and ramp up and down with more flexibility.

Because we are a Territory  we get very close to the pointy end of service delivery. Every dollar not spent on a computer gets spent on a nurse or teachers assistant. When the Heath Directorate saves half a million on IT that has direct and immediate impact on its ability to deliver frontline services to citizens.

Gary Davis, executive director of shared services Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) for the ACT Government, says that there is a daily impact for front line workers and citizens.

Using Microsoft cloud technology enables people to get on with the jobs they are paid to do  for teachers to spend less time on administration, more time teaching, if youre a doctor less time administration, more time dealing with patients.

Davis says the cost efficiencies of moving to cloud also have impact. Microsoft cloud enables us to reduce our IT infrastructure footprint  hopefully we can move 80% into the cloud  that helps reduce costs, improve responsiveness and improve the services we deliver to citizens.

The less money we spend on back end administration of IT the more money can be allocated to the front end of citizen services for example on health, education  more teachers, more doctors, more nurses.

According to Davis, digital transformation supports the ACT Governments commitment to deliver innovative technologies to support its citizens and to make Canberra a truly digital city by leveraging innovative technologies to achieve outcomes, citizen services, education, health, transport and other services we deliver on a day to day basis in a much more streamlined way than was possible in the past.

Davis says moving to cloud foundations also boosts flexibility and agility.

Our digital strategy is very much a cloud first strategy  to allow us to draw upon the economies of scale from Microsoft to enable the flexibility and agility to deliver services in a more timely fashion.

And, according to Davis, the cloud digital strategy also supports the governments ambition to make Canberra a truly smart city.

Technology is making it simpler for citizens to interact with Government. We are moving away from paper based forms to online interactions to get citizens in and out quickly and on with their lives.
VMware provides its own integrated release of OpenStack, the open-source cloud operating system. Its a product you may not realise VMware packages up. iTWire spoke to VMwares Mahesh Kumar to learn more.

VMware announced version four of its VMware Integrated OpenStack  or VIO  product this week, at VMworld 2017 in Las Vegas. The company says VIO v4 makes running your own cloud even easier than before for developers.

For those unfamiliar, OpenStack is an open-source cloud operating system to control large pools of compute, storage and networking resources.

Whether you are familiar with OpenStack or not, it may not be a product youd ordinarily associate with VMware except as an underlying hypervisor, and one of several options.

iTWire asked Mahesh Kumar, senior director, VMware, to explain VMwares driver for providing a bundled OpenStack.

Kumar explained that todays modern corporate IT environment is strongly mixed-mode. The most obvious example of this is how physical infrastructure may well be spread across multiple clouds, whether it is your own private VMware hosted data centre, or leveraging Azure, AWS, Google, IBM or something else.

Yet, this is only the beginning; you might then be using containers or micro services or pivoting your applications in some other way on top of the virtualised servers.

Then, your application authoring and deployment might be further running in a mixed mode, whether the traditional client/server model that served the industry well for so long, to todays extremely loosely coupled cloud-native apps.

Consequently, todays modern IT department is handling this mixed mode environment across many facets.

This then begs the question, Kumar said, how are you going to manage this? It is our option you need a polyglot cloud management platform able to understand and provide automations, operations and visibility in one platform for all this cloud  whether VMware Cloud or native, or mega-clouds like AWS, etc. It has to be a platform to provide IT all the relevant and necessary controls and governance while still providing developers all the services they need to build things and consume services without impinging on it.

Some key factors are important here:

What is the visibility we have? This includes real-time analytics for troubleshooting, and to look at the capacity you need now or for future planning, to look at configuration drifts for remediation, or many other individual pieces of information. Leading on from visibility is automation. Once you can see, and meet, SLAs, you want your developers to fire up an application server such as a LAMP stack as needed. You need a self-service policy-driven catalogue that is exposed to developers so they can consume what they need  like a Chinese menu, Kumar says. This catalogue allows developers to create whatever they need but allows the Operations team to retain control of VM sizes and other important details, by providing these options.

Having a catalogue of automatically created VMs provides an agile ecosystem which removes errors in a repetitive system.

However, there are customers who dont want a self-service catalogue but just want an API. This is where VIO comes in. It allows you to access your infrastructure as an API, Kumar explains.

The OpenStack movement itself started seven years ago with the biggest theme or use case to provide a private-cloud like experience of Amazon Web Services.

The reality was unfortunately different, Kumar says. OpenStack implementations took one form of several  either it was like a science project and did not make it to mainstream or production. Another was an army of engineers were dedicated to an OpenStack project and gave up in six months because they could not get it working. Or the third form was to be a services model and build-up OpenStack services for other companies.

These are all valid experiences, Kumar notes, but they took the sheen off OpenStack which was meant to be easy-to-use".

Thus, VMware eyed OpenStack and considered the concept was good, the product was good, but perhaps the implementation not so.

VMware Integrated OpenStack is really about how to make OpenStack shrink-wrapped so IT departments  which are using our technology anyway  can make an OpenStack cloud, Kumar says. We have customer testimonies who have implemented OpenStack through VIO in two hours.

We are providing a management layer, on top of tried-and-tested VMware technologies like vSphere. Any VMware technology provided can also be leveraged by VIO. As customers are very familiar with all these components, the learning time is very low.

Thats VMwares basis for providing VMware Integrated OpenStack. v4 specifically brings these enhancements, among others:

container management and orchestration alignment resource tagging high availability cascading deletions of snapshots when deleting a volume dynamic resizing of memory and other components VIO is now itself exposed via automation allowing developers to even spin up their own OpenStack environment via the self-service catalogue capability to share images within the OpenStack community ability to map networks in different OpenStack clouds as one network

How quickly can I install OpenStack and get it working? We solve this problem the most efficiently bar none, Kumar says.

VMware contributes code to OpenStack for the benefit of all OpenStack users and contributes to other open source projects. VMware has an open source group and an Open Source CTO, Kumar says. One such project is Admiral, a container management system.

VMware Integrated OpenStack v4 will be available in general release worldwide within the next weeks.

The writer is attending VMworld 2017 as a guest of VMware.
Social media behemoth Facebook has admitted that it struggles to control the avalanche of hate speech, spam and fraud on its two billion accounts, turning off more than a million accounts every day.

The admission came from the company's chief security officer Alex Stamos, who added that given the overwhelming volume of interactions among its users it was unable to stop all "threat actors", CNBC reported.

However, this has not stopped Facebook from searching for its next billion users, with founder Mark Zuckerberg pushing hard for a means to expand into China.

Stamos also confessed that Facebook often wrongly removed material from its user accounts that was found later not to have broken any of the site's rules.

"When you're dealing with millions and millions of interactions, you can't create these rules and enforce them without (getting some) false positives," he told a discussion in San Francisco last week.

Stamos claimed that Facebook's rules were to blame for this helplessness in the face of material that was deemed unsuitable for public consumption, but put the blame on the technical challenges in laying down the law.

While some have accused Facebook of jumping the gun when it comes to censoring material, others have said the social media network is too lax when it comes to allowing terrorists to use the medium for nefarious purposes.

Also present at the discussion was the Electronic Frontier Foundation's cyber security director Eva Galperin who accused the company of not being transparent about what it deemed unfit for publication and what should be taken down.

But Stamos hit back, saying it was "not just a bunch of white guys" who made the rules.

"When you turn up the volume on hate speech, you'll get more false positives, (and) catch people who are just talking about it," he claimed.

Zuckerberg has said the company plans to recruit 3000 people to inspect posts and take down what is deemed to be offensive.
A new Wi-Fi solution from HPE Aruba promises simplified, business-class Wi-Fi with the ease of a mobile app for small business, with secure employee Wi-Fi and Get Wi-Fi set up in minutes".

HPE Arubas OfficeConnect OC20 has arrived and is billed as a cost-effective wireless solution designed for businesses without dedicated IT resources allowing small businesses to rapidly deploy and manage Wi-Fi for small business across all vertical industries".

Accoring to global research from Intuit in 2015, small business owners are embracing smartphones, tablets, and cloud applications".

Were told that nearly half (43%) of small business owners use a smartphone over Wi-Fi as the primary device to run their operations, and 65% are conducting bookkeeping and accounting on cloud-based apps, demonstrating the need for reliable, ubiquitous wireless connectivity".

And, while the competitive and operational benefits of mobility are clear, HPE Aruba points to the the gating factor often being installation and configuration, thanks to small businesses usually having limited IT resources, so the option for quick self set-up or configuration with the assistance of a channel partner is essential".

Naturally, HPE Aruba says it has a solution, being the new HPE OfficeConnect OC20 wireless, which the company says addresses these challenges by offering small businesses an intuitive and cost-effective wireless solution that is simple to manage without technical expertise. Resellers can now offer small business customers a fast, business-grade Wi-Fi solution that keeps their employees connected and productive".

Heres the companys pitch:

Fewer headaches with a reliable business-grade solution The OC20 APs deliver high performance and reliable Wi-Fi connectivity to handle todays business critical applications including voice, video and cloud-based applications. They intelligently optimise wireless coverage and performance, while minimising interference for a powerful end-user experience. Built-in website filtering blocks access to malicious websites to protect the small business network from online threats, as well as inappropriate or non-compliant websites.

Reduce set-up time with intuitive mobile app Using the OfficeConnect mobile app, a business or its resellers can configure and monitor a network in minutes from any location. Multiple offices can be managed at once, and IT or the users channel partner can quickly respond to network changes and outages remotely without network downtime. When businesses are ready to expand their network, new OC20 APs can automatically join the network and will copy their configuration settings from a previously configured OC20 AP. Business owners or their channel partners can create an optional and separate guest network with a choice of open guest access, simple password sign-in or Facebook Wi-Fi log-in, including their company logo for a branded Wi-Fi experience.

Manage on-the-go with remote monitoring and troubleshooting The OfficeConnect iOS or Android mobile application offers intuitive remote monitoring and troubleshooting. A network health dashboard provides network visibility at a glance, including information about wireless performance, number of devices, and who is connected to the Wi-Fi network. In addition to the OC20 Access Point, Aruba also offers the OfficeConnect 1920S switch, which secures and extends small business networks. The 1920S can also be monitored by the OfficeConnect mobile app.



As youd expect, HPE says its OfficeConnect solution helps small businesses do more with less  enabling them to share resources and collaborate like an business-grade network, without the complex set-up".

So, whether youre just starting out or planning to expand your business, HPE wants to connect you to its OfficeConnect products so you can deploy a business-grade wireless solution to support your needs at each stage of your growth.

Available to order now, the price for HPEs OfficeConnect OC20 Access Point is not listed, although distributors will be happy to help you in that regard.

Right on schedule arrives Marty Simunic, the general manager of HP and HPE products at Dicker Data, who said: The new OfficeConnect OC20 product is a perfect fit for the thousands of small and medium businesses across Australia who need reliability and ease of use from their WiFi deployments. From a Dicker Data perspective, we see a substantial opportunity for this product with our extensive range of partners who service many of the SMB communities around Australia. We look forward to working with the team at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Aruba to accelerate the uptake of this product.
Data breaches tend to result in a fall in company share prices when the news leaks, often by as much as 5%, the identity access management company Centrify claims.

A study entitled The impact of a data breach on reputation and share value, carried out by the Ponemon Institute for Centrify, found that many companies tended to under-estimate the true cost of data breaches.

A total of 749 Australian IT professionals were surveyed by Ponemon  215 in IT operations and information security, 218 senior marketing professions and corporate communications practitioners, and 316 consumers.

The study was undertaken in view of the fact that Australia data breach laws take effect on 22 February 2018.

The survey found that the stock value index of 113 randomly selected global companies declined by an average of 5% on the day a data breach was disclosed. Additionally, customer churn of 7% was experienced.

But when companies demonstrated that they took security seriously in the wake of a breach, the share value was recovered after an average of seven days. Those who adopted a lax posture found that the value came back only after an average of more than 90 days.

On the consumer side, a third of consumers affected by a data breach said they discontinued a relationship with an organisation that was hacked.

Forty percent of the Australian IT practitioners surveyed said their organisations had experienced data breaches involving loss or theft of more than 1000 records containing sensitive or confidential customer or business information in the two years preceding.

However, while it was found that data breaches affected brand reputation, more than two thirds of IT practitioners did not think it was their responsibility to protect their company's brand.

Centrify chief executive Tom Kemp said: "This report serves as a wake-up call to every organisation that security isnt just about protecting data, its about protecting the business.

Data protection is no longer just an IT problem. When a breach can decimate your valuation and decimate your customer base, it must be elevated to the C-suite and boardroom because it requires a holistic and strategic approach to protecting the entire organisation.

No-one wants to be the next Yahoo!, which after suffering two massive data breaches affecting one billion accounts saw a $350 million reduction in the companys sale price to Verizon.

The bottom line is that security is a core business concern which demands the attention of the chief executive, the C-suite and the board of directors. The fact is a breach can damage a companys image for good.

Centrify cited the example of Chipotles stock which rose 6.8% after reporting better than expected Q1 earnings; those gains fell by half after the firm revealed a data breach while the cost to Chipotle shareholders was more than US$400 million.
Fitbit Ionic is the companys first true smartwatch, and in its attempt to mimic some of the features of existing smartwatches, contactless payments and Fitbit Pay is on that list, with Mastercard tapping and going.

If youre a Fitbit Ionic smartwatch owner, or soon will be as the device is only in pre-order right now, making a contactless payment the way that some smartphones and smartwatches can already do is a feature thats soon coming to you.

Mastercard says its industry-leading token services are powering these transactions, with Mastercards services said to transform any connected device into a commerce device, providing consumers with the freedom to shop using the device that is most convenient to them".

The credit card, technology and global payments company says the payment option will be accessible at 6.6 million merchant locations globally and will be rolled out in Australia later this year, which is timely considering Mastercards quoting of a 2016 IDC report noting that Australia is the second highest country for wearable technology, and with more than half owning a wearable device, according to a PwC 2016 report.

The payment functionality will be initially supported in the US with participating issuer banks, and will expand to other markets across the globe soon after.

Mastercards media release is entitled Mastercard makes post-workout shopping a breeze for Fitbit users, but unless Mastercard has discovered a contactless way to apply some deodorant, this headline may not be quite as exciting as Mastercards PR people imagined it would be.

That said, the media releases sub-heading that the move will give Fitbit Ionic device owners the choice and peace of mind to make secure tap-and-go payments is more realistic.

Kiki Del Valle, senior vice-president of Mastercards Commerce for Every Device department, said: Consumers today are expecting technology to help them accomplish lifes daily tasks with as few steps or clicks as possible.

By adding payment capabilities to a Fitbit device, Mastercard cardholders who are already on-the-go can easily buy what they need without having to bring their wallet with them.

Mastercard also notes that youll be able to leave your smartphone at home, too, although this presumes you have money in your account, otherwise a shopping spree that against an account with not much money in it could result in issues for all concerned. That said, one has to imagine that Mastercard has thought of this, otherwise it would be a giant flaw.

Mastercard says its industry-leading token services provide consumers the freedom to shop using the device most convenient to them, with the highest level of security available for payments. As part of this service, Mastercard generates a unique alternate number or 'token' for the 16-digit card number found on the front or back of a payment card".

The token number is not only different from the card number but is also, on its own, useless when trying to perform a transaction via a different device. Tokens are a safer way to process payments without actual bank or credit details being exposed.

Jon Oakes, vice-president of Product Management at Fitbit, said: Were focused on delivering the features that add that right level of utility to our users, so they can focus on reaching their health and fitness goals. Fitbit Pay lets you make payments on the go directly from your wrist with Fitbit Ionic, adding convenience to your life and the ability to leave your smartphone and wallet at home.

Were delighted to work with Mastercard to deliver the freedom of contactless payments to our users.

By adding payments capability to Fitbit Ionic, Mastercard proudly boasts it is ensuring that everyone, everywhere has the ability to make and receive secure payments using any connected device across a number of different verticals such as wearables, connected cars, smart home and retail".
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. ~
Pivotal and VMware have teamed up to deliver commercial-grade Kubernetes distributions on both VMware vSphere and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Pivotal Container Service (PKS), launching in Q4 2017, runs Kubernetes atop VMwares infrastructure management toolsvSphere, vSAN, and NSX. It also taps a project from Cloud Foundry, Kubo, originally created by Pivotal and Google, to deploy and manage Kubernetes on VMwares stack.

[ Are you ready for the container invasion? Learn how to get started with Kubernetes. | Keep up with the latest developments in cloud computing with InfoWorlds Cloud Computing newsletter. ]

Containerized applications running on such a stack will have access to the services normally available only to VMs in vSphere. For instance, persistent storage for containers can be provided by way of VMware VSAN. Its also possible to run PKS on VMware Cloud Foundation, VMwares management system for private clouds running vSphere on either public or private infrastructure.

PKS keeps its version of Kubernetes in sync with the latest version of mainline Kubernetes, which is also the version of Kubernetes used in the Google Container Engine service. VMware notes that this will provide fast and easy application portability between PKS and GKE, and allow PKS users to incorporate innovative GCP services like BigQuery, Spanner, and Machine Learning in their applications.

For VMware shops not using Google Cloud Platform, keeping Kubernetes in sync is for ensuring rapid support of features that are released by the Kubernetes community, according to the PKS FAQ.
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu filled the ear of visiting UN secretary general Antonio Guterres with complaints about Iran and Hizbullah on the latters visit to the region.

He complained that the UN border patrol, UNIFIL, in South Lebanon, has not reported the thousands of rockets delivered to Hizbullah by Iran.

He also alleged that Tehran is turning Syria into a military base, and aims at making Damascus and Beirut two fronts from which it can launch war on Israel.

He also accused Iran of establishing factories in Syria and Lebanon to build precision missiles so that it can destroy Israel, which he said is Irans goal.

He said Iran was making Damascus a fortress from which it could attack.

Netanyahu had made similar accusations and exhibited similar bluster on a recent trip to see Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Since Iran is useful to Putin in Syria, inasmuch as he wants to see Sunni radicals allied with extremist Chechens defeated. He is therefore unmoved by Israeli unease, which in any case is not well founded.

Netanyahus dark apocalyptic fantasies would be a little comical if he were not so erratic and did not give every evidence of believing them.

First of all, Iran has not vowed to wipe Israel off the face of the map. Rather, Iran has a no first strike policy that has been repeatedly underlined by Ayatollah Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani. The only country in the region that has gone around invading other countries until recently was Israel. Nowadays Saudi Arabia has joined the club with its attack on Yemen.

Second of all, Iran has not turned Damascus into a fortress or Syria into an army base. Iran sent Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps officers to Syria to train and advise the Syrian Arab Army. They are the equivalent of special ops. It is likely that there arent more than a couple of thousand Iranian military personnel in the country. Iranian officers have died at such a rate that they must have been in the field leading Hizbullah and Iraqi Shiite militias rather than only in the barracks doing training. There are estimated to have been as few as 500 Iranian personnel killed in Syria despite the big battles at places like Aleppo, and so there just cant be very many Iranian troops fighting there. Of the couple thousand, a substantial number appear to be Afghan refugees in Iran who were pressed into service on pain of being sent back to Afghanistan.

This tiny rag tag force helped make a difference for the al-Assad regime in fighting Sunni rebels who have only light to medium weaponry. But it isnt the kind of force that offers a significant threat, or a threat at all, to Israel. Even when al-Assad had 300,000 men under arms and a proper army and good Russian tanks, no one thought Syria was a serious challenger to Israeli military might. what about now, when it has been devastated by civil war.

Third, Iran is very unlikely to be building missile factories in Syria and Lebanon, and Netanyahu just asserts these things rather than giving any evidence for them. He is a one man walking fake news. Israel has several hundred atomic bombs and the means to deliver them, and Iran is not so crazy as to send a missile against Israel.

Likewise, Hizbullah, of which Netanyahu is so afraid, is just a regional militia. It has no armor to speak of and no air force.

The only reason for Netanyahu to be afraid of Hizbullah is if he wanted to invade Lebanon and/or Syria. It would put up a good guerrilla defense, as in 2006. But it isnt capable of offensive action against the Israeli army, the best-equipped military in the Middle East.

Netanyahu is actually just using the alleged Iranian bogey man to take the spotlight off his own aggressive military actions against Palestinians in the West Bank, whom he is gradually expelling from their property.



Related video:

Press TV: Netanyahu spews usual anti-Iran rant in meeting with Putin
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By Jake Johnson, staff writer | ( Commondreams.org) |  

Ted Cruz, who voted against a relief package for states impacted by Hurricane Sandy, urged President Trump on Friday to quickly deliver aid to Texas

When Hurricane Sandy slammed New York, New Jersey, and a number of other states in 2012, Ted Cruz and more than 20 of his fellow Texas Republicans voted against an emergency aid package devoted to the areas devastated by the storm. Now that Hurricane Harvey is currently ravaging their own state, however, many of these same Republicans are changing their tune.

The devastation of Hurricane Harvey has two-faced Texas politicians looking for the same sort of relief funding they flatly opposed five years ago.

Larry McShane, New York Daily News

Last Friday, Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyntwo of the more vociferous opponents of the Sandy emergency aid packagesent a letter to the White House urging President Donald Trump to provide any and all emergency protective measures available by a major disaster declaration. The senators also called on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to expedite emergency funding.

The two letters were quickly highlighted by lawmakers and commentators as shamelessly hypocritical.

The devastation of Hurricane Harvey has two-faced Texas politicians looking for the same sort of relief funding they flatly opposed five years ago, noted Larry McShane of the New York Daily News. Cornyn and Cruz were among the 39 Republican senators to oppose the [Hurricane Sandy aid] package, along with 179 GOP members of the House. Republican senators further delayed the vote by trying to offset the aid with budget cuts. Many of these senators, as ThinkProgress reported, had previously backed emergency aid packages after disasters struck their own states.

The relief was ultimately passed by Congress, 91 days after Hurricane Sandy struck.

On Sunday, Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) highlighted Cruzs about-face on hurricane relief aid, and vowed to support aid to Texas.

A free and independent press is essential to the health of a functioning democracy

$50,000 Goal: $23,114 raised from 780 readers as of 5PM on August 28th

I wont abandon Texas the way Ted Cruz did New York, King wrote.

In a column for the Los Angeles Times on Monday, Michael Hiltzik underscored the hypocrisy of Cruz, Cornyn, and others, and concluded that there was a common ideology underlying every vote against Sandy relief: climate change denial.

[V]irtually every lawmaker who voted against the package had also denied or expressed extreme skepticism about climate change, even though it may well have magnified the impact of of the storm on low-lying districts, and may well have contributed to the devastating potency of Hurricane Harvey, Hiltzik writes.

This climate denialism, combined with a decline in regional cooperation, is a particular danger today, when the possibilitynay, probabilityof future devastation from climate change, not to mention other natural occurrences, is staring us in the face, Hiltzik concluded.

As for who will vote against aid to Texas, Hiltzik writes: Well know soon enough. The bills for Harvey will be coming due very, very soon.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License

Via Commondreams.org

-

Related video added by Juan Cole:

Wochit News: Texas Republicans Accused of Hypocrisy Over Hurricane Aid


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By George Joseph | ProPublica |  

Nearly a month before a car driven by an alleged neo-Nazi plowed into counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Aug. 12, white supremacists planning the Unite the Right rally joked about using vehicles to run over their opponents.

That message and thousands of other conversations among white supremacists were leaked from a chat app called Discord and posted on the website of a left-wing media collective called Unicorn Riot. Many users participation could not be verified, but ProPublica was able to confirm that two people whose statements were included in the leaked trove made the comments attributed to them.

The pre-Charlottesville chats include discussions of potential violence, the use of weapons, and excitement at the prospect of fighting for the white race.

The leaked discussions also reveal an intense level of planning and nationwide coordination. As ProPublica reported earlier this month, the Unite the Right demonstrations were dominated by a younger, more tech-savvy generation of white supremacists than in past protests. They coordinated logistics for disparate groups and came together a thousand strong to take over city streets in military-style formation. The two-plus months of leaked planning discussions, reviewed by ProPublica, support this assessment. Below are five key takeaways from the messages.

1. Some Activists Insisted on Peace  But Many Were Hungry for Violence

The discussion boards include repeated fantasies of violence against counter-protesters and black residents, only occasionally challenged by board moderators. (Wired.com reported on several examples over the weekend.) On July 18, for example, user AltCelt(IL) posted a photo of vehicles surrounded by crowds in response to fellow commentors discussion of car insurance and logistics. Another user replied, claiming that in North Carolina driving over protesters blocking roadways isnt an offense. The user seemed to be referring to a controversial bill that was recently passed by the North Carolina Statehouse. The user then posted a meme showing a combine harvester that could be a digestor for multiple lanes of protesters, saying, Sure would be nice.

Less than a month later, at the actual Unite the Right rally, a car struck a group of counter-protestors, killing 32-year-old paralegal Heather Heyer and injuring at least 19 others. The white supremacists made light of that after the fact, with one user posting a meme that inserted an image of the car from the movie Back to the Future into a photo of the crowd at Charlottesville, adding the phrase, Back to the Fhurer (sic).

Evan McLaren, executive director of Richard Spencers white supremacist National Policy Institute, argued in an interview that what he characterized as irreverent banter was not relevant to what happened and did not spur the violence in Charlottesville.

The chat group members often used Discord before the rally to discuss street-fighting with their enemies, especially antifa groups. And some conversations focused on terrorizing Charlottesville residents. On Aug. 3, a user copied a posting for a Facebook event for a black community back-to-school party near Emancipation Park, the site of the planned Robert E. Lee statue removal. Users joked about crashing the party and stabbing attendees, who would have presumably included schoolchildren. (RAHOWA, cited below, is an acronym for racial holy war.)

2. White Supremacist Groups Spent Months Tracking Potential Foes Online and in the Real World

A month before the rally, white supremacists used their chat site to collect information on counter-protesters they anticipated they might encounter. As one chat group leader put it, knowing faces is always helpful. For weeks in the lead-up to the rally, white nationalists shared photos of a wide variety of potential adversaries, from out-of-state leftists to local Charlottesville racial justice activists.

On July 17, a user with the handle Stanislav Dajic posted >Nigger >shoot intended targets, followed by a smiley-face emoji, under a photo of Joseph Offutt, a black Dallas-area activist who has taken part in several counter-protests against Black Lives Matter.

Chat group users also trawled through left-wing websites and social media, aiming to exploit what they viewed as their political advantage in the Trump era.

McLaren, for instance, posted information about a DC Training to Resist the Alt-Right car pool, which he took from the discussion section of a left-wing Facebook event. (McLaren said he did so to protect his fellow marchers.)

The white supremacists also gathered and shared information they had gleaned via in-person sleuthing efforts. One post from July 26, for example, showed a photo a white supremacist took of notes left on a whiteboard from a meeting of a group called Showing Up For Racial Justice in Charlottesville. The board included references to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Black Lives Matter and other entities.

On July 20, another user took pictures of three left-wing groups in Ann Arbor as they raised money and recruited volunteers to go to Charlottesville.

The user advised his compatriots, If you guys live in leftie areas and have art or street fairs coming up, itd be worth it to mosey through and see if your local leftists are out trying for the same thing.

3. Users Collected Evidence of Left-Wing Social Media Threats to Give to Police and Courts

Weeks before the Unite the Right rally, chat-room participants were collecting alleged left-wing threats of violence, such as Punch a Nazi posts on social media, suggesting this content should be forwarded to police or compiled for court proceedings. In one post from Aug. 9, for example, a user advised members of the Antifa Watch discussion thread to share threats against the rally to help with our court case.

In another post, this one on July 30, a user noted that an anarchist blog post discussing the Charlottesville rally should be forwarded to the Virginia State Police. Eli Mosley, who played a lead role in organizing the Unite the Right rally, told ProPublica via Twitter that police had been informed about potential threats his group had received. (The Virginia State Police and the Charlottesville Police Department did not respond to ProPublicas inquiries as to whether they received any such content.)

4. Some Members Displayed a Sophisticated Understanding of Digital Security Culture and Leftist Tactics

On an intelligence-gathering thread, a user identified as McCarthy recommended not bringing phones to the rally, since any stolen phones will compromise your entire affinity group, any organizations you are a part of, and entire networks of communication. McCarthy may have been referring to cellphone extraction devices and programs that can perform link analysis, which are increasingly used by law enforcement and can map phone users communication networks based on analysis of call and text logs. In addition, a stolen phone could be used to reveal the identities of white supremacists in a doxing campaign.

The user then shared a link to a page dedicated to operational security for right-wing protesters on the white supremacist website The Daily Stormer. In a message to ProPublica, Mosley attributed this security focus to members who he claimed are high level tech workers and IT security consultants.

Malcolm Harris, a left-wing writer whose work often focuses on far-right organizations, noted that this reference to affinity groups suggests that the right wing is borrowing from left-wing organizing tactics. The affinity model brings smaller operations to work together in a larger action, and the right seemed to use this approach to coordinate among numerous white supremacists groups, such as Identity Evropa, the Traditionalist Worker Party and Vanguard America.

The base form of an affinity organization is a group of five to six people that know and trust each other, then knit themselves into a larger [collection], Harris told ProPublica. They love taking left-wing terminology, so Im not surprised to see them talking about affinity groups. Its a pretty decent model for when you dont have a single organization running things.

Right-wing activists also shared information about local and state police scanners to help gather intelligence.

Its not exactly surprising that they adopt these tactics, said Harris. But on the other hand, the police and the state have not made it a priority to break their networks.

5. Organizers Worked Closely With Police and Assumed Law Enforcement Would Focus on Counter-Protesters

In planning documents and discussion threads, chat group leaders repeatedly referred before the march to close collaboration with police and voiced expectations that law enforcement would treat them respectfully. A secret planning document, entitled Operation Unite The Right Charlottesville 2.0, for example, prepped for various possible police responses to their demonstrations, but noted in our communications with them [the police] they know that the left are the ones looking to do violence.

In the message boards leading up to the rally, apparent chat group leaders also repeatedly referred to their close work with law enforcement. When asked about these communications, Mosley, who was quoted in one of the threads, explained, when I said they knew, I was referring to the police who, time and time again, admitted to us that they knew the left was (sic) going to be the violent ones.

The perception of law enforcement was more mixed among commenters who appeared to be in the rank and file of the chat group. Some hoped to recruit white police officers to their cause and praised past law enforcement efforts against left-wing Antifa protesters.

Others felt cops could betray them and were fundamentally pawns of the establishment (and added what may have been caricatures of Jewish people).

After the rally, counter-protesters and progressives criticized law enforcements apparent unwillingness to shut down violent altercations. During the torchlit march on Aug. 11, for example, white supremacist forces led by figures like Richard Spencer were able to storm through the University of Virginia, with some participants beating up counter-protesters, some of whom fought back but were overwhelmed. Witnesses, such as the Harvard professor and activist Cornel West, noted how few police were in sight. The next day at the rally, according to the Daily Beast, police ignored pleas from wounded activists and did not intervene or make arrests after the beating of a black protester, Deandre Harris, in a parking garage next to the Charlottesville police station.

McLaren, the white supremacist, blames the local political establishment, claiming  without proof  that it engineered the violence. I dont blame police for this; its the people who were directing police, said McLaren. They obviously engineered an event where it had to be designed so that violence would occur.

In the wake of the leaks (and efforts by Discord to ban them from the app), white supremacist leaders say they will simply move to other apps or abandon them. Ive never liked using Discord or things like that anyway, Mosley wrote on Twitter. Weve done it without that before. We used it this time because it was a large and public event.

McLaren echoed that view. You know also theres a robust nature to what weve accomplished so far, said McLaren. Were pretty personally networked now so theres an extent we can continue to coordinate things even if were completely shut out of social media.

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for their newsletter.



Related video added by Juan Cole:

France24: Joseph Lowdes: some far-right groups want a growing racial conflict in the US
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - August 29, 2017) - ATAC Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: ATC) ("ATAC") is pleased to announce results of an additional four diamond drill holes from the Conrad and Osiris Zones within the Osiris Project at the Rackla Gold Property, Yukon.

Highlights

Hole OS-17-238 at the Conrad Zone intersects 12.50 m of 20.78 g/t gold of newly identified and near-surface mineralization ;

of ; Hole OS-17-236 at the Conrad Zone intersects four high-grade gold intervals ; and,

; and, Drilling confirms continuity along the western limb of the Osiris zone.

Conrad Zone Diamond Drill Results Target Area Drill Hole From

(m) To

(m) Interval*

(m) Gold

(g/t) Gold**

(g/t x m) Upper Zone OS-17-236 3.05 30.48 27.43 4.37 120 incl. 20.46 27.43 6.97 10.66 74 Upper Zone 37.06 71.63 34.57 3.52 122 Upper Zone 132.59 149.35 16.76 8.59 144 incl. 133.65 141.55 7.90 17.24 136 650 Fault 190.50 233.17 42.67 3.78 161 incl. 194.40 201.17 6.77 8.16 55 650 Fault OS-17-238 19.81 27.43 7.62 4.96 38 650 Fault 54.86 67.36 12.50 20.78 260 incl. 64.01 67.36 3.35 35.60 119 650 Fault 259.08 269.49 10.41 7.15 74 incl. 262.13 267.21 5.08 11.83 60

* The reported intersections are drilled thicknesses and are believed to represent approximately 40 to 100% true widths. ** Gram metres calculated by multiplying the gold grade (g/t) by the interval (m) and rounded to the nearest integer.

"The newly identified gold mineralization intersected in hole OS-17-238 is an exciting development as it confirms our belief that the 650 Fault zone plays an important structural role in the mineralizing system at Conrad," commented Julia Lane, ATAC's VP of Exploration. "Only very limited drilling has occurred near OS-17-238 previously, therefore the discovery of this new mineralization adds to the exploration potential in this area."

Conrad Zone

Drilling at the Conrad Zone in 2017 includes the targeting of mineralization associated with the 650 Fault zone on the eastern side of Conrad. The 650 Fault zone is an area where detailed geologic and structural modelling has shown a northward stepped displacement of the Conrad limestone unit. Hole OS-17-236 was drilled across the northwest trending 650 Fault corridor and intersected four zones of high-grade gold including 27.43 m of 4.37 g/t gold and 42.67 m of 3.78 g/t gold. The four mineralized zones in this hole represent the interplay of the 650 Fault hosted mineralization with the strata controlled replacement-style Conrad Upper Zone mineralization.

Hole OS-17-238 at Conrad targeted an area of limited drilling within the 650 Fault corridor and returned high-grade siliciclastic-hosted rock with an interval of 12.50 m of 20.78 g/t gold near the top of the hole. Additional intervals of high-grade gold mineralization including 10.41 m of 7.15 g/t gold within OS-17-238 occur in fracture networks developed in the siliciclastic rock unit hosted in the 650 Fault corridor. Diamond drilling targeting this prospective area and the 350 Fault corridor of the Conrad Zone is ongoing. Both the 650 and 350 Fault corridors exhibit similar structural settings (see ATAC news release dated August 17, 2017). Please see ATAC's website www.atacresources.com, for an updated Conrad Zone plan map.

Osiris Zone Diamond Drill Results Target Area Drill Hole From

(m) To

(m) Interval*

(m) Gold

(g/t) Gold**

(g x m) Osiris North OS-17-237 175.47 192.63 17.16 2.89 50 Osiris North OS-17-239 130.28 144.17 13.89 1.85 26

* The reported intersections are drilled thicknesses and are believed to represent approximately 50 to 100% true widths. ** Gram metres calculated by multiplying the gold grade (g/t) by the interval (m) and rounded to the nearest integer.

Osiris Zone

Drilling at the Osiris Zone in 2017 is aimed at testing the favourable limestone and overlying dolostone units in proximity to faults that offset the Osiris stratigraphy. Drilling is also focusing on expanding upon the limited wide-spaced drilling that was last completed in the northern portion of the Osiris Zone in 2011. Both holes OS-17-237 and OS-17-239 targeted an area on the western limb of the Osiris anticline that is cut by southeast trending cross faults.

Hole OS-17-237 intersected 17.16 m of 2.89 g/t gold within mineralized fractures that developed on the periphery of one of the Osiris cross faults. Hole OS-17-239 intersected 13.89 m of 1.85 g/t gold in a more strongly faulted section of the host limestone unit. Both holes also confirm mineralized continuity along the western limb of the Osiris Zone. Please see ATAC's website www.atacresources.com, for an updated Osiris Zone plan map.

Drilling along the western limb of the Osiris Zone is ongoing.

At the time of this release, a total of 8,300 m of diamond drilling has been completed at the Osiris Project. Two drills continue to test the Conrad, Osiris and Sunrise Zones.

The technical information in this news release has been approved by Julia Lane, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration for ATAC and a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.

QA/QC

Diamond drill samples were forwarded to ALS Minerals in Whitehorse, Y.T. or North Vancouver, B.C. where they were fine crushed before a 250 gram split was pulverized to better than 85% passing 75 microns. The pulverizing circuit was cleaned with quartz sand twice between samples. Pulps were then analyzed at ALS Minerals in North Vancouver, B.C. where gold determinations were carried out. Splits of the pulverized fraction were dissolved using a multi acid digestion and analyzed for 49 elements using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) together with mass spectrometry (MS) and atomic emission spectroscopy (AES). Gold analyses were by the Au-AA25 procedure that involves fire assay preparation using a 30 gram charge with an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish. Mercury analyses were digested with aqua regia and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Rigorous procedures are in place regarding sample collection, chain of custody and data entry. Certified assay standards, duplicate samples and blanks are routinely inserted into the sample stream of diamond drill samples to ensure integrity of the assay process. All diamond drill samples included in this news release have passed the QA/QC procedures as described above. All assay intervals presented in this news release are uncut.

About ATAC

ATAC is a Yukon-based exploration company focused on developing Canada's only Carlin-type gold district at the Rackla Gold Property. Recent work on the ~1,700 km2 property has resulted in a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Tiger Gold Deposit, drilling of multiple high-grade Carlin-type gold zones and the identification of numerous early-stage gold exploration targets. ATAC and Barrick Gold Corporation recently partnered to explore the Rackla Gold Property's Orion Project, with Barrick having the option to earn up to 70% of Orion by spending $55 million in exploration. ATAC is well-financed with approximately $18 million in its treasury and is currently completing a $10 million exploration program at the Osiris and Rau Projects (which are not subject to Barrick's earn-in right), while concurrently working with Barrick to advance the Orion Project.
VANCOUVER, Aug. 29, 2017 /CNW/ -Dolly Varden Silver Corporation (TSX.V: DV | U.S.: DOLLF) (the "Company" or "Dolly Varden") is pleased to announce results from drilling on the Dolly Varden Silver Project in the Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia. Hole DV17-063 was drilled in the Central Sector and hit two zones of high-grade silver. Furthermore, the Board of Directors has approved an expansion to the 2017 exploration program budget from $3.5 million to $6.5 million.

Hole DV17-063 was drilled to test the position of the Moose-Lamb Fault and to continue down to the area of the high-grade silver hit in the Dolly Varden-Torbrit Horizon (DVTH), previously announced in hole DV17-058 (news release dated 14 August 2017). Along the projection of the Moose-Lamb Fault, hole DV17-063 intersected epithermal vein-style mineralization and further down the hole intersected the VMS-style mineralization of the DVTH. This location of the DVTH is 220 metres north and 200 metres deeper than the north side of the Torbrit Deposit.

Hole DV17-063  Moose Zone yielded a core length of 11.00 metres (7.07 m true thickness) grading Ag 394.2 g/t, Pb 2.27 % and Zn 0.46 % for a silver-equivalent of 514.2 g/t. Within this zone interval is 4.00 metres (2.57 m true thickness) grading Ag 987.5 g/t, Pb 5.90 % and Zn 0.90 % for a silver-equivalent of 1,283.8 g/t.

The Torbrit North Zone of hole DV17-063 yielded a core length of 22.74 metres (21.37 m true thickness) grading Ag 433.3 g/t, Pb 0.74 % and Zn 0.22 % for a silver-equivalent of 476.1 g/t. Within this Torbrit North Zone interval is 7.15 metres (6.72 m true thickness) grading Ag 1,180.7 g/t, Pb 1.83 % and Zn 0.26 % for a silver-equivalent of 1,271.9 g/t.

"These drill results confirm the very high silver grades of the new discovery north of Torbrit and add an additional discovery along a major fault. Expansion of the exploration program is definitely warranted," said Gary Cope, President and CEO of Dolly Varden.

Dolly Varden Project  Central Sector Drilling 2017  Hole DV17-063 Hole Zone From To Core True Ag Pb Zn Ag-Eq (m) (m) Length Width (g/t) (%) (%) (g/t) DV17-063 Moose 153.20 164.20 11.00 7.07 394.2 2.27 0.46 514.2 includes 154.20 158.20 4.00 2.57 987.5 5.90 0.90 1,283.8 includes 154.20 156.20 2.00 1.29 1,700.0 11.55 1.46 2,264.4 Tor-North 415.80 438.54 22.74 21.37 433.3 0.74 0.22 476.1 includes 427.85 438.54 10.69 10.05 852.2 1.46 0.30 929.4 includes 427.85 435.00 7.15 6.72 1,180.7 1.83 0.26 1,271.9 includes 433.00 435.00 2.00 1.88 3,495.0 5.57 0.31 3,746.4

Note: Ag-Eq = Ag + (Pb%*22.046*Pb price*31.103/Ag price) + (Zn%*22.046*Zn price*31.103/Ag price). Metal prices used for this formula: Ag = $US 16.25/oz, Pb = $US 1.00/lb, Zn = $US 1.25/lb. No provisions have been made for relative metal recovery, thus 100% recovery is used for the silver-equivalent values.

The Moose-Lamb Fault is a syn-basinal structure, striking northwest-southeast and dipping steeply to the southwest. The DVTH is a horizon of VMS (volcanogenic massive sulphide) type, with jasper and barite enriched near the top and sulphides with smoky quartz present in the lower portions.

At the end of July, the 2017 exploration program was ahead of schedule, had drilled more metres than planned and was on budget. A proposal to expand the exploration budget by a further $3 million and increase the drilling to greater than 12,000 metres was approved by the Board.

A drill hole location map of the Mine and Central Sectors area is posted on the Dolly Varden Silver Corporation website at www.dollyvardensilver.com

About Dolly Varden

Dolly Varden Silver Corporation is a mineral exploration company focused on exploration in northwestern British Columbia. Dolly Varden has two projects, the namesake Dolly Varden silver property and the nearby Big Bulk copper-gold property. The Dolly Varden property is considered to be highly prospective for hosting high-grade precious metal deposits, since it comprises the same structural and stratigraphic setting that host numerous other, on-trend, high-grade deposits (Eskay Creek, Brucejack). The Big Bulk property is prospective for porphyry and skarn style copper and gold mineralization similar to other such deposits in the region (Red Mountain, KSM, Red Chris).

The current mineral resource estimate at Dolly Varden, effective date August 27, 2015, consists of four deposits with an Indicated Resource of 3.07 million tonnes grading 321.6 g/t Ag, for 31.8 million ounces of silver, plus an Inferred Resource of 0.9 million tonnes grading 373.3 g/t Ag, for 10.8 million ounces of silver. These resources were estimated at a cut-off grade of 150 g/t Ag. For more details, please refer to a NI 43-101 compliant Technical Report filed on www.sedar.com and on the Company's website.

Ben Whiting, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration and Robert van Egmond, P.Geo., Chief Geologist for Dolly Varden, serve as 'Qualified Persons' under National Instrument 43-101, and have approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

The Company's Common Shares are listed and traded on the TSX.V under the symbol "DV" and on the OTCBB system under the symbol "DOLLF".
TORONTO, Aug. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE:MUX) (TSX:MUX) (McEwen) is pleased to announce that it has signed the binding definitive agreement with Primero Mining Corp. for the purchase of its Black Fox Complex in the world-famous gold mining region of Timmins, Canada. The agreed purchase price is $35 million, subject to closing adjustments. Closing of the transaction is anticipated in late-September.

Key benefits of this transaction to McEwen Mining shareowners:

Production and Resource Growth

Strategically increases our gold production by 50,000 ounces in 2018 and significantly increases our gold resources in the Timmins region. Furthermore, excess mill and tailings capacity provide the capability to increase future production.

Management and Operational Readiness

Establishes a base of operations with an experienced and skilled site management and workforce who will operate and advance development of these assets and the Timmins properties recently acquired from Lexam VG Gold. Combined these properties include seven development and exploration stage projects.

Exploration Potential

The property is located along a prime 4.5 mile (7 km) section of the Destor-Porcupine Fault, which is host to many world-class gold deposits. It is already well-endowed with the Black Fox Mine, and the Grey Fox and Froome deposits; and has geologic traits that make it prospective to grow the existing deposits and for additional discoveries.

About McEwen Mining (www.mcewenmining.com)

McEwen Mining has the goal to qualify for inclusion in the S&P 500 Index by creating a high growth gold and silver producer focused in the Americas. McEwen Mining's principal assets consist of the San Jose mine in Santa Cruz, Argentina (49% interest), the El Gallo Gold mine and El Gallo Silver project in Mexico, the Gold Bar project in Nevada, the Timmins projects in Canada and the Los Azules copper project in Argentina.

McEwen Mining has a total of 312 million shares outstanding. Rob McEwen, Chairman and Chief Owner, owns 25% of the Company.

QUALIFIED PERSON

Technical information pertaining to production guidance for the Black Fox Complex contained in this news release has been prepared under the supervision of Mr. Nathan Stubina. Technical information pertaining to geology and exploration contained in this news release has been prepared under the supervision of Mr. Sylvain Guerard. Both Mr. Stubina and Mr. Guerard, are officers of the Company who are a "qualified person" within the meaning of NI 43-101.
TORONTO, Aug. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - Sierra Metals Inc. (TSX: SMT) (BVL: SMT) (NYSE AMERICAN: SMTS) ("Sierra Metals" or "the Company") today announced results from the expanded drilling program completed at the Santa Rosa de Lima zone located adjacent to current operations within the Cusihuiriachic ("Cusi") property, Chihuahua state, Mexico. The completion of this drilling program will now provide the necessary data to update the past mineral resource report and provide the Company with potential future mineable resources.

Infill drilling results are summarized in Table 1 below.

"The updated drilling program results not only confirm the existence of high-grade silver mineralization but also allows Sierra Metals the opportunity of upgrading this material into a mineral resource. It is important to note that the Santa Rosa de Lima zone is already accessible by our existing mine infrastructure which will allow for inclusion of this material into the mine plan in the near future. The assay results will be included in an updated mineral resource estimate for the Cusi mine which is expected to be released by year end" stated Alonso Lujan, Vice President Exploration at Sierra Metals. "Intercepts such as those returned in Holes 47, 50 and 51 are common in high-grade epithermal deposits. Additionally, there is further potential to expand the exploration success to depth and along strike at the Santa Rosa de Lima zone as well as other zones including the San Rafael Vein, San Nicolas Vein and the Bordo Fault. We look forward to further potential discoveries as we continue to explore the Cusi Mine district."

Igor Gonzales, President and CEO of Sierra Metals commented: "The discovery and exploration of the Santa Rosa de Lima zone is an important advance in uncovering Cusi's silver asset value. It confirms the existence of a high-grade silver deposit that will contribute to the growth of the Cusi Mine and to higher silver revenues for Sierra Metals." He continued, "The Santa Rosa de Lima zone has the potential to transform the current operations at the Cusi Mine and offers even greater potential going forward, as the positive exploration results in our step out drilling campaign have demonstrated. Currently, we have ramped down to the zone and are now planning and developing for the inclusion of this ore in the mine plan at Cusi."

Cusi Mine Geology

The Cusi mine district encompasses 11,657 hectares over range of elevation of 1,950 to 2,460 metres above sea level in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountain Range. It is the result of one of largest volcanic events in the world that occurred between the Cretaceous and the Tertiary periods. The Sierra Madre Occidental is formed by two volcanics groups. Upper Volcanic Complex and Lower Volcanic Complex.

The Sierra Madre Occidental is one of the largest known epithermal precious metal metallogenic provinces and is host to well-known gold and silver producing mining districts, including: Concheno, Ocampo, Bacis, Tayoltita, Topia, Guanacevi, La Cienega, Mulatos El Sauzal and Pinos Altos.

The Cusi Mine district is located in the Lower Volcanic Complex, where subvolcanic rocks are closely related to the mineralization. The current operation is being developed in secondary veins with a preferred Northeast-Southwest arrangement. The Santa Rosa de Lima zone has no clear evidence of surface hydrothermalism although it has been identified for a length of 12 kilometers within Sierra Metals concessions or property boundaries. The Santa Rosa de Lima zone has an extensive relationship with the structural trend where Sunshine Silver Mine's Los Gatos Project is located 90 kilometers to the Southeast.

The mineralization at the Santa Rosa de Lima zone is located approximately 200 meters below the surface, and can occasionally be observed at surface in the intersections of veins like Promontorio and Santa Edwiges.

Table 1.1 Results from the drill program

N Hole Internal Control Real Width (m) Au g/t Ag g/t Pb % Zn % EQAg g/t DC17B721 31 1.10 - 128 0.13 0.27 144 DC17B722 32 1.65 - 117 0.08 0.10 124 DC17B723 34 2.90 - 168 0.31 0.44 198 DC17B725 36 0.40 - 14 0.54 1.53 99 DC17B726 38 3.50 - 213 0.14 0.21 227 DC17B729 33 3.80 - 287 0.10 0.10 295 DC17B731 41 4.50 - 176 0.14 0.16 188 DC17B740 42 6.25 - 440 0.14 0.16 452 DC17B741 35 2.50 - 128 0.28 0.14 144 DC17B742 44 1.50 - 71 0.24 0.25 90 DC17B743 47 4.50 - 401 0.13 0.19 414 DC17B744 39 9.15 - 243 0.24 0.15 258 DC17B745 49 1.40 - 110 0.24 0.48 139 DC17B747 62 0.85 - 90 0.11 0.12 99 DC17B748 50 4.00 - 205 2.40 3.15 424 DC17B749 63 1.55 - 31 1.56 0.63 112 DC17B750 51 13.85 - 465 0.54 0.33 498 DC17B751 57 0.90 - 181 0.89 1.61 281 DC17B752 54 4.70 - 172 5.35 5.15 580 DC17B753 59 0.90 - 112 0.75 1.44 200

Samples were dried, crushed and pulverized by ALS Chemex in Chihuahua City, samples pulp were shipped by ALS Chemex to their laboratory in Vancouver, Canada.

Figure 1 shows a plan map of the Cusi area. Figure 2 shows the distribution of the drilling executed at the Santa Rosa de Lima zone. Figure 3 shows a cross section in which several veins has been identified.

Qualified Persons

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Gordon Babcock P.Eng., Chief Operating Officer and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Americo Zuzunaga, MAusIMM CP(Geologist) and Vice President of Corporate Planning is a Qualified Person (Geologist) and chartered professional qualifying as a competent person under the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.

Augusto Chung, FAusIMM CP(Metallurgist) and Consultant to Sierra Metals is a Qualified Person (Metallurgist) and chartered professional qualifying as a competent person under the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.

About Sierra Metals

Sierra Metals Inc. is Canadian based growing polymetallic mining company with production from its Yauricocha Mine in Peru, and its Bolivar and Cusi Mines in Mexico. The Company is focused on increasing production volume and growing mineral resources. Sierra Metals has recently had several new key discoveries and still has many more exciting brownfield exploration opportunities at all three Mines in Peru and Mexico that are within close proximity to the existing mines. Additionally, the Company also has large land packages at all three mines with several prospective regional targets providing longer term exploration upside and mineral resource growth potential.

The Company's Common Shares trade on the Bolsa de Valores de Lima and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "SMT" and on the NYSE American Exchange under the symbol "SMTS".
MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Aug. 29, 2017) - TOMAGOLD CORPORATION (TSX VENTURE:LOT) ("TomaGold" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce the creation of a new advisory board consisting of Alain Bureau, B.Eng. (former CEO of Pershimco Resources), Jean Martineau (CEO of Dynacor Gold Mines) and Robin Phinney, P.Eng. (former CEO of Karnalyte Resources). The mandate of the advisory board will be to assist the Corporation in matters relating to acquisitions, exploration and development strategies.

"On behalf of the Board, I wish to thank Messrs. Bureau, Martineau and Phinney for agreeing to join our newly-created advisory board," said David Grondin, President and CEO of TomaGold. "Their broad mining knowledge, expertise and networks will be of great advantage to TomaGold as we seek to strengthen the depth of our management team. These CEOs possess strong mining backgrounds acquired through the creation and management of successful companies across the Americas. We intend to make full use of their solid technical expertise to optimize the development of our promising projects and maximize their value for the benefit of our shareholders."

Alain Bureau has Canadian Armed Forces officer training and an engineering degree from the Royal Military College of Canada. He has worked in the mining and construction industry in Canada and Latin America for over 20 years. He was involved in sizeable international projects in Chile, Peru, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, and acted as the plant construction manager during the acclaimed construction of the Pinos Altos mine for Agnico Eagle in Mexico. Mr. Bureau was President and CEO of Pershimco Resources until it successfully merged with Orla Mining Ltd. to create a new gold company in a transaction valued at over $200 million. Mr. Bureau is currently a resident of Panama, and remains highly involved in the mining industry in Latin America as a member of the Mining Chamber of Panama and Vice President of the Panama-Canada Chamber of Commerce.

Jean Martineau has worked in the Canadian mining industry for more than 25 years as a director of junior exploration companies and an investment broker, and has been the CEO and President of Dynacor Gold Mines since the company was listed on the TSX in 2007. Over the last 20 years, he has focused on South America and has acquired in-depth knowledge of the management of natural resource companies in South America. His Latin American expertise has been of prime importance in the development of Dynacor Gold Mines' operations in Peru. Prior to work in the mining industry, he worked in the Pulp and Paper industry for more than 12 years, where his last assignment was in Venezuela.

Robin L. Phinney, P.Eng., earned a chemical engineering degree at Lakehead University. Early in his career he acquired valuable experience in plant engineering, process development, product development and sales and marketing, namely from Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Kaolin Industries. In 2002, he co-founded Whitemud Resources, and then served as its vice president of engineering from 2005 to 2007. In 2007, he founded Karnalyte Resources, where he was President and CEO and a director until 2014 and then as its President and Chairman and a director until 2017.

The Corporation has also granted directors, officers and consultants an aggregate of 3,100,000 stock options to acquire the same number of common shares of the Corporation at $0.10 per share for a period of five years.

About TomaGold Corporation

TomaGold Corporation is a Canadian mineral exploration company engaged in the acquisition, assessment, exploration and development of gold mineral properties. To optimize its chances of discovery and minimize its exploration risk, TomaGold aims to develop high-grade gold properties with major mining companies. It currently has joint venture agreements with IAMGOLD Corporation for the Monster Lake project, with Goldcorp Inc. for the Sidace Lake property, and with Goldcorp Inc. and New Gold Inc. for the Baird property. TomaGold has interests in six gold properties in northern Quebec: Monster Lake, Winchester, Lac-a-l'Eau-Jaune, Monster Lake East, Obalski and Lac Cavan near the Chibougamau mining camp. It also holds a 39.5% interest in the Sidace Lake property and a 24.5% in the Baird property near the Red Lake mining camp in Ontario. Finally, it has an option to acquire a 70% interest in the Hazeur property, at the southern edge of the Monster Lake group of properties.
August 29, 2017 / JMN Wire / Altamira Gold Corp. (TSXV: ALTA) (FSE: T6UP) (USA: EQTRF), (Altamira or the Company) is pleased to provide additional results from the ongoing drilling and trenching program at the Cajueiro project located in western Brazil which is designed to further expand on the discoveries recently announced at the Baldo East and Toninho targets.

Highlights are as follows:

Results from Trench TCBL-20 include 6m @ 21.74g/t gold including 3m @ 43.02g/t . This is the western-most trench completed to date at Baldo East.

. This is the western-most trench completed to date at Baldo East. Results from Trench TCBL-19 which is currently the eastern-most trench on the Baldo East zone include 1m @ 13.33g/t gold and 9m @ 1.84g/t gold.

The strike length of the Baldo East zone has more than doubled to 570m in an east-west direction having been identified in five adjacent trenches. Recent trench results at Baldo East include 3m @ 6.54g/t including 1m @ 17.54g/t, 3m @ 5.83g/t including 1m @ 16.24g/t, and 1m @ 9.15g/t gold. The zone remains open both to the east and west

Ten diamond drill holes have been completed thus far at Cajueiro as part of this drill program with results pending. The program of mechanical trenching is continuing with 2,716m completed thus far

In terms of drilling at Cajueiro, ten diamond drill holes have been completed thus far during this campaign in three new target areas (see attached map) and results are currently pending. It is anticipated that the drill rig will move to the Crepori project which has not been previously drill tested, during late August, to allow for receipt of all the drill results from Cajuiero. Results are currently pending on four diamond drill holes which are designed to test the vertical extent of the Baldo East zone.

Baldo East

Surface rock samples from the Baldo East area range from 3.4 to 118.4g/t gold. Thus far, the new Baldo East zone has been identified in five trenches, three of which were reported on previously (see press release dated 1st August 2017) and included 1m @ 3.49g/t + 3m @ 6.54g/t including 1m @ 17.54g/t, + 6m @ 2.26g/t in trench 10, 3m @ 5.83g/t gold including 1m @ 16.24g/t in trench 13, and 1m @ 9.15 g/t + 9m @ 1.19g/t in trench 18.



Two new trenches were developed on either side of the existing trenches. Trench 20 was developed 100m west of trench 10 and returned 6m @ 21.74g/t gold including 3m @ 43.02g/t. The zone remains open to the west. Trench 19 was developed 100m east of trench 18 and returned 1m @ 13.33g/t gold and 9m @ 1.84g/t gold. The zone remains open to the east and has now been traced for 570m along strike (see map) more than doubling the +250m strike length inferred from the previous press release (see press release dated 1st August 2017). Results are currently pending on four diamond drill holes which are designed to test the vertical extent of the Baldo East zone.

Toninho

Three additional trenches have been developed at Toninho along with three additional diamond drill holes and results are pending.

Future Plans

The drill rig will now move to the Crepori project located 280km north of Cajuiero in an area of extensive historic placer gold workings. This will allow for receipt of drill results on the initial 10 diamond drill holes at Cajuiero. Crepori has never been previously drill tested and has returned surface gold values from outcropping high grade veins up to 1022g/t gold.



Other

The Company also announces that it has entered into agreements to settle an aggregate amount of $42,500 in fees owed to certain arm's length creditors of the Company (the Debt Settlement). The debt will be settled through the issuance of 236,111 common shares of the Company (the Shares) at a deemed price of $0.18 per Share. The issuance of the Shares in connection with the Debt Settlement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and subject to a four-month hold period.

Guillermo Hughes, P. Geo., a consultant to the Company as well as a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release.
The Palestinian movement Hamas, ruling the Gaza Strip, Monday praised renewal of ties with Iran adding that it is ready for war with Israel thanks to Tehrans military support.

The Iranian military support to Hamas and al-Qassam is strategic, said Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Palestinian group. Al-Qassam is the military wing of Hamas.

Sinwar stressed that Hamas was building up its military capacity with the help of Iran to liberate Palestine. The Palestinian leader also noted that his group is ready for hostility with Israel, even though the Palestinian group does not seek war with its archenemy.

Every day we build missiles and continue military training, he said, pointing out that the groups operatives are working day and night to prepare for the next conflict.

Sinwar said relations with Iran have become fantastic and returned to the former era.

Ties between Hamas and Iran had always been good until 2011 after the Palestinian group refused to back Irans ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian revolution.

Things have improved since the group elected a new leadership earlier this year.

A delegation of top Hamas officials visited Tehran early this month to attend the inauguration of President Hassan Rouhani for another term in office.

During the visit, the delegation met with Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif who reportedly vowed Tehrans unwavering support to the fight for the liberation of Palestine.

Other accounts say the delegation also discussed common issues with Iranian Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary force, operating under the wing of the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Left: Niels Bohr in 1922. Right: A 1963 Danish stamp honored Bohr on the 50th anniversary of his atomic theory. (opens in new tab) / Shutterstock.com (opens in new tab) ) (Image credit: Left: AB Lagrelius & Westphal, via American Institute of Physics. Right: Antonio Abrignani

Niels Bohr was one of the foremost scientists of modern physics, best known for his substantial contributions to quantum theory and his Nobel Prize-winning research on the structure of atoms.

Born in Copenhagen in 1885 to well-educated parents, Bohr became interested in physics at a young age. He studied the subject throughout his undergraduate and graduate years and earned a doctorate in physics in 1911 from Copenhagen University.

While still a student, Bohr won a contest put on by the Academy of Sciences in Copenhagen for his investigation into the measurements of liquid surface tension using oscillating fluid jets. Working in the laboratory of his father (a renowned physiologist), Bohr conducted several experiments and even made his own glass test tubes.

Bohr went above and beyond the current theory of liquid surface tension by taking into account the viscosity of the water as well as incorporating finite amplitudes rather than infinitesimal ones. He submitted his essay at the last minute, winning first place and a gold medal. He improved upon these ideas and sent them to the Royal Society in London, who published them in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society in 1908, according to Nobelprize.org.

His subsequent work became increasingly theoretical. It was while conducting research for his doctoral thesis on the electron theory of metals that Bohr first came across Max Planck's early quantum theory, which described energy as tiny particles, or quanta.

In 1912, Bohr was working for the Nobel laureate J.J. Thompson in England when he was introduced to Ernest Rutherford, whose discovery of the nucleus and development of an atomic model had earned him a Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1908. Under Rutherford's tutelage, Bohr began studying the properties of atoms.

Bohr held a lectureship in physics at Copenhagen University from 1913 to 1914 and went on to hold a similar position at Victoria University in Manchester from 1914 to 1916. He went back to Copenhagen University in 1916 to become a professor of theoretical physics. In 1920, he was appointed the head of the Institute for Theoretical Physics.

Combining Rutherford's description of the nucleus and Planck's theory about quanta, Bohr explained what happens inside an atom and developed a picture of atomic structure. This work earned him a Nobel Prize of his own in 1922.

In the same year that he began his studies with Rutherford, Bohr married the love of his life, Margaret Nrlund, with whom he had six sons. Later in life, he became president of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences, as well as a member of scientific academies all over the world.

When the Nazis invaded Denmark in World War II, Bohr managed to escape to Sweden. He spent the last two years of the war in England and the United States, where he got involved with the Atomic Energy Project. It was important to him, however, to use his skills for good and not violence. He dedicated his work toward the peaceful use of atomic physics and toward solving political problems arising from the development of atomic weapons of destruction. He believed that nations should be completely open with one another and wrote down these views in his Open Letter to the United Nations in 1950.

A stylized representation of a lithium atom illustrates Niels Bohr's atomic model, that an atom is a small, positively charged nucleus surrounded by orbiting electrons. (opens in new tab) Shutterstock (opens in new tab) ) (Image credit: Boris15

Atomic model

Bohr's greatest contribution to modern physics was the atomic model. The Bohr model shows the atom as a small, positively charged nucleus surrounded by orbiting electrons.

Bohr was the first to discover that electrons travel in separate orbits around the nucleus and that the number of electrons in the outer orbit determines the properties of an element.

The chemical element bohrium (Bh), No. 107 on the periodic table of elements, is named for him.

Liquid droplet theory

Bohr's theoretical work contributed significantly to scientists' understanding of nuclear fission. According to his liquid droplet theory, a liquid drop provides an accurate representation of an atom's nucleus.

This theory was instrumental in the first attempts to split uranium atoms in the 1930s, an important step in the development of the atomic bomb.

Despite his contributions to the U.S. Atomic Energy Project during World War II, Bohr was an outspoken advocate for the peaceful application of atomic physics.

Quantum theory

Bohr's concept of complementarity, which he wrote about in a number of essays between 1933 and 1962, states that an electron can be viewed in two ways, either as a particle or as a wave, but never both at the same time.

This concept, which forms the basis of early quantum theory, also explains that regardless of how one views an electron, all understanding of its properties must be rooted in empirical measurement. Bohr's theory stresses the point that an experiment's results are deeply affected by the measurement tools used to carry them out.

Bohr's contributions to the study of quantum mechanics are forever memorialized at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Copenhagen University, which he helped found in 1920 and headed until his death in 1962. It has since been renamed the Niels Bohr Institute in his honor.

Niels Bohr quotations

"Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it."

"Everything we call real is made of things that cannot be regarded as real."

"The best weapon of a dictatorship is secrecy, but the best weapon of a democracy should be the weapon of openness."

"Never express yourself more clearly than you are able to think."

Additional reporting by Traci Pedersen, Live Science contributor
Evacuees in Houston wade down a flooded section of Interstate 610 during Tropical Storm Harvey, on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017. Rising water drove thousands of people to rooftops or higher ground.

Tropical Storm Harvey's historic rainfall and flooding continue to batter the Texas coast near the Gulf of Mexico, and Louisiana's southwestern coast is bracing to similarly face an onslaught of heavy rainfall and rising floodwaters in the coming days.

With significant rainfall and flooding still in the forecast, Harvey could rival the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina, which pummeled the Louisiana coast in 2005 and was one of the deadliest storms to ever strike the U.S. It caused 1,833 deaths and cost about $108 billion in damages, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

What shaped these two catastrophic events, and how do they measure up against each other? [In Photos: Hurricane Harvey Takes Aim at Texas]

Harvey made landfall in Texas on Friday (Aug. 25) at 11 p.m. local time as a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum wind speeds surpassing 130 mph (209 km/h), The Washington Post reported. Later downgraded to tropical storm status, Harvey has since deposited more than 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain in regions of southeastern coastal Texas, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

In the Houston area alone, reports estimate nearly 30 inches (76 cm) of rain have fallen over two days, NHC officials reported, and life-threatening flooding is underway across inland areas in south-central Texas, with storm surges of up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) anticipated in some areas, according to the NWS. At least eight people have been killed and more than a dozen injured thus far, The Washington Post reported.

Birth of Katrina

Katrina formed as a tropical storm in the Bahamas on Aug. 24, 2005, first impacting the Florida coast on Aug. 25 as a Category 1 hurricane, then making landfall in southeastern Louisiana on Aug. 29 as a Category 3 storm, with sustained winds of 120 mph (193 km/h). Rainfall totals during Katrina were significantly less than those during Harvey  between 6 and 9 inches (15 and 23 cm) on the Mississippi coast, and around 5 inches (13 cm) or less in northern Mississippi into Ohio, according to NASA's Earth Observatory.

Flooded neighborhoods are visible as the Coast Guard conducts initial Hurricane Katrina damage-assessment overflights on Aug. 29, 2005, in New Orleans. (Image credit: Kyle Niemi/U.S. Coast Guard/Getty)

Accompanying Katrina was a massive storm surge  an abnormal rise in coastal sea levels, generated by storm activity  with waters cresting at heights of 10 to 25 feet (3 to 8 m), which more than made up for the hurricane's relatively low rainfall. Floodwaters inundated coastal Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana, leaving 80 percent of New Orleans under water that was slow to drain and lingered for weeks. [A History of Destruction: 8 Great Hurricanes]

It is still too soon to tell the extent of Harvey's storm surge, which is difficult to measure in real time while a storm is in progress, Michael Lowry, a scientist with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research  a nonprofit consortium dedicated to the study of atmospheric science  wrote in a tweet on Aug. 26. In fact, scientists might need weeks to calculate Harvey's storm surge, Lowry added.

See more

The staggering amount of rainfall that Harvey is expected to deliver  an estimated 50 inches (127 cm) in some areas  can be explained by the condition of wind currents that held the storm system in place over southeastern Texas, Jason Runyen, a forecaster with the NWS in Austin/San Antonio, told Live Science.

"Harvey ended up stalling over south Texas for about 12 to 24 hours," Runyen explained. The storm's slow movement meant that bands of heavy rainfall remained in place, leading to the catastrophic flooding currently submerging homes, businesses and roads, Runyen said. Katrina, which traveled steadily across Louisiana and Mississippi, didn't have the opportunity to deliver soaking rains in massive quantities, he said.

Hurricanes and tropical storms are propelled along by large wind patterns in the atmosphere, much as river currents carry objects such as leaves or branches, Runyen told Live Science. But rivers can also contain still regions that are outside the reach of smaller currents and eddies. If a leaf is carried into one of those quiet areas, it'll stay there  and the same can happen to storm systems that move beyond the reach of strong air-current patterns, Runyen said.

An event similar to Harvey occurred in June 2001, when the tropical storm Allison stalled over southeastern and eastern Texas for days, soaking Houston with up to 40 inches (102 cm) of rain, Runyen explained.

Not over yet

Harvey is still underway, which means the full extent of its impact is yet to be seen. The storm is now moving southeast toward the Texas coastline, but will be looping back to make a second landfall in southeast Texas on Wednesday (Aug. 30), the NWS announced Monday morning. Extended rainfall is expected through Wednesday  as much as 15 to 25 inches in some areas, according to an advisory issued yesterday (Aug. 28) by the NHC.

Storm surges from Harvey, seen here in blue, are expected to extend inland from the eastern coast of Texas and could reach heights of up to 5 feet. (Image credit: NOAA)

"There's still a heavy rainfall threat in southeast Texas, and catastrophic flooding is ongoing," Runyen told Live Science.

And the effects of river flooding in the region will linger after Harvey dissipates, taking days or even weeks to drain back into the Gulf of Mexico, Runyen added.

Currently, life-threatening flooding persists across southeastern Texas, according to the NHC, and residents are warned not to attempt to travel in affected areas, and to avoid driving on flooded roadways.

The link between climate change and more frequent, "historic storms," such as Harvey and Katrina, is indisputable, scientists have said. Tropical storms and hurricanes are part of Earth's natural climate processes, but rising ocean temperatures are helping to fuel more-powerful storms, while elevated sea levels increase the risk of dangerously high storm surges in coastal cities.

If climate change continues unchecked, more of these intense hurricanes can be expected over the next century  along with more droughts, heat waves and other extreme weather events worldwide, according to a report published in 2011 by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Original article on Live Science.
A view of tropical storm Harvey taken from the International Space Station and posted on Twitter by NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik.

Astronauts on the International Space Station have been sending well wishes to their friends, family and colleagues in Houston, as the city and surrounding areas continue to deal with massive flooding caused by Tropical Storm Harvey.

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Earlier this afternoon (Aug. 28), NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik  who is currently on the International Space Station  tweeted that Harvey was "still a menace! Hearts & prayers go out to families, friends, & fellow Texans dealing with this storm. #TexasStrong #HoustonStrong."

Harvey struck the southeast coast of Texas on Friday night (Aug. 25) as a Category 4 hurricane. Although it was downgraded to a tropical storm shortly after making landfall, Harvey has drenched that area, and much of southern Louisiana, with record-setting amounts of rain. Eight deaths have now been reported as a result of the storm, with as many as 30,000 people expected to leave the area due to flooding. [How to Donate to Harvey Victims Online]

NASA astronaut Jack Fischer, who is also on the space station, tweeted that the station crew's "thoughts & prayers are with folks feeling Harveys wrath."

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NASA has closed its Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston  home to mission control, which is responsible for NASA's operation of the International Space Station  to all but mission-critical employees due to the flooding.

JSC is also where the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), set to launch in late 2018, is currently being stored. NASA tweeted earlier that the telescope is fine, although the facility seems to be experiencing some flooding: Sarah Kendrew, a member of the JWST mission office, tweeted from Houston that staff members are "having to use mops & buckets" around the cryo chamber where the telescope is stored, but she noted that "the telescope is totally fine." (Kendrew's tweets are those of an individual, and not an official statement from the agency.)

Kendrew, an astronomer and instrument scientist working for the European Space Agency (which is a collaborator on Webb), also tweeted that the day had been filled with "relentless, torrential rain," that "hasn't eased for a minute since 7 am." She said displaced people were arriving at her hotel including "many elderly and with kids," and that the "staff [have] not been able to reach home in days. Dreadful."

Satellites have been tracking the storm's progress since last week as well. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/NASA GOES-16 satellite captured incredible, high-resolution footage (shown in the image above) of the storm as it approached landfall on Aug. 25. The NOAA/NASA GOES East satellite has provided precipitation data, along with the Global Precipitation Measurement core observatory satellite (a partnership between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and NASA), and NASA's Aqua satellite. The European Space Agency (ESA) is watching Harvey with its Copernicus Sentinel-3A satellite.

ESA also issued a tweet to JSC regarding the dangerous conditions around the facility, saying simply, "Stay safe, everyone."

Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield.Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
An explosion said to be from a car bomb killed several people Monday in Sadr City district of the Iraqi capital, at a busy wholesale market, situated in Shia-populated area of Jamila.

The explosion ripped through the crowd killing at least 11 people and wounding 26, according to security and medical sources. Security forces were part of the victims.

The blast damaged several stalls at the market and gutted shops in the adjoining shopping center, with debris, glass and vegetables strewn across the ground, reports say.

The Sunni-dominated Islamic State group (IS) said, through its affiliated news agency Amaq, it targeted Shia Muslims.

The attack took place as Iraqi forces supported by Shia paramilitary forces are trying to take control of the last remnant resistance pockets of the terrorist group.

The army said Sunday it completely liberated Tal Afars town center. The regular troops are now advancing to take al-Ayadia district, about 10 km northwest of Tal Afar.

The Iraqi forces conquered Mosul; the second largest city occupied by the terror group. Other areas such as Hawija and Qaim in the north and Rawa, Ana in the west are yet to be liberated.
The beach at Birling Gap in Eastbourne, UK. This stretch of coastline was evacuated on Aug. 27 after a mysterious chemical cloud descended upon the beach.

A mysterious chemical cloud descended on beaches in England on Sunday (Aug. 27), according to news reports, and authorities are puzzling over what caused it and why it sickened more than 100 people.

As the cryptic cloud fogged up the shoreline, several beaches in East Sussex were evacuated and residents were advised to close their windows and doors, The Independent reported yesterday (Aug. 28).

The chemical composition of the cloud is not clear. "What it was, it smelled like burnt plastic," Bob Jefferey, a deputy launching authority at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution Eastbourne division told The Guardian.

One beachgoer tweeted, "Some sort of chemical incident at Birling Gap, eyes are streaming and there's a strong smell of chlorine in the air."

Another beachgoer told The Guardian that doctors who treated her said she had been exposed to ammonia.

Authorities are still investigating where the cloud came from.

"Neither the gas nor its source have been established, but agencies are continuing to investigate and have not ruled out either on-shore or off-shore locations, although it does appear that it did sweep in from the sea driven by on-shore breezes," the Sussex police said, according to The Independent.

It's unlikely, however, that the cloud drifted across the English Channel from France, the Sussex police said. (Chemical clouds have drifted across the English Channel from Europe in the past, but British officials said Sunday's weather would not have caused this, according to The Independent.)

Jay Merrell, a weather forecaster from the U.K.'s national weather service, said the cloud may have been caused by a ship offshore, but added that nothing conclusive had been proved, according to the Associated Press.

By Monday, the cloud had mostly dissipated, The Guardian reported.

Originally published on Live Science.
The fossilized bones of the "smaller" pterosaur, which had an approximate wingspan of 16 feet (5 meters).

CALGARY, Alberta  The fossilized remains of two pterosaurs  winged reptiles that flew sky high during the dinosaur age  suggest that the soaring truck- and plane-size beasts were closely related to the gigantic Quetzalcoatlus northropi, the largest pterosaur on record, new research finds.

Both pterosaurs date back to the Maastrichtian, a period that occurred between 72 million and 66 million years ago. It ended when a 6-mile-wide (10 kilometers) asteroid slammed into Earth, ending the reign of the nonavian dinosaurs and countless reptiles, including the pterosaurs.

The newly unearthed pterosaurs were found in Jordan in 2005 and 2008, and both belong to a family of pterosaurs called Azhdarchids, which includes the famous Q. northropi  a pterosaur the size of an airplane, with an almost-40-foot (12 meters) wingspan. [Photos of Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs]

In general, pterosaurs had long wings supported by an elongated fourth digit (the ring finger on humans) and long, pointy beaks that helped them catch fish, and some had elaborate crests on their heads, said study lead researcher Kierstin Rosenbach, a doctoral student in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan.

"The pterosaurs from Jordan are both very big," Rosenbach told Live Science. "The 'small' one is a new species, and it would have had a wingspan of around 5 m [16 feet]." In contrast, the giant pterosaur was almost as humongous as Q. northropi, she said.

"It probably belongs to Arambourgiania philadelphiae, a giant pterosaur from Jordan first described in the 1950s," Rosenbach said.

Researchers sieve through sediment in search of pterosaur fossils in Jordan. (Image credit: Monica Wilson)

Unlike most pterosaur fossils, which are "totally crushed when we find them, because their bones are hollow, like birds' bones," the newfound pterosaurs bones are preserved in three dimensions, she noted.

"Since these bones retain their original shape, they can tell us a lot about how pterosaurs functioned," Rosenbach said. "We're going to study these fossils to understand more about internal bone structure and how it relates to things like body mass, flight capabilities and the pterosaur respiratory system."

Many pterosaurs had bizarre teeth, but the Jordan duo are toothless, Rosenbach added. "It's characteristic of their group," she said. "We know the teeth aren't just missing, because there are no tooth sockets in the jaw  [there's] just a smooth, sharp edge."

The findings are also remarkable because of where they were unearthed, the researchers said. During the Late Cretaceous, Africa was connected to Arabia as one continent. The two land masses had recently separated from what is now South America, India and Australia.

"But for some reason, we find way fewer fossils from Afro-Arabia than from its neighbors during this time," Rosenbach said. "So, each new discovery from the Late Cretaceous of Afro-Arabia gives us valuable information about what this continent was like leading up to the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs and many other groups."

Scientists found more fossils belonging to the "small" pterosaur than they did for the larger Arambourgiania philadelphiae specimen. (Image credit: Monica Wilson)

Other fossil finds dating to the Maastrichtian of Jordan include marine vertebrates, such as sharks, turtles, mosasaurs, plesiosaurs and crocodilians, as well as nine specimens of A. philadelphiae, the researchers said.

This research  a joint collaboration of the University of Michigan and the Natural Resources Authority in Jordan  which has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, was presented here Aug. 23 at the 2017 Society of Vertebrate Paleontology meeting.

Original article on Live Science.
Many species of mushrooms contain hallucinogenic ingredients such as psilocybin

Californians might vote on whether to decriminalize use of hallucinogenic mushrooms as early as 2018, under a newly proposed ballot measure.

The measure  which was filed on Friday (Aug. 25) with the state Attorney General's office  would exempt people ages 21 and over from criminal penalties for using, possessing, selling, transporting or cultivating psilocybin, a hallucinogenic compound found in certain mushroom species.

The measure is not currently on the ballot  supporters need to get at least 365,880 signatures to qualify for the 2018 ballot, according to the Sacramento Bee, a newspaper in Northern California.

The measure was filed by Kevin Saunders, a former candidate for mayor in Marina, a city on California's central coast. Saunders said a large group of volunteers will help gather signatures for the measure, according to the Sacramento Bee.

The Golden State voted to legalize recreational marijuana in the November 2016 election. Saunders said he sees psilocybin legalization as a "natural progression from marijuana legalization," according to the Los Angeles Times.

Some recent studies have suggested that psilocybin could provide benefits to patients with cancer-related psychological distress or patients with depression who haven't benefited from other treatments.

Original article on Live Science.
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Head of communication of the Qatari government has rejected claims that Qatar supports Muslim Brotherhood in the Arab world, mentioning as an instance the Tunisian Islamist party Ennahdha.

He told the Los Angeles Times that his country did not work with Ennahdha as a side or an individual but as a Government and that Doha also worked with the opposition Nidaa Tounes party when it came to power.

They accuse us of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. For example in Tunisia, after the Arab Spring, the government that came into office was from the Muslim Brotherhood. We worked with them once they became the government. We did not work with them as a party. We worked with them as a government, to support them, said Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed al Thani, director of the government communications office in an interview with the Los Angeles Times editorial board and reporters.

Qatar has been isolated by its Guld neighbors and other Arab countries for backing terrorism and lending support to Palestinian Hamas movement, Lebanon-based Shia movement Hezbollah, and Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood movement.

Qatar has rejected the claims saying that the accusations were fabricated and are meant to undermine its image.

After that, the opposition party won. [And] we are the ones working with them. We did a conference last year in support of Tunisia, supporting investment. We established a fund for small and medium businesses, the Qatari official said.

For Sheikh Saif, Doha does not fund terrorism whatsoever  no groups, no individuals. Not from afar or from a close distance.

End of last week, a documentary aired by the United Arab Emirates-based Saudi media Al Arabiya blamed Qatar and Ennahdha for sending Tunisians to conflict zones namely in Syria, Libya and Iraq.

Over 3,000 Tunisians have travelled to the conflict zones to join ranks of terrorist groups including the Islamic State group (IS).
by Steven Rosenbaum , Featured Contributor, August 28, 2017

September 12th is very special day. Every year, reliably, something big happens on that day. This year is no different. The new Apple iPhone will launch on September 12th. Hillary Clintons book,hits bookstores, NASA is launching its Expedition 53 Launch Mission on September 12th. And its even National Milk Shake Day.

Why do marketers and brand managers embrace September 12th? Its a day that marks the start of the fall season  full of hope and promise as the weather begins to change and kids return to school.

But thats not the real reason. September 12th means that we can put September 11th in the rear-view mirror for another year.

Every year, I find I need to write about 9/11. September 11th is no longer a current event. But its not yet history, either; that will come with time.

But each year, in the days leading up to 9/11, I find myself asking people, both friends and strangers where were you on 9/11? The question seems more relevant, more urgent, as we find ourselves asking some very painful questions about our American democracy. What are we fighting for and who is a "real" American?

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So heres my story.

On September 11th, I was on my company's roof deck, looking downtown at the smoke and flames. Firemen, police officers, and ambulance drivers, all acted with selfless bravery that defies explanation. Im forever humbled by their unflinching efforts to save people in those terminally wounded towers.

Im a documentary filmmaker. And for me  almost without a moments hesitation  I knew what I had to do. I had to capture, to document what was happening in my city.

Historians have the benefit of time to look at evidence, piece together facts, and find truth in the details. On 9/11 we had no such luxury  we had to record the images, stories, and details, or risk them being lost.

The week after the attacks, people were numb. The images of the towers being hit, burning and falling were seared in our minds. And as the city mourned and began to think about recovery, I found myself trying to contribute with the tools and skills I had. I had a story to tell. So, I made a film.The film was titled 7 Days in September.

In the weeks after 9/11, New York proved itself to be a truly global community. Faces and voices came together. The site clean-up began. An open call for memorial concepts found a young Israeli architect named Michael Arad. His beautiful and meditative design, Reflecting Absence, was selected to memorialize the 2,983 individuals that died in the attacks.

But of those almost 3,000 names, how many would today be considered Americans? How many would today have their name etched in bronze around the one-acre memorial pools, as we close our borders and consider replacing our golden door with an impenetrable wall? More than 100 undocumented immigrants  delivery men, waiters, cleaners, cooks  killed by terrorists at the World Trade Center 16 years ago could have been condemned to eternal anonymity if not for the efforts of an immigrant community group. Dozens of volunteers answered phones and accompanied the relatives on grim pilgrimages to city hospitals and morgues, according to Joel Magallan, a former Jesuit brother from Mexico who is Asociacion Tepeyac executive director. It was an intense job, there was no time even to cry said Magallan.

Another 372 foreign nationals  just over 12% of the total number of deaths  perished in the attacks.



As we approach another September 11th, well think about the towers, and those who perished, and the pride with which we focused on protecting our shared American values and the remarkable collection of immigrants from around the world that came here to build this country.

On September 12th well buy iPhones, and dive headfirst into the politics that has put the very nature of our democracy and our nation up for a daily referendum. No doubt youve got feelings about this. Even as 9/11 comes, and then recedes, it may be that this year 9/11 is a good day to think about the diversity of our collective cities and towns  and do our part to support the essence of what has made this nation great.



America is a nation of immigrants, and 9/11 can serve to remind us of that, even as we remember and memorialize those that we have lost.
by Sara Guaglione , August 28, 2017

Native commerce platform StackCommerce has partnered with 42 publishers in the first half of the year, including Mashable, The Daily Beast and Gannett.

The goal of StackCommerce is to monetize publishers audiences with commerce," CEO and founder Josh Payne told Publishers Daily.

StackCommerce provides publishers with a suite of tools to create sponsored editorial content, data-driven product curation and white-labeled digital shops to drive purchases without redirecting to third-party affiliate sites.

Many publishers secure revenue via affiliate links. For example, when BuzzFeed recommends a product in an article and a reader clicks on the provided link to make a purchase, BuzzFeed gets a cut of the sale.

But with a native commerce platform like StackCommerce, publishers create online stores hosted on their own site to sell products and offers, curated by StackCommerce for a publishers specific audience. The publisher or StackCommerce will create sponsored content to market those products and raise readers awareness of the online store.

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Its not an affiliated model and kicking the user back out to Amazon. We own the customer data, Payne said. This is driving revenue through content.

Often the products are exclusive offers, such as a deal on Engadgets shop for a FitBit that is cheaper than on Amazon or elsewhere, Payne said. This helps build a valuable relationship with audiences, which can get exclusive product offers by going directly to the publishers site and reading its content.

StackCommerce says it can deliver, on average, five times the revenue-per-click of the Amazon Affiliate Program.

While publishers may make between 4% to 8% of gross sales on affiliate commerce networks and aggregators, StackCommerce publisher partners make an average margin of 20% of gross sales, Payne said.

The reason is we are going out and negotiating direct deals with merchants and demanding a higher cut because the value we are giving the brands is high. We are giving them coverage on Engadget and Mashable, so there is more money to split up, Payne said.

Mashable has driven more than 18,500 transactions in its first 60 days, according to StackCommerce.

The combination of Stacks product curation and Mashables commerce content has really connected with our audience, stated Mashable chief content officer Gregory Gittrich.

Finding new incremental revenue streams is not an option [for publishers] anymore  its a mandate. Commerce is becoming a very important one, Payne said.

In the past, publishers were weary to publish branded content. Now, The New York Times' purchase of gadget recommendation site The Wirecutter shows there is changing consumer appetite," Payne said.

StackCommerce has partnered with over 750 publishers, including AOL, Hearst, Scripps, CBSi, IAC, Gizmodo Media, IDG and Business Insider.
by Larissa Faw , August 28, 2017

Anti-smoking advocacy group truth has launched a new campaign that addresses Big Tobaccos targeting of people with mental-health issues, as well as people in the U.S. Armed Forces.

The much higher-than-average prevalence of tobacco use among these two groups is not a coincidence, truth contends. For decades, the tobacco industry has exploited these, and many other populations, including African-Americans, low-income communities and LGBTQ individuals, to sell its products, per the advocacy group.

The new Business or Exploitation? creative campaign was developed by 72andSunny. Media planning and buying is being handled by Assembly.

The campaign cites statistics to help make truths case. For instance, 33% of adults with mental health conditions smoke compared to 21% of those without mental health conditions. And the Marines have the highest rate of smoking among all service members at 31%, followed by the Army at 27%.

The campaign kicked off during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards on August 27 with a documentary-styled message. The ad directs viewers to sign up at thetruth.com where they can engage in online activities, including sending a virtual thank-you card to psychiatric facilities in the U.S. that are 100% smoke-free to show their appreciation; sharing a message of support with members of the armed services to inspire them to stay strong while quitting smoking; and using the hashtag @truthorange to help spread the word.

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In addition to two 60-second spots, the campaign includes two five-minute videos devoted mental health and smoking and the military and smoking.

Also part of the campaign: social content created by influencers, including rapper Logic, and animated illustrations across Snapchat's Discover platform.

A partnership with Viacom will introduce campaign-related content across various programs and platforms owned by the media company.

"We are constantly having to evolve our media planning," says Jasmin Malone, managing director, marketing, the Truth Initiative. When you align with a specific channel, the generation moves on to the next and new channel quickly, she says.

This new campaign builds off the FinishIT initiative launched in February, which was designed to raise awareness about social justice and industry tactics to target people based on where they live, their racial and ethnic identities, and income level.
Continuing its crackdown on fake news, Facebook will no longer let publishers advertise on its network if they are found to be spreading such content.

Leading up to the change, Facebook found instances of Pages using ads to build their audiences and distribute false news more broadly, according to Satwik Shukla and Tessa Lyons, product managers at the company.

Now, if a Page repeatedly shares stories that have been marked as false by third-party fact-checkers, they will no longer be able to buy ads on Facebook, Shukla and Lyons note in a new blog post.

If and when Pages stop sharing false news, the product managers say they might eventually have their ads privileges reinstated.

Currently, Facebook does not allow advertisers to run ads that link to stories, which have been marked false by third-party fact-checking organizations.

By its own account, Facebook is getting better at spotting spam, bogus accounts, fake news and con jobs.

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Weve made improvements to recognize these inauthentic accounts more easily by identifying patterns of activity  without assessing the content itself, Shabnam Shaik, a technical program manager on Facebooks Protect and Care Team, recently noted.

Along with curbing dubious content, Facebook has also recently promised to be more transparent with buyers about where their ads run on the network.

As part of that effort, the company recently began letting a select group of advertisers see a list of potential publisher destinations. Facebook plans to offer the feature to all its Audience Network partners before the end of the year.

The tech titan also plans to let advertisers apply their block lists at the account level. Beginning with Audience Network and Instant Articles, the option should be extended to in-stream ads on Facebook later in the year.

Soon, Facebook plans to allow Audience Network partners to specify what types of placements -- whether in-stream or native -- they want their video campaigns to run in through an opt-out format.

At present, Facebook already offers several ways for brands to determine where their ads run. They can always opt-out of Instant Articles, Audience Network or in-stream ads on Facebook, as well as exclude delivery of their ads to sensitive categories -- like dating and gambling.
by Wayne Friedman , August 29, 2017

Among all big media companies with TV networks, Scripps Networks Interactive has the highest share of its revenue coming from advertising: 71%.

For Scripps, this share has essentially remained at the same level for the last several years, according to a report from Moodys Investor Service.

Big media companies have long looked to diversify their revenue resources -- especially in reducing the vagaries of the TV advertising marketplace.

For years, CBS had been one of the biggest pure-play advertising revenue companies for investors. In 2006, CBS revenue share coming from advertising was 72%. In 2011, this dropped to 63%. This year, CBS share is projected to be 44%.

CBS now gets 31% of its revenue from content licensing and distribution affiliates, and 25% from affiliate and subscription fees.

Discovery Communications -- which has an agreement to buy Scripps Networks Interactive -- gets 45% of its revenue from advertising. This share is slightly lower than the 49% share it had in 2013 and 2014.

In launching new subscription video-on-demand platforms, many TV-media companies are looking to diversify their revenue with direct-to-consumer fees.

Among other more diversified media companies, Viacom's share of its revenue from advertising is 36% and 21st Century Fox's is 28%, while Time Warner, Comcast and Walt Disney are each estimated to get 15% of their revenue from advertising.
by Tobi Elkin @tobielkin, August 29, 2017

Media intelligence provider Meltwater has announced its acquisition of Algo, a real-time data analytics platform informed by machine learning. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In acquiring Algo, Meltwater is seeking to strengthen its media analytics and insights platform. Meltwater said Algos technology identifies trends from tens of millions of real-time data points and determines which information is spreading the most rapidly. It uses machine learning and natural-language processing to organize online semantic data.

In this day and time we are all drowning in data. Meltwaters goal is to give our clients access to smart technology that can cut through the clutter and extract critical insights from billions of data points -- data points which would be impossible for a human being to make sense of, stated Jorn Lyseggen, CEO of Meltwater. There is a vast amount of external data that companies today largely overlook containing real-time information about how competitors invest, how they hire, how they spend their ad budget, and how their products are received in the market.

The acquisition of Algo comes after several key artificial intelligence-based (AI) acquisitions for Meltwater, including Hong Kong-based social data SaaS firm Klarity, and earlier this year, Wrapidity, which added AI-power media-monitoring capabilities.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, August 29, 2017

Backtracking on a controversial practice, ride-hailing company Uber said today that it will no longer track users' physical whereabouts after they have been dropped off.

The move comes two weeks after the company agreed to settle a privacy complaint brought by the Federal Trade Commission. It also comes after former CEO Travis Kalanick was ousted from the company.

Uber's decision marks a reversal of a policy implemented late last year, when the company began asking users of its iPhone app to always enable location-tracking -- even after they exited the cars.

Until last November, Uber gave people the option of allowing their location to be tracked only while they were using the app. (Customers could still refuse all location tracking, but doing so made the service harder to use.)

An Uber spokesperson said last year that the company made the change to improve service.

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But the move spurred criticism by privacy advocates, who said the company should give users greater control over whether they share their location data.

Uber acknowledged those complaints on Tuesday. "While our efforts last fall around post-trip location were aimed at improving the user experience, our riders let us know we missed the mark," the company stated. "We took this feedback seriously and have been working hard to make things right."

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minnesota), who was among those who criticized Uber last year, praised the company's decision to revert to its prior policy. "Im glad to see that Uber has heeded my call and reinstated a customers ability to limit the collection of location data to only when the app is actually in use and that the company has chosen to end post-trip tracking," Franken stated Tuesday. "Im hopeful that this announcement is the first step in Ubers renewed commitment to the privacy and security of its users.
by Larissa Faw , August 29, 2017

Kipling is introducing its first-ever global brand campaign designed to help the Belgium handbag brand stand apart from generic competitors.

Shot by Lebanese photographer Eli Rezkallah, the images feature models and Kipling bags within bright colorful backgrounds to demonstrate color blocking in a monochromatic world.

Campaign ads include messages such as "A beautiful travel bag is one that stays light even when you over pack."

The ads also feature a silhouette of the brand's monkey mascot alongside the Kipling name.

The images used in the campaign were crafted to work across multiple markets. The messages will be implemented in all regions worldwide, with each country executing the content in their selected channels ranging from online banners, social media, print ads, billboards and shop windows.

DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam worked with the fashion brand for over a year to create this cohesive global campaign.

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"DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam was able to step away from the traditional model, an approach that has been very beneficial in bringing out the best of our working relationship," stated Gwenda van Vliet, global marketing director, Kipling.

Being a global brand themselves, DDB understood our regional needs and created an outstanding globally consumer-validated campaign relevant for each region," added van Vliet.

Kipling, founded in Antwerp, Belgium and named after British writer Rudyard Kipling, is best known for its crinkled nylon bags and monkey zipper. The 30-year-old brand has been a part of the VF Corporation since 2004.
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.
Were excited to announce that metalbulletin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com.

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Fast-rising Ghanaian artist  Darkovibes; made news online as he among others were granted a feature in the prestigious fashion and style magazine  VOGUE (USA) at the just ended #ChalewoteFestival.

Vogue is an American fashion and lifestyle magazine made up of many branches including fashion, beauty, culture, living, and runway. Vogue began as a weekly newspaper in 1892 in the United States, before becoming a monthly publication after a few years. The last Ghanaian to get a feature in Vogue was British-Ghanaian Artist Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.

In Vogues recent edition, Intrigued by his unique cutting-edge fashion sense and poise; reporters & writers from the magazine indulged Darkovibes in talks about his fashion, style & music.

Other artists that were featured include Mr. Eazi, RJZ and a few other outstanding phenomenal acts.

Darkovibes has received a few notable applauds from people and industries of prominence since his career kick-started in 2016. Being granted a feature in VOGUE has been the highest point of Darkovibes career thus far.
Controversial musician A-Plus is threatening to expose activities of some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) if he is pushed to the wall.

A-Plus over the weekend made several allegations of fraud and corruption against the Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye and Abu Jinapor.

He described them as stupid indicating that he could not fathom why the President could appoint such corrupt officials into government.

NPP delegates congress. 7 months of NPP government. So far so good except appointing some very corrupt officials including the two... deputy chief of staffs....Arrogant and corrupt ... You think youll be in power forever. Even John Mahama I was not afraid of him then you, A Plus, who is a staunch supporter of President Nana Akufo-Addo wrote on his Facebook page, a post which started a war of words between him and Mr Asenso.

Reacting to the claims, Mr Asenso-Boakye accused A-Plus of sheepishly using social media to attack him and his colleague Deputy Chief of Staff Samuel Abu Jinapor by tagging them as thieves. corrupt and arrogant.

Mr Asenso-Boakye in his post denied scheming to fleece the country and accused A Plus of developing a nauseating sense of entitlement which does not speak well of him.

Indulging in baseless accusations and unsubstantiated claims of corruption and arrogance is beneath you and frankly discredits you in the eyes of right thinking Ghanaians. As the President noted at the just ended NPP Conference, he is willing and ready to look into any case of alleged corruption. You may kindly take up his generous offer and present your case to him, he added in a statement.

But speaking on Asempa FMs Ekosii Sen programme Monday, A-Plus urged Mr Asenso-Boakye to tell the whole world why he (A-Plus) reported him to President Nana Akufo-Addo a few weeks ago.

He said claims by the Deputy Chief of Staff are baseless and do not hold water.

The Genesis of this entire matter is because of a request Asenso made. He has made more requests of me than the other way around. His claims are just baseless he said.

A-Plus, avid NPP supporter?

Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Organizer of the NPP wading into the controversy has stated that A-Plus cannot claim to have worked to bring the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to power.

According to Kwame Baffoe, the musician who claimed to be an avowed supporter of President Akufo-Addos vision could not even do a song for free for the NPP.

He claimed A-Plus charged then Vice Presidential candidate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for his hit single Ab3n B3 Bom.

Speaking on Asempa FMs Ekosii Sen programme Monday, Kwame Baffoe described A-Plus as very ungrateful.

He indicated that, the musician every month makes three million cedis from the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport Company (BOST) when in fact he the party executive hasn't gotten even 20 pesewas worth of sachet water from government.

Abronye DC as he is popularly called could not understand why A Plus is making ugly noises when he could not even do a song for free.

Has A Plus lost his talent? He should compose a song for the NDC or CPP to come to power and he will enjoy all the contracts, he noted.

Abronye DC has vowed to deal with the musician if he continuous to bring the name of the NPP into disrepute.

In a riposte, A-Plus described as laughable the allegations being levelled against him.

He said he did not charge the NPP a dime for the song because he did it out of his love for the party.

Dr. Bawumia will even laugh if he hears this allegation, he stressed.

A-Plus warned the deputy Chief of Staff not to dare him to open the Pandora's box.
Celebrated Ghanaian actress and film producer, Ellen Kyei White, has appointed Richmond Afrane as her new manager, according to a statement she released.

Richmond Afrane has had tremendous success in the media, movie and business and marketing industry and has all the qualities, whom I believe can help build good management team. This is a great step for my brand.

I recognise there is huge opportunity out there and I needed somebody like him to lead me to the global market, Ellen White said.

I am proud to enter into true partnership with an individual that confidentially lives and understands the culture of filmmaking and promoting in this part of our world, she added.

Richmond Afrane, who is set to take over as the new manager, is one of the best brains when it comes to management, media and filmmaking.

He has written, directed and produced a lot of Ghanaian movies.

Richmond Afrane is also a lecturer at the Institute of Business Management & Journalism and a business development manager for Field Global Company.
The nations biggest mobile telecommunication network, MTN, has presented a cheque of GH7,000 to the Oguaa Traditional Council in support of this years Oguaa Fetu Afehye celebrations.

The mobile telephony giant also donated assorted items, including quantities of MTN souvenirs, drinks, MTN recharge cards worth GH1,000 and other undisclosed items to show their commitment to the celebration of the festival.

Simon Amoh, Regional Senior Manager for South-West Business District, who presented the items, said they were inspired to join the celebration to promote Ghanaian indigenous culture.

He said the donation was also in recognition of their love and support for the promotion of the nations festivals to help facilitate national development through national integration and cohesion.

Mr Amoh expressed the companys delight to be associated with the celebration of festival, as it would deepen the relationship between them and the council for their mutual benefits.

The regional manager thanked the council for using the festive period to promote education in the area.

Nana Kodwo Adae II, advisor of the festival planning committee, praised MTN for its unflinching support to the Oguaa Traditional Council over the years.

Nana Adae, who is also the chief of Abura, described basic education within the Cape Coast Metropolis as appalling and appealed to MTN to support it with modern infrastructure and well-stocked computer laboratories to enhance teaching and learning.

To reverse the trend, the council, he said, has carefully chosen 'the falling standards of education in Cape Coast Metro, stakeholders' responsibility' as the theme for the celebration.

This, he said, would help collate views from all stakeholders and coordinate efforts to arrest the current situation.

The weeklong festival will be climaxed with a grand durbar of chiefs on Saturday, September 2.
29.08.2017 LISTEN

US-Based Jazz Guitarist, Business Owner and Technology Specialist Nathan Pryce, teamed up with musician friends in Ghana to record a musical eulogy honoring the memory of legendary Ghanaian Highlife musician Paapa Yankson.

Mr. Pryce in an interview with TheAfricanDream.net late August 2017 said he "sadly heard of the passing of the great Paapa while I was vacationing in Ghana. As a jazz guitarist, I decided to express my condolence in a musical eulogy in collaboration with the very talented Dela Botri (Flute) and Frank Kissi (Drums)

The jazz guitarist first met Paapa Yankson several years ago whilst celebrating the new year at the Golden Tulip Hotel in the company of talented Ghanaian and UK-based keyboardist Kwame Yeboah. "I personally enjoy Paapa's music and have known them for decades", Mr. Pryce revealed to TheAfricanDream.net as he continued to say, "I promised Papa when we met, that I was going to replay some of his songs in smooth jazz format someday so am glad to be keeping this promise."

"I was very sad to hear he passed away, so in honor of his blessed memory and acknowledgment of his positive influence in the Ghanaian music circles I had the honor of being also joined by flutist and percussionist Dela Botri to play Paapa's song 'Tena Me Nkyen' in smooth jazz format." - Nathan Pryce

Mr. Pryce extolled the respective musical prowess of the men who joined him to work on the jazz cover: "they all are legends in their own respects and I personally feel this was our heartfelt send off for Paapa."

The group first recorded the cover version live at +233 Jazz Bar and Grill in Accra; Ghana's premier Jazz and Live Music Club. When Mr. Pryce was asked whether this was a sign of more to come from him, he responded, "I love music, especially jazz and I play it leisurely, but this song 'Tena Me Nkyen' is particularly very dear to me and those I produced it with and for now I would like to leave things there - Long live Paapa Yankson and his music."

Listen to, download and share track in the link below and let us know what you think of it or the memories it evoked. 

https://www.audiomack.com/song/theafricandreamllc/tena-me-nkyen-cover-version

Paapa Yankson, born June 22, 1944, died on July 21, 2017, at his residence Ghana's capital city Accra is one of Ghana's celebrated Highlife sensations who influenced the music industry for over 3 decades. He has about 16 albums to his credit and has performed all over Ghana, Africa, Europe and the US.

He was 73 years old.
Fresh harvest soursop fruit with leaves.

28.08.2017 LISTEN

Soursop also known as graviola and (Hanuman Phal / Laxman Phal) in Hindi is a fruit that has its origin in the forests of South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. This is an evergreen broad-leaved tree whose every part is useful and has medicinal properties. This fruit is extremely delicious with a sharp aroma and a sweet-sour taste which is basically a combination of the taste of pineapple and strawberry. Recently, it has gained attention and popularity due to its natural cancer cell killing properties. Apart from its anti- cancer properties, it has several other medical benefits.

Soursop leaves are the most beneficial parts of this tree. They have the Acetoginin containing compounds namely bulatacin, asimisin and squamosin. Acetoginin acts as an anti- feedent. Thus, they are often used in killing insects and pests which die by consuming these leaves even in small amounts. Scientific research conducted by The National Cancer Institute has proved that Soursop leaves can effectively attack and destroy cancer cells. In addition to this, they are also used in the treatment of several other diseases.

Health Benefits of Soursop Leaves:

Soursop leaves are rich in several compounds including protein, calcium, fructose, fat, vitamins A and B and the like. Thus, the leaves have excellent medicinal properties making them usable as an ingredient in several herbal health products. The health benefits of soursop leaves are as follows.

1 Treatment of Cancer:

Soursop leaves can inhibit cancer cells and cure cancer more quickly and effectively than chemotherapy which results in several side effects besides being expensive. In fact, research has proved that soursop has an active ingredient that is 10000 times stronger than chemotherapy in fighting cancer cells. Thus, soursop leaves can treat different types of cancers including prostate, lung and breast cancers. For treatment, boil 10 soursop leaves in 3 cups of water until only one cup of water remains, strain and cool it and drink this concoction every morning for 3-4 weeks to determine improvement in the condition. Soursop leaves cancer treatment is one of the most potent cures till date.

2. Treatment of Uric Acid:

Eating soursop leaves can greatly help in treating gout. In fact, many alternative medicines use soursop leaves for the treatment of gout. For this purpose, take 6 to 10 soursop leaves which are old but still green and wash them clean. Boil the leaves in 2 cups of water and simmer until one cup of water remains. This concoction should be taken twice a day i.e. morning and evening for maximum benefits.

3. Treatment of Back Pain:

Back pain is commonly experienced these days, particularly while exercising. Using chemical drugs for back pain can cause side effects. Soursop leaves are an effective herbal remedy for treating back pain without any negative effect. You can boil 20 pieces of soursop leaves in 5 cups of water until only 3 cups of water are left. Drink  cup of this concoction once in a day for relief.

4. Treatment of Eczema and Rheumatism:

Rheumatic diseases are commonly observed in elderly people, causing great pain. Soursop leaves are a natural treatment for arthritis pain. For this purpose, mashes the soursop leaves until they become smooth and apply on the areas of the body affected by pain due to arthritis and eczema, regularly twice a day.

5. Treatment of Diabetes:

The limit of normal sugar levels ranges from 70 mg to 120 mg. The nutrients in soursop leaves are believed to stabilize blood sugar levels in the normal range. Besides, the extracts of soursop leaves can be used as one of the natural diabetes remedies. All this makes these leaves beneficial for diabetics.

6. Boosts the Immune System and Prevents Infections:

The nutrient content of soursop leaves is believed to boost the immune system and avoid infections in the body. Boil 4/5 soursop leaves in 4 cups of water until one cup water remains and drink this concoction regularly once in a day for beneficial results.

7. Other Benefits:

In addition to the benefits mentioned above, soursop leaves are extremely effective in inhibiting the growth of bacteria, virus, parasites and tumor development. Their healing properties make them capable of being used as an anti-seizure medication. They are also capable of reducing fever and lowering high blood pressure. They help in treating inflammation and swollen feet. They aid in digestion and improve appetite. Soursop leaf consumption on a regular basis helps in improving stamina and facilitating quick recovery from diseases.

Skin Benefits of Soursop Leaves:

Due to their medicinal properties soursop leaves are extremely beneficial for health. As pointed out earlier, they are used in the treatment of some of the deadliest diseases. The leaves offer some skin benefits as well.

8. Treatment of Boils:

Ulcer is a skin disorder that is characterized by immense pain and even has the risk of catching infection. Boils can occur on the body or on the face, thus interfering with your skin health and beauty. Soursop leaves are a natural remedy to cure ulcers. You can pick some young soursop leaves and place them on the body affected by ulcers.

9. Treatment of Eczema:

As already stated earlier, soursop leaves can treat eczema in a natural way. You can mash a few soursop leaves and apply it on the affected areas twice a day regularly. This will help in alleviating the pain caused by eczema besides treating it.

A pulp made with fresh soursop leaves and rose water when applied on the skin can be very useful in preventing the occurrence of blackheads and other skin problems too.

Hair Benefits of Soursop Leaves:

10. Get rid of Lice:

All of us long for healthy and damage free hair. But unfortunately, the unhealthy lifestyle coupled with exposure to harmful chemicals and environmental pollutants is responsible for several hair problems like dandruff, split ends, hair loss, premature greying etc. Natural ingredients and herbal products can be very effective in combating these problems. As far as soursop leaves are concerned, much is not known about their benefits for hair. However, soursop leaves have the capability to inhibit the growth of parasites, besides other medicinal properties. Thus, applying a soursop leaf decoction on your hair can help you to get rid of head lic
27.08.2017 LISTEN

The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has called on the Government to, as a matter of urgency, engage stakeholders on their roles in the implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) Policy to ensure its success.

The Council said the implementation of the SHS Policy must be a collective responsibility of all key stakeholders instead of leaving it on the shoulders of the Government alone.

Considering the history of educational development in the country, we are convinced that the success of the Free SHS Policy must be a collective responsibility, Reverend Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, the General Secretary of the CCG, said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Sunday.

While commending the Government for its efforts at fulfilling the campaign promise, Rev Opuni-Frimpong said it needed to engage stakeholders to do more deliberations to ensure the smooth take off of the Policy in September.

The Parents-Teacher Associations (PTAs) the SHS level, Old Students Associations, and religious and traditional leaders are some of the stakeholders who could contribute substantially towards the provision of school infrastructure and their maintenance within the framework of the Policy, he said.

Government has been very consistent and has sustained its pledge by implementing the free SHS Policy, which is very commendable.

However, what is not certain at the moment is what the role of the key stakeholders would be under the Free SHS Policy, Rev Opuni-Frimpong said.

He said because of the useful role stakeholders had played over the years in the education system, they were able to demand accountability from the managers of schools in ensuring quality education for Ghanaian students.

He said the PTAs, for instance, were billing parents, which they used as funds to help in providing some infrastructure and extra classes for the students, all geared towards enhancing teaching and learning.

Now the Government is saying all infrastructure, feeding, and textbooks will be free, so the stakeholders must be properly engaged to see what role they will continue to play.

We should not assume any role for any stakeholder, there must be proper engagements with clear-cut roles, Rev Opuni-Frimpong said.


29.08.2017 LISTEN

Ghanaians are calling on the government to make amendments to the Petroleum Revenue Management Act that will give the Public Interest and Accountability Committee prosecutorial powers to haul corrupt officials from both public and private institutions before court when they are found to have misapplied or stolen oil funds.

This came to Light at public forum held at Adansi Fomena and Mamponteng in the Ashanti Regions.

A high level team from PIAC and the Institute of Financial and Economic Journalists led by Dr Steve Manteaw visited the Bekwai and Kwabre East Municipal Assemblies in the shanti Region to inspect ongoing projects that are being funded with oil money.

The team had a shock when it realized that the projects were either abandoned or uncompleted due to shortage of Funds.

Projects visited include the Rehabilitation of the Obogu Ofoase Gyadem Bodwesango Adansi Asokwa Road , The Fomena Town Roads, Antoa Tikrom and others ,a six unit classroom block at Aboaso Islamic Call Primary School and the Mamponteng Market Complex. The Obogu Ofoase Gyadem Bodwesango Adansi Asokwa road construction is underway.

The project has delayed for many years but the contractor M/S CYMAIN believed that the entire 64 Kilometer road project would be completed by December 2017. He said the project delayed because government failed to release funds on Time. Besides continues rainfall and other issues like valuation contributed to the delay. According to him work done is over 50%.

However, it was observed that the six unit classroom block at Aboaso Islamic Primary School has been successfully completed, but the Patron of the School said they were not aware that oil revenue was used to construct the School. Mallam Abubakre said When they came to construct the school they told us that the Money is coming from the Ghana Education Trust Fund. We did not know that it is oil Money . Now you are telling us and what can we say.

It was realized that a sum of GHC4Million was released as part payment for the construction of the Mamponteng Jubilee Market in 2012. The project is currently at standstill due to the inability of government to release the remaining GHC4million to complete the project. Six years after abandoning the project, the cost has jumped to GHC24Million cedis

The Fomena Town Roads were completed somewhere 2016 and the oil revenue was released in 2015 to pay outstanding debts owed the contractor. The

The Municipal Health Director at the Bekwai Municipality Cletus Opoku Amankwa in a statement said, we must go beyond road inspection and get the actual contracts to compare and contrast and if we find anybody to have misapplied the money, that person must be prosecuted and the money retrieved. PIAC should not only engaged in monitoring and assessment alone, it must have the power to prosecute the offenders. These people are enemies of the state and must be punished to serve as a deterrent to others he stated.

A representative of the Ministry of Agric in the Municipality Mr Bernard Acheampong wondered why PIAC would wait for the projects to be done and messed up it goes round to inspect them. We expect the involvement of PIAC in project commencement to completion. We as stakeholders in the district must be involved to facilitate monitoring and compliance to ensure that the right thing is done.

The Omanhene of Adansi Fomena, Nana PagyakotwereBonsra Afriyie the second in a meeting with the Team was sad that the state could pay huge sums of money to contractors to undertake projects which had already been done.

He stated that since he assumed the throne he has not experienced implementation of new projects in the area and wondered where the projects being inspected were. He therefore called on government to undertake a value for money audit of all the projects to ascertain the truth as to whether the money was really used for the projects. He said PIAC be giving power to bite and haul people to court for abusing the oil revenue.

The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) was established under Section 51 of the PRMA, to among others, monitor and evaluate compliance with the Act.As a statutory institution committed to ensuring efficient, transparent and accountable management of petroleum revenues and investments, the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) lacks the legal wherewithal to prosecute people who misappropriate Ghanas oil revenue allocations.This in their estimation could empower PIAC to fully fulfill its mandate of ensuring the efficient management of the nations petroleum revenues for sustainable development.
29.08.2017 LISTEN

Non-governmental organization SEND Ghanais asking government to increasefunding to the health sector to help create a healthier country.

Ghana was one of the original signatories to the Abuja Declaration in 2001 which requires that African government spend a minimum of 15% of their national budget on the health sector. However, according to SEND Ghana, 16 years down on, the sectors share of the national budget has averaged less than 8% per annum.

The organization in a monitoring report launched recently indicated that the key health challenges facing deprived communities, vulnerable and stigmatized groups in the country remain unmet and in some cases are worsening.

Illness and deaths due to preventable causes such as malaria, diarrhea and malnutrition that prompted Africa government leaders to endorse the Abuja Declaration remain as real as they were a decade and a half ago their research report noted.

Ghana was unable to meet key health sector Millennium Development Goals and among the main reasons was the failure of successive governments to allocate adequate funding to health related program targeting the vulnerable in underserved communities the report said.

The People for Health Projects monitoring report on the 0.5% District Assemblies Common Fund allocation to HIV/AIDS was launched in Accra by SEND Ghana in collaboration with Ghana News Agency, Penplusbyte and funded by USAID. The report recommended at increment of the allocation from 0.5 percent to 2 percent.

The report noted that about 12,000 poor Ghanaians surveyed wanted government to increase budgetary allocation to the seven existing programmes of the Ministry of Health in the 2018 to 2020 national budgets to strengthen the implementation of seven pro-poor health programs of the Ministry.

The seven pro-poor health priorities are: Malaria, Nutrition, Water, Sanitation hygiene, Maternal and child health, family planning and HIV/AIDS,targeted at lactating mothers, pregnant woman, under-fives, youth, people living with HIV and persons with disability.

SEND Ghana believes that by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their status, 90% people diagnosed with the infection will receive antiretroviral therapy and 90% of them will have viral suppression.

Country Director for SEND-Ghana, George Osei-Bimpehsays that in order to achieve this, government should release increased funds as soon as possible to the District Assemblies, Ghana AIDS commission and the Ministry of health.

On maternal mortality, he said late referrals, poorly equipped infrastructure and pregnancy disorders are major problems contributing to maternal deaths. He added that poor attitude of health professionals contributed to some of the key health challenges facing deprived communities, vulnerable and stigmatized groups.

Also present at the launch were representatives from the District Assembly Common Fund, Ghana AIDS commission, Ministry of Finance, Parliamentary Select committee on Health, National AIDS control program and Mr. Siapha Kamara- Chief of Party, People for Health.
Dr Paul Unongo is a man I sincerely respect. I knew him through my late friend, Brigadier Ignatius Obeya in the 1980s. I was Features Editor of the Nigerian Statesman Group of Newspapers at the time. So, when a few weeks ago, he was nominated as the new Chairman of the Northern Nigeria Elders Forum, I was strongly convinced that nature had presented to Nigerian political leaders a knowledgeable man whose wealth of experience they could constructively tap into in their seemingly difficult task of piloting the country towards true democracy. Dr. Unongo remains a strong testimony that Nigerian leaders are committed or not committed to the task of making Nigerians happier people and their country a great nation among nations.

That is why, the recent statement attributed to Dr Unongo in the Nigerian media to wit, that the amiable Northern Nigerian leader explained that President Muhammadu Buharis marching order to security chiefs to crush the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, was perfect, is quite disturbing. If there is any iota of truth in the media reports, the statement just didnt add up.

Why would Dr Unongo fear that if the Nnamdi Kanu-led IPOB was allowed to carry on with its activities, it would drag the nation back into another civil war? According to him, we who are old have an obligation to tell the young people that we cannot go back to war.

The issue of Biafra was sorted out in the battlefield and about 3million Nigerians died in the process. I understand when Buhari talked about it with a little bit of anger. I say it softly: I beg you my brother, Kanu. We do not want another Biafra. We settled the issue of staying together with 3million people. I am 100 per cent with Buhari on that.

I have no intention of disputing Dr. Unongo. Every Nigerian knows that those who go to war carry weapons. The IPOB is not carrying weapons. Mr Kanu has said publicly that his protest is not going to be violent. Most Igbo elders who, like Dr. Unongo, witnessed or participated in the Biafra Uprising are in line with that approach. So, the fear of being dragged into another war is absolutely unattainable as things stand at the moment.

It is important for Dr Unongo and other leaders in Nigeria not to underestimate the intelligence of the average Igbo in planning the Nigerian nation. The Igbo are committed to building up a virile Nigeria that would be the pride of every Nigerian citizen within the African continent and beyond.

They know that between them and the other major ethnic groups that make up Nigeria, they are the ones who have mostly invested their money and manpower to develop villages, towns and cities in the country other than their own. The Igbo have investments in practically every nook and cranny of the country. And so, they would be the ones to lose out in event another war erupts. They know that much. They also know they would not like to lose out. I mean, who would?

The Igbo know that even the Biafra land they seem to be asking for will be too small to contain their vast businesses. They also know that while they reside in other states in which they were not born, they are inevitably going to help develop those states with their entrepreneurship acumen, their money and their time. They know all that, and they are not worried about it. Development is for the country.

The Igbo know that the agitation for the resuscitation of the Biafra nation is not a call to war. It is not a call for the breakup of Nigeria. It is a pressure point to get the government of the day to restructure the country. And the IPOB is putting up that pressure because if something is not done soon, the country could explode. So many people are not happy with the situation of things in Nigeria today, and Dr Unongo knows this is the truth.

The Igbo know that Nigerian politicians do not have the political will or desire to truly unite the country despite their proclamation that to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be accomplished. They do not have the willpower to keep Nigeria truly united because tribal leadership pays them. That is part of the problem. And the Igbo know it.

Among those who sympathise with Southern Nigerians, someone recently pointed out the lopsided appointments the APC government of President Buhari imposed on Nigerians. And that is part of the problem too, because the idea itself makes other ethnicities and religious groups feel marginalised and suspicious that they are gradually being sandwiched into a system they may not have bargained for.

The Buhari dispensation is accused of zoning the most sensitive public offices to the North. I am sure Dr Unongo will take notice of this and make his advice available to both the APC as the ruling party and to President Buhari as the leader of the ruling government.

For instance, President Buharis Aide de Camp is Lt. Col Abubakar Lawal from Kano State in the North West Zone and husband to the Presidents foster daughter. His Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity is Garba Shehu, also from Kano State in the North-West Zone. His Chief of Protocol/Special Assistant (Presidential Matters) is Lawal Abdullahi Kazaure from Jigawa State in the North-West Zone. The Accountant General of the Federation is Ahmed Idris from Kano State in the North-West Zone. The National Security Adviser is Babagana Monguno from Borno State in the North-East Zone.. The Chief of Army Staff is Tukur Buratai from Borno State in the North-East Zone.

The Chief of Air Staff is Sadique Abubakar from Bauchi State in the North-East Zone. The Chief of Defence Intelligence is Monday Riku Morgan from Benue State in the North-Central Zone. The Director-General, State Security Services is Lawal Daura from Katsina State in the North-West Zone. Chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is Amina Zakari from Jigawa State in the North-West Zone. And the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, is Habibu Abdulahi from Kano State in the North-West Zone.

Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration, Safety and Security Agency, NIMASA is Baba Haruna Jauro from Yobe State in the North-East Zone. The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission is Umaru Dambatta from Kano State in the North-West Zone. The Director General, Budget Office of the Federation is Aliyu Gusau from Zamfara State in the North-West Zone. Secretary to Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal who has been suspended on allegations of mismanagement of funds is from Adamawa State in the North East Zone.

Chief of Staff to the President is Abba Kyari from Borno State in the North-East Zone. Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service is Hameed Ibrahim Ali, from Bauchi State in North East Zone. The Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service is Kure Martin Abeshi from Nasarawa State in the North-Central Zone. Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives is Suleiman Kawu from Kano State in the North-West Zone. The Director of Department Of Petroleum Resources, DPR is Modecai Baba Ladan from Niger State in the North-Central Zone. The Managing Director, Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON is Ahmed Lawan Kuru from Kano State in North West Zone. The Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive of the National Insurance Commission, Mohammed Kari is from the North-West Zone.

Other Federal offices occupied by Northern Muslims include: Office of the President of the Federal Republic, Office of the Senate President, Office of the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Office of the Chief of Staff, Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Office of the President of the Federal Court of Appeal, Office of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Others are: Office of the President of the Federal High Court, Office of the Chief of Army Staff, Office of the Chief of Air Staff, Office of Comptroller of Customs Service, Office of the Comptroller of Fire Service. The richest man in Africa, Dangote, is from Northern Nigeria. About 85% of petroleum marketers in Nigeria are from the North. About 80% of oil blocks in Nigeria are owned by Northern Nigerians.

The Igbo are saying that if Nigerian politicians are so consummated with their cult of tribal leadership that they cannot develop Nigeria into a truly united, equitable, strong and respected nation, then they should as well endorse tribal leadership and negotiate a relationship from that angle.

The Igbo know that unless overwhelming options are dangled before the Federal government to restructure the country in its present context, the government will do nothing about the challenges that face it to restructure the country. With agitations coming from left and right, situations could snowball into undesirable levels. The agitation for Biafra presents the APC government with those options: restructure the country or break it up so that tribal leaders can negotiate from a reasonable angle for their peoples welfare.

And so, as I have said somewhere else, whether the Igbo are coming or going, their position in the entire Nigerian experiment is very easy to understand. It is not complicated in any shape or form. We are saying that Nigeria has a constitution. We are saying that the Nigerian constitution clearly stipulates who can and who cannot be called a Nigerian. We are saying that in its content, the Nigerian passport which is the document that authenticates a Nigerians nationality does not specify that a Nigerian must be Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba. That simply means that Nigerian nationalism does not recognise ethnicity. Nigerian nationalism supersedes ethnic cultism. That is the law both within and outside of Nigeria.

We are essentially saying that it is not acceptable for anyone from any part of the country to overtly or covertly doctor or manipulate the spirit of this most vital document. Any attempt to denigrate the spirit of the Nigerian passport is what the Igbo are vehemently against. It is like denigrating the national anthem. And for standing up for what the entire world knows is the true spirit of Nigerian nationalism, the Igbo must not become continuously vilified by Nigerian authorities who should know better. The overbearing attitude of government needs to be checked.

Most Nigerians see the urgent need to restructure Nigeria after the failed experiment at amalgamation during the first 100 years of its colonial creation. They testify to the fact that the last decades of those hundred years only succeeded in breeding armed insurgents of sorts across the country, agitating for a restructuring of the nation in its present state. Most Nigerians know that the Federal authorities will definitely not bulge about restructuring Nigeria unless serious pressure is put on the government by stakeholders. The break-up threat by several organisations like IPOB is one such major pressure point.

A more arm-twisting instance would be if by 2019 the federal government is still hesitant to call for a referendum and if the Easterners decide to boycott the 2019 Presidential elections in the East. If that happens, the Nigerian government will be seriously hit because no President can emerge without a 25% win across the states that make up the East, following the dictates of the Nigerian constitution. Otherwise anarchy will rule the country.

Any plan to boycott the 2019 Presidential elections in the East would be a major move that could force the government to hold a plebiscite so that Nigerians can decide for themselves whether or not they want to remain as one united country and if so, redefine the terms of their association. It will be a strong political weapon, a political move that is designed to bring the Federal Government to uphold the collective desire of the voting masses. And that is as it should be, in a democracy. There are no guns, no knives, no swords and no arrows  only the peoples franchise. How could such a move possibly lead to another civil war?

So, what we are saying is that carrying a Nigerian passport means that ethnic chauvinism must be expunged from the Nigerian national dictionary much in the same way as ethnicity is not recognised by the Nigerian passport. We are saying that any Nigerian child born in any part of Nigeria has legitimacy of citizenship of his or her place of birth. We are saying that any citizen of Nigeria can live, work and help develop any village, any town and any city in Nigeria where he feels comfortable to live in, without being constantly harassed and reminded by those who ignorantly claim to own the land that he is a foreigner in his own country.

We are saying that stringent laws must be put in place and ardently enforced to ensure that Nigerians of whatever extract are made to feel at home in any village, town or city of Nigeria they choose to live in, or this vexatious question of United States of Nigeria can never be fully resolved. Nigerian politicians can kick-start the ball rolling by making laws that will make it compulsory for all Nigerian children to be taught the three main Nigerian languages, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba at primary school levels across the country. In a generation or two, we should be having results. The bridge would have been built across ethnic disparity as Nigerian children start appreciating the cultural values of each state of the Federation.

We are saying that most Nigerians believe that they will be happier living side by side as Nigerian citizens with various ethnic backgrounds, working together and enjoying one anothers company despite their ethnic differences and dreaming of their respect in Africa and the rest of the world just because they are Nigerians.

We have at-least seen through their desire to shame those super-powers that predicted the breakup of Nigeria after the first 100 years of its amalgamation. And they have their reason. They are saying that as the most populous, most endowed African nation and as a leader and the gateway to the African economy, Nigerians must decide. They should do so in a referendum.

Take a look at America. It has about 50 states, some of them bigger than Nigeria. Yet all the people from different countries, different backgrounds and a variety of culture live under one national umbrella called the United States of America. Every state is autonomous. They make their own laws. They police their own state. And if you dont like their laws, you dont live in the state. You settle in a state you are happy to live in. They come, they throw back the culture they came with and imbibe the American way of life. It doesnt matter whether they are Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Africans, South Americans and so on. They all strive to be American because it makes them proud to be identified as Americans.

In Nigeria, with only 36 states, our people are still paddling upstream to enjoy the dividends of a United States of Nigeria. The leaders dont think Nigerians want to be proud to be identified as Nigerians, the same way as Americans are proud to be seen as Americans.

Anyone may think that the masses of Nigerians are fools. But Nigerians are no fools. They know that their so-called leaders have not been frank with them over the years. They know that their so-called leaders are not willing to integrate the various ethnic nationalities that make up the country because tribal leadership pays them better. Nigerians know that their so-called leaders are more concerned with their private pockets and the welfare of their private families than the welfare of the generality of people who defy rain and extreme sunshine and troop out en masse to vote them into public office.

But the Igbo have gone past that stage in their social development. No Igbo at this stage is thinking of calling anybody to order because they all know that there is a need to put pressure on the Federal Government to restructure the country now.

If Nigeria belongs to Nigerians, why must some leaders insist on balkanising the country or refuse the call for a plebiscite so that Nigerians can decide if they actually want to stay together in the first place, and if so, by what terms? Northern elders like Dr Paul Unongo should see the situation the way it is. And please speak up for the millions of voiceless Nigerians who may not be able to speak for themselves.

There are two options here.

Those who have continued to fight, even from outside Nigeria, for the actualization of the Biafra nation often bandy the idea that the Nigerian situation could be patterned like the Britain/Scotland relationship. They believe that a Biafra nation that will put all Igbo under one umbrella is possible within a wider Nigerian nation. Biafra could have its own flag, just as Scotland has. Biafra could have its own currency, just as Scotland has. Biafra could have its own parliament just as Scotland has. And Biafra would remain in a union with Nigeria just as Scotland and Britain are the dominant forces that make up Great Britain.

There is another school of thought that believes it is better to adopt the American style. In that circumstance, Nigerians are free to live in any state they feel like living in. And work in that state as Nigerians. And no one will have the right to claim ownership of the land or tell fellow Nigerians that they are foreigners in their own country.

So, the authorities can actually look at these options and move the country forward, and make the country great. There will be no need to fear about a plebiscite because, from what I can deduce from my interactions and interviews, it is pretty obvious that more Nigerians want to stay together as one very strong, populous, and united country than those putting pressure on government.

That is why the government should summon the courage to call for a plebiscite so that Nigerians can decide how they will live together without fear of each other and with love for one another. It may be surprising to some people, but all indication is that if there is a referendum today, the overwhelming number of Nigerians would vote for staying together. In the first place, the people agitating for the dismembership of Nigeria are very few in number.

They could be about five million in a country of 180 million. Let there be a referendum today, so that Nigerians can see where they should be coming from and where they will be going to. It will be the absolute testimony that no one is beating the drums of war, and the people who go to war go armed. Not Biafrans. And I am sure this was known by Northern Nigerian elders like Dr Paul Unongo when he said he stood 100% with President Buhari on his order for the service chiefs to crush IPOB.

Chief Sir Emeka Asinugo is a London-based journalist and publisher of Imo State Business Link Magazine (imostateblm.com)
The US Labour Day holiday is here with us once again, and as has been theirpractice for the past three-plus decades, the sons and daughters of Akuapem and Asuogya will get together to celebrate their annual Odwira/Ohum Festival under the umbrella of the Okuapemman Association of USA and Canada (OKUSACA).

OKUSACA is a non-profit charitable organization registered in both the U.S. (501(c)3 status) and Canada. The Association comprises mainly people of Akuapem and Asuogya descent from the Eastern Region of Ghana;however, it is also open to (and does include)Ghanaians from other parts of the country who identify with the vision/mission of the Association andshare its cultural heritage and values.

Traditionally, OKUSACA has used the Odwira/Ohum festival to also commemorateits founding, and this year isno exception: it will mark OKUSACAs32ndanniversaryas a cross-continental body bringing together Ghanaians currently living in 10 major metropolitan areasacross North America.

The2017 Odwira/Ohum celebrations are also given additional significance by two important milestones: the Okuapemman Cultural Association of Ontario (OCAO), which is one ofthe five originalAssociationsthat came together to form OKUSACA, is celebrating its 28th anniversary. (That makes OCAO one of OKUSACAs oldest Chapters!) Added to this is the fact that Canada itself is in celebratory mood  and has been all year long, this being the 150th anniversary of its founding as a nation!

Thus, it is going to be fun galore all around as the sons and daughters of Akuapem and Asuogya make their way to beautiful Toronto, the 4th largest city (and anchor of the 7th largest metropolitan area) on the North American continent, for this years multi-faceted celebrations.

This years OKUSACA festivities will be celebrated under the theme "PRIMARY HEALTHCARE, THE BEDROCK OF OUR ECONOMIC SUCCESS",chosen tounderscore OKUSACAs strongly-held belief that primary healthcaredelivery, when combined with keen awareness of the environment and its impact on the health and well-being of a people, ultimately lead to community development and improved quality of life for all.

The dates for this week-end of fun and colorful Ghanaian cultural ceremonies (North American-style) are Friday September 1st through Monday September 4th, 2017, and the venue is MISSISSAUGA CONVENTION CENTER, 75 Derry Rd, W Mississauga, ONT Canada.

High-lights of the festival include:

A durbar of chiefs and dignitaries from around the world in the afternoonon Saturday, September 2, 2017. City Tourorganized by the Host Chapter. A black-tie dinner-dance on Saturday, September 2, 2016. Special Thanksgiving Service in the morning of September 3rd, Afternoon Jam/Picnic with DJ Soundz Masters; followed by an after party for all the night owls.

All Ghanaians and friends of Ghana are cordially invited to make their way to Mississauga this Labor Day week-end and come celebrate with us.

For more information contact the Presidentof our hostingTorontoChapter, Mr. Raymond Ansah at 647.718.0724 or OKUSACAs Publicity Officer, Mrs. Joycelynn Nketia-Gyasi at 678.558.2489.

Ofie!..Biakoye!!!

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29.08.2017 LISTEN

Ghana is immune against terrorist activities, the General Overseer of the Open Arms Ministries/Jesus Chapel in Kumasi, Apostle Kofi Nkansah-Sarkodie has said.

The Kumasi-based Minister of the Gospel who claims to be representative of Jesus on earth said the divine protection bestowed on Ghana supersede the one Israel was endowed with.

The servant of God, who was addressing a section of the media and his congregation in Kumasi on Wednesday (August 23) at a Special thanksgiving service to mark the complete spiritual independence of Ghana following the declaration of Ghana and Kumasi as the nation and headquarters of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ on Earth, allayed fears of Ghanaians that intrusion of terrorists must be ruled out.

By the authority vested in me as Jesus representative on earth, I say on authority that no terrorist activities can take place in Ghana, he stressed adding that all satanic activities in Ghana have been banned.

He has therefore cautioned satanic groupings and agents of Satan in government and Parliament to resign before they are exposed else they would incur the wrath of God.

The church leader and veteran radio evangelist also frowned on illegal mining activities and cautioned people who engage in the practice against the dangers of mining activities citing flooding which can be devastating.

Apostle Nkansah-Sarkodie also known as Saint Sark appealed to the government to take steps to guard against unauthorized development on water ways and river bodies.

He said the government must be bold and demolish any such buildings including churches on water ways and river beds to avert dangers of flooding and save lives and property to avoid the recurrence of the Sierra Leone landslide in Ghana.

The disaster can happen to Ghana no matter how hard we pray against natural calamities if we disregard environmental measures, he said.

The pastor also warned government officials against the canker of bribery and corruption calling for the cessation of the 10% syndrome in government circles.

He said any official who dips his hands in national coffers would face the consequences before they enjoy their booty.

Saint Sark said the importation of buses should be stopped to give a boost to the operations of the Neoplan Assembling plant in Kumasi.
The Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe Constituency and also Deputy Minister for Health, Hon. Tina Naa Ayeley Mensah has applauded her party; the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for organizing a successful Annual National Delegates Conference held in Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th August, 2017.

According to her, the conference was successfully organized with no eruption of violence or misunderstanding.

The conference which was crowned by a mammoth rally at Victoria Park in the beautiful shores of Cape Coast was heavily attended by thousands of delegates and party faithfuls from all the 275 constituencies across the 10 regions of the country.

In a close up interview with her at the conference grounds at the University of Cape Coast, the outspoken honourable member stated unequivocally that, she is happy at the turns of events which transpired at the conference. She added that the NPP has demonstrated to the whole world that the party is deep rooted in democratic principles and governance.

She described this years Annual National Delegates Conference as one of the best in the political history of the party. When asked about her opinion on the partys decision to convey an Extraordinary National Delegates Conference in 3 months time as proposed by Hon. Daniel Kweku Botwe, MP for Okere Constituency in the Eastern Region and Minister for Reorganization and Development.

She said her opinion does not matter since the decision of the party binds on all to obey. she was however quick to remarked that, the decision taken by the party is in the interest of all since her party is deep rooted in democracy which allows that everybodys interest is cater for in the process.

The 25th National Delegates conference held under the theme, delivery our promises, our roots our strength and our future coincided with the party's 25th anniversary and the 100 years celebration of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) which gave birth to party under several names with same ideologies until it became NPP which took over power in 2000 for the first time under former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
29.08.2017 LISTEN

"Pastors have been charged to give preventive health talks in their churches to help educate the congregation on healthy living.

...It is equally important for pastors to take good care of the physical aspects of the church as it is for the spiritual. Our bodies are the temple of God and must therefore be taken care of to ensure our wellbeing at all times."

Those were remarks made by the Chief Executive Officer of the Brainwave Consult Ltd, Dr. Bettina Boohene Andah in a close up interview with a member of journalists In Development (JID) after delivering a talk on Preventive Health at Word of Life Christian Church (WLCC) here in Accra.

The health seminar which was part of activities slated for the church's 30th anniversary celebration which is underway covered areas including healthy eating, regular medical checks, body exercising, stress management, among others. The seminar among other things brought together the clergy, members of the church and the general public.

The doctor condemned the practice of some educated and affluent members of society who engage in patronizing expensive foreign foods that have no health benefits at all.

She advised them instead to patronize locally produced foods that have better health qualities but very affordable.

The medical practitioner said there is so much stress among the people, asking them to avoid tendencies that would put unnecessary stress upon themselves. She further asked them to go to the right places for a medical check up at least every other year to know their health status.

The family practitioner also drew their attention to the benefits of exercising the body. She pointed out that everyone should exercise at least three time in a week, saying exercises are an important tool in keeping the body healthy.

Dr. Boohene therefore took the opportunity to call on all pastors to replicate this health education in their churches to maintain good health among the congregation.

Speaking in an address earlier in the seminar, the General overseer of the church, reverend Isaac Quaye told the church that they should be mindful of their health habits and asked them to take health education seriously to help keep them fit for.

He asked to put the health tips into practice for longer life because, according to him, he is not interested in funeral sermons.
Central University through its Business Development Center (BDC) is offering Certificate and Diploma courses.

The BDC, which is an accredited study center of the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM-UK, is offering courses in Journalism and Media Studies, Human Resources Management, Marketing, Accounting and Finance, and Professional Computing.

The Center has also introduced programmes to prepare WASSCE and SSSCE students for admission into the University through an effective, well-coordinated Remedial course in the Core subjects of Maths, English, Core Science, Social Studies Elective Maths, and Economics.

These two programs are run concurrently to offer WASSCE Remedial students the opportunity to obtain Certificate and Diploma qualifications that offer them direct admission into Central University, having successfully passed all the subjects.

The advantages of this model is not only to obtain an international certificate in addition to a degree from the Central University, but also to afford students who could not enter the University with their mates in the Senior High Schools, the opportunity to join them at the appropriate level in Central University, a statement from the University said.

Admission Requirements (For both Remedial and ICM Programs)

West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) holders

Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE)

Advanced Business Certificate Examination (ABCE) holders

General Business Certificate Examination (GBCE) holders.

Program Duration:

The Remedial program prepares students to sit for the November/December WASSCE of WAEC which runs from November 2017 to August 2017. The program is designed with intensive tuition, class work and formative assessments to adequately prepare students. Subjects are taught by experienced tutors and examiners of the West Africa Examination Council.

The ICM is a 6 to 8 month program that gives students the flexibility to write examination either in March 2018 or June 2018 for admission into Central University in September 2018.

How to Apply:

Application forms may be obtained from the Finance Office of the University Campus at Mataheko, near Kaneshie First Light, Accra or email: [email protected] Tel: 0307-020537; 0302-329601

Applicants may download the form from the Universitys website at www.central.edu.gh

All completed forms are to be submitted to the Business Development Center, at Mataheko, near Kaneshie First Light, Accra.

MATURE APPLICANTS

Persons who are 25 years old and above and wish to enter Central University may complete application form at the Business Development Centre for enrolment into the Mature Access Course. This course is run from 5:00pm to 8:00pm on Fridays; and 8:00am to 5:00pm on Saturdays for a period of six weeks at the Universitys campus at Mataheko, near Kaneshie First Light, Accra. Successful candidates may obtain admission to read any of the following degree programs:
Bol (Chad) (AFP) - Gaou Moussa stands in front of his family home nestled in the dense vegetation of Chad's Tchoukouli island, where burnt straw and charred wood still litter the ground from a Boko Haram attack three years ago.

"They killed my brother and we fled," he said.

Tchoukouli -- one of hundreds of tiny interconnected islands about an hour's canoe ride from Lake Chad's northern banks -- is coming back to life.

Despite the ongoing threat posed by the Islamist insurgents, fishermen sit mending nets and repaired ones curl in the sun nearby, while farmers guide their cattle into the water and others tend to cornfields in the distance.

All of these are activities that have been absent for more than two years.

Boko Haram has been fighting a bloody insurgency since 2009, seeking to carve out a hardline Islamic caliphate in the northeast of neighbouring Nigeria.

After controlling a region the size of Belgium inside Nigeria by 2014, the Sunni jihadist group was driven back in the last two-and-a-half years to remote areas around Lake Chad, straddling Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

The people of the islands have suffered from Boko Haram's relentless violence. Villages have been pillaged and residents kidnapped and killed.

But the first of the group's envoys came into the village mosques peacefully to preach their version of the Koran, villagers said.

"They would promise us paradise, resources, women," said Mohamed Mboh, the chief of neighbouring Bouguirmi island.

Those who resisted or opposed the movement's message were killed, their throats slit, villagers said.

'We hear rumours'

Island residents, particularly members of the Buduma ethnic group, also found themselves caught between the jihadists and the Chadian army.

"Soldiers came to burn our village after a Boko Haram attack because they mistook us for them," said one 53-year-old woman, her face hollowed by hunger.

"Little by little, other ethnic tribes and the army understood that we were also victims as they picked up Budumas' bodies in the bush," said 60-year-old Mboh, also a member of the tribe.

Civilians are gradually feeling it is safe to return as Chad's army patrols the lake

Faced with increasing jihadist attacks, the Chadian government closed its western border with Nigeria and evacuated its islands -- those that were not already empty.

Chad's army, one of the most battle-hardened in the region, continues to patrol the lake's freshwaters and its northern banks, aided by vigilante civilian groups -- giving residents a measure of safety and reason to return.

"We came back to the village of Bouguirmi seven months ago, because we received news that Boko Haram is no longer there, that the villages are protected by the army," said Mboh.

"But every day we hear rumours that there are Boko Haram members hidden in places."

Mboh, whose village numbers about 500 residents, said he now lives "in peace", though he heard gunshots last month. He could not tell, however, whether or not they came from a battle with jihadists.

Destroyed crops and canoes

"About a year ago, I came back to see what I had planted before the Boko Haram attack, but unfortunately hippos had destroyed everything," farmer Mal Kalo said.

The 41-year-old fled Bouguirmi two years ago, spending many hours in a canoe, on foot and in a car to get to Iga, another small island closer to the mainland.

In spite of the continuing threat, he feels that this life, independent and out in the open air, is better than being packed into a refugee camp, where malnutrition distorted children's bellies.

Still, life here remains difficult. The harvests have been destroyed, the canoes are shredded and the livestock emaciated.

The border closure with Nigeria has halted commercial activity, blocking trade with the region's main economic hub.

"Before, we were able to do a small amount of business with Nigeria," Kalo said. "But now we cannot because the border was closed a few years ago by the authorities to fight against Boko Haram attacks."

In spite of the Boko Haram threat, farmer Mal Kalo believes a life in the open air is better than being packed into a refugee camp

Many islands remain inaccessible as jihadists continue to launch sporadic attacks from their hideouts dotting the lake, where thick foliage provides cover against military operations.

Earlier this month, Boko Haram attacked fishermen on the Nigerian islands of Duguri and Dabar Wanzam, shooting and hacking their victims, leaving 31 dead.

The fishermen had returned to Nigeria's fishing hub of Baga on the lake's shores days earlier and paddled out to the islands looking for fish, according to witnesses.

The eight-year conflict has left at least 20,000 people dead and displaced 2.6 million, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian catastrophes.
The Council of Elders of the opposition NDC has indicated that it has started the process of healing and reconciliation among members following the confusion that erupted in the party after its defeat in the 2016 general elections.

The council asked party members to desist from rushing to the media on issues affecting the NDC.

And for the avoidance of doubt, the process of healing and reconciliation has commenced within the Council of Elders itself, Functional and National Executives, as well as other leading members of the party, the Council of Elders said in a statement signed by Alhassan Mahama Iddrisu, the Councils Vice Chairman.

The major opposition party has been beset with wrangling among some of its top members since it lost the December 7, 2016 elections to the NPP.

Some of the insults had been directed at the partys founder and Chairman of the Council of Elders, former President John Rawlings, for allegedly leading the party to electoral defeat.

Mr Rawlings had been chided by some party stalwarts for his open and strong criticisms of the NDC leadership over issues bordering on corruption and gross indiscipline.

Other aggrieved members have criticised immediate past President John Mahama for presiding over corruption and economic mismanagement during his tenure, which they claim compelled Ghanaians to vote against his second term bid last year.

The post-election conflict in the DC has been fierce and in some instances, members had reportedly gone into wild jubilation when their colleagues were cited by the NPP administration as having been involved in corrupt practices under Mr Mahama.

In the statement, the Council of Elders entreated all members of the Akatamanso Family to remain calm and fully support the process of healing and reconciliation.

It also called on all members to respect the structures and procedures in resolving internal grievances and conflicts.
Folks, Togo is embroiled in political agitations masterminded by those opposed to the so-called dynasty of the Eyadema family that has been ruling the country over the past 50 or so years. Much tension now exists, which threatens national stability and the security of limb and property.

If you ask me where I stand on this issue, I will simply tell you that such agitations are unnecessary, misplaced, and indicative of a failed effort to solve the political problem that Togo has had over the years and will continue to have unless reason prevails over emotions and frail hopes, not to talk about fragile political jingoism by failed politicians.

The picture is clear (at least, from what has been publicized as the background of the crisis): The Gnassingbe family has been ruling Togo since 1967 after a coup by Eyadema. His son, Faure, was sworn in after he died on February 5, 2005, although the constitution mandates the President of the National Assembly should become acting President.

Since then, Faure, who is also new chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has won three presidential elections albeit under controversial circumstances. His 2015 presidential victory was condemned by observers as replete with irregularities Political forces resisting President Faure Gnassingbe are not backing down on their demands for the Constitution to be amended to prevent his familys continued stay in power There are reports, opposition parties are united in the push to break up the Gnassingbe political dynasty. They are bent on organizing another demonstration on Friday. (See Chaos in Togo: Togolese residents urged to move to Ghana).

Togo is no stranger to political agitations of this sort, especially when it comes to challenging the legitimacy of the Eyademas. The late Gnasingbe Eyadema faced many and survived. At times, allegations were even raised about Ghanas involvement in such agitations, especially in the era of Jerry Rawlings when abortive coup attempts were made. Such allegations strained relations between Ghana and Togo. Not until Rawlings left the scene for Kufuor did Eyadema warm up to Ghana (We recall Kufuors participation in his celebration of his January 13 Revolution in 2001 that began the thawing of relations between both countries).

No matter what happened after his death, Faure took over the reins of power and has won general elections to validate his status.

Now comes the real history behind the political development of Togo, which explains why the Eyademas have had a cozy ride on the throne. At independence, the most prominent Togolese to ascend to power were Sylvanus Olympio (murdered in 1962, I believe) and Nicholas Grunitzky (overthrown in a military coup by Eyadema). Remember that in that immediate post-colonial period, coup detats occurred anyhow after Nigeria had blazed the trail, followed by Ghana, and emulated by Togo and the others.

Gen. Eyademas rise to power might have several complications, but he maintained his grip on power and raised the status of his Kabre ethnic group beyond compr5ehension of other ethnicities that found nothing commendable in the Kabres.

The Ewes in Southern Togo, particularly harboured so much disdain for the Kabres that they wont want to associate with them or accept them as equals in any department of life. Interestingly, while the Ewes stuck to their self-righteous acclaim and didnt respond positively to the Eyadema programmes of expanding the military, public service, and many other structures of governance, the Kabres responded positively and got into those institutions, where they reinforced their hold on power over the years.

I recall my days in Aflao in those years when the Togolese Ewes did all they could to dissociate themselves from the Kabres. In effect, the disdain for the Kabres was concentrated and indissoluble. As Fate would have it, the Kabres continued to dig in and eventually became the forces controlling everything in Togo.

Then, when the sad realization dawned on the Ewes, they took to the streets in protest and a vain attempt to dislodge them. I remember very well the efforts by Olympio to capitalize on his fathers image and launch himself to power. Rumours had it that he was staunchly supported by Rawlings in that bid. And he had a comfortable home in Ghana from where he could pull strings to excite his supporters and instigate them to take to the streets in protest against Gen. Eyadema. Much happened to no avail and Eyadema prevailed till his death.

Then, when his son took over the reins, the agitations by the Ewe community (still being manipulated by Olympio and Co.) continued. What happened? When the conditions were set for general elections, Faure moved out to use his political instincts to prevail over voters to be in power as a civilian President. He won the elections, even as his opponents were quick to denounce his victory (Who in African politics easily accepts defeat at the polls?)

The structures in place for conducting general elections in Togo arent any different from what exists in other African countries treading the path of democracy in our time. Allegations of rigging and electoral malpractices are known cacophonous refrains sung loudly and clearly by those who find it difficult to accept defeat at the polls because of their own failure to reach out successfully to voters to be favoured.

The agitations against Faure stem from the inadequacies of his opponents. No amount of street demonstrations will solve the problem. What has to be done to end the so-called Eyadema dynastys grip on power doesnt call for demonstrations or violence. It simply demands strategization by those who think it is their turn to rule Togo. And for as long as they strategize properly to use the ballot box to effect, they should give their country the peace that it deserves to be on its feet.

Mobilizing poor people to rock the boat wont solve the countrys problems or end the Eyadema influence on Togolese politics. For as long as the voters see something good coming from the incumbent, they will continue to support him at the polls.

What the opponents have to do now is to ensure that they are well represented in the body that either drafts or amends the constitution so their interests could be catered for. It means they have to actively participate in processes leading to the election of those representatives. Until they do so, they cant have anything done their way. Their wishes arent horses to be ridden to power.

I want to add here that unless measures are taken to defeat Faure at the polls (assuming that the constitution allows him to run again), he will continue to be the head of State, no matter what his opponents do outside the electoral process. At worst, they will end up plunging the country into more chaos than it is prepared for and endanger their own lives. I hear some of them have already been arrested and will be dealt with as demanded by law. Is that how they hope tio overturn the table in their favour? No!!

So far, the international community hasnt responded forcefully to the situation in the country, which suggests that they arent seeing things the way the Faure opponents do. The ECOWAS hasnt stepped in (Faure is its Chair now) nor have Togos immediate neighbours (Ghana, Benin, and Burkina Faso) raised alarm or sought means for negotiation. The situation is still developing but can be better controlled if those taking to the streets re-think their approach toward solving the problem.

It must be noted here that the Eyademas didnt just wake up one day to plant themselves on the seat. They worked hard for it. For as long as public goodwill for them (from other ethnic groups than those taking to the streets now), there is the possibility that the dynasty will grow and entrench itself more forcefully. Let another Eyadema emerge to win the hearts of the people and he/she will be placed in power.

That is why those kicking against this issue of the Eyadema dynasty should think of better ways to make themselves relevant instead of wasting resources and endangering life and property through these street demonstrations.

In the end, national stability and security should remain paramount in the doings and thoughts of the people. In the few days already, the situation isnt good. Those fleeing the country are needlessly being turned into refugees in the neighbouring countries that lack adequate resources for their upkeep. The neighbouring countries have their own problems to deal with. Why add more to them? Cool heads should work around the clock to deal with this Togolese problem and save the citizens from needless hardship.

I shall return
Cape Coast, Aug. 28, GNA - The National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) would this year employ more than 80,000 youths across the country says, Mr Pius Enam Hadzide, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports.

He explained that the move formed part of a broader Government objective to create employment for the youth to enable them put their skills to use and contribute meaningfully to nation building.

To achieve this, he added that the Government had committed over 70 million cedis to support youth development through skills and entrepreneurial training programmes and job placements.

Mr Enam Hadzide, said this on Saturday, at a rally organised by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), at the Victoria Park in Cape Coast to thank the Region for voting massively for the Party in the 2016 polls.

He appealed to the teeming unemployed youth to be patient with the Government as it begins to roll out well thought-out strategic policy initiatives to ameliorate their plights.

'The NPP government has not forgotten its promises to the youth of Ghana...just be patient and avail yourselves for the job opportunities under the NYEP.

'We know things are difficult for many of us but remain confident in the able hands of the Government of Nana Akufo-Addo to resolve the economic imbalances that threw the economy off gear.'

Mr Hadzide further reassured the youth saying: 'I am a testimony of the government's staunch determination to support the youth in Ghana to occupy their rightful places in society'.

Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Agriculture, on his part described the sector as the backbone of Ghana's economy and urged all to embrace it as a viable alternative means of livelihood that had created thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the country.

Consequently, he said the government had recognised its immense contribution to the nation's Gross Domestic Produce (GDP) through foreign exchange earnings, employment and food security and therefore introduced a lot interventions to sustain the sector.

He mentioned the government's policy to subsidise price of fertilizer as highly beneficial as the nation prepared for bumper harvest through it 'planting for food and jobs' Initiative.

Others were the supply of free hybrid seedling to cocoa farmers, mass Cocoa spraying as well as the improved extension services to all farmers to increase their produce to support their livelihoods while sustaining food security.

On the prospects of the fishing industry in Ghana, he said plans were far advanced to tackle all the bottlenecks that had worked against the growth of that sector.

GNA

By Isaac Arkoh, GNA
29.08.2017 LISTEN

By Belinda Ayamgha/ Wilhelmina Tengmaa

Accra, Aug. 28, GNA - Ms Abena Osei Asare, the Deputy Minister of Finance, has sworn in the newly constituted Board of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), with a call on it to guide the Company in pursuit of its vision to make Ghana a preferred aviation hub.

She said she saw great hope and prospects for the GACL's future and charged the Board to guide it to achieve those prospects by adopting sound, ethical and legal governance and financial management policies.

Ms Asare made the statements at the inauguration of the new Board prior to the commencement of the GACL's fifth Annual General Meeting (AGM), where she administered the oath of office and the oath of secrecy to the members.

She noted that Ghana's airports had seen tremendous improvement since the establishment of the GACL as a result of the decoupling from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), 10 years ago.

The nine-member Board of Directors is chaired by Mrs Oboshie Sai Cofie and includes Mr John Dekyem Attafuah, current Managing Director of the GACL, Mr Kwabena Addo Atuah, Ambassador Kwasi Baah Boakye, Mr Kofi Owusu Sekyere, Mr Kwesi Fynn, Mr Kojo Addae Mensah, Mrs Comfort Boohene Osafo and Mr Prosper Amewu.

Ms. Asare expressed confidence in the expertise of the members, from diverse backgrounds and competencies in various fields, saying it will provide a healthy foundation for the success of the company.

'I am also happy that a woman is the Chairperson of the Board,' she noted and congratulated the chairperson.

She also enjoined the Board to comply with the requirements under the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (ACT 921), Section 90, which mandates Boards of State Owned Enterprises to 'establish and maintain policies, procedures, risk management and internal control systems, and governance and management practices that will ensure that the organisation manages its resources prudently and operates effectively to achieve its objectives'.

She commended the impressive performance and contribution of the GACL to the economy since its incorporation, noting that government, as a shareholder, saw its performance as a shining example in the SOE sector.

'I pledge my personal support and the government's continued full support for the Board and management of this company,' she concluded.

Mrs Oboshie Sai Cofie, speaking on behalf the Board, thanked President Nana Akufo Addo for giving them the opportunity to serve Ghana, and pledged to contribute her best in the position.

'I am fully aware of the extraordinary responsibilities of the position and pledge my very best,' she said.

She noted that the bid to position Ghana as the preferred Aviation hub and leader in airport business in Africa required collective efforts to achieve.

GNA
Naabugubelle (U/W), Aug. 28, GNA - Mr Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, has donated a fridge and an air conditioner to management of the Naabugubelle Health Center in the Sissala East District.

The items which were purchased at a total cost of GH2,200.00 are expected to aid the storage of medicines at the drug unit of the facility.

Presenting the items to management of the facility, the Deputy Regional Minister, said the gesture was based upon a complaint made to him by management concerning the challenges they experience at the drug unit with respect to the storage of medicines.

Mr Issahaku said upon hearing the complaint, he contacted a few of his friends who helped him to procure the items to be presented to the facility.

He said central government alone could not solve all the problems confronting the health sector, hence the need for all to help in addressing some of the little challenges faced by health facilities.

The Deputy Regional Minister appealed to management of the facility to use the items for its intended purpose to ensure the safety of drugs used in treating people in the community.

Mr Robert Juah, the Physician Assistant in charge of the facility, thanked the Deputy Minister for responding promptly to their complaint saying from now onwards the safety of their drugs was guaranteed.

While thanking him for the kind gesture, Mr Juah also appealed to the general public to assist the facility with an ultrasound machine to enhance maternal care services at the facility.

Mr Juah said the absence of the machine made pregnant women journey much further to access the service at the District Hospital in Tumu.

Mr Alex Bapula, Sissala East District Director of Health Services, urged the community to patronize the services of the facility, noting that it was only when they do so, that benevolent individuals and philanthropists would be encouraged to help address the challenges facing the facility.

He said plans are far advanced to post a midwife to the facility to help provide maternal and child health care services to people in the community.

GNA

By Prosper K. Kuorsoh, GNA
Adobewura (Ash), Aug. 28, GNA - The public have been advised to adopt a non-partisan approach to the on-going campaign to stem illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) in the country.

Mr Benjamin Marfo, Atwima-Mponua District Manager of the Business Advisory Centre (BAC) of the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), said this is essential since the availability of land resources has become vital to the sustenance and socio-economic development of the people.

'We risk losing all our treasured natural resources if we do not resist being overtaken by greed as a people', he said adding that protecting the environment is a shared responsibility.

Mr Marfo was speaking to the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of a district consultative meeting at Adobewura, held to discuss the effects of illegal small-scale mining on the communities and find ways of improving the livelihood of the people.

Participants were drawn from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and Association for Small Scale Industries, as well as small-scale mining associations, farmers, traditional authorities, media and district assembly

It was sponsored by the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP) and facilitated by the BAC with the aim to sensitize mining affected communities to fully participate in its alternative livelihood and employable skills training programmes for their wellbeing.

The training programmes, all funded by the REP and also community-based, include fish, fruit, cassava, oil palm, cocoa husk, soyabean and groundnut processing, traditional catering, salt production and mushroom cultivation.

The rest are bakery, bee keeping, beauty care and fashion designing, guinea fowl and rabbit rearing.

Mr Marfo said the beneficiaries would also be equipped with knowledge in entrepreneurship, basic marketing and customer relations, general business and basic financial management, marketing, business planning and management, welding and fabrication.

The meeting comes in the wake of the government's recent ban on illegal small-scale mining which has seen the many youth engaged in such activities being unemployed.

Substantial land mass in the district had been destroyed as a result of illegal small-scale mining, and this has had its toll on the people as their main livelihood depended on farming.

The BAC District Manager disclosed that the REP has over a decade been instrumental in helping to alleviate poverty and also create wealth amongst the people through its community-based training programmes.

The programme, he said, which operated under four key thematic areas, namely access to business development services, technology transfer, access of SMEs to rural finance and institutional development, had helped to bring prosperity to the people. GNA

By Stephen Asante, GNA
29.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Aug 28, GNA - Free and fair elections are the backbone of a consolidated democracy, Mr Hans-Helge Sander, the German Deputy Ambassador to Ghana has stated.

He said elections that were fraudulent could and had caused conflicts in many countries on the African continent; stating that 'therefore, election observation is no doubt a very crucial tool for conflict prevention'.

Mr Sander said this on Monday, in his opening remarks at the Economic Community of West African States/Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (ECOWAS/KAIPTC) Pilot Course on Long-Term Election Observation in Accra.

The course, which is being financed by the German Government, is being attended by 30 participants from the West Africa sub-region.

Given the fact that democratic elections are the bedrock of democracy and nation building, the essence of elections cannot be over-emphasized.

The ECOWAS, realizing the lack of long-term election observers in the region and the absence of required capacity to groom them appropriately, is partnering KAIPTC to equip selected participants with the requisite knowledge and understanding of election observation methodology for assessing pre-election, election and post-election periods.

Mr Sander said the German Government was supporting ECOWAS in democratic consolidation and the reinforcement of peace and security in the West African sub-region and beyond by strengthening ECOWAS.

'ECOWAS has been supporting member states in the preparation of credible elections by providing financial and technical support as stated in the supplementary protocol on Democracy and Good Governance (2001) and ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF) 2008,' he said.

'This technical support includes election observation by qualified personnel,' the Deputy Ambassador added.

He said ECOWAS' election observers were deployed to all countries in the region to observe and monitor the pre-election, electoral and post-electoral operations and to report on the outcome of the elections.

He said the observation was generally on the regularity, transparency, equity and smooth conduct of legislative and presidential elections.

Mr Sander cited the recent elections observed by ECOWAS to include - Nigeria (2015), Ghana (2016), Cape Verde (2016), The Gambia (2017); adding that ECOWAS would also be observing the upcoming election in Liberia later this year.

He said although ECOWAS had a good capacity for short term election observation, it needs to build more capacity for Long-Term Election Observers (LTO).

'The role of LTOs is very crucial in the election process as they gather, analyse, and report election-related information and findings from their deployment stations. They also prepare the ground for the deployment of Short-Term Election Observers (STOs),' he said.

'An STO is deployed for a limited period of time and therefore, the work of the LTO is crucial in maximizing the STO contribution by providing a thorough briefing, debriefing and necessary logistical support. LTO's therefore, require a broad array of analytical and organisation skills.'

Mr Sander mentioned that with the support of the German Government, ECOWAS had established an Election Observation Mission Database.

He said with the Database, ECOWAS manages a pool of election experts for effective and efficient deployment for election observation missions.

On collaboration between Germany and the KAIPTC, Mr Sander said, the German Government had supported the KAIPTC financially and technically since its inception in 2003 in a wide range of areas.

The Deputy Commandant of the KAIPTC, Brigadier General Dr Emmanuel Kotia, said democratic elections were the indispensable root of democracy and had become imperative for assessing national security, political stability and socio-economic development.

'For elections to have integrity, it must not only be conducted by election management bodies with full independence in a professional, non-partisan and transparent manner, but also be certified free, fair and credible by election observers,' Brig Gen Kotia stated.

'As a result, election observation regimes have become an important element in promoting transparency,' he added.

He said: 'On its part, KAIPTC as an ECOWAS Training Centre of Excellence will continue to remain at the cutting edge of efforts at building the capacity of citizens from within West Africa and beyond, by providing them with training that will equip them with the necessary skills'.

Mr Francis Oke, the Head, Electoral Assistance Division (EAD), ECOWAS, said the Commission had decided to establish the LTO training programme to professionalise their election monitoring and observation.

He said the training programme would equip the participants in areas such as tender processes, election operations, legal and security matters. GNA

By Iddi Yire, GNA
The analysis then adjusts scores to account for the length of the mothers pregnancy, whether the mother received prenatal care, whether the baby was from a single or multiple birth, the babys 5-minute Apgar score (a quick assessment of the infants physical health at birth) and whether delivery was by cesarean section.

Scores were also statistically adjusted to reflect the fact that some hospitals cared for sicker babies, on average, than others. The final score for each hospital, and for each group of patients within a hospital, reflects whether the hospital did the same, better or worse than would be expected in addressing their patients medical problems. Scores were calculated separately for white, black, Hispanic, Asian and other infants and referenced for each subgroup against whites.

When researchers analyzed the population of very low birth weight infants in their study, Hispanic infants and those with other ethnicity had lower Baby-MONITOR scores than white infants, while black and Asian infants did not have significantly different scores than whites. However, across the state, white infants scored higher on measures of whether standard medical practices were being followed. For instance, 89 percent of white infants and 88 percent or Asian infants in the study received steroids before birth to mature their lungs, while 87 percent of Hispanic infants and 85 percent of black infants got the same treatment. The difference remained statistically significant after adjusting for possible confounding factors.

Black infants had lower rates than white infants of receiving any human milk at discharge  an indicator of worse outcomes  but also had better outcomes in some areas, including faster growth rates and lower rates of chronic lung disease and collapsed lung. Hispanic infants did worse than whites on all components of the score except collapsed-lung rates.

Across NICUs, those that provided the poorest quality of care tended to have the smallest disparities between ethnicities; in some, blacks fared better than white infants. As quality scores rose across hospitals, white infants tended to do better.

The researchers also found that although racial and ethnic differences in NICU care were fairly small when examined across California as a whole, some individual hospitals had large gaps in how they cared for infants from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Individualizing care

Addressing the disparities will require a nuanced approach, Profit said. Its really important for NICUs to individualize care to the patient population they see, he said.

For instance, Hispanic families who are primarily Spanish-speaking may be experiencing language barriers that make it harder for parents to ask questions and act as advocates for their infants. For them, having access to translation and personnel who speak Spanish is really critical, he said. Hospitals serving a larger proportion of African-American infants may have different issues they need to address.

For many of these infants, their time in the NICU sets them on track for their entire life.

The next step, Profit said, is to help Californias NICUs identify ways in which they can each make progress in treating all infants more equitably. Our goal is to develop a dashboard of disparity measures for NICUs throughout California so that each can see how theyre performing for infants of different races and ethnicities in comparison to their peers, he said. The feedback will become part of the work of the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, which has organized successful quality-improvement initiatives to help NICUs across the state improve the medical care they deliver. The researchers are also working with the Vermont Oxford Network, a sister organization that monitors NICUs across the country to provide similar feedback to hospitals nationwide.

We need to continue to identify vulnerable populations, make sure they get their needs met and find better ways to engage all families in our care, Profit said.

Hospital care during the newborn period is not the largest contributor to health disparities that minority infants experience, Profit noted, estimating that socioeconomic and biological differences likely make a larger contribution. Nevertheless, that does not mean disparities in medical care should be ignored, he added.

For many of these infants, their time in the NICU sets them on track for their entire life, Profit said. If we can get things right early on, that could have a huge long-term effect.

Other Stanford collaborators on the research are Jeffrey Gould, MD, professor of pediatrics; biostatistician Mihoko Bennett, PhD; Ciaran Phibbs, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics; and Henry Lee, MD, associate professor of pediatrics. Profit, Gould and Lee are members of Stanfords Child Health Research Institute.

Researchers at Duke University School of Medicine and the University of California-Santa Cruz also contributed to the work.

The study was supported by grants from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (grants R01HD083368, R01HD08467 and K23HD068400).

Stanfords Department of Pediatrics also supported the work.
Kumasi, Aug. 28, GNA - Mr. William Kwame Fordjour, former Assemblyman for Bomso in Kumasi, has urged Ministers of State and other government functionaries to work assiduously for the realization of the nation's socio-economic goals.

He said they should ensure that the government's proposed people-centred policies and programmes were well executed to impact positively on the lives of the citizenry, particularly those at the grassroots.

'As the New Patriotic Party (NPP) comes out of an important stock-taking exercise, it is incumbent on well-meaning members to work within the ideologies and principles of the Party for which the ordinary Ghanaian voted them into power,' he noted.

Mr. Fordjour, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi, said the Party members needed to contemplate and give serious considerations to the lessons learnt at its recent Delegates' Congress in the Central Region.

Issues bothering on education, health, job creation and agricultural development, he stated, ought to be addressed effectively as contained in the Party's Manifesto.

Mr. Fordjour who also an NPP activist, said the citizenry have the mandate to go all out in assisting the government to find lasting solution to the illegal small-scale mining menace since it was destructive to the country's environment.

The former Assemblyman praised President Nana Akufo-Addo for his resolve to deal with corruption in all its forms, and expressed optimism that this would help save the nation the vital resources lost through such practices.

GNA

By Stephen Asante, GNA
ACTING NATIONAL Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has charged members of the ruling party to start thinking of a well structured plan that will strengthen the party to easily retain power in 2020.

According to him, members of the party should put the 2016 election victory aside and quickly restructure it from the base to the top in a peaceful and united atmosphere, to make it attractive to woo floating voters.

Mr. Blay, who sounded confident of the NPP retaining power in the next general election, stressed the need for the party faithful to work closely with the government to achieve its set objective.

This is part of our strategy to expand our base, work hand-in-hand with the government, win more hearts and minds of Ghanaians and assure an even greater landslide victory in 2020, he said to a rapturous applause.

Mr. Blay, whose extraordinary leadership style contributed immensely to the NPP's 2016 electoral victory, gave the address during the 2017 annual Delegates' Conference of the party, held in Cape Coast, capital of the Central Region, over the weekend.

The historic event marked the 25 years of the NPP and it was massively graced by party stalwarts, including President Akufo Addo and his wife, Rebecca; Vice President Bawumia and his wife, Samira; ex-President Kufuor, ministers of state, MMDCEs, among others.

Mr. Blay's delivery mainly centered on party unity, cohesion and the need for the NPP to retain political power in 2020 to enable the citizenry continue to benefit from the government's superlative programmes and policies.

According to him, the rank and file of the party have crucial roles to play in ensuring that it stays in political office for many years to come.

He said, On the part of the national executive, it is our plan to immediately embark on rejuvenating our party structures and also investing in the physical infrastructure of well-equipped and well-staffed offices, with adequate transportation, befitting a party like ours at all levels.

In this regard, we must shift from the idea that the party is just an election machine after which executives are rewarded with public posts or appointments. We must build the party into a reliable reservoir of energy, talents, ideas and human resources to continuously replenish, enrich and sustain our government.

The NPP National Chairman, who spoke at length on pressing party issues, also called for a closer working relationship between the party and the government, warning government appointees not to distance themselves from party members, whose efforts ensured the 2016 victory.

Some members are beginning to develop and express sentiments of alienation and sometimes, frustration, and even disappointment with the government and the party. This is a delicate issue and not easy to address.

There are growing complaints from our members about access to government functionaries. The lack of employment, which we inherited from the previous NDC administration, largely remains a disturbing issue, which we know is related to the economic problems we face as a nation.

I know there are some and they are many, in this conference hall who are unhappy that too many hangers-on, who openly identified with and campaigned for the NDC government in violation of service oaths, have been left in positions of authority in the structure of government instead of being held accountable and probably removed by now.

He also warned the government against neglecting the needs and concerns of party members, insisting that it is prudent that the party members, whose toil and hard work brought the electoral victory, are also rewarded accordingly.

It is advisable and imperative that our government recognizes the creative and entrepreneurial abilities of members of the party, tap into it and economically empower them so they can be demonstrable examples of the prosperity we seek to deliver to Ghanaians, he charged.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr & Charles Takyi Boadu, Cape Coast
Johnson Asiedu Nketiah aka General Mosquito, General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has reportedly been attacked by AK 47-wielding men on his way from his hometown, Seikwa, in the Tain District of the Brong-Ahafo Region, to Accra.

He was allegedly attacked near Suhum in the Eastern Region Monday afternoon.

The gunmen, said to be numbering about six, allegedly wielded AK 47 assault rifles and other sophisticated weapons, wearing masks. They were said to be driving a Toyota Tundra with registration number GT 666-12, and purportedly accosted General Mosquito and other occupants of his vehicle and harassed them at Obretema, a village along the Accra-Kumasi highway.

Mr Asiedu Nketia, who spoke to DAILY GUIDE via telephone, claimed that when the attackers crossed and stopped his V8 vehicle, he and a soldier friend mustered courage, stepped out of his vehicle to confront the armed men, following which he said the men bolted.

We made an attempt to take snapshots of the gunmen but we were not successful, so I called the National Security Minister, Kan Dapaah, to inform him of what had happened so that he could alert any barrier on that road in a bid to arrest the gunmen; but I'm yet to hear from him, Mr. Asiedu Nketia asserted.

He explained further that a convoy drove past them with one of the vehicles registered with a customised name  Odeneho  which he suspected might be owned by a chief, but said he could not state categorically whether the men had any link with the convoy.

General Mosquito indicated that none of the people he was traveling with was hurt.

FROM Daniel Bampoe, Obretema


Recently, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia announced that from September 1  which is three days away  the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government is going to commence a policy called 'Paperless Ports Clearing' system. He said it is a robust system that enables customs clearance to be carried out in four hours.

He also announced that the government was introducing the First Port Rule in Ghana, which would provide the avenue for the duty on goods destined for countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to be paid here in Ghana. This, he said, should provide a check on the dumping of goods destined for our neighbouring countries on us (Ghana).

We welcome this laudable initiative, which is being practised in many advanced countries like Dubai where importers are enjoying quality and efficient services; and we strongly believe that the attempt to replicate it in Ghana will open the economy up to ensure rapid growth.

We understand that there is currently a test trial of the project towards the September commencement.

Under this new policy, Customs officials, Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), agents, shipping lines, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, Meridian Ports Services (MPS), Tema Container Terminal, other terminal operators, courier providers, and scan operators in the value chain are mandated to work together to generate instant results at the ports.

As usual, there have been some agitations from some freight forwarders and clearing agents, but we believe they should exercise some level of restraint and allow the system to work for the benefit of their clients and the country as a whole.

We should not forget that the public over the years has been dissatisfied because of the overall procedures, inexplicable charges, delays, lack of transparency and the complexity in port operations.

The current system replacing the lethargic one, we understand, is going to reduce the number of hands mandated to inspect imported goods. The joint mandatory inspection will become the order of the day.

The fact that it is going to be paperless, in our humble opinion, does not suggest that it is going to weed out the important work of agents and freight forwarders from the system. In fact, it is rather not going to enhance the value of all those who are in the business of clearing goods on behalf of their clients as a senior customs official remarked last week. The paperless transaction will instead speed up the clearing processes at the ports and increase the revenue to the State.

It is clear that the target of this noble initiative is not job cuts, but to make clearing of goods at the ports easier and more comfortable. They joy of bringing in more goods and the fact that it will help freight forwarders and clearing agents to be clearing goods within a couple of hours  some say four hours  should be good news to everybody.

We should not forget that in adopting the e-clearance system, the much-talked-about issue of corruption is going to be reduced drastically as the processes that lead to payments at every stage are going to be centralized.

As the vice president said, we are moving from a system of applying sub-standard and unnecessary complex procedures at the port to a system which meets international standards. We need value for money as a nation and we are going to insist on that.
FORMER PRESIDENT John Agyekum Kufuor has insisted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government left behind a huge economic mess in the country which will take at least 20 years for a committed government to clear.

He said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has solutions to the massive rot that the NDC bequeathed to Ghanaians during the last eight years, but the NPP needs at least five political victories (20 years), to bring the needed transformation.

The NPP has the DNA to always implement pragmatic policies and programmes to develop the country, but the huge rot that the NDC left behind, we need at least four to five electoral victories to clear it and bring about growth, the former president noted.

Mr. Kufuor observed that the country was virtually at a standstill as there was no clear direction or policy for development during the eight years that the NDC was at the helm of affairs.

In this regard, Mr. Kufuor entreated Ghanaians to retain the NPP government in office for a longer time so that it can once-and-for-all, bring about the needed renaissance for the people to enjoy.

He was addressing NPP delegates during the party's annual Delegates' Conference in the Central Regional capital of Cape Coast over the weekend. It was under the theme, 'NPP: Delivering On Our Promises, Our Roots, Our Strength, Our Future.'

It was graced by top notches of the party, including President Nana Akufo-Addo and his wife, Rebecca; Vice President Bawumia and his wife, Samira; Freddie Blay, Acting NPP National Chairman; John Boadu, Acting General Secretary; Sammi Awuku, National Youth Organiser; ministers of state and MMDCEs, among others.

Distractive Acts

Mr. Kufuor sternly cautioned NPP members not to indulge in distractive acts that have the potential of diverting Nana Akufo-Addo's government's attention from realizing its positive vision of properly transforming the nation.

Don't do things or indulge in activities that will rock the boat of this young NPP government, led by Nana Akufo-Addo, he entreated the delegates, indicating that internal wrangling and backbiting should be relegated to the background  now that the party is in power.

According to Mr. Kufuor, the current NPP administration, which is very young in office, has displayed clear signs that it has good plans to lead the country into affluence and so the support of the party members is crucially needed, if the government will be successful.

He also admonished the party faithful to adopt proper mechanisms to solve internal matters quietly so that their opponents would not have any ammunition to fire against the government, which has so far started brilliantly in political office.

Don't wash your dirty linen in public; if you have any concerns just channel them through internal party processes and solve them peacefully so that Nana Akufo-Addo's government would enjoy the needed peace and concentration to develop the state.

Political Think-Thanks

Mr. Kufuor said the NPP needs to consider appointing professionals or technocrats who would be tasked to do proper planning for the party to ensure its growth during this computer era.

It is about time that we appoint think-thanks who would be well paid to work in the party office on a daily basis. These are professionals whose sole duty will be to plan for the proper development of the country in this computer age, he charged.

Mr. Kufuor, on behalf of the NPP, thanked the people of the Central Region for voting massively to return the NPP to power to lead the country on the path of prosperity.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr & Charles Takyi Boadu, Cape Coast
The well-known dog in Ketu North District in the Volta Region who survived a torture two years ago, has died in a domestic accident and the owner has promised a befitting burial.

The dog, known as Fofoe was in 2015 tortured in Ehi near Dzodze by a pork seller who was said to have intentionally trapped it.

The suspect was later convicted by the Dzodze District Magistrate's Court for causing harm to the dog, and was ordered to compensate the animal with GH500 to enable it to undergo veterinary treatment.

Two years after the landmark judgment, Fofoe was reported to have been involved in a domestic accident and died two weeks ago.

The owner Mr Stephen Atatsi said Fofoe was run over by a vehicle that was parked in the house while it lay beneath it.

Mr Atatsi who described the death as painful promised a befitting burial for his pet by building a veterinary clinic in the district to serve other dogs in the community.

The late Fofoe, 23 years of age has since been deposited at the St Anthony's hospital morgue in Dzodze awaiting burial next month.

He said, invitation letters have been sent to friends and families to join him in mourning of his dog.

Mr Atatsi who revealed his closeness to the dog condemned people who maltreat animals without realizing that such cruelties threaten the existence of the innocent animals.



By: King Norbert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Berlin (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday called for an extension of EU border controls in the passport-free Schengen area beyond a planned end in November.

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and non-EU Norway introduced the ID checks in 2015 and have been allowed to repeatedly prolong them at set intervals in response to a massive migrant influx.

Asked about the European Commission's plan announced in May not to continue the controls beyond November, Merkel said she would call for their extension during talks with its chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday.

"Given what the situation is at the moment, I believe we need these border controls," she told reporters.

The five countries first introduced the checks as a record wave of refugees and migrants from Syria and other Middle East countries and from Africa streamed across Europe.

Brussels initially set a goal of scrapping the checks by the end of 2016 but that proved politically untenable.

The Schengen area comprises 22 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Germany has allowed in more than one million asylum seekers since 2015, which put Merkel under massive political pressure from hard-right opponents and within her own conservative bloc.

The influx has slowed dramatically due to the closure of the so-called Balkan route and a deal with Turkey to stem the flow of people fleeing war-ravaged Syria in particular.

But a rising wave of migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa has created a fresh sense of urgency.

The issue of migration has played an only moderate role in the German election campaign and Merkel is widely expected to win a fourth term in next month's vote.
Glo Mobile Ghana has unveiled four new products for its existing and new subscribers.

These include Ay3 d3 k3k3' recharge bonus, Welcome Back offer, e-Top Up, 15 percent recharge bonus and Glo Cafe.

'Ay3 d3 k3k3' recharge bonus is a new offer, which is available to all existing and new Glo prepaid customers, and gives them four times the value of the amount recharged on specific e-Top Up recharge values.

The airtime can be used to call and send SMS on the Glo network and other networks in Ghana.

To enjoy these products, a customer has to recharge either by GH1.50, GH2.50, GH5.50, GH8.50, GH10.50, GH14, GH18 or GH27.

Rowland Odolokor, in a welcome remark, said the product was designed to let subscribers enjoy the benefit of what they spend and even more.

He said Glo's Welcome Back offer gave subscribers that have not used the network in 30 days or more huge freebies on voice and data as their welcome package.

For example, a GH1 offers the subscriber GH1.50 voice and 75MB data to the bargain. GH2 gives GH3 for voice and an additional 150MB data, all valid for 30 days while a customer who opts for GH5 gets GH7.50 in addition to 600MB data.

The 15 percent recharge bonus gives a guaranteed 15 percent bonus on the amount recharged electronically on all listed profiles.

He revealed that the Glo Cafe was a one-stop telecommunications solution application, which is aimed to empower the consumer to have access to all products and services offered by Glo to help them manage their account with ease.

It guarantees real-time voice and data balance enquiry and allows the customer to recharge and view recharge history with an added option to migrate to any tariff plan of choice. Aside this, the customer also has the option of buying, sharing and gifting data bundles and subscription of voice bundles through the use of mobile money.

Khartey Caesar, a manager of the company, asked lovers of good offers to take advantage of the new propositions from Glo for better experiences.

A business desk report


The Ghana Water Company (GWC) Limited on Wednesday held preliminary discussions with Electrolytic Technologies, a US-based company aimed at producing onsite chlorine for the country's water systems.

Should an agreement be reached, the Florida Company will produce chlorine in Ghana at a centralized system at the Ghana Water Company for distribution to all treatment plants across Ghana.

Ghana Water Company currently imports the chlorine it uses to purify the water produced for consumers in Ghana.

It was revealed at the meeting that Accra Region alone, which covers eight districts and communities like Korle Bu, Chorkor Russia, Mamprobi, Weija, McCarthy Hill, etc., six tonnes of chlorine is needed to produce at least 560,000m3 of water per week.

But President of Electrolytic Technologies Derek Lubie said their technology is capable of producing 22 tonnes of chlorine per day at a relatively affordable price.

He told top level management of Ghana Water Company that chlorine is instrumental in the production of water for domestic consumption. It is a highly efficient disinfectant added to public water supplies to kill disease-causing pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoans that commonly grow in water supply reservoirs.

The benefits notwithstanding, chlorine on its own can be toxic to the human body. It is toxic enough to be a chemical weapon and categorized as a choking agent. Inhalation of chlorine gas can cause difficulty in breathing, chest pains, cough, eye irritation, increased heartbeat, rapid breathing, and death. Exposure to chlorine can be a very traumatic experience.

Derek Lubie revealed this to a team of Ghana Water Company, which includes the Managing Director, Ing. Dr Clifford Braimah, his deputy in charge of Operations, Ing. Jacob Z Yendor and Deputy MD in-charge of F&A, Remy Bonpira Puoru.

He gave the assurance that his company's technology will provide the safest chlorine onsite at a cheaper price.
The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) attended church to thank God for His mercies after holding a successful National Delegates Conference in Cape Coast on Saturday.

They joined members of the Wesley Methodist Church early Sunday morning to sing and praise God for an incident-free event.

Speaking at the church, President Akufo-Addo stressed the importance of God's guidance as well as integrity, faithfulness, punctuality, teamwork and enthusiasm for successful governance to create prosperity for the nation.

He insisted that we should at all times remember that we need the intervention of the Lord on a daily basis in our lives so that He can give us wisdom, courage, health, compassion to work to benefit the people of Ghana,

He acknowledged the role played by the Central Region in the victory of his party in the 2016 elections, adding that the party came back to the region to hold its congress to show gratitude and appreciation for the overwhelming support given them by the people of the region.

It is now a fact of Ghanaian politics that he who wins the Central Region will win power, he said.

The President, who made reference to Zachariah 4 verse 6, said that we are all in His hands and if we recognize that all things are possibleand I am confident that this nation is going to work and heaven will make it work.

We pray for God's blessing on our enterprise, God's blessing for our peoplethe Ghanaian people whose conduct has made this country famous and respected throughout the world will continue to hold fast, the President prayed.

Right Reverend Ebenezer Kwamina Abakah-Wilson, Bishop of the Cape Coast Diocese of the Methodist Church, who delivered a sermon under the theme, Better Times for the Nation Ghana, said every leader on earth was a steward and would render accounts to God.

He charged every leader to uphold integrity and good attitude and asked Ghanaians to support government to succeed because the entire nation would benefit from the various initiatives being implemented by the government.

He stressed the belief the nation was at the crossroads and required the collective efforts of all and sundry to achieve economic transformation and prosperity for all.

He prayed for wisdom, understanding and divine protection for President Akufo-Addo and his vice, Dr Bawumia and the entire government machinery, as well as the party executives.

The President later visited the tomb of the first missionary sent by the Wesleyan Mission to Cape Coast, Rev. Joseph Rhodes Dunwell.

He arrived in Cape Coast on 1st January, 1835 and died on June 24, 1835.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent
Oil-rich Equatorial Guinea is demanding about 73 million from French oil group Total over fraud in fuel sale between 2010 and 2012, Finance Minister Miguel Egonga Obiang said on Monday.

Following an investigation, we found a suspicious and fraudulent situation, said the Finance Minister.

According to AFP, the government has asked Total to present a proposal for settlement during a meeting with officials of the French company in Equatorial Guinea on August 21.

With more than 35 years presence in the country, the French oil giant Total is seen as the leading petroleum products distributor in the Central African nation. The group has a network of 27 gas stations on the island of Bioko, the city of Bata and the mainland.

Equatorial Guinea is Sub-Saharan Africas third biggest oil producer and has one of the regions most dynamic energy sectors. The country pumped an average 289,000 bpd in 2015, with reserves estimated in the same year at more than 1.1 billion barrels of crude.

It became the 14th member of OPEC in May this year. The move according to the government is to boost Africas overall influence on international oil markets.

With a population of less than a million people, Equatorial Guinea gets most of its export revenues from oil and gas.
The Weija Police have apprehended a 35-year-old self-styled soldier for allegedly defrauding 14 people to the tune of GH71,000 under the pretext of enlisting them into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

The suspect Lawrence Nana Bentil, an IT Technician, allegedly swindled the victims through a police woman (named withheld).

The Weija District Police Commander, DSP Stephen Billy Addom, who briefed DAILY GUIDE, said the complainant is a police woman.

He said Bentil, who posed as a soldier in Weija area, was first introduced to the police woman last year by an ex Warrant Officer (WO) with the enlistment unit of the Military High Command.

The suspect told the complainant to inform people, who were interested in enlisting into the Ghana Armed Forces.

Several persons contacted the police woman to help them get enlisted in the security services, and so the police woman discussed the issue with suspect.

Suspect told the complainant to charge the victims various amounts ranging from GH4,000 to GH10,000, depending on the unit the victim wants to join.

The police woman mobilized a total of GH71,000 from the 14 victims together with their particulars and handed them over to the suspect.

Bentil, after collecting the money, went into hiding and the victims started harassing the complainant for their monies.

A report was lodged with the Weija Police by the police woman and checks at the Ghana Armed Forces revealed that the suspect was an imposter.

Reports said that the suspect was not a soldier but constantly visited the command in uniform with his badge.

Based on intelligence, the suspect was busted at Weija on August 25, 2017 in full military apparel.

He has provisionally been charged with fraud, impersonating and unlawful possession of military uniform and would be arraigned before court soon.

( [email protected] )

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey


Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, has appealed to President Akufo-Addo and the National Security to immediately investigate corruption accusations made against the Deputy Chief of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye and his other colleague, Abu Jinapor by musician A-Plus.

According to him, allegations and counter allegations between the musician and the two government officials, do not augur well for a party in power and therefore, pleaded with President Akufo-Addo to quickly investigate it.invite A Plus and ensure that full probe is conducted into the issue.

Mr Kennedy Agyapong made those comments on Adom TVs Morning Show Badwam Tuesday, after the musician described the two deputies as corrupt.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
The Executives and members of Kumasi Youth Association would like to cease this availed opportunity to congratulate the hardworking Regional Police commander COP Mr. Ken Yeboah on your promotion from DCOP to COP.

We hope and believe that, this is one of the blessings the Almighty God has bestow on you and we pray that there would be more of such promotion and Awards for your outstanding dedication to duty.

Again, we hope this promotion would motivate you to work harder and improve on security issues in Ashanti Region and Ghana at large.

We the youth would like to congratulate you on your promotion and we ask for the lord's favour, strength and protection on you so will make Ashanti Region a better place to live in.

Thank You.

..Signed...

KWABENA FRIMPONG

GENERAL SECRETARY

(0204910050)

BOAKYE DANKWAH

COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR

(0246312880)

FELIX IBRAHIM

ORGANIZER

(0268404273)
29.08.2017 LISTEN

There is something atavistic about African politicians who don't seem to realise that in the Africa of today, no tribe is superior or inferior to another. We really are particularly lucky that tribal bigotry is not widespread in Ghana.

It is a blessing that has led to the happy situation we find ourselves in today - in which there is virtually no extended family clan in our country that is not made up of people from different ethnic backgrounds united by ties of consanguinity and marriage.

The disdain tribal supremacists have for their fellow humans, can, and on occassion, does lead to terrible consequences - such as the porgroms in Darfur and Southern Sudan, as well as the still harrowing Rwandan genocide. No politician who shows any signs of being fixated with stereotyping whole ethnic groups to the extent of saying derogatory things about them - on account of their ethnicity - in our homeland Ghana must be allowed to remain in office. That must be a given. Always.

That is why President Akufo-Addo's government must ensure that Hon. William Agyapong Quaittoo the Deputy Minister of Agriculture resigns from his position immediately. His position has become untenable. He must either resign or be sacked by the president. Full stop.

To label a whole tribe as liars is foolish and ignorant in this day and age - and incredibly arrogant. Just who does he think he is? Haaba. We must respect and cherish our ethnic diversity - for it is that multi-cultural tapestry bequethed to us by President Nkrumah that enriches us as Ghanaians: who really are indeed one people with a common destiny. And that will be the case till the very end of time.

The William Agyapong Quaittoos in our midst cannot govern such a nation. Indeed, they must not be allowed to by decent and fair-minded people in Ghanaian society. That is why he must be sacked from his position by the president immediately. What he said about Dagombas is abominable and unpardonable. Haaba.
ExLA Group has expressed its unflinching support for the Presidents call for government appointees to desist from corrupt practices which has been a bane to the nations development.

President Nana Akufo-Addo was emphatic in his statements that he was not going to preside over a government that will knowingly condone corruption and also made claims which suggests that he would ensure that allegations of corruption in his government would be investigated by the law enforcement agencies. ExLA Group finds this call laudable as it was made while speaking at the annual Delegates Conference of his political party, the New Patriotic Party in Cape Coast in the Central Region.

According to IMANI Ghana, the country loses over $ 3billion annually to corruption, monies which otherwise could be used for public developmental projects. It is therefore not a surprise that the latest Corruption Perception Index(CPI) ranking of African nations placed Ghana as the 9th most corrupt country on the continent from a previously 7th position. Recent expression of worry by the American Ambassador, which also confirmed an earlier remark by the Danish Ambassador that corruption is driving away investors from the country, have all come to confirm how intense the situation is.

Meanwhile, dealing with corruption has time and again been placed at the feet of leadership and its ability to express the willpower to fight the menace. It is within this context that ExLA Group has thrown its weight behind the Presidents confirmation of commitment to clamp down on corruption in his own administration. It also admonishes the President to begin to put his words into action by ensuring the prosecution of some public servants who might have been caught culpable in a number of growing scandals in the public sector of the nation while working on processes leading to the sanctioning of the Special Prosecutors office. Such bold actions would deter others from perpetrating similar acts and put the country on the path to real growth and development.

ExLA Group believes fervently that leadership is indeed cause while all other things, effect. It therefore looks forward to the display of such in the fight against corruption with resultant effects on the socio-economic wellbeing of citizens.

Signed

Daniel Osei Tuffuor

Executive Director

ExLA Group

0246489782
The subject of poverty is not new in any public discourse whether national or international. In our case as a country, the canker has been largely discussed and continue to be discussed from precolonial period till date yet we are unable to arrest this enemy of progress. The narrative remains adamant because we refuse to change our methodologies. We mimic economic policies from the west without taking into consideration that our economic environments are obviously different.

Pitifully, we keep discussing the issues with emotions while the solutions remain to rot in our minds. We talk too much than we think and never take any step forward beyond the political cacophony. It is in lieu of that, I say our predicaments as a developing nation is not because of economic poverty but mental poverty because we fail to think about the future.

The industrial revolution the West adopted in the late 19th century which catapulted America for instance to an industrialized country was a conscious and strategic plan well executed. After the Americans have used the African slaves to increase their plantation farms, after they have cheated Africans in the then barter trade and took away our gold and other precious minerals, they smartly had to shift focus to make use of the available economic fundamentals. That worked the magic for America.

It was not just an industrial revolution but mental revolution as the quest to own factories and enterprises became the target of every family. Wealth was abundantly created within the shortest time and most citizens were economically independent of government and preferred to work for themselves. For them, at the time, working for government as public servants was synonymous to slavery. That is what the whole concept of capitalism emanates and centers around. Can you see the narrative of the economic shift?

In our case as a country, we have been blessed with abundant natural resources but we have failed to utilize them to the maximum and only allow such natural resources under the monopolistic manipulation of foreign expatriates yet we expect economic magic. Of course, if you have a resource and do not know what to use it for, others will use every available tactics to siphon it. We have had more than 40% of the wealth of the world here in Africa but today we still shamelessly parade around, pitifully lamenting and capping in hands from these never satisfying business minded westerners. All these stern from cognitive poverty. Our leaders lack the ability to plan.

You might think I'm whining but let me be specific here. The 1992 constitution of Ghana, Article 86 establishes the National Development Planning Commission. The commission among other things shall be responsible for planning the economy and general development of this country.

Paramount among its function is the fact that, it should make proposals for the development of multi year rolling plan, taking into consideration resource potential and comparative advantage of the different districts of Ghana. Reading through that aspect of the constitution, I guess you agree with me that the framers of the constitution had the foresight for economic progress and any effective implementation could have placed us in a prosperous economic era. Isn't it?

Ironically, because of the parochial interest of political schemers who are interested in building economic dynasties around their families and cohorts, they never give any space to this technically justifiably mandated commission to operate. The National Development Commission only exists as a democratic structure but the spirit is swallowed by politicians, making it almost useless to the state.

Somewhere 2015, the National Development Commission announced a 40 year development plan after a wide consultation with political parties and other relevant stakeholders. We were told, political parties made a lot of contributions on the plan. Interestingly, political parties came out with their manifestoes spelling out their approaches of economic transformation without taking into consideration our national plan.

I will neither blame the political parties nor the commission for any policy discrepancies but any serious country would have found a way of empowering the commission to have the capacity to ensure that all political party manifestoes is in alignment of the national development path. As I speak, we do not longer hear of the Commission at the time government is taking various pertinent economic decisions some of which in my personal view, obviously, cannot emancipate the nation from donor support. The Senior minister of the current government, Hon Yaw Osafo Marfo is on record to have said that 40 year development plan is too long a plan to be followed. Obviously, it is an indication that the current government is not ready to work with the plan.

In fact, we are overly dependant on the largesse of powerful economic giants, the conditions attached, you and I can not speak of. I was expecting government to be consulting the commission regularly on its economic policies so that we can change the economic narrative.

Again, the decision of government to industrialized the country is a fantastic economic policy that can change the story of a country living on unchecked importation with its negative balance of payments issues. What we need to do is to strategically plan and set up industries that can stand the test of time by having the marketing arsenal to stand the global competitiveness. This is particularly so because most of our factories are now defunct because of the inability of these factories to break even. The economic lesson is that, it is not just about building factories in every district. It is about setting up unique factories at specific locations where raw materials can easily be obtained. Building factories whether public private partnership or state sole funding, is capital intensive and juxtaposing input cost analysis against projected market space and profit would have given us a more informed decision.

Interestingly, the issue of comparative advantage of various districts and resource potentials has never been touched on by the government much committed to one district one factory. It might be politically wise but economically unwise to spring up factories in all districts without considering the fundamental issues of resource potentials and comparative advantage.

Also, we need massive investment in primary production now as the fundamentals to facilitate rapid economic development through industrialisation. We don't build industries before we go back to invest in the production of raw materials or to find markets. Let's get it clear.

Our primary production is largely agriculture and we all know that the unpredictable nature of rainfall and other climatic conditions affect agricultural production. How many irrigation dams have we constructed?

Do we train people to gain adequate skills to help our farmers to increase production? Of the many educational plans that we hear, the Agricultural Training Colleges remain under resourced. People who complete these institutions become frustrated because we most of them are not even posted. All these are issues we should look at.

Look at the hectares of farms armyworms invasion affected only this year. Don't you think that if we had the expertise, we could have stricken the iron while it was hot? Monies have been wasted by the ministry of Agriculture but the situation remains grievous. Many farmers are frustrated. The ministers are equally frustrated and publicly demonstrate it by insulting those who complain. The blame game continues yet the problem persists. We need to think outside the box.

It would be of help to all of us if our politicians stop the "too knowing" attitude and let's allow those with expertise to help develop our nation. You can only be a jack of all trade but a master of non. National development can not be grounded with political motives because it can't achieve any goal in the long run. We need a more radical and truly national approach in tackling our national developmental challenges that singing political chorus and taking personal glory over nothing. That is our problem. Cognitive poverty and not economic poverty. We are reach but the selfish politicians do not take up any challenge, they don't want the citizens to get involved, they don't want the structures to work, No!!

Offer them with praise singing, insult their political opponents and they will call you the only economic brain of the country.

This is the time for revolution. Not only industrial revolution but mental and attitudinal revolution. You don't use a razor blade to slaughter animals despite its sharpness. You will be a mockery to yourself.

A word to a wise.......

Denis Andaban

[email protected]

Tel: +233549734023
29.08.2017 LISTEN

The Second vice chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Eastern Region, Nana Fredua Agyeman ofori-Atta has described the minority in parliament as loud mouths who cannot keep quiet.

According to him, the minority has over the years shown that they just talk and that the public should just disregard what they are saying concerning the comments of the deputy minister because he has apologised.

When they were in government. President Mahama made similar statements. He went to Kyebi and said in front of Okyehene that Kyebi was the Galamsey Headquarters He said

His comments comes on the back of calls from the minority to president Akufo-Addo to fire the deputy Agricultural minister, Mr William Quaittoo over comments he made about Northerners.

The Deputy Agric Minister referred to the people of the north as difficult people. The deputy minister made this statement when he was reacting to complain from farmers in the Northern region concerning the destruction of their farms by the army worms. The statement which may not have gone well with some northern folks has received calls many including the minority who are calling on the president to fire him.

Nana Fredua said all the Minority are known for is endless talk. According to him, former president Mahama made series of similar comments and no one called for his head so he is surprise the minority are acting this way.

Speaking on Agoo TVs Yensempa Show to Host Obaasima Serwaa Akoto, Nana Fredua said the Deputy Minister realised his mistakes and has apologized to the people of the north over his comments but what he could understand was why the NDC are calling for the president to fire the deputy Minister.
29.08.2017 LISTEN

Good afternoon fellow Ghanaians,

My special greetings to the people of the Volta Region .I hope we are all hearing in the news the unfortunate issue about our prestigious University.

As a region that was not having a state funded University at the time,it was of a great headache to us all then the good news was brought by Former President Prof Evans Atta Mills(of blessed memory) and today we are all happy and can boast of UHAS in our regional capital Ho and its affiliate in Hohoe and we are expectant of other affiliates in other parts of the region in the near future.

As a country that has been governed by law,Our prestigious Volta University, UHAS l must say was established by an Act of Parliament(Act 828, 2011) with the sole aim of providing higher education in health sciences,constructing and disseminating knowledge acquired to the needs and aspirations of Ghanaians.

On that note therefore,it is highly prudent for all the necessary stakeholders of the University to work assiduously in order to give policy directions towards ensuring high standards in academic output and giving graduates from this university a distinctive mark solely associated with the University of Health and Allied Sciences so as to make it draw more students who will like to pursue science related courses in future irrespective of their regions.

It will be unfair on my part,to touch on the substantive issue without first congratulating the newly inaugurated Council of the University and on that note therefore,l cease this opportune moment to congratulate the newly inaugurated Council of UHAS under the chairmanship of a renowned son of the region and an astute judge in person of Justice Dotse.

l wish the entire council membership,the best in the discharge of their mandate.

The current development at the UHAS,School Of Nursing and Midwifery between their leadership headed by the Dean and those who completed from there and graduated this July concerning writing of their licensing exam is very worrying.

l am of the view that, something seriously must be done about this because it is trying to cause serious disaffection for the University within those who found themselves in the School Of Nursing and Midwifery based on findings gathered so far.

We all know that,University calendar in Ghana is 4 years and this is public knowledge so what then is happening as far as UHAS-SONAM is concerned?Is anybody trying to abuse power there against laid down procedures?Is UHAS the only Public University pursuing degree in Nursing,Midwifery and Public Health?Why would students who found themselves there be made to do more years in disguise?Is communication between the students and their leadership headed by the Dean effective?Is the democratic right of the students under abuse?Is anybody trying to make money from the innocent students?Are laid down rules violated?I seriously need answers to the above questions to clear my doubts as far as this entire issue is concerned.

I hope you are all wondering what at all the issues are?The Dean of UHAS,School of Nursing and Midwifery and those who graduated from there this year July are at logger heads due to what they think was unfair treatment meted out to them by their leadership headed by the Dean.

The same thing according to them was done to their seniors last year and repeating itself this year and this l think should not continue because it is trying to bring the name of the University into disrepute.

Those who did the courses l mentioned earlier,are all supposed to write licensing exams and that is the norm according to best practice for all health related courses in our Universities.This same licensing exam is written by Nursing Training Colleges as well.

The over 150 students of Nursing,Midwifery and Public health who graduated from the University this July were not registered by their leadership headed by the Dean to take their licensing exams prior to their completion.Why so?Is that the norm in other public Universities pursuing same courses?I beg to differ seriously,so why it is so at UHAS?This is seriously baffling my mind.

According to reports,their leadership is of the view that,the students must pass their final exams before writing the licensing exams.

l don't think anybody is against the students passing their final exams before writing the licensing exam.But the issue is why will their leadership denied them the registration prior to their completion so that when the results are out and those who have done well in all their papers can then go ahead to write the licensing exam?Is that not what is done at the other Universities and in the Nursing Training Colleges?

But with the current happening,the students will not be registered for the licensing exams until their results are in and those who pass their exams will now be registered for the licensing exams after some several months when their colleague counterparts in other institutions are long done with their licensing exams.

So what then is the norm in other Universities and Nursing Training Colleges?What l do know is that,they write their licensing exams before leaving the four walls of their various institutions.

But so shockingly,in the case of UHAS,SONAM they must come back after graduation to attend classes for several months before taking their licensing exam.

The classes they were told to pay Ghc560.How was this amount arrived at?Were the students consulted enough on it?

In reference to that,someone who completed school must come back to stay for 6months right?Who pays for their new rent, utility, transportation,feeding etc.?Are we not just putting untold hardship on parents and just punishing the students unduly?Has leadership thought of all these?

Again on the issue of money to be paid by the students thus Ghc 560 my checks from one of the Nursing Training Colleges reveals that,last year they charged Ghc150 per student for preparations towards the same licensing exams UHAS is currently charging Ghc 560 per student and we are talking about a total number of 150plus students.

Interestingly,the Nursing and Midwifery Students Association is trying to fight the system against this gruesome treatment meted out to them by their leadership headed by Dean and surprisingly they are trying to deny knowledge of the existence of such an Association when the fact remains that,they are fully aware of the said Association and its activities for a while now because and there are written records to ascertain that,an official approval was given to the Association to function.This also to me means that, something is not adding up.

I am of the view that,Justice Dotse the Council Chairman of UHAS must do something about this issue because it is seriously bringing the name of our University of prestige into disrepute and that should not be allowed to continue.

In addition,some graduates from the University are bent on discouraging their brothers and sisters who want to come there to pursue Nursing and Midwifery courses because of the treatment they were made to go through.Will this help the University to grow?Now that the graduates are angry,will they be willing to support the University in future?

This l think must be the

worry of all Ghanaians especially those from the Volta Region because UHAS must continue to grow from strength to strength.

One other annoying part of the whole issue is that,they cannot even do their national service though they graduated from the University unless they are done with your licensing exams.What a shock!Who is sabotaging the system that is making the graduates to suffocate?

Their seniors who graduated last year have not even started their national service yet.This is very worrying!

This issue must be seriously investigated by the University Council in order to bring a lasting peace there.

I think moving forward,issue of licensing exams should be the sole prerogative of Nursing and Midwifery Council so that students can register with them directly and not through their schools because in the case of UHAS,l seriously think there is an abuse of power and that is my candid opinion and l stand by it.

To conclude,we are all Ghanaians and let us make sure we abide by rules and regulations and avoid all elements of making rules too rigid for others and more importantly treat our fellow men and women rightly.

Let us be minded that,we must do our best to develop this country and make our nation great and strong.

To our regional minister, Dr.Archibald Letsa and the Volta Caucus in Parliament led by Hon Emmanuel Bedzrah,l am appealing to should do their best to assist the Council Chairman in addressing this serious matter to enable the parties understand each other.

Thanks

Long Live Ghana

Long Live Volta Region

Long Live UHAS

0200255295.
When hyenas go rogue only the hunters can stop them, only the men with guts. Their booty spread all around them. Their greedy eyes search for more victims. Unbeknownst to them, the hunters have taken cover and would soon close in on them.

On Saturday 26 August , 2017 the Madina Police Command in Accra Ghana arrested 26 suspected cyber fraudsters known as Yahoo Boys all believed to be Nigeria nationals. Twenty-six (26) mobile or cellphones and 33 computer laptops including an unspecified number of flash or pen drives were retrieved at the crime scene.

The police command say all the gadgets have since been handed over to the Cyber Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service for further investigation.

A tipsters piece of information to the police led the arrest of the Bad Boys around 1pmGMT in that hush afternoon, according toDivisional Crime Officer, Superintended Joseph Oppong. He told the local media that the operation would be sustained until the menace was drastically reduced. All the suspects were busted in a single large room, the media learned.

Theyre well versed in this cybercrime. And because of their activity in Ghana the whole world now thinks that cybercrime is a Ghanaian disease. This is why we need to fight it ruthlessly until its reduced if not eliminated,said Mr. Oppong.

The police chief also appealed to the general public to volunteer information, adding it could be helpful to the community and the nation at large.

What isCyber Crime?

Cybercrime also known as Internet fraud has manifested in diverse ways in recent times. But not only that its rise has also reached an alarming proportion causing great concern around the world. Cybercrime consists of different types. They include Identity theft, hacking, stolen bank accounts, and stolen online passwords. Theres also phishing andcyber stalking. Yes you heard it right. You can be stalked like Mary and her little lamb... Internets are used for terrorists attacks and bully students and school pupils.

In fact the statistics on cyber bullying and suicide are disturbing... 15 per cent of high school students (grades 9-12) were electronically bullied in the past year. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people resulting about 4,400 deaths per year, at least 100 young people attempt suicide and 14 per cent of high school students considered suicide and 7 per cent have attempted it.

Studies have also have shown that the younger they are the more likely they will attempt suicide.

With regard to cyber financial crime possibly billions have been lost over the years from individuals, multinational corporations, institutions to governments. In 2016 US retail giant Target lost over $US 40 million when hackers hacked into their system.

Where do cybercriminals based?

Cyber fraud is now widespread. The fraudsters are like chickens and can be incubated everywhere.Theyrelike brats found every parts of the world. Theyre born in cities and born in hamlets. Theyre in China, Russia, the United States, India, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia you name it.

Indeed Ghana is faced with the conundrum of trying to woo many Nigerian investors as much as possible to inject heavy capital into its economy. But shes also not oblivious of the fact the freight doesnt always come as expected. There are bad nuts that fall through the cracks and its often difficult to crackdown on such miscreants.And of course you cant put the blame solely on Nigerians. There are also Ghanaians who indulge in cyber fraud.

The West African nation is notoriously known forcybercrime .And Im pretty sure Nigerians either resident in Ghana or anywhere around the world more often than not cringe at the mention of cyber fraud also known as 419 in that country. .

As I earlier noted internet fraud is widespread---it pervades both in the advanced and developing world. In 2009 Time reporter Randy James reported that President Obama was searching for yet another White House czar to tackle a pressing public concern.

 And so on May 29 2009 the president announced a high-level initiative to address the growing problem of computer attacksagainst the government, corporations and Individualsby coordinating the various efforts to fight hackers and other computer criminals under the direction of a coordinator already dubbed the cyber czar,. Randy reported.

I know how it feels to have privacy violated because it has happened to me and the people around me, Mr. Obama said in the announcement.

Around the same time then Defence Secretary Robert Gates told CBS News that: The country is under cyberattack virtually all the time, every day. He said Pentagon at the time planned to quadruple the ranks of its cyber security experts due to the insurgence.

Methods employed by cybercriminals

They rummage and rampage websites.One method used to commit such crimes is sending emails with a seemingly legitimate link, but once clicked, the link installs a virus on the victimscomputer that records keystrokes to enable the acquisition of passwords, account numbers, and emails sent to others, internet specialists have observed.

Cybersecurity experts say most times all of the information obtained from these types of attacks are collected by the criminal and put up for sale. This kind of attack which is commonly referred to as phishing is frequently used by the scammers according to HSNO a forensic firm based in the United States.

Are our neighbours noisy if so, how do you deal with them without straining the cordial relationship that exists between the two nations?

The Nigeria community in Ghana is growing exponentially. The population is not only concentrated in Accra the capital city. Today, Nigerians are settling in cities like Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale, Cape Coast , Bolga, Ho, Koforidua , Sunyani and various towns across the nation. Theyre in banking, mining, farming, fishing, quarrying, aviation, telecommunication and many sectors. More and more Nigerians are today educating their children and wards in Ghana.

Sometime in 2010, the Nigerian population in Ghana was said to be hovering around 4 million. Seven years on, its most likely, that figure could double as the influx continues. Indeed theyre neighbours we cannot sever ties with. We need them much as they need us. Therefore lets work together to smoke out the moles from the holes.
29.08.2017 LISTEN

After listening to President Muhammadu Buhari's three minutes, fifty-six seconds national broadcast on Monday, August 21, his first since coming back to the country from a 103-day medical tourism in the United Kingdom, I concluded that he still does not get it.

I doubt if he ever will.

Prior to his speech, I was not overtly hopeful I would hear anything grand, ennobling and soul-lifting.

Yet, after a three-month absence from duty post, during which time he presumably had time for sober reflection on what ails the country of 180 million people over whose affairs he superintends, I had hoped he would have realised the need to calm frayed nerves and bring people together through moral suasion.

How wrong I was.

But again, this is not the first time Buhari would wrong-foot me. I voted for him in 2015 despite his unflattering reputation as a closet dictator when he was military head of state between December 1983 and August 1985.

My reason for voting for him was simple.

President Goodluck Jonathan had become so ineffectual that handing him another four years would be, in my thinking, ruinous to the country. Buhari was, for me, an antidote to the bad governance staring us in the face under the Goodluck era.

I reasoned that age would have mellowed Buhari  the man Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, once described in very unflattering terms long before the 2015 election  and that he had possibly purged himself of bigotry and raven dogmatism.

It took me only a couple of weeks into his presidency to conclude that electing Buhari president of Nigeria in the 21st Century may well be a potential national rabbit hole that could lead, and has indeed led, to some weird places and issues.

I had hoped that being president at 72 years would make a world of a difference in Buhari's style and outlook without reckoning with the words of wisdom by former United States First Lady, Mitchell Obama, at the national convention of the Democratic Party on September 5, 2012 that, "Being president doesn't change who you are, it reveals who you are."

Being a civilian president has revealed how provincial, insular and bitter Buhari has become over the years.

He saw the pan-Nigerian mandate given to him at the poll not as a tool to unite a highly fractious country but to fan the already smouldering embers of disunity. And that, perhaps, is the greatest tragedy of this dispensation.

It is a mix of the highhandedness, lack of empathy, arrogance, and even ignorance that Buhari brought to bear on his presidency that has brought us to this sorry pass, which is proving to be Nigeria's biggest political train crash since after the civil war.

Imagine what would have happened if, one week after taking the oath of office as President and Commander-in-Chief of this country, Buhari had flown to Port Harcourt for a town hall meeting with stakeholders from the region to deliver a speech like this:

"Fellow citizens, I am glad to be here with you today. It is not by accident that I am visiting barely one week after assuming office. I have come specifically to solicit your support in this onerous task of rebuilding our dear country.

"It is a task that requires all hands on deck. My major opponent at the election is your son but, as in every contest, there must be a winner and loser(s). In a sense, however, there is only one winner in this instance  Nigeria.

"And because we are all Nigerians, we are all winners; because what is at stake is our collective destiny, our shared values and vision of a prosperous country.

"So, I have come to ask for your hand of fellowship. Whether you voted for me or not, I will be the president of this great country for the next four years and, therefore, I will be the president of both those who voted for me and those who didn't.

"Now that the election is over, it is time to go to work for the sake of our dear country and we need the support of all."

And then he leaves Port Harcourt for Enuguto deliver the same message of hope.

Rather than doing that, Buhari went abroad to lecture the international community on how best to share the spoils of office with his misguided 97 per cent versus 5 per centformula, forgetting that the national values and patrimony he has been called to allocate belongs both to those who voted for him and those who didnt.

He even queried what the Igbo want in their own country, forgetting that crude oil  Nigeria's biggest foreign exchange earner, with which he will take care of the so-called 97 per cent in his column, to the exclusion of others  is extracted from the areas he vowed to discriminate against, particularly the South South.

The result of such thoughtless disposition to nation-building and inclusive governance was immediate and dramatic. The spectre of virulent separatist agitations reared their heads again.

Buhari does not get it. That is the simple truth. He is too far gone on the supremacist boulevard to retrace his steps. Anyone waiting to see him as a conciliator, peacemaker, and pacifier may well wait for eternity.

And that is another tragedy of the macabre dance on national display, because, at his age, Buhari is the father of the nation literally and metaphorically. As a father, he should be a force for good, a causal agent of unity, and a national healing balm to assuage the grievous wounds inflicted on many by acts of injustice, bigotry and prejudice.

But any iota of doubt he will ever change was erased by the speech he gave after his return from London. It was full of fury, threat and innuendo.

Despite the few fringe elements in the country, the majority of Nigerians prayed for Buhari's recovery because of the common humanity we share; as the death of one diminishes all. Any other leader in the same circumstance would use his first speech in months to thank all, sue for peace and give hope to the disconcerted.

Not Buhari!

He talked down and threatened those who proffer a different roadmap to nation building. Such people, to him, are irresponsible elements who would start trouble and when things get bad they run away and saddle others with the responsibility of bringing back order, if necessary with their blood, a not too subtle jibe at the same man who left the comfort of his home in 2003 to join him in Daura for two days in a bid to find lasting solution to the countrys festering problems.

If those who disagree with the presidents tunnel vision of patriotism are not political mischief makers, they are terrorists and criminals who must be fought and destroyed.

Such contempt for others is sickening.

By alluding to farmers versus herdsmen clashes, he brought a moral equivalence to bear on the shame of the country, particularly since he became president.

His speech was a no-brainer. But just as we are seeing in the case of the rabble-rousing U.S. President Donald Trump, no matter what Buhari does, his base, which has been intact since his first shot at the presidency in 2003, will be there for him.

Buhari's supporters see no evil and hear no evil in whatever he does. He throws political red meat to them at every turn. In reciprocation, they cheer him up as the Lion-King, threatening to deal with, and in fact dealing with, any dissenting voice.

But unlike in the U.S. there is no push back from any quarters here. There are no voices of caution. Instead, many queue up to be admitted to the table of the all-conquering lord of the Nigeria manor even as the augury gets starker.

Buhari must know that what Nigerianeeds now is a leader who will heal our wounds. A president who will engender hope and peace in the land, not one who will perpetually challenge his enemies, both real and imagined, to a duel.

We need a president who will permanently bin the seeds of prejudice, bigotry and waste of human life. Not one who will ceaselessly water our national faultlines with the blood of fellow citizens.

Ikechukwu Amaechi writes from Lagos ( [email protected] )
As many villages in Niger have been flooded following the heavy rainfalls recorded in the country lately, Authorities on Sunday urged thousands of residents of the capital city to evacuate homes in the flood zones as more rains are expected in the coming days.

I am calling on all residents to evacuate the flood zones and immediately leave homes that are close to collapsing, the governor of the Niamey region, Soumana Ali Zataoua, said.

The floods have already killed 41 people and affected more than 68,000 people since June.

Landlocked-Niger, a very poor country, is often confronted with very devastating floods, which have as a corollary major loss of life and material, often accompanied by epidemics, notably malaria.

In 2016, some 145,000 people suffered from the floods and at least 50 people perished, particularly in the desert regions of Agadez and Tahoua. A year earlier nearly 103,000 people were affected.

In addition to natural disaters, the country is currently under constant threat from al-Qaeda-linked fighters to the north and west, and Boko Haram in the south.
Accra, Aug. 28, GNA - The Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB) has launched a week-long celebration to promote investment opportunities in the export-oriented business for local investors.

The celebration dubbed: 'Investment Promotion week' is part of strategies to encourage Ghanaians to invest for export.

The celebration is fixed for every last week of August every year and it's aimed at encouraging Ghanaian business executives and entrepreneurs, who have surplus funds, to invest in the Export Oriented Business.

The maiden celebration is on the theme: 'Promoting Export Oriented-Investment for National Development.'

Activities lined up for the week long celebration include media briefing on the activities of the GFZB, breakfast meeting with business owners, tour of the Free Zones enclave, Staff Durbar and a Corporate health walk at the Peduase Mountains on Saturday.

Mr Michael Okyere-Baafi, Executive Secretary of the GFZB, at a media briefing, reiterated his outfit's commitment to engage Ghanaian Business men and women by aggressively marketing the investment opportunities available under the Free Zones programme locally.

He said the GFZB data shows that out of 201 licensed Free Zones companies, only 56 companies were wholly owned whilst 63 were joint-ventures.

This represents 28 and 31 per cent respectively whiles 82 companies, representing 41 per cent were foreign owned.

This, Mr Baafi, said the GFZB have had various interactions with members of the Association of Ghana Industries to highlight the investment opportunities in the Free Zones programme and encourage them to utilize the opportunity by investing in the GFZ programme.

He said Government appreciated Foreign Direct Investment into Ghana, but the GFZB was of the conviction that many more Ghanaians have the capacity and resources to venture into the export-oriented activities.

He said the total value of exports generated under the Free Zones Programme from 1996 to December 2016 was $30.9 billion whiles the figure for only last year was $2.3 billion.

The Executive Secretary said the Free Zones Regulations gives the Board the flexibility to license export-oriented companies located outside the declared and designated areas for which the GFZB was taking opportunity to working towards facilitating the operations of President Akufo-Addo government policy on 'One District, One Factory'.

Mr Baafi said the rational for establishing the GFZ in 1995 still remains valid and that the main policy objectives for the implementation of the GFZ Programme was to promote economic development through the attraction of local and foreign direct investment and promotion of export diversification.

The other objectives are to increase foreign exchange earnings, provision of business opportunities for local and foreign investors to undertake joint ventures, enhancement of technical and management skills of Ghanaians and the promotion of technology transfer.

He applauded the investors for their faith and confidence in Ghana's Free Zones programme and expect an increase in the number of employment at the Tema Export Processing Zone and all the single factory zones.

The GFZB was established by an Act of Parliament - Free Zone Act, 1995 (Act 504).

It was designed to promote the processing and manufacturing of goods and services for export and combines both enclave and single factory enterprise schemes and make Ghana accessible to potential investors.

It is a Government policy implemented to promote export oriented investments and is completely driven by the private sector.

GNA

By Amadu Kamil Sanah, GNA
Accra, Aug. 29, GNA - Institutions are being urged to use Direct Credit payment for bulk disbursement of funds such as salaries.

This is because it enables funds meant for different sets of people to be disbursed quickly and with ease.

Archie Hesse, Chief Executive of Officer of Ghana Interbank Payment Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), explained that the Direct Credit is very convenient and efficient as the process was not cumbersome.

He urged both public and private organisations which were not yet using Direct Credit for their bulk disbursement of funds to do so.

Direct Credit which was one of the two forms of Automated Clearing House (ACH) was a simple, secure and reliable service which enabled individuals, large and small organisations to make payments by electronic transfer directly into a bank account.

It involved a debit to an account in the senders bank and a transfer of the amount of money directly into the beneficiarys account in another bank.

The electronic nature of the Direct Credit makes disbursement of bulk funds quicker, safer, more secure and requires less effort and saves time. It also enables intended recipients to receive their funds on time.

Direct Credit can be used for payment of salaries, pensions, welfare benefits, commissions, supplier payments, dividend and refunds. It is also suitable for interest payments, government payments, as well as business-to-business payments.

Mr Hesse explained that with the electronic payment system, it was easy to trace all payments made.

He said even if the intended recipients of the funds saved with different banks, funds disbursed would hit the respective accounts about the same time.

Mr. Hesse added that payments made through Direct Credit hits the accounts of the recipient the next day or the same day if Express Direct Credit was used.

He said in cases of emergency, the Instant Pay could be used.

'There are options for each situation and so the banks should educate their customers to use these more efficient and secured forms of payments,' he stressed.

He also entreated banks to set up systems that would enable their corporate customers to send files electronically to them to make bulk funds disbursement seamless.

Direct Credit is one of the initiatives introduced by the national payment infrastructure provider, GhIPSS.

Last year, almost five million Direct Credit transactions worth 16.5 billion Ghana cedis were undertaken.

Between January and June this year, a total of about 9.4 billion cedis from about 2.7 million transactions took place compared to 7.6 billion cedis from 2.3 million transactions for the same period last year.

This represents an increase of 23.3 percent in terms of value and 15.6 percent in terms of volume for the half year.

Before the introduction of Direct Credit, such bulk disbursement of funds was done mainly through the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGs), however Direct Credit is a more appropriate payment system for such interbank transactions.

This is because Direct Credit is an entirely electronic payment system which provides a thorough audit trail and it is quicker and safer. But the RTGs is partly manual and could be cumbersome and sometimes error ridden. RTGs also limit ability to provide an audit trail along the entire chain of transaction.

GNA
Government's anti-illegal mining task force, Operation Vanguard has arrested some ninety three illegal miners.

This brings the total number of arrested illegal miners to one hundred and eighty three.

The miners were arrested in some illegal mining areas in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions.

All ninety arrested earlier have been arraigned in various parts of the country.

The Public Relations Officer of Operation Vanguard, Major Gariba Pabi told Citi News those arrested will soon be prosecuted.

As at this morning we have made 183 arrests in these three regions. All those arrested have been handed over to the Police in the various regions and they are taking them through prosecution process. What we do is that when we arrest illegal miners on the site, we hand them over to the Police and the Police takes over from there.

Addressing the challenge of defiant miners who operate in the night, Major Gariba Pabi said they have devised strategies to clamp down on them.

We are 400 in three regions so we cannot be everywhere at a particular time. We are making do with the 400. Now we do limited operations. Most of the operations we do is during the day.

Operation Vanguard [a taskforce comprising a joint military and police of about 400 personnel] was sent to three regions  Ashanti, Eastern and Western, to flush out illegal miners in those areas.

The operation recorded a near setback a few weeks after the military personnel shot an illegal miner at Obuasi Anyimadukrom in the Ashanti Region.

The teams have been tasked to stay at their assigned regions until all forms of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, have been stopped and unauthorised mining pits permanently destroyed.

To make their work very efficient, the anti-galamsey task force that was trained at the Bundase Training Camp in the Ningo Prampram District in the Greater Accra Region was equipped and fully armed.

The task force was also supplied with new patrol vehicles and other logistics to enable its members perform their operations with urgency and speed.



By: Marian Ansah & Kojo Agyeman /citifmonline.com/Ghana
GENEVA, 29 August 2017  The Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue (hereinafter The Geneva Centre)  a think tank with special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council deplores persistent discrimination against the Muslim minority in Myanmar which, as had been foreseen has lead to radicalization of the situation followed by the military clampdown by security forces against the Rohingyans in the Rakhine State in western Myanmar.

Following the recent military escalation of the conflict, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on situation of human rights in Myanmar Professor Yanghee Lee issued a statement on 11 August 2017 calling upon the government of Myanmar to show restraint, respect the human rights of the Rohingyans and investigate human rights violations carried out by security forces against the civilian population.

Pope Francis appealed on 27 August 2017 for an end to the violent persecution of the Rohingyans and has urged for full rights to be given to the persecuted Rohingyan minority.

The Geneva Centre deplores the escalation of the military conflict in the Rakhine State urging the government of Myanmar to take all available measures to prevent human rights violations from being inflicted on the civilian population, stated the Chairman of the Geneva Centre Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim. We express our serious concern for the humanitarian disaster that is unfolding in the region as a result of the growing number of civilians fleeing the region owing to the intensified military clampdowns by Myanmar security forces.

Dr. Al Qassim added: The disturbing testimonies of the Rohingyans fleeing Myanmar confirm that serious human rights violations are being carried out against the civilian population. The world society cannot turn a blind eye to the disturbing situation in Myanmar. The Geneva Centre appeals for an immediate end to the persecution of the Rohingyans.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that more than 168,000 Rohingyans have fled the Rakhine State following more than five years of violent turmoil. A report published by the United Nations in February 2017 confirmed the very likely commission of crimes against humanity.

The United Nations  through the adoption of Resolution 34/22 by the Human Rights Council on 24 March 2017 - has likewise called upon the government of Myanmar to allow an international fact-finding mission to investigate alleged human rights violations perpetrated against the Rohingyans. The government of Myanmar has repeatedly refused to cooperate with the United Nations on this matter.

About the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue

The Geneva Centre, an organization with special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, is a think-tank dedicated to the promotion of human rights through cross-cultural, political, religious and civilizational dialogue between the Global North and the Global South, and through training of the upcoming generations of stakeholders in the Arab region.

The Centre works towards a value-driven human rights system, steering clear of politicisation and building bridges between different narratives thereon of the Global North and of the Global South. Its aim is to act as a platform for dialogue between a variety of stakeholders involved in the promotion and protection of human rights.
Joy News investigation has revealed that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development did not need the one million waste bins it procured under a certificate of emergency.

Joy News has uncovered how a $74 million (GHS318 million) contract to the Jospong Group to supply one million waste bins and 900,000 bin liners has been inflated by at least $31.1 million (GHS130 million). A Joy News investigative tour of assemblies across the ten regions of Ghana reveals waste bins procured by the Local Government Ministry for distribution two years ago, are still dumped in the sun and are going waste.

Manasseh Azure Awuni spent the last nine months investigating what appears like a deliberate ploy to defraud the state through the district assemblies and now reports.

In November 2014, the Ministry awarded a contract for the supply of 155,000 waste bins for distribution in the district assemblies across the country. The Ministry took delivery of 100,500litter bins because the distribution centres at the assemblies were chocked.

While the Ministry was still struggling to distribute the 100,500 waste containers, the remaining 54,500 dustbins, sector Minister then, Collins Dawda, last year awarded a contract to five subsidiaries of the Jospong Group to supply one million waste bins and 900,000 packs of disposable bin liners.

The directive to supply the bins was given by the Office of the President. The single source procurement method was used.

While the Ministry was still struggling to distribute the 100,500 waste containers, the remaining 54,500 dustbins, sector Minister then, Collins Dawda, last year awarded a contract to five subsidiaries of the Jospong Group to supply one million waste bins and 900,000 packs of disposable bin liners.

The directive to supply the bins was given by the Office of the President. The single source procurement method was used.

A lot of the assemblies Joy News visited, still have not been able to distribute the bins.

At the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, there are still a number of waste bins yet to be distributed. In the Volta Region, there were still heaps of waste bins at the South Dayi, Biakoye, Krachi East, Krachi West and Krachi Nchumuru Districts as well as the Kpando Municipal Assembly. In Krachi Nchumuru, the waste bins have not been distributed and there is no place to store them so they have been dumped outside the police station.

At the Upper West Coordinating Council and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council in Tamale, heaps of the Waste bins are still yet to be taken by some of the assemblies, two years after the regions took delivery of their consignments.

The Wa Municipal Environmental Sanitation Health Officer, George Arthur, says there are about 500 of the bins that are yet to be distributed in the municipality but they are broken due to the long exposure to the harsh weather conditions. He said some of the residents were using the bins to store water.

He said the assembly was distributing the bins through Zoomlion, which charged the residents for the collection of wastes. Zoomlion took 70% of the revenue while the assembly took the rest. He said some residents used the bins to store water.

Some of the assemblies, especially those in the rural areas, say their districts have no need for them. Apart from the schools and the few government institutions, individuals prefer their own portable containers in which they can carry their refuse to the communal waste containers for dumping. In some of the districts, the residents who clamoured for the litter bins were using them to store water.

When the assemblies realised this they started perforating holes in them so the residents stopped taking them.

Another reason well-established households do not scramble for the government waste bins is that, some waste management companies, also distribute free waste bins to residents and corporate entities, especially in the urban areas.

In Tamale, for instance, Jam Waste Management Service, a small waste management company distributes free waste bins to residents who are able to pay for the collection of their waste.

At the Tema Metropolitan Assembly's waste management department, Zoomlion has hundreds of waste bins, which sources say, have been there for the past two years. The company has not been able to distribute all to its customers yet.

The critical question that remains to be answered is why the Ministry would award a contract to procure one million waste bins when it has not been able to distribute 100, 000 dustbins it procured for two years now.

Myjoyonline
29.08.2017 LISTEN

The services sector, in particular tourism, is one of the major contributors to Africas economy through such functions as providing foreign exchange and employment. It is therefore crucial that governments and the private sector are increasingly working together to grow the sector, that accounts for approximately 7.8% of the African GDP.

We believe that business opportunities and investment potential within Africas tourism sector are significant. Its a vast market that holds promise for businesses looking for new markets, said President and CEO of Corporate Council on Africa. Florizelle Liser was addressing the ongoing 41st Annual World Tourism Conference in Kigali, Rwanda on Tuesday.

Sharing the same platform, UNCTADs Secretary General Mukhisa Kituyi commended intra-African tourism, saying that due to its non-seasonality, and characterized by conference, medical, education, and business tourism; is one of the fastest growing tourism in the continent, providing more sustainable support to the hotel industry. Over the past 10 years, intra-African tourism grew from 34% to 44% of the total number of tourists in Africa, with a projected growth of 50% over the next 10 years, said Kituyi.

The Role of Online Travel

In this light and in todays globally digital world, tourism related businesses are striving to position themselves on the online map. The travel sector is one that has over the years evolved in its online presence, notably from the mid 1990s. Today, most travelers for both business and leisure plan their trips, book their hotel stays and flights online.

In a report published earlier this year by Jumia Travel highlighting Kenyas hospitality trends , 96% of primary travel searches in the country are done online. 44% of them are made less than a week before check-in, while 25% of the customers search and book a hotel room online the same day. Globally, the number of bookings made on the internet stand at 148.3 million while the percentage of same day hotel reservations via smartphone stand at 65%.

Also speaking at the 3-day Kigali conference whose theme is - Unlocking Africa's Potential Through Tourism - Jumia Travels Country Manager Cyrus Onyiego, noted that the convenience brought about by the availability and accessibility of services online at the travelers comfort, has been a key contributor to this evolution that has made a vivid impression on the travel industry.

By enhancing travelers options, online travel is changing tourism trends in the region. Thus, adopting unique and seamless models such as online payments will help relevant players including travel agents, hotels, and even government ministries to give tourism consumers personalized experiences, while maintaining strong margins.
Innumerable arguments have been raised concerning the adoption and implementation of the Free Education Policy by the NPP government. This short essay aims at highlighting the shortcomings of the free education policy by the NPP government and contribute to it.

Indeed, Ghana needs free education. The hopes of most students of securing a secondary education are truncated due to inadequate financial support. This problem has negatively affected the lives of many young people in Ghana.

Majority of these children become waifs on the street and engage in all forms of vices. Education has become a prerequisite for a better future of every country therefore the free education policy will pave way for these young people to have access to education for them to contribute their quota to national development and minimize the case of several social deviants in the Ghanaian society.

The free education policy which is yet to be implemented by the NPP government was very instrumental in success of the New Patriotic Party. Other policies which resonated well with the Ghanaian populace were the one district-one factory, one constituency-one million dollars, as well as the restoration of nursing and teacher training allowances.

The free education policy seeks to eliminate admission fees, library fees, examination fees, laboratory fees and utility fees. In addition, students will be provided with free meals, free textbooks and free boarding. Day students would not be excluded from the policy as they would be provided with free meals. The policy will also cover vocational, agricultural and technical institutions at the high school levels.

There is no doubt that the free education policy will help solve the problem of access to secondary, vocational, agricultural and technical institutions in Ghana. The expected policy outcome would be that, students will only need to dress along with their bags and head to school.

This policy will also encourage most young people who are interested in pursuing higher education to do so as the most formidable barrier that hinder access to secondary education in Ghana will be eliminated. The free education policy will reduce the burden of most parents and enable them to efficiently cater for their children in all aspects of life.

My reservations on the free education policy have to do with the approach to the policy as regards its adoption and implementation. In the first place, I think the implementation of the policy is in a haste, the government could have delayed the policy to the 2018/2019 academic year. This is because Ghana is in a dire economic situation as evidenced in current gradual falls in our economic indicators.

The economy of Ghana is facing a lot of financial challenges hence solving this problem should gain a major priority on the agenda of every new government. This would enable the government to deal with the economic challenges and stabilize the economy. I think the government is implementing the policy in the 2017/2018 academic year because of fear of criticisms from opposition parties and from the citizens as they promised during campaigns that the policy will take effect immediately after election.

Consequently, the government is implementing it now to prove its capability of making it which should not be the case. Aside the haste in the policy implementation, lets look at the beneficiaries of the policy.

According to the government, for a student to benefit from the free education policy, the student must meet the academic requirement of the West African Examination Council which is aggregate 24 and above. That is from aggregate 6 to 24. Also, students who completed Junior High School in previous years but could not pursue their high education due to financial constrain are also excluded from the policy.

Now lets look at the deficiencies of the aggregate 24 as a yardstick for students to benefit from the free education policy. I think aggregate 6 to 24 should not be used to assess the academic performance of students to enable them benefit from the policy. In the first place, students only have five days to write their WAEC basic examination which is the requirement to attend high school.

Within this period, students write nine subject papers. However, a lot of circumstances may occur in these days which can have negative effects on the performance of some students in their exams. For instance, a student may fall sick.

One problem I have with WAEC is that if a student is exempt from writing the exams or a specific paper due to some circumstance, there is no reasonable accommodation provided to that student to write the exams or that specific paper again unless otherwise the student returns to the basic school and write the exams the following year.

For this reason, most students force themselves to write the exams even when they are in a serious state. Sometimes some students write the exams whiles on a sick bed at the hospital. The question is how can a student in this condition produce the best in the exams? So it will not be fair to exclude such students from the policy if they do not meet the requirement.

Aside the health aspect, most conditions also limits students performance in examinations. For example, there was a friend of mine in the Junior High School, this student was very brilliant and was always among the top five in our class, but unfortunately for him, he lost both parents a day before our WAEC final exams because of car accident.

This uncertainty deeply affected my friend both emotionally and mentally. But he forced himself to write the exams and attained aggregate 36 even though he was brilliant, and most of his friends he used to teach them had excellent exam scores.

This boy could not produce his best due to the death of his parents and in this case, he will be excluded from been a beneficiary of the free education. Also, there are a lot of students who are slow in terms of academics but as they progress to the higher level they become brilliant.

For instance, a student may get aggregate 40 in the WAEC basic education final exams but this same student will go to the high school level, perform very well to pass the final exams and finally graduate with a First Class Honors from the university. This is because psychologically, most students become brilliant as they grow. Only few exceptions are brilliant from the onset. Assessing the performance of students based on an exam they write within a short period of time is not justifiable.

In addition, natural disasters such as flooding can also negatively affect the performance of students who are living in coastal villages and deprived communities during examination period. Most students living in these areas must cross about two or three rivers before they get to the examination center.

Quite unfortunately, the period for writing the WAEC exams in Ghana is also a rainy season so a lot of flooding occurs in the coastal areas and students in these areas have no option than to cross to the examination center to write the paper.

Students therefore become confused and frustrated because they may be under pressure thinking of how to go back home especially when it rains whiles they are still in the exams center. These students therefore give partial attention to the exams which negatively affect the outcome.

All these factors contribute in diverse ways to discourage students from given out their best in exams. Another danger of aggregate 6 to 24 as a measure to have access to free education is that it is likely to give rise to examination malpractice. Aggregate 24 as a ticket to access free education means that by all standards, a student should get aggregate 24 or better in their final exams since every student wants to be a beneficiary.

Although students will learn and prepare very well before the exams but the worse side of it is that most students and even most schools will engage in examination malpractice to meet the expectation and this will be a threat to our educational system. For example, a student from a deprived school in a certain village will write the final exams on his or her own without any external influence or help and attain aggregate 30, another student from a well-organized school in the city with a lot of privileges and facilities at their disposal may also write the final exams with a lot of external support and graduate with aggregate 8.

The free education policy will give priority to the student who got aggregate 8 at the expense of the one who got aggregate 30. But on fair grounds, the student with aggregate 30 may be academically good than the one with aggregate 8. This shows clearly that the way in which the policy will be implemented will indirectly lead to discrimination. In this case the national cake is not fairly distributed among the citizens.

For a countries democracy to prosper, one outstanding feature is that all citizens must have equal access to state resources without any discrimination.

Lets look at the exclusion of those who completed high school in previous years. The main reason why these children are still at home and others left on the street is as the result of lack of financial support to pursue their education.

Many of these children became inspired through the promises given by the government during campaign. The party did not made it clear that these children will be excluded from the policy. So, hopes and aspirations were very high and these children were preparing to pursue their secondary education.

The government then became neglectful when the intentions was made after winning the elections that students who completed Junior High School in previous years are not part of the beneficiaries of the policy. This implies that these children have three options to choose from.

The first is to pay for everything if they still want to pursue higher education. The second is to return to the basic school and write another WAEC final exams and graduate with aggregate 24 or better if they still want to benefit from the free education policy. And the third is to remain as they are and struggle for a living.

All these options pose a threat to the children. The first two options have to do with money which they do not have and the last option is dangerous because of its negative impacts on the lives of the children. These children been excluded from the policy is also a symbol of discrimination since their rights to a fair share of states resources will be denied and this also serve as a threat to our democracy.

My recommendations for an effective implementation of this policy is as follows. It should be an open policy in which every student who is attending Senior High in the 2017/2018 academic year will be a beneficiary devoid of any barriers such as aggregate or grade limits. Also, it must include students who completed in previous years.

This policy must be implemented in a way that the outcome will address three major problems that Ghana is currently facing in the higher educational system. In the first place, the policy must provide free education for secondary students, it must also improve academic performance of students in their exams both internal and final exams, and lastly it must solve the problem of whether the duration of attending secondary school in Ghana should be three years or four years.

The free education policy should be in the form of a scholarship package to students. All first-year students should have access to free education for the start including those who completed Junior High in previous years without any barrier but the condition should be that students will continue benefiting from the package only if they exhibit satisfactory academic performance in school.

The assessment of the performance of students in this instance should not be in the form of ranking the students from first position to the last position as per their academic performance in the exams they write in school but it should be in the form of individual subject assessment per each student.

This will help improve the performance of students academically. The reason is that, a student may get for instance 90% in Government, 87% in Social Studies, 35% in Science, 92% in English,31% in Mathematics and 89% in

Economics but will still be the first in the class based on their exam performance. The deficiency is that though this student is good, there is the likelihood that he/she will fail Mathematics and Science in the WAEC final exams.

The student been the first in the class means that the higher marks attained in the other subjects were used to complement Mathematics and Science.

Certain benchmark should be accorded to students with regards to the pass mark they should get in all subjects to continue benefiting from the scholarship. For example, lets say the pass mark is 50% so students are expected to get 50% and above in all subjects to qualify for the package.

The rule should be this, if a student fails or get below 50% in more than three subjects in just one academic term that student will no longer benefit from the package. In effect, student will continue with his/her high education but will no longer be a beneficiary of the scholarship.

The amount of money the government is investing in this policy is very huge hence certain measures must be instituted to ensure that the policy yields its desired benefits. Without any conditions students will benefit from the scholarship and still perform very poor in terms of academics. If this happens it means the government has unwisely used states funds because efficiency and effectiveness will not be achieved.

The free education policy coming with these conditions will encourage students to develop interest in learning all subjects on equal grounds because students mostly love to read the subjects they like most at the expense of other subjects and this negatively affect their general performance in exams.

I think the policy been adopted and implemented in this way will do away with any form of discrimination because all first-year students will have equal share in the policy for the start. A student will therefore have him or herself to blame if they do not continue to benefit from the package.

This policy will also bring out the best in every student because students will perform academically well to continue benefiting from the scholarship. It will prepare students to be ever ready for WAEC exams. At the same time, the policy will help solve the controversy of either the duration of attending High School should be four years or three years because students will become more academically serious to the extent that even if the duration is two and half years they will still perform very well in their final exams. Much attention should then be on the tutors by encouraging them to give out their best.

In climax, free education is indeed necessary for Ghana and much commendation will go to the recent government in their effort to implementing this policy. As policy develops and increase in its scope as time goes on, I think the government would become aware of the deficiencies on the method of implementation and include certain measures through incremental means.
29.08.2017 LISTEN

Education is a key driver of economic success and social mobility. That is why we must not allow politicians to politicise it. We must all strive to bring the best education to every child. I don't see our politicians and citizenry, pulling their weight when it comes to educational reforms.

The politicians only practice their " campaign in poetry but govern in prose" philosophy and citizens easily fall for their political tricks. In 2002, the NPP administration led by President Kufour inaugurated a Presidential Committee on Review of Education Reforms in Ghana.

The committee which was under the Chairmanship of Professor Jophus Anamuah Mensah then Vice- Chancellor of University of Education, Winneba, made several recommendations in its report which was presented to the then government. It recommended that universal education shall now be eleven years made up of 2 year Kindergarten, six years primary school and three years Junior High School.

The committee also recommended a four year SHS education which will offer general education with elective in General, Business, technical, vocational and agriculture options. Prof Anamuah Mensah said, the committee, after looking at the two options of a three-year and a four- year duration for the SHS, settled on the three year duration with a CAVEAT that INFRASTRUCTURE and RESOURCES would be devoted to the educational sector.

The NPP government under Kufour went ahead and implemented their proposed four- year duration system despite the technical advice the committee gave in the report. The report tempered report recommending the change from 3-year to 4-year was laid before the committee of the whole parliament and was subsequently approved and came into effect as Act of parliament ( Education Act 778 of Dec 2008).

When the NDC took over in 2008-2009, it brought back the three-year duration system. The three- year duration in terms of government support for the SHS students sharply contradicts the party's four year duration policy it implemented which was changed by the Mills administration.

Many countries have developed on the wings of their intellectual capacity. Nkrumah, Busia and even some of our military regimes made conscious efforts through several meaningful policies to reshape and revamp our education system. The current populist policies being introduced by this administration including teacher-license exams and exams fee etc if not checked, will create unnecessary problems for the sector which could deteriorate our education.

The NPP tradition's policies it introduces whenever it comes to office create unnecessary challenges for the sector. In 1971, their own government under Busia in its policy document, outlined that at the lower level pupils should be instructed in their local language but the Kufour administration cancelled that policy and introduced use of English as the medium of instruction.

The issue of Infrastructure was raised in the Adamuah Mensah report. It raised the problem of inadequate infrastructure (classrooms) and other facilities to cater for students who will enter the fourth year of and but the administration rubbished that technical advice.

What was captured in the report about inadequacy of infrastructure, was what forced the Mills/Mahama administrations to embark on the massive infrastructure development. Another issue noteworthy is the change of name from Senior Secondary School to Senior High School.

The NPP government under Kufour told Ghanaians that the committee recommended the name change but the committee denied that claim. It said it did not recommend change of name in our pre- tertiary educational levels. So, why is the NPP now placing the three- year duration conditionality on its so called free SHS. Is the policy a three- year scholarship with conditions attached, or free SHS as they told us on their campaign platforms.
Port Harcourt (Nigeria) (AFP) - Gunmen abducted 11 people from a bus as they travelled close to Nigeria's southern oil hub Port Harcourt late on Monday, a passenger who escaped from the attack told AFP.

The region near Port Harcourt is a known hotspot for kidnappings by groups looking to receive ransom pay-offs and was the scene of an abduction that saw 16 people snatched earlier this month.

"They ambushed us at about 9.00 pm... and after asking us to come out from the bus, they tried to take us inside the bush. But five of us escaped before police and military personnel arrived," said Amiekro Princewill.

Security forces searched the area following the attack, according to another passenger who managed to escape the gunmen.

"They had gone far into the forest with the victims before the security operatives arrived," said the escapee, Bright Belekwe.

"Hoodlums ambushed us and tried to take us inside the bush. I and four others escaped before police personnel arrived at the scene."

The kidnapping is the third such incident in just two months.

Regional police commissioner Ahmed Zaki confirmed the kidnapping at a press conference at force headquarters in Port Harcourt, adding that efforts to locate the victims were ongoing.

"The incident is quite unfortunate and the police is on top of the situation in ensuring that the hoodlums are arrested and brought to book," he said.

Kidnapping for ransom used to be confined to Nigeria's oil-rich south, where criminal gangs would typically target expatriate workers.

But the practice has spread across the country as the economy has faltered with Control Risks consultancy warning that the phenomenon has become "entrenched" nationwide.

Nnamdi Obasi, senior Nigeria researcher at the International Crisis Group, said poverty had made "anybody" a target and had led to a rise in "spontaneous" kidnappings.

Most victims are usually released unhurt after ransom money is paid.
The Minister of State in charge of Public Procurement, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has commended the Ministry of Education, particularly the sector minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, for strictly adhering to the procurement laws in the various procurement activities his outfit is undertaking for the implementation of the free Senior High School (SHS) policy.

She said given the components that constitute Free SHS, she noticed that the program was going to be laden with a lot of procurement activities and in order not to flout the procurement regulations.

Adwoa Safo made the remarks when paid a working visit the Ministry of Education on Monday to learn at first hand, the kind of procurement methods being used and to advise accordingly.

Adwoa Safo noted that Free SHS is an important government flagship programme which has attracted attention due to the huge relief it seeks to bring to parents of students at the second cycle level. She, therefore, commended education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh making sure the procurement process is not breached.

She used the opportunity to also advice Dr. Opoku Prempeh and his team to be mindful of a new directive from cabinet to seek approval of any procurement that exceeds the GHa50million threshold.

The Public Procurement Minister used the occasion to inform the Education Minister and his team about some policies her outfit will be implementing to strengthen the countrys procurement system to ensure value for money.

It includes strengthening the capacities of local contractors, as the government has made a policy where 70% of all projects shall be awarded to local contractors. Out of this, 30% of the contracts shall be awarded to Persons With Disability (PWDs), women and those in youth employment.

It is a policy the government under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is committed to implementing. Very soon, my office will come out with how it is going to be done, she noted.

She also told Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and his team about efforts her Ministry is putting in place to get the two existing Public Procurement Act (Act 663) and Public Procurement (Amended) Act (Act 914) harmonized for easy referencing.

She also disclosed plans by her office to establish an e-platform to provide the database for all contractors involved in government projects, to enable them rate their performances from time to time.

With this database, the citizenry could at any given time, assess the performance of all the contractors to know who is doing well and who is doing badly, she explained.

On his part, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, expressed his outfits appreciation to Adwoa Safo for the visit and noted that the governments flagship free SHS policy would be implemented with due regard to the laws of the land.

He said the policy which is packed with equity, quality and employable skills, would be rolled out in three weeks. He was optimistic that its successful implementation will inure to the benefits of all.

The Education Minister further noted that despite the heavy investment the government is putting into the implementation of the Free SHS policy, his outfit would also ensure that subsidies for continuing students, capitation grant and teacher-trainee allowances are promptly paid.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
Traditional leaders of Nyinahin in the Atwima Mponua District of Ashanti Region are pleading on the Akufo-Addo government to allow Exton Cubic Group limited to proceed with its operations in the Nyinahin bauxite concession of the Tano Offin Forest reserve.

The spokesperson of the Chiefs, Nkwawiehene Nana Kusi Amankwa Maafo II, said all the three chiefs in the bauxite concession area are fully aware of the legal processes that commenced four years ago.

They argued further that the Exton Cubics activity in the area bode well for the employment prospects of the people in the area and charged President Nana Akufo-Addo to live up to his pledge to boost employment.

So for us here, we want the mining activities to go on so jobs are created in this area so were are pleading with the government, Nana Akufo-Addo, his ministers, his cabinet, to get behind Exton Cubic and allow them to work, Amankwa Maafo II said at a press conference in Kumasi on Tuesday,

He noted that foreign companies look to mine in the area but, Ibrahim Mahama is one of our own so if Exton and E&P are in partnership to do something in this area, there is nothing wrong with it We know of foreign mining companies that have expressed interest in mining here but to no benefit for people here.

The foreign companies come here and work and leave us without any befitting farewell but one of our own is coming to work here and wont allow them [Exton Cubic] to be sent away.

Background

Exton Cubic's troubles began when vehicles belonging to its sub-contractor, Ibrahim Mahama's Engineers and Planners (E&P), were impounded in the Nyinahin township on orders from the Ashanti Regional Minister, following suspicions the mining company was operating illegally.

Impounded machinery belonging to E&P sitting at the Nkawie Court Premise

Youth in the area also kicked against the operations of the mining company.

The Minerals Commission subsequently directed Exton Cubic to halt operations at the Nyinahin bauxite concession of the Tano Offin Forest reserve.

The order followed claims by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that Exton Cubic's current operations in the Nyinahin bauxite concession were illegal because it had breached terms of its initial permit.

The company has since said it would sue the state, arguing that it wrongfully interfered with its right to prospect on the Nyinahin Bauxite Concession.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Anti-corruption campaigner, Vitus Azeem has challenged President Nana Akufo-Addo to back his words against corruption with action.

The President during the New Patriotic Partys delegates' conference over the weekend announced he will not preside over a corrupt administration, further directing the security agencies to investigate persons accused of corruption in his administration.

President Akufo-Addo also stated that persons who make allegations of corruption against his officials should also be prepared to give evidence when called upon.

But Mr. Azeem argued that a lot more than words is needed to give meaning to the Akufo-Addo governments fight against corruption.

There is no guarantee that investigations will not be interfered with by the government of the day. These pronouncements have been made in the past by previous governments and so it is not new, yet we don't see [anything].

Mr. Azeem noted that the changes in the heads of institutions like Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Police Administration after elections did not bode well.

He explained that such developments were an indication of [a new government] wanting to have some control over those institutions and so, no matter how genuinely committed some of these heads are, they feel a bit obliged to do what government will like to see, and that is the worry.

The Akufo-Addo administration has already indicated that will begin the prosecution of officials in the Mahama administration in October .

A deputy Attorney General, Joseph Kpemkpa revealed that the government is currently building cases against such officials.



By: Eugenia Tenkorang/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Nairobi (AFP) - Kenya's Supreme Court judges completed on Tuesday their hearing of an opposition challenge to the August 8 poll and said a ruling will be delivered on Friday.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga argued the presidential poll was rigged and took his case to the court, challenging the election commission's declaration of President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election with 54 percent of the vote.

After hearing closing arguments from lawyers representing the National Super Alliance (NASA) opposition coalition, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and Kenyatta, Chief Justice David Maraga said, "That brings us to the end of the hearing. We will deliver judgement on Friday."

Odinga alleges that hacking and fraud delivered victory to Kenyatta and believes it is the third time in a row that he has been cheated of a rightful win.

The disputed election in 2007 led to politically-motivated ethnic violence in which over 1,100 people died. In 2013 Odinga took his dispute to the courts, and lost.

On Tuesday the court was handed reports from its own registrar and a panel of court appointed experts assessing allegations of errors and malpractice that the opposition say mean the election result should be annulled and the poll re-run.

In his final submission James Orengo, a NASA official and lawyer, said the reports told "a very, very sad story" of irregularities, pointing to a number of unsigned tally forms and others lacking security features, that he said could affect as many as five million votes.

Orengo described the pair of reports as "two smoking guns" and called on the Supreme Court to declare Kenyatta's election invalid.

However, lawyers for the IEBC and Kenyatta told the court the reports in fact validated their argument that the vote was free and fair.

"All they have been talking about is this technicality or that technicality," said IEBC lawyer Paul Muite of the NASA case. "The results announced captured and represented the will of the Kenyan people."

Fred Ngatia, acting for Kenyatta, said that discrepancies were nothing more than "a clerical error".

"This was a fair election in which the integrity of the vote was protected as far as is humanly possible," he said.

The seven Supreme Court judges will now consider the evidence and deliberate before giving their ruling on Friday after which Kenyatta will either be sworn in or the election re-run.
The Deputy Minister for Agriculture, William Quaitoo has resigned for what many have described as ethnocentric comments about people from the three regions of the North.

President Nana Akufo-Addo accepted his resignation from office, according to the Presidencys Press Secretary, Eugine Arhin.



More soon
Nollywood actress, Uche Jombo, is not happy with the way negative things are being published about her especially those spying into her marriage.

The actress has been in the on allegations of hiding her said failed marriage from the public as all is not going down well with her marriage.

Fans had woken up this morning to some pages to learn that the actress was hiding her alleged broken marriage from the public but she has decided to speak up blasting the fake reports trying to tarnish her image.

Read her message to the fake news below;

The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.

Dear Nigerian Bloggers

If YOU are going make up stories about my life or marriage try FACTS. Normally I will look at this stupid trending story on me today and look the other way but not TODAY!!! ENOUGH!!!!!! I find your need to create mirage tales of rancor where there are none in chase of a story/news outrageous.There's no story here except a woman trying to balance her family life and work in 2 countries.

Please LEAVE my FAMILY out of your manufactured made up stories, there are more important stories, real issues in world people are worried about than little old me. My only social media cover-up is pretending You "Zero journalistic ethics" people didn't hurt me by your unfounded and non factual stories.

News flash: Marriages in the United States are public record.
Yesterday I mentioned that if only the banking sector could hold its own, the ASX 200 had a good chance of moving higher in the coming weeks.

Almost immediately, up popped a headline that revealed the banking regulator, APRA, had launched an inquiry into the Commonwealth Bank [ASX:CBA]. As the Financial Review reported:

The prudential regulator will launch an independent prudential inquiry into Commonwealth Bank of Australias governance, culture and accountability, following the allegations raised by AUSTRAC that the bank failed to report suspicious transactions. An independent panel will be established to run the inquiry, APRA said in a statement on Monday morning, and will take six months to provide a report that will be made public.

With this hanging over its head, its hard to get too excited about the prospects of Australias largest bank. At least in the short term. So there goes my theory

As you can see in the chart below, CBA is now trading at its lowest point since November last year.

That could mean its a good buying opportunity. Often, when there is a lot of negativity around a stock or a sector, the bad news is absorbed into the price, making a stock good value.



Source: Optuma

[Click to open new window]

On a fully franked yield of around 5.6% (8% grossed up) you could argue that CBA is very good value.

But whos to say this is the bottom for CBA?

Those who took a similar view after the May sell-off and thought they had picked the bottom in early June, are now under water. Sure, they looked astute for a while, as the share price rallied from $78 to $85.

But now its closing in on $76. While another bounce might be due, the fact that CBA easily broke below the recent low tells you there isnt much support for the share price right now.

One of the investing rules I stick to in my Crisis & Opportunity newsletter is to never buy a stock when it is in a downtrend. Harsh experience has taught me that while you sometimes get it right, more often than not, trying to pick the bottom is a tough business. The odds just are not on your side.

Youre far better off waiting for the worst to be over before venturing back in.

So while CBA looks inviting with a grossed up yield of 8%, Id happily watch how this plays out on the sidelines for now. After all, an 8% dividend takes a year to earn, while you can lose 8% in capital value inside a week.

Energy Sector Poised for Big Gains

Its on this principle that the energy sector is such a compelling opportunity right now. Firstly, its unpopular. The general consensus is that the oil price is going nowhere. There is too much supply and demand is tepid.

The response to the hurricane that just hit Houston seems to support this view. The oil price fell on the news. In years gone by, oil has surged as production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico were taken off line.

But this time around, the hurricane hit oil refining infrastructure, rather than production infrastructure. These days, there is plenty of onshore US oil production, so the Gulf of Mexico isnt as important as it once was.

Because of damage to the refining infrastructure, there is no way to process all the oil. Hence, demand for oil will momentarily decline.

Dont let this cloud your judgement though. This sector is far from dead.

Have a look at the chart of the chart of the ASX 200 Energy index below. It shows the performance of the sector since 2010. The collective price of Aussie energy stocks peaked in 2011.

After a long bear market, prices bottomed in 2016. From peak to trough the sector lost more than 60% of its value.



Source: Optuma

[Click to open new window]

In my view, the sector is now in the early stages of a new bull market. This may not be apparent immediately. After all, most bull markets start out with scepticism. Each sell-off is viewed as a return to the bear market.

There is a lot of scepticism around oil and energy right now. A 60% price decline will do that. It affects the markets investing psychology. Thats why it takes higher prices for investors to think energy stocks are safe again.

Thats why, if youre willing to go out on a limb and feel a tad uncomfortable without the safety of the herd, you can potentially make exceptional gains investing in this sector.

I currently have five energy stocks in the Crisis & Opportunity portfolio. Three of those featured in a recent report and are potential 10-baggers  stocks that could go up 10 times in value from here.

If youre interested in learning more about why I think oil and energy markets are poised for big gains in the next 12 months, go here.

Regards,

Greg Canavan,

Editor, Crisis & Opportunity
In todays Money Morningthe worlds faith in the US dollar could be shakena system built on faith, nothing morea new form of moneyand more

Issues around the US government debt ceiling are rearing up again.

Bringing worrying noises out of the big credit agencies.

Fitch recently warned:

A failure to raise the US debt ceiling limit in a timely manner would prompt it to review the countrys credit rating  which is presently at Triple-A. Brinkmanship over the debt limit could ultimately have rating consequences.

The US is definitely a weird place at the moment politically.

Trump wants to build his Mexican wall but needs funding approved by congress. This puts his own party, the Republicans, in a bind.

Democrats wont support a bill to build the wall on the principal that theyre against such a move.

No big deal you think, the Republicans have majorities in both the House and the Senate so they have full control.

But it turns out theyll still need Democrat support to get through stop-gap measures to deal with short term funding issues.

Who knows whats going to happen here?

Lets not forget it was the Republicans who shut down the US government in 2013 as a protest against raising the $20 trillion debt ceiling. There will be many in the party who are against the extravagant wall costs, despite Trumps insistence that Mexico will pay.

This extreme political uncertainty is starting to have real world effects.

Its the next quote from Fitch thats most explosive (my emphasis).

Some analysts have argued that the US governments could continue making interest payments on its debt, and to delay social service payments to avoid a technical default. But Fitch warned that this approach could cause damage to investor confidence in the full faith and credit of the US.

That last parts crucial.

It could be the start of an earth shattering change to the whole financial system

Value and backing

For almost the whole last century, the US has been the worlds dominant power. Economically, culturally and militarily.

This balance of might and power combined with relative transparency and universal human rights has earned the US a special advantage.

Namely the US dollar.

But its an advantage they could be set to throw away.

The US dollar is not just the national currency, its the worlds reserve currency. Its a collective act of global faith in what America stands for.

Faith, nothing more.

The US can (and does) print out dollars at will. But balancing government books requires accountability and that is why they raise the debt ceiling from time to time.

We (the world) trust the US to do the right thing  at least more than any other country. We have faith in its institutions and relative incorruptibility.

The Trump presidency is shaking a lot of this confidence. The debt ceiling issues could be the trigger for a wider range of consequences if left unresolved.

If the worlds faith in the US fails, the faith in the US dollar does too.

This is not so far-fetched.

If history is any guide, the form of accepted money can, and does change.

We no longer use farthings or half-crowns like my grandparents did in the UK, or gold coins like the Romans. Dont forget we even had pounds and pence in Australian until 1967.

And at a deeper level, the value of most currencies was attached in some way to the amount of gold the country held until 1971.

So money is not just one thing, it can take many shapes depending on the accepted norms of the time. Shells were even legal tender in West Africa until the mid-19th century.

But the main principle of what we consider money boils down to one fact.

The essence of money is the faith that its acceptable to others in exchange for the things we want or need.

Its really that simple.

Ill take your shells for payment as long as I know I can use them myself to buy other goods and services.

Historically this has usually meant that physical money actually represented something else. Like physical gold. Or more recently the full faith and credit of the issuer.

Lets look at gold first.

Gold is limited in quantity and has many useful and desired qualities. It also has the weight of history on its side as being the most consistently recognized store of value.

People have faith that gold will have a fairly stable value relative to other things. Being heavy, hard to divide and very hard to move around, gold itself is far from perfect as money, though using it to back the value of a paper works pretty well.

Gold-backed money engenders confidence. But theres still the matter of trust that the gold backing the currency is really there.

On the other end of the spectrum is the good faith and credit of an issuer i.e. a government. Thats what we all use now. But thats also why Zimbabwes currency became virtually worthless. No one trusted the government or its economic policies, (In other words, money by decree).

Now, if managed properly, this can be rather good money. It can be very mobile, flexible and secure. And its worked pretty well since the end of the Second World War.

But it relies on the continued good governance and political incorruptibility of those in power. Which is why Fitchs comments earlier are worrying. And why the whole Trump presidency is worrying.

Being the reserve currency for the world is a huge advantage to the USA, so why Trumps risking it is a mystery to me.

But risking it he is. Consciously or unconsciously.

Now, normally even a bad US currency is still better than a lot of other currencies, so the US dollar would be safe. There would simply be no better alternative (except maybe back to gold).

But theres a new form of money thats just starting to evolve.

You need to know about it. Because it changes money as we know it. And if current trends continue, we could be using it a lot sooner than you think.

The new enlightenment

In this chaotic political environment we live in, where the western democracies trust their political class less and less, a new form of money has sprung up.

Just like the famous 17th century thinkers threw out centuries of outdated thought, this new enlightenment seeks to re-define money.

Yes, Im talking about cryptocurrencies.

In a world where trust and faith in established economic systems is diminishing rapidly, this advance has come at the perfect time.

For the first time in recorded history, cryptographic currencies have entered a new sort of thing to have faith in: unforgeable transactional mathematics.

Cryptography allows us to create unique digital property that can be provably owned and transferred directly by the current owner to a new one. And importantly with no third party needed.

Its been nine years since the birth of bitcoin and we are still at the start of this journey. But make no mistake cryptocurrencies are here to stay and they will continue to grow. In some form or other.

Critics may counter at this point and say but what is bitcoin backed by?

An economist would answer its backed by its utility. In other words, bitcoin is backed by having a use. In fact, it already does a load of things better than existing systems. And that useability gives bitcoin value.

What kind of things? our critic persists. Lots  beyond our imagination to come up with a complete answer for you.

Its like asking what the internet can do, back in the 90s. Theres a simple answer. But it doesnt go close to describing the reality it has enabled.

For starters, cryptocurrencies allow you to send anything of digital value almost instantly and at extremely low cost.

So I could send 1 million worth of crypto-currency to you in Berlin and it would cost me 20 cents or so to do. You would receive funds in seconds or minutes.

And we would not be relying on any third party to authorise or process the transaction. It enables things like low cost share trading. Not $20 or $10 per trade. But 10c, 1c or maybe less?

These are just the low hanging fruit. But thats already trillions of dollars worth of low hanging fruit.

There are thousands, maybe millions of possible use cases. Some will improve existing things and some will re-invent entire new industries.

But the point is this. Cryptocurrencies are useful to perform certain actions. And they will disrupt markets worth trillions and trillions of dollars.

We are nine years into this revolution and it isnt slowing down, it isnt going away. In fact its speeding up.

And to get these benefits you will need to buy bitcoin or another cryptocurrency. And even if you dont buy it, the system you use will use it behind the scenes. Thats the crucial value that backs its use as a new form of currency.

Its backing its actual use. Combined with its limited supply, this gives it a stronger backing than paper, money or gold which are both backed by faith alone.

As you can probably tell, Im passionate about this new field. And I have been since 2013. Im not new to this. Ive been a member of the Digital Currency Council, Ive invested, mined and backed all types of cryptocurrency.

Currently I work with my colleague Sam Volkering on a service we offer called the Secret Crypto Network.

Our aim for the service is to help ordinary people who are starting to explore the new and wonderful world of cryptocurrencies. I believe this could be the future of finance and money as we know it. And I want as many ordinary people to benefit from it as possible.

If youre interested you can read more here.

Good investing,

Ryan Dinse,

Editor, Money Morning
'The big truck is still on ...
@ByKristenMClark

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a controversial champion of school choice, is making another trip to the Sunshine State with plans to visit two schools in the state capital on Tuesday, one public and one private.

DeVos will spend the morning at Holy Comforter Episcopal School, a private Christian school that opened in 1955, before visiting Florida State University High School, an A-rated public charter school thats known as Florida High and is affiliated with FSUs College of Education.

Additional details about her trip, such as if she would be meeting with any elected officials while in town, were not released Monday afternoon.

DeVos  a billionaire Republican donor from Michigan who came in to the secretarys job lacking experience in public education  has made several trips to Florida since she was narrowly confirmed by the Senate in February.

More here.

Photo credit: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos alongside FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg,left, visits FIU in Miami in April. David Santiago / El Nuevo Herald
A year from now, on the day of Floridas 2018 primary elections for governor, the national political conversation might have long moved away from deadly protests earlier this month in Charlottesville, Virginia.

But on Monday in West Palm Beach, no question animated the three Democratic candidates more than condemning white supremacists, as the state continues to debate how to handle its remaining Civil War monuments.

How would you handle the issue of public-tax dollars being used to maintain Confederate memorials? a high school student asked Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, former Tallahassee Rep. Gwen Graham and Orlando-area businessman Chris King.

Ooooooh, murmured the crowd gathered for lunch from the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches.

That the three Democrats would advocate for keeping the monuments out of public spaces was a foregone conclusion. King originally called for their removal on Aug. 15, three days after demonstrators clashed in Virginia. The next day, Gillum did the same, and Graham blasted Republican gubernatorial candidates for their silence.

But the candidates still showed more emotion talking about Charlottesville than they did on anything else. And each took a slightly different approach to the problem  which was noteworthy in a discussion where the rivals disagreed on little else.

More here.

Photo credit: Alan Diaz, Associated Press
Congressman Jim Himes View Photos

This week, Jim Himes delivered the Democrats Weekly Address.

Himes was Tuesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here is the transcript:

Hi, Im Congressman Jim Himes. I represent southwestern Connecticut and have the privilege of chairing the New Democrat Coalition, a group of 61 forward-thinking pro-opportunity Democrats.

Walking around my district in southwestern Connecticut, you cant miss the sharp economic challenge that we face today. In places, weeds and windblown concrete have replaced factories that used to make everything from clothing to the weapons that won two World Wars.

My grandpa Andrew spent his life working for Eastman Kodak, a company that brought magic into homes around the world. At its peak, Kodak employed almost 150,000 people. Five years ago, Eastman Kodak went bankrupt.

Fortunately, my district is also home to iconic innovators like Pitney Bowes and NBC Sports, and to growing newcomers like Datto, Synchrony and Indeed.com, which didnt even exist 15 years ago. Restaurants and thriving retailers now occupy former barren lots in Bridgeport, Connecticut, because you cannot keep American innovation down.

Change happens today faster than ever before. New technology and global competition open new markets and offer life-changing advances.

But without planning and support, too many people get left behind.

When factories close, good people lose more than their paychecks. Dignity, worth and a sense of belonging also seep away. Pride and community turn to fear and division.

President Trump trades in that decline: He nurtures fear, paints a dark picture of the future, blames immigrants, Muslims, Democrats and the media. He promises walls and he promotes division.

And he delivers nothing. Not jobs. Not opportunity. Not unity.

We Americans are decent, neighborly, self-reliant people. Were not looking for saviors or for handouts. Were looking for opportunity. And we know exactly where it comes from.

In a changing world, Americans need to be better educated and skilled than people anywhere else.

Thats certainly my story. Whatever successes Ive had ties straight back to strong public schools and teachers who cared. The Democrats A Better Deal demands no less for every single American child.

Its time to make sure that our businesses offer apprenticeship programs to teach valuable skills. We must invest in lifelong learning, training and education, so that every worker, young or old, can be vital and relevant to the industries of tomorrow.

Thats why Democrats are offering the American people A Better Deal: better jobs, better wages and a better future. A Better Deal recognizes that the core of our economic success has always been hard-working Americans, growing businesses, and the sturdy playing field on which they compete: the highways, airports and railways that undergird American prosperity.

Since George Washingtons investment in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, businesses have always depending on a reliable foundation of communications, transportation and power.

We are descendants of people who spanned a continent with rails of steel, took to the skies, and crossed the black void of space to land men on the moon. We owe it to those generations to be better stewards of their legacy.

When did it become OK for our America to have second-class roads, airports, harbors and rails?

We know theres hard work and tough choices ahead. But we also know from experiences that investments in education and training, in transportation, communication and power will pay for themselves many times over.

So why arent we coming together to make it happen?

Today, were distracted by the Tweeter-in-Chief, who deepens our divisions, sows seeds of discord and fans the flames of violence.

Our country needs and deserves leaders who will encourage us to be our better selves and who will champion the ideas that we know are good for our nation. These are the ideas that animate A Better Deal for families across America.

Democrats are all about opportunity, growth, innovation and the good jobs that follow. We will not be distracted. We will not be deterred. Because we understand something that President Trump never will: that our world can be a far, far better place  and that together we can make it so.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
John Cox, 2018 Republican candidate for CA Governor View Photos

Sonora, CA  Tonight, the Mother Lode hosts the second gubernatorial candidate to visit this month.

At Black Oak Casino Resort Hotel Conference Center the Tuolumne County Republican Women and Central Committee is sponsoring a free and open to the public evening from 5 to 7 with John Cox, 62, a southern California businessman who is among those seeking the Republican nomination for governor in the 2018 election.

Speaking with Clarke Broadcasting about his candidacy, Cox shares that the public is sick of corruption and has identified it as a primary issue. Having moved to the Golden State a decade ago from Illinois, he shares that his life exemplifies the American Dream, having rose from modest beginnings as the son of a single mother, who taught school on the south side of Chicago. Educated as a CPA, Cox put himself through night school to earn a law degree. A real estate investor since his twenties, he gradually accrued ownership of several thousand midwestern apartment buildings.

Cox says that after moving into the San Diego area ten years ago he was surprised to find the state more corrupt than Illinois. That is why I am running for governor, he states in a matter-of-fact tone. Further explaining, he adds, It is also why I think people will warm to my candidacy. I am not a politiciana celebritytrying to do this to elevate my standing or my businesses. I am doing this because I just cant stand corruption.

Calling for Revolutionary Reform

As Cox sees it, California is a Red State marked with two big blue blotches in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas. He opines, In those two cities especially the public sector unions, the environmental groups  a lot of these groups that raise huge amounts of money  send their minions outto go door-to-door and pull out votersto make sure that they vote for their candidates. Lamenting a bit, he adds. Now, the Republican Party doesnt necessarily have the money or the army, so they have not been winning lately.

He claims that a revolutionary ballot initiative that he is sponsoring will upset the apple cart of the corrupt fundraisers of Sacramento. Called the Neighborhood Legislature, it calls for the downsizing of districts into micro, community-sized units with local representatives to whom a working committee of 120 that goes to Sacramento becomes accountable and linked through modern IT methodology. Such a system, Cox claims, will end the need do big-dollar campaign fundraising, eliminating what he calls the stranglehold of big businesses and big labor bosses.

So far, Cox, who declared his candidacy back in March, and State Assemblymember Travis Allen, 43, of San Diego, are the prominent Republican contenders for governor.

Potential Democratic contender Delaine Eastin, 70, who has held the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction and also served as an assemblymember, recently attended and spoke at a Tuolumne County Democratic Central Committee event in Twain Harte, as reported here. Among other Democratic contenders who have declared their intentions to run are California State Treasurer John Chiang, 55; Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, 49; and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, 64.
@ByKristenMClark

The budget chairman of the Florida Senate is calling on Gov. Rick Scott to allocate another $20 million from state reserves toward the ongoing opioid crisis.

Calling the health emergency an existential threat to the people of our state, Clearwater Republican Sen. Jack Latvala wrote in a letter to Scott on Monday that Floridians cannot wait until the Legislature passes the next state budget in March before more state resources are funneled to address the crisis.

Opioids were the direct cause of death of 2,538 Floridians and contributed to an additional 1,358 deaths in 2015, the last year data is available. Citing death trends for this year, Latvala cautioned that by the time the Legislature passes a budget in March 2018, over 2,700 more Floridians could die.

We must provide the proper financial resources to those communities across Florida that have been struggling with this crisis for many years and join together to help end the stigma of addiction, wrote Latvala, who is a 2018 candidate for governor. I urge you in the strongest terms to continue to lead on this issue.

After Latvalas letter was sent this morning  also requesting an extension of a statewide emergency declaration that was set to expire in the coming days  Scotts office noted this afternoon that the emergency declaration was already extended today.

More here.

Photo credit: AP
Flooding In Texas View Photos

Sonora, CA  The Gold Country branch of the American Red Cross, which includes the Mother Lode counties, has sent volunteers to Texas to help with the Hurricane Harvey response.

Gary Strong, Gold Country Branch CEO, says six local volunteers have made the trip to this point. He adds, As the need develops, we are poised to send more. Our disaster volunteers will help ensure evacuees receive meals, water, hygiene items, health services and comfort during this difficult time.

When recently asked how residents across the country could help Texans impacted by Hurricane Harvey, Governor Greg Abbott encouraged people to donate money to the American Red Cross, as the organization has volunteers on the ground with firsthand knowledge of what specific items are needed. In addition to setting up emergency shelters for evacuees, the organization is helping with the reconnecting of missing loved ones and offering services like mental health counseling.

The American Red Cross requests financial donations so they can provide disaster relief immediately. You can text the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Or, you can call 1-800-RED-Cross or visit www.redcross.org by clicking here.
Do you plan on exporting any goods from Nigeria? If so, then you should consider a lot before sending out your goods. Of course, some conditions depend on the state and country of the buyer, special means of exporting, quantities required. In addition to start your own export business, you should learn more about markets situation, find a buyer and collect some documents needed for export. Most people who plan to export some products, do not really know how to do it. So if you are among them, take a look at detailed information on export and some other tips how to export from Nigeria to other countries!

There is no doubt that most often exported Nigerian product is oil. But now, due to the crash of oil prices, the exportation of this black gold becomes less and less attractive. For this reason, a lot of people involved in export try to find some new ways and new products to export. According to statistics, the most popular non-oil products, which are exported from Nigeria are cocoa, cassava, rubber, wool, cotton, palm oil, wood logs (Iroko or Mahogany) groundnut oil, cashew, garlic, and other products.

Nigeria mainly exports goods to Europe and Asia. Total profit is estimated to be about N682.5 billion. Nigerian government recently announced that in future they want to focus more on agricultural products export. This is because the prices on oil export decreased and therefore thre is an increasing demand for non-oil product export. Nigerian government launched a special governmental body, called Nigerian Export Promotion Council. The council works to encourage Nigerian industrialists, businessmen, and agriculturalists to export more non-oil products. This is so that the government can increase export index, fight unemployment issue, and stabilize Nigerias economy.

A guide for your flawless export business

Are you interested? Then look at this detailed guide on how to export goods from Nigeria to other countries. The requirements for exporting goods to foreign countries depend mostly on what kind of product you plan to export. Easy steps for fast and smooth export are given in this 3-step guide.

Export goods from Nigeria to foreign countries

Step 1: Do a research

When it comes to exporting any products from Nigeria to other countries, you have to research everything about the export business, as well as the goods you plan to export. Doing a survey prior to shipping goods and starting your own business is a very reasonable decision. Look at 6 tips on how to do a good research:

Think about how quickly you can establish foreign contacts and find enough customers to sell your goods to. Research the market satiation and find the countries which will be the best to export to. Once you find it, think about advertisement and promotion of your product. Another thing to consider before starting the export business is cost. It is good to think about the cost of exporting products from Nigeria, which includes export duties. Calculate the cost and decide for yourself if you will be able to afford it. Another important stage of export business is no doubt the shipping. You have to decide on means of transportation you will need to use to export the goods. Research the most convenient shipping companies or cargo flights that are available in Nigeria. When you are done with transportation and market research, move to area of legal requirements. You need to find out what kind of documents you need and what are the conditions your company must adhere to. Also, pay attention to the certification process. Will the government require you to certify your goods or register them somehow? Remember to visit Nigerian Export Promotion Council for more professional support. If you know anyone that is doing the same business or plan to, it is always good to learn from them.

Step 2: Register your export business

If you plan to do a serious business, you will need to register your company. For this, you should head to Corporate Affairs Commissions. It is important to do this because your customer will check CAC site for more detailed information about your company. If they do not find anything, they are not likely they will not agree to cooperate with you. Since Nigeria has a reputation of not being a very trustworthy country, you had better register your business so that you can win the customers trust.

Registration of export business in Nigeria

It is also important to have a Certificate of Incorporation and register at the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC). This is done by anyone who plans to export non-oil products from Nigeria to other foreign countries. Registration in NEPC costs about N11,000. It takes only a week to get your company registered.

Step 3: Search for foreign customers

We all know that the most important people in business are not bosses, but customers. If there are no customers, then there will be no business. For this reason, you have to search for customers very precisely. Since you will work with foreign clients, you have to work on promotion and creating a good visual picture of your company and products you export. Come up with a website design and promote it on web search platforms, such as Google or social media. Facebook and Instagram can also help, depending on the products you plan to export.

You should have a multi-functional website that will display all products, along with your contact information and all the necessary information that the client might need. The Internet is literally the only way for you to get connected with clients and help your business develop. Cooperation with other companies can be also a solution since they can help you to find new partners and build some useful connections.

READ ALSO: Top 10 logistics companies in Nigeria

Documents needed to export goods from Nigeria to other countries

After you have researched the market situation and decided on what kind of products to export, lets move on to essential documents part. Here is the list of what kind of documents you need to have for your export business to go smoothly. This list of 10 key papers is based on both Nigerian and other countries required documents information. Follow up the list given below and learn which ones are most commonly used in export.

1. The commercial invoice

A commercial invoice is a type of document which is provided by the exporting company. It is a custom declaration for exporting the products overseas.

2. The cargo bill

It is a detailed list of a ships cargo which comes in the form of a receipt. Usually, this kind of receipt is given by a captain of the ship to the person who ships the goods.

3. The consular invoice

This is a document that should be submitted before shipping products abroad. It is required to be submitted to the consulate or embassy of the country to which goods are to be exported.

4. The certificate of origin (CO)

It is an international trade document which confirms that the goods to be shipped were produced and packed in the particular country. This type of documents is provided by the exporter and confirms goods origin.

5. The inspection certificate

One of the most important documents is the inspection certificate. It certifies that products to be shipped were in good condition at the time of inspection. The document is usually issued prior to the shipment. Such kind of pre-shipment inspection is required by many countries.

6. The dock receipt

The dock receipt is issued by the sea freight carrier to prove that your goods are at the carriers shipping terminal.

7. The warehouse receipt

When goods are stored in a warehouse, the warehouse receipt is issued as a proof. The document states the ownership of commodities that are stored in the warehouse or in any other place for safekeeping. Keep in mind that warehouse receipts might be negotiable or non-negotiable.

8. The destination control statement

This document can be issued as part of commercial invoice, ocean or air waybill. It can be also in Shippers Export Declaration (SED). The main purpose of this document is to notify the carrier and all foreign parties, that the item can be exported only to certain destinations.

9. The insurance certificate

Of course, while shipping your goods abroad you will have to arrange for the insurance certificate for the shipment. This document provides information on a particular insurance coverage, in case of any emergencies. The certificate is your proof of insurance police and usually contains some detailed information on types and limits of insurance coverage, your insurance companys contact information, policy number, and the insurances expiration date.

10. The export license

Once you begin to export any products from Nigeria, it is desirable for you to get a license from the government agencies. This document will be a good evidence of legal business for your customers.

These are the ten documents, which any exporter should have before starting the export business and shipping the goods abroad. But before you move to documents part, you still need to decide what to ship!

It is no doubt that exports from Nigeria to other countries of the world is a very profitable type of business. Although, you have to think very carefully about what kind of goods you can ship. People used to think that you can only export oil related products, but these days the situation is different. There are so many different products you can export and earn some good money. Exporting non-oil products to foreign countries is not very complicated, you just need to have a company, necessary documents, and come up with a product you want to export.

Top 6 products you can export from Nigeria

So now you have already researched the current situation on export and know exactly what to do when the time comes. Let us explore the market! What can you export from Nigeria to other countries? Find out which products are in demand and to which countries these goods are usually exported. From textiles and soap, you will find a lot of different options in the list below.

Textiles and African garments

It is no doubt that textile industry is very lucrative. The total amount of money that Nigeria makes from textile export, is close to $32,000,000. In addition, if you export textile or garments to the USA, then there is no need to pay fees as it is a duty-free passage. Therefore, if you want to join the biggest global market for textile and garments, choose some unique African designs and Nigerian quality to show the world.

Rubber

Nigeria is a big producer of rubber in Africa. For ensuring a good quality of the product, before shipment, rubber has to pass a test in the Central testing laboratory. Keep in mind, that a meter of fine rubber costs between $400 and $600 and therefore is very valuable and profitable material for export on market.

Charcoal

The charcoal is certainly in high demand on the international market. Nigeria has not only a big amount of oil but charcoal as well. A large market of charcoal is now Asia, the USA, and all countries of European Union. A tonne of charcoal costs about $1,000.

Cotton

Cotton is the most wanted natural source of fiber in the world. It is in high demand in any country of the world. Choose cotton to export, since it is a material needed for producing clothes and textile materials.

Cassava flour

Everyone knows that Cassava is used in almost every Nigerian dish. There are a lot of different types of food you can make using cassava. But a need for this product is not only in Nigeria. It is gaining big popularity on foreign market as well. The cassava flours price is going up. Nowadays, it is exported to Europe, Middle East, and America.

Cosmetics and soap

Other products which can be exported from Nigeria to other countries are soap and cosmetics. Nowadays, Nigeria uses some modern technologies to produce cosmetics and soaps that are off good quality. Soap and cosmetics can be exported within Africa as well. A lot of neighboring countries have no cosmetics or soap at all, so this can be a great opportunity for export.

As you see export business is a quite time-consuming type of business. Exporting goods to foreign countries from Nigeria requires a lot of preparation and good plan from the very start. Especially, if you want to have a huge business, you should prepare a good capital to start off and be ready to take some risks. You should also be completely involved in the process of shipping goods. This way, you will minimize the risks and be aware of any changes that are happening in your company.

In addition, do not forget to register your business. Nigerian government has done a lot to encourage Nigerians to start their export business, hoping to balance off trade situation and stabilize the Nigerian economy. So in long run, export of non-oil products will be a very profitable business. If you are ready to give it a try and join the world market  start right now!

READ ALSO: General overview of the Nigerian economy and its economic potentials

Source: Legit.ng
Guinness Nigeria Recruitment is another chance for young Nigerians to get a successful job in the country. What career opportunities can you have in Guinness Nigeria? Continue reading to find out more information!

Guinness Nigeria Recruitment Process

If you want to apply for Guinness recruitment in Nigeria, then you need to visit their official website to know all the vacancies that are available to you. This organization is looking for professionals and newcomers in many different areas. The recruitment programme for this company is done through the Diageo website. This internet resource is responsible for hiring new staff to Guinness Nigeria.

When you get to the official Diageo website  you have two choices. The first opportunity is to send your CV to the company for a specific job listed in your country. If you have the qualification for the job you have chosen, then you will need to go through an interview process. After the interview process, you will be notified if you are confirmed for the position that you have chosen or not.

The second opportunity that you may get from Diageo is the Global Graduate Programme. It`s the best opportunity for young people who have recently graduated from educational institutions. You just need to give some details about yourself in your CV.

After that, you will need to complete two online questionnaires about yourself and your job experience. The third step is to take an interview with someone from the company. The last step is to take a one-day assessment where you can show your skills. When you complete all the tasks  you will just need to prove how you can be a good fit for Guinness Nigeria.

READ ALSO: How to start tilapia fish farming in Nigeria?

Guinness Nigeria Recruitment 2017

What do you get when the process is completed? If you are lucky and you become one of the employees of Guinness Nigeria, then you now have a great job opportunity in one of the biggest international companies in Nigeria.

This company offers great opportunities to young Nigerians! You can also share your experience with people all around the world at this job. One more thing, the company provides great salary opportunities, but the initial salary depends on your skills.

Guinness Nigeria Current Recruitment

According to the Diego official website, there are no open job vacancies or graduate opportunities in Nigeria at this time. However, it does not mean that you can`t try to send your CV to the official email address about job opportunities. If you really have a desire to get a job in an international company, then nothing should stop you from achieving your goal!

Why should you work in Guinness Nigeria? It is a great opportunity to work in an international company. You have a chance to make a decent salary and have good career opportunities. It`s the experience that you will never get in any other company. Just give it a chance, and you will not regret it!

READ ALSO: Business ideas in Nigeria with low capital

Source: Legit.ng
Every professional body in Nigeria has a governing body that oversees and regulates its practice in the country. The Nursing and Midwifery practice is governed and regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

Short information about the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) is the governing body that oversees all the activities and groups of midwives and nurses in Nigeria. Just like most of the professional body in Nigeria, the history of the NMCN can be traced back to the colonial era. Nursing was one of the first five professions to be recognized and accepted in the colonial era.

The Midwives Board was founded in 1930 based on the Midwives Ordinances which was enacted to oversee the training and practice of Midwifery in Nigeria. In August 1947, the Registration of Nurses Ordinance was passed and the Nursing Council of Nigeria was created to control and regulate nursing training and practice in Nigeria.

In 1979, the Midwives Board and the Nursing Council of Nigeria were merged together under the enabling decree 89 of 1979. In 2004, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria was made a government parastatal.

NMCN is one of the most prominent statutory professional regulating body in Nigeria. The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has one of the largest scope and professional personnel to control, regulate, and supervise. The council is the administrative, corporate and legal body charged by the Federal Government of Nigeria with specific functions to carry out in order to ensure the delivery of effective and safe Nursing and Midwifery practice and care to the public. These functions are stated below.

READ ALSO: Functions of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria

Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria Functions

The main goals of the Nursing and Midwifery Council are to guarantee a high quality of Nursing and Midwifery training in Nigeria, maintain a high standard of professional practice and enforce discipline within the Nursing and Midwifery professional. These goals are achieved by specific laid out functions carried out by the council. These functions are as follows:

Make a register/directory of all nursing and midwifery students at the beginning of their training.

Formulate and review different curricula used in the training of all the categories of Nurses and Midwives on a regular basis.

Collaborate and work in partnership with other recognized bodies (e.g. World Health Organisation, National Universities Commission, UNICEF etc.) that are interested in the conducting of various programmes for the Basic and Post Basic training of Nurses and Midwives.

Give accreditation to all clinical practice and training institutions that trains every category of Nurses and Midwives in Nigeria.

Issuance of professional certificates to all groups of Nurses and Midwives at the end of their training.

Conduct professional examinations for all the categories of Midwives and Nurses in Nigeria.

Formulate and keep registers of all qualified personnel in the Nursing and Midwifery professional practice in Nigeria.

Organise the registration interviews for all Nurses and Midwives trained outside of Nigeria who are interested in practicing in Nigeria.

Issuance and updating of professional practicing licenses to all groups of qualified Midwives and Nurses in Nigeria. The certificates are updated every three years.

They revoke or restore certificate/licenses of Nurses and Midwives when applicable.

Establish and maintain the standards of competency and knowledge in the Nursing and Midwifery training and practice in Nigeria.

Conduct compulsory continuous professional and educational development programmes for all categories of Nurses and Midwives.

Carry out researches in important areas of the Nursing and Midwifery practice.

Ensure discipline within the profession through the Nurses and Midwives Tribunal.

Prosecution of illegal practicing and training institutions.

Control and regulate every aspect of Nursing and Midwifery practice in Nigeria.

Those are the functions of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. The head of the Nursing and Midwifery Council is the secretary general registrar and the headquarters is located in Abuja. Hope you have this information we provided very useful.

READ ALSO: Functions of Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria

Source: Legit.ng
Every university is interested in intelligent, responsible, and hardworking students. It is very difficult to teach people who do not want to study and do something on their own. For administration of the University of Ibadan cut off mark for JAMB is too low so it wasnt accepted.

Cut off mark for JAMB 2017 is 120 points for higher educational institutions and 100 for those with a lower level of accreditation. A representative of the University of Ibadan said that such a prestigious educational institution couldnt allow a person, whose intellect is only enough to get 120 points, to sit at a desk in its walls.

There are several reasons for this decision:

Any Nigerian who considers himself a patriot should worry about what happens to our educational system. It's just ridiculous that a person who gets only 30% in an exam can be admitted to further learning. What if at work the same person performs only 30% of duties? This is unlikely to benefit anyone, but rather lead to something harmful.

No matter how good the University is, you cant "cook porridge from stones". If the material cant be processed or is initially of poor quality, nothing useful will come out of it. So teachers want to work with people who really want to study.

REAS ALSO: JAMB cut off mark for 2017-2018

For some strange reason, many "experts" argue that a university must teach a student how to study. In other words, they believe that even a lazy person can turn into a first-class responsible specialist. But higher institution offers a higher professional education, and its goal is to give a person practical skills and theoretical knowledge for solving problems related to his future professional activity. So teachers shouldn't violently put useful information into ears of those who can't accept, appreciate, and use it correctly.

Preservation of prestigious status

The statistics show that young people have become lazier now than decades ago. The first Joint Admission and Matriculation Board exam was held in 1978. Since then University of Ibadan admission has never accepted anything below 200 points. The maximum possible level is 400. These are understandable rules.

The administration wants to conduct the same procedure during JAMB 2017 and in future years. 50% is an acceptable figure. It is possible to achieve it if you are responsible enough when preparing for the exams. UI seeks to maintain its prestige as a world-class university. Only 4 other educational institutions maintain such high standards. Will it be a good thing if the administration of the university let these standards disappear altogether?

The high status of the university is justified not only by how old it is but also by internal discipline, which must never be weakened if we want competent specialists in Nigeria. The quality of new students plays a huge role in this matter.

ASUU opinion

The same opinion is held by the representatives of ASUU. They made some comments about the 120 points, calling it a wrong political step. It was also mentioned that it seems the government want to destroy all good universities in the country.

In educational institutions, the conditions for admission will not be simplified. Many educated people hold the opinion that this decision by JAMB will not improve the situation of the national educational system. It could only hurt it. So many higher educational institutions think it's pointless to accept such rules.

REAS ALSO: History of Western Education in Nigeria

Source: Legit.ng
- Ministers aware of a likely cabinet reshuffle have begun to lobby the president to either retain their ministries or be moved to other ministries

- Yemi Osinbajo submits a draft list for the reshuffling of the cabinet to President Muhammadu Buhari for his consideration

- President Buhari has not made up his mind on whether to reshuffle the cabinet on the basis of the list given to him by Osinbajo

A reported plan by President Muhammadu Buhari to reshuffle or dissolve his cabinet has caused anxiety among his ministers.

This Day, citing presidency sources, reports that President Buhari has been considering a mid-term cabinet reshuffle since his return from the United Kingdom (UK).

READ ALSO: 6 APC leaders who may replace Buhari in 2019

The newspaper states that the proposed cabinet reshuffle likely influenced the presidents decision to defer the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, August 23.

Legit.ng learnt that the planned cabinet reshuffle was put in motion after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited the president in the United Kingdom during his medical vacation and sought Buharis permission to reshuffle the cabinet.

The vice president was said to have presented Buhari with a draft list for the reshuffling of the cabinet for his consideration and approval.

Following the outcome of their meeting in London, the president, it was gathered, asked Osinbajo to delay plans of a cabinet shakeup until he returned to the country.

Buhari reportedly told Osinbajo that since the administration was midway into its tenure, it would be a good opportunity to reshuffle the cabinet.

That meeting prompted Osinbajo to swear-in Stephen Ocheni from Kogi state and Alhaji Suleiman Hassan from Gombe state, who had been confirmed by the Senate as ministerial nominees, without assigning any portfolios to them.

According to presidency sources, Buhari has been preoccupied with reshuffling his cabinet since he returned to the country.

One of the sources said the ministers who are aware of the likely changes in the cabinet have been lobbying Buhari through their governors or close allies of the president, to either retain their ministries or be moved to other ministries that they deem more important.

The president is also reported to be holding on to the list drafted by the vice-president and has not made up his mind on whether to reshuffle the cabinet on the basis of the list or make some alterations to the list before doing so.

But the presidency source revealed that those close to Buhari are urging him to drop the list given to him by Osinbajo and dissolve the cabinet to introduce new hands.

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The source stated that an air of uncertainty has clouded the cabinet as Buhari has decided to keep the final decision to himself.

The cabinet would definitely be reshuffled very soon and all the ministers know that. It is for this reason they have been lobbying their governors and allies close to Mr. President since he returned from London.

The problem is that some of these same allies have advised Mr. President to discountenance the list that was presented by Vice-President Osinbajo when he met with him last month in London.

His allies would rather he dissolves the cabinet completely and brings in a new team that would be completely loyal to the president," the source stated.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has received a briefing from members of his economic team in Abuja.

Those who briefed the president on Monday, August 28, included the minister of budget and national planning, Udoma Udo Udoma; the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; and the minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun.

According to a statement by Femi Adesina, the presidents special adviser on media and publicity, the ministers and CBN governor updated the president on the state of the economy, implementation of the 2017 budget, preparation for the 2018 budget, revenue strategies, combined cost reduction and debt management.

Adesina stated that also discussed at the meeting which lasted for almost two hours were monetary policy strategies and their economic impact, among others.

In the video below, Legit.ng TV asked some Nigerians which of President Buhari's ministers would they want sacked?

Source: Legit.ng
- A 25-year-old woman, Aisha Bukar, her kids and husband escaped from Boko Haram

- Bukar escaped after three years in captivity

- She recounts the ordeal of living in the infamous Sambisa forest, which was a former Boko Haram stronghold

Aisha Bukar, a 25-year-old housewife and mother of five on Monday narrated their ordeal in the hands of Boko-Haram insurgents, saying she, her husband, mother-in-law and children, fed on weeds to survive.

Mrs Bukar, one of the captives of the insurgents, escaped from their enclave after the military bombed Boko Harams hideout in Sambisa Forest recently.

Mrs Bukar told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that she escaped from the camp with her husband, mother in-law and the five children.

Recounting her ordeal, she said members of her family were incarcerated for about three years by the insurgents in the Sambisa forest.

She said the insurgents abducted them while working on a farm at Talala village in Damboa local government area of Borno.

READ ALSO: Obaze beats Ifeanyi Uba, Stella Oduah to clinch PDP ticket for Anambra governorship election

She said they were denied food and medicines, following the refusal of her husband to fight for their group.

We were working in the farm when the insurgents abducted me, my husband, children and mother in-law. They took us deep into Sambisa Forest, where we stayed for about three years.

They asked my husband to take up arms and fight for them, a request he declined; they became infuriated and labeled him as stubborn; to break his will, they denied us food and medicine.

We barely survived on leaves and weeds; we also relied on herbs when sick; they distributed food only to their fighters and those who submit to their demands, she said.

Mrs. Bukar said the insurgents meted out inhuman treatments and abuses on women and children under their captivity.

She revealed that the insurgents compelled captives, including women and children, to be attending preaching and lecture sessions.

My husband was flogged on many occasions over his persistent absenteeism at the lecture sessions. His back is covered with ugly scars of injuries sustained from merciless beating by the insurgents.

We suffered various ailments due to lack of food and medicine; my children are suffering from undernourishment and skin diseases.

My sick husband is now at a military facility but they promised to release him after investigations, she said.

Mrs. Bukar claimed that hundreds of women and children incarcerated in the camp were starved to death, while many others died of cruelty in the hands of the insurgents.

She also revealed that hundreds of other captives escaped from the camp during the military air strike, as most of the insurgents were killed or wounded.

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She explained that they trekked for about three days before they reached Buni-Gari village in Gujba local government area of Yobe State.

She added that the military had assisted in re-uniting her family with their relatives in Maiduguri.

Also commenting, Mustapha Bulin, the escapees father in-law, commended the military for the successes recorded in the counter-insurgency campaign.

Mr. Bulin, who spoke in tears, said he had lost hope of reuniting with members of his family after they were abducted by the insurgents.

The insurgents abducted my elder sister together with her son, wife and children.

My sister is about 80-years- old; it is disheartening to see that the insurgents subjected the old lady and children to all sort of cruelty and inhuman treatments, he said.

Meanwhile, a top Boko Haram commander who co-led the operation that resulted in the abduction of about 276 girls in the town of Chibok on April 14, 2014, has surrendered to the Nigerian army.

The commander, Auwal Ismaeela, is currently helping the Nigerian Military with useful information on locations and hideouts of other top commanders of the sect.

Ismaeela, who also led several Boko Haram operations in the northeast which resulted in the killings of innocent people and destruction of properties said he regretted his actions.

Watch video of survivors of Boko Haram attacks narrate their horrible experience:

Source: Legit.ng
- A member of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Joseph Waku, says Nnamdi Kanu should have his bail revoked

- Elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai, states that it is up to the court to decide if Kanu has violated his bail conditions

- The Nigerian Police Force sends warning to IPOB over the formation of the Biafra Secret Service

A member of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Joseph Waku, has called for the immediate detention of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, for flouting the bail conditions set before him by the court.

READ ALSO: 6 APC leaders who may replace Buhari in 2019

Speaking to Vanguard in an interview on Monday, August 28, Waku said nobody is above the law and that Kanu should have his bail revoked and put back in jail.

He said: Did he not violate his bail conditions? He should have his bail revoked and put back to jail. Nobody is above the law. The government should demonstrate that it is serious."

Similarly, elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai, supported the federal governments decision to approach the court over the reported violation of bail conditions by Namdi Kanu.

Yakasai told Vanguard that the IPOB leader was granted bail on certain conditions, adding that if it was established that he had violated his bail conditions, it was up to court to decide.

He said: Kanu is under bail with certain conditions, if those conditions were breached, it was right for the government to approach the court for decision.

The issue is purely judicial, and the Federal Government has taken the right step to address it, and current effort by tribal lords to politicise it is unfortunate 

On his part, retired police commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, backed the governments decision to approach the court over Kanu on the grounds that the IPOB leader has begun to cause trouble.

He said: Kanu was not acquitted of the charges against him; he was only released on medical grounds. And the court gave him conditions which he appears to have violated. And he has developed a penchant for making trouble.

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I think the government is right to have approached the court again because if Kanu is left to continue the way he is going, other groups will emulate him.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) is sending a warning signal to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, over the latters alleged setting up of a security service.

The police said the Biafran security outfit was illegal and would not be condoned.

Legit.ng learnt that the warning was issued by Adeleye Oyebade, the police commissioner in charge of Abia state while he paraded some suspected criminals.

In the video below, Legit.ng TV takes a critical look at Nnamdi Kanu and the struggle for the actualisation of the Republic of Biafra.

Source: Legit.ng
For picture posts from 2010 and earlier, see the Earlier Picture Posts Page
- The Saudi Arabian government has announced that the country received at least 1.705 million pilgrims

- The figure, as given by the government, is 367,095 higher than the one of 2016

- The government also reportedly dedicated hospitals for the treatment of pilgrims who fall ill while performing their Hajj rites

The total number of pilgrims for the current Hajj in Saudi Arabia has hit 1.705 million higher than the immediate last exercise with 367,095.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the statistics was released by the Directorate General of Passports and contained in the Saudi Gazette.

Legit.ng learnt that out of the number, 1.602 million pilgrims came by air, 87,685 by land and 14,835 by sea.

READ ALSO: Federal government declares 2 days public holiday for Sallah

The figure of Nigerian pilgrims at the Hajj was put at 91,000.

The report quoted the statistics as saying more than 51,000 personnel belonging to 22 governmental bodies are also currently serving pilgrims round the clock in Mecca, Medina and the Holy sites.

Some of the government agencies are said to be handling issues including inspiration, electricity and water, as well as religious, media and illumination.

This is apart from those handling health, transport, communication and information technology services.

The report also said the General Security Aviation Command conducted a number of aerial inspection on the movement of pilgrims between Medina and Mecca.

According to information from the country, over 16,000 units of blood and blood products are being collected for the treatment of pilgrims who are sick.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

It was learnt that nine hospitals in Mecca, four in Arafat and four in Minna have been equipped with highly skilled technicians and experts in the fields of laboratories, as well as blood banks.

Legit.ng earlier reported that all is not too rosy with some of the pilgrims as Hauwa Mohammed from Katsina state was recently duped of the sum of 800 dollars in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

A fraudster pretending to be an official of the Katsina state government reportedly swindled the victim.

Watch what traders are saying days to the Eid-el-Fitri celebration:

Source: Legit.ng
- The US government has agreed to sell warplanes and weapons to Nigeria to fight Boko Haram insurgents

- Boko Haram insurgency has claimed many lives and property especially in the northern part of Nigeria in the last few years

- The federal government is expected to receive a formal notification within weeks, setting in motion the deal with Nigeria

The Pentagon has informed the US Congress of the sale of 12 Super Tucano A-29 ground attack aircraft and weapons to Nigeria to fight the Boko Haram sect in the northern part of Nigeria.

According to Reuters, the Pentagon communicated the sale of the 12 ground attack aircraft valued at $593m (N181bn) to the US Congress on Monday August 28.

READ ALSO: Nnmadi Kanu should be detained immediately - Waku

Legit.ng gathered that the report quoted Pentagons Defence Security Cooperation Agency as having made the announcement to the US legislature.

The Super Tucano A-29, an agile, propeller-driven plane with reconnaissance and surveillance as well as attack capabilities is made by Brazils Embraer.

Nigeria is expected to receive formal notification within weeks, setting in motion the deal with Nigeria.

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They added that the arrangement would call for Nigeria purchasing up to 12 Embraer A-29 Super Tucano aircraft with sophisticated targeting gear. Nigeria is expected to cough out $600m for the weapon.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the New York Times, an American based media asked the President Barack Obama-led administration to block the sale of 12 attack aircrafts to Nigeria.

However, watch Legit.ng video of survivors of Boko Haram talking about the horrors inflicted by the terrorists:

Source: Legit.ng
- The European Union in Nigeria has pledged to intervene in visa procurement faced by scholarship awardees

- The decision by the EU follows complaints by awardees on delay and inability to secure visa for the two years programme

- The EU said it will ensure that the scholarship awardees travel as and when due for their programme

The European Union in Nigeria has promised to intervene in the visa procurement challenge faced by some Nigerian students on `Erasmus Plus Scholarship to some European countries.

Deputy head of EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Richard Young, said this on Monday, August 28, in Abuja at the pre-departure orientation for 17 awardees of the 2017 edition of the scholarship.

The students are scheduled to leave Nigeria in September for seven different countries - UK, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and France for two years academic programme.

Young explained that Erasmus plus was an initiative funded by the EU with international focus offering different higher education opportunities for individuals and institutions in partner countries.

READ ALSO: 25-year-old woman who escaped from Boko Haram reveals horrifying details of life in Sambisa

According to him, it builds on the experience of more than 25 years of EU programmes in higher education and supports the exchange of students, academics, ideas and good practices between institutions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the awardees lamented the delay and inability to secure visa for the two years programme from Spain, Netherlands, Italy and Portugal

Seven of the awardees had also expressed concern that they might miss the academic session because of the difficulties being encountered in securing visas from those countries.

Four of them said that they were having difficulties to secure Spanish visa while one each was having difficulties in securing visas from Italy, Netherlands and Portugal.

The envoy however pledged to wade into the issue and ensure that they travel as and when due for their programme.

READ ALSO: Panic grips ministers as President Buhari reportedly plans to dissolve his cabinet

He promised to write note verbals to the embassies of the affected countries to look into the visa procurement for those having issues in securing visa.

Young said that 17 students from Nigeria would join more than four million young people to acquire skill and experiences by studying, training or volunteering abroad though Erasmus plus.

The programme supports over 125,000 institutions and organisations to work in peers in other countries to innovate, modernise teaching practice and youth work, he said

The 17 students are from various Nigerian institutions among which are Federal University of Technology Akure, University of Abuja, Kwara State University, University of Lagos and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

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Others are University of Ibadan, Yaba Technology, Lagos Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, University of Benin.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Hungarian government had offered fifty scholarships to students from Nigeria.

The information on the scholarship was made known by Hungary's minister of foreign affairs and trade Peter Szijjarto.

Szijjarto who met with Nigeria's minister of foreign affairs said Hungary had sent a foreign trade diplomat to Lagos to facilitate the export of Hungarian milk, meat, fruit and agricultural machinery.

You can watch this Legit.ng video of applicants lamenting the hassles of JAMB registration:

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- The Nigeria Customs Service recovers N252million from duty payments

- The controller of the zone, Zone A command, Mohammed Garba says some contraband confiscated by the customs included expired rice, frozen poultry, tyres, used clothes among others

- Garba states that the customs was prepared to cripple the activities of smugglers and send them out of their illegitimate business

The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A command has announced the seizure of contraband valued at N783.6million within August 9 and 25, 2017.

READ ALSO: Likely cabinet reshuffle causes anxiety among Buharis ministers

According to the command, the contraband includes 27 exotic vehicles, which comprised of Toyota Prado, Toyota Hilux, Toyota Highlander, Mercedes Benz and two trucks laden with 1,104cartons of different types of fake medicines.

Others include expired rice, frozen poultry, used tyres, used clothes and various general merchandise, The Punch reports.

The controller of the zone, Mohammed Garba, made the disclosure on Monday, August 28, when conducting journalists round the commands warehouses where the seized items were kept.

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The New Telegraph reports that the customs boss who noted that the 27 units of vehicles seized were valued at N228.2million also explained that the anti-smuggling unit recovered N252million from duty payments and demand notices on general goods intercepted outside the seaports, airports and borders.

Garba said the amount was realised from wrong classification, transfer of value and short change in duty payment.

He advised smugglers to desist from their illegal trade, noting that the customs was prepared to cripple smugglers and send them out of their illegitimate business.

See photos of the seized vehicles below:

The customs valued the seized vehicles at N228.2 million, photo credit: New Telegraph

Some of the vehicles included Mercedes Benz and two trucks laden with 1,104cartons of different types of fake medicines, photo credit: New Telegraph

The seized vehicles comprised of Toyota Prado, Toyota Hilux, Toyota Highlander, photo credit: New Telegraph

Meanwhile, Julius Novigana and Victor Agbor who were arrested by security operatives for allegedly smuggling imported snakes have disappeared from custody.

The Punch reports that the two suspects were handed over to officials of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) after they were apprehended by the customs.

Mrs. Nanbyen Burromvyat who is the Customs Area Comptroller in charge of Calabar Free Trade Zone, Cross River and Akwa Ibom Commands handed over the suspects to NAQS on July 26 before they disappeared.

Mr. Sunday Ukut confirmed to Ibrahim Jubril who is the minister of state for environment that the two suspects had fled.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of Nigerians talking about politicians whom they feel are not corrupt:

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Thanks to a new Anaconda restaurant that boasts some of Americas favorite Italian dishes, visitors driving west on Montana Highway 1 will now be greeted by a newly renovated building with a vibrant brick-red exterior.

In mid-July Heather and Keith Collins opened O'Bella  a classic Italian restaurant, according to the establishments website  at 1515 E. Commercial Ave.

In addition to a series of restaurants, 1515 E. Commercial once housed a Kentucky Fried Chicken. Heather Collins said one of the first things to go during the propertys renovation was the buildings iconic KFC pyramid.

Collins spoke with The Montana Standard on a sunny afternoon in mid- August in one of the restaurants many booths. Butcher paper and crayons topped the tables while music by Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin played in the background.

We just wanted to have an environment that was fun and laidback, said Collins, describing O'Bellas atmosphere.

O'Bellas menu offers an array of American-Italian classics, ranging from meat and Margherita pizzas to pastas like fettuccine alfredo and black truffle macaroni and cheese. The restaurant also serves craft and Italian beer on tap and wine by the bottle or glass alongside soups, salads and starters, including fried mozzarella, calamari and bread sticks, which Collins said have so far been a favorite among patrons.

Our breadsticks are definitely what people are starting to rave about, said Collins, who noted that customers have the choice of dining in or ordering takeout.

Collins explained that freshness is one of the restaurants guiding principles, and that she and her husband are keeping the menu small so that they can focus on quality and consistency.

All of our sauces, our pizza, our dough, our dressings  everythings done from scratch here, said Collins. Our motto is quality, consistency and cleanliness.

OBella isnt the Collins first time at the rodeo when it comes to serving food.

The couple also owns Wind's Pasties, a pasty shop and distribution company in Anaconda, and has years of experience in the food-service industry in their former place of residence, Portland. There, Collins said, they learned the ins and outs of serving Italian fare and acquired a taste for fresh, handmade food.

We know Italian, we know pizzas really well, said Collins when asked why she and Keith chose the cuisine as their restaurants focal point.

If you think youve heard the Winds name before, youve most likely seen one of the companys pasties at your local grocery store.

The Collinses bought the business in 2009 and began to focus on the wholesale side of the operation, broadening its distribution to stores throughout Montana, as well as Idaho, Wyoming, Washington and Oregon.

The Montana Standard noted that several new restaurants and remodels have gone up in Anaconda recently, including the renovation of Donivan's Restaurant Pub & Casino on Park Avenue and the addition of Smelter City Brewing on Main Street, among others.

Collins said shes happy to be part of recent economic development and hopes that OBella and other new establishments will encourage people to start businesses in the Smelter City.

When asked what advice she has for people thinking of starting their own restaurant, Collins said prospective owners should be prepared to work  a lot.

Be willing to give 200 percent and all of your time for the first few years, said Collins. Always make sure that the customer is happy and the food is amazing  Customers are always willing to overlook mistakes when you first start out as long as the food is good when it reaches the table.
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New evacuations orders were issued  and then expanded  in Seeley Lake Monday night after authorities determined the Rice Ridge fire posed "an immediate threat."

At 9 p.m., Missoula County Public Schools alerted staff and students that Seeley Swan High would be closed Tuesday because of the evacuations. At about the same time, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office expanded mandatory evacuations ordered earlier in the evening.

Late Monday evening, the fire was about a half-mile from the nearest structures, in the Morrell Creek area, said Chad Mullman, public information officer for the Rice Ridge fire.

Monday afternoon saw an unforeseen shift in the winds from west to northwest, driving the fire and forcing a scramble of activity, he said. "We're putting all sorts of night shift crews up on this fire, generally actively engaging it this evening, trying to hold it where it's at."

The mandatory evacuations issued Monday night are:

 The northern boundary  the junction of Highway 83 and Cedar Lane northeast to Morrell Creek Road. The boundary continues along the Cottonwood Lakes Road east to the forest boundary.

 Eastern Boundary  Cottonwood Lakes Road at the forest boundary and south to the northern boundary of the Double Arrow.

 Southern Boundary  the junction of Highway 83 and Whitetail Drive east to the junction of Whitetail Drive and Dolly Varden. The southern boundary continues east to include the area north of the Commons Area and eastward to the intersection of Montana Drive and South Canyon Drive, continuing southeast along Montana Drive to the junction with Glacier Drive and then south to the junction with Double Arrow Road including Pyramid Loop and all areas in the Double Arrow Subdivision to the south and east.

 Western Boundary  the junction of Highway 83 and Cedar Lane south to the junction of Highway 83 and Whitetail Drive.

The Missoula County Sheriff's office also issued an evacuation warning that includes the area of south Boy Scout Road north to Tamaracks Resort, west of Highway 83 and east of the lake.

Because of the new mandatory evacuations, the Red Cross reopened its shelter in Missoula at University Congregational Church, 405 University Ave.

On Sunday, an unauthorized drone flight shut down helicopter operations over the Rice Ridge fire during the brief afternoon break from smoke inversions.

Thats when fire activity was picking up and getting rolling, and then we had the drone incursion, Rice Ridge spokeswoman Erin Fryer said Monday. We couldnt resume air operations after the drone was spotted. It was late enough in the day that we had to shut down.

The need for helicopter water loads increased enough that Seeley Lake's water body was closed again Monday. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials ordered a cessation of all swimming, boating and fishing on the lake until aerial operations are completed.

The fire northeast of Seeley Lake has burned 27,863 acres since it started on July 24. Over the weekend, it moved south and west of the town toward the Bob Marshall Wilderness area and Shanley Creek drainage. Most of its 22 percent containment has taken place on the western flank between the burning area and Seeley Lake.

***

Heavy smoke affected most of western Montana as a high-pressure ridge kept valley air stable and stagnant on Monday. Missoula County Air Quality Specialist Sarah Coefield said thats likely to stay the case through mid-week or longer.

Theres a pretty good possibility this is going to be a rough week, Coefield said Monday. The high-pressure ridge were under breaks down by Wednesday, but then we have some very active fire behavior expected. Theres a potential for more smoke generation between now and then, plus what we get from out-of-state fires upwind.

Missoula, Hamilton, Frenchtown and Seeley Lake all recorded Unhealthy air quality on Monday afternoon. Active children, adults and anyone with respiratory diseases are advised to limit their prolonged outdoor exertions.

On the Lolo Peak fire, crews set burnout fires on the west face of Bass Creek on Monday. The operations were intended to link up several other burned areas and prevent further spread of the main fire to the south, according to fire incident commanders. National Guard troops that were brought in to help with roadblocks and other security work started demobilizing on Sunday. The fire has burned 37,844 acres and has about 1,000 people on scene.

Smoke from the Liberty fire east of Arlee was pouring into the Seeley Lake Valley on Monday as it continued to burn in the Liberty Meadows and Gold Creek drainages north of the Rattlesnake Wilderness. It has a crew of 422 working mainly to confine the fire with natural barriers. It has burned 12,801 acres.

The Sapphire Complex of three fires in the Rock Creek drainage 25 miles east of Missoula is approaching complete containment, with 100 percent of Goat Creek, 100 percent of Sliderock and 97 percent of Little Hogback reporting completed firelines around their most troublesome perimeters. Thats produced a boundary line nearly 72 miles long around the three fires. About 41 miles of Rock Creek Road and Willow Creek Road are being prepared for a burnout operation. This is the largest fire complex in western Montana, having burned a total 39,189 acres.

The Sprague fire in Glacier National Park continued to move into the bottom of Snyder Creek and lower Sprague Creek between Lake McDonald Lodge and Sperry Chalet. It has burned 1,553 acres but has not yet damaged the chalet or hotel area. Trails west of Gunsight Pass remain closed, but the Going-to-the-Sun Road is unaffected.

Officials on the Sunrise fire near Superior reported 77 percent containment as they prepared for a hot and dry day on Monday. Much of the activity involves mop-up work and repair of fire lines along Trout Creek Road. It has burned 25,291 acres and has a team of 360 people.

Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribal firefighters report 60 percent containment on the 490-acre Blue Bay fire on Monday. Activity picked up on Sunday afternoon with increased temperatures and falling humidity. Crews blasted some fire line on Saturday and expect to mop up that part of the burn area through the week.

The Gibralter Ridge fire 7 miles east of Eureka was settling down after consuming about 1,500 acres during a wind event on Thursday. It now covers 5,112 acres and approached Graves Creek Road. A crew of 87 people is assigned.
- The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned the Arewa Consultative Forum for speaking against the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo

- IPOB said Nnamdi Kanu has not committed any crime that could warrant his arrest

- The group also commended Ohanaeze Ndigbo and its leadership for standing firm against the Arewa Consultative Forum

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned the Arewa Consultative Forum over their attack on the chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo, John Nnia Nwodo, for defending the group.

The group also condemned Paul Unongo, the chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, for condemning the activities of the IPOB.

The IPOB in a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, said its leader, Nnamdi Kanu has not committed any crime to warrant his arrest.

READ ALSO: Senator Dino Melaye humiliated in London (Video)

Powerful said: "If Nigeria ever had a case against our leader, why have the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) not commenced the trial since October 2015 when our leader was first arrested? Instead the Arewa North thought they could intimidate this present Ohaneze Ndigbo as they did to previous executives, into allowing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to be arrested."

IPOB said that Kanu has succeeded in breaking the Arewa-born to rule mentality since his agitation for Biafra began.

"People are no longer intimidated by the disproportionate number of Arewa sons in the military and other armed forces who are in essence the foot soldiers of the Caliphate and not Nigeria.

"The idea of wanting to use baseless trumped up charges to justify the extra judicial detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will be resisted by all men and women of good conscience," Powerful added.

He further said that President Muhammadu Buhari should be arrested for disobeying court orders on Kanu.

He said: "After all it was Buhari himself that disobeyed court order after court order directing the unconditional release of the our leader in 2015. If anyone deserves to be arrested, it is Buhari.

"Paul Unongo and his caliphate handlers should also call for the arrest of the Director General of DSS and AGF for flagrant and serial disobedience to court orders. Whilst they are at it, they should not fail to add their beloved Arewa Youths, who actually committed the treasonable act of incitement to genocide, which is a far more serious crime than attempted coup d'etat.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Hope dashed for alleged kidnapper Evans as court takes action on suit against police

"What Arewa Consultative Forum through their Arewa Youths did was nothing short of a call to mass murder and appropriation of properties that does not belong to them. Arewa Elders that incited the youths, provided them finance and logistics must also be arrested.

"It's a pity that Chief Paul Unongo who appear not to know his roots, have consistently failed to raise his voice against Fulani herdsmen slaughtering and abusing their way through swathes of Benue land where he comes from.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: ASUU shuns meeting over strike with FG

"That he found the courage to challenge the stance of Ohaneze Ndigbo publicly confirms what we have always known, that he's suffering from what psychologists call the Stockholm syndrome."

The IPOB also commended Ohanaeze Ndigbo and its leadership for standing firm to demonstrate that they are different from past administrations.

"We promise Chief Paul Unongo and his collaborators in the Arewa North that Nigeria will never be the same after this encounter. Arewa North should concentrate on alleviating the long suffering poor masses of the core North and leave Biafra, IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu alone," IPOB said.

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Legit.ng earlier reported that Arewa forum had revoked its quit notice given to Igbos living in the north.

The forum urged the Igbos to remain in the north while assuring them of their safety.

They also asked the Igbos living in the north to ignore the directive given by the IPOB that they should all leave the region.

You can watch this Legit.ng video of Nigerians reacting to the inauguration of Biafra Secret Service by Nnamdi Kanu:

Source: Legit.ng
- ASUU on Tuesday, August 29, failed to honour a meeting with the federal government

- Biodun Ogunyemi, the ASUU president, stated that the union will only honour another meeting after receiving a reply to their proposal

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday, August 29, shunned a meeting with the federal government.

According to Channels Television, Biodun Ogunyemi, the ASUU president, confirmed that the union will not attend the meeting.

Ogunyemi said ASUU met and discussed the new offer from the FG and submitted a proposal to the government.

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The ASUU president added that the union will only honour another meeting after receiving a reply to their proposal from the government.

Legit.ng had reported earlier that ASUU would hold a National Executive Council meeting on Friday, August 25, to determine the direction of the ongoing national strike.

The meeting was to be held after national branches equally held meetings to decide on whether the strike should continue or not.

Watch this Legit.ng video on the salary of teachers in Nigeria below.

Source: Legit.ng
- Nigeria's quest to defeat Islamist group, Boko Haram is still on course

- The Nigerian government has approached the United States government for help

- Nigeria is looking at buying 12 Super Tucano A-29 planes to tackle the terrorists

A report by Reuters indicates that the Pentagon on Monday, August 28, notified the U.S. Congress that Nigeria is set to buy 12 Super Tucano A-29 planes and weapons worth $593 million (over N200 billion)

It was specifically mentioned that Nigeria wants to utilize the planes for its fight against Boko Haram.

According to the report, the move was announced by the Pentagons Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

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The Super Tucano A-29, an agile, propeller-driven plane with reconnaissance and surveillance as well as attack capabilities, is made by Brazils Embraer.

Both countries hope that the propeller-driven warplanes  tailored for counterinsurgency operations  will bolster Nigerian efforts to combat Boko Haram.

U.S. policymakers also want the sale to be a visible symbol of their strong desire to do more to help Nigeria combat terrorism.

Author, Matthew Page however took to Twitter to express his thoughts about the sale.

Page lamented that lack of transparency in U.S. Nigeria policy and lack of transparency in Nigerian defense procurement is not ideal for the deal.

Meanwhile, the federal government has pledged to ensure the total de-radicalisation and rehabilitation of all ex-Boko Haram members before re-integrating them into the society in line with international best practices.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, made the pledge on Tuesday, August 22, in Abuja at a National Stakeholders Forum on Re-integration in the North-east organised by the Kukah Centre.

READ ALSO: Many feared dead as Boko Haram terrorists ambush Nigerian troops

Watch the video of Boko Haram survivours on Legit.ng TV below:

Source: Legit.ng
- Boko Haram insurgents have reportedly attacked farmers in Borno state

- Several people were killed while unspecified number of them were abducted

- State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has however confirmed the incident

Farmers in the Konduga local government area of Borno state have been reportedly attacked by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Channel Television reports that the incident happened on Monday, August 29, when the farmers were cultivating in the farm for the first time after the recapture of Konduga area of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

The terrorists attacked the farmers with guns killing some and abducting an unspecified number of them, Daily Independent reports.

READ ALSO: Fundamental rights application in favour of alleged kidnapper Evans adjourned

NIJ.com gathered that the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had earlier deployed a rescue team to rescue those that escaped with injuries.

Ahmed Satomi, SEMA chairman noted the farmers could not to cultivate their farms for about three years because of the insecurity in some parts of the state.

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Satomi said: ''The Konduga incident happened this morning we learned that Boko Haram members attacked IDPs that went to farm.

''They abducted some which I dont know the number while some managed to escape with gunshot wounds and we sent a rescue team there as soon as we got the information''.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Aisha Bukar, a 25-year-old housewife and mother of five on Monday, August 29, narrated their ordeal in the hands of Boko-Haram insurgents.

Watch video of survivors of Boko Haram attacks narrate their horrible experience:

Source: Legit.ng
- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented a certificate of return to the senator representing Rivers East senatorial district

- The certificate of return was presented to Andrew Uchendu by the national commissioner of INEC in-charge of south-south

- Uchendu received the certificate in INEC's headquarters Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, August 29, presented a certificate of return to the senator representing Rivers East senatorial district, Andrew Uchendu.

The certificate of return was presented to Uchendu by the national commissioner of INEC in-charge of south-south, May Agbamuche-Mbu, at the commission's headquarters in Abuja.

READ ALSO: It's Buhari that should be arrested not Nnamdi Kanu - IPOB fumes

Legit.ng earlier reported that a Uchendu, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) became the senator representing the district after an Appeal Court upheld the ruling of the Rivers state House of Assembly election petition.

The petition which was upheld by the Assembly sacked the former senator, George Sekibo, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

READ ALSO: Nigerians in London disgrace Dino Melaye while he was singing at the Notting Hill carnival (Video)

The tribunal in its ruling held that Uchendu earned majority of lawful votes cast in the legislative rerun election held in Rivers state in December 2016.

The court led by a three-man panel of judges also ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return from Sekibo.

The court further ordered that the certificate of return be handed over to the APC candidate Uchendu.

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Also reacting to the tribunal's verdict, Sekibo said there were attempts by some lawmakers to frustrate his legal rights.

He also he had every right to appeal ruling made by the tribunal.

Watch this Legit.ng TV Video of INEC officials indicted for bribery and corruption during the river state rerun elections arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja:

Source: Legit.ng
LIBBY  A North Idaho couple was charged with deliberate homicide in the January shooting death of the womans former boyfriend.

Ezra Skinner, 28, and Sandra Carpenter Skinner, 27, are being held without bail in Lincoln County.

According to an affidavit filed in the case, Sandra Carpenter (she wasnt yet married to Ezra) led a pair of hunters to the body of Travis Gillett, who had been shot five times and dumped off an embankment of a remote and unplowed road. The affidavit gave the following narrative:

Carpenter met with a Lincoln County deputy at the Yaak Mercantile shortly after the body was discovered on Jan. 16.

She said that Gillett had been missing since Friday, Jan. 13, after he left her home in Ponderay, Idaho, at about 10 p.m. to make a delivery in the Yaak with a friend. Carpenter told the deputy that Gillett wouldnt tell her who the friend was, but that she saw him ride off in an older car that appeared to be a Honda with Montana 35 plates, the Sanders County prefix.

Carpenter told the deputy Gillett said he would be back either late Friday or early Saturday.

She said she received a text Saturday from Gilletts phone and responded to it, but he didnt answer.

After hearing a dog barking, Carpenter told the detective she opened her front door to find a plastic bag hanging on the door handle with Gilletts cellphone and wallet. She said she checked the phone and saw the message she sent hadnt been opened.

Carpenter told the detective that she became worried and reported him missing, although records show she did not call to report him missing until Sunday.

Carpenter contacted Gilletts mother and his sister on Jan. 15, telling them both she had never been to the Yaak.

She asked Gilletts mother in a text message if she knew where Solo Jack Road was in the Yaak. Carpenter said she had found a note in Gilletts bag that said mile marker 48 drop solo jack rd yaak She asked Gilletts sister to go send someone up there asap to look for travis.

A day later, Jan. 16, Carpenter contacted Lincoln County dispatch to request that they send out search and rescue to look for Gillett. The dispatcher told her they didnt have a location and didnt even know where to start looking. Carpenter didnt mention the Solo Jack note to the dispatcher, said the affidavit.

From there, Carpenter traveled from her home in Idaho to the Yaak Mercantile, where she showed people a photo of Gillett and asked if anyone had seen him. She told the stores owner that she had never been in the Yaak before.

Then she traveled up the highway to about mile marker 45, where she encountered two hunters.

She told the hunters she was looking for mile marker 48. They told her the road wasnt plowed that far, but it was passable. They agreed to follow her to ensure that she would be OK.

Just past mile marker 48, the affidavit said Carpenter stopped her vehicle. She later told the detective she stopped because she saw a trail that was bigger than a game trail.

The affidavit said she got out of her vehicle and walked to the edge of the embankment where she could see a body that she believed to be Gillett partially covered in snow.

She and two hunters went back to the mercantile to report finding the body.

An autopsy showed that Gillett had been shot five times by what appeared to be .40- or .45-caliber bullets. Seven .40-caliber shell casings were later recovered at the scene.

On Jan. 18, the detective received a call from the owner of the Dirty Shame bar in the Yaak. The bar owner said he had reviewed video from his surveillance camera and found footage of man and a woman. He wondered if the man was the victim in the case.

The detective recognized the woman as Carpenter, but the man was not Gillett. The two had come into the bar and ordered double shots. The woman appeared upset and the male appeared to be comforting her.

In an attempt to identify the man in the video, the detective went to Ponderay, Idaho, and met with the rental agency that held the rental agreement on Carpenters residence. The agencys owner identified the man as Ezra Skinner, who had been staying at the Carpenter residence, the affidavit said.

A check of Skinners criminal history found that he had been cited for carrying a concealed weapon in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The firearm was a Glock Model 23 .40-caliber.

On Feb. 15, the detective re-interviewed Carpenter, who said again that she had never been in the Yaak prior to Jan. 16. When the detective showed her the time-stamped video taken on Jan. 14 that showed her and Skinner at the bar, she said that she and Skinner had gone to look for Gillett.

When asked about allegedly finding the plastic bag containing the wallet and phone at her home at a time when she was clearly in the Yaak, Carpenter told the deputy she had previously suffered from a stroke and her times might be off.

During his interview, the affidavit said Skinner told the detective he had sold his Glock several months before, but didnt know who bought it.

Skinner said he had left Carpenters home on Friday, Jan. 13, because he knew she was bringing Gillett home. He said he had gone to a restaurant for a hamburger, but since it was undercooked he had become ill. Skinner said he had a friend pick him up and take him to his parents residence on Ruby Ridge, where he stayed all day Saturday, Jan. 14.

When confronted with the time-stamped video that showed him and Carpenter at the Yaak bar, he immediately asked for a lawyer and the interview ended.

Both were charged with deliberate homicide or, in the alternative, deliberate homicide by accountability. They will appear in district court on Sept. 6.
- Five Nigerian pilgrims to this years hajj in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, have been declared dead

- This was announced by the chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mohammed

- Mohammed was however silent on the identity of the victims

Five Nigerian pilgrims to this years hajj in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, have passed on, Premium Times reports.

This was disclosed by the chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mohammed, on Tuesday, August 29, in Islams holiest city.

According to the report, he made the disclosure at the 2017 pre-Arafat meeting with Hajj stakeholders.

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He was however silent on the identities of the late pilgrims as well as the circumstances that led to their death.

He said such information could only be disclosed after their families had been appropriately informed.

He also pleaded with the media to withhold the details so as not to further devastate the families of the affected pilgrims.

A total of 81,200 Nigerian pilgrims are performing this years hajj, all of whom have converged on Makkah.

A few other pilgrims came directly to Makkah after flying into Saudi Arabia through the nearby city of Jeddah

On Wednesday, August 30, the pilgrims will move to the city of Mina to spend the eve of the 9th of Dhul-Hijah.

The pilgrims will then proceed to Arafat on Thursday, August 31 praising Allah and reciting the Quran.

Nigeria's first lady, Aisha Buhari, on Tuesday, August 29, left Nigeria to Mecca, Saudi Arabia to perform the 2017 Hajj.

The personal assistant to the first lady, Zaynab Ikaz-Kassim, in a tweet said Mrs. Buhari left Abuja on Tuesday afternoon to join millions of Muslims to perform this year's Hajj.

READ ALSO: Federal government declares 2 days public holiday for Sallah

Watch the Legit.ng TV interview with a man who converted from Christianity and Islam:

Source: Legit.ng
- Lai Mohammed said the process of restructuring Nigeria has started

- The minster played down the reported issue between Ibrahim Magu and Abubakar Malami

- He said the government has drawn a red line against hate speech

Lai Mohammed who is the minister of information has said the Muhammadu Buhari administration has started the process of restructuring Nigeria based on recommendation from Nigerians.

The minister who spoke on Channels TV said the government has drawn a red line against hate speech and will not tolerate it any longer.

READ ALSO: Nnamdi Kanu has broken Arewa-born to rule mentality - IPOB boasts

Mohammed said: For the Federal Government restructuring means devolution of power. Restructuring means for the Federal Government a system whereby governments policies and programmes can reach everybody at the grassroots. For us, restructuring means ability that will allow you to deliver and in our own way, we have started.

The Acting President (then) issued an order to the police that they should start implementing community policing; that is one aspect of restructuring that we believe will deliver better criminal justice. We as a government we look at our constitution as it is today and we follow strictly what the constitution says, and in applying the constitution we look at practical ways of reaching out to people.

The constitution is the grundnorm today, that is the basis of our being together and you cannot today as a government do anything that is contrary to that Constitution because that is the supreme law of the country. So, even when you talk about restructuring you may need to amend certain provisions of the constitution, and we all know how cumbersome it is to do that. But we are not averse to genuine grievances, we are ready to look at them, but what the government cannot do is to react to the cacophony of voices.

The minister also responded to question concerning the alleged face-off between Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Abubakar Malami, the minister of justice.

He said: People may have different ideas, but this is not unusual, and I can assure you, the matter will soon be brought under control.

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I think you are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. There is nothing unusual for two agencies of the same government to have different means on how to achieve the goal. But it is a matter that will be resolved and will be resolved.

"Asked whether President Buhari was aware of the issue, the minister said: Yes, he is. He is the employer of the two of them. The president would look into the matter and of course, pronounce on the issue. The EFCC chairman why would he take the position that he is taking, the AGF why would he take the line he is taking?

Olusegun Obasanjo, former president, explained why he is opposed to those who are advocating for the restructuring of the country.

Obasanjo, who made this in an interview with Channels Television said Nigerians should rather advocate for a better management of the countrys resources.

Legit.ng gathered that he said instead of fighting for restructuring, people should be concerned about inclusiveness and the restructuring of their minds.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of Nigerians talking about the issue of restructuring:

Source: Legit.ng
- List of charges against some government officials over killing of Biafra protesters has been released

- The charges was leveled against the officials before the US District Court for the District of Columbia

- The three heavyweight defendants are chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra, and his Abia state counterpart, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu

The list of charges slammed against 16 top Nigerian government, army and police officials before the US District Court for the District of Columbia has been revealed.

The charges were leveled by legal representatives of 10 pro-Biafra activists.

READ ALSO: Nigeria to experience floods, thunderstorms on Wednesday, August 30 - NiMet

The charges was as a result of the alleged killing and torture of unarmed pro-Biafra protesters, who were said to have either been killed or tortured by Nigerian security forces during 2016 pro-Biafra protests in Aba, Abia state, Onitsha and Nkpor in Anambra state and Asaba in Delta state.

Renowned United States attorney, Mr. Bruce Fein, and his partner, Mr. W. Bruce DelValle, are prosecuting the case for the 10 pro-Biafra activists.

Court papers sighted by some media indicated the full names of the 16 defendants as well as the charges against them.

(1) Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai

Culpability in the massacre and maiming of defenceless Shiite Muslims and pro-Biafra activists.

(2) Governor William Maduabuchi Obiano

Complicity in the 2nd and 17th December 2015 pro Biafra protest killings and the 29th and 30th May 2016 pro Biafra Heroes Day massacre in Anambra State.

(3) Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu

Complicity in the 18th and 29th January and 9th February 2016 IPOB massacre in Aba.

(4) Retired IGP Solomon Arase

(Allegedly ordered the maximum use of force and violent crackdown against unarmed and nonviolent pro Biafra protesters): Vicarious and operational culpability in the pro Biafra protests massacre/mass shootings.

(5) IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris

Operational culpability in the pro-Biafra protests massacre in his capacity then as AIG Federal OPS.

(6) DIG Habila Joshak (then CP Abia, now DIG OPS)

Culpability in the pro-Biafra activists singing and rally massacre in Aba.

(7) AIG Hosea Karma (then CP Anambra, now AIG Zone 9)

Culpability in the pro-Biafra protests massacre of 29th and 30th May 2016.

(8) Major Gen Ibrahim Attahiru (then GOC 82 Division, Enugu, and now Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole)

Culpability in the pro-Biafra protests massacre of 29th and 30th May, 2016 in Anambra State and Asaba (Delta State) spill-over massacre.

(9) CP Babatunde Johnson Kokomo (then DCP OPS, Anambra, now CP Armaments at Force Headquarters)

Culpability in the pro-Biafra protests massacre of 29th and 30th May 2016.

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(10) Col Issah Mehadi Abdullahi (then Commander/Cantonment Commandant, Onitsha 302 Artillery; now at NIPSS, Kuru near Jos)

Culpability in the pro-Biafra jubilation and protests massacre of 17th December 2015 and 29th and 30th May 2016 in Anambra State.

(11) Major C.O. Ibrahim of Military Police Unit (leader of army massacre operations of 29th and 30th May, 2016 in Anambra state)

Operational culpability in the pro-Biafra protests massacre (now Lt Col and Commander of Onitsha Military Police Unit of the Onitsha Military Cantonment).

(12) CSP James Oshim Nwafor (OC/SARS, Anambra during the 2nd December, 2015 joint massacre operations at Onitsha Niger Bridgehead, now O/C File at CPs Admin Office, Awka)

Culpability in the pro Biafra protests massacre.

(13) CSP Bassey Abang (OC/SARS, Anambra during 29th and 30th, May 2016 massacre, now OC/SARS, Abia state)

Culpability in the pro-Biafra protests massacre.

(14) ACP Peter W. Nwagbara (he was Aba Area Commander during 9th February, 2016 IPOB massacre, now Police Area Commander of the Akwanga Area Command in Nasarawa state)

Culpability in the pro-Biafra protests massacre.

(15) Lt Col Sidi Umar Kasim (then Commander of 144 Battalion at Ukwa Ngwa that massacred IPOB activists on 9th of February, 2016 in Aba. 144 Battalion is a unit of 14 Brigade of Nigerian Army, Ohafia in Abia State, now at 14 Brigade, Ohafia)

Culpability in the pro Biafra protests massacre.

(16) Retired SSS Director Musa Lawal Daura (SSS DG; his agency allegedly supplied hostile intelligence leading to the massacre in addition to participation of his men in the joint security taskforce or JTF that perpetrated the mass murder of pro Biafra activists)

Culpability in the pro Biafra protests massacre.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA) declared that any attempt to re-arrest Nnamdi Kanu by those that oppose the restructuring of the country into six zones would set Nigeria on fire.

Watch this video of Nigerians speaking on Nnamdi Kanu and his Biafra Secret Service:

Source: Legit.ng
Sen. Jon Tester called for a dramatic reduction in federally mandated standardized tests that he and supporters said eat up class time and waste tax dollars with little effect on student success.

Standing in the lobby of Sentinel High School in Missoula on Tuesday, the Democrat announced he would introduce the Student Testing Improvement and Accountability Act for a second time. The bill would cut the number of tests required by federal officials to just three: One in elementary school, another in middle school and a third in high school. Since the 2002 passage of the No Child Left Behind Act and subsequent iterations, schools must test students on federal standards in third through eighth and 11th grades.

When youre preoccupied with taking tests or teaching the tests, it takes away from the ability to teach kids to think critically and be successful in the world we live in today, Tester said.

Identical measures have been introduced in Congress repeatedly since 2014 but none has advanced beyond the initial committee despite a growing national movement to reduce standardized testing.

Rep. Christopher Gibson, R-N.Y., sponsored the first version of the bill. Gibson, and later Tester, carried the measure in 2015. Earlier this year, Rep. Krysten Sinema, R-Ariz., introduced the bill to the House. Tester Spokesman Luke Jackson said Tester would likely introduce the measure in the Senate when he returns to Washington.

Tester said Tuesday he thinks the time is finally right to pass the legislation.

Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Thane agreed, noting that the Every Student Succeeds Act passed in late 2015 already has loosened some requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. For instance, the power to sanction schools who perform poorly on standardized tests was shifted from federal to state officials.

Aspects of the legislation have yet to take effect as states develop plans and as new U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos reviews the guidelines developed by the previous administration.

It held great promise to return local control of the educational system, Thane said of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Unfortunately, we find we continue to be burdened with repeated requests for standardized testing data.

Tester described his measure as strengthening local control by returning power to each district to decide the best manner and frequency of testing for its students. Sentinel Principal Ted Fuller lauded the intent.

The U.S. Constitution makes no mention of public education, and I think the reason for that is the founding fathers saw the importance of local control and the idea that grassroots, community-based governance, in terms of public education, was wise and prudent.

Thane said the current forms of testing required by federal officials as a way to measure compliance with national standards do not provide information that districts and teachers can use in a meaningful way to improve instruction. While its important to have the occasional dip sticking so we know where we stand in terms of our relationship to students all across the country, he said the cookie cutter tests do not adequately test the specific goals the state of Montana and each district set for themselves within the national requirements. And, he said, the results come after students leave for the summer, too late to adjust classroom strategies.

If schools were required to do less federal testing, Thane said the district could develop formative testing strategies that line up with the less formal daily observations and collaborations that the best teachers already do.

Missoula Education Association President Melanie Charlson, who taught for 22 years in the district before leading the union, said the current deluge of testing takes away from valuable instruction time.

Nearly the entire month of March is in a holding pattern in grades 3 through 8 and 11 due to that testing window, she said. Our time with students is too limited to put education on hold across so many grades for weeks at a time.

She also argued that existing law diverts tax dollars from classrooms to private companies that develop the tests, citing a common-used estimate from 2012 that puts the national cost at almost $2 billion annually.

The author of that study, Matthew Chingos of the nonprofit Urban Institute, wrote in 2015 that those costs are barely a drop in the bucket of a public education system that spends over $600 billion per year. Testing costs amount to about $34 per student, he said.

Montana offers no additional funding for state standardized testing other than what federal officials provide, which has been about $3.6 million per year in the last few years. When Montanas bill was totaled for the creation of Smarter Balanced tests, it ran about $27 per student.
If you had to take a guess, what would you name as the two most prominent trends in technology right now? Like most people, I feel pretty confident in choosing artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), not necessarily in that order.

But in a rare convergence, in turns out these two trends are even hotter together. In fact, the new hotness is the combination of AI and IoT, manifesting itself in a wide variety of form and implementations in locations around the world.

IBMs Watson wants to bring cognitive computing to IoT

At IBM, for example, the company opened a Watson Internet of Things headquarters in Munich, Germany, earlier this year. The lab pairs IBM with partners such as BMW, Bosch and Ricoh. The goal, per the companys Watson IoT website, is to marry cognitive computing (the Watson AI platform) to vast arrays of IoT sensors. The company quotes an IDC report that claims IBM and Watson can demonstrate the power of cognitive analytics in the IoT."

Thats just one example. According to Dataquest, the combination of AI and IoT is also transforming the retail experience. And Oracle veteran Tom Siebels new C3 IoT startup  which is all about IoT analytics  is one of the most talked about new companies in the field and valued at $1.4 billion.

Want an even more concrete sign of the convergence of AI and IoT? In Japan, the AI/IoT combination is so hot that Japanese tech giant Fujitsu is reportedly dumping its mobile phone business (and mobile is probably the moments third-hottest trend) to focus on the intersection of AI and IoT.

According to Nikkei Asian Review, Fujitsu is selling its mobile handset business, perhaps to Lenovo or Foxconn. And what is Fujitsu planning to do with the proceeds?

Strengthen its information technology services unit, which already accounts for 70% of sales, Nikkei said. Specifically, it intends to focus on services incorporating cutting-edge technology, including AI and IoT.

AI and IoT: A pairing that makes sense

Beyond the hype they share, combining IoT and AI can make a lot of sense. After all, as IoT scales to millions and millions of devices generating overwhelming amounts of information, many observers believe that AI offers the best chance of quickly and accurately making sense of all that big data and putting it to work solving real-world problems. For example, a study reported in Science magazine in April shows that self-taught AI is better than doctors at predicting heart attacks because of the complexity of risk factors involved.

That kind of synergy is the goal. The reality is a bit more complicated, of course. Both AI and IoT are still in the early stages of their development cycles, saddled with immature technology, limited tooling, and still-emerging use cases often struggling to demonstrate enough real business value to justify their investments and live up to their advance billing.

Thats why another link between AI and IoT may be just as important in the short term. It seems AI can help design more efficient IoT networks, ensuring theres enough capacity without overbuilding and enhancing security.

However way you slice it, though, a lot can happen when the tech industrys two top trends work together.
Almost two-thirds of organizations surveyed say recruiting for jobs in data center and server management is becoming increasingly difficult because of the skills needed, both in traditional servers and converged infrastructure.

The findings come from a worldwide survey by 451 Research for its Voice of the Enterprise: Servers and Converged Infrastructure, Organizational Dynamics study (registration required). It found that IT shops have concerns about the long-term costs of using public cloud, and that is causing many IT shops to pull back on their cloud movement and even expand on their on-premises infrastructure.

+ Also on Network World: Top storage certifications for IT pros +

Because of that, many organizations are looking to hire more server-based IT staff rather than reduce it, as would be expected in the move to the public cloud. But the fact remains that despite moving many workloads to the cloud, most organizations still need a data center and still have on-premises requirements

Two-thirds of companies, 67.7%, said the key driver for increasing server-related employees in the next 12 months is overall business growth, a good problem to have, followed by IT organizational changes at 42.4%.

Most IT managers are closely scrutinizing their deployment options instead of blindly following the pack to IaaS and other off-premises cloud services, said Christian Perry, research manager and lead analyst of the survey, in a statement.

When determining the optimal mix of on- and off-premises compute resources, there is no doubt this is hampered by the availability of specialist skills and regional availability. Whether organizations will realize their expected server staff expansion remains to be seen due to hiring difficulties, he added.

Hard to find server specialists

451 Research expects the worldwide pool of available full-time employees dedicated to server administration will decline due to difficulties in finding the right candidates. Almost 70% of respondents said current candidates lack skills and experience. A lack of candidates by region and high salaries are also cited as causes.

The makeup of IT teams is also evolving and having an impact on available personnel. The survey found a nearly even split between the need for generalists and specialists: 40.4% of managers choose specialists, and 39.4% choose IT generalists. Over the past two years, 451 Research has noted the trend veering toward generalists, particularly as automation, orchestration and software-defined technologies take hold.

The time and resource savings from these new technologies results in a slightly reduced need for server specialists, Perry said. The good news is that there remains a need for specialists across both standalone servers and converged and hyper-converged infrastructures. This is especially true within LOBs or remote divisions or departments.

New technology creates need for specialists

However, there is also a need for specialists as converged and hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) takes hold. As adoption of software-defined infrastructure technologies increases, for example using HCI, organizations can gain new staffing efficiencies that fall outside that traditional staffing policy and practice.

This is where vendors such as Dell EMC and HP Enterprise have to take a lead in educating customers on the benefits of proper staffing levels through a deeper understanding of optimal infrastructure use and resource distribution. Customers need to not only know what boxes they are getting but the skills best suited to manage them.
Bag-mask ventilation fails to improve on endotracheal intubation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients, according to late-breaking results from the CAAM trial presented today in a Hot Line LBCT Session at ESC Congress.

"Sudden cardiac arrest is the main cause of death worldwide in previously healthy people," said principal investigator Prof Frederic Adnet, an emergency physician at Avicenne Hospital in Bobigny, France. "Each year it causes 300 000 deaths in the US and more than 200 000 in Europe. Less than 10% of patients survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest."

Airway management with endotracheal intubation has been the standard of care in cardiopulmonary resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims. But its effectiveness has been challenged by retrospective studies from international registries which suggested that survival is much lower when ETI is performed during resuscitation. The studies have proposed that bag-mask ventilation is safer and more effective.

The CAAM trial was a prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter trial which compared the impact of airway management with BMV versus ETI on survival with healthy brain function in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.

The study included 2 043 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients from 15 centers in France and five in Belgium. Patients were randomized to receive BMV or ETI during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The primary endpoint was survival with good neurological function, defined as Glasgow-Pittsburgh Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC) of 2 or less, at 28 days.

The investigators found the same rate of survival with good neurological outcome at day 28 in the two groups (4.2% with BMV versus 4.3% with ETI). However, the BMV technique failed in 6.7% of patients compared to 2.1% with ETI. There was a much greater incidence of regurgitation/aspiration with BMV (15.2%) compared to ETI (7.5%).

Prof Adnet said: "Bag-mask ventilation did not appear to be without danger in our trial. We were surprised by the much higher incidence of failure of the BMV technique compared with ETI. The higher incidence of regurgitation/aspiration in the BMV group confirms previous studies linking BMV with risks for the patient."

He concluded: "BMV appears less safe than ETI as a means of ventilation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Thus, we cannot recommend BMV as the standard method to ventilate out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients during cardiopulmonary resuscitation."
Researchers studied children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and found that inattentiveness was linked to worse academic performance up to 10 years later, regardless of ADHD, even when they accounted for the children's intellectual ability.

Although grades aren't everything, academic achievement is clearly an important factor in later career success and financial stability. Helping children to maximize their academic potential and overcome obstacles to academic success is important. One factor in academic performance is intellectual ability, and unsurprisingly, numerous studies have found that higher intellectual ability is linked with higher academic performance.

Another factor that can affect academic performance is attentiveness. Aside from making it difficult to focus in school and on homework, inattentiveness can be associated with other problems, such as mood disorders and difficulties interacting with other children. Helping children to overcome inattentiveness could pay dividends in later life.

Astri Lundervold, a researcher at the University of Bergen, is interested in the short- and long-term consequences of inattention in childhood. "A high number of children are challenged by problems related to inattention. A cluster of these problems is defined as hallmark symptoms of ADHD, but inattentiveness is not restricted to children with a specific diagnosis," explains Lundervold. Are problems related to inattention something that parents and teachers should address in any child?

This question inspired Lundervold to investigate the link between inattentiveness and academic performance in a sample containing mostly healthy children in Bergen, Norway. To make the sample more culturally diverse and inclusive of a larger spectrum of mental health disorders, she collaborated with researchers in America (Stephen Hinshaw and Jocelyn Meza). Together, they expanded the study, which was recently published in Frontiers in Psychology, to include a sample of girls from another long-term study in Berkeley, California, where a large subgroup had been diagnosed with ADHD.

The children were aged from 6-12 when the researchers recruited them and began the study. They assessed the children's IQ and asked their parents to rate their inattentiveness. Finally, 10 years later, the researchers followed-up with the children to see how they had performed in school.

Unsurprisingly, children with higher IQ scores tended to perform better academically. Also, as expected, the children with ADHD showed higher inattentiveness compared with those without, and also performed worse in school. However, the negative effects of inattention on academic performance were not restricted to children with ADHD. "We found a surprisingly similar effect of early inattention on high school academic achievement across the two samples, an effect that remained even when we adjusted for intellectual ability," explains Lundervold.

The results highlight the long-term effects that childhood inattention can have on academic performance. These findings suggest that inattention could have significant adverse effects on the academic performance of a variety of children, potentially including those with a high intellectual ability and no ADHD. So, how can parents help their children to achieve their academic potential, regardless of their IQ or mental health?

"Parents of primary school children showing signs of inattention should ask for help for the child. Remedial strategies and training programs for these children should be available at school, and not just for children with a specific diagnosis," says Lundervold. "Parents and teachers could also benefit from training to help address the needs of inattentive children."
Pancreatic cancer has one of the worst prognoses -; with a five-year survival rate of 9 percent -; in part because there are no telltale symptoms or non-invasive screening tools to catch a tumor before it spreads.

Now, University of Washington researchers have developed an app that could allow people to easily screen for pancreatic cancer and other diseases -; by snapping a smartphone selfie.

BiliScreen uses a smartphone camera, computer vision algorithms and machine learning tools to detect increased bilirubin levels in a person's sclera, or the white part of the eye. The new app is described in a paper to be presented Sept. 13 at Ubicomp 2017, the Association for Computing Machinery's International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing.

One of the earliest symptoms of pancreatic cancer, as well as other diseases, is jaundice, a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes caused by a buildup of bilirubin in the blood. The ability to detect signs of jaundice when bilirubin levels are minimally elevated -; but before they're visible to the naked eye -; could enable an entirely new screening program for at-risk individuals.

In an initial clinical study of 70 people, the BiliScreen app -; used in conjunction with a 3-D printed box that controls the eye's exposure to light -; correctly identified cases of concern 89.7 percent of the time, compared to the blood test currently used.

"The problem with pancreatic cancer is that by the time you're symptomatic, it's frequently too late," said lead author Alex Mariakakis, a doctoral student at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. "The hope is that if people can do this simple test once a month -; in the privacy of their own homes -; some might catch the disease early enough to undergo treatment that could save their lives."

BiliScreen builds on earlier work from the UW's Ubiquitous Computing Lab, which previously developed BiliCam, a smartphone app that screens for newborn jaundice by taking a picture of a baby's skin. A recent study in the journal Pediatrics showed BiliCam provided accurate estimates of bilirubin levels in 530 infants.

In collaboration with UW Medicine doctors, the UbiComp lab specializes in using cameras, microphones and other components of common consumer devices -; such as smartphones and tablets -; to screen for disease.

The blood test that doctors currently use to measure bilirubin levels -; which is typically not administered to adults unless there is reason for concern -; requires access to a health care professional and is inconvenient for frequent screening. BiliScreen is designed to be an easy-to-use, non-invasive tool that could help determine whether someone ought to consult a doctor for further testing. Beyond diagnosis, BiliScreen could also potentially ease the burden on patients with pancreatic cancer who require frequent bilirubin monitoring.

In adults, the whites of the eyes are more sensitive than skin to changes in bilirubin levels, which can be an early warning sign for pancreatic cancer, hepatitis or the generally harmless Gilbert's syndrome. Unlike skin color, changes in the sclera are more consistent across all races and ethnicities.

Yet by the time people notice the yellowish discoloration in the sclera, bilirubin levels are already well past cause for concern. The UW team wondered if computer vision and machine learning tools could detect those color changes in the eye before humans can see them.

"The eyes are a really interesting gateway into the body -; tears can tell you how much glucose you have, sclera can tell you how much bilirubin is in your blood," said senior author Shwetak Patel, the Washington Research Foundation Entrepreneurship Endowed Professor in Computer Science & Engineering and Electrical Engineering. "Our question was: Could we capture some of these changes that might lead to earlier detection with a selfie?"

BiliScreen uses a smartphone's built-in camera and flash to collect pictures of a person's eye as they snap a selfie. The team developed a computer vision system to automatically and effectively isolate the white parts of the eye, which is a valuable tool for medical diagnostics. The app then calculates the color information from the sclera -; based on the wavelengths of light that are being reflected and absorbed -; and correlates it with bilirubin levels using machine learning algorithms.

To account for different lighting conditions, the team tested BiliScreen with two different accessories: paper glasses printed with colored squares to help calibrate color and a 3-D printed box that blocks out ambient lighting. Using the app with the box accessory -; reminiscent of a Google Cardboard headset -; led to slightly better results.

Next steps for the research team include testing the app on a wider range of people at risk for jaundice and underlying conditions, as well as continuing to make usability improvements -; including removing the need for accessories like the box and glasses.

"This relatively small initial study shows the technology has promise," said co-author Dr. Jim Taylor, a professor in the UW Medicine Department of Pediatrics whose father died of pancreatic cancer at age 70.

"Pancreatic cancer is a terrible disease with no effective screening right now," Taylor said. "Our goal is to have more people who are unfortunate enough to get pancreatic cancer to be fortunate enough to catch it in time to have surgery that gives them a better chance of survival."
In contrast to European and American guidelines that recommend pre-hospital antiplatelet therapy for heart attack patients suffering from ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a new study presented at ESC Congress suggests this practice has no advantage over waiting for in-hospital treatment.

"Pre-hospital administration is common practice - despite the lack of definite evidence for its benefit," said study investigator Dr Elmir Omerovic, PhD, from Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.

"But our study - which is the largest cohort study conducted so far - adds to some previous evidence suggesting there is potential for harm. In fact, inadvertent prehospital administration of these drugs to patients with contraindications to antithrombotic therapy is common. Therefore, considering all current evidence, we think pre-hospital administration should be discouraged."

The retrospective study used data from the Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry (SCAAR) to identify 44,804 STEMI patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) - a revascularisation procedure - between 2005 and 2016.

Most of the patients were pre-treated with antiplatelet therapy, but 6,964 were not.

Comparing pre-treated patients to those not pre-treated, the investigators found no significant benefits of pre-treatment in terms of 30-day mortality (odds ratio 0.91; P=0.36), or other endpoints including measures of arterial blockage, cardiogenic shock, neurological complications, or bleeding complications.

The ESC, as well as the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommend pre-hospital antiplatelet treatment, but the current study adds to growing evidence that may tip the pendulum.

The ATLANTIC trial, presented at ESC Congress a few years ago gave the first hint that pre-treatment might offer no advantages, but it was a study with relatively short delays for patients receiving in-hospital treatment, explained Dr. Omerovic.

"Our new data addresses some of the concerns with ATLANTIC and offers stronger evidence that pre-treatment is not necessary," he said. "We hope the accumulated evidence will be convincing enough to discourage this practice and trigger a change in recommendations."
Scientists have discovered a way that could help treat severe inflammation from an infectious mosquito-borne disease during outbreaks.

A team of researchers led by Professor Suresh Mahalingam at Griffith University's Institute for Glycomics on the Gold Coast are developing ways to treat debilitating diseases caused by alphaviruses such as Chikungunya and Ross River virus. Their study is published this week in the journal Nature Microbiology.

Some mosquito-borne viruses cause severe joint and muscle inflammation, and there are no vaccines or specific drugs to treat the disease caused by these viruses.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a re-emerging alphavirus responsible for several outbreaks worldwide in the past decade, causes debilitating joint inflammation and severe pain.

During acute infection with Chikungunya virus, scientists found that a molecular complex, known as the inflammasome, became activated in patients suffering acute signs of the disease.

"When we infected mice with Chikungunya, we found that a type of inflammasome known as NLRP3 was activated, which triggered an inflammatory cascade, leading to severe joint inflammation and bone damage," said Dr Ali Zaid, a lead author of the study.

"So we used a molecule which specifically inhibits the activation of NLRP3, and we found that it helped reduce Chikungunya inflammation in mice, and also helped reduce bone loss and muscle inflammation.

"We found the same in mice infected with Ross River virus. Targeting the inflammasome using this kind of drug could be an efficient way to treat patients suffering from acute Chikungunya or Ross River virus disease during outbreaks."

Collaborator Professor Matt Cooper from the Institute of Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland added, "By precisely modulating how our immune system responds to infection, we hope to develop new therapies that can be used to treat people with these serious diseases"

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has been responsible for millions of cases over the past decade, with locally confined epidemics striking the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion in 2006, India in 2008 and the Caribbean in 2015.

Ross River virus (RRV), an arthritogenic alphavirus endemic to Australia and the South Pacific, which causes similar manifestations, affects about 5000 people annually.

Professor Mahalingam said the findings were important as inflammasome NLRP3 was prominently expressed in CHIKV patients with severe disease.

"The NLRP3 inhibitor drug, MCC950, provided significant amelioration of inflammation and disease in CHIKV-infected mice. The drug provided these therapeutic benefits without compromising antiviral immunity."

Source: https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/news/2017/08/29/drug-breakthrough-for-mozzie-virus-outbreaks/
Scientists have created an app that uses Smartphone selfies to detect pancreatic cancer while it is in the early stages.

Credit: Vic29/Shutterstock.com

One of the earliest signs of pancreatic cancer is jaundice  a yellowing of the skin and eye sclera caused by an accumulation of bilirubin in the blood. By time yellowing of the sclera is visible to the human eye, the disease is often too advanced for treatment to be effective.

Researchers from the University of Washington conducted a study to see whether computer vision and machine learning tools could be used to detect signs of jaundice early on, before it is visible to the human eye and when bilirubin is only slightly elevated. Being able to do so could enable a new screening program for at-risk individuals.

The hope is that if people can do this simple test once a month - in the privacy of their own homes - some might catch the disease early enough to undergo treatment that could save their lives," Lead author Alex Mariakaki

The app, which is called BiliScreen uses a Smartphones camera and flash to take pictures of the eye when a person takes a selfie. A computer vision system then isolates the sclera and the app uses machine learning algorithms to correlate color information from the sclera with bilirubin levels.

When the team tested the app in an initial study of 70 people, BiliScreen correctly identified at-risk people almost 90% of the time, compared with the blood test healthcare professionals currently use to measure bilirubin levels. The blood test is only used when there is cause for concern because patients are already symptomatic. It also needs to be carried out by a healthcare professional and is not convenient for routine screening.

BiliScreen on the other hand, is a non-invasive, easy to use tool that people can use to check whether they need further testing. The app could also be used by individuals who already have pancreatic cancer and need to monitor their bilirubin levels.

BiliScreen is described in a paper that will be presented on September 13th at Ubicomp 2017, the Association for Computing Machinery's International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing.

Next, Mariakakis and team plan to test the app on a wider range of people at risk of jaundice and make further improvements that will enhance usability.
Captain America and the Winter Soldier Special #1 takes Marvel's secret history to a whole new level with a real world historical figure

If you know who Gavrilo Princip is, prepare to be shocked
University of Montana President Sheila Stearns is forgoing the traditional fall State of the University address and instead will give a campus address Wednesday to welcome employees.

"I always preferred doing those in spring semester when you had a better sense of how things were coming along," Stearns said of the State of the University.

Stearns, who stepped into the interim role of president in December 2016 after her retirement, did present a campus update in January 2017. At the time, she highlighted UM's achievements and discussed some of its ongoing challenges.

Instead of the formal address, UM will hold a "welcome convocation" at 9 a.m. Wednesday for employees.

The president said she will take questions from media, but the talk to campus will be "informal." Communications director Paula Short said the president will discuss enrollment, a pressing concern at UM, although Stearns may not go into detail.

In recent years, presidents have ushered in new academic years with a comprehensive address to campus and community members, discussing strategic initiatives such as customer service, lauding new programs, congratulating faculty on awards, and welcoming incoming professors.

The change this year was met with disappointment among some people who are rooting for UM, which is struggling through a budget crisis linked to enrollment decline.

Retired UM professor Jocelyn Siler said the absence of a formal address this year initially struck her as "grim." She believes UM will flourish in the long run, but she said her friends who teach could use a fall address to energize their semester.

"People are demoralized, and they need a little cheerleading," Siler said.

The longtime English Department professor also said she fears the step back from the formal address is more evidence of anti-higher education sentiment present in the country and in Montana.

"That doesn't seem like a good sign to me," said Siler, who retired from the English Department. "I believe the people in the state will come to rue the day that they were anti-intellectual and anti-higher education because the most prosperous states, the most prosperous countries, are countries that value higher education."

Stearns said the move isn't significant. Rather, she prefers to present the State of the University address at a time UM isn't welcoming new people to campus.

"It doesn't signify any big change on the university's part," Stearns said.

A media invitation to the convocation noted the event will include recognition of faculty promotions and a toast to UM's record-breaking research.

UM is currently searching for a permanent president, and Stearns said the new president may have a different approach to the campus address. Finalists for the position are expected to visit the campus for public forums this fall.

UM has live-streamed the State of the University address in the past, and Short said the president's office is looking at whether it can do so this year.
China Life and Baidu (China Search engine company) will set up a US$1 billion investment fund in Artificial Intelligence and Fintech.

China Life on Thursday said it had teamed up with internet search company Baidu to form a 7 billion yuan (US $ 1 billion) private equity fund. China Life will invest 5.6 billion yuan while Baidu will cover the remainder. The fund will invest in unlisted companies Involved in artificial intelligence (AI) and internet finance.

Baidu has invested heavily in artificial intelligence: Building image-recognition technology, investing in autonomous driving, launching digital assistants, similar to Apples Siri, and even developing personal home robots. In May, the firm amended its mission statement to reflect the change in direction.

In July, Baidu said more than 50 groups have signed on to build and improve on Apollo, its autonomous driving platform, including top Chinese car manufacturers Chery Auto, Great Wall Motors and Changan Automobile, and even ridesharing company Grab Taxi. Foreign partners included Ford and Intel.

Of the 20 billion yuan ($3 billion) Baidu spent in research and development over the past two and a half years, the majority goes to AI.

In july, the Chinese government laid out a timeline on Friday for when it expects the country to become a global leader in Artificial Intelligence.

By 2020, Chinas AI technologies and research facilities will match other leading countries, said Li Meng, the vice minister of science and technology. Five years later, he expects a big breakthrough, and then China should finally become the global innovation center for AI by 2030.

They set out goals to build a domestic artificial intelligence industry worth nearly $150 billion in the next few years.
On August 16th General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew a MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) from Laguna Airfield at Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz., through National Airspace, to its Gray Butte Flight Operations facility near Palmdale, Calif. The MQ-9B is a STANAG 4671 (NATO airworthiness standard for Unmanned Aircraft Systems)-compliant version of the Predator B product line. The 275 mile trip lasted approximately one hour, 45 minutes and required FAA approval to fly through various classes of non-restricted airspace.

FAA drone certification needs sense and avoid and all weather flight

The MQ-9B flight through multiple classes of Non-Segregated Airspace represents another step towards certification. This flight is another milestone in our progression towards delivering an RPA system that meets NATO airworthiness requirements for UAS.

GA officials are aiming to have the MQ-9B receive FAA certification for free flight in 2025. FAA guidelines for air-worthiness mandate certain physical characteristics: the plane must be able to fly in all sorts of weather and survive a direct lightning strike.

They created a new skin with a thin mesh of copper just beneath the surface, creating a flying Faraday cage that can keep high electric charges away from sensitive electronics. To fight ice, the wings will have a unique and brand-new electro-expulsive de-icing system.

A much bigger obstacle in the FAA guidelines is the see-and-avoid clause, which mandates that a planes pilot must be able to see forward and take evasive action to avoid hitting another plane.

The MQ-9B, like all General Atomics aircraft, requires at least one human operator who monitors whats going on via a 50mbps video link. But a satellite video link to a human operator on the ground doesnt satisfy the see-and-avoid standard. The next iteration of the FAA guidelines will turn see-and-avoid to something more like sense-and-avoid. General Atomics is getting ready for that chance, testing a radar system that detects oncoming aircraft and then tells the plane to move without waiting for the human operator. Like a self-driving car, the plane is supposed to be able to avoid collisions on its own.

Extended range drone

General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (MQ-1C ER) drone aircraft completed a 41.9-hour endurance flight, exceeding the 40 hour flight test goal.
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GREAT FALLS  A Montana man has pleaded not guilty to fatally stabbing a man at a wedding party in East Glacier Park on July 5.

William Alberto Arocha Jr. entered his plea Thursday in U.S. District Court in Great Falls. He is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 35-year-old Shane LaPlant.

Arocha remains free on conditions pending his trial.

A trial date has not been set. His case will be heard by District Judge Brian Morris.
It is clear that the Trump administration is leading on one thing: making stuff up. Ryan Zinke, Sonny Perdue, Steve Daines and Greg Gianforte followed Donald Trumps lead in using alternative facts in their recent press conference near the Lolo Peak Fire. The Trump administration apparently believes that it is because of lawsuits that we have forest fires during this exceptionally hot, dry and windy summer.

The Alliance for the Wild Rockies is a powerful group and we fight hard to preserve forests, but we certainly dont control the weather or the warming climate. Moreover, there is no lawsuit in the Lolo Peak area, and the Lolo Peak area has already undergone extensive logging.

In the Trump administrations alternative reality, climate change has nothing to do with forest fires because, as Trump has pronounced, global warming is a Chinese hoax. The 2014 National Climate Assessment estimates wildfires in Montana will increase by 400 percent to 700 percent in the next 50 years if climate change is not addressed.

Protecting old growth forests from logging is one way to do this. National forests absorb an astounding 10 percent of the carbon that America creates and unlogged and old growth forests absorb the most.

The politicians at the Lolo Peak Fire press conference could do something about the main driver of wildfire  they could commit to addressing climate change  starting with participation in the Paris Climate Accord. But instead they promote more coal burning and taxpayer-subsidized logging on public lands, which will only exacerbate climate change.

The Trump administration has even complained that our lawsuit temporarily pausing the Stonewall timber sale resulted in the wildfire burning in the northern part of the Stonewall project area. Not surprisingly, their argument is not supported by facts. That wildfire started with a lighting strike outside of the planned treatment units, so the fire would have started regardless of whether the project units were logged. Indeed, natural wildfires regularly burn in this area, as evidenced by the fact that the Park Creek fire is now surrounded on three sides by formerly burned areas, which have mostly stopped the spread of this fire. Significantly, it also does not appear that any of the timber sales commercial logging units have burned.

These fact-challenged politicians also claimed that we have shut down half the timber sales in Montana, a contention that even the U.S. Forest Service denied. Instead, our region of the Forest Service has met 89 percent of its timber logging targets over the last 15 years and the target has been increasing almost every year. 2017 is not over yet, but a February Great Falls Tribune article titled Logging in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest best in decades reported that loggers had never seen this much timber available.

These politicians also neglected to mention that the states largest wildfire  270,000 acres that destroyed 16 homes in eastern Montana  burned mostly through grasslands, not forests, which is probably why they held their pro-logging press conference in front of Lolo Peak rather than in eastern Montana.

The Trump administration calls it frivolous when citizens prevail in lawsuits forcing the government to comply with its own laws. To the contrary, it is the basis of our democracy and civil justice system that citizens have the power to force the government to follow its own laws. So despite the barrage of lies, insults, fear-mongering and scapegoating directed at us, we will not back down. We will continue to fight to protect and conserve our priceless public lands and the fish and wildlife that depend on them for survival. Join us.
Robert E. Lee: villain? I think not.

Lee and his wife broke the law by teaching slaves to read and write. Lee was very torn about the prospect of the South leaving the Union. His wife's grandfather, George Washington, was a huge influence on him. He believed that ultimately, state rights trumped the federal government; which led him to lead Southern forces.

His estate, Arlington, near Washington, D.C., was his home. While fighting the war, the federal government demanded he pay taxes "in person." He sent his wife but the money wouldn't be accepted from a woman. When he couldn't pay the taxes, the government began burying Union soldiers on his land. They are still burying people there. It is called Arlington National Cemetery.

His quote at the end of the war was: "I am rejoiced that slavery is abolished. I believe it will be greatly for the interest of the South. So fully am I satisfied of this that I would have cheerfully lost all that I have, and suffered all that I have to have this object attained."

Be very careful of the fascists funded by George Soros, Antifa, etc. that want to tear down everything!

Fred Guenzler,

Florence
Firefighters are battling a 10-acre fire in a remote area 1 mile northeast of Mount Haggin in the Anaconda Range, according to the Forest Service.

The area is about 5 miles southwest of Anaconda, near Hearst Lake.

Cause of the blaze is unknown and is under investigation, the Forest Service reported.

The Mount Haggin Fire was reported at approximately 1:30 p.m. Monday in steep rocky terrain west of Hearst Lake. Twenty-four firefighters from the Forest Service and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation are fighting the blaze. Four helicopters are performing bucket drops. There was no containment as of Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, here are updates on other area fires:

MEYERS FIRE

Due to near record setting dry conditions, the Meyers Fire, 25 miles southwest of Philipsburg near Moose Lake, grew over 4,800 acres t0 22,308 acres Monday. A total 288 people are on the blaze, which is 5 percent contained.

Since most of the contingency line near Georgetown Lake is complete, heavy equipment has started the process of moving to subsequent priority areas. The Meyers Fire was started by lightning on July 14, 2017. It has merged with the Whetstone Fire (3,621 acre) also started by lightning on July 13, 2017.

STONE LAKE FIRE

The lightning-caused Stone Lake Fire, detected around 2 p.m. Sunday about 15 miles southwest of Wise River, had burned about eight acres as of Tuesday morning, according to the Forest Service. It's 25 percent contained.

Retardant and water were dropped on the fire on Sunday, cooling and slowing the fire growth. Eighteen smokejumpers and eight local Wisdom/Wise River firefighters have completed a handline around the fire with the help of water drops from helicopters. Numerous spots were detected outside of the main fire perimeter. On Tuesday, firefighters will continue to improve the handline and look for additional spotting.

CONROW FIRE

The lightning-caused 2,727-acre Conrow Fire, 7 miles northeast of Whitehall, is 60 percent contained, and firefighters expect to have full containment by Saturday, the Forest Service reported Tuesday. No structures were lost.
New Hampshire Emerges as Online Gambling Hopeful

Published August 28, 2017 by Elana K

Hopes for online gambling were revived last week as a hearing was scheduled for September 6 to discuss H 562, a bill that has the potential to legalize online gambling within state borders.

When New Hampshire introduced an online gambling bill way back in January 2017, hopes rose - and were soon dashed - when the legislature simply sat and refused to push the bill forward. Last week, however, hopes were revived as a hearing was scheduled for September 6 to discuss H 562, a bill that has the potential to legalize online gambling within state borders.

About the Bill

H 562 is not a regular bill, but rather, a placeholder bill, which means the text is general and leaves a lot of room for discussion of regulations and legislation. The bill is short, and the text is as follows:

This bill exempts gambling done over the Internet from gambling offenses under RSA 647. The Department of Justice to date has neither investigated nor prosecuted online gaming offenses and therefore does not expect this bill to have any impact on expenditures.

To the extent this bill legalizes a form of gambling, it may have an indeterminable impact on lottery and charitable gaming revenue. Lottery and charitable gaming revenue is credited to the lottery fund, with net revenues after Lottery Commission expenditures being credited to the state education trust fund.

What Will Online Gaming Look Like in New Hampshire?

The vagueness of the bills wording leaves room for interpretation. New Hampshire may be seeking to replicate the UKs market, which allows operators from around the world to offer sites to local residents. Or, they might be seeking to implement something similar to Delaware, in which online casinos would be state-run.

And since New Hampshire recently legalized online lottery sales in June, having the state lottery run online casino operations could make sense.

However, since New Hampshire is not a casino-state, its unclear exactly how the proposed bill will be implemented. The first step, though, is to get it approved, and then to move on to the specifics.
See original here

A catastrophic storm has hit Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city and home to the largest refining and petrochemical complex in the United States. The crisis began on Friday when Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Rockport, Texas. It was the most powerful hurricane to strike the state in more than 50 years. Much of the damage has been caused by the massive rainfall, with parts of Texas already receiving 30 inches of rain. That could top 50 inches in the coming days. Entire highways in Houston are now underwater. The storm has caused five reported deaths, but the death toll is expected to rise. Thousands of people are still stranded in their homes, waiting to be rescued. Meanwhile, the city of Dallas prepares to turn its convention center into a mega-shelter to host 5,000 evacuees. The National Weather Service released a statement on Sunday saying, "This event is unprecedented and all impacts are unknown and beyond anything experienced." We speak with Bryan Parras, an organizer for the "Beyond Dirty Fuels" campaign with the Sierra Club in Houston, Texas. He helped found the environmental justice group t.e.j.a.s.

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, Democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I'm Amy Goodman, joined by Democracy Now!'s Renee Feltz, a Houston native.

RENEE FELTZ: Good morning, and thank you, Amy. And good morning to all of our listeners and viewers around the country and around the world, and potentially in Houston, underwater. A catastrophic storm has hit Houston, Texas, and the flooding is expected to only worsen in the coming days. Houston is the nation's fourth largest city and home to the largest refining and petrochemical complex in the United States.

The crisis began on Friday when Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Rockport, Texas. It was the most powerful hurricane to hit the state in more than 50 years. But much of the damage has been caused not by the wind or tides, but by the massive rainfall. Some parts of Texas have already received 30 inches of rain and could top 50 inches. Entire highways in Houston are now underwater.

AMY GOODMAN: According to The Washington Post, the storm has already dumped more than nine trillion gallons of water, enough water to fill the Great Salt Lake in Salt Lake City twice. And meteorologists project another five to 10 trillion gallons of water could be dumped on the region in coming days, potentially making this the worst flooding disaster in U.S. history. To compound matters, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have begun releasing water from two large reservoirs which will increase flooding of homes downtown near Buffalo Bayou, parts of which are already flooded.

On Sunday, the National Weather Service released a statement saying, "This event is unprecedented and all impacts are unknown beyond anything experienced." And the damage has not only been in Houston. FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, reports the storm has impacted 50 counties in Texas as well as parts of Louisiana. This is Brock Long, FEMA administrator, speaking this morning.

BROCK LONG: ...citizens to be involved. Texas, this is a landmark event. We have not seen an event like this. You could not draw this forecast up. You could not dream this forecast up. It has been a very challenging effort for the National Weather Service, who has been putting out great information. We have been telling people that this is coming. It's still ongoing. But you couldn't draw this situation up. The bottom line is that it is going to continue on. We need the whole community. Not only the federal government forces, but this is a whole community effort from all levels of government and it's going to require the citizens getting involved.

RENEE FELTZ: The storm has caused five reported deaths, but the death toll is expected to rise. Thousands of people are still stranded in their homes, waiting to be rescued, many by volunteers who brought their own boats to help. One rescue operation took place at a nursing home in Dickinson, Texas, after a photo went viral showing elderly residents sitting waist-deep in water. Many neighborhoods may be uninhabitable for weeks or longer.

The city of Dallas is preparing to turn its convention center into a mega shelter to host some 5,000 evacuees. Displaced residents have also been gathering at the Houston convention center.

UNKNOWN: I was in Magnolia Park at the transit center. And they pulled us off the bus in knee-high water. So, when the wind starts blowing -- I almost lost my dog. I pretty -- the bike went down the street. An HPD officer had seen what was happening and he came to our aid. If it wasn't for the HPD officer, we would have been swept away.

AMY GOODMAN: It is believed there are thousands of people at that Houston convention center. President Trump is expected to visit the region on Tuesday. We go now to Houston where we are joined by Bryan Parras, an organizer for the "Beyond Dirty Fuels" campaign with the Sierra Club in Houston, Texas. He helped found the environmental justice group Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, known as t.e.j.a.s. And joining us from San Diego, David Helvarg executive director of Blue Frontier, an ocean conservation group. Author of several books, including Rescue Warriors--The U.S. Coast Guard, America's Forgotten Heroes.

But let's begin with Bryan, in Houston. We're speaking to you on Skype. We're very glad you can even communicate with us today. Talk about the extent of the damage. As we talk about Buffalo Bayou -- for people who don't live in Houston, i think it's hard for them to even understand the geography of Houston and what actually is taking place in this unprecedented both rainfall and flooding. The flooding only expected to get worse.

BRYAN PARRAS: Yeah. Thank you, Amy. Thank you, Renee. Well, Buffalo Bayou, let's start there. That is one of the -- the iconic bayou of Houston, Texas. And it crosses from the west side of Houston to the east side of Houston, and then becomes the Houston Ship Channel as it empties out into Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. But we have seen already extensive flooding along the bayous on the west side. And my concern is where I live on the east side, because of the many, many petrochemical facilities, storage tanks, and other hazardous sites that line that same bayou for 30 or 40 miles.

RENEE FELTZ: Bryan, thanks so much for joining us this morning there from Houston's East End. I wanted to ask you -- I know you from KPFT, where I was a news director for many years, including during Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. And I know that you have been documenting for a long time the pollution that comes from these refineries in normal circumstances. You give a "toxic tour" of some of these refineries. And now, you have been shooting video of some of the releases that they may have been making since the storm began on Friday. You shot footage that showed some of this release on Friday, I believe. Maybe you can describe what you shot and describe what you're seeing. And is there a smell in the air from some of these releases?

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From Paul Craig Roberts Website



Oklahoma City Bombing

(Image by akasped) Details DMCA



Craig Roberts (yes, there are two of us) is a former US Marine and a 27-year veteran of the Tulsa, Oklahoma, police force. He is a capable and committed person. Since 1989 he has written 13 books. His latest, just published, Medusa File II, consists essentially of his voluminous files of the investigation of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19th, 1995, known as "the Oklahoma City Bombing."

The FBI, appreciative of Roberts' capabilities, requested his service in the investigation. As officially part of the investigation, he took the investigation seriously. The investigation proceeded rapidly, developing many leads. Numerous witnesses saw Timothy McVeigh with many dark complexioned men prior to and just after the bombing. Leads were also developed to militias in Elohim City, to the German, Strassmeir, and others.

Before any of these leads could be developed, the investigation was taken over by President Bill Clinton's Attorney General, Janet Reno. Once Washington took over, the investigation stopped. In its place was Washington's theory that it was Tim McVeigh's lonely protest. The voluminous evidence of McVeigh's accomplices or controllers, as might have been the case, was in the way of the official story that imposed itself on the investigation. Many people resisted the coverup that descended on the case, including local journalists who eventually lost their jobs or moved on.

Roberts stuck it out to the end. So did black Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Terrance Yeakey. For resisting the official story Yeakey paid with his life. Roberts provides the reasons he believes Yeakey had definitive evidence that the official story was a coverup. The OCPD was called off once the official story was in place, but Yeakey wouldn't quit and became a problem. The official OCPD report says it was suicide, but Roberts recognizes homicide when he sees it. There was no autopsy and the police refused to release the police report to Yeakey's family. Being black, they had little recourse. Remaining skeptics were dismissed as "conspiracy theorists," and that was the end of the case.

One of the striking details that Roberts provides is that in the immediate aftermath of the bombing with rescue workers removing dead and wounded from the rubble, numerous federal agents appeared, ordered the rescue workers out of the building on the grounds that there were still unexploded bombs in the building. Then with the trapped still under the rubble, all rescue efforts halted until the federal agents had removed file cabinets from the building. Roberts speculates that the cabinets contained the files of the Mena drug running operation that many believe involved Arkansas governor Bill Clinton, and that President Clinton and Janet Reno didn't want these files to see the light of day.

For an official explanation of the case that relies solely on McVeigh's "truck bomb," the federal agents' statement that unexploded bombs remained in the building is a conundrum. If there were unexploded bombs remaining in the building, how could it be that McVeigh was the lone wolf perpetrator? It reminded me of General Benton Partin, a US Air Force explosive expert, who produced a detailed report proving that the Murrah building blew up from the inside out, not from the outside in. Of course, by the time Gen. Partin got his study completed, the fix was in, and there was to be no challenge to, or reconsidering of, the official cover story.

Roberts doesn't know who did the bombing or why. All he knows is that leads were not followed and the case was solved by Washington and not by an investigation.

Just like the assassination of JFK.

Just like the assassination of RFK.

Just like the assassination of Martin Luther King.

Just like 9/11.

Just like Saddam Hussein's "weapons of mass destruction."

Just like "Iranian nukes."

Just like the "Gulf of Tonkin."

Just like Gaddafi and Libya.

Just like Assad's "use of chemical weapons."

Just like . . .

It is endless, isn't it?


9/11 WTC Photo | 9/11 World Trade Center Attack Photos - Hig. | Flickr1024 -- 684 - 226k - jpg

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From edwardcurtin.com



"America's fate was sealed when the public and the anti-war movement bought the government's 9/11 conspiracy theory. The government's account of 9/11 is contradicted by much evidence. Nevertheless, this defining event of our time, which has launched the US on interminable wars of aggression and a domestic police state, is a taboo subject for investigation in the media. It is pointless to complain of war and a police state when one accepts the premise upon which they are based."

Paul Craig Roberts, How America Was Lost

David Ray Griffin is an international treasure and truth teller, who, while being ignored by the mainstream corporate media (MSM) for his extraordinary series of books exposing the false flag attacks of September 11, 2001, will someday be lauded as a modern prophet. To those who know and have studied his work, he is an inspiration for his persistent insistence in a dozen books since 2004 that the truth about the US treachery of that infamous day is essential for understanding the violence, planned by neo-conservatives and embraced by neo-liberals, that the United States has subsequently inflicted on the world. He has consistently argued that to believe in the government's explanation for 9/11, one has to reject logic, scholarship, and the basic laws of modern science.

Bush And Cheney: How They Ruined America And The World is Griffin's latest, and probably last, effort to reach those people who, out of fear, ignorance, or laziness, have walled themselves into a cyclopean labyrinth of denial about the defining event of our time. Without the clarifying truth about the attacks of September 11, 2001, there will be no exit from the continuing nightmare the world is experiencing.

If you are reading this review, you are probably not one of those people Griffin is trying to reach. Ay, there's the rub! As the title of his book suggests, he is using reversed logic to try and reach those who have accepted the official fiction that is The 9/11 Commission Report (No doubt without having read it. Outside of serious researchers, I have never met a person who has, except for some of my students) and all the antecedent and subsequent government and MSM propaganda.

To this end, the first three-quarters of the book is devoted to the "destructive transformations of America and the world as a whole" that were initiated and justified by 9/11, many of which have been accepted by innumerable people as being based on government lies, most notably the war against Iraq. Griffin's hope is that if he can convince skeptical readers that the government would lie about Iraq, Libya, Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, etc., resulting in the deaths and maiming of millions of innocent people and the destruction of their countries, it would also lie about the attacks of September 11 that "legitimized" such carnage and the ongoing shredding of the US Constitution.

The Will to Examine Miracles?

It's an ingenuous and compelling method, culminating with his concluding section on "15 major miracles" of 9/11, by which he means "violations of the laws of nature" in the strictest scientific sense. Astutely logical, deeply sourced, and scientifically compelling, the book's conclusion can only be rejected by one adamantly closed to accepting the ugly truth about the US government and its media accomplices.

But getting skeptical people to read the book is the trick. I think that is very hard but much easier than to get the MSM to do so and give it a fair shake. People have friends whom they trust, and sometimes friends can convince friends to at least take a look. Speaking of the MSM, Griffin puts it thus:

However, while granting that the Bush-Cheney administration told big and disastrous lies, which led to millions of deaths, most mainstream commentators have considered the idea that this administration engineered the 9/11 attack to be so absurd that they can render judgment without checking the evidence.

"Judging without checking the evidence" is the job of the MSM, who are stenographers for the government, but regular people might be persuaded to check the evidence before reaching a conclusion, if they can be led to that assessment one logical step after another. One can even hope that left-wing alternative media critics of the government, many of whom avoid this issue like the plague, might find the courage to reassess their anti-scientific denials in light of Griffin's work. After all, "the laws of physics don't lie," and logical reasoning has generally been a strength of many dissenters, especially those well-skilled in the art of disputation.

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From RT

US President Donald Trump seems to be heading for another clash with the Pentagon over his renewed order banning transgender individuals from serving in the military.

When Trump first announced the ban last month, the reversal of policy initiated under President Obama in 2016 caught military chiefs by surprise. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford led the pushback. He appeared to rebuke the president for making decrees by Twitter, and said there would be no change on Pentagon policy admitting transgenders into the armed forces until a formal order was received.

This week, the White House doubled down by issuing a memo to the Pentagon reiterating Trump's ruling that no transgender individuals are to be allowed to serve in the military. He appeared to soften his order somewhat by giving the Defense Secretary, James Mattis, the discretion on what to do about transgenders who are already in the forces.

It is not clear at this stage if the Pentagon will seek to overturn Trump's order. The ban has sparked protests from LGBT groups, which has resonated with others who have denounced President Trump for appearing to incite racial tensions over his ambiguous response to white supremacist violence. This has been spurred most recently by Trump's pardoning of Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, who had been convicted of racial profiling.

Trump's position on the transgender issue cites two reasons for the ban. To reduce the cost to federal government of individual service members who opt for sexual reassignment surgery. The president also claims that transgenders in the military are disruptive of unit cohesion and the overall fighting ability of forces.

Why Trump should choose to pick up this issue is not clear. The numbers do not seem to make sense: the Pentagon does not give out figures, but according to a Rand Corp study the number of transgender people in the US military is around 1,300. Out of a total of 1.3 million US forces that amounts to a tiny minority of 0.1 percent. Also according to Rand, the estimated cost to federal government for transgender surgery is minuscule compared with the total Pentagon health care budget, some $8 million out of a total $49 billion, or about 0.01 percent. All this could be a sop to Trump's voter base, who tend to be socially conservative.

At a time when Trump is under fire for sympathies allegedly lying with the racist and bigoted, it seems rather strange that he should give opponents another cause for condemnation, namely banning transgenders in the military, especially since the numbers show the matter to be a very marginal one.

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Police reports

From candy bars to felony

Officers saw a man riding a bike through alleys Uptown at 2 a.m. Sunday and stopped him on the 10 block of East Broadway. After an ID check, Cody Michael Gavin, 27, of Butte was arrested on a felony warrant.

Police said the warrant was in connection with an incident at Stokes Market. Police said Gavin shoplifted candy bars and pushed a clerk who tried to stop him to the ground and kicked away his cell phone. That changed a probable misdemeanor shoplifting charge into felony theft. Gavin was also wanted on a misdemeanor contempt warrant from Justice Court.

Good Samaritan smacked  twice

Police responded to a disturbance complaint at Silver Bow Homes and followed witnesses' leads to the occupants of a white truck across the street in a nearby parking lot. There they found a male driver and September Marie Brown, 26, of Butte lying in the back seat. The driver said that Brown had been involved in a disagreement and he was taking her away from the dispute.

But witnesses said the driver and Brown had been in an argument when a male passerby tried to intervene. Brown punched the intervenor in the mouth, chipping a tooth, the victim said, then punched him again, breaking his glasses.

Brown was arrested and charged with simple assault and, after attempting to run away, with resisting arrest.

Yelling in the street

Angelina Rose Bromme, 29, was arrested Sunday after police said she was standing in the street near Park and Montana streets yelling and throwing bottles. She was charged with disorderly conduct and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

Fight night ends badly

Police responded to complaints of noise on the 3000 block of Josephina Street at 11:30 p.m. Saturday night, where police said Keith Larson, 39, of Butte was hosting a party at his residence during the Mayweather-Macgregor prizefight. They found a loud crowd outside and in the residence and told the attendees to leave and told Larson that he could be arrested if the noise continued.

A short while later, officers were called back to the residence because the party had resumed. According to police, after they again told his guests to leave, Larson harassed police in the street, and when he refused orders to leave, he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and refusing to disperse.

Paint job was tipoff

On Friday at 7:30 p.m., police observed a man putting air in the tires of a motorcycle at the Thriftway at Utah and Front streets. The motorcycle looked to have been recently spray painted, so the officers talked to the man. They said he initially gave them a false name and then pushed the motorcycle at one of the officers, injuring his hand, and attempted to flee. Officers arrested him a couple of blocks away. Dustin Phillips was charged with felony assault on a peace officer, fleeing from a police officer, obstructing a police officer by giving a false name, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The motorcycle, which was not registered to Phillips, was impounded and towed.

Bicycle accident leads to arrest

Police responded to an accident involving a car hitting a bicyclist who had fallen on the street. The bicyclist refused medical attention. Police went by his house later to check on him, and he said he would get a ride to be checked out at the hospital. After he was cleared by emergency staff, police arrested Lonnie Stout, 47, of Butte, who was wanted on two felony warrants from Lewis & Clark County.

Bad timing

Police were at WalMart investigating another crime Friday when they were told a shoplifter had left the store and was running through the parking lot. They gave chase and arrested Cody Ingraham, 32, of Deer Lodge and charged him with shoplifting a pellet rifle.
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"-

"-Inequality doesn't appear to soften at all. Not locally and not globally. Rather it grows and deepens. In consequence, the probability of massive class conflict seems inescapable. Who will likely win a war of Haves versus Have-Nots? Can Haves easily annihilate "inconvenient" Have-Nots, as they did in the past? Is supporting oligarchy, therefore, a reasonable tactic of survival for some? White-skinned right-wingers think so. What about white-skinned left-wingers?

Ideologically, U.S. progressives oppose policy makers' inhumanity. Does their moral sense include enough courage to risk the latters' wrath? Does it outweigh awareness that left-wingers can be safe-if-white so long as their discord stays within certain boundaries? As benefactors of victimized others, rather than victims themselves, will they stay the course?

Flipping the coin, what if growing evidence reveals that Haves can no longer crush Have-Nots without suffering devastating blowback? What if the next war's likeliest outcome is a world in chaos? Not the world depicted in 1984 or Brave New World or The Hunger Games, but in The Road Warrior and The Road? Would rational fear of such an outcome strengthen left-wing activism? Are people more likely to risk body and soul when both are at risk? Might right-wingers, so aware, reconsider their commitment to oligarchy?

This issue was raised at a Historians Against the War (HAW) conference in Austin, Texas, in 2006. Keynote speaker Howard Zinn passionately described the moral imperatives confronting U.S. citizens in light of the Bush administration's reckless foreign policy. "We must rise up and put an end to regime outrages," he implored. "We must acknowledge that these outrages have been occurring for much longer than the last six years... We must finally become the nation our ideology says we are."

During the discussion period, the question arose whether U.S. citizens' failure to rise to this challenge implied more than the destruction of innocent people. If we-the-people simply continued to watch reality television and shop at malls while our bullies beat up the have-nots of the world and muscled aside our own allies when they objected, would we hardly notice the consequences? Or might we all experience the effects of effective reaction such as Chalmers Johnson described in his highly regarded analysis Blowback (2000), and Noam Chomsky warned of in Hegemony or Survival (2003). Were we to understand that citizen action was a moral necessity, but not necessarily a physical one?

"-"-Many felt that the United States possessed overwhelming military power. Without public constraint of it the nation's leaders would wreak havoc upon others at will, and the public must shoulder full moral blame for this travesty. Many also agreed that the question of possibly serious blowback effects was hardly a fringe hypothesis. If presented to the public it might motivate more citizens to support the HAW position than a plea only to their humanitarianism.

Evidence mentioned in support of focusing the issue were (1) a 2001 New York Times article described U.S. vulnerability to terrorist attacks employing lethal biologicals such as anthrax, plague, botulinum, Q fever, eastern equine encephalitis, yellow fever, and Marburg virus. (2) The Hart-Rudman Senate Foreign Relations Committee Task Force on Homeland Security report of October 25, 2002, which had described the nation's great and probably un-reducible vulnerability to small nuclear devices of various kinds smuggled into the country for similar kinds of attacks. (3) The New York Times lead editorial of February 20, 2005, which found it striking "how much has not changed in the three and a half years since nearly 3,000 people were killed on American soil. The nation's chemical plants are still a horrific accident waiting to happen. Nuclear material that could be made into a 'dirty bomb' or even a nuclear device, and set off in an American city remains too accessible to terrorists. Critical tasks, from inspecting shipping containers to upgrading defenses against biological weapons, are being done poorly or not at all." (4) A February, 2006 Scientific American article, just a month prior to the conference, titled "Thwarting Nuclear Terrorism," which reinforced the NY Times report. It described how High-Energy Uranium (HEU) was abundant and readily available to terrorist organizations that might wish to make use of it.

At one point a panelist cited data indicating that about half the U.S. public seemed to support the war at least passively. Another participant felt certain that whether U.S. policy makers could successfully dominate and obliterate others was an important, rarely stated question on the lips of most citizens, issues of ethics and morality aside. Few at the conference disagreed with this proposition but many felt that given the Bush administration's efforts to characterize its victims as evil and dangerous, and the public's susceptibility to such misdirection and propaganda, it was advisable not to focus this issue now.

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The border dispute between China and India ended Monday (August 28, 2017) as India agreed to China's demand to pull out troops from the disputed Doklam territory.

India said on Monday it had agreed with China to pull back troops to end a months-long face-off along a disputed Himalayan region.

A statement issued by external-affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the "expeditious disengagement of border personnel" that both sides had agreed on had "been almost completed under verification".

Kumar said the two sides had diplomatic exchanges in recent weeks over the situation on Doklam plateau in the eastern Himalayas that allowed them "to express our views and convey our concerns and interests".

Spokesperson Kumar noted that the two sides had agreed on the margins of the SCO Summit in June that "differences should not be allowed to become disputes and that India-China relations must remain stable.

"Our principled position is that agreements and understandings reached on boundary issues must be scrupulously respected," he added.

Chinese statement

Soon after India announced the disengagement, the Chinese foreign ministry said, "Chinese personnel on the ground have verified" that Indian forces withdrew to their side of the border on Monday afternoon.

"In the light of the changes of the situation on the ground, China will make necessary adjustment and deployment," China's foreign-ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing.

Chinese forces will continue to patrol Doklam - a region disputed between Bhutan and China - to exercise the country's sovereignty and uphold territorial integrity, she said.

China had repeatedly said India must withdraw its troops before any proper negotiation takes place. India said both sides should withdraw their forces together.

Withdrawal of Indian troops from the disputed territory puts a lid on one of the most serious disputes between the nuclear-armed neighbors who share a 3,500-km mountain frontier that remains undemarcated in most places, Hindustan Times said, adding: "It came days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to China to attend a summit of BRICS, a grouping that also includes Brazil, Russia and South Africa."

Speaking from China's capital, Beijing, Al Jazeera's Adrian Brown said that the "high-stakes, high-altitude problem" was over for now. "This dispute has been going on for 55 years but China is making it clear that it is not giving up its historical claims," he said. "It says it wants to work with India to maintain peace but it said India must respect China's historical borders."

China-India border Standoff

India and China have been locked in a standoff over the Doklam plateau for over two months now.

The dispute began in June, when Indian soldiers stopped Chinese troops from constructing a road in the border region. India claimed the construction in the region will seriously affect the security in the tri-junction and the sensitive Chicken Neck that connects the northeast with mainland India.

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- ACLU

On Tuesday, August 23, 2017, I made a third presentation to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) School Board about the enrollment practices of Granada Hills Charter High School (GHCHS) and the Charter Schools Division's lack of enforcement of the school's charter. The following are a transcript of my remarks:





I came before this Board in June to show you what I had found out about Granada Hills Charter High School and their enrollment practices. At that time, the Charter School Division was instructed to look into the matter and get back to me. The letter that I received in response is, to be polite, disappointing. This is included in the packet that I have provided to you.

Basically, this letter says that Granada is allowed to state on their enrollment page that they are requesting the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) as long as they say it is voluntary. This directly contradicts the Charter School Division's own memo to charter schools, which I have also provided. This states: "Requesting a copy of a student's IEP or information contained in a student's IEP during the pre-admission stage creates an inference...that the charter school may be using this information to 'counsel out' or otherwise discourage students with disabilities from seeking admission

Also included in the package that I have given to you is a print-out of the enrollment page as it existed yesterday. As you can see, it still requests the IEP. It states that it is voluntary, but the request is still made. Granada also requests some other documents that according to the CSD's own memo, aren't supposed to be asked for.

I went further and went to the online form, for which you need a user ID. This says: "504 and IEP documents are not required to enroll. However, providing these documents will assist GHCHS in providing a continuity of services." The second page where you actually fill out the information has the same request.

I have given you again a copy of their charter. Boiler plate language in the charters states: "Granada Hills Charter shall not request or require submission of a student's IEP, 504 Plan, or any other record or related information prior to admission" (emphasis mine) It is clear that they are in violation of the charter and for the Charter School Division to just overlook this is unconscionable.

Again, I have provided you with the demographics at Granada. Just 6% of their student population receives special education services. The state average is 11.5%. Neighboring schools have much higher percentages.

There is an effect on the School District. The way that special education funding is given to the schools is that the federal government provides it based on the total population not the number of students in special ed. The State of California also provides funding in the same way. Therefore, the charters are encouraged financially to accept as few special education students as possible and the District is forced to make up for that deficit.

You'll see that there are other violations of the charter that the Charter School Division did not look into, including the makeup of the Governing Board. It is supposed to include Teachers, classified staff, and administrators on the Board. Their Board does not have this representation.

As noted in my presentation, allowing charters to engage in these discriminatory practices increases the District's special-education costs considerably. Yet, even as they consider increasing class sizes in LAUSD schools to lessen budget deficits, they refuse to take real action. It is time for the public to act.

Today, I presented a request under Article 3, Section 35145.5. of the California Education Code for a proposed resolution specifying actions to be taken by the District to rectify these enrollment violations by GHCHS. It also includes measures that seek to reimburse the District for costs already incurred. You can show your support for this resolution by signing a petition at Change.org.

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Originally posted on Otherjones.com

As the White House trembles lest Sebastian Gorka, the second in a far-right trio to be booted -- or having 'resigned' from the White House, again gain access, here's his backstory.

Gorka was born in London to Hungarian parents who fled during the 1956 uprising against Soviet occupation. Unlike most of his peers, however, he came to Hungary as a college student, and subsequently worked there. He claims that the fascist medal he wears was given to his father for bravery against the Soviets https://www.nbcnews.com/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/sebastian-gorka-made-nazi-linked-vitezi-rend-proud-wearing-its-n742851A . The above linked article, however, suggests that the medal is having a second - or even a third life. (The caption on the photo showing Gorka sporting the medal at Donald Trump's inauguration ball fails to point out that the suit to which the medal is pinned is a black, embroidered tunic typical of the outfit that had traditionally been worn by upper-class officers of the Hungarian military).

Hungary is a small country in the heart of Europe that has managed to maintain a reputation for uniqueness, starting with the fact that the Huns, who arrived from somewhere beyond the Ural mountains in the eighth century, spoke a language seemingly unrelated to any other. Centuries later, Hungary was the junior partner in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy that succeeded centuries of wars and occupations by the Ottomans that left Eastern Europe under semi-feudal regimes. It was a Hungarian, rather than a German or an Italian, who first elaborated the doctrine that became known as fascism.

In 1919, inspired by the Russian Revolution, Hungarian Communists set up a Government of Councils (or Soviets). It was rapidly put down by Admiral Horthy, who then became the regent of Charles IV - a king destined to never sit on the throne. One of the first things Horthy did was to found the Vitezi Rend for heroism, and in line with the country's long-standing tradition of anti-Semitism that brought thousands of Hungarians to the US, including my paternal grand-parents, he set up quotas for Jews in the professions long before Hitler condemned them to death. Toward the end of the war, the Hungarian government, in alliance with Hitler, killed or deported to concentration camps thousands of Jews, Roma and Serbs .Under the Communist government that came to power with Soviet Liberation, fascist leaders were tried as war criminals , but anti-Semitism never completely died out.

In the late sixties, as the country was undergoing rapid modernization, letters from listeners of English language short-wave programs suggested, as one of my colleagues put it, that most foreigners believed the Hungarians "still cooked meat under the saddle". In 1968, the government took the daring step of loosening central control of the economy, and began to dream of Hungary as a bridge between East and West. (1968 was also the year of the Paris Spring against De Gaulle and Czechoslovakia's "socialism with a human face", which was put down in a bloodless Soviet intervention.)

Hungary's dream came true in 1989, after Gorbachev visited the embattled East German Communist leader Erich Honecker, and discretely let it be known that he would not oppose a peaceful reunification of Europe. In August, as thousands of East Germans were vacationing at Hungary's Lake Balaton, the government quietly opened its frontier with neutral Austria, through which thousands promptly fled. By November, the Berlin Wall was being dismantled.

In 2004, Hungary joined the European Union, but instead of bolstering the country's liberal values, this association led, in 2010, to a victory of Viktor Orban's right-wing Fidesz Party, bolstered by a parliamentary majority four years later. Fast forward to NBC's reporters, who were able to interview members of the revived Vitezi Rend, proud of the organization's heritage.

Until now, the Western press has focused on Prime Minister Orban's refusal to accept the country's mandatory quota of refugees from the war-torn Middle East and Africa, building fences and corralling those who managed to slip through onto non-stop trains to Vienna. Few Americans are aware that the Hungarian Prime Minister also supports Vladimir Putin -- and vice versa. This would seem to suggest that the Russian President is a fascist; but as with Marine Le Pen in France and other right-wing European parties, Putin's support is about traditional values and thus purely tactical, the far-right's politics of hate are anathema to him. From what I can glean from exchanges with my ex-husband, however, a US-style media campaign has resulted in anti-Orban Hungarians lumping the two together, which is unfortunate.

One thing, however, is certain: the European Union failed to overcome the psychological separation between East and West that began with four hundred years of Ottoman occupation and should have ended with the fall of the Berlin Wall. During the Cold War the countries of Eastern Europe longed to become part of the West, but after the fall of their Communist regimes, Western Europe dragged its feet. At a EU conference in Brussels in February 1990, three months after the fall of the Berlin Wall, I was one of the few speaking up for rapid integration. The following year, Hungary, Poland, and the Czech and Slovak Republics, formed a political and cultural alliance known as the Visegrad Four (after a town on the Danube), to boost their chances.

They did not succeed until 2004, and by 2015, when massive African and Middle Eastern immigration into Europe began, they had still not internalized the EU's lofty principles. Viscerally incapable of welcoming Muslims, they defend their Christian faiths (whether Protestant or Catholic) with much greater determination than Western Europeans. In 2016, they formed the Three Seas Group, that includes all the countries from the Baltic to the Adriatic and the Black Sea, to boost economic cooperation -- and oppose a common front against immigrants. Recently, faced with threats of fines by Brussels, they raised a counter demand, as follows:

The heavy reparations demanded from Germany after World War I having led to the rise of Hitler, after World War II, the Allies had taken a different approach, betting on the inculcation of democratic ideals to ensure that Germany would never threaten its neighbors again. The Germans became the wealthiest and most virtuous people in Europe, as illustrated during the Cold War by Chancellor Willy Brandt's overtures to the east (known as the Ost-politik) and by the population's consistent anti-war stance. Now, the beneficiaries of that Ost-politik are demanding German reparations for World War II!
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Donald Trump- Caricature

(Image by flickr.com) Details DMCA



Really? So what is your definition of a racist? Sexist? Bigot? Pay close attention to your answer; you might be on the defensive. Exactly; if you don't think Trump is a bigot then you probably are one yourself. Here is the Wikipedia definition of racism: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.

Many of you are saying, "Just because I'm against illegal immigration doesn't mean I'm a racist." You may think Donald Trump's pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio was not a sign that he is racist. The timing of the pardon is a sure sign that he is. Let me explain. Charlottesville has forced the President to distance himself from Steve Bannon and Sebastian Gorka (racists). What better time to signal to his racist, bigoted base by pardoning Sheriff Joe and banning transgender Americans from serving in the military?

What do transgender rights have to do with it? Sexism, Racism, and all forms of bigotry are related. They come from the same fear and hatred that is passed down from generation to generation.

Back to immigration. Let me ask you this: Why are you better than the undocumented family down the street? Aren't they human beings with the same needs as you? At some point in your family's history, someone came from another country. Isn't that what makes America great? We are a melting pot. What gives you more of a right to a job than any other human being?

What makes that job your job? Instead of blaming another worker for taking your job, why don't you try blaming the greedy billionaire who is hoarding resources that that could provide you a job?

Think about it: Bob needs a job, too. Taking his because he is not American does not solve the problem. So if you are blaming immigrants for your problems, then you are probably a racist.

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Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"Bringing Rob Kall in as a consultant on making my business and its website more bottom-up was incredibly valuable. Rob's out-of-the-box member registration system suggestions led to a multi-leveled engagement process designed to maximally connect clients with the company, which took the company and the website to the next level. Rob's coaching in bottom-up thinking played a strong role in enabling me to sell my company for over a million dollars."



Don Brown, Founder, the International Wireless Industry Consortium (IWPC)
Dan Kimmet engineers relationships for his alma mater

Ohio State Alumni Awards The alumni association's awards program celebrates more than 50 years of excellence by honoring alumni and others who have brought extraordinary credit to Ohio State. Read more Ralph Davenport

Mershon Award The Mershon Award is presented to alumni who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and service to The Ohio State University.

Marty Kress didnt know his choice of a seat at an alumni association gathering in 2014 would prove so advantageous.

But as it turned out, Kress, then assistant vice president for research business development at Ohio State, would sit next to Dan Kimmet 71, 72 MS, who had worked his way from product engineer to vice president of operations at Eaton Corp. before becoming CEO of Dillin Corp.

The casual conversation Kress and Kimmet struck up that day would be the catalyst for creating an innovative manufacturing initiative.

At the time, Kress was developing the universitys Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence, which facilitates collaboration between university researchers and industry partners. It serves as a portal for the two to interact, helping tailor academic research to best meet industry needs.

When Kress met Kimmet, the assistant VP was preparing to search for the centers leadership team. And as they sat side by side, he described his ideal candidate.

I said, My leader has to be business savvy, a proven executive. Im not looking for a faculty member, but [rather] someone who can help shape and frame this entity and make it a reality  turn it from a concept into a real program, Kress said. And [Kimmet] looked at me, and he said, Really? Id like to chat with you about that.

Kimmet had just retired as CEO of Dillin Corp., a job he took after retiring as vice president of operations at Eaton. As was the case in his first retirement, Kimmet didnt stay idle long.

Within months of meeting Kress, he became executive director of the Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence and remained in the post for a full year.

For a year, he commuted from Toledo to Columbus, Ohio, Kress said. To me, thats the stuff that really makes Ohio State unique. You have a lot of alums who are very willing to donate their time, services and capabilities back to their alma mater. And these are real professionals.

Thats quite a tribute [to Ohio State], to be able to get someone like Dan Kimmet, Kress said.

For Kimmet, staying in touch and in step with his university is part responsibility, part investment.

Certainly, with success comes an obligation to give back, he said. But, in addition to that, as the years went on, I recognized, really, the important work that was being done at Ohio State and [the rewards of] serving the students.

Were offering a premier university for a very competitive cost. Ohio State provides really outstanding graduates who are going to be successful in the world and support industry worldwide. That helps in retaining jobs for Ohio and the United States.

The center grew under Kimmets leadership, in large part because of the alums many connections, Kress said.

He had a big circle of people around him that he was using and networking with. He knew who the experts were in every field and within the Ohio State College of Engineering and would get them actively engaged, he added. It just showed he had phenomenal leadership and team skills. It showed why he was so successful in industry.

This wasnt the first time Kimmet had flexed his communication skills at Ohio State. He has also served on the advisory board of the universitys Center for Automotive Research, the Ohio State President's Club Advisory Board, the Scott Lab Building Committee and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineerings But for Ohio State campaign subcommittee, which helped raise more than $76 million.

These days, he serves as chair of the Mechanical Engineering External Advisory Board. He also gives his time and counsel to Ohio State as the College of Engineerings representative and chair of the Alumni Advisory Council. As such, he is also an ex officio member of the Alumni Association Board.

When deciding where to lend a hand, Kimmet and his wife of 46 years, Cindy, have always prioritized education. I serve on the foundation board of Owens Community College, and Ive served, in the past, on the board for a small school dedicated to children with learning disabilities. Cindy started a preschool and was a preschool teacher for many years.

That mindset  that education is the key to our future  makes his alma mater and its students an important focus of his time and attention. Retired or not.

I think we do a wonderful job at Ohio State in cutting-edge research and technology and medicine and social issues, he said. Thats very important in strengthening communities, the state, the country and the world.
Mexico has offered a helping hand to those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Speaking with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray has offered to aid the relief efforts, because as a Mexican consul general, Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez, put it: We live in the same neighborhood called North America. We cant be distant neighbors, not any more, not ever.

This gesture of friendship and goodwill came just hours after President Donald Trump tweeted out yet another call for Mexico to pay for a border wall, because even during a hurricane endangering the lives of millions of his citizens, the orange moron has his priorities.

This is not the first time Mexico has reached out to help victims of natural disasters in the United States. President Vicente sent food, medicine, water and troops to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. President Bush thanked the Mexican Marines personally after that.

Instead of doing the classy, polite thing, Donald Trump tweeted about Mexico being a high crime nation, forcing Mexico to once again respond and say it wont pay for his wall.
Residents of Erimomisaki, Japan woke up this morning to a missile flying above them. The ballistic missile was fired from Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, and South Korea responded by doing a large-scale test bombing run near the border between the nations. The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, said that he had a 40 minute conversation with President Donald Trump, who said afterward that all options are on the table.

The missile landed more than 1,000km off the shore of Japan, and no pieces of the missile have been found on the ground in Japan. Analysts were mixed on exactly what message North Korea is trying to send with the launch. Some have pointed out that this is not the first time launch materials from North Korea have flown over Japan, as the countrys repeated attempts to launch satellites over the last two decades frequently sent them over Japan. CNN quotes a senior research associate from the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies: If theyre going to launch to a distance theyve got to go over somebody. It looks to me like a risk reduction measure, they want to reduce the populated areas they fly over just in case anything goes wrong.

Then again, North Korea has not tested ballistic missiles through Japanese airspace, nor have they launched from Pyongyang recently. Their last three missile launches came from the province of Kangwon, and did not travel over another nation. Thus, other analysts deduce that this launch is meant to send a message that North Korea can launch from more than one area, and that its neighbors should be nervous about that.

Abe said the missile launch represents a most serious and grave threat. Clearly, South Korea agrees, as Yoon Young-chan, the head of South Koreas Presidential Public Affairs Office, said that eight one-ton MK-84 bombs had been dropped by fighter jets at a shooting range near the border with North Korea. South Korea also released footage of a missile launch of their own, displaying a missile with a range of 800km from a truck-mounted launcher.

Kim Jong Un has traded insults and threats with Donald Trump for months, and both sides seem uninterested in any kind of de-escalation. Some analysts believe North Korea will have active long-range nuclear missiles by the end of Trumps presidential term. South Korea, Japan, and the US are currently trying to bring North Korea to the negotiating table to stop that from happening, and Trump has tried to pressure China (North Koreas one ally) into helping them achieve that goal.
Public school students take two kinds of tests:

Tests that measure an individual students progress to provide timely feedback for parents and teachers guiding the students education.

Standardized tests that attempt to measure how well schools are performing.

Starting with No Child Left Behind, federal law required states to administer standardized tests to all students, including those with disabilities. Congress reformed federal education law with the Every Student Succeeds Act, intending to give states more flexibility. The law still requires testing all students by grade and mandates the states to improve standardized testing scores every year.

Montana Superintendent of Schools Elsie Arntzen has drawn up a new state ESSA plan that calls for the biggest improvements in scores for special needs students because they were the lowest according to 2016 tests.

My job is to ensure proficiency, Arntzen told the Legislatures interim education committee last Tuesday. Special education scores have to grow at a greater rate.

Individualized progress

Special education students are required by another federal law to have an individual education plan. The IEP involves parents, teachers and other adults involved in the childs well-being. The IEP is the opposite of standardized.

In special education, its supposed to be individualized progress, said Rep. Kathy Kelker, of Billings.

Taking standardized tests can be stressful for any child, and more so for special needs students. Some kids really freak out, its not a comfortable situation for them, Kelker said. Some kids go with the flow.

If the child could meet math and reading proficiency standards, he wouldnt be in special education, said Kelker, who holds a doctoral degree in special education, taught special education at Montana State University Billings, taught in Billings Public Schools, consulted with special education co-ops and retired as executive director of Billings Head Start.

Having high expectations and helping a child meet those expectations leads to better outcomes, Kelker said, but she cautioned against setting yourself up for failure. How are we going to accomplish these very lofty goals and are we going to be beating ourselves up because we didnt have the resources?

Other states have proposed ESSA plans with special education proficiency gains as high or higher than Arntzens plan. But that doesnt make them a good deal for kids.

We call on Arntzen to submit a plan that makes the most sense for students with IEPs.

The biggest barrier for Montana special ed students isnt test scores; its lack of the intensity and scope of services they need to develop their full potential. Montana doesnt fund special education according to what students need. Funding is allocated on the assumption that 10 percent of students qualify for special education. (Nationally, 13 percent of students are in special education.) State and federal funding combined dont cover actual costs of special education, so local school districts are required to spend general fund money, too.

The interim legislative committee is studying Montanas special education funding.

Critical funding

Special education funding is a critical issue, Frank Podobnik, OPI special education administrator, told the committee. One of the largest co-ops in the state is not sure they can make through this year with funding.

Podobnik said the proposed ESSA goals wont be reached when were cutting staff, were cutting programs and teachers have 25 students with disabilities.

House Joint Resolution 1, which Kelker sponsored, called for the study of funding education for children with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency and gifted and talented children. The directive is to:

Consider how Montana could achieve the best match between funding and actual costs.

Prevent tendencies to over-identify special education students or elevate levels of service to receive more funding.

Consider alternative funding mechanisms to enhance the development of the full educational potential for students with special needs.

The results of this research and legislation recommendations will be presented to the 2019 regular session.

Arntzen told the committee that she had just received state results from the Smarter Balance standardized tests Montana students took early last spring. Neither schools nor parents have yet received student and classroom scores. The test measures schools, comparing last years class with the class of 2016. It doesnt measure how much an individual student learned in the year.

Lets not lose sight of the purpose of K-12 education: to develop the whole child, not to pass standardized tests.

Students need adequate support to succeed. The interim committee should focus on getting the best value for every dollar spent for students with disabilities and other special needs students. Cutting special education may cost more in the long run.

-- The Billings Gazette
Dutch TV Host Alberto Stegeman Leads WSOPC Rotterdam High Roller

August 29, 2017 Frank Op de Woerd

On Monday, August 28, the High Roller of the inaugural World Series of Poker International Circuit Rotterdam got underway.

It's the highest buy in of the week, and a respectable field of 38 players took their seat when the shuffle up and deal was announced. Throughout the day, the number of registrants grew to 59. With registration open till the start of Day 2, today at 4 pm local time, an even bigger field is expected in this 3,500 buy in event.

A lot of the players entering had spent last week in Barcelona. Still in the mood for playing poker, regulars like Jans Arends, Luuk Gieles, Jasper Meijer van Putten, and Mark Roovers entered.

Roovers was one of the satellite winners for this event, but he was forced to reenter early when his kings got cracked by Joris Ruys' flush draw. The 2 of them got it in on jack-six-three with two diamonds and a diamond on the turn resulted in Roover walking to the payout. Roovers cashed in the Barcelona Main Event last week for 11,420, apart of it he reinvested in this event. He didn't fare too well on his second bullet when he ran ace-king suited into aces and the poker player and poker commentator called it quits.

Bracelet winner and Dutch Poker Hall of Fame member Rob Hollink won the High Roller at the WPT Amsterdam back in May, and entered again to make it 'back-to-back'. While he still has a chance to reenter, he didn't do well enough on his first bullet. He busted towards the end of Day 1.

Alberto Stegeman, a popular Dutch tv host most well known for his program 'Undercover in Nederland' where he goes undercover to expose wrongs, has been playing more and more poker. He's a frequent WSOP player and a regular at the Dutch local poker series. He too busted his first bullet when he couldn't get away from tens to aces. He reentered and did much better on bullet number 2 as he ended the day with a massive 180,400, chip leader of the tournament.

When Day 2 gets underway at 4 pm local time, blinds will be 1,000/2,000 with a 300-ante. PokerNews will be on sight to cover the event so you don't have to miss a thing.

Player Chip Count Alberto Stegeman 180,400 Govert Metaal 141,900 Firoz Mangroe 133,800 Tobias Peters 126,200 Farid Yachou 125,800 Raoul Refos 92,700 Freek Scholten 82,000 Marijn van Riffelen 78,200 Niko Mykleanen 78,200 Kees van Brugge 67,900 Z Chon 63,900 Jakub Wojtas 56,200 Joris Ruijs 48,000 Luuk Gieles 47,000 Hans Bosman 45,900 Niko Koop 40,900 M Kachraoi 34,000 Farid Chati 30,100 A Karkkainen 21,600 Abdelhakim Zoufri 2,300

Chip counts and results courtesy of Pokercity.nl.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-29 15:59:01

A.M. Best Comments on Credit Ratings of First Capital Insurance Limited

A.M. Best

Wesley Chia, +65-6589-8400, ext. 213

Associate Financial Analyst

wesley.chia@ambest.com

or

Sergio Agena, +852-2827-3407

Associate Financial Analyst

sergio.agena@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

A.M. Best has commented that the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of a of First Capital Insurance Limited (First Capital) (Singapore) remain unchanged following the recent announcement that the company will be acquired.

Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited will acquire a 97.7% stake in First Capital from Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. Funding for the acquisition is expected to come from cash-on-hand. First Capitals day-to-day operations are likely to continue as normal in the near term.

The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018. A.M. Best will continue to hold discussions with management and shareholders of the company to monitor the acquisition progress.

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. 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 [..].

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/201708290057
Dunnage Air Bags Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-29 10:14:52

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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

The packaging industry has shown fabulous growth due to rapid industrialization and has positively impacted logistic and shipping market across the globe. From few decades there has been a tremendous growth in logistics and transportation, and this trend is expected to grow shortly. All these logistics and shipping carry valuable cargos which are needed to be protected from breakage while transiting. Dunnage air bags offer protective packaging to cargo during transit. Dunnage air bags are used for protecting the cargo which is needed to be transit safely to the destination. Dunnage air bags are kept between the cargos so that the load wont fall and break when they are being transported. Dunnage air bags market has shown an augmentation on the backdrop of logistics and shipping market and is expected to grow over the forecast period. Dunnage air bags are lighter and robust so can be used for supporting large cargos.Global Dunnage Air Bags - Market Dynamics:The increase in the logistics and shipping market showed a need for dunnage air bags for protecting the cargo and shown a remarkable growth over the forecast period 2017-2025. The preference for dunnage air bags is high and is anticipated to grow due to characteristics such as high durability, increased cost efficiency, reduced efforts in handling, enhance protection of shipments and light weight. Nowadays there is a greater awareness among consumers regarding the products they use and their impact on the environment. In recent years there are no concerns regarding the transportation, but the only concern the transporter company is experiencing are for the safety transport of their cargo. As a result of these key drivers, the market for dunnage air bags showed the growth over the forecast period. But on contrast, dunnage air bags showed the restraints regarding the poor resistance to damage in case of sharp pointed objects.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4474 Global Dunnage Air Bags - Market Segmentation:The global dunnage air bags market can be segmented by the material type, by packaging type, and by number of layers.On the basis of material type, the global dunnage air bags market is segmented into:PlasticPolypropylene (PP)Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)OthersKraft PaperOthersOn the basis of packaging type, the global dunnage air bags market is segmented into:Paper dunnage bagsWoven dunnage bagsLaminated dunnage bagsOn the basis of the number of layers, the global dunnage air bags market is segmented into:2 layers4 layers6 layers8 layers and aboveOn the basis of application, the global dunnage air bags market is segmented into:TrucksShipRailwaysOthersGlobal Dunnage Air Bags  Regional Overview:The global dunnage air bags market can be divided into seven major regions which are as follows:North AmericaLatin AmericaEastern EuropeWestern EuropeAsia-Pacific excluding JapanJapanMiddle East & AfricaThe market for dunnage air bags is expected to be dominated by North America over the forecast period due to its convenience for shipping and logistics industry. Europe region is also projected to have a steady growth for dunnage air bags market over the forecast period. In Asia Pacific region, dunnage air bags market is expected to witness the highest growth over the forecast period. Furthermore, the rising dominance of Asia-Pacific region is creating abundant opportunities for packaging manufacturers due to its large scope for rapid development. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa region are expected to have slow and steady growth for dunnage air bags market.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4474 Global Dunnage Air Bags  Key players:Few of the key players in the dunnage air bags market are Cordstrap B.V., Green Label Packaging, Litco International, Inc., Tyoga Container Co Inc, Cejipac Sdn. Bhd., Southern Bracing Systems Enterprises, LLC, Bulk-Pack Inc., Southern Packaging, Lp, Buffers USA Inc., Packbest Air Packaging Co., Ltd., Special Packaging Material Co., Ltd., Parimet Safepak (Shenzhen) Company Limited, etc.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-29 10:52:13

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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Jadestone Energy Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Singapore (FSCWire) - Jadestone Energy Inc. (TSX Venture:JSE). has issued a press release with the following headline:Jadestone Energy Results for the Quarter Ending June 30, 2017 a Final Quarter of Stag Operations under Previous OperatorTo 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 Jadestone Energy Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Jadestone Energy Inc.Source: Jadestone Energy Inc. (TSX Venture: JSE, ISIN: CA46989Q1000, WKN: A2DHZ1)Date: August 29, 2017Time: 4:52 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Jadestone Energy Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-29 09:06:01

On October 3, 4 and 5, the second NxSE edition (pronounce Nexi), the  International Digital Shift Forum - Indian Ocean & Africa  will be held in Reunion Island, a French department located in the Indian Ocean. After a successful first edition, NxSE is now the key meeting between French and European companies and their counterparts from the Indian Ocean, as well as French and English speaking African countries.

This international and unique meeting gathers all the digital operators from Africa in a single location, Reunion Island, French Tech territory in e-health. The aim is to develop Reunion Island's economy by highlighting the local operators' savoir-faire, by promoting regional and international cooperation, and by creating South-South and North-South business opportunities. Following the Forum's first edition, the organisers can be pleased to see the creation of three companies on the island.

Created on Digital Reunion's initiative, and supported by many institutional partners (European Union, Government, Reunion Island's Prefecture, Reunion DIECCTE, Regional Council, CINOR, CIREST, Saint-Denis City Hall, Saint-Andre City Hall.) and private ones, NxSE 2017 will be held in Saint-Denis, Reunion Island, and will offer a programme full of business opportunities and conferences on strategic monitoring :

- 400 managers and decision-makers from the digital, innovation and international trade industries ;

- Of which 60 foreign companies and 70 local and international speakers, coming from 10 African countries (Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Mozambique and Tunisia);

- 20 thematic conferences led by distinguished speakers in the key fields of Digital Shift : E-health Markets and Challenges, Industry of the Future, Smart Cities, E-tourism - journey into data, E-farming - the 3rd farming revolution ;

- Three side Events : Industry of the Future Barcamp, E-health Datathon, Best Idea Pitch

- An exhibition area for 30 companies and partners;

- Speed-dating sessions and BtoB meetings.

For the second consecutive year, the Forum also hosts the African French Tech's annual meeting. Reunion French Tech, Cap Town French Tech, Abidjan French Tech, Nairobi and Mauritius French Tech networks will share their feedback and networks to promote the French digital industry's development in Africa. The aim is to develop regional, national and international cooperation, to create business opportunities by highlighting the French IT companies' savoir-faire.

Reunion Island, a multi-advantaged area

French island, built by Chinese, Indian and African immigrants, Reunion is the farthest link of Europe within the Indian Ocean, and prides itself the most African of any European land. Reunion Island is about constant innovation, with local operators recognised for their French Touch: Creativity, Quality and Security, Savoir-faire in Disruptive Technologies. The island is the updated base of digital France in the Indian Ocean. It brings in European standards to the African shores and needs, while making use of its grasp of intercultural subtleties within the region. It is a bridge between two economic lands, Europe and Africa.

Attendees/visitors can pre-sign up online via www.nxse.io and discover the full possibilities of the Forum.

ABOUT DIGITAL REUNION

The association of Digital professionals in Reunion Island was created in 1997 at the request of the sector's experts, and it gathers the main operators of the digital industry. Each of them coincide on a same goal: to take part in the creation of economic, legislative and competitive conditions that are essential to the development of the industry.

Contact presse : Pep's Reunion - Laure TESTART - 0692.30.39.36 - laure.testart@peps.re

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: Digital Reunion via Globenewswire


PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-29 09:47:11

Press Information

Project Laneways

440 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia







03 9038 9236

email

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Published by

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# 359 Words

440 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia03 9038 9236Cam Wilkes006499503888

Project Laneways change management courses covers crucial areas like dealing with change and its impact on individuals and the organisation, strategies of communication and stakeholder engagement. Persona mapping, a useful tool in change management, is covered at length in change management courses with Australia-based training provider Project Laneways.For product managers, developers, marketers, designers or for any organisation in transition persona mapping can help visualise needs of the target audience. A persona map is a fictional character that tries to emulate the realistic profile of the target customer. It reflects characteristics like job or role title, personal attributes, goals, motivations, attitudes etc. Communication is at the heart of change management. Towards this end persona management helps understand the requirements of a target audience and creates a profile that reflects their characteristics so that the stakeholders needs are met.Project Laneways interactive courses use a mix of presentations, group practical activities, case studies and practice exams based on quality course materials. The partnership style experience assesses training needs and develops formal qualifications for any individual who provides direct change management services to an organisation, wishes to use its techniques to support other disciplines or to those who want to further their knowledge and teach.As a tool persona mapping is flexible enough to be revised with real data. It can help identify issues and solve problems. Once personas have been developed they become powerful pieces of information that can be used with a wide range of other tools to ensure effective communications strategies. Getting this right in the early stages of a project can ensure successful implementation of change. These persona maps have a domino effect that affects the entire project.Project Laneways specialises in providing internationally acclaimed PRINCE2, AgilePM, Change Management, Better Business Cases and Programme Management training courses to Australian business professionals. Their courses are recognised and accredited by the International Change Management Institute.Project Laneways provides leadership and programme management training courses for business professionals throughout Australia. To know more about change management courses in Sydney and Melbourne call 02 82123978 or 03 90389236 or email enquiries@ project-laneways.com.au . Their webpage is https://www.project-laneways.com.au/certification-courses/change-management
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-29 08:32:02

's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, 29 August 2017

On 29 August 2017 Van Lanschot Kempen will expand its share buy-back programme by 150,000 of its own shares (depositary receipts for Class A ordinary shares), taking to a maximum 300,000 shares the total number of shares it will repurchase under the programme.

The share buy-back programme serves to cover the depositary receipts to be allocated to employees under the existing remuneration policy and share plan. At the closing price on Monday 28 August 2017, the programme plus increase will cost up to 7.7 million. It will end the day prior to the release of the 2017 annual figures or if the maximum number of shares is reached sooner.

Between 22 and 28 August 2017 Van Lanschot Kempen repurchased 18,500 of its own shares. The shares were repurchased at an average price of 25.75 per share for a total amount of 476,413. The total number of shares repurchased under the programme to date is 102,630.

Van Lanschot Kempen has tasked ING with the implementation of its share buy-back programme. ING makes its trading decisions independently of Van Lanschot Kempen.

More information, including a detailed overview of the repurchase transactions under this programme, is available at www.vanlanschotkempen.com/sharebuyback.

Media Relations: +31 20 354 45 85; mediarelations@vanlanschotkempen.com

Investor Relations: +31 20 354 45 90; investorrelations@vanlanschotkempen.com

About Van Lanschot Kempen

Van Lanschot Kempen, a wealth manager operating under the Van Lanschot, Evi and Kempen brand names, is active in Private Banking, Asset Management and Merchant Banking, with the aim of preserving and creating wealth for its clients. Van Lanschot Kempen, listed at Euronext Amsterdam, is the Netherlands' oldest independent financial services company with a history dating back to 1737.

vanlanschotkempen.com

Disclaimer

This document does not constitute an offer or solicitation for the sale, purchase or acquisition in any other way or subscription to any financial instrument and is not an opinion or a recommendation to perform or refrain from performing any action.



This document is a translation of the Dutch original and is provided as a courtesy only. In the event of any disparities, the Dutch version will prevail.

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Van Lanschot Kempen via Globenewswire


The Butte Rescue Mission has abandoned hopes of locating a homeless shelter on vacant land off of Harrison Avenue south of town.

Mission officials say Jon Amberson of Ennis had agreed to sell them 6.6 acres of vacant land immediately south of Harts RV and close to where Harrison intersects with Highway 2.

But county officials turned down the missions request to move up a hearing so zoning questions over the proposed shelter could be settled before the next regularly scheduled zoning board meeting Sept. 21.

Among other reasons, they said special meetings and other deviations from standard protocol gave the public an impression that matters had already been decided beforehand.

Then late Monday afternoon, Mission Executive Director Rocky Lyons said Amberson refused to extend the deadline on a buy-sell agreement for the land past Sept. 8.

Lyons said she supposed the mission could still buy the land now, not knowing whether the zoning board would ultimately grant a needed permit for a shelter operation.

But only a fool would do that, she said.

A phone message seeking comment was left at a number for Amberson listed on the special permit application.

The mission already had purchased portable housing units in North Dakota that could be moved to Butte for a new shelter, and Lyons said the search for land to put them on will continue.

The mission had urged county officials to move up the zoning board meeting, saying the later date would push a possible shelter opening into December when people could be left outside in the bitter cold.

At this moment, there are people sleeping in cars and sleeping in the streets, Lyons said.

The Christian-based organization says the current Sept. 21 meeting date presented other timing and financial hurdles, including the deadline for closing on the buy-sell agreement.

But county officials say there was no exigency to justify the zoning board holding a special hearing.

Lori Casey, Butte-Silver Bows assistant planning director, said staff and board members believe notification and other steps in the application process are very important and deviations are often viewed critically by the public.

They feel like we are trying to pull a fast one on them and trying to push things through, Casey said Monday morning.

The mission was forced to close its decades-old shelter at 1204 E. Second St. in April because of fire hazards, and attempts to relocate to a vacant building Uptown and then to an empty school on the Flat did not pan out.

There was staunch opposition to both locations from residents and businesses, and after many voiced that in person, the zoning board voted 4-2 in late March to deny a permit needed to use the school as a shelter.

Planning staff had recommended the board approve a permit for the school if certain conditions were met, but analysis of the current request hasnt been completed, Casey said.

Even if a special meeting was set, the board could again reject a permit for the spot south of town.

Mission officials said that location, unlike the previous two, was on empty land in a non-residential area. There are a couple of houses nearby, they said, but the closest is a few acres away.

"This is a raw, undeveloped 6.6-acre piece of property sparsely covered with sagebrush, grasses and weeds," the mission said in its application.

But timing was critical, Lyons said previously.

It would take two months to move the portable units here, set them up, and do other groundwork, she said. If an earlier meeting was held and the board approved a permit, they could provide shelter and meals by Nov. 1.

If we are required to wait for the Sept. 21 meeting, we will not be open until December, and that is if the weather holds long enough for the groundwork to be completed, she wrote in a recent letter to county officials.

Lyons also said the seller did not have to extend a closing date on the land sale, and late Monday afternoon, he told them he would not.

Casey said an earlier meeting would still require a week of public notice, so it would only save the mission about two weeks. And it will take more time to complete a staff analysis of the request, since numerous issues must be addressed, she said.

Even if the board approved a permit, Casey said, there would still be conditions and development standards to address before the housing units would be allowed on the property. They include storm-water permitting and bonding for landscaping, sidewalks, and paving.
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.




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University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education joins Career Step's network of over 150 academic partners.

End

-- Career Step (http://www.careerstep.com/?uid=pub170829), an online provider of career-focused education and professional training, is pleased to announce the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education as its newest academic partner."The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is passionate about offering their students the best continuing education programs to provide quality career training," said Glade Tidwell, Career Step Vice President of Academic Partnerships. "We are excited to partner with them as they make a difference in the careers and lives of their students."The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee joins more than 150 other educational institutionsincluding University of Central Missouri, Cal State San Bernardino and California State University, Bakersfieldin Career Step's network of academic partners.The new partnership adds several of Career Step courses to the UWM School of Continuing Education. The new courses include Professional Medical Coding and Billing with PCS, Medical Transcription and Editing, and Pharmacy Technician, all of which are designed to help students gain the career skills they need to start working in their chosen field in a year or less."We are excited to offer students in our area additional educational opportunities to prepare for successful careers," said Shirley Burks, Coordinator of Partnerships, New Initiatives and Special Projects at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education. "We know that these new, high-quality programs will make a real difference in the economic success of the students who take them, by increasing their marketable knowledge and skills and opening up new job opportunities for them."For more than a decade, Career Step has partnered with higher learning institutions to offer its industry-leading career training courses through the schools' continuing education departments. These partnerships broaden Career Step's reach while providing the institutions with a turnkey solution to prepare more students for successful careers.More information about Career Step's partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education is available at CareerStep.com/uwmilwaukee ( https://careerstep.com/ uwmilwaukee? uid=pub170829 ). To learn more about Career Step's academic partnership program, please visit CareerStep.com/partner ( http://www.careerstep.com/ partner?uid= pub170829 ).Career Step is an online provider of career-focused education and professional training. The company has trained over 100,000 students for new careers as well as more than 100,000 healthcare professionals through its various continuing education courses. More than 150 colleges and universities nationwide have partnered with Career Step, and the company provides training for several of the largest and most respected healthcare employers in the nation. Career Step is committed to helping students and practicing healthcare professionals alike gain the skills they need to be successful in the workplaceimproving lives, advancing careers and driving business results through education. More information can be found at www.careerstep.com (http://www.careerstep.com/?uid=pub170829)or 1-800-246-7837.
Taking new initiatives in development of proactive devices that can stem the rising tide of opioid addiction.

Opioid

Contact

Rubix LS Press Team

***@rubixls.com Rubix LS Press Team

End

-- Rubix LS has announced its intentions to release the results of our research and development into the Opioid epidemic to the public under our program, Project Hades. Rubix LS has identified the opioid crisis as one of the most significant health issues facing the United States and has dedicated significant resources towards identifying paths to address this problem.Under Project Hades, we are developing a non-line of sight proactive enhancement device that counteracts the side effects of opioid breakdown that are associated with addiction. By alleviating the addiction "feeling" and associated drive to feed the addiction beast, we facilitate behavioral changes to stem off the need for the next injection. For those willing to treat the addiction, the options which are available included both behavioral and medical treatments. There are no guarantees of success in treating addictions. Success heavily depends on many factors and varies from person to person.The opioid epidemic in the United States and Canada has increased exponentially over recent years as a result of the availability of both prescribed and non-prescribed opioid drugs. Opioids can be defined as a class of strong, highly addictive painkillers that included oxycodone (Percocet and OxyContin), fentanyl, and hydrocodone (Vicodin). Because of the relatively high level of legitimate prescriptions, these substances are readily available on the black market. Despite the risk of overdose or addiction, opioids are very popular as recreational drugs and broadly used by physicians to treat chronic pain.In high doses, opioids can cause respiratory failure and death. As of 2016, number of people prescribed with opioids jumped to 289 million per year. In just Massachusetts, the number of opioid related deaths reached 2,500 year by the middle of 2017.Unfortunately, the epidemic is touching all aspects of society and having a detrimental effect at all levels. There is no simple solution?If you would like to learn more about this initiative or any more topics of discussion, please contact Rubix LS at info@rubixls.com, or check out our website https://www.rubixls.com
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With Houston residents continuing to monitor the rain and rising floodwaters unleashed by Hurricane Harvey, booksellers in the city are working to reassert some semblance of normalcy.

On Monday, Murder by the Book in the West University neighborhood re-opened for business after having been closed for the Hurricane. I would rather be up here, said owner McKenna Jordan, who added that working is also nice since "its good for me to get out of the house." The store was offering coffee, access to bathrooms and power outlets. We know a lot of people are out of power and other people in the neighborhood have been stuck in their houses. We wanted to let people know they could come here charge their phone, relax a bit and be with other people.

John Dillman kept the doors of Kaboom Books in the Heights neighborhood of Houston open for several hours on Sunday and Monday. We havent had many customers, but we want to just show that life goes on. We want to show people that there is a bit of social coherence." Dillman has previous experience with deadly storms, having chosen to move his store from New Orleans to Houston after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Elsewhere in Houston, River Oaks Bookstore also opened for several hours on Monday. Brazos Bookstore and Blue Willow Bookshop plan to re-open today. Each store reported little to no damage from the storm.

Further west in the nearby city of Katy, Richard Deupree, store manager of Katy Budget Books reported flooding in the areas adjacent to the store. On Tuesday morning, though, he said that the water had receded and he was "putting a plan together in an attempt to open with abbreviated hours."

While no stores reported that any of their employees needed to evacuate their homes, several said they have employees who are not able to make it to work because of the flooding. I live a half mile from the store, so Ill be walking here, but I suspect were going to be running a skeleton crew for quite a while, said Ben Rybeck, manager of Brazos Bookstore.

Valerie Koehler, owner of Blue Willow Bookshop noted that she was lucky. The bottom half of my neighborhood is flooded, but my house is not. I can drive into work, but that is not the case for all of my employees."

Murder by the Book's Jordan said she also felt a sense of relief amid the chaos. Noting that the store has been damaged in previous storms, she said that, this time around, "95% of the store [has remained] bone dry. We have been very lucky.

Many booksellers in the region have also begun efforts to help those in need. On Monday, Brazos Bookstore announced it will be donating 20% of all book sales (through Sunday) to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.

There is also help being promised from further afield. Novelist Celeste Ng wrote on Twitter: I'm going to order some diverse books and send them to schools that need them. You in? #smallacts"

Point Reyes Books in Point Reyes Station, Calif., is donating 20% of sales through the week to the Houston Food Bank. Coffee House Press in Minneapolis is also donating 20% of all sales through the week to Hurricane Harvey relief. Scholastic made a $25,000 donation to the Red Cross, and has committed to assisting schools with acquiring books. The Book Group literary agency will be matching all donations to the Houston Food Bank, up to a cap of $2,000.

Several other publishing organizations are expected to launch similar programs in the coming few days.

Amid all the turmoil and offers for help, Murder by the Book's Jordan said that one thing local booksellers need to brace for, after the flood waters recede, is a hit to their customer base. We anticipate a significant drop in sales revenue for the the foreseeable future," she said. "The last thing the Houston community is going to be doing is buying books," she added, saying that such purchases are "low on the list in a time of crisis."

With this in mind, Jordan said that "just buying books from us, as normal, will be the biggest help of all." She then added: "In the scheme of things, we know we are doing well. We have been really fortunate to have been spared so much that so many others have to endure.
Afghan officials say a suicide bomber has blown himself up at a bank in the center of Kabul, killing at least five people and wounding eight others.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the bomber hit the entrance to a Kabul Bank branch on August 29, about 500 meters from the heavily fortified U.S. Embassy compound.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had targeted security-forces personnel withdrawing their salaries.

Attacks on banks where soldiers and police withdraw their salaries have become a regular tactic of the extremist group.

The latest attack comes ahead of this week's Eid al-Adha celebrations and a week after President Donald Trump outlined the new U.S. strategy for the war-torn country.

Kabul has seen an increase in attacks lately. On August 25, 28 people -- including women and children -- were reported killed and more than 50 others wounded in an attack on a Shi'ite mosque in Kabul claimed by the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

In another development, reports from the western province of Herat said that an Afghan Air Force air strike targeting Taliban militants left at least 13 civilians dead and seven others injured.

Gelani Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor, said at least 16 Taliban fighters were also killed the overnight air strike targeting a command center and a prison run by the militants in Shindand district.

A member of Herat's provincial council, Haji Toryalai Taheri, spoke of 20 civilian deaths and no Taliban victims.

Farhad said 19 prisoners, both military and civilians, managed to escape after the strike.

The civilians who were killed died in their houses nearby, he added.

The spokesman also said that a fact-finding team had been sent to the area.

The Taliban has not commented on the attack.

According to the UN, the number of air strikes has increased by 43 percent in the first six months of 2017 compared to the same time in 2016. At least 232 civilians were killed and injured in that same period.

Based on 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
Is Vladimir Putin about to get his very own banknote?

Could be. An association of entrepreneurs has recently proposed that the Russian central bank issue a commemorative 10,000-ruble note featuring Putin's likeness.

Now you can read this a couple ways. The simplest, of course, is that it is just the latest example of leader worship, the latest manifestation of a cult of personality that has run amok.

But there is also another way to look at it.

Despite the fact that Putin is widely expected to seek -- and all but certain to win -- a fourth term in the Kremlin in March, it could be a sign that the Putin era is actually entering its final lap.

Because in recent weeks, Russian pundits, media, and think tanks have been increasingly -- and very openly -- speculating about life after Putin.

The prominent sociologist Sergei Belanovsky recently wrote on Facebook, for example, that "the Putin era is coming to an end" and that "this is an incontrovertible fact that doesn't depend on how much longer he remains president."

There has been noticeable speculation in the press about the Kremlin leader's health.

And the St. Petersburg Politics Foundation recently published rankings of potential Putin successors -- and major Russian newspapers like Vedomosti, Kommersant, and Gazeta.ru amplified them.

Now, we've been here before and every time we begin to write off this regime, it comes roaring back.

But the system does appear to be preparing itself for Putin being a lame duck.

Which is a pretty far cry from three years ago, when Vyacheslav Volodin famously said, "There is no Russia today if there is no Putin."

Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page.
BRUSSELS -- European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said that the EU should seek better relations with Moscow, but without giving up its values.

"There is no European security for the future centuries without Russia," Juncker told the bloc's ambassadors in Brussels on August 29.

"The European Union is 5.5 million square kilometers, Russia alone has 17.5. Any more questions?" he added.

He also said that the EU should "find with Russia a discourse that is more suitable for the future ahead of us."

But he insisted that this should be done "without renouncing our values and principles [such as] the annexation of Crimea and the rest."

Juncker has repeatedly called for improved relations with Moscow, which have been strained by animus over Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014 and its continued support for separatists in the country's east.

More than 10,000 people have been killed since April 2014 in fighting between Ukrainian government forces and the Russia-backed separatists, who hold parts of two Ukrainian eastern provinces.

In response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine, the EU adopted economic sanctions against Moscow that were prolonged by six months in June.

The bloc also has also imposed asset freezes and visa bans on 153 people and 40 entities that it claims are responsible for the destabilization of Ukrainian sovereignty. This list is, according to EU diplomats, expected to be rolled-over by six months in September.

Holding a traditional summer news conference in Berlin on August 29, German Chancellor Angela Merkel acknowledged that lifting the sanctions would benefit both Russia and Germany.

But she stressed that the restrictions must remain in place until Moscow fulfills the conditions for their removal.

Merkel called for continued dialogue between all sides in the conflict in eastern Ukraine so that eventually there could be a solution that would lead to the lifting of the sanctions.

"If the [February 2015 Minsk peace] agreement is kept, then the requirement will be met for lifting the sanctions on Russia," she said.

"That would be good for the Russian economy as well as good for the German economy," the chancellor added.
ASTANA  A new reserve bank for low enriched uranium (LEU) designed to discourage new countries from enriching the nuclear fuel was inaugurated in eastern Kazakhstan on August 29 -- the UN International Day Against Nuclear Tests.

President Nursultan Nazarbaev handed the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, a symbolical key to the facility at a ceremony in Kazakhstans capital, Astana.

"By hosting the IAEA LEU bank, Kazakhstan has made another contribution to strengthening the global non-proliferation regime," Nazarbaev said.

Amano expressed confidence that the $150-million bank will make a valuable contribution to international efforts to ensure the availability of fuel for nuclear power plants."

In a statement, the UN nuclear watchdog said that bank will be established once the LEU, the material needed to make nuclear fuel, has been purchased and delivered to the storage facility located in Oskemen, the capital of the Eastern Kazakhstan region.

The bank will hold up to 90 tons of LEU, enough to produce the fuel needed to power a large city for up to three years.

The U.S.-based Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), which has contributed to the project, described the bank in a statement as "the first of its kind not to be under control of any individual country."

Russia has operated a similar bank since 2010, but the one in eastern Kazakhstan will be the first one to be fully owned and operated by the IAEA. Kazakhstan will be responsible for its security, according to Kazakh officials.

The LEU bank will "provide countries investing in nuclear power and assured supply of fuel to use for peaceful purposes without incurring the significant costs of building their own enrichment facilities and without adding to global proliferation risks," NTI said.

The bank was developed amid concerns that the proliferation of nuclear weapons would grow significantly if the dozens of countries that are interested in pursuing nuclear energy also pursued their own enrichment capabilities. The same enrichment technology that produces fuel for a nuclear reactor can also produce the material for a nuclear bomb.

"The launching of the IAEA LEU Bank is a major milestone for global nuclear security and nonproliferation efforts," said former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn and NTI co-chairman."The Bank will play an important role in reducing nuclear dangers and serve as a vivid example of the benefits of international cooperation at a time when our world is in a race between cooperation and catastrophe."

The NTI proposed setting up the LEU bank in 2006, and the Kazakh government and IAEA reached agreement on the project in August 2015.

U.S. investor Warren Buffett funded one-third of the bank with a $50-million investment. An additional $100 million was provided by donors including the governments of the United States, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, European Union countries, Kazakhstan, and Kuwait.

With reporting by Kazinform, Tengrinews, and Reuters


Authorities in Kyrgyzstan say security forces have killed two suspected militants in a gunbattle in the northern Chui region.

The State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said the exchange of gunfire occurred in the Jaiyl district on August 29.

According to the UKMK, security forces opened fire after three suspected members of a terrorist group who were holed up in a house refused to surrender.

It said two of the suspects were killed and the third one was injured and captured.

It was impossible to independently verify the UKMK account, which said there were no casualties among the security forces.

Authorities began searching for the suspects on August 24 after two men threatened a police patrol with a gun and grenade in the capital, Bishkek, the UKMK said.

It said a fourth alleged member of the same group was detained in Bishkek and that investigators found a gun and ammunition in the suspect's home.

The UKMK did not identify any of the suspected militants by name.

Kyrgyz authorities have arrested dozens of people suspected of being members of banned Islamic groups and militant groups in recent years.

Kyrgyz officials say hundreds of citizens of the Central Asian country have traveled to the Middle East to fight alongside Islamic State militants in recent years.
Montenegro's National Education Council was set up to prepare a new curriculum for the country's students. Apparently plagiarism wasn't one of the lessons in the package of reforms.

The council recently published its long-awaited reforms ahead of the return of students to classes for the upcoming school year.

Within days, several experts from a 500-member panel in neighboring Croatia that had earlier drawn up a curriculum package to update that country's education system recognized many of the changes.

In fact, they said, large parts of their work were plagiarized, some passages word for word, without attribution.

Three members of the council resigned on August 27 and said they would give back their salaries over the matter.

"If any child in the world benefits from our work, that's good. What bothers me is the way it was done, without asking us as the authors, and without asking Croatia, which owns the documents that were taken," said Boris Jokic, the head of the Croatian working group that drew up the reforms, in an interview on N1 television in Croatia on August 29.

Officials in Montenegro have acknowledged the similarities between the two reform packages but said the framework was not its final version and that it borrows from the experiences and practices of several countries.

The Education and Science Ministry, which oversees the council, said on August 22 that it would investigate the claims. Croatia, meanwhile, has said it is consulting with legal experts.

"The authenticity of educational efforts does not exclude the observation of the best experiences of others in order to realize the full potential of all children," Montenegro's Bureau for Education Services said in an August 22 statement.

Ironically, the Croatian plan, drawn up between 2015 and 2016, was pushed to the side amid internal bickering in the cabinet that took power after a snap election in 2016.

Each country is undertaking reforms to overhaul its education system's curriculum and training methods, giving teachers more freedom in classrooms that would become more interactive.
A leading Russian economist critical of the Kremlin says he is holding off on returning to Russia due to possible "dangers" following a report that he is under investigation for allegedly failing to make a customs declaration about Soviet-era medals.

Sergei Aleksashenko, a former top Russian central bank official, said in an August 29 radio interview that a Russian newspaper report about the purported criminal case suggests someone may be targeting him for prosecution back home.

"Until it becomes clear to me that traveling to Russia is not dangerous for me, I will likely refrain from trips to Russia," Aleksashenko, who has been based in Washington for several years, told the Moscow-based radio station Ekho Moskvy. http://echo.msk.ru/programs/personalnovash/2045246-echo/

The Russian daily Moskovsky Komsomolets (MK) on August 23 cited unnamed customs officials as saying that Aleksashenko was detained at a Moscow airport recently as he passed through customs en route to a connecting flight.

MK reported that customs officials found seven military medals and other Soviet-era awards valued at around $13,000 in Aleksashenko's hand luggage, but that he did not have the accompanying paperwork.

Russian authorities have not officially confirmed that he was detained or is under investigation.

Aleksashenko told Ekho Moskvy on August 29 that he has been subjected to repeated searches while flying in and out of Russia since he moved to the United States in 2013.

He said an official told him during one of these searches that authorities had received a "signal" from security services that he was carrying a large amount of cash.

Aleksashenko declined to discuss details of the reported incident in the Ekho Moskvy interview, citing fears that they could be used against him. He added that his lawyer is working to establish whether he is, in fact, under investigation.

An economist by training, Aleksashenko served as a top Finance Ministry official in the 1990s and later as deputy chairman of Russia's Central Bank. He is currently a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.

Aleksashenko said in 2014 that he was forced out of his job as editor of an influential newsletter published by a leading Moscow university due to his criticism of the Kremlin's economic policies.

With reporting by Ekho Moskvy and Moskovsky Komsomolets


Germany's foreign minister says that Washington and its European partners should ensure that new U.S. sanctions targeting Russia do not lead to a "new ice age" between Moscow and the West.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel's comments followed his August 29 meeting in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

He noted European concerns about the potential side effects of a tough new law passed recently by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Donald Trump.

The law cements sanctions against Moscow over its aggression in Ukraine and for allegedly meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

"There should be no new ice age between Russia and the West," Gabriel said, according to a statement released by the German Foreign Ministry.

Under Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, the United States, and the European Union largely coordinated their sanctions targeting Moscow over its 2014 seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and backing of armed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Juncker Warning

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned after Trump signed the bill that European energy companies could be harmed, particularly those working on Russian natural gas pipeline systems that transit Ukraine to reach EU member states.

Gabriel echoed those concerns following his meeting with Tillerson, saying: "We do not want to completely destroy our business relations with Russia."

Kurt Volker, the U.S. special envoy for efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine, told German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle in an interview published on August 29 that Washington would not go "over the heads of the Ukrainians or behind the backs of the Europeans" to secure any deal with Russia.

"The U.S. has made clear we fully support the Normandy process, and it's not our intention to become a part of it or to try to go over the top of it," Volker said, referring to a four-way process on a peace deal for eastern Ukraine involving Germany, France, Moscow, and Kyiv.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on August 28 called for Russia and Ukraine to step up their efforts to implement the 2015 Minsk agreement meant to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

With reporting by Reuters, dpa, and Deutsche Welle
Russia's central bank said on August 29 that it was stepping in to save the country's eighth largest lender, Otkritie, after it suffered a sustained run on its deposits amid worries about its loan portfolio.

Otkritie is also Russia's largest private bank, according to its website, which says that it has 412 branches and 3.6 million private clients throughout the country.

The central bank said in a statement that it planned to become the bank's main investor and was taking measures to increase Otkritie's "financial stability."

The Vedomosti business daily reported that the bank hemorrhaged clients in June after its rating was lowered by a Russian ratings agency and it lost the right to work with state companies and pension funds.

Customer deposits shrank by 435 billion rubles ($7.398 billion), or 18 percent of the bank's liabilities as of 1 June 2017, the Moody's Investors Service said in a research note issued on August 17.

According to Vedomosti, Otkritie, which was founded in 1992, has assets of 2.45 trillion rubles ($41.67 billion). The daily called the central bank's intervention "the biggest case of a bailout in the history of the Russian banking sector."

It also said it is the first time a new consolidation fund has been used.

The fund was set up by the central bank and signed into force by President Vladimir Putin earlier this year.

The central bank would "provide financial support to the bank, guaranteeing the continuation of its activities," the statement said.

It said it was not introducing a moratorium on creditors' demands.

Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, and TASS
The Russian human rights center Memorial has recognized a Tatar activist who is currently on trial as a political prisoner.

In an August 29 statement, the Moscow-based Memorial said that Danis Safargali was "a victim of a persecution campaign against opposition activists of the Tatar national movement...that has been launched since 2014."

Safargali is the leader of the Tatar patriotic movement "Altyn Urda" (The Golden Horde).

He was arrested in October 2016 and charged with hooliganism, inflicting bodily harm, and inciting hatred via the Internet.

Safargali pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He is accused of inciting hatred in 15 posts he wrote on the Internet in which he criticized the Russian government, President Vladimir Putin, and Moscow's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014.

The two other charges are linked to a brawl that took place near a university dormitory in the city of Kazan in April 2016.

Safargali insisted that his son was beaten by two attackers, who later attacked his pregnant wife. He said he had to get involved in the incident but denied that he beat the attackers.

Memorial called on the authorities to immediately release Safargali, to drop the charge of inciting hatred, and fairly investigate his involvement in the brawl.

The verdict and sentence in the trial are expected to be handed down on August 31.

On August 24, prosecutors asked the court to sentence Safargali to five years in jail.
Russia says that upcoming Zapad 2017 military exercises with Belarus will be "purely defensive" and pose no threat to Russia's neighbors, NATO, or the West.

Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin charged on August 29 that Western concerns about the war games, which are set to be held in Belarus and parts of western Russia on September 14-20, are unfounded.

Fomin asserted that Western politicians and media outlets have been "spreading myths about a Russian threat" in connection with the exercises, but that "none of these paradoxical theories has anything in common with reality."

He appeared to be referring to concerns about the intent of drills, questions about the number of troops involved, and speculation that Russia could use the exercises as a cover for an occupation of Belarus or an offensive against NATO states or Ukraine.

Fomin repeated the numbers that have been previously announced, saying that "about 12,700" troops will participate -- about 7,200 from Belarus and 5,500 from Russia. He said that about 3,000 will be in Belarus during the drills.

But Western military officials and experts say that the true numbers could be far higher, with as many as 100,000 military personnel involved.

Russia holds the Zapad (West) exercises every four years, rotating them with drills in three other parts of the country.

Under Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) rules known as the Vienna Document, states conducting maneuvers involving more than 13,000 troops must notify other nations in advance and be open to observers.

Belarus has invited observers from seven countries to the drills.

NATO 'Watching Closely'

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on August 24 that the alliance will send two experts, but added that this is not enough and urged Russia not to "use loopholes" to pump up the numbers while keeping observers out.

NATO routinely invites Russia to watch its war games as a confidence-building measure, Stoltenberg told the Associated Press, but "Russia has never, since the end of the Cold War, invited any NATO ally to observe any of their exercises."

In Poland on August 25, Stoltenberg said that NATO would "be watching very closely the course of these exercises" and that Russia and Belarus should "respect the obligation to be transparent."

Belarus borders NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, as well as Ukraine. The area the exercises are due to take place also includes the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which lies between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea.

Russia's military actions in Ukraine have increased concerns about Moscow's intentions regarding NATO nations, particularly former Soviet republics or Warsaw Pact satellites of the Soviet Union.

Russia occupied and seized Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and backs separatists whose war against Kyiv's forces has killed more than 10,000 people in eastern Ukraine since April of that year.

Those actions have prompted NATO to step up its defenses in the east.

On August 29, the United States sent additional jet fighters to patrol the skies over the Baltic states, Lithuania's Defense Ministry said.

Seven US F-15 fighter jets landed at the country's northern Siauliai military air base, where NATO member Poland ran patrols using four jets over a four-month rotation.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, Interfax, BelTA, and RIA
ON MY MIND

In an updated edition of their book Red Web: The Struggle Between Russia's Digital Dictators And Online Revolutionaries, Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan suggest that Vladimir Putin saw the publication of the Panama Papers as a personal attack orchestrated by the United States (see interview with The Washington Post featured below).

Soldatov and Borogan also suggested that Russia's hacking activity during the 2016 U.S. election could have been, in part, retaliation for the publication of the Panama Papers by Western media.

This is intriguing (and it makes me really want to read the new chapter in Soldatov and Borogan's updated book). And if this is indeed the case, it is yet another example of how little Putin and his entourage actually understand about how Western societies operate.

The Panama Papers revelations of offshore accounts implicated not just Russsian officials, but governments around the world. If they were a U.S. plot against Russia, then they were also a plot against Great Britain, Ukraine, Argentina, Iceland, and others as well.

Their publication resulted from a massive leak from an anonymous source of 11.5 million files from the database of the worlds fourth-biggest offshore law firm, Mossack Fonseca, to the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

The German paper then shared them with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which in turn shared them with a network of international media.

In short, they resulted from a whistle-blower's leak and from Western journalists doing their jobs.

And the fact that Putin apparently saw this as a U.S. plot against Russia speaks volumes. It shows that his Kremlin feels threatened not only by things the West is doing -- but mainly by what the West is.

IN THE NEWS

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron have called for Russia and Ukraine to step up their efforts to implement a fragile cease-fire agreement in eastern Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated that he believes that Washington should have a better relationship with Moscow as he declined to describe Russia's actions in Europe in recent years as a threat.

Russian authorities say three law enforcement officers were killed in two separate incidents in the southern Daghestan region on August 28, including an attack claimed by the Islamic State.

The newly appointed Russian ambassador to the United States has met with the outgoing U.S. ambassador to Russia to discuss ties, Russias Foreign Ministry says.

More than 30 cultural figures from different countries have signed a petition calling on Russian authorities to drop the criminal investigation into prominent theater and film director Kirill Serebrennikov.

The Russian human rights group Memorial is calling for the release of a 77-year-old former space researcher who was sentenced to prison on a treason conviction in 2016.

Russian authorities say at least three people have been killed in a fire in a retirement home in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.

Vladimir Putin says work on expanding Hungary's only nuclear power plant may begin early next year.

Russian figure skater Yulia Lipnitskaya has retired at the age of 19 following a battle with anorexia.

WHAT I'M READING

Big Armies Are Back

In The National Interest, Jyri Raitasalo of the Finnish National Defense University explains why big armies are making a comeback.

Influence Operations

In Politico, J.M Berger looks at Hamilton 68, an interactive dashboard displaying the near-real-time output of Russian influence operations on Twitter, and what it is revealing about the Kremlin's thinking.

Putin And Orban

In The Moscow Times, Balazs Jarabik of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace argues that the relationship between Putin's Russia and Viktor Orban's Hungary isn't as close as it seems.

Why The Holodomor Matters

Sheila Fitzpatrick reviews Anne Applebaum's new book Red Famine for The Guardian.

And on the Center for European Policy Analysis website, Edward Lucas, author of The New Cold War, explains why the Holodomor matters today.

Report: Russian Hybrid Warfare And Disinformation

The Danish Institute of International Studies has a new report out -- Russian Hybrid Warfare: A Study Of Disinformation.

More On The Serebrennikov Case

The BBC's Russian Service looks at the reaction of Russia's cultural elite to the arrest of Kirill Serebrennikov.

On The Russia File blog, Maxim Trudolyubov of the Kennan Institute also weighs in on Serevrennikov's arrest.

Timothy Snyder On Taking Bad Ideas Seriously

In Eurozine, Simas Celutka of the Vilnius Institute for Policy Analysis interviews Yale University historian Timothy Snyder, author of the books Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler And Stalin and Black Earth: The Holocaust As History And Warning.

Ukraine's Cultural Revolution

Vijai Maheshwari has a piece in Politico looking at Ukraine's "cultural revolution."

The Panama Papers And Russian Hacking

The Washington Post interviews Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan about the newly updated version of their 2015 book Red Web, which now includes a chapter on the Russian hacking during the 2016 U.S. election.

Mercenaries And The Privatization Of Russian Foreign Policy

Mark Galeotti of the Institute of International Relations in Prague has a piece in OpenDemocracy on the role of mercenaries in Russian foreign policy.
3 Black smoke billows from a chimney on top of the Russian Consulate in San Francisco on September 1. In response to a Russian government demand for the United States to cut its diplomatic staff in Russia by 455, the Trump administration ordered the closure of the consulate and two trade annexes in New York and Washington. A fire department spokeswoman said the consulate had a fire going in a fireplace and that unidentified items were being burned. (AFP/Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
MUSCATINE  Sweetland United Methodist Church in Muscatine is kicking-off monthly youth group meetings next month.

TRIBE, or Teens Righteously Inspiring Believers Everywhere, is a safe place for young teens to come together, talk about God's role in their lives and be blessings to their community. The group focuses on truth, responsibility, introspection, breath and eternal life with Christ.

The youth group meets from 6-8 p.m. for a light meal followed by talk time and fun projects, every first Thursday of the month, starting Sept. 7. Sweetland Church is located at 1709 Sweetland Road, Muscatine.

Anyone with questions should call Ayla Cornett at 908-914-8240.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump has repeated his arguments that Washington should have a better relationship with Moscow as he declined to describe Russia's actions in Europe in recent years as a threat.

Speaking on August 28 at a joint news conference with visiting Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, Trump was asked by Finnish reporters about tensions with Russia, and specifically whether he considered it a threat.

"I consider many countries as a security threat unfortunately, he said. I would consider many countries threats but these are all threats that we will be able to handle if we have to."

Asked further about recent joint naval exercises held by Russia and China in the Baltic Sea, and upcoming war games scheduled for next month in regions bordering the Baltic countries, Trump replied: "We are very protective of that region."

"That's all I can say. We are very, very protective. We have great friends there," he said.

"I say it loud and clear: I've been saying it for years. I think it's a good thing if we have great relationships, or at least good relationships, with Russia," he said. "That's very important and I believe that someday that will happen. It's a big country. Its a nuclear country. Its a country that we should get along with."

Trump has repeatedly called for a more conciliatory approach toward Russia, even as suspicions mount about interactions between current and former Trump associates and Russian officials.

The FBI has had a criminal investigation ongoing since last year, a probe since taken over by special counsel Robert Mueller.

And at least three different congressional committees are looking into those suspicious interactions, as well as U.S. intelligence conclusions that Russia interfered in last years presidential election.


U.S. President Donald Trump says he believes that U.S. relations with Russia will improve. Speaking on August 28 at a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Washington, Trump called Russia "a big country" and added, "I think we will eventually get along with Russia." (AP)
Marim Matkarimov says he just wanted to take a stroll to lose some weight. Instead, he spent the night in a detention center in his hometown of Urgench, in western Uzbekistan.

He wasn't alone.

Matkarimov was among 3,706 people detained by police overnight on August 26-27 for what provincial police initially described as taking aimless strolls.

The figure -- and the reasoning -- appeared on the official website of the police department of Khorezm Province, where Urgench is located. The statement also said that several of the detainees were fined and others got preventative conversations with officials before being released.

The text has since been removed.

But authorities have provided no further details.

Uzbekistan has tightened security in the run-up to Independence Day celebrations on September 1, marking the country's exit from the Soviet Union in 1991.

I was walking on the street...around midnight. Suddenly, a police vehicle came and took me to a police station."

But the Interior Ministry's press department announced that police in Urgench did not have any instruction to detain citizens.

Asked by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service, Zokir Ismoilov, a spokesman for the Khorezm police, declined to say what the legal basis for the detentions was.

"Good people dont walk the streets at night," Ismoilov added.

An Urgench-based lawyer told RFE/RL that "strolling without a purpose is not a criminal offense or a violation of any law...unless a nighttime curfew has been announced."

The lawyer spoke on condition of anonymity, citing potential government pressure in the tightly controlled country.



Any citizen can walk with or without any purpose at any time they wish, he said.

Matkarimov says he is overweight and suffers from high blood pressure and that doctors have recommended that he walk 5 or 6 kilometers every day.

I was walking on the street...around midnight, he says. Suddenly, a police vehicle came and took me to a police station. I spent the night in the detention center. A trial took place in the morning, and I was fined and let go.

Matkarimov says his specific offense was not carrying a valid ID.

The Urgench police move did not sit well in the capital, Tashkent, where officials criticized the provincial authorities for overstepping their authorities and violating peoples rights.

The news of the arrest of nearly 4,000 people has obviously prompted concerns in society, the Interior Ministry's press department said, adding it hoped the Khorezm police would not repeat similar mistakes in the future.

Written by RFE/RL correspondent Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service
Exhuming and analyzing more bodies, the police have found evidence of 84 more murders, which would make Hoegel one of Germanys worst ever serial killers. Some others possible victims were cremated. Hoegel injected patients with an overdose of unprescribed heart medication in order to revive them and show off his nursing skills, a court heard during his initial trial. He worked at the Oldenburg hospital from 1999 to 2002 and in Delmenhorst from 2003 to 2005. Johann Kuehme, the Oldenburg police chief, told journalists at a press conference Monday that the number of victims had left authorities speechless.



Niels Hoegel

Authorities are pursuing now criminal cases against former staff at the two clinics because they say many of the deaths could have possibly been prevented if someone decided to alert authorities. Prosecutors are expected to try Hoegel on at least some of the additional killings but Germanys judicial system does not allow for consecutive sentences, so future convictions wont affect his life term. The identities of the suspected 84 victims havent been released.
Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei provided a number of scientific insights that laid the foundation for future scientists. His investigation of the laws of motion and improvements on the telescope helped further the understanding of the world and universe around him. Both led him to question the current belief of the time  that all things revolved around the Earth.

[See also our overview of Famous Astronomers and great scientists from many fields who have contributed to the rich history of discoveries in astronomy.]

Galileo's Experiments

The Ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, taught that heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones, a belief still held in Galileo's lifetime. But Galileo wasn't convinced. Experimenting with balls of different sizes and weights, he rolled them down ramps with various inclinations. His experiments revealed that all of the balls boasted the same acceleration independent of their mass - although some modern physicists remain determined to prove him wrong . He also demonstrated that objects thrown in the air travel along a parabola.

At the same time, Galileo worked with pendulums. In his life, accurate timekeeping was virtually nonexistent. Galileo observed, however, that the steady motion of a pendulum could improve this. In 1602, he determined that the time it takes a pendulum to swing back and forth does not depend on the arc of the swing. Near the end of his lifetime, Galileo designed the first pendulum clock.

Galileo's Telescope

Galileo is often incorrectly credited with the creation of a telescope. (Hans Lippershey applied for the first patent in 1608, but others may have beaten him to the actual invention.) Instead, he significantly improved upon them. In 1609, he first learned of the existence of the spyglass, which excited him. He began to experiment with telescope-making, going so far as to grind and polish his own lenses. His telescope allowed him to see with a magnification of eight or nine times. In comparison, spyglasses of the day only provided a magnification of three.

It wasn't long before Galileo turned his telescope to the heavens. He was the first to see craters on the moon, he discovered sunspots, and he tracked the phases of Venus. The rings of Saturn puzzled him, appearing as lobes and vanishing when they were edge-on  but he saw them, which was more than can be said of his contemporaries.

Of all of his telescope discoveries, he is perhaps most known for his discovery of the four most massive moons of Jupiter, now known as the Galilean moons: Io, Ganymede, Europa and Callisto. When NASA sent a mission to Jupiter in the 1990s, it was called Galileo in honor of the famed astronomer.

In his book "Sidereus Nuncius" ("Starry Messenger"), published in 1610, Galileo wrote:

"On the 7th day of January in the present year, 1610, in the first hour of the following night, when I was viewing the constellations of the heavens through a telescope, the planet Jupiter presented itself to my view, and as I had prepared for myself a very excellent instrument, I noticed a circumstance which I had never been able to notice before, namely that three little stars, small but very bright, were near the planet; and although I believed them to belong to a number of the fixed stars, yet they made me somewhat wonder, because they seemed to be arranged exactly in a straight line, parallel to the ecliptic, and to be brighter than the rest of the stars, equal to them in magnitude . . . When on January 8th, led by some fatality, I turned again to look at the same part of the heavens, I found a very different state of things, for there were three little stars all west of Jupiter, and nearer together than on the previous night."

"I therefore concluded, and decided unhesitatingly, that there are three stars in the heavens moving about Jupiter, as Venus and Mercury around the Sun; which was at length established as clear as daylight by numerous other subsequent observations. These observations also established that there are not only three, but four, erratic sidereal bodies performing their revolutions around Jupiter."

Illustration of Galileo demonstrating his telescope (Image credit: Photos.com via Getty)

Galileo may also have made the first recorded studies of the planet Neptune, though he didn't recognize it as a planet. While observing Jupiter's moons in 1612 and 1613, he recorded a nearby star whose position is not found in any modern catalogues.

"It has been known for several decades that this unknown star was actually the planet Neptune," University of Melbourne physicist David Jamieson told Space.com. "Computer simulations show the precision of his observations revealing that Neptune would have looked just like a faint star almost exactly where Galileo observed it."

Copernican System

In Galileo's lifetime, all celestial bodies were thought to orbit the Earth. Supported by the Catholic Church, teaching opposite of this system was declared heresy in 1615.

Galileo, however, did not agree. His research  including his observations of the phases of Venus and the fact that Jupiter boasted moons that didn't orbit Earth  supported the Copernican system, which (correctly) stated that the Earth and other planets circle the sun.

A 19th century engraving of Galileo at the Inquisition (Image credit: traveler1116 via Getty)

In 1616, he was summoned to Rome and warned not to teach or write about this controversial theory. But in 1632, believing that he could write on the subject if he treated it as a mathematical proposition, he published work on the Copernican system. He was found guilty of heresy, and was placed under house arrest for the remaining nine years of his life.

Today, Galileo is finally recognized for his groundbreaking discoveries, for which he is remembered as the "father of modern science".

Related: 'Galileo Project' will search for evidence of extraterrestrial life from the technology it leaves behind

Galileo Quotes

"And yet it moves."

"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him."

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."

"You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it within himself."

"It is a beautiful and delightful sight to behold the body of the Moon."

"Wine is sunlight, held together by water."

 Find other quotes at GoodReads.com.

Additional resources
This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Forty years ago, NASA launched Voyager I and II to explore the outer solar system. The twin spacecraft both visited Jupiter and Saturn; from there Voyager I explored the hazy moon Titan, while Voyager II became the first (and, to date, only) probe to explore Uranus and Neptune. Since they move too quickly and have too little propellant to stop themselves, both spacecraft are now on what NASA calls their Interstellar Mission, exploring the space between the stars as they head out into the galaxy.

Instructions to a far-off listener. (Image credit: NASA/JPL)

The grooves of the records record both ordinary audio and 115 encoded images. A team led by astronomer Carl Sagan selected the contents, chosen to embody a message representative of all of humanity. They settled on elements such as audio greetings in 55 languages, the brain waves of a young woman in love (actually the project's creative director Ann Druyan, days after falling in love with Carl Sagan), a wide-ranging selection of musical excerpts from Blind Willie Johnson to honkyoku, technical drawings and images of people from around the world, including Saan Hunters, city traffic and a nursing mother and child.Both craft carry Golden Records: 12-inch phonographic gold-plated copper records, along with needles and cartridges, all designed to last indefinitely in interstellar space. Inscribed on the records' covers are instructions for their use and a sort of map designed to describe the Earths location in the galaxy in a way that extraterrestrials might understand.

Since we still have not detected any alien life, we cannot know to what degree the records would be properly interpreted. Researchers still debate what forms such messages should take. For instance, should they include a star map identifying Earth? Should we focus on ourselves, or all life on Earth? Should we present ourselves as we are, or as comics artist Jack Kirby would have had it, as the exuberant, self-confident super visions with which we've clothed ourselves since time immemorial?

What message would you send to outer space? (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

But the records serve a broader purpose than spreading the word that we're here on our blue marble. After all, given the vast distances between the stars, it's not realistic to expect an answer to these messages within many human lifetimes. So why send them and does their content even matter? Referring to earlier, similar efforts with the Pioneer spacecraft, Carl Sagan wrote, the greater significance of the Pioneer 10 plaque is not as a message to out there; it is as a message to back here. The real audience of these kinds of messages is not ET, but humanity.

Pioneer 10's plaque: 'Hi, we're here.' (Image credit: NASA, CC BY)

In this light, 40 years' hindsight shows the experiment to be quite a success, as they continue to inspire research and reflection.

Only two years after the launch of these messages to the stars, Star Trek: The Motion Picture imagined the success of similar efforts by (the fictional) Voyager VI. Since then, there have been Ph.D. theses written on the records' content, investigations into the identity of the person heard laughing and successful crowdfunded efforts to reissue the records themselves for home playback.

The choice to include music has inspired introspection on the nature of music as a human endeavor, and what it would (or even could) mean to an alien species. If an ET even has ears, it's still far from clear whether it would or could appreciate rhythm, tones, vocal inflection, verbal language or even art of any kind. As music scholars Nelson and Polansky put it, By imagining an Other listening, we reflect back upon ourselves, and open our selves and cultures to new musics and understandings, other possibilities, different worlds.

Engineers mount the Golden Record and secure its cover on Voyager 1. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech, CC BY)

The records also represent humanity's deliberate effort to put artifacts among the stars. Unlike everything on Earth, which is subject to erosion and all but inevitable destruction (from the sun's eventual demise, if nothing else), the Golden Records are essentially eternal, a permanent time capsule of humanity. And unlike the Voyager spacecraft themselves  which were designed to have finite lifespans and whose journey into interstellar space was incidental to their primary function of exploring the outer planets  the Golden Records' only purpose is to serve as ambassadors of humanity to the stars.

Placing artifacts in interstellar space thus makes the galaxy subject to the social studies, in addition to astronomy. The Golden Records mark our claim to interstellar space as part of our cultural landscape and heritage, and once the Voyager spacecraft themselves are not functional any longer, they will become proper achaeological objects. They are, in a sense, how we as a species have planted our flag of exploration in space. Anthropologist Michael Oman-Reagan muses, Has NASA been to interstellar space because this spacecraft has? Have we, as a human species, [now] been to interstellar space?

I would argue we have, and we are a better species for it. Like the Pioneer plaques and the Arecibo Message before them, the Golden Records inspire us to broaden our minds about what it means to be human; what we value as humans; and about our place and role in the cosmos by having us imagine what we might, or might not, have in common with any alien species our Voyagers eventually encounter on their very long journeys.

Jason Wright, Associate Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University
A team of students from Germany sent a carbon-plastic pod whizzing through a tube at 201 mph (324 km/h) last weekend, securing the top spot in Elon Musk's second Hyperloop competition.

Musk, the founder of SpaceX, Tesla and brain-interface company Neuralink, aims to revolutionize transportation with his Hyperloop concept, which he envisions as a series of underground vacuum tubes through which transportation pods levitated by air would zoom at nearly the speed of sound.

In January, SpaceX held its first Hyperloop Competition for students to test prototypes of pods. The winning team, WARR Hyperloop from the Technical University of Munich, again took top prize in the second Hyperloop Pod Competition, which was held between Aug. 25 and 27. The team's pod was one of only three that met the technical criteria for testing inside the 0.8-mile (1.28 km) tube at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. [Hyperloop, Jetpacks & More: 9 Futuristic Transit Ideas]

The WARR Hyperloop pod was a complete redesign of the team's first winning structure, the student engineers wrote on their website. Made of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic, the pod weighs only 176 lbs. (80 kilograms) and can accelerate from zero to 217 mph (350 km/h) in just 12 seconds.

The pod is a prototype, as SpaceX's test tube is a mere 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter. But Musk envisions tunnels that can accommodate 6,800-lb. (3,100 kg) pods holding up to 28 people each, as he wrote in a white paper introducing the concept in 2014. Musk's vision is that the Hyperloop would provide fast transportation between cities less than about 900 miles (1,500 kilometers) apart. He claims the Hyperloop system could whisk people from San Francisco to Los Angeles, or from Munich to Berlin, in about 30 minutes. That would require speeds of about 760 mph (1,220 km/h).

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The WARR team's winning pod is powered by an electric motor and lithium-polymer batteries. Pneumatic brakes provide stopping power and stabilizers dampen vibrations at high speeds. In the SpaceX testing, the brakes decelerated the pod from its peak 201-mph speed in 3 seconds. On Twitter, Musk noted that fast accelerations and decelerations are necessary because of the test tube's short length, but a real system would spread the speed changes over miles, "so no spilt drinks," he said. Musk's plans include making the systems entirely self-powered by installing solar panels above the tunnels.

The SpaceX test track isn't the only one where futuristic transportation pods have been tested. Since Musk published his Hyperloop manifesto, a series of unaffiliated private companies and academic groups have tackled the challenge of turning this futuristic transportation concept into a reality. Hyperloop One unveiled its 1,640-foot-long (500 m) Nevada test track earlier in 2017. The first European test track also opened this year, built by the company Hardt Global Mobility. Another company, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, made a deal in 2015 to build a 5-mile test track along California's Interstate 5, but there has been little forward progress on permitting and construction since then, according to a January 2017 article on the company by Inverse Innovation.

The WARR Hyperloop team poses for a group photo with Elon Musk. (Image credit: Warr Hyperloop)

As the enthusiasm of these companies shows, Musk's Hyperloop concept has some momentum behind it. But the technology is far from bulletproof, physicist James Powell, the co-inventor of superconducting maglev systems, told Live Science in 2015. Safety is a particular issue, Powell said: A slight kink in the tunnels  perhaps caused by one of California's frequent earthquakes  could ruin the system. The air compressor that levitates the traveling capsules and the equipment that maintains low air pressure in the tunnels would both have to be fail-proof, he added, because a loss of air pressure or vacuum would mean an immediate crash.

Original article on Live Science.
Some eclipse watchers reportedly put sunscreen on their eyeballs during last week's solar eclipse, in what appears to be a misguided effort to protect their eyes from sun damage.

According to KRCR, a local news outlet in Redding, California, a few patients visited a nearby clinic complaining of pain after they put sunscreen on their eyeballs during the eclipse on Aug. 21. They did this because they did not have protective glasses to view the eclipse, KRCR reported.

"One of my colleaguesstated yesterday that they had patients presenting at their clinic that put sunscreen on their eyeball," Trish Patterson, a nurse practitioner at Prestige Urgent Care in Redding, told KRCR. These patients had eye pain and were referred to an ophthalmologist, Patterson said. [27 Oddest Medical Case Reports]

So far, Patterson said she and her colleagues haven't seen any patients with eye damage from looking at last week's eclipse.

There are several ways to view a solar eclipse safety, but putting sunscreen on your eyeballs is not one of them. In fact, sunscreen labels usually warn users not to get the product in their eyes, because sunscreen can cause eye pain and irritation.

People who get sunscreen in their eye should immediately rinse their eye with water for 15 to 20 minutes, according to National Capital Poison Center, an accredited poison control center in Washington, D.C.

If you want to look at a solar eclipse, you need to use special eclipse glasses or solar viewers that contain solar filters, according to the American Astronomical Society. Without proper eye protection, looking directly at the sun can cause serious eye damage.

Original article on Live Science.
A footprint of the area that was captured the morning Aug. 26 as Hurricane Harvey was underway.

SAN FRANCISCO  Ursa Space Systems, a geospatial data and analytics company, is using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery to monitor flooding along the Texas Gulf Coast caused by Hurricane Harvey.

On Aug. 27, Ursa released images of Corpus Christi, Texas, showing the impact of the hurricane. Through its partnership with Italy's e-Geos, the company owned by Telespazio and the Italian space agency ASI that operates four Cosmos-SkyMed SAR satellites, Ursa compared images of Corpus Christi taken in June with images of the same area taken on Aug. 26.

SAR imagery is particularly useful for this type of application because unlike optical imagery it is not hampered by clouds or darkness.

Ursa plans to continue to provide updated imagery as a public service at: http://ursaspace.com/2017/08/27/ursa-provides-information-harvey/

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.
A space rock is approaching Earth! And although it would be irresponsible to shout "Incoming!" in a hypothetical movie theater and create a panic, asteroid 2012 TC4 will pass quite close to Earth's surface when it zips safely by our planet later this year.

Teams of scientists from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) that monitor the locations of near-Earth objects have been tracking asteroid 2012 TC4 with various instruments, including the ESA's Very Large Telescope Observatory. Those observations have made it possible to better predict when the asteroid will make its flyby of Earth, and just how close it will get to the planet. Observing close flybys like this also helps prepare teams to detect a near-Earth asteroid whose course might pose a threat to Earth.

2012 TC4 will fly by Earth on Oct. 12 at a distance of about 27,000 miles (43,500 kilometers), or about one-eighth the distance to the moon. Previous observations suggested the space rock might come to within 4,200 miles (6,800 kilometers), according to a statement from NASA.[Enormous Asteroid 'Florence' Will Safely Fly by Earth Sept. 1]

This animation depicts the Earth flyby of asteroid 2012 TC4 on Oct. 12, 2017. While scientists cannot yet predict exactly how close the space rock will approach, they are sure it wont get closer than 4,200 miles (6,800 kilometers) from Earth's surface. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech )

Scientists are interested in this asteroid not only because of its close approach, but also because of its size: The asteroid is between 30 and 100 feet (10 and 30 meters) across, or the same general size as the rock that exploded above the Russian city of Chelyabinsk in February 2013.

NASA-funded astronomers from the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN)  which was formed by a United Nations subcommittee  will be conducting additional observations of the asteroid in the weeks leading up to the flyby "as part of an exercise of the recovery, characterization and reporting of a potentially hazardous object approaching Earth," according to the news release.

On Oct. 12, 2017, asteroid 2012 TC4 will safely fly past Earth. Scientists now believe the asteroid will pass 27,000 miles (43,500 kilometers) away from Earth's surface. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

"This is a team effort that involves more than a dozen observatories, universities and labs across the globe so we can collectively learn the strengths and limitations of our near-Earth object observation capabilities," said Vishnu Reddy of the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Tucson, who leads the campaign to track and characterize 2012 TC4 for the IAWN. "This effort will exercise the entire system, to include the initial and follow-up observations, precise orbit determination, and international communications."

Follow Doris Elin Salazar on Twitter @salazar_elin. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
As the rain continues today (Aug. 29), NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston is bracing for more flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey.

According to JSC's emergency management news service, the space center will remain closed today to non-mission-essential personnel  total rainfall has reached more than 42 inchesat the building that houses NASA's Mission Control, the service said. Flash flood warnings will continue until 11:15 p.m. local time.

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The JSC's emergency Twitter feed has continually posted updates, stating earlier today that they will evaluate when it's safe for teams to check the facility's rooms and infrastructure.

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Tropical Storm Harvey fills the International Space Station's cupola in this photo taken by NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik. (Image credit: Randy Bresnik/ Twitter

Meanwhile, NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite has monitored the storm's rapid intensification, NASA officials said in a statement.

"The images show Harvey's maximum wind speeds increased from approximately 56 miles per hour (25 meters per second) to about 107 miles per hour (47.8 meters per second) in the 36 hours just before landfall," NASA officials said. Several other US spacecraft have also kept tabs on the storm.

Ocean surface wind speeds as imaged by NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite on Aug. 24 and Aug. 26. Red indicates highest wind speed. (Image credit: NASA/JPL)

Aboard the International Space Station, crew members continue to document the storm's sprawling swirl: "This massive storm covers much of the horizon from up here," NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik wrote yesterday (Aug. 28).

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At least nine have died, and more than 30,000 people in Houston and the Gulf Coast may need temporary shelter in the wake of the storm, which hit Texas' southeast coast Friday night (Aug. 25), the Los Angeles Times reported. The area continues to be dangerous in the face of sustained flooding.

"As soon as it becomes possible, we will assess the damage, rebuild, support each other and continue carrying out our mission," Ellen Ochoa, JSC's director, wrote in an update this morning. "My thoughts are with you as we weather this storm together."

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Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
The Victoria's Secret fashion show 2017 is heading to Shanghai, it has been confirmed.

After much speculation, the lingerie giant today revealed that it will be travelling to China's biggest metropolis for its annual runway extravaganza.

Having previously staged the majority of its shows in New York, with the occasional display in LA, one in Cannes in 2000 and another in London in 2014, Victoria's Secret last year took its host of models and angels to Paris to showcase its lingerie in the city of love.

Among the biggest names returning to the iconic runway this year are Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel, Jasmine Tookes, and Stella Maxwell.

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 - the castings 1 /13 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 - the castings Victoria's Secret castings Shanina Shaik Rex Features Victoria's Secret castings Lily Donaldson Rex Features Victoria's Secret castings Cindy Mello Rex Features Victoria's Secret castings Charlee Fraser Rex Features Victoria's Secret castings Hilary Rhoda Rex Features Victoria's Secret castings Sofia Resing Rex Features Victoria's Secret castings Hannah Ferguson Rex Features Victoria's Secret castings Dilone Rex Features Victoria's Secret castings Maryna Linchuk Rex Features Victoria's Secret castings Derlyn Perez Rex Features

Joining them are a number of new recruits, including Frida Aasen, Victoria Lee, Vanessa Moody, Nadine Leopold, Bruna Lirio, Gizele Oliveira, Aiden Curtis and Alexina Graham.

Sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid have also confirmed their position on the 2017 runway, having made their debuts in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

"Forever and ever and ever a dream come true to be asked back to the VS Show !!!" Gigi wrote on Instagram to announce her news.

"Thank you my friends @ed_razek @10magazine @johndavidpfeiffer @monica.mitro for another unforgettable opportunity; every aspect makes me feel like a dreaming kid again."

Bella also took to Instagram to break the news, writing: "@victoriassecret I am so excited!..!!!!"

"I feel so crazy humbled to get the opportunity to be a part of this show again...Walking into the offices this year i felt so happy, healthy, and honored.. I can't wait for another incredible experience!!!"

"Congrats to all of the beautiful ladies I will be walking beside. I can't wait!"

But while the Hadids are set for Shanghai, is it so far unknown whether good friend Kendall Jenner will be making the trip this year.

Victoria's Secret fashion show: 2016 models 1 /70 Victoria's Secret fashion show: 2016 models Kendall Jenner Age: 20

First VS show walk: 2015

No. of VS shows walked: 1 Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Adriana Lima Age: 35

First VS show walk: 1999

No. of VS shows walked: 14 Bryan Bedder/Getty Images Gigi Hadid Age: 21

First VS show walk: 2015

No. of VS shows walked: 1 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Brooke Perry Age: 24

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 instagram/brookeperry92 Lily Aldridge Age: 30

First VS show walk: 2009

No. of VS shows walked: 6 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Bella Hadid Age: 20

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Izabel Goulart Age: 32

First VS show walk: 2005

No. of VS shows walked: 11 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Camille Rowe Age: 26

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Ben Gabbe/Getty Images Devon Windsor Age: 22

First VS show walk: 2013

No. of VS shows walked: 3 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Leomie Anderson Age: 23

First VS show walk: 2015

No. of VS shows walked: 1 Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Ming Xi Age: 27

First VS show walk: 2013

No. of VS shows walked: 3 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Sara Sampaio Age: 25

First VS show walk: 2013

No. of VS shows walked: 3 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Luma Grothe Age: 22

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Stella Maxwell Age: 25

First VS show walk: 2014

No. of VS shows walked: 2 Getty Images Irina Shayk Age: 30

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Josephine Skriver Age: 23

First VS show walk: 2013

No. of VS shows walked: 3 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Elsa Hosk Age: 27

First VS show walk: 2011

No. of VS shows walked: 5 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Kate Grigorieva Age: 27

First VS show walk: 2014

No. of VS shows walked: 2 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Bridget Malcolm Age: 24

First VS show walk: 2015

No. of VS shows walked: 1 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Taylor Hill Age: 20

First VS show walk: 2014

No. of VS shows walked: 2 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Megan Williams Age: 22

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images Rachel Hilbert Age: 21

First VS show walk: 2015

No. of VS shows walked: 1 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Vita Sidorkina Age: 22

First VS show walk: 2015

No. of VS shows walked: 1 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Sui He Age: 27

First VS show walk: 2011

No. of VS shows walked: 5 Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Herieth Paul Age: 20

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Liu Wen Age: 28

First VS show walk: 2009

No. of VS shows walked: 4 Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Alanna Arrington Age: 17

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Maggie Laine Age: 19

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 instagram/maggievlaine Joan Smalls Age: 28

First VS show walk: 2011

No. of VS shows walked: 5 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Zuri Tibby Age: 21

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images Martha Hunt Age: 27

First VS show walk: 2013

No. of VS shows walked: 3 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Dilone Age: 21

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images Constance Jablonski Age: 25

First VS show walk: 2010

No. of VS shows walked: 6 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Valery Kaufman Age: 22

First VS show walk: 2015

No. of VS shows walked: 1 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Lameka Fox Age: 18

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Mireya Acierto/Getty Images Lily Donaldson Age: 29

First VS show walk: 2010

No. of VS shows walked: 6 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Barbara Fialho Age: 28

First VS show walk: 2012

No. of VS shows walked: 4 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Alessandra Ambrosio Age: 35

First VS show walk: 2000

No. of VS shows walked: 15 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Sanne Vloet Age: 22

First VS show walk: 2015

No. of VS shows walked: 1 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Flavia Lucini Age: 27

First VS show walk: 2015

No. of VS shows walked: 1 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Keke Lindgard Age: 22

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Xiao Wen Ju Age: 27

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Andreas Rentz/Getty Images Maria Borges Age: 24

First VS show walk: 2013

No. of VS shows walked: 3 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Cindy Bruna Age: 22

First VS show walk: 2013

No. of VS shows walked: 3 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Georgia Fowler Age: 24

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Lais Ribeiro Age: 25

First VS show walk: 2010

No. of VS shows walked: 5 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Jourdana Elizabeth First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images Daniela Braga Age: 24

First VS show walk: 2014

No. of VS shows walked: 2 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Kelly Gale Age: 21

First VS show walk: 2013

No. of VS shows walked: 2 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Lais Oliveira Age: 27

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Mike Coppola/Getty Images Romee Strijd Age: 21

First VS show walk: 2014

No. of VS shows walked: 2 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Jasmine Tookes Age: 25

First VS show walk: 2012

No. of VS shows walked: 4 Tristan Fewings/Getty Images Grace Elizabeth Age: 19

First VS show walk: 2016

No. of VS shows walked: 0 Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show will be broadcast on Tuesday November 28, 2017.

Highlights from the Victoria's Secret Show 2016

Keep an eye on this page to stay up to date with all the Victoria's Secret fashion show news.
Boot-cut or boyfriend. Straight-cut or skinny. We all have our favourite pair, our brunch n hangover pair and the little-too-tight pair that we cant quite throw away because we will definitely, maybe get back into them one day.

Denim is the constant yet always evolving hero of our wardrobes - and one weve long believed that nothing could replace. But our loyalty to our trusty blues is about to be tested as theres a new rival for our off-duty affections.

Corduroy - a fabric long associated with geography teachers and dodgy Seventies settees - is making a comeback. Yeah, yeah, I hear you cry. I remember corduroys last revival. And the one before that. And the one before that. But this time things are different.

While cord is proving a prevailing trend for autumn, from the Prada catwalk to the window displays of Urban Outfitters, theres one brand in particular hoping to cut a new groove.

Shirt, 146, and Bud pants, 128, from The Cords & Co

Founded in Stockholm, The Cords & Co is the worlds first and only premium brand to concentrate solely on corduroy, with the hope of turning the humble fabric into 2017s answer to jeans.

There are lots of brands that have done their take on corduroy but there has never been a brand that has completely dedicated themselves to it, says founder Mikael Soderlindh. I am convinced that people are looking for a lasting alternative to denim. We want people all over the world to rediscover their love for corduroy.

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As the co-founder of Happy Socks - a brand which turned conversation-starting socks into a multi-million-pound empire - and chairman of cult rainwear brand Stutterheim, Soderlindh has proven his knack for spotting a gap in the market. And, with six flagship stores opening this week in cities including New York, LA and Paris, plus the launch of an online store in 20 countries, hes not shy to shout about corduroys potential.

Its London store in Sohos Silver Place, just off Beak Street, opens on Thursday and will be home to mens, womens and unisex corduroy creations, along with collaborations including Alpha Industries and Eastpak.

Cap, 55 from The Cords & Co

But business aside, corduroy first struck a chord with Soderlindh when he was a kid. Since I was very young I have always had a passion for corduroy and the comfort of it. And he believes that many people have nostalgic ties to the fabric.

Everyone has a relationship to it or a memory they associate with it, and that is something we do not want to take away, but we also want corduroy to be a part of the contemporary culture.

Elin pants, 134 from The Cords & Co

Linnea Bach Garde, a former designer for Scandi brands Filippa K and J Lindeberg who is now bringing her flair and fingerspitzengefuhl to The Cords & Co as design director, also harbours a long-term love.

For my seventh birthday I remember I got this mustard corduroy skirt from my parents. I loved it and would want to wear it every day if I could. Ill definitely be updating my wardrobe with a cord skirt this autumn. Another favourite of hers is the Lea pant - a wide, straight-leg trouser currently available in white, charcoal and ochre.

Skirt, 110 from The Cords & Co

Among the other hero pieces in the debut collection are biker jackets and fishtail parkas, along with cord interpretations of iconic jersey pieces such as hoodies, crew-neck sweaters and T-shirts.

And not forgetting, of course, corduroys most classic incarnation.

Our focus and foundation will always be the five-pocket pant, says Soderlindh, but the versatility of corduroy makes it possible to create so many different styles and, by adding prints, different washes and embroideries, you get a contemporary look that has not been done before.

Trucker jacket, 183, and Sofia pants, 156 from The Cords & Co

In fact, corduroy is far from a one-trick pony. As Garde explains, the grooves are measured in width per wales, ranging from a jumbo eight-wale cord (think McCains crinkle-cut fries) through to a 23-wale needlecord, which is ideal for shirts and tops, while the fabric itself can be created from cotton and wool or even silk and cashmere.

And for those who have always shied away from double denim, what about co-ordinating cord? I love the idea of dressing in a complete corduroy outfit, she says. A trucker jacket with a pair of wide-leg cord pants in poppy red is one of my favourite looks, or you can mix and match cords in different wales and colours. This is what I hope people will dare to do. Groovy.
T housands of performers are currently sitting on a train back from Edinburgh right now, battling a mixture of exhaustion, relief and euphoria, perhaps having a well-deserved nap. Why? Because this years Fringe Festival came to an end last night.

Another successful year - its 70th in fact - has seen audiences snapping up tickets to some of the best upcoming new theatre, comedy, dance, and the otherwise uncategorisable. This weekend, John Robins and Hannah Gadsby made history by being named the first ever joint winners of this years Edinburgh Comedy Award. (Natalie Palamides scooped best newcomer).

If youve been wistfully reading the reviews and thinking, that sounds good. I wish I, person who lives in London, could see it, then rejoice - many of the shows are coming to the capital.

Heres where you can catch a few of this years most exciting Fringe shows.

John Robins

This years joint-Edinburgh Comedy Award winner is taking his show The Darkness of Robins, about his break-up with comedian Sara Pascoe, on tour next year. So far he has two dates at Leicester Square Theatre booked for next March - lets hope his award success provides an opportunity to see it a bit earlier. The other winner, Hannah Gadsby, says shes quitting comedy and has no further UK dates announced.

March 14-15, Leicester Square Theatre; leicestersquaretheatre.com

Sara Pascoe

Want to hear the other side of the story? Pascoe also wrote a show about her break-up with Robins - it wasnt nominated for the Comedy Awards but received great reviews. There are no specific dates for LadsLadsLads, but Pascoe is doing a couple of shows in London later this year.

Bush Hall on October 28, Union Chapel on November 11

Wild Bore

Dont be deceived by the name - this show is far from boring. Three award-winning comedians - Zoe Coombs Marr, Ursula Martinez and Adrienne Truscott - have made a show about critics and how they respond to art. Be part of the conversation as the comedic supergroup have loads of fun whilst critiquing critics.

November 21 - December 16, Soho Theatre; sohotheatre.com

DollyWould

Sh!t Theatres tribute to two of the best Dollys in history - Parton, and the 90s legend cloned sheep - won praise from our critic Veronica Lee as a daft but lovable show that stands out from the herd (sorry). You can catch it at Camden Peoples Theatre this October.

October 2-5, Camden Peoples Theatre; cpt.org.uk

Not I

Jess Thoms performance of Samuel Becketts Not I was one of the most eagerly anticipated, then heavily-talked about performances of the Fringe. Becketts famous 9-minute monologue for a disembodied mouth is a tongue-twister; as Thom has Tourettes, her performance asks who can perform what. It will come to Battersea Arts Centre next year as part of their Reclaiming the Classics season.

February 28 - March 17, Battersea Arts Centre; bac.org.uk

Dave Johns

The star of I, Daniel Blake was a stand-up comic before he was plucked for the plum title role in Ken Loachs Palme dor-winning film about the effects of austerity. The Hollywood world he experienced after the films success was always going to offer plenty of great material, so its only right that Johns made a show about it. I, Fillum Star will be at Soho Theatre in November.

November 6-18, Soho Theatre; sohotheatre.com

Heather

Verity Bargate Award-winning writer Thomas Eccleshares play about a reclusive childrens author has stirred fierce debate whilst at Edinburgh - see what all the fuss is about when it comes to the Bush Theatre this autumn.

October 31 - November 18, Bush Theatre; bushtheatre.co.uk

Mae Martin

Martin received a Comedy Award nomination for her show Dope, officially classifying it as one of the best. She explores her tendencies to become addicted and obsessed in her latest show, which is coming to Soho in September.

September 18-30, Soho Theatre; sohotheatre.com

How to Win Against History

For the second year in a row, this songs and sequins-laden show has taken the Fringe by storm. Its about a cross-dressing Marquess - and it comes to the Young Vic this December, so it will make a fabulous festive evening.

November 30 - December 30, Young Vic; youngvic.org

Natalie Palamides

The LA-based comedian nabbed the Best Newcomer award at this years Edinburgh Comedy Awards. The accolade is sure to catapult Palamides to stardom, so make sure you catch her at Soho.

November 6-18, Soho Theatre; sohotheatre.com
A n Australian Instagrammer has revealed how practising nude yoga has helped her to overcome her insecurities about her body and feel more empowered.

Jessa OBrien, who blogs under the alias The Nude Blogger, has explained how shedding her clothes during her yoga practice has allowed her to accept her rolls, and to love [her] body more.

Yoga is all about connecting mind, body and spirit. Doing it nude in a safe environment only enhances those feelings, she told MailOnline.

Learning to accept and love yourself is invaluable. Yoga is not what you see on Instagram - its not all perfect bodies and downward dogs.

Im quite a slim woman, but when I bend over, I have rolls. Nude yoga has helped me to accept myself and love my body more.

OBrien, who regularly shares empowering nude photographs of herself on Instagram, says she first discovered her love for naked yoga while experimenting during a trip to Portugal.

[Naked yoga] is about getting naked in both aspects of the word, physically and metaphysically, she writes, adding: It is a gentle facilitation into vulnerability, self-acceptance, truth.

The 28-year-old yogi has garnered over 54,000 Instagram followers, thanks to her uplifting posts on body positivity.

In several of the posts, she writes about how she has been skinny-shamed throughout her life, pointing out that body shaming, in any form, is unacceptable.

For years I have become accustomed to people so freely and mindlessly commenting on my weight, and doing so without even batting an eyelid, she writes.

Having been slim for most of my life, I experience the other end of the spectrum that's not spoken about anywhere near enough when it comes to body standards and positivity.

No one should ever be made to feel inferior or excluded in any way, because of their size skinny or fat.

She goes on to challenge her followers to try to take the focus off of body types and features.

OBrien previously made headlines after her Instagram profile, where she regularly poses nude, was deactivated by the social media giant for breaching its nudity policy.

The blogger complained in a post that Instagram gave her no warning that her account, which had some 42,000 followers at the time, was about to be removed.

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, she wrote.

Several emails to Instagram later, the blogger managed to get her account re-instated after uproar from her legions of fans.

The 28-year-old took to the platform to call it a huge win for body positivity.

I have embarked on a tireless crusade against the social media giants to raise awareness about body positivity, the blogger said. She added that she wanted to: expose the contradictory nature of Instagram's blurred guidelines that only exacerbate appalling double standards.

OBrien is now hoping to bring her nude yoga to Australias Gold Coast with a series of naked workshops.
T housands of people descended on west London over the Bank Holiday weekend as Notting Hill Carnival brought two days of dancing, steel bands, flamboyant costumes and colourful floats to the streets of W11.

The annual carnival, which celebrates community, culture and freedom of expression, is one of the best opportunities of the year for Londoners and tourists alike throw on their dancing shoes and enjoy the last days of summer in the capital - and this year was no exception.

The scorching temperatures meant that crowds enjoyed the festivities on what was officially the hottest August Bank Holiday Monday on record.

Across Notting Hill, revellers shared Instagram photos and videos of how the days festivities went down - and by the looks of things, it was one of the biggest and best celebrations yet.

In pictures: Notting Hill Carnival 2017 1 /22 In pictures: Notting Hill Carnival 2017 Dancers try to keep cool in the heat at Notting Hill Carnival Getty Images for RedBull Crowds flocked to the west London event Rex Features Dancers covered themselves in paint Getty Images Performers donning colourful outfits made their way through the streets Rex Features Revellers enjoying the sunshine at this year's Notting Hill Carnival Getty Images for RedBull Thousands of people joined in the celebrations at the 51st event Rex Features People of all ages dressed in colourful outfits took to the streets Rex Features Dancers donned colourful outfits Rex Features Dancers donned colourful outfits AFP/Getty Images Revellers take part in the traditional 'J'ouvert' opening ceremony Getty Images Dancers perform at the Family Day parade PA Sadiq Khan and MP Emma Dent Coad at the opening ceremony AFP/Getty Images Paint-covered revellers prepare for carnival Getty Images Performers enjoy the opening parade Getty Images Doves were released to honour Grenfell Tower victims PA Sadiq Khan took part in the dove release PA Firefighters joined crowds in a minute's silence for Grenfell victims on the street party's second day BBC Performers prepare to take part in the parade on the Monday PA Carnival performers parade in the sunshine on the main Parade day AFP/Getty Images A carnival performer poses in the sun AFP/Getty Images A performer poses on the main Parade day of the Notting Hill Carnival AFP/Getty Images A woman dances on day two of the Notting Hill Carnival in London Reuters

Photographs from the opening day saw grinning party-goers enjoying the music as they were swept along the streets of the capital in a tide of euphoric crowds.

Many stood on the sidelines to watch the vibrant parade go by, capturing the brightly coloured performers as they passed.

Others got stuck right into the heart of the action, joining the huge crowds that extended down the streets.

As usual, there were plenty of photos sharing the art of tucking into a portion of jerk chicken on-the-go.

While many took the day as the perfect opportunity to capture a group photo amid the action.

The joyful atmosphere was not lost on Instagrammers, who took to the platform to comment on how they "wish everyday could be carnival."

Notting Hill Carnival 2017 - day two 1 /21 Notting Hill Carnival 2017 - day two Two women wave for the cameras at the start of day two of Notting Hill Carnival REUTERS Carnival performers parade in the sunshine on the main Parade day of the Notting Hill Carnival AFP/Getty Images Hot stuff: Carnival-goers bask in what was predicted to be record levels of heat PA A woman dances in the sunshine at Carnival Rex Features A carnival performer poses for photos AFP/Getty Images A woman blows kisses to the camera as parades get underway on the second day of carnival AFP/Getty Images Carnival performers parade in the sunshine AFP/Getty Images A woman dances in the parade on day two of the 2017 Carnival REUTERS A woman gives a cheeky wiggle for photographers REUTERS Performers make their way to the start of the parade on the second and final day of the Notting Hill Carnival PA Dancers head to Carnival on the Tube Rex Features A dancer bares (almost) all ahead of the second day of Carnival PA There will be further commemorations for the Grenfell Tower victims later today PA Police officers pass performers ahead of the second day of Carnival PA Dancers from the Paraiso School of Samba observe their own minute's silence in memory of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire PA Performers prepare to take part in the parade PA Two women make their way to the start of the parade PA Juliana Campos and her nine-year-old daughter practice their moves before the start of the celebrations PA Four women in burlesque outfits get ready to wow the crowds at carnival PA Samba dancers prepare for their big day in the sun Rex Features Four dancers get ready to take part in the Carnival parade Rex Features

The event took extra significance this year following the tragic events at Grenfell Tower on June 14.

The parade route passed just half a mile away from the shadow of the building, and so revellers were encouraged to turn down their music and walk in silence in respect for the victims.

Many also chose to wear "green for Grenfell" to remember the fire victims, while others brought banners of support for the families of those affected along to the event.

During the first day of the carnival, Mayor Sadiq Khan joined multi-faith leaders from the capital to free doves into the sky while calling for peace over the long weekend.

The entire procession also paused for a minute's silence to remember the victims of the fire, in which more than 80 people are believed to have died.

The quiet moment brought many to tears, while the end of the observation was met with a spontaneous round of applause and cheers.
T wo police officers were hurt after being attacked with an unknown liquid as they tried to break up disorder at Notting Hill Carnival.

Scotland Yard said the officers were treated by paramedics after the liquid was thrown at them when violence erupted in Ladbroke Grove.

Two men were arrested on suspicion of affray during the disorder near to the junction with Barlby Road on Monday  the second day of the Bank Holiday festivities.

A Met spokeswoman said no-one has been arrested for the assault on police and enquiries were continuing to find the people responsible.

Police hold a man during the second and final day of the Notting Hill Carnival / PA

Paramedics treated the two police officers for mild skin irritation. Police said it is not known exactly what the liquid was but it is not believed to be a corrosive substance.

The spokeswoman said: At approximately 8.20pm on Monday, August 28 two officers dealing with disorder had an unknown liquid thrown at them, causing mild skin irritation.

Two men were subsequently arrested for affray.

Police officers at the Notting Hill Carnival on August Bank Holiday weekend 2017 / EPA

There have been no arrests for the assault on police. Enquiries are on-going to identify the person or persons responsible.

Police made more than 300 arrests and 28 officers were injured at the Bank Holiday festival  the worlds biggest carnival after Rio de Janeiro.

Scotland Yard said officers made 313 arrests for a range of offences including 112 for drugs and 58 for offensive weapons.

Notting Hill Carnival 2017 - day two 1 /28 Notting Hill Carnival 2017 - day two Two women wave for the cameras at the start of day two of Notting Hill Carnival REUTERS Carnival performers parade in the sunshine on the main Parade day of the Notting Hill Carnival AFP/Getty Images Hot stuff: Carnival-goers bask in what was predicted to be record levels of heat PA A woman dances in the sunshine at Carnival Rex Features A carnival performer poses for photos AFP/Getty Images A woman blows kisses to the camera as parades get underway on the second day of carnival AFP/Getty Images Carnival performers parade in the sunshine AFP/Getty Images A woman dances in the parade on day two of the 2017 Carnival REUTERS A woman gives a cheeky wiggle for photographers REUTERS Performers make their way to the start of the parade on the second and final day of the Notting Hill Carnival PA Dancers head to Carnival on the Tube Rex Features A dancer bares (almost) all ahead of the second day of Carnival PA There will be further commemorations for the Grenfell Tower victims later today PA Police officers pass performers ahead of the second day of Carnival PA Dancers from the Paraiso School of Samba observe their own minute's silence in memory of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire PA Performers prepare to take part in the parade PA Two women make their way to the start of the parade PA Juliana Campos and her nine-year-old daughter practice their moves before the start of the celebrations PA Four women in burlesque outfits get ready to wow the crowds at carnival PA Samba dancers prepare for their big day in the sun Rex Features Four dancers get ready to take part in the Carnival parade Rex Features

Twenty-eight officers were injured across both days, while 17 arrests were made for assault on police, the Met said.

The number of arrests is so far lower than in 2016, when more than 450 people were detained across the two days of festivities.

Police said this year some 14 arrests for sexual offences were also carried out, 37 public order arrests and 17 common assault arrests.

acid attack at notting hill carnival

Officers seized a number of knives, batons, CS spray and a hammer.

The two-day Bank Holiday festivities saw hundreds of thousands of revellers dance their way around the west London carnival route.

Three people were also injured when an acidic liquid was thrown over a crowd near Ladbroke Grove on Sunday evening.

Medics treated them for skin irritation but their injuries were not thought to be serious. Two other people were injured in a stampede as revellers fled in panic following the incident.
T wo young men were taken to hospital after a thug hurled a noxious substance at them in a busy east London high street.

Police were called to Poplar High Street at 10.24pm on Monday, where they found two victims  males aged 17 and 20  having been sprayed with the liquid, feared to be acid.

The two young men were taken to an east London hospital, where the 20-year-old was treated for minor injuries to his eyes, police said. The 17-year-old did not suffer any serious injuries.

Dramatic video has since emerged of paramedics dousing the eyes of one the victims at the scene as shocked passersby watch on.

Police at the scene of the attack

Witnesses told officers they saw the suspect, described as a white man with short blonde hair and aged about 19 to 25, fleeing the scene in a red car in the direction of Cotton Street.

A police spokeswoman told the Standard: Police were called at 10:24pm on Monday, August 28 to reports of a noxious substance being sprayed in Poplar High Street.

Officers, the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended and found two victims, males aged 17 and 20. They were taken to an east London hospital.

Victim one had no injuries and Victim two had minor injuries to his eyes.

Officers from Tower Hamlets have since launched an investigation.

No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Tweet @MetCC. Information can also be reported anonymously
T he family of a young RAF cadet was shot dead in front of friends near the Olympic Park on Friday evening.

Today Abdul Mayanjas family said they had lost their beacon of light and called for an end to bloodshed in London.

The 19-year-old had left home to attend a friends barbecue party when he was shot in the street yards from Maryland Station in Stratford. He died in hospital.

Mr Mayanja, a cadet flight sergeant, was scheduled to move to Los Angeles this week to finish training, his devastated family said today.

Abdul Mayanjas family said they had lost their beacon of light

His father Kidza told the Standard his son had been destined to fly in the RAF after starting his training at 14 at 338 West Ham Squadron air cadets.

The business consultant, 58, said: He was a responsible young man and couldnt stop making new friends.

Mr Mayanja, a cadet flight sergeant, was scheduled to move to Los Angeles this week to finish training

"He kept contact with everyone he met from around the world in the cadets. He was a beacon of light to our family and community.

Our boy went to a barbecue and never came home. The killer is still out there. We want justice but no more bloodshed. We dont want any other family to feel the pain we have to feel.

Speaking at their family home in Plaistow, his mother added: We told him to be careful and we wanted him home early because we know that trouble can happen, especially on this bank holiday weekend.

"The first thought we had was he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

We took so much pride in Abdul. He showed so much potential in everything he tried to do.

I had this sense of pride in him as he left the front door that day. A couple of hours later I was looking at his lifeless body. All I want is whoever killed my son to be found. Im scared for my other children.

"We are going to have to rob them of their freedoms and keep them safe inside after what happened to Abdul.

Witnesses described hearing a single shot and screams from Mr Mayanjas friends in Well Street at 10.40pm on Friday.

One said: Everyone ran out of their homes to see what had happened. The boy was lying on the pavement not moving and his friends were screaming and crying  it was awful.

Mr Mayanja, one of four siblings, had recently returned from studying for three years in Uganda. He is the 11th teenager to be killed on the streets of the capital since January.

His aunt Margaret Kirunda added: He was a young man who wouldnt hurt a fly. Thats what makes his violent death so unbearable.

Flying planes was his childhood dream. Whoever killed my nephew must be the cruellest person on earth to take these dreams away from him.

Detective Chief Inspector Will Reynolds, leading the inquiry, appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Call 020 8721 4005 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
M Ps have demanded an urgent review into the case of a five-year-old girl who was reportedly forced to live with a Muslim family who spoke no English.

The British child, who was brought up a Christian, was allegedly left distressed and confused after being placed with a strict Muslim foster family in Tower Hamlets, who would not let her wear her a crucifix necklace or eat bacon.

Social workers in the east London borough  where child services were rated inadequate last year  told The Times that the little girl sobbed and begged to return to her family because "she doesn't understand Arabic".

On Monday night, outraged MPs said the child should not have been forced to deny her culture and would have been better placed in a family that "respected her heritage".

Robert Halfon, chairman of the Commons education committee, urged the council to investigate whether the concerning incident was a one off, adding: "I'd be equally concerned if a Muslim child who didn't speak English was placed with a Christian foster carer whose family didn't speak the child's language and, at times, appeared to show little respect for his cultural heritage.

And Philip Hollobone, Tory MP for Kettering, added: The original heritage of the child ought to be respected by the foster family, whatever their own faith happens to be. The council needs to review this case urgently.

British fostering guidelines outline that local authorities should give due consideration to a childs "religious persuasion, racial origin and cultural and linguistic background" when seeking a placement.

A Tower Hamlets spokesman said they could not comment on individual cases and issued this statement: We give absolute consideration to our children's background and to their cultural identity.

"All our foster carers receive training and support from the council to ensure they are fully qualified to meet the needs of the children in their care.
B ritain's biggest firms have been given 12 months to reveal their pay ratio between top bosses and workers, the Government announced today.

The changes set out by Business Secretary Greg Clark will force all listed companies to state publicly how much their chief executives are paid compared to their average worker by law.

Companies will also be named and shamed if there has been significant shareholder opposition to executive pay packages.

Mr Clark said the reforms, which he hoped would be in force next summer, will ensure our largest companies are more transparent and accountable to their employees and shareholders.

Stefan Stern, director of pressure group the High Pay Centre, said: This is a big deal. Weve been told for years that pay ratios would never happen, should never happen and could never happen. Well  theyre happening.

But union chiefs said the proposals fall far short of Theresa Mays promise to get tough on corporate excess.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) criticised Mrs May for ditching her 2016 promise to ensure workers sit on company boards.

Under the reforms, firms can either assign a non-executive director to represent employees, create an employee advisory council, nominate a director from the workforce, or explain why they cannot do this.

The TUC general secretary Frances OGrady said: Its a feeble proposal, spelling business as usual for boardrooms across Britain.

Paul George, of the Financial Reporting Council, acknowledged the worker representation is different to what has been promised, but told the BBC: I think you need to wait before you conclude whether they are feeble.
T he woman who is engaged to one of the UKs most notorious violent criminals, Charles Bronson, has vehemently defended the couples plans to get married and have a baby.

Paula Williamson, 37, became engaged to 64-year-old Bronson in February after first writing to him in 2013 and striking up a romance.

And now the couple have announced they plan to have a baby daughter together  regardless of whether Bronson is released or not.

Serial criminal Bronson has been in jail for more than 40 years and has a record for violence in and out of prison  most recently in 2016 when he attacked a guard.

But he has now decided he wants a child, writing in a letter to a friend that he had always fancied a daughter and believed he would be the best dad in the world.

Fiancee: Ms Williamson said she is determined to marry the man she loves / ITV

In the heated interview on Good Morning Britain, former soap actress Ms Williamson was forced to defended the couples decision when Richard Madeley asked her what she was playing at.

What I am doing is that I have fallen in love with a man, she responded. Why is that so hard to believe?

She said the couple did not know when Bronson would be released so they are considering having IVF treatment in the meantime.

Ms Williamson, who has shared pictures of herself trying on wedding dresses for the big day, said she was attracted to the criminal because of who he actually is inside.

He has been a violent criminal yeh and he is the first one to hold his hands up to that, she explained, adding that he is also an artist, does a lot for charity, a fitness fanatic and a very very loving person.

She told Mr Madeley and co-presenter Ranvir Singh that she didnt fancy Bronson before the pair had met but, as she got to know him, the attraction gradually blossomed.

Interview: Ms Williamson was grilled by presenters Richard Madeley and Ranvir Singh

Before I made contact with him, I thought the same as you, she said. I thought this is a thug but I read a book called Broadmoor and as soon as I read it his character leapt out of there to me. I found him funny. His soul was very inspiring to me.

He has got a heart of gold. If you were to meet him, if either of you were to sit alone with him for two hours I can pretty much guarantee that your perception of him would change.

Mr Madeley said Bronson had written to him and his wife, Judy Finnigan, in the past and said the letters were entertaining, intelligent and interesting adding: I am not painting him in one colour he is a very complex guy and part of that is he is a bad-en.

"Why would you want to have his baby?

Ms Williamson replied: Because I am in love with him and I am going to marry this man. I want his baby because he is my future husband.

"We are going to be married and we are going to have a happy life together, end of. This is real, I genuinely genuinely love the man.
A hunt has been launched for a man who vandalised a war memorial at one of the countrys most prestigious boarding schools.

CCTV footage shows the man snapping and destroying cherry trees at Loughborough Grammar School in Leicestershire.

They had been planted eight years ago in memory of former pupils and staff who died in conflict, with a plaque at the base of each tree.

The school has released CCTV of the incident, which occurred at 9.30pm on August 25, in a bid to help police track down the man.

Memorial: Each tree has a plaque honouring former pupils who died in conflict / Loughborough Grammar School

The man, who has short hair and was wearing a light-coloured t-shirt, darker shorts and sunglasses, can be seen heading towards the memorial from the school car park.

He then hacks at the trees and attempts to pull them down, one after the after, before fleeing over the high railings.

Jane Harker, Head of External Relations at Loughborough Endowed Schools, said: Staff and students, past and present, are heartbroken.

The trees are very precious to everyone in the school community. Each has, at its base, a plaque which carries the names of fallen pupils.

Their presence in the Quad, at the heart of school life, serves as a constant reminder to us all of the sacrifice they made. To see them snapped at their bases and lying on the ground is devastating.

A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman told the Standard they were aware of the incident and were investigating.

They are urging anyone with information to contact them on 101, selecting the identification number 6172 and quoting incident number 17000365538.
T he president of the European Commission today attacked Theresa Mays handling of Brexit and ruled out vital trade talks until she gives ground on so-called divorce issues.

In a broadside, Jean-Claude Juncker said none of the Brexit papers published by the UK Government this month had been satisfactory.

We need to be crystal-clear that we will commence no negotiations on the new relationship  particularly a new economic and trade relationship  between the UK and the EU before all these [separation] questions are resolved, he said.

The heavyweight intervention was timed as UK officials began a detailed challenge to Brussels demands for a multi-billion-pound cash settlement as part of separation talks.

Mrs May also came under pressure from pro-EU Tories, who said the UKs lack of clarity on key issues was turning the negotiations into a farce and endangering a trade deal.

Juncker said none of the Brexit papers published by the UK Government this month had been satisfactory / REUTERS

The EU-27 countries are demanding a cash settlement, plus swift guarantees on the rights of their citizens in the UK and a plan for the Northern Ireland border, before wider discussions take place.

Mr Junckers words made clear that a summit of leaders in October is likely to rule that too little progress has been made. He said: First of all we settle the past before we look forward to the future.

Mr Juncker said the UK hesitates showing all its cards, adding: I did read, with the requisite attention, all the papers produced by Her Majestys Government and none of those is actually satisfactory.

"So there is still an enormous amount of issues which remain to be settled. Not just on the border problems regarding Ireland and Northern Ireland  which is a very serious problem in respect of which we have had no definitive response  but we also have the status of European citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living on the Continent.

Yesterday, Brussels chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said he was worried about the lack of clarity and insisted: We must start negotiating seriously.

British officials in the Belgian capital were this afternoon planning to begin a line-by-line interrogation of the legal basis for a separation payment.

The move, taking place behind closed doors, will further infuriate the Commission. It has asked for an agreement on how a settlement can be calculated. Instead, Brexit Secretary David Davis has told his team to demand a legal justification for each portion of the payment.

An official said: It is for them to set out what they think is the legal basis for a settlement. We will be setting out our legal analysis of the presentation they have put forward so far.

Pro-European Conservatives warned that further delays over the cash issue risk derailing talks on trade and future UK-EU relations, which are vital to businesses.

Chancellor Philip Hammond has said firms need to know where they stand by the end of the year or they may invoke contingency plans to move key staff abroad.

Anna Soubry, the former business minister, said the Government risks running out of time. We need to face up to the reality that we do not hold all the cards, she said.

The whole thing is in danger of turning into a farce. We triggered Article 50 months ago, yet are only now publishing consultation papers on what our position should be.

The clock really is ticking. Time is limited for this ferociously complicated negotiation and we have been clowning around.

Most senior Cabinet ministers accept that Britain will probably end up paying up to 40 billion to cover a share of planned spending  decided before last years Brexit vote  and future liabilities such as the pensions of Commission staff. However, hardline Brexit-backers say there is nothing in any European treaty that requires Britain to pay a penny after leaving.

Pro-Remain MPs may attempt to force the Government to speed up its negotiations when the Commons returns from summer recess next week.

A new all-party group on European Union Relations will be formally launched in the autumn, with the aim of building up broad support for a soft Brexit.
A leading political scientist has quit his post at Oxford over claims one of the universitys wealthy donors is a supporter of Donald Trump.

Swedish academic Bo Rothstein, 63, was a professor at Oxford Universitys Blavatnik School of Government.

The school is named after the Ukrainian-born billionaire Leonard Blavatnik, who gave the university 75 million to set it up.

On Monday, Professor Rothstein resigned from his post alleging that Mr Blavatnik had made a substantial donation to the Trump campaign which he believed was incomprehensible and irresponsible. Both Mr Blavatnik and Oxford University denied that he donated to the Trump campaign.

Leonard Blavatnik, with Warner artist Jess Glynne / Araya Diaz/Getty Image

A spokesman for Mr Blavatnik denied Prof Rothsteins claims and said he had donated 770,000 ($1m) to Mr Trumps inauguration committee, which he said was a joint congressional committee that helps to organise public and private events during the week leading up to the inauguration."

He added that neither Mr Blavatnik nor his companies had made a donation to the Trump campaign.

In his resignation letter, seen by the Guardian, Prof Rothstein, who joined Oxford University as a professor of government and public policy in January 2016, reportedly said: President Trump stands for a system of governing that is completely contrary to what I have come to define as quality of government.

He added: As I see it, Donald Trumps policies are also antithetical to the goal of the Blavatnik school of government, which aims to improve the quality of government and public policymaking worldwide, so that citizens can enjoy more secure and more fulfilled lives.

A spokesman for Oxford University said: Len Blavatnik did not contribute to Donald Trumps campaign either before or after the election, although he did make contributions to the campaigns of other Republican candidates.

Mr Blavatnik was named Britains richest man in 2015 and according to this years Sunday Times rich list, his 15.9bn fortune puts him second only to the joint wealth of brothers Sri and Gopi Hinduja.

He is the owner of Warner Music, an investor in the Broadway hit Hamilton and lives in a 41 million house in Kensington, for which he outbid Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich.
D onald Trump was called out by a reporter for getting two blonde journalists confused in an embarrassing press conference blunder.

President Trump was attending a question and answer session with reporters in the White House after meeting his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto on Monday.

Mr Niinisto invited Finnish journalist Paula Vilen to ask a question, followed ten minutes later by Maria Annala who was sitting next to her.

Believing they were both the same person, Mr Trump said: Again? Youre going to give her the same one?

Mr Niinisto replied: No, shes not the same one. They are sitting side-by-side.

Trump: The President was attending a news conference with his Finnish counterpart when he got the two reporters mixed up / EPA

The room erupted with laughter as a less-than-impressed Ms Annala muttered: We have a lot of blonde women in Finland.

She then went on to ask the US President whether he believed Finland would be able to help the US establish a better relationship with Russia.

Later, PBS Newshour correspondent Lisa Desjardins took a picture of the two women and tweeted: "THIS. The Finnish journalists @RealDonaldTrump had trouble telling apart. They are def. 2 diff. people."

She then shared a picture of CNN correspondent Jeff Zeleny and ABC's Jonathan Karl and wrote: "TO BE CLEAR: @jeffzeleny and @jonkarl are two different people."

During the press conference, Mr Trump declined to single out Russia as being a security threat, saying he would put "many countries" in that category instead.

A journalist asked about Mr Niinistos concerns over security in the Baltic region, where Russian planes fly without transponders so they cant be tracked.

And Mr Trump responded: "We consider that a very, very important part of the world. And so I would consider many countries threats, but these are all threats that we'd be able to handle if we have to. Hopefully we won't have to handle them, but if we do we will handle them."

Conference: President Trump and President Niinisto discussed Russia, security and climate change / EPA

He noted that Finland is respected by Russia and said he hoped the United States someday would have good relations with Russia, too.

Finland has been free of Russia, really - just about one of the few countries in the region that has been - for 100 years.

"And Russia has a lot of respect for Finland, so that's always good. I hope that the United States will someday be able to have a very good relationship with Russia also.

"I think that's very good for world peace and for other things.
D onald Trump has reversed restrictions imposed by former President Barack Obama which prevented the transfer of surplus military-style equipment to police.

The US President has signed an executive order providing police with bullet-proof helmets and armoured vehicles.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the aim was to enhance public safety and that Mr Obamas restrictions went too far.

Mr Obama previously barred the military from handing over some types of equipment to police following unrest in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014.

Police using military-style armoured vehicles and guns had confronted protesters in the area following the fatal police shooting of a black teenager.

Obama made the restrictions following unrest in Ferguson in 2014 / AFP/Getty Images

The use of military equipment in Ferguson prompted a wider outcry over its use by local police in the United States.

After a review, Mr Obama barred the military from transferring certain types of equipment to police or sheriff's departments, including tracked armoured vehicles, armed aircraft or vehicles of any kind, .50-caliber firearms and ammunition, grenade launchers, bayonets and camouflage uniforms.

He also required law enforcement agencies to justify the need for items like helicopters and other aircraft, wheeled armoured vehicles, unmanned drones, riot helmets and "flash-bang" grenades.

"These restrictions that had been imposed went too far," Sessions told a meeting of the Fraternal Order of Police union in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday.

"We will not put superficial concerns above public safety. We will do our best to get you what you need."

Mr Sessions said helmets and body armour available through the Defence Department program were the types of equipment that saved the life of a police officer during the 2016 Orlando, Florida, nightclub shooting.

He said helicopters and armoured vehicles are vital to emergency and disaster response, he said.

Monday's order drew criticism from some of Trump's fellow Republicans in Congress.

"It is one thing for federal officials to work with local authorities to reduce or solve crime, but it is another for them to subsidise militarization," Senator Rand Paul said in a statement.

He promised to introduce legislation that would ban transfers of certain military equipment to local law enforcement agencies, improve transparency surrounding such transfers, and require the agencies to return equipment prohibited under the proposed law.
I ndian guru Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was branded a "wild beast by a judge as dozens more women came forward to accuse him of sex offences.

The religious leader was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women from 1999 to 2002, with judge Jagdeep Singh declaring he deserved maximum punishment for the crimes and sentencing him to 20 years in prison.

Ram Rahim Singhs conviction sparked violent protests from supporters across India, during which 38 people are believed to have been killed.

Judge Singh launched a scathing indictment of his crimes during his sentencing on Monday, saying he had "projected himself as a Godman and taken undue advantage of his position and authority.

Rioters turned over vehicles in the riots in India on Friday / EPA

It comes as the lawyer for his victims said at least 48 more women had come forward with allegations of rape and that there would be further investigations.

Ram Rahim Singh also face charges of murder in two cases due to be heard next month and has denied involvement.

Judge Singh was flown to the prison where Ram Rhaim Singh is being held to deliver his sentencing.

As reported by the BBC, his order said: The victims put the convict on the pedestal of 'god' and revered him. However, the convict committed breach of the gravest nature by sexually assaulting such gullible and blind followers.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had a legion of dedicated followers in India / AP

The judge added that because Ram Rahim Singh was "a very influential figure his sentencing must send a deterring message for other potential offenders.

He added: "Awarding lesser than maximum punishment would shock the collective conscience of the nation.

Ram Rhaim Singhs lawyers had argued in court that he should receive a lighter sentence due to illness and his charity work, but Judge Rahim Sigh rejected the appeals.

He said: When the convict did not even spare his own pious disciples and acted like a wild beast, he did not deserve any mercy.

Riots broke out in some areas of India following Ram Rahim Singhs conviction on Friday, with enraged followers setting fire to government buildings, vandalising bus stations and government vehicles.

Some 38 people are believed to have died.
N orth Korea has fired a ballistic missile over Japan in a move which has been described as an unprecedented threat to the country.

The missile was launched from Pyongyang early on Tuesday Korean time, before flying over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and crashing into the sea.

It triggered warnings from the Japanese government for citizens on the island to take cover in a sturdy building or basement.

The UN Security Council was expected to hold an emergency meeting after the test, the BBC reported.

North Korea has previously launched two rockets over Japan, in 1998 and 2009, saying on both occasions that they were for satellite launch vehicles as opposed to weapons.

North Korea's estimated missile ranges

The country has stepped up its missile testing this year, prompting some analysts to suggest it could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of President Donald Trump's first term in early 2021.

"This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat, Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said.

He added that he had spoken to Mr Trump and they had both agreed to ramp up pressure on North Korea.

North Korea has stepped up missile launches in recent months (file image) / AFP/Getty Images

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also condemned the move, writing on Twitter: "Outraged at reckless provocation by #NorthKorea. Strongly condemn latest illegal missile launch by #DPRK."

The missile flew about 1,677 miles, reaching a maximum altitude of about 342 miles, according to analysis by South Korean military figures.

South Koreas President, Moon Jae-in, responded to the test with a show of overwhelming force, with jets staging a live bombing drill.

Provocation: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / EPA

The latest provocation, ordered by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, comes after the country tested a new intermediate-range missile that Pyongyang recently threatened to fire towards the US territory of Guam, which hosts a major military base.

This missile landed nowhere near Guam, which is about 1,550 miles south of Tokyo, but the length of Tuesday's launch may have been designed for the North to show it could follow through on its threat.

North Korea typically reacts with anger to the annual US-South Korean military drills, which are happening now, often testing weapons and threatening Seoul and Washington in its state-controlled media.

But animosity is higher than usual following threats by Mr Trump to unleash "fire and fury" on the North, and Pyongyang's stated plan to consider firing some of its missiles near Guam.
S ix members of one family were today feared drowned in Texas after trying to escape floods caused by Tropical Storm Harvey.

It is the deadliest incident so far in what is expected to be the worst rainstorm in American history, with three more days of downpours forecast.

President Trump and wife Melania were visiting Texas today as authorities said they were still receiving more than 1,000 calls an hour for help.

According to witnesses, four children and their great-grandparents died when the van they were driving submerged in floodwater on Sunday.

Tragedy: Daisy, Xavier and Dominic Saldivar were feared drowned along with their great-grandparents

Relatives said Manuel Saldivar, 84, his wife Belia, 81, and great-grandchildren Daisy Saldivar, six, Xavier Saldivar, eight, Dominic Saldivar, 14, Devy Saldivar, 16, were all feared dead.

The family, from Houston, was trying to get to higher ground when the van hit high floodwaters after crossing a bridge in Greens Bayou.

The driver of the vehicle, Samuel Saldivar  the childrens great-uncle escaped before the van went under water. Relatives said he told the children inside to try to escape through the back door, but they were unable to.

Manuel and Belia Saldivar are also feared dead

Relative Virginia Saldivar said: Im just hoping we find the bodies.

A spokesman for the Harris County Sheriffs Office, Jason Spencer, said Mr Saldivar told them he was driving eastbound on Green River Road when rising water swamped the van.

The storm has been blamed for three confirmed deaths and paralysed most of Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States, with rescuers now facing a race against time to help thousands of others.

It is the fiercest hurricane to hit the US in 13 years, generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years.

A family evades the floodwater on board a small speedboat / Getty

Emergency officials say the flooding is not expected to peak until tomorrow or Thursday in Houston, with another 50 inches of rain due this week.

Thousands of US National Guard troops, police officers, rescue workers and civilians have been helping to rescue the stranded, with thousands left homeless.

Rescue boats fill a flooded street as flood victims are evacuated in Houston / AP

Regina Costilla, 48, said she and her 16-year-old son had been rescued from their home by a Good Samaritan with a boat. She was reunited with her husband and dog, left behind because they did not fit into the craft. Im not complaining, were alive, she said.

Mr Trump, facing the biggest natural disaster since he took office in January, has now signed disaster proclamations for Texas and Louisiana, triggering federal relief efforts.

He is said to be keen to avoid the political disaster that engulfed George W Bush following his much-criticised response to Hurricane Katrina.

A resident wades through flood waters from tropical storm Harvey / Reuters

The president said cash for Texas and elsewhere will arrive quickly, telling flood victims: Youre going to have what you need and its going to go fast.

Experts are already predicting that Harvey will be the costliest storm in US history at more than 15 billion.

A stranded motorist escapes floodwaters on Interstate 225 / REUTERS

Senator Bernie Sanders last night told Americans not to be divided by Donald Trump  branding the President a pathological liar and demagogue  as he called for unity in the wake of flooding and devastation in Texas. The former presidential hopeful, who lost to Hillary Clinton for the 2016 Democrat nomination, urged the whole of America to stand in solidarity with the people in Texas.
D onald Trump has said he wants to provide "better than ever" recovery efforts to the victims of Storm Harvey after days of catastrophic flooding.

During a visit to Texas in the wake of the devastating storm which left much of Houston underwater, the president promised: "We are going to get you back and operating immediately."

The US leader and First Lady Melania arrived in the crisis-hit state on late Tuesday morning local time as officials struggled to cope with the fourth day of the deluge and refuge centres were full to capacity of homeless families.

The couple arrived in coastal town Corpus Christi for briefings on the federal governments response to the storm, which is expected to become the worst rainstorm in US history.

Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive in Corpus Christi. / AFP/Getty Images

At least nine people, including six members of one family in Houston, are feared dead and 30,000 people are expected to be in need of emergency shelter. Authorities say they are still receiving more than 1,000 calls an hour for help.

A police officer was among those killed in the floodwaters after becoming trapped in his car while travelling to work over the weekend, the mayor of Houston confirmed on Tuesday.

Harvet is the first major natural disaster since President Trump took office in January and many commentators say it is a chance for the leader to make a show of his administrations emergency response.

US President Donald Trump speaks alongside Texas Governor Greg Abbott and First Lady Melania Trump . / AFP/Getty Images

Speaking to crowds in Corpus Christi after he arrived, President Trump said: "This was of epic proportion."

"We want to do it better than ever before," he said, referring to the recovery effort.

Houses and cars are seen partially submerged by flood waters in east Houston / Reuters

"We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as, 'this is the way to do it.'"

The former businessman met with Texas governor Greg Abbott and senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn in front of members of the public who had gathered to greet him.

A man carries his dog to safety through floodwaters in Texas / REUTERS

"What a crowd. What a turnout," President Trump said.

"This is historic. It's epic what happened, but you know what, it happened in Texas, and Texas can handle anything."

Donald Trump being greeted in Corpus Christi. / REUTERS

Category four hurricane Harvey - the fiercest to hit Texas in more than 50 years - was downgraded to a tropical storm after reaching land over the weekend.

It has led to mass evacuations and paralysed much of the city of Houston, which is home to 6.8 million people. The exact death toll is unclear and continues to climb.

Rescue boats fill a flooded street as flood victims are evacuated in Houston / AP

The adverse weather saw more than 30 inches of rain fall in some places and another 24 inches is still expected as authorities warned the worst weather could be yet to come with three more days of downpours.

The amount of rain generated by the storm would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years.

A condominium complex is reduced to rubble after Hurricane Harvey struck in Rockport, Texas / REUTERS

The president and first lady Melania Trump were pictured boarding Air Force One at the White House on Tuesday morning local time ahead of briefings on relief efforts in Corpus Christi and meetings with officials in Austin.

Many people made jibes at Mrs Trump for her choice of "sensible shoes" after spotting her in stilettos as she left the White House, with one person suggesting: "I wouldn't normally comment on Melania's shoes but I'm not sure if this is what you wear to go meet people who've lost all of their belongings".

The US President and First Lady board Air Force One. / REUTERS

Others hit back on social media, with one man saying: "Ok everyone, look. Melania Trump is capable of changing her shoes." When the couple landed in Corpus Christi, Melania had changed into a pair of white trainers.

Authorities have so far rescued thousands of people left stranded in the storm.

Donald and Melania Trump at the White House shortly before taking off for Texas. / EPA

But fears are growing that fresh rainfall forecast to come in the next few days could bring flash flooding to Louisiana and New Orleans, which is currently marking 12 years since the devastating Hurricane Katrina.

Although the death toll from 2005's Katrina is uncertain, more than 1,800 people are estimated to have died in Katrina, which was cited as a political disaster for then-US president George W. Bush.

Hurricane Harvey hits Texas in fiercest storm to smash US in a decade 1 /21 Hurricane Harvey hits Texas in fiercest storm to smash US in a decade A power generator tips in front of a Texas hospital. AP A single truck drives down a street as Hurricane Harvey makes landfall in downtown Port Lavaca, Texas. AP Water crashes along the bay front in Port Lavaca, Texas, on Friday. AP Hurricane Harvey from space. NASA via EPA NASA's picture of the storm. EPA Stewart Adams, of San Marcos, Texas, plays in the winds from Hurricane Harvey in Corpus Christi, Texas. REUTERS A group of people race across the street as winds from Hurricane Harvey escalated in Corpus Christi, Texas. REUTERS Street signs lie on the ground after winds from Hurricane Harvey escalated. REUTERS Debris flies past as Stewart Adams, of San Marcos, Texas, balances himself from a gust of wind. REUTERS The eye of the storm making landfall. Getty Images North America A city utility worker braves the wind and rain of Hurricane Harvey in Corpus Christi. EPA Larger than usual waves come ashore at Crystal Beach. AP A sign blows in the wind after being partially torn from its frame by winds from Hurricane Harvey. Getty Images A motorist drives through heavy rain before the approaching Hurricane Harvey hits Corpus Christi. AFP/Getty Images A storm chaser films himself on a camera phone. REUTERS Serenity McGinnis, 10, walks along the shore with her father Jesse and sister Rebella, right, as the storm approaches Texas. AP

Between five to 10 inches of rain is expected to drop over south east Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama over the next few days.

President Trump has already signed disaster proclamations - meaning federal relief efforts are issued - for Texas and Louisiana.

A car is crushed by a huge tree after Hurricane Harvey struck in Rockport / REUTERS

But during his visit on Tuesday, he said paying for storm relief for Harvey was going to be a "costly proposition". He added Congress will come through with the "right solution" in terms of helping the state.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Tuesday that President Trump wanted to be "very cautious" about making sure that his activities in Texas did not disrupt recovery efforts.

Donald Trump speaking to the emergency team in Austin. / AP

She said Trump's two stops were intended to highlight coordination at all levels of government and lay the groundwork for what is expected to be a lengthy recovery after the storm.

President Trump had previously said that federal cash for the hit areas will arrive soon.

He told people suffering from Hurricane Harvey and resulting flooding that "you're going to have what you need and it's going to go fast".

Mr Trump added that he has spoken with members of Congress and "everybody feels for" people in the storm's path, telling flooding victims during a press conference on Monday that "we are 100% with you".

He added: "We will get through this. We will come out stronger and believe me we will be bigger, better, stronger than ever before."

Vice president Mike Pence said in a series of radio interviews that the administration would "be there for the long haul to help rebuild Texas and all the affected areas from Hurricane Harvey".

He estimated 500,000 Americans could be eligible for disaster assistance.

"The president has been continuously engaged in this. We've all been deeply concerned by the impact of this storm. We're saddened by the loss of life and the president is anxious to come to the region."
F ans of the Great British Bake Off have been split after the first episode of the shows new Channel 4 incarnation was aired.

Some viewers felt conflicted about new hosts Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig, who replaced Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins when the series departed the BBC.

Many found Fieldings voiceovers particularly hard to stomach.

One fan wrote: "Noel Fielding's voice overs are disturbing me, like he's doing an impression of a 50's BBC presenter."

Another wrote: "I hate Noel Fieldings voice over already," while one said: "I'm not even sure about the voice over man." Another viewer said: "Noel sounds like he's presenting CBeebies."

His voiceover did find some fans thought, with one writing: "Loving Noel Fielding's weirdly PG narration of #gbbo, 10 y/o cousin not so sure: "but that presenter looks like a GIRL!""

Fielding, known for the Might Boosh and his stint as a team captain on Never mind the Buzzcocks, did receive praise in general though.

The new Bake Off line-up / PA

One person wrote: Was dead against Noel Fielding being on it but he's winning me around.

Others were unsure about their pairing of Fielding with Toksvig.

One viewer said: "Noel and and Sandi are so awkward together. Please bring back Mel and Sue" as another wrote: "Sandy and Noel just don't have the same chemistry"

Another wrote: "Okaay, so far it's definitely familiar ground but with imposters presenting!"

Other viewers were taken by the new incarnation, with one writing: "ok I miss Mel and Sue but I think it's going to be OK. The contestants are babes".

Viewers' biggest qualm appeared to be the regular ad breaks, with many lamenting the switch from BBC for that reason alone.

The show, which is still made by Love Productions, featured the same theme music and opening sequence, as well as the same bunting-decorated tent and three-challenge format.

Essex resident Peter, 52, was the first to get the boot from the competition after his coconut cake contained too much baking powder, his chocolate mini rolls failed to impress and his cake in the shape of a bread and bread board proved to be too dry and too simple for the judges.
R ichard Madeley was left red-faced on Good Morning Britain after comparing a guest to Robbie Coltrane.

Madeley was listening to Stein Connelly, head of Traffic Scotland, during a live news report from the Queensferry Bridge when he mocked his appearance.

Speaking to co-host Ranvir Singh after the camera cut back to the studio he said: I didn't know Robbie Coltrane had changed career.

Can we cut back to him please? That's Robbie Coltrane's brother at least? Is that Robbie Coltrane?

Awkward: Richard Madeley on Good Morning Britain with Ranvir Singh / ITV

Referring to Coltranes stint as Dr. Edward Fitz Fitzgerald in ITVs Cracker, Singh joked: Is there another Cracker coming you should ask him.

The camera cut back to Mr Connelly who looked less than impressed as he stayed silent.

Singh continued: No? Hes playing deadpan, hes playing deadpan. Lovely man!

Look-alike: Actor Robbie Coltrane / Ian Gavan/Getty

Unsure why Mr Connelly couldnt acknowledge his comparison, Madeley said: You know what I mean. He did look like him.

Viewers cringed at Madeleys comment, with one tweeting: Ouch!!! Richard's Robbie Coltrane 'joke' on @GMB fell a bit flat...

Another posted: @GMB why did Richard think Stein Connelly would want 2b likened to Robbie Coltrane? And the other co-host sarcastically saying 'lovely man'.

Madeley has been standing in for Piers Morgan on the ITV breakfast show during the summer.

Morgan and Susanna Reid will return to screens on September 4.
T he brand new version of the Great British Bake Off kicked off with show-stopping bakes, brand new faces and a healthy smattering of the innuendos that fans know and love.

Viewers were just as focused on new judge Prue Leith and presenters Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig as they were on this year's batch of wannabe bakers, with Channel 4's changes well and truly under the spotlight.

The first episode of the new-look baking show, which has hopped over from BBC One, proved a firm hit with the majority of viewers when it aired on Tuesday night.

Fans on Twitter praised Leith's "easy-going" demeanour and Fielding "charming" presenting technique, while the programme format appeared to be largely unchanged.

The Great British Bake Off 2017 - The Contestants 1 /17 The Great British Bake Off 2017 - The Contestants Meet the line-up Prue Leigh and Paul Hollywood will judge this year's batch of hopefuls Mark Bourdillon/Channel 4 Television/PA Wire Kate, 29, from Merseyside A health and safety inspector from Merseyside, Kate also dabbles in blacksmithing, furniture restoration and yoga. She also loves the outdoors. When she's indoors though, indulging in her love of baking, she is a fan of "old-fashioned" baking techniques. She taught herself to bake when she began to grow her own vegetables two years ago PA Sophie, 33, from Surrey A former Officer in the Royal Artillery, Sophie did not discover her talent for baking until she volunteered to make a friend's birthday cake. The psychology graduate, who lives in Surrey with her boyfriend and a cat named Loki, has also developed a passion for patisserie. When she is not baking, Sophie enjoys track cycling, rowing, teaching military boot camps and is also training to be a stuntwoman. PA Flo, 71, from Merseyside Flo is retired and the oldest amateur contestant to appear on Bake Off to date. She was one of 11 children and was raised in Huyton, Liverpool. She met her late husband Richard when she was 21 years old and working at a sausage factory. Following Richard's death two years ago, her son Stephen encouraged her to take up baking. She bakes treats for his restaurant when she's not baking for the family - or 'having a boogie' with friends. PA Peter, 52, from Essex Born in Brixton originally, IT programme manager Peter had a well-travelled youth. He lived in Nigeria from the age of seven and moved back to the United Kingdom when he was 24. He has a wife, Tito and two children - Temi and Toni. He was bitten by the baking bug eight years ago when he started making his own bread. He reckons one of his specialities is making a melt-in-your-mouth Macaron, which is based on a recipe from French pastry maestro Pierre Hermes. When he's not kneading dough he loves running on the beach, spinning, playing chess and badminton PA Tom, 29, from Edinburgh Architect Tom lives in Edinburgh with his partner David, where he can often be found making fresh shortbread for family and friends. Baking has always been a huge part of family life for Tom and his siblings, who were taught to bake by their mother, a home economics teacher. The family cherishes recipe books passed down by grandparents from both sides of the family PA Steven, 34, from Hertfordshire Despite having a background in marketing, Steven's heart lies in the kitchen. His mum, Judi, has been his cooking mentor. He cooks and bakes all of his own food and has lost an impressive five stone thanks to his own home-cooking. He likes putting a twist on recipes from his mum's old cookbooks PA James, 46, from Essex James describes himself as a bald, baking banker - but his friends say he looks more like a bank robber than a banker. He was taught to bake by his father more than 40 years ago and grows his own fruit and vegetables to incorporate into his recipes. James lives in Essex with his wife Ann, sons Oliver and Ethan and their three chickens: Sparkles, Superman and Jeff PA Chris, 50, from Bristol A software developer who loves the science behind baking and developing quirky flavour combinations. He is a cancer survivor and passionate about helping other people whose lives have been affected by cancer. He is married (his wife's name is Catherine), and he loves sailing, travelling (especially visiting bakeries) and writing PA Stacey, 42, from Hertfordshire Former school teacher Stacey has fond memories of helping her grandmother make bread and butter pudding when she was a little girl, but it was during university that she really started to bake seriously. Stacey likes to incorporate her Jewish heritage into her baking, with a traditional homemade Challah with every Friday night dinner PA Julia, 32, from West Sussex Julia has spent three years honing her baking prowess so she could enter Bake Off. She is originally from Kemerovo, Siberia. She met her husband Matt while on holiday in Turkey as a 17-year-old. PA Liam, 19, from North London Hackney-born Liam has been baking for four years and is fondly known as the 'Cake Boy' amongst his university friends. He believes that baking is a universal language that can bring people together from all walks of life, and he wants to make it acceptable amongst his peers and the younger generation PA Yan, 46, from North London Hong Kong-born Yan moved to the UK with her family when she was two. She started to bake seriously 10 years ago when she found herself in between 24 hour shifts, working as a molecular biologist for the NHS. Currently working as a laboratory research scientist, Yan now lives in north London with her wife, Marian and cat Kacey. PA

Peter, 52, from Essex was sadly the first person to lose their place in the competition on Tuesday, after a series of errors during his three bakes.

Marketing manager Steven was crowned the first Star Baker, thanks to his amazing cake shaped like a loaf of bread and a sandwhich.

Great British Bake Off trailer released

Episode one kicked off with a fruity signature challenge, followed by the traditional technical challenge, which was a classic chocolate mini roll.

The showstopper was the trickiest yet for a first episode, with contestants told to make an "illusion" cake, which didn't look like a cake at all.

Catch up on all the action from episode one:
T he wait is finally over for Great British Bake Off fans as this years batch of 12 wannabe stars get ready to prove their baking skills on the brand new series.

Entering the famous tent for the first time on Tuesday night, the amateur bakers will attempt to impress judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood while Channel 4 will attempt to impress their brand new viewers.

New hosts Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig will replace the much-loved Mel and Sue, with early reviews already lauding them for their chemistry and humour.

Leith steps into show stalwart Mary Berrys shoes after the baking queen refused to leave the BBC when Love Productions sold the format earlier this year.

The new line-up, featuring Paul Hollywood, Sandi Toksvig, Noel Fielding, and Prue Leith / Channel 4

Heres what you need to know about Channel 4s Great British Bake Off:

What can you expect from episode one?

Despite the channel hop, fans will be pleased to know that the format of the new-look show remains largely unchanged.

Episode one kicks off with a fruit signature challenge, followed by the traditional technical challenge, which has been described as a childrens tea party favourite.

The showstopper will be the trickiest yet for an episode one, with contestants thrown straight in at the deep end.

Who is presenting?

Noel Fielding, best known for his surrealist brand of comedy on The Mighty Boosh, proved a contentious choice when he was announced earlier this year.

But reviewers have already praised the comedian for his presenting techniques, hosting alongside popular radio and TV personality Sandi Toksvig.

Great British Bake Off trailer released

Who are the judges?

While Mary Berry decided not to up sticks and move with the show to Channel 4, Paul Hollywood has stayed with the programme and will be back to judge more soggy bottoms and burnt loafs.

Professional cook and restaurateur Prue Leith joins Hollywood on the judging panel to hopefully provide some balance to his occasionally harsh criticism.

Who are the contestants?

1. Kate, 29, from Merseyside

A health and safety inspector from Merseyside, Kate also dabbles in blacksmithing, furniture restoration and yoga. She also loves the outdoors.

2. Peter, 52, from Essex

Born in Brixton originally, IT programme manager Peter had a well-travelled youth.

He lived in Nigeria from the age of seven and moved back to the United Kingdom when he was 24. He has a wife, Tito and two children - Temi and Toni.

3. Julia, 32, from West Sussex

Julia has spent three years honing her baking prowess so she could enter Bake Off.

She is originally from Kemerovo, Siberia.

4. Chris, 50, from Bristol

A software developer who loves the science behind baking and developing quirky flavour combinations.

He is a cancer survivor and passionate about helping other people whose lives have been affected by cancer.

5. Flo, 71, from Merseyside

Flo is retired and the oldest amateur contestant to appear on Bake Off to date.

She was one of 11 children and was raised in Huyton, Liverpool.

She met her late husband Richard when she was 21 years old and working at a sausage factory.

6. Steven, 34, from Hertfordshire

Despite having a background in marketing, Steven's heart lies in the kitchen.

His mum, Judi, has been his cooking mentor. He cooks and bakes all of his own food and has lost an impressive five stone thanks to his own home-cooking.

Great British Bake Off trailer for Channel 4

7. Yan, 46, from North London

Hong Kong-born Yan moved to the UK with her family when she was two.

She started to bake seriously 10 years ago when she found herself in between 24 hour shifts, working as a molecular biologist for the NHS.

8. James, 46, from Essex

James describes himself as a bald, baking banker - but his friends say he looks more like a bank robber than a banker.

He was taught to bake by his father more than 40 years ago and grows his own fruit and vegetables to incorporate into his recipes.

9. Sophie, 33, from Surrey

A former Officer in the Royal Artillery, Sophie did not discover her talent for baking until she volunteered to make a friend's birthday cake.

10. Tom, 29, from Edinburgh

Architect Tom lives in Edinburgh with his partner David, where he can often be found making fresh shortbread for family and friends.

Baking has always been a huge part of family life for Tom and his siblings, who were taught to bake by their mother, a home economics teacher.

11. Stacey, 42, from Hertfordshire

Former school teacher Stacey has fond memories of helping her grandmother make bread and butter pudding when she was a little girl, but it was during university that she really started to bake seriously.

12. Liam, 19, from North London

Hackney-born Liam has been baking for four years and is fondly known as the 'Cake Boy' amongst his university friends.

He believes that baking is a universal language that can bring people together from all walks of life, and he wants to make it acceptable amongst his peers and the younger generation.

What time is it on?

The Great British Bake off starts tonight on Channel 4 at 8pm.
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Flexible when it has to be South Korea has allowed Germany to take South Korean non-electronic goods as part of offset deals. This is being applied to the recent order for another 90 Taurus stealthy cruise missiles from Germany. In the past South Korea insisted that these offset deals involve only defense related items. These offset deals are common when a nations buys weapons from a foreign supplier and part of the deal is some or all of the purchase price be matched by the seller nation buying products from the other. Thus when South Korea buys German missiles Germany is obliged to buy a certain amount pf South Korean products. This offset feature encourages two-way trade and makes the purchase of foreign goods, especially weapons, more politically acceptable. Until now South Korea wanted to encourage foreign nations to buy South Korean military or industrial gear as offsets. But South Korea is buying so much foreign military gear that it agreed to allow non-military electronics (smart phones and computers) to be included. South Korea dominates international markets in some of these non-military electronics categories.

In late 2016 South Korea began receiving the first of the 170 Taurus it ordered in 2013. South Korea needs the Taurus missiles for their F-15K fighter bombers, which can launch Taurus from off the east or west coasts of North Korea and quickly destroy numerous key targets inside North Korea. In early 2017 South Korea and the Taurus manufacturer completed modifications to the F-15K fire control system so it can handle the Taurus. That allowed test launches can be conducted so the Taurus could enter service with the South Korean Air Force. Since July South Korean officials have mentioned Taurus as one of the many precision weapons that would be used against North Korea if there were a war.

Taurus was developed by German and Swedish firms and entered service in 2005. It is a 1.4 ton cruise missile that has a range of over 500 kilometers and a cruising speed of about 1,100 kilometers an hour. It travels at low altitude (35 meters/112 feet). The guidance system includes a thermal imaging sensor that seeks out a specific target shape and can land within three meters (under ten feet) of it in any weather or at night. Taurus uses a half ton (481 kg) warhead that has special features for penetrating (up to six meters of concrete) well protected underground bunkers. The warhead also has excellent fragmentation effect against surface targets. Taurus costs about $1.2 million each.

Delivery was delayed for nearly a year because the United States was reluctant to sell South Korea a top secret military grade GPS receiver that has proved to be immune to known North Korean GPS jammers. The U.S. has been reluctant to export key electronic devices to East Asian allies because of the ease with which Chinese spies are getting access to military secrets in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Chinese espionage has been successful in the United States as well, but not to the extent it has with its East Asian neighbors. South Korea, Japan and Taiwan are working hard to cope with the espionage problem and the United States has been relenting on a case-by-case basis with some key tech. Given the increasing aggressiveness of North Korea, it seemed prudent to get Taurus delivered as soon as possible.
In August 2017 the U.S. Army ordered its personnel to stop using commercial UAVs made by Chinese firm DJI. The reason for the ban was suspected problems with the security of the wireless communication hardware and software used by DJI commercial UAVs. DJI is the largest manufacturer of commercial quad-copters and the American military has been using them for some non-combat jobs as well as providing a lot of them to allies in Syria and Iraq. DJI quad-copters are also popular with Islamic terrorist groups and criminal organizations worldwide. The U.S. Army did not provide details of what the problems were (or might be) with the DJI UAVs but ordered its personnel to stop using them immediately and uninstall any DJI software installed in army PCs and disconnect any DJI wireless hardware.

Its no secret that DJI quad-copters have been showing in in combat zones with increasing frequency since 2014. The most popular of these was the DJI Phantom quadcopter. The Phantom 3 showed up in 2015. It cost about a thousand dollars, weighs 3.9 kg (8.6 pounds) can stay in the air about 20 minutes per flight and can go up to 2,000 meters from the operator. The operator can see (at 720p resolution) what is under the Phantom using a small display and capture a higher resolution video (2.7k or 1080p) on a 16 GB micro memory card on the UAV. The Phantom 3 was widely available. It is easy to operate and has flight control software that makes it easy to operate and keeps the video image stable. You can equip these with a night vision camera. Max altitude is over 500 meters (1,600 feet) but most Phantoms operate lower down because getting to higher altitude takes time.

DJI kept upgrading its Phantom line of quadcopters from the moment the first one hit the market in 2013. The Phantom 1 was basically a quadcopter you could add your own GoPro wireless vidcam to. But every few months DJI added new features and major upgrades were introduced as a new mode. Phantom 2 appeared at the end of 2013, Phantom 3 in early 2015 and Phantom 4 a year later. Phantom 3 was the most popular model and Phantom 4 was basically a Phantom 3 with lots more capabilities (4K video, video transmission range of five kilometers) and a higher price (about $1,800 each). Now models of the Phantom continue to appear.

There are cheaper quadcopters and fixed wing UAVs and more expensive ($10,000 or more) ones. But for the needs of irregular forces in a chaotic combat zone relative cheap ones like Phantom get the job done. The sweet spot appears to be the thousand dollar Phantom 3 or similar models. It gets the job done, is easy to operate and you can afford to lose a few. DJI currently has over half the market for these quadcopters and apparently the U.S. Army has discovered vulnerabilities in the data security of the DJI software that could be exploited by the enemy (or already known and used by Chinese military intelligence). Since the Phantom UAVs have GPS and data logging anyone with access to DJI software could gather valuable information on how they are being used by all users, including the U.S. Army and allies it has supplied DJI UAVs to.
Iran is, not surprisingly, finding it alliance with Turkey and Russia as unstable, unreliable and still useful if you accept that this arrangement is historically unnatural and unsustainable. Iran has long been fighting the Russians and Turks over who had the most power, control and influence in the areas where they were neighbors. Each of the three still have fundamental differences with the other two and popular opinion in all three nations shows widespread distrust of these unnatural allies. But most Iranians also remember that many times in the past Iran has made such unstable alliances work, for a while at least. Iranians consider this a special Iran skill and admire leaders who can make it work.

Then again Turkey and Russia are not the only neighbors Iran is having trouble with. With ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) 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. But the Iranians are used to that.

So are Iraqis and 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 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.

No matter what Iran did the vast majority of Iraqis, including Kurds and most Shia Arabs, continued to be suspicious of 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 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, as the Arabs see it, 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 tyrant 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.

The Other Addiction

Earlier in 2017 the American accused Russia of colluding with Iran, or Iranian arms smugglers, to supply the Taliban with weapons. Apparently Russia is again trying to destabilize the Afghan government so that they, and their ally Iran, will have more influence. This has been going on since the 1800s. But for over a thousand years before that warlords in Iran and northern India fought to control parts of Afghanistan, especially those areas that were part of the Silk Road between the Middle East (and Europe) and China (as well as stops along the way, like India and Iran.) Russia and Iran are concerned about the damage Afghan opium and heroin are doing (by creating millions of Russian and Iranian addicts) but are willing to tolerate the Afghan drug gangs if the export of the drugs can be better regulated to avoid Russia and Iran. That rarely works well but Russia, Iran and Pakistan are willing to try but understand that the American in particular and the West in general would never go along. Meanwhile Western nations are the main source of foreign aid that keeps the Afghan government going. Thus the Russians supplying weapons to the Taliban in northern Afghanistan.

Yemen

Despite indications the Saudis are discouraged by their slow progress in Yemen and the lack of unity among Yemenis fighting the Shia rebels the Saudis are not planning to admit defeat and leave. The Saudis and most Yemenis blame Iran for causing this mess by backing the rebels and providing enough support and encouragement to keep the rebels going. The Yemen government and its Sunni allies are encouraged by growing internal disputes among the Shia rebels. In the last few days Shia rebels in the Yemeni capital placed former president Ali Abdullah Saleh under house arrest. Forces loyal to Saleh had clashed in the capital the day before. Tensions between Saleh, a long-time ally of the Shia rebels, had been growing since late 2016. The Shia rebels are losing territory and Saleh was apparently seeking to make a deal with the Saudi-backed Yemen government. Nevertheless Yemen has become an embarrassment for Saudi Arabia, mainly because an Iran backed force of Yemeni Shia rebels continues to operate on the Saudi southern border for three years and the Saudi military is unable to do much about it. In early 2015 hundreds of Saudi warplanes were tuned loose in Yemen along with several thousand Saudi ground troops. This helped halt and turn back the rebel advance that was all. Although the pilots and troops performed well they were unable to quickly defeat the Iran-backed rebels. At this point Iran saw this as an opportunity, even if the Shia tribes they backed would probably be defeated eventually.

Hamas Follows The Money

In Gaza the new Hamas leader announced that Hamas had restored old ties with Iran. Details were not made available but in 2012, when Iran cut most support for Hamas, some $50 million a month in aid came from Iran as well as clandestine assistance in smuggling weapons into Gaza and training Hamas Islamic terrorists and security personnel. Some of that assistance continued after 2012 and some was quietly restored but until now Hamas was officially opposed to Iran because Iran backed the Shia Assad government in Syria. Most Sunni Arab states backed the Syrian rebels, who were largely Sunni. With the Hezbollah and Assad threat to Israel crippled by the Syrian civil war Iran has sought to find other ways to hurt their archenemy Israel from the inside. Iranian efforts to cultivate an alliance with the Palestinians in general are not working out so well. Since 2011 Arab governments have been more open with their criticism of the corrupt and inept Palestinian leadership. This process accelerated after 2016 when the Arab Gulf states admitted they could no longer trust Hamas (or Fatah either) and are put off by the Iranian boasts that it was still subsidizing Hamas, which has run Gaza and its nearly two million Palestinians since 2007. Although Sunni Hamas sometimes persecutes Shia in Gaza, Iran supports energetic Hamas efforts to attack Israel. Hamas also supports Islamic terrorists active in Egypt and that has turned Egypt completely against Hamas and helped put Egypt firmly into the anti-Iran Sunni coalition. In response Hamas is currently trying to make peace with Egypt by selecting a new leader and making internal changes that Egypt has long demanded. The Iran link made Hamas an enemy as far as most Sunni Moslem nations were concerned but Egypt is willing to work with Hamas as long as Hamas is not a threat to Egypt. Hamas made a lot of bad decisions since 2007 and the Iran link is seen as one of the worst. In response Arab states who have cut aid to Gaza and the West Bank Palestinian leaders have quietly told the reluctant Arab donors that if they do not increase aid there will be violent Palestinian protests (in Gaza, West Bank and Jerusalem) against the Arab donors as well as Israel. These Arab donors (mainly Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait) have lost patience with the Palestinians and not only cut donor aid (which was being stolen or misused by corrupt Palestinian leaders) but also openly allied themselves with Israel against Iran. The Arab world still technically backs the Palestinians and the effort to destroy Israel but have lost confidence in the Palestinians. Iran is making the most of this new situation.

August 25, 2017: Iran and Russia have implemented their new no visa for tourists policy. Visa free arrangements encourage tourism and is agreed to between countries who trust each other not to abuse it. Since the sanctions were lifted in 2015 a lot more Iranians (mostly tourists) are visiting foreign destinations and Russia has been popular. Turkey recently reported that there are more Iranian tourists visiting Istanbul now than German.

August 24, 2017: Qatar decided to restore full diplomatic relations with Iran. Qatar had recalled its ambassador from Iran in early 2016 as did most other Arab nations when government backed mobs attacked two Saudi diplomatic facilities in Iran. These attacks were part of the Iranian response to the January 2nd 2016 execution of an outspoken (against Sunni mistreatment) Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia. Iran loudly protested this execution as well and a crowd of Iranian protestors invaded and burned part of the Saudi embassy there. This led to Saudi Arabia breaking diplomatic relations with Iran and ordering Iranian diplomats out of Saudi Arabia within 48 hours. Kuwait followed suit despite Iranian apologies. Qatar did not mention the early 2016 events when it announced it was resuming diplomatic relations with Iran. Since June Iran has increased exports to Qatar by over 50 percent and played a major role (along with Turkey) in limiting the economic damage the Saudi-led action against Qatar.

August 23, 2017: Iran denied Turkish claims that the new military cooperation deal included combined operations against the Turkish Kurd separatist group PKK. The new cooperation arrangement is mainly about sharing intelligence not joint military operations.

August 20, 2017: In Syria the government again thanked Iran, Russia and Hezbollah for defeating the attempt to overthrow Assad family rule. This overthrow was a major 2012 rebellion backed by most Syrians. First Iran (and Hezbollah, the powerful Shia force Iran created in the 1980s) came to the aid of the Assads, who had been Iranian allies since the 1980s. Russia entered in 2015 at the request of Iran and Turkey sent in enough ground troops in 2016 to chase ISIL from the border and prevent Syrian Kurds from gaining control of any more of the border area. Technically Turkey is not an ally of Iran, but it often acts like one and doesnt really care if Assad remains in power or not.

August 17, 2017: Next door in Iraq the Iran backed Shia militias are accused of continuing to recruit, train and sent into combat teenagers 17 and under. Iraq had agreed not to do that but there is evidence that the militias have deliberately done so. Several hundred such child soldiers were apparently recruited so far in 2017. This open criticism of how Iran-backed Iraqi Shia militias operate makes it easier for the Iraq government to reduce popular support for these militias and persuade Iran to back off in general.

August 16, 2017: In the northwest Iranian artillery fired several dozen shells into rural areas on the Iraqi side of the border (Erbil/Arbil province). It is believed the Iranians were (for the second month in a row) firing on suspected Iranian Kurdish separatist groups based 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, and met with senior Turkish political and military leaders. 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. This historic visit by an Iranian military leader was believed to be mainly about joint efforts to block Kurdish efforts to establish a Kurdish state anywhere in the region. The Iraqi Kurds believe that it is more likely that there will be additional autonomous Kurdish areas in the region. The next one is likely to be in Syria although Kurds realize that Turkey and Iran have been the most hostile to any sort of recognition for the Kurds. Nevertheless Iranian Kurds see Turkey as a potential refuge from the increasing violence by the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps) in northwestern Iran. So far this year several thousand Iranian Kurds have fled to Turkey and asked for asylum. The new alliance between Iran and Turkey may put an end to this, or simply drive it underground.

August 15, 2017: The government warned the United States that Iran could revive its nuclear weapons program immediately (by having Iranian uranium enrichment equipment adjusted to produce weapons grade uranium rather than the less enriched form of uranium used for power plants) and this implied that Iran already had solved the many other technical details involved with building a nuclear weapon that works. This warning was in response to the United States planning sanctions on Iran because of the Iranian ballistic missile program and continued support of terrorism worldwide.

In Israel local media published Israeli photo satellite images of a new rocket and ballistic missile factory under construction in western Syria, near the coast. Also displayed were satellite photos of an existing factory in Iran that the new one is apparently based on. Israel has said it will destroy such factories before they can become operational and demanded the UN do something about it.

August 14, 2017: Hackers that had obtained emails from the UAE ambassador to the United States released another batch of them today. These emails indicate the new (since June 2017) Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud (or MBS as he is called), considers the war in Yemen a failure and more of a burden to Saudi Arabia than to Iran. The young (born 1985) son of the current king of Saudi Arabia, MBS is seen as one of the brightest (he has a degree in law) of the top Saudi royals. In addition to being the crown prince he still is, since January 2016, the youngest Minister of Defense ever. Mohammed bin Salman is ambitious and has proved himself capable to handling the Saudi bureaucracy. Since 2014 he has been working on a plan to move Saudi Arabia away from dependence on oil income. In April 2016 he announced that his plan has been accepted and he will implement it. MBS considers this economic plan more important than what is happening in Yemen. The UAE ambassador apparently agreed with that assessment and the need for the Saudis to reform their economy.

August 13, 2017: In the west, across the border in southwest Afghanistan (Nimroz province) two Taliban suicide bombers tried to attack a checkpoint and failed. One was shot dead and the other man captured. Both turned out to be Iranian, which was obvious for the captured man because he spoke Farsi (Iranian) as well as Dari (a language similar to Farsi that is common in Afghanistan) with an Iranian accent. A growing number of Iranians are showing up in Afghanistan involved in Islamic terrorism. The Taliban denies that it has any Iranian members but several have been encountered, usually after they were killed in combat. Several Taliban leaders with known Iranian connections (usually with the Quds force) are known to be active in central Afghanistan. Normally Quds Force (which supports Shia terrorism worldwide) avoids working with Sunni groups like the Taliban al Qaeda but Iran has taken the position that the enemy of my enemy is my friend and encourages its allies and Quds to work, when it is useful, with Sunni terrorists that are killing (or trying to) Americans or Israelis. The strategy is not popular with a lot of Iranians, although the Iranian government openly approved of the fact that senior al Qaeda leadership (including those outside Iran) had, since at least 2006, advised their subordinates to not kill Shia women and children. That advice has been frequently ignored but Iran has continued to work with al Qaeda and the Taliban when it suited Iranian interests.

August 11, 2017: In the southwest, Majid Al Nasrawi, the former governor of Basra Province illegally crossed the Iraqi border into Iran to avoid arrest. 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, especially after Iran refused to cooperate in getting Nasrawi back to Iraq.

August 9, 2017: In eastern Syria an Iranian Quds force advisor, captured near the Iraqi border two days ago, was beheaded by ISIL and video of the event put on the Internet. Iran vowed revenge.

August 8, 2017: In the northwest (West Azerbaijan Province), on the Turkish side of the border construction began on a border wall that will extend along most (144 kilometers) of the Turkish-Iranian border.

August 6, 2017: In the northwest (West Azerbaijan province) IRGC troops clashed with Kurdish separatists, apparently several times wounding and killing several of the Kurds while capturing weapons and equipment.

South of the capital (Tehran) a soldier at an air base shooting range fired on other men in his unit, killing four and wounding eight. He then tried to commit suicide but he survived that. The shooter was described as unstable and particularly upset at being denied a transfer. A similar shooting took place in July at an army base north of the capital. That one left three dead and six wounded.

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: The U.S. imposed additional sanctions on Iran, mainly to punish clandestine Iranian efforts to develop nuclear weapons and long range missiles to deliver them. Some the sanctions were directed at continued Iranian support for all sorts of corruption and terrorism outside of Iran. All these accusations were denied Iranian officials and more threats were made towards the United States. So nothing much has changed except that Iran noted Russia also had more sanctions imposed at the same time and called on Russia to join with Iran to undertake more joint efforts to strike back at the Americans. Russia was not enthusiastic about that and remains more concerned with maintaining good relations with Israel and through that having a better chance of making peace with the Americans in the future. Russia doesnt trust the Iranians but wont come right out and say it. Not necessary, the Iranians and everyone else in the region already understand.

July 29, 2017: In the southeast, just across the border in Pakistani Baluchistan a truck driving near the border triggered a landmine. The explosion killed four passengers and wounded five, all of them civilians. The Pakistanis blame Iran, which they accuse of planting mines on both sides of the border to discourage Iranian Sunni rebels from moving back and forth. The Sunni rebels often establish camps on the Pakistan side of the border.

July 27, 2017: The government announced the successful second test launch of the Simorgh SLV (satellite launch vehicle). Simorgh is an 87 ton two-stage liquid fuel rocket that can but satellites of up to 350 kg (770 pounds) into a LEO (low earth orbit) of 500 kilometers. The first test was in early 2016. Iran plans to use Simorgh to put surveillance satellites into orbit. That was supposed to happen earlier in 2017 but apparently another test launch was considered necessary.

In Yemen a Saudi Patriot anti-missile missiles intercepted another rebel ballistic missile fired deep into Saudi territory. This one was intercepted about 69 kilometers south of Mecca and a nearby airbase. Rebels later admitted that the missile was aimed at the King Fahad airbase in Taif province. The Saudi accused Iran of trying to disrupt the annual Haj pilgrimage at Mecca. Examination of the debris indicated it was another Iranian Burkan missile. The Shia rebels captured a number of SCUD and SS-21 ballistic missiles when they moved south in early 2015. Many army units joined the rebels, including troops who knew how to operate these missiles. In 2016 Iran apparently brought in some technical personnel and smuggled in some needed components so that Yemeni Scuds could be modified to increase their range (with a smaller warhead) to at least 800 kilometers. This would make it theoretically possible to his the Saudi capital or one of the larger Saudi bases. These modified SCUDs (called Burkan by the rebels) are not very accurate but they can hit somewhere in a large city or military base, providing the rebels with some positive propaganda. The first Burkan was fired in late 2016 and since then at least six have been fired. All were intercepted.

July 22, 2017: In the east, across the Afghan border (Herat province) Afghan troops clashed with a group of Taliban near the Iranian border. The Taliban lost eleven dead and at least six wounded. Among the dead was Mullah Abbas, a known (and much wanted) Taliban leader who apparently managed the movement of Iranian weapons and other supplies from Iran for the Taliban. Iran denies that Iran is supplying the Taliban but Afghan intel has lots of evidence (Iranian made weapons, documents, and prisoner interrogations) that say otherwise.

July 21, 2017: In Syria Russian military police (MPs) began establishing checkpoints in southern Syria to prevent Iranians or Iranian mercenaries (especially Hezbollah) from getting too close (as in 12 kilometers or less) to the Israeli border along the Golan Heights. The Russian MPs have only set up two checkpoints and ten observation posts so there is nothing to really stop Iranian forces from getting to the border. So far the Iranian mercenaries (Hezbollah and others composed mainly of Iraqi and Afghan Shia) have not forced the issue, apparently because Israel threatens violent resistance if they do.

July 19, 2017: Iran announced it had begun mass production of its Sayyad 3 anti-aircraft missile which, when used with the Bavar-373 radar and fire control system, can intercept aerial targets up to 150 kilometers distant. Each Bavar-373 system can simultaneously track 30 aircraft and direct Sayyad 3 missiles at twelve of those targets. Iran insisted that it had developed its own clone (Bavar-373) of the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system. Iran began work on the Bavar-373 in 2010, after Russia refused to deliver S-300 systems Iran had ordered. International sanctions, plus pressure from the United States and Israel led Russia to cancel the Iranian order. Iran has issued progress reports ever since and Bavar-373 was supposed to be ready for final testing in 2014, then 2015, then 2016 when some tests apparently took place. The final testing is supposed to take place before the end of 2017. The Israelis indicate they are not concerned about the Bavar-373 and that they can handle it. Russian and Western air defense experts doubt that the Iranians have managed to create anything close to the capabilities of the S-300 systems Russia has already delivered once the sanctions were lifted in mid-2015. The Iranian designed and built Sayyad 3 missile for the Bavar-373 appears to be the same size and shape as the S-300 missile and carried in similar canisters. Iran insists that Bavar-373 is superior to the S-300. Now that Russia has delivered S-300s Iran will be under pressure have to reveal if it believes its own propaganda about which system is superior.

July 18, 2017: Israeli leaders recently revealed that their warplanes had attacked Iranian arms shipments in Syria dozens of times since 2011 and would continue doing so if Iran attempted to establish a permanent presence in Syria. Israel complains that its Western allies do not take the Iranian threat here seriously enough. This is especially true when it comes to the Iranian effort to establish a secure land route from Iran, via Iraq and Syria, to Lebanon. Israel is supported in this by Arab states.
A Hamilton trucking operator has been sentenced to two years in prison for failing to pay a single cent of tax for more than 10 years.

Karl Edward Barbalich, 41, was sentenced in Hamilton District Court on three representative tax evasion charges relating to his business, which traded as KEB Transport.

He operated several trucks making deliveries of produce throughout Waikato and Auckland.

Inland Revenue group manager investigations and advice Patrick Goggin says Barbalich seemed to think he could operate outside the tax system.

Barbalich proved almost impossible to get hold of, despite repeated attempts by Inland Revenue to track him down, says Patrick.

He remained resolutely outside the tax system, failing to comply with any tax obligations despite charging his customers GST and employing staff.

He failed to file income tax returns since 2005, GST returns since 2007, and provided no information to Inland Revenue regarding employees who he had been paying since 2010.

When we finally caught up with him, he fully admitted he was solely responsible for running the business, managing its finances, and meeting any tax obligations.

Our investigators have calculated that over this period he has evaded paying nearly $450,000 in income tax and GST. This money would have gone towards paying for roads, hospitals and schools.

He was blind to the fundamental concept that paying a fair share of tax is one way citizens contribute to society, and that pays for the services all New Zealanders benefit from.

He just chose not to and thats completely unacceptable.
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
The New York City Police Department will be getting rid of the 36,000 Windows 8.1 phones it currently has and will replace them with iPhones by the end of the year. The move comes only two years after the department purchased the devices through the NYPD Mobility Initiative.

Said initiative's goal is to modernize the NYPD with a budget of $160 million to upgrade the precinct's technology (including cell phones).

The last of the purchased Windows phones were only issued to officers a few months ago.The decision comes after Microsoft announced that it would no longer support Windows 8.1 smartphones. The devices also had several apps specially made for the NYPD. Presumably, the apps will have to be rewritten for iOS.

Department heads have already decided to switch over to iPhones instead.

The New York Post stated that the plan to go with Windows phones in the first place had tech experts perplexed. Considering the minuscule 2.3 percent market share Microsoft holds in the cell phone industry, the decision seemed ill-advised. Sources within the NYPD said Deputy Commissioner for Information Technology Jessica Tisch was the sole person behind the decision.

"Nobody purchases 36,000 phones based on the judgment of one person," the source told the Post. "I don't care if you're Jesus f- -king Christ, you get a panel of experts."

Tisch reportedly went with Windows phones partly because the department was already using a Windows-based video surveillance system at its Security Initiative Command Center in Lower Manhattan.

The department has not said whether it would be moving to the new iPhone 8 or if it would opt for the less expensive iPhone 7. The newest flagship phone is expected to launch in September for around $1,000. If the Deputy Commissioner decides to go with the newer model, the cost will eat up another $36 million of the Mobility Initiative's budget.

There is also the expense of re-engineering apps to consider. There are nearly a dozen custom applications that the NYPD uses on the current Windows-based phones. Officers can receive alerts, search police databases, file reports and log into the 911 system to check dispatches in real-time.

The department is looking to discuss the matter further when the Deputy Commissioner returns from vacation next week.

Top image via Dennis A. Clark, NY Post, second image via Michel Friang, The Chief-Leader
Sony's virtual reality platform will soon be a bit more affordable thanks to a competitor-spurred price cut.

The gaming giant on Monday announced that its existing PlayStation VR Worlds bundle consisting of the VR headset, a PlayStation Camera, two PlayStation Move motion controllers and PlayStation VR Worlds game will be available for just $449 starting September 1 (down from the current asking price of $499).

The core PlayStation VR bundle, meanwhile, will (as of next month) come with a PlayStation Camera - a required piece of hardware that isn't included with the existing kit. The bundle will retain its existing $399 price point meaning you're essentially getting the camera for free.

HTC earlier this month dropped the price of its Vive VR headset by $200 which now puts it at $599. HTC's price cut came in response to Oculus announcing a series of price cuts for the Rift. For a limited time, you can get a Rift and Touch motion controller bundle for $399 (although that'll eventually jump back up to $499).

Mary Yee, vice president of PlayStation marketing at SIEA, said Sony now has more than 100 VR titles in its lineup including hits like Arizona Sunshine, Superhot, Fantastic Contraption, Dino Frontier and Tiny Trax. New titles are added to this page should you want to keep track of them, Yee notes.
Late last year - just before the company started running into a different scandal every month - Uber's new Location Information update arrived in its app. The feature proved controversial for its ability to track a customer's location up to five minutes after a trip ended. Now, it's being removed.

Following a turbulent six months that culminated in co-founder Travis Kalanick stepping down as CEO in June, Uber is attempting to improve its tarnished image by removing the feature.

When location tracking is enabled in the app - a requirement for it to work without manually entering pickup/drop-off addresses - Uber can collect customers' GPS location data even after a ride has finished. This happens whether the app is running in the foreground or the background.

Uber had already been criticized for the way it handles riders' privacy, and the tracking update added more fuel to consumers' anger. The company said it planned to use the data to improve parts of its service such as drop-offs, pickups, and customer safety, but it claims to have never activated the feature on iPhones and suspended it for Android users.

Uber is expected to announce the removal today. The change means users' will once again only be able to share their location data while using the app. It's set to roll out to iPhones later this week and on Android at a later date.

In an interview with Reuters, Joe Sullivan, Uber's chief security officer, said the update was unrelated to Uber's current internal struggles, as it looks for someone to replace Kalanick.

"We've been building through the turmoil and challenges because we already had our mandate," said Sullivan, who added that while Uber was committed to privacy, also admitted it had previously suffered "a lack of expertise" in the area.
Toyota Creates "Connected Technologies" to Advance In-Car User Experience







Newly formed team to include Connected Vehicle, Information Technology and R&D members

PLANO, Texas - August 29, 2017: Toyota Motor North America announced the decision to form a new group focused on delivering industry-leading user experiences and new technologies for its Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Leveraging the companys new One Toyota structure, the newly formed Connected Technologies group will have approximately 100 positions and will include members from Toyotas existing teams working on connected vehicles, information systems, and research and development. Combining Toyotas various strategy, planning, development, engineering and operations for connected service and hardware systems, will help advance and personalize the in-car technology experience for customers. The transition to the new group will start immediately.

In-car, connected vehicle technology is a high priority for us because its impact on the customer experience is becoming an increasingly important factor in their purchase decisions, said Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota Motor North America. Thanks to the new One Toyota structure, we are removing barriers among our North American teams that work on connected vehicles to create a more cohesive and empowered team to listen to and create an ever-better connected car experience for customers.

Connected Technologies will be based in Plano and report to Zack Hicks. Hicks will continue in his two current roles, as both CIO of Toyota Motor North America and as the CEO of Toyota Connected North America, while adding this new responsibility.

Our new team will double-down our efforts on connected vehicles so we can provide our Toyota and Lexus customers a more human experience, commented Hicks. Connected vehicles are the next step in a personalized driving experience, emphasizing your preferences as a driver thanks to better technology, improving the customers ownership experience over time.

Connected vehicle technology includes one or more connections to the Internet, such as via smartphone or satellite. There are two areas of experience that are focused on: driver-centric and car-centric. Driver-centric content, like internet-connected radio, cloud-based content, and apps, help personalize the drivers car ownership experience. The other, car-centric content, offers companies like Toyota the opportunity for remote diagnostics, over-the-air software updates, cyber-security, and vehicle relationship management. The market for connected vehicles is growing rapidly as increased Internet speeds and products become more widely available.
OB/GYN office. Photo: BSIP/UIG via Getty Images

In a series of glib emails that surfaced earlier this month, French gynecologists reportedly suggested that victims of faulty pelvic mesh try anal sex as an alternative to vaginal penetration.

Lawyers referenced the emails on the opening day of a class-action lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, the company that manufactures the surgical mesh. The suit was brought by Australian women who claim to have suffered complications following the insertion of the mesh, and say the device causes them chronic and debilitating pain.

In the email thread presented to the court, doctors and a Johnson & Johnson marketing manager discussed how to talk about sexual alternatives with women complaining of painful intercourse due to faulty pelvic mesh. It is no less true that sodomy could be a good alternative! one doctor wrote. Another, perhaps jokingly, worried about his own reputation were he to broach the topic with patients:

I said to myself, there you go, for your next prolapse [patient], you talk to her about orgasms. OK! But also about fellatio, sodomy, the clitoris with or without G-spot etc. I am sure of one thing: that I would very quickly be treated like some kind of sex maniac (which, perhaps, I am) or a pervert, or an unhealthily curious person.

The comments upset victims and members of the Australian Pelvic Mesh Support group, who felt the comments made light of womens suffering, and indicated that the doctors saw women as nothing more than sex objects for men. In one anonymous comment to The Guardian Australia, a woman said the emails suggest a woman is nothing more than a receptacle to satisfy men and that any hole will do.

Rachel Siewert, the Australian senator chairing the inquiry into Johnson & Johnsons devices expressed disgust at the way pelvic mesh victims have been treated:

The way many women have been treated when trying to get treatment and support when they have had bad outcomes from mesh implants is appalling, including suggestions by medical professionals that anal intercourse is an alternative to vaginal intercourse after mesh implants have gone terribly wrong.

This is one of multiple high-profile lawsuits Johnson & Johnson has faced recently. Last week, the pharmaceutical giant was ordered to pay $417 million in damages to a woman who claimed she developed ovarian cancer after regularly using the companys talc-based products.
Tropical Storm Harvey flooding in Houston. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A woman in Houston went into labor on Sunday as Tropical Storm Harvey raged  and she was able to safely deliver her baby at a hospital after neighbors formed a human chain to help her get through the rising floodwaters outside her apartment.

People reports Andrea Smith and her husband, Greg, are both doctors who moved to Houston in late July for advanced training in their specialties. Were very new to Houston  and new to hurricanes, Greg told People. Yet, the couple felt prepared for Tropical Storm Harvey, even deciding theyd go to the hospital early to ensure mother and babys safety, as they only expected five or six inches of rain.

Greg, Andrea, and Adrielle Smith. Photo: Courtesy of Gregory Smith

But when the couple woke up on Sunday morning, they were surrounded by two or three feet of water. Andrea had been experiencing contractions for a few weeks, and that morning, they realized the baby was coming. Greg told People he tried to contact 911 repeatedly  but kept getting kicked off the line. He also reached out to the Coast Guard and local hospitals for help, to no avail. So, the couple started boiling water and preparing for a home birth. Per People:

As it happens, the apartment complex is home to many medical professionals who work at the nearby Texas Medical Center. A neighbor sent out a call for help on a community message board. In short order, doctors, nurses and EMTs arrived at the door with sutures, scissors and other supplies.

Neighbors scrambled to help the couple, eventually deciding to move the impromptu delivery room to an apartment on a higher floor to avoid the floodwaters. But luckily, someone reached out to a fire station  and the rescuers stopped by on what appeared to be a large garbage truck. The Smiths neighbors then formed a human chain to help Annie wade through the water  which at that point was waist-high  to get to the truck, and the firefighters were able to escort her to the hospital, where she gave birth to baby Adrielle at 1:59 a.m. on Monday morning.

Adrielle was born healthy, according to People, but is currently in the intensive care unit because of some issues. Greg said, If she were born at home, that wouldnt have been the best place for her. Im so glad she is in the hospital.
Illustration: Lauren Tamaki

Youve seen lawyer Lisa Bloom standing alongside celebrity clients like Blac Chyna or Mischa Barton as they fight their exes to block the release of revenge porn, and shes also represented women like Dr. Wendy Walsh and Kathy Griffin in other high-profile cases. Outside the courtroom, Bloom makes appearances as a legal analyst on CNN, MSNBC, and CBS, and shes the author of three books. Her mother, Gloria Allred, is the famed feminist lawyer, and all three of her children are pursuing legal careers. She lives in Woodland Hills, California, with her husband and youngest son. Here, she shares how she gets it all done.

On productive mornings:

When I wake up, I have a lot of energy. I can get four times as much done in the morning as at night. I usually get up at 5:30 or 6. I read my emails and read the New York Times, Washington Post and L.A. Times while having coffee. That takes an hour. New York wakes up earlier and so Im playing catch-up with my clients there. I alternate yoga and cardio in the mornings; for cardio its the elliptical in my home gym, where I can read books and listen to podcasts while I work out. For yoga, its in my living room while listening to music. If Im a bad yogi, Ill listen to the news while I pose.

On commuting in Los Angles:

I created my office very close to my home. Its a mile away, eight minutes door to door. That was not an accident. People say, why is your office all the way out there in the suburbs? Out in Woodland Hills? Because commuting is a time suck. If I have to go downtown to court, that takes an hour and a half. I dont plan meetings near rush hour. Im a very busy person  I run a law firm, I have a husband and three kids, I write books, I make media appearances. Theres a lot going on in my life. But theres only 24 hours in a day, and theyre not ever going to expand. I have to be very thoughtful about my time, and so a long commute is out of the question. I cant spend time on anything that wont advance my goals.

On her work wardrobe:

I dont have a uniform, but on days when Im not going to court or anything major, I tend to wear pants, comfortable gray trousers, and a blouse. I usually have a jacket or sweater, or blazers if Im meeting with a client that day. I dont like my attorneys to look too casual, so I have to set a good example. I dont like jeans in the office. Were lawyers!

On her management style:

Im pretty hands-on. I have a very clear idea of how I want my 12 lawyers to come across. I want to represent our clients with compassion and excellence. I want them to return client phone calls and emails very quickly. Im lighting a fire under everybody: Have you tracked down that witness? Have you talked to this client? Have you finished the brief? Were typically going up against these huge firms, so we have to be more nimble, we have to be smarter, we have to have the law on our side. And we do.

Im here to tell you what legal options you have. If you need someone to talk to when youre freaking out, you should see a therapist.

On working nights and weekends:

Id like to say I dont work that much on nights and weekends, but I do. Its not healthy. I struggle with that. I go home at 6 p.m. on average, but then theres a deadline, or someone whos still in the office needs me to review something, or I have a witness who can only talk after work, so we have a call at 8 p.m. Some of what I do is crisis management  take the Blac Chyna case. That was quite an urgent situation, so I went over to her house later that night. A lot of people reach out to us on the weekends, because its over the weekend that they start really reflecting on their situations. I want to respond to them promptly. I have a paralegal who works weekend hours with me, which is something we started doing around six months ago. So someone is setting up phone calls and helping me with research.

On choosing whom to represent:

We have an elaborate vetting process. A couple of hundred people reach out every week. One of my paralegals takes the calls and responds to the emails. We have to know some things first to know if someone has a good case of not. We need facts, times, how much evidence we have, who are the witnesses. Some people dont like that process, but thats what we need to know before well take the case. We often take cases on contingency, so we need to know if were going to win. We do background checks, at our expense, and we review all of their social media. You can learn a lot about people from their social media.

On being a celebrity lawyer:

I never set out to be a celebrity lawyer. I dont even know what the phrase means. Am I the celebrity? Are my clients celebrities? I am a lawyer who fights for people and wins, who stands up for whats important.

On playing therapist to clients:

People are already in distress when they come to me. No one comes to a lawyer because things are perfect in their lives. Im a last resort. I try to walk them through the options, and tell them how the case will go, but we never know what the other side is going to do. You have to be steely. But were not therapists, and I try to gently remind the clients of this from the beginning. I encourage them to have a therapist, and I have a list of therapists to recommend, because they do what I cannot. They have skills I dont have. Im here to be the lawyer, to tell you what legal options you have. If you need someone to talk to when youre freaking out, you should go to a therapist. Still, yes, I do form close relationships with them. Last night I was at a celebration dinner with a client because we won a case, and they gave me a Wonder Woman cup, which Im looking at right now. When I was with Mischa Barton last time in New York, we went to see Hello Dolly. Blac Chyna texted me over the weekend, asking how I was feeling. I think my clients know that I admire them. I tell them how impressed I am with their courage. None of them signed up for the situations theyre in. They did not volunteer to be sexually assaulted or harassed, and still theyve decided to speak.

On choosing law:

When I was in college, I was the national debating champion. Everybody said that meant I should go to law school and I wasnt sure what else I wanted to do, so I applied and got into Yale. It was the best law school in the country, and that was pretty exciting, so I decided to go. I wasnt 100 percent committed and honestly, part of the appeal was going to more school. I could have gone to school for the rest of my life. It doesnt work that way, though. By the time school was over, I did like law a lot.

On taking a break, on vacation time:

My mothers a lawyer, my daughters a lawyer, my son is a paralegal, my foster son is interning with the firm. We dont just talk about the law, though! We go to Burning Man together every year, my kids and my husband and me. We love to travel. My husband and I were in Gambia and Senegal earlier this year. We love Africa and try to go once a year. Id love to see Botswana and Madagascar next.

I dont really unplug on vacations. The only way to travel as much as I do is by working for one hour in the morning and one hour at night, and hopefully not during the day. We buy the data plan everywhere we go. If something arises, I give it my attention. I send an email, then I go back to looking at the elephants.
Sarah Sutherland is thrilled to be back in her old stomping grounds. For the 29-year-old Veep star and alumnus of NYUs Tisch School of the Arts, being back in the East Village is like unlocking a trove of memories: her first apartment on St. Marks and 2nd, now an iPhone repair shop; the cafe where she used to go to flirt with the cute barista, now taken over by a Flywheel and CVS. The summer after I graduated, when I was moderately losing my mind, I would go there and allegedly write and just ogle him, she tells me over dinner at Cafe Orlin on St. Marks. I wore kind of like punky things and I had unkempt kindergarten hair that looked like I had a mother that didnt really love me, because I never brushed it.

When we meet on a balmy June evening, Sutherlands aesthetic is more private-school-gal meets Nasty Gal: a maroon blouse and matching nail polish, a yellow satin miniskirt with a floral pattern, a seafoam green Philip Lim backpack, and large black sunglasses. Ive been getting migraines that make me sensitive to light, so Ive been wearing these dramatic, movie-star glasses and people probably think Im a full douchebag, she confesses. Yet while she may not shop at East Village grunge-haunts like Trash and Vaudeville anymore, her vibe is bright-eyed theater kid rather than Hollywood douchebag  which makes it easy to forget shes also bona fide acting royalty. I feel like such an impostor, she admits guiltily when I ask her where shes staying this trip. Im staying in a family friends gorgeous three-bedroom Tribeca apartment by Canal right now and shes away in the Hamptons for the summer. Its almost uncomfortably fancy.

In an era where every Fashion Week runway boasts a celebrity scion trading on a famous last name, Sutherland has accomplished an impressive feat: even for fans who have seen every episode of Veep  on which she plays Catherine Meyer, daughter of Julia Louis-Dreyfuss former veep turned POTUS turned disgraced ex-President Selina Meyer  you might still have no idea that she is Kiefer Sutherlands daughter. I was very adamant that I wanted to arrive at navigating the industry in my own right without help from them, and that was a big part of my going to theater school in New York, Sutherland tells me, referring to both her dad, the 24 star, and grandfather Donald Sutherland.

She was really aware of really wanting to find her own way, her dad tells me. And this wasnt just a fear of nepotism. This was someone who really wanted to just navigate her own life.

Sarah had a normal upbringing, she says, at least within the context of the artsy Hollywood world she inhabited. She played electric bass in a band, watched a lot of old movies, and fell in love hard and often. Im a supremely romantic human being, she says. I had a very serious boyfriend when I was 13, and we had matching dreadlocks in our hair from making out so much. We would write each other these psychotic love letters like he was going to war, even though he only lived 15 minutes away. Of the difficult parts of having a famous father  his drinking, the tabloid dramas  she implies only that it has made her a private person. I think what it did was it gave me a more realistic perspective of what I was potentially entering into, so it gave me the power to understand the ways it was difficult and choose to do it anyway.

Photo: Coley Brown.

After high school, Sutherland moved to New York City to study in Tischs experimental theater wing, where she fell in with a tight-knit theatrical community. I wish everyone could do acting training, because I think you just become a better communicator. I feel like I got the secret key to peoples moods, or what theyre hiding or what makes them happy, she says wistfully. Some of the most challenging and demanding and complicated characters Ive played have been within the four walls of Tisch. I think it helps you kind of redefine your idea of success where youre not just governed by industry things or how well reviewed or popular something is.

Sutherland had never had an onscreen role  and still had the lease on her East Village apartment  when she read for a role on Veep with casting director Allison Jones, the legendary nerd hunter responsible for populating most of the Feig-Apatow cinematic universe, dating back to Freaks and Geeks (according to The New Yorker, Jones has a natural eye for Paul Feig Types  well-meaning nerds who are endearing in their benevolent oddness). Unlike the rest of the Veep cast, Sutherland didnt have a comedy background. Yet Jones saw something special in her, and the chemistry read with Julia Louis-Dreyfus sealed the deal. Straight out of Tisch, she landed the part of Catherine Meyer, Selina Meyers gawky, naive punching-bag of a daughter on Armando Iannuccis scathing Capitol Hill satire. I went [back to L.A.] for what was supposed to be an extended vacation and then just ended up never leaving, she recalls. I honestly think in a weird way, some part of me knew that I might not come back but I couldnt deal with it directly because I loved New York so much and it was so hard for me to deal with looking in the eyes of the people that I loved and saying good-bye.

Sure enough, what began as a small role has grown and grown over the course of Veeps six seasons. Unlike the rest of the acrid, insult-slinging sociopaths that populate the show, Catherine has a genuine sweetness to her, making her the emotional center of a show that often does little to humanize its characters. Hearing Selina browbeat Catherine  for her hair, her clothes, her general demeanor  often feels like the verbal equivalent of watching a baby get spat on, or a doe get punched in the face.My first impression of her was that she was so real, it didnt seem as if she was acting, recalls Louis-Dreyfus. Her ability to stay in a vulnerable place matches up really well with Selinas wickedness, which makes the scenes between them even more horribly funny.

While other characters on the show are characterized by their inability to evolve or learn from their mistakes (Veep often seems to echo Larry Davids Seinfeld credo: no hugging, no learning), Catherine is one of the few characters who has experienced personal growth over the course of the show. While she is still subject to her mothers constant volleys of abuse, Catherine is no longer the sullen, awkward college student who skulked around in the corners of the White House on season one. In season five, while shooting a student documentary about the election (Kissing Your Sister, one of the shows best episodes), she fell in love with her mothers Secret Service agent, Marjorie (Clea DuVall). This past season, they had a baby together. As she has come into her own, Catherine has found a new level of happiness and self-confidence. One of the words I use a lot when Im applauding a performance that isnt mine that I really like is generous, Sutherland says. I think that theres such a trend, and it might have to do just with the state of the world right now, of apathy that is so enacted and so not cinematic and not interesting to watch. I think as an actor its your responsibility to have those walls be movable.

Photo: Coley Brown.

Sutherland says she wants to be known as an actor who can shape-shift and embody characters that are different from each other  both on camera and onstage, in dramas and comedies  in addition to writing her own stuff. Beyond Veep, she has had the chance to stretch her range in a string of diverse indies: Chronic with Tim Roth, Beneath the Harvest Sky with Emory Cohen, and an upcoming family drama titled What They Had, starring Michael Shannon and Hilary Swank. I like weird characters, I like angry characters, I like emotionally undone characters, I like eternal characters, I like characters that are messes. I think Im most attracted to that kind of wounding of a character, she says.

Its clear that Sutherland takes acting very, very seriously. When she talks about actors and movies and playwrights she likes, she looks almost overcome with emotion. She tells a story about being so anxious about her first day on set of Veep that she didnt pee the whole day. Describing a performance by Michael Shannon in Our Town on Broadway, she gushes: I wish so much that I could encapsulate that in a snow globe and hand it to you so you could see it and experience what it felt like.

Given the career she wants, it seems inevitable that Sutherland will one day no longer be able to walk the streets of the East Village without being stopped for a selfie or tapped on the shoulder for an autograph. Still, she admits that if she could somehow get the roles and work with the directors she wanted without being famous, she would choose that in a heartbeat. I have no interest in making myself more visible or people really knowing much about me beyond my work and general disposition, she says. For now, though, shes preserving what privacy she can; she has no social-media presence and describes herself as a bit of a social alien when it comes to the world of likes and regrams and retweets.

I mention that I have to use Twitter for work, and she perks up. Can we tweet something? Can I tweet something from your phone? I gamely hand it to her and she looks at it in horror, like Ive just handed her a live grenade. Dont let me. Dont give it to me.

Yet Sutherland knows that anonymity isnt something that can last forever. Im also seeking some old-world value that doesnt really exist anymore  the idea of anonymity as an actor being so important is actually, often, antithetical to progress. So I know I have to sort of manage that, she says.

Having narrowly avoided her brush with social media, we leave the restaurant and stroll through toward a nearby dive bar, where Sutherland is having drinks with an old Tisch friend. As we walk, Sutherland continues to regale me with memories every time we see something that strikes a chord: Jules Bistro, where she used to drink on the front stoop with her three best friends; Bowery Ballroom, where she went to a Rocco DeLuca concert with her dad and cried because the music was so beautiful. Despite her rising profile, Sutherland seems happiest recalling that fresh-faced theater student clomping around St. Marks with unbrushed hair, latched onto the arm of a boy she loves. It feels like some ghost tour of a former version of myself that was both the biggest mess on the planet and somehow also the most powerful version of myself, she says wistfully. I just can see younger Sarah with like ten bags slung over her shoulder wearing combat boots going to rehearsal. It makes me so happy.

Produced by Biel Parklee.
Photo: Laia Arqueros Claramunt

Welcome to Its Complicated, a week of stories on the sometimes frustrating, sometimes confusing, always engrossing subject of modern relationships.

On a recent Wednesday night at a yoga studio in midtown Manhattan, a bearded man approached me and whispered in my ear, I apologize for all the hurt my brothers have caused you. He held me close for a few seconds and rubbed my back as we inhaled deeply together. As we exhaled, a booming voice instructed me to move to my left and that it was now my turn to apologize on behalf of all women to the man in front of me. I felt bewildered, not aroused  but judging from the expressions of the people around me, this mass apology seemed to be a turn-on. This was my introduction to flirting, tantra-style.

Hosted by the Tantra Institute of New York, tantra speed dating takes place once a month at Reflections, Center for Conscious Living & Yoga in New York City, with upcoming events also planned for Boston, San Francisco, and Reno, Nevada. The two-hour-long event is intended to give mindful singles the opportunity to connect with potential matches through a series of mindfulness exercises (like apologizing to the people in front of you) instead of dating apps. The Tantra Institutes co-founder Daka Guy told me that the event came out a need for people to meet outside of technology. People are not connecting in person as much today as they were before smartphones, Guy said. Thats created an atmosphere where people are more thirsty for real connection, and I think thats all mindfulness really is.

I arrived at the Institutes August tantric speed dating event in yoga pants and a tank top (fitting, I assumed, given the setting)  but many of the other participants wore dating-formal attire. As I stared at the room full of women in dresses and men in slacks, I realized this wasnt going to be the group-meditation session I was expecting.

The evening, which took place in a big space at the yoga studio, had a distinctly New Age vibe. The corners of the room were lined with tea lights, and in the middle of the room was a large patchwork quilt. Participants were encouraged to place jewelry or clothing on the quilt to absorb energy from the event. The women were given bags of beads to wear around our necks, while the men were given empty pouches to wear. Guy explained that, if we were interested in one of the men, we should place a bead into their pouch at the end of each encounter.

Once we got started, 34 participants  17 men and 17 women, ranging from those in their early 20s to literal grandparents  formed a traditional puja circle and moved counterclockwise through potential matches with improv exercises, communication games, and moments of tantric connection, a PG version of the oneness often associated with tantric sex. My first few matches were with men whose eyes I gazed into for prolonged periods of time, or whose hands I held while still staring into their eyes. We were sometimes told to compliment each other  the recipient had to say thank you after each kind statement  or share what gives us joy. But then the activities started to get more intense.

One man and I had to place our right hands on each others hearts, and he graciously did his best to avoid touching my boob. I had two minutes of small talk with a man older than my dad, who waxed on about the benefits of orgasmic meditation. I was told to place one hand on the front of a mans heart, wrap my other arm around his body to place a hand on the back of his heart, and to send him my energy. Another extremely attractive match and I had to sit on the ground facing each other and holding hands. Hed lean back and Id have to hold him up, and vice versa  like a reverse trust fall.

With my final suitor, I sat on the ground yet again and was told to lean into him with my head on his lap or chest and just let him embrace me. Unfortunately, I had a walking boot on due to an ankle injury, so I had to contort my body to slightly lean into him with my right shoulder, while simultaneously holding myself up with my left arm. I felt distinctly unrelaxed. Yet, everyone else around me looked serene, including a woman who sat on her partners lap with her legs wrapped around his body.

I found the moments of forced intimacy too stressful to actually feel a romantic connection with anyone, so I didnt end up giving away any of my beads by the end of the night. But throughout the evening, I saw many women drop their beads into pouches. In fact, I saw plenty of connections being made over the entire two hours  men and women gazing at each other, laughing, and thanking each other for the hugs and tenderness. At the end of the night, one man told the group it was the first event hed attended in New York where no one complained.

When I got home after the event, the first thing I did was hop in the shower, as I had just spent an evening awkwardly embracing 17 random men. But after that, I felt surprisingly calm. Despite feeling stressed while the event was happening and the occasional flashbacks to attempting to lie down in a strangers lap, it was as if I had just returned from an evening at a spa (for my mind). While tantric dating may not be for me, perhaps mindfulness could have a place in my life. If only I could find the right meditation app to download on my phone 
President Trump. Photo: Pool/Getty Images

One week after President Trump laughed in the face of science and defiantly turned his naked eyes toward the sun, his eclipse blindness seems to be setting in. During a press conference with Finnish president Sauli Niinisto on Monday, Trump confused two blonde, female Finnish journalists who were sitting next to each other.

As the press conference was wrapping up, Niinisto took a last question from one of the journalists.

Again? Youre going to give her the same one? Trump asked.

No, she is not the same lady, Niinisto answered. They are sitting side by side.

We have a lot of blonde women in Finland, the journalist added as she took the mic.

THIS. The Finnish journalists @potus had trouble telling apart. They are def. 2 diff. people. So glad I met @maria_annala + @vilenpaula. pic.twitter.com/gthZWwiiJa  Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) August 28, 2017

Eclipse blindness or not, youd think someone who spends so much of his time objectifying blonde women (including First Ladies and his own daughter) would be better at telling them apart.

Watch the whole awkward interaction here.
Scotiabank is finding reasons to feel optimistic about the prospects for Canadas economic growth on the back of stronger than expected quarterly results.

James McPhedran, executive vice-president of Scotiabanks Canadian banking division, says its domestic outlook has gotten consistently better since January or February, driven by positive sentiment, particularly from its business clients.

Certainly, when I speak to commercial customers across the country, theyre feeling pretty good about this countrys prospects, McPhedran told analysts on the banks third-quarter conference call.

Its not everywhere, but I think the mood is pretty good and were seeing it in our results.

Read more: RBC boosts net income by 9% to $2.81 billion

Scotiabank reported improvements in its Canadian retail business were partially driven by loan growth.

However, many observers have noted that debt loads in the country are sky high and a potential economic shock that could hit household incomes could affect some Canadians ability to pay back loans.

What were seeing in consumer delinquencies is a much-awaited and very important trend thats deserving of attention, McPhedran added.

The looming economic uncertainty was one of the few weak spots on otherwise strong Canadian bank earnings reports that continued on Tuesday, with both Scotiabank and BMO reporting third-quarter results that were ahead of analyst estimates.

The Bank of Nova Scotia had $2.1-billion of net income for the three months ended July 31, up 7 per cent from the same quarter last year, and announced its quarterly dividend will go up about 4 per cent.

The Bank of Montreal had nearly $1.4 billion of net income over the same period, an increase of 11 per cent from the same time last year, but said its dividend will remain steady.

Analyst John Aiken of Barclays Capital said in separate notes to clients that both banks performed better than expected.

Quarterly reports from Royal Bank of Canada and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce last week also came in ahead of expectations.

Montreal-based National Bank reports its third-quarter results Wednesday, with Toronto-Dominion Bank reporting Thursday.

Scotiabank said Tuesday that its strength during the quarter came from its Canadian and international banking arms, while its global markets division grew its net income over last year at a more modest pace.

Canadian banking was also a strong point for the Bank of Montreal, as was wealth management, but its U.S. banking division was flat compared with the 2016 third quarter while net income from its capital markets arm was down.

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After arriving to find his venues locks had been smashed, the owner of Comedy Bar opted to pull the plug on a late-night No Fascist show last weekend.

Gary Rideout Jr., the Bloorcourt venues co-owner and artistic director, says he took action to protect the safety of his staff and patrons in the event that the show became an unsafe space used for fighting between opposing political groups.

Initially booked for Saturday night, the No Fascist T.O. Comedy Show was organized by local comic Danny Polishchuk  writer and actor in Filth City  and had plans to give the proceeds it raised to the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. The event was also promoted as a free speech comedy show.

On the day the event was supposed to happen, Rideout Jr. was made aware of a Facebook post which referred to this standup comedy show as crypto-fascist, and said his box-office line had received several callers voicing concerns that people involved in the show may have ties to extreme political groups.

When he arrived at the club around 4 p.m., Rideout Jr. found the venues locks had been jammed. He said he did not report the broken locks to the police because his top priority was reopening in time for his early evening shows. He also said he didnt think there was any way to prove who was responsible for the damage, which cost him more than $400 to fix.

After assessing the physical damage done to the venue and the calls received, Rideout Jr. cancelled Polishchuks show.

Whether they were coming or not or whatever, it was not worth the risk. My bartenders are five-foot-tall, 100-pound women, you know what I mean? he said. They dont need theoretically, possibly a white supremacist group showing up, or an anti-fascist group showing up to fight the white supremacist group . . . its just a comedy show.

Polishchuks promotional art at the top of his event page seems to borrow substantially from that of the No Fascist T.O. Diversity Rally which successfully pushed for the closure of The Stifling of Free Speech on University Campuses event at Ryerson University a few weeks ago, calling it bigoted. Faith Goldy, then of The Rebel, and controversial U of T psychology professor Jordan Peterson were supposed to speak at the event, which the school ultimately shut down citing safety concerns. (The event has been moved to Canada Christian College and rescheduled for Nov. 11.)

Free speech is obviously the most important thing in terms of being a comedian, said Polishchuk, who thinks that the event should have been allowed to continue. The moment youre not allowed to say things and people threaten you, it flies in the face of everything that comedy is about.

While he used borrowed branding, the comic maintains there was nothing unusual about the event he wanted to host on Saturday. There were 20 comedy shows in Toronto on Saturday night, all the same, except one of them was called the pro-free speech show and thats the one that go cancelled because of threats of violence and actual violence, he said.

His events description includes a disclaimer that If you're an ACTUAL NAZI or WHITE SUPREMACIST or anything of this sort you ARE NOT WELCOME.

The thing now is obviously Im against Nazis in every form, said Polishchuk, who is Jewish, but if you dont actually disavow them, maybe sometimes they think this is an event for them. I just didnt want there to be any, like, confusion about what this was.

Polishchuk says he understands why Rideout Jr. made the call he did and thinks the way the venue handled the situation was great. He wants to reschedule the show for Nov. 11, but is still looking for a venue. He hopes to raise some money to help cover the cost of Rideout Jr.s damaged locks.

With files from Jaren Kerr

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OTTAWADarshan Kang, a Calgary Liberal MP accused of sexually harassing a young female staffer, then offering her money to stay quiet with her allegations, broke his own silence Tuesday and committed to defend himself at all costs.

In a short statement released by his office, Kang did not address the specific allegations against him  which were partly revealed Aug. 11  and said he has not been able to appear in public because he was placed on stress-related medical leave.

He also confirmed there is an open, ongoing investigation into the allegations.

Read more:Liberal MP offered woman $100K to keep quiet about sexual harassment claim, father alleges

Since the allegations of sexual harassment were levelled against me I have been under a tremendous amount of stress and subsequently, I was placed on medical leave, the statement said.

While I cannot comment directly on an open, ongoing investigation, I continue to proclaim my innocence and will defend my reputation at all costs.

Kang is accused of sexually harassing a young woman who worked in his Calgary constituency office for more than four years. The womans father told the Star on condition of anonymity that Kang offered her a series of payments of up to $100,000 to stay quiet with her allegations, which he said included numerous instances of unwelcome hugs and hand-holding, as well as an incident in June when he offered the woman wine and tried to take off her jacket.

None of the allegations against Kang has been proven.

The father said the Liberal partys deputy whip in the House of Commons, Hamilton MP Filomena Tassi, travelled to Calgary in June to interview his daughter about her allegations.

Tassi has not responded to interview requests from the Star this week.

The NDP, meanwhile, called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to immediately remove Kang from the Liberal caucus, pending the conclusion of an investigation.

Sheila Malcolmson, the NDPs Status of Women critic, questioned whether Kangs continued presence in the Liberal fold means Trudeau is betraying his stated zero tolerance policy on harassment and misconduct on Parliament Hill.

How did the prime minister move from zero tolerance in the past to no comment now? There is no rationale.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trudeau declined to say why Kang remains in the Liberal caucus. He said there is a strong series of processes in Parliament to deal with harassment allegations which has been put in place over the past two years.

The whips office is very much engaged, as it must be in this process, and we will allow this process to unfold as it should, he said.

Earlier this month, the Hill Times revealed that Kang is being investigated by the House of Commons human resources officer for alleged sexual harassment. The government whips office has confirmed it received the allegations.

We were made aware of the allegations and referred them, as per the House of Commons process, to the chief human resources officer (Pierre Parent), the government whips chief-of-staff, Charles-Eric Lepine, said in an email Monday.

It is not clear if Lepine was referring to the allegation of sexual harassment, the alleged offers of money, or both. He declined to answer any more questions on the matter Monday and Tuesday.

The human resources office investigates claims of harassment, abuse of authority, misconduct and sexual harassment among MPs and Parliamentary employees, including workers in constituency offices.

If a complaint is determined to meet the policys recommendation of harassment and attempted mediation doesnt work, an investigation will take place, according to Parliaments harassment policy.

Each party has 15 days to appeal the conclusion of an investigation, the policy states.

During the 2016-17 fiscal year, the office received 19 cases and deemed two serious enough for investigation, according to its most recent annual report. Both cases were found to be not substantiated.

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It was June 2015, and Justin Trudeau, then leader of the third party and struggling in the polls, made what was seen by many at the time as a rather impulsive promise.

He quickly pledged to implement all 94 recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that had been released that day by Justice Murray Sinclair.

Monday, more than 26 months after his pledge of reconciliation, a United Nations committee on the elimination of racial discrimination reported it was alarmed that the Trudeau government continues to ignore multiple decisions by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to close the gap in funding for child and family services of Indigenous children.

Read more:

Cabinet shuffle only targeted isolated trouble spots: Hebert

Trudeau shuffles ministers, overhauls Indigenous Affairs, brings friend ORegan into cabinet

Judy Foote resigns cabinet to help family face cancer

Thats quite a gap between expectations and delivery.

Also Monday, Trudeau arrived at Rideau Hall and announced he would dissolve the creaky old structures of the Indigenous and Northern Affairs department, announced plans to kill the Indian Act and put one of his most trusted ministers into one of two new Indigenous portfolios.

Are we about to witness yet another gap between expectations and delivery?

There could be no loftier goal than Indigenous reconciliation and Trudeaus government deserves credit for making it a priority.

But there can be no tougher task for a government than trying to undo history, toss off the yoke of colonialism, address grievances and mistrust and deliver much-needed services quickly while dealing with an entrenched bureaucracy.

All are needed to effect real change.

When expectations collide with reality things can actually get worse.

Trudeau either made history Monday or made an admission that, mid-mandate, true reconciliation and timely delivery of services remain as elusive as ever.

The prime minister, of course, would never say the latter, but he did concede it would come as no surprise that there are real challenges in terms of changing a relationship and improving a relationship and services that have foundered for decades, if not centuries.

Hayden King, an Anishinaabe educator in the faculty of arts at Ryerson University, told me there is a concern that this move is just another Liberal symbol that will be wrapping us up in process.

Promises have been heard and discarded for decades. Under this government, the promises are yardsticks that allow Indigenous leaders to push for accountability.

I never invest in any hope in a Canadian government, King says, because there is a mountain of empirical evidence that governments since 1867 have been acting to extinguish Indigenous rights and communities.

Then there is Cindy Blackstock and her relentless fight to provide fairness for Indigenous children.

She took the government to the human rights tribunal and won in February 2016. The tribunal ruled that Ottawa discriminated against Indigenous children by underfunding child welfare services and not providing the same level of health care on reserves as the rest of the country.

In response, the Trudeau Liberals have spent more than $700,000 fighting the original order and three subsequent non-compliance orders, according to numbers obtained by NDP leadership candidate Charlie Angus.

In June, the government took the tribunal to Federal Court over a ruling that linked inadequate health care to two suicides of 12-year-old girls in Wapekeka First Nation.

I look at this from a kids perspective, Blackstock said. Instead of helping me, Justin Trudeau is actually violating the law to thwart me. What kind of message is that sending to kids?

The ministers involved in that challenge are Carolyn Bennett and Jane Philpott, the two ministers appointed to the Indigenous files by Trudeau Monday.

Their real task will be turning around a bureaucracy that sees itself as protectorate of the Canadian population, which puts it on a collision course with Indigenous needs and aspirations.

It narrowly interprets court or tribunal rulings, it strangles political intentions with its own form of inertia, it is steeped in paternalism and it guards information, as Blackstock says, as if child welfare was a national security issue.

The good news is that Philpott, as the minister of Indigenous services, said her first priority would be child and family services and health care.

The better news is that this is a woman who is not only compassionate, but highly competent and clearly tough enough to deal with a bureaucracy if her hardball negotiating tactics with the provinces on health care funding are any gauge.

The best news is that Philpott is not a woman who will want to preside over more symbolic actions. A woman of substance will want to deliver substance.

Tim Harper writes on national affairs. He can be reached at tjharper77@gmail.com or Twitter: @nutgraf1

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Celebrity chef Susur Lee, who runs three well-known restaurants in Toronto, will return money taken from employees tips to pay for mistakes after public outcry over the practice.

More than 7,000 people signed a petition asking the chef to refund the money after staff at Frings, Lee and the recently closed Bent spoke publicly about the issue. Last year, Ontarios Ministry of Labour made the practice of docking tips for common slip-ups  such as broken glasses, spilled drinks and incorrect orders  illegal.

In a statement Monday, a representative for Lee said management chose to change the policy, called the IOU system, as soon as they found out it was no longer allowed.

We are currently in the process of refunds and reaching out to previous staff members that were affected as well, said Kelsea Knowles, Lees executive assistant.

We are also in the process of hiring an HR consultant to make sure all is done correctly.

News that Lees three restaurants would change the practice spread after Taylor Clarke  an online personality who often posts about the Toronto restaurant industry under the moniker ChefGrantSoto  uploaded an Instagram photo of a note reportedly sent to employees, saying Lee and his two sons were deeply regretful.

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Peel Police are searching for a vehicle and four to five suspects after a 20-year-old man was seriously injured in a shooting in Mississauga Monday night.

Paramedics were called to the scene in the area of Fieldgate Dr. and Bloor St. not long after 7 p.m. and found a man with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. He was initially taken to a local hospital, but then was sent to a Toronto trauma center. Police said there was an altercation between a group of young men outside an apartment complex that resulted in the victim being shot. The suspects then fled the scene.

We believe the victim ran across the street to the gas station in an attempt to get help, said Const. Bancroft Wright. That was where police and emergency services picked him up from upon arriving.

Police are seeking a vehicle as well as the suspects.

The suspect vehicle is grey colour a Pontiac 2006 Torrent. The license plate number is CCMS 880, Wright said.

Tactical units and K-9 were on scene for the investigation. Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who spot the vehicle to contact them.

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After more than 150 humanitarian trips to North Korea, a speech in the U.S. made Rev. Hyeon Soo Lims last journey there far different.

He told an American audience that you should not serve Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il like a God.

This was seen by the North Korean government as a crime against the state, and defamation of the Kim dynasty, which has been in power for almost seven decades, with Kim Jong-un now at the helm.

Read more:

I ate 2,757 meals in isolation: Hyeon Soo Lims address to his church after more than 2 years in North Korean prison

Pastor greeted with cheers, chants at his Mississauga church after over two years in North Korean prison

Freed Mississauga pastor will be back in church for Sunday service

In his first interview with the Star since he was released from a North Korean jail earlier this month, Lim described the events leading up to his arrest more than two years ago.

When Lim arrived in the northern city of Rajin in January, 2015, a senior officer approached him and asked for help.

Lim said the officer told him: Well talk about how you can help us more.

Soon after, Lim was arrested and detained in a hotel before he was taken to a detention centre, where he stayed for 10 months.

At the detention centre, he went through series of interviews, and anyone in North Korea with ties to him was investigated. It was there that he was asked about his speech in the U.S.

At Lims trial, he was sentenced to life in a hard-labour camp. He spent winters digging holes in the frozen ground, and the warmer months farming corn, potatoes, hot peppers and beans.

At all times, two guards would watch him while he was working, and they would rarely speak to him. Only sometimes would an older guard make small talk with Lim, but his time in North Korea was mostly quiet and isolated.

Lims spokesperson Lisa Pak, who was also at the interview at Light Presbyterian Church in Mississauga where he preaches, said the hard labour was to reform Lim.

There was no real purpose except to make his life difficult, she said.

Lim wore a gray uniform, which had more padding in the winter to accommodate the weather. His meals were either rice or noodles, but usually rice. The portions were small, until he lost 50 pounds over two months.

Then they gave me a little more rice, Lim said.

His routine was the same nearly every day.

Wake up at 6 a.m.; clean and eat breakfast until 8 a.m.; work until 6 p.m., with an hour-long lunch and a half-hour break in the morning and afternoon; eat dinner at 7 p.m. From 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., he was permitted culture time.

No TV, no radio, nothing, he said, laughing.

He spent that time reading the Bible. Then he would sleep at 10 and start again.

He also had Sundays off, where he worshipped by himself.

Lim spent time in the hospital while in North Korea, suffering from frostbite and soreness from the labour. He said that rest helped, and he did receive some medical care, like antibiotics and physiotherapy.

On Aug. 9, Lim was freed, notified only 15 minutes in advance. North Korean officials did not speak to him when he left. Freedom felt like a miracle.

All of a sudden . . . he was being released, so to him its like the hand of God intervening because all these human efforts failed, said Pak, referring to efforts from the Canadian government and Swedish officials, who act as Canadas protecting power in North Korea since Ottawa has no embassy there.

Lim expressed extreme gratitude to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and national security adviser Daniel Jean, who he said were instrumental in getting him home safely. He said Canadian officials did not ask him for many details about his experience.

On his way home, Lim spent a night in Guam to keep his travel confidential. There, he began to catch up on current events. Guam was in the middle of an international crisis with North Korea threatening to strike American military targets there amid rising tensions with the U.S.

Lim joked that it felt like North Korea was following him when Guam was in the news cycle.

Lim says that his mind is open to going back to North Korea, where he had been going for 10 years before he was captured. He provided food and aid to people in North Korea, especially orphans whose parents had died.

Although contemporary North Korean culture teaches that missionaries are Western spies, he was welcomed to the country without a visa because he provided aid that was needed.

He said in the interview that he often thinks of other foreign prisoners he left behind. He believes the death of American college student Otto Warmbier after 17 months in detention in June shortly after he was released to the U.S. affected how Lim was fed.

Lim also said he felt he was treated better because he was a Canadian.

While in captivity, his granddaugher was born.

I cannot express, its overwhelming, Lim said when he heard the news.

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GUATEMALA CITY  President Jimmy Morales appeared to soften his stand Monday in his effort to oust the UN anti-corruption commissioner in Guatemala, a move that left him battered him with criticism at home and abroad.

Hours after he got support from his own Cabinet on the expulsion order, Morales indicated a willingness to abide by court decisions on his action, which had touched off anger and raised threats to the future of his administration.

People of Guatemala, as president of the republic I have and will respect the decisions of the other branches of government. The rule of law should always prevail, he wrote in his Facebook account.

One day earlier Morales announced he was expelling Ivan Velasquez, but his order was quickly blocked by Guatemalas highest court and international disapproval poured in. One Cabinet minister quit in protest and the president fired the foreign minister for refusing to expel Velasquez.

On Monday, Guatemalas chief prosecutor, Thelma Aldana, who with Velasquez had announced Friday they would seek the removal of Morales immunity from prosecution to make way for a campaign finance investigation, expressed her unconditional support for Velasquez in radio interviews and at a news conference.

Morales had issued a statement after the court ruling standing by his order to kick Velasquez out of the country, but many said the legal standoff could undermine the president whichever way it went  either overturning the expulsion order or bringing a wave of international pressure on his government.

While ruffling the feathers of politicians and officials, the UN panel and local prosecutors have built popularity among many Guatemalans over the last decade by attacking the corruption long endemic in Guatemala, including helping force the previous president from office two years ago.

Indigenous groups blocked a major interchange on the Inter-American Highway on Monday to show support for Velazquez and small street protests by students grew as the day wore on.

I protest because I reject the corruption in the country, said Andrea Rodriguez, a public policy student at San Carlos de Guatemala University. This is a moment that calls for all of us to participate and mobilize in a way to participate.

A short time later, Aldana said at a news conference that she was willing to meet with Morales, but said the president must obey the constitutional Courts suspension of his order while it considers its final ruling in the case.

And while Morales had said he stood by his expulsion order, there was no sign the government was trying to make good on removing Velasquez, who had not commented publicly.

Velasquez is the symbolic factor in the fight against impunity, said analyst Renzo Rosal. To remove him would been an even bigger fire because it is going to give space for organized crime.

One of the few voices outside Morales own party to support his move was his predecessor, Otto Perez Molina, who was forced from the presidency in 2015 by a corruption investigation led by Aldana and Velasquez. In jail awaiting trial, Perez Molina said Monday that Velasquez must go.

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CLOVIS, N.M.Two people were killed and four others were injured when gunfire erupted inside a public library on Monday, throwing an eastern New Mexico community into a panic as officers swarmed the building with their guns drawn.

The gunman surrendered and was taken into custody without incident after police entered the downtown building, authorities and elected officials with the city of Clovis said during a news conference.

Warrants for his arrest were being prepared, but its wasnt immediately clear what charges he would face.

Clovis Mayor David Lansford said things could have been much worse had it not been for the quick response, training and courage of police. He called the shooting tragic and senseless.

This is a big blow to our community, he said. Our community is a community that places a high value on life and the sanctity of life. And each life that lives in this community is precious. So were all hurting right now as a result of what took place this afternoon.

Clovis, a city of about 40,000, is about 320 kilometres east of Albuquerque, near the Texas state line. The area is home to Cannon Air Force Base. The nearby community of Portales is home to Eastern New Mexico University.

The injured included two men and two women, authorities said. Some were taken to a hospital across the state line in Lubbock, Texas. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.

One woman was seen being helped into an ambulance while a call for air ambulances could be heard over police radio traffic.

The names of the victims and the gunman were not released.

Police said they were still working to process the crime scene and piece together what happened. Police Chief Douglas Ford could not immediately say what kind of gun was used in the attack.

Top elected officials from across New Mexico issued their condolences for the victims and their support for the community. Gov. Susana Martinez called it a horrific attack.

In the coming hours and days we will learn more information about this despicable act, but for now I ask all New Mexicans to pray for the victims and their families, and for the entire Clovis community, said Martinez, a former prosecutor.

Attorney General Hector Balderas said his office has reached out to the local district attorney to offer its help.

Sojung Her, a 26-year-old cashier at the Shogun Japanese Steakhouse within view of the library lawn, said the shooting left behind a sense of fear and vulnerability.

Its kind of a freak thing, she said. What if he just walked into our restaurant and started shooting?

Police cars and tactical officers crowded the streets outside as she arrived to work at the restaurant late Monday afternoon.

This kind of thing never happens here, she said.

Vanessa Aguirre told The Eastern New Mexico News that she was in the library with her son when a man came in and started to shoot into the air.

It all happened so fast, she said. We took off fast.

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A multimillion-dollar claim seeking damages against Omar Khadr for the death of a U.S. special forces soldier should be dismissed because it relies on false information and a conviction before Guantanamos controversial military courts, documents filed Tuesday state.

Nathan Whitling, Khadrs lawyer, wrote in the statement of defence to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice that the Utah claim for $134.1 million (U.S.) would never have existed but for the unlawful detention, abuse, torture, and other mistreatment of (Khadr) in Bagram and GTMO.

Khadr, now 30, was shot and captured in Afghanistan by U.S. forces on July 27, 2002, at the age of 15. Delta Force soldier Christopher Speer was fatally wounded during the firefight AND Sgt. Layne Morris was hit by shrapnel and lost sight in one eye. Khadr, grievously wounded and also blinded in one eye, was transferred to the U.S. base in Bagram, Afghanistan, where he received life-saving medical treatment and was interrogated for nearly three months before his transfer to Guantanamo, also known by the acronym GTMO.

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Morris and Speers widow, Tabitha, brought a wrongful-death suit against Khadr, winning by default in 2015. (Khadr was detained at the time in Canada.) They are appealing to the Canadian courts to enforce the ruling.

But Whitling wrote that part of their claim, stating that Khadr was the only person alive in the compound in Afghanistan when Speer was hit by a grenade, is false.

The evidence before the military commission confirmed that there was a combatant alive in the compound and firing his weapon at the U.S. combatants entering the compound, which individual was . . . in the same area from which the grenade had been thrown.

Khadr accepted a Pentagon plea deal in Guantanamo in 2010 for an eight-year-sentence and a chance to be repatriated to Canada in exchange for admitting that he threw the grenade. He said upon his return that he considered the plea deal the only way he would ever leave Guantanamo  and that he is unsure about his memories of the firefight. His lawyers have argued based on where he was in the compound, it would have been impossible for him to have thrown the grenade that hit Speer.

Whitling, in his statement of defence against the Utah suit, further argues that Canada cannot enforce a judgment based on a conviction under the military commissions at Guantanamo.

The supposed U.S. common law of war relied upon by the U.S. prosecutors did not exist at the time of the alleged conduct (by Khadr), does not exist today, and is unknown to the international community of nations, he wrote.

Khadr received an apology, and along with his lawyers was given a $10.5-million settlement from Ottawa for his mistreatment by Canadian officials while held as a minor in Guantanamo.

Canadas Supreme Court has harshly condemned the federal government for its mistreatment of Khadr  under both past Liberal and Conservative governments.

Khadr lives now in Edmonton, was recently married and plans to attend courses this fall to become a nurse.

On Thursday, Whitling will ask an Edmonton judge to relax Khadrs bail conditions to allow him to visit his sister, Zaynab, without supervision, when she visits Canada.

Khadr can only have contact with Zaynab if his lawyers or bail supervisor is present and he argued in an affidavit before the court that this restriction is no longer required. I am now an adult and I think independently, he writes in the affidavit. Even if the members of my family were to wish to influence my religious or other views, they would not be able to control or influence me in any negative manner.

He is also requesting fewer restrictions on his movement and access to the internet.

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Donald Trump was in a bad mood before he emerged for a confrontational speech in Arizona last week.

TV and social media coverage showed that the rally site, the Phoenix Convention Center, was less than full. Backstage, waiting in a room with a television monitor, Trump was displeased, one person familiar with the incident said: TV optics and crowd sizes are extremely important to the president.

As his surrogates warmed up the audience, the expanse of shiny concrete eventually filled in with cheering Trump fans. But it was too late for a longtime Trump aide, George Gigicos, the former White House director of advance who had organized the event as a contractor to the Republican National Committee. Trump later had his top security aide, Keith Schiller, inform Gigicos that hed never manage a Trump rally again, according to three people familiar with the matter.

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Gigicos, one of the four longest-serving political aides to the president, declined to comment.

Even by his standards, Trump was remarkably strident in Phoenix. After introductory speakers, including Vice President Mike Pence, lauded him for his commitment to racial harmony, the president came on stage and lambasted the media for what he called inaccurate reporting on his remarks about violence between hate groups and counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Virginia.

He threatened to shut down the federal government unless Congress funds construction of the Mexican border wall he promised in his campaign. He telegraphed that hed pardon former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, convicted of defying a court order to stop racial profiling by his deputies. And in their home state, he assailed Arizona Senas. John McCain for the failure of Obamacare repeal and Jeff Flake for being weak on illegal immigration, without mentioning their names. Both are fellow Republicans.

Gigicos had staged the event in a large multipurpose room. The main floor space was bisected by a dividing wall, leaving part of the space empty. There were some bleachers off to the side, but otherwise the audience was standingand the scene appeared flat, lacking the energy and enthusiasm of other rallies.

Although the crowd looked thin when Trump arrived at about 6:30 p.m., rallygoers filled in the space while Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, former Georgia state Rep. Alveda King, evangelist Franklin Graham and Pence delivered introductory speeches. A city of Phoenix spokeswoman told the Arizona Republic newspaper that about 10,000 people were inside the room when Trump took the stage.

Trumps first words when he stepped to the microphone: Wow, what a crowd, what a crowd.

A week later, Trump was still reminiscing about the event.

You saw the massive crowd we had, he said at a White House news conference on Monday with Finland President Sauli Niinisto. The people went crazy when I said, What do you think of sheriff Joe? Or something to that effect.

Gigicos organized all of Trumps signature campaign events and his occasional rallies since entering office. He left his White House job as director of advance on July 31 to return to his consulting business. But he continued to work for Trumps re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee.

Over the past two years, Trump had often assigned the blamerightly or wronglyto Gigicos when his rally logistics werent perfect. But his irritation usually blew over quickly. When his microphone had problems at a January 2016 rally in Pensacola, Florida, Trump bellowed: The stupid mic keeps popping! Do you hear that, George? Dont pay them! Dont pay them!

Gigicos is the latest high-profile departure from Trumps inner circle. Since July 21, press secretary Sean Spicer, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Stephen Bannon, and national security aide Sebastian Gorka have all resigned or been fired. Former Communications Director Anthony Scaramuccis tenure lasted less than two weeks.

Two outside advisory councils comprised of corporate CEOs dissolved after Trumps Charlottesville remarks, and the White House severed ties with billionaire Carl Icahn, a semiformal Trump adviser.

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LAKE CHARLES, LA.Twelve years to the day after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, another deadly storm forced the rescue of hundreds of people from floodwaters in southwestern Louisiana and prompted New Orleans to shut down its schools and other key institutions as a precaution.

Tropical Storm Harvey flooded neighbourhoods overnight with chest-deep water in the Lake Charles area, near the Texas line, although water abated in some places Tuesday as rain slackened.

In New Orleans, Mayor Mitch Landrieu urged residents to stay home Tuesday due to the threat of potential flooding. Many appeared to be heeding his call.

Meanwhile, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Louisiana is offering to shelter storm victims from Texas.

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We have offered to stand up shelters specifically for individuals who would be transported out of Texas, so that they could be housed in shelters in Louisiana, particularly in north Louisiana, in the Shreveport area, he said at a news conference in Baton Rouge. Edwards said he expects Texas officials to decide within 48 hours whether to accept the offer.

Later, in Lake Charles, Edwards urged people to remain alert but said the state is responding well to less severe conditions in its own borders.

You never know what Mother Nature is going to throw at us, but with the people in this room, Im confident we can handle it, he told local and state officials.

Some New Orleans neighbourhoods flooded earlier this month during a deluge that exposed problems with the citys pump and drainage system. On Tuesday, rains flooded a few of the citys streets.

The citys public schools were closed, along with six universities and a medical school. A ceremony and march in New Orleans to commemorate the deadly 2005 storm was postponed until Sunday.

For many others, it was largely business as usual.

I cant afford not to open, said Jerry Roppolo, 65, owner of a popular coffee house where water often creeps over the sidewalk and up to the threshold during heavy rains.

The shop in the Carrollton neighbourhood is usually bustling but was slow Tuesday. Roppolo attributed that to the school closures. A lot of the parents come in on the way to school, on the way from school, he said.

About 500 people were evacuated in southwest Louisianas most populous parish overnight, as a heavy band of rain pushed waterways out of their banks, Calcasieu Parish spokesman Tom Hoefer said. He said as many as 5,000 parish residents are affected by the flooding, but not all of those people have flooded homes. Some are just cut off by flooded roads.

A lull in the heavy rains allowed water to recede Tuesday morning, enabling some who fled their homes to return, survey damage and remove possessions.

I wanted to get my mothers Bible out of the house and there were some things we needed  our medicine, were both on medications, said David Wells, 65. I got a feeling its going to get worse before it gets any better.

Evacuations continued Tuesday in some rural areas outside Lake Charles, with authorities working to empty a flood-prone subdivision near the town of Iowa. Officials in Acadia Parish advised residents near the Mermentau River and Bayou Nezpique to leave.

As of Tuesday, authorities had confirmed three storm-related deaths in Texas. No Harvey-related deaths were immediately reported in Louisiana, according to a spokesman for Edwards.

The high water in Calcasieu Parish surprised residents of some neighbourhoods not known for flooding. The Kayouche Coulee spilled over when heavy rain hit the area after sunset, and people began calling for rescue.

Residents rode out of neighbourhoods in National Guard trucks, wildlife agents boats, jacked-up pickups and clinging to the cab of a semi-truck. They carried belongings in suitcases, trash bags or even soggy cardboard boxes.

We all got stuck back there, said Andrea Boutte, who rode out on the big rig. Those boats took forever.

National Weather Service meteorologists said Tuesday that officials expect Harvey will make another landfall in Cameron Parish early Wednesday, after hitting Texas and meandering back into the Gulf of Mexico.

As much as 15 to 30 centimetres of rain could fall in western Louisiana.

We are starting to get down to the end of the tunnel of all this rain, National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Erickson said.

Harvey is projected to bring gusts up to 50 mph (80 kph) in coastal areas and gusts of up to 65 km/h in Lake Charles and along the Interstate 10 corridor.

Erickson warned that some coastal rivers wont be able to drain rains effectively because Harveys winds are pushing storm surge into coastal waters, aggravating flooding of areas that have already received more than 51 centimetres of rain.

Images of flood devastation in Houston revived painful memories for survivors of Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005.

It really evoked a lot of emotions and heartbreak for the people who are going through that now in Houston, Ray Gratia said Monday as he collected sandbags for his New Orleans home, which flooded from the massive hurricane that left much of the city underwater for weeks.

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A late August hurricane menacing the Gulf Coast. Residents plucked from rooftops. A convention centre repurposed as an emergency shelter. A test of a presidency.

Although it is still unfolding, Harvey, now a tropical storm, evokes comparisons to hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Heres a quick rundown of what we know about similarities and differences between the two.

The cities

Katrina: Before the storm, New Orleans  with its distinctive Creole-Acadian-French-Haitian-Vietnamese cultural melange  was a small city of about 455,000 people that lay in large part below sea level, ostensibly protected by a system of levee walls. Its population never fully recovered from the evacuation and destruction and remains below 400,000.

Harvey: Houston is a sprawling, car-dependent, diverse city, low-lying but not below sea level. It has a population of more than two million people, with a system of bayous and waterways to manage flooding.

The storms

Katrina: It made landfall near the Louisiana/Mississippi border on Aug. 29, 2005, as a Category 3 storm and measured 560 kilometres. However, the relatively low classification, based on wind speed, was deceptive because Katrina produced the highest storm surge ever recorded in the United States.

Harvey: It made landfall in Rockport, Texas, on Friday as a Category 4 storm, measuring 320 kilometres across, but was quickly downgraded. As of Monday, it was expected to linger for days, causing National Weather Service to warn, This event is unprecedented and all impacts are unknown.

Deaths and damage

Katrina: One of the deadliest hurricanes ever to strike the United States, Katrina was responsible for 1,833 deaths, and some bodies were untouched for days. The storm inflicted more than $100 billion (U.S.) in damage, with most of it caused by wind, storm surge and the failure of the levees. Katrina also left three million people across the region without power.

Harvey: Local officials have reported at least 10 deaths in Texas since the storm began, but heavy rains and flooding are expected to continue at least through Friday. Most of the damage could be caused by flooding.

As for the economy, the Gulf regions capacity as an oil and gas hub  Houston accounted for 2.9 per cent of the nations gross domestic product in 2015  does not appear to have been seriously compromised, and economists were predicting that the storms cost would be less than half that of Katrinas. So far in Texas, there are 300,000 people without power.

Rainfall

Katrina: Rain was not the main problem with Katrina, which yielded 12 to 25 centimetres of rainfall in a 48-hour period.

Harvey: By contrast, Harvey brought a deluge, with up to 130 centimetres of rain predicted by the time the storm moves on for good later this week  more than Houston receives in a year.

Evacuation

Katrina: The mandatory evacuation of New Orleans was announced a day before the storm hit. An estimated 100,000 people remained stuck in the city. A few weeks later, in another chaotic evacuation, more than 100 people died leaving the Houston area to escape hurricane Rita.

Harvey: Houston did not call on residents to evacuate and is now urging those who can to shelter in place. However, as the rain continued Monday, a growing number of other jurisdictions  like Bay City, which expected three metres of water downtown  urged residents to leave.

Assistance

Katrina: The storm displaced more than one million people and damaged or destroyed 275,000 homes. Almost one million households received individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Harvey: We dont know yet how many people will be forced out of their homes. But the vast majority of homes in Harveys path are not insured against flooding, according to figures from the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA officials estimated that 450,000 people were likely to seek federal aid.

The take-aways so far

Katrina: Evacuation chaos and mostly unfounded panic over riots and violence made issues of race, poverty and government failures impossible to ignore. The breaches of the levees compounded those problems and represented an engineering failure of grave proportions.

Harvey: Harvey will likely sharpen an ongoing debate over whether Houston, a city driven by real estate, has overbuilt at the expense of flood control. While Katrina showed a failure to build well, Harvey  depending on how it plays out  might come to represent a warning about climate change.

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JERUSALEMIsraels prime minister on Tuesday vowed to never uproot any West Bank settlement  just days after a White House envoy was in the region trying to restart peace talks with the Palestinians.

Benjamin Netanyahus comments enraged the Palestinians and raised new questions about the slow start for U.S. peace efforts led by White House adviser Jared Kushner.

Netanyahu spoke at a ceremony Monday night in Barkan, a settlement in the northern West Bank.

We have returned here for good, Netanyahu said. There will be no more uprooting of settlements in the Land of Israel. Settlements will not be uprooted.

There is no Plan B for the two-state solution, said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday after meeting Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. We believe that settlement activity is illegal under international law. Its an obstacle to the two-state solution.

The Palestinians seek all of the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, for an independent state alongside Israel. Israel captured all three areas in the 1967 Mideast war, though it withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

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The Palestinians say that settlements on occupied lands are illegal and undermine the goal of a two-state solution by gobbling up land  a position that is widely backed by the international community.

Israel demolished 21 settlements when it withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, along with four of the more than 100 in the West Bank. About 400,000 Israelis live in the settlements amid almost 3 million Palestinians who have limited autonomy in their cities and are subject to Israeli military law elsewhere in the territory.

Last weeks visit by the U.S. negotiating team led by Kushner, left Palestinians impatient for a U.S. plan that might renew peace talks, which have been frozen since 2014.

They promised to come back in a few weeks with clearer answers, Hamdallah said of the U.S. negotiators at a news conference with the UN chief.

After several visits to Ramallah and meetings in Washington, Kushner and fellow U.S. negotiator Jason Greenblatt have shown little sympathy for the Palestinian plight and appear to have adopted Netanyahus positions, said Jehad Harb, a researcher at the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah.

They didnt have high hopes, Harb said. Accepting U.S. proposals to stop government payments to prisoners in Israeli jails convicted of terrorist acts would be political suicide for any Palestinian leader, he said.

Guterres is scheduled to spend the third day of his trip in the Gaza Strip, where he will visit UN facilities but wont meet with its militant Hamas rulers. The group called his planned visit to the territory unwelcome.

Although he lashed out at the UN on Tuesday for an absurd obsession with Israel, Netanyahu told Guterres a day earlier that he expects to open a new page with the organization. Israel is currently seeking a seat on the Security Council, vying with Germany and Belgium.

Since his election, U.S. President Donald Trump has broken with the policies of his predecessors and refused to endorse the two-state solution. In turn, Netanyahu has also taken a harder line and no longer speaks of establishing a Palestinian state.

Nabil Abu Rdeneh, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, denounced Netanyahus comments and urged the U.S. to intervene.

This is an Israeli message to the U.S. administration, which sought through an important tour in the area to do something in order to rescue the peace process, he said. We call upon the U.S. administration to deal with these provocations, which he said hinder U.S. peace efforts and are an attempt to return things to square one.

The Palestinians have expressed impatience with the White House, which has not yet offered a plan for forging peace despite Trumps early pledges to pursue what he calls the ultimate deal.

Kushner and his envoy, Jason Greenblatt, have held a series of talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, as well as with leaders across the Arab world in an attempt to take a regional approach toward solving the decades-old conflict.

A senior White House official played down Netanyahus comments.

It is no secret what each sides position is on this issue, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. Our focus is on continuing our conversations with both parties and regional leaders to work toward facilitating a deal that factors in all substantive issues.

With files from Bloomberg

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WASHINGTONSean Spicer finally got to meet the pope.

The former White House press secretary attended an audience with Pope Francis Sunday as part of an annual meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network, Vatican spokesperson Greg Burke confirmed Tuesday.

A photograph posted on the Vatican Radios English Facebook page from the event shows Spicer sitting in the front row, taking photos of the pope with his phone. Others show a man dropping to his knee and proposing to his girlfriend during the audience.

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Spicer, who is Roman Catholic, had been left off a list of White House officials who had the chance to meet with Francis in May when Trump visited the Vatican. The omission struck many as a slight by Trump against the embattled aide and drew sympathy on social media.

Spicers presence at the Vatican audience was first reported by America, the Jesuit magazine.

Spicer announced his resignation last month, but remains on the White House payroll through the end of August.

In announcing the audience Sunday morning, the Vatican press office said the pope gave a brief greeting to the 250 or so participants gathered in the Clementine Hall, one of the main reception rooms in the Apostolic Palace.

It didnt release the full text of his remarks, but both Vatican Radio and the Vatican newspaper, LOsservatore Romano, said the pope delivered a message that included his usual call for lawmakers to build bridges between different political perspectives. He also implored the gathered lawmakers to work for the poorest and most marginalized people in their countries  especially the many who are constrained to leave their countries.

Trump criticized the pope during his 2016 presidential campaign after Francis said that anyone who wants to build a wall  as Trump had promised to do along the southern border with Mexico  was not Christian. Trump responded by slamming the pope as a very political person who didnt understand the situation.

The two appeared to bury the hatchet during their May meeting, when the pope joked with first lady Melania Trump about what she was feeding her husband.

Spicer and the White House did not immediately respond requests for comment about the visit.

The International Catholic Legislators Network is a network of Catholic lawmakers created in 2010 by the archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn and David Alton, a Catholic member of the House of Lords. Recently, it has seen huge growth in Africa.

The groups annual meeting brings together lawmakers from across the world to discuss the promotion of Christian principles in politics. Its unclear whether Spicer is a member.

In an interview with Vatican Radio on the eve of the audience, Schoenborn said both Francis and Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI had met with the group and encouraged its members. He characterized them as men and women who want to be involved in politics as believers but often find themselves as minorities.

These Catholic legislators find great encouragement from the church for their work, because very often they feel rather alone in their parliaments and in difficult situations he said.

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KABULA suicide bombing in a busy commercial area in Kabul near a string of banks and not far from the U.S. Embassy killed at least five people on Tuesday, Afghan officials said. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Elsewhere, at least 13 civilians were killed in an overnight airstrike by the Afghan air force that targeted the Taliban in western Herat province.

In the Kabul attack, the explosion likely targeted a branch of the privately owned Kabul Bank, according to Basir Mujahid, spokesman for the Kabul police chief. The U.S. Embassy compound is located about 500 metres down the road from the bank.

At the site of the blast, debris and twisted metal lay scattered on the pavement. The front side of the bank was completely shattered and there was much damage to the fronts of several adjacent businesses. A charred motorcycle with its parts mangled lay on the street.

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Along with the five killed, the attack also wounded nine, said Mohammad Salim Rasouli, chief of Kabul hospitals at the Health Ministry. He warned that those were only initial reports and that the casualty toll could rise further.

The bomber had walked up to the bank and was about to go through the security check and enter the bank, an Afghan official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. Apparently realizing he would not pass the body check, he detonated his explosives vest just outside the door, the official added.

Sayed Jan, a government employee who was waiting in line with colleagues to get his salary said he didnt realize immediately what was happening.

When I came out (of the bank), I suddenly saw police opening fire, I was confused about what was happening, he said. I saw my friends running away.

Two of his friends were among the nine wounded in the attack, he added.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, posted the insurgents claim of responsibility on his twitter account, saying that a Taliban suicide bomber targeted military personnel who had gathered at the Kabul Bank to collect their salaries ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

The Taliban often target banks, especially at the end of the month when civil servants and military personnel line up to receive their salaries, or ahead of major Muslim holidays.

This week, the Kabul banks have been especially crowded as Muslims prepare for Eid al-Adha or feast of the sacrifice. Its the most important Islamic holiday that commemorates the willingness of the Prophet Ibrahim  also known as Abraham to Christians and Jews  to sacrifice his son before God stayed his hand.

During the holiday, Muslims slaughter livestock, distributing part of the meat to the poor. The holiday begins on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijja, during the hajj pilgrimage.

Two months ago, ahead of the Eid al-Fitr Muslim holiday, a Taliban suicide bomber targeted a Kabul Bank branch in southern Helmand province, killing at least 29 people, mostly civilians. At the time, the Taliban claimed there were no civilian deaths and said they had only targeted members of the Afghan security forces who had gone to the bank to collect their salaries.

Kabul has also seen a sharp increase in attacks lately.

Last week, 28 people, including women and children, were killed when Daesh, also known as ISIS and ISIL, militants attacked a Shiite mosque during Friday prayers. In that attack, which went on for hours, more than 50 people were also wounded after two assailants blew themselves up. Another two attackers were shot dead by Afghan security forces.

In the Herat airstrike, at least 13 civilians, including women and children, were killed as Afghan security forces targeted the Taliban in western province, according to Gelani Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor.

Farhad told The Associated Press that the Monday night strike in Shindand district also wounded seven civilians. A Taliban base and a prison run by the insurgents were targeted, he said. The prison was destroyed and 19 prisoners  both military and civilians escaped. The civilians who were killed died in their homes just next to the Taliban base, he added.

According to the spokesman, the airstrikes also killed 16 Taliban militants. The Taliban have not commented on the Herat attack and Farhads information could not be independently verified.

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JUBA, SOUTH SUDANThe American journalist shot dead in South Sudan over the weekend had entered the country illegally with rebels, the army said Tuesday.

There was no indication that Christopher Allen, 26, was a journalist, said army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang, who warned that journalists will not be protected if they come with rebels into this East African countrys civil war.

Anybody who comes attacking us with hostile forces will meet his fate, said Koang.

Allen, a freelance journalist, was killed Saturday in fighting between government and rebel forces near the Ugandan border. His body was handed over by South Sudans army to the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday.

Allen was shot in the head with a large bullet, the armys chief medical officer, Dr. Peter Ajak Bullen, said, but he couldnt confirm that the American was killed at close range.

Read more:

Attacks on aid workers increasing in South Sudan, UN says

UN refugee report warns South Sudan could be next Syria

Canada contributes $86 million more to South Sudan as civil war rages on

It is not clear who shot Allen. Bullets dont know colour or race, the army spokesman told journalists.

South Sudans rebels have given a different account of Allens death. Government troops targeted Allen when they saw him taking photos during the fighting, opposition spokesman William Gatjiath Deng said. The opposition said Allen was wearing a large vest with the word Press.

The oppositions deputy spokesman, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, has said Allen and two other journalists were embedded with the rebels on a two-week mission after coming from Ugandas capital, Kampala.

Allen is the 10th journalist and the first international journalist to be killed in South Sudan since 2012, according to the United Nations. South Sudan is one of the harshest places in the world for journalists, according to press freedom groups. In the past few months, 15 South Sudanese journalists have been detained, beaten or denied access to information, according to the Union of Journalists in South Sudan, and more than 20 foreign journalists have been denied entry or kicked out.

South Sudans civil war is well into its fourth year, with tens of thousands of people killed. The fighting, often along ethnic lines, defies peace deals and unilateral cease-fires.

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CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXASEager to show hes on the job and taking action, U.S. President Donald Trump offered up in-person reassurances Tuesday to Texans who felt the wrath of Harvey, promising local residents: We are going to get you back and operating immediately.

Starting his visit to Texas in wind-whipped but sunny Corpus Christi, Trumps motorcade passed broken trees, knocked down signs and fences askew as it made its way to a firehouse for a briefing with local officials.

This was of epic proportion, the president declared as he pledged to provide model recovery assistance. We want to do it better than ever before. We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as, This is the way to do it.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump

Afterward, Trump stood between two fire trucks and spoke to a crowd of hundreds of people gathered outside.

What a crowd. What a turnout, Trump said, thanking Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn. This is historic. Its epic what happened, but you know what, it happened in Texas, and Texas can handle anything.

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump board Air Force One for a trip to Texas as Tropical Storm Harvey regains strength and hurtles toward Louisiana.





Read more: FEMA director says Harvey is probably the worst disaster in Texas history

With at least three dead and rescue crews overwhelmed, Houston chief expects Harvey death toll to go up historically

Gas prices to rise in Canada after tropical storm Harvey sweeps through Texas refineries

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters travelling with Trump that the presidents visit was focused on co-ordination among different levels of government and laying the groundwork for what is expected to be a lengthy recovery effort.

The president wants to be very cautious about making sure that any activity doesnt disrupt the recovery efforts that are still ongoing, she said aboard Air Force One shortly before it touched down in Corpus Christi.

Trump travelled with first lady Melania Trump and Cabinet secretaries who will play key roles in the recovery. Some people lining roads near the airport held American flags and waved as the motorcade passed by.

The president, who wore a black rain slicker with the presidential seal on his chest and a white cap that said USA, was briefed in Corpus Christi on relief efforts. Then he headed Austin to meet with state officials at the emergency operations centre. Mrs. Trump, who traded in her usual stiletto heels for a pair of white sneakers, wore a black baseball cap that read FLOTUS, an acronym for first lady of the United States.

The Cabinet secretaries were to meet with their Texas counterparts during Trumps visit.

Thats a big part of what today will be about, the co-ordination between local, state and federal officials and laying the groundwork for the recovery effort, Sanders said.

Trump has embraced the role of guiding the nations response to Harvey, which made landfall along the Gulf Coast on Friday night as a Category 4 storm near Corpus Christi, and moved northeast along the Texas coast over Houston. The storm has dumped more than 30 inches of rain in parts of Texas and authorities have rescued thousands of people left stranded by the storm.

Trumps vow of swift action on billions of dollars in disaster aid is at odds with his proposed budget, which would eliminate the program that helps Americans without flood insurance rebuild their homes and cuts grants to states that would allow them to take long-term steps to reduce the risk of flooding before disaster strikes.

Trumps budget for 2018 zeroes out the Community Development Block Grants, a key program that helped the Gulf Coast rebuild after Hurricane Katrina and New York and New Jersey come back from Superstorm Sandy. Among other things, the grants help people without flood insurance coverage rebuild their homes. In the 2017 budget, the Republican-led Congress restored some of the block grant money.

While Trumps pending budget request didnt touch the core disaster aid account, it proposed cutting several grant programs to states to help them reduce flood risks before a disaster strikes, as well as improve outdated flood maps to help communities plan for floods and take steps to better manage development in flood zones.

All told, Trump proposed cutting such grant programs by about $900 million. Former Democratic president Barack Obama also cast a skeptical eye on them, proposing cuts roughly two-thirds as large as Trump in his final FEMA budget.

Vice-President Mike Pence said Harveys relentless nature and size were frustrating. In a pair of interviews Tuesday with radio stations serving Corpus Christi and San Antonio, Pence warned that life-threatening flooding will continue and urged listeners to continue to follow instructions from local authorities. He said he and his wife, Karen, would visit the region later this week. And Trump plans to return to the region later in the week.

Trump saw a largely functioning Corpus Christi, a city of 325,000, where damage was minimal. Power has largely been restored, particularly in commercial areas. Some restaurants have reopened and stores are restocked. Hotels are jammed with evacuees from hard-hit areas to its northeast, including Houston. Residents have been advised to boil drinking water because authorities cannot guarantee the integrity of the citys lead and steel water system.

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The battle has been expected and feared for weeks.

As former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan prepared last Thursday to release a year-long study on the ethnic turmoil that has plagued Burmas northwestern Rakhine state, Burmas military was already stepping up preparations for new clearance operations against the countrys Rohingya Muslim minority.

For two months, Burmas military had been increasing troop levels in Rakhine state and had reportedly armed radical Buddhist militias that demand the expulsion of the Rohingya.

Since late July a number of Rohingya communities had been blockaded by the militias, preventing people from going to work or fetching food and water.

Human rights groups and international aid agencies warned of a dramatic escalation of a conflict that has simmered since last October, when Rohingya villages were burned, nearly 1,000 people were killed, thousands of refugees fled to Bangladesh and Burmas military was accused of crimes against humanity, including ethnic cleansing, the systematic use of rape, torture, arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings.

The explosion finally came just hours after the independent commission headed by Annan released its report Thursday.

After a year of consultations, Annans commission urged Burmas government to act immediately to prevent violence, maintain peace and foster reconciliation in Rakhine state.

What is needed is a calibrated approach  one that combines political, developmental, security and human rights responses to ensure that violence does not escalate and inter-communal tensions are kept under control, the report said.

The 63-page report urged Burma to create a path to citizenship for the Rohingya, who became the worlds largest stateless group when a 1982 law suddenly stripped them of their citizenship and branded them illegal immigrants.

The Rohingya, who number about 1.1million people, have lived in Burma for generations, but Burmas predominantly Buddhist population view them as foreign intruders from Bangladesh and have worked to persecute and marginalize them for decades.

Since 1982, the Rohingya have systematically been denied most elemental rights: citizenship, freedom of worship, education, marriage and travel. When forced by repeated bouts of violence to flee the country, they remain unrecognized by Bangladesh and are widely regarded as the worlds most persecuted people.

Annans report also told Burma to ensure dignified living conditions for more than 100,000 Rohingya who have been bottled up inside Burmese displacement camps for more than five years without access to health care, work or education.

It also called for greater political representation for ethnic minorities and demanded freedom of movement for all people irrespective of religion, ethnicity or citizenship status.

Annans report diplomatically refused to mention the Rohingya by name, calling them instead the Muslim community in Rakhine, but the report stressed the need for Burma to act immediately.

Unless concerted action  led by the government and aided by all sectors of the government and society  is taken soon, we risk the return of another cycle of violence and radicalization, which will further deepen the chronic poverty that afflicts Rakhine state, Annan said.

Within hours Rakhine state was aflame with violence.

A Rohingya insurgent group, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), claimed responsibility for attacks on 25 police and military posts in the state on Thursday night. A dozen security forces were killed by assailants armed with machetes, homemade bombs and some handguns.

Military counterattacks, using helicopter gunships, have claimed the lives of another 92 people and, according to the UN Office for Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Bangkok, about 5,200 refugees have crossed into Bangladesh since Friday.

Thousands of other terrified Rohingya villagers remain trapped on the border, blocked by Bangladeshi border guards and fired on by Burmese soldiers using mortars and machine guns.

Tens of thousands of other Rohingya in Burma have had their food supplies cut off, as international aid agencies have recalled all non-essential staff from the conflict zone.

Now, perhaps more than ever, countries like Canada need to stand up for the Rohingya and urge a peaceful and just end to their decades of deprivation. Otherwise, the situation in Burma could become even more violent and dangerous.

After years of insecurity and instability, it should be clear that violence is not the solution to the challenges facing Rakhine state, a dejected Annan said Friday.

Peter Goodspeed is a retired journalist and a board member of Canadians in Support of Refugees in Dire Need (CSRDN).

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Premier Kathleen Wynne and Toronto Mayor John Tory are spending their summer confident theyve bought thousands of future votes with their highly questionable support of unnecessary GO stations and the one-stop Scarborough subway.

While were preoccupied with U.S. President Donald Trumps tantrums, this newspaper and a determined local action group are pushing back against these transit white elephants. The latest move of Scarborough Transit Action is asking the Ontario auditor general to look into the use of non-evidence-based decision-making in the approval of vote-chasing transit projects.

Auditor general Bonnie Lysyk is being asked to investigate the planned construction of the Kirby and Lawrence East GO stations and the Scarborough subway. Lysyk is responsible for insuring value for money in provincial spending.

The opposition Tories have also asked Lysyk to do a full value for money audit of the two stations.

Kirby and Lawrence East GO stations

A Metrolinx business case analysis revealed that neither station should be built for another 10 years. Both stations were too expensive, wouldnt attract enough riders and could increase car use.

Earlier this week the Stars Ben Spurr revealed the disturbing details of how Metrolinx was pressured by the provincial transportation ministry to approve the $100-million Kirby GO station (in the ministers riding) and $23-million Lawrence East GO station, which has been labelled part of Torys SmartTrack plan. Both were approved, proving once again that too many transit decisions in Toronto are based on political whim.

The Scarborough subway

The Scarborough subway is another example of politics trumping sound transit planning. Metrolinx did a business case analysis on the $3.35-billion Scarborough subway. They recommended replacing the aging RT with a modern LRT and concluded a subway was not a worthwhile use of money.

Ignoring this analysis, Wynne committed $1.8 billion to a subway  the amount she was prepared to pay for a seven-stop LRT. The federal government also committed $660 million to this vanity subway without the benefit of a business case.

Mayor Tory, who says hes committed to fact-based transparent decision-making, has stubbornly held to the subway option without initiating a value-for-money review. This, despite a Toronto expert panel and the Pembina Institute finding the LRT was superior to a subway in almost every way.

The action group asked the Ontario auditor general to investigate whether a comprehensive analysis should be carried out to compare the one-stop $3.35-billion subway with the previously proposed 24-stop Scarborough LRT network (at roughly the same cost).

Last week the action group also showed how unaware people are of the reduction in service that a one-stop subway will bring. A survey of riders using the existing LRT Lawrence station showed 85 per cent didnt know the station will disappear. No doubt riders will be angry when they find the three other LRT stations they use will also disappear.

The memo that may have killed the Scarborough LRT

Why did Toronto city council vote for a one-stop subway over a more affordable and accessible seven-stop LRT? One reason may have been a misleading memo sent by TTC CEO Andy Byford to city council members before the vote.

He escalated the cost of the LRT to $2.7 billion by pushing forward its completion date to 2026, the completion date for a subway. When the LRT is costed at its anticipated completion date of 2020, it remains $1.8 billion.

Byford claims his controversial memo was not requested by the mayor or anyone else  just anticipating this issue would be raised. However, when questioned about it during the subway debate he said the TTC was asked to provide the misleading memo. Byford says he cannot remember who asked him.

Byfords conduct is being examined by the citys auditor general at the urging of Scarborough Transit Action. Theyve been waiting for an answer since February.

This situation is unconscionable on several levels. First, we have massive transit projects like the Scarborough subway being approved without any city or federal analysis to determine value for money. Second, when a business case analysis is available and recommends against funding, political pandering at all government levels often eclipses fact-based decisions.

Trudeau, Wynne and Tory are on a path to wasting $1.623 billion of taxpayer money on an unneeded subway and unnecessary GO stations. The only entities left speaking transit truth to power are this newspaper and Scarborough Transit Action.

We deserve much better from our appointed and elected leaders.

R. Michael Warren is a former corporate director, Ontario deputy minister, TTC chief general manager and Canada Post CEO. r.michael.warren@gmail.com

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Justin Trudeaus Indigenous strategy has suddenly become clearer. He is taking his cues from a roadmap laid out more than two decades ago by a controversial royal commission that, until now, has been roundly ignored.

His plan to cashier the Indian Act and split the Indigenous Affairs department in two comes straight from the 1996 playbook of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

Perhaps the most comprehensive examination of Indigenous issues in Canadian history, the commission focused on how to encourage a return to aboriginal self-government.

It said that only by regaining their political and economic autonomy could Indigenous communities solve the host of social problems afflicting them.

Ills like family violence and alcohol abuse that afflict native people, it said, are largely the result of their loss of land and resources, destruction of their economies and social institutions and denial of their nationhood.

They seek a range of remedies for these injustices, but most of all they seek control of their lives.

To the royal commission, that meant re-establishing between 60 and 80 Indigenous nations inside Canada and providing them with sufficient land, natural resources and money to succeed.

These nations would have the right to levy taxes, run their own social welfare systems and determine who could have access to their lands.

In cities like Toronto, Indigenous people might have their own social services and economic development programs.

Ultimately, the commission said, Indigenous Canadians would elect members to an all-aboriginal third house of Parliament operating alongside the Commons and Senate.

In the meantime, it said, the government should spend $2 billion a year on Indigenous people to prepare them for self-government and assuage the pain caused by colonialism.

It was a bold and comprehensive report. It was also almost completely ignored.

Jean Chretiens austerity-focused Liberal government had no interest in spending billions on aboriginals  or anyone else.

Ron Irwin, Indian Affairs minister at the time, said the $60 million it cost to fund the commission would have been better spent on aboriginal housing.

It seemed that the royal commission report had been relegated to the ashcan of history. Until now.

At one level, Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus decision to have two ministers handling the aboriginal file is straightforwardly political. The governments Indigenous agenda has stalled.

The inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is mired in controversy. Dozens of aboriginal communities remain under boil-water advisories. The Liberal government is being called to task by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for underfunding child health and welfare services on reserves.

By appointing Jane Philpott to the new post of Minister of Indigenous Services while renaming Carolyn Bennetts portfolio Crown-Indigenous Relations, the prime minister is signalling that aboriginal issues remain a priority.

But his decision also shows that he has adopted at least some the logic used by the 1996 royal commission.

It recommended that what was then called the Indian and Northern Affairs department be split in two with one half handling social services and the other concentrating on renegotiating aboriginal relationships with the Crown.

It also recommended scrapping the Indian Act, which has defined Indigenous-Crown relations since 1876. Trudeau says he will do that too in order to replace it with something less intrusive.

Trudeau has long talked, in a rather vague way, of renewing Canadas relationship with Indigenous people and of doing so on a nation-to-nation basis. But until now, he has never hewed so explicitly to the interesting and very specific recommendations of the long-ignored royal commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

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As Hurricane Harvey became Tropical Storm Harvey it continues to devastate the Houston area with record-breaking rainfall of as much as 50 inches once all is said and done, the storm could snag a spot as one of the worst flooding disasters to ever happen in the U.S.

Flooding disasters have claimed thousands of lives in the U.S., but any flood in American history doesn't even rank among the top 50 of the world's worst floods. Here's a look at the 10 worst floods in the world and five of the nastiest in the U.S. as Harvey continues to pound the Gulf of Mexico.

Around the World:

10. North Sea Flood, 1212

This flood in the Netherlands claimed as many as 60,000 lives and required years to recover.

9. St. Lucia's Flood, 1287

Another Netherlands disaster, this flood killed between 50,000 and 80,000. A high spring tide mixed with a low-pressure system and a European wind storm becasme a recipe for disaster.

8. Yangtze River Flood, 1911

Up to 100,000 were killed in a flooding of the longest river in Asia.

7. Red River and Hanoi Delta Flood, 1971

100,000 people died in the flood that took place during the Vietnam War.

6. St. Felix Flood, 1530

In another Netherlands killer, over 100,000 people died and entire cities were completely under water.

5. Yangtze River Flood, 1935

This flood in China killed 145,000 and brought malaria, dermatitis and tuberculosis throughout the river valley.

4. Banqiao Dam Failure, 1975

The Chinese dam failed as a result of Typhoon Nina. 86,000 people died in the initial flood, followed by 145,000 who were killed by subsequent disease.

3. Yellow River Flood, 1938

Between 500,000 and 800,000 people were killed in this act of environmental warfare. The Chinese Nationalist Government destroyed the dikes on the river to hold back Japanese enemies in the Second Sino-Japanese War.

2. Yellow River Flood, 1887

Estimates fall between 900,000 and 2 million deaths as a result of the Chinese flood that came in September following a spring and summer of heavy rainfall.

1. China Flood, 1931

The deadliest flood ever, this monster took between 1 million and 4 million lives. A two-year-long drought followed by heavy winter snowstorms, rainy spring and summer months and unusually high cyclone activity led to what most consider to be the deadliest natural disaster ever recorded with associated famine taken into account.

Some of the Worst the U.S. Has Ever Seen:

5. Hurricane Camille Flooding, 1969

Camille struck the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 5 storm in August, killing about 260 people, before moving inland through Appalachia and triggering flash flooding across the eastern seaboard.

4. Mississippi River Flood, 1927

After killing around 500 people, this flood left as many as 600,000 homeless. Effects stretched from Louisiana to Illinois.

3. Hurricane Katrina Flooding, 2005

Katrina is widely recognized as the most expensive U.S. storm, totaling $81 billion and impacting about 15 million people. Flooding after the hurricane left as much as 80% of New Orleans underwater.

2. Johnstown Flooding, 1889

This disaster struck when the South Fork Dam failed and released 20 million tons of water into a Pennsylvania town. More than 2,200 people died.

1. Galveston Flood, 1900

A late-summer hurricane hit the Texas coastline, prompting a flood that took as many as 8,000 lives.

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The U.S. government in early June denied an appeal by firearms maker Glock to reconsider choosing its rival Sig Sauer's P-320 pistol worth up to about $580 million.

The Army originally chose the gun in January, but Glock appealed the decision, leading to the ruling by the Government Accountability Office.

Sig Sauer is a privately held German firm. It will manufacture the guns in its U.S. subsidiary's New Hampshire plant.

The Army M9 Beretta pistols have been standard issue since 1985 when the U.S. Army selected it. It eventually became the standard sidearm for all branches of the U.S. military.

Before that, the standard issue sidearm was the Colt 1911 45 caliber pistol.

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Bass Pro Shops is pitching in to help victims of Tropical Storm Harvey by sending over 80 boats and $40,000 in supplies to relief aid teams that have already rescued more than 3,000 people, Fox Business reported.

Bass Pro Shops, which paid $4.2 billion to merge with Cabela's (CAB) earlier this year, is sending Tracker boats and protein-rich foods to government agencies and rescue organizations including the American Red Cross and Convoy of Hope.

Bass Pro has seven stores and seven boating centers in Texas, with three in the Houston area. The company's Bass Pro Cares Fund is offering financial support for company employees in the affected areas.

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American retail giant Costco (COST) - Get Free Report has ceased doing business with a California trucking company that has been accused of placing its drivers in debt and then forcing them to work overtime to pay it off, USA Today reports.

The move to drop Pacific 9 transportation by Costco is said to be the result of a USA Today Network investigation in June exposing widespread labor abuses. The news outlet's investigation led members of Congress to send letters to several retailers to dispel "shameful" labor practices.

As a result, Costco has now stopped doing business with the company and caused Hewlett-Packard Incorporated to launch a probe into its labor practices.

Shares of Costco were climbing nearly 1% in afternoon trading on Tuesday.

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South Jersey Industries, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides energy-related products and services. The company engages in the purchase, transmission, and sale of natural gas. It also sells natural gas and pipeline transportation capacity on a wholesale basis to residential, commercial, and industrial customers on the interstate pipeline system, as well as transports natural gas purchased directly from producers or suppliers to customers. As of December 31, 2021, the company had approximately 147 miles of mains in the transmission system and 6,815 miles of mains in the distribution system; and served 384,062 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in southern New Jersey. In addition, it markets natural gas storage, commodity, and transportation assets on a wholesale basis for energy marketers, electric and gas utilities, power plants, and natural gas producers in the mid-Atlantic, Appalachian, and southern regions of the United States. Further, the company owns and operates rooftop solar-generation sites. Additionally, it owns oil, gas, and mineral rights in the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania; acquires and markets natural gas and electricity to retail end users, as well as provides total energy management, fuel management, and energy procurement and cost reduction services. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Folsom, New Jersey.
California will soon be another state legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. No one seems to know the full effects of the new law and to many of us feels like one huge quasi-experiment on the population of the state.

Lets take a look at the new law and the current and possible effects it may have on real estate.

The industry

Based on state estimates and what occurred in other states that legalized marijuana it is projected to be a $5 billion industry.

Cannabis is a cash industry where real estate is purchased with cash because marijuana businesses are unable to securing financing being an illegal drug at the federal level. Additionally, most landlords see rent paid in cash.

Many cities and counties who welcome growing facilities, and dispensaries have seen a dramatic increase in property values and rents.

The laws

In 2015, we saw legislature pass the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MCRSA), which created a regulatory process for the cultivation, sale and use of medical marijuana.

In 2016, voters passed Proposition 64 legalizing the recreational use of marijuana both commercially and personally. The proposition includes regulations regarding the cultivation, sale and use of marijuana, and gives total control to municipalities.

The state anticipates the regulatory process will be ready to implement in January, 2018 with several cities and counties already taking applications for businesses.

There will be no need for the MCRSA regulatory process, and the need for medical marijuana non-profit collectives, cooperatives and mutual benefit corporations and will be phased out by 2019.

Marijuana is still on the list of Schedule 1 Illegal Substances under federal DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) Controlled Substances Act. The DEA could raid a growing facility or dispensary and confiscate all assets including the leased or owned real estate.

Though the potential for a raid exists, it is unlikely to occur anytime soon. A little-known rider to a 2014 spending bill passed by Congress and renewed annually does not allow the use of any federal funds in the prosecution of marijuana businesses or individuals.

The rights

Proposition 64 also gives rights to a landlord to prohibit or control activities on private property.

Even though an individual can now possess, use and grow up to six plants on private property a landlord can say no. This also applies to someone using marijuana for medical-related issues.

Landlords who wish to limit the recreational use of marijuana can state this in a lease and could also demand to see a medical marijuana card if choosing to allow only medical use.

The new law opens the door to additional disclosure requirements for the sale of residential real estate. Disclosure also includes properties that have had growing in the past or present.

Next-door neighbors cultivating, growing and using should be disclosed as well, being that it is against the law at a federal level.

The truth

Many of our societal norms have been turned upside-down with the legalization of marijuana. We have yet to understand how this new normal will affect us.

The current real estate upset created by the demand and lack of available industrial space and storefronts may soon subside. How the acceptance of a mind-altering substance will touch our lives is yet to be seen.
All 83 Save Mart Lucky supermarkets in California and Northern Nevada have begun collecting monetary donations for the American Red Cross relief efforts in the areas ravaged by Hurricane Harvey.

Shoppers can donate any amount at checkout and 100 percent of the proceeds will be appropriated to where the Red Cross sees the greatest need. The donation will be printed on the receipt, so shoppers have a record of their tax-deductible donation.
Three Omani companies led by Ithraa, Oman's inward investment export development agency, recently participated at Chinas International Fishery and Seafood Expo (Fishex).



The event was held at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou.



The participating companies included: Sea Pride, Al Bahihi Fisheries, and Oman Fisheries Company, said a statement.



Fishex provided a platform for the international fishery and seafood industries to exhibit, procure and network. It also held technical forums, it added.



Nasima Al Balushi, director general of export development, Ithraa, said: We want Omani companies to be noticed and break into international market to increase our international presence.



Specialised trade shows like this offer us an excellent opportunity to present our products and meet potential importers, she said.



Strengthening economic ties with Chinese companies is key to our companies. And by exhibiting at this event we are able to showcase Omans food fishery and seafood sector and help local companies take advantage of Asias growing market, she added.  TradeArabia News Service
Opening remarks by Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, Chairman of the Negotiating Forum for the Continental Free Trade Area (NF-CFTA) and Chairman of the Technical Working Group for Trade in Services (TWG-TiS)

I am honoured to welcome you all and call to order this 3rd Cycle of the Technical Working Groups, providing inputs to the Negotiating Forum for the CFTA.

On your behalf, I have the honour to thank the Government of South Africa for hosting us here in Durban and pay tribute to the leadership of this great country.

I am equally pleased to acknowledge and pay tribute to the African Union Commission (AUC); providing indispensable support as we move to conclude the CFTA Negotiations no later than the end of this year.

At this stage, our work is more important than ever. Concluding the negotiations for the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) is a strategic and urgent economic and trade policy necessity for addressing the development challenges that face Africa.

The CFTA is required for the structural transformation of Africa to industrialize, diversify and modernize Continents economy. If we design it well, as a platform and trigger for reforms and market opening, the CFTA will spur a sustained growth dynamic that will create employment for millions of Africans entering the job market. This the rational and key choice for Africa. There is no other option. We must trigger a reform dynamic for sustained growth, based on the the CFTA that creates an integrated single market for trade in goods and services. If we dont, we risk serious decline as a Continent, falling further behind other regions in the global economy with serious consequences.

The Strategic Importance of the CFTA for our individual economies and the place of Africa in the global economy is greater than ever before.

This is why our leadership  collective and individual  shall count.

As we start, the 3rd Cycle of the TWG, after the successful foundational work at the First Cycle in Kigali, and progress made at the Second Cycle in Nairobi, I am reasonably confident that we shall consolidate and build further here in Durban. We must be dutiful in Durban and understand the high stakes.

As we start prepare to start, let me also underline a number of technical points that relate to the state-of-play; and, progress we have made so far.

I can report to this opening session that progress was made at the 6th Session of the CFTA Negotiating Forum in Niger. Although there is considerable technical work to be done, we received very useful guidance from Niamey in a number of key areas.

For instance, usefully, for the Technical Working Group on Legal and Institutional Affairs (LIA), We agreed in Niamey on the titular provision, now settled as the Treaty Establishing the Continental Free Trade Area, although further technical work remains to identify the Covered Agreements for the CFTA Treaty.

In Niamey, the Negotiating Forum that here in we finalize work on the identification of priority sectors for Trade in Services that would contribute to the modernization of the Continental economy. This would provide the basis for offers to be made by States Parties based on a Positive List.

A question that has hung over the CFTA Negotiations is African population growth and associated pressures, in relation to GDP growth.

Concluding the CFTA would provide a boost for accelerated growth and modernization of Africas economy and increasing employment opportunities for the millions of African entering the job market. There is a population crisis impacting poverty reduction and the prosperity levels in African economies. Currently, 1 billion people, approximately, or 13 per cent of the worlds population, live in sub-Saharan Africa today. John May and Hans Groth, have sounded a timely alarm in their recent book: Africas Population: In Search of a Demographic Dividend). According to recent projections by the UN Population Division, 4 billion people (or 36 per cent of the worlds population) could live in the Africa region by 2100. In other words, this projection would more than double the current population of the Continent, standing at approximately 1.2 billion.

As trade negotiators, we have a collective obligation to situate the CFTA negotiations in a broader economic context. The overriding obligation for us, as Trade Negotiators, is for job creation and higher levels of prosperity to mitigate and overcome the pressures of the population crisis. According to the International Monetary Fund, Africa would require between 18m and 20m new jobs  approximately the size of the populations of either Mali or Niger, over the next 25 years, to respond to the job pressures, on the Continent. These are the stakes for us, as negotiators, in the CFTA.

In conclusion, although we must get the CFTA right and not gloss over technical details, we must now approach it with a greater sense of urgency of the pressures of population growth and jobs that face Africa.

It is in this context that I have the honour to open this Third Cycle of the Technical Working Groups for the CFTA Negotiations.
Featured infographics from tralacs latest resource page: (i) South Africas trade relationship with Africa, (ii) US  Africa trade profile 2010-2016, (iii) Africas used clothing imports

Infographics from the IMF: Your favourite five charts

Trade event pointers:

(i) Underway, in Kigali: 41st Annual World Tourism Summit (organised by the Corporate Council on Africa and Africa Travel Association in collaboration with the Rwanda Development Board)

(ii) Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry: The CFTA - exploring possibilities for business engagement across Africa (12-13 September, Accra; hosted in collaboration with the AUC and the UNECAs ATPC)

(iii) 3rd AU Customs Experts Trade Facilitation Forum: the major outcome of this meeting will be a set of recommendations and observations on how African Union Member States can best implement both the BIAT as well as the WTO TFA. (20-22 September, Port Louis)

(iv) GIZ Network for Economic Development: Shaping African economies for inclusive growth (25-27 September, Windhoek)

(v) 10th Session of the Committee on Regional Cooperation and Integration: Implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area and shared gains (31 October - 2 November, Addis Ababa). Draft Aide Memoire (pdf): Progress reports and presentations will cover the following areas (p10); Side events during the 10th Session of the CRCI (p10-11); Proposed agenda (p14)

(vi) A reminder, from @AUTradeIndustry: The second week of the 3rd Continental Free Trade Area Technical Working Groups kicked off yesterday in Durban, South Africa

3rd Cycle of the CFTA Technical Working Groups: opening remarks by Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe (Chairman of the NF-CFTA, Chairman of the Technical Working Group for Trade in Services)

A question that has hung over the CFTA negotiations is African population growth and associated pressures, in relation to GDP growth. Concluding the CFTA would provide a boost for accelerated growth and modernization of Africas economy and increasing employment opportunities for the millions of African entering the job market. There is a population crisis impacting poverty reduction and the prosperity levels in African economies. Currently, 1bn people, approximately, or 13% of the worlds population, live in sub-Saharan Africa. John May and Hans Groth have sounded a timely alarm in their recent book: Africas population: in search of a demographic dividend. According to recent projections by the UN Population Division, 4bn people (or 36% of the worlds population) could live in the Africa region by 2100. In other words, this projection would more than double the current population of the continent, standing at approximately 1.2bn.

As trade negotiators, we have a collective obligation to situate the CFTA negotiations in a broader economic context. The overriding obligation for us, as trade negotiators, is for job creation and higher levels of prosperity to mitigate and overcome the pressures of the population crisis. According to the International Monetary Fund, Africa would require between 18m and 20m new jobs - approximately the size of the populations of either Mali or Niger, over the next 25 years, to respond to the job pressures, on the Continent. These are the stakes for us, as negotiators, in the CFTA. In conclusion, although we must get the CFTA right and not gloss over technical details, we must now approach it with a greater sense of urgency of the pressures of population growth and jobs that face Africa. [Delivered on 21 August, Durban)

Regional Dialogue Conference on WTO Accessions: Kenya says Horn of Africa states accession to the WTO to boost economy (Xinhua)

Kenyas GDP will expand by at least 10% if all the Horn of Africa states join the WTO, a senior Kenyan government official said on Monday. Amina Mohamed, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs told a media briefing in Nairobi that by acceding to the global trade body, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan will be required to open their economies to international trade. We therefore anticipate that Kenya will benefit from more crossborder trade and hence its economy could expand by at least 10%, Mohamed said (pdf) during the opening ceremony of the First Regional Dialogue on WTO accessions. The three-day forum aims to mobilize support for facilitating and accelerating African accessions to the WTO. [Africa and the multilateral trading system: presentation by Ambassador Stephen Karau (pdf)]

West Africa: Impact of administrative barriers on time and cost to trade in West Africa (West Africa Trade and Investment Hub)

Despite an abundance of anecdotes, little data existed to quantify these bureaucratic hassles - which could then determine the time and cost savings due to their elimination. In 2017, the Trade Hub undertook a wide-ranging survey to generate evidence on these questions, fanning out to 20 trading centres and border crossings in eight countries within the ECOWAS region. Survey teams randomly selected and interviewed a total of 290 traders, freight forwarders, and drivers who buy and sell 15 common agricultural and livestock products. All were asked how often they were asked for a COO and phyto- or zoosanitary certificates - and how much time and money they spent to get them. Unsurprisingly for such a large area, responses ran the gamut, from no time and cost spent to multiple days and hundreds of dollars. Yet the averages show that traders are spending significant time and money on these obsolete requirements, costs they in turn pass on to consumers.

Traders said they were required to obtain a COO more than half of the time, which took them an average of 15 hours and cost an average $41.74. Agricultural product traders said they were required to obtain duplicate phytosanitary certificates more than a quarter of the time, which took an average of nearly 13 hours and costs an average $68.28. Livestock traders are asked to obtain duplicate zoosanitary certificates more than half the time, taking an average of just under 19 hours and costing an average $57.76. [Download the study, pdf]

Paul Nugent: When is a Road a Corridor? Reflections from the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor (bordersandwine)

In the case of small-scale traders, it is questionable whether there is a corridor at all. There are a series of inter-connected roads with markets at either end, but the experience of travelling along it is one of fracture and discontinuity. Even large-scale traders and transporters experience ABLAG in a manner which seems to suggest a flow that is uneven and broken into discrete segments. One wonders how many vehicles would ever begin a journey in Abidjan and end it in Lagos. On this particular road trip, I never came across a single vehicle from Cote dIvoire heading to or from the direction of Nigeria. The fact that transporting goods between Mombasa and Kigali is routine suggests that there is an underlying problem along the ABLAG corridor that has largely been resolved in East Africa. Translating the rhetoric of regional integration into the functioning of a genuine corridor from Abidjan to Lagos is still a long way off. Governments are forced to deal with their own domestic lobbies  including manufacturers, transport unions and officials on the ground  but the fundamental problem still seems to reside in a lack of political will. And the problem is that, like traffic along the corridor itself, the most cumbersome vehicle dictates the pace of the journey.

Rwanda-Tanzania private sector in fresh effort to boost bilateral trade (New Times)

Rwandan and Tanzanian private sector bodies on Monday reiterated their commitment to collaborate in advocating for elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) between the two countries. A 15-man delegation represented the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) at the meeting whose objectives included identifying policy and regulatory restrictions that undermine free movement of goods, services, capital and investment between the two countries, besides identifying reasonable response measures. Gili Teri, the TPSF Director of Policy, Research and Lobbying, said there are joint challenges too, including non-harmonised road user charges or road tolls. This brings about a difference in charges when transporting to different regions hence varying costs, Teri said, also noting that there are numerous monetary charges required by various agencies in the EAC Partner States for exports of milk and other dairy products. Further still, Teri said, border management institutions working hours are not harmonised and this is costly to business.

Tanzania official says formerly dormant industries to create over 1m jobs after revival (Xinhua)

More than 1m Tanzanians will be employed by 25 formerly dormant industries to be reclaimed by the government after their revival, an official said on Saturday. The revival of the industries that were reclaimed after investors failed to develop them for over 20 years will be jointly funded by the countrys social security funds, said Meshack Bandawe, secretary of the Tanzania Social Security Association. Bandawe said TSSA will team up with the National Health Insurance Fund, the Parastatal Pensions Fund, the National Social Security Fund , the Workers Compensation Fund and the Zanzibar Social Security Fund to invest in the reclaimed industries. Bandawe said feasibility studies for 15 industries have been completed, while studies on the other 10 industries will be completed within a short time. We have started to implement some of the projects. Our target is to ensure that all the factories become operative before 2019, said Bandawe.

Kenya Revenue Authority raises taxes on used Mercedes, Mazda imports (Business Daily)

The Kenya Revenue Authority has rebased its taxation of used car imports, raising the duty payable on prices of some Mercedes and Mazda models by more than 50%. The higher taxes will in turn increase the prices of the models by between Sh145,000 and Sh364,000, according to the Kenya Auto Bazaar Association (KABA) which represents second-hand car dealers.

Nigeria to establish commodities certification centres  Ogbeh (Premium Times)

The Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, said the federal government will soon establish commodities certification centres across the six geo-political zones to aid certification and standardisation. Mr Ogbeh made the disclosure in Kano on Monday during the flag-off of the nationwide advocacy on agricultural quality control and standardization. He said that the country received 48 notifications between July 2016 and June 2017 from EU on export goods due to aflatoxin and many other contaminants either biological or chemical. We will establish commodities certification centres across the zones to aid certification, standardisation and traceability. The ban on dry beans from Nigerian origin by EU therefore geared our attention to what is an eye opener that we have actually been consuming poison unknowingly, he said.
Last winters fierce rainstorms have undone much of the recent work to clean up the Napa Rivers shipping channel, and the city is taking a first step toward re-dredging the waterway  while awaiting a hand from federal disaster relief.

A project to remove storm-driven sediment from the River Park Marina gained City Council on Aug. 15, as part of a package that also may include new dredging efforts on the main river and at the Kennedy Park boat ramp south of downtown.

The Dutra Group of San Rafael will receive $538,000 to remove silt from the mouth of the marina entrance near south Napas Newport North condominiums.

Napa also may call on the company to dredge the Napa River for $1.21 million and clear the Kennedy Park launch for $318,900, for a total cost of $2.07 million, if it wins reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for damage caused by the January and February storms.

The dredging campaigns would cover the same ground as the waterway maintenance performed in and near Napa over the past two years, including a late-2016 effort to remove shoals from 17 miles of the Napa River as far south as Vallejo  the first federally funded river maintenance since 1998.

Outside the Napa Rivers navigation channel, city-led projects cleared the silt-choked Kennedy Park ramp last year and the River Park entrance in 2015.

What work crews had accomplished over more than a year, however, was largely reversed by two storm patterns bearing near-record rainfall.

Bay Area storms in the first weekend of January brought the Napa River to flood stage and led the city to open the gates of its downtown bypass channel for the first time. At its height, the city was receiving more than 2  inches of rain every 24 hours with even heavier precipitation upstream of Napa. More storms struck at the Napa Valley a month later, triggering a flood watch in the city and flood warnings Upvalley.

The by-product of such violent weather was a surge of 23,000 cubic yards of sediment in the Napa River, according to city Public Works Director Jacques LaRochelle. At Kennedy Park, the boat ramp was fouled by the same 8,000 cubic yards of silt the city had removed the year before.

Permits FEMA issued river maintenance in 2016 remain valid for work this year, LaRochelle told the council, but environmental regulations leave little time to resume dredging before wintertime restrictions to protect plant and animal life take effect.

This is a real short window to do dredging, from August to October, so we want to set ourselves up so when we do get that approval, we can hit the ground running, he said of the pending FEMA paperwork needed to gain federal relief funds.

Restoring the Napa River main line to a minimum 9-foot depth would allow Napa to fully carry out its partnership with Tideline Marine Group to increase business at the city downtown dock, which opened in 2013 near the Third Street bridge but has seen little traffic beyond kayaks and other shallow-draft vessels.

Tideline, which operates water taxis to about two dozen Bay Area ports, has announced plans to carry passengers from the Napa dock to Vallejo, San Rafael and Tiburon as a bridge to the San Francisco Ferry Terminal. The company hopes to launch its service in 2018, but may adjust its plans pending the need for Napa River maintenance, company president Nathan Nayman said earlier this month.

Subcontractors working with Tideline, which manages the downtown docks commercial activities, will likely debut kayak rentals and tours and paddling excursions by months end, according to Nayman, who said the Gondola Servizio also may return to the Napa River for the first time since 2006.
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Forget "prefabricated" -- remember "Monteringsfardiga".

After writing about the Deep Performance Dwelling, which I described as Passive House and Prefab, Scott Hedges of Bygghouse -- a building technology company focused on commercializing Scandinavian approaches to energy performance in buildings -- took issue with some of the language. Scott seriously knows his prefab and has worked with Ecocor, the builders of the Deep Performance Dwelling panels.

Scott points out that even though what we now think of as prefabrication has been around for centuries, the term is relatively new. I would add that it is being misapplied retroactively to building systems that are not prefabricated at all.

A Brief History of Prefabrication/Screen capture

So, for example, many histories of prefabrication start off like this one by Martin Martiini with a Sears or Aladdin home, but they are not prefabricated; they are a railway car full of precut lumber and building components.

 Scott Hedges

Scott shows how recent the the use of the word is, and that its use really peaked at the end of the Second World War, when everyone from Bucky Fuller down was preoccupied with building lots of housing cheap and fast, when aircraft and other factories pivoted to building the Next Big Thing.

I always thought of prefabrication as coming in two basic forms: modular, where buildings are built from three-dimensional blocks, and panelized of flatpack, where they are built from two-dimensional panels.

But, as Scott notes, they are much more sophisticated in Sweden. Just like the Inuit are purported to have a hundred different words for snow, the Swedes have words for prefab that dont even have English equivalents.

Many of the differences between the way they build prefab in Sweden versus how they do it in North America has to do with the history of the industry in each country. In North America after the Second World War, many factories were set up to build trailers for people to live in, but they quickly learned that the 8 6 width of trailers was too narrow. So Elmer Frey of Milwaukee's Marshfield Homes led a campaign to get 10-foot-wide units approved, on the basis that they really only went down the road once from factory to trailer park. Soon it went to twelve feet and became known as mobile homes, and then trailer parks became mobile home parks.

These were built fast and cheap, (really fast -- when I visited a Palm Harbor factory the modules were chain-driven and I almost got run over by a moving house) and had a poor reputation. So the industry rebranded as manufactured housing with the same factories turning out park models and modular homes, where the boxes were stacked up on top of each other and wrapped in vinyl.

US Modular/Screen capture

They have rebranded again as modular housing but the main selling point remains the same: faster and cheaper, right there on their splash page.

In Sweden, the history is very different. As Scott Hedges and Greg La Vardera explain in their article, Innovation in Residential Construction Systems in Sweden,

Sweden and the United States share a heritage of wood framed residential building, a result of the timber resources common to both countries. As recently as the 1970s the way houses were built in Sweden and the US was largely the same. But the global oil crisis of the late 1970s set the two countries on divergent trajectories. Sweden entered a period of rigorous innovation, improving the quality, construction efficiency, and energy performance of their houses.

There also isnt that big a differentiation between modular and panellized housing; the same factories do both, assembling the panels into boxes in the factory.

In the US the predominant off-site method for houses is Modular. Modular also exists in Sweden; it is called Volume Element building, and it represents a smaller percentage of homes built than Panel or Wall Element building.

 Ecocor

Its tough to do panellized prefab in North America because there simply isnt enough value in a wall of 2x6 studs; subcontractors can do the same crappy wall in a couple of hours on site. But if you look at a Swedish style panel it is a very different, much more sophisticated product. As Greg La Vardera tells me, "There is much more value in these walls, and complex wall assemblies are much easier to assemble and more efficient to assemble in a shop."

And, as I noted in our discussion of Ecocors panels for the Deep Performance Dwelling, they are complete assemblies built more like furniture than houses. In fact, Scott Hedges tells me that in Sweden, the firms that build houses, are organized as a division of the 'wood and furniture manufacturers association'."

 Prefab book cover

I have been writing about prefab since I started working in the industry in 2001 and it became all the rage when Allison Arieff and Bryan Burkhart wrote the book on it in 2002. In all that time, we described what we thought were beautiful, energy efficient and green buildings with the same language as the traditional North American industry used: modular, prefabricated, etc., while pretty much ignoring the bulk of the prefab stuff being built in North America.

Perhaps it's time to develop a different vocabulary, to recognize that really good, green factory-built housing is a different product. Forget prefabricated and get used to "monteringsfardiga".
Sturdy, stalwart, and superlatively statuesque, California's coast redwoods stand out as some of the most impressive organisms on the planet.

Before the 1850s, coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) luxuriated amongst some 2 million acres of Californias coast, stretching from south of Big Sur to just over the Oregon border. One of three members of the Sequoioideae subfamily of cypress trees, the coast redwoods and their cousins, the giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum), hold the records for tallest and largest trees in the world, respectively.

For thousands of years the people of the area managed to live in harmony with these ancient trees, understanding the importance of their unique forest ecosystem. And then the gold rush happened. With the arrival of hundreds of thousands of gold-seekers starting in 1849, the redwoods were doomed. Logged into near oblivion to keep up with the demand for lumber, today, only 5 percent of the original old-growth coast redwood forest remains, fewer than 100,000 acres dotted along the coast.

The loss is heartbreaking ... and gives all the more reason to sing the praises of these supertrees. And praise is easy, considering how spectacular they are. Consider the following:

1. They are Ancient

Coast redwoods are among the oldest living organisms in the world. They can live for more than 2,000 years  which is to say, some of these grande dames were alive during the Roman Empire. The oldest-known living redwood clocks in at around 2,200 years old. Aside from the pockets of old-growth, most of the coast redwood forest is now young.

2. They Reach for the Stars

Attaining soaring heights of more than 300 feet, they are so tall that their tops are out of sight. The tallest one of all is a towering beauty by the name of Hyperion; discovered in 2006, this giant stands at 380.1 feet in height. Other notable specimens include Helios at 374.3 feet (114.1 meters), Icarus at 371.2 feet (113.1 meters), and Daedalus at 363.4 feet (110.8 meters). Because people are jerks, the trees locations are kept secret to protect them from vandalism.

3. They Host Sky-High Worlds

Incredibly, mats of soil on the upper branches of the canopy support other plants and whole communities of worms, insects, salamanders, and mammals. Plants that grow on other plants are called epiphytes; some of the redwoods' epiphytes are trees themselves. Some of the trees that have been documented growing on the coast redwood include cascara (Rhamnus purshiana), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and California bay laurel (Umbellaria californica) ... some reaching astonishing heights of 40 feet.

4. Their Roots Intertwine

One might think that such a lofty being would require deep roots, but no. The roots only extend down six to twelve feet. But what they lack in-depth, they make up for in breadth. Extending up to 100 feet from the trees base, they intertwine with the roots of others, all holding on to each other, greatly increasing their stability.

5. They Sip on Fog

Bureau of Land Management / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

In the temperate area where coast redwoods live, rain provides water during the winter; but in the summer, the trees rely on coastal fog for moisture. The fog condenses on the needles and forms into droplets, which is then absorbed by the trees and shed to the ground where it waters the forest understory. Fog accounts for around 40 percent of the redwoods' moisture intake.

6. They Used to Host Geese

These trees are so big that when scarred by fire, cavities can form that are large enough to once be used to house geese by settlers. To this day, the scar caves are called goose-pens.

8. They Have the Cutest Pinecones

You might expect such a statuesque tree to have equally dramatic pinecones, but in fact, they bear diminutive cones of just an inch in length, each bearing just a few dozen wee seeds.

7. They Have Ghost Helpers

Redwood Coast / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Amongst the forests of coast redwoods, there are around 400 small redwoods that are completely stripped of color. Having long stumped scientists, so to speak, recent research likely explains whats going on. The so-called ghost redwoods were found to be full of cadmium, copper and nickel and other noxious metals. Its believed that the wan trees are in a symbiotic relationship with their healthy neighbors, acting as a reservoir for poison in exchange for the sugar they need to survive.

9. They Were Once International

While the stately coast redwood now lives only in pockets along the Pacific coast, it used to have a much wider habitat; they could be found elsewhere in the west, as well as along the coasts of Europe and Asia.

10. Theyve Got Thick Skin

Named for the deep rosy hue of their surface, the redwoods bark is impressive beyond color. At up to 12 inches thick, it allows the trees to generally survive forest fires, which are actually important since they create room for new seedlings to grow. Tannins in the bark also do a good job at fending off damaging insects.

11. They Are Climate-Crisis Fighting Superstars

Trees store carbon dioxide, which makes them an important ally in fighting climate change. But according to research, coast redwoods store more CO2 than any other forest in the world They hold 2,600 metric tons of carbon per hectare (2.4 acres), more than double the absorption rate of the Pacific Northwests conifer trees or Australias eucalyptus forests. Which is to say, if their majesty isn't enough to woo the unmoved, how about that they are working to save the world?
For turtles it might be better to include Tortuguero which is a great area to add to the southern Caribbean coast anyway (even without turtles). That being said, I don't think May/June is a good time for turtles. I think (but I don't know for sure) turtle season in Tortuguero is July to October.

Costa Rica is not known for great snorkeling. You might be able to snorkel with a guide in the Cahuita National Park and south of Puerto Viejo in Punta Uva and maybe Manzanillo on your own. But the ocean was too rough for us in February-March. I think the best time for snorkeling is supposed to be September-October.

But I still highly recommend Cahuita and the beaches south of Puerto Viejo. The National Park in Cahuita is amazing and has great beaches (some are good for swimming), a rainforest trail and lots of wildlife. South of Puerto Viejo the beaches are bordered by rainforest as well and there is also lots of wildlife. We stayed in Manzanillo, a small village at the end of the road with a wildlife refuge.

You can go ziplining in Puerto Viejo but for adventure activities and waterfalls you might want to go to Arenal. Maybe you could do Arenal, Sarapiqui, Tortuguero, Cahuita and one of the beaches south of Puerto Viejo.

I have not been to Manuel Antonio. I keep hearing it is a small crowded park. The Caribbean coast (including Cahuita) is a very laid-back area. It is less developed and I like that.
Good afternoon,

I am starting to plan a celebration holiday for December 2018 for myself and my husband. He travels for work and I am not the best flyer (it's not so much planes as airports) so we are not big travellers, and usually we holiday with friends or family in the UK or Europe with a focus on chilling out and spending time together. However, we'd like to do something really special for a big wedding anniversary, and after some reading around I'm thinking Vietnam might suit. We have about 2 weeks for the trip.

I'd really welcome any advice and suggestions more experienced travellers have to offer to help us get the most from the trip and avoid the obvious pitfalls and of course whether you think Vietman would work for us in the first place.

We'd love to see some really beautiful scenery, and ideally a bit of wildlife (though we're not fixated on the kind of game you see on a safari). We can fly from London fairly easily, so I think we can get there, and the time difference isn't too scary. (One of the things that put us off somewhere like the Caribbean is the likely jet lag). We would like to see something of any country we visit, and understand Vietnam has plenty of culture accessible without trekking too far from the beaten path. (I think we have to be honest with ourselves about just how far out of our westernised comfort zone we really want to go.) We like the sea, but are not set on a beach; if anything the idea of a touristy hotel - even a luxurious one - is a turn-off.

We believe the weather in much of the country is reasonable in December, we aren't looking for wall to wall sunshine but it would be nice to escape the dark English December days for a little while. I do not cope well in very hot weather.

I know there is a lot to see there, and we have limited time. Obviously we want to make the most of the trip but it is supposed to be a holiday and we will want a bit of down time rather than be rushing around every moment. I am hoping we would be able to stay in two different places, perhaps one coastal and city or large town, and perhaps get in some day trips that will widen the experience for us. To start with I am trying to identify possible places that are different enough to be interesting, but reasonably easy to get between (for non experienced and English-speaking only travellers like us...)

I would love to hear the thoughts of others who have been to Vietnam especially what you did that you think we might enjoy.

Thanks so much in advance,

Bob
Re: Is it still safe to go to Tokyo - Osaka region ?

17. Re: Is it still safe to go to Tokyo - Osaka region ?

There was an interesting map "published" last year based on USA data showing "safe" places to travel. After all the advisories, it left . . . . the USA. However, with the crime rate/gun toll there (10,000 per year are killed by other 'mericans), it is hardly "safe".

I am less worried about NK than the fact the USA deliberately places its military targets in Tokyo (uncomfortably close to my house) - but hopefully Japan remains a secondary target.

The saber rattling has been going on for decades. The chances are you will have a typhoon or earthquake or some other issue (and those are uncommon) before failed missiles are a problem.
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A skilled nursing facility in Napa is being sued for elder abuse and negligent hiring and supervision after the death of one of its patients, 87-year-old Napa resident Frances Blanton.

Blantons daughter, Christine Blanton, also of Napa, alleges in her suit that the staff at Napa Valley Care Center on Villa Lane did not provide necessary care to her mother and ultimately causing her death. Blanton is being represented by Stephen Garcia of Garcia, Artigliere, & Medby in Long Beach who filed the lawsuit in San Diego County Superior Court last month against the center, its managing entity and multiple employees in San Diego County Superior Court last month.

Based on what weve discovered, Frances horrific injuries would not have occurred had Napa Valley Care Center adhered to applicable rules, laws and regulations, as well as the acceptable standard of practice governing the operation of a skilled nursing facility, Garcia said in a press release.

Unfortunately, its clear that the facilitys staff substantially ignored her needs and withheld required care so as to allow her to suffer multiple pressure sores, malnourishment and dehydration. As a result of the lack of care driven by a culture of putting profits over patients, the facilitys apparent neglect caused Frances extensive injuries that resulted in excruciating pain, and ultimately, her untimely death.

Representatives from Napa Valley Care Center did not respond to media inquiries.

According to the suit, Blanton was treated at Queen of the Valley Medical Center after falling at home and fracturing her pelvis in July 2015. She was transferred to Napa Valley Care Center for rehabilitation and to prevent further injury and illness that August, the suit alleges.

Blanton was treated at the facility for about three weeks between Aug. 3 and Aug. 23, 2015.

To prevent Blanton from developing pressure ulcers and sores, she required very specific and attentive care to be provided by facility staff, according to the suit.

Staff at the center was supposed to help Blanton with daily activities including personal hygiene, proper nutrition and hydration and prevent sores from developing by repositioning her at least once every two hours, according to the suit.

Instead, the suit alleges, staff utterly ignored her needs and did not implement the plan of care created for treating Blanton.

While at the facility, Blanton suffered from severe malnourishment, dehydration and weight loss, according to the suit.

On Aug. 27, 2015, less than a week after being released from Napa Valley Care Center, Blanton died due to fatal cardiac arrest, and hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to representatives with Garcias law firm. She also suffered from pelvic fractures due to blunt impact to her torso.

Management at the facility knew that it was understaffed and that its employees were under-trained prior to taking Blanton on as a patient but admitted her anyway, alleges the suit.

In a Medicare report, the 130-bed facility was given two out of five stars and an overall rating score of below average based on health inspection, staffing and quality measures, according to Medicare.gov Nursing Home Compare, the official U.S. government site for Medicare.

In its most recent standard health inspection report dated April 15, 2016, inspectors found that Napa Valley Care Center had 12 health deficiencies  slightly less than the average number of deficiencies in nursing homes across California, but more than the national average. The center was rated above average in staffing and much above average in quality measures.

This is the second case Garcias law firm has taken on against Napa Valley Care Center in just a few months. The firm filed a similar lawsuit against the facility and its management in May following the death of Caroline Johnson, 82, who was allegedly at the facility for nine days before having a stroke and falling into a coma.

Garcias law firm also has two pending lawsuits against a former Napa care facility, GoldenLiving Center. The center has since changed ownership and its name changed to Napa Post Acute.
Napa Valley Wine Train is spreading its musical wings.

Purchased two years ago by ambitious new owners, Wine Train is diversifying, offering more than the romantic lunch and dinner runs that had been its hallmark since 1989.

A fancy trip to the North Pole at Christmas. A small, luxurious train for hosted tours at select Upvalley wineries. Rolling dinners with vintners. On-board after- parties tied to BottleRock. Plans for a $100 million, five-story resort next to Wine Trains Napa station on McKinstry Street.

And now Rock the Rails, with the Blue Note Express soon to follow.

At last weeks inaugural Rock the Rails, some 350 people journeyed to V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena for three hours of rocking music by Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88s, then the featured act, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, a hot swing revival band that played until 10 p.m.

Wine Train operated far beyond its normal 9 p.m. bedtime. The main train delivered its load of music- and wine-besotted concertgoers back to the Napa station just before midnight.

Scott Goldie, president of Napa Valley Wine Train, said the railroads new ownership  Brooks Street, a California real estate development and investment company, and Noble House Hotels & Resorts Ltd.  bought the operation in September 2015 knowing that it could be doing much more.

I saw the potential for more tours. I also saw potential for more partnerships in the Napa Valley, Goldie said in an interview.

Music is really an up-and-coming part of the valley, said Goldie, yet Wine Train was sitting on the sidelines.

With Rock the Rails, Wine Train is partnering with three wineries for its first season  Sattui last week, Grgich Hills Estate on Sept. 21 for a Sheila E. concert, and Charles Krug Winery on Oct. 5 for a David Packs Legends Live Tour.

For each event, Wine Train hopes to wine and dine 350 people who will be paying up to $329 to enjoy a white table cloth dinner in vintage rail cars on the way to the concert, then have dessert, coffee or nightcaps on the way back.

People can also choose to drive themselves to the wineries and pay $99 for the concert alone. Rock the Rail venues should be able to handle 600 people, arriving by both rail and car, Goldie said.

A portion of the proceeds will be contributed to the Rail Arts District, which is working to beautify the rail right-of way and Napa Valley Vine Trail through central Napa with murals and other improvements.

Clay Gregory, president and CEO of Visit Napa Valley, applauded Brooks Street and Noble House for breathing new life into the train. Using Wine Train to get music fans to shows is a good way to get cars of the highway, he said.

Wine Trains traditional lunch and dinner trains are typically subdued affairs, with meals enjoyed over a leisurely three hours, Goldie said.

With Rock the Rails, Wine Train can provide more of a party atmosphere, with the evening stretching out over five or six hours, he said.

Last weeks Big Bad Voodoo Daddy crowd generated a festive buzz before departure from the Wine Train station. People were mostly dressed up, with nearly everyone carrying sweaters and jackets, anticipating the chill once the sun set at Sattui.

Depending on their amenity package, everyone wore orange, yellow or green wrist bands. Those paying top dollar departed first on rebuilt Pullman cars used for the Quattro Vine winery tours.

The regular Wine Train hosted everyone else. Concertgoers first dined on local cheeses and charcuterie, followed by a choice of entrees, including pan-seared Pacific halibut and cabernet-braised short rib of beef. Everyone got a glass of sparkling wine. Additional wines cost extra.

The Rocket 88s were going stage when the main Wine Train cars pulled up to Sattui, just south of downtown St. Helena, after 7 p.m. Sattui offered its own refreshments for sale.

The sun was down when Big Bad Voodoo Daddy went on just before 9. For the next hour, the bands spit out high-energy renditions of such pop and jazz classics as Minnie the Moocher, Louis Armstrongs Dinah and Go Daddy-O.

What started as a smattering of couples swing dancing next to vineyards ended with nearly everyone on their feet.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy would have played longer, but for a 10 p.m. music curfew, said the bands leader, Scotty Morris.

St. Helena Mayor Alan Galbraith predicted that locals would take Wine Trains later operating schedule in stride on Thursday nights devoted to Rock the Rails.

There will be some noise associated with it, yet it is a special event and I would hope folks would bear with it, Galbraith said Monday.

Rock the Rails operates on Thursday nights when Wine Train normally does not run a dinner train.

Coming up this fall, Wine Train will debut the Blue Note Express, featuring four pop-up concerts at Wine Trains Yountville station, then a show at the Blue Note jazz club in Napa, Goldie said.

Riders will ride aboard a 48-seat train from Napa to Yountville, get off to listen to a 30-45 minute concert while enjoying small bites, then eat dinner on the return ride to Napa. After that, they will attend the second show at Blue Note, he said. The price is expected to be $210, including club admission, he said.
The Airports Authority has successfully carried out a simulation of a crash landing at Piarco.
SAN FRANCISCO  An anti-Marxist group is calling on conservatives to bring their children to a rally in San Francisco where they plan to march to the Golden Gate Bridge and block traffic Wednesday morning.

The newly created Facebook community Conservative Rustles, headed by apparent San Francisco resident John Walters Monroe, has invited Identity Evropa and the alt-right to gather at Lincoln Boulevard and U.S. Highway 101 around 9 a.m., then march to the Golden Gate Bridge.

The City of San Francisco government has made it clear that they support Antifa, Conservative Rustles wrote in the event posting on Facebook, referring to anti-fascist groups that have counter-protested at many right-wing rallies.

On the event page, the group said, We will not let traffic pass until the city of San Francisco agrees that Antifa is a terrorist organization. Why should we move if you support a terrorist organization?

Organizers also invited any parents in attendance to bring their children, because Antifa wouldnt dare hurt the future generation of America, or would they...?

According to the Conservative Rustles Facebook page, the group is all about denying communist ideology in any way shape or form.

Monroe did not immediately respond Monday to an email requesting additional details about the event, himself or his groups anti-communist ideology, but his invitation to Identity Evropa may signal an association with fringe elements on the far right.

Identity Evropa identifies itself as a pro-White organization rather than as a racist or anti-Semitic hate group.

Oakdale resident Nathan Damigo resigned as CEO of Identity Evropa in a statement released Sunday, announcing the promotion of head organizer Eli Mosley to take his place.

Alabamas Southern Poverty Law Center, a hate group watchdog, has described the group as explicitly ethno-nationalist, and says it focuses on recruiting college-aged, white students in order to discuss race realism and white interests.

Identity Evropa did not immediately respond to a comment Monday about whether members of the group plan to attend Wednesdays event.

The event was first announced late Sunday morning, but as of midday Monday zero Facebook users had indicated they were interested in the march or planned to attend.

Priya Clemens, spokeswoman for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, said that any gathering with 50 people or more needs a special events permit and so far nobody has applied for one for Wednesday, and even permitted gatherings are only allowed on the pedestrian walkway.

We will be monitoring the situation, Clemens said. Its obviously illegal to walk, bike or stop traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge.

The district has security personnel, but ultimately the California Highway Patrol would be responsible for any arrests or other law enforcement activity that might take place on the bridge, according to Clemens.

While everyone has a Constitutional right to protest and assemble  and we treat everyone equally, regardless of the message  violence, such as throwing objects, hurting others or damaging property, is not protected speech under the U.S. Constitution, CHP spokesman Officer Andrew Barclay said in a statement Monday afternoon.

Additionally, accessing state highways or roads to protest is not only unlawful, but also extremely dangerous because it puts protestors, motorists, and first responders at great risk of injury or death, Barclay said.

The planned event for Wednesday follows actions in San Francisco and Berkeley on Saturday and Sunday by right-wing groups that prompted large counter-protests.
Chernihiv law enforcement officers have opened a criminal case on the disappearance of Ukrainian citizen Pavlo Hryb, who left for Gomel on August 24 for a date with a girl - a likely FSB agent, the press service of the Chernihiv regional prosecutor's office has reported.

"Taking into account the public significance and repercussions of this event, we inform that the Chernihiv local prosecutor's office is conducting a pre-trial investigation in the criminal proceedings with a preliminary legal qualification in accordance with Part 1, Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (deliberate murder) concerning the disappearance of a Ukrainian citizen, who, according to some media reports, may have been detained by employees of special services of a foreign state on the Belarusian territory," the statement reads.

Law enforcers said that they were currently conducting investigative actions aimed at establishing witnesses, the circumstances of the event and the location of the missing person. To this end, the pre-trial investigation authority sent an inquiry to the leadership of the State Border Service of Ukraine to confirm the crossing by a local resident of the state border of Ukraine.

Law enforcement officers were also given access to the personal belongings of Pavlo Hryb, which are important for criminal proceedings.

In addition, a petition for the provision of international legal assistance is being prepared for the competent authorities of a foreign state for the purpose of confirming or refuting the fact and grounds for the detention and prosecution of the Ukrainian citizen and his location.

Late on August 27, a Ukrainian citizen and a former border guard officer, Ihor Hryb, appealed to the Ukrainian Embassy in Minsk with a statement that his son, Pavlo, born in 1998, disappeared in Belarus.

On August 24, the young man left Chernihiv for Gomel and disappeared there. Ihor Hryb initially searched for his son in Belarus independently. Police representatives in Gomel reported that his son had been placed on the wanted list by the FSB of the Krasnodar Territory of Russia under an article "terrorist act."

Ihor Hryb previously served in the Ukrainian border troops and is now involved in the creation of a chaplaincy service in law enforcement agencies. He suspects that Russia's special services kidnapped his son in Belarus.

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No Ukrainian serviceman has been killed or injured as a result of hostilities in the area of the anti-terrorist operation in east Ukraine over the past 24 hours, Defense Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzianyk has said.

"None of the Ukrainian servicemen have been killed or wounded as a result of hostilities in the past day," he said at a briefing on Tuesday.

Motuzianyk said that the militants opened fire on the positions of the Ukrainian military only once near Stanytsia Luhanska.

At the same time, most of the armed provocations by illegal armed groups were recorded in the Donetsk sector. In particular, militants shelled with mortars three times near Avdiivka, and also used grenade launchers of various systems.

"The enemy violated the ceasefire in the Donetsk sector 11 times and used heavy weapons in three cases," he said.

At the same time, in the Mariupol sector, militants fired 20 mortars in the direction of Ukrainian positions near Krasnohorivka, Motuzianyk said.

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Money transfers from Germany to Ukraine in 2016 amounted to 56 million euros, the highest figure in the last five years, Germany's international broadcaster Deutsche Welle has reported.

"In 2016, the amount of money transferred from Germany to Ukraine was 56 million euros, the Deutsche Bundesbank told DW. This is more than in 2015 and 2014, when 52 and 54 million euros were sent to Ukraine, respectively, and is the highest figure since 2012," reads the report.

In general, in 2016, immigrants from other countries living in Germany transferred 4.2 billion euros to their home countries. This amount has been record since the unification of Germany, and 700 million euros higher than in 2015. Immigrants mostly send money to Turkey - about 800 million euros annually.

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Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelian says that a low-cost domestic airline may appear in Ukraine in 2018.

"Weve never said that it will be a state-run [company]. It could be a private Ukrainian or foreign company that is ready to create a low-cost airline in Ukraine with registration in order to perform domestic flights. Negotiations are under way, the minister told journalists on Tuesday, August 29, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

At the same time, he hasnt told the name of a foreign partner.

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The events commemorating the third anniversary of the Ilovaisk tragedy have begun on Mykhailivska Square in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The events are attended by representatives of the Donbas, Kryvbas and Kherson battalions, as well as Armed Forces and National Guard servicemen.

The event began with the national anthem of Ukraine and a minute of silence for deceased soldiers. The Plyve Kacha song was traditionally performed on Mykhailivska Square.

The guard of honor of the National Guard laid flowers to the memory wall for servicemen and law enforcers who died for Ukraine's unity. The memory wall is located on the wall enclosing St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery.

According to the organizers of the event, most units of battalions that participated in the Battle of Ilovaisk today mark this tragic date in their hometowns. In general, 26 units were trapped in the Ilovaisk "cauldron" - virtually all volunteer battalions.

The cathedral's clergy conducted a memorial service for the dead.

It should be noted that none of the military leadership and government officials attended the event.

A memorial service for the dead heroes was also held at the Krasnopilske Cemetery in Dnipro. The event was attended by the main specialists of the department for anti-terrorist operation participants, their families, the families of deceased defenders, and servicemen.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office's investigation, on August 29, 2014, at the direct instruction and order of the command of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Russian troops fired with heavy weapons at columns of Ukrainian soldiers near Ilovaisk.

A total of 366 Ukrainians were killed, 429 wounded, and 300 captured.

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron have stated that despite the agreement reached in the Normandy format, the situation in the Donbas has not significantly improved.

The two leaders said this in a joint statement published on the website of the head of the German government.

"We urge President [Vladimir] Putin and President [Petro] Poroshenko to fully respect their commitments, to support the ceasefire in a public and clear manner, and to ensure that appropriate instructions have been sent to the military and local forces," reads the statement.

Merkel and Macron noted that despite the joint support of the heads of state and governments of the Norman Four countries, a new truce announced by the Trilateral Contact Group was still violated by the parties, including with the use of heavy weapons.

"The OSCE observer mission continues to report threats to its staff and restrictions on their freedom of movement, particularly in the areas not controlled by the Ukrainian government," reads the statement.

The two leaders encouraged greater cooperation with the Joint Control and Coordination Center on the ongoing fights and called on all parties to provide OSCE observers with safe and unimpeded access to areas within the battle zones.

Germany and France will closely monitor the situation in the coming days, according to the statement.

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Poland is open to migrants, in particular from Ukraine and Belarus, but it does not agree with forced distribution of refugees from the south, on which the European Commission insists.

Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said this on the air of the Republika Polish TV channel.

"Poland is a country that accepts migrants. I remind you that last year Poland issued 1.267 million visas to Ukrainians, and 750 thousand visas were issued for the first six months of this year. A significant number of visas was also issued to Belarusians," Waszczykowski said, adding that Poland is open to visits and migration, in particular with the right to work.

At the same time, he stressed that Warsaw did not agree with the distribution of refugees among the EU countries.

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Ukraine strongly condemns the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile by North Korea and believes that UN Security Council sanctions should be expanded and strengthened if provocations continue, according to a statement released by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

"Ukraine resolutely condemns the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile by the DPRK. This time it posed a serious threat to Japan. The launch represents yet another serious challenge to all nations in the region and to regional stability, as it brazenly defies diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution to the security challenges on the Korean Peninsula," reads the statement.

The ministry said that continued missile launches by Pyongyang were a deliberate and systematic attack on international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions concerning the North Korean missile program.

"Ukraine aligns itself with all states that have condemned this dangerous act of Pyongyang and calls upon the DPRK leadership to stop their provocations immediately and restart dialog with the international community. Otherwise, the UN Security Council sanctions should be expanded and strengthened," reads the statement.

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She is only 15 years old, but Athena Leisching of Angwin has already made her mark on the world, and vice versa.

The St. Helena High School junior recently returned from Vietnam after winning two gold and two silver medals in the 2017 World Scholars Cup. She and her team also qualified to attend the World Scholars Cup Tournament of Champions to be held at Yale University in November.

The annual international event is dedicated to bringing scholars from around the globe together in a celebration of education, diverse cultures, and interactive understanding. Its stated goals are to motivate students to discover new strengths and practice new skills, and to inspire a global community of future scholars and leaders.

Although St. Helena High School isnt a participant in the event, Leisching was able to join her aunts Johannesburg, South African contingent comprised of five teams of three scholars each.

She described the experience as incredibly amazing.

In order to pay for the trip, the young scholar launched a GoFundMe social media campaign in the community.

Leisching is said to be one of 3,600 scholars representing more than 40 countries in attendance, 1,400 12th graders and 1,600 11th graders. The competition in Hanoi was one of several global rounds in which reportedly more than 12,000 scholars participated.

Before the competition, students researched the event curriculum covering six subjects: science, history, literature, art and music, social studies, and a special area. The subjects have different yearly themes. This year, the special area was modern mythologies.

Leischings gold medals came in collaborative writing and her silver in creative writing.

The competitions included team debates, a click-in quiz, multiple-choice questions and collaborative writing.

Along with the academic agenda, the scholars attended cultural events, social gatherings, and toured Hanoi exploring Vietnamese customs, food, and history. Between the competition and social agendas, Leisching said, her days went from 7 a.m. until midnight during the six-day event.

The journey from San Francisco to Hanoi via Hong Kong took two days each way, crossing the International Date Line and spanning a 14-hour time difference.

Based in Los Angeles, the World Scholars Cup is an academic program founded in 2006 by Daniel Berdichevsky as an outgrowth of his high school experience in the United States Academic Decathlon. According to an article in the Los Angele Daily News, Berdichevsky held the all-time high score in the USAD competition at the time. Berdichevsky has described the experience as life-changing, and after attending Stanford and Harvard, he wanted to replicate it for students worldwide.

Berdichevsky also founded DemiDec Resources, a private company which publishes curriculum for both U.S.A.D. and World Scholars Cup.

With the help of the Internet, Leisching continues to stay in touch with her fellow scholars from around the world. Im so blown away by how many had social media, Snapchat or Instagram, she said.

Leisching grew up in New York and was homeschooled until the eighth grade, she said. She plans on attending college, but is still exploring options. Her interests are neuroscience and technology, she said.

She described her World Scholars Cup experience as educational for mind and spirit.

It opens your eyes to the world and humbles you, she added.
Representatives of national and cultural societies of Ukraine have called on President Petro Poroshenko to introduce the post of Commissioner on National Minorities.

This is stated in a resolution approved on August 29 at the all-Ukrainian conference "26 years of Ukraines independence: achievements and prospects for the development of state ethno- national policy.

"Participants of the all-Ukrainian conference ... decided to appeal to the President of Ukraine with a request to assist in creating the Coordination Council of Nationalities of Ukraine as a consultative and advisory body under the President of Ukraine, introducing the post of the Ukrainian President's Commissioner on National Minorities," reads the document.

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The first Chernobyling art festival will take place in Slavutych, Kyiv region, from August 30 to September 1, 2017, the festival's organizers have told an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The first Chernobyling art festival wants to bring together people who are not indifferent to the history of the exclusion zone, and also unite the world community in studying the theme of Chornobyl and its history. With the help of music, art and various forms of activity, the festival will tell about the catastrophe and at the same time give an opportunity to look at it from a different angle," the organizers said.

The three main directions of the festival will be geocaching - a tourist game with the use of satellite navigation systems; urbexing - industrial tourism, visiting, researching and studying abandoned buildings and cities; as well as art and photography.

During the three days of the festival, its visitors will be able to listen to the lectures of participants and witnesses of the Chornobyl disaster, as well as go on a unique excursion to the most interesting places of the exclusion zone, the town of Prypiat.

The organizers of the festival are Slavutych Town Council, the Association of Tour Operators in Chornobyl, and the National Museum of Chornobyl in Kyiv. Those who were invited from abroad and Ukraine are street artist NeSpoon (Poland), photographer Thierry Vanhuysse (Belgium), geocaching founder Marian Heczko (the Czech Republic), and explorer Vlad Vozniuk (Ukraine).

In addition to Ukrainian bands NAST, Ta Inshi, the festival will also be attended by popular bands from Slovakia (Signature), the Czech Republic (Maaga a Zdorp), and Poland (Cinnamon).

All funds from the festival will be transferred to help self-settlers - residents of the Chornobyl zone, who, despite all prohibitions, returned to their homes.

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The St. Helena Hospital Foundation Board of Directors has named Susan Dix Lyons as president and CEO, effective Aug. 21.

Dix Lyons, is the founder and former CEO of Clinica Verde, a global health organization that provides medical services and health and nutrition education for women and children living in poverty in Nicaragua.

Dix Lyons is also a co-founder of the Better Lab, a health design organization supported by UCSF, operating at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

Previously, Dix Lyons also worked in media as an executive editor and publisher. She received a bachelor of arts degree from American University in Washington, D.C., an masters degree from U.C. Davis, and served as a Fellow and Lecturer at Stanford Universitys d.school from 2014-2015. She also attended the Executive Program for Social Entrepreneurs at Stanford School of Business.

Steve Lundin, former president and CEO, will continue in a part-time role as senior advisor to the president at St. Helena Hospital. Under Lundins leadership, the Foundation raised $48 million and was recognized as one of the top performing healthcare foundations in the United States and Canada.

Dix Lyons lives in Angwin and is married to Dr. Tim Lyons, Chief Medical Officer and Director of Anesthesia at Adventist Health St. Helena. They have three children: Cole, a junior at Babson College; Lucas, a sophomore at Lewis & Clark College; and Ruby, a freshman at The Webb Schools in Claremont.
The Federated Women of Upper Napa Valley will hold the first meeting of the 2017-2018 year at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 6, at the First Presbyterian Church, 1428 Spring St.

The Rianda House Readers Theatre Group will perform excerpts from their Bars, Bandits and Bordellos at the meeting. This historically based play, written by St. Helenan Dianne Fraser, follows the stories of several colorful Napa Valley characters who lived here during the late1800s. The FWUNV welcome anyone interested to come enjoy the program and find out about their activities.
President Donald Trump says "all options are on the table" following the latest North Korean missile launch.



The missile, which flew high over the northern region of U.S. ally Japan early Tuesday Asia time, was likely an intermediate range ballistic missile, according to American officials.



North Korea "has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," Trump said in a statement released by the White House.



"All options are on the table," the presidential statement concluded.

When asked by VOA on Tuesday morning what specifically he planned to do about North Korea, the president replied, "We'll see, we'll see", without elaborating before boarding the Marine One helicopter on the South Lawn.

Speaking hours ahead of an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said diplomats are going to talk about what else is left to do to North Korea.

Haley said that it is unacceptable that Pyongyang has violated every single U.N. Security Council resolution that we had and so I think something serious has to happen.

WATCH: Haley on North Korea



Haley expressed hope that China and Russia continues to work with us like they have in the past on North Korea, but I think enough is enough.

Trump spoke on the phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe following the launch. The leaders, according to the White House, agreed North Korea poses a "grave and growing direct threat" to both countries.



Without advance notice North Korea launched the missile from near Pyongyangs international airport.



Japans government says it passed high above Hokkaido about 10 minutes after launch, split into three pieces and splashed into the Pacific Ocean, east of the northern main Japanese island of Hokkaido, according to Japans government.

In all, the missile flew an estimated 2,700 kilometers and was airborne for about 14 minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 550 kilometers, according Japans Ministry of Defense.

An August 25 launch of three short-range ballistic missiles ended a month-long hiatus in such tests, which U.S. officials interpreted as restraint, prompting Trump last week to say that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was starting to respect us.
Despite seemingly stalled peace talks between Afghanistan's government and the Taliban, officials say the intelligence chief speaks by telephone with militant leaders nearly every day about the country's constitution and political future.

In addition, Afghanistan's national security adviser has conversations with the Taliban every other month, officials familiar with the efforts said.

The Associated Press has seen documents describing the conversations between the Afghan officials and the Taliban leadership in both Pakistan and the Gulf state of Qatar, where they maintain an office.

While Afghan officials said neither side was ready to agree to public peace talks, the documents revealed details of the issues discussed, including the Taliban's apparent willingness to accept Afghanistan's constitution and future elections.

A senior Afghan security official, who had taken notes on the details of talks, rifled through a black leather-bound book until he came to a list he called "Taliban talking points."

The Afghan security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said the Taliban wanted certain amendments to the constitution  although not immediately. They also envisioned an Islamic system of governance in Afghanistan, he said.

Among the Taliban's demands, according to the official:

* They accepted education for boys and girls at all levels, but wanted segregation by gender.

* Women could be employed in all fields, including defense and the judiciary, and they could serve as judges at all levels except the Supreme Court. However, the Taliban wanted constitutional guarantees that a woman could not be president.

* Special courts should be established to oversee thousands of cases that allege land was taken illegally by the rich and powerful in the post-Taliban era. Many of the landowners are former warlords who are now in the government. The Taliban wants the land returned to those from whom it was taken.

* Elections could be held after an interim government is established, with no one affiliated with past governments allowed to serve in the interim administration. The Taliban said all sides could keep areas currently under their control until voting is held.

Afghanistan's Intelligence agency had no comment about the contacts with the Taliban. Officials familiar with the conversations said intelligence chief Masoum Stanikzai has near daily telephone conversations with Taliban leader Abbas Stanikzai, who is not related to him. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters.

National Security adviser Mohammed Haneef Atmar's office refused requests to comment on reports of his contacts with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar.

"I am confident that these are sincere terms from the Taliban  with the qualification, of course, that in the areas they control they will determine the outcome of the elections  because I have heard variants of them put forward by a range of people from or close to the Taliban," said Anatol Lieven, professor at Georgetown University's campus in Qatar and the author of Pakistan: A Hard Country.

But the path to substantive and public peace negotiations is difficult, he said.

"Apart from anything else, it is difficult to imagine the existing elites [in Kabul] surrendering power and patronage to a neutral government, let alone one that in future would inevitably have to include the Taliban," Lieven said.

Rise to power

The Taliban came to power in 1996 after pushing aside the U.S.-backed mujahedeen fighters who defeated Afghanistan's Communist government. The mujahedeen then turned their weapons on each other, killing thousands of civilians and destroying entire neighborhoods in the Afghan capital of Kabul. Their rule also was marked by widespread corruption.

Under the Taliban, officials imposed a repressive interpretation of Islam that denied education to girls, drove women from the workforce and established harsh punishments like public executions and flogging similar to those carried out in Saudi Arabia. The only countries to recognize the Taliban government were Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

After harboring militants from al-Qaida who attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, a U.S.-led coalition ousted the Taliban from power, but the militants have waged an insurgency against the Afghan government since then. The U.S. and NATO have sent thousands of troops to the country in the past 16 years to help the Afghan military fight the Taliban and other militant groups.

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia. He said American troops would "fight to win" by attacking enemies, "crushing" al-Qaida, preventing terrorist attacks against Americans and "obliterating" the Islamic State group, whose affiliate has gained a foothold in Afghanistan as the U.S. squeezes the extremists in Syria and Iraq.

But his definition of a win in Afghanistan notably did not include defeating the Taliban. "Someday, after an effective military effort, perhaps it will be possible to have a political settlement that includes elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan," Trump said.

Although Trump insisted he would not talk about numbers of troops, he hinted he would embraced the Pentagon's proposal to boost troop numbers by nearly 4,000, augmenting the roughly 8,400 Americans there now.

Deep mistrust

Lieven said he was hopeful that U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster could use the increase authorized by Trump as well as the threat of an increased presence by India "as a way to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table," using their own talking points as a start.

But the Taliban told AP they were not interested in talks.

A member of the Afghan government's High Peace Council, Abdul Hakim Mujahed, who also served as the Taliban's representative at the United Nations during their rule, said there is deep mistrust on both sides.

Mujahed said it is also unlikely the Taliban will enter talks without a guarantee of an eventual troop withdrawal.

"They have moved away from demanding immediate withdrawal but they want a discussion with the Americans on a timetable," he said.
Moroccan authorities have arrested a man suspected of supplying gas canisters to a jihadist cell that carried out a double attack in Catalonia earlier this month that killed 16 people, a source from the Spanish investigation said.

The cell accumulated around 120 canisters of butane gas at a house in a town south of Barcelona with which, police say, it planned to carry out a larger bomb attack.

Police believe the cell accidentally ignited the explosives on Aug. 16, the eve of the Barcelona attack, triggering a blast that destroyed the house in the town of Alcanar.

The remaining attackers then decided to use hired vans to mow down crowds along Barcelona's most famous avenue and later mount an assault in the resort town of Cambrils.

Moroccan police arrested the man in the city of Casablanca, the source said, without giving further details.

Spain's interior minister, Juan Ignacio Zoido, said on Tuesday that Moroccan authorities had arrested two people linked to the attacks but declined to give details about them.

Spanish news agency EFE said the second man was arrested in the city of Oujda and was a relative of one of the members of the Barcelona cell. The source did not confirm that.

Zoido, speaking after a meeting with the Moroccan interior minister in Morocco's capital Rabat, said Spanish and Moroccan authorities were working closely together in the investigation.

Most of the suspected attackers were Moroccan and an imam suspected of radicalizing the cell traveled there shortly before the attack took place.

Six of the attackers were shot dead by police and two died in the explosion at the house in Alcanar. Four other people were arrested over the assaults, two of whom have now been released under certain conditions.
Laws prohibiting blasphemy are astonishingly widespread worldwide, with many laying down disproportionate punishments ranging from prison sentences to lashings or the death penalty, the lead author of a report on blasphemy said.

Iran, Pakistan, and Yemen score worst, topping a list of 71 countries with laws criminalizing views deemed blasphemous, found in all regions, according to a comprehensive report issued this month by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Statutes invite abuse

The bipartisan U.S. federal commission called for repeal of blasphemy statutes, saying they invited abuse and failed to protect freedoms of religion and expression.

We found key patterns. All deviate from freedom of speech principles in some way, all have a vague formulation, with different interpretations, Joelle Fiss, the Swiss-based lead author of the report told Reuters.

The ranking is based on how a state's ban on blasphemy or criminalizing of it contravenes international law principles.

Ireland and Spain had the best scores, as their laws order a fine, according to the report which said many European states have blasphemy laws that are rarely invoked.

Offenders face imprisonment

Some 86 percent of states with blasphemy laws prescribe imprisonment for convicted offenders, it said.

Proportionality of punishment was a key criteria for the researchers.

That is why Iran and Pakistan are the two highest countries because they explicitly have the death penalty in their law, Fiss said, referring to their laws which enforce the death penalty for insulting the Prophet Mohammad.

Blasphemy laws can be misused by authorities to repress minorities, the report said, citing Pakistan and Egypt, and can serve as a pretext for religious extremists to foment hate.

Recent high-profile blasphemy cases include Jakarta's former Christian governor being sentenced to two years in jail in May for insulting Islam, a ruling which activists and U.N. experts condemned as unfair and politicized. Critics fear the ruling will embolden hardline Islamist forces to challenge secularism in Indonesia.

Blasphemy on Facebook

A Pakistani court sentenced a man to death last month who allegedly committed blasphemy on Facebook, the first time the penalty was given for that crime on social media in Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Each of the top five countries with the highest scoring laws has an official state religion, the report said, referring to Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Somali and Qatar. All have Islam as their state religion.

Saudi Arabia, where flogging and amputations have been reported for alleged blasphemy, is not among the top highest-risk countries, but only 12th, as punishment is not defined in the blasphemy law itself.

They don't have a written penal law, but rely on judges' interpretation of the Sharia. The score was disproportionately low, Fiss said. If a law is very vague, it means prosecutors and judges have a lot of discretion to interpret.
Brazil will seek China's expertise and financing to complete its third nuclear power plant when President Michel Temer makes a state visit to Beijing on Friday, Brazilian government officials said Tuesday.

The Brazilian nuclear energy company Eletronuclear will sign a cooperation agreement with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), signaling their intent to establish a partnership to finish the Angra 3 plant, the officials said.

Construction of the 1,405-megawatt reactor on the coast south of Rio de Janeiro has dragged on for three decades and its completion is now scheduled for 2023, but Brazil does not have the estimated 16 billion reais ($5 billion) needed to finish the job.

Russia is also interested in completing Angra 3 and Eletronuclear, a subsidiary of state-run electric utility Eletrobras, has held talks with the Russian nuclear monopoly Rosatom.

The Chinese corporation is expected to have the advantage in terms of abundant financial resources.

The head of Eletronuclear, Bruno Barretto, signed an initial memorandum with CNNC on the Angra 3 completion in Beijing in December when he visited Chinese banks that are potential financiers, Eletronuclear said in a statement.

Temer's government has announced plans to privatize Eletrobras, Latin America's largest utility. But Eletronuclear will be split off and remain in state hands under Brazil's Constitution, which establishes that nuclear facilities must be government controlled.

Temer said on Tuesday he expects China to be a major player in Brazil's plans to modernize its ports, airports and other infrastructure projects that will be offered to investors in private concessions.

He also hopes China will finance energy projects.

"China could be one of the big investors in our plans for concessions," he said in a video message released after he set off for Beijing, where he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the BRICS summit in Xiamen.
Sah Phon can live with some grief from his ancestral spirits.



The elderly villager abandoned them in Cambodias Stung Treng province in favor of a relocation package after learning his homeland would be swallowed by an enormous dam. But hes confident they will forgive him.

If we do something wrong, we pray in accordance with our traditions; for example [sacrificing] pigs and chickens for praying. And we pray so that we can be recovered, he reasons.

Once a fisherman from Sre Kor village near the confluence of the Sre Pok and Se San rivers, Phon has watched as fish stocks have dwindled over the past few years.

Some blame the dam construction, others destructive techniques such as electro-fishing but all agree the population of fish is rapidly shrinking.

Relocation offer

So with his village set to be flooded and his primary source of income dead, Phon took a relocation offer early. He says he was the first.

The swift decision paid off. Phon struck out in a relocation lottery with a house right next to the entrance road of Kbal Romeas Thmey (New Kbal Romeas).

He built up a business selling household wares in the prime location and says hes doing fine.

It's different because it has a highway  an ASEAN highway, he boasted as his grandson hooks bait to a line  practicing the skills of his grandfathers dying profession. Before I could not transport any goods. Now I can. The truck can get into our home to transport goods. Whatever I need, they can reach my home.

Phon has been lucky, but there are only so many general stores one village can support and not many others are as enthusiastic about relocation.

That includes his brother, Sah Voeurn, who like thousands of ethnic minority villagers facing eviction, is pained by the prospect of abandoning a fundamentally different way of life.

I really dont want to live there. The situation is difficult, theres not enough water. Its mountain land and its rocky and sandy and very difficult to do agriculture, he said.

Behind the rows of shiny blue new roofs at the relocation villages each family has a small plot of land. On the surface, the village looks quite nice.

Inadequate compensation



Away from the prying eyes of company representatives and local officials monitoring the area, many quietly complain that opportunities to generate income are scarce, the soil is poor and personal movements are heavily restricted.

Voeurn feels so strongly against relocation that he has traveled the long journey from Sre Kor to Kbal Romeas to join a community protest  a trip made harder by multiple police checkpoints attempting to restrict access to the area.

The government is building the dam to get more income for the government, not for the villagers, he said on the eve on a pig sacrifice with 50 Bunong families that are holding out and trying to stop the dam

The 400-megawatt Lower Se San II, which is Cambodias largest dam so far with a flood plain of 335 square kilometers, hasn't just stirred controversy because of the roughly 4,000 families it will forcibly displace.

It has far wider implications for fish stocks, conservationists argue.

More than 9 percent of the fisheries for the entire Mekong river would be lost because of the Lower Se San II, according to a report in the Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Science.

Even an environmental impact assessment commissioned by the dams developers and approved by the Cambodian government in 2010 found the impacts on fish would be severe, as it would block migratory species.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy did not respond to multiple request to comment on the impact of the project.

With Cambodians energy demands predicted by some estimates to triple between 2012 and 2020 and supply already heavily reliant on imports, the government argues the more than $800-million project will supply much needed power to five provinces.

Debates rage about how this benefit stacks up economically against the loss of fish and impacts on water flow and quality.

What none of the arguments over figures can appreciate though is the value of a fundamentally different way of life, or whether affected villagers will attain a better standard of life by being dragged into the formal economy rather than living effectively off grid.

The native people have a way of life opposite to mainstream people, native people consider nature as friend and dont have a passion to own, says Loek Sreyneang, a project officer at Cambodia Indigenous Youth Association.

The scores of families holding out want an audience with the government, but that has not been forthcoming.

So instead they have taken their case to the provincial court, arguing the development amounts to a systematic attack on indigenous people and thus a crime against humanity under Cambodian law.

That desperate final act will almost certainly have no impact and in weeks their houses will be underwater.

I can feel their misery to leave from home, a fatherland which they have lived in for ages, Loek Sreyneang lamented.
(Natural News) An armed Antifa group is launching a new cell in Philadelphia, with support from the alt-left alternative media.

(Article by Ian Miles Cheong republished from Dailycaller.com)

The group currently hosts anti-police workshops called Our Enemies in Blue. The group draws inspiration from convicted murderers and calls for violence against the police, theft of goods, and armed insurrection.

Antifa websites like Its Going Down, Sub.Media and Insurrection News have been promoting the group, which calls itself the Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement, calling on their readers to donate to a Fundrazr account for the creation of the new cell.

The press release the group published in far-left media is filled with hyperbolic claims about how mosques are being ruthlessly bombed and how LGBTQ are being battered.

The destruction of black life continues unabated as millions languish in the plantations of the modern day slave system, the group states.

Taking pride in the legacy of Philadelphias rich revolutionary tradition, RAM cites Mumia Abu Jamal, the Black Panther activist who shot and killed Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981.

It also cites Russell Shoats, who shot a police officer in the back five times in 1970. Similar to Antifa, the actions of the Black Panthers have been described as having a very undefined purpose of assaulting police officers.

Like other Antifa groups, RAM claims to oppose the usual -isms and white supremacy, but a quick look at the organizations Political Foundation page, as highlighted by Far Left Watch, notes the inclusion of several alarming points, including the Abolition of Gender, and the Expropriation and the Cooperative Economy.

Read more at: Dailycaller.com
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on Monday sent Congress a bill that would legalize gay marriage, a move that follows a string of liberal reforms in one of Latin America's most conservative nations.

In 2015, Chile's Congress approved same sex civil unions after years of legislative wrangling. In March, Bachelet, a center-left politician, pledged to send a full marriage bill to legislators before the end of the year.

"We do this with the certainty that it is not ethical nor fair to put artificial limits on love, nor to deny essential rights just because of the sex of those who make up a couple," Bachelet said in Chile's La Moneda presidential palace.

Just last week, a Chilean court gave the green light to a law passed in July that will allow abortion in limited cases.

Before that, Chile was one of only a handful of countries in the world that outlawed terminating a pregnancy in any situation, including when a woman's life was in danger.

Bachelet's push for marriage equality also comes as countries across the region are expanding gay rights. Same-sex marriage has been legalized in recent years in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Mexico, despite the powerful influence of the Catholic Church, which opposes such unions.

It was not immediately clear if Bachelet will be able to push the gay marriage bill through Congress before she leaves office in March 2018.

Though her Nueva Mayoria coalition has a congressional majority, it is severely fractured ahead of elections in November and several members of the coalition hold socially conservative views.
Venezuela's close ally China said on Monday that history shows external interference and unilateral sanctions only make things more complex and will not help resolve problems, after the United States imposed new sanctions on Venezuela.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that prohibits dealings in new debt from the Venezuelan government or its state oil company on Friday in an effort to halt financing that the White House said fuels President Nicolas Maduro's "dictatorship."

Maduro, who has frequently blamed the United States for waging an "economic war" on Venezuela, said the United States was seeking to force Venezuela to default  but he said it would not succeed.

Asked about the new U.S. measure, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China's position had consistently been to respect the sovereignty and independence of other countries and not to interfere in their internal affairs.

"The present problem in Venezuela should be resolved by the Venezuelan government and people themselves," she told a daily news briefing.

"The experience of history shows that outside interference or unilateral sanctions will make the situation even more complicated and will not help resolve the actual problem," Hua added.

China and oil-rich Venezuela have a close diplomatic and business relationship, especially in energy.

This month, China said it believed voting in Venezuela's Constituent Assembly election was "generally held smoothly," brushing off widespread condemnation from the United States, Europe and others and evidence of voting irregularities.
President Sauli Niinisto on Tuesday denied that Finland was buying new fighter jets from American planemaker Boeing, following remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Finland is looking to replace its aging fleet of 62 F/A-18 Hornet jets with multirole fighter aircraft in a procurement estimated at 7-10 billion euros by 2025.

"One of the things that is happening is you're purchasing large amounts of our great F-18 aircraft from Boeing and it's one of the great planes, the great fighter jets," Trump said on Monday at a news conference with his Finnish counterpart in the White House.

Niinisto, who was standing next to Trump, looked surprised but did not follow up on the comment. He later denied the deal with Boeing on his Twitter account and on Tuesday in Washington.

"It seems that on the sale side, past decisions and hopes about future decisions have mixed. ... The purchase is just starting, and that is very clear here," Niinisto told Finnish reporters.

Helsinki is expected to request that European and U.S. planemakers provide quotations for new jets in 2018, with a final decision made in the early 2020s.

A government working group has listed possible candidates as Saab's Jas Gripen, Dassault Aviation's Rafale, Boeing's Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin's F-35 and the Eurofighter, made by Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday ruled out forming a government coalition after elections with either the far left or the far right.

Supporters of the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party jeered her throughout a 30-minute campaign speech in the eastern city of Bitterfeld-Wolfen hours after Merkel declared comments by a top AfD official to be racist.

Merkel, whose conservatives have a double-digit lead over the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) in polls ahead of the Sept. 24 elections, also ruled out a coalition with Germanys far-left Left party.

She said the SPD, junior partner in Merkels current coalition government, had also ruled out governing with the anti-immigrant AfD, but had not issued any clear statements on whether it would work with the Left party.

We say clearly: no coalition with the AfD and no coalition with the Left, Merkel said, underscoring her partys standard line on potential future governing alliances. The Social Democrats have been lacking this clarity.

The chancellor, a Christian Democrat, said she did not think a so-called Red-Red-Green coalition of the Social Democrats with the Left and the pro-environment Greens would help advance Germany.

Such a coalition would be one possible alternative to a return of a Merkel-led coalition between her CDU/CSU conservatives and the SPD. There has also been conjecture about a coalition of the conservatives with the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP).

Merkel, expected to win a record-tying fourth term, defended her decision in 2015 to allow in over a million migrants, carrying on her speech despite loud heckling from a group of around 60 protesters, many of whom carried AfD signs.

Some booed, while others shouted get lost and chanted AfD, AfD. She has faced similar heckling at about a third of her speeches since kicking off the campaign on Aug. 12.

Earlier, Merkel accused one of the AfDs top officials, Alexander Gauland, of racism for recent remarks that Aydan Ozoguz, the governments integration minister, should be dumped back in her parents homeland, Turkey.

Gauland defended his remarks in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Newspaper, saying Ozoguz had no business being in Germany given she had said Germany had no culture beyond its language.

Social Democrat Martin Schulz, speaking at a campaign event in the eastern German city of Erfurt, also criticized Gaulands remarks. He welcomed a move by Thomas Fischer, the former lead judge in Germanys constitutional court to file a formal complaint against Gauland for incitement to hatred.

Founded in 2013 as an anti-euro party, the AfD shifted its focus after the euro zone debt crisis peaked to campaigning against immigration after Merkel's move in 2015 to open the borders to a flood of migrants, many from the Middle East.

Merkel's conservatives were on 37 percent support in the latest poll by the INSA institute released on Tuesday, compared with 24 percent for the SPD.

The poll showed 10 percent support for both the Left and the AfD parties, while the Greens were at 6.5 percent and the FDP on 8 percent.
Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales on Monday held back on his decision to expel the head of a United Nations-backed anti-graft unit who is investigating the leader's campaign financing following a court ruling, criticism and protests.

Morales on Sunday declared Ivan Velasquez, head of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), "persona non grata" and ordered him to leave the Central American country immediately. Hours later, the nation's top court suspended the decision.

After two days of protests in the capital and criticism from the United States and European Union, there were signs Morales could backtrack on his initial insistence that he had the authority to expel Velasquez.

Morales did not withdraw his declaration that Velasquez was persona non grata in Guatemala, and the president appeared to be waiting for a final decision from the court in the coming days after Sunday's provisional ruling.

Morales said on Monday on his official Facebook page that he would be "respectful of the decisions of the courts."

His government could ask for a public audience before the court and seek a new vote, which he lost 3-2 in Sunday's vote.

If Morales ignored the court, he could be found in contempt and risk losing his job, according to constitutional experts consulted by Reuters.

"Bring Jimmy Morales to justice!," hundreds of students chanted in unison as they marched towards the presidential palace in downtown Guatemala City on Monday.

Velasquez, who previously investigated drug cartels and paramilitary groups in his homeland Colombia, was declared "persona non grata" days after the CICIG said Morales should be investigated over alleged illicit funding in his election run.

With powers to prepare crime and corruption cases, the CICIG was in 2015 instrumental in removing from office former Guatemalan president Otto Perez after identifying him as a key player in an alleged multi-million-dollar corruption racket.

The CICIG has been strongly backed by western powers.

U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala Todd Robinson told Reuters that Morales was putting at risk U.S. aid to fight poverty and crime in the poor Central American country, which has seen a surge of illegal migration to the United States in recent years.

"There will probably be consequences from the president's decision," Robinson said.

The European Union said the decision to declare Velasquez persona non grata put at great risk the work initiated by the CICIG on strengthening the rule of law in Guatemala.

Morales, a former comedian, won election in late 2015 after riding a wave of public discontent over the corruption scandals that brought down his predecessor Perez.
Guatemala's top court on Tuesday ruled definitively against President Jimmy Morales' internationally criticized push to expel the head of a U.N.-backed anti-corruption unit probing his campaign financing.

The decision by the Constitutional Court ratifies a provisional ruling that the government could not expel Ivan Velasquez, a veteran Colombian prosecutor who leads Guatemala's International Commission against Impunity, known as CICIG.

Morales on Sunday ordered the expulsion of the prosecutor, who has been a thorn in the president's side by investigating his son and brother, and then seeking to remove his own immunity from investigation over more than $800,000 in potentially unexplained campaign funds. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Within the United Nations, Velasquez has the rank of assistant secretary general. He is widely respected and the president's moved unleashed a series of resignations from his cabinet and a storm of criticism from Western nations.

Earlier in the day, Morales, 48, said he would respect the court's decision, stepping back from brinkmanship he displayed at the weekend when he said the court had overstepped its mandate by ruling on the case.

He has sought support from Guatemala's mayors, possibly to try to counter the diplomatic pressure and street protests by activists calling him corrupt.

"I am not defending corrupt people, I am not against the anti-corruption fight, I am not even against the CICIG. Is a machete good or bad? It depends on who is wielding it," said the former comedian at a meeting with mayors.

Morales won office in 2015 running on a platform of honest governance after his predecessor Otto Perez Molina was forced to resign and imprisoned in a multi-million dollar graft case stemming from a CICIG investigation.

The United Nations on Tuesday said it was "disturbed" by Morales' moves against Velasquez, while the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists said failure to comply with the Constitutional Court ruling could constitute "obstruction of justice", a criminal offense.

"The president's decision to declare Ivan Velasquez as 'non grata' and ordering his immediate removal from the country is in clear breach of international law," the ICJ said in a statement.

Hundreds of Guatemalans took to the streets on Monday in support of Velasquez, some shouting "Take Jimmy Morales to court!" Some groups came out in support of the president and against foreign interference.

The U.S. ambassador to Guatemala, Todd Robinson, told Reuters the president's moves could put at risk a U.S. development plan in Central America to reduce poverty and crime.

"There will probably be consequences from the president's decision," Robinson said, while emphasizing that any U.S. measures would have to be carefully thought through so as not to affect the economy or migration to the United States.

Many politicians in Guatemala consider the foreign-led body, which is unusual among U.N. bodies for its powers to bring cases to prosecutors, to be a violation of national sovereignty.

Anti-corruption activists credit it with cleaning up government.
Iraq's oil-producing Kirkuk region will vote in a referendum on Kurdish independence on September 25, its provisional council decided Tuesday, a move that could increase tension with Arab and Turkmen residents.

The ethnically mixed region is claimed by both the central government in Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq.

The vote is "definitely happening" on September 25, Kirkuk Governor Najmuddin Kareem told Reuters after a majority of the provincial council voted in favor of taking part.

The KRG had said it was up to the local councils of Kirkuk and three other disputed regions of Iraq to decide whether to join the vote on the independence of the Kurdish region.

The vote in the disputed regions would amount to deciding whether to join the KRG or remain under the jurisdiction of the Shi'ite Arab-led government in Baghdad.

Baghdad said the referendum was unconstitutional.

The United States and Western nations fear the vote could lead to conflicts with Baghdad and neighboring Turkey and Iran, which host sizable Kurdish populations, diverting attention from the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

A senior Kurdish official has said Iraq's Kurds could consider postponing the referendum in return for financial and political concessions from the central government.

"Those who ask for a postponement  including Baghdad and the U.S. and Europe and whoever  should give us a time," Kareem said. "Why don't they propose a date?"

Kurdish peshmerga fighters seized control of Kirkuk in 2014 when the Iraqi army fled in the face of Islamic State's sweeping offensive across northern and western Iraq, preventing the region's oil fields from falling into the hands of the militants.

The Kurds have been seeking an independent state since at least the end of World War I, when colonial powers divided up the Middle East and left Kurdish-populated territory split among modern-day Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.
Israel's prime minister on Tuesday vowed to never uproot any West Bank settlement  just days after a White House envoy was in the region trying to restart peace talks with the Palestinians.



Benjamin Netanyahu's comments enraged the Palestinians and raised new questions about the slow start for U.S. peace efforts led by White House adviser Jared Kushner.



Netanyahu spoke at a ceremony Monday night in Barkan, a settlement in the northern West Bank.



"We have returned here for good," Netanyahu said. "There will be no more uprooting of settlements in the Land of Israel. Settlements will not be uprooted."



The Palestinians seek all of the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, for an independent state alongside Israel. Israel captured all three areas in the 1967 Mideast war, though it withdrew from Gaza in 2005.



The Palestinians say that settlements on occupied lands are illegal and undermine the goal of a two-state solution by gobbling up land  a position that is widely backed by the international community.



But since his election, President Donald Trump has broken with the policies of his predecessors and refused to endorse the two-state solution. In turn, Netanyahu has also taken a harder line and no longer speaks of establishing a Palestinian state.



Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, denounced Netanyahu's comments and urged the U.S. to intervene.



"This is an Israeli message to the U.S. administration, which sought through an important tour in the area to do something in order to rescue the peace process," he said. "We call upon the U.S. administration to deal with these provocations,'' which he said hinder U.S. peace efforts and are "an attempt to return things to square one."



The Palestinians have expressed impatience with the White House, which has not yet offered a plan for forging peace despite Trump's early pledges to pursue what he calls "the ultimate deal."



Kushner and his envoy, Jason Greenblatt, have held a series of talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, as well as with leaders across the Arab world in an attempt to take a regional approach toward solving the decades-old conflict.



A senior White House official played down Netanyahu's comments.



"It is no secret what each side's position is on this issue," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. "Our focus is on continuing our conversations with both parties and regional leaders to work toward facilitating a deal that factors in all substantive issues."
Jordan will open its main border crossing with Iraq on Wednesday for the first time since 2015, now that Iraqi forces have gained control of the main highway to Baghdad from Islamic State militants, officials said Tuesday.

Iraqi troops pulled out of the Tureibil post, on the 180-km (110-mile) border, in the summer of 2014 after the militants secured nearly all the official crossings of the western frontier as they swept through a third of the country.

Commercial traffic continued for a year after until Iraq launched an offensive in July 2015 to reclaim the area and deprive the militants of funds raised from truck drivers forced to pay a tax on cargo coming in from Jordan.

Officials say customs and border arrangements have been finalized, with security measures in place to ensure the 550-km (340-mile) highway from the border to Baghdad was safe.

"The opening of the crossing is of great importance to Jordan and Iraq. ... It's a crucial artery. Jordan and Iraq have been discussing reopening it for a while," Interior Minister Ghaleb al Zubi said last week.

Zubi did not give date then, but several trade and business officials said they have been invited to an event Wednesday to mark the reopening.

Since last year, the Iraqi army has regained most of the mainly Sunni Muslim Anbar province's main towns that fell to the ultra-hard-line jihadist group.

Road south from Basra

Iraq has also been working on securing the highway, which connects Iraq's Basra port in the south to Jordan, where the Red Sea port of Aqaba has long served as a gateway for Iraqi imports coming from Europe.

Jordan hopes the reopening of the route will revive exports to Iraq, once the kingdom's main export market, accounting for almost a fifth of domestic exports or about $1.2 billion a year, according to the International Monetary Fund. They have fallen by more than 50 percent from pre-crisis levels.

"This will increase industrial exports and also revive the two countries' trucking industry. It's a major boost to the economy," said Nael Husami, general manager of the Amman Chamber of Industry, adding transport costs would fall by nearly half.

Jordanian exporters have had to use more expensive sea routes to Iraq's Um Qasr port or another land route across Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, businessmen say.

The restoration of trade links will also give a push to an oil pipeline project running from Basra to Aqaba. Prime Minister Hani al Mulki had visited Baghdad earlier this year to revive the frozen project.

Jordanian officials are hopeful the crossing with Syria on its northern border can also open by the end of the year, once a U.S.-Russian de-escalation zone in southwest Syria that includes the area is cemented.
Lebanon's foreign minister said on Tuesday he supported renewing the mandate of U.N. peacekeeping forces in the country for another year, despite U.S. and Israeli criticism that the peacekeepers should do more to stop Hezbollah from gaining arms.

"Preserving the mandate of @unifil is necessary for peace and stability, otherwise will jeopardize efforts of @UN," Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said on Twitter.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrols Lebanon's southern border with Israel.

Its annually renewed mandate was expanded from the original 1978 mission following a 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

This tasked UNIFIL with making sure southern Lebanon was "free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons" other than those belonging to the Lebanese government or UNIFIL.

Washington regards Hezbollah, which supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has a strong presence in south Lebanon, as a terrorist organization.

Israel has regularly complained that UNIFIL has too soft an approach toward enforcing the 2006 cease-fire and would like to see stronger action against Hezbollah military deployment that Israel alleges is taking place in violation of the cease-fire.

Lebanon also accuses Israel of violating the cease-fire by sending warplanes into its airspace. In January, Lebanon's new government affirmed its support for the security council resolution outlining UNIFIL's current mandate.

Hezbollah defends its possession of weapons as necessary to defend Lebanon, but does not say where they are.

Israel's ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon called in an August newspaper column for UNIFIL to be able to inspect Lebanese towns more stringently and insist on unlimited access to all suspicious sites.

Israeli officials want UNIFIL and the Lebanese army to act against Hezbollah by uncovering hidden weapons and emplacements, of which they say there are thousands that Israel has mapped.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday raised the issue in a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Netanyahu said the U.N. has failed to report any of the "tens of thousands of weapon smugglings into Lebanon for Hezbollah."

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Friday criticized UNIFIL head Irish Major General Michael Beary, accusing him of an "embarrassing lack of understanding" in not uncovering Iranian arms supply to Hezbollah.

The U.N. Security Council will vote on renewing the mandate this week before it expires Thursday.

"We are not looking to change the mandate itself. We are looking to include language that clearly directs UNIFIL to do what it should have been doing for years," Haley said.

A UNIFIL spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
(Natural News) Space has become a veritable goldmine of natural resources for many companies, yet can anyone lay claim to them? Thats the question legal experts claim will become relevant in the future as firm turn to the stars for precious metals and minerals, and its one that also needs to be answered as soon as possible to avoid hostility between competing firms and countries.

Barry Kellman, law professor of space governance at DePaul University in Chicago, explained: There is a huge debate on whether companies can simply travel to space and extract its resources. There is no way to answer the question until someone does it.

According to one international treaty, this need not even be an issue. The Outer Space Treaty of 1967, formally known as the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, has served as the main standard for sharing space. As per the 1967 treaty, no single country can claim national appropriation of celestial bodies by occupation or by other means. (Related: MINING just one large asteroid could COLLAPSE the world economy due to surge of new supply for valuable metals.)

Despite this, some countries have already begun passing laws that allow property rights in space, most notably the United States of America and Luxembourg. The laws passed by these countries have ensured that private operators have rights over the resources they obtained from space, such as the oxygen and hydrogen extracted by the firm Planetary Resources.

If you obtain a resource and bring it with you, it becomes your property. You can sell, keep or deliver (space resources) peacefully, Planetary Resources Chief Executive Chris Lewicki told the DailyMail.co.uk. Lewicki stated that the firm has no intention of bringing those resources back to Earth, and instead plans on creating a gas station to provide fuel to space ships.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has deigned not to take a side on the issue. If companies request assistance or want partnerships related to mining on Mars, we help to the best of our ability, said a spokesman for the agency.

Lewicki added: For the moment, the company exists on earth, where all of the laws and regulations apply.

In addition to the 1967 treaty, legal experts have cited the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention as an earthly regulation that could help build the legal framework for space resources. Under this, countries have exclusive rights to the natural resources 200 mi or 322 km of their coastline, yet plans and ships from other nations can pass through the waters as they please. The Law of Sea Convention could be used as a template to give companies exclusive economic rights to certain area but not ownership over an entire planet or asteroid.

As attorney Andrew Brehm elaborated: Its advantageous to work out a system where people can acquire property rights enforceable through a legal process. That being said, outer space is viewed in society as something similar to the ocean, where there is a collective interest. A first come, first serve system does not necessarily work well when only certain countries or private entities can (currently) reach outer space.

Visit Space.news to remain up to date on the situation.

Sources:

DailyMail.co.uk

Brittanica.com
Buses carrying hundreds of Islamic State militants and their families arrived in eastern Syria on Tuesday following a negotiated evacuation from the Lebanon-Syria border, where the U.S.-backed Lebanese army deployed for the first time in years.



The evacuation agreement, the first such publicized deal concluded with the extremist group, angered many Iraqis, who accused Syria and Hezbollah of dumping the militants on the Iraqi border rather than eradicating them.



Some 600 militants were allowed to leave as part of a deal, negotiated by Hezbollah, in exchange for identifying the location of the remains of Lebanese soldiers captured by IS in 2014 and later killed. The deal also provoked controversy in Lebanon, as some have voiced opposition to negotiations with the militants.



Any deals or understandings between the warring parties inside Syria or in the region must take into consideration the security of Iraq and not to lead to anything that poses any threat to our national security, the Iraqi government spokesman, Saad al-Hadithi, told The Associated Press on Tuesday.



Al-Hadithi said the Iraqi government will firmly face any threat to Iraqi territories.



Shiite-majority Iraq has been largely supportive of Syria and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in their battle against IS, a Sunni extremist group and shared enemy, but many Iraqis expressed anger on social media.



Who's going to pay for the delivery sent by Hassan Nasrallah to us? wrote well-known writer Saleh al-Hamdani on his Facebook page, referring to Hezbollah's leader. Will (state-sanctioned militias) or the Federal Police or Counter Terrorism Forces pay for it?



Baghdad-based analyst Hisham al-Hashimi wrote on Facebook that Iraq's selfish ally preferred to throw Daesh danger from Lebanon to Iraq, while Iraqis demolished the second-largest city [Mosul] in order not to enable Daesh militants to flee [to Syria] and damage the neighbor.''



Daesh is the Arabic acronym for IS.



The Lebanese government and Hezbollah have both defended the deal that allowed IS safe passage to the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, an IS stronghold, saying it was the only way Lebanon could uncover the fate of its captured soldiers and recover their remains.



But many in Lebanon were opposed to the deal, which they said allowed the killers of Lebanese soldiers to get off scot-free.



Shame on a nation whose soldiers return in coffins, while the criminals leave in air-conditioned buses, many posted on social media.



The departure of IS marked the end of a militant presence along the Syrian-Lebanese border dating back to the early days of the Syrian uprising. The Lebanese army was able to assume full control of the border.



Syrian state-run news agency SANA said the buses carrying the militants arrived Tuesday to a handover point in the town of Hamimiyah in the eastern Deir el-Zour province. They are expected to continue from there to the town of Boukamal, near the Iraqi border.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday threw her weight behind the European Commission in its row with Warsaw over freedom of Poland's court system.

The previously reticent Merkel, speaking in Berlin, said she took the issue "very seriously" and would talk about it with Commission President Jean-Claude Junker on Wednesday.

In July, the commission, the European Union's executive, gave Warsaw a month to address its concerns about reforms it saw as interfering with an independent judiciary.

Warsaw's reply signaled that the ruling nationalist and euroskeptic Law and Justice (PiS) party had no intention of backing down and even doubted the commission's right to intervene.

While two of the new Polish laws questioned by the commission have been sent back for reworking by an unexpected presidential veto, a third one, giving the justice minister powers to fire judges, has become law.

The commission said it undermined the independence of the courts and therefore EU rules.

"This is a serious issue because the requirements for cooperation within the European Union are the principles of the rule of law. I take what the commission says on this very seriously," Merkel said at a news conference.

"We cannot simply hold our tongues and not say anything for the sake of peace and quiet," she said.

'Political emotions'

Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said Merkel's remarks showed the criticism was political, rather than factual.

"I'm convinced that Polish government will be executing its targets despite political emotions that appear in politicians' statements," Ziobro told reporters in Warsaw.

"Every country which is independent within the EU has its own laws and should settle its problems within democratic mechanisms," he said in remarks broadcast on state TV.

In its reply to the commission on Monday, the Polish foreign ministry said the legislative process of overhauling its judiciary was in line with European standards.

It called the commission's concerns groundless and noted that judiciary was the province of national governments, not the commission.

"We have received the reply from the Polish government. Regarding the point that we have no competence in this sphere, this is something that we would actually quite powerfully refute," a commission spokeswoman said.

"The rule of law framework sets out how the commission should react should clear indications of a threat to the rule of law emerge in a member state. The commission believes that there is such a threat to the rule of law in Poland," she said.

The commission said in July that it would launch legal action against Poland over the judicial reforms. It also said that if the government started firing Supreme Court judges, the commission would move to suspend Poland's voting rights in the EU  an unprecedented punishment that would, however, require the unlikely unanimous support of all other EU governments.

Merkel's remarks on Tuesday followed openly critical statements from French President Emmanuel Macron, who said last Friday that Poland was isolating itself within the EU and Polish citizens "deserved better" than a government at odds with the bloc's democratic values and economic reform plans.

Logging

In another unprecedented sign of defiance against the EU, the Polish government ignored an order by the EU's highest court to cease logging in the Bialowieza forest.

The court will convene September 11 to decide how to react to Warsaw's failure to honor the injunction, the first in EU history.

As the EU's spats with the PiS government get increasingly tense, the bloc's member states are due to discuss again this autumn whether the situation in their largest ex-communist peer merits launching an unprecedented Article 7 punitive procedure.

The maximum punishment under the procedure, however unlikely, would be stripping Poland of its voting rights in the EU over not respecting democratic principles on which the bloc is built.
Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto will travel to China next week to discuss trade and investment, as Mexico looks for ways to decrease its dependence on NAFTA, especially trade with neighboring United States.

He will hold a bilateral meeting with China's President Xi Jinping and participate in a summit of the BRICS nations, a grouping that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, on Sept. 4 and 5, Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Pena Nieto's visit comes as U.S., Mexican and Canadian negotiators meet Sept. 1 to 5 in Mexico City for a round of talks to revamp the 23-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Mexico is trying to increase trade with Latin America and Asia, and on Monday took part in the first of three days of talks in Australia aimed at reviving the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, disrupted by the withdrawal of the United States.

On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his threat to scrap NAFTA, which he has cast as killing jobs and exacerbating the U.S. deficit, and ripped into trading partners Canada and Mexico.

Pena Nieto is scheduled to participate in a dialogue on emerging markets and a BRICS business forum, "where over 800 business leaders are expected to discuss opportunities for investment, trade, connectivity, financial cooperation, development and the blue economy, or sustainable use of marine resources," said the ministry.

On Sept. 6, Pena Nieto will visit the offices of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, China's top e-commerce firm and one of Asia's most valuable companies.

Mexico's government is working to get Mexican products and services, especially from small- and medium-sized firms, onto Alibaba's platform.
A 22-year-old New York resident has been arrested on charges of attempting to provide material support to Islamic State, the Department of Justice said Tuesday.

Authorities also said Parveg Ahmed was due in federal court Tuesday for an initial appearance. News reports say Ahmed had sent messages through social media accounts about his support for IS.

As alleged, Ahmed sought to take up arms with violent terrorists who have killed numerous innocent victims, including Americans, said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Rohde. This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to arrest and prosecute extremists before they are able to threaten the United States and its allies.

Ahmed, who is a U.S. citizen, was detained while attempting to travel to Syria, allegedly to join and fight with Islamic State.

If convicted, Ahmed faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Violence in Myanmar's western Rakhine state has driven thousands of ethnic Rohingya Muslims fleeing toward Bangladesh for safety, along with a smaller exodus of ethnic Rakhine Buddhists.

A majority of the country's estimated 1 million Rohingya live in the northern part of Rakhine state, where Rohingya insurgents launched coordinated attacks last week against police posts, setting off allegedly brutal retaliation by government forces.

Human rights groups and advocates for the Rohingya say the army retaliated by burning down villages and shooting civilians. The government blames Rohingya insurgents for the violence, including the arson. The official death toll in the violence was 96 as of Sunday, and the actual number is likely to be higher.

An estimated 8,000-9,000 Rohingya have entered Bangladesh since the violence broke out last Thursday, with an unknown number still waiting to cross the border or hiding in mountainous or forested areas.

Most of the violence since last week seems to be directed at Rohingya villages, but Rakhine Buddhists, feeling unsafe after the upsurge in fighting, are moving south to the state's capital, Sittwe, where Buddhists are a majority and have greater security.

On Tuesday morning, scores crammed a ferry out of the area and headed for Sittwe. Many sat inside the cabin, but others sat or lay on the deck, swathed in bandages, and recounted their own moments of terror and violence.

Among them were five policemen heading to Sittwe for hospital treatment of wounds they said they received in wild skirmishes with insurgents during attacks on their positions. One was seriously hurt and lay still under a blanket.

All their injuries, they said, came from machete blows or slashes.

Zwe Phyo Aung said he went to support outnumbered police colleagues at an outpost in Myin Hlut village and found himself facing a wave of attackers armed with swords and knives.

"I wasn't afraid of them; all I was thinking was to eliminate them. I wanted to eliminate them any way I could. I was not scared or frightened.''

His friend, Thar Kyaw Sein, said he was in the same desperate fight, during which his weapon jammed.

"The reason I was wounded was, when I was shooting with my gun, it had a problem. As I was fixing it and got up to shoot again, one of the guys came at me with his machete. So I shot him dead,'' he said.

Seventy-year-old San Khine Pyu could not count herself so fortunate. Her only son - a policeman with 22 years' service - was killed.

"My son has died in the violence. As I am a Buddhist, I don't want to blame anyone anymore,'' she said.

A Rohingya insurgent group, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, or ARSA, took responsibility for last week's attacks on more than 25 locations, saying they were in defense of Rohingya communities.

The Rohingya have long faced severe discrimination and were the targets of violence in 2012 that killed hundreds and drove about 140,000 people - predominantly Rohingya - from their homes to camps for the internally displaced, where most remain.

The government refuses to recognize Rohingya as a legitimate native ethnic minority. Most Rohingya are denied citizenship and its rights.

The raids last Thursday night were deadlier than an attack by the militants on three border posts last October that killed nine policemen and set off months of brutal counterinsurgency operations by Myanmar security forces against Rohingya communities in Rakhine state. Human rights groups accused the army of carrying out massive human rights abuses, including killing, rape and burning down more than 1,000 homes and other buildings.

The army's abuses fueled further resentment toward the government among the Rohingya. ARSA took advantage of the resentment by stepping up recruitment of members.

In Yangon, a government minister alleged Tuesday that employees of international aid groups with activities in northern Rakhine state have assisted the insurgents. Speaking to foreign diplomats, Home Affairs Minister Gen. Kyaw Swe said government agents had found that some staff members of aid groups were linked to the insurgents. He also charged that materials imported by some NGOs, such as iron pipes and fertilizer, have been used by insurgents to make bombs. He offered no evidence to support the charges.

The government issued a statement on Sunday accusing unnamed international aid group staff of assisting one attack, and circulated a photo showing energy biscuits donated by the U.N. World Food Program that it said were discovered in July at an insurgent camp. The photo was widely reposted on social media as alleged proof of complicity with the insurgents.

Under international pressure, the government has only grudgingly let foreign aid groups into northern Rakhine, where Rohingya are confined to camps for the displaced where they live in poor conditions and are unable to support themselves. Many Rakhine Buddhists, already scornful of the Rohingya, believe the aid groups devote a disproportionately large part of their resources to the Rohingya.

U.N. and NGO officials could not immediately be contacted for comment.
Peru expects a "very ambitious" free trade deal with Australia that covers goods, services and investments to be implemented as early as next year, Peru's deputy trade minister said on Monday.

The two countries resumed free trade talks in Australia on Monday following a first round of negotiations in July in which "a lot of progress was made," said Deputy Trade Minister Edgar Vasquez.

"This is going to be an agreement that we should be able to implement as soon as possible, starting in 2018," Vasquez said by telephone in Lima. "That's what we'd like to happen and what we think is viable."

Peru and Australia are important global producers of minerals and their bilateral trade is relatively small.

Forging a free trade deal so quickly would mark one of the first steps toward reducing trade barriers in the Pacific region after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, which Australia and Peru had signed onto.

The remaining signatories to the TPP are in Australia this week discussing ways to salvage the deal. The 11 countries, which include Japan, Canada and Mexico, have a combined gross domestic product of $12.4 trillion.

Vasquez said the experience of negotiating the TPP had put Peru and Australia on solid footing for quickly hashing out a bilateral agreement.

"We also both have very open economies, so we're really going to see a broad inclusion of sectors that will benefit from it - goods as well as services and investments," Vasquez said.

Peru's trade ministry said last month that rules of origin, migration and e-commerce were also under discussion and that Peru was eager to increase agricultural exports to Australia while spurring trade of mining and other professional services.

Australian trade officials were not immediately available for comment.

Peru's exports to Australia amounted to $260 million last year, according to Peru's trade ministry.
Pope Francis plans to visit Myanmar and Bangladesh in late November and early December, two countries caught up in a crisis over the Rohingya Muslim minority.

The Vatican, confirming an earlier Reuters report, said on Monday he would visit Myanmar from Nov. 27 to 30, stopping in Yangon and in the capital, Naypyitaw. He would visit the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2.

The announcement came hours after Bangladesh border guards pushed back thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing the worst violence in Myanmar in five years, with 104 people killed.

In February, Francis issued a stinging criticism of the treatment of Myanmar's Rohingya community, saying they had been tortured and killed simply because they wanted to keep their culture and Muslim faith.

Around 1.1 million Rohingya live in Myanmar's Rakhine state, but are denied citizenship and face severe travel restrictions.

Many Buddhists across Myanmar regard them as illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh.
European governments are once again scrambling to come up with new security measures aimed at making it more difficult for extremists using cars, knives and other low-tech weapons to attack civilians in city centers and near landmark sites, monuments and tourist attractions.

The car-ramming attack earlier in August in Barcelona, in which a van mowed down pedestrians, followed soon after by a stabbing frenzy in the Finnish town of Turku, has prompted national and municipal authorities across the continent to review security measures and to erect concrete barriers to hinder extremists from plowing into shoppers and tourists.

Cost, aesthetics concerns

But analysts say many city authorities remain reluctant to introduce "Israeli-style" security  and costs and aesthetics are being weighed, too. We cant fill up Barcelona with bollards, Joaquim Forn, who oversees home affairs in Barcelonas Catalonia region, told Spanish radio recently.

However, slowly but surely, after each attack, reluctance is giving way and manufacturers of bollards and security barriers say theres been an increase in orders in recent weeks.

Some municipal authorities, including in the British city of Birmingham, are using water-features and trees to provide some protection.

Europe has experienced a dozen car-ramming attacks so far this year.

New security measures in London

British authorities are considering erecting a boom in the River Thames to defend the House of Commons from a boat-borne attack. The barrier has been recommended by police chiefs after a security drill showed how easy it would be for extremists to gain riverside access to the Palace of Westminster, kill lawmakers socializing on terraces overlooking the Thames and gain access to the debating chambers of both the Commons and the House of Lords.

Last March, a British Muslim convert, Khalid Masood, mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before stabbing to death a policeman in the grounds of the Palace of Westminster, where he was shot dead. The London mayor has called for cars to be banned from Parliament Square altogether.

A spokesman for the Palace of Westminster said in a statement: We work closely with the police, security services and others to ensure our security measures are effective and meet whatever level of risk parliament faces.

London police mounted an unprecedented security effort over the weekend and Monday to protect the Notting Hill carnival, deploying for the first time concrete and metal barriers at Europes biggest street party, which was attended by a million revelers over three days. Security arrangements included 8000 police officers patrolling on foot. The carnival kicked off 24 hours after a man drove at police outside Buckingham Palace and then lashed at them with a sword.

Vatican challenge



In Rome, authorities have erected more barriers around landmark sites to prevent car-ramming. But aesthetics are being hotly debated, with municipal politicians and residents in the historic center opposing unsightly obstructions.

Anti-terror flower pots were installed Monday outside the presidential Quirinale Palace. Similar pots, ordered in the wake of the Barcelona van terror attack, have been installed already in the Roman Forum with more planned for parts of Via del Corso and Piazza del Popolo.

Although Italy is the one major European country not to have experienced a jihadist attack, concerns are mounting that its only a matter of time before there will be one.

The Islamic State terror group has threatened frequently to attack the Italian capital  and the Vatican in particular.

On Saturday, Pope Franciss top aide reacted to an IS video posted online last week calling on "lone wolves" to drive cars into crowds around the Vatican, saying one cannot avoid worrying.

But Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin told reporters in the city of Rimini that no particular new security measures are being put in place in the Vatican as a direct result of that video, which showed a terrorist tearing an image of Francis.

Paloma Garcia Ovejero, the popes deputy spokesperson, said last week: We havent raised the security measures because the controls are already very high.

Speaking to reporters, she added: St. Peters Square, as pilgrims and tourists can ascertain, is always very well protected.

Protection was dramatically increased around the Vatican after last years attacks in Paris with the main artery leading to the square closed to traffic. Heavy pots with palm trees were placed on side streets, and a military and Italian police presence is visible around the Vatican, which is protected on church territory by Pontifical Swiss Guards and the 130-strong Corpo della Gendarmeria, which includes a Rapid Intervention Group and an anti-sabotage unit.

The Swiss Guards, who are charged with the Popes personal safety, have recently been going through re-training, focusing on marksmanship, in Ticino, an Italian-speaking region in southern Switzerland.

Last week, Swiss Guard Commander Christoph Graf said that it may only be a matter of time before extremists launch an attack in Rome.

On Monday, Italy deported a 37-year-old Moroccan, the third Moroccan this month, who had been flagged as a high security risk.

Many churches across Europe are introducing new security measures to try to decrease the risk of attack and casualties. In Cologne, Germany, authorities have placed barricades made up of huge stones around the perimeter of the historic Domplatte cathedral.
The muddy floodwaters now soaking through dry wall, carpeting, mattresses and furniture in Houston will pose a massive cleanup challenge with potential public health consequences.

It's not known yet what kinds or how much sewage, chemicals and waterborne germs are mixed in the water. For now, health officials are more concerned about drownings, carbon monoxide poisoning from generators and hygiene at shelters. In the months and years to come, their worries will turn to the effects of trauma from Hurricane Harvey on mental health.



At a shelter set up inside Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center, Dr. David Persse is building a clinic of doctors and nurses and trying to prevent the spread of viruses or having to send people to hospitals already stretched thin.

This is rapidly evolving, said Persse, Houston Director of Emergency Medical Services. I always worry in these large congregations of people about viral outbreaks that cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. And we are just getting started.

Medics have been at the convention center since it started taking in evacuees, along with police and other first responders. Over the last 24 hours, doctors and nurses arrived at the convention center to volunteer.



Fewer than 20 people have been hospitalized so far from the convention center.



One of our goals is to appropriately treat people here with minor things so we don't send everybody off to the hospital, Persse.

Many of the around 3,000 people who fled from Harvey's flooding waited hours in water mixed with sewage, oil and gasoline. Some weren't able to grab their medications or medical devices. Police officers on Monday afternoon were looking for more wheelchairs.

Donors have brought diapers, baby formula and other basic necessities to the convention center. Officials are working with local pharmacies to replace lost medicines and dialysis clinics to serve patients in need of treatment. The Red Cross is arranging to bring in portable showers. A shipment of 50 wheelchairs was on the way Monday afternoon.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will begin sampling the floodwaters as soon as possible, said EPA spokeswoman Liz Bowman in an email Monday. EPA teams will also be visiting water and sewage plants to offer help, she said.

EPA helped secure Superfund pollution cleanup sites last week ahead of the storm and is continuing to check with site operators.



Floodwater can be dangerous for people with open wounds, particularly if they have other health conditions. After Hurricane Katrina, five people with infected wounds died and health officials believe that exposure to brackish floodwater contributed to the deaths.

Katrina taught other lessons.



In Katrina, a lot of people were concerned about illnesses from contact with the floodwater, but more infectious disease was associated with poor hygiene in overcrowded shelter facilities, said Karen Levy, associate professor of environmental health at Emory University in Atlanta.

At Houston-area shelters, access to clean water or hand sanitizer and proper disposal of human waste should be stressed, she said.

Any health problems will be more dangerous for the most vulnerable  people with immune disorders, the elderly and the poor, Levy said.

Katrina left a wake of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, said Dr. Pierre Buekens, dean of Tulane University's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. He said their surveys showed roughly 10 percent had PTSD, but also that people were resilient.

I'm sure this will happen in Houston, he said.

The most common flood-related deaths occur when people try to drive through flooded areas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Carbon monoxide may kill more as people return to homes without electricity and hook up generators, said the CDC's Renee Funk.

Any sort of roof over a generator is actually a problem,'' Funk said. When people go in and out to refill the generator they can be overcome. If a structure is attached to the house, the house can fill with fumes.

Best advice: Use a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector in the house if you're using a generator for power, she said.

Mold is also a health hazard. The CDC recommends removing and disposing of drywall and insulation that was tainted by floodwater or sewage. Mattresses, pillows, carpeting  even stuffed toys  should be tossed out. Hard surfaces can be disinfected with a solution of one cup of bleach to five gallons of water.

That little spot of mold can grow in the home especially in the heat of the South, said Dr. Parham Jaberi of the Louisiana Department of Health.



If mold covers more than 100 square feet, a trained mold remover is recommended, he said.
Angolans have elected their first new president in nearly four decades and now they say he must address the glaring gap between rich and poor. Despite being Africa's second largest oil producer, Angola ranks consistently in the bottom quarter of U.N. Human Development Index. VOA's Anita Powell reports
(Natural News) In something along the lines of an early warning, researchers at the Seattle-based University of Washington claim that they can hack into a computer with a small strand of DNA.

The experts presented their findings about a potential DNA malware infection experiment at last weeks 26th USENIX Security Symposium in Vancouver.

The Daily Mail summarized the results of this malware vulnerability demonstration.

Scientists have synthesized a strand of DNA that can be used to hack computers in a world first. The malware was encoded into a gene and used to take over a computer that analyses DNA code. Scientists warn that cyber criminals could one day use faked spit or blood samples to steal information from police forensics labs, hack into university computers, or infect genome files shared by researchers.

In a paper published for the symposium, the authors underscore that significant expansion in DNA sequencing technology could have security implications:

To our knowledge, ours is the first effort to broadly consider this [DNA processing] pipeline, and the first to demonstrate a DNA-based exploit.

Some crime labs across the country have already been compromised for conventional reasons such as employee misconduct or incompetence, but the study authors caution that their DNA computer malware experiment is difficult to replicate, and that DNA sequencing is not under threat by hackers in the present day.

Even if someone wanted to do this maliciously, it might not work  but we found it is possible, co-author Lee Organick noted. Organick discusses the project in more detail in the video embedded below.

Lead author Tadayoshi Kohno explained that while the current threat is small, given the technology advancements that will emerge in the next decade or two, it is useful for his team and the scientific community in general to stay one step ahead of the bad guys, The Atlantic reported.

In their paper, the scientists suggest that DNA research facilities, genomic testing labs, and other such institutions should proactively upgrade their software security measures to protect against malicious code hacks of this kind that could alter or steal sensitive genetic data. (Related: Read more about DNA developments at Science.NaturalNews.com.)

Separately, Natural News made known a new study suggesting that scientists have no idea about the utility of about 75 percent of the human genetic code beyond the 10 to 25 percent that is considered functional based on current knowledge. Last year, Natural News also reported that the unintended consequences of genetic editing technology could pose a national security threat, according to the U.S. government. (Related: Read more about human genome sequencing at Biotech.news.)

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

DNASec.CS.Washington.edu

TheAtlantic.com
Public sentiment toward immigrants continues to sour across Europe, prompting authorities to respond with decisive, sometimes violent, action.

An example occurred last week in Rome, when Italian police forcibly evicted hundreds of refugees from a building near the Piazza Indipendenza.



Police used a water cannon and beat people with batons, resulting in 13 people being treated for injuries at the scene and four hospitalizations, according to Doctors Without Borders in Italy. The force was necessary, police said, to defend themselves against rocks and gas canisters hurled by the refugees.



Following an international outcry, Romes city council said Friday it will allow 40 refugees  mostly children, elderly and people with disabilities  to stay in the building for six months; but, hundreds of others remain homeless, and thousands of recent arrivals throughout Italy continue to struggle to integrate with the society.



Violent eviction



An evictee interviewed by VOAs Amharic Service described the chaotic scene as police forced refugees out of the building.



I was running with everyone, and I was in front of the men so that they wouldnt beat them, and then two police hit me, she said. The woman says she was beaten on her hands, back and torso as she tried to protect another evictee.



And then they hit me on my head, and I didnt know what was going on, she says. When I tried to run, I got dizzy and fell because of the spraying water.



An estimated 800 people, mostly Eritreans and Ethiopians, were living inside the building, and most fled when authorities arrived. Several hundred people stayed outside to protest, and about 100 people, mostly women, children and those with disabilities, remained inside. They were cleared out by authorities at 6 a.m. local time the following day.



Police said those evicted were illegally squatting. Immigrants had been occupying the building since 2013.



Calls for accountability



Italian authorities need to ask hard questions about this shocking eviction and, in particular, whether the force used by police was necessary and proportionate, said Judith Sunderland, associate director for Human Rights Watchs Europe and Central Asia division. Using police in riot gear to force vulnerable people out of their homes with little warning and nowhere to go is just about the opposite of how things should be handled, she said.



Laetitia Bader, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, said Italian courts had first ordered the eviction in December 2016, and the refugees had been warned that it would take place five days prior to the police action.



The temporary housing offered by authorities, however, was considered substandard by the refugees and far from the city center, Bader said, adding that the government has a legal responsibility to provide housing to the displaced.



Our concern is both that the notification was very abrupt [and] that [insufficient]... accommodation has been offered to these individuals, she told VOA. It's absolutely key that the government looks into and investigates the abusive police action.



Negative sentiment



In Italy, public opinion toward refugees has grown increasingly hostile.

According to research published by Pew last September, 53 percent of Italians think diversity makes their country a worse place to live, and 77 disapprove of the EUs handling of refugees. Sixty percent of Italians think refugees will increase domestic terrorism.



Politicians across the country have seized on this sentiment, often running on overtly anti-immigrant platforms. In June, center-right parties were decisive in local races, winning mayoral elections in 15 cities, according to The Guardian newspaper.



Italys burden and responsibility



Italians have seen record numbers of refugees reach their shores in recent years. At the end of 2016, Italy hosted nearly a quarter million persons of concern, including about 150,000 refugees and about 100,000 asylum-seekers, according to the U.N.s refugee agency.



Despite its prominence as a point of entry into Europe, Italy hosts fewer persons of concern than both France, where more than 300,000 refugees live, and Germany, home to nearly 700,000 refugees and well over a half-million asylum seekers.



Italy has 20 million fewer people than does Germany, but hosts three times fewer persons of concern per capita.



Its also processing far fewer asylum-seekers. In 2015 and 2016, 45 percent of asylum applications were handled in Germany, compared to 8 percent in Italy.



Within the country, some regions have been far more active in hosting refugees. Last summer, Italian newspaper La Stampa reported that just a quarter of the countrys 8,000 municipalities currently host migrants on humanitarian grounds.



In Rome, an Ethiopian woman interviewed by VOAs Amharic Service last Friday said many of those evicted from the building are now sleeping on the streets.



She said they plan to continue protesting their treatment by Italian police. They dont have any respect for us. They think black people are flies and donkeys, and they are saying, 'We dont care if you die,'" she said.
The foreign ministers of Russia and the United Arab Emirates urged North Korea on Tuesday to stop its provocations and obey United Nations resolutions, after Pyongyang's launch of a ballistic missile over Japan.

Speaking in Abu Dhabi, the two ministers offered a forceful warning for Pyongyang, with Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan particularly calling for North Korea to stop its "provocations."

But what was left unsaid between the two ministers was their own diplomatic and commercial ties to North Korea, with the UAE in particular home to thousands of its workers whose wages help Pyongyang avoid international sanctions.

Early Tuesday, North Korea fired a ballistic missile from its capital that flew over Japan before crashing into the northern Pacific Ocean.

The missile, which traveled some 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) on its trip over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, appeared to be the first to cross over Japan. It sparked new fears about a confrontation between Pyongyang and America's Asian allies in the region, especially as U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a hard line against the country.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is visiting the UAE as part of a three Gulf Arab nation tour over the ongoing diplomatic crisis involving Qatar, avoided discussing that dispute. He instead focused in part on North Korea.

"Regarding North Korea and the missile tests it is conducting, we stick to the resolutions of the U.N. Security Council and we insist on the fact that our North Korean neighbors should fully respect those resolutions," Lavrov said. "We base our position on these statements during discussions in the Security Council and will do the same in the session, which as far as we understand is being planned now and which will be dedicated to discussing the last missile launches from North Korea."

Sheikh Abdullah went further.

"The situation cannot continue to escalate between North Korea on one side and Japan and South Korea on the other," he said. "North Korea cannot continue to disregard the U.N. Security Council resolutions and the U.N.'s call to stop its provocations."

The remarks by the two, however, did not mention their countries' commercial ties to Pyongyang.

A 2015 U.N. report suggested that the more than 50,000 North Koreans working overseas earned Pyongyang between $1.2 billion and $2.3 billion a year. Other estimates put earnings in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The major markets for North Korean workers are China and Russia, but the Gulf also hosts thousands. In the UAE, Pyongyang also has at three restaurants it uses to earn hard currency while some 1,500 North Koreans work in the country, according to two officials who told The Associated Press that more may be coming.
The Russian military sought Tuesday to allay Western fears about major war games set for next month, describing them as regular drills that will not threaten anyone.

The Zapad (West) 2017 maneuvers organized jointly by Belarus and Russia have raised NATO concerns. Some alliance members, including the Baltic states and Poland, have criticized Moscow for a lack of transparency and questioned Moscow's intentions.



Russia-West relations have been badly strained over Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and continuing fighting in eastern Ukraine. Amid spiraling tensions, Western worries about the planned maneuvers have ranged from allegations that Russia could use the maneuvers to permanently deploy its forces to Belarus to fears of a surprise attack on the Baltics.

Russia's Deputy Defense Minister, Lt. Gen. Alexander Fomin, rejected what he described as Western myths about the so-called Russian threat.



The most improbable scenarios have been floated, he said at a briefing for foreign military attaches. Some have reached as far as to claim that the Zapad 2017 exercises will serve as a platform for invasion and occupation of Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine.



Fomin said the Russian military will invite foreign observers to the September 14-20 drills in Belarus and Western Russia, which will involve 5,500 Russian and 7,200 Belarusian troops, about 70 aircraft, up to 250 tanks and 200 artillery systems and 10 navy ships.



Moscow's assurances have failed to assuage Russia's neighbors, which expect the drills to be far greater in scope than officially declared.



Estonian Defense Minister Juri Luik said last month that Moscow could deploy up to 100,000 troops for the maneuvers. Poland's Deputy Defense Minister Michal Dworczyk also questioned the Russian official claims, saying that Warsaw expects many more Russian soldiers and equipment to be deployed.



Speaking Monday on Polish state Radio 1, Dworczyk expressed hope that the exercise will not include any aggressive scenarios and won't cause any incidents, adding that operations on this scale always run this risk.



He said that a recent visit by Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg was dedicated in part to the upcoming exercises.



Stoltenberg said last week that the alliance will send two observers to the maneuvers, but noted that the access on visitors' days offered by Belarus does not constitute real monitoring and that NATO is seeking a more thorough way of observing the drills.



All nations have the right to exercise their forces, but nations should also respect their commitments to transparency, he said. Predictability, transparency is especially important when we have increased military activity along our borders.



The West has watched Russian military moves with utmost concern following Moscow's annexation of Crimea and support for pro-Russian insurgents in eastern Ukraine. Russia had leased a naval base in Crimea prior to its seizure, and used troops deployed there to quickly overtake the Black Sea peninsula.



Fomin said the exercise will simulate a military response to extremist groups supported from abroad and aren't directed against anyone in particular.



Despite the fact that the bulk of it will be held on the territory of Belarus, we had in mind an imaginary adversary unrelated to any specific region, he said. According to our estimates, the situation envisaged in the maneuvers' scenario could develop in any part of the world.
Last June, al-Shabab militants attacked an Ethiopian base in the Somali town of Halgan, one of several raids on African Union military camps. The Ethiopian troops repelled the attack, causing massive casualties.

One of the al-Shabab fighters, Mohamed Daud Mohamed, known as Mohamed Dhere, said his unit lost 45 men.

"It was a difficult fight; we left behind the wounded as we didn't have a chance to evacuate them. ... Everyone ran for their lives," he told VOA's Somali service.

For Dhere, 20, it was a lesson. He decided to desert al-Shabab, but said his commanders were suspicious. After eight months, he found his opportunity in February when his commander sent him to attend a seminar.

Instead, he contacted relatives, who handed him over to the government. He is living at a rehabilitation center for militants in Mogadishu, one of 70 former al-Shabab members recently granted amnesty by the Somali government.

Abdirashid Ibrahim Mohamed directs the program to reintegrate former al-Shabab foot soldiers and low-risk individuals into society. He said defectors receive food, exercise, health checkups, education and vocational training.

They also get religious lessons, aimed at guiding them away from al-Shabab's radical views of Islam.

"There are clerics who give awareness lectures, hold debates about the position of Islam, about extremism," Mohamed said. "Normally when these youngsters defect from al-Shabab, they already know that what they were involved in is wrong, and they came to us to save themselves."

The amnesty and rehabilitation program was launched in 2009. The Somali government says thousands of militants have passed through, although Mohamed says only 800 have come through the Mogadishu center. There are also reintegration programs in Baidoa, Beledweyne, Huddur and Kismayo, each treating 30 to 70 men.

Mohamed says those who completed the retraining in the past have moved on to run businesses, pursue education or just return to society. Security sources say others have joined the army or decided to work with the government.

Defector turns rogue

But not all graduates of the program undergo genuine change.

Omar Mohamed Abu Ayan, a former al-Shabab member, said the rehabilitation program is not changing the ideology of hard-core militants who claim to have defected but actually have "other agendas" in mind.

"For some they use it to continue their acts, such as suicide attacks, and for some others they just want to clean their names," he said. "  Even those with other agendas, if they could get a real doctor who could treat them ideologically from misinterpretation and deviation in their thinking, they would have changed."

By "a real doctor" he meant someone who understands the extremism of the defectors and can lead them toward a more moderate position.

One who had another agenda was Abdirahman Mohamed Abdulle, who was welcomed by authorities in Kismayo in 2013. He earned their trust and was assigned to the security detail of Isse Kamboni, Jubbaland region's chief intelligence officer.

Abdulle assassinated Kamboni and then escaped back to al-Shabab. He was in communication with the militants all along. Three years later, Abdulle became a suicide bomber in the January attack on Mogadishu's Dayah hotel that killed 28 people.

It's not clear whether Abdulle went through a rehabilitation program or authorities simply trusted him too quickly.

Ayan said militants are not going to change their ideology by being in a center, learning vocational techniques, and talking to military or intelligence officials. He said the government needs people "who have direct knowledge of the environment these young men departed from, who discuss and debate them about ideology."

"You need people like Robow," he said.

High-profile defector

Mukhtar Robow is a founder of al-Shabab and the group's former deputy emir. He defected to the government last month, five years after he became inactive with al-Shabab, because of ideological differences with the group's then-supreme leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane.

Robow is too prominent and powerful to go through the regular rehabilitation program, but Ayan said that if Robow is willing to cooperate, he could help change the minds of other hard-core militants.

"I believe if Robow accepts to work with the government, they should use him on the ideological approach," he said.

Rashid Abdi, an International Crisis Group analyst, said Robow's defection could "incentivize" more defections, if the government publishes a clear policy on how it will treat defectors. "Many people will abandon al-Shabab if they know they are secure," he said.

But Abdi said if the government is too kind to the militant leader, it will send the wrong signal.

Critics say the government's stance toward defectors is inconsistent, because low-profile al-Shabab members are usually tried and sometimes executed when they turn themselves in.

Hussein Moallim Mohamud, a former counterterrorism officer and national security adviser, said the amnesty program has led to the defection of up to 30 high-profile al-Shabab members.

"When a top official with information defects, that causes a big problem for al-Shabab," he said. "I believe the program is equally as important as military operations against al-Shabab."
There was no indication that an American shot dead over the weekend was a journalist, South Sudan's army said Tuesday, accusing him of entering the country with rebel forces.



"Anybody who comes attacking us with hostile forces will meet his fate," army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said, warning that any journalists entering the civil war-torn east African nation illegally will not be protected.



The 28-year-old Christopher Allen, a freelance journalist, was killed Saturday amid fighting between government and rebel forces near the Ugandan border. His body was handed over to the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday.



Government troops "targeted" Allen when they saw him taking photos during the fighting, opposition spokesman William Gatjiath Deng said. The opposition says Allen was wearing a large vest with the word "Press."



Allen was shot in the head with a "large bullet," the army's chief medical officer, Dr. Peter Ajak Bullen, said, but he couldn't confirm that the American was killed at close range.



It is not clear who shot Allen. "Bullets don't know color or race," the army spokesman told journalists.



The opposition's deputy spokesman, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, has said Allen and two other journalists were embedded with the rebels on a two-week mission after coming from Uganda's capital, Kampala.



Allen is the 10th journalist and the first international journalist to be killed in South Sudan since 2012, according to the United Nations. South Sudan is one of the harshest places in the world for journalists, according to press freedom groups. In the past few months, 15 South Sudanese journalists have been detained, beaten or denied access to information, according to the Union of Journalists in South Sudan, and more than 20 foreign journalists have been denied entry or kicked out.



South Sudan's civil war is well into its fourth year, with tens of thousands of people killed. The fighting, often along ethnic lines, defies peace deals and unilateral cease-fires.
U.S. Air Force pilot Jeremy Renken knew that whatever happened next might escalate the war in Syria.

The lieutenant colonel, 40, was flying his F-15E StrikeEagle fighter jet in a "racetrack" pattern around an Iranian-made drone, which had just tried to kill U.S.-backed forces and their advisers on the ground.

After the drone's first shot failed to detonate on impact, it was positioning to strike again.

So, on June 8, in what was an unprecedented move in the U.S. air war over Syria to that point, Renken shot it down, even as two Russian fighter jets watched from a distance.

"When we saw the drone turn back toward friendly forces, we weren't waiting around for anybody's permission. We destroyed it," Renken said in his first interview about the incident.

Renken's downing of the Iranian drone, a Shaheed 129, was the first in a series of several defensive U.S. air-to-air shoot-downs over several weeks in June that at first appeared to signal a tipping point to a far more dangerous air war in Syria.

But since the decisions by Renken and other U.S. pilots to fire at two drones and a manned Syrian fighter jet in June, there haven't been similarly provocative actions by pro-Syrian forces. U.S. officials say they seem to have delivered the message.

Renken's case, in many ways, highlights not just the risks of Syrian conflict, in which Russia, Syria, the United States and its allies are flying military jets within targeting range of each other.

It also illustrates the tremendous responsibility entrusted to U.S. pilots to make life-or-death decisions in an instant, with broad, strategic implications for the war.

Renken spoke with Reuters from a U.S. military installation in the Middle East, which does not disclose its location at the request of the country hosting it.

Lethal intent

Renken, a squadron commander, developed his Air Force career in the shadow of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States by al-Qaida. He was training as a pilot when suicide hijackers flew into the World Trade Center, and he has since deployed repeatedly to the Middle East.

But Renken acknowledged that the Syrian air war is, in his view, unique.

U.S. pilots, who have enjoyed air supremacy against the insurgents they've been battling in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, cannot be sanguine about the risks posed by advanced Russian or Syrian jets or ground-based air defense in Syria.

Armed aircraft from Syria, Russia, the United States and its coalition allies are all flying within "no escape" range of each other's weapons.

"We can all engage each other. So it takes a lot of discipline and studying the nuance of a circumstance to [determine]: 'Was that an escalation?' " Renken said.

As U.S.-backed and Russia-backed ground forces scramble to capture what is left of Islamic State's caliphate, the risk of accidental contacts between the sides is growing, raising the stakes both on the ground and in the air.

But while the U.S. military has had years to iron out how and when to engage IS fighters on the ground, American pilots are still gaining experience deciphering hostile intent by other aircraft in the skies above Syria.

Closer than thought

The U.S. Air Force proudly boasts that no U.S. soldier has been killed by enemy aircraft since 1953. But the drone attack threatened to change that, if accounts by two U.S. officials of a limited American presence in the convoy that day are correct.

The U.S. military initially said the drone dropped a bomb that missed the convoy, which included U.S.-backed fighters and their advisers. Renken offered a slightly different account.

He said the drone was actually carrying missiles. When it fired, it hit the door of one of the vehicles with a munition that failed to detonate, he said.

"It was a dud round. So, very lucky," Renken said. "It was definitely intended to be a lethal shot."

The criteria needed to fire the drone had been clearly met, he said.

Still, one factor complicating his decision to return fire was the presence of the Russian "Flanker" fighter jets, who might think that Renken was shooting at them.

"Is [the Russian pilot] going to see a missile come off of my aircraft and consider that a potential aggression against him?" he explained.

Another problem was that the drone was small enough that the missile Renken would fire could potentially go long and inadvertently head toward the Russian jet.

"[There] was a lot of potential for escalation," he said.

For Renken, the big takeaway for pilots is that the war in Syria has evolved far beyond simply striking IS targets on the ground.

U.S. pilots have to be prepared for anything.

"What this recent event has proven is that you can't take for granted that you know what the fight is going to look like," Renken said. "You need to walk in ready for it to metastasize into any hybrid variation."
Many Texans grabbed not only their valuables but also their dogs, cats, birds and other pets as they fled the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Harvey.

"It seems like everyone coming off a boat is carrying a dog or cat," said Monica Schmidt, a manager for the Houston Humane Society.

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, rescue officials have stressed the importance of evacuees bringing their pets because in New Orleans some people refused to leave for fear of abandoning their animals. Authorities had to include pets in federal guidelines for disaster planning, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

But on Sunday night that caused confusion and anger outside Houston's convention center, which has become a large shelter.

Dozens of people with dogs arrived only to be told they could not bring them inside or that animal services were not available to care for their pets. That included Rosana Nagera, 27, who took shifts with her husband in the rain with their shivering dog.

On Monday morning pets were welcomed in a designated area at the facility, where dogs nestled next to owners on cots. Red Cross officials said evacuees with pets are welcome at its shelters, and animals are typically housed in cages on site or accommodated by partner organizations.

Houston's BARC Animal Shelter on Monday set up a trailer to help house displaced pets at one site that wasn't allowing pets inside, it said on its Facebook page.

As authorities grappled with a growing number of residents arriving at shelters with pets, the storm continued to threaten thousands of other animals.

Animal rescue groups, many unable to reach affected areas because of flooding and blocked roads, said it would take days before the full toll emerged.

During Katrina, an estimated 250,000 dogs and cats were displaced or died, according to the ASPCA.

"We'll find that there are many losses after the waters recede," Jennifer Williams, president of the Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society in Texas, said Monday of the Houston flooding.

"I'm seeing stories on Facebook of stranded horses, and horses being pulled out of flooded stalls," she added.

Hundreds of animals in shelters from Corpus Christi to La Porte, Texas, were evacuated ahead of the storm, some sent as far away as Atlanta.

The Humane Society in Houston's 300-animal shelter will transfer existing animals to other locations after waters recede so it can take in an expected surge in stray animals, officials said.

The national Humane Society on Monday dispatched a rescue team to hard-hit Texas City.

"They're getting so many calls for animal rescue and response," said Katie Jarl, Texas state director for the Humane Society of the United States. "It's people who stayed behind with their animals, people who left them and now want someone to check on them, and reports of animals chained in backyards."

On social media and television, the plight of animals was shared widely, including a story about a man carrying two puppies in a cooler over high water and an abandoned dog found tied to a pole surrounded by water that was later rescued.

At the Houston Zoo, located near a medical center that was evacuated, some animal enclosure moats were filled with water but animals were all inside and safe, officials said. A crew of 30 people remained at the zoo to ensure the safety of its 6,000 animals.
President Donald Trump is unlikely to win congressional support for funds he wants for a proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall before an Oct. 1 deadline, meaning he may have to choose between backing down on a key campaign promise or shutting down the government.

The second option was a politically dangerous one before Hurricane Harvey tore through southern Texas over the weekend and it now looks even riskier.

At a campaign-style rally in Phoenix last week, Trump doubled down on his earlier demands that Congress fund a Mexican border wall in government spending legislation, adding a clear threat. "If we have to close down our government, we're building that wall," he told supporters.

Since then, lawmakers who were already struggling to hammer out a stop-gap federal spending bill before Oct. 1 to avoid a shutdown have had to factor in Trump's threat as well.

During his election campaign, Trump insisted Mexico would pay for the construction of the wall, which experts said could cost about $22 billion and take more than three years to complete.

With Mexico refusing to pay, Trump has said since taking office in January that the wall will initially need U.S. funding but that he will find a way to make Mexico ultimately pay for it.

A government shutdown would result if Congress is unable to agree on a spending deal or if Trump does not like the package and vetoes it. A veto would put Trump in a dangerous position of rejecting a bill approved by his own party.

"Shutting down the government would be a self-destructive act, not to mention an act of political malpractice," Republican Representative Charlie Dent said in an interview.

Republicans firmly control the House of Representatives, but have only a narrow majority in the Senate, where at least eight Democratic votes will be needed to pass a spending bill.

Democratic leaders firmly oppose the border wall and appear to be in no mood to do Trump a favor by including funding now.

"Democrats aren't feeling the heat over this," Democratic strategist Jim Manley said, adding that "no Democrat is going to be cowed"by Trump's threat to shut down the government.

Without Democratic support, current and former congressional aides from both parties said they expected Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who has been sharply criticized by Trump in recent weeks, to opt for a spending bill without wall funding to get legislation to the president's desk.

Dent said he expected the Senate would "strip out" $1.6 billion that had been set aside to start building the wall in a spending measure already passed by the House, and send it back to that chamber for another vote.

Dent voted for the wall funding the first time but said he would approve the spending measure without the wall money if that is what it takes to keep the government open.

Asked what Congress would do if Trump vetoes a spending bill, Dent said: "We'll have to determine what our next steps will be, but I'm hopeful he'll sign the bill."

Short-term Fix

A stop-gap spending bill would keep the government open for several months with no major changes to spending programs while lawmakers work out a longer-term deal. The U.S. Congress has relied heavily on those short-term fixes - known as continuing resolutions - for many years.

Federal assistance for those affected by devastating floods triggered by Harvey could be attached to a new continuing resolution.

But Trump said on Monday the hurricane recovery effort had not caused him to reconsider the option of a government shutdown.

"I think it has nothing to do with it, really. I think this is separate," he said at a news conference.

He said he hoped a government shutdown would not be needed but declined to rule it out. "If it's necessary, we'll have to see."

If Trump signs a short-term extension without wall funding, it could delay the battle until December, when that legislation would likely expire.

Trump also said on Monday that the border wall was "imperative" in order to tackle drug trafficking and crime as well as illegal immigration.

The budget debate is also complicated by the need to finance support for victims of Harvey, the worst storm to hit Texas in more than 50 years, and find a deal on increasing the federal debt ceiling, which limits how much money the U.S. government can borrow.

One possible escape route for Trump could be separate legislation for funding the wall. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, has introduced legislation that would authorize $15 billion over four years for border security. That would still need the support of at least eight Senate Democrats.
Heavy rain continued to pour Tuesday on southeastern Texas where Tropical Storm Harvey has already caused catastrophic flooding in one of the largest cities in the United States.



The National Weather Service expected the storm to drop 25 to 50 centimeters of rain before it finally moved out of the region Thursday. That is in addition to upwards of 90 centimeters of rain that has already fallen in some areas, including around the city of Houston.



Harvey's center was sitting just off the Texas coast in the Gulf of Mexico, drawing energy from the warm waters there and pushing band after band of heavy rain onshore. The storm is expected to make landfall in Texas again on Wednesday.

WATCH: Victims of flooding rescued



The water has flooded homes and roads and left rescuers working continuously to get people to safety.



Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said as of Monday evening more than 3,000 people had been rescued and 8,000 people were in shelters. He said there were three confirmed deaths related to the storm.



Texas Governor Greg Abbott told reporters he deployed the entire 15,000-member Texas National Guard to help deal with the disaster.



Abbott praised local leaders along the Texas Gulf coast, calling them "humane, courageous, and heroic." He said the way people got through the storm and that so many lives were saved is "remarkable."

Trump to visit Corpus Christi, Austin

President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, are traveling Tuesday to the cities of Corpus Christi and Austin to receive briefings from local and state leaders and to tour an emergency operations center.



Trump said Monday the people in flood-hit areas of Texas and neighboring Louisiana can expect "very rapid action" from Congress to get the disaster relief funding they will need to clean up and rebuild.



"You're going to have what you need and it's going to go fast," the president said.





Trump has already declared 18 counties in Texas and Louisiana as disaster areas, making them eligible for federal help. Texas Governor Abbott has made a similar designation for 54 counties to speed state aid.



Overall damage from the storm is expected to be in the tens of billions of dollars.



Trump said 8,000 federal workers are on the ground in Texas, including many with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

FEMA plans a long stay



FEMA chief Brock Long told a Monday news conference the agency is going to be in Texas "for several years."



"We're anticipating over 30,000 people being placed in shelters temporarily  to basically stabilize the situation and provide for their care. Next  we are ready  and already deploying life-essential commodities."



Long said FEMA is bracing for one of the longest periods of housing recovery ever seen.



"While the hurricane-force winds have diminished  I want to stress that we are not out of the woods yet," said acting U.S. Homeland Security chief Elaine Duke. "Not by a long shot. Harvey is still a dangerous and historic storm."



Duke said rivers in south Texas "won't crest until later this week."



Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said, "The storm is more or less stationary, but to the extent that it's moving, it's actually moving towards the east in our direction and that makes this obviously a dangerous situation for our state."

'Catastrophic for days to come'

U.S. Weather Prediction Center lead forecaster Patrick Burke told VOA: "We've never seen a storm like this. We've never seen these rainfall amounts over such a large area, and so the damage is already catastrophic and unfortunately is going to continue to be catastrophic for days to come."



Harvey was the strongest hurricane to hit the United States mainland in more than a decade.
Tropical Storm Harvey is a monster who is showing no mercy to his victims.

Forecasters say the storm is slowly moving off the southeastern Texas coast back into the Gulf of Mexico, where it will suck up tons of additional moisture before making a second strike on the already flooded city of Houston.

Rescuers are working non-stop to look for people stuck inside their flooded homes or who have sought safety on their rooftops.

Highways and interstates normally filled with cars have become impassable rivers.

Dirty brown water covers downtown Houston sidewalks which would normally be filled with officer workers, shoppers, and tourists.

Television pictures show a gloomy, apocalyptic-like scene  boatloads of flood victims being pushed along what is normally a busy highway with stranded cars and trucks emerging from the water. Others follow behind, wading through the waist-deep floodwaters as the rain continues to fall.

Of the rescues, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tells CNN "we're not going to stop until we reach every single person."

Turner said as of early Monday evening, 3,052 people have been rescued and 8,000 are in shelters. The mayor said there are three confirmed flood-related deaths in Houston. He said he hopes and prays that number will not rise.

Volunteers have joined police, fire and medical crews, as well as the National Guard.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott told reporters he has deployed the entire Texas National Guard  a total of 15,000 men and women.

Abbott heaped praise on local leaders along the Texas Gulf Coast, calling them "humane, courageous, and heroic." He said the way people got through the storm and that so many lives were saved is "remarkable."

Trump pledges help

President Donald Trump is pledging that "every asset at my command" will be available to Texas and Louisiana as they deal with catastrophic floods.

Trump told a White House news conference Monday that people in flood-stricken areas can expect "very rapid action" from Congress to get the funding they need to clean up and rebuild.

"You're going to have what you need and it's going to go fast," the president reassured flood victims. He said he has spoken to many lawmakers who "feel for" Texans.

Trump will visit southeast Texas on Tuesday and says he may go back to Texas and Louisiana on Saturday to see that officials have all they need. He has already declared 18 Texas counties and parts of neighboring Louisiana a disaster area, making them eligible for federal help. The Texas governor has declared 54 counties as disaster areas, making them eligible for state aid.

Damage from the storm is expected to be in the tens of billions of dollars.

WATCH: FEMA Focusing on 'Life Sustaining' Mission

Trump said 8,000 federal workers are on the ground in Texas, including many with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

FEMA chief Brock Long told a Monday news conference that the agency is going to be in Texas "for several years."

"We're anticipating over 30,000 people being placed in shelters temporarily  to basically stabilize the situation and provide for their care. Next  we are ready  and already deploying life-essential commodities."

Long said FEMA is bracing for one of the longest periods of housing recovery ever seen.

More rain ahead

Houston and parts of southwestern Louisiana can expect as much as 50 more centimeters of rain through Thursday, along with high winds and possible tornadoes. The region has already seen more than 60 centimeters of rain in some places.

"While the hurricane-force winds have diminished  I want to stress that we are not out of the woods yet," said acting U.S. Homeland Security chief Elaine Duke. "Not by a long shot. Harvey is still a dangerous and historic storm."

Duke said rivers in south Texas "won't crest until later this week."

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said, "The storm is more or less stationary, but to the extent that it's moving, it's actually moving towards the east in our direction and that makes this, obviously, a dangerous situation for our state."

U.S. Weather Prediction Center lead forecaster Patrick Burke told VOA, "We've never seen a storm like this. We've never seen these rainfall amounts over such a large area, and so the damage is already catastrophic and unfortunately is going to continue to be catastrophic for days to come."

With the storm bringing band after band of heavy rain over the region, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced early Monday it was beginning the controlled release of water from two reservoirs in order to help prevent them from failing and to reduce the risk of further flooding. The releases will continue for weeks.

Harvey was the strongest hurricane to hit the United States mainland in more than a decade.

But Trump said tragic times bring out the best of American strength and resolve.

"We will come out of this bigger, better, stronger than ever before," he said.
(Natural News) Wed like to think that violence is never the answer, but what happens when you are cornered, staring death in the face, and have no choice but to act in self defense and fight back? Wed all like to claim we are against violence, but when push comes to shove, when there are real threats coming through our door, we will do whatever it takes to preserve our life and the lives of our family. (Related: Guns stop crime: California homeowner shoots and kills two robbers.)

Bacteria are no different. Some bacteria know how to defend themselves. Researchers at the University of Vienna have discovered a species of bacteria called Amoebopohilus which use self defense weapons to survive in hostile conditions inside amoebae. Scientists from ETH Zurich document the incredible act of survival.

Amoeba are predators; they use special pseudopodia to hunt bacteria. Once they grab hold, the amoebas absorb and digest the bacteria. When amoebas attempt to digest the Amoebopohilus bacteria, the bacteria fight back using special gun-like devices. These gun-like devices shoot micro daggers and damage the amoeba from within. The bacteria use self defense micro-daggers to pierce the inside of the amoeba to protect against absolute digestion.

Amoebopohilus self defense tactics allow their kind to thrive in the most hostile conditions. Now these bacteria prefer to live inside amoebae. The bacteriums self defense mechanism includes a spring-loaded sheath attached to an inner membrane. Locked and loaded, this sheath is ready to contract and shoot micro-daggers when the bacterias life is threatened.

Joao Medeiros, a doctoral student in Professor Martin Pilhofers group at ETH, explains the self defense mechanism: The sheath is spring-loaded and the micro-dagger lies inside it. When the sheath contracts, the dagger is shot outwards extremely quickly through the bacterial membrane.

The bacteria shoot the micro-daggers into the amoebas important digestive compartment, bursting it open. This allows it to escape and take up residence elsewhere inside the amoeba. The bacteria can then multiply inside, thriving in hostile conditions. The researchers believe that the micro-daggers are impregnated with a kind of arrow poison which destroys the amoeba membrane using enzymes. The bacterias genome contains the blueprints for those self defense enzymes.

The scientists determined the three dimensional structure of the daggers and their shooting mechanisms by freezing the amoebae and the absorbed bacteria to minus 180 degree Celsius. From there, they used an ion beam to chisel away the specimens. Finally, they isolated the molecular daggers and their shooting devices, producing a three dimensional electron tomogram. The final resolution shows fine details, including the base plate and anchor that holds the spring-loaded sheath. The scientists discovered that the micro-daggers were clustered in groups of up to 30 rounds. You could call them multi-barrel guns, Pilhofer said.

When their genome was compared to other species of bacteria, the scientists confirmed that at least nine other bacterial groups possess similar self defense mechanisms.

Even though we hope and pray for a world of non-violence, violence is all around us. Sometimes evil confronts us and we have no choice but to defend everything that is sacred to us. In the same way these bacteria are ready to protect themselves from vicious amoeba, we too must be vigilant and ready to defend our lives if need be. Self defense is a human right and this right is reflected throughout nature. Stay up-to-date with the latest ideas in self-defense at Preparedness.News.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

NewsTarget.com
U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump flew to Texas on Tuesday for a first-hand look at the flood-ravaged state, even as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to dump heavy rain on the region.

Trump told rescue officials in Corpus Christi, near where Harvey, then a powerful hurricane, first made landfall last Friday, that he was "very, very proud" of their efforts to save lives and help people escape the massive flooding in the state.

Trump said he hopes that in five or 10 years natural disaster managers would look at the government's rescue efforts this week as "the way to do it. We want to do it better than ever before."

Before flying to the state capital of Austin, Trump waved a Texas state flag and told cheering supporters that the storm is "historic, it's epic but it happened in Teas and Texas can handle anything."

But Brock Long, chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, warned of difficult times ahead, even when the rains finally end. A U.S. tropical storm record of more 125 centimeters (49 inches) of rain has already fallen on southern Texas.

"This recovery is going to be frustrating," Long said, while assuring the state's residents, "We're going to be here with you."

Later, Trump, wearing a white baseball cap emblazoned with "USA" lettering and a presidential windbreaker jacket, and his wife will head to the state capital, Austin, to receive more briefings from local and state leaders, and to tour an emergency operations center.

WATCH: Texans Talk about Evacuations, Snakes and 'Too Much Water'

There were no plans for the Trumps to visit Houston, where massive floodwaters have routed thousands of people from their homes, to avoid hindering the rescue efforts in America's fourth-largest city. But the White House said Trump plans to return to Texas on Saturday to view more storm damage, by which time forecasters are predicting the storm finally will have weakened, its remnants dissipating to the north.

More than 3,500 people have been rescued in Houston as churning and rising waters have inundated their homes, with government rescue workers and volunteers with boats, rafts and inflatable dinghies going door to door looking for people who want to escape. Rescue helicopter workers plucked people stranded on rooftops and also rescued 300 animals imperiled by the flooding.

"This is a storm of historic proportions," said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

The perils of the storm mounted Tuesday, with officials in Brazoria County, south of Houston, reporting that storm waters had breached a levee at Columbia Lakes. In a Twitter message, they told nearby residents, "Get out now!"

Ahead of his Texas visit, Trump on Monday pledged that the national government would provide whatever rescue assistance and financial help Texas and the neighboring state of Louisiana need to recover from the tens of billions of dollars in damage caused by the storm.

"We are one American family," Trump said as he faced the first large-scale natural disaster of his seven-month presidency. "You're going to have what you need and it's going to go fast."



He pledged that the federal government would be there to help on the "long and difficult road to recovery."



The Red Cross said more than 17,000 people stayed at shelters Monday night, and officials say 30,000 eventually may be moved to an array of government buildings, churches and other facilities to stay safe.

One Coast Guard commander, Vice Admiral Karl Schultz, told CNN he had 18 helicopters in Houston, with a dozen in the air at any one time, alongside those of the National Guard.

"If you can get to your roof, wave a towel," he urged Houston residents. "Leave a marking on the roof so helicopter crews can see you."

The official death toll from the storm stood at three, but six other deaths may be storm-related.

Houston police chief Art Acevedo said he was worried the toll would climb once the rains stop, waters recede and recovery efforts begin. Other news media place the death toll higher.

"I'm really worried about how many bodies we're going to find," he said.

Rain continued to batter south Texas and Louisiana to the east, with another 60 centimeters expected on top of the 90 centimeters that have already drenched parts of the region.

Weather experts say the amount of rain would normally only be seen once in a thousand years. The storm's center edged off the coast of Texas into the Gulf of Mexico, drawing energy from the warm waters there and pushing band after band of heavy rain onshore.

The storm is expected to again cross back onto the mainland on Wednesday before heading north and losing strength.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott told reporters he deployed the entire 15,000-member Texas National Guard to help deal with the disaster.

Abbott praised local leaders along the Texas Gulf Coast, calling them "humane, courageous, and heroic." He said the way people got through the storm and that so many lives were saved is "remarkable."

Trump already has declared 18 counties in Texas and Louisiana as disaster areas, making them eligible for federal help. Abbott has made a similar designation for 54 counties to speed state aid.

Trump said 8,000 federal workers are on the ground in Texas, including many with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA.
U.S. President Donald Trump says "talking is not the answer" when it comes to dealing with the threat of North Korea, following the country's most recent ballistic missile test.

Trump wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning, "The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!"

North Korea has acknowledged firing a ballistic missile over Japan, saying it was to counter current joint exercises by South Korea and the United States.

In a Wednesday morning dispatch from Pyongyang, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted leader Kim Jong Un saying the drill for the launch of the Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile was "like a real war" and the first step by North Koreas military for operations in the Pacific and "a meaningful prelude to containing Guam."

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese leader Shinzo Abe agreed in a phone call Wednesday that maximum pressure needs to be applied in order to get North Korea to engage in dialogue to resolve the ongoing crisis.

President Moon said that launching an intermediate range ballistic missile to fly over Japan's airspace was not a simple provocation, but violent conduct to a neighboring country, South Korean presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun said.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters Wednesday that China is working with the other members of the U.N. Security Council and hopes those efforts can help peacefully resolve the nuclear crisis.

President Donald Trump said in a Tuesday statement that all options are on the table following the latest North Korean missile launch.

North Korea has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior, Trump said in a statement released by the White House.



Early Wednesday, The U.S. Navy shot down a medium-range ballistic missile off the coast of Hawaii as part of a test of defense systems Wednesday, officials said.

A navy statement said sailors aboard a U.S. vessel "successfully conducted a complex defense flight test.

UN Security Council



Speaking during an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council Tuesday evening, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said Pyongyang had violated every single Security Council resolution, and that the world was united against its actions.

"It is time for the North Korean regime to recognize the danger they are putting themselves in," Haley said. "The United States will not allow their lawlessness to continue, and the rest of the world is with us."

Both the Chinese and Russian envoys emphasized that there was no military solution to the issue.

The Security Council held two hours of closed consultations on the situation and then issued a statement that "strongly condemns" the recent launch.

"The Security Council further condemns the DPRK for its outrageous actions and demands that the DPRK immediately cease all such actions," said Egyptian Ambassador Amr Aboulatta, who is council president this month. He referred to North Korea by its official acronym.

The council also demanded that Pyongyang not conduct any further ballistic missile launches and comply fully with its obligations under numerous council resolutions, including the most recent, adopted on August 5. That demand looked set to be ignored as media reported that the North Korean leader said the country should conduct more missile tests into the Pacific Ocean.

U.S. intelligence officials said they saw few signs that Pyongyang was likely to be deterred.

"North Korea has been conducting an unprecedented level of testing since early 2016 and we have not seen anything in their defiant posture to suggest that has changed," one official told VOA on condition of anonymity.

U.S. defense officials said the North Korean missile, launched Tuesday from an air base near Pyongyang, landed in the Pacific Ocean, about 930 kilometers east of Japan.

WATCH: Ambassador Nikki Haley on North Korea

The missile did not pose any threat to North America or to the Pacific Island of Guam, which North Korea has threatened in the past, U.S. officials confirmed. Still, the launch heightened concerns about the increasingly rapid pace of the North Korean missile program.

We have to make the assumption that they continue to learn throughout each one of these missile launches, the Pentagon spokesman, Colonel Robert Manning, told reporters. He was speaking before Tuesday's missile launch.

U.S. allies in the region are increasingly concerned about the crisis over North Korea.

Trump spoke by telephone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shortly after the launch occurred Monday night in Washington. The White House said the leaders agreed North Korea poses a "grave and growing direct threat" to both countries.

There was no advance notice when North Korea launched the missile from near Pyongyangs international airport. The rocket passed high above Japan less than 10 minutes after blastoff, then continued far out into the Pacific Ocean and broke into three pieces before it came down well east of Japan's main northern island of Hokkaido.

In all, the missile flew an estimated 2,700 kilometers and was airborne for about 14 minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 550 kilometers, according to Japans Ministry of Defense.

An August 25 launch of three short-range ballistic missiles ended a monthlong pause, during which Pyongyang conducted no missile tests. U.S. officials interpreted that hiatus as restraint, prompting Trump to say last week that North Korea's Kim was starting to respect us.

VOA national security correspondent Jeff Seldin and U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who met with his Finnish counterpart at the White House on Monday, said the United States was "very protective" of the Baltic region, especially in terms of the northern European states' relations with Russia.

"We are very protective of that region," Trump said at a joint news conference with visiting Finnish President Sauli Niinisto after the two held talks in the Oval Office.

"That's all I can say," Trump added. "We are very, very protective. We have great friends there, great relationships there."

He added that he thought Russia respected Finland and that he hoped the United States would also develop a good relationship with Russia.

"I say it loud and clear, I've been saying it for years," Trump told reporters. "I think it's a good thing if we have great relationships, or at least good relationships, with Russia. That's very important."

Niinisto said "the U.S. and NATO presence in Europe  and in the Baltic Sea  are most important, and they are increasing rapidly." He also said small but positive steps had been made toward reopening dialogue between NATO and Russia.

The two leaders also discussed terrorism, and Trump said the United States stood in solidarity with Finland against terrorist threats. "We must all work together to deny terrorists safe havens, cut off their finances and defeat their very wicked ideology," the American president said.

Earlier this month, a man stabbed eight people in western Finland, killing two of them in the city of Turku. Finnish police said at the time that it was too early to link the attack to international terrorism.

Niinisto said his talks in the Oval Office with Trump also included a discussion of the Arctic region, where climate changes and rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide have greatly reduced ice levels and are endangering the environment.

"If we lose the Arctic, we lose the globe," Niniisto said.
Ukrainian security said on Tuesday it had barred two Spanish journalists from the country over their coverage of a conflict with eastern separatists - a move media groups decried as an attack on free speech.

The State Security Service (SBU) said the reporters had produced stories alleging Ukrainian troops had shelled civilian areas, an account it said was false.

Antonio Pampliega and Angel Sastre wrote on Twitter they had been barred from entering Ukraine at Kyiv's main airport last week.

"After 20 hours detained in [Kyiv] a military man arrived and put us on an airplane without explanations," wrote Sastre. "They have treated us like criminals, the only thing missing is putting us in chains," said Pampliega.

SBU spokeswoman Olena Hitlyanska said they had "been forbidden from entering due to activity that is contrary to the interests of Ukraine."

"Look at what they've published," she said, when asked for details.

A massive leak of journalists' personal data in 2016 added to concerns that Ukraine is reneging on promises to improve transparency in the wake of a 2013-14 pro-European uprising.

The Spanish Press Association (APM) called on the Spanish government to ask the Ukrainian authorities for an explanation over the two reporters.

"The work of journalists in countries at war is essential so that citizens can receive independent and true information, and governments should not obstruct this under any pretext," it said in a statement.

Ukraine is fighting a pro-Russian separatist insurgency in eastern regions that has killed more 10,000 people.

In 2015, it backtracked on a decision to bar a number of British, Spanish and German correspondents.
The U.N. refugee agency is urging Bangladesh to give refuge to Rohingya Muslims, amid reports that people fleeing violence in Myanmars western Rakhine state are being turned away.

The UNHCR reports some 5,200 people have entered Bangladesh from Myanmar since late Thursday, following an attack by Rohingya fighters against 30 police stations. The agency says thousands of people who fled, fearing reprisals by the Myanmar military, reportedly are stuck along the Myanmar side of the border.

UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards told VOA his agency cannot confirm the reports. He said the refugees are in many places along the border and staff is unable to be present at every location.

Clearly there are people fleeing safety and needing refuge and need access. Of course, we are in touch with the Bangladeshi authorities. These appear to be isolated instances from what we can see at the moment. So, I do not think that there is a systematic thing going on here. Do we have access to the populations to help them inside, on the other side of the border? No, we do not at the moment, he said.

Edwards said the UNHCR cannot verify reports that hundreds, if not thousands, of people have been killed and injured in Rakhine state.

"We have seen differing reports on the number of fatalities, including statements that have been made by the Myanmar authorities. We are not in a position to verify those. We are appealing for borders to remain open. We do think it is very important that people be allowed to seek safe refuge," he said.

This is the worst outbreak of violence in Rakhine state since October, when Rohingya fighters killed nine police officers, triggering a mass exodus. A recent report by the International Organization for Migration says around 87,000 people have fled to Bangladesh over the past six months. Members of the Rohingya community are ineligible for citizenship in Myanmar because of a controversial 1982 law.

Predominantly Buddhist Myanmar has faced criticism for its treatment of the Rohingya minority.
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that a two-state solution remains the only path to peace for Israel and the Palestinians.

"I want to express very strongly the total commitment of the United Nations and my personal total commitment to the two-state solution," Guterres said after meeting Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah, after having spoken with Israeli leadership the day before.

Guterres also spoke on Israeli settlements in the West Bank Tuesday, calling them a "major obstacle" to peace and noting that they are "illegal under international law".

Earlier Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to never uproot Israeli settlements in the West Bank, enraging Palestinians and raising questions about U.S. peace efforts in the region.

White House adviser Jared Kushner spoke with Netanyahu and Hamdallah days earlier during a visit to Israel and the West Bank.

U.S. President Donald Trump, in the past, has said he hopes to mediate the ultimate deal between Israel and the Palestinians. He has espoused staunchly pro-Israel rhetoric during his campaign and presidency, but Palestinian leaders have held out hope a deal could be reached.
Guatemala's president must not hinder the work of a U.N.-backed anti-corruption unit that is investigating his campaign financing, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said on Tuesday.

President Jimmy Morales ordered the expulsion of the head of the anti-graft body, known as CICIG, on Sunday and declared him persona non grata, an order that was suspended by the nation's top court hours later.

"I am deeply disturbed by the unprecedented decision of the President of Guatemala," Zeid said in a statement. "I call on the Guatemalan Government to allow CICIG to carry out its work unimpeded."
Hundreds of ministers marched Monday in Washington on the anniversary of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, calling for an end to racism after recent violence in the country.

The eldest son of King, Martin Luther King III, joined the rally along with the Reverend Al Sharpton and ministers from many religions, marching along parts of the same route that civil rights activists took 54 years ago.

WATCH: Remembering history

Sharpton's National Action Network said in a statement Monday that his group was "not only disgusted by the lack of leadership in the current White House, but are also tired of the silence of others."

The march followed recent violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a man, described as a Nazi sympathizer, ran his car into a group of counterprotesters, killing one woman and injuring about 20 others.

President Donald Trump was criticized by both Republicans and Democrats because he didn't immediately denounce the white nationalist groups that organized the rally. The president later said several times that he condemned white supremacist groups and believed all racist sentiment was "evil."

The president was also criticized for blaming "many sides" for the violence. Trump has contended there were people fomenting violence on both sides of the conflict in Charlottesville, which saw both members of white supremacist groups and counterprotesters wielding weapons.

A Jewish participant in Monday's ministers march, Catherine Lynch, told VOA, "It's not a black issue only, it's also an issue for Jews. It's an issue for all of us because all of us have some piece of who we are that is targeted by these groups," referring to white supremacists and other extremist groups.

"People have gone to sleep. They think we are in a postracial society, and we are not. It's just been hidden. It went underground, but now with this new president, it's come above ground," said the Reverend JoAnn Hilton from Mount Olive Baptist Church in Hackensack, N.J.

Marchers paused at the Trump International Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue, just a few blocks from the White House, to pray and send a message to the president.

Sunday school teacher Aaron Shingler said, "I don't know really what his agenda is, but it's an agenda that doesn't promote justice."

The march ended at the Department of Justice. The Trump administration did not comment on the march.

VOA's Carolyn Presutti contributed to this report.
(Natural News) With each passing day, it becomes harder and harder to deny the fact that political censorship has become commonplace in America. Its gotten to the point where its almost as if the Constitution was never written in the first place, considering how often it is warped, regulated, and in many cases, ignored entirely. Make no mistake  this sort of censorship is a strategy that has primarily been adopted by those on the left, who seek to silence conservative voices on virtually every level of American society, from the mainstream media to Hollywood, to college campuses and the Internet. (Related: Portland mayor wants to label all opinions he disagrees with as hate speech.)

As a matter of fact, the Internet has become something of a hot zone for political censorship in recent times, as companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter, YouTube, PayPal, and several more have begun engaging in selective suppression. Below is a comprehensive list of tech tyrants who are censoring websites and infringing on the First Amendment.

Google

Back in March, Breitbart News reported on Googles plan to launch a new AI system called Perspective, which is capable of detecting and censoring what it considers to be toxic comments posted online. Needless to say, the likelihood of abuse here is overwhelming. What is stopping a team of leftists behind the scenes at Google from switching around Perspectives algorithm to specifically target anyone that does not subscribe to the left wing ideology?

PayPal

Just days ago, The Blaze reported on how the payment-processing website PayPal discontinued two conservative accounts  Jihad Watch and the American Freedom Defense Initiative  after a team of leftists reported them as hate groups. According to both organizations, a reporter for the nonprofit investigative journalism organization ProPublica named Lauren Kirchner wrote in an email, I am contacting you to let you know that we are including your website in a list of sites that have been designated as hate or extremist by the American Defamation League or the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Facebook

Last year, several anonymous former Facebook contractors told the tech site Gizmodo.com that Facebook routinely modifies its algorithms and formulas to intentionally suppress conservative news. As explained by Gizmodo, Facebook routinely suppressed news stories of interest to conservative readers, and some former Facebook employees even admitted that they were instructed to inject specific topics into the trending list, even if those topics werent relevant or significant.

YouTube

Given the fact that Google routinely engages in political censorship in the interest of combating what it considers to be hate speech or extreme content, it only makes sense that the Google-owned video sharing website YouTube would do the same. Earlier this month, YouTube announced on its official blog that they would be taking steps to censor controversial content, even if that content doesnt necessarily violate any of their guidelines. Well soon be applying tougher treatment to videos that arent illegal but have been flagged by users as potential violations of our policies on hate speech and violent extremism, the blog post said. If we find that these videos dont violate our policies but contain controversial religious or supremacist content, they will be placed in a limited state.

Twitter

In February, Twitter announced a new initiative meant to combat abuse and harassment on their platform. Making Twitter a safer place is our primary focus, the company said in a blog post. We stand for freedom of expression and people being able to see all sides of any topic. Thats put in jeopardy when abuse and harassment stifle and silence those voices. Incredibly, Twitter made the argument that in order to protect the freedom of speech, one has to suppress the freedom of speech. It is a silly argument to make, and truthfully doesnt make much sense at all.

Cloudflare and GoDaddy

The security firm Cloudflare and the website hosting service GoDaddy typically arent known for political censorship and therefore dont exactly fit under the tech tyrant category. Both are appearing on this list due to their recent involvement in the silencing of the white nationalist website The Daily Stormer. Granted, The Daily Stormer was a loathsome site that perpetuated extreme hatred and bigotry for people of color, but even so, Cloudflare and GoDaddy overstepped their boundaries in this case. We the People should not just sit back and watch as companies like Google and GoDaddy censor online content without questioning where they get the authority to do that in the first place. The law of the land is the Constitution, not some Internet guidelines written in some corporate office.

Given the normalization of political censorship on the Internet, it may be easy for some to call for harsher government regulations in order to restrict sites like Google, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube from gutting the freedom of speech in the first place. However, it is important to remember that we already have a regulation like this, and the only problem is that it isnt being enforced  it is called the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Sources include:

TheBlaze.com

ZeroHedge.com

FoxNews.com

Breitbart.com

PJMedia.com
Dav Pilkey says reading was difficult when he was a child. But he found plenty of good stories at the local library, and he soon began to create his own comic books. (Scholastic)

Who fights crime and chews chairs? Dog Man, the heroic hound in Dav (pronounced Dave) Pilkeys new graphic novel, Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties.

Dog Man is half pup and half police officer, said Pilkey, who came up with the brave-but-wacky character when he was in second grade. Back then, Pilkey got into so much trouble, his teacher moved his desk to the hall. Thats when Pilkey began making up stories about and drawing two funny characters, Dog Man and Captain Underpants. When he became an adult, Pilkey still liked these goofy characters so much that he wanted to create more tales about them.

This is the third book in the Dog Man series. But the character first appeared in Pilkeys popular books about Captain Underpants, Pilkey said by phone as he traveled by ferry to his home on Bainbridge Island in Washington state.

Readers liked Dog Man so much that Pilkey decided to give him his own series.

In the new book, the blue-uniformed pooch must battle destructive buildings that have come to life and an evil bionic fish. Dog Mans biggest problem, though, is Petey, a villainous cat. Petey tries to clone himself; but instead of a grown cat, he creates a sweet kitten named LiL Petey. When the cranky feline dumps the kitten, Dog Man befriends him.

In Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties, Piley continues the adventures of a character he created when he was a kid. (Scholastic)

You can hear Pilkey talk about his book and how he draws his characters Thursday in Mount Airy, Maryland, and Saturday at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.

Reading buddies

Pilkey credits his childhood pet, Halle, for Dog Mans loyal, joyful personality.

Halle was a good friend to Pilkey during a tough time  when he was the only child in his class who couldnt read.

I struggled with dyslexia and ADHD, which made it hard to read and focus, Pilkey said. I was frustrated and got into trouble.

His parents were very understanding. They hoped he might learn to read if he found books he liked. Pilkeys mother took him to the library in their home town of Elyria, Ohio, and let him check out whatever he wanted.

Her only rule was that if I checked it out, I had to read it, Pilkey said with a laugh.

He brought home stacks of books that included Where the Wild Things Are and the Frog and Toad series. He and Halle would curl up in his beanbag chair, where he liked to read and create his own comic books. Sometimes he showed his work to his dog.

Halle was always patient and enthusiastic, Pilkey said.

At the end of his new book are photos of real kids reading with their dogs. Not only do kids and four-legged pals enjoy these experiences, but the dogs also can actually help young people become better readers, according to researchers at the University of California at Davis.

Happy birthday, Captain

Pilkey admits to a soft spot for cats, even that scoundrel Petey. In the book, Petey changes and becomes a more complex character. The Tale of Two Kitties in the title reflects a famous novel for grown-ups, A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens. Like a character in Dickenss story, Petey makes many bad choices, but sometimes he surprises the reader and makes a kinder choice.

This year, Pilkey celebrates the 20th anniversary of the first Captain Underpants book, The Adventures of Captain Underpants. Does he have any big plans?

Im celebrating by talking about Dog Man with kids, Pilkey said. Hes also planning for his next book, Dog Man and Cat Kid, which will be published in December.


The Freedom Forum is considering selling the Newseum, which moved to a sprawling building on Pennsylvania Avenue in 2008. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Turner)

The Newseum has been on a death watch before, but Mondays announcement that its parent foundation is considering selling the sprawling Washington museum devoted to journalism is a stunning acknowledgment of its long-standing struggles.

In a dramatic shake-up, the Freedom Forum replaced the Newseums chief executive and announced it would consider selling the 250,000-square-foot museum entirely. Its consultants also are looking into joint ventures and the partial sale of the property, which includes a parking garage, apartments, a conference center and an upscale restaurant on a coveted portion of Pennsylvania Avenue at Sixth Street NW.

The future of the institution dedicated to the First Amendment and a vibrant press is unclear, but officials said it would remain open during the review.

Over the past 20 years, the Freedom Forum, formerly the Gannett Foundation, has contributed about $500 million to the institution, according to officials.

It has become obvious that the current model  where the Freedom Forum is the primary funder of the Newseum  cannot continue indefinitely at this level, Freedom Forum chief executive Jan Neuharth said in a statement. Left unchecked, this deficit spending rate would eventually drain the Freedom Forums entire endowment, and the annual cash drain prevents us from allocating any new capital to First Amendment programs that are at the heart of our educational mission.

The Freedom Forums assets were $1.1 billion in 2006. By 2015, the foundation had $804 million in assets, according to tax filings.

(Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

Newseum chief executive Jeffrey Herbst stepped down Monday as the plans were announced. The museum will be led by Neuharth, Newseum Board Chairman Peter Prichard and Scott Williams, the museums chief operating officer.

For a museum dedicated to the importance of the press, the Newseum has remained silent. Prichard and Herbst did not respond to messages, and the spokesman for the museum declined to answer all questions.

The Newseum has considered monetizing its building before, although it publicly denied any such plans. According to internal memos obtained by The Washington Post, in 2014, the museum considered using its building  then appraised at $667 million  to leverage cash. The memos revealed that the institution was considering offering equity shares in the building that would be repaid after 10 to 15 years. Other strategies considered in 2014 were the leasing of the parking garage and the sale of a storage facility in Maryland.

[Heavily in debt, the Newseum considered risky strategy to improve finances]

The memos showed that museum officials were looking for cash while they prepared to launch a $250 million fundraising campaign.

Who would give them money when they were losing $30 million a year? said Wayne Reynolds, a former Newseum board member. People typically dont want to salvage a sinking ship.

Financed with money from the Freedom Forum, the Newseum first opened in 1997 in a modest space in Arlington. Three years later, its executives announced that they would move the museum to a coveted spot on Pennsylvanian Avenue. The modern glass building opened April 11, 2008, with interactive displays and exhibitions on 9/11, the FBI and the Unabomber, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Newer exhibitions include one on the 50th anniversary of the civil rights movement and First Dogs: American Presidents and Their Pets.

The museum has suffered from continued turnover at its top levels. Neuharth is the fifth leader in seven years, which suggests problems between the staff and the board, said Martha Morris, a retired professor of museum studies and former museum director. Salaries, benefits and payroll taxes topped $19 million for its 263 employees in 2015, which was about one-third of the museums $61 million in total expenses.



A Newseum exhibit in 2011 included the damaged antenna from the North Tower of the World Trade Center and newspaper front pages about the 9/11 attacks. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Many former Gannett executives serve on the boards of related nonprofit groups, and several are paid, an unusual practice, Morris said. Prichard, a former top USA Today editor, was paid $313,231 in 2015 from organizations related to the Newseum, according to tax records, and Charles Overby, a former Gannett editor who was chief executive of the Freedom Forum, earned $129,219 from related companies that year.

Herbst, who was president of Colgate University before joining the museum in 2015, earned $259,108 for five months work in 2015. His predecessor, James Duff, earned $1.2 million in 2014.

[Newseum names Jeffrey Herbst as its next CEO ]

The Freedom Forum subsidy is the Newseums most significant revenue stream. In 2015, the museum earned $242,371 in memberships and brought in $6.3 million in non-Gannett donations, according to tax filings. It is a popular space for parties, too. In 2015, it brought in $21.4 million in facility rentals and catering revenue, almost three times the $7.5 million it earned from admission fees, tax filings show.

The museum struggles with attendance. Washingtons most popular museum, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, reported about 7 million visitors last year, while the Newseum attracted about 800,000. Adult admission is set at $24.95 and youth tickets cost $14.95, making it one of the costliest museums in a city with many world-class institutions  such as the National Gallery of Art across the street  that are free.

Caitlin Gibson contributed to this report.
The Newseum moved from Arlington to its building on Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown Washington in 2008. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post)

Jeffrey Herbst, president and chief executive of the Newseum, stepped down suddenly on Monday as the museums board announced a full-blown review of its long-troubled finances.

The review could result in the sale of the landmark building on Pennsylvania Avenue, according to a statement from the Freedom Forum, the creator and primary benefactor of the Newseum.

The Newseum, which is devoted to free expression and the First Amendment, will remain open while the financial review takes place, the statement said.

The museum moved from Arlington to downtown Washington in 2008. Over the past 20 years, the statement said, the Freedom Forum has provided more than $500 million to build and fund the Newseum.

Despite these gifts, and the generous support of many individuals, foundations and companies, the Newseum has not been able to become self-sustaining, it said.

Jan Neuharth, Freedom Forum CEO, said: It has become obvious that the current model  where the Freedom Forum is the primary funder of the Newseum  cannot continue indefinitely at this level.

Left unchecked, this deficit spending rate would eventually drain the Freedom Forums entire endowment, and the annual cash drain prevents us from allocating any new capital to First Amendment programs that are at the heart of our educational mission.

The statement said the Freedom Forum has hired consultants to review all options regarding the seven-story, 250,000-square-foot building  including joint ventures and a possible outright sale.

Herbst was named to the Newseums top position in July 2015. For the five previous years, he was president of Colgate University.

Peter Prichard, chairman of the Newseum, praised Herbst as a strong leader whose accomplishments included raising the profile of the Newseum, increasing its fundraising base, and contributing to important national debates on freedom and free expression. Were grateful for his leadership.

Herbst could not be reached for comment Monday.

An email to Newseum members sent Monday evening said that Prichard, Neuharth and the Newseums chief operating officer, Scott Williams, would lead the museum in the immediate future. It gave no reason for Herbsts stepping down.

The Washington Post reported in January that the museum was laying off 26 employees, a move that followed four previous rounds of staff reductions since 2009.

This story has been updated.
Open at its current location on Pennsylvania Avenue NW since 2008, the Newseum has long been in financial trouble. (Marge Ely)

Make no little plans, wrote the visionary architect Daniel Burnham. They have no power to stir mens blood.

Inspiring words, yes, but sometimes one can get carried away.

There are few better examples than the Newseum, the iconic edifice that opened its Pennsylvania Avenue NW doors in 2008 and has been awash in red ink ever since.

On Monday, its chief executive, Jeffrey Herbst, stepped down and the museums parent, the Freedom Foundation, acknowledged publicly what insiders have known for a long time:

The Newseum is in big financial trouble. It may have to sell its building  still shiny and new. And, though no one is saying it publicly, it may end up going under altogether.

The signs werent good from its overblown start. The building is seven stories tall with 250,000 square feet of exhibit space, 15 theaters and an adjoining multistory Wolfgang Puck restaurant.

Relocated from a much smaller space in Arlington, Va., the museum opened at a terrible time: 2008 was a year of precipitous advertising decline, and round after round of layoffs at newspapers and the other news organizations that had pledged to support it.

That only got worse.

With a sense of timing that is either brilliant or comically disastrous, a cathedral to journalism is about to open its doors in Washington, wrote Alan Rusbridger, the legendary editor of the Guardian. Given the tanking industry, he wrote, the Newseum could soon be a shrine for anthropological study of a bygone craft of journalism.

And Politicos Jack Shafer, then at Slate, mocked it as the Taj Mahal of journalism and suggested boycotting its opening, considering the museum self-aggrandizing.

But even with a hefty admission fee in a city of free museums, the Newseums interactive offerings have been popular with tourists. And its dedication to free expression and the First Amendment has been admirable.

TripAdvisor lists it as a top Washington attraction, and it gets many raves from those who visit and submit reviews. Its collection of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs is stirring, and its memorial to journalists who died doing their jobs is moving.

Whose brainchild was this? Largely that of Al Neuharth, the founder of USA Today  a man of such overweening self-regard that in his autobiography, Confessions of an S.O.B., he quoted the Times of London: Neuharths ego makes the average British press baron look like a retiring lily.

After retiring from Gannett, for which he made a fortune by cutting back newsroom staffs and hiking ad rates to boost corporate profits, Neuharth took charge of the companys charitable arm, the Gannett Foundation, turning it into the Freedom Forum.

The Freedom Forum has had a huge endowment from the sale of Gannett stock, and that endowment is now threatened by the Newseums losses.

In a statement Monday, the Freedom Forum told the dire news that  even after getting $500 million over the past 20 years from its parent foundation, and trimming its costs  the museum is losing money fast.

Left unchecked, this deficit spending rate would eventually drain the Freedom Forums entire endowment, and the annual cash drain prevents us from allocating any new capital to First Amendment programs that are at the heart of our educational mission, it said.

It doesnt require a PhD in comparative literature to see the Newseums troubles as a metaphor for the besieged state of the American press.

The First Amendment  whose words are etched impressively on the buildings exterior  is threatened by a media-hating president. The news industrys financial turmoil continues. And many Americans mistrust the news media, even as many others cherish and support journalists watchdog role.

I hope the Newseum makes it through this crisis and fulfills its crucial mission of educating the public about free expression and press rights.

If it has to do so in a less grandiose building  or some modest fraction of its current one  so be it.

After all, the curse of the newsrooms in recent years has been the corporate directive to do more with less.

The Newseum might as well symbolize that, too.

For more by Margaret Sullivan visit wapo.st/sullivan
Burial for Arthur Moorehand, whose unclaimed body was stored at the D.C. Morgue after he died in 2008. Some concerned veterans learned that Moorehand had served in the U.S. Army and arranged for a funeral and burial at Arlington National Cemetery . (Courtland Milloy/The Washington Post)

The lonely life and death of Arthur A. Moorehand held a mystery for me that seemed like it would never be solved.

In 2009, I attended Moorehands burial at Arlington National Cemetery. He was 80. He lived in Southeast Washington. Hed served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II. He had reportedly died of natural causes.

The odd part was that his body had remained unclaimed at the D.C. morgue for nearly a year. No kin or friends showed up for the graveside ceremony, just a small group of caring strangers.

Sadly, people get old, become isolated and end up dying alone, said Regina Powell, a member of a veterans advocacy group that helped arrange the military burial.

Getting old, I got that. But dying friendless, seemingly kinless and alone in a house where days go by before anybody notices youre dead? The prospect is terrifying. Only Moorehand knew why he suffered such a fate  and hed taken the mystery with him to the grave.

[Ensuring a veterans service stands the test of time]

Then, a few weeks ago, I learned that his next of kin had finally been located.

Michael J. Zwick, a private investigator and president of Assets International, discovered last year that Moorehand had left a $40,000 life insurance policy that no one had cashed in. His firm tracked down the beneficiaries  a niece living in New Jersey and a nephew in Alabama.

I spoke with the nephew, Wallace Moorehand, a 65-year-old minister in Birmingham.

It really hurt that I didnt know he had died  that no one knew, he said. But thats just the way the Moorehand family is. For some reason, we dont stay in touch like we should.

The words had a sting to them. I had heard them before  from members of my own family. Does anybody really stay in touch with the elderly members of our families, in our neighborhoods, like we should?

AARP reported this month that 43 percent of people over age 65 report being lonely, and the numbers are growing. Moreover, the health effects of chronic social isolation can be more damaging to your health than obesity  or even smoking cigarettes, the report said.

Its a fact of life, said AARP report, unfortunately families can drift apart over the years due to a number of reasons. Instead of living in the same town, perhaps youve scattered across the country or to the other side of the globe. Or maybe daily life has just gotten in the way and the pressures of raising a family and balancing a career has kept you from keeping in touch as much as youd like.

[What if doctors could prescribe something to treat social isolation in seniors?]

Thats probably true, but do they really sound like good excuses for not phoning the grandparents?

Thankfully, modern technology and social media networks are making the world smaller and, ultimately, easier to keep connected to relatives  both immediate and distant, as well as those who live near and far, AARP report said.

But dont get confused: Being on Facebook is not the same as being close. When elderly people fall down, they cant rely on a virtual friend to help them get back up.

Wallace Moorehand said he wasnt close to his uncle. We all have relatives like that  distant cousins, is one way they are described. He had no photographs to share or stories to tell.

But after thinking about it, he did recall one:

We were living in the Bronx, and one day he took me for a ride in this big green truck to see a military base, he said. I was in the front seat with him, sitting on a pillow so I could see out of the window. It was 1959. I was 6 years old.

And he remembered it like it was yesterday.

He also recalled the last time he saw his uncle. It was about 15 years ago. Arthur Moorehand had searched for his nephew and found him in Birmingham.

He told me, We need to be closer as a family. We need to get together more often. And I never heard from him again.

We will never know what Arthur Moorehand thought of that unfulfilled promise. But we can imagine what it must be like to be in his nephews shoes.

Have you ever found out some interesting tidbit about an elderly relative or friend and wanted to know more? And now theyre gone. You waited too long.

The elders may be hurt that you didnt reach out sooner, but we are the ones who are deprived of their wisdom.

Wallace Moorehand said he let his sister have the money from the insurance policy. She works at a hospital and needed it more than he did.

The sister is no doubt grateful for the gift. But as the minister knows, money doesnt necessarily bring people closer.

According to a study published in a recent Social Work Today, nearly half of the elderly people who report being lonely are married. Just being in a relationship is not enough  it has to be a meaningful one.

With the discovery of Arthur Moorehands nephew and niece, the mystery has been solved. The case, as it turned out, hadnt been so much about why Moorehand had become so isolated. It was about what we all can do to keep others from that fate.

Ourselves included.

To read previous columns, go to washingtonpost.com/milloy.
Kevin Maxwell, chief of Prince George's County schools, and County Executive Rushern L Baker III speak to reporters at Suitland Elementary School on Tuesday. (Donna St. George/The Washington Post)

Maryland officials have hired a Washington-based firm to audit graduation rates in the Prince Georges Countys public school system, following recent claims that grades and credit counts were tampered with to inflate the districts performance.

State officials announced Tuesday that Alvarez & Marsal Public Sector Services will begin work on the project immediately and deliver a final report Oct. 31.

Prince Georges County officials said they welcome the probe and reiterated that there were no orders from the top to do anything improper.

Weve said all along there is no effort by my administration or myself to tell people to cheat, to do things wrong, schools chief executive Kevin Maxwell told reporters. Do we have some people that havent dotted Is and crossed Ts, or not followed all the directions they were given? Undoubtedly, in an organization with over 20,000 employees. But that doesnt make it a systemic issue.

The examination begins two months after the Maryland State Board of Education voted to bring in an independent investigator to review allegations of fraud in the 132,00-student district, the states second-largest.

Gov. Larry Hogan (R) asked the state board to investigate in June after a four-member minority bloc on the Prince Georges school board alleged that whistleblowers had come forward with evidence that grades were changed and that hundreds of students had graduated without meeting state requirements.

Leaders of the countys State House delegation weighed in afterward, urging an impartial review. By the time the state board acted, Maxwell and nine members of the county board majority had also joined the call for an investigation, saying it would help settle the question.

Edward Burroughs III, the leader of the minority bloc, said the involvement of outside investigators is important, allowing employees to come forward with the comfort of knowing their identities will be protected if they make disclosures.

At the end of the day, we hope that justice is served, Burroughs said. Corruption should have no place in our county and especially in our school system.

State education officials said Alvarez & Marsal has extensive experience in audits and has done work identifying fraud and data manipulation in educational environments.

They noted that the state board, which oversees whether local school systems comply with graduation requirements, will make a final determination on whether rates were accurately reported after reviewing the report from Alvarez & Marsal.

State data shows that four-year graduation rates in Prince Georges improved from 74.1 percent for the class of 2013 to 81.4 percent for the class of 2016, the largest uptick for that time period of any school system in the state.

Maxwell, who was appointed by County Executive Rushern L. Baker III to a second term this year, has touted graduation rates as a key accomplishment and has called the allegations of fraud politically motivated.

Appearing with Maxwell on Tuesday, Baker (D) said officials would take action against any school employee found to have acted fraudulently.

Thats unequivocal, he said. We believe the investigation will show that there is nothing that is systemic throughout our system but where there are charges, where there are things that have gone wrong, those people will be dealt with.

State education officials looked into graduation rates in Prince Georges last school year, following an anonymous complaint to federal officials, and found no evidence of wrongdoing. But critics have said that investigation was limited and not sufficiently impartial.
On Monday, when Houston schools were supposed to be welcoming back students, the school district had instead been transformed into part of the storm response. School bus drivers were shuttling residents from deluged homes to auditoriums, which had been transformed into makeshift shelters. Ready-to-eat meals, stockpiled in cafeterias, were being distributed to hungry evacuees.

[Texas officials say at least eight dead as Harvey flooding continues]

In many respects, were part of the emergency response of the entire city, said Richard Carranza, superintendent of the Houston Independent School District. It makes you put a different hat on.

Hundreds of schools across Southeast Texas remained closed Tuesday as the state continued to deal with the worst natural disaster in its history, with many students, teachers and administrators still hemmed in by flooded roadways. The Texas Education Agency said that 181 school districts canceled or delayed schools Monday and that at least 129 remained closed Tuesday. Many were still uncertain as to when they could open.

The Houston district  one of the nations largest, with more than 200,000 students  announced Monday that it would reopen Sept. 5. But as the rain continued to fall, school officials were weighing keeping schools shuttered for even longer.

Residents wait at a high school gym before they are evacuated as the outer bands of Hurricane Harvey begin to make landfall on Friday in Corpus Christi, Tex. (Eric Gay/AP)

Colleges and universities in the affected area closed, as well, although many seemed to have escaped the worst of the damage. Rice University, which had trees down and periodically flooded roadways, will remain closed through Wednesday.

The University of Texass MD Anderson Cancer Center remained closed for outpatient services, appointments and surgeries at its locations throughout the Houston area through Tuesday.

Many students were unable to take standardized tests over the weekend after the College Board closed 138 test centers in Texas.

The University of Houston, where floodwaters rose and fell, will remain closed through Labor Day.

At an apartment building in Houston, about 200 students, including some from the University of Houston, were stranded Sunday night without power, with water rising on the first floor and into cars in the parking lot. They were students from India, some who had arrived in the United States for graduate studies only the day before. They reached out to an Indian student leader, and he and others reached out to the consul general of India in Houston, Anupam Ray. Some students asked him for help as they were marooned and would be running out of food, he said.

Sushma Swaraj, the minister of external affairs for India, has been following the situation personally, Ray said, and posting about it on social media to her 9 million Twitter followers.

Overnight, waters receded and the university, the Indian community and others banded together to help, so Ray was able to get to the students Monday and ensure they had food. They were to be relocated to a safer place, he said.

1 of 75 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Flooding in Texas continues in wake of Hurricane Harvey View Photos Houston officials described a vast rescue effort and said about 3,500 people had been brought to safety. Caption Five days after roaring ashore in Texas  leaving behind more than 24 trillion gallons of water, disastrous flooding across Houston and a mounting death toll that had reached at least 22 people  Harvey made landfall near Cameron, La. Aug. 30, 2017 The sun sets on downtown Houston as flood waters still surround some neighborhoods. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

[A disastrous start to the school year: Students evacuated after being stranded by Hurricane Harvey]

Some educators worried about the safety of youngsters who rely on school meals. Superintendents and teachers surveyed damage at schools  some badly battered by the storms  to discern when it might be safe for students to return. And many were dealing with loss themselves, while bracing to help youngsters deal with the trauma wrought by the storm.

Im very concerned for them and their welfare and their parents trying to explain to them whats going on and whats going to happen, said Leslie Barber, who teaches science at Refugio Junior High, where the storm ripped the roof off parts of the freshly renovated school building. Im not sure my kids even get the depth of where were at at this point.

Barber said that if schools remained closed for more than a month, she planned to enroll her children elsewhere because she worries about them falling too far behind. But she said she will return to her job no matter what.

Carranza, who had been forced to stay close to his home in central Houston, said school personnel in the district counted at least 35 buildings out of 300 that sustained some type of damage.

Even while buildings managers were pumping water out of flooded schools,Carranza said he was preparing to deploy more crisis counselors to schools  not only for students who may be grappling with losses but for teachers, as well.

We know that thousands of our families have lost everything, Carranza said. This is a tragedy thats going to run deep.

Tasha Pate, a fifth-grade teacher at Charlie Marshall Elementary in Aransas Pass, rode out the storm in West Texas and arrived home to find her roof caved in, her ceiling collapsed and felled trees and dead chickens littering the 10 acres of land she shares with her family. The nearby high school sustained serious damage from the storm.

It is horrific, Pate said. Theres horrendous damage everywhere.

She said she knows her students will have seen much of the same, and she planned to spend the first day of school helping them process the storm.

Instead of What did you do over the summer? Ill ask, What did you do during the storm?  Pate said. Then were going to have a talk about were all here, were all healthy, we are blessed, and move on.

Jen Barnhart, who teaches English at KIPP Houston High School, said some of her students were forced to leave homes inundated by floodwater that swept away family cars. The charter school, which started classes in mid-August, is closed for the week.

Barnhart said she is less concerned about losing a week of lessons than she is about what the storm can teach students.

Honestly thats the least of our worries right now, Barnhart said. For me this goes so far beyond classroom lessons. This is a lesson about how you help your community and how you rise up in a time of adversity.


Chanting White lives matter! You will not replace us! and Jews will not replace us! white nationalists and supremacists carrying torches march through U-Va. on Aug. 11, an event that culminated in violence. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post)

Earlier this month, white nationalist leader Richard Spencer rallied hundreds of torch-bearing followers for a march through the heart of the University of Virginia that began a weekend of rage and violence. He hopes to go back to Charlottesville soon.

Colleges and universities are a great venue, Spencer said. I will never give those up.

As the fall semester begins, schools across the United States are girding for fights over controversial speakers after an incendiary year that began with clashes at the University of California at Berkeley and worsened at U-Va. One by one in the days since the Charlottesville mayhem on Aug. 11 and 12, major public universities have shut their doors to Spencer and his followers. Their decisions illuminate the challenge of balancing campus values, security concerns and free speech protections.

The First Amendment does not require a public institution to risk imminent violence to students and others, University of Florida President W. Kent Fuchs said on Aug. 16, as the school denied a request from Spencers National Policy Institute that sought to rent a venue on campus for an event featuring Spencer.

Echoing others who have taken similar action, Fuchs called white nationalist rhetoric racist and repugnant. But these university leaders also insist that free speech and open debate are fundamental to higher education. And they face possible backlash  and the risk of court battles  when they deny people a platform to speak.

[How a rally of white nationalists and white supremacists turned deadly]

In April, a federal judge cited the First Amendment when he overturned Auburn Universitys decision to cancel a Spencer event. Now, some argue the Charlottesville violence  including the death of a counterprotester struck by a car allegedly driven by a Nazi sympathizer the day after the U-Va. march  shows that schools are facing new and more challenging threats.

What happened in Charlottesville  Im very concerned that could happen again, said Carol Christ, chancellor of UC-Berkeley. The political situation has shifted in ways that some extremist groups of the right and the left feel authorized to kind of extraordinary violence. Thats really quite different than anything that happened, say, a year ago.

Berkeley has drawn intense scrutiny this year.



A fire erupted on campus during a rally against a scheduled appearance at UC-Berkeley by controversial writer Milo Yiannopoulos on Feb. 1. The event was canceled because of the protests. (Ben Margot/AP)

In February, more than 100 masked anti-fascist extremists swarmed into a large crowd of peaceful demonstrators to smash windows, throw rocks and set fires to stop a speech by the provocative writer Milo Yiannopoulos. In April, debate erupted over whether conservative commentator Ann Coulter could or would hold an event on campus, and if she did, how the university would ensure security.

The episodes led Berkeley to revise rules for speakers and events, with an interim policy that remains content-neutral now requiring more advance notice so campus police can devise safety plans. The school has committed to copious expenditures to secure events. Hundreds of extra police officers were brought to campus in anticipation of the Coulter speech that never materialized, costing $600,000, according to school officials.

Last week, Christ told the Berkeley community that the campus known for the Free Speech Movement in the 1960s still holds that as a defining value. Particularly now, it is critical that the Berkeley community come together once again to protect this right, she wrote. It is who we are.

Naweed Tahmas, a leader of the Berkeley College Republicans, which along with the Young Americas Foundation sued the university after the Coulter incident, saying school officials had violated their First Amendment rights, was skeptical. He wrote in an email they had seen this flowery rhetoric before and that university officials had repeatedly used vague security concerns, arbitrary curfews and fees to silence conservative speech.

[Lawsuit filed against UC-Berkeley over canceled Coulter speech]

Yiannopoulos plans to return to UC-Berkeley next month. Conservative writer Ben Shapiro will also speak there this fall.

Critics say universities are too liberal and too quick to squelch opposing viewpoints.

The violence and the rhetoric against conservatives on campus has been extremely chilling, said Mike Wright, a senior at Berkeley involved in efforts to bring speakers to campus.

But university leaders say a growing number of people are coming to campuses to incite, rather than engage with ideas.

Theres clearly a provocative side to much of what is being done, said Nicholas Dirks, who in July stepped down as chancellor of UC-Berkeley. Groups will seek to book an event knowing they are likely to draw a denial, he said. In many cases the tactic is to try to show that its the liberal university that censors free speech.



Milo Yiannopoulos seen in January 2017 at the University of Colorado in Boulder. (Jeremy Papasso/Daily Camera/AP)

Richard Spencer speaks to media in August at his office in Alexandria, Va. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Many colleges are bracing for confrontations and the possibility of violence in the coming school year. Last spring, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators held training sessions on how to prepare for divisive speakers. The next round, in October, will look at hate groups.

Universities have always had controversial speakers, said Sue Riseling, the groups executive director. But these recent controversies are different: more speech that is hateful and targeted.

Hate groups are making unprecedented attempts to recruit on college campuses and plaster them with messages, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

[White supremacists recruit and target college students, group claims]

Some white nationalists say public university campuses provide an ideal platform. Theyre public spaces, places for debate, spaces historically for social change, Spencer said. Symbolism matters.

At Texas A&M University, a former student named Preston Wiginton said he made plans months ago to hold a White Lives Matter event on Sept. 11 on the College Station campus. Wiginton said he is drawn to universities because todays college students will be tomorrows leaders.

After Spencer spoke at Texas A&M in December 2016, Wiginton said six men reached out to him about starting an organization for white students. So you know if there are six that reach out, there are probably 60 or 600 that are thinking theyre sick and tired of the diversity thats shoved down their throat each day, he said.

But Texas A&M shut down the Sept. 11 event after Charlottesville.

Tony Buzbee, a Texas A&M University System regent, said officials would examine policies for rallies and demonstrations. We walk a line with fulfilling our obligation to make the school safe and allowing people to express themselves, he wrote in an email. My focus is on whether those coming have expressed an intention to be violent. If that is the case, the decision is much easier to make; but, in the end, as an institution, we always will err on the side of student safety.

Bobby Brooks, 21, Texas A&Ms student body president, said he is still worried about whether people will come to campus unexpectedly and cause a violent disruption. So, unfortunately, I dont think the world has heard the last of white supremacy, he said.

Pennsylvania State and Michigan State universities in recent days have denied requests for events featuring Spencer. Louisiana State University, responding to an inquiry, said the white nationalist should stay away from its Baton Rouge campus.

As evidenced by the recent events in Charlottesville and at the University of Virginia, there is a very real possibility that allowing Mr. Spencer to convene on campus could lead to the endangerment of our students, LSU President F. King Alexander said in a statement. For that reason, he is not welcome at LSU.

Whether these university decisions could withstand legal challenges is unclear. But some lawyers said the events in Charlottesville may at least temporarily give universities more solid ground to deny Spencer a venue, since they can argue that they have reason to fear similar violence. It opened up the door for public campuses to say no, said Scott Schneider, an attorney specializing in higher education law.

At U-Va., officials have come under considerable criticism for their response to the Aug. 11 torchlight march and rally. One student who was part of a circle of counterprotesters surrounded by white nationalists that night questioned why students werent warned about the march in advance. This student, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she doesnt feel safe, also wondered why police didnt take faster action to protect students.

[After clashes with white nationalists, U-Va. employee suffers stroke]

U-Va. President Teresa Sullivan has asked a group of deans and others to examine the universitys response. Some changes have already been implemented, including adding staff and police to bolster security, and requiring university police to be notified if people have been approved to carry open flames on campus. The general counsels office is considering changing policies about what activities can be banned, and is reviewing laws and policies regarding weapons on campus. A security firm will conduct a review of safety at U-Va.

But the campus remains tense.

We dont pretend this is over, said Siva Vaidhyanathan, a media studies professor at U-Va. The Nazis will be back to terrorize us.
(Natural News) Chemotherapy is no joke. This toxic chemical treatment has debilitating side effects, including anemia, bleeding, infections, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, constipation, hair loss, mouth sores and extreme fatigue, to name just a few. Imagine trying to deal with all that and then being left lying half-naked on a hospital gurney in the corridor of an A&E ward for over 13 hours with 50 other men and women. That is exactly what happened to Nick Turner, a 54-year-old Briton who likened his experience at Worcestershire Royal Hospital last month to the third-world treatment one would expect to receive in West Africa.

The U.K.s Daily Mail is reporting that the father-of-three was admitted to Worcester hospital July 30, after contracting a blood infection after a chemotherapy treatment. Turner is battling bowel cancer, and has already undergone surgery to remove a tumor from his bowel. When he suddenly developed a high fever after a chemotherapy treatment, his wife Joy rushed him to the hospital, where a blood infection was diagnosed. With no beds available, however, Turner was left lying on a gurney in a corridor with over 50 other patients, both male and female. (Related: Top doctors admit that chemotherapy is one of a dozen procedures that gives no benefit.)

Half-naked at the time, and with a female patient less than a foot away from him, Turner says he feels like he lost all his dignity that day.

I was half-naked, wearing nothing but pyjama shorts, he says. I was a name and a number.

While Turner has nothing but praise for the nurses and doctors working in what he calls intolerable conditions, he is horrified by the incompetence of the hospitals management. (Related: Discover other examples of medical malpractice at Medicine.news)

Having distributed Gideons Bibles in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and receiving medical treatment in local hospitals there, Turner is no stranger to dirty, disorganized hospitals. Nonetheless, he insists conditions at Worcester hospital were similar to those in West African hospitals.

Earlier this year, two patients died in these overcrowded corridors, and another was found hanged on one of the wards.

Turner has written letters of complaint to just about every possible authority figure at the hospital and in the city, but is unlikely to receive much sympathy.

A spokesman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust told the Mail, Were sorry that Mr Turner was unhappy with his experience in our A&E department and understand the anxiety caused when any patient has to spend some of their stay in the A&E corridor. It is important to note, that the corridors referred to are a fully enclosed part of our A&E department, and these patients are cared for by the same doctors and nurses as any other patient in the department. This is not the experience we aspire to provide for patients, but during the busiest periods it is sometimes necessary to utilise a corridor to enable us to treat all the patients who attend our A&E. We recognise the challenges we have around patient flow and the impact this has on our emergency department. We are continually focused on making improvements, ultimately to eliminate the need for any patient to spend time in the corridor.

In other words, the hospital isnt going to do anything to try to compensate Mr. Turner for his suffering and humiliation. With socialized healthcare you really are just a number, at the whims of a system that cannot see you as an individual with needs and feelings.

Sources for this article include:

DailyMail.co.uk

MayoClinic.org
Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., under fire for opposing the removal of a statue of former Supreme Court chief justice Roger B. Taney from the State House grounds, said Monday that he did not intend to cause division by defending the author of the Dred Scott decision.

As a student of history, I intended to respectfully state my preference for education about our flawed history and the greater historical context of Justice Taney, Miller (D-Calvert) said in a statement. I do regret that sharing my historical perspective has distracted from the larger issue we must face together as a nation and from my role to bring unity and fight for a better Maryland.

Millers comments came shortly after a dozen African American ministers and community activists staged a protest against him in a section of Prince Georges County that is part of the district Miller has represented for more than 40 years.

Standing on the street in Clinton, Md., where Millers family owns a liquor store and he operates a law firm, the demonstrators carried handwritten signs that read No Bigotry, No Racism and Black Lives Matter and chanted Miller and Taney, both the same.

They said Millers support for Taney, known for his defense of slavery, was a show of disrespect to voters in his district and patrons who support his familys businesses.

Kayan Morgan, 4, stands among a coalition of pastors and civil rights activists in front of B.K. Millers Meats and Liquors in Clinton, Md., on Monday. The group is protesting Millers opposition to the removal of former chief justice Roger B. Taneys statue from the State House grounds. (Allison Shelley/For The Washington Post)

Our state senator, who weve supported overwhelming with black votes, with Democratic votes, chose to throw egg on the face of every one of his supporters by supporting Roger Taney, said the Rev. Bruce Branch, executive director of the Maryland Business Clergy Partnership and a candidate for Prince Georges County Council in 2018. The electorate has to wonder, whose side is our Senate president on?

House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) and Gov. Larry Hogan (R) called for the removal of the Taney statue this month, in the wake of the deadly violence in Charlottesville that followed a rally in support of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Miller, the longest-serving senate president in the country, then sent a letter to Hogan defending Taneys character and describing him as a man with a complex past and a long history of public service.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.

In his statement Monday, Miller publicly addressed the violence in Charlottesville for the first time, calling it horrific and reprehensible . . . the unspeakable acts of racists and reiterated his past criticism of the wrongheaded Dred Scott ruling, which said black people could never be citizens, whether slaves or free.

The protesters said they supported calls by state Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Prince Georges), to censure Miller and are seeking to meet with Miller to discuss racial and social justice and an elimination of pre-formed Democratic slates in Prince Georges County primaries.

Miller spokesman, Jake Weissmann, declined to comment on the protesters statements. He said Millers office had not received a request for a meeting.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) pledged to push for stricter sentencing guidelines for repeat violent offenders after meeting with Baltimore criminal justice officials Tuesday to discuss the citys record-high homicide rate.

Hogan, who told reporters that the meeting got a little heated at times because we were expressing our opinions, said judges often waive jail time for people with multiple violent-crime convictions and place them on probation.

We keep putting the same, exact violent people on the streets, he said. The average person who has been killed in the city has 11.9 arrests on their record. One day theyre the shooter, the next day theyre the victim.

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh (D), who participated in Tuesdays meeting, expressed similar frustration with sentencing, saying she would like to see the judges do what they need to do to keep repeat offenders off our streets.

Hogan said he would release his truth in sentencing plan as part of a crime package for the General Assemblys 2018 session, which begins in January. His staff declined to provide more information about the measures.

State Sen. Robert A. Zirkin (D-Baltimore County), who chairs the Senates judicial committee, said he supports strong sentencing for violent offenders, but added that the state needs a holistic approach to dealing with the citys homicide rate, which has swelled to more than 220 so far this year, according to a Baltimore Sun database.

Zirkins panel is scheduled to meet Sept. 12 to discuss public safety in Baltimore with experts on criminal justice, addiction, after-school programs and other fields.

This is the big issue of this legislative session, the lawmaker said. Whats going on in Baltimore is untenable. The degree of violence has always been way too high, but now its at an epidemic level.

Pugh unveiled a plan on violence prevention three weeks ago that includes shifting more uniformed police officers from administrative roles to the streets, expanding summer jobs programs for students, increasing addiction treatment and allowing high school graduates to attend community college for free starting in 2018.

In October, the states 2016 Justice Reinvestment Act will take effect, increasing penalties for violent crimes such as second-degree murder and kidnapping but eliminating mandatory-minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders and allowing some nonviolent criminals to be released earlier from prison.

The legislation was designed to treat offenders more fairly, reduce prison costs and incarceration levels, and direct more resources toward rehabilitation.

Del. Cheryl D. Glenn (D-Baltimore City), who heads the states Legislative Black Caucus, said she agreed with the governors concerns about sentencing.

We need to look at the decisions of our judges, she said. Theres something wrong when you have repeat offenders who continuously get released from jail. Its very troubling to our communities and constituents.

Glenn said she is preparing proposals for workforce training, educational programs and recreation that would complement Pughs plans by putting more meat on the bone.

The officials at Hogans meeting on Tuesday included Pugh, state Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D), acting Maryland U.S. Attorney Stephen Schenning, Baltimore States Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby, Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis and Baltimore City Council President Bernard C. Young.

The governor said he was disappointed that several judges who preside over criminal cases in the city did not accept his request to participate in the discussion.

In declining his invitation, Mary Ellen Barbera, chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals, said attending such a gathering would be inappropriate for members of the judicial branch who are supposed to be unswayed by public demands and fear of criticism.
Former Obama administration official Paul Monteiro returned to his high school in Prince Georges County on Tuesday to kick off his long-shot campaign for county executive.

A lifelong county resident and graduate of its public school system, Monteiro, 36, is making a bid for local elected office after years of working in the White House.

He will compete for the 2018 Democratic nomination  which in deep-blue Prince Georges is akin to winning the general election  against States Attorney Angela Alsobrooks and state Sen. C. Anthony Muse, both longtime public officials with vast political networks in Prince Georges. Former congresswoman Donna F. Edwards is also weighing a bid to succeed County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D), who is term-limited and is running for governor.

President Obama told a lot of us at the end of the administration that the mission continues  go back to your local communities and get involved, Monteiro said in an interview. The best ways to use my experiences is to help a place that helped me and my family.

Tuesday nights event at High Point High School in Beltsville highlighted the importance of education, which Monteiro said will be a cornerstone of his campaign. Event attendees were encouraged to bring donations of school supplies and toiletries for students in need.

Paul Monteiro, a former Obama administration appointee, is running for Prince Georges County executive in 2018. (Roy Cox)

Monteiro, who was the first in his family to graduate from high school, said he will focus his platform on access to early-childhood education, providing resources and support to educators and ensuring that high school students find post-graduation opportunities  from apprenticeships to full-time college  that suit them. Initiatives for economic development, restorative justice and reinvigorating a sense of stewardship in county government will also play major roles, he said.

The son of a roofer and an administrative assistant, Monteiro grew up in Hyattsville and earned degrees from the University of Maryland and Howard University School of Law.

In his final year of law school, he interned on Capitol Hill for then-Sen. Barack Obama. He then moved to Chicago to work on Obamas presidential campaign as deputy director of religious affairs.

During Obamas presidency, Monteiro was an adviser to the White House Office of Public Engagement, leading outreach to faith-based organizations and antipoverty groups; director of AmeriCorps VISTA, the domestic Peace Corps; and director of the community relations service in the Justice Department, where he led efforts to address conflicts rooted in race, gender identity and sexual orientation.

He now works as the chief of staff to the president of Howard University and an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland.

Though new to county government, Monteiro said he took lessons from each of his prior positions that would help him as county executive.

Work on the Obama campaign taught him the power of meeting voters door to door, he said, while his time at the Justice Department solidified his understanding of what he calls the Zip-code problem, through which it is possible to predict life outcomes given the circumstances of someones birth and environment.

Im going to give back to a place that gave me everything, Monteiro said.
Members of Fairfax County search-and-rescue team VA-TF1 prepare to deploy to help those in flood-ravaged Texas. (Courtesy of VATF-1, Fairfax County Fire)

Rescue teams from Maryland and Virginia have gone to help in the rescue-and-recovery efforts in flood-ravaged Houston, officials said.

One group is from Fairfax County and known as VA-TF1. It includes 14 members of the swift water team. Theyre in Texas helping those hit by Hurricane Harvey and the following flooding.

In a YouTube video, Assistant Chief Chuck Ryan with the Fairfax County fire department said the group arrived in San Antonio on Sunday. They originally were headed to Houston, but with the flooding and heavy rain, Ryan said, federal officials decided to have the team hold back a little and go to San Antonio instead.

The 14-member team is healthy, safe and anxious to get to work, Ryan said, and is awaiting assignments.

Another rescue group, this one from Montgomery County  MD-TF1  also has been deployed to help flood and storm victims. That group includes roughly 20 members who are part of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue.

Similar rescue groups from across the country, including from Ohio, Utah and Colorado, have been sent to help in Texas. Such groups have helped in previous disasters, including Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the 9/11 Pentagon terrorist attack.

In a Twitter message, Pete Piringer, a spokesman for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, said it is the first time since Sept. 11, 2001, that all of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Urban Search and Rescue Teams have been deployed and activated at the same time.
One person is dead after a trash truck crashed into an SUV in Accokeek, Md.

The SUV then struck another vehicle around 9:30 a.m. in the 15700 block of Livingston Road, according to Prince Georges County police.

The SUV driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not yet released the identity of the driver who was killed.
Police fought to separate two groups that violently clashed outside the Turkish ambassadors residence on May 16 in Washington, D.C. (VOA Turkish/Twitter)

Police fought to separate two groups that violently clashed outside the Turkish ambassadors residence on May 16 in Washington, D.C. (VOA Turkish/Twitter)

A total of 19 people, including 15 identified as Turkish security officials, were indicted Tuesday in Washington in connection with scuffles that broke out outside the Turkish ambassadors residence here in May during a visit by the Turkish president, authorities said.

All were charged by a D.C. Superior Court grand jury with conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, said the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia

According to the indictment, the goals of the alleged conspiracy were to assault and kick protesters gathered in Sheridan Circle and to assault police who tried to stop the attacks.

Many of those indicted were also charged with assault that involved kicking.

The office said two of those indicted have been arrested, but the others are at large.

The alleged attacks were directed toward about 10 to 20 people in the circle who were protesting on May 16 against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The office said two of those indicted have been arrested, but the others are at large.

It was not clear Monday where the others are, or whether diplomatic immunity could hamper efforts to prosecute them.
Former U.S. transportation secretary Ray LaHood urged the Washington regions top elected officials Monday to tackle Metros problems by appointing a temporary reform board of five members to replace the transit systems existing 16-member governing body.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) all endorsed the overall goal of shrinking Metros board, but they wanted more details about how it would happen.

LaHood made his long-awaited recommendation at a regional summit at Mount Vernon. It was his first public report on work he began in March heading a panel that is trying to forge a consensus from Richmond to Annapolis on how to reform Metro and meet its funding needs. He is to make a final report in early October.

There have been numerous calls to restructure the Metro board, which has drawn criticism for years for being unwieldy and hampered by parochial fissures. Board members loyalties are partly to the jurisdictions they represent, while many critics say their one and only concern should be whats best for Metro.

But both legal obstacles and political resistance could stand in the way of LaHoods plan.

[Virginia Gov. McAuliffe taps Ray LaHood to head panel to study Metro]

In particular, his proposal apparently depends on the three leaders suspending the terms of current board members to make way for the new board, or persuading them to voluntarily give up their seats on an emergency basis.

It wasnt clear if McAuliffe, Hogan and Bowser have the power in all cases to make such suspensions, and whether board members would go along with the idea.

The summit made no progress on narrowing the three leaders differences over how to raise taxes or find additional money for Metro. General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld says the agency needs $500 million a year of additional revenue for new equipment and maintenance, or risk losing ground on safety and reliability.

Bowser said the three didnt talk about the proposal that she and some others support for a penny-per-dollar regionwide sales tax to support Metro.

Instead, the meeting followed LaHoods lead in focusing on the need to fix Metros governance before addressing funding. LaHood believes thats necessary to improve the agencys reputation and chances of getting support for extra money from legislators in Virginia, Maryland and Congress.

We all agreed there are some changes in governance that need to be made, McAuliffe said.

The current board is somewhat dysfunctional, Hogan said.

I would support a smaller board, Bowser said.

Members of the group said they all agreed that Wiedefeld is doing an excellent job. But LaHood said divisions on the board, aggravated by narrow-minded priorities, are keeping Wiedefeld from making necessary progress.

[New dispute over cost of fixing Metro pits District against Virginia and Maryland. ]

The current board is made up of people with way too much parochialism, way too much interest in their own jurisdictions or their own particular issue, LaHood said an interview after the summit. Theyre not looking at the big picture, and the big picture is, How do we get Metro to be the number one transit agency in the country again. 

He proposed to establish a five-member reform board for three years. The District, Maryland and Virginia would each appoint one member; a fourth would be appointed by the U.S. transportation secretary. Those four would then select a chairman, who would be the fifth member.

The current board members terms would be suspended. That would happen either by executive action or by McAuliffe, Hogan and Bowser using what Virginia Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne called the bully pulpit to persuade them to step aside.

The current Metro board is composed of four members each from Maryland, Virginia, the District and the federal government. Two from each jurisdiction are voting members, and two are alternates.

Each jurisdiction picks its members in different ways, which Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn noted could be an obstacle to LaHoods plan. Two of Marylands four members, for example, are picked by Montgomery and Prince Georges counties.

[Despite criticisms, new study finds Metro workers pay and benefits are typical for industry.]

Rahn also noted that Maryland board members are appointed for specified terms, so it could be difficult legally to cut short their service.

LaHood deliberately did not call for restructuring the board by rewriting the Metro Compact, the document that dictates how the agency is governed and financed. Renegotiating the deal would take years, and he believes Metro must move quickly to fix its governance to win support for urgently needed increased funding.

LaHood said the new board would work with Wiedefeld to put Metro back on good financial footing and develop a long-term maintenance plan. It also would support Wiedefeld renegotiating some of these legacy costs, he said, which means trimming pension expenses and restraining other labor costs.

LaHoods presentation also included a comparison of Metros overall labor costs with those of comparable transit systems. As previously reported, his teams research found they are not out of line  thus correcting what McAuliffe called misperceptions in the Virginia General Assembly.

Republicans in Richmond have pressed for weakening union powers and taking other steps to rein in labor costs at the agency.

Metros pay and benefits are all in line with other systems, McAuliffe said.

LaHood mostly steered clear of the divisive question of how the region would raise the extra money that Wiedefeld says it needs starting in the fiscal year that begins July 1. While Bowser favors a regional sales tax, McAuliffe has said reforms must come first. Hogan has ruled out using state funds to support Metro but has left open the possibility that Montgomery and Prince Georges could choose to raise taxes to support it.

I didnt get into how people should raise the money, LaHood said.

Although he didnt specify a figure, he indicated that he agreed with Wiedefelds estimate that the agency needs an additional $500 million a year.

Everybody knows what Paul is recommending, LaHood said.
Ed Gillespie hired a blunt-spoken veteran of Donald Trumps campaign and sharpened his rhetoric on Confederate monuments in recent days, as the establishment Republican running for Virginia governor seeks to win over Trump voters.

Gillespie (R) has hired Jack Morgan, Trumps Southwest Virginia field director, to play a similar role for his campaign.

An evangelical preacher, motivational speaker and self-defense entrepreneur in Southwest Virginia, Morgan worked for Gillespies opponent, Corey A. Stewart, in the GOP gubernatorial primary. He has warned that the country is on the brink of civil war and that communists are behind the effort to take down Confederate statues.

And when he was stumping for Stewart during the primary, Morgan blasted Gillespie as a Washington lobbyist in speeches.

Im telling you folks, it would be a shame  that I put [in] all the time I did, and all of you folks put in all the time you did, and we all across America worked as hard as we could to send Donald Trump to Washington, D.C., to drain the swamp, and send a lobbyist to Richmond, Morgan told the Southwest Virginia Republican Womens Club in April. That would be a disaster.

Morgan, an associate pastor at Real Life Ministries in Wytheville, Va., did not respond to messages seeking comment. The Gillespie campaign declined to make him available for an interview.

Conservative radio host John Fredericks, who helped lead Trumps Virginia campaign, touted the hire as a win for the partys Trump faction.

Fredericks was one of several prominent Republicans, from the White House on down, who urged Gillespie to hire Trump campaign veterans after he nearly lost the primary to Stewart.

Our hope is that some of the Jack Morgan style rubs off on Ed, Fredericks said Tuesday. Ed needs to surround himself with Jack Morgans. 

Fredericks did not think Morgans past criticism of Gillespie will hamper his ability to sell him now. I think Jack, in looking at this race, has come to the sober conclusion that Ed Gillespies positions and polices are much closer to President Trumps . . . than Ralph Northams are, Fredericks said, referring to the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, the states lieutenant governor. Theres now a binary decision that has to be made.

David Abrams, a campaign spokesman, said Morgan is working on grassroots outreach and coalition coordination, and we are thrilled to have him on the team.

The move delighted Republicans who think Gillespie, a former lobbyist and aide to President George W. Bush as well as chairman of the Republican National Committee, needs to make a stronger pitch to rural voters to beat Northam (D) in November.

Morgan has a swaggering style that could not be more at odds with Gillespies reflexive caution. He calls the push to remove Confederate monuments a communist plot to undermine America.

This is nothing but pure communists trying to come after America again, he said in a video he shot this week at a monument in Mount Jackson, where he was campaigning for Gillespie and state Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (R-Fauquier), who is running for lieutenant governor. We have to stand up and we have to combat these crazy leftists, some socialists, but a whole lot of communists, too  nobody wants to use that [word]  who are coming after our country and after our foundation.

Gillespies decision to hire Morgan drew praise from Mark Lloyd, director of Trumps Virginia campaign, who in the past has criticized Gillespie as an unexciting candidate.

Jack Morgan is a great guy, Lloyd said. He is a hard worker and he knows Southwest Virginia better than anybody else in conservative politics.

The Democratic Party of Virginia used the hiring to link Gillespie to the president, calling it a sign that he has decided to further embrace Trumps toxic presidency.

Morgan was working on Stewarts campaign when Confederate monuments became its marquee issue. In February, Stewart traveled to Charlottesville to protest the citys decision to remove a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee from a downtown park. Counterprotesters mobbed him, video of that went viral, and a campaign theme was born. The attention drew white nationalists to the statue for two protests, one in July and the other Aug. 12, with the latter resulting in three deaths.

[Protesters mob provocative Va. governor candidate as he defends Confederate statue]

On the stump for Stewart in April, Morgan recalled the February counterprotesters as a bunch of crazy, left-wing liberal nut jobs, absolutely crazy people. He used similarly strong language on Facebook this week, when he posted video of black-clad anti-fascist antifa protesters attacking right-wing protesters in Berkeley, Calif.

It is now clear that Law Enforcement is either incapable or unwilling to stop the communists that are attempting to destroy our nation, Morgan wrote. It is time for President Trump to take control of this insurgency in America and for every law abiding citizen to train and be prepared to defend your life. We are already in a civil war it just hasnt been called that yet.

Gillespie uses far milder language, although his position on monuments has grown sharper in recent days.

Four days after the deadly Aug. 12 melee, Gillespie issued a long, nuanced statement that noted that while Northam believes the statues should be removed, and Gillespie thinks they should remain in place with added context, they both agreed the decision should be left to local communities.

[The Democrat running for Va. governor wants Confederate monuments to come down. Republicans said he has turned his back on heritage.]

These are legitimate differences, and I know Virginians are engaging in an ongoing, thoughtful conversation about these sensitive issues, one marked by respect and understanding, he wrote.

[McAuliffe has a change of heart on Confederate statues]

But in an email to supporters this week, he was no longer calling for conversation.

Spending scarce tax dollars on very costly stature removals instead of improving schools and roads or increasing pay for teachers and police is not the right priority for Virginians, it said. Democrat Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam has promised to do everything he can if he is elected governor to remove Virginias Confederate monuments and statues. Add your name if you agree with Ed Gillespie that these statues should stay right where they are and we should teach history  NOT erase it.

Some anti-Trump Republicans recoiled at the change in Gillespies message.

Special election for Fairfax County school board today. Voted for the Republican. Thought to myself, can still be Republican despite Trump, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol tweeted Tuesday. Then got mass email from Gillespie vowing to keep all Confederate monuments. Really? Not the sensible localities should decide position? 
The Charlottesville City Council will take the unusual step Wednesday of holding a closed-door session to discuss the performance and discipline of an elected official, a sign that the fallout from the way the city handled the Aug. 12 white supremacist rally continues to roil the citys leadership.

Charges and countercharges have flown about whether the city was prepared for the rally that eventually led to three deaths and who was to blame for a plan that left police officers either reluctant or unable to respond as violent clashes broke out between rallygoers and counterprotesters.

A leaked memo from the City Council to City Manager Maurice Jones last week questioned many aspects of how he and Police Chief Al Thomas, handled the rally. Joness five-page pointed response provided an inside look at just how strained the relationship has become between all of those responsible for the citys operation and safety.

[How Charlottesville lost control amid deadly protest]

In typically sedate Charlottesville, a college town of close to 50,000, the tense exchanges and accusations appear to have crossed a line.

White supremacist groups and counterprotesters clash during the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville on Aug. 12. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post)

Council members contacted would not identify the elected official who will be the focus of their special meeting Wednesday. But there has been criticism leveled by community leaders and others about the way Mayor Michael Signer, a Democrat who was elected in 2016, dealt with the rally and its aftermath.

The five-member council, on which Signer also serves, has the power to punish one its own members for disorderly conduct by a fine not exceeding three hundred dollars, according to the Charlottesville City Code. The council can also by a two-thirds vote expel a member of its own body for malfeasance or misfeasance in office.

In the leaked memo to Jones, council members asked the city manager to explain why he wasnt more aggressive in pursuing an alternate location for the Unite the Right rally, why he took a vacation in the weeks immediately leading up to the rally, why more restrictions werent placed on rallygoers to make the event safer and why there was apparent unwillingness of officers to directly intervene during overt assaults captured in many videos.

Signer wrote on his Facebook page that when he had asked the police chief how he could help with the citys response to the rally, he was told by Thomas, Stay out of my way.

But in his point-by-point response to the councils memo, Jones rebutted every charge that had been laid against him and Thomas. Jones said that he had pushed to move the rally to another location  which triggered a legal challenge by the organizers. Despite the best efforts of our legal team and outside counsel, that effort failed in court, Jones wrote in his rebuttal. He also said that he had been in communication with the council in the weeks leading up to the rally and shared information the council requested.

[Recounting a day of rage, hate, violence and death]

On the question of why police did not seem to intervene in clashes, Jones said there was no stand down order and that the city is concerned about reports of officers unwillingness to intervene in particular situations.

According to Jones, Thomas has ordered police commanders to review body-camera video footage from every Charlottesville police officer assigned to the demonstration, approximately 8 to 10 hours of video for each officer.

The sharpest response Jones made in his rebuttal was to complaints by Signer that he had not been allowed in the citys command center to monitor events.

On two separate occasions during the height of the crisis, the Mayor threatened my job and that of the police chief because of our concerns about allowing him to be part of the command center, Jones wrote. He said, You work for me, and I replied that I worked for the City Council. 

[Charlottesville still anguished, two weeks later ]

The communication between the council, city manager, police chief and state officials is likely to be the focus of planned investigations and pending lawsuits. On Friday, the council announced that Timothy Heaphy, a former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, would lead an independent review of the events of Aug. 12.

But even that decision is coming under fire. On Tuesday, state Republicans criticized the choice of Heaphy to lead the investigation, saying that he had contributed $200 to Signers campaign fund and given $2,750 this year to Democrats running in Virginia elections.

The Republican Party of Virginia issued a statement asking how Heaphy could provide an unbiased review of the citys or states actions.

After the tragic events in early August, the citizens of the Commonwealth deserve a review to deliver the truth, not a partisan white wash, the statement read.

Heaphy said on Tuesday that his political contributions have no bearing on the review he is leading of events in Charlottesville this summer.

That work is not political and will be pursued without bias, he wrote in an email. I do not believe we are in any way encumbered from objectively evaluating these events. I am looking forward to providing an accurate account of the protest events and constructive recommendations for improved practices going forward.
(Natural News) Greenpeace and other environmental groups have found themselves on the receiving end of a lawsuit filed by an oil pipeline company.

Energy Transfer Partners, the operator of the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline, accused Greenpeace and the other groups of racketeering, inciting violence that was akin to eco-terrorism, and defamation. They claimed that the groups made false charges, such as saying the operator failed to consult the tribes living near the route of the pipeline.

The suit alleges: This case involves a network of putative not-for-profits and rogue eco-terrorist groups who employ patterns of criminal activity and campaigns of misinformation to target legitimate companies and industries with fabricated environmental claims and other purported misconduct, inflicting billions of dollars in damage.

The lawsuit accused the groups of sensationalizing the issue to help attract more donations to their causes and said that they damaged the firms critical business and financial relationships.

For its part, Greenpeace said that the charges were nothing more than harassment by corporate bullies. Their spokesperson, Travis Nichols, told the New York Daily News that he felt the lawsuit had no legal merit and was an attempt to squash public opposition. He vowed to refute the outrageous claims against the group.

Some of the other groups named in the suit include Earth First, Bank Track, and the Bold Alliance. The lawsuit accuses these groups of manufacturing a media spectacle and using the Standing Rock Sioux tribe to incite a battle against the pipeline project.

The suit also names three Iowa activist groups, Bold Iowa, Mississippi Stand, and the Sierra Club. These groups representatives told The Des Moines Register that they dispute the lawsuits claims and remain opposed to the pipeline, which passes through 18 of the states counties.

Thousands of protesters camped on North Dakota land last year near the planned path of the 1,172-mile pipeline. Environmental groups and North American tribes took issue with the fact that the $3.8 billion pipeline would go underneath a river and manmade lake that provided drinking water to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.

Other points of contention were its use of fossil fuels, its interference with native ancestral lands, and the state of Iowas authorization of eminent domain to access the land for pipeline construction. A total of 761 arrests were made in protests that took place between August 2016 and this February, and two members of the Mississippi Stand group have admitted to sabotaging the pipeline.

Future of controversial pipeline is uncertain

The pipeline began delivering crude oil in May, but its future is uncertain. In June, a federal judge called for a new environmental review, saying that officials failed to fully consider the potential effects any oil spills could have on the Standing Rock Sioux tribes fishing and hunting rights.

The law firm representing Energy Transfer Partners in this matter is Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman. The founding partner of the firm, Marc Kasowitz, is President Trumps personal lawyer. The firms Michael J. Bowe will be leading the lawsuit.

Greenpeace says that this is not the first time that Kasowitzs firm has taken action against them. Last year, the same firm represented the logging company Resolute Forest Products in filing a defamation lawsuit against Greenpeace.

The current lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in North Dakota, is seeking damages of up to $1 billion. Energy Transfer Partners legal team said in a press release that they planned to establish a website to keep track of information about the case, publish progress reports, and set the record straight when necessary.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

Reuters.com

NYDailyNews.com

USAToday.com

EcoWatch.com
The race for Virginia attorney general, on a slow boil since spring, heated up this week with new campaign ads from both the Democratic incumbent and his Republican challenger in a pre-Labor Day rollout of what could be an especially nasty matchup.

Incumbent Mark Herring (D) and John Adams (R) are running in the only attorney generals contest in the country this November, attracting national attention and money, although both candidates say they want to take politics out of the office.

Herrings first ad was a paean to his mother and what her struggles taught him. He quickly followed that up over the weekend with an attack that targets Adams, an attorney in a prominent Richmond law firm, for defending banks and corporations that have been prosecuted by federal officials over their involvement in a Ponzi scheme, a fraudulent claims charge and home foreclosures.

John Adams  the best attorney general the powerful and well-connected can buy, a voiceover in Herrings ad says.

Adams introductory ad released Tuesday accused Herring of ignoring laws passed by the voters of Virginia.

Service isnt about dividing people or getting media attention. Its about doing your job and getting results. As your attorney general, politics wont influence anything I do. Ill enforce the law and serve you, Adams said in the ad.

Both men say politics has intruded too much on what has been considered the states top legal job. Herring, elected four years ago vowing to undo the activist tenure of his conservative Republican predecessor, Ken Cuccinelli II, was among the first attorneys general to challenge President Trumps efforts to institute a Muslim ban in late January and has since pledged to resist the Trump administration, has worked to advance gay rights and abortion access, offer in-state tuition to certain illegal immigrants and to tighten gun control.

Adams, a conservative who once clerked for Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas, wants to rein in what he describes as Herrings activism. Soon after taking office, Herring refused to enforce the states ban on gay marriage, a stance later supported by the Supreme Courts ruling in favor of gay marriage. He also refused to recognize concealed carry gun permits issued in other states, a position that was reversed months later when Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) signed a law requiring Virginia to recognize them.

Adams also criticized Herring for for appointing an independent counsel, Mark F. Thor Hearne II to defend Virginia's voter identification law, which was challenged by Democratic activists. The challenge lost at the U.S Court of Appeals for the 4th District.

Herring raised $2.6 million in the first six months of 2017, including money from a fund founded by former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, Democratic attorneys general, labor unions and $35,000 from author John Grisham. Adams raised $848,000 in the same period, with donors including the Republican Attorney Generals Association, corporate leaders and $23,000 in expenses donated by the candidate himself.

Those numbers just include contributions made through the end of June. The next round of campaign finance reports are due in mid-September and mid-October.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/candidate-for-va-ag-wants-to-take-politics-out-of-the-office-sound-familiar/2017/07/04/da7d7a64-5aa3-11e7-9b7d-14576dc0f39d_story.html
(Natural News) The historical roots of Big Pharma are a chillingly ugly matter, as its been shown time and time again that the industry has taken advantage of vulnerable populations to shamelessly advance its agenda. In the case of Caribbean slaves, new evidence suggests that so-called doctors from Great Britain deliberately injected many of them with smallpox to see how the deadly viral disease would affect them.

A British doctor by the name of John Quier had reportedly developed a perfect cure for yaws when such medical experimentation was commenced in rural Jamaica  yaws being a terrible tropical infection of the bones, skin, and joints that usually rears its ugly head amidst extreme poverty and poor sanitation. To see if his perfect cure would work, Quier decided to test it on slaves working the sugar plantations whose owners gave him permission to use them as human guinea pigs.

It was around 1768, the year when smallpox became an epidemic, that Quier tested his smallpox inoculation on about 850 Caribbean slaves, including menstruating and pregnant women, as well as newborn babies. Many slave owners actually employed Quier to test the inoculation on their slaves, without their consent  an extreme human rights violation that weve seen occur again and again throughout history in conjunction with pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines.

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, writes Londa Schiebinger for The Conversation. 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?

British doctors conducting medical experiments on slaves werent concerned about human life

The answer to Schiebingers question appears to be resounding yes, with an even darker caveat. Quier and his human rights violators apparently conducted additional testing using smallpox vaccines that went far beyond simply determining their efficacy. Based on historical records, Quier also used slaves as human guinea pigs to determine the dangers of the experimental smallpox vaccines, using the most vulnerable of the slaves as victims.

Quier did not simply inoculate to prevent disease, Schiebinger adds. We see from his reports that he used slaves to explore questions that doctors in Europe dared not.

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.

In other words, plantation slaves were treated no differently than laboratory rats of today, with so-called physicians taking advantage of these poor folks while feeding their own scientific curiosities about experimental medicines. If a slave or two was permanently injured or killed as a result, it was considered to be a worthy sacrifice for the advancement of science.

Such heinous medical experimentation has occurred many times since, including in the Nazi death camps where victims were used as human guinea pigs in the illicit testing of pharmaceuticals for companies like Bayer, Hoechst, and BASF. And it still continues today, often in poor and developing countries where vaccines and drugs are administered under the guise of public health simply to test their efficacy and safety.

The infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Study is a prominent example of this. More than 200 poor black men were diagnosed with syphilis in Alabama back in the 1930s, but rather than receive proven treatment they were given experimental drugs without consent.

Sources for this article include:

DailyMail.co.uk

NaturalNews.com
TEXAS

Ruling on redrawing districts put on hold

Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. on Monday gave Texas a temporary reprieve from complying with a lower courts order to start redrawing congressional districts it ruled were discriminatory.

A three-judge panel in San Antonio found two of the states 36 congressional districts were drawn to diminish the influence of minority voters. It scheduled a court hearing next week to begin the process of redrawing the districts.

Texas on Friday asked the Supreme Court to stay the lower courts decision.

Alito, who handles emergency filings from Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana, put the lower courts order on hold until the Supreme Court heard from Democrats and the voting rights groups that had mounted the challenge. He called for the plaintiffs response by next Tuesday.

 Robert Barnes

NEW MEXICO

Two killed, four hurt in library shooting

Two people were killed and four were injured in a shooting inside a public library in Clovis, N.M., on Monday, city officials said.

City Manager Tom Phelps told the Eastern New Mexico News that the alleged shooter was taken into custody. Clovis is about 200 miles east of Albuquerque, near the Texas state line.

 Associated Press

ILLINOIS

Governor signs bill on immigrant protections

Illinois will limit how local and state police can cooperate with federal immigration authorities under a plan signed into law Monday by Gov. Bruce Rauner, a move that puts the first-term Republican at odds with his party on immigration.

The narrow measure prohibits police from searching, arresting or detaining someone solely because of immigration status or because of federal immigration detainers. But local authorities will be able to communicate with immigration agents and hold someone for immigration authorities if theres a valid criminal warrant, according to the new law. It takes effect immediately.

Proponents say the measure falls short of a sanctuary law because it leaves the door open to communication and ensures the state complies with federal law. The move comes as President Trump has threatened to crack down on sanctuary cities, which have laws friendly to immigrants living in the United States without legal permission.

 Associated Press


Businesses and neighborhoods near Addicks Reservoir in the Houston area flooded as a result of unprecedented rains across the region. (David J. Phillip/Associated Press)

The sprawling neighborhoods of brick homes, man-made lakes and walking paths in this area west of Houston always have been considered high ground. When the city has flooded, friends and family would flee here to escape, as many did in recent days during Houstons descent into disaster.

But that changed Tuesday, when dozens of rescue helicopters swooped in to airlift the elderly and children from rooftops in neighborhoods with lofty names like Grand Mission Estates and Cinco Ranch. Federal Emergency Management Agency officials from as far as California were zipping up their life jackets to perform search and rescue missions alongside volunteers on water scooters, urgently moving people out of a basin that was suddenly  and unexpectedly  filling with water.

[Harveys staggering impact: Up to 30 percent of Harris County is under water]

Days of unprecedented rains from the remnants of Hurricane Harvey caused the Addicks and Barker reservoirs to exceed their capacity. Addicks, one of two major flood-control reservoirs in the Houston area, spilled over its banks for the first time in history Tuesday morning  this, despite efforts to prevent such uncontrolled overflow the day before, officials said. The other reservoir, Barker, to the south of Addicks, is expected to begin overflowing Wednesday, similarly endangering residential areas that are not typically prone to inundation.

With the reservoirs filled, the channels leading from the Katy suburbs have backfilled, leaving no place for stormwater there to go.

We never thought this area would flood, said Jessica Wang, 34, whose family had given shelter to relatives and friends after their Houston homes were overcome by water earlier in the week. Drenched and standing in flip flops, Wang hugged a family friend who was in tears. Its just shock, a frozen panicked feeling. I feel a mix of fight and fear all at the same time.



Evacuees make their way though floodwaters near the Addicks Reservoir on Tuesday. (David J. Phillip/Associated Press)

The group of eight was again seeking higher ground when Wang saw on the news that the nearby Barker Reservoir was beginning controlled water releases amid hopes of staving off bigger threats of flooding neighborhoods near the dam. Officials here  acting on lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, when dams and levees collapsed  want to avoid a catastrophic dam failure that would send massive amounts of water into downstream communities.

On Tuesday, residents navigated water that came up to their chests, some holding pets and soggy wedding and birthday party photographs. The elderly were too afraid to move, Wang said. Others streamed into a makeshift shelter set up at a massive Kroger grocery store.

Its hard to say whats going to happen now with this storm, Wang said. Every time I say, no it wont happen, it happens.

Wang, whose eyes were red, said she hadnt slept Monday night, huddled with friends, snacking on old chips and glued to their phones, waiting for the water to seep in. They left their home as neighbors around them started to be airlifted out by helicopters.

A soldier with the Texas National Guard driving a high-water vehicle said that about 400 people and pets were rescued by his team of 14 soldiers and five trucks on Monday, with more piling in Tuesday.

If they can fit on, were carrying them out, he said.

[Cajun Navy races from Louisiana to Texas, using boats to pay it forward]

Many families moved to these exurbs of Houston for a small piece of the American Dream, coming from nearby Louisiana and from as far away as Mexico and India to live in 4,000-square-foot homes with double garages and spacious back yards.

But making the flooding situation tougher is the fact that much of the development is new and built on former marshlands, rice farms and cow pastures. The pavement, roads and parking lots have left water with nowhere to go, said Jason Mckey, who lives in the flooded Canyon Gate neighborhood. He even started a business that works to restore wetlands.

Residents wade through floodwaters near the Addicks Reservoir. (David J. Phillip/AP)

The irony wasnt lost on me, he said, putting on his duck-

hunting waders as his friends got their boat ready again. He spent Tuesday morning rescuing neighbors who he said had no preparation, no flood insurance, nothing. . . . Its mostly elderly people in just a horrible way.

Mckey said fatigue was starting to set in because he had been helping people until 3 a.m. and was back at it again at daybreak. He said he saw things that would make any man cry.

Its just a lot of elderly in dire straits, caught in water they cant get themselves out of in their kitchens or even bathrooms, he said. Its not quitting time yet  not even close.

His own home was flooded, and he wasnt sure where he would sleep.

Lori Roberson, 25, and her husband, Ryan, were just about to close on a new home  four bedrooms, 3 baths  in a new section of a nearby subdivision here called Seven Oaks. Now its flooding with the rest of the neighborhood.

She said they will have to negotiate with the company from which they are buying it to fix all the damage. Fortunately, she said, the new house requires flood insurance because its near a gully.

Flood insurance sounds wise these days, she said. Its just unbelievable.

Other residents peered with dismay at the neighborhoods man-made lakes, which still had columns of water spurting upward into the rain.

And the fountains are still going, said Gloria Strayhorn, a retired interior designer who was out for a walk with her husband, Bill, who retired from the nuclear industry. They said the lakes were refurbished this spring, and the subdivision spent so much money setting up these real cute benches, she said. And now look.

Read more: How to help Texas residents affected by Harvey

Before-and-after: Photos of incredible flooding in Texas

The Cajun Navy races to help, some with memories of Katrina

Wang reported from Washington.
IRAN

2 Americans in prison reportedly lose appeal

An Iranian American businessman and his father, both serving 10-year prison sentences in Iran over their ties to the United States, have lost a court appeal, a lawyer said Monday.

Siamak Namazi and his 81-year-old father, Baquer, who are among several dual nationals detained in Iran, learned Sunday that the Tehran appellate court denied their appeal, Washington-based lawyer Jared Genser said.

The courts decision comes as both men suffer health problems related to their incarceration at Tehrans notorious Evin prison, Genser said.

The Namazi family fled Iran after the 1979 Islamic revolution. Siamak Namazi later traveled back several times and wrote articles calling for improved ties between Iran and the United States.

Those efforts raised suspicions among Iranian hard-liners, who accused him of being part of a Western effort to infiltrate Iran. Siamak Namazi was arrested in October 2015. His father, apparently drawn to Iran over fears about his son, was arrested in February 2016.

 Associated Press

KENYA

Plastic-bag ban carries prison term, hefty fines

A ban on plastic bags came into force Monday in Kenya, and those found violating the regulation could receive maximum fines of $38,000 or a four-year jail term.

The ban applies to the use, manufacture and importation of plastic shopping bags and imposes a minimum fine of about $19,000 or up to a year in prison, according to the government. Exemptions were made for manufacturers producing plastic bags for industrial use.

Similar bans have been implemented in other African countries.

Activist Boniface Mwangi has appealed to the Kenyan government to reduce the penalties, saying they are overly punitive and will mainly affect poor citizens who cannot afford to bribe their way to freedom.

About 100 million plastic bags are handed out every year in Kenya by supermarkets alone, according to the United Nations Environment Program.

The government says the bags harm the environment, block sewers and do not decompose.

 Associated Press

BURMA

1,000 Rohingya storm Bangladesh border

About 1,000 ethnic Rohingya villagers from Burma forced their way Monday into Bangladesh after coming under fire in fallout from violence unleashed last week when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts in Burmas western Rakhine state.

The Muslim villagers, seeking refuge from the violence in Buddhist-majority Burma, had been in a border no mans land for two days. Bangladeshi border guards on Monday sought to push them back to Burma.

A Bangladeshi local government representative said that when Burmese troops fired their guns, the crowd ran back and broke through a Bangladeshi barricade and cordon. He said they then scattered, with at least some making it to unofficial camps for unregistered refugees.

Rohingya leaders and intelligence officials said 8,000 to 9,000 Rohingya have entered Bangladesh since the violence broke out Thursday. Human rights groups say the army retaliated by burning down villages and shooting civilians, forcing thousands to flee.

The Rohingya have long faced discrimination in Burma, where the government refuses to recognize them as a legitimate native ethnic minority.

 Associated Press

German pair suspected of compiling kill list of leftists: Authorities in Germany raided the homes and workplaces of a police officer and another suspect in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on allegations that they opposed the countrys policy on migrants and were drawing up a kill list of left-wingers. The two are alleged to have discussed the refugee and migration policies with others online. They allegedly stated that those policies would increase crime and cause a collapse of public order.

Jail for Chinese crew found with protected sharks: An Ecuadoran judge has sentenced 20 Chinese crew members to jail and levied a $5.9 million fine after their ship was found with 300 tons of frozen marine animals apparently from the Galapagos reserve, including protected sharks. Ecuadors navy stopped the ship this month near San Cristobal, the easternmost island of the Galapagos archipelago. Authorities found more than 6,600 sharks from protected species inside the ship. Shark fin soup is a Chinese delicacy.

 From news services
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) says the Republican president in the White House is not displaying the conservatism his party should be embracing. In his new book, "Conscience of a Conservative," Flake says populism and protectionism are as threatening to the GOP now as the New Deal was in 1960. (Dalton Bennett,Kate Woodsome/The Washington Post)

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) says the Republican president in the White House is not displaying the conservatism his party should be embracing. In his new book, "Conscience of a Conservative," Flake says populism and protectionism are as threatening to the GOP now as the New Deal was in 1960. (Dalton Bennett,Kate Woodsome/The Washington Post)

The relationship between President Trump and Republicans in Congress is rapidly deteriorating. At least, that is the clear impression one gets from a spate of recent headlines, such as Trump distances himself from GOP lawmakers to avoid blame if agenda stalls, Deepening GOP split, Trump attacks Republican senators and Trump sticks it to GOP. The problem, as those headlines indicate, is that the feud is largely one-sided.

Almost every day, Trump demonstrates that he is utterly unfit for office. In the past few days alone, as a catastrophic hurricane devastated the fourth-largest city in the country, Trump pardoned former Maricopa County, Ariz., sheriff Joe Arpaio  who defied a court order to stop illegally profiling Latinos and committed grotesque abuses of power for years  and tweeted nonsense about Mexico paying for the wall on the southern border. And yet, despite the presidents intensifying attacks on members of his own party, Republican leaders still have not shown the spine necessary to confront him in any meaningful way. Even the relatively few conservative lawmakers who have spoken out forcefully against Trump, particularly in response to his abominable reaction to the white-supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Va., have failed to back up their words with concrete actions.

Ask yourself this: Who in the Republican Party is even attempting to hold him accountable?

Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) might be the closest Trump comes to having a true Republican antagonist in Washington. In his new book, Flake correctly argues that his party all but ensured the rise of Donald Trump and accuses his co-partisans of being in denial. In return, Trump has praised Flakes right-wing primary challenger and slammed his positions on crime and border security. Yet while Flakes recriminations may help him sell books and win fans in the establishment media, they will do nothing to rein in a presidency that he portrays as a danger to democracy. Meanwhile, Flake has voted in line with Trumps position roughly 94 percent of the time, and he responded to Trumps personal attacks last week by talking up his desire to work with the president.

Like Flake, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) has cultivated a reputation for being a principled Trump opponent. He has denounced Trumps tweets and admonished him for trying to weaponize distrust of the press. But aside from his lofty words  he is also promoting a book  Sasse has done virtually nothing to distinguish himself from any other partisan loyalist. Like Flake, he has consistently supported Trumps agenda and voted to confirm extreme and unqualified nominees, such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. As Ben Mathis-Lilley recently wrote, If Nebraskans had elected a cravenly partisan alt-right bozo as their senator in 2014 instead of a genial Ph.D., American public life would be little different today.

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) in Oxon Hill, Md., on March 3. (Saul Loeb/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

After Flake and Sasse, there is a small cadre of conservatives who seem to relish the attention they receive for occasionally criticizing Trump, even as they heap praise upon him when it serves their interests, as if offering positive reinforcement to a poorly behaved pet. For example, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) blasted Trump for dividing Americans following the terror in Charlottesville. Just a few days later, however, he celebrated Trumps ill-advised decision to escalate the war in Afghanistan by applauding him for showing the will to stand up to Radical Islam . . . unlike President Obama. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) sharply criticized the pardon of Arpaio, but he, too, enthusiastically praised Trump for his new strategy in Afghanistan.

To be fair, Trump is a more conventional Republican than many Republicans would care to admit, so their overwhelming support for his policies of deregulation, draconian budget cuts and tax cuts for the rich is expected. But even so, there are plenty of ways that congressional Republicans could stand up to the president if they wanted to. They could convene hearings on the rise of white nationalism or sign onto the Democratic resolution censuring Trump for equating neo-Nazis and members of the Ku Klux Klan with anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville. They could investigate Trumps conflicts of interest or empower the Office of Government Ethics to conduct stricter oversight of the executive branch. They could force Trump to finally release his tax returns. The real question is not whether Republicans can do something about Trump, historian Julian Zelizer says, but whether they have the will or the courage to do so. At this point, they clearly do not.

Like everything else involving Trump, the rift between him and Republicans in Congress is personal: They dont like each other. But while their personal relationships may be souring, they are still politically bound together. As long as Republicans fail to show the moral or political courage to hold Trump accountable, the whole party is complicit.

Read more from Katrina vanden Heuvels archive or follow her on Twitter.
In the past two weeks, Gary Cohn has somehow become the nations first chief rabbi. His official title is director of the presidents National Economic Council, but that has been overshadowed by Cohns new status as the Trump administrations most controversial Jew. The question of whether he should quit over President Trumps remarks about the recent unrest in Charlottesville or remain as sort of a White House hall monitor has become a late-August meme. Cohns problem is that hes the proverbial one-eyed man in the valley of the blind.

So when the president blamed both sides for a white-supremacist rally that resulted in the death of a counterprotester, heads turned toward Cohn, who stood behind Trump at his news conference: How would he react? At first, he did not, and the critics pounced. Here, they said, was a Jew who remained mum while the president engaged in odious moral equivalency  both the neo-Nazis and the counterdemonstrators were equally at fault, Trump suggested  and later the president claimed there were very fine people in both camps. A very fine Nazi is a chilling thought.

For a time, attention was also focused on Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, who is also Jewish. But he was an early Trump backer, someone so blind or indifferent to the presidents heroic faults and so ridiculously voluble in praise of him that he has a kind of political dementia. In the media, he has essentially been granted a plea of insanity. That left Cohn sort of standing alone and being implored to speak out.

I can see why the demand was made. But why wasnt it made of others? The Charlottesville goons were mostly animated by racism. Yet the demand for Trumps black appointees to criticize the president was so muted it could hardly be heard. And what about the rest of Trumps team? Each one of them had an obligation to criticize a president who couldnt tell a neo-Nazi march from one by the Lions Club. Why Cohn?

The answer was written on Cohns face. As the president waxed idiotic, Cohn seemed pained. Had he adopted a game face, he might have been given a pass. But the media jumped on the optics  and, of course, his reputation as a reasonable man and a registered Democrat. Finally, Cohn told the Financial Times how he felt: Citizens standing up for equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the KKK. He added that Trump can and must do better on condemning hate groups.

Still, the call went out for Cohn to resign for moral reasons. He was denounced as a court Jew, a choice bit of opprobrium on the moral level of Uncle Tom. He was reported to be considering quitting. Friends emailed. Stay. Go.

And stay he should  for now. He is the necessary man in the presidents inner circle. Its true that his influence may be curtailed now that he has criticized the president, but it is not true that the recent purge of White House hyper-nationalists means that Cohn is less essential. Stephen K. Bannon, Sebastian Gorka and, in prehistory, Michael Flynn can always reach Trump on the phone or through such outlets as Fox News and Breitbart. They lost proximity but not influence. They still cook in the kitchen cabinet.

In a recent Wall Street Journal interview, Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations who has served under four presidents, outlined reasons for Cohn to stay or go. Stay if he thinks hes having a real impact, but go if he cant live with where the president comes out on a big issue, or because there is a pattern of decision-making you cant agree with. In a follow-up with me, Haass added a third: Am I comfortable representing the presidents policies?

In talking with other former officials, I found no unanimity on whether Cohn should remain or leave. If Trump were not such a reckless president, the choice would be easy. But if there is a chance to restrain his behavior, to temper his temper, to nudge him toward moderation, then staying is the right choice. One critic of Cohn pointed me to the Mishna, the ancient Jewish commentary in which the sage Hillel says, In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man. Yes, I understand. But for now, being a rare man in the White House is perhaps better for all of us than being just another man outside.

Read more from Richard Cohens archive.
An old man gets absorbed in our national drama, same as you  the paper is full of it, the madman who has moved into our lives  and then suddenly I am distracted by the memory of lawn mowing. I once loved mowing, then I hired young men to do it, and now a gang of them comes every week and they roar around for half an hour while I read the paper. Maybe I would be happier if I mowed instead.

Mowing was my mothers remedy for a boys melancholy. She didnt believe in melancholy. Her point of view was: So youre lonely  do something about it. There is nothing special about feeling bad. Nobody needs to hear about it. Dont be a whiner. You think youve got it bad, think again: Children in China would be overjoyed to have what youve got.

So I learned to keep it to myself. If you moped around, Mother gave you two options: Go outdoors or do something useful. Or both: Go mow the lawn. Dad worked hard all day; it wasnt right that he should come home and have to mow the lawn while he had a big strong 14-year-old boy to do it. So I did it. And found lawn mowing very satisfying  the repetitiveness, the roar of the mower, the sense of progress, turning raggedy grass into a model lawn, and when you shut the mower off and raked up the clippings, youd earned the right to sit in the shade with a glass of grape Kool-Aid, and when you did, you realized that your misery had dissipated.

I was an ordinary 1950s misfit, scrawny, squinty behind wire-rim glasses, bookish but not so smart, timid, a daydreamer, a frequent moper, and once, when my mother was tired of my moodiness, she gave me a book to read, Foxes Book of Martyrs, in which good Bible-believing Christians like ourselves were tied to the stake by French papists and, as the fire was lit, prayed that God would forgive their persecutors and, as the flames enveloped their bodies, sang hymns in praise of the Savior with their dying breath.

Foxes gave a moody boy a certain perspective: It could be worse. Much worse. Nobody is piling kindling around your ankles. You are not a Huguenot hiding from mobs of crazed enemies carrying torches. You have a home, a bed, a cat who loves you and a cookie jar in the kitchen. And there is a public library nearby where you can sit and feast on books. Be grateful.

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)

Somehow, this cheerful stoicism seemed to lose traction in the culture and we got bombarded by neurotic anger  the Beat poets, bad boys in movies, outlaw mythology, troubled rock stars, spectacular burnouts, the wounded, bitter, addicted, nice middle-class kids trying to be tortured artists  which is all very interesting, but still the norms of everyday society prevail. Angry neurotics are more interesting at a distance; when you have one under your roof, its exhausting. I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, wrote Allen Ginsberg in a long, angry poem that inspired a great deal of bad poetry, but when you met Allen, he was kind and thoughtful. An angry young man on the page, but in person he was as nice as could be.

I suppose its necessary for every boy to horrify his father, swagger, read trash, listen to deafening music, get ugly tattoos, but it doesnt lead to much thats worth the trouble, whereas learning a useful trade  carpentry, math, raising tomatoes, baking bread, reporting, cleaning hotel rooms  leads you out into the world beyond your ego and into unexpected friendships and discoveries, valuable experiences, an enduring respect for laws and limits and for the energy of optimism, and eventually you can learn to be a good person.

This is common wisdom, shared by stubborn conservatives and airy liberals alike, and no wonder we are all fascinated by the raging alien who is president of the United States. The smirk, the scowl, the New Yawk con-man talk  so-and-so is a great, great guy, it was a beautiful meeting, the incredible support, fantastic, unbelievable  the compulsive bragging, the inability to admit mistakes, the blindness to ethics. What is this jerk doing in the White House? How soon will he disappear?

Garrison Keillor is an author and radio personality.
Residents of Houston on Aug. 27 assessed the damage that tropical storm Harvey has caused to their city. (Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post)

Residents of Houston on Aug. 27 assessed the damage that tropical storm Harvey has caused to their city. (Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post)

Pay attention to what happened to Houston. It is rare to be given such a vivid look at our collective future.

Climate change cannot be definitively blamed for Hurricane Harvey, but it likely did make the storm more powerful. Global warming did not conjure the rains that flooded the nations fourth-largest city, but it likely did make them more torrential. The spectacle of rescue boats plying the streets of a major metropolis is something we surely will see again. The question is how often.

The relationship between climate and weather is undeniable but never specific. Tropical cyclones do not batter Siberias arctic coast and heavy snowfalls do not blanket the beaches of Barbados because the climates are different. But no one blizzard or hurricane can be attributed to climate change beyond the shadow of a doubt  which opens anyone who raises the subject at a time like this to the accusation of politicizing a disaster.

The science explaining climate change is clear, however, no matter what deniers such as President Trump choose to believe. And it will be political decisions that determine how often we witness scenes of devastation like those in Houston.

Begin with the basic fact of a warming planet, due primarily to greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. The waters of the Gulf of Mexico are unusually warm this summer  between two and three degrees above normal  which gave Harvey extra energy and moisture.

The Washington Post takes you through Houston's flooded streets following extreme rainfall caused by Hurricane Harvey. (Whitney Shefte,Dalton Bennett/The Washington Post)

Hurricanes usually weaken when they approach a coastline, but Harvey was able to gain strength, making landfall as a Category 4 storm. According to Pennsylvania State University professor Michael E. Mann, one of the worlds leading experts on climate change, Harveys unprecedented rainfall totals were likely boosted by global warming in at least two ways. Higher atmospheric and ocean temperatures mean more evaporation, Mann wrote in the Guardian, which means more precipitation. And the fact that the storm parked itself so stubbornly over Houston is due to a jet-stream pattern predicted in scientists climate-change models.

Since 2005, weve had Katrina, Sandy and now Harvey. The flood next time could come in Corpus Christi, Mobile, Pensacola, Tampa Bay, Naples, Miami, Jacksonville, Savannah, Charleston  no one knows where. But there is no doubt that it will come.

Humankind has boosted the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by a shocking 40 percent since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, when we started burning fossil fuels on a large scale. Even if carbon emissions were magically ended tomorrow, warming would continue for many years. But we can  if we choose  keep climate change from getting catastrophically out of hand.

The rest of the industrialized world has decided to move toward a clean-energy future  and reap the economic benefits such a shift can entail. Im betting that Trumps successor, whether a Democrat or a Republican, will reverse his shortsighted, self-defeating decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord.

But in addition to mitigating climate change, we must adapt to the warming we have made inevitable. Houston officials at least tried to learn one lesson: In 2005, as Hurricane Rita approached, officials ordered an evacuation that turned freeways into parking lots; about 100 people died in the chaos. This time, residents were initially advised to stay put  and, from what we know so far, there appears to have been much less loss of life.

But billions of dollars worth of private and public infrastructure is being destroyed. Because low-lying coastal cities are not likely to pick up and move inland, they are going to need new natural or artificial barriers to protect against storm surge (which might have been the big problem with Harvey, but wasnt) and high-capacity drainage systems to alleviate flooding (which was).

Such projects are hugely expensive  but cheaper than repairing the damage from a citywide flood.

(Taylor Turner/The Washington Post)

Also, the nation needs a sustainable way of providing flood insurance to those living in vulnerable areas. The current National Flood Insurance Program charges rates that do not nearly cover its outlays, and for years it relied on out-of-date maps that did not accurately show flood risks.

Buildings, meanwhile, can be made more flood-proof. President Barack Obama signed an executive order requiring builders who receive federal funds for a project to account for the risk of flooding in their construction plans. Trump rescinded the measure, saying it was job-killing. How many people went to work in Houston today?

Folks, nature is telling us something. How many 100-year storms or 1,000-year floods will it take for us to listen?

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.
PRESIDENT TRUMP hinted for weeks that he might pardon former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio. When he finally did so on Friday, the White Houses official statement lauding Mr. Arpaio failed to mention the charge for which Mr. Trump had granted clemency: a criminal conviction of contempt of court for defying an order to halt racial profiling. Whatever the White House may say about Mr. Arpaios selfless public service, the presidents decision is a slap in the face to Latinos and undocumented immigrants and a gift to Mr. Trumps farthest-right supporters.

Despite Mr. Trumps suggestion that Mr. Arpaio was convicted for doing his job, a federal judge found the former sheriff guilty of contempt when he refused to cease rounding up suspected undocumented immigrants on the basis of appearance alone. But Mr. Arpaios abuse of his authority as sheriff went well beyond racial profiling. With pride, he detained inmates in inhumane conditions and humiliated them in the name of deterring crime. And like Mr. Trump, he rose to national prominence by casting doubt on whether Barack Obama was born in the United States.

Mr. Trump did not consult with the Justice Department before pardoning Mr. Arpaio. Indeed, the former sheriff had not even applied for a pardon through the long-standing Justice Department system. Perhaps thats appropriate: The departments guidelines state that pardon applicants should show remorse and atonement for their actions. Mr. Arpaio has shown none. (He is now pushing for the federal court to vacate its verdict against him.)

A pardon was Mr. Trumps second choice. Last spring, the president reportedly asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions whether the Justice Department might be able to drop the then-ongoing investigation of Mr. Arpaio. When Mr. Sessions informed Mr. Trump that such a request would be inappropriate, the president settled on clemency instead.

The presidents authority to bestow pardons is nearly without restraint. But granting clemency for a defendant convicted of contempt of court speaks to the same disdain toward the judicial system that Mr. Trump has displayed in his attacks on so-called judges. (Mr. Arpaio has taken a similar approach, decrying his conviction as a political witch hunt.) And Mr. Trumps discussion with Mr. Sessions recalls his suggestion to then-FBI Director James B. Comey to drop the bureaus investigation of Michael Flynn, Mr. Trumps former national security adviser.

This pardon is not only a mark of Mr. Trumps inclination to inflame rather than bind up the nations wounds. It is also a warning of his lack of respect for the independence of the courts and of law enforcement in a country governed by the rule of law  a worrying characteristic in a president facing an ongoing special counsel investigation. But Mr. Trump should take the outraged response to Mr. Arpaios pardon from across the political spectrum as a warning, too: a sign of the resistance he will encounter if he chooses to issue further pardons, particularly in the Russia affair, on the basis of political concerns rather than those of justice.
Clarification: An earlier version of this editorial stated that the private consortium contracted to build and then operate the Purple Line would chip in $1 billion to help pay for construction. The companies are financing $1 billion of the lines construction costs; Maryland will repay the private debt service as part of the pre-set annual payments that will average $150 million a year after the line opens. This version has been updated.

IN RECENT years, as Marylands proposed light-rail Purple Line drew closer to final approval after decades of planning, it faced a rolling battery of existential threats. They included the initial hostility of a Republican governor; the die-hard opposition of well-heeled suburban neighbors who feared losing portions of a beloved walking and biking trail; the Trump administrations threat to ax transit funding nationally; and an exceptionally obtuse ruling by a federal judge that for a time seemed the death knell for the embattled $5.6 billion project.

Despite those hurdles, the Purple Line remains very much alive  so alive that on Monday it celebrated a groundbreaking attended by Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and federal Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who also signed a $900 million federal funding agreement. Mr. Hogan, who as a candidate pronounced the project unaffordable, now says construction will start immediately. To leave no doubt, he promptly took controls of an excavator and started whacking away at a building to be razed to make way for the project.

The Purple Line is not yet in the clear. A federal appeals court has not finished hearing from the projects opponents, mainly some of its neighbors in Montgomery County who still hope to halt the 16.2-mile line that would link Bethesda in Montgomery County with New Carrollton in Prince Georges County. Nonetheless, the court, which swept aside a lower-court ruling blocking federal funding and stopping construction, gave the go-ahead for both. Optimism now surrounds the Purple Lines prospects and its promise of improving the lives of tens of thousands of daily commuters. Older, close-in suburban communities through which the lines 21 stations would be built also have reason to hope for economic improvements.

In a public landscape littered with toxic partisan warfare and government dysfunction, the Purple Lines construction would be a striking success story, a rare example of broad cooperation across party lines, and among federal, state and local government partners in coordination with the private sector. In addition to the federal funding contribution, Maryland would kick in several billion dollars over 35 or so years; the two counties would also pony up tens of millions. A private consortium that would build and operate the project would chip in $1 billion, with expectations of long-term profits and Maryland repaying the private debt service as part of pre-set annual payments.

Everyone involved has had to swallow hard, not least Mr. Hogan, a Republican with a rural and exurban base who needed to cooperate with the two most heavily Democratic and urbanized counties in the state. The Trump administration has had to overlook Mr. Hogans plain distaste for the occupant of the Oval Office. And, yes, some (though not all) neighbors of the Purple Line have also realized that its obvious benefits outweigh the painful fact that a segment of it will run alongside a reshaped Capital Crescent Trail, diminishing a cherished local amenity in favor of a greater regional good.

Sometimes things in the public sphere actually work out for the best. Heres hoping this is one of those times.
I dont think Fareed Zakaria was correct when he suggested in his Aug. 25 Washington Forum essay, Trumps forever war in Afghanistan , that the strategy in Afghanistan is like Vietnam: quagmire-lite. The endgame in Afghanistan is a negotiated settlement; to get there, we need to drive the tactical situation on the ground to a stalemate.

The current plan for the U.S. advisory effort is to bring about that stalemate. When the Taliban realizes it cant win, maybe it will negotiate. In Vietnam, where the last U.S. ground combat forces left in late 1972, our effort to improve the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and its regional forces brought stability in rural Vietnam until 1975, when the north mounted a conventional force invasion that finally defeated the south.

I find it hard to believe that the Afghan peasants dislike their government more than they dislike the Taliban, as the New Yorkers Dexter Filkins claims. My experience from Vietnam is that a peasant prefers whoever tends to leave him alone. The danger the lessons of Vietnam hold for Afghanistan is in Mr. Zakarias quote of Barnett Rubin: We will have to deal with the existence of sanctuaries in neighboring states.

Alfred R. Barr, Washington
Post editorial writer Quinta Jurecic says President Trump's reprehensible, and legal, pardon of former sheriff Joe Arpaio reveals weaknesses in the American system of government. (Gillian Brockell,Kate Woodsome/The Washington Post)

Post editorial writer Quinta Jurecic says President Trump's reprehensible, and legal, pardon of former sheriff Joe Arpaio reveals weaknesses in the American system of government. (Gillian Brockell,Kate Woodsome/The Washington Post)

Repetition is the enemy of maintaining proper distinctions. It is a short road from being serially outraged to being slightly bored to being completely inured.

Thus many are likely to find the pardon of former Arizona county sheriff Joe Arpaio to be just another . . . something. Just another public feeding of President Trumps base; or just an additional shiny distraction from real issues; or just one more cause for head-shaking and shoulder-shrugging; or just further evidence of the tawdry political company kept by the president of the United States.

This would be a mistake. This presidential action is not just anything. Following his expression of sympathy for the very fine people attending a white- supremacist rally in Charlottesville  who were, he said, defending our history and heritage  Trump must have known his next move would be highly symbolic, either as a retreat from prejudice or as its affirmation. What followed with the Arpaio pardon constitutes the most forthright racist incitement of the Trump era.

Trump has called Arpaio a great American patriot, employing a definition of patriotism that includes extreme ethnic profiling, terror raids, and cruel and unusual punishment. A definition of patriotism that covers using internment camps in extreme heat, parading women and juvenile offenders for the cameras in chain gangs, and degrading inmates in creative acts of bullying. This is not patriotism; it is the abuse of power in the cause of bigotry.

Others have commented on the legal precedent of effectively pardoning someone for abusing the constitutional rights of an ethnic minority. Done in a manner that employs the pardon power as a reward for political loyalty. Resulting from a process that evidently did not involve the normal review and recommendation of the Justice Departments pardon attorney. Was White House Counsel Donald McGahn  a reputed libertarian  involved in this permission for swaggering government oppression? Better question: Why did he not resign in protest? And how about Gary Cohn, who famously almost resigned over events in Charlottesville, demanding that the president must do better? Does he think the Arpaio pardon is doing better?

President Trump pardoned former Maricopa County, Ariz., sheriff Joe Arpaio Aug. 25. Heres what you need to know. (Patrick Martin,Victoria Walker/The Washington Post)

Congressional Republicans have often taken a wait-and-see attitude toward the dishonoring and destruction of their party. Now they can hardly deny that Trumps worst moments are his most authentic moments, or that his definition of loyalty requires defending the indefensible. A few voices  including both Arizona senators and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan  were critical of the pardon. But congressional hearings demanding an account of the pardons purpose and process would demonstrate seriousness in the only task  the only path of self-respect and self-preservation  left to Republican leaders: attempting to salvage a party identity separate from racism.

These legal and political ramifications are clear enough. But it is the moral damage that is deepest: the stoking of tribal hatreds; the reckless fracturing of national unity; and the statement made about human worth.

A societys treatment of prisoners is a measure of its commitment to human dignity. Some of these men and women are guilty only of the wrong geography in trying to feed their families. Others have done terrible things. But they are still  all of them  men and women, human beings, at the complete mercy of the state. According to Jewish and Christian teaching, they bear Gods image, which can never be completely effaced. Treating them humanely is the expression of a defining national belief: that human rights are not earned or granted, they are recognized. Or not.

Arpaio made a career of dehumanizing prisoners in his charge. His pardon sends the signal that some people are less than human. In one sense, this is perfectly consistent. Trump has employed dehumanization as a political tool from the start  of refugees, of migrants, of Muslims. By his pardon of Arpaio, he has metaphorically pardoned his own cruel and divisive approach to politics. It is a further step in Trumps normalization and entrenchment of bigotry in our public life.

This creates a personal dilemma for many Republicans. How do they explain to their neighbors, and to their own children, their involvement with an institution that has been allied with forces of exclusion (at least at the national level)? The answer is not for all people with pricked consciences to leave, lest only unpricked consciences remain. But complacency is permission. Resistance is required. Any party that swallows the Trump/Arpaio ethic will be poisoned. And gagging, in this case, is a sign of health.

Read more from Michael Gersons archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook .
Post editorial writer Quinta Jurecic says President Trump's reprehensible, and legal, pardon of former sheriff Joe Arpaio reveals weaknesses in the American system of government. (Gillian Brockell,Kate Woodsome/The Washington Post)

Post editorial writer Quinta Jurecic says President Trump's reprehensible, and legal, pardon of former sheriff Joe Arpaio reveals weaknesses in the American system of government. (Gillian Brockell,Kate Woodsome/The Washington Post)

There are lots of compelling reasons not to pardon the countrys most famous racist in the middle of a hurricane.

So why exactly did President Trump decide to pardon Joe Arpaio?

Maybe, some speculated, Trump wanted to toss some red meat to his base. Trumps recent Phoenix campaign-rally crowd practically frothed at the mouth when he hinted at a coming pardon of the former Maricopa County sheriff. As Trumps overall approval hovers around 35 percent, a high-profile pardon of a notorious racial profiler might be a way to shore up his support.

But Trump had also previously pursued more behind-the-scenes moves to help Arpaio avoid facing justice, as my Post colleagues reported over the weekend. Which suggests that public credit may not have been the primary goal.

Others speculated that the pardon was about rewarding a longtime ally for his loyalty. Arpaio was, after all, one of the first politicians to board the Trump train. But Attorney General Jeff Sessions was also among Trumps earliest political supporters, and loyalty alone did not shield him from public torment and humiliation at the hands of the president.

Another popular theory is that the pardon was a signal to other Trump confederates coming into special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs orbit that the president will protect them. No need to turn on our boy, y hear?

In my view, the most likely explanation for this stomach-churning pardon is much simpler: Its projection. Trump sees himself  or what he sometimes aspires to accomplish, anyway  in this local tin-pot dictator.

Think about it. Trump has not exactly proved himself to be the forward-looking, calculating mastermind implied by those alternative explanations. And he makes everything  including the Charlottesville violence, the Houston catastrophe, even the eclipse  about himself.

Trump and Arpaio both built their political careers by demonizing immigrants. They also both raised their national profiles by claiming that Barack Obama was secretly a Kenyan-born Muslim, a racist conspiracy theory that Arpaio even sent a taxpayer-funded deputy to Hawaii to investigate.

And more broadly they both seem to use law and order as code for encouraging law enforcement to harass people of color.

Those are the best-known parallels between the two politicians, but theyre hardly the only ones. There are many other ways in which Arpaio has proved to be Trumps mini-me.

Arpaio has, for example, jailed journalists who wrote critical stories about his hidden commercial real estate transactions. Trumps antipathy for the media likewise goes beyond bashing us as the enemy of the people and threatening to open up the libel laws  he reportedly asked the FBI director to fight leaks by throwing journalists in jail .

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said the Tent City Jail started by his famous predecessor, Joe Arpaio, did not deter crime, was dangerous for guards and expensive to maintain. (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post)

Or consider their preferred forms of pomp and circumstance.

For years as sheriff, Arpaio rode a giant tank in local parades. Trump hoped (but failed) to emulate this in his own inaugural parade in January. Trump also plans to issue an executive order expanding the militarization of local police forces, which Obama had rolled back.

Both Trump and Arpaio also have launched attacks on the independence of our federal judiciary.

Trump did this by, among other things, questioning the ability of a U.S.-born judge of Mexican descent to remain impartial in a Trump University case. Arpaio, for his part, refused a court order to stop racial profiling  earning him a contempt-of-court conviction, the crime for which he was pardoned.

Before that, Arpaio secretly investigated a judge assigned to his trial, and then claimed that this same judge could not be impartial because the judge had learned about the politically motivated investigation.

Politically motivated investigations were actually a mainstay of Arpaios law enforcement career, as well as Trumps campaign rallies (Lock her up!), while both claim to be victims of political witch hunts themselves.

And woe betide those who actually find themselves imprisoned under eithers authority.

Trump throughout the presidential campaign repeatedly advocated torturing prisoners held abroad; Arpaio often acted on this brutal impulse in his own jails. He set up a tent city, which he sometimes referred to as a concentration camp, housing inmates in temperatures reaching up to 145 degrees; conditions got so hot that prisoners shoes sometimes melted.

And at least three prisoners died  each at the time held down in a restraint chair  via suffocation.

Trump and the White House repeatedly alluded to 85-year-old Arpaios advanced age when justifying his absolution, perhaps another reason that the oldest man to assume the presidency empathizes with the recipient of his first pardon.

Over the two years of his political life, Trumps insults have often been of the I-know-you-are-but-what-am-I projectional variety. Turns out his praise and clemency are, as well.
Three Cabinet secretaries have appeared to distance themselves from President Trump in the wake of his response to the violence in Charlottesville. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

Three Cabinet secretaries have appeared to distance themselves from President Trump in the wake of his response to the violence in Charlottesville. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

President Trumps senior aides are increasingly airing their private disagreements publicly, exposing a widening rift between the president and key members of his administration over his handling of racial divisions exposed by white supremacist violence in Charlottesville.

Trump  who has fumed at the medias criticism of his response to Charlottesville  is also annoyed at similar criticism coming from within his administration, especially from National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, according to people in regular touch with the White House.

Over the weekend, Tillerson suggested that Trump speaks for himself rather than for the countrys values in his reaction to Charlottesville. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis also counseled U.S. troops to hold the line until our country gets back to respecting each other and is able to get the power of inspiration back.

And Cohn sharply criticized the presidents handling of the situation in an interview with the Financial Times last week.

Among Trumps allies, the emerging voices of dissent are being likened to a mutiny by disloyal aides. But so far, Trump has not taken any action to dismiss anyone, to the disappointment of those same allies.

President Trump, center with President Sauli Niinisto of Finland, left, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, right, in the Oval Office on Aug. 28. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

You should not air the dirty laundry with the president in public, said Roger Stone, a longtime Trump adviser and political ally. On a personal level, he should feel betrayed because he has been.

Cohn became the first administration official to publicly discuss his disagreement with the president over Charlottesville, telling the Financial Times that Trump must do better in consistently and unequivocally condemning hate groups. Trump was widely criticized for doubling down on his assessment that many sides were to blame for violence in Charlottesville after a rally organized by neo-Nazis, white supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan turned deadly.

Cohn, who is Jewish, said that he had come under enormous pressure from friends and associates to speak out and that he aired his disagreement with the president bluntly in private. But Trump was irritated that Cohn fueled the public controversy over Trumps comments.

Theres a lot of frustration, said one Republican in frequent touch with the White House who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly. A lot of Trumps frustration with his staff is that no matter what he does, if he has a good day, it never lasts for more than 24 hours, and its always because he does something, but he blames others.

Coming from the nations top diplomat, Tillersons assertion Sunday that Trump does not speak for the countrys values produced particularly deep reverberations.

Tillerson also said that he and the State Department speak for American values of tolerance and equality, and he rejected criticism from a United Nations committee last week that the Trump administration had set a poor example for the rest of the world. Tillerson told Fox News host Chris Wallace that he does not think Trumps remarks leave other nations confused about what America stands for.

We express Americas values from the State Department  our commitment to freedom, our commitment to equal treatment of people the world over, Tillerson said in the Fox News Sunday interview, and that message has never changed.

After President Trump's most recent rhetoric about Charlottesville inflamed even more criticism, many Republicans stayed silent. But a handful of GOP lawmakers and now Trump's own economic adviser are directly criticizing him. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

The comments have only added to long-simmering mutual frustration between Trump and his secretary of state, who has had policy, personnel and personality disagreements with the president and some of his aides in recent months. Tillerson reportedly toyed with resigning this summer over frustrations with the White House on policy and administrative matters, but quashed rumors of a Rexit by telling reporters, Im not going anywhere.

On Monday, a day after his comments on Fox, Tillerson dined with Trump and Vice President Pence at the White House, a meeting that State Department spokesman R.C. Hammond said was focused on planning for 2018 travel and the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York next month.

This whole idea that hes considering anything  it just doesnt add up, Hammond said, referring to speculation that Tillerson might leave the administration.

Trump is also being influenced by some allies who have long been suspicious of aides in his orbit, including Tillerson, Mattis and Cohn, whom they believe represent establishment views and are, at best, only loosely tied to Trumps agenda.

Tillerson and a close circle of aides have clashed with White House officials over the many job vacancies and sense of torpor at the State Department, with each side blaming the other for failing to move nominees through the hiring and Senate confirmation process.

The former ExxonMobil chief executive has also been blunt about his policy disagreements with the president and with other Trump advisers. Tillerson said he thought the United States would have been better served by remaining in the Paris climate accord and trying to amend it than by quitting it entirely, as Trump announced he was doing.

And although Tillerson supported the approach to the expansion of forces in Afghanistan that Trump announced last week, he has crossed some Trump allies who think he has influenced the president to be softer on radical Islamic terror, a term Trump once used regularly as a candidate but has since uttered far less often.

Cohn has also been at odds with some Trump supporters who count him among a clutch of White House aides who are more closely aligned with Democrats than the presidents agenda.

The prospect of disloyalty in Trumps Cabinet has only fueled suspicion among some of his allies, including those who have been pushed out of the White House under new Chief of Staff John F. Kelly but still maintain lines of communication with the president.

We have a lot of people in the White House of Donald J. Trump who not only have been comfortable working for Hillary [Clinton], but they probably would have had a Cabinet post as well, said Sebastian Gorka, a White House aide who was ousted Friday, a week after his ally, chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, was removed from his administration post. That is not sound, that is not what the American people voted for.

The president knows it, Gorka added.

Mattis has been far more circumspect in his views. The comments to troops caught on tape over the weekend showed the retired general delivering a pep talk to service members, urging them to remain vigilant in defense of a divided country that he portrayed as having lost its way. Those comments were interpreted by some as a critique of Trumps leadership.

They all agreed to serve for a number of different reasons  patriotism was certainly one of the primary motivations, said Eliot Cohen, who was a State Department official in the George W. Bush administration and has been a vocal critic of Trump. Very few of them are there because they love him.

Some of them are thinking: This is potentially a very dangerous time for the country. I will go in and do my best, in effect, to save the country,  he added.

Ashley Parker and Philip Rucker contributed to this report.
Arms control advocates Tuesday celebrated the opening of an internationally supported repository for nuclear reactor fuel that its backers believe will dissuade countries interested in nuclear power from developing the capability to make atomic weapons.

Enriching uranium, the technology that produces fuel for a nuclear power plant, is also the process for creating a nuclear bomb, meaning that the risk of proliferation spreads when individual countries build their own fuel-making facilities.

The International Atomic Energy Agencys low-enriched uranium bank, opened Tuesday in Kazakhstan, is the culmination of a years-long effort to respond to this risk. The agency, which will run the bank independently of any country, will purchase and store low-enriched uranium, fuel for civilian reactors but not an ingredient for nuclear weapons.

The uranium repository is also a rare bright spot in the rocky U.S.-Russian relationship. Russia is a leading global supplier of uranium to the nuclear power industry, and has its own uranium repository. Moscow was initially cool to the idea of an independently run uranium bank that might be seen as a competitor. Ultimately, however, Moscow agreed to support the project. Both Russian and China granted transit rights for uranium fuel being shipped to and from the Kazakh facility.

Russia played an absolutely critical role in negotiating a transit agreement, said Andrew Bieniawski, who oversees projects related to the security and minimization of nuclear materials for Nuclear Threat Initiative. The Washington-based non-profit provided the initial funding for the bank courtesy of a $50 million investment from American billionaire investor Warren Buffett.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who attended Tuesdays ceremony, hailed the project as an important element of the international effort not just in nonproliferation but also in the sphere of expansion of the countries that are putting nuclear energy to good use.

In some ways its a direct derivative of long-standing U.S.-Russian cooperation on these issues, Ryabkov said.

[Space, nuclear security, polar bears: Russia and the U.S. still agree on some things]

Those efforts have largely dried up following Moscows annexation of Crimea in 2014. Other than the notable exception of the Iran nuclear deal, U.S.-Russian programs intended to stop the spread of nuclear weapons materials and negotiations on limiting the two sides nuclear arsenals have ground to a halt.

There are a lot more opportunities that are going unaddressed because of the current situation, said Ernest J. Moniz, co-chairman of the Nuclear Threat Initiative and secretary of energy during President Obamas second term.

Moniz said the two sides could be working on nonproliferation issues despite the chilly relationship. The Nuclear Threat Initiative and the Moscow-based Center for Energy and Security Studies earlier this year compiled a catalogue of dozens of possible U.S.-Russian projects in nuclear cooperation.

Arms-control advocates have expressed hope that the Trump administrations modest support for the uranium bank will signal a willingness to invest in other nuclear nonproliferation initiatives



U.S. backing for the uranium bank includes nearly $50 million in federal financial support pledged by the administration of George W. Bush, which, like the Obama White House, embraced the bank concept with enthusiasm. The Trump administration signed off on the U.S. aid package, but did not send a high-level delegation to the ceremony in Kazakhstan.

The White Houses early budget proposals have called for cuts in funding for international nonproliferation programs, and President Trumps campaign speeches at times advocated expanding the U.S. nuclear arsenal while also suggesting that more countries should develop nuclear weapons.

Shortly after taking office, the administration launched a comprehensive review of U.S. nuclear weapons policy, with results expected to be announced as early as this fall.

The Trump White House has not yet put forward a coherent philosophy about how they will address one of the presidents greatest responsibilities, said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, a Washington nonprofit that advocates increased efforts to safeguard or eliminate weapons of mass destruction. I am quite concerned about our ability to provide the necessary leadership to advance constructive ideas to reduce risk.

Other donors include Norway, the United Arab Emirates, the more than two dozen countries in the European Union, Kuwait, and Kazakhstan.

The bank will play an important role in reducing nuclear dangers and serve as a vivid example of the benefits of international cooperation at a time when our world is in a race between cooperation and catastrophe, said former U.S. senator Sam Nunn, co-chairman of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, in a packed auditorium in Kazakhstans capital, Astana.

The ceremony took place on the 26th anniversary of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayevs decision to shut one of the Soviet Unions two major nuclear test sites, in Semipalatinsk. In 1995, Kazakhstan turned over to Russia the 1,410 strategic nuclear warheads the Soviets had stationed on its territory, as well as an undisclosed number of short-range nuclear weapons.

The will of the people of Kazakhstan was stronger than the Cold War, Nazarbayev said at Tuesdays ceremony.

[In a country where the leader gets 96 percent of the vote, whats next? ]

The audience, which included officials from nations that donated to the project, was shown a video feed from the new bank in Ust-Kamenogorsk, about 600 miles of largely empty steppe east of Astana. The glistening repository was empty except for circular white racks that will hold the fuel.

Eventually, the bank will hold 90 metric tons of low enriched uranium, enough to produce fuel to power a large city for up to three years.

Low-enriched uranium fuel will be purchased on the market from a commercial supplier and stored in the Kazakh repository until needed. Countries applying to receive the fuel would be required to pay the market rate.



The bank essentially guarantees that fuel for nuclear power plants will be available, in the case of future disruptions to global uranium markets, to member states of the IAEA who are in good standing with their nonproliferation obligations.

It gives countries the kind of assurances they need to not rely on their own enrichment, Nunn said in an interview before the ceremony.

Its also intended to make governments resist the temptation to build their own factories to make enriched uranium.

Countries would have to justify to their own citizens whey they were spending money to go into their own enrichment with a small nuclear program, Nunn said in an interview.

While 31 countries around the world operate nuclear power plants, only 14 produce their own nuclear fuel. The others purchase low-enriched uranium from a handful of international suppliers, mainly in Russia, the United States and Europe. More than 40 countries are actively planning or considering new nuclear power plants to meet help meet growing energy demands, according to the World Nuclear Association. The list includes wealthy countries such as Saudi Arabia and Singapore as well as developing African countries such as Tanzania and Ghana.

While the commercial uranium market is more than adequate to meet the growing demand, some countries could be tempted to manufacture their own enriched uranium as a hedge against future disruptions to the global supply caused by war or political crises. Iran cited concerns over market disruptions as the primary reason for constructing its massive Natanz uranium enrichment plant.

Warrick reported from Washington.

Read more:

The angst of the liberal democrats who once thought Russias future was in their hands

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A woman stands near prayer wheels at an eighth-century temple in Paro, Bhutan. (Annie Gowen/The Washington Post)

During the long weeks soldiers from two of the worlds largest armies camped on their doorstep, officials in the tiny Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan maintained a meditative silence.

Government leaders resolutely declined to comment, and even the Bhutanese media largely refrained from covering the standoff, which began in mid-June when Indian troops crossed into a remote plateau claimed by Bhutan and confronted Chinese soldiers preparing to build a road there.

When the respective armies began withdrawing from the Doklam area Monday, the Himalayan nation of just under 800,000 finally exhaled, and analysts said that its temperance had helped defuse tension between the two nuclear-armed powers.

For years, Bhutan  a landlocked nation squeezed between the Tibet plateau to its north and India to its east, south and west  has trod a delicate balancing act between China and its great patron, India, which trains its soldiers, buys its hydroelectric power and gives it $578 million a year in aid.

In the countrys capital of Thimphu, Indias influence can be seen everywhere  from the army officers jogging on its streets to the laborers on Indian projects to build mountain roads.

Bhutan is really caught between two sides, and the confrontation at Doklam has brought everything to the surface, said Nirupama Menon Rao, Indias former foreign secretary and ambassador to China. Bhutan has played this game of survival for a long, long time. Nobody does it better than them.

But the dispute caused many in Bhutan to call for the country to reevaluate its close  some say suffocating  relationship with its southern neighbor.

If Indias border closed tomorrow, we would run out of rice and a lot of other essentials in a few days. That is how vulnerable we are, said Needrup Zangpo, the executive director of the Journalist Association of Bhutan. Many Bhutanese resent this.

The country  with stunning mountain passes, rippling Buddhist prayer flags and ancient temples  was until recently a monarchy, its villages isolated from much of the world for most of the past century. Television arrived in 1999, and even now, only about 60,000 tourists from outside the region visit each year, paying a hefty $250-a-day visa fee during the high season.



The tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan was thrust into an international showdown as militaries from China and India were locked in a two-month standoff on a remote plateau in territory claimed by both Bhutan and China. (Annie Gowen/The Washington Post)

Its beloved and progressive fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, set the country on the path to democracy in 2008 during his rule and popularized the gross national happiness indicator, which rates quality of life, preservation of culture and environmental protection over economic output. In a 2015 study, more than 90 percent of residents said they experienced some level of happiness.

Bhutans long ties with India, by far its largest trading partner, were cemented in 1958, when Indias first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, traveled through the mountains on a yak. The two countries already had agreed, in a 1949 treaty, that India would guide its foreign policy; the terms were softened and modified in 2007.

Bhutan has an ongoing border dispute and no official diplomatic ties with China, and India has frowned upon any change in this status quo. India cut off a cooking gas subsidy in 2013 because, some analysts said, it feared Bhutans then-government was growing closer to its northern neighbor. India has long seen Bhutan as an important ally against Chinese expansionism in the region.



A man spins a prayer wheel at the Memorial Stupa in Thimphu. (Annie Gowen/The Washington Post)

Thimphu is a still-quiet valley town, dotted with traditionally painted homes and apartments, that has modernized rapidly in the past 10 years and recently began having traffic jams.

Many of its younger, educated residents  who followed the China-India conflict on their mobile phones, via social media  said that the weeks-long standoff had raised questions about Bhutans place in the world and whether the country was being well served by maintaining such a close relationship with India while holding China at arms length.

Many of the tenants of Thimphu TechPark, a government-owned business park that opened in 2011 as a symbol of the countrys aspirations, took a pragmatic view of China  saying they see it as a potential marketplace for fledgling Bhutanese entrepreneurs. Bhutan has long looked inward, they said, and now needs to start looking outward.

I think because we are in a global community now, we should have good relations with both China and India, said Jigme Tenzin, the young chief executive of Housing.bt, an online real estate portal. Unlike some of his peers, he cheerfully wears his gho, the robe-like garment that is the countrys national dress, including to international conferences, saying it helps set him apart from other Asian entrepreneurs.

When the TechPark opened, it initially did not do well. But today, it has more than 700 Bhutanese employees, offices for several foreign companies and an incubation center for start-ups. One of the companies is trying to create a childrens cartoon in Bhutans national language, Dzongkha, to compete with the Hindi cartoons broadcast from India.

Launching a real estate start-up in a country where only about 37 percent of people are on the Internet has been a challenge, he says, as the needs of millennial apartment seekers do not always match up with the offerings of older property owners, most of whom are not online. He and his small band of employees ended up going door to door with brochures, trying to educate people.

Were in the middle of one foot in the future and one foot in the past, he said with a laugh. This transition is killing me.



Three young boys pose for a photo at an eighth-century Buddhist temple in Paro, Bhutan. (Annie Gowen/The Washington Post)

Read more

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China and India are dangerously close to military conflict in the Himalayas

In the high Himalayas, India works to secure remote border with China

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Protesters hold an effigy of President Trump during an anti-U.S. rally Monday near the Afghan border in Chaman, Pakistan. (Akhter Gulfam/European Pressphoto Agency)

A wave of anti-American anger has swept Pakistan this past week, triggered both by President Trumps threat to punish the country for harboring insurgents and by his invitation to India, Pakistans longtime rival, to become more involved in Afghanistans future.

Tribal and religious leaders have held protests at border crossings, and banners urging Say no to America! have appeared across the capital. Officials have canceled trips to Washington and asked a State Department official to postpone her planned visit here this week. Across the countrys fractious political spectrum, leaders have raised a collective fist at Trump.

In a stern speech Aug. 21, the U.S. president laid out a new militarized policy for the region, saying he would send more American troops to Afghanistan and insisting that Pakistan must do more to rein in Islamist militants or face possible sanctions, such as cutting aid or revoking its status as a major non-NATO ally.

President Trump unveiled a new strategy for the U.S. war in Afghanistan on Aug. 21. (Victoria Walker/The Washington Post)

Afghan officials welcomed Trumps message, but Pakistanis accused him of bullying their country despite its history of cooperating with the United States in foreign conflicts. They said he had betrayed them by reaching out to India, which Pakistan views as a persistent threat to its existence.

President Trump wants to portray us as a villain despite the huge losses we have suffered in the so-called anti-terrorism war, said Hafiz Hamdullah, a conservative Muslim cleric and legislator. Both India and the U.S. want to use Afghanistan against us. These charges of terrorist hideouts are just to destabilize Pakistan.

Mian Raza Rabbani, the left-leaning chairman of Pakistans Senate, denounced Trump in similar terms. No country in the world has done more than Pakistan to counter the menace of terrorism, he declared. Invoking the legacy of Vietnam, he said that if Trump wants Pakistan to become a graveyard for U.S. troops, let him do so.

In tribal regions along the border, where U.S. drone strikes have killed hundreds of suspected militants and civilians, one crowd of tribesmen chanted, Long live Pakistan. In another spot, religious activists held up placards saying, India, America and Afghanistan are conspiring against Pakistan.

Pakistans National Security Committee, which comprises top military and civilian officials, sharply rejected Trumps charges of sheltering insurgents and demanded that the U.S. military eliminate sanctuaries for terrorists on the Afghan side. The Afghan war cannot be fought in Pakistan, the group declared.

Pakistani officials took other steps to show their unhappiness. They requested that a planned visit by Alice Wells, the senior State Department official dealing with the region, be indefinitely postponed. Pakistans foreign minister, who had been planning a trip to Washington, instead announced that he would travel to China, Russia and Turkey.



Supporters of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N carry banners as they protest Aug. 23 in Multan. (Faisal Kareem/European Pressphoto Agency)

Despite the hostile rhetoric, there were signs that U.S.-Pakistan relations are far from collapsing. Over the past few weeks, several low-profile meetings were held between current and former officials from both governments to discuss how to keep relations on an even keel.

Pakistani newspapers ran headlines that blasted Trump as a hectoring bully but also published nuanced commentaries calling for pragmatism and patience. The editors of Dawn, the countrys most influential daily paper, counseled that there is still space and time for constructive dialog. A strategic rupture is in neither the U.S. nor Pakistans interest.

For Pakistan, the issue of militant sanctuaries is a familiar one; both of Trumps immediate predecessors pressed Pakistan to crack down on them but did not take harsh measures, especially because Pakistan was cooperating in the broader anti-terrorism war. This time, though, Pakistani officials are said to be far more worried that Trump, an unpredictable leader, may follow through.

Trumps threats are real. . . . Madness on our doorstep has already arrived, commentator Syed Talat Hussain wrote in the News International on Monday. He suggested that if Trump, an ignoramus addicted to creating sensation, ordered a drone strike in Pakistani territory  as opposed to the border tribal areas  it could get us embroiled in a war with the U.S. This is deadly serious business.



Protesters burn portraits of Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Aug. 23 in Multan. (Faisal Kareem/European Pressphoto Agency)

Pakistanis have been even more deeply rattled by Trumps warm embrace of India, where the current prime minister is an ardent Hindu nationalist and Indian army troops have been waging an aggressive, months-long campaign against Muslim protesters in the disputed Kashmir region.

Pakistan has long pursued influence in Afghanistan largely as a foil to India, a larger and more powerful rival, only to see New Delhi become a major benefactor of the U.S.-backed government in Kabul.

Trumps comments about India were more unsettling for Pakistanis than his threats to Pakistan, said Michael Kugelman, a Pakistan expert at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. The U.S. calling for a deeper Indian footprint in Afghanistan sets off alarm bells across Pakistan. It will cause very real fear.

A few Pakistani voices here have called for a rethinking of Pakistans efforts to influence Afghanistan, noting this has created a burden on its resources and a spillover of Islamist radicalization. But virtually no one questions the notion that India, the worlds largest democracy, is their mortal enemy  a premise that has long kept Pakistans army in a position of extraordinary power but has left the country increasingly isolated.

Today, the dominant sentiment here is one of betrayal by an old friend that owes a large debt to Pakistan.

We have sacrificed for so many years to help the United States, and this Afghan war has destroyed us, said Rehman Malik, a Pakistani senator and former interior minister. We dont want anything but their respect. We are a victim of terrorism, not a cause of it. We want peace in Afghanistan, not war. Now America is befriending India at the expense of Pakistan. And that really hurts.



Supporters of the Defense of Pakistan Council, a coalition of about 40 religious and political parties, protest President Trump on Friday in Karachi. (Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images)

Shaiq Hussain in Islamabad and Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar contributed to this report.

Read more

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In Pakistan, a students lynching for alleged blasphemy was a new low  but no surprise

There is nothing here but dust: What Afghan deportees face after years as refugees in Pakistan

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The Illinois attorney general said Tuesday that she has filed a lawsuit to bring about a court-enforceable agreement for police reform in Chicago because the Trump administration proved itself unwilling to press the matter.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D) said she would effectively take the place of the Justice Department in trying to negotiate a consent decree  which would include an independent monitor and be subject to a federal judges supervision  to force the troubled Chicago Police Department to make changes.

The Justice Department in the Obama administration had investigated the Chicago police and found that officers routinely used excessive force and violated residents constitutional rights. But before department lawyers could negotiate a court-enforceable agreement for changes, President Trump and his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, took office and the usual process was interrupted, Madigan said.

The new administration at the Department of Justice has made it clear it will no longer seek a consent decree in Chicago, Madigan said at a news conference to announce the lawsuit. She later added, We are essentially stepping into the shoes of the Department of Justice, shoes that the DOJ has abandoned at this point.

[Sessions orders Justice Department to review all police reform agreements]

The lawsuit relies largely on the Justice Departments findings and asks a federal judge to intervene.

In a statement, Justice Department spokesman Ian Prior said policing was first and foremost a matter of local responsibility and offered a circumspect assessment of Madigans lawsuit.

If the City and State can put in place policies and practices to ensure constitutional, proactive policing that actually serves to reduce Chicagos rampant violent crime problems, that would be a positive step, he said. However, we have said repeatedly that we will not agree to or support any measure that will endanger the lives of Chicagos residents or law enforcement by eroding the rule of law or by failing to properly address violent crime in Chicago. We will continue to work with the city to meet those goals.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D), who appeared with Madigan at the news conference and indicated that he supported the lawsuit, said that he had been talking with the Trump administration about implementing changes outside of court but that the White House seemed to have abandoned that effort.

It became clear that they are disinterested in reform, that the Trump administration wasnt even willing to pursue the concept they proposed themselves, Emanuel said.

The Obama administration had been aggressive in pursuing court-enforceable reform agreements with police departments across the country and, in its waning days, took steps to put Chicago on the path to one.

The city departments troubles have been well publicized. On Monday, an officer was convicted of civil rights violations for an incident in which he was caught on video opening fire into a car full of teenagers. The Justice Department in January had issued a blistering 164-page report on the Chicago police as a whole, outlining how officers in a city struggling with gun violence lacked appropriate training and supervision, failed to adequately investigate misconduct and violated residents civil rights.

If the administration had not changed hands, the report would probably have put the Chicago department on the path toward a legal agreement that would have mandated reforms. But Sessions, a longtime critic of such agreements, ordered Justice Department officials to review the pacts with troubled police forces nationwide, saying it was necessary to ensure that the agreements did not work against the Trump administrations goals of promoting officer safety and morale while fighting violent crime. The Justice Department tried to delay approval of an agreement in Baltimore, although a judge signed off on it anyway, calling the need for oversight urgent. The agreements can be costly and are not always welcomed by officers.

Chicagos police chief said Tuesday that the department began implementing reforms on its own. The city also had been talking about a solution that would not necessitate court involvement.

But Emanuel said the Trump administration backed off from even that alternative. And Madigan said she felt that a court-enforceable agreement  which would probably come with deadlines, financial commitments and an independent monitor  was the only way to achieve real and lasting reform.

Vanita Gupta, now president and chief executive of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the head of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division during the Chicago investigation, said she welcomed Madigans suit.

Everyone deserves a police department that will keep them safe, consistent with the protections our Constitution demands, Gupta said in a statement. Where Attorney General Sessions refuses to act, we hope that other state and local governments will follow Illinois example and step in to the breach.

Earlier this month, the city of Chicago sued the Justice Department in a separate case over the Trump administrations plan to withhold federal public-safety grants to jurisdictions with sanctuary city policies. The city has long drawn the presidents attention for its high levels of violence.
A day after North Korea launched a missile over Japan, Tokyo Bureau Chief Anna Fifield answers one of the questions she gets most often about North Korea: "Are we going to war?" (Anna Fifield/The Washington Post)

A day after North Korea launched a missile over Japan, Tokyo Bureau Chief Anna Fifield answers one of the questions she gets most often about North Korea: "Are we going to war?" (Anna Fifield/The Washington Post)

North Koreas launch of a ballistic missile over Japan was unprecedented, but President Trumps response Tuesday was not  a renewal of his warning that all options are on the table. His tough talk may only serve to remind that the possibility of military action has not yet deterred North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The missile launch seemed designed to wreak just the right amount of havoc: enough for Kim to show that he would not be cowed but not so much as to invite the fire and fury that Trump warned could follow continued North Korean threats.

The launch early Tuesday was the first test of such a sophisticated weapon over the landmass of a U.S. ally and an obvious warning to the United States that North Korea could easily target U.S. military facilities on Guam or elsewhere in the Pacific region.

It came during annual joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea that have infuriated the nuclear-armed communist regime. It also came despite recent offers of talks from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

The world has received North Koreas latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior, Trump said in an early morning statement.

Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regimes isolation in the region and among all nations of the world, he said. All options are on the table.

The United States requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, which this month unanimously approved the strictest economic sanctions to date on a nation that already is one of the most heavily sanctioned in the world.

No country should have missiles flying over them like those 130 million people in Japan. Its unacceptable, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said.

North Korea has violated every single U.N. Security Council resolution that weve had, and so I think something serious has to happen, she added. Enough is enough.

[ North Korean missile flies over Japan, prompting an angry response from Tokyo ]

There was no indication that Kim was intimidated by the White House reaction. The state Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday morning local time that the North Korean leader had been present for the missile launch and had called it a meaningful prelude to containing Guam. According to the agency, Kim said he had gone ahead with the missile launch because the United States proceeded with the bellicose war exercises with South Korea.

International outrage over the latest North Korean missile went well beyond Washington. Trump spoke by phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hours after the launch, and the two leaders committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the international community to do the same, according to a White House statement.

People watch a television news screen showing file footage of a North Korean missile launch, at a railway station in Seoul on Aug. 29, 2017. (Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images)

That was a reference to stiff international sanctions that so far have failed to stop North Korea from developing working nuclear bombs and intercontinental ballistic missiles. The United States claims North Korea could not evade those sanctions if other countries including China enforced them more stringently.

Asked about the effectiveness of sanctions and international denunciation, given that North Korea does not seem to care about the moves, deputy British U.N. envoy Jonathan Allen insisted such actions have merit.

They send that really important message of the entire world being united, and they do have an impact on North Korea, Allen told reporters at the United Nations.

The missile appeared to be a Hwasong-12, the intermediate-range ballistic missile that North Korea has been threatening to shoot into the waters near the U.S. territory of Guam.

But North Korea did not shoot it southeast toward Guam. Instead, it lobbed the missile in a northeasterly direction, over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean.

It was, as Stephan Haggard, a political scientist and Korea expert at the University of California at San Diego, described it, perfectly calibrated to create political mischief.

The launch shows how Kim Jong Un is weirdly conservative, calibrating tests so that they are difficult to counter, flying just beneath the radar of a required kinetic response, Haggard said.

Taro Kono, Japans foreign minister, acknowledged as much. If North Korea had launched the missile to the south, the U.S. might have viewed it as a considerable provocation and responded accordingly, Kono told reporters after the launch.

North Koreas action also seemed designed to drive a wedge between its neighbors.

In Japan, Abe called it an unprecedented, grave and serious threat. Abe wants to beef up Japans military capabilities, and missile launches like this provide ammunition for his controversial cause. South Koreas liberal president, Moon Jae-in, who has promoted engagement with Pyongyang, immediately denounced the launch and sent his fighter jets to drop bombs on a shooting range near the border with North Korea.

Both reactions appear to have rattled China, where officials called on all sides to take a step back. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying characterized the North Korea situation as at a tipping point, approaching a crisis. She repeated Chinas call for talks between North Korea and the United States.

[ North Korea launches three missiles into sea, heightening tensions ]

Tillerson had stressed Sunday that the offer of talks remained open, and he encouraged Kim to choose a different path. For weeks, U.S. officials have sought to assure Kim that Washington does not want to topple him or invade his country, a message also meant to appeal to North Koreas protector, China.

Trump said last week that North Korea was finally starting to respect us, although he added that his threat to answer the countrys provocations with fire and fury might not have been strong enough.

Tillerson also had publicly praised North Korea last week for showing restraint since the U.N. Security Council vote and in the face of the annual military drills. Although North Korea had not test-launched any missiles for nearly a month at that point, it has done so twice since Tillerson spoke.

North Korea fired rockets over the Japanese mainland in 1998 and 2009  but it described them as satellite launch vehicles and gave Japan advance warning in the second case. Tuesdays missile launch was purely military and demonstrated a direct threat, said Narushige Michishita, an expert on Korean Peninsula security issues at the Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo.

From a military point of view, they have demonstrated an ability to use a very mobile, agile missile against targets anywhere in Japan, he said.

[ In a dangerous time, the Pentagon prepares for a war game on the Korean Peninsula ]

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said that the United States would shoot down any missile North Korea fired at Guam or a U.S. ally.

Fifield reported from Tokyo.

Read more

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North Korea could cross ICBM threshold next year, U.S. officials warn in new assessment

Kim Jong Uns rockets are getting an important boost  from China

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A Taliban suicide bomber struck at a bank not far from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, killing five people Tuesday as government employees lined up to withdraw salaries ahead of a religious holiday.

Meanwhile, there were conflicting reports on deaths from an airstrike that sought to target a Taliban command post outside Herat in western Afghanistan. Provincial officials said civilians were killed, but the Afghan Defense Ministry said Taliban militants were hit.

In the blast at Nawe Kabul bank, the Taliban said the suicide bomber targeted security forces waiting to withdraw cash ahead of Eid al-Adha, one of the holiest celebrations on the Islamic calendar.

A police official said that the bomber was shot as he attempted to make his way inside the bank but that he managed to detonate his explosives. The Interior Ministry said eight people were wounded in addition to the fatalities.

[A win in Afghanistan includes peace talks with the Taliban, say U.S. officials in Kabul]

An Afghan security guard stands inside a Kabul bank that was struck by a suicide bomber on Aug. 29. (Rahmat Gul/AP)

The target of the airstrike in Herats Shindand district was a Taliban command center. But local officials said civilians also were killed.

At least 13 civilians, including women and children, were killed along with 16 Taliban fighters, said Jailani Farhad, a spokesman for the governor.

A tribal chief from Herat, Ajab Gul, said at least 21 civilians, including women and children as young as 2, were killed.

They belonged to three families, and there was no fighting or Taliban presence in the area at the time of the attacks, he said. The victims are poor farmers.

The chief spokesman for the Defense Ministry, Gen. Dawlat Waziri, confirmed that Mondays airstrikes were carried out by Afghan warplanes.

[A much-feared Taliban offshoot returns from the dead]

Images of bodies of several children and two women, apparently among the victims, were posted on social media.

Health workers carry the body of a victim at the site of a suicide bombing in Kabul on Aug. 29. (Rahmat Gul/AP)

The deaths in Kabul and in Herat are part of a recent increase and spread of violence in Afghanistan, where the Taliban and affiliates of the Islamic State militant group are leading separate insurgencies against the government and U.S. troops backing it.

On Friday, nearly 30 Shiite worshipers were killed in a commando-style attack in a mosque in Kabul.

The Islamic State asserted responsibility for the assault, which, according to analysts, was aimed at fanning sectarian violence in the country, devastated by nearly four decades of war and foreign interventions.

Read more:

Islamic State gunmen storm Shiite mosque in Kabul

I believe in the Afghan people, says top U.S. commander in Afghanistan

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KHARTOUM, Sudan  After he met with Christian leaders and attorneys, the Trump administrations head of humanitarian aid on Tuesday urged Sudans government to improve protections for religious minorities and human rights.

Mark Green, the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, said he had received assurances on religious protections from the government in the overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim country, though he offered no details of his discussions on the issue with Prime Minister Bakri Hassan Saleh and Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour.

This is a conversation that will take place, he told reporters after meeting with Bakri and Ghandour,   to prepare ourselves for a decision coming in early October.

But Green insisted talks on religious freedoms and human rights are not linked to conditions the United States demands Sudan meet before an Oct. 12 deadline for deciding whether to permanently lift decades-old sanctions against the country. President Barack Obama outlined the conditions when he temporarily suspended sanctions in January. They include more humanitarian access, cooperation on counterterrorism, and steps to address domestic conflicts peacefully.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would like to apply more pressure on Sudan to improve its record on human rights and religious freedoms, which he has singled out for criticism in the past. Leery of appearing to move the goal post after Sudan has already started to make progress on the original set of conditions, U.S. officials are increasingly raising the issue in the context of future actions expected if Khartoum hopes to improve relations with Washington.

Christians in Sudan have long complained of unfair and discriminatory behavior toward them, both by the government and in society at large.

Most Christians in Sudan, except for the well-off and established Coptic community, are from tribes in southern Sudan. Generally they are poor and marginalized. When the separate nation of South Sudan became independent in 2011, the government forcibly pushed many Christians to go there. But as South Sudan has descended into war and chaos, many Christians have returned to Sudan.

Today, the government estimates Sunni Muslims make up 97 percent of the population, while Christians insist that is an exaggeration. Christians are close to 20 percent of the population, they say.

Sudans constitution promises freedom of religion, and the government denies that it discriminates or persecutes religious minorities. But many Christians say they have been ignored, disrespected and worse. According to the State Departments latest religious freedom report, churches in Sudan have been demolished over land disputes, permits for new churches have been denied, and church leaders have been arrested. Proselytizing can be considered evidence of the crime of apostasy.

U.S. officials have consistently raised concerns over human rights and religious freedom whenever they talk with Sudanese officials.

The administration hopes the impending decision on sanctions against Sudan could eventually create more space for Christians to practice their faith as they see fit.

We are hopeful the extended sanctions review period will provide opportunities for future progress, Green said in a news conference that state-run media in Sudan largely ignored.

Read more

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It was March 2020, and the world was closing down as the COVID-19 pandemic spread. At first, the news of...
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/08/2017 (1902 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MILWAUKEE  A class-action lawsuit that almost extracted US$520,000 out of Subway over the length of its sandwiches just derailed at a federal appeals court.

The U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a Milwaukee federal judges approval of a settlement in the infamous case about whether Subways foot-long sandwiches were always 12 inches long.

Judge Diane Sykes, writing for a three-judge panel, concluded: Because the settlement yields fees for class counsel and zero benefits for the class, the class should not have been certified and the settlement should not have been approved.

After an Australian teenager in 2013 took a photo of his Subway sandwich coming up short next to a ruler and posted it online, people began to sue over the length of their subs. Several were consolidated into a single class-action case that was assigned to U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman in Milwaukee.

In their haste to file suit, however, the lawyers neglected to consider whether the claims had any merit. They did not, Sykes wrote.

She noted that early discovery in the case showed Subway already had fairly strict standards about how much dough was in unbaked loaves, and that the minor variations in length were unpreventable, given the nature of baking. Plus, she wrote, no customer really gets less food than they expect, since they watch their subs get made in front of them and can ask for more toppings.

Nonetheless, a settlement plan announced in 2015 would have paid the 10 plaintiff law firms involved a total of US$525,000, but given most class members the millions of people who purchased Subway subs since 2003 only some promised new procedures Subway said would further assure that their rolls measured a full 12 inches.

The injunctive nature of the settlement was because there really were no damages to any customer. Seeking the other relief from Subway was a way for the lawyers to preserve fees.

Some objected to the proposed deal. Theodore Frank, a class member and professional objector to hollow class-action settlements, in Sykes words, tried to block the planned deal but Adelman approved it. Besides fees to the lawyers, a few named plaintiffs would get US$500 each.

The class lawyers tried to argue that since the relief to the class was injunctive, Frank stood to gain nothing if the attorney fees were reduced. But Sykes noted that Franks objection was to certification of the class and the settlement itself.

She observed that before  and after  the settlement, customers could still occasionally get a sandwich in a bun a little under 12 inches or six inches long. She was not impressed that some who might find offense could theoretically return to court and try to have Subway found in contempt.

Contempt as a remedy to enforce a worthless settlement is itself worthless. Zero plus zero equals zero, Sykes wrote.

Adam Schulman, who represented the objector Frank (who is Ted Frank, director of the Center for Class Action Fairness), said, It was wonderful to see the principle vindicated, that cases without benefits to absent class members should not be certified.

Subway should really be the happiest, though, he said, as Schulman read Sykes language to suggest the case is likely headed for dismissal.

But Thomas A. Zimmerman Jr., one of the class-action attorneys, said they will now seek to have internal Subway documents that were kept confidential for the purpose of mediation in the case made part of the public court record.

We intend to pursue the cases, he said. People will definitely have a different view once they see the information the two judges saw.

Subway released this statement Monday: We are pleased that the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals recognized, as had the lower court before it, that the Subway brand did not misrepresent its product. We stand behind our commitment to quality.

 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/08/2017 (1903 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Omnitraxs website boasts two pages lavishly extolling the values of its rail line to Churchill and its ownership and operation of the Port of Churchill.

Neither page mentions that the rail line has been washed out since May 23, with no sign of the Denver-based companys paying for repairs any time soon, nor does it mention that Omnitrax has essentially shut down the port.

Elsewhere on the companys website, there is a link posted July 13 to a June 9 news release in which the company said that the rail line to Churchill would be closed indefinitely.

OMNITRAX The owners of the Hudson Bay Railway line say flooding that submerged a section of the track, shown in this handout image, and stopped service on May 23 has caused "unprecedented and catastrophic'' damage that will take months to repair.

The company declined to discuss its online promotional strategy Monday.

Peter Touesnard, chief commercial officer at Omnitrax, said by email from Denver Monday, We are focused on what is most important to the people of Churchill at the moment: working with government to return safe and reliable service to the communities north of Amery, Manitoba. At this time, we have no further comments to provide.

Repeated attempts over several days to contact Churchill Mayor Mike Spence have been unsuccessful, and Premier Brian Pallisters office deferred to the company for comment.

Omnitrax has refused to bear the cost of repairing the line, which it estimates at between $20 million and $60 million.

Omnitrax says that its rail line to Churchill is a vital transportation link in northern Manitoba, hauling perishables, automobiles, construction material, heavy and dimensional equipment, scrap, hazardous materials, kraft paper, concentrates, containers, fertilizer, wheat and other grain products. VIA Rail also operates remote services on HBRY (Hudson Bay Railway Company) using its Hudson Bay passenger train between Winnipeg, and Churchill, Manitoba.

Major customers for HBRY include HudBay Minerals, Tolko Manitoba, Imperial Oil, Petro Canada, and Sittco Energy. HBRY proudly supports the export of Western Canadian Farmers Grain and Specialty Crops through their affiliate, the Hudson Bay Port Company, which is located at the northern end of the railway.

The Omnitrax website does not note that the company shut down its grain terminal operation in Churchill in July of 2016, and cut its freight rail service in half.

The line in northern Manitoba is the only non-American line among the 21 rail lines Omnitrax operates.

The page touting the port notes it is North Americas only deep water Arctic port and is strategically located  and links to several other sites extolling the value of individual services in Churchill.

Says Omnitrax: The Port brings the world of ocean trade to the front doorstep of the central United States and Canada. Churchills unique location provides opportunities for the export of grain, manufactured, mining, and forest products, as well as the import of ores, minerals, steel, building materials, fertilizer, and petroleum products for distribution in Central and Western Canada and the United States.

Hudson Bay Port Company has four deep-sea berths for the loading and unloading of grain, bulk commodities, general cargo, and tanker vessels. The Port is connected to the Hudson Bay Railway and further connections are made with the Canadian National Railway system, it says.

The location of the port is ideal for shipping products to and from Europe, Russia, Mexico, Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Using the Port of Churchill eliminates time-consuming navigation, additional handling and high-cost transportation through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. Shipping seasons normally run from late July to early November.

When the province recently announced it would ship in enough propane to get Churchill through this coming winter, Blaine Pedersen  at that time Manitobas infrastructure minister  said that the ship needs to offload by late September in order to be able to get out again before its blocked by ice from getting back to Montreal.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/08/2017 (1902 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  The president of the Churchill Chamber of Commerce says if Via Rail tries to get its stranded rail cars out of the isolated northern town, desperate residents will do what they can to prevent that from happening.

The Hudson Bay town is now in its 14th week without rail service, its lone overland link to the south.

This train isnt leaving here unless its leaving by the tracks. Because well blockade it and well make sure it doesnt leave, Dave Daley said Tuesday. What kind of message does that send to Manitoba if that train leaves here by boat? That theyre never going to fix the tracks?

DAVID LIPNOWSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Dave Daley, shown in 2010, with one of his sled dogs. The president of the Churchill Chamber of Commerce says town residents will blockade any attempt by Via Rail to get its stranded rail cars out of the town unless its by rail.

Daley says people in Churchill increasingly have little to lose. He hears of another family planning to move south about once a week.

Churchills dying, he said.

On May 23, overland flooding from an unusual spring melt washed out multiple bridges and damaged track along the 300-kilometre line that connects Gillam to Churchill.

On July 18, Denver-based Omnitrax said it was not economically feasible to repair its railway. Ottawa maintains the company is contractually obligated to cover the repair cost, estimated at between $20 million and $60 million.

Via Rail has five passenger cars and two locomotives  festooned with a celebratory Canada 150 banner  stuck in Churchill. Rumours of the federal Crown corporations plan to get its assets out on a barge have been circulating in the town since June; Via refuses to confirm whether thats under consideration.

Via Rail is currently evaluating options as it relates to this train, based on the evolution of the situation, spokeswoman Mariam Diaby said via email, echoing a statement the company made two months ago.

The rumour of a pullout sparked loud reactions at a June 30 meeting, when Manitoba Trade Minister Cliff Cullen and cabinet colleague Blaine Pedersen, the infrastructure minister, visited the town with a senior emergency-management official. Its not clear who brought up the idea.

Some who attended the meeting told the Free Press the ministers said Via Rail asked to put its trains on whatever barge the province will use to bring propane to the town. But the government denied that, saying it hadnt yet discussed the details of sending fuel north, something it had pledged to do on July 21, at a cost of $6 million.

Churchill Mayor Mike Spence said his communications with Ottawa have been focused on repairing the rail line as quickly as possible.

The town does not support the removal of the trains, should it be under consideration, when repairing the line is the priority and can be initiated right away, Spence said in an email. We remain confident and optimistic that will occur.

Spence also pushed back against media reports suggesting the Port of Churchill is closed. Though Omnitrax laid off most of its workers, the port is still taking in fuel and is set to export an grain later this fall.

On Tuesday, Omnitraxs chief commercial officer claimed he was not able to say whether the company will make public an engineering report that contains an updated repair-cost estimate  despite receiving it Aug. 4 and presenting it to Transport Canada last week.

We have been working diligently on a long-term solution, and hope to arrive at a decision soon, wrote Peter Touesnard.

But business owners such as Daley say almost everybody in town is cutting back. His dog-sledding business is grappling with concerns about how to feeds its 39 dogs. The cost of shipping a pallet of dog food has risen from $800 by rail to $4,500 in the air.

Two of Churchills four restaurant operators say theyve decided to close for the month of September, while a fifth has altered its opening plans.

Were getting about pretty much fed up with all the political jargoning around, and all the bureaucracy. Its just getting ridiculous, said Daley, 54, a lifelong resident.

He was seething when the Canadian Transportation Agency told the Free Press it wouldnt investigate Omnitrax until people filed complaints. What the hell does that mean? The complaints have been all over the news.

Local resident Echo Finlay was among a dozen Free Press readers who filed complaints. She says Vias pullout has been rumoured for months, especially after a Via employee moved south. Some people are already planning protests, she said.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 29/08/2017 (1902 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  A Tory MP is calling on Canadas immigration minister to use his Somali background to dissuade people in the United States from crossing into his Manitoba riding.

Conservative MP Ted Falk represents the area around Emerson, Man., where more than 700 people have crossed irregularly into Canada this year, largely Somali and Ghanaian citizens. Its illegal to enter Canada outside of a border post, but under international law people who cross illegally and file asylum claims are shielded from prosecution.

Meanwhile, thousands are now crossing into Quebec, mostly Haitians. Last week, a Liberal MP of Haitian descent spoke with the diaspora in Miami and on Creole-language radio. He dissuaded them from making claims in Canada, saying that despite rumours of a free pass, many will likely be deported.

TREVOR HAGAN / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Conservative MP Ted Falk speaks during a press conference to discuss the increase of illegal crossings near Emerson, Man., Friday, May 5, 2017.

Falk called on Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, who was a refugee from Somalia, to do the same before Manitoba sees similar spikes.

With his background and cultural perspective, he would have a very good understanding of where theyre coming from, Falk said in an interview. He would also be a respected voice to them, one they would trust.

On social media, Hussen has posted information in English and French aimed at dispelling myths around asylum.

Asked last Thursday whether Hussen will approach Somali broadcasts in places like Minnesota, Hussens department took until Tuesday to respond, and didnt answer the question.

We have expanded our outreach efforts to ensure that everyone is aware of the facts about Canadas asylum system, spokesman Remi Lariviere wrote in a vague email about using a number of tools to reach key audiences and ensure a sound understanding.

Lariviere said Canadas consulates and embassies in the U.S. are also working to make sure people understand Canadas asylum laws, but didnt specify how. It appears many are tweeting information in English.

The Immigration Department refused to say whether it was doing anything to specifically address West Africans living in the U.S.

Last week, African diaspora groups in Minnesota told the Free Press that many, likely thousands, of people from Ghana and Liberia are pondering an asylum claim in Canada, as the U.S. tapers off temporary-stay permits and ramps up deportation raids.

But Canadas new government task force on asylum claimants says its focused on the higher numbers in Quebec and Ontario. Its spokeswoman Delphine Denis said other provinces might join as the situation continues to evolve.

For Falk, the lack of visible government outreach to the American Midwest means the Liberals are giving false hope to people who have low chances of successfully claiming asylum.

Theres a lot of peoples lives that are being disrupted, thinking that they can come to Canada, said Falk.

He says the refugee-hearing backlog is already delaying people from rightfully gaining asylum, while the army sets up shelters in Quebec. The action of people coming here illegally is turning our RCMP and our Canada Border Services agents into bellhops and waiters.

Since 2004, the U.S. and Canada have sent most people claiming asylum back over the land border. Falk and his fellow Conservatives want the Safe Third Country Agreement expanded to those intercepted after entering Canada at places near Emerson.

But most legal experts say that isnt possible, because international law protects people once they physically enter another country  its also why the 2004 agreement doesnt apply to people arriving in airports.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/08/2017 (1903 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg lawyer who has filed a class action lawsuit against the province says successive provincial governments have been lining their coffers for decades with money meant for children living below the poverty line.

Thats according to Norman Rosenbaum of Merchant Law Group, whos representing a handful of Manitoba single parents whove been personally affected by the policy.

Single parents on social assistance are forced into signing over their child support to the provincial government, or  if they refuse  their monthly welfare cheque will be deducted by the same amount of the payment, according to Rosenbaum.

Either way, he says, theyre giving with one hand what they take with the other and the money isnt going where it should be: the kids.

Basically they consider child support to be the resources of the primary care giver. But a ruling in the Supreme Court of Canada has said that child support is the right and entitlement of the child, he said.

The kid isnt responsible for the parent being on social assistance and a third party should not be taking money earmarked for them.

If a single parent receives $1,000 a month in welfare and has a court order for $800 a month in child support, they are left with two options according to Rosenbaum.

The welfare worker will say, If you sign the child support over to us, youll still get the $1,000 a month. But if you dont sign this, well only pay you $200 a month, he explained.

That really isnt much of a choice for the parent, so what happens is child support is turned over to social assistance.

One father fed up with the situation is Steven Hennessey, 47 of Winnipeg, whos paid child support for his three children over the past seven years and is part of the class action lawsuit. But since the mother of his children is on social assistance, his cheques go straight to the government.

So when it comes to things like setting money aside for their future, or opening up investment accounts in their names, he feels he has to pay double, since the money hes already sending each month doesnt go where it should be.

The bottom line is that money designated for children is being taken by the government. Its not provided to the child. Theyve been taking child support away from children for decades, Hennessey said.

This isnt a Conservative thing. The NDP did it too. Its a pro-poverty policy that affects children negatively and needs to be removed.

In other provinces the practice has been removed. In 2015, B.C. became the first province to scrap the child support claw-back for single parents on social assistance, before Ontario followed suit in 2017.

Both Hennessey and Rosenbaum hope Manitoba will be next in line.

Regulation requires people receiving Employment and Income Assistance to make a reasonable effort to obtain the maximum amount of income available to them from all sources. Maintenance payments are considered income in assessing eligibility for EIA benefits, wrote a provincial spokesman in a statement.

But as far as Hennesseys concerned thats not good enough and needs to go.

This is not income. Its child support. Its for the child. Its not income for the parent. They shouldnt be treating it like that. The parent is put as a trust of that money, but its not theirs, he said.

Somebody has got to look out for these kids and right now the government isnt and thats a problem. Im going to continue to pay child support as I always have. I just wish it would actually go to my children.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 28/08/2017 (1903 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has selected one of Premier Brian Pallisters adversaries to fix Indigenous services like she did with the health file, despite needing support from the province on multiple issues.

Jane Philpott, who was federal health minister until Monday, locked horns with Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister for almost a year over scaling back federal funding increases to health care. Pallister decried the dangerous changes, and refused to use Ottawas term health accord.

Last Monday, Pallister accepted extra funding for mental health and homecare from Ottawa  five months after every other province  but said hell still push for more healthcare dollars.

Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press Carolyn Bennett (left), minister of Crown-Indigenous relations and northern affairs looks on as Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott speaks to media after a Liberal cabinet shuffle at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017.

On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau named Philpott as the new Minister of Indigenous Services, in charge of things like on-reserve healthcare and ending Manitobas 16 drinking-water advisories.

The role will require close collaboration with the province.

Manitoba and Ottawa are part of an Indigenous-led consultation process aimed at fixing an estimated 30-per-cent funding gap for on-reserve child and family services. In Manitoba, many First Nations agencies provide services to children both on- and off-reserve, meaning they receive a mix of federal and provincial funding.

Meanwhile, the group representing northern Manitoba nations is pushing for a health transformation charter, which would see Ottawa give more autonomy to band councils, instead of the current system of sending nurses and paying medical bills for procedures in provincial hospitals.

It strengthens and empowers the First Nations more, and creates more of a collaboration than a dependence, said Sheila North Wilson, chief of the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.

The federal government says providing birth units at local health centres, and flying northern patients to places like Churchill instead of Winnipeg, could improve health incomes while saving cash for other Indigenous health initiatives. But such changes would likely need Manitobas approval, and provinces are always weary of Ottawa instead cutting back funding and leaving them with the costs.

Despite Philpotts clashes with Pallister, North Wilson says shes confident the minister will find common ground with him. She is genuine and she actually makes good effort in trying to understand situations.

The head of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs says the provinces first nations are glad the Trudeau government has restored some programs its predecessors had cut back, but said Ottawa is coming up shorthanded in its ambitions around issues like boil-water advisories.

Theres been a bit of frustration at the pace things have been moving since Trudeau took office, said AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas. A lot of the funding that reaches our communities is inadequate.

Both Dumas and North Wilson said they were surprised by the change, but cautiously optimistic it could improve life for Indigenous Manitobans.

Pallister was not available for an interview Monday, as he was attending a funeral. Provincial Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen wished Philpott luck in her new role, saying he appreciated her personal and professional manner on the tough health file.

Carolyn Bennett, who was the federal minister for Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, is now Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, charged with navigating treaty issues, which will likely come up during resource-extraction projects.

Bennett noted that splitting the department was among the changes suggested in a comprehensive 1996 royal commission.

What were doing is moving people along to the ultimate goal of self-determination, said Bennett, adding that her government is trying to lay the ground to eventually end the Indian Act, which many activists see as racist.

Trudeau said hed table a bill possibly by next spring to split the department into two. Theres a sense that we have pushed the creaky old structures around INAC about as far as they can go, he said.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

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This article was published 29/08/2017 (1902 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This may be a good moment to call Donald Trumps bluff.

The U.S. president is up to his old tricks of uttering dark threats on his Twitter feed while pretending to play nice through the formal channels of the U.S. government. This used to be called speaking with a forked tongue. Its a way of taking two positions at once and avoiding accountability for either of them.

By one position, the Trump administration wants to negotiate with Canada and Mexico to reach an agreement on changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement. This was never Canadas idea or Mexicos. It was Mr. Trumps.

Olivier Douliery / Abaca Press U.S. President Donald Trump

Canada and Mexico both agreed to join in the exercise that the Trump administration asked for. The three governments appointed negotiating teams and discussed trade issues with their industry groups to figure out what they should seek in the negotiations. Negotiations started a week ago in Washington.

Concurrently, however, Mr. Trump is telling his supporters that the negotiations he started are a waste of time. At a campaign-style rally in Phoenix last week, he said: Personally, I dont think we can make a deal. I think well end up probably terminating NAFTA at some point. In a series of Twitter messages this weekend, he said: We are in the NAFTA (worst trade deal ever made) renegotiation process with Mexico & Canada. Both being very difficult, may have to terminate? This was written in the course of a string of insults against Mexico and repeated threats to build a wall at the Mexican border and make Mexico pay for it.

All of this raises a doubt about why the U.S. team bothers to turn up for meetings with Canada and Mexico about making changes to NAFTA. Their boss, from whom they derive their mandate to negotiate, personally doesnt think an agreement can be reached. He complains, after a few days of meetings to organize the talks, that Mexico and Canada are being very difficult and the treaty may have to be terminated. His complaint is frivolous, but that is his problem and his negotiators problem, not ours.

When the negotiating teams meet in Mexico City on Friday, the Canadians should hold the U.S. sides feet to the fire their boss has lit. They should ask for a clear explanation of the U.S. position. Does the U.S. intend to seek an agreement on changes to NAFTA, or has the U.S. already decided, as its president has repeatedly said, that there will be no agreement and NAFTA should be terminated?

If the U.S. is in fact negotiating in bad faith, as Mr. Trump seems be saying, then Canadas logical next move is to end the talks and call its negotiating team home. If the U.S. representatives repudiate their bosss statements, then the repudiation should be published and hung around Mr. Trumps neck.

The world for too long has been enduring Mr. Trumps irresponsible behaviour. He is allowed to get away with throwing tantrums and facing no consequences for his bad behaviour. Fortunately for Canada and Mexico, this latest tantrum is also a tactical blunder. Mr. Trump has no authority to terminate NAFTA, which is a treaty of the United States ratified by Congress. Nor has he the political clout to persuade Congress to cancel it. He is talking loudly and carrying no stick at all.
North Korea tested an intermediate range ballistic missile early this morning local time in a move that can only add to the high tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The launch followed the firing of three short-range missiles on Saturday and comes amid large-scale US-South Korean military exercises in the South.

The missile flew about 2,700 kilometres over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, reaching a height of about 550 kilometres before splashing down about 1,180 kilometres to the east of Japan. It was the first time since 2009 that a North Korean missile passed over Japan.

Yonhap news agency reported that the top military officers of the US and South Korea decided to make a strong response, including unspecified military measures. It said the chairmen of both Joint Chiefs of Staff agreed by phone to take response measures at the earliest possible time that can demonstrate the alliances strong will, including military measures.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe denounced the reckless act of firing a missile over our nation as an unprecedented, serious and significant threat. He said Japan had already lodged a firm protest against North Korea and called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting to further strengthen pressure against North Korea.

Abe later said he spoke by phone to US President Donald Trump, who backed the call for a UN Security Council meeting. According to Abe, Trump said the United States was 100 percent with Japan and showed his commitment to Japans defence.

Like Abe, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop condemned the launch as a provocative, dangerous, destabilising and threatening act and declared we stand ready to support Japan at any time. Opposition Labor spokeswoman Penny Wong joined the chorus of condemnation, denouncing the missile firing as provocative and unlawful.

While North Koreas missile test recklessly heightens the danger of conflict in North East Asia, the chief responsibility for the confrontation rests with the US and its allies. Earlier this month, in response to two long-range missile tests by Pyongyang, President Trump warned that the US would engulf North Korea in fire and fury if it threatened the United States in any way.

The US also refused to call off the Ulchi-Freedom Guardian war games involving tens of thousands of South Korean and American troops in what amounts to a rehearsal for war with North Korea. The Pyongyang regime has repeatedly condemned the annual drills and warned the US against any attack on its territory. A small number of Australian troops are participating in the exercises and Australia is host to US spy bases, as well as Marines, warships and military aircraft.

In a letter on Monday, North Koreas ambassador to the UN, Ja Song Nam, called on the UN Security Council to urgently schedule a discussion on the US-South Korean military exercises. He likened the drills to adding fuel to [an] open fire and accused the US of staging a provocative and aggressive joint military exercise at this critical moment of the Korean Peninsula, where the situation is just like a time bomb.

At the same time, US and Japanese troops have just completed military exercises, dubbed Northern Viper (NV17), on Hokkaido. The August 10-28 drills involved about 2,000 US Marines and 1,500 Japanese ground troops along with F-16 fighters, MV-22 Osprey aircraft, military helicopters and first test-firing in Japan of the M142 High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System.

US Air Force Colonel R. Scott Robe pointed to the tense conditions under which the war games were held. Misawa [Air Base] is a hub for forward-deployed operations if a real-world scenario were to occur; it is vital for us to maintain security and enhance our combined abilities. In other words, the NV17 was a drill for the most-obvious immediate real-world scenarioa war with North Korea.

By firing a missile over Japan, the Pyongyang regime has played directly into the hands of the right-wing Abe government, which has exploited the supposed threat from North Korea to advance its agenda of remilitarising Japan. Since coming to office in 2012, Abe has boosted the defence budget, loosened constitutional limits on the military, and is pushing to re-write the constitution to remove the remaining constraints.

Abes government used the missile launch to again fuel a climate of fear and panic. The official emergency information system sent out alerts within minutes with the message: Missile launch. Missile launch. North Korea seems to have launched missile. Please evacuate into substantial buildings or basements. The alert was called off within a quarter of an hour.

Japan and South Korea convened meetings of their respective national security councils this morning. While Abe played up the danger of the North Korean missile, the Japanese military quickly worked out it would pass safely overhead and made no attempt to shoot it down.

The Pentagon issued a brief statement this morning saying it was still assessing the missile launch, while the North American Aerospace Defence Command said the launch posed no threat to the United States.

As of posting, the Trump administration had issued no statement on the missile test. Following Trumps fire and fury threat, the Pyongyang regime warned it might test-fire three intermediate range missiles into waters close to the American territory of Guam, host to two major US military bases.

After North Korea backed off, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson hinted last week that talks might be possible because North Korea demonstrated some level of restraint by not testing any missiles from early August. On Sunday, he played down North Koreas firing of short-range missiles the day before and reiterated that the US was continuing its pressure campaign with a view to begin a dialogue on a different future for [the] Korean Peninsula and North Korea.

However, Tillerson and other top Trump officials have made absolutely clear that the military option remains if North Korea refuses to capitulate to US demands that it denuclearise.
Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind and her boyfriend, Ashton Matheny, had a plan for their future together and for the newborn baby whom they would soon raise in Fargo, North Dakota.

But then LaFontaine-Greywind vanished last week from her apartment building and, on Sunday, she was found dead  a sudden, mysterious slaying that has so far left behind more grief than answers for her loved ones.

All I wanted was a life with Savanna and my baby, but they took it from me, Matheny told the Forum News Service last week, before LaFontaine-Greywinds body was found in a local river. My worlds gone, man. They took my world from me.

Fargo police said that on Thursday, two of LaFontaine-Greywinds neighbors, William Henry Hoehn, 32, and 38-year-old Brooke Lynn Crews, were arrested in connection with her disappearance after a newborn believed to be her baby girl was allegedly found in their apartment, which she visited hours before being reported missing.

On Sunday, LaFontaine-Greywinds body was found by two kayakers heavily wrapped in plastic and duct tape in the Red River near Harwood, North Dakota, just before 6 p.m., policed announced at a press conference. Authorities were also investigating a farmstead nearby, after searchers there found suspicious items that indicated it may be a crime scene.

Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind

From left: William Henry Hoehn and Brooke Lynn Crews.

Both suspects are held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and providing false information to law enforcement, according to authorities.

A possible motive is unclear, as is LaFontaine-Greywinds cause of death or the manner in which she may have given birth.

Crews and Hoehn remain in jail. They have not entered pleas, and it is unclear if they have retained attorneys who could comment on their behalf. They are expected to appear in court on Monday afternoon. Formal charges are also reportedly expected on Monday.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

In an interview prior to the discovery of his girlfriends body, Matheny told the Forum News Service that the couple was excited to be parents. But now, Matheny  who had been dating LaFontaine-Greywind for six years  said he isnt allowed to see the baby girl that is likely his daughter because of pending DNA testing to confirm the childs identity.

Story continues

According to the News Service, the infant is at a local hospital in the custody of social services.

It breaks my heart, Matheny said. Theyre admitting its [our] baby. I guarantee if I saw it, I could tell whose child is. It doesnt matter what I think. They have guidelines and procedures.

Investigators have not returned repeated messages about the LaFontaine-Greywind case; efforts to reach Matheny or LaFontaine-Greywinds family have been unsuccessful.

According to Matheny, he and LaFontaine-Greywind had named their baby Haisley Jo. They were scheduled to move to a new Fargo apartment together on Sept. 1, in preparation for the child, who was due Sept. 20. Their new apartment would have been across from where LaFontaine-Greywind lived with her family.

Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind

The apartment building where Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind lived in Fargo, North Dakota

On Friday, police collected DNA samples from Matheny, the Forum News Service reports. Results are expected to take about a week.

Its taking forever, he told the news outlet. Its taking too long. This whole thing is taking too long.

 PEOPLEs special edition True Crime Stories: 35 Real Cases That Inspired the Show Law & Order is on sale now.

According to Fargo police and previous news reports, LaFontaine-Greywind was last seen alive on Aug. 19 when, her family said, she left their basement apartment to go upstairs and model a dress being sewn by a neighbor.

Matheny told the Forum News Service that he texted with her about an hour before she left.

Crews, who shares an apartment with Hoehn, is suspected of being the neighbor who asked for LaFontaine-Greywinds help that day, and she was the one allegedly found with the newborn baby when police searched their apartment on Thursday.

An autopsy is taking place on LaFontaine-Greywinds body, with results expected later this week.
Ronda Rousey and Travis Browne missed the Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather showdown on Saturday night  but it was for a very good reason.

The two mixed martial arts UFC fighters were busy getting married in a laid-back fiesta in the Aloha State.

What an amazing day!! She is so perfect in every way! She makes me so happy! She is my other half! I Love You @rondarousey #browsey2017, Browne captioned a black-and-white Instagram shot of the pair on their wedding day.

What an amazing day!! She is so perfect in every way! She makes me so happy! She is my other half! I Love You @rondarousey #browsey2017 A post shared by travisbrownemma (@travisbrownemma) on Aug 29, 2017 at 12:13pm PDT

Congrats to Ronda and Travis. Incredible wedding. Blessed and thankful to have been there for it, photographer and wedding guest Michael Mardones also captioned an Instagram shot that shows the MMA star in her wedding dress.

Congrats to Ronda and Travis. Incredible wedding. Blessed and thankful to have been there for it. #browsey2017 #TheReason #SavLife #Hawaii A post shared by Michael Mardones (@layziethesavage) on Aug 28, 2017 at 5:44pm PDT

Rousey, 30, shared some wedding details during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan last month, explaining that they chose to get married in her fiances home state. Hes Hawaiian so were gonna do kinda like a backyard Mexican Corona party, Rousey revealed.

News of the nuptials leaked on Friday after UFC president Dana White confirmed the wedding on The Rich Eisen Show.

Ronda Rousey gets married tomorrow. Tomorrow is her wedding, White said, per ESPN. And shes in a good place; shes really happy, and she hasnt announced her retirement or anything like that. Shes focusing on this wedding.

The couple got engaged this past April, with Rousey sharing the news on Instagram with a hilarious photoshopped image of the two showing Rousey dressed in a tuxedo while carrying a wedding dress-wearing Browne.

@travisbrownemma A post shared by rondarousey (@rondarousey) on Apr 22, 2017 at 11:57am PDT

Rousey has said he was taken aback by the proposal, which happened during a romantic getaway to New Zealand. And although he planned it, Browne, 35, was equally tongue-tied.

Story continues

It was actually after heavy rain and we were under this waterfall, Rousey told Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest of the day Browne popped the question. Apparently he had this whole speech prepared but it just went down into bullet points in the moment. So he pulls out the ring and Im already like, Uh huh before he even says anything. [And hes] like, Okay, were in New Zealand, were under a waterfall, will you marry me? 

Saturdays nuptials were a bright spot in a tough few professional years for Rousey.

After becoming the first female champion of the UFC in 2012 and going on to win six consecutive title defenses, Rousey has suffered two consecutive losses  the first to Holly Holm in November 2015 (via a knockout head kick) and the second to Amanda Nunes last December, just 48 seconds into round one at UFC 207.

The losses have many wondering whether the Olympic bronze medalist will be returning to fighting  a question shes yet to publicly answer either way.

Prior to her fight against Nunes, Rousey said during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she was nearing retirement.

Im wrapping it up, she said. This is definitely one of my last fights. Everyone better watch because the show isnt gonna be around forever!
A 7-year-old girl was abducted from her grandparents Massachusetts home by a family acquaintance who choked her before tossing her off a bridge, police said.

The child managed to swim to safety and summon help.

Read: Model Kidnapped and Held in Suitcase, Man Threatened To Sell Her Online: Authorities

Joshua Hubert, 35, was arrested and charged with kidnapping, according to Worcester police.

The child was asleep in in a chair inside her grandparents home when she was grabbed by Hubert, who had been attending a cookout at the house, authorities said.

Hubert, a family acquaintance, drove around with the girl for about an hour and at one point choked her. He then pitched her off an expanse crossing Lake Quinsigamond, Worcester Police said in a statement.

The girl swam to shore in neighboring Shrewsbury and knocked on the door of womans house at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday. The resident summoned police.

The little girl was soaking wet and wearing pajamas, police said. She was able to tell officers what happened, authorities.

Read: Kidnapped Woman Called 911 After Suspected Serial Killer Falls Asleep: Cops

Hubert was arraigned Monday and pleaded not guilty. He denied taking the girl, authorities said.

He is being held without bail. Prosecutor said they expect to file additional charges.

Watch: Video Shows Police Free Woman Who Was Kidnapped by a Serial Killer

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(BALTIMORE)  The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trumps ban on transgender individuals joining the military.

The federal lawsuit, Stone v. Trump, was filed in Maryland on Monday by the ACLU of Maryland on behalf of Petty Officer First Class Brock Stone, an 11-year Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan, and several other transgender members of the Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines.

Trump directed the Pentagon on Friday to implement the ban on transgender individuals joining the military, which he first announced in a tweet. He also gave to the Pentagon the authority to decide the future of openly transgender people already serving.

The lawsuit says Trumps policy violates the equal protection rights of transgender service members who now have grave reason to fear for their careers.

The lawsuit questions the premise for the ban cited in the presidents tweets. Trump wrote that he made his decision after consulting with my Generals and military experts, saying they cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.

But the lawsuit says news reports indicate top military officials were surprised by Trumps announcement, and that his actual motivations were purely political, reflecting a desire to accommodate legislators and advisers who bear animus and moral disapproval toward men and women who are transgender, with a goal of gaining votes for a spending bill that included money to build a border wall with Mexico.
Cities and states around the U.S. are vowing to fight climate change, using President Trumps decision to leave the Paris accords to galvanize their movement. Many climate policy experts say there is promise in a bottom-up approach, with sub-national governments leading charges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and spur innovation in clean energy regardless of what might be materializing on the national stage.

Dozens of American cities have pledged to use 100% renewable energy by 2050 or earlier. But the most ambitious goal may be coming from California. Lawmakers in the state, which is home to one in eight Americans, are considering legislation that would require all of the states power to come from sources such as wind and solar by 2045. Its about the world, California Gov. Jerry Brown said at a recent signing ceremony for another climate bill, and California is leading that world in dealing with a principal existential threat humanity faces.

TIME spoke with Brown, as well as environmental crusader Al Gore, about whats happening in energy now and how it might shape Americas future.
Bachelor alumSean Lowe took up his own rescue effort in Harvey-pummeled Houston on Monday.

The Dallas resident posted a picture of himself driving a boat through the area in an effort to help.

Today I had the chance to do what I could to help some people in the Houston area, he wrote. I couldnt believe the devastation. My heart broke for all the elderly who are immobile and the mothers trapped in their homes with young babies.

A post shared by Sean Lowe (@seanloweksu)on Aug 28, 2017 at 1:56pm PDT

Lowe, who appeared on Season 17 of the reality show, made his way to the storm-ravaged area from his home in Dallas, where he lives with his wife Catherine (whoaccepted his proposalin the 2013 Bachelor finale) and their 1-year-old son, Samuel, People reported.

I knew you were my favorite bachelor for a reason! Heart of gold! one fan wrote in his Instagram, which also included a few photos Lowe took of the flooding.

But Lowe isnt the only Texas celebrity to rise to the occasion. Houston Texans star J.J. Watt organized his own fund-raising campaignthat has hauled in more than $1 million so far. Outside of Texas, Kevin Hart encouraged his famous friends todonate to hurricane relief.

Want to be a hero as well?Heres how to help.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
President Donald Trump defended his controversial decision to pardon Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, calling him a patriot and claiming he was unfairly treated by the Obama administration.

Sheriff Joe is a patriot, Sheriff Joe loves our country, Sheriff Joe protected our borders, Trump said in a press conference Monday with Finlands President Sauli Niinisto. And Sheriff Joe was very unfairly treated by the Obama administration, especially right before an election, that he would have won. And he was elected many times. So I stand by my pardon of Sheriff Joe. And I think the people of Arizona who really know him best would agree with me.

Trump, who appeared to come prepared for the question, also cited a list of other controversial Presidential pardons, like Bill Clintons decision to pardon the late financier Marc Rich for tax evasion as he was leaving office in 2001.

The 85-year-old former Maricopa County Sheriff was convicted earlier this year for violating a 2011 court order to stop traffic patrols aimed at immigrants, and faced a maximum of six years in prison. Arpaio also faked an assassination attempt and once referred to his outdoor tent city jail as a concentration camp. He lost his reelection bid for Maricopa County Sheriff in 2016.

Throughout his time as Sheriff, Arpaio continued his lifes work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration. Sheriff Joe Arpaio is now eighty-five years old, and after more than fifty years of admirable service to our nation, he is worthy candidate for a Presidential pardon, the White House said in a statement Friday evening.

The White House announced that Trump would pardon Arpaio last Friday night, coinciding with the landfall of Hurricane Harvey in Texas. The timing intensified the criticism, with pundits and critics opining that the Trump administration was trying to bury the news under a barrage of weather headlines. But Trump said Monday that he actually decided to announce the pardon at that time because he thought more people than usual would be watching television on a Friday night because of the hurricane. I assumed the ratings would be far higher than they would be normally, Trump told reporters.

Although Trump expressed confidence that the people of Arizona would support his decision  he cited the raucous positive reaction he received in Phoenix last week when he asked the crowd at his rally about it  neither of the states Republican Senators supported the measure. Senator Jeff Flake tweeted Friday that he would have preferred Trump honor the judicial process and let it take its course, and Senator John McCain released a statement saying the pardon undermines [Trumps] claim for the respect of rule of law.
VIENNA (Reuters) - The front-runner in Austria's parliamentary election, the conservative People's Party, wants to fight tax avoidance by multinationals and backs a swift end to the European Central Bank's bond purchases, a draft of its economic program shows. The People's Party has been leading in opinion polls since 31-year-old Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz took over as its leader in May. Kurz has until now provided few specific policies ahead of the Oct. 15 parliamentary election. A draft of his party's economic program, seen by Reuters on Monday, outlines broad objectives like slashing the country's debt, without giving details. The document will do little to quiet critics who say Kurz lacks experience, particularly when it comes to the economy. But it provides an initial indication of his economic priorities. "We cannot accept that global companies use the international tax system to shift profits to where the least taxes are owed while our domestic companies are at a competitive disadvantage because they dutifully pay their taxes," the draft says. It calls for more work to be carried out on creating a system that would determine how much of a company's profit should be taxed in a given country. It says transfers to shell companies in tax havens should be banned. The issue of multinationals' taxes has often been raised since the European Commission ruled last year that tech giant Apple should pay billions of euros in back taxes to Ireland because a scheme to route profits through that country was illegal state aid. Apple is appealing the ruling. Chancellor Christian Kern, a Social Democrat, has seized on the issue, repeatedly saying it is unfair that multinationals like Starbucks should pay less tax in Austria than a tiny sausage stand on the street. The draft People's Party program says the European Central Bank (ECB) should end its bond purchases. The ECB has bought over 2 trillion euros' worth of bonds, depressing borrowing costs and fuelling growth. "We clearly call for the ECB to turn away from the monetary policy of recent years as soon as possible," the draft says, describing the purchases as a short-term measure that rewards some countries "that previously pursued irresponsible policies". (Reporting by Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich; Writing by Francois Murphy; Editing by Andrew Roche)
By Jake Spring BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's government will revise a decree that opened up a vast mineral reserve in the Amazon rainforest to mining, ministers told journalists on Monday, responding to overwhelming criticism from lawmakers and activists. Mining and Energy Minister Fernando Coelho Filho said the government would rescind its prior decree and issue a new one that still abolishes the mineral reserve but specifies existing protections for parts of the area that will remain in place. The changes, as described, will be largely superficial, spelling out protections that would have remained in place anyway, and Coelho Filho largely repeated remarks he made on from Friday defending the move to allow mining. The revision shows the government scrambling to respond to criticism, including threats of legal action and an effort to overturn the decree in Congress, with a stream of news conferences and statements since Renca was abolished last week. The National Reserve of Copper and Associates (Renca) banned mining in roughly 17,800 square miles (46,000 square km) of Amazon rainforest, an area larger than Denmark. It was set up in 1984 by the then military government to reserve its mineral resources for future extraction rather to protect the forest. Coelho Filho dismissed media reports that the decree was first discussed with foreign mining companies before it was announced in Brazil. He said the policy had been discussed well before he told a Canadian mining conference about it last year. Environment Minister Jose Sarney Filho, speaking alongside Coelho Filho, said his ministry had not been involved in the initial decree because it was mainly a mining matter. "We understood that this decree had to do with the mining sector. However, our big worry was that the mining reserve was confused with conservation units (nature reserves)," he said. According to a 2010 government report, 69 percent of the Renca area in Amapa state, where roughly half the protected territory lies, is subject to other types of protections for conservation units or indigenous areas. (Additional reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Editing by G Crosse and Alistair Bell)
By Jake Spring BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's environmental regulator Ibama said on Tuesday it has rejected Total SA's environmental study on drilling in the Foz do Amazonas basin, warning it needs more information or it will suspend the French oil firm's license application. Ibama's repeated refusals to accept Total's environmental impact study has held up the company's four-year quest to explore the offshore basin, an area some geologists say could contain up to 14 billion barrels of petroleum, or more than the entire proven reserves in the Gulf of Mexico. Total led a group including Britain's BP Plc and Brazilian state oil company Petrobras in buying five exploration blocks in the basin in 2013, but the discovery of a massive coral reef just 28 kilometers (17 miles) from the blocks has thrown environmental approval for drilling into doubt. Total in Brazil said it is evaluating the request for technical information from Ibama. "At this point, the environmental licensing process is still underway," a spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. The firm's Paris-listed shares dropped as much as 1.6 percent on Tuesday before easing to a 0.2 percent decline. Ibama said that technical documents issued late Monday listed areas of the study that must be addressed, amounting to a rejection of the environmental study. The agency said in the documents detailing its decision that it has already requested information from Total three times. "In the case the company does not meet the points demanded by the technical team one more time, the licensing process will be archived," it said, meaning any decision on Total's drilling proposal could be suspended indefinitely. The agency wants the company to address how to limit the impact on marine mammals and turtles, clarify models for how oil in the water would disperse itself as well as address Ibama's initial rejection of Total's proposals for environmental monitoring and other projects. Oil leaks in the Foz do Amazonas basin, named for its location near the mouth of the Amazon river, could wreak havoc on the rainforest in Brazil's far northern Amapa state in addition to harming the reef, scientists and activists say. Total had said it expected a decision from Ibama this year and called for more flexibility from Brazil in awarding environmental licenses, saying Amapa deserves to know if there is oil off its coast. (Editing by Tom Hogue and Jeffrey Benkoe)
After the big day, the wedding gown often sits unworn in a closet for years or even decades. But one big-hearted bride, who tied the knot last summer, is making sure her dress is put to good use again and again.

Dawnetta Heinz wore this David's Bridal gown when she married Jared Heinz on July 30, 2016. (Photo: Schirmbeck Photography)

In August, Dawnetta Heinz, a personal trainer in Omaha, Nebraska, posted her Davids Bridal gown on a buy/sell/trade Facebook group with the intention of passing the dress on to a local bride in need.

I would like to give my wedding dress away to someone that is on a tight budget and is in need of a dress, she wrote in the post.

Heinz posted this in an Omaha buy/sell/trade Facebook group. The post got a huge response. (Photo: Dawnetta Heinz)

But after receiving so many comments and personal messages from interested women, Heinz decided to keep paying it forward, creating a sisterhood of the traveling dress chain. So far, the dress is set to be worn by 12 different brides.

Everyone kept on telling me their story, and I was like, I wish I could give the dress to everyone out there! she told HuffPost. Thats how I came up with the idea to keep passing it down.

Two women have already worn the strapless ball gown, which thanks to a corset, can fit sizes two to five. The first was mother-of-four Arianna Pro, who donned the dress  no alterations necessary!  for a vow renewal in San Francisco with her husband and kids on Wednesday.

Arianna, who didn't get a traditional wedding experience the first time around, wore the dress to her vow renewal on Wednesday. (Photo: Arianna Pro)

We had lost a son, so [the wedding six years ago] wasnt about the dress, Pro told Global News. We just wanted a light in our life. And then I saw this beautiful dress and thought, I can see myself wearing this one day.

She then FedExed the gown to bride Valarie Fitzgerald, who wore it for her nuptials in Omaha on Sunday.

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Bride Valarie Fitzgerald wore the same dress a few days later. (Photo: Valarie Fitzgerald)

We live paycheck to paycheck, so there was no way we could find the money to get a dress, Fitzgerald told TODAY. But it was very important for us because we waited so long to get married and felt like it was the right time.

The Heinzes are no strangers to hardship, but credit their faith with helping them through the tough times.

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We were homeless and living in a car. Our last money was given in the offering at church, Heinz told HuffPost. And then everything sort of turned around for us. Since then, we have become personal trainers, helping people feel good about themselves. We just wanted to help give back.

The Heinzes cheesing hard on the big day. (Photo: Schirmbeck Photography)

Heinz told Inside Edition that this whole experience has been a blessing.

Its amazing to see other people happy and knowing they are going to feel good in it, she said. A wedding dress is so special to a bride, and knowing that a dress that I picked out will make someone feel just as good as I did, is a blessing.

H/T Global News

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Montreal (AFP) - Canadian police on bicycles have nabbed one of America's most wanted criminals in a chance encounter during a routine patrol of Montreal streets.

Katay-Khaophone Sychantha, 35, a Laos national living in Canada, was wanted both in the United States and in Ontario province for narcotics trafficking and related crimes.

The two policemen tried to arrest two men for drug possession on a city bike path when one of them tried to flee, officials said Monday.

Giving chase, one of the officers quickly caught up to the suspect, but would only learn his identity after taking him back to a police station for fingerprinting, and matching those to prints in a US Homeland Security database of the 10 most wanted criminals.

They also noted a description in the warrant saying he was missing the tip of his middle finger on his right hand.

Sychantha is the suspected ring leader of a drug-smuggling organization that supplied ecstasy pills and marijuana to distributors in several US states.

He allegedly directed individuals to smuggle millions of dollars in cash, guns, cocaine and heroin from the United States into Canada.
Baghdad (AFP) - A car bomb exploded in a market in the Iraqi capital's Shiite-majority district of Sadr City on Monday killing 11 people and wounding another 26, security officials and medical sources said.

A police officer, who asked to remain anonymous, said the explosion ripped through a market in northeastern Baghdad leaving "11 dead and 26 wounded".

Members of Iraq's security forces were among the victims, medical sources said, confirming the toll.

Security sources said the bombing occurred near one of Baghdad's largest shopping centres at around 10:30 am (0730 GMT).

The casualties were evacuated to two hospitals in Sadr City.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the Islamic State jihadist group has claimed previous bombings in the capital.

The explosion damaged several stalls at the market and gutted shops in the adjoining shopping centre, with debris, glass and vegetables strewn across the ground, an AFP reporter said.

Bulldozers were still at midday trying to clear the area, including removing two cars destroyed in the bombing.

The mangled hull of a vehicle suspected of being the car packed with explosives could be seen in the area.

The bombing came as Iraqi forces and the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary coalition dominated by Shiite fighters, some from Sadr City, battle IS members in their last pocket in the northern province of Nineveh.
(Reuters) - Texas authorities on Monday issued a chemical leak warning in the La Porte and Shoreacres regions of the state, advising citizens to remain sheltered and turn off air conditioning. La Porte and Shoreacres are about 25 miles (40 km) from downtown Houston which is seeing catastrophic flooding from Harvey, the most powerful hurricane in more than 50 years to hit the state. The La Porte Fire Department was working on a leak from a pipeline in the area and La Porte was sheltered in place for the northeast section of the city, Harris County Homeland security and Emergency Management said on its website. (http://bit.ly/2iDGMTl) (Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
The dashcam video shows a stocky police officer running toward a stolen car on a dark Chicago street. The officer holds his gun sideways like a gangster and points it at the carful of teenagers as he approaches, then flips the gun vertically as the vehicle tears into reverse and backs away from him. He begins to fire and the gun jumps in his hand; puffs of smoke rise above him as he empties his clip and hits two of the teens. The car spins 90 degrees and slowly rolls to a stop against a light pole.

The video of the shooting was the central piece of evidence in the federal trial of police officer Marco Proano, which ended Monday with guilty verdicts on two civil rights charges. The case also illustrates a major obstacle to anti-violence efforts in Chicago, where homicides this year are expected to reach a two-decade high of more than 700, and serves as a preview of an even higher-profile police shooting trial to come.

Maintaining a low crime rate depends on there being a strong and trusting relationship between residents and police, and that relationship depends on the concept of police legitimacynamely, the publics belief that police are justified in using their power to maintain safety and solve crimes. Indeed, the lack of trust and confidence in police amongcommunities of color has captured public attention given the police shootings of unarmed [black people] that have been captured on video, states a new report from the Urban Institute.

Surveys conducted by Urban Institute researchers in four Chicago neighborhoods showed that relations between the police and the community are poor. Only a third of the residents surveyed said their community views police favorably, and half said they had been stopped by police for no good reason. The figures for black men under 30 were worse, with half saying police were dishonest and less than 10 percent saying they thought police treated people in their neighborhood with respect.

The relationship between Chicago communities and police worsened in 2015, after the release of a video showing an officer fatally shooting teenager Laquan McDonald, which was made public five months after the Proano video. Less than a month after that, the Illinois attorney general wrote a letter to the Department of Justice, asking for a civil rights probe into the Chicago Police Departmentand citing both the McDonald and Proano shootings.

Although Officer Proano said he feared for his life and the lives of the passengers in the vehicle, the dashboard camera video does not show any threats to Officer Proano or the passengers, Attorney General Lisa Madigan wrote in the December 2015 letter. The pattern of conduct raises serious questions about practices that are incompatible with lawful and effective policing and have resulted in severe damage to the communitys trust in the CPD.

The DOJ did investigate, and in January issued a report that blasted police for being poorly trained and quick to use deadly force. For Chicago to find solutionsshort- and long-termfor making those neighborhoods safe, it is imperative that the City rebuild trust between CPD and the people it serves, particularly in these communities, the DOJ report stated.

Proano could face 20 years in federal prison if sentenced to the maximum 10-year sentence on each charge.

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An injured woman is carried to an ambulance in Clovis - The Eastern New Mexico News

A gunman has opened fire in a library in New Mexico, killing at least two people and injuring four.

The shooting happened in the city of Clovis, near the border with Texas.

At least six people were shot, two of them fatally, Fire Chief Michael Nolen said

A suspect has been arrested, he said

Library patron Vanessa Aguirre said she was in the Clovis-Carter Public Library with her son when a man came in and "started to shoot" into the air, The Eastern New Mexico News reported.

"It all happened so fast," she told the newspaper. "We took off fast. My purse is still in there."

The newspaper reported that air ambulances had been dispatched and at least one victim was taken to Clovis Municipal Airport for transport to Lubbock, Texas.

The newspaper's website showed images of armed police approaching the library, a young man being led away by a police officer and a woman, who appeared to be injured, being carried into an ambulance.

Some victims were received at Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis, said Kerri Dufault, spokeswoman for Albuquerque based Presbyterian Healthcare Center, which operates the Clovis hospital.

JUST IN: Photos coming in of #Clovis library shooting victims (Via Eastern New Mexico News) This is awful. My thoughts w anyone impacted. pic.twitter.com/UQFRvl6AHU  Royale Da - KOAT (@RoyaleKOAT) August 28, 2017

At least one victim was taken to Clovis Municipal Airport for transport to Lubbock, Texas via air ambulance, the Eastern New Mexico News reported.

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Officials at the library could not be reached to comment.

Clovis, which has a population of about 40,000, is around 190 miles (306 km) east of Albuquerque near the Texas border and is home to Cannon Air Force Base.

The base, about eight miles west of the town, is the location of the 27th Special Operations Wing of the Air Force. Officials at the base did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Quito (AFP) - The Colombian government and the country's last active rebel force, the ELN, said Monday they hope to agree on a ceasefire before Pope Francis's visit to the nation next week.

"We are determined to rise to the occasion of the Holy Father's visit and take a big step towards peace by sounding out the possibility of agreeing a temporary bilateral ceasefire," said Juan Camilo Restrepo, the government's chief negotiator at peace talks.

He spoke during an appearance by delegates from both sides in the Ecuadoran capital Quito, where they are holding peace negotiations.

National Liberation Army (ELN) negotiator Pablo Beltran added that he hoped the ceasefire would be secured Friday.

Pope Francis visits Colombia from September 6 to 10.

Colombia's biggest rebel force, the FARC, disarmed last month under a peace deal with the government to end more than half a century of civil conflict.

President Juan Manuel Santos now wants a deal with the ELN to seal a "complete peace."
By Susan Cornwell and Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers are expected to pass a large aid package for victims of Hurricane Harvey, but specifics of the plan and its price tag are unclear as Congress awaits a funding request from the Trump administration. Rain continued to pound Houston and the Gulf Coast on Monday as President Donald Trump said he expected rapid federal action to help fund a costly recovery. He plans to visit Texas on Tuesday to see storm-hit areas. "We're dealing with Congress. As you know it's going to be a very expensive situation," he told reporters in the White House. Historic flooding from Harvey, which came ashore in Texas last week as a powerful Category 4 hurricane and is now a tropical storm, has killed at least seven people in Texas and was expected to drive 30,000 from their homes. Wall Street analysts estimated insured losses of up to $20 billion, making Harvey one of the costliest storms in history for U.S. insurers. After past disasters, Congress approved billions of dollars in funds to help with relief and recovery, but in recent years, fiscal conservatives have raised questions about costs. Congress will return next week from summer vacation, with the hurricane complicating an already difficult fiscal situation with the federal budget and Trump's Mexican border wall proposal. Current government funding runs out on Sept. 30. Congress must approve a measure to keep the government funded and prevent a shutdown. Trump threatened last week to shut down the government if Congress did not agree to $1.6 billion in funding to start building his proposed wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Harvey "will increase the pressure on Washington to not shut down the government, but it also makes the September 30 package more cumbersome and complicated," Chris Krueger, policy analyst at financial firm Cowen & Co, said in a research note. Asked if Harvey made him reconsider his shutdown threat, Trump said: It has nothing to do with it, really. I think this is separate. This is going to go really very, very quickly." Congressional Republicans have not spelled out their plan for dealing with the budget and a related, must-pass increase in the federal debt ceiling. Some aides and analysts have speculated that those issues might be swept into a single piece of legislation, possibly including Harvey aid. House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said on Monday that "Republicans must be ready to join Democrats in passing a timely relief bill." Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long said more than 450,000 people were expected to seek disaster assistance because of catastrophic flooding. "We will help those affected by this terrible disaster. The first step in that process is a formal request for resources from the administration," said AshLee Strong, spokeswoman for House Speaker Paul Ryan. 'HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS APPROPRIATELY' A Senate Republican aide said it was too soon to say what was needed. "The committee is monitoring the situation in Texas closely," said Chris Gallegos, a spokesman for the Republican majority on the Senate Appropriations Committee. There is only about $3.3 billion in the federal disaster relief fund. Congress approved $62.3 billion in aid after Hurricane Katrina devastated Gulf Coast communities and flooded New Orleans in 2005. Texas Republican Representative Pete Sessions told MSNBC he expected lawmakers to back any aid package as long as it was not bloated beyond the needed storm response. Some conservatives have balked in the past at authorizing money for disaster relief. In 2005, then-Indiana Republican Representative Mike Pence, now vice president, called on the floor of the House for "offsetting" money spent on Katrina relief with cutbacks elsewhere. Almost the entire Texas delegation - including Sessions and Republican Senator Ted Cruz - opposed the $50.5 billion aid package that Congress approved three months after Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey and New York in 2012. Opponents argued that the Sandy package funded things unrelated to the disaster. "The Sandy relief bill had more pork in it than a bacon factory," said Representative Blake Farenthold, a Republican who represents Corpus Christi, which was hit hard by Harvey. Republican Representative Pete King of New York said in a Twitter message on Monday: "I won't abandon Texas the way Ted Cruz did New York." (Additional reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Peter Cooney)
A letter from 143 House Democrats asks President Donald Trump to think twice about his ban on transgender individuals serving in the military, saying its discriminatory, unconstitutional and detrimental to national security.

There is no place for discrimination in our Armed Forces or indeed anywhere else in American society, the lawmakers said in the letter sent on Tuesday. Enforcing your ban could mean discharging active duty soldiers, sailors, Marines, and members of the Air Force who are serving honorably. It also would mean barring other patriotic Americans from serving in the future.

Their service has helped strengthen the nation, the lawmakers said, noting that they wear the same uniforms and complete the same missions as their cisgender peers.

The ban undercuts decades of progress on equality in the military, they argued, beginning with President Harry Trumans 1948 decision to desegregate the branches of the armed services.

I proudly joined my colleagues to send a letter to @POTUS, urging him to reconsider this baseless, hateful & fear driven #TransBan pic.twitter.com/eOeSEVcKcb  Rep. Nydia Velazquez (@NydiaVelazquez) August 29, 2017

During his presidential campaign, Trump promised to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals.

Yet he reversed course on transgenders serving in the military, first announcing his ban on Twitter in July while offering scant details on its implememation. He claimed that trans military service is burdensome and disruptive. Plus, he said, it creates added medical costs.

A RAND Corporation study, the letter from the Democrats noted, found that annual costs on gender transition-related medical treatment would not exceed $8.4 million if trans people were able to serve openly in the military  a minuscule portion of the militarys nearly $50 billion health care budget, the letter said.

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Or, for comparison, roughly equal to the cost of taxpayers of four of your weekend trips to Mar-a-Lago, the letter added, referring to the Florida resort the president owns.

Signers included Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.

Following through with July his tweet, Trump signed a memo banning new trans men or women from enlisting in the military on Friday. He asked Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to determine whether to remove already enlisted trans individuals from the service branches. Trumps memo also prevents the military from funding gender confirmation surgery.

The American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal (a nonprofit that defends LGBTQ rights) responded Monday with lawsuits against the Trump administration. The ban is unconstitutional because it singles out trans individuals for unequal and discriminatory treatment, the ACLU said.

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Evan, Spring Lake, Michigan, 2013

Alex, Austin, Texas, 2014

Jamie and Kaylee, San Diego, California, 2014

Travis Green, Okinawa, Japan, 2014

Jenn, Ft. Lewis, Washington, 2014

Brynn, Dayton, Ohio, 2013

Hunter, Killeen, Texas, 2013

Jamie, Dayton, Ohio, 2013

Landon, Aspen Hill, Maryland, 2014

Laila, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2013

Logan, Altus, Oklahoma, 2013

Raki, New York, New York, 2014

Jake, Louisville, Kentucky, 2013

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Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., is joined by Democratic members of the House of Representatives to mark Immigrant Rights Day at U.S. Capitol, May 1, 2017. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  For the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, one adversary is clear: President Trump and his plans to deport millions of undocumented residents.

The group has been kept busy in recent months by a White House it says is anti-immigrant and anti-Latino. While the CHC was often at odds with President Barack Obama over immigration matters, it is faced with an entirely new struggle, as it must work with a president who has made no bones about his desire to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, saying it is necessary to keep the country safe.

My administration will never back down in demanding immigration control, Trump said at a rally in Phoenix last week. The American people voted for immigration control. Thats one of the reasons Im here, and that is what the American people deserve, and theyre going to get it.

CHC Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., said that while there were considerable disagreements with the Obama administration over immigration issues, the manner in which Trump speaks of undocumented immigrants has ratcheted up the stakes.

The big difference is we believe the Obama administration and the Bush administration and even the Clinton administration wanted a different environment  they wanted to protect the 11 million people who are working hard and doing well here, Lujan Grisham told Yahoo News. And the Trump administration wants them all gone. And that is a whole different dynamic that has nothing to do with the current law on the books.

President Trump speaks to a crowd of supporters at the Phoenix Convention Center during a rally on Aug. 22, 2017, in Phoenix. (Photo: Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

But another, less obvious roadblock has also emerged for the 30 members of the CHC, all of whom are Democrats: their own party. Despite the fact that Latino voters have become a bedrock of the Democratic Party, lawmakers say that issues affecting them can often get left behind.

We have said before that it seems at times as though Latino issues are allowed to be negotiated versus, for example, things like gay rights issues, like choice issues, which are all important to the Democratic Party, Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., told Yahoo News.

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This presents a challenge for the CHC, even as its voice appears to be growing in Congress.

The caucus was founded in 1976 by a group of five lawmakers looking to enhance the influence of Hispanics of all parties in Congress. Hispanic Republicans have since left the caucus to form a group of their own, the Congressional Hispanic Conference, although the two parties still work together on the nonprofit Congressional Hispanic Institute.

In the 115th Congress, the CHC gained five members, including Sen. Caroline Cortez Masto, D-Nev., the first Latina to serve in the Senate, and the first Dominican-American in Congress in Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y.

Like Gallego and Lujan Grisham, most of the caucus members hail from border states, but Hispanic lawmakers from states such as Illinois and New York are also in the group. Virtually all of them represent areas with a significant Latino population.

Hundreds of immigrants and allies in New York City protested outside JPMorgan Chase offices, calling out its complicity in Trumps anti-immigrant agenda, particularly through its financing of private immigrant detention centers run by the GEO Group and CoreCivic. (Photo: Erik McGregor/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

And members are clear in their desire to fight for their Latino constituents, even if it means a fight with their own party. A flash point for this was a supplemental appropriations bill approved earlier this year, which many CHC members say included provisions that were tantamount to funding Trumps proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., argued that there was no such funding, but this didnt stop members from saying they were misled by leadership over the contents of the bill.

I think Pelosi misled our caucus in the last supplemental because it was $300 million allocated for replacement fencing in Arizona and California, CHC member Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, said at the time. In my view, if you voted yes on that budget, you are voting for the down payment that Donald Trump talks about on his wall.

Gallego and others also said the incident was an example of how the caucus can often take a back seat to other pillars of the Democratic Party.

If you had attached an anti-Planned Parenthood bill to one of these defense appropriations bills, I wouldve automatically voted no, Gallego said. And I think the rest of the caucus wouldve done so, but that type of attention isnt there [for Hispanic issues] that there is to other issues, and this is why the Latino caucus is important, basically to provide that advocacy and pressure.

Lujan Grisham said that claims that the bill didnt have explicit funding for the wall missed the point, saying funds could be moved around in an effort to pay for the physical structure in a back-door way.

You cant have these negotiations and say, Because theres no outward funding for the wall, we as the Democratic caucus will not whip opposition to this bill, she said. Well, thats not fair to the Hispanic caucus, who wants the Democratic caucus to absolutely whip in opposition and to tell our Republican counterparts as they are negotiating that the wall is a nonstarter.

Diane Landers chants during a march along a levee toward the Rio Grande to oppose the wall the Trump administration wants to build on the river separating Texas and Mexico, Aug. 12, 2017, in Mission, Texas. (Photo: Eric Gay/AP)

Only 15 Democrats, most of them members of the CHC, voted against that bill. And while they joined over 100 Republicans in opposition, it still passed overwhelmingly.

Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., the Democratic caucus chair, told Yahoo News that he didnt think the bill had border wall funding in it but added he could see where beefing up border security could be seen as an issue for members.

It was just looking at the same thing and interpreting it differently, Crowley said. I dont personally believe that there was language in that proposal for a border wall. And I think we made it clear we will not support funding for a border wall.  So I dont dismiss those concerns, but at the same time I dont necessarily agree with their interpretation of it.

CHC members say leadership was more responsive when Republicans opted to attach funding for a 27-mile chunk of Trumps wall to a so-called minibus package of spending bills last month.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., did so with the aim of courting the support of more conservative lawmakers who vowed to oppose any appropriations bill without the border wall funding. The bill cleared the House last month, although it faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

Only a handful of Democrats wound up voting for the minibus, and top House Democrats, including Pelosi and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., publicly criticized the border wall funding.

Lujan Grisham said the caucus was cautiously optimistic that relations had improved.

There is a heightened sense of awareness that we have to be skeptical about what is being proposed to us when its affecting peoples lives in the way that it currently is, she said.

Gallego agreed, saying that the caucus must be more outspoken lest their caucus be left behind by the party as a whole.

Its a lesson on the part of our caucus that we cant assume that leadership is going to look out for the interests of our community, that we have to communicate clearly, and when we did that it was a big difference, he said.

But the caucus has made no bones about criticizing Trump, whether its for the border wall or immigration authorities targeting law-abiding undocumented immigrants and detaining students, laborers and those who receive public services, such as food stamps.

Lujan Grisham said that the caucus would like the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to focus their efforts on detaining and deporting the minority of immigrants who have committed crimes.

From left, Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., Democratic caucus chairman; Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M.; Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif.; and Rep. Nanette Barragan, D-Calif., talk to reporters after a meeting between the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and then-Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly about immigration, on Capitol Hill, March, 17, 2017. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

But by and large, she said, this is not happening, despite Trumps pledges to target bad guys.

Our position is, whether youre a citizen or not, we expect DHS to do everything in its power to address violent or repeat criminal offenders, and those serious offenders, we want them out of the country just like everyone else does, she said. Thats a more than reasonable effort on the part of DHS to do that. But theyre not directing their resources there. Theyre not even asking for resources there.

Despite past bumps in the road between the CHC and leadership, Crowley said the caucus has remained steadfast in its leadership within the party against Trumps immigration agenda.

In many respects the [CHC] has been the conscience of the Democratic caucus  on the issue of comprehensive immigration reform and anti-immigration policies coming up under the Trump administration, he said. Theyve been leading the charge in opposition to that. I think thats recognized by the broader [Democratic] caucus as well.

And Democrats say they are looking to the 2018 midterm elections to further increase the CHCs membership. Crowley said that activism pushing back on mass deportation and the administrations treatment of immigrants is a sign that voters understand the need for change.

I think that as much as some people may have been turned off by what has come out of the White House and some of those agencies, I think far more people are being turned on politically and understand the real threat that Donald Trump and his administration pose for our country, Crowley said.

While Lujan Grisham is vacating her House seat to run for governor in New Mexico, she noted that interest is up among Hispanic candidates, particularly women, and that the political action committee associated with the CHC has seen a marked uptick in donations.

And given demographic changes throughout the country, she expressed confidence that the CHC would remain a force to be reckoned with.

More people than ever are interested in supporting those candidates so that theyre successful, Lujan Grisham said. And if you look at the growth in terms of [demographics], young Americans are Hispanics. So theres no doubt that this caucus will get more and more important and more and more influential.

_____

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Photo: Netflix

The new Netflix sitcom Disjointed began streaming last week, but Im just getting around to reviewing it, which only seems appropriate, given how laid-back and unconcerned about time or responsibility all of the characters in this weed comedy are. Set in a Los Angeles marijuana dispensary, the show stars Kathy Bates as Ruth Whitefeather Feldman, who runs the place with her son, Travis (Aaron Moten), and Pete (Dougie Baldwin), Ruths primary budtenders.

The show, created by David Javerbaum and the man who gave you Two and a Half Men, Chuck Lorre, gives us Bates as an aging hippie with a big heart, a formidable intellect, and a lackadaisical business sense: years of dope-smoking have left her, perhaps, a bit too casual. For all her counter-cultural cred  she identifies with 2017 protest movements, having protested and been arrested during the Vietnam War era; her son calls her a revered political activist  she could still use more business savvy, which is where her son, with his MBA degree, comes in.

With her flowing, bumpy gray hair and blissed-out demeanor, theres definitely an element of Earth Mother to Ruth, who is adept at guiding newbies through their first light-up. (The show provides Nicole Sullivan as a recurring character, a suburban mom who takes to the stuff all too quickly, for Ruth to advise.) Ruths shop has security provided by Carter (Tone Bell), an Iraq war veteran whose PTSD flashbacks are conveyed through wild, sometimes disturbing animated sequences.

The comedy here consists primarily of jokes that would not have been out of place on one of those old Cheech and Chong comedy records  you know, the vinyl albums whose covers doubled as flat surfaces that stoners used to roll joints on. Typical punchlines: Im as high as a giraffes nuts; Im so high, shes paranoid; Remember, its cannabis, not cant-abis. The rest of the time, its strictly sitcom writing at its most rote: You guys have what Stephen King once called IT! Lorre and his writers also make use of Netflix freedom to use the f-word a lot.

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What could have compelled Oscar-winner Kathy Bates to join this assiduously crass sitcom, with all of the hoots and oooohs from the studio audience every time a marijuana joke is dropped? Well, Bates has demonstrated a willingness to give her talent over to TV auteurs with strong visions, such as Ryan Murphy for his American Horror Story anthology, and David E. Kelley, for his 2011-12 series Harrys Law. But Chuck Lorre seems like an odd match for Bates. Lorre is a proud vulgarian who made his biggest fortune exploiting Charlie Sheens worst tendencies in Two and a Half Men, and whose best idea of moral uplift is to give the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in Mom a cheerful energy.

In Disjointed, Lorre has taken his interest in substance abuse-as-comedy into the almost-timely arena of legalized medicinal marijuana-selling. But the proceedings cant shake a generally depressive air that hangs over Disjointed like expelled smoke. Nearly everyone Ruth and her employees come in contact with are losers or dreamers looking to escape the everyday world. Sullivans mom, so freshly enthused by weed, neglects her children  a running joke has her calling the babysitter to hand off her responsibilities. When Ruth goes to the funeral of a friend and reconnects with a famous old pal known as the Pope of Dope, it turns out hes living in a storage container. Bummer, man.

Disjointed joins Netflixs schedule of studio-audience, exaggerated-guffaw sitcoms like The Ranch, Fuller House, and the One Day At A Time reboot. Like Grace and Frankie, it stars a familiar-face baby boomer who deserves better material. Ill be curious to see whether there are enough viewers with the energy to binge this 10-episode series. Netflix has already ordered 10 more, but Ill bet a lot of the shows target audience will soon forget they watched the first batch, and just watch the old ones again between bong hits and pizza.

Disjointed is streaming now on Netflix.
US President Donald Trump speaks to a crowd of supporters at the Phoenix Convention Center during a rally: Ralph Freso/Getty Images

Donald Trump has sacked one of his long-term aides because of the small crowd numbers at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona.

George Gigicos, who worked for the Republican National Committee and had previously managed scheduling and events for the US leader, was responsible for organising the event. He was reportedly told he would not be hired again after the Arizona rally.

The size of the crowd reportedly angered the president before he began speaking. Sources told Bloomberg that Mr Trump was unhappy while waiting to go on stage after cameras showed the arena was far from full.

He is said to have ordered Keith Schiller, his long-standing assistant who now manages his private office, to tell Mr Gigicos, one of Mr Trumps four longest-serving aides, that he would never again be allowed to organise a rally.

Mr Trumps anger was visible in his speech, in which he lashed out at the media, Congress and several Republican senators.

He also tore into campaigners who have succeeded in having statues of Confederacy leaders removed from several US towns and cities, calling them weak, weak people.

"They're trying to take away our culture, he said. They're trying to take away our history."

He also threatened to shut down the US government if Congress refuses to approve the funding needed to build the wall along the US-Mexico border that the President has repeatedly promised.

Mr Trumps public statements appeared at odds with his private anger at the size of the crowd, which was reportedly around 10,000 strong by the time he started speaking.

His first comments on stage were: Wow, what a crowd, what a crowd.

A week later he told reporters: You saw the massive crowd we had [in Phoenix].

Mr Gigicos previously served as the White House Director of Advance, responsible for planning visits and events. He left in July to return to his consulting business but continued to be employed by the Republican Party.

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A number of Mr Trumps closest advisers have left the White House in recent weeks. Reince Priebus, the Presidents Chief of Staff, Sean Spicer, the Press Secretary, Steve Bannon, the Chief Strategist and Sebastian Gorka, Mr Trumps Deputy Assistant, have all quit or been sacked.

The Presidents Communications Director, Anthony Scaramucci, was also forced out after less than two weeks in the job.

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There are already some in the media who are claiming that Donald Trump now has an opportunity to unify the country with his response to Hurricane Harvey. This narrative, which completely lacks context and substance, needs to be nipped in the bud immediately. Trump lost any such opportunity on Friday night. Per the New York Times today:

Hurricane Harvey was the rarest of disasters to strike during the Trump presidency  a maelstrom not of Mr. Trumps making, and one that offers him an opportunity to recapture some of the unifying power of his office he has squandered in recent weeks.

Lets forget for a moment that Trump actually hadnt squandered the unifying power of his office in recent weeks  he never had that unifying power, from even before he took that office, squandering it by attacking, among many others, protesters marching against him, a television comedy show and a Broadway play. Soon after he became president, he continued attacking the media, members of Congress, the FBI  I could go on and on  and has been underwater in the polls since his first few weeks of taking office.

But even if we look simply at his response to Hurricane Harvey itself, putting aside the past seven months, Trump exhibited how hed recklessly use a natural disaster for his own purposes. The opportunity and chance to unify people is gone: Trump used the early hours of the hurricane, and the media coverage around it, to rampage on democracy and further divide rather than unite a nation.

He pardoned the racist former Sherif Arpaio, causing enormous backlash even among some Republicans and conservative pundits for this blatant contempt for the rule of law, and even later bragged that he did it at this time for ratings.

He signed the order to ban any transgender people from entering the military, again something many Republicans opposed, putting fear into the hearts of so many people serving and defending this country honorably.

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The fear that the Arpaio pardon created, and the message it sent to the Latino community, is only going to grow exponentially if Trump ends the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in coming days  and the White House sent out the signals of his intention to do so during the hurricane putting 800,000 youth in danger of deportation.

Trump went to Camp David on Friday as the category 4 hurricane made landfall, leaving Mike Pence and others in the Situation Room at the White House to deal with the storm, while he sat alone at his desk and fumbled around on Twitter. He sent out tweets as if he was watching a great show about the HISTORIC storm, and seeming to thank the people of Houston for it  while thousands were stranded and needing help.

HISTORIC rainfall in Houston, and all over Texas. Floods are unprecedented, and more rain coming. Spirit of the people is incredible.Thanks!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017

He rambled on about his big election win in Missouri, and once again demanded his wall be built on the border and said that Mexico would pay for it.

With Mexico being one of the highest crime Nations in the world, we must have THE WALL. Mexico will pay for it through reimbursement/other.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017

He promoted the book of another divider, Sherif David Clarke, the Milwaukee lawman who, like Arpaio, has a long history of allegations of abuse. And he later retweeted a defense of his pardon of Arpaio (who hadnt even been sentenced yet), which was false and claimed that President Obama pardoned Chelsea Manning when he actually commuted her sentence after she spent seven years in prison under conditions the United Nations called inhumane.

On Monday, in a joint press conference with the Finnish president, Trump expanded on these divisive topics (still repeating false information about Obamas commutations of sentences) in response to reporters questions, even as Houston was set to get two more feet of rain on top of the two feet it had already sustained from Harvey.

Trump divided the country as perhaps the worst hurricane to hit the United States made landfall and spent the next several days continuing to do so. We must immediately put a stop to any media narrative that he now has a chance to unify the country in his response to Harvey.

The response of the federal government and FEMA (bolstered under President Obama, with cuts contemplated by Trump to build his wall), however that response is judged in the end, cannot be used as the sole judge of the presidents response. While the government itself responds with help, Trump himself responded without providing leadership or attempting to unify Americans. He only showed callous disregard, instilled fear and further divided this country as millions faced the wrath of a deadly storm.

Follow Michelangelo Signorile on Twitter: www.twitter.com/msignorile

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
HOUSTON  President Donald Trump landed in Texas on Tuesday to meet with officials on the ground and assess damage from Hurricane Harvey, as residents continued to grapple with massive flooding and persistent rainfall.

Since making landfall on Friday as a Category 4 storm, Harvey has dumped more than 40 inches of rain across southern Texas and displaced tens of thousands of people. Some of the worst effects have hit Houston, the nations fourth-largest city.

As of Tuesday morning, the storm had broken the record for the most rainfall in the continental U.S., according to the National Weather Service.

The president and first lady Melania Trump made stops in Corpus Christi, near where the storm made landfall, and in Austin, the site of the storms emergency response center.

Lawmakers and officials updated Trump on the storm during his first stop. The president praised recovery and rescue efforts, but added that we dont want to say congratulations. Well congratulate each other when its all finished.

Trump expressed awe at Harveys epic proportions, and said officials response to the storm could serve as a model for the future.

We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as, this is the way to do it, he said. We want to do it better than ever before.

Trump avoided visiting areas hit hardest by the storm, saying he did not want to disrupt rescue and recovery efforts with the complicated logistics of a presidential visit.

The president wants to be very cautious about making sure that any activity doesnt disrupt any of the recovery efforts that are still ongoing, which is the reason for the locations we are going here today, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters aboard Air Force One.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Tuesday. (Photo: JIM WATSON via Getty Images)

The trip presents the Trump administration with a major test, as the storm and its aftermath make up perhaps the first crisis that was not of the presidents own making.

Trump received criticism for callously responding to the storm, releasing a barrage of other news as the hurricane made landfall on Friday evening, and posting a stream of unrelated tweets throughout the weekend.

Story continues

The tweets that did mention Harveys progression often read as self-congratulatory. As the deadly storm dumped torrential rain and stranded residents, Trump appeared to be awestruck by Harveys historic and record breaking nature, praised authorities all out effort for going well! and celebrated the spirit of the people.

HISTORIC rainfall in Houston, and all over Texas. Floods are unprecedented, and more rain coming. Spirit of the people is incredible.Thanks!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017

But in scripted comments made during a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Monday, Trump struck a more measured tone  although he again noted the epic and historic storm, saying theres probably never been anything like this.

I want to begin today by extending my thoughts and prayers for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and the catastrophe of flooding and all of the other difficulties that theyre currently going through in Houston, in southeast Texas, he said in his introductory remarks.

Recovery will be a long and difficult road, and the federal government stands ready, willing and able to support that effort, he added, pledging to pass federal funding for recovery efforts.

But Trump, a former reality television personality, also mentioned the ratings that came from the storm when defending the timing of pardoning controversial former Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Friday night.

I assumed the ratings would be far higher than they would be normally, he said. You know, the hurricane was just starting.

The president and first lady receive a briefing on Tropical Storm Harvey relief efforts with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in Corpus Christi. (Photo: Carlos Barria / Reuters)

Trump again referred to the television coverage on Tuesday, praising Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long as a man who really has become very famous on television in the last couple of days.

Outside the briefing, he addressed supporters, climbing up a ladder and marveling: What a crowd, what a turnout, he said, according to White House pool reporters.

Trump also promised Texans that were going to get you back and operating immediately. His statement contradicted other authorities, like Long, who said Sunday that FEMAs recovery efforts could take years.

We want him to see and understand the enormous challenges that Texans have faced and the need for the aid that hes providing, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) told CNN from the tarmac as Air Force One landed in Corpus Christi. Hes a champion of Texas and a champion of helping us rebuild, and I think we will hear that commitment.

In an email to supporters on Tuesday, Trumps re-election campaign encouraged donations to the Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way and animal rescue groups, according to The Associated Press.

Trump received another briefing on Tuesday from state officials at the Texas Department of Public Safetys Emergency Operations Center in Austin.

He again remarked on the scale of the damage.

The sad thing is that this is long-term. Nobodys ever seen anything this long. Nobodys seen this much water, he said. Probably, theres never been something so expensive in our countrys history. Theres never been something so historic in terms of damage.

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Trump holds a flag of the state of Texas after receiving a briefing on Harvey relief effort in Corpus Christi. (Photo: Carlos Barria / Reuters)

The president has said he may return to the region this weekend to visit Louisiana. The states residents are bracing for torrential rainfall from Harveys remnants. On Monday, Trump issued a disaster declaration for the Louisiana and authorized it to receive emergency federal aid. He had issued such a declaration for Texas ahead of the storm last week. The storms progression changed dramatically over the weekend.

The relentless rain and rising floodwaters have complicated already perilous recovery and rescue efforts across the region.

Since Monday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been conducting controlled releases of dams, as the water has reached record levels.

We are deeply concerned about those dams, Abbott said Tuesday on Fox & Friends. This is going to be a minute-by-minute process.

A levee in Brazoria County, which is south of Houston, breached on Tuesday, forcing further evacuations. Authorities warned that other levees and reservoirs in the area could breach, as the rainfall is expected to continue throughout the week.

First responders have focused on rescuing people in life-threatening conditions, and hospitals have taken major precautions, evacuating patients out of flooded facilities and sealing off low-lying areas inundated in water.

The George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston is being used as a temporary shelter for thousands of displaced residents. (Photo: Andy Campbell/HuffPost)

FEMA has estimated that more than 30,000 people will be displaced due to the storm and seek temporary shelters.

The George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston, which is being used as a temporary shelter, received 9,000 evacuees, according to local news reports. Its official capacity is 5,000 people.

Long, the FEMA administrator, stressed that the situation was under control.

Were very aware of the issues at the convention center. But let me be clear: This is not the Superdome, he said Tuesday, referring to the disastrous evacuation efforts during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. They have food, security, I have an incident management team inside the city of Houston as we speak.

Jet George, 44, of Houston, didnt lose his home. Hee wanted to help those who did, so he went downtown to donate bags of jackets and other supplies at the convention center.

Were all kind of swamped in together, he told HuffPost. This is crazy. Ive lived here all my life and never seen anything like this ... we were lucky so we thought wed bring things they said they needed.

Andy Campbell contributed reporting from Houston.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Related Coverage

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Up To 30,000 Texans Could End Up In Shelters. Here's One Of Them.

As Hurricane Harvey's Aftermath Slams Texas, Trump Tweets A Storm Of Self-Congratulations And Grievances

Here's What You Need To Know About Harvey On Wednesday Morning

Also on HuffPost

Residents embrace after being rescued from the floodwaters of Tropical Storm Harvey in east Houston, Texas, on Aug. 28, 2017.

A Coast Guard helicopter hoists a wheel chair on board after lifting a person to safety in Houston.

A Shell gas station is underwater at the intersection of Wallisville and Uvalde in Houston.

Laquanta Edwards holds her 1-year-old daughter Ladaja (right) and 9-month-old son, LaDarius, after they reached high ground by boat in east Houston.

Residents use boats to evacuate from floodwaters in east Houston.

A policeman carries a young girl as her family follows, fleeing their home in east Houston.

A house and vehicles stand in floodwaters in Spring, Texas.

Shardea Harrison looks at her 3-week-old baby, Sarai Harrison, being held by Dean Mize as he and Jason Legnon used his airboat to rescue them after their neighborhood was inundated with flooding in Houston.

Dean Mize (left) and Jason Legnon carry a person to an airboat as they rescue people from their homes in Houston.

A truck driver walks past an abandoned truck while checking the depth of the water at an underpass in Houston.

A person walks through a flooded street with a dog in Houston.

In this handout provided by the Army National Guard, a Texas National Guardsman carries a resident from her flooded home in Houston.

Naomi Coto carries Simba on her shoulders as they evacuate their home in Houston.

A resident of Bayou on the Bend watches the first floor flood as the Buffalo Bayou continues to rise in Houston.

People wait to be rescued from their flooded homes in Houston.

People walk down a flooded street in Houston.

People wait on a flooded street in Houston.

A man helps children across a flooded street in Houston.

Groups of people walk down a flooded street in Houston.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Donald Trump managed to mix up two female reporters at a press conference on Monday, forcing the Finnish president Sauli Niinisto to explain that the women were not actually the same person.

As the leaders took questions from the press pool, Mr Niinisto called on a reporter.

Again? Mr Trump asked the Finnish president, mistakenly believing he had called on a reporter who had already asked a question. Youre going to give her the same one?

No, she is not the same lady, Mr Niinisto replied, to the amusement of the two journalists.

We have a lot of blonde women in Finland, one of the reporters added, as Mr Trump laughed.

A PBS reporter pointed out on Twitter that the two reporters do not look alike, despite both having blonde hair.

THIS. The Finnish journalists @potus had trouble telling apart. They are def. 2 diff. people. So glad I met @maria_annala + @vilenpaula. pic.twitter.com/gthZWwiiJa  Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) August 28, 2017

This is not the first awkward situation Mr Trump has been involved in when dealing with the international media.

In June, the president interrupted a call with the new prime minister of Ireland Leo Varadkar to compliment a member of the Irish press, who was in the room at the time.

Well, we have a lot of your Irish press watching us, he said to Mr Varadkar, in front of reporters.

Mr Trump then pointed to journalist Caitriona Perry and called her over to speak to him.

Where are you from? We have all of this beautiful Irish press, he said.

She had a nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well, the President then told Mr Varadkar.
Residents use boats to evacuate from Tropical Storm Harvey along Tidwell Road in east Houston on Aug. 28. (Photo: Adrees Latif/Reuters)

Houston continues to deal with record flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Since Friday night when the hurricane first reached land, thousands have lost their homes and relocated to shelters in the area. Images from the past few days show destruction and rising waters.

See the latest images, including heroic rescues and families coming to terms with their losses of homes and property from the flooding, below.

A volunteer carries a woman whose home was affected by severe flooding in north Houston.

People take shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.

Mark Ocosta and his baby, Aubrey, shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

People walk to a Harris County Sheriff's Office air boat while escaping a flooded neighborhood in Houston.

Police and volunteers rescue residents flooded by the San Jacinto river in Kingwood, Texas.

Amazing video sent to us @KHOU, freeway concrete barrier broke away on Hwy 59 at San Jacinto Bridge. #HoustonFloods pic.twitter.com/xMUfcIPj3Y  Daniel Gotera (@DTGoteraKHOU) August 29, 2017

Glenda Montelongeo, Richard Martinez and his two sons are helped out of a boat after being rescued near Tidwell Road and Toll road 8 in Houston.

Volunteer Dustin Langley, who lives two hours north of Houston and came down with a friend to volunteer, helps a family to escape their flooded apartment in Kingwood.

People are rescued from a flooded neighborhood in Houston.

A Texas flag hangs from a home surrounded by floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey in The Woodlands.

Residents embrace after being rescued from the floodwaters of tropical storm Harvey in east Houston on Aug. 28.

A Coast Guard helicopter hoists a wheelchair onboard after lifting a person to safety in Houston.

A Shell gas station is under water at the intersection of Wallisville and Uvalde in Houston.

VIDEO: Dover native Melissa VanOrman waits in her Houston-area apartment for Hurricane #Harvey floodwaters to recede pic.twitter.com/Uadb77q4Tf  azcentral (@azcentral) August 29, 2017

Laquanta Edwards holds her 1-year-old daughter Ladaja, right, and 9-month-old son LaDarius after they arrived to high ground by boat in east Houston.

Residents use boats to evacuate in east Houston.

A policeman carries a young girl as her family follows after they fled their home in east Houston.

A house and vehicles stand in floodwaters in Spring, Texas.

Shardea Harrison looks at her 3-week-old baby, Sarai, being held by Dean Mize as he and Jason Legnon use his airboat to rescue them from their home after the area was inundated with flooding in Houston.

Dean Mize, left, and Jason Legnon carry a person to an airboat as they rescue people from their homes in Houston.

A truck driver walks past an abandoned truck while checking the depth of an underpass in Houston.

A person, followed by a dog, walks through a flooded street in Houston.

In this handout provided by the Army National Guard, a Texas National Guardsman carries a resident from her flooded home in Houston.

Naomi Coto carries Simba on her shoulders as they evacuate their home in Houston.

A resident of Bayou on the Bend watches the first floor flood as the Buffalo Bayou continues to rise in Houston.

People wait to be rescued from their flooded homes in Houston.

People walk down a flooded street in Houston.

People wait on a flooded street in Houston.

A man helps children across a flooded street in Houston.

Groups of people walk down a flooded street in Houston.

Related Coverage

Houston Flooding Always Hits Poor, Non-White Neighborhoods Hardest

Here's What You Need To Know About Harvey On Wednesday Morning

More Than 9,000 People Are Packed Into Houston's Convention Center

Also on HuffPost

Steve Culver cries with his dog Otis as he talks about what he said was the, 'most terrifying event in his life,' when Hurricane Harvey blew in and destroyed most of his home while he and his wife took shelter there on in Rockport.

Ofelia Castro leads her grandchildren across a flooded street as they continue an hours long trek from their flooded house in the Edgewood area of South Houston to a relatives apartment miles away.

Aaron Tobias who said he lost everything stands in what is left of his home in Rockport. Mr. Tobias said he was able to get his wife and kids out before the storm arrived but he stayed there and rode it out.

Damaged boats in a multi-level storage facility are seen in Rockport.

People gather supplies out of destroyed homes to take back to a shelter near City-By-The Sea, Texas.

A destroyed laundromat is seen in Rockport.

A destroyed apartment complex is seen on Aug. 26, 2017, after Hurricane Harvey passed through Rockport, Texas.

Donna Raney is helped out of the window by Lee Guerrero and Daisy Graham in Rockport.

Valerie Brown walks through a flooded area after leaving her apartment in Rockport.

Charlie Company of the 4th Assault Amphibious Battalion, Marine Forces Reserve arrive at the Central Mall in Port Arthur, TX on Thursday night after running rescue missions in the hardest hit areas of town throughout the day.

A Rockport firefighter goes door to door on a search and rescue mission as he looks for people who may need help.

Rescue personnel help Hersey Kirk as she is airlifted into a rescue helicopter.

Jacque McKay walks through the apartment complex where she lives in Rockport.

A damaged home is seen after Hurricane Harvey in Rockport.

Damage is seen to a shopping center in Victoria, north and farther inland than Rockport.

Damage is seen at a business near Rockport

A damaged mobile home in Victoria.

Damage to a hotel in Victoria.

A business is damaged in Victoria.

A light plane sits upside done at Rockport Airport.

A sunken boat at Rockport Harbor.

Destroyed houses in Rockport.

Light medium tactical vehicle's (LMTV) make their way through floodwaters near Bridge City in Texas.

A car lies abandoned in Rockport.

A police officer checks for survivors among destroyed houses in Rockport.

A gas station in Victoria.

Damage to homes is seen near Rockport

A sign on a Holiday Inn hotel in Victoria.

Just got out of Rockport; no cell service there; catastrophic damage; homes, businesses destroyed. #hurricaneharvey pic.twitter.com/CJKPJOhEHZ  Jeremy Schwartz (@JinATX) August 26, 2017

First light reveals heavy damage in Rockport, TX. #hurricaneharvey. pic.twitter.com/a9vVRn9iJS  Jeff Gammons (@StormVisuals) August 26, 2017

A burnt-out house that caught fire after Hurricane Harvey hit Corpus Christi.

A house suffers roof damage in Corpus Christi.

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QUITO (Reuters) - An Ecuadorean judge has sentenced 20 Chinese crew members to up to four years in prison for illegally fishing off the Galapagos Islands, where they were caught with 6,600 sharks aboard. The Chinese-flagged ship Fu Yuan Yu Leng 999 was apprehended in mid-August with some 300 tonnes of near-extinct or endangered species, including hammerhead sharks. The crew members received jail time of between one and four years, the judge said late on Sunday. They were also fined a total of $5.9 million. Ecuador's foreign ministry said it had sent a formal protest to China over the presence of ships near the Galapagos, which inspired British naturalist Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. It reported earlier this month that China's ambassador in Quito, Wang Yulin, said his country wanted to take all measures necessary to "put an end to these illicit practices." The islands are located about 1000 km (620 miles) west of Ecuador's Pacific coast. The Environment Ministry said the Chinese vessel was fishing in the Galapagos' marine reserve. The boat will be taken over by Ecuador and the dead animals thrown out to sea, the government said on Monday. Centenarian tortoises and blue-footed boobies inhabit the Galapagos alongside some 18,000 islanders who earn a living from fishing and the tourism industry. (Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by W Simon)
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Elton John performs at the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium on July 1, 2007, in London.

You probably remember where you were when you heard the shocking news that Princess Diana had died in a Paris car crash. It was Aug. 31, 1997  25 years ago this week.

Elton John, who was a close friend of Dianas, was asked to sing at her funeral service at Westminster Abbey six days later. He reached back to a classic he and his lyricist, Bernie Taupin, had written in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe  another world-famous blonde who had died at the age of 36.

In the days leading up to the funeral service, Taupin revised the lyric. The sad, wistful tone of the song proved to be just right for the occasion: The ballad resonated with the hundreds of millions of people around the world who were saddened by Dianas death.

Taupin has said that he was inspired to write the original song after hearing the phrase candle in the wind used in reference to Janis Joplin, who died in 1970 at age 27.

In a documentary on the making of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, the classic album on which the ballad first appeared, Taupin said the song is about the idea of fame or youth or somebody being cut short in the prime of their life. The song could have been about James Dean, it could have been about Montgomery Clift, it could have been about Jim Morrison how we glamorize death, how we immortalize people.

The manuscript of the song Candle in the Wind signed by Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin is displayed at the Althorp Estate outside London in 2001. (Photo: Sion Touhig/Getty Images)

It almost goes without saying that John never met Monroe. He was a 15-year-old kid when she died. But he was close friends with Diana. Only a month before Diana died, she and Elton had sat together at the funeral of their mutual friend, designer Gianni Versace.

In a BBC interview, Elton shed light on his friendship with Diana. He said he admired her commitment to fighting AIDS, something that many celebrities (and non-celebrities) in that era avoided like the plague. It was considered to be a gay disease, he said. And for someone who was within the royal family  and who was a woman and who was straight  and to have someone care from the other side was an incredible gift. Also, she had this incredible ability to make people feel at ease and make them feel that everythings going to be all right. I havent experienced many people in my life who have had that ability. But she could walk into a room of people and make them feel as if everything is great.

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Princess Diana and pop star Elton John grieve for slain fashion designer Gianni Versace as Elton John weeps openly comforted by a friend at a memorial mass in Milan. Versace was shot dead in front of his Miami Beach mansion early last week. (Photo: Reuters)

In rewriting the Candle lyric, Taupin intended to make the song speak for all of England. I thought it was very important to project it from a nations standpoint, Taupin said. I wanted to make it sound like a country singing it.

Thus, he changed the opening lyric from Goodbye Norma Jeane, though I never knew you at all to Goodbye Englands rose, may you ever grow in our hearts

Remarkably, the original Candle in the Wind wasnt released as a single in the U.S. back in the 70s. The first two singles from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were Saturday Nights Alright for Fighting and the title track. Candle in the Wind was in line to be released as the third single, but, in a bold move, Elton instead released the R&B-edged Bennie and the Jets, which was far more of a departure from the sound of his past singles. (In that era, few albums spawned more than two or three singles.) Elton finally released Candle in the Wind as a single in 1987 as a track from his live album Live in Australia. The single went top 10 and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male.

The Diana-inspired 1997 version of Candle in the Wind was released as a single on Sept. 13, 1997. It entered Billboards Hot 100 at No. 1 and stayed on top for 14 consecutive weeks. Its one of just three singles in chart history to spend its first 14 weeks at No. 1. (The other is One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, which spent its first 16 weeks at No. 1 in 1995-96, and Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankees Despacito, which tied One Sweet Days record just this week.)

Candle 97 was the first single to receive Diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. The RIAA has certified the single for U.S. sales of 11 million copies. Guinness World Records declared Candle in the Wind 1997 to be the biggest-selling single since records began. The book estimates the singles global sales at 33 million. (Bing Crosbys 1942 single White Christmas is believed to have sold even more  perhaps 50 million  but record-keeping wasnt nearly as precise in that era.)

Candle in the Wind 1997 sold 8,111,000 copies in the U.S. in 1997, according to Nielsen. That was slightly more copies than the years next three top-sellers combined. They were Puff Daddy & Faith Evans Ill Be Missing You (featuring 112), Puff Daddys Cant Nobody Hold Me Down (featuring Mase), and LeAnn Rimess How Do I Live. (The singles B-side, Something about the Way You Look Tonight, received more airplay in the U.S. than Candle in all but the first three weeks of its chart run. But it was Candle that drove the singles historic sales.) The song also entered the Official U.K. Singles Chart at No. 1. The song has sold nearly 5 million copies in the U.K. It has been certified the bestselling single of all time in the U.K. It took that title from Band Aids all-star 1984 release Do They Know Its Christmas?

The song brought Elton a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, his second win in that category; he first won three years earlier for Can You Feel the Love Tonight. Candle in the Wind 1997 was nominated for Best British Single at the 1998 Brit Awards, but lost to All Saints Never Ever. Elton did, however, receive a special award at the Brits that year, the Freddie Mercury Award.

Why did this single do so well? First of all, its a great song, well sung and well produced (by the late Sir George Martin, legendary producer of the Beatles). And many people around the world wanted to scoop up a keepsake connected to the late princess. Also, many wanted to support the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, which received all artist and composer royalties and record company profits from the sale of the single.

Some of Eltons greatest honors have come since the release of the single. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on Feb. 24, 1998. He received a Grammy Legend Award in February 2000. He received a Kennedy Center Honor in December 2004. In 2013, he received the first Brits Icon award in recognition of his lasting impact on U.K. culture.

John was 50 at the time of the release of Candle in the Wind 1997. He remains the oldest artist ever to enter the Hot 100 at No. 1. Since Candle in the Wind 1997, he has had only one other top 40 hit in the U.S.: Written in the Stars, a 1999 collaboration with LeAnn Rimes. The song was drawn from Elton and Tim Rices musical Aida, which ran on Broadway from 2000 to 2004.

Elton hasnt performed Candle in the Wind 1997 since Dianas funeral service  not even at the all-star Concert for Diana, a benefit concert at Wembley Stadium on July 1, 2007. He continues to sing the original version of the song in his concerts, but not the revised version. He doesnt want anyone to think hes exploiting it. He wants to keep it singular and special  like the songs subject.

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

 Prince Harry says he sees Princess Diana's legacy 'when I look at my own children'

 Kristen Stewart says she was so scared to play Princess Diana in 'Spencer' that she developed a locked-jaw disorder

 Princess Diana Panorama interview: BBC apologizes, pays private secretary Jephson substantial damages

 Meghan Markle tells Mariah Carey she was not treated as a 'Black woman' until she started dating Prince Harry
(WASHINGTON)  President Donald Trumps personal lawyer acknowledged Monday that the presidents company pursued a Trump Tower in Moscow during the Republican primary, but that the plan was abandoned for a variety of business reasons. He said that at one point he reached out to the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin about approvals from the Russian government.

The attorney, Michael Cohen, said in a statement to the House intelligence committee that he worked on the real estate proposal with Felix Sater, a Russia-born associate who he said claimed to have deep connections in Moscow. The panel is one of several on Capitol Hill investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The discussions occurred in the fall of 2015, months after Trump had declared his candidacy, and ended early last year when Cohen determined that the project was not feasible, according to the statement from Cohen.

The potential deal shows that the Trump Organization was actively considering doing business in Russia during the presidential election, providing special counsel Robert Muellers investigators considerable fodder for turning their investigation into Russian collusion toward Trumps personal and business finances. Trump has said Mueller would be crossing a red line by delving into his finances.

The negotiations of the possible Trump Tower Moscow deal were first reported Sunday night by The Washington Post. On Monday, The New York Times reported on an email in which Sater appeared to boast that the real estate deal could help Trump get elected.

Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it, Sater wrote in an email, according to the Times. I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this, I will manage this process.

He also said in an another email about a possible ribbon-cutting: I will get Putin on this program and we will get Donald elected.

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In the two-page statement obtained by The Associated Press, Cohen said he emailed Putins press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, after Sater suggested that the proposal would require approvals within the Russian government that had not been issued. Cohen said he did not recall any response to his email, or any other contacts with Peskov or other Russian government officials about the project.

Cohen portrayed the proposal as one of countless that the Trump Organization has received for developments around the world, noting that Trump had properties and developments in about a dozen different countries.

Cohen said that the project first came to his attention in September 2015 when he received a proposal for a Trump Tower Moscow that would house a luxury hotel, office spaces and condominiums.

Cohen said that he performed some initial due diligence to determine whether it was a good fit for the Trump Organization, and Trump ultimately signed a nonbinding letter of intent with the Moscow-based developer, I.C. Expert Investment Co. on Oct. 28, 2015. After the signing of the letter, the Trump Organization sought building designs from architects and held preliminary discussions regarding potential financing for the building.

Cohen said he also communicated extensively with Sater, who was brokering the deal and stood to receive payment from the Russian developer if it came to fruition.

In his statement, Cohen downplayed Saters comments in the emails.

Over the course of my business dealings with Mr. Sater, he has sometimes used colorful language and has been prone to salesmanship, Cohen said. As a result, I did not feel that it was necessary to routinely apprise others within the Trump Organization of communications that Mr. Sater sent only to me.

Cohen said that Sater constantly invited him to travel to Moscow and encouraged him to bring Trump. But Cohen said he rebuffed the overtures. He said he has never traveled to Russia, and never considered asking Trump to go to Russia, which he said he only would have encouraged if there was a definitive agreement in place.

Cohen said the proposal, which was contingent upon the developer finding an appropriate property and getting necessary permits, was under consideration until the end of January 2016. At that point, he said that he determined the proposal was not feasible for a variety of business reasons and should not be pursued further. He said neither the decision to pursue the development nor the decision to abandon it were related to Trumps presidential campaign.
The "Nashville Statement" consists of 14 affirmations and denials on human sexuality. (Photo: Nashville Statement)

A coalition of over 150 evangelical leaders released a manifesto on Tuesday reiterating their belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Titled the Nashville Statement, the document also asserts that God created two distinct sexes, that sex should only occur within the bounds of heterosexual marriage, and that it is sinful to approve of homosexual immorality or transgenderism.

The statement emerged out of a meeting convened by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood on Friday at the Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics and Religious Liberty Commissions annual conference in Nashville. It consists of 14 statements of affirmation and denial relating to human sexuality.

For instance, Article 7 of the statement reads:

WE AFFIRM that self-conception as male or female should be defined by Gods holy purposes in creation and redemption as revealed in Scripture. WE DENY that adopting a homosexual or transgender self-conception is consistent with Gods holy purposes in creation and redemption.

Nashville mayor Megan Barry tweeted Tuesday criticizing the coalition for using her citys name in a statement of exclusion.

The @CBMWorg's so-called "Nashville Statement" is poorly named and does not represent the inclusive values of the city & people of Nashville  Megan Barry (@MayorMeganBarry) August 29, 2017

Among the signers were many prominent and influential evangelical leaders, including Steve Gaines, president of The Southern Baptist Convention, Russell Moore, president of the SBCs Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. Perkins was also reportedly one of the architects behind President Donald Trumps ban on transgender service members.

CBMW president Denny Burk said the statement aimed to mitigate Christians confusion over issues of sexuality.

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The spirit of our age does not delight in Gods good design of male and female. Consequently, confusion reigns over some of the most basic questions of our humanity, he told HuffPost. The aim of The Nashville Statement is to shine a light into the darkness  to declare the goodness of Gods design in our sexuality and in creating us as male and female.

Though several Christian denominations, including the Episcopal Church and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), have affirmed same-sex marriage in recent years, the Southern Baptist Convention has been squarely and unwaveringly opposed to anything other than heterosexual marriage.

In a preamble, the leaders explained that the document is a response to what they feel to be an increasingly post-Christian culture.

This secular spirit of our age presents a great challenge to the Christian church, they wrote.

But critics in the Christian community noted the bizarre and even callous timing of the documents release and warned that it would do more harm than good.

To release it in the direct aftermath of Charlottesville, in the throes of Harvey, is a gross example of pastoral & leadership malpractice.  Nish Weiseth (@NishWeiseth) August 29, 2017

The fruit of the "Nashville Statement" is suffering, rejection, shame, and despair. The timing is callous beyond words.  JenHatmaker (@JenHatmaker) August 29, 2017

They are literally saying that disavowing yourself from SSM & LGBT people is required for salvation (see article 10). #nashvillestatement  Brett Trapp (@BrettTrapp) August 29, 2017

Just read the #NashvilleStatement Perfect example of ignoring the hearts and lives of real people so you can adhere to an idea or doctrine  Nadia Bolz-Weber (@Sarcasticluther) August 29, 2017

Brandan Robertson, a Christian pastor and LGBTQ activist who helped organize a protest at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Conference last week, said the statement will further marginalize sexual and gender minorities in the church.

This is indeed yet another sad day in the history of the modern evangelical movement, Robertson told HuffPost.

The most heart breaking part of this statement is that this document will promote and perpetuate teachings that will cause verifiable psychological harm to LGBT+ Christian youth in churches around the world.

He added: I am confident that future generations will look back at this resolution and see it as despicable as we do former Southern Baptist statements promoting slavery and segregation.

But the pastor added that he was heartened by the fact that Americans, overall, including all U.S. Christian groups, are becoming increasingly accepting of the LGBTQ community.

Robertson said: More and more Christian leaders are stepping forward to proclaim the very opposite of the Nashville Statement, that LGBT+ people are beautifully and wonderfully created in the diverse image of our expansive God and are welcomed just as we are into our place in the Church and in society.

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Another day, another bombshell Trump-Russia story.

The New York Times reported Monday that businessman Felix Sater told then-candidate Donald Trump's lawyer in 2015 that he was working on a real estate deal that could help "get Donald elected." Sater was emailing Michael Cohen about building a Trump Tower in Moscow, as was reported Sunday night by The Washington Post.

The project never came to fruition, but Sater's messages about it could raise further questions about whether the Trump team collaborated with the Kremlin during his presidential campaign.

In an email sent in November 2015, a few months after Trump had announced he was running, Sater told Cohen he could get President Vladimir Putin's team "to buy in" on the Trump Tower Moscow idea. He then boasted, "Buddy, your boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it."

Cohen told the Times that nothing came of the emails, dismissing Satera Trump Organization broker and a Russian immigrantas someone susceptible to "salesmanship." Trump has previously denied any close relationship with Sater, though the Post pointed out he once had a business card that said he was "senior adviser to Donald Trump."

Monday wasn't the first time Sater had been in the news. In July, Sater made headlines when he agreed to cooperate in a money-laundering investigation involving Viktor Khrapunov, a former Kazakh lawmaker who bought three apartments in Trump SoHo in New York City, among other properties. In 2015, the Associated Press reported that Trump was trying to distance himself from Sater, who had worked with the tycoon's company when he was an executive with development company Bayrock.

Sater has ties to the mob and served time in prison after police said he assaulted a man with a margarita glass. Separately, he later pleaded guilty to racketeering and became a government informant, a deal that Andrew Weissmann was involved in, according to Mother Jones.

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Weissmann, now with the Justice Department, is helping special counsel Robert Mueller investigate Trump's ties to Russia.

Related Articles
The first African Americans to ever serve in the Marine Crops were honored on Saturday during a special ceremony at Joe C. Davidson Park in Burlington, North Carolina.

For the 75th anniversary of Montford Point Marine Day  which marks the day President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order to intregrate the Marines  the Corps honored the black men who were trained at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina to become Marines in the 1940s.

Between 1942 and 1949, more than 20,000 servicemen received their basic training at Montford Point, according to the Camp Lejeune Globe. About 300 of them are still alive. Four of those men  John Thompson, Cleo Florence, Robert Thomas and Mack Haynes  were in attendance for Saturdays ceremony, the Burlington Times News reports.

When I went in in 1947, how things was then and how things have progressed and how they are today... theres been a great change, but there still be more change and we may be able to have one nation under God and one people, Thomas told WFMY.

John Thompson, Cleo Florence, Robert Thomas and Mack Haynes were honored on Saturday for their service as Marines. (Photo: WFMY)

Larry Hall, the secretary of the state Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, spoke to the audience about how significant it is to recognize these men, per the Times News.

We stand on the shoulders of these great men and their families and the community that raised them, Hall said. And it is important for the new leaders to let future leaders stand on their shoulders as well.

On the Thursday prior, three living Montford Point Marines and the families of four gathered to posthumously pay tribute to four former Marines, Leroy Lee, Virgil W. Johnson, Joseph Orthello Johnson and Thomas Robinson. The families accepted Congressional Gold Medals on their behalf.

See more from Saturdays event in the video above.

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Family Properties explores an oft-forgotten historical injustice: redlining, a practice by which federal agencies denied mortgage insurance to buyers in black or integrated areas. Redlining rapidly drove segregation and left black families prey to exploitative sellers. Beryl Satter, whose father battled these injustices as a Chicago lawyer, paints both a personal and a sweeping portrait of the phenomenon. (Find it here.)

For anyone who remains unclear on the problem with white feminism, Killing the Black Body makes it eminently clear. Dorothy Roberts lays out the many distinct ways black womens reproductive rights have been systemically infringed upon, such as forced sterilization  injustices which have often been ignored by a mainstream feminism focused on white, middle-class womens concerns. (Find it here.)

A portrait of a legendary Supreme Court justice as a lawyer, Devil in the Grove catches up with Thurgood Marshall shortly before he brought the seminal Brown v Board of Education suit The book focuses on Marshalls defense of four young black men in Florida targeted by prosecutors and the KKK after a young white woman made rape allegations. (Find it here.)

Ibram X. Kendi examines how racist ideas were spread throughout American history in this sweeping, award-winning history of thought. Bonus: He recently published a reading list in The New York Times, consisting of 24 books he describes as the most influential books on race and the black experience published in the United States for each decade of the nations existence. (Find it here.)

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The Original Black Elite demonstrates the crushing power of Jim Crow by telling the story of Daniel Murray, a black man who, along with a cohort of outstanding contemporaries, achieved wealth and status in the post-Civil War era -- until their assimilation into the white upper class was stymied by the rise of segregation. (Find it here.)

It's always a good time to read The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander's chilling analysis of how black men are disproportionately targeted and more heavily punished by the criminal justice system -- and the oppressive consequences for the black community. (Find it here.)

In a new history of the Emmett Till case, Timothy B. Tyson recounts the horrific story of a young boy who was brutally lynched after a white woman (falsely) alleged that he made lewd comments to her. The Blood of Emmett Till weaves this infamous event, and its aftermath, into a broader story of white supremacist violence and rhetoric that extends into the present day. (Find it here.)

If you somehow missed this book about a black woman's DNA being exploited for decades of research -- catch up fast. This year it's becoming a movie starring Oprah. (Find it here.)

The women profiled in Hidden Figures -- which is already a major motion picture -- made meaningful, intentional contributions to the science of American space exploration, only to be largely ignored by history. (Find it here.)

First published in 1872, black abolitionist William Still's contemporaneous accounts of the Underground Railroad offer a peephole into the experiences of people escaping slavery. The account is drawn directly from his interviews of the hundreds of people he aided in escape. (Find it here.)

First published in 1933, The Mis-education of the Negro examines how the educational system itself worked against black children, teaching them not to seek out ambitious life paths. (Find it here.)

Chancellor Williams's 1971 tome excavated the submerged history of black people in Africa and beyond. The extensively researched book unsettled the problematic common assumption that black civilization created no meaningful cultural or historical achievements. (Find it here.)

In an extensive oral history, E. Patrick Johnson tells the stories of black gay men who have made their homes in the South. (Find it here.)

Malcolm X collaborated with journalist Alex Haley to write his autobiography over the two years leading up to his assassination. The final result has been a landmark influence on many black thinkers and activists. (Find it here.)

Assata Shakur's autobiography takes readers inside black activist movements of the 1970s, giving a first-person account of her involvement and of how targeting by federal agencies eventually weakened groups like the Black Panthers. (Find it here.)

A now-classic history of the Haitian Revolution of 1794-1803, The Black Jacobins tracks and analyzes the massive, sustained slave revolt, led by Toussaint L'Ouverture, that led to the formation of the free state of Haiti. (Find it here.)

The Souls of Black Folk is a groundbreaking early work of sociology, published in 1903, and advocates for black education, voting rights and other civil rights while capturing the state of affairs and of debate at the time. (Fid it here.)

An expansive, lavishly illustrated history of the variegated black experience in America, Life Upon These Shores has a wide scope but is rooted in specificity through hundreds of photos and careful scholarship. (Find it here.)

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In the days since he received a presidential pardon, former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio has lashed out at his critics and the judge who found him guilty of criminal contempt for violating the terms of a court order in a racial profiling case.

The controversial Maricopa County lawman insisted over the weekend that he didnt do anything wrong and questioned the fairness of U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton, who said in July that Arpaio had willfully violated the 2011 court order.

Arpaio further called his conviction the product of a political witch hunt orchestrated by members of former President Barack Obamas administration.

President Donald Trump also suggested that the ruling against Arpaio was unjust when he was asked about the pardon at a news conference on Monday.

Hes done a great job for the people of Arizona, Trump said. Hes strong on borders and strong on illegal immigration. He is loved in Arizona, and I thought he was treated unbelievably unfairly.

The 2011 court order barred Arpaio and his office from detaining individuals solely on suspicions about their legal status. Andrew Case, a former clerk for U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow, who issued the order, rushed to defend Snow on Twitter after Arpaios pardon.

Presumably reacting to Arpaios charges of bias in his trial, Case argued in a series of posts that Snow was anything but a liberal partisan who had ruled unfairly.

He noted that Snow was nominated by former President George W. Bush and that he quoted [former Supreme Court Justice Antonin] Scalia favorably. The judge also kept a [George] Romney Institute blotter on his desk, he added, a reference to a Brigham Young University program.

He is ideologically conservative and deeply devoted to the rule of law, Case tweeted.

I was the judicial clerk for the judge in the original Apraio trial. I have some thoughts on the pardon. (1/15)  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

(I will not be revealing any conversations with the judge about the substance of the case because duh). (2/15)  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

Judge Snow was appointed by George W. Bush. He quoted Scalia favorably. He had a Romney Institute blotter on his desk. (3/15)  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

Arpaio now calls him liberal  this is flatly false. He is ideologically conservative and deeply devoted to the rule of law. (4/15)  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

Case continued with numerous other tweets, some of them accompanied by text from Snows findings of fact in 2013, describing how he had conducted the trial.

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He took pains to ensure that the trial was procedurally fair  crediting unsupported statements by Arpaio deputies. (5/15) pic.twitter.com/QudUjoNcQF  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

Arpaios office had deleted thousands of requested emails (yes!), Snow issued only mild sanctions in response. (6/15) pic.twitter.com/zgxhi6972x  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

When a minor issue came up that could have merited recusal, he held a hearing  Arpaios attorneys asked him not to recuse. (7/15) pic.twitter.com/l6E2hRLQoa  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

Judge Snows order was upheld on appeal before trial by a Nixon appointee, who singled him out for praise in the opinion. (8/15) pic.twitter.com/cfsiFDFhfM  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

Case also referenced racist emails Arpaios deputies had exchanged in the past, which emerged during a Justice Department investigation.

Many of the deleted emails were recovered; they contained racist jokes about Mexifornia, Mexican Yoga and Mexican Engineering. (9/15) pic.twitter.com/9Z4smJ3X5H  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

Snows final 142-page order barely referenced the inflammatory stuff  order bars enforcing federal law and stopping bc of race. (10/15) pic.twitter.com/zTVYA7CAr7  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

That order is the one that Arpaio flouted. (11/15)  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

Case tweeted that Arpaio had once sent investigators after the judges wife, which the former sheriff had confirmed during his testimony. Case also suggested that Arpaio had constantly insulted Snow, although it was not clear which remarks he was referring to.

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Arpaio sent investigators after the judges wife and constantly insults him publicly. (12/15) https://t.co/MQLkKnEgqv  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

Arpaio kept a paper file in which he printed fan mail favoring racial profiling and attacking a different judge (13/15) pic.twitter.com/hbsFsXiQGB  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

Arpaio launched numerous investigations of local politicians and officials he viewed as opponents, according to The Arizona Republic.

Case finally concluded that Snow was too dignified to respond to personal attacks against him.

Judge Snow has never responded to these personal attacks  he is far too dignified to do so. (14/15)  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

So when you hear Arpaio and Trump on the judge, remember he is a classic Republican judge and a deeply honorable man. (15/15)  Andrew Case (@AClaudeCase) August 29, 2017

Case did not immediately reply to a request for comment from HuffPost.

Ryan J. Reilly contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte ride their bicycles as they leave their home in Le Touquet - REUTERS

Brigitte Macron, France's first lady, has urged the country to 'have faith' in her husband Emmanuel as his approval ratings have collapsed to 40 per cent ahead of a crunch week for the new president.

Her comments came just two days before Mr Macron's government is to unveil the details of crucial labour reforms to unions, on Thursday.

At the presidential couple's country home in Le Touquet, a seaside resort in northern France popular with Britons, Mrs Macron, 64, was asked whether she had a message for her compatriots for "la rentree" - the French word for the return to school and work after the long summer holidays.

"They must have faith," she told BFM TV.

"I tell them that my husband is doing everything to ensure that (la rentree) takes place as best as possible."

Emmanuel Macron - Satisfaction with French presidents in first 100 days

Aware that his lofty style has started to grate on the French, Mr Macron, 39, has promised to talk to the nation once or twice a month, and on Tuesday named a new spokesman for the Elysee Palace, the journalist Bruno Roger-Petit.

His relatively inexperienced cabinet held a seminar at the Elysee on Monday in which ministers were urged to be more forceful in defending his reforms and countering rival claims that his presidency is more spin than substance.

Mrs Macron's plea to trust her husband came as the president pronounced the fight against "Islamist terrorism" his top priority as he outlined France's foreign policy goals to ambassadors.

French President Emmanuel Macron addresses French Ambassadors at the Elysee Palace in Paris Credit: Yoan Valat/EPA Pool

"France's security is the main purpose of our diplomacy," he told 170 diplomats, as he pledged to focus on achieving concrete results, from brokering peace talks in Libya to leading efforts to address Europe's migrants crisis.

Mr Macron touched on Brexit, saying negotiations over Britain leaving the EU "should not take up all our energy".

"I would rather build the future than go over the past," he said, pledging new initiatives on the future of the bloc after the German elections in September.

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Since taking up office in May, France's youngest leader since Napoleon has won plaudits in handling tricky leaders from Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin.

But the French are already expressing scepticism over his reform plans, and displeasure at austerity measures - such as reducing state housing aid - as his government seeks to honour state deficit commitments.

Every move he and his wife Brigitte make comes under intense scrutiny. Last week, he was taken to task for spending 26,000 on make-up in his first three months.

Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte stroll in Le Touquet, northern France Credit: ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP

On Tuesday, he faced reports that police guarding the presidential couple's country home in Le Touquet were furious for being ordered to be more "discreet" so as not to the "disturb the neighbours".

In short, CRS officers were told to stand outside the residence in the chic resort without their automatic weapons after residents allegedly complained their presence was making them feel uneasy, according to one union. Officers were told to keep the HK G36 guns in the car.

The Alliance police union told RTL radio that the order was an "affront" and "cast into question their professionalism".

As for the order not to disturb the neighbours, the union said: "Since when have the police caused 'disturbances'? Since when has protecting the most important figure in the country annoyed our fellow citizens?"

It demanded to know whether the order was a "presidential wish" or an "excess of bureaucratic zeal". .

Wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Trogneux returns to her home on a bicycle in Le Touquet Credit: Chesnot/Getty Images

Police guarding politicians or public figures have toted automatic weapons capable of taking on Kalashnikov-wielding terrorists since the Paris attacks of 2015, in which 130 died when Isil gunman went on the rampage in the French capital.

"This is unjustified," Fabrice Ledoux, regional representative of CRS Nord for Alliance told Le Parisien.

"Our colleagues have been trained and are perfectly apt to use this weapon to defend what one could qualify as a sensitive site."

While the local state authorities said that agents stationed in cars was an acceptable alternative, one union source said: "If you think it's alright to force us to waste time opening a door in case of attack, then everything's fine then."

Mrs Macron made no reference to police guards or the neighbours.
Ah, the joys of parenthood.

George Clooney has been a dad for nearly three months, but there are still some things hes adjusting to, i.e. throw up, diaper duty and pretty much being exhausted all the time.

The Oscar winner, who welcomed twins Ella and Alexander in June with wife and human rights attorney Amal Clooney, opened about his life as a new parent to The Associated Press at his home in Lake Como, Italy.

I just have to clean the barf off of my tux, George explained. It used to be my barf but now its the twins barf. So it all works out.

He continued, Right now my job is changing diapers and walking them around a little bit. I really didnt think at 56 that I would be the parent of twins. Dont make plans. You always have to just enjoy the ride.

George Clooney and Amal Clooney pictured before the twins were born. (Photo: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis via Getty Images)

George and Amal, who met in 2013 and tied the knot the following year, first announced the birth of their babies in a cheeky joint statement, revealing that the twins were happy and healthy, while George was sedated and should recover in a few days.

While the actor admits raising children is certainly no cake walk, he made sure to praise his partner for her already expert parenting skills.

Suddenly, youre responsible for other people, which is terrifying, he said of Amal. Shes like an Olympic athlete ... Shes doing so beautifully.

The couple have yet to release official photos of the twins, but blurry paparazzi images of George and Amal carrying the newborns made the internet rounds anyway after French magazine Voici published them. The Clooneys responded swiftly, threatening legal action, in order to maintain their childrens privacy.

Over the last week photographers from Voici magazine scaled our fence, climbed our tree and illegally took pictures of our infants inside our home, the actor said in a statement. Make no mistake the photographers, the agency and the magazine will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The safety of our children demands it.

Story continues

Also on HuffPost

George Clooney Has Worn The Same Color To Red Carpets...

He Wore It When Cross Promoting His Tequila Brand In 2015

In Canada (At The Toronto International Film Festival) In 2015

At The MTV Video Music Awards In 1995

At A Charity Golf Tournament In 1994

Hanging Out In Germany In 2016

On "The Tonight Show" In 2001

And To The First Taping Of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" In 2015

When Making Squad Goals Happen In 1996...

In 1997 With These Two ...

And 2001 With These Three ...

At Planet Hollywood With Arnold In 1997

At The International Film Festival In LA In 2000

At The "Out Of Sight" Premiere In 1998...

And "The Perfect Storm" In 2000...

And "Ocean's Thirteen" In 2007...

And "Ides Of March" In 2011

At A Kevin Spacey Party In 2000

When Standing With Regal Wife Amal In 2016...

And Looking Normal In Germany In 2000

When Chilling With Brad Pitt In Monaco In 2004

To Compliment A Radiant Halo In 2003

When Leaving Whiskey Bars In 2002

When Commuting Around On Crutches In 2003

When Accepting Critics' Choice Awards In 2006

When Hanging Out With His Dad In Washington In 2006

When Staring Into The Eyes Of Frank Langella In 2005

When Getting Bullied By Patricia Clarkson In 2006

Clooney Just Knows What's Up

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German election polls and odds tracker

The German election is less then a week away, with Chancellor Angela Merkel defending her position against Martin Schulz for a fourth term in power.

Polls currently show that Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party - with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) - will be the largest party after the Bundestag election on 24 September, but they will fall short of a majority.

This is common in Germany, and so the resulting parliament is in part determined by how the smaller parties perform, and which coalition possibilities will be born.

German election poll tracker

How does the German voting system work?

Each person casts two votes in the Bundestag election, to allocate a total of 598 seats. Half of these are to elect a local MP by constituency, in a first-past-the-post fashion.

The remaining 299 votes are elected via party lists, allocated near-proportionately to the party vote share in each of Germanys 16 federal states.

To be included in this seat allocation process, a party must achieve five per cent of the national vote.

This second round of seat allocation also means that the total number of MPs can be higher, with politicians elected in "overhang seats" in order to balance the state- and constituency-level votes. The most recent parliament had 32 overhang seats, taking the total up to 631 MPs.

This allows voters to represent their interests locally through their chosen representative, as well as nationally in the party they feel will be strongest in the Bundestag.

In the end, the seat share for each party ends up very similar to their vote share - unlike the system used in the UK's parliamentary elections.

Graphic: The German electoral system

So who will win the German election?

Merkel's CDU is looking most likely to win the most seats in the Bundestag - for the fourth election in a row.

The SPD, led by former President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, is in second place in the polls - securing around a quarter of the vote.

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The AfD - the far-right Alternative for Germany party - had enjoyed a slight rise in the polls in 2016 but have since collapsed into in-fighting and unpopularity.

In reality, the CDU will have to seek a coalition agreement with the SPD or one of the other minor parties to form a government.

German election projected seat share

Potential coalitions

The centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) has been in coalition with centre-right CDU in this current government, as well as in Merkel's first term. These two parties are Germanys biggest, leading to a union dubbed the "Grand Coalition".

The polls are currently suggesting that Germans are content with their current government, which means a Grand Coalition could happen for a third time in just four elections.

Another option is a Black-Yellow coalition, consisting of Merkel's CDU party propped up by the smaller Free Democratic Party (FDP). This would take Merkel over the target needed for a majority, and was the option the party opted for in 2009-2013.

The only situation that poses a risk to Merkels leadership is a left-wing "Red-Red-Green" coalition, led by the SPD's Martin Schulz. For this, he would have to gather enough seats together alongside the Linke (Left) and Grune (Greens) parties.

German election coalition scenarios

What do the parties stand for?

The main parties standing in the election are as follows:

Christian Democrats (CDU) : The leading party in Germany, headed by Angela Merkel. The centre-right group - made up of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) and the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) - they have employment, tax cuts and ongoing public investment at the forefront of their manifesto.

Social Democrats (SPD) : Led by Martin Schulz, the centre-left are vying to make another Grand Coalition to remain in government. The party polled well following the election of their new leader, but then suffered once again in regional polls. The SPD is a traditionally working class party, pledging investment in education and infrastructure, funded by higher taxes for the rich.

Left (Linke): Led by Sahra Wagenknecht and loosely descended from the East German communists. This small party, often used as a protest vote, is campaigning for a rise in national minimum wage, a rejection of military missions abroad and the dissolution of NATO.

Green (Grune) : Led by co-chairs Katrin Goring-Eckardt and Cem Ozdemir, this party could be the coalition kingmakers. They rely on educated, urban citizens, focusing on the environment, taxes and social policies.

Free Democratic Party (FDP) : Led by Christian Lindner, the party was Merkel's junior coalition party in her second term. It failed to reach five per cent of the vote to allow another coalition in 2013. The party campaigns for tax cuts and to remain in financial markets - particularly within the EU.

Alternative for Germany (AfD): A right-wing populist party lead by Alice Weidel and Alexander Gauland. The party's hardline anti-EU, anti-immigration views have attracted voters from almost all of the other parties, especially among lower income households.

Graphic: Germanys political spectrum

What are the betting odds for the German Bundestag election?

Political pollsters have taken a beating recently after failing to predict a British Hung Parliament in 2017, a Leave vote last summer and a Donald Trump victory in November.

For those who have lost faith in polling, there is another way of predicting electoral outcomes: ask people who are prepared to put their money where their mouth is. Many now believe that political betting markets can better predict elections, relying on the wisdom of a crowd of punters to sort and weigh all the probabilities.

Coral's latest odds for the election have Mrs Merkel as most likely to continue as Chancellor after the election. The latest odds for the party to emerge with the most seats are:

CDU/ CSU - 1/100

SPD - 16/1

AfD - 100/1

Die Linke - 100/1

Greens - 100/1

FDP - 100/1

Our poll tracker takes in national polls from a range of German pollsters: INSA, Infratest Dimap, Emnid, Forsa, Forschungsgruppe Wahlen, Allensbach and IPSOS. Their individual polls, while of different sample sizes, use nationally representative samples.

Our seat share projection is based on the average of the last eight polls, excluding any parties that are polling at under five per cent, as the German proportional top-up system does.
Two people are dead and four others are injured after a gunman opened fire inside a New Mexico public library Monday.

Police swarmed the Clovis-Carver City Library after a lone male suspect began firing at about 4:15 p.m. local time, according to reports.

Read: 2 Men Charged After 9-Month-Old Boy Killed in Drive-By Shooting: Cops

"Run!" he reportedly yelled. "Why aren't you running? I'm shooting at you! Run!"

Two women were killed and four men were injured.

Library patron Vanessa Aguirre told the Eastern New Mexico News that she was inside when a man entered and "started to shoot" into the air.

Clovis Mayor David Lansford called the incident a tragedy.

"This is a big blow to our community," he said. "We're all hurting right now."

The Eastern New Mexico News identified a handcuffed male individual, the only one led away from the scene, as a 16-year-old local boy.

On Tuesday, the suspect had yet to be identified by police and investigators were working to determine a motive.

Family and friends reportedly identified Krissie Carter and Wanda Walters, both library employees, as the two fatalities.

Read: American College Student Among 5 Killed in Mexico Nightclub Shooting

We are in the infancy of this and we will have to gather information and talk to him and find out if he will give up any other information, Police Chief Douglas Ford told a news conference.

Clovis is located about 200 miles east of Albuquerque, near the Texas border.

Watch: Camera Glasses Near-Death Shooting of Cop: 'Tell My Family I Love Them'

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This live interview on CNN was wild. Hard to not feel for this woman and her child. #Houston pic.twitter.com/dcWmw9XqMD  Jorge Sedano (@SedanoESPN) August 29, 2017

A Houston resident displaced by Hurricane Harvey made a heartbreaking statement during a live interview with CNN on Tuesday.

Reporting from a shelter housing flood victims, anchor Rosa Flores asked a woman named Danielle (whose last name was not given) about her experiences during the catastrophic storm. The woman, who had just arrived at the shelter with her children, told Flores that her family was waiting to be rescued from their home for about five days with no food or electricity.

The tone of the interview changed, however, when Flores asked about how she was able to save her children. Danielle then poured out her frustration and pain with the media.

Four feet of water to go get them food on the first day. Yeah, thats a lot of shit. But yall sitting here, yall trying to interview people during their worst times. Thats not the smartest thing to do, she said in the video above, shared to Twitter by ESPNs Jorge Sedano.

Like people are really breaking down and yall are sitting here with cameras and microphones trying to ask us what the fuck is wrong with us, she continued. And you really trying to understand it with the microphone still in my face, with me shivering cold, with my kids wet and you still putting the microphone in my face.

Twitter users, including comedian Larry Wilmore, empathized with the womans frustration and called for others to help victims of Hurricane Harvey.

This woman is at her breaking point as are many in that area. Let's do all we can to help in any way we can. #Harvey #RedCross pic.twitter.com/8UWSQ2unnn  Larry Wilmore (@larrywilmore) August 29, 2017

Woman rescued from flooding lost it on CNN, cursed them for interviewing her in crisis. I often wonder why more people don't react like that  Eric Deggans at NPR (@Deggans) August 29, 2017

To the woman who went in on that CNN reporter: You are my hero. No shit you don't want a microphone shoved in your face.  Tony Fly (@TonyFly) August 29, 2017

Wow. This woman on @cnn just unleashed all of her pain and frustration over #Harvey and it was heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/ZvevpFeijs  A Tribe Called Chris (@ChrisPaulComedy) August 29, 2017

This sister is cussing out the CNN reporter live "We here shivering and you got a fucking microphone in my face!"  Pepper Brooks (@FeministaJones) August 29, 2017

Other reporters have been accused of being insensitive toward Harvey victims. ABC Chief National Correspondent Tom Llamas faced backlash after tweeting that he told the police that survivors were looting.

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Let me clear this upwe were w/police who had discovered a dead body & mentioned we saw ppl w/faces covered going into a supermarket nearby pic.twitter.com/bfM5WCCO1e  Tom Llamas (@TomLlamasABC) August 29, 2017

The Category 4 hurricane hit Texas late Friday. KHOU reports that at least nine people have died from the flooding and winds. Up to 30,000 residents are expected to end up in rescue shelters, and the storm is set to hit Louisiana later in the week.

Learn how to help victims of Harvey here.

Also on HuffPost

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Residents embrace after being rescued from the floodwaters of Tropical Storm Harvey in east Houston, Texas, on Aug. 28, 2017.

A Coast Guard helicopter hoists a wheel chair on board after lifting a person to safety in Houston.

A Shell gas station is underwater at the intersection of Wallisville and Uvalde in Houston.

Laquanta Edwards holds her 1-year-old daughter Ladaja (right) and 9-month-old son, LaDarius, after they reached high ground by boat in east Houston.

Residents use boats to evacuate from floodwaters in east Houston.

A policeman carries a young girl as her family follows, fleeing their home in east Houston.

A house and vehicles stand in floodwaters in Spring, Texas.

Shardea Harrison looks at her 3-week-old baby, Sarai Harrison, being held by Dean Mize as he and Jason Legnon used his airboat to rescue them after their neighborhood was inundated with flooding in Houston.

Dean Mize (left) and Jason Legnon carry a person to an airboat as they rescue people from their homes in Houston.

A truck driver walks past an abandoned truck while checking the depth of the water at an underpass in Houston.

A person walks through a flooded street with a dog in Houston.

In this handout provided by the Army National Guard, a Texas National Guardsman carries a resident from her flooded home in Houston.

Naomi Coto carries Simba on her shoulders as they evacuate their home in Houston.

A resident of Bayou on the Bend watches the first floor flood as the Buffalo Bayou continues to rise in Houston.

People wait to be rescued from their flooded homes in Houston.

People walk down a flooded street in Houston.

People wait on a flooded street in Houston.

A man helps children across a flooded street in Houston.

Groups of people walk down a flooded street in Houston.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Tropical Storm Harvey, which made landfall in Texas as a Category 4 hurricane, is set to rank as one of the costliest natural disasters on record. But while economists highlight temporary disruptions, there is more of a mixed view about the long-term impact on the broader economy.

Wed 5

Heres a rundown of what some analysts are saying:

Jan Hatzius, Goldman Sachs: The GDP impact is ambiguous

Hatzius, who noted that preliminary estimates suggest property damages in the $30 billion range, said the effect on GDP long-term is unclear despite a temporary slowdown.

Property losses will not be directly visible in most economic indicators, but major hurricanes in the past have been associated with a temporary slowdown in retail sales, construction spending, and industrial production, as well as a pickup in jobless claims, he wrote. However, GDP effects are ambiguous, as the level of economic activity typically returns to its previous trendore even somewhat abovereflecting a boost from rebuilding efforts and a catch-up in economic activity displaced during the hurricane.

Wednesday morning 2

Hatzius did highlight the importance of the energy sector in the regions affected.

Our commodities team estimates that Harvey has already shut down over 16.5% of US refining capacity, and we estimate that disruptions in the energy sector could directly reduce Q3 GDP growth by as much as 0.2pp. However, we stress that the overall impact of the hurricane on second-half growth is uncertain, as the negative effects are likely to be offset by an increase in business investment and construction activity once the storm has passed.

Don Rissmiller, Strategas: GDP impact could be positive

Rissmiller noted rebuilding would give the economy a boost, but that the spending could cause strain on individual pocket books:

Flood insurance is unlikely to provide much of a cushion for individuals. The business situation could be more nuancedincreased spending on essentials is set to crowd out other purchases (eating out, etc). Rebuilding will be a significant story, though monthly data (especially durables) will likely be volatile. Replacement spending will boost economic growth, though its not good for wealth.

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Brett Ryan, Deutsche Bank: The GDP impact could be negative

Ryan highlighted estimated the disaster would be a drag on GDP growth, but that it would have little impact on whats expected to be strong growth.

Harvey could potentially drag on H2 real GDP growth by as much as -20 basis points (bps)mainly through disruptions to exports. This is not much in the context of our 2.7% growth forecastthe economy would still be growing noticeably above trend.

To be sure some of the negative hit to growth will likely be offset by a boost to construction spending as rebuilding efforts get under way. Hence, this unfortunate event will not likely affect the overall trajectory of the economy or monetary policy.

Michael Feroli, JPMorgan: Jobless claims should spike

Feroli, who cited a $10 billion to $20 billion estimate for Harveys physical damage, also highlighted that the hurricane could strengthen economic activity.

Any assessment of the economic impact of Hurricane Harvey will be inherently subject to a fair degree of uncertainty, given the recency of the event. As a general rule, hurricanes tend to be a short-run depressant and a medium-run boost to economic activity. (Here we should pause to emphasize the usual disclaimer: economic growth does not always correspond with economic well-being).

Other storms reflected medium-term growth, he noted, as shown below.

Wed morning 3

Feroli added that, nonetheless, we will see some temporary disruptions in data points and energy prices:

While Harvey may not be a game-changer for the expansion, it may leave its market on the high-frequency economic data  Jobless claimswhich are counted at a weekly frequencyare a prime candidate to show effects of Hurricane Harvey, especially in the state-level data.

Gasoline prices, and to a lesser degree, natural gas prices have already moved higher. This could crimp consumer spending power in the near term. However, if the past is any guide the impact on energy prices should be short-lived as refineries come back on line in the coming days and weeks.

Ellen Zentner, Morgan Stanley: Gas prices will tax households

Zentner highlighted the potential positive impact to 4Q GDP, but was wary of quantifying her expectations.

Natural disasters are never good for the economy, but they can cause a temporary increase to GDP  We have over a full month left in the third quarter, which means the economic effects of Harvey may be fairly neutral on 3Q as a whole, but the lagged effects of rebuilding homes and replacing motor vehicles can last longer, providing a lift go GDP in 4Q and beyond.

She did note, though, the offsetting negative impact on gasoline prices.

We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the effect of rising gasoline prices on the pocketbooks of all Americans  We estimate that every sustained 10-cent rise in the price per gallon of gasoline acts as a $10bn tax on US households.

And Zentner did add the looming debt ceiling deadline as something to watch.

Our current estimate of the debt ceiling deadline is mid-October. This estimate could be affected by cash transfers from the Treasury in response to Hurricane Harvey, she wrote. But she added that this will likely be handled: Ultimately we expect funds from the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund will be enough to cover near-term disaster response needs, and additional appropriations can be made in the 2018 budget and/or after the debt ceiling is resolved.

Michael Cohen, Barclays: The last major hurricane to hit Texas was pre-shale boom

Cohen, who pointed out that Harvey is the first major Hurricane to hit the US Gulf Coast since the shale booms started, emphasized the threat to infrastructure and production.

Its market impact from a trade, refining and petroleum perspective should not be underestimated, Cohen wrote. The US Gulf Coast is now exporting twice as much petroleum from the area as it did in 2012  We think the flooding impact of Hurricane Harvey could make it more destructive to US crude and product supplies as well as port facilities than the market is currently assuming.

Nicole Sinclair is markets correspondent at Yahoo Finance

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The Houston Chronicle published a powerful op-ed Tuesday, pleading with President Donald Trump to avoid distractions and stay focused on Hurricane Harvey recovery and relief.

The newspapers editorial board urged Trump to use his power to help those affected by the historic storm and subsequent flooding, which has killed at least 10 in southeast Texas after making landfall on Friday.

Now, more than ever, we need help from the government, the editorial said. We need to know that our politicians in Washington, D.C., are working just as hard as our first responders.

Youve never hesitated before to use the power of your bully pulpit to rally for your cause, nor were you ever one to mince words when promising to fight for the coal miners of West Virginia or steelworkers of Pennsylvania, the editorial continued. Now you can harness that passion to fight for Houston.

The Chronicle published the editorial hours before Trump arrived in Corpus Christi with first lady Melania Trump to survey the damage caused by the unprecedented rainfall, which could reach at least 50 inches in the region by the end of the week and had left tens of thousands displaced.

The Chronicles editorial board expressed concern about the presidents attention span, based on tweets he posted as the devastating storm wreaked havoc over the weekend.

Mr. President, our worry is that this attention from the White House will recede along with the floodwaters, the editorial said. Several of your tweets during the storm  promoting a friends book?  left us concerned that youre easily distracted from the task at hand.

And all too many of your speeches have revealed a startling gap between what appears on the teleprompter and what lies in your heart, the editorial continued.

Lawmakers and officials briefed Trump minutes after Air Force One touched down in Texas on Tuesday. The president praised recovery and rescue efforts, but added that we dont want to say congratulations. Well congratulate each other when its all finished.

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While Trump was only scheduled to visit Corpus Christi and Austin during his visit to Texas, the editorial urged the president to get to know Houston, which it termed the energy capital of the world that is responsible for a quarter of U.S. petroleum refining and more than half of all jet fuel.

Schedule a helicopter tour or a flyover in Air Force One so that you can grasp the full range of destruction that has beset our neighborhoods, businesses and, importantly, refineries, the editorial said. The sheer scale of our city, and its role in the international energy economy, can only be seen from a birds-eye view.

Our city has been pushed to the brink, and the crisis still isnt over, the editorial said. Homes continue to fill with floodwaters, and thousands seek shelter from a storm of biblical proportions. The number of deaths continues to inch higher, and countless families are finding themselves homeless their neighborhoods lost to the rising waters.

In remarks during his stop in Corpus Christi, Trump set a high bar for how his administration will respond to the disaster.

We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as, this is the way to do it, he said. We want to do it better than ever before.

Read the full Houston Chronicle editorial here.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Harris County, Texas, is home to around 4.5 million people and more than 40 percent of the nations petrochemical capacity. And thanks to Hurricane Harvey, which is now a tropical storm, it could get pounded with up to 50 inches of rain by the end of this week.

That unprecedented rainfall  and the flooding that accompanies it  has forced oil and gas companies in the region to shut down critical infrastructure in the face of a potential environmental catastrophe.

At least 10 refineries on the Texas coast have shut down. And whenever a refinery has to be closed or restarted, especially in emergency situations, its emissions far exceed whats typically allowed.

Upsets or sudden shutdowns can release large plumes of sulfur dioxide or toxic chemicals in just a few hours, exposing downwind communities to peak levels of pollution that are much more likely to trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory systems, a 2012 study by the Environmental Integrity Project found.

The report goes on to note that The working class and minority populations typical of neighborhoods near refineries and chemical plants bear the brunt of this pollution.

Dark clouds gather over a refinery near Houston as Hurricane Ike approaches on Sept. 12, 2008. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Indeed, that lines up with what locals say is happening in the wake of Harvey.

On Sunday, Houston-area resident Stephanie Thomas told Houston Press something powerful hit her nostrils, describing the smell like burnt rubber with a hint of something metallic thrown in.

Bryan Parras, a nonprofit worker who often visits Manchester, a community that lies near several chemical plants, told the paper he was certain the pollution was affecting him.

It was weird because I was getting a heartache and a scratchy throat, like the one I get when I take people on toxic tours of Manchester, but I was sitting at home, Parras said. The stuff was getting sucked into my house through the window air conditioning units.

On Monday, officials in the Houston-area cities of La Porte and Shoreacres issued a shelter in place order over a chemical leak, urging residents to close windows and doors and turn off air conditioning and ventilation.

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The La Porte Office of Emergency Management identified the chemical as anhydrous hydrogen chloride, a colorless gas that turns into a white mist of hydrochloric acid when exposed to moisture in the air. A Dow Chemical safety sheet warns that eye or skin contact causes severe burns, and that inhaling the fumes can be fatal.

Air Alliance Houston estimates that the areas petrochemical plants will release more than 1 million pounds of air pollution as a result of Harvey.

Exxon Mobils Baytown facility, the largest petrochemical complex in the U.S., sustained damage in the storm and has been shut down. Company officials told CNN theyre trying to minimize emissions, but according to Exxon Mobil filings with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, those emissions are likely to last until Friday.

(In April of this year, a federal judge ordered Exxon Mobil to pay $20 million in fines because the Baytown complex illegally spewed 8 million pounds of hazardous chemicals over a five year period.)

Environment Texas says Baytown is likely emitting chemicals like 1,3-butadiene, benzene and ethylene, all of which can pose a significant health hazard given a large enough exposure.

And people stuck breathing toxic fumes cant simply go elsewhere. Because of the flooding and other dangers posed by Harvey, theyre effectively stuck where they are.

Air pollution is one of the unseen dangers of the storm, stated Dr. Elena Craft, a senior health scientist at Environmental Defense Fund. Poor air quality puts the most vulnerable among us, like children and seniors, at risk for asthma, heart attacks, strokes and other health problems.

This story has been updated with information about the shelter in place orders in La Porte and Shoreacres.

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When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, televangelist Joel Osteen leaped into action by tweeting out his prayer for survivors and blocking anyone who suggested he open his 16,800-seat megachurch, Lakewood, to those displaced by flooding.

Please join us as we pray, he tweeted valiantly, ignoring the cries of those in need and overseeing Lakewoods PR, which told several news organizations that flooding in the church prevented its use as a safe haven. When locals began photographing the church, which didnt look all that affected by the storm, Osteen was trapped.

Lakewood Church at full capacity during a service

Osteen tried a couple of different tactics before actually opening his megachurch stadium to the public, first tweeting some messages about forgiveness and the dangers of judging someone based on a single act, and then introducing a new page on Lakewoods website to address hurricane relief. Finally, on Tuesday, after being pestered by Twitter users for more than 24 hours straight, Osteen announced that Lakewood would begin taking in storm victims. Meanwhile, Lakewood released some promotional language to the public stating that it had never closed its doors at all, which is a lie.

Osteen addresses his followers in a sermon

Osteen donated his immense salary back to the church in 2005  at the time, he was making $200,000 a year from delivering sermons  but he still makes money on book deals and from touring as a televangelist. He and his wife, Victoria, whom he mentions in many tweets, live in a 17,000-foot mansion in River Oaks, Texas. The primary Osteen home includes six bedrooms, six bathrooms, three elevators, five fireplaces, a pool house, and a guest house. Its reported that Osteen owns several other properties in Texas.

In 2012, when Oprah Winfrey interviewed Osteen, he told her that he didnt feel he should apologize for the wealth hes amassed during his career as a celebrity pastor. In fact, Osteens beliefs are commonly referred to as the prosperity gospel, which means he and his followers consider material wealth a gift from God for devout Christians. The Osteen family has been criticized by right-wing and left-wing Christians for nearly a decade, for not only amassing material wealth at a rapid pace, but for telling their followers that God wants them to be wealthier than the average person.

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Osteens wealth was a subject of much ire on Twitter during Hurricane Harvey, especially when users discovered that he was neither donating funds to storm relief nor opening his immense stadium to the public.

Osteen never made a statement confirming that the deluge of angry tweets he received was the catalyst for opening Lakewoods doors, but all the same, the church is now taking in hurricane survivors. Perhaps the internet will return to mock high Osteens net worth and controversial teachings once the storm passes.

See also: Why Far Cry 5 Made its Villains Southern Christians, Alienating Half the Internet

Photos via Wikimedia Commons (1, 2), Getty Images / Cindy Ord

Written by Emily Gaudette

More articles by Emily  Follow Emily on Twitter

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Ramit Plushnick-Masti woke just after 4:30 a.m. Sunday to find water seeping into the bathroom. She ran to the sunroom that faces her backyard and discovered water already 5 inches deep. Out front, a brown river sloshed from the street to her doorstep.

She roused her three young sons and began frantically moving rugs, photo albums and electronics to dry surfaces. At 7:30 a.m., she called 911. But hours later, no one came.

They were backed up pretty badly, Plushnick-Masti, 42, a communications director at the Houston Forensic Science Center, told HuffPost by phone later that evening. But by about 10, it was clear that it was going to be catastrophic.

She began posting on Facebook and texting friends, and found out her local rabbi was sending a boat around to pick up stranded people in need of rescue. The family of five threw laptops, cellphones, chargers, a few pairs of pants and some T-shirts into garbage bags and waited, perched on the kitchen counter, water lapping just inches below.

When the motorboat arrived to pick them up, the water was so high it overturned the familys washing machine and stand-up freezer. Plushnick-Masti, who is about 5 feet tall, had to swim to reach rescuers.

It was cold, it was nasty, it was brown, Plushnick-Masti said from a makeshift shelter a church, where the electricity was out. The water was so powerful.

Hurricane Harvey, the strongest storm to make landfall in the United States in nearly a decade, brought on Plushnick-Mastis fourth flood since moving to Houston in 2010  and the second one thats caused damage to her home. But its the first time shes been forced to flee by boat. She lives in Meyerland, southwest of the citys center. The neighborhood is predominantly middle class, and roughly two-thirds of the population is white, according to census data.

People walk down a flooded Houston street as they evacuate their homes Sunday after Hurricane Harvey hit. (Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

Meyerland has experienced flooding in the past few years, but it usually is spared the worst of the damage. Heavy rains often wreak havoc on neighborhoods on Houstons east side, though, where many low-income African-Americans and Latinos live.

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The city has made upgrades to Meyerlands flood infrastructure in recent years, Plushnick-Masti said. She had flood insurance as part of her mortgage.

Its different when this happens in areas with some money and influence, she said. You are seeing some improvement to bayou and flood plains, but they cant keep up with these storms.

Houstons growth in recent decades has made it the countrys fourth-largest city, but its urban planning regulations are still rooted in the Wild West days. The city expanded outward, turning lands that once absorbed rainwater into parking lots, roads and developments. There are no environmental zoning laws, only deeds that allow property owners to dictate how the land is used. In wealthier  which, in a city where Jim Crow once reigned, usually translates to whiter  areas, residents invited flood safeguards, such as dikes and berms, and spurned hazards such as chemical plants and refineries.

No one has ever really seemed to care very much because those people dont have much political clout or voice, Paul Hart, a historian at Texas State University who grew up in Houston, told HuffPost. Over the last 15 years or so, as the city has exploded in growth and they paved the wetlands, those middle-class white and upper middle-class areas, like Meyerland and Bellaire, those are even beginning to flood.

Manchester, an east side neighborhood where nearly 90 percent of the population is Hispanic, set a record on Sunday with nearly 9 feet of water. Many of the residents there are now among the estimated 30,000 in need of shelters. Renters and low-income people in such neighborhoods couldnt afford the luxury of telling Exxon Mobil Corp. to keep its heavily polluting operations away from their homes and schools. That created what Texas Southern University sociologist Robert Bullard calls sacrifice zones.

Its very predictable as to which areas are going to get hit the hardest, because of how money gets allocated in terms of flood protection and flood control, Bullard, often called the father of environmental justice, told HuffPost by phone on Sunday. East side neighborhoods are the least protected.

The petrochemical plants, oil refineries and shipping lanes that run adjacent to neighborhoods of color on Houstons east side spread toxic waste each time the city floods, adding to the woes of those communities, Bullard said.

By Monday, residents across these industrial fence-line communities reported unbearable petrochemical smells in the air.

Ive been smelling them all night and off and on this morning, Bryan Parras, an activist at the grassroots environmental justice group TEJAS who lives in Houstons East End, told The New Republic. Another resident, Stephanie Thomas, told Houston Press something powerful singed her nostrils, describing the smell like burnt rubber with a hint of something metallic thrown in. Others on Twitter reported similar odors.

Rancid chemical smell near Houston @ValeroEnergy refinery. What's going on? Why all the flaring? Folks Can't Breathe #HurricaneHarvery  Raquel de Anda (@deAndaAnda) August 27, 2017

@HoustonOEM It smells like a strong gas leak near the water pump on Lake Houston, near Summerwood.  mmauney (@mmauney) August 27, 2017

That day, a chemical leak forced officials in the Houston-area cities of La Porte and Shoreacres to issue a shelter in place order, urging residents to close windows and doors and turn off air conditioning and ventilation. Petrochemical plants are expected to release more than 1 million pounds of air pollution as a result of Harvey, according to the nonprofit Air Alliance Houston.

They not only have to deal with flooding in their homes, but pollution in water thats contaminated when water floods refineries and plants, Bullard said. Youre talking about a perfect storm of pollution, environmental racism, and health risks that are probably not going to be measured and assessed until decades later. The fact is that laissez-faire, unrestrained capitalism and lack of zoning means people with money can put protections up, and people without cant.

The inequality in Houstons response to flooding is likely to worsen. Its difficult to pinpoint the role of climate change in creating a storm as destructive as Harvey, but violent, less predictable weather is expected to become more frequent as the planet warms.

That bodes ill for Houston. Since 1960, flooding has killed more people and destroyed more property in the city than in any other in the country, according to data from Texas A&M. The Lone Star State ranks second, only to its Gulf neighbor Louisiana, in dollars paid in flood claims, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. Yet Texas does not require local governments to enroll in the Federal Emergency Management Agencys National Flood Insurance Program.

Bullard said blacks and Latinos tend to benefit less from recovery programs, such as FEMA grants, small-business loans and insurance payouts.

The people who are generally going to get left out are individuals on the margin, who may own a house, but may not have flood insurance or may not have a cushion or savings account to weather the storm until they get their insurance, Bullard said.

Even as Harvey spread destruction from Houstons east side to areas such as Meyerland, the rebuilding process wont be as level.

The richer parts of the city are better able to handle these things because they have more resources, Andrew Dessler, a climatologist and professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University, told HuffPost by phone. Adaptation takes money.

Some of the citys wealthier neighborhoods, meanwhile, were dry and electrified Sunday night. Plushnick-Masti said she expects her neighborhood to recover more quickly than poorer areas to the east.

This is going to get fixed a lot faster than the lower income-neighborhoods, she said Monday afternoon. She noted that she was calling from a dry part of Meyerland, after charging her phone at a friends place in Bellaire, an upper middle-class city within the city of Houston where electricity was on and only a few homes had flooded.

Hart, the Texas State historian, said his parents house, in the affluent Memorial area, has never flooded.

Its protected by two dikes, manmade earthen dams and a giant spillway.

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Related Coverage

As Hurricane Harvey Devastates, There Should Be No Room For Politics

Here's How To Help The Victims Of Hurricane Harvey

Why Houston Is So Prone To Devastating Floods

Scenes From Hurricane Harvey

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Steve Culver cries with his dog Otis as he talks about what he said was the, 'most terrifying event in his life,' when Hurricane Harvey blew in and destroyed most of his home while he and his wife took shelter there on in Rockport.

Ofelia Castro leads her grandchildren across a flooded street as they continue an hours long trek from their flooded house in the Edgewood area of South Houston to a relatives apartment miles away.

Aaron Tobias who said he lost everything stands in what is left of his home in Rockport. Mr. Tobias said he was able to get his wife and kids out before the storm arrived but he stayed there and rode it out.

Damaged boats in a multi-level storage facility are seen in Rockport.

People gather supplies out of destroyed homes to take back to a shelter near City-By-The Sea, Texas.

A destroyed laundromat is seen in Rockport.

A destroyed apartment complex is seen on Aug. 26, 2017, after Hurricane Harvey passed through Rockport, Texas.

Donna Raney is helped out of the window by Lee Guerrero and Daisy Graham in Rockport.

Valerie Brown walks through a flooded area after leaving her apartment in Rockport.

Charlie Company of the 4th Assault Amphibious Battalion, Marine Forces Reserve arrive at the Central Mall in Port Arthur, TX on Thursday night after running rescue missions in the hardest hit areas of town throughout the day.

A Rockport firefighter goes door to door on a search and rescue mission as he looks for people who may need help.

Rescue personnel help Hersey Kirk as she is airlifted into a rescue helicopter.

Jacque McKay walks through the apartment complex where she lives in Rockport.

A damaged home is seen after Hurricane Harvey in Rockport.

Damage is seen to a shopping center in Victoria, north and farther inland than Rockport.

Damage is seen at a business near Rockport

A damaged mobile home in Victoria.

Damage to a hotel in Victoria.

A business is damaged in Victoria.

A light plane sits upside done at Rockport Airport.

A sunken boat at Rockport Harbor.

Destroyed houses in Rockport.

Light medium tactical vehicle's (LMTV) make their way through floodwaters near Bridge City in Texas.

A car lies abandoned in Rockport.

A police officer checks for survivors among destroyed houses in Rockport.

A gas station in Victoria.

Damage to homes is seen near Rockport

A sign on a Holiday Inn hotel in Victoria.

Just got out of Rockport; no cell service there; catastrophic damage; homes, businesses destroyed. #hurricaneharvey pic.twitter.com/CJKPJOhEHZ  Jeremy Schwartz (@JinATX) August 26, 2017

First light reveals heavy damage in Rockport, TX. #hurricaneharvey. pic.twitter.com/a9vVRn9iJS  Jeff Gammons (@StormVisuals) August 26, 2017

A burnt-out house that caught fire after Hurricane Harvey hit Corpus Christi.

A house suffers roof damage in Corpus Christi.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
A Houston police officer blocks a flooded street as emergency services look for people stranded in flooded downtown Houston: THOMAS B. SHEA/AFP/Getty Images

A Houston Police officer has drowned in the flood waters from tropical storm Harvey, officials confirmed.

Sergeant Steve Perez was driving to work in downtown Houston early Sunday morning when he made a wrong turn and became trapped in floodwaters covering the road, Police Chief Art Acevedo said. He attempted to get out of his car and escape, but failed.

Mr Perez had worked for the department for more than 30 years, and was just two days shy of his 60th birthday when he died. Mr Acevedo said the officers wife and father-in-law had tried to stop him from going to work, but he persisted.

Ive got work to do, he reportedly told them.

Officials said Mr Perez drove around for more than two hours trying to find a path to his work station. When he couldnt find one, he called his command centre and asked to report to the closest station instead. But the officer never reported for duty.

Officers began searching for Mr Perez on Monday, after his wife confirmed that she had not heard from him either. A dive team found his body under a highway overpass on Tuesday morning.

He laid down his life, a visibly emotional Mr Acevedo said. He was a sweet, gentle public servant.

Funeral arrangements will be delayed until the crisis in Houston has ended.

Perez "died in trying." RIP, sergeant. Houston thanks you and mourns all who have died in #HarveyFlood.  Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 29, 2017

Houston's streets have been flooded with record-breaking rainfall due to Harvey, which touched down on the eastern Texas coastline on Friday. More than two feet of rain fell over the weekend  half of the total expected rainfall for the entire year.

The flooding has driven tens of thousands of people from their homes.

Houston police officers have rescued at least 3,400 people since the storm started, Police Chief Art Acevedo said on Monday. He added that more than 160 police officers' families had been affected by the storm. Many of the officers remain on the job.

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The US Coast Guard had rescued an additional 3,000 people, according to Coast Guard Lieutenant Mike Hart. Mr Hart said the Guard is receiving upwards of 1,000 calls per hour.

The Harris County Sheriff's department has reported 14 people killed in the storm thus far. The police officer's death would bring that total to 15.
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan will sue for federal court oversight of the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Sun-Times reported on Tuesday.

Madigan is set to discuss the lawsuit later on Tuesday, along with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson.

The officials will announce they want public input on what a court-enforced consent decree should look like, the Sun-Times said.

Members of Black Lives Matter and other groups in June sued the city of Chicago, seeking federal court oversight of reforms to the police department, which has been accused of using excessive force against minorities.

In January, a federal investigation found Chicago police routinely violated the civil rights of people, citing excessive force and racially discriminatory conduct.

(Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
By Angus McDowall BEIRUT (Reuters) - A convoy of Islamic State fighters and their families left the Lebanon-Syria border region on Monday under Syrian military escort, surrendering their enclave and traveling to eastern Syria after a week-long battle. A line of ambulances and buses were shown on Syrian state television driving slowly through the arid countryside, the border's pale hills behind them, as they departed. The transfer ends any insurgent presence on the border, an important goal for Lebanon and Hezbollah, and marks the first time Islamic State has publicly agreed to a forced evacuation from territory it held in Syria. Islamic State agreed a ceasefire deal that took effect on Sunday with the Lebanese army on one front and Hezbollah with the Syrian army on the other. The militants had lost much of their mountainous enclave straddling the border since the two offensives began on opposite sides of the frontier. The Lebanese army has said its offensive against Islamic State did not involve coordination with the Syrian army or Hezbollah. Lebanon's Hezbollah has been a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad through Syria's six-year war. The Iran-backed Shi'ite group has played a major role fighting Sunni militants at the border and has sent thousands of fighters into Syria to support Assad's government. The leader of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, said on Monday that the group had accepted Islamic State's evacuation partly in order to find out the fate of nine Lebanese soldiers in Islamic State captivity since 2014. The convoy being transferred into Syria included 308 militants with their small arms and 331 civilians, Nasrallah said in a televised speech. Islamic State will hand over one Hezbollah captive and the bodies of some Hezbollah forces and one Iranian fighter killed in battles across Syria, he said. At the last stage of the deal, the two sides would exchange the bodies for the convoy of militants at a transit point in Syria, Nasrallah said. Eleven Hezbollah fighters and seven Syrian soldiers had been killed in their offensive in the western Qalamoun region on Syria's side of the border, he said. The border battle has ended in "fully liberating Lebanese land and securing the border with Syria," he said. Both Hezbollah and Lebanese officials have billed the evacuation as a surrender by Islamic State. "We do not bargain. We are in the position of the victor and are imposing conditions," the head of Lebanon's internal security agency, General Abbas Ibrahim, said on Sunday. A commander in the pro-Assad military alliance said Syria and Hezbollah had accepted Islamic State's evacuation rather than a fight to the end, to avert a bloody war of attrition. Islamic State fighters were sheltering among civilians and to complete the offensive would have involved great bloodshed, the commander said. HEAVY SECURITY Syrian state television and a Hezbollah military media unit said the convoy left the western Qalamoun for its destination in eastern Syria. The evacuees will travel across Syria under heavy security escort to Islamic State lines near Al-Bukamal in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor, a Lebanese security source said. The Syrian army and Hezbollah were communicating with Islamic State near Al-Bukamal to arrange the transfer of the convoy into jihadist territory, the source said. Islamic State fighters were earlier seen burning heavy equipment and arms which they left in the border enclave. Northeast Lebanon saw one of the worst spillovers of the Syrian conflict in 2014, when Islamic State and other militants briefly overran the border town of Arsal. The fate of nine Lebanese soldiers that Islamic State took captive in 2014 had remained unknown until Sunday. Ibrahim, the Lebanese general, said the troops were almost certainly dead after recovering remains thought to belong to them. The news and the evacuation deal have sparked some public outcry in Lebanon that authorities had not been able to retrieve the soldiers alive. Earlier this month, Nusra Front militants and a Syrian rebel group withdrew from their footholds along the border after accepting similar evacuation deals. Those agreements came after a brief Hezbollah offensive that began at the end of July against militants of the ex-Nusra Front, which was al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria until last year. Hezbollah has maintained a strong presence in the parts of Syria near the border with Lebanon for years, helping Assad capture several rebel-held towns and villages there. Inside Syria, Islamic State is retreating on many fronts, losing territory to separate offensives, including by the Russian-backed Syrian army and U.S.-backed militias. (Additional reporting by Ellen Francis and Sarah Dadouch; Editing by Alison Williams and Larry King)
File under News your fanny can use: The seating systems in the FordEscape and Edge, the Audi A3, Chevrolet Cruze, Kia Cadenza, Porsche Cayenne and Toyota Tundra received top marks in a new J.D. Power study on seating and seat belt quality and satisfaction.



The J.D. Power 2017 Seat Quality and Satisfaction Study asked more than 77,000 new owners and lessees of 2017 model-year cars and light trucks to rate their vehicle's seats and seat belts within the first 90 days of taking ownership. The survey is broken up into seven vehicle segments and scored on total seat problems per 100 within each segment, with awards presented to the seating system supplier.



Canadian auto supplier Magna won three of seven first-place awards for its seating systems in the A3, Escape and Edge. Ireland-based Adient got top marks for its seats in the Cadenza and Cayenne. Lear Corp. won for the Cruze, and Avanzar Interior Technologies scored highest for seats in the Tundra.



J.D. Power says its study is intended for automakers and suppliers with quality and satisfaction information to be used in developing and marketing seating systems. "But the results are just as interesting to a consumer audience," the company says. "After all, some drivers spend a considerable amount of time behind the wheel, and it's helpful to know which vehicles offer the most comfortable seats for those long commutes."



Ain't that the truth.



Ford was the only automaker whose seat systems, both manufactured by Magna, received top honors in two segments: the Escape for mass-market compact SUV and the Edge for mass-market midsize/large SUV.



J.D. Power says it used 22 attributes to measure seat quality, three measures of seat belt quality and 12 to measure satisfaction.



Awards were presented to the seating suppliers.



Related Video:




Ukrayinska Pravda

Russian Telegram channels posted a video of the execution of Evgeniy Nuzhin, a former prisoner of the Ryazan Penal Colony-3 and a member of the Wagner Private Military Company, who surrendered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine after being sent to the war against Ukraine; the man's head was smashed with a sledgehammer.
It was Friday night. Harvey had become a Category 4 hurricane and was about to hit the Texas coast. Thats when Donald Trump announced his pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

The worst storm to hit the mainland in 12 years was not on the radar of Trumps political calculations. The hurricane could wait. The pressing matter was to pardon a man who had violated the Constitution, discriminated against Latinos and had been convicted of criminal contempt of court.

A 2007 lawsuit accused the sheriffs office of stopping and detaining people because of the way they looked. Three years later, the Justice Department sued Maricopa County, claiming that Arpaios agents engaged in a widespread pattern or practice of law enforcement and jail activities that discriminated against Latinos.

Thats racism.

In 2011, a judge ordered Arpaio to stop his racial profiling practices in Maricopa County, Arizona, but he simply defied the order. He was going to be sentenced in October and faced up to six months in jail. Now he doesnt have to worry about it. Trump saved him.

Trump chose to protect a man who openly discriminated against Latinos and destroyed many families since he was elected Sheriff of Maricopa County in 1993. Trump chose to pardon an elected official who humiliated detainees by forcing them to wear pink uniforms and to live in an open-air jail  the so called Tent City  where temperatures sometimes reached over 110 degrees.

Once I visited Tent City in 2013, and Arpaio was unrepentant. He liked to say that he was just doing his job and that Latinos loved him. No, they dont, I immediately replied. But he wasnt listening. At the end of the interview, he made me listen to the song, My Way, by Frank Sinatra, which he played on his cell phone. And then he walked away.

Trumps sympathy for Arpaio was marked by a lie. In 2012, Donald Trump sent the following tweet: Congratulations to ?@RealSheriffJoe on his successful Cold Case Posse investigation which claims ?@BarackObama birth certificate is fake. Arpaio falsely claimed that Obamas birth certificate was a forgery. Both Arpaio and Trump, with no evidence, kept that falsehood alive for years. Its no coincidence that Arpaio became one of the first Republicans to support Trumps candidacy for the White House.

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By pardoning Arpaio, President Trump is defending racism.

The Department of Justice, the ACLU and two judges agreed that Arpaio practiced and promoted racial profiling. His agents stopped Hispanics simply because they assumed that they were undocumented. Many mistakes were made, and justice was not served. Arpaio didnt care. He kept on doing things his way.

President Trump missed a great opportunity to distance himself from racism. But Im not surprised. On June 16, 2015, when he announced that he was running for the White House, he made racists remarks by saying that Mexican immigrants were criminals and rapists. Then, during the campaign, he doubled down on that by stating that Judge Gonzalo Curiel couldnt do his job because of his Mexican heritage. Also, he called for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States. If this is not racism, then what is?

Trump was visibly upset by the criticism in the media after the recent racist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. But it was a crisis of his own making. It took him two days to condemn the KKK by name. Then he equated Neo-Nazis with the demonstrators protesting against racism and said that very fine people were marching alongside white supremacists. Trump even described the monuments of Confederate leaders that believed in slavery as beautiful statues.

If President Trump really wanted to put aside the suspicions of racism and distance himself as much as possible from the alt-right movement, any senior advisor would have recommended not to pardon Arpaio. But he did it anyway.

Racism is never O.K., even if condoned by the President of the United States. By legally protecting Arpaio, Trump is sending the message that racism is being accepted as something normal and that it even deserves a presidential pardon.

Trump had the chance to be on the right side of history, with tolerance and diversity. But he chose to be with Arpaio. Thats the man he saved in the middle of the storm.




Kathy Griffin was promoting her upcoming tour on the Australian show TV Sunrise and backtracked on her apology for releasing photos and a video of her holding a fake severed head of Donald Trump in May. The backlash over her images was swift. Griffin quickly took them down and sent out a video in which she said, I sincerely apologize. Im just now seeing the reaction of these images. Im a comic. I crossed the line.

She later held a press conference, in which she repeated her apology.

On Sunrise, Griffin said, Im no longer sorry, the whole outrage was B.S. The whole thing got so blown out of proportion.

She went on to compare her display with the actions of the president, saying, I made an apology, and then now in light of all of the crazy stuff he and his administration are doing  pardoning Joe Arpaio, who is convicted of a crime but never served time, the transgender ban.

She continued: Stop acting like my little picture is more important than talking about the actual atrocities that the president of the United States is committing.

Watch: Trevor Noah on Donald Trump pardoning his racist friend Sheriff Joe Arpaio



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By George Obulutsa NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's Supreme Court on Monday ordered the election commission to allow the opposition, which is disputing the results of this month's presidential poll, to have access to its computer servers and electronic devices used in the counting of votes. Election authorities say President Uhuru Kenyatta won a second term in the Aug. 8 poll by 1.4 million votes. A parallel tally by independent monitors based on a sample of around 2,000 polling stations produced a similar result. But opposition leader Raila Odinga's coalition said in its court petition that results from more than a third of polling stations were flawed. At least 28 people were killed in election-related violence, many of them shot by police after the results were announced, amid scattered protests in opposition strongholds. The protests, which dissipated within days, had raised fears that major political violence could again destabilize Kenya - the region's most developed economy - as it did following a disputed election in 2007. The Supreme Court said it would allow Odinga's National Super Alliance (NASA) and Kenyatta's Jubilee Party limited access to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission's electronic devices to verify certain details, such as who had used the devices and accessed the servers. COURT TO RULE BY FRIDAY Last week, the election commission submitted two sets of tally sheets to the Supreme Court - those used at each of the 41,000 polling stations and those for each of the 292 constituencies. James Orengo, the coalition's lead lawyer, said some tally sheets at the constituency level had lacked certain security features and an official stamp. "These forms and the security features were supposed to protect the integrity of the process," he said. But Paul Muite, an election commission lawyer, said that even if there were some administrative issues at constituency level, the vote totals on those forms would be supported by a detailed analysis of the tally sheets from the polling stations. "It is next to impossible to rig the elections at the polling station level," he said. The system was designed as a manual backup to verify electronic results. In the 2013 Kenyan election, electronic systems failed widely. The election commission has been criticized by Kenyan civil society groups for being slow to post copies of the paper forms online. More than a week after the official results were announced, thousands of scans of the forms verifying the result were still missing from its website. The court must rule by Sept. 1. If it decides in favor of the opposition, a new presidential election must be held within 60 days. Proceedings will resume on Tuesday at 0800 GMT, when Kenyatta's legal team will address the court. Odinga also ran for the presidency in 2007 and 2013, losing both times and blaming fraud. He went to court to challenge the 2013 election result - a decision that helped quell a repeat of violence then. (Additional reporting by John Ndiso and Humphrey Malalo; Editing by Maggie Fick and Andrew Bolton)
As Hurricane Harvey continues to blast parts of Texas in what is being described as the most extreme rain event in U.S. history, Louisiana is preparing for the worst.

The storm, which has taken the lives of at least 15 people so far and displaced thousands more in Texas, is expected to make a second landfall Wednesday in Louisiana. Already that state is being battered with rain from the storm.

The horror in Texas evokes memories of Hurricane Katrina, which hit Louisiana on Aug. 29, 2005, almost exactly 12 years to the day Harvey will arrive. Katrina killed nearly 2,000 people and left much of the state devastated.

JUST IN: Harvey is expected to make a second landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday, NWS says pic.twitter.com/8U5x6fxfRY  NBC News (@NBCNews) August 29, 2017

The worst is likely to come for us here, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said Monday. Harvey is going to drop an awful lot of rain, he added.

So much rain has already drenched Texas  particularly the Houston area  that the National Weather Service added a new color to its maps to illustrate the intensity. More than 40 inches have fallen in parts of the state, leaving people stranded on their roofs desperate for help. As many as 30,000 Texans could end up in shelters.

Ive cried for two days straight because we didnt have flood insurance, Deresharee Laracuente of Katy, Texas, told HuffPost. Im just thinking about all the things I worked so hard to provide the kids and my family.  Now its all gone.

Heavy flash floods are expected in southwest Louisiana as Harvey hits on Wednesday. Forecasters said the state, which has already received five to nine inches of rain, could see more than 20 inches this week, ABC News reports.

We are not going to escape this. We are going to get more rain, Dick Gremillion, an emergency preparedness official in southwest Louisiana, said Tuesday, according to ABC News.

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New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu (D) said 90 percent of pumps are operating in preparation for more rain. He stressed that city residents should stay home because of the threat of the storm and the diminished capacity of drainage systems, NOLA.com reports.

Its going to be a tough couple of days for us, but were going to make it through, Landrieu said.

Schools across the state have been closed in preparation for the storm, while places like Cameron Parish in southwest Louisiana are currently under an evacuation order. President Donald Trump also approved an emergency declaration for the state.

Residents are expecting the worst and hoping for the best.

The closer we get to the 29th, everybody in New Orleans knows your heart beats a little faster, your palms a little bit sweatier, City Councilman Jason Williams told NOLA.com on Monday. And all of the devastation that weve seen on the TVs and in the paper has only exacerbated that.

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Mensch and Claude Taylor tweeted details of criminal inquires that didnt exist

Hoaxer who fed information said she acted out of frustration over fake news

Taylor issues mea culpa on Twitter after being approached by Guardian

The allegations made by Claude Taylor were endorsed as authentic and retweeted by his co-writer Louise Mensch. Mensch said her allegations came from her own sources. Photograph: Olivia Harris/Reuters

Explosive allegations about Donald Trump made by online writers with large followings among Trump critics were based on bogus information from a hoaxer who falsely claimed to work in law enforcement.

Claude Taylor tweeted fake details of criminal inquiries into Trump that were invented by a source whose claim to work for the New York attorney general was not checked, according to emails seen by the Guardian. The allegations were endorsed as authentic and retweeted by his co-writer Louise Mensch.

The sources false tips included an allegation, which has been aggressively circulated by Mensch and Taylor, that Trumps inactive fashion model agency is under investigation by New York authorities for possible sex trafficking.

The hoaxer, who fed the information to Taylor by email, said she acted out of frustration over the dissemination of fake news by Taylor and Mensch. Their false stories about Trump have included a claim that he was already being replaced as president by Senator Orrin Hatch in a process kept secret from the American public.

Taylor asked no questions to verify my identity, did no vetting whatsoever, sought no confirmation from a second source  but instead asked leading questions to support his various theories, asking me to verify them, the source said in an email.

After being approached for comment by the Guardian on Monday, Taylor posted what he described as a mea culpa on Twitter. As a citizen journalist I acknowledge my error and do apologize, he wrote.

Mensch denied using the bogus information and said her allegations about Trumps model agency came from her own sources. Asked why she had retweeted Taylors false posts, Mensch said: I dont think anybody can vet anybody elses sources.

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The source falsely claimed to be an official named Caitlin in the office of Eric Schneiderman, New Yorks attorney general. She shared details of her hoax on the condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation from followers of Taylor and Mensch. The Guardian verified her true identity and confirmed that she is not named Caitlin and does not work for Schneiderman.

In his emails, Taylor pushed the source for sensational material. Three days after she first contacted him, Taylor asked her: Is there anything you have heard thats really going to shock people? An Oh my god! sort of thing? In another message, Taylor conceded that he may have been going farther than I should by posting tweets that exaggerated the false tips she was giving him.

Thousands of people have reposted the false claims tweeted by Taylor, a former staffer in Bill Clintons White House. Mensch, a former member of parliament in the UK, retweeted at least 18 posts by Taylor that were based on the hoaxers false information, spreading them further afield.

The pair describe themselves as co-writers and have cultivated a large fanbase among some critics of Trump, many of whom identify as members of the resistance movement eager to see the president removed from office. Taylor has about 200,000 followers on Twitter while Mensch has 267,000 followers.

Claiming to report things that the mainstream media will not, they have also moved to collect money from readers. Menschs website Patribiotics accepts donations to fund more writers and research. Taylor has said he will soon establish an online fundraising campaign to protect himself from legal threats. A GoFundMe page created by supporters of Taylor has already raised more than $18,000 in his name.

Their reporting has at times entered the mainstream political news agenda. During a television interview earlier this year, Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts repeated unverified information about the inquiries into Trump and Russia that he had gleaned from Menschs website. He later withdrew the comment.

Amy Spitalnick, a spokeswoman for Schneiderman, said in a statement that the incident highlighted the importance of using legitimate news outlets, which know to verify their sources and their facts.

The bogus source first contacted Taylor by email on 20 July with an email titled NYAG investigation. Earlier that day, MSNBCs Joe Scarborough had quoted approvingly from an online post by Taylor, describing it as one of the best tweets of the past month.

Claiming to be a fan of Taylors writing who worked in Schneidermans organized crime task force (OCTF), the hoaxer told him his reporting on Trump had been right on the money. Taylor replied within two hours, pressing her for usable information about tangible results like indictments. He asked: Are there sealed indictments from grand juries that Schneiderman has convened?

Later that day, the hoaxer replied that Trump associates were indeed facing prosecution on state charges in New York. I am aware of at least one preliminary sealed indictment in that case targeting multiple Trump Org principals, she wrote.

Taylor posted a lightly edited version of this to Twitter two days later. He quoted a NYAG Schneiderman source as having told him: I am aware of at least one sealed indictment targeting multiple Trump Organization Principals. The post was retweeted by Mensch. In all it was retweeted and liked 8,800 times.

In the same email, the source gave Taylor false details of how multiple inquiries into Trump were under way across Schneidermans OCTF and financial crimes bureau. She said that Trumps modelling agency was under scrutiny. Taylor relayed all this without verification to his almost 200,000 followers in a pair of tweets.

There are a number of investigations being coordinated by NYAG Schneiderman office under both the Financial Crimes Bureau and the Organized Crime Task Force. According to my source one of the more intriguing ones is an inverstigation [sic] into the Trump Modeling Agency, Taylor said.

After being asked by a follower for more information, Taylor claimed to know even more than the hoaxer had told him. I have few details but apparently the possibility exists that our president has been a sex trafficker, he said. Mensch then weighed in, reposting this false claim by Taylor and adding a vague allegation of her own that the full story was even worse.

Taylor and Mensch also repeated an invented claim from the source that former president Bill Clinton knew of criminal wrongdoing by Trumps model agency and was preparing to testify for the prosecution. Taylor posted another series of tweets making lurid allegations about Trumps model agency that yet again matched invented claims supplied to him in emails from the hoaxer.

Since Taylor posted the allegations about Trumps model agency, Mensch has pushed similar claims and pushed the hashtag #PIMPOTUS  a play on pimp and the acronym for president of the United States. Citing what she said were her own sources connected to the intelligence community, she published an article expanding on the allegations on 15 August, tagging the post with the label Eric Schneiderman. Mensch had claimed to have knowledge of inquiries by Schneidermans office before the hoaxer contacted Taylor.

The source also falsely specified to Taylor that the state case was proceeding under the NY version of a RICO statute  referring to the federal Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act  which is called enterprise corruption.

In another tweet on 22 July, Taylor claimed that in point of fact Schneidermans office was using New Yorks Enterprise Corruption statutes which are that States RICO corollary in its apparent pursuit of Trump and his associates.

The following day, claiming to have more from Schneiderman source, Taylor posted a series of tweets giving details about the number of people supposedly being targeted by the inquiries. The tweets corresponded directly with more bogus information emailed to Taylor by the hoaxer earlier that day.

Taylor repeatedly asked the hoaxer whether Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and an ally of Trump, was implicated. The source replied on 25 July that Giuliani was currently a subject in the investigation involving money laundering and the Russian mob.

A few hours later, Taylor tweeted to claim that he had confirmed Giuliani was a target of NYAG Trump Organization/money laundering/Russian Organized Crime investigation. He repeated several other false details provided by the source.

How the allegations were based on false information

---------------------------------------

Subject: Re: NYAG investigation

Time: July 20, 2017 7:18 PM

From: Caitlin

To: Claude Taylor

---------------------------------------

Hello Claude,

As you probably know, the RICO case that moved to FISC started in our state. I am not privy to what is happening with the federal case but our state court case in proceeding under the NY version of a RICO statute, which is called enterprise corruption. That case is ongoing and being handled by the Financial Crimes Bureau. I am aware of at least one preliminary sealed indictment in that case targeting multiple Trump Org principals. OCTF is not directly involved in that case but is working on a parallel money laundering investigation involving the Russian mafia and principals in the Trump campaign/transition team as well as an investigation of the modeling agency. As you can imagine, there is substantial overlap among the parties and the timeline has been repeatedly adjusted as more targets have come to light. The enterprise corruption case has a head start on our cases but AGS will want to drop them all at the same time so we are likely looking toward the end of the year.

Yours truly,

Caitlin

From NYAG Schneiderman source, "I am aware of at least one sealed indictment targeting multiple Trump Organization Principals".  Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) July 22, 2017

Schneiderman is moving https://t.co/sseoG0yKw9  Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) July 22, 2017

***

---------------------------------------

Subject: Re: Targets

Time: July 23, 2017 9:32 AM

From: Caitlin

To: Claude Taylor

---------------------------------------

Hello Mr Taylor,



Thank you for keeping the public informed and for being discreet about my position. I can tell you that OCTF is targeting a total of 78 people right now between the two investigations we have. As you point out, more will likely be added. Currently, it is a combination of Russian mafia and bag men as well as Trump associates and family members. My understanding is the Financial Crimes Bureau currently has around 30-40 targets for the Trump Org-related case. There is overlap among the targets.

Trump is personally exposed in all three of these investigations, including the money laundering.

The issues that may shock the general public, though probably wont surprise you, have to do with the human trafficking case. Trump Model Management, which recently closed, has ties to Yuri Chaika and his son. We are currently exploring those ties and working with INTERPOL on that aspect of the case. I have to be discreet in how much information I can share at one time so this does not come back to me. But I can tell you now that when this case drops, some VERY high profile names will be involved, some of which are already in talks for immunity deals. I will try to tell you more when I can.

Yours truly,

Caitlin

On all three. Many Russian nationals are also among the targets as are other Trump family members.  Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) July 23, 2017

I have few details but apparently the possibility exists that our president has been a sex trafficker. That's frowned upon. https://t.co/SFScjkaLlK  Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) July 22, 2017

Worse than that actually. https://t.co/QZ419V2hmn  Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) July 23, 2017

***

---------------------------------------

Subject: Re: Rudy

Time: July 26, 2017 4:27 AM

From: Claude Taylor

To: Caitlin

---------------------------------------

Is Rudy negotiating a plea deal? Is one likely for him?



Sent from my iPhone

---------------------------------------

Subject: Re: Rudy

Time: Jul 26, 2017 1:00 PM

From: Caitlin

To: Claude Taylor

---------------------------------------

His lawyers are in talks for one. Im not privy to the terms but I dont think its even finalized at this point. I suspect he will get a deal.





Claude Taylor | @TrueFactsStated

Giulianis lawyers are pushing for a plea deal on NYAG Enterprise Corruption investigation. The Question is: Can he deliver goods on Trump?

4:42 AM - 3 Aug 2017

782 Retweets 1,939 Likes

Tweet since erased

***

---------------------------------------

Subject: Re: R mob

Time: July 27, 2017 3:39 PM

From: Caitlin

To: Claude Taylor

---------------------------------------

Hello Claude,

i apologize for the delayed response. It was a busy at the office today and I did not have time for a break. Just got off. I am working the human trafficking case so I am more knowledgeable on that but as for the money laundering, there are about 15 Russian nationals involved in that case so far. Some names will be familiar to you, Sater for one. This case is in early development but so far, we know that T kids are involved with some of the shell companies in the money laundering schemes. Fruaiduleng transactions with weird LLCs to hide where the money is coming from and where it is going.



From Schneiderman source on money laundering case. Targets include Don Jr, Eric, Ivanka, Jared & Trump Sr, Felix Sater & 15 Rus nationals.  Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) July 28, 2017

***

In a previous email on 25 July, Caitlin told Taylor that a very prominent Democrat was implicated in the trafficking investigation.

---------------------------------------

Subject: Re: Rudy

Time: July 25, 2017 9:42 AM

From: Claude Taylor

To: Caitlin

---------------------------------------

Damn. Bill Clinton.

Sent from my iPhone

---------------------------------------

Subject: Re: Rudy

Time: 1:18 PM

From: Caitlin

To: Claude Taylor

---------------------------------------

I cannot confirm that on the record at this time. But you worked for him. You know. There may be an immunity deal but its a political mess and very sticky. If a high profile democrat gets a deal, high profile republicans will have to get deals as well. No one is going to be happy about this when the dust settles and it may kill AGs political aspirations. But he is trying to juggle his own career goals with what he believes is the right thing to do. Personally, I have faith in him to do the right thing.
A man identified by police as Richard Wilson Preston points his gun at counter-protestors at a white supremacist rally in Virginia: YouTube

The man suspected of firing a gun into a crowd of counter-protestors at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia has been arrested, Charlottesville police confirmed.

The man, identified as Maryland resident Richard Wilson Preston, has been charged with discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school  a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. He is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Centre, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Police believe Mr Preston is the man who was caught on video shooting at counter-protesters at the rally.

A video tweeted by the ACLU of Virginia shows a white-haired man descending the steps of Emancipation Park, where the rally was held. He passes by a group of counter-protestors, some of whom yell at the rally attendees to go home". One counter-protestor appears to throw an object at them.

The man identified by police as Mr Preston turns to the crowd and draws his weapon, yelling, Hey n*****! Someone in the crowd warns others to get down.

The man lowers his weapon, then raises it again and appears to fire one shot into the crowd. As he walks away, someone in the crowd cries: That was a gunshot!

WATCH: Man fired at another person in Charlottesville on Aug. 12. We handed  to LE agencies. The man has been arrested & charged w a crime. pic.twitter.com/0vrXq4zNC0  ACLU of Virginia (@ACLUVA) August 26, 2017

The video also shows Virginia State Police troopers standing about 50 feet away. The officers do not appear to react to the gunshot.

Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller told CNN the officers did not witness the incident or hear the gunshot.

"Had any one of our troopers witnessed that incident, they would have immediately acted just as they did for the other four arrests made during the weekend," she said.

The ACLU told the Baltimore Sun they had discovered the footage while reviewing photos and videos from the rally. The group said it gave the video to the FBI on 17 August, and to local police several days later.

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Mr Preston was arrested on 28 August  two days after the ACLU released the footage on Twitter. The tweet received more than 12,500 retweets.

Mr Preston, 52, has been identified in news reports as an imperial wizard of the Ku Klux Klan chapter in Maryland.

In 2013, a man who identified himself as Richard Preston attended a community meeting in Cecil County, Maryland, as part of an attempt by the group repair their image.

At the meeting, Mr Preston said that the KKK was not a hate group, and had been falsely labelled as such. He said that the group only wanted to take back their country, which they felt was on the wrong path. He promised to continue speaking out about the Klan at community meetings.

"We're going to do this all over America nonstop," Mr Preston said. "We're not going to stop. We need to save America."

Heavy presence of fed law enforcement Saturday when Richard Preston Jr was arrested in NE Baltimore for firing gun in Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/1g4uILgnkA  Jayne Miller (@jemillerwbal) August 28, 2017

Charlottesville police said two more people had been arrested in connection with the rally: Daniel Patrick Borden and Alex Michael Ramos. Both were charged with malicious wounding.

One prominent rally participant, Christopher Cantwell, was arrested earlier this month on charges of malicious bodily injury and illegal use of tear gas. He was denied bail last week.

James Alex Fields Jr, the man accused of hitting and killing a counter-protester with his car, remains in jail on charges including second-degree murder.
A man who claimed he was stabbed by a member of Antifa for having a neo-Nazi haircut on August 16 was arrested after he admitted to police he fabricated the entire story.

Joshua Witt, 26, told police two weeks ago that he was getting out of his car outside a restaurant in Sheridan, Colorado, when he was confronted by a man who asked him, "Are you one of them neo-Nazis?"

In Witt's original account of the events, the unnamed man then charged at him and attempted to stab him, which Witt tried to deflect, causing him to sustain a minor hand injury.

Witt later took to Facebook to post about the incident, sharing photos of his bloodied clothing and bandaged hand, which he said needed stitches.

"Apparently I look like a neo-Nazi and got stabbed for it ..." he wrote at the time. "Luckily I put my hands up to stop it so he only stabbed my hand ... please keep in mind there was no conversation between me and this dude I was literally just getting out of my car."

However, police allegedly became suspicious of Witt's story after they reviewed surveillance videos from nearby restaurants and saw no one fleeing the scene, according to the Denver Post.

After police discovered footage from a nearby sporting goods store that showed Witt purchasing a small knife, they brought him into the station on August 24 for further questioning.

When investigators confronted Witt with this new information, he admitted that he cut himself by accident in his car with the knife he just purchased and then fabricated the entire stabbing story.

The Denver Post reports that Witt was booked on a charge of false reporting to authorities and released on a court summons.

If he is convicted, he may face a fine of up to $2,650 and sentence of up to one year in jail.

RELATED: See photos from the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville:
Episode 6 of Discoverys Manhunt: Unabomber series, airing tonight, is different from the previous five hours. Show co-creator and writer Andrew Sodroski knew, even before he penned the pilot, that he wanted the eight-part series to include a stand-alone episode that explored the troubled life of Ted Kaczynski (Paul Bettany). I knew that I wanted to have that experience of waking up with Ted in his cabin and going through a day in his life and a day spending time in his mind. That for me was very important for the show, because I feel like there is a version of this show where its cop versus robbers  that, I think, could be a great show, but thats not the show I wanted to make, Sodroski says. I always knew that I wanted to break the POV in this radical way and let us come around through the other side and build that weird, uncomfortable empathy before it all came crashing down.

The episode is framed as a letter Ted is writing to his brother, David (Mark Duplass), on the day he learns that his 35,000-word manifesto has been published in the Washington Post. Hes contemplating how he became the man that he is, a domestic terrorist  and whether hes capable of change. As you see in the sneak peek above, he starts at the beginning of his story, with the first bomb he ever made. He had this intense friendship with this boy when he was in grade school, and later he wrote this weird short story called How I Blew Up Harold Snilly, which is a semi-fictional account of his first bomb, which was in chemistry class in grade school, Sodroski says. I took a lot of his grade school experiences and condensed them into that one relationship, but there is this way in which, even early on, Ted was trapped in this cycle of getting close to somebody, then betrayal, and then lashing out in this self-destructive way. That became the story of his life.

Viewers will also see Kaczynski as a student at Harvard University, where he was recruited for a relentless, humiliating experiment by a trusted professor, psychologist Henry A. Murray (played chillingly by Brian dArcy James).

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Part of what were saying here is that Ted was a victim too. Being able to express that without taking away from the suffering of his victims and their families is this incredibly difficult tightrope act, Sodroski says. I feel like part of that actually is that Ted himself in Episode 6 acknowledges that he doesnt want to be doing this and acknowledges that he wants to change. There is this awareness that what hes doing is wrong but that he cant help himself. I think also, especially in Episode 8, [the horror of his crimes] really does come home. There is this scene where the victims are able to give their statements that describe their experiences, and for the first time in the show, Ted is rendered speechless. He has nothing to say in response to that.

Manhunt: Unabomber airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on Discovery.

Read more from Yahoo TV:

Manhunt: Unabomber: How Mark Duplass portrayed Ted Kaczynskis brother

How Jane Lynch researched Janet Reno for Manhunt: Unabomber

Manhunt: Unabomber: How Paul Bettany got inside Ted Kaczynskis mind

Manhunt: Unabomber: Sam Worthington on giving FBI profiler Jim Fitzgerald his due
As the devastation of Hurricane Harvey continues to mount, some good Samaritans in the Houston area are not leaving their neighbors behind.

Read: How You Can Help the Victims of Hurricane Harvey

Beatriz Basaldua opened her home to her neighbors. Ten adults and five children are currently taking shelter on the second floor after the first floor flooded.

I told them they're welcome to all come and they all came in at the same time, she told Inside Edition.

Ted and Leidys Shul also opened their home to their neighbors. There are currently 11 people trapped in the upper floor of their flooded home, including four children.

He said they have a little bit of food but not enough for everybody.

It was a heartbreaking scene as a Houston resident found his home engulfed in flood waters

Joe Gleason, a producer from KTRK-TV, calmly toured the devastation inside his home.

Read: Hundreds Plucked From Catastrophic Floods as Texas Officials Plea for Harvey Aid: 'People Are in Need'

He was knee-deep in water as he meandered around his living room. Outside, his backyard looked like a lake of murky water.

The scene at Gleason's home was a common sight in thousands of others across Americas fourth-largest city.

In some neighborhoods, the only way out is by boat. One boat capsized but everyone on board was rescued.

Some families were taken to a shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown in, of all things, dump trucks.

The center was packed with people who have found themselves without homes.

Clean towels were distributed along with dry, clean clothes and diapers for the little ones. There were free hot meals that were welcomed by all in need.

Watch: Woman Spots 2 Alligators Swimming in Flooded Backyard as Hurricane Harvey Rages

Related Articles:
It looks like Melania Trump has heard the internet loud and clear.

Hours after sparking backlash on Tuesday morning for her choice in footwear while heading to Texas with President Trump, Melania landed in Corpus Christi with a noticeably different pair of shoes -- white sneakers.

The first lady paired her casual shoes with a crisp white button-down shirt with a black trousers that hit just above her ankles. She polished off her look with a pair of circular sunnies and a black hat with "FLOTUS" emblazoned on the front.

Her sneakers are a drastic change from the sky-high pair of stilettos she was rocking earlier in the day.

The former model's first look caused uproar on the internet, with many journalists calling her out for her choice of footwear as she visits a city submerged in floodwaters.

God grant me the serenity not to comment on the shoes.  Ben White (@morningmoneyben) August 29, 2017

"God grant me the serenity not to comment on the shoes," POLITICO writer Ben White posted on Twitter.

Melania and President Trump were met by the state's governor Greg Abbott and other high-profile politicians upon landing. The Trumps will spend time in Corpus Christi and Austin during their trip in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

For more on Melania's controversial look, watch the video above.

RELATED: See Melania's controversial look:


Melania Trump is sparking controversy, yet again, with her latest outfit.

The first lady left Washington D.C. with husband President Trump on Tuesday en route to Houston, Texas, to assess damage done by Hurricane Harvey, and her ensemble raised quite a few eyebrows. Melania wore black cropped pants, a green bomber jacket and black stilettos as she exited the White House for Marine One.

While the internet had no issues with her jacket and trousers, she came under major scrutiny for her footwear. The former model is usually seen wearing heels during public appearances -- Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin are her go-to designers -- but journalists had a field day with her shoes this time around. Many called out the first lady for her choice of footwear as she visits a city submerged in floodwaters.

God grant me the serenity not to comment on the shoes.  Ben White (@morningmoneyben) August 29, 2017

"God grant me the serenity not to comment on the shoes," POLITICO writer Ben White posted on Twitter.

Melania is wearing stilettos to a hurricane zone: https://t.co/29WIwlipab  erica orden (@eorden) August 29, 2017

"Melania is wearing stilettos to a hurricane zone," a Wall Street Journal politics reporter wrote.

According to Trump's spokesperson, Melania will have a different pair of shoes that she will change into upon landing in Texas. Melania and President Trump will spend time in Corpus Christi and Austin during their trip in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

Just a few weeks ago, a scathing Newsweek article called out the first lady and first daughter Ivanka for wearing stilettos. Melania have taken notice because she stepped off of Marine One after a weekend at Camp David wearing a pair of chic pink flats.

For more on Melania's controversial ensemble, watch the video above.
Berlin (AFP) - Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that Germany could "not stay silent" on EU fears about the rule of law in neighbouring Poland, calling it a "serious issue".

Poland on Monday rejected EU concerns that the right-wing government's controversial court reforms, which have sparked street protests, will erode judicial independence in the former communist state.

"As much as I want good relations with Poland, our neighbour... we cannot stay silent and say nothing just to keep the peace," she said.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, she stressed that the rule of law was "the basis for cooperation within the EU".

The European Commission had given Warsaw a month from July 26 to end legislative moves that Brussels regards as posing a "systemic threat" to the rule of law and inform the EU executive branch of measures taken to modify them.

It expressed concern, among other issues, about the Polish justice minister getting "discretionary power" to prolong the mandate of judges who have reached retirement age as well as to dismiss and appoint court presidents.

Poland's foreign ministry insisted Monday that the Law and Justice party (PiS) government's "legislative action, the overriding aim of which is to reform the justice system, is in line with European standards".
Rabat (AFP) - Spain's Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido, visiting his Moroccan counterpart Tuesday, said Rabat had arrested two men linked to deadly twin attacks in Catalonia.

"Thanks to permanent contact and collaboration between the two countries, Moroccan security services have carried out two arrests here in Morocco linked to the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils," he said.

He declined to give further details because the men were still under investigation.

Zoido was in Rabat to meet Moroccan Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit for talks on the investigation into the attacks on August 17 and 18 which left 16 people dead.

The main suspects in the attacks, claimed by the Islamic State group, were of Moroccan origin, but most had lived in Spain for several years.

The two ministers said Morocco was working closely with Spanish security forces.

Laftit warned of the potential influence of "uncontrolled mosques" and "extremist imams" on members of Europe's Moroccan diaspora.

"The children of second and third generation Moroccan immigrants who were born in European countries need particular attention (if they are to) escape the clutches of terrorism," he said.
Scientists reportedly discovered a group of mutant apes in Uganda with abnormally shaped noses, missing fingers and in some cases, no nostrils at all.

The scientists concluded that a hazardous cocktail of insecticides used by local farmers caused the apes' deformities, though the farmers reportedly claimed that the pesticides were not a threat to the endangered apes. Researchers aimed to look into the potentially dangerous effects chemicals could have on humans, the Verge reported Friday.

The apes, discovered in Kibale National Park in Uganda, seemed to have different issues due to the chemicals. Most of the female apes appeared to have little to no sex drive, concave faces and missing fingers, according to a recent study published in Science of the Total Environment.

GettyImages-80665338 (1)

Photo: Getty

Kibale National Park, located in southern Uganda, is one of the most species-diverse regions in Africa. These deformities  especially facial deformities  werent found in apes until 2014, and there were only two instances before 2014, according to the Verge.

Twenty-five percent of chimps and 17 percent of baboons in the area were born with noticeable physical deformities by 2016, while other populations born just nine miles away were healthy.

"Sixteen young individuals of the 66 chimpanzees monitored exhibit abnormalities including reduced nostrils, cleft lip, limb deformities, reproductive problems and hypopigmentation," the study continued.

Researchers hoped to further their study, but the apes are protected by laws that prevented the scientists from taking blood samples or interfering with them in any way. However, the scientists took soil samples from a nearby farm and also tested local fish for pesticides.

"Our inquiries in villages and tea factories near Sebitoli revealed use of eight pesticides (glyphosate, cypermethrin, profenofos, mancozeb, metalaxyl, dimethoate, chlorpyrifos and 2,4-D amine)," the study read.

Story continues

"Chemical analysis of samples collected from 2014 to 2016 showed that mean levels of pesticides in fresh maize stems and seeds, soils, and river sediments in the vicinity of the chimpanzee territory exceed recommended limits," the study added.

Subsequent environmental tests found high levels of a chemical called Chlorpyrifos, which scientists attributed to the apes deformities. The chemical kills insects by destroying their nervous systems, which ultimately resulted in death.

Scientists concluded that same chemical at high doses could cause neurodevelopmental issues in children that could be fatal. Scientists also discovered another insecticide on a nearby farm known as DDT, which the U.S. government banned in the 1970s.

Uganda agreed to the Stockholm Convention in 2014, a United Nations treaty that eliminated the use of hazardous chemicals like DDT.

Colin Chapman, an author of the study from McGill University, looked to conduct research to study any possible effects the chemical may have on local residents. The residents obtained drinking water from a source near the contaminated area.

"If the chimpanzees are getting this mostly from runoff and eating a little bit of the seeds and crops, then what about all of the people?" he said.

Related Articles
Seoul (AFP) - Nuclear-armed North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday in a major escalation that triggered global alarm and a furious response from the government in Tokyo.

A visibly unsettled Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was an "unprecedented, serious and grave threat", while the UN Security Council called an emergency meeting at Tokyo and Washington's request.

Sirens blared out and text messages were fired off across northern Japan warning people in the missile's flight path to take cover.

Trains were delayed as passengers were urged to seek shelter inside stations.

"All lines are experiencing disruption," said one sign on Sapporo's metro system. "Reason: Ballistic missile launch."

The last time a North Korean rocket overflew Japan was in 2009, when Pyongyang said it was a satellite launch. Washington, Seoul and Tokyo believed it was a clandestine test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Pyongyang last month carried out two overt ICBM tests that appeared to bring much of the US mainland within reach for the first time and heightened strains in the region.

At the time, US President Donald Trump issued an apocalyptic warning of raining "fire and fury" on the North, while Pyongyang threatened to fire a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam.

South Korea said the latest missile was launched from Sunan, near Pyongyang and flew around 2,700 kilometres (1,700 miles) at a maximum altitude of around 550 kilometres.

Guam is about 3,500 kilometres from North Korea -- although the missile was fired in an easterly direction and not towards the US outpost, home to 160,000 people and host to major military facilities.

Abe said the overflight was an "outrageous act" that "greatly damages regional peace and security".

In a 40-minute telephone call with Trump, he said, the two allies had agreed to "further strengthen pressure against North Korea".

Story continues

Robert Wood, US Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament at the UN in Geneva labelled it "another provocation" that was "a big concern".

But China, the North's key ally and main trading partner, urged restraint on all sides, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying saying the situation had reached a "tipping point" but warning pressure and sanctions "cannot fundamentally solve the issue".

Russia, which also has ties to Pyongyang, said it was "extremely worried", hitting out at a "tendency towards escalation".

- 'Not a chicken' -

Any launch towards Guam would have to pass over Japan first and analysts said Tuesday's overflight presents a major challenge to both Tokyo and Washington.

Before 2009, the only time it had traversed Japanese airspace was in 1998, in what it also claimed it was a space launch. The US said it was a Taepodong-1 missile.

Pyongyang says it needs nuclear weapons to protect itself against the US, and the firing comes during the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian South Korean-US joint military exercise, which the North always condemns as rehearsals for invasion.

Euan Graham, of the Lowy Institute in Australia, said that a launch towards Guam would have been a "red line" for Washington, and instead Pyongyang selected a "half-way-house option".

"The North Koreans in a way are being quite clever, by asking a difficult question of a key ally in the western Pacific (Japan) but at the same time not ratcheting up tensions to the point where the United States would seriously consider military measures," he told AFP.

They were also "demonstrating they have the control over the cycle of escalation," he added.

After Pyongyang appeared to postpone the Guam scheme, Trump told a rally in Phoenix that Kim was "starting to respect us".

As a result, according to Cha Du-Hyeogn of the Asan Institute of Policy Studies in Seoul: "It looked like North Korea backed off from a game of chicken.

"But Pyongyang is showing that is not how it is," he said. "That it is not a chicken, it has not backed off and that Washington is the one who is bluffing with no concrete plan."

- 'Horrible day' -

Japan has in the past vowed to shoot down North Korean missiles or rockets that threaten to hit its territory.

But it made no attempt to do so on Tuesday -- when the missile flew over the country for two minutes -- with defence minister Itsunori Onodera saying generals believed it posed no risk to the country.

"Today is really quite a horrible day for Japan," security commentator Ankit Panda said on Twitter following Tuesday's overflight.

"If North Korea assesses the costs of overflying Japan to be *anything* but intolerable, we'll see more of these kinds of tests."
(AP)

Well before the 2017 summer transfer window even opened  well before Barcelona swooped in for Philippe Coutinho, well before the Virgil Van Dijk saga got extremely weird  Liverpool only had eyes for one player. That player was Naby Keita.

And now months later, after rumors of 70 million bids and outright refusals to sell, and thanks to a compromise with RB Leipzig, the Reds have their man  kind of.

Liverpool announced Tuesday morning that the two clubs had reached an agreement for the future transfer of Keita. The Guinean midfielder will move to Anfield, but not until next summer, when a 48 million release clause kicks in to his RB Leipzig contract. The Reds will also pay an undisclosed premium to lock up the deal now.

And whatever that premium is, it is almost surely worth it. Keita is the perfect Liverpool midfielder. The perfect Jurgen Klopp midfielder. He is the quintessential two-way, box-to-box player, a defensive pest and dribbling maestro fused together into one 22-year-old, 5-foot-8 body.

Keita propelled Leipzig to second place in the clubs first-ever Bundesliga season, and a rival executive had a simple explanation for their success. Everyone has seen that Leipzig are a top team, especially since they have a 12th player, Schalke director Christian Heidel said. Naby Keita plays for two. This boy is incomprehensible.

Remind you of anybody? It should. NGolo Kantes breakthrough season at Leicester prompted similar astonished statements, and claims that the Foxes played with Danny Drinkwater in the middle and Kante either side. Keita can have that same ever-present effect on a game.

But he is not Kante. He is different, brilliant in his own unique ways. He is not quite as strong in the tackle, but covers so much precious ground. He breaks up attacks at the edge of his own penalty area and at the edge of an opponents. He is a No. 6 when when the opposition have the ball in their attacking half, and a No. 8 when they are building from the back.

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And then he becomes a No. 10  and, more specifically, a central winger  with the ball at his feet. He ranked second in the Bundesliga a season ago in successful dribbles per game, right behind Ousmane Dembele and just ahead of Arjen Robben. That is the type of statistical company he keeps. And he is a central midfielder.

Hes exactly the type of central midfielder Jurgen Klopp needs. In Liverpool terms, he combines the attacking ability of Adam Lallana with the defensive ability of Jordan Henderson, then adds a whole lot more that no current Reds midfielder possesses. Hell fit seamlessly into the Klopp press. Hell take some of the attacking burden off Sadio Mane and the front three.

In a way, hell even offset the expected departure of Coutinho  if not this summer, then likely next. The Brazilian No. 10 is wonderful in tight spaces in the attacking third, and helps Liverpool overcome its biggest shortcoming: its inability to chisel away at and break through a low block.

Keita isnt the passer nor the long-range shooter that Coutinho is, but hes a ball progression expert. Hes a modern creative force who beats defenders not by splitting them with a through-ball but by skating by them with the ball still at his own two feet.

There are perhaps some questions about how that method of No. 10 play will translate to the Premier League. The German game is often open, end-to-end. The English game can be, but isnt always. Keita should have at least some success weaving through lesser opponents who stay compact, but the extent of that success is to be determined.

But remember, Keita isnt just a 10. Hes a midfield everything. He can help Liverpool win any type of game, against any type of opponent. And hes still only 22.

Klopp would have loved to have Keita at Anfield for the 2017-18 campaign. He would have gone right into the midfield three, in front of Jordan Henderson and alongside either Adam Lallana, Georginio Wijnaldum or Emre Can. He would have especially helped Liverpool in the Champions League.

Klopp and the Kop will have to wait 10 months to welcome their newest gem. But once he does arrive, hell waste no time proving that he was worth the wait.
Brandon Todacheenie, aka the Navajo Ninja, considers it a great honor to represent Native Americans on the national stage in American Ninja Warrior. He traveled from the Navajo reservation of Shiprock, N.M., where he lives to compete in the Denver City Finals.

Todacheenie gets his inspiration from his grandfather, who was Navajo code talker in World War II. Todacheenie said, Being able to use the Navajo language to help win the war was the greatest thing that my family could be a part of. I feel like I have a responsibility to live that legacy too.

Todacheenie hopes that his neighbors will be inspired to live healthier lives when they see him compete. He said, Seeing the Navajo Nation people go through day-to-day lifestyle of obesity and diabetes  its really heartbreaking for me. By competing on American Ninja Warrior, I want to inspire my people to live healthy lifestyles, to go out and do something with their life.

Todacheenie managed to get through the first few obstacles, but unfortunately, he was unable to make it up the Warped Wall. As a result, he is not moving on to the Las Vegas finals. But we look forward to seeing him compete again next year.

American Ninja Warrior airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on NBC. Watch clips and full episodes of American Ninja Warrior free on Yahoo View.

Watch as one American Ninja contestant turned two tragedies into a family:

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.
A group of brave Texans linked together to form a human chain and rescue their pregnant neighbor who had gone into labor during Hurricane Harvey.

Greg Smith and his wife, Andrea, both moved to Houston in July to undergo advanced training in their respective medical fields. According to PEOPLE, Greg is a pediatric anesthesiologist and Andrea specializes in geriatrics.

Andrea, who was 38-weeks pregnant when the Category 4 storm slammed the city, had been experiencing contractions for weeks before her expected due date.

Smith had planned to wait out the storm at home Saturday night and drive his wife to the hospital on Sunday morning -- until the hurricane decided it had other plans for the family.

"I expected there would be five or six inches that I could drive through," Greg told PEOPLE. "I woke up to two or three feet."

After the couple realized they were stuck, Andrea started to experience real contractions. When the couple couldn't get through on their multiple calls to 9-1-1 and the Coast Guard, they realized they might have to deliver the baby on their own.

Thankfully, the apartment complex the couple lives in is home to many medical professionals who work at a nearby hospital.

Multiple doctors and nurses rushed to help the couple after a neighbor posted on a community message board asking for assistance.

Eventually, a second-floor neighbor offered her higher-up apartment as a makeshift delivery suite in case the lower level of the building was overtaken by flood waters.

But before Andrea could even be moved upstairs, another kind neighbor had contacted a friend whose father apparently lives across the street from a fire station.

When the man told firefighters about the family's plight, they recruited a nearby garbage truck and drove through the mounting flood waters to come and rescue the Smiths.

A human chain of kind neighbors assisted Andrea on her trek through waist-high water to board the truck. Another resident of the building, Callie Hatcher, tweeted a video of the phenomenal moment.

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"We were soaked," Greg told PEOPLE. "We sat on top of all these fire hoses, while firemen drove us to the hospital. They were careful to go slow and keep us safe."

Thankfully, baby Adrielle was safely delivered early on Monday morning in a dry and clean hospital room.

"We had two miscarriages before this," Greg said. "We've always wanted a little baby."

The couple says they are undyingly grateful for everyone who stepped in to help them during their time of need.

If you would like to donate to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey, click here to see a list of charities providing aid to victims.

RELATED: See photos of animals being rescued from the storm:
North Korea fires missile over Japan

Citizens on Japan's northern Hokkaido island warned to 'evacuate to basement'

Donald Trump says 'All options are on the table'

Japan condemns launch as 'unprecedented threat'

China warns situation now at a 'tipping point'

South Korea responds with bombing drills

UN Security Council to hold meeting on Tuesday

'There's nowhere to run': Japanese residents tell of 'worrying' alerts

US President Donald Trump said all options to respond to North Korea were on the table after Pyongyang fired a ballistic missile over Japan earlier on Tuesday.

"The world has received North Koreas latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," Mr Trump said in the statement released by the White House.

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regimes isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table".

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un smiles during a visit to the Chemical Material Institute of the Academy of Defense Science in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on August23, 2017 Credit: Reuters

North Korea fired a missile over Japan early on Tuesday morning, as Tokyo warned citizens in the north of the country to take cover.

An envoy from Pyongyang later accused the United States of driving the Korean peninsula towards "an extreme level of explosion".

The launch also prompted a stark warning from China that tensions on the Korean peninsula had reached a "tipping point.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a briefing in Beijing that the situation was "now at a tipping point approaching a crisis."

Japan's warning system kicked in, advising citizens on its northern Hokkaido island to take precautions, as the missile headed towards land in what was a significant escalation of Kim Jong-un's military posturing.

Map: North Korean missile test over japan

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The missile later broke into three pieces and landed in the sea. It flew for around 1,700 miles, reaching a maximum altitude of 350 miles, South Korean officials said. The Pentagon confirmed the launch.

The Japanese military made no attempt to shoot down the unidentified missile, but condemned the launch in the strongest terms possible..

"We will do our utmost to protect people's lives," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters. "This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat."

Following a 40-minute phone call with Donald Trump, he said he and the US president had agreed to escalate the pressure on North Korea. "We must immediately hold an emergency meeting at the United Nations, and further strengthen pressure against North Korea," Mr Abe said.

Rex Tillerson, the US secretary of state, and South Korea's foreign minister agreed to consider tougher sanctions against the North in response to the missile test, South Korea said.

Yoon Young-chan, a spokesman for the presidential Blue House in Seoul, also told a briefing that South Korean fighter jets conducted bombing drills at a firing exercise ground after Pyongyang's latest missile launch.

South Korea and the United States had discussed deploying additional "strategic assets" on the Korean peninsula, the presidential Blue House said in a statement, without giving any more details.

North Korea remained defiant.

Outraged at reckless provocation by #NorthKorea. Strongly condemn latest illegal missile launch by #DPRK  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) 28 August 2017

"The US should know that it can neither browbeat the DPRK with any economic sanctions and military threats and blackmails nor make the DPRK flinch from the road chosen by itself," North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun said later on Tuesday, using the initials of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, said he was "outraged at (the) reckless provocation by North Korea". He strongly condemned the "latest illegal missile launch". Theresa May is flying to Japan on Wednesday for trade talks.

Kim has overseen more than 80 missile tests - more than both his father and grandfather combined.

The regime fired several short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast on Saturday in what was thought to be a response to US-South Korean joint military exercises.

Pedestrians watch the news on a huge screen displaying the trajectory of the missile that flew over Japan Credit: AFP

Saturday's launch was the first since Pyongyang test-fired a intercontinental ballistic missiles on July 28 that could have been designed to reach 6,200 miles, putting parts of the US mainland within reach. The North Korean dictator threatened to target Guam, the US territory, with a missile.

Analysts speculate the North may have tested a Hwasong-12 missile, a new intermediate-range projectile that Pyongyang recently threatened to fire towards Guam.

In pictures: Japanese military might on display at the foot of Mount Fuji

The missile landed nowhere near Guam, which is about 1,550 miles south of Tokyo, but the length of Tuesday's launch may have been designed for the North to show it could follow through on its threat.

"The launch doubled as a threat to Washington, not only because of the US military bases in Japan, but also that the North showed it has the real capability to fire missiles to waters near Guam if it chose to shoot them in that direction," said Moon Seong Mook, a former South Korean military official and current analyst for the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy.

The launch of a Hwasong-12 missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea in May Credit: AP

Seoul says the missile was launched from Sunan, which is where Pyongyang's international airport is, opening the possibility that North Korea launched a road-mobile missile from an airport runway.

North Korea fired what it said was a rocket carrying a communications satellite into orbit over Japan in 2009. The United States, Japan and South Korea considered it a ballistic missile test.

"It's pretty unusual," said Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies in California. "North Korea's early space launches in 1998 and 2009 went over Japan, but that's not the same thing as firing a missile."

I woke up with a Siren and an announcement that North Korea launched a missile that would possibly hit cities within Hokkaido. pic.twitter.com/RGiflzTqJT  Joe (@jtnarsico) August 28, 2017

Television and radio broadcasters broke into their regular programming with a "J-Alert" warning citizens of the missile launch. Bullet train services were temporarily halted and warnings went out over loudspeakers in towns in Hokkaido.

"I was woken by the missile alert on my cellphone," said Ayaka Nishijima, 41, an office worker from Morioka, the capital of Iwate prefecture, 300 km (180 miles) south of Cape Erimo.

"I didn't feel prepared at all. Even if we get these alerts there's nowhere to run. It's not like we have a basement or bomb shelter, all we can do is get away from the window," she told Reuters by text message.

Global markets reacted to the escalation in tensions, buying safe-haven assets such as gold, the Swiss franc and the Japanese yen, and selling stocks. Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell almost 1 percent to a near four-month low, while South Korea's KOSPI index was down a similar percentage.

North Korea nuclear grid

12:47PM

Trump: All options are on the table

US President Donald Trump says all options to respond to North Korea are now on the table.

"The world has received North Koreas latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," Mr Trump said in the statement released by the White House.

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regimes isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table".

12:39PM

Theresa May 'outraged by North Korea's 'reckless provocation'

Downing Street said Theresa May was "outraged" by North Korea's "reckless provocation" by its missile launch over Japan, but would not allow it to affect her travel plans when she leaves London for a three-day visit to Japan later today.

Mrs May will arrive in Kyoto on Wednesday morning on an overnight flight from London and will be greeted by the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, before taking a bullet train to Tokyo with him.

She will carry out a series of discussions on trade, defence and security with Mr Abe before returning home on Friday.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister is outraged by North Korea's reckless provocation and she strongly condemns these illegal tests. "From our perspective, we are willing to continue to work with out international partners to keep the pressure on North Korea."

An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council will consider possible new sanctions against Kim's regime and "over the next three days the Prime Minister will have quite a lot of time with Prime Minister Abe to discuss, among other things, North Korea".

The spokesman added: "We are going on the trip and our plans haven't changed at all."

Read more here

12:18PM

EU says North Korea missile launch is a 'serious threat'

The EU on Tuesday critisized North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile as a serious threat" to regional security.

"These actions constitute outright violations of the DPRK's international obligations, as set out in several UN Security Council Resolutions, and represent a serious threat to international peace and security," EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.

11:42AM

Seoul 'will exterminate North Korean leadership' says Colonel, as South releases dramatic pictures of military drills

Asia correspondent Nicola Smith reports:

South Korea responded immediately to Pyongyangs missile launch with an aggressive show of force on Tuesday, conducting a live-fire drill on a shooting range close to its border with the North, and threatening the leaders of the hermit state with extermination.

Four F-15 fighter jets dropped eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field in Gangwon-do, near the northeast coast of South Korea, Seouls presidential spokesman Park Su-hyun said. Each bomb weighs 2,000 lb and can penetrate 11 metres of earth and 11 feet of concrete.

South Koreas defence ministry released footage of the drill along with a video of its own ballistic missile tests conducted last week.

If North Korea threatens the security of the South Korean people and the South Korea-US alliance with their nuclear weapons and missiles, our air forces will exterminate the leadership of North Korea with our strong strike capabilities, South Korean Colonel Lee Kuk-no warned in the video.

In this handout image provide by South Korean Defense Ministry, A bomb hits a mock target at the Pilseung Firing Range Credit: South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images

The images showed a powerful bomb striking a mock target, sending earth flying into the air, at the Pilseung Firing Range on Tuesday morning, just a few hours after North Korea fired a ballistic missile across Japanese airspace into the Pacific Ocean.

According to Yonhap news, the bombing was intended to show off the countrys overwhelming force, sending a message to dictator Kim Jong-un that Seoul was ready to defend itself.

In this handout image provide by South Korean Defense Ministry, South Korea's F-15K fighter jets drop bombs during a training at the Taebaek Pilsung Firing Range Credit: South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images

The bombing was ordered personally by President Moon Jae-in, who has previously pressed for peace talks with Pyongyang.

A statement from Seoul later on Tuesday stressed that South Korea was fully ready for any threat from the North and will make unwavering efforts to protect the lives of our people and the security of our nation.

South Korea is nearing the end of a ten day long joint military exercise with the US, that Pyongyang has strongly condemned and cited as a reason for its own missile tests.

South Korean army soldiers aim their machine guns during the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise in Yongin, South Korea Credit: Hong Gi-won/Yonhap via AP

North Koreas ambassador to the United Nations, Han Tae Song, blamed the US for driving the peninsula towards an extreme level of explosion.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting in Geneva, he said: My country has every reason to respond with tough counter-measures as an exercise of its right to self defence.

11:11AM

North Korea says US driving peninsula to "explosion"

North Korea accused the United States of driving the Korean peninsula towards "an extreme level of explosion" following its aggressive missile test.

Han Tae Song, North Korea's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, also declared that Pyongyang was justified in responding with "tough counter-measures".

The envoy was speaking after his country's latest test firing of a ballistic missile, which flew over Japan, but did not directly refer to the launch.

"Now that the U.S. has openly declared its hostile intention towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, by waging aggressive joint military exercises despite repeated warnings... my country has every reason to respond with tough counter-measures as an exercise of its right to self defence," Mr Han told the UN Conference on Disarmament.

10:51AM

Missile test is another provocation, says US disarmament envoy

North Koreas latest ballistic missile test is another provocation, Robert Wood, the United States disarmament ambassador said.

Its another provocation by North Korea, they just seem to continue to happen, Wood said before a session of the UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

This is a big concern of course to my government and to a number of other governments.

10:16AM

China says North Korea situation at 'tipping point'

China has warned that tensions on the Korean peninsula have reached a "tipping point and that the situation was fast becoming a crisis after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan.

A foreign ministry spokeswoman also said the United States and South Korea are partly to blame, reiterating a long-held stance in Beijing.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the situation was "now at a tipping point approaching a crisis. At the same time there is an opportunity to reopen peace talks.

"We hope relevant parties can consider how we can de-escalate the situation on the peninsula and realise peace and stability on the peninsula," Hua told a regular briefing in Beijing.

The spokeswoman also made a call for the resumption of peace talks, saying "pressure and sanctions" against North Korea "cannot fundamentally solve the issue".

Ms Hua also repeated Chinas position that North Korea should halt tests in exchange for the US and South Korea suspending military drills in the region.

5:41AM

North Korea 'will not flinch'

North Korea has issued a defiant message in response to warnings of further pressure from the US, Japan and South Korea.

"The US should know that it can neither browbeat the DPRK with any economic sanctions and military threats and blackmails nor make the DPRK flinch from the road chosen by itself," North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun said.

4:25AM

South Korea releases footage of new missiles

South Korea has released footage of its own missile tests it says were conducted last week in a response to the latest North Korean missile launch.

The South Korean military said on Tuesday it conducted three flight tests of two types of new missiles with ranges of 800 kilometers (497 miles) and 500 kilometers (310 miles) on August 24 and that the missiles were close to being operationally deployed.

The military released footage of the tests of the longer-range missile that showed the missile being fired from a truck-mounted launcher and hitting a land-based target.

South Korea hasn't officially named the missile yet, but it is tentatively called the Hyunmoo-2C.

The missile is considered a key component to the so-called "kill chain" pre-emptive strike capability the South is pursuing to cope with the North's growing nuclear and missile threat.

4:22AM

UN Security Council to hold meeting on Tuesday

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday afternoon over North Korea's latest missile launch at the request of Japan and the United States, diplomats said.

The planned meeting in New York comes as Washington and Tokyo agreed to step up pressure on Pyongyang after it fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean.

UN Security Council will hold a meeting Tues afternoon in response to North Koreas missile launch over Japan, 2 UN diplomats tell CNN  Dianne Gallagher (@DianneG) August 29, 2017

3:39AM

Town's loudspeakers fail to relay warning

Residents on the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido were warned of the North Korean missile launch by a "J-Alert" on their mobile phones, with loud alarms and an email that told people to stay indoors.

The system also is designed to kick in an automated voice repeating the warnings on area loudspeakers.

Hironori Matsuura, an official in the coastal town of Erimo, told AP the phone alarm worked but not the 50 speakers in the town.

Matsuura said people were stunned as this is the first time a North Korea missile is believed to have flown over Hokkaido. The town, which has about 4,800 residents, is checking on what went wrong with the speaker system.

"We all woke up," he said. "But there are no reports of any damage, and no one had to evacuate."

3:26AM

'Theres nowhere to run'

The Japanese government's J-Alert system broke into radio and TV programming, warning citizens of the possible missile. Bullet train services were temporarily halted and warnings went out over loudspeakers in towns in Hokkaido.

"I was woken by the missile alert on my cellphone," said Ayaka Nishijima, 41, an office worker from Morioka, the capital of Iwate prefecture, 180 miles south of Cape Erimo.

"I didnt feel prepared at all. Even if we get these alerts theres nowhere to run. Its not like we have a basement or bomb shelter, all we can do is get away from the window," she told Reuters by text message.

2:51AM

Fighter jets conduct bombing drills

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and South Korea's foreign minister have agreed to consider tougher sanctions against North Korea following the latest launch.

Yoon Young-chan, a spokesman for the presidential Blue House in Seoul, also told a briefing that South Korean fighter jets conducted bombing drills at a firing exercise ground after Pyongyang's latest missile launch.

Separately, the South's Yonhap news agency cited an unidentified Blue House source as saying the US military was considering the deployment of strategic assets to the Korean peninsula.

2:48AM

Student says he woke to sirens

I woke up with a Siren and an announcement that North Korea launched a missile that would possibly hit cities within Hokkaido. pic.twitter.com/RGiflzTqJT  Joe (@jtnarsico) August 28, 2017

2:45AM

Trump and Abe discuss missile launch

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he agreed with US President Donald Trump in telephone talks to increase pressure on North Korea after the country's latest missile launch.

Trump also said that the United States was "100 percent with Japan" and he showed a strong commitment to Tokyo's defence, Abe told reporters.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters about North Korea's missile launch in Tokyo Credit: Reuters

2:30AM

Possible military reaction

South Korea's Yonhap news agency says the top US and South Korean military officers agreed to make a strong response to North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch, including possible unspecified military measures.

The chairmen of both countries' Joint Chiefs of Staff agreed on a phone call "to take response measures at the earliest possible time that can demonstrate the alliance's strong will including military measures," Yonhap reported, quoting the South Korean military.

2:22AM

What was the missile fired?

A former South Korean military official who is now an analyst at Seoul's Institute for Far Eastern Studies says the early flight data suggests the North Korean missile was likely a Hwasong-12, a new intermediate range missile that the North has recently threatened to fire toward Guam.

Analyst Kim Dong-yub a tells AP there is also a possibility the missile could have been a midrange Musudan, a missile with a potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range that puts much of the Asia-Pacific region within reach, or a Pukguksong-2, a solid-fuel missile that can be fired faster and more secretly than weapons using liquid fuel.

In April, it tested a Hwasong-12 IRBM from Pukchang Airport. It was the third known flight-test of the system.  Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) August 28, 2017

Instead, it failed in flight and crashed into buildings in Tokchon, in central North Korea. Damage to the buildings was massive, I was told.  Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) August 28, 2017

1:58AM

US, South Korea and Japan request UN Security Council meeting

The United States, Japan and South Korea have requested a United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss North Korea's firing of a missile over Japan, diplomats said, Reuters reports.

The 15-member Security Council was expected to be held late onTuesday.

1:26AM

S.Korea finance ministry to review stability measures if needed over N.Korea risks

South Korea's finance ministry said on Tuesday it will monitor financial markets around the clock and act according to its contingency plans to stabilise markets if needed after North Korea's latest missile test, Reuters reports.

"Our view is that we need to fully prepare and make stern responses to manage risks at home and abroad," the ministry said after a policy meeting with the Bank of Korea and financial regulators that was urgently called after the launch.

1:23AM

Nikkei falls to 4-month low

Japan's Nikkei share average fell to a near four-month low on Tuesday morning as sentiment following the missile incident.

In early trade, the Nikkei opened down 0.7 percent and fell as low as 19,304.76, its lowest since May 1.

The broader Topix dropped 0.5 percent to 1,592.77.

12:56AM

Abe to call for emergency UN security council meeting

Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, has said that Japan will call for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council meeting to discuss North Korea's latest missile launch. He added that Japan wants the UN to put additional pressure on North Korea, which may mean the imposition of more sanctions.

Tokyo on Friday imposed additional unilateral sanctions on North Korea, expanding its list of companies, organisations and individuals with links to the North that are having their assets in Japan frozen.

The list includes a number of Chinese companies, including the Bank of Dandong, which is accused of laundering money on behalf of Pyongyang, and Dalian Global Unity Shipping Co., which ships coal and steel products between North Korea and China.

12:55AM

Japan expects US to 'strongly protest' launch

Itsunori Onodera, the defence minister, said Tuesday morning that he expects the US to "strongly protest" North Korea's missile launch.

12:20AM

Abe: launch was 'unprecedented, serious and grave threat'

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday said North Korea's launch of a missile over its territory was an "unprecedented, serious and grave threat".

"Their outrageous act of firing a missile over our country is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat and greatly damages the regional peace and security," he told reporters.

11:53PM

NK warned UN on August 25

North Korea's mission to the United Nations submitted a letter to the UN Security Council on August 25 hinting at "tough countermeasures" and "catastrophic consequences" unless the council intervened to halt the Ulchi Freedom joint US-South Korea military exercises presently taking place in the South.

The letter warned:

Waging such provocative and aggressive joint military exercises on the Korean peninsula, which has already turned into a tinderbox, is nothing short of hysterical conduct that adds fuel to the raging flames. Acknowledging that the US-South Korea joint military exercises constitute a grave threat to the peace and security of the world, as well as those of the Korean peninsula, the DPR Korea strongly requests the UNSC to discuss the issue of the joint military exercises as an emergency agenda item", the letter stated, according to the Korea Central News Agency. Should the UNSC ignore the request from the DPR Korea once again, it will become self-evident that the UNSC has ceased to remain a body that assumes the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, but been reduced into a marionette and a political instrument of the US Now that the US has blatantly manifested its hostile intention towards the DPR Korea by waging aggressive joint military exercises, despite the repeated warnings from the latter against its reckless behavior, the DPR Korea has every reason to respond with tough countermeasures as an exercise of its right to self-defense and the US shall be held totally accountable for the catastrophic consequences to follow.

11:44PM

Boris Johnson 'outraged' by 'latest illegal missile launch'

Outraged at reckless provocation by #NorthKorea. Strongly condemn latest illegal missile launch by #DPRK  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 28, 2017

11:42PM

Officials warn of sixth underground nuclear test

The launch on Tuesday morning of a missile that crossed Japan may only be the first significant provocation from North Korea in response to the military exercises taking place in South Korea, with officials warning that Pyongyang may be preparing to carry out a sixth underground nuclear test.

South Korea's National Security Service has informed political leaders that it has detected preparations at the North's Punggye-ri proving grounds, where the previous five tests were conducted.

Kim Byung-kee, a member of South Korea's ruling Democratic Party, said the NIS reported that North Korea "has completed its preparation to carry out a nuclear test at tunnel two and tunnel three at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site".

He added the NIS said it had also detected activity suggesting tunnel four was being prepared for renewed development work after excavation work was halted last year.

Analysts suggest the test may be held close to September 9, a national holiday marking the founding of the republic and the date on which it conducted its last nuclear test, in 2016.

The North claimed that test was of a miniaturised nuclear warhead small enough to be fitted to an intercontinental ballistic missile, although analysts say it is impossible to verify that claim.

A propaganda poster blaming U.S. and hostile countries' sanction is seen in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang August 17, 2017. The poster reads: "No one can stop our way!"

11:18PM

North Korea 'is showing no mercy'

The launch of the land-based missile comes two days after the Rodong Sinmun newspaper "ridiculed the US and its vassal forced for being flustered due to the ... pluck of the DPRK" in an editorial.

The article in the state-run publication added that North Korea is "showing no mercy".

"If the US persists in its reckless anti-DPRK moves, sanctions and pressure, it will eventually meet a miserable fate.

"So long as the US and its vassal forces persist with such actions and imperialism, the root cause of injustice and evil remains", it added. "The DPRK will further sharpen its just nuclear treasured sword in its hand and defend independence with nukes and usher in a new era of national prosperity".

11:11PM

Missile 'flew 1,650 miles'

South Korean military sources have reported that the missile flew a distance of around 1,650 miles and reached a maximum altitude on its lofted trajectory of 340 miles.

11:03PM

'A serious, grave security threat to Japan'

Yoshihide Suga, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, told a hastily called press conference that the missile fell into the ocean about 730 miles off Cape Erimo, in Hokkaido.

The missile launch poses "a serious, grave security threat to Japan", Suga said, adding that Japan would cooperate closely with the United States and South Korea to counteract the danger posed to the region by North Korea.

In Seoul, Moon Jae-in, the South Korean president, summoned an emergency meeting of the National Security Council.

10:49PM

Missile 'broke into three pieces and landed in the sea'

The missile broke into three pieces and fell into the waters off Japan's northern Hokkaido island.

The Japanese government's J-Alert warning system advised people in the area to take precautions.

The Japanese military did not attempt to shoot down the missile, which passed over Japanese territory around 6:06 a.m. time (2106 GMT).

10:28PM

Japan's Shinzo Abe vows to take utmost efforts to protect Japanese republic

Japan's prime minister has said he will take all precautions necessary to protect citizens.

"We will make utmost efforts to firmly protect the lives of the people," Abe told reporters in brief remarks as he entered his office for emergency meetings on the missile firing.

10:26PM

South Korea confirms missile launch

The North fired the "unidentified projectile" from Pyongyang at around 5:57 am (2057 GMT), according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff.

10:25PM

Missile 'passes over Japan'

Reports in Tokyo state that a missile fired from North Korea has passed over the country.
North Koreas latest test was described as an outrage (PA)

South Korea has threatened to exterminate Kim Jong-un as tensions across East Asia heightened after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over the skies of Japan.

Japanese officials said the missile took off from Pyongyang and flew above the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido before landing in the Pacific Ocean.

There was no damage to ships or anything else reported, while Japans NHK TV said the missile separated into three parts.

Japanese response

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the launch, telling reporters: We will do our utmost to protect peoples lives.

This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat.

Residents on Hokkaido were warned of a possible missile launch by a mobile phone message which told people to seek shelter in a sturdy building or basement.

The missile flew across Japan before falling into the Pacific Ocean (PA)

South Koreas response

South Korea responded in the hours after the missile test by launching four F-15 fighter jets and dropping eight MK-84 bombs against a simulated target at the Pilsung training range on the border of the two countries and near the demilitarised zone.

Robert Kelly, associate professor at Pusan National Universitys Department of Political Science, told CNN: North Koreans cant just shoot missiles over peoples countries, there has to be some response.

It looks somewhat escalatory, its got to be tough, to send a signal, but they dont want to be too tough because no one wants to get into a war.

Kim Jong-un has threatened to attack the US territory of Guam in recent weeks (Rex)

According to the Reuters news agency, South Korean Colonel Lee Kuk-No warned: If North Korea threatens the security of the South Korean people and the South Korea-U.S. alliance with their nuclear weapons and missiles, our air forces will exterminate the leadership of North Korea with our strong strike capabilities.

A formal statement release by the South Korean government shortly after said: We are fully ready for any threat from the North and will make unwavering efforts to protect the lives of our people and the security of our nation.

Story continues

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North Korea defends the launch

Despite their missile test, North Korea pointed the finger at the United States for driving the Korean peninsula towards an extreme level of explosion.

Han Tae Song, North Koreas ambassador to the UN in Geneva, also declared that Pyongyang was justified in responding with tough counter-measures.

He told the UN Conference on Disarmament: Now that the US has openly declared its hostile intention towards the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, by waging aggressive joint military exercises despite repeated warnings my country has every reason to respond with tough counter-measures as an exercise of its right to self defence.

The missile landed nowhere near Guam  but the length of the test is believed to have been designed it can reach the US territory (PA)

Lieutenant General Hiroaki Maehara, the commander of the Air Self-Defense Forces, delivers a speech in front of Japanese Air Self Defense Force on the morning of the missile test (PA)

International response

Donald Trump vowed to increase pressure on North Korea, standing 100% with Japan after speaking on the phone with the Japanese prime minister.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson expressed outrage at the reckless provocation of the latest missile launch.

Mr Johnson tweeted: Outraged at reckless provocation by #NorthKorea. Strongly condemn latest illegal missile launch by #DPRK.

China warned that the situation on the Korean peninsular had reached a tipping point approaching a crisis and urged restraint from all sides.

Outraged at reckless provocation by #NorthKorea. Strongly condemn latest illegal missile launch by #DPRK  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 28, 2017

Reports said the launch was believed to be the first to rocket fired from North Korea over Japan since 2009.

The launch comes amid heightened tension in East Asia after North Korea threatened to fire missiles towards the US territory of Guam.

This missile landed nowhere near Guam, which is about 1,550 miles south of Tokyo, but the length of the launch may have been designed for the North to show it could follow through on its threat.

It happened after Pyongyang expressed anger at joint US-South Korea military exercises.
Japan warned citizens to seek refuge in shelters or solid buildings after reports emerged Monday that a missile fired by North Korea was headed toward the Tohuku region in the northern part of the country.

Japan did not attempt to shoot down the missile, CNBC reported, citing Japan's official NHK media outlet, indicating the missile was a test that likely flew straight over the country and landed in the Pacific Ocean. North Korea tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile in July and a second later that month, angering the U.S., Japan and other allies opposed to the reclusive, communist state's possession of nuclear and ballistic weapons. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reportedly vowed to defend Japan before rushing into an emergency meeting in his office.

Related: North Korea fires missile near Japan; Tokyo, Seoul officials hold emergency meetings

"We will make utmost efforts to firmly protect the lives of the people, Abe told journalists, according to Reuters.

GettyImages-824099340

KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images

South Korea's military confirmed the incident, saying the missile was fired from the Sunan area near Pyongyang and flew east. Seoul, which has technically remained at war with its northern rival since the 1950s, is currently engaged in war games with the U.S., something to which North Korea has been deeply opposed.

"It passed through the sky over Japan," South Korea's joint chief of staff said, according to the official Yonhap News Agency.

Masamune Wada, a Japanese politician serving in the House of Councilors, urged citizens not to panic via Twitter and shared a map allegedly showing the path of the missile. According to the map, the missile which landed in the Pacific Ocean about 733 miles east of Japan's Cape Erimo. Yoshihide Suga, Japan's chief Cabinet secretary, told NHK that "nothing appeared to have dropped on Japanese soil" and said Tokyo would be working with Seoul and other countries "to secure the population of Japan," according to ABC News.

Story continues

President Donald Trump has attempted to undermine his North Korean rival, Kim Jong Un, using economic sanctions and international pressure, but the Republican leader has maintained that military action was on the table. Trump threatened earlier this month unleash "fire and fury like the world has never seen" against North Korea and shortly after North Korea's military revealed a plan to strike the U.S. territory of Guam. Kim threatened to go through with the plan if the U.S. attempted to undermine North Korea's sovereignty.

North Korea tested three short-range ballistic missiles over the weekend, and the state-run Korean Central News Agency likened the U.S.'s moves to "sitting on thorns" in a commentary published Monday.

"Citizens are not having a comfortable sleep but heavyweights of the Trump administration are inviting misfortune, being utterly un-thoughtful of what is uttered by them," the article read.

"The U.S. had better be mindful of its own destiny, not resorting to the useless anti-DPRK racket for confrontation and pressure while calling for "protection of allies" in different parts of the world," it added.

This is a developing story. More information will be added when it becomes available.

Related Articles
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has urged for "something serious has to happen" to punish the North Korean regime for violating UN sanctions after Pyongyang launch of a missile over Japan, .

The Security Council was expected to meet late on Tuesday to discuss actions after Donald Trump announced "all options are on the table" for the US following the launch of what is believed to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) - either a KN-17 or Hwasong-12 - over the northern part of Hokkaido.

It is Pyongyang's 13th missile test this year, but the first one over a populated area in Japan - such tests are rare.

Mr Trump, who has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States, said the world had received North Korea's latest message "loud and clear".

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table," Mr Trump said in a statement.

Mr Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke and agreed that North Korea "poses a grave and growing direct threat" to the United States, Japan and South Korea, the White House said.

Ms Haley said the launch was absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible and that "enough is enough".

Ms Haley said she hoped China and Russia would continue to work with the rest of the Security Council to discuss what more can be done about North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. China and Russia typically only view a test of a long-range missile or a nuclear weapon as a trigger for further possible UN sanctions.

The Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea earlier this month after it staged two long-range missile launches in July.

Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia - responding to Mr Trump's statement - said: It's troubling, because tensions are high and whose nerves are stronger, we don't know.

Story continues

China's Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the crisis was approaching a critical juncture, but it might also be a turning point to open the door to peace talks.

It was reported recently that US Intelligence officials had deduced that the isolated regime of North korean leader Kim Jong-un has developed the ability to place a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Rhetoric has been steadily escalating since. In the wake of that news, Mr Trump said Pyongyang would face fire and fury if it threatened the United States, with North Korea then threatening to fire four missiles into the sea near the US Pacific territory of Guam.

Shortly after the latest launch, South Korea - the capital of Seoul is only 193 miles (312 km) from North Korea - tested a bomb at one of its border installations. South Korea and the United States had also discussed deploying additional strategic assets on the Korean peninsula, South Korea's presidential Blue House said in a statement, without giving more details.

The latest missile fell into the sea 1,180 km (735 miles) east of Hokkaido, the Japanese government said. In many northern Japanese towns, sirens wailed and loudspeakers urged residents to take cover.

The launch was North Korea's second since US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appeared to make a peace overture last week, by welcoming what he called the restraint Pyongyang had shown by not conducting tests for several weeks. Mr Trump also expressed optimism last week about a possible improvement in relations, saying of that he was full of "respect the fact that [Mr Kim] is starting to respect us.

Having to rely on the UN to help with future action may not be entirely to Mr Trump's liking, despite repeatedly saying a diplomatic solution to the threat from North Korea was best. In the past, Mr Trump has been a fierce critic of the UN and particularly the Security Council.

This infographic, created for The Independent by statistics agency Statista, shows the types of missile North Korea possesses (Statista/The Independent)

During the 2016 campaign, Mr Trump repeatedly called the UN a "a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time".

In April he hosted the 15 member council for a rare lunch at the White House and told them he was disappointed because the UN doesnt like to take on problems" and has remained blindfolded for decades to taking action on threats like North Korea.

Richard Gowan, a UN expert with the European Council on Foreign Relations, told The Independent in April that Mr Trumps comments could actually be useful blather.

He may just scare a few Council members into being a bit more constructive in future, said Mr Gowan.

Ms Haley described August's UN sanctions to CNN as a "gut punch" to Mr Kim.

"The ball is in North Korea's court. They now have to decide where they want to go from here. We hope that they will go the route of peace and security," she said at the time.

Agencies contributed to this report.
HOUSTON  While officials in Houston used controlled releases of water from dams to try to keep them from failing amid relentless rainfall, residents of the Fleetwood neighborhood wedged between the Addicks and Barker reservoirs dealt with a new onslaught of flooding from the dams themselves.

The Army Corps of Engineers began releasing water from the two reservoirs at 2 a.m. Monday morning in hopes that a limited release could prevent them from collapsing.

The reservoirs hold a combined 410,000 acre-feet of water, and dam failure could put half the city underwater. They are releasing the water and it is gradual, and they are indicating that if they dont do it, the water builds up and it will go around the dams and be exponentially worse, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a press conference Monday morning.

(Photo: Police block a flooded road near the Barker and Addicks reservoirs in Houston)

Some people who live in the affluent neighborhood between the reservoirs were confused about the decision to release water from the dams, and upset an evacuation plan hadnt been in place before doing so. By the time theyd heard about it late Sunday, it was already dark and too late to get out.

Most streets in the area had not been flooded before the release, despite the more than two feet of rain that has already fallen on the city. But the release pushed flood waters as high as 4 feet into parts of the neighborhood, and residents were scrambling to get people out on anything that floats  inflatable rafts, kayaks, jet skis and even a giant blow-up duck.

They didnt tell us anything about evacuating, said Charlie Holt, 60.

His wife, Laura Holt, 41, said they were preparing their first floor for potential flooding. While their part of the neighborhood hadnt yet flooded, they expected it was only a matter of time before it did. We contemplated evacuating, but theres really nowhere to go, she said.

A person is rescued in a Houston neighborhood after water was released to ease overflowing on nearby reservoirs. (Photo: Roque Planas/HuffPost)

Kerry Yonushonis was able to evacuate her young son and pets on Sunday night, but came back on Monday morning to help other neighbors as they worked to get children, the elderly and others in need out of their homes.

Story continues

I came back here and its a mass evacuation scene, said Yonushonis. We need help getting people out of here. Theres been no rescue at all. The Coast Guard showed up maybe about 40 minutes ago, but all the neighbors are trying to get as many people as we can to get jet skis, surfboards, anything.

Three Coast Guard boats and one helicopter were on the scene by that time, but residents worried that the flooding would only get worse as releases from the dams continued.

Had the Army Corps told us to evacuate, people would still have their cars, she said. People have lost everything now.

Sharon Swanson, 45, lives on the other side of the reservoir, where its still relatively dry, but came to the neighborhood to help evacuate people. Shed just helped an elderly man in a wheelchair, his care provider, and his wife get out of their house and into her truck.

Weve been bringing people to our house, because we have a generator, said Swanson. My husbands out here somewhere with our boat, somebody else has our kayak.

Nolen Shumaker, 72, and her grandchildren Bobbie, 15, and Gracie, 12, climbed in a HuffPost reporters boat, along with their dog, Coco.

The water came up so fast, said Schumaker. We never thought it would get this bad.

Bobbie, Gracie and Nolen Shumaker boated to safety Monday with their dog Coco in tow. (Photo: David Lohr/HuffPost)

Also on HuffPost

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Steve Culver cries with his dog Otis as he talks about what he said was the, 'most terrifying event in his life,' when Hurricane Harvey blew in and destroyed most of his home while he and his wife took shelter there on in Rockport.

Ofelia Castro leads her grandchildren across a flooded street as they continue an hours long trek from their flooded house in the Edgewood area of South Houston to a relatives apartment miles away.

Aaron Tobias who said he lost everything stands in what is left of his home in Rockport. Mr. Tobias said he was able to get his wife and kids out before the storm arrived but he stayed there and rode it out.

Damaged boats in a multi-level storage facility are seen in Rockport.

People gather supplies out of destroyed homes to take back to a shelter near City-By-The Sea, Texas.

A destroyed laundromat is seen in Rockport.

A destroyed apartment complex is seen on Aug. 26, 2017, after Hurricane Harvey passed through Rockport, Texas.

Donna Raney is helped out of the window by Lee Guerrero and Daisy Graham in Rockport.

Valerie Brown walks through a flooded area after leaving her apartment in Rockport.

Charlie Company of the 4th Assault Amphibious Battalion, Marine Forces Reserve arrive at the Central Mall in Port Arthur, TX on Thursday night after running rescue missions in the hardest hit areas of town throughout the day.

A Rockport firefighter goes door to door on a search and rescue mission as he looks for people who may need help.

Rescue personnel help Hersey Kirk as she is airlifted into a rescue helicopter.

Jacque McKay walks through the apartment complex where she lives in Rockport.

A damaged home is seen after Hurricane Harvey in Rockport.

Damage is seen to a shopping center in Victoria, north and farther inland than Rockport.

Damage is seen at a business near Rockport

A damaged mobile home in Victoria.

Damage to a hotel in Victoria.

A business is damaged in Victoria.

A light plane sits upside done at Rockport Airport.

A sunken boat at Rockport Harbor.

Destroyed houses in Rockport.

Light medium tactical vehicle's (LMTV) make their way through floodwaters near Bridge City in Texas.

A car lies abandoned in Rockport.

A police officer checks for survivors among destroyed houses in Rockport.

A gas station in Victoria.

Damage to homes is seen near Rockport

A sign on a Holiday Inn hotel in Victoria.

Just got out of Rockport; no cell service there; catastrophic damage; homes, businesses destroyed. #hurricaneharvey pic.twitter.com/CJKPJOhEHZ  Jeremy Schwartz (@JinATX) August 26, 2017

First light reveals heavy damage in Rockport, TX. #hurricaneharvey. pic.twitter.com/a9vVRn9iJS  Jeff Gammons (@StormVisuals) August 26, 2017

A burnt-out house that caught fire after Hurricane Harvey hit Corpus Christi.

A house suffers roof damage in Corpus Christi.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Vienna (AFP) - The OSCE's media freedom watchdog on Monday called on US President Donald Trump to tone down his virulent attacks on the press, warning that they "degrade" the media's key role in a democracy and open journalists to abuse.

Since taking office in January, the 71-year-old leader has made a habit of publicly bashing mainstream media outlets like The New York Times, which he regularly denounces as "fake news" on his Twitter account.

"I urge the United States administration to refrain from delivering such attacks on the media," Harlem Desir, the media freedom representative of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, said in a letter to the White House.

"The US president's statements are deeply problematic in that they degrade the essential role the media plays in every democratic society, holding governments to account and offering a platform for a diversity of voices," read the letter addressed to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Desir highlighted remarks Trump made at a rally in Arizona on January 22, during which the billionaire accused the media of being "truly dishonest", "crooked" and of "making up stories".

"In addition to undermining the credibility of the media, such statements, especially those identifying the media as the 'enemy of the people', could also make journalists more vulnerable to being targeted with violence and abuse," Desir said.

The Vienna-based OSCE, an international election and war monitor, also keeps track of media freedom issues throughout the OSCE's 57 member states, which include the US and Russia.
Rogue alligators have been cropping up in backyards and driveways around Texas due to the rising flood waters brought by Hurricane Harvey.

But a greater gator problem may soon face the city of Beaumont if water levels continue to rise.

A popular alligator theme park says that flood waters are dangerously close to exceeding the height of fences that are keeping hundreds of the reptiles inside their enclosures.

Gary Saurage, the owner of Gator Country, told KFDM that water levels inside their facilities have nearly reached a critical level.

"We're less than a foot (of water) from going over the fences," Saurage told the station. "All of these are certified, high fences, but when it won't quit, it won't quit. We've worked around the clock and I don't know what else to do. We're truly tired. Everybody's at the end of it, man. We don't know what to do."

Though Saurage says that his largest alligators, Big Al and Big Tex, have been safely placed in trailers, he warns that the gators kept inside other enclosures will escape over the top of their fences if flood waters rise high enough.

John Warren, one of the heads of the Texas Parks and Wildlife alligator program, told the Houston Chronicle that even though the situation at Gator Country may seem alarming, there's really not too much for citizens to worry about.

"There has been extensive damage to their buildings but there is not a threat to human life," Warren said Tuesday. "We understand it's a legitimate worry. If some escape it's still a drop in the bucket compared to the wild population over here."

Unfortunately, alligators are not the only creatures lurking in Harvey's dangerous flood waters.

On Monday, a massive colony of fire ants was spotted floating through flood waters in Houston following the devastating rain that slammed the city over the weekend.

If you would like to donate to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey, click here to see a list of charities providing aid to victims.

RELATED: See photos from the storm:
Eight years after his death,Michael Jacksoncontinues to be a presence in his daughterParis Jacksonslife.

The 19-year-old shared a sweet message on social media in honor of her late fathers birthday. Michael, born in 1958, would have been 59 on Tuesday.

Birthday wishes to the love of my life, the one person who showed me what passion truly was, the one that gave me solid morals to live by and how to dream, she wrote alongside a photo of herself and her father sharing a family kiss.

A post shared by Paris-Michael K. Jackson (@parisjackson)on Aug 29, 2017 at 1:37am PDT

Shes shared pictures of herself and her father before, including one captioned, the OG squad.

A post shared by Paris-Michael K. Jackson (@parisjackson)on Aug 9, 2017 at 10:56pm PDT

In the February 2017 issue of Rolling Stone,Paris revealedthat she still believes her fathers 2009 death to be a setup.

All arrows point to that, she told the outlet. It sounds like a total conspiracy theory and it sounds like bullshit, but all real fans and everybody in the family knows it. It was a setup. It was bullshit.

Michael died suddenly at age 50 due to propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication. In 2011, his physician, Conrad Murray,was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for administering the drugs.

The King of Pops daughter has carried on his message of kindness and activism, taking time during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards tocall out Nazi white supremacist jerksand encourage others to stand up against injustice.

We must resist, she told the crowd.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Hurricane Harvey: Pastor Joel Osteen has been criticised for his response - Getty Images North America

A Texas pastor has faced a growing online backlash after being accused of not opening the doors of his megachurch to help victims of Hurricane Harvey.

Joel Osteen Credit: AP

Joel Osteen, a senior pastor at the 16,000-capacity Christian Lakewood Church in Houston, has been criticised for not offering to shelter flooding victims.

Lots of people online are wondering why @JoelOsteen hasn't opened his 16,000 seat megachurch in Houston to people, wrote one.

Joel Osteen has a HUGE church in Houston that would make a great shelter. pic.twitter.com/byqHxXrHQn  Brasilmagic (@Brasilmagic) August 28, 2017

@JoelOsteen if you were a real Christian, you'd be opening your doors to your displaced neighbors.  FAB24 (@Francesabolton) August 28, 2017

How are you guys helping the storm victims in Texas right now?  Ken Reid (@KennethWReid) August 28, 2017

Joel Osteen, as a Pastor you have a huge obligation to show the love of Christ at this very moment.

OPEN THE DOORS. #HoustonStrong  Pastor Greg Locke (@pastorlocke) August 28, 2017

Houston's Joel Osteen has a net worth over $50m and a church that holds 16,800 but this is all he's offering. pic.twitter.com/rmhdWK6ZAO  Mark Elliott (@markmobility) August 28, 2017

Members of the Lakewood Church worship Credit: AP

The church initially said it was inaccessible due to severe flooding, however photos shared on social media showed no flood damage and suggested it could be reached.

Story continues

Houston's @indivisible_usa is acquainted with @JoelOsteen's Lakewood Church. They took these pics about an hour ago w/ commentary. pic.twitter.com/YTWrD9UG1z  Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) August 28, 2017

Just offer shelter and a dry place for those who need you and want to know you care. .@JoelOsteen those who can't get here still need you! pic.twitter.com/MdHAHWGprR  Sean Salisbury (@SeanUnfiltered) August 28, 2017

Pastor Osteen responded to the criticism, insisting: We have never closed our doors. We will continue to be a distribution centre for those in need.

We are prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity.

Lakewood will be value to the community in the aftermath of this storm in helping out fellow citizens rebuild their lives.

New statement from @JoelOsteen and Lakewood Church in regards to Hurricane Harvey backlash pic.twitter.com/KLMNYysc6s  Anastasia (@AnastasiaElyseW) August 29, 2017

He also tweeted:

Victoria & I are praying for everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey. Please join us as we pray for the safety of our Texas friends & family.  Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 26, 2017

Jesus promises us peace that passes understanding. Thats peace when it doesnt make sense.  Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 28, 2017

Our hearts break as we see the damage and destruction in our city. Please join us in helping Houston recover. Visit https://t.co/jXMX5VB3qSpic.twitter.com/00HtzOmeQL  Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 28, 2017

A spokesperson for the church told the Chron.com the church was inaccessible due to surrounding flood water.

Its not our unwillingness, its just practicality. Its been a safety issue for us, said Donald Iloff said. Lakewood Church has a heart for this city.

The church also posted online: We want to let you know that our hearts are with each of you and your families during this difficult time.

We are praying for you and we are praying for our city, and for all of those affected by the devastating flooding and rains caused by Hurricane Harvey. We love you and we love this city. And we want to help.

Since the online backlash, the church is now reportedly preparing to open its doors, with photos of dozens of air mattresses inside the church being posted online.

A source at Lakewood Church just told me they're planning to open their doors to Houston's homeless and displaced. Finally. #JoelOsteen  Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) August 29, 2017

Lakewood Church apparently bought countless air mattresses and are prepping to open their doors. Took a while but good news.#JoelOsteenpic.twitter.com/MYXf1HqAbF  Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) August 29, 2017

Some 30,000 residents in Houston were expected to be left temporarily homeless following the historic flooding.

Hurricane Harvey hits Texas, in pictures
Lima (AFP) - Peru's jailed ex-president Alberto Fujimori, 79, is in intensive care after suffering a life-threatening heart complaint in prison, his doctor said Tuesday.

It is the latest in a string of health alerts for the former leader, who was jailed for massacres committed while he was in power in the 1990s.

His personal doctor Alejandro Aguinaga told AFP that Fujimori collapsed in prison in Lima and was rushed to a clinic.

"He suffered a severe rapid heart rate, a marked palpitation. His life was in danger but he is now stabilizing and the possibility that he suffered a heart attack has been ruled out."

Fujimori is serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses and corruption.

He was convicted in 2007 for his role in killings by a death squad targeting supposed guerrillas.

He has since been in and out of hospital with heart, back and stomach trouble and growths on his tongue, which has been operated on several times for cancer.

The courts have rejected efforts by his family to have him freed from prison.

Fujimori was president from 1990 to 2000.

Last year his daughter Keiko Fujimori narrowly lost a presidential election to Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.

Keiko Fujimori's populist Popular Force party nevertheless controls the single-chamber legislature.

Kuczynski has suggested he might consider a pardon for Fujimori, but denied any backroom deal with Popular Force.
President Trump has been live-tweeting his response to the devastating hurricane in Texas, as he prepares to visit the state to view the disaster zone Tuesday. Its the first natural disaster of the Trump presidency, and thus far he has avoided any significant missteps. Trump has left the management of the response to state and local officials and to federal professional officials whose messages hes echoed. The president has been largely invisible beside from Twitter, with Vice President Mike Pence and Homeland Security Advisor Tom Bossert taking the lead on speaking for the Administration. Trump will change that later Monday when he holds a joint press conference with the President of Finland.

As the hurricane barreled toward Texas Friday, Trump sought to bury a host of controversial decisions. On Friday afternoon, Trump formally sent the Pentagon guidance on his plan to ban transgender service members from the militarythough the full scope of the announcement, which he first previewed on Twitter last month, is still not clear. Trump also parted ways with Seb Gorka, the cable television fixture and self-proclaimed irregular warfare expert who had little formal role in the White House. A former Breitbart employee, he is returning to the Steve Bannon-run site and firing back at Trumps more conventional advisors who remain in the West Wing. And Trump pardoned convicted former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, in a decision that was condemned by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Arizona Sen. John McCain. Trump had teased the action at a Phoenix rally earlier in the week. Arpaio was convicted of criminal contempt of court in a long-running civil rights lawsuit over his alleged discriminatory tactics from his time as sheriff.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis have each taken steps to distance themselves from Trumps rhetoric in recent days. Tillersons shocking assertion Sunday that Trump doesnt speak to American values highlights the growing gulf between the president and his top aides, to say nothing of the country at large.

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Trumps abandoned Moscow deal. Trump approves military gear for local police. And more lawsuits for Trump.

Here are your must reads:

Must Reads

Trumps Business Sought Deal on a Trump Tower in Moscow While He Ran for President

Dropped in 2016 [Washington Post]

Team Trump Turns to Rove Playbook to Juice 2018 Turnout

Republicans are considering putting hot-button initiatives on the ballot to excite the base when little else currently is [Politico]

Trump Set to Roll Back Limits on Military Gear for Police

Restrictions put in place after Ferguson [Associated Press]

President Trump Has Taken a Key Step to Implement His Transgender Military Ban

Effects are still unclear [TIME]

Why Trumps Pardon of Arpaio Follows Law, Yet Challenges It

It was legal, but it tested the Constitution [New York Times]

Sound Off

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson: I dont believe anyone doubts the American peoples values or the commitment of the American government or the governments agencies to advancing those values and defending those values.

Fox News Chris Wallace: And the presidents values?

Tillerson: The president speaks for himself, Chris.

Wallace: Are you separating yourself from that, sir?

Tillerson: Ive made my own comments as to our values as well in a speech I gave to the State Department this past week.

Bits and Bites

In response to Trump tweet, Mexico reiterates it wont pay for the wall [CNN]

No One Is Above the Law. John McCain and Others Slam President Trump for Pardoning Joe Arpaio [TIME]

How President Trumps Pardon of Joe Arpaio Breaks With White House History [TIME]

Exiles on Pennsylvania Avenue: How Jared and Ivanka Were Repelled by Washingtons Elite [Vanity Fair]

Fall Movie Preview: Hollywood confronts the Trump era [Associated Press]

Donald Trump to FEMA Chief on Hurricane Harvey: The World Is Watching [TIME]

Top State Department Officials Step Down in Black Friday Exodus [Foreign Policy]

Zinkes veteran daughter excoriates Trump in response to transgender military ban [Billings Gazette]

Mattis to troops: Hold the line until U.S. is less divided [Axios]

Sebastian Gorka gone from White House [CNN]

Joe Biden: We Are Living Through a Battle for the Soul of This Nation [The Atlantic]

Trump Forges Ahead on Costly Nuclear Overhaul [New York Times]

Some in GOP consider supporting a primary challenge to Trump [Associated Press]

President Trump Tweets About 2016 Election and Border Wall in the Midst of Hurricane Harvey [TIME]

ACLU Sues President Trump Over Transgender Military Ban [Associated Press]
Before President Donald Trump pardoned a sheriff who illegally targeted Latinos, threatened North Korea with fire and fury, and banned transgender people from serving in the military (among a host of other things), people got worked up about the silliest things during the Barack Obama years.

You know, like when the president had the nerve to wear a tan suit to an important press conference.

Since we all need some good news these days, some on the internet are celebrating the day President Obama made the boldest style choice of his presidency three years and one day ago on Aug. 28.

Three years ago today, everybody lost their minds because the president wore a tan suit. Those were the days... pic.twitter.com/kgUHzD9ac2  Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) August 28, 2017

The scandal made for some pretty funny tweets back then:

The Audacity of Taupe pic.twitter.com/3EC7NN0By8  Jared Keller (@jaredbkeller) August 28, 2014

Who gave President Obama that old church suit from my dad's closet?  Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) August 28, 2014

Obama vows to defeat whoever made him wear this suit. pic.twitter.com/zoqj7OVFRe  Josh Barro (@jbarro) August 28, 2014

I cant hear what Obama is saying over his suit.  Amanda Terkel (@aterkel) August 28, 2014

BREAKING: President Obama wears tan suit to press conference, Internet expresses outrage while wearing pajamas on the couch  Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) August 28, 2014

And at the time, it basically broke the internet and even spawned its very own Twitter account:

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More than 4,000 tweets were posted about Obama's suit during that press conference pic.twitter.com/uyKoUrZlNy  Kia Makarechi (@Kia_Mak) August 28, 2014

Though his suit drew the ire of some politicians, many in the fashion industry praised Obamas bold choice.

I applaud him for wearing a tan suit, Joseph Abboud, fashion designer and chief creative director of Mens Wearhouse, told HuffPost at the time. Abboud previously made suits for the president when he worked at Hart Schaffner Marx. You dont want to look the same every day of your life. Its boring as hell.

Since hes left the White House, Obama has basically morphed into a movie star (and ditched those dad jeans).

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Helllooooo George Clooney! (Photo: Fotogramma / Splash News)

Well keep an eye out for another tan suit appearance.

Related...

Barack Obama Took A Vacation Photo Of Michelle And The Internet Loves It

Barack Obama Is Morphing Into A Movie Star. We've Got Proof.

Michelle And Barack Obama Are Living Their Best Lives As Tourists In Italy

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Dan Tepfer is an acclaimed jazz pianist and composer who has played venues from Tokyo's Sumida Triphony Hall to New York's Village Vanguard. He also has a degree in astrophysics and writes computer programs. Born to a mother who sang in the Paris Opera and a plant-geneticist father who brought a Macintosh Plus home in the 1980s, Tepfer sees the worlds of art and science as entirely complementary. Algorithms and improvisation both drive his work. In his latest project, Acoustic Informatics, Tepfer uses a player piano, the automated instrument that occasionally appears in airports and Wild West saloons. Next month, he will present his first concert in New York City -- where he's lived for more than a decade -- to showcase this project at the Jazz Gallery, a venue known for its experimentation. Essentially, Tepfer has hacked and rewritten the way a piano works. Every time Tepfer hits a note, the Yamaha Disklavier -- his digital player piano -- sends the information via MIDI to his laptop, which instantly shoots back an algorithmic response that causes other keys to play themselves. Using SuperCollider, an open-source programming environment for musicians, Tepfer writes rules that determine how the player piano reacts to his every manual strike of the keyboard. Mostly, these rules create echoes of the melodies Tepfer plays. One algorithm plays the same note but one octave further down the piano; another turns each musical phrase eerie by following it with cascading sets of five notes in a pattern called a minor ninth. When Tepfer strings together a melody, extra keys start to shimmer on their own alongside his fingers. The effect makes it seem as if he has four hands playing simultaneously, all of them in sync. The architecture of the piece was created by algorithms, but the notes themselves are improvised. "I'm writing how the music works rather than writing the actual music," says Tepfer. The sounds his Disklavier creates are deeply organic but would not be possible without technology. As Tepfer plays, SuperCollider sends the data to a programming environment called Processing, which Tepfer uses to write visualizations. Each algorithm has a different graphical style that maps out both Tepfer's notes and the player piano's. "Dan is, perhaps you could say, part of a new breed of improviser-slash-technologist that really has a strong foothold in both camps," says Joseph Branciforte, another jazz musician and programmer who has been friends with Tepfer for two years. "I don't know that there are that many generations of people that would have grown up knowing these types of possibilities from a young age." Born to parents from Oregon but raised in Paris, the bilingual Tepfer is predisposed to think outside basic binaries like American versus French, art versus science, structure versus freedom. "Part of growing up in several cultures at once is that I think I take institutions a little bit less seriously," he says. "You grow up as a very young kid realizing that all these cultural norms are very relative, and that really influences the way you see things." Around age nine, Tepfer began playing with HyperCard, a pre-internet programming tool on early Mac computers. By the time he was in his teens, he was coding in BASIC before teaching himself the programming language C from a book. Tepfer made games of Pong, 3D renders and line art from equations. At the same time, he was studying classical piano at Paris' Conservatoire Paul Dukas music school while learning jazz and writing music. College took him to Edinburgh, Scotland, for a bachelor's degree in astrophysics before a master's in jazz at New England Conservatory, in Boston. Today, in his Brooklyn apartment adjacent to Prospect Park, Tepfer keeps photos of pianists Glenn Gould, Thelonious Monk and Igor Stravinsky on the wall beside his grand piano. Next to those are digitally rendered visualizations of harmonic frequencies. For Tepfer, science and art have always been compatible. "I think you're greatly enriched if you can go between those two viewpoints," he says. "There only is a tension between those two ways of seeing the world if you're approaching music at what I would say is a relatively basic level." His point is that freedom only really exists, and therefore has meaning, within an underlying, objective structure. Unlimited freedom in music would sound like a garble of notes, sheer chaos. After all, music, on one level, is physics -- frequencies relating to each other mathematically to create harmony. Keys and timing create a logical structure in which meaningful sound exists. Classical composers like Bach imposed their own rules, such as playing the same musical phrase over and over but in different timing and different spots across the musical scale -- a touchstone for some of Tepfer's algorithms. In improvisational jazz, the back and forth between sticking to rules and deliberately flouting them is part of the joy. The musical narrative through which a skilled performer guides the audience, through stability and instability, keeps listeners on their toes. In Tepfer's Disklavier project, the algorithms create the structure and stability but are still a creative invention as much as the notes he conjures later have their basis in logic. "You put yourself in a system of constraints and then you see how much fun you can have," he says. "The question I want to be asking myself is, 'Here I am in this cage. How much wiggle room can I find?'" Technology has pushed musical advances in the past half of a decade from the electric guitar in rock to sampling in hip-hop and more or less everything about EDM. Jazz is no exception, even as the mainstream view of the genre is that it emphasizes acoustic instruments, live performance and free-form improvisation. Algorithmic composition traces back to the 1950s and composer Lejaren Hiller, who founded the Experimental Music Studios at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign and collaborated with John Cage. In the 1970s and '80s, trombonist and composer George Lewis pioneered improvisational AI, including his program Voyager, which jams with collaborators as well as on its own. Jazz guitarist Pat Metheny's Orchestrion, from 2010, involves an entire band of self-playing instruments. In contrast, Tepfer is always in control of his music. The Disklavier has no agency of its own, no artificial creativity. Though Tepfer may experiment with neural networks in the future, for now he is more interested in the human inspiration that technology can trigger. The idea is not to use technology as a substitute for his own creativity but as a catalyst. Tepfer wants his algorithms to stimulate new thoughts, shock his system, expand his conception of how the piano can sound. Your browser does not support the audio element One of Tepfer's improvisations He started experimenting with the Disklavier four years ago and now ends up trying to recreate its style in solo concerts with an acoustic piano. "Those sounds are in my ears now, and I find myself actually reaching for those sounds that the computer would be creating," he says. "That's really what I look for in a situation where I'm using new technology. It's in artistic results, a window opening up at the artistic level." When combining music and technology, the essential question Tepfer always asks himself is: Am I enabling music that couldn't have been created any other way? He is conscious that he doesn't want his programs to be a gimmick or to simply automate the same music he could play without a machine. He wants his music to have "integrity." "What is technology on its own, from an artistic perspective? I don't think it's anything," he says. "Technology has to be at the service of this artistic impulse. And artistic impulse -- at the end of the day, you have to spend a lot of time alone figuring out what it is you want to say," he says. Part of his solution is that the more he innovates with new forms, the deeper he digs into musical theory and history. "If you look at a tree, the higher it reaches up, the deeper its roots have to go to support that," Tepfer says. It is the classic artist's tension, provoked by the host of creative technology at his disposal today: To steep himself in the knowledge of his forebears without getting stuck in tradition; to dive into the innovations of his time without privileging style over substance. The tension is one Tepfer may be well positioned to solve as a musician and technologist. Reconciling different worlds seems to be one of his assets.

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"I'm writing how the music works rather than writing the actual music."

Music, on one level, is physics -- frequencies relating to each other mathematically to create harmony.
It's been a rough weekend for the Texans. Following its landfall Friday, Hurricane Harvey swept over parts of southeast Texas causing extensive damage. State officials Monday said at least nine people appear to have died due to the hurricane, according to reports.

Dozens of Houston-area churches, schools, and community centers offered help to the stranded locals; however, Pastor Joel Osteen's Houston-based Lakewood Church received widespread criticism when it announced on Facebook on Sunday that it was "inaccessible due to severe flooding."

Twitter users lashed out at Osteen, who has an estimated net worth of $40 million. He has also been listed as the fifth-richest pastor in the United States. While one user called him a "religious fraud," another user said he preached for money and not for the love of people. A user who also called him a fraud said North Korean missile that flew over Japan on Tuesday, triggering a reaction from Pentagon, should not shift the focus from Osteen.

Sharing a photo of the church with multiple mattresses, a Twitter user made a sarcastic remark saying: "Lakewood Church apparently bought countless air mattresses and are prepping to open their doors. Took a while but good news."

Responding to the backlash, Osteen issued a statement Monday, and stressed the church would continue to be a distribution center for the needy, ABC reported.

Osteen claimed his position at the Lakewood Church in 1991 after his father and former head pastor John Osteen died in 1991. In a 2012 interview with Oprah Winfrey, when he was asked about how he got so much money to lead a luxurious life, he said he did not take salary from the church. He also said he was living his life from the millions of money earned from his first book five years ago.

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But Osteen is not the only rich pastor in the U.S. Here are some of them along with their net worth.

1. Kenneth Copeland, $760 million

Copeland leads the network "Believer's Voice of Victory," which is a 24x7 program on healing and finding peace. The focus of the program is how a solid foundation can be built on faith. Kenneth Copeland Ministries that specializes in teaching principles of bible faith runs on a 1,500-acre campus in Texas, according to Beliefnet, a website that publishes content related to faith and spirituality.

2. Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson, $100 million

Robertson is the son of former Sen. A. Willis Robertson (D-Virginia). Pat served as a Southern Baptist minister for many years before making a successful career as a media mogul and executive chairman. In the late 80s, he also ran for president but did not win. He runs several organizations such as the Christian Coalition, a Christian right organization that raises money and public support for conservative political candidates.

3. Toufik Benedictus "Benny" Hinn, $42 million

Hinn was born in Israel and was raised in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. He claims he received a vision in 1974 when he saw people falling into a roaring inferno and a warning that if he did not preach the Gospel, every soul falling into the inferno will be Hinn's responsibility. Days after he turned 22, he preached his first sermon and has been an evangelist since. The pastor has worked in the field for 40 years through miracle services, conferences, TV broadcasts, the Internet, audio-video recordings, among others.

4. Creflo Dollar, $27 Million

The founder of the non-denominational World Changers Church International, Georgia, Atlanta. Dollar was raised in a Baptist church and received a Bachelor of Science degree in education after which he held his first sermon in an elementary school cafeteria, 1986. Within 20 years, he was preaching to a congregation of 30,000 members and earning $69 million in revenue.

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Cox's Bazar (Bangladesh) (AFP) - Heavily pregnant and confined to a squalid Bangladeshi refugee camp, Ayesha Begum does not regret that her husband will miss the imminent birth of their sixth child as he fights alongside Rohingya militants in Myanmar.

Begum, 25, joined the exodus of Rohingya fleeing troubled Rakhine State in recent days as fresh violence erupted between Myanmar's security forces and militants fighting for the stateless Muslim minority.

But like many, her husband stayed behind in Myanmar to join the growing ranks of Rohingya men answering the call to arms against security forces, say relatives and community leaders.

"He took us to the river and sent us across," Begum told AFP in Kutupalong camp, describing crossing the Naf River by boat with her children into Bangladesh.

"He bid us farewell, saying if I live he'd see us soon in a free Arakan (Rakhine state) or else we'll meet in heaven," she added, breaking down in tears.

The Rohingya largely eschewed violence despite years of suffocating restrictions and persecution.

That dramatically changed last October when a nascent Rohingya militant group launched surprise attacks on border posts.

Myanmar's military reacted with a violent "clearance operation" to sweep out the militants. The UN says that crackdown could have amounted to ethnic cleansing.

Despite the sweeps, violence continued as remote villages were hit by near-daily killings of perceived state collaborators attributed to operatives of the Arakan Rohingya Solidarity Army (ARSA).

The militants struck again on a large scale on Friday, with scores attacking around 30 police posts in pre-dawn raids, killing at least a dozen security force members using knives, homemade explosives and some guns.

This time the security response has seen more than 100 people, including some 80 militants, confirmed killed and prodded thousands of Rohingya civilians to dash for Bangladesh.

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But the country, which already hosts tens of thousands of refugees from the Muslim minority in the Cox's Bazar area, has refused entry to any more.

Those unable to sneak in are stranded along the "zero line" border zone, where Bangladeshi officials have noticed a conspicuous absence of men among the civilians crowding the checkposts.

"We asked them what happened to their men. They said they all stayed back to fight," a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) commander told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

- 'Fight or die' -

At the border Rohingya elder Shah Alam, a community leader from Rakhine state, said 30 young men from three villages in his district joined ARSA "for our freedom".

"Do they have any other choice? They chose to fight and die rather than be slaughtered like sheep," he told AFP.

The previously unknown militant group has claimed responsibility for the attacks in October and more recent strikes against Myanmar's security forces, urging fellow Rohingya to join the fight.

Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi has accused the group of atrocities including using child soldiers, allegations the militants deny.

The government department directly run by Suu Kyi -- the State Counsellor's Office -- has classified the ARSA as "terrorists" and released a flurry of statements and grim pictures of civilians allegedly shot dead by militants.

But ARSA's rallying cry is being answered in Rohingya camps across Bangladesh, despite some doubts over whether their rag-tag units -- seemingly mainly armed with knives and homemade weapons -- can defeat Myanmar troops.

But one young rebel told AFP his Rohingya comrades were determined to fight on, despite the odds.

"There are hundreds of us hiding in the hills. We took an oath to save Arakan, even if it is with sticks and small knives," said the rebel, who declined to give his name, near the border in Bangladesh.

Many of those Rohingya displaced by the violence say they barely escaped with their lives.

They describe Buddhist mobs and security forces shooting unarmed civilians and burning down homes, an abuse repeatedly documented in Rakhine since the upswing in conflict.

For many, it was the final straw.

"Young people are fed up," said one prominent Rohingya activist in Bangladesh who asked to remain anonymous.

"They grew up witnessing humiliation and persecution, so the current consensus among the Rohingya community is unless you fight, they're not going to give us any of our rights."

Outside a camp in Cox's Bazar two young Rohingya men were anxious to join the fight, describing it as "farj" -- a religious duty -- to join the "freedom fighters" in Rakhine.

"We don't have any options. Our backs are on the wall. Even the teenagers in our villagers have joined the fight," one of the men told AFP, vowing "to cross the border on the first chance".

Just one of Hafeza Khatun's three sons crossed with her into Bangladesh last month, the older two staying back to fight.

But her youngest joined them a week later at his mother's blessing, returning to battle Myanmar's security forces "who would kill us anyway" without resistance, she said.

"They are fighting for our rights. I sent my sons to fight for independence. I sacrificed them for Arakan," she told AFP.
Moscow (AFP) - Russia on Tuesday dismissed Western concerns over its military exercises with Belarus next month, calling them "purely defensive" and not directed against any specific enemy.

"The Zapad-2017 exercises have an anti-terrorism focus as well as a purely defensive character," Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said at a press briefing.

He slammed international media for "disseminating myths about the so-called 'Russian threat'" in coverage of the drills set to be held along NATO's eastern flank from 14 to 20 September.

"Some even say that the Zapad 2017 exercises are a launching point for 'invasion or 'occupation' of Lithuania, Poland, or Ukraine," Fomin added.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in July said that he had "every reason to believe" the drills will have "substantially more troops participating than the officially reported numbers."

On Friday, Stoltenberg urged the Kremlin to ensure transparency and predictability during the exercises, warning that NATO "would be watching very closely."

The exercises in western Russia, Belarus and the western Russian exclave of Kaliningrad have deeply worried neighbouring NATO allies, with Lithuania claiming that as many as 100,000 troops could attend.

Fomin said that "about 12,700" troops will be participating in the exercises, including 7,200 from Belarus and 5,500 from Russia. About 3,000 will be in Belarus during the exercises, he said.

"Despite the fact that the main part (of the drills) are to be held on Belarusian territory, the scenario assumes an artificial enemy, which has nothing to do with any specific region," he added.

Belarus' military chief of staff Oleg Belokonev indicated, however, that the exercises' scenario does involve an assumed threat from neighbours to the west.

"The scenario says that there is a coalition of interested states in the west -- Weisbaria, Weistoria and Lubinia -- on the scenario map they are located where Poland, Lithuania and Latvia are," he said at a briefing on Tuesday.

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Belokonev added that Minsk fears the West seeks "to destabilise the situation in the country" and that "this scenario is how all recent armed conflicts have started."

He also gave a higher figure for the number of troops participating, saying it will be "13,800 servicemen."

In the two-stage event, the armed forces of Russia and Belarus will first "isolate areas where illegal armed groups and the enemy's sabotage-reconnaissance groups are active," Fomin said.

In the second stage they will practise "military action while repelling aggression against the union state (Russia and Belarus)."

The war games' scenario is that "extremist groups" have infiltrated Russia and Belarus and are planning "acts of terrorism" while receiving "outside support" from the air and sea, Fomin said.

"We believe that the situation in the drills' scenario could come up in any part of the world," Fomin said.
Washington (AFP) - The former Arizona sheriff who was controversially pardoned by US President Donald Trump after illegally profiling Hispanic immigrants reportedly expressed interest Monday in running for Senate.

According to the Washington Examiner, Joe Arpaio, the longtime sheriff of Maricopa County until his defeat by a Democrat last year, said he could challenge Republican Senator Jeff Flake for his seat in 2018.

"I could run for mayor, I could run for legislator, I could run for Senate," the 85-year-old told the conservative-leaning news outlet.

Arpaio said he was "getting a lot of people around the state asking me" to challenge Flake, who has been a critic of Trump.

Arpaio was convicted of criminal contempt last month for illegally profiling Hispanic immigrants.

In pardoning Arpaio, who ignored a 2011 federal court order that he stop detaining illegal migrants, Trump insisted the former sheriff "kept Arizona safe."

But critics were appalled by the move, warning it would only serve to divide a country still reeling from Trump's controversial remarks on racial unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia earlier this month.

Arpaio, who reveled in his reputation as "America's toughest sheriff," had been due to be sentenced in October. Now a political future may lay ahead.

"All I'm saying is the door is open and we'll see what happens," he told the Examiner. "I've got support. I know what support I have."

Flake wrote a candid book this year in which he bluntly warned that Trump is betraying conservative principles, and showing "affection for authoritarians and strongmen."

Flake, who has been on the receiving end of Trump's wrath in tweets and speeches, is already facing a Republican nomination challenge from another conservative Arizonan.
Warning: This article contains photos of nude and partially nude sculptures. If thats a deal breaker, look away now.

Shona McAndrew, "Norah," 2017, paper mache, wood, aluminum wire, acrylic, fabric, 42 inches by 43 inches by 40 inches.

For the past couple of months, a woman named Norah has been touching herself in plain view at theMuseum of Sex in New York City.

Norah  wearing low slung underwear and an I Love NY T-shirt  is actually a large-scale, paper-mache sculpture that currently sits at the center of the ongoing exhibition NSFW: Female Gaze. Splayed atop a floral-patterned arm chair, Norah delicately tugs at her pubic hair, her face frozen in an expression that reads as lost in fantasy or boredom.

The sculpture is the work of 26-year-old multimedia artistShona McAndrew, who considers Norah to be not only a sculpture but a friend. They feel quite human, she told HuffPost of her various sculptures. They really have a human presence.

According to her own internalized narrative, McAndrew has been an outsider since birth. My dad jokes he knew I was his baby when he saw me at the hospital and was twice the size of the other babies, she said. Born and raised in Paris, France, McAndrews mother is Scottish and her father is Russian-American  so they spoke English at home. Being the only American kid in a French school made her feel a bit other from a young age. Additionally, McAndrew was bigger than most of her classmates. I was a chubby kid, and it didnt help living in France where everyone is a tiny little shrimp, she explained.

But this deep-rooted feeling of otherness has since transformed into something more fruitful, McAndrew says. I was an outsider, but I didnt mind it so much, she admitted. That helped me become an observer.

Shona McAndrew, "Charlotte," paper mache, acrylic, wood, fabric, 73 inches by 38 inches by 33 inches.

McAndrew has long loved to people-watch, and women are her favorite to survey and inspect. In part her fascination with femininity stemmed from what she perceived as an inability to perform it herself. There are so many definitions of womanhood and I felt like I wasnt fulfilling any of them, she recalled. I would observe what amazing creatures women are, while not associating as one.

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Eventually, observation gave way to documentation by way of drawing. Born to a Protestant mother and Jewish father, McAndrew didnt celebrate religious holidays growing up. Instead, art was the familys go-to tradition. Attending weekly classes and visiting museums were mainstays of McAndrews upbringing. I was not a very confident child, the artist recalled. Drawing was the thing I did well. It also gave me the right to look at people. It made me focus what it meant for me to be an observer. Specifically, McAndrew emphasized, drawing gave her the right to observe women. Women scared me more than anything because I didnt understand them, she said. I felt like someone drawing animals in the wild.

McAndrew first exhibited her work at the tender age of 8 years old in a little-known museum called The Louvre. Her work  a portrait of scuba divers was featured in a survey of childrens work from her school. It activated the environment like you cant imagine! she joked. Despite the early exposure, McAndrews self-esteem worsened in high school. She suffered from body dysmorphia as she viewed her own body only in comparison to her petite French classmates. At that time, she was also diagnosed with the hormonal disorder polycystic ovarian syndrome, a symptom of which is weight gain.

In high school, one of the cool boys in the class took me aside and told me all the guys had discussed it and decided, if I lost weight, Id be one of the prettiest girls in school, McAndrew recalled. Ive always felt that until I lost weight I wasnt a candidate for womanhood. I used to hope people would watch me go into the restroom so they would know for certain that I was a woman.

Shona McAndrew, "Josephine," 2017, paper mache, acrylic, fabric, wire, 18 inches by 5 inches by 7.5 inches.

McAndrew studied psychology as an undergraduate student, but she kept making art throughout. Primarily, she painted women in watercolor. In the process of applying to graduate psychology programs, McAndrew decided on a whim to take a year off and focus on her art. The choice led her to apply to the masters program at the Rhode Island School of Design. She got in.

Over time, McAndrews work began to shift. Instead of paintings, she started making massive, physically demanding sculptures out of paper-mache. And instead of idealizing the bodies of other women, she began taking inspiration from her own.

The artist begins her sculptural process by taking photos of her own body in various positions, which often place physicality and sexuality front and center. She combines these aspects of her body to conjure imaginary women who come to life in her paper-mache. In one sculpture, a reclining, naked woman named Alice gazes at her labias reflection in a Hello Kitty mirror. In another, Sofia waxes her legs in a watermelon-covered bathing suit.

I try to make plus-size women not be before pictures, McAndrew explained.

Shona McAndrew, "Alice," 2017. Acrylic, paper mache, aluminum wire, fabric, wood, 6.5 inches by 17.5 inches by 8 inches.

For most people, photographing themselves naked, and turning the result into a three-dimensional sculpture, would be anxiety-inducing enough. For someone with body dysmorphia, the task is even more daunting. For McAndrew, the very accomplishment of making the works outshines their positive reception.

Yet another challenge McAndrew faces in bringing her friends to life is the grueling physicality involved in creating large-scale sculptures. A lot of people are confused when they find out Im the one making these pieces, she said. I think that has a lot to with with stereotypes about plus-size women and what were capable of. Here I am, making these physically demanding sculptures that make me fight so much for them to be in this medium.

Over the past couple of years, McAndrew has felt less detached from the idea of womanhood, in part because shes been able to loosen her understanding of what femininity looks like or should be. I would see other plus-size women and think they were beautiful but I couldnt see it in myself, she recalled. If you dont love yourself, how can you expect anyone else to love you? Its so annoyingly true.

Currently, McAndrew is at work on a sculpture series that features her and her boyfriend together. In one work, the couple will appear in bed, naked, gazing at a laptop screen. McAndrew will be holding her partners flaccid penis in her hand. This marks the artists first time explicitly sculpting her own body. I havet faced what our bodies look like next to one another, McAndrew said, describing her boyfriend is a typically handsome, surfer type.

We have very different bodies, she added. I think posing them one next to the other will be very confrontational for me. Im more nervous for how I will deal with it than how others will.

A post shared by Shona McAndrew (@shona_mcandrew)on Aug 16, 2017 at 1:52pm PDT

NSFW: Female Gaze is on view now at the Museum of Sex. McAndrews first solo show, at Pilot Projects in Philadelphia, will open in March.

Related...

Frances Cannon And The Push For Body Positivity In Art

Photographer Marie Tomanova Is Not Interested In Being Told How To Be Seen

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
With Adam Rawnsley

Fire and fury. North Korea continued its months-long barrage of missile tests on Tuesday when it launched a ballistic missile directly over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, causing Tokyo to warn residents in its path to take cover. Luckily, the missile splashed down harmlessly in the sea, after a flight of nearly 1,700 miles.

South Korea goes big. In response, South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered the military to display its capabilities that can overwhelm North Korea, according to Yonhap, the government-affiliated news organization. The show of overwhelming force involved the dropping of eight Mark 84 or MK84 multipurpose bombs by four F15K fighter jets at a shooting range near the inter-Korean border in Taebaek.

Japan reacts. Hours after the North Korean launch, Japanese officials took reporters on a tour of some of Japans Patriot missile batteries. Tokyo is practicing deploying the system quickly to various U.S. bases in preparation for more serious challenges from Pyongyang in the future.

For an idea of how remarkable the flight was, consider that this was only the third North Korean missile flight over Japan in the past two decades the NYT reports. The Tokyo government spoke of the missile in unusually dire terms. North Koreas reckless action of launching a missile that passed over Japan is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat, said Japans prime minister, Shinzo Abe.

Whats flying. The test appears to have been a new intermediate-range Hwasong-12 missile, which flew as U.S. and South Korean forces conduct annual military drills on the peninsula which the North considers a threat. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has ordered the launch of 18 missiles this year alone, compared with the 16 missiles his father, Kim Jong Il, fired during 17 years in power.

Announce a plan, then write it. It has been over a week since president Donald Trump told the nation that he has a new strategy for victory in Afghanistan. And now the Pentagon is scrambling to come up with one.

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Asked Monday when details of the new plan will be revealed, Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning told reporters were not there yet, and that Defense Secretary James Mattis had directed Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford to put together a plan to achieve the strategic goals of the presidents strategy.

Got that? Once Dunford makes those recommendations, Mattis will determine how to move forward and how many additional troops we will need to send, Manning added. It has been widely reported that somewhere around 4,000 more troops will eventually be sent to Afghanistan to train and advise the Afghan armed forces, and some will take a more active role in trying to roll back the gains the Taliban and the 20-odd other terrorist groups operating in the country have made.

Tillerson ditching special envoys. Amid cuts at all levels of the State Department, with top officials resigning in droves and morale dropping through the floor, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is moving to eliminate special envoy positions at State, a move that is sure to raise new complaints over his management style.

In a letter to Sen Bob Corker obtained by CNN, Tillerson said he would end or transfer as many as three dozen special envoy positions. I believe that the Department will be able to better execute its mission by integrating certain envoys and special representative offices within the regional and functional bureaus, Tillerson wrote Corker, and eliminating those that have accomplished or outlived their original purpose. Special envoys for Syria, Sudan and South Sudan, and the Arctic will be eliminated.

Kurds pushing for independence, more U.S. weaponry. A U.S. Defense Department fund that has helped pay the salaries of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters in northern Iraq is due to run dry in September, worsening a financial crunch as the government in Erbil struggles with billions of dollars in debt, FPs Paul McLeary reports:

The government in Erbil is also waiting to hear about the status of a nearly $300 million aid package the Pentagon pledged in April, which would provide equipment for two full Peshmerga infantry brigades and two artillery battalionsBut approval in Washington might only be the first hurdle. Kurdish officials have long complained that Baghdad has slow rolled weapons shipments and military support from western countries in an effort, they maintain, to ensure the Peshmerga doesnt emerge as a major rival to the Iraqi security forces.

Shut out. Former U.S.ambassador to the U.N., John Bolton  a major hawk when it comes to dealing with Iran  has been shut out of the White House under the new leadership of chief of staff John Kelly. FPs Dan De Luce writes that several sources confirm Boltons regular meetings with Trump are a thing of the past, and he has been unable to deliver a plan he devised to get Washington out of the deal it signed with Tehran to halt that countrys nuclear program.

Welcome to SitRep. As always, please send any tips, thoughts or national security events to paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or via Twitter: @paulmcleary.

Not so silent partner. President Trumps former business partner Felix Sater wrote an email in 2015 pledging that investing in a real estate deal in Moscow would help elect Trump. 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 lawyer Michael Cohen, promising to get funding for a Moscow Trump Tower from a Russian bank sanctioned by the United States. Sater, however, never delivered the funding and appears to have exaggerated his connections in Russian politics.

Kim Jong Trois. South Korean intelligence sources say North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has engaged in another act of proliferation, siring a third child some time in February with wife Ri Sol-ju. Its unclear what the babys name or gender is but dont hold your breath for an invitation to a gender reveal party.

Kiss and make up. Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar says the terrorist group has restored its relationship with Iran after breaking with Tehran over its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the outset of the Syrian Civil War. Sinwar says Iran is now Hamass largest backer financially and militarily.

Resolution. After a tense standoff over the disputed border between China and Bhutan, India and China are pulling their troops back for a cool-off period following negotiations. The agreement doesnt appear to have solved the long-term issue of China, India, and Bhutans delineation of their borders and China says its forces will continue to carry out patrols along the border.

Finland. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto was in town on Monday for a visit with President Trump, raising the issue of Russia and its tense relations with neighbors in the region. Speaking about the Baltics, where Russian military aircraft have come uncomfortably close to neighboring countries ships and planes, Trump said We are very, very protective. We have great friends there, great relationships there.

Manufacturing jobs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of building a missile factory in Syria shortly before his meeting with U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Netanyahu didnt indicate the location of the facility or the kinds of missiles it produces but the allegation follows satellite imagery released by an Israeli satellite firm alleging that a facility in Wadi Jahannam is a missile factory modeled after a similar facility in Iran.

Raqqa timetable. One of the leaders of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces says clearing the Islamic States capital of Raqqa could take another two months. Nowruz Ahmed said she estimates that there are 700-1,000 Islamic State fighters left inside the city amidst as many as 10,000 civilians.

Tal Afar. The fight to liberate Tal Afar and its surrounding areas isnt quite finished. Reuters reports that Iraqi forces chased a remnant of Islamic State fighters to the nearby village of al-Ayadiya, which has been putting up fierce resistance as the fighters try to flee into Syria.

Yemen. Saudi Arabia blamed a technical mistake for an airstrike which killed 14 civilians in the neighborhood of Fag Attan.

The fallen. The Navy has recovered the remains of all 10 sailors missing in the collision aboard the USS John S. McCain.

Sudan. In Sudan, the end of American sanctions could be in sight as the Trump administration reviews longstanding U.S. sanctions policy. The review is due out in October, but in the meantime Sudan is getting some warm feelers from the administration, including the visit of U.S. Agency for International Development chief Mark Green.

Waves. By now youve probably heard about the mysterious sonic weapon that injured a number of American and Canadian diplomats but its not the first time State Department employees have been targeted with an invisible weapon. The folks at Diplopundit helpfully dug through oral history interviews with former American diplomats in Moscow to recount a similar incident in the 1970s when the Soviets began bombarding the U.S. embassy in Moscow with microwaves.
The South Korean air force conducted live-fire drills Tuesday, hours after North Korea flew a ballistic missile over Japan.

Four F-15 fighter jets practiced a drill against the North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, dropping eight MK-84 bombs against a simulated target at the Pilsung training range.

The test was meant as a warning signal in response to North Koreas latest provocation.

"If North Korea threatens the security of the South Korean people and the South Korea-U.S. alliance with their nuclear weapons and missiles, our air forces will exterminate the leadership of North Korea with our strong strike capabilities," South Korean Colonel Lee Kuk-No said in a video released by the countrys military, quoted in Reuters.

South Korea f-15

South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images

According to the South Korean military, North Korea launched a rocket, likely an intermediate-range ballistic missile Hwasong-12, from a site near the capital Pyongyang, just before 6 a.m. local time (4 p.m. ET).

The missile flew for an estimated 2,700 km (1,680 miles), reaching an altitude of about 550 km (340 miles), for 14 minutes. It passed over the Japanese island of Hokkaido before breaking up in three pieces and landing in the Pacific.

The missile test came a few days after Pyongyang launched three short-range ballistic missiles, two of which failed in flight and a third that appeared to have blown up almost immediately, according to the U.S. Pacific Command.

The recent missile tests interrupt a month-long lull that was recently described by U.S. President Donald Trump as a sign that Kim Jong Un had begun to respect the American leadership after appearing to step back from threats to hit the U.S. territory of Guam with four Hwasong-12 rockets.

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The state-controlled North Korean press had however continued to make threats against the U.S. and South Korea, as the two began their annual military drills, which Pyongyang opposes, as they deal with several scenarios, including the removal of North Korean leadership. The drills, which began August 21, are scheduled to end Thursday.

GettyImages-824099340

KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images

Japan also conducted military drills Tuesday to test the anti-ballistic missile system PAC-3. Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the attack as an unprecedented threat to stability in the region. A missile launch across Japan is an outrageous act that poses an unprecedented, grave and serious threat, and significantly undermines the peace and security of the region, he said in a statement.

He called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, which will convene in New York later Tuesday, and spoke to Trump. The American president has yet to make a public statement on the matter, but told Abe the U.S. stood 100 percent behind Japan, local media reported, citing a government official.

American, South Korean and Japanese top diplomats on North Korea policy also agreed to take "stern measures" against Pyongyang at the meeting.

"The top representatives shared their recognition that the latest North Korean ballistic missile launch which passed through Japan's airspace is a serious act of escalating tension," the South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement quoted in the Yonhap news agency.

"They agreed to take stern measures through close cooperation among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, including a powerful response at the United Nations Security Council level," it added.

Related Articles
South Korea holds a military exercise just hours after North Korea launched a ballistic missile over northern Japan - Getty Images AsiaPac

South Korea responded to North Korea's missile launch over Japan today with an aggressive show of force, conducting a live-fire drill on a shooting range close to its border with the North, and threatening the leaders of the hermit state with "extermination".

Four F-15 fighter jets dropped eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field in Gangwon-do, near the northeast coast of South Korea, Seouls presidential spokesman Park Su-hyun said. Each bomb weighs 2,000 lb and can penetrate 11 metres of earth and 11 feet of concrete.

South Koreas defence ministry released footage of the drill along with a video of its own ballistic missile tests conducted last week.

Map: North Korean missile test over japan

If North Korea threatens the security of the South Korean people and the South Korea-US alliance with their nuclear weapons and missiles, our air forces will exterminate the leadership of North Korea with our strong strike capabilities, South Korean Colonel Lee Kuk-no warned in the video.

The images showed a powerful bomb striking a mock target, sending earth flying into the air, at the Pilseung Firing Range on Tuesday morning, just a few hours after Pyongyang fired a ballistic missile across Japanese airspace into the Pacific Ocean. Japan's warning system kicked in, advising citizens on its northern Hokkaido island to take precautions.

According to South Korea's Yonhap news, the bombing was intended to show off the countrys "overwhelming force", sending a message to dictator Kim Jong-un that Seoul was ready to defend itself.

The bombing was ordered personally by President Moon Jae-in, who has previously pressed for peace talks with Pyongyang.

A statement from Seoul earlier today stressed that South Korea was "fully ready for any threat from the North and will make unwavering efforts to protect the lives of our people and the security of our nation."

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South Korea is nearing the end of a ten day long joint military exercise with the US, that Pyongyang has strongly condemned and cited as a reason for its own missile tests.

North Koreas ambassador to the United Nations, Han Tae Song, blamed the US for "driving the peninsula towards an extreme level of explosion."

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting in Geneva, he said: "My country has every reason to respond with tough counter-measures as an exercise of its right to self defence."
Sheriffs Deputy Rick Johnson was helping Texans in need of rescue from heavy flooding Sunday when a colleague snapped a photo of him carrying a small child in each of his arms. The image, taken as Tropical Storm Harvey slammed into the Houston area, has since gone viral on social media.

HCSO deputies are out in the Blackhorse subdivision still working high water rescues. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/gBFwSaoPjo  HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) August 27, 2017

Johnson and his colleagues were going door-to-door in Cypress, Texas, checking to see if anyone in the area needed help, he told TIME. At one of the first homes he checked on, Johnson found a family with two small kids, a baby, and a dog, he said. He told the kids parents to take care of the important stuff, like grabbing IDs and money, and that he would help get the two kids to safety.

I grabbed the kids, and in order to keep the kids focused on happy thoughts given the seriousness of what was going on around us, I told them a couple of light jokes. We joked about swimming, and the water being cold, Johnson, who colleagues call Deputy J, tells TIME.

It was then that he said a fast acting colleague snapped the picture, which captures the spirit of those working to help fellow citizens amid the devastation wrought by Harvey.

Johnson got the kids onto a rescue vehicle, which he said was carrying about 15 to 20 people and two dogs by the time it reached a shelter. Then he helped load up their parents and dog as well.

Speaking from a Houston-area firehouse where he and others were taking a break from working long shifts during the storm, Johnson said he didnt immediately realize the photo had been taken, let alone gone viral. He has since been hailed as one of the many heroes of Harvey by those sharing the image on social media.

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Johnson, a veteran whos been with the Harris County Sheriffs Office since 2011, said his desire to give back to his community led to a career in law enforcement after serving in Iraq and Kuwait. Ive always liked helping people out, he said.

The father of four added that he was caught off guard by the devastating storm. A planned trip to take his 20-year-old stepdaughter to school in Corpus Christi, Texas had to be cancelled after the storm hit and the city was evacuated.

Johnson said this weeks storm and flooding mark his third time dealing with such an event in the area. While he said what hes seen so far isnt the worst hes seen, with up to 50 inches of rain expected to fall on the area by Friday, he expects that things could get worse.

The way this is going, if the rain dont let up, it really could be a historic event, Johnson said.
A professor at the University of Tampa has apologised for posting a tweet suggesting Texas victims of Hurricane Harvey deserved the storm because the state supported Donald Trump in the presidential election.

Ken Storey, a professor of sociology, wrote on Twitter: I dont believe in instant karma but this kinda feels like it for Texas. Hopefully this will help them realise the GOP doesnt care about them.

The tweet was later removed, according to Campus Reform.

Mr Storey issued an apology on Monday afternoon, tweeting he "never meant to wish ill will upon any group".

I deeply regret a statement I posted yesterday. I never meant to wish ill will upon any group. I hope all affected by Harvey recover quickly  Ken Storey (@klstorey) August 28, 2017

Eric Cardenas, director of public information at the University of Tampa, issued a statement to Fox News about the incident.

The University of Tampa stands in solidarity with the people impacted by Hurricane Harvey, and our thoughts and prayers are with all involved.

The comments made by Kenneth Storey were made via his private social media account. They were not made within his capacity as a faculty member, and they dont represent the Universitys views.

The University of Tampa condemns these comments and the sentiment behind them. Storey has publicly apologised for his comments.

At least nine people are reported to have died as a result of Hurricane Harvey, the worst storm to strike the US in 12 years.

More than 3,000 people have been rescued in Houston and the surrounding area since the storm hit, with thousands still waiting to be picked up.

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.
By Ernest Scheyder and Peter Henderson HOUSTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump visited Texas on Tuesday to survey damage from the first major natural disaster to test his leadership in a crisis, as record rainfall from Tropical Storm Harvey lashed Houston and tens of thousands of people fled flooded homes. The slow-moving storm has brought catastrophic flooding to the state, killing at least 11 people and paralyzing Houston, the fourth most-populous American city. Damage was expected to run well into the tens of billions of dollars, making it one of the costliest U.S. natural disasters. City officials were preparing to shelter some 19,000 people, with thousands more expected to flee the area as the flooding entered its fourth day. Nearly a third of Harris County was under water, an area 15 times the size of Manhattan, the Houston Chronicle newspaper reported. Forecasters warned the rain would continue through Thursday, badly straining the dams and drainage systems that protect the low-lying U.S. energy hub. Harris County officials warned residents to evacuate as they released water from overflowing reservoirs to alleviate pressure on two dams, a move that would add to flooding along the Buffalo Bayou waterway that runs through the area. Trump, speaking in Corpus Christi near where Harvey first came ashore last week as the most powerful hurricane to strike Texas in more than 50 years, said he wanted the relief effort to stand as an example of how to respond to a storm. "We want to do it better than ever before," he said. Trump later spoke to a crowd of people affected by the storm. "This storm, it's epic what happened. But you know what, it happened in Texas and Texas can handle anything," Trump said, before waving a Texas state flag over the crowd, standing on a stepladder near a fire truck. MEMORIES OF KATRINA Harvey has drawn comparisons with Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans 12 years ago, killing 1,800 people. Former President George W. Bush was widely criticized for his administration's handling of the response to that disaster, taking a heavy toll on public support of his administration. Trump clearly was aiming to avoid a similar reaction. An 11th death was reported on Tuesday - Houston Police Sergeant Steve Perez, 60, a 34-year veteran of the force who apparently drowned while attempting to drive to work on Sunday, Police Chief Art Acevedo told reporters. Acevedo said in an emotional press conference that Perez' family had urged him not to leave the house because of the dangerous flooding but the officer told them, "We have work to do." Some 3,500 people have been rescued from high waters in the Houston area with police, firefighters and National Guard troops continuing to try to locate those marooned in high waters. Large numbers of civilians also formed ad hoc rescue groups, many using boats to pluck neighbors from flooded homes. Gloria Stilwell, 44, who described herself as a stay-at-home mom, said she agreed with Trump's assessment that Houstonians were well equipped to handle the storm. "I totally agree with him. Texas can definitely handle it," Stilwell said as she registered to volunteer at a shelter. "I've lived here since 1980, through plenty of hurricanes. Texans have always banded together." Nurse Lisa Ike, 39, was less impressed. 'I JUST LOST MY HOUSE' "Texas can handle anything? I just lost my house and three cars. We need help," Ike said, adding that she had not voted in the presidential election and had not yet made up her mind about Trump. "My opinion will be made by how he handles this situation," she said The National Hurricane Center on Monday afternoon said a preliminary report from Texas shows a record 51.88 inches (131.78 cm) of rain has fallen due to Harvey, a record for any storm in the continental United States. The gauge was in Highlands, Texas, east of Houston. This breaks the previous record of 48 inches set during tropical storm Amelia in 1978 in Medina, Texas, the NHC said. Medina is west of San Antonio. Harvey has roiled energy markets and wrought damage estimated to be in the billions of dollars, with rebuilding likely to last beyond Trump's four-year term in office. After Corpus Christi, Trump was headed to the state capital Austin to meet with officials. Houston was not on his itinerary because much of it is impassable. About 9,000 evacuees were staying at Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said his office had asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assets to allow the city to shelter another 10,000 people. Other shelters were set up in Dallas, about 250 miles (402 km) to the north, for about 8,000 people, and Austin, 160 miles (258 km) west, to take in 7,000 people. The Red Cross said it had 34,000 cots in the region and enough food for that many people. Harvey was also drenching Louisiana 12 years after Hurricane Katrina hit the state and killed 1,800 people. The slow-moving storm's center was in the Gulf of Mexico about 70 miles (150 km) southeast of downtown Houston by Monday evening. It was expected to linger just off the coast of Texas through most of Tuesday before moving inland again late Tuesday or early Wednesday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Harvey was expected to produce another 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) of rain through Thursday over parts of the upper Texas coast into southwestern Louisiana. The Gulf of Mexico is home to half of U.S. refining capacity. The reduction in supply led gasoline futures to hit their highest level in two years this week as Harvey knocked out about 16 percent of total U.S. refining capacity, based on company reports and Reuters estimates. (Additional reporting by Gary McWilliams, Ernest Scheyder and Erwin Seba in Houston; Andy Sullivan in Rockport, Texas; Jon Herskovitz in Austin; Steve Holland in Corpus Christi, Texas; Bernie Woodall in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and David Gaffen in New York; Writing by Scott Malone and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Bill Trott and Lisa Shumaker)
- 57 Human rights groups demand for Yemen Abuse Probe.





- Victims cannot afford to wait any longer.

57 Human rights groups have launched an appeal to the United Nations demanding that they set up an international body to probe the ongoing war in Yemen and the high level of abuses that have occured in recent times.





In a statement signed by the 57 groups, the 57 signatories called for the creation of an independent body to look into violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian laws.





"Serious violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of international human rights law by parties to the conflict have continued to be committed with impunity," said Human Rights Watch, one of the signatories.





"The victims of abuses in Yemen cannot afford to wait longer for credible investigations into ongoing grave violations and abuses to be undertaken," said the letter.




Thousands of Rohingya Muslims have struck out from their homes for the Bangladesh border in an attempt to escape the worsening crisis in Myanmars troubled Rakhine state.

The exodus follows two days of fighting in Rakhine, which broke out after Rohingya militants attacked 30 police stations there on Friday. At least 100 people  mostly insurgents  were killed in ensuing clashes that carried over into Saturday, the BBC reports.

Majority-Buddhist Rakhine State is home to an estimated 1.1 million Rohingya  an effectively stateless Muslim minority that has suffered decades of persecution from the Burmese. In October last year, an attack on police outposts by suspected Rohingya militants prompted Myanmars military to launch counter terrorism operations in the state. Accusations of ethnic persecution, killings, rape, and torture soon followed.

Read more: As Myanmars Rohingya Crisis Deepens, Heres How Aung San Suu Kyi Can Save Her Credibility

Earlier this month Myanmars Military  which the U.N. is currently investigating for human rights abuses  dispatched hundreds more troops to Rakhine to bolster counterinsurgency efforts there.

Agence France-Presse reports that since Friday an estimated 3,000 Rohingya have been able to enter Bangladesh and find refuge in camps and villages.

Meanwhile, the Myanmar military has evacuated around 4,000 non-Muslims to protect them from the fighting.
At least 6,000 Rohingya civilians fleeing renewed violence in Myanmar are stranded near the border with Bangladesh which is blocking their entry, a senior Bangladeshi official said Tuesday, as the United Nations urged Dhaka to let them in.

Bangladesh has barred thousands of members of the stateless Muslim minority from entering the country since Friday, when fresh fighting broke out between Myanmar's security forces and Rohingya militants in neighbouring Rakhine state leaving at least 110 people dead.

The UN refugee agency has said some 5,200 people have managed to cross into Bangladesh in the past three days.

But the majority have been stopped at the border despite heavy fighting in nearby villages, even coming under fire on Saturday as they huddled along the "zero line" which marks the northernmost part of the border.

"Around 6,000 Myanmar nationals have gathered on the border and are trying to enter Bangladesh," a senior Border Guard Bangladesh official told AFP, referring to the Rohingya.

The official said the situation across the border, which is demarcated in parts by narrow stretches of the Naf River, was "still volatile".

"Last night we heard heavy gunfire by automatic weapons in phases and saw smoke billowing from burnt villages across the border," he said.

Another border guard official estimated the number of Rohingya in limbo could exceed 10,000, as many were believed to be hiding in hills and forests to escape nearby violence.

But border guards have been ordered not to let them cross.

"How can I deny shelter to (a) newborn who is dying from cold?" said the border guard, who asked to remain anonymous.

With around 400,000 Rohingya already living in squalid camps in Bangladesh, the government has instructed its border guards to prevent another influx at all costs.

- 'Very grave risk' -

The UN rights chief said decades of "systematic" abuses against the Rohingya, who are reviled in Myanmar with most refused citizenship, were largely to blame for the spiralling violence and insisted authorities could have prevented the bloodshed.

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Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement the "deplorable" violence "was predicted and could have been prevented".

"Decades of persistent and systematic human rights violations... have almost certainly contributed to the nurturing of violent extremism, with everyone ultimately losing," Zeid said.

In a separate statement the UN's refugee agency said barring entry to the fleeing Rohingya posed a "very grave risk" to their lives, reinforcing a message from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who called on Bangladesh to step up assistance to escaping civilians, in particular the wounded.

Instead nearly 500 Rohingya have been detained and returned trying to cross the border since Monday, according to Shariful Islam Jamaddar, a deputy border guard commander.

Border guards have been driving Rohingya who have managed to cross into Bangladesh back across the border several times a day, an AFP correspondent said.

Some Rohingya have made it just inside Bangladeshi territory, momentarily safe from violence but unable to move onwards to shelter.

Mohammad Ismail had taken shelter from the rain under a plastic sheet erected by border guards, but the shelter has since been torn down.

"The border guards let us take shelter here but I don't know now what I will do with my son," he told AFP, gesturing to the shivering boy.

Amid the turbulence and monsoon downpours, an 11-year-old Rohingya girl named Marium was separated from her parents.

"I went to the toilet when the (border) guards drove away my parents. Where shall I find them now?" the young girl told AFP in tears.

On Monday Bangladeshi authorities proposed joint military operations with Myanmar against Rohingya militants fighting in Rakhine, hoping to stem the flow of displaced.

The militants say they are fighting to protect the persecuted roughly one million-strong Rohingya and accuse the state and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists of trying to force them from Myanmar.

The Rohingya are not recognised as an ethnic group, which would be protected by law, but are instead branded 'Bengalis' -- code for illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Their ability to move, work and receive basic services is tightly controlled.

Speaking to ambassadors in Yangon, Myanmar's Home Affairs Minister Kyaw Swe, repeated the official line: "There are no Rohingya."

The recent attacks by militants are because "Bengali people... tried to occupy lands" in Rakhine.

Last week a commission headed by former UN chief Kofi Annan called for Myanmar to find a pathway to citizenship for the Rohingya and ease suffocating controls, or risk inflaming religious hatreds.

burs-apj/jta/amu/sm
President Trump's youngest daughter, Tiffany Trump, began her career as a law school student on Monday -- celebrating the momentous occasion with a studious Instagram post.

It was announced in April that the 23-year-old daughter of Trump and Marla Maples would attend Georgetown Law School this fall just a short distance from her father's current home in the White House, and it appears her first day in class went off without a hitch.

Tiffany's Georgetown arrival will likely cause a stir among her fellow classmates, and has already prompted another student to pen an open letter in Vogue to the first daughter expressing outrage at her father's policy agenda and asking her why she wanted to attend law school in the first place.

RELATED: Tiffany Trump through the years



Tiffany Trump also made headlines this summer when it was reported that her respective trips to Germany and Italy came with hefty taxpayer price tags. The trip to Berlin reportedly cost taxpayers $22,000, while the Italy travel totaled a whopping $100,000.

Tiffany Trump is not alone in being a first kid past or present to adjust to college life this fall. Former first daughter Malia Obama also started her higher education career at Harvard in Cambridge just last week. TMZ reports that Malia was already harassed while living her college life by a photo-seeking grandmother in Harvard Square.
Transgender activist Ashlee Marie Preston confronted Caitlyn Jenner at a Trans Chorus of L.A. event over the weekend in a now viral video.

Preston was furious that Jenner, whom she believes committed the ultimate betrayal of the LGBTQ community by supporting President Donald Trump, was at the event and called out the Trans Chorus as complicit for accepting the reality stars money.

Preston, who serves as editor-in-chief of Wear Your Voice magazine, used her face time with Jenner to critique her support of the president  particularly after his enactment of the transgender military ban. Jenner was spotted wearing a Make America Great Again hat just days after the ban was announced.

Youre a fucking fraud, Preston says in the above video, which has roughly 300k views on her personal Facebook. Its really fucked up that you continue to support somebody... that does everything with the military, thats erasing our fucking community. And you support it.

Preston has since resigned from the Trans Chorus of L.A. She told HuffPost that she felt the mission on paper differed from the active mission, which didnt align with my personal values. Now Preston thinks Jenner owes the LGBTQ community an apology. Preston also took to Twitter on Sunday to defend her actions.

Caitlyn Jenner is a text book case on cognitive dissonance and her vote against her own supposed interests made that evident, Preston said. She owes the community an apology; giving us the change from her bra is like putting a band-aid over a bullet wound. Her commentary and actions have carried real consequences for the transgender community; people who arent afforded the same protections and privilege as she has.

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HuffPost reached out to Caitlyn Jenner for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Evan, Spring Lake, Michigan, 2013

Alex, Austin, Texas, 2014

Jamie and Kaylee, San Diego, California, 2014

Travis Green, Okinawa, Japan, 2014

Jenn, Ft. Lewis, Washington, 2014

Brynn, Dayton, Ohio, 2013

Hunter, Killeen, Texas, 2013

Jamie, Dayton, Ohio, 2013

Landon, Aspen Hill, Maryland, 2014

Laila, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2013

Logan, Altus, Oklahoma, 2013

Raki, New York, New York, 2014

Jake, Louisville, Kentucky, 2013

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WASHINGTON  The Trump administration has not decided whether it will accept aid from Mexico to help victims of the hurricane that has devastated swaths of Texas and overwhelmed emergency responders.

If a need for assistance does arise, we will work with our partners, including Mexico, to determine the best way forward, the White House and State Department said in identical statements after Mexico offered help and cooperation to aid U.S. recovery from Hurricane Harvey, which has killed at least nine people, displaced tens of thousands and destroyed countless homes.

Asked if the Trump administrations assessment is that there is no need for assistance from Mexico, the White House referred HuffPost to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which punted to the State Department, which directed questions back to FEMA.

Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray spoke with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott by telephone on Sunday evening to offer his countrys support. The Republican governor told reporters on Monday that his staff would communicate with Mexican government officials about specific needs.

Our offering is open and permanent, Carlos Sada, Mexicos undersecretary for North America, told HuffPost on Monday evening. The Mexican government is waiting for Abbott to send a list specifying both the immediate and long-term needs of hurricane victims in Texas, Sada said.

The Mexican government made a formal assistance offer to the State Department on Tuesday, a State Department spokeswoman told HuffPost. The department will decide with FEMA whether to accept the aid, said the spokeswoman, who declined to specify the type of assistance Mexico is offering.

The Mexican government has proved willing and able to provide crucial help to Americans in the wake of previous natural disasters. In September 2005, days after Hurricane Katrina wiped out cities along the Gulf Coast, soldiers from the Mexican army rolled across the border in a 45-vehicle convoy and set up camp at a former Air Force base near San Antonio. Over the next three weeks, the Mexican soldiers served 170,000 meals to hurricane victims, distributed 184,000 tons of supplies, and conducted more than 500 medical consultations, recalled Stephen Kelly, a former diplomat who was serving at the U.S. embassy in Mexico City at the time. Mexican sailors also offered rescue-and-recovery assistance, and helped clear storm debris.

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Harvey, projected to dump up to 50 inches of rain over parts of southeastern Texas, will displace an estimated 30,000 people. Texas law enforcement agencies tweeted requests for volunteers with boats to assist in rescue operations. FEMA has already mobilized all 28 of its urban search and rescue teams, a step it has not been taken since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Jeffrey Stern, state coordinator at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management tweeted.

In the midst of a natural disaster, the U.S. government can be slow to accept foreign assistance because of the bureaucratic hassle involved in clearing materials brought into the country and securing access for foreigners on short notice, said Kelly. But he advised the current administration to take advantage of the offer from its southern neighbor  both because of Mexicos close proximity to Texas and because of the symbolic message that cooperation between the two countries would send.

Trump, who announced his candidacy for president with a speech that described Mexicans as rapists, has strained the historically close relationship between the U.S. and Mexico. On Sunday, as Hurricane Harvey raged through Texas, Trump tweeted that Mexico will pay for a wall on its northern border, that the country has high crime rates, and that he might terminate a free-trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada because the U.S. allies are being very difficult.

The Mexican Foreign Ministry responded by stating that it will not pay for the wall, that crime is a shared problem between the two countries, and that it will not renegotiate NAFTA through social networks or the media. The statement ended with an offer to help the U.S. government respond to the storm, as good neighbors should always do in times of difficulty.

Kyle Souder, a 22-year-old student at the University of Houston whose car was flooded, said he was frustrated with the president for tweeting about the border wall as the hurricane spread through Texas. Mexico sent their own people to help during Katrina and you want to tweet this Shit right now? Souder tweeted at Trump on Sunday.

I feel like we do need foreign aid, Souder told HuffPost on Monday. Were completely underwater.

Teresa Villa of HuffPost Mexico contributed reporting.

This article has been updated to include Mexicos formal offer of assistance.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
WASHINGTON  After promising Americans on the campaign trail that Mexico would pay for a multi-billion dollar border wall, then subsequently telling the president of Mexico that he understood Mexico wouldnt really pay for it, President Donald Trump is back to claiming that Mexico will pay for it.

Somehow.

One way or the other Mexico is going to pay for the wall, Trump said Monday at a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.

What that method is remains just as hazy as it was during Trumps 17-month presidential campaign. At times his aides suggested Mexico would pay for it through new tariffs or with a tax on remittances sent back to Mexico. But for the most part, Trump just promised his crowds that he would build a wall along the southern border and force Mexico to pay for it, often engaging them in a call and response: Whos going to pay for the wall? he would ask, with the audience screaming back: Mexico!

Yet seven days after taking office, Trump told Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto that he understood that Mexico wouldnt actually pay for the wall, but asked Pena not to say that publicly because it would cause political problems for Trump with his supporters.

I have to have Mexico pay for the wall  I have to. I have been talking about it for a two-year period, Trump told Pena, according to a transcript of the conversation that was leaked to the Washington Post earlier this month. You cannot say anymore that the United States is going to pay for the wall. I am just going to say that we are working it out.

Trump returned to the issue on his own at a campaign rally last week, when he promised that he would refuse to approve a new spending bill that does not contain money to start building his border wall. If we have to shut down that government, were building that wall, he told supporters in Phoenix, Arizona, last week.

That, of course, raised the question: If Mexico was supposed to pay for the wall, why did the U.S. have to face a potential government shutdown over construction money for it?

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Trump faced exactly that query Monday, now with the additional twist that a new funding bill could contain money to help victims of Hurricane Harvey but not have money for Trumps wall. The president said he did not think the issue would force a shutdown, but he still wouldnt rule out the tactic. I hope thats not necessary. If its necessary, well have to see, he said.

The federal government starts a new budget year Oct. 1, but only has congressionally-approved funding to operate through Sept. 30.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
During a Monday press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, President Donald Trump mixed up two blonde, female journalists.

As Niinisto called on a reporter to ask a question, Trump interjected, seemingly frustrated that this journalist might be allowed to ask a second question.

Again? Youre going to give her the same one? he asked.

Niinisto was left to awkwardly explain that the reporter he had called on was in fact a different woman than the one who had already asked a question.

No, shes not the same lady, he said to Trump. They are sitting side by side.

The blonde journalist in question then stood up. We have a lot of blonde women in Finland, she told the U.S. president. (Watch the full exchange above.)

As Time White House correspondent Zeke Miller tweeted, #cantmakeitup.

We have a lot of blonde women in Finland is my favorite comeback of the day https://t.co/ej6YjDBG3g  Sarah Goodyear (@buttermilk1) August 28, 2017

Trump has a history of odd and uncomfortable interactions with women reporters.

In March, he called the Washington Posts global opinions editor, Karen Attiah, beautiful after she asked him a question about his divisive rhetoric and approach to racial inclusion. And just two months ago, he paused a call with new Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar to comment on an Irish reporters nice smile, telling Varadkar that the journalist, Caitriona Perry, must treat [him] well.

H/T The Hill

Also on HuffPost

A man holds up a sign during a protest against racism gathered in front of the White House, on August 14, 2017 in Washington, DC.

Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower.

Hundreds of protesters gather outside of Trump Tower.

A woman raises her fist at the front of a march down Washington Avenue to protest racism and the violence over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower ahead of President Donald Trump's arrival, August 14, 2017 in New York City.

Supporters of anti-Trump protestors hold up signs inside Trump Tower ahead of President Donald Trump's arrival, August 14, 2017 in New York City.

Pedestrians walk past a 15-foot tall inflatable rat in the likeness of U.S. President Donald Trump at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street up the road from Trump Tower, August 14, 2017 in New York City.

A President Donald Trump supporter (left) argues with anti-Trump protesters as they gather outside of Trump Tower.

Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower.

Hundreds of protesters gather outside of Trump Tower.

Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue.

A man holds up a sign during a protest against racism in front of the White House.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Two dads are helping erase the school lunch debt in Washington state with a GoFundMe campaign. (Photo: JGI/Tom Grill via Getty Images)

Two dads in Washington state have set out to erase school lunch debt for students across the state.

Earlier this year, Jeff Lew began raising money on GoFundMe to rid a handful of school districts in Washington of school lunch debt. He has now teamed up with a fellow father, Stephen Medawar, for another GoFundMe campaign, and has set his sights on helping elementary, middle and high school students across the state so they dont have to worry about their debt in the cafeteria or being shamed for not being able to afford lunch.

Lew and Medawar, both Washington state residents, were classmates at the University of Washington. When Medawar saw Lews previous GoFundMe school lunch projects, he reached out asking to get involved with the campaign. Medawar helped launch the projects site called LunchDebt.org

Before extending his project to cover the entire state, Lew raised more than $98,000 for five school districts, wiping out overdue school lunch balances for thousands of students.

Learn more about Lews initial efforts in the video below.

Currently, Lew and Medawar are asking for $650,000 on GoFundMe, which is an estimate of the total lunch debt in the state. The districts included are based off of a list from the states Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the schools are public and private schools that chose to participate in the National School Lunch Program.

Lew told HuffPost that he has not heard back from all the schools about their lunch debt information and that the duo will update the GoFundMe page to reflect a new total if needed. As of Tuesday afternoon, they have raised more than $14,000.

Lew told HuffPost he is confident that this campaign will help end both lunch debt and lunch shaming and advocated for what he calls universal lunches for all students.

It would be the solution to end both lunch debt and lunch shaming, he said. Public schools are already provided for children, so why not lunches?

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For more information, head to Lew and Medawars GoFundMe page.

Also on HuffPost

"This is football Sunday!"

"One of my favorite pics of my husband and daughter. She wasn't even a month old in this picture. When he is home, she is with him. No matter what he's doing! Still like this 2 years later."

"Dad fixing the rainbow loom while watching the game cast on the iPad."

"Daddy lets them give him a spa makeover at their slumber party."

"Daddy mastered the double hold so he could eat dinner. #twins"

"One of the many, many reasons why I love him."

"Daddy will sing karaoke at Legoland all by himself!"

"After dinner, pre-clean up, kitchen-yoga. Aka: stalling"

"Daddy naps at aquarium while son proceeds check up"

"Bring your daughter to work everyday. #thisisparenting"

"If your child can't sit still at a restaurant, join her, why not?"

"Sometimes, u gotta do stuff just to make your kids happy"

"Parenting is a workout!"

"My daughter and her step dad on her first day of school"

"#parenting is bringing your infant to an adult party!"

"Pile on!!!"

"New daddy mastering selfies with his son!"

"Tea party with Daddy!"

"'Giddy up! Giddy up!' #bestdaddyever"

"Guitar with Daddy"

"Sleeping like a baby! Literally :))"

"3 year old thoughtfully gave Dad an armrest so he could catch up on some reading for work"

"'Watching the toddler'"

"My daughter was up all night from a cold, so naturally, we were too. Both were exhausted by the time we got to the doctor's office. Hahaha."

"Life as a hard working Daddy to twin toddlers!"

"This sums up our nights on the weekends."

"Ahh, nothing like a lovely princess nap on Christmas morning."

"Granpa Babysitting...lol"

"Baby and papa trying out their new shades after arriving in USA from India! Hipster chic groovy!"

"When your birthday becomes 'their' birthday"

"My 4 year old is super busy cutting paper into small pieces while his dada is working on his laptop"

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
- North Korea Fires Missile Over Japan.





- Japan made no efforts to shoot down the missile.





- Not a direct threat to the U.S.

In a move that has been widely criticised and termed a "grave threat" by Japanese Prime Minister, North Korea has fired a ballistic missile across Japan.





US and Japanese forces have just finished a joint drill in Hokkaido while another annual military exercise involving tens of thousands of South Korean and US soldiers is still under way in South Korea.





The North sees these regular military drills involving the US as highly provocative, perceiving them as a rehearsal for an invasion.





This is by some measure North Korea's most provocative missile test in a very long time, perhaps ever. Yes, there have been North Korean flights over Japan before, but this is the first time Pyongyang has fired an overtly military missile, with a potential nuclear capability, across Japan.





No effort was made by Japan to shoot down the missile but it issued a safety warning telling citizens in Hokkaido to take shelter in "a sturdy building or basement".









Japan's Prime Minister Abe said he had spoken to US President Donald Trump and that both agreed to increase pressure on North Korea. The Pentagon meanwhile said the launch did not represent a threat to the US itself but that the military was working to gather more intelligence about it.





Russia also weighed in on the debate, with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov saying the country was "extremely worried" about the situation and warning of a "tendency towards an escalation".




By Zelie Pollon

SANTA FE, N.M. (Reuters) - A teenager who killed two people and wounded four others in a shooting at a small-town New Mexico library had a troubled past but appeared to have turned his life around after joining a local church and accepting Jesus, his pastor said Tuesday.

Sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Jouett had been baptized this summer and was helping the church raise money to send teen members to youth camp just days before he opened fire Monday afternoon at the Clovis-Carver Public Library, Pastor David Stevens said in a telephone interview.

Jouett, a sophomore at Clovis high school, had been suspended from school for two days for fighting at the time of the shooting, Stevens said.

"Before Christ came into his heart, he was just crying, broken," said Stevens of the Living Word Church of God in Clovis. "He said, 'Now I got something to smile about.' We had no indication of anything wrong with him."

Two library employees, Krissie Carter and Wanda Walters, were killed in the shooting, Clovis police Chief Douglas Ford said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Among the wounded was at least one child, a 10-year-old boy, Noah Molina, who was airlifted along with three other people to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas and was in satisfactory condition on Tuesday, said Eric Finley, spokesman for University Medical Center in Lubbock.

Also wounded were Noah's sister, Alexis Molina, 21, and Howard Jones, 53. Alexis Molina and Jones were in serious condition Tuesday, Finley said. The fourth surviving victim was identified by Ford as Jessica Thron, 30.

Asked about the motive for the shooting, Ford said "we're still working on that".

Curry County District Attorney Andrea Reeb said at the press conference she would seek to have the case moved to adult court. She previously said the case would be handled in juvenile court.

Stevens said Jouett was being held in seclusion since his arrest at the library on Monday. He said his daughter, who had been dating the teen for the past three-and-a-half months, received a text message from friends on Monday saying there had been a shooting and that Nathan, as he was called by friends, was there.

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"My daughter thought Nathan had been shot," Stevens said. "So my wife and daughter went downtown to the library, and he had been arrested. He was the shooter."

Jouett used to carry a suicide note in his wallet before joining the church, Stevens said.

Clovis, with a population of about 40,000, is around 190 miles (300 km) east of Albuquerque. It is home to Cannon Air Force Base.

(Reporting by Zelie Pollon in Santa Fe, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Keith Coffman in Denver, Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Jonathan Allen in New York; Writing by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Andrew Hay)
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Monday rejected as "patently frivolous" the suggestion by Wilmington Trust Corp and four former executives that prosecutors knowingly presented false grand jury testimony, tainting their indictment for hiding soured loans.

In a court filing, prosecutors urged a federal judge in Wilmington, Delaware not to grant a defense request for a hearing on possible dismissals or permission to gather evidence related to the alleged taint.

Prosecutors accused the defendants of hiding Wilmington's deteriorating finances from October 2009 to November 2010 by underreporting matured past-due loans, through what the government called a "waiver" practice.

Wilmington was the first recipient of federal bailout money during the 2008-2009 financial crisis to be indicted.

It is now owned by Buffalo, New York-based M&T Bank Corp, which was not accused of wrongdoing.

In an Aug. 22 filing, the defendants said the grand jury testimony contradicted a statement by a former Federal Reserve senior bank examiner that federal officials had known about Wilmington's loan reporting practices, "putting the lie" to the idea there was any deception.

But in Monday's filing, prosecutors said the defendants took the examiner's statement out of context.

"Defendants' instant attack on the grand jury process - including the personal character and integrity of the prosecutors and federal agents involved in this case - is patently frivolous," the government said.

It is unclear when U.S. District Judge Richard Andrews will rule, ahead of a scheduled Oct. 10 trial.

The individual defendants charged include Wilmington's former President Robert Harra, former Chief Financial Officer David Gibson, former Controller Kevyn Rakowski and former Chief Credit Officer William North.

The case is U.S. v. Wilmington Trust Corp et al, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware, No. 15-cr-00023.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition forces returned fire after being repeatedly shot at near Manbij in northern Syria, where they are patrolling near areas held by Turkish-backed rebels, coalition spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon said on Tuesday. "Our forces did receive fire and return fire and then moved to a secure location," he said by phone. The incident reflects the complexity of the battlefield in northern Syria, where the Russia-backed Syrian army, Kurdish forces aided by the U.S.-led coalition and Syrian rebels supported by Washington's ally Turkey are all operating. The coalition has told Turkey to tell the rebels it backs there that firing on U.S.-led coalition forces "is not acceptable", Dillon said. U.S. ground forces are in northern Syria as part of the U.S.-led coalition supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a local alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias battling Islamic State. Last year, Turkey backed Syrian rebel groups in an offensive next to SDF-held areas aimed at both pushing Islamic State from the border and quelling the expansion of Kurdish influence. The Turkish-backed rebels and the SDF have often exchanged small arms and artillery fire in other parts of northern Syria where U.S.-led coalition forces are not patrolling. "Our overt patrols that have been conducting patrols in that area to keep tensions down received fire multiple times over the course of the last two weeks," Dillon said. "We let our counterparts in Turkey know this and we continue to conduct these patrols but are always prepared and ready to defend ourselves in that area." U.S. forces have been filmed since last year patrolling near Turkey-backed rebel areas while clearly displaying the U.S. flag. Russian military police have also carried out patrols in northern areas held by the Syrian army and by the Kurdish YPG militia, the main component of the SDF. Coalition and U.S. jets have carried out operations to prevent potential attacks on local forces they support. A year ago, they scrambled to protect U.S. special operations forces in northern Syria from attack by government jets during rare clashes between the Syrian army and the YPG. In May, the U.S. military carried out an air strike against militia supported by the Syrian government that posed a threat to U.S. and U.S.-backed fighters in southern Syria. (Reporting by Angus McDowall; Editing by Andrew Roche)
Dara Khosrowshahi, Ubers new CEO, is lauded as an inspired choice because he turned around travel-bookings platform Expedia during his 12-year tenure.

Ubers Chief HR Officer Liane Hornsey informally told company employees on Tuesday morning that longtime Expedia (EXP) chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi is the companys pick to be their next CEO, a source with firsthand knowledge of the matter tells Yahoo Finance.

Hornsey told employees Uber currently cannot announce Khosrowshahi as Ubers next chief executive because Expedias position as a publicly traded company places it in the position to control how and when the news is officially announced, our source said.

[Ubers] head of HR said Uber cant announce it because Expedia is public and they sort of hold the reigns in how they choose to announce and tell their shareholders and employees first, the source said.

A separate source told Yahoo Finance that Khosrowshahi was offered the job on Sunday and accepted just hours later, though Uber disputes that he has accepted the position. A representative for Expedia says he has not officially accepted the position.

Khosrowshahi himself, however, weighed in on Tuesday, telling Bloomberg the Uber CEO job is the opportunity of a lifetime.

This is not something I was looking for, he said. I love Expedia. I was fully intending to stay here. Its [Uber] definitely the opportunity of a lifetime.

The news came as a surprise to many, given numerous news reports pegged two other CEO candidates  GE chairman Jeff Immelt and Hewlett Packard Enterprises CEO Meg Whitman  as front runners. Remarkably, Khosrowshahis name remained a well-kept secret during the two months of discussions and deliberations among Ubers board members.

This story has been updated to reflect that Uber disputes that Dara Khosrowshahi has not accepted the position. The story has also been updated to include a comment from Expedia.

Update at 10:30 p.m. ET: Uber board director Arianna Huffington officially welcomed Dara Khosrowshahi as Ubers new CEO via Twitter.

Delighted to welcome @dkhos as @Ubers new CEO. Here is the note the Board just sent to Uber employees: pic.twitter.com/NacuisvyO6  Arianna Huffington (@ariannahuff) August 30, 2017



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JP Mangalindan is a senior correspondent for Yahoo Finance covering the intersection of tech and business. Email story tips and musings to jpm@oath.com. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook.

More from JP:
San Jose (AFP) - Venezuela's former attorney general, Luisa Ortega, accused the government Monday of hiring contract killers to go after her and other justice officials denouncing alleged abuses committed under President Nicolas Maduro.

"I have come specifically to lodge a complaint before the Costa Rican justice ministry and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights," she told a news conference in Costa Rica's capital of San Jose alongside that country's chief prosecutor, Jorge Chavarria.

"I have information that the persecution is continuing against me and that the government has contracted hitmen to end my life."

Ortega, 59, is a fugitive from Venezuela. She fled with her husband on August 18, two weeks after a new loyalist assembly established by Maduro booted her from office.

She had been a fierce critic from within Maduro's regime, and had continued to make allegations against the Venezuelan leader from abroad, in several Latin American cities.

Ortega arrived Monday in Costa Rica, where she was to visit the Inter-American Court of Human Rights that is based in the country. Her itinerary was not given for security reasons.

The ex-attorney general said the trip was part of her efforts across Latin America to highlight alleged abuses by Maduro's government and to seek support to restore democratic order to her country.

"Every day, Venezuela is suffering from a lack of food, medicines, there is a serious health problem," she said.

"In a country with so many resources, our compatriots are eating trash, and we are living a systematic violation of human rights."

"Repression by the Venezuelan government" is what has killed 130 people and hurt 2,000 more in months of protests against Maduro, Ortega said.
Longtime Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has put Iranians and Iranian-Americans in the spotlight. In part, that's because the 48-year-old, just elected to become Uber's new CEO, fled Iran with his family at age 9 to escape the Iranian Revolution. In part, his ties to other people of Iranian descent in the U.S. tech world are, well, extensive.

As The Washington Post noted in an article earlier today, Khosrowshahi's brother, Kaveh Khosrowshahi, is a managing director with Allen & Co. His cousin, Amir Khosrowshahi, co-founded Nervana, an artificial intelligence company that Intel acquired last year for more than $400 million. He is also cousins with Hadi and Ali Partovi, high-powered twins who are both founders and tech investors.

As if that's not enough, the Post says two other family members include Farzad "Fuzzy" Khosrowshahi, who played a role in creating Google spreadsheets, and Avid Larizadeh Duggan, a London-based general partner at GV.

Venture capitalist Pejman Nozad, who was practically penniless and unable to speak English when he moved to the U.S. from Iran in 1992, says that neither Khosrowshahi's success, nor that of his extended network, should come as a shock to anyone who knows how Iranian families tend to operate -- putting family and friends first, followed closely by a dedication to study, particularly of math and science.

"Math and science are so rooted in Iranian culture," says Nozad, who today co-manages the venture firm Pear, which he co-founded roughly four years ago with friend and fellow investor Mar Hershenson.

Nozad points to Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman and first Iranian to win the Fields Medal, often described as the rough equivalent of a Nobel Prize for mathematicians. (Sadly, Mirzakhani, who was most recently a professor at Stanford, passed away last month at age 40, a victim of aggressive breast cancer.)

Nozad also evokes Sharif University of Technology in Iran, which has produced large numbers of PhD students for Stanford, as Newsweek once noted. In fact, the report praised Sharif as having "one of the best undergraduate electrical-engineering programs in the world."

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Interestingly, the university was cofounded by the Partovi brothers' father, Firooz, who was also the school's first professor. It's also where Mirzakhani nabbed her undergraduate degree.

As for what else could be at work, Nozad suggests that a focus on looking after other Iranians is key. Speaking of the Iranians he knows, he calls them "all really kind and caring and compassionate," a trait that he insists extends to the corporate workplace. "We are raised to care for each other and I think we treat companies like family, too."

Certainly, Khosrowshahi seems to have won over employees at Expedia, more than 2,200 of whom gave him such high marks that he was recently ranked 39 of 100 of the top-rated CEOs in the U.S. at the jobs website Glassdoor.

Nozad is himself known as a masterful networker and has created a welcoming atmosphere at Pear, formerly called Pejman Mar Ventures. (StrictlyVC reported on its micro community in the making back in 2014.)

Further, he notes, in Palo Alto, San Francisco and Vancouver, a broader swath of Iranians and Iranian-Americans meet up in informal Friday breakfasts called Noon Barbari -- named after a popular Persian flatbread that's eaten with a cheese like feta or jam. Guests can come and leave any time, but they know that networking, support and a free flow of ideas is always on the menu.

Yet a third factor may come into play, suggests Nozad, whose family fled from Tehran to Germany in the 1980s, and who famously sold rugs to tech millionaires before becoming a full-time investor. Like a lot of people with something to prove, many Iranians have had a lot to overcome in order to get to the U.S., and they don't take life in this country for granted.

"Most of us started our lives in America with next to nothing -- at ground zero," says Nozad. "But America never judged me based on my country of origin or my language or my heritage or my religion. I've been given every single opportunity, and I'm forever grateful for it."

Success isn't lost on Nozad, or on Khosrowshahi, or many in the Iranian community, which partly explains why many members have become vocal about their opposition to the policy and rhetoric of President Trump, who has actively worked to slow Muslin Americans from entering into the U.S., including from Iran.

Shortly after Trump's first travel ban was issued, Khosrowshahi sent a memo to Expedia employees, saying that Trump's maneuverings could make the U.S. "ever so slightly less dangerous as a place to live, but it will certainly be seen as a smaller nation, one that is inward-looking versus forward thinking, reactionary versus visionary.

His cousin, Hadi Partovi, echoed the same sentiment when talking with The Atlantic earlier this year. Americans use products created by Iranians, or go to doctors offices and are treated by Iranians regularly, said Partovi, who co-founded the tech-backed nonprofit Code.org with his brother, Ali. This is not a culture that threatens America, and for us to reject immigration from the country for a false sense of security seems wrong to me.

In fairness to the current administration, Iranians started raising the alarm a year earlier, when former President Barack Obama signed a law that they believed paved the way for the Muslim ban. More than 30 VCs and CEOs sent an open letter to Congress, slamming "discriminatory" travel laws.

A list of other successful people of Iranian descent who work in tech was created earlier today by entrepreneur Ali Tahmaseb and is worth checking out. On it: Google's former chief business officer (and now Twitter's executive chairman) Omid Kordestani; eBay founder Pierre Omidyar; investor Shervin Pishevar; and Tinder's Sean Rad, among many others.

Not included on the list, which doesn't claim to be comprehensive: serial entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari, an engineer who, in 2006, became the first Iranian in space. She made the trip several days after her 40th birthday.

Photo of Dara Khosrowshahi, courtesy of Skift.
Ecosystems ravaged by climate change tend to reward to pests and invasive species. Stinging jellyfish thrive in warm, acidic seas. Rats multiply in extreme summer heat and frigid, urban winters. Disease-carrying mosquitoes, including the species that carries Zika virus, find homes farther and farther to the north.

The same goes for Southern pine beetles, an invasive species that burrows into the trunks of conifers and lays eggs. For nearly two decades, the insects  native to the southeastern United States  have ravaged woodlands in New Jersey and New York. By 2020, they could threaten forests as far north as Canada, according to a study released Monday by researchers at Columbia University.

The coldest temperature of the year, which really sets that boundary for whether the species can survive or not, has been warming rapidly in the eastern United States, Radley Horton, a co-author of the paper, told HuffPost. Climate models generally project for the future, as well, that those really cold temperatures are going to warm a lot.

A Southern pine beetle trapped in resin. (Photo: MARVIN RECINOS via Getty Images)

By 2050, according to the study, 78 percent of the 48,000 square miles of pitch pine forests from southern Maine to eastern Ohio could become suitable habitats for the beetles. By 2060, that area could stretch to Wisconsin. By 2080, 71 percent of red pines and 48 percent of jack pines, species of tree that cover 270,000 square miles from the northeastern U.S. to huge swaths of southern Canada, could be at risk.

The insects first showed up in New Jersey in 2001, and have since spread to Connecticut and New York, particularly Long Island. New Yorks Department of Environmental Conservation has felled more than 15,000 trees in Long Islands Pine Barrens to try to contain the beetles.

The beetles infestations cost and estimated $100 million in timber losses from 1990 to 2004 alone, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

If infestations are discovered in individual trees on private property, arborists can treat the pines using chemical injections to kill off the beetles.

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If you catch it in time, you can do micro injections, but the problem is you usually catch them when its too late, and the only thing you can do is cut the tree down, Dana Murch, an arborist at Howards Tree Service on Long Island, told HuffPost. You cant get there too late.

But in forested areas, where the insects are most at risk of spreading and wiping out trees by the grove, pesticidal treatments risk contaminating groundwater, so you dont want to treat that with any kind of chemical, Murch said.

To determine the scope of the beetles spread, Horton and co-author Corey Lesk examined studies from the 1930s that determined how long it took the insects to die in the cold. They then compared the findings to a series of models that take global warming into account, including one measuring temperatures in tree bark.

For the bark model, we found that there is a buffer, Horton said. It never gets as cold inside the bark as it does in the air. In a twist of nature, that allows the trees the beetles are killing to prevent the bugs from being killed.

More research is needed to test whether forests have mechanisms to deter the beetles, Horton said. But our study reveals that climate, which has historically been one of the key barriers for this species, may not be providing that anymore.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this featured a photo of trees plagued by a different species of pine beetle in California and suggested that the Southern pine beetle appeared in New York nearly two decades ago. It arrived in New Jersey at that time, but only appeared in New York in the past few years.

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The new voice of Kermit the Frog, Matt Vogel, has made his debut as the jolly green Muppet, and well, he sounds just like the old Kermit.

On Monday, The Muppets YouTube account published its latest Muppet Thought of the Week video, which features Vogel voicing the beloved character for the first time. (Check out the video above.)

Dreams are how we figure out where we wanna go. Life is how we get there, he says as the frog.

As The Hollywood Reporter Notes, Vogel is only the third person ever to voice Kermit. He takes over for Steve Whitmire, who claims he was let go unexpectedly from the role earlier this year.

Whitmire, who voiced Kermit for 27 years, released a blog post explaining the situation from his point of view.

He wrote:

As I am sure you can imagine, I have experienced every possible emotion since October 2016, when I received a phone call from The Muppets Studios executives to say they were recasting. Through a new business representative, I have offered multiple remedies to their two stated issues which had never been mentioned to me prior to that phone call. I wish that we could have sat down, looked each other in the eye, and discussed what was on their minds before they took such a drastic action.

Meanwhile, Disney reportedly said Whitmire was let go due to unprofessional behavior, according to THR, which also states Brian Henson (chairman of the Jim Henson Company and son of the Muppets creator) agreed with Disney.

After Whitmire published his blog post, a representative for The Muppets Studio told HuffPost in a statement, The Muppets Studio thanks Steve for his tremendous contributions to Kermit the Frog and The Muppets franchise. We wish him well in his future endeavors.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
TCL, the Chinese conglomerate that produces phones under the BlackBerry name, is going to broaden its appeal to more than just keyboard devotees. The company has revealed to Engadget that it will launch a full touchscreen device under the BlackBerry name at some point in October. It may not be a Z10, or even a Storm (or Thunder), but if you were looking to get your mitts on a keyboard-free BlackBerry, it's coming.

Granted, TCL's DTEK 50 and 60 phones were also all-screen, but this is different. Details are, perhaps obviously, fairly scarce about the as-yet unannounced device, but we managed to glean tidbits from TCL's Francois Mahieu. Mahieu explains that TCL will respect BlackBerry's reputation for building hard-wearing devices for clumsy international travelers who will be working in all weathers. The main feature, beyond the full-touchscreen, is the (planned) IP67 water and dust-proofing, as well as a battery rated to last for more than 26 hours of mixed use. Mahieu believes that durability and longevity will be two of the biggest selling points, a long-lasting phone that'll keep going long after your iPhone has conked out.

Mahieu feels bold enough to claim that he expects a number of iPhone and Galaxy users to "make the switch" to BlackBerry come October. Of course, these handsets now run Android, which means that it's far harder to make it stand out from the crowd. Mahieu continues to believe that BlackBerry's security know-how will enable TCL to deliver the "most secure Android phone in the world." Although given the failure of so many ultra-secure Android devices to sell, his confidence seems  at least right now  misplaced.

But TCL is used to combating cynicism with people looking down their nose at BlackBerry in its new after-life as a white label brand. Mahieu said that users shouldn't write off BlackBerry just because it doesn't stand toe-to-toe against Apple and Samsung. "We are there to play," he explained, "we're just playing with different cards," mostly by pushing its strengths of battery life, security and durability. As for pricing, it's likely that the device will cost less than other flagships.

Of course, we've already seen a BlackBerry device with a large display unencumbered by a physical keyboard. The Priv hid its physical input device in its slider, and so could actually work as a phone for touchscreen devotees. And given how well that device sold  prompting BlackBerry to abandon producing hardware altogether  it's going to be interesting to see how TCL can avoid history repeating.

TCL is banking on certified water and dust-resistance as a draw, and it's not clear how many people were waiting for that as a reason to make the switch. But Mahieu is hinting that the company is "marching towards millions" of device sales, although it's not clear how many models it needs to shift before it can be considered a success.

Cherlynn Lowe and Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

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- Netanyahu accuses Iran of building missiles in Syria and Lebanon.





- UN Secretary General carrying out first official visit to the region since he took office.

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu has accused the Iranian Government of building missile production sites in Syria and Lebanon to manufacture precision-guided missiles with the aim of eventually using them against Israel.





These allegations have been disclosed at a time when the current UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres is carrying out his first official visit to the region since taking office earlier this year.





Netanyahu said "Iran is busy turning Syria into a base of military entrenchment, and it wants to use Syria and Lebanon as warfronts against its declared goal to eradicate Israel," Netanyahu said in Tel Aviv, without offering any specifs to support his allegations.





"[Iran] is also building sites to produce precision-guided missiles towards that end in both Syria and in Lebanon," he said, without offering specifics. "This is something Israel cannot accept. This is something the UN should not accept."
Relying on 300-pound bear-faced robots to help nursing home residents get out of bed in the morning is much more effective if those folks actually have a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Elderly people dealing with social isolation and loneliness are at increased risk of a variety of ailments, from cardiovascular disease and elevated blood pressure to cognitive deterioration and infection. In short, being old and alone can kill you. But robots aren't just good for improving the elderly's movement, they're surprisingly adept at keeping retirees socially, emotionally and mentally engaged as well.

These support robots are already springing up around Japan, where in 2016 the annual birth rate dropped below a million for the first time since 1899 and a quarter of the population is already greying. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry expects the robotic service industry to boom to nearly $4 billion annually by 2035 -- 25 times its current level. Though Europe and the US aren't facing quite the apocalyptic shortfall of qualified human caretakers that Japan is, these two regions are also accelerating the development and adoption of support robots.

Though the current generation of these robots are far from what The Jetsons' Rosie could provide, they can still offer geriatric patients a variety of services that fall, generally, within three categories: serving and fetching, communications and emotional support.

Serving robots do exactly that. Take the Care-o-bot from Fraunhofer IPA, for example. This robot has been deployed in a number of German assisted living facilities. It is able to ferry food and drinks to residents from the kitchen as well as keep them entertained by playing memory games to help keep their minds sharp. And to put those people at ease who may not be 100 percent onboard with having a 4-foot tall robot butler zipping around the halls, the Care-o-bot is programmed to behave like a gentleman, Dr Ulrich Reiser, Project and Group Leader at Fraunhofer IPA, wrote in a 2015 release.

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Rather than over-promise what it's capable of by presenting an overtly human form, the Care-o-bot instead focuses on what's inside. "It always maintains a respectful distance, shows what it has understood and what it intends to do, while also being able to make simple gestures and reflect emotions," Reiser wrote.

Honda's Asimo robot, the one which famously fell down that flight of stairs, has come a long way since its humiliating faceplant. Not only can the current iteration climb stairs, it can jump and even use sign language. Honda's research team eventually hopes that Asimo will serve as a go-fer for people with limited mobility -- say, bringing a glass of water or turning off a light switch.

"ASIMO was designed to help those in society who need assistance, and Honda believes that these improvements in ASIMO bring us another step closer to our ultimate goal of being able to help all kinds of people in need," Satoshi Shigemi, senior chief engineer at Honda R&D Co., Ltd. Japan, told Business Insider. "We need to understand what people expect from ASIMO and what people want ASIMO to do."

These robots don't even need to be people-sized. The Dinsow elder care robot from CT Asia Robotics acts as a personal assistant of sorts. It helps its human remember to take their pills, tracks their health and automatically answers incoming calls from family and doctors. There's even a Dinsow Mini, released in 2015, which is small enough to live on the night stand of bedridden patients. The Dinsow does not come cheap, however. It retails for $2500, but yeah, you go tell Grandpa Joe he's got to keep staring at his in-laws until he keels over (or you find that Golden Ticket) because you didn't want to shell out for a little robobuddy for the man.

Of course, growing old in a nursing home is a vastly different experience than doing so in your own home. Care facilities are, by their very nature, communal -- there's nearly always someone around. But for elderly folks who live alone, the services that robots provide must go beyond turning off lights and fetching small items.

The ElliQ is a system similar to the Dinsow, available December here in the States. It's basically an interactive robot with an integrated tablet. Like the Dinsow, ElliQ tracks its users pill regimen and connects them to family, friends, and medical professionals through video calls and social media. It also acts as a companion. It can check the weather and suggest outdoor activities so its user doesn't stay all cooped up for extended periods and go stir crazy. More importantly, the ElliQ learns. The system utilizes machine learning to figure out its user's preferences and quirks. It can then make proactive activity recommendations based on what it knows its user enjoys.

Sometimes, elderly folks who lie alone don't just need a little buddy, they need a guardian as well. And that's where the likes of the MiRo robotic dog comes in. The MiRo is a mechanized canine companion, like the AIBO but more capable. Like the other robots discussed today, it runs the typical gamut of pill regimen management, general companionship and appointment reminders. But it also keeps an eye on your health.

"It tries talking to you," MiRo's designer, Sebastian Conran, told The Guardian, "and then it will send a signal to the hub saying there seems to be a problem. The hub will then broadcast on the home speaker, asking again if you're all right, and telling you to slap your wrist." That refers to a biometric sensing wristband that the user wears which tracks their vitals.

"If you slap your wrist the process will stop but will be logged," he continued. "If you don't slap your wrist it will... go to a carer, who can see your heart rate and body temperature, and rewind your life using the cameras in the home to see what happened. So when the ambulance gets there, they'll know what they're working with." Of course, this scenario also assumes that the person is comfortable living in a digital fishbowl, surrounded by a suite of monitoring cameras and IoT sensors. Whether your grandma, who still refers to the microwave as "the science box," will be ok living in 1984-like conditions -- even if it's for her own good -- remains to be seen.

Sometimes all you need in a robotic pet is something soft to snuggle with and boy is the Paro perfect for that. Designed to resemble a Canadian Harp seal pup, the Paro has been employed in Japanese nursing homes since 2003. It's essentially a pettable ball of fur that can't be hurt even if someone goes full "Lenny" on it. But the Paro doesn't just respond with lifelike movements to tactile stimuli, it also recognizes temperature, posture, and light. Say its name or shower it with praise, and the Paro will respond.

The therapeutic results so far have been impressive. "We're already finding that, for some difficult cases of depression, this could be a catalyst that helps people move on and get back to their healthy state," said Dr. Simon Davies, a staff psychiatrist and clinical scientist at Canada's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. "It's very therapeutic -- another approach to use alongside all the regular treatments proving effective in depression treatment."

However, not all medical care professionals are thrilled about the coming support robot revolution. "Social isolation of seniors is a significant concern amongst gerontologists and caregivers alike. Robot care, in my mind, would only compound that issue," Susan Madlung, gerontologist and Clinical Educator for Regional Programs and Home Health Re-Design at Vancouver Coastal Health, told AgingCare.

She expects that it may be a generation or three before people are inherently comfortable with being cared for by a robot. "Although robots might seem like a good response to the growing need for caregivers, I could see this as being quite detrimental to the emotional and psychosocial well being of anyone, not just seniors," she continued. "Humans need humans."
New SIU Carbondale chancellor invites input into universitys vision

New SIU Carbondale Chancellor Carlo Montemagno invites Southern Illinois residents to share their vision for the future of SIU.

Montemagno, who became chancellor on August 15, has launched a survey as a first step seeking input about what the university should look like in 2025, just eight years into the future.

I encourage people to respond to the survey without being weighed down by past challenges, he said. What are your hopes and dreams for SIU?

Montemagno said he wants to be sure that all of the universitys stakeholders have the opportunity to provide their own ideas for SIUs direction. He is emailing links to the survey to students, alumni, donors, faculty and staff, and invites others to participate by going accessing the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/SIUvision2025.

This survey is just one of many ways I will be inviting input that will help us shape SIU as it evolves, he adds. Input is important, welcome and appreciated.

Survey responses are due by Friday, Sept. 8. Visit chancellor.siu.edu/survey for additional information.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-28 02:54:32|Editor: yan

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ANKARA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- For the thousands of Syrian refugees returning home from Turkey for the Islamic festival Eid-al-Adha, the trip is an opportunity to assess the current conditions of their homeland for a permanent stay, however, it is unlikely to see a mass ultimate return in the near future, a Turkish expert said.

Crossings between Turkey and Syria have been closed by Turkish authorities to most civilians since 2015 to prevent a spillover of the conflict in Syria and to prevent refugees from flooding into Turkey.

Recently, Turkey has temporarily opened the border crossing in southern Kilis province to Syrians to towns of Azaz, Mare, Soran, Aktarin, Cobanbey, Jarablus and El Bab.

Syrians with valid documents are allowed to cross the border before Nov. 15, and the number of Syrians going back for Eid had reached 37,000 in 12 days, according to official Anadolu Agency.

Syrians in Turkey may consider to return to their home country, after the situations have calmed down in both de-escalation zones following a Russia-Turkey initiative and the liberated areas by Turkish army in northern Syria, said Metin Corabatir, president of the Research Center on Asylum and Migration (IGAM).

The visits may serve for the Syrian refugees to evaluate the current security and economic conditions of their country, as well as the circumstances of the houses they used to live before the war, said Corabatir.

While some refugees may choose to stay in Syria, most of them are expected to return to Turkey after the festival, said Corabatir, adding that "there is not an environment in Syria for mass voluntary returns yet."

He pointed out that although Turkish soldiers had "liberated" some of the areas in Syria, most of the regions lack international support.

He is not optimistic for witnessing a mass return to Syria unless an authority is established across the war-torn country following an international agreement, as he believed an important part of the refugees are the people who are opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Turkish government supports the rebuilding process in towns such as Jarablus and al-Bab, while developments and infrastructure projects are underway including the housing of the displaced Syrians after years-long conflicts.

"Operation Euphrates Shield" in Syria was a military movement to clear the Azaz-Jarablus line of its border with Syria from the threat of Islamic State (IS) and to prevent the Syrian Kurdish militia merging in Afrin and Kobane regions from establishing a "Kurdish belt."

Turkey has received more than 3 million Syrian refugees since the beginning of Syrian civil war in 2011.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 01:23:05|Editor: Yurou

British Brexit Secretary David Davis (L) and European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier address the media prior to the third round of Brexit talks in Brussels, Belgium, Aug. 28, 2017. The European Union (EU) on Monday urged Britain to take a more serious stance and quickly provide official positions on all Brexit issues as the latter called for more "flexibility and imagination" on both sides in the third round talks. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

BRUSSELS, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- European Union's (EU) chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday called on Britain to take a more serious stance and quickly provide official positions on all issues to be tackled in the divorce talks prior to the beginning of the third round of Brexit talks.

"To be honest, I am concerned, time passes quickly," Barnier told reporters in a press conference.

"We welcome the (recent) UK government papers and we have read them very carefully... but we must start negotiating seriously," he said.

"We need UK papers that are clear. The sooner we remove the ambiguity the sooner we will be in a position to discuss the future relationship and a transitional period."

Saying that British documents were "products of the hard work and detailed thinking that has been going on behind the scenes not just the last few weeks but the last 12 months", David Davis, Barnier's British counterpart, said "they should form the basis of what I hope will be a constructive week of talks between the European Commission and the UK."

Progress will require "flexibility and imagination from both sides ... We're ready to roll up our sleeves and get down to work again once more," said Davis.

British government published a series of position papers outlining the country's negotiating positions regarding its withdrawal talks earlier this month.

"The papers demonstrate Britain's pragmatic approach to negotiations, and highlight how conversations about our exit and the future deep and special partnership we want with the EU are inextricably linked," a government spokesperson said.

One of the papers focused on Britain's post-Brexit relationship with the European Court of Justice.

Political commentators said the paper left open the possibility of Europe retaining a say on the British law, particularly in any transitional period beyond March 2019 when the two sides part company.

However, British Prime Minister Theresa May insisted on Wednesday that the jurisdiction of the European court will end with Brexit, with control over the British law returning to Britain.

Another paper discussed facilitating cross-EU trade and business, saying that Britain will seek a special customs deal with the EU after the completion of Brexit.

Schedule published on EU's website showed that the third round talks would last from Monday to Thursday, and Barnier and Davis are scheduled to conclude the talks with a joint press briefing on Thursday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 01:23:07|Editor: yan

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TRIPOLI, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State (IS) group in Libya on Monday released a video showing two Libyan officials held captives.

The two officials are Sagayar Majri of the Constitution Drafting Assembly, and Mohammed Abu Bakr, a member of the Petroleum Facilities Guard.

The video footage, which was posted by Amaq News Agency, IS's propaganda outlet, also showed members of the group setting a check point in a main road in central Libya and inspecting vehicles passing by.

The road is a main link between Sirte in the north all the way to the south.

An army spokesman last week said that IS members have slaughtered nine soldiers and two civilians in a checkpoint in southern Libya.

IS has been defeated last year by the forces of the UN-backed government of national accord and expelled from their former haven in Sirte, some 450 km east the capital Tripoli.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 01:38:13|Editor: Yurou

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L front) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R front) inspect the guard of honor during a welcome ceremony in Ankara, Turkey on Aug. 28, 2017. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged on Monday the Israeli government to end its "occupation attempts" of Palestine that threaten the possibility of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)

ANKARA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged on Monday the Israeli government to end its "occupation attempts" of Palestine that threaten the possibility of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Ankara after talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Erdogan said that "establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem along the lines of 1967 is crucial for stability in the region."

"As we witnessed during the events, rising tension is no good for either side, and a peaceful resolution to the crisis would also benefit the Israelis," he said.

He described the two-state solution as the "historical responsibility of the international community to the Palestinian people."

He also vowed that Ankara would continue its efforts in the recognition of Palestine in all international platforms.

Last month, Jerusalem saw renewed violence between Palestinians and Israeli security forces after Israel imposed new security measures at the Al-Aqsa Mosque following two policemen's death near the holy site.
A man holding his dog walks in water in great Houston area, Texas, the United States, Aug. 27, 2017. (Xinhua/Song Qiong)

HOUSTON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The priority at this moment was to evacuate people stranded in their houses, and the shelters across the Greater Houston have homed about 5,000 people, Mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner told a press conference on Monday.

Experts estimated that there would be 30,000 in total evacuated to shelters.

A number of evacuations were carried out Sunday night and on Monday, as hundreds of rescues were conducted across the region.

Hurricane Harvey has slammed Houston and other areas in Texas with heavy rain since the weekend and the losses are expected to amount to billions of U.S. dollars.

After receiving an overwhelming number of inquiries from citizens and corporations who would like to help, Turner has established the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund that will accept tax-deductible flood-relief donations.

The fund is administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 02:33:28|Editor: yan

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ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) has lauded the peaceful elections held on Aug. 23 in Angola.

The Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, is delighted to note that the General Election marked an important milestone in the history of Angola, according to a statement from the pan-African bloc on Monday.

"Once again, the people of Angola have demonstrated their resolve for continuous search for democratic and participatory governance in their country," said the chairperson.

The chairperson has congratulated the people of Angola for turning out in large numbers to exercise their democratic right to choose their leaders.

He has commended the smooth organization of the polls and appreciated the political parties, candidates and the electorate in general for conducting themselves peacefully throughout the electoral process.

The chairperson of the AU Commission has also urged all the political parties and candidates to continue exercising their commitment to peace and democracy.

He has implored them to resolve any disputes arising from the outcome of the elections through legally established channels.

The chairperson has further reiterated the commitment of the AU Commission in sustaining collaborative efforts with the people of Angola towards consolidating democracy, peace and stability, all of which are key to the socio-economic development of the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 03:23:46|Editor: yan

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GENEVA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Thanks to unparalleled efforts of local health workers, the spread of diarrhea and cholera in war-torn Yemen has been effectively curbed, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) declared on Monday, but also warned as long as the fighting rages on, more deaths from infections are expected.

UNICEF accredited the slowdown to the "heroic daily fight" of local workers, with international support, against acute watery diarrhea and cholera, especially when the local health, water and sanitation personnel had not received salaries in over ten months.

The epidemic of diarrhea and cholera in Yemen, a country mired in years of dragging conflicts, still remains the worst in the world, with over 550,000 suspected cases and more than 2,000 associated deaths recorded since April, and more than half of the suspected cases being children, according to UNICEF.

A nationwide cholera awareness campaign is currently underway, mobilizing over 40,000 volunteers going house-to-house and reaching over 2.7 million families so far, or nearly 80 percent of households in Yemen.

The efforts are paying off. Nearly 12.5 million people across the country have received information on water disinfection, handwashing, sanitation and food safety, and 250,000 children and adults suffering from diarrhea have been provided with oral rehydration salts and referred for treatment, according to UNICEF.

Despite these recent gains, the fight against cholera is far from over.

Continued violence has destroyed the bulk of the country's water and sanitation systems and more than half of Yemen's health facilities are out of service. About 15 million people are cut from safe water and access to basic healthcare.

Meanwhile, the country remains on the brink of famine, with an estimated 385,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, putting them at heightened risk of acute watery diarrhea and cholera, said the UN agency.

Without an end to the fighting, more children will die, the UNICEF warned, calling on all parties in the conflict to find a peaceful political solution to the violence in Yemen.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 04:14:10|Editor: Yamei

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Photo taken on Aug. 28, 2017 shows a joint press conference held at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France on Aug. 28, 2017. The leaders of France, Germany, Spain and Italy on Monday vowed to strengthen support for African countries in an effort to stem illegal migration. The leaders issued a joint statement Monday evening following a meeting in Paris on migration, in which they were joined by their counterparts of Niger and Chad, along with head of Libya's United Nations (UN)-backed government and foreign policy chief of the European Union (EU). (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

PARIS, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of France, Germany, Spain and Italy on Monday vowed to strengthen support for African countries in an effort to stem illegal migration.

The leaders issued a joint statement Monday evening following a meeting in Paris on migration, in which they were joined by their counterparts of Niger and Chad, along with head of Libya's United Nations (UN)-backed government and foreign policy chief of the European Union (EU).

"Migration is a transnational phenomenon that can not be tackled by a single state, but requires a high level of coordination within Europe and between European and African countries, which requires a long-term response to development," the statement said.

The European leaders agreed to help African countries, who are the main countries of origin or transit for illegal migrants, to enhance border control and help them combat human trafficking.

The statement underlined the financial effort by the EU, especially under the European Development Fund, to improve situations in the countries of origin, which aims to "address root causes, prevent departures and improve the capacity to return illegal migrants."

Moreover, the leaders vowed to explore "new instruments" for encouraging and facilitating voluntary returns and reintegration of illegal migrants, in cooperation with the UN's refugee agency.

"Our approach is in line with international law and is based on the plan of action adopted at the Valletta Summit by the EU and the African Union, which calls for shared responsibility between countries of origin, transit and destination," the statement said.

The meeting was called by French President Emmanuel Macron, who proposed last month to set up "hot spots" in Libya, Niger and Chad, where migrants would be screened for their asylum claims before reaching Europe.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 04:29:14|Editor: Yurou

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to never remove any Jewish settlements from the occupied West Bank on Monday.

"We are here to stay, forever," he said at an event in the settlement of Barkan, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Israel's occupation of the West Bank and the beginning of the settlements.

"There will be no more uprooting of settlements in the land of Israel. It has been proven that it does not help peace," he said, "We have uprooted settlements. What did we get? We received missiles. It will not happen anymore."

The settlements are located on lands which Israel seized during the 1967 Middle East war. The international community has repeatedly condemned the settlements as a breach of international law and a hurdle to peace.

Netanyahu has voiced contradicting statements on his willingness to reach a peace deal based on the two-state solution. He said he was willing to negotiate peace with the Palestinians while at the same time, his government continues expanding the settlements.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 05:09:25|Editor: yan

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TRIPOLI, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Libyan navy spokesman said that the coast guards on Monday rescued 134 immigrants on a rubber boat off Tripoli coast.

The immigrants include 20 women, Ayob Qasem said, adding that the migrants are from African and Arab nations. They were rescued 20 miles off the coast of Tripoli.

Qasem also said that the immigrants have been taken to a reception center in Tripoli after accepting medical assistance.

Libya is a preferred point of departure for immigrants wanting to cross the Mediterranean towards European shores.

Smuggers take advantage of the state of chaos and insecurity to send thousands of migrants in rickety boats, many of whom drown on the way.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 07:15:04|Editor: Yurou

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CHICAGO, Aug.28 (Xinhua) -- Seven people were killed and 25 others were wounded across Chicago from Friday afternoon to early Monday.

In a span of just nine hours from late Friday to early Saturday, three people were killed and eight others were wounded, according to the Chicago police.

So far this year, Chicago has reported 462 homicides, slightly down from the record 491 homicides registered by the same time last year, data collected by Chicago Tribune shows.

Meanwhile, the number of shooting victims reported by Sunday this year stands at 2,498 people, down 11.45 percent from the 2,821 people reported the same period last year.

Chicago has the highest murder toll in the cities of the United States over the past two decades.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 07:20:06|Editor: Yamei

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Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on June 9, 2017 shows the test-fire of a new type of ground-to-sea cruise missile. (Xinhua file photo/KCNA)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile over Japan, the Pentagon confirms Monday.

"We can confirm that the missile launched by North Korea (DPRK) flew over Japan," the Pentagon said. "We are still in the process of assessing this launch."

The Pentagon added that the missile launch did not pose a threat to North America.

The Japanese government said the missile appeared to have passed over the Japanese archipelago.

The missile was fired around 5:58 a.m. Japanese time (GMT 2058 Monday) from the western coast of the DPRK towards a northeastern direction, and passed over Cape Erimo in northern Japan around 6:06 a.m. Japanese time (GMT 2106 Monday), said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

The missile appeared to have fallen into the Pacific Ocean some 1,180 kilometers east of Cape Erimo around 6:12 a.m. Japanese time (GMT 2112 Monday), said Suga.

He also said that the launching of the missile poses a grave threat to Japan's security and Japan strongly protests against the missile launch.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 07:35:09|Editor: Yurou

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By Li Xueyao, Xia Lin

NEW YORK, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- As the school year begins for international students who have arrived in the United States in recent days and are excited to adjust to school environment, four tips to help create knowledge base with campus security services and self-protection measures.

"International students are enjoying their area, this is maybe their first time visiting. So they are looking around, taking pictures, maybe looking like a tourist," said Wade MacAdam, who works with Police Department's Safety Programs, University of California, Berkeley.

He believes that those behaviors will make them easy target. "So they need to be more aware of their surroundings," MacAdam added.

According to the Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report 2016, released by FBI this year, the number of violent crimes in the United States increased by 5.3 percent for the first 6 months of 2016, when compared with figures reported for the same time in 2015, even though the number of property crimes decreased by 0.6 percent.

FBI's data shows that the number of aggravated assaults increased 6.5 percent, murders increased 5.2 percent, rapes (legacy definition) increased 4.4 percent, rapes (revised definition) rose 3.5 percent, and robbery offenses were up 3.2 percent.

Many international students came to their dream schools in the United States for better education. However, seeking a safe education should be of the first importance than academic success, as Yingying Zhang, a visiting scholar from China at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is still missing after she was kidnapped on June 9.

"Some international students, including those from China, are usually introverted, unfamiliar with the new environment, or even speak poor English," said Fengxiang Qiao, Professor from Texas Southern University (TSU). "When police chief introducing security services during school orientation, some of them might not listen carefully, or even couldn't fully understand. So they are short of such knowledge."

California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts and Illinois are in sequence the top 5 states hosting international students, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE). So Xinhua interviewed students, local residents, security officers and professors from universities in these states to find useful self-protection suggestions, and there are four takeaways for international students.

CAMPUS "BLUE LIGHT" EMERGENCY PHONE

Most college campuses across the United States employ the "Blue Light" emergency phones. When students feel unsafe on a college campus, they can push the "call' button on the blue tower. Then, campus police will be dispatched to that location in few minutes. Students are usually familiar with the system during campus tours and freshman orientation.

The emergency phone system is a timely way to call campus police, especially when geography that causes spotty wireless coverage or 911 services fail.

"Don't necessarily call 911, because it goes straight to the Houston Police Department and they'll call us and it delays the time," said Fred Brown, the Deputy Chief of TSU Police.

"If you would call 911 from your cellular phone, it might go to a neighboring department and route to the university police," said MacAdam. "The only advantage with the blue light phone is we know where their location is. If you would call from your cell phone, we don't know, and you have to relate that information to us."

LATE NIGHT SECURITY ESCORT SERVICE

Security escort is another useful campus security service that students can rely on. This service is usually provided at late night. Different universities have their specific operating times and locations.

This service in New York University is called Safe Ride. It is a shared ride service, which is available for transportation to and from NYU facilities, and 3 local mass transit stations during the academic term from 12 midnight to 7:30am.

Northwestern university (NU) also provides the "Safe Ride" service. "If you are out late, you can call a police officer to walk with you, or request even a squad vehicle," said Jiayan Shi, a NU student.

Similarly, UC Berkeley has "Bearwalk" program. It works from sunset to 3 a.m. The major difference is that "Bearwalk" is a walking service that one of uniformed security officers will walk students safely from point A to point B within the campus' boundary.

MacAdam analyzed that a lot of pedestrian robberies occur when individuals are walking by themselves, "so if someone is walking with someone in uniform, they are most likely not to be a victim of crime."

AVOID BEING ALONE OFF CAMPUS AT NIGHT

Although most of the students being interviewed think the overall safety environment on campus is positive, it is a different story when off campus where robberies and thefts may occur, especially at night.

"When you go off campus, it becomes a little bit more dangerous, at least at night it does," said Molly Hurley, sophomore from Rice University.

"I just don't usually stay at school very late. If I have to stay at school, I will ask my roommate to go home together, or I will take the bus," said Qingni Yu, junior student from UC Berkeley. "Because my apartment is close to school, I can walk, but I just avoid walking alone, especially at night."

Another NU student named Hallie said, "I do go out of campus quite a lot for eating or social events. And I feel safe as I walk around downtown Evanston. But I do make sure that I' m not out late at night by myself, either go in groups or in dark."

"Either boy or girl staying outside at night or in places with few people, it is better to team up with friends, both for more confidence and power," said Yuan Wang, a student from NYU.

BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS

Students and security officers also mentioned that being alert the surroundings and avoiding wearing earphones are sensible ways for self-protection.

"If you buy a ticket at CTA subway station, you should keep an eye for the surroundings before you take out your wallet, or you should prepare the changes before buying your ticket," said Jiayan Shi, a NU student. "You should not wear ear phones when you are walking, you should keep aware of the surroundings. I think these tips are for all students."

"Do not plug both your ears while you are walking home in the middle of the night because that will make you very vulnerable and an easy target." Henry Cheng, a student from UC Berkeley.

MacAdam have the same suggestion that "They need to be not on the cell phone, texting, looking at their Facebook, not advertising their electronics to be stolen and they need to be aware of their surroundings. They also cannot be wearing headphone, because again the advertising their electronics to be stolen and they cannot hear if someone sneak upon them".
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 07:35:09|Editor: Yurou

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SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a ballistic missile flying some 2,700 kilometers Tuesday morning, the South Korean military said.

The missile was launched eastward from a site near Sunan in Pyongyang at around 5:57 a.m. (local time), local media cited the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) as saying.

It flew some 2,700 kilometers at a maximum altitude of around 550 km, passing through the sky over Japan before falling into the North Pacific Ocean, the JCS added.

South Korean presidential house has immediately convened a National Security Council meeting, according the local media.
Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on June 9, 2017 shows the test-fire of a new type of ground-to-sea cruise missile. Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un guided the test fire of the missile, which was "a powerful attack means capable of striking any enemy group of battleships." The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) confirmed early Friday it test fired a new type of ground-to-sea cruise missile on Thursday, the fourth missiletest by Pyongyang in one month. (Xinhua/KCNA)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile over Japan, the Pentagon confirms Monday.

"We can confirm that the missile launched by North Korea (DPRK) flew over Japan," the Pentagon said. "We are still in the process of assessing this launch."

The Pentagon added that the missile launch did not pose a threat to North America.

The Japanese government said the missile appeared to have passed over the Japanese archipelago.

The missile was fired around 5:58 a.m. Japanese time (GMT 2058 Monday) from the western coast of the DPRK towards a northeastern direction, and passed over Cape Erimo in northern Japan around 6:06 a.m. Japanese time (GMT 2106 Monday), said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

The missile appeared to have fallen into the Pacific Ocean some 1,180 kilometers east of Cape Erimo around 6:12 a.m. Japanese time (GMT 2112 Monday), said Suga.

He also said that the launching of the missile poses a grave threat to Japan's security and Japan strongly protests against the missile launch.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 08:00:19|Editor: Yurou

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LOS ANGELES, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s next Mars mission known as InSight, which is on track for a 2018 liftoff, will focus on examining the deep interior of Mars, the agency announced on Monday.

The long form of InSight's name is Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport. The mission is expected to launch sometime in the five weeks following May 8, 2018 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, central California, with a Mars landing scheduled after Thanksgiving in 2018. It supposed to be the first interplanetary launch in history from America's West Coast, according to the agency.

Information gathered by the NASA's next spacecraft will boost understanding of how all rocky planets formed, including Earth.

"Because the interior of Mars has churned much less than Earth's in the past three billion years, Mars likely preserves evidence about rocky planets' infancy better than our home planet does," Bruce Banerdt, InSight principal investigator of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of NASA, said in a statement.

InSight is the first mission of NASA to investigate the deep interior of Mars and is part of a legacy of robotic exploration that is helping to lay the groundwork for sending humans to Mars in the 2030s.

The mission will place a stationary lander near Mars' equator. With two solar panels that unfold like paper fans, the lander spans about 6 meters, according to NASA.

Within weeks after the landing, always a dramatic challenge on Mars, InSight will use a robotic arm to place its two main instruments directly and permanently onto the Martian ground, an unprecedented set of activities on Mars.

The two main instruments are a seismometer and a heat probe. Shielded from wind and with sensitivity fine enough to detect ground movements half the diameter of a hydrogen atom, the seismometer will record seismic waves from "marsquakes" or meteor impacts that reveal information about the planet's interior layers. And the heat probe is designed to hammer itself to a depth of 3 meters or more and measure the amount of energy coming from the planet's deep interior.

Another experiment will use radio transmissions between Mars and Earth to assess perturbations in how Mars rotates on its axis, which are clues about the size of the planet's core.

The mission was originally scheduled to launch in March 2016, but NASA suspended launch preparations in December due to a vacuum leak in the lander's prime science instrument. A redesigned vacuum vessel for the instrument has been built and tested, then combined with the instrument's other components and tested again.

The instrument redesign and two-year delay add 153.8 million U.S. dollars to its previous budget of 675 million dollars for the mission, according to the agency.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems is assembling and testing the InSight spacecraft in a clean room facility near Denver, Colorado. The Mars lander's science payload also is on track for next year's launch.

"The lander is completed and instruments have been integrated onto it so that we can complete the final spacecraft testing including acoustics, instrument deployments and thermal balance tests," Stu Spath, spacecraft program manager at Lockheed Martin, said in a press release.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 09:13:31|Editor: Yurou

A hawker sells non-woven cloth bags in a market in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Aug. 28, 2017. Kenya's landmark plastic ban that took effect on Monday received cautious welcome from retailers who expressed concern over its impact on their businesses despite its much touted environmental benefits. (Xinhua/Li Baishuan)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 08:34:13|Editor: Yamei

Photo taken on Aug. 28, 2017 shows a joint press conference held at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France on Aug. 28, 2017. The leaders of France, Germany, Spain and Italy on Monday vowed to strengthen support for African countries in an effort to stem illegal migration. The leaders issued a joint statement Monday evening following a meeting in Paris on migration, in which they were joined by their counterparts of Niger and Chad, along with head of Libya's United Nations (UN)-backed government and foreign policy chief of the European Union (EU). (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 09:00:34|Editor: Yurou

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TOKYO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile early Tuesday, and the missile fell into the Pacific Ocean off Hokkaido after passing over the Japanese archipelago, said the Japanese government.

The missile was fired around 5:58 a.m. (local time) (2058 GMT) from the western coat of the DPRK towards a northeastern direction, and passed over Cape Erimo in Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido around 6:06 a.m. (2106 GMT), said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

The missile flew over 2,700 kilometers with the highest altitude at 550 kilometers high, and fell into the Pacific Ocean some 1,180 kilometers east of Cape Erimo around 6:12 a.m. (2112 GMT), said Suga.

He said that it was possible that the missile separated into three parts over the Sea of Japan, and the Japanese government is analyzing the situation.

He also said that the missile firing posed "an unprecedentedly serious and grave security threat" to Japan and Japan will work closely with the United States and South Korea to address the issue.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the missile launch poses a grave threat to regional peace and security and Japan strongly protests against the missile launch.

He added that Japan is to call for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council and to call on the international society to cooperate and impose more pressure on the DPRK.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono reportedly said that the DPRK fired missile toward Hokkaido, not Guam, amid U.S. pressure.

He said that the missile flew over Japan without notice in advance and posed serious threat to the security of Japanese planes and vessels.

Following the missile launch, the Japanese government held a National Security Council meeting involving relevant ministers.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 09:15:39|Editor: Yurou

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MEXICO CITY, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Mexico and the United States are "stronger together," the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Roberta Jacobson, said on Monday.

Speaking at the signing of an agreement in the area of criminal justice, as Mexico launches judicial reforms, Jacobson said, "the United States remains committed to supporting Mexico through its historic transition towards a more just penal system. As (Mexico's) Education Minister (Aurelio Nuno) has said, we are partners, we are allies and we are stronger together."

The message of unity was in stark contrast to statements made by her boss, U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently described Mexico as a crime-ridden neighbor that was difficult to negotiate with.

Mexico, the United States and Canada have started negotiations to update the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Nuno said Mexico-U.S. cooperation "will allow us to continue to be one of the most dynamic regions in the world."

Monday's agreement calls for cooperation in training those working in Mexico's revamped criminal justice system.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 09:48:46|Editor: Yurou

People hold posters during a rally called "Solidarity Against White Supremacy" in Chicago, the United States, on Aug. 27, 2017. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in downtown Chicago Sunday afternoon, denouncing white supremacy and neo-fascists. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 10:31:17|Editor: Yurou

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CANBERRA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Australia's most prestigious universities have poor full-time employment outcomes, a study has found.

The annual Good Universities Guide, released on Tuesday, found that the University of Melbourne, University of Western Australia (UWA), University of New South Wales (UNSW) and University of Sydney were the hardest institutions to gain admission to.

However, the guide found that only UNSW made the top 10 for full-time employment with 76.4 percent of students finding full-time jobs within four months of graduating.

Only 63.6 percent of graduates from the University of Melbourne, rated Australia's best university by the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), had entered full-time employment within four months.

All four of the prestigious universities also scored below the national average for staff experience and qualifications with UNSW, UWA and Sydney University ranking in the bottom seven.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) fared the best in employment outcomes with 83.9 percent of graduates finding full-time work followed by Charles Darwin University (CDU) with 82.3 percent and the University of Notre Dame Australia with 79.6 percent.

CDU and CSU also topped the list of starting salaries of graduates with medians of 47,970 U.S. dollars and 47,573 U.S. dollars respectively.

Of the four most prestigious universities, only UWA made the top 10 for median salary after graduation while the University of Melbourne came off worst.

Chris Lester, chief executive of the Good Universities Group which compiles the guide, said that the poor performance of the in-demand universities was due to their high intake of students straight out of school rather than mature-aged students.

"Now, people (coming to university) straight out of school are finding it difficult to get a job," Lester told Australian media on Tuesday.

He said that the high demand for the institutions was linked to reputation rather than outcomes.

"Parents have a big part to play in relation to where students go and when they came out of university 20 or 30 years ago, (things) were very different," Lester said.

"Parents need to be very mindful of the changing landscape. Younger universities are trying different things now."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 10:36:18|Editor: Yang Yi

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BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Argentina's government announced Monday it was endorsing the joint construction of two hydroelectric dams in southern Santa Cruz Province with a Chinese company.

President Mauricio Macri's administration announced the endorsement via a joint resolution issued by the ministries of energy and environment.

"Public works approved," the article said, referring to the Nestor Kirchner and Jorge Cepernic dams to be built along the Santa Cruz River.

Concerns about the environmental impact of the project had led to additional studies, and the recommendations will be incorporated in the environmental management plan of the dams, the article said.

The binational project is being undertaken by China's Gezhouba Group, a construction and engineering company that is also helping to finance the work, and an Argentine consortium comprised of Electroingenieria and Hidrocuyo.

In December, the Supreme Court of Justice ordered new impact studies, as well as a congressional hearing on the project, in response to a petition by environmental NGOs.

At the hearing, held on July 20, lawmakers agreed on "the benefit of making progress on the execution of the works for the development of the country," according to the resolution.

"Provincial authorities presented their positive arguments, highlighting the project's contribution to clean energy production, promotion of economic development and employment outlook," it added.

Once completed, the dams will provide 5,000 gigawatt hours of energy, enough to power 1.5 million homes and meet 4 percent of the country's annual energy needs.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 10:46:20|Editor: Yurou

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CANBERRA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Tuesday offered for Australia to train, advise and assist Philippines troops in the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants in the southern Filipino city of Marawi.

The foreign minister met with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte during a brief trip to Southeast Asia last week, and on Tuesday said that she had discussed with Duterte the idea of Australian troops providing assistance to their Filipino counterparts.

Bishop told reporters in Canberra that Australia would not provide "troops on the ground," rather act "in the same way" it currently does in Iraq, whereby local troops are trained and advised by Australian specialists.

The minister added that Australia was one of a number of nations to make similar offers to Duterte who is yet to accept Australia's proposal.

Meanwhile also on Tuesday, Labor's foreign affairs spokesperson Penny Wong agreed with the government that maintaining stability in the region was a top priority.

Speaking on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio Tuesday, Wong said that Australia would continue to help the Philippine government considering the fight against terrorism was "right here in our region."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 11:01:23|Editor: Yurou

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CANBERRA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Australian health experts are "gravely concerned" about the growing trend of parents driving their children to and from school.

A study published by the Australian Health Policy Collaboration on Tuesday found that two thirds of five-year-olds and more than half of nine-year-olds are driven to school by their parents every day, making Australian children among the most chauffeured in the world.

The growing number of children being driven to school coincides with bicycle sales in Australia plummeting 28 percent since 2007.

Rosemary Calder, director of the Australian Health Policy Collaboration, said that Australia's reputation as a sporting nation was under threat if children continued to miss out on daily incidental exercise.

"Almost three million children and young people are not doing enough physical activity," Calder told Australian media on Tuesday.

"A coordinated approach to active travel to and from school will give 3.7 million school children access to healthy physical activity every day."

Just 7 percent of Australian children do their recommended one hour of exercise every day, a recent survey found.

More than 30 of Australia's leading health experts met on Tuesday at a round table event to discuss how best to get kids active during their school commute.

John Kelly, leader of the Australian Heart Foundation, said that failing to meet minimum daily exercise standards increased the risk of cancer, mental health issues and cardiovascular disease.

He said it was imperative that children are physically active every day.

"The daily trip to school is one of the best value investments we can make for their future health," Kelly said.

A report compiled by 70 of Australia's leading chronic disease experts late in 2016 identified active travel as one of 10 priority policy areas.

The report set a target of reducing the number of people who are not active by 10 percent by 2025.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 11:06:25|Editor: Yurou

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SYDNEY, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The true properties of crystals have been uncovered in an Australian scientific breakthrough announced on Tuesday and the results could have major technological benefits.

Researchers from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and the University of Queensland (UQ) discovered single crystals are in fact so flexible that can even be tied in a knot, shattering existing conceptions of crystals as inelastic and brittle.

Associate Professor Jack Clegg from the UQ was one of the researchers behind the project, and he told Xinhua on Tuesday the findings will have practical applications in science and technology.

"By having an understanding of the flexibility of crystals, this can be used in developing technology like flexible computer screens and mobile phones -- it's a potential cheaper option," Clegg said.

According to Clegg, by understanding the elastic properties of crystal, limitations based on the supposed brittleness of crystals can be overturned and the unique properties of crystals can be properly explored.

"Hybrid materials, for example, crystals with metal, have the unique properties of the crystal but also the benefit of whatever material they are combined with -- it really is the best of both worlds," Clegg said.

"Flexible crystals like these could lead to new hybrid materials for a number of applications, from components of planes and spacecraft, to electronic devices. So the ability of crystals to bend flexibly has wide-ranging implications."

Co-researcher Associate Professor John McMurtie from the QUT said while some previous research had explored the bendability of crystals, this research is the first to study this phenomenon in detail.

The researchers tested crystals from a variety of compounds, including those containing copper and other metals, and these were also found to be flexible - even after repeated experiments, the crystals were able to return to their original shape with no signs of breakage or damage.

Clegg said the discovery represents an exciting breakthrough for Australian science, but believes there is plenty that remains unknown about the science behind crystals.

"The next step is to develop new technologies and apply them to other modes of bending crystals, or even twisting them, and engineer new materials to keep testing the crystals," Clegg said.

"It could really help change the way technology is designed and developed."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 11:06:26|Editor: Yurou

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by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump is gearing up for a visit to flood-ravaged Houston, Texas, where a major hurricane caused massive damage and forced evacuations. The visit is a chance to rise above political divisions at a time of bitter partisan rivalry.

Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Texas over the weekend, ravaging the city amid scenes of cars under water and streets that looked like rivers. Thousands of people have been evacuated and many have been left without water and electricity.

Trump plans to visit the devastated city on Tuesday, and it may be a chance to begin to tweak his image and put partisan tensions aside.

"This is a time when Trump needs to rise above partisan divisions and cheap shots at his political opponents," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

"All Americans can unite against the human suffering in Texas and need to help those who have lost their homes and possessions," West said.

Trump has been heavily criticized for what critics call a short fuse and an in-your-face style suited more for reality TV than the U.S. presidency.

Even supporters have said that they would like the billionaire businessman to speak and act in a manner which they believe is more befitting of the leader of a nation that boasts the world's largest economy and most powerful military.

Critics say his tendency to hurl petty insults and make outlandish statements has proved a major distraction to pass his agenda.

To be sure, the president has had positive moments, such as earlier this summer during a visit to Poland, when many analysts gave him credit for what they called an eloquent and forward-looking speech. He also showed that side during his trip to the Middle East. Analysts said the president needs to present this more presidential side.

"After weeks of playing to the country's worst instincts, Trump has an opportunity to act presidential and speak on behalf of all Americans. He will need to convey empathy and compassion, and promise to extend the billions of dollars that will be needed to repair the cities deluged with flood waters," West said.

"It will be very expensive, but this is something that he has to do. He should rescind his planned cuts to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and agree to send federal tax dollars to those Texans in need," West said.

Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of Congress and the Presidency, told Xinhua that events like natural disasters or other calamities are important moments for a president to display leadership, console those affected, and indicate that the government is willing to do all that is necessary for rescue, recovery, and rebuilding.

"That said, it is important that the president strikes the right tone and brings people together rather than appearing to draw the spotlight and resources from the response to the visit," Mahaffee said.

Mahaffee said that the magnitude of these events take time to become clear, and this situation may be worsening even further as rain will continue through the week.

"The narrative can change as President Trump makes this visit, but it will be important for him to focus directly on this disaster and stifle any political or partisan remarks," Mahaffee added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 11:11:28|Editor: Yurou

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MEMPHIS, United States, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A movie theater in the southeastern U.S. state of Tennessee has decided to discontinue its annual screening of Gone with the Wind after receiving complaints over the film's racial content, said media reports.

The Orpheum Theatre in Memphis has announced that the 1939 classic romance film will not be shown during its summer movie series in 2018.

The theater's recent screening of the film on Aug. 11, one day ahead of a rally by white nationalists in Charlottesville that turned violent, generated numerous complaints online.

Some patrons and commenters criticized the film's depiction of black people as a glorification of slavery in the American southern plantations.

"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," said Brett Batterson, president of the Orpheum Theater Group, in a statement.

The cancellation has generated mixed responses, with the Oscar-winning film's fans decrying the decision as "censorship" and others voicing their support and understanding.

"This is a beautiful classic and to ban it is a show of small minds. The south has far to go to catch up with the rest of the world. Shame on the decision makers here," one commenter wrote on the Orpheum Theatre's facebook page.

Another said, "I applaud your difficult but proper decision to cut 'Gone With The Wind' from your film choices. Most in our culture have moved on, and I hope those angered can find other ways to watch the film while remaining supporters of your important and unique business."

At the 12th Academy Awards in 1940, Gone with the Wind set a record for Academy Award wins and nominations.

Hattie McDaniel won the Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of a slave named Mammy, which made her the first African-American to receive an Academy Award.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 11:31:32|Editor: Yurou

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SYDNEY, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Queensland government announced on Tuesday that it will grant approval for a special breeding program to boost koala populations in Australia which have been on the decline.

The move will see the existing and successful koala breeding program at the popular Gold Coast theme park Dreamworld be expanded, allowing them to begin collecting additional males to breed with the females they already have from the wild.

Queensland Minister for the Environment Steven Miles said in a statement on Tuesday that it is important to act this move immediately, as the breeding season for koalas is set to begin.

"Any koalas they take will be part of a valuable breeding program and Dreamworld will return the koalas, and any resulting offspring, to a suitable habitat in the area later on," the minister said.

"Dreamworld has indicated a willingness to work with us to determine whether any of these koalas could be taken and placed into their captive breeding program."

The head of the life sciences division at Dreamworld Al Mucci welcomed the announcement and said that the program will work in conjunction with the University of Queensland to ensure the survival of the cuddly creatures.

"The bottom line is we cannot allow koalas to be lost when there are real prospects of protecting and securing their future as individuals and subpopulations," Mucci said.

"We need to think about how we manage and live with koalas if we want them to be around for the next generation."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 12:16:42|Editor: Yurou

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HOUSTON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A man gave himself up to police after shooting two people dead and injuring four others at a library in the southwest U.S. state of New Mexico.

David Lansford, mayor of Clovis, a city near the Texan border, said at a press conference streamed live on Facebook that what happened at the Clovis-Carver library was "a big blow to the community."

Police Chief Douglas Ford said officers responded to the incident around 4:00 p.m. local time, went into the library, and contacted the lone suspected shooter, who "gave up" on himself. The officers were neither shot at nor discharged weapons.

Noting that police are at an early stage of investigation, Ford declined to talk about possible motivation. And the identity of the suspect, apparently a young male as seen in a surveillance video, was not released by the authorities. The identities of those killed and injured were also withheld

The two fatalities were females and the four injuries included two females and two males, Ford said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 12:56:52|Editor: Yang Yi

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Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli (L) meets with Namibian President Hage Geingob in Windhoek, Namibia, Aug. 28, 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

WINDHOEK, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli said here Monday that China is ready to work with Namibia to achieve greater progress in bilateral relations.

Zhang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Namibian President Hage Geingob.

The vice premier said Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Geingob twice -- in Beijing in 2014 and at the 2015 Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). During these meetings, the two leaders set the direction for the development of bilateral ties.

"My current visit is aimed at working with the Namibian side to carry out major consensuses between the two heads of state, further consolidate our traditional friendship, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields so as to materialize more of the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit outcomes in Namibia and bring more benefits to the two peoples," he said.

Zhang further elaborated why the two countries could have seen a steady development in ties and ever more robust bilateral cooperation in various areas.

He said that the development of the bilateral ties has been fostered by generations of the two countries' leaders, and, as a result, the two sides have shared a strong friendship and political mutual trust.

China always views its relationship with Namibia from a strategic and long-term perspective, and regards the African country as a good friend, partner and brother, Zhang added.

China and Namibia have made joint efforts with regard to major international issues, safeguarding the legitimate rights of the developing world, he said.

In order to make greater accomplishments in bilateral ties, Zhang said the two sides need to enhance their political mutual trust and deepen exchanges about the art and experience of running the country.

China and Namibia should also step up efforts to synergize their respective development strategies, and stick to the path of win-win cooperation and common development, said Zhang.

He also said that the two countries need to jointly improve global governance system, coordinate with each other on international issues, and expand cooperation within multilateral institutions.

The two countries should also expand their cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure, energy, technology, trade and investment, as well as other fields that concern social welfare and judiciary matters, he added.

China is going to encourage more of its firms to invest in Namibia and is willing to work with the country from such aspects as mechanisms, funds, and laws to create a more favorable environment for bilateral cooperation, Zhang said.

To boost friendship and mutual understanding, the vice premier urged the two sides to enhance cultural and people-to-people cooperation, and encourage exchanges at subnational levels and promote exchanges between media groups, think-tanks, colleges and universities, youths as well as women.

Speaking of the work to implement the results of the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit since more than one year ago, Zhang said important strides have been made.

It has promoted the common development of China and the African countries, and set a good example for cooperation between African and other countries, he added.

"Materializing the summit's outcomes is central to the development of China-Namibia cooperation," he said.

Zhang also said that China takes Namibia's list of priority programs seriously, voicing hope that the two sides can ensure better communication between their related agencies, and choose to implement programs that can generate sound social and economic benefits.

For his part, Geingob said the Namibia-China friendship is time-honored, noting that China offered valuable support for his country's struggle for independence.

Describing China as an all-weather friend for Namibia, he hoped that China could continue to assist it in such fields as infrastructure, agriculture, health, education and energy so as to its promote social and economic advancement in the African nation.

Following their meeting, the two witnessed the signing of documents on economic and technological cooperation and human resources development.

Namibia is the last leg of Zhang's four-nation tour, which has taken him to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

During his stay in Namibia, he also visited the Husab Uranium Mine and Walvis Bay Port, two key Chinese-invested projects in the African country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 14:12:17|Editor: Yurou

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SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's military on Tuesday unveiled a rare footage of ballistic missile tests after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile over Japan.

The 86-second-long video clip showed the three tests of a ballistic missile with an improved warhead power and a range of 500 km and two ballistic missiles with a range of 800 km, according to South Korea's defense ministry.

The tests were carried out on Aug. 24 as a final flight test, before deploying the homegrown ballistic missiles. Their developments were led by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD).

The rare release of the missile test footage by South Korea followed the DPRK's launch of an unidentified missile that flew over the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido.

The DPRK missile, which was fired from an area near the capital Pyongyang, passed over the Japanese territory and landed in the Pacific Ocean, after a flight of about 2,500 km. It was lofted as high as 550 km.

The ADD said in a statement that it had developed new ballistic missiles with extended range, improved precision and diversified warheads to build the so-called three pillars of the Korean version to counter the DPRK's threats.

The three pillars refer to the Kill Chain, the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) systems.

The ballistic missile of a 500-km range was at the core of the Kill Chain and the KMPR systems to target the entire territory of the DPRK, the ADD noted.

The Kill Chain is designed to preemptively strike the DPRK's missile launch sites when signs of the first strike are spotted. The KMPR is a project to preemptively strike the DPRK's leadership and headquarters with massive missile attacks when Pyongyang's first strike signs are detected.

The KAMD is a project to develop its indigenous missile defense system to shoot down incoming DPRK missiles at multiple layers. The project includes the development of interceptors such as medium-range surface-to-air missiles (M-SAM) and long-range surface-to-air missiles (L-SAM) that can intercept missiles at an altitude of less than 100 km.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 14:22:20|Editor: Yang Yi

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LOS ANGELES, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Leading American think tank RAND Corporation has received a donation of 3 million U.S. dollars to support its China policy studies, RAND officials announced Monday.

The donation from the Cyrus and Michael Tang Foundation will be used to establish the Tang Chair in China policy studies at this global policy institution in California.

The chair will support a senior scholar to undertake research on the critical factors influencing China's future, particularly in education and health care, according to a statement by RAND.

"This significant gift will enable RAND to establish our first endowed chair with an international focus," said the institution's president and CEO Michael D. Rich.

"We are very grateful for the continued generosity of the Tang family and look forward to furthering RAND's China-focused policy research and analysis capabilities," he added.

The Tang Institute for U.S.-China Relations, which will house the new Tang Chair, is part of the RAND Center for Asia Pacific Policy (CAPP), where Cyrus and Michael Tang has served as members of the advisory board.

Rafiq Dossani, director of CAPP and a senior economist at Rand, said that "with this additional gift we will be able to significantly broaden our research on China and improve the impact of RAND's policy expertise on China's future growth."

Cyrus Tang is the CEO and chairman of Tang Industries, an international manufacturing and distribution company based in Las Vegas. Michael Tang is vice chairman of Tang Industries and CEO of National Material L.P. They are both longtime Rand supporters.

"The Tang Institute has been successful in fostering dialogue and exchange between the United States and China on issues such as economic development, labor and trade, and direct foreign investment," Cyrus Tang said.

"Our family feels that the new endowed chair will enable effective discussions on education and health care in order to help address China's long-term growth needs," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 14:37:23|Editor: Zhou Xin

Investigators work at the site of an attack in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 29, 2017. At least one person was dead and eight others were injured as a suicide bomber blew himself up near a bank in the Microrayani-eDuwum locality of Kabul on Tuesday, hospital sources said. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah)

KABUL, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- At least one person has been confirmed dead and eight others were injured as a suicide bomber blew himself up near a bank in Microrayani-eDuwum locality in 9th Police district of the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday, hospital sources said.

Security personnel have cordoned off the area for precautionary measures and several police vehicles and ambulances rushed to the site, which is located near the U.S. embassy.

Officials have yet to make comments on the number of casualties.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

On Friday, a terrorist attack conducted by Islamic State (IS) group on a mosque here in Kabul, killed more than 40 people and injured over 100 others.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 14:47:28|Editor: Yurou

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by Tao Jun, Dong Hua

HO CHI MINH CITY, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- According to many producers and traders in Vietnam, people burn around 50,000 tons of votive paper objects worth many millions of U.S. dollars each year.

As the Ghost Festival is nearing, more and more real money is being "burnt."

The Dong Ho village in the Bac Ninh province, located around 35 km northeast of the capital city of Hanoi, is the busiest during Tet (Lunar New Year Festival) and the Hungry Ghost Festival, which is also known as the Yulan or Zhongyuan Festival.

The festival falls on the 15th day of July according to the lunar month (in early September 2017) and it is a day for people to pay their respects to the deceased by offering sacrifices.

The festival is a traditional Buddhist and Taoist event held in a number of Asian countries. Activities during the festival often include preparing ritualistic food offerings, burning incense, and burning joss paper, offering papier-mache items, gold and other fine goods for the visiting spirits of people's ancestors.

In Dong Ho, during Tet or the Hungry Ghost Festival, some 90 percent of families there work very hard, producing the village's main source of income, which is votive paper objects.

These paper objects symbolize real objects such as banknotes, gold ingots, clothes, shoes, boats, horses, and even villas, cars and smartphones, and are burnt as offerings to ancestral spirits.

"My family has made votive paper objects over the past two years. Most of the products are sold for the Hungry Ghost Festival. As the festival is approaching, our sales are increasing," Minh Tu, a local middle-aged woman in the village's Dao Tu hamlet, told Xinhua on Monday.

Along every road within the village, votive paper objects are piled up. Another local middle-aged woman who is the owner of a production base, said, "The best-selling items before the 15th day of July according to the lunar month include costumes and means of transport such as horses, motorbikes and cars."

Some buyers prefer modern items such as smartphones and cameras. Usually, each paper item costs from 20,000 Vietnamese dong (0.9 U.S. dollars) to 200,000 Vietnamese dong (9 U.S. dollars).

As for banknotes, the production base churns out 0.2 tons of the votive objects a day, she noted.

A young man who works at the Nghinh Viet production base, said, "This production base specializes in making paper dragon boats. The wholesales price is around 20,000 Vietnamese dong, but end-users may have to pay 40,000-50,000 Vietnamese dong for the boats."

Meanwhile, a girl working for the Quang Lan production base said that the base mainly produces about 300 pairs of shoes a day with a wholesales price of 1,000 Vietnamese dong per pair.

Colorful paper, cartons and bamboo splints can be seen in almost every household in the village and roads are crowded with vans setting off to deliver votive paper objects throughout the North.

Nguyen Van Tuan, vice chairman of Song Ho People's Committee, said that not only the commune, but also Dai Dong Thanh commune and Ho town in Thuan Thanh district have also focused on producing votive paper objects in recent years.

But Dong Ho prints, the village's traditional specialty, from which Dong Ho village makes its name, runs the risk of disappearing, with few families now committed to the unique craft dating back to the 16th century.

"The printed pictures produced in Dong Ho began to deteriorate in quality while I was growing up. At that time, we hardly received any orders or contracts. The images produced were dull and unpopular among those outside the village. Villagers began to abandon the work, and carvings and wooden printing blocks were left unattended or were lost," said Nguyen Dang Che, one of the oldest craftsmen, now in his 80s.

Che's 10,000-square-meter building is totally devoted to his family's project which is dedicated to maintaining and developing Dong Ho prints, with space for production and display, as well as accommodation for guests.

Che said he has revived over 100 types of Dong Ho prints and still has some 150 printed pictures to be restored. The old craftsman spent decades collecting hundreds of old wooden print blocks in his locality, while creating new wood blocks and colors, to develop the various looks of the prints.

Like Che's family, Nguyen Huu Sam, aged over 80, and his children, have not turned to producing votive paper objects to make a living.

They have chosen to continue with the ancient, unique craft and devote themselves to the production of Dong Ho prints.

His family's house, full of Dong Ho prints with different themes such as historical events, blessings, religious depictions and scenes from daily life, is far from the main roads in the village, but frequently visited by groups of tourists and collectors.

His son, Nguyen Huu Qua, owns a big picture production base and manages a club which is involved in training, making and selling Dong Ho prints. "Now we not only survive but even live quite comfortably, thanks to Dong Ho prints," Sam said.

Qua said Dong Ho prints are unique even when compared to other kinds of traditional paintings, as every step of the production of Dong Ho printing is done by hand.

The special "do" paper Dong Ho pictures are printed on is made from the bark of the "do" tree (a relative of the daphne). It is then coated with a thin layer of ground seashell paste, which gives it a bright and glittering look under sunlight.

The colors that are used for painting are made from natural ingredients, mostly from leaves, flowers, and ground shells. For example, bamboo leaves for black, indigo leaves for green, copper rust for blue, pine resin for amber, and crushed egg shells mixed with paste for white.

Craftsmen apply the colors to the paper in turn, and the pages are left to dry until all five layers of ink have been applied via the wooden block prints.

Subjects depicted in the prints are usually scenes from daily life and include seasons of the year, and symbols of prosperity, good luck and fertility.

"Besides famous paintings such as "Teacher," "Catching Coconuts," "Yin-Yang Pigs" and "A Scene of Jealousy," we make pictures based on a variety of other themes, including influential figures, landscapes and religion, Qua said.

While Vietnam wants the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in the coming years to add Dong Ho picture printing to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, the place is becoming the country's biggest votive paper object-making hub.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 15:02:32|Editor: Xiang Bo

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LHASA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- August is the best time of year in Changtang in the north of Tibet Autonomous Region, with its gorgeous stretch of green grassland, but this summer some of that grassland is off limits to herders.

Over 5,000 people live in five villages in Changma township, in Nagqu prefecture in northern Tibet, where most areas are located at 5,000 meters above sea level.

At the Kyidra Buga village, there is a 2,000-hectare ranch, but it is only open to herders for three months a year.

"This is where we nurture the new-born calves and lambs. It is only open for pregnant animals before and after their birth. It is open to herding from early April to June," said Tamtar, who was Communist Party secretary of the village from 2013 to 2016. He now holds a post in the township.

The grassland is sealed off because it is also home to around 300 Tibetan antelopes, a first-grade protected animal species. Tibetan antelopes usually migrate between different grassland, but this group settled in October 1997 and never left.

"About 15 antelopes appeared in the ranch after a heavy snowstorm. They were crammed against each other for warmth. Outside the ranch, several sheep died of frost. I thought if I drove them away, they would surely die like those sheep," said Gatse, who is the Party secretary of the village.

"The grass at the ranch was of very good quality, and when the snow started to thaw, the grass showed. The hungry antelopes saw the grass and scaled the fence to come in," Gatse said.

He immediately reported the arrival of the antelopes to the government. In 1999, Gatse was appointed a part-time patroller to protect the animals. He receives a monthly stipend of 600 yuan (about 91 U.S. dollars) for his job.

The antelope population grew quickly.

"Some of the herders complain about why they should not herd on the ranch. I explained the government regulations and told them antelopes were symbols of auspiciousness," Gatse said.

Gatse needs to make four trips every month to the ranch to check the water, collect trash and help the antelopes where needed. Six other families were also hired by the government to help Gatse.

"For over 20 years, there was not a single incident of harming the animals. When we see an antelope which has died from natural causes, we disinfect and bury its remains. For male antelopes, I break their horns, for fear that poachers may dig them out and sell for profit," he said.

Ren Chuncheng, who works in the prefecture agriculture and herding bureau, said it was rare for Tibetan antelopes to settle in one area.

"They only do so in very good eco-environment, where there are few natural enemies and enough mating partners. In winter, herders leave grass feed for them so apparently they are willing to stay," he said.

According to government statistics, in the past 20 years the number of Tibetan antelopes has risen from about 40,000 to almost 200,000 on the plateau area.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 16:09:03|Editor: ZD

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HONG KONG, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile early Tuesday, drawing strong reactions from countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

The DPRK missile, which was fired from an area near the capital Pyongyang, passed over the Japanese territory and landed in the Pacific Ocean, after a flight of about 2,500 km. It was lofted as high as 550 km.

According to South Korean media reports, South Korea's military saw the missile as the DPRK's newly developed Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile, which Pyongyang said in May had been successfully test-fired.

South Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement that the government strongly denounces the DPRK's another provocation in defiance of the international community's grave message through a new UN Security Council resolution.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution toughening sanctions on the DPRK following Pyongyang's tests in July of what it called an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The statement said the DPRK should recognize the point that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is the only way to ensure the country's security and economic development.

It urged Pyongyang to stop reckless provocation and return to the dialogue table for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

It also said the South Korean government maintained a full preparedness for any DPRK threats, vowing to protect lives of people and the security unwaveringly.

South Korean fighter jets on Tuesday conducted a live-fire drill in the northeastern region of the country after the DPRK's missile launch.

President Moon Jae-in ordered the military to demonstrate its strong punishment capability against the DPRK, and four F-15K jetfighters made a sortie for the bomb-dropping exercise, according to the presidential Blue House.

The South Korean fighter jets dropped eight MK84 bombs on a target at the Taebaek Pilsung Firing Range in the country's northeastern Gangwon province.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday said that the DPRK's missile launch "significantly undermines" regional peace and security and Japan has lodged a firm protest against the DPRK.

Abe added that Japan is to call for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council and to call on the international society to cooperate and impose more pressure on the DPRK.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the missile firing posed "an unprecedentedly serious and grave security threat" to Japan and Japan will work closely with the United States and South Korea to address the issue.

The Philippine government expressed "grave concern" over the DPRK's missile launch, calling on the country to start dialogue and ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

"We call on the DPRK to halt these dangerous and provocative actions, which heighten tensions, increase instability and the risk of miscalculation, and could possibly endanger lives," Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement on Tuesday.

"We recall the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Statement on Developments in the Korean Peninsula issued on August 5th and urge the DPRK to fully comply with its obligations under the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions," Cayetano said.

He said ASEAN and the Philippines, as this year's chair, remain committed to peaceful resolutions of conflict.

The Indonesian foreign ministry said in a statement that the DPRK missile launch could escalate tensions in the region, noting that the act was a clear violation of related resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

Indonesia reaffirmed the importance of the stability on the Korean Peninsula and urged all nations to contribute to the establishment of peace and stability on the peninsula.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said "The (DPRK's) missile flew over Japanese territory, posing an unacceptable threat to peace and stability in our region,"

"This morning's test firing represents a serious escalation by Pyongyang. It is a provocative and threatening act by a dangerous regime," he said, adding that Australia calls on all countries to fully implement existing UN Security Council resolutions to place pressure on Pyongyang to change its behaviour.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during his meeting with mukhtars at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, August 22, 2017. (Reuters Photo)

ANKARA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the international community to step up efforts to help Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority, blaming the world was "blind and deaf" to their plight, local TV station reported Tuesday.

The Rohingya, one of the world's largest stateless communities, are fleeing in droves towards Bangladesh, trying to escape the latest surge in violence in Rakhine state between a shadowy militant group and Myanmar's military.

The UN refugee agency said over 3,000 had arrived in the past three days, as people told of how they fled for their lives from Myanmar's army.

"Unfortunately I can say the world is blind and deaf to what is going on in Myanmar," Erdogan said in a live television interview marking his three years as president.

He described the latest flight of refugees towards Bangladesh as an "extremely painful event" and vowed to take up the issue at the UN General Assembly next month.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 16:34:12|Editor: Zhou Xin

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HOUSTON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A man gave himself in after shooting two people dead and injuring four others at a library in the southwest U.S. state of New Mexico.

Police Chief Douglas Ford said officers responded to the incident around 4:00 p.m. local time (2300 GMT), went into the library, and contacted the lone suspected shooter, who "gave up" on himself. The officers were neither shot at nor discharged weapons.

David Lansford, mayor of Clovis, a city near the Texan border, said at a press conference streamed live on Facebook on what happened at the Clovis-Carver library was "a big blow to the community."

Noting that police are at an early stage of investigation, Ford declined to talk about possible motivation. The identity of the suspect, apparently a young male as seen in a surveillance video, was not released by the authorities. The identities of those killed and injured were also withheld.

However, The Eastern New Mexico News, a newspaper published in Clovis, identified the shooter as Nathaniel Jouett, a sophomore at Clovis High School.

Lisa Baird, who was talking with a library patron from her seat at the library's reference desk when she heard a loud bang, was quoted as telling the newspaper that she was maybe 20 feet, or 6 meters, from the young man who yelled at her: "Why aren't you running? I'm shooting at you! Run!"

From under a nearby desk, she could hear the man moving around and firing multiple shots, Baird said.

Also, family and friends reportedly identified Krissie Carter and Wanda Walters, both library employees, as victims.

The four injuries included two females and two males, Ford said, without elaborating their conditions.

The Clovis-Carver Public Library, where the shooting took place in the afternoon, put up a notice on its website later in the day, saying that due to the incident, the facility "will be closed until further notice."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 16:54:19|Editor: Zhou Xin

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PHNOM PENH, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Appeal Court on Tuesday upheld the decision of a lower court to sentence, in absentia, ex-opposition senator Thak Lany to 18 months in prison for alleging that Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen was behind the murder last year of political analyst Kem Ley, according to a verdict.

"The Phnom Penh Municipal Court's decision against Thak Lany is correct, so the Appeal Court decides to uphold the decision," Appeal Court Presiding Judge Plang Samnang said as he pronounced the verdict.

Lany, 61, is a former senator of the Sam Rainsy Party that merged with the Human Rights Party in late 2012 to form a major opposition party called Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).

She was charged with defamation and incitement to cause social chaos after she accused the prime minister in July last year of having political analyst Kem Ley murdered.

In November last year, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced Lany to one and a half years in prison and fined her 2,000 U.S. dollars.

Lany fled to Sweden after the prime minister filed a lawsuit against her in August last year.

Kem Ley, 46, was shot dead at a mini-mart in Phnom Penh on July 10 last year when he was drinking a morning coffee.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 17:04:27|Editor: Xiang Bo

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XI'AN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A resort hotel in Yangling, an agricultural high-tech demonstration zone in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has seen its tax drop by 670,000 yuan (about 101,200 U.S. dollars) since May last year. The company's revenue was 20 million yuan during the same period.

The same was also seen in Yuchai Group, a leading machine manufacturer in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, whose tax burden was cut by 70 million yuan last year.

All these changes would not take place had a nationwide value-added tax reform not been implemented in May last year. The reform replaced all business taxes with value-added tax, the most significant tax overhaul in China for two decades.

Across the country, this aggressive tax cut has saved 1.6 trillion yuan of taxes for businesses since it was first introduced in 2012. From May 2016 to June 2017, taxes were reduced by over 850 billion yuan.

Benefiting from the VAT reform, Yuchai Group was able to invest more in R&D and further explore the overseas market.

In the first half of 2017, Yuchai sold over 2,000 natural gas engines to Myanmar, and a further 3,000 to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Pakistan. The company expects to export 55,000 engines this year, a 22 percent increase from 2016.

"Overseas markets have become the fastest growing market for Yuchai," said Yan Ping, board chairman of the group.

Foreign companies like German company Siemens that want to tap business opportunities in China are also enjoying the same privileges. Siemens hires more than 32,000 employees in China, which has become its second biggest overseas market following the United States.

"The VAT reform solved the problem of double taxation in the past, and since its implementation last May our tax cost has dropped dramatically," said Zeng Dali, financial manager of Siemens China.

The tax reform also helps companies exploring market potential in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Since the tax reform began, a subsidiary of Guangxi Construction Engineering Group was exempted from 51 million yuan of taxes.

With this, the company was capable of expanding business in Asia, Africa, Latin America as well as Europe. In 2016 alone, the company took over projects with a combined value of more than 2.79 billion yuan.

"The VAT tax reform is a big red packet for us," said a financial executive at the company.

Tax departments in China are working closely with their counterparts in Belt and Road countries under the newly-introduced tax structure. For instance, a technological system is being established to assist overseas companies to enjoy tax benefits when they participate in Belt and Road projects.

As of April this year, China has signed bilateral tax agreements with 54 countries along the Belt and Road.

"The VAT reform has pressed a fast-forward button on infrastructure connectivity among countries under the Belt and Road Initiative," said Hu Yijian, professor at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. "In the construction sector alone, the number of overseas project contracts Chinese companies obtained in 2016 has hit a three-year high."

To set up a sound, pro-business environment, the Chinese central government aims to further streamline taxation procedures and introduce information technology to make them easier and more efficient.

It will also improve various sectors, including manufacturing, finance and construction, optimize tax structure and set a reasonable tax rate.

"With collaboration and exchange becoming more frequent among Belt and Road countries, China's tax authorities are devoted to deepening international tax cooperation and optimizing the service for these enterprises," said Qian Guanlin, chairman of the Chinese Tax Institute.
A World Bank report blames the fragility and conflicts in the Middle East region on the failure of governments to address water scarcity. (Reuters Photo)

GAZA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The fragility and conflicts in the Middle East region can be blamed on the failure of governments to address water scarcity, local media cited a World Bank report as saying Tuesday.

More than 60 percent of the region's population live in areas under high or very high water stress compared to just 35 percent worldwide, the report said.

Currently, more than half of waste water in the region is dumped into the environment untreated, resulting in waste and health risks, the report said.

It added that political stability and economic growth in the Middle East could hinge on better management of scarce water resources.

With poor access to water and poor sanitation, the region is suffering annual economic losses of as much as 21 billion U.S. dollars, according to the report.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 17:39:44|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has paid visits to more than 50 countries and hosted hundreds of visits from foreign leaders since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012.

He has also hosted or attended a series of international summits and activities.

To build a global network of friendship, China has established partnerships with about 100 countries and international organizations.

In October 2013, Xi highlighted the four-point principle of "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness" in developing neighborhood diplomacy. While safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests, China has strengthened friendly cooperation with its neighbors.

China has also actively participated in regional cooperation mechanisms including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO); ASEAN-China dialogue; ASEAN-China, Japan and Republic of Korea (ROK) (10+3) dialogue; East Asia Summit; China-Japan-ROK cooperation and Lancang-Mekong Cooperation.

Xi proposed the principles of non-confrontation, no conflict, mutual respect and win-win cooperation in China-U.S. ties, which have remained stable in the transition from the Obama administration to Trump's.

Rounds of in-depth talks between Xi and his U.S. counterparts, including the meeting in Mar-a-Lago, have established a new model of interaction between top leaders, which are of key importance in stabilizing relations.

In the past five years, Xi has visited Russia six times, bringing the number of meetings between the heads of state to more than 20.

China and Russia also made breakthroughs in cooperation on natural gas pipelines, high-speed railways, aerospace and other major projects, in addition to coordination in multilateral mechanisms.

The strategic coordination between China and Russia has contributed to regional stability and world peace.

During Xi's historic visit to the EU headquarters in 2014, China and EU vowed to deepen their partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization.

China has strengthened friendship and cooperation with developing countries. In 2015, China rolled out 10 major plans to boost cooperation with Africa in areas ranging from industrialization to infrastructure services, with 60 billion U.S. dollars of funding support.

Moreover, China and Latin America have strived for win-win cooperation and common development under the principles of mutual trust, mutual benefit and mutual learning.

To ease the tension on the Korean Peninsula, China advocates a "double suspension" approach, which requires the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to suspend its nuclear and missile activities in exchange for the suspension of large-scale U.S.-Republic of Korea military exercises.

The country has also worked to bring the South China Sea issue back to the negotiating table.

During a series of summits marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations in 2015, President Xi announced that China will establish a 10-year, 1-billion-U.S. dollar China-UN peace and development fund to support the UN's work, as well as a fund, with initial contribution of 2 billion dollars, to support South-South cooperation and assist developing countries in implementing their post-2015 development agenda.

To cope with climate change, China has been vigorous and firm in reaching the Paris Agreement and honoring its commitments under the agreement.

President Xi has expounded the vision of a "community of shared future" on various occasions during major domestic and international events over the past five years. In March this year, the concept was incorporated into a UN Security Council resolution for the first time.

In 2013, Xi proposed building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, also known as the Belt and Road Initiative. Over 100 countries and international organizations have expressed support for or participated in the initiative, and investment from the Silk Road Fund has amounted to more than 4 billion dollars.

At the G20 Hangzhou summit in 2016, Xi emphasized the concepts of equality, openness, cooperation and sharing in global economic governance. Against the backdrop of a deglobalization trend and a sluggish world economy, China proposed the idea of building an innovative, open, interconnected and inclusive world economy.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, measures, proposals and concepts put forward by China have injected vigor into the reform and optimization of global governance. China proposed establishing the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the BRICS New Development Bank. Last year, the IMF included the Chinese currency, the renminbi (RMB), into the SDR basket.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 17:39:46|Editor: Xiang Bo

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ANKARA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday warned Ankara was fast withdrawing from Europe and blamed Turkey for the breakdown of its EU accession talks, local media reported.

Juncker told an annual conference of EU ambassadors that "Turkey is withdrawing from Europe by giant steps," the report said.

Relations between Ankara and Berlin have hit rock bottom in recent months, stoking calls for Ankara's EU accession talks to be suspended.

Turkey began formal membership talks in 2005 after years of foot-dragging by some EU member states such as France who were wary of admitting such a large Muslim country.

But progress has been slow and the negotiations came to a virtual halt last year after Erdogan began a massive crackdown following an attempted coup in July, sending ties plunging to a new low.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 17:59:56|Editor: Xiang Bo

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TEHRAN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Defense Minister Amir Hatamisaid said Iran will boost its missile program for defensive purposes, Press TV reported Tuesday.

Iran's current missile potentials are satisfactory and incorporates "one of the main components of deterrence" of the country, Press TV quoted Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami as saying.

He said Iran's defensive power will not lag behind that of its enemies.

"We will boost defensive power to the extent that no one would dare to threaten Iran," Hatami said.

According to the minister, all the S-300 surface-to-air missile defense systems Iran purchased from Russia have been installed and are covering sensitive sites in the country.

The domestically-built Bavar-373 air defense system would also be used alongside the S-300 to protect Iran's air space, he said.

The United States has imposed new sanctions on Iran in response to what it has called Tehran's "continued provocative actions" of ballistic missile tests.

In response, Iran's parliament voted on Aug. 13 to allocate 520 million U.S. dollars to develop its missile program to fight the U.S. "adventurism" and sanctions.

Iranian officials unanimously called the missile tests "inalienable right" of the country to boost deterrent power.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 17:59:57|Editor: Mengjie

Security force members patrol at the site of an attack in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 29, 2017. Five people were confirmed dead and eight others injured as a suicide bomber blew himself up in Kabul city on Tuesday, Interior Ministry's spokesman Najib Danish said. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah)



KABUL, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Five people were confirmed dead and eight others injured as a suicide bomber blew himself up in Kabul city on Tuesday, Interior Ministry's spokesman Najib Danish said.

In talks with reporters, Danish said that a terrorist blew himself up next to a branch of New Kabul Bank in Microrayan-e-Duwum locality in 9th Police district of Kabul city at around 10:00 a.m. local time.

Police have arrested a suspected terrorist from the site of the blast, he added.

The attack came as the war-weary Afghans are preparing for an upcoming Eid festival, probably celebrated on Friday.

Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

Last Friday, a terrorist attack claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group on a mosque here in Kabul killed more than 40 people and injured over 100 others.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 18:20:06|Editor: Mengjie

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TEHRAN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry voiced concerns over Myanmar's continued crackdown against Rohingya Muslims, semi-official Fars news agency reported Tuesday.

"The government of the Islamic republic of Iran is extremely worried by the continued violation of the rights of Muslims in Myanmar, which has led to their deaths and forced immigration," Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said.

Qasemi urged the government in Myanmar "to halt the continued violation of human rights of Muslims and end ongoing inhuman and violent situation in the country."

He also asked Myanmar to adopt a realistic approach to a peaceful co-existence with the Rohingya.

The Rohingya, one of the world's largest stateless communities, are fleeing in droves toward Bangladesh, trying to escape the latest surge in violence in Rakhine state between a shadowy militant group and Myanmar's military.

The UN refugee agency said on Monday that more than 3,000 Rohingya Muslims had reached Bangladesh in the past three days, as people told of how they fled for their lives from Myanmar's army.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 18:55:21|Editor: ZD

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese border troops are continuing their patrolling and defending the Dong Lang (Doklam) area, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.

"We will make an overall assessment of the weather conditions and all related factors, and according to the actual circumstances complete construction plans for the Dong Lang (Doklam) area," spokesperson Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing.

On June 18, over 270 armed Indian troops with two bulldozers crossed the boundary into Dong Lang (Doklam), Chinese sovereign territory, to obstruct infrastructure construction.

China Monday confirmed that India had withdrawn personnel and equipment from Dong Lang (Doklam) after a military stand-off lasting more than two months.

Dong Lang (Doklam), which borders India's Sikkim state to the west and the Kingdom of Bhutan to the south, is part of Chinese territory and has been under Chinese rule for a very long time.

Hua said for a long period of time, China has constructed infrastructure facilities including roads to meet the needs of soldiers and civilians, and improve their living conditions.

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Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 19:00:24|Editor: Xiang Bo

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CHONGQING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese delivery man who became an online celebrity for sending his customers messages in English will soon have more opportunities to use the foreign language.

Mao Zhaomu was a delivery man in southwest China's Chongqing municipality. On Sunday, he returned to Sichuan International Studies University (SISU), where he used to deliver food to students, but this time with a different purpose: to register as a new student. He plans to major in English.

Mao, 18, was in his first year of high school when he dropped out of school in March 2016.

"I like English, but my scores in other subjects were not good," he said. "I thought it was unlikely that I would enter college. So I decided to work and help my family."

He changed jobs several times in 2016, from hairdresser to bartender to home decorator.

"I didn't like these jobs," he said. "But I didn't receive much education, which prevented me from getting a better job."

In those days of confusion, Mao made up his mind about one thing: to continue his studies and go to college.

"My English teacher in middle school entered university through an entrance exam for self-taught adults," he said. "He encouraged me to do the same."

Most Chinese students enter universities through gaokao, the national college entrance exam. However, for those who have not finished secondary school, a self-taught higher education exam was introduced in 1981 as a way to gain access to higher education.

Mao began delivering food at the beginning of this year. He worked near the SISU.

Mao studied English while doing his delivery job.

"While I was waiting for the customer to pick up the meal, I could memorize several English words," Mao said.

To seize every chance to practice English, he began sending English text messages in March.

"Hello, your phone was power off when I called you. Your meal have been put by me on the vending machine," he would write.

There were grammatical mistakes, but that didn't prevent him from trying.

"I thought that students at the university must be good at English, so I wanted to practice," Mao said.

On China's Sina Weibo, social media users praised Mao's efforts. "This is so inspirational," said one user nicknamed Kanchairen. "Whoever has a dream and dares to pursue it is the loveliest person."

Some students, like Huang Lanhong, a first-year student at the SISU, ordered takeout food from the restaurant where Mao worked just so they could have a chance to meet him.

"I think we should learn from him," Huang said.

Teachers and students gave him books. Mao recalled that once a postgraduate student gave him an English dictionary, which he put into the take-away box.

"When I arrived home, I found the book was stained with grease. I felt so sorry for the student who gave it to me," he said.

A teacher from Shanghai, known only as Kevin, contacted Mao and taught him online. He also sent him BBC audio clips for him to translate.

The efforts paid off.

Earlier this month, Mao received a letter of admission from the College of Continuing Education at SISU.

Mao has quit his job as a delivery man.

"Next time, I will enter the university as a student," he said.

He plans to get a master's degree and become an interpreter.

According to a report by China Newsweek, as of the end of last year, more than 500 security guards from the prestigious Peking University had studied at a university, including 12 who later earned master's degrees. Some of them have become teachers and even opened new schools.

"If people from everywhere in China could have a way of changing their situations by working hard, if different groups could exchange and help each other as equals, the inner desire for improvement could be awakened in more people," said an editorial by the Beijing Youth Daily.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 19:10:28|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China Tuesday asked the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) to respect the security interests and concerns of China and other regional countries, and to stop the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks in response to a question regarding ROK protesters demanding THAAD be stopped ahead of a meeting between ROK and U.S. defense chiefs on Aug. 30.

THAAD deployment will not solve the security concerns of countries involved, Hua told a routine press briefing.

"Instead, it will obstruct the regional strategic balance, damage security interests of regional countries including China, and intensify tensions on the Korean Peninsula," she said.

China urged the ROK and United States to stop the THAAD deployment and withdraw related equipment, said the spokesperson.

The ROK Defense Minister Song Young-moo is scheduled to visit Washington this month to hold talks with his U.S. counterpart James Mattis on Aug. 30.

A group of anti-THAAD activists and residents living near the deployment site on Monday gathered outside the U.S. embassy in central Seoul, holding a press conference to demand the removal of the U.S. missile shield from ROK territory and appeal to the United States to stop pressuring the ROK for further deployment.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 19:20:32|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese colleges and universities admitted 100,000 students from rural and underdeveloped areas in 2017, a 9.3 percent increase from those in 2016, according to the Ministry of Education.

China has implemented favorable college entrance policies, including enrollment programs at national, regional and university levels, to enable more students from rural and poor areas to go to university.

In the national program, the requirements to be accepted at key colleges and universities, those affiliated to central ministries and provincial governments, have been lowered for students from impoverished counties.

The regional program helps students receive higher quality education in their own provinces and regions, while outstanding high school graduates from rural areas can be admitted to top-level universities under the Ministry of Education through the university-level program.

In 2017, nearly 64,000 students from poverty-stricken counties were enrolled in universities thanks to assistance from the national program.

The regional program admitted 16.2 percent more rural students than those in 2016 and an additional 9,500 exceptional rural students were accepted through the university-level program, the ministry said.

"Going to university is the best way for children from poor families to lift themselves out of poverty," said the principal of a high school in an impoverished county in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

"We need to improve the enrollment rate for rural students," said Xie Huanzhong, an official with the Ministry of Education.

In 2016, Chinese higher education institutions admitted 7.48 million students for undergraduate study, according to the ministry.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 19:20:34|Editor: Mengjie

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by Bedah Mengo

NAIROBI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Supermarkets and other retail outlets in Kenya are among the biggest beneficiaries of a ban on plastic bags, which took effect on Monday.

The outlets, which are in their hundreds in the East African nation, are currently selling to their customers the alternatives to plastic bags that include canvas bags creating a new revenue stream.

Before the ban, the shops would pack the goods bought by shoppers in plastic bags of various sizes for free.

But the new era has come with lots of blessing, with each outlet selling the shopping bags from 0.05 U.S. dollars for the light bags to 0.50 dollars for the heavy canvas bags.

And with hundreds of customers thronging into the retail outlets every day, the canvas bags are becoming a cash cow for the shops.

"We are providing customers with eco-reusable bags for 0.05 dollars for small bags and 0.10 dollars for large bags. But we encourage you to come with your kiondos and baskets. Feel free to return with your reusable bags," Tuskys, one of the biggest supermarket in Kenya informed customers via SMS on Monday.

The same message was pasted at the entrance of all its branches across the capital Nairobi and other parts of the country.

A visit to three branches of the retail outlet in Nairobi, however, indicated that most of their customers were not bringing along reusable bags. Instead, they were shopping and buying the reusable bags as the supermarket made a killing.

A similar scenario was replicated at branches of Naivas supermarkets where customers were encouraged to come with their shopping bags but a majority bought the recycled bags from the outlet.

At a branch of Nakumatt supermarket, their larger branded canvas bags were going for up to 0.50 dollars, an indication of how lucrative the business was.

While customers were similarly asked to bring along their shopping bags, many of them shopped and paid for the canvas bags.

"I have no choice but to buy the canvas bags," said Moses Mutua, a shopper at a branch of Tuskys supermarket along Moi Avenue.

"If you tell men to bring along their shopping bags, that is practically impossible because I cannot walk around with it in my coat pocket waiting to shop. For women it is easier because they would carry them in their bags."

Mutua bought several items that filled two canvas bags spending 0.20 dollars on the bags, money that initially he would have saved if plastic bags were still in use.

"Supermarkets should consider giving to customers these shopping bags for free because I do not believe if their cost is higher than that of plastic bags. It seems like they are taking advantage of the new regime to make money," he said.

As consumers feel the pinch, retailers noted the canvas bags would help them save costs that arose from provision of plastic bags.

According to Retail Trade Association of Kenya, the budget on plastic bags constituted up to 2 percent of retailers cost bases, therefore, the elimination of the expenditure results into huge savings for that outlets some that have annual turnover of up to 583 million dollars.

As supermarkets cash in, shoppers talked to, however, said they would work to eliminate the extra charges by carrying their own bags to retail outlets.

"I love shopping, which I do every day because I get all my shopping including groceries from the supermarket. I cannot be buying the bags every time I go there which would be expensive. I would now have to carry my own every time I go shopping," said Susan Muhanga, an insurance agent.

Environmental organizations have praised the ban on plastic bags which has largely been complied with by Kenyans.

The Greenbelt Movement, which has been at the forefront of protecting Kenya's environment, said it supports the ban because it is a noble cause that guarantees a cleaner, healthier environment to future generations.

"Greenpeace Africa welcomes the decision by the Kenyan government to implement the plastic bags ban. This is a beacon of hope in fostering an environmentally conscious society and is a clear message that Kenya is ready to join other African countries in taking bold steps on environmental issues that are key to ensuring a sustainable future," said Njeri Kabeberi, the executive director.

On Monday, the National Environment Authority sent out inspectors to ensure the public complies with the ban but said its focus would be on companies.

Kenya used up to 24 million plastic bags monthly, with half ending up in the environment due to poor disposal.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 19:25:37|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China said Tuesday it has looked into the case of a Chinese ship detained in Ecuador over charges of illegal fishing and that it does not tolerate any illegal trading of endangered wildlife.

An Ecuadorean judge has reportedly sentenced 20 Chinese crew members to up to four years in prison for illegal fishing off the Galapagos Islands and fined them a total of 5.9 million U.S. dollars.

The Chinese government opposes all forms of illegal fishing and exercises zero-tolerance toward actions that involve the illegal trading of endangered wildlife and their products, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a regular news briefing.

"China will not side with any form of illegal fishing," she said.

Although there is no proof of fishing or transshipment by the ship in Ecuadorean waters, the ship did sail within the Galapagos marine reserve without permission, Hua said.

She said China will also investigate the ship's actions on the high seas and will punish all violations in line with both international and Chinese law.

China respects Ecuador's concerns over the Galapagos marine reserve, and will remind Chinese fishing vessels to comply with regulations and avoid entering the area, Hua said.

China hopes Ecuador will deal with the incident fairly and protect the rights of the Chinese crew, the spokesperson said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 19:30:39|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Three intellectual property rights (IPR) courts have concluded the proceedings over 33,000 cases in the past three years, according to a report submitted to the top legislature Tuesday.

These cases include more than 8,000 concerning highly technical issues such as patents, new species of plants, layout designs of integrated circuits and computer software, according to the report from the Supreme People's Court.

Chief Justice Zhou Qiang presented the report to the ongoing bimonthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. Top legislator Zhang Dejiang attended the session.

The three courts were established in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in late 2014 following a resolution from the NPC Standing Committee.

They have handled landmark cases including granting punitive damages to trademark infringements and covering applicants' counsel fees in the compensation.

The courts also employed 61 technology investigators to assist judges in 1,144 cases, said the report.

The report called for an appellate mechanism for IPR cases at the national level and more IPR courts.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 19:30:40|Editor: Mengjie

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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Up to 21 people including 20 militants and one police personnel were killed after a clash erupted in the southern province of Kandahar late Monday night, police spokesman in the province Zia Durani said Tuesday.

Ten more militants, according to the official, sustained injuries in the clash which took place in Band-e-Timur area of Miwand district late Monday night and lasted for hours also left one police personnel dead.

Taliban militants who are active in parts of Kandahar province haven't commented.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 19:35:43|Editor: Mengjie

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PARIS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- In a statement issued following a meeting with their African counterparts, European leaders appear to have agreed on a long list of "principals" on how to stem illegal migration, but failed to map out detailed plans to relieve mounting pressure on Europe's external border.

Analysts have questioned the functionality of the agreements reached at the meeting, which were not accompanied by further instructions for implementation.

Some pointed out that if root causes like poverty and instability in Africa could not be addressed, the promises of European leaders might end up to be just empty words.

BROAD CONSENSUS

At the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, leaders of Germany, Spain and Italy, along with the European Union (EU)'s foreign policy chief, held talks in Paris with presidents of Niger and Chad, and head of Libya's United Nations (UN)-backed government.

The "mini-summit" was called in the backdrop of a recent switch in the routes taken by illegal migrants to reach Europe seeking for refuge or simply a better life.

On one hand, the number of migrants departing from Turkey for Greece has dropped significantly, thanks to a pact signed by the EU and Turkey to return people who fail to gain refugee status.

On the other, the number of migrants arriving at Italy from Libya through the Mediterranean route is still riding high, which highlights an important role that African countries must play in resolving the crisis.

The nine-page statement lists consensus reached by the leaders in a wide range of aspects.

At the political level, the countries agreed to explore a new mechanism to encourage and assist voluntary returns of illegal migrants, and vowed to help African countries strengthen border controls and combat human trafficking.

European leaders praised Niger and Chad for their progress in cracking down on illegal migration, and agreed that political stability in Libya is key to dismantling human trafficking gangs who cash in on the fatal journey of migrants.

At the economic level, European leaders pledged to strengthen support for local communities along the Libyan route. They also promised to assist Niger and Chad in tracking down financial networks of human traffickers and reintegrating migrants returned from Europe.

At the social level, the leaders called on all non-governmental organizations who are carrying out rescue missions on the sea to sign a code of conduct drafted by Italy, which aims to enhance efficiency and coordination.

Last but not least, at the military level, the European countries said that they would step up cooperation with Niger and Libya under the existing framework by extending current projects and undertaking more actions on the sea.

WEAK FUNCTIONALITY

The statement may seem "all-rounded," but it lacks powerful messages and constructive proposals that can really make a difference, according to analysts.

In another word, too many "principals" and "directions", but too few concrete measures.

For instance, it did not specify who would study the possible "new mechanism" to facilitate voluntary returns and when it could be completed. Neither did it mention how European countries could contribute to providing "economic alternatives" for local communities along the human trafficking route.

The only truly new announcement was that a "joint mission" would be sent to Niger and Chad to screen migrants for asylum claims before they attempt to reach Europe illegally, an idea proposed by Macron last month.

However, no operational details were given such as the timetable, sources of financing, and registration criteria.

Many European media gave a cold shoulder to the carefully phrased statement.

In an article published on Tuesday, French newspaper Le Figaro said that the meeting "lacked solution." The French radio RFI said that "the problem is too complex for a solution to come out of a one-day summit."

Chadian President Idriss Deby told media after the meeting that what Africa really needs is concrete action.

"The fundamental problem will always remain development. We need resources," he stressed.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said that measures that simply aim to limit the number of arrivals do not solve the problem of forced migration.

"Any sensible approach must include a set of strong measures to ensure the lasting peace in the country affected by the conflicts as well as economic and social development in the places of origin," he added.

Based on the statement, European leaders are well aware of that, but have not yet been able to come up with effective solutions.

Analysts said that financial aids given by Europe to African countries might help in the short term, but are not enough to cope with development challenges, which demand comprehensive approaches, as well as stable political and social environments.

Nearly 120,000 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea so far this year, according to the International Organization for Migration, while more than 2,400 have lost their lives making the perilous journey.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 19:45:46|Editor: Xiang Bo

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MACAO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Macao's tourism industry is expected to resume tour group arrangements from Sept. 2 after being hit by two typhoons, the tourism office said on Tuesday.

Tourism office of the Macao Special Administrative Region government held a meeting Tuesday with representatives of travel agencies and hotel industry associations on resuming business.

According to the office, most of the hotels and guest houses already have their water and power supply resumed, while the other services concerned are being restored progressively.

Ten people were confirmed dead and more than 200 others injured after typhoon Hato struck Macao on Aug. 23. Later on Aug. 27, Typhoon Pakhar swept Macao again.

The tourism office will issue a safety reminder to members of the travel trade and urge them to get prepared in advance to safeguard Macao's image as a travel destination.

During the typhoons of Hato and Pakhar, the office had requested local travel agencies to suspend their arrangements of tour groups to Macao from Aug. 25 to 30 in order to prioritize resources for Macao's recovery.
File photo: Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (L) and Somali new Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire attend a parliament session in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, March 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse)

MOGADISHU, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Somali Prime Minister Hassan Khaire has ordered his ministers to avoid using the social media to comment on sensitive political developments.

Khaire also warned ministers against communication with media without seeking clearance from his office.

"All the cabinet ministers whom this document is directed at are informed to solicit a prior permission from the office of the Prime Minister when using the social media, radio stations, televisions and everything that relates to news broadcasting by sharing the issues that relate to the government," Khaire said.

At this moment, it is forbidden to use the social media for matters relating to sensitive politics, the PM added.

Relatives of victims killed during a raid look at a dead body in Mogadishu, Somalia, Aug. 25, 2017. The Somali and U.S. governments have launched investigations into the death of civilians killed during a joint security operation on a farm in southern Somalia early on Friday. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse)

The order follows what appeared to be different messages from the government ministers on Friday following a military operation in which 10 civilians were killed.

The government was Friday forced to issue two statements following the operation in Barire, Lower Shabelle region while statements from the Information Minister and Foreign Affairs minister's Facebook posts were later removed after it emerged there was no clarity on the operation.

The government later confirmed those killed were civilians and went ahead to form a probe committee.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 19:55:54|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BRASILIA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Michel Temer has said that during a visit to China this week, he will announce a series of new investment opportunities.

Accompanied by a large delegation of senior officials and businessmen, Temer will embark on a state visit to China on Thursday, in which he will also attend the 9th BRICS Summit scheduled for September 3-5 in southeast China's coastal city of Xiamen.

In an interview with Xinhua prior to the visit, Temer said that the Brazilian government has recently launched a series of private sector investment partnership projects, which offer new opportunities to companies around the world, including China.

"Today, we have in Brazil a structured program based on rational and predictable regulatory frameworks, which contemplates projects for concessions and privatization in various areas linked to infrastructure," the president explained.

"In the energy sector, we expect participation by Chinese capital in the development of hydroelectric, wind and solar power sources, as well as transmission lines. We also want to modernize and expand our rail network, an area in which Chinese companies have renowned competence," he added.

According to the president, investing in Brazil today is investing in a solid economy.

"Brazil has been a reliable supplier of food and other goods to China, and China knows that it can rely on Brazil as a partner in its food security. At the same time, we are committed to diversifying our exports to China, with greater participation of our industrial products," he said.

Another central aspect of bilateral economic relations is investment, which may gain new impetus with implementation of privatization programs launched by the Brazilian government.

"We are also committed to expanding the presence of Chinese companies in Brazil. In this moment when we are getting back to the track of growth, where opportunities are multiplying, we want to benefit from China's excellence in fields such as roads, airports, ports, energy, oil and gas," the president said.

According to Temer, the Brazilian government will organize a business seminar in Beijing on September 2.

"In the business seminar, I will be able to speak to important Chinese business leaders about the renewed Brazilian perspectives," he said.

In the interview, Temer praised the promising results of the two countries' partnership, highlighting the strong trade exchanges and increasing Chinese investment in Brazil over recent years.

He pointed out that the relationship between Brazil and China has greatly contributed to promoting the development of mutual benefits.

Temer noted that since the two countries upgraded bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2012, they have been addressing both bilateral issues and main issues on the international agenda.

"It is essential that Brazil and China continue to maintain fluid and ample dialogue at the highest level," he added.

China is Brazil's largest trading partner. According to statistics from China Customs, bilateral trade reached 50 billion U.S. dollars in the first seven months of 2017, which evidences the dynamism of the bilateral relationship.

"China has been a first-rate partner," said Temer, adding that there is still room for more investment from China.

The president said the two economies are strongly interconnected, with Brazil being a safe source of inputs to China, which in turn is a significant source of investment for Brazil's development.

"This virtuous relationship is also seen in scientific and technological cooperation," said Temer, citing the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite project as the most visible manifestation.

"The prospects are very promising. It is in an environment of confidence and optimism that I will arrive in China for my visit," he said.

Regarding the role that China can play in the recovery of the Brazilian economy, Temer explained that his government has put into practice an ambitious agenda of structural reforms, with the objective of regaining confidence that translates into investment, growth and employment.

The Brazilian government recently announced its largest privatization package since the 1990s to bolster investment in order to revive the economy.

"Now we must continue on the path we have already made, a path that necessarily involves attracting more foreign investment," said Temer, "In this context of resumption, we want to continue to count on association with China."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 20:00:56|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will hold the 22nd Joint Working Group meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) on Aug. 30 in Manila, the Philippines.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a routine press briefing on Tuesday that involved parties will exchange views on implementing the DOC, boosting maritime cooperation as well as consultation on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea.

Currently the situation in the South China Sea has been stabilized and cooled down due to the joint efforts of China and regional countries, Hua said.

"Parties concerned have returned to the track of dialogue and negotiation, and are committed to implementing the DOC in a comprehensive and efficient way, and safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea by controlling disputes, building mutual trust and boosting cooperation," Hua said.

She said parties concerned will continue the momentum of dialogue and cooperation, strive for more progress, and pave way for further consultation on the COC.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 20:10:59|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BANGKOK, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Thai government on Tuesday approved the supervision contract of the first phase of the Thailand-China railway project after approving the design contract last Tuesday, paving the way for the two countries to sign them early next month.

The cabinet approved the Construction Supervision Consultant Services Agreement with a budget of 3.5 billion baht (103 million U.S. dollars), which has been increased from some 1.6 billion baht (48.5 million U.S. dollars) earlier provided.

Thailand and China are going to sign these two contracts during Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's visit to China, Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said on Tuesday.

Prayut is set to attend dialogues between leaders of BRICS members and emerging economies and other developing countries on the sideline of the BRICS summit to be held early next month in China.

"Signing these two contracts are necessary for the beginning of the construction," Kobsak Pootrakool, vice minister at the Prime Minister's Office told media after the cabinet meeting.

As for the increased budget, Kobsak explained that new works, mainly keeping the construction site safe, have been added into the supervision contract of the project.

The first phase of the railway, a 253-km high speed railway running from Bangkok to the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, is approved by Thai cabinet in July with an estimated 179 billion baht (5.2 billion U.S. dollars) in funding.

A planned second phase will run from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai on Thai-Lao border and to join hands with the China-Laos railway to form the artery railway from Bangkok to Kunming in southern China.

Sections of the planned cross-border railway outside Thailand are already under construction such as the China-Laos railway.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 20:31:08|Editor: Mengjie

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TEHRAN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran has started to export locally-produced light-duty trucks to the Iraqi autonomous Kurdish region, Financial Tribune daily reported on Tuesday.

Iran's Soroush Diesel Mabna company, the official dealership of South Korea's Hyundai commercial vehicles, has begun to ship its locally-produced light-duty trucks to the Iraqi autonomous Kurdish region, the report said.

Soroush has clinched a deal with the Iraqi side to supply 985 units of its Hyundai trucks by the end of current Iranian calendar year (March 2018), the report said.

Mostafa Taheri, the Soroush CEO said that his company will export the vehicles in two stages.

At the first phase, 500 units of Hyundai trucks will be shipped to Iraq, and the other 485 units will be delivered in the second phase by March 2018, Taheri said.

The price for each truck amounts to 35,000 U.S. dollars, according to the company's website.

Soroush Diesel Mabna has so far produced over 2,200 units of Hyundai's HD65 and HD78 light trucks as well as the H350 minibus in Iran's Salafchegan Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) near the Holy city of Qom in central Iran.

In the first quarter of this year, the Iranian company reached a deal to deliver 200 units of 6 and 8-ton Hyundai vehicles to Afghanistan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 20:36:11|Editor: Xiang Bo

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SHANGHAI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese court Tuesday rejected the case of a Chinese semiconductor company which accused U.S.-based Qualcomm Incorporated of infringing on its trademark rights.

The Higher People's Court of Shanghai defended Qualcomm's right to use the Chinese phrase "Gaotong" in its Chinese company name and product brand, saying the accusations of Shanghai-based Genitop lacked factual and legal bases.

The court turned down Genitop's demand for 100 million yuan (15 million U.S. dollars) in compensation from Qualcomm and its two Chinese subsidiaries and for a ban on the use of the phrase Gaotong.

The court ruled that Qualcomm's products and services, including mobile phone chips, which were accused of trademark infringement, are not similar to those using the name Gaotong produced by Genitop.

The Shanghai-based company lodged the lawsuit in April 2014.

According to the complaint submitted by the plaintiff, the Gaotong trademark in Chinese characters was registered in 1992, the year the semiconductor company was established.

The company complained that Qualcomm, which produces communication technology and semiconductors, used exactly the same Chinese characters for Gaotong as its trademark in advertising after entering the Chinese market.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 20:41:13|Editor: Mengjie

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SOFIA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova on Tuesday turned the first sod on the construction of the first National Radioactive Waste Repository (NRWR), officials said.

"The construction of the NRWR is a prerequisite for the development of nuclear energy in Bulgaria," Petkova said, as quoted by her press office.

The warehouse would be built according to all international standards, and become one of the most modern such facilities in Europe, Petkova said during the ceremony, which was held near Bulgaria's only nuclear power plant (NPP) Kozloduy on the bank of the Danube river.

The press office said the facility is designed for the storage of radioactive waste generated on the territory of Bulgaria like low and intermediate radioactive level waste from industry, medicine and households, as well as wastes generated during the decommissioning of the first four reactors of Kozloduy NPP.

"No high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel will be stored in the NRWR," it said.

The capacity of the facility, which is expected to become operational in 2021, is 138,200 cubic meters, with a service life of 60 years.

The state-owned Kozloduy NPP has six reactors but only two of them, 1,000 MW each, are in operation. The other four 440-MW units were shut down in 2002 and 2006 as one of the conditions for Bulgaria's accession to the European Union.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 20:56:19|Editor: Xiang Bo

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WINDHOEK, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Students at the University of Namibia Confucius Institute are embracing Chinese language training to seize opportunities and boost career prospects.

Keith Mushonga, 26, a student at the Confucius Institute said that enrolling for Chinese language classes has not only exposed him to a new world of enhanced interaction with the Chinese community but it has reaped him benefits and accolades.

Only a year at the Institute, learning Chinese language accorded him the chance to travel to China to participate at the 16th Chinese Bridge competition.

"In a short period of time, my mastery of the Chinese language came with many opportunities. I never imagined such an opportunity would land on my lap," said Mushonga.

He added that winning the competition on merit ignited passion and keen interest about the Chinese culture.

According to Mushonga, his participation at the 16th Chinese Bridge competition in China held in July this year has also since enthused him to master the Chinese language to boost his career prospects.

"Being in China gave me a boost of confidence. I learned that it's about never giving up. Hence, I wish to master the language and seize new opportunities that comes with learning the Chinese language," he said.

During the trip to China, Mushonga also immersed himself in the Chinese culture by visiting the China University of Geosciences in Beijing, climbed the Great Wall and also visited the Forbidden City.

According to Mushonga, exposure to multiple facets in China accorded him the chance to learn more about the Chinese culture, account and their way of socialization.

"This gave me insight into the history of China and realized how far the Chinese community has come. Emulating from their spirit of hard work and development; I was inspired to come back and transform my country. Indeed as a country, we can learn a lot from their history and look for opportunities to enhance development in Africa," he added.

In the interim, Mushonga said he plans to master the Chinese language as he hopes to pursue further studies in linguistics in China next year.

"In addition, I wish to share with my Namibian counterparts about the Chinese culture and what we can learn from their exemplary work," he said.

Meanwhile, Zhang Fan, Director of the Confucius Institute said that interest in the Chinese language amongst Namibians has increased, with the Institute enrolling more than 700 students countrywide.

The Confucius Institute offers scholarships, summer camps, Chinese-bridge proficiency competition and other programs for senior officials and principals to visit China.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 21:06:22|Editor: Mengjie

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KIEV, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Tuesday that he had ordered the country's armed forces to continue abiding by the ceasefire with pro-independence rebels in eastern Ukraine that took effect on Aug. 25.

"We strongly believe the ceasefire must be universal to promote the peacemaking process," he tweeted.

Poroshenko said that he had talked over ways to maintain the truce with the Ukrainian army commanders during the visit to the frontline city of Kramatorsk in the eastern Donetsk region on Monday.

The conflict between government troops and insurgents in eastern Ukraine has been raging since April 2014, claiming about 10,000 lives.

On the midnight of Aug. 25, the confronting sides declared the ceasefire to ensure children's security ahead of the new school year, which will begin on Sept. 1.

According to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, during the first three days of the truce, the ceasefire was violated about 600 times.

The war between Ukrainian authorities and pro-independence rebels broke out in April 2014.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 21:06:24|Editor: Mengjie

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CAIRO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian criminal court on Tuesday put 56 Muslim Brotherhood defendants on the terrorist list for three years, official news agency MENA reported.

The court said these defendants were found guilty of leading the outlawed Brotherhood, being its members, providing the group with funds, or harming national economy and public security.

The verdict also includes a travel ban, assets freeze, loss of political rights, and passport cancellation.

In January, the same court placed 1,500 people, including toppled former President Mohamed Morsi and his sons as well as senior Brotherhood leaders and their sons and daughters, on the terrorsit list.

The Brotherhood was designated as a terrorist group and banned its activities following the ouster of Morsi by the army in 2013, in response to mass protests against his one-year rule.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 21:11:28|Editor: Mengjie

Female members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police wait to board a plane at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City Aug. 29, 2017. The female troops will be sent to Marawi City in south Philippines. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)



MANILA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- An all-female contingent of military and police personnel arrived in southern Philippines on Tuesday in an effort to give a "female touch" to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said the 60 female army soldiers and 40 policewomen will provide "psychosocial intervention" to the thousands of internally displaced persons across Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur province.

Arevalo said the women special forces have undergone intensive training on peace building and countering extremism before their deployment to the combat zone.

Since the war broke out last May 23, the government said at least 500,000 people have been displaced. About 800 extremist fighters, civilians, soldiers and policemen have so far been killed as troops continue to retake the rest of the city from militants allied with the Middle East-based Islamic State (IS).

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez, chief of the AFP's Western Mindanao Command, said the all-female soldiers and police "will provide greatly needed support to displace women, who, by culture and tradition, are not allowed to interact with other men."

Galvez welcomed the uniformed women at the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental province.

He said the personnel will also assist in rehabilitation and gender and cultural sensitivities work. Some members of the team are Maranaos and Maguindanaoans, meaning natives from the region, he said. In fact, many of the women in camouflage uniforms were wearing white hijab.

"They are a big part of the rehabilitation, and we can see that we are nearing the end of our clearing (operations). The most important part of his crisis is recovery and rehabilitation, to bring the normalcy in Marawi City," Galvez said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 21:16:30|Editor: Mengjie

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TEHRAN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran's government spokesman said here Tuesday that the country's military sites are by no means accessible for inspections.

"Iran's military sites are restricted places, and not everybody can gain access to them," Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said at his weekly press briefing.

Inspections into Iran's military bases are only the U.S. "illusions," Nobakht said, adding that the recent remarks by a U.S. official in this regard are unacceptable.

In her recent visit to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna, Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, urged the IAEA to expand its inspections to Iran's military sites under the 2015 international nuclear deal.

Iran struck a deal with the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States in July 2015 on a comprehensive deal, under which Iran agreed to limit its uranium-enrichment activities in return for the lifting of western and international sanctions.

The IAEA is responsible for the verification of Iran's compliance with the agreement through regular access to all Iranian nuclear facilities.

The international agreement is facing serious threats of collapse as tensions mounted between Washington and Tehran recently.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 21:51:47|Editor: Mengjie

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CAIRO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian army said on Tuesday that border forces have arrested 230 people trying to sneak into neighboring countries through desert routes.

"The border forces have arrested 230 people from different nationalities before infiltration and illegal migration during Aug. 10-26," Tamer el Refai, spokesman of the armed forces, said in a statement.

Egypt is a desired destination for illegal migrants who try to cross its territories to Libya on their way to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea, in hopes of getting rid of the difficult economic conditions in their own countries.

In September 2016, a migrant boat carrying some 600 people to Italy sank near the coast of Egypt's northern Beheira Province, leaving more than 200 dead.

The EU's border agency Frontex has warned that a growing number of migrants bound for Europe are using Egypt as a departure point for the sea voyage.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 21:56:50|Editor: Xiang Bo

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LUXEMBOURG, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Hailing China's Belt and Road Initiative "win-win", Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel has voiced his country's support for the initiative.

"Transport goes in both directions. It is these initiatives that make it possible to make win-win situations," Bettel told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

Bettel made an official visit to China in June this year, one he said was fruitful.

"Four agreements were signed during the visit. The visit also allowed me to discover China. And it is also a visit that allowed me to see in the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Luxembourg and China, a relationship of trust that exists," he said.

"What impressed me, for example, is China's leadership role, also in respect of COP21. When I was in China, it was just some time after (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump said he did not want to follow (the Paris Climate Accord)," said the prime minister.

"We could have had a domino effect. And I met strong Chinese leaders, who want to defend the COP21, who want to continue to have a political responsibility that is not always 'popular' but necessary to preserve as future generations," he said.

Amid a rising protectionist tendency against Chinese investment in Europe, Bettel told Xinhua that the two sides "have to agree to do something that will satisfy both parties, something that will benefit the one and the other, without it being at the cost of the other."

"I think that the Sino-European cooperation must be a cooperation that works. We tend to stigmatize what is wrong and yet there are so many things that work. When you see the partnership between Europe and China, whether it's Luxembourg and China, or Europe and China, we need each other," said the prime minister.

"We need international trade and exchange, and I think that it is through understanding and respect for one and the other that we can move forward," he said.

Suggesting that dialogue should be something paramount on the issue, Bettel called on the two sides to exchange arguments.

"It is only if one has respect and understanding in relation to the other that it works. And I think this understanding is done through dialogue," he noted.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 22:27:14|Editor: Mengjie

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KAMPALA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military on Tuesday said it had beefed up security on the border with South Sudan after weekend clashes left over 19 people dead.

Brig. Richard Karemire, the Ugandan military spokesperson told Xinhua in an interview that security has been enhanced at Kaya border to ensure the South Sudan warring parties do not cross into Uganda without being detected.

"We have intensified our security and intelligence at the border with South Sudan as we continue to follow and monitor the latest clashes in the country," said Karemire.

"We shall continue to screen all the people fleeing from South Sudan into Uganda. We are interested in knowing the government and oppositions fighters who might want to cross," he added.

According to the South Sudan government, the clashes on Saturday between government troops and the rebels left 19 people dead, including an American journalist.

Thousands of South Sudan refugees continue to cross into Uganda after fighting erupted in December 2013.

Karemire said the military will continue to allow in refugees.

Over 1 million South Sudan refugees have crossed into Uganda, according to new figures by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 22:42:20|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- One man was killed and two others injured in a knife attack in a passenger terminal in the southern district of Iran's capital Tehran on Tuesday afternoon, Mizan Online News Agency reported.

A man attacked the passengers in the Southern Bus Terminal of Tehran for unknown reasons at 16:30 local time (1200 GMT), the report quoted a deputy for emergency operation of Tehran as saying.

Three injured people were taken to the hospital where one of them died from severe injuries, the report said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 22:47:22|Editor: yan

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BRUSSELS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- NATO on Tuesday said in a statement that its four multinational battlegroups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland are now "fully operational."

The statement said this comes after the Canadian-led battlegroup based in Latvia became the fourth to complete its certification exercise.

At Warsaw Summit in 2016, NATO nations decided to have four multinational battalions stationed in the Baltic states and Poland from early 2017.

NATO has increased its presence in the eastern part of the Alliance in light of the Ukraine crisis.

Now four multinational battlegroups totaling approximately 4,500 troops have deployed in the Baltic nations and Poland, with Canada, Germany, Britain and the United States each leading a battalion.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 22:47:24|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that "all options are on the table" after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched a missile that flew over Japan.

The Japanese government said on Tuesday that the DPRK fired a missile that fell into the Pacific Ocean after passing over the Japanese archipelago. The U.S. military also confirmed the launch.

Trump warned that the launch is "threatening and destabilizing", adding "all options are on the table."

After the missile launch, Trump spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss the issue.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 22:47:25|Editor: yan

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KAUNAS, Lithuania, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Portugal and Lithuania are watching the same direction as regards the main issues of NATO and the European Union (EU), Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said on Tuesday after meeting with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite.

"We are partners in NATO and the EU, and Portugal has always supported Lithuania both on its way to the Alliance and the EU," the Portuguese president told reporters in Lithuania's second largest city Kaunas.

"In the context of NATO issues our visions coincide, we are looking the same direction," he added.

The president of Portugal came to visit Portuguese troops deployed in Lithuania's Western region Taurage.

In his words, Portugal has been engaging in military missions in Lithuania on a regular basis as it shares the same "economic, political and security goals".

"Lithuania must know it can rely on Portugal now and in the future despite large distance between our countries. We are very close and share the same views," he noted.

On her part, Grybauskaite said the visit is "very important for us as NATO's Southern and Eastern flanks are facing pretty similar challenges as regards security situation".

The presidents also discussed energy security and the outstanding issues on the EU agenda: Brexit negotiations, response to the migration crisis, and closer security and defense cooperation in the EU.

Promotion of bilateral relations was also discussed at the meeting. Economic cooperation between Lithuania and Portugal has a huge potential, notably, in the areas of food, chemical industry and high technologies, according to the Lithuanian presidency.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 22:52:28|Editor: ying

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BERLIN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- German chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) has defended her position and welcome policy for refugees in a yearly summer interview in Berlin on Tuesday.

Merkel announced her intention to combat illegal refugee trafficking, as well as the causes for migration.

The steps she demanded against organized traffickers, more development aid as well as humanitarian housing in Libya were of the "same spirit" as the aid for refugees in the summer of 2015.

Merkel said that the fact that she had decided to keep the border open for refugees was an important and correct decision in an "exceptional humanitarian situation."

According to Merkel, measures are needed to find long-term solutions and sustainable structures. These measures had to be "guided by the fact that we cannot simply isolate ourselves and simply continue on," the chancellor emphasized.

Europeans could only live in prosperity and security "if we look at the bigger picture and deal with our neighborhood and their economic development," she added.

Merkel reiterated her criticism of EU countries, which opposed the "fair distribution" of refugees in Europe.

"It cannot be that Europe only shows solidarity when it helps some of them," she said, adding that countries like Italy and Greece, where most refugees and illegal migrants are currently arriving, should not be left alone.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 22:52:31|Editor: yan

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SHANGHAI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) sectors saw 59 IPOs in the first half of 2017, according to accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on Tuesday.

The figure was almost the same as the second half of 2016, when 58 TMT companies went public.

The IPOs raised a total of 25.8 billion yuan (3.9 billion U.S. dollars) in H1, PwC said.

A total of 27 were listed on the Growth Enterprises Market (GEM) Board in Shenzhen, raising 9 billion yuan, while 19 went public on the Main Board, collecting 10.8 billion yuan. Another 12 TMT IPOs were listed on the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Board and one on an overseas market.

The report also showed that the average price-to-earning (PE) ratio in the A share market almost halved in June this year from the end of 2015.

"IPOs in the TMT sector maintained a high number as many companies seeking IPOs in the second half of 2016 were only given green light this year as China sped up the approval of IPOs," said Gao Jianbin, PwC China TMT partner. "In addition, SMEs and start-ups in the sector remained active, and this has also helped raise the number of public listings in China."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 22:57:33|Editor: yan

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RIYADH, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia has banned more than 400,000 illegal pilgrims from entering Mecca for not having Hajj permits, Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

This was highlighted by the interior ministry during a press conference on Hajj security plans that were designed to accommodate more than 2 million pilgrims expected to perform Hajj this year.

Saudi Arabia has taken serious steps, including fine and jail terms against violators to ensure smooth Hajj rituals for pilgrims.

The ministry also announced that until Tuesday 1.7 million foreign pilgrims and around 200,000 domestic pilgrims arrived in Mecca.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 22:57:34|Editor: yan

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LUSAKA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government has started working on the revision of the minimum wage, the country's labor commissioner said on Tuesday.

Chanda Kaziya said work on the revision of the minimum wage has commenced and was expected to be completed soon.

He said the changing economic situation has forced the government to embark on revising the minimum wage after the first revision which was done in 2012.

"The government is concerned about the low wages and is actively working on changing this," he said during a live television interview on Radio Phoenix, a private radio station.

He did not say when the revised minimum wage will come into effect.

The government, he said, was concerned about challenges in the labor sector, which employers have taken advantage of and were abusing the workers.

He warned that the government will not sit idle and allow employers to continue abusing workers, adding that labor inspections will be intensified.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 23:02:38|Editor: yan

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers on Tuesday asked for more rules to control unfair online competition in a draft amendment to the Unfair Competition Law.

The suggestion was made by members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Tuesday's panel discussion.

The draft revision was given a second reading at the ongoing bimonthly session of the NPC Standing Committee.

The Unfair Competition Law took effect in 1993.

The draft said operators should not use technical means to influence Internet users' decisions or to disturb or sabotage products and services legally provided by other operators.

It is hard to list rules, as the internet changes every single day, and how to regulate monopolies was more crucial, said committee member Gu Shangzu.

Another committee member Zhang Ping said "paid listing" on search engines should be regulated.

Zhang noted several cases of search engines selling highlighted advertizing space to questionable entities.

Huang Xiaojing, also a committee member, suggested the draft amendment leave more space for the development of online businesses.
Staff members examine a China-Europe container train at Suzhou West Railway Station in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 8, 2016. (Xinhua/Sun Can)

LUXEMBOURG, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Hailing China's Belt and Road Initiative "win-win", Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel has voiced his country's support for the initiative.

"Transport goes in both directions. It is these initiatives that make it possible to make win-win situations," Bettel told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

Bettel made an official visit to China in June this year, one he said was fruitful.

"Four agreements were signed during the visit. The visit also allowed me to discover China. And it is also a visit that allowed me to see in the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Luxembourg and China, a relationship of trust that exists," he said.

"What impressed me, for example, is China's leadership role, also in respect of COP21. When I was in China, it was just some time after (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump said he did not want to follow (the Paris Climate Accord)," said the prime minister.

"We could have had a domino effect. And I met strong Chinese leaders, who want to defend the COP21, who want to continue to have a political responsibility that is not always 'popular' but necessary to preserve as future generations," he said.

Amid a rising protectionist tendency against Chinese investment in Europe, Bettel told Xinhua that the two sides "have to agree to do something that will satisfy both parties, something that will benefit the one and the other, without it being at the cost of the other."

"I think that the Sino-European cooperation must be a cooperation that works. We tend to stigmatize what is wrong and yet there are so many things that work. When you see the partnership between Europe and China, whether it's Luxembourg and China, or Europe and China, we need each other," said the prime minister.

"We need international trade and exchange, and I think that it is through understanding and respect for one and the other that we can move forward," he said.

Suggesting that dialogue should be something paramount on the issue, Bettel called on the two sides to exchange arguments.

"It is only if one has respect and understanding in relation to the other that it works. And I think this understanding is done through dialogue," he noted.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 23:17:43|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Tehran police chief denied that the deadly knife attack in a passenger terminal in the south of Iran's capital, Tehran, on Tuesday afternoon was a terror attack, Mizan Online News Agency reported.

The attacker stabbed three men following an argument with them and there was no terrorist intention in the assault, Sardar Rahimi told Mizan.

Earlier reports said that the man had attacked the people for unknown reasons.

One man was killed and two others were injured in the knife attack in the Southern Bus Terminal of Tehran at 16:30 local time (1200 GMT) on Tuesday, the report quoted a deputy for emergency operation of Tehran as saying.

Sardar Rahimi also confirmed the casualties, saying that the police have arrested the attacker and the investigations are underway.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 23:17:43|Editor: yan

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MOSCOW, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Over 12,000 soldiers will participate in the Russia-Belarus "West 2017" military exercises on the territories of both countries on Sept. 14-20, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

"The drills will involve some 7,200 Belarusian troops and about 5,500 Russian servicemen," Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said at a news briefing.

The two militaries will use about 70 planes and helicopters and up to 680 units of military equipment, including about 250 tanks, up to 200 guns, multiple rocket launchers and mortars, and 10 ships.

The purpose of the exercises is to test the preparedness of the joint forces for ensuring the security of the two countries and their capacity to repel terrorist attacks or an aggression, Fomin said.

He added that the number of troops, combat vehicles and other armaments, as well as the number of planned sorties, do not exceed the level that is subject to mandatory monitoring required by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in its 2011 Vienna Document.

Notifications about the drills have been sent to all OSCE members and observers have been invited to the exercises, Fomin said.

He denied speculations by foreign media and politicians that the drills may result in invasion of some neighboring countries, noting that information about the preparations for the exercises is regularly posted on the sites of the Russian and Belarusian military departments.

"In conclusion, I emphasize that the West 2017 doctrine, apart from its anti-terrorist orientation, is of a purely defensive nature," Fomin said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 23:17:44|Editor: yan

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China lifted an average of 13.9 million people out of poverty each year from 2012 to 2016, and the annual per capita income in impoverished rural areas has grown 10.7 percent every year, according to a report from the State Council Tuesday.

The report on poverty relief work was delivered by Liu Yongfu on behalf of the State Council at the ongoing bimonthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang attended the session.

"The State Council has always put a lot of effort into poverty relief. The government work reports in the past four years all promised to lift at least 10 million out of poverty," said Liu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

From 1978 to 2016, about 730 million Chinese people has been lifted out of poverty.

China has set 2020 as the target year to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society, which requires the eradication of poverty.

As of the end of 2016, there were 43.35 million people in China living below the country's poverty line of 2,300 yuan (348.9 U.S. dollars) of annual income as constant with 2010 prices, accounting for about 3 percent of China's population.

To achieve the target, China needs to bring more than 10 million people out of poverty every year, meaning nearly one million people per month or 20 people per minute.

According to global experience, the most difficult phase in poverty eradication is when the population living in poverty accounts for less than 10 percent of the overall population.

"The task has become more difficult and costly as the process approaches its end," said Liu.

The report pointed out that 775,000 officials have been sent to impoverished areas for poverty relief work.

The central government's spending on the cause had increased from 39.4 billion yuan in 2013 to 86.1 billion yuan in 2017, the report noted.

China has also established a national database collecting information of impoverish people since 2014, said the report.

The database records the distribution of impoverished population, the reasons for poverty and the needs of impoverished people.

Liu said 2017 is an important year to achieve the target and promised to "work together to conquer the difficulties in this battle against poverty."

The five-day session lasts until Sept 1.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 23:22:47|Editor: Lu Hui

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends a press conference after meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Aug. 29, 2017. (Xinhua/Fadi Arouri)

RAMALLAH, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday that the Israeli settlement activities hinder the two-state solution and the peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Guterres made the remarks at a joint news briefing in the West Bank city of Ramallah after his meeting with Prime Minister of Palestinian consensus government Rami Hamdallah.

"Ending the occupation would guarantee two states, and Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace and secure," he said.

Guterres stressed the necessity for the two sides to avoid incitement and resume a serious and credible political negotiation on the two-state solution.

"Economic and social improvement and freedom of movement should not be an alternative to the two-state solution. Serious negotiation process and additional steps are necessary to ensure that there are benefits to peace," he said.

Guterres expressed concerns over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the continued United Nations support to the activities of UNRWA and reconstruction projects.

For his part, Hamdallah warned that the chances of a two-state solution and the achievement of peace would be eroded by Israeli settlements, stressing that the Palestinians would not "remain silent for long."

Hamdallah called on the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to define its position on the two-state solution, Israeli settlement and the implementation of international resolutions on the Palestinian issue.

The Palestinian leadership "believes that the achievement of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital will be through peaceful resistance and movement at the international level, especially in the United Nations," he said.

"The Israeli government is responsible for any deterioration in the security situation because of its insistence on settlement, land confiscation, demolitions, incursions into towns and cities, daily arrests and campaigns against prisoners," Hamdallah noted.

The prime minister also urged the UN to respond to the demand for international protection for the Palestinian people, compel Israel to implement the resolutions of international legitimacy, and take serious and effective steps to protect Muslim and Christian holy sites, especially those in Jerusalem.

Earlier, Guterres met with the head of the Palestinian police Maj. Gen. Hazem Attallah, in the presence of Palestinian permanent observer to the UN Riyad Mansour and a number of other Palestinian officials.

It is the first time Guterres has visited the West Bank and the Gaza Strip since he took over from Ban Ki-moon on Jan. 1.
 

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United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres (L) speaks during a joint conference with Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah (R) in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on August 29, 2017. (AFP photo)

RAMALLAH, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday that the Israeli settlement activities hinder the two-state solution and the peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Guterres made the remarks at a joint news briefing in the West Bank city of Ramallah after his meeting with Prime Minister of Palestinian consensus government Rami Hamdallah.

"Ending the occupation would guarantee two states, and Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace and secure," he said.

Guterres stressed the necessity for the two sides to avoid incitement and resume a serious and credible political negotiation on the two-state solution.

"Economic and social improvement and freedom of movement should not be an alternative to the two-state solution. Serious negotiation process and additional steps are necessary to ensure that there are benefits to peace," he said.

Guterres expressed concerns over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the continued United Nations support to the activities of UNRWA and reconstruction projects.

For his part, Hamdallah warned that the chances of a two-state solution and the achievement of peace would be eroded by Israeli settlements, stressing that the Palestinians would not "remain silent for long."

Hamdallah called on the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to define its position on the two-state solution, Israeli settlement and the implementation of international resolutions on the Palestinian issue.

The Palestinian leadership "believes that the achievement of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital will be through peaceful resistance and movement at the international level, especially in the United Nations," he said.

"The Israeli government is responsible for any deterioration in the security situation because of its insistence on settlement, land confiscation, demolitions, incursions into towns and cities, daily arrests and campaigns against prisoners," Hamdallah noted.

The prime minister also urged the UN to respond to the demand for international protection for the Palestinian people, compel Israel to implement the resolutions of international legitimacy, and take serious and effective steps to protect Muslim and Christian holy sites, especially those in Jerusalem.

Earlier, Guterres met with the head of the Palestinian police Maj. Gen. Hazem Attallah, in the presence of Palestinian permanent observer to the UN Riyad Mansour and a number of other Palestinian officials.

It is the first time Guterres has visited the West Bank and the Gaza Strip since he took over from Ban Ki-moon on Jan. 1.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 23:32:53|Editor: yan

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GAZA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to the Gaza Strip is "unwelcome", a senior Islamic Hamas Movement official said on Tuesday.

Ahmed Bahar, deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, or parliament, criticized Guterres for what he called "a double standard, where he stands with the offender against the victim."

Bahar added that the second reason for not welcoming Guterres' visit to Gaza is that the UN chief does not include on his agenda the issue of relatives of Palestinian prisoners are banned by Israel from visiting their children in Israeli jails.

Guterres, on his first trip to the region, is to travel to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Wednesday after visiting Israel and the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The UN chief held meetings with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah in Ramallah on Tuesday, following his meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin on Monday.

However, the cabinet of the Palestinian consensus government, headed by Hamdallah, welcomed the first visit of Guterres to the Palestinian territories.

It said in a statement that the visit "is of great importance in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Israeli occupation of our land since 1967."

The visit "also marks the 70th anniversary of the United Nations Resolution 181 on the partition of Palestine and the plight of the Palestinian people," the statement said.

Guterres said after meeting Hamdallah that the two-state solution remains the only viable way to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while calling the Israeli settlements as an obstacle to the two-state solution.

Meanwhile, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) downplayed the results of Guterres' visit to the Palestinian territories, citing the UN's "inability to impose anything on Israel."

It stressed in a statement that Guterres is required to "compel Israel to implement the UN resolutions and end its ongoing aggression against our people, away from the policy of begging or gathering the victim and the executioner in one basket."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 23:48:01|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League (AL) on Tuesday condemned the pro-settlement remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an evidence of his anti-peace stance.

"These positions, which are completely rejected, cannot be adopted by a person who seeks peace," said Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, head of the Cairo-based pan-Arab organization, adding that "Netanyahu proves everyday his hostility to peace."

The Israeli prime minister vowed Monday to never remove any Jewish settlements from the occupied West Bank.

"There will be no more uprooting of settlements in the land of Israel. It has been proven that it does not help peace," he said.

Aboul-Gheit said that Netanyahu's stance aims at seeking continued support by Israeli pro-settlement extremist right-wingers who reject any Israeli-Palestinian settlement based on the two-state solution.

Israel is blamed by the international community for the deadlock of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process since 2014 caused by Israel's settlement expansion policy, which is rejected even by it strongest ally, the United States.

The Knesset, Israeli's parliament, approved earlier this year the so-called "Regulation Bill," according to which about 3,850 housing units in dozens of outposts built illegally on privately owned Palestinian lands would be retroactively legalized.

Both outposts and settlements are illegal under international law as they were built on Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 War.

The Palestinians seek to establish an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital in the light of the UN-proposed two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 23:48:01|Editor: yan

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NICOSIA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Bank of Cyprus (BOC), the bailed-out island's primary lender, posted a net loss of 554 million euros (666 million U.S. dollars) on Tuesday for the first six months of the year, on account of an increase in provisions for non-performing loans.

BOC said in a statement posted on the Cyprus Stock Exchange website that this compared with a profit of 54 million euros during the same period of 2016.

It announced that it had increased its provisions for loan impairments to 727 million euros -- 614 million euros in the second quarter and 113 million euros in the first quarter -- compared with a provision totaling 180 million euros in the respective period of 2016.

BOC, like all other Cypriot banks, was hit by a wave of non-performing loans after it was resolved in March 2013, as part of Cyprus's 10-billion-euro bail-out by the Eurogroup and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The lender was forced to seize 47.5 percent of uninsured deposits over 100,000 euros to recapitalize, thus introducing the term "bail-in" to monetary terminology.

The bank's traditional owners, mostly local institutions and individuals, were succeeded by its creditors, who were mostly Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs.

BOC said that bad loans dropped at the end of June to 9.8 billion euros, representing 50 percent of its total loan portfolio.

The bank's Irish chief executive, John Hourican, said in a statement that despite the posted loss, the lender was making "steady progress in its journey back to full strength."

He vowed to crack down on what he called deliberate defaulters in repaying their loans, by resorting to "a potential sell-down of delinquent loans."

He said the board made a deliberate decision to allocate an increase provision for bad loans so as to further accelerate risk reduction.

"We expect to continue to utilize the operating profit of the bank in the remainder of 2017 for further balance sheet de-risking...to be in a position to present a more normal credit cycle charge," he added.

He said the growth of the Cypriot economy by 3.5 percent in the second quarter this year is expected to help the bank's operations. (1 euro = 1.20 U.S. dollars)
File photo: Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 30, 2017 shows the test-firing of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. (Xinhua/KCNA)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that "all options are on the table" after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched a missile that flew over Japan.

The Japanese government said on Tuesday that the DPRK fired a missile that fell into the Pacific Ocean after passing over the Japanese archipelago. The U.S. military also confirmed the launch.

Trump warned that the launch is "threatening and destabilizing", adding "all options are on the table."

After the missile launch, Trump spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss the issue.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 23:53:03|Editor: yan

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SKOPJE, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Citizens in Macedonia, mainly in capital city Skopje, have started to sign a petition expressing their strong objection against the construction of new refugees' camps in Macedonian territory, local media reported Tuesday.

Such fear over a new refugee wave hitting the country emerged after some officials of Macedonia's largest opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE, claimed that the new government was planning to build new camps for the refugees who, according to them, were about to be settled in the country.

"The government has requested 100 locations to start the construction of camps throughout the country. We call on the government to suspend this plan in the best interest of the country," VMRO-DPMNE said in a press release a few days ago.

The government led by the social democrats (SDSM) rebuffed such claims, asking the citizens to calm down as Macedonian authorities were not considering such plans.

According to the new minister of Labor and Social Policies, Mila Carovska, the Macedonian government didn't plan to build new camps.

"We have allocated no funds for such thing, so the opposition is simply trying to spread panic," Carovska said at a news conference.

The collection of signatures is underway in the communes of Skopje, while some heads of these communes told reporters that they did not want other refugees coming to their villages.

So far, Macedonia has built two refugee centers, one in Tabanoc (north of Macedonia) and the other one in Gevgelija (southeast of Macedonia).

Macedonia was hit by wave of refugees in late 2015 and during 2016 while it was considered as a transit country only as the refugees used Macedonia to reach the European Union countries.

Currently, these two centers have accommodated only 60 refugees as the others have left the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 23:53:04|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday condemned the latest launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) "in violation of Security Council resolutions."

"The launch undermines regional security and stability and efforts to create space for dialogue," the Secretary-General's associate spokesperson Eri Kaneko said in a statement.

"The Secretary-General calls on the Government of the DPRK to fully comply with its international obligations and work towards reopening communication channels," said Kaneko.

The UN chief remains in close contact with all parties concerned, she added.

The missile was reportedly fired around 5:58 a.m. Japanese time (GMT 2058 Monday) from the western coast of the DPRK towards a northeastern direction, and passed over Cape Erimo in northern Japan around 6:06 a.m. Japanese time (GMT 2106 Monday).
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-29 23:58:05|Editor: yan

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China will contain the growth of hidden debt with active, prudent steps to defuse local debt risk, Finance Minister Xiao Jie said Tuesday.

Xiao was briefing lawmakers on a State Council report about the government's budget enforcement this year at a five-day bimonthly session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee that opened Monday. Top legislator Zhang Dejiang attended the session.

To guard against local debt risks, China has stepped up management of local government debt with improved regulation and strengthened inspection of irregularities in local financing, the minister said.

The central government will next press local governments to improve quota management and budget management, as well as to speed up the replacement of existing debt, said Xiao.

To curb growth in hidden debt, local governments are now only allowed to borrow through bond issues, with debt ceilings in accordance with local needs, he said.

Outstanding local government debt stood at 15.9 trillion yuan (about 2.4 trillion U.S. dollars) as of June 30 this year, slightly higher than 15.3 trillion yuan at the end of 2016 but below this year's target ceiling of 18.8 trillion yuan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 00:08:10|Editor: ying

Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen (L) shakes hands with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto at a press conference after their meeting in Budapest, Hungary on August 29, 2017. "The objective of both countries is to enhance the competitiveness of the EU and to restore Europe's safety," Szijjarto said. "We agree that illegal migration and terrorism will be the serious challenges of the forthcoming period for the EU," he explained. (Xinhua/Attila Volgyi)

BUDAPEST, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Hungary and Denmark are good allies having no disputes with each other, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto told here on Tuesday after meeting with his Danish counterpart Anders Samuelsen.

"Hungary is an important ally of Denmark in the EU and in NATO, and there are no really controversial issues between the two states," Szijjarto said in a press conference with Samuelsen after talking about international challenges of the European Union (EU).

Anders Samuelsen is the first Danish foreign minister to visit Hungary since 2006, Szijjarto underlined.

"The objective of both countries is to enhance the competitiveness of the EU and to restore Europe's safety," Szijjarto said. "We agree that illegal migration and terrorism will be the serious challenges of the forthcoming period for the EU," the Hungarian chief diplomat explained.

"We also agreed in the fact that the external borders of the EU must be protected, and that the problems causing migration must be dealt with in their place of origin," he said.

Samuelsen agreed and said that solutions had to be found that curbed illegal migration and the activity of human smugglers.

About the state of economic ties, Szijjarto mentioned that the level of foreign trade between the two countries reached one billion euros (1.2 billion U.S. dollars) last year and 150 Danish firms in Hungary employed some 10,000 people.

Another international issue was that of Poland, where the government has clashed with EU institutions several times recently, notably on the issues of judiciary system's reform, the logging of Bialowieza forest, migration crisis and the European Commission's reform proposals on the posted workers directive.

The Polish government and the EU's attitudes vary also on the refugee issue. On July 26, the European Commission pressed ahead to the second stage of legal actions against the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland over refugee sharing for "non-compliance with their legal obligations on relocation". This move came a month and a half after the Commission launched infringement procedures by sending "letters of formal notice".

According to the Commission, Poland and Hungary haven't taken in any refugees since September 2015, when EU member states pledged to relocate a total of 160,000 migrants within two years. If the countries still refuse to comply, they might face a financial penalty.

"While we are living in the worst terrorist threat of the European Union's history, we must stop to be picking on some member states," he said in response to a question on Poland, referring to Hungary and Poland.

"We stand by our Polish friends and, of course, if someone were to impose EU sanctions against the Poles, we would veto those sanctions," he concluded.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 00:08:11|Editor: yan

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HARARE, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The ruling Zanu-PF party of Zimbabwe will on Wednesday hold a solidarity rally for First Lady Grace Mugabe, who two weeks ago had to invoke diplomatic immunity cover to evade a court appearance after she allegedly assaulted a South African model in Johannesburg.

With the South African police wanting to interview her and human rights group AfriForum pushing for her prosecution, the South African government said it recognized her diplomatic immunity status and allowed her to leave with President Robert Mugabe who had been attending a SADC summit there.

One of the organizers of the solidarity rally and commissar for Harare Province, Shadreck Mashayamombe, confirmed to Xinhua Tuesday that the rally would take place but denied that the solidarity had anything to do with what transpired in South Africa.

"We don't have anything to do with what happened in South Africa. We are just holding the rally to show our support to her as our leader," Mashayamombe said.

However, a message on social media posted by Abicia Ushewokunze, provincial secretary for information and publicity, said the day should be remembered as the one on which they "defied sinister driven forces bent on undermining our integrity, self dignity, self rule" and the use of modern day warfare against the party and Zimbabweans.

"The spirit of togetherness shall bind us in both the mental and physical; we will stand and fight as one people for the good and betterment of our mother Dr. Grace Mugabe," the statement said.

The First Lady has been under the spotlight after she allegedly assaulted Gabriella Engels in a hotel room when she found her in the company of her two sons -- Robert Junior and Chatunga.

AfriForum and South African opposition party Democratic Alliance have since launched court appeals to have her diplomatic immunity status revoked so that she faces trial in South Africa.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 00:08:12|Editor: yan

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- BRICS have broad prospects for economic cooperation and will make bigger contribution to the global economy in the future, an analyst said ahead of a business forum in early September.

"There is enormous potential for cooperation in trade, investment, finance and infrastructure among the five countries," said Jiang Zengwei, head of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Jiang cited factors including huge markets, rich natural resources, economic disparities, favorable policies and active businesses.

"Uncertainties and unstable factors exist, but opportunities outshine challenges."

BRICS Business Forum, a major side-event of BRICS Summit, is expected to gather a record 1,200 attendees in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province on Sept. 3 and 4, including executives from more than 50 Fortune 500 multinationals.

The meeting will focus on global economic growth, including trade and investment, financial cooperation, connectivity, and the blue economy.

BRICS accounts for 23 percent of the world economy, 16 percent of foreign trade and 12 percent of outbound investment, and contribute to more than 50 percent of the global economic growth.

With ample room for more cooperation, the five countries will generate more growth impetus for the world, Jiang said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 00:33:31|Editor: yan

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VILNIUS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Air force has deployed 7 fighter jets in Lithuania on Tuesday amid security tensions in the region before the upcoming military drill Zapad 2017.

Seven fighter jets F-15C Eagle have landed in Siauliai air base, Northern Lithuania, to take over the leadership of NATO Baltic air policing mission from Polish air force rotation.

According to Lithuanian defense ministry, personnel of around 140 will conduct the air policing mission. It's the fifth U.S. rotation to protect the Baltic skies in the Eastern Europe, which, according to Lithuanian defense ministry, "demonstrates a long-standing commitment to this NATO mission".

According to local media, by deploying 7 U.S. fighter jets the U.S. strengthens air policing mission in the Baltics in the eve of military drill Zapad 2017, a planned joint strategic military exercise of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus scheduled for Sept. 14-20.

In recent two years, usually four allied fighter jets would conduct air policing missions from Lithuania, reported the Lithuanian news agency BNS.

NATO Baltic air policing missions have been carried out since 2004 with NATO allies taking turns deploying their interceptors and staff in the Baltic States in a four-month rotation.

In July, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said dialogue between NATO and Russia can be difficult, but it is essential amid raised tensions and it is particularly important to keep channels of communication open.

He called on the two sides to exchange advance briefings on upcoming exercises, including Russia's upcoming Zapad 2017 exercise and NATO's Exercise Trident Javelin 2017, to increase transparency and reduce risk.

"Allies and Russia may hold different views but we are committed to continuing our dialogue as part of our commitment to preserving peace and security," said the NATO chief.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 00:38:33|Editor: yan

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LONDON, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A mighty road bridge across the famous Firth of Forth in Scotland, built mainly with steel supplied from China, will be open to traffic on Wednesday.

The new bridge is expected to become a new landmark for Scotland, standing alongside a second road bridge and the iconic 19th-century Forth rail bridge which was recently inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Shanghai-based ZPMC (China) was contracted to supply around 75 percent of the high-quality steel needed for the new crossing, Britain's biggest bridge contract so far this century.

The new Queensferry Crossing is the world's longest three-tower cable stayed bridge and also the largest infrastructure project in Scotland in a generation.

Costing 1.75 billion U.S. dollars, the bridge and its approaches stretch for 2.7 km and have taken six years to build.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has described the design, engineering and construction as amazing and said that, alongside the two other bridges, the crossing will be a tourist attraction and a beautiful addition to the Scottish skyline.

The Scottish government had faced criticism for not sourcing steel for the bridge from Scottish or British suppliers.

But Transport Scotland confirmed that no steel companies from Scotland or the United Kingdom had bid to supply materials for the Queensferry Crossing contract.

More than 15,000 people have worked on the construction site since 2011, clocking up over 18 million hours of work in the process, with thousands more indirectly employed through the project's supply chain.

Around 50,000 people are expected to walk the new bridge this weekend ahead of the official opening on Sept. 4 by Queen Elizabeth II, who opened the first 2.5-km suspension road crossing in 1964.

The Scottish government says the new bridge is expected to lead to a stream of new business looking to acquire land and property in the surrounding areas. It will also help advance tourism opportunities.

A tourism strategy is due to be unveiled later this year which will seek to tap into the three bridges as a unique setting and world-leading visitor destination.

Scottish Economy Secretary Keith Brown, said, "It will be with a real sense of pride that all those involved with this project will witness traffic crossing the bridge this week. The challenges of this location have been well-documented and the real heroes are those who have braved the elements in sometimes horrendous conditions to finish the job."

Project director David Climie said, "I've worked on projects across the globe and I can safely say that this has been one of the most challenging but also the most rewarding."

"Until you've actually been out on the bridge during severe winds it's hard to appreciate the task at hand of delivering such a complex project," he said. "Experts from across the globe have marvelled at this achievement."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 00:43:37|Editor: yan

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VENICE, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Some 73 feature films, of which 21 are competing for the Golden Lion award, plus 16 short films and 31 projects of virtual reality, are expected to be viewed by film fans at this year's International Venice Film Festival.

These are some of the figures marking the 2017 edition of the festival, which is ready to kick off on Venice's Lido island Wednesday.

Surrounded by tight security measures, fans started to crowd outside the main venues of the event to watch the first celebrities' arrivals. Inside the festival village, the last preparations were being made.

Running from Aug. 30 to Sept. 9 this year, the festival will open with the screening of "Downsizing" by U.S. director Alexander Payne, featuring American actor Matt Damon in the role of a man who decides to shrink himself in order to have a better life.

Other films possibly contending for the Golden Lion included horror movie "Mother!" by Darren Aranofsky -- director of the 2010 acclaimed film "Black Swan" -- starring Jennifer Lawrence, Michele Pfeiffer, and Javier Bardem; and "The Shape of Water" by Mexican author Guillermo Del Toro.

Chinese director Vivian Qu will also vie for this year's Golden Lion with drama "Angels Wear White" telling the story of two schoolgirls assaulted by a middle-aged man in a small town by the sea.

George Clooney's dark-comedy "Suburbicon" will be another major contender. The film -- written by the famed American Coen brothers -- focuses on a middle-class man living in an American suburb in the 1950s, who turned aggressive after his home was invaded by a violent mob and his wife was killed.

Here again, Matt Damon plays the main character, accompanied by Julianne Moore in the role of his sister.

Overall, the 2017 Venice Film Festival will feature 21 world premieres in the main competition, 22 movies out of the competition -- including eight documentaries and two medium-length films -- and another 19 in the Horizons international section devoted to new cinema trends.

The international jury conferring the Golden Lion for the best film -- and other official awards -- will be led this year by American actress Annette Bening.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 00:48:41|Editor: yan

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SINGAPORE, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong would visit the United States in October and meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore said on Tuesday.

According to the spokesman, Lee called Trump on Tuesday to express his sympathies over the loss of life and damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana.

Lee also expressed readiness of assistance in the disaster relief operations by deploying the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) CH-47 Chinook helicopters from its Peace Prairie detachment in Grand Prairie, Texas. Trump, for his part, accepted the offer of help and expressed his appreciation.

Singapore also took part in a multinational search and rescue operation after USS John S. McCain destroyer collided with an oil tanker Alnic MC in waters off the eastern side of Singapore on Aug. 21, leaving 10 U.S. sailors dead.

The damaged warship is docked at the Singapore Changi Naval Base.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 00:48:42|Editor: yan

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JAKARTA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia will hold the Sail Sabang marine event from Nov. 28 to Dec. 5, which is expected to attract foreign visitors from neighboring countries.

"This event would be very good to develop Sabang as a marine destination as it has beautiful sea, beaches and undersea scenery," Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said on Tuesday to welcome the event, referring to the city of Indonesia's westernmost tip island of Weh in Aceh province.

The marine event will feature various sessions held in Sabang Bay, Gapang Resort on the island.

President Joko Widodo is scheduled to attend a session in Sabang Bay with thousands of visitors expected to attend throughout the event, the minister said.

The regional government has made preparations for the event by expanding sea and air transport to the island.

Speedboats would serve visitors during the event as they would ply route from Weh island to Aceh coast three times per day. Large ferry would also be provided to transport logistics to the island.

Direct flights from Sabang to Malaysia's marine destination of Langkawi has been launched this month to transport foreign visitors from the neighboring country.
Senegalese immigrants wait before being deported at Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli, capital of Libya, on Feb. 16, 2017. Libya is a preferred transit country for illegal immigrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean into Europe. Many of the migrants are reported to be drowned on the way. (Xinhua/Hamza Turkia)

PARIS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- In a statement issued following a meeting with their African counterparts, European leaders appear to have agreed on a long list of "principals" on how to stem illegal migration, but failed to map out detailed plans to relieve mounting pressure on Europe's external border.

Analysts have questioned the functionality of the agreements reached at the meeting, which were not accompanied by further instructions for implementation.

Some pointed out that if root causes like poverty and instability in Africa could not be addressed, the promises of European leaders might end up to be just empty words.

BROAD CONSENSUS

At the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, leaders of Germany, Spain and Italy, along with the European Union (EU)'s foreign policy chief, held talks in Paris with presidents of Niger and Chad, and head of Libya's United Nations (UN)-backed government.

The "mini-summit" was called in the backdrop of a recent switch in the routes taken by illegal migrants to reach Europe seeking for refuge or simply a better life.

On one hand, the number of migrants departing from Turkey for Greece has dropped significantly, thanks to a pact signed by the EU and Turkey to return people who fail to gain refugee status.

On the other, the number of migrants arriving at Italy from Libya through the Mediterranean route is still riding high, which highlights an important role that African countries must play in resolving the crisis.

The nine-page statement lists consensus reached by the leaders in a wide range of aspects.

At the political level, the countries agreed to explore a new mechanism to encourage and assist voluntary returns of illegal migrants, and vowed to help African countries strengthen border controls and combat human trafficking.

European leaders praised Niger and Chad for their progress in cracking down on illegal migration, and agreed that political stability in Libya is key to dismantling human trafficking gangs who cash in on the fatal journey of migrants.

At the economic level, European leaders pledged to strengthen support for local communities along the Libyan route. They also promised to assist Niger and Chad in tracking down financial networks of human traffickers and reintegrating migrants returned from Europe.

At the social level, the leaders called on all non-governmental organizations who are carrying out rescue missions on the sea to sign a code of conduct drafted by Italy, which aims to enhance efficiency and coordination.

Last but not least, at the military level, the European countries said that they would step up cooperation with Niger and Libya under the existing framework by extending current projects and undertaking more actions on the sea.

WEAK FUNCTIONALITY

The statement may seem "all-rounded," but it lacks powerful messages and constructive proposals that can really make a difference, according to analysts.

In another word, too many "principals" and "directions", but too few concrete measures.

For instance, it did not specify who would study the possible "new mechanism" to facilitate voluntary returns and when it could be completed. Neither did it mention how European countries could contribute to providing "economic alternatives" for local communities along the human trafficking route.

The only truly new announcement was that a "joint mission" would be sent to Niger and Chad to screen migrants for asylum claims before they attempt to reach Europe illegally, an idea proposed by Macron last month.

However, no operational details were given such as the timetable, sources of financing, and registration criteria.

Many European media gave a cold shoulder to the carefully phrased statement.

In an article published on Tuesday, French newspaper Le Figaro said that the meeting "lacked solution." The French radio RFI said that "the problem is too complex for a solution to come out of a one-day summit."

Chadian President Idriss Deby told media after the meeting that what Africa really needs is concrete action.

"The fundamental problem will always remain development. We need resources," he stressed.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said that measures that simply aim to limit the number of arrivals do not solve the problem of forced migration.

"Any sensible approach must include a set of strong measures to ensure the lasting peace in the country affected by the conflicts as well as economic and social development in the places of origin," he added.

Based on the statement, European leaders are well aware of that, but have not yet been able to come up with effective solutions.

Analysts said that financial aids given by Europe to African countries might help in the short term, but are not enough to cope with development challenges, which demand comprehensive approaches, as well as stable political and social environments.

Nearly 120,000 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea so far this year, according to the International Organization for Migration, while more than 2,400 have lost their lives making the perilous journey.
A poster for the Zapad (West) 2017 military drills on the website of the Russian Defense Ministry.

MOSCOW, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Over 12,000 soldiers will participate in the Russia-Belarus "West 2017" military exercises on the territories of both countries on Sept. 14-20, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

"The drills will involve some 7,200 Belarusian troops and about 5,500 Russian servicemen," Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said at a news briefing.

The two militaries will use about 70 planes and helicopters and up to 680 units of military equipment, including about 250 tanks, up to 200 guns, multiple rocket launchers and mortars, and 10 ships.

The purpose of the exercises is to test the preparedness of the joint forces for ensuring the security of the two countries and their capacity to repel terrorist attacks or an aggression, Fomin said.

He added that the number of troops, combat vehicles and other armaments, as well as the number of planned sorties, do not exceed the level that is subject to mandatory monitoring required by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in its 2011 Vienna Document.

Notifications about the drills have been sent to all OSCE members and observers have been invited to the exercises, Fomin said.

He denied speculations by foreign media and politicians that the drills may result in invasion of some neighboring countries, noting that information about the preparations for the exercises is regularly posted on the sites of the Russian and Belarusian military departments.

"In conclusion, I emphasize that the West 2017 doctrine, apart from its anti-terrorist orientation, is of a purely defensive nature," Fomin said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 01:53:58|Editor: yan

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WINDHOEK, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Following Kenya's recent plastic bag ban, Namibia's Minister of Environment and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta said that the country is busy with a law on the regulation of waste management and pollution control.

Kenya joined 16 other countries which include Botswana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tunisia, Morocco, Rwanda, Uganda, Somalia and Eritrea.

Speaking in an interview Tuesday, Shifeta said that the ministry is looking at adding a regulation in the Environment Management Act of 2007 which specifically looks at waste management.

"We are going to come up with a delegated law looking specifically at waste management and pollution. We have already started sensitizing industries through different campaigns and we are also planning to impose a levy on the plastic bags so we are not turning a blind eye. We are going to introduce the ban gradually, we are not going to do it erratically," he said.

Just recently, the Namibia Scientific Society launched a campaign for a plastic free Namibia in an effort to discourage the use of plastic bags.

Plastic bags are not biodegradable as they clog waterways, spoil the landscape and end up in landfill sites where it takes thousands of years to decompose into smaller particles that continue to pollute the soil.

Sewerage and drainage systems, which are commonly clogged by plastic bags, can cause a severe increase in cases of cholera and malaria due the still waters, ideal for choleric bacteria breeding and mosquito reproduction.

Many Namibians have begun adopting the use of reusable shopping bags and most grocers stock them at the cashier but the availability and convenience of plastic bags remain.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 01:53:59|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's total non-petroleum imports have declined to 24 billion U.S. dollars during the first half of the current year, compared to 33.9 billion in the same period last year, which represents a 29-percent decline, said an official report released on Tuesday.

The report of the General Organization of Export and Import Control (GOEIC) pointed out that imports from European Union (EU) states to Egypt reached 8.151 billion dollars during the first six months of 2017, compared to 11.517 billion in the same period last year, with a 29-percent decline as well.

According to the GOEIC report, the imports from China, the largest exporter to Egypt, declined from 4.9 to 3.4 billion dollars, showing a 30-percent decrease, while those of Germany, Egypt's second largest exporter, decreased by 27 percent, from 3.1 to 2.28 billion.

The imports coming from United States, the third largest exporter to the Arab country, declined in the same period by 19 percent, from 1.9 to 1.6 billion dollars.

Meanwhile, those of Italy decreased by 25 percent in the same period, declining from 2.046 to 1.535 billion dollars.

Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister Tarek Kabil said earlier in August that the country's exports increased by 8 percent in the first half of 2017, recording 11.1 billion dollars compared to 10.2 billion during the same period last year.

Egypt has been suffering economic recession over the past few years of political instability and relevant security issues that led to the decline of tourism, foreign currency reserves and foreign investments.

Besides floating its local currency's exchange rate to face dollar shortage, Egypt started last year a three-year economic reform program including austerity measures, fuel subsidy cuts and tax increase.

The program is encouraged by an IMF 12-billion-dollar loan, a third of which has already been delivered to Egypt in two tranches in November 2016 and July 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 02:34:12|Editor: yan

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VIENNA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Austrian Defence Minister Hans Peter Doskozil said on Tuesday that he was pleased with the outcome of Monday's refugee summit in Paris involving European and African leaders, calling it a significant step forward.

Austria Press Agency quoted the minister as saying that the decision to tackle the problems closer to the source, that would include the creation of hotspots in African countries where asylum applications can be made, is the correct one.

This would mean the European Union will once again "have control over migration," and as a result the "senseless deaths in the Mediterranean" can be ended.

Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka shared similar views, saying that if a decision on the right to asylum is already made in Africa, people smugglers are no longer able to make false promises, and their business will as a result be negatively impacted.

The leaders of France, Germany, Spain and Italy on Monday vowed to strengthen support for African countries in an effort to stem illegal migration. The leaders issued a joint statement Monday evening following a meeting in Paris on migration, in which they were joined by their counterparts of Niger and Chad, along with head of Libya's United Nations (UN)-backed government and foreign policy chief of the European Union (EU).
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 03:14:24|Editor: yan

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BAGHDAD, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday said the referendum on independence of the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan is "unconstitutional," and rejected the Kurdish attempts to include the ethnically-mixed province of Kirkuk in the referendum.

"The referendum in Kurdistan is unconstitutional and has no legal value. It is incorrect and cannot be unilaterally approved," Abadi said at a press conference after his weekly cabinet meeting.

"Iraq is stronger when we are together ... The only option is dialogue until we solve all outstanding problems by cooperation," Abadi said in the televised press conference.

The decision of the Kirkuk provincial council's participation in the Kurdish referendum on independence is "unacceptable and a wrong decision," Abadi added.

Earlier in the day, Kirkuk provincial council voted with majority for the participation in the referendum slated for Sept. 25.

Altogether 26 out of the 41 council members attended the provincial council session. 24 voted in favor of the decision and two abstained, according to Ahmed al-Askari, head of the Kurdish-led Brotherhood bloc.

The vote to join the referendum was carried out upon the request of 23 Kurdish members, Askari said.

"Today is a historical day. Kirkuk is an inseparable part of Kurdistan," he told reporters after the session.

Meanwhile, the Arab and Turkoman council members boycotted the session, as their communities in the oil-rich Kirkuk province oppose joining the Kurdistan region.

On March 28, Kirkuk's council voted to raise the Kurdish flag alongside the Iraqi flag on the building of the provincial council despite the withdrawal of Arab and Turkoman council members, who argued that the move is a pre-decision that Kirkuk is part of Kurdistan.

Four days later, the Iraqi parliament rejected the decision of Kirkuk's provincial council, after 186 lawmakers of the 328-seat parliament voted in favor of hanging only the Iraqi flag on Kirkuk's buildings.

Disagreements between Baghdad and the Kurdish regional government have been intense for years, as the ethnic Kurds consider the northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk and parts of Nineveh, Diyala and Salahudin as "disputed areas" and seek to incorporate them into the Kurdish region, which has been fiercely opposed by Arabs and Turkomans as well as the Baghdad government.

On June 7, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani announced his intention to hold a referendum on the independence of the Kurdish region from Iraq on Sept. 25, a step which has been criticized by Baghdad and neighboring Turkey and Iran, which also own sizeable Kurdish minorities.

The referendum is viewed by some regional and international officials as a threat to both Iraqi and regional security, which puts Barzani under heavy pressure of postponement.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 03:19:27|Editor: yan

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Residents and pet dogs are evacuated to the Constellation Fieldshelteron Aug. 28, 2017 in Sugar Land, southwestern Houston, the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Liwei)

AUSTIN, United States, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- For 16-year-old Texas boy Richard Solis, who just survived from a deadly hurricane and lost his home overnight, the long journey of healing has just begun.

Three days have passed since Hurricane Harvey slammed his hometown, a costal town called Rockport located in the southeast corner of Texas in south United States. Solis, who is now in a shelter with his family, still felt the fear and despair when the most powerful hurricane in decades made a landfall Friday night.

"It was horrible, the door was shaking so bad that I had to hold it or it would be blown open," Solis recalled, with his voice trembling and eyes wide open.

After numerous phone calls to the local fire department and police, Solis finally got rescued with his parents and grandmother in darkness.

By the time they escaped the house, everything familiar had been devastated.

"The roof collapsed, corridors collapsed, all the stuff flew in the air, everything was like torn down to pieces," Solis said.

Joined by over other 170 residents from Rockport, Solis was evacuated by the U.S. national guard to a shelter in Toney Burger Activity Center, a stadium to the west of downtown Austin, a Texas city 320 kilometers away.

Under the dim yellow light of the stadium, seven rows of beds of military green were unfolded in the center stage, about 34 beds in a row. Piles of donated clothes were stored on one side of the grandstands.

Dozens of stuff walked around, each wearing a yellow vest with a red across sign in the back.

"This is considered an evacuation shelter,this was to get people out of danger," Richard Scanlan, a long-time volunteer for the Red Cross and also the manager of the Toney Burger Shelter, told Xinhua on Monday.

More than 23,800 people are seeking refuge from the deadly storm and local flooding in 34 Red Cross and community shelters in Texas, according to latest report from the American Red Across.

"We provide them with food, medical care when they needed, spiritual help if they want to talk about the past," Scanlan said.

Volunteers worried that the dreadful hurricane experience has not only caused property damage, but also left the victims deeply scarred.

"They are all pretty traumatized, the majority of these people were pulled out of the water and they lost everything they had," Scanlan said.

Sixty-one years old Nena was staying with her sisters when the hurricane struck their house in Rockport late Friday night. She was brought to the shelter in the night of rain and wind, with nothing but her purse in hand.

"The water was deep up to my knee, and we were all sick, sick and wet." She told Xinhua Monday.

"First night I was nervous and scared because I have never been in a shelter before. These people here are so wonderful and we are comfortable, but we can not go back home. The gas and electricity are all down now," she said.

To evacuees like Nena, going home is a dream that couldn't be fulfilled anytime soon.

As Harvey downgraded from category 4, it was inflicting its damage across a wide swath of Southeast Texas, with tornadoes ripping apart hundreds of homes and businesses, killing at least nine people as flooding continues in the area.

Morgan Stanley estimated Monday that the disaster may cause a damage of 40 billion U.S. dollars in the country's economy.

Red Cross workers said there will be a long way ahead before everything goes back to order.

The evacuation shelters may be consolidated together to a larger shelter after Sept. 8, said Scanlan, adding that it will the longtime job of local county governments, state governments and city governments to do some case work and help people to find housing again.

Three days after the hurricane, Rockport residents finally saw the sun came out in the sky of Austin.

Outside the shelter, Solis stood in the sunshine next to his grandmother in a wheelchair, enjoying a moment of peace and warmth.

"I just wish everyone can get back to Rockport and everything will be all right," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 03:19:29|Editor: yan

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KIEV, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine is holding negotiations with Poland over a possible creation of a joint museum space within the framework of the cross-border cultural cooperation, the Ukrainian government said Tuesday.

The project envisages holding joint exhibitions, training courses for art restorers and roundtables for museum workers in Ukraine's western city of Lviv and Poland's eastern city of Lublin, said the statement on the government website.

The establishment of the joint museum space is aimed at preserving Ukrainian and Polish common cultural heritage and promoting cultural exchanges between the two countries, the statement said.

The cost of the project is estimated at 1.7 million euros (about 2.04 million U.S. dollars).
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 03:24:32|Editor: yan

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TIRANA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Albania's newly elected parliament is scheduled to be first convened on Sept. 9, 2017, a decree of Albanian President Ilir Meta announced Tuesday.

This will be the official start of the ninth Albanian legislature which came out of the general elections held on June 25, 2017 where the Socialist Party (SP) won a landslide victory against the Democratic Party.

According to the parliament's regulation, the first session is usually chaired by the most senior MP.

Also, parliament elects three MPs for the secretariat, which will handle the procedures for the election of the new speaker of the Assembly.

The new Albanian parliament has 140 lawmakers. 74 lawmakers belong to the ruling Socialist Party, 43 belong to the opposition Democratic Party, 19 belong to the former ruling party Socialist Movement for Integration, 3 belong to the Party for Justice, Integration and Unity and 1 MP belongs to the Social Democratic Party.

The laws related to implementation of the justice reform, namely vetting law which foresees the scanning of Albania's 800 judges and prosecutor as well as laws deemed crucial to country's European Union integration remain high on Albanian parliament's agenda, according to new government.

In the meantime, Albanian Premier Edi Rama who will run the country for a second mandate has vowed to maintain a constructive approach regarding the relations and communication with the Albanian opposition parties.
Hu Xiangeng (L2), Chairman of Cixin Group, the parent company of CW Bearing USA, speaks at an opening ceremony for the CW Bearing manufacturing facility in the city of Northville, west of Detroit, Michigan, the United States, on Aug. 25, 2017. (Xinhua/Gao Pan)

by Xinhua writers Gao Pan, Jin Minmin

DETROIT, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- After more than 20 years of sales operation and research and development in Southern California, Chinese ball bearing supplier CW Bearing moved to suburban Detroit, the historic heart of the American automotive industry, to build its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility.

It's the latest example of Chinese companies increasing investment in the U.S. Midwest to upgrade their manufacturing capabilities to better serve American customers, create new jobs and help revive the rust-belt region.

With initial investment of around 20 million U.S. dollars, the CW Bearing manufacturing facility, opened Friday in Northville Township, west of Detroit, will supply ball bearings for the electronic power steering (EPS) system of a wide range of vehicles, including the most popular SUVs and pickup trucks such as the Ford F-150 pickups.

The company plans to further expand the manufacturing facility with the second-phase investment of 20 million dollars and bring a total of 125 new jobs to the local community over the next five years, Hu Lirong, president and CEO of CW Bearing USA Inc., told Xinhua in a recent interview.

With the capacity and capabilities of designing, testing, engineering and assembling in the new manufacturing facility, the company aims to sell 500 million bearings in North America by 2025, Hu said.

As the product lines are almost automated, the new jobs to be created by CW Bearing are mainly technicians and engineers that know how to fix machines. The company has hired around 50 local employees and collaborated with the University of Michigan in research and internship programs, according to Hu.

"It marks a big step forward of transformation and upgrading of CW Bearing," Hu Xiangeng, Chairman of Cixing Group, the parent company of CW Bearing, said Friday at an opening ceremony of the manufacturing facility.

That's the best annotation of the CW development philosophy, which is "globalization of market, internationalization of talents, and high-end oriented products," he said, noting Chinese companies have to catch up with world-class technology by internationalization.

The privately-owned Cixing Group, established in China's eastern coastal province of Zhejiang in 1985, has become a global manufacturer of ball bearings for electrical motors, gearboxes, power tools and automakers, with offices in Asia, Europe and North America.

The CW Bearing set up its first U.S. operation in Southern California in 1993, and began to build its American headquarters and manufacturing facility in Northville, Michigan, in late 2015.

Jay Click, vice president for CW Bearing's North American operations, said one of the reasons for building manufacturing facility here is to shorten the delivery time and better serve U.S. auto manufacturers, as the company is a Tier 2 supplier to Ford and General Motors.

Cheaper costs of land and energy in the Midwest, tax abatement from the local government, and good relations between Michigan and China are also important factors that induce the company to invest here, according to Click.

"This is a very important greenfield investment by Chinese companies in this state. It is a new progress for China-Michigan investment cooperation," said Chinese Consul General in Chicago Hong Lei.

He hoped that CW Bearing would deliver its promise to provide high-quality products to American customers and create more jobs for the city of Northville, the county of Wayne and the state of Michigan.

As the United States steps up efforts to restore the nation's manufacturing sector, Chinese companies investing in the Midwest is also entering a new phase of rapid growth.

Chinese companies have invested over 20 billion dollars in the nine U.S. states of the Midwest region as of 2016, creating over 45,000 jobs, according to China General Chamber of Commerce - U.S.A.

Byron Schneidman, a partner of RSM US LLP, an audit, tax and consulting firm based in Chicago, said Chinese investment in the United States helps create jobs and it's unfair to blame China for the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs.

Take the U.S. automotive sector for example, the sector is heavily automated and now producing at full capacity, and it's not realistic to bring most auto jobs back to the United States, he said.

The United States has been losing manufacturing jobs for a long time and that's because the way goods are produced has changed largely due to technological advances instead of trade agreements, echoed Jeffrey Schott, a trade expert and senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington-D.C.-based think tank.

"The proof of that is we don't have a declining manufacturing sector, we have a very healthy and productive manufacturing sector and our manufacturing output is near a record-high level," he said, adding "we're just using fewer workers to do that."

While there's great uncertainty over renegotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Click said CW Bearing would stick to its plan to build a new manufacturing facility in Mexico next year.

"The operation here is made for the U.S....in Mexico, it's going to be made for customers in Mexico," Click told Xinhua, adding the company will leverage Mexico as a springboard to explore the Latin American market because Mexico has free trade agreements with Brazil and many other countries.

The leaders of Brazil and Argentina have also vowed to pursue closer ties with Mexico and other Latin American nations alarmed by U.S. President Donald Trump' s promises to tear apart trade deals to protect American jobs.

Trump said on Sunday that he may terminate the 23-year-old NAFTA because Mexico and Canada are "being very difficult."

"We are in the NAFTA (worst trade deal ever made) renegotiation process with Mexico & Canada. Both being very difficult, may have to terminate?" Trump said on the twitter.

However, Schott warned that the costs of breaking up would be very high for all three economies, as North American integration has been going well for over 25 years.

"If the U.S. withdrew, it would cause significant pain for many U.S. exporters including many farmers that rely on the Mexican market for a large share of their crops sales," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 04:19:54|Editor: yan

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TRIPOLI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Libyan coast guards over the past two days rescued nearly 700 migrants on their way to European shores, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Spokesman Ayob Qasem said that the coast guards on Tuesday rescued two boats with 290 migrants on board, while 164 others were rescued off the coast of Sabratha in western Libya.

Qasem also said that two boats with a total of 222 passengers were rescued on Monday, with the help of Italian navy.

Thousands of migrants choose to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Libya towards Europe due to the state of chaos and insecurity in the country. Many drown on the way.

The turmoil following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in Libya led to a massive flow of migrants towards Europe.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 04:35:00|Editor: ying

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CAPE TOWN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Tuesday called for a negotiated solution to the Korean Peninsula crisis.

"It is only through a negotiated solution that the issues affecting the Korean Peninsula can be resolved," the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said.

The department issued the statement following the launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) over the territory of Japan.

South Africa deplores the launch of the missile, which again violates the obligations of the DPRK under various UN Security Council resolutions, DIRCO spokesperson Clayson Monyela said.

"This most recent ballistic missile launch over the territory of Japan represents a serious and unacceptable escalation of an already complex security situation in the region," he said.

South Africa shares the concerns of the international community regarding the nuclear weapon and delivery system-related activities of the DPRK, which undermines regional and international peace and security, the spokesperson said.

"We reiterate our call on the DPRK to adhere to its Security Council-mandated obligations, to return to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and to fulfil its International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards obligations," he added.

South Africa also calls upon the DPRK to fulfil its commitments under the Six-Party Talks with a view to achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Monyela said.

The DPRK and all states involved should refrain from any further action which may undermine the pursuit of such a negotiated solution and further increase tensions in the Northeast Asia region and beyond, said Monyela.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 04:40:01|Editor: yan

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LONDON, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Britain's Liverpool John Lennon Airport went back to normal after being sealed off by police on Tuesday night in a security alert.

Passengers who has arrived had been kept aboard jets while police dealt with an incident during the lockdown.

In a statement later, Merseyside Police said a man had been detained by police after a suspect item was discovered in luggage.

Police confirmed that officers rushed to the airport following reports of a suspicious item found around 6 p.m. local time. The item was found through routine security checks of a man due to fly out of the airport, police said.

It was examined by specialist EOD officers and following enquiries, found to be a battery pack of unique appearance. The man in possession of the item was detained while these examinations took place.

Working alongside airport security staff, a cordon was put in place within the airport as the enquiries were carried out to ensure that the public were safe at all times.

The incident after several hours ended but police officers remain at the airport to provide reassurance to the public.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 04:50:04|Editor: yan

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KHARTOUM, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The United State vowed on Tuesday to work with Sudanese government to normalize bilateral ties.

The U.S. administration is serious to work with Sudanese government to normalize ties and develop cooperation in all fields, said the head of the United States Agency for International Development, Mark Green, according to Sudan's Foreign Ministry in a statement.

Green made the remarks during talks here with Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour, commending Sudan for hosting the South Sudanese refugees and the opening of four humanitarian corridors between Sudan and South Sudan, the statement said.

It noted that the talks between Ghandour and Green reviewed a number of political issues at the regional and international levels, top of them the tracks of dialogue between the two countries.

Ghandour urged the United States to support Sudanese government's efforts aiming at achieving security and stability in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions, according to the statement.

In January this year, former U.S. President Barack Obama issued a decision to cancel two executive orders imposing economic sanctions on Sudan.

The executive orders gave 180 days for a review before the sanctions are fully lifted to ensure the Sudanese government maintains its efforts on human rights and anti-terrorism.

However, in July, the U.S. administration, under President Donald Trump, decided to extend the review period by three months to determine whether to permanently lift trade sanctions against Sudan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 04:55:06|Editor: yan

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BRATISLAVA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Slovakia commemorates the 73rd anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) during WWII. The main ceremony was held on Tuesday in Banska Bystrica in central Slovakia where uprising started on Aug. 29, 1944.

Slovak President Andrej Kiska stressed in his speech, that the current duty is to do more than commemorating the courage of ancestors and laying flowers in their memory once a year.

"On this day 73 years ago, brave men and courageous women opposed the occupiers as well as the domestic puppet regime that faithfully served Nazi and fascist ideologies," said Kiska.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced in his speech that the SNP is the most important event in the history of Slovakia and many Slovaks nowadays take the peace in which they have lived for so many years for granted. According to Fico, this achievement should be respected much more.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 05:00:09|Editor: yan

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BAGHDAD, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday rejected the relocation of around 700 Islamic State (IS) militants and their families to the Syrian eastern city of Bukamal near the border with Iraq.

"We are concerned about the evacuation of large number of terrorist Daesh (IS) militants to areas near the Iraqi border. This is unacceptable," Abadi said at a press conference after his weekly cabinet meeting.

"We wished they would discuss with us. We ask the Syrian government to cooperate with us and to launch investigation into the issue," Abadi said.

Abadi also slammed the negotiation of Hezbollah and IS as "unjustified" because there must be cooperation to eradicate terrorism, not negotiation.

"We are not seeking to contain the terrorists, but to eliminate them," Abadi said.

Iraqi security forces still have to wage offensives to free the border areas with Syria such as the cities of al-Qaim, Aana and Rawa. However, observers believe that bringing more IS militants to Syrian areas across the border with Iraq would empower the terrorist group.

Abadi's comment came a day after around 700 IS militants and their families started evacuating their last stronghold in western Qalamoun region toward the city of Bukamal in eastern Syria, in accordance with agreement reached between Hezbollah and IS and agreed upon by the Syrian army.

A total of 16 buses carried the evacuated, including around 300 IS militants and their family members.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 05:30:13|Editor: yan

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CHICAGO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grains futures closed mixed on Tuesday with managed funds keeping their net short positions.

The most active corn contract for December delivery fell 2.25 cents, or 0.64 percent, to 3.4875 dollars per bushel. December wheat delivery rose 1.75 cents, or 0.41 percent to 4.2975 dollars per bushel. November soybeans went down four cents, or 0.42 percent, to 9.3725 dollars per bushel.

According to AgResource Company, managed funds' position Tuesday morning in Chicago wheat was estimated at a net short 70,000 contracts, In corn, it's pegged at net short 50,000 contracts, with net short 30,000 contracts in soybean.

Private exporters have reported to the U.S. Department of Agriculture their export sales of 198,000 metric tons of soybeans for delivery to China, and 226,000 metric tons of corn to Mexico. But the news failed to lift the futures' prices, which are seasonally low.

Wheat prices rallied following a more-than-one-percent fall in the previous session, as a result of bargain-buying. Egypt reportedly secured 235,000 metric tons of wheat for early October delivery from Russia and Ukraine, which also boosted the wheat futures.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 06:15:20|Editor: ying

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KHARTOUM, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's human rights activist Mudawi Ibrahim on Tuesday received a republican decree by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, which pardons him along with other five political activists, reported Sudan Tribune.

Nabil Adib, Mudawi Ibrahim's defence lawyer, said the republican decision has dropped all charges against his client, who has served nine months in detention with charges including undermining the constitutional order and inciting war against the state.

Ibrahim, 59, was detained by Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Service last December. He was also charged with espionage, dissemination of false news and inciting hatred against the state.

In March 2009, the authorities shut down Sudan Social Development Organization, which was chaired by Ibrahim, a professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Khartoum, and winner of the inaugural 2005 Front Line Defenders Award for human rights defenders.

Ibrahim's case has received wide concern from national and international legal organizations and societies defending human rights.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-30 06:50:26|Editor: Yang Yi

Liu Jieyi (C), China's permanent representative to the United Nations, addresses the UN Security Council Open Debate on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations at the UN headquarters in New York, Aug. 29, 2017. China on Tuesday called for a holistic approach to UN peacekeeping, stressing the need to respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of host countries. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday called for a holistic approach to UN peacekeeping, stressing the need to respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of host countries.

Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said the global organization has different priorities and focuses in the four stages of conflict prevention, peacekeeping, peace building and sustainable peace, which are interconnected and must be managed in a holistic manner.

"The fundamental way to maintain enduring peace and common security is to abide by the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, work together to build a community of shared future for mankind, promote a global governance system featuring broad consultation, joint efforts and shared benefits, and practice a new security concept that is common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable," he said in an open debate at the Security Council about peacekeeping missions.

The most important consideration in resolving inter-state disputes is to commit to the UN Charter's purposes and principles and basic norms governing international relations, and safeguard nations' sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. The Security Council must incorporate the above-mentioned principles in its work and discourage tension, said the Chinese envoy.

In addressing internal conflicts in nations, the Security Council must observe the principle that all countries are sovereign and equal whose internal affairs should not be interfered with, respect the will and leadership role of countries concerned, provide constructive assistance so that they can find a way to advance the political process and facilitate reconciliation by taking into account their particular national conditions, he said.

Conflict prevention must aim at maintaining peace and stability, said Liu. Targeted measures must be taken on the basis of the types and root causes of the conflicts.

UN peacekeeping operations must formulate explicit, viable and focused mandates in keeping with the specific countries' situations while taking into account the myriad factors facing the needs and the security environment of the host countries, he said. Liu also stressed the need to have periodic reviews and to adjust the missions in a dynamic manner.

Peace building should set the strengthening of political security and development capacity as its overall goal so as to promote the transition of conflict situation toward development and reconstruction, he said. "Peace building should respect country ownership, advocate accommodation and democratic consultation."

Sustainable peace and sustainable development are mutually reinforcing and independent and peace relies on development as its foundation, said Liu. The United Nations should enhance investment in development field, he said.

China is an active contributor to UN peacekeeping missions with 2,514 blue helmets working in nine regions, said Liu. China is willing to work with the international community to forge a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation and promote the new security vision of universal security and common prosperity, he said.
US gas prices to rise due to Harvey

He said a lot of the engineering and planning work for Trinidad and Tobago takes place in Houston and a lot of the managerial work for the industry also relies on activity taking place in Houston so the closure of the sector there will have a temporary impact on Trinidad.

He added that all of the major oil companies in Trinidad will have offices in Houston or rely on services coming out of Houston.

Driver said it was a very tragic situation for the people of Houston and as far as he has been able to find out, all TT citizens working in the energy sector there were safe.

In Trinidad, a spokesman for bpTT said the companys operations continue as normal and it is monitoring the situation in line with its usual safety practice. Officials at other energy companies operating in TT also said their businesses were not affected.

According to news reports, the ten oil refineries in Houston and Corpus Christi, an export hub for energy deliveries to Latin America and Asia, which were forced to close because of Hurricane Harvey normally had the capacity to refine about two million barrels of oil a day. Among the facilities which were forced to close was Exxon Mobils Baytown refinery, the second largest in the US about 25 miles east of Houston, which employed about 7,000 people and had a processing capacity of up to 584,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Body found in Cunupia river identified

On Sunday, at about 10.30 am police received a report of a body being found. When they arrived at the scene, they saw the decomposing body dressed in blue jeans and a pink and white bra. Rattan, of Lee Kham Road, Mamoral went missing on Tuesday last.

Her mother Lisa Nagil went to the Brasso Police Station last Wednesday and reported that her daughter left home to meet a man in Curepe, only known as Jimmy, concerning a job.

Nagil said at about 8.30 pm on Tuesday, she received a telephone call from Rattan, also known as Isabella Joseph, saying she was liming with a friend named Crystal at KFC. Nagil said when her daughter failed to return home that night, she tried to make contact with her but was unsuccessful. She told police her daughter was last seen wearing a fitted jeans, a multi-coloured top, pink purse and earrings with the initials JI in one ear and the word Boss on the other.

Police believe Rattan may have been killed elsewhere and her body dumped in the river. An autopsy yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre, St James revealed Rattan died from blunt force trauma.

Grieving relatives described her as a wonderful person who was desperate to find a job to assist her family. A relative, who did not wish to give his name, said he wanted to advise young women seeking employment to be cautious about venturing to places to meet people who may have ulterior motives.

This child did not do any harm to anybody, he said. She was a young woman who had dreams of a bright future, and to snuff out her life like this is inhumane. We want justice and, even if we do not get justice from the law, we know the person who carried out this devilish act will suffer even a worst fate than what happened to our dear Jasmine. Her mother and father Joseph Rattan were inconsolable yesterday upon leaving the Forensic Science Centre after viewing the body.
Pharmacist robbed of $90,000 outside bank

The bandit escaped in a waiting silver Nissan X-trail van which, police identified as stolen, was later found abandoned in Gopaul Lands, Marabella. Police believe the businessman was followed to the bank. According to a police report, at about 7.57 am yesterday, the bandit walked up to the victim, put the gun to his (businessman) head and ordered him to hand over the bag. As he was leaving, he snatched a handbag containing $3,000 from a woman who, along with others in line, had been ordered to lie on the ground while the robbery was being committed.

Investigators believe the businessman, whose pharmacy is on the outskirts of San Fernando, was the main target. Police said the businessman is thankful his life had been spared. However, the incident left other customers shaken.

Marabella police are investigating.
Couple fined for defrauding casino

They used it to pay medical bills, Alicia George, 35, of Kings Wharf, San Fernando, told magistrate Alicia Chankar in the San Fernando Magistrates court. Through her attorney, the woman said that she had been trying to get pregnant for the longest while. She worked at the casino on High Street, San Fernando, but had prearranged the roulette pin ball machine so that common-law husband, Antonio Andrew Anthony, 57, could keep winning.

Yesterday, both pleaded guilty to 49 charges and the magistrate ordered both to pay $93,000 each which they must pay within the next three months failing which, each will serve a total of 181 months in jail.

George and Anthony are from Kings Wharf, San Fernando, and were arrested on Friday last and charged with larceny of various sums of money from the casino between January and last week Monday.

Chankar read the 49 charges to both and they pleaded guilty. The prosecutor PC Cleyon Seedan said that the casinos owner, Chandra Maharaj, saw on surviellance camera footage that unsual amounts of money had been paid out to one particular customer  common- law husband Anthony. Police Constable Crawford of the San Fernando conducted an investigation, the prosecutor said, which revealed that George had keys to the roulette machine.

On various days since January, Seedan said, Anthony will go to the casino and George who had access to the pin ball, would place it in a winning spot on the machine. Video footage, the magistrate heard, also saw she actually placing the ball in its position and Anthony being paid out cash.

The prosecutor produced winning tickets which showed Anthony won on 49 occasions with sums ranging from $500 and $6,000 between Janaury and last week Monday.

Chankar heard that the video footage also showed George placing a particular colour of a ball in the winning slot which indicated that Anthony had won. Crawford confronted her, the prosecutor said, and she replied, Officer, I never take all that money. All of that is small money. I continue to take one or two. Crawford also confronted Anthony and he, the court heard, replied, Boss, I assisted my wife a few times, but we eh take so much money. Attorney Analee Girwar pleaded to the magistrate against imposing a custodial sentence on the couple.

George, he said, had been trying to get pregnant for the longest while and is now two-and-a-half months pregnant. She took the money to pay her medical bills, the attorney added. Both of them are very sorry for what they did, Girwar said.

Chankar chastised both of them and questioned whether they had intended to keep stealing until their luck had run out. You mean you sorry your luck run out? You did not stop, but continued on and on, Chankar said. She ordered that failing to pay the fines, George is to do 181 consecutive months simple imprisonment. Anthony will do hard labour.
Guard granted bail in Western Union theft

Mahesh Isa Ram, of Diamond Lane, Crown Trace, Enterprise, Chaguanas appeared before Magistrate Sheron Rafael charged with breaking and entering and larceny, as well as malicious damage to the safe in which the money was kept and wasteful employment of police time. The charges were read by Rafael and all but the charge of wasting police time were laid indictably, to which Ram pleaded not guilty. Rams attorney, Fareed Ali urged Rafael to show his client leniency given that he has no prior convictions or matters before the court and that his family is of limited means. After careful consideration, Rafael granted Ram bail in the sum of $350,000.

Ram is expected to reappear in court on September 19.

Last Monday at about 1.30 am, Ram, who was on duty as a security guard at Excellent City Centre, Chacon St, Port of Spain, reported that he was abducted by two masked gunmen before they broke into the safe and stole the money. Ram claimed that he was later dropped off in central Trinidad and reported the incident to the PoS Criminal Investigations Department. However, after several enquiries, a file was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions who gave instructions to charge Ram.
Driver disqualified on 3rd charge

Whether Magistrate Lisa Singh-Phillip will impose a jail sentence on Kendall Noor will be known on October 18, when the 33-year-old mechanic of La Romaine returns to court. The magistrate took away the drivers permit from Noor yesterday after he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol.

Singh-Phillip heard from the prosecutor Sgt Martin, that at about 8.14 pm on Saturday, Police Constable Henry and other officers were on duty conducting routine checks along Cipero Road, Golconda, near San Fernando. Noor who was the driver of a vehicle, was stopped and officers detected a strong scent of alcohol and subjected him to a breathalyser test. The results revealed he was over the legal limit by 35 microgrames.

Noors attorney Kern Saney, pleaded for leniency, saying, My client is not a heavy drinker; he was drinking because he was celebrating something. He was unaware that he was over the limit. Singh-Phillip decided to give Noor the opportunity to mitigate himself by attending Alcoholic Anonymous and Arrive Alive sessions.
Arima Corporation fraudster in court

Yesterday, La Romaine contractor ( Ian Jahoorie) was placed on $500, 000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Alicia Chankar in the San Fernando First court on six fraud charges.

He was not called upon to plead as the charges were laid indictably.

Four of the charges related to uttering fraudulent documents namely fraudulent Central Bank cheques to the value of $600,000, another for attempting to obtain money from the Arima Borough Corporation and the last for obtaining $280,000 from Republic Bank, San Fernando which was drawn from the account of the Arima Borough Corporation .

Police say the offences were committed between June and August.

The businessman was arrested at the bank last week Thursday when he went to make a withdrawal. He is to re-appear in court on September 25.

Investigations were conducted by ASP Ghisiyawan, Sgt Bachew and Cpl Badree of th Fraud Squad.

Charges were laid by PC Lutchman.
Assemblyman Augustine: Tobagonians must speak out and stand up

Augustine was addressing the hundreds of supporters gathered yesterday at the Scarborough fishing depot to witness the swim protest which was led by THA Minority Leader Watson Duke.

From as early as 6.30am, people began gathering for the protest which was originally scheduled to begin at 8am.

It started about 30 minutes later.

Augustine said that the swim was not aimed at breaking any world record, but more so to highlight the issues associated with the seabridge affecting the people of Tobago.

The prospect of swimming to Trinidad might appear to be a ridiculous one, Augustine said.

But it is ridiculous in nature so that we can highlight how ridiculous this situation has become.

It has to be ridiculous that they stood in the Parliament on May 28 last year and announced that we would have new boats built beyond our specifications and more than a year later, we still dont have new boats.

In fact, they gave us the Cabo Star and the Ocean Flower II which withered before it got here.

It is ridiculous that a prime minister who claims to be a Tobagonian, but who really may be a Tobagonian by birth but became a Trinidadian by boat, will come to us and admit that there was corruption and still the minister still there, the Port (Authority) board is still there, and they suspend a man who they believe was leaking information. Describing the task at hand as herculean Augustine said strong signals must be sent.

He said the business sector in Tobago and market vendors are suffering as they are unable to get produce to Tobago and others cannot go to Trinidad to get basic school books and supplies and legal documents cannot be filed.

Duke said the time has come for all of Tobago to stand together.

This is not about Watson or Farley swimming, he said.

We are all amateur swimmers, we are not professional. So this is not some kind of foolish bravado where we are trying to test, that is not the idea. The idea is that they have put us into this position where swimming may be the only option because swimming is the only thing we have control over. We do not have control over the boats. When it is ready it shuts down, when it ready, it doesnt come swimming is the only thing. The time for Tobagos deliverance is now. The team arrived in Trinidad at approximately 2:06pm.
Cuffie: Not just a name change

In a statement, Cuffie said contrary to Sagewan Allis claims, TTT as envisioned by the Government is not simply a cosmetic name change. Reiterating the position he made at a news conference last Friday, Cuffie said, For branding purposes, there will be a reversion to the name TTT but that is where the similarities end.  He said CNMG is wound up, a new board will be appointed and its mandate will be to, create a company with a bias towards the production and procurement of local content. Cuffie said CNMG was created to be a new broadcasting company on a commercially viable basis. He explained that similar to the old TTT, CNMG was supposed to, operate like and compete against, private media houses with profit as the bottom line. Cuffie said the new TTT will, not be solely profit driven and will be established as a public service broadcaster. While this will incur a cost to the Government, Cuffie said, However, it is a public good for which people expect to pay a price, as borne out during the 2015 consultations on GISL and CNMG. He said as a public service broadcaster, TTT would be mandated to have universal appeal, portray the countrys cultural diversity, promote national identity, provide a platform for local content and provide studio and editing services.

He reiterated that the new TTT, will also be required to provide public and government information and news. Cuffie said to ensure this plan is not a drain on the Treasury, the subvention for the new company will not be increased. He said the new TTT, would be funded by Government, donors and commercial revenues.
Suruj: Govt must help businesses

The Government must consider an economic recovery and reconstruction plan to be incorporated into the upcoming budget which will provide support for businesses threatened by the current recessionary conditions. He said with businesses unable to meet their loan and mortgage payments, Government could not be a silent spectator to their plight.

The Government must intervene with support mechanisms to save small to medium size businesses in particular, as the failure of businesses at this level and their closing down can have serious social impacts in this society.

The loss of businesses built up over several years and which would have contributed to economic activity, employment, revenue through taxes etcetera, must be avoided as it can also seriously impact upon entrepreneurial activity. Rambachan urged the Government to help stem any further dwindling of the middle class who were important for economic recovery and growth.

He said, The situation is not irretrievable but requires firm and quick decision-making and a formula for recovery which includes wealth-sharing strategies through encouraging competitiveness and higher productivity.

A real cultural revolution is required nationally.
South Africa: 11-year-old Tongaat pupil Tiahna Ragoonundun is a finalist in this years Nickelodeon Toy Sprint with Toys R Us!The grade six pupil, who attends Slamber Primary School, stands a chance to win an all-expense paid trip for herself and three family members or friends to the Nickelodeon Hotels and Resort Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.The prize includes round trip airfare, five nights accommodation plus US$1800 spending money. The upbeat pupil told the Phoenix Sun that she entered the toy sprint because she always wanted to take part in the toy sprint, so she went online and entered.Her mother, Pamela Ragoonundun, said they are very proud of their daughter and they were very excited, adding that they have never been overseas and they will be over the moon if they were to win the trip to the resort. Her school is also very proud of her and they think this will be an excellent way to bring publicity to the school. Tiahna is now appealing for fans to vote for her.Leading toy retailer, Toys"R"Us has joined forces with number one kids channel Nickelodeon to give South African kids the opportunity to participate in the Nickelodeon Toy Sprint with Toys R Us.Twelve young South Africans have earned their place in the finals by racing through flagship Toys R Us stores countrywide. These toy enthusiasts managed to pile up their trolleys in record time scooping toys valued at R15, 000 each.This year, the Nickelodeon Toy Sprint sponsored by Toys R Us attracted close to 150,000 entries when it opened on Thursday 18th May 2017, inviting children between the ages of 6 to 12 years to enter.From these entries only twelve toy buffs were selected to compete in the final rounds of the competition, where each contestant was granted 60 seconds to grab as many of their favourite toy picks as possible.The 12 finalists of the 2017 Nickelodeon Toy Sprint are: Aishania Chad , Julie, Keagan, Keenan, Meleeha, Nickholis, Nikhil, Singabakho, Tahil, Tiahna , and Vanya.Fans can vote for their favourite Nickelodeon Toy Sprint participant by visiting www.nickelodeonafrica.com and clicking on the Toy Sprint Vote banner.They will be directed to the vote page where the 12 finalists will be displayed  if a user clicks on a finalist they will be able to watch their toy sprint short video, and there will be a vote button by each contestant for fans to cast their votes. Once they have voted, they will be directed to another page where they will be able to leave their details for a chance to win a Nintendo Switch console. Voting closes on Thursday 31st August 2017.Once the voting closes on Thursday 31st August 2017, the ultimate Nickelodeon Toy Sprint winner will be announced and will win an all-expenses paid trip for themselves and three family members or friends to the Nickelodeon Hotels and Resort Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. The prize includes round-trip airfare, five nights accommodation, plus US$1,800 (nearly R24 000) spending money.
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In the face of the paralysis crippling the Maghreb union, Tunisia is following the example of Morocco by repositioning itself on the African continent. Tunisias bid to join the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is thus part of an endeavor to seek regional integration facilitating the flow of goods and investments in an increasingly globalized and competitive world.

After the ECOWAS has in principle approved Moroccos membership application, Tunisia is following suit looking forward to becoming a member of the regional bloc before the end of 2017.

Tunisias endeavor to join the ECOWAS was announced at the highest level by Prime Minister Youssef Chahed at the opening of the Tunisian African Empowerment Forum last week, an event that sets the tone for a pivot in Tunisias foreign policy towards West Africa and echoes a frustration with the paralysis plaguing the Maghreb Union.

The re-positioning of Tunisia on the African continent remains dependent on a global diplomatic action that gives priority to cultural communication and economic exchanges, said Chahed.

Following the Moroccan example

The success that Morocco reaped thanks to its decades-long African strategy with its return to the African Union, the strengthening of its economic and cultural footsteps in Africa through a vibrant private sector and active diplomacy, are all factors inspiring Tunisia in its efforts to find an alternative to the Maghreb Union immobility.

As part of its charm offensive to foster economic ties with Sub-Saharan Africa, Tunisian Prime Minister went on an African tour that took him to Sudan, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali with a delegation including 100 businessmen.

In line with this momentum, Tunisia will also open new embassies across the continent as well as trade representations.

For its part, the North African countrys flagship carrier, Tunisair, will expand its African network to include new routes to Benin, Sudan, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Nigeria and Guinea over the next four years.

Like Morocco, Tunisia also seeks to boost its soft power in Africa through increasing educational and cultural cooperation. In this respect, Tunis aims at receiving 20,000 Sub-Saharan students by 2020, compared to 7000 currently.

ECOWAS and COMESA an alternative to the Maghreb Union

Tunisia has also expressed its willingness to join the Common market for eastern and southern Africa (COMESA) next October, in a move that further indicates deep frustration with the state of immobility affecting the Maghreb Union.

AMU actually stands in stark contrast to the dynamism characterizing other sub-regional groupings such as the ECOWAS or the Southern African Development Community (SADC)

It is therefore legitimate for Tunis to seek alternatives to the Maghreb Union, which, more than 27 years after its creation in 1989, has failed to achieve its main goals: a customs union which was due to be launched in 1995 and an economic market by 2000. The fact that the last summit of the five countries heads of states took place in 1994 is indicative of the stalemate in regional cooperation.

The state of trade between the five AMU countries, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania, does not exceed 3% of total Maghreb trade. It is one of the lowest in Africa if not in the whole world.

In comparison, intra-regional trade between ECOWAS countries reached 10% and 19% for SADC countries.

The lack of regional economic integration in the Maghreb costs 2.5 points of GDP growth for each of the five states, which deprives the region of 220,000 job opportunities annually.

ECOWAS is therefore offering both Tunisia and Morocco a reliable space for free movement of persons, goods and capital, at a time economic cooperation between Maghreb countries is at a low level.

If it does not act, by following the example of neighboring African sub-regions, the Maghreb Union will crumble in its chronic incapacity to live up to the ambitions of the Marrakesh Treaty, which gave birth to it 28 years ago.

Need for a Financial Arm

Unlike Morocco, which has one of the best performing banks in Africa with branches all over the continent facilitating investments by the Moroccan private sector, Tunisia needs to work on the financial arm of its African strategy.

Tunisian banks should expand in Africa to be capable of accompanying Tunisian companies in the African economic space of ECOWAS or Comesa, which Tunisia is about to join.

Tunisia should also consider its African strategy in a comprehensive framework combining the human element. In this regards, the development of a migration policy and visa wavers are key in sending a message of solidarity to African nations.
With the return of Morocco to the African Institutional family, Morocco has achieved the twofold goal of contributing to collective efforts in favor of African development on the one hand and making its voice heard within the pan-African organization with regards to the Sahara issue on the other hand, said Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.

Bourita explained, in an interview with Jeune Afrique, that these two goals were underscored in the Royal speeches delivered in Kigali in July 2016, Dakar (November 2016) and Addis Ababa (January 2017).

These Royal speeches stressed that Moroccos return to the African Union is meant to enable the Kingdom to contribute to collective African action regarding the continents pressing issues, he said, noting that King Mohammed VI was chosen as the leader who, at the 28th AU Summit, was put in charge of the question of migration.

The second goal lies in acting as a bulwark against the attempts of the adversaries of Moroccos territorial integrity, Bourita said.

He explained that since Moroccos return to the African Union, several fallacies have been corrected. It is not a simply terminological issue, but rather an approach aiming at bringing the African Unions terms in line with the International Law.

Bourita gave the example of terms propagated by the Algerian-sponsored separatists to label the Moroccan Sahara such as occupied territories, decolonization and annexation.

The African Union was hijacked by some parties who made the continental organization at odds with the UN concerning the treatment of the Sahara issue, recalled Bourita. We managed to correct false perceptions thanks to the increasing understanding of a number of African countries and the leadership of the African Union, he said.

Concerning Moroccos bid to join the ECOWAS, Bourita highlighted that the regional grouping has approved in principle the Kingdoms membership. Moroccos membership is under legal review and will be followed by technical negotiations, he said, insisting that Morocco will be a valuable asset to the ECOWAS.

Bourita also explained the unfounded character of the geographical argument put forward by the opponents of Moroccos membership, saying that Morocco lies in Western Africa too and that the ECOWAS is more of an economic grouping than a regional one.
British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Boris Johnson, in an interview with BBC Radio on Monday admitted that the removal of Libyas strongman Colonel Muammar Gadhafi from power has been a tragedy for Libyans.

According to the British Top Diplomat, the killing of Gadhafi in 2011 has plunged the North African oil-rich nation into a ruinous civil war as two governments vie for power and multiple violent extremists compete for influence and a slice of the countrys dwindling oil wealth.

Johnson who explained the position of the United Kingdom and the role it played during the 2011 uprising in Libya with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Forces, said we were way over-optimistic about Libyas future.

Six year after Mohammar Gadhafi was ignominiously pulled from a drainage pipe and executed, Libya is still fighting for peace and stability.

Theres been a complete breakdown of government authority  Libya is not in a state of civil war  it would be more accurate to describe it as in a state of anarchy. There is no government authority that runs the country and there are large parts of it where there is no government at all, Johnson lamented.

A year ago, US former President Barack Obama also conceded that the intervention in Libya didnt work and that it was his worst mistake as a president.

French President Emmanuel Macron last month convened talks between heads of rival factions, Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord, Faiez Serraj, and Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar, who is at the command of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, in an attempt to bring back political stability to the conflict-ravaged country.
Trump greets flood victims during a tour of flood-damaged homes in Denham Springs, Louisiana, on August 19, 2016. Photo: Max Becherer/AP

Since 2005, theres been one guiding principle on how presidents should address natural disasters: Dont be George W. Bush. President Bushs response to Hurricane Katrina  which involved taking two days to return to Washington to monitor the storm, viewing the devastation from the window of Air Force One, and telling his unprepared FEMA director, Youre doing a heck of a job  dragged down his already low approval ratings, and remains a stain on his presidency.

As President Trump faces a similar crisis with Hurricane Harvey, he clearly has Bushs mistakes on his mind. Just before the storm hit on Friday, Republican senator Chuck Grassley issued this warning, apparently concerned that the president had taken time to tweet out praise for his administration and an attack on a GOP lawmaker, but had said nothing about Harvey.

@realDonaldTrump #hurricane keep on top of hurricane Harvey dont mke same mistake Pres Bush made w Katrina  ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) August 25, 2017

Hours later, Trump posted a string of tweets about the hurricane, saying he was in communication with the governors of Texas and Louisiana and would continue monitoring the storm from Camp David. On Saturday morning, he responded:

.@ChuckGrassley - got your message loud and clear. We have fantastic people on the ground, got there long before #Harvey. So far, so good!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017

Not sending the message that your administration is insensitive to the suffering of thousands of Americans and ill-equipped to handle storm-response efforts is an extremely low bar, and some argue Trump already missed it when he announced he had pardoned former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio as Harvey was making landfall on Friday night.

A lot of people think it was the right thing to do, Trump said on Monday. Actually, in the middle of a hurricane, even though it was a Friday evening, I assumed the ratings would be far higher than they were normally.

But with the storm still pummeling Texas and Louisiana, and the recovery expected to take years, Trump is still in a politically perilous spot. Avoiding epic disaster is one thing, but what would a good disaster response from Trump look like?

As Samantha Montano, who has a doctoral degree in emergency management, explained to Vox, many elements of good emergency management are not under the presidents direct control. Most disaster response is managed by state and local officials, with assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator. In a bit of a surprise, the Trump administration has a FEMA director in place, Brock Long, and hes both experienced and respected in his field. Trump fulfilled his most important official role, for now, when he granted Texas governor Gregg Abbotts request for a disaster declaration on Friday, allowing federal funds to begin flowing to the affected areas.

The president can influence nationwide disaster preparedness, and while its a moot point for the victims of Harvey, Trumps record in that area is concerning. In addition to his administrations many efforts to ignore global warming and its effects, Trumps budget proposal included steep cuts to FEMA and other disaster-preparedness programs. Earlier this month, he rolled back an Obama executive order requiring stricter building standards for federally funded infrastructure projects in flood-prone areas.

Right now, Trump seems focused on optics, and until the storm passes thats pretty much all he can do. Hes been tweeting about Harvey frequently, though hes focused on the storms destruction rather than discussing how Americans can help:

Going to a Cabinet Meeting (tele-conference) at 11:00 A.M. on #Harvey. Even experts have said they've never seen one like this!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017

Major rescue operations underway!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017

HISTORIC rainfall in Houston, and all over Texas. Floods are unprecedented, and more rain coming. Spirit of the people is incredible.Thanks!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017

The big test will come on Tuesday, when Trump plans to visit Texas. His administration has not said where hell be, and while Governor Abbott said he wont go to Houston, some have questioned whether its wise to divert resources for a presidential visit while the crisis is ongoing. Trump showed an eagerness to engage in the politics of natural disasters during the campaign, when he visited flood-ravaged southern Louisiana. Residents welcomed Trump, saying the disaster wasnt receiving enough national attention. However, Governor John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, said Trump had given no advance notice of his visit, and he wanted Obama to hold off due to logistical challenges.

Vice-President Mike Pence said in a radio interview that Trump is anxious to tour Texas and make sure the families and all of those affected and our first responders know that we are with you, adding, were there for the long haul with Texas through the recovery efforts, but nows the time to focus on lifesaving efforts.

Whether Trump can remain focused on Harveys victims tomorrow, and in the coming weeks, remains to be seen. Aside from the Arpaio pardon, Trumps tweets in recent days have been interspersed with recommendations for books penned by his political allies, and new calls to build a border wall and make Mexico pay for it, even as Mexico offered to help with storm relief.

During a press conference on Monday, President Trump insisted that his threat to shut down the government next month if Congress does not provide funding for his border wall will not complicate efforts to secure a multi-billion-dollar aid package for Harvey relief.

I think that youre gonna see very rapid action from Congress, certainly from the president, and youre gonna get your funding, Trump said. We expect to have requests on our desk fairly soon and we think that Congress will feel very much the way I feel in a very bipartisan way. That would be nice. But we think youre going to have what you need and its going to go fast.

Its up to the Trump administration to come up with a disaster-relief request, like when President Obama asked for $60.4 billion in additional funding nine days after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The funding complicates the already hairy fall congressional schedule, but Politico reports it could help GOP leaders defuse Trumps shutdown threat. If relief funds are attached to a bill to keep the government open beyond September 30, Trump could be forced to choose between securing money for Texas or vetoing the measure to fight for his border wall.

That could wind up being Trumps Katrina moment, even if he manages to perform his role as comforter in chief perfectly on Tuesday.
Trump outside the firehouse in Annaville, Corpus Christi. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

The Latest

 Heavy rain from Tropical Storm Harvey continues to pound southeastern Texas, parts of which have seen around three feet of precipitation. The National Weather Service expects another four to six inches to fall through Tuesday, from Houston to southwest Louisiana. Between 7 and 13 inches more rainfall will drench the region by the weeks end.

Houston update 1: Seven-13 inches of new rain expected thru Friday. Early Tuesday, downpours produced 1-2 inches/hr. https://t.co/o70hXyFn6H pic.twitter.com/ZYCOADWUrQ  Jim Roberts (@nycjim) August 29, 2017

 A staggering 50 inches could fall by Friday. Houston has exceeded its average annual rainfall, and August 2017 is officially the wettest month on record. A preliminary report from a rain gauge south of Houston measured 49.32 inches of rain, breaking the record for rainfall from a tropical system.

Apologies if this is a little disorienting, but had to expand the map over to Louisiana pic.twitter.com/8C0hHalr70  Jordan Tessler (@TerpWeather) August 29, 2017

 Harveys death toll has risen to 12, including at least one police officer. That number is likely to rise once teams search homes and other flood-ravaged neighborhoods.

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the tragic in the line of duty death of Sergeant Steve Perez. pic.twitter.com/cHJxjnFgII  Houston Police (@houstonpolice) August 29, 2017

At least a dozen have been injured as a result of the storm, which crashed into Texas as a Category 4 hurricane on Friday night before weakening.

 Aerial photos of the city, as well as other images, captured the scale of some of the devastation.

Unbelievable image of Dickinson, TX from our @CNBC crew on the ground there. pic.twitter.com/AVPQzffuCK  Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) August 29, 2017

 Rescue and evacuations are still underway across Texas, and have extended to parts of Louisiana, as rivers in the region are overflowing. More than 9,000 people have sought shelter in the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, almost double its capacity, with more people arriving by the minute. Officials predict more than 30,000 people will seek shelter. Officials said that emergency responders had rescued more 6,000 people as of Tuesday morning.

Hundreds of people waiting patiently in line for food inside George R Brown convention center #Harvey #Houston pic.twitter.com/utyLGNvp7B  Norah O'Donnell (@NorahODonnell) August 29, 2017

 Houstons George Bush Intercontinental Airport remained closed to commercial flights until further notice. Many Houston-area schools postponed the start of the academic year by at least a week.

 Officials were measuring recovery time from the storm in years. Were going to be here for several years helping you guys recover, FEMA director Brock Long said on Monday. The state of Texas is about to undergo one of the largest recovery housing missions the nation has ever seen.

 President Donald Trump has decamped to Texas, where he visited Corpus Christi, close to where Harvey made landfall, and Austin, the state capital. He avoided the emergency zone in Houston. He has said he may return to the region and visit Louisiana and Texas this weekend.

President Trump Touches Down in Texas

Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived in Texas Tuesday afternoon to survey the disaster in Harveys wake. They avoided the Houston metropolitan area, which remains an active emergency zone and continues to be inundated by rain, rising floodwaters, and overflowing rivers and reservoirs. Instead, he visited Corpus Christi, which is about 30 miles from the hard-hit Rockport, Texas, where the Category 4 hurricane touched down Friday.

Trump was briefed on the hurricane-relief efforts at a firehouse in Annaville, a neighborhood in Corpus Christi. The president was joined by his wife Melania, FEMA director Brock Long, and Texas governor Greg Abbott, among others, for a press conference Tuesday afternoon. We want to be looked at in five years, in ten years from now as: this is the way to do it, Trump said, about the recovery operations. This was of epic proportion. Nobodys ever seen anything like this and I just want to say that working with the governor and his entire team has been an honor for us.

Trump thanked Abbott, a Republican ally, for his response to the storm. We wont say congratulations, Trump told him. We dont wanna congratulate. Well congratulate each other when its all finished, but you have been terrific.

Pres. Trump: "We won't say congratulations. We don't want to do that...we'll congratulate each other when it's all finished." pic.twitter.com/SjrILiD1iA  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) August 29, 2017

Trump also acknowledged that Long, whos coordinating the federal governments response to the strongest storm to hit the U.S in more than decade, has really become very famous on television the last couple of days.

At his first briefing in Texas, Trump thanks FEMA Director William Brock Long and says hes come very famous on television due to Harvey. pic.twitter.com/TFyD580JPY  BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) August 29, 2017

Trump later greeted supporters who gathered near the firehouse, telling them, We love you, you are special, were here to take care of you.

"We love you, you are special, we're here to take care. It's going well...thank you for coming out...What a crowd, what a turnout" pic.twitter.com/kvTSN7Ou6J  POLITICO (@politico) August 29, 2017

What a crowd, what a turnout, he also mused.

What a crowd, what a turnout, Trump said from atop this firetruck, addressing hurricane victims. pic.twitter.com/0EdsLctHDi  Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) August 29, 2017

The president later headed to Austin, where he will once again be briefed by officials, and hell meet with some local leaders and members of Texass congressional delegation, in addition to visiting the command center for emergency operations.

Gov. Greg Abbott presents President Trump at Operations Center, where he thanks them for work dealing w/ epic storm. pic.twitter.com/535twwQ1yZ  jonathantilove (@JTiloveTX) August 29, 2017

Trump hosted a remote cabinet meeting that included Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and HUD Secretary Ben Carson. They discussed the cost of rebuilding, how Harvey victims could access medicine and medical care, and how this hurricane really didnt seem like a Harvey:

Trump to Ben Carson about the name "Harvey": "Sounds like such an innocent name, Ben, right? But it's not innocent. It's not innocent."  Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) August 29, 2017

This post has been updated throughout.
Trump inflated the number of people who turned out to see him rail against the fake news media. Photo: Ralph Freso/Getty Images

If you watched the TV broadcast of President Trumps rally in Phoenix, Arizona, it might have looked like the event went exactly as planned. The Blacks for Trump guy was front and center, and other enthusiastic Trump supporters booed journalists and applauded the presidents racist dog whistles, right on cue. As soon as Trump took the stage he marveled, What a crowd, and claimed (falsely) that there werent many protesters outside.

A lot of people in here, a lot of people pouring right now, Trump said. They can get them in. Whatever you can do, fire marshals, well appreciate it.

A short time after the event, Trump noted the crowd size again, tweeting: Thank you Arizona. Beautiful turnout of 15,000 in Phoenix tonight!

But according to Bloomberg, Trump was actually very upset by the beautiful turnout  so much so that hes fired George Gigicos. Or rather, he had top security aide Keith Schiller tell Gigicos that hell never manage a Trump rally again, because Trump doesnt actually like to fire people.

Gigicos organized Trumps rallies during the campaign, and he served as White House director of scheduling and advance until last month, when he quit to return to his consulting business. He organized the Phoenix event as a contractor to the Republican National Committee.

Trumps notorious sensitivity about crowd size makes it hard to pin down how many people were actually at the event. City of Phoenix spokeswoman Julie Watters tried to back up Trumps claim of 15,000, though she said there werent that many people in the venue. There were more than 10,000 inside and there were approximately between 4,500 to 5,000 outside who were turned away because the event was wrapping up, she said. Jon Hotchkiss of Be Less Stupid, who attended the event, estimated that the number of people who saw Trump speak was more like 4,000.

The Washington Post reported that as Trumps 72-minute tirade dragged on, the crowd lost interest:

Hundreds left early, while others plopped down on the ground, scrolled through their social media feeds or started up a conversation with their neighbors. After waiting for hours in 107-degree heat to get into the rally hall  where their water bottles were confiscated by security  people were tired and dehydrated and the president just wasnt keeping their attention. Although Trump has long been the master of reading the mood of a room and quickly adjusting his message to satisfy as many of his fans as possible, his rage seemed to cloud his senses.

But Trump was upset even before he took the stage. TV and social media coverage showed the crowd was thin when Trump arrived at 6:30 p.m. The room filled in as several people introduced the president, but he still blamed the lackluster energy in the room on Gigicoss staging:

Gigicos had staged the event in a large multipurpose room. The main floor space was bisected by a dividing wall, leaving part of the space empty. There were some bleachers off to the side, but otherwise the audience was standing  and the scene appeared flat, lacking the energy and enthusiasm of other rallies.

Though Gigicos has been banished, it seems Trump is still fixated on the size of his adoring crowd in Phoenix. You saw the massive crowd we had, he said at a White House news conference on Monday. The people went crazy when I said, What do you think of Sheriff Joe? Or something to that effect.
Whenever I see this gif now all I can think about is this post where someone said "I'll eat anything with a face" and the reply was a picture of a butt with a smiley face drawn on it and this gif was the reply to that lmao.

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Thanks for sharing and I'm being sincere.

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Axel Alonso, Marvels editor in chief, said We understood the story would challenge readers, but we also know how it ended.



what a pos liar...you guys were going to leave him hydra from now on but bc of the backlash had to backtrack..at least own up to it and fire that nazi nick spencer for even doing this in the first place

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I don't think Disney would have ever let them keep one of their biggest heroes a villain like that.



Edited at 2017-08-29 04:09 pm (UTC)

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well didnt the head of disney donated money to the tr*mp campaign? i dont put anything past them



edit:



ok you might be right but why do this gross storyline in the first place? it sure backfired on them



i still stand that nick spencer needs to go



Edited at 2017-08-29 04:14 pm (UTC)

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lol they were never going to keep him villainous.

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Please, they were not going to leave him a villain. This was the plan all along. It was just a stupid story. /your paranoia.

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People in your comments are denying but they were going to keep Cap Hydra, in a way anyway. They were going on and on about how it would change things forever and how it was the real Cap. It's pretty obvious they were going to go with that storyline that Cap was originally Hydra and the Allies changed everything with the cosmic cube at the end of the war and Kobik simply changed it back but the whole storyline was such a massive clusterfuck that they were forced to make "adjustments" so it was Kobik making Hydra Cap think he was always Hydra. (And luckily kept a "back up" of the real original)



I can't believe they ever thought this was a good idea, whichever way they were planning on taking it. It was a bad idea, a bad storyline, badly realized. They repeatedly had to scrap marketing ideas, etc because of the backlash. They took such glee in dismantling what Simon and Kirby created. They know they screwed up, they just don't want to admit it.



Mark Waid wrote what a lot of people considered one of Cap's best runs and they have brought him in to do the follow up to this one, so one can just hope he manages to mop up this disaster.



Edited at 2017-08-30 08:24 pm (UTC)

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We understood the story would challenge readers, but we also know how it ended.



... Mmmhmmm.



Anyway, I still revisit this gif set lol







... Mmmhmmm.Anyway, I still revisit this gif set lol

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lol aww Clark

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Awwww

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"if the dreamest person you've knew" ??? 

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"we knew all along" as if this bait and switch makes it okay? a slap in the face of kirby's 100th.

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I'm oddly proud of the fact that I share a birthday with him.



also give me your username

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lmao they're such assholes

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All attention is good attention, eh?

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I didn't think he was going to stay Hydra but they probably pushed up the chapters until he reverted after all that backlash.

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Good. What a bad storyline. It was exactly the wrong narrative for this time and expressly about not understanding the character of Captain America at all. Pretty much what you'd think a failed Republican politician would come up with and think is ~~~clever and ~~~deep.



I need no more Marvel events for a while. I hate how they get in the way of the stories I actually want to pay for and change the personalities of my faves as plot devices. Pretty much the only thing I've enjoyed from Civil War II/Secret Empire is Champions (even though my hatred for Humberto Ramos' art remains strong) because it's about disillusionment with how all their heroes are assholes and Nazis.

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they ramped up these god awful COMPANY WIDE crossover events a couple years ago from just once every summer to like 2-3 a year and i get it these things sell well but it really hurts other books with the constant interruptions/crossovers to their main storylines.



at least DC were sensible to not have a giant crossover the minute they launched rebirth and had small ones between a few books and they waited till this year to do ~dc metal~

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It's really frustrating to me because I find myself drifting further and further away from comics connected to these arcs. Like, with Ultimates, I wanted stories about the team, not about Civil War II.



DC not having any crossovers at the moment has honestly increased my readership. I read mostly Marvel before and now I'm reading mostly DC

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Marvel events have been absolute garbage for years. Who is surprised? They ruin their characters for bs ~edgy~ plot purposes and I'm just so tired. When will my favs come back from the war? They've been missing since 2006's Civil War, I want them back.

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::sad nod::



Some of them were in space.

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Which is just terrible for me because I've never really cared about the cosmic side of Marvel lol.

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captain america's purpose was to kill nazis so the idea of him being a nazi himself is so fucking gross. glad they realized they were stupid af

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I mean, duh!



Emma <33333333333

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lol the comments not believing axel. hydra cap was always ending with this event. it was clear as day.



marvel still aint shit but this has been a solid series. im really looking forward to waid/samnee taking over from here.

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thank fuck this shit is finally ending

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im so confused at whats going on.

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Where have you been, bb??



-Red Skull used the cosmic cube to make Cap a secret Hydra agent all along.



-Readers got really really angry because Hydra is a Nazi analogue and Cap was created by two Jewish men who got death threats for the character, etc.



-The backlash was pretty extreme and universal even tho Marvel told people to wait till the end of the event.



-He is now good again and eager to punch Nazis, Hydras, and fascists in general in the face.

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Lisa and Priscilla left.

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Does Scientology think they are convincing a single person of their innocence with these ridiculous press releases and denials? Fucking psychos.

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Only the idiots that give them money.

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It kills me that Riley is still a member. How deep into brainwashing is she that she didn't follow her own mom and grandma



Oh wait, Priscilla is still in it too?? Damn



Edited at 2017-08-29 09:15 pm (UTC)

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None of this is true, Lisa was the one who got Ron Miscavage an agent. He wrote a book and did a bunch of press against the church because of Lisa's connections.

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I just finished Handmaid's Tale and even though I know she was born into it WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY does Elisabeth Moss have to be a scientologist?!

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The source says Lisa's Scientologist friends have children who are being bullied in school as a result of Leah's anti-Scientology show



Nice try Miscavige.

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lol

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My first thought, as well.

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Don't they go to a special scientology school or whatever?? I didn't even think they went to a typical school.

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I took it as they were being bullied by fellow Scientologists for their parents' friendship with an SP

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I honestly had no idea that Narcanon was a Scientology organization until I started watching Leah Remini's A&E show.



I binged the entire first season so fast and I'm watching the second one now as it's airing and I just can't believe how long they've been getting away with this shit.

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Narconon is Scientology's drug "treatment program." It's not NA (Narcotics Anonymous), but they'd like you to believe it is.

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We get Narcanon press releases at work all the time. They're a Scientology group?

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Ugh, all of this. The fact that they're using rehab/recovery as leverage in a way is so heartless and fucked up, to manipulate someone into staying or joining for the sake of their own health like that. "We helped you get sober, you OWE us!! You have to stay and be loyal and give us more of your money!!" Oh and don't get me going on the ones dying of neglect. That's so fucking horrifying.



And for LMP to be dealing with so much right now (I read your above comment and WOW) while recovering.... Jfc.



Edited at 2017-08-29 10:34 pm (UTC)

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I remember reading about Peaches Geldof going into Narcanon and the article was one of the scariest things I have ever read. I still feel like her death was connected to that.

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This whole story is a fucking Scientology plant

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wait riley is a scientologist and lisa marie isnt? i thought it was the other way around. aw thats too bad i liked riley.

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Priscilla and Lisa joined the church after Elvis died. Lisa's left the church - Riley was born into it and hasn't left (yet)

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I hope they can convince Riley to leave it as well.

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Wait I'm so Confused.



Lisa has left or not?

Priscila has left or not?

Riley has left or not?



Btw, I LOVE Leah's show?? Can't wait for season 2 I cried a lot during S1. Oh, almost forgot F$CK that evil cult!!



Edited at 2017-08-29 09:30 pm (UTC)

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Conflicting reports on whether Lisa's left or not

People ALWAYS say Priscilla's not a Scientologist anymore but I think it was last year (or 2015) where she was talking about animal welfare & she spoke positively about Scientology & how it's helped her. She's been a Scientologist since the 70s or 80s, idt she's going anywhere

Nobody really knows for sure if Riley's a Scientologist but both parents were/are, so she must've been at some point.

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Can't wait for season 2



It's on air now.

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i feel so incredibly bad for paul haggis's daughter and the immense guilt she feels for not helping her friend

and that other woman who couldn't even fucking say goodbye to her husband and how they were all "he's dead. go back to work" like WTF

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omg tonight's ep...have the tissues ready. I cried.

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#fakenews

Leah is truly doing the good work with her show and I know the church is just salivating at any chance they think they have to discredit her. It's not working, losers!



I'd love to hear on the show about Nicole Kidman or Katie Holmes but you know they probably signed massive NDAs when they got divorced, RIP Leah is truly doing the good work with her show and I know the church is just salivating at any chance they think they have to discredit her. It's not working, losers!I'd love to hear on the show about Nicole Kidman or Katie Holmes but you know they probably signed massive NDAs when they got divorced, RIP

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I was wondering what things the cult would try to do to damage Leah and I guess trying to damage her rep is one of those things.

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Is Lisa Marie's brother Navarone still a Scientologist? He's been attacking her on instagram. LMP is fucking going through it.

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A bombing of the Cano Limon oil pipeline in Colombia has led to the suspension of crude flow, sources from Ecopetrol and Colombias army told Reuters. Leftist militant group ELN was behind the attack, the sources said, who declined to be identified ahead of an official announcement.

Some crude oil spilled as a result of the bombing in a nearby river, the sources added.

Cano Limon is Colombias second-biggest oil pipeline, with a daily capacity of 210,000 bpd, which carries crude oil from the Cano Limon field near the border with Venezuela to a refinery on Colombias Caribbean coast. The Cano Limon field and the 780-km pipeline are jointly operated by Ecopetrol and Occidental Petroleum.

The attack against the Cano Limon infrastructure is the latest in a string of bombings over a period of 17 years, resulting in 167 deaths and the spilling of a total 66 million gallons of crude, Reuters notes, citing figures from Ecopetrol. Because of the attacks, the Cano Limon pipeline has been shut down for almost a third of its life so far.

The government and ELN, or the National Liberation Army, started peace talks early this year, but this has not stopped the ELN from attacking oil infrastructure. The organization, which is considered a terrorist group by the U.S. and the EU, is against any foreign oil company operating in Colombia, on the grounds that they exploit Colombias natural resources without benefit to the local population.

The ELN is not the only militant group active in Colombia: FARC, or the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, warred with the government for decades before last year they signed a peace treaty that led thousands of guerilla fighters to turn in their weapons and return to civilian life, which is good news for the industryin theory. In practice, potential investors are likely to adopt a wait-and-see attitude to ensure the peace deal will hold as attacks from militants on oil infrastructure continue.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The most powerful Hurricane to hit Texas in more than 50 years has devastated much of the coast, and the historic flooding is now causing havoc in the energy markets.

The rain is not over, and will continue over the next few days, spilling a years worth of rain within a week.

ExxonMobil shut down its Baytown refinery, the second largest in the United States with a capacity of 560,500 bpd. Royal Dutch Shell closed its 360,000 bpd Deer Park refinery, according to S&P Global Platts, and Phillips 66 shut down its 247,000 bpd Sweeny refinery.

All port facilities in Houston and Corpus Christi were also shut down on Monday, not open to vessel traffic. That means that no refined products or crude oil will be either imported or exported for the time being.

The implications of the refinery outages and the port closures could be dramatic, although how long it will last is uncertain. The first obvious effect is a disruption to the production of refined products, which could have substantial effects on the U.S. fuel supply. As of Monday morning, more than 2.3 million barrels of daily refining capacity was knocked offline, according to Reuters, or about 13 percent of the nations total. That has already forced gasoline futures up by 7 percent to their highest levels in two years.

The effects will reverberate well outside of Texas. For example, the massive refineries on the Gulf Coast send gasoline through a major artery to the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The disruption will mean that much of the country could see higher gasoline prices soon. The Gulf Coast also exported 2.7 mb/d of refined products in May, much of which was sent to Latin America and Europe. Related: Is Wall Street Funding A Shale Failure?

In fact, as the worlds largest refined product exporter, disruptions in the U.S. will be felt around the world. Any hiccup in U.S. refined product exports is highly disruptive to the supply chain given the dependency of nations like Mexico and other Latin American countries on the U.S., Michael Tran, director of global energy strategy at RBC Capital Markets, told Reuters. Worse, refined product output in Latin America has fallen recently, with Mexico and Venezuela most vulnerable to supply outages in Texas.

If there are a lot of shutdowns, whatever capacity is running will get consumed in the U.S., it will have to be, so Latin America will have to get its barrels from elsewhere. It creates a domino effect, Vikas Dwivedi, global oil and gas strategist at Macquarie, told Reuters.

That domino effect will push up refining margins worldwide. "If (U.S.) refineries shut down for more than a week, Asia will need to run at a higher level, because there's no spare capacity in Europe," Olivier Jakob, managing director of Petromatrix said in an interview with CNBC.

Texas imported 1.9 mb/d of crude oil in May, while the Gulf Coast also exported 0.75 mb/d. The port outages will wreak havoc on oil differentials  Gulf Coast refiners import heavier crude to process, while coastal ports export lighter oil coming from Texas shale fields to customers overseas. In the short run, the U.S. could see a bit of a glut of lighter forms of oil, while heavy oil producers overseas will be hit by a temporary interruption of purchases from Texas refiners. There are reports that oil tankers are idling offshore in the Gulf, but they will likely have to wait a little while longer before they can dock.

Those disruptions could also inflict pain on upstream shale producers. S&P Global Platts reports that two crucial pipelines servicing the Permian Basin  the BridgeTex and Longhorn pipelines  saw operations suspended, taking 650,000 bpd of takeaway capacity offline. That could weigh on the prices that Permian shale drillers receive for their product. Other pipelines in the state were also temporarily idled.

Cheniere Energys Sabine Pass LNG export facility was spared, with only minor damage reported and no expected interruption to service.

Meanwhile, oil production offshore was also affected. S&P Global Platts says that an estimated 378,633 bpd of oil output was knocked offline as of August 27, or about a fifth of the total production in the Gulf of Mexico, while a quarter of the regions natural gas output was also sidelined. More than 100 oil platforms in the Gulf were evacuated, although those platforms will probably come back online much quicker than the onshore refineries.

Related: Aggressive U.S. Oil Sanctions Could Bankrupt Venezuela

The damage to upstream shale production onshore is a bit more uncertain, although could be significant. ExxonMobils shale unit, XTO Energy, shut in all production that was situated in Hurricane Harveys path, although production details were not provided. S&P Global Platts says that thousands of wells could be affected in the Eagle Ford in South Texas, and Platts Analytics Bentek Energy says that the Eagle Ford is currently producing 1.34 mb/d, which is down slightly from the 1.41 mb/d the region is expected to average this month, according to EIA data.

Hurricane Harvey was one of the worst in Texas history, but even as the winds die down, the damage from rain remains. Another 15 to 25 inches of rain is possible by Friday, so the worst of the flooding is not over.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
A few days ago, the White House authorized new sanctions against Venezuela  a country struggling under the burden of running a socialist government while the value of its main asset, oil, continues to hover around $50 a barrel.

"This order demonstrates more clearly than ever that the United States will not allow an illegitimate dictatorship to take hold in the Western Hemisphere at the expense of its people," National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said Friday as President Donald Trump rolled out the fourth round of sanctions against Caracas this year.

The measures go to new lengths to prevent Venezuela from using its assets in the United States to fund itself. The PDVSA, the South American countrys state oil company, owns an American subsidiary, Citgo, which will no longer be allowed to repatriate its profits to its parent company. U.S. financial institutions will be barred from issuing new debt to PDVSA as well, making it harder for the regime to come up with the funds to meet its next debt payment.

American investors have a way out, though, officials say.

Related: Texas Oil Production Remains StrongBut For How Long?

"We want to make sure that U.S. pensions or U.S. fiduciaries are not hurt by this, and if they want to sell their bonds they can do so," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said last week. "But this will limit any new investments."

Venezuelas role in the energy circle is well known. It holds the worlds largest volume of energy reserves on the entire planetmore than Saudi Arabia, Libya, or any other nation that touts its bravado in fossil fuel markets. The country admittedly does not have the know-how to create and expend political capital, which is why it took so long for OPEC to reduce production after the market crash of 2014.

Russian forces had already begun to enter Venezuelan politics before the sanctions, but the Kremlins support of the countrys economic system becomes more blatant by the day.

The very logic of sanctions implies further increase of tensions, Maria Zakharova, a foreign ministry spokesperson, said, adding that the actions of the people behind the sanctions are imbued with cynicism. Provoking and encouraging the destabilization of the domestic political situation [in Venezuela] from the outside cannot benefit ordinary Venezuelans, no matter what political views they may have.

Data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that American imports of Venezuelan oil have not faltered in the months since Trumps swearing in ceremony. Total imports remain over the 20-million-barrel mark, despite tensions between Maduros government and Trumps anti-socialist geopolitical stance.

Related: China Creates Worlds Biggest Power Group With $271B In Assets

With this in mind, the sanctions against Venezuela are another nail in the coffin of Maduros regime. There was very little that could have been done to save his star from falling, but a blockade of funding from American sources other than Goldman Sachs will speed Maduros downfall. Surprisingly, Goldman Sachs, the bank that purchased $2.8 billion worth of PDVSA notes back in May, is exempt from certain critical parts of the executive order, but the bank still will not be allowed to offer more of its cash reserves to Venezuela.

Trump has not used all of his plays to get Caracas actions in line yet. Sustained imports of Venezuelan crude keep it so Maduro still has something to lose when playing geopolitics with United States. The next move is his.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

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The Syrian Arab Army staged an offensive this week to recapture oil-rich areas of the Al-Raqqa governorate that had previously been under the shadow of the Islamic State (ISIS), according to local reports.

The area is home to the Jararih oilfield near Salaam Alaykum village, a military report said. An attack by Syrian President Bashar al-Assads military eliminated ISIS elements from the field early this week.

Syrias oil resources have exchanged hands several times since 2014, when ISIS declared its caliphate in parts of both Syria and Iraq. Initially, the terrorist group was able to use revenues from oil processing facilities to fund its illicit operations. International coalition forces soon recaptured oilfields and refineries, cutting into ISIS bottom line and forcing it to cut operational costs and salaries for its fighters.

A recent police investigation suggested the Italian mafia may have teamed up with ISIS to smuggle crude oil from the Middle East into Italy. An Italian daily noted earlier this month that the police had found substantial amounts of Libyan and Syrian crude that were greater than some local refineries inventories, with sources connected with the investigation saying that crude, should not have been there.

In Iraq, the military is also kicking ISIS out of its few remaining pieces of oil infrastructure. Last week, Iraqi military forces retook two villages and an oil refinery on the outskirts of Tal Afar in northwestern Iraq, according to media reports. The troops encircled terrorists in the last stronghold of ISIS in the Nineveh province.

The Global Coalition against ISIS welcomed Iraqs launch of the offensive on Tal Afar, and said it would support Iraqs government and forces with training, intelligence, precision fires, and combat advice. Over the weekend, the coalition hit ISIS positions at Tal Afar and destroyed ISIS vehicles, roadblocks, and weapons.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

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Oil producers in Russia and Saudi Arabia are pushing to extend the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) production cuts until June of next year, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal.

The deal, which lowers the blocs output by 1.2 million barrels per day, is already set to extend until March 2018.

Saudi Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak met to discuss the potential extension last month in St. Petersburg. No clear decision has been reached since then, but both parties are rumored to be urging other OPEC members to back extending the cuts yet again.

According to energy and commodities analysts, a three-month extension would be a logical step to take in the autumn when the oil market sentiment would likely sour again. An extension to June 2018 would also prevent a severe uptick in surplus after March next year, as Michael Cohen, head of energy commodities analysis for Barclays, told Platts.

According to Joe McMonigle, senior energy policy analyst at Hedgeye Potomac Research, an extension at the November meeting would be the minimum action OPEC would take.

The market will be looking for stronger action, like deeper cuts, McMonigle noted.



Related: Texas Oil Production Remains StrongBut For How Long?

Immediately after OPEC announced at the end of May the extension of the cuts into March 2018, oil prices plunged, because the market was expecting a more drastic action, like deeper cuts, that would prove that OPEC really was willing to do whatever it takes to bring the market back to balance.

The joint panel also that it planned to invite Libya and Nigeria to attend the next meetings of the committees, in a sign that rising output from those two exempt producers is now a concern for OPEC. Both African nations had originally been granted an exemption to the cuts due to domestic strife that had lowered national oil output.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

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Saudi Arabia has shortlisted 25 companies that qualify to bid for proposals to build a 400-MW wind power plant in the northern part of the Kingdom, in what would be the first utility-scale wind power project, the Renewable Energy Project Development Office (REPDO) of Saudi Arabias Energy Ministry said on Tuesday.

REPDO has qualified 25 companiesincluding major players in renewables such as Acciona, Enel Green Power, EDF Energies Nouvelles as well as technology giants such as GE, units of Siemens, Marubeni, and Mitsui, among othersto bid for the 400-MW Dumat Al Jandal project. The qualified companies will proceed to the Request for Proposals (RFP) stage as either managing members or technical members  or both  based on their experience in delivering IPP projects of this scale, the Saudi ministry said.

Saudi Arabia invited initial bids in July, and the interested companies had until August 10 to present their qualifications to the ministry.

Today, Saudi Arabia said that Dumat Al Jandal marks the second of two tenders for round one of the National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), which is part of Vision 2030 and aims to raise the share of renewables in the Saudi energy mix, targeting generation of 3.45 GW of clean energy by 2020, and of 9.5GW by 2023.

Bidding for the first utility-scale wind power project is set to close in January next year.

The first round of bidding for renewable power projects also includes 300 MW of solar PV in Sakaka, in the same region as the Dumat Al Jandal project. For the solar project, winning bids will be announced on November 27 this year.



Related: Blockchain Tech As A Hedge Against Low Oil Prices

Both the solar and wind power projects will be built under power purchase agreements: a 25-year one for the Sakaka solar project, and a 20-year one for the Dumat Al Jandal wind project.

Round two of the NREP will be launched before the end of this year, keeping us firmly on track to deliver 9.5GW of renewable energy by 2023, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said in the ministrys statement today.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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About 82 percent of people surveyed say that it is important for high schools students to develop interpersonal skills, be cooperative and respectful of others and 42 percent said standardized tests were a highly important indicator of school quality, according to a national poll.

Those were some of the finding of the 2017 PDK Poll of the Publics Attitudes Toward the Public Schools. A total of 1,558 people were surveyed across all 50 states.

Other findings were: 82 percent of people supported focusing on building students job or career skills even at the expense of traditional academic subjects; 86 percent said schools should offer licensing programs and; 80 percent said technology and engineering classes were a very important element of school quality.

An interesting finding was that people were likely to value their local school but be more critical of public schools nationally. Forty-nine percent of people surveyed rated their local school as A or B. However, only 24 percent of those surveyed rated public schools nationally as A or B.

PDK also polled New Yorkers and broke out the results. Fifty percent of those surveyed gave their local public schools the top two grades compared with 27 percent.

Seventy-two percent of New Yorkers surveyed said they expect their children will go to college compared with 61 percent nationally.

A total of 51 percent of New Yorkers oppose vouchers to allow students to go to private schools compared with 42 percent who support them.

Another interesting tidbit is that despite all the hoopla over standardized tests, 24 percent of New York parents surveyed said they believe the state tests accurately measure how well their child is learning compared with 19 percent nationally.

To read more about the report, visit http://pdkpoll.org/results.
HUDSON FALLS  Carly Quinlan Trerises new business had its start three years ago when she was homebound with a severe kidney infection after her son was born.

I can honestly say that one of the best things about finally coming home was knowing that my family had cooked comfort food meals for us at least once a week, she said earlier this week.

She had already planned to go into some kind of food-related business with her father, James Quinlan, who had cooked professionally, and the two ideas came together to produce Send A Meal Today, which will start taking orders on Friday and will deliver comfort foods.

I just feel there really is a need to help others in need, and a meal is so much more when you get it when you are in a time of need, whether its a good thing or a bad thing.

Quinlan Trerise is urging people to send meals not only for issues such as an illness or a death in the family, but for happy occasions, such as a new baby or a new home.

I think theres a need for what we do. Yes, there are other places that deliver, but we provide so much more than a regular pizza delivery, she said. When someone orders we ask why, and we put a personal note in with the deliveries along with the heating instructions.

Customers can order online at sendamealtoday.com and have a meal delivered.

Meals include pot pies, lasagna and macaroni and cheese, and the business will also deliver desserts and sweets to Glens Falls, South Glens Falls, Queensbury, Hudson Falls, Kingsbury, Lake George, Fort Edward, Fort Ann and Hartford.

Meals are prepared by Dickinsons Delights, a restaurant and catering company based in The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls.

Once the business opens, orders must be placed before Thursday at 4 p.m. for delivery on Saturdays and Sundays. Hours may expand in the future.

All meals include a salad and choice of dessert. They are delivered cold and can be warmed up at the recipients convenience. Meals are for two to four people.

Flowers can be added to any delivery for an additional fee.

James Quinlan grew up in Granville and graduated from the BOCES culinary program and earned an associate degree from Adirondack Community College. He worked in the kitchen at Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock and later became the head cook at Washington Correctional Facility, where he continued to work for more than 25 years.

For information, visit www.sendamealtoday.com or call 518-222-7989.
QUEENSBURY  Ambleside School of the Adirondacks is moving its location from Corinth to Queensbury this fall.

The private elementary school, which opened in 2014, had leased space in the Gateway Church on Hamilton Avenue. Now, it is moving into space at 15 Burke Drive in Queensbury.

Jeanie Petteys, director of the school, said the school had been looking since last fall for new space in a larger community.

We had a board meeting in January and we listed all the things wed like to see in a facility, and this checked every box, she said. We found out two weeks ago that it was ours. Weve been scrambling to get all the paperwork filed and everything moved over.

Ambleside is leasing the 4,000-square-foot Burke Drive facility, which is the former location of Newmeadow Preschool.

Ambleside offers classes from kindergarten readiness through fourth grade and has about 12 students. It can accommodate about 20 total, according to Petteys.

She said the advantage of the new space is they are not sharing it like they were with the church.

Theres lots of room to grow it in, he said.

The building sits on several acres that will assist in the schools efforts to do nature projects, Petteys said.

Were excited about getting to know the community, she said.

Ambleside School of the Adirondacks is one of 18 schools Ambleside Schools worldwide. It is modeled after the philosophy of Charlotte Mason, a British educator who lived from 1842 to 1923. Her four basic concepts were: education is a life; education is a discipline; education is an atmosphere; and education is the science of relations, according to the schools website.

For more information, call 744-5320 or send an email to jeanie@amblesideadirondacks.org.
LAKE GEORGE  A Florida man was arrested on Aug. 21 for allegedly vandalizing a car.

State Police responded to the village of Lake George for a report of a suspicious person in a carport. The witness said a man was in her carport, knocking over items and slightly scratching her car. The estimate for the damage was $1,524.

The man, 23-year-old Hunter M. Goski of North Fort Myers, Florida, left his cellphone at the property. Goski went to the police station to retrieve his phone and was informed that he was being arrested.

Goski was charged with felony third-degree criminal mischief and released on an appearance ticket.
State health officials are stepping up efforts to protect residents from tick-borne illnesses after having found five pools of ticks in Saratoga County that tested positive for the Powassan virus.

Three county residents contracted the rare viral disease, which can cause symptoms ranging from flu-like to life-threatening encephalitis, and Gansevoort man died in June from it. The state Department of Health collected 2,700 ticks at 30 locations throughout the county to test at The Wadsworth Center.

A total of 22 ticks tested positive for the illness. Two of the pools of ticks were found at Saratoga Spa State Park, one at 100 Acre Woods Trail in Malta and one at the Saratoga National Historical Park in Stillwater, according to a news release. The final pool was found at a private residence, according to a news release.

The department had surveyed more than a hundred sites across the state and expanded its collection in Saratoga County following the confirmed cases.

The disease remains extremely rare, with only 26 confirmed cases since 2000.

Health officials announced that increased collection of ticks from these sites will continue in the fall with the collection of adult ticks from many of these sites and testing blood from hunter-harvested deer for previous exposure.

The steps the state is taking include working with the Department of Environmental Conservation to include tick and tick-borne disease informational materials in their hunter education and licensing program. They will link a tick-removal video and other online resources to various hunting licensure websites, according to a news release. It already has provided several thousand tick identification cards to distribute at hunter education classes. Officials are working with the state Education Department to implement new legislation to require instructional materials for school districts and libraries on tick-borne disease.

In 2018, the state Department of Health will release a tick-borne disease surveillance and response plan, similar to the plan in place for mosquito-borne diseases. It will also be posting current and past tick collection data and testing results to the Health Data NY website by the start of tick season.

The tick that primarily spreads the virus is the black-legged tick or deer tick, which is the same tick responsible for spreading Lyme disease.

Symptoms of the virus can include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, speech difficulties and seizures, according to a news release.

Officials are reminding people to use insect repellent and dress in lightly colored clothing to make ticks easier to discover, with long sleeves and pants tucked into socks or boots. If they find a tick, they should use tweezers and grab the mouthparts of the tick as close as possible to the skin. People should be careful not to crush or puncture the body of the tick, which could contain infectious fluids.
QUEENSBURY  Now that Councilman Doug Irish has taken a job out of state and missed five meetings, he should resign, said Supervisor John Strough.

Then the Town Board should appoint Republican George Ferone, Strough said.

In the towns best interests, the Town Board should appoint George Ferone to replace Doug Irish. The sooner the better for all, he said, adding, In any event, even before moving to North Carolina, Doug had a less than admirable attendance record.

Ferone is running unopposed for the Ward 3 seat this fall. Irish dropped out of the race and was replaced on the ballot by Ferone after Irish got a job in North Carolina.

Strough isnt pleased by the situation.

Doug has missed five very important and informative Town Board meetings since his last attended July 3 meeting, he said.

He added that Ward 3 deserved a full-time representative, saying, I believe that the town deserves a person who is sincerely interested in the issues before us now.

Irish has insisted he is still involved in town governance by communicating with the rest of the board via email. His class schedule will be Tuesday through Thursday beginning in mid-October, and then he plans to return for each Town Board meeting.

If he still cant make it to meetings then, he will resign, he said.

But hes eager to return and was not at all impressed by Strough saying he should resign.

I dont really think there can be much disagreement in whether or not I resign if I cant make the meetings at all, Irish said. But I am not doing it just because John (Strough) thinks I should. If that were the standard, I would have asked John to resign when I found out about the audit that we never got.

The town received a critical draft audit regarding its oversight of grants to the Lake George Watershed Coalition. Strough never gave it to the board and at a public meeting said the town had passed the audit. He defended himself later by saying he met with the state about the grants and believed hed resolved the issues, but he never publicly told the board about those issues.

Information about the audit was made public after the director of the Lake George Watershed Coalition was arrested on charges of stealing grant money.

Irish added that hes not convinced the board would actually appoint Ferone.

To be quite honest, I dont trust that John and Tony (Metivier) would actually vote yes instead of leaving it vacant. Thats what happens when people lie to you and about you  you tend not to believe anything they tell you after that, he said.

In the meantime, Irish said hes keeping Ferone up to date on every issue that crosses his desk.
President Donald Trump's attorney reached out to the Kremlin for assistance in building a Trump Tower in Moscow well into the business mogul's presidential campaign, he said Monday, adding that he discussed the project with Trump three times.

The attorney, Michael Cohen, denied that the project was related "in any way" to Trump's campaign, though the developments appear to contradict Trump's vehement denials of any such business connections to Russia in the past.

Previous reports have indicated that efforts to build a Trump Tower in Moscow were underway during the presidential campaign in 2015, but it had not been reported that those efforts continued into 2016.

"The Trump Moscow proposal was simply one of many development opportunities that the Trump Organization considered and ultimately rejected," Cohen said in a written statement.

"In late January 2016, I abandoned the Moscow proposal because I lost confidence that the prospective licensee would be able to obtain the real estate, financing and government approvals necessary to bring the proposal to fruition," he added. "It was a building proposal that did not succeed and nothing more."

Cohen's own attorney provided documents to the House intelligence committee that included a reference to the Moscow project. In a second, separate statement Monday, Cohen said the proposal "was not related in any way to Mr. Trump's presidential campaign. The decision to pursue the proposal initially, and later to abandon it, was unrelated to the Donald J. Trump for President campaign. Both I and the Trump Organization were evaluating this proposal and many others from solely a business standpoint, and rejected going forward on that basis."

Cohen told CNN he reached out to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, describing the message as "an email that went unanswered that was solely regarding a real estate deal and nothing more." In the second statement, Cohen said he contacted Peskov after it was suggested that the proposal would require approval by the Russian government, but that it was never provided.

Trump and Cohen discussed the proposal three times, though Cohen said he "never considered asking Mr. Trump to travel to Russia in connection with this proposal" and did not brief on him on his decision to terminate the development.

Cohen told CNN that the conversations were "short." The first was to inform him about negotiations happening for a possible deal. Second time was to sign a letter of intent. The third time was letting him know that the deal was off after he decided himself to terminate it.

Cohen said the proposal was under consideration from September 2015 until the end of January 2016 and progressed to soliciting building designs and negotiations over financing.

The Washington Post, citing several people familiar with the proposal and new records reviewed by Trump Organization lawyers, first reported the project, which involved Russian-born developer Felix Sater.

The Post said that Sater "urged Trump to come to Moscow to tout the proposal and suggested he could get Russian President Vladimir Putin to say 'great things' about Trump." Cohen said he determined that the proposal was "not feasible."

According to the Post, in a November 2015 email to Cohen, who at the time was executive vice president of the Trump Organization, Sater also said that he and Trump Organization leaders would soon be celebrating the real estate project and Trump's election.

In a statement Monday, Cohen said Sater has "sometimes used colorful language and has been prone to 'salesmanship.'"

The Trump Organization has signed similar letters in the past, pursuing deals in Russia and elsewhere only to see those efforts fall through in the initial stages.

Cohen has been a central focus for investigators on the House intelligence committee who are digging into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia -- he is one of only two people to have been subpoenaed by the committee so far; the other is former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Trump's involvement and awareness of the negotiations remains unclear and there is no public record that Trump has ever spoken about the effort to build a Trump Tower in 2015 and 2016. Trump denied having any business interests in Russia in July 2016, tweeting, "for the record, I have ZERO investments in Russia." He then reiterated that point again at a news conference the following day, telling reporters "I have nothing to do with Russia."

However, Trump has spoken out in news interviews and in sworn depositions about his previous efforts to develop properties in Russia, which date back decades, praising the market there as ripe for investment. Messages left with the White House were not returned Monday.

Sater confirmed to CNN that he put together a real estate proposal for the development of "the world's tallest building in Moscow" in the latter half of 2015, and presented the development to Cohen, which resulted in a signed Letter of Intent for the project. Cohen was the only member of the Trump Organization he communicated with on the project, Sater said, and added that he would not have been compensated by the Trump Organization if the project had been successful.

"During the course of our communications over several months, I routinely expressed my enthusiasm regarding what a tremendous opportunity this was for the Trump Organization," he said. "Ultimately, in January 2016, Michael informed me that the Trump Organization decided not to move forward with the project."

But his interest in developing a project in Russia has been well documented, and Trump himself said he wanted to build a Trump property in Moscow at the Miss Universe pageant in 2013.

Cohen said he worked with a Moscow-based development company, I.C. Expert Investment Company, through Sater. The Trump Organization would license the Trump name for the building. Other reports have detailed similar efforts between Trump and Aras Agalarov, an Azerbaijani-Russian oligarch close to Putin.

Agalarov is also tied to the June 2016 meeting Donald Trump Jr. attended on the premise that he would receive dirt on Hillary Clinton from the Kremlin -- the publicist for Agalarov's son first proposed the meeting to Trump Jr. in an email made public last month.

New details about Trump's business deals also come as federal investigators have seized on Trump and his associates' financial ties to Russia as one of the most fertile avenues for moving their probe forward, people familiar with the investigation told CNN earlier this month.

Trump spoke positively of Putin

While Cohen was working on the Trump Tower deal, Trump was speaking positively about working with Putin and also minimizing Russia's aggressive military moves around the world. His openness to Putin, and his willingness to accept narratives favored by the Kremlin, contrasted strongly with not only his Republican opponents but also with the Obama administration.

"I would talk to him, I would get along with him," Trump said about Putin at a Republican primary debate in September 2015. "I would get along with a lot of the world leaders that this country is not getting along with."

At that debate, moderated by CNN's Jake Tapper, Trump went on to suggest that the US stand back as Russia fought ISIS in Syria. But Obama administration officials at the time were saying that Russia wasn't going after ISIS but instead was targeting other Syrian rebel groups, some of whom were trained and armed by the US government.

Two months later, Trump quickly pivoted when asked on the debate stage what he would do about Russia's aggressive moves in both Syria and Ukraine, where it annexed the Crimean peninsula and has supported a separatist insurgency since 2014.

"First of all, it's not only Russia," he said. "We have problems with North Korea, where they actually have nuclear weapons."

This friendly posture toward Russia continued after the Trump Tower deal was terminated. During a March 2016 debate, Trump lavished the Russian leader, who has been criticized for rigging elections, killing his enemies and crippling free speech.

"As far as Putin is concerned, I think Putin has been a very strong leader for Russia," Trump said. "I think he has been a lot stronger than our leader, that I can tell you. I mean, for Russia. That doesn't mean I'm endorsing Putin."

CNN's Jim Acosta contributed to this report.
Ramon Orton called me from Flint, Michigan on Wednesday and told me he was the great-great-grandson of Alanson Orton.

It was the call I had been hoping for.

In late July, I stumbled onto a note on display at the Gettysburg National Military Museum and Visitor Center penned by President Abraham Lincoln to stop the execution of a Warren County man  Alanson Orton  for desertion.

I wrote what I knew about the case in a column Wednesday and several readers contributed more information this past week, including Lake Luzerne Town Historian Pam Morin, Georgia Anderson and Hadley-Luzerne Historical Society board member Ben Kemp.

Anderson wrote in an email that Alanson had enlisted in the U.S. Army on Dec. 28, 1861, two days before his 24th birthday and eight months after the Confederacy attacked Fort Sumter to begin the war.

But it was Ramon Orton who was able to fill in the important parts of the story.

Ramon, 84, said he grew up in Corinth and used to take care of the grave of Alanson Orton.

He confirmed that Alanson, a private in the U.S. Armys 12th Infantry, fought in the Battle of Gaines Mill, a fierce confrontation just north of Richmond, in June 1862. The 12th Infantry suffered 50 percent casualties as Gen. Robert E. Lee gained his first victory. The battle is better known as first Battle of Cold Harbor and was part of the Union Armys Peninsula Campaign (Union casualties at Gaines Mill included 894 killed and 3,107 wounded).

Ramon said his great-great-grandfather may not have been a deserter, at least not according to family lore.

He said Alanson Orton told family members he was suffering from dysentery and had been left by the side of the road when the Union Army retreated.

He said a southern family took him in and nursed him back to health, and to repay them, he worked on their farm.

At some point, Union troops learned of his presence and accused him of deserting. He was later convicted and sentenced to be executed in March 1864.

Thats when Lincoln stepped in.

Kemp found military documents that indicate Alanson deserted on May 6, 1863, just one day after the battle in Chancellorsville ended, and was captured on Jan. 6, 1864. If those dates are accurate, Alanson would have fought with the 12th Infantry at Antietam (one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War), Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.

Ramon said he was not aware of the document signed by Abraham Lincoln that specifically mentions his great-great-grandfather that is now on display in Gettysburg.

Id love to have that, he said. I knew he had been pardoned by Lincoln, but I thought he was just part of a large group of people.

Ramon said after the war, Alanson spent some time in Chicago, then New York City, where he worked as a fisherman. He later returned to Warren County, where he was a farmer and a lumberman.

He married and had four children  two boys and two girls.

Ramon said Alansons farm was at the bottom of Glens Falls Mountain Road where it intersects with East River Drive in Lake Luzerne, but Kemp found a 1907 death notice from the Daily Saratogian that said Alanson was living in Corinth when he died.

Ramon said he has records that show Alanson appealed to the U.S. government several times to get his pension. It was denied each time.

On Friday morning, I went back to Leavens Cemetery for the second time to find Alanson Orton.

This time, I found the tilted granite headstone that he shares with his wife, Martha M. Blackwood, at the very back of the graveyard. I walked right by it earlier in the week.

Next to the headstone is a Bronze Star that acknowledges him as a Civil War veteran, but no American flag.

According to Ramon, Alanson Orton was never cleared of desertion and his dishonorable discharge still stands.












The new Gaza leader of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas said Monday it has restored relations with Iran and is gearing up for future hostilities with Israel.





Yahya Sinwar told reporters that Iran is now the largest backer financially and militarily of Hamass armed wing. It was his first meeting with journalists since taking up his post in February.





Sinwar said that with Irans help, Hamas is accumulating military power in preparation for a battle for the liberation of Palestine.





Hamas is developing our military strength in order to liberate Palestine, Sinwar said, but he also stressed that it does not seek war for now and takes every effort to avoid a war At the same time we are not afraid of a war and are ready for it.

The Iranian military support to Hamas and al-Qassam is strategic, he added, saying the relationship had become fantastic and returned to its former era.





Every day we build missiles and continue military training, he added, saying that thousands of people are working day and night to prepare for the next conflict.





Iran was once Hamass largest backer, but relations cooled after Hamas refused to back Irans close ally Syrian President Bashar Assad in his countrys civil war.





Earlier this month, a high-level Hamas delegation traveled to Iran to attend the inauguration of President Hassan Rouhani, and to turn a new page in bilateral relations between the two sides.





It was the first visit to Iran by Hamas officials since the group elected new leadership earlier in 2017. The rapprochement between Hamas and Iran is reportedly being facilitated by the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, which is supported by Tehran.





The Pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat, which is Saudi-influenced, reported at the time that Hamas officials representing the terror groups military wing also met with members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary force that answers directly to Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and discussed common issues. According to the report, Iran was keen to restore ties with Hamas after Ismail Haniyeh was elected as head of Hamass political bureau and Sinwar as the groups Gaza chief. Both are considered to be more open to reconciliation with Iran than was Khaled Mashaal, the former political leader of Hamas.

During the Hamas delegations visit in Tehran earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the Palestinian issue remained a top foreign policy priority for his government, which was ready to put aside all disagreements [with Hamas] for the sake of supporting Palestine and the Palestinian people as well as the unity of the Muslim world.





































Hamas, the governing authority of the Gaza Strip, has a new leader - and one of his first tasks was repairing the organizations relationship with their former backer Iran. New Gazan Prime Minister Yahya Sinwar appears to have had some success, and is reporting that Iran is once more the largest backer of Hamas military wing.





Sinwar, who took office in February 2017, spoke to journalists for the first time on Monday. He said that Iran is "the largest backer financially and militarily" of the military wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. With Ira's help, Sinwar said, Hamas will "[develop] our military strength in order to liberate Palestine."





































Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged on Monday that his government will never evacuate another settlement, a promise issued days after he met with a US delegation to discuss restarting the peace process with the Palestinians.





At an event celebrating 50 years of Israeli settlements in Samaria  the biblical name for the northern West Bank  Netanyahu told a crowd of thousands, We are here to stay forever. There will be no more uprooting of settlements in the land of Israel.





This is the inheritance of our ancestors, he said. This is our land.





He also stressed the dangers Israel would face if it withdrew from the West Bank, a key demand of the Palestinians in any future peace deal.

Samaria is a strategic asset for the State of Israel, the prime minister said. It is the key to our future. Because from these high hills, the heights of Mount Hatzor, we can see the entire country, from one side to the other.





He said that Israel had withdrawn from settlements in the past but received nothing in return.





"Weve uprooted settlements. What did we get? We received missiles. It will not happen again, the prime minister said, referring to Israels 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. To those who want to uproot what weve planted, [I say] we will deepen our roots.









Imagine that on these hills were the forces of radical Islam, Netanyahu said that he tells world leaders. It would endanger us, it would endanger you, and it would endanger the entire Middle East.

































Israel will never withdraw from any Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Monday night at a ceremony marking 50 years of Jewish settlement in Samaria. This is the land of our fathers, this is our land. We are here to stay, forever, Netanyahu said at the event held at the Barkan industrial park. There will be no uprooting of communities in the Land of Israel.

Netanyahu told a crowd of several thousand that past experience showed that withdrawing from Jewish settlements had not furthered the cause of peace. Communities were uprooted and what did we get? We got missiles. That will not happen again, the prime minister said.
























The Quad-Cities Chamber announced Tuesday it has retained a national executive search firm to begin the search for a new CEO to replace former CEO Tara Barney, who resigned last month.

Waverly Partners LLC, will work with a chamber task force to conduct the nationwide search. Waverly Partners is the preferred provider of executive search services of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, of which the Quad-City chamber is a member.

Pat Eikenberry, the chamber's board chairman, said the board also has appointed a nine-person task force of Quad-City residents who are actively involved in the community and/or the chamber to work with Waverly Partners. The task force represents businesses large and small from Iowa and Illinois, and from a variety of business sectors.

"We've got a good opportunity to do this right," he said, adding the process will "be very collaborative and transparent."

Barney announced July 21 that she was stepping down "to pass the torch to new leadership." She led the combined chamber since it formed in 2010. Barney also had been with the chamber and some of its predecessors, including DavenportOne, since 2002.

The task force will work closely with Waverly Partners to develop a Position Profile for the CEO role, which will be posted on the chamber's website.

"They will do a lot of legwork to get to understand our community. It's important for them to understand what the community is looking for (in the next leader) and what the chamber is looking for," Eikenberry added.

According to Eikenberry, the chamber board voted unanimously to select Waverly Partners, which the chamber has worked with previously in hiring some of its executive staff.

"The Quad-Cities Chamber is well-respected among chambers across the country, and is recognized as an industry leader for its success in creating one of the countrys only merged, bi-state chamber and economic development organizations," said Eikenberry, who will serve on the search committee. "I'm confident that we will attract some of the best talent in the industry, and Im excited for our board to identify a catalytic leader for the chamber."

Qualified applicants or referrals should contact the search firm by email at QuadCities@Waverly-Partners.com.

The chamber said initial interviews should be in November. Eikenberry said the search committee will narrow the prospective candidates to a few qualified finalists, who will be introduced through community meet-and-greets in December or early January. Separate meetings will be held with city leaders and the chamber's other community partners.

Eikenberry said the board is hopeful to have a new CEO by January. "There is no need to rush into this."
To meet its growing customer demand, Wyffels Hybrids is expanding its seed production facility in Atkinson, Illinois.

By 2018, the Geneseo-based seed corn company will have invested $23 million over three years in new construction and installing state-of-the-art automation and technologies at the production facility.

"We know our success as a company lies in our ability to deliver a product that makes our customers successful," said Jacob Wyffels, production manager. "In response to substantial growth and increased demand, Wyffels Hybrids is now growing the largest seed crop in company history."

Launched in 2015, the first phase of expansion has included new husking machines and electronic eye sorters in the husk and sort facility to increase harvest capacity and improve efficiency. Expansions to a warehouse facility has increased storage capacity by 50 percent and tripled cold storage capacity.

"Substantial growth across our entire marketing area over the past few years has created an opportunity to further increase our capabilities and upgrade technology to meet customer demand," Wyffels said.

Construction now has begun on a single-pass ear corn dryer, a shelling building and bulk storage. When completed for harvest of 2018, the project will have automated the entire shelling process, which the company said will improve safety, efficiency and flexibility while providing capacity for significant future growth.

"Seed quality is always a top priority and most important to us after employee safety," he said. "Continuing to invest in state-of-the-art equipment and improved seed storage will allow us to maintain our industry-leading seed quality, ultimately leading to better seed emergence and increased yield potential."

Founded 70 years ago, Wyffels Hybrids is one of the nations largest independent seed corn companies, developing and marketing elite corn hybrids to corn growers in Illinois, Iowa, southern Wisconsin, southwestern Minnesota, southeastern South Dakota and the Ohio River Valley.

In addition to its Atkinson facility, Wyffels Hybrids has a corporate office and research headquarters in Geneseo. The company has a workforce of 140 full-time employees, including 20 production workers. Annually, Wyffels hires between 200 and 250 for harvest season.
A Buffalo couple arrested last week in connection with a gang-related shooting now face gun charges in federal court.

Zoe Ogden, 19, and Willie Hicks Jr., 20, made an initial appearance Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court, Davenport.

They are each charged with possessing a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act and failing to register the firearm with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in federal prison.

Both were appointed a federal defender during Mondays short hearing. They will remain in custody at least until a detention hearing and preliminary hearing is held Friday.

Ogden and Hicks were arrested Aug. 21 and charged in Scott County District Court with criminal gang participation and unauthorized possession of offensive weapons. Hicks also was charged with eluding, and Ogden also was charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon in a separate incident.

Those charges were dismissed Friday when a criminal complaint was filed in federal court.

According to the complaint that was unsealed Monday:

At 4:33 p.m. Aug. 21, Davenport police responded to a report of a disturbance involving shots fired in the 1500 block of North Main Street.

Officers learned that two vehicles were chasing each other and at least one shot was fired from one of the vehicles.

A witness told police that he was at Ascentra Credit Union, 1800 N. Brady St., when he saw a silver Hyundai Tiburon arrive. The car was occupied by two Hispanic men, one of whom went inside the credit union.

The witness said a maroon four-door vehicle, later identified as a Pontiac Grand Am, with a missing front or rear bumper, also arrived at the credit union. The car was driven by a woman, later identified as Ogden.

The front seat-passenger was later identified as Jarrett Bonnell, and the two rear seat passengers were later identified as Hicks and Kevon Jackson.

The witness said the Hispanic man exited the credit union, and Hicks, who had gotten out of the Grand Am, began chasing him with a short firearm.

The Hispanic man got into the Hyundai, and the car fled the area. The Grand Am began to chase the vehicle.

A short time later, police located the Pontiac Grand Am driving east on Locust Street approaching Eastern Avenue. The driver at that time was identified as Hicks.

A marked squad car initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, which then took off. Police were able to block the vehicle in the 1000 block of East Columbia Avenue, and police took the four into custody.

Two firearms were in plain view on the front passenger floorboard. One of the firearms was identified as a .22-caliber Mossberg rifle with a defaced serial number. The rifle was loaded with seven rounds of .22-caliber ammunition.

The other firearm was identified as a break-action 12-gauge shotgun loaded with a single round of Federal 12-gauge ammunition.

After obtaining a search warrant, police searched the Grand Am and also found four Federal 12-gauge shotgun shells, a shaving bag containing 24 additional 12-gauge rounds, 18 .22-caliber long rounds of ammunition, one spent .22-caliber long casing, four cellphones, methamphetamine, marijuana and a digital scale.

Ogden told police that she was driving the vehicle when they began following the car of a rival gang member in the area of the credit union. While following the vehicle, Jackson fired one time at the Hispanic man, she told police.

Ogden told police that she bought the shotgun from a pawn shop in Davenport about a month prior and that she removed the stock and shortened the barrel of the shotgun in a workshop at her familys home in Buffalo.

She also said she bought 100 rounds of 12-gauge ammunition for the shotgun. Ogden and Hicks, who is her boyfriend and lives with her in Buffalo, placed the shotgun in a bag when they took it in and out of the home.

Ogden told police that she fired the shotgun in three separate drive-by shootings prior to the Aug. 21 incident.

Hicks gave police several different accounts and finally told police that the four were at Locust and Brady streets when they saw a silver vehicle that they believed was involved in a prior shots-fired incident involving their residence.

He said they began chasing the vehicle and after losing contact with it, Hicks took over driving the Grand Am.

Hicks claimed ownership of the shotgun and said the rifle belonged to Bonnell.

Bonnell told police that they had followed the Hyundai to the Hispanic mans home, where he said he placed his body outside of the Grand Am and pointed the gun at the man.

He further said that he believed the man had shot at them during the incident. Bonnell admitted that the rifle belonged to him but said it was already sawed off when he received it from someone a few weeks ago.

Jackson gave police several different accounts and eventually admitted to shooting at least one firearm during the credit union incident. He claimed ownership of the shotgun and rifle.

Both firearms qualify as National Firearms Act firearms because the length of their barrels and overall length.

Under federal law, a rifle having a barrel length of less than 16 inches and/or an overall length of less than 26 inches qualifies as an NFA firearm. A shotgun having a barrel length of less than 18 inches and/or an overall length of less than 26 inches also qualifies as an NFA firearm.

Police requested an NFA check on Hicks and Ogden; no NFA firearms were registered to either one, according to the complaint.

Jackson, 17, of Davenport, is charged in Scott County District Court with intimidation with a dangerous weapon, a Class C felony, and criminal gang participation, a Class D felony. He has a preliminary hearing Friday.

Bonnell, 17, of Davenport, is charged in Scott County with intimidation with a dangerous weapon, unauthorized possession of offensive weapons, control of a firearm or offensive weapon by a felon and criminal gang participation, all Class D felonies. He also is charged with possession of a controlled substance, first offense, a serious misdemeanor.

He will be arraigned Sept. 14.

Police have said that all four are members or associates of the West Side Mafia street gang.
A Davenport woman was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in federal prison for robbing a Davenport bank in August 2016.

Tosha Marie Aurthur, 39, must serve three years of supervised release once she completes her prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. She also was ordered to pay $373 in restitution.

Aurthur pleaded guilty in March in U.S. District Court, Davenport, to bank robbery.

Davenport police were called just after 9 a.m. Aug. 1, 2016, to Northwest Bank & Trust, 1454 Locust St.

According to police, Aurthur went into the bank and demanded money from an employee. She put her hand underneath her shirt to insinuate that she had a weapon, which caused the employee to fear for her safety, according to police. No injuries were reported.

Aurthur initially was charged in Scott County District Court with third-degree robbery and third-degree theft. The charges were dismissed in October when the federal indictment was handed up.
House of Hope sues the city

Compassion Church Inc., which operates Timothys House of Hope, and two of its pastors have filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Davenport, Senior Planning Manager Matt Flynn and aldermen Ray Ambrose and Maria Dickmann.

The 32-page complaint, filed Friday in U.S. District Court, Davenport, by attorney Mike Meloy, claims that the defendants were in violation of religious federal constitutional rights, state constitutional rights and federal religious land use and institutionalized persons acts.

Reporter Tara Becker writes the full story here.

Real life Grand Theft Auto

Inside a giant pod that looks something like a UFO, University of Iowa researchers spend their days testing new vehicle and road safety technologies that they believe will lead to better traffic flow and fewer crashes in the coming years.

The pod is a driving simulator, and it is large enough to fit the various vehicles the university uses for testing. It moves in all directions to simulate external forces on a vehicle, and on the inside, it displays a 360-degree simulated view.

That's just the start of the story of a unique research project in Iowa City, told by reporter Erin Murphy.

History hidden in Rock Island

On the evening of May 6, 1856, the Effie Afton steamboat was pushing upstream on the Mississippi River through Davenport, carrying livestock, machinery, farm implements, groceries and 200 people.

Bound for St. Paul, the boat never made it. Instead, it collided with a brand new railroad bridge, the first anywhere in the country to cross the Mississippi. The boat heeled over, caught fire and went down in history.

Who will replace Tara Barney?

The Quad-Cities Chamber announced Tuesday it has retained a national executive search firm to assist in the search for a new CEO to replace Tara Barney, who resigned last month.

Waverly Partners LLC, will work with a task force appointed by the chamber's board of directors. Waverly Partners is the preferred provider of executive search services of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, of which the Quad-City chamber is a member.

Weather

Tonight should be partly cloudy evening with lows in the mid-50s with a 10 percent chance of rain.

Traffic

Expect delays westbound on I-74 from the Mississippi River bridge to Exit 1 - River Drive.
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A new documentary that explains how events that played out in Davenport in the late 1800s had a major impact on the development of the nation will be shown for free at 5 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Figge Art Museum.

Titled "East Meets West: The First Railroad Bridge to Cross the Misssissippi River," the 51-minute film tells the story of the bridge that first connected Rock Island to Davenport in 1856, opening the way for U.S. westward settlement almost 20 years before a bridge was built in St. Louis.

A defining statement in the film is a quote from historian and author Douglas Brinkley who, in a visit to the Quad-Cities several years ago, said that, "If I were to pick the symbol, to put my thumb on a map of where that connection between East and West began, it was not at the arch in St. Louis. The real beginning of (the) connection (between) east and west was the bridge that connected Rock Island, Illinois, with Davenport, Iowa."

While most Quad-Citians likely are just becoming familiar with this "first bridge" story, the film doesn't stop there. Rather, it lays out a story of larger context that even fewer people may be aware of or appreciate, said Curtis Roseman, a Moline resident who worked on the film.

Two weeks after the bridge opened, the steamboat Effie Afton crashed into it, burned and sank. The steamboat company sued the railroad for damages, claiming that the bridge was an impediment to navigation, but ultimately, the railroad interests won.

This outcome caused a shift in the "balance of power" in the Midwest. Before the bridge, river transportation was king, and St. Louis was the center of commerce. But after the win, railroads took over as king, with Chicago ascending as the major Midwest city, and river navigation and St. Louis decreased in importance.

And at least one researcher/author, Brian McGinty, has argued that Abraham Lincoln's courtroom argument in favor of the railroad contributed to his quick rise to fame and possibly the presidency.

"That bigger context is important," Roseman said. "We're trying to get this in front of the public. Hopefully, it (the film) will raise awareness."

The documentary features interviews with area residents with family connections to the bridge, and historians Douglas Wilson, co-director of the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois; Bill Ashton, a bridge engineer from Davenport; and George Eaton and Paul-Thomas Ferguson, both with the Rock Island Arsenal.

Also in the film is an explanation of River Action Inc.'s goal of raising money to build a pedestrian bridge over East River Drive at the point where the first bridge crossed. The bridge would be a replica of one of original bridge's spans and would be built on the original embankment that still exists on the north side of East River Drive. The landing on the south side would be in River Heritage Park, under construction on the riverfront.

Produced by Heritage Documentaries, a local nonprofit organization, the documentary was directed by Julie Wine Johnston with videography and editing by Denise Hollmer.

In doing research, Johnston found several images of the first bridge that hadn't been widely seen. After the bridge was damaged by the Effie Afton, it was rebuilt and served for about another 10 years, Roseman said.
A Galesburg businessman said he plans to challenge U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., in next year's 17th Congressional District election.

Mark Kleine, a Republican, said "the time for partisanship is long past us, and we need to elect a United States representative for Northwest Illinois who is going to put our district ahead of politics."

Kleine is a longtime Galesburg businessman. He founded a local John Deere dealership in 1994, eventually expanding to six operations. He sold the business, Kleine Eqiupment Inc., in 2013.

Kleine also is the founder of a housing development firm and is on the boards of OSF St. Mary's Medical Center and the Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development. He and his wife, Jeannette, also co-founded a pediatric wellness center at the hospital, which is named after them.

Kleine filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to run as a Republican, but his announcement didn't emphasize his party affiliation, instead pointing to what it said was his independence.

"He believes that his experience as a businessman, his perspective as a political outsider, and his independence from both parties is what we need to move America forward," a news release issued last Thursday from Klein's campaign said.

Kleine, one of three Republicans to express interest in the office, has donated to several Republican campaigns, including Bobby Schilling's in 2012. But he also gave $1,000 to Bustos' campaign in March of last year, according to FEC records.

However, the two have differences over Bustos' handling of reports of high lead levels in Galesburg children. An Associated Press article in April 2016 about the safety of drinking water across the country highlighted the problem.

Kleine told a radio station last week that Bustos over-dramatized the matter. Bustos, who faced similar criticisms in last year's campaign, has said she was advocating for her constituents, and her office noted she secured money from the federal government to help replace hundreds of water lines going into Galesburg homes.

Two other Republicans, Craig Cameron of Chicago and Jon Schuh, Jr. of Galena also have filed papers with the FEC to run in the 17th District. The filing period for next March's primary is Nov. 27 through Dec. 4.

Bustos already has said, in February, that she would seek another term in Congress. She easily won re-election last year over a little-known opponent but in a district that President Donald Trump also won.

Bustos has gained some national prominence this year, arguing that her party should focus more intently on economic issues and be attentive to matters at home. She has been critical of the president, but she also has declined to join other Democrats in some more aggressive tactics, such as a lawsuit accusing Trump of violating the U.S. Constitution by financially benefiting from foreign states.
The Pleasant Valley School Board on Monday told Riverdale administrators that it does not support using Tax Increment Financing for a residential development in Riverdale.

The school board is concerned that funds generated should the TIF be implemented could not be used for instruction or salaries.

Riverdale Mayor Sonya Paddock, City Administrator Tim Long and engineer Nick Wagner presented the residential TIF proposal to the school board at its regular meeting,

According to the Iowa Department of Management, TIF is a tool to finance development within a designated area. Property taxes levied against the frozen tax base still support all taxing authorities (the county, the city and the schools, for example). Property taxes levied against the increased property values in the TIF area provide revenue to the taxing authority that created the TIF for improvements made until the TIF ends.

At issue is the division of the tax money that would go to the school district in the form of a Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL,) school board president Heather Witters said after the meeting.

The PPEL money the district would receive could not be used for instruction, Superintendent Jim Spelhaug said.

That money cannot be used for salaries or instructional costs, which could be a result of having more district students living in the new homes.

Our belief is that the market will build those houses, said Spelhaug.

But Paddock said the city has talked to five other developers about the Welch Farm land who said they wouldnt touch it.

Access to the property will come off the highway, and would be a significant expense, Wagner said.

TIF has been used in other places where there are difficult properties, Long said.

This is about all we have left to develop, said Paddock, who said the 450 residents of Riverdale support city services. We are strapped for cash, she said, adding that the TIF would bring Riverdale tax revenue.

We do not have a voice in this, Spelhaug said, adding that the city was not required to give a presentation and thanked the administrators for coming to the meeting. We can state opposition, but thats it.

Scott County has a similar take on the TIF: Scott County has generally not supported the use of TIF financing to support residential development, said Tim Huey, director, Scott County Planning & Development, Davenport.

Riverdale will hold a public hearing on the TIF proposal at 7 p.m. Sept. 5 at City Hall.

This is the second TIF that Riverdale has pursued. In November 2014, the Riverdale City Council unanimously approved a plan to raise capital improvement money.

The State Street Urban Renewal Area Plan, which includes a TIF, encompasses Arconic Davenport Works plant and most of the surrounding commercial and residential areas adjacent to State Street.

At a public hearing, representatives of the Pleasant Valley Community School District, Arconic Davenport Works and the Quad-Cities Chamber of Commerce voiced opposition to the initiative.
The 33rd annual Rock Island Labor Day Parade will be Monday, Sept. 4, starting at 9:30 a.m. The parade steps off near Washington Jr. High School, 18th Avenue and 33rd Street.

The route travels west along 18th Avenue, turning south at 24th Street, west on 25th Avenue, and disbanding into the Rock Island High School parking lots. Several businesses along the route will offer food and drinks to parade attendees. For more information, contact Art Milton at 309-788-6157 or Mary Chappell at 309-269-7944. Details about the parade and a map of the parade route are available at www.rigov.org.

This years theme, SING! Rock Island, was selected to shine a light on music-makers in the community. The announcers booth at 18th Avenue and 30th Street has been designated as a reviewing stand to showcase theme-related participants who want to give a brief 45 second performance. A special award will be presented to the favorite performance as determined by parade watchers. Rock Island native Ashley Dean will appear on a float at the start of the parade to kick off this years special theme celebration.
DES MOINES  GOP gubernatorial challenger Ron Corbett says Kim Reynolds hasnt shown him much since taking the reins of state government in May from former Gov. Terry Branstad.

Corbett, who is stepping down as Cedar Rapids mayor after two terms to take on Reynolds in the 2018 GOP primary next June, said he hoped to see plans to modernize Iowas income tax system, improve the quality of waterways and address state budget woes during Reynolds first 100 days as governor, but none of that has happened.

She didnt come in as a rookie governor, said Corbett, noting that Reynolds touted her close working relationship with Branstad as his lieutenant governor.

We need a new game plan for the state of Iowa, and unfortunately, in the governors first 100 days, she hasnt proposed any policy, he told reporters on the lawn outside the Capitol. Her biggest accomplishment is the reboot of the state license plate.

Corbett said Reynolds missed opportunities last legislative session to introduce a state tax overhaul plan, to get a jump on deepening budget problems by making cuts early and to put in place a sustainable long-term approach to improving water quality.

Reynolds said she has been having ongoing talks with Iowans about her goals to make the states economy more competitive starting with the tax code, and to make strides in education and water quality.

Corbett said he is concerned the initiatives are being forged in the backrooms of the state Capitol.

You see, the only people that know where the backrooms are are the special interest groups, he told reporters.

Corbett also expressed misgivings about the states decision to privatize its $5 billion Medicaid program and the secret talks under way with three for-profit companies to set new reimbursement rates. He said he would like to see Medicaid run by nonprofit Iowa companies.

Corbett said he was concerned about 73,000 Iowans caught in the Affordable Care Act debate who face huge health insurance premium increases even if a federal waiver is granted for the coming year. He said those Iowans should be added to the state government health insurance pool but pay higher premiums not subsidized by taxpayers.

Corbett applauded Apple Inc.s decision to locate its $1.3 billion data center project and 50 jobs near Waukee but said he would have pressed the company to create up to 250 jobs to receive the states $20 million tax incentive package.

In response to Corbetts comments, Reynolds campaign spokesman Phil Valenziano issued a statement saying the governor and acting Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg are focused on building a better Iowa.

The unemployment rate is near 20-year lows, we have the highest high school graduation rate in the nation, and we just landed the largest private investment project in Iowa history, Valenziano said.
UPDATE: Chelsie Sparks was selected as the new Dawes County Treasurer at a special meeting Tuesday afternoon. Details on her starting date are still under discussion.

Three candidates for appointment to the Dawes County Treasurers position were interviewed in public during last weeks Dawes County Commissioners meeting.

The commissioners were scheduled for a special meeting Tuesday at 2 p.m., after the Records press time, and were expected to make their selection, contingent upon a background check, at that time.

Interim Dawes County Treasurer Rhonda Schleuning, along with two newcomers  Chelsie Sparks and Cindi Jacobsen-Brinton  interviewed for the position. Both Sparks and Jacobsen-Brinton are originally from northwest Nebraska and have recently returned to Dawes County.

Sparks grew up in Rushville and spent eight years working for Sheridan County as the deputy treasurer. She left the area briefly and spent time working in the Cheyenne County Assessors Office before returning to northwest Nebraska.

I love working with the public, she said. This is my dream job.

During the course of her interview, Sparks stressed the importance of listening to people, whether they are upset customers, other elected officials or office staff. Relationships with other personnel in the courthouse should be approached as if everyone is a team, she said, and conflict must be resolved through open communication.

Schleuning, who took over as interim treasurer after Barb Sebesta resigned, has worked for the Dawes County Treasurers office for 16 years and noted that she has done every job in the office. Shes acted as supervisor in the treasurers absence before, and said, (Office staff) have never questioned my authority or any decision Ive made.

When it comes to dealing with angry customers or other elected officials, Schleuning said its important to smile, be polite and ask questions about whats going on in that particular situation.

Jacobsen-Brinton is currently working for George Kleins accounting firm, and has spent her entire life working in finance and human resources in some capacity or another. Prior to relocating to Dawes County, she most recently served as chief financial officer and vice president of administration and human resources for the Teton Science Schools in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Before that she was the director of administration and finance for the National Museum of Wildlife Art, also in Jackson Hole.

Ive worked with a huge, diverse group of people, she said, adding that shes had the opportunity to develop leadership and problem solving skills. That includes the importance of listening and finding common ground with angry customers or other elected officials.

Whichever candidate is chosen will fill the position for the remainder of Sebestas term, which runs through 2018. Voters will elect the treasurer next November.

Sebesta resigned earlier this summer after being convicted of three counts of official misconduct as part of a plea bargain. Four other counts, including one of forgery and three others of official misconduct were dismissed as part of the deal.

Sebesta is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 8 at 9 a.m.
CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. | Activated as the 89th Aero Squadron in 1917 at Kelly Field, Texas, it quickly shipped out to join American Expeditionary Forces overseas in World War I. While stationed in France, it raised hangars, assembled aircraft and trained observers in the Zone of Advance, the initial military staging area for tactical employment. Beginning in the summer of 1918, the 89th began to prepare for combat service as an observation unit. The declaration of Armistice Day that November ended the Great War and cut short these plans.

Redesignated the 89th Reconnaissance Squadron by the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1936, the unit returned to active service in early 1940. The squadron began to transition from B-25 Mitchell to B-26 Marauder bombers in the first year of World War II. During this time, the 89th was one of the units to contribute aircraft and crews to form the select group of volunteers that carried out the well-known Doolittle Raid over Tokyo, Japan on April 18, 1942, under Lt. Col. James Jimmy Doolittle.

The Doolittle Raid was part of early World War II efforts to increase morale and display a show of force to Japan and the world which led to a reinvigorated sense of confidence and duty among U.S. troops. Aircrew members enabled this mission by developing innovative approaches to launching the B-25s from an aircraft carrier.

The 89th ATKS carries on these traditions of innovation into their current mission, today, by flying the MQ-9 Reaper, remotely piloted aircraft.

In 2017 the 89th executed the very first two-ship MQ-9 close air support sorties, said Lt. Col. Michael, 89th ATKS commander. This was a historic milestone in the development of MQ-9 tactics highlighting the combat effectiveness of two-ship operations.

In addition, Air Combat Command selected the 89th to pioneer the new Block 5 MQ-9 in combat along with the newly upgraded Block 30 cockpit.

The 89th had many opportunities to showcase the true potential of RPA airpower, Michael said. Like all of the RPA squadrons across the wing, each squadron is striving to evolve RPA tactics, enhance RPA knowledge and integration across the combat Air Force, and demonstrate the ability to complete the mission in ways that are unique to the MQ-1 and MQ-9's capabilities.

According to Michael, making these combat effects possible has required dedication, innovation and selfless service of every Airman within the squadron.

Michael remembers as a child he was fascinated by aviation and looked up to the Doolittle Raiders. Now as the commander of the 89th, its a true honor for him to take charge of employing the newest Air Force MQ-9 combat capabilities.

Nothing makes me more proud than seeing a positive story in an area of the world where I know the 89th has been providing Remotely Piloted Airpower in liberating a civilian populace, he said. This tells me that every inch of the spear, not just the tip, is working as planned. All of the squadrons who have provided the support functions and the training, enabled the 89th to execute its mission which has led to impacts on the battlefield that meet our nation's strategic interests.
257

STATE OF

SOUTH DAKOTA )

) SS

COUNTY OF FALL RIVER )

Estate of )

Pamela Joyce Morsette )

Deceased. )

IN CIRCUIT COURT

SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

23 PRO 17-26

Notice is given that on July 21, 2017, in the circuit court of Fall River County, South Dakota, Daemond Morsette, whose address is 1909 Wilson Ave., Hot Springs, SD 57747, was appointed by the clerk as personal representative of the estate.

Creditors of decedent must file their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or their claims may be barred.

Claims may be filed with the personal representative or may be filed with the clerk and a copy of the claim mailed to the personal representative.

Dated: July 28, 2017

/s/ Daemond Morsette

Daemond Morsette

1909 Wilson Ave

Hot Springs, SD 57747

605-440-1736

Fall River Co. Clerk of Court

906 N. River St

Hot Spring, SD 57747

Prepared by:

Brian T. Ahrendt

Sword & Ahrendt Law Office, P.C.

PO Box 283

Hot Springs, SD 57747

(605)745-5422

Published three times at the total approximate cost of $47.19. Aug 29, Sept 5, 12
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A Box Elder shooting in July involving a sheriffs deputy has been ruled justified by the South Dakota Attorney General.

Pennington County Sheriffs Deputy Jakob Whittle shot 21-year-old Cruz DeLeon in the right arm after DeLeon pointed a gun at him during a fugitive search at a Box Elder home, according to the attorney generals office report released Monday.

DeLeon, of Rapid City, was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening and is now detained at the Pennington County Jail. Whittle wasnt injured and is back on patrol after being placed on administrative leave for a few days, the sheriffs office said.

It is my conclusion as Attorney General that Deputy Jakob Whittle was justified in firing his weapon and using lethal force, Marty Jackley said in a release. The July 31 incident was investigated by the state Division of Criminal Investigation, which looks into shootings that involve law enforcement officers in South Dakota.

The four-page report supports information that the Pennington County Sheriffs Office released on the day of the shooting: Whittle came across DeLeon when the deputy went to 701 Halsey Drive to look for Cassandra Quiver, who had an arrest warrant. And Whittle fired at DeLeon after DeLeon pointed his gun at the deputy.

Sheriff Kevin Thom said the investigations findings confirm his own assessment of the deputys handling of the situation. The deputy acted in the right manner and was very professional, Thom said. It also illustrates the challenges and problems that our deputies and officers on the street face every day.

Among the new details that emerged in the report was that the shooting happened while DeLeon was in a minivan outside the Halsey Drive residence  and that he also fired at Whittle. Using a .38-caliber revolver, DeLeon shot twice at the deputy, the report states.

It said the incident unfolded this way: Around 1:20 p.m., Whittle arrived at the Box Elder mobile home after receiving a report that Quiver was there. From his patrol car, Whittle saw several children in the yard and a woman who matched Quivers description. Whittle believed Quiver also saw him, and she walked out of sight.

Whittle got out of his vehicle, began walking toward the home and saw DeLeon in a 2004 Ford Freestar parked in the driveway. A young child was initially in the minivan, but later left.

Deputy Whittle noticed that DeLeon appeared nervous when he approached him, the document reads. DeLeon was abrupt, short with his answers, and would not look at him.

When Whittle asked for his identification, DeLeon said he didnt have an ID and provided a false name. When asked to get out of the minivan, DeLeon refused and turned on the ignition.

After a continued back and forth to make DeLeon exit the minivan, the report says, Whittle saw DeLeon reach under the seat and pull out a silver colored handgun. DeLeon pointed the gun directly at Whittle.

Whittle stepped back from the minivan, drew his 9 mm duty weapon, and shot once. Whittle said he saw DeLeon point the gun at him from inside the minivan, and he fired again. DeLeon disappeared inside the van, then jumped out of the moving vehicle. Other officers arrived and detained DeLeon.

He was arrested on a bond revocation warrant on drug and weapons charges. Quiver, 30, of Rapid City, was also arrested on a drug charge.

DeLeon was taken to Rapid City Regional Hospital before being booked in jail on Aug. 1.

Investigators searched the minivan and recovered multiple drug paraphernalia, the report states, including digital scales and snort tubes with meth residue.

Pennington County Courthouse records show that no charges have been filed against DeLeon in the shooting incident. States Attorney Mark Vargo said that once the Division of Criminal Investigation submits its report to his office, prosecutors will assess the appropriate criminal charges.
Conservative political star Trey Gowdy and South Dakotas Kristi Noem traded compliments Monday in Rapid City, as the two attended meetings with local law enforcement officials and an evening political fundraiser.

Gowdy, of South Carolina, and Noem are both Republicans who have been serving in the U.S. House of Representatives since each was first elected in 2010.

Noem is running for governor in 2018 rather than for re-election to the House. Gowdy was scheduled to be her featured guest Monday evening during a fundraiser at the Vertex Sky Bar atop the Hotel Alex Johnson in downtown Rapid City. Invitations to the event listed suggested contributions of $500 per person and $1,000 per couple to Noems gubernatorial campaign.

Prior to the evening fundraiser, Noem and Gowdy participated in a closed roundtable discussion with local and area law enforcement officials and privately toured the Western South Dakota Juvenile Services Center in Rapid City.

During a news conference at the juvenile center, Gowdy said he had not previously visited South Dakota, and he alluded to difficulties he encountered while traveling to the state by air.

The rule I have when I travel is, 'Do I like the person who invited me to come to his or her district?' And, 'Do I respect the person who invited me to his or her district?'" Gowdy said. And when the answer to both of those is 'yes,' Im even willing to go through Chicago to get to their district.

Gowdys national profile rose in 2014 when he became chairman of a House select committee to investigate the 2012 attacks by Islamic militants on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya. The attacks resulted in the deaths of four Americans  including a U.S. ambassador  and occurred while Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, was the U.S. secretary of state.

The committees final report, which was critical of the Clinton-led State Departments failure to adequately protect diplomats in Libya, was issued in June 2016 during the presidential campaign that ultimately pitted Clinton against the eventual winner, Donald Trump, a Republican.

Noem called Gowdy a very powerful and influential person in Washington, D.C.

One of the reasons we invited Trey to come here today is because I do think very highly of him, Noem said. When he speaks about something in Congress, people sit up and listen. He has a lot of credibility.

Gowdy is a former U.S. federal prosecutor. In Noems campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, her main rival  judging by campaign finance reports  is South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley.

Gowdy said he learned from South Dakota law enforcement officials during conversations with them Monday and was impressed by their innovative spirit, as evidenced by programs such as the 24/7 Sobriety Project, which uses monitoring and testing to keep some repeat substance abusers in their communities and out of jails and prison.

Gowdy said he has been impressed by Noem, too, during their time together in the House.

She has not changed one iota in the almost seven years that we have been in Congress, Gowdy said. And that is about the highest compliment that I can pay anyone, that Washington has not changed her one bit.
A Rapid City man in his early 30s was pulled from Pactola Reservoir on Monday afternoon, resuscitated and flown to Rapid City Regional Hospital.

The man, whose name was not released, was in critical condition.

South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks employee Chris Dekker was the first to respond to the scene after being notified that the man had disappeared beneath the waters surface. The man had been swimming with family and friends near the northern parking area and viewpoint along U.S. Highway 385.

After finding the mans body about 25 feet below the surface, Dekker, in a Journal interview, said he used a drag net on a GF&P boat to pull him from the water. Dekker was then assisted by a Forest Service employee and a member of the Johnson Siding Volunteer Fire Department as they resuscitated the man using cardiopulmonary resuscitation and an automated external defibrillator.

A medic unit arrived on the scene shortly after, and then a Lifeflight helicopter arrived and transported the man to Regional Hospital.

Dekker, 29, who has worked for GF&P for three and a half years, said it was his first time pulling someone from the water.
Jerome Carlos Dillon, who drowned Monday at Pactola Reservoir despite a valiant rescue attempt, was a man with a big heart and a deep love for his nieces and nephews, said his mother, Nora Runs Close.

Dillon worked at Clemmons Asphalt Maintenance and was a very hard worker, his mother said. He cared so much about others that he would give money to random strangers on the street if they were in need.

Dillon, 36, was swimming in the reservoir Monday afternoon with his niece Aiyanna, 9, nephew Randy, 8, and sister-in-law about 20 feet from the shore when he suddenly disappeared, Runs Close said.

"He looked at (his sister-in-law), and he smiled at her and he went under the water," she said.

When he didn't resurface, someone called for help. South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks employee Chris Dekker was the first to respond to the scene and  after diving down to find Dillon about 25 feet below the surface  used a drag net on his boat to pull him from the water.

Dekker, with the help of a Forest Service official and member of the Johnson Siding Volunteer Fire Department, resuscitated Dillon using cardiopulmonary resuscitation and an automated external defibrillator. He was then flown by helicopter to Rapid City Regional Hospital, where he later died.

Runs Close and her family are having a difficult time understanding what went wrong in the still waters. At 6-foot-2 and lean, Dillon was athletic and a good swimmer. He was familiar with Pactola Reservoir, and had swum there many times on warm days, said his younger brother, 29-year-old Randy Thesing.

"I think it was just an accident," Runs Close said. "He wasn't suicidal."

The Pennington County Sheriff's Office said the on-scene investigation indicated a drowning, and no autopsy is planned. An official cause of death will be determined pending final toxicology results.

Dillon was empathetic toward others because of the difficulties he had been through in his short life, his family said. He grew up in Rapid City and attended Central High School but didn't finish. He later earned a GED.

Back in the day, Runs Close said, Dillon spent time in jail but had since turned his life around.

In recent years, he was struck by tragedy: his girlfriend, Lisa, died of a heart attack and in July 2014 his 24-year-old brother, Charles Michael Thesing, was killed after his pickup collided with a tractor-trailer on Interstate 90 near Murdo.

"Ever since then, he wasnt the same person, but he still had a good sense of humor," Runs Close said.

In August 2016, Dillon posted a photo on his Facebook page of himself leaning over his brother's grave. "Went out and said what's up to my brother," he wrote. "I Love you."

Dillon was not married and did not have any children. He leaves behind six siblings, including Randy, whose eyes reddened with tears as he recalled memories of his brother. He liked to listen to rock bands such as Sublime and Nirvana, and would play the air drums to the beat of the music, Randy said.

Because of everything he had been through, Dillon didn't care about material possessions or having a lot of money, Randy said. He just wanted to enjoy life.

"He was happy all the time," Randy said.
International gang of drug traffickers apprehended in Russia - FSB

MOSCOW, August 29 (RAPSI, Yelizaveta Ponomareva)  Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Belarus could apprehend an international gang of drug dealers and seized banned substances worth 80 million rubles (about $1.3 million at the current exchange rate), the FSB press service informs on its official web-site.

According to the statement, a man law enforcers say they knew was a drug dealer was behind the trafficking. The alleged organizer of the scheme rented a house near Moscow, where he established a facility to manufacture banned substance methadone to be sold in the black market.

The man and his two alleged accomplices were arrested as a result of a raid carried out by a special international team of Russian and Belorussian law enforcers, who could seize 27 kilograms of methadone and 200 kilograms of precursors. The alleged offenders were detained in a criminal case opened by the FSB Investigation Department.
Guwahati : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will probe the murder of All Bodo Minority Student's Union (ABMSU)'s president Lafikul Islam in lower Assam's Kokrajhar district on August 1.

Following the Assam government's request, the Centre has handed over the investigation of the murder case of the minority student leader to CBI.

A state government press release said that, Union Minister of State (i/c) for DONER, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension etc. Dr Jitendra Singh informed this to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal over phone on Monday.

The ABMSU president was killed by unidentified miscreants at Titaguri market in Kokrajhar district on August 1 last.

Assam government has already constituted a Special Investigative Team (SIT) headed by Inspector General of Police Anurag Tankha to inquire into the brutal murder and provided ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the slain ABMSU leader.

According to the reports, two motorcycle borne unidentified assailants opened fire from an AK-47 rifle at Lafikul at a shop in Titaguri market in Kokrajhar district, while he had gone to buy tiles.

Seriously injured Lafikul was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

In the firing incident, the shopkeeper also injured and admitted at a hospital.

Following the incident, Assam police had arrested the PSO of Lafikul identified as Jakir Ali in connection with the killing incident.

In past a month, several organizations had protested against the killing incident and demanded the state government to arrest the main culprit.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has directed all deputy commissioners (DCs) to reach out to the flood affected people to ascertain their loss and immediately submit a survey report for the government to expeditiously start the rehabilitation process on a full throttle.

Interacting with the deputy commissioners through a video conference at his office in Janata Bhawan on Monday, Sonowal said that, post-flood management is very critical as the government is committed to assuage the sufferings of the flood affected people and whole heartedly dedicates itself to rehabilitate them with its men and materials.

'As part of the post flood management, district management should extend good governance at the grass root level to give succour to hundreds of people reeling under flood, the chief minister quipped. The government has already started working on rehabilitating the flood affected people and once it receives a comprehensive report from all the DCs it would take an exhaustive plan to rehabilitate the flood affected people on a war footing,'A Sonowal said.

'He also asked the deputy commissioners to take care of the immediate medical emergencies in the flood affected areas and take steps to avert outbreak of any water borne diseases.

Since the current wave of flood has already affected 24327 hectare of crop land in the state, Sonowal asked the deputy commissioners to give seeds for Rabi Crops to the farmers.

Moreover, he asked the DCs for immediate vaccination to cattle.

To stop recurrence of any electrocuted deaths in flood affected areas, he also directed APDCL to ensure that no such death takes place in flood ravaged areas.

The Assam CM also asked APDCL to repair transformers and if required change the damaged transformers to regularise electricity supply to the flood affected areas.

Moreover, Sonowal took stock of the entire network of embankments created to save the people from the fury of flood and asked the Water Resources Department to initiate repairing of the breaches caused by the deluge.

It also came to light during the video conference that of the total 88 embankments created by the new dispensation after it came to power in the state, only one was damaged in the current wave of flood in Morigaon district.

In view of this Sonowal vowed to strengthen and fortify the embankments once flood situation in the state turns fully normal.

Sonowal also directed the DCs to restore the snapped communication and asked them to repair the damages in roads and culverts on a war-footing.

The Assam CM asked the PWD to be on its toes and prepare a blue print to repair the communication links in the flood ravaged areas.

Since the waves of flood had also damaged several school buildings, the Assam CM asked DCs to make temporary arrangements to resume educational activities in such schools on a war footing.

He also asked DCs to distribute free text books to the students.

During the conference, Sonowal gave a special instruction to civil as well as police administration to maintain law and order sternly.

He also told them to maintain and sustain an atmosphere of harmony among all sections of the people and the state should march forward taking everybody together by eulogising the message of love, peace and friendship.

Regarding implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- housing for all by 2022, Sonowal asked all DCs to take special initiatives to make the project a success in Assam.

It may be noted that at present five districts namely Morigaon, Nogaon, Chirang, Golaghat and Karbi Anglong are partially reeling under flood and more that 1,24,000 people are still facing the brunt of the deluge.

Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, Additional Chief Secretary KK Mittal, Additional Chief Secretary MGVK Bhanu, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sanjay Lohiya, Principal Secretary to Home and Political LS Changsan, Prinicpal Secretary to Water Resources Hemanta Narzary and a host senior officers were present at the meeting.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has directed the Social Welfare Department to expeditiously complete the identification process of differently abled persons of the state and set timeframe for Direct Benefit Transfer of fund as financial assistance for medical care to them under Deen Dayal Divyang Sahajya Achani.

Sonowal directed this while reviewing the implementation of budget announcements of Social Welfare Department alongwith Power and Administrative Reforms & Training Department in the Chief Minister's Conference Room in Janata Bhawan in Dispur on Monday.

Reiterating state government's commitment for inclusive growth of all sections of the society, Sonowal asked the department to enhance the number of disability screening camps covering all legislative constituencies.

He further directed the department to launch the Deen Dayal Divyang Sahajya Achani through distribution of sanction letters to identified Divyangs on October 31.

Considering the rising number of incidents of elderly persons being neglected by their grown up children, The Assam CM instructed the department to finalize the guideline for providing legislative cover to older parents including government employees at the earliest. Moreover, setting up of educational institutions for mentally retarded persons, establishing two new hostels of working women in the state and preparation of guideline for management of welfare fund to Anganwadi Workers with a view to provide financial assistance on emergencies were also reviewed.

Reviewing the implementation of budget announcements of Power Department, Sonowal asked the department to study the feasibility of greater use of renewable energies apart from augmenting the production of conventional energy sources.

The Assam CM also emphasized on generating more awareness amongst people regarding use of electricity besides the precautions to be followed.

He directed the department to ink an agreement with NGOs for carrying out public awareness programmes in this regard.

Implementation of Solar Power Project at Amguri, electrification of all villages of the state, installation of Smart Meters in Guwahati city and free of cost power connection to 5.41 lakh households of the state were also reviewed in the meeting.

Sonowal also reviewed the budget announcements of Administrative Reforms and Training Department and asked the department to expedite the implementation of projects for setting up of Administrative Training Centre at Umrangsu in Dima Hasao District and four Training Institutes for Grade III and IV employees of state government.

Principal Secretary, Power, Social Welfare Departments etc. Jishnu Baruah, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sanjay Lohia, Principal Secretary, Finance Ravi Kota and host of other senior officers of state government were present in the meeting.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
KATHMANDU, August 29: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that Gaura Parba is the special identity of Nepalis.

In a message to all Nepalis living at home and abroad on the occasion of Gaura Parba today, the PM said that "Nepal is an ample meeting point for multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural characteristics. Language, culture, costumes and traditions are the features to exhibit the characteristics of the communities' concerned ."

He also said that Gaura Parba marked since time immemorial is also the special identity of Nepalis.

PM Deuba has also wished for happiness, peace and prosperity on the occasion of Gaura Parba adding that this festival would further strengthen the social harmony and brotherhood among all Nepalis. RSS
sacw.net - 29 August 2017

Solidarity with Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar

We are bewildered and dismayed to learn about the recent banning of Hansda Sowvendra Shekharas collection of short stories, The Adivasi Will Not Dance, by the Government of Jharkhand. This ban is absurd and sets a dangerous precedent.

Freedom of expression is a fundamental right under Article 19 of the Indian Constitution. The same article, admittedly, allows the state to make laws that impose areasonable restrictionsa on this fundamental right, but only based on specific grounds (such as national security or public order), none of which apply in this case.

Superficially, it may appear that one of these pre-specified grounds, athe interests of decencya , could be invoked to justify the ban. The book does include some sexually explicit scenes, but calling them aindecenta would be extreme prudishness. If books that include love-making scenes were to be banned, hundreds of thousands of novels would have to be banned, not to speak of the Kamasutra. Those who think of sex as indecent are free to read something else.

It has been argued that some stories in the book are aderogatory to Santhal womena , in particular a story where a Santhal woman consents to casual sex with a policeman in exchange for money. Even if it were true that this story is derogatory, that would not constitute a permissible ground for banning the book under Article 19. Further, the view that the story is derogatory overlooks the fact that it is a work of imagination. The imaginary incident described in the story does not cast any aspersions whatsoever on Santhal women. It is just possible that the story is inspired by some real-life event, but if that is so, it makes the story all the more legitimate.

The ban on The Adivasi Will Not Dance is not only deplorable in itself but also adds to a series of dangerous precedents of books being banned on flimsy grounds in India. This ban mania (also targeted at films, events, statements, tweets, foods, relationships and what not) is an ominous attack on freedom, democracy and rationality.

Signatories

Aashish Xaxa (research scholar)

Abhay Xaxa (research scholar)

Agnes Murmu (retired teacher)

Ajitha George (researcher)

Akash Poyam (research scholar)

Alpa Shah (anthropologist)

Anjor Bhaskar (research scholar)

Ankita Aggarwal (independent researcher)

Anpa Marndi (assistant professor)

Anumeha Yadav (journalist)

Arundhati Roy (writer)

Ashish Birulee (photo-journalist)

Ashish Gupta (research scholar)

Balram (right to food campaign, Jharkhand)

Bani Hembrom (doctor)

Bela Bhatia (researcher and writer)

Chayanika Murmu (MBBS student)

Binod Murmu (concerned citizen)

Dheeraj Kumar (right to food campaign, Jharkhand)

Dula Besra (concerned citizen)

Dulal Kisku (concerned citizen)

Ghasiram Soren (literary activist)

Gladson Dungdung (human rights activist)

Gouri Chatterjee (journalist)

Gunjal Munda (concerned citizen)

Harivansh (member, Rajya Sabha)

Harsh Mander (activist and writer)

Ipil Alma Kisku (concerned citizen)

Jean DrAze (development economist)

Judith Hembrom (social worker)

Kalipda Tudu (concerned citizen)

Kanika Sharma (research scholar)

Kanuram Tudu (teacher)

Karamchand Hembrom (concerned citizen)

Kavita Krishnan (political activist)

Kavita Srivastava (human rights activist)

Khagen Hembram (concerned citizen)

Kritika Pandey (writer)

Kumar Rana (researcher)

Lipika Singh Darai (filmmaker)

Mangal Mandi (senior management)

Maroona Murmu (historian)

Mast Ram Soren (concerned citizen)

Meenakshi Munda (anthropologist)

Meghnath (filmmaker)

Miltee Horo (research scholar)

Nandini Sundar (sociologist)

Nayan Soren (research scholar)

Neel Mukherjee (writer)

Nilay Kumar Murmu (concerned citizen)

Niraj Lakra (concerned citizen)

Nora Samad (social worker)

Peter Martin (concerned citizen)

Philip Peacock (theologian)

Praveer Peter (social activist)

Prem Verma (convenor, Jharkhand Nagrik Prayas)

Priyanka Priyadarshini Marandi (research scholar)

Priyanka Purty (student)

Priyanka Sandilya (research scholar)

Reetika Khera (economist)

Remalia Hembrom (social worker)

Rimil Hembrom (research scholar)

Ruby Hembrom (publisher)

Sanjay Bosu-Mullick (rights activist and writer)

Santosh Kiro (journalist)

Savya Sachin Bankira (student)

Seral Murmu (filmmaker)

Shankar Mardi (concerned citizen)

Shivprasad Singh (Bagaicha)

Shyam C. Tudu (concerned citizen)

Shyamsunder Hansda (concerned citizen)

Sibdas Baskey (assistant professor)

Siraj Dutta (concerned citizen)

Sneha Mundari (filmmaker)

Sokhen Tudu (concerned citizen)

Sovan Hazra (concerned citizen)

Sripati Tudu (concerned citizen)

Stan Swamy (Bagaicha)

Sudha Bharadwaj (lawyer)

Sujit Kumar Soren (academician)

Susil Mandi (concerned citizen)

Thalko Majhi (concerned citizen)

Vijay Kekan (concerned citizen)

Virendra Majhi (concerned citizen)

Virginius Xaxa (sociologist)

Vivek Sidam (research scholar)

Xavier Dias (former editor)

Wilfred Topno (president, Adivasi Sahitya Sabha, Assam)

Wilson Hansda (concerned citizen)

Zoba Hansdah (research scholar)
Daily Mirror, Colombo, August 29, 2017

The Collective for Economic Democratisation in Sri Lanka is deeply saddened by the untimely passing away of our comrade Vijay Nagaraj on Friday, August 25.

An erudite and eloquent advocate of redistributive politics and economic democracy, Vijay was an active member of the Collective, leading many initiatives challenging structural inequalities and dispossession of the poor.

He made a significant contribution to an ongoing debate on Economic, Social and Cultural rights within the constitutional reform process.

Vijayas engagement with peopleas movements in India, principally the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), the breadth of his intellectual interests and a razor-sharp intellect, made a unique contribution to activism in Sri Lanka.

He was ardent in his opposition to neoliberalism, and stood firmly for democratic participation of the marginalised. Among his interactions with progressive trade unions in understanding and responding to contemporary challenges, he was most recently involved in struggles against precarious labour and in evolving a broad campaign against privatisation, particularly Public-Private Partnerships.

Vijay firmly believed in the centrality of class politics, but was never unwilling to engage with civil society organisations and activists of contrary persuasion; constantly sharpening his own analysis and arguments while contributing to theirs. When he disagreed with someone, he was at once candid and graceful.

He was a remarkably affectionate person, who formed many close friendships during his time in Sri Lanka. He had a knack for connecting with different people with gusto, becoming part of their families and lives, and accompanying them in their own trials and joys.

Vijayas passing is an irreparable loss to the Collective and to the many other groups and networks in which he was dynamic. We extend our sympathy and solidarity to his family and friends in our shared grief. Rest In Power, Vijay.

Collective for Economic Democratisation in Sri Lanka www.economicdemocratisation.org
FORUM-ASIA

24 August 2017

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 24 August 2017) a The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly condemns the position taken by the Government of India to deport 40,000 Rohingyas back to Burma/Myanmar. In the face of allegations of gross human rights violations against Rohingya Muslims in Burma/Myanmar, this decision is not only a serious violation of customary international human rights law but also morally unpalatable.

Certain right wing parties like Shiv Sena have been demanding the deportation of the Rohingya since the beginning of the year, while some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators also raised this demand in legislative assemblies. [1] The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on 9 August confirmed that athe government has issued detailed instructions for deportation of illegal foreign nationals including Rohingyas,a [2] strategically refraining from using the term arefugeesa for the Rohingyas. It is pertinent to note that the 16,500 Rohingyas registered with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) are also subject to the governmentas deportation policy. Justifying the governmentas stance, Rijiju deems these registrations to be irrelevant as India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. [3]

Non-refoulement, [4] a fundamental principle of international refugee law, states that no person should be returned to a country where they face persecution. The said standard is accorded the status of Customary International Law therefore binding in nature regardless of its ratification. Numerous human rights organisations have documented the xenophobic persecution of Rohingyas in Burma/Myanmar, including denial of citizenship, killings and rapes, amounting to crimes against humanity. Considering these circumstances, deporting Rohingyas who face imminent threat to life and liberty is a complete transgression of the principle of non-refoulement.

FORUM-ASIA urges the Government of India to abandon any measures that would result in the deportation of vulnerable communities, like Rohingyas facing imminent threat to their life and liberty, and respect international customary laws on anon-refoulementa. FORUM-ASIA encourages the Government of India to ratify the 1951 UN Convention relating to the status of refugees, as recommended during the Universal Periodic Review of India, and reiterates that India maintains a refugee policy in conformity with international law standards.

FORUM- ASIA further encourages India, as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, to support the Councilas resolution for an international fact-finding mission to Burma/Myanmar, which was initiated in part after assessing the risks to Rohingyas in the country. [5]

***

For a PDF version of this statement, click here.

For further information, please contact:

a South Asia Programme, FORUM-ASIA, sasia[at]forum-asia.org
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1993 was quite the year for Yuen Woo Ping, with him directing 3 films within the year as well as working as action choreographer on another. After working together on Iron Monkey (1993), both Woo Ping and Donnie Yen moved on to their next martial arts outing, Heroes Among Heroes (1993).

In between, Yen managed to fit in Butterfly and Sword (1993), a forgettable Wuxia from director Chu Yen Ping, that is partially saved by some crazy action choreographed by Ching Siu-Tung.

Heroes Among Heroes is an average martial arts film that could never match up to the superior work the two had done only months prior in Iron Monkey. For Yen, it at least managed to be more enjoyable than Butterfly and Sword, with him at the very least in a leading role.

Like Iron Monkey, Heroes Among Heroes is another tale based on the legendary Wong Fei-Hung. This time the famous character is back to being a leading character, but is played by the mediocre Wong Yuk. Clearly hired for his fighting skills than his acting, Wong is one of the poorer aspects of the film, with a clear lack of charisma that his serious martial arts skills fail to make up for.

Luckily Donnie Yen is here to save the day, starring as another member of the Ten Tigers of Canton, Beggar So. As well as being typically impressive in his fight scenes, Beggar So gives Yen a small chance to stretch himself as an actor, as So gets addicted to opium during the film, with Yen having to act out the stages of addiction.

After working against each other for a good length of the film, both Wong Fei Hung and Beggar So must team together to take down the dangerous Xiong Xin Xin, who is secretly smuggling opium.

Like Wong Fei-Hung, Beggar So is a character Yuen Woo Ping has come back to multiple times throughout his career. Most famously he was played by his father Yuen Siu-tien in Drunken Master (1978) and Dance of the Drunk Mantis (1979), which sadly marked Siu-tien;s final film role.

Woo Ping would include a similar character called the Beggar King in The Magnificent Butcher (1979), which was clearly meant to be Beggar So but was probably changed due to the untimely death of Woo Pings father.

The year prior to the release of Heroes Among Heroes, Chow Sing Chi played Beggar So in the smash hit King of Beggars (1992), an extremely silly take on the character. The only similarity between the two films is that both sport an enjoyably zany performance from Ng Man-Tat.

Yuen Woo Ping would return to the character years later with True legend (2012), which took a much more serious look at the character, this time being portrayed by the underrated Zhou Wen Zhou

Xiong Xin Xin doesnt disappoint as the villain, putting our heroes through their paces with his none too shabby fighting skills. To lighten matters up is Ng Man-Tat as Beggar Sos father, and Fennie Yuen who Beggar So ends up being engaged to.

Unlike Iron Money, Heroes Among Heroes was clearly made on a smaller budget, with it missing the slickness of that production. Heroes Among Heroes is rough around the edges and seems to be a quickly made production.

The film still manages to be enjoyable, with Yuen Woo Ping manage to fill the film with exciting action scenes, that whilst not his best, still stand above most other fight choreography of the era. It is unclear how much of the film was down to Woo Ping as he shares a directing credit with producer Chan Chin-Chung, although his stamp is all over the action.

In addition to co-directing the film, Chan Chin-Chung worked on the script along with co-writers Lau Tai-Muk, Anthony Wong Wing-Fai and Jobic Chui Daat-Choh.

Both Lau Tai-Muk and Anthony Wong Wing-Fai worked on multiple Woo Ping films, with Jobic Chui Daat-Choh being the odd one out, writing less high-brow material such as Category 3 sleaze fests The Underground Banker (1994) and A Chinese Torture Chamber Story (1994). Heroes Among Heroes would certainly register as one of the higher points of his career.

Like most Woo Ping outings, he has members of the Yuen Clan working on the fight choreography. As previously mentioned the action included isnt their best, with nothing to match their work in the likes of Tiger Cage 2 or Iron Monkey, but it is still of a high enough quality to make an impression.

There wouldnt be a long wait before Yuen Woo Ping and Donnie Yen were together again, this time on the superior Wing Chun (1994). Yen would be relegated to co-starring status this time, with Michelle Yeoh taking centre stage.

The plot is based around the independent Wing Chun who runs a local tofu stand. Most of the drama comes from the return of her childhood sweetheart (Donnie Yen), who mistakes someone else for Wing Chun. Before this identity crisis can be sorted, Wing Chun has to deal with the advances of scholar Waise Lee as well as fight off a gang of bandits who are terrorising her village. It turns out that their leader Norman Chu is also a fan of the lovely Wing Chun.

Wing Chun has a much lighter touch than other films Yuen Woo Ping was making at the time. With its mixture of martial arts and comedy it is closer to his earlier films as director such as Drunken Master and The Magnificent Butcher than the blood thirsty Tiger Cage series.

In fact, unlike other Woo Ping films, there are no real casualties in Wing Chun, with even the villains getting to survive. This doesnt mean that there is less action, as Woo Ping is always creative when it comes to the fight scenes.

Yeoh had worked with Woo Ping the year previously on Tai Chi Master (1993), where she starred alongside Jet Li. Wing Chun may not be of the same overall quality as Tai Chi Master, but it does give Michelle Yeoh a better chance to not only show of her physical skills but her drama and comedy talents too.

Donnie Yen is especially good here, showing a surprising flair for comedy. His previous films like Drunken Tai Chi and Tiger Cage 2 had some comedic elements but nothing on the scale of what he plays here. A lot of the comedy is derived from him mistaken the attractive Catherine Hung for Wing Chun.

This isnt to say that all of Yens scenes are played for laughs, with him appearing in a good number of fight scenes throughout, even if the best action scenes are reserved for Yeoh. Even with the actor appearing in less fight scenes than normal, Wing Chun gave him a chance to further his experience behind the camera, with him working as one of the films fight choreographers.

In regards to the supporting cast, Waise Lee is a standout as the lecherous scholar, giving a silly performance which has the actor overacting to a fault. Norman Chu is always good value as a villain, with his role as Flying Chimpanzee giving him a chance to fight against both Donnie Yen and Michelle Yeoh.

There is also a cameo appearance from Shaw Brothers starlet Cheng Pei-Pei who plays Wing Chuns master.

The script was by regular Woo Ping collaborators Anthony Wong Wing-Fai and Elsa Tang Bik-Yin, with their work here being the most light-hearted film they wrote for the director.

The fight choreography was again a team effort with Yuen Woo Ping and his brother Yuen Shun-Yi working together with Donnie Yen. A lot of the fight action is played for laughs, but is still elaborate and entertaining.

After the release of Wing Chun, Yuen Woo Ping would go on to make Die Hard (1988) knockoff The Red Wolf (1995), one of the directors poorer efforts. Slightly better was his action choreography on Black Mask (1996), an enjoyable sci-fi actioner that had him working with Jet Li once again.

Donnie Yens career at this point was beginning to show a downturn in quality, with him going on to star in the poor High Voltage (1995). It would have been totally forgettable if not for some quality action scenes choreographed by Yen.

He did have some success with the television series Fist of Fury (1995), playing the role of Chen Zhen, the role made famous by Bruce Lee.

Like most Hong Kong television series, the production values are lacking being yet again shot on video, but the show did give him a chance to further his choreography skills, although these arent the best example of his skills, with the lack of a proper stunt team being all too apparent.

Years later Yen would get a chance to reprise the part of Chen Zhen with somewhat more success, in director Andrew Laus Legend of the Fist: Return of Chen Zen (2010).

The Fist of Fury series may not have been great, but is a masterpiece when compared to Yens next film. Iron Monkey 2 (1996), should have been a classic martial arts film, with the requisite number of elements to make it so.

Yen was back as the star with Yuen Woo Ping on action choreography, but sadly these are the only elements from the first film to make the transition. It is unclear how Iron Monkey turned out to be such as mess.

Poor plotting, badly written characters and the lowest of the low production values all contribute to make Iron Monkey 2 one of the poorest films Yen or Woo Ping was ever involved with. Iron Monkey 2 looks as if it was made to capitalise on the original film, as other than the lead actor there are no ties to the first film.

With the overall cheap production, which was apparently shot in less than two weeks, you would be forgiven in thinking that Iron Monkey 2 was an unofficial sequel, with a name change to cash in on the first films success. Sadly this isnt the case.

It is unclear who directed the film, as some sources have listed Yuen Woo Ping as being the films director where others state that it is the work of Jua Lu-Jiang, who is credited on screen. Lu-Jiang only has two other films to his credit as director. I cant imagine they could be any worse than his work here.

In fairness, the director has a lot of obstacles in his way, with the cheapness of the production being the main detractor. Considering the film was made in 1996, the look of the film betrays this giving it the look of a film made years before. There is also the issue that Donnie Yen isnt really the main character, with him appearing intermittingly throughout.

This forces the film to focus on a number of characters that fail to hold the audiences attention. The film only briefly comes alive when Yen appears and gets involved in some admittedly good fight scenes.

The credits dont even bother spelling the leading mans name correctly, with Donnie Yen being credited as Donnie Yeh. Yen plays the title character of Iron Monkey. This isnt the same person from the first film, as this sequel is set around 50 years after that films events. As mentioned, he only shows up, sometimes in a silly costume, to take part in a fight scene.

Yen has stated that he was originally cast in a cameo role, but to his despair his part kept getting larger. Yen is good in the films fight scenes, but doesnt do much beyond that as the material just isnt there for the actor to stretch himself.

The only actor worth mentioning is the great Billy Chow, who gets to go toe to toe with Yen in the films finale, one of the films brief highlights.

Yuen Woo Ping does his best with the action choreography, but this is by far his finest hour. Like Yen he is credited by the wrong name in the opening titles, with his name being listed as Yuen Ho Ping. He was assisted in the action by fellow action choreographer Lee Hoi-Hing.

It would be almost twenty years before Yuen Woo Ping and Donnie Yen would work together. In the time between, Woo Ping directed Tai Chi 2 (1996), which introduced future martial artist star Wu Jing to audiences.

He then went on to find success in the west by choreographing the action in The Matrix and its sequels as well as work on Quentin Tarantinos cult hit Kill Bill.

Woo Ping would continue to work within the Chinese film industry, mainly as an action choreographer. Some of his most celebrated work was in Ang Lees Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), where he worked as action choreographer.

There would still be the odd international movie between his Hong Kong work, with him working with Jet Li once again on the overlooked Danny the Dog (2005) and then with Jet Li and Jackie Chan on The Forbidden Kingdom (2008). Woo Ping and Chan hadnt worked together since Twin Dragons (1992), where Woo Ping was one of that films many action choreographers.

He would finally make a return to directing with True Legend, an enjoyable throwback to the types of films Woo Ping had made in the past.

With regards to Yen, it took him a little longer, but he eventually found the success that had seemingly eluded him for years. Like Woo Ping he too had try to make it in America, but with varying results.

After directing his own Hong Kong features, Legend of the Wolf (1997), Ballistic Kiss (1998) and Shanghai Affairs (1998), Yen tried his luck in America. His first film was Highlander: Endgame (2000), the fourth part in the cult fantasy series. His role was relatively small but gave Yen a chance to work behind the scenes as the films main action director.

Not his best work, but there are some well constructed fight scenes, the best of these featuring Yen and leading man Adrian Paul.

Similarly he would have a small role in Blade 2 (2002), where like Highlander: Endgame, Yen worked as the action director. His work behind the camera is more impressive than Highlander: Endgame but fans may be disappointed by his lack of screen time.

He would fare better with Shanghai Knights (2003), where yet again he was playing a supporting role, but at least had more screen time. For some reason he is relegated to playing a secondary villain with lead actor Jackie Chan facing off with Aiden Gillen in the finale instead of the more impressive Yen. Yens fight with Chan is a highlight, but this is the only main action scene that Yen was involved in.

After a few missteps, Yen would finally find major success with director Wilson Yips S.P.L. (2005). From there he would go on to act in a string of hits with the likes of Dragon Tiger Gate (2006), Flash Point (2007) and Ip Man (2008) amongst them.

It would be through the Ip Man series that Yen would find himself working alongside Yuen Woo Ping once again. The first two films in the series were major successes for Yen and director Wilson Yip had featured action choreography by Sammo Hung.

For Ip Man 3 (2015) it was decided to hire Yuen Woo Ping to carry out the action choreography, and as expected, the results are electrifying. Woo Pings choreography is hard hitting and extremely fast. The finale where Yen fights the equally impressive Zhang Jin is especially dangerous looking.

Woo Ping had previously worked on another Ip Man biopic, Wong Kar-Wais The Grandmaster (2013). That film had its fair share of excellent fight sequences, but pale in comparison to his excellent work here.

Ip Man has become one of Donnie Yens most popular roles, but the version shown in these films is mostly embellished from the real life person. Yen gives him a quiet dignity, a person who only uses his Wing Chun skills when left with no other choice.

As expected, Yen is terrific in the films fight scenes, with the action here probably the finest of the series to date. The only issue is down to how young Yen looks. Part 3 is set 22 years after the first film and he doesnt appear to have aged a day. As the film takes place in 1959, the real life Ip Man would have been around 66 years old.

This doesnt really detract from the film as Wilson Yip is clearly more interested in the legend of Ip Man than making a true life biopic.

Other than Yen, the main stand out is the impressive Zhang Jin. Zhang had already co-starred in Wong Kar Wais Ip Man biopic The Grandmaster, but is given more of a chance to make an impression this time round.

His character of Cheung Tin-Chi is one of the most interesting of the series. His character does have dubious morals, but has his own code that he wont go against.

Zhangs fight scenes are impressive, with the actor giving his all and proving to be a true foil for Ip Man. His character is a major improvement on the second films antagonist played by the late Darren Shalhavi.

Zhangs character has proven to be so popular that he has been awarded with his own spin off. Currently filming under the title of Ip Man Side Project: Cheung Tin-Chi, there is no doubt there will be a title change. The film is directed by Yuen Woo Ping and will co-star Tony Jaa, Dave Bautista and Michelle Yeoh.

One of the main selling points of Ip Man 3 at the time was a rare acting role for former boxer Mike Tyson. After all the publicity surrounding Tysons role, it only amounts to an extended cameo, with him going up against Yen for a surprisingly brief fight scene.

It is no surprise that Ip Man 3 was a financial success. It had originally been though that Ip Man 3 would be the final part of the trilogy but there has since been an announcement that Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen are reteaming to bring fans a fourth entry in the series, this time set in Americas Chinatown.

Apparently the film will focus on the relationship between Ip Man and his famous student Bruce Lee, who only appeared briefly in part 3, played by Danny Chan.

Coming 16 years after the release of the first film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016) is the last film to date to combine the talents of Yuen Woo Ping and Donnie Yen.

It could be considered brave of Yuen Woo Ping to even attempt to make a sequel to the beloved original, so he should be at least given points for trying. It would be foolish to claim that the sequel is on par with the first film, as the sequel favours martial arts battles over the firsts focus on character and drama.

Taken on its own terms, the film still manages to entertain, resembling the Yuen Woo Ping films of the 1980s and 90s, more than the Ang Lee original.

Yuen Woo Ping has never been an actors director, so he seems a strange choice to helm this sequel. Perhaps it would have been better to have him just work on the action scenes like he did in the first film and let someone else worry about the drama.

Another strange aspect of the production was the decision to shoot the film in English after the first film being shot in Mandarin. This is probably more to do with the film being made for streaming service Netflix instead of a larger production company like Columbia, who were behind the original.

For his part, Woo Ping does manage to get by, filling the film with typically excellent action scenes. The action for the most part is fun and exciting, although nothing compares to the work he carried out in the original.

The production values do let things down slightly, with it looking more like a DTV movie. The decision to shoot the film in Australia may at first seem odd, but does add something to the film, with the colourful greenery making up for some cheap looking sets.

Michelle Yeoh is the only returning actor from the first film and is as always reliable. Sadly she feels more like a supporting player in her own film with too much screen time taken up by newcomers Harry Shum Jr and Natasha Liu Bordizzo, who fail to make much of an impression.

Thankfully, Donnie Yen is on hand to brighten things up. Not one of his best leading roles of late, Yen still makes an impression, mainly with his handful of fight scenes, the best of which has him fighting an opponent on a frozen lake.

It is also good to see Jason Scott Lee of Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) fame, who plays the main villain of the film. Looking larger these days, he makes for quite an intimidating character.

Since its release Donnie Yen has become even more famous with him starring in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) as well as XXX: The Return of Xander Cage (2017), where he starred in a role originally envisaged for fellow Hong Kong superstar Jet Li.

Woo Ping of course has the Ip Man spin off to come out as well as working on The Thousand Faces of Dunjia (2017), a remake of his directorial outing Miracle Fighters (1982), with Tsui Hark on writing and producing duties.
On the 100th anniversary of Jack Kirby's birthday we got our first look today at Evangeline Lily as The Wasp, a character Kirby co-created in 1963. The Wasp is all set to appear in Ant-Man and The Wasp, sequel to the surprise hit Ant-Man, a film no one wanted to succeed after a beloved geek friendly director left the production.

Lily tweeted the photo of herself in the costume this afternoon, "I am honoured to be on set today playing #TheWasp on what would be Jack Kirby's 100th birthday".

Set after the events of Captain America: Civil War  in which Ant-Man revealed he could also turn into the towering Giant Man  Ant-Man & The Wasp will see the return of Janet Van Dyne, the long-lost wife of the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, who fought alongside him as the Wasp back in the 1980s.

Ant-Man and The Wasp is due in cinemas on July 6th, 2018.
The 1 min teaser for the new sci-fi drama, Seam, starring Oded Fehr (The Mummy, 24: Legacy) and Rakeen Saad has been released:

http://www.seamfilm.com/

The film was shot across the Middle East and China, in Arabic, Mandarin and English, and also stars Jordanian actress Rakeen Saad.

The writer/directors are best known for producing international shoots for Star Trek: Discovery, Heroes Reborn, and Master of None among others. They co-own Master Key Films ( https://www.masterkeyfilms.com ), which is developing and producing a feature film for the project.
 In latest speech, AG Sessions talks up the changed policies of the Trump Administration | Main | In wake of Marcellus Williams stay and inquiry, broader reflections on innocence and racial dynamics in capital punishment's administration 

August 29, 2017

Third Circuit panel rejects various challenges to severe stash-house sting sentence

A helpful reader made sure that I did not miss yesterday's dynamic discussion by a Third Circuit panel of a set of defense challenges to yet another severe sentence resulting from a stash-house sting. The start of the majority opinion in US v. Washington, No. 16-2795 (3d Cir. Aug. 28, 2017) (available here), highlights why these cases are so notable:

Defendant-appellant Askia Washington was ensnared by a stash house reverse sting operation  one which hit many of the by-now-familiar beats. Acting on what appeared to be insider information from a drug courier, Washington and his three co-conspirators planned to rob a Philadelphia property where they thought 10 kilograms of cocaine were being stored for distribution. But as they discovered on the day of the robbery, the stash house was a trap set by law enforcement. Their courier was an undercover federal agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which had developed the scenario from the ground up. The cocaine did not exist. Under federal law on conspiracy and attempt, the government could, and did, prosecute the crew as if fantasy had been reality. Washington, the sole member to take his chances at trial, was convicted by a jury of two Hobbs Act robbery charges and two drug charges (18 U.S.C.  1951(a) and 21 U.S.C.  846), although he was acquitted on a gun charge. Developed by the ATF in the 1980s to combat a rise in professional robbery crews targeting stash houses, reverse sting operations have grown increasingly controversial over the years, even as they have grown safer and more refined. For one, they empower law enforcement to craft offenses out of whole cloth, often corresponding to statutory offense thresholds. Here, the entirely fictitious 10 kilograms of cocaine triggered a very real 20-year mandatory minimum for Washington, contributing to a total sentence of 264 months in prison  far more than even the ringleader of the conspiracy received. For another, and as Washington claimed on multiple occasions before the District Court  and now again on appeal  people of color are allegedly swept up in the stings in disproportionate numbers. These elements of controversy are bound up in the three claims Washington now raises on appeal. Two are constitutional claims: Washington challenges his conviction and sentence by arguing that the use of the statutory mandatory minimum term violated his rights to due process, and he also alleges that the attorney who represented him at trial rendered constitutionally ineffective assistance. While stash-house reverse stings can raise constitutional concerns, the use of a mandatory minimum sentence on these particular facts did not deprive Washington of his right to due process. And while this is the rare case where a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel was properly raised on direct appeal instead of through a collateral attack, Washington has not shown prejudice sufficient to call into doubt the integrity of his trial. We thus conclude that both constitutional claims are without merit.

A lengthy and nuanced discussion by the majority follows, and largely concludes that the stash-house sting in this case was, in essence, "good enough for government work." Judge McKee penned a lengthy partial dissent focused on sentencing issues that has a conclusion including these paragraphs:

This case is the latest illustration of why federal courts across the country continue to find the governments reliance on phony stash-house sting operations disturbing. As I have explained, these cases raise serious issues of fairness while destroying the fundamental relationship between culpability and punishment that is so important to sentencing. The conduct being sanctioned is the direct result of the governments initiative rather than the defendants. I reiterate that it is exceedingly difficult to conclude that Congress ever considered that mandatory minimum sentences would apply here. Nevertheless, it just may be that the ultimate systematic resolution of this very troublesome approach to sentencing will have to await clarification by Congress, the Sentencing Commission,or the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile, it is worth echoing my colleagues caution: The Governments success today should not be interpreted as a clue that all such prosecutions will share the same fate in the future.

August 29, 2017 at 11:12 AM | Permalink

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At last we have word on local star chef Mourad Lahlou's plans for his Outer Richmond onetime flagship restaurant, Aziza  which has now been closed for fifteen months. The Michelin-starred chef-owner of Mourad, where he's been cooking similar but revised versions of some of the Moroccan food he made at Aziza in a much flashier location for over two years, tells Eater that he's been inspired through talks with former Aziza chef de cuisine Louis Maldonado about the little known links between North African and Mexican cuisines, and thus the pair are collaborating on a new concept that will marry Mexican and Moroccan flavors, called Amara.

When it closed in May 2016, Aziza was supposed to reopen as an updated version of itself within two months  something that Lahlou had been planning since the opening days of Mourad the year before. But it seems that Lahlou was apprehensive about reopening Aziza after such an absence, worried that he may not be able to please the restaurant's loyal fans and new diners alike.

Aziza first opened in 2001, ultimately leading to national attention and a cookbook for Lahlou, as well as a Michelin star in the very first Bay Area Michelin Guide a decade ago. We heard back in the fall that the renovation of Aziza had turned into a full reconfiguration of the space, and then we had Lahlou complaining in June that ADA compliance requirements could possibly force the restaurant to move.

Those issues appear to have been worked out, and now Lahlou and Maldonado are aiming for a mid-winter opening for Amara, with Maldonado as executive chef (or possibly co-chef?), maybe in time for New Year's Eve.

"I think it will be a cool addition to the city," Lahlou tells Eater. "Hopefully were gonna do it justice by giving it a lot of dignity. I dont want to start slopping things together from Mexican and Moroccan food: I want to dig really deep into understanding the techniques and seeing where there is synergy."

Lahlou notes that things are coming "full circle" for the space he took over in 2001 with its tile and archways, which for 47 years prior had been a Mexican restaurant called El Sombrero.

Dishes are still taking shape in the chefs' minds  and Lahlou promises a very dynamic, constantly changing menu at the outset  but some ideas they're batting around include a dish of avocados and tomatillos with zaatar, cucumber, and yogurt; a marinated beef skewer with harissa, lime, root vegetable escabeche, and arugula; and an Aziza-style cumin lamb shank braised in chilis and prunes, with smoked lamb salsa, and wilted greens.

There will also be a cocktail list focusing on mezcal and tequila, and wine curated Tara Patrick, wine director at Mourad.

This also marks a homecoming of sorts for Maldonado, who once upon a time was crowned the city's "hottest chef" (looks-wise) by Eater when he was in the kitchen at Aziza ca. 2009, and who in recent years has served as executive chef at Healdsburg's Spoonbar, and lately as culinary director at Mugniani Imports in Healdsburg.

Stay tuned for some more details as this opening approaches.

Previously: Aziza Is Closing For Two Months For A Renovation


"I obviously believe in freedom of speech, but there is a line between freedom of speech and then posing a risk to public safety, says Berkeley mayor Jesse Arreguin to the Chronicle, as the city prepares for an event promoted as "Free Speech Week" by alt-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, to which Ann Coulter and possibly Steve Bannon have also been invited. "That is where we have to really be very careful  that while protecting peoples free-speech rights, we are not putting our citizens in a potentially dangerous situation and costing the city hundreds of thousands of dollars fixing the windows of businesses."

Since having a campus appearance canceled at the last minute in February, and then being briefly a pariah after the revelation that he had condoned pedophilia in an interview, Yiannopoulos returned to the virtual airwaves in April vowing to Breitbart to return to Berkeley, saying "We will hold talks and rallies and throw massive parties, all in the name of free expression and the First Amendment. All will be welcome, regardless of political affiliation."

We then heard two weeks ago that Yiannopoulos's plan for Free Speech Week  possibly endorsed by campus Republicans, though that is unclear... the event seems sponsored by conservative campus newspaper the Berkeley Patriot  is for a four-day event from September 24th to the 27th. Last week we heard that Ann Coulter had been added to the bill, and there was a rumor about former chief strategist turned once-again Breitbart board member Steve Bannon.

UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof tells the Chronicle, regarding Arreguin's request that they cancel Free Speech Week, that it isn't the university's event to cancel. "We have neither the legal right nor ability to interfere with or cancel (students groups) invitations based on the perspectives and beliefs of the speakers," he says. But the university has been able to regulate venues and security for these events, like a planned appearance by Breitbart editor-at-large Ben Shapiro on September 17.

As ABC 7 reports, Mayor Arreguin is "worried about mayhem coming to campus and then spilling out onto city streets." And while Shapiro is not a big name (and also not a fan of Trump), and less likely to cause as big of a stir as a planned return for Milo, it is clear enough that the black bloc/antifa show no signs of backing down when any gathering of the right is happening in their midst.

Adding fuel to the fire of this argument is a piece in the Examiner, and a piece in the New Yorker today focusing on how the visuals of the relatively small melees on Sunday between antifa activists and right-wing rally-goers only help Trump and those on the alt-right gain support. Ahead of Sunday's events, the organizers of both the canceled Saturday rally in SF, Joey Gibson, and the organizer of the "anti-Marxism" rally in Berkeley, Amber Gwen Cummings, had repeatedly argued that "antifa bring the violence," and video from Sunday only serves to prove their point. "This isnt simply a problem of disparate right-wing groups being able to rationalize their existence more easily," writes New Yorker columnist Jelani Cobb. "We are in the midst of a Presidency that will manipulate such situations... Some of Trumps opponents have said that they are waiting for a Reichstag fire  a false crisis that will be used to justify the Administrations worst instincts. We have not yet encountered such a moment, but the clear dictate of common sense is that no one should be in the business of providing this President with matches."

Jeff Conant of Showing Up For Racial Justice defended antifa's role in protests, speaking to the Examiner, essentially comparing them to the militia men who've appeared at certain alt-right events  protecting their own in an inevitable street battle when police will be likely to stand back. "There are moments where optics are important," Conant says to the Ex. "I dont think this is that moment."

Previously: Ann Coulter, Steve Bannon Might Join Milo Yiannopoulos's 'Free Speech Week' At UC Berkeley
As Hurricane Harvey continues to wreak havoc and leave Greater Houston under many feet of water, two Bay Area tech giants are pledging matching funds to encourage private citizens to donate to the disaster relief effort.

As the Associated Press reports, as of this morning, Facebook pledged up to $1 million in matching donations made through their platform to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), which has a Donate button at the top of its Facebook page.

"Please know that donations will be distributed to vetted nonprofit organizations with the capacity and capabilities to help Harvey-affected communities recover," writes the CDP. "The CDP Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund is focused on medium and long-term rebuilding needs. We know from past disasters, especially through our experiences with hurricanes and floods, full recovery will likely take many years. The CDP Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund will support recovery needs long after the TV cameras and news teams rollup coverage and turn the eye of the world away from this disaster."

Meanwhile, Google has set up its own disaster relief page, pledging to match the first $1 million in donations made there to the organization Network For Good, which will send funds along to the American Red Cross for the immediate relief effort. Says the company, "Google will cover all processing fees so that 100% of your donation goes to where it is needed most."

Google also announced Tuesday that it had matched employee donations and already sent $750,000 through its non-profit arm, Google.org, to organizations including the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and Save the Children.

After six days of pummeling the region, Harvey has now set a record for the most recorded rainfall from a single tropical cyclone in the continental US, according to the New York Times, topping 48 inches so far.
Too bad for all the neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and based stickmen who just allegedly left town, because lordy would they have had a field day with this one. Democratic Party nominee for President, former Secretary of State, and two-term senator Hillary Clinton  who, depending on your politics, was either the most qualified presidential candidate of the modern era yet still stumped by a demoralizing glass ceiling, or the orchestrator of a highly Satanic private email server scheme which secretly drone-executed scores of Syrians and her husbands former mistresses  is coming to San Francisco on October 6 to sign copies of her new book What Happened.

The announcement popped up Tuesday via the Books, Inc. website and a Brown Paper Tickets invite that refers to the event site as Opera Paza. And the $30 tickets, which include a complimentary of copy of the book, sold out within a few hours. But Books Inc. aims to still make more tickets available, claiming We're hoping that we will be permitted to add more tickets and are working on a wait-list option. Updates to come!

Publisher Simon & Schuster did not include this San Francisco date in a book tour press release Monday, which only included a stop at UC Davis, but they also acknowledged, Additional events and book signings will be announced in the coming weeks.

In that release, Simon & Schuster declares that in What Happened, Hillary takes you inside the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for president in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference, and an opponent who broke all the rules.

If youll just die if you cant get a chance to meet Hillary and thank her during the three seconds it will take her to sign your book, these are all the other stops on her tour including the Davis appearance on Monday, October 9. Tickets and details for that one are not yet available, so refresh that site like it was the FiveThirtyEight polls-plus forecast in early November 2016.

The book What Happened will be released September 12.

Related: Bernie Or Hillary? This Bernal Hill Rock Remains Undecided
SF Mayor Ed Lee is saying he may look to the National Park Service to foot some of the bill for all the preparations and police overtime that went into dealing with the planned but canceled Patriot Prayer rally on Saturday, which the federal agency granted a permit for despite the protestations of local politicians.

As ABC 7 reports, Lee said Monday "I'm prepared to send a bill to the National Park Service," and that bill would cover overtime as well as the cost to put up fences, around Crissy Field, only to then have to take them down and put up different fences around Alamo Square when organizer Joey Gibson announced a last-minute "news conference" there.

The total bill for Saturday has yet to be tallied, but as the Examiner notes today, Muni was also enlisted in helping with Saturday's law enforcement operation, ferrying SFPD officers around by Muni bus.

Gibson ended up canceling the Alamo Square event as well, and later in the day making a surprise appearance to speak with reporters and a few others at Crissy Field  an event that went off without incident largely because protesters were occupied elsewhere in the city and had given up on him having a right-wing rally.

The NPS and Golden Gate National Recreation Area cited a history of allowing political events to occur under the protection of the First Amendment. Critics have continued to argue that such events have less to do with political assembly and free expression of opinion than they do with riling up activists on the left in order to create public spectacles that turn public opinion against leftist activists, known collectively on the alt-right as "antifa."

While all the anti-hate rallies and counter-protests that occurred Saturday were peaceful here, attendees reported seeing black-clad antifa at several events, including the rally in the Castro.

Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin is calling on UC Berkeley to cancel a planned "Free Speech Week" in September, which seems like yet another ploy to draw extremists into a cage match  made all the more dicey for the school, as the home of the Free Speech Movement.

Previously: SFPD Cordons Off Alamo Square, Patriot Prayer Guy Says He'll Still Be Around To 'Talk To People'
A 36-year-old Napa woman was arrested Friday on suspicion of trafficking heroin and methadone, and using false identification. While the suspect, Delicia Gomez, was being booked at the Napa County Department of Corrections, detectives additionally found she was carrying three baggies of heroin.

Oh, and did we mention  Delicia Gomez is an elementary school teacher at a Vallejo private religious school. Want to get away?

KRON 4 reports that Napa police had suspected Gomez of dealing heroin, and served a search warrant at her apartment on August 10. They found methadone and a California ID belonging to someone else, but no heroin. The investigation continued and apparently uncovered additional evidence, at which point Gomez was arrested Friday. While booking Gomez, police found three more bags of what they suspect is heroin on her.

KRON 4 also had the nerve to go banging on Gomez's front door with cameras on, as seen in the video above. A supposed roommate of hers answered the front door, and quickly slammed it with a No comment. Property managers at the apartment told KRON 4 that the roommate was not living there legally.

Residents of Marina Drive, where Gomez lives, were naturally pretty shocked. Its a very safe neighborhood here, neighbor Laura Bacharach told KRON 4. We have children running around everywhere. That fact that she works with children, and she was doing this right in our front yard is a little bit scary.

Police are declining to name the elementary school at which Gomez teaches.

The Napa District Attorney is expected to charge Gomez with possession of a controlled substance for sale, and bringing a controlled substance into a correctional facility. Shes currently in jail, with bail set at $53,000.

Related: Vallejo Is Whack: Mutilated Goat Found In Same Area As Dead Dogs


 Expand Photo Credit: Jean-Gabriel Fernandez

The dog days of summer have slowed down Milwaukees new restaurant boom only slightly, with three notable openings in the past month. Two spots serve small plates, and a cafe/pastry shop focuses on local ingredients.

The Diplomat 815 E. Brady St. 414-800-5816 thediplomatmke.com $$

Dane Baldwin, former chef at Milwaukee institutions like Harbor House, Bacchus and Carnevor, has opened The Diplomat in the former Bosley on Brady space. A new mahogany bar is the focal point of the restaurant, and the rich red color is carried throughout the space. Pops of color come from a living wall of plants and historical Milwaukee posters. The Diplomat serves a menu of about a dozen American small plates along with a full bar that has its own food menu. Dishes will change regularly, but right now include items like corn bruschetta ($8) with bell peppers and cherry tomatoes, New York strip steak ($17) with cured egg yolk, and Diplomat fries ($7) which are cooked three times and served with aioli. The menu includes a few desserts as well, with classics like cherry pie ($7) and chocolate mousse ($6).

Miss Mollys Cafe & Pastry Shop 9201 W. Center St. 414-249-5665 missmollyscafe.com $-$$

A former fine dining pastry chef has opened Miss Mollys Cafe & Pastry Shop at the northern edge of Wauwatosa. Molly Sullivan chose the location on Center Street because its only a few blocks from where she grew up. The counter-service cafe serves locally sourced breakfast and lunch dishes as well as pastries homemade every day. A number of savory and sweet scones ($2.25), muffins ($2), cookies ($1.25-$3), cakes ($3-$4.50 per slice) and various desserts are available in the pastry case. For breakfast, theres an egg and avocado panini ($9) with arugula and smoked cheddar, and a daily quiche ($8). At lunch theres a slightly larger menu, with white bean and chicken sausage soup ($4-$6), a vegan roasted carrot and farro salad ($10) and smoked trout toast ($11) with tzatziki, radish and vinaigrette. Anodyne coffee is served, along with wine and beer.

Snifters Tapas & Spirits 606 S. Fifth St. 414-395-5121 sniftersmke.com $$

An upscale lounge and restaurant focused on dark spirits like whiskey has opened in Walkers Point in the former Cafe La Paloma space. The food will be a fusion of Latin and soul food cuisine, with tapas, rice bowls and a few entrees available. Menu items include fried jumbo shrimp called los camarones ($13), Spanish-inspired shrimp and grits ($14), and an empanada called The Manchester ($5) filled with macaroni and cheese, and fried chicken and waffles ($12). Cocktails will be made from high-end spirits, or customers can order from a large selection of beer and wine. The walls are lined with brick and worn wood, giving the space a cozy warmth in the dim lighting. Cigar boxes act as wall art, and cigars will be available for purchase and can be smoked on the restaurants patio.

This month in closings: Hinterland Erie Street Gastropub has closed in the Third Ward in order for the ownership to focus on their brewery in the Titletown District in Green Bay. And in Mequon, the Bartolotta Group restaurant Joey Gerards has closed and will be reopen as a Mr. Bs Steakhouse next month.
Its time to drive a blunt through the heart of the law that makes possessing marijuana a felony in Wisconsin. Its a mean-spirited law that is unfairly enforced, does nothing to protect public safety and destroys life chances for anyone charged with it. It creates felons out of people who would be perfectly law-abiding citizens in several other states. And, its a waste of taxpayer money.

In Milwaukee County, the overwhelming majority of defendants in felony marijuana cases are African American males who are arrested in the city north of I-94. A lot of these arrests come after traffic stops for things like illegally tinted windows or not wearing a seat belt. An officer approaches the car, smells marijuana, searches and bingo!

District Attorney John Chisholm is not a fan of the second offense felony marijuana law. His office generally charges it when there are extenuating circumstances, such as a previous felony or some indicator of violence or potential violence, such as the presence of a gun at the time of arrest, he said in an interview. But Chisholms office can only review the cases the police send it and those cases begin with cops making stops on the street. And for whatever reason, despite the prevalence of white people in Milwaukee County (comprising 65% of the population), it is mostly black people (27% of the population) who end up facing second offense felony marijuana charges.

The Wisconsin Justice Initiative is mapping arrest locations and providing offense details included in criminal complaints filed in second offense felony marijuana cases. Of the first 30 cases reviewed, all filed in 2016, 87% involved black defendants, 97% involved male defendants and 77% stemmed from the area of Milwaukee north of I-94. Thats a small sample size, but the numbers are very telling.

So, what are we to conclude? That black women dont smoke marijuana? That cars south of I-94 dont have illegally tinted windows? That the marijuana white people have in their cars doesnt smell enough to alert police to its presence? Or, is it that black men are disproportionately targeted for stops and thus far more likely to wind up in the system for violating this antiquated law?

The law leads to absurd scenarios. Lets say a person with a misdemeanor record for marijuana walks down the street brandishing a loaded 9-milimeter handgun. In his front pocket is a single blunt (a blunt is a hollowed-out cigar or cigarette filled with marijuana). The felony here is the pot, not the gun. The state has some weird priorities.

Wisconsin is falling behind other states with its criminal treatment of marijuana. California, Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada, Alaska, Oregon, Washington and Colorado are all at least partway toward implementing legal recreational marijuana use. Medical marijuana is legal in more than half the states. And, of course, there is money involved. Marijuana-legal states are making it; Wisconsin is wasting it. Coloradothe first state to legalize recreational weedhas pulled in about $506 million so far since retail selling began in 2014, according to CNN. Marijuana tax revenue hit $256 million in Washington in 2016 and $60 million in Oregon. Instead, in Wisconsin, tax dollars are thrown at enforcing the felony marijuana possession law: for the cost of police, jails, judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers for the indigent and probation and parole officers.

A bill introduced in the state legislature would allow first and second offenses for possession of small amounts of marijuana to be treated as municipal violations, punishable by forfeitures of up to $100. Currently, that bill sits in committee, waiting for Wisconsin to catch up to the 21st century.

Gretchen Schuldt is the executive director of Wisconsin Justice Initiative, which strives to improve the quality of justice in Wisconsin by educating the public about legal issues and encourages civic engagement in and debate about the states judicial system and its operation.
For anyone who cares about America, the saving grace of Donald Trumps appalling presidency so far has been his sheer incompetence at passing any major legislation to begin wreaking the national destruction he promised to his wackiest supporters. Trump appears to have no idea that his own total ignorance of democracy, his infinitesimal attention span and the constant, chaotic uproar from his own administration are sabotaging the passage of legislation.

Instead, Trump has now identified the dastardly villains who are responsible for Trumps failure to pass the Trump agenda he promised would immediately transform America on Day One. Its the enemy within: Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Ryan and McConnell have deservedly come in for enormous amounts of criticism ever since Trump assumed the presidency, but Trump may be the only one who has ever accused them of undermining Trumps presidency. The most frequent criticism of those twoalong with every other Republican in public office these daysis for their failure to act more forcefully when Trump incessantly violates accepted standards of common decency and the values of America itself.

When Trump declared some very fine people were shouting racial and anti-Semitic hatred along with neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan at a white supremacist rally, Republican leaders were finally forced to duck to avoid getting splattered with the flying filth. More often, they keep their heads down and pretend Republican legislation isnt being disrupted by Trumps mad ravings on Twitter denouncing whomever he woke up hating that day. Imagine Ryan and McConnells surprise when it turned out to be them.

I requested that Mitch M & Paul R tie the Debt Ceiling legislation into the popular V.A. Bill (which just passed) for easy approval, Trump tweeted. They. . . didnt do it so now we have a big deal with Dems holding them up (as usual) on Debt Ceiling approval. Could have been so easynow a mess! Donnie T clearly doesnt heart Mitch M & Paul R. Even worse, the amateur president for whom that Schoolhouse Rock ditty, Im Just a Bill, was far too advanced to understand, now presumes to lecture U.S. Senate and House strategists on how to get laws passed.

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Terrible Legislation

The biggest problem McConnell and Ryan have passing Trumps legislation is that its terrible legislation. Trump tells outrageous lies about providing health care to everybody at a fraction of the cost. Then, he tries to pass a bill destroying health care for tens of millions of people and sending co-pays and premiums soaring. Trump considers McConnells failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act (and endanger the lives of more than 22 million Americans) a grave political sin rather than a blessing. After hearing Repeal & Replace for 7 years, he failed! Trump tweeted of McConnell. That should NEVER have happened!

Ryan actually succeeded in getting his mean-spirited House Republicans to pass Trumps horrific bill. But now, Ryans on the same Twit list as McConnell. Trump knows next to nothing about passing legislation; all hes ever cared about is declaring himself a winner. He cant blame obstructionist Democrats for his failures since Republicans control both houses of Congress. So, the only people left for Trump to blame are Republicans.

But Trump is playing with fire. Republicans who see Trump up close know the truth about just how unbalanced he is, and many of them are working up more courage than Ryan and McConnell to describe it publicly. Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker spoke directly to the presidents ability and mental health: 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.

Jeff Flake, the Arizona senator Trump hates even more than John McCain, just published Conscience of a Conservative filleting not only Trump, but his own party: We pretended that the emperor wasnt naked. Even worse: We checked our critical faculties at the door and pretended that the emperor was making sense.

The thing is Republicans dont really need Trump who increasingly is becoming an embarrassment and a burden to them. Theres no future for any political party appealing only to aging, white males while driving away every other demographic in a changing world. (Yes, I know, a shocking number of Trumps neo-Nazi supporters are young, but thats more a mental health issue.)

If Republican leaders turned their backs on the vile, unstable Trump and worked with Democrats, they could pass plenty of conservative legislation. After all, the Affordable Care Act was actually conservative health reform first enacted by Republican Gov. Mitt Romney. Republicans would, however, have to abandon their partys attacks on civil rights, voting rights and equal treatment under the law for racial and religious minorities. But no legitimate American political party should ever embrace those positions in the first place.
 Expand Photo credit: Pulaski High School website

Teresa Buss knew exactly what students at Casimir Pulaski High School on Milwaukees South West Side needed to cope with the stresses they were subject to nearly every day because she had been there herself. Above all, what was lacking for so many was a haven they could turn to at particularly stressful moments in their lives, even if it was just for the few minutes it might take them to regain their composure. From that realization was born a project called the Zen Den.

Now situated in a room on the second floor of Pulaski High School, the Zen Den is fitted out with art supplies, musical instruments, tools, books and various other odds and ends. Some of it has been paid for with donations, some out of Buss own pocket. All of it is there for one reason: to provide a temporary respite to people who are in danger of breaking under the pressures of their daily lives.

Students and faculty are welcome to come in and draw, paint, write, play with kinetic sand, strum a guitar, build things out of wood, chuck paint at a walleven take a nap. Provided they arent being disruptive and arent there obviously just to shirk schoolwork, they can stay as long as they need. Although trained as an art therapist, Buss never foresaw herself running anything like the Zen Den when she came to Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). Her first tour of duty, in fact, had been as an art teacher.

Coping with Stress

When she came to Pulaski in 2013 with her degree in art therapy in tow, Buss got a quick reminder of what had made her previous years in the school system so trying. You spend most of your time making sure you are not going to be someones target, she said. Unable to cope with the everyday stresses, she took a leave of absence after being back for only a year and a half. When it came time to return, she did so on the condition that she could set up the Zen Den.

Aimee Harris, a counselor at Pulaski, had high praise for what Buss has accomplished so far. Ive never seen anything like it in a school, Harris said. I think all schools could use their own Zen Den.

Pulaski, and the pressures students face there, are certainly not unique in the MPS system. Pulaski is one of many schools in the district that are listed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction as failing to meet expectations. Its graduation rate is an abysmal 52.3%, and slightly more than 90% of the nearly 970 students taking classes there are considered economically disadvantaged.

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Buss said teachers struggle to maintain order in classes where the headcounts often top 40. Many of the students have troubled lives at home and bring the stresses they are exposed to there with them to school. Outbreaks of violence are not uncommon. Buss said she has seen students fight each other, attack staff, and have to be forcibly restrained by administrators and teachers.

Not long into her time at Pulaski, Buss began suffering symptoms commonly associated with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder); even slight provocations could cause her to snap at students. I started avoiding my normal routes, Buss said. When I ran, I started to run toward safer neighborhoods. Id have panic attacks going to the movies. Id have nightmares.

Overcoming Skepticism

Teresa Buss knew she couldnt be the only one who was having a hard time coping. When she first opened the Zen Den, she found that most teachers and administrators were skeptical of her idea, but, little by little, more started to use iteither sending students there or coming in themselves for a break. Now, Buss believes, most faculty support her project. Helping her to build trust among teachers and administrators has been her demonstrated lack of tolerance for students who come to the Zen Den just to avoid class work. Buss keeps the door closed to troublemakers by insisting everyone follow a few simple rules.

To spend time in Buss Zen Den, you must agree to be respectful and mindful; be taking part in some sort of purposeful activity (unless napping); be able to keep everything confidential; and be aware that Buss is what is called a Mandated Reportermeaning that she is under a legal obligation to alert the authorities if students threaten to hurt themselves or others. Most importantly, Buss doesnt want anyone in the Zen Den who isnt there voluntarily. She said she has turned away plenty of students after it became apparent they had been sent there by teachers against their will.

For some of the students who have taken advantage of the Zen Den, in its short existence, it has lived up to its promise.

Jocelyn Valle, a 19-year-old woman who now works for Milwaukee County Parks, spent the 2015-2016 school year at Pulaski High School. She said her early time at the school was one of endless distractions, which made concentrating on school work next to impossible. Soon, she was skipping classes regularly. It was only when she discovered the Zen Den that she started coming back.

Valle eventually left Pulaski after one year and went to an alternative school that allowed her to graduate faster. But, had it not been for the Zen Den, she doesnt know that she could have made it that far. In the Den, she said, the students were being quiet. You could sit there and comfortably do your work at your own pace.

Now one of the biggest questions about the Zen Den is: Can it be replicated at other schools? Buss said MPS administrators have shown interest in her project and even come over for a tour. She is now working on a proposal meant to show how the Den might be replicated. One obstacle, she acknowledges, is a lack of paraprofessionals in the MPS system who have her specific training in art therapy. But she is still hopeful that at least the essential parts of what she is doing at Pulaski will prove transferable. Her next goal is to get an intern who could relieve her of some of her day-to-day duties while she takes time to look more deeply into the possibility of making her Zen Den project one of more widespread benefit.

I run emotional triage all day long, Buss said. So I hardly have time for anything else now.
This week were talking with all five of the Sioux City School Board candidates. If youd like to sit in on the Editorial Board meetings, just turn to The Journals Facebook page or the website (siouxcityjournal.com) at the appointed hour.

Monday, we kicked off the series with Jeremy Saint. Tuesday, we talked with Ron Colling and Perla Alarcon-Flory. You can still view the question and answer sessions with Saint, Colling, and Alarcon-Flory on our website.

Wednesday, well be joined by Miyuki Nelson at 3 p.m., and on Thursday well visit with Shaun Broyhill at noon.

Feel free to send us questions, too.
SIOUX CITY | Sioux City has named Helen Rigdon as the new director of the Sioux City Public Library system.

Rigdon, who has held administration positions at libraries in Kansas and Missouri, will take the helm Oct. 9, according to a news release issued by the library Tuesday. She will succeed Betsy Thompson, who retired last month after 35 years with the library, 22 of them as director.

Library Board of Trustees president Rick Moon said in an emailed statement that the board knew replacing Thompson would be a daunting task but was impressed with Rigdon and selected her unanimously. The selection process included input from community members and library staff.

"The board was especially impressed with Ms. Rigdon's scope of library experience as well as her commitment and vision for the future of libraries in the community," he said. "The board is confident that this experience and vision will ensure continued success for (the) Sioux City Library system for many years to come."

Rigdon told the Journal Tuesday she is excited to return to a library director position, a title she last held while heading the Missouri River Regional Library in Jefferson City, Missouri, a few years ago. She said she was drawn to Sioux City's library system and the community as a whole.

"Everybody I have spoken to up there has been friendly and welcoming," she said. "Im excited to work with the library board and the ongoing mission they have at the library. They have a beautiful library downtown, and Im really honored to be a part of it."

Rigdon, a native of Coffeyville, Kansas, has spent more than 15 years working at the administrative level in both academic and public libraries, according to the release. She earned her master's in library science from Emporia State University.

In 2009, Rigdon was promoted from branch manager to associate director of public libraries at Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library, where she worked closely with management to supervise the library system's five branches.

In 2011, she took the position of director at the Missouri River Regional Library in Jefferson City, Missouri, overseeing daily operation of its two branches and bookmobile and supporting department.

She will come to Sioux City from Wichita, Kansas, where she works as a branch manager for two of the library system's seven branches.

Rigdon's starting salary with Sioux City will be $93,378.70.
SIOUX CITY | Three Siouxlanders were among the 20 Iowans who are either in Texas or headed there to pitch in on the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts through the Iowa Red Cross.

Allen Van Beek of Rock Rapids was deployed to assist with the distribution of emergency supplies and Tyler Martensen of Mapleton volunteered with health services. Joining them is Randall Hitchcock of Sioux City who departs Tuesday.

According to the Red Cross, the organization has set up 34 shelters -- a number it expects to grow -- that have taken in more than 1,800 people after Saturday's deadly storm and the continued flooding in Texas where the brunt of the storm struck.

Harvey will continue to produce an additional several feet of rain over the next few days and millions of people are facing flash flood warnings, including the entire Houston metro area which is under a flash flood emergency.

The Red Cross has enough shelter supplies in Texas to support 28,000 people and supplies for an additional 22,000 people are being sent, according to the organization. In addition, tractor trailer loads of ready-to-eat meals, comfort kits, kitchen supplies and cleaning supplies are on the ground in Texas.
Decades ago, a debate over what kind of nation America is roiled the conservative movement.

Neocons claimed America was an "ideological nation" a "creedal nation," dedicated to the proposition that "all men are created equal."

Expropriating the biblical mandate, "Go forth and teach all nations!" they divinized democracy and made the conversion of mankind to the democratic faith their mission here on earth.

With his global crusade for democracy, George W. Bush bought into all this. Result: Ashes in our mouths and a series of foreign policy disasters, beginning with Afghanistan and Iraq.

Behind the Trumpian slogan "America First" lay a conviction that, with the Cold War over and the real ideological nation, the USSR, shattered into pieces along ethnic lines, it was time for America to come home.

Contra the neocons, traditionalists argued that, while America was uniquely great, the nation was united by faith, culture, language, history, heroes, holidays, mores, manners, customs and traditions. A common feature of Americans, black and white, was pride in belonging to a people that had achieved so much.

The insight attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville -- "America is great because she is good, and if America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great" -- was a belief shared by almost all.

What makes our future appear problematic is that what once united us now divides us. While Presidents Wilson and Truman declared us to be a "Christian nation," Christianity has been purged from our public life and sheds believers every decade. Atheism and agnosticism are growing rapidly, especially among the young.

Traditional morality, grounded in Christianity, is being discarded. Half of all marriages end in divorce. Four-in-10 children are born out of wedlock. Unrestricted abortion and same-sex marriage -- once regarded as marks of decadence and decline -- are now seen as human rights and the hallmarks of social progress.

Tens of millions of us do not speak English. Where most of our music used to be classic, popular, country and western, and jazz, much of it now contains rutting lyrics that used to be unprintable.

Where we used to have three national networks, we have three 24-hour cable news channels and a thousand websites that reinforce our clashing beliefs on morality, culture, politics and race.

Consider but a few events post-Charlottesville.

"Murderer" was painted on the San Fernando statue of Fr. Junipero Serra, the Franciscan who founded the missions that became San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan Capistrano and Santa Clara.

America's oldest monument honoring Columbus, in Baltimore, was vandalized. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia called for Robert E. Lee's statue to be removed from the Capitol and replaced by -- Pocahontas.

According to legend, this daughter of Chief Powhatan saved Captain John Smith from being beheaded by throwing herself across his neck. The Chief was a "person of interest" in the disappearance of the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke Island, among whose missing was Virginia Dare, the first European baby born in British America.

Why did Kaine not call for John Smith himself, leader of the Jamestown Colony that fought off Indian attacks, to be so honored?

In New Orleans, "Tear It Down" was spray-painted on a statue of Joan of Arc, a gift from France in 1972. Besides being a canonized saint in the Catholic Church and a legendary heroine of France, what did the Maid of Orleans do to deserve this?

Taken together, we are seeing the discoverers, explorers and missionaries of North America demonized as genocidal racists all. The Founding Fathers are either slave owners or sanctioners of slavery.

Our nation-builders either collaborated in or condoned the ethnic cleansing of Native Americans. Almost to the present, ours was a land where segregationists were honored leaders.

Bottom line for the left: Americans should be sickened and ashamed of the history that made us the world's greatest nation. And we should acknowledge our ancestors' guilt by tearing down any and all monuments and statues that memorialize them.

This rising segment of America, full of self-righteous rage, is determined to blacken the memory of those who have gone before us.

To another slice of America, much of the celebrated social and moral "progress" of recent decades induces a sense of nausea, summarized in the lament, "This isn't the country we grew up in."

Hillary Clinton famously described this segment of America as a "basket of deplorables ... racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic ... bigots," and altogether "irredeemable."

So, what still unites us? What holds us together into the indefinite future? What makes us one nation and one people? What do we offer mankind, as nations seem to recoil from what we are becoming, and are instead eager to build their futures on the basis of ethnonationalism and fundamentalist faith?

If advanced democracy has produced the disintegration of a nation that we see around us, what is the compelling case for it?

A sixth of the way through the 21st century, what is there to make us believe this will be the Second American Century?
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
Anita Nelson, as seen in 2013, stands among co-workers at Bay-CSS.

BALTIMORE

(August 28, 2017)Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh announced today that Anita Nelson, 42, of Great Mills, pleaded guilty to the charge that she stole personal funds from residents of a facility that provides services for developmentally disabled adults.Saint Mary's County Circuit Court Judge Karen H. Abrahms sentenced Nelson to two years' incarceration, all suspended, and 80 hours community service. Judge Abrahms also placed Nelson on two years' probation and ordered that she not work as or with any provider in a federally funded health care program for five years.Nelson was employed as an operations manager at Bay-CSS, a residential and day program facility that provides services for developmentally disabled adults. In addition to providing housing and related services, Bay-CSS manages personal funds for some of their residents. Nelson was responsible for providing oversight of operations at several of Bay-CSS's residential homes.During an audit, Bay-CSS discovered that Nelson had not followed the proper procedures for requesting and approving the withdrawal of personal funds from at least six residents' accounts for certain withdrawals made between March 16, 2015 and August 26, 2015. Further investigation revealed that $2,628.58 in client funds requested by Nelson was not received by the intended recipient and instead was stolen by Nelson.In making today's announcement, Attorney General Frosh thanked the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Assistant Attorneys General Myshala E. Middleton and Lisa Cameron, and Investigator Prashani Mankhusu for their work on this matter.
(WB) Vogue Italia celebrates LGBT love on its September cover which features two, same-sex kisses.

One cover shows a male-on-male kiss with real life model couple Edoardo Velicskov and Pablo Rousson. Another cover shows a kiss between female models, Lily Aldridge and Vittoria Ceretti. The third cover features a straight kiss between Carla Boscono and Federico Spinas.

Italy has been a late bloomer when it comes to LGBT rights and was the last EU country to legalize same-sex unions in 2016.

Other Vogue covers have strived to be more inclusive. Vogue Paris included transgender model Hari Nef on its March cover. The American version of Vogue featured celebrity couple Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid on its cover as an example of a gender fluid couple. The magazine cover was widely criticized and Vogue apologized for its story.

View Vogue Italias covers below.

A post shared by Federico Spinas (@federico_spinas) on Aug 28, 2017 at 4:07am PDT

A post shared by Vittoria Ceretti (@vittoceretti) on Aug 27, 2017 at 9:33am PDT

 Mariah Cooper, Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association.
(AP) The founder of the internet's oldest white supremacist site said he was trying to get back online Monday after a company revoked its domain name following complaints that it promotes hatred and is linked to dozens of murders.

Don Black of West Palm Beach, a former Ku Klux Klan leader who has operated stormfront.org since 1995, said he didn't receive any warning before Network Solutions blocked the use of the stormfront.org name on Friday.

Stormfront.org had more than 300,000 registered users, Black said, with traffic increasing since a violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Popular with the KKK and neo-Nazi groups, the site included forums where users sometimes promoted white power events.

"I'm talking to my lawyers, and that's about all I can do right now," Black said in a telephone interview. "I can switch to another domain, but it might wind up the same way."

Another major white supremacist website, The Daily Stormer, was previously shut down by the web-hosting company Go Daddy and then Google after the violence in Charlottesville.

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law said the stormfront.org shutdown followed complaints it filed with Network Solutions alleging the site promotes not only hate speech, but deadly violence.

A spokesman for Network Solutions didn't immediately return an email seeking comment.

Users of Black's website have been implicated in more than 100 killings, according to the complaint, including 77 people slain by neo-Nazi Anders Breivik at a camp in Norway in 2011.

"Especially in the wake of tragic events in Charlottesville and the spike in hate crimes across the country, Stormfront crossed the line of permissible speech and incited and promoted violence," said a statement by Kristen Clarke, executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Black, speaking about the shutdown during an online radio show Monday, said his site had rules against promoting violence or any crime.

Black was a state KKK leader under former Klan Imperial Wizard David Duke, who appeared on the radio show following Black and expressed his "full support" for Black and the website.

"He was the first major site defending the rights of white people," said Duke.

Black has been involved in the white supremacy movement since the 1970s and was convicted in 1981 for his role in a right-wing plot to overthrow the government of Caribbean island nation of Dominica.
(WB) Amid criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike over his pardon of Joe Arpaio, President Trump on Monday invoked his predecessors clemency for Chelsea Manning to justify the decision.

Trump made the comparison at the White House during a joint news conference with Finland President Sauli Niinisto in response to a question about the criticism from Fox News John Roberts  deriding her as a criminal leaker.

President Obama commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, who leaked countless sensitive and classified documents to Wikileaks, perhaps, and others, but horrible, horrible thing that he did, Trump said. Commuted the sentence and perhaps pardoned.

Trump apparently misgendered Manning as male by referencing the horrible, horrible thing that he did, although arguably that pronoun could be a reference to Obama and the horrible thing was the pardon of Manning.

One difference between Arpaio and Manning, a transgender woman who served nearly seven years in a mens prison before receiving commutation from Obama, is Manning served time in prison. Arpaio had yet to be sentenced when Trump pardoned him.

Arpaio, who served as Maricopa County Sheriff until last year before being voted out of office, was found guilty of criminal contempt of court for engaging in racial profiling despite an order instructing him to cease that activity. The U.S. Justice Department under the Obama administration found he unfairly targeted Latinos in conducting traffic stops  although Arpaio long before that had been accused of police misconduct.

Manning is also a controversial figure, but in a different way. Many consider her a whistleblower for leaking a video of a Baghdad airstrike that exposed U.S. activities during the Iraq war. Others point to a subsequent dump of 251,287 State Department cables as evidence she was indiscriminately leaking information and potentially jeopardized the lives of undercover operatives.

Trump also invoked to justify his Arpaio pardon former President Clintons pardon of Mark Rich, who received clemency after his wife donated to the Clinton Library, Susan Rosenberg and Carlos Vignali as well as Obamas pardon of Oscar Lopez Rivera, a militant leader of the Puerto Rico independence movement.

Trump also had high praise for Arpaio, who supported the president in the 2016 election and stumped for him at the Republican National Convention.

Sheriff Joe is a patriot, Sheriff Joe loves our country, Sheriff Joe protected our borders and Sheriff Joe was very unfairly treated by the Obama administration, especially right before an election, an election that he would have won, and he was elected many times, Trump said.

In response to assertions from Republicans like Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and 2016 Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush the pardon was the wrong thing to do, Trump replied, A lot of people think it was the right thing to do.

Trump also acknowledged he issued the pardon at the same time Hurricane Harvey was striking Texas, referencing the high ratings he assumed TV would have at the time.

And actually, in the middle of the hurricane, even though it was a Friday, I assumed the ratings would be far higher, and I put it out that I pardon, as we say, Sheriff Joe, Trump said.

Hes done a great job for the people of Arizona, Trump continued. Hes very strong on borders, very strong on illegal immigration. He is loved in Arizona. I thought he was treated unbelievably unfairly when they came down with their big decision to go get him right before the election voting started, as you know, and he lost in fairly close election.

Referencing a rally he recently held in Phoenix in which he said relief for Arpaio was forthcoming, Trump said, When I mentioned him the other night. You saw the massive crowd we had. The people went crazy when I said what do you think of Sheriff Joe, or something to that effect. The crazy went absolutely crazy when I was in Arizona last week.

Manning, who didnt respond on Twitter when Trump criticized her earlier this year, also has not responded as of the time of this posting to Trump comparing her to Arpaio.

 Chris Johnson, Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association.
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




At first glance, Maison Han includes all the elements of a classically trendy Berlin coffee shop. Located in Kreuzberg and close to a bucolic promenade along the Landwehr Canal, the cafe attracts young entrepreneurs with its outdoor benches and indoor, craft-made seating.

But inside, Duc Nguyen, the 35-year-old Vietnamese-Berliner who founded Maison Han, is out to make Vietnamese morning food and coffee culture famous in the old European city. In Vietnam, we have a strong tradition of breakfast, you can have a Banh mi or a soup everywhere with a coffee, Duc says. There is an important Vietnamese community here but people dont really know our culture. My generation didnt grow up in Vietnam, we are Berliner, but we are proud of our roots and we want to make them known. The Maison Han logo is an octagon split in two. One side depicts a bear, a symbol of Berlinon the other side, the word Han as an ideogram.

Maison Han transports you far away from Berlin with its menu, which features Vietnamese breakfast staples like the eponymous aforementioned pate-based banh mi, Marou chocolate bars from Ho Chi Minh City, and selection of Vietnamese coffees. Theres also the sweet milk-based phin coffee, which drips down through the thin, metal, top hat-shaped dripper of the same name. This process has influenced a lot the way people drink coffee in Vietnam, Duc says. They dont drink quickly their cup of coffee, like an espressothey have to wait until the coffee is dripped, so meanwhile they talk, read newspapersits a relaxing ritual.

Duc founded Han Coffee Roasters before Maison Han, entering the roasting business as a coffee lover. I went to El Salvador to learn more about the plant and then I came back to Vietnam and met the farmers in the mountainous plateau, Duc says, with both experiences shaping his formative coffee education.

Today, he imports green coffee from Vietnam, attempting to do in Berlin what elsewhere young roasteries and cafes in Ho Chi Minh City are. Vietnamese coffee has a bad connotation, Duc says. People imagine its not good quality. But there are not only producers for Nestle, there are plenty of small farmers who care about their product.

Duc uses a dark blend to brew phin coffee and lighter, fruitier beans to be drunk without sweet milk. Its important to fit with the modern way to drink coffee also, for people who appreciate pure coffee, he says. But those who want, say, roasted peanut chunks in their latte foam, are of course welcome in Ducs home as well. Embraced, even.

Aimie Eliot is a freelance journalist based in Berlin. Read more Aimie Eliot on Sprudge.
Kawartha Downs race fans will hear a voice behind the announcers microphone this Saturday night that they havent heard for a while, that of Greg Blanchard, who is filling in for regular announcer Evan Loucks.

A native of PEI, Blanchard is one of the provinces most respected horse racing administrators, whose talents also include race announcing, on-air hosting and interviewing. Blanchard is currently the racing manager at The Raceway at Western Fair District and is a sought-after broadcaster at many racetracks during their special race days.

Greg does the colour commentary at many tracks signature events, such as the Confederation Cup and Battle of Waterloo, so it seems fitting to have him at Kawartha on our signature race night, the Goodtimes Invitational, noted Kawarthas Marketing Director Heather MacKay.

This is also the inaugural Titans of Trotting event where we honour three incredible trotters, Goodtimes, Billyjojimbob and San Pail who all started their careers here at Kawartha Downs and ended up in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. In addition, were hosting the OLG's Thrill of Winning Race so Greg will be busy.

In addition to calling the races, Blanchard will also be the special guest host for Tonight At KD, the tracks pre-race show alongside retired driver Gord Brown, who is the tracks expert race analyst.

This is the first time Ive called at Kawartha in a few years, said Blanchard. I remember the large crowds and great atmosphere, and from what I hear its getting even better, so Im really looking forward to it.

The area is known as cottage country, but safe to say it is also horse country. It is amazing to think of the world-class horses who have been produced in this area and its fantastic that well be able to pay tribute to them on Saturday night.

Post time on Saturday night at Kawartha is 7 p.m.

To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Kawartha, click the following link: Saturday Entries  Kawartha Downs.

(Kawartha Downs)
A loaded 12-race card, featuring the $615,000 Canadian Pacing Derby, has been assembled for Saturday evening (September 2) at Mohawk Racetrack.

The Champlain, Simcoe and Ontario Sires Stakes Gold make up the Pacing Derby undercard. More than $1.4 million in purses will be up for grabs.

The Canadian Pacing Derby, first raced in 1936, is the oldest stakes race in Canadian harness racing. The 2017 edition has been carded as Race 7 and will feature 10 of the top older pacers in the sport.

Keystone Velocity (PP2, Simon Allard) and Rockin Ron (PP4, Louis Philippe Roy) each come into the final off impressive elimination victories last Saturday.

Trained by Rene Allard, Keystone Velocity turned in an incredible :25.1 final-quarter to zoom by rivals and capture his elimination in 1:48.2. The nine-year-old was eight lengths from the lead at the half and is charted with a :51.3 back-half.

Like a fine wine getting better with age, Keystone Velocity is having a career-best season at age nine with seven wins in 14 outings and more than $644,000 earned. A $3,000 yearling purchase back in 2009 for his original connections, Keystone Velocity is from the final crop of famed stallion Western Hanover. The 25-time winner and earner of more than $1.1 million is owned by Allard Racing Inc, Kapildeo Singh, Earl Hill Jr and VIP Internet Stable LLC.

The opportunity to compete in Canadas oldest stakes race is a career accomplishment for driver Simon Allard.

Im glad my brother put [Keystone Velocity] in the Canadian Pacing Derby, its like a dream come true for me to get to race him, Allard shared. I used to be in the dorm back in the day as a groom and saw Real Desire and Four Starzzz Shark race in (2002) and now Im in it.

Keystone Velocity was a $40,000 supplemental entry to this years Canadian Pacing Derby.

Rockin Ron, who captured the other elimination, is one of three horses that trainer Ron Burke will send out in this years Pacing Derby.

A five-year-old gelding, Rockin Ron went coast-to-coast in an eye-catching and career-best 1:47.2 last Saturday for Burke and driver Louis Philippe Roy.

Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and RTC Stable Inc, Rockin Ron is six for 20 this season with nearly $250,000 earned. The five-year-old has finished either first or second in six of his last eight starts.

Rockin Ron enters the Pacing Derby with 26 career victories and a career bankroll of $815,858.

The gritty pair of All Bets Off (PP 6) and Check Six (PP 10) complete the Burke Pacing Derby trio. Yannick Gingras is currently listed on both horses after qualifying each for the final.

A winner of more than $2.6 million, All Bets Off has been a familiar face in these big events over the last few seasons. The six-year-old son of Bettors Delight finished fourth in last years Pacing Derby after finishing sixth in the 2015 edition.

Four-year-old Check Six had a two-race win streak snapped in last Saturdays elimination. The son of Somebeachsomewhere has already captured the Sam McKee Memorial and Dan Patch Stakes this season to help boost his career-earnings to over $1.5 million.

Similar to All Bets Off, McWicked (PP1, David Miller), Nirvana Seelster (PP7, Trevor Henry) and Dealt A Winner (PP8, David Miller) all have past experience in the Canadian Pacing Derby.

Casie Coleman trainee McWicked will surpass $2 million in career earnings with a top-five finish in Saturdays contest. The six-year-old competed in the 2015 Pacing Derby, finishing fifth.

Local standout Nirvana Seelster, who is a career winner of over $700,000, will be making his third Pacing Derby appearance and will be looking to change his luck. The Bill Budd-trained six-year-old made a break at the start in last years edition, but still managed to finish sixth. In the 2015 edition, Nirvana Seelster finished ninth.

Mark Silva trainee Dealt A Winner was an impressive third to Wiggle It Jiggleit and Always B Miki in last years Pacing Derby. The five-year-old gelding, whos earned $877,131 in his racing career, recently captured the Roll With Joe Stakes at Tioga Downs.

Ben Wallace-trained four-year-old Easy Lover Hanover (PP3, Doug McNair), Steve Elliott trainee six-year-old Rockeyed Optimist (PP5, Brett Miller) and Gaetan Hebert-trained four-year-old Sintra (PP9, Jody Jamieson) complete the field for this years Canadian Pacing Derby.

The group of older pacers in this Saturdays main event have combined earnings in excess of $11.8 million.

While the heavyweights will have the main spotlight, Saturdays card also features talented rookie pacers and sophomore trotters.

The $194,760 Champlain Stakes for two-year-old pacers will feature 21 pacing colts and geldings competing over two divisions (Race 5 and 9).

Undefeated pacing colt Summer Travel headlines the group of pacing colts and geldings in the evenings second division. The Casie Coleman trained son of Western Ideal, who was scratched sick from last weekends Nassagaweya, is three-for-three and currently the fastest two-year-old in North America, with a mark of 1:50.3.

The Champlain Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies also features an impressive undefeated rookie.

Percy Bluechip is the star in a field of nine competing for $169,381 (Race 2). The Dr. Ian Moore trained daughter of Shadow Play is four-for-four and last Saturday captured the Eternal Camnation Stakes in 1:51.4.

Gearing up for the Canadian Trotting Classic eliminations on September 9, a field of 12 three-year-old trotting colts and geldings will square off in the $165,838 Simcoe Stakes (Race 6).

Returning to Mohawk for the first time since capturing the Goodtimes Stakes, International Moni will start from post four for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Frank Antonacci. The son of French stallion Love You is four-for-six this season with $233,600 earned.

Ontario Sires Stakes standout Try Try Again will take his first crack at Grand Circuit action. The Dustin Jones trainee, who drew post-12, is six for nine this season with $126,825 earned.

Saturdays stakes-packed card also features a pair of $98,000 OSS Gold divisions for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. They have been carded as Races 8 and 10.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early Saturday for an autograph session with 2017 World Driving Champion James MacDonald (time TBD).

The first 300 guests to come through the doors Saturday will receive a free program and there will also be live music, BBQ, summer games and giveaways going on all evening long.

Post time for Saturday's first race is 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 5:30 p.m.

To view the entries for Saturday's card, click on one of the following links:

 Saturday Entries - Mohawk Racetrack

 Saturday Program Proof (PDF) - Mohawk Racetrack

 Saturday Past Performances Lines - Mohawk Racetrack (courtesy TrackIT)

(with files from WEG)
Howard C. Hammond, 88, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 21 at Coastal Hospice at the Lake in Salisbury, Md.

Born in Powellville, Hammond was the son of the late Clyde F. and Margaret (Maggie) Lewis Hammond. In addition to his parents, Hammond was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Ruth E. Hammond; and brothers V. Frank Hammond and Harry C. Hammond.

Hammond is survived by his sons, Steven H. Hammond of Salisbury; Mark T. Hammond and his wife, Peggy, of Berlin; his sister in law, Harriette Hammond; and his niece and nephews.

Hammond attended Wicomico High School, class of 1946, and later Goldey-Beacom College where he received his degree in business administration. After serving two years in the U.S. Army, Hammond was able to put his degree to use when he started his career in insurance. His philosophy of helping others and treating people as you would want to be treated yourself served him well in business and in life. He was a leader with his company. He and his wife made many friendships and were able to travel to some wonderful parts of the world over his 49-year professional career.

Beside his family and his business, Hammond's other passion was harness racing. He loved horses, especially trotters. He enjoyed helping with the training and care of his horses and the many races he and his wife attended. There were a few big wins over the years and a horse he was particularly fond of was Doggone Yankee, who earned close to $150,000 on the track and went on to become a successful Maryland sire.

If you knew Hammond, you knew a kind and soft-spoken man whose advice and opinion you could always count on.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Coastal Hospice, 2604 Old Ocean City Road, Salisbury, MD 21801 (coastalhospice.org).

A public visitation was held on Saturday, August 26 at Holloway Funeral Home, P.A. 501 Snow Hill Rd., Salisbury, MD 21804. A graveside service was held the same day at the Powellville Cemetery.

Arrangements are in the care of Holloway Funeral Home, P.A., 501 Snow Hill Road, Salisbury, MD 21804. To send condolences to the family, visit www.hollowayfh.com.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Howard Hammond.

(USTA)




It is the little things.

It was last years trip to Arua in Uganda that the Stockmans caught the importance of soap. We had brought a few gifts of soap but when we brought a few out one afternoon and a woman almost grabbed it from our hands we started asking about soap. I mean how many of us consider the presence of soap in our lives. It has always been there, beside whatever sink we wash our hands. That afternoon I realised that in Africa soap is a precious commodity and never taken for granted in.

And so we thought that it might be nice to give a gift of soap to the teachers in Onialeku School where we partner in Arua. In fact, getting ambitious, we wondered could we gift a soap to all the children in the school.

I then put a simple message up on Facebook asking if anyone knew anyone in the hotel trade. Within minutes Janet Whitelaw-Jones and Rita Ebbinghaus-Ferguson had given me leads to Jonny Topping and Kenneth Sharp.

When I told Jonny and Peter what we were thinking they immediately said yes. Within a week or two Janice and Caitlin were picking up a couple of hundred soaps from Jonny Topping at the Stormont Hotel and even more excitedly, dancing around our hallway astounded and flabbergasted at the box of 1000 that the generous hearted Kenneth Sharp, owner the Salty Dog Hotel and Bistro in Bangor had delivered to the door.

On July 13th we had the thrill of giving out those soaps. It is always a joy to give gifts. When you know how much gratitude that the gifts are received, and the impact the gift will have, it is even more satisfying.

In Africa the lack of soap has literally deadly consequences. Hand-washing with soap can significantly reduce the incidence of diarrhoea, which is the second leading cause of death amongst children under five years old.

Regular hand-washing with soap at critical times of the daily routines can reduce the number of diarrhoea bouts by almost 50 per cent. Good hand-washing practices have also been shown to reduce the incidence of other diseases, notably pneumonia, trachoma, scabies, skin and eye infections and diarrhoea-related diseases like cholera and dysentery.

This year we actually taught the school staff how to make liquid soap which can be a little earner to sustain the school. Soap! A vital commodity!

Through the generosity of The Salty Dog and Stormont Hotel many people were overjoyed at their gift and implications for many families was so positive with just a bar of soap. Thank you again Kenneth and Jonny and Janet and Rita too!
Play at the new site will be free and first come, first served through the...
A year-long investigation by a Cowlitz County sheriffs deputy has resulted in the arrest of a Las Vegas couple suspected of defrauding about a dozen people nationwide out of $430,000, including a local woman who lost $35,000, according to the sheriffs office.

Detective Lorenzo Gladson and Sgt. Brad Thurman obtained a nationwide extraditable warrant for Nerraj Kohli, 39, and his wife, Shweta Kohli, 36. They traveled to Las Vegas and arrested the couple at their home on Monday with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. The suspects are awaiting an extradition hearing in Nevada for transfer to Cowlitz County, said Chief Criminal Deputy Charlie Rosenzweig.

The couple admitted they are in the United States illegally and apparently are natives of India, Rosenzweig said.

Detective Gladson began working the case in early 2016 when a Cowlitz County woman reported that a man called and told her that a virus would kill off all the data in her computer unless she sent him money to repair it. Rosenzweig said the investigation identified about a dozen victims nationwide, including three more in Washington: a 36-year-old from Port Angeles, a 31-year-old from Everett and a 51-year-old from Port Orchard.

The Washington cases may be combined and tried in Cowlitz County, and the couple may face federal charges as well, Rosenzweig said.

Were sure there are many more victims, Rosenzweig said.

Multiple alleged scams were involved, but the computer virus scam was the main one the couple are accused of engaging in, telling their victims to send money via MoneyGram from locations all across Las Vegas. The scams were all done by telephone, the sheriffs office said.

Some victims were also tricked into sending money out of fear of arrest if they did not pay their taxes due to the IRS. Walmart (where the money grams were cashed) surveillance photos that confirmed both of the Kohlis physically picked up the money.

The Cowlitz County victim lost $35,200 to the Kohlis scam. The victim who lost the most is from Newport News, Va., who was allegedly scammed out of $105,000, the sheriffs office reported.

The sheriffs office is declining to discuss details about how Gladson solved the case. One of the main difficulties, Rosenzweig said, was finding the suspects, because many scammers are based overseas. We were surprised they were in the United States, he said.

Gladson was assigned to the detective division a year ago, having served as a road deputy for about 10 years. Rosenzweig praised him for the persistence needed to solve this case.

It was difficult, largely because it took an incredible amount of time and you have victims all over the state and country. It took a lot of diligence and perseverance, and this is only about one of about a dozen cases he has.

Gladson was not available for an interview Tuesday.
Sharry Lynn Konopski DeBolt, who twice posed for Playboy and who lived a colorful but sometimes tragic life, died Friday at the age of 49 from complications from pneumonia and other medical problems.

This woman went through more adversity and pain and I dont know how she did it, said her husband of 10 years, Joseph Randall of Silver Lake.

She was just Sharry. If anybody could do it, she could do it. I just still dont know how, because she was just constantly getting hit, punched, smashed. I dont know how to describe the constant barrage of bad things that came her way, as far as pain and suffering.

Konopski DeBolt, who grew up in Longview, was Miss August 1987 for Playboy. She posed for the magazine in March 1997, even though shed been paralyzed from the waist down by a triple rollover accident on Spirit Lake Memorial Highway in 1995. Randall said DeBolt was only person to ever pose nude for Playboy both able-bodied and as a person with disabilities.

After the first Playboy shoot, she married Mark DeBolt, who worked at a Woodland cabinet firm, and settled near Silver Lake. The couple had two kids, Spencer and Sierra. She and DeBolt then went through a nasty divorce and custody battle.

In 1997, her father, Mike Nerheim, hired bounty hunters to seize Mark DeBolt in the Kelso Target parking lot and take him to Phoenix to settle a misdemeanor charge of writing bad checks. Nerheim was later arrested and stood trial, along with the three bounty hunters, for felony unlawful imprisonment charges. The charges were overturned, although they still had to pay Mark DeBolt a $140,000 jury award.

Konopski DeBolt also earned notoriety for owning 21 peacocks on her Silver Lake property, which drove neighbors to file complaints with the Cowlitz County Humane Society in 2009.

In 2007, she made a life commitment to Randall, a caregiver from Eastern Washington. Randall said he met Konopski DeBolt when she was signing autographs at a car show in Woodland, and they fell in love after talking all day.

Randall said he and Konopski DeBolt were never apart for more than a week during their 10 years of marriage, and described her as the coolest person Ill ever know.

During her last year of life, Konopski DeBolt struggled with both shingles and then a stroke, one immediately after the other. Randall said through the entire ordeal, Konopski DeBolt kept her poise.

Randall, 47, described his wife as real, and said she was always willing to fight for what she wanted.

She had a very strong soul, and she could pretty much do anything, he said. I would call her my warrior. Shes half Comanche and half Norwegian Viking.

One of Konopski DeBolts good friends, who wished to remain anonymous, said of the former model, She was tough as titanium.

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Editors note: Todays editorial originally appeared in The Seattle Times. Editorial content from other publications is provided to give readers a sampling of regional and national opinion and does not necessarily reflect positions endorsed by the Editorial Board of The Daily News.

In a lawsuit with huge implications for Washington, Attorney General Bob Ferguson rightly asks the U.S. Supreme Court to consider whether the state must spend billions on fish culverts.

The culvert work was upheld by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It directs the state to promptly remove and upgrade nearly 1,000 culverts at an estimated cost of $1.8 billion. Supreme Court review must clarify questions raised by the ruling, including the extent of tribal authority on nontribal land.

Of course, culverts, which enable fish to safely travel in streams passing underneath roadways, should be improved for habitat recovery. Washington has been upgrading culverts since the 1990s.

But the state should not waste a fortune replacing culverts on streams that dont support fish, because they are blocked by other obstructions.

There are other absurd elements in the ruling. The culverts in question were built mostly with federal money, following federal standards. Yet in 2001, the feds, allied with tribes, blamed the state for bad culverts and sued for their removal and replacement.

Really, the feds should fix culverts they had the state install to faulty standards.

More important is the legal precedent that will be set if the ruling stands. It would establish new tribal authority: If tribes can demand culvert removal on nontribal land, they could follow up with lawsuits demanding the removal of dams or cessation of farming and development activities.

The goal of the tribes from the beginning in this case is to establish the principle that because land-use and development decisions affect the waters of this state, where salmon are present, that they should in a sense be co-managers of the lands and waters of our state, former Attorney General Rob McKenna, who handled the case for eight years, said in an interview.

McKenna believes thats why tribes rejected settlement offers. The state offered to accelerate its culvert replacement.

Federal and state government mistreated tribes in the past. But judges cannot rewrite that dark chapter in our history or modify the 1855 treaty at issue in the culvert case.

As Ferguson argued in a filing, the Supreme Court has held that Indian treaties cannot be rewritten or expanded beyond their clear terms to remedy a claimed injustice or to achieve the asserted understanding of the parties. 

Yet the culvert ruling declares a massive new right and obligation and entirely ignored the treaty agreement in which the tribes ceded authority over nontribal land.

The ruling in effect finds that tribes silently retained a right to control land use decisions and state policies in the ceded territory that could affect salmon, Ferguson argued.

The effects would be far-reaching, McKenna explained. If overnight the tribes became sovereign over lands and waters of the state, the people of the state would notice in a hurry. It would mean the government elected by the people would no longer be sovereign, and since tribes are not accountable to them, that would be pretty shocking to them.

Tribes are already leaning this way. At their request, Democratic lawmakers during negotiations in the last Legislature tried to give tribes veto power over land-use decisions, on nontribal lands, involving water supplies and streams.

This is a key reason why lawmakers gridlocked over water rights, spurred by a separate case known as Hirst.

Tribes are a major political force. With casinos generating billions of dollars a year, they generously support election campaigns. That influence, combined with modern sensibilities and Washingtons shared interest in fisheries, have made state officials very supportive of tribal efforts to restore salmon habitat.

Yet the Ninth Circuit ruling insinuates that Washingtons opposition to the culvert order is an extension of discriminatory behavior in the previous century, akin to violent clashes in the 1960s over fishing grounds and tribal fishing restrictions in the 1920s.

If true, the court would be justified bringing the hammer down. But its false and ignores recent history.

In recent decades, the state spent hundreds of millions on fish-friendly culverts and habitat restoration. Continued investment is needed, but it should be pragmatic and dictated by research, not disruptive lawsuits and politics.

Questioning the culvert ruling is not anti-environment. Its common sense.

Ferguson is an ambitious Democrat. So his decision to seek review of these important issues, despite blowback from his party and tribes, is brave and commendable.
2 youths jailed for stalking schoolgirls

UNB, Brahmanbaria :



The mobile court on Friday sentenced two young men to two months jail for stalking two schoolgirls in Nabinagar upazila.

The convicted youths are - Faisal Ahmed Topu, 22, son of late Abdur Rahim, a resident of Uttar Para area, and Musa, 25, son of Helal Miah, a resident of Gangkul Hati village of adjoining Bhairab upazila of Kishoreganj district.

The mobile court sources said that the young men used to stalk two schoolgirls for long. Later, the guardians of the girls complained to police station.

Accordingly, police arrested Faisal in front of local girls' school and Musa from Jalla area in the afternoon while they were stalking the girls.

Later, they were produced before the mobile court led by Moushumi Bain Hira, executive magistrate and also assistant commissioner (land) of Nabinagar upazila which sentenced them to two months of jail to each.
Sufficient supply of cattle in markets, price still high

A Correspondent :



Huge sacrificial animals from nearby Myanmar and India are reaching the cattle markets in the port city. But, sufficient supply of sacrificial animals from the locality in the cattle markets cannot ensure a fair price.

Sources said, hundreds of cattle are entering through border of Myanmar for the upcoming Eid-ul- Azha in last several days. Several hundreds of cattle are coming in the local markets from Myanmar every day.

According to the sources, now, sufficient supply of sacrificial animals cannot control the higher prices this year. The buyers of the sacrificial animals have started to buy sacrificial animals from Friday.

The cattle traders alleged that the extortion and the threat of the terrorists already took control of the market this year. The cattle traders hoped that huge imported cattle from nearest country would reach within very short time. The prices of the sacrificial animals will come under control following arrival of imported cattle.

On the other hand, many temporary cattle markets are seen in the port city. There are many cattle traders who tied their cattle at the lanes or mohallas in the port city and they are selling the cattle to the locals with nominal profits. There are at least 300 such types of centers here and there in the port city.

Mohammed Reaz Ahamod, a temporary cattle trader who collected 40 cattle for selling and tied these at the Jamal Khan road in the port city said, "I collected 40 cattle from villages and tied here at Jamal Khan road areas. I am selling the cattle to the locals who do not want to visit the cattle markets.

Besides, I will deliver the cattle to the buyers on the morning of Eid day. As a result, the buyers have no tension for preserving the cattle before Eid."

He claimed that he is selling the cattle with profit of Tk one or two thousand. Moreover, he takes Tk 200 per day for preserving the cattle till Eid day morning. Though the supply of the sacrificial animal is sufficient from locality the cattle traders were still demanding higher prices. "But, on Monday, the price of cattle was lower with satisfactory selling," said Shahid Ul alam, a cattle trader of Bibir Hat.

The total demand for cattle in Chittagong is some 7 lakh for sacrificial purposes. Of them, some three lakh cattle are imported from India every year. Some of them were also imported from Myanmar in the local market. The cattle traders said they paid Tk five hundred for each cattle as tax.

According to the sources in district administration, the Chittagong dwellers sacrificed a total of 5.40 lakh cattle last year. But, the administration hoped that in the current year the number of sacrificed cattle will be more at least 10 percent of the last year.

District Livestock Officer Reazul Haque said, the number of sacrificial cattle will be more than 5.91 lakh during upcoming Eid. "We hope that at least 10 percent will be increased in the current year."

Meanwhile, the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) took special steps to arrest the extortionists and cadres who are involved with collecting of tolls at the cattle markets in Chittagong. At least two teams of police already been deployed at each cattle market in the port city.

Besides, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) also took measures in this regard, sources said. It may be mentioned that there are two regular cattle market Bibirhat and Sagarika and five irregular cattle market-Salt-gola, Still Mill and Karnaphuly Bridge in the port city area. Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) earned around Tk four lakh from the lease of the five irregular hats every year.

The two permanent Cattle haats Pahartoli Sagorika Cattle Market and Bibir Hat Cattle Market leased for one year. Other five temporary Cattle hats were leased for only nine days before the Eid- ul- Azha.

The CCC approved the lease of Pahartoli Sagorika Cattle Market and Bibirhat Cattle Market for one year. Around five hundred cattle markets including regular and temporary are organized in the 14 upazila areas in the district before the Eid- ul- Azha.


RMG value addition drops marginally: Analysts

Business Desk :

Gross value addition (GVA) in the country's biggest export earning sector -clothing sector fell by 0.28 percentage point to 75.07 per cent in the immediate past fiscal year. Analysts and garment exporters opined that such fall was the reflection of a slump in demand for clothing products in the global market, especially in Europe.

However, average value addition from the fiscal year 2010 to FY 17 remained at around 75.0 per cent. In the fiscal year 2014-15, value addition peaked at 75.67 per cent during past eight years beginning from FY 2009-10, according to a Bangladesh Bank's report. The central bank prepares report on value addition considering yearly data on RMG exports and back-to-back raw material imports. In the FY'17, import prices of raw materials stood at over $7.0 billion through back-to-back L/Cs which was 24.93 per cent of total RMG export value. Value addition of knit products is believed to be around 90 per cent and that of woven products around 50 per cent. In some cases, value addition of both clothing products vary. Dr Nazneen Ahmed, a senior research fellow at the state-owned Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, told that this is the reflection of a slump in demand for clothing in the global market. "In my opinion, European market remains volatile and this is one of the main reasons behind the fall in value addition." Dr Nazneen also said export growth fell significantly in the past fiscal year to June 30 adding: "This falling trend shows that the demand for garment was thin". The country's overall exports grew by 1.16 per cent to US$ 34.65 billion in the past fiscal year where knitwear registered just 3.0 per cent growth while woven fell 2.36 per cent during the year under review. Echoing the same view, BGMEA president Md Siddiqur Rahman said the prices of clothing products are falling for slowdown in demand. "I don't know about the statistics prepared by the central bank, but I assure you that the prices of RMG products fell in the last fiscal year," Rahman told. Rahman said many clothing factories have been running with very marginal profits. "Some keep running just to retain their customers." However, the central bank's report said in context of some major accidents in RMG factories, the USA and the EU countries have shown their reservation about importing apparels from Bangladesh. Besides, in some cases they imposed certain conditions on apparel factories. It noted that the government and the BGMEA have signed various contracts with some international organisations and taken a number of measures for ensuring workplace safety of workers and modernising the RMG factories. The report suggested engaging strong lobbyist in markets in the USA in order to secure favourable treatment from the US administration for Bangladeshi RMG. "The measures should also include building good relationship between the employers and the employees," the report said. RMG exports fetched $28.09 billion in the last financial year, of which woven $14.73 billion and knitwear $13.35 billion.
IMO assures BD of support to shipping sector



The International Maritime Organization (IMO) assured Bangladesh of its allout support for exploring shipping sector potentialities.

The assurance came when IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim called on President M Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban on Tuesday.

"Bangladesh is an important member of the IMO and it has huge potential in the shipping sector," President's Press Secretary Mohammad Joynal Abedin quoted the IMO secretary general as saying.

Lim lauded the progress of Bangladesh's Marine Training Academy and its shipbuilding industry, he added.

Welcoming Lim to Bangabhaban, Abdul Hamid said Bangladesh is now constructing inland vessels, sea-going ships and offshore patrolling vessels maintaining international standard.

Noting that Bangladesh has a good number of facilities to train marine cadets onshore and also enough trained naval crew, he sought cooperation of the IMO to create more job opportunities for marine cadets from Bangladesh as midshipmen in foreign vessels.

The President also stressed the need for greater exchange of technical expertise for imparting training to midshipmen with the assistance of IMO, a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping.

Secretaries concerned to the President were present.




Macron sets fighting 'Islamist terror' as top priority

French President Emmanuel Macron addressing the annual gathering of French ambassadors at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Tuesday.



Fighting "Islamist terrorism" is France's top priority, President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday in a key foreign policy speech.

"Providing security for our citizens means that the fight against Islamist terrorism is our first priority," he told some 200 French ambassadors gathered in Paris.

Since early 2015, France has suffered a series of terror attacks that have claimed more than 230 lives.

The 39-year-old leader also insisted there was "no alternative" to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which has been fiercely opposed by US President Donald Trump.

"There is no alternative to the non-proliferation agenda. It enables a constructive and demanding relationship with Iran," he said.

Facing dismal approval ratings less than four months into his term, Macron was looking to burnish his foreign policy credentials with the speech, which is a fixture on France's political calendar. France's youngest ever president has shown determination to restore what he sees as the country's declining international prestige under his predecessor, Socialist president Francois Hollande.

He has won kudos for making a bold start on the international stage, hosting both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin within his first weeks in office.

He raised human rights with Putin and spoke out against Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris accord on fighting climate change.

Tuesday's speech came a day after Macron hosted a mini-summit with African and European leaders on the migrant crisis.

The leaders backed proposals to screen asylum seekers in Chad and Niger as a way to prevent thousands from taking perilous journeys across the Mediterranean.

Reuters adds: President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday France would continue to push for intransigent policies towards North Korea's ballistic program and was ready to undertake new initiatives after its latest "irresponsible" ballistic missile launch.

North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan's northern Hokkaido island into the sea early on Tuesday, prompting warnings to residents to take cover and drawing a sharp reaction from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said there was no alternative to the 2015 deal struck between Iran and a group of world powers aimed at curbing the country's nuclear program.

In a message aimed at U.S. President Donald Trump, who has ordered a review of the lifting of sanctions after the agreement and called it "the worst deal ever negotiated," Macron told French ambassadors that the agreement was good. "There is no alternative to the regime on nuclear non-proliferation," he said. "In the context of what we are living through, the 2015 agreement is what allows us establish a constructive and demanding dialogue with Iran."

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a contact group on Syria will meet at the United Nations in New York in September, as he called the fight against Islamist terrorism the priority of his foreign policy.

In an opening speech to the annual gathering of French ambassadors at the Elysee palace, Macron said the "main players" of the Syrian crisis would be involved, without elaborating. It remained unclear what the purpose of the new group would be and how it differed to previous contact groups.

Macron said cooperation with Russia had yielded "concrete results" on curtailing the use of chemical weapons in Syria. He gave no details.




UN chief seeks `dream` of ME peace in first visit

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres (L) speaks to Israel\'s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his first visit since taking office .

AFP, Jerusalem :

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres held talks with Israeli leaders Monday on his first visit since taking office, making a forceful argument for a two-state solution with the Palestinians and speaking of his "dream" for peace.

Guterres also spoke of what he called obstacles to peace when meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including Israeli settlement building and the need for Palestinian leaders to condemn "terrorism".

"I dream that I will have the chance to see in the Holy Land two states able to live together in mutual recognition, but also in peace and security," Guterres said in remarks at Netanyahu's office.

He recalled past secret talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders at his office when he was Portugal's premier from 1995 to 2002, saying it had exposed him to the difficulties of the peace process.

Guterres spoke of improving economic and social conditions for Palestinians to provide them with a "dividend" and incentive for peace.

His meeting with Netanyahu was part of a three-day visit that ends Wednesday.

It came at a time of growing doubt around a two-state solution to the long-running conflict, long the goal of internationally backed peace talks.

Earlier Monday, he met President Reuven Rivlin, and he is due in Ramallah on Tuesday for talks with Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas is in Turkey and not expected to meet Guterres during the trip.

Guterres will travel to the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, with UN officials calling for an end to Israel's blockade of the densely-populated Palestinian coastal enclave in order to ease deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, including Islamist movement Hamas which runs the territory, have fought three wars since 2008.

On Monday, the head of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya al-Sinwar, said the movement had increased its military capabilities thanks to newly improved relations with Iran, but stressed it was not seeking war.

After arriving on Sunday evening, the UN chief met Jason Greenblatt, a top aide to US President Donald Trump charged with pursuing Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.

Greenblatt was part of a US delegation last week, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, that held talks with Netanyahu and Abbas. He remained in the region for further discussions.

Peace efforts have been at a standstill since April 2014 but Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank has continued.

Trump has said he wants to reach the "ultimate deal", but he himself has cast doubt on the two-state solution, saying he could support a single state if it meant peace.

Such statements deeply concern Palestinians but have delighted rightwing Israelis who want their country to annex most of the West Bank.

The two-state solution envisions an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, and has been the focus of international diplomacy since at least the early 1990s.

At the same time, many analysts say neither Netanyahu nor Abbas are able to make any major concessions for now.

Netanyahu faces pressure from his right-wing base to keep a hard line and to continue settlement building. There is little incentive at the moment for him to change course, analysts say.

The 82-year-old Palestinian leader is unpopular and his Fatah party, based in the West Bank, is in a long-running feud with Hamas in Gaza.

While Guterres spoke at length in his public comments on Monday on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israeli leaders' interests lie elsewhere for now.

Netanyahu pressed Guterres on the UN peacekeeping force in neighbouring Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, which Israeli officials have accused of "blindness" to what they call an arms buildup by the Shiite group Hezbollah.

The trip comes as the UN Security Council debates renewing the force's mandate for a year, with a vote expected on Wednesday.

Guterres told Netanyahu: "I will do everything in my capacity to make sure that UNIFIL fully meets its mandate."

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric has expressed "full confidence" in the force's commander.

Netanyahu also spoke of what he sees as Israel's arch-rival Iran seeking to expand its presence in the Middle East, particularly in neighbouring Syria.

He accused Iran of building sites to produce "precision-guided missiles" in both Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu again accused UN bodies of bias against his country, saying they had "an absurd obsession with Israel" and calling on Guterres to address it.

Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, in a separate meeting with the UN chief, issued a firm warning to residents of southern Lebanon across the border from Israel.

"The Lebanese government and residents of southern Lebanon should know that Israel will act with force if missiles are fired at its civilians," he said.




Abducted bank official released blindfolded

Victim, family members remain mum in panic: No whereabouts of 2 others kidnapped in last 6 days

Sagar Biswas :

Five days after abduction, the official of IFIC Bank Shamim Ahmed was released blindfolded by unidentified persons in the city's Motijheel area on Monday late night.

Shamim Ahmed was abducted from in front of 'Khana Basmoti' restaurant opposite to Baitul Mukarram Masjid at Purana Palton while he was going there for having launch at around 1:40pm on August 23.

The kidnappers, numbering nine to ten persons, were waiting at the restaurants. Entire kidnapping episode was recorded in the CCTV cameras installed in and outside the restaurants.

Victim's wife Shiply Ahmed on Tuesday said she was informed about his [husband] release after her husband phoned her from an unknown number at about 11:30 pm on Monday.

"Shamim was abandoned by the abductors at a place of Motijheel. Getting help from the locals, he rang me and informed about his release. Later, our family members rushed to the spot and rescued him. At first, he was taken to a relative's house," Shilpy said.

Elaborating the incident, she said Shamim's mobile phone was switched off for the last few days during his abduction. Besides, his eyes were blindfolded constantly at that time. Now, he is well and staying at our Fatullah house, she added.

Earlier, Shiply Ahmed filed a General Diary with the Palton Model Police Station in connection with the abduction of her husband. Police, however, could not nab anybody in connection with the incident till the

When contacted, Investigation Officer and Sub Inspector of Palton Police Station Saidul Islam told The New Nation last night, "The victim and his wife went to the police station yesterday morning. But they did not complain specifically against anybody. Even, they are not interested to file any case also."

Do you think members of any security agency are involved in the kidnapping? The IO said, "The abducted person can tell it clearly. But he is keeping mum. We've analyzed CCTV footages and it was clear that Shamim was forcefully taken away by a gang of kidnappers."

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission [NHRC] has expressed grave concern over the recent abductions including the kidnapping of two businessmen and a banker in the last six days where the kidnappers introduced themselves as the members of law enforcement agencies.

The NHRC, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said a total of 52 people were kidnapped in six months from January to June this year.

In another incident, a group of plain-clothed men abducted Sadat Ahmed, BNP leader and Managing Director of ABN Group, intercepting his private car under the Banani flyover in the capital on August 22. His wife filed an abduction case with the Cantonment Police Station in this connection.

Sadat, son of former army officer Syed Shahabuddin, is member of BNP national executive committee and Vice-President of BNP Chittagong South Unit, was taking preparations to contest in the next parliamentary elections in Raozan, according to his family members.

On August 27, a gang of plain-clothed abductors picked up Aniruddha Roy from in front of Union Bank at 72 Gulshan Avenue in the city. Local people including gatekeepers of adjacent offices said that Aniruddha was taken away boarding a silver-colour microbus.

Wife of the victim, Swashati Roy, filed a GD with the Gulshan police station in this connection. In the complaint, Swashati said that her husband was picked up at 4:19pm by three unidentified persons while he was coming out of Union Bank. Car driver of the victim Shah Alam and some other gatekeepers of nearby offices were eyewitnesses.

Against this backdrop, the NHRC statement further said it has given "priority to the abduction" of Honorary Consul of Belarus Aniruddha Kumar Roy and asked the Secretary to the Public Security Division, Home Ministry, to submit a report after an investigation over the abduction.

"The NHRC has already taken cognisance of some incidents of abduction and enforced disappearance as suo moto," the commission in its statement added.

Allegations have been raised that Aniruddha has been kidnapped following a conflict over business with a powerful ruling party lawmaker, who was his former partner.

A senior police official of Gulshan Division preferring anonymity told The New Nation last night that "trained and professional persons" kidnapped Aniruddha. The official, however, refrained from making any comment whether he was kidnapped by the members of any law enforcement agency.


Agonising wait in no man's land

UN Chief urges BD to allow them shelter

Rohingya people sit in a makeshift shelter on Monday near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border as they are being restricted by Bangladesh in Cox\'s Bazar on Sunday.

Staff Reporter :

Several thousand Rohingya refugees are waiting at many points of the no man's land area bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Setting up temporary shelter in the no man's land area adjacent to the border point of Naikhyangchari upazila of Bandarban, they made several attempts to cross the border.

Most are women, children, or the elderly, and there are reports of wounded people among them.

According to our correspondent, they were seen requesting the members of Border Guard Bangladesh for collecting drinking water, food and medicines.

The BGB members allowed them to collect drinking water, food and medicines but asked them to return after collecting the essentials.

After collecting drinking water food and medicines, they returned to their makeshift shelters adjacent to the Tombru canal.

Several thousand were reported to remain in locations along the Myanmar side of the border. On Bangladesh side of the border, some people are in cordoned-off areas near the border, and others are mainly in Kutupalong area.

The Rohingyas entered Bangladesh through several points along the Teknaf border following the fresh violence in Rakhine State in Myanmar.

Meanwhile, two more Rohingyas, who sustained bullet wounds by security forces in Rakhine State of Myanmar, were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on Tuesday.

With the two, the total number of injured Rohingyas who were admitted to CMCH reached 18 in the last four days. Of them, Mohammad Musa, 22, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday, said sub-inspector Jahirul Islam, in-charge of CMCH police outpost.

The injured are - Khaleda Akhter, 17, daughter of Nurul Islam, hailing from Tumbru area of Mongdu, and Mamunur Rashid, 19, son of Abdur Rashid, hailing from Nemai area of Dangsa.

The injured were undergoing treatment at Ward No. 26 of CMCH, added the SI.

Meanwhile, UNHCR, the refugee agency of the United Nations, has urged Bangladesh to open borders for people fleeing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

"UNHCR believes it's of the utmost importance that it (Bangladesh) continues to allow Rohingyas fleeing violence to seek safety there," said UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards on Tuesday at a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The UN agency also called on the international community to support Bangladesh in doing so, with all necessary aid and other help.

As of Sunday it was estimated that some 5,200 people have entered Bangladesh from Myanmar since Thursday, according to UNHCR statement.

The UNHCR mentioned that Bangladesh had hosted refugees from Myanmar for decades.

In light of the dramatic worsening since Friday of the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state, the UNHCR has communicated to the government of Bangladesh its readiness to support Bangladesh in helping refugees fleeing across the border.

Aid efforts involving the Bangladeshi authorities, local communities, UNHCR partners and NGOs have been under way, including arrangements of food, water and medical help to the new arrivals.

"UNHCR is grateful to the Bangladeshi authorities for the support being provided. Rapid needs assessments are being planned, however with the precarious situation inside Myanmar we are concerned that numbers of people needing help may rise further over the coming days," Edwards said. The spokesperson also said UNHCR is aware of several reported instances of people being prevented from entering Bangladesh.

"This poses a very grave risk to the individuals affected."

In Myanmar's Rakhine State access to populations in need of help is severely restricted.

"We're appealing to the Myanmar authorities to do everything possible to facilitate humanitarian help and ensure the safety of our staff," Edwards said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has also urged the Bangladesh authorities to continue to allow the Rohingyas fleeing violence to seek safety in Bangladesh.

The UN chief made the appeal recognising that Bangladesh has hosted generously refugees from Myanmar for decades. "The Secretary General is deeply concerned at the reports of civilians being killed during security operations in Myanmar's Rakhine State," Spokesman for the Secretary General Stephane Dujarric quoted the UN boss as saying. "The United Nations stands ready to provide all the necessary support to both Myanmar and Bangladesh in that regard," he said.

The Secretary General fully supports the recommendations of the report by Kofi Annan and urges the government to effectively implement them, he said.

This latest round of violence comes after the attacks on Myanmar security forces on August 25.
BD seeks US support

Alice Wells

Staff Reporter :

Bangladesh has sought continued US support to resolve Rohingya crisis as more Rohingyas fleeing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State to seek safety in Bangladesh.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali raised the issue during his meeting with the visiting acting assistant secretary of US Department of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells on Tuesday.

Alice Wells arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a two-day visit to discuss security situation, energy cooperation and regional issues apart from bilateral matters.

While discussing the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine State, the acting assistant secretary said the current situation in Myanmar is 'quite concerning'.

The foreign minister described the evolving situation there, including the recent initiatives taken by the government of Bangladesh in this regard.

He also underlined Bangladesh's full support to the report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State led by Kofi Annan and hoped that the Myanmar government would do the needful keeping in view the recommendations made in that report.

However, during the meeting, the US official commended Bangladesh's 'tremendous' role in counterterrorism initiatives saying her country will continue to cooperate in this area.

Terming the bilateral relationship between the two countries as 'extraordinary', she said the United States attaches great values to its ties with Bangladesh.

The US official also met Prime Minister's three advisers -- Security Advisor Major General (retd) Tarique Siddiqui, Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e- Elahi Chowdhury and International Affairs Advisor Gowher Rizvi -- on the first day of her visit.

She will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday, a senior official told The New nation.

The US official is scheduled to have meetings with business leaders and civil society representatives to discuss US cooperation in the region before her departure today.

On September 1, Alice Wells will speak at the Indian Ocean Conference in Colombo, which will bring together high-level officials from around the world to discuss peace, progress and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region.


Rakhine State burning

Rohingyas pushed to wall

Special Correspondent :

Satellite data show widespread fires at least 10 areas in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, following a military crackdown on the country's Muslim Rohingya population.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) accessed the data on Tuesday.

Residents and activists have accused soldiers of shooting indiscriminately at unarmed Rohingya men, women and children and carrying out arson attacks.

However, authorities in Myanmar say that about 100 people have been killed since Friday when armed men, reportedly from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), launched a pre-dawn raid on police outposts in the restive region.

Myanmar authorities say Rohingya "extremist terrorists" have been fighting with government troops, while Rohingya have blamed soldiers, have for carrying out extra judicial killings.

"The Burmese government should grant access to independent monitors to determine the sources of fires and prove allegations of human rights violations," the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement on Tuesday.

HRW said fires have razed 100km of land - an area larger than that burned during a crackdown by the Myanmar military following attacks by Rohingya fighters in October 2016, when data from the group suggested some 1,500 buildings were destroyed.

The locations of the fires correlate with some witness statements and media reports describing blazes deliberately set, the group said.

"This new satellite data should cause concern and prompt action by donors and UN agencies to urge the Burmese government to reveal the extent of ongoing destruction in Rakhine State," Phil Robertson, HRW's Deputy Asia Director, said in a statement.

"Shuffling all the blame on insurgents doesn't spare the Burmese (Myanmar) government from its international obligations to stop abuses and investigate alleged violations."
We are a respectable nation and wish to live as such, let others leave

We welcome as a sign of great hope that twenty-five citizens issued last Monday a statement expressing their agony and concern over politicisation of the judgement rejecting empowerment of the Parliament to try judges of the Supreme Court. They include eminent university professors and other respectable citizens. They said that the court is the last resort for protecting our democratic rights. They also called upon all concerned not to tarnish the dignity of Supreme Court. They have raised the voice of the nation.





We are a respectable nation and wish to live as such, so let the others who have proved incompetent and have no respect for democracy and the rule of law should leave.





Being in public employment a minister must know his or her own position and know further that the Chief Justice holds the highest position of trust of the people of Bangladesh in the justice system. They must learn from other democracies that judges of the Supreme Court are accountable to the people and not to anybody else. The judges are their own judge that is why they are independent of two other organs of the government.





It is not honourable for holders of public positions to treat the people as ignorant and consider whatever the ministers say must be accepted as true. They must show their accountability to the people for their activities and not to take shelter behind Bangabandhu. He is for all.







The power and authority of the Chief Justice come directly from the people's Constitution. He is the protector of the Constitution.





Like a minister the Chief Justice does not hold his position at the pleasure of the Prime Minister or anybody.





Some ministers not only do not know their jobs but do not know how to maintain the respectability of their public position. This is happening because they were in India during the Liberation War and they think they are above our people. They are super patriots in contrast to others who did not go to India. They do not have to respect the high position of the Chief Justice or the Constitution endowed by the people. Such ministers have so much to learn and so much to forget.





Under a respectable democracy the Prime Minister herself would have got rid of the minister who had asked the Chief Justice to leave the country. He may not be her Chief Justice but he is the most trusted Chief Justice of whole people.





The Prime Minister can any time dispense a minister's service but the PM cannot ask the Chief Justice to resign. It is unheard of in a democracy that the holders of public positions, paid from public exchequer, can have the indecency to ask the Chief Justice to leave because a judgement has gone against usurpation plan of the government.





A minister who is not sure of her own position said last week that they created the country and the Chief Justice should leave the country. It is no use asking any question to her for an answer and we shall refrain ourselves from asking. She should understand her own position and the responsibility before asking the Chief Justice to leave the country as if the country is her personal property got through inheritance.





She is lucky for being where she is. Under any respectable democracy the Prime Minister would have asked her to resign.




Resolve Rohingya crisis before too late

FRESH influx of refugees is entering Bangladesh at Teknaf border and through other points as Myanmar military flare up clash from last Friday killing Rohingya Muslims torching their homes and forcing them to leave the State. The hopeless people are crowding the riverbank on Myanmar side of the border trying to sneak into Bangladesh for safety. It appears that Burmese military and political leadership have made it easiest way to evict Rohingyas from their home as per of an ethnic cleansing operation defying cries of the ethnic community and protest from all over the world. It is a mindless genocide of a population stripping them of their citizenship and right to their ancestral homeland.







For Bangladesh it is adding to its already worst humanitarian crisis it is handling to feed the homeless refugees and give them shelter. The government has already partially opened the border on call from the International Community and trying to give them safety but this is a gigantic task having far reaching consequences. Moreover we fear that Rohingya youths for the first time have organized them in fighting groups to run militancy operation that they proved in their simultaneous attacks on 30 Myanmar police outposts in the border. They killed at least one dozen Myanmar forces and in retaliation they have killed over 77 Rohingya militants.







What is alarming is that the Rohingya crisis is heading towards armed conflict inside Myanmar border and it risks safety of Bangladesh border as unwilling witness to the fight. Any armed conflict in the region is bound to cause bigger bloodshed and spread destabilization in the region. We call upon the Myanmar regime to pay heed to what the Kofi Annan Commission recommended to end the crisis.







The clash flared up this time on the eve of the Rakhine Advisory Commission report led by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan with Aung San Suu Kyi as co-chairman. The report has called upon the Myanmar authorities to end all discrimination, review the citizenship law and allow Rohingyas to freely move in the Rakhine State. But as the conflict is spreading uprooting thousands of Rohingyas from their home following torture, killing and rape of women, the chance for peaceful solution to the crisis seems only becoming remote.

Meanwhile over 9, 000 refugees entered Bangladesh over the last four days aggravating the humanitarian crisis. Thousands others have set up temporary shelter on Myanmar side of the border waiting to enter Bangladesh. We have over 87,000 in shelters. Bangladesh can no longer bear the load of so many refugees and Dhaka must take stronger diplomatic steps to master bigger support from ASEAN, USA and European nations to bring pressure on Myanmar to resolve the crisis. It must also call for greater support from China and Russia to end the conflict.
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SPRINGFIELD  The Illinois Legislature on Tuesday approved a school funding overhaul that supporters hailed as "historic," saying it will increase aid to all of the state's more than 800 districts and eliminate large disparities between rich and poor schools.

The Senate voted 38-13 to send the measure to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who has said he'll sign it quickly to get money to districts starting a new school year. The House passed the bill late Monday.

Democratic Sen. Andy Manar, the bill's sponsor, said the plan will fund schools fairly "for the first time in decades."

"There will not be another generation of students that are subjected to inequity  the worst in the country  after this bill becomes law," he said. "That's something worth saying today."

Lawmakers have tried unsuccessfully for years to replace the current system. This year's state budget required for the first time that the formula be changed, and provided an additional $350 million to help pay for it.

No money can go to districts, however, until a new plan is in place. Although school officials have said they will be able to open classrooms for the new school year, many districts have worried they would run out of money if a plan wasn't approved soon.

The legislation passed Tuesday also provides $75 million in tax credits for people who contributed to private school scholarships.

Teacher unions and some school officials oppose the credits, saying taxpayer money shouldn't be used to fund private schools. They fear the scholarships  which lawmakers say would benefit as many as 10,000 students  will reduce enrollment at public schools, some of which are struggling to maintain enough students to stay open.

"A parent has the right to choose a private education for their child," said Superintendent Andrea Evers from Cairo, a poor district which has lost population. "It should not be on the backs of taxpayers."

Still, others said having more cash was critical.

Edwin Shoemate runs a roughly 515-student district in Cobden, which relies on the state for much of its $4.3 million annual budget.

Shoemate anticipates receiving roughly $180,000 more, enough to pay for about three more teachers and to add back elementary school art.

The tax credit program will expire after five years if lawmakers don't extend it. The credits would be worth 75 percent of a taxpayer's annual contributions to a scholarship fund, with a maximum credit of $1 million annually. The money may be donated to a specific school but not a specific student.

Students receiving the scholarships must have a household income of less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $73,000 annually for a family of four.

Under Illinois' current school funding system, districts must rely heavily on property taxes to fund schools. That's created large differences in funding levels, with some wealthier districts spending four times more per student than districts with less property tax wealth.

Under the new plan, the state will determine how much money each district needs to adequately educate its students, taking into consideration the number who live in poverty, are English-language learners or need special education services. The state then looks at how much money the district is able to generate from property taxes, and directs aid first to districts that need it to reach the spending target.

The legislation also provides money to help Chicago Public Schools make payments to its teacher pension funds, as Illinois does for other districts, and gives districts relief from some state mandates, such as allowing them to offer fewer days of physical education each week.

 Tareen reported from Chicago.
CARBONDALE  To hear Carlo Montemagno tell it, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is no stranger to adversity.

The newly minted chancellor  formerly a professor of engineering at the University of Alberta's Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering  has been brushing up on the institutions history.

In the 1860s, Carbondale fought tirelessly to have a college built here, Montemagno said during a sit-down interview Monday. When the original building burned down soon after its founding, the community rallied.

It looked like the school was going to become defunct. The town opened the doors of its shops for students to live, faculty to teach their courses, Montemagno said. ... We are a product of the desires of the people of Southern Illinois. We belong to Southern Illinois just as much as Southern Illinois belongs to us; were one.

Montemagno, who assumed the role of chancellor Aug. 15 after an extended national search, comes to SIUC at a critical time  a steep decline in student enrollment has left the university floundering.

But Montemagno appears undaunted. He said hes been impressed with the people, the attitude, the openness of the community.

Ive been here, it was two weeks yesterday, and I can honestly say that I feel more at home here now than virtually any place Ive lived in the last 20 years, Montemagno said.

Embodied in the people

Montemagno has repeatedly stressed SIUCs need for a unified vision. To that end, he has launched an online survey polling students, faculty, staff, alumni, community members and local business owners on what the university should look like in 2025.

The survey deconstructs SIUs current mission statement, allowing respondents to rate each section, and calls for ideas to guide the schools future.

Weve faced a lot of challenges. And the biggest challenge I think SIU has faced is its identity. I think that all of these other external influences have somehow rocked its confidence in who we are as an institution, Montemagno said.

Montemagno, the founder of the Ingenuity Lab for the Province of Alberta and an expert in nanotechnology, seems willing to humor just about any idea for how to refashion SIU into a thriving institution. But hes reluctant to imagine new identities for the school himself, emphasizing that what he wants, first and foremost, is to get a sense for the communitys priorities and values.

Once you have the values that everybody believes in, its easier to rally people around changes that have been made to support those values. There is a purpose and a context in which changes are made, and people can describe, in the proverbial elevator speech, who we are at SIU and what were doing to make sure we achieve the ideals that we have set for ourselves, Montemagno said.

Although an email blast only invited students to the survey, he said his staff has already received close to 2,000 responses from people who arent students.

The faculty, the staff, the community are all invested in the success of this university. Great universities are defined by the people that occupy them, not by the physical infrastructure that they reside in or work in.

Just like when Old Main burned down  the college didnt disappear. It was embodied in the people. And that is probably its biggest strength: that everybody is fully committed, he said.

Were going to advance prosperity

A financial sustainability plan adopted by the SIU Board of Trustees in July called for a right-sizing of the university, amounting to $26 million in cuts, the elimination of seven programs and the consolidation of some others. Montemagno said its too early to say what the size of the university should be.

It may be 17,000. It may be 20,000, Montemagno said. I think what were going to see is that were going to want an SIU that provides a unique educational experience for our students  and the size of the institution that were going to have has to be consistent with providing a personal educational experience.

He said he has a team assessing the universitys capacity in terms of research infrastructure, staffing and programming needs. He also hopes to expand economic development opportunities with the city of Carbondale.

Were going to advance prosperity, not only for SIU, but for all of Southern Illinois. Thats what were going to focus on: making lives better for everyone, and at the same time were going to turn out world-class leaders who are going to help drive the agenda of the next generation for the entire nation, he said.

The vision survey is available at surveymonkey.com/r/SIUvision2025.
Emily Kircher (right) talks Monday with fellow Democrats Doris Bartolotti (middle) and Richard Bartolotti in the Democratic party tent at the Du Quoin State Fair. Doris said despite heightened tensions nationally, she and her husband have not had any problems in their political tent since the fair began last week. Doris and Richard have manned the tent for the last 16 years with the help of volunteers and said last year there were moments of tensions, but this year has been calm. Richard said the primary question they have gotten is about the upcoming gubernatorial race and the multitude of Democratic challengers to Republican Bruce Rauner. He said the biggest task at hand for local Democrats is to try and win over some of the Republican converts from the last election but also to try to get those who say out to the voting booth next year. Just a few stalls away Renee Holmes, Williamson County Republican chair, also said there have been no incidents at her tent. She said her party is hoping to retain their newly held position of power in the region  Republicans handily took many former Democrat strongholds, like Franklin County in the last election. She, like the Bartolottis just down row from her, believes that misinformation delivered from partitioned sources is a chief enemy for voters. I think until people start researching for themselves  we are lost, she said.
By Trend





The Southern Gas Corridor is the most viable option for Israeli gas export, Cyril Widdershoven, a Middle East geopolitical specialist and energy analyst, a partner at Dutch risk consultancy VEROCY and SVP MEA-Risk, told Trend on August 29.

Israel has expressed interest in transporting its gas to Europe via the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP). Israeli Minister of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz has said that Turkey and Israel intend to sign an agreement on construction of a gas pipeline to Europe by late 2017.

The option of exporting gas to Turkey seems to me still the most viable, as it not only gives access to a growing market (Turkey) but also will be an option to bring it to Europe. The main issues here still to be solved will be the costs and technical challenges of a deep-water subsea gas pipeline, which will be staggering, the expert believes.

Regarding the supply of gas from Israels Leviathan gas field to Egypt, Widdershoven noted that Egypt's growing domestic demand is also very attractive.

However, the security situation in Sinai, through which Israeli gas can be delivered to Egypt, is a major stumble block, he noted.

The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.



At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage.



As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans Adriatic Pipeline.

The Leviathan field was discovered in 2010. Its recoverable resources are estimated at 21.9 trillion cubic feet (620 billion cubic meters).
By Azernews





By Sara Israfilbayova

ADY Express LLC, subsidiary of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, announced the launch of a new container block train Poti/Batumi (Georgia) - Kishly station (Azerbaijan).

The train is sent three times a week and covers 900 kilometers of the track in 30 hours, according to the official website of the company.

The all-inclusive tariff for the transportation of a 20-foot container is $800, and a 40-foot container is $1,000.

ADY Express LLC was founded in 2016 to provide a full range of logistics services in line with international standards, combining rail and sea routes of Azerbaijan.

The main objective of the company is to increase the transit transportation between Europe and Asia through the territory of Azerbaijan, at the same time providing customers with convenient and cost-effective price.

Diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan and Georgia were established on November 18, 1992.

The two countries broadly cooperate in regional energy development, transportation and economic partnership projects such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway, the TRACECA, and the BSEC.

The two countries closely cooperate in such spheres as education, defense, culture, and economy. Azerbaijan occupies the leading positions in the list of the largest trading partners of Georgia.

Georgian exports to Azerbaijan include cement, locomotives and other railway vehicles, mineral and chemical fertilizers, mineral waters, strong drinks, glass and glass wares, and pharmaceuticals, among other things.

Azerbaijan mainly exports to Georgia oil and petroleum products, natural gas, plastic wares, furniture and building constructions.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Georgia amounted to $123.98 million in January-March 2017, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan State Theater of Young Spectators will take part in the 5th International Theater Festival of Small Forms "Northern Meetings in Nizhnevartovsk, Russia, on October 25-28.

The festival will bring together actors from different countries, including Russia, Moldova, Italy, and France.

The theater plans to present monologue "The Double Bass" by Patrick Zuskind with the participation of Honored Artist, laureate of international competitions Shovgi Huseynova, Trend Life reported.

Director, stage designer and author of musical design is People's Artist of Azerbaijan Irina Perlova.

"The Double Bass" is a play by Patrick Suskind, best known for his internationally acclaimed novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.

The monologue in one act premiered in 1981.

The play consists of an extended monologue delivered by a double bass player, who speaks to the audience in his small sound-proofed apartment while drinking beer.

The world of the double bass player is secluded and impenetrable.

The musician is in his mid-thirties and is employed at a State Orchestra. At first he praises his instrument and its importance in the orchestra. At the same time, he reveals more and more of his past and present rather than his current misery. He did not pick his instrument out of love and he never has company.

The play was appraised in Iran, Turkey, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine.




By Trend





Istanbul police have said they detained 648 people in the city from August 2016 to August 2017 on suspicion of links to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.

The Istanbul police carried out 117 operations against IS members in the period.

It was established that 282 detainees had links to IS and were members of armed groups in Syria and Iraq, reads the police message.

The police message also said that 940 people were deported from Turkey between August 2016 and August 2017 as part of fight against IS.
Prince Khaled bin Waleed Al Saud, a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family, has expressed his desire to invest in Egypt by establishing a number of projects, especially in Sharm El-Sheikh, a report said.



Prince Khaled, who is also chairperson of the board of directors of the Seven Regions International Company, also stated during his meeting with Sahr Nasr, Egypts Minister of Investment and International Cooperation, that he wishes to enter a partnership to expand his current projects and support any faltering projects in Egypt, according to a report in Daily News Egypt.



Nasr highlighted that there are many investment opportunities in the New Administrative Capital, the New El Alamein City, and the Suez Canal Development Center, in addition to South Sinai, which the Saudi prince can invest in as the government provides these areas with high-quality infrastructure and all services to encourage investment in them.



Earlier, Saudi businesspeople Fahd Al-Shobokshi and Abdul Rahman Al-Sharbatli met with Nasr and agreed to inject new investments in Egypt worth $2.15 billion. Meanwhile the Egyptian-Saudi Business Council raised the investment ceiling in Egypt to $51 billion.
Downtown Design, a contemporary design event, will double in size this year as it presents a huge range of carefully selected best-in-class brands from all over the world in Dubai in November.



Taking place from November 14 to 17 in partnership with the Dubai Design District (d3)+ Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (DCAA), the show is set to enhance its position as the Middle East's essential contemporary design event, providing industry and the public with new product, trends and inspiration, said a statement.



The fifth edition of the annual exhibition, held for the third time at Dubai Design District (d3), will provide the architecture and design industry with a unique blend of exhibitors, live events, and installations all within a purpose-built venue.



More than 150 brands from 25 countries, featuring 70 new high-end international and regional brands, will take part in the event.



Downtown Design will present talent across 26 product categories  including furniture and lighting, textiles and accessories, and the latest in kitchen and bathroom technology. The show will feature world-famous brand names and showcase eight emerging regional design brands for the first time.



Rue Kothari, show director of Downtown Design, said: Were delighted to be marking five years of Downtown Design with a show double the size of previous editions. Not only does this reflect the strength of the exhibition and its reputation but also the growth in high-demand sectors of lighting, furniture and textiles.



"The show continues its rise, while focusing on connecting exhibitors to the regions leading architects and interior designers. Helping brands and buyers to unlock the potential of the Middle East design market is at the heart of Downtown Design, said Kothari.



Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, chief operating officer of Dubai Design District, said: "Were delighted to welcome Downtown Design again to d3 as part of this years Dubai Design Week. The success of the show is proof the design industry in Dubai and across the region is growing. Downtown Design, alongside d3, during Dubai Design Week is a powerful combination, underpinning Dubais position as an essential and dynamic market for local, regional and international brands."



Downtown Design maintains its approach to detail, quality and relevance in selecting brands to exhibit. The 2017 edition sees an increase in the number of brands across all categories, with an outstanding 90 per cent retention of key brands, each of which is returning with fresh concepts for the market. This includes sought-after furniture brands Kettal, Minotti, Moroso and Sancal, who between them collaborate with world renowned designers Patricia Urquiola, Sebastian Herkner, Jasper Morrison and the Bouroullec Brothers. Newcomers to the exhibitor line-up include iconic furniture, textile and lighting brands including B&B Italia, Designers Guild, MDF Italia, Meridiani, Marset, Sans Souci, Santa Cole and Vondom.



The popular Italian pavilion will feature for the third year running. It will be joined this year for the first time by a Portuguese pavilion that will present the country's most innovative industrial design brands.



Each year Downtown Design delivers a carefully considered visitor experience, from the design of the communal areas to the forum space, which will host a full programme of industry talks. - TradeArabia News Service
Emirati women make up over 55 per cent of the total workforce at the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI), 37.5 per cent of the banking sector's manpower and 66 per cent of total government jobs, a top official said.



The number of Emirati businesswomen and entrepreneurs in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has hit 3,555 and they are running projects valued at billions of dirhams, Mohammed Thani Murshed Al Rumaithi, chairman of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry was quoted as saying by Wam, the official Emirates news agency.



In statements marking the Emirati Women's' Day, Al Rumaithi, who is also the chairman of ADCCI noted that 30 per cent of the government jobs held by women are senior decision-making posts.



"Emirati women are working diligently and efficiently, contributing to the country's economy on the same footing with men," he added, signalling out the UAE women's contributions to R&D in areas of space as well as in other platforms developed as part of the government's efforts to build a robust knowledge-based economy.
Egypt's revenues from Suez Canal trade increased in July, registering $447.1 million compared to $429 million the same month last year, a report said.



Receipts also rose from June to July, registering $427 million, reported Emirates news agency Wam, citing data from the Suez Canal Authority published by the state-run Egypt Information Portal (EIP).



In May, receipts recorded $439 million.



In July, 1,453 ships passed through the Egyptian waterway compared to 1,384 the month before, EIP stated as quoted by Ahram Online.



The canal, which is the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia, is one of Egypt's main sources of foreign currency.
Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) will host the second edition of Bahrain International Chocolate and Coffee Exhibition, later this year, said a report.



The event will be held under the patronage of the authority's CEO Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa, from December 7 to 9, at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC), added the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) report.



The exhibition will be organised by BTEA, it said.



Yasmeen Jamal, CEO of Bidayaat Company, highlighted that the economic importance of this exhibition, and that it will unveil potential new investment opportunities in this vital industrial sector that has grown about threefold over the past decade.



She noted that it will also open up new vistas from the perspective of investors, importers, entrepreneurs as well as bring in international expertise in this industry, all under one roof.
The UAE is seeking to add more value to international trade, transport and shipping through its bid to become a Category B member of the Executive Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).



The candidacy is supported by the UAEs leading position among international ports, being the first Arab and regional and the third in terms of quality of seaport infrastructure reflecting its pivotal role as a major player in the international maritime sector.



The country is determined to continue its major contributions towards promoting the international maritime system and the development and implementation of standards for regulating shipping policy that meet the needs of the 21st century.



Dr Abdullah Bin Mohammed Balheif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development and chairman of the board of directors of the Federal Authority for Land and Maritime Transport, said: With its global competitiveness and modern human resource competencies, the UAE is able to keep pace with significant technological developments and promote excellence according to best practices and highest international standards.



The country is fast becoming an influential player on the global maritime stage, hosting 20 of the worlds leading ports and operating a total of 77 ports that are considered vital by important markets such as the US and Europe. We operate some of the worlds most important and largest ports, he said.



Al Nuaimi continued: UAE ports boast of modern equipment and exceptional shipping and unloading capabilities, enabling the country to acquire the largest share of the total volume of container and cargo handling in the region at 60 per cent.



This effectively positions the country as a global maritime trading centre. The UAEs port management system has become a global model for other countries looking to develop and enhance their seaport operations, he added.



Al Nuaimi emphasised that the UAE has exerted maximum effort to develop advanced marine infrastructure inclusive of shipping services for navigation, hydrographics and meteorology in addition to search and rescue and emergency response services, port facilities, and measures for efficiently facilitating trade, cargo handling, and logistics.



Huge investments in local port development and expansion projects are expected to reach Dh157 billion ($42.7 billion) over the next few years, which will further reinforce the UAEs maritime portfolio and capabilities.



Al Nuaimi pointed out that the UAE's regional dominance, its third global standing in terms of port infrastructure quality and sixth ranking in maritime port infrastructure under the 2014-2015 Global Competitiveness Index attests to the great success of the local ports sector over the past years thanks largely to the guidance and unlimited support of the wise leadership.



The sectors achievements, he added, will help meet UAE Vision 2021se objective of establishing an integrated and sustainable infrastructure that will make the country the first in the world in terms of the quality of airport, port and road infrastructure.



The UAE is the only Arab candidate for Category B membership, competing with 11 countries of the major leading international trade mobile countries by sea comes in the forefront of Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Brazil, Argentina, France and Australia.



The International Maritime Organization Executive Council is the authorized international legislative body for all maritime laws and conventions related to the safety of maritime navigation and the marine environment.



The IMO is a specialised agency under the umbrella of the United Nations concerned with the maritime industry and the issuance of marine agreements aimed at upholding safety, environmental protection, and security.



Members will be elected at the 30th Ordinary General Assembly meeting in November, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, said that its rose-liveried Boeing 777 freighter aircraft, Rosie, arrived at Shanghais Pudong International airport on the day of the Qixi festival.



The aircraft arrived in the Chinese city during the early hours of August 28 to mark the day known as Chinese Valentines Day, said a statement.



Shanghai is one of Emirates SkyCargos scheduled freighter destinations and the air cargo carrier connects businesses and cargo from Shanghai to the rest of the world through a network that spans over 155 destinations in 84 countries.



Emirates SkyCargo operates a daily freighter service to Shanghai and also offers customers freight capacity on its twice a day passenger flights from the city. Some of the major commodities exported by Emirates SkyCargo from Shanghai include branded electronic goods, fashion garments, pharmaceuticals and telecommunication equipment.



The rose decal on A6-EFL was originally unveiled in Dubai on the occasion of Valentines Day in February this year in order to highlight the role of Emirates SkyCargo in the global floriculture industry, it said.



Since then, the aircraft has flown around the world to close to 50 destinations across six continents and has made special visits including arriving in Barcelona on the Catalan Day of the Rose. In six months the aircraft has flown over 400 flights and has carried over 20,000 tonnes of cargo including flowers and other perishables, pharmaceuticals, horses, cars and general cargo.



Back in Dubai, UAE, Rosie also featured prominently in an initiative organised by Emirates SkyCargo to mark the South Indian festival of Onam. The festival is celebrated by those living in the state of Kerala as well as by over a million Keralites living in the Middle East region, it added.



Every year, Emirates SkyCargo transports significant volumes of perishables including bananas and banana leaves from Kerala to the Middle East during the run up to Onam. The fruits and vegetables are used to prepare the traditional festive banquet called the Onam Sadhya.



Flowers brought in from India are also used in traditional Onam Pookalams which are intricate and colourful floral arrangements and form an integral part of Onam festivities. A special Onam Pookalam was put together by staff at Emirates SkyCargo to underline how the air cargo carrier helps bring a taste of home to expatriates in the region.



In the first three weeks of August, Emirates SkyCargo transported close to 2,200 tonnes of fruits and vegetables from India to the rest of the world out of which close to 1,700 tonnes were air freighted to several destinations in the Middle East region. Emirates SkyCargo offers specialised transportation solutions for perishables including temperature and time sensitive fruits and vegetables.



Emirates SkyCargo is an important facilitator of global trade connecting businesses and communities across the world through Dubai. The air cargo carrier operates a modern fleet of 260 aircraft including 14 freighters- 13 Boeing 777-Fs and one B747-400ERF, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
New alliances, structural change and positive economic trends have transformed the container shipping market over the past year, driving growth and pushing business performance figures from deep red into black, according to Xeneta.



Xeneta, a leading global benchmarking and market intelligence platform for containerised ocean freight, says a recovery of the container segment is well under way.



However, despite long-term rates that are, in some cases, up 120 per cent year on year, the future remains uncertain due to a looming shadow on the horizon.



From a 2016 that saw the collapse of Hanjin and the top 20 market players posting combined net losses of $5 billion (Wall Street Journal), 2017 is shaping up to be a bumper year, said Xenetas CEO Patrik Berglund.



Berglund said: Maersks recent 2017 Q2 financial report provides an interesting snapshot of the industry.



Higher freight rates propelled revenues upwards by 8.4 per cent to almost $10 billion for the quarter. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Hapag-Lloyd will triple its earnings this year, he said.



Rates have jumped since their historical lows last year. For the Chinese main port to Northern Europe route last May, the three-month rolling average for long-term rates for a 40-foot container stood at $655, he added.



Berglund continued: This May it was $1438, an increase of 120 per cent, and the same average is now up at $1618. Meanwhile we see US containerised ports are busier than ever, handling a projected 1.75 million TEU this month (Global Port Tracker) alone, the most on record.



This comes despite the uncertainty caused by President Trumps America First doctrine and his withdrawal from initiatives like the Trans-Pacific Partnership. US container imports actually seem to be growing, he added.



Xeneta CEO pointed out that strong consumer demand, the restructuring of industry alliances  90 per cent of all container ship traffic is now accounted for by three major alliances (The Alliance, Ocean and 2M)  and Hanjins demise all help push up utilization and rates, Berglund says, but there remains uncertainty.



We remain optimistic with regards to the remainder of 2017, but the longer term becomes more complex, he argues, pointing to one huge issue  the increase in mega-ship capacity, he said.



Berglund commented: A staggering 78 new mega-ships are due to come online for the Asia-Europe trades over the next two years, pushing capacity up by over 23 per cent.



Berglund said that all stakeholders in the container shipping supply chain need to pay close attention to the market to stay ahead of developments and get the best rates for their assets, services and cargoes.



Xeneta gathers global shipping data from a community of over 700 leading businesses, covering more than 160,000 port-to-port pairings and over 35 million contracted rates, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Bahrains Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) held on Monday (August 28) a workshop entitled Strategic Direction for Cloud Computing for governmental ministries.



The workshop, headed by iGA acting vice chief executive of Operations & Governance Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, was held at the Ministry of Finance Meeting Hall in collaboration with Amazon Web Services.



It brought the attendance and participation of more than 60 specialists representing public and semi-public entities in the IT field.



Shaikh Salman stressed that the workshop was conducted based on the adoption of Cloud First Policy for the Kingdom following its resolution by the HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information & Communication Technology (SCICT) during its eighth meeting conducted last June  placing Bahrain to become the first Arab country to adopt this policy.



He directed all investments, related to ICT, towards Cloud Computing with the purpose of reducing operational expenditures of IT systems and services, enhancing the quality of services as well as keeping abreast with the rapid developments in the field of information technology provided to beneficiaries from every society segment.



Shaikh Salman stated that since the SCICT assigned the authority to set the necessary procedures in order to implement the policy along with enlightening government entities with the approved policy and procedures for implementation; the authority has immediately prepared and arranged the organizational structure and the suitable environment to host government systems and IT services more securely and efficiently on the Cloud Computing for the Amazon Services.



He also highlighted that the authority has developed a plan which comprised the smooth and organized transfer of a set of governmental systems while ensuring continuity of work as it succeeded in shifting 10 government websites to the Cloud Computing system  in cooperation with Amazon Web Services.



The workshop was organized following the authoritys responsibility and role in supporting the strategic direction of the Kingdom in the process transformation and gradual transition of the public entities to the cloud by enhancing communication in order to remove any obstacles and challenges together with studying and setting necessary policies to implement this direction which is reflected by the delivered services to citizens and society institutions.



During the workshop, the Cloud Computing Policy was presented while addressing security procedures accompanied by procurement and contracting operations. Transition stages of the Cloud Computing were also showcased with the purpose of facilitating the operations of transferring systems to the Cloud Computing environment  this contributes to delivering high quality services that benefit users.  TradeArabia News Service
The arrival of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class in the region was celebrated at an elegant event at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi this week.



The event showcased the exceptional intelligence, comfort and luxury defining the new flagship model, said a statement.

The event, attended by more than 200 VIP customers, influencers and media, comprised experiential zones that immersed guests in the superior elements and features of the model.

Audiences were treated to an extravagant grandstand visual display leading up to the reveal of the new S-Class.

A presentation by Mark De Haes, president and CEO at Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East, highlighted the flagship models innovative capabilities and the brands exciting new ventures that are reinventing the future of cars and creating new mobility solutions.

Lennart Mueller-Teut, head of marketing and communications, Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East, said: Throughout its lifetime the Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been at the pinnacle of automotive engineering and an undisputed status symbol around the world. We are delighted to introduce this latest version of a truly remarkable car, and to highlight the features that demonstrate why the new S-Class really is the best of the best.

The 2018 model takes autonomous driving to a new level with driver assistance systems and substantially expanded functionality that demonstrates the latest automotive technology. Intelligence in the new S-Class is matched equally with comfort and world-first wellness features that include in-seat massage options, temperature control, interior cabin climate control, and mood enhancing light and sound options.

Luxury is evident in every detail of the latest model, from the finest quality interior craftsmanship to the exclusive exterior design that includes stylish chrome finishes and distinctive Multibeam LED headlights with three unique torches of light.

Test drives are now available for customers to experience first-hand the intelligence and comfort features of the best car in the world, said the statement.

The S-Class will be available in different model variants in the GCC. They models and prices are: S450 - $109,950; S560 - $133,700 (available from November); S560 4MATIC - $137,350; AMG S 63 4MATIC+ - $174,950; AMG S 65  $237,000 (available from November); Maybach S 650 - $209,300 (available form November).

Powertrain: new engines

The new Mercedes-Benz S 560 boasts a new V-8 engine that comes to the starting line with 345 kW (469 hp) and 700 Nm. The new biturbo engine is among the most economical V-8 petrol engines in the world, and consumes about ten percent less fuel than the predecessor. To lower the fuel consumption, four cylinders of the new V-8 are simultaneously deactivated under partial load with the help of the CAMTRONIC valve-lift adjustment system. This reduces gas-cycle losses and enhances the overall efficiency of the four firing cylinders by shifting the operating point towards higher loads. The turbochargers positioned in the V of the cylinder banks represent another special feature.



Intelligent Drive: the next step

Over 10 years ago, innovations that began with PRE-SAFE and developed into DISTRONIC PLUS led to new dimensions in driving. With the previous S-Class, comfort and safety blended into one, which Mercedes-Benz referred to as "Intelligent Drive". Now, the new S-Class adds an additional layer of excellence by incorporating and enhancing a host of innovative driving assistance systems initially introduced in the previous model. These include:

 The Active Steer Assist, which has been noticeably improved across its entire performance range, results in markedly enhanced customer benefits;

 The Active Breaking Assist, which detects end-of-tailback situations without space for evasive action, triggers a warning as well as automatic emergency stopping when required;

 The Evasive Steering Assist supports the driver in taking evasive action when pedestrians are detected in the danger zone in front of the vehicle;

 With PRE-SAFE Sound, a short interference signal is triggered ahead of any collisions expected to produce a loud crash, in order to protect the eardrum and inner ear from high acoustic pressures.



The Mercedes-Benz S-Class made a technological statement of superiority in 2013 with Road Surface Scan. The system detects bumps ahead of the vehicle and adjusts the Active Body Control suspension accordingly. In the new S-Class this suspension control is further improved. The stereo camera of the system now scans the road even more thoroughly, even in dusk and at speeds up to 180 km/h.



Another comfort enhancement is Curve, the curve-tilting function available in the S-Class Sedan for the first time. The body tilts to the inside of the turn by up to 2.65 degrees and thereby reduces the centrifugal forces perceived by the passengers.



Exclusive exterior design

Modern luxury in the new S-Class is affirmed with the highest quality materials and uncompromising workmanship. All models are fitted with a new radiator grille: the versions with six and eight-cylinder engines sport three twin louvres as well as vertical strips with a high-gloss black finish. The V-12 model variants are fitted with additional chrome-finish vertical strips in the radiator grille. Seven new light-alloy wheels with diameters between 17 and 20 inches have been introduced on the new model.  TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conferences (Adipec) technical conference, already the worlds largest for oil and gas professionals, will see a significant increase in scope for 2017 with the inclusion of the downstream industry for the first time.



There will also be more sessions for specialised areas including offshore and marine exploration and production, organisers said.



Adipec, hosted by Adnoc, will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from November 13 to 16.



With around 900 speakers scheduled for more than 200 sessions, the conference will bring together the industrys most respected experts, global leaders and top decision makers. Around 10,000 delegates are expected to attend over the course of the events four days.



The expanded technical programme will encompass all layers of the industry, including upstream and midstream sessions organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), while dmg events, Global Energy, will oversee a new programme of downstream sessions. Organisers say the change reflects the accelerating search for efficiency and integration in a challenging market.



The key to growth for oil and gas companies will be to find new ideas, and to share information in the pursuit of best practice, said Ali Al Rawahi, reservoir manager - studies (BUH/SE Asset), at the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations (Adco), and Adipec 2017 Technical Conference chairman.



Adipec is clearly established as the leading platform for knowledge exchange in oil and gas. What the conference offers has never been more important than it is today. Resource owners are getting better prices for their product, but nobody can rely on further rises to ensure their business. The focus will continue to be on improving efficiency and reducing cost, which can only be achieved through sharing experience between companies and across borders.



The expansion to include the downstream sector reflects one of the emerging industry trends in oil and gas, as upstream and midstream companies are increasingly looking towards integration, collaboration and diversification across refining and petrochemicals, processing, and end-product sales to boost overall profitability, a statement said.



The Adipec Technical Conference programme received 3,060 abstract submissions for presentations at this years edition, a 10 per cent increase from last year, and for the second consecutive year setting a record for the number of submitted abstracts in the oil and gas industry.



Technical abstracts came from 622 organisations located in 70 countries. Underlining Adipecs expanding international reach, 59 per cent of submissions were from outside the Middle East. The Adipec 2017 technical committee, comprising 164 industry leading experts, selected 809 high-quality abstracts.



Conference sessions include exploration and production geoscience; production facilities technologies; field development; operational excellence; drilling and completion technology; health, safety and environment; projects engineering and management; gas technology; unconventional resources; improved and enhanced oil recovery; people and talent; and petroleum advanced analytics.



The 2017 edition of the ADIPEC Conference programme will feature two ministerial sessions, four global business leader sessions and four downstream global business leader sessions, eight panel sessions, three offshore plenary panels, nine C-suite dialogue sessions, three industry breakfasts and three topical luncheons.



A full-day Women in Energy programme will focus specifically on the opportunities for and achievements of women working in the oil and gas industry. The co-located Security in Energy conference returns for a second year, recognising the increasingly critical importance of cyber and infrastructure security within oil and gas operations.



At Adipec we create one meeting place, in one city, for one global industry, and the conference programme represents that approach, said Christopher Hudson, president  dmg events, Global Energy, which organises Adipec. It is a complete platform for a complex global industry, where we create value for every layer of the most vertically integrated oil and gas business. With CEO-level support from the industrys most influential corporations, Adipec is essential for sharing knowledge, driving innovation, and generating business.  TradeArabia News Service


More than 80 companies will showcase local and international brands and products and services at the upcoming Middle East Franchise Expo, the regions premier franchising event, in Dubai, UAE.



The Middle East & North Africa Franchise Association (Menafa), a member of Dubai Association Centre announced that the fourth edition of the event will be held at Jumeirah Beach Hotel on October 18 and 19.



The premier event is held under the patronage of Menafa honorary chairman Prince Bandar bin Saud Al-Saud and supported by Dubai Association Center, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dubai Tourism and Federation of GCC Chambers of Commerce and Industry.



The event will also cover workshops and seminars offering insights on legal, financial and entrepreneurial aspects. In addition, the annual franchise event will also offer networking opportunities and meet-the-buyer meetings.



The global franchising industry is set for a steady growth, and the market in the Middle East and North Africa is rapidly maturing too. The franchising industry in the GCC is a $30 billion franchise economy, with UAE alone commanding $18 billion growing annually at the rate of 35 per cent. UAE is the second most popular country and with the increasing investment towards infrastructure projects and upcoming Expo2020, it will see a further surge in economic activity, said Dr Khalid Alsharfa, chairman of Menafa.



The UAE is home to several international brands, all major significant brands. The UAE not only has strong expat resident community but also a major tourist destination, attracting more than 15 million people in 2016 alone. This thriving market calls for best practices and encourages demand for novel concepts, added Dr Alsharfa.



With the franchising industry witnessing a surge, The Middle East Franchise Expo will enable visitors to connect with industry experts, and gain the latest knowledge and source from a range of franchising brands.



Ideal for business owners, investors and potential franchisees, entrepreneurs, government organisations interested in supporting SMEs, franchise professionals and franchise service providers, the mega-event will showcase a power-packed Franchise Forum and will conclude with Mena Franchise Awards 2017.



Menafa has also organised the 4th Middle East Franchise Conference which will run simultaneously with the franchise exhibition. Visitors to the conference will have an opportunity to listen and learn from experienced, world-class speakers and network with franchise experts, all focused on inspiring SMEs to adopt the franchising model of business.



Using a highly successful format, The Middle East Franchise Expo focuses on bringing together many high net worth investors and franchisors interested in building successful international and national networks. A major highlight of the event will be the presentation of The Mena Franchise Awards. The Award is designed to recognise exceptional performance in franchising, with the goal of encouraging operators to raise the bar on service and their offering.



The Award will include 14 award categories namely Best Mena Franchise, Best Mena Multi-Brand Operator, Best Mena Franchise Brand, Best International Franchise Brand, Best UAE Franchise Brand, Best Saudi Franchise Brand, Best Kuwaiti Franchise Brand, Best Bahraini Franchise Brand, Best Omani Franchise Brand, Best Mena Retail Brand, Best Mena Food Brand, Best GCC Emerging Brand, Best Service Brand and [Best Education / Childcare Brand.



With the franchising industry, there really is something for everyone, whatever your experience or interest. Many people come to see traditional franchise formats in food and beverages, but over time the industry has expanded its presence to several other segments. Some of the unconventional business ideas as education, childcare, healthcare, retail, fashion, consulting have now become major franchise trends, concluded Dr Alsharfa.  TradeArabia News Service
Melbournes reign as the worlds most liveable city has been extended for an unprecedented seventh year by the prestigious Economist Intelligence Units (EIU) annual Liveability Index.



The Index surveys 140 of the worlds cities and Melbourne has come out on top again.



Vienna (Austria), Vancouver, Toronto, and Calgary (Canada) rounded off the top five most livable cities.



The list also covered cities considered to be the least livable and included Kiev (Ukraine), Douala (Cameroon), Harare (Zimbabwe), Karachi (Pakistan) and Algiers (Algeria) as the top five.



Since the index began in 2006, Melbourne has consistently come in the top three of the index. So what is it that keeps Melbourne at the top of the list? Melbourne ticks all the Liveability Index boxes and many others.



The city is the acknowledged cultural and sporting capital of Australia hosting major events including the Australian Open, the Formula One Australian Grand Prix and the Spring Racing Carnival.



It is home to universities that consistently rank among the worlds best, producing the highest number of technical graduates in the country and voted as one of the world's top five student cities.



The State Government of Victoria is continuously investing in Melbournes infrastructure, including road tunnels and new roads to improve transport links, new trams and trains to enhance public transport, and its world-class convention centre which is undergoing an expansion to host the ever-growing number of conventions and exhibitions the city hosts.



Fuelled by its unrivalled lifestyle, Melbourne is growing rapidly with Australias highest rates of domestic and international migration. In fact Melbourne is now Australias fastest growing city, and is projected to overtake Sydney as Australia's biggest city by 2030.



This is backed up by the announcement that Melbourne has also been awarded fDi magazines Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future winner in the category of Human Capital and Lifestyle. The city also ranked in the top five in mid-sized cities for Economic Potential and in the top ten overall for FDI Strategy in the same report.



And in a week of major announcements, Savills World Researchs Tech Cities 2017 report included Melbourne as one of the cities across the world at the forefront of the global tech industry.



As the top ranked tech city in Australia, Melbourne offers the infrastructure, business environment, talent pool and lifestyle to place it at the top of global shopping lists for tech companies looking for space in which to locate.

Commissioner for Victoria to the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, Mr John Butler welcomed the announcements.



Melbourne and the state of Victoria has strong and well established links with this region through trade, tourism, investment, sport and culture, said Butler. We are proud to see Melbourne consistently win this coveted accolade, and can only see the connection between the region and Victoria strengthening further on the back of two-way synergies and a mutually beneficial relationship. - TradeArabia News Service


Marriott International and Khamas Group of Investment today announced an agreement for a Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott in Dubais upcoming Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) development.



Scheduled to open in 2020, the two hotels combined will add 250 rooms to Marriotts portfolio in the UAE and further strengthen the companys regional presence in the mid-market segment.



We are excited to work with the Khamas Group to open a new Courtyard and Residence Inn in the up and coming JVC Development which is strategically located and in close proximity to the site of the World Expo in 2020, said Jerome Briet, vice president  Lodging Development, Middle East, Marriott International. Not only does this agreement illustrate our commitment to growing Marriott Internationals portfolio in the UAE but it also reinforces the demand for mid-market hotel development in the market.



Marriott International is the largest hotel operator in the UAE with 50 operational properties. With a robust pipeline, the company is on track to strengthen its portfolio in the country to over 80 hotels and more than 20,000 rooms in the next five years.



Commenting on the signing, Bader Mohamed Yousuf Bukhamas, chairman of Khamas Group of Investment Companies, said, We are happy to partner with the best operator, Marriott International and looking forward to the opening of the Hotel.



Pawan Kachroo, managing director of Khamas Hospitality, added: The Courtyard and Residence Inn are both internationally renowned brands that offer guests not only quality hotel and residence products and facilities but also a high level of service excellence. Along with exciting food and beverage concepts, we look forward to bringing a refreshing hospitality experience in the JVC community and in Dubai.



Courtyard by Marriott JVC will offer 150 rooms and Residence Inn by Marriott JVC will add another 100 rooms to the upcoming development. The interconnected hotel complex will share facilities including food and beverage outlets, a health and leisure club with a swimming pool and meeting spaces.



The hotels will be strategically located in close proximity to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, providing convenient access to Dubais main business districts and leisure attractions. The development is also situated within a 25 minute drive to the main site of The World Expo in 2020 and the Al Maktoum International Airport.



WSW Architects have been appointed to lead the project and WA International will manage the interior design.



Courtyard by Marriott currently operates six properties across the Middle East and Africa and will more than double its presence in the region with 12 properties set to open in the next five years. Residence Inn by Marriott will add 11 new properties across the region in the next five years, adding to its current of portfolio of three hotels. - TradeArabia News Service
Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton have announced the signing of a management agreement with Trillion Real Estate & Properties Private Limited for a new DoubleTree by Hilton property in the Indian state of Maharashtra.



Scheduled to open in Q1 2019, DoubleTree by Hilton Shirdi will be located at Shirdi's historical town centre, marking Hilton's entry into the popular pilgrimage destination. The latest addition increases Hilton's pipeline of hotels in India to 19 properties.



"With a fast-growing, global portfolio of more than 500 upscale properties, we are delighted that our award-winning DoubleTree by Hilton brand is gaining traction in India," said Dianna Vaughan, senior vice president and global head, DoubleTree by Hilton. "With five DoubleTree by Hilton properties currently operating in India, DoubleTree by Hilton Shirdi will mark the brand's sixth property in the pipeline in this burgeoning market. As the first upscale hotel in Shirdi, we look forward to delivering exceptional experiences to guests beginning with our signature, warm DoubleTree Cookie welcome."



Shirdi, famously known as the home of late spiritual leader Sri Sai Baba, is a popular pilgrimage town and an estimated 22 million tourists from across the country and overseas visit the famous Shirdi Sai Baba temple annually. Most recently, the city saw the completion of a new Shirdi Airport, which will facilitate greater access for pilgrims to visit the destination - religious tourism is a key focus in India's tourism planning.



"Our partnership with Trillion Real Estate & Properties to manage DoubleTree by Hilton Shirdi underpins our commitment to expand our footprint in India," said Kaushik Vardharajan, vice president of development - India, Hilton. "Guided by our mission to be the world's most hospitable company, we remain focused on growing our pipeline across India with an aim to serve any type of guest, anywhere they want to be in the country, for any travel need they have. DoubleTree by Hilton Shirdi is a strong addition to our portfolio and will fill the existing gap in the town's accommodation market and give us first-mover advantage in offering our award-winning hospitality to both international and domestic tourists."



When open, the 125-room DoubleTree by Hilton Shirdi will be one of first global hospitality brands in Shirdi. It is located approximately four kilometres from the famous Shirdi Sai Baba Temple and is easily accessible to Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station, the town's main train station, and the soon-to-open Shirdi Airport. In addition to a banquet hall and four meeting rooms, hotel will have an outdoor pool, a fitness center as well as three food and beverage outlets including an all-day dining restaurant.



DoubleTree by Hilton Shirdi will participate in Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton's 14 distinct brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, such as an exclusive member discount, free standard wi-fi and a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of points and money to book a stay. Members can also redeem their points for free nights and can gain access to unique events through the Hilton Honors auction platform. - TradeArabia News Service
The Middle Easts booming population and growing tourism industry continues to drive new restaurants, cafes and coffee shops across the region.



With more than 80,379 outlets currently in operation across the GCC, and a further 11,332 expected to open by 2021, according to Euromonitor International, the potential for F&B operators at all levels is strong, but requires keen business acumen to ensure success.



The Restaurant Development Conference, powered by International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA) Dubai and Middle East Food Forum and taking place in Dubai from September 18-20 at GulfHost 2017, promises to address the challenges and provide practical insight into starting, running and scaling an F&B business in the region. More than 200 delegates are expected to attend.



Bringing together more than 75 global, regional and local industry speakers, owners, operators and franchisee/franchisors, the three-day conference focuses on critical operational, financial and marketing elements required for success in a competitive market. Delegates are guaranteed to gain new knowledge and practical steps to starting, growing and differentiating their business. Of equal value is the networking opportunity for delegates who will be able to meet and mingle with top local and regional F&B leaders.



The Restaurant Development Conference adds an invaluable dimension to GulfHost, providing practical, immediate and impactful measures for F&B owners and operators to implement in their business, said Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president, Exhibitions and Events Management (DWTC) and organiser of GulfHost 2017. As the only dedicated hospitality and food services expo in the Middle East, GulfHost is the definitive platform to support the industry in our region, and partnering with ICCA and Middle East Food Forum for the Restaurant Development Conference enables us to add global intelligence to the mix of products and services being showcased.



Given the increasingly cluttered F&B landscape, attention to a number of fundamental areas will help businesses rise to success where others might fail. Six core themes will be covered during the conference:

 Operations, training and outsourcing

 Innovation, disruption and sustainability

 Franchising

 Financing and feasibility

 Design and branding

 Marketing and growth in digital



The conference includes a series of keynote addresses, moderated discussions and masterclasses. In addition, an investor pitch session will offer F&B entrepreneurs the chance to present their business ideas to a panel of potential investors in a Dragons Den style competition.



Key speakers will take part from across various hospitality sectors. Speakers include:



 Dr. Naji Al Mahdi, chief of qualifications and awards in Dubai (QAD), Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Member VETAC & NQA

 Saleh Lootah, chairman F&B Manufacturing Group, Dubai Chamber, MD Al Islami Foods

 Tony Degazon, regional manager - MENA, City & Guilds, London and ILM, UK

 Sunjeh Raja, CEO, International Centre for Culinary Arts - ICCA Dubai

 Tony Hindhaugh, executive director, TTAT UK

 Shagufta Patel, People Development Specialist, International Centre for Culinary Arts - ICCA Dubai

 Vishal Pandey, director, Glasgow Consulting Group & Middle East Food Forum

 Sergio Lopez, co-owner of Tom & Serg and Bull & Roo Hospitality



Sunjeh Raja, CEO ICCA said: It is important to remember that realising potential in any industry requires robust planning, practical processes and a willingness to harness new ideas and innovations. This is certainly the case for the F&B industry where competition increases daily, whether for global franchises, family owned cafes, or fine dining establishments. This is why we are presenting the Restaurant Development Conference; the agenda will appeal to owners and operators at every stage of their business lifecycle, and delegates will leave with a recipe for restaurant success.



ICCA will also deliver valuable education and training sessions for chefs during GulfHost, focused on the The Technology of Tomorrow. The certified workshops include Cook & Chill Techniques, Sousvide Cooking, Chemistry Smoking Food, Food Cost & Waste Management, and Versatility in the Kitchen. It will be presented by Electrolux and World Association of Chefs Societies (WorldChefs) with support from over 40 student chefs of the ICCA. The participating delegates here will also gain full CPD accreditation for attendance at the conference workshops.



ICCA will also contribute to the GulfHost Innovation Awards, an initiative that will recognise the innovators and disruptors championing new techniques, products and technologies within the hospitality industry. With categories for both industry and vendors, nominations will be judged by an ICCA-curated panel of restaurant consultants and experts.



Free registration for the Restaurant Development Conference and Technology of Tomorrow workshops will be open online soon. Free Tickets for three full days of events running at Dubai International Hospitality Week are available at www.gulfhost.ae. - TradeArabia News Service


Mint Leaf of London Dubai has welcomed Pradeep Khullar as its new executive chef.



Khullar brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise having worked for notable restaurants throughout the last decade both in India and Dubai.



Khullar has achieved milestones throughout his culinary career including award wins for Best Modern Indian from Hindustan Times, as well as contributing to the success of Indian Accents being featured in Asias Top 50 restaurants for three consecutive years.



He went on to secure the title of Top Chef of the Year award for Excellence in North Indian cuisine in 2014, before his move to Dubai.



In his role as executive chef at Mint Leaf of London, Khullar will oversee all aspects of the restaurant, as well as the lounge. - TradeArabia News Service
Jacques Demael has joined leading IT and communications provider Sita as senior vice president, strategy and business support.



Reporting directly to CEO Barbara Dalibard, Demael will be based in Geneva, Switzerland.



Working together with the CEO and the executive team, Demael will drive Sitas overall strategy as well as several key strategic initiatives. He will be responsible for leading a transformation programme to align the organisation, processes and skills to support Sita's ambitions and will help define the organizations technology and innovation roadmap.



Dalibard said: Sita offers a remarkable value proposition for its customers across the air transport industry. I look forward to working with Jacques in delivering a transformation plan that will provide a clear roadmap to boost the next phase of SITAs growth, capitalising on our unique market position at the center of our industry.



Demael joins Sita from Bryan Garnier, an independent investment bank dedicated to growth companies. Demael has also been an advisor to several private equity funds, investors and governments in both EMEA and the US, specifically in technology, media and telecommunications. He has worked with technology start-ups and other emerging leaders to explore new opportunities in areas such as artificial intelligence and connected life.



Prior to this, Demael had a long career at France Telecom/Orange, holding various executive roles in both consumer and business markets, in London, Paris and Geneva.



Demael said: It is an exciting time to join Sita. The air transport industry is thriving and Sita is in a prime position to advance this growth by providing a portfolio of products and services that help the industry become more efficient and passenger focused. With the right focus and team behind us, I see tremendous potential for SITA to build on its existing credentials as a trusted supplier and partner to the industry. - TradeArabia News Service
To celebrate Eid Al Adha, City Centre Rotana Doha in Qatar has announced exclusive staycation and dinning offers for Qatari nationals and residents.



Guests can enjoy an Eid brunch which will include a variety of Arabic and international delicacies, while watching the chefs excel on live barbeque, roast and grill stations, along with live shawarma and sushi counters. They can relish the grand Ouzzi, while enjoying a variety of delectable cocktails & beverages. To top it up, a tantalising display of Arabic and Western desserts will follow. A special kids corner with a mini kids buffet will also be set up, the hotel said.



To add more to the festivity, the ultimate staycation experience from City Centre Rotana Doha will offer an opportunity for the entire family to enjoy. The offer will include complimentary breakfast for two persons, complimentary wi-fi, upgrade to next room category, free additional bed inclusive of breakfast, dining discount of 20 per cent in all of the hotels outlet, guaranteed 24 hour check-in and check-out and complimentary Rotana rewards select membership.



On this occasion, hotel general manager Martin Kendall said: "Eid al-Adha is a special occasion, and it is a great opportunity for us to celebrate with the community by offering the highest level of luxury service to our guests. Guests can experience the high level of authentic Qatari hospitality through our offers specially designed for this blessed occasion. allowing them to spend the most beautiful moments with friends and family in a relaxing atmosphere. - TradeArabia News Service


Jeremy Collins donned headphones in his apartment closet and set his cellphone on a stand behind the microphone. He tapped the keys of a notebook computer on the floor to connect with his interviewees through an audio Skype call.

The independent podcaster greeted and chatted with the hosts of the paranormal story podcast Hillbilly Horror Stories from Kentucky.

All right, here we go, Collins said into his microphone, his tiny chihuahua nestled in a bed near his feet. Three, two, one  record.

Collins stood at his microphone Saturday evening to record an upcoming episode of Podcasts We Listen To  a podcast about, well, podcasts and the people who host them. The show is less about the stories the hosts tell on their own shows and more about the people behind the mics, he said.

You start to become friends with a podcaster, or you feel like you have, when youve listened to a hundred episodes or even 20 episodes, Collins said. You start to feel like you know the people, so its more like youre listening in on a conversation with your friends.

When not working as a full-time UPS delivery driver, he records from his closet because its the best place in his home to isolate sound. From between his shirts and homemade soundproofing, he interviews podcast hosts around the country.

Jerry and Tracy, how are you tonight? he said, smiling, as he started the interview. Ive had a few people tell me I should have you on, so I guess its about time, right?

Podcasts We Listen To draws an audience from all over the world and has received about 26,000 downloads since Collins began five months ago, he said. His show grew out of a Facebook group, Podcasts We Listen To, which he started more than a year ago as a place for fans to talk about shows they enjoy and to learn about podcasts they havent heard about, he said. Almost 14,000 people are now in that Facebook group, which is by his count the largest general podcast community on social media, he said.

Collins love for the medium began when he became hooked on podcasts for the convenience. They can be downloaded onto any computer or mobile device, and they dont run out of radio or wireless range. You can even listen on a plane or at a remote camping spot, he said. Best of all, the wide variety of topics  from history to nature to crochet to stories about the LGBT community  almost guarantees that a listener can find something that theyll like.

If you have an interest, he said, theres a podcast about it, guaranteed.

Making it happen

Collins had never interviewed anybody until he started his podcast. But hes heard countless interviews and prepares for each recording by listening to several of his featured hosts shows. The Facebook group members also can write in questions for him to ask.

One reviewer commented that Collins style feels more like listening to two friends than an interview.

After he records an interview, which generally last between two and three hours, he spends eight to 10 more editing the dialogue into a one-hour format and removing any outside sounds on either end.

Since the Facebook group and podcast have been successful, Collins is organizing a Podcasts We Listen To convention next August in New Orleans. Like the Facebook group and his podcast, the PodernLove conference will feature various genres along with include workshops, panel talks, live shows and chances to meet hosts, he said.

He doesnt earn money through his podcast, though the ultimate goal of of any serious podcaster is to make a living at it, he said.

For now, Im really just enjoying the fact that my show gives me a good excuse to talk to the hosts of the shows that I like to listen to, he said.

I do it because I love doing it. I love the medium, he said. I always wanted to be in radio, but you know, radio is the magical thing that people dont know how to get started in. And podcasting is something that literally anyone can do from anywhere.

Connecting podcast community

Collins has been listening to podcasts for years and is a longtime fan of comedians Joe Rogan and Bill Burr, who have been podcasting for about a decade.

Many podcasts have their own social media pages, some with huge followings. But he and other podcast fans he knows couldnt find a place online to connect about podcasts in general, and especially independent shows, he said. The Facebook group gives listeners space to discuss their thoughts about all kinds of podcasts, find recommendations for specific interests and even interact with hosts, Collins said.

He found that many members also wanted to know more about their favorite hosts.

Since starting his podcast in March, hes interviewed two dozen hosts, including ghost storyteller Mike Brown of the show Pleasing Terrors.

Like most podcast hosts, Brown doesnt talk about himself on his own show, Collins said. Through Collins podcast, however, fans were able to learn things about Brown, like that he originally didnt believe in the paranormal before becoming a ghost tour guide.

His show isnt just for those immersed in the podcast world but can also introduce people to the medium, he said. His shows audience spans the U.S., with large numbers also from Australia and the U.K., he said. A map on his computer also shows listeners from as far away as Korea and many other countries.

The beauty of podcasts is that you dont have to get a job at a radio station to be able to get your word out to anybody in the world, Collins said.

The friends hes made and people connected are what he enjoys most about his show and Facebook group, he said.

I look at myself as being in this apartment in small-town Wyoming, he said. But Ive managed to connect with people all over the world, both my listeners and hosts that create podcasts.
One person died Monday afternoon in a head-on collision near Independence Rock, the Wyoming Highway Patrol said.

The crash happened when a vehicle heading south on Wyoming Highway 220 blew a tire and crossed into oncoming traffic, said Trooper Adam Bruning. It struck another vehicle headed north.

A person in the northbound vehicle died at the scene, according to the highway patrol. A person in the vehicle that blew a tire was injured and flown by helicopter to Wyoming Medical Center in Casper. A second person in that vehicle declined medical treatment.

The crash closed a section of Highway 220 at milepost 58. Troopers hoped to have it opened by 4 p.m., Bruning said.

Authorities have not identified the person who died. Witnesses said a woman was killed. They also said the crash involved two pickups.

The area lacked cell service, making it difficult to call for help. However, two paramedics traveling through the area happened upon the crash and provided care, according to the highway patrol.

All of the occupants of both vehicles were wearing seat belts.

A crash in the same area last week killed two people, including a 3-year-old child. It was also a head-on collision.
A judge has removed a defendant from a former University of Wyoming Foundation employees lawsuit alleging the president of the charity and one of his subordinates conspired to fire the employee because she filed a complaint.

Mary Ivanoff was the vice president for administration and donor relations at the foundation, according to court filings. She was the direct supervisor to Mandy Davis, who was laid off in December 2015, and is named in Davis suit, alongside the foundation, its president Ben Blalock and the university.

In a ruling issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson granted Ivanoffs request for dismissal. Davis had charged that Ivanoff and Blalock had denied her due process when they laid her off. Ivanoff argued both that she had immunity from that allegation and that Davis had failed to prove that Ivanoff had stripped her of her rights.

In a nine-page order, Johnson agreed with Ivanoff.

The Court finds Plaintiff has not pled sufficient facts to allege Defendant Ivanoff personally caused the deprivation of any process due to Plaintiff, he wrote.

But, he added, theres potential Ivanoff could be added back in: As the suit progresses against the remaining defendants, factual support ... could surface, in which case the Court may revisit the issue.

Messages left for Davis and Ivanoffs attorneys were not immediately returned Monday afternoon.

Davis alleges that she was laid off from the foundation, where she worked as a human resources manager, because she filed a complaint against Blalock after he made disparaging remarks about a disabled employee whom Davis hired. In her lawsuit, Davis claims that Ivanoff told her not to hire another retard and that the employees physical appearance did not fit defendant Blalocks image of the UW Foundation.

After he met the employee, Blalock allegedly asked Ivanoff about the hiring process, the extent of the candidate pool, whether the (employee) had been the most qualified candidate in the pool for a position of that level, and whether the (employee) had been screened appropriately.

Rick Miller, the general counsel for the university, allegedly told Blalock and Ivanoff that it would be illegal to retaliate against Davis. Still, the suit claims, the two took steps to marginalize her and used the universitys financial situation to their advantage to eliminate her position.

Blalock, the university and the foundation have denied all of the allegations in previous court filings.
The former Plains Furniture Company building is full of surprises, hiding the remnants of one, if not two historic buildings.

City officials purchased the building for about $3 million last year, with no real plans for its use. About 10 months later, they learned it was hiding a piece of local history.

An old photo revealed that the building next door  a restored 1920s fire station that now houses commercial space  had a garage, which was later covered by the furniture store.

Anthony Jacobsen with Stateline Architects told Council during an October meeting that he found the garages remains.

We get in Plains Furniture, pop up some ceiling tiles and lo and behold theres still cornice, theres still all the detailing, he said at the time.

But apparently thats not all: Mayor Kenyne Humphrey said Monday that a city employee recently made another finding at the former furniture store.

There has been a discovery of another old building inside that old building, so we are going to go check it out, she explained.

Casper City Council will learn more during a Tuesday night tour of the former furniture company.

Although Council decided earlier this year to demolish the building and possibly use the area for parking, Councilman Dallas Laird said Monday that the tour might influence the Councils decision on the buildings future.

Council members will meet briefly at City Hall at 4:30 p.m. before heading to the site, which is located at 322 South David St. The tour is also open to the public.

I cant wait to see what it looks like, said Humphrey.

City Manager Carter Napier said Monday that further investigations are needed, but thus far the city suspects that the latest discovery may be the remains of a Chevy dealership from the 1920s.

Its incredible, he added. It surprised all of us.

In addition to being a controversial purchase because of the uncertainly surrounding its purpose, the $3 million price tag also left some with questions, as an appraisal for the property came in at about $2.7 million.
BILLINGS, Mont.  U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke wants to speed up a proposal to block new gold mining claims on forested public lands in Montana near Yellowstone National Park and will also consider blocking other types of mining, agency officials said Monday.

Federal officials are undergoing a two-year review of mining on more than 30,000 acres among the towering peaks of the Absaroka mountains just north of the park.

The review was launched last year by Zinkes predecessor, former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, in response to local concerns that two proposed gold mines could profoundly alter the character of a region heavily dependent on hikers, hunters and tourists.

Interior spokeswoman Heather Swift said Monday that Zinke wants to move forward as quickly as possible with a proposed 20-year withdrawal of future mining claims in an area north of the park known as Paradise Valley. The review of that withdrawal was scheduled to be completed by the U.S. Forest Service and Interiors Bureau of Land Management by November, 2018.

Zinke had voiced support for the withdrawal effort as Montanas sole member of the U.S. House but had not publicly addressed the issue since joining the Trump administration in March.

He is fully in the corner of protecting the Paradise Valley and is putting forward Interior Department assets to support the U.S. Forest Service in that mission, Swift said. Some places are too precious to mine...This is very much a final decision.

Mining opponents have argued the proposed gold mines would industrialize wild areas populated by grizzly bears, bighorn sheep and other wildlife and harm streams that drain into the Yellowstone River, a popular trout fishing destination that draws anglers from around the world.

Zinke also asked his staff to expand the agencys review to include other minerals such as oil and gas, coal, and phosphate, according to Aug. 23 letter from Zinke to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who oversees the Forest Service.

Of those minerals, only phosphate is found in the Yellowstone region in volumes that could support mining, according to studies by the U.S. Geological Survey.

A Canadian company, Lucky Minerals, wants to explore for gold and other minerals north of Yellowstone near Emigrant. Another company, Spokane, Washington-based Crevice Mining Group, is seeking permission to explore for gold near Jardine, just over Yellowstones northern boundary.

Former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell ordered a two-year prohibition on new mining claims last year that would not explicitly block the pending exploration proposals, both of which involve private lands.

Yet a withdrawal would make it more difficult to pursue large-scale mining by limiting the ability of the two companies to expand their operations in the future, according to federal officials and Michael Werner with Crevice Mining.

The proposed exploration sites have a history of mining. However, in recent decades theyve become more closely associated with the natural amenities of Yellowstone and the surrounding Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.

Local business owner Bryan Wells said the potential mines have left people in the Paradise Valley anxious about their future. He said a 20-year ban on mining would put smiles on a lot of faces.

It affects property prices and it affects whether someones going to invest a lot into a business not knowing if theres going to be an industrial-sized gold mine, said Wells, who rents cabins to tourists in the Emigrant Creek area not far from one of the gold exploration sites.
CHEYENNE  A 25-year-old Wyoming mother accused of killing her 16-month-old baby has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.

Sabrina A. Sawicki appeared in court on Monday, denying charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.

An autopsy determined the boy died from "abusive head trauma" consistent with "shaken baby syndrome."

Sawicki remains free on a $50,000 bond. Her trial is scheduled for November 7.

Court records say the baby was taken to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center on April 24 and then flown to Children's Hospital Colorado where he was taken off life support on April 27.
After tornadoes tore through Atlanta in 1996, a Red Cross truck pulled into Charlie Magees neighborhood and offered food and comfort in the face of the destruction.

It was a symbol of hope and better days ahead, he said. I said someday I would pay it forward.

Now, more than 20 years later, Magee is following through with his promise. Over the weekend, the Laramie resident made the 18-hour drive to Texas in a similar truck. Hell be helping in the wake of Hurricane Harvey on his first deployment as a Red Cross volunteer. In the coming days, he will deliver food and supplies to people in the affected area.

Magee is one of at least seven Wyomingites who traveled to Texas Gulf Coast to lend assistance.

Hurricane Harvey reached land on Friday and caused extensive damage to Corpus Christi and nearby communities. Floodwaters in Houston-area streets continued to rise Monday, stranding residents and rendering hospitals unsafe.

As of Monday afternoon, 10 people were reported killed in the Category 4 storm and authorities continued to rescue residents stuck on rooftops or wading through waters.

Spencer Pollock, executive director of Wyoming Red Cross, has been working out of the nonprofits Houston headquarters since Thursday. Hes been working to coordinate fundraisers, government organizations and visits from elected officials.

Staff in the Red Cross headquarters were evacuated to a tornado shelter three times on Sunday, Pollock said. Workers there have had to wade through knee-high water outside the facility. He estimated that hed slept maybe six hours since arriving in Houston.

Other Wyoming residents are working across the state. Kaleigh Good, the nonprofits disaster program manager for central Wyoming, is working in Austin to coordinate community resources. Sylvia Raumaker from Teton County will be working as a shelter manager for displaced people.

Pollock said that Red Cross emergency deployments generally last two weeks.

But based on the magnitude Im guessing well all be here for at least three, he said.

Wyoming is well-represented among the Red Cross, he said. Two of the 10 members of the leadership team are from Wyoming.

Magee, the driver of the Emergency Response Vehicle, was staged in Austin on Monday afternoon waiting for final directions. It has been difficult for responders to get into the affected areas because the roads are flooded, he said. He expected to travel to Corpus Christi or Houston on Tuesday.

The cavalry is here, he said. As soon as the weather gives us a break well head in.
SEOUL, South Korea  North Korea fired a ballistic missile from its capital Pyongyang that flew over Japan before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said Tuesday, an aggressive test-flight over the territory of a close U.S. ally that sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.

Seouls Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 1,677 miles and reached a maximum height of 341 miles as it flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The launch, which appears to be the first to cross over Japan since 2009, will rattle a region worried that each new missile test puts the North a step closer toward its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States.

North Korean missile launches have been happening at an unusually fast pace this year, and some analysts believe that the North could have such an arsenal before the end of U.S. President Trumps first term in early 2021.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it is analyzing the launch with the United States and also that South Koreas military has strengthened its monitoring and preparation in case of further actions from North Korea. South Koreas military says the missile was launched from near Pyongyangs international airport, opening the possibility that North Korea launched a road mobile missile.

Tokyo called Tuesdays test a grave threat. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters, We will do our utmost to protect peoples lives.

Tuesdays launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

North Korea typically reacts to U.S.-South Korean military drills, which are happening now, often staging weapons tests and releasing threats to Seoul and Washington. But animosity is higher than usual following threats by Trump to unleash fire and fury on the North, and Pyongyangs stated plan to consider firing some of its missiles toward Guam.

North Korea first fired a rocket over Japanese territory in August of 1998.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Aug. 29 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages.
Time Gives Full Treatment To Schmid Case

Magazine Tells Of 'Image Building'

Charles H. Schmid, facing charges of murder in the deaths of three Tucson teenaged girls, is described in this week's Time magazine as a swinger who "always had wheels, money, tall tales and an inexhaustible supply of available girls' phone numbers."

The news magazine article also said Schmid went to bizarre lengths to build his image.

"He added 3 in. to his meager (5 ft. 3 in.) frame by stuffing rags and folded tin cans into his black leather boots. He dyed his hair raven black, wore pancake makeup, pale cream lipstick and mascara," the magazine said.

Time also reported that Schmid's supply of cash was from a generous weekly dole from his mother. "Schmid bragged to the boys," the story said, "that it (the money) came from smuggling cars into Mexico, to the girls that it came from women whom he taught '100 ways to make love.'"

Schmid landed in jail after Richard Bruns, 19, turned informer and told police Schmid had taken him into the desert and shown him the bodies of Gretchen and Wendy Fritz and boasted he had killed them.

Bruns also told police that Schmid had shown him a grave in another desert location in June of 1964, shortly after Alleen Rowe, 15, disappeared from her home. Acting on the Bruns story, police also rounded up John Saunders, 19, and Mary Rae French, also 19.

Time says that according to their statements, Schmid, who was dating Mary French, and Saunders were at Mary's house the night of May 31, 1964, when Schmid idly wondered if they could kill someone and get away with it. He suggested Alleen, a bright pretty student who had once stood Saunders up for a date; the others agreed.

Mary French, the Time story says, persuaded the girl to go for a drive with them. She was taken about five miles into the desert, where Schmid and Saunders walked her down to a dry stream bed and hit her on the head with rocks until she died.

Time also hints at a curtain of silent conspiracy. It said:

"Almost as fantastic as the murders themselves was the disclosure that at least 30 teenagers, all friends of Schmid's, had apparently heard him brag about the crimes  and said nothing. Confided one 16-year-old coed at Tucson's Palo Verde High School: 'A lot of people knew, but it was already too late. Telling would just have made it tough on everyone.'"
U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircraft from Tucson are now in Texas, helping with rescue efforts during historic flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

CBPs Air and Marine Operations sent four UH-60 Blackhawks from Tucson to Houston on Friday and Saturday to help with rescues. The CBP here also sent 12 air crew members, five support personnel and three search-and-rescue agents who are experts at swift-water rescues.

At approximately 12:30 p.m. Monday, air crew members from Southern Arizona conducted a hoist-rescue of four individuals trapped in their home by flood waters, the agency said.

In addition, Tucson Sector Border Patrol will send 50 Special Operations Detachment agents Tuesday to support public safety operations in Texas.
Pima County Sheriff's detectives are investigating a possible double shooting at an apartment complex on the southwest side of town.

Deputies went to the apartment complex in the 6400 block of South Camino de la Tierra, near West Valencia, shortly after 10:15 a.m. for reports of a possible shooting, said Deputy Ryan Inglett, a department spokesman.

One man was found at the complex with injuries believed to be gunshot wounds, and was transported to a local hospital in serious condition, Inglett said.

Another man with a gunshot wound was found at an area hospital, and he's also believed to be involved in the incident at the apartment complex. It's unclear at this point how either victim was involved, Inglett said.

Detectives were alerted to the second injured suspect after they arrived at the scene.
Flooding in Texas as a result of Hurricane Harvey is keeping undocumented immigrants processed by federal authorities and released to two Tucson shelters from continuing their final journey east to stay with relatives.

These immigrants, who are seeking political asylum, are processed by the Department of Homeland Security with a notice to appear before an immigration officer at their final destination.

Federal officials process the immigrants  mostly from Central America, but also from Europe, China, India and Africa  and then drop them off at the shelters. This began three years ago when Border Patrol was inundated with women and their children, and had no proper shelter to hold them, Dora Lopez, a site coordinator for Casa Alitas, said Monday.

Casa Alitas, or House with Little Wings, is located in a north-side neighborhood and operated by Catholic Community Services of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson.

The five-bedroom house with a spacious backyard was providing shelter to 17 people, said Lopez. Additional migrants will be placed in homes of volunteers if needed.

The other shelter, the Inn Project, is run by a faith-based organization located near the University of Arizona. It also was at capacity Monday, providing room for 50 people, said Diego Lopez, also a site coordinator who volunteers at Casa Alitas.

We are at capacity because people cannot continue their journey into Houston, said Diego Lopez. The bus routes go through Texas and the final destinations for the migrants include New York, Tennessee, Michigan, North Carolina, Kansas and Alabama, he said.

Once the water subsides and Greyhound has the capability of travel, the people will be on their way. This will end the bottleneck, he said. He explained that since June, Casa Alitas had been receiving up to two families a day, but on Friday the overload began with five families.

It is better that they are here because they have no way to communicate with family members, said Dora Lopez. They will need shelter and food.

Here I am no longer hungry, said Isabel, 20, a woman from Quiche, Guatemala, who has been at the shelter with her two sons, ages 4 and 2, since Aug. 25. She said she turned herself in to immigration officials in Nogales, Arizona, Aug. 22 and is seeking political asylum. She said she is on her way to Louisiana where her husband is working.

Isabel said she began her journey in July after she was threatened several times with extortion by a violent street gang, M-18, that terrorized her neighborhood. She said she was ordered to put $7,000 into a bank account or she and her children would be harmed.

I dont have that kind of money, she said. She said she traveled with her children by foot, train and bus, begging for food and money along the way. It was so hot. We suffered. There were days we had no food and my children suffered, she said through tears.

We are here now and I feel safe, said Isabel. I just want to be with my husband and have a tranquil life. I want peace.

Meanwhile, the shelters are in need of deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo and lotion. They will also accept non-perishable foods and canned goods. Supplies can be dropped off at Catholic Community Services, 140 W. Speedway, on weekdays between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Councilman Steve Kozachik is also accepting foods such as soups, juices, fruit and cooked vegetables, or prepackaged meals for the shelters. The items can be dropped off at the Ward 6 office, 3202 E. First St., weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Tumamoc Hill, a favorite walking spot for Tucsonans, will expand the hours it is open to the public starting Sept. 5.

The new hours will be from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, giving walkers 18 hours each day to enjoy the scenic 1-mile path. The change came as an effort to allow the community to enjoy the hike up the hill while also preserving the sites scientific, natural and cultural integrity.

The west-side site will also include signs displaying the new hours of access and wire cables along the path and top of the hill where Ben Wilder, interim director of Tumamoc Hill, said the most damage to sensitive areas is being done. The cable fencing will be to prevent public access to areas beyond the walking path.

With the increase of numbers in recent years, weve seen a very alarming degradation of the top of the hill, Wilder said.

Tumamoc is an 860-acre ecological reserve and U.S. National Historic Landmark owned and operated by the University of Arizona in partnership with Pima County.

Before, the hill was closed to the public between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. weekdays. This made it difficult for UA police to enforce rules, and for damage to be done at night.

UAPD was ticketing grandparents walking with their grandchildren in the evening around 5 p.m., Wilder said. Now, were kind of flipping that and trying to accommodate walking preferences if you want to go at sunrise, the middle of the day or evening.

Over the years, Tumamoc has seen a dramatic increase in foot traffic.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, no more than about 100 people would regularly walk the path, Wilder said. Today, that number is about 1,500 a day.

Tumamoc has seen over 4,000 years of human use (if you include settlement along the Santa Cruz) and has been a cultural gathering place for the valley of Tucson, Wilder said. This (current) migration of people is just the latest chapter in this story thats been going for thousands of years.

Tumamoc is a beautiful gathering place with a deep cultural history, Wilder said, and he sees it as an opportunity to let people see research in action. But this is an ecological reserve, not a park.

There are no pets, bicycles or smoking allowed on Tumamoc.

New phone app to enhance experience

Walkers on Tumamoc will also have a new way to enjoy their strolls  a soon-to-be-released phone app that is similar to the one that supplements the drive up Mount Lemmon.

The app, for both Android and iOS devices, will feature six sections that are meant to narrate the hike up the hill.

The first section is an introduction and overview, followed by information on the desert laboratory site and history of the buildings. The desert lab buildings were built more than 100 years ago, and today, the glass in Wilders office is wavy with age.

Then the app walks listeners through the landscape, ecology and seasons of the desert.

At the top of the hill, the app delves into the archaeology of the site, including the history of the people who made the same climb thousands of years ago, and stories of the Tohono Oodham, descendants of the people who used to live on the hill.

There will also be 16 YouTube videos of additional content for those seeking a more thorough picture of the site.

The tour will be narrated on the app by Alberto Burquez, a researcher at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, in Spanish, and David Yetman, a research social scientist at the University of Arizona Southwest Center, in English.

The bilingual aspect of the community that uses the hill has been overlooked, so in terms of my tenure here, its one of the most important things to support, Wilder said.

The music accompanying the app is by Calexico and Gabriel Naim Amor.
President Trump has proven himself to be an agitator; now is his chance to make amends and help put a stop to the threat of North Korea.

The people of Tokyo realized the reality of North Korea's force this week as a North Korean missile flew over the heads of its citizens.

Trump now has a chance to help ameliorate the situation with the North Koreans and present himself as a vehicle of peace rather than war: he could offer an olive branch to the North and soften the remarks he has sent against them since his becoming president.

It's time for a change in Trump's tack; he could very well become the ameliorator the world needs at this time of international tension rather than the agitator.

Ken Wright

East side
BMLGFlorida Georgia Line fans may need to clear some space on their DVRs.

On Wednesday, youll finally be able to see FGLs episode of CMT Crossroads, which they taped last month with their pals Backstreet Boys. The show premieres at 10 p.m. ET on CMT, and features a performance of their shared #1, God, Your Mama, and Me, as well as hits from both acts.

Then on Friday, Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley will check in with NBC's Today show, as they perform their new single, Smooth, on the beach. You can catch FGLs visit with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb during the shows 10 a.m. hour on NBC.

This weekend, the Smooth Tour pulls into Gilford, New Hampshire for two shows at Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The shocking column, wherein the writer employed vile descriptions of the president of the United States, causes me to wonder at the end point of political discussion. How low do we have to sink before there is a return to rational thought and what used to be called "loyal opposition."

My more than four decades in public education, from substitute to superintendent, made me shudder at the ramifications of this article. It is one thing to vomit your bile on the pages of a newspaper, that is your first amendment right, but my greater concern is that the writer self-describes as a retired teacher and activist. How many young minds were subjected to the blatant hatred expressed by this writer? One can only hope that she practiced some degree of restraint in her classroom, but it is difficult to imagine that happening. Are we a truly declining society or are we simply undergoing a period of childish recrimination?
It is time for America to attack North Korea. The missile launch over Japanese territory is the final straw. North Korea has been warned, China has been warned and it is time to follow through. However much North Korea would like you to believe it, they do not have a nuclear weapon that can be delivered by an intercontinental ballistic missile. But they will someday and the time to stop them is now.
Vu Duy Thuc, CEO and co-founder of robotics company OhmniLabs Inc., has been included in Silicon Valleys 40 under 40 list for 2017, according to The Business Journals.

The list is compiled by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and consists of men and women who are making a mark and the local community while also playing significant leadership roles in high-tech enterprises.

Thuc is a well-known name amongst the Vietnamese student community in the U.S., renowned as someone who has achieved both academic and entrepreneurial success on foreign soil.

Earning his PhD in computer science at Stanford University at the age of 28, Thuc then co-founded OhmniLabs, a robotic solutions company that enables millions of U.S. seniors who live alone to connect easily with their children or relatives.

Im really surprised to have been selected [for the list], as it is a prestigious poll that includes many worthy names, Thuc told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper from the U.S. That aside, Im beyond humbled to be the only Vietnamese representative. This is an extremely meaningful recognition by America of my work.

Crediting his father as his biggest inspiration, Thuc told The Business Journals he was grateful to him for showing me his approach to life, work, and family through not only his passion and dedication, but also patience, integrity, and vision.

Vu Duy Thuc and a companion robot developed by his technological start-up OhmniLabs Inc. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Ohmni, a telepresence robot developed by OhmniLabs Inc., is designed to be light and require minimal computer knowledge to operate, making it especially attractive to the older generation.

The robot has a screen for a head and a webcam for making video calls, and scuttles around on wheels, allowing users to make uninterrupted phone calls as they go about their daily activities.

Its connected to Wi-Fi and can be operated remotely by the person on the other end of the call, Thuc explained. Senior users are spared from even having to turn it on and off or recharging the robot.

The beta version of Ohmni was launched a year ago to positive feedback from both local media and customers, including major news outlets such as The New York Times, CNBC, San Francisco Chronicle and ABC.

Despite being busy with his tech start-up, the young entrepreneur makes time to run VietSeeds Foundation, a charity fund that aims to provide scholarships worth US$4,000 for financially challenged students in Vietnam.

This year, we hope to hand out 250 scholarships, Thuc said. Its never easy to run a foundation and attract sponsors, but we will not give up.

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The United States government has handed over a center that focuses on peacekeeping missions by the Vietnamese military, marking the two nations cooperation in the preservation of peace.

A dedication ceremony was organized in Hanoi on Monday to mark the transfer of the peacekeeping training center from U.S. ownership to Vietnams Ministry of National Defense.

The facility, along with relevant equipment, is designed to facilitate the training of peacekeeping forces.

Named S5, it has 15 training rooms able to accommodate 600 learners and a 254-seat conference hall.

The U.S. government has also agreed to provide a support package to assist the establishment of Vietnams first level-two field hospital, raising the value of support to US$10 million.

Colonel General Nguyen Chi Vinh (R, 3rd), Deputy Minister of National Defense, and U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius review the equipment included in the support package for Vietnams level-two field hospital.

Speaking at the event, Colonel General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister of National Defense, said that Vietnam-U.S. defense cooperation had grown strongly over recent years, especially in the field of peacekeeping.

He confirmed that assistance provided by the U.S. and other nations will help transform the Vietnam Peacekeeping Center into a key facility for peacekeeping operations and training in the region.

According to U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius, America and the international community will always be willing to support Vietnam in the enhancement of the countrys peacekeeping capacity.

The diplomat expressed his belief that the Southeast Asian nation would succeed in international peacekeeping activities and continue to cooperate with other countries in addressing global issues.

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Here are the news stories you should not miss today, August 29:

Politics

-- Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on Monday welcomed South Koreas Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Yang Sung-tae on his first visit to the Southeast Asian country aimed at tightening the two countries judicial cooperation.

-- During a ceremony on Monday, the U.S. government handed over to Vietnam a training facility and equipment serving the training of peacekeeping forces.

Society

-- A man in the southern province of An Giang has been arrested after stabbing his friend to death over a debt worth VND100,000 (US$4.42) on Sunday evening.

-- Eleven people in the Mekong Detla city of Can Tho were hospitalized on Monday after suffering burns caused by a stove accident on a dining table.

-- Vietnamese Coast Guard units discovered a ship carrying 700 cubic meters of oil without any legal documents off the northern province of Quang Ninh on Monday.

-- Police in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang on Monday arrested a suspect for attempting to rob a local gold shop with two knives that are often used to slaughter pigs.

-- A man in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong stabbed his son to death over a conflict during their drinking party on Sunday night.

Business

-- The Ministry of Transport is looking for a competent developer for the construction of Long Thanh International Airport, located in the southern province of Dong Nai, which is meant to relieve pressure on Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City.

Sports

-- Trinh Van Vinh won another gold medal for Vietnam after finishing first in the mens 62kg weightlifting category at the 2017 SEA Games in Malaysia on Monday.

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Help India!

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

Hindi-Maithili short film The Suspect, based on a Muslim youth who gets falsely implicated in terror cases, is now available for free for watching on YouTube. The movie, of which TwoCircles.net is one of the producers, was earlier available on YouTube for a price of Rs 25

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The film has earned critical acclaim and has been screened in many places including Mumbai, Kolkata, Boston, New York and New Jersey.

The Suspect is a story of 26-year-old Abdul Rahim Ansari, who arrives in Mumbai from Darbhanga (Bihar) to work as Production Assistant trainee in one of the film Units of Mumbai.

In the movie, Sanjay, who also belongs to the same village as Abdul, has done well for himself in the film line and gets a job for Abdul. But as luck would have it, Mumbai comes under a terrorist attack on the very first day Abdul starts his job and out of the blue, every news channel is flashing Abdul as the main culprit.

The movie is directed by National film award winner Nitin Neera Chandra, and TwoCircles.net had jointly produced the film with Neo Bihar and Champaran Talkies.

Durgesh Kumar, an alumnus of the National School of Drama, has portrayed the role of Abdul Rahim Ansari in the film. Prior to this short film, Kumar had been a part of the feature films like Sultan, Freaky Ali, and Highway.

The film was shot in Maithil and English and portrays the difficulties a Muslim youth faces when he gets implicated as a suspect in a terror case, of which he was never a part.
Help India!

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

Rajouri: A septuagenarian tribal man Lal Hussaina, a resident of Gundha village of Keri, was thrashed by a group of so-called cow vigilantes in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, August 26 when he was going to deposit money in a local bank.

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Hussain has told media that there was a youth with a cow walking in front of him and the mob might have mistaken that it was his cow. He further said that he doesnt have any cows, only two buffaloes. He had some sheep and goats, but he sold these about a fortnight ago for Rs 1.5 lakh and was on his way to the bank to deposit the money.

He has claimed that the mob has taken cash and cell phone before throwing him into a drain.

I had walked about eight kilometres when I noticed a youth with a cow I started walking faster to meet him, but some people suddenly came from behind the bushes and started beating me with sticks I fell unconscious, he told the Indian Express.

The police have taken cognisance of the incident of assault and FIR vide No 58/2017 under sections 341/307/ 323/147 RPC have been lodged at police station Budhal. During investigation, one alleged assailant was arrested and the search for others is on.

The spokesman claimed that as per preliminary investigation, some local dispute could be the reason behind incident which is being investigated.

This is the second attack by right-wing goons claiming to be Gau Rakshaks in a year on tribal people in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier this year in April, a tribal family of five people got injured, including a child, after they were attacked by such people who had levelled allegation of bovine smuggling against them.

State Human Right Commission had taken suo-moto cognizance of the attack and has termed it as a human rights violation.
Help India!

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

For the past 10 months, Kodinhi, a town in Malappuram district, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons: the murder of Mohammed Faisal P, a local who had recently embraced Islam, had brought plenty of bad press for the town. However, in an attempt to show that the city still had in secular credentials intact, leaders of the Muslim and Hindu communities celebrated Onam together.

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The celebrations, which was organised by Nannambra Panchayat committee of Youth League, was attended by clerics from nearby mosques and priests from temples. Ahead of the function, organisers had invited functionaries of 19 temples and 50 mosques in Nannambra panchayat and a community kitchen was organised for about 500 people.

According to Nannambra panchayat member P Chandran, the village is still upset over the incident, which most of them believe unfortunate. They feel it created gaps between two communities, he said.

Faisal was hacked to death for accepting Islam in November 2017.

The area has witnessed no issues following Faisal murder. But the shock suffered by the area is yet to subside, he said.

A floral carpet was jointly laid by activists of various political parties. The inaugural ceremony followed a feast.

Author P Surendran delivered the keynote address. He said that the local issues could be solved by sitting together and attending a feast.

The function was inaugurated by Swami Madhusree Gyanatapaswi, head of the Santhigiri Ashramam situated few kilometres from Kondinhi. He said that communal discomforts were the creation of divisive thinking of ill fated minds. Ones religion, caste or creed should not be an impediment in the way forward for a progressive society. This kind of inclusive celebrations would surely impart a great message of cohesion and its importance, Swami said.

Youth League Panchayat committee president Rasaq Kodinhi said functionaries and clerics of various mosques here will visit the temples in the area in the coming days as part of the campaign. Besides, temple functionaries will also visit the mosques in the region.
Hurricane Harvey, as its come to be known, is now officially classed as Tropical Storm Harvey as the situation is worsening. The south-east of Texas is taking a massive beating from the storm, which has been regenerating the force it had originally lost, and now its spreading across Louisiana. The storm has claimed the lives of at least nine people, and now thousands are waiting to be rescued as they fight for survival amid the catastrophic floods.

Thousands of people have been forced out of their homes as the buildings have been flooded. Theyve had to seek emergency shelter as the terrible rainfall and heavy winds continue to threaten their towns.

According to Texas officials, approximately 30,000 people have been left homeless and in dire need of safe and secure shelter by Hurricane Harvey.

Houston, we have a problem

Houston has taken the worst blow from Hurricane Harvey. The citys George R. Brown Convention Center has opened its doors to survivors seeking refuge and its already in excess of its 5,000 bed capacity. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Theyre already looking for a second large venue in which to bring in the thousands of other survivors currently seeking refuge.

Nine people are confirmed to have died at the hands of Hurricane Harvey, but the death count is speculated to be much higher as bodies will have been lost amid the chaos of the storm.

Among those killed were a family of six who were reported to have died after their van was swept away by the floods, and a man who was killed on Monday night whilst attempting to swim through the flooding.

The exact number of people who are stranded in their homes and waiting to be rescued is unknown at this time. Its probably too high for officials to ever know for sure, but the local police, coast guard, and even the military are working with teams of volunteers to go into the flood-ridden streets with boats in an attempt to rescue the trapped survivors, as many as they can.

Some of the volunteers and emergency services have even resorted to working 24-hour days as the Hurricane Harvey situation has gotten worse.

Governor of Texas resorting to drastic measures

Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas, has helped efforts to rescue those who are trapped in their homes by the winds and rainfall of Hurricane Harvey by activating the states National Guard.

This has trebled the number of people actively working to rescue survivors. Before the Governors actions, 4,000 were out there trying to save folks. Now, that number is 12,000.

Meteorologists are not expecting the reign of terror brought on by Hurricane Harvey to end any time soon. They predict the intensity of the storm to continue throughout today, when it will also be expanding to affect the southern region of neighbouring state Louisiana. A federal state of emergency conditions has been officially announced in Louisiana. Experts are predicting up to 20 inches of rain forecast, and in some parts, even as much as 50 inches.

US President Donald Trump and wife Melania will visit Texas today

US President Donald Trump is set to visit Texas today with his wife Melania Trump.

They will be stopping by the cities of Austin and Corpus Christi to take a look at some of the efforts to save people caught up in Hurricane Harvey. They will be avoiding the most heavily hit areas of the state.

Yesterday, Trump spoke out to defend his decision to mention his Presidential pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who blatantly broke immigration laws, on Friday, as some called it an inappropriate time given that Hurricane Harvey was kicking off that day. Trump said he chose that day to announce the pardon, because I assumed the ratings would be far higher than they would be normally. Its always about the f*cking ratings with this guy.

Flood damage from Hurricane Harvey is expected to rack up costs in the tens of billions of dollars, while some health experts are worried about the effects that the muddy waters in the floods with have in the long run for those caught up in it.
Hurricane Harvey, since renamed as Tropical Storm Harvey as its gotten stronger and the situation has worsened, continues to ravage the south east of Texas and the south of Louisiana. Gale-force winds and heavy rainfall is not letting up in the area, and according to some meteorological experts, the worst might be yet to come.

At least nine people have died already

Days before Hurricane Harvey hit last Friday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to eradicate the flood protection laws put in place by his predecessor Barack Obama, and of course, he had a selfish ulterior motive behind it with one of his right-wing, climate change-disregarding policies.

Since then, at least nine people have been killed by the storm, including a family of six.

The Associated Press have release a report stating that the worst might be yet to come. Almost two more feet of rainfall is forecasted for the next few hours, and in some place, its expected to reach as high as 50 inches. The Associated Press reported that the local authorities are worried the worst might be yet to come. One expert has said that the sheer amount of rain seen by Hurricane Harvey would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years.
Jeremy Corbyn has been touring Scottish safe Labour seats rallying the troops should a general election come. Corbyn has said he is always in general election mode ever since his success at this year's general election. A speech he was due to give was going to mention Labour's policy on lifting the cap on benefits imposed by the current administration.

Indeed journalists were given a copy of the speech which did indeed mention the lifting of the benefit cap. The line in the copy of Corbyn's speech given to journalists read "We will lift the freeze on social security, using part of the billions we set aside for reform in our costed manifesto".

However, when the Labour leader did give his speech he mentioned much Labour policy on other matters but nothing was mentioned of the supposed planned lifting of the benefits freeze.

10 million people on benefits

So it has to be asked because Jeremy Corbyn did not mention the lifting of the benefits freeze, what are the 10 Million People on JSA, ESA, and other benefits to make of this? Did Corbyn forget to read out that part of his speech at the rally in Scotland? Or was it omitted from the speech at the last moment for some reason best known to Corbyn and those who surround him?

Part of Mr. Corbyn's success at the general election where he scared the Tories to within in an inch of their lives was his stance on lifting the benefits freeze.

Also his opposition to cuts which have had a dramatic impact on all those dependent on local council services for example.

Labour has put out a statement saying that Labour still intends to lift the freeze on benefits but seem unsure when this will happen if they are elected into government. Will it be from day one when and if they get into power or will it be a gradual process rolled out in different areas of the UK or in one fell swoop?

Corbyn's silence

I do not doubt Corbyn's for a minute, however, when issues come up, and he appears to be silent on issues like Venezuela and Saddam look alike Nicolas Maduro it does Corbyn no favours. It just gives the right wing press something to aim at and maybe those advising Corbyn should be pointing this out to him.

Has Corbyn thrown the Tories a lifeline in his silence on welfare cuts when the Tories themselves are struggling now to justify the continued freeze on benefits? Probably not because as long as the welfare freeze remains, the Tories will always be seen by many to quote Theresa May as "The nasty party".
Theresa May is the woman who was an arch remainer and now finds herself in the unenviable position of over seeing the UK's departure from the EU. On top of that, she had an awful election thrashing and had to do a deal with the DUP just to give her a majority in Parliament plus splits in the cabinet on Brexit and other issues.

Now she has gone with bespectacled hubby on one of her walking holidays and the last time she did that we all know what happened. This time it's not Wales but the Italian and Swiss Alps, so one wonders will she come up with another drastic decision like when she called a snap election.

Will she be thinking about her future as she walks around the alpine scenery or maybe she is not thinking about anything political? It could be like the rest of us she is just glad to be away from all the hullabaloo of being Prime Minister and the responsibility that comes with it.

Never the less with Philip Hammond acting as acting Prime Minister in her absence political life has not stopped.

The remainers rear their heads

It seems pro - leavers Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have gone to ground, and ardent remainers have been active. Spreadsheet Phil as he is known has been voicing his opinions about Brexit being a remainer himself

Hammond has gone on the offensive with a pro-business Brexit plan saying free movement from the EU should continue beyond 2019.

Many businesses depend on labour from the EU as does the NHS and say it will take time to train Native Brits in these roles if EU migration is stopped.

Amber Rudd, another remainer, has said the UK will not close the door to European workers after Brexit. The status of European people who have come to work in various professions seems to be safe but can the same be said for the Brits in the EU?

Liam Fox puts his case

Liam Fox along with Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and David Davis is a pro-leaver and unlike his colleagues has been voicing his opinion on Brexit. Fox has said continuing free movement of people into the UK from the EU will not respect the referendum result. Meaning the 53% who tipped the vote in favour of leaving the trading bloc in June 2016 which saw the departure of David Cameron.

Fox has a point the result was close but the leavers won, and it seems many remainers have now come to terms with this. They know despite what Vince Cable said about Brexit not happening that the UK is leaving the EU forever no going back.

However, they are finding other ways to get the best out of a bad situation like representing the interest of those who were the 48%. Hence them pushing for continued EU free movement and a softer Brexit no doubt.
In what is believed to be a major crackdown on insurgents in Myanmar (Burma), activist groups have accused the government's forces of burning down Rohingya Muslim villages and shooting at civilians in the troubled Rakhine State.

Violence in the region has forced thousands to evacuate and cross the Bangladeshi border for safety. Cramped in refugee camps, these asylum seekers face the dangers of epidemics and the possible wrath of the Bangladesh army who want to turn them away. Several videos have been posted online that show b widespread burning of buildings in the Maungdaw township in the northern part of Rakhine State.

 #_      #              pic.twitter.com/cB3z0hBilt     (@arakanana99) August 28, 2017

Statement Released

An English language statement by the Burmese Information Ministry has put the blame on Rohingya Muslim insurgents.

"Extremist terrorists blew out improvised bombs, set fire the villages and attacked the police outposts in Region-2 of Maungdaw yesterday from the morning to afternoon," the statement read.

A web based news outlet serving the Rohingya community called the Arakan Times estimates that border guards along with the Burmese army burned down around a thousand homes.

It has been difficult to examine the veracity of these contradicting reports as the Myanmar government has denied most journalists access to the region.

Although the cause of fire has not been ascertained yet, New York based Human Rights Watch are adamant that satellite images emerging in the aftermath clearly show burning in at least ten different areas in Northern Rakhine State.

Second major incident this month

This fresh violence comes on the back of a major battle between the insurgents and security forces last week that left more than seventy people dead. The casualty report confirmed at least 59 dead insurgents and twelve government soldiers also lost their lives. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, or ARSA, took full responsibility for the coordinated attacks on multiple police and military outposts last week.

Violence in Rakhine State has increased steadily in recent months, with former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, who now heads the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, demanding urgent action to improve the socio-economic welfare of the people who are affected by the conflicts.

The Rakhine State hosts more than one million Rohingya people - a predominantly Muslim community who have been known to face severe oppression at the hands of the Myanmar government.
Tropical Storm Watch in Effect; University Operations Unaffected at This Time

7:15 p.m. --- A tropical storm watch and a flood watch are in effect for the UNCW campus and surrounding communities. Students, faculty and staff are advised to exercise caution until the storm passes.

At this time, the university plans to operate per its usual schedule on Tuesday, August 29. However, if conditions drastically deteriorate overnight and operations are affected, the university will issue an updated message by 5 a.m. on Tuesday.

As always, students who do not feel comfortable traveling to or from classes should use their best judgment and contact their instructors as needed. Faculty and staff should consult the Adverse Weather Policy (Condition 1) to determine their best personal course of action.

Throughout this weather event, please continue to monitor local weather reports, the UNCW homepage, Facebook, and Twitter for the latest information. The Emergency Information Hotline at 910.962.3991 or 888.657.5751 will only be activated in the event of delays or closures. Please review the below information on hazards and campus impacts, and exercise caution both on and off-campus during adverse conditions. Thank you.

POTENTIAL HAZARDS: Heavy rain and winds; flash flooding and standing water; dangerous rip currents. Stay out of the ocean as directed by signage and safety personnel. Do not attempt to drive through standing water. Do not enter standing water on foot; there may be significant risks of infection or electrocution. Beware of downed branches, debris, and slick surfaces, particularly on steps and walkways.

TRAFFIC/PARKING: Be mindful of traffic impacts and proceed with caution and patience. Gates to the campus parking deck are currently open to give students parked in low-lying areas an opportunity to relocate their vehicles to the deck.

ONSLOW COUNTY EXTENSION STUDENTS: Please consult the Coastal Carolina Community College website for information about closings and delays.

STUDENT REC CENTER: The Center will open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

RANDALL LIBRARY, CAMPUS DINING, ETC.: All campus units other than the Student Rec Center are operating according to their normal schedules.

WAVE SHUTTLES: There are no schedule changes expected.

EVENTS: Please see individual websites for specific information about campus events and activities.
Every since news of Hurricane Harvey has been received by the public, things have been close to chaos down there. Warnings to evacuate have been issued via the news, and even then people have been unable to evacuate completely. Even though Texas is not new to the damage and destruction that hurricanes can cause, it was unable to be fully prepared for the onslaught of water and wind that has come along with Hurricane Harvey.

Hurricane Harvey is likely to surpass Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Allison, and rain has been falling in cities for days.

These cities include places like inland Austin and San Antonio. It has been pouring along the Gulf Coast of Texas to Houston.

More rain to come from Hurricane Harvey

Forecasters say that rains will continue until the end of this week at least, and many people have already been buried under 24 inches of water. The locals have had to face disastrous situations that threatened the safety of individuals. The reason that Hurricane Harvey has been such a menace to the towns in Texas is due to its slow speed. It moves at an extremely slow pace, at about three miles per hour, allowing it to drop enough water that severe flooding has ensued in several areas.

Death toll is now five people

The Death Toll has begun, and five people have been killed by Harvey.

The residents have been advised against holing up in their attic, unless they are able to find a way to break through the roof. More than a dozen people have been injured as well, and there are an expected hundreds of more people who will request emergency assistance by the time Harvey is over.

People are effected the worst by the hurricane, and there have been several dramatic events that have taken place throughout the effected cities.

Thousands of people have been rescued not only by the police and dedicated fire fighters, but also by neighbors. 911 is forced to prioritize rescues based on who is in the most danger. People have been breaking into second floor apartments so that they have mobility. People have been waist deep in water and have even stranded and trapped when trying to escape water logged places in Texas cities.

Louisiana Governor, John Bel Edwards encouraged Trump to make issue the disaster declaration, and it was approved on Monday. Locals and and near by residents are being urged to show compassion and an urgency to help people in need. Donations can be made to the Red Cross and the Salvation army. Airbnb is also doing its part by waiving service fees for those who effected by the disaster.
Just days after Hurricane Harvey started to devastate much of Texas, Donald Trump scheduled a trip to visit the state. After Melania Trump tweeted about joining the president on his visit, social media critics were quick to lash out.

Melania on Hurricane Harvey

Heading into last weekend, many wondered what the actual impact of Hurricane Harvey would be on Texas. Within hours of the storm touching down in Houston, it was quickly labeled a Category 4. In the days since the the storm started, several deaths have been reported, with thousands being displaced and forced to leave their home.

Massive flooding has also been reported, with heartbreaking images and videos circulating on social media of the impact the storm has had. Donald Trump used Twitter to comment on the storm, including mistakenly referring to the "Category" of the storm as "class." After it was revealed that Trump would head to Texas on Tuesday, Melania Trump took to Twitter to announce she would also be in attendance with a tweet on August 28.

I will travel with @POTUS tomorrow to lend my support to the people of #Texas. We are with you!  Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) August 28, 2017

Taking to Twitter on Monday night, First Lady Melania Trump tweeted out about her upcoming arrival to Texas. "I will travel with @POTUS tomorrow to lend my support to the people of #Texas," Melania tweet out, before adding, "We are with you!" Melania's tweet comes just hours after Donald Trump defended his action to pardon controversial former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio at the start of the Hurricane Harvey by citing the spike in TV ratings over the weekend.

Trump seems to be relishing the historic nature of Hurricane Harvey ahead of his visit to ravaged Texashttps://t.co/vLPxq84KeU pic.twitter.com/wvEGN93msS  POLITICO (@politico) August 28, 2017

Twitter reacts

Not long after Melania Trump sent out her tweet, critics of the president hit back. "Oh thank goodness, you can add a lot to this - are you going to help rescue people?

take them home and feed them? WTH?" one Twitter user sarcastically wrote.

oh thank goodness, you can add a lot to this - are you going to help rescue people? take them home and feed them? WTH?  Miriam Bernstein (@miriambernstein) August 28, 2017

You would best serve Texas if you stayed home and had a fund raiser  LadyG11 (@LadyGwenevre) August 28, 2017

"You would best serve Texas if you stayed home and had a fund raiser," another social media user added.

"When is (Trump) going to resign? Or does he want to be escorted from the White House in cuffs?," a follow-up tweet asked. ".We're doing fine without you. And that is saying something because we're totally fucked," Eric Vale went on to tweet out.

.We're doing fine without you. And that is saying something because we're totally fucked.  Eric Vale (@ericvale) August 28, 2017

When is going to resign? Or does he want to be escorted from the White House in cuffs?  HopelessHicks (@RicanInBoston) August 28, 2017

"The longer Trump's in office the more we see his dementia, racism, lies & crimes. Time for Putin's puppet to resign. Enablers are #complicit," an additional tweet added. As the backlash to the first lady continued, it became clear that the bad blood between the Trump family and their critics was not going to end anytime soon. With the negative reaction to the White House mounting, the president is now sitting on an approval rating of just 35 percent.
Donald Trump has been President of the United States for close to eight months and has struggled during much of his time in office. After even more damaging information was released linking Trump back to Russia on Monday, one MSNBC host didn't hold back.

Morning Joe on Trump

When Donald Trump announced that he was running for president back in June 2015, his candidacy quickly kicked off in controversial fashion when he referred to illegal immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and "murderers." In the months that followed, Trump's rhetoric and campaign style caused massive backlash in the mainstream media and with many members of his own Republican Party.

However, due to the former host of "The Apprentice" being a Washington outsider and many voters looking for something different in politics, Trump found a way to appeal to enough conservatives in the primary and was named the GOP nominee at the Republican National Convention. Just months later and Trump's momentum carried over to his shocking general election win over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, with the billionaire real estate mogul now the new commander in chief. Despite this, Trump's time in office has been marred by controversy, mostly due to his alleged ties to the Russian government. After it was reported that Trump's lawyer contacted a Kremlin official in 2016 to help with a Russian real estate deal, even more pressure was put on the White House.

As seen on the August 29 edition of "Morning Joe" on MSNBC, co-host Joe Scarborough hit back.

(Scarborough's comments come around 2:20 in the above video.)

During Tuesday morning's "Morning Joe," Joe Scarborough and his panel guests ripped into Donald Trump over the latest news. Originally reported by the Washington Post, Michael Cohen, Trump's lawyer, sent an email to Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov in an attempt to obtain assistance with the president's real estate dealings.

In response, Scarborough accused Trump of taking part in a scam to make a quick during the election, while never actually thinking he would win.

Scarborough: Trump Never Thought He'd Actually Win, Campaign 'Was All a Money-Making Scam' (VIDEO) https://t.co/6fO3sYoxbs pic.twitter.com/QlF8EZIwDR  Mediaite (@Mediaite) August 29, 2017

"This was all a money-making scam," Joe Scarborough claimed.

"He (Trump) thought Jeb Bush was going to beat him," the MSNBC host continued, before adding, "he was going to take the money and run." Regular panel guest Mike Barnicle agreed, labeling Trump's candidacy a "marketing" and "branding exercise." "They did not think that they were going to win the presidency," Barnicle said, while adding, "he was more interested in his business assets, and promoting them in Russia."

Trump attorney Michael Cohen has acknowledged sending an email to a top Putin aide to seek help with a building project in Moscow  NPR (@NPR) August 28, 2017

Next up

As the drama linking Donald Trump to Russia continues, the pressure is mounting on the president to make a move in a positive direction.

In addition to his issues with the Kremlin, Trump is also facing a difficult time rallying enough Republicans to back his plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, while also making little progress on issues dealing with immigration and his proposed border wall between the United States and Mexico.
A Monday afternoon Shooting in the small New Mexico town of Clovis has resulted in two people dead and four injured. A 16-year-old male teenager is now in custody after attacking people at the public library in the town.

Teenager enters the Clovis library and starts shooting

The incident at the Clovis-Carter Public Library started at around 4:13 PM local time on Monday. As reported by the Eastern New Mexico News, Vanessa Aguirre told them she and her son were in the library at the time the shooting happened. She said the suspect came in, shooting into the air.

Aguirre was lucky as she said it happened so fast, she and her son ran from the library, adding that her purse was still inside the building.

Two people were killed and four others injured when gunfire erupted inside a New Mexico public library on Monday.https://t.co/MxuoWjIHb1 pic.twitter.com/NB2NwiaYwe  KSNT News (@KSNTNews) August 29, 2017

Lisa Baird was also inside the library at the time of the shooting and told the newspaper she was around 20 feet from the teenager as he started shooting. Baird said he told her to run, asking her why she wasnt running as he was shooting at her.

Speaking to the newspaper via Facebook Messenger, Baird explained that she had been talking with a patron in the library when she first heard a loud bang.

She initially believed it to be a cherry bomb or firecracker, but then she saw the teenager with a handgun, shooting four or five shots into the floor six feet in front of him. She said she dove under the nearest desk to shelter from the gunfire.

According to Baird, soon afterwards police officers entered the building and shouted at the teenager to lie down on the ground before they took him into custody.

The library was surrounded by emergency and law enforcement vehicles, as paramedics rushed to treat the wounded.

Motive for the library shooting is unclear

Clovis Police Chief Douglas Ford said at a press conference on Monday evening that upon receiving reports of the shooting, officers had entered the library building and taken a 16-year-old male into custody after he gave himself up to authorities.

Ford added that the investigation is still in the early stages, so the motive for the shooting is currently unclear. Both people killed in the shooting were female and of the four injured victims, two were male and two female. The ages and identities of all victims will not be released by police until their families have been notified.

According to a report by People, Tom Phelps, Clovis interim city manager, told them that initially the victims had been taken to the Plains Regional Medical Center in the town, but three have since been transferred to Lubbock in Texas.

Clovis Mayor David Lansford said the town has been hit hard by the incident, but added that as a community they will get back up.
"Days Of Our Lives" coming and goings for the week of July 31 through August 4 reveal that one of Salem's own is saying his final goodbye. This week, "DOOL" viewers will watch as actor Jordi Vilasuso makes his last appearance as Dario Hernandez. Dario will say his final farewell on Monday, July 31, and it will be a dramatic one.

Say goodbye to Dario Hernandez

As many fans know, Dario tricked Abigail into marrying him and later blackmailed her into staying in the marriage and leaving Salem with him. However, his plans to leave town with Abby were foiled when Chad DiMera got in the way.

Sadly, things took a tragic turn when a speeding car came charging at Chad, and Abigail pushed him out of the way to save his life. Now, Dario will be leaving town knowing that he had a major part in Abigail's life-threatening injuries.

Meanwhile, "Days of our Lives" fans will also see actor Andre Khabazzi portray Abigail's doctor, Dr. Shah. The actor is best known for his roles as Alec Moretti on "The Young and the Restless" and Officer Ruiz on "Sunset Beach." Dr. Shah will rush to save Abby's life as Chad and her family hold vigil by her bedside hoping for a miracle. Actor Angelo Tiffe will also be back in Salem as Angelo.

Angelo returns to share scenes with Tripp

As "DOOL" viewers know, Angelo is the cousin of Tripp's late mother, Ava Vitali.

Tripp and Angelo will share scenes as Tripp continues his plan to try and sabotage Dr. Kayla Johnson's medical career. Tripp believes that Kayla killed his mother, and he's trying to get revenge. However, little does he know that his half-brother, Joey, is actually responsible for Ava's death.

This week, "Days of our Lives" is set to be very dramatic. Not only will Abigail's life hang in the balance, but Chad will also confess his love for his ex-wife, which his current girlfriend, Gabi Hernandez, will overhear.

It looks like this will be the official end of the Abby/Chad/Gabi love triangle. Gabi will likely know that she can't compete with Chad's love for Abigail, and she won't try. The pair will end things as "DOOL" begins the process of putting fan-favorite couple "Chabby" back together again.

Another love triangle heats up

Meanwhile, another Salem love triangle will be heating up.

Brady, Nicole, and Eric's situation will get even more intense. Nicole's feelings will be torn in two as she fights her emotions for her first love, Eric, and the love she has for her current love, Brady. Not only will Nicole be feeling torn, but Eric and Brady's relationship will also be fractured by the love triangle. Catch all the latest "Days of our Lives" drama weekday afternoons on NBC.
Ever since "Game of Thrones" season six ended, people have started guessing who is going to die in season seven. Although every fan has his own opinion regarding this issue, there is one character in particular who has been on everyone's death list -- Petyr Baelish Littlefinger. And Season seven so far just confirmed these speculations. He tries to cause a conflict between Jon Snow and Sansa Stark. He whispers poisonous words to Sansa's ear, but it seems that even she, his loyal student, might turn against him. With that being said, it seems that this is his final season and that the only question is who is going to kill him.

Some think it's Sansa, some think it's Arya, but everyone agrees that Littlefinger is going to meet his demise in season seven. But what if everyone is wrong. After all, Lord Baelish is a master manipulator; so maybe he has a few aces up his sleeve?

A quick recap

Before jumping into what might be his master plan, let's just remember what kind of manipulator are we talking about here. Back in Season 1, Littlefinger conspired with his mistress Lysa Arryn to murder her husband, the Hand of the King at the time, Lord Jon Arryn and blame it on the Lannisters. Then he blamed Tyrion Lannister for an assassination attempt on Bran, thus starting the war between the Starks and the Lannisters. And let's not forget that he betrayed Ned Stark and probably convinced Joffrey to behead him.

In the war, he helped the Lannisters forge an alliance with the Tyrells and maybe even conspired with Tywin to organize the infamous Red Wedding.

After the war, he was granted the castle of Harenhall, but he went to the Vale to marry Lysa Arryn instead. Not stopping there, Littlefinger helped Sansa to escape King's Landing after Joffrey's death.

Then he threw Lysa through the Moon Door and after Sansa's help, he took control of the Vale army and the young lord, Robin Arryn.

Littlefinger's master plan

Just when we thought that Littlefinger got what he wanted, he married Sansa off to Ramsey Bolton while telling Cersei Lannister that the Boltons betrayed her. In this crucial scene, he offered Cersei a help to win the North.

His plan was to let the Bolton and Stannis forces fight each other and then to swoop in with his Vale army to conquer Winterfell. And in return, he asked Cersei to name him the Warden of the North.

Things didn't go as planned

However, he didn't plan for Sansa to escape and Jon Snow to abandon the Night's Watch to take the North back from the Boltons. So it was only near the end of the Battle of the Bastards that he swooped in with his Vale forces to help Jon Snow and Sansa take back their home. But he didn't get the proper credit for that, and neither did Sansa. Instead, Jon was named the King in the North and Littlefinger was left lurking in the shadows.

What is Littlefinger up to?

Since his manipulations can't seem to work on anyone in Winterfell, it's just the matter of time when someone is going to kill him.

But what if Littlefinger gets back to his original plan? What if he betrays the Starks once again? He could kidnap Sansa and deliver her back to Cersei. Or he could manipulate Sansa to marry him and betray Jon, thus making himself the King in the North. Although this might happen and Littlefinger could pull a few aces up his sleeve, I think the Stark sisters will outplay him. Sansa could manipulate him in such a way that he could think that everything is going according to his plans, but instead, he is going to end up dead. Also, Bran will be in Winterfell by episode three, and maybe he could expose some of the Littlefinger's lies sooner than we think. In any case, things don't look good for Petyr Baelish in season seven because the Starks have learned their lesson and they will not let anyone stand in their way anymore.
WUBBA LUBBA DUB DUB, loyal fans of the "Rick and Morty" Multiverse! We are all definitely excited for one thing, one unified cause, one monumental reason, and that happens to be the premiere of the brand new episodes of the third dank new season of "Rick and Morty". We have all come a long way to this day and moment of relishing our much fantasized of desires, and it is here with us. Rickmancing the Stone is finally here and we couldnt be more excited. TIme to get Riggity RIGGITY wrecked, son!

DIP IT!

Following the masterful and epic escape of our beloved protagonist #1, none other than Rick Sanchez from the galactic federal prison on the pilot episode of the third season titled The Rickshank Redemption, Rick, knowingly or unknowingly unleashed upon our world a relic that was buried under the weight of time.

An indisputable nectar for the taste buds, described by Rick Sanchez in a manner that it had been crafted by the Gods themselves. A recipe that transcends both space and time, a delicacy that has grown to be on the lips of every "Rick and Morty" fan there is. It is the infamous and increasingly viral limited edition Mulan Szechuan Teriyaki Dipping Sauce, as mouth-wateringly described by Rick Sanchez himself.

This much roared and celebrated about delicacy was dished out along with every pack of chicken nuggets at McDonald's in the year 1998. McDonald's have always kept their Happy Meal toy and Condiment game fresh, and this new sauce wasnt any different either. It was in commemoration of the movie Mulan that has just released in theatres.The movie, by Walt Disney, is about the Chinese legend of the warrior woman Hua Mulan who bravely fought against the invasion of the Huns.

The sauce, remodeled in an oriental recipe was an absolute winner and has been talked about since then.

Justin time for Season 3 Episode 2

The sauce, after having been brought back to life, thanks to "Rick and Morty", has gathered quite an unusual following.

People have tried recreating it. People have tried re-cooking it despite having no idea whatsoever about how the sauce originally tastes. Some people have even pummeled through time and somehow found old sachets of the Mulan Sauce, just to bid them on eBay for over $15,000. Popularity knows no name or form.

Co-creator of "Rick and Morty", Justin Roiland, however, hasnt had the need to do any of these shenanigans.

Because he was behind the monumental rise in popularity of the sauce, which in turn helped promote McDonald's as a brand even further, a very sweet chef from McDonald's has been kind enough to remake a whole batch of the sauce and send it over to Roiland as a surprise. The chef who goes by the name Mike has masterfully put it all together into a neat alien looking packaged from the Dimension C-1998M, where it is the year 1998 every day, he mentions on his note to Roiland. He also mentions that batches of the sauce will be available in limited quantity to select and lucky fans, but he just had to send the first batch to Roiland himself.

Roiland, moved by the ever so sweet gesture, has gone over to twitter and put up pictures of everything that Chef Mike and McDonalds have sent him. Such an absolute dream come true moment, isnt it?
After yet another controversial week in office, it was only a matter of time before Donald Trump was hit hard heading into the weekend. One of the president's most vocal critics has been Bill Maher who was no exception and ripped into the commander in chief during his latest broadcast on HBO.

Maher on Trump

Not long after Donald Trump kicked off his campaign for president it was made clear that he wouldn't be on best of terms with the mainstream media and the majority of the liberal-leaning Hollywood. Whether it was his controversial remarks about illegal immigrants or his rhetoric involving women and other minorities, the former host of "The Apprentice" has often found himself on the receiving end of brutal backlash.

Throughout the 2016 presidential election and in the months since his inauguration, Trump has become the butt of the joke on programs like "Saturday Night Live" and the majority of late-night talk shows. One critic of the president has been Bill Maher who doesn't hold back his thoughts on Trump each Friday night on HBO. As seen during the August 25 edition of "Real Time with Bill Maher," the comedian recapped the president's bad week.

"#HurricaneHarvey has already wreaked a lot of havoc...President Trump condemned the violence on both sides."  @BillMaher #RealTime pic.twitter.com/sLvsUrtltm  Real Time (@RealTimers) August 26, 2017

Opening his show with his routine opening monologue, Bill Maher hit back at Donald Trump over his reaction to Hurricane Harvey.

"I love it down there (Texas). They are having a hurricane. Hurricane Harvey has already reeked havoc there," Maher said. "Trump has already come out with a strong statement condemning the violence on both sides," he continued, in mockery of the president's recent remarks about the white nationalist rally in Virginia.

"This is Trump's first natural disaster.

The others he all caused himself," Bill Maher continued. "He stands ready to tweet if he gets any shi**y coverage," the comedian joked. Maher continued, ripping into the president over multiple issues, including his recent speech that looks to expand the war in Afghanistan. "Republicans, they do like their war. Wives come and go, but war theyre willing to work at," he noted.

Maher continued, spending the rest of the opening segment highlighting Trump's rough week.

"Republicans, they do like their war. Wives come and go, but war theyre willing to work at."  @BillMaher #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/oUvfSKOhkS  Real Time (@RealTimers) August 26, 2017

Next up

As Bill Maher and others continue to come down hard on Donald Trump, the president continues to face actual problems in the White House. With the pressure mounting over a variety of issues, including but not limited to the repeal of Obamacare, immigration reform and the growing Russian scandal, Trump is fighting to improve his standing with the American people which currently reflects just a 35 percent approval rating.
Corinne Olympios is a 24-year-old reality TV star from Miami, FL. She first appeared on television during Season 21 of "The Bachelor." On the show, Corinne was competing with several other women to get the final rose and a proposal from Nick Viall. She made it far but was sent home during Week 8, leaving just three women left to try and win Nick's love.

Like many former "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" contestants do, Corinne was ready to try for love again, this time on the show "Bachelor in Paradise." This time around, however, Corinne didn't make it so far.

She, along with the entire cast and crew, was sent home after a scandal took place on the set.

The shut down of Season 4

Season 4 of "Bachelor in Paradise" began filming at a beautiful resort in Mexico in early June. After hours of heavy drinking, Corrine and DeMario Jackson made their way to the pool area for a make out session. Jackson, a 30-year-old executive recruiter from Los Angeles, was one of the most recent men sent home from the current season of "The Bachelorette."

While the duo was in the pool, one of the producers believed that Corinne and DeMario were way too intoxicated to know what they were doing. The producer felt like there was no way Corinne could give consent to the sexual actions taking place because she was inebriated.

The producer filed a complaint and Warner Bros. decided to suspend the production of "Bachelor in Paradise." Everyone on the cast and crew of the reality show was sent home while an investigation took place. Warner Bros. determined that no misconduct took place and decided to resume filming towards the end of June. Neither Corinne or DeMario returned to Mexico to continue filming.

The first live interview

Corinne has not done any television interviews in regards to the "Bachelor in Paradise" incident. It seems like she is finally ready to open up and discuss what really took place on the set of "Bachelor in Paradise." Corinne's first live interview will take place on Tuesday, August 29. The exclusive interview will air on the popular ABC morning show "Good Morning America," (GMA).

Corinne is no stranger to the morning talk show. She appeared on "Good Morning America" back in February after Bachelor Nick sent her home. In an interview with "GMA" host Micheal Strahan, Corinne talked about how she was heartbroken and blindsided when Nick eliminated her. Her interview on Tuesday morning is sure to be one that will create a lot of buzz.
North Korea launched a new ballistic missile Tuesday that flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, Washington Post reported.

The country has conducted several ballistic missiles tests in the past but firing the missiles over Japan is a rare move.The Japanese government issued a warning to its citizens to take cover after the missile flew over the island.

Serious threat

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said in an Emergency National Security Council meeting that this was a 'reckless act' and 'it represents a serious threat without precedent to Japan,' and the government would take 'all possible measures' to guarantee the safety of the Japanese people...We have also requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.' Abe added.

Tuesday's launch comes days after Pyongyang tested three short-range ballistic missiles and one of the three missiles failed. The missile that was launched Tuesday, Hwasong-12, is an intermediate-range ballistic missile that is capable of reaching Guam, the U.S. Pacific territory, according to early reports from South Korea.

The latest ballistic missiles tests landed between the sea of the Korean Peninsula and Japan instead of flying over Japan. The last time this happened was in 1998 when North Korean fired a missile over Japan and a fired rocket also crossed Japan in 2009, ABC News reported.

'The missile did not pose threat to the U.S.' a Pentagon spokesman said.

The missile was fired before 6:00 AM Japan's local time and it flew about 1678 miles reaching a maximum altitude of 342 miles and broke into three pieces before falling into the Pacific Ocean, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported.

Response to sanctions

The move came as a defiance of U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea because of its pursuance of a Nuclear Program. Kim Jong-un threatened to fire missiles near the US Pacific territory of Guam and President Donald Trump warned that North Korea could face 'fire and fury' if it targeted the United States.

CNN reported that Japan imposed unilateral sanctions on eight foreign firms and individuals over their dealings with North Korea. The sanctions include four companies from China and two from Namibia.

The U.S. and South Korea are currently conducting military exercises that the North considers to be a preparation for invasion.

This is considered a dangerous escalation from Kim's regime according to analysts because if the rockets broke up and hit Japan, it could be considered a hostile act. Kim has ordered the launch of 18 missiles this year alone, comparing to his father Kim-Jong Il who fired 16 missiles during his 17-year reign.
A Peace March by 500,000 people hit the streets of Barcelona on Saturday to show that people are not afraid, following the brutal terror attack in La Rambla in the city on August 17. There was a similar attack in Cambrils, leading to the deaths of 15 people and more than 100 injured.

Huge march led by King Felipe VI and heads of state

The massive march was led by King Felipe Vi, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and Carles Puigdemont, Catalonias regional government head. They marched together with people who witnessed the attack first hand, including residents and store owners in La Rambla, and taxi drivers and emergency workers who helped victims in the aftermath of the attack.

Muslim women were seen marching next to the Spanish king, wearing hijabs.

People declare they are not afraid

As reported by the Metro, police had said half a million people were in the streets carrying banners with the words no tinc por, which means I am not afraid in English, including a street-wide banner at the head of the march. Others were holding banners protesting against Islamophobia. People also carried red, white and yellow roses to signify the colors of Barcelona, the second-largest city in Spain.

The phrase no tinc por is also reportedly being embraced by the political class in the country in response to the ISIS-backed violence. However, as reported by RTE, the presence of the Spanish King caused some controversy with pro-independence Catalans wishing to break away from Spain.

They were heard to chant at the royal to get out of Catalonia.

Terror suspects hail from Ripoll in Catalonia

12 suspects are believed to have been behind the terror attacks. Six of them were killed by police and two were killed in an explosion in the terrorists bomb factory In Alcanar. A further two suspects are currently in prison facing charges of terrorism, while two other suspects were released.

The group was based in the small town of Ripoll in the Catalan Pyrenees, where the majority had been brought up from childhood.

Over 500K people took to the streets in Barcelona to march against terrorism. Love will always win. Beautiful. pic.twitter.com/uzs9U16Tm6  Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) August 26, 2017

During the speeches at a similar event in Ripoll, Hafida Oukabir, whose two brothers were involved in the attack went on stage to thank her neighbors for their support to Muslim families in Ripoll.

Moussa Oukabir was killed by police in Cambrils while Driss Oukabir was arrested and is facing terrorism charges.

Things could have been far worse in the attacks

As was recently reported, the terror group was intending to launch a far more brutal attack, using explosives and gas bottles in vans to hit three major tourist areas of the city, including the iconic Sagrada Familia. However, after their bomb factory in Alcanar suffered an accidental explosion the day before the Barcelona attack, which killed terror suspects and destroyed their explosives, this led to a change in their plans.
Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Connection on Climate Change, speaks during the opening of the UN Climate Change Conference 2016 (COP22) in Marrakech, Morocco, November 7, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

The United Nations appreciates China's sustained efforts to fight climate change, the UN climate chief said.

Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, said the UN looks favorably upon China's strong commitment to transform to a greener and more sustainable development path.

"China has gradually played a more significant role leading global efforts to fight ... climate change," she said, adding that the UN expects China is able to continue playing a role in pushing the Paris pact forward.

The Paris Agreement was sealed in 2015 by nearly 200 parties worldwide.

"Many developing countries are looking at China and hope to learn from Chinese experiences," she said.

While striving to switch to a greener development path, China has been actively getting involved, providing support to less developed countries through schemes such as south-south cooperation.

While she expressed regret at the US decision to pull out of the pact, the Paris agreement will move forward, she said.

She said trade issues should not be an obstacle that affect cooperation between countries or cast a shadow on cooperation to fight climate change.

US President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw the US out of the pact earlier this year. But the private sector in the United States has been continuing a shift toward cleaner energy, she said.

Under the rules of the Paris deal, the earliest time that any party can leave is Nov 4, 2020.

That means the US still has to wait an additional three years to finally leave the pact.

Before the US is able to leave the agreement, other parties should take crucial steps to implement the agreement and ramp up their immediate steps to tackle climate change, she said.

"Climate fund will be one key issue to be discussed during the next UN climate change conference," she said.

Guo Hongyu, a climate researcher at NGO Greenovation Hub, said the exit of the US clearly makes the climate task harder, but the pact will move forward with more than 190 parties still part of the agreement.

"With the US withdrawal, China is able to expand collaboration with other parties seeking ... cooperation," she said.
The BRICS Summit will be an important way for developing countries to explore a cooperative approach to sustainable growth and prosperity, leading Chinese experts said on Monday, dismissing concerns that the growth deceleration among the bloc's members would undermine the group's viability.

Zhang Yansheng, chief economist at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, said China is willing to expand the BRICS "circle of friends" and welcome other developing countries to the bloc so that countries can jointly address challenges that include rising protectionism and anti-globalization trends.

Leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are scheduled to meet from Sept 3 to 5 in Xiamen, a resort city in Fujian province.

That growth deceleration, especially in Russia, Brazil and South Africa, which are heavily reliant on natural resources, has raised questions about how member states can transcend domestic problems and focus on further boosting their market potential through multilateral cooperation.

The bloc's share of global GDP has risen from 12 percent to 23 percent in the past 10 years, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Outbound investment by BRICS members and foreign direct investment in these countries accounted respectively for 12 percent and 16 percent of global investment in 2016. But two-way investment among them only accounted for 6 percent.

Zhang Jianping, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Commerce, said the vast potential of trade and investment among the members will help boost the bloc's role in the global economy.

"China has the advantage in infrastructure and industrial capability and is willing to work with other BRICS countries to build a global supply chain that will create more growth opportunities for developing nations," Zhang said.

BRICS commerce ministers reached agreements at a meeting in Shanghai this month to boost trade, investment, e-commerce and cooperation in intellectual property rights.

Wei Jianguo, vice-president of China Center for International Economic Exchanges, said the summit in Xiamen will herald the start of the bloc's "second golden decade" representing the interest of developing nations and emerging economies.

"In addition to trade and investment, the member states should explore new areas such as the financial, cultural and education sectors to boost cooperation," Wei said.
As China is preparing for the BRICS Summit in Xiamen next week, analysts said the past few years marked China's transition from a player in global affairs to a leader of the global agenda.

A six-episode political documentary,Major Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics, started on Monday on China Central Television, with one episode a day showcasing the progress that the nation, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China with President Xi Jinping as the core, has made in diplomacy in the past five years.

It focuses on the new diplomatic concepts, thoughts and strategies put forward by Xi, highlighting the process of China's emergence at the center of global stage and China's role as a contributor to global peace, development and order, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Just as Xi put it in his New Year's speech for 2016: "The world is so large, with so many problems. The international community expects to hear China's voice and see China's solution. China should not be absent."

Since he was elected as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in November 2012, Xi has played a proactive role in international affairs and improving global governance. He has visited over 50 countries and met with hundreds of foreign heads of states and governments visiting China since then.

Xi presided over the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Beijing meeting in 2014, the G20 Hangzhou Summit last year, and the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May, charting the course for global growth and navigating world economic recovery.

"All countries should jointly push the establishment of a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation as its core," Xi said in a speech in March 2013 at a university in Moscow, which was featured in Monday's episode.

The past five years have witnessed China's increasing contributions to world development, especially through the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the BRICS-led New Development Bank.

By linking countries and regions that account for about 60 percent of the world's population and 30 percent of global GDP, the Belt and Road Initiative is a perfect example of China sharing its wisdom and solutions for global growth and governance.

"China's solution is to build a community of a shared future for mankind, and to achieve mutual benefit and mutual sharing," Xi said in a speech delivered at the UN Geneva headquarters in January, also featured in Monday's episode.

At least 68 countries and international organizations have signed agreements with China on Belt and Road cooperation. The trade volume between China and countries along the Belt and Road routes exceeded $3 trillion between 2014 and 2016, and Chinese investment in these countries surpassed $50 billion.

Through hosting international events such as the G20 Summit last year and the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, Beijing has translated the "China solution" into "international practice", said Ruan Zongze, executive vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies.

"The Major Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics' originates from China's strong confidence in its development path," he said.

China has become much more confident on the global stage, said Wang Jiugao, a professor at Peking University's School of Marxism.

"President Xi's words on various occasions show to the world that China is open and responsible, willing to work with the world both as a participant and a leader," Wang said.

Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Studies at Renmin University of China, said the initiative fits well with Xi's vision of a community of a shared future for mankind. "Xi has shown he has what it takes to lead, not just in China but also on the global stage, through the initiative," he said.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, Xi said that China has made huge contributions to global trade, and its economic development has created immense opportunities for the world.

China's economy expanded by 6.9 percent in the first half of 2017, with consumption and services, together with new innovation-driven economic sectors, taking up larger roles. In light of the strong data and expectations of continued fiscal support, the IMF in July revised China's growth forecast upward to 6.7 percent for 2017 and 6.4 percent for 2018.

Robert Kuhn, a China expert from the United States, said that the Chinese president is proposing a grand vision of global governance  stressing the strength of stability and the goal of mutual prosperity  with China playing a dramatic new role in seeking global win-win cooperation.
Photo taken on Aug 8, 2017 shows the newly-opened 828.5-kilometer-long highway pointing to the Mountain Huashan in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The 828.5-kilometer-long highway, which runs along the Yellow River, opened to traffic on Monday. The highway, which runs through the north and the south of Shaanxi Province, is expected to play a positive role in promoting the province's local tourism and ecological conservation. At cost of 6.9 billion yuan ($1 billion), the highway across 12 districts and counties will benefit more than 2 million people. [Photo/Xinhua]

XI'AN, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A new highway along the Yellow River in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province opened to traffic on Monday.

The north-south highway which starts in the city of Yulin and ends in Weinan travels 828.5 km along the west bank of the Yellow River.

At cost of 6.9 billion yuan (1 billion U.S. dollars), the highway across 12 districts and counties will benefit more than 2 million people.

The highway links several tourist destinations in Shaanxi including the Hukou Waterfall and Mount Huashan, one of China's five sacred mountains.

The highway also links nine expressways, 13 major highways and 80 country roads, said Feng Xining, director of the Shaanxi provincial transport department.
By Cang Wei in Nanjing and Li Yingqing in Kunming | China Daily | Updated: 2017-08-29 08:09

Flower shop sales assistants organize bouquets in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Friday, hoping for a boom in sales for the Qixi Festival.[Long Yudan for China Daily]

Sales of flowers, especially red roses, increase rapidly near Qixi Festival as couples celebrate what's otherwise known as Chinese Valentine's Day.

Zhang Li, general manager of Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center, said that more than 70 million fresh flowers were sold during the 15 days before the festival. Of those, 93 percent were roses.

"The daily trade volume of fresh flowers reached more than 6 million in the week before the festival," said Zhang. "A record high of 7 million flowers were sold on both Aug 24 and 25, which surpassed the sales on this year's Valentine's Day."

Qixi Festival, which fell on Monday this year, is generally considered a romantic day, and more Chinese couples have started to celebrate the festival in recent years.

Mao Haipeng, assistant to the president of Dounan Flower Group, said the price of flowers has increased by more than 20 percent recently.

"Too much rain has also contributed to the high prices of flowers," he said. "Though we have many kinds of flowers at the Dounan Flower Market, red roses are the most popular and have been sold out."

Kunming Dounan Flower Market, in Yunnan province, is the largest fresh flower market in Asia. Its flowers have been exported to 46 countries and regions, and about 70 percent of the flowers in the country's 80 large and medium-sized cities come from the market.

Jiang Man, owner of Banbai Flower Art Studio, said the shop has sold more flowers on Qixi Festival than on Western Valentine's Day, Feb 14, for five years.

"Young Chinese couples also like preserved fresh flowers," she said. "Both the preserved fresh flowers and red roses have sold out."

"Sales of preserved fresh flowers doubled from last year," said Jin Minhui, general manager of Mr Jin Flower Company. "The market for preserved fresh flowers has been flourishing since 2013. Sales in Yunnan province are expected to reach 150 million yuan ($22.6 million).

Wei Xiao, owner of Moonlight Flower Shop in Nanjing, said good weather during Qixi Festival contributed to good flower sales.

"While Valentine's Day falls in cold February, Qixi Festival usually falls in August. Many Chinese couples wear beautiful clothes, arrange outdoor activities and buy flowers for their loved ones on a comfortable summer night."

Li Xinyi contributed to this story.
China's top legislature called upon governments at all levels on Monday to strengthen copyright protection by creating an information-sharing system for administrations and judicial authorities, along with a blacklist of violators.

Over the past several years, the country has made efforts against copyright infringement, but more efforts are needed, according to a report on the enforcement of the Copyright Law by a specialized team under the legislature.

The report is being discussed at the bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, which ends on Friday.

"Some copyright administrations took fewer steps against online piracy because of the difficulty of figuring out infringements in cyberspace, including how to collect related evidence," said Wang Chen, the committee's vice-chairman.

"Some administrations didn't hand over cases of alleged criminal wrongdoing to judicial authorities, while others had no employees or funding to deal with piracy."

The team suggested that government bodies should create a system for sharing information about copyright infringement between each other and judicial authorities, with the aim of moving more effectively from administrative punishments to criminal penalties.

It advocated a credit evaluation system, with a blacklist, to help manage copyrights and increase pressure on online pirates.

Chinese courts should improve their efficiency in hearing copyright infringement cases, including the use of expert witnesses and technical investigators to help judges analyze new types of violations, the report said.

The National Copyright Administration has been active in enforcement since the end of last year. It issued a notice strengthening the protection of online literary works, and said it would name websites that do a good job protecting literary works along with problematic ones. "The creation of a credit evaluation system should be accelerated, because weeding out those with low credit will be good for keeping the market in order and prosperous," said Gao Youdong, a political adviser.

From 2005 to 2016, copyright administrations at all levels nationwide confiscated more than 508 million pieces of pirated products. They handed down administrative punishments, such as fines, on infringers in 93,500 cases, according to the report.

In the same period, the administrations, with other authorities, including the Ministry of Public Security, tackled 5,560 online piracy cases and shut down 3,082 websites, it said.

Judicial authorities have also been vigorous in the anti-piracy fight. For example, Chinese courts concluded 368,611 civil cases and 6,746 criminal ones relating to copyright infringement in the past six years, the report said.
WASHINGTON -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile over Japan, the Pentagon confirms Monday.

"We can confirm that the missile launched by North Korea (DPRK) flew over Japan," the Pentagon said. "We are still in the process of assessing this launch."

The Pentagon added that the missile launch did not pose a threat to North America.

The Japanese government said the missile appeared to have passed over the Japanese archipelago.

The missile was fired around 5:58 a.m. Japanese time (GMT 2058 Monday) from the western coast of the DPRK towards a northeastern direction, and passed over Cape Erimo in northern Japan around 6:06 a.m. Japanese time (GMT 2106 Monday), said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

The missile appeared to have fallen into the Pacific Ocean some 1,180 kilometers east of Cape Erimo around 6:12 a.m. Japanese time (GMT 2112 Monday), said Suga.

He also said that the launching of the missile poses a grave threat to Japan's security and Japan strongly protests against the missile launch.
US Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan applauded the public-private partnership that is being used to build the Purple Line Light Rail project in the Greater Washington area.

The US Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration on Monday announced a $900 million federal grant agreement for the Maryland Purple Line project.

The 16.2-mile line will have 21 stations and be completed in 2022. It will make travel between Montgomery and Prince George's counties faster and more reliable for thousands of Maryland residents, improving access to major businesses and activity centers in the state's most populated counties, according to USDOT.

"The Purple Line is a great example of what can be achieved when federal, state and private partners work together," Chao said at a funding-singing and groundbreaking ceremony on Monday in Hyattsville, Maryland.

She described the public-private partnership as holding "great potential for revitalizing our infrastructure and demonstrates how communities' projects can benefit through access to additional funding resources which can accelerate project delivery and provide greater innovation".

Hogan called the project the largest public-private partnership ever undertaken in the US, and said it "will be an important economic driver for Maryland".

"This multibillion-dollar infrastructure project is a big win for the State of Maryland, and will be a major benefit to the National Capital Region. It is a shining example of what can be accomplished when our federal, state, county,and private sector partners work together," he said.

After the speeches, Hogan drove an excavator to bulldoze a building to make way for what will become a Purple Line operations center.

The Purple Line, though not part of the Washington DC Metro system, will connect Metro, MARC and Amtrak. The total construction cost is about $2 billion, and the cost to design, build and operate the line is estimated at about $5.6 billion.

"It will integrate seamlessly with our current transit systems, combining Metro and Amtrak, to provide more transit options across the region. Just the construction alone will mean thousands of new jobs for Marylanders," Hogan said.

US President Donald Trump has promoted public-private partnerships as part of his $1 trillion infrastructure plan. He has proposed an incentive program in which the federal government provides up to $200 billion to state and local governments that enter into the partnerships.

While the method is often practiced in other industrialized nations, it is relatively new in the US. Public-private partnerships accounted for just 1 percent of all spending between 1989 and 2011 on toll roads, where the agreements are used the most, according to a report by the Congressional Budget Office.

Trump signed an executive order on Aug 15 that aims to cut permit time for infrastructure projects from an average of 10 years to two years.

The Purple Line traced its origin to 1994 and experienced a fierce and prolonged battle between supporters and protesters.

A federal appeals court ruling last month finally cleared the way for Maryland to pursue federal funding for the project.

chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Aug 28 is Chinese Valentine's Day, also known as Qixi. But this year it will also be remembered as the day that China and India successfully resolved their 70-day long border standoff through diplomatic means.

It was a feeling of relief for many, as both the Chinese and Indian governments announced the end of the standoff on Monday.

Tensions between the world's two most populous nations had escalated after Indian border troops illegally crossed the well-delineated China-India border in the Sikkim Sector into China's Donglang area on June 18.

While the Chinese military has shown strong resolve to defend the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Chinese government has exercised its utmost restraint by fully exploring diplomatic and peaceful means.

After all, China and India, despite their brief border war in 1962, trace their neighborly relations to ancient times. The ancient Silk Road, for example, served not only as a major trading route between the two countries, but also helped spread Buddhism from India to East Asia.

As the world's two largest developing nations, China and India have every reason to avoid a war or any military conflict and rather focus on their economic and social development and the improvement of their peoples' lives.

Trade and investment relations between the two countries have grown rapidly in the past years.

Yet, that's just the beginning for the two fast-developing nations, which have huge potential for cooperation.

The BRICS Summit, to be held in Xiamen, China, from Sept 3-5 will gather leaders from China, India, Russia, Brazil and South Africa and provide another huge opportunity for them to pursue win-win cooperation that not only benefits the five countries, but the whole world.

The mistake India made on June 18 should not be repeated. And China and India - and the whole world - should now celebrate as the border standoff was solved peacefully and diplomatically.

The author is deputy editor of China Daily USA
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Operating the power generation units of Dong Nai 3 hydropower plant__Photo: Ngoc Ha/VNA

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The Government on August 7 issued a decree on state monopoly over 20 groups of goods and services, including goods and services for national defense and security, production of gold bars, and import of cigarettes and cigars.According to Decree 94, to take effect from October 1, the manufacture, trading, import-export and transit of industrial explosives; import-export of gold material for production of gold bars; issuance of lottery tickets; and management, import-export, purchase, sale, storage and preservation of goods named in the national reserves list are state-monopolized activities.The state monopoly also applies to banknote printing and coin minting, issuance of postage stamps, production, import-export, trading, transport and storage of fireworks and provision of firework-related services.Other activities that fall under exclusive state control include transmission and regulation of the national power grid and construction and operation of multi-purpose hydropower plants and nuclear power facilities of special socio-economic importance.The services monopolized by the State cover public maritime services such as operation of navigation light systems and public navigable channels, management and operation of coastal information stations, air traffic, aeronautical information and aviation search and rescue services, along with forestry services in special-use forests, excluding those used for tourism purposes.Management and exploitation, excluding maintenance, of state-invested national and urban railway infrastructure systems; and management and exploitation of inter-provincial and inter-district irrigation works and sea embankments are placed under the States exclusive rights.The monopolized services also include publishing, exclusive of printing and distribution activities; maintenance, management and exploitation of public postal service networks; and provision of public services for newspaper publishing.Decree 94 states that state monopoly is only established over essential goods and services related to national defense and security or national interests and goods and services in which other economic sectors are not interested or cannot participate.The geographical area under the state monopoly is the entire territory of Vietnam, according to the decree.Government authorities can implement the monopoly over the 20 goods and services listed in the decree by themselves or assign other organizations or individuals to do so.According to the decree, monopolized commercial activities must be implemented under strict surveillance of state management agencies.Ministries, ministerial-level agencies and local administrations are not permitted to create monopoly over other goods and services. Goods and services related to national defense and security are to be regulated by the Minister of National Defense and Minister of Public Security.According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), Decree 94 is issued to detail Clause 4, Article 6 of the 2005 Commercial Law which stipulates: The State may monopolize for a definite period of time commercial activities with respect to a number of goods and services or in a number of geographical areas in order to ensure national interests.The decree was designed on the principle of neither expanding nor increasing the number of fields to be monopolized by the State and conforming with the countrys international commitments.The state monopoly of the goods and services listed in the decree is currently governed by various laws, such as the laws on electricity, postal services, publication, civil aviation, railways, and some government decrees.The list of 20 goods and services was drawn up based on not only the above regulations but also the countrys international commitments, according to the Ministry.In the course of implementation, the list may be revised at the proposal of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, provincial administrations to meet state management requirements or of businesses when they wish to participate in, according to the decree.When the drafting of the decree was in progress, there were worries that the establishment of state monopoly would somehow adversely affect the business environment.Lawyer Truong Thanh Duc from BASICO Law Firm said the Commercial Laws provision on state monopoly has been applied for the last 12 years.It is the time to review and narrow down the scope of state monopoly in line with the development of a market economy, he said .Meanwhile, Dau Anh Tuan, head of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industrys Legal Department, said Decree 94 mentions nothing about the period of time for exercising the state monopoly.It could be understood that the state monopoly may last indefinitely, and this did not conform with the Commercial Law, he said.Decree 94 retains state monopoly over the production of gold bars and import and export of gold material for this production.Commenting on this provision, chairman of the Vietnam Gold Trading Association Nguyen Thanh Long said it ran against Government Decree 35 on support for and development of enterprises up to 2020 which says the State guarantees the right to equality for all enterprises, regardless of their type and economic sector in terms of access to capital, resources, land, and investment and business opportunities.However, banking experts backed the provision, saying that it was a necessary measure to ensure effective state management over gold trading. The production of gold bars and import and export of gold material are actually exclusive activities of the central bank to stabilize the gold market and administer foreign exchange management and, therefore, should not be regarded as business activities.The issuance of the list would help improve the transparency in state monopoly activities, according to the MOIT.-
HA NOI  Truong Hai Auto Corporation (Thaco) will export 230 sets of parts and components of the County bus to Kazakhstan from now to 2018.

Thaco did not disclose the export value.

This is the second batch to be exported to Kazakhstan  part of the contract on exporting bus components and parts to Kazakhstan and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

The first batch of 30 sets of County bus components and parts, which were manufactured by Thaco Bus Manufacturing Company Limited, was shipped to Hyundai Trans Auto (HTA) in Kazakhstan as authorised by Hyundai Motor Company.

Thaco quoted its partner as saying that demand for the use of public vehicles in central Asian countries was rising, however the regions products were unable to match the demand. The situation was challenging local automakers in Kazakhstan, along with opening cooperation opportunities for foreign businesses in meeting the demand of the local market and exports.

Thaco said its County bus components and parts will be installed with car chassis imported from South Korea. The completed built-up buses were being distributed in the local market and would be exported to other countries, including Russia and Belarus.

Director of Thaco Bus Nguyen Quang Bao said Thaco manufactured bus components and parts according to modern technologies, which had high level of automation, with facilities imported from Japan, Italy and South Korea.

The manufacturing line coincided with international standards, meeting Hyundai Corporations global quality standards.

After shipping bus components and parts, Thaco will send its engineers to HTA to train local engineers to install bus parts and control quality under the technology transferring contract signed between the two sides early this year.

Thaco has exported several components and parts, which were manufactured at the Chu Lai-Truong Hai Auto Manufacture and Assembly Complex, to South Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Colombia for several years. These products are seat covers of Kia cars, components for specialised vehicles and semi-trailers, composite components and industrial molds.  VNS
HA NOI  National carrier Vietnam Airlines crossed the milestone of 8,000 safe flights on Airbus A350-900 XWB this week, marking the occasion by welcoming the eighth A350 aircraft to its fleet.

The airlines transported over 2.2 million passengers safely on these aircraft. This is a special occasion marking more than 8,000 safe flights of Vietnam Airlines with eight of its Airbus A350 aircraft. We hope many more passengers complete journeys and have memorable experiences on the most modern aircraft in the world, said one of the aircraft captains. Vietnam Airlines A350s are currently operated by around 100 Vietnamese pilots.

To welcome the new aircraft and to mark the milestone, many activities were organised. Passengers were allowed to take photos with an A350 simulator model with unique handset icons, eat A350-shaped cake and desserts on board, and received interesting gifts.

Passengers have the opportunity to experience the four- and five-star service as per standards set by the prestigious International Air Organisation Skytrax on the Paris (France), Haneda and Osaka (Japan), Seoul (South Korea), Shanghai (China) routes, as well as the domestic route between Ha Noi and HCM City.

The aircraft has spacious seating, making for a very comfortable experience for A350 fliers. In particular, the business class has a 180-degree flat-bed recliner that passengers can enjoy, especially during long-haul flights.

Vietnam Airlines got the first of its A350 aircraft in Toulouse, France, on June 30, 2015, becoming the first airline in the Asia-Pacific region and the second airline in the world to own this modern aircraft.  VNS
Seafood exports in the second half of the year are expected to rise by 11 per cent to US$4.46 billion, according to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Producers and Exporters (Vasep).  VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY  Seafood exports in the second half of the year are expected to rise by 11 per cent to US$4.46 billion, according to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Producers and Exporters (Vasep).

Speaking at a Vasep plenary meeting in HCM City yesterday, its general secretary Truong inh Hoe said exports had shown good signs of growth in the first half and are expected to top $8 billion for the year, he said.

Shrimp shipments alone are expected to be worth $3.5 billion, a year-on-year increase of 12 per cent, he said.

Shrimp exports to China and the United States would remain very strong thanks to high demand there while exports to the EU and Japan would remain steady, he said.

Tra fish exports are expected to be worth $952 million in the second half, an increase of 3 per cent year-on-year, with shipments to China expected to grow by 50-60 per cent while the United States and EU would reduce their buying by 10-15 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively, he said.

Jiro Takeuchi of Bonmea GmbH said he sees an opportunity in Europe for small-sized and certified shrimp.

There is an increase in demand for ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) certified shrimp, he said.

Le Van Quang, chairman of Minh Phu Seafood Group, a large shrimp exporter, said there is a shortage of small-sized shrimps for processing, especially for Europe.

Shrimp farmers have enjoyed a good year in 2017, particularly those applying the three clean breeding model, he said.

Many farms have yielded very large shrimps weighing 15 to the kilogramme.

Large-sized shrimp would be abundant next year and their price would fall, he said.

He suggested that farmers should not harvest in one lot, but instead divide their crop into three or four lots.

This way, the first harvest would be done when the shrimp are 50 days old (80 shrimps/kilogramme), the second at 55-60 days (65-70 shrimps), the third at 80 days (35-40 shrimps) and the fourth at 100 days (15-20 shrimps).

[This] will offer higher efficiency.

The association said the fisheries sector faces many challenges, including inconsistency in output and quality of inputs and trade barriers in importing markets.

Hoe said to overcome these challenges and continue to develop businesses need to keep abreast of market information and change tack to meet market demands.

Agro-fishery-forestry export fetches $23.7b in 8 months

Viet Nams agro, forestry and fishery export turnover experienced a year-on-year increase of 13.5 per cent to $23.66 billion in the first eight months of this year.

Exports reached an estimated $3.1 billion in August alone, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

During the eight-month period, export value of main farming products was estimated to hit $12.6 billion, surging 17.2 per cent against the same period last year.

Rubber saw the highest growth in both export volume and value. Some 795,000 tonnes of rubber were shipped abroad for nearly $1.36 billion, up 11.2 per cent in volume and 52 per cent in value year-on-year.

Rice exports also grew in the first eight months, earning $1.75 billion with 3.96 million tonnes, yearly rises of 17.5 per cent in value and 20 per cent in volume. China remained the largest market for Vietnamese rice, accounting for 41 per cent of total export volume.

Exports of fruit and vegetables also surged 46.5 per cent to $2.32 billion with China, Japan, the United States and South Korea among the top importers of Vietnamese fruit and vegetables.

However, exports of other agricultural goods such as coffee and cashew nuts recorded quantity reductions despite quality increases.

Coffee shipments in the period reached 1.02 million tonnes for export value of $2.33 billion, up 3 per cent in value but down 20 per cent in volume while cashew nut exports dropped by 1.1 per cent in volume to 223,000 tonnes while surging by nearly 25 per cent in value to $2.2 billion.

In the first eight months, seafood exports brought home turnover of $5.13 billion, up 18.1 per cent year-on-year. The largest importers of Vietnamese seafood products included the United States, Japan, China and South Korea, which accounted for 55.6 per cent of total exports.

Meanwhile, forestry products saw a turnover increase of 9.6 per cent to $5.07 billion.

The ministry also reported that the nation imported an estimated $2.69 billion worth of agro-forestry-aquatic products in August, pushing the eight-month figure to $19.17 billion, up 23 per cent over same period last year.  VNS
Viet Nam should strictly follow and continuously update its policies and regulations when exporting products to the United States, which is considered a difficult market with rigorous requirements.  VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI  Viet Nam should strictly follow and continuously update its policies and regulations when exporting products to the United States, which is considered a difficult market with rigorous requirements.

This issue was discussed by delegates at a forum on Food Security titled Market Development for Vietnamese Goods, co-hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam (AmCham Viet Nam) and the Business Association of High Quality Vietnamese Products in HCM City, yesterday.

The labour force for the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors, as well as the food industry, accounts for 46 per cent of Viet Nams total workforce and brings significant export value to Viet Nam. Evidence of this was the seafood sectors export turnover reaching US$7 billion in 2016.

However, according to experts, Vietnamese food exporters remain passive and sluggish in complying with the demands and requirements of their target markets, especially the United States. According to the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA)s Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA), the most sweeping reforms of US food safety laws, from 2016 onwards, all foreign firms exporting food and beverages for people and animals into the US market must re-register every even-numbered year.

This included registering their manufacturing facilities and representatives in the United States so that they could be issued with a new valid business codes. This task needed to be completed before the shipment arrives in the United States.

However, FDA data showed that before this re-registration requirement, Viet Nam had a total of 1,485 enterprises with valid business numbers provided by the FDA and this number had dropped to 806 in 2017 as FDA cancelled the import licences of 679 Vietnamese food and beverage manufacturers that did not re-register with the agency as required.

Mark Gillin, vice chairman of AmCham Viet Nam, attributed the drop to the failure of Vietnamese firms to promptly comply with the change in regulations. Ly Thi Tu Duyen, representative of Ben Tre Export - Import Joint Stock Company (Betrimex), said that it is not easy for Vietnamese firms to export goods to the US market as there are many strict rules.

Vietnamese enterprises are also confused when catching up with the changes in the FDAs new regulations, Duyen said.

Studies conducted the Business Association of High Quality Vietnamese Products have shown that Vietnamese exports to the US have consistently encountered barriers, despite the fact that Vietnamese businesses have tried so hard to comply with the FDAs Food Safety Modernisation Act.

As a result, more and more businesses have been named on the US alert list.

Adapt to change

Tran Viet Nga, Deputy Director of the Food Safety Department, under the Ministry of Health (MoH), said that for the management of export food, in response to the request of the importing country, Viet Nam will issue related certificates for exporting firms.

For example, in the period 2015-16, the MoH issued nearly 1,340 certificates of free circulation and medical certificates for export food products.

In the future, the MoH would continue to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to penetrate and expand their export markets, Nga said.

Vu Kim Hanh from the Business Association of High Quality Vietnamese Products said that in order to help businesses meet the requirements on food safety of importing markets, the association has taken initiatives to build a new set of criteria named High quality Vietnamese goods - Integration Standard, which is based on Viet Nams legal system for product quality and compiles and updates international standards on food quality management systems.

The worlds demand for healthy animal food and tropical foods is increasing, said Ratih Puspitasari, Director of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs South East Asia and India at the Cargill Group, a US-based multinational producer of food, agriculture, financial, and industrial products and services.

She said Viet Nam needed to improve the capacity of its food industry, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and adhering to the new requirements of importers, especially the United States. There should be clear policies to promote food safety, good husbandry practices and strict control of hygiene in animal husbandry. At the same time, there should be strict regulations on the use of drugs in animal husbandry that meet international standards.

This would not only help Vietnamese firms expand their share in the US food market but also access many other large and diverse markets, she said.  VNS
HA NOI  Around 40 leading Vietnamese export firms attended a conference on Viet Nam-Middle East business co-operation in Ha Noi on Monday.

Addressing the event, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that the Middle East market is huge as well as a gateway to the European market.

Viet Nam hopes to export many agricultural products, including rice, tea, coffee, peppercorn, rubber, cashew, fruit and aquaculture products, to the 400 million population Middle East market, which comprises 16 countries.

However, Cuong pointed out that the trade revenue between the two countries remains low because of difficulties in payment as both sides mostly pay via intermediary banks in Dubai, China and Singapore, or some European countries that incur a high cost.

The Middle East is a promising market for Vietnamese bananas, said Vo Quan Huy, director of Huy Long An Ltd., and asked for more effective measures to support exporters in payment as well as to improve the standards of goods exported to this market.

Le Thanh, head of the Organic Agriculture Institute, said the growth in vegetable exports to the Middle East is high at 24 per cent, which shows that it is a promising option for Vietnamese firms.

However, logistics and payment are issues that have hindered Viet Nams exports, he said, suggesting that more co-operation is also needed among firms.

Le Quang Nhuan, general director of Louis Rice Export Import Ltd, agreed with Thanh, and said that businesses exporting to the Middle East should join hands and sign a lease contract with a transport company for a reasonable rate as transport costs have a huge impact on the price of commodities.

Tran Van Tri, chairman of the Viet Nam-Iran Business Council, proposed that the government speed up banking co-operation to facilitate financial transactions between the two countries, as well as preferential tax policies.

Saleh Adibi, Iranian Ambassador in Viet Nam, said the major obstacle hindering bilateral co-operation is banking. He suggested that Vietnamese firms use Irans banks as Iran is linked to many banks across the world, and hoped that Viet Nam and Iran would soon sign a preferential trade agreement.

Cuong asked the ministry would coordinate with the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry to support Vietnamese firms market expansion plans to the Middle East. The ministry would also work with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Viet Nam-Iran Business Council to prepare a trade promotion programme by the end of the year, he promised.

Statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Trade show that trade between Viet Nam and Middle Eastern countries has been rising for the past few years, reaching nearly US$10.9 billion in 2016, an increase of over 100 per cent from 2011.

Viet Nam exported $8 billion worth of goods to and imported $2.82 billion worth of goods from the market.  VNS
HCM CITY  With its strategic geographic location and ports and airports, El Salvador can be a gateway for Vietnamese goods to enter American markets, especially Central American, according to the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Speaking at a seminar on investment opportunities and trade development with El Salvador in HCM City on August 29, Vo Tan Thanh, director of VCCIs HCM City branch, said Viet Nam and El Salvador only established diplomatic ties in 2010.

Trade between the two countries increased from US$10 million in 2011 to nearly $30 million last year, with garment and textiles, footwear, electronic products, timber, plastics and automobile components being the key items of trade, he said.

El Salvador is a small country in Central America with an area of 21,000sq.km and a population of nearly seven million, he said.

The El Salvador market is small but has a lot of potential and can lead to other large markets like the US and other countries that it has free trade agreements with.

El Salvadors Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Castaneda said this is the most cost-competitive country to set up and operate a business.

UK newspaper Financial Timess investment journal fDi Intelligence has rated El Salvador as the most cost-effective country in Central America.

It also has among the lowest tax rates in the region, Castaneda said.

Besides recognition as a cost-effective location, its infrastructure is among the best in Latin America and Central American, he said.

Its modern infrastructure connects the main cities in the region and enables efficient logistics, he said.

In terms of trade openness, we offer preferential access to a potential market of 1.2 billion consumers in 43 countries around the world.

Its strategic geographic location enables quick access to major American cities, with many major freight companies like DHL and UPS setting up operations in the country, he said.

As part of its commitment to attracting investment, El Salvador offers attractive tax incentives and has a legal framework that facilitates and guarantees the protection of investment because the country is interested in developing long-term relationships with investors, he said.

We invite you to explore El Salvadors attractive investment opportunities in strategic sectors like aeronautics, agro industry, energy, light manufacturing, offshore business services, specialised textiles and apparel, and tourism.

Viet Nams fruits like dragon fruit have great potential to be exported to El Salvador since it does not have them, he said, adding, I am striving to create conditions for developing a market for this fruit in El Salvador.

In addition, El Salvadors long coastline offers a good opportunity for Vietnamese firms to invest in aquaculture and seafood processing and export to third countries.

The same day, El Salvador opened an honorary consulate in HCM City to promote investment and trade ties between the two countries.  VNS
By Ha Nguyen

At 90, Tran Huu at has many memories. And there are some that he cherishes more than others.

The resident of Vu ai Village in the northern province of Ha Nam likes to recall the days when he and his fellow villagers earned their living mainly by planting mulberry, raising silkworms and weaving silk.

Each family had one or two ponds to raise fish, which was their main source of food.

When Tet came, Vu ai villagers would catch a big black carp weighing about three kikos or more, to worship our ancestors and pray for a healthy and lucky New Year. This custom has been maintained from generation to generation until now, said at.

He said that a long time ago, an ancestor named Tran Ba Nghiem, who had gone away from home for many years to earn a living, returned to the village and began braising fish in a clay pot, making a very fatty, tasty dish.

For the marinade: Ginger, chili, lemon and many other ingredients are used to marinate the fish before it is braised.

Now, most Vietnamese inside and outside the country know about the dish, but what makes it stand out is the collaboration it takes between the cooks and potters from different regions.

Chefs in Vu ai have to co-operate with artisans from Nghe An, Thanh Hoa and Nam inh to get clay pots and its covers, at, said, adding that even if there was small thing lacking in the accessories, the fish pot would not have the specific fragrance and flavour that made it famous.

at said his family has ordered pots from Nghe Ans o Luong District a year in advance because the clay used is durable, and will not crack during the 16-hour braising. The pots cover should be from Thanh Hoa because the potters make the covers in vault form which is very easy to braise fish.

Slow cooking: Braising fish in Vu ai Village, Ha Nam Province, takes about 16 hours. Photos dulichhanam.com

Before braising the fish, a handful of rice has to be put into the pot, boiled for several hours and dried under the sun for half a day to ensure it does not crack, at said. The fish should be a black carp of between three and five kg each that is cut it into big pieces, marinated with ingredients such as fresh galingale, ginger, lemon, dried onion, pork broth, pork side, coconut milk, fish sauce, chillies and pepper.

He told Viet Nam News that the wood used to braise the fish should be longan wood because it will help take out the muddy smell from the pot and give the fish the most attractive flavor.

Galingale and ginger should be placed at the bottom of the pot and then covered with the above mentioned ingredients onto each layer of fish to ensure it does not burn during 16 hours on the fire.

During the process of braising, the fire should be kept light without being put out to ensure a brown black colour. The fish should be firm, its bones soft, said at, adding that they have to let the braised fish pot cool before packing to deliver to their customers.

at said he has asked all of his relatives to teach the job to youngsters so that the skills are not lost when older villagers pass away.

Crack proof: Earthenware pots to braise the fish are imported from the central province of Nghe Ans o Luong District.

A younger villager, Nguyen Van Toan was the first to take Ca Kho Lang Vu ai (Vu ai Braised Fish) to the internet and set up a delivery system.

Toan said he set up his business aiming to develop and bring the traditional food nationwide and world wide. He said he has received many orders to supply braised fish the whole year round and for the traditional Tet holiday.

Nguyen Hong Lam, a HCM City resident, said his family members including his great grandfather enjoy this dish a lot. I always order a pot of Vu ai braised fish for Tet (Lunar New Year). It is not just appetizing, it is also a good digestive.

He said many of his friends also order the dish as a specialty food to welcome Tet. Toans video on this dish (https:// cakholangvudai.com/video-ca-kho-vu-dai/) has further popularised the dish around the world. -- VNS
VENICE  Hollywood royalty, in the shape of George Clooney, Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, will share the limelight with a 19th-century British monarch at this years Venice film festival, which kicks off on Wednesday.

The world premiere of Victoria & Abdul, Stephen Frears big-screen adaptation of the true story of the elderly Queen Victorias friendship with an Indian clerk, is set to be a highlight of the 74th edition of the worlds oldest cinema festival.

The 2017 festival gets under way with Oscar-winning US director Alexander Paynes sci-fi comedy Downsizing in an opening slot that, in recent years, has been a trampoline to future international success for the films involved.

The beachside bash runs until September 9, when the winner of the Golden Lion for the best of the 21 films entered in the main competition, and a string of other prizes, will be announced.

Silver screen legends Redford, 81, and Fonda, 79, are due on the Lido, the sandbar island that hosts the festival, on Friday to receive lifetime achievement awards, before an out-of-competition showing of their latest film, Our Souls at Night.

Produced by Redford for Netflix and directed by Indias Ritesh Batra, the film sees the one-time sex symbols play elderly widowed neighbours pursuing a friendship that becomes increasingly intimate.

British director Frears is to be honoured on Sunday for his innovative contribution to cinema, ahead of the premiere of Victoria & Abdul, in which Judi Dench stars opposite Bollywood actor Ali Fazal.  AFP
The Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) third Senior Officials Meeting and related meetings are set to wrap up after more 10 days of meetings. Viet Nam News asks visiting delegates about the organisation of the events and initiatives.

Alan Bollard, Executive Director, APEC Secretariat

Alan Bollard, Executive Director, APEC Secretariat

[Regarding initiatives] Viet Nam has four important priorities through the year. We have been going through a lot of meetings to help develop all of those. We are getting to a stage now where we have to be very specific about what APEC can deliver. It is very important stuff in a quite complicated year, and so far it has been going very well.

Viet Nams priorities are generally about how it can continue this big story about regional economic integration and getting the benefits from trade, but also now making sure that it happens all around the region and not just to some economies. So some of that is quite new for us and its a big challenge, but Viet Nam has really focused us all on that.

APEC is a long game, a long story because things just dont happen all at once. Viet Nams initiatives are for this year but they will continue in the future as well. So weve all got big challenges. I think we have done very well in the past on economic growth, but the discussion today is about how we make sure that people and society are actually getting more inclusive benefits.

Rory McLeod, Chair of APEC Economic Committee

Rory McLeod, Chair of APECs Economic Committee

The organisation by Viet Nam in 2017 has been super. We have had very organised meetings and really good venues, but best of all I think the organisation by Viet Nam of its themes and priorities for APEC 2017 has been very clear and very ambitious. So that has been very useful for APEC.

The key initiatives from Viet Nam from my committee is the initiative on economic, financial and social inclusion, and this is very important because my committee works on economic reform, and if economic reform is going to succeed it has to create new opportunities for the poor and small businesses and women and people.

At SOM 3, we worked on a major study on human capital development in APEC. We are in a situation where skills are becoming very important, but the type of skills we need is changing very rapidly, so we prepared a major study for APEC on this topic, and on how we can have more skilled workers in the future.

I think the co-operation between APEC economies has been very good already and it has led to much freer trade and investment in the region, and it helps us help each other in economic reform. The latest stats we have show that both trade and growth are picking up again and that APEC is growing faster than the rest of the world.

Peter MacArthur, Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia

Peter MacArthur, Canadian Ambassador to Timor-Leste and Indonesia

We are very impressed with Viet Nams ability, for the second time, to host APEC very professionally, very focused and extremely good logistical and organisational relationships. So strong chairmanship, very good logistical support, and a clear agenda to help move APEC economies forward in preparation for the leaders meetings in a Nang in November.

Viet Nams four priorities for this year when they host are very much aligned with the Canadian Governments priorities. Viet Nam is contributing good ideas for us to move forward in terms of economic improvement, for member economies, through more open trade and investment. And that includes education, which is an important part of human capital development, especially for young people.

We have the ASEAN Economic Community. ASEAN is celebrating 50 years of success this year. Canada, happily, has had a dialogue relationship with ASEAN for 40 years. We have the Pacific Alliance across the pacific  four countries. Canada is becoming an associate member of the Pacific Alliance that is in the developing stages. There are various pathways to freer, more open trade. In Canadas case, for example, we are renegotiating NAFTA, and we have just agreed and we are gratifying our European Union-Canada Free Trade Agreement. So there is a lot of progress because we know that more open trade and investment is good for people, and at the same time we have a progressive trade policy designed to ensure that it is a more open, transparent regime where those who are affected by free trade and investment are retrained and there are adjustment measures taken into account to ensure everybody gains from more moderate trade and investment rules.

Tsutomu Koizumi, APEC Senior Official of Japan

Tsutomu Koizumi, APEC Senior Official, Japan

At APEC 2017 the Vietnamese Government has been providing us with excellent agendas and priorities, not only from Viet Nam but also from other APEC economies. This is my third APEC meeting this year. I appreciate very much that the Vietnamese Government enabled us to do a good job.

We started to think about the so-called "possible goals of 2020". What APEC needs in future is to promote economic and investment co-operation within our region in order to inspire the rest of the world about what could be possible in terms of global prosperity. I think Viet Nam had the excellent idea of establishing a so-called AVG (APEC vision group) gathering persons from APEC economies to think about, promote and ask senior officials to establish possible goals.

APEC has just started really thinking about future growth and inclusive societies. If you ask me what are APECs achievements so far in terms of inclusion, nothing has been achieved just yet. Well have to wait and see.

Valery Sorokin, APEC Senior Official of Russia

Valery E Sorokin, Senior Official of Russia for APEC

As a general observation about Viet Nams hosting of APEC, I think everything is going very well.

The intrinsic nature of APEC, which is a spirit of collaboration, a search for collective action, a search for consensus, is there.

The Vietnamese hosts have done a good job. The dialogue is quite productive.

One of the major issues is the strategy for promoting economic and finance. This is a major initiative for Russia and Viet Nam. We support this very strongly because we also have some projects and initiatives on the same topic.

One of the initiatives of Russia is about how to develop economic growth in APEC economies. You know Russia is very big, we have a lot of regions, we have many remote areas which need development and we think that many other APEC economies have a similar problem. That is why our initiative received unanimous support. VNS
President Tran ai Quang receives outgoing Cuban Ambassador Herminio Lopez Diaz in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sang

HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang congratulated outgoing Cuban Ambassador Herminio Lopez Diaz on the latters successful term in Viet Nam while receiving the Cuban diplomat in Ha Noi yesterday.

He said during his four-year tenure in Viet Nam, Ambassador Diaz became a trustworthy bridge linking the two countries Parties and State leaders and also became a close friend and effective partner of ministries, sectors, socio-political organisations and localities in Viet Nam.

Viet Nam-Cuba relations are special and exemplary ties fostered by late Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Fidel Castro and nurtured by generations of leaders and people in the two countries. The Vietnamese Party, State and people will always remember Fidel Castros contributions to bilateral relations, President Quang said.

Cuba always has a place in the heart of each Vietnamese citizen, he stressed.

He expressed his delight at the thriving solidarity, comprehensive co-operation and mutual trust between the Vietnamese and Cuban Parties, States and people, congratulating the Latin American country on its socio-economic and diplomatic achievements over past years, particularly in the updates to its economic model.

The President affirmed the Vietnamese Party, State and peoples consistent support to Cuba in all spheres, adding that they are ready to share experience in the three decades of reforms with Cuba.

On this occasion, he also asked the ambassador to convey an invitation to visit Viet Nam to Cuban President Raul Castro.

At the meeting, Ambassador Diaz delivered the Cuban Party, State and peoples congratulations on the 72nd National Day of Viet Nam (September 2), stressing that Cuba will exert every effort to nurture the exemplary relationship between the two countries.

Briefing his host about the outcomes of his term in Viet Nam, the diplomat appreciated President Quangs contributions to bilateral ties.

Diaz pledged that on whichever positions he will hold, he will keep contributing to the solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between the Cuban and Vietnamese Parties, States and people. The Cuban embassy will also work closely with relevant agencies of Viet Nam to reinforce their countries relations.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nams Golden Book of Creativity 2017, which honours Vietnamese peoples creativity in science-technology, made its debut yesterday in Ha Noi.

The book was released on the occasion of Viet Nams 72th anniversary of National Independence Day (September 2). It consists of 72 works and creative science-technology solutions selected from 141 works proposed by ministries, organisations and localities.

President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee (VFFCC) Tran Thanh Man said that the works are outstanding pieces of research, projects and initiatives, especially valuable and widely-applicable examples related to community assistance in health, environment, socio-economy in disadvantaged areas, borders and islands. The works include cell growth technology in coffee plant breeding, a device to wash and treat dragon fruit, a multitasking agricultural machine and smarthomes for Vietnamese farming households.

The release of Viet Nams Golden Book of Creativity 2017 not only honours scientists and science-technology achievements but also improves awareness and promotes pride for Vietnamese intelligence and passion for creativity in the sector, he said.

At the ceremony, the VFFCC president also officially launched a movement called Creative solidarity, growth in productivity, quality, effectiveness and international integration. The movement is aimed towards all sectors, localities, organisations, enterprises and the domestic and foreign Vietnamese community, especially intellectuals, businessmen, youth and labourers.

Creative innovation always creates motivation for social development, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at the ceremony, adding that in the context of globalisation, deep global integration and the fourth industrial revolution, any nation that has a high capacity of innovation and creativity will have more opportunities to progress through rapid and sustainable growth.

The PM said that the Party and the State always pays attention to and creates favourable conditions for accelerating renovation and creativity, especially in science-technology development, as well as discovering and training young talent.

He expressed his pleasure at the 72 works which cover socio-economic sectors in which the Party and the State prioritise development, such as agriculture, health, infrastructure development, renewable energy, climate change adaptation, defence and security. The innovators are groups and individuals across the country including professors, doctors, company directors and students.

The Government leader urged VFFCC, the Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Association and science-technology State management agencies to pave the way for clear mechanisms to utilise talents, especially Vietnamese overseas.

The Prime Minister always appreciates and listens to the opinions of scientists, experts and fellow citizens regarding socio-economic development in general and science-technology development in particular to make contributions to national construction and defence, he said.

Phuc also ordered organisations and individuals to be creative and study innovative ideas and products that have practical applications, are competitive and promote productivity.

The PM highlighted the need to study scientific subjects and technological solutions in key sectors such as natural resources and environment, climate change adaptation, high-tech agriculture, farm produce production, clean energy and new materials.

He also proposed releasing the Vietnamese Golden Book of Creativity annually on the occasion of the countrys National Independence Day.  VNS
President Tran ai Quang yesterday receives Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Yang Sung-tae, who is on his first visit to Viet Nam.  VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sang

HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang yesterday received Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Yang Sung-tae, who is on his first visit to Viet Nam.

Welcoming the Korean guest, the President lauded the outcomes of his guests talks with Chief Justice of the Supreme Peoples Court of Viet Nam (SPCV) Nguyen Hoa Binh.

He stated the Vietnamese State supports court co-operation with the RoK, stressing the importance of the ties amid radical reforms in Viet Nam.

Quang encouraged the SPCV to boost ties with RoK partners, including the Supreme Court and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), to learn from their experience.

He thanked the RoK Supreme Court for helping Viet Nam train judges and court personnel, sharing judicial experience, and implementing the Viet Nam Court Academy project.

The President said he expects a project between the SPCV and KOICA on boosting judgement transparency and quality in Viet Nam to soon begin, as it is significant to Viet Nams judicial reform and bilateral court co-operation.

For his part, Yang Sung-tae said based on the Viet Nam  RoK strategic partnership, his agency and the SPCV have been working closely together, particularly in exchanging high-ranking delegations and judicial experience.

Reporting to his host on the Viet Nam Court Academy project, which began in 2009, the RoK Chief Justice said its two phases have been completed.

He asked President Quang to support future projects between the two countries court sectors.

On the occasion, President Quang said the Vietnamese State welcomes RoK President Moon Jae-in to attend the APEC Economic Leaders Week in Viet Nam in November and visit to the country.  VNS
PHU YEN  The Peoples Procuracy of the south-central coastal province of Phu Yen has approved beginning criminal proceedings against the former boss of State-owned shipbuilder Vinashin for his role in a project which caused losses of more than VN5 billion (about US$220,000).

Pham Thanh Binh, former chairman of Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group, is already serving a 20-year sentence for a 2012 conviction for intentionally violating State rules on economic management with serious consequences. The damages in that case were estimated at hundreds of billions of ong, nearly forcing the shipbuilding giant into bankruptcy.

In the latest case, Binh was charged for the same count for his role in the loss-making project of Phu Yen Industry, Agro-Fishery Joint Stock Company (or Vinashin Phu Yen), a subsidiary of Vinashin.

According to initial investigations, in October 22, 2007, Vinashin gave Vinashin Phu Yen approval for a project to build two 4,000-tonne ships with total investment of VN150 billion.

Despite knowing that the project assessment had not been finished, Binh gave Vinashin Phu Yen the go-ahead to build the ships. He instructed Vo Tan, Vinashin Phu Yen director, to prepare and submit all documents for him to sign for approval the same day. Binh also promised to help Vinashin Phu Yen get loans from its parent company. The acts are all said to break the law on economic management.

On January 9, 2008, Binh approved the project plan and cost estimate. Before the decision, however, Vinashin Phu Yen already borrowed money to buy materials to build a 4,100-tonne ship and finished the work in October the same year. The total cost for the ship building was estimated at VN9.6 billion.

On June 22, 2016, the company had to put the ship into liquidation, and suffered losses of VN5 billion.

On September 28, 2016, Phu Yen investigative police also commenced criminal proceedings against Tan and Duong Son Hoan, chief accountant of Vinashin Phu Yen for intentionally violating State rules on economic management with serious consequences.  VNS
HCM CITY  Fifteen teams of volunteers took part in a campaign in HCM City on August 27 to control dengue fever in Vinh Loc B Commune in Binh Chanh District, a dengue hot spot.

They showed locals measures to prevent dengue, such as keeping their environment clean, spraying chemicals, killing mosquito larvae, and ensuring water does not collect in open containers.

According to the citys Preventive Medicine Centre, so far this year Binh Chanh District has reported 979 cases of the disease, 411 more than in the same period last year.

Vinh Loc B has accounted for 30 per cent of the number.

The campaign was organised by the citys departments of Health and Natural Resources and Environment and the Youth Union.

It calls on organisations and individuals to carry out dengue prevention measures.

Inaugurating the campaign, the health departments director, Nguyen Tan Binh, said the campaign seeks to remove water containers, eliminate mosquitoes and their larvae, thus reducing the risk of dengue outbreaks.

He said local authorities should strengthen disease prevention and control measures.

Authorities at all levels should educate the public on how to prevent dengue fever and severely punish violators, he said.

The campaign will be taken across the city from now through Tet (the Lunar New Year) in February 2018.

According to the Preventive Medicine Centre, this year the city has seen more than 12,000 people hospitalised with dengue, 26 per cent higher than in the same period last year.

Elsewhere, on August 27, the District 12 Peoples Committee and the Capital Aid Fund for Employment of the Poor in HCM City organised an environmental clean-up activity dubbed Sunday for Environment.

It sought to raise public awareness of environmental protection, reduce pollution and encourage environment-friendly actions, according to Tran Kim Yen, chairwoman of the citys labour federation.

Many people helped clean rubbish from streets and a 500m section of the at Set Canal in Thanh Loc Ward that is badly polluted.  VNS
GIA LAI  Authorities of Gia Lai Provinces Kon Chro District are struggling to deal with suicide in the locality, with hundreds of locals having killed themselves in recent years, with poverty in the region seen as the root cause.

Statistics from the district showed nearly 450 people, including children, reportedly committed suicide since 2014. Since early this year, 69 cases have been recorded, Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper reported.

inh Trieu, 12, of the districts Ya Ma Commune, committed suicide by drinking herbicide in May, shortly after his parents shouted at him because he accidentally broke the mirror of a local residents motorbike.

inh Thi Eo, 40, Trieus mother said the mirror only costs VN45,000 (US$2). She and her husband only wanted to warn their son.

We just wanted him to not be a naughty boy damaging others property, she said.

But we did not know he was badly hurt by our words, she added.

Another local, inh Biec, a middle-aged woman, recently killed herself by drinking herbicide after a quarrel with her husband.

Six months later, Biecs husband also killed himself, leaving their six children orphans.

Doctor Phan Van Choi, director of the districts Kon Chro Health Centre, said that most people who drank herbicide to commit suicide would not survive even if they were taken to the centre..

Herbicide contains very toxic chemicals that can quickly destroy humans internal organs quickly, he said.

According to doctors, dying because of drinking herbicide is very painful as patients are conscious until they die.

Causes and solutions

Nguyen Van ai, deputy head of the districts Commission for Mass Mobilisation, said poverty was the root cause of the situation.

When people live in poverty, they often become pessimistic about the future, he said.

And then a minor conflict can lead them to spontaneous decisions, he said.

In the meantime, inh Tho, Secretary of the communes Party Committee, said low literacy levels was thought to make people think dying is a way to end their conflicts.

But they forget to think about consequences after they died, such as how their relatives will live without them, he said.

In response to the situation, ai said the commission began disseminating programmes to raise public awareness of the consequences of committing suicide.

The programmes instruct people to treasure their lives, send children to schools to raise their knowledge, and work harder to escape from poverty, he said.

Kong Chro District is the poorest district in the province, with the poverty rate at 55.3 per cent.

Under the poverty standard applied for 2016-20 period, households in rural areas with monthly income below VN700,000 ($30) per person are considered poor.  VNS

*The names of the dead have been changed.
HCM CITY  APECs two-day third senior officials meeting (SOM 3) began yesterday with the participation of more than 200 delegates from the 21 APEC economies, the APEC Business Advisory Council, the ASEAN Secretariat and the Pacific Economic Co-operation Council.

On the first day ABAC (APEC Business Advisory Council) and APEC working groups and forums reported on their work and preparations for the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting to be held in a Nang in November.

As the host of APEC this year, Viet Nam reported on the blocs economic co-operation.

Most of the reports underlined the significance of regional economic integration, which is one of APECs priorities this year.

In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, chairman of SOM 3, said APEC had done well so far.

"Progress has been made in all committees, working groups and sub-forums, as well as in a number of initiatives."

Since the beginning of this year over 200 meetings had been held across the numerous workstreams of APEC, he said.

In the last 10 days alone a series of almost 80 meetings involving the participation of nearly 3,000 delegates had been held, including many significant, high-level events, he said.

He said the Food Security Week in Can Tho, which concluded with the High-level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in response to Climate Change, produced important results with three key documents being adopted: the Can Tho Statement and action plans on food security and rural-urban development.

The High-level Meeting on Health and the Economy, attended by many health ministers, sought ways to boost patient-first investment and build capacity for healthcare financing and access in the region for the ultimate aim of ensuring a healthy and productive workforce, he said.

A lot of ground would be covered at SOM3, including reviews of the work done by the APEC Committee of Trade and Investment, Economic Committee, Steering Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation, and Budget Management Committee and finalisation of the proposed outcome documents for likely submission to APEC ministers and leaders, he said.

With only three months to go for the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in a Nang a huge amount of work remained to be done, he said.

Dr. Alan Bollard, executive director of the APEC Secretariat, told the Viet Nam News: "After the SOM3 meeting in HCM City, we will have most of the proposed initiatives for the year to meet Viet Nams priorities. We are putting them all together, some of them are going through the ministerial meetings."

Some ministerial meetings are coming up, including on small and medium-sized enterprises in HCM City next month, on finance in Hoi An and on women in the economy in Hue, he said.

"We will bring all those [initiatives from these meetings] together for a Nang in November when  leaders will agree and ratify those."

There would be roughly 400 initiatives, he added.

The meeting resumes today with a focus on Viet Nams report on outcomes of the symposium on Advancing Inclusion in the APEC region, updates on the proposed APEC Action Agenda on Promoting Economic, Financial, and Social Inclusion and discussions on implementation and proposals of other projects.

The Economic Committee has finalised the draft process for the APEC Economic Policy on Structural Reform and Human Capital Development, which will be submitted to the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in November.

The Trade and Investment Committee suggested two documents: Framework on Cross-border E-Commerce Facilitation and Guidelines for Promoting Supporting Industries in the Asia-Pacific Region.

SOMs next steps to develop the APEC Post-2020 Vision, including the possibility of a Leaders Statement on APEC Toward 2020 and Beyond will also be discussed.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Health has denied granting any favour to pharmaceutical company VN Pharma amid doubts over the ministrys involvement in the companys scandalous drug smuggling racket.

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Viet Tien made public a press release this morning, for the first time clarifying the ministrys responsibilities in connection with the licensing for VN Pharma to import 9,300 boxes of H-Capita 500mg in 2013. The drugs contained capecitabine, mainly used to treat breast, gastric and colorectal cancers.

The following year, however, the cancer drugs were found to have all fake papers.

On Friday, the HCM City Peoples Court sentenced Nguyen Minh Hung, VN Pharmas chairman of the Board of Directors cum general director, and Vo Manh Cuong, director of H&C International Marine Trade company, to 12 years behind bars for smuggling. Cuong bought the drugs from a source overseas and later sold them to VN Pharma.

According to the health ministrys press release, the Drug Administration of Viet Nam (DAV) on October 16, 2013, received a request from VN Pharma to import the drug H-Capita manufactured by Helix Pharmaceuticals Inc of Canada.

The DAV approved the import request two months later, on December 30, 2013.

"The DAV has run the drugs evaluation process by the right order, right protocols and right regulations without any favouritism," the press release stated.

"According to the law, a drug import request must include the free sale certificate (FSC) and the certificate for good manufacturing practices (GMP).

VN Pharma had all the necessary papers. But an investigation later uncovered that the papers were expertly forged and the fraud could not be detected with the naked eye."

The release stressed that the DAV however raised doubts about the drugs as it looked into VN Pharmas drug bidding price which was suspiciously lower than that of the same type of drugs manufactured by other countries.

The DAV on July 31, 2014, asked VN Pharma to explain the gap, which it failed to do, prompting the DAV to suspend the import and distribution of H-Capita on August 1, 2014.

The DAV in August seized the drugs following an unusual inspection at VN Pharma and reported the case to the police after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that papers related to Helix Pharmaceutical, the drug manufacturer, were all fake.

The health ministry asserted that the DAV acted timely and did not allow the H-Capita in question to be sold on the market.

The ministry also said it imposed administrative penalties on officials involved in the case and would adjust the licensing process for imported drugs and carry out some personnel changes.

The health ministry, however, is yet to mention its action on the seven other antibiotics also imported by VN Pharma and manufactured by Helix.  VNS
HA NOI  Minister of Information and Communications Hoang Vinh Bao on Monday requested the revocation of the journalist card of Nguyen The Thang.

Earlier, Thang was dismissed from work by the central provinces and Central Highlands provinces representative office of the Voice of Viet Nam (VOV).

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) asked VOV to revoke Thangs press card and return it to the ministrys Press Department within 15 days from Monday when the MICs decision was released.

On August 4 this year, the ak Lak Police caught Thang extorting VN45 million (US$2,000) from two men living in Buon Ma Thuot City.

After receiving official information from the provincial police, VOVs central provinces and Central Highlands provinces representative office sacked Thang.  VNS
HCM CITY  HCM City Police have decided to prosecute two people for smuggling electronic devices of different kinds from Japan into Viet Nam.

The two accused persons are 40-year-old Tran Quoc Vuong from the citys District 10 and 41-year-old Vu Van Dung from Binh Thanh District.

According to the police investigation, thanks to his relationship with a number of businessmen in Japan, Vuong, the ring leader, bought several pieces of used machinery and equipment which was manufactured before 2000. Vuong then authorised Dung to use legal entities of many companies set up by Dung to complete import procedures and deliver the equipment to Vuongs warehouses.

Dung also instructed staff under his leadership to forge dossiers for import declaration of machinery and equipment that were actually not the imported goods.

Using the same tactic, Vuong and Dung succeeded in smuggling hundred containers of used machinery and equipment that are subject to be banned for import into Viet Nam for consumption.

While searching Dungs warehouses, police discovered and seized tonnes of used machinery and equipment smuggled from Japan. Other documents and items related to the crime were also seized by the police.

An investigation into the case is underway.

The case was uncovered recently when the city police launched a campaign against smuggling and trade fraud under the instruction of the Ministry of Public Security and HCM Citys Steering Committee on Combating Smuggling, Trade Fraud and Counterfeit Goods (Steering Committee 389).  VNS
WATERLOO  Itll be all paws on deck Saturday morning at the Cedar Bend Humane Society as it receives more than 50 dogs coming from various shelters in Oklahoma.

This large amount is unusual for us, said Amy Anderson, CBHS marketing and events coordinator. Half had been designated to go somewhere else, but that fell through, so we are getting twice what we anticipated.

We are using all of our resources. The big push is to get them on the adoption floor as soon as possible.

CBHS agreed to accept all 52 dogs, many of which will be available for adoption Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The group of canines includes large and small breeds, as well as a handful of puppies.

Being puppies, they are pretty much ready for adoption, Anderson said. Those and the small breeds find homes pretty fast. We are confident we can find homes for them.

Many of the dogs have been rescued from animal control facilities that do not offer adoption services, Anderson said.

The large influx will require considerable resources. Many animals will need to be spayed or neutered. Many will require vaccinations. Financial donations also can be made online at www.cedarbendhumane.org to help with the costs.

Anderson recommends anyone interested in adopting one of the dogs arriving Saturday fill out an adoption application in advance online to speed up the process.

The CBHS adoption center, located at 1166 W. Airline Highway, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
FARGO  When William Hoehn came home from work Aug. 19 to the apartment he shared with Brooke Crews, she was cleaning blood from their bathroom, he would later tell police.

She presented him with a newborn baby girl, he told police. This is our baby, this is our family, she said to him.

It was about 2:30 p.m., an hour after their neighbor Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind told her parents she was going to Hoehns and Crews apartment. LaFontaine-Greywind, 22 and eight months pregnant with her first child, lived in the same building at 2825 9th St. N.

She would never return home.

Crews claimed in her interview with police that LaFontaine-Greywind had come to the apartment to learn how to induce labor early and that she returned at 3:30 a.m. Aug. 21 to give the baby to Crews.

The conflicting stories of Hoehn and Crews are among the court records Cass County prosecutors released Monday, the day after kayakers found LaFontaine-Greywinds body in the Red River, wrapped in plastic and duct tape. Her parents, who had been searching for her with volunteers, confirmed to police it was her body.

We will continue to pursue justice for Savanna, Fargo Police Chief David Todd said in a news conference Monday. Savanna was a victim of a cruel, vicious act of depravity.

Prosecutors have charged Crews, 38, and Hoehn, 32, each with conspiring to murder LaFontaine-Greywind, lying to police about her disappearance, and conspiring to kidnap her unborn child. Prosecutors said the suspects planned to murder LaFontaine-Greywind to steal her fetus and raise the baby as their own biological child. Court records in North Dakota, Minnesota and other states show Crews and Hoehn have at least nine children between them.

$2 million bail

Crews and Hoehn wore orange prison garb when they made their initial appearance in Cass County District Court by interactive TV on Monday.

If convicted, they would face a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole for the charge of conspiring to commit murder, according to Cass County States Attorney Birch Burdick. Conspiring to commit kidnapping is a felony with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Providing false information to law enforcement is a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of a year in prison.

Burdick told The Forum police initially sought kidnapping charges after discovering the baby in the suspects apartment, but after LaFontaine-Greywinds body was found, murder charges were added.

Judge Thomas R. Olson set bail at $2 million in cash for each, which Hoehn complained was an unobtainable amount.

Both he and Crews sought representation by court-appointed attorneys, citing their lack of income. Crews, who described Hoehn as her fiance and only source of income, said she has been too ill to find work for a while and has no family to help. Hoehn, who described Crews as his significant other, said he lost his roofing job after being jailed.

Justifying the bail, Assistant States Attorney Tanya Martinez told the judge Hoehn has had past run-ins with the law, a reference to his 2012 conviction for child abuse and his 2016 conviction on a domestic assault involving Crews. Martinez said both the suspects had been looking at travel websites suggesting they were planning to flee.

Possible federal case

Burdick said he has kept the U.S. Attorneys Office updated on the case, but doesnt know if federal prosecutors will take over. He said that decision will be made once all of the evidence in the case has been assessed.

LaFontaine-Greywind disappeared from a home in North Dakota, but some possible evidence was found at a farmstead in Minnesota. Neither state has a death penalty, but the federal government does.

Burdick said the U.S. Attorneys Office would determine whether the death penalty would be sought.

For now, Crews next appearance in Cass County District Court is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 28, and shell be represented by public defender Monty Mertz. Hoehns next court appearance is set for 9 a.m. Oct. 4, and hell be represented by court-appointed attorney Stormy Vickers.

The Forum sought comment from Mertz and Vickers, but was unsuccessful.

Burdick said assistant states attorneys Martinez and Leah Viste will be prosecuting the case.

End of search

The search for LaFontaine-Greywind, a certified nursing assistant at a Fargo nursing home, has been underway for several days with friends and families joining police in combing rivers, forests and fields. Kayakers out enjoying the Red River stumbled upon her body about 5:45 p.m. Sunday near the bridge connecting 90th Avenue Northwest in rural Moorhead to Cass County.

At the news conference, Todd described it as a body-sized object, heavily wrapped in plastic and duct tape stuck against a tree, sticking out in the middle of the river. Police pulled the body from the water, and by 9:30 p.m. it was confirmed to be LaFontaine-Greywinds, he said.

Her aunt, Tarita Silk, told The Forum that LaFontaine-Greywinds parents, Joe and Norberta, were brought to the site and identified the body.

The Clay County Sheriffs Department has sent the body to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner in St. Paul, Todd said.

Autopsy reports are expected in weeks, though preliminary information for use by investigators might be available within days, said Fargo police Lt. Jason Nelson of the Criminal Investigations Division.

Nelson was asked if the body provided clues to whether LaFontaine-Greywind gave birth naturally, as Crews claims, or by cesarean section but he declined to answer.

The search for LaFontaine-Greywind may also have uncovered yet another crime scene, according to Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist. Volunteers searching an abandoned farmstead in rural Moorhead, Minn., south of where the body was discovered, found some things that they thought was very, very suspicious.

One of those searchers, Lauren Hatlestad, said a fellow volunteer had noticed new tracks and overgrown grass that was recently disturbed at the farmstead. A team of six searched the property until 1 a.m. Saturday and then again Sunday when they found the suspicious items, she said, but wouldnt describe what she found for fear of jeopardizing the investigation.

But she did describe a foreboding feeling she had searching the property. There was just something wrong out there. It just felt painful and scary. Something was there, we just weren't sure what.

Todd said the police investigation will continue even as charges have been filed and court dates set. We still have a lot of investigating to do to put the puzzle pieces together in this case.

Finding baby Haisley

Police had searched Crews and Hoehns apartment three times with the couples consent, twice on the day LaFontaine-Greywind disappeared and once the following day, according to Nelson. There was no indication then that LaFontaine-Greywind or her baby had been there.

The suspects didnt appear to be concealing a crime scene and were cooperative at that point, he said.

According to court documents, Hoehn told police that after Crews cleaned blood from the bathroom, he placed bloody towels and his own bloody shoes in garbage bags that he then left in a dumpster at a West Fargo apartment building. Police do not know which building he meant.

On Aug. 23, police arrested him because he had failed to pay a fine for violating a no-contact order back in November after his domestic assault on Crews. He was let go the same day after paying.

It wasnt until Aug. 24, five days after LaFontaine-Greywind disappeared, that police obtained a search warrant for Crews and Hoehns apartment and found the baby with Crews. Court documents said additional information obtained during the investigation led to police seeking the warrant, but police havent said what that is.

Savannas presumed baby was placed under the protective custody of Cass County Social Services, police have said. The agency will decide where the baby will end up and if visitation will be allowed, Nelson said.

Though Crews and Hoehn have told police the baby is LaFontaine-Greywinds, the lieutenant said a DNA test is underway to confirm that and results would likely be available next week.

Ashton Matheny, LaFontaine-Greywinds boyfriend of six years and the babys presumed father, said they were going to name her Haisley Jo.
WATERLOO  Samantha Harrington buried her face in her hands as she sat in the packed courtroom Tuesday and heard Steve Fordyce had been found guilty of a lesser charge in her husbands death.

She walked out of the courtroom when the discussion turned to possible bond for Fordyce while he awaits sentencing for voluntary manslaughter. Her husbands brother followed close behind.

Fordyce, 39, of Denver, had been charged with first-degree murder for shooting Donald Harrington, 43, in front of Samanthas relatives home on Locust Street in Waterloo on Aug. 14, 2015, following a dispute over fruit snacks left in a yard.

Judge David Odekirk ruled Fordyce shot Harrington under the heat of passion when Harrington threatened him and came at him. Fordyce didnt have time to reflect on his actions before shooting, the judge ruled.

Voluntary manslaughter is a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and sentencing will be in October. Fordyce remains in custody.

During a bench trial in August 2016, Fordyces attorneys argued he acted in self defense, and the defense attempted to invoke Iowas stand-your-ground law, which became effective July 1, almost two years after the shooting.

The verdict, filed Tuesday, was a year in the making.

Odekirk dismissed the defenses stand-your-ground motion, concluding the change in law isnt retroactive.

Stand Your Ground argued in 2015 Waterloo homicide WATERLOO  A Denver man accused of killing a Waterloo resident in 2015 is invoking Iowas ne

Odekirk went on to rule that while Harrington started the incident, Fordyce continued it by returning to the scene and accompanying his sister and a family friend who confronted Harrington and his wife. He also said Fordyce could have left once he was aware Harrington intended to come after him, and he dismissed the defenses claim Harrington had posed a threat to his sister and friend, who also were involved in the argument.

There were no obstacles which would have prevented the defendants retreat. He could have done this without endangering himself or anyone else, Odekirk wrote in his ruling.

Fatal wounds detailed at homicide trial WATERLOO  The state rested its first-degree murder case against Steve William Fordyce on Fr

Fordyce was leaving after a visit to his sisters home in Waterloo in August 2015 when Harrington, who was next door and apparently upset over the fruit snacks, gave Fordyce the finger, according to testimony at trial.

Fordyce, who had two children in his truck, stopped the vehicle, and Harrington attempted to open a door. Fordyce drove off but returned a short time later, talking with his sister and then following her and the friend next door where an argument ensued.

Harrington threatened Fordyce, saying he was going to kill him. He left his porch and approached Fordyce, who fired four times. The defense said Fordyce was at risk of suffering serious injury because he was on blood thinners and was unable to retreat because he had a fractured foot.
WATERLOO  Police arrested a Waterloo man and seized a stolen gun following a search at an apartment on Monday.

Bruce James Fuller, 34, of 237 Miriam Drive, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, felon in possession of a firearm and violation of the drug tax stamp act. He was taken to the Black Hawk County Jail, and bond was set at $35,000.

According to court records, officers with the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force searched Fullers apartment on Monday night and found cash, more than 7 grams of meth and a stolen firearm.

Fuller has prior drug and firearm convictions, and he was paroled from prison in July 2017.
HOUSTON  Former Waterloo resident Joe Furman is an award-winning filmmaker of nature documentaries. He had 2 feet of Mother Nature inside his house Monday.

More may be on the way.

Furman grew up in Waterloo and has lived in Houston since 1978. He had to take a kayak out of his house Sunday as floodwater from Hurricane Harvey, now downgraded to a tropical storm, enveloped his neighborhood near downtown Houston.

Other residents with local ties were similarly affected. Former Cedar Falls resident Mary Jackson was shown on the NBC Nightly News Monday sitting on the roof of her home awaiting rescue. She reportedly was able to get safely Tuesday.

Furman was back home Tuesday as floodwaters receded  for now. The slow-moving storm was expected to make a second landfall.

Were not sitting around in terror, but its not over, said Furman. His 15-year-old daughter, Sadie, and their cats are safe. But the house is a nightmare, Furman said.

Im in the house. Im fine, Furman said. Its moldy. Im really here because I have nowhere else to go. Its hard to look at your own house in such chaos. Everything basically is going to be destroyed.

He cant throw away anything until insurance adjusters arrive.

The circle drive he lives on normally drains toward the nearby bayou.

It was quite traumatic, Furman said. He and neighbors moved cars to higher ground as waters rose, and he and his daughter began wrapping and moving belongings up to higher positions in their home.

Then the water started coming through the floor. It was very disconcerting, Furman said. It was a pretty scary, bizarre moment, he said. Sadies a very strong and intelligent kid. It shook her and it shook me. So we had a moment there.

Then they gathered themselves. He told his daughter, Were fine. We have the boat. I had dragged the boat around front and tied it off my front step, like a dock.

At 11 a.m. Sunday, Furman posted to Facebook friends, The house is flooded. We are taking to the kayak, cats in tow!

A nearby bicycle trail remained above the floodwater. Furmans older brother, Kerry, and his wife, Patty, bicycled to Joes neighborhood and called out to them.

I gave them Sadie and the cats, Furman said, and used his kayak to ferry some additional belongings out of the house.

I cant explain how exhausted I was, wading through floodwater, Furman said. And Im in good shape. I did RAGBRAI last year.

The water subsided when officials made a decision to hold water in an upriver dam.

Furman said he did not fear for his life because he knew he could float out or, at worst, sit up on a roof for three days.

My daughter, she was shaken, but she rallied. She did what she needed to do, Furman said. Braverys about being scared and doing the right thing anyway. She was brave.
WATERLOO  Black Hawk County will see just one federally funded home buyout stemming from damaging floods last fall.

The county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the application to the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division for a hazard mitigation assistance grant.

The overall $95,824 cost to buy a flood-damaged home on Weiden Road, southeast of Waterloo, includes a $71,868 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a $9,582 grant from the state and a $14,374 match of county funds.

FLOOD UPDATE: River crests in Cedar Falls and Waterloo CEDAR FALLS  It was just the news the Cedar Valley hoped for.

The buyout stems from heavy Cedar River flooding in September 2016, which resulted in President Barack Obama issuing a federal disaster declaration for 19 Iowa counties.

Mitigation grants allow local governments to purchase property in flood-prone areas to avoid similar damage in future flooding events.

Frank Magsamen, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors, said five or six property owners were initially interested in being part of a buyout program.

At one point we thought this would be around a million dollars, Magsamen said. The funds have been reduced down from the state, so its only going to allow us to buyout one property.

The supervisors will still be required to approve the property acquisition at a later date. State HSEMD officials have indicated additional funding may be availabe in the future.

County officials noted major buyout programs following a record Cedar River flood in 2008 limited the number of homes impacted in 2016.
WATERLOO  High costs set back the citys efforts to improve accessibility for disabled bus riders.

Waterloo City Council members voted Monday to reject a single bid received for concrete work to improve access to many of its bus stops used by those in wheelchairs and with other mobility issues.

The $189,000 proposal from Vieth Construction Corp., of Cedar Falls, was well over a $114,000 estimate for the work.

City Engineer Eric Thorson said the city will head back to the drawing board and may consider doing some of the work with city crews or breaking up the project into smaller contracts.

Were looking at some other options on what to do there, Thorson said. The bottom line is we just didnt plain budget enough money to get it done.

The city is under a federal court order to improve the bus stops to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Rider complaints led the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the 130 public bus benches in 2011.

Currently, most of the bus benches on MET Transit routes in Waterloo are owned and maintained by a private company. But many are not accessible because they lack sidewalks or concrete pads for wheelchair access.

A settlement approved by the City Council last year calls for the city to remove more than half of its current 130 bus benches and improve roughly 50 existing locations. The first phase of the work involved 27 bus stops, which must be completed by the end of the 2018-19 fiscal year.
DES MOINES  Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday she expects to decide in September whether to call lawmakers into special session to address a projected state budget shortfall.

Were monitoring that every single day, Reynolds said at her weekly news conference. We officially close the books on Oct. 1, and so well be making those decisions in the near future.

The fiscal 2017 budget year ended June 30, but state officials are still tallying the final numbers.

Lawmakers and former Gov. Terry Branstad, who left in May to become U.S. ambassador to China, already made nearly $118 million in cuts and borrowed $131 million from reserves in response to lackluster tax collections.

Reynolds says she has the authority to transfer up to $50 million more from reserves to cover any further shortfall without legislative action. Projections by the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency indicate the shortfall could exceed that amount. The governor said Tuesday its still not clear if a special legislative session will be needed.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett, a candidate for governor who will face Reynolds in next Junes GOP primary, expressed concern to reporters Tuesday that her budget officials may attempt to cook the books to address the shortfall.

The governors aides flatly denied that assertion, and Reynolds said whatever steps are taken will be done in full public view.

Reynolds also defended her administrations decision to provide nearly $20 million in state tax incentives over five years to land Apple Inc.s $1.3 billion data center project and its 50 permanent jobs. Democrats, some media outlets and even some Republicans complained the tax breaks are too generous.

Reynolds said the incentives amount to $3.9 million annually, noting its a tax credit, so if they dont perform they get nothing.

She said critics need to look at the long-term benefit the project brings to Iowa and its supply-chain companies. This is a global company that put Iowa on the world stage, she told reporters. I think it solidifies that Iowa is a tech and innovation hub.
Bremer Dems

to hold BBQ

WAVERLY  Bremer County Democrats will host a barbecue luncheon Sept. 16 at the Waverly Civic Center, 200 First St. N.E. The event is open to the public at 11:30 a.m. with speakers beginning at noon.

During the luncheon, candidates for Congress, governor and Iowa Legislature will introduce themselves to voters. Speakers include Black Hawk County Supervisor Christopher Schwartz and State Sen. Bill Dotzler of Waterloo. Afterward, many vying for city, state and national offices will be available to meet voters and answer questions.

Gubernatorial hopefuls Cathy Glasson, Nate Boulton, John Norris, Jon Neiderbach and Andy McGuire, as well as 1st District Congressional candidate Abby Finkenauer and Iowa House candidate Eric Stromberg, are among those expected to participate.

Admission and the meal are provided free. Donations are welcome and opportunities to volunteer with upcoming events will be presented.

Seminar about turfgrass slated

JESUP  A free public educational program will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 14 at Jesup City Hall to share the best care and maintenance for residential turfgrass lawns.

Adam Thoms, assistant professor with Iowa State University, will share general information on turfgrass, proper cultural and mechanical controls to manage lawns, pest management information as well as a discussion about irrigation. The information shared will support how these practices are implemented and can reduce chemical run-off in water and result in a healthier lawn.

While registration is not required, it is requested. To register, call Buchanan County ISU Extension and Outreach at 334-7161. For more information, email Ashley Sherrets, Ag/Hort program coordinator, at sherrets@iastate.edu.
WATERLOO  The full City Council is now behind the sale and renovation of the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center.

Waterloo City Council members voted 6-0 Monday to approve selling the city-owned building for a second time to Leslie Hospitality Co. of Omaha, Neb., which is planning a $6 million upgrade.

Councilman Bruce Jacobs abstained from voting because his employer does business with Leslie Hospitality.

This weeks action was in sharp contrast to a similar vote July 17, when councilmen Tom Lind and Steve Schmitt abstained from voting after saying they had not received enough information about Leslie Hospitalitys finances, business dealings or its owner.

Follow-up questions led company president Edwin Leslie to complain about unfair treatment from the councilmen, leading to a contentious public airing of grievances from both sides.

UPDATE: Convention center buyer calls for fair treatment WATERLOO  A developer buying Waterloos downtown hotel and city-owned convention center is 

Schmitt and Lind both said theyd received the information they requested before this weeks vote, which was necessary because an incorrect legal description was included in the originally approved development agreement.

I would like to  thank Mr. Leslie for apparently providing the information we have been asking for for about four weeks, Schmitt said. Its just too bad that things ever got to the level that they did and we had to hear about peoples personal lives that I really have no interest in and really dont want to hear about.

Leslie Hospitality is the holding company for LK Waterloo, which will buy the 42-year-old convention center for $1; get a $1.05 million city grant to use toward the renovation; and receive 15 years of 34 percent tax rebates on the new taxable value created by the renovation.

A separate development agreement approved July 17 provides tax incentives for LK Waterloos $14 million acquisition and renovation of the adjacent Ramada Hotel into a Hotel RL. That agreement did not require another vote.

LK Waterloo must still provide additional financing information before the parties can close on the sale of the building, which will be renamed the Waterloo Convention Center at Sullivan Brothers Plaza.

There was no opposition to the sale during a public hearing this week. But several regular council meeting attendees, including Forest Dillavou and Todd Obadal, questioned how the city could have continued operating the building in the last three years with fire code and sewer issues.

Leslie noted last week the building needed $1.6 million in immediate work to correct fire code issues, underground sewer problems, a broken heating and cooling system and other problems.

Fire Chief Pat Treloar acknowledged there was a punch list of more than 40 nonessential fire code issues, which the city was working to address when the Leslie Hospitality opportunity arose.

We wouldnt allow the convention center to be occupied if it wasnt safe, Treloar said.
WATERLOO  It will be easier for residents to raise chickens and other farm animals in residential neighborhoods.

But an ordinance approved 6-1 Monday by Waterloo City Council members is not as lenient as one proposed earlier this month by the Planning, Programming and Zoning Commission.

Its a move thats long overdue, said Councilman Pat Morrissey, whod pushed for the ordinance. Its a step forward; its allowing something to happen with some very strict regulations.

Councilman Steve Schmitt cast the lone vote against the ordinance, which was approved in a single night after council members suspended rules generally requiring votes at three successive meetings.

The people Ive heard from are concerned about having farms in their back yard, Schmitt said. It seems to me that allowing more farm animals in town is not going to enhance the appeal of Waterloo.  Were really opening up a Pandoras box here potentially.

Waterloo zoning commission proposes hobby farm changes WATERLOO  A proposed zoning change would make it slightly easier for residents to raise chi

A city ordinance adopted in 2011 allowed residents in Waterloo to keep chickens, goats or other traditional farm animals only after getting the approval of the Board of Adjustment following a public hearing.

The new ordinance will allow residents to avoid the Board of Adjustment process if they have enough fenced backyard space to support the animals and a petition of support signed by all abutting property owners and 60 percent of those within 250 feet of their property.

Those who dont meet the guidelines but still want to raise chickens and other livestock can still seek approval through a Board of Adjustment hearing process.

Its proposed in a way that in most instances most residences within the city of Waterloo are still not going to have sufficient area to be able to have a hobby farm, said City Planner Aric Schroeder. In many instances, even if they have the minimum theyll have to get support of surrounding property owners.

The ordinance allows people with at least 10,000 square feet of fenced back yard to keep up to two small animals, like chickens, rabbits, minks and geese.

Another small animal is allowed for each additional 2,500 square feet of fenced yard up to a maximum of eight.

While the planning commission had proposed allowing two animals on a 5,000-square-foot lot, Councilman Tom Lind pushed for a 10,000-square-foot minimum and won support from Schmitt, Bruce Jacobs and Ron Welper.

The ordinance also covers rules for keeping larger animals in city limits, such as cows, sheep, goats and llamas. A person would need up to 40,000 square feet of fenced back yard  nearly an acre  to keep up to four large or intermediate farm animals.

Swine, including pot bellied pigs, and roosters remain banned outside of agricultural zones the city limits.

The city has essentially been looking the other way to known violations of the previous hobby farm zoning rules as it worked to draft the new ordinance. Enforcement is expected to begin on the ordinance once it is legally published.

Rick Westphal, whose neighbor has been in violation of the current ordinance, said he was pleased to see action finally on the new rules.

Its been two years in the making, Westphal said. At one point in time they had 33 sheep there. At the present time they have 14 sheep.
School board

forum slated

WATERLOO  Candidates for the Waterloo Board of Education have been invited to participate in a forum from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 5 in the Board Room at the Education Service Center, 1516 Washington St.

The public is invited to attend. The audience will have an opportunity to submit written questions at the forums.

The forum is sponsored by the Black Hawk/Bremer League of Women Voters, the Waterloo Education Association and the Waterloo Education Support Personnel.

Volunteer award ceremony slated

CEDAR FALLS  Local citizens will receive the 2017 Governors Volunteer Awards from Gov. Kim Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg during a special recognition ceremony at noon Friday at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center.

University of Northern Iowa President Mark Nook will provide a welcome, and the event emcee will be KWWLs Ron Steele. Award recipients and guests are invited to attend a reception with light refreshments in the lobby of the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center following the award presentation.

More than 600 awards are being presented this year during ceremonies held at several locations around the state. It is estimated more than 31,000 hours of service, with an economic impact of more than $727,000, were served by this years honorees during the past 12 months.

Library to close

for Labor Day

WATERLOO  The Waterloo Public Library will be closed Monday for Labor Day.

The Library will reopen regular hours on Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. New winter hours for the Library will be Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.

Mental health

talk planned

WATERLOO  NAMI will host a talk on area mental health services from 7 to 8 p.m. Sept. 5 in the lower level at the First Congregational Church in Waterloo, 608 W. Fourth St.

Bob Lincoln, LMSW and CEO, and Monica Paulsen, MSW and transition specialist, from County Social Services-Mental Health and Disability Services will discuss changes and developments in mental health services in the region that includes Black Hawk County.

NAMI Black Hawk County is dedicated to improving the lives of all people affected by mental illness. For more information, call 235-5263 or email namibh@qwestoffice.net.
WATERLOO  One person was injured after being struck by a vehicle outside Hoover Middle School on Tuesday morning.

Police said the accident happened shortly before 7:25 p.m. while the adult female was crossing the street in a crosswalk.

The driver, who was in a red van, left the scene, said Capt. David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department, and the victim was conscious and alert and was taken inside the school building until an ambulance arrived. She was transported to UnityPoint-Allen Hospital for treatment.
OSAGE  Despite the somber occasion, nearly 100 attendees of the Sacred Heart Church sang their praises to God earlier this month.

The 8:30 a.m. Mass, celebrating an Aug. 15 Holy Day, was the final service in the 89-year-old structure.

Some lingered a few minutes after the service or gathered in the basement, where they reminisced about what the old structure meant to them.

Others shared their grief of knowing their familiar sanctuary and basement fellowship hall would soon be demolished to make way for a new $4 million accessible facility, which will house a sanctuary, offices, nave and fellowship hall.

Larry Hemann, who came to Osage 73 years ago, had his six children baptized at the church.

It feels terrible, he said. Its like tearing down my house.

Almost 90-year-old Marcella Voight, who was one of the youngest members of congregation when the church was built, said, It feels like a loss. Its been home.

Annette Uker, a long-time member of the congregation, joined the Sacred Heart staff as pastoral minister five years ago.

Like everyone else, I have a lot of history here, but its a good thing for the future, as the new church will be handicap accessible and the gathering space will be more welcoming, she said. I am more excited about the future than I am about the loss. Members decided to remodel the current gym into a fellowship hall with a kitchen and restrooms. An accessible, one-story entrance will replace the former church, and a parking lot will be added east of the new structure.

The church will worship temporarily at the Knights of Columbus Hall until work on the new fellowship hall can be completed, said Leo Chisholm, who is a member of the building committee. His parents helped build the church in 1928.

The new sanctuary is scheduled to be completed in July or August 2018.

Volunteers from the congregation are helping move pews into storage and packing other belongings needed in the temporary worship centers and new sanctuary.

In addition to the pews, many items will be moved to the new building, including the furniture, altar, Stations of the Cross, organ and stained glass windows.

During his final Sunday Mass in the building, the Rev. Ray Burkle told his congregation, Its like a loved one dying. Many have been baptized, been confirmed, took first Communion, been married and had loved ones funerals here.

I know they will miss some things from the old building, but I dont think they will miss the stairs, or the bathrooms in the basement, and there will be a greater space between the pews, Burkle said.

Gene Evans, who ushered in the last service, said, There is a sense of sadness for the old building going away and a great excitement for a church that will accommodate everyone.

Janice Schonrock, 77, provided her personal sentiments, I was born, baptized and married here. This is home. I have been telling myself I know the church is coming down, but the church is more than a building  its a community, and a family.
License plates and license boards are ubiquitous in Iowa. Both were in the news recently.

The Iowa Department of Transportation announced a new license plate design will be available in 2018 following Iowa State Fair booth and online voting. The winner, City and Country Reboot, is a more colorful variation on the current theme.

The new plates will adorn all Iowa vehicles  currently 4.2 million in a state of 3.1 million people  over a 10-year period.

Only slightly less prevalent are state licenses required in various occupations. Iowa has 36 licensing boards. According to a 2015 White House report, Iowa has the highest percentage of adult workers needing a license to practice their profession.

Yet no oversight exists of these boards, which often resemble crony capitalism, keeping out competitors and disregarding problems in the professions.

As for the license plate, the new design is not as bland as Michigan and Illinois or as picturesque as Nevada and North Dakota, while stressing clarity and contrast.

Instead of the silhouette of a farmstead with two silos and a city skyline against a light-blue background that has existed since 1997, the new plates will have a blue top border featuring a city skyline, wind turbine, barn and silo, with a green field along the bottom symbolizing growth.

The winner prevailed over two other plates featuring a contorted eagle and a rural setting produced at no additional cost to taxpayers by an Iowa Department of Transportation graphic artist.

Iowas licensing boards literally are out of sight, according to a report earlier this year by the Iowa Office of Ombudsman. Their lack of transparency and accountability, it stated, fosters lackadaisical investigations, apathetic board members, poor documentation of deliberations, and questionable outcomes.

They are so secret that the ombudsmans 17-page report couldnt reveal the agencies it investigated.

But we do know something about decisions made by the Iowa Board of Chiropractic, an agency with five chiropractors and two lay members seemingly loathe to find any wrongdoing, save for exorcisms, sexual abuse or, preferably, a combination of both.

The Des Moines Register recently reported Elizabeth Kressin of the Chiropractic Arts Clinic in Spencer, who chaired the Iowa Board of Chiropractic from 1999-2002 and was on it from 1999-2002, hasnt been reprimanded two years after false billing practices resulted in a three-year suspension from Medicaid.

Kressin paid $62,349 to settle a civil claim for violating the federal False Claims Act. She improperly billed for unnecessary procedures and treatment of conditions for children not entitling her to payment  bed wetting, colic and ear infections  over eight years.

Rex Jones, the current board chairman, owns the clinic where Kressin works.

Among other examples of chiropractic board policing:

Spencer chiropractors Douglas Schwartz and Courtney Carmichael-Schwartz of Schwartz Chiropractic Clinic were banned in 2014 from billing Iowa Medicaid for 25 years after being accused of collecting fees for services not provided, including billing patients for mechanical traction, when the clinic lacked a mechanical-traction table. They reimbursed Medicaid and a private insurer $38,000. The board suspended Courtney Carmichael-Schwartz for three months, Douglas Schwartz for six months, placed them on probation for less than 20 months and then reinstated them in July without restrictions.

Muscatine chiropractor Rachel Loos was convicted of felony first-degree theft in 2011 for stealing from her Davenport employer. She was suspended 30 days.

In 2014, the board reinstated Winterset chiropractor Stuart Hoven after suspending him twice (2005 and 2013) for fondling the breasts of female patients. He was required to have a female chaperone.

James P. Woods of Bettendorf was accused of claiming to cure almost everything, including ear conditions, eye conditions, stroke, kidney stones, hernia, tremors, blindness and high blood pressure. People in his waiting room were invited into the examination room to witness miracles performed on other patients. He recommended elderly patients stop taking blood-pressure medications and use vitamins he sold. The board cited him for knowingly making misleading, deceptive, untrue, or false representations in the practice of the profession, and engaging in unethical conduct or practice harmful or detrimental to the public. But it didnt penalize him.

In 2015, Charles Manuel of Lamoni made it easy on the board by acknowledging he performed exorcisms as part of his chiropractic treatment of patients, engaged in sexual contact with several patients, and bartered sex for services. He surrendered his license. The board banned him from practicing for 10 years.

The board did revoke Perry chiropractor Daniel Duffys license in 2011, but it took seven months after his conviction of assault for masturbating on a patient.

Which raises the question why this licensing board exists if it so reluctant to condemn deviant behavior in the profession and safeguard the public interest? Unfortunately, the ombudsman found thats not unique among licensing boards.
A republic

BRYAN MUELLER

WATERLOO  This country is a republic, not a democracy. The Constitution is the law of the land.

People who think they can decide who has constitutional rights and who doesnt are not true Americans. They are the true cancer of this country.

Just because you disagree with someone doesnt give you the right to violently attack or intimidate someone who is exercising their constitutional rights.

Land swap

HAROLD TUCHEL

WATERLOO  Selling excess city-owned land to Hawkeye Community College for $1 to create infill housing is great, but in many cases the city has an investment in tear-down and legal costs. Are the houses being sold at cost? If not, shouldnt the city taxpayers share in profits?

The Miriam Park-Edison School swap should not occur. The Edison lots should be sold at market value and Waterloo Schools should do that. Waterloo should not be allowed to sell Edison lots below market value. Edison is a strong neighborhood, and those lots should have value. Development cannot be giveaways as the rest of pay taxes.

USS Indianapolis

SAM SNEED

GREENE  There has been news reporting of the discovery of the remains of the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis that was sunk by a Japanese submarine on the night of July 30, 31, 1945, that went unreported as missing until the remaining 300-plus survivors were discovered on Aug. 4, 1945, after 104 hours being in the water without food, water and what appeared as no chance for being rescued.

It has since become known that a Japanese sub was in the area between the Marianna Islands of Saipan, Tinian and Guam and the cruisers destination, the Philippines. There were about 1,200 officers and crew aboard at the time of the sinking. The Indy is the ship that transported the two atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan a few days later. Those lost in the sinking never knew that the boxes on the Indys main deck contained what was to be the end of the war in the Pacific.

Health care

MARY BALDWIN

TRIPOLI  Senator McCain, Christian hero, Senator Collins and Senator Murkowski. They voted no to Trumpcare. Trumpcare or skinny health care didnt cover anything. Immediately 16 million would have lost health care along with the present 32 million. Republicans want to cut Medicaid which would have hurt the poor rural people, hospitals and nursing home Medicaid residents.

More workers are part time, paid $10 an hour with no benefits. Health care organizations, doctors and hospitals didnt back Trumpcare. Senator Grassley and Senator Ernst didnt stand up for Iowa rural voters, only tax cuts for the rich.

Letter response

FRANCIS MURPHY

WATERLOO  Responding to a letter by Robert Siebrands (Aug. 20): Hudson has a good education system and I greatly applaud them. As far as the red light cameras, we dont need the 5 Ws. Drive around Waterloo and look at the people driving and get your own information. It takes money to run the city, and the cameras will bring in money plus safety.

I would rather see a three-second delay on the red lights on all stoplights, but no one will believe me.
Burke/Triolo Productions/Thinkstock Chris Young and Vince Gill will celebrate their #1, "Sober Saturday Night," on Tuesday, with a party backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, prior to their performance at the legendary venue.

"Burning House" hitmaker Cam will help launch a new look and feel for Tully's Coffee with a concert Monday, September 11 at Westlake Square in Seattle, Washington at 12 p.m. PT.

Anne Murray will release a new 41-track compilation of her hits, titled The Ultimate Collection, on September 29. The Canadian legend selected the songs on the career retrospective as well, which will be available digitally, and in both a single and double-disc version. A double-vinyl edition will follow on November 17.

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Aug 29, 2017 | By Benedict

Altair, APWORKS, csi entwicklungstechnik, EOS GmbH, GERG, and Heraeus have joined forces for 3i-PRINT, an engineering platform for research and development of innovative prototype concepts. The group has 3D printed the front end structure of a Volkswagen Caddy.

Weve seen a fair few 3D printed cars in our time, but never before have we seen large numbers of well-known manufacturers come together for a single project. Thats just one of the reasons why this 3D printed front end of a VW Caddy, made by the new 3i-PRINT platform, is so special.

Bringing together experts from a number of companies and fields, 3i-PRINT says it aims to demonstrate future technological possibilities, acting as an agile engineering platform for research and development enabling innovative prototype concepts. Demonstrating and exploiting the most current manufacturing methods, 3i-PRINT is therefore primed to implement new ideas to the highest standard.

To demonstrate just how well the 3i-PRINT platform can work, the big-name companies involved with the project have put together a very special item. Over a period of just nine months, the parties oversaw the design, simulation, optimization, manufacturing and post-production of a 3D printed front end structure for a vintage VW Caddy in candy apple red.

We are proud to present the Caddy with an exemplary new additively manufactured front end structure, said Stefan Herrmann of csi entwicklungstechnik. The new structure and the contrast between old and new impressively demonstrates the potential that 3D printing and functional integration offer, particularly for the automotive industry.

If this doesnt convince people that 3D printed cars are the future, what will?

In view of the growing trend towards electrification in the automotive sector, for example of drive train and actuators, heat management as well as the reduction of design space and overall weight were crucial points when designing the front end section, 3i-PRINT reps explain. Moreover, structural requirements relating to vehicle safety, performance, and comfort needed to be addressed.

To deal with these objectives, the 3D printed front end is equipped for both active and passive cooling: channeled airflow cools batteries and brake systems, while functions linked to heat management, passive safety, and fluids storage are integrated in the organic, load-driven design of the front end.

The result of the groups work is the worlds first all-metal, additively manufactured, functionally integrated vehicle front structure on a scale of 1 to 1 using the latest technical standards. The 3D printed frame weighs just 34 kg, and is made from a special alloy called Scalmalloy, developed by APWORKS.

Designing the front end required a lot of work, including 3D scanning an original VW Caddy to get the right specs for a new design.

Of course, what you might be wondering is just how so many companies shared the workload on a fairly small (at least, in terms of the dimensions of the final product) project. Heres a quick overview of how they contributed:

csi entwicklungstechnik

The German automotive company helped design, develop, and build the front end structure of the Caddy. It was responsible for connecting the 3D printed components and the creation of the final frame. Metal additive manufacturing in body-in-white design already works today, the company explained. We wanted to make 3D printing graspable.

Altair

The engineering software company focused on the development and application of simulation technology to synthesize and optimize designs and processes. Its software solutions were used to design, optimize, simulate, and develop the structure.

APWORKS

The Airbus subsidiary, which had previously worked with Altair on this incredible 3D printed motorcycle, was responsible for the final dimensioning of the 3D printed parts. It contributed its knowledge of 3D print preparation and handled the actual additive manufacturing of the structural elements.

EOS

German industrial additive manufacturing specialist EOS contributed an EOS M 400 3D printing system for APWORKS to use.

Heraeus

The metal powder company supplied and qualified the high-strength aluminum alloy Scalmalloy, developed by APWORKS, to manufacture the components.

Modell- und Formenbau Blasius Gerg

The German automotive company contributed the frame assembly and post-processing of the single components.

They say that too many cooks spoil the broth, but in this case, each party appeared to contribute exactly what was needed to make the exciting 3D printing project a success.

"I wouldlike to emphasize the agile, time-efficient route from the initial idea to the fully converted vehicle, which was completed within only nine months, Herrmann enthused. Each of the participating companies is a leader in its field. The outstanding collaboration and combined expertise has made the 3i-PRINT project a resounding success.

The partially 3D printed Caddy will be on display at the Converge 2017 exhibition in Essen and the giant formnext 2017 show in Frankfurt.

The vehicle hopefully wont be the last project developed with the 3i-PRINT platform, andif the group itself is to be believedit wont be: 3i-PRINT is an open platform for collaboration, where we also like to materialize your ideas.

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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I.AM.Magic wrote at 8/30/2017 7:32:35 AM:kinda seem like an overkill to 3D print a tubular chassis. Looks amazing tho.




Aug 29, 2017 | By Tess

NASA has announced the winner of Phase 2: Level 3 of its 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, a multi-phase competition which is seeking to find new and innovative methods for building 3D printed habitats and livable structures in space.

First prize went to Team Foster + Partners | Branch Technology from Chattanooga, Tennessee, which received a cash prize of $250,000 for its submission. Foster + Partners, a UK-based architecture firm, has been working closely with Chattanooga startup Branch Technology to make 3D printed construction a reality.

Members of Team Foster + Partners | Branch Technology stand with their winning 3D printed dome structure

Some readers might recall Branch Technology for its Freeform Home Design Challenge, which asked architecture firms and designers to pitch their ideas for a 3D printed home.

In the context of NASAs 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, Team Foster + Partners | Branch Technology has been performing quite well, as this is not the first time it has won an award. In May, the group was awarded $85,930 and was the top-scoring team of the Phase 2: Level 1 Compression Test Competition.

Even more recently, Team Foster + Partners | Branch Technology won third place (and $63,783) for Phase 2: Level 2. South Korean startup Moon X Construction was awarded first prize for Level 2.

From August 23 to 26, NASA hosted a number of challenge activities for its Phase 2: Level 3 competition at Caterpillars Edwards Demonstration and Learning Center in Edwards, Illinois. On the last day, winners were announced and presented with their prize money by Jim Reuter, the deputy associate administrator for NASAs Space Technology Mission Directorate.

"The advancement and innovation in additive construction that we've seen from these teams is inspiring," commented Reuter. "Meeting the technology goals of this challenge proves that competition can push boundaries, and their work puts us that much closer to preparing the way for deep space exploration."

The Penn State team with their 2nd place 3D printed dome structure

Pennsylvania State University of University Park was given second place at the event for its 3D printed dome structure, which came with a prize of $150,000. Throughout the whole competition, NASA will be giving out a total of $2.5 million in prizes.

Through its competition, NASA has invited companies and research organizations to develop structurally sound 3D printed habitats which would be implemented both in space and as affordable housing here on earth. In addition to the habitats themselves, participants are also tasked with developing their own 3D printing systems and materials.

Weve seen participants 3D print all sort of building structures, such as beams, cylinders, domes, and put them through intensive physical tests and analyses. The winners are determined based on these tests and how well their 3D printed components and technologies score.

Phase 2 of the three-phase challenge has been centered on finding solutions for manufacturing structural components from a mix of both local (indigenous) materials and recyclable materials. Phase 2 launched in October 2016.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Leighton Woodhouse:

Yesterday, at the anti-Alt-Right rally in Berkeley, I watched groups of masked Antifa members in Black Bloc formation swarm individuals who were apparently antagonizing them, and pummel them with their fists, feet, and flagpoles. When the victims tried to escape, they were run down, and in at least one case, cut off by the Antifa mob and beaten down some more. In the incidents I witnessed, about 5 or 6 Antifa members at a time participated in the attacks, while perhaps 100 others stood behind them, forming an impenetrable wall that blocked bystanders from intervening, or documenting the violence on camera. Those people would also help chase the victims when they fled.

In one case, as a crowd of non-Black Bloc protesters yelled at the assailants to let their victim go, an Antifa activist yelled, Hes a Nazi! over and over again, justifying the assault. Then, abruptly, maybe after realizing that the victim was not, in fact, a white nationalist, he changed his mantra. He doesnt have to be a Nazi! he now shouted. The suggestion was that even if the victim wasnt a fascist, he still deserved to be beaten. For what was unclear. Maybe because he supported Trump? Or he objected to Antifas tactics? Or refused to do something they ordered him to do? Who knew? The only thing those of us watching from a few yards away could tell was that a man, by himself, was on the ground, with a bloodied face, covering his head with his arms, being kicked and punched by a group of masked people, who were shielded by dozens of their comrades. My guess is that a lot of the Antifa people in the crowd who were passively assisting in the violence, including the guy yelling that he was a Nazi, didnt know anything more than that, either.

More here.
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."
Blackmores announces full year profit of $58 million in a rebalancing year



Blackmores Full Year Results

Sydney, Aug 29, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Blackmores Limited ( ASX:BKL ) ( BLMMF:OTCMKTS ) has announced annual sales of $693 million, down 3% compared to the prior year and a net profit after tax (NPAT) of $58 million, down 42% on the prior year.



- Full year sales of $693 million, down 3% on prior year



- Net profit after tax for the full year of $58 million, down 42% on prior year



- Closed the year with a strong balance sheet



- Final dividend of 140 cents per share, bringing total ordinary dividends for the year to 270 cents per share (fully franked), 34% down on prior year



Following two exceptional years of growth, this was a rebalancing year for the Blackmores Group.



"After a turbulent start to the year, we are pleased with our recent performance," said Ms Christine Holgate, Blackmores' outgoing1 Chief Executive Officer. "We finished the year in a stronger position than we entered it. We have changed our expense structure to reflect a different trading environment and maintained investment in core future growth platforms; we have made appropriate provisions to protect us in future years and, with tight management of our inventory and cash, we exited the year with a strong balance sheet."



TRANSFORMING OUR BUSINESS TO ADDRESS NEW CHALLENGES



Speculation in April 2016 about potential regulatory changes in China impacted the buying patterns of Chinese entrepreneurs and tourists who were previously purchasing through Australian retailers.



The decline in sales to Chinese consumers through Australian retail was significant and came without warning. This was evident in the high levels of stock in the market in the first quarter of the 2017 financial year as seen in Blackmores' first quarter results.



To protect against future potential uncertainty, inventory provisions have been increased from $2 million to $14 million, this includes approximately $10 million in provisions above normal levels, impacting earnings by the same amount.



"The demand for Blackmores products in China remained strong throughout the year although the route to serve it has changed significantly. Blackmores responded quickly to the changes in the market by both building a new China export team and strengthening our in-country China business and tightly managing our inventory," said Christine Holgate. "We closed the year with direct China sales up 71% at $132 million. Including estimated sales through Australian retailers, China accounts for approximately $250 million of Group sales."



Although sales recovered as the year progressed, the changed Australian retail environment saw a return to market competition and normalised levels of trading terms, which diminished profits further on a year to year comparison.



Management responded to the pressure on profits across the Blackmores Australia business by realigning costs, managing expenses and reinvesting savings into growth initiatives. This included support for Blackmores' new businesses in Indonesia and Vietnam; further investment in BioCeuticals and Global Therapeutics; developing a world-first online education platform and the fit out of a stateof-the-art distribution centre in Western Sydney that will support future sales volumes for the Group.



AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND



Blackmores Australia and New Zealand sales of $372 million, including Pure Animal Wellbeing (2016: $482 million) were down 23% primarily due to Chinese tourists and exporters changing their buying patterns and following a return to market competitive pressures. Excluding the impact of Chinese influenced sales, Blackmores branded domestic sales were flat with clear market leadership maintained.



ASIA



Asia direct sales were $216 million, up 36%, highlighting the strategic importance of Asia as a growth platform for the Group. The importance of the China market is evident with Blackmores China direct sales, up 71% on prior year to $132 million, including sales through Blackmores new export division.



In September 2016, Blackmores launched a range of products in Indonesia and progressed the establishment of a business in Vietnam, where a range of Blackmores products will launch in coming months.



BIOCEUTICALS GROUP



BioCeuticals and Global Therapeutics delivered sales of $102 million. BioCeuticals achieved sales of almost $80 million which was a 15% increase compared to the prior year. BioCeuticals exceeded the ten year sales and earnings goal, set when the business was acquired in 2012, within five years. On a like-for-like comparison, sales of Global Therapeutics products were up 11% and the business is now successfully integrated into the Blackmores Group.



STRONG FOUNDATIONS



Business fundamentals are strong and the balance sheet demonstrates the focus on inventory, debt management and working capital, all contributing to strong cash generation. The financial health of the business gives Blackmores a solid entry into the new financial year.



"Our underlying performance has improved as the year progressed. We have invested in a worldclass distribution centre in Western Sydney and in new technology platforms that will support the growth we anticipate, including additional volumes from our emerging businesses in Asia," said Mr Richard Henfrey, who was appointed as Blackmores CEO on 17 August 2017. Mr Henfrey was previously Blackmores Chief Operating Officer.



"In line with updates to shareholders over the year, reported profits for the full year did not meet those of last year's exceptional results though represent 25% growth on the very strong 2015 financial year," he said.



DIVIDEND



The Board has declared a final dividend of 140 cents per share (fully franked), taking total dividends for the year to 270 cents, down 34% compared to last year. This reflects the Group's sound financial position and the Board's confidence in the future. The record date is 12 September 2017 and the dividend is payable on 26 September 2017.



OUTLOOK



Market conditions will continue to change and evolve in Australia and in Asia. Regulation, pricing and channel strategy changes provide challenges. Notwithstanding these challenges, Asia, and China in particular, is a significant opportunity, consumer demand remains strong and we expect recent initiatives such as our improved distribution capability and online education platform, to strengthen our core.



Blackmores' management and the Board expect year-on-year profit growth this financial year.



To view the Annual Report, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/QTE2SVQ6





About Blackmores Limited





Blackmores Limited (ASX:BKL) (OTCMKTS:BLMMF) is Australia's leading natural health brand. Its quality range of vitamin, minerals, herbal and nutritional supplements, and continued support of the community and environment, are among the many reasons Blackmores is the most trusted name in natural health.


Genex Secures Generation Authority for Kidston Solar Phase 1

Sydney, Aug 29, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Genex Power Limited ( ASX:GNX ) (Genex or Company) is pleased to advise that Queensland's Department of Energy and Water Supply (DEWS) has issued Genex's wholly owned subsidiary, Genex (Solar) Pty Ltd, a Generation Authority for the 50 MW Kidston Solar Stage 1 (KS1).



The Generation Authority is a critical regulatory requirement to enable any new power station to connect to the National Electricity Market (NEM).



Commenting on the issuing of the Generation Authority, Genex's Managing Director Michael Addison said: "Genex continues to work constructively with Queensland's Department of Energy and Water Supply to develop KS1. The Generation Authority is a critical regulatory requirement and Genex is pleased to have secured this milestone. By securing the Generation Authority, Genex is now one step closer to energisation and first revenue in December 2017 with Practical Completion in Q1 2018."





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.
DRILLING ON THE BARDOC TECTONIC ZONE DELIVERS ENCOURAGING RESULTS



Initial driling results from Olympia and Baden Powell

Perth, Aug 29, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Intermin Resources Limited ( ASX:IRC ) ("Intermin" or the "Company") is pleased to announce initial drilling results from reverse circulation ("RC") and aircore drilling at the 100% owned Baden Powell and Olympia gold prospects located 60km northwest of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in Western Australia (Figure 1 in link below). Intermin completed 5 RC holes for 574m at the Baden Powell prospect and 27 aircore holes for 2,174m at the Olympia gold prospect. The drilling is part of a major ongoing program on the company's Bardoc Tectonic Zone (BTZ) project area (Black Flag, Windanya, Baden Powell and Goongarrie Lady)



HIGHLIGHTS



- First pass reconnaissance drilling completed at the 100% owned Baden Powell and Olympia prospects on the Bardoc Tectonic Zone (BTZ) 60km north of Kalgoorlie-Boulder



- Reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the Baden Powell prospect focused on extensions at depth to the south of the historic shallow workings



- Hole BPRC1703 intersected high grade mineralisation returning 17m @ 3.00 g/t Au from 104m depth (including 7m @ 5.95g/t Au from 111m)1



- The drilling has confirmed increasing tenor at depth in this area with follow up and step out drilling planned for the December Quarter



- Shallow aircore (AC) drilling at Olympia focused on testing part of the 3,800m by 500m gold-in-soil auger anomaly (maximum assay 169ppb Au) with anomalous levels of moderately oxidised quartz-sulphide related gold and supergene mineralisation intercepted at 50 -70m vertical depth at grade up to 1.4g/t Au



- Follow up drilling at Olympia will now focus on two key areas to test both the quartz sulphide mineralisation at depth and for the presence of a larger supergene blanket, similar to that seen at the 1.3Moz Aphrodite deposit 4km along strike to the north



- Diamond and RC drilling continues at multiple prospects in the Kalgoorlie region with results expected throughout the remainder of the 2017 calendar year



Commenting on results, Intermin's Managing Director, Mr Jon Price said: "The high grade intercept at Baden Powell is very encouraging and demonstrates the increasing widths and grades at depth to the south of the historic workings where very little drilling has been conducted in the past. This is also the first ever drilling at Olympia in our understanding and it is extremely pleasing to see anomalous gold mineralisation supporting the gold in soils work completed last year. The Company is investing heavily in new discovery exploration this year and will continue to apply the very latest in science and technology to systematically expand on the results to date."



Baden Powell



The Baden Powell prospect is located 20km south of the Goongarrie Lady gold project (Figure 1) and has received little systematic exploration in the last 30 years. Mineralisation at Baden Powell is hosted in a well-defined shear zone within a porphyry. Typically quartz and pyrite are associated with the gold. Small scale open pit mining occurred to a depth of ~15m to recover oxide mineralisation in the 1980's (Figure 2 in link below) however only limited deeper drilling occurred at that time.



Intermin completed a detailed technical review of the Baden Powell prospect with a view to targeting deeper potential underground resources. The best result was from BPRC1703 which recorded 17m @ 3.00 g/t from 104m depth. A high grade core of 7m @ 5.95 g/t was located at 111m. The true width here is estimated to be about 15m.



A further two holes were drilled south of BPRC1703 on the eastern side of the pit aimed to hit the mineralised shear at about 80m-100m drill depth. Holes BPRC1704 and BPRC1707 both hit the interpreted shear with BPRC1707 returning 3m @ 0.39 g/t from 56m. Faulting has possibly offset the shear.



Despite the low grade, the result is encouraging as typically these grades and thicknesses are often seen in this part of the vertical profile at Baden Powell. Better potential appears to be at depth underneath these intercepts. Importantly it confirms that the mineralised shear extends and is open to the south.



Two more holes were drilled grid east from the western side of the pit to test some west dipping quartz veins seen in the pit. Only moderate grades were returned within porphyry with relatively high levels of disseminated pyrite and a best result of 2m @ 0.83 g/t Au from 63m in BPRC1705



Further drilling to test the grade variability at depth and along strike will be carried out as a priority in 2017.



Olympia



At the Olympia gold prospect (Figure 2), located 2.5km northeast of the Baden Powell Pit, first pass aircore drilling (27 holes for 2,174m) was completed to test a 3,800m by 500m +25ppb gold-in-soil auger anomaly (maximum assay 169ppb Au).



The area has very little outcrop and is dominated by surficial laterites and calcrete and has had limited historical drilling. The auger anomalies are restricted to this near surface material. Drilling immediately beneath the calcrete encountered barren clays and occasional quartz veins. It is thought that these clays have been subject to intense leaching to at least 50m depth. Two significant results were returned:



- OLAC1712 - 1m @ 1.37ppm and 5m @ 0.73ppm Au from 68m and 88m depth respectively;



- OLAC 1708 - 6m @ 0.18ppm Au from 63m.



OLAC1712 was particularly encouraging in that quartz veining with minor amounts of fresh pyrite and possible biotite alteration were observed in the weathered drill chips. Nearby holes also contained oxidised cubic pyrite. The mineralisation in OLAC1708 is restricted to a narrow supergene zone. Adjacent holes 50m away failed to demonstrate similar mineralisation. This suggests a more local source of gold. Interestingly OLAC1708 is located on the intersection of two interpreted structures.



Further work including multi-element analysis of selected anomalous zones has commenced and additional drilling to follow up OLAC1712 and OLAC1708 is planned for 2018. All results for both the Baden Powell and Olympia prospects have been received with drill hole collar details and significant downhole intervals included in Table 1 and 2 in link below respectively.



To view tables and figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/LINT54I0





About Horizon Minerals Limited





Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed.

Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline.

Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage.
$2M Placement to Yahua International to Advance Finniss Lithium Project



Placement to Yahua to Advance Finniss Lithium Project

Adelaide, Aug 29, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Core Exploration Limited ( ASX:CXO ) ("Core" or "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding Subscription Agreement and Framework Agreement with Ya Hua International Investment and Development Co. Ltd ("Yahua") which is wholly owned by Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Co. Ltd ("Yahua Group"), one of China's largest lithium hydroxide and carbonate producers, for a placement of $2 million to Yahua ("Placement"). The Framework Agreement forms a strategic alliance between Yahua and Core and provides for the future negotiation of an offtake and cooperation agreement. The aim of the strategic alliance is to establish a lithium mining operation at Core's Finniss Lithium Project located near Darwin, in the Northern Territory.



HIGHLIGHTS



- Core and Ya Hua International Investment and Development Co. Ltd which is wholly owned by Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Co., Ltd have executed a Framework Agreement and Subscription Agreement for a strategic placement and negotiation of cooperation and spodumene offtake agreements



- Yahua has committed to subscribe for $2 million at 6 cents per share at a substantial premium to Core's recent market price



- Yahua Group is a A$2.2 billion A-share listed company on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and is one of China's largest lithium hydroxide and carbonate producers, with significant expansion plans



- The parties have agreed to negotiate commercial offtake arrangements for DSO lithium spodumene from Core's lithium deposits located within the Finniss Lithium Project



- Core and Yahua will work together to advance Finniss Lithium Project into production, with a starter DSO open pit mining operation proposed from the Grants deposit



- The signing of this Framework Agreement and Subscription Agreement with Yahua reflects the strong level of interest from potential offtakers and development partners for the high grade spodumene at the Finniss Lithium Project near Darwin, Northern Territory



The Placement to Yahua will be conducted in two tranches:



- Core will initially receive A$1 million and issue Yahua with 16.7 million fully paid Core shares at 6 cents per share (Tranche 1 Placement). The Tranche 1 Placement is not conditional on shareholder approval and has been completed - an Appendix 3B follows this announcement.



- Core will receive a further A$1 million and issue Yahua with a further 16.7 million fully paid shares in Core at 6 cents per share, subject to receipt of customary Australian and Chinese regulatory approvals by 31 October 2017 (Tranche 2 Placement).



In addition to the Placement, Yahua and Core have agreed to negotiate in good faith to establish binding co-operation and offtake agreements, which will provide for Yahua to acquire DSO lithium production from Core's exploration licence EL 29698 which is part of the Finniss Lithium Project and may include Yahua assisting Core in sourcing commercial debt financing for development of the Finniss Lithium Project.



The parties will seek to document the cooperation and offtake agreements by 31 October 2017, or a later date by mutual agreement (Sunset Date). The Framework Agreement will terminate if the cooperation and offtake agreements are not executed by the Sunset Date. Also, Yahua is not required to proceed with the Tranche 2 Placement if the relevant Chinese and Australian regulatory approvals for the Tranche 2 Placement have not been granted by the Sunset Date.



Yahua Group is already one of China's largest lithium producers, and has significant expansion plans. Yahua Group's existing operations includes a 12,000tpa lithium hydroxide refinery and a 6,000tpa lithium carbonate refinery, and it has plans to expand its production to 50,000tpa of lithium salt production. As a major supplier of lithium salts in China, Yahua Group has long term stable relationships with a number of the large downstream customers of lithium batteries, and has broad marketing and distribution channels. Yahua Group already has significant business interests in Australia, including operations in Darwin, where it manufactures explosives for industrial use.



The fundamental objective of both Core and Yahua is to develop the Finniss Lithium Project as rapidly as possible so that Core can commence generating cashflow from its Finniss Project and take advantage of the current strong offtake pricing available, and Yahua can take delivery of high grade DSO material to utilise in its lithium refineries in China.



Stephen Biggins, Core's Managing Director commented:



"The commencement of a strategic relationship with Yahua represents a landmark transaction for Core as we embark on a plan to rapidly transition into lithium DSO production, with the view to generating early cashflow that can fund our ultimate goal of becoming a long-term supplier of spodumene concentrate to the growing lithium battery market.



We are very pleased to partner with a credible partner such as Yahua, and look forward to working with them as major shareholder and eventually, offtake customer for Core.



Yahua has many years of experience in lithium production and we expect this will be of great benefit to Core as we embark on the development of our own lithium production at the Finniss Project."



Yahua's investment provides for $2 million in new equity funding at a substantial premium to Core's recent share price, and will allow Core to expedite its plans to establish a DSO lithium mining business initially at its Grants deposit, whilst ensuring Core remains well funded to continue its broader exploration efforts at the Finniss Project, with the objective to discover larger lithium resources to build a long life spodumene concentrate operation.



Yahua has agreed to a Standstill period in which it will not, and will procure that each of its related body corporates do not acquire additional Core securities for a period of 12 months from the last date that Placement shares are issued, or enter into any arrangement conferring rights on any third party the economic effect of which is equivalent or substantially the same as acquiring or holding securities in Core, unless it has received the prior written consent of Core.



About Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Co. Ltd



Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Co. Ltd. is a China-based company principally engaged in the manufacture and distribution of civil explosives. The company is an A-share listed company on the Shenzhen-stock exchange in China, with a market capitalisation of over RMB 13 billion (A$2.2 billion).



The company's main products include industrial explosives, industrial detonators, industrial cords, industrial detonators and customised civil explosive products, among others. The Company's products are mainly applied in mining, hydropower, transportation construction, urban renewal, geological exploration and national defence industries. The company is also involved in the provision of engineering blasting solutions and related services, as well as the production and sale of lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide and other lithium salt products. The company distributes its products in domestic market and to overseas markets.





About Core Lithium Ltd





Core Lithium Ltd (ASX:CXO) is an emerging lithium producer focused on development of its Finniss Project near Darwin in the Northern Territory. Core owns 100% of Finniss, a major developing project that lies close to existing infrastructure such as the Darwin Port, grid power, gas and rail infrastructure.

The Finniss Project covers a 500km2 tenement holding and 25 historic pegmatite mines. The project area is about 80km from Darwin Port. Exploration work has generated a near term development timeline, with feasibility studies to be completed over the course of 2018 ahead of receipt of approvals in early 2019 and planned first production during 2019.

An aggressive exploration program is under way, which has confirmed the high quality prospectivity across much of the Finniss Project area. Core's stated ambition is to upgrade Finniss' resource base to fast-track commercialisation options.


Analysts Briefing

Sydney, Aug 29, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Blackmores Limited ( ASX:BKL ) ( BLMMF:OTCMKTS ) Analysts Briefing - A REBALANCING YEAR FOR BLACKMORES



- A challenging first quarter and turbulent year, and the Group emerged stronger



o Group Sales of $693m, down 3% on prior year



o Group NPAT of $58m, down 42% on prior year



- Australian retail market has been competitive, putting pressure on profit



- Consumer demand remains strong though retail environment is volatile



- Realigned cost structure to manage expenses and reinvesting savings into growth initiatives



- Appropriate provisions in place for inventory secured during 2016 supply constraints and for infant formula



- Final dividend



To the briefing, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/1T9BP065





About Blackmores Limited





Blackmores Limited (ASX:BKL) (OTCMKTS:BLMMF) is Australia's leading natural health brand. Its quality range of vitamin, minerals, herbal and nutritional supplements, and continued support of the community and environment, are among the many reasons Blackmores is the most trusted name in natural health.


FY17 Half Year Results Press Release

London, Aug 29, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Speedcast International Limited ( ASX:SDA ), the world's most trusted provider of highly reliable, fully managed, remote communication and IT solutions, today announced its financial results for the six-month period ended 30 June 2017, with group revenues of USD 246.3 million, a 143% period-on-period increase.



Financial Highlights



- Group revenues grew 143% to USD 246.3 million for the period ended 30 June 2017, while service revenues grew 165% to USD 231.9 million.



- Underlying EBITDA profitability was USD 52.8 million, a 210% increase over the same period last year. EBITDA margins grew 470 basis points to 21.4% in 1H17.



- Underlying NPATA, excluding non-recurring costs, was USD 15.1 million, an increase of 86% period-on-period.



- Strong operating cash flows (96% of underlying EBITDA), generated as a result of improved working capital disciplines, delivered balance sheet de-leveraging in line with expectations. Net debt reduced from USD 356 million at 31 December 2016 to USD 333 million at 30 June 2017.



- The Board declared a fully franked interim dividend of AUD 2.40 cents per share for the six-month period ended 30 June 2017, consistent with the final dividend for 2016 and utilising the maximum amount of franking credits.



Operational Highlights



- On 1 January 2017 Speedcast completed the acquisition of Harris CapRock. The acquisition positions Speedcast as the leader in the key vertical markets of Energy and Maritime. As a result of the integration, Speedcast will have the largest global satellite footprint, which will provide unprecedented value to our customer base.



- Since the acquisition, Speedcast has completed >80% of the identified Harris CapRock integration milestones. Key initiatives remaining include ERP implementation, full integration of the ticketing system, and network consolidation. The investment thesis is being proved out as a result of the increased synergies. Additional cost synergy benefits have been identified with total cost synergies now expected to be over USD 30 million compared with USD 24 million previously communicated.



- Speedcast had a 100% renewal rate within the Energy sector for the first half of the year. The group is positioning itself to be the partner of choice to lead the customers through the recovery.



- The Maritime group made significant progress in the integration of the Cruise business, while establishing relationships with key customers. In addition, a successful pilot was completed demonstrating > 400 Mbps to a single cruise ship.



- Speedcast is experiencing a strong win rate within the Cellular Backhaul market. Cellular Backhaul will be one of the fundamental growth areas in the satellite industry for the next 10 years with double digit CAGR growth expected (Source: NSR).



- On 23 July 2017 Speedcast entered into a definitive agreement to acquire UltiSat for a purchase consideration of up to USD 100 million. This acquisition will give Speedcast its fourth growth pillar, Government. Retail revenues for the Government sector are expected to reach USD 9.3 billion by 2025, up from the current market size of USD 4.8 billion (Source: NSR).



- Speedcast's services and commitment to excellence is also being recognized by industry authorities. In 1H 2017 Speedcast has been awarded industry recognitions including:



o 2017 World Teleport Association's (WTA) Independent Teleport Operator of the Year



o Speedcast CEO, Pierre-Jean Beylier received Finance Monthly CEO Award 2017



"We are very proud of the progress we have made since the completion of the acquisition of Harris CapRock", said Pierre-Jean Beylier, Chief Executive Officer of Speedcast. "Amidst a difficult market background, Speedcast has executed well, both from a financial and an operational perspective. We are taking advantage of the opportunities in all of our target markets, and delivering world-class, innovative global solutions. Speedcast is well positioned to deliver value to our customers, partners and shareholders in 2017 and beyond."



To view FY17 Half Yearly Report and Accounts, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/4N65R5UR



To view Investor Presentation of FY17 Half Year Results, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/X23I58J7





About Speedcast International Ltd





Speedcast International Ltd (ASX:SDA) is the world's most trusted communications and IT services provider, delivering critical communications solutions to the Maritime, Energy, Mining, Media, Telecom, Cruise, NGO, Government, and Enterprise sectors. With more satellite capacity than any other provider, Speedcast enables faster, seamless pole-to-pole coverage from a global hybrid satellite, fiber, cellular, microwave, MPLS, and IP transport network with direct access to public cloud platforms. The company also integrates differentiated technology offerings that provide smarter ways to communicate and distribute content, manage network and remote operations, protect and secure investments, and improve the crew and guest experience. With a passionate customer focus and a strong safety culture, Speedcast serves more than 3,200 customers in over 140 countries. Learn more at www.speedcast.com.


CHP To Make Strategic Medicinal Cannabis Sector Investment

Sydney, Aug 29, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Directors of Chapmans Limited ( ASX:CHP ) (Chapmans, the Company) are pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a Binding Heads of Agreement (HoA) with MJ Life Sciences Pty Ltd (MJLS), to make a strategic investment of US$500,000 in MJLS.



MJLS is an Australian special-purpose company established with the aim of becoming a leading global medicinal cannabis holding and investment company. MJLS is a direct investor in Caziwell Inc., owner of the established North American medicinal cannabis brand and business, Aunt Zelda's, with convertible note rights of up to 49.99% in Caziwell Inc.



Chapmans is delighted to make this strategic investment in MJLS. MJLS is actively seeking strategic investment opportunities in the medicinal cannabis industry which are aligned with Chapmans' high growth investment approach.



Under the HoA;



- Chapmans will invest the amount of US$500,000 in MJLS and will acquire a direct 50% holding in the issued capital of MJLS;



- Chapmans will be given equal board representation on the board of MJLS - Chapmans will control 50% of the board with the existing MJLS shareholders collectively controlling the remaining 50% of the board; and



- Subsequent to the completion of the initial investment, Chapmans will seek to make further investments in MJLS to support the investment goals of MJLS.



Chapmans' initial investment in MJLS is subject to completion of due diligence on MJLS by Chapmans to Chapmans satisfaction, and a Shareholders Agreement being agreed within 30 days of this HoA being executed by both parties.



This strategic investment in MJLS replaces Chapmans previously announced proposed investment in the Aunt Zelda's medicinal cannabis business (ASX announcement, 23 June 2017), which will not be proceeding.



Chapmans views the opportunity to invest directly in MJLS, and have direct exposure to its future investments in the rapidly growing global medicinal cannabis sector, as being more strategically advantageous and beneficial than an investment in the underlying Aunt Zelda's business.



The MJLS investment represents a significant value accretive transaction for Chapmans which paves the way for a strategic long term partnership with MJLS.



MJLS is owned by three of the leading principals in the rapidly expanding Australian and global medicinal cannabis sector; Harry Karelis, Jason Peterson and Dr Stewart Washer. Combined, they have strong operational and transactional experience in the medicinal cannabis sector and are founders and directors of ASX-listed medicinal cannabis sector companies, Auscann Group Holdings Limited ( ASX:AC8 ) and Zelda Therapeutics Limited ( ASX:ZLD ). Brief bios of Messer's Karelis, Peterson and Washer are provide on the following page.



Mr Harry Karelis



Mr Karelis graduated from The University of Western Australia with Bachelors and Honours in Science majoring in Biochemistry and Microbiology as well as a Masters in Business Administration. He is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has qualified as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) from the CFA Institute in the United States. He has in excess of 23 years diversified experience in the financial services sector including fundamental analysis, funds management and private equity investing and has acted as a Director on several public and private companies in Australia, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Harry resides in Australia.



Dr Stewart Washer



Dr Washer has 25 years of CEO and Board experience in medical and agrifood biotech companies. He is currently the Executive Director of Zelda Therapeutics Ltd ( ASX:ZLD ) in the medicinal cannabis space, Chairman of Orthocell Ltd ( ASX:OCC ), a regenerative medicine company, Founding Chairman and current Director of Cynata Therapeutics Ltd ( ASX:CYP ) who are developing global stem cell therapies and Chairman of Minomic International Ltd with a novel approach to cancer diagnosis and treatment. He is also a founder and consultant to AusCann Ltd ( ASX:AC8 ), the largest medicinal cannabis company in Australia. Stewart has previously worked in life science Fund Management with BioScience Managers in Australia and the Nestle Fund Inventages. Stewart has held a number of Board positions in the past, including Chairman of Hatchtech Pty Ltd that was sold in 2015 for A$279m and was a Director of iCeutica that was sold to a US Pharma. He was also a Senator with Murdoch University and was a Director of AusBiotech Ltd.



Mr Jason Peterson



Mr Peterson is a Director, major shareholder and Head of Corporate of boutique stock broking and corporate advisory firm, CPS Capital. He has more than 19 years' experience in the financial advisory sector, in both local and international stockbroking companies such as Patersons, Tolhurst, and Merrill Lynch. He specialises in corporate structuring, capital raisings, corporate and strategic advice to small and medium size companies and reverse takeovers. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Curtin University and a Graduate Diploma of Finance from FINSIA (Financial Services Institute of Australia)/SDIA (Securities & Derivatives Institute of Australia). Jason resides in Australia.





About Chapmans Limited





Chapmans Limited (ASX:CHP) is an ASX-listed diversified investment company engaged in special situation investments across a diverse range of industries, with a focus and expertise in the mobile and advanced industrial technology sectors. The Company seeks to be an active strategic investor in high growth areas of the market and to identify and work with emerging high growth companies. Chapmans' investment philosophy and approach are based on a unique mix of high conviction and special situation features, characterised by advisory and equity investments structured around specific events and assets for both public and large private corporates.

The Company made its first strategic investment into blockchain in 2017 and established the Blockchain Industry Advisory Board to identify and assess compelling blockchain investment opportunities. Chapmans' investment in blockchain technology aligns with its growth plans and commitment to investing in early stage technologies with reach into key international markets.

To learn more please visit: https://www.chapmansltd.com
On a visit to Kuwait, Sir Michael will announce that the Reds will perform in the country as part of a wider regional tour, with a programme that will promote the United Kingdom's long-standing relations across the Gulf, plus UK trade and investment opportunities, government-to-government economic partnerships and STEM education with UK universities.





Above: The Red Arrows performing a low level flypast over 04 threshold at RAF Scampton.

Courtesy MoD



Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, said: "This historic Red Arrows tour will be a visible demonstration of UK engagement across the globe, flying the flag to promote Britain in important capitals through the GREAT campaign.



"Kuwait is a vital partner. I will be looking to strengthen our military relationship with more frequent joint exercises and I will be reviewing the next steps in the campaign against Daesh with commanders at the Coalitions headquarters in Kuwait."



At a time when the UK is negotiating a new, deep and special partnership with the European Union, it is continuing to look outwards globally. The tour will highlight the partnership with the British Armed Forces in each nation visited, as well as demonstrating that the UK is open for business, committed to peace and security and a leading player on the global stage.



The UK was one of the first members of the coalition and has focussed on supporting Iraqi security forces and the Syrian opposition to defeat Daesh. British soldiers in Iraq have trained over 58,000 Iraqis in battle winning infantry, counter-IED, engineering and combat medical skills and the RAF have struck over 1,400 Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria as well as providing highly valued surveillance and reconnaissance, air-to-air refuelling and transport aircraft.



Ahead of the three year anniversary next month of UK involvement in the military campaign, the Defence Secretary review the progress with coalition Commander, US Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend and British Major General Rupert Jones, the Deputy Commander.



During the visit, the Defence Secretary will also announce a draft Defence Cooperation Accord which formalises the relationship with Kuwait and covers loan personnel and support to UK military personnel on training in Kuwait, which follows UK participation in exercise Desert Warrior earlier this year, the first time UK and Kuwaiti forces had exercised together for 15 years.



The Red Arrows tour will allow for further close cooperation with Kuwaiti and regional armed forces and promote opportunities for investment and trade with the UK, encourage government-to-government engagement to develop economic partnership and showcase the excellence of STEM education with UK universities with displays in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.


Get AfricaFocus Bulletin by e-mail! Format for print or mobile Sierra Leone: Hard Lessons from Disaster AfricaFocus Bulletin

August 29, 2017 (170829)

(Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note "The calamity that struck Sierra Leone on Aug. 14, when Sugarloaf, the conical mountain overlooking the capital, Freetown, collapsed in a mudslide that swept away buildings and killed at least 400 people, was shocking but not entirely surprisingly. It is important to be blunt: The tragedy was entirely man-made." - Lansana Gberie With deaths last estimated at just short of 500, with some 800 still missing, the death toll from the Sierra Leone mudslides far exceeds that from the Texas floods still ongoing, or from the Grenfell Tower fire in London in mid-June. Yet, in each case many observers have pointed out that each disaster had been years in the making, predictable in advance, and largely man-made. The locations make the unequal level of international attention also predictable, but the hard lessons to be learned apply both in rich and poor countries. For Houston and Freetown, the common element is an "extreme weather" event, becoming more and more frequent worldwide due to climate change. No one can predict which coastal city will be the next such case or the scale of the disaster. But that more such "unpredictable" disasters are coming is a near certainty. For Houston, Freetown, and London, another common element is the role of unregulated urban "development" in increasing risk and the scale of disasters. And the scale of casualties and damage also depends on the capability of disaster preparation efforts. In addition, given that levels of outside response to a disaster depend in large part on media coverage, the disproportion is strikingly visible as Freetown struggles to recover depending on its own resources, routine responses from international agencies, and small although numerous contributions from the Sierra Leonean diaspora. Among donors listed by the United Nations, the United States does not yet appear, although USAID has announced a $100,000 contribution and members of Congress have requested that USAID allocate an additional $20 million. In comparison, the UK has donated $5 million, China $1 million, South Africa $650,000, Togo $500,000, and Senegal $100,000. This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains two articles focusing on the hard lessons to be learned from the Freetown mudslides, as well as a short selection of additional links for more background. For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on Sierra Leone visit http://www.africafocus.org/country/sierraleone.php For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on the environment and climate change, visit http://www.africafocus.org/intro-env.php See particularly http://www.africafocus.org/docs15/sl1501.php, on the role of lost tax revenues in increasing Sierra Leone's vulnerability to disasters, including Ebola. Additional articles of related interest: Umaru Fofana, "Reflections on Sierra Leone's mudslide disaster," BBC, August 19, 2017

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-40973539 Richard Munang, "What we need to learn from Freetown's landslide tragedy: To avoid another deadly landslide in a coastal town, Africa needs to take collective action against climate change," Al Jazeera, August 22, 2017

http://tinyurl.com/y9uz4bof "Sierra Leone grapples with another big tragedy  but the world doesn't seem to care," Quartz Africa, August 25, 2017

http://tinyurl.com/ya9zxvjo "Africa: Freetown's Mudslides and the Slippery Slope of Urban Risk in Africa" by Emmanuel Osuteye and Hayley Leck

IRIN News, August 23, 2017

http://allafrica.com/stories/201708240653.html For detailed updates from international agencies, see http://reliefweb.int/disaster/ms-2017-000109-sle The most recent UN Situation Update (August 25) is at http://tinyurl.com/ybe4krob Representative Karen Bass and other members of Congress call on U.S. Government to provide $20 million in emergency aid to Sierra Leone http://tinyurl.com/yalc32wv "How Donald Trump and Elaine Chao Sold Off Flood-Control Policy to the Highest Bidders," The Nation, August 28, 2017

http://tinyurl.com/y6vodq83 +++++++++++++++++++++++++ If you are donating for Houston, also donate for Freetown There are more than a thousand gofundme.com pages for the Freetown mudslides (see http://tinyurl.com/y954zrnp),

One that has been referred to AfricaFocus by African Communities Together is by the Union of Sierra Leone Organizations in New York (http://tinyurl.com/y87n9o8w ). The group has also organized fundraising events in New York

One highly respected international agency working on the ground in Freetown is Doctors without Borders

See article & donate link at http://tinyurl.com/y9qxnjv3 For Texas flood donations, here is a link to local Texas relief groups

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/txreliefgroups ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ Sierra Leone's Disaster Was Caused by Neglect, Not Nature By Lansana Gberie The New York Times, Aug. 20, 2017 http://tinyurl.com/ycxqmoxr [Lansana Gberie is the author of "A Dirty War in West Africa: the RUF and the Destruction of Sierra Leone."] The calamity that struck Sierra Leone on Aug. 14, when Sugarloaf, the conical mountain overlooking the capital, Freetown, collapsed in a mudslide that swept away buildings and killed at least 400 people, was shocking but not entirely surprisingly. It is important to be blunt: The tragedy was entirely man-made. This is a moment for grief, sympathy and emergency assistance to a country that has barely recovered from a devastating Ebola epidemic three years ago. But this must also be the time for Sierra Leone's government for once to take drastic measures to make sure a similar disaster does not occur, which is all but certain to happen if nothing changes. The Freetown mudslide was caused by a more deliberate human activity than is usually associated with climate change and similar natural catastrophes. Sugarloaf, which is still covered on the top, at about 3,000 feet, by lush vegetation, is part of an allocation of supposedly protected areas officially called the Western Area Forest Reserve. The mountain range overlooks Regent, Hamilton and Leicester  villages created by the British in the early 19th century for liberated slaves, as well as the Guma and Congo dams, which supply the capital with water (though no longer adequately, as a result of the deforestation). Bodies of the victims are tranferred out of the site of the mudslides in Freetown,

capital of Sierra Leone, on Aug. 18, 2017. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) But a fleeting post-civil war boom in the 2000s had its most lasting effect in the area in the form of frantic housing construction that has led to the degradation of the so-called protected areas, most of which have been built over. The rain forest providing protective cover for the city below has been denuded by the buildings. This destruction started at the former colonial settlement that Sugarloaf overlooks on one side, Hill Station, which once hosted many charming bungalows. Hill Station was built in 1901 as a Europeans-only residence, some 700 feet above Freetown. Malaria was the reason for this segregation. Dr. Ronald Ross, whose research in Sierra Leone led to the conquest of that deadly pathogen, had recommended that houses for Europeans "should be built on elevated sites." When Sierra Leone gained independence from Britain in 1961, the new postcolonial elite inherited the coveted place and reserved it for top officials. However, when civil war  a great social leveler  interrupted in the 1990s, thousands of people displaced from the countryside flocked to Freetown. It became harder to control where people built homes or lived, and harder still when the British-led International Military Training and Advisory Team Sierra Leone constructed a sprawling barracks behind what looked like a medieval rampart at Hill Station. The area instantly became the preferred home for the country's elite, attracted by the security that the British presence supposedly guaranteed. The Americans enhanced the area's attraction enormously in 2006 when they opened an imposing embassy close by, built at the cost of more than $40 million. Caddell, the American company that did the construction, announces on its website that the embassy "has played an important part in the healing process" of the war-torn country. So it might have. The once-exclusive area is now home to rich and poor alike, oppressor and oppressed: a mesh of shacks, occupied by the poor and dispossessed, alongside grotesque mansions and perennially unfinished brick houses, their owners mostly politicians out of favor, their expensive follies creating an odd impression of blight or ruin. Since some of the Sierra Leone's most powerful political figures were culpable in the degradation, the dire warnings by the country's environmentalists were guaranteed to go unheeded by the government. In a widely circulated article in 2014, Sama Banya, Sierra Leone's leading conservationist, called on President Ernest Bai Koroma to enforce the National Protected Area law, which his government enacted in 2012, by demolishing buildings constructed on protected land and planting trees to replace those that had been cut down. Mr. Banya warned that unless Mr. Koroma summoned the political will to act, there would be "predictable dire consequences." Two years ago, flooding in Freetown killed 10 people and destroyed several homes. The misnamed Environmental Protection Agency, which is often complicit in some of the most serious disturbances to Sierra Leone's flora and fauna, responded by setting up ridiculous flowerpots on roads in Freetown that are often used by officials. Clearly, this sort of superficiality appeals to them. This time, however, Mr. Koroma should do something decisive to leave a legacy other than an image of a helpless leader always appealing for and receiving foreign donations amid national calamities. He must act now to prevent another deadly flooding or mudslide by enforcing the National Protected Area law, which forbids construction in protected areas like those around Sugarloaf. This demands real action, including the demolition of those buildings and the relocation of the people occupying them. If he fails, more of Sierra Leone's people are sure to die. Liberia: Sierra Leone Mudslides - a Preventable Social Disaster or an Inevitable 'Natural Disaster'? By Phillip Garjay Innis Liberian Observer, August 25, 2017 http://allafrica.com/stories/201708250537.html What lessons can African countries learn from Sierra Leone's devastating mudslides? Was the disaster due to natural events or is there a social dimension? Is there anything such as a 'natural disaster'? What can be done to reduce risks? On August 14, 2017, torrential rainfall caused a hillside to collapse in Sierra Leone's capital city. This torrential downpour triggered mudslides that killed hundreds of residents and destroyed properties. As of August 19, 2017, the death toll is placed at 467, with approximately 600 still missing. Heavy rainfall is not a strange phenomenon in Sierra Leone. The country experiences heavy annual rainfall and is ranked 12th globally in annual precipitation by rainfall. Sierra Leone received over 2,500 mm of rain from 2013 to 2017, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). Sierra Leone is therefore familiar with heavy rainfall. Torrential downpours are common in August and September. The country has also experienced disasters sparked by heavy rains in the past. In 2015, floods killed 10 people and left thousands homeless. How could a torrential downpour lead to a disaster in a country accustomed to heavy rainfall? 'Naturalness' or a 'Social Causation' of the Disaster? Since the news of the disaster, the widespread interpretations tend to focus on the 'naturalness' of the event, as exemplified in the phrase 'natural disaster'. The natural hazards that triggered this disaster, the torrential rains, floods, and mudslides,are dominating our attention. Headlines like 'Sierra Leone mudslides kill 461' (Telegraph UK), 'Sierra Leone death toll now up to 450 after mudslides' (Daily Mail), and 'Sierra Leone Braces for More Floods Amid Mass Burials' (Bloomberg) all highlight the natural occurance that led to the disaster. But is there anything natural about disasters? As contentious as it may sound, many hold the view that there is no such thing as a 'natural disaster'. Hazards, such as floods or mudslides or hurricanes or earthquakes, are natural phenomena. But disasters are not. Whether a natural event will lead to a disaster will depend on whether that natural event will interact with exposed and vulnerable people and assets. For example, floods in an uninhabited part of the Sapo National Forest in Liberia will produce no disaster while floods of the same magnitude and intensity in the slum community of West Point in Monrovia, Liberia may lead to a disaster. The 'natural' causes of disasters cannot be detached from the 'social' aspects of disasters. Humans have always earned their livelihoods in locations that combine opportunities with hazards. For example, the slopes of a volcano are fertile for agriculture but there is a risk of a volcanic eruption. Floodplains or slopes of hills provide cheap land for housing but there is a risk of flooding or landslides. In many cases, the poor can only afford to live in unsafe slum settlements in and around the cities where they seek their livelihood as daily wage menial workers or petty traders. The vulnerability of people to hazards in the congested cities of developing countries is a result of a mixture of factors including the prevalence of informal settlements, the presence of urban poverty, marginalization, increasing settlements in disaster-prone areas, lack of disaster preparedness and early warning, among others. People who are constrained to live in adverse social and economic conditions in urban areas are prone to suffer from the impacts of hazards and extreme events. People are vulnerable not only because of the geophysical factors but also due to the way that assets, income, and access to other resources, including knowledge and information, are distributed between the different social groups. But the understanding of vulnerability to disasters in African cities tends to be restricted mainly to the geophysical or natural triggers, with the socioeconomic and political factors largely ignored. What are the probable causes of the August 14 disaster in Sierra Leone? The impacts of the August 14 mudslides are still being assessed and there is no comprehensive evaluation yet regarding the 'structural' and 'non-structural' causes of this disaster. But while heavy rainfall and the mudslide are natural hazards, many are indicating that environmental degradation and lack of appropriate infrastructure are to blame for the intensity of the mudslides. Almost a million people live in and around the forested mountain regions in Freetown. The authorities were aware of the potential threats to people and assets on the slopes and there have been some efforts to reduce the risks. Deforestation of the hilltops and slopes of the mountainous regions had removed the essential service and protection that trees provided in anchoring soil on the ground. The Global Forest Watch states that Sierra Leone has lost nearly 800,000 hectares of forest cover in the past 10 years. So, one can safely assume that environmental degradation is largely responsible for the devastating mudslides. But there are other equally crucial factors to consider. One key contributing factor for the disaster was the lack of disaster preparedness and early warning. Lives could have been saved if there was an efficient disaster preparedness program and early warning mechanism in place. For example, several news outlets reported that the Sierra Leone's meteorological department did not issue a warning to prompt evacuations from areas susceptible to disasters before and during the torrential rainfall from August 11 to August 14. No warning was issued even though Sierra Leone had received three times more rainfall than expected during the rainy season since July 1, 2017. No warning was issued despite the three consecutive days of the heavy downpour from August 11 to August 14. There was no planned evacuation from the affected area even though a clear risk was evident. Disaster preparedness was the main reason why there were so few casualties in Cuba from the effects of Hurricane Matthew in 2016 while the lack of disaster preparedness was the major reason why the hurricane had a devastating effect on Haiti. Both countries were hit hard by the hurricane, but 470 deaths were reported in Haiti while Cuba did not record any death as a direct result of the hurricane. Poor urban planning is also a factor. Freetown is plagued with a longstanding challenge of poor urban planning and development. Construction is poorly regulated, building codes are not enforced, and urban planning is practically non-existent. Lack of livelihood options is forcing people with precarious livelihoods to settle in unsafe areas. Accelerated development is leading to impervious surfaces that cannot retain water due to the paving of surfaces and clogging of waterways. The prevalence of poverty in Sierra Leone is also a contributing factor for the hazard turning into a disaster. Poverty reduces resilience and tends to exacerbate the effects of disasters. Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world and the bulk of its citizens lack the capacity to engage in disaster risk reduction activities on their own. For example, wealthier people may have the capacity to construct disaster resilient buildings; the poor will not have such a capacity. The poor are more concerned with meeting the demands of their daily lives rather than focusing on disaster risk reduction activities. The lack of land tenure in informal settlements will also make it difficult for the poor to invest in building disaster resilient homes. What can be done to Prevent Future Disasters? African countries engaging in disaster risk reduction activities must consider both the 'structural' and 'non-structural' approaches to risk reduction. Structural approaches will include the engineering interventions such as the construction of and maintenance of hazard-resistant infrastructures while non-structural measures will include efforts such as early warning systems, evacuation programs or insurance schemes for affected individuals. Firstly, there is a need for a legislative framework, especially for building/construction codes. A legislative framework will coalesce legal reform with key policy processes which will determine the priorities and mandates of responsible institutions and further explain the roles, rights, and responsibilities of stakeholders, including the national and municipal authorities, construction companies and building owners. An enabling legislation will also impose a fiduciary duty on institutions to implement the building regulations. The International Strategy for Disaster Risk (ISDR) Resilient Cities campaign has highlighted building codes as a key component of disaster risk reduction for cities. For example, Ethiopia's Building Code 1995 (EBCS-8) provides a strong legal framework for safe buildings, and the code contributes directly to the disaster risk reduction endeavors by guaranteeing that buildings are disaster-resilient. In Turkey, the Law on Land Development Planning and Control 1985 guarantees that geological studies must be conducted before construction permits are issued. Secondly, more should be done to tackle illegal construction in overcrowded informal settlements. Construction in hazard-prone areas must also be banned. In Turkey, for example, areas with high seismic risks are excluded from development. Building in flood plains or deforested slopes must be curtailed due to their hazardous nature while reclamation of mangrove swamps around urban centers should be restricted because of the important water retention services these swamps will provide. Thirdly, disaster preparedness and early warning signals must be improved. This will be crucial to coping with unexpected, sudden onset disasters such as the mudslides of August 14, 2017, in Freetown. An information dissemination infrastructure should be established to improve the knowledge of residents of urban areas and such information dissemination infrastructure should consider where residents can easily obtain information from, what actions they should take in the event of sudden onset hazards, and locations of safe zones in the event of a hazard event. Cuba is an example of how thorough disaster preparedness can prevent casualties from disasters. The country has a mandatory hurricane drill every May in anticipation of the hurricane season. During the onset of Hurricane Matthews, the country broadcasted warnings about the advancing hurricane on television and radio. People were adequately informed about the evacuation and other safety procedures. While hundreds of homes were destroyed, no deaths were reported as a direct result of the hurricane due to the country's level of preparedness. Furthermore, the capacity of disaster risk reduction institutions must be enhanced. For example, the Sierra Leone's meteorological department did not issue a warning ahead of torrential rainfall or any safety or evacuation procedures for the affected areas. Many institutions in African countries, including municipal authorities, are often under-funded and are unable to deal with the myriad of hazards. The enforcement capacity of relevant authorities, especially for building codes must be enhanced. The reduced capacities of authorities to enforce building codes is engendering the situation where unscrupulous contractors can flout building standards or where poor and marginalized populations can settle and construct homes in unsafe areas. Enforcement is often lacking due to a combination of various factors such as a lack of resources on one extreme or a conscious dereliction of duty on the other extreme. It is also important to initiate a disaster micro-insurance scheme for residents to enable them to easily have access to affordable life and health insurance in the event of disasters. The micro-finance should also cover the loss of assets since most of the poor households also use their homes for their economic activities. While disaster insurance is a good risk transfer method for increasing financial resilience to disasters, there is still an evident gap in understanding how disaster insurance works in the context of a developing country as it has only been applied in countries with established insurance markets. It is also important that the public authorities become more involved with waste management and the maintenance of infrastructures such as drainages. Proper management of the drainage systems and improvement of the existing sanitary systems will prevent the spread of diseases during floods or mudslides. Burst septic tanks spill-over and garbage in drainages will contribute to pollution and the outbreak of diseases in the event of a disaster. The waste collection and disposal system should also be improved. Conclusion We can point to a plethora of causes for the devastating mudslides in Sierra Leone: chaotic development caused by the rapid unplanned urbanization of Freetown, deforestation of hilly areas, poor urban planning and development, lack of disaster preparedness, widespread poverty levels, among others. To avert similar disaster from occurring in African cities, there is a need to look beyond the geophysical and structural/technical causes of disasters. It is important to also understand what forces socially-disadvantaged people to live in risky areas, as well as factors including rapid population growth, unplanned urbanization, unsustainable land use practices, land availability/unavailability, and land costs. It is also important to consider the capacity of governments to control urban development, prepare for future disasters, and address the glaring poverty levels that are making people more vulnerable to disasters. AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues, with a particular focus on U.S. and international policies. AfricaFocus Bulletin is edited by William Minter. AfricaFocus Bulletin can be reached at africafocus@igc.org. Please write to this address to suggest material for inclusion. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the original source mentioned. For a full archive and other resources, see http://www.africafocus.org
Pakistans anti-graft watchdog plans to file four corruption cases against ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, according to officials.

The Supreme Court verdict in the Panama Papers case would be implemented in letter and spirit, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry said yesterday.

The apex court on July 28 disqualified 67-year-old Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.

NAB had decided to file four corruption references against Sharif, his children and Dar soon after Eid-ul-Azha (September 2) as the Supreme Courts six-week deadline would end soon, a senior NAB official was quoted as saying by Dawn.

The official said that the apex court had set the NAB a deadline for September 11 and the Bureau was expected to file the references in an accountability court in Islamabad in the second week of September.

He said NAB would file references on the basis of statements of Sharif, his sons Hussain and Hassan Nawaz, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and Dar, recorded by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

They would also consider the JITs report (especially volume-10) and the material received from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The official said NAB had served three notices on the members of the Sharif family but they had refused to appear before NAB investigators till the apex court announced a decision on their review appeals against its verdict.

He said that members of the JIT, who had prepared the report on directives of the Supreme Court, would also be summoned to record their statements before NABs combined investigation team.
Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh from fighting in Myanmar face the growing danger of sickness and attempts by the Bangladesh authorities to send them home despite a UN appeal that they be allowed to stay. A series of coordinated attacks by Rohingya insurgents on Myanmar security forces on Friday, in the north of Myanmars Rakhine State, has triggered a crackdown by Myanmar forces that has sent a stream of Rohingya villagers fleeing to Bangladesh.

It also sparked a mass evacuation of thousands of Buddhist residents of the area. At least 109 people have been killed in the clashes in Myanmar, most of them militants but including members of the security forces and civilians. Bangladesh, which is already host to more than 400,000 Rohingya who have fled persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar since the early 1990s, has said it will not accept any more. Bangladeshs border guards are trying to block the Rohingyas from crossing in, and aim to round up and send back those who do.

Border guard officials told Reuters they had sent back about 550 Rohingya since Monday, via the Naf river that separates the two countries, despite an appeal by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for Dhaka to allow Rohingya to seek safety. An estimated 5,000 Rohingya have been able to cross into Bangladesh over the past few days, most slipping in at night over the land border near the Bangladeshi village of Gumdhum.

Many are sick and at least six have died after crossing in, an aid worker said, adding that fear of being caught and sent back meant some refused to seek help. What were seeing is that many Rohingya people are sick, said the worker with an international agency in Bangladesh who declined to be identified or have his agency identified. This is because they got stuck in the border before they could enter. Its mostly women and children.

Were making all out efforts but a rapid response is needed, the aid worker said. Some are refraining from getting treatment to avoid arrest. Thousands of Rohingya are stranded in the no mans land between the two countries, trying to get into Bangladesh, aid workers and fellow Rohingya say.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rightly tweeted saying, Judgement of the Honble SC on Triple Talaq is historic. It grants equality to Muslim women and is a powerful measure for women empowerment. For the first time all major political parties have voiced their support for abolition of Triple Talaq. In fact, in the Quran, the very conception of humankind is based on an equal footing between man and woman. No religion is above the country. Triple talaq is an obnoxious and medieval practice to grant illegal rights to a husband and has absolutely no sanction in the Quran.

The SC is right when it says that the triple talaq in one sitting violates the fundamental rights of Muslim women, as it irrevocably ends marriage without any chance of reconciliation. Our marriages of whatever religion has always got sanctity and just because of the barbaric rule the relationship cannot be broken. Marriage is a sacrament and divorce is an inhuman act. Muslims consider it the most sinful form of talaq ul biddat  triple talaq. Muslim personal laws needs to be refurbished.

India has separate sets of personal laws for each religion governing marriage, divorce, succession, adoption and maintenance. While much of the Hindu law overhaul began in the 1950s and continues, activists have long argued that Muslim personal law has remained mostly unchanged.

Any sensible person would agree that the practice of triple talaq needs to be abolished because of the way it results in the abuse of women. The real temper of the country was to bring an end to triple talaq. People do not want any discrimination on the basis of any religious faith against women. Women cannot be treated as secondary citizens in India. It is indeed unfortunate that a majority of women in India are still tortured and dehumanized. Divorce laws in India are such that there are cases of harassment of women by men by not giving divorce and limits opportunities for remarriage and the vice versa. Any rational person would agree that the practice of triple talaq needs to be abolished because of the way it results in the abuse of women.

It is equally important to have a common law for all that gives more opportunity to women. India is a patriarchal society and that women have to wait for days and years in courts to solve the problems relating to divorce. The SC being the highest authority has every right to intervene if any discriminatory and regressive doctrine is prevalent and comes in the way of denying communities access to equal opportunities. Harsh abruptness of triple talaq has brought extreme misery to the divorced women and even to men who are left with no chance to undo the wrong. No discrimination against a woman is possible just because she is a woman. Law can be framed only to improve the lot of women. The law that allows triple talaq is one such law and was needed to be abolished.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)


By John Stone

Dear Ms Viner,

I am writing to you somewhat retrospectively to ask for some explanation of the Guardians unsigned editorial last month The Guardian view on vaccinations: a matter of public health [1] which was both an attempt to jockey opinion and a blatant attempt to mislead. The issue as presented was that compulsory vaccination was a necessary step, because certain bad people labelled collectively anti-vaxxers were gaining too much influence. This in effect bundled together all critics of the programme and the vaccine lobby as bad people (frequently apparently wealthy people like Gwyneth Paltrow) and allegedly all free-loaders on the system, rather than as many are people who vaccinated their children and rue the day. Moreover, the cited authority on this was not scientific literature but the comedian TV presenter, John Oliver. This is scarcely the material of respectable argument.

Even the illustration of protesters in Italy demonstrates the distortion of the issue. In Italy  unreported by your newspaper as far as I know  tens of thousands of citizens have been turning out weekly on the streets not to demand the banning of vaccines, which you might suppose would be what an anti-vaxxer wanted, but the right to have some choice over what their children were vaccinated with and when. This had been provoked by legislation following an agreement between the Italian government and GlaxoSmithKline in which investment in Italy was made contingent on the government creating a captive market. The CEO of GSK Italy, Daniel Finnochiaro, is reported on an industry website as saying [2]:

I also met with Minister Lorenzin and other members of the government who reiterated the sensitivity of the government towards those who invest, create jobs and opportunities for young people. In short, we started on the right foot.

Such sensitivity in the Roman palaces is not to be dismissed. As for us, Andrew Witty has asked for a few things: clear rules and stability in return for strong investment in advanced research and production equipment. We were of one intent.

It may be remarked that without the prospect of forced vaccination there would have been no demonstrators at all, and what actually seems to be happening is that the vaccine industry is picking fights with citizens using such proxies as the Italian government and the Guardian newspaper. It is evident that whatever the arguments are for compulsory vaccination that a competent newspaper, informing its readership, should report that it is actually the industry - the people selling the products - making the running.

Although we should not take the events surrounding the career eclipse of Andrew Wakefield at face value [3], it is a shoddy argument that if one line of research about one product has been discredited that all the products can be supposed safe. That such an argument could be deployed by a serious newspaper again beggars belief (although it has become a cynical and lazy resort of the vaccine lobby). It should also be noted that British health officials have repeatedly deployed false arguments about the safety of the expanded schedule citing the flawed and fraudulent spare capacity arguments of Paul Offit [4].








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Canada has for time immemorial been a country regarded as the land where every person is allowed to reach his or her maximum potentials without any hindrances regardless of the persons nationality. This is something that has gone a long way in helping to foster a very healthy relationship with Chinese nationals in Canada.

With China emerging as a global power in terms of business and development, it comes as no surprise that Canada is now the destination for most Chinese companies. This is simply due to the kind of authentic and crucial information being provided by Konglongw.com, an online magazine that deals with issues relating to Canadian-Chinese communities and other communities.

Access to first hand information in any particular area is of immense benefit to businesses and that is exactly what Konglongw.com does provide for its highly esteemed readers. The depth of the information that they provide with regards to Canadian-Chinese communities aspires to be way above other similar online magazine platforms. One thing that also makes Konglongw.com to stay ahead of the competition from other similar business magazines online is the fact that they always ensure that every article is well verified before being put online for their readers to digest. This means that until a particular report has been authenticated and verified to be accurate, Konglongw.com will never put it out in the public domain.

With their team of highly qualified staff, they also do ensure that the right piece of information is put out for their readers. They do employ the active on-the-ground journalistic approach which requires one to investigate a particular issue first-hand in order to report it as accurately and precisely as it is. This is something that is mostly lacking on similar online magazine sites as they mostly do prefer to do armchair journalism where they just compose their pieces right from their living rooms without even bothering to find out the actual situation on the ground.

Countless numbers of online magazines portray Canada to be a country that provides equal opportunities for both its nationals and foreigners alike. However, one thing that these online magazines lack is the ability to actually provide insightful and accurate information on how things really are in order to help foreign business entrepreneurs to make an informed decision. This shortcoming on the part of similar online magazines is nonexistent when one visits Konglongw.com.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Clear skies. Much cooler. Low near 35F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Much cooler. Low near 35F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
Cargolux is adding two new destinations to its Africa network as it looks to capitalise on demand for mining equipment and high-tech consumer goods.

The Luxembourg-based airline said it would add a new call to Douala in Cameroon on October 3 and Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on September 15.

The new operation means that Cargolux will now offer services to 35 African cities. The services are operated using Boeing 747-400Fs.

Cargolux vice presdient of sales Chris Nielen told Air Cargo News that the flights would be extensions to existing services, with the Douala call being tagged onto the carriers Luxembourg-Bamako flight, while the Lubumbashi stop is added to its Luxembourg-Johannesburg-Nairobi-Stansted operation.

When you look at Lubumbashi, it is in the south of DRC and there you have the big mining companies and they produce 3% of the worlds copper and half of the worlds cobalt, so it will mainly be machinery we will be transporting, he said.

For Douala we will be flying mainly high-tech and machinery, and we will offer a trucking service to Yaounde [Cameroon].

Douala is Cameroons largest city and home to central Africas largest port.

It is the countrys economic and commercial capital, handling most of its exports that include oil, cocoa, coffee, fruits, metal and timber, the airline said in a statement.

European countries are the major export and import partners for Cameroon, followed by Asia.

Lubumbashi is the DRCs second largest city after the capital Kinshasa and acts as a hub for the countrys mining industry.

The city is an important commercial and industrial center and produces textiles, food and beverages and copper smelting, as well as giving home to one of the countrys largest banks.

Nielen said that future flights may also carry exports, although this could take a few months to develop.

He added that imports into Africa had been growing by around 4% this year, which lags behind overall worldwide market growth of around 10% but is still a good growth rate when compared with the last few years.

While demand growth continues to improve in the African market, overcapacity through the addition of new passenger aircraft continues to be an issue.

However, Nielen said that the Cargolux flights would not be competing with bellyhold: Our aircraft are B747s with the ability to nose load so we are targeting the mining and oil and gas industries that are not targeted by the passenger aircraft. So it is a different market and different customers.

Moving onto the wider market, Nielen said that the airline was looking forward to a busy peak season and that it is expecting to see increased charter demand.

He explained that new product launches, the general peak and e-commerce were fuelling demand on the Asia-Europe and transpacific trade lanes.

Certain shippers in the consumer segment are launching new products, he said.

One of them launched a new product [last] week and the other one is launching a product at the end of next month, which will increase demand even further and its a market that is already strong

It is a trend breaker. People are bringing their inventory back up. Sales are quicker than people can bring up their inventory so that is probably the main reason we see such a strong market at the moment. When the sales are going quicker than inventory, people use airfreight.

However, Nielen did warn that year-on-year growth figures could weaken over the coming months despite the strong market. This is down to last year starting slowly and ending with a high level of growth, which affects year-on-year comparisons.

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August 29, 2017

Ebrahim Yazdi, foreign minister in Irans interim government after the 1979 Islamic Revolution who later became an opposition figure, died of cancer Aug. 27 in the Turkish city of Izmir. He was 86.

In 2016, with his health deteriorating, he had sought to undergo surgery in the United States, but after being denied a visa, settled for an operation and treatment in Turkey.

Decades before the revolution, Yazdi had been a supporter of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, who was ousted during a coup orchestrated by the United States in 1953. He later studied in the United States and formed part of the Freedom Movement of Iran opposed to the Shah. In 1965, Yazdi became the leader of the Special Organization for Alliance and Action and established guerrilla training bases in Egypt and Lebanon.

Yazdi was one of the figures closest to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic, having joined him when the ayatollah went into exile in Neauphle-le-Chateau, France. The shah had banished Khomeini to Iraq, which subsequently asked him to leave the country. After the revolution, Yazdi was appointed deputy prime minister, under Prime Minister Mehdi Bazargan, and was then named foreign minister.

In the wake of the Iranian students 1979 attack on the US Embassy, which led to the 444-day diplomatic standoff between Tehran and Washington, the interim government, which opposed the action, resigned. The embassy was actually attacked two times, but the first attempt, early in the year, by the Marxist-Leninist Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas, was aborted after Khomeini received word of the action and opposed it. According to the Mehr News Agency, Yazdi managed to persuade the group to leave the embassy building before exiting the compound entirely.

Khomeini also initially objected to the second attack. In a 2016 interview with the newspaper Ghanoon, Yazdi said that when he informed Khomeini of the unfolding incident, the ayatollah told him, Go and lead them out. Yazdi noted Khomeini's change of heart, saying, Thirty-six hours or 48 hours later, he backed this action and described it as a greater revolution than the first revolution. After that, the interim government resigned. Yazdi believed that one of the drivers behind the embassy takeover had been an attempt by the hard-liners to overthrow the interim government, which they considered to be too moderate.

Yazdi ran in the first parliamentary elections after the revolution, in 1980, and won a seat, but he failed in other electoral efforts, being disqualified by the Guardian Council, which vets candidates. Of note, in Iran's most recent presidential elections, in 2013 and 2017, Yazdi cast his ballot for the moderate Hassan Rouhani.

Yazdis role in the revolution and his status as leader of the Freedom Movement of Iran since 1995 put his death on the front pages of many Iranian newspapers and led politicians to issue messages of condolence.

President Rouhani said, In the dark days of foreign colonialism and oppressive tyranny  Dr. Yazdi was one of the pioneers of the fight [against the shah] in academic circles. He also tweeted, Dr. Ebrahim Yazdi, who was alongside the Imam [Khomeini] in Neauphle-le-Chateau and later years, will be part of the history of the country.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Mohammad Reza Aref, leader of the Reformist faction in the parliament, and former envoy to France Sadegh Kharrazi were also among the prominent figures who expressed public condolences.

Reformist, moderate and hard-line newspapers all covered Yazdis death, with the exception of the hard-line dailies Kayhan and Vatan-e Emrooz. The Reformist Shargh's headline read, The Death of the Guerrilla Who Was Inclined to Dialogue, while the state-run Iran newspaper decided on Farewell to the Reputable Politician. The Reformist Shahrvand chose as a headline The Death of the Moderate Nationalist, and the Reformist Bahar ran Good-bye to the Patient Partner of Freedom.
August 29, 2017

For more than six years, the regional rivalry between Iran and Turkey and their support of different sides of the Syrian civil war have been major obstacles to finding a political solution to the Syrian conflict. However, the recent rapprochement between Tehran and Ankara has renewed hopes for the political process to proceed toward a unified solution  one that seemed highly unlikely even a month ago.

Iranian Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheris official visit Aug. 15 to Turkey, during which he held various meetings with high-ranking Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was widely interpreted by observers as the beginning of a new era in Tehran-Ankara relations. Indeed, Bagheris position as a military and not a political official could be considered a sign that the meetings were about coordination at the operational level, rather than political discussions.

Concern over the Kurdish issue has facilitated the rapprochement between the two countries. In a May 2016 Al-Monitor article, I explained how the Kurdish issue could work as a cornerstone for any Tehran-Ankara agreement regarding the Syrian crisis.

Iraqi Kurds are preparing for an independence referendum in September. Kurdish militants in Syria under the banner of the US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are advancing in the Islamic States self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa, and the SDF aims to maintain its role in a wide territory in northern Syria. The danger of a Kurdish independence spillover from Iraq into Syria is becoming a reality  and the next step could be into Iran and Turkey, activating centrifugal Kurdish sentiments there.

In this context, cooperation to eliminate the common threat is the most rational option for Iran and Turkey. In fact, Erdogans talk of a possible joint Iran-Turkey military operation against the Kurdish militants indicates the extent to which the two sides are taking the current situation seriously. Although Erdogans remarks were denied by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, it does not mean that there wont be any kind of cooperation between the two sides in this regard.

In other words, it seems that the main reason behind Irans denial of a joint operation is Ankaras willingness to extend it from Syria to neighboring Iraq, targeting the main headquarters of the Kurdistan Workers Party in Sinjar and the Qandil Mountains. This is not an operation that Iran is ready or willing to initiate with Turkey, because on the one hand, the Iraqi government has been repeatedly opposed to any Turkish military presence inside its territories, and on the other hand, Iran is not about to provide Turkey with more room for maneuvering in Iraq.

Instead, a more probable scenario is for the two sides to start identifying their zones of influence in Syria, while continuing their coordination to achieve their common goals. This could involve Irans green light to a new Turkish operation in northern Syria against the Kurdish groups and Ankaras consent to the advancement of the Syrian army and pro-Iran forces in eastern Syria, especially in Deir ez-Zor. In this case, the Turkish operation would prevent the formation of a unified Kurdish entity in the north, while the developments in the east would restrict SDF forces to the areas around Raqqa, stopping them from stretching their gains farther to the east.

If such an agreement is the case, it could have a direct effect on the Astana Process. After the latest round of Astana talks on July 5, it was announced that the finalization of an agreement on creating de-escalation zones in Syria failed because of Tehran and Ankaras uncompromising views toward one of the four zones to be established in Idlib. Now, with a wider cooperating scheme in sight between Iran and Turkey, the next round of Astana talks could experience a breakthrough in this regard. Indeed, some Turkish sources say that the Idlib case was resolved during Bagheris visit to Turkey.

As for Russia, it seems that as far as a comprehensive agreement between Iran and Turkey results in maintaining and safeguarding the Russian-devised de-escalation zones system, Moscow would welcome it. After all, such an agreement could be regarded as another step toward the empowerment of the so-called Russian-Iranian-Turkish axis in Syria.

At the same time, although Moscow has so far tried to represent a rather neutral stance toward the Kurdish issue in Syria and even to establish close links with certain Kurdish groups, it now sees a common interest with Ankara and Tehran in preventing further Kurdish advancements in Syria. The fact that the SDF is a US-backed force means that their final control over Raqqa could provide Washington with more influence over the future of Syria, which is in no way in Russias favor.

On the other hand, the Syrian Kurds have shown a strong willingness of marching westward to the Mediterranean after defeating the Islamic State. Given the close ties between the Kurds and Washington, the move could pose a direct threat against the Russian military bases there, especially if the Kurds grant the United States a military base in the area. This could clearly explain why Russia has extended its air support for the Syrian army to the eastern parts of Syria.

All in all, it seems that currently the core interests of three main actors in the Syrian conflict, namely Russia, Iran and Turkey, are coinciding. Thus, it is expected that the already-established political coordination between the three parties transforms into more tangible coordination on the ground.
August 29, 2017

The Goldin family has been waging a media battle to have the body of their son, Lt. Hadar Goldin, returned to Israel for burial. Goldin was killed in 2014 in Operation Protective Edge, and Hamas refuses to hand over his remains. The Goldin family recently targeted Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman in its campaign.

On Aug. 25, Col. (Res.) Lior Lotan resigned his position in the prime minister's office as coordinator on POWs and MIAs. This only intensified the feeling of betrayal among the Goldin family and the family of Oron Shaul, another soldier whose remains are being held by Hamas. They had regarded Lotan on the job as proof that there was a channel in place for bringing their sons home. His resignation was the straw that broke the camel's back. At an angry press conference at their home in Kfar Saba, the Goldin family charged that Liberman was a weak coward.

The background to this eruption was a statement by Liberman. Israel, he said, must not repeat the mistakes of the [Gilad] Shalit deal. As part of the deal, we released 1,027 terrorists, among them murderers and their handlers including Mahmoud Qawasmeh, who was expelled to Gaza and funded the kidnapping of the three teenage boys, and Yahya Sinwar, who leads Hamas in Gaza.  Some 202 people released in the Shalit deal have since been arrested by the security forces for their involvement in terrorism.

The Goldin and Shaul families claim that the statement was all spin by the defense minister. They have never demanded the release of terrorists in exchange for their loved ones' bodies, but rather that pressure be exerted on Hamas.

Any defense minister who says what he said today has no moral right to make decisions, command the army or lead it into battle, said Hadar's father, Simcha Goldin. Liberman is good at talking and weak in acting. He continued, We demand the implementation of the Cabinet's decision of last January that Israel will not return the bodies of Hamas terrorists, and that it will immediately halt all visits to prisoners held in Israeli jails. It's time to put an end to this day camp.

A clash like this, pitting a politician against the family of a fallen soldier, is always a highly charged situation. After all, such families have paid the steepest price of all.

A clash like this, pitting a politician against the family of a fallen soldier, is always a highly charged situation. After all, such families have paid the steepest price of all. To make matters worse, this particular case pits a minister in the government that sent their sons into battle against two families who not only lost their sons, but who also have no grave at which they can properly mourn. Hamas continuing to hold their sons' bodies has led the Goldin and Shaul families to wage a public and media battle for the past three years just to get their remains.

It is not only the right of the Goldin and Shaul families to criticize the government and pressure its top ministers in any way they can so as to get their sons' bodies back. They are even obliged to do this. On the other hand, the defense minister and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alike are obliged to consider the whole picture. Israel's foreign and defense policies cannot, and must not, be based on emotions.

Liberman actually showed his mettle as a leader by refusing to make false promises to the Goldin and Shaul families and by not succumbing to cheap populism to win public support. He is prepared to suffer the blows and insults for his performance as defense minister.

In an Aug. 28 interview with the Walla website, Liberman tried to explain his position. He said, among other things, that the conquest of Gaza or its surrender are the immediate options for obtaining the release of two Israeli citizens also being held by Hamas and the two soldiers' bodies. Every other solution, he asserted, requires patience and perseverance. Pressure, whether from the public or the media, only weakens Israel's position.

In media interviews and at the press conference, Simcha Goldin tried to determine for the government how it should react toward Hamas and what it should do to apply effective pressure on the group. Both families are furious at Liberman, who said that the government should adopt the recommendations of the Shamgar Committee, which in 2012 set clear rules for how to negotiate for the release of abducted soldiers and civilians. What was effectively offered were a series of red lines to prevent deals like the Shalit deal from being repeated. The committee was appointed by former Defense Minister Ehud Barak in 2008, when Shalit was still being held by Hamas.

The Shalit swap was a watermark in the Israeli public's attitude toward prisoner deals. The joy felt over his return was accompanied by a sour taste over the heavy price that Israel paid for it, including the release of more than 1,000 terrorists. As was soon learned, many of the prisoners released in the deal soon returned to terrorist activities.

In summer 2016, Yesh Atid Knesset member Elazar Stern, a major general in the reserves, proposed a law to determine the principles that should underlie any future prisoner exchanges, based on the recommendations of the Shamgar Committee. Stern called on the Cabinet and the government to adopt these recommendations and pass his proposed law. In interviews with the press at that time, Hadar's mother, Leah Goldin, attacked Stern, claiming that he did not know anything about democracy. His effort is driven only by fear, hysteria, and [is an] attempt to clear his own conscience, she claimed. Hes creating more barriers to negotiations [for the return of the two soldiers bodies].

After the 2016 reconciliation agreement between Israel and Turkey, the two families again attacked the government, claiming that the prime minister had broken his promise to them to tie the return of their sons' remains to any future agreement with Turkey. After the Cabinet approved the agreement  with Liberman opposing it  the former head of the South Command, Yoav Galant, explained that the agreement is vital to Israel's security and to stability in the region.  There are compromises in every agreement, but our responsibility in the security Cabinet is to identify what is strategically important for the long term.

In this instance too, the Goldin family led the fight in the media, rejecting the claims of national security that led to the signing of the agreement. On Aug. 22, the family called the plan to reopen the Rafah crossing a moral and ethical failure.

No one disputes that the Goldin and Shaul families have the right to make demands on the government. What they cannot do is determine Israel's defense policy.
August 29, 2017

Why did Israel revoke the press credentials of Al Jazeera correspondent Elias Karam? He has not been accused of inciting violence. He did not commit the ultimate sin of calling for anti-Israel sanctions. He has not even advocated a boycott of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Karam, an Israeli Druze who identifies as Palestinian, did not sound off about the proposed Nationality Law that if adopted would anchor in the law that he and others like him are second-class citizens. Karam is being punished for using his mic and his camera to protest Israels occupation of Palestinian lands.

As a Palestinian journalist who is in an occupied area or a conflict area, journalistic work is an integral part of the resistance and of political and educational action, Karam said in a May 2016 interview with the Arabic-language TV network Dar al-Iman. A journalist fulfills his role in the resistance through his pen, voice or camera, because he is part of this [Palestinian] nation and is resisting in his unique way.

Dozens of Jewish Israeli journalists, this one included, can sign off on Karams defense. They, too, oppose the occupation and write and speak out against it, describing injustice and oppression and even encouraging decisive action by the international community to end it.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu going after the Qatar-based network was, in fact, warning all foreign media and Israeli journalists that a similar fate will befall anyone who deviates from the party line. Karam is not the first Israeli journalist to pay for stepping out of line and will probably not be the last. At the beginning of May, Israel refused to renew the work permit of Derk Walters, correspondent of the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad. The Government Press Office, which operates under the Prime Ministers Office, accused the reporter of hostile and biased coverage of the situation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Hebron.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu going after the Qatar-based network was, in fact, warning all foreign media and Israeli journalists that a similar fate will befall anyone who deviates from the party line.

Occupation is the key term in the Palestinian narrative describing the conflict with Israel. It is also one of the fundamental terms in the agenda of the Israeli left and of the international community that envisions a peaceful resolution of the conflict by establishing a Palestinian state neighboring Israel. On May 26, 2003, the day after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government approved the US-sponsored road map for peace with the Palestinians, Sharon said, Keeping 3.5 million Palestinians under occupation is a bad thing, in my opinion. He went on to lambast members of his ruling Likud, asking, You want to remain forever in Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem  forever? In these unprecedented remarks, the leader of the Israeli right added, You can dislike the word, but that is whats happening, its under occupation. If a member of the Likud were to express himself the same way today, he would be politically axed by coalition chairman and Knesset member David Bitan.

The government of Israel is waging a no-holds-barred war against the occupation. It is not, however, against Israels control over lands it annexed in 1967 or its 50-year rule over millions of Palestinians. Rather, the enemy is the very term occupation. There is no occupation, government spokespersons claim, because there never was an occupation. There is therefore no need to end it.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett has said as much in no uncertain terms: A people cannot be called an occupier of their own land. This is the ideology he consistently tries to instill in all Israeli schoolchildren. Netanyahu cannot afford to lag behind his bitterest rival for leadership of the Israeli right. Using Communications Minister Ayoub Kara and the Government Press Office, he is striking out at the media, and, indeed, the word occupation is gradually disappearing. Israeli radio and television stations no longer talk about events in the occupied territories, instead calling them by their biblical names, Judea and Samaria. In addition, human rights organizations are having a hard time selling stories to television news editors about violence by soldiers and settlers against Palestinian civilians.

The battle against the occupation is not limited to the media. Culture Minister Miri Regev, who formerly served as chief military censor, has been appointed commanding officer on the theater and cinema front. Her current target is Foxtrot, the new movie directed by Samuel Maoz that has been nominated for Israels top movie award, the Ophir Prize. The film examines acts of violence against Palestinians by a group of Israeli soldiers at a roadblock. Roadblocks are a tried and tested tool of occupation, but if there is no occupation, there are also no roadblocks. If there are no roadblocks, there are no soldiers, there is no violence, and there is no reason to make movies about it.

Regev did not bother watching the film before announcing that her office would no longer support such displays of contempt for the state and its symbols. She did not watch the television show Megiddo either before promising to withhold state support from the production. The series described the lives of Palestinian security prisoners and of their jailors in an Israeli prison, but if there is no occupation, how did Palestinians from Nablus and Jenin wind up in an Israeli jail?

The struggle against the occupation has exceeded all expectations. At the end of May, the steering committee of the Acre Theater Festival decided to disqualify Einat Weitzman's play Prisoners of the Occupation, which is based on stories and letters written by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Director Udi Aloni examined all 30 feature films produced in Israel over the past two years and found that only three  his own Junction 48, Foxtrot and Personal Affairs, by Maha Haj  had engaged in direct political criticism. He believes this proves moviemaking in Israel has fully internalized systemic political censorship. Regev has also reaped rewards in her anti-occupation battle on the countrys theater stages. Budgetary threats are slowly erasing the occupation from the repertoires and agendas of Israeli artists. Theaters that in the past refused to appear in the occupied territories are offering their latest hit plays and concerts for the coming season on the stages of the settlement towns of Ariel and Kiryat Arba. Israels top theaters  Habima, Cameri, Beit Lessin, Gesher and the Israel Camerata  will all be putting on productions in those settlements.

Draconian legislation impeding fundraising abroad, along with vitriolic incitement, are also undermining the courageous struggle being waged by human rights groups against the occupation. Not against the term occupation, but against the occupation that ruins the lives of Palestinians and eats away at everything that is good and honorable in the Israeli media and on the culture scene.
August 29, 2017

KIRKUK, Iraq  Peshmerga fighters around Kirkuk feel abandoned by the Peshmerga Ministry and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) amid the petty rivalry of the two main parties that command the force.

Falah, Arkan and Masoud served together near the village of Albu Mohammad, which marks the front line between the peshmerga and Islamic State (IS) militants to the south of Kirkuk. Just before midnight on Aug. 11, some three dozen IS militants snuck into the area and surrounded the peshmerga posts. A firefight broke out and most peshmerga fighters retreated, leaving the three friends on their own. In a video released later by IS, relaxed militants are shown walking around the peshmerga positions, setting them alight and emptying bullets into the body of one of the men. The body of another is seen under a militant's foot. By the end of the battle, the three friends lay dead and seven other fighters wounded. IS seized their weapons and ammunition.

"Peshmerga officials have abandoned us to our own fate. We are dying needlessly," said a fighter who asked to be identified by "Capt. Ahmad." He's been a member of the peshmerga for over two decades.

A furious peshmerga intelligence officer said he has been warning about the vulnerabilities of his forces in the area. He told Al-Monitor, "All we need is a number of infrared cameras to the south of Kirkuk to hold [IS] at bay." The young officer, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprimand by his superiors, said he is speaking out because no one listens to him and other fighters who are dying unnecessarily. He complained that the Popular Mobilization Units have infrared cameras "and [IS] is hardly able to launch attacks on their positions."

Kurdish peshmerga forces have been a critical pillar of the international coalition against IS. They've lost over 1,700 men and more than 10,000 have been wounded over the last three years. As Iraqi security forces backed by coalition advisers and air cover root out IS militants from the Turkmen town of Tal Afar near Mosul, a large area in the north of Iraq is still in the hands of the militants: the Hawija pocket and parts of the Hamrin mountain range.

Several peshmerga officers from the rank of captain to colonel who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity said that had the Peshmerga Ministry heeded their warnings, more than 20 peshmerga fighters would not have died in recent months.

The peshmerga intelligence officer said that in addition to infrared cameras, they need drones to monitor the hilly terrain dotted with streams and long grasses, an ideal setting for IS ambushes. "We don't have any technology available to us and we rely on human intelligence almost all the time," he said. "[IS] has depopulated most of the area because they know the locals pass on intelligence to us, so we can't be sure when they plan to launch an attack." The officer and two others complained about corruption and trading that goes on between IS and some peshmerga members. Back in December, seven officers were arrested for trading with IS, providing them with vehicle parts and food. IS managed to smuggle around 100 fighters into the area to launch a major attack on Kirkuk in October, killing over 100 and fighting for three days inside the city. In May, five IS suicide bombers tried to enter the K1 military base in Kirkuk, where Americans and Germans are stationed, but failed.

"The delegations from the Peshmerga Ministry visit us in their four-wheel-drive vehicles, chat with the top commanders over nice food and then go back to Erbil. That is all they do," said Ahmad. "We stay awake day and night on the front line but the Peshmerga Ministry is negligent when it comes to protecting the blood of the peshmerga fighters."

Several members of the international coalition against IS  the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom  are currently at work revamping the Peshmerga Ministry and addressing the corruption that plagues the institution.

"We have lost eight men and had 13 or 14 wounded over the last two months," said a senior officer from the peshmerga's 11th Brigade in charge of the Zarga area west of Tuz Khormato, another region that has come under frequent IS attacks. "Our brigade is not enough to control this large stretch of border, and we are not adequately armed to confront the threat."

A peshmerga captain who served in the area and is familiar with the operational command said all the forces deployed to the area have suffered heavy casualties. "The problem is political rivalry," said the captain, explaining that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) refuse to deploy their best forces there. "There is even rivalry over which company constructs the berm for the peshmerga because even the companies are affiliated with one of the parties." The captain, who has gone through several training courses with the coalition forces, said the solution is for the Peshmerga Ministry to deploy the 1st and 2nd Brigades trained and armed by the Americans to the area and provide them with infrared cameras. "I don't think they are going to do that because the best equipment and arms go to the elite forces of the KDP and PUK," he added.

"Every time I say goodbye to my wife and my three children and go to the front line, I don't expect to see them again," said Ahmad. "But I don't want to show my fear because I don't want my children to remember their father as a coward in case I am killed."
August 29, 2017

Meral Aksener, a Turkish nationalist who is being touted as a possible challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has defined the contours of the battleground where she will wage her campaign: the center.

One of her top lieutenants, Koray Aydin, announced in a television program aired last night that the party she is planning to launch before year-end will likely be christened the Center Democratic Party. This is the clearest signal yet that the combative former interior minister will not rely on a strictly nationalist platform. Following in the footsteps of Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the late Turgut Ozal and his Motherland Party of the 1980s, Aksener will seek to assemble assorted conservatives, nationalists and disgruntled Islamists around the political center.

According to Kemal Can, a leading commentator on Turkeys nationalist movement, Aksener knows she cannot succeed if she limits herself to seeking to appropriate the platform of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and its base. Aksener, a former MHP deputy, was pushed out of the party after leader Devlet Bahceli quashed her bid to replace him. Hundreds of MHP officials have since defected to Aksener.

Aydin disclosed last week that Aksener would likely run against Erdogan in the presidential election in 2019. Whoever wins will be endowed with the sweeping executive powers bestowed by the package of constitutional amendments that were narrowly approved in a fraud-tainted referendum on April 16. Turkeys ongoing shift from a parliamentary democracy to what critics charge amounts to a dictatorship has transformed the political landscape and Turkeys ineffectual opposition is scrambling to catch up.

Armed with emergency rule that lingers in the wake of last summer's failed coup, Erdogan is already exercising many of the powers that are meant to kick in after the next presidential poll. Using the putsch for cover, he has ruthlessly set about defanging his opponents and few doubt Aksener faces the same. Her experience in government, conservative family values and reputation for decisiveness and probity pose a real threat as a growing number of Turks yearn for stability and the rule of law.

Social media accounts managed by Erdogans inner circle have already begun slandering the handsome 60-year-old, whose supporters call her Anaturk or Mother of the Turks. It's a play on Ataturk or father of the Turks, as the countrys founder Mustafa Kemal was known.

AKP trolls continue to propagate the myth that she is part of the network of Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based Sunni Muslim cleric who is accused of orchestrating the botched coup. Prominent pro-Erdogan commentator Omer Turan claimed in a tweet that an incriminating file about Aksener will soon be made public. Others have stooped so low as to suggest that the Gulenists have a sex tape with which to secure her obedience.

These are early days and Akseners chances of dethroning Erdogan, whose political genius has kept him in power for the past 15 years, are far from assured. What, if for example, Erdogan ditches his informal alliance with Bahceli and decides to woo the countrys fastest growing demographic, the Kurds? Aksener, who was interior minister in 1996, at the height of state-sponsored violence against the Kurds, is unlikely to draw their votes.

How large a chunk of the AKPs traditional voter base can she bite off? Will the main opposition pro-secular Republican Peoples Party endorse her candidacy? Its leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has suggested he might, provided that Aksener restores the parliamentary system. More critically, will Erdogan push for early presidential elections to nip her campaign in the bud? Some of the fog may begin to clear when Aksener formally launches her party.
August 28, 2017

BAGHDAD  Palestinians living in Iraq have expressed fears of reprisals against them by Iraqis, as old accusations are being revived that Palestinians have joined the Islamic State (IS) and are carrying out suicide attacks.

Indeed, a number of Iraqi social media activists attacked Palestinians while showing support for Israel, prompting Palestinians in Iraq to call on their ambassador in Baghdad on Aug. 2 to intervene against the campaign of incitement. In one example, an Israeli Facebook page called Stand With Us  In Arabic posted a video July 29 of a young Iraqi woman criticizing Palestinians and defending Israel.

When Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Malki visited his Iraqi counterpart, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, on Aug. 24, he did not bring up the issue of Palestinians being attacked in Iraq, which raised strong criticism among Iraqi Palestinians.

Mobilization against Palestinians is not new. After Saddam Hussein was overthrown following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Palestinians faced accusations that they had been his loyal supporters and that he had endowed them with privileges and high standing. These accusations are resurfacing today.

IS, which recruited fighters of various nationalities, attracted some Palestinians. On March 1, a new report issued by the International Center for Counter-Terrorism - The Hague said such IS members, including nine suicide bombers from the Palestinian territories, carried out attacks between December 2015 and October 2016.

This information intensified the rancor felt over earlier accounts. Reports circulated in May 2015 about dozens of Arab citizens in Israel supporting IS and joining its ranks, including some such citizens who were killed in battles in Syria and Iraq.

In 2013, Maj. Gen. Fadhil Barwari, the commander of the Iraqi special operations forces, said that out of the more than 4,000 Arab suicide bombers known to have carried out terrorist attacks in Iraq since 2003, 1,201 bombers were Palestinian and Jordanian nationals. This further increased Iraqis resentment against Palestinians to the point that some Iraqis called for the Palestinians' deportation.

On July 29, Iraqi teacher Abbas Musa al-Kanani wrote in an article published by media outlets, The Palestinian terrorists in Iraq have distorted Islam and their Palestinian cause, after they blew themselves up in the markets in the middle of innocent people.

However, Iraqi writer and media figure Abdul Rahman al-Majidi slammed the campaign against Palestinians. In an interview with Al-Monitor, Majidi said, This is an exaggerated [reaction]. The proponents of Israel [in the Iraqi campaign against Palestinians] have suspicious motives. This is evidenced by the Facebook page called Iraq & Israel," which he said was founded by such Iraqis. Many Iraqi intellectuals are rushing into hasty reactions; this was the case during the crisis of the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque, when Iraqi intellectuals showed support to Israel.

Another writer, Ahmed Al-Mallah, said in an article that Israel tried to attract Iraqi ethnic minorities who have been subjected to IS terror and exploit their suffering to promote the idea that Jews are subjected to terrorism.

Iraqi parliament member Mohammed al-Khalidi told Al-Monitor, Palestinians in Iraq are being attacked with the purpose of pushing them to leave. One of the most prominent reasons is sectarianism, since Shiites see Palestinians as Sunnis who support extremism. They want to drive them out of the country to take over their properties and real estate through armed groups. He said that many of the threats are being made secretly and that it is difficult for them to be tracked by security authorities.

Muhammad al-Zaytaw is a Palestinian who resides in Iraq. He told Al-Monitor, I have been personally called a supporter of IS and Saddam's regime by more than one Iraqi national. We demanded that the Palestinian Embassy in Baghdad improve our situation, but to no avail.

Al-Monitor contacted the Palestinian Embassy, which declined to comment.

Jawad al-Shammari, the media director at the Office of the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights in Baghdad, also believes sectarianism is largely behind the problem. He told Al-Monitor, Some Iraqi groups are persecuting Palestinians in particular, since they believe they are part of an Arab agenda hostile to Iraq for sectarian reasons.

For Shammari, the solution is to raise awareness about human rights in Iraq, disseminate a culture of tolerance and form positions based on facts.

Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Saad Maan told Al-Monitor by phone, The ministry will follow up on any attempted attack against any individual in Iraq and will make sure Palestinians in Iraq, who account for about 13,000 people, will receive the same legal treatment as all Iraqis.

Some sources warned against generalization, noting that accusing all members of the Palestinian community in Iraq of being loyal to Hussein or saying they support IS is a retaliatory behavior that threatens security and encourages a negative image of human rights in Iraq.

To control the situation, the sources said, media outlets must be very cautious about spreading false allegations and inaccurate statistics, which could lead to more acts of revenge and paint Palestinians in a negative light that doesn't represent the vast majority of them.
August 29, 2017

MOSCOW  Steve Bannons departure as White House chief strategist was seen coming a mile away, but it is still sending shock waves of speculation over potential policy shifts by US President Donald Trump's administration. The move re-energized the ongoing debate on whether President Donald Trump is going to end up impeached, with observers on both sides arming themselves with new arguments.

Those who see impeachment in Trumps future interpret the firing of the CEO of Trumps presidential campaign as a sign of the presidents growing weakness. They expect him to crack under pressure and continue to give up on his people as they become too heavy a political burden to carry. Now that Trumps guardian angel is gone, the president could be more vulnerable to potential impeachment proceedings.

The other side argues that Bannons departure actually empowers Trump: He will now be either more independent in his decision-making or rely on the qualified expertise of his generals. According to this logic, however, that would result in Trumps gradual transformation into George W. Bush 2.0, with more neoconservatives and hawks around his Cabinet. Trump himself would become more inclined toward foreign military interventions, which Bannon firmly opposed.

This is where the Russian debate over Bannons departure evolves to span Russias concerns about whether a more proactive American policy can be expected in the Middle East.

Trumps new Afghanistan strategy may not be all that new, but it looks like Bannon opposed that kind of strategy. So the question is whether similar policy amendments can be expected in the Middle East, said a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry dealing with Middle Eastern issues who spoke to Al-Monitor not for attribution.

Bannon might not have been the architect-in-chief of Trumps Middle East policies, but he definitely had a great deal of impact on the overall ideological aspect of these policies during Trumps first seven months as president. Now that Bannon is gone, Russia is mulling over whether Trumps choices in the region  where Moscow has inserted itself and developed serious stakes  will prove to be wins or losses for the Kremlin.

For Russia, which in its US relations has been prioritizing pragmatism over ideology, Bannons ideology was nonetheless rather convenient. Russian officials dont share Bannons seemingly pathological distaste for all things Muslim. But regarding Syria, Bannon's attitude worked well with Moscows in the fight against most of the Syrian opposition groupings the Kremlin pictured as Islamist  not only the internationally recognized Islamic State (IS) and Jabhat al-Nusra. It doesnt appear that Bannons departure will pose more complications for US-Russia dealings on Syria  as minimal but important as they are  at least for the time being.

On Aug. 23, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the Joint Monitoring Center in Amman, Jordan, had finally been established to monitor Syrias southern de-escalation zone. The center grew out of Russian-American-Jordanian talks, the ministry noted. Theres also a telephone hotline linking Russian and American air operations centers, according to a recent report by Reuters, channeling 10 to 12 calls a day to help keep US and Russian warplanes apart as they support different fighters on the ground. The risks of miscalculations are still there, but such communication is even more important now that Washington and Moscow are working to extend a demarcation line that would separate forces on the ground supported by Russia from those the US supports. The line is supposed to run from southwest of Tabqa east to a point on the Euphrates River and then down along the river in the direction of Deir ez-Zor, which has become the last remaining stronghold in Syria for IS. The Russian Defense Ministry said Russias air force has been extremely active carrying out strikes on IS positions in the Euphrates valley in recent days, killing about 800 IS terrorists and destroying much of the groups ammunition.

The Iran issue might be more complicated for Russia and the United States to deal with. The Russian expert community is split over whether Trump advisers will now more actively advocate for regime change in Tehran and for sinking the nuclear deal. Experts who believe this will be the case point to Trumps inclination toward the Saudis anti-Iran narrative, as well as a consolidation of the hawks inside the US administration.

Those who disagree with that scenario, however, believe common sense will prevail and the United States will recognize that attempting to topple the regime isnt in the United States' best interests at this stage. Andrei Tsygankov, an international relations expert with the Valdai International Discussion Club and a professor at San Francisco State University, told Al-Monitor that it eventually boils down to ideology and priorities.

To Bannon, China and Iran were key threats to the United States. Iran was a threat for ideological reasons; he used the term radical Islamism. The rest was less important [to him], and both the Middle East and Afghanistan looked like needless distractions of resources. [National Security Adviser H.R.] McMaster is clearly a hawk, including on Iran. However, to him ideology is secondary. He lobbied for greater US military presence in Afghanistan and later for arms supply to Ukraine. North Korea is also on his radar screen, but not Iran, at least not at this point, so the [nuclear deal] will be preserved, said Tsygankov.

Another subject that makes Russia uncertain of US behavior is a potentially more assertive stance by Israel.

After their Aug. 23 meeting, there were many reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had warned Russian President Vladimir Putin to take Israeli concerns over Irans growing presence in Syria seriously, or Israel would bomb Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's palace in Damascus and negate the Syrian cease-fire deal negotiated by the United States and Russia.

Moscow has not yet commented on these reports, but it certainly recognizes Israels grand spoiler potential in these matters.

The view in Moscow is that although Bannon was one of the most pro-Israeli figures in the administration, there are still enough advocates for a greater convergence between the United States and Israel in the administration, not to mention Congress. Thus, counting on the United States to restrain Israels greater assertiveness is not an option. Moscow still hopes to maintain healthy relations with Tel Aviv and work through Israel's concerns directly. At the same time, Russias not ruling out the worst-case scenarios. Russia has set up an air defense system with the Syrian military that links their communications and technical resources. According to Maj. Gen. Sergey Meshcheryakov, deputy commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces, the system now can destroy targets within 400 kilometers (about 250 miles) at an altitude of up to 35 kilometers (22 miles), Tass reported.

Russia is watchful of the domestic turbulence in the United States but will stay its own course in the Middle East. The flurry of Russian diplomatic activity over the summer  from Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanovs constant meetings with Moscow-based ambassadors to the top-level encounters with regional leaders by Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other high-ranking officials  suggest exactly this.
August 29, 2017

ALEPPO, Syria  In a bid to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees in Turkey to their homes, the Turkish government has been making considerable efforts to reconstruct and rehabilitate the destroyed Syrian areas that were liberated during Operation Euphrates Shield, a cross-border military operation launched by Turkey in partnership with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) on Aug. 24, 2016, against the Islamic State (IS) in northern Syria.

The Turkish efforts focus mainly on the reconstruction of the city of al-Bab, located in Aleppo's northeastern countryside, 38 kilometers (roughly 24 miles) from the FSA-held city of Aleppo. The FSA managed to wrest control of the city from IS on Feb. 23, as part of Operation Euphrates Shield.

The local council in al-Bab receives substantial support from the Turkish government, which pays the salaries of its employees, including heavy equipment such as pickup trucks as well as the necessary operating expenses to remove the rubble of destroyed buildings and clear blocked roads.

The city has been given a face-lift. According to a statistical report by the information office of al-Babs local council, which Al-Monitor secured a copy of, the population of al-Bab has reached 150,000 people.

Before IS took control of al-Bab on Jan. 14, 2014, the citys population stood at about 200,000 people, including more than 50,000 displaced from the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo, which were then under the Syrian regimes shelling.

Ammar Nassar, the information office director, told Al-Monitor, The local council aims at developing all service sectors in the city for the well-being of the citizens as well as to encourage the thousands of the city's citizens living in Turkey to return home.

Since its formation [in March], the local council has made major achievements: The rubble was completely removed from the city; the water and sanitation networks that were destroyed were repaired; and artesian wells were also drilled in several locations inside and in the outskirts of the city to get safe drinking water. There are also plans to drill more wells to solve the problem of water scarcity, Nassar said.

The city of al-Bab would get its water supply through a pipeline from the Euphrates River, stretching all the way from the station of the Khafsa village, southeast of al-Bab. Since the Syrian regime forces took control of the station in Aleppo's eastern countryside on March 7, driving IS out, the regime made sure to cut off the water line toward the FSA-held city of al-Bab, causing a major water crisis.

Meanwhile, IS had turned most of the citys schools into military headquarters and weapons caches. The heavy bombardment by the FSA, the international coalition and the Turkish aircraft against IS fortifications and sites led to the destruction of most schools.

Education in the city of al-Bab is a top priority for the Turkish-backed local council; the increasing population in the city means more children need to go to school.

Ahmed Karaz, the head of the local councils education office, told Al-Monitor, Ten schools out of 30 have been reconstructed and rehabilitated. There have been considerable efforts to build more schools to accommodate more children. Four hundred new teachers were trained and appointed to this effect.

On Aug. 23, the local councils education office held a training session for teachers in cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Education. In April, the education office in al-Bab started receiving teachers applications. Teachers will be paid 500 Turkish liras ($150) as a monthly salary from the Turkish government. The Turkish government has also provided schools with furniture, stationery as well as school bags.

The Turkish government has also renovated Al-Hikma Hospital, providing additional medical equipment so that it can continue to offer temporary services for patients until the large hospital Turkey is building on the citys outskirts is completed. The construction works began in August and the hospital is scheduled to open in early 2018, Nassar noted. The hospital will have 200 beds and will serve the entire city of al-Bab.

In addition, the Turkish government is planning on compensating the residents of al-Bab, whose houses and shops were destroyed. The local council has set up committees to examine and assess the damages.

On Aug. 2, a Chamber of Industry and Chamber of Trade were established. The local council, with the support of the Turkish government, also installed towers to strengthen GSM signals for cellular networks in al-Bab, in an effort to improve the city's communication services.

The Turkish government is working to reduce the influence of the FSA factions in the city and have the police and the general security forces be responsible for maintaining security. Turkey provided about 1,500 policemen with medium and light armor and weapons to carry out their duties.

It seems Turkey wants to convey a positive image in the city of al-Bab and the other newly liberated areas about its presence there. With all its support, the Turkish government is greatly helping and encouraging Syrian refugees to return home and paving the way for a longer Turkish presence in the area, should it be able to achieve economic stability there.
August 29, 2017

Many Turkish experts argued from the start that it was wrong for Ankara to turn against Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad the way it did after the Arab Spring. They said this policy disregarded ethnic and sectarian divisions in Syria, as well as the implications for Turkey if the central government lost its grip on the country.

Nevertheless, maintaining ties with Damascus was considered an abhorrent idea by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its staunchly Islamist supporters at that stage. Ahmet Davutoglu  who as foreign minister at the time was the main architect of Ankaras moralistic Syria policy  believed the demise of the brutal dictator who kills his own people was imminent.

This will not take years, but months or weeks, he said in August 2012  a remark that has haunted him since.

The simple expectation of the AKP and its Islamist supporters was that with Assad gone, Syrias majority Sunnis would sweep into power in any free elections held and form a Muslim Brotherhood-led government friendly to Turkey.

Meanwhile, the fact that Assad was already a brutal dictator when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan developed his brotherly relations with him prior to 2011 (when Erdogan was still prime minister) was conveniently overlooked.

Ankara was not perturbed by the past crimes of the Assad family either, including the massacre of Sunnis in the 1980s. Having good ties with Damascus was seen as a pragmatic necessity in those days.

It was only after March 2011 that the AKP crystallized its anti-Assad stance and burned all bridges with his regime. Davutoglu, however, never factored in the very distinct possibility that Assad might remain in power with backing from Russia and Iran, who were his close allies even then.

Today, Davutoglu  who became prime minister in the interim until Erdogan fired him in May 2016  is gone, while Assad stands entrenched. After dismissing Davutoglu, Erdogan also toned down his vitriol against the Syrian leader to a great extent, mainly because of his dependence on ties with Moscow to counterbalance Turkeys deteriorating ties with the West.

Erdogan was chastised by Russia in November 2016 when he said the ultimate aim of Turkeys military incursion into northern Syria, under the code name Operation Euphrates Shield, was to end the rule of the tyrant Assad.

Following Moscows reprimand, he corrected himself, saying, The aim of Operation Euphrates Shield is not to target any country or person but only terrorist organizations.

The simple expectation of the AKP and its Islamist supporters was that with Assad gone, Syrias majority Sunnis would sweep into power in any free elections held and form a Muslim Brotherhood-led government friendly to Turkey.

Meanwhile, Erdogans supporters in the media started gradually arguing that Turkeys security needs require dialogue with Damascus. After Davutoglus dismissal, it became easier for them to lay the blame for Turkeys failed Syria policies on Davutoglu.

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus remark some months ago that Turkeys Syria policy was wrong from the start also eased the way for the dramatic about-turn some key Erdogan supporters are displaying now.

A case in point is Ibrahim Karagul, the editor of Yeni Safak  a paper known for its hard-line support of the AKP and devotion to Erdogan. Karagul considered Assad the devil incarnate in the past, but now  like many Erdogan supporters  sees the United States as the the greatest threat to Turkey. This, he says, makes it necessary to talk to Assad.

Referring to the US alliance in Syria with the People's Protection Units (YPG) against the Islamic State (IS), Karagul argued in his column recently that Washington was using this group to undermine Turkey. Ankara says the YPG is an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

We have to overcome our anger and free ourselves of our obsessions regarding the regime in Damascus, Karagul wrote. Otherwise, Syria will become Americas, the Syrians will be hostages, and Syria will turn into the staging ground for attacks against Turkey and Iran by Western armies.

These loaded remarks reflect a prevalent belief in Turkey  including among government officials  that Washington is determined to hammer out an independent Kurdish entity hostile to Turkey in Syria.

Erdogan has himself encouraged remarks such as those uttered by Karagul. He suggested earlier this month that the real issue in Syria for the West was no longer to fight terrorism but to promote an agenda that threatens Turkey.

It is patently clear that the issue in Syria has long surpassed the limits of combating a terrorist organization, he told a gathering of supporters in the eastern Turkish city of Malatya.

Adding that Ankara would take important steps very soon, Erdogan said, We are determined to push deeper the dagger we drove into the heart of the terrorist formations project in Syria with new advances. He was referring to the YPG.

Erdogans remarks were taken to mean that Turkey would launch a new operation into Syria soon against the YPG in the city of Afrin, a stones throw from the Turkish border. That has not materialized yet, and it is not clear if it will.

Ankaras problem is that it has to also contend with Russia and not just the United States in Syria. The Turkish operation against the YPG in April, which killed many members of the group, was equally condemned by Washington and Moscow.

Russia has also declared officially that it does recognize the YPG and PKK as terrorist groups, and it was the first to float the suggestion of regional autonomy for the Kurds in Syria. All of this compounds Turkeys dilemma.

Ankara, however, remains largely in denial regarding the Russian position and instead  due to its multiple grievances with the West  prefers to reserve its anger for the United States.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, for example, said recently that Russia understood Turkeys position on the YPG better than the US.

He was speaking prior to the visit to Ankara by Russias chief of general staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, for talks regarding Syria, and most notably the situation in Idlib. Cavusoglu also appeared to disregard reports that Moscow is trying to convince Ankara about the need to give the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the umbrella organization of the YPG, a say in the Syria talks.

The "realism" pro-government circles bandying about now to support their argument for the need to talk to Assad have many faces, though.

Galip Dalay, an expert with the government-sponsored Political, Economic and Social Research Foundation, which stands very close to Erdogan, says Ankara is already in contact with Damascus indirectly through Russia and Iran. Turkey is part of the Astana Process initiated for Syria with these two countries.

Dalay argues that any expectation that direct dialogue with Assad will provide what Ankara wants in Syria is misplaced.

Supporters of this thesis are chasing pipe dreams. This includes the expectation that an accord with Damascus, Tehran and Moscow will produce a joint understanding and roll back the PYDs gains in Syria, Dalay argued in an article for daily Karar.

He added that this does not appear very realistic and cited Moscows position regarding the YPG and PKK. He also recalled that Russia had provided the YPG protection against Turkey in Afrin earlier this year.

Dalay pointed to another difficulty for those who are exhorting direct dialogue with Damascus. A Turkey that establishes a relationship with Assad for the sake of developing joint policies cannot at the same time remain as the main country sponsoring the opposition, he said.

He went on to indicate that Turkey will also have to evacuate territory it gained from IS in northern Syria during Operation Euphrates Shield if it wants closer ties with Assad. This will mean Turkey will lose the only actor it has any influence over in Syria, Dalay argued.
Gov. Kay Ivey was in Opelika today as Baxter Inc. celebrated the completion of the company's $270 million expansion.

The expansion doubled the plant's square footage and will lead to a doubling of its workforce.

Ivey said an Alabama business' success and expansion are worth celebrating.

"I don't want businesses in Alabama just to survive, but to thrive," she said. "I'm thankful Baxter continues to invest in our great state, and I'm proud that their products made right here in Opelika help to save and sustain lives around the world."

Baxter makes dialyzers, used for people with end-stage renal disease to filter fluids and wastes through dialysis.

With the expansion's completion, Baxter's Opelika plant covers 400,000 square feet, almost twice the original 230,000 square feet the facility opened with in 2014. The expansion will also swell the workforce to 350 from its original total of 170.

The Alabama Department of Commerce quoted Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller as saying the project will have long-term benefits.

"We are excited to continue our relationship with an organization that is leading the way in life-saving technologies for kidney patients," he said.
Birmingham's consumer packaged goods investor and operator Fenwick Brands has announced its latest investment: HannahMax Cookie Chips, a thin bite-sized snack cookie.

Joanne Adirim, a mom and pastry chef, developed Cookie Chips in 2012. The cookie chips are made with no artificial flavors, sweeteners, coloring, preservatives, GMOs or trans fats. The snacks are sold in the United States and Canada.

Fenwick recently opened its first committed investment fund, Fenwick Brands Fund I, LLC., focused on providing equity to emerging consumer good brands.

Fenwick didn't disclose how much it invested in Cookie Chips, but its goal for that fund was between $3 million and $7 million.

Fenwick is partnering with existing investors, the founders and management with the aim of growing and expanding the brand.

"We evaluate a lot of emerging snacking brands, but Cookie Chips stands alone as a highly-addictive product that has universal snacking appeal," Melissa Baker, President and CEO of Fenwick, said in a press release. "Backing a brand with great fanfare and flavor fits well within our expertise, and we look forward to partnering with a best-in-class team as we scale the business."

Fenwick has invested in companies like Moore's Marinades and Sauces, Powell & Mahoney Craft Cocktail Mixers and the Jackfruit Company.

Fenwick Brands is headquartered off of U.S. 280 near the intersection with Shades Creek Parkway.
Mayfair.org

Megachurch Pastors

Megachurches are increasingly shaping the religious landscape of Alabama. Spiritual leadership at large churches requires special gifts. Here's a rundown of the senior pastors or lead pastors at 36 of the largest churches in the state. This listing is based on research by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, which created a database of churches that reported average attendance of 2,000 or more per week. Attendance ebbs and flows, but is a more accurate measure than membership totals, which often don't reflect how many people actually attend a church. Greg Garrison | GGarrison@al.com

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No. 36: Doug Ferguson

Mountaintop Community Church in Vestavia Hills was founded in 1992 by the Rev. Bill Elder. Under Elder's leadership the church grew to weekly attendance of 2,000. Elder retired in 2011. The Rev. Doug Ferguson succeeded him as pastor in 2011.

Ferguson had been senior pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston for six years and was previously executive pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian in California.



He's a graduate of Clemson University, with a degree in architectural design and a master's degree in architecture.



He practiced as an architect for eight years before being called to the ministry.



He earned a master of divinity degree at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga.



Ferguson and his wife, Kim, have three grown daughters.

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Mayfair.org

No. 35: Jason Bybee

Jason Bybee serves as the Preaching Minister for the Mayfair Church of Christ in Huntsville.



A native of Lebanon, Tennessee, Jason is married to Sunny and they have three children. He spent a decade in youth and campus ministries before transitioning into full-time preaching. Jason holds a bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies and a Master of Divinity from Lipscomb University. In 2014, Jason earned his Doctor of Ministry from Abilene Christian University.

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lindsaylane.org

No. 34: Dusty McLemore

Dusty McLemore serves as senior pastor of Lindsay Lane Baptist Church in Athens. He was born and raised in his hometown of Athens. He attended Tanner High School and John C. Calhoun Jr. College. Pastor Dusty was saved on Oct. 30, 1979 from a lifestyle as a compulsive gambler, according to his bio. He attended and served his home church at Round Island Baptist Church in many capacities including a Deacon and Sunday School teacher. Pastor Dusty was called into ministry in September 1991. He enrolled at Heritage Bible College where he received his B.A. Degree in Religion.

Pastor Dusty was called to pastor Lindsay Lane Baptist Church in April of 1992 as their bi-vocational pastor. Beginning with a total membership of 32 people, the church has experienced phenomenal growth with a membership that now exceeds 2500 members.

Lindsay Lane continues to be a leader in the State Convention in baptisms. In 2001 Pastor Dusty was the recipient of the distinguished Troy Morrison Leadership Award which recognizes the states top leader among churches. He also serves on the Board of Regents for Mobile University. Pastor Dusty has been privileged to speak at the State Evangelism Conference in 2006 and also the Alabama State Pastors Conference in 2012 and 2013. Pastor Dusty was honored to serve as the President of the 2009 Alabama Baptist Pastors Conference and had the joy of hosting it at Lindsay Lane Baptist Church.

Pastor Dusty is a frequent speaker at revivals and one day conferences. His heartbeat is preaching Gods word and serving the local church.

Pastor Dusty and his wife, Patsy have been married for 41 years. They have two daughters, Haley is married to Chuck Robinson and they have four children, Chase, Luke, Claire and Tyde Robinson. Their other daughter, JoDare is married to Heath Conn and they have three children, Lincoln, DustiJo and Scout.

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kingwoodchurch.com

No. 33: Jay West

Jay West is the lead pastor of Kingwood Church in Alabaster. Kingwood Church started in cottage prayer meetings and was first called Lovelight Gospel Temple and is Alabasters oldest established denominational church. By 1932, it joined the General Council of the Assemblies of God, the worlds largest Pentecostal denomination, headquartered in Missouri.

The Rev. Ron Cox stepped down in 2009 after 34 years as the senior pastor of Kingwood Church in Alabaster. Cox took over what was then known as First Assembly of God in Alabaster in 1975 and under his leadership it grew from weekly attendance of 300 to more than 1,500. The name changed to Kingwood Church in the 1990s and a 1,500-seat sanctuary was built in 2000. Cox oversaw the expansion of church facilities and the founding of the 350-student Kingwood Christian School and Child Development Center and the Cates House special events facility.

After Cox announced his planned retirement, Kingwood Church voted to call the Rev. Jay West, former pastor of Gulf Coast Worship Center in Long Beach, Miss., as the new senior pastor.

West had become pastor of the Gulf Coast Worship Center in 2001, and it had weekly attendance of 470 at the time Hurricane Katrina hit, heavily damaging the church property. The congregation dwindled by more than half. "People evacuated and never came back," West said.

The church became a relief operations center, with food and clothing distribution and a medical clinic.

"We were not ready to care for the whole community, but we had to," West said.

"His whole town was gone," Cox said. "How do you pastor in a town when the town is gone?"

West is married to Cox's daughter, Stacey.

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No. 32: John L. Cantelow III

John L. Cantelow III is the senior pastor of Sixth Avenue Baptist Church in Birmingham.

Cantelow returned to Sixth Avenue Baptist Church in August 2011 as senior pastor of the church where he had grown up and been ordained into Christian ministry.

Cantelow grew up in Titusville and completed his undergraduate studies in 1991 at the University of Alabama where he received a Bachelors Degree in Religious Studies.

In 1994, he completed his Master of Divinity Degree at the Beeson Divinity School of Samford University. In May of 2016 he completed his Doctor of Ministry Degree at Beeson.

In 1990, Pastor Cantelow began his work in the ministry at Sixth Avenue Baptist, serving as assistant to the pastor, under the leadership of Dr. John Thomas Porter. In 1994, he became an associate pastor at Sixth Avenue and continued serving in that capacity until 1999 when he was called to pastor the Greenwood Missionary Baptist Church in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Pastor Cantelow is married to Rhonda Hammonds Cantelow. The couple has three children  Carmen, Elijah and Sophia.

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No. 31: O. Wendell Davis

O. Wendell Davis is senior pastor of Union Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Huntsville.

Davis was born in New Orleans and is a native of Gulfport, Mississippi.

Davis received his undergraduate degree from Athens State University, Master of Science and Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry Degrees from Southern Christian University.

He accepted Christ at the age of 24, according to his bio, and was called into the ministry the following year. He served as Pastor of Independent Missionary Baptist Church, Brooklyn, Mississippi from 1981-1986; Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, Gulfport, Mississippi from 1986-1989 and Union Chapel Missionary Baptist Church since 1989.

He served four years in the U.S. Army. He serves as Dean of Union Chapel Bible College and instructor for the Alabama Baptist State Congress of Christian Education and National Baptist Congress of Christian Education.

In January 2002, Union Chapel moved into its new multi-million dollar facility on a 150-acre campus. Later a Family Life Center was built. The membership has grown under his leadership to more than 5,500 members. The church has a school which includes a Child Development Center for infants through K-4, and a Christian Academy Grades K-5 through 8th Grade.

Davis and his wife, Dora, have three sons, Michael, Aaron and Timothy.

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Greg Garrison | ggarrison@al.com

No. 30: Jerry Lawson

Jerry Lawson is senior pastor of Daystar Church in Cullman. Lawson has also mentored hundreds of pastors through a 24-month, on-site training process called 24 to Double. Jerry is the President and CEO of 24 to Double.

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No. 29: Carlton P. Byrd

Carlton P. Byrd is senior pastor of Oakwood University Church, a Seventh-day Adventist congregation in Huntsville on the campus of Oakwood University.

He is also the Speaker/Director of the Breath of Life Television Broadcast for the SDA Church in North America.

Byrd is a graduate of Oakwood University in Huntsville, AL with dual degrees, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theology and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. He is also a graduate of Tennessee State University in Nashville, where he earned the Master of Business Administration Degree, and a graduate of Andrews University (SDA Theological Seminary) in Berrien Springs, MI, where he earned both the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry Degrees.

In his twenty-two years of pastoral leadership in the states of Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, and Georgia, Byrd has constructed and renovated churches, baptized over 3,500 persons, served on numerous denominational and community boards, along with serving as a guest minister on several religious television networks. Since his appointment as Speaker/Director for Breath of Life, two new Breath of Life churches have been planted and started in San Antonio, TX and Stamford, CT respectively.

Byrd founded the Berean Outreach Ministry Center in Atlanta, which housed a food pantry, clothes closet, barber shop, hair salon, and fitness center. During his pastorate at the Atlanta Berean Church, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded a $5.2 million grant to the church, and the church constructed a 50-apartment Senior Citizens Housing Facility for church and community Senior Adults alike. Since his arrival at the Oakwood University Church in January, 2012, Byrd has baptized more than 400, led the renovation of the church and construction of the $5.4 million dollar Oakwood Adventist Academy building, opened a vegetarian food market and bookstore in the church, and is currently leading the construction of a new 3 million dollar Family Life Center, with a gymnasium, classrooms, and community service ministry area for the church and community alike.

Byrd received the coveted Chosen Pastor Award for Atlantas Gospel Choice Awards in 2007, was selected as the Oakwood University Alumnus of the Year for 2008, was inducted into the Martin Luther King Board of Preachers at Morehouse College in Atlanta in 2008, was named the South Central Conference of SDA Pastor of the Year in 2012, and was selected as the 2016 Pastor of the Year for the Alabama NAACP  Huntsville/Madison County Branch.

Byrd and his wife of nineteen years, the former Danielle Mounter, have three daughters, Christyn, Caileigh, and Carissa.

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No. 28: Jerry Irwin

Jerry Irwin is the pastor of Harvest Church of God in Anniston, affiliated with the Church of God in Cleveland, Tenn. He has been the pastor for more than 29 years.

Irwin is the son and grandson of former pastors in the Church of God.

Irwin and his wife, Debbie, have two children, Brian and Rachael.

Irwin graduated from the Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Tennessee, with a Master of Arts Degree in Ministry Leadership.

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metropolitanchurch.net

No. 27: Michael Welborn

Michael Welborn is the Executive Pastor of Metropolitan Church of God in Birmingham, which currently does not have a senior pastor.

Kirk Walters, who was previously senior pastor of the 1,000-member Metropolitan Church of God, announced his resignation in June 2017. Walters had been pastor since 2013. Walters took a position as senior pastor at Mount Paran North Church of God in Marietta, Ga., where he previously served as executive pastor from 2006-2011.

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No. 26: IV and Bene Marsh

Pastors IV & Bene Marsh are the lead pastors of Epic Church in Decatur. Married for 23 years, Pastor IV and Pastor Bene live in Decatur and have two sons, Garrett and Joshua, and a daughter, Ella.

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No. 25: Rob Couch

The Rev. Dr. Robert G. (Rob) Couch began his appointment as Senior Pastor of Christ United Methodist Church on July 1, 2016. Rob and his wife Crystal have three children (David, Ethan, and Ella). He received his Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology and a Doctor of Ministry from Asbury Theological Seminary. Rob served as an Associate Pastor at Christ UMC from 2000 to 2005. Rob is passionate about the church sharing the love of Christ in the community. In addition, Rob is a denominational leader serving as the Chair of the Conference Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry and as an Alternate Jurisdictional Delegate. Throughout his career he has served at Christ UMC, Saraland UMC, and First UMC in Prattville, Alabama.

The Rev. Jeff Spiller founded Christ United Methodist Church in Mobile in 1979. It has grown every year since then and attendance is about 1,900 to 2,000 weekly. Spiller stepped down as senior pastor last year. He remains on staff part-time. He has been dealing with a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease.

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No. 24: George Sawyer

George Sawyer is the founding pastor of Calvary Assembly in Decatur, which has attendance of more than 2,000 weekly at three campuses.

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No. 23: Scott and Kristi Schatzline

Scott and Kristi Schatzline became the Lead Pastors of Daystar Family Church in 2004. They have five children.



After Scott graduated from Tuscaloosa County High School in 1989 he went into full time ministry with David Wilkerson at Time Square Church in New York and World Outreach Ministry. Scott and Kristi married in 1991 and served as worship pastors for his dad at Daystar for 7 years. He received his credentials through Berean Bible College, Beacon University, Christian Life School of Theology and over 27 years of full time ministry experience. In 1998, Scott and Kristi were called to serve as worship pastors for Covenant Love Church with Pastors Al and Tava Brice in Fayetteville, NC. In 2004, they returned to Tuscaloosa as the Lead Pastors of Daystar Family Church.



Kristi also graduated from Tuscaloosa County High in 1991 and married her high school sweetheart, Scott. She has served alongside Scott for more than 25 years in ministry.







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fbcopelika.com

No. 22: Jeff Meyers

Jeff Meyers is senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Opelika.

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rbcdothan.org

No. 21: Ray Jones

Pastor Ray Jones came to Ridgecrest Baptist Church in February 2001. Prior to his call to Ridgecrest, he headed the Personal Evangelism Division for the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. While there, Ray and his team were involved in the development of a national evangelism strategy entitled "THE NET" which is currently being used in more than 6,000 churches nationwide. Before leaving NAMB, he served as pastor of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church in St. Petersburg, Fla., for three years. During that time attendance grew from 150 to a membership of more than 1100. He attended Samford University in Birmingham and is a graduate of Dallas Baptist University. He also did graduate work at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Ray is originally from Birmingham.

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therockfamily.org

No. 20: Rusty and Leisa Nelson

Rusty and Liesa Nelson are the lead pastors of The Rock Family Worship Center in Huntsville.

Rusty and Leisa moved to Huntsville in 1999 to plant the church. Beginning with 13 people in their living room, The Rock Family Worship Center began to reach out into the community and has grown to over 5,000 with 5 campuses.

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weareasbury.com

No. 19: Alan Weatherly

Alan Weatherly came to Asbury in 1997, when the church was 10 years old. For many years Alan was an atheist. He became a Christian while working as an electrical engineer in Washington D.C. Alan also has a Master of Science degree in Soil Physics from Auburn University. He has a Doctor of Ministry Degree from United Theological Seminary where he studied under Dr. Len Sweet. His doctoral work focused upon The Spirituality of Jesus in the Postmodern World. Alan has a special interest in the interface between science and faith. Alan and his wife, Carla, have two sons, Stephen and Patrick.

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No. 18: Jimmy Jackson

Jimmy Jackson has been the senior pastor of Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville for more than 39 years. A native of Greenwood, Miss., and a graduate of Mississippi College, Jackson holds a divinity degree and a Ph.D. in Hebrew and Old Testament from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Jackson and his wife, Bobbi, have two grown children.

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No. 17: Jay Wolf

Jay grew up in Georgetown, Texas where his dad was a rancher and businessman. He committed his life to Christ and by age 16 sensed the Lord's call to use his gifts to build Gods Kingdom. He attended Baylor University, New Orleans Seminary and his doctorate is from Southern Seminary in Kentucky. Jay and Mary Ruth have been blessed with four children. He came to First Baptist Montgomery initially in 1981 as the Associate Pastor. From 1984-1991 he served as the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia. Jay came to be the senior pastor of FBC Montgomery in 1991.

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AL.com photo/Greg Garrison | ggarrison@al.com

No. 16: Travis Coleman

Travis Coleman Jr. has served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Prattville since 1989.

Born in Atmore, he spent most of his childhood in Florida.

Coleman graduated from Palm Beach Atlantic College with his undergraduate degree, and he attained a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and eventually, a Doctor of Ministry from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Before he was at FBC, he served for four years as associate pastor of FBC Gulf Breeze, Florida and as senior pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Enterprise, Ala., for eleven years.

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No. 15: David Eldridge

David Eldridge is the new senior pastor of the 7,800-member Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood. He succeeds the Rev. Gary Fenton, who retired in 2016.

His first official day will be Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, and he will preach his first sermon as Dawson's senior pastor on Sunday, Sept. 10.

Eldridge had been pastor of First Baptist Church Clinton in Clinton, Miss.

Eldridge has a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies from Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss., a Master of Divinity degree from Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in Birmingham and a doctorate in preaching from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Before serving at First Baptist Church Clinton, Eldridge was Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Tupelo, Miss., First Baptist Okolona in Okolona, Miss., and Eastlawn Baptist Church in Pascagoula, Miss., which was flooded by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 during his time there.

He also served as Associate Pastor of Pineywood Baptist Church in Gardendale, Ala. While in college he served as a student minister, college minister, youth minister, and activities minister in local churches and also as a summer missionary in Wales, United Kingdom.

Eldridge, 38, is married to Danielle (Robertson), and they have three children: Hayden, Luke, and Jonathan.

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shades.org

No. 14: Danny Wood

Danny Wood is the senior pastor of Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Vestavia Hills since 1997.

He spent the first six years of his life in Birmingham before moving to Atlanta. After graduating from Auburn University, Danny returned to Birmingham to work at South Central Bell (now AT&T). It's there he met his wife, Janice.

The two of them joined Shades where Danny taught in the singles ministry and was ordained as a deacon. After seminary he became pastor at First Baptist Church in Ruston, Louisiana where their daughter, Lauren, was born.

Wood succeeded his former pastor, Charles T. Carter, as senior pastor.

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Greg Garrison | ggarrison@al.com

No. 13: Mark McClelland

Mark McClelland is senior pastor of Willowbrook Baptist Church, which has campuses in Huntsville and Madison.

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No. 12: Steve Green

Since 1985, Steve Green has been the senior pastor of the More Than Conquerors Faith Church in Birmingham, which has more than 3,000 members.

Green has mentored 35 pastors and licensed or ordained nearly 300 ministers and pastors. He serves as a spiritual adviser for 30 churches and 300 leaders, ministers, and pastors through his Shepherds House Ministry and Incense Ministerial Alliance.

He is the founder of the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Respect Every Single Person Ever Created Today) Organization (a community based youth empowerment corporation) and the Annual Back-to-School Rally,

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thenewhopeofbirmingham.com

No. 11: Gregory L. Clarke

Gregory L. Clarke has been the senior pastor of the 6,000-member New Hope Baptist Church since 1986. Clarke remained pastor even while serving more than a year in prison, in 2008-09, after a federal jury in Birmingham convicted him of filing false tax returns.

Clarke established for the community a Food Pantry and Meal-on-Wheels to serve the needy; a Senior Citizens Recreation Center for activity daily with seniors; Senior Apartments for independent living seniors; a Prison Ministry for the incarcerated and a weekly television broadcast.

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No. 10: Gil McKee

Gil McKee has been senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa since March 2000.

He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas; a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas and a Doctor of Ministry from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Photo by Lee Harrelson/Birmingham Magazine

No. 9: Van Moody

Van Moody started Worship Center Christian Church in Birmingham in March 2006.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Moody studied at DePauw University (Greencastle, IN), Harvard University (Cambridge, MA), Oxford University (Oxford, England), and the Interdenominational Theological Center (Atlanta, GA).

The Worship Center Christian Church now has more than 8,000 members in multiple locations.

Moody is the author of "The People Factor" and The I-Factor (Thomas Nelson), both published by Thomas Nelson.

Moody and his wife, Ty, have two children, Eden Sydney and Ethan Isaiah.

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Greg Garrison | ggarrison@al.com

No. 8: Michael Moore

Michael D. Moore is the senior pastor of Faith Chapel Christian Center in Birmingham.

He grew up in Wylam near where the Faith Chapel campus is now located.

Early in his ministry, Moore had a vision of building a church shaped like a dome.

The church built a $15 million, 3,000-seat sanctuary under a dome in 2000. It's known as the Word Dome. In 2007, the 6,000-member church inflated the roof on the last of six smaller domes built during a $26 million second phase of construction on the 137-acre campus. Each of the domes was built by inflating giant balloons, then spraying them with concrete for a hard shell roof.

The smaller domes now form a connecting complex of activity buildings that house a bowling alley, cafe, banquet hall, basketball court, fitness center and playground.

The lobby dome features a climbing tower more than 70 feet tall, with a sphere that has a lookout platform in a plexiglass globe at the top of the roof. It's accessible by climbing a 75-step spiral staircase.

In 2014, the church opened its 12-lane bowling alley.

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No. 7: Kent Mattox

Kent Mattox is the senior pastor of Word Alive International Outreach in Oxford.

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hunterstreet.org

No. 6: Buddy Gray

Buddy Gray is pastor of Hunter Street Baptist Church in Hoover.

Gray has been pastor of the 4,300-member Hunter Street Baptist since 1986, when the church was in west Birmingham and had Sunday attendance of 200. He oversaw a move to a strategic suburban location in Hoover, and the church now has a Sunday attendance of 3,000 and expanding facilities.

Gray graduated from Samford University and Southwestern Seminary. He and his wife, Tricia, have three children.

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No. 5: Kevin Hamm

Kevin Hamm has been the senior pastor of Gardendale First Baptist Church since 2006.

He has his B.A. from Western Kentucky University, M. Div. from Mid-America Theological Seminary and Doctor of Ministry degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He married his wife, Kim, in 1987 and they have three daughters: Lindsey, Lauren and Kayla.

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frazer.church

No. 4: Larry Bryars

Larry Bryars was appointed senior pastor of Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church in Montgomery last year.

With 7,000 members and weekly attendance of more than 3,000, Frazer Memorial is the largest United Methodist Church in Alabama.

Frazer became a multi-site church last year, opening its Pike Road location on Feb. 7. Its main campus is on Atlanta Highway.

"I've known the pastors and people of Frazer for years and have long admired the church, so I feel very humbled to be chosen to lead and come only seeking God's will for Frazer and will pray diligently to find that," Bryars said.

Bryars previously served as district superintendent in the Marianna/Panama City District. He is from Stockton, Ala., and has been a pastor for 14 years at Epworth United Methodist Church in Phenix City, four years at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Montgomery and for 10 years at Shalimar United Methodist Church in Florida before becoming district superintendent.

Bryars and his wife, Vicki, have been married 38 years and have three grown sons.

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briarwood.org

No. 3: Harry Reeder III

Harry Reeder III has been the senior pastor of the 4,100-member Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham since 1999.

He and his wife, Cindy are natives of Charlotte, North Carolina. They have three grown children.

Reeder previously served as the founding pastor of Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church, which started in 1983. The ministry began with 38 committed members and in seventeen years, attendance grew to over 3,000.

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brookhills.org

No. 2: Matt Mason

Matt Mason is the senior pastor of the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham.

Mason and his wife, Paula, were married in 1996 and have three children - Hunter, Will, and Ellie.

Mason joined the staff at Brook Hills in March 2012, moving from New Orleans.

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churchofthehighlands.com

No. 1: Chris Hodges

Chris Hodges is the founding and senior pastor of Church of the Highlands in Irondale, by far the largest church in Alabama.

Hodges founded Church of the Highlands in 2001.

There are now more than 40,000 people weekly watching Hodges' sermons live at the main campus in Irondale and by video feed in services at 15 branch campuses across Alabama.

Hodges co-founded the Association of Related Churches in 2001, helping launch hundreds of churches across the country. He also founded a coaching network called GROW, which trains pastors.

Hodges also founded Highlands College in Birmingham, a ministry training school.

Chris and his wife, Tammy, have five children.
Terri Michal narrowly won a seat on the Birmingham Board of Education after provisional ballots cast in the Aug. 22 municipal election were reviewed and counted on Tuesday.

Michal won the election against Brandon McCray by 10 votes. She was leading by 12 votes last week.

Official Birmingham election results were released on Tuesday following review by the Board of Registrars. Thirty-five provisional ballots were counted, according to official results. Another 117 provisional ballots were thrown out.

Provisional ballots are those cast when a voter doesn't bring a voter ID or appears as inactive on the rolls.

According to official results, 38,483 votes were cast on Aug. 22. That is a voter turnout of 26.95 percent.

Birmingham City Clerk Lee Frazier said there's no automatic recount in the BOE District 2 race. McCray would have to ask for a recount. He has 48 hours to do so, Frazier said.

Michal is the founder of the nonprofit group Support Our Schools. McCray is an administrative assistant for the Birmingham City Council.

The extra votes didn't make a difference in any other race.

All elected offices in the city of Birmingham were contested in the 2017 municipal election.

In the mayor's race, Randall Woodfin picked up 12 more votes and incumbent Mayor William Bell picked up 14 votes. Woodfin and Bell will face each other in the Oct. 3 runoff.

Voters re-elected six incumbents to the Birmingham City Council: Lashunda Scales (District 1), Valerie Abbot (District 3), William Parker (District 4), Sheila Tyson (District 6), Jay Roberson (District 7) and Steven Hoyt (District 8) all won their seats back on the council.

Council President Johnathan Austin is headed to a runoff with Darrell O'Quinn for the District 5 seat. Councilor Kim Rafferty, District 2, will face Hunter Williams in a runoff.

Former Birmingham City Council President Roderick Royal will go head-to-head with John Hillard, a former state representative, in a runoff for the District 9 seat. District 9 Councilor Marcus Lundy didn't seek re-election.

Five BOE races - Districts 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8 -- are headed to the runoff.

Board President Wardine Alexander - one of only four incumbents in the race - failed in her bid for re-election in District 7. District 4 incumbent Daagye Hendricks is heading to a runoff with Edward Maddox, who was forced to step down from the board in 2012.

Mary Boehm overwhelming won the District 3 seat on the board over long-time Birmingham City Schools employee Larry Contri in the two-person race.

Final election results with all precincts counted.

MAYOR

Patricia Bell 264 or .69 percent

William Bell (i) 14,025 or 36.55 percent

Randy Davis 256 or .67 percent

Ervin Philemon Hill II 205 or .53 percent

Trudy Hunter 165 or .43 percent

Carl Jackson 50 or .13 percent

Lanny Jackson 41 or .11 percent

Donald Lomax 29 or .08 percent

Frank Matthews 532 or 1.39 percent

Fernandez Sims 170 or .44 percent

Randall Woodfin 15,668 or 40.84 percent

Chris Woods 6,961 or 18.14 percent

CITY COUNCIL

District 1

Sherman Collins Jr. 1,299 or 31.35 percent

LaShunda Scales (i) 2,845 or 68.65 percent

District 2

Lawrence Conaway 447 or 11.67 percent

Kimberly Jeanty 311 or 8.12 percent

Stephen Murphy 176 or 4.59 percent

Kim Rafferty (i) 665 or 17.36 percent

Deanna Reed 560 or 14.62 percent

Jordan Thompson 188 or 4.91 percent

Hunter Williams 1,123 or 29.31 percent

Tyrone Williams 361 or 9.42 percent

District 3

Valerie Abbott (i) 2,548 or 65.08 percent

Rowan Henderson 111 or 2.84 percent

Ryan Jones 1,256 or 32.08 percent

District 4

Mary Jean LaMay 427 or 11.24 percent

William Parker (i) 2,822 or 74.28 percent

Q. "Cory" Pettway 366 or 9.63 percent

Sergio Williams 184 or 4.84 percent

District 5

Johnathan Austin (i) 1,358 or 31.52 percent

Dorothea Crosby 483 or 11.21 percent

Chris Davis 770 or 17.87 percent

Darrell O'Quinn 1,104 or 25.63 percent

Erica Robbins 138 or 3.20 percent

Jeremy Schatz 293 or 6.80 percent

Robert Walker 162 or 3.76 percent

District 6

Keith Mims 600 or 15.19 percent

Sheila Tyson (i) 3,140 or 79.49 percent

Keith Williams 210 or 5.32 percent

District 7

Titus Battle 187 or 4.07 percent

Hosea Lewis 291 or 6.33 percent

Lonnie Malone 962 or 20.92 percent

Jay Roberson (i) 2,670 or 58.06 percent

Jeff Rowser 489 or 10.63 percent

District 8

Steven Hoyt (i) 2,319 or 57.76 percent

Lynette Peters 414 or 10.31 percent

Gerri Robinson 743 or 18.51 percent

Adlai Trone 539 or 13.42 percent

District 9

Angene Coleman 412 or 8.36 percent

Eric Hall 273 or 5.54 percent

John Hilliard 1,071 or 21.74 percent

Wendell Major 478 or 9.70 percent

Roderick Royal 1,522 or 30.90 percent

David Russell 221 or 4.49 percent

Reginald Swanson 637 or 12.93 percent

James Williams Jr. 312 or 6.33 percent

SCHOOL BOARD

District 1

Bennie M. Holmes 277 or 6.86 percent

Douglas Lee Ragland 1,027 or 25.45 percent

Keith Rice 418 or 10.36 percent

Cedric Small 1,498 or 37.12 percent

Jerry Tate 816 or 20.22 percent

District 2

Brandon McCray 1,709 or 49.85 percent

Terri Michal 1,719 or 50.15 percent

District 3

Mary Drennen Boehm 2,763 or 70.97 percent

Larry J. Contri 1,130 or 29.03 percent

District 4

Amber Courtney 718 or 18.81 percent

Daagye Hendricks 1,309 or 34.28 percent

Edward Maddox 1,791 or 46.91 percent

District 5

Buford L. Burks 149 or 3.64 percent

Eloise M. Crenshaw 330 or 8.05 percent

Martha McDowell 567 or 13.84 percent

David T. McKinney 631 or 15.40 percent

Mickey Millsap 1,236 or 30.16 percent

Andrea Mitchell 333 or 8.13 percent

Aaisha Muhammad 476 or 11.62 percent

Angela Scoggins-Watson 376 or 9.18 percent

District 6

Cheri Gardner (i) 2,947 or 79.22 percent

Ervin Philemon Hill Sr. 773 or 20.78 percent

District 7

Wardine Alexander (i) 1,200 or 26.26 percent

Patricia S. McAdory 1,837 or 40.21 percent

Walter Wilson 1,532 or 33.53 percent

District 8

Patricia Bozeman Henderson 1,178 or 29.58 percent

Tyrone Silmon 1,093 or 27.44 percent

Sonja Q. Smith 1,253 or 31.46 percent

Antwon Womack 459 or 11.52 percent

District 9

Sandra Kelley Brown (i) 3,136 or 68.10 percent

Lawrence Jackson 1,469 or 31.90 percent

i: incumbent
An Arab woman has been arrested for being sexually involved with a student, authorities announced Tuesday.

Etowah County sheriff's officials on Tuesday announced the arrest Sonya Ann Wilks Bailey, 51. Wilks was taken into custody Monday, and is charged with one count of a school employee engaging in a sex act with a student, one count of second-degree sodomy and one count of second-degree rape. All three crimes are felonies.

Bailey allegedly sent sexually-explicit photos and engaged in sexual acts with a student while employed with the Etowah County Board of Education as a teacher. Authorities did not say where she taught, but according to a school website, she was a commerce and information technology teacher at West End High School.

According to that website, she received her bachelor's and master's degrees in business education from Alabama A & M. Her biography said she is married with two children and two grandchildren. " I enjoy working with the students of WEHS and trust that they will leave my class having learned something beneficial toward their future,'' she wrote.

Etowah County Superintendent Dr. Alan Cosby issued this statement: "Mrs. Bailey resignation was accepted by the Etowah County Board of Education on August 28th. Her resignation was accepted after these allegations came to light. We are fully cooperating with the Sheriff's Office and District Attorney's Office in this case."

"This type of ridiculous behavior is completely uncalled for by someone who was trusted by the community to teach our kids," Sheriff Todd Entrekin said.

Bailey was booked into the Etowah County Detention Center on $60,000 property bond. As a condition of her bond, Bailey is to report to Community Corrections and have no contact with the victim or their family.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Two east Alabama jail inmates are charged in connection with a fire set last week inside the lockup.

The Etowah County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday announced charges against Destyn Ray Hafely, 21, of Gadsden, and Florentino Martinez, 28, of Steele. Capt. Josh Morgan said both are charged with the felony crimes of first-degree arson and conspiracy to commit murder.

The fire was started one week ago - on Aug. 22 - at about 11:30 p.m. at the Etowah County Detention Center. Authorities said Hafely used an e-cigarette to set a plastic food tray and other materials on fire. Security video inside the common area of Unit 3 showed the tray coming out from under Hafely's cell door and Martinez, who was on free time, setting other objects on top to enhance the flames.

The small fire was quickly put out with a fire extinguisher by detention deputies. All inmates and detainees inside the detention center were accounted for and were never in danger or evacuated during the event.

"These two individuals put hundreds of lives in danger inside the detention center,'' said Sheriff Todd Entrekin. "The charges are fitting for the dangerous hazard they created. I appreciate the quick response of our employees in putting out the fire."

Hafely and Martinez are being held on $350,000 bond for the arson and conspiracy charges.

Jail records show Hafely, who has been arrested multiple times, was last booked into the jail in April on a first-degree assault charge. Martinez, also with prior arrests, was last booked into the jail in February on theft and evidence tampering charges.
This is a draft of a mural by Alabama-artist Ronald McDowell to be installed in the lobby of the Jefferson County courthouse. (Jefferson County Commission)

The Jefferson County Commission won't cover over murals in the courthouse that depict black people picking cotton and performing other manual labor.

Instead, the commission is paying for an Alabama-based artist to create a mural that reflects Jefferson County in the 21st century, Commissioner Sandra Little Brown said. The mural will show the diversity, including black judges, that exists in the county today.

A commission committee on Tuesday approved paying Ronald McDowell of Tuskegee $50,000 to create the mural. The measure is expected to be approved by the full commission on Thursday.

Brown said drawings of the mural should be ready in 30 to 60 days. "This mural should be up and ready for February," she said.

February is Black History month.

The mural will be painted offsite and installed at the courthouse, Brown said.

She said it's a coincidence that the new mural is moving forward at the same time that symbols of the Confederacy are coming down across the country in wake of deadly protests in Charlottesville, Va. two weeks ago.

"I am happy we are at this point," Brown said. "This (Confederate) monument thing has been chaos all over the country. I am happy that it wasn't anything hostile (here). It wasn't a hasty decision and it involved a whole diverse body from Jefferson County."

On Aug. 15, Birmingham Mayor William Bell ordered the Confederate monument at Linn Park covered with a plywood barrier until a legal way to remove it can be researched. He said the plywood was installed to protect the monument from being vandalized or destroyed.

The next day Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall filed a lawsuit against the city saying the covering violated state law prohibiting the removal of historic monuments.

In late 2015, the Jefferson County Commission created a mural committee to decide the future of the murals located in the lobby of the downtown Birmingham courthouse.

That action was spurred, though, by the mass shooting at a black Charleston, S.C. church in 2015. The shooter Dylann Roof was a self-described white supremacist. There was a nationwide call, at that time, to remove images deemed offensive and racist.

Brown and others called for the removal of the murals in 2015.

"Right now, what we have doesn't look like a courthouse," she said on Tuesday, of the murals that depict slaves in the field to the industrial age in Birmingham. "What is down there now is not fair to today's history. It is a new day. It is a new time."

The mural committee met for more than a year before recommending that the murals be expanded instead of removed, Brown said.

"The majority (on the committee) said we can't erase history," she said. "We can't take them down. Let's bring history up to date."

A draft of the mural presented to commissioners on Tuesday is a modern compilation of symbols that represent the county and the justice system. It includes a black and white Lady Justice and bald eagles. These figures hovering over black and white judges. The mural also includes an American flag, the Jefferson County logo and the exterior of the courthouse.

Currently, in the lobby of the courthouse are two 17 1/2-by-8-foot murals painted by Chicago artist John Warner Norton. They depict the agrarian Old South and the industrial new South. Norton made the paintings in 1931-32, which were commissioned by Chicago architectural firm Holabird & Root. That's the firm that designed the Jefferson County Courthouse and also Chicago's Soldier Field.

McDowell is an art professor at Tuskegee University. He created the "Miss Nina" statue that was dedicated in Linn Park in 2015.
Longevity pay for long-term city of Birmingham employees could be back in the fiscal year 2018 budget.

The incentive will cost an estimated $1.1 million and impacts employees, including police officers, who have worked for the city for at least seven years, according to the office of Birmingham Mayor William Bell.

"In addition to cost of living and merit raises, longevity rewards long-term employees for their time with the city and allows us to reward the people who have worked long and hard for the city," Bell said in a statement.

Longevity pay was cut by Bell's office in the 2011 budget. Longevity pay is based on seniority. The more years of service, the higher the longevity pay, which caps out at $1,800 after an employee reaches 25 years of service.

During Tuesday's city council meeting, Council President Johnathan Austin said he met with the Bell about the 2018 budget on Friday. He said they didn't come to a compromise.

"We haven't compromised at all," Austin said. "We agreed we would have a supplemental meeting with the council."

A special-called Committee of the Whole meeting was set for 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30. Bell agreed to meet with councilors on the budget at that meeting.

Austin said the council has asked for more funding for city schools and police vehicles and $500,000 for the creation of the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion.

In the city council's budget recommendations made in early August, the city council allocated $6.5 million for neighborhoods, which includes weed abatement and home demolition, $4.6 million for Birmingham City Schools, $2.1 million for public libraries and $5.1 million for employee raises.

The council's changes include giving an additional $1.5 million to Birmingham City Schools, $500,000 in additional funds for police vehicles and an additional $500,000 for weed abatement and $1 million for home demolition. The council also cut about $6.8 million from city government, including cuts the mayor's office, law department, equipment management, community development and finance.
Texas Military Department (HOUSTON) -- A 60-year-old veteran Houston police officer died after he drove into floodwaters on his way to work Sunday morning, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said in an emotional press conference on Tuesday.



On Sunday at around 4 a.m., Sgt. Steve Perez left his home amid torrential rains, Acevedo said. After Perez drove on dark roads for two-and-a-half hours while trying to get to his duty station in downtown Houston, Perez called his commander to say he couldn't make it in, Acevedo said.



Perez then followed protocol and attempted to drive to the secondary station in Houston's Kingwood neighborhood, Acevedo said.



The next day, Perez's chain of command was holding regular roll call when he noticed Perez was not present, the police chief said. Attempts to reach him were not answered, and his wife said she hadn't seen him since 4 a.m. on Sunday, Acevedo said.



Perez was a "dedicated individual that would not just show up to work," Acevedo said.



By 10 p.m. Monday, rescue crews narrowed the search for Perez to Hardy Toll Road and Beltway 8 in Houston and called for a dive team. Acevedo said. Search crews even enlisted the help of the volunteer "Cajun Navy" to help look for Perez, Acevedo said.



"We couldn't find him," Acevedo said through tears.



Once the dive team got to the scene, it was "too treacherous to go under and look for him," Acevedo said.



"We could not put more officers at risk," Acevedo said.



The dive team went back out at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning and found Perez "within 20 minutes," Acevedo said.



Perez drowned after driving into a flooded underpass, Acevedo said.



Perez was two days shy of his 61st birthday and had been with the department for 34 years, Acevedo said. The sergeant was assigned to the department's traffic enforcement division.



Police notified Perez's family at the sergeant's home, Acevedo said. His wife had asked him not to go into work that day, but Perez responded with, "We've got work to do," Acevedo said.



Acevedo described Perez as a "sweet, public servant" and a man of faith.



"When you have faith, there's hope," Acevedo said.



Hurricane Harvey has caused record flooding in the Houston area after it made landfall in Texas late Friday night. At least 11 people, including Perez, have been confirmed dead as a result of the storm, officials said.



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A Jacksonville woman was shot to death by her ex-husband Tuesday morning, and the gun-wielding ex-husband was then shot and killed by police after repeatedly threatening to kill officers.

Jacksonville Police Chief Tommy Thompson said police received a 911 call about 8:30 a.m. from 71-year-old Judy Shipman Miller at her Cross Street home. Judy Miller told dispatchers her husband was outside, and that he was shooting into the home.

As officers rushed to the scene, the dispatcher could no longer get Judy Miller to respond but the phone line remained open. While police were en route, Thompson said, the dispatcher could hear a man - later identified as 68-year-old Larry Moore Miller - talking to someone else on another phone.

"He was calling someone and telling them that he already killed her and was going to kill police,'' the chief said.

Once officers arrived at the scene, Thompson said Larry Miller came out of the house several times, each time threatening to kill himself or the officers. "After about three or four times, he pressed upon the officers that they were fixing to die,'' Thompson said. "He had a gun in each hand was fixing to start blazing."

Officers fired on Larry Miller. He was taken to Regional Medical Center in Jacksonville where he was pronounced dead about 45 minutes later. Judy Miller was pronounced dead inside her home.

Thompson said the entire ordeal lasted only about 20 minutes, but said investigators remained on the scene Tuesday afternoon.

Larry Miller, he said, did not live at the home but had driven there and parked his truck before he started firing into the home.

Court records show the couple divorced last year, but had a long history of marital strife. In a protection from abuse request made 20 years ago, Judy Miller said then that he had put a gun to her head, unplugged their phone and threatened to kill her. "In front of my neighbor, he told me to come back home now or be prepared to die,'' she wrote in that 1997 report.

Thompson said they have responded at least four times to Judy Miller's home because of trouble between the couple, including once last year on a report that Larry Miller was violating the protection from abuse order.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has been called in to investigate the officer-involved shooting, which is standard procedure. Thompson said the Jacksonville State University Institute for Applied Forensics, the Oxford Police Department and the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office also are assisting in the ongoing investigations.

"It could have been a better day for everybody involved,'' he said.
With the remnants of Hurricane Harvey expected to move into north Alabama on Thursday, preparation is already underway for heavy rain in the region.

The Tennessee Valley Authority announced plans Tuesday to begin lowering lake levels in areas that could be affected by Harvey. That includes north Alabama lakes such as Guntersville, Pickwick Wheeler and Wilson.

All four lakes are part of the Tennessee River, which flows past cities such as Scottsboro, Guntersville, Huntsville, Decatur and the Shoals.

TVA's River Forecast Center manages the water levels throughout the public utility's seven-state footprint and is lowering water levels in some areas to create additional capacity for Harvey's rain.

Remnants of Hurricane Harvey are forecasted to reach the region this week bringing as much as 5 to 6 inches of rain,... Posted by Tennessee Valley Authority on Tuesday, August 29, 2017

According to the National Weather Service forecast office in Huntsville, up to 5 inches of rain are possible along with higher amounts in some areas.

In a statement on its Facebook page, TVA urged property owners to prepare for fast-rising water levels and protect boats and other property that could be affected by faster river flows and excess debris.
The Alabama National Guard is joining Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts in Texas.

Gov. Kay Ivey authorized Adjutant General Sheryl Gordon to send two CH-47 Chinook Helicopters and two UH-60M medical aircraft and their crews to Texas, the governor's office announced.

"Alabama is proud to help our friends in Texas through lending our National Guard resources and offering our prayers and continued support in the days of recovery which lie ahead," Ivey said in a press release.

Earlier today, at an appearance in Birmingham, Ivey had said the state's Office of Volunteer Services was gearing up to help in Texas.

Harvey, which came ashore as a Category 4 hurricane on Friday, has swamped southeast Texas with four days of heavy rains, causing massive flooding and deaths. Authorities have rescued thousands of people from the deluge. The storm strengthened slightly on Monday and could produce another 20 inches of rainfall, the Associated Press reported.
For decades, the Iraq-Iran border has served as a smuggling route, mainly to transport goods to Iran.

Since the fall of president Saddam Hussein, the border has been controlled by Kurdish groups and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Frequent clashes have been witnessed too.

Couriers who work for Iranian and Iraqi Kurdish smugglers face high temperatures and the risk of shooting by border guards, all to earn an estimated $25 a trip.

On a recent afternoon, machine-gun fire was audible at certain spots along the border.

The increased presence of Iranian Kurdish armed groups in the area has added to the risks facing these smuggling operations.
Colonialism is alive and well as Puerto Ricans celebrate 100 years of US citizenship.

This year, the inhabitants of debt-ridden Puerto Rico marked a dubious anniversary: one entire century of United States citizenship.

The island was charitably commandeered by the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War, but the conferral of citizenship didnt take place until 1917 when, The Economist has noted, the move conveniently allowed 20,000 [Puerto Ricans] to be drafted into service in the first world war the following year.

In addition to the luxury of being eligible to fight and die in every US war since, Puerto Ricans have enjoyed numerous other perks as Americans do.





In the 1940s and 50s, for example, there was a pretty cool law prescribing 10 years of jail time for anyone who said, sang, or whistled anything that could be construed as being against the US government.

Add to that a lengthy campaign of forced sterilisation of Puerto Rican women, the conversion of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques into a US military base and navy bombing range, and the suffocation of the local economy for the benefit of US corporate financial interests, and you wonder how Puerto Rico could possibly be better off independent.

The C-word

Significantly, despite hefty contributions to the US Treasury, Puerto Ricans are not permitted to vote in US presidential elections and have no effective representation in the US Congress.

So much for that old line about no taxation without representation  which was, of course, Americas justification for overthrowing its own colonial masters some 100-plus years before the acquisition of Puerto Rico.

Lest any misled person mistakenly diagnose the Puerto Rican arrangement as one of straight-up colonialism, the US judiciously pressured the United Nations in 1953 to remove the island from its list of global non-self-governing territories.

READ MORE: Puerto Rico  179 public schools to close amid financial crisis

Now, we are told Puerto Rico is a commonwealth  which certainly sounds a lot more civilised than the other C-word.

And thus Puerto Rico remains the colonial elephant in the room. (Make that one of a herd of elephants, if we want to include Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands.)

Its colonial status is rendered ever more glaringly apparent by a handy little deal called the Jones Act, which, as an article on the PBS website explains, requires everybody in Puerto Rico to buy goods from an American-made ship with an American crew, limits business owners and jacks up prices.

But hey, its free trade!

Give and take  and take and take

Beyond the shameless exploitation of Puerto Rico as a captive market, the US has contributed in numerous other ways to the islands current crippling debt crisis.

A 2015 Washington Post article datelined Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, describes one contribution:

In the end, colonialism is alive and well in this day and age - presided over by none other than the self-appointed global pioneer of freedom and democracy. by

A generous series of tax breaks enacted by Congress shielded the profits of US corporations operating here and helped transform Puerto Rico from a largely agrarian society to a manufacturing powerhouse.

The article continues: But what Washington gave, it also took away.

Luckily for Wall Street, the taking away opened up all sorts of opportunities for predatory investors who scrambled to buy up discounted debt and augment their tropical beachfront property collections.

As is par for the course in neoliberal systems that prioritise making the rich richer over helping the poor to survive, the response to the debt crisis can be summed up in a single word: austerity.

A May 2017 New York Times article, for example, reports on the curious matter of the Washington-based consultant who was recently named secretary of education in Puerto Rico  a few months after Puerto Ricos affairs were taken over by a governing board in New York.

Again, so much for self-governing.

The article notes that the oversight board has warned that the government must save up to $40 million a month, suggesting that about 300 schools close. This is on top of the multitude of schools that have already been closed  many of them, predictably, in poverty-stricken areas.

A more straightforward means of generating needed revenue might of course be to scrap the Jones Act, or to tone down obscene tax breaks for obscenely wealthy people on an island where nearly half of the population happens to live below the poverty line.

What about that list?

While the whole colony question was supposed to have been definitively put to rest in 1953, a pesky UN Special Committee on Decolonisation had the audacity in June 2016 to approve a text calling on the US government to expedite Puerto Ricos self-determination process.





A committee hearing featured numerous speakers from Puerto Rico and elsewhere who denounced everything from Americas forcible imposition of the death penalty on the island to the catastrophic health crisis on Vieques  linked by many observers to toxic US military activity  to efforts to disappear Puerto Rican national identity and culture.

Granted, this was before the release of Despacito, the most streamed song to date, which has made all sorts of strides in terms of cultural preservation. (Just kidding.)

In the end, colonialism is alive and well in this day and age  presided over by none other than the self-appointed global pioneer of freedom and democracy.

And while there may be few reasons for optimism given the current international state of affairs, we might at least hope the backyard commonwealth isnt condemned to 100 more years of servitude.

Belen Fernandez is the author of The Imperial Messenger: Thomas Friedman at Work, published by Verso. She is a contributing editor at Jacobin Magazine.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.




Lawyers seek to expel Jagath Jayasuriya, ambassador to Brazil, over abuses in final phase of offensive against LTTE.

Human rights groups in South America have filed war crimes lawsuits against a former Sri Lankan general who is now his countrys ambassador to Brazil.

The lawsuits against Jagath Jayasuriya allege he oversaw military units that attacked hospitals and killed, disappeared and tortured thousands of people in the final phase of Sri Lankas civil war in 2009.

Jayasuriya has diplomatic immunity in Brazil and five other countries where he is ambassador  Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Suriname.

But the groups pursuing the suits hope they will compel regional governments to open investigations of Jayasuriya, remove his immunity and expel him.

Carlos Castresana Fernandez, the lawyer coordinating the effort, told the Associated Press news agency that suits have been filed on Monday in Brazil and Colombia.

READ MORE; Sri Lankas leader backs arrests of official killers

Petitions will be filed in Argentina, Chile and Peru in the coming days, he said, adding that authorities in Suriname had refused to accept the petition.

This is one genocide that has been forgotten, but this will force democratic countries to do something, Fernandez said. This is just the beginning of the fight.

Jayasuriyas whereabouts were not immediately known.

Calls to the Sri Lankan embassy in Brazils capital went unanswered Monday evening as did an email seeking comment.

The criminal suits were spearheaded by the human rights group International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), an evidence-gathering organisation based in South Africa.

The suits say Jayasuriya was commander of the Vanni Security Force from 2007 to 2009, one of the bloodiest periods in a 26-year war that is estimated to have killed more than 100,000 people.





The UN estimates between 40,000 and 70,000 died in the final phase alone when Sri Lankas military defeated the separatist armed group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

According to the suits, Jayasuriya oversaw an offensive from Joseph Camp in the northern town of Vavuniya.

ITJP said it interviewed 14 people who survived torture or sexual violence at the camp.

There is no way General Jagath Jayasuriya can claim not to have known that torture routinely occurred in his camp; there were purpose built underground torture chambers, equipped with manacles, chains and pulleys for hoisting victims upside down, Yasmin Sooka, the ITJPs executive director, said in March.

If the detainees could hear each other screaming at night from adjacent buildings, so could he.

Human rights groups have long been after Jayasuriya, but the Sri Lankan government has refused to try him or others allegedly involved in war abuses.

A few years after the war ended, he retired from the military. Jayasuriya was appointed ambassador to Brazil in 2015 and the other countries were added to his purview over the following two years.

The Sri Lankan army has denied committing war crimes.

Fernandez, the lawyer coordinating the lawsuits against Jayasuriya, has worked on international cases against war criminals in Guatemala, Argentina and Chile.

In the case of Chilean General Augusto Pinochet, he ended up being arrested and held for a time in England because of international lawsuits filed against him.
US officials say two dams near Houston have begun overspilling as tropical storm Harvey pushes reservoirs past capacity.

A pair of dams near flood-hit Houston and a levee south of the city have begun overflowing, with officials in the US state of Texas warning residents in nearby areas to evacuate before water levels rise.

Harris County officials told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday that water levels in the Addicks and Barker reservoirs were at record highs, forcing engineers to release more water into the citys swollen drainage system to alleviate pressure.

READ MORE: Hurricane Harvey  What you need to know

Engineers have been periodically releasing water from both reservoirs, but the amount of water entering exceeds the amount being released, sending floodwater over spillways.

Flood control official Jeff Lindner said on Twitter that water levels had surpassed the height of the reservoir edge, warning that more streets and homes would be flooded as a result.

#BREAKING: Addicks reservoir water level has reached 108'. Awaiting confirmation water is going over spillway for first time in history. pic.twitter.com/WQ5IzpzLzX  Travis Herzog (@HerzogWeather) August 29, 2017

Authorities in Brazoria County, an area south of Houston with a population of more than 300,000, later issued an evacuation order as a levee breached, telling residents to get out now.

Meteorologists have warned that the worst might be yet to come, with nearly two more feet (61cm) of rain expected on top of the 30-plus inches (76cm) in some places.

Floodwaters have already reached the rooflines of single-story homes with the US fourth-largest city still mostly paralysed by one of the largest downpours in history.

READ MORE: Facing Hurricane Harvey

Harvey, which has been downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, has been blamed for several deaths, including a woman killed on Monday in Porter, a town northeast of Houston, when a large oak tree dislodged by heavy rains toppled onto her trailer home.





A Houston television station reported on Monday that six family members were believed to have drowned when their van was swept away.

The KHOU report was attributed to three family members the station did not identify. No bodies have been recovered.

Al Jazeeras Heidi Zhou-Castro, reporting from Houston, said that in the last 48 hours, emergency agencies had received some 6,000 calls for help.

More than 30,000 people are expected to be placed in temporary shelters and about 450,000 are anticipated to apply for disaster assistance, which would make them eligible for financial support, possible replacement of property and other disaster-related aid.

President Donald Trump is expected to visit Texas on Tuesday, but not Houston, as flooding in the city continues.

Harvey is the first major natural disaster to hit the United States during Trumps presidency. On Sunday, he convened a cabinet meeting by telephone in response to the disaster.

Harvey was the fiercest hurricane to hit the country in 13 years, and the strongest to strike Texas since 1961s Hurricane Carla, the states most powerful hurricane on record.
Human Rights Watch says satellite data show fires have razed several sites in Rakhine state in the wake of crackdown.

A previous version of this article mistakenly stated that the fires razed 100km of land in Rakhine state. The text has been updated to reflect that the overall area in which burnings were found is 100km in length.

Satellite data accessed by a rights body shows widespread fires burning in at least 10 areas in Myanmars Rakhine state, following a military crackdown on the countrys Rohingya Muslim population.

Residents and activists have accused soldiers of shooting indiscriminately at unarmed Rohingya men, women and children and carrying out arson attacks.

However, authorities in Myanmar say close to 100 people have been killed since Friday when armed men, reportedly from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), launched a pre-dawn raid on police outposts in the restive region.

Myanmar authorities say Rohingya extremist terrorists have been setting the fires during fighting with government troops, while Rohingya have blamed soldiers who have been accused of carrying out extrajudicial killings.

Rohingya: Even a baby was not spared by the army

A government spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment.

The Burmese government should grant access to independent monitors to determine the sources of fires and assess allegations of human rights violations, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement on Tuesday.

The overall area in which burnings were found is 100 kilometres in length, approximately five times larger than the area where burnings by Burmese security forces occurred from October to November 2016, Human Rights Watch said.

In that period data from the group suggested some 1,500 buildings were destroyed.

Witness statements

The locations of the fires correlate with some witness statements and media reports describing blazes deliberately set, the group said.

This new satellite data should cause concern and prompt action by donors and UN agencies to urge the Burmese government to reveal the extent of ongoing destruction in Rakhine State, Phil Robertson, HRWs deputy Asia director, said in a statement.

Shuffling all the blame on insurgents doesnt spare the Burmese [Myanmar] government from its international obligations to stop abuses and investigate alleged violations.

Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, is deeply concerned at the reports of civilians being killed, according to a statement from spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Guterres called on Bangladesh to step up assistance to civilians escaping the violence, noting many of those fleeing are women and children, some of whom are wounded.

More than 3,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar, where the Muslim ethnic minority faces persecution, in the past three days, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Monday.

The top UN human rights official called on authorities to ensure that the security forces refrain from using disproportionate force against Rohingya.

Zeid Raad al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned coordinated attacks by rebels on security forces last Friday, but said that the political leadership had a duty to protect all civilians without discrimination.

READ MORE: Who are the Rohingya?

Bangladesh has said there are thousands more Rohingya Muslims massed on its border with Myanmar, where it has stepped up patrols and pushed back hundreds of civilians who have tried to enter.



Aung San Suu Kyi: Turning her back on Rohingya?

On Monday, Bangladesh detained and forcibly returned at least 90 Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar.

About 87,000 refugees entered Bangladesh in 2016 following the military crackdown.

Ethnic cleansing

The UN believes the armys response may amount to ethnic cleansing, allegations denied by the government of Aung San Suu Kyi and the army.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has proposed joint military operations with Myanmar against Rohingya fighters in Rakhine state.

At the weekend, as violence in Rakhine worsened, Bangladeshs foreign minister summoned Myanmars charge daffaires in Dhaka to express serious concern at the possibility of a fresh refugee influx.

There are already almost 400,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh in squalid camps near its border with Myanmar.

In a goodwill gesture, the Thai prime minister on Tuesday said his country was preparing to receive people fleeing fighting in Myanmar.

Thailands defence ministry and security are preparing to receive various displaced people, Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters. We will provide them with shelter like in the past  and send them back when they are ready.
Antonio Guterres condemns illegal Israeli settlement construction, calling it an obstacle that needs to be removed.

Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general, has lashed out at Israels illegal settlement activity, calling it a major obstacle to achieving a two-state solution and peace with the Palestinians.

There is no plan B to the two-state solution, he said on Tuesday after meeting Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in the West Bank city of Ramallah.





A two-state solution, end to occupation, creating conditions to end the suffering of the Palestinian people are the only way to guarantee that peace is established, Guterres added.

His remarks came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to never uproot any settlements from the West Bank  just days after a White House envoy was in the region trying to restart peace talks with the Palestinians.

We have returned here for good, Netanyahu said. There will be no more uprooting of settlements in the Land of Israel. Settlements will not be uprooted.

READ MORE: A guide to the Gaza Strip

In response to Netanyahus comments, Guterres told reporters on Tuesday that both Israel and the Palestinians should refrain from taking any action that could undermine the prospects for a peaceful agreement.

We believe that settlement activity is illegal in the international law and its an obstacle for peace, we are obviously in a disagreement of what was said, Guterres told Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett at the press conference.

Fawcett, reporting from Ramallah, said that the Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah expressed frustration that the US peace team was taking too long to answer questions on where it stands regarding Israeli settlements and the two-state solution.

He said there was no clear commitment from the US to end the settlement activity, and as a result of it the activity continued and the Palestinians continued to lose land, our correspondent added.

READ MORE: Rami Hamdallah  Israel waging water war on Palestinians

Hamdallah also called on the UN to protect the Palestinian people and Muslim holy sites from repeated Israeli violations.

Earlier on Tuesday, two right-wing members of the Israeli parliament entered the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem after Netanyahu lifted a two-year ban prohibiting legislators from visiting the site.





I discussed with the UN secretary-general the latest developments regarding the political, economic and humanitarian situation in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza strip, Hamdallah said.

The failure to oblige Israel to implement [UN] resolutions weakens the position of the Palestinian people and the UNs credibility, and fuels conflict in the region, he added.

The prime minister went on to assert that the Palestinian leadership supports the establishment of a Palestinian state  with East Jerusalem as its capital  through popular resistance and international action.

On Wednesday, Guterres, who met Netanyahu on Monday, is expected to visit the Israeli-blockaded, Hamas-run Gaza Strip.

Senior Hamas official Ahmed Bahar on Tuesday said Guterres visit was unwelcome due to the fact that the UN official has a double standard, where he stands with the offender against the victims.

Bahar also criticised Guterres for leaving visiting rights for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails off his agenda.
Palestinian leaders slam move by right-wing Israeli politicians after PM Netanyahu lifts a ban on MK visits to the site.

Two right-wing members of the Israeli parliament have entered the al-Aqsa Mosque compound after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lifted a two-year ban prohibiting legislators from visiting the site.

Accompanied by heavily-armed police, Yehuda Glick, of Netanyahus Likud party, and Shuli Mualem-Rafaeli, of the Jewish Home, went to the site early on Tuesday as part of a one-day trial period.

Palestinian leaders condemned the move, with Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for the Palestinian presidency, saying that the Israeli government was responsible for the provocations at the compound.

Masud Ganaim, a Palestinian member of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, also said allowing right-wing politicians into the complex had the goal of provoking Arab and Muslim sentiment and inflaming the situation.

READ MORE: What comes after Abbas and Netanyahu?

Netanyahu instructed police in October 2015 to bar members of the Knesset, or MKs, from visiting the site in the Old City of Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, in a move meant to help calm unrest that erupted in part over Palestinian fears that Israel was planning to assert further control over the compound.

The site is the holiest site in Judaism and the third-holiest in Islam, and it is central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Only Muslim prayer is currently allowed at the site, which is administered by a Jordanian-controlled Islamic authority.

Last week, reports emerged that MKs would be allowed to visit the site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, in a one-day trial on Tuesday.

Israel is now considering reinstating visits for all legislators.

Palestinians accuse the Israeli government of attempting to change the status quo of the area by allowing Jewish prayer and asserting Israeli control over the holy compound, which Israel denies.

READ MORE: We won  Al-Aqsa Mosque reopened to all Palestinians

In July, Palestinians protested night and day for nearly two weeks, refusing to pray inside the compound after Israel installed metal detectors at its entrances. They held prayers in the streets and just outside the gates to the Old City.

Palestinians viewed the installation of the surveillance equipment as Israel asserting further control.

The new regulations came after an attack on July 14 by three Palestinian citizens of Israel, who killed two Israeli policemen in the Old City of Jerusalem. The three men were then chased inside the compound before they were shot and killed.

In 13 days of protests, Israeli forces wounded more than 1,000 Palestinians during clashes, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

On July 26, Israeli authorities removed the surveillance equipment and other obstacles from the gates leading to the holy site.

Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett, reporting from the occupied East Jerusalem, said officials of the Islamic Waqf authority that administers the holy site called Tuesdays visit by the MKs a political act by Netanyahu, one which is provocative, especially in the run-up to the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival.

Fawcett added: We wait to see how more widely how the Palestinian population here in East Jerusalem interprets this [visit], just weeks after they were on the streets protesting in such vehement style.

No more uprooting of settlements

Meanwhile, in remarks that infuriated the Palestinians, Netanyahu said he will never uproot any West Bank settlement.

Speaking during a ceremony in the settlement of Barkan on Monday night, Netanyahu said that Israel has returned to the land of the Jewish forefathers for good, adding that there will be no more uprooting of settlements in the Land of Israel.

The Palestinians seek all of the West Bank as part of a future independent state. Under international law, all settlements are illegal.

Abu Rudeineh, the Palestinian presidents spokesman, denounced Netanyahus statement and called on the United States to deal with these provocations.

Turkey backs peace process efforts

Netanyahus statement came shortly after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Israel to end actions which undermine efforts to reach a two-state solution.

Speaking alongside Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the Turkish capital, Ankara, Erdogan said: To find a solution and provide peace is not only in Palestinians favour but also that of Israel.

He also described the two-state solution as the historical responsibility of the international community to the Palestinian people, and that recent tensions over restrictions at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem would not favour anyone.

As Turkey, we always back efforts to accelerate the peace process, Erdogan added, going on to say that the process needed to acknowledge and protect Palestinian rights.

We do not want the holy city of Jerusalem, which we have served for four centuries, to dominate the news with blood, tears and conflict, Erdogan said.
Council in Iraqi province backs participation in September 25 referendum, but Turkmen and Arab members boycott vote.

Councillors in the Iraqi province of Kirkuk have voted to take part in next months Kurdish independence referendum in a session, however, that was boycotted by Turkmen and Arab members.

The central government in Baghdad is strongly opposed to Iraqi Kurdistans planned September 25 referendum, which is non-binding but could lead to independence.

Kirkuk, an ethnically-mixed oil-rich province, is not part of the Kurdistan region but has a large Kurdish population.

OPINION: The looming question of Kurdish independence in Iraq

In Tuesdays vote, 22 of the 24 present councillors in the 41-member Kirkuk council voted in favour of holding the referendum, said councillor Hala Nur Eddine.

Kirkuks provincial council consists of 26 Kurds, nine Turkmen and six Arabs.

While Baghdad says Kirkuk is administratively dependent on Iraqs central government, many Kurds  including the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, which dominates political life in the province  demand the provinces incorporation into the Kurdish region.

Kirkuks Turkmen, for their part, oppose this, insisting that the ethnically-diverse province enjoys a special status.

READ MORE: Diagnosing Iraqs problems

Speaking to journalists afterwards, Kirkuk Governor Najm Eddine Karim described the vote as a historic event.

We have the right to take part in the referendum, and whoever denies this knows nothing about human rights, Karim told reporters.

But Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi denounced the decision as wrong.

Issues are not handled like this, he told reporters following a meeting of his council of ministers.

Hasan Turan, a Turkmen legislator and vice-president of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, also blasted the councils decision, describing it as unconstitutional.

READ MORE: Iraqi Kurdistan  Playing the independence game

The plans to hold the referendum have been criticised by neighbouring Turkey and Iran, which have large Kurdish minority populations.

The Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement that the Kirkuks council decision was another link in a chain of mistakes and once more a serious violation of the Iraqi constitution.

There are also doubts about the vote among the five million Iraqi Kurds, with some calling for it to be postponed.

The United States has made the same demand, saying the referendum could distract from the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group by stoking tensions between the Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen.

The Iraqi Kurdish region was created in 1992 and calls for independence have gained impetus following a 2003 US-led invasion, which toppled former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
Fresh appeal made, 30 years after Naji Salim Hussain al-Alis killing, for anyone with information to come forward.

British police have launched a fresh appeal for information on the murder of a famous Palestinian political cartoonist in London 30 years ago, hoping someone might feel more able to speak up three decades later.

Naji Salim Hussain al-Ali, who received a number of death threats for his cartoons satirising Arab and Israeli politics, was shot in west London on July 22, 1987.

He died in hospital just over one month later, aged 51.

Scotland Yards Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) is appealing for information about the gunman and a second man later seen driving away from the scene.

The brutal murder of Mr Al-Ali devastated his family and 30 years on they continue to feel the loss, CTC commander Dean Haydon said.

A lot can change in 30 years: allegiances shift and people who were not willing to speak at the time of the murder may now be prepared to come forward with crucial information.

Osama al-Ali, the cartoonists son, described his fathers sudden death as traumatic.

READ MORE: Palestinian cartoonist sketches inspiration

Speaking to Al Jazeera, al-Alis son said that people with influence may have withheld information crucial to finding out who was behind his fathers assassination.

There were people active on the political scene at the time  who still are to a lesser extent  they have information which they did not share, he said.

Al-Alis cartoons were often depicted from the perspective of Handala, a small refugee boy that always had his back turned as a symbol to the unrealised right of return for Palestinian refugees.

The cartoons were perceived as critical of the Palestine Liberation Organization leadership, as well as Israeli and Arab governments; they won him international acclaim but also resulted in a number of death threats made against him.

My brush is my only weapon, I use it to stand against the vicious forces of evil in our world, al-Ali once said.

Motive for murder

The police said they were keeping an open mind about the motive for al-Alis killing.

He was shot in the back of the neck in broad daylight while walking from his car to the Knightsbridge office of Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas, where he worked at the time.

Witnesses watched the suspected assailant follow al-Ali and later flee the scene on foot.

He was described as about 25 and of Middle Eastern appearance, with thick, collar-length black hair that was wavy at the back.

The black automatic handgun, a 7.62 Tokarev pistol, was found on open ground in London in 1989.

Test firings showed markings on the bullets that matched those on the cartridge case recovered from the murder scene.

A second man, described as being in his 50s and of Middle Eastern appearance, was seen running with his left hand inside the right side of his jacket as if he was concealing something, and getting into a silver-grey Mercedes car shortly afterwards.

The police believe the second suspect was hiding the weapon in his coat.

Witnesses also reported seeing another man, in his 50s and also of Middle Eastern origin, running nearby shortly after the incident, with his left hand inside his jacket as if concealing something.

He then got into a silver-grey left-hand drive Mercedes and drove away.

Speculation has raged for many years over who might have ordered the killing, said Al Jazeeras Paul Brennan from London.

At the time police arrested several suspects with links to the PLO and Israeli Mossad but with little in the way of hard evidence. No one has ever been charged with the murder.

Commander Dean Haydon, head of the Mets Counter Terrorism Command, which is reviewing the case, said the police have followed a number of lines of inquiry which have not resulted in us identifying these two men.

However, a lot can change in 30 years, he said.

Allegiances shift and people who were not willing to speak at the time of the murder may now be prepared to come forward with crucial information.
Flights cancelled, roads blocked and schools closed as countrys financial capital records more than 100mm of rain.

Heavy monsoon rains have paralysed Mumbai, Indias financial hub, flooding streets and disrupting land, air and road traffic.

Dozens of flights and local train services were cancelled on Tuesday as rains drenched the coastal city of nearly 20 million people.

Mumbai has been experiencing incessant heavy downpours since Saturday morning.

READ MORE: Floods kill over 1,200 in India, Nepal and Bangladesh

In three hours on Tuesday morning, Mumbai suburbs recorded 86mm of rains, just 2mm short of what was recorded over the previous 24 hours. Some areas have received more than 100mm of rain since Sunday.

Floods have killed more than 1,000 people in India, Nepal and Bangladesh in recent weeks and forced millions from their homes in the regions worst monsoon disaster in recent years.





With roads clogged, schools closed early along with some offices, and the evening rush hour saw people wading through knee-deep water on their way home or stuck in stranded vehicles for hours.

The meteorological department has warned that the Mumbai rains would continue for the next 24 hours, prompting schools to remain closed until Wednesday.

Citizens were asked by authorities to stay indoors, except for emergencies and fishermen advised to exercise caution.

Narendra Modi, Indias prime minister, urged residents to take all the necessary precautions in the wake of the chaos.

The National Disaster Response Force launched a rescue mission with police to evacuate people from low-lying areas.

The heavy rains, flooding, are delaying our rescue work. Even we are stranded, Amitesh Kumar, joint commissioner of police, told Reuters news agency.

Urge the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe & take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

Rainwater also flooded the King Edward Memorial Hospital in central Mumbai, forcing doctors to evacuate the paediatric ward.

We are worried about infections, Ashutosh Desai, a doctor, told Reuters news agency. The rain water is circulating rubbish that is now entering parts of the emergency ward.

Flooding in the city in 2005 claimed over 1,000 lives, caused mudslides, swept away shanties and snapped electricity lines.

Water supply, communication networks and public transportation were totally shut down during the 2005 catastrophe.

Indias monsoon season runs from June to September and often causes widespread destruction.

The Red Cross, the international humanitarian group, said last week that an estimated 24 million people in South Asia have been affected by floods this year.
Authorities appeal to residents in at-risk areas to evacuate and take shelter in schools.

Emergency officials in Niger say torrential rains have destroyed hundreds of houses outside the capital, Niamey.

Colonel Aboubacar Bako, director general of civil protection and disasters, was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying on Tuesday that residents were forced to evacuate after several days of heavy downpours.

Bako said the rains began on Saturday in the capital and surrounding areas.





According to Nigers government, the rains have killed at least 44 people in Niamey and other parts of the West African country since June.

Images posted on social media showed dirt roads turned to puddles of mud, making it difficult for vehicles to navigate Niamey, a city of more than a million people.

Saley Abdouhe, the head of Gabougoura village, has appealed to residents in at-risk areas to evacuate and take shelter in schools.

Abdouhe said the main cause of flooding is the obstruction of drainage channels.

Some neighbourhoods have dug ravines to ease the damage.

The government said it is providing emergency food assistance to the victims, while aid organisations are providing shelter and other immediate help.

OPINION: EU should invest in development, not security in Africa

Some schools in the area have been turned into evacuation centres, according to news reports.

Last year more than 50 people were also reported killed from flooding.

Niamey lies along the Niger River, making it vulnerable to flooding every year.
Sohel Rana guilty of ill-gotten assets in corruption probe following building collapse that killed hundreds in 2013.

A court in Bangladesh has sentenced the owner of a nine-storey building that collapsed and left more than 1,100 people dead in 2013 to three years in jail for unaccounted income.

Sohel Rana, the owner of Rana Plaza, was found guilty of accumulating property and money through corrupt practices by a special court in the capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday, officials said.

This is the first time he has been convicted and jailed, Salahuddin Eskander, prosecutor, told AFP news agency.

Rana constructed two commercial buildings, including the one that collapsed on April 24, 2013, in Savar, 20km north of Dhaka, with money he derived from undisclosed sources, investigator Mahmbubul Alam said.

READ MORE: Rana Plaza, three years later: Who has paid?

In the countrys worst industrial disaster, 2,500 were also injured when the building that housed five garment factories collapsed. Most of the victims were garment workers.





Rana was arrested four days after the incident. He separately faces four other charges, including murder, for his involvement in the deaths of the workers.

He and 37 others could be sentenced to death if found guilty of murder over the factory complexs collapse. The trial has been delayed by appeals in the higher court.

Tuesdays verdict came after Bangladeshs official corruption watchdog filed a case against Rana and his family over his wealth following the deadly collapse.

Defence attorneys said Rana would appeal the verdict.

He was in custody when he was served the Anti-Corruption Commission notice to submit his wealth statement. In the jail he was not given enough time to meet his lawyer or his family, his lawyer, Faruque Ahmed, told AFP.

Rana and 17 others have also been charged with violating building codes when extending the six-storey structure by a further three floors. The illegal construction was blamed by investigators for the tragedy.

OPINION: When workers die, no company can walk away

Bangladeshi activists welcomed Tuesdays verdict against Rana but urged prosecutors to fast-track a court date for his murder trial.

It has been four years since the tragedy, and still this trial has not begun in full swing, Kalpona Akter, head of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity, told AFP.

He is a cold-blooded murderer. He forced workers to work in a death chamber.

The April 2013 collapse highlighted the grim conditions in Bangladeshs garment industry, which earns more than $25bn a year from exports, mainly to the United States and Europe.

The disaster prompted sweeping reforms in the garment sector, including new safety inspections and higher wages in the industry which employs around four million workers, mostly women.

Bangladesh has the worlds second-largest garment industry, with nearly 4,000 factories.
Entrance to Kabul Bank branch close to US embassy targeted, resulting in at least five deaths, according to officials.

A suicide bomber has blown himself up at a bank in the Afghan capital, killing at least five people and wounding several others, officials say.

The bomber hit the entrance to a Kabul Bank branch close to the US embassy and the citys main diplomatic quarter, Najib Danish, an interior ministry spokesman, said on Tuesday.

The front side of the Kabul Bank was completely shattered and there was much damage to the fronts of several adjacent businesses. A charred motorcycle with its parts mangled lay on the street.

Danish said at least five people were killed.

The attack also wounded nine, said Mohammad Salim Rasouli, chief of Kabul hospitals at the Health Ministry. He warned that the casualty toll could rise.





The blast occurred on a street lined with shops and banks at a time when many officials were collecting their salaries before the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday at the end of the week.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the group, said the bomber targeted a section of the bank where soldiers and police were waiting to receive their salaries.

In another development, at least 13 civilians, including women and children, were killed in an overnight air attack by Afghan security forces that targeted the Taliban in western Herat province, according to Gelani Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor.

Farhad told The Associated Press news agency that the Monday night attack in Shindand district also wounded seven civilians. A Taliban base and a prison run by the fighters were targeted, he said.

The prison was destroyed and 19 prisoners  both military and civilians  escaped. The civilians who were killed died in their homes just next to the Taliban base, he added.

According to the spokesman, the air attacks also killed 16 Taliban fighters.

The Taliban have not commented on the Herat attack and Farhads information could not be independently verified.

READ MORE: Trump vows US will keep fighting in Afghanistan

Tuesdays blast was the latest in a long series of suicide attacks in Kabul, where 209 civilians were killed and 777 injured in the first half of the year alone, according to figures by the UN.

It came three months after a massive truck bomb ripped through the same area, killing at least 150 people.

President Ashraf Ghanis government has started tightening security around the centre of the city, where many of the most deadly attacks have taken place.

Earlier this month, the Taliban pledged to turn Afghanistan into a graveyard for foreign forces after US President Donald Trump committed American troops indefinitely to the war there.
US President heaps praise on rescue efforts for tropical storm Harvey as the death toll continues to rise.

US President Donald Trump has praised the rescue effort for tropical storm Harvey after arriving in the southern state of Texas, despite state authorities facing growing criticism over a decision to not evacuate Houston.

Speaking in Corpus Christi near where Harvey first came ashore last week, Trump on Tuesday said that he wanted the relief effort to stand as an example of how to respond to a storm.

We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as, this is the way to do it, Trump told reporters during a meeting with officials from local, state and federal agencies.

READ MORE: Dams, levee overflow as Houston battles huge flooding

Since making landfall, the slow-moving storm has killed at least nine people, forced 30,000 people to seek emergency shelter and paralysed Houston, the fourth most-populous city in the country.

Harvey has continued to bring record-breaking rains and catastrophic flooding, drawing comparisons with Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans 12 years ago, killing 1,800 people.





Former President George W. Bush was widely criticised for his administrations handling of the response to that disaster, taking a heavy toll on public support of his administration.

Harvey, which has been downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, is expected to reach Louisiana early on Wednesday  one day after the 12th anniversary of Katrina hitting the state.

Al Jazeeras Heidi Zhou-Castro, reporting from Houston, said that while many Trump supporters will be welcoming his visit, many others will be asking why more was not being done.

Trump was congratulatory to federal agencies and how theyve responded to this disaster but in the past four days, he hasnt acknowledged a major criticism  why people werent told to evacuate before the flooding started.

Trump is expected to visit the state capital of Austin to receive further briefings and speak to the press, where he will most likely face this and other critical questions about the management of the disaster.

Trump promises aid, questions raised

The president has promised federal assistance to storm-ravaged parts of Texas, insisting Congress will act swiftly on a multibillion-dollar recovery package.

I think itll happen very quickly, Trump said on Monday at a White House press conference. Itll go very fast.

READ MORE: Hurricane Harvey  What you need to know

He said existing disaster balances of more than $3bn are sufficient for the immediate emergency but promised his administration will send lawmakers a request for far more to help Texas rebuild from the storm.

The real number, which will be many billions of dollars, will go through Congress, Trump said.





Yet the presidents pledge of swift action on billions of dollars in disaster aid is at odds with his proposed budget, which would eliminate the programme that helps Americans without flood insurance rebuild their homes and cut grants to states that would allow them to take long-term steps to reduce the risk of flooding before disaster strikes.

Trumps budget for 2018 zeroes out the Community Development Block Grants, a key scheme that helped the Gulf Coast rebuild after Hurricane Katrina and New York and New Jersey come back from Superstorm Sandy.

Among other things, the grants help people without flood insurance coverage rebuild their homes. In the 2017 budget, the Republican-led Congress restored some of the block grant money.

Thousands rescued

Some 3,500 people already have been rescued from high waters in the Houston area with police, firefighters and National Guard troops continuing to try to locate those marooned in high waters.

About 9,000 evacuees were staying at Houstons George R Brown Convention Center and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said his office had asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assets to allow the city to shelter another 10,000 people.

The storm broke Texas rainfall records at one measuring site south of Houston, which recorded 49.32 inches (1.25 metres) of precipitation since the storms start. The rainfall is more than the region typically sees in a year and exceeds 48 inches (122cm) recorded in 1978.

Harvey has roiled energy markets and wrought damage estimated to be in the billions of dollars, with rebuilding likely to last beyond Trumps four-year term in office.

It is expected to produce another 6 to 12 inches (15-30cm) of rain through Thursday over parts of the upper Texas coast into southwestern Louisiana, the National Weather Service said.

The floods could destroy as much as $20bn in insured property, making the storm one of the costliest in history for US insurers, according to Wall Street analysts.
UK urges Security Council to hold meeting after reports of Rohingya civilian casualties from raids by Myanmar forces.

The UK on Tuesday urged the UN Security Council to convene to discuss reports of mass civilian casualties after raids by Myanmar security forces against Rohingya fighters.

UK requests #UNSC meeting on situation in Burma tomorrow. Need to address long-term issues in #Rakhine, urge restraint by all parties, Matthew Rycroft, UK ambassador to the UN, wrote on Twitter.

UK requests #UNSC meeting on situation in Burma tomorrow. Need to address long-term issues in #Rakhine, urge restraint by all parties.  Matthew Rycroft (@MatthewRycroft1) August 29, 2017

The meeting is expected to take place on Wednesday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged Myanmar to grant access to humanitarian agencies.

The secretary-general is deeply concerned at the reports of civilians being killed during security operations in Myanmars Rakhine state, Guterres office said.

OPINION: Myanmar needs to get serious about peace

Deadly attacks on border posts broke out on Friday that killed one soldier, 10 police officers, an immigration official and 77 alleged fighters of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), the Office of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi said in a statement.

Media reports emerged later that said security forces used disproportionate force and displaced thousands of Rohingya Muslim villagers, destroying homes with mortars and machine guns.

Satellite data accessed by a rights body and released on Tuesday showed widespread fires burning in at least 10 areas in Myanmars Rakhine state.

Residents and activists have accused soldiers of shooting indiscriminately at unarmed Rohingya men, women and children and carrying out arson attacks.

This turn of events is deplorable

Bangladesh border guards told Reuters they had sent about 550 Rohingya back across the Naf river that separates the two countries since Monday, despite an appeal by Guterres for Dhaka to allow Rohingya to seek safety.

Border patrols were also trying to block people from crossing the frontier.





Bangladesh is already hosting more than 400,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled Buddhist-majority Myanmar since the early 1990s. Dhaka has asked the United Nations to pressure Myanmar over its treatment of the Muslim minority, insisting it cannot accept any more.

Still, more than 8,700 have registered in Bangladesh since Friday, the UN said.

The top UN human rights official, Zeid Raad al-Hussein, called on Myanmar on Tuesday to ensure its security forces refrained from using disproportionate force, adding that the political leadership had a duty to protect all civilians without discrimination.

This turn of events is deplorable. It was predicted and could have been prevented, he said.

Myanmars National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said at a news conference that Myanmar had come under attack and had the full right to defend itself. He added that security personnel have been instructed to make sure that innocent civilians are not harmed.

READ MORE: A fight to survive for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

The region has seen simmering tensions between its Buddhist and Muslim populations since communal violence broke out in 2012.

A UN report found human rights violations, including crimes against humanity against Rohingya by security forces. The UN considers Rohingya one of the worlds most persecuted minorities.

The global body documented mass gang rapes, killings  including of infants and children  brutal beatings and disappearances.
UF researchers received a $1 million grant to study why blue crabs are dying.

Scientists with the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences received a three-year grant to study a viral pathogen, the CsRV1 virus, that has caused the blue crab population to drop. UF received the grant from the National Science Foundation on July 1.

Donald Behringer, an associate professor at IFAS in the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, and his colleagues will study how diseases move through the crab population.

The researchers will use a pathogen host to examine how diseases are able to hop from crab to crab across large ocean areas. Eric Schott, an assistant research professor at the University of Marylands Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, wrote in an email that researchers take genetic material from the crabs and use it to study the virus.

We can detect as little as one copy of the virus in a small hemolymph (blood) sample from the crab, Schott said.

Schott said data from his lab shows at least 20 percent of blue crabs along the East Coast and in Chesapeake Bay have the CsRV1 virus, creating a large impact on the crab population.

Schott said researchers will use computer models to help their study and will conduct field experiments where they track and tag wild crabs.

Behringer said researchers study types of blue crabs with slight genetic differences. Blue crabs that live from Maine to North Carolina go dormant in the winter, but those living in the southern hemisphere stay active all year long. Behringer said there are slight differences in the virus based on the crabs type and location.

The research team will look at differences in climate, latitude and oceanographic conditions to figure out why these crabs are contracting the virus, Behringer said.

We are going to be asking how a crabs life history would drive this pathogen, said Behringer.

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Despite sweeping cuts to Alachua County arts programs from the state, for the Hippodrome State Theatre, the show must go on.

The Hippodrome launched a fundraising effort last week to make up for the $12,000 less funding it will receive between October and December, said Jessica Hurov, the Hippodrome managing director.

The theaters first goal was to raise $12,750 by Friday. As of press time, it has raised $8,021, according to the theaters donation page on Facebook.

We are humbled and thrilled by the response so far, Hurov wrote in an email. Its inspiring to see everyone come together like this, and we dont take it for granted.

Each year, the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs evaluates funding needs for a dozen Alachua County arts organizations, including the Hippodrome. While Division of Cultural Affairs estimated the theater needed about $150,000, the state budget only allocated $47,912 for the next fiscal year, Hurov said.

She said the theater typically uses grants from the division to pay the already modest salaries of its actors, directors, set designers and other artists.

The theater doesn't plan to make any personnel cuts or adjustments, and they refuse to raise ticket prices or undo their senior, military and student discounts, Hurov said.

Well figure this out, Hurov said. Support so far has been fantastic.

The Hippodromes new feature adaptation of George Orwells dystopian 1984, set to open Friday, will also not be affected by the cuts, Hurov said. The production began several months ago, and she said sacrificing a plays quality or how long it is at the theater is a last resort.

We arent at that point and dont want to get to that point, she said. Thats why were speaking out now.

Gene Witmer, a Gainesville resident of 20 years, said the theater is a staple in the community he hopes he wont see disappear anytime soon.

Witmer, a UF philosophy professor, said hes donated about $1,000 to the theater every year for the past few years, and gave $100 to the Hippodromes current fundraiser soon after he saw it online.

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Ive always been happy to have the Hippo with us, Witmer said. I think it is very valuable.

Since first attending a play at the Hippodrome about seven years ago, Witmer said hes probably watched 40 to 50 plays at the theater. He said others should witness the beauty of live theater.

To have that experience teaches you something about the power of art, the power of communication, he said. It can bring you to tears.
Starting this semester, a new mail system in UFs residence halls will provide students with 24/7 access to lockers holding packages waiting to be picked up.

The lockers cost approximately $35,000 per area office, Todd Morrone, the associate director of public and governmental relations for Housing and Residence Education, wrote in an email. Morrone said there are 11 area desks getting the lockers, making the total cost around $385,000. He said the new system aims to improve service and make it easier for students to get their deliveries.

With the new system in place, staff will no longer sort and hand off packages to residents. Instead, when the system activates, students will receive a message with a code allowing them to open the locker with their package, said Aniyah Girtman, an employee at the Springs Complex area desk.

A start date for the lockers has not been decided, Morrone said. The new method is in beta testing and is still being evaluated.

In the past, packages often faced delays, which caused UF to seek out the new system, Morrone said.

The system is envisioned to enhance the package delivery service that the area desks offer residents and improve the efficiency of area desk operations, Morrone said.

Though the system is due to start soon, some area desk staff are unsure of the impact the technology will have on their jobs.

Girtman, a UF applied physiology kinesiology junior, said her area desk at Springs Complex has been operating on the previous, hand-delivered system.

We havent gotten a lot of information on it because it hasnt happened yet, the 20-year-old said. Packages are still coming as usual.

Abigail Bartosek, an 18-year-old UF nursing freshman, said she thinks the system will make finding her packages easier.

When picking up her packages, Bartosek said she sometimes has to wait for area staff to dig through the high stack of boxes to find her specific one.

I think its easier for them behind the desk and just simpler, because things that are electronic normally turn out to be easier once theyre figured out, she said.

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Jim and Starlyn Fikkert of Great Bay Signs install Gator decals to the mailing systems in Springs Complex. There is not an official operational start date for the lockers.










English News BRICS contributes to rebalancing of world economy: former Brazilian ambassador to China

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 29 Aout 2017



As todays world is facing increasing uncertainties brought by unprecedented transformation, it is more necessary for BRICS countries to promote the reform of global governance system and cope with challenges together based on the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, cooperation and win-win results, he pointed out.

By Zhang Yuannan from Peoples Daily The BRICS countries are creating conditions for the rebalancing of world economy, said Roberto Jaguaribe, former Brazilian ambassador to China, ahead of the BRICS Summit to be held in Xiamen early September.



The upcoming BRICS Summit to be held in Xiamen is of great significance as it will consolidate and improve BRICS countries position in global governance system, Jaguaribe, now president of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), told the Peoples Daily in a recent interview.



He furthered that the development course of the BRICS mechanism in its first decade revealed the increasing importance of the emerging markets on the international arena.



One big change in todays world structure is the rise of the developing world represented by BRICS members, Jaguaribe noted, adding that the profound changes of global landscape must be reflected in global governance system.



BRICS cooperation, according to the former ambassador, follows a trend that the emerging markets are required to play a bigger role and utter a stronger voice on international affairs.



The global governance order has undergone significant changes with the rising influence of developing countries, especially BRICS members, he noted, explaining that emerging markets are now playing a more vital role than before in key international negotiations.



Amid such backdrop, the bloc could contribute to more consensus and closer collaboration among emerging markets, he stressed.



The BRICS countries play an important part in boosting world diversification and addressing unbalanced wealth distribution, Jaguaribe said, believing that the imbalance that has been restraining the international community could be corrected, which has been proved by the efforts made by developing countries and emerging markets.



As todays world is facing increasing uncertainties brought by unprecedented transformation, it is more necessary for BRICS countries to promote the reform of global governance system and cope with challenges together based on the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, cooperation and win-win results, he pointed out.



Placing ardent expectations on the upcoming summit, Jaguaribe suggests BRICS countries enhance cooperation and play their due roles. This summit will once again improve the execution of the BRICS countries, he added.



BRICS cooperation will embrace its another golden decade in Xiamen of China, the bloc presidency of this year. Having served as the Brazilian ambassador to China, Jaguaribe has a deep understanding of the Chinese politics and economy.



Praising the crucial role played by China in the BRICS bloc, he stressed that the countrys rapid economic development has injected substantial energy into the world growth for a long time.



China is not only the locomotive of BRICS members, but also the engine of global economic growth, he explained.



China has also made key contributions to global trade and globalization of sharing economy by acting as a cornerstone in the global economic system with a strong sense of responsibility, Jaguaribe said.





Dans la meme rubrique : < > China accelerates green, low-carbon development World-class astronomical obervation base takes shape in Qinghai province China, Germany should keep to overall direction of bilateral ties from strategic height: Xi Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News Commentary: BRICS members to build bright future through cooperation

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 29 Aout 2017



As todays world is still faced with rising trade protectionism, hegemonism and power politics, BRICS countries have a duty to safeguard the common interests of emerging markets and developing economies in terms of climatic change, reform of the International Monetary Fund, counter-terrorism, transnational crime, network security and other key agendas in global governance.

By Li Hui The world is now casting its eyes on Xiamen, the coastal city in Chinas Fujian Province, as it will host the ninth BRICS Summit themed deepening the BRICS partnership and opening up a brighter future in early September.



BRICS, since its birth as a new concept, has evolved into a cooperative mechanism guided by the regular meeting of leaders from the five emerging markets -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.



The mechanism also involves a series of exchanges and dialogue activities, including regular ministerial meetings, business forums and think-tank forums.



Over the past decade, the BRICS bloc has transformed itself from a concept to an entity by strengthening dialogue, deepening cooperation and establishing the New Development Bank (NDB) and Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA).



The members, as a result, have contributed much to stimulating world economic growth, reforming and improving global economic governance and boosting democratization of international relations.



BRICS countries enjoy enormous potential for cooperation since they, being in similar development phase, share similar historical missions, development objectives, large population, huge market and highly complementary economies.



A closer relationship among the BRICS members would impact not only their own development, but the world economic growth and international order.



A community of shared interest, first of all, must be established among the BRICS countries.



The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 has been recognized and supported by an increasing number of countries, among which Russia is an active one.



Xi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement on docking the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) construction in May, 2015.



Moreover, China and other BRICS partners are also moving forward to align their development strategies and regional cooperation plans. Chinas investment and its external cooperation on production capacity can tighten the interest bonds of BRICS members and their peoples by giving a boost to their infrastructure construction and industry upgrade.



A community of actions should be set up among them as well. BRICS members, all influential nations in the region where they are located, share a strong sense of responsibility to promote the establishment of a global governance framework that can reflect the new world political and economic arena based on the principles of multipolarity.



The regular meetings between leaders can work as a platform on which the BRICS nations could exchange their views on key international and regional agendas, so that more joint actions could be launched to vindicate UNs core status in international affairs, promote the democratization of international relations, and safeguard world peace and development.



By raising their voice and influence and sending a unified message, the five members have played a significant role in improving global governance and strengthening multilateralism.



A community of shared responsibility should also be built by the bloc.



As todays world is still faced with rising trade protectionism, hegemonism and power politics, BRICS countries have a duty to safeguard the common interests of emerging markets and developing economies in terms of climatic change, reform of the International Monetary Fund, counter-terrorism, transnational crime, network security and other key agendas in global governance.



As big emerging markets and global stakeholders, BRICS nations have the responsibility for and the ability of providing rational solutions to address global challenges as well as more public goods for the international community on the premise of properly handling their own domestic affairs.



(By Li Hui, Chinese Ambassador to Russia)

Source: Peoples Daily





Dans la meme rubrique : < > China accelerates green, low-carbon development World-class astronomical obervation base takes shape in Qinghai province China, Germany should keep to overall direction of bilateral ties from strategic height: Xi Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
On Saturday (in London) a Muslim waved a sword and shouted Allahu Akbar at the police. This was outside Buckingham Palace; which is the Queen's official residence. The man was arrested on suspicion of terrorism.

Hours after the attack, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, predictably said:

London stands more united than ever.

This is yet another rendition of the formula and cliche which is often proclaimed after an Islamic terror attack:

X is united.

And then Khan said the following.

My thoughts are with the police.

This too is a use of the following formula and cliche:

My/our thoughts are with X.

What does it mean to say that London stands more united than ever?

Not much.

For a start, London is a geographical place. It certainly doesn't speak as a whole. That's because it doesn't speak at all.

When politicians come out with such cliches, either of the following may be suspected:

i) Such politicians believe that there's no solution to the problem (or event) they're talking about

ii) Such politicians aren't really that concerned with the problem (or event) they're talking about.

Sadiq Khan, after all, did say that terrorism is part and parcel of living in a big city.

The Mayor of London said that London stands more united than ever only a few hours after the attack. Thus even if the whole of London could talk to him, how did Sadiq Khan find this out so quickly?

How many Londoners did Khan speak to? Which Londoner didn't he speak to? Did he speak only to those Londoners who're bound to say London stands more united as ever? On the other hand, did he speak to Trotskyists, communists, members of Momentum, Islamists, Deobandis, Salafists, the leaders of Corbyn's Stop the War Coalition, radical lawyers, human rights activists, "civil liberties groups", etc? All the former would never have said that London is more united as ever because they neither believe nor want that.

Again, to say that London is more united than ever is to say almost nothing.

Moreover, how can London be united if this attack occurred in London? That's a contradiction in terms. Sure, the attacker is from Luton; though he most certainly could have been from London.

London isn't united anyway.

There's a large minority of Muslims who want to destroy London and Britain and then make it fully Islamic. There's also a large minority of left-wingers who want to destroy London and Britain and then make it fully socialist. These two groups tie into each other in that many middle-class left-wing lawyers, politicians, academics, activists, anti-racists, etc. defend Muslims - and even Islamic terrorists -- no matter what they say or do. Moderate left-wingers or Labourites, on the other hand, simply come out with cliches instead.

The upshot is that nothing radical is ever done about Islamic terror because left-wing professionals make it almost impossible to do anything at all. Such socialists/progressives effectively succeed in bringing about non-action against Islamic terror. They do this with the help of legal action, EU law (at least until March 2019), accusations of "racism"/"Islamophobia", political activism, demonstrations, council policy, etc. As for moderate leftwingers and Labourites, as I said, they come out with mind-numbing cliches instead.

The result of all this is that the situation with Islamic terror will almost definitely get worse and worse (i.e., exponentially worse) in the coming years. The use of political cliches is going have zero effect on that fact.

It's possible that the arrested Muslim was planning some kind of attack on Buckingham Palace. For a start, he was stopped because his car was in a restricted area. That, in itself, wouldn't be that suspicious. However, the fact that he had a large sword in his car and immediately cried Allahu Akbar means that there might have been good reason to stop him.

(The Arabic words Allahu Akbar mean God is greater, not God is great. That means that it's a direct challenge to other gods and the God of Christianity.)

Professional left-wingers will challenge all this, including the reasons the police gave for stopping this Muslim in the first place. They may even talk about Islamophobia and racism. Who knows, perhaps Jeremy Corbyn will mention our role in Afghanistan and Iraq or what the British Empire did in 1947, 1917, or even in 1583. What Corbyn won't mention is Islam and its 1,400 years of jihad and violence in which literally dozens of millions have died.

If there had been an attack on Buckingham Palace and people had died, then today there would be peace vigils and many pious and empty words (like Sadiq Khan's). Then life would carry on as before... until the next attack! The next attack could very well be next week or even tomorrow.

As Sadiq Khan famously implied: Londoners have to live with Islamic terror.

Paul Austin Murphy is a writer on politics and philosophy. He's had articles published in The Conservative Online, Intellectual Conservative, Human Events, Faith Freedom, Think-Israel, Brenner Brief (Broadside News), New English Review, etc. His philosophy blog can be found here. His blog on politics can be found here.
Several years ago, when I heard about Female Genital Mutilation, FGM, I thought I had been mistaken. The idea that such an atrocity taking place in modern times could not be reconciled with my naive thinking at the time. After reading Alice Walkers book, Possessing the Secret of Joy, I realized this hideous act toward women was alive and well in the third world countries of Africa practiced among Muslims and some Christians alike. What I could not wrap my head around was the silence from the western world against this barbarism. In addition, as I learned more about the various layers of intrusiveness in FGM, I became even more disturbed by excuses made in the name of religion and culture.

A couple of decades ago, a friend in the mental health field told me a startling but unsubstantiated piece of information. In the 1980s, long before FGM came to light in the Western world, she heard from other colleagues that a few American physicians in a large metropolis performed FGM on the daughters of wealthy Middle Easterners willing to pay the price. Although she was adamant her sources were reliable, I had difficulty believing this. Now, I think, perhaps there was some truth to her story. We will never really know. What we recognize, however, is this hideous action, a crime against humanity, is being performed right beneath our noses in the Midwest and, possibly, other parts of the U.S. If it is not being activated on U.S. soil itself, American girls are being sent away for vacation cutting. These young girls are sent home to countries which turn a blind eye toward this primitive ritual. Even though Egypt is trying to curtail the practice, it is included among these countries having over 90 percent of women who undergo FGM.

According to Equality Now:

The federal law addressing FGM in the U.S.: 18 U.S. Code  116 Female Genital Mutilation makes it illegal to:  Perform FGM in the U.S.  Knowingly transport a girl out of the U.S. for the purpose of inflicting FGM.

This law began in 1996 regarding the performance of FGM in the U.S., but it was not until the last couple of years the transportation action that is taking your daughter for vacation cutting was criminalized.

As an added protection, under half of the states have laws criminalizing this practice. Recently, Maines state representatives, mainly Democrats, narrowly defeated a bill to join these other states. The Portland Press Herald reports:

The debate over the bill, L.D. 745, was not whether the practice happens worldwide but rather whether it is occurring in Maine, particularly inside the states growing communities of African immigrants. I do not believe that it is happening in the state of Maine. I truly do not believe that, said Rep. Lois Galgay Reckitt, D-South Portland. And I believe if it was happening, it would be prosecuted vigorously by the federal (laws) or by the abuse statutes in this state. But Rep. Heather Sirocki, R-Scarborough, said that since introducing the bill she has heard from numerous people in Maine - including some in the medical field - with personal stories about seeing female genital mutilation.

Where is the outrage from the so-called warriors of social justice? Why are the feminists not up in arms with this misogynistic practice being performed, primarily, by women for men on children? Is this not the greatest form of child abuse? Where is the press? What does it matter if it is cultural or religious? For those who liken this to male circumcision, I challenge you: How many people die from male circumcision? Do men become maimed or lose their ability to experience pleasure? Some might challenge this last point, but for the most part, this is a closed argument. There is no comparison.

Now we have the case of the physician in Michigan. The defense is pulling together a star-studded team of lawyers. According to Kristina Arriaga, who wrote an article, Cutting Young Girls Isnt Religious Freedom, in the August 24 Wall Street Journal:

The physicians lawyers announced they will craft a religious-freedom defense. And they may be astute enough to get away with it. The all-star team includes constitutional law scholar and O.J. Simpson lawyer Alan Dershowitz, along with Mayer Morganroth who represented assisted-suicide champion Dr. Jack Kevorkian for more than 15 years. They are funded by an international Muslim organization called Dawat-e-Hadiyah.

We know in our great country that everyone is entitled to a legal defense, but does someone as prominent as Dershowitz need to defend such an outrageous defendant, a physician, who defies her own oath of no harm? Is his love of the law so great nothing else matters? Perhaps, but Ms. Arriaga goes on to report the follies of this defense:

The physicians lawyers have not only put these girls at even greater risk, they have tainted the religious freedom of all Americans with their specious arguments.

Many of us could not agree more with Ms. Arriagas arguments. This sets an extremely dangerous precedent. Will this practice allow Sharia law to supersede U.S. laws in the name of religious freedom? Will more doctors defiantly and openly practice this barbarism in the name of culture and religion? Will honor killings be exonerated under the religious-freedom act? This may sound dramatic, but is it? With the rapid pace of our laws and history being dismantled in the name of justice and diversity, who knows what is next.

Thankfully we have people like Ayaan Hirsi Ali who with her foundation are fighting against radical Islams stealth takeover of our land in the name of culture and religion. As we know, however, the Left pushes back ferociously with name-calling and shutting down free speech. They did this a few years back when they branded Ms. Ali with some ism or phobia. Consequently, her invitation to speak at Brandeis Universitys commencement was rescinded.

We know the Left and radical Islam make strange bedfellows, but they do so when necessary to further their cause. FGM is child abuse at its extreme and a crime against all of humanity. This practice is about as misogynistic as one can get. Yet, the feminists and MSM are too busy defiling Donald Trump and lamenting the defeat of Hillary Clinton, a woman whom they admire as strong, independent, and smart. Their blind loyalty ensues as she continues to exhibit poor sportsmanship around her election loss and remains married to someone who has humiliated her for decades. Perhaps, it is not a coincidence the Ladies of the Left selectively ignore misogyny.

No matter what the Left does, we on the right must remain apprised and vigilant. We can help challenge such atrocities as FGM through pressure on our state representatives, education and the pocketbook. Let us hope Dershowitz and his team lose their case. The people will have spoken, and the triumph will not be just for U.S law but for the innocent who can rest a little easier going forward.

The author is using a pen name for reasons she explains here
One of my favorite quotes is the coward Falstaff cringing to Prince Hal before the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403.

I would twere bedtime, Hal, and all well.

If you are a conservative or dissident rightist -- or any kind of person, left or right -- I defy you to say that you never wish for the cold civil war to be over, and all well.

But the fact is that almost nothing in this world gets decided peacefully by an open and frank discussion of the issues. Reality may be objective, but our theories about reality are faith, and often enough we want to decide questions of faith by force.

Put it this way. Baby-boomers like me like to sneer at the folly of politicians in the 1930s that failed to stop Hitler until it was too late. What a bunch of losers!

But ask yourself: what would it have taken for the Baldwins and the Chamberlains and the Daladiers to leave go of their comfortable theories of disarmament treaties and collective security before it was too late?

Now ask yourself what it would take for liberals to leave go of their comfortable theories about diversity and institutional racism and stop their mad race-based university admissions culture before its too late?

This week the New York Times ran a chin-stroker article about the fact that black and Hispanic university admissions have failed to rise at all since 1980. Raaacism!

But David French at NRO notes a curious correlation. The current racial stats on college admissions by race happen to correlate with marriage.

The cohort thats most overrepresented in American colleges and universities, Asian Americans, also happens to have the lowest percentage of nonmarital births in the United States.

Here are the birth stats of children born to married parents: Asian Americans: 83.4%; Whites: 79.8%; Hispanic: 37%; Blacks: 29.4%.

Correlation is not causation, say the philosophers, but what do you think?

Last week I had a little fun with a new book by Mark Lilla, The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics, reviewed by William Voegeli. Here is the key article of Lillas liberal faith:

Effecting beneficial changes requires wielding power, [Lilla] argues, and in democracies, securing power means winning elections.

You mean like implementing Affirmative Action and Diversity programs to effect beneficial changes in university admissions?

Or welfare programs that disconnect poor children from their fathers? Or government education that subjects children to life-tenured government schoolteachers?

But what if wielding political power has nothing to do with the case?

Could it possibly be that the key to university admissions is not Affirmative Action but the marriage culture? Could it be that the answer to education is not more government programs but married Tiger Mothers who care about their children? In that case, of course, beneficial changes will have nothing to do with politicians wielding power. It might even make things worse.

Could it be that the answer to our problems would be a new ascendancy of the bourgeoisie? As Glenn Reynolds writes:

When the middle class was ascendant, it had the power to force bourgeois norms on elites, and every many of the poor.

A bourgeois ascendancy would once more privilege following the rules, going to work, and obeying the law. Imagine where that might lead, on the bathroom front.

My point is that liberals are not going to cry Uncle on any of their wonderful programs to effect beneficial changes and not coincidentally enjoy the wielding of political power. Not this year, not next year. Not until utter ruin is staring them in the face.

And maybe not even then. See: Maduro, Nicolas; Venezuela, president of.

I admit that I am like Falstaff. I would like this whole cold civil war decided by bedtime. I really dont want to be in a culture war between the creatives and the normals. Why cant we all just get along?

The answer is pretty obvious. Our liberal friends wont stop wielding political power until it is taken out of their cold dead hands, or at least until half the liberals retreat into their safe spaces with post-election stress disorder after President Pence gets elected in 2024.

Margaret Thatcher told us that the trouble with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other peoples money. But she was wrong.

What really happens when you run out of other peoples money is that you blame saboteurs and wreckers for the mess. Oh dear, how 20th century of me. These days you blame raaacists.

The trouble with Socialism is that even after you run out of other peoples money you still refuse to look reality in the face, so long as you have a Deep State to do your dirty work for you and un-mask the oppositions phone calls.

Sorry Falstaff. No bed-time for you.

Christopher Chantrill @chrischantrill runs the go-to site on US government finances, usgovernmentspending.com. Also see his American Manifesto and get his Road to the Middle Class.
The election of Donald Trump as the 45th American president in Novembeer 2016 resulted in a predictable wave of barely concealed anti-American sentiment in the European media and officialdom alike. The reasons are not difficult to understand. The European Union as the major European political institution is generally left-of-center and much closer ideologically to the Democratic Party elites in the United States than to the Republicans. Further, the European media are closely attuned to the mainstream media in the U.S. and look at the country through pretty much their prism. Not surprisingly, European and, especially German, elites were as shocked and devastated by Trumps election victory as their American mainstream colleagues, and perhaps even more so, to the extent that conservative media, as such, barely exist on the continent.

What has followed since is more disturbing still because it points to new fault lines that augur ill for the West and Europe in particular. Rabid anti-American propaganda has now reached heights that has made Der Spiegel to claim on its title page that the true face of Trump is a KKK hood. The German Left as represented by foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel, has gone as far as demanding the withdrawal of American nuclear weapons from Germany, which, in practice, means the end of NATO. Even more serious is Angela Merkels seeming pro-Putin about face.

Encouraged by the asinine claims of anti-American zealots to consider herself the new leader of the free-world, she has now sided with a Russian-German project to shortchange Ukraine, Poland and the rest of Eastern Europe on energy and against the nearly unanimous bipartisan opinion of the U.S. Congress. Known as Nord Stream 2, the project not only bypasses Eastern Europe and transfers at least $10 billion into Russo-German pockets, but also mortally injures the European Energy Unions hopes for diversifying supplies and lessening dependence on Russia. Thirteen Eastern European countries have complained vociferously, but to no avail so far. Neither has Frau Merkel been impressed by the fact that former chancellor and current Putin lackey, Gerhard Schroeder, is the the chairman of the project, which, in turn, is managed by a Stasi buddy of Putins.

Coming in the wake of German dictates to Eastern Europe to take migrants that Merkel unwisely invited to Europe and new efforts by the German media to blame the Versailles Treaty, rather than Hitler, for WWII, this is yet another example of Germany throwing its weight around in ways that most Europeans would rather forget.

It may be appropriate, at this point, to remember how the last such foreign-political effort by Germany to strike out on its own ended. It was called Ostpolitik and it became official German policy under the leadership of the social democratic party (SPD) in 1969-1970. In essence, Ostpolitik meant that West Germany would recognize Soviet domination in the East and the German Democratic Republic in return for a magnanimous Soviet agreement to take German loans and technology to prop their failing economy. A key aspect of it was that there was to be no talk of human rights and no support whatever for anti-regime opponents and dissidents. In effect, West Germany pledged its support for the brutal communist regimes in the interest of world peace, hoping eventually to achieve an illusory change through rapprochement. It was appeasement pure and simple. And so when the workers of Solidarity challenged the communist regime in Poland, the number of long, unhappy faces in the German foreign ministry probably rivaled those in the Soviet Politburo.

But times had changed in the meantime, and a new American president presided in the White House, who not only fervently believed that the Soviet Union was an evil empire, but also that it could and should be defeated. Thus, Ronald Reagan set upon changing history, even as the pinstripes in Bonn continued to place their forlorn hopes on Soviet reform from above. As early as May 20, 1982 Reagan signed the top secret National Security Decision Directive (NSDD)  32, declaring that the United States no longer recognized Soviet domination over Eastern Europe and promised covert support for freedom movements. A long struggle ensued with America actively undermining Soviet rule on a number of fronts from Afghanistan and Nicaragua, to Solidarity and the Vatican, rebuilding its military strength, installing Pershing II missiles in Europe and using sanctions to weaken the Soviet economy.

On June 12, 1987 standing at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, overlooking the wall, President Reagan urged the leader of the Soviet Union, Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall. Two years later, on Nov. 9, 1989, the people of Berlin, East and West, spontaneously began dismantling the wall. The Cold War was over and so was the Soviet Union. Frau Merkel ought to be reminded of this simple Ostpolitik story.

Alex Alexiev is chairman for the Center for Balkan and Black Sea Studies (cbbss.org) and editor of the geopolitical website bulgariaanalytica.org. He tweets on national security at tweeter.com/alexieff and could be reached at alexievalex4@gmail.com.
Berkeley's Mayor Jesse Arreguin has just endorsed the rioter's veto. In the wake of his police department standing by and allowing hundreds of masked and armed Antifa demonstrators to breach barricades and attack a handful of peaceful free speech and anti-Marxist demonstrators  to the horror of even the Washington Post  the mayor is sending a message to the world, which over the weekend saw extensive video coverage of thugs beating up heavily outnumbered peaceful protesters, that the city wishes to reward the mob.

#UPDATE: Black-clad anarchists attack 5 protesters in Berkeley, including organizer of SF Patriot Prayer rally. https://t.co/DItm9Zkx0J pic.twitter.com/2vCMu40lNE  NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) August 28, 2017

Matier and Ross of the S.F. Chronicle report:

In the aftermath of a right-wing rally Sunday that ended with anarchists chasing attendees from a downtown park, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin urged UC Berkeley on Monday to cancel conservatives' plans for a Free Speech Week next month to avoid making the city the center of more violent unrest. ... The mayor wants UC Berkeley to halt plans by a conservative campus group, the Berkeley Patriot, to host right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos during its scheduled Free Speech Week from Sept. 24-27. Berkeley's right-vs.-left cage matches began with an appearance that Yiannopoulos was to have made in February at a campus hall, an event that was aborted when black-clad anarchists like those who broke up Sunday's downtown rally stormed into Sproul Plaza, smashed windows and set bonfires.

U.C. Berkeley's new chancellor, Carol Christ, has admirably risen to the defense of free speech and called this a "year of free speech" for the campus. But Mayor Arreguin thinks he has a better idea: reward Antifa for its violence on campus, where its members did over a hundred thousand dollars of damage stopping Milo's speech, and for their attack on peaceful demonstrators on Sunday.

Mayor Arreguin is pretending that rewarding behavior does not encourage more such behavior. Lab rats in psych departments across the land respond to reward that way, and so will the rats of Antifa. He is telling them they are free to police political speech in Berkeley.

Meanwhile, other leftists are realizing that Antifa is driving voters toward Trump and the GOP. As James Queally, Paige St. John, Benjamin Oreskes, and David Zahniser of the L.A. Times write:

Some in Berkeley worried that Sunday's chaos, captured on video and quickly disseminated through social media, would provide unwanted ammunition to Trump and his supporters. "We can't keep producing this audio-visual propaganda," said Andrew Noruk, a counter-protester who denounced the fights. "It is recruiting for the right." (snip) One counter-protester, in tears, said she worried that Sunday's event would be tied to violence. Another, who helped break up a fight, was upset over the altercations. "We need to get antifa out of here," said Jack Harris, 20, of San Francisco.

The blog Philadeliquency has a pointed and amusing celebration of the gift that Antifa is for conservatives. Long and worth a read. Here is a sample (language warning):

I feel sorry for leftists. I realize many of my readers are leftists. I have to make a distinction here, because "Democrat" and "leftist" are not synonymous terms, as the whole flap over the Rizzo statue makes obvious to people now. There's a lot of them in Philadelphia and they pretty-much signal off each other like cattle moo-ing their way across a pasture. Few of you realize what is coming, but I already see the winds blowing. You will feel that wind turn gale force as the months go by. The people I'm feeling sorry for are you guys, gals  and other  who have been out marching in circles around City Hall hoping Trump would give a [s---] about your Magic Marker signs. Standing next to you in those crowds were miscreant humanities students and flunkies otherwise known as AntiFa and Black Bloc. Unfortunately for you, even though you didn't don AntiFa garb you are going to be lumped in with them; because you've been winking and nodding at them and quietly accepting the normalization of extra-judicial unconstitutional violence as if it were protected speech. That is soon going to come to an end and it's not because of Charlottesville. Sorry, that's how it's going to be spun. Own it. The backspin has already started[.] ... You see, there are quite a number of Democratic senators in Congress who are up for re-election next year. Our very own U.S. senator Bob Casey is considered vulnerable being located in a state that voted for President Trump. One of the most vulnerable Democratic senators in Congress is Missouri senator Claire McCaskill. Her state voted for Donald Trump by 57% to Hillary Clinton's 38%. She has to desperately look as moderate as possible, her Republican attackers will put up ads "Clare's people think every last one of you is a racist Nazi," and pair photos of her in ballrooms with Nancy Pelosi set to dramatic music. See how this works? This obviously has Democratic strategists in a pickle. It's very obvious what next year will be like. The worst footage from protest demonstrations will be put on display in campaign advertising and all the claims that Democratic pundits and authors have made claiming America is festooned with 64 million gas-chamber-murdering Nazis. Everyone who voted for Donald Trump is a Nazi. They're all Nazis. Every [f------] last one of them is a [m-----------] Nazi. There are few Republicans up for re-election in 2018 who are really vulnerable. Those 64 million Trump voters still have access to ballot machines and they can still vote. Calling every Trump voter a Nazi, as so many of you have done, is not going to be forgotten. That projection is going to come back to haunt people. It terrifies people who actually do politics as part of their career; namely pundits, campaign strategists and party officials. The Republican platform is simple. They are going to remind everyone that leftist protestors and pundits alike cast the specter of Nazism to vast oceans of voters and they have the video footage the screenshots and the writings to validate it. They are going to remind their core base and Trump's voter base what the rhetoric was, that leftists living in cities think all of America between the outskirts of Philadelphia to the city limits of San Francisco is a vast ocean of Nazis. But that's OK. Democrats' prospects are not that great next year. November 2018 won't be long away. The second those returns come in you can put the masks back on and go marching again, comrade.

Hat tip: Clarice Feldman, Instapundit
While Tehran's diplomacy apparatus has been trying to portray a moderate image of the Iranian regime, the realities inside the country reveal a completely different truth.

On July 30, a few days before the inauguration of Hassan Rouhani's second term as president, the special guards of Gohardasht Prison, Karaj (60 kilometers west of Tehran), also known as Raja'i Shahr, raided a ward where political prisoners, prisoners of conscience, human rights defenders, trade unionists, journalists, and students were kept. The prison guards forcibly transferred some 50 inmates to a separate hall without allowing them to take their personal possessions, including their medicine. In the process, several of the prisoners who protested the unlawful act were beaten and injured.

Hall 10, where the prisoners have been transferred, is a high-security section. Surveillance cameras and listening devices are installed in every corner, including the bathrooms, in order to keep the prisoners under strict control. The hall lacks minimum facilities, including beds and hygienic accessories, and the windows are sealed from both sides, preventing ventilation.

The measure is apparently a reaction to the prisoners' protests to their deteriorating conditions and their secret correspondence with international bodies about the inhuman treatment of inmates in Iran's prisons.

In response, the prisoners have gone on a hunger strike and demanded their transfer to their previous ward and the return of their personal belongings. After nearly a month, despite their deteriorating health and constant threats by prison guards to send them to solitary confinement or execute them, they've remained steadfast in their resolve to restore their rights.

The brutal treatment of the prisoners has sparked a wave of condemnation around the world by human rights activists. Supporters of the Iranian resistance have staged protests in several countries, demanding that the international community hold the Iranian regime accountable for its gross human rights violations.

"The fact that detention conditions have become so poor that desperate prisoners feel they are forced to go on hunger strike to demand the most basic standards of human dignity is disgraceful and highlights the urgent need for reforms to Iran's cruel prison system," said Magdalena Mughrabi, deputy Middle East and North Africa director for Amnesty International, in a statement published on the organization's website.

Amnesty International called on the Iranian authorities to allow international monitors, including the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, to conduct independent, unannounced inspections of Gohardasht Prison and other prisons across the country.

The opposition coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran has issued several statements, warning against the threats to the lives of the prisoners and calling on international human rights organizations to take action.

The hunger strike of Gohardasht inmates has also garnered support across Iran. In solidarity with the prisoners at Gohardasht, inmates in other prisons across the country have gone on hunger strikes, including in Tehran, Zabul, and Ardebil. Dr. Mohammad Maleki, the first chancellor of Tehran University after the 1979 revolution and a prominent political dissident, also declared his support of the hunger-strikers.

The Iranian regime has a history of unleashing its rage against political prisoners when it finds itself in dire straits. In 1988, Khomeini, Iran's then-supreme leader, ordered the execution of 30,000 political prisoners when he feared for the future of his regime.

Now the regime is again facing a precarious situation. It no longer has the tacit support of the Obama administration, is faced with setbacks in its regional agendas, and is dealing with mounting activism and protests by opposition supporters inside the country. The increased pressure against political prisoners could be a prelude to a bigger disaster.

This is yet more evidence that moderation within the religious dictatorship ruling Iran is a myth. In the past three decades, the presidency of Iran has been occupied by so-called "reformists" and "moderates" for most of the time. However, there's been no sign of improvement on the human and civil rights fronts  only hollow promises and deceitful rhetoric that have yielded no results. During Rouhani's first term alone, more than 3,000 executions were carried out, a figure that dwarfs that of his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is considered a hardliner by Western politicians.

On August 23, Tehran's general prosecutor, Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi, who is subject to sanctions by the European Union for serious human rights violations, reiterated the regime's decision to continue mounting pressure against political prisoners, claiming, "The judiciary would not succumb to the hunger strike of prisoners."

Shamefully, since the beginning of the hunger strike of Gohardasht prisoners, the international community has done little hold the Iranian regime to account for its actions. If Western politicians are waiting for the government of Hassan Rouhani to show a sign of moderation, they're in for a big disappointment. Meanwhile, the lives of prisoners of conscience and political prisoners hangs in the balance, and they've resorted to a hunger strike, the only measure they have to defend their lives and dignity.
The threat of a North Korean attack is rising.

Last week, Kim Jong-un further provoked the United States by having his country "accidentally" release pictures of their plans to develop the submarine-launched ballistic missile Pukguksong-3 and the three-stage intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

While war should still be the last resort, not the first resort, we still need to be prepared.

U.S. Army major Jim Gant states in his book One Tribe at a Time that "less in more" on the battlefield to win the hearts and minds of the people of Afghanistan. But when it comes to successful ballistic missile technology, more is more. As is more money, more testing, and more protection for the American people.

Ground-based midcourse defense (GMD) is the best defense we have against what is a clear and present danger in North Korea and Iran. Neither regime respects mutually assured destruction in the way China and Russia view a nuclear conflict.

GMD as a system is proving itself to be more reliable with every test. It successfully protected Hawaii earlier this year. It is not 100 percent successful yet, and some argue that .400 is not good enough. Right now, however, it's by far the best defense option we have, and we cannot allow officials to play batting statistics with the security of the American mainland.

Last year, a GMD development and sustainment contract was awarded in December 2011, which the agency last year estimated would cost $4.1 billion to execute through 2018. The need to renew this contract and fund at a much higher level is apparent to anyone who reads North Korea's writings and understands what true lunacy we are up against. Even libertarian-leaning congressmen like Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) have shown some support for this idea.

The results of a successful missile attack against the United States would be tragic on a massive scale. Even an electromagnetic pulse attack from high in the atmosphere might disable the electrical grid for years.

The Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack was established by Congress in 2001 the Department of Defense and other departments and agencies of the U.S. government on the nuclear EMP threat to military systems and civilian critical infrastructures. The EMP Commission was renewed in 2015, with its charter broadened to include natural EMP from solar storms, all man-made threats, cyber-attack, and combined-arms cyber-warfare.

Furthering the U.S. response to a missile launch will be "fire and fury." Remember that U.S. defense secretary James Mattis has said any military solution to the North Korea crisis would be "tragic on an unbelievable scale." GMD is not only an effective weapon against a real launch, but also a deterrent against a rogue state.

The Department of Defense will not just shoot down an incoming missile. Our counter-battery fire will be devastating to the North Korean people. No one wants this to happen.

As Ronald Reagan said in 1983, "the defense policy of the United States is based on a simple premise: the United States does not start fights. We will never be an aggressor. We maintain our strength to deter and defend against aggression  to preserve freedom and peace."

President Trump was, in his own words, "dealt a bad hand." He's right, and it's time to fix that by going all in on missile defense funding.

Phil Kiver is an Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, a current doctoral candidate in strategic studies at Henley-Putnam University, and a freelance journalist.
Many of us have been following the usually comedic efforts of North Korea to successfully test a ballistic missile that her apparently deranged leader can get downrange far enough to make good on his threats to nuke America or her allies. Most of her test missiles keep destructing on the launch pad or shortly after launch, which leads many of us to suspect sabotage in the manner of how Israel and America cyber-sabotaged Iran's nuclear centrifuges. Whether by incompetence or insidiousness, the constant failures have many around the world laughing at the No-Go Norks  although they did just have a semi-success in lofting a missile over Japan, only to have it fall apart over the Pacific.

At this moment, Japan is not laughing at her Keystone Kops neighbor.

However, it may not be the misfiring missiles that Japan should be watching. The Daily Mail is reporting that some Nork-watchers fear that Kim Jong-un, despairing of missile delivery of nuclear warheads, could turn to an almost ancient aviation technology for his delivery vehicles: his fleet of Antonov AN-2 bi-wing transport aircraft, of which he reportedly has several hundred. The Annie, as this aircraft is known by the thousands who have flown it and continue to do so all around the world, looks like something from WWI, having been designed by the Soviets and first flown in the late 1940s.

Annie is a true work horse and the go-to aircraft in many remote areas of the world because of its ability to carry heavy payloads in and out of primitive areas with minimal landing and take-off amenities. It has a limited range of about 500 miles, but that is enough to reach much of Japan and all of South Korea. "How could some old airplane do that in the face of all our modern air defenses?" you ask. And therein reposes Annie's advantage. She flies too low and slow to be detected by radar systems, and with an earth/sky camouflage paint scheme, she is almost impossible spot from above by faster, higher flying aircraft.

Our modern air defense systems are actually programmed to ignore such radar returns from the likes of Annie to sift out civilian distractions. And when I say slow, I mean an aircraft that could possibly fly forty miles an hour at treetop level without stalling all the way from Wonsan to Nagasaki and Hiroshima, carrying a two-ton nuclear bomb.

How ironic would it be for the only two cities in world history to suffer nuclear devastation to do so again to satisfy the mad political strategizing of a fat little man, full of himself and his total power over small nation, yet completely ignorant of the world he shuns? He does indeed possess a weapon that just might be capable of delivering that destruction upon those two cities and others  an aircraft that was being designed and first built when Allied forces delivered the first nuclear destruction upon them in 1945.
North Korea test-fired a medium-range ICBM that flew over northern Japan. It was the fourth time in history that a North Korean missile violated Japanese airspace.

ABC News:

"We assess North Korea conducted a missile launch within the last 90 minutes," Col. Rob Manning, the director of press operations at the Department of Defense, said Monday evening in a statement. "We can confirm that the missile launch by North Korea flew over Japan. We are in the process of assessing this launch. "North American Aerospsace Defense Command, or NORAD, determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America. We are working closely with Pacific Command, Strategic Command and NORAD, and we'll provide an update as soon as possible," he added. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe briefly addressed the launch, saying the country will be collecting more information, according to NHK, Japan's national public broadcasting organization. The missile, which was launched early Tuesday local time, landed in the ocean, said Yoshihide Suga, Japan's chief Cabinet secretary, NHK reported. "Nothing seemed have dropped on Japanese soil," Suga said. "We will be working with Korea and other nations and gather information to secure the population of Japan," he added, according to NHK. It was the 13th launch by North Korea this year. NHK reported the Japanese government issued a warning to people living in northern prefectures to take cover near strong structures after reports of the launch. North Korean ballistic missiles have passed Japanese airspace at least four times in the past. The last time a North Korea missile passed over Japanese airspace was February 2016, over islands in south Japan. At that time, North Korea said it was launching a satellite, the same explanation the country gave on two other occasions in 2012 and 2009.

Obviously, this ratchets up tensions in the region, a point that Japanese Prime Minister Abe made when he expressed his country's outrage and the provocative act:

CNN:

Soon after the launch, Abe called it a "unprecedented serious and grave threat to Japan" that "significantly undermines the peace and security of the region." The Japanese leader said he spoke with US President Donald Trump for 40 minutes. "Japan and the US completely agreed that an emergency meeting at the UN Security Council should be held immediately and increase the pressure towards North Korea." Trump reiterated that the United States "stands with Japan 100%," Abe said. While the missile flew over Japanese territory, one analyst said it wasn't necessarily intended as a threat to Japan. "If they're going to launch to a distance they've got to go over somebody. It looks to me like a risk reduction measure, they want to reduce the populated areas they fly over just in case anything goes wrong," said Joshua Pollack, a senior research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Soon after the launch, Abe called it a "unprecedented serious and grave threat to Japan" that "significantly undermines the peace and security of the region." The Japanese leader said he spoke with US President Donald Trump for 40 minutes. "Japan and the US completely agreed that an emergency meeting at the UN Security Council should be held immediately and increase the pressure towards North Korea." Trump reiterated that the United States "stands with Japan 100%," Abe said. While the missile flew over Japanese territory, one analyst said it wasn't necessarily intended as a threat to Japan. "If they're going to launch to a distance they've got to go over somebody. It looks to me like a risk reduction measure, they want to reduce the populated areas they fly over just in case anything goes wrong," said Joshua Pollack, a senior research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.

China is proving its uselessness in this crisis by blaming the U.S. and South Korea for the launch, citing new sanctions and other provocative acts to excuse the behavior of North Korea.

Did Kim order a test launch while America was preoccupied with Hurricane Harvey? The possibility cannot be dismissed, but ordinarily, these tests are planned many days in advance.

Kim is now on shaky ground. He's just about played out the string on what he can reasonably expect to get away with. From here on out, his calculations on U.S. reaction to a missile or nuke test will be far less certain. The launch over Japan served only to bring the U.S. and South Korea closer to the conclusion that while military action on the Korean peninsula would be catastrophic, not doing anything would be worse.
"Steve Feldman, land baron!"

It has a nice ring to it as I say it out loud.

Of course, it is patently untrue. But that did not stop a United States Postal Service clerk from not only thinking I am a land baron, but also telling me so to my face.

I went into the post office (where I go multiple times a week) near my workplace to mail some items and to buy some stamps. Usually, I buy either rolls of flag stamps or the sheets that feature America's national parks.

I approached the counter and asked for 100 national park stamps (which were not part of the display of stamps for sale!) when I noticed a stamp that caught my eye. It looked to my tired eyes to depict a field and two rock formations. I asked the clerk what the stamp was.

"That is the new Andrew Wyeth," she said. "Would you like those instead?"

Nothing against the local renowned painter, but "no," I replied. "I'll stick with the national park stamps." I added: "I'd rather show off the natural beauty of our country."

"Yes, you probably own half of it," she replied.

Needless to say, I was flabbergasted. This clerk waits on me often as I mail items with a return address from a Jewish agency. My name is another giveaway. There is no doubt that the uncivil civil servant realizes that I am Jewish.

I have had pennies thrown at me. I've been called "kike" and "dirty Jew" and "Jew bastard" more times than I care to count. I've had "Jew" painted in red on a former car. In my former career as a reporter, I covered Klan rallies, Farrakhan events, and assorted neo-Nazi gatherings, and I have been in the presence of even worse  such as the time a Jew-hater told me, "I'm going to cut off your head and spit down your throat!"

More recently, I have been at countless anti-Israel demonstrations to monitor them or lead pro-Israel counter-demonstrations  and I have heard it all and then some.

But none of those epithets or other instances of Jew-hatred disturbed me as much as what this postal clerk said to me.

While at the events noted above, Jew-hatred was to be expected, it was not to be expected at a federal office in this age of political correctness.

But this clerk felt it was okay to state that Jews own America. Attacks against Jews today  verbally or otherwise  seemingly are politically correct.

Moreover, an age-old stereotype I thought had been thoroughly debunked apparently has not been. Jewish (and other) agencies that help the poor have thousands of Jewish clients in my region alone. I wonder if that postal clerk knows about them.

What was said to me was not nearly as dangerous as imams in California stating that Jews should be annihilated, or neo-Nazis in Charlottesville trying to scare and intimidate Jews in a synagogue. It is not nearly as repugnant as those who support the anti-Jewish "Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions" movement that is the "in" thing on many campuses, nor paying Palestinian-Arabs a reward for murdering Jews in the streets throughout Israel  rewards funded by American tax dollars. Those literally are existential threats. But it was shocking nonetheless.

So after I took a millisecond to process the canard, I said, rather sternly: "Excuse me?!"

The clerk paused, snickered, and said: "Well, you know. I was just making a joke."

"It's not funny," I told her.

I needed to rush back to work. Plus, I figured, without a dozen witnesses confirming what occurred, the chances of anything meaningful happening to a civil service employee making an anti-Semitic remark to a Jewish person are slim to none. So in the immediate moment, I did nothing.

But several days later, with some regret and circumspection (and at the urging of friends), I went back and spoke to the postmaster. I told him I was not looking to get anyone fired, but the remark was crude and should not be tolerated.

He was emotionless. No sense of surprise, anger, or anything else. He assured me that he would talk to all of the counter clerks. I told him it was only one clerk who made the remark. "I'll talk to all of them."

Despite a federal employee's insistence that I am a land baron who owns half of our great nation, unfortunately, I'm not. But what she did tell me that was certainly accurate is that Jew-hatred is alive, well, and out in the open, and those who harbor Jew-hatred feel free to pronounce it without a care in the world.

America is rapidly changing. Europe already has changed, and its Jews are fleeing. Jewish Americans and our non-Jewish friends have a lot of work to do  perhaps more so than ever before in America  to stamp out Jew-hatred.

All it took was a minute in the Post Office to remind me.

Steve Feldman is proudly American and proudly Jewish!
Across Europe, there are hundreds of underground tunnels that lead to nowhere and about which no historic records have ever been found. They are mostly located in the German state of Bavaria and the adjoining country Austria, where they are known by the German name Erdstall, which means place under the earth. Locally, they are also called by various names such as "Schrazelloch" (meaning "goblin hole") or "Alraunenhohle" (meaning "mandrake cave") which reflects the various theories and legends associated with the mysterious tunnels.

Entry to the erdstall Ratgobluckn at Perg, Austria. Its passages are high enough for touristic access. Photo credit: Pfeifferfranz/Wikimedia

A typical erdstall tunnel is very low requiring an adult human to walk in a hunched position. Some are so small that explorers have to get down on all fours. They are also very narrow, averaging about two feet across. Most tunnels are longer than twenty meters, but not more than fifty meters long.

Some tunnels have more than one level with a tight passageway, known as "schlupfe" or "slip", connecting the higher tunnel with the lower one. The passages are so tight that a person needs to crawl under the slip hole, stand up thereby sliding the shoulders through the uncomfortably tight hole, and squeeze his way out and into the higher tunnel. A schlupfe can also occur horizontally connecting two tunnels in the same level.

Erdstall tunnels are also known to have only one narrow concealed entry point with no separate exits. The tunnel entrances are sometimes located in the kitchens of old farmhouses, near churches and cemeteries or in the middle of a forest. The atmosphere inside is dark and oppressive.

A vertical slip hole. Photo credit: Josef Weichenberger/Wikimedia

A horizontal slip hole. Photo credit: Josef Weichenberger/Wikimedia

The tunnels usually end in a much larger gallery known as Schlusskammer or the final chamber. Researchers have wondered what purpose the final chamber could have served. Was it used to store food? Did they hide villagers when their homes were raided by passing hordes?

Not many evidences could be gathered from the tunnels. Most of them are almost completely empty and appear to be swept clean. A few contained some medieval tools like iron plowshare and heavy millstones. Radiocarbon dating analysis of artifacts retrieved from inside the tunnel indicates that the tunnels date back to the 10th to the 13th century. But one Austrian researcher, Heinrich Kusch, suspects that some of the subterranean systems could be 5,000 years ago.

The tunnels show no sign of mining. They are too small to be used as cellar, and they make poor space for habitation. They are definitely not tombs as no human remains have been found. The only remaining theory is that they were hideouts. Unfortunately they are pretty poor hideouts as there is no second exit, which makes it easy for pursuers to cut off the air flow and kill all people inside.

Erdstall tunnels are found all over central Europe. In Bavaria alone, there are about 700 such tunnels. In Austria, there are about 300. Some are found in France, Spain and Great Britain. In total, some 2,000 tunnels are known to exist in Europe.

Photo credit: Peter Forster

Sources: Spiegel / Showcaves / Wikipedia
100 MPs could be killed in 5 minutes

Big news is that a mock terror attack on the Houses of Parliament shows that it could take just 5 minutes to kill 100 MPs. In the middle of the night police pretending to be terrorists pulled up by the Commons, climbed the steep wall to the terrace and then gained access to the debating chamber. The Sunday Telegraph says that had the house been sitting more than 100 MPs would have been massacred.

An unnamed source described the MPs as sitting ducks. Another adds: I remember thinking Jesus Christ, if thats where we are at and that can happen, then the public would be horrified. (Discuss.)

Is such an attack likely? The water around Westminster can be sea-like, choppy and tidal. Its very tricky to pull up. The east front of the Palace of Westminster  the bit on the river  measures approximately 265m, and is the longest facade of any building in London. So plenty to room. But navigating the building can be tricky. Take a left turn instead of a right one and a seasick jihadi could end up in House of Lords Chamber!

Anorak

Posted: 29th, August 2017 | In: Broadsheets, News, Politicians Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
(ANSA) - Rome, August 28 - Paris on Monday hosted a migrant summit between the leaders of Italy, France, Germany and Spain as well as, beforehand, talks with Fayez al-Serraj, head of Libya's internationally recognised government, and the leaders of Niger and Chad.

One of the main talking points was setting up hotspots in sub-Saharan Africa to sift economic migrants from genuine refugees and stop the former.

This was the subject of talks between African leaders and French President Emmanuel Macron before the summit. Macron held a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel before the summit got under way with Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni and Spanish Premier Mariano Rajoy, as well as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini. Also ahead of the summit, there was a meeting at the Italian interior ministry in Rome with the leaders of Libya, Niger, Mali and Chad.

Rome discussed new migrant moves at the meeting, its second migration interior ministers' 'control room' get-together with Chad, Libya, Mali and Niger Monday.

Topics included including strengthening controls on sea and land borders, fighting terror and traffickers, setting up a high-level security task force and getting the UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration more involved in setting up centres in Niger and Chad and improving conditions in Libyan ones. Italy is stepping up efforts to stem the migrant flow across the central Mediterranean having drastically cut it via a code of conduct for NGO rescue ships and an agreement with Libya to stop traffickers.

Berlin, Paris, Madrid and the EU's Mogherini have already hailed Rome's new NGO code of conduct as well as its planned cooperation with Libya on migrant routes. German Chancellor Merkel said Italy and Greece cannot bear all the burden of receiving migrants on their own.

Meanwhile the Italian interior ministry is weighing the use of property confiscated from the mafia to host evicted people in the wake of last week's controversial eviction of hundreds of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers in Rome.

Interior Minister Marco Minniti will meet later this week with Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi.

Italian officials on Monday held their first talks on evicting people from squats since last week's controversial eviction of hundreds of Eritrean refugees from an occupied building and square near Rome's Termini Station.

Clashes left several police and asylum seekers injured and led to a row over alleged policy heavy-handedness and the lack of provision of alternative accommodation.

On Monday interior ministry officials met with those from police forces as well as prefects and municipal officials on a plan to use property confiscated from the mafia to house evicted squatters, be they foreign or Italian.

The involvement of the association of Italian municipalities, ANCI, and regional governments was agreed.


(ANSA) - Rome, August 28 - Paris on Monday hosted a migrant summit between the leaders of Italy, France, Germany and Spain as well as Fayez al-Serraj, head of Libya's internationally recognised government, and the leaders of Niger and Chad.

One of the main talking points was setting up hotspots in sub-Saharan Africa to sift economic migrants from genuine refugees and stop the former.

This was the subject of talks between African leaders and French President Emmanuel Macron before the summit. Macron held a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel before the summit got under way.

Also ahead of the summit, there was a meeting at the Italian interior ministry in Rome with the leaders of Libya, Niger, Mali and Chad.

Rome discussed new migrant moves at the meeting, its second migration interior ministers' 'control room' get-together with Chad, Libya, Mali and Niger Monday.

Topics included including strengthening controls on sea and land borders, fighting terror and traffickers, setting up a high-level security task force and getting the UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration more involved in setting up centres in Niger and Chad and improving conditions in Libyan ones. Italy is stepping up efforts to stem the migrant flow across the central Mediterranean having drastically cut it via a code of conduct for NGO rescue ships and an agreement with Libya to stop traffickers.

Berlin, Paris, Madrid and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini have hailed Rome's new NGO code of conduct as well as its planned cooperation with Libya on migrant routes. German Chancellor Merkel said Italy and Greece cannot bear all the burden of receiving migrants on their own.

Meanwhile the Italian interior ministry is weighing the use of property confiscated from the mafia to host evicted people in the wake of last week's controversial eviction of hundreds of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers in Rome.

Interior Minister Marco Minniti will meet later this week with Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi.

Italian officials on Monday held their first talks on evicting people from squats since last week's controversial eviction of hundreds of Eritrean refugees from an occupied building and square near Rome's Termini Station.

Clashes left several police and asylum seekers injured and led to a row over alleged policy heavy-handedness and the lack of provision of alternative accommodation.

On Monday interior ministry officials met with those from police forces as well as prefects and municipal officials on a plan to use property confiscated from the mafia to house evicted squatters, be they foreign or Italian.

The involvement of the association of Italian municipalities, ANCI, and regional governments was agreed.


ROME - The 74th edition of the Venice international film festival opens in the lagoon city on Wednesday with a line-up of much anticipated movies and spectacular settings for the nighttime events. The programme running until September 9 interprets the present and near future, exploring new languages of cinema in a demonstration of vitality and hope despite the global crisis. On Friday Hollywood legends Robert Redford, 81, and Jane Fonda, 79, reunite to receive Golden Lions for career achievement before an out-of-competition showing of Our Souls at Night, directed by Ritesh Batra and starring the pair. The pack of long-awaited films is led by Mother!, a psychological thriller by Darren Aronofsky and starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem.

There is also anticipation for the premiere of the first two episodes of Suburra, the first Italian series produced by streaming-on-demand giant Netflix. Glamorous couples present at the festival will include Bardem and Penelope Cruz, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin (and maybe also their twins?), Lawrence and Aronofsky, who became an item during filming of Mother!, and Paolo Virzi and Micaela Ramazzotti.

This year's festival also introduces a new competition section for films in virtual reality. The Shape of Water by Mexico's Guillermo Del Toro about the encounter between a dumb woman and a mysterious amphibian creature is rumoured to be among the favourites for the Golden Lion. The theme of migration also finds room in the programme with Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei's Human Flow documenting the living conditions of migrants and refugees all over the world and the new film by Andrea Segre, L'ordine delle cose, focusing on the relations between Italy and Libya. The line-up also includes around 30 Italian films, including four in the competition section. The animation film Gatta Cenerentola by Alessandro Rak and Cosimo Gomez's debut film Brutti e cattivi are among those generating the greatest interest. The jury is chaired by Annette Bening, while for the first time ever the opening and closing ceremonies will be hosted by a man, Italian actor Alessandro Borghi.
TUNIS - The technical cooperation programme launched in Tunisia in 2016 to combat the introduction and spread of the fatal Xylella fastidiosa bacteria affecting olive trees in North Africa and the Middle East is bearing fruit, but more needs to be done.



Specifically, cooperation needs to be improved among affected countries and laws regulating imports of plant species and products need to be more strictly applied, according to a seminar organised in Tunis by the secretariat of the International Convention for the protection of plant species and the FAO regional office. Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine have all gathered a large quantity of data for use in future action plans.


- BEIRUT - About a hundred ISIS militants and their families arrived Tuesday in eastern Syria after having been evacuated from a region between Lebanon and Syria, based on an agreement mediated by the Lebanese Sciites of Hezbollah, according to local activists.



The buses that brought the jihadists and their families crossed the territory controlled by Syrian armed forces and reached the Al Hamima checkpoint at the entrance to Deir ez-Zor province, whose eponymous capital is the last large Syrian city still under ISIS control.



Last week the Lebanese army, fighting in Lebanon, along with the Syrian army and Hezbollah militants on the Syrian side, launched an anti-ISIS offensive that culminated in the announcement of a ceasefire on Sunday.



Based on the agreement, the ISIS jihadists accepted evacuation, giving back to the Lebanese government the bodies of nine Lebanese soldiers who were kidnapped in 2014 and killed.



The agreement, however, caused controversy both in Lebanon for the role of Hezbollah in the decision to stop the offensive, as well as in Iraq, for the fact that another hundred ISIS members are being moved closer to its borders.



"Any agreement between the parties in conflict in Syria or in the region must take Iraq's security into account," Baghdad government spokesman Saad al Hadithi told the AP.


MADRID - Ceuta priest Juan Jose Mateo has been made to step down after allowing a large statue of the Hindu god Ganesh to be carried into the parish church of Nuestra Senora de Africa and placed at the foot of a statue of the Virgin Mary. Bishop Rafael Zornoza has expressed his "deep pain for this deplorable episode, which has caused damage, confusion and scandal within the Christian community". Meanwhile the Hindu community in the Spanish enclave comprising approximately 800 followers has said it cannot understand the reproof for an "act of co-existence" between religions. On Sunday the community marked the birth of Ganesh with a procession through the city to the sea.

"For the last eight years we have made a stop at the sanctuary of the Virgin of Africa as an act of reverence because we also consider her to be the city's patron saint. We do not understand the condemnation of the priest," the president of the Hindu community in Ceuta, Ramesh Chandiramani, told El Pais.






(by Paola Del Vecchio) - MADRID - Rabat authorities have ordered an inquiry into the death of two female Moroccan street vendors during a crush at the Ceuta border on Monday morning. The episode occurred at dawn when the Tarajal crossing into the Spanish enclave in Morocco was reopened after the weekend.



A crowd of 'porteadores', whose livelihoods depend largely on trade in the autonomous city, rushed at the border post and the two women, aged 34 and 43, got caught up in the stampede. They died later in hospital. Four people were also injured in the crush and are receiving treatment in hospital. Four 'porteadores' have died since the start of the year in the continuous assaults on the border, which Spanish and Moroccan authorities closed from 10 to 16 August so they could focus efforts on putting down the assault of the Tarajal border post by migrants from sub Saharan Africa. Each day at least 3,000 vendors cross the border into the autonomous city of 72,000 residents which, along with the city of Melilla, Rabat has claimed to the United Nations since 1961 is a part of its territory.



Tarajal is the only legal crossing for vendors, because Morocco doesn't recognize the enclave as Spanish territory and therefore doesn't accept the commercial border.



Those who cross the border into Ceuta from Morocco are people who are authorised to work there and the small army of street vendors, who have to carry their wares into Spain on their shoulders for a wage of between 10 and 60 euros a day.



In February the Moroccan and Spanish authorities adopted new measures to reduce the risks for people crossing the border including separate queues for men and women and restrictions on vehicle crossings. However human rights organisations claim the provisions are ineffective in preventing the 'human avalanches'. (ANSAmed).
Migration a challenge for everyone, EU leaders say Identification in Niger and Chad, more cooperation on security

(ANSA) - Paris, August 29 - European leaders have promised to make radical changes to the way migration is managed by giving greater support to front-line countries such as Italy.



Managing migration and fighting human trafficking "is a challenge that concerns everyone and that no-one can meet on their own" said French President Emmanuel Macron after Monday's summit in Paris involving the leaders of France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Niger, Chad and Libya. A follow-up summit with the same format will be held in Spain in late October or early November to monitor progress, while Macron said a special task force is already operational to oversee the implementation of commitments on the ground. The idea of sending equipment and soldiers to African countries to assist with identification has also been legitimised. Taking joint action "is a moral requirement  but also a principle of action and effectiveness" the 39-year-old leader said. Macron also said he is in favour of a "profound reform" of the Dublin treaties regulating asylum in the European Union. German Chancellor Angela Merkel also called for changes to the Dublin system, which currently puts southern Mediterranean countries of arrival at a disadvantage. "A distinction needs to be made between economic migrants and genuine candidates for refugee status," said Merkel on the eve of elections in Germany.



The idea is to identify migrants who are entitled to asylum in Niger or Chad "in order to ensure their safety as quickly as possible", Macron explained. This procedure will be carried out in safe areas under the supervision of the UNHCR on the basis of "closed lists", he added. This will prevent "women and men from taking ill-advised risks in an extremely dangerous area and subsequently in the Mediterranean", Macron continued. The plans include greater cooperation on security and justice and in some cases also a military presence to prevent migrant flows towards Libya from swelling further. Spain highlighted the need to "create development" in source countries, "eliminate the trafficking syndicates" and control "our borders and our coasts".






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BarcelonaOn Monday at noon pro-independence coalitions Junts pel Si (JxSi) and the CUP unveiled Catalonias bill of legal transitoriness in parliament. The bill, which aims to regulate the transition from Spains legal framework to an independent Catalonias, will only be enacted after a Yes win on the independence referendum slated for October 1. The CUP and JxSi expect the drafting of a definitive Catalan Constitution to take up to one year.

The majority secessionist forces explained that while drafting the bill (which has 89 articles and 3 temporary dispositions) the emphasis was on the principle of continuity, as it is only meant to be applicable during the transition period. Still, they stressed that this rule would be the highest-ranking law in the legal system above the Statute and the Spanish Constitution if independence supporters win the referendum. According to the CUP and JxSi, the main pillars of the new country must be determined during the constituent process that will follow a Yes win.

Below are the key aspects of the transitional law:

Form of the state

The first section of the bill defines the Catalan state as a democratic, social republic, under the rule of law. It establishes its territorial boundaries, as well as the maritime and air space under its sovereignty. A provision is made for the government to guarantee customs control and inclusive border security. The law-makers explained that they have prioritised the continuity of the existing legal framework and the bill clearly states that Catalonia will abide by EU legislation and international treaties. By the same principle, the Aran valley is granted a special deal.

Nationality

The bill establishes two ways by which the Catalan nationality may be obtained: by birth or by acquisition. By birth means that any Spaniard who has resided in Catalonia since 31 of December 2016 will automatically become a Catalan national. After independence, anyone born in Catalonia will automatically be a Catalan. Being a Catalan national will be compatible with holding other nationalities, including Spain's. Still, this matter will ultimately depend on the agreements signed with Spain and other countries.

In order to become a Catalan, a single five-year period of legal residence in Catalonia will be required to acquire the citizenship. A change from Spanish law is that fact that a distinction between EU and non-EU foreigners is no longer made. In the current Spanish legislation, which CUP MP Salellas called racist, a distinction is drawn between EU nationals, citizens of non-EU countries and non-EU nationals from former Spanish colonies.

The Head of State

The President of the Generalitat would become the head of state and lead the government. The king of Spain and the Spanish government would no longer have any powers over Catalonia. Puigdemont and the rest of his cabinet would be granted immunity and only the new Catalan Supreme Court could decide to put them on trial.

The decision to have a president of the Republic separate from the head of the government would be made during the constituent process. Assuming Yes won on October 1, Puigdemont would hold both positions in the interim.

Language and basic rights

The transitional law establishes that both Catalan and Spanish will be the official languages, with the same rights as today. However, the law-makers think that the role of the two languages will need to be defined during the constituent process.

The law recognises the basic constitutional rights and those recognised by the EUs human rights charter. On this point, MP Benet Salellas remarked that broader rights will be recognised and, with the enactment of this piece of legislation, legal action will be possible on the grounds provided by those rights. An example of that would be the right to a home.

In terms of social services, the bill establishes that anyone who is currently on benefit such as unemployment or retirement pensions will continue to receive that benefit after the proclamation of independence.

Succession of regulations and contracts

The transitional law establishes that the succession of regulations and the subrogation of contracts. In other words, it determines what institutions will take over from the Spanish administration in Catalonia. The same is expected with the subrogation of contracts, which will be given continuity. That is to say, all contracts between the Spanish authorities with suppliers that concern Catalonia will be taken over by the Generalitat under the same conditions.

Civil service

The bill establishes that all public employees of the Generalitat prior to independence will continue to be so afterwards. As for the Spanish administrations employees who are based in Catalonia, the law will allow them to join the Catalan administration with the same working conditions and remuneration.

Courts of law

The transitional law establishes that the duties currently undertaken by the Supreme Court will be taken over by the current Hight Court of Justice in Catalonia. This court of law would be at the top of the judicial system, which would keep the current branches: civil, social, administrative and criminal. The military court is dropped and a court of constitutional guarantees is added.

Junts pel Si and the CUP expect the new court of constitutional guarantees to take over the current duties of Spains Constitutional Court. The present structure of the judiciary would be kept in place, as would the current judges, who would keep their salary. This new judicial system would be governed by a branch of the Supreme Court, which would perform the same job as todays General Council of the Judiciary (CGJ), and a joint committee with officials from the Catalan Ministry of Justice.

According to Salellas, all its members would be judges, unlike today's CGJ: all the senior judges of the Supreme Court, plus five others elected by an outright majority in parliament.

Council of Democratic Guarantees

Besides the court of guarantees of the Supreme Court that would deal with appeals following a breach of basic rights, the law maintains the current duties of the Council of Statutory Guarantees, except its rulings would now be binding. The name of the Council would change to Council of Democratic Guarantees and it would be tasked with ensuring that draft legislation adheres to the new legal framework, at the top of which would be the transitional law. Its members would be appointed as they are nowadays, as per the Catalan Statute.

Public Prosecutor

The law-makers have brought in a number of changes regarding the public prosecution. While at present the States General Prosecutor is appointed by the Spanish government and reports to the Ministry of Justice, the transitional law establishes that the Prosecutor will be proposed by the government but appointed by the parliament, although the bill does not state the majority required for that.

Amnesty

Considering the likely clash with the Spanish state in order to hold the referendum and enact the new law in the event of a Yes win, Junts pel Si and the CUP have included provisions for an amnesty for all individuals prosecuted or found guilty in the process. The draft bill states that Judges and courts of law will drop or reverse all criminal charges against individuals prosecuted or found guilty of actions conducive to holding a vote on Catalan independence or the creation of a Catalan state in a democratic, peaceful manner. On this point, CUP MP Benet Salellas made it clear that no corruption cases will ever be declared null.

A single tax authority

The Generalitat is the single authority that levies all taxes in Catalonia, as well as contributions and all obligations to do with the social security and welfare system and any other public income, notwithstanding the powers granted by law to local governments. That is the wording of article 80 of the transitional law. Therefore, the Catalan government is committed to preventing Spains tax office from having any role in Catalonia. All Spanish tax office employees will get a chance to join the Catalan administration. Anybody on benefit, including unemployment and pensions, will be guaranteed the same income by the Generalitat.

Electoral Syndicate

The law of the referendum made it abundantly clear that Spains Electoral Committee would cease to supervise and monitor elections in Catalonia. The law of legal transitoriness takes it one step further and establishes a scenario after the independence vote where the Electoral Syndicate which will be operating provisionally for the referendum is granted further powers and becomes the main body of election monitoring. Instead of the five members expected for the independence vote, the Syndicate will consist of seven permanent members, most of whom will be lawyers, although it may also include political scientists and experts. There will be at least two judges and the parliament will appoint them for single 7-year term.

Each of the four Catalan provinces will have its own syndicate, ahead of the referendum on October 1 (1-O). Later, there will be one per county. Special provisions will be made for the valley of Aran. The Electoral Syndicate will the highest-ranking body of electoral monitoring, but once exhausted all administrative appeals, further appeals may be filed with Catalonias Supreme Court.

Constituent process

Once the referendum result has been officially announced, two days after the vote, the referendum law establishes that independence will be proclaimed. That is when Junts pel Si and the CUP expect the law of legal transitoriness to come into effect and the constituent process to be activated. The law establishes a six-month period during which people must voice their opinion on how the new state must organise itself. The process will culminate in the drafting of conclusions that will bind the executive power.

Then constituent elections will be held under the existing electoral law so that members of a constituent assembly may be elected. This assembly will have the same number of representatives as the parliament and will be tasked with drafting a new constitution based on the results of the participatory phase.

The new constitution will need to be approved by a majority of three fifths in parliament or, at the very least, by an absolute majority. Afterwards it will be put to a referendum.

All in all, Junts pel Si and the CUP expect a one-year period from the referendum to the end of the constituent process.
As an ARC participating carrier, Flydubai will be sellable through over 14,000 ARC agents in the USA - including the largest online travel agents in the world and major US based corporate agents.

Richard Burgess, President of APG Network commented We are delighted to be partnering with flydubai to maximise their sales from the USA. flydubai has been a true success story for the region and we are confident that the US market will welcome flydubai as a new entrant in ARC.

Ramesh Anantharaman, Senior Vice President Revenue Management of flydubai, said: We welcome the appointment of APG Network as our distribution partner in the USA. At flydubai, we offer affordable and reliable travel options from previously underserved markets within a six-hour flying radius from Dubai from the Czech Republic in the west to Bangkok in the East.
He added that during the last period, from August 14th to the beginning of September, the company has operated special flights between Algeria and Sharm el-Sheikh to activate tourism. The company operated approximately 14 flights, carrying 1260 Algerian passengers to spend summer vacation in Sharm el-Sheikh.



He said: "An additional airlift is scheduled to operate about 20 flights between Kuwait and Assiut, Sohag and Luxor from August 29th to mid-September to transport about 3,000 Egyptian working in Kuwait to spend Eid al-Adha vacation in Egypt during this period.
Under the agreement, Etihad Airways customers are able to connect via Rome and Madrid to Buenos Aires (EZE) and onwards to nine other popular Argentinian destinations  Cordoba (COR), Mendoza (MDZ), Rosario (ROS), Iguazu (IGR), Salta (SLA), Mar del Plata (MDQ), Bariloche (BRC), Trelew (REL) and Ushuaia (USH).



In turn, Aerolineas Argentinas guests can have access to Etihad Airways network of over 100 destinations from its Abu Dhabi hub via the Italian and Spanish capitals.



Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways Executive Vice President Commercial, said: This codeshare demonstrates the importance of Argentina as a vital travel market for Etihad Airways in Latin America given the growing tourism, cultural and business opportunities that exist between the UAE and Argentina.



We wish to give travellers flying Aerolineas Argentinas the opportunity to enjoy the acclaimed service and hospitality for which Etihad Airways is renowned throughout the world. This codeshare will make the experience that much easier.



Diego Garcia, Aerolineas Argentinas chief commercial officer, said: "This is a very good opportunity to consolidate and increase our offer to one of the most important hubs in the Middle East. It also allows us to improve our load factors, optimise the use of the fleet and strengthen the image of Aerolineas Argentinas in the Asian market. We hope that this agreement will also be the gateway for many tourists to visit some of the most attractive landmarks in our country."
It has been reported the object may have been a tethered military balloon.

In a statement on Twitter, the airline said that the aircraft travelling from Riyadh, suffered damage to one of its engines when it came into contact with the structure.

However, the plane continued to operate normally and landed in Kuwait without any problems.

The statement from Jazeera Airlines added: The safety of our passengers and crew is of paramount importance to Jazeera Airways at all times.

The Civil Aviation Authority is now investigating the incident, with cooperation from Jazeera Airways, and the plane is under repair in Kuwait.
Professionally trained in art and design, Stokes Gulf Air cabin crew uniform designs from the 1960s till the late 1970s, defined the look of the airline: from the turtle collar dress and pillbox style beret to the then revolutionary concept of outfitting both male and female cabin crew in trousers and the master-stroke adaptation of the Middle Eastern headscarf in chiffon flowing from a central pillow box cap. Today, a version of the original iconic headdress design is still worn by Gulf Air female crew  recognizable in airports around the world.



Ahmed Janahi, Gulf Air Chief Commercial Officer said: During her time in Bahrain, Joy made an indelible mark on Gulf Airs history. Designing some of our national carriers first uniforms, Joy helped shape the face of Gulf Air for many years. We are delighted to receive and showcase her original sketch in our popular Gulf Air Falcon Gold Lounge at Bahrain International Airport  helping us celebrate the immensely positive and enduring impact Joy made.



Donating the cabin crew uniform design sketch to Gulf Air, Joys son Michael Stokes said: Joy Stokes was inspired by the brilliant light & vibrant colours of Bahrain and the Gulf. She loved wandering in the souqs and markets of Bahrain where she could derive ideas for her designs & drawings. She shared her passion for Bahrain with her husband, Jimmy Stokes, a Captain with Gulf Aviation/Air who joined the airline in 1961. Joy would be deeply humbled & honored by the recognition that Gulf Air is providing to her in prominently displaying her original uniform design in the Gulf Air Falcon Gold lounge. As a family we are privileged and delighted by the enduring link with Gulf Air and Bahrain that this represents.
Russian Helicopters Holding Company head Andrey Boginsky told 'Russia 24' television channel that the aircraft will be delivered in batches.

"Three helicopters (were delivered) in the first batch for training, three will go in the second batch until we reach 15 this year. There is 46 in total," he said. A contract to supply 46 Ka-52 helicopters to Egypt was reported in 2016.

Early in August, 30 pilots and 70 technicians of the Egyptian Air Force started specialised Ka-52 operation and maintenance training programmes that are run by Progress Arsenyev Aviation Company (AAC Progress) on behalf of Russian Helicopters.

AAC Progress is part of Russian Helicopters Holding Company. Some Egyptian specialists have already been trained on ground support equipment and at the firing range. The first batch of flight crews is expected to conclude training in September.

Egypt is also negotiating with Russian Helicopters for the acquisition of unspecified units of the Ka-52K 'Katran' helicopter, which is the naval version of the conventional Ka-52 Alligator.

The Ka-52Ks will be deployed aboard the two Mistral Class landing helicopter docke vessels that were delivered from France between June and September 2016.

The sale is being negotiated through the International Cooperation Department of the State-owned Russian arms dealer Rostec Corporation.
Kim Kardashian's photoshoot for a magazine where she is channelling Jacqueline Kennedy has not gone down well with a lot of people.

Kim Kardashian shared the cover picture on her Instagram page as well.

Los Angeles: Kim Kardashian's photoshoot for a magazine where she is channelling Jacqueline Kennedy has not gone down well with a lot of people.

The latest shoot done by Steven Klein for the Interview magazine, features the reality star sporting Kennedy's popular coiffed, round collar dress and long white gloves. The magazine addresses Kim as "America's New First Lady".

The cover also features her daughter North West, clad in a Peter Pan collar dress.

Many on social media expressed disappointment over the comparison to style icon Kennedy.

One follower left a comment on Interview magazine's Instagram, writing, "Don't you dare disrespect Jackie Kennedy like this."

Another added, "Jackie is turning in her grave at this garbage." Some Instagram users also pointed out Kardashian's darker complexion, with one asking, "I'm not sure what's worse... THIS or black face?"

The Kardashians were previously called 'America's First Family' on the cover of Cosmopolitan's November 2015 issue, which caused outrage on the Internet then.
The judge ruled that the investigation in the case was still progressing and there appeared to be no substantial change of circumstance.

Dileep's arrest in the case has sent shockwaves across the country.

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday refused to grant bail to Malayalam actor Dileep, arrested on charges of plotting the abduction and sexual assault of a noted South Indian film actress here in February this year.

Justice Sunil Thomas denied bail after considering the evidences against the actor produced by the prosecution in a sealed cover.

Dismissing the bail petition, the second by the actor since his arrest on July 10 last on the charge of conspiracy, the judge ruled that the investigation in the case was still progressing and there appeared to be no substantial change of circumstance (since the previous bail plea).

The court also considered the prosecution argument that the actor was a highly influential person capable of tampering evidences and influencing witnesses if he was granted bail.

The court had dismissed Dileep's first bail petition on July 24 after finding that the probe into the case was progressing and the mobile phone, which the prosecution stated as a key evidence in the case, had not been recovered.

Opposing the bail plea, the prosecution has contended that the original memory card in which the video of the incident had allegedly been stored was yet to be recovered.

The investigators were still attempting to unearth the material objects, including the phone and memory card.

"The above fact indicates that the investigation is still progressing. There does not appear to be any substantial change of circumstance. Having considered the entire facts, I am not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner at this stage," Justice Thomas said in his order.

The actor in his latest plea had submitted that the scenario had completely changed and that he was not the kingpin of any criminal conspiracy or even a participant in it.

He had also argued that he was not the perpetrator of any criminal offence.

The actor had submitted that he was only the "unfortunate victim of an orchestrated media campaign and proceedings of a group of police officers acting on the pre-conceived notion of his guilt and wanting to implicate him as an accused."

Earlier, a magisterial court at nearby Angamaly had declined to grant him bail.

Dileep, charged with various IPC offences, including criminal conspiracy, has been lodged in a jail in his home town Aluva since his arrest.

Police have claimed that the conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress in a moving car on February 17 and film the act was hatched by Dileep.
Leaders of GJM, GNLF and Jan Andolan Party attended the peace-talk alongwith other political leaders.

The chief minister has also called for an end to the indefinite shutdown underway over the last two months in the hills in demand of Gorkhaland. (Photo: PTI/File)

Kolkata: Describing the first round of dialogue with all political parties for peace in Darjeeling as 'positive' chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday made it clear that the consideration of separate statehood demand for Gorkhaland was beyond her government's authority. The chief minister has also called for an end to the indefinite shutdown underway over the last two months in the hills in demand of Gorkhaland.

Leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and Jan Andolan Party (JAP) attended the peace-talk along with other political leaders.

After chairing the hour-long meeting at the state secretariat, Nabanna, Mamata said, "It was a positive and cordial meeting which means the beginning of a dialogue. We are happy that the dialogue ultimately has got underway after 78 days."

Elaborating the details of the peace-talks Mamata underlined, "The discussion was good with those who attended the meeting today. The hill parties--- GJM, GNLF and JAP-- raised their demand of Gorkhaland which is their prerogative. They can air their voice. It is a democratic set-up. Raising their demand in the beginning of the meeting they reasoned that Gorkhaland is the aim of their movement."

The chief minister continued, "But we clearly told them we would not discuss the issue because it does not fall under our purview and we can not do anything on it. They also spoke about the bipartite meeting with the state government. They requested us to recommend their demand of Gorkhaland to the Delhi which has the jurisdiction. But we never made such recommendation earlier and we will not be able to make any such."

Mamata mentioned, "What we can discuss is restoration of peace and normalcy in the hills because we want to resolve the issue. Dialogue is a continuous process which has just started. The scope of not-talks has ended. We will meet again in the second week of next month. The next meeting will be held at 3 pm on September 12 in Uttarkanya."

According to Mamata, "All of us have unanimously agreed in favour of restoration of peace. All the political parties can discuss about it among themselves meanwhile. Let them take some time also. The dialogue must continue. We have appealed to all to end the bandh in Darjeeling."

Later Binay Tamang, who led the five-member GJM delegation condemned the explosions in Darjeeling. Alongwith JAP leader Harka Bahadur Chhetri, he also called for restoration of peace in the hills.
The group has had two meetings in Delhi to look into ways for suggesting a peaceful solution to the current impasse prevailing in the state.

New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will lead a team of Congress leaders to Jammu and Kashmir in September. Dr Singh heads a policy-planning group on Kashmir that was constituted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi in April this year. Speaking to reporters, Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief G.A. Mir said, Dr Singh, who is likely to be accompanied by Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and MP Ambika Soni, will visit Jammu on September 10 and Kashmir on 16 September.

The policy-planning group also consists of former finance minister P. Chidambaram and MP Dr Karan Singh. The group has had two meetings in Delhi to look into ways for suggesting a peaceful solution to the current impasse prevailing in the state. Insiders add that the group led by the former Prime Minister will be meeting like minded groups to get first hand account of the situation prevailing in the state. The group will not be visiting Ladakh as of now but will be visiting at a later date. Mr Mir further added that, The idea is to get inputs from the grassroots. The current issues that the state is facing will also be discussed. However, it is unclear whether the group will be meeting with the Hurriyat or not.

The Congress group was created after violence gripped the state following the death of eight people in the state during the byelection to the Lok Sabha from Srinagar constituency. Currently, the issue of Article 35 A has also become a bone of contention in the state. The Article 35 A of the Constitution gives a free hand to the Jammu and Kashmir assembly to decide who all are permanent residents of the state and confer on them special rights and privileges in public sector jobs, acquisition of property in the state, scholarships and other public aid and welfare.

Presently, a writ petition filed by NGO We the Citizens challenges the validity of both Article 35A and Article 370 in the Supreme Court. Recently, a Supreme Court Bench, led by Justice Dipak Misra, tagged the Khanna petition with the We the Citizens case, which has been referred to a three-judge bench
The government should introspect and question its ability to govern and run hospitals.

A file photo of a hospital staff member checks newly-arrived oxygen cylinders at Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. Thirty-three children died on August 10 and 11 at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, around the time there was a disruption in the oxygen supply. (Photo: AP )

The August 7 tragedy at the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College in Uttar Pradeshs Gorakhpur district, where 60 children lost their lives due to lack of oxygen supply, is an outrageously reprehensible incident. Investigations by the government-appointed panel has blamed financial irregularities at the hospital for the delay in payments to the supplier. The oxygen vendor had stopped supply to the hospital because it owed Rs 64 lakh, with no payments made for months on end. As soon as news broke of 30 children dying due to alleged oxygen shortage, the hospital released a payment of Rs 20.84 lakh.

Critical observations of the two-page investigative report have opened a can of worms. Firstly, it has been revealed that the funds to pay the vendor were credited to the hospitals account on August 5, holding at least six employees responsible for the delay in processing the amount. Furthermore, it holds the principal, HoD anaesthesia, and the pharmacist responsible for their unsatisfactory performance. If these officers had heeded the constant reminders about payments evasions, the crisis could have been averted. This dreadful episode embodies the grim situation that persists at government hospitals across the country. At a time when India stands at the threshold of economic development, administrative negligence in healthcare services sets a bad example on the global turf.

This tragedy is something, which obviously, was avoidable. The empathy shown and action taken were all in good spirits, but it was definitely reactive rather than proactive. One has to do a deep dive to look at the causes of this tragedy and many such tragedies happening across the country. The government should introspect and question its ability to govern and run hospitals. As we have always said, what is the lesson from this: how can we prevent such tragedies? How can we make sure adequate services are given to all sections of society? The tragedy should provide us a platform for thought-provoking discussions on this and all stakeholders should be involved in the discussions  people with domain knowledge on healthcare, vision, and people who are the end receivers of these services.

The approach the government has taken will most likely lead to more such tragedies. Not everything should be cost oriented. The focus should be on value-based, quality healthcare. Imagine how the government would have reacted if this had happened in a private institution? How many people would be in jail, however, in this instance, not one person has been put behind bars.

Some of the key worrying factors are the inferior quality healthcare resources, disinterest in enhancing the overall functioning of the hospital, and the rampant corruption and nepotism practised while devising vendor contracts. Sadly, the attitude at a government hospital is, Let it go on, let me make my money. In addition, the lack of accessibility to adequate medical services, specially to those living in rural or remote areas, is also a major concern. Though the government has done a great job of offering subsidised healthcare, it unfortunately works like opium. For instance, a person from Below the Poverty Line (BPL) category, armed with their subsidy card can avail state-sponsored medical assistance. In such a scenario, because they are getting access to a hospital, they are unwilling to report or question authority in case of discrepancies in the service. On their part, government-run medical institutions tend to gag the underprivileged lot with this opium.

Over the last two decades or so, several state governments have tried to rope in private healthcare players to offer affordable treatment to the masses. With an increasing number of public private partnerships (PPP) in the healthcare space, the pressure of offering funded medical services is now on private hospitals. Therefore, India has always had a patchy track record when it comes to PPP in healthcare.

Given the way the partnership is being constructed, it is leading to the destruction of private medical services. To make it a win-win situation for the hospitals and patients, the cure lies in streamlining PPPs along with structured subsidies  in a manner that it does not lead to a financial crunch at the hospitals, and is affordable and duly availed by those it is meant for.

A structured subsidy available for a temporary period and utilised only by those from poor sections of the society is ideal. And to avoid it from becoming opium, it should not be long-term. Those who manage to climb the economic ladder, should do away with BPL cards and hospitals must be vigilant about its misuse.

The government should be able to say to private healthcare providers, I have a person who is economically weak, please provide him good healthcare, here is the subsidy, and the government will monitor the person gets good services. Government should also work on facilitating private insurance schemes. Say if a person is an auto driver, based on his earning, he will contribute a certain amount of his earnings.

Similarly, other sections of society contribute and insurance is made compulsory whereby the cash-paying scenario disappears. With that, like we have seen in other advanced countries, the quality of healthcare will improve significantly and the cost will be at an appropriate level based on market forces, which insurance companies will cover so we do not put the individual in a position of financial crisis.

Recently, we celebrated 70 years of independence. I think it is high time we bring economic prosperity to people so they can afford value based quality healthcare and not cheap healthcare.

Government should focus on the economic well-being of the individual and it should become a monitoring agency so private healthcare can penetrate remote areas of the country to provide high quality of healthcare.

I hope this unfortunate tragedy teaches us a lesson for a lifetime and see how we can improve overall healthcare in the country for all sections of society and make it accessible and affordable.

The loss of innocent lives in Gorakhpur is a red alert for us which illustrates Indias healthcare crisis. It is time we become organised.

The writer, president of Association of Healthcare Providers (India), is adviser to Healthcare Federation of India. He is also the chairman and CEO of Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd.
Rampal, was accused of conspiracy in an 11-year-old case, in which his followers opened fire on villagers in Rohtak, killing one person.

Hisar: A Hisar court on Tuesday acquitted self-styled godman Rampal in two criminal cases.

Rampal, was accused of conspiracy in an 11-year-old case, in which his followers opened fire on villagers in Rohtak, killing one person and injuring several others.

The verdict, was pronounced by Judicial Magistrate Hisar Mukesh Kumar.

On November 17, 2014, a case was registered against Rampal and his followers under IPC sections 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of his public function), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (Assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty).

Another case was registered against Rampal and his followers -- Purshotam Dass, Raj Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Rajender Singh, Rahul and 30-40 other persons -- on November 18, 2014 on a complaint of Sukhdev Singh of Ratia (Fatehabad) under IPC sections 147 (Rioting), 149 (Unlawful assembly, every other member of such assembly shall be guilty of the offence), 188 (disobedient to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant) and 342 (Wrongfully confining any person).

Rampal was arrested after tense standoff between some of his supporters and the police when close to 15,000 of his followers were evacuated from the sprawling premises in 2014.
These woman riders also spread the message of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Swach Bharat Abhiyan along the way.

The Biking Queens, agroup of 40 women bike riders from Gujarat, after finishing their 10,000 km road trip, in New Delhi. (Photo: Biplab Banerjee)

New Delhi: Ride for a passion, Ride for a social cause is the motto of 40 women moptorcyle riders known as Biking Queens from Surat comprising of professionals, housewives, and students.

These women recently came to the city after travelling more than 10,0000 km with the message Sashakta Naari Sashakta Bharat. They reached the city on August 15 and celebrated the 71st Indepe-ndence Day.

On Monday, they met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who congratulated them and appreciated their feat. He also discussed their experiences in the expedition.

We experienced many difficulties along the way. But it was an enriching experience. I would also like to ask all women to step out of their comfort zone and work to achieve their dreams, said Dr Sarika Mehta, founder of Biking Queens.

These woman riders also spread the message of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Swach Bharat Abhiyan along the way.
The papers contesting the affidavit were filed by environmental activist Stalin. D of Vanashakti.

Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis office has claimed that a controversial Aarey plot, which is being considered for the construction of a car shed as part of the Metro-3 Colaba-Seepz project, belongs to the state Dairy Development Department.

However, government documents accessed by The Asian Age raise questions over the CMOs explanation and also show that the said land could be with the Forest Department.

The CMO had cited an affidavit given by the Forest Department in the National Green Tribunal to support its claims that the land is not forest. But, the same affidavit and the papers contesting the affidavit clearly contradict the governments claims.

The papers contesting the affidavit were filed by environmental activist Stalin. D of Vanashakti. Last week, Mr Stalin held a press conference along with Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam alleging a scam of Rs 18,000 crore in setting up the Metro car shed by possible commercial development on the plot. But the CMO had denied the charges.

The Asian Age is possession of the affidavit, which the CMO cited in its explanation.

It reads, This area is used for such non-forest activities since 1949. Therefore, the area indicated in the map appended to the said letter cannot be declared as Forest. Sanjay Lachake, assistant conservator of forests, Thane, filed the affidavit.

But this affidavit was filed after Mr Stalin went to court to challenge the governments plan to set up a car shed in Aarey.

Though the Forest Department had said that the land was being used for non-forest activities, the papers from early 1950s, which were part of the papers contesting the governments affidavit, show that the land was mentioned as forest land throughout.

Papers from 1980 show that a total of 2,076.073 hectare of revenue land from Aarey Milk scheme was part of the then Borivali National Park. According to the documents, the said land was transferred to Forest Department in 1969.

Also in 2012, the Management Plan of Sanjay Gandhi National Park was prepared and it also said that, the revenue lands transferred from Aarey Milk Colony for un-classed forests.
In the absence of protection, many of the depositors did not get their deposits back when credit societies came under financial crisis.

Deshmukh said that the cooperative infrastructure/system had lately been under stress due to a financial crunch.

Mumbai: Credit societies across the state will soon have insurance protection from the government like district cooperative banks. There are 15,000 credit societies in the state with Rs 25,000 crore in deposits. In the absence of protection, many of the depositors did not get their deposits back when credit societies came under financial crisis.

Cooperative minister Subhash Deshmukh said that the latest decision to insure credit societies, mostly related to the farming sector, will be applicable to all 15,000 organisations. There are 15,000 credit societies in the state with Rs 25,000 crore deposits. But they do not get insurance protection like district cooperative banks. So if the societies come under problems, depositors do not get protection for their deposits. Hence, there was a demand to protect deposits. he said.

Deshmukh said that the cooperative infrastructure/system had lately been under stress due to a financial crunch. Hence, there was an urgent need to support the cooperative infrastructure in various sectors, especially insure it against risk.

A proposal in this regard had already been chalked out and the department would submit it before the state cabinet in the next meeting for a final nod, he said. The demand for insuring cooperatives was put forth by the federation of cooperatives headed by president Kaka Koyte, who had been petitioning the government for a better support system for cooperatives.

Earlier, the Maharashtra government had asked all cooperative societies to contribute 20 per cent of their profits towards public purposes and strengthening of other smaller societies. The new rule was made applicable to all cooperatives except housing. The government said that the chunk of revenue generated would be used for social causes.
Modi said, he also spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain.

A car seen seen submerged in a flooded street following heavy rains in Mumbai. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: Taking stock of the heavy rainfall in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday assured full assistance to the state government in mitigating the situation.

In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said that he also spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain.

"Centre assures all possible support to Maharashtra govt in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state," Prime Minister Modi said in a tweet.

Centre assures all possible support to the Government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

The Prime Minister also urged people of Mumbai to take precautions to stay safe.

"Urge people of Mumbai &surrounding areas to stay safe& take all essential precautions in the wake of heavy rain," he tweeted.

Urge the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe & take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

President Ram Nath Kovind also tweeted in support of Mumbaikars and said he was glad to know that citizens and groups were voluntarily coming together to help.

Thoughts with families, especially children, in Mumbai and western parts of the country hit by heavy downpour.

Thoughts with families, especially children, in Mumbai & western parts of the country hit by heavy downpour 1/2 #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 29, 2017

He assured the citizens that the government and public agencies are taking all steps amid heavy rains.

Govt & public agencies taking all steps amid heavy rains. Glad to note voluntary groups & citizens too coming together 2/2 #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 29, 2017

Earlier on Tuesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also appealed to people to step out of their homes only if necessary.

Fadnavis also visited the State Disaster Management Control room to oversee the present scenario.

Talking to ANI, Fadnavis said, "I have talked to BMC disaster management cell and the Mumbai police over the hotline. Ministry staffs have also been told to leave early due to heavy rain."

Requesting the people to follow traffic advisories issued by the government, Fadnavis said people can also tweet or call to the Mumbai Police for any kind of assistance. "The police will come to your rescue," he added.

As various regions of Maharashtra are receiving incessant downpour since Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that there would no relief for the state in the coming hours and heavy showers are expected to continue.

The traffic in Mumbai has come to a standstill owing to the heavy downpour. Subsequently, train services are suspended temporarily between Elphinstone Rd-Dadar on all lines w.e.f 1.30 pm.

Meanwhile, operations at Mumbai airport suspended for some time due to low visibility.
Mulling over considering non-immediate kin as near relatives.

Mumbai: The Union health ministry will ease norms for organ donation, as per a circular sent to the Maharashtra government, which was accessed by The Asian Age. The ministry of health and family welfare is considering the inclusion of step-parents, step-siblings and extended family members in the definition of near relatives in the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 via an amendment to discourage organ trading while ensuring that patients find suitable donors.

The ministry, which issued the circular on August 21, had earlier amended the Act in 2011 and included grandfather, grandmother, grandson or granddaughter in the definition of near relatives. The near relatives who could legally donate organs were initially defined as spouses, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters.

With the latest circular, the Centre plans to expand the term further to increase the availability of living donors in India.

The ministry has been receiving several references/petitions regarding the amendment of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 (as amended in 2011), as per the circular. Therefore, it asked for public opinion and comments with regard to the amendment in the said Act before the process of amendment is initiated in this ministry, it read. The circular said that opinion and comments could be sent via email to amendmenahota@gmail.com by September 25. Comments received after this period will not be taken into consideration.

The circular read, In light of the same, the Government of India is considering to expand the definition of near relative and amend the section 2(i) by including the following: (1) stepfather, stepmother; stepbrother, stepsister, stepson, stepdaughter and their spouses; spouses of sons and daughters of recipient; brothers and sisters of recipient's spouse and their spouses; brothers and sisters of recipient's parents and their spouses; first cousins [having common grandparent(s)] of the recipient and their spouses.

Lauding the move, zonal transplant coordination committee president Dr Gustad Daver said, I hope the governments implementation in proper. There should be transparency, and strictness is already present in scrutiny for papers so I do not think there can be any misuse.

He added, Apart from requests for organs, there are various cases of non-availability of near relative donors or blood group mismatches with relatives. After the amendment donor will have options.

The waiting list

ZTCC data revealed that the more than 8,000 people have registered for kidney transplant in the city over the last 20 years but merely 558 (7%) individuals got the needed organs for the transplant surgery. Of the 1,829 people registering for a liver in the last 14 years, only 199 (11%) received the organs. Out of the 89 patients who registered for a heart, about 34 (44%) have received heart.
The relationship between both parties is now back to square one.

Mumbai: Though NCP senior leader Praful Patel has denied reports of his party joining Prime Minister Narendra Modis cabinet, highly placed sources from NCP and BJP confirmed to The Asian Age that there were talks between both parties about possible alignment which failed.

The sources informed that the main point over which the possible alliance got stalled was the power sharing formula in Maharashtra. The relationship between both parties is now back to square one.

There was buzz on Monday that Sharad Pawar-led NCP would join the PM Modi government in the upcoming reshuffle of the union cabinet. Reports went so far as to say that Pawar himself would join the union cabinet and would get a senior ministry.

Come evening however and Pawars trusted aide, Patel, took to micro blogging site Twitter to deny all such claims. There is no basis for speculation that NCP is joining the government in Delhi," he tweeted.

Sources from the BJP and NCP though confirmed to this newspaper that Serious talks had been on between both parties for quite some time. A senior functionary on condition of anonymity said, NCP was demanding key ministries in Maharashtra to be a part of NDA. But BJP was not ready to give more in the state. This became the biggest hurdle in the possible union.

Both parties denied having had talks for a possible union. NCP Maharashtra chief Sunil Tatkare said, These are mere speculations. We will not join hands with the BJP. It is our stated position. Whereas BJP state chief Raosaheb Danve said, As of now, there is no such proposal before the party.

Interestingly, NCP had extended unconditional support to BJP in 2014 just after the assembly elections, when the latter was in need of MLA support to reach the magic figure in Maharashtra.

Later however, BJP joined hands with Shiv Sena. But rumours of the bonhomie between BJP and NCP have never really died down.
The premise is spread over 23 acres on the old Mumbai-Pune highway.

Mumbai: The ashram premises of the self-styled godman Gurmeet Baba Ram Rahim Singh, who heads the sect Dera Sacha Sauda, at Khalapur in Raigad wore an unusual calm on Monday after a Haryana court awarded him a jail term of 20 years in a 2002 case for raping two of his female followers. Around 23 followers, who stay at the ashram observed a fast on the verdict day and held a prayer meeting inside the Sabhagriha, according to sources.

The premise is spread over 23 acres on the old Mumbai-Pune highway. The area around the monastery wore an empty look as residential settlements are located a few kilometres away and not many knew about Ram Rahim or the existence of his ashram here.

A group of around 20 followers left from the premises late on Monday evening after the sentence was pronounced, the police said. The group comprised men who said they wanted to return to Haryana. They touched our feet and asked us to take care of the ashram and left, said S.H. Patil, an officer from Mangaon police station, who was part of the security cordon.

The land parcel has one 4-storey structure at the foothill, which can be seen from the highway and is stated to house lavish rooms of the arrested godman. There are two other structures that house a small bakery-cum-kitchen, a sabhagriha (meeting hall) and a cowshed that has six cows.

The premise was never accessible for local villagers. We do not even know what activities took place inside. Ram Rahim would come once a year, he visited last year too. Villagers would be allowed to go in when there used to be a satsang. But we would be driven out after an hour, said Sandip Jadhav, a resident of Kalote village where the premise is located.

There has, however, been no complaint against the ashram from locals, the police said.

A platoon of Riot Control Police and local police personnel have been deployed at the ashram since August 24. Required deployment was put up there as there has been animosity in different sects and we feared an attack on the ashram from members of the other sect, said Anil Paraskar, superintendent of police, Raigad.

There are around 22 sewaks (followers) inside the ashram and who keep coming and going and offer sewa, Mr Paraskar added.

Officials said only three of the sewaks were present inside the ashram now. The security cover will continue till the property is sealed after receival of the court order, which sought for attachment of all properties belonging to Ram Rahim.
Simple words cause big change.

A Bengaluru man who lost his daughter keeps her memory alive by honouring her wish.

Mohan Raju's 16-year-old daughter Geetha died from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, an inflammatory disease and kidney failure, The Better India reported.

However, shortly before her death she expressed concern about children she noticed playing in unhygienic conditions at a government school. Confused, she questioned why this was so.

Those words prompted Mohan, a civilian employee of the Air Force Technical College (AFTC), Bengaluru, to adopt six government schools.

When my innocent daughter raised the concerns regarding government school children, I thought they were not so important. But after her death, I wanted to do something for those poor children, Mohan told New Indian Express.

Adding, That is the reason why I embarked on the mission of providing a face lift to government schools one and a half years ago.

The 53-year-old set up a charitable trust in his daughter's name. AFTC officers contributed towards the trust.

Now, government schools in Shanbhoganahalli, Karikoppa, Madegowdana Doddi, Konniganahalli and Vaddarahalli have been equipped with basic facilities they once lacked, thanks to the Sri Kumari Geetha Memorable Charitable Education Trust.

The trust also helps provide books, furniture and even provides guest lecturers to give interesting lessons to the children. An English course has also been made available.

Mohan often visits the schools to make sure they are being well maintained. The trust plans to adopt five more schools.
The amazing thing is that every disciple considers his master as sadguru.

There are gurus and gurus in the world  so many of them. Sometimes the people who are searching for a guru become really confused about who would be a right guru for them. On the other side, the gurus are also searching disciples. And this is the reason some gurus prefer to declare themselves as sadguru or their disciples declare their master as sadguru. The word Sadguru means the true guru. The amazing thing is that every disciple considers his master as sadguru. This happens out of love for the guru or it could happen because of ignorance or blind faith. It could also happen out of the feeling of pride or the feeling of ego, that my guru has to be the greatest, he cannot be lesser than any guru. Generally speaking, this is the way we see the world of gurus and their disciples or followers.

But there is another world of gurus, which is very unknown, secret and mysterious  the world of Sufi gurus. Osho, in one of his discourses on Unio Mystica, talks about this phenomenon with an interesting story: An American seeker came to Dhaka, Bangladesh. He had heard about a great Sufi master. He was in a hurry to meet the master. He enquired from many people, but nobody had heard of this master. At the airport he went from one person to another but nobody had heard of him. He became suspicious and very depressed. He had come from so far, and he had heard so much about the Sufi master who lives in Dhaka, Bangladesh and nobody even knows his name! But as the last try, he asked a taxi driver. The taxi driver said, Come, sit in the taxi and I will take you to him. He could not believe it, so suddenly because nobody knew about the master the other moment.

The taxi driver said, Dont be worried, I know him. In fact, I am him. And thats how it turned out to be. He himself was the Sufi master, but he was working as a taxi driver  just an ordinary life.

The Sufis function that way. Somebody is a weaver, somebody may be a potter, somebody may be making carpets. Do you know what Gurdjieff used to do in the West? His business was carpet selling He was a carpet salesman, that was his business. If you had seen him you would have never recognised that a great master was there. Thats how the Sufis have existed, down the ages. They dont stand out, there is no need.

The same is the case with Zen. The Zen masters also are ordinary people and teach ordinariness. It is the ego which is always hankering to be extraordinary. The ego is always discontented with being ordinary; it wants to be extraordinary at any cost. It hurts to be ordinary. But once we learn to be happy being ordinary, we accept ourselves as we are, it stops hurting, we experience a certain joy in just being ordinary.

Osho reminds us: Once you have accepted the ordinariness, in your very ordinariness arises an extraordinariness. Your ordinariness becomes luminous, radiant. Then each moment is a gift, and each moment brings its own joy, its own peace, its own beautitude.
The recent slew of malware attacks on the Android ecosystem has led Google to ensure an Android phones security.

Data security is of prime concern these days, especially following the severe malware attacks in the recent months. Google has been taking extreme steps to curb the presence of malware affected content on its ecosystem, which also include the removal of malicious apps in batches. They also introduced Google Play Protect, which would scan apps installed on your device to see if they have any malicious content. Now, it will become Googles way to certify the security of an Android device.

From now on, Google will work with all manufacturers of the Android universe to ensure that every device that runs Android runs a software that is safe in every possible way. Google will run certain compatibility tests that ensure devices adhere to the Android security and permissions model. These tests will also verify that the Google apps pre-installed on devices are authentic so that apps from the Play Store can work as intended.

To make consumers choice easy, Google will also put Google Play Protect certification on retail boxes, with Play Protects logo imprinted.

(source)
US President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency on Monday.

New Delhi: As many as 200 Indian students are surrounded by neck-deep water and are marooned at the University of Houston after the campus was flooded due to Hurricane Harvey. Two Indian students are now in the ICU.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted: @CGHoust (Indias consul-general in Houston) has informed me 200 Indian students at University of Houston are marooned. We made efforts for delivery of food but US Coast Guard did not allow as boats were required for rescue operations. Mr Anupam Ray, our CG Houston, is organising rescue operations. Indian students Shalini and Nikhil Bhatia are in ICU. We are ensuring that their relatives reach there at the earliest.

Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to hit the US in 13 years, has left a trail of destruction as it swept through Texas Sunday, claiming at least five lives. US President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency on Monday.
Critics said providing police with items like bayonets, grenade launchers and drones had strained police-community relations.

According to US law, the use of deadly force by police is only justifiable if a suspect poses a credible threat to the officer or the public. (Photo: File)

Washington: Donald Trump is set to approve the controversial sale of military equipment including rifles and armored vehicles to US police forces, White House sources said on Monday, upending an Obama-era ban.

According to officials familiar with deliberations said Trump will restart the military equipment flow to police forces which was worth USD 5.4 billion over 25 years sending another message that he is a "law-and-order" president.

Critics said providing police with items like bayonets, grenade launchers and drones had strained police-community relations and led to a virtual arms-race on America's streets. But supporters argue the equipment allows police to better protect public safety and makes use of military surplus stock.

In May 2015, then president Barack Obama issued an executive order stopping military transfers, after controversy over the policing of high-profile protests in Baltimore, Maryland and Ferguson, Missouri. Eight months later, the government began recalling prohibited items. "At times, the law enforcement response to those protests was characterized as a 'military-style' operation," a 50-page report commissioned by Obama's White House found.

Those disturbances showed "law enforcement officers a top armored vehicles, wearing uniforms often associated with the military, and holding military-type weapons." The protests were prompted by the killing of unarmed black men by police.

According to US law, the use of deadly force by police is only justifiable if a suspect poses a credible threat to the officer or the public. Even after Obama's reforms, police were still allowed to use wheeled armored vehicles, Humvees, drones and riot batons, but only in very specific circumstances.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions previewed the decision by saying Trump is "doing all he can to restore law and order and support our police across America."

In response, Republican Senator Rand Paul said "the militarization of our law enforcement is due to an unprecedented expansion of government power in this realm."

"Americans must never sacrifice their liberty for an illusive and dangerous, or false, security."
India's Consul-General in Houston has been monitoring the two students' medical needs and the situation closely.

This aerial photo shows damaged homes in the wake of Hurricane Harvey in Corpus Christi, Texas. Harvey hit the coast as a Category 4 hurricane. (Photo: AP)

Houston: Two Indian students are in a critical condition after they nearly drowned in Lake Bryan in the US state of Texas, which is battling "catastrophic" flooding and torrential rains after Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc, claiming at least five lives.

The Indians, studying at the Texas A&M University, are in a critical condition. They were rescued from the lake, where they had gone swimming, by a police officer on Saturday. According to the Bryan police, an officer patrolling the lake was flagged down by a person who said two people swimming in the lake were in distress.

The person who alerted the officer was with the two students, both in their 20s. He had managed to rescue one of them, while the police officer rescued the other one and treated both of them with CPR until medical help arrived, the police said.

The students were identified as Shalini, and Nikhil Bhatia. They were taken to the CHI St. Joseph Hospital, where their condition is stated to be critical. It was not immediately clear as to why they were swimming in the severe weather.

India's Consul-General in Houston has been monitoring the two students' medical needs and the situation closely. According to the consulate office, Nikhil Bhatia is yet to show signs of improvement, while Shalini showed some improvement today for the first time since her arrival at the hospital.

Nikhil's mother, Dr. Suman Bhatia, has arrived from India and was assisted by the consulate office amidst the devastating flood situations here after being received at the Dallas airport. Whereas, Shalini's brother will be arriving tomorrow, the consulate said.

Around 13 million people were battling "catastrophic" flooding and torrential rains in the storm-ravaged Texas where Hurricane Harvey has wreaked havoc, turning streets into raging rivers and claiming at least five lives.

Meteorologists have forecast that the historic rainfall will dump up to 50 inches by Wednesday. Heavy rain bands were expected to move in over the Houston area overnight, which will continue the catastrophic and life-threatening flash-flood emergency in the area.

At least 200 Indian students are stranded at the University of Houston due to "catastrophic" flooding after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas were being evacuated to safer places, authorities have said.

The students were being provided food and other supplies by the Indian-American community in the area. India's Consul-General in Houston Anupam Ray has been in touch with the students and monitoring the evacuation process.
Gen Li was awarded a first-class merit for his role in Chinas conflict with Vietnam in 1979.

Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping has appointed 63-year-old decorated General Li Zuocheng, a veteran of the Sino-Vietnamese war, as the new Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

The Chinese defence ministry did not directly announce Lis appointment, but simply identified him with his new designation during a meeting with Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan on Saturday.

He replaces Gen. Fang Fenghui. The ministry didnt reveal which position Fang is transferred to.

Gen Li was awarded a first-class merit for his role in Chinas conflict with Vietnam in 1979. The Central Military Commission later honoured him as a war hero. His combat unit was also awarded a collective order of merit. Li has been seen as one of President Xi Jinpings rising stars since 2013.
More than 3,000 had arrived in the past 3 days, as people told of how they fled for their lives from Myanmar's army, said UN refugee agency.

Erdogan takes a sharp interest in the fate of Muslim communities across the world and notably sees himself as a champion of the Palestinian cause. (Photo: File)

Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged the international community to step up efforts to help Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority, saying the world was "blind and deaf" to their plight.

The Rohingya, one of the world's largest stateless communities, are fleeing in droves towards Bangladesh, trying to escape the latest surge in violence in Rakhine state between a shadowy militant group and Myanmar's military.

The UN refugee agency said today more than 3,000 had arrived in the past three days, as people told of how they fled for their lives from Myanmar's army.

"Unfortunately I can say the world is blind and deaf to what is going on in Myanmar," Erdogan said in a live television interview marking his three years as president. "It does not hear and it does not see," he added. He described the latest flight of refugees towards Bangladesh as an "extremely painful event" and vowed to take up the issue at the UN General Assembly next month.

"Of course we condemn this in the strongest possible manner. And we will follow this up through international institutions, including at the United Nations," added the president. "We want to see all mankind extending a hand here," he added.

Erdogan takes a sharp interest in the fate of Muslim communities across the world and notably sees himself as a champion of the Palestinian cause. Impoverished Rakhine, which neighbours Bangladesh, has become a crucible of religious hatred focused on the Rohingya, who are reviled and perceived as illegal immigrants in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.

The government of de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has dismissed accusations of atrocities and refused visas to UN officials tasked with investigating the allegations a stance that has caused dismay overseas.
India itself does not claim the territory but has a military presence in Bhutan, a close ally.

India and China have been locked in a prolonged standoff in the area in the Sikkim sector since June 16 (Photo: Representational/PTI)

New Delhi/Thimphu: Bhutan on Tuesday welcomed moves by India and China to withdraw troops from a strategic area which it claims as its territory, ending a months-long military stand-off between its giant neighbours.

The tiny Himalayan country of fewer than a million people had been caught in the middle of what some analysts called the worst crisis in India-China relations in decades.

The row centred on the Doklam plateau, an area high in the Himalayas that is claimed by both China and Bhutan.

India itself does not claim the territory but has a military presence in Bhutan, a close ally.

It stepped in to prevent Chinese border guards from building a road there, prompting Beijing to accuse it of trespassing on Chinese soil.

"Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area," its foreign ministry said.

"We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquility and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India, in keeping with existing agreements between the respective countries."

The Doklam plateau is strategically significant as it gives China access to the so-called "chicken's neck" -- a thin strip of land connecting India's northeastern states with the rest of the country.

India and China have a long history of mistrust and went to war in 1962 over the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

The latest episode has fed into a broader competition for regional influence between the two Asian powers.
Last week, Trump announced that the US would send more troops to Afghanistan to control the situation in the war-torn country.

President Trump also left the door open to an eventual political deal with the Taliban. (Photo: AP)

Islamabad: Pakistan has reportedly blocked all talks with the United States and visits to the country in protest against President Donald Trumps dig at Islamabad for harbouring terrorists on its soil.

According to Pakistan media, The Nation, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said that the decision to suspend talks with the US was taken by Senate committee of Pakistan.

Committee has also proposed that Pakistan should chalk out a verifiable mechanism to authenticate the allegations about cross-border terrorism, the article quoted Asif as saying.

Asif also alleged that India was involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan by using Afghanistan.

Pakistan was yet to finalise its response to Trumps warning during his new Afghan and South Asia Policy on Terrorism. Asif is to embark on a three-nation tour to China, Russia and Turkey to seek consultations over Trumps new South Asia policy.

Last week, Trump announced that the US would send more troops to Afghanistan to control the situation in the war-torn country and held Pakistan responsible for the terror activities on the soil of Afghanistan.

Trump sent strong warning to Pakistan against giving shelter to terror outfits in the country. He also urged India to take actively participate in helping US to fight against Taliban.
The blast occurred around 10:00 am (0530 GMT) on a street lined with banks and shops leading to Massoud Square near the US embassy.

Kabul: An explosion occurred on a busy shopping street near the heavily-fortified US embassy in central Kabul Tuesday, officials said, killing at least 5 and injuring 8.

"An explosion has happened near Massoud Square in Kabul. We have no more details yet," Najib Danish, a spokesman for Afghanistan's interior ministry said.

An official in the ministry added that the blast happened outside a bank at a time when many security forces personnel were expected to be collecting their salaries ahead of this week's Eid holiday.

"One dead and eight wounded people have been brought to Kabul hospitals so far," Waheed Majroh, health ministry spokesman, told AFP.

The blast occurred around 10:00 am (0530 GMT) on a street lined with banks and shops leading to Massoud Square near the United States embassy, close to Kabul's diplomatic area.

It was the latest explosion to rock the war-weary Afghan capital and comes a week after United States President Donald Trump committed American soldiers to Afghanistan indefinitely.

In May a massive truck bomb ripped through Kabul's diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians.
by Santosh Digal

Conferences and seminars encourage a culture of peace and empathy". For one youth leader, Youth, with their energy, connections and enthusiasm in advocating peace, can produce change in society."

Davao (AsiaNews) - A group of 100 young professionals from different religious backgrounds, including Christians and Muslims, got together with representatives of indigenous people to promote a "culture of peace" in Mindanao, southern Philippines.

The region has been torn by conflict, most recently in Marawi, scene of an ongoing bloody confrontation since 23 May between terrorists linked to the Islamic State and government forces.

The initiative began last June in Alabel, Sarangani province, led by Jocelyn Lambac-Kanda, who teaches at Holy Trinity College; Jovar Pantao, a professor at Mindanao State University-General Santos City; and Kaharudin Dalaten, a development worker for the Sarangani provincial government.

Young people are constantly participating in conferences that encourage and motivate them to promote a "culture of peace and empathy", which is a basic formula in conflict resolution.

"Amidst the armed conflicts that sow hatred, distrust and bigotry among Filipinos, youth, with their energy, connections and enthusiasm in advocating peace, can produce change in society," said Lambac-Kanda.

Prof Pantao spoke at various workshops on Turning Point: Exploring My Inner Peace so young people can discover how to be in peace within themselves and how this can radiate to others.

To show his support for the inclusion of peace education into the curriculum of public schools, Pantao also led a team in the development of Peace Education Module for Teachers.

Last May 16-18, the young Moro lecturer served as facilitator in Tudlo Kalilintad: Culture of Peace Training for Muslim Educators, which saw the participation of Muslim teachers from Sarangani.

For his part, Kaharudin Dalaten said the situation of Mindanao youth can reflect and allow them to discover their role in addressing issues affecting the youth like less participation to local governance, violent extremism, and illegal drugs.

Kanda and Pantao were both United Nations Association of the Philippines Outstanding Youth Leadership Awardees in 2009 while Dalaten was the 2016 Youth Ambassador for Peace-Asia of the United Nations Universal Peace Federation.

All youth leaders are committed to fostering understanding and unity in their respective communities through the promotion of a culture of peace.
by Udayanath Bishoyi

The celebrations took place on August 26 at G. Udayagiri. The violence of 2008 "the largest and best-planned attack on Christians". "Shameful that even today the victims have not got justice." "The struggle for justice in Kandhamal has become a struggle for justice throughout the nation."

G. Udayagiri (AsiaNews) - More than 3,000 people attended the ninth anniversary of Kandhamal pogroms to recall the suffering of Christians in 2008, targeted by Hindu radicals for their faith. The commemoration took place on August 26th at G. Udayagiri, a district city. Participants marched in procession and submitted a memorandum to the government. Sarada Singh, an activist, comments to AsiaNews: "In over 300 years, the Kandhamal violence was the largest and best-planned attack on Christians in terms of scope, nature and cause of damage and loss of lives. It was not a simple case of sectarian violence, but an attack on Christians. "

In August 2008, a Maoist group killed Hindu leader Saraswati Laxanananda in his ashram, in Kandhamal District, a fact the group readily admitted. However, the followers of the radical Hindu cleric blamed Christians, whom he had criticised for a long time because of their social involvement with tribals and Dalits (outcaste) and had accused - along with bishops, priests and nuns - of proselytising. In Kandhamal, Hindu extremists unleashed the most violent persecution against the Christian minority that India had ever seen. Overall, the pogrom forced 55,000 Christians to flee, with 5,600 houses and 415 villages raided and set on fire. According to government figures, 38 people were killed and two women raped. Scores of people were injured and permanently maimed. The Church and social activists reported instead the destruction of almost 300 churches, plus convents, schools, hostels and welfare facilities. At least 91 people died, 38 immediately, 41 from injuries sustained in the violence, and 12 in police action

Singh adds that "if it was a sectarian violence between two parties, some political movement would have been involved. But that was not the case. We must work for the justice of those who havesuffered. If we let ourselves be overwhelmed by fear, we are cowards. We continue to fight for justice! "

Ramkrushna Panda, another activist who attended the ceremony, reports that "the event wanted to push forward to get justice for the innocent victims of Kandhamal who have suffered a lot. Groups of selfish people tied to Hindu nationalist organizations sparked a cauldron of violence only for personal gain. Today, the fate of India is led to an anti-social, anti-democratic scenario, against the poor and human dignity. " "We must continue - emphasizes Panda - to uphold the ideals of equality and dignity of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar [of dalit originS, considered the father of the Indian nation - ndr], with the same [goals] of common good, prosperity and secularism. "

Amiya Pandab, a journalist, states: "It is shameful that even today the victims have not seen justice done." Jacob Pradhan, a Christian and a member of the Orissa State Assembly, states: "Kandhamal's attack was planned by a Hindu fundamentalist group that has ties to political parties. The Constitution has established the right to profess religion for us freely. " Then he appealed: "We struggle for our fundamental rights and justice. Our battle must go on. "

Finally, Dr. Gudly, who travelled from Chhattisgarh, comments: "The struggle for justice in Kandhamal has become a struggle for justice throughout the nation. The effect of the aftermath of the Gujarat massacre in 2002 was brought to other states. And now the Kandhamal fight has inspired other states."
Delhi ordered the withdrawal of troops from the Doklam highland. China has blocked the construction of a road. Two countries meet halfway. For more than three months, fears of the outbreak of a regional war.

New Delhi (AsiaNews) - Peace seems to have been restored between the governments of Delhi and Beijing, after three months of mounting fears of a military clash between the two Asian giants. Yesterday, the Indian authorities announced that they had ordered their troops to retreat from the Doklam plateau, Bhutan, where they were defending the area. For its part, Beijing, which had triggered the confrontation, beginning construction of a road that would have bounded the Bhutanese plain, confirms that it has stopped the construction work.

It is not yet clear which government "surrendered" first. The fact is that China has claimed the retreat of Indian troops as a tremendous political victory. Several analysts also see Delhi's retreat as a confirmation of Chinese superiority on the eve of the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) meeting scheduled for September 3 to 5 in Xiamen, China.

In turn, the Indian Foreign Minister said that the retreat of the Delhi army "is the result of tight diplomatic efforts, held behind closed doors for several weeks." "It's an honorable draw," he added. Indeed, the headlines of the Indian newspapers that report the peaceful resolution also presented it as a victory for India, which "has refused to be a chess player in China's game", while avoiding military confrontation.

For months the tension between the two countries had reached the highest levels, with reciprocal allegations of territorial limitation. The main fear was that the disagreement between the two governments would have involved the countries of the region in a vortex of violence, triggering a regional war. The Doklam plain lies at the junction between China, the state of Sikkim (in the northeast of India) and the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. The area is claimed by China, which calls it Donglang, while India supports Bhutan's claims.
by Melani Manel Perera

The Government of Sri Lanka approved the new law, which authorises abortion under two conditions: rape and serious deformities. Since the beginning of the year, 240,000 illegal abortions have been performed in the country.

Colombo (AsiaNews)  The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka (CBCSL) has condemned the new abortion law approved by Parliament and opposes every circumstance that "justifies" the suppression of a human life.

Last week the cabinet of President Maithripala Sirisena approved a draft bill to legalise abortion under two conditions: in case of rape and when the fetus has serious deformities. Conversely, the bishops say "no abortion in any case".

In their statement, signed by CBCSL President Mgr Winston S Fernando and CBCSL Secretary Mgr Valence Mendis and released on the day the new law was approved, the bishops say, We the CBCSL strongly condemn any effort to legalise abortion in any form whatsoever.

Justice, the press release goes on to say, should not be compromised on any account, especially when it is the question of safeguarding the right to life of the unborn child. One can not safeguard one's rights at the expense of violating another's right.

The issue has divided Sri Lankans. Women's organisations maintain that "abortion should be legalised". Conversely, Catholics argue that a human life must be respected from the moment of conception.

Dr Kapila Jayarathna believes that "one should consider the mental suffering of a woman who is a victim of sexual violence and the mental suffering of parents who face the birth of a child with deformity".

According to a survey by the University of Kelaniya, 650 abortions were performed daily in Sri Lanka last year.

Prof K. Karunatilake, professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Kelaniya, reports that "since the beginning of the year there have been about 240,00 illegal abortions. Compared to previous data, this has increased.
Iranian pilgrims are coming. Last year, they stayed away after diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia were broken. Qatar's Muslims will not be going. For weeks, many have complained about the "politicisation of the pilgrimage."

Riyadh (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Two million Muslims from around the world are expected in Makkah for the annual pilgrimage (hajj).

What is new this year is the presence of Shia pilgrims from Iran, Saudi Arabias historical rival in the region. By contrast, Qataris will not be coming given the restrictions imposed on the Gulf Country following the diplomatic crisis that hit the region.

Iranians are back in Makkah after staying away last year because of a stampede in 2015 that left almost 2,300 pilgrims dead, the worst catastrophe in Hajj history. Some 464 of those who died came from Iran.

Right after the incident, Tehran railed against Riyadhs organisation of the pilgrimage. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed with the execution of a Shia cleric by the Saudis.

Increasingly Hajj is being affected by politics even though it supposed to be motivated by faith and represent the universality of Islam.

"To politicise an event like this does no good," said Slimane Zeghidour, author of La vie quotidienne a La Mecque: De Mahomet a nos jours (Daily Life in Makkah from Mohammed to Today).

Claims that the hajj is being politicised have marred the region for some time.

Over the past three months, the Gulf has been embroiled in its worst political crisis ever, after Saudi Arabia and its allies ganged up against Qatar, which they accuse of backing terrorism and of being too close to Iran.

Since then, the emirates land, sea and air links have been affected.

Recently, Qatars Ministry of Islamic Affairs accused the Saudi Ministry of Haji of uncooperative behaviour, which has resulted in the suspension of pilgrimage preparations.

Hajj is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith, and every Muslim is required to perform it at least once in their lifetime.
10 Most Beautiful Small Towns in Missouri

Its hard to pick just a few small towns in Missouri. This state has so many lovely little communities! However, there are a few that stand out among the rest.

If you travel to Missouri, youll have no end of beautiful small towns to visit.

Enjoy riverfront living for a summer or an afternoon when you visit one of these lovely small towns. Be sure to check out at least one of the charming small towns in Missouri.

Best Small Towns in Missouri

Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you use my affiliate link.
By Caitlin Curtis, Honorary Research Fellow, The University of Queensland

The O.J. Simpson murder trial in 1995 introduced DNA forensics to the public. The case collapsed, partly because the defence lawyers cast doubt on the validity of the evidence thanks to the inappropriate way the samples were handled.

Things have changed since then. There are now safeguards in place to ensure the integrity of the chain of evidence. Laboratory protocols and procedures have also advanced.

By following a piece of evidence from the crime scene to the courtroom, well explain just how DNA is studied in the lab and used in the modern legal system.

Read more: Explainer: Forensic science

From the crime scene

The DNA samples journey begins at the crime scene.

There are several principles that guide DNA evidence collection by the crime scene examiner. In particular, the avoidance of contamination or DNA degradation, and ensuring the chain of custody.

The risk of contamination (from the collector or other evidence samples) is reduced by using sterile, disposable supplies. Degradation is minimised by drying samples before bagging.

Storing dried samples in paper bags rather than plastic, and maintaining samples at the proper temperature helps preserve the DNA and prevent microbial contamination.

It is also important to plan what to collect and how  sufficient material may be required for independent testing by the defence.









James Hereward and Caitlin Curtis, Author provided





To the lab

When any sample arrives in a lab, the first step is to extract the DNA.

The blood samples analysed in the O.J. Simpson trial were typical of the time when large amounts of DNA were required to conduct testing. Today, small amounts of DNA, known as trace DNA, can be analysed from items such as cigarette butts, hair follicles, saliva, semen, and even faeces.

This is possible because of the invention of a method in the 1980s called the polymerase chain reaction or PCR, which allows an individual strand of DNA to be replicated many times. This creates thousands of copies until there is enough DNA to conduct tests.

Analysis begins

The mainstay of modern DNA identification is short tandem repeat (STR) markers, which are small sections of DNA that vary by length (the number of repeats).

Multiple STR markers are used to create a DNA profile. They are tested using commercial kits that often incorporate a sex determination test (the amelogenin gene).

Mitochondrial DNA

Another method uses mitochondrial DNA.

Mitochondrial DNA tends to last longer than other types of DNA and is often relied on in cold cases. The sequence of mitochondrial DNA letters is passed down from mother to child (with the exception of rare mutations), so mothers and grandmothers share the same DNA sequence as their children (but fathers do not).

This makes mitochondrial DNA useful in identifying missing persons - the bones of Daniel Morcombe were identified this way.

Read more Ned Kelly remains are positively identified  but how was it done?

The Y chromosome

The Y chromosome is present only in males and is passed from father to son. This makes Y chromosome STR markers a useful tool in situations such as sexual assault cases where male and female DNA samples might be mixed and the male suspects identity needs to be established.

In the same way as mitochondrial markers, Y-markers can be used for identification through family matching. The process of familial matching in criminal investigations raises privacy concerns but is increasingly commonplace.

In one recent incident, it was suggested that the surname of a suspect was identified from records of male family members in public genetic ancestry databases.









University of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment





DNA databases and sample matching

Australian law enforcement uses the National Criminal Investigation DNA Database (NCIDD), which is managed by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.

The more records added to the database, the greater the odds of making an accidental match. This is because the number of potential matches increases.

To reduce the risk of false hits, genetic profiles can be made more complex. Increasing the number of STRs in each profile reduces the risk of a spurious match because the probability of a match (at 20 markers, for example) is estimated by multiplying the probabilities of each STR marker.

The Australian system originally used nine STRs and a sex-determination gene. In 2013 this was increased to 18 core markers.

Internationally, there are moves towards a standard set of 24 markers (such as GlobalFiler). With this many markers, the odds of two people having the same profile (twins excepted) are incredibly small. This makes an STR profile a powerful way to exclude suspects as well as making matches.

In the courtroom

Modern DNA forensic methods are powerful and sensitive, but great care must be taken to prevent miscarriages of justice.

It is difficult for people to comprehend probabilities like one in a quadrillion, and the presentation of such numbers in court can become prejudicial.

In the case of Aytugrul v the Queen, DNA evidence was presented as an exclusion percentage of 99.9, and the defence argued that this would indicate certainty of guilt to the jury.

Although the High Court of Australia ultimately allowed the DNA evidence presentation in Aytugrul v the Queen, survey data suggest that the statistical presentation of genetic evidence may affect how it is understood and used by a jury.

Such issues have lead to guidelines by the US Department of Justice, among other justice groups, for the language used in forensic testimony and reports.

Theres also a risk that contamination might implicate an innocent person. For that reason, DNA evidence is best used in support of other types of evidence.

In the case of R v Jama, DNA evidence was the sole basis of the rape case. Only after 16 months imprisonment was it revealed that the sample taken by the doctor was probably contaminated.









Shutterstock





Forensics in the future

DNA forensics will continue to evolve.

Take a genetic test that can predict eye and hair colour: this test examines (or genotypes) 24 single letter DNA variants. These are analysed with a statistical model that provides probabilities for hair and eye colour based on a large database that links DNA variants to appearance.

Understanding how DNA is linked to facial features has even led to the creation of DNA-based mugshots.

Massively parallel sequencing machines are also a significant advance. These can turn the approximately 3.2 billion DNA letters of the human genome into digital information in a matter of hours.

This opens up all of the information contained in our genetic code to law enforcement. For example, some researchers claim its possible to predict the age of a suspect from a blood sample within a mean error margin of 3.8 years, based on methylation markers in the DNA, and this may be improved with the assistance of machine learning.

The more we understand the link between appearance and DNA, the better its predictive power will be. Its tempting to speculate how the O.J. Simpson trial may have turned out with modern forensic DNA protocols and technology.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above.

Originally published in The Conversation.
Randomly selected Domino's customers in Ann Arbor, Mich., will have the opportunity to receive their pizza order from a Ford Fusion Hybrid autonomous research vehicle. Photo courtesy of Ford.

Dominos Pizza is teaming with Ford Motor Co. on a research project aimed at understanding the role that self-driving vehicles can play in future pizza delivery, according to Ford.

Over the next several weeks, randomly selected Dominos customers in Ann Arbor, Mich., will have the chance to receive their pizza order from a Ford Fusion Hybrid autonomous research vehicle. A Ford safety engineer, however, will be behind the wheel and other researchers will be on hand. Researchers from both companies will monitor customer reactions to interacting with a self-driving car as part of their delivery experience, Ford said in a released statement.

As delivery experts, weve been watching the development of self-driving vehicles with great interest as we believe transportation is undergoing fundamental, dramatic change, said Patrick Doyle, Dominos president and CEO. We pride ourselves on being technology leaders and are excited to help lead research into how self-driving vehicles may play a role in the future of pizza delivery. This is the first step in an ongoing process of testing that we plan to undertake with Ford.

Research with companies like Dominos will be crucial to ensuring that the technology is applied in ways that enhance the customer experience, Ford said. With a plan to begin production of self-driving vehicles in 2021, Ford is taking steps to design a business that meet the needs of both partner companies and their customers.

As we increase our understanding of the business opportunity for self-driving vehicles to support the movement of people and goods, were pleased to have Dominos join us in this important part of the development process, said Sherif Marakby, Ford vice president of autonomous and electric vehicles.

Dominos customers who agree to participate in the project will be able to track the delivery vehicle through GPS using an upgraded version of Dominos Tracker. They will also receive text messages as the self-driving vehicle approaches, guiding them on how to retrieve their pizza using a unique code to unlock the Dominos Heatwave Compartment inside the vehicle.

Were interested to learn what people think about this type of delivery, said Russell Weiner, president of Dominos USA. The majority of our questions are about the last 50 feet of the delivery experience. For instance, how will customers react to coming outside to get their food? We need to make sure the interface is clear and simple. We need to understand if a customers experience is different if the car is parked in the driveway versus next to the curb. All of our testing research is focused on our goal to someday make deliveries with self-driving vehicles as seamless and customer-friendly as possible.

Roush Enterprises fabricated the prototype vehicles pizza container, based on its experience working with Dominos on the DXP delivery vehicle in 2015. Ford and Dominos completed preliminary testing of the delivery process using the vehicle in self-driving mode at Mcity, the simulated urban environment on the University of Michigans campus.
Harold Pierce covers education and health for The Californian. He can be reached at 661-395-7404. Follow him on Twitter @RoldyPierce
WHAT THE LAW SAYS

Californias Unruh Civil Rights Act, contained in the states Civil Code, makes it illegal for business owners to discriminate against people based on their background, race, sexual orientation or other factors.

It reads like this:

All persons within the jurisdiction of this state are free and equal, and no matter what their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments of every kind whatsoever.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
The current and former mayors of St. Petersburg paced the field in Tuesday's primary and will face on in the November general election.

With all the votes counted, Rick Kriseman had 27,322 votes (48.36 percent), according to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. Challenger Rick Baker garnered 27,253 votes (48.23 percent).



They were separated by just 69 votes.

About 56,000 ballots were submitted, with about 37,000 of those mailed in. About 19,000 voters ventured into Tuesday's rain to cast their vote.

Had Baker or Kriseman received 51 percent of the vote, they would have won the mayoral's office outright.



@Kriseman takes the stage after results roll in. He thanks his team and former President Obama right off the top. @BN9 pic.twitter.com/jWuUsFul1y  Saundra WeathersOnTV (@SaundraONTV) August 29, 2017

The only other mayoral candidate to get more than 1 percent of the vote was Jesse Nevel (887 votes, 1.62 percent). Anthony Cates III, Paul Congemi and Theresa Lassiter filled out Tuesday's ballot.

Shortly before 8 p.m., Kriseman spoke about the results and looked ahead to November.



Kriseman thanked his family, friends and campaign team, plus mentioned President Barack Obama, who endorsed Kriseman last week.

"If Rick Baker is elected mayor, he will turn the clock back on St. Pete," Kriseman said. "He will take us back to an era of backroom deals.

"This city is all about moving forward," Kriseman said.

Baker started his remarks with a moment of silence for Hurricane Harvey victims in Texas, then introduced his family. His children were 4 and 5 years old when he last served as mayor.

He said Kriseman has "devastated our city in many ways."

Fmr. St. Pete Mayor @bakerstpete speaks to supporters heading into a November runoff. @BN9 pic.twitter.com/fPwTNKmF0p  Trevor Pettiford (@TrevorPettiford) August 30, 2017

"People talk about negative campaigning, but there are some just things you have to face." He also criticized Kriseman's handling of the city's sewage issues, along with spending.

"We knew we'd be in a fight," Baker said. "I've been saying it for the last couple weeks. It's was gonna get close to the end. I know it's going to get close. He's pulled out all the stops.

"He's had a press conference at City Hall every day and every kind of publicity that he can get. I'm ready for the fight. We can win it because it's about the future of our city and we're gonna fight for it."

CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 6

Justin Bean emerged from the crowded field in the District 6 race but it remains to be seen who he will face in Nov. 7.

Bean collected 21 percent of the vote at 1,442. Gina Driscoll and Robert Blackmon each had 18 percent (1,215-1,211 votes). Maria Scruggs, 16 percent (1,079) and Corey Givens Jr., 10 percent (678) followed.

Eritha Cainion had 7 percent of the returns with James Scott and Jim Jackson rounding out the field with 6 percent and 4 percent.
Officials say a levee near a subdivision of homes in a county south of Houston has been breached and water is pouring into the area.

Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta says that the water has come over the levee in the northeast part of the subdivision and is starting to fill the area.

Tropical Storm Harvey has winds of 45 mph

Forecasters says parts of Texas may see 50 inches of water

Harvey moving slowly in Gulf of Mexico; will move back to land Wednesday

How to help hurricane victims: American Red Cross

Harvey made landfall in Texas near Corpus Christi

Track the Tropics on our tropics page

Our sister stations in Austin and San Antonio are providing continuous coverage of Harvey throughout the event. For more details on the impacts in those areas, visit the Spectrum News Austin and Spectrum News San Antonio websites.

He says residents were told that at some point the levee would be overtopped. He said that a mandatory evacuation order was issued Sunday.

Sebesta says there are hundreds of homes there. He says hopefully very few are still in the area.

A pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston from flooding began overflowing Tuesday, adding to the rising floodwaters from Harvey that have crippled the city after five consecutive days of rain.

Engineers began releasing water from the Addicks and Barker reservoirs Monday to ease the strain on the dams.

But the releases were not enough to relieve the pressure after one of the heaviest downpours in U.S. history, Army Corps of Engineers officials said. Both reservoirs are at record highs.

The release of the water means that more homes and streets will flood, and some homes will be inundated for up to a month, said Jeff Lindner of the Harris County Flood Control District.

The county is trying to determine where the water will go, Lindner said.

Flooding continues to be a problem and there are new evacuation orders for the city of Houston

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania are on their way to Texas to assess the damage.

They are expected to be in Corpus Christi, one of the first areas Harvey struck last week.

Trump is not expected to visit the areas still being impacted by the storm. But he is expected to make stops in Corpus Christi and Austin.

This as people in Houston are still being rescued and still trying to find places to go.

Desperate rescue operations are underway Tuesday morning across flood-ravaged southeast Texas.

At least 3,000 people were rescued yesterday alone, but countless others are still stranded in their homes.

"They keep telling us. I guess now that there's a mandatory evacuation around the area all the roads are closed. There's really no way to get out," said Jamie Baxter in a phone interview. Baxter is stranded in an apartment with a neighbor.

First responders, the U.S. Coast guard and the entire Texas National Guard have been deployed. Authorities are overwhelmed with calls for help.

"The biggest issue we have right now is time (and) getting to everyone we need to get to," said Col. Steven Metze, a public affairs officer with the Texas National Guard.

Citizens are taking action with their own boats.

"They would be on the second story screaming out loud at us. We could hear them over the load motors of the airboats," said volunteer rescuer Chad Petere.

Thousands seek shelter

More than 3,000 people have been rescued in Houston alone as more than two-feet of rain has already fallen in many areas.

Floodwaters reached the rooflines of single-story homes Monday and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as Harvey poured rain on the Houston area for a fourth consecutive day after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues.

Harvey has been blamed for at least three confirmed deaths, including a woman killed Monday in the town of Porter, northeast of Houston, when a large oak tree dislodged by heavy rains toppled onto her trailer home.

A Houston television station reported Monday that six family members were believed to have drowned when their van was swept away by floodwaters. The KHOU report was attributed to three family members the station did not identify. No bodies have been recovered.

Police Chief Art Acevedo told The Associated Press that he had no information about the news report, but said that he's "really worried about how many bodies we're going to find."

 What exactly are the spaghetti plots?

 Information You Need | Supply Checklist





Remember that the spaghetti model plot does not indicate the strength of a system or even development at all. It only predicts where this broad area of low pressure is expected to go.
An Inverness man has decided to head to Texas to help out with relief efforts. Now, he's asking community members to donate what they can so he can provide aid to those he comes into contact with during the trip.

Inverness man collecting Texas donations

Truckload of items packed to drive to Texas

HARVEY: Thousands seek shelter as floodwaters continue to rise

With car load after car load, Andy Hallinan's trailer is quickly filling up with supplies for his trip to Texas.

"Whenever we see an issue like this where we can do something to help out something is better than nothing," Andy said.

He reached out to the Citrus County community to bring food and toiletry supplies to his store in inverness where he has his trailer parked to receive donations.

Third grader Lena Jacobs quickly grabbed her mother and brother and got as many supplies as they could, even some handmade soap bars. She said she wanted to make the donations because she knows so many people need help.

"Their houses are flooded and they are thirsty and hungry and they have nothing that they can eat and drink and they could die," Lena explained.

Lena said she feels good that her donations will make a difference in many people's lives.

Many others also made brought supplies like cartons of water, and even some food for the pets that also had to be rescued.

"I remember back after Katrina and people out there that were devastated needed everything and I just felt well if I can do something to help I'll at least bring some water they always need water," Donald Miller said.

Andy said he's going to have the trailer set up here for the next two days until they head for Texas Thursday morning

And besides just lending a helping hand, Andy hopes the trip will help bring people closer together.

"We don't care what their backgrounds are or they're preferences are or anything like that. It's just a little thing that we can do to help show some unity in this country," he explained.

In addition to food and water, Andy said they also need clothing, toiletries, diapers, and flashlights. They all can be dropped off at Florida Gun Supply on Pine Avenue in Inverness.
During his visit to Texas in response to Hurricane Harvey, President Trump told a crowd gathered outside a Corpus Christi firehouse, "What a crowd. What a turnout," according to media reports.

Trump had met with local officials inside the firehouse. Corpus Christi was among the cities hard hit by the Category 4 storm.

Shortly after arriving Tuesday morning, Trump said in a press conference he hoped the response to Harvey would serve as an example in future disasters.

"Nobody has seen something like this," Trump said, flanked by First Lady Melania Trump, and Gov. Greg Abbott. "We won't say congratulations. We don't want to do that. We'll congratulate each other when it's all finished."

The president said he hoped citizens would look back at how government officials handled Harvey five or 10 years from now and say, "This is the way to do it."

RELATED: National Weather Service details just how close S.A. came to experiencing a 'disaster' from Harvey

The trip marks the president's first response to a disaster so far in his term. A Category 4 hurricane made landfall along Texas' Gulf Coast Friday night. It cause extensive damage along the Coast and a record 49.2 inches of rain - and counting - to fall in Houston, breaking a decades-old record.

Hundreds of Houston residents have been forced from their homes due to extreme flooding across the nation's fourth-largest city.

Trump also said FEMA Administrator Brock Long was a "man who's become very famous," recently after doing multiple interviews with the press on recovery efforts.

Trump is next set to depart for Austin around 1:30 p.m.

Check back to mySA.com for more coverage of the president's visit.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
After participating in the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement program at his local hospital, a group of total joint surgeons in Greensboro, NC realized they could implement similar bundled payments with their Surgical Care Affiliates (SCA) surgery center. They hatched the idea 18 months ago while building a brand new surgical center; now the center is open and they plan to perform the first total joint replacements there at the end of the month.

"Most of my patients were only staying one night at the hospital, so I wanted to work with payers and the surgical center to create an outpatient total joint service," says Dr. Steve Lucey. "It took several meetings with different payers to gain alignment. They were extremely interested in outpatient total joints and we spent about two to three months negotiating the bundles."

As a group of surgeon entrepreneurs, Dr. Lucey and his colleagues  Dr. Frank Aluisio, Dr. Frank Rowan and Dr. Matt Olin  decided to take control of the bundle. These surgeons came together from different practices to create a management company to handle negotiations with the surgery center and payers. Ultimately, they gave a 15 to 20 percent discount on the average amount spent for the total episode of care. The payers agreed to pay the management company a lump sum and the management company would negotiate the best prices for implants, home health, anesthesia and the surgical center.

"We have a situation where surgeons are becoming their own conveners," says Dr. Lucey. "We had a software company build our platform for data collection. We do surgeries and input the data, which is automatically embedded in the American Joint Replacement Registry, and decide who to include or exclude for the outpatient bundles."

The process wasn't without roadblocks, however. Dr. Lucey and his partners are accepting a huge amount of risk for the bundle. The surgeons are at-risk for all care within the 90 days after surgery, so any infections, complications or return visits to the operating room will incur overage costs.

The group negotiated partial knee replacement bundles with Blue Cross Blue Shield that went into effect Jan. 1, 2017 and have completed 33 procedures since then. The program has worked well, and the surgeons anticipate total joints will yield the same success.

"We are passionate about driving the ship. We wanted to take an entrepreneurial approach to put physicians in a better business position and provide patients with better outcomes," says Dr. Lucey. The surgery center includes 23-hour stay capabilities, but Dr. Lucey anticipates many patients will be able to return home the same day of surgery without spending the night. That's part of what will save money in the bundle: where patients are sent after surgery.

"The win is for individual surgeons making decisions for the care of their patients," says Dr. Lucey. "They don't have to send patients to the skilled nursing facility or the hospital-owned home health facility. In our market, if we can save 15 to 20 percent on every case, payers are interested in the bundle."

Dr. Lucey projects to complete 200 bundles within the first year, and hopes to double that number over the next two years.
Proofpoint threat researchers identified a "previously undocumented ransomware strain," which demands up to $5,000 in bitcoin from its targets, according to a company blog post Aug. 24.

Here are four things to know about the ransomware variant.

1. Proofpoint researchers opted to name the variant "Defray," based on the command and control server hostname from the first attack they observed, which began with the term "defrayable-listings."

However, in a ransom note obtained by Proofpoint, the cybercriminals distributing the malware wrote, "This is custom developed ransomware, decrypter won't be made by an antivirus company. This one doesn't even have a name."

2. The researchers have observed two targeted attacks distributing the ransomware in August. One attack targeted the healthcare and education industries, while another targeted the manufacturing and technology industries. Both targeted organizations in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

3. In an Aug. 22 email campaign, cybercriminals delivered email messages with malware embedded in a Microsoft Word attachment. The email message claimed to be from a U.K. hospital's information management and technology director and the attachment used the hospital's logo.

4. Proofpoint researchers noted the email campaigns were "narrow and selective," using specific language and images to target its victims. The "campaigns" are as small as only several messages each.

"Defray Ransomware is somewhat unusual in its use in small, targeted attacks," the blog post reads. "Although we are beginning to see a trend of more frequent targeting in ransomware attacks, it still remains less common than large-scale 'spray and pray' campaigns."

Click here to view the blog post.
University of Miami Health System CEO Steven M. Altschuler, MD, is resigning, effective Sept. 15, less than two years after assuming the role.

Dr. Altschuler, who also serves as executive vice president for health affairs at University of Miami, is stepping down to "pursue other interests in biotechnology," according to a letter from University of Miami President Julio Frenk to the university community.

Dr. Altschuler has served as UHealth CEO since January 2016. During his tenure, he "helped to launch the current restructuring of our health system, focused on providing innovative and integrated healthcare to our community," Mr. Frenk noted. Prior to UHealth, Dr. Altschuler served as CEO of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Edward Abraham, MD, chief academic officer and dean of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, will take over as acting EVP for health affairs and UHealth CEO. Dr. Altschuler will also stay on as a consultant through the end of the year.
A workaholic may seem like the perfect employee, but the drawbacks of a workaholic personality should make you reconsider hiring someone whose sole focus is their job, according to Forbes.

Listed below are three reasons why you shouldn't hire a workaholic.

1. Workaholics are so singularly occupied with their own responsibilities that they have trouble empathizing with others and can be poor collaborators.

2. Someone so wholly consumed by their job is usually less likely to think creatively and instead stick to their one area of expertise.

3. Obsessive workers are more prone to burnout, and though their workaholic personality may first appear productive, it won't be long before it becomes their undoing.

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InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp., a Cambridge, Mass.-based research and clinical-stage biomaterials and biotechnology company, is cutting 13 jobs, or about 39 percent of its workforce, as it navigates a strategic restructuring.

The company said in a news release it is restructuring to focus on The INSPIRE Study: InVivo Study of Probable Benefit of the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold for Safety and Neurologic Recovery in Subjects with Complete Thoracic AIS A Spinal Cord Injury.

"The strategic restructuring will allow the company to concentrate its efforts on reopening patient enrollment for INSPIRE, completing INSPIRE, and filing a Humanitarian Device Exemption submission for the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold," InVivo added. "The INSPIRE Study is designed to demonstrate the safety and probable benefit of the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold in patients with complete thoracic spinal cord injury, and currently has 16 patients in follow-up."

Additionally, the company said it will suspend its chronic spinal cord injury stem cell and gene therapy research programs and stop enrollment into its Canadian cervical study of the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold. InVivo went on to say it is making efforts to identify opportunities for the cell and gene therapy programs to continue outside of the company and plans to restart the cervical study, pending the Food and Drug Administration's approval to allow for U.S. enrollment.

The company said the job cuts come in concurrence with the corporate restructuring.

Overall, InVivo anticipates saving approximately $7.3 million in operating expenses in 2018 through the job cuts and various restructuring efforts.

"I feel confident that going forward, we have aligned our operational efforts and financial resources to fully support our core goal of bringing the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold to market. We continue to work with the FDA as expeditiously as possible with the goal of reopening enrollment in INSPIRE, and we look forward to completing the study and submitting our HDE application," InVivo CEO and Chairman Mark Perrin said.
As southeastern Texas and neighboring regions feel the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey, Texas health officials are warning people in affected areas to avoid contact with floodwater and distributing tetanus vaccines to those who need it, according to NPR.

The warnings were issued because of the risk of infection that comes from contact with floodwater, which can be contaminated by household cleaning supplies, human waste and other sources.

Fourteen hospitals in the affected areas have been evacuated since Friday, and the state has contracted the grocery chain H-E-B to help residents fill prescriptions.

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The Advisory Board in Washington, D.C., will sell off its healthcare division to Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group's Optum arm for $1.3 billion, including debts, Reuters reports.

Under the agreement, the board's healthcare division will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Optum. The Advisory Board is also selling its education division to San Francisco-based Vista Equity Partners for $1.55 billion. The Vista deal is expected to close by the end of this year or early 2018, after which the Advisory Board will complete its merger with Optum.

The Advisory Board's shares rose 6.8 percent to $53 Tuesday after the deals were announced, the report states.



The Optum merger agreement is subject to contract conditions and regulatory compliance.



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A health-sharing ministry serving the Kansas City, Mo., area is under fire from members for allegedly taking their money but not helping pay any medical bills, according to a report from The Kansas City Star.

At least eight members have filed complaints against St. Joseph, Mo.-based Medical Cost Sharing after paying thousands of dollars in monthly fees and receiving no help on medical bills in return. Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley is now investigating the health-sharing ministry to decide if it should pay its members damages, according to the report.

A health-sharing ministry is a group of people united by similar religious beliefs who agree to pay monthly into a fund with the idea the money will be used toward their medical bills if needed. Health-sharing ministries do not offer health insurance, but are exempt from ACA coverage requirements and members are exempt from insurance mandates, according to the report. However, they must operate as charitable nonprofit organizations.

Medical Cost Sharing is a national health-sharing ministry with a local chapter in the Kansas City area founded in 2013. Medical Cost Sharing had its nonprofit status revoked in 2016 for failing to turn in required paperwork for three years, according to the report.

Read the full story here.

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Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said his office will "review the circumstances" leading to the death of a 6-year-old patient at Penn State Milton S. Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center in January, PennLive reports.

The child was admitted to the hospital Jan. 10 with a body temperature of 89.4 degrees and subsequently wrapped in a heated blanket. Under the medical center's policies, medical personnel were required to check on the boy every two hours. However, an investigation by the Pennsylvania Department of Health revealed hospital staff did not check on the boy for at least 10 hours, the report states.

When staff went to check on the patient the following morning, the child did not display any vital signs and his body temperature was logged at 107.6 degrees, according to the report.

Mr. Marsico told PennLive his office learned of the incident after news reports surfaced last week. He said investigators will examine the medical staff's actions and whether the child maintained any injuries prior to being admitted to the medical center.
The dangers of Hurricane Harvey's catastrophic flooding will linger in Texas, long after the floodwaters recede and the displaced return home, according to a report from The Washington Post.

In the article, Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, dean of tropical medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, categorizes the health ramifications caused by the disaster as "short-term, long-term and big picture."

Here are seven health consequences to expect after Hurricane Harvey, according to the Post.

Short-term

1. Floodwater injuries: People can often underestimate the dangers of floodwaters, as just six inches of fast-moving water can knock down an adult, according to Dr. Hotez. Seventy-five percent of those who die in floods drowned, according to data from the World Health Organization cited in the report. Nine deaths have been attributed to Hurricane Harvey so far. Flooding can also increase the likelihood of injuries from wild animals as it can carry floating clumps of fire ants and force snakes to search for higher ground.

2. Infectious disease: Flooding compromises sewage systems, which can flush human waste and other debris into the streets. Floodwaters can also exhume corpses from cemeteries, as they did in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina. While it's hard to predict what precise microbes will put humans at risk, possible culprits include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and flesh-eating bacteria, according to Dr. Hotez.

3. Heat: Power outages often occur after hurricanes, meaning many individuals with underlying health issues possibly worsened by high temperatures may have to go without air-conditioning.

Short-term and long-term

4. Mosquitoes: Floodwaters will immediately decrease the mosquito population by destroying breeding pools. However, as the floodwater recedes, the mosquito population will rebound, increasing the risk of vector-borne disease like Zika, dengue and West Nile. In 2006, after Hurricane Katrina, West Nile cases doubled in communities hard hit by the hurricane, according to the Post.

Long-term

5. Mental Health: A 2015 study published in Nature examined the long-term implications for Hurricane Katrina regarding mental health. Suicidal thoughts, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression all increased among the 815 study participants affected by the hurricane in the month and years after the storm.

6. Mold: Evacuees can spend more than three weeks away from their homes after a hurricane. These houses can remain waterlogged and overheated during this timeframe, creating an optimal breeding ground for mold. After Katrina, mold was implicated in the deaths of four Southern University at New Orleans professors who all worked in the same storm-damaged facility, according to the Post.

Big Picture

7. Regional vulnerability: "We don't realize that the Gulf Coast is America's vulnerable underbelly of infectious disease," Dr. Hotez told the Post, citing the region's poverty, humid climate and transportation hubs as facilitators of the dissemination of disease. These issues are exacerbated by the effects of climate change.

"All of those forces combine to make the Gulf Coast especially susceptible to infectious and tropical disease," said Dr. Hotez.

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Houston-based Ben Taub Hospital is expected to run out of food for patients Tuesday night as a result of Hurricane Harvey's catastrophic flooding, according to ABC 13.

The hospital is seeking a food vendor to avert the crisis.

The hospital attempted to evacuate critical patients on Sunday night; however, the torrential rainfall and waist-high water prevented the ambulance from moving. The hospital still plans to evacuate 20 critical patients out of the 350 admitted, according to the report.
NuVasive plans to expand its San Diego-based headquarters and add an innovation center to the facility.

Here are five things to know:

1. Founded in 1997, NuVasive has grown considerably over the past two decades and expects annual revenues to surpass $1 billion in 2017. The company foresees continued growth and plans to renovate and expand its world headquarters in January 2018.

2. The company currently trains more than 500 surgeons per year at the San Diego campus and plans to increase research and development spending from 5 percent to 7 percent of revenue over the next several years.

3. The renovation will add more than 100,000 square feet to NuVasive's headquarters, boosting the total square footage to 250,000. The new facility will include an innovation center to showcase the company's products and highlight its surgeon education program.

4. The new facility will add a prototype design facility with three-dimensional printing capabilities. NuVasive also plans to add a biomedical testing center.

5. Once completed, the new facility will also have a cafe, fitness center and meeting space for up to 750 people.

"San Diego's business community applauds the expansion of the NuVasive campus," said Jerry Sanders, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce's president and CEO. "NuVasive is a major contributor to San Diego's vital medical technology industry and has demonstrated admirable commitment not only to supporting our region but to totally revolutionizing spine surgery across the world."
New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery named William M. Ricci, MD, chief of the combined HSS/NYP Orthopedic Trauma Service.

Here are five things to know:

1. Dr. Ricci served as chief and fellowship director of the orthopedic trauma service and vice chair of orthopedics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He succeeds David L. Helfet, MD, as chief of the HSS/NewYork Presbyterian Orthopedic Trauma Service.

2. Dr. Helfet developed the orthopedic trauma program 26 years ago and it grew substantially under his leadership. After officially stepping down from his leadership role, Dr. Helfet will continue his surgical practice and collaborate with Dr. Ricci moving forward.

3. The leadership transition will take place in September 2017.

4. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Ricci is the current president of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association. He previously served on the board of directors for the American Orthopaedic Association. His clinical practice focuses on arm, leg, pelvic and hip fractures.

5. Dr. Ricci completed his medical degree at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C., and underwent his residency at HSS. He completed fellowship training at Tampa, Fla.-based Florida Orthopaedic Institute and Tampa General Hospital.
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It is reported that Sean MacBride, as Foreign Affairs Minister, was reluctant to accept US dollars under the post-war Marshall plan unless the USA made explicit its opposition to the partition of Ireland.

Who would have thought that the border would ever again impinge upon Irelands economic policies? But never say never.

Even further back, at the 1912 constitutional convention  whose centenary John Bruton tried unsuccessfully to have given the attention it deserved  one delegate said the only options for the Ulster question were coercion (military solution in todays lingo), which was intolerable; or partition, which was unthinkable.

Most people still thought it was unthinkable until it happened. Even when it did, many, including some leaders of the new Irish state, thought it could not last.

The lesson to be learnt in todays circumstances is that anything can happen and some of it can be very bad. There is no room for wishful thinking, or being distracted by detail.

In a curious way, the attention given to the border is a distraction, one which could be dangerous if dealing with the border question becomes the central issue.

Already, people could be forgiven for thinking that if they can cross the border freely, and the trucks are checked somewhere else, then all will be well.

It will not of course. The main advantage of last weeks blizzard of reports from the British Government was not so much what they contained, but that they turned some much needed attention towards the central questions, and even on that governments attitude towards them.

This has changed dramatically, but in such a confused manner that it would be easy to miss the change. When Remain Chancellor Philip Hammond and Brexit ministers Liam Fox and Michael Gove issued a statement saying the UK would indeed leave both the customs union and the single market, it looked like a hardening of the position.

It certainly showed Mr Hammond positioning himself for the party leadership. But the statement had all three in favour of a transitional arrangement after formal exit in 2019.

That is a major change for the Brexiteers. One might well ask how they could ever have thought otherwise, but they did, and it is surely an indication that this is all still to play for. The question here is what should the Irish Government be playing for and how should it go about it?

In a paper published by the Institute for International and European Affairs (IIEA) lawyer and former commission official John Temple Lang argues the membership of the EEA (European Economic Area offers the best, and perhaps the only, solution, both for the UK as a whole and Scotland in particular, as well as for both parts of Ireland.

Here then, is the diplomatic objective for the Government  probably the most difficult and delicate since de Valera kept us out of the war; maybe since the treaty negotiations themselves. The stakes may not be quite as high as those, but they are high enough. The Department of Finance has already calculated the intolerable consequences of a disorderly Brexit. That is a better word than hard, which implies a deliberate choice. It is clear no one who matters wants that choice now. It could still happen though.

As one official put it, Ireland is off the EU chart when it comes to the exposure of its food, indigenous manufacturing and chemical industries. It is not just agri-business, although it is the most vulnerable, with almost 50% exposure to the UK.

Apart from Cyprus at 25%, the next most exposed, not surprisingly, are Holland and Denmark but their figure is just 10%. Doubtless this is a concern to them, and they may be useful allies, but it is not the cataclysm it represents for Ireland.

The vulnerable sectors count for more than just their economic size. They are the sinews of the economy outside Dublin and the foundation of social life, especially in the border region. No wonder Mr Varadkar got tired of talk about cameras and off-line customs posts.
The iconic DeLorean, which was made in Dunmurry 36 years ago and found belated fame in movie franchise Back To The Future, may take off next year as it evolves into a flying machine.

The DR-7 VTOL has been developed by Paul DeLorean, nephew of the car's creator, John DeLorean.

The vertical take-off electric aircraft will "bring the freedom and exhilaration of personal air transportation to the masses", according to its makers.

The DR-7 will be just under 20ft in length, short enough to fit in most home garages.

Its predecessor, the DeLorean DMC-12, came off the production lines in Belfast in 1981 when its factory was described as a "dream" by cross-community workers who had struggled to secure employment here during the Troubles.

The business produced 9,000 cars before production ceased in 1983 due to a failure in recouping a multi-million pound investment coupled with DeLorean's arrest for drug trafficking.

He was later cleared of the charges.

Sales of the car failed to meet expectations, but its popularity soared when it was used as a flying machine in the Back to the Future series of films, which began two years after the closure of the Dunmurry factory.
James Anderson (left) and Ellen Dickson of Novosco with David Wallicker, chief information officer at Liverpool Womens NHS Foundation Trust

A Northern Ireland IT firm has landed a new deal with a major hospital in England.

Cloud-computing firm Novosco has signed a contract with the UK's largest women's hospital in Liverpool to deliver a project that will enable rapid genome testing of newborn babies.

It's understood the contract is worth around 500,000.

The Belfast firm's work will allow the Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust to be able to genetically test newborn babies.

The software and IT network will allow the trust to "detect any genetic conditions or illnesses in babies and to put in place a plan for early treatment".

Novosco's managing director Patrick McAliskey said: "We are delighted to secure this contract which will enable the trust to take genetic testing to the next level and play an important role in the identification and prevention of conditions and illnesses in new-born babies and the wider population".

The company - which now employs around 150 staff, spread across its Belfast base, as well as Dublin, Manchester and Cork - will give the health trust a "12-fold increase in the capacity" of the hospital to genetically test newborn babies.

The company says it will "also feed into a major population health programme in Liverpool that aims to analyse genetic information by location, therefore identifying and enabling work to prevent localised health issues".

Earlier this summer the business landed a 10m deal with housing association Notting Hill Housing, which manages nearly 32,000 properties across London.

As part of the five-year deal, Novosco will provide IT services, including service support and delivery, application management, commodity services, and strategic planning.

The deal makes Notting Hill Housing the third top London housing association in Novosco's portfolio of clients. Novosco has already worked for organisations including Swan Housing, which manages more than 10,000 homes in the south of England and Northwards Housing based in Manchester.

In Northern Ireland it has worked for Radius, which has some 33,000 homes in the province.

In 2016 Novosco took over English specialist IT security solutions and managed services expert NetDef.

It also recently spent over 1m to double the size of its offices in Belfast, with new premises in the Concourse 3 building of Catalyst, which was formerly known as the Northern Ireland Science Park.
The BCC and DIHK have called for clarity on future trading arrangements after Brexit

British and German business groups have issued a plea to politicians to put economic interests first as they enter the third round of Brexit talks.

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and the Association of German Chambers of Commerce (DIHK) have demanded certainty on "business-critical" areas such as custom arrangements, tax and workers' rights.

The organisations said business was deteriorating for German firms trading with the UK because of Brexit uncertainty, while British companies want a transition period of at least three years to cope with the divorce.

Adam Marshall, director general of the BCC, said: "As Brexit talks continue, it's clear that companies in the UK and on the continent all want economic issues to rise to the top of the negotiations agenda.

"There is real business appetite from both sides for a focus on practical, day-to-day business concerns, and a desire for clarity on future trading arrangements.

"The UK and the EU must begin work on transitional arrangements, particularly on customs, so that firms on both sides of the Channel have the confidence to make investment decisions.

"Chambers of commerce in the UK and in Germany want to see thriving trade continue between our firms, both now and into the future. Politicians must do everything in their power to help this happen."

Britain enjoys strong economic ties with Germany.

The UK is the third largest market for the export of German goods, while Germany is Britain's second biggest market for exports of goods and services.

Martin Wansleben, chief executive of the DIHK, said: "Businesses are very concerned that Brexit will have a major negative impact.

"Not only it could lead to more trade barriers - additional bureaucracy, increased waiting time and stricter border controls resulting in higher costs.

"The terms of exit are still completely unclear. Many of our members are reporting that they are already shifting investments away from the UK in anticipation of these barriers.

"The first effects of the Brexit vote are already being observed: German exports to the United Kingdom were down by 3% in the first half of this year compared to the first half of last year, whilst exports to the EU increased with 6% in the same period.

"A transitional period would be helpful for business, but it is important to businesses on both sides that the contours of a future trading relationship are becoming clearer over the next months."

German firms have 2,500 branches in the UK employing 400,000 workers, with British firms holding a smaller 1,200 branch offices and 220,000 staff in Germany.
The kids are getting ready to go back to school but there's still plenty to do in the final few days of summer.

1. Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival - August 31-September 3

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Be inspired by music, dance and literature as the festival returns to Enniskillen - with old favourites such as Schubertiade and Precious Little concerts, morning boat rides out to the islands on the lough for Beckett readings, acclaimed productions Ohio Impromptu and Catastrophe and much more.

The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School (formerly Portora Royal School) will be hosting talks plus a new performance piece by director Alan Gilsenan based on some of Becketts poems, as well as a site-specific reading of From An Abandoned Work by director and Festival Associate Netia Jones.

For a full programme of events, visit www.artsoverborders.com

2. The Laughter Factory at Crumlin Road Gaol, Belfast - Saturday, September 2

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Join compere Paddy McDonnell as he hosts a night of top class stand up featuring Tim McGarry as he turns his satirical eye on all things.

The show also features Sean Hegarty, Sara Jade Davidson and John Colleary, star and co-writer of RTE's The Savage Eye.

To book your ticket, visit www.crumlinroadgaol.com

Time: Doors open 7pm, show starts 8.30pm.

Price: 20 - 49.50

3. The Belfast Tattoo at the SSE Arena - August 31 - September 2

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This year's annual event will feature an impressive military display including pipe, flute, fife and drum bands, as it continues to draw people from outside the city to attend the amazing production.

Artists taking part in the 2017 Belfast Tattoo include:

The Winnipeg Police Band (Canada)

Lume De Biqueira Galician Bagpipe Band (Madrid)

The Imps Motorcycle Display Team (UK)

Coleraine Fife and Drum Band

Kellswater Flute Band

Cahard Flute Band

For more information and programme visit the SSE Arena website.

Price: 25 - 50

4. The 26th Bluegrass Music Festival at the Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh - September 1-3

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Enjoy three days of world class bluegrass and old-time music featuring the multi award winning Dale Ann Bradley Band from the USA, Viper Central from Canada, Robirohi from Estonia, Flats & Sharps from England and The Dirty Beggars from Scotland.

There'll also be home grown talent from throughout Ireland, including Rackhouse Pilfer, The Henry Girls, The Whileaways, Old Hannah and Roots Revival.

For more information, visit www.nmni.com

5. Air Waves 2017 at Portrush - September 2-3

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Ireland's biggest airshow takes place over two action-packed days in Portrush.

This free event will be hosted on the eastern side of Portrush, allowing use of a spectacular display line along the Causeway Coast. As well as having amazing aerial aircraft displays to watch there is plenty to see and do at ground level with a wide range of attractions and activities including a static helicopter display, armed forces village and much more.

For more information, visit www.airwavesportrush.co.uk

6. The Simon & Garfunkel Story at the Grand Opera House, Belfast - September 2-3

Direct from its success in Londons West End, The Simon & Garfunkel Story is back at the Grand Opera House in Belfast.

Using huge projection photos and original film footage, this 50th Anniversary Celebration also features a full live band performing all the hits including 'Mrs Robinson', 'Cecilia', 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', 'Homeward Bound' and many more.

For more information, visit www.goh.co.uk

Time: 8pm

Price: 16.75 - 24.25

7. Sweeney Todd at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast - September 2-3

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Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to 19th century London seeking vengeance and the road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which he opens a new barber practice.

Mrs. Lovett's luck sharply shifts when Todd's thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up, and the carnage has only just begun.

For more information, visit www.lyrictheatre.co.uk

Time: 2.30pm & 7pm

Price: 15
Brexit Secretary David Davis has been told by the EU's chief negotiator that the UK needs to clarify its position and end "ambiguity" if it wants "serious" withdrawal talks.

As a fresh round of negotiations began in Brussels, Michel Barnier made it clear the European Commission needed more openness from Britain on the divorce deal before future relations and transitional arrangements could be discussed.

"We need you to take positions on all separation issues. This is necessary to make sufficient progress. We must start negotiating seriously," he said.

"We need UK papers that are clear in order to have constructive negotiations. And the sooner we remove the ambiguity, the sooner we will be in a position to discuss the future relationship and a transitional period.

"The EU 27 and the European Parliament stand united. They will not accept that separation issues are not addressed properly.

"I am ready to intensify negotiations over the coming weeks in order to advance."

Mr Barnier added: "To be honest, I'm concerned, time passes quickly."

In response, Mr Davis said Britain was ready to "roll up its sleeves" to get a deal.

He said: "For the United Kingdom the week ahead is about driving forward the technical discussions across all the issues.

"We want to lock in the points where we agree, unpick the areas where we disagree and make further progress on the whole range of issues."

He said this will "require flexibility and imagination from both sides", adding: "And we are ready to roll up our sleeves and get down to work again once more."

Ahead of the talks, Mr Davis was believed to be frustrated at Mr Barnier's insistence that progress must be made on fixing the UK's 'divorce' bill before moving on to talks on future trade.

He believes a series of papers produced by his department for exiting the EU over the past fortnight have proved that the two issues are inextricably linked.

Meanwhile, Brussels is understood to be infuriated by Britain's refusal even to spell out how it thinks its liabilities to the EU should be calculated, let alone put a figure on the final bill, variously estimated at between 50bn and 80bn.

Mr Davis insisted the British position papers were sufficiently detailed, stating: "They are the products of hard work and detailed thinking that has been going on behind the scenes not just in the last few weeks, but for the last 12 months, and should form the basis of what I hope will be a constructive week of talks."

The third round of withdrawal talks began after Labour's decision to promise to keep the UK in the single market and customs union after March 2019.

Northern Ireland issues are likely to be discussed tomorrow.
Colum Eastwood, who has called on Sinn Fein to end its abstentionist policy

Sinn Fein has emphatically rebuffed an SDLP call to end its abstentionist policy and take up its Westminster seats to fight the impact of EU withdrawal.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood predicted Labour's major policy shift backing a longer post-Brexit transition period had the potential to prevent a 'hard border' scenario.

After the loss of the SDLP's three MPs in the general election, Westminster has been left without a nationalist voice given Sinn Fein's refusal to take the oath to the Queen.

Mr Eastwood called on Gerry Adams to put Irish national interest ahead of party pride.

"Up to this point Sinn Fein and Gerry Adams have used the excuse that their votes would make no difference because of the Brexit position of the Labour Party. Now that the Labour Party's position has changed, Sinn Fein's should too," he said.

"They should reflect on the fact that their continued abstentionism is only serving themselves instead of the broader Irish national interest.

"With the continued absence of an Executive in Belfast, and with the DUP holding the Tory party over a barrel, we must do everything in our power in Ireland to fight against the establishment of a new border. Party pride should not get in the way of that fight."

The SDLP threw down the gauntlet after Labour argued a longer transition period following the Brexit date of March 2019 would give Northern Ireland more time to resolve the border checks problem.

"I welcome the significant shift in the British Labour Party's Brexit position. It is a position which has the potential to change things on the island of Ireland," Mr Eastwood added.

"Votes on continued membership of the single market and the customs union at Westminster have just become very winnable. That would mean preventing any hardening of the border in Ireland."

Mr Eastwood cited the Conservatives' failure to win an outright majority in June's election, saying only a few Government defections would be needed to win votes on Brexit. He said it was a scenario that was "increasingly likely as the value of sterling continues to plunge and economic forecasts continue to look gloomy".

However, Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard said there was no prospect of the party ending its policy of boycotting the House of Commons.

Mr Hazzard, who won the South Down seat from the SDLP's Margaret Ritchie, is one of seven Sinn Fein MPs.

"Election pledges may not mean much to the SDLP but they do to Sinn Fein," he said.

"Sinn Fein stood on an active abstentionist ticket in the Westminster election and were overwhelmingly endorsed by the nationalist electorate.

"The SDLP lost all its seats after failing to produce a single example of substance to sustain their claim of making a difference by sitting in the British Parliament.

"They are now asking Sinn Fein to pick up their failures where they left off."
Councillor David Armitage says the graffiti was painted in the Dunraven Avenue and Glenbrook Avenue area (Picture: Alliance)

Councillor David Armitage says the graffiti was painted in the Dunraven Avenue and Glenbrook Avenue area (Picture: Alliance)

Graffiti scrawled in east Belfast has been blasted as "sickening".

In two separate locations in the Bloomfield area of the city the graffiti warns local landlords not to rent out properties to foreigners.

The graffiti appeared at Dunraven Avenue and nearby Glenbrook Avenue.

The sinister messages read: 'Landlords Beware. Locals 1st', and 'Locals only Landlords'.

Alliance Party councillor David Armitage said he had asked Belfast City Council to have the graffiti removed as a matter of urgency.

He insisted that the messages were not representative of the wider community. "East Belfast is becoming more diverse and multicultural, which is welcome," he said.

"What is not welcome is this graffiti. It is appalling some people would still have such attitudes in the 21st century. This summer has seen the best of Belfast showcased to a global audience through a number of major events.

"Graffiti like this and the thugs behind it have no place in our society. Migrants are a valued part of our community and should be respected and made to feel welcome.

"I know the vast majority of people who live in this area and further afield will be disgusted by this sickening graffiti.

"I hope we do not see any more and I would urge anyone with information on those who put it there to give it to police immediately."

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph last night, PUP councillor Dr John Kyle also condemned the graffiti.

"This sort of racist intimidation does not represent the views of the people of the Bloomfield and Castlereagh area," he said.

"The community has made it clear that this kind of intimidation it unacceptable."

Mr Kyle added that he felt great progress had been made in recent years in helping foreign nationals integrate locally.

He added: "East Belfast is a highly desirable place to live.

"Residents of the area are proud to live there, and welcome the many positive developments of recent years, such as the Connswater Greenway."

He added that he was concerned that any recurrence of racist hatemongering risked undermining what he called the "vibrancy" of the area.

"It would be a great shame if the progress made over the past few years was jeopardised by this kind of racist intimidation carried out by a few individuals," he said.
Friends and family at the funeral in Portstewart of Craig Church

Grieving friends and family members filled a small north coast church yesterday for the funeral of Craig Church (27), the Northern Ireland man who died in China.

His funeral took place in St John the Baptist Church of Ireland in Portstewart - the same church where he had been baptised and confirmed.

The rector of St John the Baptist, Rev Stephen Fielding, officiated at the young man's funeral.

Last night Rev Fielding told the Belfast Telegraph that the massive outpouring of sympathy for the Church family - demonstrated by the huge turnout - showed the esteem in which the deceased and his family circle were held.

"It was a very sad occasion for the whole parish," the rector said.

"There was a huge turnout from the entire town, including a huge number of young people.

"That will be a great comfort to Craig's family. We feel their loss and hope that their hearts will be healed some day, their mourning rested, and they will find peace."

The clergyman told mourners that Mr Church would be remembered as a bright, kind young man in the prime of his life.

"It was terribly sad for the family to have to say farewell to a beloved son in the prime of his life," he said.

Mr Church had been teaching English to primary school children in the city of Rui'an on the eastern coast of China, and had lived there for more than two years.

He is believed to have died after falling down stairs.

Before leaving Northern Ireland to work in China he was a student at the Ulster University in Coleraine, where he took a Masters in Anglo-Irish literature.

The funeral was a day to remember his life and give thanks for the memories he had left behind, Rev Fielding said.

"For Christians, death is not the end of the road. It is the beginning of a new road," said the cleric.

"I hope the Church family will be able to take some comfort from that."
Councillor David Armitage says the graffiti was painted in the Dunraven Avenue and Glenbrook Avenue area (Picture: Alliance)

Councillor David Armitage says the graffiti was painted in the Dunraven Avenue and Glenbrook Avenue area (Picture: Alliance)

An Alliance Councillor has condemned those responsible for daubing racist graffiti on walls in east Belfast.

The graffiti was painted on walls in the Dunraven Avenue and Glenbrook Avenue area of the city.

Councillor David Armitage said the incident was not "representative of the wider community".

He said: "East Belfast is becoming more diverse and multicultural, which is welcome. What is not welcome is this graffiti. It is appalling some people would still have such attitudes in the 21st Century.

This summer has seen the best of Belfast showcased to a global audience through a number of major events.

"Graffiti like this and the thugs behind it have no place in our society  migrants are a valued part of our community, and should be respected and made to feel welcome."

"I know the vast majority of people who live in this area and further afield will be disgusted by this sickening graffiti."

He added: "I hope we do not see any more and I would urge anyone with information on those who put it there to give it to police immediately.

Mr Armitage said he had contacted Belfast City Council to get the graffiti removed "urgently".
The bullet-riddled minibus in South Armagh where 10 Protestant textile workers were shot dead in a republican paramilitary roadside ambush in January 1976

A garda could give evidence on what the force knows about the Kingsmill shooting via an Irish court, the foreign affairs minister said.

Legislation is planned in Dublin to enable special cooperation with the long-running inquest in Northern Ireland as bereaved relatives seek the truth about the sectarian IRA attack.

DUP leader Arlene Foster said the proposed law would not cover those serving at the time of the atrocity and called on the southern authorities to disclose more information.

Ten Protestant textile workers were gunned down during the roadside ambush in South Armagh in January 1976.

May Quinn, whose brother Bobby Walker was driving the minibus bringing the workmen home, said: "They have made promises to us before - let's make sure that they fulfil them this time."

The Irish authorities have handed over 30 documents plus newspaper clippings but bereaved relatives insist there must be more.

Ms Quinn said she remembered her sibling's callous killing every day.

"I look at my brother's photo every morning in the hall.

"If I knew who did it, that is what I want to know, who did it, name them and shame them."

Some relatives have threatened to boycott the inquest over what they claim is a lack of cooperation by the southern authorities.

Irish foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney said all related documents in possession of the Garda had already been handed over to the inquest.

He met some of the families and the DUP leader in Armagh on Tuesday evening.

"What we are looking at now is passing new legislation in Ireland to allow an Garda Siochana to actually give evidence in an Irish court in relation to an inquest in Northern Ireland, which is very new, I am not sure that it has been done before.

"I think it is certainly evidence of the fact that the Irish Government want to be as helpful as we can.

"The families that have lost loved ones have been through a torturous period in terms of trying to get to the truth and I can promise that the Irish Government wants to assist them in every way we can."

Mrs Foster said the proposed law mirrored legislation taken in the Omagh bombing civil case so that serving guards will be able to give their evidence to a High Court judge.

"But of course that does not solve the problem of those people who were serving nearly 42 years ago and that is the difficulty."

She said there was a "dearth" of documents disclosed so far, with 60 out of 90 being newspaper cuttings.

"Is it really credible to suggest that that is all the documentation that is held?"

Beatrice Worton's son Kenneth was murdered.

She said: "I want action. I am coming 90 in September and I want to see something done."
Flooding in Galliagh Park, Londonderry. This gentleman evacuated his mother-in-law as fears of water getting into houses after a manhole cover started spewing up water.

The downpours from the Atlantic Ocean hit Co Donegal before moving across Northern Ireland

Trees and vehicles in the river Faughan in Drumahoe, Londonderry, after heavy rain left a trail of destruction. Niall Carson/PA Wire

A collapsed road in the village of Claudy, Londonderry, after heavy rain left a trail of destruction. Niall Carson/PA Wire

Two men look at cars washed into the river Faughan in Drumahoe, Londonderry, after heavy rain left a trail of destruction. Niall Carson/PA Wire

People look at trees and vehicles in the river Faughan in Drumahoe, Londonderry, after heavy rain left a trail of destruction. Niall Carson/PA Wire

Damage to a road next to the river Faughan in Drumahoe, Londonderry, after heavy rain left a trail of destruction. Niall Carson/PA Wire

Cars washed into the river Faughan in Drumahoe, Londonderry, after heavy rain left a trail of destruction. Niall Carson/PA Wire

The devastation of the flooding last week in Northern Ireland continues to take its toll after a bridge collapsed in the Desertmartin area.

A bridge on the Iniscarn Road was said to have "caved in" late on Monday night. Police are advising motorists to avoid the area.

DUP Mid Ulster Councillor Anne Forde said it was likely the road would remain closed for some time and some farmers and homeowners would likely be left cut off and facing a detour to reach their property.

"We think the rain last week washed away the sand which undermined the ground beneath the bridge and it has collapsed," she told the Belfast Telegraph.

"It is certainly very lucky it did not collapse with anyone on it over the past few days."

The councillor said she believed the bridge, a former railway crossing, would have to come down and a new one constructed which would likely take some time.

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"I will be meeting with the Department of Infrastructure officials and request that they prioritise repairs," she added.

"This is a farming area and the road would be well used by many farmers and people living in the area. There will be people cut off and some will have an extra 15 or 20 minutes added to their journeys."

Department of Infrastructure engineers are working to assess the damage throughout many parts of Northern Ireland after heavy rain flooded many parts.

The department said agencies including the police, fire service, Northern Ireland Water, rivers, roads and local government teams were continuing to work on the clean-up operation.

A spokeswoman said it was the early stages of their work following the widespread devastation and they hoped to be in a position to issue information on works as soon as possible.

More than 100 people had to be rescued from cars and houses due to sudden flash flooding in Donegal, Tyrone and Derry on Tuesday and Wednesday. Derry City and Strabane District Council has said 270,000 in emergency aid has been handed out to affected residents.
One-third of parents still give their children crisps as a snack

Unhealthy snacking habits could be fuelling an obesity crisis in Northern Ireland, experts have warned.

More than one-third of parents regularly give their children crisps alongside or between meals.

And one-quarter never opt for nibbles which are low in fat and sugar.

The findings emerged after a survey commissioned by the National Charity Partnership, a tie-up between Diabetes UK, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and Tesco.

Katherine Hale from the National Charity Partnership said: "Eating foods high in fat and sugar on a regular basis can contribute to increased calorie consumption - which can then increase the likelihood of being overweight.

"It's particularly concerning crisps and biscuits are still popular snacks for children because the food habits we learn at a young age can become ingrained and stay with us into adulthood.

"By developing unhealthy habits, you may be risking your family's health. Regularly consuming 'empty calories' from snacks that contain lots of calories but little to no nutrients heightens your risk of obesity and the long-term conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease associated with this."

The survey, published today, found that:

 50% of all adults in Northern Ireland worry about the extra calories their families consume through unhealthy snacks,

 yet more than one in four (26%) never actively choose nibbles that are low in fat and sugar;

 34% of parents here are still regularly offering crisps to their children as snacks either alongside or between meals.

As a new school year begins, the National Charity Partnership is launching its Snack Goals Challenge aimed at encouraging families to opt for healthy snacks to curb junk food cravings and improve their long-term health.

The partnership is encouraging people to set a goal to 'eat healthy snacks' using its online eight-week challenge.

Ms Hale said: "Snacks are usually small and can seem insignificant.

"However, the reality is that the calories they provide can really add up, especially for children.

"By making a change now and taking our Snack Goals Challenge to swap to healthier snacks, it will help you stay on track and kick those bad snacking habits."

The most common reason why people in Northern Ireland shun snacks low in fat, sugar or salt is that it is not convenient (31%).
An online blackmailer who targeted a Co Tyrone teenager has been sentenced to four years

An online blackmailer whose Northern Irish teenage victim later took his own life has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Ronan Hughes, 17, from Co Tyrone, died in June 2015 after he was targeted by Romanian Iulian Enache, 31.

Enache will be released in October 2019 after he was sentenced by a court in Romania for blackmail and producing and distributing indecent images of a child, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said.

PSNI detective chief inspector James Mullen said: "A four-year prison sentence is no compensation for the loss of Ronan Hughes - a young man who had his whole life ahead of him - however, there can be no doubt that the sentence means others will be spared the pain and loss experienced by the Hughes family at the hands of Enache."

He said it had been a complex and protracted investigation over two years involving Romanian police, the PSNI, Europol and the National Crime Agency (NCA)

The detective added: " Undoubtedly, the work and partnership between the PSNI, our Romanian police colleagues and each of the agencies is what led to the conviction and prison sentence for Iulian Enache."

He is being released in 2019 under provisions in Romanian law and taking account of the time he has already served.

The chief inspector said the Hughes family, from Clonoe near Coalisland, had shown great dignity and displayed co-operation and patience during the investigation which culminated in the sentencing at a court in Timisoara in western Romania.

The senior officer appealed to parents and guardians to do all they can to keep their children safe from the hands of online criminals.

"We are all aware of the part social media plays in today's society, therefore, it is incumbent on everyone to do what they can to stop offenders like Enache.

"I would also urge anyone who has experienced anything of a similar nature, or has received any inappropriate images or links, to contact p olice or tell a trusted adult. You will not get into trouble.

"This tragic case highlights that police will do all they can to pursue these online criminals who are preying on our communities.

"We all deserve to be able to use the internet to learn, explore and connect with each other, but all of us need to be aware of the risks involved in doing so, especially on social media."
Ciaran Maxwell was jailed for 18 years at the Old Bailey

The parents of a terrorist bomb-maker who infiltrated the British military have said they are horrified by his criminality.

Last month Ciaran Maxwell was jailed for 18 years at the Old Bailey for supplying bombs to dissident Irish republicans.

The former Royal Marine from Co Antrim stashed anti-personnel mines, mortars, ammunition and 14 pipe bombs - four of which were later used - in 43 purpose-built hides at eight locations in Northern Ireland and England.

His parents Teresa and John told broadcaster UTV's Up Close programme : "We utterly condemn what Ciaran has done. We are in deep shock and cannot comprehend it.

"We fully supported his decision to join the Royal Marines and were so proud when he achieved it.

"We have only known Ciaran as a loving son and a loving father who had a very bright future ahead of him. This makes what he did so difficult to understand.

"From an early age Ciaran was taught the difference between right and wrong and he crossed the line. The extent of his criminality is devastating and horrifying.

"We were completely in the dark about what Ciaran was doing and still ask ourselves why.

"Ciaran is our son but he is responsible for his own actions and he has been held accountable."

Bomb-making materials were found in barrels and buckets buried in the ground as well as an adapted Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) pass card, a PSNI uniform and a police stab-proof vest.

The 31-year-old, who is originally from the port town of Larne and was with 40 Commando based at Norton Manor Camp in Taunton, Somerset, at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to preparation of terrorist acts between January 2011 and August last year, possessing images of bank cards for fraud and possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

The Old Bailey heard that the father-of-one researched targets and discussed plans to attack police stations and officers.

His plot, however, was foiled when members of the public stumbled across his weapons' hides by chance.

DNA evidence found on parts of the haul led them to Maxwell, who was on the national database due to his alleged involvement in an unrelated assault case.

The judge said some of the ammonium nitrate recovered in Northern Ireland could have been used to make an explosive larger than "the notorious Enniskillen bomb", the Poppy Day bombing in 1987 which killed 11 people and injured 63 others.
A former senior police officer who now heads a cross-border peace body has come up with a proposal aimed at breaking the talks deadlock at Stormont.

Peter Sheridan, once the highest-ranking Catholic officer in Northern Ireland, said Sinn Fein and the DUP could spell out how they intend to protect the rights of each other's communities.

The criss-cross exercise would then help gauge the extent of the gap between the two main parties which, along with the SDLP, UUP and Alliance, are due to resume negotiations in the next few weeks.

Writing on political commentator Eamonn Mallie's website, Mr Sheridan said: "It would be interesting if the next set of talks began by asking each of the political parties to momentarily put aside thinking about its own rights and instead set out how it intends to protect the rights of the other community.

"What are the practical and legislative measures nationalists and republicans could bring forward that would demonstrate to their neighbours that they seek to protect the cultural rights, traditions and identities of the Protestant loyalist community, including the rights of the loyal orders?

"Similarly, what measures could unionism bring forward that would show they genuinely and honestly want to protect the cultural rights, identities and traditions of their nationalist, republican neighbours?"

Mr Sheridan, who is chief executive of Co-operation Ireland, referred to philosopher Onora O'Neill's comment that knowing who to trust had become harder "because we have some very skilful faking going on".

"In our own context, it is difficult to know in terms of Brexit or with the prospects for the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive where the 'very skilful faking' is, and likewise it is difficult to distinguish between 'genuine' and 'fraudulent' claims," he added.

"Which of the various party political positions do we judge as honest, reliable, and competent?

"The answer, of course, may be that, given they speak from their own narrative, they may all to a greater or lesser extent be honest, reliable and competent.

"If this is correct it is difficult to see how the next round of political talks will make progress unless something radically different is injected into the process."

The former Assistant Chief Constable had more than 32 years' experience in the police before quitting in 2008.

He later joined Co-operation Ireland, a cross-border charity that aims to promote better relations between people on both sides of the border. "We are very good in Northern Ireland at championing our own side's rights, our right to protest, our right to parade, our right to our culture," Mr Sheridan added.

"Surely, good rights are when we seek to protect the other person's rights, and of course when the other person seeks to protect ours?" Mr Sheridan also refers to dealing with the legacy of the Troubles in the article.

It is one of the key issues at the core of the failure of the parties to reach agreement since the Executive fell in January.

The full article is available at www.eamonnmallie.com
The Ulster Aviation Society's replica of Harry Ferguson's monoplane pictured on May 15, 2016, when William McMinn took off from Magilligan

A full-size replica of an aeroplane similar to the one that Ulster aviation pioneer Harry Ferguson flew from Magilligan Point over a century ago is set to be one of the highlights of this year's Air Waves festival at Portrush.

Ray Burrows of the Ulster Aviation Society (UAS) said his group is absolutely thrilled to be bringing its aircraft to the event for the first time.

Another highlight is set to be guest speaker William McMinn, the only living pilot to have flown a Ferguson design.

Causeway Coast and Glens Mayor Joan Baird said to hear him speak will be an honour.

"This preview event is a must for all aviation enthusiasts," she added. "We are delighted to showcase his beautifully-crafted replica plane at Air Waves for the first time. This is living history at its best."

The aeroplane has already featured heavily in the media, with both the aircraft and pilot McMinn playing key roles in the three-part BBC television series, "The Great Flying Challenge", first broadcast last autumn and hosted by Northern Ireland's own Dick Strawbridge. The Ulster Aviation Society will have at least four aircraft from its collection at Air Waves, including its Spitfire, a replica of one of the 17 paid for through a Belfast Telegraph reader appeal during World War II.

Air Waves will take place from September 2-3 and there will be a preview event at 8pm on Friday, September 1, at the Portrush Atlantic Hotel. Tickets are 5 each and are available at the hotel as well as the Tourist Information Centre in Portrush.
A Co Tyrone woman has said she may have to move her family to the Republic so her daughter can get a cystic fibrosis (CF) wonder drug.

Ayrin Armstrong hit out at the ongoing political stalemate while her 10-year-old daughter - and hundreds of others across Northern Ireland - are living in the shadow of the deadly disease.

The mum-of-three from Omagh is backing a campaign to make Orkambi available to CF patients here and has called on the parties to return to work at Stormont.

"It's heartbreaking. If Stormont was up and running they could make the decision to make Orkambi available here and that's why what is going on at the moment is so frustrating," she said.

"I am not just making a plea to the politicians as a mother, but as someone who knows the drug would help hundreds of people living with CF right now.

"It breaks my heart that there are people whose lives depend upon Orkambi, people are dying now.

"The damage is happening now and we won't stop fighting until Orkambi is available here.

"Our politicians have the power to make Orkambi available here, but they aren't even talking at the moment.

"It makes you wonder what they would do if it was their child that they were watching struggle to breathe and spending so much time in and out of hospital."

Orkambi has been hailed a lifesaving treatment that has the potential to improve the condition of CF sufferers across Northern Ireland.

However, it has been deemed too expensive by NICE - the body that decides what drugs should be available on the NHS - so it is not routinely available here.

Ayrin (29) discovered daughter Zona had CF when she was just six weeks old after it was picked up through routine screening tests done on newborn babies.

CF is a genetic condition that affects the lungs and digestive system, and half of the people with the condition who died last year were aged under 30.

Symptoms include a persistent cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, repeated chest infections and malnutrition.

Orkambi is the only therapy that tackles the underlying cause of CF.

It has been found to reduce hospital admissions and extend life expectancy by slowing down lung deterioration.

It is estimated the drug could help just under a third of the 500 people here with CF.

In June the Cystic Fibrosis Trust held a series of protests to press the UK Government to make the drug widely available to patients.

Ayrin said: "Zona was reading about CF during the summer and saw the life expectancy and she came to us and said that it isn't very old.

"It was very difficult. We had to sit her down and talk to her about her condition and what it means, but at the same time I was able to say to her that it is a very exciting time because of Orkambi.

"The only thing is Zona can't have Orkambi until her lungs are at 40% capacity, by which time they will have suffered irreparable damage.

"Our only option at the moment would be to move to the Republic, where Orkambi is available."

Ayrin added: "It is a lot for a little girl to live with, she is missing out on so much and having to fight so hard and grow up so fast."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said that without NICE approval Orkambi will not be made routinely available to cystic fibrosis patients here.

"Since 2006 the department has endorsed NICE guidance for use in Northern Ireland," she explained.

"Whilst there is a process to check the guidance for legal and policy applicability here, there is no reassessment of the clinical or cost evidence used by NICE in coming to its decisions and forming its advice."

She said the use of Orkambi to treat people with cystic fibrosis is due to be reviewed by NICE again in July 2019.

The review may happen sooner if the drug company that makes Orkambi lowers the price of the treatment, she added.
Flowers at the scene where he was killed

The death of a pensioner who was struck by a car in a seaside town has left a community in shock and grief, mourners at his funeral heard yesterday.

Geoffrey (Geoff) Cartwright (78) was knocked down just yards from his home in Newcastle, Co Down, on Thursday night.

An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of driving whilst unfit and causing death by dangerous driving. He was later released on bail.

At the funeral Mass at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Newcastle yesterday, Fr Colin Crossey expressed sympathy on behalf of the community.

He told Mr Cartwright's family: "He was beloved to you and held in such high esteem in the community.

"There is a sense of shock for the family and the community in that he was with you one moment and gone so suddenly in the next moment."

The pensioner had just left Macken's pub in the town, where he had been playing pool with his brother Reggie, who had come on a month-long visit to Northern Ireland, when he was struck by a vehicle.

Customers in another nearby bar witnessed the collision but could only watch in shock as paramedics and members of the local Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) attempted to save the victim's life.

During the Mass, Fr Crossey conveyed the thanks and gratitude of the Cartwright family to the RNLI, the PSNI, Ambulance Service and the medical staff of the Royal Victoria Hospital who treated Mr Cartwright.

"They were the ones who reassured Geoff," he added.

"In reality, they were the face of Christ in Geoff's last moments. This is why we should live every day as if it were our last, because it is only our faith that makes sense to us when we die."

Mr Cartwright's wife Rosaleen, who was from the area, passed away three years ago.

It was revealed that he had been to Our Lady of the Assumption Church just last week to book her anniversary Mass.

The couple had six children, 10 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

"Part of Geoff died when Rosaleen died," Fr Crossey added.

"He loved nothing more than to go out on his boat he kept in the harbour where he could go and be alone with himself and his thoughts."

Mr Cartwright was born in England and joined the Army at just 18.

He met his future wife whilst serving in Northern Ireland.

On the day he was due to be married in the extremely harsh winter of 1963, his wedding car could not make it through the snow. Undeterred, Geoff flagged a taxi down to get him to church.

A master bricklayer by trade, he later put himself through college and ended up teaching the art in the former Newry Technical College.

Mourners at his funeral Mass also heard Fr Crossey recall the words of a local woman this week who said Mr Cartwright was a true "Christian gentleman who held the door of the church open for me every morning".

Fr Crossey added: "Geoff converted to Catholicism when he met his wife and he was true to his faith.

"He was a daily communicant who was nourished by the Eucharist. He had influence on others. May he now be granted the crown of glory he deserves," he said.

Following Mass, Mr Cartwright's remains were interred in the cemetery of St Patrick's Church at Bryansford.
A number of homes were evacuated following a gas leak in Newtownards, County Down. Pic PressEye

A number of homes were evacuated following a gas leak in Newtownards, County Down. Pic PressEye

Homes and businesses were evacuated in Newtownards after a suspected gas leak.

High Street and Regent Street were cordoned off in the Co Down town on Tuesday morning. It has since been reopened.

Emergency services and Phoenix Gas engineers attended at the scene. Residents have said firefighters called to their doors urging them to leave their homes.

The Fire Service said the incident was centred at the Millers House Apartments on Regent Street.

A spokeswoman said the call was made just after 8.30am after a gas main was ruptured in the area by workers.

The scene has been handed over to Phoenix Gas for repairs.

A spokeswoman for Phoenix said the gas leak was not caused by its staff. She said a temporary repair had been made to make the area safe and that the damage was caused by a third-party contractor.

"[The damage] was not in any way caused by or related to the operations or conduct of Phoenix Natural Gas," she said.

"Phoenix Natural Gas engineering teams responded to this incident and made a temporary repair to the pipeline, working alongside the emergency services to make safe the area.

"A number of residents of Mill House apartment block were temporarily evacuated to facilitate safety checks of the area. Following a PSNI road closure, Mill Street was reopened to traffic at approximately 10.15am and residents returned to Mill House apartment block.

"Phoenix Natural Gas continues to highlight it's 'Dial Before You Dig' initiative to assist those involved in excavation works in the vicinity of underground gas mains. This is a helpline number - 028 90555819 - which provides key information relating to the gas network and advice on the necessary safeguards required in the prevention of damage and avoidance of accidents."

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'It was the fourth time her case was before the court since she was arrested last month and charged over the death of her son Omar Omran, who was found stabbed at their Dublin apartment' (stock photo)

A doctor charged with murdering her three-year-old son at their home has been further remanded in custody after she was too ill to attend court.

Maha Al-Adheem (42) was due to appear in Dublin District Court yesterday, but Judge Alan Mitchell adjourned the case in her absence due to illness.

It was the fourth time her case was before the court since she was arrested last month and charged over the death of her son Omar Omran, who was found stabbed at their Dublin apartment.

Ms Al-Adheem, a qualified GP from Iraq, is charged with murdering her son at their home at Riverside Apartments, Poddle Park, Kimmage, on July 10.

Judge Mitchell was given a note about the accused and showed it to Det Sgt Brendan O'Halloran, of Sundrive Road Garda station.

Defence solicitor Richard Young confirmed Ms Al Adheem was in custody. He said there was consent to an adjournment.

Judge Mitchell put the case back for four weeks.
Irish Junior Minister Patrick O'Donovan has stood by an interview in which he suggested republicans had some responsibility for the Dublin-Monaghan bombings.

The attacks in May 1974 saw three bombs detonated in Dublin, and a forth an hour and a half later in Monaghan, killing 34 people and injuring close to 300.

Responsibility for the attack was claimed in 1993 by loyalist paramilitary group the Ulster Volunteer Force.

The new junior minister at the Republic of Ireland's Department of Finance, TD O'Donovan said he did not "differentiate between atrocities" saying all victims had the right to know about what happened their loved ones.

His comments come after an interview with the Sunday Independent in which TD O'Donovan talked of Sinn Fein's suitability to serve in government, and referred to the murders of gardai Jerry McCabe and Seamus Quaid, and prison officer Brian Stack - all of whom were killed by the IRA.

He then went onto say: "What about the innocent children blown to smithereens indiscriminately in the likes of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings? That was not done in my name or in the name of any right-minded person.

"So when I hear senior people of a political party talk about 'legitimate combatants', in whose eyes? Who voted for that? I certainly didn't."

Sinn Fein Senator Paul Gavan called on Mr O'Donovan to apologise for what he described as "clueless" comments.

"It beggars belief that a junior minister could be so clueless with regard to the history of our country," he said.

"It is now recognised the bombings of Dublin and Monaghan were carried out loyalists terror gangs working in collusion with the British security services."

He added that the Dail had given its support to the Justice for the Forgotten Campaign, a campaign group focused on a number of cross-border bombing campaigns during the Troubles.

Speaking on Limerick radio station Live 95FM, Mr O'Donovan said that Sinn Fein had read the interview in a "cherry-picked fashion", and that it had an obligation to bring forward any information it had about atrocities committed during the Troubles.

"And indeed until such time as they do I have a difficulty with people suggesting they would be fit to govern. And I dont differentiate between atrocities," Mr O'Donovan said.

"Whether its Enniskillen, Omagh, Dublin-Monaghan. All of the victims, whether its dead gardai, or dead members of the prison service, their families have a right to know what happened and who carried them out."
The Egyptian president has given his word that he will release a jailed Irishman once a verdict is delivered in a long-running trial.

Ibrahim Halawa (21) had been expecting a judgment in the mass trial over Muslim Brotherhood protests which took place in Cairo in August 2013 following the removal of elected president Mohamed Morsi.

The ruling was postponed with a new hearing date set for September 18.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar held a 25-minute phone call with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi yesterday, in which he expressed his disappointment at the latest delay.

A spokesman said: "He made clear to President el-Sisi that his priority was to secure the return of Ibrahim Halawa to Ireland as soon as possible."

The Irish government said Mr el-Sisi "gave the taoiseach his word" he would resolve the matter swiftly within the Egyptian constitutional and legal framework after a verdict is delivered.

Ibrahim Halawa was jailed after being detained in a mosque in Cairo four years ago. Along with scores of others he is accused of murders, bombing, possession of firearms and explosives, arson, violence against police and desecration of a mosque.

Mr Halawa's solicitor Darragh Mackin, of KRW Law, said no specific evidence was introduced in the long-running trial relating to the Irishman.
'Ruhama, which supports prostitutes, said two of the women were 18 when it began supporting them after they had been smuggled into the country as children' (stock photo)

Twenty-six women who were victims of trafficking were found working in the sex trade in Ireland last year, a charity has said.

Ruhama, which supports prostitutes, said two of the women were 18 when it began supporting them after they had been smuggled into the country as children.

Trafficked women are most likely to come from Nigeria, with gangs targeting the Edo state in the east African country, and also routinely smuggling women from Brazil, Romania and Zimbabwe.

Ruhama said its records showed women from 12 other countries were victims of smuggling, including Albania, Bulgaria, Ireland, Bolivia, Portugal, Pakistan and six other African countries.

Ruhama said demand for prostitution in Ireland is "prolific". It estimates about 800 women work in prostitution indoors every day in Ireland and less than 200 engage in it on the streets in cities.
The number of British tourists visiting Ireland has dropped to two million between January and July, down from 2.2 million in the same period last year

The number of UK tourists visiting the Republic of Ireland has declined as the weaker sterling currency has resulted in increased holiday costs for British travellers, new figures suggest.

Data published by the Irish government indicates that between January and July this year, the number of British tourists visiting the country dropped to two million, down from 2.2 million in the same period last year. This amounts to a 6.2% decrease.

It is believed that this may be in part due to recent currency fluctuations which have seen the price of the pound sterling drop compared to the euro.

This has resulted in a weaker exchange rate for travellers from the UK, subsequently making Ireland more expensive to visit.

Last June, prior to the Brexit referendum, one euro was valued at 0.76, however the sterling value has dropped amid market uncertainty over EU withdrawal.

Latest exchange rates suggest the sterling stands at 1.075 against the euro. The figures represented an eight-year low for the pound.

Overall, the number of tourists visiting Ireland has increased by 3.1% due to higher numbers of visitors from North America and Australia.

Commenting on the figures, Niall Gibbons, chief executive of the Irish tourism board Tourism Ireland, said: "As anticipated, the currency challenge for Irish tourism is very real and the drop in British visitor numbers (-6.2%) for the January to July period reflects that.

"The decline in the value of sterling has made holidays and short breaks here more expensive for British visitors; and economic uncertainty is undoubtedly making British travellers more cautious about their discretionary spending.

"This is impacting on travel to Ireland."

Tim Fenn, chief executive of the Irish Hotels Federation, said he was "concerned" by the drop in UK visitors.

He said: "Our industry faces significant risks associated with Brexit due to the continued economic uncertainty and the marked fall in the sterling exchange rate, with regional tourism likely to be hit hardest."
A former Miss World who had a torrid affair with Bruce Forsyth has revealed how the entertainer's Ulster-born wife was involved in an angry showdown after finding out about their secret relationship.

Ann Sidney said that "all hell broke loose" after ex-dancer Penny Calvert from Derriaghy saw photos of Bruce and the beauty queen in newspapers in 1964.

Ann had just won the Miss United Kingdom contest in Blackpool and Bruce, who was the host of Sunday Night At The London Palladium, was waiting at Bournemouth Airport to welcome her home off a flight.

But as the Champagne corks popped, a freelance photographer captured the moment and a newspaper that published the photograph ran a headline asking if there was a romance between Bruce and the new Miss UK.

Ann, who is now 73 and living in California, said in an interview with the Mail on Sunday that she was struggling to cope with the death of the entertainer, who she described as the first great love of her life.

But she said she was "utterly shamed and humiliated" when news broke of her affair with the TV star.

"We hadn't yet been intimate and all hell broke loose," she said.

Penny arrived by train the next day to confront her straying husband, and Ann's father demanded to know if she and the TV star were sleeping together, which she denied.

Bruce turned up at Ann's family home to apologise to her parents for dragging her name through the newspapers.

Ann said: "He told my parents his marriage had been struggling for some time but nothing untoward had happened with me."

However, the affair intensified and, after Ann won Miss World, she said Bruce bombarded her with love notes, telegrams and flowers.

He also sneaked in and out of her flat in London wearing a variety of disguises.

But a neighbour who saw him on one occasion told him: "Come off it Brucie - we know it's you. You're not fooling anyone."

Ann said Bruce was terrified that his relationship with her could end his career because he was still married to Penny, who he'd wed in 1953 after meeting her when they were both dancers at the Windmill Theatre in London.

Ann recalled: "Bruce told me his marriage was over and I had no reason to doubt him but he had three children and was not divorced.

"Back then (in the Sixties) a scandal would have ruined him - and me." Bruce and Ann met when he was judging a beauty pageant in Bournemouth.

She was 19 and a trainee hairdresser and he was appearing in summer season.

"He was confident, worldly," said Ann.

"Bruce was charming and very funny. I'd never been romanced like that."

But as the relationship deepened Bruce's anxiety over the possibility of it becoming public only heightened.

He told Ann how comedian Max Wall's career was all but destroyed after it emerged that he was having an affair with a beauty queen.

Ann said her relationship with Bruce continued for 18 months and only ended when her father challenged her lover over her psychological state.

She added: "Dad told him that if he truly loved me he would stop the affair. So he did."

Bruce subsequently wrote in his autobiography that he always thought that Ann would be his second wife, but getting a divorce from Penny wasn't easy.

He said: "Ann knew that I was having a hard time getting a divorce from Penny. She also knew when I was free it was very likely we would get married."

The second Mrs Forsyth, however, was Bruce's Generation Game hostess Anthea Redfern.

And Ann said she and Anthea met at a party several years later.

"She told me that Bruce had truly loved me and deeply regretted sneaking around in the shadows with me.

"When Bruce and Anthea fell in love he insisted on putting out a statement to the Press, making it all public.

"He was still married to Penny but he finally got a divorce and married Anthea the same year (1973)."

Ann said she regarded Bruce's third wife, Wilnelia Merced, also a former Miss World, as "the love of his life".

She added that she never heard from Bruce after their relationship ended.

However, he and Penny stayed on good terms and when she developed dementia and was moved into a residential care home, he was a regular visitor until her death in 2014.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is to help boost awareness of the termination of a deadline to complain about PPI (Leon Neal/PA)

Arnold Schwarzenegger has been enlisted by Britains financial watchdog to help raise awareness of the termination of a deadline to make a complaint about Payment Protection Insurance (PPI).

The Hollywood giant turned politician will feature in a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) television advert in which an animatronic model of his head is seen urging people to decide about making a PPI complaint before the deadline on August 29 2019.

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The FCAs advert featuring the Terminator stars likeness is aimed at prompting people to check if they had PPI and whether they want to make a complaint as the decade-long scandal draws to a close.

Andrew Bailey, chief executive of the FCA, said: Our campaign aims to cut through the noise on PPI.

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We want to encourage people to decide whether to find out if they had PPI and whether to complain or not. Our message, and Arnies, is do it now and I urge people to make a decision before the deadline on 29 August 2019.

Over 27.4 billion has been paid out to customers by high street banks since the FCA introduced rules for complaining about PPI in 2011.

PPI policies were mis-sold alongside loans, credit cards, store cards and mortgages mostly between the 1990s and 2010.

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The campaign featuring will appear on TV, online and on outdoor advertising across the UK over the next two years.

The adverts production costs stand at 4.9 million and the campaign is being paid for by the 18 firms including banks, building societies and credit card providers who had the most PPI complaints.

The total campaign cost 42.2 million, which included 24.4 million on advertising spend, and 3 million on partnerships, PR and social media customer service. A further 1 million was shelled out on legal fees, staff costs, contingency, while agency fees cost the FCA 3 million.
Theresa May has full confidence in Boris Johnson, Downing Street said as the Foreign Secretary came under fire from critics at home and abroad.

Number 10 said the Prime Minister had a good relationship with the Foreign Secretary, in response to anonymous briefings saying he was viewed as a clown and a joke in capitals around the world.

Meanwhile, a senior German politician described Mr Johnsons approach to European politics as not very clever but said the Foreign Secretary was beginning to recognise that big words dont help.

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A scathing column in The Times claimed that diplomatic sources believe that officials at Donald Trumps White House dont want to go anywhere near Boris because they think hes a joke.

An unnamed minister told the newspaper: Its worse in Europe. There is not a single foreign minister there who takes him seriously. They think hes a clown who can never resist a gag.

Asked about a claim in The Times that the intelligence agencies were nervous about giving Mr Johnson sensitive material, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: Im not going to comment on a column in a newspaper.

But the Prime Minister meets the Foreign Secretary regularly and they have a good relationship.

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Asked if the Prime Minister had full confidence in Mr Johnson and thought he was doing a good job, the spokeswoman simply stated: Yes.

Pressed on whether she believed he had the confidence of his European counterparts, the spokeswoman said: The Prime Minister has a good relationship with Boris Johnson, has full confidence in him and and hes doing a good job.

Michael Fuchs, an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, suggested that Mr Johnson had calmed down in recent weeks.

Dr Fuchs, the deputy parliamentary leader of Mrs Merkels CDU Party, told BBC Radio 4s World At One: It was not very clever from him, the way he handled Europe or European negotiators at the beginning, but I have a feeling that in the last couple of weeks he was rather calm, we didnt hear much from him, so maybe he thought it over and he has to come back to the negotiating table, because its a very difficult process and big words dont help.
A petition to keep a straight-A student with a place at Oxford University in the UK has smashed 70,000 signatures.

Friends of 21-year-old genius Brian White are campaigning for a change to his immigration status which will allow him to legally stay in the country, where he has lived for six years.

However, he and his supporters are up against the clock as his place studying chemistry at Lady Margaret Hall is due to expire.

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Mr White, from Wolverhampton, has already had to battle plenty of adversity, growing up in a Zimbabwean orphanage until he was six.

He was later adopted from Botswana by the White family, who are from the West Midlands, and came to the UK aged 15.

Mr Whites supporters, including old school friends, have claimed that it was at that stage he should have been given indefinite leave to remain. But he was instead given limited leave to remain.

His plight has earned backing from award-winning columnist and writer Caitlin Moran, who called him a maths genius, and best-selling author Philip Pullman.

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The local MP Eleanor Smith has also added her voice to the campaign.

It was when Mr White tried to take up his place at Oxford that he found he was ineligible to receive student finance because of his immigration status.

While he was able to defer his spot for a year, the deadline is now looming ahead of the start of the academic year. If unsuccessful with his new application to the Home Office, he believes he could face deportation back to Zimbabwe if the matter is not settled.

Mr White said: I havent been there in seven or eight years, I dont know anybody there. I dont have any connections.

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The problem first reared its head when a naturalisation application by his foster parents to become a British citizen was rejected. At the time, and given his age, he thought nothing of it, he said.

It was only after studying for his A-levels, where he got three A*s and an A in triple science and maths, he found he had no legal right to settle permanently.

He said: Its had a massive impact and put a big question mark over my future.

It was his school friend, 19-year-old Luke Wilcox, who launched the petition at change.org last week to publicise his friends plight.

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Mr Wilcox, who is studying law at Bristol University, said: Its common sense to allow him to stay. So many people have said the situation is crazy.

Hes a great friend and is going to be a big asset to this country, studying and working. We want the Home Office to show some heart and compassion, and make the right decision.

Mr White described his friends petition and the support it has garnered as wonderful, adding its crazy how much support Ive got.

A Home Office spokesman said: We understand the urgency of Mr Whites case and have contacted him to reassure him that we are looking to resolve his application as soon as possible.
Buses carrying hundreds of Islamic State militants and their families from the border area between Lebanon and Syria have arrived in eastern Syria as part of a deal to end the extremist group's presence there, reports said.

About 600 militants were allowed to leave as part of a deal, negotiated by Lebanon's Hezbollah, in exchange for identifying the location of the remains of Lebanese soldiers captured by IS in 2014 and later killed.

The deal has provoked controversy in Lebanon, as some have voiced opposition to negotiations with the militants.

It has also angered Iraqis who expressed resentment at the deal that effectively puts the militants on their border. Baghdad accused Hezbollah and the Syrian government of preferring to strengthen IS near the Iraqi border, rather than eliminating the militant group.

"Any deals or understandings between the warring parties inside Syria or in the region must take into consideration the security of Iraq and not to lead to anything that poses any threat to our national security," Iraqi government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said.

Mr al-Hadithi said the Iraqi government "will firmly face any threat to Iraqi territories".

Some Iraqis also expressed resentment on social media.

"Who's going to pay for the delivery sent by Hassan Nasrallah to us?" wrote well-known writer Saleh al-Hamdani on his Facebook page, referring to Hezbollah's leader.

"Will Hashed (Shiite militias) or Federal Police or Counter Terrorism Forces pay for it?"

Baghdad-based analyst Hisham al-Hashimi wrote that Iraq's "selfish ally preferred to throw Daesh (IS) danger from Lebanon to Iraq, while Iraqis demolished the second-largest city (Mosul) in order not to enable Daesh militants to flee (to Syria) and damage the neighbour".

The Lebanese government and Hezbollah have defended the deal that allowed IS safe passage to the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, an IS stronghold, saying it was the only way Lebanon could uncover the fate of its kidnapped soldiers and recover their remains.

IS's departure leaves the border between Syria and Lebanon free of Sunni militant extremists for the first time in years.

Syrian state-run news agency Sana said the buses carrying the militants arrived on Tuesday to a handover point in the town of Hamimiyah in eastern Deir el-Zour. They are expected to continue to the town of Boukamal, near the Iraqi border.

AP
Bangladesh has the world's second-largest garment industry, with nearly 4,000 factories employing about 4 million workers

The owner of a building that collapsed in 2013 in Bangladesh's worst industrial disaster has been sentenced to three years in jail for unaccounted income.

Judge Imrul Kayes found Sohel Rana, the owner of Rana Plaza, guilty of illegal earnings.

More than 1,100 people, mostly garment workers, were killed and 2,500 others were injured when the building that housed five garment factories outside Dhaka collapsed.

Rana separately faces several other charges, including murder, for his involvement in the deaths of the workers.

If found guilty of murder, he could face the death penalty as a police report submitted to the court called the deaths a "mass killing".

Initially, investigators brought charges of culpable homicide against him after the police investigation found that Rana, his staff and the management of the five factories had forced the workers to enter the building on the day of the collapse, despite their unwillingness to work after the building had developed major cracks the previous day.

The verdict came after Bangladesh's official corruption watchdog filed a case accusing Rana of earning money beyond known sources and using that money to build Rana Plaza in violation of building laws.

Defence lawyers said Rana would appeal against the verdict.

The April 2013 collapse highlighted the grim conditions in Bangladesh's garment industry, which earns more than 19 billion a year from exports, mainly to the US and Europe.

Low wages in the south Asian country have led global brands and retailers to prefer Bangladesh over China, the world's leading apparel exporter.

Bangladesh has the world's second-largest garment industry, with nearly 4,000 factories employing about 4 million workers, mostly women.

AP
Children play around tents under the portico of the Roman Catholic Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome (AP/Andrew Medichini)

Authorities in Rome are looking into whether buildings confiscated from the Mafia can be used to house migrants.

The move follows violent clashes when police tried to evacuate a building occupied by squatting migrants.

Mayor Virginia Raggi said city officials are mapping out the confiscated real estate to determine if any buildings are suitable for temporary housing.

Authorities and police in Rome have come under fire after officers used water cannons against asylum seekers last week.

The migrants, mostly from Eritrea and Ethiopia, had camped out on a central piazza after being evicted from a building they had occupied since 2013.

Police said the raids were necessary because the migrants had cooking gas canisters and other flammable materials.

The UN refugee agency denounced the evictions, especially when adequate alternative housing arrangements were not provided.

AP
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer finally got to meet the pope after being left off a list of White House officials who had the chance to meet Francis when Donald Trump visited the Vatican.

Mr Spicer attended an audience with Pope Francis as part of an annual meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke confirmed.

A photograph posted on Vatican Radio's English Facebook page from the event showed Mr Spicer sitting in the front row, taking photos of the pope with his phone.

Others showed a man dropping to his knee and proposing to his girlfriend during the audience.

Mr Spicer, who is Roman Catholic, was not on the list of White House officials during the president's trip in May. The omission struck many as a slight by Mr Trump against the embattled aide and drew sympathy on social media.

Mr Spicer announced his resignation last month, but remains on the White House payroll through the end of August.

In announcing the audience, the Vatican press office said the pope gave a "brief greeting" to the 250 or so participants gathered in the Clementine Hall, one of the main reception rooms in the Apostolic Palace.

It did not release the full text of his remarks, but both Vatican Radio and the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, said the pope delivered a message that included his usual call for politicians to "build bridges" between different political perspectives.

Mr Trump criticised the pope during his 2016 presidential campaign after Francis said that anyone who wants to build a wall - as Mr Trump had promised to do along the southern border with Mexico - was "not Christian".

Mr Trump responded by criticising the pope as a "very political" person who did not understand the situation.

The two appeared to bury the hatchet during their May meeting, when the pope joked with first lady Melania Trump about what she was feeding her husband.

AP
A pair of reservoir dams that protect central Houston and a suburban levee have started overflowing, adding to the rising floodwaters from Storm Harvey that have crippled the city after five days of rain.

Engineers began releasing water from the Addicks and Barker reservoirs on Monday to ease the strain on the 70-year-old dams, but the releases were not enough to relieve the pressure after one of the heaviest downpours in US history, the Army Corps of Engineers said.

Both reservoirs are at record levels and the release of water means more homes and streets will flood, with some homes inundated for up to a month, said Jeff Lindner of Harris County Flood Control District.

The county is trying to determine where the water will go, Mr Lindner added.

Meanwhile, Brazoria County authorities posted a message on Twitter warning that the levee at Columbia Lakes, south of Houston, had been breached and telling people to leave the area.

Authorities said residents had been warned that the levee would overflow at some point and a mandatory evacuation order was given on Sunday.

More than 17,000 people are seeking refuge in Texas shelters, the American Red Cross said, and the number looks certain to grow.

Houston officials said they will open two or three more mega-shelters to accommodate people who continue to arrive at the overflowing George R Brown Convention Centre seeking refuge from the flooding.

The centre already held more than 9,000 people, almost twice the number officials originally planned to house there, said mayor Sylvester Turner.

"We are not turning anyone away. But it does mean we need to expand our capabilities and our capacity," Mr Turner said. "Relief is coming."

City officials have made a formal request with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for more supplies for an additional 10,000 people, which it is hoped will arrive no later than Wednesday, the mayor said.

Calls for rescue have so overwhelmed emergency teams that they have had little time to search for bodies, and officials acknowledge that fatalities could soar once the floodwaters start to recede from one of America's most sprawling metropolitan centres.

More than four days after the storm ravaged the Texas coastline as a Category 4 hurricane, authorities had confirmed only three deaths - including a woman killed when heavy rains dislodged a large tree on to her trailer home in the small town of Porter.

"We know in these kinds of events that, sadly, the death toll goes up, historically," Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said. "I'm really worried about how many bodies we're going to find."

One Houston woman said she presumes six members of a family, including four of her grandchildren, died after their van sank into Greens Bayou in East Houston.

Virginia Saldivar said her brother-in-law was driving the van when a strong current took the vehicle off a bridge and into the bayou. The driver got out and urged the children to escape through the back door, Ms Saldivar said, but they could not.

"I'm just hoping we find the bodies," she added.

A spokeswoman for a Houston hotel said one of its employees disappeared while helping about 100 guests and workers evacuate the building.

The disaster is unfolding on an epic scale, with the nation's fourth-largest city mostly paralysed by the storm that parked itself over the Gulf Coast. With nearly 2ft more of rain expected on top of the 30in that has fallen so far in some places, authorities worried the worst might be yet to come.

The Houston metro area covers about 10,000 square miles, and is crisscrossed by about 1,700 miles of channels, creeks and bayous that drain into the Gulf of Mexico, about 50 miles to the south east.

Forecasters expect the storm to linger over the Gulf before heading back inland east of Houston some time on Wednesday. The system will then head north and lose its tropical strength.

Rescuers continued plucking people from inundated Houston neighbourhoods. Mayor Turner put the number saved by police at more than 3,000, while the Coast Guard said it had also rescued more than 3,000 by boat and air and was taking more than 1,000 calls per hour.

Nearly 6,000 inmates displaced by flooding have been moved from prisons in the Houston area to other facilities in south and east Texas, according to the state Department of Criminal Justice.

A mandatory evacuation was ordered for the low-lying Houston suburb of Dickinson, home to 20,000, and questions swirled in Houston itself about why the mayor did not issue a similar evacuation order.

Mr Turner has inisisted that a mass evacuation of millions of people by car was a greater risk than enduring the storm.

By Tuesday morning, more than 9,000 people were at the city's largest shelter set up at the George R Brown Convention Centre - which originally had an estimated capacity of 5,000.

The Red Cross said volunteers made more space in part by pushing some camp beds closer together. A shortage of beds means some people will have to sleep on chairs or the floor.

Before the storm is gone, up to 20in more rain could fall, the National Weather Service said, meaning the flooding will get worse in the days ahead and the water will be slow to recede once Harvey finally moves on.

AP
Luisa Ortega Diaz said that the Venezuela regime has tried to hire people to kill her (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)

The woman ousted as chief prosecutor by Venezuela's government has accused the socialist administration of trying to hire people to kill her.

Luisa Ortega Diaz was in Costa Rica to file a complaint with the Inter-American Human Rights Commission against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

"I have information that the persecution against me continues, and that the government has hired assassins to kill me," she said at a news conference with Costa Rica's chief prosecutor, Jorge Chavarria.

"I cannot go back, they will put me in jail, disappear me, torture me," she added. "They have searched my house twice and persecuted my family."

Ms Ortega Diaz broke with Mr Maduro earlier this year, and the constitutional assembly removed her from her post shortly after it convened in early August. She went to Colombia, where she has been offered political asylum.

She said on Monday that the Venezuelan government was committing "systematic" rights abuses, including illegal detentions and torture.

Ms Ortega Diaz promised last week to deliver evidence showing that Mr Maduro and senior administration officials are involved in corruption, though so far she has not done so.

"There are a lot of officials involved in the corruption case with Odebrecht," she said on Monday, referring to the giant Brazilian construction firm that has acknowledged paying bribes to officials in Latin America to get contracts.

"And then there is President Nicolas Maduro, who took between eight and ten million dollars in cash from the government and gave them to a big company."

Venezuelan officials have denied the corruption accusations.

AP
Hulu

Margaret Atwood published her dystopian novel, The Handmaids Tale, to deep controversy in 1985.

The plot of the novel is set in a near-future United States, where a Christian fundamentalist movement has forcibly taken power. This new government reorganizes society by reintroducing Biblical Old Testament-style practices. Most notably, this new government utterly subjugates women, taking away their rights, freezing their finances. Those who are fertile are forced into the role of reproduction, and are called handmaids.

Controversy arose when some read Atwoods work as anti-Christian upon its publication and beyondin fact, The Handmaids Tale currently ranks at number 37 on the American Library Associations 1990-1999 list of the 100 most frequently banned books, and continued to make the list in the following years, as well.

Now, decades after its publication, The Handmaids Tale lives again as a television series, produced by Hulu and starring Elisabeth Moss as the protagonist, Offred. As expected, the controversy continuesa trailer for the show, posted to YouTube, featured a large number of negative comments from those who believe the show is tearing down traditional Christian values, and conservative writer John Zmirak has accused the series of hate speech toward Christianity.

But when we examine Atwoods novel closely, we find that this isnt true at allthe fictional Christian regime of her novel isnt so very Christian at all, a fact which she commented upon in an interview with Sojourners.

Here, Atwood stated that I don't consider these people to be Christians because they do not have at the core of their behavior and ideologies what I, in my feeble Canadian way, would consider to be the core of Christianityand that would be not only love your neighbors but love your enemies.

In an interview with Faith & Family Media Blog, the executive producer of Hulus The Handmaids Tale, Bruce Miller, says that Atwoods fictional regime is a society thats based kind of in a perverse misreading of Old Testament laws and codes.

Atwood isnt critiquing Christianity, or even conservative ideologyshes critiquing a wholly different set of societal problems. But these are problems from which Christians stand to learn some vital lessons.

Lets look at what those are.

Religion Can be Used by Evil People

The Christian regime in The Handmaids Tale is called The Sons of Jacob, and takes power by killing the President of the United States and most of Congress, launching a revolution beneath the pretext of restoring order by eliminating liberal democracy.

But the problem is this: the Sons of Jacob arent really Christian. Its members show little sign of personal faith, and act in ways which are directly contrary to correctly-interpreted Biblical mandates.

According to Atwood, the Sons of Jacob are not interested in religion; theyre interested in power.

The corrupt government this group establishescalled the Republic of Gileadmakes use of shallow interpretations of scripture to support the taking away of human rights from women, minorities, and anyone else who does not support their cause. The facade of religion gives them power, and the people allow them to have it through a sense of fanaticism.

But contrary to many of the shows critics, an attack on the dark side of organized religion is not an attack on Christianity. In Atwoods book, Christian churches that do not support the agenda of the Sons of Jacob are destroyed, and their memberstrue Christiansare executed. One group of Christians goes underground, in fact, and runs an escape route to Canada for the oppressed.

Atwood shows how religion can be used by the unscrupulous for financial or political gain. Christians would do well to take this lesson to heart, looking deeply and thoughtfully at the faith of political figures when choosing their future leaders.

The Ends Dont Justify the Means

The actions of many of the characters in The Handmaids Tale force us to ask ourselves an important question: how far are we willing to go in order to act out our faith? Are we willing to hurt others? Are willing to oppress? Are we willing to kill?

Those in power in Hulus show do all of thisand more. For those characters who truly believe that their government is founded in faith, the ends always justify the means.

This should make every stop and think. What lengths are you, personally, willing to go to for your faith? And to go back to our first point, what if those in powerthose who influence your faithare wrong or corrupt? What then?

The Handmaids Tale should make your question your faith in the best possible way by raising the most important question of all: are my actions hurting others?

After all, in 1 John 3:23, Christ lists love one another, as I have loved you, as one of the two most important of Gods commands. If you are hurting your neighbor in order to establish a world that more closely aligns with your faith, youre going about it wrong.

God does not approve of using the ends to justify the means.

The Importance of Intimately Knowing Gods Character

Every one of the problems caused by the Sons of Jacob stem from few people in the story knowing the true character of God. If they did, the violent, oppressive Republic of Gilead would have come into power.

Love is the foremost attribute of God. It is His very characterone which we should strive to inherit. According to 1 John 4:8, Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." In 1 Corinthians 13:2, Paul writes that If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

Nothing. That is what Paul would label himself if he did not have love.

This is why it is vital for all Christians to learn the true nature and character of God. Hes not just the wrathful destroyer of the Old Testament. Hes not some distant, unknowable being. Hes a good, just, and loving God who adores His creations.

When we forget that this is the example God lays out for us to follow as Christians, we miss out on the very purpose of our livesto love and be loved.

And that is a tragedy worthy of a novel.

The Wisdom of Story

Nothing has the power to change peoples minds like story. In novels or television shows or film, we get to live within the life of someone elsewe get to see things from another perspective. We cry with these people, feel their triumphs and despair, and learn what they learn.

Thats why stories like The Handmaids Tale are so important. Far from being anti-Christian propaganda, the showand the bookare infused with wisdom that will strengthen your faith, helping you to become more Christian than many Christians are today, and to avoid the little missteps that can lead to the worst depths of human suffering.

Wesley Baines is a graduate student at Regent University's School of Divinity, and a freelance writer working in the fields of spirituality, self-help, and religion. He is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com. You can catch more of his work at www.wesleybaines.com.
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Ever since William Peter Blatty published The Exorcist in 1971, the world has been obsessed with the battle against the demonic. Since then, exorcisms have been featured in numerous films, books, and television shows.

More than becoming a staple of fictional horror, the specter exorcism has crept into the real lives of many. According to a recent report from The Guardian, the number of American exorcists has quadrupled over the past decade due to increasing demand for the Rite of Exorcism.

This increasing demand has been noticed at the highest levels of the Catholic Church, with Pope Francis releasing a recent statement advising churchgoers to seek an exorcist if they suspect demonic activity is at work.

The Roman Catholic Rite of Exorcism is, at its core, a healing ministry. It is the last line of defense for those suffering from what they believe is demonic affliction, which, according to Father Gary Thomas, subject of Matt Baglios The Rite, includes an aversion to the sacred, speaking unknown languages, rolling of the eyes, and strange contortions of the body.

But according to many exorcists, as well as those who claim to have been tormented by spiritual evil, demonic attack goes beyond mere physical symptoms, amounting to what is psychological torture as sufferers are subject to horrific images, obscene temptations, and inexplicable fears.

These demons are fallen angels which are jealous of humankinds place in creation, and will do anything to cut people off from God, according to Fr. Thomas. And while they are restrained, in many ways, by the hand of God, many who come to exorcists do so in a state of absolute terror.

The role of the exorcist is to alleviate this form of suffering, which is on the rise like never before. Pope Francis blames this on the simultaneous fall of organized religion and the rise of spirituality, which has revived public interest in occult knowledge and activities.

But despite the intense interest in exorcism, this is a ministry that remains shrouded in mystery. Exorcism is not a topic many priests speak of willingly. Some are sincerely afraid of the demonic. Others think the ministry of exorcism is a relic of the past that only serves to discredit the Church. Combine this with the fact that few parishes have an available exorcist to whom the public can speak, and you have a recipe for mystery.

But one thing is clear: where there is mystery, there is misunderstanding. The job of an exorcist is a difficult one, not only because of what they face, but because of the misconceptions concerning their role in the Church.

Exorcism Not a Cinematic Experience

One of the most common misconceptions concerning the ministry of exorcism is that is looks like those we see on film, complete with levitation, spinning heads, and demonic vocalizations.

While many exorcists have seen sincerely strange things on the job, such as a girl who vomited up antique nails, a dresser that began to slide across the floor, and even a force which attacked an exorcists mind, things arent normally so cinematic.

In fact, most exorcisms go by with little else than a prayer and a thanks.

Fr. Thomas stresses that its not the horror aspect of an exorcism thats importantits the struggle of faith. Its the healing.

Popular culture focuses more on the demon, but the exorcist focuses more on the suffering, broken human being. Far from being a field of sensational scares, the ministry of exorcism is a place to find healing and spiritual peace.

A Distraction From the Real Issues

There is another misconception regarding the ministry of exorcism that is more grave in nature: the charge that the Catholic Church responding to demonic attack in a greater way only to deflect attention away from the sexual abuse crisis within the priesthood.

It is true that the Catholic Church is mired in an abuse crisis. Case after case appears in the media, each seemingly worse than the last. But as any priest will tell you, it is good that these abuses are cast into the harsh light of public scrutiny so that they can be stopped. The Church doesnt want this scandal to be covered up and swept away. They want justice.

And so to say that exorcism is a light-show meant to take public scrutiny away from this problem is a common accusation that simply doesnt match up with the priestly mindset. Theyre healers and protectors, and take their role very seriously.

This accusation, according to Fr. Thomas, is the result of cynical ignorance of the power of personified evil. Many simply dont realize, he feels, that spiritual evil is a real threat that the Church must face every day.

According to the Church, exorcism isnt a distraction from the real issues. It is one.

Exorcism as a Relic of the Past

This final misconception about exorcism is one that threatens to undermine the ministry not only from the outside, but also from within. Manysome priests includedfeel that the ministry of exorcism is an embarrassment to the church, and that its simply a relic of the past that has no real relevance in our fact-driven, science-studied world.

Exorcism isnt as backward as some might assume. This isnt a case of a churchgoer being caught doing something sinful and being bundled away into a little room and forcibly prayed over.

But exorcists are very carefulalmost scientificin how they practice their role. Demonic possession, an exorcist will tell you, is exceedingly rare, and most strange occurrences and mental disturbances are not due to supernatural attack.

Before ever uttering a word of the Rite of Exorcism, an exorcist will thoroughly interview a client, send a him or her to a psychiatrist, and then to a medical doctor. It is only when all other naturalistic possibilities are ruled out that exorcism becomes an option.

I think whats fair to say, says Fr. Thomas, I get lots of desperate people, and theyre suffering, every one of them suffering, and its a matter of whats the cause of the suffering. Thats my rolewhats the root cause of their suffering? Its not like giving them the penicillin shot in the ER because you know thats going to make them feel better. I get lots of requests for exorcism. I say that I dont do them on demand. It doesnt work that way.

So, nothe ministry of exorcism isnt based on archaic notions of reality. Exorcists are there to heal when all natural remedies are exhausted, to help the oppressed and the afflicted when their suffering cannot be explained by any means.

And they do. Many testify to the healing power of exorcism. No matter what you feel about the existence of demons, there is little to criticize in that.

Spiritual Healing

The ministry of exorcism isnt about sensationalism, diverting attention away from key issues, or about meaningless rituals. Its about helping people, and if you ask any of the many people who have been helped, its an effective one. In the Christian Bible, Christ, Himself, performed exorcisms in order to both show the power of God, as well as to heal, doing so out of love. Exorcists seek to follow His example.

But still, we fear the unknown. Its a part of the human makeup. And because the ministry of exorcism works at the very fringes of our understanding of reality, it arouses a natural suspicion.

Some even open deride the ministry, but as one prominent exorcist told The Guardian, If you downplay it and make fun of it, you can convince yourself more and more that evil is not real.

Dont let fear keep you in the darkness of ignorance.

Wesley Baines is a graduate student at Regent University's School of Divinity, and a freelance writer working in the fields of spirituality, self-help, and religion. He is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com. You can catch more of his work at www.wesleybaines.com.
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We see the cross in churches and steeples, hanging in homes and, worn around the necks of many Christians; however, many dont know what the cross means. There is also much debate as to whether or not it is appropriate  or even sinful  to wear religious jewelry like crosses and crucifixes. In order to understand whether or not it is ok for Christians to wear the cross, we have to understand the history of the cross and what the cross really means, particularly in our own lives.

Christians did not begin wearing the cross around their necks until after the crucifixion was no longer the primary source of capital punishment; therefore, it is not equivalent to a modern-day person wearing a miniature death symbol as some have suggested. Many look at the cross as simply the instrument of death used to slay our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ. Because it was Gods Will, Jesus willingly went to the cross, taking upon Himself the sins of the world, cleansing those who believe in Him of their own sins.

The cross shows the depth of our sins. We dont realize what sin is in the sight of God, how deeply it offends Him and how it separates us from Him. Before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed in Gethsemane. At this time, Jesus was agonizing and sorrowful. He prayed to God, If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me nevertheless, not as I will but as You will (Matthew 26:39). He looked into the cup and saw the sins of the whole world. The cross is pardon; its a reprieve of death for people who dont deserve it.

None of us deserves to be saved. None of us deserves to go to Heaven. But God is love (1 John 4:8) and God is grace and mercy. Grace means something that you dont deserve, but God gives you. God offers you pardon and forgiveness. He offers you assurance of heaven if you die. The Bible tells us, God commanded His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). We are called as believers of the cross to spread that message of the Gospel to those around us; however, many have lost touch with the meaning of the cross.

The only reason Scripture would forbid wearing religious jewelry, like a cross or crucifix, would be if the object became an idol used for worship or if the wearer were consumed with how the jewelry made them look. The Bible tells us, Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14). The Bible also tells us, Do not let your adorning be external  the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear (1 Peter 3:3). Many people wear religious jewelry as a fashion piece without concern for its symbolism or a desire to represent Christ. But that doesnt mean that Christians cant or shouldnt wear them. Many Christians wear crosses as a proud expression of their love, respect and service to Christ, along with a remembrance of what He did for us.

Another concern is when people allow objects such as crosses, crucifixes, figurines, rosaries, bumper stickers, etc., to take the place of true change that should take place in our hearts. While wearing the cross can be viewed as a form of love, dedication and discipleship, the things we wear, carry, or put on our cars are not what make us Christians.

God is not concerned with what we wear as long as we do not dress in a way that could cause us to stumble in our walk with God and we are not absorbed with our looks or our possessions.

God is searching out our hearts to find who is faithful and whether we encourage and show love to others. It is not for any of us to judge whether wearing religious jewelry is proper or not; every Christian has to seek Gods approval in all He does.

The crucifix, for Catholics in particular, is a powerful symbol that represents that Jesus died on the cross to redeem humanity. The image of Christs body on the cross is used to represent His sacrifice. Many Christian denominations use a bare cross to emphasize Jesus resurrection. God didnt save us to be passive spectators. He saved us to send us out into the world to tell other people about Jesus. Each of us is called to play a part in Gods mission to save sinners  the same sinners we meet on a daily basis. Whether we choose to wear religious jewelry or not, the cross is a reminder of Jesus love for us. Wake up and join in Jesus work of redeeming the world by joining His revolution and reminding others of the cross daily, not only in what you say but how you live.

Lesli White is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth with a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications and a concentration in print and online journalism. In college, she took a number of religious studies courses and harnessed her talent for storytelling. White has a rich faith background. Her father, a Lutheran pastor and life coach was a big influence in her faith life, helping her to see the value of sharing the message of Christ with others. She has served in the church from an early age. Some of these roles include assisting ministry, mutual ministry, worship and music ministry and church council.
The world is changing. Although the majority of Americans remain religious, recent polls by the Pew Research Center note a surge in secularization. Pews everywhere are emptying as people exit the structure of organized religion, moving on to what they feel is a truer way of life.

And for many, its making the supernatural more frightening than ever.

But while Americans are steadily becoming more secular, theyre also simultaneously becoming more spiritual. These are the people who feel a deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being, as well as a deep sense of wonder about the universe," according to the Pew study.

Lately, our culture has taken to calling this group seekers. This is a great description of these peoplehaving left organized religion behind, theyre constantly in search of greater meaning, and of answers to the mysteries of the universe. They want to know where we came from, why were here, and where were goingall questions that religion previously addressed.

But with this shift comes a problem. The majority of these seekers are not only spiritual, but still believe in a hidden, spiritual world that can interact with humanityincluding spiritual entities that can harm us. And without the safety blanket of spiritual protection that religion once promised, things can feel pretty frightening.

To better understand this, lets take a look how this shift from the religious to the secular has made the supernatural scarier.




The so-called Five Pillars of Islam are the foundations and cornerstones -- or, as the term itself suggests, the pillars or supports  of Islamic faith and practice. All five are incumbent upon every physically and financially able Muslim:

(1) the recitation of the shahadah or creed (There is no god but God [Allah], and Muhammad is his messenger);

(2) formal prayers five times each day (at dawn, midday, midafternoon, sunset, and nightfall, always while facing Mecca);

(3) institutionalized charity to the poor (a percentage of ones wealth [commonly 2.5%] is donated annually);

(4) the annual month-long fast during Ramadan (no food, no drink, no smoking, and no sex from dawn till dusk throughout the ninth month of the Islamic calendar); and

(5) the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage (Hajj) to the Islamic holy city of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia (during the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, a month known as Dhu al-Hijjah).

Within Dhu al-Hijjah each year, the 8th to the 12th days of the month are dedicated to the annual Hajj (Arabic for pilgrimage). On the Western or Gregorian calendar this year, the upcoming Hajj period is estimated to coincide approximately with October 24 - 28, 2012.

During that time frame, approximately three million Muslims from all over the world will converge upon Mecca as pilgrims, fulfilling the fifth of Islams Five Pillars by participating in one of the worlds largest religious pilgrimages: the Hajj, or holy pilgrimage to Mecca.

The Hajj is not optional, but mandatory. As one of Islams Five Pillars, going on the pilgrimage to Mecca is a required religious duty, which must be performed at least once in the lifetime of every Muslim who is physically as well as financially able to do so.

As the birthplace and hometown of Muhammad, Mecca is Islams holiest city  so holy, in fact, that non-Muslims are not even permitted to enter. On the other hand, millions of Muslims from around the globe enter and crowd the city annually, temporarily tripling its population during the days of the Hajj.

This year, during the 8th to the 12th days of Dhu al-Hijjah, Muslim pilgrims (referred to as Hajjis) will arrive in Mecca and proceed to the Grand Mosque (the Masjid al-Haram, the largest and most sacred mosque in the world), which is large enough to accommodate up to four million pilgrims during the 2012 Hajj.

After preliminary purifications, and with men dressed only in sandals and two sheets of seamless white cloth (symbolizing equality before God), vast crowds of pilgrims will enter the immense central courtyard of the Grand Mosque. There, this vast sea of humanity will circle seven times around the Kaaba, the 43-foot-tall cube-shaped building that is the holiest site in Islam.

Built of granite, standing upon a marble base, and covered by a black silk curtain trimmed with gold, the Kaaba is the center of the Islamic universe. When Muslims around the world pray five times each day, every day, the direction they face during those ritual prayers is not just the direction of Mecca; it is the Kaaba itself to which they turn and face.

Muslims believe that Abraham (Ibrahim in the Quran) constructed the original Kaaba, around 2130 BCE; it has been frequently reconstructed over the centuries. Set in the eastern corner of the Kaaba is the Black Stone, an ancient stone (possibly meteoric) said to have fallen from heaven at the time of Adam and Eve, and installed in the Kaabas eastern corner by Abraham.

Crowds permitting, pilgrims today still attempt to kiss the Black Stone as they circumambulate counterclockwise seven times around the Kaaba (a procedure that, given the crowded conditions, can take several hours to complete).

After circumambulating the Kaaba seven times, pilgrims offer special prayers and then hurry back and forth seven times between two sacred hills, recalling Hagars desperate search for water for her son Ishmael (through whom Muslims trace their ancestral lineage back to Abraham). Pilgrims then drink water drawn a well an angel is said to have opened for Hagar.

About twelve miles outside of Mecca, pilgrims visit Mount Arafat for an afternoon of prayer, pious contemplation, and Quran recitation, near the site of Muhammads final sermon. This deeply reflective period is, in fact, regarded as the summit of the entire pilgrimage; no Hajj is considered complete without it.

At Mina (a few miles from Mecca), pilgrims ritually throw seven small stones or pebbles at three pillars, recalling Abrahams act of defiantly throwing stones at the Devil, who thrice tempted him to refuse Gods command to sacrifice his son Ishmael (a famous test of faith in which the Bible specifies Isaac as the potential victim, rather than Ishmael as indicated by the Quran).

Animal sacrifices follow, reflecting God permitting Abraham to substitute a ram for his son. This launches the start of one of Islams two major festivals, Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice), from the 10th to the 12th of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah (approximately Oct 26 - 29, 2012).

Bringing to a festive conclusion the events of the annual Hajj period, Eid al-Adha is a four-day holiday celebrated not only in Mecca, but globally  by all Muslims, worldwide.

During these final days of the Hajj, pilgrims again circumambulate the Kaaba, and again throw pebbles at the pillars representing the Devil. Following the Hajj proper, pilgrims may optionally visit nearby Medina, the second holiest city in Islam (and the location of Muhammads tomb).

The subjective impact and personal spiritual significance of the Hajj is not to be underestimated or underappreciated. For Muslims, going on the Hajj is a profound, deeply moving, even life-changing experience.

Read more from Reed Hall at his Religion 101 Beliefnet blog!
Hold on parents we're going back-to-school. We need to get real and formulate a plan of action to keep our faith, sanity and bodies in check as we face another school year. Beyond the fun of buying school supplies and cute outfits, there are other tools to help you prepare for another year. Transform the beginning-of-the-school-year jumble into a mastery with the following 7 practical tips.

Set pragmatic academic goals.

Get a head start.

Shop early for school supplies.

Get organized.

Take care of yourself.

Use the slow cooker.

Reward yourself.

Corine Gatti-Santillo is a freelance digital journalist, editor, and content producer. She is also the The Christian Post Voices Editor. She is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com.

Most parents push their kids too hard to help them academically. While having prodigies is great, you need to be realistic and set small goals for your child. Learning doesn't always come fast for all kids, so do yourself a favor and curtail ambitions. Many children who are pressured may withdraw from you and teachers. "If you constantly demand A's from your child, you may be sending the wrong message," psychologist Peggy Tsatsoulis suggested. Kids have enough pressure at school with their workloads. If they don't receive an "A" be okay with the "B" instead of freaking out. This takes the pressure off everyone and will create less anxiety in the house.Start setting up a routine by doing a practice run. Take on the challenge now rather than waiting until the last minute. Get your up child early enough so that they can adapt to the new routine and reward their diligence. This also includes meeting teachers ahead of time and learning your kids class schedules. Do some groundwork with the teachers and be open in sharing the goals you have for the semester.Teachers face a difficult job and can't keep kids and the parents happy all the time. Share your appreciation with them ahead of time and drop a thank you note during the year as this can go a long way.This might be too late, but keep in mind that if you shop throughout the year for school supplies you won't have to deal with the last-minute rush. Purchase items on clearance and create a cabinet for supplies ahead of time. You don't need to buy brand-name items if the teacher asks for Crayola, go for the off-brand if it's on sale.Do an end of the week purge of backpacks and gym bags with your child. Junk will accumulate like loose paper, books and empty food wrappers. Getting rid of non-essential items will cut down on clutter and help you find what is needed. Donna Goldberg, director of The Organized Student proposed to designate pockets for books, pencils, projects and use folders with labels to stay on track. This will teach your child to create healthy habits for years to come. Also, start adding doctor visits, play dates and other meetings into your digital calendar by prioritizing them. You can also display a calendar to use and attach important documents to it during the week as things can easily become lost.Most weeks you won't have time to even eat, but if you have 20 minutes go for a walk or run before everyone wakes up. Exercise can be an outlet to deal with stress, fatigue and can help the body fight bacteria off better.Be aware that you also need to keep your composure when you child has a tantrum before you leave in the morning as this a typical trademark of kids. Take a deep breath and take your mind to another place because your stress will fuel kids negative behavior. If you're eating healthy and have an outlet for anxiety, you will be better equipped to handle situations like a cantankerous child.Make dishes ahead of time to ease the stress of making sure people eat during the week by using the slow cooker. The Frugal Girls recommend their orange chicken recipe to help busy parents. Prepare this before you leave for work in a slow cooker and dinner will be ready when you get home. For the ingredients, you will need 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts,  cup Smuckers Sweet Orange Marmalade, a  cup of Sweet Baby Rays Original BBQ Sauce and 2 Tbsp. of soy sauce. The instructions are simply to cook the chicken in the slow cooker for 6 hours on low. After 6 hours on low, drain juices from slow cooker. Mix together barbecue sauce, orange marmalade and soy sauce. Pour mixture over chicken and cook on high for 30 more minutes. By preparing meals ahead of time, you will save more money and stress less.During the initial weeks of running around like a mad person, go out for dinner, see a movie or hold a Mexican night on Friday for everyone to join in. Then take time for yourself by getting a massage or reading a magazine. During the transition of going back-to-school as a family, there will be an obvious need to have something to look forward to.You don't need to drive yourself insane this year. With a little preparation and determination, back-to-school doesn't have to be a encumbrance.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The chair of the influential House Freedom Caucus said that he and many of his group's members want to avert a government shutdown this fall, even if no money is included for a proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall -- a position seemingly at odds with that of President Donald Trump.



"In talking to a number of my members, if there was a vote for a continuing resolution next week that did not include border wall funding, the majority of those members would be supportive of that," Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., told ABC News' Jonathan Karl and Rick Klein on the "Powerhouse Politics" podcast.



Last week, at a campaign rally in Phoenix, Trump suggested that he would allow a shutdown to occur if Congress does not include appropriations for his signature campaign promise as part of a funding measure.



"Believe me, if we have to close down our government, we're building that wall," said Trump.



But Meadows said he prefers a solution where government funding will continue through the rest of 2017, with a possible shutdown showdown involving the border wall not coming until December or January. He cited, in part, the need to keep government operations running in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.



"Next week, in September, we are encouraging our leadership to go ahead and put a bill on the House floor and let us vote for that, Meadows said. Most of the conservatives that I talked to are willing to ... vote for a continuing resolution that just basically would not have wall funding in it -- would continue the current stream of money that keeps the government operational while we work through and negotiate on the appropriations bill.



While Meadows and other conservatives, including Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, voted against disaster relief packages after Hurricane Sandy slammed the Northeast in 2012, the North Carolina congressman said that those positions were in opposition to what those members considered to be unnecessary spending included in the legislation. He offered his support for Harvey relief after Congress can gauge the "full amount of the damage" in the Gulf Coast.



"When we have disaster relief a lot of times it becomes a vehicle for special spending," he said, adding, "As long as we keep the emergency relief really to support the people in need, whether they be in New York or Texas, I think you'll find plenty of conservative support and certainly my support."



The Trump administration has also come out in favor of a so-called clean lifting of the debt ceiling -- one thats not tied to other conditions or critical legislation. On that, too, Meadows staked out a position thats contrary to that of the president.



"A clean debt ceiling is not something that I support," he said. "We've got a fiscal crisis on our hands. We've got out-of-control spending, and yet we continue to raise the debt ceiling over and over again without any thought of how it is going to be paid back."



"It's like maxing out a credit card, going back to the bank and saying, 'Give me a higher limit, but I'm not going to change my spending habits.'"



Meadows and his fellow Freedom Caucus members have been willing to clash with GOP leadership in the past. Some in the group notably withheld their support of early drafts of a House health care reform bill as they pushed for changes to essential health benefit requirements.



The caucus chair did not shy away from criticizing House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., when asked about Ryan's public disagreement with Trump over the pardon of controversial former Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona. A spokesman for Ryan said Saturday that he did not agree with Trump's decision and that "we should not allow anyone to believe [law enforcement's responsibility to the public] is diminished by this pardon."



"I disagree with the speaker's position on this. I support the president in that position," said Meadows. "The sheriff was trying to deal with [illegal immigration] in the best way we can and we had one federal judge who put their stamp of what was right and wrong on it, and so I support the president in it.



"I don't know that the speaker should've weighed in on that particular position," he added.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Family members of more than a dozen alleged victims of enforced disappearances answer questions from reporters at the National Press Club in Dhaka, Aug. 29, 2017.

Dozens of family members of alleged victims of enforced disappearances urged Bangladeshs government Tuesday to create an impartial commission to probe hundreds of abductions that, according to human rights groups, involved suspected law-enforcement officers.

At least 388 people were abducted in Bangladesh during the past eight years, according to a joint statement released simultaneously by international human rights groups in Dhaka, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Manila.

Fifty-one of those abductees were found dead while 193 others were found alive after being abandoned at different locations, the rights groups said. Some of the victims were even produced by state agents and presented to the courts after being abducted, they said.

The fate of 144 other victims is still unknown, the groups said in the statement, which they issued in marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

In observance of the annual event, family members of 19 missing victims organized a meeting at the National Press Club in Dhaka and imposed a December deadline for the government to create a neutral investigating panel.

Failure to meet the deadline, they warned, would lead to anti-government rallies.

We demand justice, we want our family members back, Sanjida Islam, the sister of victim Sajidul Islam Sumon, told the meeting.

If the commission is not formed by December, we will be forced to take to the streets, she said.

The Bangladesh government should not be afraid of probing disappearances if its hands are clean, according to the statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, and Odhikar, a Bangladeshi rights advocacy group.

Odhikar provided the information about the bodies of 51 people being recovered after their reported disappearances between January 2009 and July 2017. The NGO based these facts through documents it had gathered, including complaints filed in court by the victims families.

Reports show that enforced disappearances, a crime against humanity under international

law, is being committed systematically since the incumbent government assumed office in 2009, the statement said.

According to a report by New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), 48 disappearances were reported in Bangladesh in the first five months of 2017. There were allegations of severe torture and ill-treatment of people being held in secret custody, the global rights watchdog said.

The disappearances are well-documented and reported, yet the government persists in this abhorrent practice with no regard for the rule of law, said Brad Adams, HRWs Asia director.

Let us prepare a list'

The Bangladesh government denies the alleged incidents of enforced disappearances, although, according to rights groups, eyewitnesses and families have asserted that state agents were involved as key perpetrators in the abductions.

Police officials have rejected such allegations.

Sometimes criminals use our name for kidnapping people. If someone identifies himself as law enforcement agency personnel, it should be challenged and the victim should contact us immediately, Mufti Mahmud Khan, the director of the legal and media wing at the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)  an elite government security unit  told BenarNews recently.

But in January this year, a Bangladesh court sentenced 26 people to death, including 16 members of RAB for their roles in the killings of seven people in Narayanganj city in April 2014.

Nur Hossain, a local leader of the ruling Awami League party, was condemned to the gallows for hiring RAB officers to abduct and kill a political rival, Narayanganj City Corporation councilor Nazrul Islam, and six others. Lt. Col. Tareq Mohammad Sayeed, the RAB commander in Narayanganj at the time, also received a death sentence, as did 15 of his officers.

The sentences were highly unusual. RAB is notorious for carrying out alleged extrajudicial killings and disappearances, but convictions of law enforcement officers are very rare.

On Dec. 4, 2013, Sajedul Islam Sumon, general secretary of a unit of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was whisked away by plainclothesmen who identified themselves as RAB members, according to his mother, Hajera Khatun, who presided over Tuesdays meeting.

I want the return of all victims of forced disappearances and abduction, she said.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, one of the leaders of the opposition group Nagorik Oikya, spoke during the meeting and questioned how the families could expect justice from the government.

You have demanded the formation of a neutral commission. My opinion is: Will the government that is behind the forceful disappearances investigate? Instead, let us form a neutral judicial inquiry committee, Manna said.

"Let us prepare a list of the victims of the forced disappearances and abduction, and send the message to the people," he said.
A Rohingya man passes a child through a barbed wire border fence near Maungdaw on the border with Bangladesh, where thousands have fled from Myanmar Army operations, Aug. 28, 2017.

Bangladesh on Monday proposed to Myanmar that the two neighboring countries launch joint military operations against Rohingya militants whose attacks on dozens of police outposts in Myanmars northwestern Rakhine state have led to a new wave of refugees across the border.

A senior Bangladesh official extended the offer during a meeting with Aung Myint, the charge daffaires of Myanmars Embassy in Dhaka, who was summoned to the foreign ministry twice over the last three days in protest over the influx of Rohingyas fleeing the violence in Rakhine state.

Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury, director general in charge of the Southeast Asia desk at the Bangladesh foreign ministry, told BenarNews that he had also conveyed Dhakas protest against the Myanmar governments use of the term Bengali to describe the Rohingya  considered a derogatory term implying they were interlopers from Bangladesh.

"Today (Monday), we summoned the CDA again, and made a proposal, he said. We proposed launching a joint military operation against the militant groups and terrorists in the frontiers.

Chowdhury said the offer was aimed at convincing Myanmar to mount a targeted operation against militants instead of taking what he called indiscriminate actions that affected the unarmed civilian population in Rakhine.

"If the joint operation is conducted, the terrorists and militants would not be able to flee crossing the border," he said.

He said the Myanmar diplomat informed him that he would send the proposal to his government.

The latest violence triggered by coordinated attacks on dozens of police posts in Rakhine state has killed at least 100 people, according to AFP, and forced thousands of villagers to flee.

"As of 27 August, an estimated 5,200 people were reported to have crossed the border into Coxs Bazar, since 24 August, following violence in Myanmar," the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said via its information service, ReliefWeb.

Thousands more are believed to be gathered on the border, and have been appealing to the Bangladesh authorities to allow them to enter, OCHA said.

In a statement Monday, a spokesman for U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was deeply concerned at the reports of civilians being killed during security operations in Myanmars Rakhine State.

He urged Myanmar to implement recommendations in a report submitted last week by a commission headed by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan on resolving the conflict in Rakhine state, and said Bangladesh should allow Rohingya fleeing violence to seek safety on its soil.

Sent back

Lt. Col. SM Ariful Islam, commander of the Border Guard Bangladesh in Teknaf, told BenarNews that his forces had captured 475 Rohingyas as they tried to cross into Bangladesh territory on Monday evening.

They have been sent to Myanmar after providing humanitarian assistance, he said.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) took responsibility for the border post attacks on, claiming via Twitter that they amounted to defensive action against persecution of Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar government forces.

I strongly condemn todays brutal attacks by terrorists on security forces in Rakhine State, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars de facto leader, said in a statement Friday.

ARSA, formerly called Harakah al-Yaqin (Faith Movement), is also believed to have carried out attacks on three border guard posts that killed nine officers on Oct. 9, 2016. It claims to lead an ongoing insurgency movement in northern Rakhines Mayu mountain range.

ARSA chief Ata Ullah said in a 19-minute video uploaded to YouTube earlier this month that the group's "primary objective" is to "liberate our people from dehumanized oppression perpetrated by all successive Burmese regimes.

During a meeting Saturday, Chowdhury said, the foreign ministry also protested the Myanmar governments use of the term Bengalis to describe the Rohingya, and said this breached the terms of a 2014 agreement in which Bangladesh also agreed to stop using the word Rohingya.

An estimated 1.1 million Rohingyas, who have no citizenship rights, live in Myanmars western Rakhine State, where up to 78 percent of people live in poverty, according to the World Bank.

"Bangladesh categorically informed Myanmar that they should not carry out operations against unarmed civilians," another foreign ministry official, who requested anonymity, told BenarNews.

We support the military operations against the terrorists and militants, he said. But we can in no way support casualty of the civilian population.

We are not jihadists

In an interview with Asia Times, an ARSA spokesman identified as Abdullah, said the groups lethal rebellion was strictly homegrown and not backed by international terror groups.

We are not jihadists, he said. This is clear from ARSAs modus operandi, the way it operates and is run, and the direction its moving in. None of this is in line with the goals of Pakistani or other jihadist groups. We are actually much more like any other (ethnic) armed group in Myanmar.

As long as our demands are not met, resistance will continue and, if unfulfilled, those demands will be upgraded to another level, he said, without elaborating on what another level might involve.

The interview occurred a day after the militant attacks that killed 59 insurgents and 12 security forces on Friday, Asia Times said.
The Indonesian governments decision to allow one of the worlds largest copper and gold mines to operate in Papua province through 2041 prompted local leaders to remind officials that their people never gave up land ownership and want a role in negotiations.

On Tuesday the U.S.-based firm Freeport McMoran announced it was giving up a majority of its ownership in Papuas Grasber mining complex in exchange for being allowed to operate there for up to 24 more years.

We indigenous Papuans, especially from the Amungme and Kamoro tribe communities, have never released our ancestral lands to any party, neither to the government of Indonesia nor Freeport, John Gobay, a chairman of the Customary Council in Paniai, a district in Papua, told BenarNews on Tuesday. Two weeks ago, he met with Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo in Jakarta, where Gobay expressed concerns about issues involving Freeports operations at the Grasber complex.

He said neither the Amungme nor Komoro were seeking a share of the mine, but they should be valued as the owners of the mountain where Freeport has been operating for decades.

We own the mountain and the land and the state has recognized it under the state 1945 Constitution and Law No. 21 of 2001 on Papua Special Autonomy, Gobay said.

Freeport-McMoran agreed to divest 41.64 percent of its Indonesian subsidiary, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), at a fair market price to allow 51 percent ownership by Indonesian interests. Freeports share of the company is 90.64 percent while the Indonesian government holds the other 9.36 percent.

Reaching this understanding on the structure of the mutual agreement is significant and positive for all stakeholders. Important work remains on documenting this agreement and we are committed to completing the documentation as soon as possible during 2017, Freeport Chief Executive Richard C. Adkerson said Tuesday in a news release.

As part of the agreement, Freeport agreed to construct a smelter in Indonesia by 2022, thereby lifting a government threat to ban the company from exporting unrefined copper. The smelter is estimated to cost $2 billion and is a major concession for his company, Adkerson told the Wall Street Journal.

The government is not likely to have the financing to buy all of Freeports share being put on the market, so the divestment could be spread across many potential buyers, analysts told the Journal.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignatius Jonan represented the Indonesian government and Adkerson represented Freeport at a Tuesday news conference in Jakarta where both sides announced the agreement.

Ignatius said Indonesia had agreed to extend Freeports license, which ends in 2021, by 10 years to 2031, and another 10 years to 2041 if the company met the contracts requirements, including the smelter.

The negotiation between the government and Freeport began in early 2017. But in the last three to four (days), the talks got intense and the two sides found an agreement, Ignatius said.

Adkerson said Freeport would honor the agreement.

We appreciate the leadership of President Joko Widodo and we have been listening carefully to what the government wants and its objectives, he told the news conference.

Papuans demand role

But because Papuans own the land in and around the mining complex, they should have a role in the upcoming negotiations involving the purchase of company holdings, said Ruben Magay, a member of the Papuan Regional Legislative Council (DPRP).

This is the time for the government to involve land owners in determining Freeports investments, he told BenarNews on Tuesday. There are three parties, the central government/local government, investors and indigenous people.

He said discussions regarding Freeport should be clear on what percentage is for investors, what percentage is for the government and how much is for the indigenous people.

During Freeports first work contract in 1967, until the second work contract in 1991, and this most recent one, the position of indigenous people has been unclear. The discussion has been between the central government and the investor, in this case, America, Magay said.

Gobay expressed hope that Jokowi would hold a special negotiation session attended by the government, Freeport and the representatives of Amungme and Komoro tribes.

If not, we will report it to the United Nations through the indigenous representatives and we will contest Freeport and the central government for not complying with its own regulation, Gobay said.
Hundreds of Filipinos demonstrate in Manila urging President Rodrigo Duterte to end his war against drugs, Aug. 21, 2017.

Nuns stood side by side Monday with leftist protesters chanting slogans denouncing Philippine President Rodrigo Dutertes drug war, a week after police operations killed almost 100 suspected drug addicts and pushers in purported gun battles.

About 2,000 people braved storms and gathered at a Catholic shrine in Manila, calling for the Duterte government to show accountability for the killing of Kian Loyd delos Santos, a grade-11 student who was among the 96 killed in last weeks one time, big time police operations.

Duterte, do not kill the Filipino race, read a sign carried by protesters, while another demonstrator carried a placard urging him to Stop Tokhang and Killings.

Tokhang is a combined Filipino word that means knock and plead  a practice adopted by police which involves visiting a suspected addicts home, knocking at the door and persuading the suspect to surrender.

It has come to symbolize Dutertes heavy-handed approach to the drug menace, because thousands of people subjected to the practice have died on Manila streets.

Duterte: no gunfight

In a televised statement, Duterte said he had seen the closed-circuit security footage showing two policemen in plainclothes grabbing delos Santos and taking the boy to an alley where he was found dead.

The video convinced him there was no gunfight, Duterte said, adding he ordered authorities to take custody of police officers involved in the killing.

Police had said the student opened fire at them, but witnesses told local reporters they saw the unarmed delos Santos crying and pleading for his life. He was later found dead, suffering fatal wounds to the back of his head.

I agree that there should be an investigation. If there is liability, they will go to jail, Duterte said. I instructed police to put the officers in custody.

Duterte, who unleashed a deadly crackdown against drug users and dealers as soon as he took his oath on June 30, 2016, said he would not interfere in the investigation.

So far, more than 8,000 deaths have been logged, but police said only about 3,500 have died as a result of gun battles during police raids, while the rest were considered deaths under investigation or killings blamed on vigilantes.

National police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa has suspended the officers involved in the shooting and ordered an investigation.

However, he has backed the arresting teams version of events even as the public attorneys office in its initial investigation said that the boys death appeared to be a case of intentional killing because there were no signs he fought back.

A flood of illegal drugs

Demonstrators on Monday said Duterte was responsible for delos Santos death and should be held accountable because he has repeatedly exhorted policemen to shoot and kill.

At the height of last weeks bloody campaign, Duterte praised police and pinned medals on some who took part in the killing of 15 suspects last month, including a mayor he had publicly named as among 150 public officials on his drug-watch list.

Last week has been the most violent so far in Dutertes drug war, and he has shown no signs of letting up in his campaign despite repeated calls by local and international human rights groups. The shootings also have been condemned by Catholic bishops and senators, including Dutertes allies.

A statement signed by more than 64 professors and academics noted that delos Santos was not the first minor killed in Dutertes campaign. It said others  a 4-year-old and two 5-year-olds  were slain separately when police went after their fathers who were suspected of being involved in drugs.

Whether killed by police, or murdered allegedly by unknown assailants, the senseless deaths of so many of our youths and thousands of our citizens are a signal of the worsening environment of violence and lawlessness that now threatens the very communities that the anti-drugs campaign was supposed to protect, the petition said.

It said that despite the tough stance against drugs, there appeared to be a continuous influx of illegal drugs into the country.

We are alarmed that too much attention has been given to punishing small-time drug users and pushers, but little has been done to prevent big-time drug smugglers from continuing to flood the country with illegal drugs, the group said.

Sen. Bam Aquino, a minority member in the 24-member Senate, said the senators had all agreed to carry out an investigation, a rare occurrence in a congress controlled by Duterte politicians.

We hope that the government hears our genuine and heartfelt cry that these killings should stop, he said. What the public feels now is that there appears to be an inconsistency in governments war that killed Kian. It really is wrong and the killings should stop.

Catholic nuns join a protest rally in Manila calling for an end to the governments anti-drugs war, Aug. 21, 2017. (Linus Escandor II/BenarNews)
Pedestrians in Tokyo watch a news broadcast on a large screen showing the path of a North Korean missile that crossed Japanese airspace, Aug. 29, 2017.

The Philippines, this years chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), expressed grave concern Tuesday after North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile over Japans airspace.

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano issued a statement urging Pyongyang to restrain itself from further provocations shortly after it launched a missile that flew over the Japanese island of Hokkaido at dawn Tuesday (local time).

We call on the DPRK to halt these dangerous and provocative actions, which heighten tensions, increase instability and the risk of miscalculation, and could possibly endanger lives, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement, referring to the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

The test appeared to have caught many by surprise and triggered warnings for residents of Hokkaido to seek emergency shelter. The missile landed at sea about 2,000 km (1,233 miles) from Japan.

Tuesdays incident marked the second since 1998 in which North Korea tested a missile that flew over Japanese airspace.

Cayetano said his counterparts from ASEAN had issued a statement earlier this month calling on North Korea to stop saber rattling and comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions over Pyongyangs nuclear weapons program.

As this years chairman of the 10-nation Southeast Asian bloc, the Philippines remained committed to peaceful resolutions of conflict, Cayetano said.

While we are ready to do our part, provocations such as this latest missile launch should stop to help us put in place an environment that would be conducive for dialogue, he stressed.

Filipinos in Japan

There are close to 250,000 Filipinos living and working in Japan and the embassy in Tokyo has been tasked with ensuring their safety.

Philippine presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said security officials were coordinating closely with counterparts in the region about the situation. But he said the missile test was not necessarily targeted toward Manila, even though he acknowledged it caused jitters.

It will be the task of the Office of Civil Defense to warn the people if need be. However, at this stage, there is no need for undue alarm, Abella said.

Pyongyangs missile test came just two weeks after the United States territory of Guam in the Pacific was thrown into panic after North Korea threatened to launch an airstrike.

North Korea later pulled back its rhetoric after ASEAN led international calls for calm.

The Philippines and the other nine ASEAN nations have diplomatic ties with North Korea.
President Rodrigo Duterte promises Lorenza delos Santos, the mother of a 17-year-old boy killed by police in an anti-drug crackdown, that justice will be served, Aug. 28, 2017.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte pledged a speedy and truthful investigation into the killing of a teenager by police carrying out his anti-drug crackdown, a government spokesman said Tuesday.

Duterte, whose sweeping anti-drug campaign was blamed for the death of Kian Loyd delos Santos about two weeks ago, met Monday with the 17-year olds parents and assured them justice would be served.

The boy was among almost 100 people killed in the one time, big time police operations. Video captured by a closed-circuit television (CCTV) seems to contradict police claims the boy pulled a gun, forcing them to fire back and instantly kill him.

A subsequent senate inquiry established that the boy was shot at close range, while apparently kneeling down.

Delos Santos death triggered outrage across the predominantly Catholic nation and thousands joined his funeral march last weekend. It also galvanized the opposition against Dutertes crackdown in which more than 8,000 alleged addicts and dealers were either killed by police or vigilantes.

Rights groups have questioned police methods and Dutertes calls to gun down suspects who were said to be fighting arrest. The president also vowed to protect police from prosecution.

The boys death came shortly after police killed 15 people in the south, including a mayor included on a list of 150 politicians, judges, police and military officers Duterte said were involved in the drug trade. Despite publicly naming the officials, Duterte has offered no proof of their involvement.

We expect speedy and truthful investigations on the killing of Kian delos Santos as pledged by the president to his parents and the nation, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Tuesday.

He said the public should let the justice department carry out its investigation with impartiality, integrity and dispatch.

Other agencies are welcome to undertake their own probes as mandated by the law, Abella said.

Ironically, the justice department is headed by Dutertes fraternity brother, Vitaliano Aguirre, who has cast doubt on the CCTV footage of a boy being carried away by officers.

On Tuesday, a group of university law students filed a petition with the justice department calling on Aguirre to recuse himself from the investigation into the boys death.

The students from four universities around Manila said Aguirre had already prejudged the case following his statements that the boys death was blown out of proportion and the witnesses may have been brainwashed.

It is our view that the DOJ Secretarys involvement in the case of Kian de los Santos is detrimental to having a thorough and impartial investigation of the case, said one of the petitioners, Kathleen Benavidez of the University of the Philippines Law School.

Aguirres remarks at the senate inquiry were uninformed or ill-motivated the group said in a statement.

Aguirre will defend Dutertes murderous anti-drug campaign to death, it added. Having Aguirres hand into the case will end with having no justice for Kian at all.

Felipe Villamor in Manila contributed to this report.
After an 18-year run in Goose Creek and unforeseen challenges presented by COVID-19, Dreamalot Books has gradually  but decidedly  gained a steady foothold in the Moncks Corner community as a welcoming haven of second-hand books for both area bibliophiles and those traveling in from Myrtle Read moreThe 'happy place' for used books: Dreamalot Books emerging as a go-to hot spot in Moncks Corner
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by Charlotte Van Werven, Apprentice in Writing and Editorial for Jesus' Economy

We look around us and are daunted by the poverty and suffering and darkness we see. We know it will take a lot of work to change, and we know God asks us to, but we often choose to sit back and wait.

Its easy to be lazy and complacent and wait for other people to do the work. But these are some of the most dangerous ideals. They threaten the kingdom of God. The whole body of Christ needs to be working together if we are going to get things done. Even if the hands are equipped with a hammer and nails, they cant get anything done if the feet dont take them to the construction site. We simply have to rely on each other. Paul uses the body metaphor in 1 Corinthians to remind the church of the importance of unity. He says:

But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. (1 Corinthians 12:24b-26 ESV)

We have our own jobs, families, and lives, and these things help us justify spiritual laziness in the church. Sometimes, we dont even notice we are failing to act because we feel like its a positive thing to be investing in ourselves. Laziness can, and often does, mask itself as selfish hard work. We might be working for recognition and self-righteousness instead of in love and for Christ. But we have to acknowledge that work done for the wrong reasons has no place in the kingdom of God.

The body of Christ needs to be operating togetherand it needs to be moving with the intent God desires. When believers do things for the wrong reasons, the action itself is rooted in selfishness and sin. The action may be fruitful for a time, but it will crumble because it has the wrong foundation. The church cannot stand on actions carried out without love. Paul understood that it is difficult for believers to be united for the right reasons:

And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:1 ESV)

I know were all a little tired; it seems like less work to focus on our lives than it is to participate in a body of believers. Its especially hard when we dont call all the shots. Listening to Gods direction, and any leaders direction, makes us incredibly vulnerable. When we start putting others first, we stop guarding ourselves as much as we like to.

But it is vital that we do this. We radiate Gods love when we love others. And the body of believers will not lose anything by rejecting selfishness, and choosing love instead. Paul reminds us:

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3 ESV)

Its not enough to have action without love, and its not enough to love without action. The things we do on a daily basis should be in response to the callings God puts on our lives. We need to be giving it all we have. Paul returns to this issue in his letter to the Colossians:

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17 ESV)

Let us, as the church, check our motivations at the door and leave our selfishness at the foot of the cross. Think of what we could accomplish together, if we truly acted as one, with a heart of love and thankfulness:

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. (Colossians 3:23 ESV)

Satan wants a lazy church. We fail when we work for people and not for the Lord. But if we, as different members of the same body, rely on loveif we root ourselves in the foundation of Gods lovewe can bring real change and light to the world.

See Charlotte's original piece: How We Justify Laziness in the Church. This long-form article is part of the weekly series, Living for Jesus.

Charlotte Van Werven writes for Jesus Economy, a non-profit dedicated to creating jobs and churches in the developing world. Jesus' Economy provides an online fair trade shop and is working to Renew Bihar, India.

John D. Barry is a Bible scholar and the CEO of Jesus Economy, an innovative non-profit creating jobs and churches in the developing world. At JesusEconomy.com, people can shop fair trade and align their giving with their passion. 100% goes where the donor designates, every time  to causes such as spreading the gospel through church planting and empowering women through job creation. John's new book is Jesus' Economy: A Biblical View of Poverty, the Currency of Love, and a Pattern for Lasting Change.
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For Immediate Release, August 29, 2017 Contact: Shaye Wolf, (510) 844-7101, swolf@biologicaldiversity.org Request Seeks Evidence That Trump's Reversal of Coastal Flood Protections Is Driven by Climate Denial, Contempt for Obama Decision Makes Coastal Communities More Vulnerable to Storms Like Harvey WASHINGTON The Center for Biological Diversity filed a Freedom of Information Act request today seeking public records connected to President Trump's rollback of an Obama executive order and federal flood-protection rule. Just 10 days before Harvey struck Texas, Trump issued an executive order revoking the Obama administrations Federal Flood Risk Management Standard. This standard required that federally funded infrastructure projects like highways, schools and airports be built to withstand flood damage, which will be worsened by climate change. Harveys devastation illustrates the danger of Trumps order to disregard flood risks to life-sustaining infrastructure on our coasts, said Shaye Wolf, climate science director at the Center. With climate change making storms like Harvey more powerful, slashing protections for the safety of millions of Americans in flood-prone areas is just unacceptable. Through todays requests to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Management and Budget, Council on Environmental Quality and Council on Economic Advisors, the Center aims to unearth the factors influencing the order. This includes looking for evidence that the Trump administration rescinded the flood-protection standard because it was grounded in climate science or because it was enacted by Obama  or both. Scientists warn that climate change is not only intensifying storms, but also making storm-related flooding deadlier. As the planet heats up, warmer air holds more moisture, which leads to more extreme rainfall and flooding during storms. As sea level rises, storm surges  the massive walls of water pushed onto the coast  are riding on a higher sea surface and cause flooding farther inland. The National Centers for Environmental Information report that the United States is suffering more frequent and expensive flood events in recent years because of climate change. In 2016 inland flooding was the costliest type of natural disaster. Half the U.S. population lives in coastal communities that are vulnerable to flooding. Trump and top officials such as EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt have denied the fundamental facts of climate science. The death and destruction in south Texas offer a grim preview of the human cost of Trumps denial of science, Wolf said. As we look at Hurricane Harveys devastating effects, Americans need to know why Trump refuses to protect coastal communities from future catastrophic flooding.
For Immediate Release, August 29, 2017 Contact: Dustin Cranor, Oceana, (202) 341-2267, (954) 348-1314 (cell), dcranor@oceana.org

Miyoko Sakashita, Center for Biological Diversity, (510) 844-7108, miyoko@biologicaldiversity.org

Anne Hawke, NRDC, (646) 823-4518, ahawke@nrdc.org Court Upholds Rule Requiring Traceability for At-risk Seafood Imports New Rule Will Reduce Amount of Illegally Caught, Mislabeled Seafood Entering United States

WASHINGTON A federal court yesterday upheld the U.S. governments Seafood Import Monitoring Program, which will require some imported seafood at risk of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and seafood fraud to be fully documented and traced from the fishing vessel or farm to the U.S. border. The Commerce Department program, also known as the Seafood Traceability Rule, takes effect January 2018 and will require seafood importers of species like tuna, grouper, swordfish, red snapper and blue crab to provide specific information before their products can enter the United States  including what kind of fish it is, as well as how and where it was caught or farmed. This ruling is a huge win for U.S. fishermen and consumers who are cheated when illegally caught or mislabeled seafood products make their way into our markets, said Beth Lowell, senior director for illegal fishing and seafood fraud at Oceana. Its time for imported seafood to be held to the same standards as domestically caught fish. Its time to level the playing field for U.S. fishers and reduce the risks facing U.S. consumers. All seafood sold in the U.S. should be safe, legally caught and honestly labeled. The National Fisheries Institute and eight individual seafood companies filed a lawsuit in January, claiming, among other things, that the final Seafood Traceability Rule was signed by a low-level bureaucrat without the authority to do so. In June Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross ratified the rule at the request of the judge, resolving that claim. In May Oceana (represented by Earthjustice), the Center for Biological Diversity and the Natural Resources Defense Council filed a joint amicus brief in support of the Seafood Traceability Rule. Yesterdays decision is in response to the remaining claims of the lawsuit. This is a major victory against the illegal fishing thats devastating many fish populations and killing imperiled wildlife like turtles and porpoises around the world, said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Massive fishing operations working totally outside the law are rampant on the high seas and in foreign waters. This rule helps ensure that American consumers arent supporting such deplorable fishing practices. The United States now imports more than 90 percent of its seafood, yet a recent study estimated that between 20 percent and 32 percent of wild-caught seafood crossing our borders comes from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Illegal fishing and seafood fraud are putting ocean health at risk, and stamping them out is a goal we can all agree on, said Molly Masterton, an attorney with the Oceans Program at NRDC. Yesterdays ruling is a major advance, because this rule is a key first step in detecting and thwarting these practices at the border. By shedding a light on these elusive activities and empowering agencies to take enforcement action, the Traceability Rule will protect our oceans, along with U.S. and international fishermen who play by the rules. If you believe that you are what you eat, you need to have confidence in what you're eating, said Steve Mashuda, an attorney at Earthjustice representing Oceana in the case. This decision upholding the Seafood Traceability Rule helps provide much-needed assurance that imported seafood does not come with the hidden costs of overfishing, human rights abuses or marine habitat destruction. Background

Oceanas investigations of fish, shrimp, crab cakes and most recently salmon, in retail markets and restaurants, found that, on average, about one-third of the seafood examined was mislabeled: The product listed on the label or menu was different from what the buyer thought she or he had purchased, and often a less desirable or lower-priced species. Oceana has observed threatened species being sold as more sustainable; expensive varieties replaced with cheaper alternatives; and fish that can cause illness substituted for those that are safer to eat. According to Oceanas global review of seafood fraud in 2016, mislabeling rates in the European Union dropped following the implementation of similar measures to combat unregulated fishing, from 23 percent in studies conducted before 2012 to 8 percent in 2015. An Oceana poll from September 2016 found that 83 percent of Americans support new requirements focused on eliminating seafood fraud in the United States, including requiring that key information follow our seafood from boat to plate: what type of fish is involved and how and where it was caught or farmed.
National Monument Boundaries Still on Chopping Block Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is still coming after national monuments. Zinke has apparently finished his "review" of the monuments and is recommending changes to several, according to media reports this morning. The public is still being left in the dark about his recommendations, which have been sent to the Trump White House.



Earlier this year the Trump administration decided to "review" 27 national monuments on public lands and oceans covering nearly 1 billion acres. The intent has been clear: scaling back protections for these places to accommodate special interests like oil and gas drilling. More than 2.8 million people have urged the Trump administration to keep protections in place.



"Zinke's sham review was rigged from the beginning to open up more public lands to fossil fuel, mining and timber industries," said Randi Spivak, public lands director at the Center for Biological Diversity. "He and Trump will not be allowed to rob Americans of their public lands. They're asking for a court battle, and they'll get one."



Read Randi's piece in Medium about 7 things to know about Trump's attack on national monuments.
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
Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche has already lowered the price of its breast cancer drug trastuzumab to state patients and it is now provided at a limited number of hospitals.

Esben Hansen via 123RF

Roche is in talks with the health department for wider access to trastuzumab, which it sells as Herceptin in the private sector and Herclone in the state sector. Trastuzumab was for the first time included in the government's essential medicines list in June and is recommended for eligible patients in its new breast cancer strategy, which was published on Friday.

The health department is aiming to provide trastuzumab to 500 patients a year at 14 hospitals around the country.

Roche spokeswoman Aadila Fakier said trastuzumab was not yet widely available to state patients but some healthcare facilities were buying the drug and doing so at a lower price than before. Roche sold trastuzumab to the state at about R10,500 a vial, she said, declining to specify the new price. Unlike tender prices, which are published in the Government Gazette, the prices paid by healthcare facilities that buy drugs on "buy-out" are not in the public domain.

The breast cancer strategy says trastuzumab should be provided to patients with HER2 tumours, at three weekly intervals, for a year. But it contains a caveat, saying it must be affordable and not come at the expense of cutting other healthcare services.

Medical schemes may soon have to pay

Roche holds the patents on Herceptin and Herclone but it may soon face competition from rival Mylan, which has applied to the Medicines Control Council to register its trastuzumab biosimilar.

The Fix the Patent Laws Coalition estimates that a year's treatment with Herceptin costs R465,392 for each patient in the private sector. The high price tag means many medical schemes will not pay for it, but that may change if state sector access improves, according to the Board of Healthcare Funders' head of benefit and risk, Rajesh Patel.

The breast cancer strategy says SA cannot afford to use mammography for routine screening in the state sector and recommends it is reserved for symptomatic and high-risk patients in specialist breast cancer centres. It says women over 40 should receive biannual clinical breast examinations from a healthcare provider.

The department also released a new cervical cancer strategy on Friday that states that all women over the age of 30 years should have three free cervical cancer screening tests at 10-year intervals in the public sector.

Source: Business Day
Nick Stein and Richard Frankel, who brought the Australian eco brand, Boody, to South Africa in October 2015, have introduced a Boody babywear range and are about to launch in 10 stores in Mauritius.

Nick Stein and Richard Frankel.

Boody is made from fabric created from organically grown bamboo fibre and is hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal as well as ultra-absorbent. Moisture-wicking properties pull sweat away from the skin to avoid irritation, making it perfect for the hot South African climate. Bamboo is sustainable, requires no pesticides and relies only on rainwater to grow.

Consumer demand for natural textiles

Launched in a few independent health shops and six Dis-Chem stores, the brand has grown its distribution network from 17 outlets a year ago to over 100 today. The reason for this success, according to Stein and Frankel, is that, globally, consumers are shying away from synthetics and gravitating towards natural textiles. Even though South Africa lags international trends, demand for fabrics that are both skin and eco-friendly is gathering momentum.

The display stand is made from recycled car parts that accommodate a full range of 286 pieces as well as a guide to health benefits and sizing and fits into just a quarter of a square metre of retail space, which makes it as ideal for small independent retailers, as it is for large chain stores. Its reduced retail space also makes it popular in health shops and airport pharmacies.

Retailers are coming round to the idea that, because bamboo clothing helps in managing conditions such as eczema and thrush, it is also a complementary product category in the healthy living/healthy environment niche market. Boody is not the only clothing containing bamboo out there, but Stein says the differentiator is its Ecocert certification, which vouches for organic, sustainable growing and ethical manufacturing processes.

New ranges are also in the pipeline. With some consumers already using Boody for low impact exercise, the logical next step has been to launch Boody Body, a range of functional gym wear. A sleepwear range, Boody Bed, is expected to follow in 2018.
KINSHASA, DRC - Authorities have banned imports of several popular consumer products in the west of the Democratic Republic of Congo for six months to fight smuggling, Trade Minister Jean-Lucien Busa said on Monday.

Peter Hermes Furian via 123RF

"We have decided on the temporary restriction of imports in the western part of the country for six months of grey cement, sugar, beer and fizzy drinks in order to put an end to fraud and contraband," Busa told AFP.

The measure was also aimed at "protecting local industry in a crucial period of growth that risks being undermined by those who practice prices below production costs", the minister said, stressing that he had not "turned to protectionism".

In the southwest of the huge nation in the heart of Africa, on the border with Angola, a thriving market attracts numerous small traders who purchase their stock at very low prices. Such people "who pay neither customs duty nor taxes" represent a threat to the national economy, the trade minister said.

A Congolese brewery firm was forced to "close two of its plants in the provinces of Equateur (in the northwest) and Kongo Central (on the southern border with Angola)", Busa said.

Despite the partial ban, the vastly mineral-rich DRC remains "open to international trade", the minister added. Busa said he also "forbade exports of cinchona tree bark (notably used to provide quinine) so as to give priority in transformation" to the Congolese pharmaceutical industry.

Busa did not specify in which areas of the country the import ban applies, but the capital Kinshasa is located in the western part of the country.

Source: AFP
For the second time in less than two years, retail group Steinhoff's share price has been pummelled by allegations relating to its tax and accounting practices.

Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste

On Thursday, the share price slumped almost 13% in early trade after reports in a leading German business magazine that a public prosecutor in Germany was investigating Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste on suspicion of accounting fraud.

The share fell to R57 in heavy trade after opening at R66 before recovering marginally to close at R60.

The magazine describes founder Bruno Steinhoff's ambition of creating a second Ikea, referring to the largest furniture retailer in Europe. It asks: "Is Europe's second-biggest furniture group about to implode?"

On Thursday afternoon, Steinhoff dismissed the allegations as wrong and misleading.It said the source of some of the allegations in the Manager Magazine article was a former joint-venture partner with whom the group's subsidiaries were embroiled in litigation.

The article says that the prosecutor is also investigating three other Steinhoff executives and that the prosecutor suspects "excessive revenues have been included in the balance sheets of group-owned companies".

The Public Investment Corporation's (PIC's) Fidelis Madavo said on Thursday he could not comment until he had spoken to Steinhoff's management. "The story is alarming, but it would not be fair to comment until we have clarity from management."

The story comes at a difficult time for Steinhoff as it is about to finalise a substantial transaction with Shoprite. The PIC, which is the second-largest shareholder in Steinhoff after Christo Wiese, has undertaken to support the deal, which will result in Steinhoff getting control of Shoprite.

The German investigation includes documents relating to transactions between companies within the Steinhoff group that the prosecutor says involve hundreds of millions of euros.

One signatory party to one of the documents said he had never seen the papers before and had laid charges of forgery against Steinhoff.

The prosecutors have been looking into Steinhoff since 2015 on suspicion that it inflated its revenue figures, according to the magazine. In late 2015, tax investigators searched Steinhoff's German offices just ahead of the group's listing on the German stock exchange.

At the time, Steinhoff said the investigators were reviewing its balance-sheet treatment of certain transactions.

On Thursday night, Steinhoff said it had appointed legal and audit firms to investigate the tax matter. These experts had concluded that no evidence existed of any contravention of German commercial law.

"The group has engaged constructively with the authorities to find a solution. No further investigations have been initiated nor any searches conducted as alleged in the article," Steinhoff said.

It did say though that certain companies in the group were involved in disputes in which the outcomes were uncertain.

"The directors are confident that they will be able to defend these actions successfully and that the potential impact on the group will not be material."

Source: Business Day
Kantar recently appointed Karin Du Chenne as CEO for Insights, Stephany Brewer as Chief Client Officer, Africa & Middle East for Insights, Noeraan Hendricks as Transformation Director for Kantar, and Gisela Seeley as Country Leader for Kantar Media.

Karin Du Chenne appointed CEO Insights South Africa at Kantar

Karin Du Chenne was appointed in May as CEO for Insights at Kantar, which covers the portfolio of Kantar Millward Brown and Kantar TNS, South Africa. Karin recently returned from a three year stint in Turkey where she served as Chief Client Officer for Insights at Kantar Africa & Middle East. At the time she was responsible for leading the global and regional client relationships and supporting them in their growth activities in Africa & Middle East. An inspirational business leader, Karin has over 25 years of experience in driving marketing and communications that deliver business results.

We are thrilled to have Karin lead our South African business. Her passion for our business and years of experience make her uniquely and brilliantly equipped for this role, and I have no doubt that she will lead our business and partner with our clients to drive growth," commented Charles Foster, CEO Insights Africa & Middle East at Kantar.

Stephany Brewer appointed Chief Client Officer, Africa & Middle East for Insights at Kantar

We are delighted to announce that Stephany Brewer will be Karins successor. Stephany joined Kantar Millward Brown in 2005 and has worked across Africa & Middle East and Singapore with our largest local and multinational clients, including Unilever. In her new role, Stephany will focus on deepening relationships with clients to bring them the best of what Kantar has to offer to grow their brands and market share.

Noeraan Hendricks appointed Transformation Director for Kantar South Africa

Noeraan Hendricks has been appointed Transformation Director for Kantar South Africa. Noeraan will lead the BBBEE strategy for Insights, and one of her key priorities will be to ensure continued transformation around skills development, as well as enterprise and supplier development. She will also be a key link to WPP around matters of transformation as well as Trustee representation for the WPP BEE Trust. This is a new role of strategic importance to our business in South Africa, says CEO Karin Du Chenne, as an industry leader we have a true commitment and passion to drive transformation.

Gisela Seeley appointed Country Leader for Kantar Media South Africa

Gisela Seeley has been appointed Country Leader for Kantar Media, South Africa. Kantar Media is a global leader in media intelligence, including audience and advertising measurement, as well as consumer behaviour and brand reputation tracking. The company is officially launching the South African branch of their business, and in her new role, Giselas focus will be to lead a team providing reliable and high quality audience data.

Gisela has worked in a senior leadership role within the research industry since 2001, and for the last eight years has focused on media research, setting up and running the media division within Kantar TNS. She brings with her extensive knowledge of audience measurement across TV and other media and has vast experience in setting up large research programmes across African markets. We have no doubt that she will be a great asset to the business and will continue to partner with clients to drive innovation in our media services, said Jennie Beck, Chief Client Officer for Kantar Media EMEA.




The government's proposed new tax measures to curb the abuse of mining-rehabilitation funds represent a missed opportunity to clarify differences between tax law and mining regulations.

The National Environmental Management Act of 1998 places the responsibility for remediating environmental damage, pollution or ecological degradation arising from mining operations on mining companies as the holders of prospecting or mining rights.

Mining companies have to make financial provision for the rehabilitation of the environment, using financial guarantees, cash payments to a Department of Mineral Resources bank account or cash payments to special purposes companies or trusts (mining rehabilitation funds).

Tax relief is available to mining companies for payments to mining rehabilitation funds: the Income Tax Act gives a company a tax deduction for cash payments to these funds. It also exempts the growth in these funds from tax, provided the mining company complies with the requirements of section 37A of the act. The government considers that mining rehabilitation funds are being abused, and recently published draft tax legislation to amend section 37A. The aim is to strengthen "anti-avoidance measures" related to the funds.

Abuses in the mining industry include the transfer of mining rehabilitation fund money to third parties who are not approved recipients in terms of section 37A(3).

An example of such abuse relates to Tegeta Exploration and Resources, which acquired Optimum Coal Mine and inherited Optimum Coal's rehabilitation funds. Impermissible withdrawals were allegedly made from Optimum Coal Mine's rehabilitation funds.

The draft legislation focuses on "curbing current and continued abuse of rehabilitation funds", but misses the opportunity to align the draft tax legislation with the 2015 Financial Provisioning Regulations published under the National Environmental Management Act.

The regulations and the draft tax legislation are not fully aligned. The regulations allow withdrawals from a mining rehabilitation fund for continuing and current rehabilitation. The draft tax legislation grants tax relief only if the funds in a mining rehabilitation fund are used for rehabilitation in specific circumstances: premature closure, decommissioning or final closure of a mining area, and postclosure management of the latent or residual environmental impacts.

Another area of misalignment between the regulations and the draft tax legislation is the permissible use of the mining rehabilitation funds upon achieving final closure. When rehabilitation has been completed to the satisfaction of the minister of mineral resources, section 37A does not allow the use of the mining rehabilitation funds for other purposes. The fund must be liquidated after all liabilities have been settled. The remaining assets must be transferred to another account or trust that has rehabilitation as its sole object and has been approved by the minister.

Section 37A does not contemplate that the money in a rehabilitation fund can be transferred to the minister, back to taxpayers or to an account or trust that is not a mining rehabilitation fund. But the regulations provide that once final closure has been achieved, the trustees of a mining rehabilitation fund must authorise the payment of the remaining funds to the minister, to be used for latent or residual environmental impacts.

In such a case, compliance with the regulations will contravene section 37A, triggering a tax liability for the mining company. These misalignments and contradictions on such important issues should be clarified urgently.

The regulations also prescribe the form and requirements of a trust deed to be used for a mining rehabilitation fund.

A specimen trust deed contains a clause restricting the types of financial instruments that mining rehabilitation funds can invest into "capital guaranteed" instruments. This term is not defined.

The permissible investments listed in section 37A are specified, but these are financial instruments issued by collective investment schemes; long-term insurers, banks or mutual banks, listed companies or the government, or investments acquired before November 18 2003. The instruments listed are not necessarily capitalguaranteed instruments. It cannot be determined whether or not an instrument is a capital-guaranteed investment without considering the facts of each investment.

The draft tax legislation proposes stricter penalties for impermissible investments, impermissible withdrawals from the fund and other contraventions of section 37A.

If a mining rehabilitation fund makes investments that are not allowed in terms of section 37A(2), 40% of the highest market value of the impermissible investment will be deemed to be an amount of normal tax payable by the mining company, not the mining rehabilitation fund.

If a mining rehabilitation fund allows its property to be distributed for impermissible purposes, the fund will pay a deemed amount of normal tax equal to 40% of the highest market value of that property.

An impermissible withdrawal is one for any purpose other than: rehabilitation upon premature closure; decommissioning and final closure; postclosure coverage of any latent and residual environmental impacts; or transfer to another company, trust or account established for rehabilitation.

If a mining rehabilitation fund fails to comply with any other provision of section 37A, the fund will also pay a penalty that will be a deemed amount of normal tax. This deemed amount must be equal to 40% of twice the highest market value of all the property held in that company (or trust), to the extent that the other property is directly or indirectly derived from cash paid by the mining company to the mining rehabilitation fund.

The adequacy of financial provision made for rehabilitation is another issue at stake. Section 24P(3) of the National Environmental Management Act already requires mining companies to submit an annual report to the minister on the adequacy of the financial provision.

More work is required to align the proposed tax amendments with existing laws regulating financial provision for environmental rehabilitation.

Source: Business Day
A highly sustainable and culturally significant method of construction in China, bamboo weaving is a practice that is on a steep decline. Due to its complexity and reliance on skilled labour, expert bamboo weavers, who aren't very easy to come by, are required for its fabrication. In an effort to revive this valuable tradition, a group of students from the University of Hong Kong contributed to the construction of a traditional bamboo structure in the Chinese village of Peitian called the Sun Room pavilion.

"Historically, these pavilions were often used by craftsmen to demonstrate their skill or to trial new construction methodologies, HKU architecture course leader Donn Holohan told Dezeen. Today these structures have, for the most part, been replaced by generic outbuildings in concrete and brick. The craft of bamboo weaving is in drastic decline with only one practicing artisan remaining in Peitian."

Located in a new passion fruit plantation, the Sun Room Pavilion project began as a project that sought to apply digital design methods to unravel the intricacy of this age old craft. In an effort to determine its potential as an alternative construction methodology for local people, the HKU students were brought on to adapt and grow this traditional technique.

More than just a construction job, the project addresses the crisis of cultural loss that the decline in working with traditional techniques could lead to, and the team of students worked closely with the last remaining bamboo weaver in the village throughout the project. The final structure consists of an outer shell made from the woven bamboo material, as well as a pine load-bearing structure that was sourced regionally and cut by local carpenters.

Because of the location remoteness and lack of direct street access, every element of it had to be designed to be easily transported and manually installed. With the aid of the village community, the UHK student team managed to construct a 215-square-foot structure that provides effective shelter and aids to preserve the regions cultural history.
Vodacom's share price gained more than 2% since Monday last week to end the week at R184.44, despite the public outcry after a system error wiped out airtime and data bundles of some of its customers.

This has led Parliament to call for an investigation into the matter. Mobile network operators are under pressure to lower prices, extend data expiry dates and curb data depletion.

The company blamed the disappearing data and airtime on a billing systems error that was caused by a configuration change on Vodacom's prepaid and top-up billing system. The group reimbursed all its affected customers. It added an extra 500MB over and above the airtime and data refunds.

Mergence Investment Managers' portfolio manager Peter Takaendesa said it seemed that the market was not taking any of these issues with Vodacom and regulatory risk in SA seriously.

"It could be that the South African regulators have not been firm about enforcing regulations or imposing fines on past violations, especially when compared to Nigeria," he said.

It seemed as though the market was not expecting any of the proposed regulations or investigations as well as data-billing challenges to have a material effect on Vodacom, hence the share price remained stronger.

Falcon Crest Asset Managers chief investment officer Farai Mapfinya said this was "bad" for Vodacom's reputation and "rightly so".

However, lack of market reaction reflected that it had no effect on the valuation of the company, he said.

Source: BDpro
KPMG looks set to lose another JSE client as investment company Deneb, which is part ofthe Hosken Consolidated Investments (HCI) group, launches a review of KPMG's role as the company's auditor.

 Leung Cho Pan  123RF.com

HCI CEO Johnny Copelyn would not comment on the review or a possible link to KPMG's exposure to the Gupta family other than to say the process of changing an auditor was complicated and needed shareholder approval. "At this stage I can only say we're in the process of a formal review of KPMG as Deneb's auditor."

Grant Thornton, which is not one of the big four audit firms, audits most of the companies in the HCI stable. There is no requirement for a listed company to inform shareholders when it changes auditors, nor is there a requirement on the audit firm to notify the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors.

Andre Visser, GM of issuer regulation at the JSE, said a listed company had to notify the JSE within 24 hours of taking the decision to terminate the appointment of auditors. The auditor had also to provide reasons for the termination. "The JSE will assess the reasons and may then ask for a Sens announcement."

In the US, the Securities and Exchange Commission obliges companies to issue a notice when they intend changing their auditors and another when changes have been completed.

One local regulator speculated that the more lax South African disclosure requirements reflected how rarely JSE-listed companies changed auditors. To date, Sygnia is the only company that has formally announced that it had fired KPMG because of its previous work with companies linked to the Gupta family.

On Monday, 28 August, Sygnia CEO Magda Wierzycka welcomed the move by Deneb. She said the process of changing auditors was not complicated. A board decision to change firms could be implemented immediately and the move approved at a subsequent annual general meeting of shareholders.

Wierzycka announced the Sygnia decision at the end of July after a meeting with KPMG partners at which she attempted to ascertain how KPMG could have missed "a big money-laundering exercise" related to the financing of the infamous Gupta wedding.

Wierzycka, who emphasised that she had no issues with the KPMG team that worked on Sygnia, was unhappy with the response to her questions.

"The meeting didn't dispel in my mind the perception that adequate oversight was not exercised," she said.

By the close of business on Monday, KPMG had not responded to questions from Business Day about whether any other listed companies had indicated they were reviewing their relationship with the firm.

The list of KPMG clients includes some of the largest companies on the JSE, such as British American Tobacco, BHP Billiton, Old Mutual and Investec. The list also includes South African banks Absa, Nedcor and Standard, which refused to provide banking services for Gupta-related companies.

Source: Business Day
A crash course in the basics of democracy, economic majority theory and self-determination, the Bitcoin Scaling Agreement, which set in motion the Bitcoin Fork of 1 August 2017, highlights the growing political and economic considerations that permeate the decentralised system.

As the South African Reserve Bank commences the South African cryptocurrency regulatory experiment, with the aim of legitimising and garnering a better understanding of cryptocurrencies/assets, the Bitcoin Scaling Agreement is a reminder that cryptocurrency/assets and decentralised systems have evolved beyond the initial concerns and complexities that fuelled the 2014 regulatory neutrality. We are reminded that the current regulatory experiment faces a host of new complexities and that this industry will continue to evolve beyond any current or future understanding that we may have about it.

Bitcoin Scaling Agreement

The stalemate bitcoin scaling debate and the plethora of bitcoin improvement proposals culminated in a New York meeting of various players within the bitcoin economy in May 2017 and with that, the Bitcoin Scaling Agreement came into being.

The Bitcoin Scaling Agreement is essentially an undertaking from the various signatories to implement the Segwit2MB Proposal, the first step of which is to activate Segregated Witness at an 80% hashpower threshold, which had been reached before the end of May 2017.

As of May 2017, the signatories of the Bitcoin Scaling Agreement represented:

58 companies located in 22 countries



83% of hashing power



5.1 billion USD monthly on chain transaction volume; and



20.5 million Bitcoin wallets

The signatories of the Bitcoin Scaling Agreement represent the critical mass of both the technical and economic communities within the global bitcoin ecosystem.

Decisions of decentralised

While the Bitcoin Scaling Agreement was primarily the spark needed to bring about much needed technical changes to the bitcoin network, it has taught us two very important lessons (i) how the decentralised network makes decisions and (ii) the where the decision making power lies.

Decentralisation is paramount in the bitcoin ecosystem. The core principle that no one institution or authority is responsible for the operation, function or governance of the ecosystem is its greatest strength. In South Africa, it is this core principle that the notions of financial service democratisation and financial inclusion are premised.

The key point to note about the Bitcoin Scaling Agreement is that those market players who chose to adopt it, which happened to be the majority of the bitcoin ecosystem, adopted the scaling solution. However, while this did not mandate the dissenting market players to adopt the same solution, failing to do so could have potential operational consequences due to the interdependence between the bitcoin communities within the ecosystem.

The bitcoin ecosystem is essentially made of up five communities:

miners



developers



exchanges



merchants; and



wallets.

These five communities represent two interdependent forces in the bitcoin ecosystem: the technology forces or market players and the economic forces or market players. Each force requiring the support of the other in order to function adequately. A symbiotic relationship that controls the decision making process in this decentralised space.

South African Cryptocurrencies/Assets Regulatory Experiment

In recent weeks, the South African Reserve Bank has expressed an intention to depart from its 2014 users beware position on cryptocurrencies/assets by experimenting with regulations around the legitimisation of cryptocurrencies/assets. However, as the cryptocurrency/asset community continues to rapidly develop in a political and economic sense to match it technical counterpart, the question of regulation and what legitimisation, or even a definitional understanding of cryptocurrencies/assets would entail, is becoming more and more of a moving target.

The complexities of the global bitcoin communities that has been brought to light by the Bitcoin Scaling Agreement requires us to question the premise on which the current, or any further, regulatory experiments are conducted. In particular, the regulatory experiment has grown far beyond the initial intention of ensuring that innovation is not hindered by regulation and now faces, amongst others, the following social and political challenges of regulating this industry.

African Bitcoin

The greatest advantage of the decentralised system is its ability to transcend territorial boundaries and entrenched exclusionary practices of the financial services industry, thereby, creating a cryptocurrency/asset economy and community emancipated from territorial and industry concerns and restrictions. However, it is important to bear in mind that the advents of cryptocurrencies/assets and decentralised systems with South Africa serve an integral purpose in democratising financial services and facilitating financial inclusion. In doing so, one of its intended markets is the marginalised South African financial consumer. As such, the South African purpose of cryptocurrencies/assets and decentralisation may differ from that of the US or China where the majority of the bitcoin communities reside.

Global Engagement

As previously mentioned, the various bitcoin communities operate in symbiotic relationship. Regulation that hinders the South African bitcoin market players from participating in the global bitcoin communities by following or dissenting from decisions of the critical mass of the global bitcoin ecosystem, while not hindering innovative developments, would in any event place South Africa at an economic disadvantage given the interconnected relationship South African bitcoin market players have with the global community.

The essential question is how can the unique interests and consumer concerns of the South African financial and payments markets be protected whilst affording the South African Bitcoin market players and communities with sufficient freedom to participate in the global Bitcoin economy at its requisite rapid pace?

Perhaps the answer does not lie within mainstream regulation, but rather within a self-regulatory organisation (SRO) model.

Legal case for the self-regulating organisation

The SRO model is a well-known and implemented concept with the South African financial markets. Introduced in the, now repealed, Securities Services Act (SSA), the SRO status was conferred onto the JSE Limited and the central securities depository (Strate), subject to certain conditions. SROs are permitted to regulate the affairs of the market, which it services by creating rules, supervision protocols and disciplinary mechanisms.

The concept of SROs is no longer referred to under the Financial Markets Act (FMA), which repealed the SSA, and has been replaced by the concept of a market infrastructure with certain market infrastructures, such as exchanges and central security depositories, retaining the SRO status.

The concept of self-regulation does mean that the SRO is regulating itself but rather that it is tasked with regulating the market it services. Under our currently regulatory regime, the SRO model has been determined to be an efficient and cost effective mechanism for regulation, albeit its inherent challenges such as conflicts of interest and adequate governance.

The SRO model may potentially be the apt current legislative instrument to regulate the cryptocurrency/asset industry given its rapidly shifting complexities and evolutions. However, the root of our current financial regulatory regime does not envisage a decentralised system and, accordingly, all concepts and models entrenched within our current regulatory system are premised on the central authority ideology. This includes South Africas adoption of the SRO model.

As such, the first point in developing a regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies/assets and decentralised systems would be to recognise that a regulatory regime which fundamentally envisages governance, supervision and operations as being conducted by a central authority, by its very nature, cannot adequately regulate cryptocurrencies/assets and decentralised systems.

Decentralised SRO

As South Africas SRO model is currently a centralised SRO model, the idea of a decentralised SRO model is one worth exploring.

The concept of adopting an SRO model in respect of cryptocurrencies/assets has recently been the subject of discussion by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), where is has been proposed that the various cryptocurrency/asset communities, or the most economically dominant entities within such communities, form an SRO for the purposes of regulating the cryptocurrency/asset market. The rationale behind such discussions is the concern that including cryptocurrencies/assets under the purview of the existing regulator would hamper the growth of the industry as the SEBIs current expertise are in respect of conventional financial markets.

A similar premise may be adopted within South Africa where various Bitcoin communities may form an SRO, upon which the regulator may confer power to regulate the cryptocurrency/asset market it services, similar to the manner in which an exchange under the FM Act is envisaged to operate.

The internal mechanisms and regulations applicable to market players within such cryptocurrency/asset communities may be affected through the conclusion of smart contracts which may operate akin to that of interoperability agreements. This would be similar to the manner in which the decentralised autonomous organisation was established under Ethereum , save for the point that such smart contracts will be subject to outcomes or rules based regulatory principles of the financial regulatory regime .

The smart contracts and the formation of the SRO would need to be in accordance with the objects of the FMA such as protecting investors, reducing systemic risk and ensuring fairness and transparency within the market.

Decentralisation in age of Twin Peaks

Notwithstanding the above, as the Financial Sector Regulation Bill, 2016 (FSR Bill) draws closer to coming into effect, and with it, the dawning of the age of the Twin Peaks regulatory system, the SRO model is currently under review. Initial public comment phases on the FSR Bill have indicated the legislatures intention to increase the supervisory functions and powers of the Twin Peak regulators, which may result in the weakening of the SRO model. Once again, we see that the core notion underpinning the concepts of governance and supervision under the FSR Bill is that of a centralised system or authority thereby, excluding an effective means of regulating a decentralised system.

Accordingly, the current cryptocurrency/asset regulatory experiment should not only aim to understand the manner in which Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency/asset may currently operate in the market, but should seek to garner an understanding as to way in which the very nature of cryptocurrency/asset and decentralised models challenges core conceptual principles that underpin our legislation. While regulations legitimising the cryptocurrency/asset market are needed, regulations that are rendered outdated and inapplicable, upon promulgation, by the evolving complexities of cryptocurrencies/assets, will not do the market, or its consumers, any favours.

Let the experiments begin.
Scientists have identified the first ever genetic markers associated with resistance to two deadly cassava viral diseases in Tanzania's grown varieties. The International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in a statement availed to the 'Daily News', identified the two varieties as Namikonga and Albert.

Satit Srihin via 123RF

Mostly grown by Tanzanian farmers, the varieties are capable of withstanding the devastating Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) and Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD), unlike other varieties.

A team of scientists that have been studying the varieties' DNA has successfully identified the genetic markers linked to their resistance to each of the viral diseases. The markers can be used to speed up the often long and expensive conventional breeding for cassava varieties with dual resistance to the diseases. "We are very happy with the findings of our studies which are a result of over six years of research.

An important milestone in the efforts to revive cassava production

"It is an important milestone in the efforts to revive cassava production in East, Central and Southern Africa where the two diseases remain a serious problem, threatening the region's food security," said Morag Ferguson, a molecular breeder at IITA.

Ferguson said for West Africa, where there is a great fear of CBSD spreading and with devastating effects on the food security, the markers can assist in pre-emptive breeding.

Namikonga and Albert, which are genetically related, have been grown by farmers in areas that are hotspots for the two viral diseases for many decades and have shown high resistance despite being subjected to the diseases for a long period. Namikonga is tolerant to CBSD but highly susceptible to CMD while in contrast, Albert is highly susceptible to CBSD but resistant to CMD.

The international team, drawing scientists from Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, and the United States, crossed the two Tanzanian varieties and studied a large population of the progeny over two seasons in two disease hotspots in the country.

"The studies have enabled us to better understand the location of genes we suspect are associated with resistance to CBSD in the DNA of the farmer-preferred cassava variety, Namikonga, and CMD in the variety Albert," noted Esther Masumba, the molecular breeder from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.

Speeding up breeding

She added, "Once validated, this will help speed up breeding through marker-assisted selection (MAS) which shortens the breeding cycle and reduces the offspring population that breeders have to work with.

Breeders will be able to quickly narrow down from the thousands of offspring to only those with the desired markers." She was part of the research team and conducted the study as part of her PhD studies at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Most of the cassava breeding programmes in Africa use purely conventional breeding methods that are laborious and expensive due to long breeding cycles and the need for large field trials. The application of molecular markers in breeding and selection of crop varieties can both reduce the breeding time and costs.

The research team will now continue to validate these markers for their applicability in marker assisted breeding (MAB).
The annual Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) Congress, set for 11-12 September at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town, will address economic transformation in the SA construction sector and the impact of ratings downgrades on the development and future of the industry, among other topics.

Under this years theme of Building South Africa Together, speakers from various sectors will be exploring matters currently impacting the industry.

Kicking off the congress will be a representative from the Ministry of Economic Development who will discuss the status of the National Infrastructure Plan, along with its implications and opportunities for local contractors.

This will be followed by a panel discussion on the state of the construction industry in South Africa', with panellists including MBSA president Bafikile Bonke Simelane; CEO of the Construction Sector Charter Council Thabo Masombuka; the Competition Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele; and the general secretary of the Black Business Council in the Built Environment Gregory Mofokeng. The conversation will consider if the new Construction Sector Codes adequately address transformation gaps in the sector, as well as the effects of anti-competitive behaviour, amongst other issues.

The future of the industry will be unpacked throughout the course of the congress by speakers such as Craig Lemboe, senior economist at the Bureau for Economic Research, who will be unveiling whats in store for the industry and country going forward in his talk on South Africas economic outlook. The deputy minister of trade and industry Bulelani Magwanishe will also be exploring avenues for future industry growth in his address on regional integration for African cooperation and development.

Opportunities in the region

The deputy minister will be participating in a panel discussion on industry opportunities together with chairman of WBHO Construction Mike Wylie; CEO of the South African Forum of Civil Engineering Contractors Webster Mfebe; MBSA executive director Roy Mnisi; CEO of the Built Environment Professions Export Council Con Korsten; and president of the National African Federation for the Building Industry Aubrey Tshalata. They will be exploring construction opportunities in the region and the roles of financing institutions and voluntary associations in the development of the construction industry and increasing SMME market access.

A key feature of every congress are the technical breakaway sessions which enable teams of experts from various aspects of the industry to debate the issues of construction occupational health and safety (OH&S), skills development and regulatory, contractual and legal matters in the construction industry. This years participants will include chief OH&S inspector at the Department of Labour Tibor Szana; chief director of artisan development at the Department of Higher Education David Mabusela; and programme manager at the Construction Industry Development Board Dr Rodney Milford.

Another regular highlight is the exhibition which coincides with the congress and showcases the latest developments in and services available to the industry. This year, entry will be free of charge to all contractors in and around the Western Cape.

For more information about the congress, go to www.congress.masterbuilders.org.
South African motorists tend to hold onto their private vehicles for longer periods, which has driven the demand for independent workshops, especially for motorists whose existing dealer maintenance and repair plans have expired. However, there is a shortage of skilled auto mechanics to meet this demand.

Pieter Niemand, director of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), says, Its a challenge for workshop owner to find skilled staff and head-hunting has become the norm. Workshop owners need to train their current staff and identify where the skill gaps lie.

Vehicles have become increasingly more complex over the years with the addition of highly advanced electronic components. Mechanics are now expected to be service engineers with the ability to operate at complex, technical levels.

We believe auto workshop owners will need to shift their focus from merely retaining customers to offering a multi-skilled expert that can advise on and service vehicles across the board.

Automotive technicians ranked second in complexity of training

The key is encouraging a steady stream of new talent into the industry. One of the industrys challenges is in attracting newcomers. Unfortunately, the misperception still exists that workshop mechanics are merely grease monkeys, who spend their days covered in oil, taking engines apart. The reality is that the only people as skilled as fully qualified automotive technicians are aircraft technicians. Automotive technology has developed so far that mechanics is only one of four skills technicians must learn. The others are electrical, electronics and advanced computer skills.

In order to remain competitive against the OEM dealers, the aftermarket auto shops have to depend on technical manuals, manufacturers service information, even the internet for updated technical specs and fault identification because of the variety of models they have to service. Diagnostic equipment assists to a certain extent but it can only do so much. The Right to Repair campaign is working towards bringing about a change in the industry where information will be made accessible to independent workshops but until then workshops have to work with what is available. It does, however, mean that mechanics need to be continuously upskilling to meet the demand.

Training opportunities at 50% discount

For this reason, identifying training opportunities for the sector is a priority for MIWA.

Several years ago we approached American training company, Delmar, to host its automotive technician training programme in South Africa. This resulted in a Master Technician course, which has been accessible to workshops and has been well received.

MIWA has also partnered with the AA Technical College where those who sign up receive a three-week practical followed by a two-day trade test aimed at automotive electricians, diesel mechanics and motor mechanics.

The trade test is designed to allow experienced workshop staff to attain a qualification even though they did not attend formal training. The Minister of Higher Education and Training has announced changes to the ARPL (Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning) process, the first of which is for Motor and Diesel Mechanics. These changes will come into effect on 19 October, so the AA is offering MIWA members a 50% discount on standard rates for ARPL candidates before this date.

Academy benchmarks training

As the biggest association in the retail motor industry, MIWA has taken on the responsibility of encouraging artisan training by linking with one of the largest providers, Bidvest McCarthy.

Bidvest McCarthy continues to set training benchmarks and its Bidvest Automotive Artisan Academy offers full trades in Motor Mechanic, Diesel Mechanic and Automotive Electrician apprenticeship programmes. It has three merSETA and NAMB Accredited Training and Trade Test Centres one in Midrand, Gauteng, one in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal and one in Blackheath, Cape Town.

We have a major unemployment problem in South Africa and there is much opportunity in the aftermarket motor industry. The time has come to put aside misperception and encourage young people to consider training in this industry. It is also the time to invest in upskilling existing staff so we can provide consumers with the best service for the least amount of money, and a turnaround time that provides the least inconvenience. With todays vehicles demanding more training and greater specialisation, mechanics are going to have to adapt to changing technologies continuously. Training is available and should be considered to ensure the industry remains relevant, concludes Niemand.
At the 41st Annual World Tourism Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, Euromonitor International revealed the key trends shaping travel and tourism in Africa. New data from Euromonitor International shows arrivals to Africa grew by 6.5 percent in 2017, to reach 18,550 million, up from 16,351 million in 2012.

Christy Tawii, research analyst, Euromonitor

Key markets such as South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Mozambique, Cameroon, Mauritius, and Tanzania accounted for 70 percent of international trips to the sub-Saharan African region.

Driving growth

This growth can be attributed to increasing interaction between various travel industry players and digital integration, using platforms such as social media, meta-search engines and the penetration of online travel agents. Other drivers include a growing short-term rental market, luxury travel, niche tourism, Meetings Incentives Conferences Exhibitions (MICE) and an increasing focus on domestic tourism.

Many countries are moving away from only promoting Africa as a traditional safari destination, exploring other niche categories such as beach and medical tourism. The travel and tourism market continues to introduce products that suit different type of travellers, accounting for strong growth in major cities across sub-Saharan Africa, says Euromonitor Research Analyst Christy Tawii.

Euromonitor predicts that growth in international arrivals to sub-Saharan Africa will reach 25,000 million trips by 2022. Arrivals to Africa are expected to see continued growth, driven by increased interest from overseas visitors due to competitive rates in comparison to other destinations with a similar offer. Aggressive brand marketing campaigns and the introduction of new and increased direct air connectivity to and from major overseas markets is also expected to boost inbound arrivals to the region. Key economies such as South Africa and Nigeria can expect strong growth in inbound trips.

Key trends in tourism include:

 Domestic trips: The number of domestic trips in Africa increased by 8% to reach over 40 million in 2017. Although many citizens do not have a travelling culture as it is generally perceived to be non-essential. Other key domestic tourism challenges include the perception that travel is not affordable, and that international tourists are more important than domestic tourists. Foreign visitors are perceived to have more spending power than locals and therefore travel is not affordable in the eyes of locals. Despite these trends, domestic tourism in Africa is increasingly gaining traction. Focus on domestic tourism is increasing across the region, owing to increasing purchasing power which is allowing local citizens the opportunity to explore their countries.

 Travel players implementing multi-channel approaches: Online: Airline online sales lead overall online travel sales, accounting for 67% of total value sales. Digital migration is transforming the tourism landscape in terms of bookings, customer service and consumer behaviour. Players such as hotels, airlines and car rental companies are making use of a variety of platforms to engage consumers and increase traffic to their sites by using social media, affiliate programmes, and Meta search engines, etc.

 Short-term rentals booming: Short-term rentals are estimated to have recorded a 12% increase in online value for 2017. Hotels are seeing a steady performance globally with annual growth rates of just over 3% predicted to continue until 2020.

 Sharing economy gaining traction: The entry of peer-to-peer brands such as Uber and Airbnb is changing the competitive landscape of categories such as car rental and lodging. South Africa is the largest market in Africa for brands such as Airbnb - the awareness of the Airbnb brand is increasingly growing, with many South Africans joining as hosts and listing their outlets. This trend is expected to intensify competition as many travellers are increasingly seeking cheaper options.

 Growing competition between low-cost carriers and scheduled airlines: Airlines led travel sales, generating sales of over $7bn in 2017. In South Africa, in an effort to remain competitive, many scheduled flights are also increasing capacity on popular routes such as Cape Town and Johannesburg due to growing demand. This trend has resulted in intensified price competition for local flights. As a consequence of these factors, competition between low-cost and state-owned airlines continued to intensify during the review period.

 Expansion and development of luxury resorts and hotels: Hotels led value sales, accounting for 45% of overall lodging value sales. West Africa has represented more than half of the total and is still the largest single region today. Southern Africa has increased in importance. Lagos, as the largest city on the continent, continues to lead the top 10 by number of planned rooms, with over 4,000 planned rooms. Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, has the second highest number of planned rooms in the African pipeline, and together with Lagos accounts for 32 % of the rooms in the top 10.

 Luxury travel: The travel market continues to introduce products that suit luxury travellers specific requirements and needs by offering chartered airline services, private yachts, luxury spas, safari camps and lodges, whose facilities are the equal of world-class cities. Luxury shopping is another major driver for many wealthy tourists to visit countries such as South Africa. South Africa is also one of the leading destinations for shopping in Africa due to its well-developed retail landscape. Luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Prada and Burberry have a presence in South Africa with stand-alone stores.

 MICE: The MICE sector is boosted by increasing number of business travels. A total number of over 30,000 million business trips were taken in 2017. Conference facilities are being built across the region in major cities such as Nairobi, and Abuja, Lagos, Cape Town and Johannesburg

 Niche tourism: Countries such as South Africa are a major medical tourist market, owing to the state of art medical facilities that country offers. Many international tourists are flocking to the country for procedures such as cosmetic surgery. Tailored packages for solo travellers are also predicted to be developed and become dynamic niche products.
To help raise awareness and drive water saving in the Western Cape, 140 BBDO and Smile FM have launched H2Zero, a water saving initiative where renowned local chefs will be challenged, on live radio, to create a menu that uses no water.

Pete Goffe-Wood from Masterchef fame, Franck Dangereux from the Noordhoek Food Barn

{{IMAGE}}



The mayor has warned Cape Town residents that if they continue to use water at the current rate, it is likely that they will run out by December 2017. The hope is that listeners will download the recipes and implement #waterlesscooking in their own homes, every Wednesday.

Top chef tips

The chefs will be on the Smile Drive show with Bailey Schneider and Maurice Carpede guiding listeners through their bespoke waterless menus. They include:

Ash Heeger, Ash Restaurant

Callie Anne Gavazzi, Callie Anne Cooks

Franck Dangereux, Foodbarn

Liam Tomlin, Chefs Warehouse

Nina Timm, Easycooking.com

Pete Goffe-Wood, MasterChef SA & Ultimate Braai Master judge

Peter Tempelhoff & Ashley Moss, Cellars Hohenort

Sonja Edridge, The Larder

Download recipes

Listeners are also encouraged to log onto the Smile 90.4FM Facebook page to watch the chefs prepare the meals live on the show, in studio. The menus will be available for download on the Smile 90.4FM website, so that listeners are able to recreate the magic at home.

Were trying to create an even greater awareness of water usage, says BBDO chief creative officer, Mike Schalit. The H2Zero campaign is just another example of how creativity can be put to use solving our countrys challenges. We hope that this becomes a movement in which people, and establishments alike, see that responding to a problem is not synonymous with sacrifice but instead, can offer an exciting and prospective venture.

We were delighted when 140BBDO approached us with the H2Zero concept, especially considering how well it fits with our long-running Smile Water Warriors campaign, says Smile 90.4FM MD, Lois OBrien. As of January 2017, the station has championed efforts to save water and it makes sense to add this creative and exciting element to our ongoing efforts.

If you are a chef, restaurant or organisation that would like to be involved, contact Angelique Edwards from Republic PR on angelique@republicpr.co.za or +27 (0) 21 761 2501.

For more information, visit H2Zero on Facebook or on Instagram or follow #waterlesscooking on all social platforms.
#WomensMonth: Pernod Ricard's Vika Shipalana on creating money can't buy' experiences

As the channel director of Prestige at Pernod Ricard South Africa, Vika Shipalana works in the luxury brand space and her expertise lies in marketing to this select class of individuals. As she was a judge at last year's Standard Bank Top Women Awards and is said to be a 'champion for women empowerment', we thought we'd interview her this Women's Month, not only to find out how she builds lasting connections between high-end brands and consumers, but also how she 'inspires the girl child to thrive'.

Vika Shipalana What is it about Pernod Ricard that attracts the luxury or super-premium market? What is it about Pernod Ricard that attracts the luxury or super-premium market?

There are a few reasons, however I think the one that stands out for me the most, is the way in which we do business. Pernod Ricard has a very unique culture which permeates everything that we do. For us, luxury isnt about high-brow and inaccessible products and experiences. We believe in the spirit of conviviality and authenticity, and therefore, everything that we do is about ensuring that people always feel welcome and valued.

Another key factor is the quality, craftsmanship and heritage of our brands. From our whisky, champagne and cognac portfolio of brands, to our vodka, rum and gin offerings, Pernod Ricard has some of the finest luxury wine (incl. champagne) and spirit brands and products from around the world.

How do you form emotional/meaningful, long-lasting connections between the brand and its consumers? How do you form emotional/meaningful, long-lasting connections between the brand and its consumers?

Its about creating long-lasting memories with our target consumers and customers, by delivering money cant buy experiences for them, their friends and family. We want people to fall in love with our brands and if you can get people to experience your brand, in a way that is relevant, authentic, effortless and meaningful to them, then that moment will last in their hearts and minds for a long time.

What has been your greatest learning to date of this audience/marketing to them? What has been your greatest learning to date of this audience/marketing to them?

Wealthy people are looking for experiences that their money, alone, cannot get them. The questions Ive had to ask myself are: What is it that you can offer a person who has everything? That they with all the money in the world, could not do or access for themselves? What knowledge can you share that they would find interesting and meaningful in order to further fuel their interests, passions and/or tastes? Another very important lesson learnt was: wealthy people are wealthy for a reason. Be careful that you do not assume that they will always or automatically buy into an expensive and exclusive product. The product must be relevant to their lifestyle and tailored to suit a specific need.

What trends are you seeing play out this year and/or do you predict for next year? What trends are you seeing play out this year and/or do you predict for next year?

Over and above the money cant buy experiences mentioned above, personalisation and/or customisation is something that we continue to see and will probably be something that we see for years to come. People want to feel valued and treated as the unique individuals that they are. Whether its in fashion, art, luxury/classic cars, yachts, jets, jewellery, watches and/or luxury wines (incl. champagne) and spirits, people want to be able to add their personal touch to products and experiences, and brands need to be able to cater for that.

On a more personal level, youre said to be a champion for women empowerment. How so? Why is this important to you? On a more personal level, youre said to be a champion for women empowerment. How so? Why is this important to you?

I grew up surrounded by a family of strong women and have had the honour and privilege of working with some incredible women over the years. It is through the exposure and learning gained from these interactions and experiences, that I have become the woman that I am today. I believe that a big part of my lifes purpose is to take the knowledge and wisdom Ive gained over the years and share it with other women. I believe that, in this way, I will be able to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others and they will in turn do the same. If we all did this well, the impact we would make, worldwide, would be tremendous and we would eventually take over and rule the world! For real! LOL

You believe your role as a woman in leadership is to pave the way for the next generation. How would you say you inspire the girl child to thrive? You believe your role as a woman in leadership is to pave the way for the next generation. How would you say you inspire the girl child to thrive?

By being a living example, as well as showing and shining a spotlight on other great women in leadership. We show the girl child that it is possible.

What is your involvement in the Standard Bank Top Women Awards? What is your involvement in the Standard Bank Top Women Awards?

I was honoured and humbled to have been a judge in the 2016 Standard Bank Top Women Awards. I love celebrating great women. It was a great opportunity and privilege.

In line with the banks latest campaign, whats your next? In line with the banks latest campaign, whats your next?

To challenge and grow the woman I see in the mirror every morning, to believe more in herself and reach even greater heights.

Is there a female figure that has had a positive influence on your life? Is there a female figure that has had a positive influence on your life?

Quite a few but none like my mother. She was created just for me (sorry Big Bro)! Its incredible how much our mothers can, and do, influence the people we become. She is a wise, smart, humble, beautiful, generous, strong, principled and a smart-working woman with the biggest heart! Its a lot. I know. Big shoes to fill.

Why do you think it's important to have a month dedicated to women in SA? Why do you think it's important to have a month dedicated to women in SA?

I suppose, for me, every day is Womens Day, however, as a country, I do believe that it is important that we have a month dedicated to women, where we can all shine a light in honour and celebration of our women. We face a lot of challenges and obstacles in our daily lives, and yet through it all, we smile, we laugh, we love and we nurture others. Its the least that the country can do.

What is your message this Women's Month?



There is no better time than now! If you have a dream, go for it!
It's tough out there. Leaders are facing an unpredictable economy, aggressive competitors and complex work dynamics. This reality requires creative solutions and high-performing teams for businesses to succeed.

And high-performing teams are driven by leaders who know how to empower, inspire and influence outcomes. This is no easy feat. Most leaders are unaware of how they personally affect their teams performance or how their teams productivity depends on the way leaders act, respond and speak. How aware are you?

Simon Hurry of the Human Strategy Group says, Leadership is directed action. It is not a function defined by a title nor is it something that requires permission. A leader possesses two things; clarity and consistency.

Creating High Performance Teams Exec Ed Workshop

Clarity is knowing where you are going and why you are going there. Consistency is about maintaining your shape; being who you say you are. Authentic and stable.

Both of these factors generate hope and trust in people. And in turn empowers people to be more and give more.

So if youre a leader, no matter how small the team, or preparing to lead in future, you should grab one of the last few tickets to Red & Yellows Exec Ed Workshop on Creating High Performance Teams.

Presented and produced by: Simon and Dee Hurry of the Human Strategy Group

Dates: 30 & 31 August

Venue: Red & Yellow campus, Cape Town

In two intensive, rewarding days, youll be armed with the latest, innovative approach to driving team performance and synergy. It will help you discover how your own individual personality impacts the way you make decisions and affects others and how this influences productivity.

Seats are limited! Book yours today.




#EmployerBranding: How to craft an employer branding strategy

Employer branding specialist, Celeste Sirin, of Employer Branding SA, speaks to Bizcommunity.com on how to craft a successful employer branding strategy and why strong ties to the marketing and communications department within an organisation, is important. Employer Branding SA aims to develop employer branding best practice in South Africa by educating leaders.

Celeste Sirin What are the key attributes for a successful employer branding strategy? What are the key attributes for a successful employer branding strategy? Foremost, employer branding needs to be viewed as a strategic, integrated approach as opposed to companies assuming that it rests solely with human resources (HR) and/or marketing. It is driven from the top by the CEO and the management team; and dedicated buy-in and participation is required from every stakeholder within every functional/operational division of the business. A defined objective, whether it be a long-term or tactical (campaign based) approach, needs to be agreed upon, with clearly defined deliverables, time-frames, measurables and more importantly, how it ties in with meeting companys holistic business objectives and bottom line profitability. A dedicated employer branding leader/champion needs to be assigned to a companys employer branding strategic portfolio (intent), else it wont get the attention it requires. If employer branding is to be listed as a KPI line item to be met within the talent team, it will definitely fall along the wayside. One of the biggest advantage points to ensuring the success of an employer branding strategy is to ensure that HR has strong ties with marketing and communications. Each brand custodian cannot underestimate the power behind promoting a unified corporate brand. There has been a gradual shift in mindset towards businesses realising this globally, with 36% of companies within the LinkedIn Global Recruiting Trends Report 2017 confirming that recruiting is collaborating with marketing and communications. Companies with a clearly well-defined and authentic Employer Value Proposition have a solid foundation from which to build both their internal (retention) and external (attraction) employer brand. Companies that are capitalising on utilising social media recruitment channels to position their employer brand presence are at the forefront of winning best-in-class talent. Demonstrable measurable and proven Return on Investment is the ultimate key to a winning Employer Branding Strategy, especially when it comes to receiving ongoing recognition and buy-in from your CEO and C-Suite. Insights confirm this as being one of the biggest challenges when it comes to the implementation of ones employer branding strategy. How does South Africa rank with employer branding efforts globally? How does South Africa rank with employer branding efforts globally? The awareness of employer branding is still growing within South Africa if we compare it to our more advanced counterparts, i.e., UK, USA, Australia, Middle East, Asia, Europe, etc. The main difference between countries abroad versus South Africa, is that with the majority of multinationals being spread over numerous countries, their approach has had to be extremely strategic and long-term. Here in South Africa, there are pockets of companies that have executed on numerous standalone and tactical employer branding initiatives, but these have been pretty reactive to addressing employee engagement, talent attraction strategies, learning and development, organisational development and the like.

There is a big disconnect between SAs massive unemployment rate versus the calling for critical skill set requirements within, for example, information technology, telecommunications, engineering - the high demand skills which are in fact being experienced globally. The only difference is that, for example, in America there is an overabundance of positions with fewer qualified candidates to fill these roles. The common ground on which we tread is that of having to implement a strong employer branding strategy in order to retain and attract such talent.

For South Africa to start aligning itself with the more advanced countries, SA talent leaders need to:

Demand a seat at the EXCO table and start aggressively promoting the necessity/advantages of this being a pivotal business requirement, together with aligning leadership behaviours accordingly.

Our economic climate has led to companies becoming more self-sufficient when it comes to nurturing and attracting talent. Sadly, the ignorance of employer branding as a tool is being sorely underutilised by SA companies. View: The New Era Recruiter.

53% of global companies acknowledge that if budget wasnt a constraint, they would definitely look towards investing in branding and tools. Likewise, certain South African companies recognise the need and share the same sentiments, thus the tactical implementation of small pockets of employer branding initiatives.

Whilst social media channels are continuing to attract the greatest increases in employer brand and recruitment marketing investments globally, there is still a resistance and/or lack of ignorance on the part of SA as to the power behind these channels in focusing on the positioning of their employer brand, with them utilising them more for reactive recruitment.

41% of the (WMAE) Worlds Most Attractive Employers cited employee referrals as their primary employer brand objective compared to 30% last year. This is evident within the SA market as well where 52% of companies rely on staff for internal referrals with 46% of companies having implemented internal referral reward programmes.

What is your prediction for the biggest trend in employer branding, going forward? What is your prediction for the biggest trend in employer branding, going forward?

Social media recruitment is on the increase, especially with the limitation of professional job boards like LinkedIn on which to position/showcase your employer brand and value proposition. Companies will start recognising these channels as a perfect means to start promoting their employer brands and value proposition, underpinned by an increased focus towards utilising their employees as credible brand ambassadors.

Companies are presently focusing on internal housekeeping by way of engaging their workforce and becoming increasingly aware that personalised attention need be provided towards the entire employee lifecycle/journey. Retaining critical skills is pivotal, both locally and globally.

Companies human resources departments need to dig deep into their pockets and require a strong motivation towards venturing externally for their talent requirements. With this being said, they will need to pay serious attention to implementing compelling employer branding strategies, both inside and out. Companies will begin and/or continue to redefine their internal employee engagement strategies, paying closer attention to the manner in which candidates are being engaged and nurtured from onboarding, to their exiting of the company. Commonly known as the employee experience journey.

There is already recognition towards the need to create newly crafted employer branding specialist roles, i.e., the Talent Experience Manager, Employer Branding Manager, within the talent space and I believe that this trend will continue to grow as human resources starts moving more and more towards the centre stage of companies realising that the people they employ are their differentiators.

What is the fundamental change in the marketplace today that is impacting on employer branding strategies? What is the fundamental change in the marketplace today that is impacting on employer branding strategies?

The role for recruitment has changed to that of marketing with social media, recruitment marketing advertising and employer branding becoming necessary KPIs which recruiters need to deliver on.

As mentioned previously, whilst one cannot overlook our high unemployment rate, there is still a need to position and upsell your EVP to those passive work seekers who are equipped with the critical skill sets that companies want to attract.

Social Media and mobile technology provides fantastic platforms through which companies can educate, position their employer brand content and promote their reputation. The companies that have embraced such technologies are already at the forefront of securing passive work seekers.

Companies are inviting employees to become their brand ambassadors, utilising them more and more to provide storytelling and content which will resonate with attracting talent.

With talent acquisition teams having to tighten their belts, they are being increasingly looked upon to provide insights, statistics, case studies and measurable to justify any form of employer branding initiatives, whilst this topic is still being viewed as a non-priority.

What is the cornerstone of your employer branding success? What is the cornerstone of your employer branding success?

Our Employer Branding Masterclasses have provided corporates of all sizes across various industry sectors the opportunity to venture, network and share knowledge on this topical and emerging trend, with some of them already making great inroads in implementing their employer branding strategies.

My intention is to continue driving and spreading the word of employer branding across South Africa with a view to eventually witnessing the growth of this emerging trend down the line.

Please provide any additional comment, relevant stats or facts to show current trends. Please provide any additional comment, relevant stats or facts to show current trends.

There are a number of credible global employer branding online courses which talent leaders can upskill themselves on: http://www.employerbrandingcollege.com/ and https://www.employerbrandingacademy.com/en.

To experience global insights first hand and to really submerge yourself into the global playground of employer branding, Employer Branding International holds its annual World Employer Branding Day in Europe in April https://www.employerbrandinternational.com/.

Sources:

CEOs need to Pay Attention to Employer Branding by Richard Mosley, Harvard Business Review, May 11, 2015 http://linkis.com/hbr.org/2015/05/DQnGS.

Glassdoor for Employers, Employer Branding Benefits: The ROI of Employer Branding, 2016 https://www.glassdoor.com/employers/blog/the-roi-of-employer-branding/.

4 KPAs of the New Era Recruiter, Employer Branding SA http://www.employerbrandingsa.co.za/2016/08/30/four-kpas-new-era-recruiter/.

LinkedIn Global Recruiting Trends Report 2017 https://www.slideshare.net/pedrooolito/linkedin-global-recruiting-trends-report-2017.

Employer Branding NOW, Universum http://www2.universumglobal.com/employer-branding-survey-results.

New Recruiting Roles: The Employer Branding Specialist http://www.greenhouse.io/blog/new-recruiting-roles-the-employer-branding-specialist.
Employer branding is about your total employer identity. The goal is for your employer brand to be viewed as an organisation that offers a great employee experience. Employer Branding Focus sponsor, Top Employers Institute, asked some of South Africa's current certified Top Employers 2017 to share some of their best tips for developing a positive employer brand.

Branding is a promise to your customers. Employer Branding is a promise to your current and future employees. - Kathryn Minshew, author of The New Rules of Work.

Employer branding, a term not so new to the HR industry  is making an enormous impact in the marketing world. Take for example Heinekens  Go Places  recruitment video. This video is on trend to a typical consumer ad and was featured on Adweek . You might be asking yourself, But wait  HR made headlines in marketing? Youre not alone.

HR has traditionally been viewed as the cogs in the wheel to strategically manage people as a business resource  dealing with HR policies, contracts, employee development, etc. However, HR has become much bigger than that. HR plays a critical role in shaping and defining the employer brand.

A healthy employer brand is critical in engaging with your staff and attracting quality prospective employees. With the labour market becoming increasingly competitive  HR has had to adapt to the changes and not just fill in a tactical role but step up to being a strategic partner of building and maintaining the organisations employer brand in order to attract, retain and engage talent.

Weve interviewed five of South Africas Top Employers for their secrets to successful employer branding. These Top Employers have been certified for providing excellence in employee conditions.

1. MERCEDES-BENZ SOUTH AFRICA: Marketing and PR work hand in hand to create the Employer Brand

Mercedes-Benz recognised early that the collaboration between HR and marketing was becoming critical to employer branding. Mercedes-Benz used key marketing insights to develop Employee Value Proposition (EVP) messages for the right target market and branched out to digital tools to maximise creativity and appeal.

Marketing helps increase the visibility of the employer brand and attractiveness through channels, media and platforms traditionally used for brands only. Digitalisation has also expanded opportunities for creative employer branding. For example, the use of virtual reality technology to give prospective talent an experience of the employers value proposition without having to physically visit Mercedes-Benzs facilities, is an example of how marketing and HR collaboration is driving employer branding.

2. SANLAM: LinkedIn is a powerful platform for Employer Branding

As most of Sanlams professional staff are LinkedIn members  they strategically decided to incorporate LinkedIn into their employer branding strategy. Sanlam use Work with Us, a bespoke LinkedIn employer brand methodology to leverage their employees networks on this platform.

Using LinkedIn as a prime platform  the brand ambassadors are able to engage with internal and potential external talent by positioning the Sanlam brand. In order to achieve this, Sanlam have selected 10 brand ambassadors and work on creating content with these brand ambassadors, such as through photo shoots and stories. This content is then shared on their internal career page and on their LinkedIn career page.

Sanlam has also developed a website specifically dedicated to their Employee Value Proposition. The Employee Value Proposition is the golden thread in all of Sanlams employer branding campaigns.

Sanlams Employee Value Proposition Website

3. TRANSNET: Nothing beats belonging

Wouldnt you agree that the biggest driving force behind any organisation is its people and that companies that perform extremely well, do so as a result of their inspired, empowered and enabled colleagues? asks Ogotlhe Dolly Sathekgem, general manager: group talent management and transformation for Transnet. Transnet recognises that in order for the company to consistently achieve their strategic objectives and to be an employer of choice, Transnet needs to create an enabling environment where their people feel that they belong.

Sathekgem shares Transnets formula for success: I am empowered, I am enabled, and I am inspired = iBelong.

Ogotlhe Dolly Sathekge - General Manager: Group Talent Management & Transformation Transnet "iBelong" Employer Branding

Sathekgem continues: Empowered employees are confident to take action, and most importantly have the authority to do so. Our Leadership is committed to inspiring and empowering employees to take action to serve our customers, a critical part of why we exist. We value our people and enable them to grow through outstanding training and development programmes that will allow them to add value too, and become an invaluable asset to us and to our country. In this high performance and enabling environment, our total reward structures are market-leading and we encourage and recognise our employees for excellence and their innovation.

4. CLICKS: Link your employer brand to your Employee Value Proposition

The Clicks Group recognises that employer branding is a key mechanism used to attract talented individuals able to thrive within their high-performance, fast-paced environment as well as to inform their employee engagement interventions aimed at retaining both top and scarce talent. In order to maximise return on investment, the Clicks Group needed to ensure that their employer branding reflects their Employee Value Proposition and supports their organisational vision and mission.

Measuring the success of their employer branding activities has proven to put the Clicks Group in good stead with the organisation achieving seven Top Employer Certifications. The Clicks Group has shared its wealth with 10% of its issued share capital in the hands of their employee share trust. The Clicks Group has also made a R95 million investment in the development of our employees as well as having R22 million spent on sustainable community initiatives in 2016 alone.

The Clicks Group Employer Branding Pillars

5. WIPRO: Employee involvement is critical to developing brand ambassadors

Wipro has recently rebranded, incorporating a new logo and re-affirmed values. This new brand was largely birthed from within the Wipro family, based on Wipro employees own vision of what the Spirit of Wipro entails and what they believe Wipro stands for. The Wipro brand, as it now exists, is a collaboration between expert design and the Wipro familys passion for the Spirit of Wipro: Our brand is centred around our core values, drawn from the people we expect to be brand ambassadors, our employees. These values are: be passionate about clients success; be global and responsible; treat every person with respect; unyielding integrity in everything we do. The Wipro family believes in our brand and continues to uphold it and its values, having been a part of their establishment.

Gavin Holme, Wipro Africas Business Head

Empowering our employees to continue to be brand ambassadors is an ongoing process, however; one which we revisit annually when conducting our employee perception survey. At each survey, we evaluate the Wipro familys belief in the brand, assessing what has changed, incorporating changes where common, newly born beliefs or values are discovered, and re-affirming their pride in our brand and our values.

Recently recognised as a Top Employer, Wipro Africas Business Head, Gavin Holme, said: "We firmly believe that people form the foundation of an organisation. Companies need to invest in nurturing their employees and promoting an environment which fosters trust, growth, ideas and innovation. Happy and motivated employees are important aspects which drive organisational growth."

For more: Top Employers Institute.
At redPanda Software, we strive to recreate the spirit of Silicon Valley. While many South African businesses might baulk at the idea of unlimited vacation days or even a full year of paid maternity or paternity leave, it is evident by the successes of Silicon Valley that there are merits in rethinking what a work environment for the new generation could be.

Gareth Hawkey

But to simply try and recreate Silicon Valley in other parts of the world would not work. Instead, one needs to take into consideration the ethos of what that environment has created and emulate that within the South African corporate culture.

In the ICT sector specifically, I believe this is especially challenging as employees want to work at companies that are unique in their approaches to problems. They see and hear what is happening in Silicon Valley and want to go there and experience it for themselves.

Although Silicon Valley promotes this fun work environment, a well thought out, unifying strategy is needed in order to build strong employees and in turn, a strong employer brand. Employers need to plan this out to ensure that employees not only have time in their daily lives to participate in the fun around the office, but also see it as a reward for their hard work within their respective development teams.

Talent and staff retention

Building good ICT solutions requires good people. The environment created needs to be filled with employees who share the same ethos as the company. A way to attract those talented individuals is to offer them support from a management perspective in order for them to grow their career.

For example, developers want the opportunity to progress within an organisation and be exposed to as many different things as possible. They, like so many others, are hard-working individuals that want to be fulfilled, become successful and feel that they are a part of a bigger picture. One of the biggest lessons to take from Silicon Valley, is in how companies there are able to nurture both the professional and personal sides of each person, ensuring sustainable and balanced growth of the individual.

To this end, it is important to have a creative environment where people can do something besides work. For example, at redPanda Software, we have a Right Stuff room where employees can participate in art classes or learn to play musical instruments. We carefully thought out these activities to ensure that they are beneficial to our employees who can broaden their knowledge and mastery; and is encouraged and entwined in the company culture.

Businesses must realise that providing employees with an avenue to be creative and viewing them as complete individuals will filter through to their professional lives. It is all about giving people opportunities to grow as individuals within the business. For this to happen, management needs to work much closer with people than what it is perhaps used to.

Passionate people

Cutting-edge software development can only happen because everybody is excited. Similarly, any other job needs people to come together and work in a place that is not your typical, grey corporate environment.

If there is one thing to be gleaned from Silicon Valley, it is that people are passionate not only in their skills, but in their attitudes as well. We aim to be an employer of choice for software developers in South Africa, and have instituted a number of initiatives for employees to be mentored into management roles, but we equally pay attention to those who choose to pursue a technical career.

By providing ample opportunities for employees to grow and explore different roles within the company - and to move towards more senior, management positions - we have been able to nurture its staff contingent from within and retain top talent.

redPanda Software offices.

Ultimately, it is about creating a second home for people. You want to have your employees care about you and grow with your business. And that is one of the best lessons that South African companies can learn from Silicon Valley sure, the technology is great, but it cannot be created without passionate people.
Times are tough and many South African companies are starting to feel the pressure, especially in the retail sector where there has been a lot of press coverage in recent months. Many of these local companies have seen poor growth and some have even closed their doors like Stuttafords, as well as Nine West and Mango, which are dissolving their stand-alone stores and rather spreading these brands throughout the greater Edgars stores.

Dave Nemeth

Most reports have put the tough economy and political instability as the main problem but on the flip side, there are chains like Cotton On, as well as H&M, which are showing strong growth and increasing their national footprint.

It is clear that there are a lot of factors that are impacting these local companies and not all of them are related to the economy. I put a lot of the blame onto the way in which these companies are being managed and the fact that they are still adhering to outdated methodologies, as well as being too slow to test new innovations or creating great in-store experiences.

At store level, there seems to be a clear lack of staff training and staff turnaround is exceptionally high. They continue to spend millions on ad agencies, but unfortunately, if the experience and service levels are below par, consumers will flock to the competition.

Company culture

On further examination, you will find in most cases that the company culture is far from what it should be and staff are driven by KPIs which have been dictated from the higher structures. This inhibits innovation and creates a silo driven organisation where staff that are close to the action have little say and no influence on change.

It is time for companies to start looking at these factors and take employer branding far more seriously.

Employer branding is the process of promoting a company, or an organisation, as the employer of choice to a desired target group, one which a company needs and wants to recruit and retain. The process facilitates the companys ability in attracting, recruiting and retaining ideal employees  referred to as top talent in recruitment  and helps secure the achievement of the companys business plan.

Organisational structure

To start with, company structure plays a large role in creating a great company culture and having the normal hierarchical structure will not assist. Changing this structure and looking at project groups across all levels will create a feeling of inclusion in the decision-making process as well as build a strong staff loyalty.

There has been a lot written lately about companies that follow the holacracy principal. Holacracy is a method of decentralised management and organisational governance, in which authority and decision-making are distributed throughout a holarchy of self-organising teams rather than being vested in a management hierarchy. Whilst it will be very difficult for well-established corporate companies to adopt this approach, there are many principles that will assist in creating a company that is not only loved by employees at all levels, but is also highly attractive to top talent looking to be employed.

What many organisations fail to realise, is that when a company has a strong employee brand, it infiltrates through every aspect of the business and will be noticed by the consumer, who in turn will feel a bond with the brand.

It is time for companies to start reflecting on their internal culture as well as training and empowering staff at all levels. It is also important for top structures to be employing skill sets from completely different industries with a strong focus on design centered individuals.

Every second company is talking about innovation yet they are trying to do this with their existing skill set and in many cases not even consulting to external companies.

Why is it that companies have HR directors, sales directors, marketing directors, but no creative director? Without strong creative influence, it is highly unlikely that a company will innovate. By putting together project teams from across departments and positions, many individuals will have the opportunity to show skill sets and creative thinking that would not necessarily be explored in their current roles.

It is clear that a big shake up is needed and this needs to begin with employer branding, throwing millions at external branding without strong employer branding will be worthless.
Online education company, GetSmarter and sponsor of Bizcommunity.com's Focus on Employer Branding, is known not only for their innovative online short courses and exciting collaborations with leading universities, but also for their strong company culture - one which attracts and retains some of South Africa's top talent across various job roles.

Whats the secret behind their mission to become the best place to work in Cape Town?

In this interview, Ryan Alcock, one of GetSmarters talent managers, shares insight into what a successful employer branding strategy looks like, and how GetSmarter is implementing theirs.

What are the key attributes for a successful employer branding strategy? What are the key attributes for a successful employer branding strategy?

Employer branding is more than just talent acquisition - its also crucial for employee retention - and the workplace is the first place to focus on if you want employees to be engaged and motivated. Key to any workplace, I believe, is establishing a culture of openness, one which encourages employees to contribute and share their ideas. Live out your company values - let them be more than just a sign on your wall, but rather something that lives and breathes within every employee. Having a senior management team that encourages, measures and rewards this sort of workplace culture is also important - when your leadership is really committed to ensuring your company values lives and aligns with your employer branding, it has a huge impact on employee attraction and retention.

What is your prediction for the biggest trend in employer branding, going forward? What is your prediction for the biggest trend in employer branding, going forward?

More than ever before competition for talent has become almost as strong as competition for customers, buyers and sales. I would say the biggest trend going forward for companies will be managing the employer brand in relation to the various generational groups that could work alongside each other in your company. From Gen X to Millennials to Gen Z, what attracts and retains one group will be different to what attracts and retains another. At the end of the day trends change, but the one thing that doesnt have to is the authenticity of your brand - that is something every generation can buy into.

What is the fundamental change in the marketplace today that is impacting on employer branding strategies, that you have observed? What is the fundamental change in the marketplace today that is impacting on employer branding strategies, that you have observed?

The digital era means that job candidates have far more access, through the use of social media, to a company's information. This means transparency needs to be a key factor in any businesss employer branding strategy. Companies that neglect to keep their LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook pages on brand and up to date, may lose out on attracting key candidates and the opportunity to market their amazing workplace culture to a massive pool of talent. According to a 2017 employer branding survey from Universum, social media channels are continuing to attract the greatest increases in employer brand and recruitment marketing investment.
JUBA, South Sudan - The United Nations Mission in South Sudan expresses its sincere sympathy to the family and friends of journalist Christopher Allen, killed during fighting in the town of Kaya, near the border with Uganda, in circumstances that remain unclear.

 Martin Neuhaus via 123RF

We would like to pass on our deepest condolences to the family, colleagues, and friends of Christopher Allen for their loss. His death while reporting on the conflict in South Sudan is a tragedy, said the head of UNMISS and special representative of the secretary-general, David Shearer.

Christopher Allen is the 10th journalist to have been killed in South Sudan since 2012. UNMISS has repeatedly stated that any attacks on journalists are unacceptable and it calls on all parties to the ongoing conflict in South Sudan to respect the freedom of the press.
Econet Group chairman, Strive Masiyiwa, has unveiled a $100,000 competition for entrepreneurs across the world.

Masiyiwa kicked off the official Kwese Inc competition called #GoGettaz, which is a challenge currently available at win.kwese.com. The competition offers investment of $100,000 USD towards a lucky entrepreneurs venture  both for profit or non-profit - and the trip of a lifetime to spend two weeks with the man himself as Kwese Entrepreneur Fellows at the Kwese offices in South Africa. Two deserving entrepreneurs  one male and one female  from anywhere in the world stand a chance to win these amazing prizes.

Contestants do not need to run an already-registered business or non-profit to qualify  all they need to have is an ongoing venture, for which they have clear intentions to formally register should they win the grand prize. They can even be working part-time on their venture!

Contestants will need to successfully complete four quizzes in order to remain in the running and stand a chance to win the grand prize. A new quiz will be up each Friday at 12pm (Noon CAT) for the next four weeks.

All the questions in the quizzes can be answered by visiting Kweses websites: kwese.com, kwese.espn.com, kwesefied.com, downloading the Kwese App, or reading Masiyiwas Facebook posts.

Quiz goes LIVE

The first quiz is live at win.kwese.com now. Entrepreneurs have until Friday, 1 September 2017, to enter the first of the four quizzes, and be in the running for a chance at what promises to be a life changing experience for the winners. The last quiz will be posted on Friday, 15 September 2017, and Stage One of the competition will close on Friday 22 September 2017. Entrants must complete the first quiz by the 1 September deadline, to access the three quizzes that follow, and to be eligible for the grand prize.

Contestants with the highest overall scores for all four quizzes will be entered into a prize pool, and 10 deserving contestants will progress to Stage Two of the competition, where they will get a chance to pitch their ventures on video and compete for the grand prize.

To enter and stand a chance to win this once in a lifetime opportunity, visit: win.kwese.com.
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In 1807, the British government passed an Act of Parliament abolishing the slave trade throughout the British Empire. Slavery itself would persist in the British colonies until its final abolition in 1838. However, abolitionists would continue campaigning against the international trade of slaves after this date.

The slave trade refers to the transatlantic trading patterns which were established as early as the mid-17th century. Trading ships would set sail from Europe with a cargo of manufactured goods to the west coast of Africa. There, these goods would be traded, over weeks and months, for captured people provided by African traders. European traders found it easier to do business with African intermediaries who raided settlements far away from the African coast and brought those young and healthy enough to the coast to be sold into slavery.

Once full, the European trader's ship would depart for the Americas or the Caribbean on the notorious 'Middle Passage'. During this voyage, the slaves would be kept in the ship's hold, crammed close together with little or no space to move. Conditions were squalid and many people did not survive the voyage. On the final leg of the transatlantic route, European ships returned home with cargoes of sugar, rum, tobacco and other 'luxury' items. It has been estimated that, by the 1790s, 480,000 people were enslaved in the British Colonies.

The majority of those sold into slavery were destined to work on plantations in the Caribbean and the Americas, where huge areas of the American continent had been colonized by European countries. These plantations produced products such as sugar or tobacco, meant for consumption back in Europe.

Those who supported the slave trade argued that it made important contributions to the country's economy and to the rise of consumerism in Britain. Despite this, towards the end of the eighteenth century, people began to campaign against slavery. However, since trading was so profitable for those involved, the 'Abolitionists' (those who campaigned for the abolition of the slave trade) were fiercely opposed by a pro-slavery West Indian lobby. Those who still supported slavery used persuasive arguments, or 'propaganda', to indicate the necessity of the slave trade though the abolitionists also used propaganda to further their cause.

The role of many slaves themselves in bringing slavery to an end is often overlooked. Resistance among slaves in the Caribbean was not uncommon. Indeed, slaves in the French colony of St Domingue seized control of the island and it was eventually declared to be the republic of Haiti. Figures such as Olaudah Equiano and Mary Prince, by adding their eye witness accounts to abolitionist literature, also made a major contribution to the abolition campaign.

Biographies

Glossary

Timeline

Links
Aung Tun, an MP from the Taang (Palaung) National Party representing Namsan Township Constituency No. 2

Namsan Township MP Aung Tun has called in parliament for the Burmese and Chinese oil and gas firms who operate pipelines through Kyaukme District in northern Shan State to pay a percentage of profits to the Shan State government.

The oil and gas pipeline operations of Myanmar and China should pay about a 5 percent profit share to the Shan State regional government, the Taang (Palaung) National Party representative said, addressing lawmakers yesterday at a parliamentary session in Shan State capital Taunggyi.

If this pipeline project impacts upon the local population, it is the Shan State governments responsibility to take care of the people, said Aung Tun. My question is that if such things happen, how will they help local people?

His question was answered by Shan State Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Dr. Nyi Nyi Aung, who suggested that the matter be raised at a national level in Naypyidaw.

This question cannot be answered at a state level, he said. It is not [the regional governments] responsibility.

The controversial Sino-Myanmar pipeline is financed by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) in coordination with state-owned Myanma Oil & Gas Enterprise. It spans from Kyaukphyu in Rakhine State, western Burma, to Kunming in Chinas southwestern Yunnan Province, a distance of 771 kilometres. Operations on the project were initiated in 2009. The pipeline carrying natural gas to China was opened in October 2013, and the pipeline transporting crude oil was completed in August 2014.

However the US$2.5 billion project has incurred the wrath of protesters in Burma who claim that the project will have adverse social and environmental impacts.

But for China the trans-Burmese pipeline carves a short-cut that allows its ships from Africa and the Middle East to avoid the treacherous and time-consuming Malacca Straits voyage. Beijing has maintained pressure on successive Burmese governments not to waver in the same way that the Myitsone Dam hydropower in Kachin State was halted by public opinion.

The current Shan State parliament session is scheduled from 28 August to 1 September. Other items tabled for debate include state finance, and infrastructure including the laying of telecommunications lines in rural areas.

- Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)
PR Newswire

DALLAS, Aug. 29, 2017

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Crest Foods, franchisor for the cafes, is actively seeking qualified candidates to become cafe? owners in most areas of the United States and Canada. Even those without previous franchising experience are encouraged to consider the benefits of owning their own business.

E-2 visas offer several meaningful advantages. An E-2 investor's spouse and children under 21 will be issued E-2 dependent visas. Dependent children under 21 may attend the school of their choice in the U.S., and E-2 visa holders may stay outside the U.S. for an undetermined amount of time and still re-enter the country with their valid visa.

Crest Foods offers a comprehensive franchise support program including:

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Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip is a premiere dessert and bakery cafe offering customers an unrivaled experience through the use of fine ingredients, indulgent creations, distinct flavor profiles, and the rich tradition of the very best Nestle brands. Crest Foods Inc., based in Richardson, Texas, is a premiere restaurant franchisor company. The company currently franchises more than 160 bakery cafes in the United States, Canada and the Middle East. The versatile concept has kiosk, in-line mall and street cafe locations. The operation has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine's "Franchise 500".

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View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/e-2-visa-holders-welcome-as-nestle-toll-house-cafe-by-chip-franchisees-300511215.html

SOURCE Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip


A representational photo.

SEOUL (AP): North Korea fired a ballistic missile from its capital Pyongyang that flew over Japan before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said today, an aggressive test-flight over the territory of a close US ally that sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.



Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) and reached a maximum height of 550 kilometers (341 miles) as it flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.



The launch appeared to be the first of a North Korean missile to cross over Japan, though some rockets it said were used to put satellites into space have done so. It also appeared to be the North's longest-ever missile test, but South Korean officials couldn't immediately confirm.



Each new test puts the North a step closer toward its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States. The North has launched at an unusually fast pace this year, and some analysts believe the North could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of President Donald Trump's first term in early 2021.



The South Korean military said it is analyzing the launch with the United States and has strengthened its monitoring and preparation in case of further actions from North Korea.



Analysts speculate the North may have tested a new intermediate-range missile that Pyongyang recently threatened to fire toward the US territory of Guam, which hosts a major military base.



This missile landed nowhere near Guam, which is about 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) south of Tokyo, but the length of its flight path may have been designed for the North to show it could follow through on its threat.



Seoul says the missile was launched from Sunan, which is where Pyongyang's international airport is, opening the possibility that North Korea launched a road-mobile missile from an airport runway.



It was North Korea's 13th launch of ballistic missiles this year, said Roh Jae-cheon, spokesman of Seoul's JCS. The JCS said it was the first time North Korea fired a ballistic missile from Sunan.



North Korea will no doubt be watching the world's reaction to see if it can use today's flight over Japan as a precedent for future launches. Japanese officials said there was no damage to ships or anything else reported. Japan's NHK TV said the missile separated into three parts.



"We will do our utmost to protect people's lives," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters. "This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat."



Today's launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the US mainland when perfected.



South Korea's Foreign Ministry warned that the North will face a "strong response" from the US-South Korean alliance if what it called nuclear and missile provocations continue.



The ministry also urged Pyongyang to accept talks over its nuclear programme and acknowledge that abandoning its nuclear ambitions is the only way to guarantee its security and economic development.



In a rare move, South Korea's military released footage of its own missile tests it says were conducted last week. The videos showed two types of new missiles with ranges of 800 kilometers (497 miles) and 500 kilometers (310 miles) being fired from truck-mounted launchers during three tests conducted on August 24.



South Korea's Agency for Defense Development said the launches represented the last flight test for the longer-range missile before it is operationally deployed.



Such missiles, which would be latest additions to South Korea's Hyumoo family of missiles, are considered key components to the so-called "kill chain" pre-emptive strike capability the South is pursuing to cope with the North's growing nuclear and missile threat.



South Korea also said its air force also conducted a live-fire drill involving four F-15 fighters dropping eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field near the country's eastern coast.



Park Su-hyun, spokesman of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said the exercise was conducted after Moon directed the military to "display a strong capability to punish" the North.



Park said Moon's national security director Chung Eui- yong and Seoul's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa called Trump's national security adviser H R McMaster and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, respectively, to discuss the launch.



The launch over Japan isn't a total surprise. Earlier this month, when threatening to lob four Hwasong-12s, which are new intermediate-range missiles, into the waters near Guam, North Korea specifically said they would fly over Japanese territory.


UPDATE 10.30am: European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has delivered a fresh rebuke to Theresa May over her Government's handling of the Brexit process.

Mr Juncker said official papers setting out the Government's positions were not satisfactory and it was "crystal clear" that an "enormous amount" of issues needed to be settled before talks on a future trade deal could begin.

Officials from Brussels and the UK were continuing negotiations in the latest round of the withdrawal process, but Mr Juncker's comments are further evidence of the European Union's frustration with the approach being taken by the Prime Minister and Brexit Secretary David Davis.

His comments came after Brussels' chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said he was concerned about the lack of clarity and insisted "we must start negotiating seriously".

Mr Juncker said the UK "hesitates showing all its cards" but added: "I did read, with the requisite attention, all the papers produced by Her Majesty's Government and none of those is actually satisfactory.

"So there is still an enormous amount of issues which remain to be settled.

"Not just on the border problems regarding Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is a very serious problem in respect of which we have had no definitive response, but we also have the status of European citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living on the Continent.

"We need to be crystal clear that we will commence no negotiations on the new relationship - particularly a new economic and trade relationship - between the UK and the EU before all these questions are resolved."

Mr Juncker added: "First of all we settle the past before we look forward to the future."

EARLIER: Brexit negotiations are continuing in Brussels after the EU told the UK it needed to get serious about the withdrawal talks.

Day two of the latest round of attempts to try and hammer out a divorce deal opened after the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier accused Britain of ambiguity on key issues like its exit bill and demanded more clarity from London.

He said: "To be honest, I'm concerned, time passes quickly.

"We need UK positions on all separation issues. This is necessary to make sufficient progress. We must start negotiating seriously.

"We need UK papers that are clear in order to have constructive negotiations. And the sooner we remove the ambiguity, the sooner we will be in a position to discuss the future relationship and a transitional period."

Brexit Secretary David Davis hit back by insisting the UK position papers were strong in detail.

He said: "They are the products of hard work and detailed thinking that has been going on behind the scenes not just the last few weeks, but for the last 12 months, and should form the basis of what I hope will be a constructive week of talks."

He said the negotiations would "require flexibility and imagination from both sides", adding: "And we are ready to roll up our sleeves and get down to work again once more."

Tension between London and Brussels centres on the size of the UK divorce payment which EU sources have estimated to be between 50 billion and 80 billion.

The talks came amid reports that Prime Minister Theresa May's visit to Japan this week could lead to disappointment over hopes for early trade deal talks with Tokyo.

The Financial Times said the Japanese government wanted to prioritise completing its planned agreement with Brussels before any future UK arrangements.

Meanwhile, Labour's new Brexit stance was branded "chaotic" by one of the party's Leave supporting MPs.

Blackley and Broughton MP Graham Stringer hit out at a sudden policy shift announced by shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer committing the party to keeping the UK in the single market and customs union for up to four years after EU withdrawal in March 2019.

Mr Stringer told the BBC: "What Keir said seems completely at odds with what the leader of the party, the shadow chancellor of the exchequer, have said.

"They have made it quite clear that we cannot honour the decision of the referendum if we remain in the customs union and the single market.

"So, I think it's a bit of chaos at the centre of the party, makes no sense to me whatsoever."

Before the Brussels talks, Mr Barnier used a French newspaper article to state Brexit would have an impact on defence and security matters.

Writing in Le Monde, he said: "It will have very practical consequences, including on defence and security.

"Nevertheless, the union of 27 and the United Kingdom will have to join forces to deal with common threats: the safety of our fellow citizens is not being marketed.

"We will therefore examine in due course the conditions for convergence between the union of 27 and the United Kingdom on security and defence matters."
Thousands of new construction jobs in the North are awaiting the release of money from the DUP's deal with the Conservatives, industry experts said.

A 400 million windfall for infrastructure over two years has been agreed.

The centrepiece of the work will be at York Street Interchange in Belfast and will involve an underpass and bridge designed to improve links between the M1, M2 and M3. More than 100,000 vehicles pass through it daily.

Accountancy firm BDO Northern Ireland partner Brian Murphy said: "There is a huge opportunity here that is pregnant that needs to be crystallised."

The Conservatives signed an accord with the DUP after this year's General Election produced a hung parliament. It promised major new investment in Northern Ireland in exchange for the smaller party's support for the minority Conservative Government in key Westminster votes.

Business leaders have urged the extra money be speedily allocated for maximum economic effect.

Mr Murphy said: "Potentially thousands of new jobs in the construction sector are just waiting to open, subject to the release of these funds."

The future of Stormont power-sharing remains mired in uncertainty and John Armstrong, Construction Employers Federation (CEF) managing director, said that was being reflected in a property sector where some people are unsure whether to proceed.

"The lack of a Northern Ireland Executive and the lack of a fully agreed budget have undoubtedly impacted on the tendering opportunities available in recent months.

"That is simply unacceptable, given that in reality there is a public sector capital budget there to be spent - and a budget that itself is growing year-on-year."

He said the DUP deal had "huge potential" to create thousands of new jobs and develop key economic infrastructure that will enhance Northern Ireland's attractiveness as a place to do business in.

Mr Armstrong warned the construction "pipeline" may be beginning to slow down for a bit but its effect won't be seen for another year.

Invisible trade barriers are already becoming evident as some companies question whether they should tender for work in Ireland beyond the Brexit date of of March 2019.

Mr Armstrong said: "We cannot and must not allow these issues to exacerbate over the coming months as these concerns could extend further into materials transportation and costs or reciprocal arrangements around qualifications."
Almost 50 trees have been saved from the chop in Fairview in Dublin.

Thousands signed a petition against the move to fell the trees that line the footpath along the front of Fairview Park, which was to make room for a new cycle lane.

In an online petition signed by almost 13,000 people, locals said: "The very essence and character of Fairview is under threat and we need to protect it. We need to save these trees!"

Marino resident and originator of the online petition Edel Leahy said: "I am delighted that our sole objective of saving the Fairview trees has been achieved. The residents of the local area and wider public who supported our campaign deserve great credit. It shows that "people power" can work when a serious wrong is being proposed."

However, local Councillor Nial Ring said he was not sure many people would be happy with the alternative suggestion.

He said: "What they've come up with now seems to be a knee-jerk reaction.

"Forty-two of the forty-six trees around the kerb will not be touched, but now they're looking at taking away one of the traffic lanes from one of the busiest arteries in the country."

Additional detail from Dublin City Council: This revised proposal is a response from the City Council to the concerns raised during the statutory consultation period about the removal of these trees and their significance.

In the original proposals the scheme was developed to retain existing traffic capacity and footpath widths through Fairview and so the space needed for the scheme could only be found by the removal of the roadside trees, this has now been revised such that the necessary width for the scheme will be found by removal of a inbound traffic lane over a 350 metre length from the junction of Malahide Road/ Fairview to south of Fairview footbridge,

These amendments have now been made in order to avoid as much as possible the removal of mature kerbside trees. The concerns raised from the public consultation process and the resulting final proposals that will be submitted for council approval have been discussed and agreed with the National Transport Authority.

The main changes are that, one inbound traffic lane over a 350m section of Fairview, from Malahide Road to a point approximately 100 metres south of Fairview Footbridge, will now be removed to provide space for the outbound segregated cycle track. In addition, the footpath on the village side of Fairview, from Poplar Row to Fairview Strand will be reduced in width to a minimum width of 1.8 metres at its narrowest section. This is necessary in order to retain the kerbside trees in Fairview Park between the footbridge and Edges Corner. However four kerbside trees will be lost in order to retain the existing number of lanes on the approach to Edges corner. Inbound cyclists will be provided with a segregated cycle track between the two rows of trees.

These changes will result in some reduction in traffic capacity in the inbound direction; however this will facilitate retention of 42 of the 46 roadside trees. The number of traffic lanes from south of Fairview Footbridge will remain the same as present.

These proposals allow the outbound cycle lane to be fully segregated from Annesley Bridge to Malahide Road on the village side of Fairview and a segregated inbound cycle track between the existing two rows of trees along Fairview Park as well as the retention of all parking in Fairview Village. The rest of the scheme remains the same including the proposed esplanade within the park and the Tolka Valley Greenway.
An online blackmailer whose Northern Irish teenage victim later took his own life has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Ronan Hughes, 17, from Co Tyrone, died in June 2015 after he was targeted by Romanian Iulian Enache, 31.

Enache will be released in October 2019 after he was sentenced by a court in Romania for blackmail and producing and distributing indecent images of a child, the PSNI said.

PSNI detective chief inspector James Mullen said: "A four-year prison sentence is no compensation for the loss of Ronan Hughes - a young man who had his whole life ahead of him - however, there can be no doubt that the sentence means others will be spared the pain and loss experienced by the Hughes family at the hands of Enache."

He said it had been a complex and protracted investigation over two years involving Romanian police, the PSNI, Europol and the National Crime Agency (NCA)

The detective added: "Undoubtedly, the work and partnership between the PSNI, our Romanian police colleagues and each of the agencies is what led to the conviction and prison sentence for Iulian Enache."

He is being released in 2019 under provisions in Romanian law and taking account of the time he has already served.

The chief inspector said the Hughes family, from Clonoe near Coalisland, had shown great dignity and displayed co-operation and patience during the investigation which culminated in the sentencing at a court in Timisoara in western Romania.

The senior officer appealed to parents and guardians to do all they can to keep their children safe from the hands of online criminals.

"We are all aware of the part social media plays in today's society, therefore, it is incumbent on everyone to do what they can to stop offenders like Enache.

"I would also urge anyone who has experienced anything of a similar nature, or has received any inappropriate images or links, to contact police or tell a trusted adult. You will not get into trouble.

"This tragic case highlights that police will do all they can to pursue these online criminals who are preying on our communities.

"We all deserve to be able to use the internet to learn, explore and connect with each other, but all of us need to be aware of the risks involved in doing so, especially on social media."
Many questions have been raised in relation to public service cards recently, especially around the legality of the Government demanding them as a form of identification, writes Amy Ryan.

Dr Eoin O'Dell, Assistant Professor of Law at Trinity College Dublin, says that specifics about the legilsation for the card need to be discussed before the Department can make it mandatory.

"There are lots of good reasons for introducing a card like that but there are privacy concerns because those good reasons haven't been debated, they haven't been articulated by Government and they haven't been embodied in legislation," said Dr O'Dell.

He says that the Government are introducing the card by adding new uses for it which make it necessary for the public to register.

"It's being done secretly and by stealth, it's being done by increasing additional functions. People are being written to like you were, get your card pretty much with an implied 'or else'.

"None of this is being properly discussed in the Oireachtas, none of this is being properly discussed in public," he added.

It emerged last week that a pensioner in her 70s was not paid her State pension for 18 months after she refused to register for a public services card.

The card has been described by Ministers as not "compulsory" but "mandatory".

However, the elderly woman told The Irish Times that the Department of Social Protection cut off her payments when she refused to register for the card after the Department could not produce any evidence that the card was mandatory.

Legislation for the card was introduced in 2005 and was amended in 2013 so that the "Minister may require any specific named identification for the purposes authentification of identity."

This is the legislation that is being referred to by the Department of Social Protection when it is asked how it has the power to exclusively request the public service card as a form of identification.

Speaking to Drivetime with Mary Wilson on RTE Radio 1, Dr O'Dell said that the State can ask you to produce the public service card as a means of authenticating that you are who you say you are, but they cannot legally only accept this card as a means of ID.

"The legislation says, that any reasonable means to establish identity and the question is, does the legislation make the card the exclusive means? And it doesn't," said O'Dell.

There is no legislation to outline whether the data that is entered when registering for the card is stored and shared by the HSE.

This is the issue that privacy campaigners have been protesting against because it is unclear whether external bodies will have access to the data.

O'Dell argued that the Government should be upfront in what they're doing, upfront on the details and where details is being stored, and for it to be established in legislation.

"The democratic thing to do is to do it in legislation, to debate it in the Oireachtas , to persuade public opinion that it is done right, that it is done proportionately and necessarily and there would be no problem," he said.

On the Department's website, it says: "The availability of a secure and consistent citizen identity verification scheme is a requirement for the effective delivery of digital services, the reform of backend processes, the ability to effectively make policy decisions, the protection of personal data, and the interoperability with EU Member States in the context of citizen interaction."

The Department intends to begin the widespread adoption of the public service card infrastructure, including its online counterpart MyGovID as part of the successful delivery of the eGovernment strategy.

It will shortly be required for all passport and driving licence applications as well as a number of other services outlined below.
An Irish teenager caught up in Hurricane Harvey while undergoing specialist cancer treatment is back in hospital after being stranded in the floods.

Shauntelle Tynan had to hold out for rescue in her apartment in Houston, Texas, after 5ft of water surrounded the complex, stopping her from travelling for vital blood transfusion.

After hours of waiting and several 911 calls, the 19-year-old was brought to Texas Children's Hospital for treatment for the side-effects of her last round of intensive chemotherapy.

Her mother Leona spoke online of her relief after a weather window opened for her daughter's transfer before the next deluge hits the city.

She said: "So relieved she will be out of danger and can get treatment!!! Thank you all so, so very much for helping us!"

Mrs Tynan remained in the apartment with her six-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son.

US president Donald Trump will visit southern Texas on Tuesday amid warnings that catastrophic flooding will persist in the Houston region in the coming days.

At least eight people were reported to have died, including four children and their elderly great-grandparents as they tried to flee while thousands of residents remained stranded in the city.

Shauntelle Tynan has been in Houston for several months. She was diagnosed nearly two years ago with a rare form of multi-system Histiocytosis X/Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH).

Since her diagnosis, the cancer has spread to her gastrointestinal system, colon and skin.

The teenager set a record for the most successful appeal for cancer treatment funding earlier this year after online posts went viral.

She raised more than 700,000 (594,000) to allow her family to cover at least a year of potentially life-saving care in Houston.

Ms Tynan, from Co Carlow in the Irish Republic, has been told by her Texas-based doctor that her chances of recovery depended on how long she could spend in the US.

Her mother later told Today with Sean O'Rourke on RTE Radio that Irishman Danny Carroll and a friend had rescued her daughter using a truck.

Mrs Tynan said there was a lull in the torrential rain and when floods had subsided to about 2ft in depth - about half the level they had peaked at - the men used their vehicle to find a passable route to the hospital.

"We were starting to panic. Shauntelle was really needing to go to hospital," Mrs Tynan said.

"As soon as they came, the emergency services rang to say they were on the way.

"It's a big thanks to him and people like him."

Mrs Tynan said she expects to get to see her daughter in hospital on Thursday or Friday.
The Foreign Affairs Minister has said he is deeply worried by North Korea's most recent ballistic missile test which flew over Japan.

Simon Coveney has urged Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear programme and re-engage in talks.
Sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid have confirmed they are both returning to the Victoria's Secret show this year.

Rumours were circulating that the sisters may not have been asked to return to the catwalk after other Victoria Secret models shared numerous pictures from fittings but there was no sign of the Hadid sisters.

Zayn Malik's girlfriend took to Instagram last night to confirm she is indeed returning to the show which is rumoured to be in Shanghai this year.

Announcing the news that she would return for a third show Gigi wrote:

"Forever and ever and ever a dream come true to be asked back to the VS Show."

She also thanked show bosses for giving her the opportunity again.

Her sister Bella also confirmed the news on the social media account stating she was humbled and couldn't wait for "another incredible experience."

Hailey Baldwin is also set to make her debut.

The catwalk extravaganza is the most watched fashion event of the year with around $12 million spent on putting the show together.

A date has yet to be announced but the show usually takes place mid November and is then aired on tv in early December.

The models are always accompanied by a huge performer with Justin Bieber being tipped to take to the catwalk again after a number of Victoria's Secret models featured in a music video for his latest hit 2U with David Guetta.
Ticketmaster has issued a reminder to fans about strict concert admission details ahead of Niall Horan's gig in Dublin tonight.

An email sent to concert goers has outlined very specific measures regarding their tickets and entry into the Mullingar's gig at the Olympia tonight.

The email stated that the credit card holder must be in attendance at the gate even if they are not attending the concert themselves.

Credit card holder must attend check-in at the venue on show day with their guest to have their IDs cross checked against purchase list and be given non-transferable accreditation for entry," read the email.

Ticketmaster have said Niall Horan and MCD have implemented the measures to deter the re-sale of tickets at a high price.

Fans are advised that tickets alone will not gain them entry into the venue and the credit card holder must present the card used to purchase the tickets and have a matching photo ID.

"Tickets alone will not give you entry to the venue.

For identification purposes the credit card holder must present the credit card used when purchasing the tickets and must have matching valid Photo ID."

Anyone who fails to provide the required purchase and identification documents will be refused entry into the gig they said.

"Any customer that resells their ticket at a premium, resells this ticket through a broker or agent; advertises or offers this ticket for resale including on the internet; or uses this ticket for advertising, promotion or other commercial purpose will have their ticket cancelled.

Any customer found to have exceeded the shows ticket limit will have their additional transactions cancelled.

Any ticket holder not able to provide the required purchase and identification documents will be denied entry to the venue."

Ticketmaster have said that those who purchased tickets when they first went on sale were made aware of the measures that were put in place.

"Please familiarise yourself with the terms and conditions you agreed at the time of purchase," the email read.

Meanwhile, Niall Horan was pictured earlier today outside of the Olympia with his friend and supporting act Wild Youth.

He tweeted: "Ireland, I'm home. Really excited and nervous for tonight."

Ireland , I'm home . Really excited and nervous for tonight!  Niall Horan (@NiallOfficial) August 29, 2017
Update 9.14pm: President Donald Trump has offered reassurances to Texans who felt the wrath of Storm Harvey, promising residents during a visit to the state: "We are going to get you back and operating immediately."

Starting his visit in wind-whipped but sunny Corpus Christi, Mr Trump's motorcade passed broken trees and knocked down signs as it made its way to a firehouse for a briefing with local officials.

"This was of epic proportion," the president declared as he pledged to provide recovery assistance. "We want to do it better than ever before. We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as, 'This is the way to do it'."

Afterwards, Mr Trump stood between two fire engines and spoke to a crowd of hundreds of people gathered outside.

"What a crowd. What a turnout," he said, thanking Texas governor Greg Abbott and senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn.

"This is historic. It's epic what happened, but you know what, it happened in Texas, and Texas can handle anything."

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters travelling with Mr Trump that the president's visit was focused on coordination among different levels of government and laying the groundwork for what is expected to be a lengthy recovery effort.

"The president wants to be very cautious about making sure that any activity doesn't disrupt the recovery efforts that are still ongoing," she said aboard Air Force One shortly before it touched down in Corpus Christi.

Mr Trump travelled with first lady Melania Trump and Cabinet secretaries who will play key roles in the recovery. Some people lining roads near the airport held American flags and waved as the motorcade passed.

The president, who wore a white cap that said "USA", was briefed in Corpus Christi on relief efforts.

Then he headed to Austin to meet state officials at the emergency operations centre. Mrs Trump, who traded in her usual stiletto heels for a pair of white trainers, wore a black baseball cap that read "FLOTUS", an acronym for "first lady of the United States".

The Cabinet secretaries were to meet with their Texas counterparts during Mr Trump's visit.

"That's a big part of what today will be about, the coordination between local, state and federal officials and laying the groundwork for the recovery effort," Ms Sanders said.

Mr Trump has embraced the role of guiding the nation's response to Harvey, which made landfall along the Gulf Coast on Friday night as a Category 4 storm near Corpus Christi, and moved north-east along the Texas coast over Houston.

The storm has dumped more than 30 inches of rain in parts of Texas and authorities have rescued thousands of people left stranded by the storm.

Mr Trump's vow of swift action on billions of dollars in disaster aid is at odds with his proposed budget, which would eliminate the programme that helps Americans without flood insurance rebuild their homes and cuts grants to states that would allow them to take long-term steps to reduce the risk of flooding before disaster strikes.

Vice president Mike Pence said Harvey's relentless nature and size were "frustrating".

In a pair of interviews on Tuesday with radio stations serving Corpus Christi and San Antonio, Mr Pence warned that life-threatening flooding will continue and urged listeners to continue to follow instructions from local authorities.

He said he and his wife, Karen, would visit the region later this week. And Mr rump plans to return to the region later in the week.

Mr Trump saw a largely functioning Corpus Christi, a city of 325,000, where damage was minimal.

Power has largely been restored, particularly in commercial areas. Some restaurants have reopened and stores are restocked. Hotels are jammed with evacuees from hard-hit areas to its north-east, including Houston.

Residents have been advised to boil drinking water because authorities cannot guarantee the integrity of the city's lead and steel water system.

AP

Earlier: A pair of reservoir dams that protect central Houston and a suburban levee have started overflowing, adding to the rising floodwaters from Storm Harvey that have crippled the city after five days of rain.

US President and First Lady Donald and Melania Trump have arrived in Texas so they can see the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey. They are currently in the coastal city of Corpus Christi - where the storm first made landfall.

Engineers began releasing water from the Addicks and Barker reservoirs on Monday to ease the strain on the 70-year-old dams, but the releases were not enough to relieve the pressure after one of the heaviest downpours in US history, the Army Corps of Engineers said.

Both reservoirs are at record levels and the release of water means more homes and streets will flood, with some homes inundated for up to a month, said Jeff Lindner of Harris County Flood Control District.

The county is trying to determine where the water will go, Mr Lindner added.

Meanwhile, Brazoria County authorities posted a message on Twitter warning that the levee at Columbia Lakes, south of Houston, had been breached and telling people to leave the area.

Authorities said residents had been warned that the levee would overflow at some point and a mandatory evacuation order was given on Sunday.

More than 17,000 people are seeking refuge in Texas shelters, the American Red Cross said, and the number looks certain to grow.

People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Centre in Houston. Picture: AP

Calls for rescue have so overwhelmed emergency teams that they have had little time to search for bodies, and officials acknowledge that fatalities could soar once the floodwaters start to recede from one of America's most sprawling metropolitan centres.

More than four days after the storm ravaged the Texas coastline as a Category 4 hurricane, authorities had confirmed three deaths - including a woman killed when heavy rains dislodged a large tree on to her trailer home in the small town of Porter.

"We know in these kinds of events that, sadly, the death toll goes up, historically," Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said. "I'm really worried about how many bodies we're going to find."

One Houston woman said she presumes six members of a family, including four of her grandchildren, died after their van sank into Greens Bayou in East Houston.

Virginia Saldivar said her brother-in-law was driving the van when a strong current took the vehicle off a bridge and into the bayou. The driver got out and urged the children to escape through the back door, Ms Saldivar said, but they could not.

"I'm just hoping we find the bodies," she added.

A spokeswoman for a Houston hotel said one of its employees disappeared while helping about 100 guests and workers evacuate the building.

The disaster is unfolding on an epic scale, with the nation's fourth-largest city mostly paralysed by the storm that parked itself over the Gulf Coast. With nearly 2ft more of rain expected on top of the 30in that has fallen so far in some places, authorities worried the worst might be yet to come.

The Houston metro area covers about 10,000 square miles, and is crisscrossed by about 1,700 miles of channels, creeks and bayous that drain into the Gulf of Mexico, about 50 miles to the south east.

Forecasters expect the storm to linger over the Gulf before heading back inland east of Houston some time on Wednesday. The system will then head north and lose its tropical strength.

Rescuers continued plucking people from inundated Houston neighbourhoods. Mayor Sylvester Turner put the number saved by police at more than 3,000, while the Coast Guard said it had also rescued more than 3,000 by boat and air and was taking more than 1,000 calls per hour.

Nearly 6,000 inmates displaced by flooding have been moved from prisons in the Houston area to other facilities in south and east Texas, according to the state Department of Criminal Justice.

A mandatory evacuation was ordered for the low-lying Houston suburb of Dickinson, home to 20,000, and questions swirled in Houston itself about why the mayor did not issue a similar evacuation order.

Mr Turner has inisisted that a mass evacuation of millions of people by car was a greater risk than enduring the storm.

By Tuesday morning, more than 9,000 people were at the city's largest shelter set up at the George R Brown Convention Centre - which originally had an estimated capacity of 5,000.

The Red Cross said volunteers made more space in part by pushing some camp beds closer together. A shortage of beds means some people will have to sleep on chairs or the floor.

Before the storm is gone, up to 20in more rain could fall, the National Weather Service said, meaning the flooding will get worse in the days ahead and the water will be slow to recede once Harvey finally moves on.

- AP
At least 13 civilians, including women and children, were killed in an overnight air strike by Afghan security forces targeting the Taliban in western Herat province, an Afghan official said.

Gelani Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor, said the attack in Shindand district also injured seven other civilians.

He said the target of Monday night's strike was a Taliban base and a prison run by the insurgents. The jail was destroyed and 19 inmates - both military and civilians - escaped.

Mr Farhad also said the civilians who were killed died in their homes adjacent to the Taliban base.

According to the spokesman, the air strikes also killed 16 Taliban militants.

The Taliban have not commented on the attack in Herat province and Mr Farhad's information could not be independently verified.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday morning, a suicide bomber killed at least five people in a busy commercial area of central Kabul, not far from the US Embassy, Afghan officials said.

Basir Mujahid, spokesman for the Kabul police chief, said the explosion was probably targeting a branch of the privately-owned Kabul Bank. The US Embassy compound is about 500 yards (metres) down the road from the Kabul Bank.

Mohammad Salim Rasouli, chief of Kabul hospitals at the Health Ministry, confirmed that nine other people were injured in the attack, according to initial reports.

No-one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the Taliban often target banks, especially at the end of the month when civil servants and military personnel queue up to receive their salaries, or ahead of major Muslim holidays.

AP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's vow to never evacuate Jewish settlements from occupied land has drawn outrage from Palestinians.

The pledge has also complicated matters for the Trump administration's would-be peace envoys as they try to restart talks.

The Palestinians called on the White House to intervene, and visiting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres challenged Mr Netanyahu's comments, reiterating the international community's opposition to Israeli settlements.

More than 100 settlements dot the West Bank and a string of US-led peace plans over the past two decades have called for evacuating at least some of them to make way for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Mr Netanyahu's hard-line religious and nationalist base opposes such a move.

Mr Netanyahu appears to have been emboldened by the election of President Donald Trump who, unlike a string of predecessors, has not endorsed the idea of a two-state solution.

Mr Trump also has surrounded himself with a team of advisers who are long-standing supporters of settlements. These include his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who is leading the peace efforts and was in the region last week for meetings with the sides.

Mr Netanyahu spoke at a ceremony on Monday night in Barkan, a settlement in the northern West Bank.

"There is a momentum of development in Judea and Samaria," he said, referring to the West Bank by its biblical name.

"We have returned here for eternity," Mr Netanyahu added. "There will be no more uprooting of settlements in the Land of Israel. Settlements will not be uprooted."

The Palestinians seek all of the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, for an independent state alongside Israel.

Israel captured the areas in the 1967 war, though it withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

The Palestinians say that settlements on occupied lands are illegal and undermine the goal of a two-state solution by gobbling up territory they seek - a position that is widely backed by the international community. More than 600,000 Israeli Jews now live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

While Mr Netanyahu has made similar pledges before, the timing - on the heels of Mr Kushner's visit and with the UN chief in town - gave it added significance and raised questions about his intentions for resolving the conflict with the Palestinians.

During the Obama administration, Mr Netanyahu paid lip service to the idea of a two-state solution, implying that a Palestinian state could be established in parts of the West Bank or that settlements might somehow remain behind in a future Palestine.

Now, with Mr Netanyahu avoiding talk of Palestinian independence or a territorial withdrawal, the Palestinians are pushing the new US administration to take a stand.

In particular, they have been pressing Washington to call for a freeze on settlement construction and to endorse the two-state solution.

Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, denounced Mr Netanyahu's comments and said they hinder US peace efforts.

"This is an Israeli message to the US administration," he said. "We call upon the US administration to deal with these provocations," which, he said, hinder US peace efforts and are "an attempt to return things to square one".

The Palestinians have expressed impatience with Mr Kushner's slow start. Mr Kushner held talks last week with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, as well as separate meetings with Arab allies in Egypt and the Gulf.

The Americans appear to be seeking a broader region-wide approach to peace by bringing in moderate Arab countries.

A senior White House official played down Mr Netanyahu's comments.

The official said the Israeli position was known and that the US is talking to all sides to reach a deal "that factors in all substantive issues".

AP
President Donald Trump is expected to visit two Texas cities for updates on the devastating flooding that has paralysed the region in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

The White House announced that the president and first lady Melania Trump will depart on Tuesday morning for Corpus Christi, where they will receive a briefing on relief efforts by local leaders and relief organisations.

The couple will then head to Austin for a tour of the Texas Department of Public Safety's Emergency Operations Centre.

The trip will conclude with a briefing there from state leaders.

His administration has assured Congress that the $3bn balance in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster fund is enough to handle immediate needs, such as debris removal and temporary shelter for displaced residents.

The president said federal cash for storm-ravaged areas in Texas and elsewhere will arrive quickly.

He said to people suffering from flooding that "you're going to have what you need and it's going to go fast".

It is the first major natural disaster of Mr Trump's presidency.

He assured flooding victims that "we are 100% with you".

He added: "We will get through this. We will come out stronger and believe me we will be bigger, better, stronger than ever before."

Meanwhile, Six members of a family are feared dead as a huge storm continued to batter Texas with the authorities warning that the worst might be yet to come.

The storm has been blamed for three confirmed deaths and paralysed most of Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States, after four consecutive days of heavy rain.

Harvey was the fiercest hurricane to hit the US in 13 years, generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years.

It has now been downgraded to a tropical storm, but continues to cause chaos after depositing more than 30 inches of rain in some places, with another 24 inches expected.

Virginia Saldivar of Houston said she presumes six members of her family, including four of her grandchildren, have died after their van sank into Greens Bayou in the east of the city.

She said her brother-in-law, Samuel Saldivar, was driving the van on Sunday, trying to get his parents and her four grandchildren to safety.

He was crossing a bridge when a strong current in the floodwaters took the van, and it pitched forwards over the bridge into a bayou.

Mr Saldivar was able to climb out of a window and urged the children, siblings aged six to 16, to escape through the back door, but they could not.

Virginia Saldivar said: "I'm just hoping we find the bodies."

Houston emergency officials say they cannot confirm the deaths.
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This flick gives an old movie life after undeath.

A new animated horror film updates and upends a classic silent vampire movie to explore the immigrant experience in New York City. NYsferatu: Symphony of a Century, playing in Brooklyn Bridge Park on Sept. 7, gives the 1922 German film Nosferatu a modern New York setting and a blood-sucking character who may not be as bad as you think. Its Italian-born creator spent three years drawing the film, but says that the recent immigration restrictions suggested by the tweeter-in-chief have made the film resonate more than ever.

My project never changed, but now that so many people today are afraid of Trump and what hell do  the project really reflects that, said Andrea Mastrovito.

The filmmaker and a team of animators drew the 65-minute black and white film over frames of Nosferatu, but replaced the German city in the original with scenes in the modern-day Big Apple. In this version, the vampire Count Orlock travels from Syria to New York City, carrying his coffin through Washington Square Park while he searches for a place to stay.

The silent film relied on title cards to convey dialogue, but Mastrovito rewrote the script to portray the city as a dog-eat-dog world, filled with struggles that newcomers must deal with.

Its a dystopia, he said. I dont see the city this way, but the whole movie is a quest for freedom and everyone finds it different  kind of like a vampire sucking the life out of you.

The film was informed by discussions with recent immigrants and English language learners, as well as by the songs of Metallica, which helped Mastrovita come up with the tone of his film.

They were a very big source of my inspiration because music is a very important in a silent movie, he said. The feeling of the movie is very similar to a metal song.

The original film ends  spoiler alert for a 95-year-old movie  with the Count being destroyed. But the movies more sympathetic portrayal of the character gives the ending a somber note, which encourages the audience to think more deeply about the film, said Mastrovita.

For a lot of people I know the movie is quite sad, but you have to find the flowers from the bad things in life, and you have to take a look at the movie to see that the shadow wasnt the real enemy, he said.

NYsferatu at Brooklyn Bridge Parks Harbor View Lawn, Pier 1 [enter at Furman Street and Old Fulton Street in Dumbo, www.nysfe ratu.org ]. Sept. 7 at 7:30 pm. Free.

In Sunset Park [Fifth Avenue between 41st and 44th streets in Sunset Park. Sept. 9 at 7:30 pm. Free.

Reach reporter Alexandra Simon at (718) 2608310 or e-mail her at asimo n@cng local.com .
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...
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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
ABCNews.com(CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas) -- Thanking state and local government officials and emergency response leaders in Texas for their work in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, President Donald Trump on Tuesday stopped short of offering congratulations for a job well done, saying there is still work to do.



"We won't say congratulations," Trump said in Corpus Christi, Texas, Tuesday. "We don't want to do that. We don't want to congratulate. We'll congratulate each other when it's all finished."



He is visiting parts of Texas ravaged by the storm, a trip that is providing him with the opportunity to demonstrate his handling of a natural disaster as commander in chief.



White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters later in the day Tuesday that the president plans to return to Texas on Saturday to visit areas he was unable to, and to meet with evacuees. Sanders said the president's priority during Tuesday's visit was to not disrupt recovery and relief efforts.



Trump portrayed the situation at a briefing Tuesday with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and FEMA Administrator Brock Long as one that he hopes sets the standard for emergency response in coming years.



"We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as 'This is the way to do it,'" Trump said. "This was of epic proportion. Nobody's ever seen anything like this, and I just want to say that working with the governor and his entire team has been an honor for us."



The president and first lady Melania Trump touched down at 11:25 a.m. local time in Corpus Christi, near where the hurricane made landfall Friday evening. He continued to Austin for a tour of the emergency operations center there and for a hurricane briefing with state leaders.



He is expected to return to the White House Tuesday night.



Donald Trump was also accompanied by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and Small Business Administration Administrator Linda McMahon.



Abbott, who greeted the presidential party on its arrival, told reporters shortly before Air Force One landed that it was important for the president to visit the state and that Trump and his team have been talking about providing additional aid.



"We want him to see and understand the enormous challenges that Texas has faced and the need and the aid that he's provided," Abbott said.



During a news conference Monday, Trump struck an optimistic note, saying that the Lone Star State would be "up and running very quickly" and that Congress would quickly approve whatever funds are necessary for recovery, beyond available funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency).



"We think you're going to have what you need, and it's going to go fast," he said.



He expressed awe over the sheer size of the storm.



"It's the biggest ever," Trump said. "It's historic. It's really like Texas, if you think about it. But it is a historic amount of water in particular. There's never been anything like it."



On Sunday he announced he would be traveling to Texas as soon as it was feasible, staying away from Houston and other areas of the state that were hit the hardest.

I will be going to Texas as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption. The focus must be life and safety.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017

Trump approved Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts request for a disaster proclamation Friday, activating a response from FEMA for relief to the state.



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Former world number one Maria Sharapova made a triumphant return to Grand Slam competition after a 15-month doping ban, outlasting second-ranked Simona Halep 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 at the US Open.

The 30-year-old Russian, who had only one hardcourt tune-up match due to a nagging forearm injury, swatted 60 winners with 64 unforced errors, setting the tempo and baffling Halep at times in a tension-packed thriller at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I just thought this was another day, another opportunity, another match but this was so much more," Sharapova said.

"You sometimes wonder why you put in all the work and this is exactly why."



Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova closed her remarks to a supportive crowd by saying that behind her fancy dress and sparkly crystals, "This girl has a lot of grit and she's not going anywhere."



Sharapova, who tested positive for the banned blood booster meldonium at last year's Australian Open, improved to 7-0 in her all-time rivalry with Halep, extending her mastery over the 25-year-old Romanian.

An emotional Sharapova punctuated her shotmaking, at times erratic and other moments spectacular, with screams and fist pumps. She was energetic even at rest, closing her eyes and bouncing her legs as she sat between sets.

After the final point, Sharapova dropped to her knees as a replay appeal showed what she already knew.

She rose and greeted Halep at the net, thanked the umpire, then battled back tears as she blew kisses to spectators, sobbed at times and mouthed "Thank you" to fans that were devoted throughout the two hour and 45 minute drama.

"You never know what you're going to feel until you win that match point," she said. "It was so worth it."



Sharapova won only 5 of 22 break points in the match while Halep won 4 of 10 and produced only 15 winners against 14 unforced errors.

It was Sharapova's first Grand Slam match since a quarter-final loss to Serena Williams in last year's Australian Open.

Sharapova, whose major titles include the 2006 US Open, advanced to a second-round matchup against Hungarian Timea Babos, whom she has never played.

Sharapova, ranked 146th, returned in April but the French Open snubbed Sharapova for a wildcard entry and she missed Wimbledon with a thigh injury.

Asked about her low points, Sharapova, said, "There were definitely a few but I don't think this is the time to talk about that."



Sharapova walked onto the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium to rousing applause from a clearly supportive crowd.

Sharapova wore a black dress, visor, socks and shoes, the same style she sported in taking the trophy nine years ago on the New York hardcourts.

Two early exchanges of breaks left the first set level at 4-4 before Sharapova held and broke Halep with a forehand winner to draw first blood after an hour.

In the second set, Sharapova double faulted away a break to hand Halep a 5-4 edge, then Halep saved three break points and held to force a third set.

Halep sent a backhand beyond the baseline to hand Sharapova a break and 2-0 lead in the final set. The Russian held to 5-3 and served for the match, escaping a break point when Halep netted a forehand.

A Sharapova backhand winner to set up match point bought huge applause but the truly thunderous ovation came when Halep hit a forehand long to end it, boosting Sharapova to 18-0 in night matches at Ashe.

"It's prime time baby," she said. "I love it."



Reigning Wimbledon champion Muguruza advanced and British seventh seed Johanna Konta was ousted in other women's matches.

Spanish third seed Muguruza defeated American Varvara Lepchenko 6-0, 6-3. Muguruza, last year's French Open champion, can reach the US Open third round for the first time Wednesday by defeating China's Duan Ying-Ying.

"Coming to US Open and having a dark past in the results, I keep it with low expectations," Muguruza said.

Serbia's 78th-ranked Aleksandra Krunic upset Australian- born Konta 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

"It's definitely not an easy loss to take," Konta said. "She played consistently much better than I did."



Croatian fifth seed Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion and last month's Wimbledon runner-up, ousted 105th- ranked American Tennys Sandgren 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

"I feel just a little bit rusty," Cilic said. "I need a few matches to get into the rhythm."



Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, this year's Australian Open and Wimbledon runner-up, outlasted Slovakia's 135th-ranked Viktoria Kuzmova 6-3 3-6 6-2.
James Quincey, president and chief executive of Coca-Cola, will be in India this week on his first trip to the country. The visit, which begins on Thursday in Mumbai, comes four months after the British-born executive took over the reins of from former CEO Muhtar Kent in May.
The class action suit filed by a US law firm against New York Stock Exchange-listed Dr Reddy's Laboratories Limited has only underlined the need for strengthening corporate governance practices by the management in the light of a series of regulatory set backs faced by the company in the recent past, according to some analysts.
The income-tax department has slapped a Rs 32,320-crore demand in tax, interest and penalty on Hong Kong-based Hutchison for alleged capital gains it made on the $11-billion sale of its India mobile business to UK's Vodafone Group in 2007.

In a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange, billionaire Li Ka-shing's CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd said its unit, Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd (HTIL) had been served with a demand for about Rs 7,900 crore in tax, Rs 16,430 crore as interest, and another Rs 7,900 crore in penalty.

The CK Hutchison unit continued to dispute the validity of those taxes, it said.

This is the first time a tax demand on the Hong Kong firm is being raised. So far, the Indian government had been pursuing the tax from Vodafone.

Vodafone was initially slapped with a Rs 7,990-crore tax demand for not withholding tax from payments it made to Hutchison. The outstanding after including interest and penalty runs over Rs 20,000 crore.

It challenged the levy and the Supreme Court in January 2012 ruled that the company was not liable to pay any tax over the acquisition of assets in India from Hutchison.

Thereafter, the government in May 2012 amended the tax laws with retrospective effect and claimed taxes. Vodafone has disputed such levy and the matter is before an international arbitration panel.

Besides Vodafone, the retrospective legislation was used to levy a principal tax liability of Rs 10,247 crore on another British company, Cairn Energy Plc. That matter too is before an international arbitration panel.

HTIL, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd, received from the tax department a draft assessment order dated November 24, 2016 alleging gains made on sale of its entire 67 per cent in the India business to Vodafone.

"HTIL received on February 13, 2017 from Income Tax an assessment order dated January 25, 2017 in respect of tax of approximately Rs 7,900 crore on capital gains" in connection with the 2007 deal plus aggregate interest of approximately Rs 16,430 crore," the filing said.

Further, "HTIL received on August 9, 2017 from Income Tax authorities a penalty order dated July 3, 2017 for a penalty of approximately Rs 7,900 crore", it added.

The taxes cannot be validly imposed on HTIL, the filing said, adding that the order issued by the income tax is on the "basis of retrospective legislation seeking to overturn the judgment of the Supreme Court of India in January 2012, which ruled that the acquisition (by Vodafone) was not taxable in India, are in violation of the principles of international law".

"Accordingly the company continues to believe that the orders would not have any effect on the company's financial condition or the results of its operations for any period," it said without saying what course of action would it take.

Vodafone had in 2007 acquired 67 per cent stake in the mobile-phone business owned by Hutchison Whampoa, now part of CK Hutchison.

The draft assessment order alleged gains of about Rs 37,400 crore in the 2007 sale to Vodafone International Holdings BV.

The deal happened when HTIL was a listed company. Subsequent to that, HTIL was privatised and ceased business operations. Neither HTIL nor its subsidiaries have any presence in India.
In a major breakthrough, West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said IT major will invest Rs 100 crore in the state and set up a 50-acre campus in Rajarhat area, near Kolkata.
Days after a board upheaval at Infosys, co-founder N R Narayana Murthy on Tuesday said his concerns with the previous board led by R Seshasayee were poor governance, ex-CFO being paid large severance as 'hush- money' and alleged irregularities in Panaya acquisition.

Murthy, who had not spoken ever since CEO Vishal Sikka quit on August 18 citing slander by founders, said co-founder Nandan Nilekani taking over as Chairman is good for the company as he is "stickler for good corporate governance".

"The rejuvenation of the Board has already begun with the resignation of R Seshasayee and some other board members. However, it is still work-in-progress," he said at an investor call.

A week after the Board, in an unusual move, issued a statement blaming Murthy for Sikka's exit, Seshasayee and three other directors last week quit and Nilekani made a comeback to the board after a decade.

"My main concern is the poor governance practised by the previous board," he said adding that "contrary to the views of many, my actions always keep in mind the long-term interests of all shareholders. It has never been and never will be for my individual or personal gain."

Board, on August 18, had launched an all-out attack on Murthy, accusing him of running a "misguided" campaign. They also held him responsible for Sikka's resignation.

Murthy said the recent developments were directed as a "personal attack" on him.

Murthy said though he was appointed chairman for five years, he left the company after 15 months in October 2014, during which revenue growth rate doubled to 11.6 per cent as well as innovations and enhanced productivity were introduced.

"As far as I know, there is no parallel in the Indian corporate world where founders with significant shareholding voluntarily left their company leaving behind nothing but culture, values and goodwill," he said.

The founders, who hold 12.75 per cent stake in Infosys, together with a dozen leading institutional investors with a cumulative stake of about 10 per cent forced the Infosys board to bring back Nilekani.

Referring to his disagreements with the previous board, Murthy said Seshasayee told shareholders on June 18, 2016 that ex-CFO Rajiv Bansal was being paid an excessive sum as severance because he was "privy to a lot of price sensitive information".

He cited media reports to say that the Board had not recorded minutes of the decision to give Bansal's severance package.

"No previous CFO of the company, nor the current CFO had or have such an excessive severance pay clause in their contracts," he said adding when he sought to know the reasons the response was "inconsistent" ranging from the reason being was confidential to Seshasayee saying the board felt generous.

On the summary of independent investigation into the USD 200 million acquisition of Israeli tech firm Panaya exonerating the management, he said the statement "does not mention whether the investigation addressed the allegations of the whistle-blower regarding the serious governance deficits of the board and the CEO."

He hoped that the full report would point out gaps in governance and suggest corrective actions. "These are the only reasons why I asked for the full report to be disclosed," he said.

"Once again, let me reiterate that my primary concern about the Summary Finding Statement was that it missed covering the governance deficits and corrective steps to be taken, if any," he said adding the previous Board refused to take any corrective action.

Nilekani, he said, is a "stickler for good corporate governance."

"Now we can all sleep better knowing that, under his leadership, the corporate governance standard practised by Infosys will be on par with the global best standard," he said.

He hoped Nilekani would take appropriate corrective actions to bring back the rigour of governance standards at Infosys.

"I would also like to reiterate my confidence in the current senior management of the company," he said. "I wish Nandan the best of everything in his effort to bring back 'acche din' to Infosys."

Murthy said the lesson learnt from the entire episode is that when there is a cloud around how the organisation is being governed, one must speak up.

"This is the key ingredient to keep an institution healthy in the long-run and hold it accountable to all stakeholders," he added.
plans to increase its revenue to around Rs 20,000-22,000 crore by 2020-21. To back this target, the company plans to invest around Rs 800-1,000 crore every year on products and brown field expansion. And, it also expects Rs 4,000 crore facility in Gujarat to go live by 2020.MRF's total income for the financial year-ended March 31, 2017, was Rs 15,078.01 crore.

After unveiling Perfinza range of luxury and premium range of tyres on Tuesday, MRF Vice-Chairman and Managing Director (MD) Arun Mammen said that the company has been investing around Rs 800-1,000 crore every year and this will continue.

Koshy K Varghese, executive vice president of marketing, added that the investment will be towards expanding existing facilities, on automation, research & development (R&D) and others.

He added, apart from regular capital expenditure, the company is planning to invest around Rs 2,000 crore to commence Phase-I of the Gujarat facility. MRF's total commitment in this facility is around Rs 4,000 crore. The new facility will produce the full range of tyres.

"The facility will be one of our biggest facilities," said K M Mammen, chairman and MD, MRF.

The market leader currently manufactures around 8-9 lakh tyres per month across its nine manufacturing facilities, of which seven are in South India and one in Goa.

All these expansions will support the company's revenue target of around Rs 20,000-Rs 22,000 crore by 2020-21, said Mammen.

Mammen said that the company has been the market leader for nearly three decades. However, the competition has become stronger with tyre increasing their manufacturing capacities.

MRF will continue to strive to be the customers' preferred brand in the market by constantly improving product superiority, widening distribution network and ensuring brand dominance across all segments.

On Chinese competition, which tyre industry said it is worrying them, Mammen said MRF with its brand position and quality products can take on competitions in any part of the World.

During Tuesday's launch, Varghese said that the new range of Perfinza tyres will be available in India and later it will be exported.

The Perfinza range of hi-speed rated tyres currently available for over 60 luxury and premium cars in India.
Shriram EPC, a service provider of integrated design, engineering, procurement and construction, has said that it has received a stay order against an interim resolution professional (IRP) taking over the management of the company, earlier this month.

According to a regulatory filing with the exchange, the company said that the IRP was appointed by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Chennai, after a petition by Rio Glass Solar SA.
Bhavish Aggarwal, the co-founder and CEO of Indias largest taxi-hailing service Ola, said that the firms focus on local innovation such as the Ola Auto has helped it compete against rival firm- Uber- in India.
Turning cautious about the two real estate facing insolvency proceedings, the State Bank of India, countrys largest lender, has begun review of loans to buy home in unfinished projects by Jaypee Infratech and Amrapali.
Tata Motor's Nano cars might have sold just 872 units so far in the current financial year 2017-18, down 65 per cent on year-on-year (YoY) basis, but the company seems to be falling short of pulling the plug on the vehicle just yet. Sources say Tata Motors Ltd (TML) is contemplating an electric variant of the Nano; the EV might also be based on an upgraded version of the Nano, a car code-named Pelican.

Nano sales hit an all-time low of 167 units in June this year, falling further from an all-time low of 174 units in March. Exports too have been sluggish, with only 75 units being exported so far in FY18. During the April-June period this year, sales fell down 80 per cent, when compared to figures registered during the first quarter of FY16. Whereas this year's sales record marks a 65 per cent dip over the firm's Q1 figures in FY17.
US-based investors have been the most active foreign participants in Indias start-up ecosystem over the past five years, racking up over 800 equity deals during the period.
A little over 24 hours after India and China announced an end to their military stand-off in the Doklam region, New Delhi on Tuesday confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China to attend the BRICS Summit from September 3 to 5.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Xiamen in China to attend the BRICS summit which will be held from September 3-5, the Ministry of External Affairs said today.

The announcement of Modi's visit comes a day after India and China ended their 73-day standoff in Doklam by withdrawing their troops from the area.

"At the invitation of the President of People's Republic of China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in China's Fujian province during September 3-5, 2017 to attend the 9th BRICS Summit," MEA said.

From China, the Prime Minister will travel to Myanmar for a state visit from September 5 to 7 at the invitation of Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw.

It will be Modi's first bilateral state visit to Myanmar.

"During the visit, Prime Minister will hold discussions with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President U Htin Kyaw. Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, he will visit Yangon and Bagan," MEA said.

Modi had visited Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw in November 2014 to attend the ASEAN summit.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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UN Security Council reform, terrorism, and climate change were among the topics discussed during General Assembly President-elect Miroslav Lajcak's meeting with the Indian leadership during which he said he is counting on India's support in finding solutions to current global challenges.

Lajcak, the President-elect of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, on Monday concluded his two-day visit to New Delhi during which he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar and the United Nations Country Team in India, headed by UN Resident Coordinator Yuri Afanasiev.

During his meeting with Modi, the Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs outlined his priorities for the upcoming General Assembly session, including improving the lives of all people, preventing conflict, sustaining peace, addressing migration, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, tackling climate change and promoting human rights, according to a press statement.

Thanking the Prime Minister for India's contribution to his office's trust fund, Lajcak said he is "counting on India's continued support" to ensure that the United Nations "remains relevant and capable of helping the world to find solutions to current challenges".

The two also discussed the fight against terrorism, poverty and youth radicalization, as well as the role of regional organizations in the international system.

Lajcak's meeting with Swaraj focused on Security Council reform, revitalization of the General Assembly, terrorism, the Sustainable Development Goals, migration, climate change, investing in youth and sustaining peace.

On human rights in general, the President-elect stressed that the international agenda must remain overarching and non-politicised, especially since human rights violations were often the first indicator of impending conflict.

At the invitation of Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, President of the Governing Body and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Research and Information Systems for Developing Countries (RIS), the President-elect also met with a group of experts on the United Nations to exchange views on the overall work of the Organisation and possibilities for its further improvement.
"Koi mujhe bacha lo (somebody save me)," jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh reportedly pleaded after being handed a combined 20-year sentence for raping two women followers. Rahim could need a saviour after all given the pending cases against him. According to the Economic Times, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will submit its final arguments in the two murder cases against the Dera chief on September 16.





ALSO READ: Gurmeet Ram Rahim sentenced to 20 years in jail: 10 crucial developments
The death of 52 infants over 30 days at Jamshedpurs Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College hospital in Jharkhand, reported on August 27, 2017, by the news agency ANI, calls to attention the health of women and extent of malnutrition in Indias 10th poorest state by per capita income.

The number of deaths is not extraordinary, B Bhushan, medical superintendent of the state-run Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College hospital, told IndiaSpend. More deaths were reported this month because more children were admitted, he said, adding that patients from Bengal too come to the hospital.
Aadhaar is again in the limelight. After the Supreme Court's historic ruling on 24 August, deeming privacy as a fundamental right under the Constitution, the issues of privacy and sharing information collected under Aadhaar is being questioned in the public.

The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016, better known as Aadhaar Bill, was passed in by both houses of the parliament on March 25th and the gazette notification was issued on 26th of March 2016.

But emboldened with the apex court's latest ruling, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has again approached the Supreme Court and now he has sought an early hearing in a challenge to the introduction of the Aadhaar Act as a money bill in Parliament.

Terming it "unconstitutional" and claiming it was incorrectly introduced as a money bill, Jairam Ramesh had challenged Aadhaar Act last year in April 2016, immediately after it was passed by both houses of the parliament. The matter is likely to be taken up on 1 September. Hearing the plea of Ramesh on Tuesday, a SC bench headed by chief justice Dipak Misra, asked his counsel P. Chidambaram to mention the matter again on Friday.

Aadhaar, which was envisioned and created by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government through an executive order on 28 January 2009, is surprisingly being opposed and challenged by the Congress party leader Jairam Ramesh.

Several aspects of Aadhaar have been contested in court over the years, and await final resolution.

The Supreme Court of India has also issued several directives on Aadhaar's permissible uses.

Here is all about NDA Government's Aadhaar and the Congress leader's logic and 'Aadhaar' to challenge it.

Although Ramesh has challenged the passing of Aadhaar as a Money Bill, but during the arguments, his challenges may have far-reaching impact, including the determination of whether India's Constitution affords a right to privacy given by the apex court recently and what the nature and limitations of such a right may be.

Aadhaar was created through an executive order in 2009 when UPA was in power. Legislation governing Aadhaar was introduced twice-in 2010 and 2016-and passed the second time in the form of the Aadhaar Act 2016.

The first Aadhaar number was issued on 29 September 2010. The creation of the UIDAI capped several years of movement towards a identity project in India. Housed under the erstwhile Planning Commission, the UIDAI was envisioned as a pan-departmental agency responsible for issuing a unique identifier - Aadhaar - to every Indian resident.

The Aadhaar Bill, 2016, which was first mooted as the Indian equivalent to the Social Security Number in the US, was passed by the Lok Sabha on March 21, 2016.

The Bill was returned by the Rajya Sabha with five key amendments, but these were turned down and the LS passed it as a Money Bill.

THE FIVE KEY AMENDMENTS

The day was marked by high drama, when the Parliament passed the controversial Aadhaar Bill, 2016, March 25th, 2016 after acrimonious debates in both Houses, even as the Opposition aired its concerns over the possibility of mass surveillance, hours after the Opposition succeeded in pushing through five amendments to the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, they were rejected in the Lok Sabha.

Here are the key amendments to the Aadhaar Bill, 2016 which were moved by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, and were passed with a majority vote in favour.

First amendment included one that sought to prevent disclosure of "biometric or demographic information" in the interests of " security" which was seen as too sweeping.

It was suggested that " security" be replaced with "public emergency or in the interests of "public safety."

Second amendment related to permitting individuals with Aadhaar numbers to opt out of the system, with the Central Identities Data Repository deleting all information and authentication records, and giving a certificate to that effect within 15 days.

Third amendment provided for alternative identification for delivery of services, subsidies and benefits to those choosing not to enrol for an Aadhaar number.

Fourth amendment mandated the inclusion of the Central Vigilance Commissioner or the Comptroller and Auditor-General in the Oversight Committee.

Fifth amendment sought the deletion of a clause that allows the Aadhaar number to be used for purposes other than those provided in the Bill.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's reply

Brushing aside the objections raised by the Opposition, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had replied all points in the Lok Sabha.

Here are the replies of Finance Minister Arun Jaitely to the major points raised by the opposition in the Lok Sabha during the debate last year in March 2016.

On the question of Privacy -

Arguing that privacy was not a fundamental right (SC ruling had not came till then), Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the Lok Sabha that the legislation's primary objective was delivery of benefits, subsidies and services to the people. He sought to reassure the House that any gaps in the law could be improved with the passage of time, but the Opposition remained unconvinced. It argued that the privacy of a billion people could be compromised.

Jaitely further said, "Privacy laws have been tightened to an extent that the data of individuals would be shared only on grounds of national security and sought to explain the difference between 'national security' and 'public safety' The decision to share the data must be taken by an officer of rank of over Joint Secretary and reviewed by a committee headed by Cabinet Secretary."

On National Security Issue

On Sitaram Yechury's demand to define the term 'national security', Jaitely said - Over the years 'national security' has become a "narrower phrase", while other phrases like 'public order' or 'public safety' ar"vague phrases". He also cited examples from U.S. laws.

Opposition on treating it as Money Bill

The Opposition had also strongly objected to the presentation of the legislation treating it as a Money Bill as this ensured that it was passed without the approval of the Rajya Sabha. Several Opposition members including Sitaram Yechury (CPI(M)), Mr. Ramesh (Congress), Naresh Agrawal (SP) and K.C. Tyagi (JD(U)) among others, opposed the government's decision to label the Aadhaar Bill as a money bill.

What is a Money Bill?

Under the Indian Constitution, a bill may be deemed a Money Bill if it contains only provisions dealing with six specific topics, or matters incidental to those topics. The topics include the imposition, alteration, or regulation of taxes, regulations relating to government borrowing, and payments to or from the Consolidated Fund of India.

According to the Constitution, Money Bill can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha. After it has been passed by the Lok Sabha, it is transmitted to the Rajya Sabha for its recommendations. The Lok Sabha may thereafter accept or reject any or all of the Rajya Sabha's recommendations. If the Lok Sabha does not accept any of the recommendations of the Rajya Sabha, the Money Bill is deemed to have passed in the form in which it was initially passed by the Lok Sabha.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's reply

Rejecting opposition's charges, Mr. Jaitley had replied, "The Lok Sabha Speaker had the final authority under the Constitution to declare a bill as money bill and nobody can question that. The Parliament cannot abdicate its right to legislate just because the issue is pending in the Supreme Court."

"One, the purpose of this Bill is distribution of government money by subsidies and the rest is incidental, so it is a money bill.

Two, merely because the executive action is challenged and pending in the Supreme Court the powers of Parliament cannot suspend the right to legislate.

Three, learning from UPA's experience, we have further tightened privacy laws much more than the UPA had in its bill," Jaitely said.

"If the principal purpose is money spent out of the Consolidated Fund of India in a particular manner and a machinery is created for spending that money, it is a Money Bill," Mr. Jaitley said in reply to the Opposition's objections to the legislation being framed as a Money Bill.

Why Aadhaar is important?

Since, the Union Government has been offering many kinds of subsidies and monetary payments to the economically weaker sections of the society, Aadhaar is important for common man, especially the economically weaker sections as a lot of the payments of subsidies which trickle down from the Centre, via a long chain of intermediaries to the final beneficiary is lost in corruption, leakages and bribes today.

The government is keen to reduce the leakages by crediting subsidies directly into the bank accounts of the recipients through its JAM initiative (Jan Dhan bank account-Aadhaar number-Mobile number).

Aadhaar - The current position

Currently, the Aadhaar Act 2016 and subsequent regulations govern the use of Aadhaar in public and private applications. Since Aadhaar's conception in 2009, its legal framework has undergone significant change.

Together they prescribe procedures for the collection, transfer, maintenance, and sharing of personal information under Aadhaar.

In addition, notifications issued by several central and state government ministries also regulate the use of Aadhaar in public service delivery.

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The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages one of the world's richest temples at Tirupathi, has deposited 2,780 Kg of gold with the State Bank of India under the Long Term Gold Deposit Scheme.
Air India has dubbed travel agents its "principal customers" and wants them to shoulder the task of the goods and service tax-related invoicing of corporate customers.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday announced that following a diplomatic breakthrough Indian troops had begun disengaging at the Doklam border site. Later in the day, reports confirmed that the disengagement exercise had been completed, after a nearly two-and-a-half-month standoff, and the Chinese side had decided to withdraw road-construction equipment from the disputed site.

The end of the Doklam standoff heralds quite possibly one of Indias most spectacular diplomatic victories in decades, and like any real victory it does not need shouting from rooftops. From beginning to end, the execution of Indias strategy here has been flawless and has achieved what India always wanted  Status Quo Ante -- and a much-needed counter to Chinas salami tactics. The magnitude of the victory is only understood when we realise how crushing a personal defeat for Xi Jinping this actually is.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard.
The cheer brought to the carmakers by the implementation of the nationwide tax structure is about to vanish. The government can anytime increase the cess by 10 per cent taking the tax on SUVs and luxury cars to as high as 53 per cent.
Martin is closing in on an international deal for F-16 fighter planes, and has offered to eventually build all the jets at a proposed plant in India if it wins a bigger order to supply the Indian Air Force, a top executive said.

The US defence giant and Sweden's Saab are in a two horse-race to equip the Indian military with at least 100 single-engine jets that have to be produced locally under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make-in-India' plan.

Randall L. Howard, who leads F-16 business development, said is offering to make India the sole F-16 production centre, so eventually it will make the planes not just for India, but also for other countries.

is closing its F-16 production line at Fort Worth, Texas and will supply new orders from a new facility at Greenville, South Carolina. But the plan was to eventually build the planes in India, Howard said.

"Our next customer, which we believe to be very soon ... we will produce those aircraft out of that (Greenville) facility," he said. "As you look beyond that, the opportunity for India is to then move all of that into India and that's what's being proposed ... to have a single production line in India that would service the new production requirements of global demand, the global market."

The government is set to issue a formal request to Lockheed and Saab over the next few days to provide information about their plans to design, develop and produce combat jets in India, a government official said.

The planes will be produced under a new 'strategic partnership' policy under which the foreign aircraft maker will collaborate with an Indian firm to develop a world-class indigenous aeronautical base that India has struggled to build for decades.

Lockheed has picked Tata Advanced Systems as its local partner, while Saab has not yet announced its Indian collaborator to produce the Gripen E aircraft that it has offered to the air force.

Howard said the plan to relocate the F-16 plant to India enjoyed the support of the U.S. government after initial concerns it would conflict with President Donald Trump's 'America First' campaign under which he has pressed for companies to invest in the United States and create jobs.

Howard said winning the Indian contract worth billions of dollars will protect thousands of jobs at Lockheed in the United States as well as at dozens of components suppliers, since the Indian facility will come up gradually.

"We will start with an assembly, you can't go from ground zero, from a standing stop to full production in a week. You have to phase it in."

India's air force is running short of hundreds of aircraft as its indigenous Light Combat Aircraft programme is dogged by delays and quality issues.

Modi's government last year cleared the purchase of 36 Rafale combat jets from France's Dassault Aviation, scaling back a plan to buy 126 planes, leaving the Air Force scrambling for replacements.
At a time when the Jan Dhan Yojana, which aims to get Indias vast unbanked population into the formal economy, completes three years, the Narendra Modi government deserves a pat on the back for more reasons than one. The newly opened bank accounts of over 295 million beneficiaries have Rs 65,845 crore deposited. Of the total beneficiaries, as many as 230 million now have debit cards and are getting a taste of the digital economy for the first time in their lives. More than 170 million of these new bank account holders are in rural and semi-urban centres of India. The number of Jan Dhan bank account holders in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh equals the population of Australia and Canada put together.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), sources say, has instructed banks to maintain the December deadline for completing the bankruptcy proceedings on their largest non-performing assets (NPAs), in addition to the 12 named in June and the ones in various stages of similar operations.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is inviting applications for the post of Lecturer (Electrical) to be hired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Institute of Technology, Pahargaon, Port Blair under Andaman and Nicobar Island Administration. 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 UR (1), OBC (0), SC (0) and ST (0). The qualified candidates would be offered the salary of Rs. 15,600-39,100 (PB-3) plus Rs. 5,400 (AGP) (Total emoluments excluding T.A. and HRA at the time of initial appointment will be Rs 56100 /-p.m. approximately) the post carries probation of one year.
Instead of merging General (formerly L&T General Insurance) with the larger entity Ergo, the promoters have gone the reverse way.
Environment Ministry asks CPCB to issue Directions to Rajasthan SPCB to ensure proper Segregation and Collection of Industrial Effluent and Sewage in Bhiwadi

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to issue directions under Section 18 (1) (b) of the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974 to Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, following the drowning of two children in a pond with industrial effluents and domestic sewage at Village Saeedpur, Dharuhera, in April 2017.

Under the Act, CPCB has directed Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) to ensure:

Proper collection, treatment and disposal of effluents and sewage at Bhiwadi Industrial area, including the surrounding villages;

That Bhiwadi Municipal Council (BMC), Rajasthan State Industrial Development & Investment Corporation (RIICO) and Rajasthan Housing Board (RHB) submit time-bound action plans individually/jointly for setting up of sewerage system for proper collection, treatment and disposal of sewage and industrial effluents generated at Bhiwadi and the villages in its vicinity to RSPCB by August 31, 2017.

That RSPCB will examine the action plans submitted at its level and get them modified, if required, by September 15, 2017;

That RSPCB will forward the action plans to CPCB by September 29, 2017;

That the effluents from existing cesspools created due to indiscriminate disposal of untreated/partially treated effluents and sewage will be pumped to the newly-created Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and existing CETP for treatment and such pits shall be kept dry;

CPCB, in turn, will examine the said action plans and will forward the action plans to the Ministry by October 16, 2017, so that facilities are in place by January 31, 2018;

That CPCB will monitor the implementation of the said action plans and submit a monthly progress report, starting from November 30, 2017 till March 31, 2018.

The Union Government, through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, is providing funds to urban local bodies for proper collection, treatment and disposal of sewage under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) through concerned State Governments Including Government of Rajasthan, in the instance case.
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh addressed a gathering at 100 years of Excellence In Sugarcane Research: variety 205 to variety 0238" (sugarcane variety) and New India Manthan Sankal Se Siddhi" events, organised by ICAR- Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Regional Centre, Karnal here. Shri Singh informed the gathering that with the help of Sir Dr Venkatraman, for the first time, hybrid clone variety 205 (Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum) was developed for sub-tropical climate, which was launched in 1918 for commercial farming. The hybrid clone led to 50% increase in sugarcane production in North India and popular species like Saccharum Barberi and Saccharum Sinensis were left far behind. .

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Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that after developing species 205, Sugarcane Breeding Institute developed several other hybrid clones for sub-tropical condition and they remained sought after for a long time. After that, the institute developed species 312, first amazing cane variety for the subtropical climate in 1928 and in 1933, it developed species 419 for tropical climate. .

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Shri Singh said during three years of Modi government, a significant increase in sugarcane yield and sugar recoveries have been witnessed in the northern states after expansion of species 0238 in the region. In the last season, 0238 was cultivated in 36% cane area in Uttar Pradesh, 63% in Punjab, 39% in Haryana, 17% in Uttarakhand and 16% in Bihar. Shri Radha Mohan Singh said species 0238 and 0118 have become the first choice of sugar mills in north India. The sugarcane farmers are reaping higher yield from the species 0238 and sugar mills are getting more sugar. Sugarcane farmers can make the best of intercropping technique and increase their income by growing oilseeds, pulses, potatoes, and cucumber with cane. .

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Union Agriculture Minister said that he is not only here to celebrate the 100 years of Excellence In Sugarcane Research, but also to share that the nation is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement. On August 9, 1942, using sacrifice, penance, and courage as their tool, the youth pledged to free India from barbarous British Rule and the movement led to the countrys freedom in 1947. Shri Singh said that the grand campaign of the country's independence from 1942 to 15 August 1947 is remembered as Sankalp Se Siddhi. .

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In the end, Shri Radha Mohan Singh urged people to make a pledge to build a New India by 2022 when we celebrate 75th anniversary of Independence and take honesty to the highest level. .

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Fourth Session of the India-Tanzania Joint Trade Committee (JTC)

The Fourth Session of the India-Tanzania Joint Trade Committee meeting was held in New Delhi, on 29th September, 2017. The Indian delegation was led by Honble Minister for State for Commerce and Industry (Independent Charge) Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman. The Tanzanian delegation was led by the Honble, Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment Mr. Charles John Mwijage.

The Honble Minister of State(C&I) Ms Nirmala Sitharaman in her opening remarks highlighted that India and Tanzania enjoy close and cordial relations and underscored the unwavering bonds of friendship and solidarity, underpinned by a shared history of struggle against colonialism and the growing strategic partnership, multifaceted co-operation and vibrant people to people contact existing between the two countries.

During the meeting Honble Prime Ministers state visit to Tanzania on 9-10 July 2016 was recalled. During the visit, discussions were held on all aspects of bilateral cooperation.

It was mentioned that Tanzania is one of the most important countries in Africa in so far as Indias bilateral co-operation in various sectors is concerned.

With an investment of US $ 2.2 billion, Tanzania is among the top 5 investment destinations for India. The Indian side conveyed to the Tanzanian side that the potential areas for Tanzania in India include Light oils and petroleum or bituminous minerals, motor cars and vehicles, medicaments etc Similarly, Metals and Minerals, dried cashew nuts in shells from Tanzania are required in India.

The Tanzanian side encouraged co-operation in the field of Fisheries, Industrial Development including Industrial Research and Development and SMEs Development, Information, Communication and Technology, Labour and Employment, Information, Culture, Arts and Sports.

The Indian Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme of which Tanzania is a beneficiary has boosted considerably Tanzanian export to India in recent years. India and Tanzania agreed to enhance sectoral co-operation based on respective needs and comparative advantage for mutual benefit.

In the sectoral co-operation Gems and Jewellery, energy (Hydro/Thermal/Gas/Diesel/solar power plants), Oil and Natural Gas, Mining, Transport, Agriculture, Water Supply Projects, Human Resource Development, Capacity Building and trade promotion were discussed.

A liberal visa regime facilitates trade and investments. Visa on arrival is available in Tanzania though only for a three-month period. During the discussions, it was mentioned that long-term (at least one year visas) for reputed business companies with multi-entry facility will be helpful to promote investments and business collaboration between the two countries.

The discussion concluded in a warm and cordial atmosphere reflecting the friendly relations between the two countries. The meeting concluded with the signing of the mutually agreed document.
The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the YUVA a skill development programme and an initiative by Delhi Police under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, here today. .

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Speaking on the occasion, Shri Rajnath Singh said that these kind of initiatives improve the image of the police among common man. He said that it is a big task that Delhi Police has opened skill development training centres in the police stations. He said that the 21st Century India will also like to see Indian police in this form only. The Home Minister said that core policing is important for any police, but at the same time the police should also adopt people-friendly measures and increase their social interaction. He also thanked the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for the YUVA project. .

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Shri Rajnath Singh said that the Police should engage with the youth who are prone to drug addiction and other crimes. He expressed happiness over the fact that efforts are being made that about 70-80% youth under this project get employment. He further said that it is the collective responsibility of the police and the society to bring the youth of the country on right path. He appreciated the fact that Delhi Police has started this project with the same objective in mind. .

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Addressing the gathering, the Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the skill development has increased the employability among the youth. He said that the system in the country needs to be such that it gives enough importance to the skills possessed by any individual. He added that many skills are in huge demand world over and our youth can tap this opportunity, if groomed properly. .

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Speaking on the occasion, Lt. Governor, Delhi, Shri Anil Baijal said that the Government is making efforts to reorient the working of Delhi Police. He also emphasised that the police should establish connect with the youth and community. He also said that the YUVA programme is a big initiative to make youth employable. .

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The Delhi Police Commissioner, Shri Amulya Patnaik also emphasised on the need of social service along with prevention of crimes. He said that due to this project, a lot of alienated youth can be brought into the mainstream. .

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The YUVA initiative by Delhi Police aims to connect with youth by upgrading their skill as per their competencies. It will help them to get a gainful employment under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna under the Ministry of Skill Development. Delhi Police has tied up with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for providing mass job linked skill training for the selected youth. National Skill Development Corporation shall be providing skill training to the youth under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY) and CII will provide job linked training through its Sector Skill Councils who are connected to industry and thereby provide job guarantee. .

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A detailed exercise was conducted in all 13 districts of Delhi Police to select the youth in the age of 17-25 years for this training belonging to categories such as School dropouts, Juvenile offenders, Victims of crimes and families in dire state due to incarceration of the bread earner of the family, mostly from the underprivileged colonies. .

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So far, 2,269 candidates have been selected to be trained by 36 training partners in 45 skills in the next three months. A total of 32 police station buildings have been identified where Skill Development Centers would be opened at the earliest. .

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The youth coming for skill training in a police station building will be a huge step in building up their confidence and faith in police organization and will go a long way in building a positive image of police in the long run. .

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Visit of Prime Minister to China and Myanmar (September 3-7, 2017)

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At the invitation of the President of Peoples Republic of China, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in Chinas Fujian province during September 3-5, 2017 to attend the 9th BRICS Summit. .

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Subsequently, Prime Minister will pay a State visit to Myanmar from September 5-7, 2017 at the invitation of H.E. U Htin Kyaw, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. This will be Prime Minister Modis first bilateral State visit to Myanmar. During the visit, Prime Minister will hold discussions with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President U Htin Kyaw. Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, he will visit Yangon and Bagan. .

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An explosion occurred on a busy shopping street near the heavily-fortified US embassy in central Kabul on Tuesday, officials said, killing at least one and injuring eight.

"An explosion has happened near Massoud Square in Kabul. We have no more details yet," Najib Danish, a spokesman for Afghanistan's interior ministry, told AFP.

An official in the ministry added that the blast happened outside a bank at a time when many security forces personnel were expected to be collecting their salaries ahead of this week's Eid holiday.

"One dead and eight wounded people have been brought to Kabul hospitals so far," Waheed Majroh, health ministry spokesman, told AFP.

The blast occurred around 10:00 am (0530 GMT) on a street lined with banks and shops leading to Massoud Square near the United States embassy, close to Kabul's diplomatic area.

It was the latest explosion to rock the war-weary Afghan capital and comes a week after United States President Donald Trump committed American soldiers to Afghanistan indefinitely.

In May, a massive truck bomb ripped through Kabul's diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians.

(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 next major cyberattack could involve artificial intelligence systems. It could even happen soon: At a recent cybersecurity conference, 62 industry professionals, out of the 100 questioned, said they thought the first AI-enhanced cyberattack could come in the next 12 months.
The number and exuberance of white nationalists who descended on Charlottesville sent emotional tremors through the nation. Some worried that this was the beginning of an expanding movement that would hearken us back to darker times.
UN chief Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on countries, including India, to ensure that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty comes into force soon, saying North Korea's continued nuclear tests demonstrate the need for a legally-binding prohibition.

In his message on the Day against Nuclear Tests, the UN secretary general said for almost 20 years, a global norm has existed against nuclear testing based on voluntarily unilateral moratoriums. While this restraint should be applauded, it is not enough.

"More than 2,000 nuclear tests have been conducted over the past seven decades - from the South Pacific to North America, from Central Asia to North Africa. They have harmed some of the world's most vulnerable people and pristine ecosystems," he said.

Guterres' message comes as nuclear-armed North Korea fired a missile which flew over Japan, one of its most provocative missile tests in recent years that prompted Tokyo to warn residents in its path to take cover.

"Continued nuclear tests by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea demonstrate that even the strongest norm is no substitute for a legally-binding prohibition," the UN chief said.

The missile travelled around 2,700 kilometres (1,700 miles) at a maximum altitude of around 550 kilometres. No North Korean missile had overflown Japan for years, and the launch came after a strained period on the peninsula following Pyongyang's testing of two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) last month that appeared to bring much of the US mainland within reach.

Guterres said to ensure that no nation can conduct another test, it is essential that the CTBT, Treaty banning all nuclear explosions, finally enter into force.

Eight more Annex 2 states need to ratify the Treaty to accomplish this.

Annex 2 states are the states that must ratify the treaty and deposit their instruments of ratification with the secretary-general of the United Nations for the CTBT to enter into force.

There are eight Annex 2 states that have yet to ratify the Treaty - China, Egypt, Iran, Israel, and the US, which have signed the Treaty, and North Korea, India, and Pakistan, which have not signed.

"I urge all countries yet to join the CTBT to do so as soon as possible," Guterres said.

Last year, the Security Council had adopted its first resolution focused solely on nuclear testing and Guterres expressed hope that it would represent a new momentum towards taking the essential next step in ridding the world of the menace of nuclear weapons.

The CTBT was negotiated at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and adopted by the UN General Assembly. It opened for signature on 24 September 1996. Since then, it has reached near-universality and 182 countries have signed it.
Former Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit sent an official letter to Islamabad's Ambassador to the United States Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, pointing out to him that he was "the worst foreign secretary ever."

The letter, sent on July 25, 2017, was issued in reference with Chaudhry's valedictory letter (FSO-1/2017 of March 12, 2017), as the foreign secretary and on the official letter head of Pakistan's High Commission in New Delhi.

The letter carried signatures of the former high commissioner.

"More I think the more I am convinced that you have been the worst foreign secretary ever," he wrote.

"My concern is that you would also end up being the worst Pakistan ambassador in Washington DC. The reasons are simple. First, you are not made for the delicate profession of diplomacy."

"I can cite many examples, the Ufa Joint Statement and Pakistan humiliating defeat at the Human Rights Council are sufficient to prove my point.

Second and it is more worrisome, your heart is not in the right place," the letter added.

Basit, in the letter, further suggested that he "strongly feel that it is in Pakistan's interest that you should immediately be removed from Washington DC."

"If not so, you should not be given extension beyond your superannuation on February 27, 2018. May Allah help Pakistan when people like you with weak and dubious credentials are at such important positions," Basit concluded.

Basit also sent a copy of the letter to the Director of the Foreign Secretary's Office (FSO), Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For the uninitiated, Abdul Basit had requested, in July, for a premature retirement from the service, as he was set to retire in April 2018.

Sohail Mahmood is now set to take charge as Pakistan's new High Commissioner to India. Earlier, he was Pakistan's ambassador to Turkey.
Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday called the launch of ballistic missiles, which has reportedly passed over Japanese territory as "an unprecedented, grave and serious threat" that damages the peace and security of the region.

Abe added that Tokyo had lodged a firm protest with Pyongyang on the same and added that the government would take "full steps" to ensure the safety of it nationals, reported the Japanese Times.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Taro Kono said that the government is requesting the United Nation to convene a United Nations Security Council meeting on the same.

North Korea, on Tuesday morning, launched ballistic missiles, which has reportedly passed over Japan, has broken into three pieces and fallen 1,180 kilometers from Cape Erimo into the waters off Hokkaido.

No damage or injury has been reported till now; the Japanese Government has said the utmost effort would be made to protect the nation's public.

In the wake of recovery of remains of the parts of missiles, the Japanese Government warned the people in northern Japan to prepare for a potential incoming missile from Pyongyang.

This has been confirmed by the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, who said that the ballistic missile was fired from near Pyongyang.

Even the Pentagon confirmed that North Korea conducted missile launch in last 90 minutes, which flew over Japan.

"We are still in the process of assessing this launch. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America," Pentagon spokesman Col. Rob Manning said in a statement.

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United States President Donald Trump has warned North Korea that "all options are on the table" after Pyongyang escalated tensions by firing a ballistic missile that passed over Japan.

"The has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: this regime has signalled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour," Trump said in a statement.

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the . All options are on the table," he added.

North Korea on Tuesday launched ballistic missile which reportedly passed over Japan and broke into three pieces and fell1,180 kilometers from Cape Erimo into the waters off Hokkaido.

In the wake of recovery of remains of the parts of missiles, the Japanese Government warned the people in northern Japan to prepare for a potential incoming missile from Pyongyang.

Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday called the launch of ballistic missile by North Korea as "an unprecedented, grave and serious threat" that damages the peace and security of the region.

Abe added that Tokyo had lodged a firm protest with Pyongyang on the same and added that the government would take "full steps" to ensure the safety of it nationals.

Meanwhile, Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono said that the government is requesting the United Nation to convene a United Nations Security Council meeting on the same.

According to local media reports, Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Tuesday said the U.S., Japan and South Korea have called for an emergency meeting of the organization's Security Council.

Haley said "something serious has to happen," adding, "enough is enough."

Trump also spoke with Abe to address North Korea's launch of a missile that overflew Japanese territory.

The two leaders agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, as well as to countries around the .

President Trump and Prime Minister Abe committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the international community to do the same.

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Suspended principal of the Baba Raghav Das (B.R.D.) Medical College Rajiv Mishra and his wife Purnima were arrested from Kanpur on Tuesday in connection with the deaths of over 70 infants at Gorakhpur hospital in a week.

The couple has been taken to Gorakhpur by the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh police.

Earlier, an FIR was lodged against the suspended principal of the B.R.D medical college, Dr. Rajiv Misra, along with six other hospital personnel, and two officials of the oxygen-supplying agency Pushpa Sales Private Limited, Manish Bhandari and Uday Pratap Sharma under the charges of criminal negligence.

The FIR states that the breach in fulfilling the responsibility of supplying oxygen on the part of the Pushpa Sales comes under the section of criminal negligence, as they were informed of the depleting stock of liquid oxygen by the B.R.D Medical college staff.

The FIR also stated that the government hospital had received a total fund of Rs. 454 lakh for the financial year 2017-18, of which Rs. 63.65 lakh was supposed to be given to Pushpa Sales in April.

Therefore, the B.R.D hospital personnel have been charged for "deliberately not submitting the payment despite repeated written request by the supplier to the principal" in want of bribe.

The FIR also accused principal Misra of staying absent from office on August 10 when media reported the deaths, thus indicating a "criminal conspiracy" on his part.

It also accused Misra and his wife of corruption, supported by statements given by Dr. Shukla's hospital staff that she had obtained illegal amounts of money and had a significant role in the corrupt activities of Dr. Misra.

Others have been accused of neglecting their respective duties in anticipation of bribe, that resulted in deaths.

Dr. K.K. Gupta, Director General, Medical Education registered the FIR under the orders of Uttar Pradesh government at the Hazratganj Police Station, Lucknow on August 23.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered for a strict action against the hospital staff and Pushpa Sales Pvt. Ltd., the firm that had allegedly cut off oxygen supply over non-payment of dues, after he was briefed about the Gorakhpur tragedy by a committee that he formed for looking into the matter.

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While torrential rains have brought India's commercial capital to a standstill, will remain open on Wednesday.

Further, all segments of D-Street will function as scheduled.

Earlier in the day, between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, 297.6mm of rainfall was recorded in a mere span of nine hours, reaching a record high compared to any 24-hour rain in August in a decade.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that there would be no relief for the state in the coming hours, and heavy showers are expected to continue.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Public Relations Officer (PRO) said that the leaves of all BMC employees have been cancelled and they were asked to join their duty in lieu of the incessant downpour.

Mumbai is currently witnessing traffic slowdown, in addition to the suspension of Kopar Khairane-Thane transharbour services and Kalva-Thane suburban services, due to water logging. Further, Western Railways said services between Churchgate and Andheri were suspended because of heavy rains and water logging (upto 300mm above rail level) between Lower Parel, Elphistone and Dadar.

A tube boat is being used for rescue operations in Dadar, which is facing massive water logging.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said due to IMD warnings, people in Mumbai and areas around the city are advised to stay home unless there is an emergency.

Fadnavis also instructed suspension of toll collection at all Mumbai entry points and sea link till situation is back to normal.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde said all educational institutions in Mumbai will remain closed tomorrow.

The Indian Navy has deployed five flood rescue teams and two diving teams to render assistance at different locations across Mumbai.

With the downpours coming at a time when the city is basking with festive fervour on account of Ganesh Chaturthi, various religious institutions such as the famous Siddhivinayak Temple and Gurdwaras (Sikh place of worship) extended assistance in the form of food and shelter to those stranded in the rains.
Bail plea of Vikas Barala, accused in the Chandigarh stalking case, was dismissed by a district court on Tuesday.

Vikas is the son of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Haryana unit President Subhash Barala.

Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar had been earlier sent to judicial custody till August 25.

On August 5, Vikas was arrested on the charges of stalking and harassing an IAS officer's daughter Varnika Kundu in Chandigarh. But, he was granted bail on the same day.

After massive outrage on streets and in the Parliament, the accused appeared before a Chandigarh court last Thursday.

The notice was issued to both the accused, under 160 Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the case was filed against Barala under Section 354D (stalking), 341 (wrongful restraint), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 185 MV Act (rash driving).

Subhash Barala, however, rebuffed the claim of pressurising or influencing the police in the case.

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China's Special Envoy on Afghanistan Affairs Ambassador Deng Xijun has said there is a need for a politically-negotiated settlement through an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process in Afghanistan.

Xijun was called on by Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Monday afternoon to discuss "regional and efforts for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan", The Dawn reported.

The envoy said their efforts towards eliminating terrorism should be recognised by the community.

"Ambassador Deng Xijun reaffirmed China's continuing and firm support to Pakistan's commitment and efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan," a press release issued by the Foreign Office stated.

"Emphasising that there was no military solution to the conflict, he underlined the need for a politically-negotiated settlement through an Afghan-led Afghan-owned peace process," it added.

Both countries have agreed to strengthen cooperation in "facilitating peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan as well as promoting meaningful engagement between the three neighbourly countries," the release said.

However, the United States may ask China to put pressure on Pakistan to act against Afghan Taliban and other terror groups having sanctuaries inside Islamabad.



The U.S. may carry out strikes in Pakistan as part of its new regional strategy for stabilising Afghanistan, its Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, a day after President Donald Trump announced a change in America's approach to Pakistan. The aid being provided to Pakistan, and its status as a non-NATO ally are on the review table, but China may view with suspicion any U.S. moves to expand the scope of drone strikes beyond the tribal areas.

As China has economic and strategic interests in Pakistan that involve tens of billions of dollars in investment. The marked shift in Beijing foreign policy is due to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which Chinese officials have described as the flagship for President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road initiative.



China will provide a stronger support than it did the last time when U.S.-Pakistan tensions deteriorated after the 2011 special forces raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.

"Beijing's interests in Pakistan have shifted markedly in recent years, and Beijing cannot be expected to react the same way that it did in the Abbottabad aftermath."

For a successful implementation of new U.S. South Asia strategy, U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a warning to Pakistan authorities that if Islamabad continues to support the Afghan Taliban and other terror groups in Pakistan, then the Trump administration is likely to impose sanctions on them and may carry out air raids inside Pakistan.
Union Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday shared the defence strategies of the country.

In India's current geo-political situation that poses multiple threats to its security, Jaitley said that "defence preparedness itself is our best defence."

The Union Minister was at Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad to hand over a long range surface-to-air missile to the Indian Navy.

"Indian navy has become the proud owner of yet another important weaponry in its armory," the Defence Minister said on the occasion.

Jaitley then went on to talk about the security and India's defence policies.

"India has to remain prepared. Our defence preparedness itself is our best defence and therefore we need to equip our forces with all the support system that they require," he said.

He also said that there's no reason why the ministry shouldn't further expand the manufacture of support system to the forces that are required in India.

India's ever-growing and accomplished human resource along with it being one of the fastest growing economies, Jaitley said, has allowed the spending on science and research and also for defence.

Another reason to expand defence manufacture for Jaitley is the increasing threat to security.

"In the current geo-political situation, we are located at a place where we have multiple threats and to face those multiple threats our preparedness itself is our best defence," he said.

"It is extremely important that India's defence manufacturing policy itself needs to grow," he added.

Discussing the strategic partner policy, Jaitley said that the ministry is trying for the defence sector to be more sulf-sufficient and indigenous in areas where the country was entirely dependent on equipment being brought from outside.

"We are inviting Indian private sector along with our foreign partners to come and invest in India; We want India from a net buyer of defence equipment to become as much self sufficient and indigenous as possible and hopefully in foreseeable future, to also become a supplier to other friendly countries in the world," he said, stressing that this move will add to our defence as well as economic growth.

With the rapid change in the defence policies and advancement in technology, Jaitley said that the country's defence strategy "will continue to become stronger by the day.

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Reports were doing the rounds recently, suggesting that the cast of 'Baadshaho,' including Ajay Devgn, stormed out of Kapil Sharma's show, owing to cancellation of the shoot.

The actor has finally addressed the issue, denying the fact that he walked off from the sets of 'The Kapil Sharma Show' after the host cancelled the shoot, reportedly at the last minute.

"Shows have been cancelled quite a number of times. I really don't know what happened exactly. But reports said that we left the sets in anger. We did not leave in anger. We left as he had not reached the sets till then. He is a friend," said the 'Shivaay' star, who was in the national capital to promote his upcoming movie 'Baadshaho.'

He further stated, "When I'll talk to him next, well get to know what was wrong. Kapil must have had some problem. But I really don't know. So, if there is anger or not, I cant really answer your question."

The 48-year-old actor also dismissed the claim that Shah Rukh Khan was also miffed with the comedian and said that it is all created by the media.

"There is nothing like that. Shah Rukh Khan has not issued any such statement. There is nothing like what you are making it out to be. We are colleagues. All of us want to do a better job. We always meet each other with good faith."

Helmed by Milan Luthria, 'Baadshaho' stars Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Ileana D'Cruz and Esha Gupta in pivotal roles.

The flick is slated to release on September 1.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has deemed the decision of the Indian and Chinese troops to withdraw from Doklam as a welcome development and stressed that the matter is too small to hamper the relationship between both the countries.

BJP leader Ram Madhav, while speaking to ANI, said, "What happened yesterday is a welcome development. Both India and China have accepted that this is too heavy a price to pay in our relations. It was a mature decision."

Refuting claims that calling off the armies is a temporary solution before the BRICS summit, he said that India has held itself with dignity throughout the whole ordeal.

"It is a combination of firm ground posture and mature diplomatic endeavour. Maintaining peace in the border is a pre-requisite for maintaining good bilateral relations," he said.

He also stressed that the BRICS summit would play an important role in strengthening the relationship between the two countries.

On Monday, India and China agreed to end their over two-month-long stand-off in the Doklam Plateau by reaching an understanding not to let their long standing differences become disputes.

India-China stand-off at Doklam, near the Sikkim-Tibet-Bhutan trijunction, had been going on for more than two months and the situation arose after China started constructing a road in the area. India objected to the road construction after the Chinese troops ignored Bhutanese protests, triggering a face-off on June 16.

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Bhutan has welcomed the disengagement understanding between India and China at the face-off site in the Doklam area.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thimphu on Tuesday released a statement, in which it expressed hope that the agreement between the two neighbouring nations translates to maintenance of peace and tranquility.

"We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquility and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries," the statement said.

A week before the BRICS summit, India and China on Monday ended the Doklam stand-off by agreeing for disengagement of their troops at the disputed frontier.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Beijing would continue to patrol the region.

"Chinese personnel conducted an on-site check at the disputed area at 2.30 pm (Beijing time). China will continue to safeguard its territorial sovereignty according to historical boundary treaties. China's border guards will continue to patrol the area. At the same time and in view of the changed situation, the Chinese side will make the necessary adjustments and deployments," MFA spokesperson Hua Chunyin said, adding that the settlement of the issue through diplomacy was "in line with the interests of both countries."

The stand-off at the trijunction with Bhutan had sparked fears for Thimphu that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) might aggressively seize the disputed territory along their western border.

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Commenting on the 'disengagement' understanding between India and China over the 71-day military stand-off at Doklam, Dhruva Jaishankar, an analyst at Brookings India, on Tuesday asserted that India has achieved its primary goal by compelling China to withdraw from the road project.

Speaking to ANI here, Jaishankar said, "This was the bottom line; the road building equipment that China was using has been moved back. I think we will seek more details about it in the near future. But this seems to have been verified by the government as well. So, that ultimately was India's primary objective and that seems to have been met."

"It is obvious that the Chinese had highlighted the issues they wanted to highlight for their audiences. From the India's statement, it was deliberately vague but the big news is this that both have resolved the matter peacefully and diplomatically," he added.

Averring that this is not the first time that China has gone back on an agreement, the Brookings India' analyst stated that now India has to be a bit more watchful about Chinese intentions and in judging other countries as well.

"This is not the first time that China has gone back on an agreement. It did so with the Philippines years ago. Even in doing this act in Doklam, it has violated return agreements with India and with Bhutan. I think now there will be a great deal of watchfulness about the Chinese intentions both in this sector and across the border, including in another aspects of China and Indian relationship," he mentioned.

Speaking about the Bhutan Government, Jaishankar said, "They showed a lot of courage, restraint and a great deal of maturity under a lot of stress to refrain from making any statements."

In a coordinated announcement on Monday, the Indian and Chinese foreign ministries both announced that troops have started disengaging at the Doklam bowl, where they have been in a stand-off since June 16, when the Indian Army moved hundreds of soldiers and two bulldozers into the disputed area to block road construction by China.

On Monday, New Delhi stated that, after weeks of diplomatic negotiations between the two countries, "expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to and is on-going."

Meanwhile, Beijing announced that "on the afternoon of August 28, the Indian side has pulled back all the trespassing personnel and equipment to the Indian side of the boundary and the Chinese personnel on the ground has (sic) verified this.
Former minister of External Affairs Salman Khurshid, in regard to India and China's agreement to end their over two-month-long stand-off in the Doklam Plateau, said that ensuring peace with China at the cost of Indian Territory is not acceptable.

"Ensuring peace with China is something that we support, but not at the cost of Indian Territory and honour of our nation," he told ANI.

The Congress leader further said, "There's a word in English called sequitur, and the opposite of it is non sequitur. If something doesn't follow from something, it is called non sequitur. But what is it that they are saying? Have they clearly said what the problem was? Have they said that the problem has been resolved? Have they then said that we, therefore, now do not need to be excited about whatever China was doing? China was apparently building a road."

India-China stand-off at Doklam, near the Sikkim-Tibet-Bhutan trijunction had been going on for more than two months and the situation arose after China started constructing a road in the area.

India objected to the road construction after the Chinese troops ignored Bhutanese protests, triggering a face-off on June 16.

Speaking on the same, Khurshid added, "Now, we don't know if they have said that we will not build the road. They have certainly said that they will continue to patrol. Either of those is an assertion of some kind of sovereignty over that area, which we don't accept. Now, if they will continue to patrol, will we also patrol? And if both of us will continue to patrol, how it is different from what has happened today? And if we will not patrol and we are withdrawing, have we seeded to China and accepted China's perception? I am sorry, this is no way diplomacy and certainly no way of keeping the country informed about what you are doing."

On Monday, India and China agreed to end their over two-month-long stand-off in the Doklam Plateau by reaching an understanding not to let their long standing differences become disputes.

"In recent weeks, India and China have maintained diplomatic communication in respect of the incident at Doklam. During these communications, we were able to express our views and convey our concerns and interests," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The ministry further said," On the basis, expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to and is ongoing."

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.

Meanwhile, official sources informed ANI on Monday, as India and China agreed to end their over two-month-long standoff in the Doklam, status quo in the region has been restored as it existed two months ago prior to the standoff.

The sources said that all roads building equipment in the region has been withdrawn by Chinese side including bulldozers, tents and construction equipment.

"It was a triumph of diplomacy as both India and China, being great powers, agreed to settle this issue through dialogue & discussion," sources told ANI.

According to sources, India stood firm on its ground, which made clear to China that there would be no backing down on this issue and hence New Delhi reached a settlement on Monday.

It is pertinent to mention here that all embassies wanted to brief India on which way things were going between the two sides on the standoff issue but India made it clear that it was something which it would handle on its own without help or interference from other countries.

The agreement to disengage in Doklam comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's likely visit to China for the BRICS summit.

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At least nine people have lost their lives as a result of the catastrophic flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, said the officials in Texas.

Six of the persons belong from Harris County, home to Houston; one in Rockport, near where Harvey made landfall; and another in La Marque, near Galveston, reported the Washington Post.

The Texas authorities expects the death toll to rise in the coming days as rescue efforts continue and more rain, rising rivers and surging floodwaters pummel the Gulf Coast.

As per the weather department, up to 20 inches of additional rain could be witnessed in parts of Texas and Louisiana by Thursday.

Till now around 2,000 people have been rescued and more than 30,000 people would be forced from their homes. But yet the full toll of Harvey's destruction remained unclear due to the deluge.

President Donald Trump will also visit the flood hit area in Texas on Tuesday.

He earlier assured that the provision of quick action by the government to provide relief for the areas devastated by the Hurricane Harvey.

"I think that you're going to see very rapid action from Congress, certainly from the president . you're going to get your funding," he said.

Trump also approved a Louisiana emergency declaration as rain and flooding from Hurricane Harvey's aftermath continued to hit the region.

This move from the President gives the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) the authorization to "coordinate all disaster relief efforts".

The White House, in a statement, said, "The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts."

"This action will help to alleviate the hardship and suffering that the emergency has inflicted on the local population," added the White House

Trump had already announced a disaster proclamation for Texas, granting the state federal aid as Harvey made landfall.

The storm is Trump's first major natural disaster in office and will be the first major hurricane to hit the U.S. since 2005.

The President is closely monitoring the storm as it approached the U.S.

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested eight people including Inspector General of Police and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in connection with custodial death of a Shimla gang rape accused.

The gang rape accused was arrested along with five others for allegedly raping and killing a 16-year-old girl in Kotkhai area of Himachal Pradesh's Shimla.

Al the six accused were arrested after the father of the minor girl lodged a complaint with the Kotkhai Police Station.

The accused gang raped and murdered the girl when she was returning home from school on July 5.

Her body was reportedly found a day after she went missing from nearby forest area.

The CBI is investigating the case.

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Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday charged India with harming his country's hydel and agricultural projects.

Asif made these remarks while addressing a ceremony at the Institute of Strategic Studies.

Criticising India for allegedly violating the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, Asif said New Delhi has stopped abiding by the treaty and has constructed various projects in violation of the treaty.

Terming the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty as an important one between the two countries, Asif urged the Indian side to abide by the treaty as India does.

"It is in the interest of both India and Pakistan to honour the treaty," Geo News quoted Asif, as saying.

The World Bank had earlier this month allowed India to construct hydroelectric power plants on the Jhelum and Chenab Rivers after secretary-level discussions between India and Pakistan on the technical issues over the Indus Waters Treaty concluded this week in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation.

"Both India and Pakistan have agreed to continue discussions over the Indus Waters Treaty and reconvene in September in Washington, DC," the World Bank said in a brief statement.

India is permitted to construct the Kishenganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts)hydroelectric power plants on Jhelum and the Chenab rivers as specified in the Indus Waters Treaty .But Pakistan has opposed whether the technical design features of the two hydroelectric plants contravene the treaty.

"The plants are on respectively a tributary of the Jhelum and the Chenab Rivers. The treaty designates these two rivers as well as the Indus as the "Western Rivers" to which Pakistan has unrestricted use. Among other uses, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on these rivers subject to constraints specified in Annexures to the treaty," the World Bank stated in a factsheet.

Both India and Pakistan are expected to meet in United States next month to continue discussions over the Indus Waters Treaty.

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory.

The World Bank stated in its factsheet that Pakistan has asked it to facilitate the setting up of aCourt of Arbitration to look into its concerns about the designs of the two hydroelectric power projects.However, India has asked for the appointment of a Neutral Expert for the same purpose.

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim had announced in December 2016 that the World Bank would pause before taking further steps in each of the two processes requested by the parties.

Since December 2016, the World Bank has worked towards an amicable resolution of the matter and to safeguard the Treaty.
The Indian Navy has put up four rain shelters for Mumbaikars stranded away from their homes due to incessant rains and water logging in the city over the last 36 hours. This is in addition to almost 1700 Defence Civilians, including ladies, being accommodated with the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai and 400 civilian employees being accommodated at Anger and Noorbhoy building.

One shelter is located at the Sailors' Institute 'Sagar' at Cooperage which is close to Churchgate station as well as Colaba and Nariman Point areas. The other three shelters are located at the naval base INS Trata at Worli, the naval base INS Hamla at Marve near Malad and the Material Organisation campus at Ghatkopar.

Contact numbers for the shelters are: Sagar, Cooperage - 22848518, INS Trata, Worli - 24933795, 24920492, INS Hamla, Marve - 29992600, 29992700 and Material Organisation Ghatkopar - 8422806253, 25043606.

These shelters will operate to provide a safe haven and basic food, water and first aid for Mumbaikars till the situation improves and waters recede.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that there would no relief for the state in the coming hours and heavy showers are expected to continue.

Mumbai on Tuesday recorded 297.6mm rain in 9 hours (8:30am-5:30pm), higher than any 24-hour rain in August in a decade.

The traffic in Mumbai has come to a standstill owing to the heavy downpour.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday cancelled the leaves of all its employees and asked them to join their duty in the wake of torrential rains in the city.

According to BMC Control Room, 200 trees/ branches fell and 70 short circuits were reported till Tuesday evening.

Electricity supply failed at Sion Hospital. Resident doctors said only the emergency ward is working.

Central?Railway said that Kopar Khairane-Thane transharbour services and Kalva-Thane suburban services have been suspended due to water logging.

Western Railways said that services between Churchgate and Andheri are still suspended because of heavy rains and water logging (upto 300mm above rail level) between Lower Parel, Elphistone and Dadar.

A tube boat is being used for rescue operations in Dadar,which is facing massive water logging.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that due to IMD warnings, people in Mumbai and areas around the city are advised to stay home unless there is an emergency.

Fadnavis also instructed suspension of toll collection at all Mumbai entry points and sea link till situation is back to normal.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde said that all educational institutions in Mumbai will remain closed tomorrow.

President Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minsiter Rajnath Singh expressed concern over the heavy downpour in Mumbai.

The rains have come when the city is celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. Ganesh pandals have come forward to help out people stranded in the rains. And, Gurudwaras have also come forward to serve langar (food) to needy people.

Siddhivinayak temple is providing shelter, tea and snacks to people stuck in the area.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In its quest to help women on a career break make a comeback, JobsForHer will host 'RestartHer', a conference and career fair in Bangalore on September 16 this year.

RestartHer provides opportunities for companies to improve their diversity ratios and hire experienced professionals - available at no notice period, and waiting to jump back in, feet first. Companies which are paving way for women to get back to work include large enterprises like Epsilon (Platinum Sponsor), Diageo and Facebook (Gold Sponsors), Caterpillar, Citibank, Dell, Ezetap, Manipal Group, Myntra and Thomson Reuters.

There will be companies recruiting women across industries ranging from banking, tech, FMCG, operations, healthcare, education, and so on, in functional areas ranging from marketing, sales, software development, HR, and writing, across experience levels ranging from 2-20 years and in job types from full-time, part-time, work-from-home, freelance as well as returnee programs.

"RestartHer is a unique, day-long intensive career re-entry event, which will give women the necessary tools, confidence and connections to help them return to work. Besides networking opportunities at the Career Fair, there will be a host of panel discussions with industry leaders at the Conference, a speed mentoring zone and reskilling workshops with career experts as well," said Neha Bagaria, Founder and CEO, JobsForHer

More and more companies in India are realising the importance of diversity and inclusion, and are welcoming women returnees back to work with custom returnee programmes, returnships, flexible and work from home job options and so much more.

The conference is aimed at career-break women, who can gain a customised return-to-work plan and connections with employers interested in hiring returnees. This can bring a lot more optimism, confidence and energy into the second innings of their career journeys.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kim Kardashian has landed herself in one more controversy.

The reality star, photographed by Steven Klein, appears on Interview Magazine's September issue as former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

Many on social media expressed their displeasure and disappointment over the comparison to style icon Kennedy.

Some of the Twitter reactions are:

A user wrote, "Jackie O turning over in her damn grave right now."

"Oh please. U will never be no Jackie or First Lady. STOP," another user wrote.

"This is a disgrace," tweeted another user.

Meanwhile, one user wrote, "Jackie O we are so sorry."

The Kardashians were previously called 'America's First Family' on the cover of Cosmopolitan's November 2015 issue, which caused outrage on the internet then.

Some people also accused the reality TV star of altering her complexion and this isn't the first time Kardashian has been accused of altering her complexion.

In June, the beauty entrepreneur faced backlash for appearing with a deeper skin tone while promoting her new KKW Beauty line.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar area have confirmed the arrest of three persons with Rs.50 lakh worth of old currency.

Police said that the old currency was recovered from a vehicle registered in the name of former state minister and Samajwadi Party MLA Ravidas Mehrotra. The accused were arrested late last night.

Further details are awaited.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Students of Poonch Medical College, including female students, were brutally beaten up and tortured by police in Rawalakot city of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The students were demanding their result of previous year which the college authorities have failed to deliver till now.

As they were protesting peacefully, the police beaten and arrested the students and dragged them into police vehicles on the direction of college superintendent Waseem and clerk Toyib.

The students allege Principal Dr. Zia ur Rehman, a retired medical teacher from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan, for playing with their carrier of medical college students.

The student association of Poonch medical college said, "We condemn this heinous attack on students by the police and district administration and demand the release of students as soon as possible. Also their result should be announced ASAP".

The students call it a 'black day' in the history of Azad Kashmir (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) as the police continue to target students in the region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Minister of State (MoS) for Human Resource Development (HRD) Mahendra Nath Pandey on Tuesday said that the circular on 'patriotic' rock bands in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the central universities has been issued to enlighten the youth of the nation about the start of freedom struggle and motivate them to tackle the malpractices in the society.

"The motive is to celebrate the independence. August 9 should be celebrated as the start of the struggle movement. Our Prime Minister and our big dignitaries think that youth should be encouraged to know more about the freedom struggle and in turn tackle all other malpractices of the society. There are many loopholes in India, where we have to create new polices for the development," Pandey told ANI.

"Instead of following the western culture, we should try to influence others for our own culture," he said.

The Human Resource Development Ministry has asked the IITs and the central universities to host music bands, which would be performing patriotic numbers.

As part of the programme named "Yeh India ka time hai", the government has identified certain bands which would be visiting campuses across the country and perform patriotic numbers, especially from Bollywood.

The programme has been organised to celebrate 70 years of India's Independence and 75 years of the Quit India Movement this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Maharashtra Regional Meteorological Centre on Tuesday issued a heavy rainfall warning for next three days in the state.

The special weather forecast bulletin said that the active monsoon condition is likely to see Maharashtra experiencing a heavy spell for the next three days. This includes-

Day 1- August 29 to August 30- rainfall likely at most places in the districts of konkan, Madhya Maharashtra and Vidarbha and at many places over Marathwada.

Day 2-August 30 to August 31-rainfall likely at most places in the districts of Konkan: at many places over districts of Madhya Maharashtra and Vidarbha and at a few places in the districts of Marathwada.

Day 3-August 31 to September 1- rainfall likely at most places in the districts of Konkan, at a few places over districts of Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha.

"Heavy to very heavy at a few places with extremely heavy falls at one or two places likely to occur in districts of North Konkan, Thane, Palghar, Raigad. Heavy to very heavy with extremy hevy atat ione or two places likely over districts of Nasik, Nandurbar, Dhule Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Pune," the bulletin said.

Heavy to very heavy at a few places with extremely heavy falls at one or two places over South Konkan namely Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg in districts of south Madhya Maharashtra namely Satara, Kohlapur, Sangli and Solapur and in the districts of west Vidharba during August 29 and August 30," the bulletin added.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Government has issued orders for all offices to allow employees to leave in wake of heavy rains and the IMD warning.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also visited the State Disaster Management Control room to oversee the present scenario.

Talking to ANI, Fadnavis said, "I have talked to BMC disaster management cell and the Mumbai police over the hotline. Mantralaya staff have been told to leave early due to heavy rain."

Requesting the people to follow traffic advisories issued by the government, Fadnavis said people can also tweet or call to the Mumbai Police for any kind of assistance. "The police will come to your rescue," he added.

As various regions of Maharashtra are receiving incessant downpour since yesterday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that there would no relief for the state in the coming hours and heavy showers are expected to continue.

The traffic in Mumbai has come to a standstill owing to the heavy downpour. Subsequently, train services are suspended temporarily between Elphinstone Rd-Dadar on all lines w.e.f 1.30 p.m.

The famous KEM Hospital has shifted at least 30 patients to the upper wards after one of its corridors got flooded by water from Parel Village.

Meanwhile, operations at Mumbai airport suspended for some time due to low visibility.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Ram Nath Kovind and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday assured all possible help to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rains in Mumbai and adjoining areas.

President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted, "Thoughts with families, especially children, in Mumbai & western parts of country hit by heavy downpour."

"Govt and public agencies taking all steps amid heavy rains. Glad to note voluntary groups and citizens too coming together," he added.

Taking on to the social media, Rajnath said he spoke to Fadnavis and promised all possible support from the Centre.

"Had a telephonic conversation with Maharashtra CM Shri @Dev_Fadnavis regarding the situation due to heavy rains in Mumbai and nearby areas (sic)," he tweeted.

"I also assured the Maharashtra CM of all possible help from the Centre. The NDRF teams have already reached Mumbai for rescue & relief ops (sic)," his another tweet said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi too assured full assistance to the state government in mitigating the situation.

In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said that he also spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain.

Fadnavis instructed suspension of toll collection at all Mumbai entry points and sea link till situation is back to normal.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde said that all educational institutions in Mumbai will remain closed tomorrow.

As various regions of Maharashtra are receiving incessant downpour since yesterday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that there would no relief for the state in the coming hours and heavy showers are expected to continue.

The traffic in Mumbai has come to a standstill owing to the heavy downpour. Subsequently, train services are suspended temporarily between Elphinstone Rd-Dadar on all lines w.e.f 1.30 p.m.

Meanwhile, Fadnavis instructed suspension of toll collection at all Mumbai entry points and sea link till situation is back to normal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday welcomed the Indian and Chinese troops' decision to withdraw from Doklam, and said that the mutual understanding has proved to be a 'victory for India.'

"The mutual understanding between both the nations has proved to be a victory for India. Both the nations decided to disengage and have thereby, put an end to the ongoing tension prevailing for two to three months. Every political party in the country has welcomed this move and I think it's a big success for India," Javadekar told media here.

On Monday, India and China agreed to end their over two-month-long stand-off in the Doklam Plateau by reaching an understanding not to let their long standing differences become disputes.

India-China stand-off at Doklam, near the Sikkim-Tibet-Bhutan trijunction, had been going on for more than two months and the situation arose after China started constructing a road in the area.

India objected to the road construction after the Chinese troops ignored Bhutanese protests, triggering a face-off on June 16.

The agreement to disengage in Doklam comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China for the BRICS summit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lauding the Supreme Court's verdict against Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the 2002 rape cases, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose on Tuesday said that all the babas, existing in India, should be examined, whether they are fraudulent.

"All law abiding citizen would hail today the court for giving this sentence to one of the most criminal elements that we find, living in the guise of baba. Many such fraudulent babas there in India and I think the time has come where this judgment would a landmark judgment, where the administration, the state government, the Central Government should take the lead and take the queue from CBI court order and examine all the babas, which exist in India, whether they are fraudulent babas, whether they are committing any crime, whether they are doing illegal activities," he told ANI.

The West Bengal BJP vice president further said, "We need to see who are the people having links with the Dera of Ram Rahim; which politician, irrespective of party affiliation, should be investigated upon, to find out whether they gave support to this criminal element Ram Rahim Singh. Life imprisonment is a welcome move. This man should never see anything other than the walls of a jail."

On Monday, the sentence against rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was declared by a special CBI court.

He has been sentenced to 20 years in prison as he was announced guilty of raping two women in a 2002 case.

Ram Rahim was convicted on charges of rape on August 25 by the Special CBI Court.

The rape case was registered by the CBI in April 2002 against the self-styled god man after allegations of sexual exploitation of two women followers. The then prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had received an anonymous letter from a Dera Sadhvi that she was being raped by Ram Rahim.

Following Ram Rahim's conviction on Friday, his 'bhakts' went on a rampage in Haryana's Panchkula and Sirsa, and Punjab, Haryana and their neighbouring states have, since, been on the edge.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court will, on Tuesday, hear the review petition filed by Vikas Yadav, convicted for the abduction and murder of 25-year-old Nitish Katara in 2002.

Last year in October, the Supreme Court modified the sentences of Nitish Katara murder case convicts Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal Yadav and reduced their jail terms to 25 years.

The apex court sentenced another accused Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehelwan to 20 years in prison.

An apex court division bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra passed the order after hearing a detailed argument from both sides - the prosecution as well as the defence.

The apex court had on August 17, 2015, upheld the conviction of Vikas, Vishal and Sukhdev, saying 'only criminals are crying for justice' in this country.

The three convicts were serving a life-term awarded by the lower court in May 2008 for abducting and killing Katara, a business executive and the son of a railway officer, on the night of February 16-17, 2002, as they opposed the victim's relationship with Bharti, Vikas' sister and the daughter of Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav.

The Delhi High Court had on April 2, 2014, upheld the verdict of the lower court in the case and described the offence as "honour killing" stemming from a "deeply-entrenched belief" in the caste system.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The picture of United States former President Barack Obama, along with his family helping serve meals in Houston, Texas, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, has taken social media platform by storm.

But interestingly, this picture, which has been most circulated this weekend, is two years old and was taken at a homeless shelter in Washington during Thanksgiving, reported the CNN.

The picture was shared on Twitter with a caption saying, "Something you'll never see Trump do: Obama is in Texas serving meals!"

Apparently when one of the Twitterers called the poster out on the error, for which he got this reply, "Sorry for people thinking this was in Texas (he was there) but this is from 2015."

As per reports, the person who originally posted the picture has deleted the picture.

While Obama was not in Texas, he tweeted a link to the American Red Cross encouraging people to help each other.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon have reiterated their resolve to step-up bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries.

The military's media wing said that General Bajwa called on Rahmon in Dushanbe on Monday, The Express Tribune reported.

The two discussed the security issues and pitched for dialogue in regional cooperation and support to Afghan-led and Afghan-owned initiatives.

President Rahmon also appreciated Pakistan for its efforts towards fighting against terrorism and peace.

Both countries have pledged to enhance and expand Pakistan-Tajikistan cooperation in the fields of defence and security.

Meanwhile, China's Special Envoy on Afghanistan Affairs Ambassador Deng Xijun has said there is a need for a politically-negotiated settlement through an Afghan-led Afghan-owned peace process in Afghanistan.

Xijun was called on by Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Monday afternoon to discuss "regional and international efforts for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan".

The envoy said their efforts towards eliminating terrorism should be recognised by the international community.

"Ambassador Deng Xijun reaffirmed China's continuing and firm support to Pakistan's commitment and efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan," a press release issued by the Foreign Office stated.

"Emphasising that there was no military solution to the conflict, he underlined the need for a politically-negotiated settlement through an Afghan-led Afghan-owned peace process," it added.

Both countries have agreed to strengthen cooperation in "facilitating peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan as well as promoting meaningful engagement between the three neighbourly countries," the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday was received by Governor Kalyan Singh and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje even as he arrived in Rajasthan's Udaipur.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several important highway projects here. The total expenditure on these projects is estimated to be over Rs. 15,000 crore.

"Tomorrow I will be visiting Rajasthan, the land of the brave, where I will inaugurate and lay the foundation of key Highway projects," Prime Minister Modi had tweeted.

The projects to be inaugurated are: six-lane Cable Stayed Bridge across river Chambal at Kota, four laning of Gomati Chauraha - Udaipur section of NH-8 and four-laning of the Rajsamand-Bhilwara section of NH-758.

The Jaipur Ring Road is among the major projects for which the foundation stone is to be laid.

Prime Minister Modi will also address a public meeting in Udaipur.

"I will address a public meeting in Udaipur. I will also visit the Pratap Gaurav Kendra and pay my respects to the great Maharana Pratap", he further tweeted.

Prime Minister Modi will later visit Udaipur's Pratap Gaurav Kendra. The Kendra provides information through various exhibits, about the life, valour and achievements of famous King of the erstwhile kingdom of Mewar, Maharana Pratap.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taking stock of the heavy rainfall in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday assured full assistance to the state government in mitigating the situation.

In a series of tweet, the Prime Minister said that he also spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain.

"Centre assures all possible support to Maharashtra govt in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state," Prime Minister Modi said in a tweet.

The Prime Minister also urged people of Mumbai to take precautions to stay safe.

"Urge people of Mumbai &surrounding areas to stay safe& take all essential precautions in the wake of heavy rain," he tweeted.

Earlier in the day, the Maharashtra Chief Minister also appealed to people to step out of their homes only if necessary.

Fadnavis also visited the State Disaster Management Control room to oversee the present scenario.

Talking to ANI, Fadnavis said, "I have talked to BMC disaster management cell and the Mumbai police over the hotline. Ministry staffs have also been told to leave early due to heavy rain."

Requesting the people to follow traffic advisories issued by the government, Fadnavis said people can also tweet or call to the Mumbai Police for any kind of assistance. "The police will come to your rescue," he added.

As various regions of Maharashtra are receiving incessant downpour since yesterday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that there would no relief for the state in the coming hours and heavy showers are expected to continue.

The traffic in Mumbai has come to a standstill owing to the heavy downpour. Subsequently, train services are suspended temporarily between Elphinstone Rd-Dadar on all lines w.e.f 1.30 p.m.

Meanwhile, operations at Mumbai airport suspended for some time due to low visibility.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's China visit for the ninth BRICS Summit next week as a "diplomatic victory," the defense experts, on Wednesday, said that this visit will not only be graceful and charming for India, but also pave way for a meeting between the former and President Xi Jinping, after the India-China tensions following the Doklam standoff.

While speaking to ANI, defense expert P.K. Sehgal said that the patience Indian government and the media showed in handling China was remarkable and impressed the entire world.

"India had abundantly clear, through diplomatic channels to China that if the Doklam standoff continue, it may not be possible for the Indian Prime Minister to participate, which would have been a debacle in a catastrophe for China. This has been an absolutely amazing diplomatic victory, where the Indian Prime Minister goes, with his head held high and with a skyrocketing image of India. The patience that the Indian government and the Indian media showed was remarkable, something that impressed the entire world," he said.

Adding, "China, on the other hand, looked like a laughing stock. What they did was something that looked foolish and immature, particularly for a nation that claims to be one of the oldest civilizations of world. To that extent, it's a huge victory for India. We have to be graceful and charming to ensure that there is no undue embarrassment to our host, the Chinese."

Former diplomat Nagendra Nath Jha further told ANI that India should again try to have a strong anti-terrorism resolution adopted, which was not supported by China in the eighth BRICS Summit, hosted in Panaji, Goa.

"In the last summit in Goa, India had tried to, very understandably, have a strong anti-terrorism resolution adopted. China then thought, its targeting their ally Pakistan and hence did not support it. Hence, they passed a general resolution," he said, adding, "This time, we might try that depending on the atmosphere there. But most important would be Mr. Modi's meeting with XI Jinping. We just have to careful about that. The economic situation will be discussed."

At the invitation of the President of China Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in China's Fujian province during September 3-5 to attend the ninth BRICS Summit, said a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement on Tuesday.

This comes a day after India and China agreed to end their over two-month-long stand-off in the Doklam Plateau by reaching an understanding not to let their long standing differences become disputes.

P.K. Sehgal, during his interaction with ANI brought in the example of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri's death in Tashkent and alerted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security should be a major concern.

"The Prime Minister's security will also have to be absolutely first rate. We cannot forget what happened to Lal Bahadur Shastri at the peak of the time, when he attained total ascendency over Pakistan. We must not allow the history to repeat itself," he said.

Former Prime Minister Shastri, as per official data, died of a heart attack in Tashkent, hours after signing a peace agreement with the then Pakistani President Ayub Khan.

Shahstri and Khan were in Tashkent to sign a peace accord - only four months after the end of the second war between the two neighbours.

However, in 2009, claims were made that the former Indian Prime Minister was possibly poisoned.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At the invitation of the President of China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in China's Fujian province between September 3 and September 5 to attend the 9th BRICS Summit.

Subsequently, the Prime Minister will pay a state visit to Myanmar from September 5 to September 7 at the invitation of Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw.

This will be Prime Minister Modi's first bilateral state visit to Myanmar.

During the visit, he will hold discussions with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President U Htin Kyaw.

Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, he will visit Yangon and Bagan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Jammu and Kashmir (JK) Legislative Assembly in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) has condemned the recent decision of United States to blacklist Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).

Assembly member Abdul Rasheed Turabi tabled the resolution condemning the US decision of blacklisting Hizbul Mujahideen which was unanimously adopted.

Pakistan Today quoted the resolution as saying that Hizbul Mujahideen is an indigenous organisation representing sentiments and aspirations of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination.

According to the report, the resolution also condemned US decision to term HM chief Syed Sallahudin as a terrorist.

The Assembly also urged the US government to revise its decision about sanctions on Hizbul Mujahideen and play a decisive role in bringing durable peace in South Asia.

The Assembly is a self-governing administrative division under the control of Pakistan but not constitutionally a part of the country.

The U.S. Department of State had recently designated Hizbul Mujahideen as a foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

"These designations seek to deny HM the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of HM's property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the group," said a statement by U.S. State Department.

"Today's action notifies the U.S. public and the international community that HM is a terrorist organization. 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 U.S. agencies and other governments," it added.

Formed in 1989, Hizbul Mujahideen 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.

Earlier on June 26th, the U.S. Department of State designated Salahuddin, as a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist'.

"Department of State has designated Mohammad Yusuf Shah, also known as (AKA) Syed Salahuddin, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons who have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. As a consequence of this designation, U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with Salahuddin and all of Salahuddin's property and interests in property subject to United States jurisdiction are blocked," the State Department said in a statement.

Salahuddin is the senior leader of the militant group Hizbul Mujahideen. In September, 2016, Salahuddin vowed to block any peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict, threatened to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers, and vowed to turn the Kashmir valley "into a graveyard for Indian forces."

Under Salahuddin's tenure as senior Hizbul leader, the terror outfit has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani has called upon railway employees across the country to always ensure the highest level of safety in train operations and instill a renewed sense of confidence in railway passengers.

He emphasized that safety should always remain principle focused area.

In a letter sent to all railway employees, Lohani stressed the need to resolve to bring about an all-round improvement in the working of the railways so that we are able to satisfactorily meet the hopes, expectations and aspirations of the vast multitude.

Referring to the committed workforce of Indian Railways, Lohani said that the sincerity, dedication and professional capability of the railway employees, both officers and staff is indeed unparalleled. It is the men on the field who, regardless of their personal inconveniences and hardships, ensure that the wheels of the Nation keep moving surely and safely. This is what makes the Indian Railways the most visible symbol of dynamic delivery in our country.

He also pointed out that there is need to deal with the evils of corruption, sexual harassment at work places and alcohol abuse while on duty. These are social evils and need to be dealt firmly with an iron hand, he added.

He also talked about cleanliness at railway stations, trains, operation ratio, welfare of the railwaymen, avoiding frills in the functions.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took on the former government for taking more than 10 years in constructing the hanging bridge over the Chambal river in Kota.

Addressing a rally in Udaipur, Prime Minister Modi said, "The construction work of the Kota bridge was shut down, but when you take decisions with courage you get results."

He further asserted that "we are here to work and deliver results and therefore, we are inaugurating infrastructure projects worth Rs. 15,000 crore at once."

Remembering former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who initiated plans for the construction of the golden quadrilateral connecting India, he averred that better roads would help our farmers immensely.

"To take India to newer heights, the role of infrastructure, railways, and roads is very important," he mentioned.

Stating that tourism is a field, which can generate multiple employment opportunities with minimum investment, Prime Minister Modi noted that these new projects will help boost tourism in the state.

He also assured full support to the people of Rajasthan, who are facing strife, due to the recent floods.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of several important highway projects here.

The projects inaugurated are: six-lane Cable Stayed Bridge across river Chambal at Kota, four laning of Gomati Chauraha - Udaipur section of NH-8 and four-laning of the Rajsamand-Bhilwara section of NH-758.

Prime Minister Modi was received by Governor Kalyan Singh and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje even as he arrived in Rajasthan's Udaipur.

Prime Minister Modi will later visit Udaipur's Pratap Gaurav Kendra. The Kendra provides information through various exhibits, about the life, valour and achievements of famous King of the erstwhile kingdom of Mewar, Maharana Pratap.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seven children were killed due to encephalitis in last 48 hours in Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das (B.R.D.) Medical College.

The BRD Medical College is already under scanner for deaths of over 70 infants at the Gorakhpur hospital in a week in the month of July.

It is alleged that the children died due to the lack of liquid oxygen in the hospital. The Yogi Adityanath government received flak from the Opposition over the same.

Earlier in the day, suspended principal of the B.R.D. Medical College Rajiv Mishra and his wife Purnima were arrested from Kanpur in connection with the deaths of over 70 infants.

The couple has been taken to Gorakhpur by the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh police.

Earlier, an FIR was lodged against the suspended principal of the B.R.D medical college, Dr. Rajiv Misra, along with six other hospital personnel, and two officials of the oxygen-supplying agency Pushpa Sales Private Limited, Manish Bhandari and Uday Pratap Sharma under the charges of criminal negligence.

The FIR states that the breach in fulfilling the responsibility of supplying oxygen on the part of the Pushpa Sales comes under the section of criminal negligence, as they were informed of the depleting stock of liquid oxygen by the B.R.D Medical college staff.

The FIR also stated that the government hospital had received a total fund of Rs. 454 lakh for the financial year 2017-18, of which Rs. 63.65 lakh was supposed to be given to Pushpa Sales in April.

Therefore, the B.R.D hospital personnel have been charged for "deliberately not submitting the payment despite repeated written request by the supplier to the principal" in want of bribe.

The FIR also accused principal Misra of staying absent from office on August 10 when media reported the deaths, thus indicating a "criminal conspiracy" on his part.

It also accused Misra and his wife of corruption, supported by statements given by Dr. Shukla's hospital staff that she had obtained illegal amounts of money and had a significant role in the corrupt activities of Dr. Misra.

Others have been accused of neglecting their respective duties in anticipation of bribe, that resulted in deaths.

Dr. K.K. Gupta, Director General, Medical Education registered the FIR under the orders of Uttar Pradesh government at the Hazratganj Police Station, Lucknow on August 23.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered for a strict action against the hospital staff and Pushpa Sales Pvt. Ltd., the firm that had allegedly cut off oxygen supply over non-payment of dues, after he was briefed about the Gorakhpur tragedy by a committee that he formed for looking into the matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A study has recently found that boreholes in the North Sea constitute significantly one of the main sources of greenhouse gas, methane leakage than previously thought.

According to researchers from Helmholtz Centre For Ocean Research Kiel and the University of Basel 's calculations, shallow gas migration along wells may release around 3,000 to 17,000 tonnes of methane from the North Sea seafloor per year.

In the ocean, methane is usually degraded by microbes, thereby locally acidifying the seawater.

"We estimate that gas leakage around boreholes could constitute one of the main sources of methane in the North Sea", said first study author Dr. Lisa Vielstadte from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany.

During expeditions to oil and gas fields in the central North Sea in 2012 and 2013, the scientists discovered a number of methane seeps around abandoned wells.

Interestingly, the gas originates from shallow gas pockets buried less than 1,000 meters below the seabed.

They are simply penetrated when drilling into the underlying, economically interesting hydrocarbon reservoirs.

"These gas pockets usually do not pose a risk to the drilling operation itself. But apparently disturbing the sediment around the well enables the gas to rise to the seafloor", said another researcher Dr. Matthias Haeckel from GEOMAR.

Seismic data from the subsurface of the North Sea further shows that about one third of the boreholes perforated shallow gas pockets and may thus leak methane.

"Considering the more than 11,000 wells that have been drilled in the North Sea, this results in a fairly large amount of potential methane sources", Vielstadte added, who is currently based at the Stanford University in California, USA.

In the North Sea, about half of the wells are located in such shallow water depths that the methane leaking from the seabed can reach the atmosphere, where it is acting as a potent greenhouse gas - much more efficient than carbon dioxide.

The research appears in journal Environmental & Technology.

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According to the weather report by Meteorological department, on Tuesday, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will be having rainfall for the coming two days, adding that there will be a reduction thereafter.

"Low pressure system is over South West Madhya Pradesh and the adjoining areas and is likely to move the north. Under its influence, there is a wide spread of rainfall over the north and west regions and Telangana. During next 48 hours, there is a reduction in rainfall. There is fairly wide spread rainfall in North West Andhra Pradesh," told scientist Nagaratna to ANI.

The department further stated that Gujarat is also under severe threat of heavy shower, accompanied with squally winds.

The department, on Tuesday, issued a notice, on behalf of Manorama Mohanty, director (forecasting) of IMD Gujarat, of severe weather forecast that read, "Severe Weather Forecast: Heavy Spell would occur over Surendra nagar, Botad Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Morbi, Valsad, Anand, Kheda, Aravali, Gandhi nagar, Sabarkantha , Patan, Ahmedabad district within next three hours. It will be accompanied with squally winds reaching 30-35 kmph."

Mumbai, on Tuesday, recorded 297.6mm rain in 9 hours (8:30am-5:30pm), higher than any 24-hour rain in August in a decade.

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Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has instructed the officials concerned to prepare new operation manuals for all the irrigation projects in the state.

The Chief Minister suggested that there should be estimation on how much water from what area will be utilised for Mission Bhagiratha and the need to form a Drinking Water Front with the state as one unit.

He wanted estimates should be prepared on how much water is needed for each power generation project from the irrigation projects and for the utilisation of water for this purpose, Power Front of Telangana should be formed.

The Chief Minister has decided to form a special wing at the higher level to monitor the rectification and cleansing of the land records programme.

He has instructed the officials to take measures to form Registrar's office at every mandal and the appointment of the Information Technology officers in the revenue offices.

On Tuesday at Pragati Bhavan, the Chief Minister has held a joint review meeting of Agriculture, Irrigation, Mission Bhagiratha and Revenue.

Deputy Chief Minister Mohamood Ali, Ministers T Harish Rao, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Government's Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma, Mission Bhagiratha Vice Chairman Vemula Prashanth Reddy, Whip Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, MLC Karne Prabhakar, Police Housing Corporation Chairman Damodar, Chief Secretary SP Singh, Special Chief Secretaries, SK Joshi, BR Meena, Principal Secretary S Narsing Rao, Senior official Ms Vakati Karuna, Irrigation E-in-C Sri Muralidhar, Mission Bhagiratha E-in-C Sri Surender Reddy, HMW CE Sri Satyanarayana, CMO officials participated in the meeting.

In this meeting the discussion took place on how to utilise water available from the Krishna Godavari to the Drinking water, irrigation, power and for the industries at the optimal level with efficiency.

In this context, the Chief Minister made several valuable suggestions.

"We are constructing several projects on Godavari and Krishna Rivers. Water from these two rivers will be supplied, besides, irrigation, for power generation and the industries purpose also. Against his backdrop, there is a need to prepare new Operation Manuals for all the irrigation projects. There should be clarity on how much water to be given for irrigation, power and industries. Based on the inflows at the projects there should be calculations on the proportion of water to be supplied to these sectors. A special method should be adopted," he explained.

"Prepare new Operation Manuals immediately. Instructions from the State Capital from time to time on the release of water should be followed meticulously. Officials from Mission Bhagiratha should take into consideration how much water is being supplied from which project and which areas are getting water from where? A Drinking Water Front for Telangana is required to assess the situation about water drawn from the irrigation projects. Similarly, Power Front of Telangana should also be formed to how much water is required for the power projects from which Irrigation project and how to get it? Estimates should also be prepared on the matter. Industry sector too, need such a planning and policy," the Chief Minister explained.

"We will give top priority to the drinking water from the projects. For this, we have allocated 10 percent of water from all the reservoirs for the drinking water purposes. We have to efficiently utilise that water. Water will be available at Kaleswaram project by next year. Drinking water will be available from the projects to old Warangal, Karimnagar, Medak, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Nalgonda, Khammam, Ranga Reddy district as well as Hyderabad City. Hence, Mission Bhagiratha officials have to prepare two plans. The first plan is about the present day availability of water and resources and prepare plans keeping in view the need till July next year. After getting the water from Kaleswaram, there should be a permanent plan. Prepare estimates on how much drinking water is needed for Hyderabad, other Corporations, Municipalities and villages-wise and supply water accordingly," the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister has instructed the officials concerned to make alternative arrangements for the supply of drinking water to Hyderabad City and Nalgonda districts, as there is inadequate availability of water in the Krishna River.

The Chief Minister has instructed Minister T Harish Rao and Engineer-in-Chief Muralidhar Rao to take steps to release water to Hyderabad City from Singur and from Nagarjuna Sagar to Udaya Samudram via Akkampalli to the Nalgonda district.

He wanted the supply of water from Singur to Hyderabad City and for Udaya Samudram from Nagarjuna Sagar for Nalgonda district to begin from Tuesday night itself.

The Chief Minister said there is no flood flow water from the Krishna River and there is a dead storage at Nagarjuna Sagar and hence the water should be utilized carefully. This is resulting in creating problems for the drinking water supply to Hyderabad and Nalgonda districts and hence the decision to release water from Singur and Nagarjuna Sagar, the Chief Minister said.

For the permanent solution for drinking water problem is Hyderabad, the Chief Minister suggested construction of two new reservoirs. He said the capacity of Gandipet and Himayat Sagar's reservoirs is not able to meet the demand for the drinking water and there is a need to have two more new reservoirs for the city which can take care of the demand even when there is a famine or non availability of the water from the rivers.

The Chief Minister has decided to hold a Collectors' meeting here on August 31 to give them guidelines and direction for the ensuing rectification and Cleansing of Land records programme. The meeting will commence at 11 AM at Pragati Bhavan will continue daylong.

The Chief Minister wanted farmers Coordination Committees to be formed from September 1 and rectification and cleansing of records from September 15.

The Chief Minister said he will make an announcement on the final guidelines on the rectification and cleansing of land records, reforms to be brought in the registration process, changes to be brought in Pattadar Passbooks, Pahani and other matters at the Conference.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is considering removing and downgrading of special envoy positions at the State Department, which would ignite vociferous opposition from some members of the Congress.

This reshuffling of the representative for climate change is also likely to be considered, reported the CNN.

As per a letter written to Senator Bob Corker, the Tennessee Republican who heads the foreign relations committee, Tillerson asserted that he would eliminate or transfer nearly three dozen special envoy positions.

"I believe that the Department will be able to better execute its mission by integrating certain envoys and special representative offices within the regional and functional bureaus," Tillerson wrote Corker, as quoted by the CNN, "and eliminating those that have accomplished or outlived their original purpose."

Special envoys for Syria, Sudan and South Sudan, and the Arctic will be eliminated.

As per the letter, President Donald Trump's administration would also ditch special envoys for Syria, South Sudan and Sudan as well as the official for the Arctic.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Defending his act to pardon former Arizona lawman and political ally Joe Arpaio on August 25, U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that the timing was intended to divert public's attention from Hurricane Harvey.

"I assumed the ratings would be far higher than they would be normally," he said while addressing a press briefing here.

Defending himself, Trump said that the Arizona lawman had been treated 'unfairly'.

"I thought he was treated unbelievably unfairly," Trump said.

He further said that Sheriff Joe is a great veteran of the military, a great law enforcement person and added, "A lot of people think pardoning Joe Arpaio was the right thing to do."

Many United States lawmakers have criticised President Trump for pardoning former Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), a frequent Trump critic, tweeted that Trump had pardoned a government official "who ignored [the] Bill of Rights."

"Arpaio was convicted of defying court order to stop violating #4thAmendment. It's a pardon of a govt official who ignored Bill of Rights," Amash tweeted.

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who has recently sparked backlash from Trump, also criticized Trump.

"I would have preferred that the President honor the judicial process and let it take its course," Flake wrote on Twitter.

"Regarding the Arpaio pardon, I would have preferred that the President honor the judicial process and let it take its course," tweeted Flake.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) tweeted that Trump's pardon "makes mockery of rule of law," while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) slammed the decision to issue the pardon as a major storm barreled toward Texas.

Fellow Arizona Sen. John McCain tweeted, "@POTUS's pardon of Joe Arpaio, who illegally profiled Latinos, undermines his claim for the respect of rule of law."

Trump has granted a pardon to controversial former Arizona lawman and political ally Joe Arpaio, less than a month after he was convicted of criminal contempt in a case involving racial profiling.

A White House statement announcing Arpaio's pardon said, "Throughout his time as sheriff, Arpaio continued his life's work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration."

Arpaio, 85, lost a bid for re-election in Arizona's Maricopa County in November after 24 years in office.

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The United States President Donald Trump got confused with two Finnish journalists at a press conference on Monday, forcing President Sauli Niinisto to explain that the two women were not actually the same person.

Early on in the event, which was held at the White House, Trump took a question about Russia from Paula Vilen, a reporter from the Finnish Broadcasting Company, Finland's public broadcasting service. Almost 10 minutes later, Sauli Niinisto, the Finnish president, called on a different female reporter, Maria Annala.

"Again?" Trump asked, apparently mistaking her for the same woman who had spoken earlier.

"You're going to give her - the same one?"

"No, they are not the same lady," explained Niinisto, visibly uncomfortable.

"They are sitting side by side."

This prompted the reporter to joke there were a lot of "blonde women" in her country.

A PBS NewsHour reporter also pointed out on Twitter that the two reporters do not look alike, despite both having blond hair.

In the picture posted by Lisa Desjardins, one is wearing red while the other is wearing black. Also, they are different women.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thanking the local administration and emergency response leaders in Texas, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the situation needs to be handled in a better way than ever before.

"It's a real team, and we want to do it better than ever before," Trump said here after receiving updates on Harvey relief efforts from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) head Brock Long.

Trump said that he hopes to set the standard for emergency response in the coming years, with that of Texas.

"We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as, this is the way to do it,' he said.

"This was of epic proportion. Nobody's ever seen anything like this and I just want to say that working with the governor and his entire team has been an honor for us," he added.

Trump even stopped himself from congratulating the local administration for their efforts to provide relief to the people, saying there is still work to do.

"We won't say congratulations. We don't want to do that. We don't want to congratulate. We'll congratulate each other when it's all finished,' he said.

Trump landed in storm-brushed Corpus Christi to take a stock of the situation after the Tropical Storm Harvey hit the area.

Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas, late night on August 25 as a Category 4 hurricane.

Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott of Texas, who was present here sought to allay concerns about the situation at the convention, where around 9,000 residents fleeing rising floodwaters have crowded into a shelter designed to accommodate only 5,000 people.

"This is not the Superdome. At the convention center, we are sustaining food,' he said.

"I have an incident management team inside the city of Houston, and more and more people are being moved to shelters to stabilize the situation," he said.

Trump is accompanied by first lady Melania Trump to the hurricane hit area.

The president was accompanied by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and Small Business Administration administrator Linda McMahon.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will on Tuesday preside over the inaugural programme of the first employment summit in the state.

The event will be held at the Scientific Convention Center here.

The chief minister has arrived at the venue along with Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma and Labour Minister Swami Prasad Maurya.

Chief Minister Adityanath is on record as saying that he is keen to generate employment opportunities for citizens of the state, and for this, his government has come out with an Industrial Investment and Employment Generation Policy-2017.

To woo industries, the Government of Uttar Pradesh has launched this comprehensive policy, which involves creating land banks, promoting country-specific industrial parks to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and helping set up private industrial parks around Lucknow-Kanpur, Kanpur-Allahabad, and Varanasi-Allahabad zones.

The sectors to be focussed upon include information technology, Information Technology Enabled Services (ITeS), electronics manufacturing, agro and food processing, dairy, green energy, handloom, textile, and tourism.

Some of the fiscal incentives, subsidies, and concessions announced by the policy include stamp duty exemption, capital and infrastructure interest subsidy, employee provident fund reimbursement and electricity duty exemption, subject to certain conditions, to attract investments.

The state government also plans to host a Global Investors' Summit to project Uttar Pradesh as an investment destination.

"The policy emphasises a need to ensure balanced regional development in Uttar Pradesh by means of facilitating linkages, fiscal incentives and leveraging regional advantages in Bundelkhand, Madhyanchal, Paschimanchal, and Poorvanchal," the policy stated.

Connectivity is an important theme of the policy and articulates the government's vision of building new metro rail services, airports and a new road corridor connecting Mathura, Kashi, Jhansi, and Gorakhpur on the lines of the Lucknow-Agra Expressway and upcoming Poorvanchal Expressway, thereby linking the entire State.

It has been decided that Rs 5 crore will be given to establishing incubators in Lucknow as well.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday presided over the inaugural programme of the first employment summit in the state and heaped praises on the youth of the state, saying that they are capable of achieving anything.

"Nobody is ineligible in the state. They just need support and the state government will do everything it can to support them," he said at the summit.

Adityanath also spoke about how the farmers were not getting adequate support before his government came to power.

"The previous government promised Rs. 1,460 as the support price to the farmers. But they only received Rs. 1,000," he said.

Adityanath added that the government intends to come up with different industries for different districts.

He said, "We have 75 districts, and some have their traditional industries as well. We hope that every district could be known by their own industries."

Earlier, Chief Minister Adityanath had said that he was keen to generate employment opportunities for citizens of the state, and for this, his government has come out with an Industrial Investment and Employment Generation Policy-2017.

To woo industries, the Government of Uttar Pradesh launched this comprehensive policy, which involves creating land banks, promoting country-specific industrial parks to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and helping set up private industrial parks around Lucknow-Kanpur, Kanpur-Allahabad, and Varanasi-Allahabad zones.

The sectors to be focussed upon include information technology, Information Technology Enabled Services (ITeS), electronics manufacturing, agro and food processing, dairy, green energy, handloom, textile, and tourism.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Airstrikes conducted by the US forces in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province have killed at least fourteen militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria Khorasa (ISIS-K).

The provincial police commandment in a statement said that a female fighter of the terror group was also among those killed in the airstrikes which were carried out in the vicinity of Achin district on Monday.

The local residents and security personnel did not suffer any casualties in the airstrikes carried out in Mamand Marghi and Saat areas of Achin district, reports the Tolo News.

The ISIS has not commented on the report so far.

Anti-ISIS as well as anti- Taliban operation is underway to eliminate the presence of ISIS affiliates in Nangarhar province and U.S. forces are providing airstrikes support to the Afghan forces during the operations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Abhinaypur village, on the fringes of the Basrehar Thane, woke up on Tuesday to the gruesome news of three murders in a family.

A young man allegedly killed his family members with a pestle, including his mother, father and aunt.

The wife, who survived the murderous spree, informed the people about the incident, after which the accused surrendered before the police.

The District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) reached the spot on the news of the three murders.

Giving details about the crime, the 35-year-old accused, Deepak, said that he first attacked his aunt early in the morning. In a failed attempt to save aunt, the mother was also allegedly killed by Deepak. The same thing happened with the father.

After the gruesome incident, Deepak reached the nearby police station and accepted his crime.

According to villagers, the accused was an alcoholic

Meanwhile, the accused has been taken into custody.

An investigation is underway.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India and Deutsche Gesellschaft f Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH India on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany signed an agreement on technical cooperation under the Indo-German Energy Programme - Green Energy Corridors (IGEN-GEC). The main objective of this programme component is to improve the sector framework and conditions for grid integration of renewable energies.

In the distinguished presence of Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines Shri Piyush Goyal and the German Ambassador to India, H. E. Dr. Martin Ney, the agreement was signed by Dr. Wolfgang Hannig, Country Director, Deutsche Gesellschaft f Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH India and Mr. A. N.

Sharan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Goyal said am delighted that this relationship between GIZ and India will result in improve market mechanisms and regulations, help us train manpower, to ensure grid stability & integration of renewables into grid and ensure safer & secure grid and a grid which can take cyber challenges . Shri Goyal further added that Germany is a very reliable partner country and has been supporting India in achieving its goal for sustainable development through bilateral cooperation for almost six decade now.

Dr. Ney added When in July 2012 Power Grid Corporation of India submitted a comprehensive and well elaborated Transmission Plan for Envisaged Renewable Capacity to MNRE it paved the way for India's ambitious goals to transform its power system by significantly increasing the share of renewable energies in the energy mix. Also in Germany's Energiewende the evacuation and grid integration of renewable energy plays a pivotal role with major technological and fiscal challenges. Both the countries have very constructive dialogue under the Indo-German Energy Forum (IGEF).

Being committed to this objective, GIZ and MNRE will work on improving market mechanisms and regulations for integration of Renewable Energies; advancing technical and institutional conditions in specified target states, regions and on a national level; adding human capacities to handle systemic (strategic, managerial, financial, technical) Renewable Energies integration in an efficient and effective manner.

The IGEN-GEC programme is commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and jointly implemented by Ministry of New and Renewable Resources (MNRE), Ministry of Power (MoP), Government of India and Deutsche Gesellschaft f Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). This programme component supports the implementation of the Renewable Energy Management Centre (REMCs), Green Energy Corridors scheme of the Government of India which is a prerequisite for large scale grid integration of renewable energy thus contributing to achieve the 175 GW target of the Government of India for renewable energy generation capacity by 2022.

Based on the Indo-German Consultations held on 11th April 2013 in Berlin, both countries confirmed collaboration on the Green Energy Corridors. In the subsequent bilateral development cooperation negotiations, it was agreed that Germany will provide concessional loans of up to 1 billion Euros through KfW (German Development Bank) and up to 10 million Euros under technical assistance in forecasting, balancing, market design, network management and demand side energy efficiency, implemented by GIZ. These contributions have been further increased in 2015 and 2016 by concessional loans up to 400 million Euros for transmission infrastructure and up to 7 million Euros for training activities in the photovoltaic solar rooftop sector and energy efficiency in residential buildings under technical assistance through GIZ.

It was added that India & Germany will further benefit each other in the journey towards sustainable development. Economic growth and a cleaner world with successful continuation of cooperation & fruitful exchange.

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Union minister Smriti Irani and Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya on Tuesday awarded 12 women from different parts of the country to recognise the transformational impact of their work across villages, towns and cities.

"Women Transforming India Awards", this year, to promote equal opportunity of women, received 3,000 entries from across the country.

"It is a great opportunity for me to be here among these wonderful women who have such inspiring stories," Irani said during the award ceremony.

"You don't hear such stories everyday. These stories need to be told. We are going to do something so as to bring across these stories of change to the whole nation," she added.

She further said that the stories from previous year's awards will be combined along with this year's and reached to the people through some medium.

The list of winners included Subasini Mistry, who saved for two decades to build a hospital for the needy after losing her husband at a young age, Arunima Sinha for being India's first amputee to climb Mount Everest, and goat veterinarian Sunita Kamble for creating alternative livelihood opportunities for women.

A jury comprising former Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, Indian Olympian P.T. Usha, Indian Air Force officer, Wing Cdr Pooja Thakur, Panagariya, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, and UN Resident Coordinator Yuri Afanasiev, UN Resident Coordinator undertook the process to shortlist 12 top awardees.

--IANS

mg/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A team of doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) performing a complicated surgery to separate a pair of conjoined twins from Odisha has completed 30 per cent of the surgery and the condition of the twins who are joined at the head is stable.

"The first phases of the surgery was successful. It means 30 per cent of the surgery is completed. However, the second phase which is extremely important is yet to be performed. The team of doctors from the neurosurgery, anesthesia, and pediatrics met today (Tuesday) to discuss the matter," a doctor, part of the medical team treating the twins, told IANS.

The surgery for separation of conjoined twins Jaga and Balia is being performed in two stages. The first stage began at 9 a.m on Monday and was scheduled to take seven hours. However, the procedure took nearly 20 hours due to medical complications.

The two-and-a-half year-old craniopagus twins, or fused at the cranium, were brought to AIIMS on July 14, from Milipada village in Kandhamal district of Odisha.

According to doctors, the surgery is not going to be easy and the twins have undergone several tests before undergoing the surgery.

The medical team treating the twins comprises 40 members, including a top surgeon from Japan.

While conjoined twins are known to occur in about every 2,00,000 births, craniopagus twins are rarer still, accounting for about only two per cent.

The Odisha government has already sanctioned Rs 1 crore for the surgery at AIIMS.

Earlier, the twins had undergone medical check up at at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

--IANS

rup/rn

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Apple is expected to launch its next flagship device iPhone 8 on September 12, a media report said.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the company is expected to release three new devices -- iPhone 8 along with the updated versions of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus -- that will be called iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus.

Following several leaks about Apple's controversial yet virtually bezel-less redesign, a detailed iPhone 8 dummy model confirmed that the devices would have an elongated 18.5:9 aspect ratio like the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, Forbes reported.

It would also reduce bezel sizes to just 4 mm on all sides and feature a vertically aligned rear camera, the report added.

The rear dual-camera system on the iPhone 8 would protrude more than ever before.

Earlier leaks have suggested design changes in detail. They also pointed out that the 2017 device would have an all-display front with the fingerprint scanner moved to the back.

The handful of images also showed the upcoming iPhone 8 with rear-placed Touch ID placed directly below the Apple logo.

As far as the refresh of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are concerned, photos of a couple of iPhone dummy models show Apple devices with a glass backing, meaning the models shown in the pictures could have wireless charging as a feature.

Analysts have predicted that riding on the "better-than-expected iPad and iPhone sales", the upcoming flagship device iPhone 8 could make the Cupertino-based giant the first company to reach and sustain a $1 trillion market cap.

According to a report in MarketWatch, the stock momentum has added $56 billion to the company's market cap since the announcement of its third quarter results.

--IANS

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In response to the demand of Assamese Sikhs, the state government on Tuesday reportedly agreed to accord "micro minority status" to the community.

A delegation of Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and representatives of the Assamese Sikhs led by Committee General secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa met Assam Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday in this regard.

"The Chief Minister today (Tuesday) acceded to accord micro minority status to the Assamese Sikh community in the state and provide various facilities for socio, economic and political upliftment of the community," Sirsa said while addressing a press conference in Guwahati.

He said the Assam government had responded towards their various demands and that the government had also appointed an IAS officer of the state as the nodal officer to coordinate implementation of these demands.

"The Assam Chief Minister has also agreed to implement Anand Marriage Act in the state at the earliest, start service to enable the Sikh community members have darshan of Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar and other gurudwaras in the state and also sanctioned an amount of Rs 5 crore for building Community Centre and Eduation Complex in Nagaon," he added.

Sonowal also agreed to install a statue of General Chetanya Singh, the first sikh General who was sent to Assam with a platoon of 500 Sikh soldiers from Punjab by Maharaja Ranjit Singh during the Burmese attack on the state.

As the history goes, then Ahom King Chandrakanta Singha had sought the help of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1820 when the Burmese attacked the kingdom. The war continued for two years and the Sikh soldiers who survived the war settled in Assam and came to be known as Assamese Sikhs.

Although these Assamese Sikhs are devout Sikhs and sport turban, they have got assimilated in the Assamese culture and most of them do not even know the Punjabi language.

--IANS

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Andrew Mitchell helps his neighbor Beverly Johnson onto a rescue boat to escape the rising flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Beaumont Place, Houston, Texas, US, on August 28, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

HOUSTON - Mandatory and voluntary evacuations are issued across the Houston metropolitan area in the southern US state of Texas as historic Hurricane Harvey is expected to make a second landfall Tuesday.

Mandatory evacuation will go into effect for entire Bay City in the area at 13:00 local time (1800 GMT) on Monday, which expects up to 3 meters of water downtown.

Residents in low-lying coastal areas along or near the coast line are ordered to evacuate, including those in Rock Port, the area hit hard by the hurricane which made the first landfall Friday night.

People who live inland but are close to rivers received notice for voluntary evacuations, including those who live in the Greater Houston area.

Catastrophic flood waters inundated Houston on Sunday and forecasts expect more heavy rainfall in the coming days.

Earlier on Sunday, a body was found not far away from the coastal area in Southeast Texas, which increases the death toll to six after Hurricane Harvey made landfall Friday night. However, local police said they are not sure if the death is directly related to Harvey.

Widespread and worsening flood conditions prompted the closure of nearly every major road in Houston as the outer bands of Harvey swept through the Houston area over the weekend.

After receiving an overwhelming number of inquiries for help from citizens and corporations, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has established the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund which accepts tax deductible flood relief donations.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday accused the BJP of trying to turn the issue of Article 35A of the Indian Constitution into a Hindu versus Muslim issue.

The BJP was also trying to convert the issue into a state versus rest of the country issue after falling short of arguments to justify their moves on the matter, the National Conference Working President said while addressing people in Darhal area of Rajouri district.

Abdullah asked how could critics of the National Conference point fingers against it for opposing what he called were clandestine moves to get repealed Article 35A, which he said was a constitutional guarantee to the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh for preserving their distinct identity and dignity, irrespective of religion or caste.

He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of dividing people on region and religion lines to further its anti-people agenda.

"Article 35A reflects our identity, it allows us to shape our destiny, and so we cannot let it go," the former Chief Minister said.

The National Conference leader cautioned people not to remain complacent on this sensitive issue.

"The pen and inkpot party (People's Democratic Party's election symbol) had been conceived to further the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the BJP in this state", he claimed.

Omar Abdullah accused the PDP of submitting to the BJP's whims and fancies, be it on the Goods and Services Tax or the National Food Security Act.

He said GST implementation was a "tremendous setback" to the state's fiscal autonomy while the NFSA had broken the backbone of the poor.

"I opposed the Food Security Act's implementation despite frequent demands by our then alliance partner the Congress. By agreeing to implement the NFSA, the PDP has forced the state's people into submission and deprived them of the bare minimum rations," the former Chief Minister said.

--IANS

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A court here on Tuesday said it will consider the chargesheet against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's former Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar and others in a corruption case on September 11.

The court order came after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told Special Judge Arvind Kumar that it has received sanction related to initiate proceedings against Kumar in the corruption case from the competent authority.

However, the CBI also told the court that sanction against one more accused is still awaited.

Rajendra Kumar, a 1989 batch IAS officer, was accused of abusing his official position in awarding Delhi government contracts totalling Rs 9.5 crore to private firm Endeavour Systems Pvt Ltd.

Arrested on July 4, 2016 on charge of involvement in corruption, Rajendra Kumar was granted bail on July 26, 2016.

He has denied the charges against him which mainly relate to the period before Kejriwal became the Chief Minister.

--IANS

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A court here on Tuesday put Indian Mujahideen (IM) militant Yasin Bhatkal on trial in two cases related to the 2010 terror attack near Jama Masjid here after formally framing charges against them.

Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma framed charges against Bhatkal, his aide Asadullah Akhtar and eight other IM operatives in the two cases dealing with attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal conspiracy and other charges as also under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The court listed the matter for October 23 for recording the statements of prosecution witnesses.

Earlier, the court on August 1 discharged accused Syed Ismail Afaaque, Abdus Saboor and Riyaz Ahmad Sayeedi in the 2010 Jama Masjid blast case on grounds that it did not find any evidence against them.

The three were accused of criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and other offences under the Indian Penal Code, apart from the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act.

Proceedings against one accused was dropped as he is dead.

On September 19, 2010, two motorcycle-borne persons fired at tourists outside Jama Masjid in Old Delhi, injuring two Taiwanese. A mild explosion in an abandoned car also occurred in the area.

Two cases were registered against IM members, including module co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, its chief Riyaz Bhatkal and Iqbal Bhatkal, for attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal conspiracy and under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act.

Riyaz Bhatkal and Iqbal Bhatkal are on the run.

Yasin Bhatkal, arrested along with Akhtar from the India-Nepal border in August 2013, topped the Delhi Police list of 15 most wanted terrorists involved in bombings across the country.

--IANS

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The DMK has sought a meeting with President Ram Nath Kovind on August 31 to press for

an immediate floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly so that the Edappadi Palaniswami government can be asked to prove its majority.

Disclosing this to media, DMK Working President M.K. Stalin said at the party headquarters here on Tuesday that MPs belonging to the DMK, Congress, Left parties and Muslim League would be part of the delegation to meet Kovind.

He said he was hopeful that time would be granted for the meeting with the President in Delhi.

A DMK delegation on Sunday met Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao and put forward the demand that the Assembly should be immediately convened and the Chief Minister directed to face a floor test because the government has been "reduced" to a minority with 22 MLAs owing allegiance to the T.T.V. Dinakaran faction.

--IANS

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Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that recovery from the catastrophic hurricane Harvey will be "long and slow" since it was "one of the largest disasters America has ever faced", the media reported.

As one of the most destructive storms in the nation's history lashed southeast Texas for a fourth day on Monday, forcasts have called for still more rain, making clear that massive flooding that had turned neighbourhoods into lakes was just the start of a disaster that would take years to overcome, reports The New York Times.

Abbott has warned against expecting anything resembling recovery any time soon, or a return to the way things were.

"We need to recognise it will be a new normal, a new and different normal for this entire region."

So far, 10 deaths were reported with six of them in Harris county which includes Houston, the country's fourth largest city, The New York Times reported.

The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Brock Long, said that he expected more than 450,000 people to apply for federal assistance on Tuesday.

"We're going to be here for several years helping you guys recover," he said, adding "The state of Texas is about to undergo one of the largest recovery housing missions the nation has ever seen."

Officials estimated that more than 30,000 people had taken refuge in emergency shelters, including some that had opened in cities far inland, like Dallas, more than 200 miles from Houston.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, said the city had been asked to brace for "numbers that could be up in the tens of thousands".

About 8,000 people were estimated to be in Houston shelters. About 5,000 were expected to be in the Houston Convention Centre.

In San Antonio, sprawling vacant warehouses had been turn into shelters that could hold more than 4,100 evacuees.

Energy provider CenterPoint says 96 per cent of its Houston customers have power, but more than 104,000 are without electricity as crews experience difficulty reaching affected areas.

Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the night of August 25 as a Category 4, and although it downgraded to a tropical storm, it has lingered over the coastal region.

By Monday night, it had swamped the Houston region with more than 30 inches of rain in some places, and forecasters warned that the totals in some areas could top 50 inches before the storm moves on some time later this week, reports The New York Times.

It is expected to move to the northeast, toward far eastern Texas and Louisiana, and bands of heavy rain were already lashing those regions.

In New Orleans, which faced flooding earlier this month after heavy rains overwhelmed its drainage system, news that the far-flung storm could bring up to 10 inches of rain raised tension levels.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu advised residents to "stay off the streets" on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump is set to visit Texas on Tuesday. On Monday night the President said that the Congress will act fast to provide disaster relief funding to the areas affected by Harvey.

--IANS

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In a no-holds-barred attack, software major Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy on Tuesday said the previous Board practised poor corporate governance.

"My concern as a shareholder is the poor governance practised by the previous Board," said Murthy in a statement to institutional investors in a conference call from here.

Taking strong objection to the hefty severance package given to its former Chief Financial Officer Rajiv Bansal in October 2015, Murthy said the company had entered into an unusual agreement to pay an excessive sum to Bansal, as reported in its regulatory filing on the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) in the US.

"On June 18, 2016, R. Seshasayee (former Board Chairman) told the shareholders at the AGM that the Board had agreed to pay that sum to Bansal because he was 'privy to a lot of price sensitive information as CFOs are'. Please note that no previous CFO of the company, nor the current CFO had or have such an excessive severance pay clause in their contracts," recalled Murthy.

Following adverse media reports on the severance pay to Bansal, Murthy said current non-Executive Chairman Nandan Nilekani and other co-founders and he had asked Seshasayee on June 28, 2016 how the Board arrived at a strange decision to pay such a large sum as severance.

"Seshasayee told us that the decision was taken by David Kennedy, the company's former General Counsel. When we probed further, whether the Remunerations Committee, the Audit Committee and the Board applied their mind to this issue, there was silence from Seshasayee," noted Murthy.

When Murthy asked then Independent Director Jeffery S. Lehman on July 15, 2016 in the presence of Nilekani and another co-founder R. Dinesh why they (Board Members) agreed to pay such a huge severance amount, the latter replied that "it was confidential and could not be disclosed to us!"

Seshsasayee and Lehman, however, resigned on August 24 along with Co-Chairman Ravi Venkatesan, Executive Vice-Chairman Vishal Sikka and another Independent Director John Etchemendy from the Board, paving way for the return of Nilekani eight years after he left the $10 billion IT major.

"Roopa Kudva (Independent Director) said that we had to sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) if we wanted to know the reason! So much for shareholder transparency and democracy!," Murthy pointed out.

On October 14, 2016, Seshasayee told Murthy and other co-founders that the Board had agreed to pay a hefty sum to Bansal because they felt generous!

"Given such a set of inconsistent responses from the Board, would not any concerned shareholder come to the conclusion that the Board was not being transparent and was, perhaps, misleading us, the shareholders?," asked Murthy.

--IANS

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Iran's Foreign Ministry has voiced concerns over Myanmar's continued crackdown against Rohingya muslims, the media reported on Tuesday.

"The government of the Islamic republic of Iran is extremely worried by the continued violation of the rights of Muslims in Myanmar, which has led to their deaths and forced immigration," Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi was cited as saying by Fars news agency, Xinhua reported.

Qasemi urged the government in Myanmar "to halt the continued violation of human rights of Muslims and end ongoing inhuman and violent situation in the country".

He also asked Myanmar to adopt a realistic approach to a peaceful co-existence with the Rohingya.

The Rohingyas, one of the world's largest stateless communities, are fleeing in droves toward Bangladesh, trying to escape the latest surge in violence in Rakhine state between a shadowy militant group and Myanmar's military.

The UN refugee agency said on Monday that more than 3,000 Rohingya muslims had reached Bangladesh in the past three days, as people told of how they fled for their lives from Myanmar's army.

--IANS

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday met with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh here and discussed several issues related to the state.

During the 20 minute meeting, both leaders also discussed a series of developments in the state related to Article 35A that gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.

The article empowers the state legislature to define permanent residents of the state and their privileges.

The meeting with the Home Minister comes amid reports that Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra, 81, is likely to resign.

She is also reported to have met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Mufti had visited New Delhi earlier this month when she had met with Singh and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

--IANS

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The Kerala High Court here on Tuesday turned down a third bail plea by Malayalam actor Dileep, who has been in custody for over seven weeks in a kidnapping case.

Disposing off the bail plea, Justice Sunil Thomas observed that facts indicate that the investigation is still progressing.

"There does not appear to be any substantial change of circumstances. Having considered the entire facts, I am not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner at this stage," noted the judge

The actor had applied for bail on August 10. Following his arrest on July 10, Dileep has been lodged in the Aluva sub-jail for his involvement in the abduction and molestation of a Malayalam actress in February.

Reacting to the denial of bail, state police chief Loknath Behra told reporters in Kottayam that the court has complimented the probe team.

"The case is progressing in the right manner and the charge sheet will be submitted within 90 days and it would have all the evidences against Dileep," said Behra.

Soon after the bail plea was rejected, Dileep's brother Anoop and his brother-in-law Sooraj arrived at the jail where the actor is lodged. They spent about 15 minutes with the actor but did not speak to the media.

The option before the actor is to file yet another bail plea but it would come up before the same judge who denied him bail or the actor needs to approach the Supreme Court.

Kerala Police had found evidence against Dileep as the key conspirator behind an actress's abduction and molestation on February 17 when she was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi.

A trial court had earlier denied Dileep's first bail plea following which the actor then approached the High Court, which also turned down his plea.

Dileep employed a new counsel, replacing his previous one, who appeared twice for his bail hearings.

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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Scientists have "re-discovered" the largest specimen of marine reptile Ichthyosaurus on record and found it was pregnant at the time of death.

The new specimen is estimated to be between 3 and 3.5 metres long and is an adult female, according to a study published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.

Ichthyosaurs were a highly successful group of sea-going reptiles that became extinct about 90 million years ago.

Often misidentified as swimming dinosaurs, these reptiles appeared before the first dinosaurs had evolved.

The new specimen was originally discovered on the Somerset coast, during the mid-1990s, and is from the Early Jurassic, roughly 200 million years old.

However, the specimen remained unstudied until it wound up in the collections of the Lower Saxony State Museum in Hannover, Germany.

Researchers from Bielefeld Natural History Museum in Germany and University of Manchester in Britain examined the new specimen in early 2017.

They identified it as an example of an Ichthyosaurus somersetensis.

"It amazes me that specimens such as this (the biggest) can still be 'rediscovered' in museum collections," said Dean Lomax from University of Manchester.

"You don't necessarily have to go out in the field to make a new discovery. This specimen provides new insights into the size range of the species, but also records only the third example of an Ichthyosaurus known with an embryo. That's special," he added.

The embryo is incomplete and preserves only a portion of the back bone, a forefin, ribs and a few other bones, the researchers said.

The bones of the embryo are not fully ossified, meaning that the embryo was still developing.

--IANS

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Veteran actor Dilip Kumar has expressed his concern and offered prayers for the people of Maharashtra as some cities of the state are under the spell of torrential rains which have paralysed Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad.

A post on Dilip's official Twitter account read: "May Allah keep all of you safe. Mumbai rains. I've been told the authorities are doing their best to make it easy for you. God bless."

"Watching the rains from my window all day. I am praying for your safety and health in this downpour," he said.

The Maharashtra government and civic authorities sounded high alert on Tuesday as torrential rains lashed the cities for the fourth consecutive day, severely affecting normal life and paralysing the lifelines -- local train and bus services -- in the state capital.

The entire coastal Maharashtra including Mumbai, Raigad, Thane, Palghar, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg has been lashed by heavy to very heavy rains since the past 18 hours, flooding many low-lying areas, swelling rivers, lakes, ponds and other water bodies.

Suburban local trains and buses have been suspended in most parts of Mumbai due to heavy downpour.

--IANS

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Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Tuesday urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to take action against unregistered doctors and quacks in the state as per law.

In a letter to Naidu, Nadda said a pertinent issue which needed to be strictly tackled was one of unregistered medical practioners, who continued to exist in parts of the country and targeted the poor and uninformed patients.

Citing the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, which prohibits other than medical practioners enrolled on a state Medical Register to practise in the state, Nadda said that practising medicine without having a recognised medical qualification amounted to quackery and was punishable with both imprisonment and fine.

"Health being a state subject, it is a responsibility of the state government to deal with such matters. I request you to take appropriate action and corrective steps under the law against quacks and also evolve suitable policies to ensure availability of quality health workforce in rural areas," said Nadda in the letter.

--IANS

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NASA's next Mars mission known as InSight, which is scheduled for a 2018 lift-off, will focus on examining the deep interior of Mars, the US space agency has announced.

The long form of InSight's name is Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, reports Xinhua news agency.

The mission is expected to launch after May 8, 2018, from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, with a Mars landing scheduled after October 2018, the agency announced on Monday.

Information gathered by mission will boost understanding of how all rocky planets formed, including Earth.

"Because the interior of Mars has churned much less than Earth's in the past three billion years, Mars likely preserves evidence about rocky planets' infancy better than our home planet does," Bruce Banerdt, InSight principal investigator of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of NASA, said in a statement.

InSight is the first mission of NASA to investigate the deep interior of Mars and is part of a legacy of robotic exploration that is helping to lay the groundwork for sending humans to Mars in the 2030s.

The mission will place a stationary lander near Mars' equator. With two solar panels that unfold like paper fans, the lander spans about 6 metres, according to NASA.

Within weeks after the landing, InSight will use a robotic arm to place its two main instruments directly and permanently onto the Martian ground, an unprecedented set of activities on Mars.

The mission was originally scheduled to launch in March 2016, but NASA suspended launch preparations in December due to a vacuum leak in the lander's prime science instrument.

A redesigned vacuum vessel for the instrument has been built and tested, then combined with the instrument's other components and tested again.

The instrument redesign and two-year delay add $153.8 million to its previous budget of $675 million.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems is assembling and testing the InSight spacecraft in a clean room facility near Denver, Colorado. The Mars lander's science payload also is on track for next year's launch.

--IANS

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Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) Joint Secretary Binay Tamang on Tuesday rubbished reports of a rift between him and party chief Bimal Gurung.

The GJM leader, however, said, he and other members of the party delegation now in the city for the all-party meeting on the Darjeeling hills, felt a little insulted by some of Gurung's comments in a recently released voice clip.

"I have heard about the voice clip from the media. However, there is no division between me and Gurung.

"We are taking all the steps after consulting with the central committee. He is being apprised of all the developments that are happening.Even the delegation team for the all party meet has been approved by the central committee," Tamang, who reached Kolkata on Monday with a five-member delegation from the party, claimed.

"Yes, felt a little insulted by some of his statements in the clip. But being the party president, he has the prerogative and powers to say things. I do not know whom he has referred to in the clip," he said.

A clipping of a telephonic conversation has been recently released in the media where a voice resembling that of the GJM chief alleged that some of the hill party leaders are conspiring to sideline him from the ongoing agitation in the Darjeeling hills and are willing to compromise with the state government on the issue of Gorkhaland.

The voice also claimed that the delegation that is going to hold talks with the state should settle for nothing less than a separate state of Gorkhaland, a long standing demand of the movement.

"They should focus on the one point agenda of Gorkhaland or else walk out of that meeting. Otherwise they won't be allowed to come back to the hills," the voice in the clip said.

Responding to a letter from the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) last week requesting a dialogue to restore normalcy in the north Bengal hills, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called an all party meeting on August 29 at the state secretariat Nabanna.

The hills have been on the boil for over two and a half months after the GJM revived its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

Normal life has been paralysed since June 12 due to an indefinite shutdown called by the GJM, severely impacting the region's economy based on tea, tourism and timber.

--IANS

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will visit the US in the third week of September, a media report said on Monday.

Abbasi, along with Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, will visit Washington to attend the UN General Assembly session in New York, the News International quoted the government sources as saying.

The visit will be Abbasi's maiden visit to the US as Prime Minister and he is expected to meet US officials on the sidelines of the UNGA session.

The news about the visit comes amid tense relations between the two countries following US President Donald Trump's announcement of his new South Asia policy which was critical of Pakistan.

Pakistan on Sunday postponed a visit by a US acting Assistant Secretary of State, officials said, as protests broke out against Trump's accusations that Islamabad was prolonging the war in Afghanistan, the daily reported.

Trump had accused Pakistan of harbouring "agents of chaos" and providing safe havens to militant groups.

Pakistani officials responded by saying the US should not "scapegoat" Islamabad and accused the American military of failing to eliminate militant sanctuaries inside Afghanistan.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif had postponed his US visit following the US President's comments.

--IANS

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Old age homes for the cash-rich have been around in some Indian cities for quite a while, but the concept has only now arrived in Kerala, a state where those over 60 make up 12.6 per cent of of the population. The national average is 8.6 per cent.

Even though the state has around 50 old age homes with bare minimum facilities run by various charitable organisations, the demand for state-of-the-art retirement homes appears to be driven by non-resident Keralites who want to ensure that their aged parents lead a stress-free life, as they wait in the departure lounge for their final journey.

One such old age home is operating at its full occupancy of 60 in central Kerala's Karuchal town; two others are fast nearing completion, and one in the state capital that is all set to open has already attracted 19 confirmed bookings.

"We have got all the required licences and our home is now ready. Nineteen bookings have been made; in our first phase, we have space for 40 people. During the upcoming Onam season, we will have about nine people, all past 70, who wish to see what we offer and are booked for a week," said M. Ayyappan, who recently retired as Chairman and Managing Director of mini ratna HLL Lifecare Ltd and who has set up Asha Care Homes --- which he terms a "home away from home".

"Also, as an introductory offer, we are giving a two-day free stay for prospective clients," he added.

One reason why this appears to be a successful business model in Kerala is that the Department of Social Justice has estimated that by 2021, senior citizens will constitute around 20 per cent of the total population.

Kerala ranks first in terms of longevity, with men expected to live up to 72 and women up to 78 years. A survey by the United Nations Population Fund and Helpage India has shown that a fifth of the elderly population, especially women in Kerala, live all by themselves.

Hong Kong-based veteran banker and Asha Homes co-founder George Joseph said the cultural stigma attached to sending parents to old age homes still exists, but as more and more people overcome this, the idea will truly take off.

"We collect a refundable deposit (Rs 5.5 lakhs) from our inmates and it is returned the moment they decide to vacate our home. Besides that, we levy a very affordable monthly charge (Rs 30,000) for our services. We have round-the-clock, professionally-trained caregivers and our facilities include physiotherapy, ayurveda, a geriatric expert and also a full-fledged medical clinic.

"Before anyone is taken in, he or she has to undergo a medical check-up supervised by our medical board. The bookings we have so far received are just by word-of-mouth publicity," Joseph told IANS.

Two similar retirement homes are coming up at Kochi and Kottayam -- cities where a huge number of Keralite NRIs can afford near-luxury living for their parents.

(Sanu George can be contacted at sanu.g@ians.in)

--IANS

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Tuesday visit Udaipur, where he will inaugurate some completed road projects, lay the foundation stones for new highway projects and address a public gathering, officials said on Monday.

The national highway projects he would be laying foundation stones for are worth around Rs 15,000 crore, according to sources.

They said that Modi would also dedicate 11 completed national highway projects, covering a total length of about 873 km, to the nation. These include a six-lane cable-stayed bridge across the Chambal river at Kota.

Modi would also perform the "Bhoomi Poojan" (ground-breaking ceremony) for six national highway projects, covering a distance of about 556 km, an official statement said.

He is scheduled to arrive in Udaipur at around 12.30 p.m and leave for Delhi at 3.45 p.m.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will also address a public gathering at Khel Gaon in Udaipur and visit the Pratap Gaurav Kendra.

"Tomorrow (Tuesday), I will be visiting Rajasthan, the land of the brave, where I will inaugurate and lay the foundation of key National Highway projects. I will address a public meeting in Udaipur. I will also visit the Pratap Gaurav Kendra and pay my respects to the great Maharana Pratap," the Prime Minister tweeted.

--IANS

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Actor Ranveer Singh will not be meeting American DJs The Chainsmokers during their India tour next month, his representative has said.

The Chainsmokers, consisting of Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall, will be headlining the Indian leg of ULTRA Worldwide, an independent festival brand, which will be making its foray into the country with two Road To ULTRA Shows in Mumbai and Delhi, on September 7 and 8, in association with Percept Live.

There were reports that the organisers have approached the "Befikre" star for a candid chat session with the Grammy award-winning duo.

But a Yash Raj Films spokesperson said that Ranveer was unable to take it up due to his "prior commitments".

"While the organisers had approached Ranveer to be a part of the show, he hasn't taken it up due to prior commitments," said the spokesperson.

On the film front, he is busy with "Padmavati", which is being directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and stars Shahid Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Aditi Rao Hydari in key roles.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The makers of "Romeo Akbar Walter" have mutually parted ways with actor Sushant Singh Rajput due to "unavoidable circumstances".

Earlier media reports had suggested that Sushant "decided to walk out of the thriller". But the makers have clarified the development.

"Yes after much discussion and mutual talks, we will be parting ways with Sushant for 'RAW'. We wish Sushant all the best for his future film projects and look forward to working with him in the future," Ajay Kapoor, producer, said in a statement.

Sushant also added: "Unfortunately due to changes in my prior commitments, I will not be able to be a part of 'Romeo Akbar Walter'. I wanted to be a part of the project because I love the story and I believe it's a story which must be told however due to unavoidable circumstances I wont be a part of this journey. I wish the producers all the very best for the project."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A test bed area for autonomous cars will be built west of Seoul by the end of next year to put test vehicles through real world road and traffic conditions, officials said.

Ground-breaking for K-City will be held on Wednesday in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi province, to build the 320,000 square-metre facility for 11 billion won ($9 million), Yonhap news agency quoted the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as saying.

The facility will have simulated roads that like highways, downtown areas, city outskirts and communal environments and have 35 different driving conditions such toll gates, tunnels, intersections, construction sites and even train track crossings, ministry officials said.

Pot holes, narrow streets and pedestrian crossings have also been added for testing the vehicles, as well as Wi-fi and fourth-generation wireless technologies.

The section for highway driving will be completed by end of October and the entire K-city by end of next year, officials said.

The area will be opened to private companies, academic institutions and start-ups to test their products.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested eight policemen, including an IPS officer, for the custodial death of an accused in the sensational gang rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Shimla district last month, an official said.

The policemen included Inspector General (IG) Zahur H Zaidi, who was heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the crime, and Deputy Superintendent Manoj Joshi.

"We made an arrest of eight policemen, including IG Zahur H. Zaidi," CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said over phone from New Delhi.

He said all of them were arrested for the custodial death of an accused.

Police said the 16-year-old girl was offered a lift in a vehicle by the accused on July 4 when she was returning home from school in Kotkhai town, some 56 from the state capital.

On the way, they raped and murdered her in a nearby forest. Her naked body with injury marks was found two days later.

The arrested persons are prime accused Rajinder Singh, who offered her the lift, Ashish Chauhan, Subhash Bisht, Deepak Kumar, Suraj Singh and Lokjan.

The autopsy report mentioned injuries on the girl's body.

However, a new twist in the case came after Rajinder Singh allegedly murdered fellow accused Surat Singh in the police lock-up in Shimla on July 19.

Following the gang rape of the girl, people held massive protests in Himachal Pradesh. The family of the victim alleged that the "real culprits", who belong to high-profile families, have gotten away "scot free".

Later, on the plea of the state government the state High Court recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case.
The CBI on Tuesday arrested eight policemen, including an IPS officer, for the custodial death of one of the accused in the sensational gang rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Shimla district last month, an official said.

The arrested included Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zahur H. Zaidi, who was heading the Special Investigation Team probing the crime, Deputy Superintendent Manoj Joshi, and former Station House Officer Rajinder Singh, a Sub-Inspector.

Others arrested are Assistant Sub-Inspector Deep Chand, Head Constables Surat Singh, Mohan Lal, and Rafiq Ali and Constable Ranjit Streta.

The policemen were on Tuesday afternoon sent in CBI custody till September 4 by a Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Shimla.

"Eight policemen, including IGP Zahur H. Zaidi, were arrested in connection with the custodial death of an accused," CBI Spokesperson Abhishek Dayal told IANS on phone from New Delhi.

Police said the 16-year-old schoolgirl was offered lift in a vehicle by prime accused Rajinder Singh on July 4 when she was returning home from school in Kotkhai town, nearly 56 km from the state capital.

On the way, the accused and his accomplices raped and murdered her in a nearby forest. Her naked body with injury marks was found two days later.

Rajinder Singh, Ashish Chauhan, Subhash Bisht, Deepak Kumar, Suraj Singh, and Lokjan were arrested. They were believed to be drunk at the time of the crime.

The case got a new twist after Nepal national Suraj Singh was allegedly strangled by 32-year-old accused Rajinder Singh in Kotkhai police station lock-up on July 19.

What happened at the police station remained a mystery because the two were housed in adjacent cells with minimal security.

Following the gang rape and murder of the girl, people held massive protests in the hill state. The victim's family alleged that the "real culprits" belonging to high-profile families had gotten away "scot-free".

Later, on the state government's plea, the Himachal Pradesh High Court recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Earlier, the Special Investigation Team of the state police was handling the case.

Pulling up the CBI over the slow pace of investigation, the High Court on August 17 granted it two more weeks to complete the probe.

A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Sandeep Sharma also made all policemen of the Special Investigation Team as respondents in the case.

On court orders, the CBI constituted a Special Investigation Team headed by a Superintendent of Police after registering a case of murder and rape under the Indian Penal Code, apart from Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The CBI also registered a separate FIR to probe the circumstances leading to the death of Suraj Singh.

--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.)
Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has said that Islamabad had suspended talks and bilateral visits with Washington as a protest over US President Donald Trump's remarks condemning the South Asian nation, the media reported.

The Minister told the Senate on Monday that Pakistan had taken Trump's remarks seriously, reports Dawn news.

Asif's statement comes amid tense relations between the two countries following Trump's announcement of his new South Asia policy which was critical of Pakistan.

Last week, Trump, in his first address as the commander-in-chief, called for more troop deployment and India's role in Afghanistan while lambasting Pakistan for offering safe havens to "agents of chaos".

Pakistan on Sunday postponed a visit by a US acting Assistant Secretary of State, officials said, as protests broke out against Trump's accusations.

About the Trump's South Asia policy, Asif said it envisaged no military role for India in Afghanistan.

According to the sources, the Minister said it was rather a role of economic development.

He claimed that India would not be allowed to use Afghan soil to destabilise Pakistan.

Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua informed the Senate that a meeting of Pakistan's envoys had been convened from September 5 to 7 to chalk out a strategy over the new US policy on South Asia, reports Dawn news.

It was decided that the Senate will meet again Tuesday to finetune policy guidelines in the light of emerging realities and the role of the US, developed by a six-member committee of the house.

The policy guidelines will be given shape of a resolution which is most likely to be passed on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's newly-appointed Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is set to visit the US in the third week of September.

The visit will be Abbasi's maiden visit to the US as Prime Minister and he is expected to meet American officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tripura's tribal parties, who have been agitating for a separate state, on Tuesday rejected the central government's proposal for setting up a State Autonomous Development Council (SADC).

Ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front, the Congress and tribal parties, including Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), termed the proposal as "vague", while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supported it.

On the other hand, tribal parties like Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) and Twipraland State Party (TSP), who have been agitating for upgrading the existing Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to a separate tribal state, rejected the Centre's proposal.

Rejecting the proposal, IPFT President Narendra Chandra Debbarma said: "There is no provision in the Indian Constitution to set up an SADC. In no state of India such a council has been set up. The proposal to set up an SADC is akin to hoodwinking the backward tribals."

"Since 2015, the central government has been talking of amending the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to give more powers to all tribal autonomous bodies in northeastern states, but that process is yet to begin," he told the media.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, after a day-long visit to the Left-ruled state, told the media on Monday: "The NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government at the Centre does not support the demand for a separate state in Tripura. Instead, it will consider setting up of an SADC if the Left Front government sent a proposal."

Tripura Tribal Welfare Minister Aghore Debbarma dubbed the union minister's proposal as "vague".

"If the NDA government is serious, they can send a proposal to the state government to set up SADC and if the state agrees, then the central government can amend the Constitution accordingly," the Tripura minister told reporters.

He said that the Tripura government and the state assembly had sent several proposals on a number of occasions to amend the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to confer more power on the TTAADC and other tribal autonomous bodies of the northeastern states.

State Congress Vice President Tapas Dey said the Congress government at the Centre led by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had constituted several tribal autonomous bodies in northeastern states, including in Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya, for the all-round socio-economic development of the tribals.

"BJP government did nothing for the tribals in Northeast, they are only doing and offering impractical suggestions," Dey told the reporters.

There are 16 autonomous district councils (ADCs) in Northeast India, facilitating the socio-economic development of tribals, who make up 27-28 per cent of the region's total population of around 45.58 million.

Of the 16 ADCs, six are in Manipur, three each in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram and one in Tripura.

Several tribal parties, including the IPFT, have been agitating since 2009 for upgrading the TTAADC to a separate tribal state.

TTAADC has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq.km. area that is home to over 12,16,000 people, mostly tribals.

The IPFT had blocked National Highway-8, the lifeline of Tripura, and the lone railway line in the state for more than 10 days from July 10 over their separate state demand, causing acute shortage of essential items and hardship to the people.

After intervention by the state and central governments, besides Governor Tathagata Roy, the IPFT lifted the blockade on July 20.

Almost all major political parties, including CPI-M-led Left Front, Congress, BJP and other tribal parties like INPT, have rejected the demand, saying it is not practical to divide the small state.

Ahead of the assembly elections in Tripura, due in February next year, the separate tribal-based state demand has snowballed into a major political issue in the state, the tribals play a crucial political role in the state, with 20 of the 60 assembly seats reserved for the tribals.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Donald Trump will travel to Corpus Christi, Texas, on Tuesday with his wife Melania to supervise emergency aid work in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which has killed at least eight people and displaced tens of thousands.

The White House confirmed on Monday that Trump will travel to the Gulf Coast city near which the powerful storm made landfall last Friday evening, bringing torrential rains and unprecedented flooding to the entire region, Efe reported.

The President, who has praised the work of local and state authorities to deal with the storm and its aftermath, had announced on Sunday that he would travel to Texas on Tuesday, but he did not specify exactly where he would go.

The first lady's communications director, Stephanie Grishman, announced that Melania Trump will accompany her husband on the trip.

Harvey - now downgraded to a tropical storm - has fulfilled the dire predictions of meteorologists, bringing "unprecedented flooding" to southeastern Texas, particularly along the Gulf coast.

The worst situation is playing itself out in the Houston metro area, where 2.3 million people live and more than a meter (3.3 feet) of floodwater had collected.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a press conference that there are about 5,500 people being housed in about 20 shelters established around the city, a figure that he said will rise "exponentially" in the coming hours.

Harvey made landfall on Friday evening in Rockport, Texas, located some 360 kilometers southwest of Houston, as a Category 4 hurricane, one step removed from the maximum level on the 5-point Saffir-Simpson scale.

In recent days, the storm's intensity has diminished and it has been downgraded to a tropical storm, although it has brought "catastrophic flooding" to Houston and other locations, where rescue teams are using dozens of helicopters and boats to assist people who have been trapped by the floodwaters.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Donald Trump's attorney reached out to the Kremlin for assistance in building a Trump Tower in Moscow while the President was campaigning last year, the media reported.

The attorney, Michael Cohen, on Monday denied that the project was related "in any way" to Trump's campaign, reports CNN.

Previous reports indicated that efforts to build a Trump Tower in Moscow were underway during the presidential campaign in 2015, but it had not been reported that it continued into 2016.

"The Trump Moscow proposal was simply one of many development opportunities that the Trump Organisation considered and ultimately rejected," Cohen told CNN.

"In late January 2016, I abandoned the Moscow proposal because I lost confidence that the prospective licensee would be able to obtain the real estate, financing and government approvals necessary to bring the proposal to fruition.

"It was a building proposal that did not succeed and nothing more," he added.

Cohen's own attorney provided documents to the House intelligence committee that included a reference to the Moscow project.

In a second, separate statement on Monday, Cohen told CNN that the proposal "was not related in any way to Trump's presidential campaign. The decision to pursue the proposal initially, and later to abandon it, was unrelated to the Donald Trump for President campaign.

"Both I and the Trump Organisation were evaluating this proposal and many others from solely a business standpoint, and rejected going forward on that basis."

The attorney said that he and Trump discussed the proposal three times, though Cohen "never considered asking Trump to travel to Russia in connection with this proposal" and did not brief him on his decision to terminate the development.

However, Trump's involvement and awareness of the negotiations remains unclear and there is no public record that the President has ever spoken about the effort to build a Trump Tower in 2015 and 2016.

He denied having any business interests in Russia in July 2016.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to end interviews for recruitment of class II (non-gazetted), III and IV government employees in the state.

The decision, taken at a cabinet meet chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, was one of the promises made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2017 assembly elections.

State government spokesman and Health Minister Siddharthanath Singh told the media that the state government has also approved the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations for the Power Department employees.

Power Minister Srikant Sharma said that this would add an additional burden of Rs 33 crore every month.

The cabinet also ratified allocation of Rs 42.94 crore for construction of a Kailash Mansarovar Bhawan at Ghaziabad, as announced by Aditynath earlier. It was also decided that on lines of the wheat procurement initiated by the government, paddy would be procured through 3,000 centres.

The BJP state unit hailed the fulfilment of one of the major poll promises, with spokesperson Shalabh Mani Tripathi saying the measure will weed out graft from the system of recruitment.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With six states, including Assam and Bihar, already reeling under floods, the government on Tuesday warned of moderate floods in 12 other states as the "extreme to very heavy rainfall" over the next three days is set to sharply increase water levels of 14 rivers and their tributaries.

Already suffering with urban flooding, Mumbai (Santacruz) on Tuesday received record 298 mm (almost 30 cm) rainfall between 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected heavy to very heavy rain with isolated extremely heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours over North and Central Maharashtra.

The flood threat perception has been set high for parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, as the reservoirs and dams on rivers Mahi, Sabarmati, Banas and their tributaries are already holding 90 to 94 per cent of their capacity.

Meanwhile, since Monday, 15 different regions of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have been receiving significant rainfall ranging between 19 to 4 cm.

The IMD and Union Water Ministry issued an advisory regarding very heavy rainfall over the next three days in parts of 12 states, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Daman and Diu.

Of these 12 states, parts of Maharashtra (Mumbai) and Gujarat are already reeling under floods. Other states, including Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, are already hit by floods, affecting millions and leaving several dead.

"Heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy fall are very likely to occur in east Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Konkan and Goa, coastal and ghat areas of south interior Karnataka," said a government advisory issued on Tuesday.

"Due to this rainfall, the rivers Mahi, Sabarmati, Banas, Godavari and its tributaries, Krishna and its tributaries, west-flowing rivers south of Tapi, Cauvery and its tributaries are likely to rise and create low to moderate flood in few locations," the advisory added.

In and around Mumbai, the very heavy rains are likely to continue for the next 24 hours, after which it would drop. The government has advised to take necessary precautions, especially in lakes areas surrounding the city.

Meanwhile, over 14 rivers and their tributaries will see rapid rise in the water level in next 48 to 72 hours.

River Mahi and its tributaries are set to affect seven districts in Madhya Pradesh, Rajashtan and Gujarat; Sabarmati river and its tributaries will affect nine districts of Rajasthan and Gujarat while Banas river and its tributaries could flood three districts of Rajashtan and Gujarat.

Floods in Narmada and Tapi basin are set to affect nine districts in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. However the reservoirs have enough storage as they are full up to 66 to 45 per cent of their capacity, the advisory said.

Dams over Damanganga river may affect four districts, including Nasik in Maharashtra, Valsad district of Gujarat and Daman district in Daman and Diu.

Moderate to low floods are likely due to rapid rise in waters of river Godavari, Indravati and their tributaries, affecting 10 districts in Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

River Krishna, Tungabhadra and its tributaries are likely to rise in 12 upstream districts, including Satara, Kolhapur, Pune, Sholapur in Maharashtra and others, including Ballari district of Karnataka.

The advisory also issued caution for seven other districts in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka due to rise in west flowing rivers. Cauveri and its tributaries are also set to rise affecting four district of Karnataka and Kerala, though the ministry claims that the reservoirs there have efficient storage.

River Bhavani and Moyar are also set to affects part of Tamil Nadu, the advisory said, adding that in Tamil Nadu the threat of floods is not immediate.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leaders of women farmers from different parts of the country have gathered here for an interface with various government agencies to demand they be legitimately recognised as farmers and that their rights as farmers be upheld.

They are participating in the "National Consultation of Women Farmers", being organised at the Constitution Club here to discuss the subject -- "Realizing the Rights of Women Farmers: Developing a Roadmap for Action".

A number of sessions are lined up for August 30.

Their main demands center around getting rights over land and resources, both individual and common, and equal entitlements over various schemes and services meant for farmers.

The most desperate request that all the speakers constantly emphasised on Tuesday was to get "recognised and supported as farmers".

"Although, they put in the most work into farming, across crops and regions, they are hardly recognised as farmers," Sejal Dand, member of Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch (MAKAAM), said.

She explained that the problem was compounded by the fact that no gender-disaggregated land records were maintained in the country, and that the state governments needed to address this issue on an urgent basis.

Farmers on the panel demanded that if the government was truly keen on doubling farmers' incomes, then women farmers' organisations should be provided with various financial outlays, incentives and tax exemptions.

"The government is constantly publicising Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. However, in states like Uttarakhand where I come from, there is no insurance cover for wild animal attacks," said Sunita Kashyap of Mahila Umang Producer Company.

"Women are actually ending up in their fields guarding their crop day in and day out. It has increased our work tremendously and added to our losses in agriculture. This has to be addressed immediately," she said.

She also pointed out that income tax and the new Goods and Services Taxes (GST) regime were dealing a severe blow to the profitability of collectives of women farmers.

"We make jams and pickles as well as wool-based products as a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO). However, there is no tax exemption for us, and now GST means that we have to pay taxes upwards of 12 per cent, which can't always be passed on to end consumers," she added.

Amrithamdurai of Tamil Nadu added that no compensation cheques were provided to women "since men are invariably the ones who possess land titles".

"Moreover, current trends are making things worse for us. When land is being acquired in the name of development projects, our legitimate rights are completely ignored and our abilities to provide even the basic needs are rendered vulnerable," she said.

She complained that land rights of women even as per the existing laws like Hindu Succession Act were not being implemented.

She gave her own example to explain that even when men die, including in instances of farm suicides due to agrarian distress, women do not get to own land due to a failure of implementation of law.

She explained how landless Dalit households like hers were affected, as there was no public policy in place to address land distribution in the name of women.

Talking about climate change and the need for more resilient farming, Nageswaramma of Mallaiahgaripalli Women Farmers' FPO in Andhra Pradesh urged for some of the progressive schemes running in her state, centered around diversity-based non-chemical farming, to be extended to other states.

"We need to reduce costs and prevent indebtedness. It is often seen that women farmers are left out of various schemes and services just because they don't have land titles in their names," she said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Abdul Basit, who recently retired as Pakistans High Commissioner to India after having served three years in New Delhi, has sent an official letter to Pakistans ambassador to the United States and former foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, saying that he was the worst foreign secretary ever. Dated July 5, 2017 and written on the letterhead of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, the letter appeared on social media on Tuesday. It was a reply to Chaudhrys valedictory letter as foreign secretary in March. My concern is that you would end up being the worst Pakistan ambassador in Washington DC, Basit wrote. The reasons are simple. First, you are not made for the delicate profession of diplomacy. The second reason he cites is Chaudhrys heart is not in the right place. Basit lists two failures of Chaudhry, both related to India  the Ufa Joint Statement and Pakistans humiliating defeat at the Human Rights Council.
DSP Blackrock Mutual Fund announced recently that all its active will be benchmarked against total-return indices. So far, only Quantum Mutual Fund benchmarked its against a total return index. Their use is widespread in developed markets. Experts say using a total return index as benchmark is a more transparent way of showcasing fund performance.
The bonhomie witnessed between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) during demonetisation, introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST), Presidential and Vice-Presidential polls appears set to end now with the saffron party readying an offensive against the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government.

State BJP president K Laxman will be leading a week-long 'Telangana Vimochana Yatra' from Friday primarily to mount pressure on the TRS government to officially celebrate September 17 as "Hyderabad Samsthan Liberation Day".

BJP president Amit Shah is slated to pay a three-day visit to Telangana from September 10. Shah had visited Telangana in May with an aim to strengthen the party in the state ahead of the 2019 elections.

"The guidance from Amit Shah this time is going to be purely electoral, political," state BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao said.

On September 17, Union Minister Rajnath Singh will address a public meeting proposed to be organised by the BJP state unit to celebrate 'Telangana Liberation Day (or Hyderabad Samsthan Liberation Day)'.

The ruling TRS had backed the NDA government's move on the demonetisation and the GST, as also its nominees for the Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections, leading to speculation in some quarters on whether it is coming closer to the BJP.

Saagar Rao said Laxman's yatra and visits of Shah and Singh would give a clear picture about the way forward and the ambition and goals of the BJP in Telangana.

"The (BJP) president is going to set the goal clearly... no confusion...We are going on our own...No tie-up with TDP and TRS, that will be established very, very clearly.

"Instruments of winning--resources, leaders, electoral plan, manifestation of these plans into action, all that will be discussed, lot of committees will be formed within the party (in September)," he told PTI here.

Laxman said during the agitation for separate Telangana state, which picked up momentum after 2004, the TRS had also demanded observation of official celebration on September 17.

In fact, during the run up to the elections in 2009 and 2014, the TRS head and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao stated several times that the non-observation of official celebration on September 17 had been the "conspiracy of the combined state (undivided Andhra Pradesh)", he said.

Chandrasekhar Rao had also said when the TRS comes to power, it would officially celebrate September 17 as 'Telangana Liberation Day', he said.

"But, after coming to power in 2014, obviously buckling under pressure of the MIM, who are actually the descendants of Razakars, who committed heinous crimes on the people of Telangana during the liberation struggle between 1945 and 1948, the TRS government took a 'U-turn' and put the issue on backburner," Laxman alleged.

Razakars had fought against Hyderabad integrating into India and wanted the Nizam rule to continue.

"It is obvious that the TRS government has shelved the issue, intimidated by the MIM and of course for vote-back politics," Laxman claimed.

The BJP believes celebration of September 17--the party has been demanding it since 1998--is an issue close to the hearts and minds of the people, inextricably linked to the self-respect of the people and a "historical imperative".

As part of the yatra, Laxman would visit "all those historical places which were witness to the brutality of Razakars and valour of the martyrs".

"The objective of the tour is three-fold: to expose the chicanery of the TRS government; to press the demand of official celebration of Telangana Liberation Day on September 17 and to revive the memory of Hyderabad liberation struggle and pay tribute to the martyrs," he added.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is coming for increasing criticism from several of the Opposition parties, including ally Communist Party of India (CPI), for abdicating its historical responsibility to fight "fascist forces".
At least 14 people were killed and 42 others injured today when a bus and a pick-up truck collided after plunging from a bridge onto the road below in southern Egypt, officials said.

The Health Ministry said in a statement that the accident took place on a main road linking Beni Suef with the capital, Cairo.

The driver of the pick-up truck, which was carrying poultry, told local media that he fell with his vehicle from the bridge but managed to get out of the vehicle quickly, then the bus fell over his vehicle.

The driver is currently being treated in a hospital.

The bus, which was travelling from Cairo to the Upper Egyptian city of Menya, was carrying 62 passengers.

Hospital sources said that some of the injured are in a serious condition.

Egypt has one of the world's highest accident rates owing to careless driving and poor road and vehicle conditions.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) ranks Egypt as the world's tenth worst country in road accidents, after India, China and the US.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three persons have been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle more than 45 bovines from Jammu and Kashmir's Doda and Udhampur districts to the Valley, the police said today.

The police arrested two persons near Jakhani Chowk in Udhampur, around 80 km from here. They were smuggling 18 bovines in their truck, a police spokesman said.

He said they failed to produce the requisite documents for transporting the animals from Jammu to Srinagar. A case was registered against them, the spokesman said.

In Doda district's Dessa area a person was arrested for trying to smuggle 28 bovines, he said.

The matters are being investigated, the spokesman said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four Nigerian students allegedly overpowered the cab driver and dumped him here before fleeing with the vehicle, the police said today.

The incident happened last night when the Nigerian nationals booked the vehicle of a cab aggregator and boarded it from Akshardham in Delhi, they said.

Soon after boarding the vehicle, they overpowered the cab driver Ankur, a resident of Kankankheda Meerut, and asked him to driver to Greater Noida, Kasna Police station incharge Jitendra Kumar said, quoting an FIR filed by the cab driver.

After reaching near Ryan School in Greater Noida, they threw the driver out of the cab and sped away, he said, adding police is probing the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tropical storm Harvey continued to batter southeast Texas today with rain and floods, leaving at least nine people dead and submerging highways, houses and entire neighbourhoods in the US' fourth-largest city here.

First responders took to boats to rescue stranded residents, with authorities warning that more than 30,000 people across the region could be forced from their homes by the time skies are expected to clear later this week.

A family of sixis believed to have died after drowning in a white van while trying to escape the floods.

The passengers included four children. The driver reportedly called out to them to try to get out through the back door, but they were unable to escape.

Witnesses said first responders were in the area, but were unable to rescue the passengers. It is thus far the single deadliest incident resulting from the storm.

A 60-year-old woman died Monday in Porter, a small community north of Houston, when a large oak fell on her mobile home. Another person died in the small coastal town of Rockport, near where Harvey made landfall. A 52-year-old homeless man was found in La Marque, a small city near Galveston.

Non stop rain yesterday crippled Houston and emergency teams - aided by a growing contingent of citizen-rescuers - plunged into waist-deep water seeking people stranded bydevastating, historic floodingin the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

Two Indian students are in a critical condition after they nearly drowned in Lake Bryan in the US state of Texas.

As the rain kept pouring, as many as 13 million people from Houston to New Orleans were under flood watches and warnings. Many residents climbed to the upper stories of their homes. Some even pitched tents on roofs, waiting it out until a boat or helicopter swooped in.

"Harvey has in many ways turned southeast Texas into an inland lake...The size of Lake Michigan," said Brad Kieserman, vice president of disaster operations and logistics for the American Red Cross.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), residents can expect another 24 inches of rain, the return of tropical storm force winds and high flood waters.

The NWS has issued flood watches and warnings from near San Antonio to New Orleans, an area that is home to more than 13 million people. Schools, airports and office buildings remained closed.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said that there are already 5,500 people in shelters and that number is expected to rise.

Harvey's onslaught is predicted to continue for the next few days, as the storm swirls around the southeastern US coast, briefly heads offshore and then makes another landfall.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott activated his state's entire National Guard, deploying 12,000 service members to respond to the devastation.

In addition, 16 aircraft are conducting day and night wide area search and rescue missions along the Texas coast from Corpus Christi to Houston.

Texas is at the early stages of turning back on power -restoration of power is one of its biggest needs.

Desperate residents have taken to social media to plead for help, posting images of their families stranded at home as flood waters quickly rise.

President Donald Trump yesterday declared "emergency conditions" in Louisiana, where forecasts have called for as much as two feet of rainfall in some areas.

He pledged swift action by the federal government to provide relief to states affected by Harvey, and he is scheduled to visit Texas.

"Recovery will be a long and difficult road, and the federal government stands ready, willing and able to assist in that effort," he said.

The immediate focus for many remained Houston, the country's fourth-largest city and asprawling metropolitan area, which faced dire circumstances and National Weather Service forecasts warning of more heavy rainfall.

Two reservoirs wereopened to release waterto relieve the stress the downpour has caused in the region, which has seen as much rain in a few days as it averages in an entire year.

Parts of Harris County, which encompasses Houston, were pelted with 30 inches of rain in the past 72 hours, the Weather Service reported early Monday.

The Weather Service said Harvey's rain is causing "catastrophic and life-threatening flooding over large portions of southeastern Texas".

Officials said Houston, a major center for the nation's energy industry, had suffered billions of dollars in damage and would take years to fully recover.

Oil and gas companies have shut down about a quarter of their production in the Gulf of Mexico.

Spot prices for gasoline are expected to jump, but the full extent of damage will not be clear for days, companies and experts said.

More than 100,000 Indian-Americans living in and around Houston area have also been badly hit by the monstrous hurricane Harvey.

The community members living in and around Houston have either voluntarily abandoned their homes or have been evacuated to safer places, after flood water dangerously entered their homes, in a few cases touching the roof.

Hundreds of Indian students, who were stranded in their homes and ran out of food, are being helped by the Indian Consulate in Houston.

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Despite seemingly stalled peace talks between Afghanistan's government and the Taliban, officials say the intelligence chief speaks by telephone with militant leaders nearly every day about the country's constitution and political future.

In addition, Afghanistan's national security adviser has conversations with the Taliban every other month, officials familiar with the efforts said.

The Associated Press has seen documents describing the conversations between the Afghan officials and the Taliban leadership in both Pakistan and the Gulf state of Qatar, where they maintain an office.

While Afghan officials said neither side was ready to agree to public peace talks, the documents revealed details of the issues discussed, including the Taliban's apparent willingness to accept Afghanistan's constitution and future elections.

A senior Afghan security official, who had taken notes on the details of talks, rifled through a black leather-bound book until he came to a list he called "Taliban talking points."



The Afghan security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said the Taliban wanted certain amendments to the constitution - although not immediately. They also envisioned an Islamic system of governance in Afghanistan, he said.

Among the Taliban's demands, according to the official:



- They accepted education for boys and girls at all levels, but wanted segregation by gender.

Women could be employed in all fields, including defense and the judiciary, and they could serve as judges at all levels except the Supreme Court. However, the Taliban wanted constitutional guarantees that a woman could not be president.

- Special courts should be established to oversee thousands of cases that allege land was taken illegally by the rich and powerful in the post-Taliban era. Many of the land owners are former warlords who are now in the government. The Taliban wants the land returned to those from whom it was taken.

- Elections could be held after an interim government is established, with no one affiliated with past governments allowed to serve in the interim administration. The Taliban said all sides could keep areas currently under their control until voting is held.

Afghanistan's Intelligence agency had no comment about the contacts with the Taliban. Officials familiar with the conversations said intelligence chief Masoum Stanikzai has near daily telephone conversations with Taliban leader Abbas Stanikzai, who is not related to him. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters.

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US President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that "all options are on the table" after North Korea fired a ballistic missile that flew over Japan before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean.

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table," he said.

In a statement, the US president said, "The world has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: this regime has signalled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable behaviour."

Earlier, he spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to address North Korea's launch of a missile that overflew Japanese territory, the White House said.

"The two leaders agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, as well as to countries around the world," it said.

Trump and Abe committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the community to do the same, the White House added.
US President Donald Trump today warned a defiant North Korea that "all options are on the table" after it fired a ballistic missile that flew over Japan, forcing people to seek shelter.

The missile flew over Hokkaido island before crashing into the northern Pacific Ocean. This is the first time North Korea has fired what is thought to be a ballistic weapon over Japan.

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table," Trump said.

In a statement, the US president said, "the world has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: this regime has signalled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour."



Earlier, he spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to address North Korea's launch of a missile that overflew Japanese territory, the White House said.

"The two leaders agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, as well as to countries around the world," it said.

Trump and Abe committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the international community to do the same, the White House added.

Abe called the North Korean missile launch a "unprecedented serious and grave threat to Japan" that "significantly undermines the peace and security of the region."



The missile was in flight for about 15 minutes, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at an emergency press conference.

"There is no immediate report of the fallen objects and no damage to the ships and aircraft," he added.

Minutes after the North Korean missile was launched, residents in northern Japan received a text message urging them to seek shelter in a strong structure or a basement.

Today's was the fourth missile North Korea has fired in four days -- Pyongyang tested three short-range ballistic missiles, one of which failed, from Kangwon province that landed in water off the Korean Peninsula.

Tuesday's launch is the first time North Korea has successfully fired a ballistic missile over Japan, CNN reported.

On the two previous occasions North Korean rockets crossed Japan - in 1998 and 2009 - North Korea said they were for satellite launch vehicles, and therefore not weapons, it said.

The Trump administration has been pursuing what it calls a strategy of "peaceful pressure" to rein in Pyongyang's nuclear and missile weapons programmes.

The goal is to put enough diplomatic and economic pressure on the reclusive regime in order to push them to the negotiating table. The UN Security Council has imposed crippling sanctions on Pyongyang but it continues to defy the international community by conducting provocative missile tests.

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Andhra Pradesh is creating a Rs 500-crore fund by March 2018 which will be investing in startups in the emerging financial technologies space, a senior government official said today.

"We will be putting Rs 100 crore from the state government and raising Rs 400 crore from entities like Sidbi as co-investors for the fintech fund," J A Chowdary, the IT advisor for the 2014 bifurcated state, told reporters here.

He said the government will be selecting a fund manager through a bidding process who will be deciding on specifics like ticket sizes of investment, and is also in talks with investors who can pool in money.

The process has already been initiated and the government expects the fund to be operational by March 2018.

The fund is a part of government efforts to create a 'Fintech Valley' in Vishakapatnam, wherein it is trying to create an ecosystem with research and development, and also delivery-based work in areas like blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics.

In the last one year, it has already seen investments of over USD 20 million by names like Broadridge Financial Solutions, Paytm, Thomson Reuters and Visa choosing to set up base there, he said.

Three more US-headquartered "big multinationals" are expected to move into the facility soon, he said, declining to share names as the necessary agreements are yet to be signed.

The new companies will open centres with a seating capacity of up to 500 people each, Chowdary said.

But more than the large enterprises, who will use the facility to have research centres and as delivery centres, it is the startups which are the primary target for the valley.

Chowdary said it is targeting to engage with 50 startups this fiscal in various ways, including housing around a dozen of them in four new accelerators launched today.

For the startups to understand the industry's problems better, it has got 20 large institutions to share 'use cases' which can be used as a case study, he said.

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Australia's foreign minister says her country has offered to help train the Philippine military in its fight against extremists linked to the Islamic State group.

Australia has already sent surveillance planes to help the Philippines, where the southern city of Marawi has been under siege for months by Islamic State-linked militants.

In a recent video, the Islamic State group singled out Australia and the US as key backers of the Philippines military offensive in Marawi.

Today, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said that Australia was prepared to send additional help in the form of training for the Philippine military.

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With the honeymoon travel segment in India growing steadily, the Indonesia island of Bali has topped the list of the most desired destination by Indian couples followed by Maldives and Thailand, said a survey.

"Indian couples love travelling to beach destinations that offer visa-on-arrival options. Unlike wedding preparations that involve family members, honeymoon is an intimate affair that most couples choose to plan on their own at least six months to a year in advance.

"Bali is on the priority list of most honeymooners. Its sandy beaches and scenic beauty, complemented free visa-on-arrival options and plans to increase direct flight connectivity makes Bali even more appealing," Ezeego1.Com CEO and Director Neelu Singh said.

The survey was based on data on Ezeego1's analysis of customer inquiries for honeymoon packages made online between January and June 2017.

It revealed that while Greece and Paris still remained popular, Seychelles made it to the top five, recording the fastest growth in searches compared to last year.

Maldives is home to some of the greatest luxury hotels in the world and a preferred holiday destination by Bollywood celebrities, making it even more aspirational for honeymoon couples, it added.

Thailand has secured third position by attracting couples catering to all kind of budgets and needs, followed by Greece and Paris, which remained evergreen and more affordable than ever with the falling value of Euro, it said.

Seychelles is emerging in a big way as an aspiring and emerging destination for honeymooners, the survey said.

Air Seychelles has started operating direct flights between Mumbai and Seychelles five times a week and this has aided the growth of Indian honeymooners heading to Seychelles by almost two-fold this year, it added.

While Mauritius, famous with couples for its range of exotic stay options, excellent beaches, climate and marine life, was ranked number seven followed by Sri Lanka that has become an ideal honeymoon destination as a short haul options and affordable getaway.

Scotland and Budapest, both believed to be romantic destinations, made it to the top 10 because of the favourable exchange rates they offer providing a great value for honeymooners, the survey added.

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Ruling BJD MLA from Banki Pravat Kumar Tripathy was today grilled by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Artha Tatwa (AT) group chit fund scam.

"The ED had sought some documents related to my bank accounts and movable and immovable properties. I have submitted the same today. It has also given me time of ten days to submit some other documents which couldn't be submitted by me today," Tripathy told reporters afterwards.

Tripathy, who is on bail after being arrested by the CBI in the chitfund scam in October, 2014, was grilled by the ED officials for about four hours.

The MLA was granted bail by Orissa High Court on March 3, 2015. He was accused of receiving about Rs 40 lakh from the tainted AT group.

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The BJP today asked the Election Commission to introduce a facility for electronic voting, saying it would increase the participation of defence personnel in elections and enable them to vote without delay.

A delegation of Union ministers J P Nadda and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi submitted a memorandum to the EC and asked it to consult the chiefs of the three services on devising ways to help service personnel vote through e-ballots.

Party general secretaries Bhupender Yadav and Arun Singh were also signatories to the memorandum.

At present, electronic ballot papers are transmitted online to such voters but they can cast their votes only by sending the ballots to their respective returning officers through the regular postal service, which takes a considerable period of time.

While introducing this facility earlier this year, the EC had ruled out electronic casting of votes because of security reasons such as hacking.

The BJP delegation said the e-ballot facility was introduced in the Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa Assembly elections in February this year but very few serving personnel in the services made use of it.

Pitching for a two-way electronic voting process, it said the EC should take adequate legal and administrative steps and make arrangements for the electronic submission of votes.

"This would ensure that service personnel, deployed wherever, are able to cast their vote without any delay. This will vastly improve participation in democratic processes of a sizable population of the country guarding our borders," it said.

It also asked the commission to enable serving defence personnel to immediately access electronically transmitted ballots so that they could submit their votes without delay to the appropriate returning officers.

The BJP also sought sensitisation and training of senior services personnel in the usage of e-ballot and asked the EC to explore ways of acknowledging a vote on e-ballot similar to the VVPAT (Voter-verified paper audit trail), in which people can verify that their votes have been cast correctly.

The BJP's plea comes ahead of assembly polls in a number of states, including Himachal Pradesh, which has a high number of voters working in the three services.

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The CBI today arrested Inspector General of Himachal Pradesh Police Zahur Haidar Zaidi and seven other policemen in connection with the custodial death of an accused in a rape case.

A CBI spokesman said the IGP, the then Theog Deputy Superintendent of Police, the then Staton House Officer of Kotkhai, one Assistant Sub-Inspector, 3 head constables and one constable were arrested in the custodial death of Suraj Singh, a 29-year-old labourer from Nepal.

Singh, who was a suspect in the rape-and-murder of a minor school girl in Kotkhai area of Shimla in early July, was among six people arrested by the local police.

He was allegedly killed by a co-accused at the Kotkhai police station on the intervening night of July 17 and July 18, triggering a massive public outrage.

"The arrested accused were produced in the competent court in Shimla today and were remanded to police custody till September 4," the spokesman said.

The arrested are 1994-batch IPS officer Zaidi, who headed the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Theog DSP Manoj Joshi, SHO Rajender Singh, ASI Deep Chand Sharma, head constables Suraj Singh, Mohan Lal and Rafiq Ali, and constable Ranjit Singh.

The CBI was handed over the probe into the case by the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

The agency has registered two separate FIRs on the rape- and-murder of the minor girl and the custodial death of the suspect.

The Class X student had gone missing on July 4 and her naked body was recovered from Haliala forests in Kotkhai on July 6.

"The CBI has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by a Superintendent of Police and an Additional SP and a Deputy SP, and taken over the investigation of both the cases," the CBI had said earlier.

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A man wanted in connection with the beating of a black man in Charlottesville on the day of a white nationalist rally turned himself in to authorities in Georgia and will be extradited to Virginia, officials have said.

Alex Michael Ramos, 33, surrendered Monday evening at the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, Sgt. Lawson Bittick told The Associated Press yesterday.

Ramos faces one count of malicious wounding in the attack on DeAndre Harris, which was captured in photos and video that went viral. The Aug. 12 attack by a group of men left him with a concussion, abrasions and contusions across his body, as well as a head laceration that required staples, a knee injury and a fractured wrist, according to his attorney.

Ramos agreed to be extradited to Virginia during a hearing yesterday, said Kathy Barfield, deputy clerk of the Monroe County Magistrate Court.

Bittick said Ramos is an unemployed construction worker, and he didn't know if he had obtained an attorney.

In an interview with Atlanta TV station WGCL, Ramos said that he hit Harris once and that others beat him with sticks and shields. He called the incident "a defensive attack." Ramos also said he is not a white nationalist.

"I was there because, pretty much, I'm a conservative. ... There were some non-racist members who were going to a free speech rally," he said.

Harris, a 20-year-old special education instructional assistant, attended the rally with friends to show his opposition to the white nationalist groups, his attorney, S. Lee Merritt, said.

A member of Harris' group began arguing with a white supremacist over a Confederate flag, Merritt said in a statement. Harris intervened just as the white supremacist attempted to spear his friend with the flag's pole, the statement said.

Harris tried to retreat but was pushed to the ground by a man holding a shield with the symbol of a white supremacist group, and the group of men swarmed him, beating him with blunt objects, according to the statement.

Another man accused in the beating, Daniel Borden, 18, of suburban Cincinnati, appeared by video Tuesday and declined to waive extradition to Virginia, where he also faces a charge of malicious wounding. Hamilton County Magistrate Michael Bachman set bond at USD 100,000 and scheduled a Sept. 29 hearing.

Attorney Greg Berberich has said Borden's family expects him to be exonerated.

Merritt said he intended to file a federal civil rights lawsuit against all parties responsible for the attack in the coming weeks.

Ramos and Borden were identified through the efforts of journalist and activist Shaun King, who has been posting photos and video of the assault on social media and offered a reward, Merritt said.

"With information including affiliated organizations, clear photographs, and recordings, it is disappointing that the combined efforts of federal and local agencies have failed to lead to either the identification or arrest of additional suspects," Merritt said in the statement.

Meanwhile, a Ku Klux Klan member charged with firing a gun during the rally remained in Baltimore County pending extradition.

Randy Mentzell, the county Department of Correction's commitment manager, said she didn't know when Richard Preston, 52, would be transported to Virginia.

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China today remained non-committal on the issue of stopping road construction in Doklam, a day after Indian and Chinese troops ended 73-day standoff that was triggered by China's move to build a road in the border area.

"In order to meet the needs of defending the borders, improving the living conditions, China has long engaged in infrastructure development including the road construction," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

India and China yesterday ended their standoff in Doklam by withdrawing their troops from the area, just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China to attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit.

When asked if China will continue with building the road in the area, Hua said, "we will take into consideration all relevant factors, including the weather, to make relevant construction plan in accordance with the situation on the ground."



Hua reiterated that Chinese border troops "will continue to station and patrol the Doklam area. We will continue to exercise our sovereignty with historic conventions."



She also parried a question whether China is in consultation with Bhutan, which has protested the Chinese troops' road building in Doklam.

"So far we have resolved the issue of illegal trespass of the Indian troops," she said.

When asked whether China halted the work on a road in Doklam to end the standoff so that the BRICS summit could be held, Hua said, "Peaceful resolution of the issue through the diplomatic channels serves the common interests of all relevant parties."



"It shows the sincerity and responsible attitude of China as a major country," Hua added.

Welcoming the end of the standoff, senior Chinese scholars said major lesson out of border tensions is that China and India should be sensitive towards each other's concerns to avert future conflicts.

"I am very glad to hear that finally the two governments demonstrated their maturity and far reaching and farsighted decision to peacefully end the conflict," Hu Shisheng, Director of the official China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told PTI.

Hu said China and India should be sensitive to each other's concerns.

Rong Ying, Vice President and Senior Research Fellow of the China Institute of the International Relations, which is affiliated to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said the resolution of Dokalam standoff showed maturity and resilience of India-China bilateral relations.

"This is by far the most the serious incident between the two countries on the boundary. Ten weeks of very serious and grave situation. So the fact that both sides through the diplomatic means solved it in a peaceful (way), I think it should be definitely welcomed," said Rong, who served as a diplomat in the Chinese embassy in New Delhi.

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The Indian Coast Guard has rescued eight fishermen on board a boat which was adrift about 16 nautical miles off the coast of Kochi, Defence sources said today.

The Kerala Fisheries Department had informed the coast guard around 10:30 pm yesterday about the boat being adrift.

The Indian Coast Guard Headquarters engaged the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Abhinav to tow the boat at 10 am today.

The fishing boat was incapacitated since yesterday due to engine breakdown with the eight fishermen on board, sources said.

The ship reached the boat around 1:30 pm and after ensuring the safety of all personnel and security of items on the boat, it was connected with strong ropes and towed back, sources said.

The ship reached the harbour around 4:30 pm today and the fishing boat was handed over to Marine Enforcement Wing (MEW), Kochi.

All those on board are understood to be safe with no injuries, the sources added.

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The first phase of surgery to separate two-year-old twins from Odisha, who are joined at the head, was completed successfully at AIIMS.

In the almost 20-hour-long surgery, the doctors performed venous bypass to separate the veins shared by the babies that return blood to the heart from the brain.

"The surgery began yesterday at around 9 am and went on till 5 AM today. The children are under observation," a senior doctor at AIIMS said.

According to the doctor, the surgery to separate them will be taken up by October end.

The twins--Jagannath and Balram--from Kandhamal district in Odisha, are craniopagus conjoined twins who are joined at the head. This is a very rare condition.

A team of around 20 specialists from the institute's neurosurgery, neuro-anaesthesia and plastic surgery department besides a Japanese expert were involved in the procedure.

A series of investigations, including multiple MRIs, CT scans and angiograms, were carried out on the twins to see to what extent the veins in their brains are fused and whether surgery was feasible.

The twins were shifted to AIIMS on July 13.

Deepak Gupta, professor of neurosurgery, earlier had said the twins suffer from the condition which afflicts one in 30 lakh children, of which 50 per cent die either at birth or within 24 hours.

Surgery is feasible only on 25 per cent of the survivors while the rest continue to live with the condition.

"Also, there is less than a 20 per cent chance of survival among those who undergo this surgery. Such operations are extremely challenging," Gupta had said.

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The commerce ministry today said it has started a process to formulate a new industrial policy, expected to be released in October, which is aimed at making India as a global manufacturing hub.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), under the ministry, said that since the announcement of last industrial policy in 1991, India has transformed into one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

"With strong macro-economic fundamentals and several path breaking reforms in the last three years, India is equipped to deploy a different set of ideas and strategies to build a globally competitive Indian industry. The new policy will subsume the National Manufacturing Policy," it said in a statement.

The DIPP has constituted six focus groups for the policy and an online survey is being conducted to obtain inputs.

The groups have members from government departments, industry associations, academia and think tanks.

The six areas on which the group would focus are - manufacturing and MSME; technology and innovation; ease of doing business; infrastructure, investment, trade and fiscal policy; and skills and employability for the future.

Besides, a task force on artificial intelligence has been set up to provide inputs for the policy.

The new policy is likely to be announced in October this year, it added.

"It is proposed that the new Industrial Policy will aim at making India a manufacturing hub by promoting Make in India. It will also suitably incorporate the use of modern smart technologies such as internet of things, artificial intelligence and robotics for advanced manufacturing," it said.

Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will also hold consultations with stakeholders, including industry captains, think tanks and states in Chennai, Guwahati and Mumbai.

DIPP has also sought comments, feedback and suggestions from the public for the proposed policy.

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The first phase of surgery to separate two-year-old twins from Odisha, who are joined at the head, was completed successfully at AIIMS.

In the almost 20-hour-long surgery, the doctors performed venous bypass to separate the veins shared by the babies that return blood to the heart from the brain.

"The surgery began yesterday at around 9 am and went on till 5 AM today. The children are under observation," a senior doctor at AIIMS said.

According to the doctor, the surgery to separate them will be taken up by October end.

The twins - Jagannath and Balram - from Kandhamal district in Odisha, are craniopagus conjoined twins who are joined at the head. This is a very rare condition.

A team of around 20 specialists from the institute's neurosurgery, neuro-anaesthesia and plastic surgery department besides a Japanese expert were involved in the procedure.

A series of investigations, including multiple MRIs, CT scans and angiograms, were carried out on the twins to see to what extent the veins in their brains are fused and whether surgery was feasible.

The 27-month-old twins were shifted to AIIMS on July 13.

Meanwhile, the Odisha government today said it would seek assistance of a specialist doctor from the US for the second phase of surgery on the conjoined twins.

"The health condition of the twins is stable. The government is now planning to engage a specialist doctor from the USA for the second phase of operation," state health and family welfare minister P K Jena told reporters here.

AIIMS, New Delhi neurosurgery department professor Ashok Mohapatra told the agency's reporter in Bhubaneswar over phone that the twins have been kept on ventilation as the doctors are careful against any kind of infection.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had yesterday tweeted "I join the people of Odisha in prayer for success of surgery and new life for the conjoined twins fondly called Jaga-Balaia. Jai Jagannath."



Earlier, Patnaik had sanctioned Rs one crore from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for the surgery on the conjoined twins.

"We pray the God for the successful separation of their heads. The children are in ventilator. We wish for their speedy recovery," said Pushpanjali Kanhara and Bhuiya Kanhara, the parents of Jaga-Balia.

Deepak Gupta, professor of neurosurgery, had said the twins suffer from the condition which afflicts one in 30 lakh children, of which 50 per cent die either at birth or within 24 hours.

Surgery is feasible only on 25 per cent of the survivors while the rest continue to live with the condition.

"Also, there is less than a 20 per cent chance of survival among those who undergo this surgery. Such operations are extremely challenging," he had said.

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A Delhi court today put Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Yasin Bhatkal and eight others on trial in two cases relating to the 2010 Jama Masjid blast.

Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma said there was enough evidence against them and framed the charges.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

The court issued production warrant against accused Azaz Saikh, who could not be produced from a Mumbai jail where he is lodged.

Besides Bhatkal, those who were put on trial include Gauhar Aziz Khomani, Gayur Ahmad Jamali, Mohd Adil, Mohd Irshad Khan, Mohd Aftab Alam, Kamal, Assadullah Akhtar and Zia-ur-Rehman.

Another accused Modh Qateel Siddiqui died during the pendency of the case, advocate M S Khan, who appeared for the accused, said.

The police had earlier filed charge sheet against eleven suspected IM members in connection with the blast case, alleging that they had carried out the strike to deter foreign nations from participating in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.

A bomb fitted in a car had exploded near the historic Jama Masjid here on September 19, 2010, soon after two suspected IM operatives had opened fire at a bus from which foreign tourists were descending near a gate of the mosque.

Two Taiwanese tourists had sustained bullet injuries in the firing incident for which a separate case was lodged.

Two seperate cases were filed in this regard. While the first was about the blast, the second one was on the firing incident.

The police had earlier said that the IM operatives had planned that foreign tourists found near Jama Masjid would be randomly shot at and a bomb blast would be executed there for maximum casualty.

It had alleged that Bhatkal had prepared a pressure cooker fitted with improvised explosive device, which was planted in the car parked outside the mosque.

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The CPI(M) will not be part of any electoral alliance involving the Congress though it will continue to be associated with JD(U) rebel Sharad Yadav's 'save composite culture' campaign, joined by opposition parties including the Congress, the Left party said today.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said his party will attend meetings aimed at "protecting the composite culture for a larger cause", but added that it will not take part in any rally of the "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) with the Congress in the future too.

Yechury made the comment two days after the Left party skipped the RJD's 'BJP Bhagao, Desh Bachao' (Banish BJP, Save Country) rally in Patna, attended by several key opposition leaders.

The CPI(M) leader said that the composite culture movement is not to be confused with 'mahagathbandhan' as the former has "got nothing to do with electoral alliance".

The CPI(M) had not participated in the rally, citing presence of its arch rival and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"The question is being raised that the CPI(M) did not take part in Lalu's rally, but is attending Sharad Yadav's meet on composite culture.

"The 'save composite culture' movement has got nothing to do with electoral alliances or adjustments. Saving the composite culture is a larger issue," Yechury told PTI.

According to the CPI(M)'s stated "political tactical line", there should be no alliance or understanding with the Congress.

Referring to that position, Yechury said the Left party is sticking to the stance and that "there is no confusion on that".

"But the composite culture movement is not to be confused with mahagathbandhan. Lalu organised the mahagathbandhan rally. There will be several more such rallies, which we will not attend, but we will attend the composite culture meetings," the Marxist leader added.

Besides the RJD chief and Banerjee, several key opposition leaders including AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav, CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy and the party's national secretary D Raja and NCP's Tariq Anwar had attended the Patna rally.

More than a dozen opposition parties had joined hands on August 17 at Yadav's 'save composite culture' meeting, calling for a united fight against the ruling BJP with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi taking the government head on and accusing it of not fulfilling its promises.

Rahul Gandhi, however, skipped the Patna rally as he was abroad.

In the 2016 West Bengal assembly election, the CPI(M) had an understanding with the Congress over seat sharing. The CPI (M)-led Left Front, however, faced a drubbing in the polls and was relegated to third position, behind the ruling TMC and the Congress in its erstwhile bastion.

The party Politburo, a key decision-making body of the Left party, had rebuked the state unit over the poll result, saying the "electoral tactics" adopted in the state were not in consonance with its political tactical line.

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The CPI-M has opposed any move to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, saying it will circumscribe the rights of people to discuss state-level issues.

The Niti Aayog has favoured conducting synchronised two-phase Lok Sabha and Assembly elections from 2024 in "national interest".

All elections in India should happen in a free, fair and synchronised manner to ensure minimum "campaign mode" disruption to governance, the government think-tank said in its report released recently.

"We may begin work towards switching to a synchronised two-phase election from the 2024 election to the Lok Sabha. This would require a maximum one-time curtailment or extension of some state assemblies," it said.

CPI-M Politburo member Brinda Karat told PTI that her party is not in favour of it.

"We are not in favour of it. Each Assembly has its own schedule and the term cannot be cut short", she said.

"It (simultaneous LS and Assembly polls) will circumscribe the rights of the people of a state to discuss state-level issues," she said.

The recommendation of the Aayog assumes significance as former president Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have pitched for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

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World's leading diamond company De Beers Group today said it will invest over USD 140 million for diamond marketing in India, US and China this year.

"We are investing more than USD 140 million in marketing this year, which will be biggest spend since 2008.

"The increased investment will be focused on generating further consumer demand for diamond jewellery in the leading markets globally, with the greatest spend targeted in the US, China and India," De Beers said in a statement here.

While a majority of the investment will support De Beers' proprietary brands, Forevermark and De Beers Diamond Jewellers, the company will increase its spend on partnership marketing, including with the Diamond Producers Association and India's Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council as well, it said.

Stephen Lussier, De Beers Group's Executive VP of Marketing and CEO of Forevermark, said, "Total consumer expenditure on diamond jewellery for the last five years collectively has been the highest on record - and the outlook is positive. However, we can't take future growth for granted."



"Increasing our spend from a strong position will help support continued demand in both mature and developing markets, particularly among millennials, who are already the largest group of diamond consumers despite this generation not having yet reached its maximum earning potential," he said.

De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American Plc group and has expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds.

Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world's largest diamond producer by value, with mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa.

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Two separate landslides in southwest China have claimed at least 20 lives and 18 people are still missing, the official media reported today.

A landslide in China's Guizhou province's Nayong county yesterday hit 34 households. More than 600,000 cubic meters of rock and mud hit the village, local authorities were quoted as saying by Xinhua agency.

So far 25 people have been found, of which 17 were dead. Eight people have been injured and 18 are still missing, local authorities said.

The injured are being treated in a local hospital and in stable condition, officials said.

A total of 195 people from 66 households were forced to evacuate to safety after the landslide.

Over 2,000 people, including police, fire fighters and medical staff are at the scene and more than 80 emergency vehicles, 20 life detectors, 17 digging machines and eight drones are involved in the rescue work, it said.

Local authorities have sent tents, quilts and camp beds to the site after the disaster to carry out relief efforts for affected people. Search efforts are continuing, it said.

Following the landslide, China yesterday issued a grade- IV emergency response.

A grade-IV response, the lowest in China's four-tier emergency response system. It means a 24-hour alert, daily damage reports, and the allocation of money and relief materials within 48 hours.

Meanwhile, a fresh landslide today hit a village in neighbouring Yunnan Province, leaving three people dead and five injured, authorities said.

The landslide engulfed in Yingpan village, Daguan county in the city of Zhaotong.

Guizhou and Yunnan have seen continuous rainstorms over the past week as a result of recent typhoons, the report said.

Landslides are a frequent danger in rural and mountainous parts of China, particularly after heavy rains. Mountainous Guizhou is one of China's poorest provinces.

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The Delhi BJP today said it has formed a committee to look into the reasons behind the heavy defeat of its candidate in the Bawana bypoll.

The committee, headed by north west Delhi Lok Sabha MP Udit Raj, will also "fix responsibility" of those assigned to ensure Ved Prakash's victory.

AAP candidate Ram Chander defeated Prakash by a massive margin of 24,052 votes.

Prakash won the seat in the 2015 Assembly elections as an AAP candidate. In March this year, he resigned from his Assembly membership and quit AAP to join BJP that fielded him again as its candidate from Bawana.

Reacting to the defeat, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari too had said that the causes of the dedeat will be reviewed by the party.

The committee headed by Udit Raj has been asked to submit its report in next three days, sources in the Delhi BJP said.

The party had deployed a team of 18 leaders including West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma, to work towards the victory of the Bawana candidate.

"The role played by these 18 leaders will also be under the scanner of the committee," sources said.

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The Delhi High Court has sought reply of the AAP government on a PIL alleging denial of admission to children of Kapsahera area here by government schools and suggested it could consider "mohalla education" like its "mohalla clinics" scheme.

A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the Delhi Directorate of Education and fixed the matter for further hearing on September 22.

The Delhi Directorate of Education is the department under the education ministry of Delhi Government that manages the city's public school system.

The court said the government should facilitate the admission of students and sought a status report on the matter.

"Like you (Delhi government) have mohalla clinics, do mohalla education," the bench said.

The AAP government's mohalla clinics schemes aims to provide accessible healthcare to people in their neighbourhood..

The plea, filed by the parents of a group of 35 aggrieved students, through advocate Ashok Agarwal claimed that the children in the age group of 6 to 14 have been denied admission by Delhi Government schools nearby their residence in utter violation of the provisions of Right of Children to free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.

"The Delhi government schools have kept them out on the ground of non production of residence proof, original transfer certificate and report cards. Some other reasons were, not having a bank account and age-related problems. Another lame excuse was that the last date of admission was 31st of July," the plea claimed.

The PIL sought a direction to the government to forthwith grant admission to students in neighbourhood Delhi Government Schools in age appropriate class.

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Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh exploited scores of his female disciples but the tortured victims would stay silent due to a feeling of "community shame", says the woman, who had dared to challenge the self-styled godman.

But she and her family had to cope with countless threats and mental pressure for 15 years, the victim says. Her brother was murdered as well.

Now, with Ram Rahim Singh behind bars, sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection with the sexual exploitation of the victim and another woman, an atmosphere of jubilation prevails in a village along the GT road, around 10 kms from here.

The victim, whose family lives here, said that they had been connected with the Dera for 40 years since Baba Satnam Singh was its head.

She was teaching in a school being run by the Dera and the real face of the sect chief Ram Rahim Singh stood exposed before her in 1999 when she came to know that innocent girls were being sexually abused.

Girls were deployed as security persons at the entrance of a 'Guffa' (cave) where the Dera chief used to stay and she too was deployed there, the victim said.

She started noticing that some of the girls coming out of the 'Guffa' would be weeping. Later, the Dera chief eyed her and she was sexually exploited, the woman claimed.

She disclosed it to her parents who were aware of the the Dera chief's power and sent her back to their village. Later, the entire family left the Dera in 2001.

The victim said the family remained under mental pressure for the last 15 years and received numerous threats.

"The Dera chief sexually abused a large number of girls but they kept silent due to community shame," she said.

The victim claimed that when the CBI started probing the case on the basis of an anonymous letter, she got her statement recorded so that the Dera chief gets punished for his misdeeds.

FAMILY AWAIT JUSTICE IN THE MURDER OF THE VICTIM'S BROTHER



However, it was not just the crime against the woman that her family had to cope with.

Her brother, was shot dead in 2002, allegedly by the Dera chief's henchmen on suspicions that he was behind an anonymous letter to the prime minister of India and the chief justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court alleging sexual exploitation of female disciples by the Dera chief.

It was this letter that led to a CBI probe into the matter in which Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh became an accused.

Family members and relatives expressed satisfaction over the judgement that put the powerful Dera chief behind bars.

It was a long battle but the family were convinced from the beginning that ultimately justice would prevail, said the slain man's brother-in-law.

We had full faith in the judiciary and hope that a stringent sentence would be given to the Dera chief in murder case as well as in connection with the killing of Ram Chander Chhatarpati, a Sirsa based journalist, he added.

He also hoped that after this judgement, more victims of the "powerful" Dera chief would come forward to expose his atrocities.

The husband of the victim 'sadhvi' said the of maximum jail term to the Dera chief had brought relief to the family which had been fighting a tough legal battle for over 15 years.

With political regimes creating hurdles in the murder case since 2002, we had started believing that the Dera chief would manipulate any establishment, he said.

The CBI probe and the court verdict have reinstated our faith in the system, he added.

Police protection have been provided to family in their village as well as to the victim 'sadhvi' in Kurukshetra.

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A day after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was jailed for 20 years for rape, yoga guru Ramdev today said such cases are causing an embarrassment to religious figures.

"It is true that we are facing embarrassment for such cases which have surfaced in the past two-three years," Ramdev, who was here to participate in a private programme, told reporters.

The popular yoga guru was asked about the conviction and sentencing of the self-styled godman in two rape cases.

He, however, cautioned that the entire saint tradition should not be seen in bad light if a religious figure is found guilty in a criminal case.

Ramdev advised religious and spiritual leaders to go back to history and follow the code of conduct set by Indian sages centuries ago.

"It is wrong to link the entire saint tradition with criminal activities if a person living in the guise of a saint or a religious leader commits a mistake or crime."



The 51-year-old ayurveda expert-cum-entrepreneur said in the wake of the Ram Rahim episode the entire community of religious-spiritual gurus should not be tarred with the same brush.

"There are still millions of saints in the country who are living a life full of honesty, purity and serving the common people."



He said, "Lord Ram is the greatest symbol of Indian culture. If there is any taint on a person bearing the name Ram, it only sullies the character of that particular person. It should not be associated with entire religion, sect, tradition or culture."



"All religious and spiritual leaders should follow the code of conduct set by our sages centuries ago," he said.

Asked about the failure of the BJP government in Haryana in controlling the violence after the Dera chief's conviction, he said, "People who are at the helm of affairs should be moral and lawful in their conduct.

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A group of journalists from Punjab, Haryana and UT Chandigarh today staged a protest against the attacks on media persons during the violence after the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief in a rape case.

Several media persons were injured and their vehicles damaged in the violence which took place following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in Panchkula on August 25.

The journalists, protesting under the banner of the Chandigarh Press Club, raised slogans and demanded action against policemen and government functionaries who allegedly remained "silent spectators" during the attack on scribes.

They later submitted a memorandum to Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, demanding action against the policemen.

"A charter of demands was submitted to the governor, who has assured timely action against the erring officials," Club President Jaswant Rana said.

The journalists also demanded the the Haryana government should give compensation to media persons for the damage to their property in the violence.

On which, the governor assured the scribes that he would speak to the chief minister, Rana said.

Over 40 vehicles, including cars, two-wheelers and OB vans, of the journalists parked in Sector 5 were allegedly set on fire by a mob.

Cameras of photojournalists and TV channels were allegedly also snatched and damaged by the mob, they said.

"Journalists are not safe in Haryana. The government allowed the gathering, with the police not implementing the orders under Section 144 of the CrPC. This is an unfortunate instance and deserves the strictest condemnation," Club secretary general Barinder Rawat said.

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Actor Ajay Devgn has denied that he walked off from the sets of "The Kapil Sharma Show" after the host Kapil Sharma cancelled the shoot reportedly at the last minute.

According to reports, the 48-year-old actor, who was going to promote his upcoming film "Baadshaho" on the show, was angry with Kapil.

"Shows have been cancelled quite a number of times. I really don't know what happened exactly. But reports said that we left the sets in anger. We did not leave in anger. We left as he had not reached the sets till then. He's a friend.

"When I'll talk to him next, we'll get to know what was wrong. Kapil must have had some problem. But I really don't know. So, if there is anger or not, I can't really answer your question," Devgn said when asked about the reports.

The actor was in the capital to promote the Milan Luthria-directed film.

When a reporter said even Shah Rukh Khan was miffed with Kapil, Devgn dismissed the claim.

"There is nothing like what you are making it out to be. Nobody has boycotted going to his (Kapil's) show. Shah Rukh has not issued any statement. There is nothing like that. We are colleagues. All of us want to do a better job. There's good faith whenever we meet," he said.

The film is slated to release this Friday.

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With installation of 100 screens in the last one year, Dolby Atmos is hopeful of sustaining the growth and even cross 100 in the coming one year, a top official said today.

"The company can beat the growth rate of last one year, since momentum is very strong, as more filmmakers are adopting its audio system for production," said Dolby Laboratories Senior Director Maketing, India, South-East Asia and Australia, Ashim Mathur.

Stating that more than 300 screens are now under Dolby platform in the country, Mathur told reporters that South India alone has 100 screens, with Tamil Nadu accounting for 80, the highest in the country.

He said blockbuster Baahubali-2, Kabali and Vivegam are among the films that have used Dolby Atmos in their production. Rajinikanth's 'Shivaji the Boss' was the first film in India to be released with Dolby Atmos, he added.

On investment to instal Dolby Atmos, he said it varied from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 35 lakh per screen, he said.

"The growth in Dolby Atmos has been much faster than that of 'Dolby Surround Sound," Mathur said.

Among the nearly 10,000 screens in the country, around 2,700 screens are equipped to play high-end digital movies, Mathur said.

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Trans-boundary collaboration and sound water management are key to mutually beneficial water utilisation and flood control in India and three other riparian countries of the Brahmaputra basin, experts have said.

The Brahmaputra basin spreads over China, Bhutan, India and Bangladesh and has a total area of 5,80,000 square kilometres.

The river, one of the major rivers in Asia, flows 50.50 per cent in Tibet, 33.60 per cent in India, 8.10 per cent in Bangladesh and 7.80 per cent in Bhutan. India and Bangladesh constitute more than 95 per cent of the total population of the Yarlung Zangbo-Brahmaputra-Jamuna basin, which bears the brunt of the floods.

"Water utilisation in the Yarlung Zangbo-Brahmaputra- Jamuna river is a challenge due to its narrow width and high drainage density which produces high flood wave causing severe flood damage in the lower riparian countries of the basin", said Arup Sarma of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati at a workshop on 'Water and Neighbourhood' organised by the Third Pole here recently.

Data sharing among the riparian countries was the need of the hour to minimise the effect of flood damage and ensure the benefits of a technically sound and mutually beneficial holistic basin management programme are taken up in a collaborative way, Sarma said.

Floods are a way of life in the Brahmaputra valley and timely sharing of data with the countries can help in evacuating people and livestock, Sarma said.

He said taking necessary safety precautions can prevent loss of lives and minimise flood damage.

Heavy flooding since May has so far claimed 157 lives and affected nearly 20 lakh people in Assam. The Brahmaputra and its tributaries submerged more than 2,500 villages, destroyed 1.06 lakh hectares of cropland, damaged infrastructure by breaching embankments and overrunning roads and bridges.

Nearly 75 per cent of Kaziranga National Park, a world heritage site, had been inundated.

An understanding exists between four countries - China, India, Bhutan and Bangladesh - but a multilateral body comprising the four countries can go a long way to address the trans-boundary issues of the river basin and ensure its proper management, said Anamika Barua of IIT Guwahati.

All riparian countries must realise the importance of collaboration leads to ecological benefits that come from sound water management and a healthy eco-system, Barua said.

She said the benefits to societies by using water to produce services and intra-basin relations lead to trade agreements and regional integration.

The Brahmaputra basin has the highest water resources potential but its utilisation percentage is low mainly due to its high temporal variation of more than 75 per cent in four months leading to severe floods, erosion and drought.

"With climate change and anthropogenic impacts, temporal variation may further increase, increased intensity of rainfall and high sediment load add more complexities to the system but it is the concept of Ecological Management Practices (EMPs), if applied at large scale, that can help maintaining ecological balance of the basin", Sarma said.

Increasing basin storage by EMP application and well designed mutually beneficial multipurpose reservoir project can help improve the present scenario of disastrous flooding, erosion, landslide and poor water utilisation, he said.

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Top experts in the US have welcomed the disengagement of troops by both India and China at Doklam, but warned that the problem is not out of the woods yet as the status quo of the last three decades has been "disturbed irrevocably".

India and China yesterday agreed to "expeditious disengagement" of border personnel at the face-off site in Doklam following diplomatic communications.

"The announcement by the Ministry of External Affairs about the ongoing expeditious disengagement in the Doklam area of Bhutan by both Indian and Chinese troops is to be welcomed. This marks an immediate defusing of the crisis that has complicated India-China relations since June," said Nirupama Rao, the former foreign secretary who served as India's top diplomat to the US and China.

Rao, currently a Public Policy Fellow at the prestigious Wilson Center, said that there are still unresolved questions between the two sides which should not be ignored.

"The last two months have demonstrated that there are serious fault lines in a relationship that is clearly seismic," she said.

Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Doklam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area.

"We need a well-deliberated, microscopic review of all that transpired during this recent crisis.A new, very complex chapter has opened in the India-China relationship. The region is involved too. This is a winding road. Self-congratulation on either side is best avoided. The status quo of the last three decades has been disturbed irrevocably," Rao said.

Tanvi Madan, from the Brookings Institute, said the most important fact is that the situation has de-escalated and has been resolved diplomatically.

"Despite China saying that Indian withdrawal was a pre- condition for dialogue, Beijing and Delhi have been engaging in discussions to get to this point. The resulting statements from both sides give some details, but are deliberately ambiguous enough that a lot is left to interpretation, and both sides can emphasise different aspects," Madan said.

Michael Kugelman, from the Woodrow Wilson International Center, said this resolution came a bit earlier than expected, but it was completely inevitable.

"Neither side could afford a conflict, no matter how small. China and India have a fairly robust economic partnership that plays out bilaterally as well as multilaterally. Neither side had an interest in having such cooperation squandered," he said.

"All this said, we're not out of the woods just yet. Tensions are still sharp and the next provocation likely isn't far off. Pakistan's ever deepening partnership with China and the growing progress of the Belt and Road initiative are cause for concern for Delhi. Geopolitical dynamics raise the prospects of additional border standoffs," Kugelman said.

Sourabh Gupta, from the Washington Dc-based Institute for China-America Studies, said the statements issued by both India and China suggests that both sides have decided to concertedly take remedial actions individually.

Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit from September 3-5 in Xiamen, Gupta said it would have been very damaging if the standoff had continued while Chinese President Xi Jinping and Modi were at the same venue.

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is looking to have a 40 million tonnes steel capacity and exploring opportunities to acquire assets in India and abroad, its Joint Managing Director Seshagiri Rao said on Tuesday.

"Our mission is to become a 40 MT steel company and also we want to explore downstream units not only in India but abroad also. We have been examining various targets...The company has been exploring opportunities. We have been examining various opportunities overseas," Rao, who is also the Chief Financial Officer of the JSW Group, told PTI.

The Sajjan Jindal-owned is in talks with Algeria's Cevital Group to acquire its Aferpi steel mill in Italy for USD 100 million, according to sources.

However, when asked about the development with regard to Italian mill acquisition, Rao said, "It is very very difficult to comment at this stage. Nothing is final."

Rao further said, "We will continue to evaluate (various proposals of acquisition) and if the opportunity is right, then we will take call."

He said the company in the past had done some acquisitions of iron ore mines and also plate and pipe mill and was not averse to good proposals.

JSW Steel, the flagship company of JSW Group, is India's leading primary and integrated steel producer and has a production capacity of 18 MTPA with plants located across six locations in South and West India, namely, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

The Sajjan Jindal-owned company is in talks with Algeria's Cevital Group to acquire its Aferpi steel mill in Italy for USD 100 million (about Rs 640 crore), sources said.

The private steel maker had earlier tried to acquire the mill in 2014, when it was known as Lucchini. The Algerian conglomerate Cevital, however, acquired Lucchini and renamed the it Acciaierie e Ferriere di Piombino (Aferpi).

Aferpi's activity involves production of a wide range of quality and special steels, with different shapes and sizes for rails, wire rod and bars for railway, automotive, earthmoving vehicles, energy, fastening, springs and welding.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today visited the State Disaster Management Control (SDMC) room here and took stock of the situation arising out of the heavy rainfall that has crippled transport services and thrown the normal life out of gear in the metropolis.

As Mumbai reeled under heavy showers and more downpour is predicted by the IMD, the Maharashtra government has allowed its employees in Mantralaya (secretariat) and other departments to leave early. It has also appealed to the private companies to do the same.

"I chaired a review meeting of officials in the disaster management unit to ascertain the situation that has arisen from the heavily rainfall in Mumbai," Fadnavis said.

"I have spoken to BMC officials. The civic body has received several complaints related to tree falling and some related to waterlogging," he said, adding the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is looking into these complaints.

The chief minister said he spoke to the Mumbai Police Commissioner and was informed that traffic has been diverted at 25 places due to waterlogging.

"We have advised (private) offices to allow their employees to leave for their homes early today. We have issued similar orders for government employees," Fadnavis said.

He said as Mumbai was under CCTV surveillance, vehicular movement can be monitored from the traffic control room and the police commissioner's office.

Normal life has been paralysed and, road, rail and air services have been badly affected due to heavy showers in the metropolis and adjoining areas since last night.

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Citing high workload, the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has increased the fee for processing Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDA) by over USD 1 lakh to USD 1.71 lakh for the fiscal year 2018.

The move will hurt the Indian pharma industry which is heavily dependent on the US market for exports, said a top official of Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), a body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The hike was made under the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2017 (GDUFA II). The fee in FY17 was USD 70,480.

According to a notification on USFDA's website, the fee for Drug Master File was reduced to USD 47,829 for 2017-18 from USD 51,140 in the last fiscal.

"The FY 2018 application fee is estimated by dividing the number of FAEs that will pay the fee in FY 2018 (948) into the fee revenue amount to be derived from ANDA application fees in FY 2018 (USD 162,888,000). The result, rounded to the nearest dollar, is a fee of USD 171,823 per ANDA," FDA said in a statement.

These fees are effective on October 1 2017, and will remain in effect through September 30, 2018.

"Though there are different categories of fee structures, definitely the hike is going to be a burden for Indian Pharma companies. However, given the potential, this would not deter us from filing ANDAs for the US market," director general of Pharmexcil, Uday Bhaskar told PTI.

According to Bhaskar, the US drug regulator cleared 598 ANDAs in 2016, out of which 201 were from Indian companies.

During the first quarter of the current calendar year, the FDA okayed 171 generic drug and 55 of them were filed by Indian companies.

However, the FDA has reduced the inspection fee for overseas Finished Dosage Firms to USD 2,26,087 from the previous USD 2,72,646.

Similarly, the inspection fee for overseas API (Active Pharma Ingredient) plants was fixed at USD 60,367 from USD 59,234 previously.

The revenue base for GDUFA II is USD 493.6 million versus USD 323 million in the final year of GDUFA I - ANDAs are the primary workload driver of the programme. GDUFA I was built on the assumption that the FDA would receive 750 ANDAs per year, the FDA said.

"Over the first four years of GDUFA I, ANDA receipts have averaged approximately 1,000 per year. To address the increased workload, FDA hired additional staff and is projected to spend about USD 430 million in the final year of GDUFA I," it said.

The GDUFA-II will be tentatively applicable till 2022.

Former president of Indian Drug Manufacturers Association S V Veeramani said with the steep increase, drug makers would think twice before they file ANDA due to the risks involved.

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Finnish authorities today said they had released two of the four suspects held in custody following this month's stabbing attack that killed two and wounded eight.

All four had been placed in pre-trial detention last week on suspicion of murder and attempted murder with terrorist intent but two of them were later cleared, a statement from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said.

"There is no longer any reason to suspect them of these offences," it said.

Of the two left in custody, one is the main suspect -- 22-year-old Abderrahman Bouanane, a Moroccan national who was shot in the thigh by police minutes after the attack.

In total, seven people were arrested over the August 18 incident in the southwestern port city of Turku, which is being investigated as Finland's first terror attack.

Three of them were released on Saturday.

Police have said Bouanane targeted women during his rampage through Turlu's market square, killing two women and wounding another six, as well as two men who tried to stop him.

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The flood situation in Bihar showed signs of improvement today with water receding from several areas.

For the first time in over a fortnight, the number of deluge-related fatalities remained unchanged at 514.

With the floodwaters receding, people have started returning home. 1.38 lakh are still putting up in 116 relief camps in the affected areas, a state Disaster Management Department report said.

It said 1.71 crore people are battling the flooding in 19 districts.

Meanwhile, cabinet secretariat department principal secretary Brijesh Mehrotra said it had sanctioned Rs 1,935 crore to deal with the deluge.

Of this, Rs 9,00 crore would be spent on distribution of gratuitous relief to the flood-affected people, while Rs 947 crore would be spent on supplying them food grains.

Mehrotra said Rs 6,000 will be given as gratuitous relief to every flood-affected person. The money would be deposited in the beneficiaries' bank accounts.

Besides, Rs 8 crore would be spent on giving ex-gratia to the families which lost their members in the floods, Rs 20 crore on repairing damaged houses and Rs 20 crore on giving agriculture input grant for crop damage, he said.

Meanwhile, funds kept pouring in for flood relief from different quarters.

Madhya Pradesh Cooperative Minister Vishwas Sarang handed over a cheque of Rs 5 crore on behalf of the Shivraj Singh Chauhan government to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Former Bihar chief minister and president of Hindustani Awam Morcha Jitan Ram Manjhi gave a cheque of Rs 1.10 lakh to Kumar and another cheque of Rs 2 lakh on behalf of his party, which is a BJP ally.

Train services remained affected due to the deluge.

An East Central Railway (ECR) statement gave a list of 33 trains that would not run tomorrow and on Thursday.

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Former principal of the government- run BRD medical college in Gorakhpur Rajiv Mishra and his wife were today taken into custody by Uttar Pradesh's Special Task Force (STF) for questioning in connection with the death of 60 children within a span of 48 hours at the hospital.

According to SSP, Gorakhpur, Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj, a police team last night also went to the home of Dr Kafeel Khan, the former nodal officer of 100-bed acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) ward in the hospital who was removed after the child deaths, to quiz him but he was not there.

Mishra and his medico wife Purnima Shukla, who are named in an FIR lodged by the UP government, were picked up from Kanpur, where they had reportedly gone to consult a lawyer.

"The STF team then left for Gorakhpur to carry out further interrogation there," Pankaj told PTI in Gorakhpur.

Mishra had been suspended as principal of the college on August 12 after the deaths were reported and the same day he resigned owning moral responsibility for the incident, which acquired a political hue with the government drawing flak from the opposition.

As leaders from the Congress and the Samajwadi Party rushed there to make an "on-the-spot assessment", Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath retorted saying that Gorakhpur should not be made a "picnic spot".

The state government also maintained that the deaths were not caused due to shortage of oxygen but various diseases.

The doctor couple was named in the FIR lodged by the state government after a report by Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar who had headed a probe team that went into the causes behind the deaths earlier this month.

The STF official said they were being quizzed but declined to share further details.

Asked whether the duo had been arrested or detained, he said legal formalities will be carried out by the Gorakhpur police.

On Dr Kafeel Khan, the SSP said, "Police reached his residence for questioning. However, he was not there. His family members have been told to support the police, so that they do not face any legal action during investgation."



Recommendations were made by the probe team to initiate criminal action against Dr Khan for allegedly concealing facts and filing false affidavit and working against the rules of the Indian Medical Council.

However, a group of doctors at AIIMS-Delhi had come out in his support, alleging that he was being made a scapegoat by the authorities.

The FIR was lodged in the Hazratganj police station here against nine persons, including the former principal, in connection with the deaths of children there due to alleged lack of oxygen supply. The case was transferred to Gorakhpur.

The proprietors of M/s Pushpa Sales, the company responsible for the supply of liquid oxygen, have also been named in the FIR lodged by Director General, Medical Education, KK Gupta.

Cases were registered under various sections of the IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Medical Council Act against Dr Rajiv Mishra, Dr Purnima Shukla, Dr Kafeel Khan, Dr Satish, Chief Pharmacist Gajanan Jaiswal, Accountant Sudhir Pandey, Assistant Clerk, Uday Pratap Sharma of Pushpa Sales and Manish Bhandari.

The IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.

The official report by the chief secretary, however, denied lack of oxygen as the cause of death.

Adityanath had formed the committee on August 12, a day after the deaths of children were reported at the hospital.

The state government has also shunted out additional chief secretary medical education Anita Bhatnagar Jain.

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The Congress said today that the HRD Ministry's circular asking IITs and central universities to organise "patriotic" rock shows was an "insult" to the country's youth.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said the government seemed to have presumed that nationalism needed to be inculcated through rock bands.

"If this is the vision the government has for the young people of this country, then all that I would like to say is, 'God help us'," he told reporters.

"It is a very funny circular to say the least," he added.

The Congress also accused the BJP government of "subverting" the mandate of the National Film Development Corporation.

"It does not have the mandate to hire rock bands and send them across the country. There seems to be subversion of the very remit of the National Film Development Corporation," he said.

As part of the programme named "Yeh India ka Time Hai", the government has identified certain bands which will be visiting campuses across the country and perform patriotic songs.

The programme has been organised to celebrate 70 years of India's Independence and 75 years of the Quit India Movement this year.

He said there was no problem with promoting nationalism or patriotism and that there were enough musical groups, literary societies, clubs and debating platforms available in every such institution than "subverting the mandate of NFDC to hire rock bands of allegedly spurious quality to promote patriotism and nationalism".

Tewari said the government talks about ushering a "New India" by 2022, but India is still a democratic country and the term of this government ends in 2019.

"Till the time they have already decided to subvert democracy and not hold elections in 2019, (the time frame of) 2022 does not make any sense," he added.

"Nobody has a monopoly over patriotism and nationalism; least of all the government and least of all the BJP. We do not think that they either have the credentials or the moral right to lecture the Congress or any other party on patriotism and nationalism," he said.

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Union minister Thaawarchand Gehlot today expressed concern over the pendency of cases under the amended SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and instructed states to develop mechanisms like setting up of special courts for their quick disposal.

Inaugurating the Regional Conference of the Social Welfare Ministers of Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, Gehlot stressed on the implementation of the amended Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in true letter and spirit.

The social justice and empowerment minister expressed concern over the pendency of 28,031 cases under the Act in courts in 2015 in Uttar Pradesh and 2,278 cases in Chhattisgarh.

As per the data given by the states for 2015, 171 cases under the Act were pending in courts in Delhi while no data was available from Jammu and Kashmir.

In UP, 2,040 (57.9 pc) cases ended in conviction under the PoA Act in conjunction with the Indian Penal Code while the figure in Chhattisgarh and Delhi stood at 182 (28.9 pc) and 1 (8.3 pc) respectively in the same year.

The minister also urged states, which have not submitted details of the pending cases, to nominate nodal officers.

While addressing the problems of implementing schemes in Jammu and Kashmir due to law and order situation, the minister suggested identifying districts where drug addiction, especially among youth, is rampant and assured all possible assistance.

During the discussions, two districts of Jammu and Kashmir along with four states were also selected for survey and implementation of the flagship Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojna for poor senior citizens.

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The Geological survey of India has begun a study of the pattern of natural disasters in regions located upwards of Dharchula and Munsiyari sub- divisions of the district which fall in seismic zone V and are considered highly vulnerable to calamities.

Landslides triggered by two separate cloudbursts in the region recently left nine persons dead.

A two-member GSI team has reached disaster-hit places of Malpa, Mangti and Madarama village in Baram valley to study reasons and patterns of landslides and contribution of minor earthquakes to natural disasters in the region, District Disaster Management Officer RS Rana said.

Two geologists from GSI have reached the locations which witnessed the disasters recently.

They will study the geological situation of the earth at Madrama, Mangti and Malpa that are hit by natural disasters almost every year during monsoon since 1977, he said.

Suggestions of the team are eagerly awaited to minimise natural disasters in the region which falls into seismic zone five, he said.

The geologists will submit their study report and suggest remedies to minimise natural disasters in the area. The copies of the study will be given to district administration to apply measures suggested by the geologists to minimise natural disasters, Rana said.

Old timers in the district say the area beyond Askot towards Malpa, that falls under earthquake zone V has been studied geologically even before this but the administration never applies measures suggested by geologists which has resulted in frequent landslides and natural calamities which cause loss of lives and properties.

Following the 1977 Tawaghat landslides, the suggestions given by geologist SK Bose of planting over a million trees near river beds and hill tops above have not yet been applied by the district administration, said Kailash Joshi, a veteran journalist based in Pithoragarh.

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Qatar has sent only dozens of its citizens across the border to Saudi Arabia for this week's hajj pilgrimage to Islam's holiest sites because of the increasingly bitter crisis between the Gulf neighbours.

The annual pilgrimage that draws two million Muslim faithful from across the globe and starts this year on Wednesday has become embroiled in a dispute between Doha and Riyadh now nearing its third month.

Qatar's only land border, which it shares with Saudi Arabia, has been closed and travel, diplomatic and economic sanctions imposed over charges that Doha supports Islamist extremists and has too close ties to Riyadh's regional rival Iran.

Doha has strongly denied the accusations.

Impacting on the hajj, only a few dozen Qatari nationals have been able to travel to Mecca and Medina, western Saudi Arabia, according to a member of Qatar's state-linked National Human Rights Committee (NHRC).

"Through the border, we estimate 60 to 70 people (travelled) last week," he told AFP. "It's not an official figure, we are waiting for an official figure."



Media reports in Saudi Arabia have put the number at up to 1,200 Qataris.

In sharp contrast, 12,000 Qataris took part in last year's hajj, a pillar of Islam that capable Muslims must perform at least once in their lives, according to the state- run Qatar Agency.

Saudi Arabia temporarily suspended the border closure on August 17, at the same time as it announced Qatari pilgrims would be allowed into the kingdom for the hajj.

With flights between Qatar and Saudi Arabia suspended and Qatar Airways banned from using Saudi airspace, Riyadh had offered to ferry pilgrims using exclusively Saudi Arabian Airlines planes.

But the offer soon became mired in the diplomatic spat, with Qatar charging that Saudi authorities had politicised a religious right.

The Saudi carrier accused Qatar of refusing to allow its planes to land in the emirate on the grounds that they lacked "the right paperwork".

In response, Qatar said the Saudi airline had lodged the papers with the wrong government department.

The decision to reopen the border came a day after a surprise meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a little-known member of Qatar's royal family, sparking allegations Riyadh was seeking regime change in Doha.

In past years, most Qatari pilgrims travelled to Mecca, crossing the width of Saudi Arabia, in officially-sanctioned groups.

Those who crossed into Saudi Arabia this year have travelled privately, ignoring official Qatari warnings over the treatment they could receive in the kingdom.

Doha has said it is worried about potential "harassment" of Qatari pilgrims who make the journey to Mecca.

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More than 1.7 million Muslims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the start of the annual hajj pilgrimage this week.

Once in Mecca the site of Islam's holiest place of worship they will be reminded that the ruling Al Saud family is the only custodian of this place.

Large portraits of the king and the country's founder hang in hotel lobbies across the city. A massive clock tower bearing the name of King Salman's predecessor flashes fluorescent green lights at worshippers below.

A large new wing of the Grand Mosque in Mecca is named after a former Saudi king, and one of the mosque's entrances is named after another.

It's just one of the many ways that Saudi Arabia uses its oversight of the hajj to bolster its standing in the Muslim world and to spite its foes, from Iran and Syria to Qatar. Its archrival, the Shiite power Iran, has in turn tried to utilize the hajj to undermine the kingdom.

The hajj has long been a part of Saudi Arabia's politics.

For nearly 100 years, the ruling Al Saud family has decided who gets in and out of Mecca, setting quotas for pilgrims from various countries, facilitating visas through Saudi embassies abroad and providing accommodation for hundreds of thousands of people in and around Mecca.

The kingdom has received credit for its management of the massive crowds that descend upon Mecca each year - and blame when things go wrong at the hajj. All able-bodied Muslims are required to perform the pilgrimage once in a lifetime.

Saudi kings, and the Ottoman rulers of the Hijaz region before them, all adopted the honorary title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a reference to sites in Mecca and Medina.

"Whoever controls Mecca and Medina has tremendous soft power," said Ali Shibahi, executive director of the pro-Saudi Arabia Foundation. "Saudi Arabia has been extremely careful from day one not to restrict any Muslim's access to hajj so they never get accused of using hajj for political purposes."



The Syrian government, however, says Saudi authorities continue to place restrictions on Syrian citizens looking to take part in the hajj.

Saudi Arabia has no diplomatic ties with President Bashar Assad's government and since 2012, requires all Syrians seeking to make the hajj to obtain visas in third countries through the "Syrian High Hajj Committee," which is controlled by the Syrian National Coalition, an opposition political group.

The hajj became further entangled in politics following the fallout between Saudi Arabia and Qatar when the kingdom and three other Arab countries cut all diplomatic and transport links with the small Gulf state this year.

In a surprise move last month, Saudi Arabia announced it would open its border for Qatari pilgrims seeking to perform the hajj and that King Salman would provide flights and accommodation to Qataris during the hajj.

The Saudis, however, announced the goodwill measures unilaterally and did so after meeting with Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, a Qatari royal family member who resides outside Qatar and whose branch of the family was ousted in a coup more than four decades ago.

"Bringing out a senior member of the Qatari royal family member was a political coup really," said Shihabi.

Experts say that by promoting Sheikh Abdullah, the Saudis were attempting to delegitimize Qatar's current emir. Gerd Nonneman, a professor of International Relations and Gulf Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar, says the Saudi move was "a transparent propaganda stunt".

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Haryana government today said it has decided to establish 'Haryana State Financial Services Limited', a non banking finance company for the management of surplus funds.

While stating this here today, an official spokesman said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has approved a proposal in this regard.

He said the company will be established as a limited company under the Companies Act and will be registered with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as a non-banking finance company.

The authorised capital of the company will be Rs 10 crore and the paid up capital will be Rs 1 crore in the first instance.

The entire equity of the company will be held by the state government, the spokesman said.

The finance department will be the administrative department of the company, he added.

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Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was today ruled out of the upcoming limited overs series against India after suffering a side strain during the first Test against Bangladesh.

The injury, suffered on the third day of the match, also meant that Hazlewood would not play the second Test against Bangladesh.

Hazlewood suffered the strain while bowling the second over of the third day. He looked in considerable discomfort as Ashton Agar finished the over.

"He's (Hazlewood) going to be really hard to replace," his fast bowling partner Pat Cummins said at the end of the day.

"He's played all but one of the last 30 Tests. He said it is going to be pretty hard sitting at home watching, he hasn't done that for three or four years. So he's a big member around the group," Cummins said.

Australia are scheduled to play five ODIs against India, starting September 17 in Chennai. The ODI series will be followed by three Twenty internationals.

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The Kerala High Court today censured the Vice-Chancellor and two other top officials of Mahatma Gandhi University for not complying with a single bench order to pay remuneration due to teachers appointed to self- financing centres run directly by the university.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Navniti Prasad Singh, which had summoned the top officials of the University located at Kottayam, ordered them to stay in the court till the day's proceedings were over.

The bench initiated action on a plea seeking contempt of court proceedings against the officials including the Vice Chancellor and Registrar for not complying with a court order.

It had yesterday directed the Vice Chancellor, the Registrar and the Finance Officer to appear in person before the court today, if they had not fully complied with the directive of the single bench.

The single bench had ordered in 2010 to grant service benefits to teachers in the university-run self financing centres.

The university had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the verdict but the plea was rejected.

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The Income Tax Department on Tuesday questioned RJD chief Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav in connection with its alleged benami assets probe against them and others in land deals worth Rs 1,000 crore.

Officials said the two were summoned by the department and the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case recorded their statements after they appeared today at the I-T office here.

They said the two are being questioned about the alleged benami assets that the department suspects have been created by them along with their other family members.

A special I-T team from Delhi has flown to Bihar capital to assist the IO of the case and take the probe forward, they said.

The department had earlier questioned Prasad's MP daughter Misa Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar in this case.

The department had served notices of attachment of assets in June to Lalu, Rabri, Tejashwi ( former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister) and Lalu's daughters Chanda, Ragini Yadav, Bharti and son-in-law Kumar.

It had attached about a dozen plots and buildings in Delhi and Bihar including a farm house and land in the Palam Vihar area, a residential building in the upmarket New Friends Colony area of south Delhi, nine plots on a 256.75 decimal land area in Phulwari Sharif area in Patna, where a shopping mall was being constructed, among few others in the same area in Bihar's capital.

The department has said these alleged benami assets bear a "deed" value of about Rs 9.32 crore but the taxman has estimated their current market value at Rs 170-180 crore.

Benami properties are those in which the real beneficiary is not the one in whose name the property has been purchased.

The Lalu family has called these cases to be borne out of "political vendetta" againt them.

The department is also expected to file a complaint in a competent court against the Lalu Prasad family in this case.
The Income Tax Department today questioned RJD chief Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav in connection with its alleged benami assets probe against them and others in land deals worth Rs 1,000 crore.

Officials said the two were summoned by the department and the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case recorded their statements after they appeared today at the I-T office here.

Prasad's MP daughter Misa Bharti also accompanied her mother and brother to the I-T office.

They said the two were questioned about the alleged benami assets that the department suspects have been created by them along with their other family members.

A special I-T team from Delhi has flown to Bihar capital to assist the IO of the case and take the probe forward, they said.

None of them spoke to the waiting media personnel after they exited the I-T office in the evening.

With the of the questioning of the Prasad family coming out, a large number of RJD supporters and common people gathered at the I-T office in the heart of the town.

Additional police force had to be rushed in to the tax department office to control the crowd.

There was no reaction from the RJD president till late in the evening on the development.

Prasad's close aide and MLA Bhola Yadav said the three had themselves volunteered to appear before the I-T officials after they failed to do so late last month.

The department had earlier questioned Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar in this case.

The department had served notices of attachment of assets in June to Lalu, Rabri, Tejashwi (former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister) and Lalu's daughters Chanda, Ragini Yadav, Bharti and son-in-law Kumar.

It had attached about a dozen plots and buildings in Delhi and Bihar including a farm house and land in the Palam Vihar area, a residential building in the upmarket New Friends Colony area of south Delhi, nine plots on a 256.75 decimal land area in Phulwari Sharif area in Patna, where a shopping mall was being constructed, among few others in the same area in Bihar's capital.

The department has said these alleged benami assets bear a "deed" value of about Rs 9.32 crore but the taxman has estimated their current market value at Rs 170-180 crore.

Benami properties are those in which the real beneficiary is not the one in whose name the property has been purchased.

The department is also expected to file a complaint in a competent court against the Lalu Prasad family in this case.

The Lalu family has called these cases to be borne out of "political vendetta" againt them. The RJD chief had organised 'BJP Bhagao, Desh Bachao' (Banish BJP, Save Country) rally in Patna on Sunday, attended by several key opposition leaders.

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Pakistan's beleaguered Opposition leader Imran Khan has asked the speaker of the National Assembly to terminate the membership of dissident lawmaker Ayesha Gulalai, who had accused him of sexual harassment.

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India's innovation growth rate would see a significant rise and could surpass that of China in the next decade, according to a BRICS report released today.

China ranks first in terms of national comprehensive innovation competitiveness in 2016, followed by Russia, South Africa, Brazil and India, according to the BRICS Innovative Competitiveness Report 2017 released by China Science and Technology Exchange Centre here.

It is predicted that "the innovation competitiveness of India would see a significant rise with its growth rate probably surpassing China between 2025-2030," state-run Global Times reported.

"The growth rate of Russia would fall and India would take over Russia in terms of its comprehensive Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) competitiveness by 2030," it said.

The report also said BRICS countries have become a "bellwether" in their respective regions, leading the neighboring countries in many aspects.

The five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) is leading the development of science and technology, economy and society in their regions, it said.

The report said BRICS countries are major representatives of emerging economies, which contribute 18 per cent of global GDP, 17 per cent of global research and development investment and 27 per cent of science papers published in international journals.

However, in terms of research, quality of education, modern infrastructure and eco-protection, BRICS still lag behind, the report said.

The report was released ahead of the upcoming BRICS Summit to be held from September 3 to 5, in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Xiamen to attend the summit.

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The government has started investigations into alleged dumping of Chinese belting fabric used for making conveyor belts following a complaint from the SRF Ltd.

The commerce ministry's investigating arm - the directorate general of anti-dumping and allied duties (DGAD) in a notification has said "sufficient prima facie evidence of dumping" of the product from China exists to justify initiation of the probe.

"The authority hereby initiates an investigation into the alleged dumping and consequent injury to the domestic industry...To determine the existence, degree and effect of any alleged dumping and to consider recommending an amount of anti-dumping duty, which if levied, would be adequate to remove the injury to the domestic industry," the notification added.

SRF Ltd filed an application before the DGAD for the initiation of an anti-dumping investigation and imposition of the duty concerning imports of belting fabric.

If established that dumping has caused material injury to the domestic players, the directorate would recommend imposition of the dumping duty on the yarn.

Anti-dumping duties are levied to provide a level playing field to local industry by guarding against below-cost import.

The period of investigation covers April 2016 and March 2017.

Imposition of anti-dumping duty is permissible under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime. Both India and China are members of the Geneva-based body.

The duty is aimed at ensuring fair trading practices and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers vis-a- vis foreign producers and exporters.

They are not a measure to restrict import or cause an unjustified increase in the cost of products.

Last month, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply to Rajya Sabha had informed that anti-dumping duty is in force on 93 products concerning imports from China.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that IT major would invest in the state without the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status, which the company had sought.

" will be coming to the state without the SEZ status," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat Nabanna.

"The company (Infosys) has agreed to accept all other facilities offered by the state government. They will invest Rs 100 crore here on a 50-acre land in Rajarhat," she said.

There will be an employment opportunity of around 1000 people there.

had earlier asked the Mamata Banerjee government SEZ status for their project or return of the Rs 75 crore it had paid for land at Rajarhat. The Trinamool Congress government is against SEZ as a policy.
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to inspect rain water harvesting systems (RWHS) installed inside premises of the Delhi University.

A bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim ordered the DJB to submit a status report on the RWHS in the varsity and apprise it whether it was functioning satisfactorily or not.

"As regard the Delhi University, it reports having filed reply to the notice issued by the tribunal but inspection has not been conducted by DJB. DJB is directed to conduct inspection and file report," the bench, also comprising expert member Ranjan Chatterjee, said.

During the hearing, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) told the green panel that the tender and work orders with regard to three schools --Primary Girl School at Chhatarpur Mandir, Prativa Bal Vidyalaya and Primary School at Rajpur Khurd-- have been issued.

The lawyer appearing for SDMC informed the bench that as per schedule of the work they require three months to comply and report the final status.

The matter is fixed for next hearing on September 18.

The NGT had earlier directed the Central Ground Water Authority and DJB to inspect private and government schools here after a plea alleged that they have failed to install rain water harvesting systems on their premises.

The direction came during hearing of a plea of Mahesh Chandra Saxena, who claimed to be associated with an NGO working in the field of ground water conservation.

He has claimed that government departments, educational institutions and residential societies have either not installed rain water harvesting systems or these were non- functional.

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Iran today dismissed as "dreams" the idea that it might allow inspections of its military sites under the Islamic republic's nuclear deal with world powers.

"What has been said about inspections of our military sites, which are completely confidential and classified, is the mere expression of dreams," government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht said.

"We will not accept anything outside our frameworks from the Americans -- especially visits to military sites," he told a televised weekly press conference.

Ali Akbar Velayati, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's foreign policy adviser, also dismissed "sloganeering by the new US administration for domestic consumption".

Iran "will never allow Americans or non-Americans to visit military sites which are a sensitive, important and strategic part of national security", Velayati told state television.

"The Americans should take the dream of visiting our military sites, using the pretext of the JCPOA (the nuclear deal) or any other pretext, to their graves."



The officials were reacting to media reports that Washington's UN envoy Nikki Haley last week discussed with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano access to Iranian military sites under the framework of verification of the 2015 nuclear accord.

In its routine reports, the IAEA has said that Iran is in compliance with its landmark agreement with six major powers.

The landmark deal saw Iran curb its atomic activities and submit to closer IAEA inspections in order to make extremely difficult any attempt to make a nuclear weapon.

In exchange, nuclear-related sanctions against Iran were removed.

Other punitive measures by the West, including those relating to Iran's missile programme, remained in place or have been boosted.

Haley's trip to Vienna, where the IAEA is based, came amid growing concerns about the accord's future, with US President Donald Trump calling it the "worst" deal ever and threatening to tear it up.

Tensions have risen between long-time foes Tehran and Washington since Trump entered the Oval Office, with each side accusing the other of not honouring the spirit of the nuclear accord.

President Hassan Rouhani has said that Iran could walk away from the deal within hours, accusing Washington of "constant and repetitive breaking of its promises" under the agreement.

Haley responded that new US sanctions against Iran relate to Iran's support for "worldwide terrorism" and other behaviour, and that Tehran cannot "use the nuclear deal to hold the world hostage".

In October, Trump is due to notify Congress about whether Iran is adhering to the deal.

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In a diplomatic icebreaker between political foes, tens of thousands of Muslim faithful from Iran have flocked to Saudi Arabia for the annual hajj pilgrimage to Islam's holiest sites.

This week's hajj marks Iran's return after their absence last year following a massive stampede in 2015 that killed around 2,300 people, including 464 Iranians.

The tragedy sparked bitter recrimination from Tehran over the kingdom's custodianship of the sites in Mecca and Medina, western Saudi Arabia.

For the first time in nearly three decades, Iranian pilgrims were barred from the hajj last year, after several rounds of negotiations between the two Gulf heavyweights failed to overcome political and procedural differences.

Adding a further obstacle, the Sunni kingdom cut all ties with Shiite Iran in January 2016 after its diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad were torched by protesters angered by Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shiite figure.

But under a deal struck in March, about 86,000 Iranians have now arrived in Saudi Arabia for the hajj, joining two million Muslims from across the globe in converging on Mecca.

"I'm happy to see so many Iranians here... Political issues shouldn't interfere in a religious duty, especially the hajj," Abbas Ali, a 54-year-old Iranian, said Monday at Jeddah airport that is the main entry point for pilgrims.

"It's very difficult to describe my feelings. We shouldn't stop coming here because all of us are Muslims," the newly-arrived "haji" from Zahedan in eastern Iran told AFP.

The breakthrough came after several months of negotiations during which the two countries traded accusations of obstructing an agreement.

Tehran and Riyadh stand on opposing sides in several regional disputes, including the conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, as well as this year's Gulf diplomatic crisis between Qatar and a Saudi-led Arab bloc.

The pilgrimage now seems to be acting as an icebreaker between the two powers.

In the absence of diplomatic relations and with its missions in Iran closed, Saudi Arabia agreed to issue electronic visas for Iranian pilgrims.

Saudi Arabia has also allowed Iran's national carrier Iran Air to fly in most of the Islamic republic's pilgrims, while some were transported by the kingdom's carrier.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said last week that visas have been issued for diplomats from the two countries to visit and inspect each other's empty embassies and consulates.

"We are waiting for final measures to be taken so diplomats from both countries can visit," he said. "This will probably happen after the hajj."



Iran has set up temporary consulates in the kingdom to assist its pilgrims, and it has instructed them to avoid "arguments" with Saudi staff at airports and pilgrimage sites.

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"Your tears have shaken many hearts....Every drop of your tear sears our heart."



These were the lines written by a top official of Jammu and Kashmir police for Zohra, the five-year-old daughter of Assistant Sub-Inspector Abdul Rashid who was killed by militants yesterday in Anantnag district of south Kashmir.

S P Pani, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), south Kashmir where Rashid was gunned down, gave vent to his anger and anguish in a Facebook post.

Javaid Gillani, an IGP-rank IPS officer hailing from Kashmir, also expressed his views on the Facebook, condemning the killing and questioning how it could lead to so-called 'Azadi' (freedom).

He also questioned the silence of the separatists and their "intellectual cronies" over the killing.

The images of Zohra crying her heart out as police personnel bid adieu to her slain father yesterday have been widely circulated on various social media platforms.

"The sacrifice made by your father will always be remembered. You are too young to understand as to why this happened," Pani wrote.

"People responsible for such violence who attack the lawful symbol of the state and society are indeed insane and enemy of humanity. Your father like all of us represented Jammu Kashmir police force - a hallmark of valour and sacrifice," the DIG said.

Pani said many police families have suffered and undergone irreparable trauma defending the common good for the society.

"All those faces and stories indeed create a rich history making us proud. We cannot forget our heroes, our dear ones with whom we lived and worked all these years," he said.

"Remember we all are one family at this critical phase. Every drop of your tear sears our heart. May almighty give us the strength to go ahead with our mission of rendering services for the betterment of the society. The vow that we have taken when we donned the uniform stands supreme.

"Let our sprit and commitment become the harbinger for change, let it be the message of peace and harmony for the fellow citizens," Pani wrote.

He said Rashid's memory as a true policeman who sacrificed his life in the line of the duty will always be cherished.

Gillani wrote a longish post on the Facebook, saying Rashid had joined more than 1500 of his other martyred Jammu and Kashmir Police colleagues yesterday.

"He (Rashid) was shot at and killed in the name of 'Azadi'. How does killing a 59-year-old get us closer to the Azadi? In whose name we are killing the very people for whom we seek this Azadi," he wrote.

Gillani said Rashid, like more than a lakh people of this state, have joined the police service to serve the people and earn an honest living to feed their families.

"(I) am sure none of the self-styled leaders of the 'movement' or their intellectual cronies have the courage to condemn the killing. Even if they do, it won't be without caveats.

"At the least, I wish they had the guts to own up the killing that they have sanctioned and justify the killing to their 'own people'," he added.

Gillani said the "paid apologists" of the separatists would use their "chicken brain" arguments to justify and explain the murder.

"It all goes on expected lines. First they would try and malign the martyred policeman. Then they would argue that policeman deserve to die because they are part of the oppressive machinery. To them it doesn't matter whether the one killed was culpable of any wrongdoing or not.

"The other argument would be what about so and so killing. Why wasn't their any hue and cry then?



"Last but not the least they would question the credentials of the person asking questions. The fact is no one would talk about the actual act," Gillani wrote.

He called for an end to the killings on orders from across the Line of Control.

"As long as we continue to reason out or at best remain silent on any killing sanctioned from across, we would continue to bleed and die. A day won't be far when death reaches every house. The time to stop it is now. We owe this much to children like Zohra, the martyred Rashid's daughter," he said.

He said a journalist has summed up Zohra's pain in three lines.

"Let no daughter lose her father like this, Let no daughter have moist eyes like this, Let no daughter be left alone in this cruel world," he wrote on his Facebook page.

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European Commission head Jean- Claude Juncker warned again today that Britain must first agree its divorce terms with the EU before any discussion of post-Brexit ties can begin.

"It has to be ultra clear that we will not begin any negotiation on the future relationship ... Before all the separation issues are settled, that is the divorce of the UK from the European Union," Juncker said.

Juncker, a life-long proponent of closer EU integration, told an audience of EU diplomats that he was disappointed by the British government's approach to the Brexit negotiations.

"I have read with all necessary attention all the position papers drawn up by the UK government but none of them really give me satisfaction, so there is an enormous amount of questions that need to be resolved," he said.

Juncker's comments came as the two sides continued a third round of Brexit negotiations in Brussels which got off to a rocky start yesterday.

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier bluntly told his British counterpart David Davis as they went into the talks that London had to start "negotiating seriously," with a March 2019 deadline looming fast.

For his part, Davis said the British position papers were "products of the hard work and detailed thinking that has been going on behind the scenes not just the last few weeks but the last 12 months."



"They should form the basis of what I hope will be a constructive week of talks between the European Commission and the UK," he said.

Progress would depend on "flexibility and imagination," he added.

The European Union says there has to be "sufficient progress" in three key areas -- EU citizen rights, Northern Ireland's border and the exit bill -- before considering London's demand to talk about post-Brexit arrangements.

EU leaders are due to decide in October whether that has been achieved but there has been growing speculation the decision will be put pack to December as the gulf between the two sides shows no sign of narrowing.

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Kenya's opposition says the country's electoral commission has declined to give it access to its servers even after an order to do so from the Supreme Court.

The leader of the opposition coalition, Raila Odinga, is challenging the re-election this month of President Uhuru Kenyatta, arguing that 54 per cent of the vote he received is fraudulent.

Odinga's spokesman Dennis Onyango said today that its information technology experts had been denied "read only" access to the electoral commission servers and to the equipment that transmitted the results from polling centers to tallying stations.

Onyango said the electoral commission instead has only offered the opposition the printed logs from its servers.

Odinga says he believes hackers infiltrated the electoral commission servers and broadcast results in Kenyatta's favor.

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The Kerala BJP has postponed its 'Janaraksha Yatra', which was scheduled to commence on September 7, till October due to the "inconvenience" of party president Amit Shah to attend it, the party said today.

"The yatra to be led by state BJP chief Kummanom Rajasekharan, which was scheduled to commence on September 7, has been postponed to October," a party release said here.

It added that the decision was taken in view of the "inconvenience" of Shah and central leaders to attend it.

The "padayatra", which was scheduled to start from Payyannur in Kannur and conclude at the state capital here, was to highlight the political violence allegedly "unleashed" by the ruling CPI-M in the state, the release said.

It added that the revised date of the 'yatra' would be announced later.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) alleged that Shah was visiting the state to "create trouble".

The Left party's Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan said the BJP president should first lead a march to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, where his party was in power.

He also alleged that "insecurity and law-and-order issues" were "severe" in the states ruled by the saffron party.

Jayarajan alleged that the Sangh Parivar was showing its "intolerance" as the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government was "surging ahead with mass support" in Kerala.

"Amit Shah is coming to Kerala to create trouble...To destroy the reputation of the state, which is known for its secular and democratic credentials," he told reporters.

Jayarajan also said that in Kerala, there was tension "only in the minds of the BJP-RSS activists".

"The slogan of the BJP's Janaraksha Yatra is that everyone has a right to live. If that is so, Shah should first take out a march to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, which are ruled by his party," he said.

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A six-lane, cable-stayed bridge over the Chambal river in Kota, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, will benefit the residents of Hadouti region of Rajasthan.

The much-awaited 'hanging bridge' will help ease traffic congestion in Kota city and reduce travel time, officials said.

The work on the 1.4-km bridge started in November, 2006. The construction had to be halted for five years after one of its pillars collapsed killing at least 48 people, including two engineers, in December, 2009. The work resumed in 2014.

Hitting out at the previous government for the delay in completion of the Rs 277.67-crore project, Modi said, "The bridge in Kota could not be completed in 11 years. Finally, our government took the challenge and completed it."



After inaugurating the bridge via video-conference from Udaipur, he said that it showed the difference between his dispensation and the previous government.

The bridge is a part of the East-West Corridor of the Golden Quadrangle Project of the National Highways Authority of India.

The opening of cable-stayed bridge in Kota completes the work on the 3,300-km East-West Corridor, which will connect 14 National Highways passing through seven states and 28 prime cities of the country, said Nitin Gadkari, the Union minister for road transport, highways and shipping.

The 'hanging bridge' will facilitate a smooth movement of vehicles from Porbandar in Gujarat to Silchar in Assam.

As an alligator sanctuary falls under the bridge over the Chambal River, a 700-metre stretch of the bridged has been suspended with cables, thus giving it the name, "hanging bridge".

Thousands of people in Kota today watched the inaugural ceremony via video-conference. Local MP Om Birla and MLAs Sandeep Sharma and Chandra Kanta Meghwal were present.

The 'hanging bridge' will accelerate the pace of development and generate employment opportunities for local people, Birla said.

A large number of people, with families and friends, thronged the cable-stayed bridge for a selfie.

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Inspector General of Himachal Pradesh Police Zahur Haidar Zaidi and seven other policemen were arrested by the CBI today in connection with the custodial death of a Nepalese labourer, who was a suspect in the rape-and-murder of a minor school girl in Kotkhai area of Shimla, agency officials said here.

During the probe of the July 4 rape-and-murder case, the state police had taken custody of six suspects who were lodged at the local police station.

Suraj Singh, a 29-year-old labourer from Nepal, was allegedly killed by a co-accused at the Kotkhai police station last month, triggering a massive public outrage.

The CBI, which was later handed over the probe into the case by the Himachal Pradesh High Court, questioned several people before arresting 1994-batch IPS officer Zaidi, the then IGP (South), Manoj Joshi, the then Deputy Superintendent of Police, and six other police officials, the agency officials said.

The arrested would be produced before a court tomorrow, they said.

The agency has registered two separate FIRs on the rape- and-murder of the minor girl and the custodial death of the suspect.

"The CBI has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by a Superintendent of Police and an Additional SP and a Deputy SP, and taken over the investigation of both the cases," a CBI spokesperson had said.

The rape-and-murder of the Class X student in Kotkhai area of Shimla district had sparked an outrage. Her body was recovered from a nearby forest two days later.

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French President Emmanuel Macron accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of creating a "dictatorship" today in one of the harshest condemnations yet of the South American regime by a European leader.

Maduro has overseen the creation of a new loyalist national assembly, a major clampdown on the independent media and the sacking of the country's top justice official.

Clashes during protests against his rule claimed 125 lives this year, according to prosecutors.

"A dictatorship is trying to survive at an unprecedented humanitarian cost, even though the resources of the country remain significant," Macron said of Maduro's government in his first major foreign policy speech yesterday.

The 28-member European Union has so far backed away from adopting any sanctions on the Venezuelan government, but it does not recognise the new national assembly as legitimate and has warned it might take action.

US President Donald Trump has condemned the Maduro "dictatorship" and even threatened a "military option." Last week, he imposed fresh sanctions aimed at choking off the country's access to American financial markets.

Oil-rich Venezuela, which has the world's largest proven reserves of crude, has blamed the US government for its economic woes which have resulted in shortages of food and medicine.

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A CBI court here today awarded death sentence to a man for killing his wife, three children and two neighbours eight years ago as the wife was opposed to his illicit relationship with his sister-in-law.

Holding that the case fell into the "rarest of rare" category, the Special CBI Court said the convict, Sarvan, would be a threat to the society and as such, he was no longer entitled to live on earth and ordered that he be hanged till death.

The court then referred the matter to the high court as a death penalty has to be confirmed by it before its execution.

Pronouncing the verdict, Special CBI Judge Harish Tripathi also sentenced Sarvan's sister-in-law Suman to four years of rigorous imprisonment and slapped a Rs-2,000 fine on her, after holding her guilty of removing evidence in the case.

The court also slapped a Rs-7,000 fine on Sarvan.

In his 61-page verdict, the judge said Sarvan was married and had three children but even then, he committed the "massacre to quench his thirst of lust" and the manner in which he eliminated his family and the neighbours -- "his act was not less than that of a devil".

"Not only two families suffered on account of his act, but he became a threat to the society," the judge said, adding that Sarvan "butchered" the family he was supposed to look after.

"In such circumstances, if he comes out of jail, he may kill his neighbours and others and as such, it is dangerous to allow him to remain alive," he said and added that since the case fell into the "rarest of rare" category, life imprisonment would not be an adequate punishment for Sarvan.

Earlier, demanding capital punishment for the convict, government pleader Shashi Pathak said Sarvan killed his wife Santoshi (35), children Ravi (a-year-and-a-half), Sumiran (4) and Ramroop (6), only because his wife would object to his illicit relationship with his sister-in-law.

Besides, he added that the convict also killed his neighbour Madhuri (50) and her son Rajendra (11), who had tried to intervene in order to save the four other deceased.

Thus, he contended that it was a "massacre committed in a fully conscious state of mind" and hence, the convict deserved nothing less than the death penalty.

The FIR in the case was lodged by Kolai, the husband of Madhuri, at the Mohanlalganj police station on April 25, 2009.

In the FIR, the complainant had stated that Sarvan was his neighbour and that it was known to the villagers that he had an illicit relationship with his elder brother's wife, to which his wife would often object.

He also alleged that on the day of the incident, he heard a woman crying from the house of Sarvan, who was yelling that he would kill his wife and children.

The FIR went on to add that it was Santoshi who was crying for help and when Madhuri rushed to save her, she saw Sarvan coming out of the house with a blood-soaked axe.

The convict told Madhuri that he had killed Santoshi and the children and would now kill her as well as she always tried to save them, the FIR said.

Thereafter, Sarvan hacked Madhuri to death with the axe and also assaulted her son Rajendra and daughter Sangita, it said, adding that the boy subsequently succumbed to his injuries.

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A Maoist militia platoon section commander and a woman militia member today surrendered before the police in Telangana's Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.

Militia platoon section commander Podiyam Lakku and militia member Sodi Laxmi, both belonging to Bijapur of Chhattisgarh, surrendered before the Assistant Superintendent of Police Eturnagaram, an official release issued by the police said.

Lakku (20) had joined the CPI (Maoist) in 2011 as a militia member and participated in an ambush on a police party in 2013 and exchange of fire between police and Maoists at Pavurugudem... In June 2016, it said.

Eighteen-year-old Laxmi had the outlawed outfit last year as a militia member. She, along with Lakku and others participated in exchange of fire at Thummirel... In September last year, police said.

She was a part of alleged murder of one Sodi Bheema in June this year, who was branded as a police informer.

"These two persons were disillusioned and vexed with the ideology of Maoists and decided to spend a normal life in the society and surrendered before the police," the release said.

The police also said that no cases will be booked against those persons who have surrendered and will also be provided relief by the government.

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US President Donald Trump holds a joint news conference with Finland's President Sauli Niinisto (not pictured) at the White House in Washington, US, August 28, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he hoped the US could have good relations with Russia, which would be "good for world peace."

"I hope that we do have good relations with Russia," Trump said at a joint press conference with visiting Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. "I say it loud and clear. I have been saying it for years. I think it's a good thing if we have great relationships, or at least good relationships, with Russia."

"I believe someday that will happen...I think that's very good for world peace and other things," the US President added.

When asked whether he considers Russia as a security threat, Trump said, "I consider many countries as a security threat, unfortunately, when you look at what's going on in the world today."

Trump's remarks came at a low point of bilateral relationship between Washington and Moscow, as the two sides hold differences on a range of issues, including the war in Syria, the conflict in Ukraine, and US accusations that the Kremlin meddled in the 2016 US presidential elections, a charge Russia strongly denies.

Earlier this month, Trump signed into law a sanctions bill on Russia, Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), but he criticized the bill as "seriously flawed."

The new legislation also grants US lawmakers power to block Trump from unilaterally lifting sanctions on Russia.

Russia will not resort to symmetric countermeasures in response to sanctions by the US and will continue to seek dialogue with the latter instead, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said.

"This is a huge burden and a serious blow to the basis of our relationship. Nevertheless, we do not want to turn relations with the United States into a tit-for-tat game," Ryabkov said in an interview Tuesday with Xinhua.
The Maoist problem continues to be a matter of concern for internal security and the menace has badly hit 35 districts in seven states, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today.

He was addressing a meeting of the consultative committee for the Home Ministry on "Left Wing Extremism (LWE) related issues" here.

Singh said the Maoist scenario remains an area of concern for internal security of the country even though it has exhibited a significant improvement over the years.

He said 106 districts in 10 states were affected by LWE and 35 districts were identified as most affected in seven states.

The home minister said the Maoist scenario has been showing a declining trend in the last three years.

As compared to 2010, 2016 reflected a decline of 53 per cent in the number of violent incidents and 72 per cent in resultant deaths and the trend continued in 2017, an official statement said.

Singh informed the Parliamentarians that this year overall situation so far indicated a declining trend and the number of violent incidents had declined by 25.6 per cent as compared to the corresponding period of 2016.

The home minister apprised the MPs about security-related measures which include the deployment of central armed police forces battalions in the LWE-affected states, use of 56 specialised India Reserve Battalions mainly to strengthen the security apparatus, construction of about 400 fortified police stations and various training initiatives.

Singh said other security measures were deployment of UAVs, helicopters, unified command and joint command and control centers at Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh) and Gaya (Bihar).

The home minister said the central government has been doing proper monitoring with the necessary assistance of the states by empowering them with financial assistance and security forces with proper training, technology and latest equipment.

He said the joint operations of the central armed police forces and the state police have given good results in the recent past and hoped that the situation would improve further in the near future.

The MPs participated in a detailed discussion on the subject and appreciated the work of the ministry in controlling the situation in LWE affected states, the statement said.

The use of technology, intelligence sharing and specialised training for the forces was also discussed.

Some of the members mentioned that LWE problem was not a law and order problem alone but was also a socio-economic problem.

There was a need for adopting a sustained policy and intelligence sharing in the LWE affected states. They also suggested that the police should be further strengthened with the use of better communication and connectivity facilities, the statement said.

The home minister informed the members that their valuable suggestions had been noted for appropriate action and further improving the situation.

Singh told MPs that a new initiative SAMADHAN has also been introduced to control the situation in the LWE affected states.

SAMADHAN stands for Smart Policing and Leadership; Aggressive Strategy, Motivation and Training, Actionable Intelligence; Dashboard for Development and Key Performance Indicators, Harnessing Technology for Development and Security, Action Plan for each Theatre and No access to Financing.

The home minister said 743 Scheduled Tribes candidates from four most affected LWE districts of Chhattisgarh-- Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Sukma--had been recruited in Bastariya Battallion in order to enhance local representation in security forces.

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A nurse working in the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital died there today due to 'negligence' by the authorities, following which other nurses lodged a police complaint and gheraoed the superintendent.

The nurse, Tripti Dinda (27), was admitted to the hospital on Saturday with fever, and pain in spine.

She was advised an MRI test but that could not be done as the MRI machine in the hospital was not functioning, the nurses alleged.

After Dinda's death, the nurses lodged a police complaint that she died because of negligence by authorities.

Police said when they went to the hospital to take the body for postmortem, her family members refuse to hand over the body saying they did not want it.

The family members took the body out of the hospital but the police approached them again at Bat Tala Chowk, a major crossing.

An altercation followed, and Dinda's family members started a road blockade putting the body there, police said adding, after sometime they were allowed to go with the body without postmortem.

The nurses then gheraoed hospital superintendent Tanmay Panja demanding improvement of infrastructure.

Doctors of the hospital had been assaulted last night following death of a child and they also joined the nurses demanding security, hospital officials said.

The gherao was lifted after Panja promised that steps would be taken to improve infrastructure and security measure, the officials said.

Panja could not be contacted.

Earlier this month, a nurse of a private hospital in Kolkata died while on duty also due to alleged medical negligence of the hospital authorities.

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today met Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, and discussed with them various issues concerning the state, officials said.

During her 20-minute meeting with the home minister, the chief minister apprised him of the security situation in the state which has witnessed attack on security forces by militants in the last few days, a home ministry official said.

In her meeting with the finance minister, Mehbooba is understood to have discussed about the implementation of the economic package of Rs 80,000 crore, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, a state government official said.

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy, who is seeking an early hearing on a plea to direct the Centre to clarify its stand on the mythological Ram Sethu, to approach it after the government files its response.

Swamy had earlier told the top court that government had already clarified its stand outside the court that it has no intention whatsoever to tamper with the 'bridge', which is a chain of limestone shoals, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu.

He mentioned the matter for early hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and said the Centre should file an affidavit to this effect.

The bench, also comprising Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud, asked him to mention the matter for hearing after the Centre filed its response.

"You can mention the matter after affidavit is filed by them (Centre)," the bench said.

On November 26, 2015, the apex court had granted four weeks to the Centre to file its response on Swamy's plea that he wanted to withdraw his 2009 petition against the Sethusamudram project as the government has decided that the mythological bridge would not be dismantled.

Swamy had earlier mentioned the matter for urgent hearing saying his prayer to scrap the project stands satisfied after the Centre took that decision.

The Sethusamudram shipping channel project has been facing protests from some political parties, environmentalists and some Hindu religious groups.

The is a continuous stretch of limestone shoals that runs from Pamban Island near Rameshwaram in South India to Mannar Island, off the northern coast of Sri Lanka.

Under the Sethusamudram project, a 83-km-long deep water channel is to be created, linking Mannar with Palk Strait, by extensive dredging and removal of the limestone shoals which constitute the mythological Sethu.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said today that Germany could "not stay silent" on EU fears about the rule of law in neighbouring Poland, calling it a "serious issue".

Poland yesterday rejected EU concerns that the right-wing government's controversial court reforms, which have sparked street protests, will erode judicial independence in the former communist state.

"As much as I want good relations with Poland, our neighbour... We cannot stay silent and say nothing just to keep the peace," she said.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, she stressed that the rule of law was "the basis for cooperation within the EU".

The European Commission had given Warsaw a month from July 26 to end legislative moves that Brussels regards as posing a "systemic threat" to the rule of law and inform the EU executive branch of measures taken to modify them.

It expressed concern, among other issues, about the Polish justice minister getting "discretionary power" to prolong the mandate of judges who have reached retirement age as well as to dismiss and appoint court presidents.

Poland's foreign ministry insisted yesterday that the Law and Justice party (PiS) government's "legislative action, the overriding aim of which is to reform the justice system, is in line with European standards".

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The Madhya Pradesh government has contributed Rs 2 crore to Assam Chief Minister's Relief Fund following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to Chief Ministers of all states to provide assistance to flood hit states of the country during the "All CM's Meet" recently in Delhi.

Madhya Pradesh Minister of State for Cooperatives Vishwas Sarang handed over the cheque to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal here last evening, said a government release.

Sarang conveyed the goodwill of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to the people of Assam during his brief discussion with Sonowal.

Chief Minister Chouhan also talked to Sonowal over phone and expressed his deepest sympathies for the people of the state at the time of their crisis.

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As incessant downpour battered the financial capital and made its residents life miserable, political parties appeared engaged in a slugfest over handling of the situation and advisories for citizens.

The BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP came out with their own views on the situation in the metropolis.

While Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis advised offices to let employees leave early and issued similar orders for government staffers, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray said there was no need to evacuate offices.

"We have advised (private) offices to allow their employees to leave for their homes early today. We have issued similar orders for government employees," Fadnavis said after taking a stock of the situation at the State Disaster Management Control (SDMC) room at the state secretariat.

"Since we can monitor the whole city through CCTV cameras, we have got to know that there is heavy waterlogging in the city. I appeal to the people to venture out of their homes only if it is of utmost necessity. Those who are stuck in offices should see the alerts we are periodically sending out and leave only when the situation is favourable," he said.

Fadnavis added that due to diversion of traffic along various routes, there were traffic snarls at several places.

Thackeray, who heads the Sena's youth wing, meanwhile, tweeted that there was no need to evacuate offices.

"Traffic build up is heavy due to over load of vehicles. Please stay put safely where you are," Thackeray tweeted.

He said 26 pumps installed after 2005 deluge were pumping out 6,000 litres of water per second.

Thackeray, whose party rules the BMC, said the civic body personnel have been out on the streets helping people and dealing with the situation arising out of the downpour.

He said "288 smaller pumps have been active the whole day. As many as 30,000 BMC staffers are out on the streets helping Mumbaikars directly, indirectly."



The Opposition NCP criticised the BJP-led government over its "failure" to aptly handle the situation.

NCP leader Dhananjay Munde said the administration did nothing despite receiving a warning of heavy rainfall two days in advance.

"The IMD had issued a warning two days in advance. Yet, the administration did nothing. Is this the disaster management the government is doing? The chief minister took the decision of letting employees leave early at 2.30 pm. He should have taken this decision in morning itself," said the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council.

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The Mumbai police have asked people who have got stranded due to heavy rainfall to dial police emergency no 100 or send message on their twitter handle to seek any kind of assistance.

Thousands of Mumbaikars were stranded on railway stations and other places due to disruption in train services, water-logging on streets and slow movement of road traffic.

Police personnel have fanned out on streets and lending a helping hand to the Mumbaikars who are in distress, an official said.

"We are sending our constables to help the Mumbaikars who are in distress. We are trying to provide whatever help they want," said DCP and Mumbai Police spokesperson Rashmi Karandikar.

In one such incident, police officials from main control room directed the inspector of Sion Police Station to check three school buses which were stuck near Sion hospital in Central Mumbai, she said.

People in need of help can dial 100 or send message on the city police's twitter handle for assistance, another official said.

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar and Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deven Bharti were monitoring the situation in Mumbai from the main police control room, the official said.

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The missile North Korea fired early today over Japan was an intermediate range ballistic missile and did not threaten the US, the Pentagon said today.

The ballistic missile flew over Japan before crashing into the northern Pacific Ocean, the third time a missile fired by Pyongyang has passed over the Japanese territory.

The first was in 1998 and the second in 2009, although North Korea claims they were satellites.

The Pentagon said the Department of Defence tracked what they assess was a "single North Korean ballistic missile".

"Initial assessment indicates the launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM)," it said.

An IRBM has a range of 3,000-5,500 km.

The missile launched today was believed to have travelled nearly 2,700 kilometres at a maximum altitude of around 550 kilometres.

The Pentagon said the North American Aerospace Defence Command determined the ballistic missile launch did not pose a threat to North America. The US Pacific Command determined the missile launch did not pose a threat to Guam.

"We continue to monitor North Korea's actions closely," it said. "We will provide a public update if warranted."



Tensions have been high in the Korean peninsula, where the US and Japan have been conducting joint military exercise. North Korea views the exercise as a preparation for invasion.

Following today's missile launch, US President Donald Trump warned Pyongyang that "all options are on the table".

His administration has been pursuing what it calls a strategy of "peaceful pressure" to rein in the North's nuclear and missile weapons programmes.

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National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) today launched Agri Udaan, a food and agribusiness accelerator here to help agri-entrepreneurs to ideate, incubate and accelerate their startups.

NAARM is taking the initiative with the help of its own innovative Technology Business Incubator (TBI), Association for Innovation Development of Entrepreneurship in Agriculture (a-IDEA), hosted by ICAR-NAARM, Hyderabad and Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, Vijay Nadiminti, COO of a-IDEA NAARM said.

Its mission is to support agribusiness and technology ventures through capacity building and facilitating access to knowledge and resources.

To promote and spread awareness about a-IDEA in Maharashtra, NAARM has announced road-shows in Kolkata for the startup ecosystem in Food and Agri business which is witnessing consistent growth in last few years, he said.

Nadiminti expressed satisfaction with the overall response for Agri Udaan.

"The road show in Kolkata has helped us to connect with aspiring start-ups, entrepreneurs, students and global eco system players to be part of this exciting journey.

The initiative has opened up with interesting sessions from industry speakers, agri-Business firms, also successful start-ups speaking about their journey so we are hopeful that we get good number of applications from aspiring start-ups to scale from Kolkata," he said.

To tap startups based in and around Kolkata, NAARM targeted to reach out to 10 agriculture startups.

Through the road shows NAARM aimed to reach out to agri-startups in the local ecosystems with a series of aspiring talks and sensitize them about AGRI UDAAN with the help of ecosystem partners, he added.

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Nasa's next mission to Mars, scheduled to launch next year, will focus on examining the deep interior of the red planet, according to the US space agency.

Information gathered by the Insight mission will boost understanding of how all rocky planets formed, including Earth, Nasa said.

"Because the interior of Mars has churned much less than Earth's in the past three billion years, Mars likely preserves evidence about rocky planets' infancy better than our home planet does," said InSight Principal Investigator Bruce Banerdt of Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California.

The mission will place a stationary lander near Mars' equator. With two solar panels that unfold like paper fans, the lander spans about six metres.

Within weeks after the landing, InSight will use a robotic arm to place its two main instruments directly and permanently onto the martian ground, an unprecedented set of activities on Mars, according to Nasa.

One of the two instruments is a seismometer, which is shielded from wind, and has sensitivity fine enough to detect ground movements half the diameter of a hydrogen atom.

It will record seismic waves from "marsquakes" or meteor impacts that reveal information about the planet's interior layers.

The other instrument is a heat probe, designed to hammer itself to a depth of three metres or more and measure the amount of energy coming from the planet's deep interior.

A third experiment will use radio transmissions between Mars and Earth to assess perturbations in how Mars rotates on its axis, which are clues about the size of the planet's core.

Preparation ramped up this summer for the InSight mission



Which is on course for launch next May from Vandenberg Air Force Base in central California, Nasa said.

"Our team resumed system-level integration and test activities last month," said Stu Spath, spacecraft programme manager at Lockheed Martin.

"The lander is completed and instruments have been integrated onto it so that we can complete the final spacecraft testing including acoustics, instrument deployments and thermal balance tests," Spath said.

The spacecraft's science payload also is on track for next year's launch, Nasa said.

The mission's launch was originally planned for March 2016, but was called off due to a leak into a metal container designed to maintain near-vacuum conditions around the seismometer's main sensors.

A redesigned vacuum vessel for the instrument has been built and tested, then combined with the instrument's other components and tested again.

"We have fixed the problem we had two years ago, and we are eagerly preparing for launch," said InSight Project Manager Tom Hoffman, of JPL.
Nepal is committed to hold the provincial and parliamentary elections by November 26 for the effective implementation of the country's Constitution, a senior minister said today.

Mohan Bahadur Basnet, Minister for Information and Communications said the Constitution would come into full implementation after conducting third phase of local polls, provincial and parliamentary elections.

The government is committed to holding provincial and parliamentary elections by November 26, Basnet, who is also the government spokesperson said.

"The Constitution would be amended as per the need as it is a dynamic document," he said while addressing a programme organised to mark the 21st anniversary of Educational Consultancy Association of Nepal.

"The country would move towards the path of economic prosperity once the Constitution is fully implemented," the minister said.

Millions of Nepalese on May 14 voted in the country's first local-level polls. The second phase of local polls was held on June 28. The third phase will be held on September 18.

Local-level elections could not be held after 1997 largely as a result of the decade-long Maoist insurgency that claimed more than 16,000 lives in Nepal.

Some Madhes-centric parties had opposed the elections until the new Constitution is amended to accommodate their views, more representation in the Parliament and redrawing of provincial boundaries.

The Nepal government has tabled a new Constitution amendment bill in the Parliament to address the demands of the agitating Madhesis.

Madhesis, who are mostly of Indian origin, had launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the Constitution.

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appeared to have found a new hand to steady the wheel at the smartphone-summoned ride service, which has skidded from one controversy to another.

has yet to confirm reports that Dara Khosrowshahi to replace ousted Travis Kalanick as chief at the San Francisco- based startup.

However, Expedia board chairman Barry Diller appeared to confirm the choice in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

"As you probably know by now, Dara Khosrowshahi has been asked to lead Uber," read a copy of a memo from Expedia board chairman Barry Diller to Expedia employees included in an SEC filing.

"Nothing has been yet finalised, but having extensively discussed this with Dara I believe it is his intention to accept."



and Expedia did not respond to AFP requests for comment.

Khosrowshahi is known as an experienced top executive, willing to speak his mind and to advocate for women getting equal pay and leadership opportunities.

His most recent Twitter post criticizes US President Donald Trump for his response to a white supremacist rally that turned deadly in Charlottesville.

"I keep waiting for the moment when our Prez will rise to the expectations of his office and he fails, repeatedly," Khosrowshahi said the tweet, which included a link to a story about the Trump controversy.

Born in Iran, Khosrowshahi immigrated to the United States with his family as a child and became a citizen here.

Expedia shares have climb more than five-fold during the 12 years Khosrowshahi has been in charge of the travel services internet firm.

Whoever takes charge at Uber will face challenges including conflicts with regulators and taxi operators; a cut-throat company culture, and board members feuding with investors over Kalanick.

Kalanick was the driving force behind Uber, taking a spur-of-moment idea and turning it into the world's most valuable venture-funded tech startup.

But his brash personality and freewheeling management style made him a liability as well as an asset to the global ridesharing giant, and in June he stepped down as chief executive.

Kalanick, who turned 41 this month, frequently recounts how the idea behind Uber was born, when he and a colleague were attending a technology conference in Paris in 2008 and failed to find a taxi on a cold night.

Uber now operates in hundreds of cities and more than 80 countries.

But the hard-charging style that helped Uber succeed also made Kalanick a target for critics.

He has borne responsibility for allegations of nasty workplace tactics and covert use of law enforcement-evading software.

Dents to Uber's image include a visit by executives to a South Korean escort-karaoke bar, an attempt to dig up dirt on journalists covering the company, and the mishandling of medical records from a woman raped in India after hailing an Uber ride.
A New York City man faced terrorism charges accusing him of trying to support the Islamic State group by travelling to the Middle East to fight with militants.

An unnamed country in the region detained Parveg Ahmed before he could carry out plans to enter territory in Syria controlled by the Islamic State, according to a criminal complaint that didn't name the country.

The 22-year-old Queens resident returned on Monday night to New York, where he was ordered held without bail yesterday in federal court in Brooklyn. His lawyer, Michael Schneider, declined to comment.

"As alleged, Ahmed sought to take up arms with violent terrorists who have killed numerous innocent victims, including Americans," acting US Attorney Bridget Rohde said in a statement.

According to the complaint, Ahmed first began posting pro-Islamic State messages on social media in 2014 and 2015. One read, "The side of Good is Islam & the Caliphate. If you're not with the Muslims, you're ignorantly, irrelevantly, and arrogantly on the side of Evil," the complaint said.

In June, Ahmed and a person referred to only as a confidential co-conspirator traveled to Saudi Arabia before they were captured, the court papers said. A cellphone carried by Ahmed contained an unsent message saying, "God willing, we will join the Jijad very soon" and a farewell to his family reading, "Please remember all that I tried to teach you."



Agents searching a laptop used by Ahmed also discovered Islamic State propaganda and sermons by fiery American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, a leader of al-Qaida in Yemen who was killed in 2011, the papers said.

The online videos of Al-Awlaki have been cited in several US cases as being a dangerous influence on self-radicalized terrorists.

The computer contained other lectures by Sheikh Abdullah el-Faisal, a radical cleric arrested last week in Jamaica on a US warrant accusing him of trying to recruit radicalised Americans for the Islamic State group. El-Faisal had been the target of a sting carried out by an undercover New York Police Department officer who communicated with him by email, text and video chat.

If convicted, Ahmed faces a maximum 20 years in prison.

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The National Green Tribunal today asked the Delhi government to explore disposal mechanism for the nearly 8,000 kilograms of plastic of less than 50 microns thickness that was seized by authorities following its ban.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, which did not pass any observation, said the AAP government should find out ways to get rid of the non- biodegradable material.

The green panel observed that such a huge quantity of plastic could also be sent to waste-to-energy plants for scrapping.

The matter is posted for hearing on September 5.

Earlier, the city government had said that a sum total of Rs 3 lakh has been collected as fine following the prohibition imposed by the green panel.

On August 10, the NGT had imposed an interim ban on plastic in the city and announced that a penalty of Rs 5,000 would be slapped on violators.

"According to reports submitted by various departments, a total of 7,739 kg of plastic carry bags (less than 50 microns) has been seized, 492 challans have been issued and a total of Rs 2.9 lakh has been realised as environment compensation," the government had said in a statement.

The NGT had directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and other authorities to seize the entire stock of such plastic within one week from the day of the ban.

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Nuclear-armed North Korea today said that it had fired a missile over Japan the previous day, the first time it has ever acknowledged doing so.

The launch represented a major escalation by Pyongyang in the face of tensions over its weapons programmes, which have seen it threaten to send a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam and prompted President Donald Trump to warn of "fire and fury".

Shortly before the North Korean statement, Trump said that "all options" were on the table, reviving his implied threat of pre-emptive US military action just days after congratulating himself that North Korea's Kim Jong-Un appeared to be "starting to respect" him by holding off on missile firings.

The launch of the Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile was supervised by leader Kim Jong-Un, the official Korean Central Agency reported.

It "crossed the sky above Oshima peninsula of Hokkaido and Cape Erimo of Japan along the preset flight track and accurately hit the preset target waters in northern Pacific", it said.

South Korea's military yesterday said that it had travelled around 2,700 kilometres (1,700 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of 550 kilometres.

North Korea has twice previously sent rockets over the main islands of Japan, in 1998 and 2009, but on both occasions claimed they were space launch vehicles.

"The drill had no impact on the security of the neighbouring countries," KCNA insisted, adding that Kim expressed "great satisfaction" over the launch.

There would be "more ballistic rocket launching drills with the Pacific as a target in the future", it cited him as saying.

The launch, it added, was timed to mark the 107th anniversary of the "disgraceful" Japan-Korea treaty of 1910, under which Tokyo colonised the Korean peninsula.

It ushered in a period of oppressive ruled that only ended with Japan's defeat in the Second World War and is resented by Koreans on both sides of the divided peninsula, complicating the relationship between Tokyo and Seoul, both of them US allies threatened by Pyongyang.

With the launch, KCNA said, Kim "gave vent to the long- pent grudge of the Korean people" with "a bold plan to make the cruel Japanese islanders insensible on bloody August 29".

Yesterday's missile overflight triggered consternation in world capitals and on the ground, with sirens blaring out and text message alerts being sent in Japan warning people to take cover.

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," Trump said in a White House statement. "All options are on the table."



At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York -- which has already imposed seven sets of sanctions on Pyongyang over its weapons programmes -- Washington's Ambassador Nikki Haley warned that "enough is enough" and that tough action had to be taken.

"It's unacceptable," Haley said. "They have violated every single UN Security Council resolution that we've had, and so I think something serious has to happen."



New sanctions on North Korea could be discussed, she said.

The North last month carried out its first two successful tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), apparently bringing much of the US mainland into range, but the Pentagon said the launch was judged not to have represented a threat.

Despite Trump's rhetoric, officials in Washington speaking privately echo the warning by Trump's now former chief strategist Steve Bannon that it is too late for a pre- emptive strike.

"There's no military solution, forget it," Bannon told the American Prospect in an August 16 interview, his last before losing his job.

"Until somebody solves the part of the equation that shows me 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, they got us."



Pyongyang says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against a possible invasion by the US, and KCNA said the yesterday's launch was a response to the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint exercises currently being mounted by Seoul and Washington, which it views as rehearsals for an attack.

Any missile fired by the North at Guam would have to pass over Japan, and analysts told AFP that Pyongyang appeared to have chosen the trajectory of the latest test as a "half-way house" option to send a message without crossing a red line.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was nevertheless visibly unsettled, dubbing the launch an "unprecedented, serious and grave threat."



Abe called the overflight an "outrageous act" and, after a 40-minute call with Trump, he said the allies had agreed to "further strengthen pressure against North Korea."



But China, the North's key ally and main trading partner, urged restraint, saying the US-South Korean military drills were partly to blame for tensions and warned that all sides should pull back from a "tipping point".

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North Korea today said that it had fired a missile over Japan the previous day, the first time it has ever acknowledged doing so.

The Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile, whose launch was supervised by leader Kim Jong-Un, "crossed the sky above Oshima peninsula of Hokkaido and Cape Erimo of Japan along the preset flight track and accurately hit the preset target waters in northern Pacific", the official KCNA agency reported.

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Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced implementation of the seventh Pay Commission recommendations for 8 lakh employees and pensioners.

"My government has decided to implement the recommendations of the Committee constituted for examination of 7th Pay Commission and its adoption for the state government employees," Patnaik told reporters.

Around 4.5 lakh serving state government employees and 3.5 lakh retired employees will be benefited, he said adding that annual additional expenditure on this count would be about Rs 4,500 crore.

"The state government employees will get the pay hike from September's salary onwards," Patnaik said.

Employees unions, however, expressed displeasure over the time of implementation of the 7th Pay Commission.

They have been demanding implementation of the pay commission recommendations from January 1, 2016 as done by the central government.

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The Odisha government today said the state has received proposals worth Rs 466 crore for setting up processing units at Seafood Park in Deras, which will process 90,860 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) sea food and generate over 7,000 jobs.

"The state government has received very encouraging response in terms of investments (Rs 466 crore) for the Seafood Park from companies across the country. Leveraging on the natural ecosystem, the project is expected generate 7,214 employment opportunities in the state," Odisha principal secretary, Industries, Sanjeev Chopra said in a release issued here.

On the basis of committed investments so far, the seafood park will process 90,860 MTPA of sea food, he said.

Land has already been allotted to 20 firms for setting up of processing units at the park, he added.

The seafood park is being developed by Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) with an investment of Rs 134 crore, he said.

Companies including Falcon Marine Exports, Magnum Seafoods, Utkal Exports and Vizag-based Coastal Corporation, Falcon Marine Exports have already committed investments for setting up units at the seafood park, Chopra said.

Spread over 152 acres of land, the project has been approved under the Mega Food park scheme of the Food Processing ministry and will comprise 41 processing units.

The project will have infrastructure and access to common facilities like devices for cold storage, pre-processing and post-processing facilities, ice plant, packaging, polythene unit and a research and development facility.

Meanwhile, Odisha government has set up a target of reaching Rs 20,000 crore seafood exports annually in the next five years from the present level of Rs 2,500 crore.

India exported 11,34,948 tonne of seafood worth USD 5.78 billion in 2016-17 against 9,45,892 tonne and USD 4.69 billion in the year-ago period, with USA and South East Asia continuing to be the major importers.

During 2016-17, the total exports of marine products from Odisha stood at 47,204.97 tonne, valued at Rs 2,508.31 crore.

The major markets for seafood from Odisha include South East Asia (39 per cent) followed by USA (28 per cent), EU (11 per cent) and Japan (9 per cent) in terms of volume.

In terms of value, USA with 35 per cent stands ahead of South East Asia (30 per cent) followed by EU (11 per cent), Japan (10 per cent) and the Middle East (3 per cent).

Some of the major marine products exported from Odisha to countries like Japan, China, the US, UK, UAE, Indonesia and Hong Kong include frozen shrimps, frozen pompret, ribbon fish among others.

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Taking his battle against the BJP to the states ruled by it, rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav is organising the opposition's "save composite culture" meet in Indore tomorrow.

Yadav said opposition leaders, including Digvijay Singh and Anand Sharma of the Congress, Sitaram Yechury of the CPI-M and Tariq Anwar of the NCP besides representatives of many other parties, will attend the meeting in Madhya Pradesh tomorrow.

The BJP-ruled state had recently witnessed violent protests in Mandsaur by a section of farmers, and opposition leaders hope to build a campaign against the saffron party in the state that has emerged as its bastion.

It has been in power there for the last 14 years.

The state will face the assembly polls by the end of next year along with Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, two other states ruled by the BJP.

"I will hold a similar campaign in Gujarat and Rajasthan. I will go to other states too," he told PTI.

The "save composite culture" meet was organised at the national level on August 17 in which Yadav had made clear his intentions to defy his party chief Nitish Kumar's move to ally with the BJP, claiming that the country's secularism and pluralism was under attack in the NDA government.

"The country's youth need to be told and made aware about the values of our Constitution when issues like cow and love jihad have become part of our public discourse," he said.

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Ridiculing the Centre's move to organise "patriotic" rock shows at the IITs and central universities, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi today alleged that it amounted to "interference" in the functioning of the country's premier educational institutions.

He also described the decision as "shocking and strange".

"This is very shocking and strange that the government is now saying it will send rock bands to instill patriotism. Please define a patriotic rock band," the Hyderabad MP told reporters here.

He added that the IITs had earned their stature because the government never interfered in their functioning in the last 60 years.

"Now, the government is telling them what to do, what not to do, whereas it is not filling the vacancies in the IITs. It has also slashed the research funds," Owaisi said.

He claimed that it was an attempt to divert public attention from the NDA government's "failures", including on the job creation front and in "dealing strongly with China, despite all the chest-thumping".

"This is a new form of diverting attention. The issue is that the IITs have to be given full freedom. But the government is telling them that it will send rock bands...In a lighter vein, can the HRD Ministry tell me that when the rock bands will sing patriotic songs, what should one wear," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief said.

"These are completely diversionary tactics and they are not going to help the IITs or the central universities fulfil their original mandate," he added.

As part of a programme named "Yeh India ka Time Hai", the government has identified certain bands which will be visiting the campuses of educational institutions across the country and perform patriotic songs, especially those from Bollywood films.

The programme has been organised to celebrate 70 years of Independence and 75 years of the Quit India Movement.

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Early results for Pakistan's long-awaited census show explosive growth in its major cities, though the data sparked a political row today as it appeared to show the population of eastern Lahore had more than doubled.

Pakistan had not held a census for nearly two decades due to years of bickering by politicians concerned it could redraw the political map and potentially weaken their power base and access to federal funding.

The previous census in 1998 put the population of Lahore at roughly 5.1 million people. Preliminary results of the 2017 census released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) late yesterday showed it had surged by a whopping 116 percent to 11,126,285 people, making it larger than Portugal, according to figures provided by the CIA World Factbook.

The results, which officials said could have a margin of error of up to two percent, mark a remarkable shift for Lahore, capital of Punjab province, the wealthiest in the country and a power base for the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.

But they were quickly called into question by the opposition, particularly in southern Sindh province, where the early results also showed surprisingly slow growth for Pakistan's port megacity of Karachi.

The country's commercial and industrial hub had a population of 9.3 million people in 1998, and in recent years has been estimated to be home to some 20 million or more.

However the early census figures showed it had increased by 59 percent since 1998 to a population numbering 14,910,352, roughly equivalent to the number of people living in Senegal but still significantly lower than expected.

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics spokesman Habubullah Khattak told AFP there was no discrepency in the statistics, suggesting the difference may be down to different regulations for urban and rural zoning in the two cities.

But opposition parties complained the count had been "rigged" to preserve the PML-N power base ahead of general elections to be held by the end of next year.

Farooq Sattar, chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement which has ruled Karachi and urban Sindh for decades, termed the early results "a great injustice".

"The census has been rigged ... If we are counted less, then our seats in parliament will remain the same," he told reporters in Karachi.

Raza Haroon, Secretary General of Karachi-based Pak Sarzameen Party, tweeted: "Census figures seem controversial for urban centres specially #Karachi -known and acknowledged to be over 22million."



Last week the PBS released a first batch of provisional census results showing Pakistan's population has surged by more than half to 207 million.

Once confirmed in the final report, Pakistan could be set to overtake Brazil as the world's fifth most populous country, according to statistics published on the US Census Bureau website.

The results will be the basis for revising political boundaries, allocations of parliamentary seats and finances ahead of national elections.

Punjab province, for example, could see its political grip weaken as a result of its population not rising at a similar rate to other provinces, despite the growth recorded in Lahore.

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Pakistan's anti-graft watchdog plans to file four corruption cases against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, according to officials.

The Supreme Court verdict in the Panama Papers case would be implemented in letter and spirit, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry said yesterday.

The apex court on July 28 disqualified 67-year-old Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.

NAB had decided to file four corruption references against Sharif, his children and Dar soon after Eid-ul-Azha (September 2) as the Supreme Court's six-week deadline would end soon, a senior NAB official was quoted as saying by Dawn.

The official said that the apex court had set the NAB a deadline for September 11 and the Bureau was expected to file the references in an accountability court in Islamabad in the second week of September.

He said NAB would file references on the basis of statements of Sharif, his sons Hussain and Hassan Nawaz, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and Dar, recorded by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

They would also consider the JIT's report (especially volume-10) and the material received from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The official said NAB had served three notices on the members of the Sharif family but they had refused to appear before NAB investigators till the apex court announced a decision on their review appeals against its verdict.

He said that members of the JIT, who had prepared the report on directives of the Supreme Court, would also be summoned to record their statements before NAB's combined investigation team.

The official said that the NAB headquarters had been provided a copy of Volume-10 of the JIT report to prepare references in the light of Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) with different countries and their replies.

According to the MLA with British authorities, it has been proved that Maryam was an owner of the Avenfield properties.

Similarly, the United Arab Emirates government had sent a letter that rejected the Sharifs' stance on the Gulf Steel Mills and thus nullified the letter from former Qatari prime minister Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani, which had been presented to explain the money trail of their off-shore assets, he said.

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When 33-year-old Urmila Dethe boarded a Mumbai-bound suburban train at Dombivli in the adjoining Thane district last morning, little did she know that her journey, which normally takes just over an hour, will stretch for almost 12 hours.

What made the matters more complicated was that the journalist, who works with a leading Marathi newspaper, is seven months pregnant.

"I was in the compartment reserved for the handicapped which had around 20 people, including eight visually-challenged people who had spent the night in a train during the July 26, 2005 deluge," said Dethe, who boarded the train at around 11.30 AM.

She was headed to the Bombay High Court, her 'beat' for the newspaper. However, the journey came to a halt at 20 km before her destination, and ended with a dramatic rescue in waist deep waters in the dead of night.

"My train got stuck between Kurla and Sion. Through the afternoon, I called and tweeted for help. At one point, I grew concerned for the fellow passengers in the handicapped compartment and chose to stay on," she told PTI.

Fire brigade and police officials tried to find her but did not make any headway.

Dethe managed to contact her husband on phone but even he could not reach her due to the chaotic traffic caused by heavy rains. Her husband works in the suburban Bandra Kurla complex.

The local Samaritans patrolling the waters, as the tracks had turned into, kept the marooned passengers well fed through their ordeal.

Things took a dramatic turn after nightfall, and the number of such helpers also reduced. In between, a local teenager was rescued by an able-bodied passenger from neck-deep waters, after he slipped into a culvert along the tracks.

Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar came to know about Dethe's plight and called her on phone.

"His (Shelar) call was very reassuring," she said.

To add to her woes, the mobile network also went down at the same time, proving to be a big stumbling block for rescuers, who were struggling to locate her.

Finally, at about 11.55 PM, Dethe heaved a sigh of relief when she saw one end of a Mumbai Fire Brigade ladder recline against the train body and a hand come up, directing her to climb down.

"They actually picked me up like a small kid without letting me touch the water. I cannot thank them enough," an emotional Dethe said.

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President Donald Trump will visit Texas today to show support for residents braving catastrophic tropical storm Harvey and to assess the recovery effort in the face of what he called the "terrible tragedy".

"Right now every American heart sends its love and support to those whose lives have been upended," Trump said at the White House yesterday.

"We will get through this. We will come out stronger."



Trump and First Lady Melania plan to tour and assess the federal response on the Texas Gulf Coast. They are expected to meet with local leaders and organisations handling the relief before heading to Austin for tour of the Department of Public Safety emergency operations center.

They are sidestepping Houston, where flood waters are still rising, toavoid complicating ongoing rescue efforts. Instead, he and the first lady will visit the Corpus Christi area, where Harvey made landfall on Friday night, packing 130 mile-an-hour winds.

In Houston, rescuers are scrambling to reach hundreds of stranded people as Harvey appeared poised to strike again.

The president has been eager to travel to Texas since the weekend, but said he waited until he could do so "without causing disruption."



"The focus must be life and safety," Trump tweeted on Sunday.

Trump said he may pay a second visit to the region on Saturday.

Depending on the path of the storm, that trip could also include a stop in Louisiana.

A year ago, as a presidential candidate,Trump paid a surprise visitto flood-ravaged parts of Louisiana.

Then-President Barack Obama, who was vacationing at the time on Martha's Vineyard, was criticised in some quarters for not making his own trip.

Obama travelled to Louisiana the following week.

Trump made an effort to get ahead of Hurricane Harvey, signing a disaster declaration for Texas on Friday night, as the storm was bearing down on the Gulf Coast.

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Heavy rains on Tuesday pummelled Mumbai and adjoining areas, disrupting rail, road and air services and throwing normal life out of gear.

Besides the metropolis, adjoining Navi Mumbai and Thane regions were also lashed by incessant downpour since last night, delaying suburban train services and leaving vehicles crawling through waterlogged roads in low-lying areas.

As the financial capital stopped in its tracks, there was no respite in sight, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting "extremely heavy rainfall" in the next 24 to 48 hours in the western coast of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, and parts of Gujarat and Goa.

Traffic jams were reported at all major arterial roads, including the Eastern and Western Express Highway, Sion-Panvel highway and LBS Marg as the rains continued since last night.

Waterlogging was reported in low-lying areas of Parel and Sion. A tree fell on the busy Saat Rasta road, affecting road traffic.

Suburban services were disrupted with trains on all the three lines -- western, central and harbour -- running late. Waterlogging on tracks was reported at Andheri and Bandra, civic officials said.

The city airport saw flight disruptions since morning. Due to heavy wind and downpour, six to seven flights had to do rounds while landing, while four to five flights were diverted to nearby airports. These included an IndiGo Guwahati-Mumbai flight which was diverted to Ahmadabad, airport officials said.

The single runway of the airport was, however, functional. A Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport spokesperson said there was an average delay of 35 minutes. "Heavy rains and strong winds have drastically reduced visibility leading to diversions and go-arounds, even though the main runway is open," a Mumbai airport source told PTI.

Suburban rail services, the lifeline of the metropolis, were paralysed. The Central Railway-run harbour line, which connects CSMT to Panvel, remained suspended since 11:30 am, railways officials said.

Traffic snarls were witnessed on the Eastern Freeway, Dr BR Ambedkar Road, Western Express highway, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar said. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said the situation was well under control and advised citizens to step out of their homes only if necessary.

"The metropolis has received heavy rainfall since last night. Between 8.30 am and 12 pm today, the city received 85 mm rainfall," Sudhir Naik, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, told PTI. "Step out of homes only if it is too important because waterlogging has been reported from several parts of the city," he said.

Naik, however, added things were well under control and senior civic officials were keeping a close watch on the situation. "Due to waterlogging on tracks and point failure at Bandra following very heavy rains, three lines except UP Fast line are affected. Efforts are on to start traffic on 3 lines (except UP fast line) at Bandra as soon as possible by attending the points," the Western Railway tweeted.

An official from the BMC's Disaster Management Cell said: "There have been reports of waterlogging at Dadar, Andheri, Worli, Kurla and Sakinaka, among other areas. We have received 20 cases of trees falling and one of a wall collapse. Despite heavy downpour, no untoward incident has been reported so far."



"Areas such as Mumbai, south Gujarat, Konkan, Goa and west Vidarbha will get extremely heavy rainfall in the next 24 to 48 hours. It is a serious situation. We have issued necessary warnings to the departments concerned, including airports," A K Srivastav, head of climate monitoring and analysis at IMD Pune, told PTI.

"The status of the weather system, which has brought heavy showers over the Mumbai region, has been upgraded from 'well marked low pressure' to 'depression'. It means it is set to bring more rains. Hence, we have predicted an extremely heavy rainfall," he said.

In the morning, commuters bound for offices were stranded at several suburban stations. In the absence of train services, major suburban stations were overcrowded. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus was chock-a-block, with commuters anxiously waiting for trains to head home.

"Stuck in a local train between two stations #MumbaiRains no announcements if the train will go ahead. Utter #chaos," Vidya Kumar, a passenger stranded at Bandra station for over an hour, tweeted, tagging @RailMinIndia and @drmbct, the Twitter handle of DRM WR Mumbai Central.

Actor-turned-entrepreneur Gul Panag tweeted: "Brace yourself Mumbai. Heavy rain coming. Plan ahead. Stay safe.





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Many pockets of the rains-battered megapolis plunged into darkness today as discoms switched off power supply as a precautionary measure due to rising water levels.

According to an official statement, the state-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has cut power supply to areas under its receiving station in central Mumbai's Dharavi and also pockets served by stations at Wadala, Dadar and Parel.

It said power supply to the tony Nepean Sea Road has also been cut as a precautionary measure and added that similar steps may be taken in other areas too if water levels rise there.

Private discom Reliance Energy said it had to switch-off some of its sub-stations due to rising water levels.

It, however, did not specify the number of stations or areas which are affected.

"We switched off some of our sub-stations in areas where water has reached dangerous levels and it is unsafe to supply electricity," a company spokesperson said, adding this was necessitated primarily due to the twin impact of high tide and unprecedented heavy rains.

The company said it has deployed over 250 teams to respond to customers and also kept boats on standby to address any emergency.

It said that power supply will be restored as soon as water recedes to safe levels.

Tata Power and the state-run MSEDCL too had to switch off power supply in some areas of the city.

Mumbai Police said they received 70 calls from people informing them about short-circuits.

"We sent fire brigade personnel, police teams to the spots and ensured that there was no loss of life," a Mumbai Police spokesperson said.

Mass power outages are a rare phenomenon in the financial capital of the country.

Heavy rains pummelled Mumbai and adjoining areas, disrupting rail, road and air services, and throwing normal life out of gear.

Besides the metropolis, adjoining Navi Mumbai and Thane were also lashed by incessant downpour since last night, delaying suburban train services and leaving vehicles crawling through waterlogged roads in low-lying areas.

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The Supreme Court today agreed to hear a petition seeking to restrain the Sikkim government from allegedly demolishing a gurdwara in the state in the garb of renovating it.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed the petitioner to serve a copy of his plea to Sikkim's standing counsel.

The petitioner has moved the apex court alleging that the state authorities have illegally removed the holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, from the site and would demolish the gurdwara in the name of renovation.

The bench, which also comprised Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud, sought to know from the petitioner as to why he had not approached the high court in the matter.

Responding to the query, petitioner Amritpal Singh Khalsa said the petition was filed in extreme urgency due to the threat of demolition or renovation of Gurdwara Gurudongmar and it would take time to travel to Sikkim.

The bench asked him to serve the copy of the plea to the standing counsel of the state during the course of the day and fixed the matter for hearing tomorrow.

The petitioner has alleged that state authorities have illegally removed the holy book from the gurdwara without following any code of conduct under the pretext of renovation.

He claimed there was an "imminent threat" of the gurdwara being demolished without prior intimation to the Sikh priest.

The plea has claimed that there were sufficient historic books and documents which indicated that Guru Nanak Ji, the first Guru of Sikhs, had gone to the gurdwara Gurudongmar.

It has sought the apex court's direction prohibiting the authorities from carrying out any demolition or renovation work at the site.

The plea also said if the authorities wished to carry out any renovation work at the site, a prior notice of one month should be given to the priest so that appropriate action to shift the Guru Granth Sahib as per the Sikh code of conduct could be taken.

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Supreme Court judge Justice Prafulla Chandra Pant retired today after a tenure of little over three years, bringing the vacancies in the apex court to six.

Justice Pant, who became a Supreme Court judge on August 13, 2014, was one of the few judges to have been elevated to the apex court from the lower judiciary.

With his retirement, the strength of the Supreme Court has come down to 25 judges from 31, including the Chief Justice of India. A Supreme Court judge retires at the age of 65 years.

During his tenure in the top court, Justice Pant became a part of various historical and path-breaking judgements.

He was a part of the bench which held a midnight hearing upholding the death sentence of Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon.

Justice Pant was also part of a bench which had upheld the constitutional validity of the criminal defamation law, saying that the Right to Life under Article 21 includes right to reputation.

In another judgement, a bench comprising him and Chief Justice Dipak Misra had ruled against any move to strike a so-called 'compromise' between a rapist and the rape survivor.

Justice Pant was enrolled at the Bar in 1973. He entered the Uttar Pradesh Judicial Service in the year 1976 through UP Munsif Examination, 1973.

Thereafter, he was promoted to Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service in 1990 and joined as Additional District Judge in District Bahraich. He also worked as Joint Registrar in High Court of Allahabad.

After creation of Uttarakhand, he was the first Secretary (Judicial) of the State. He also held the post of District and Sessions Judge at Nainital before being posted as Registrar General of High Court of Uttarakhand at Nainital.

He was appointed as Additional Judge of High Court of Uttarakhand in June, 2004, and became permanent judge in February 2008. He was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Meghalaya in September, 2013 before being elevated to the Supreme Court on August 13, 2014.

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Seeking to address civic woes in south Delhi's Dwarka, the area's municipal body has planned to set up multi-level automated stack parking facilities and rejuvenate water bodies.

South Delhi Mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat today inspected various sectors and villages under ward no. 38 (Dwarka-B) to identify developmental projects to be undertaken on a priority basis. She had won the civic polls this year from this ward by a record margin.

The mayor acknowledged that the number of vehicles is increasing in Dwarka sub-city and therefore the South Delhi Municipal Corporation is "keen to set up multi-level automated stack parking in order to provide more space" in market areas in sectors 6 and 11.

"There will be minimum human interference in the functioning of these parking lots," Sehrawat said in a statement.

In stack facilities, cars are parked in a stacked-up fashion on a grill-made structure, which has two or three platforms. Cars from the bottom are moved mechanically to the top level first and then the lower levels are filled.

During her visit to village areas, she also asked the Engineering Department to rejuvenate water bodies at Pochanpur and Ambrahi, in consultation with the DDA.

She also announced construction of an office complex with an indoor games facilities.

The mayor also directed offcials to work out a detail plan on beautification of various road sides and roundabouts.

Further she asked officers to redevelop 'Panchyat Ghar' at Ambrahi village after obtaining a no-objection certificate from the DDA.

She made it clear that the SDMC will develop villages at par with the colonies of urban areas, the SDMC said in the statement.

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A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking that the damage to life and property due to the violent clashes after the conviction of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in rape cases, be compensated by confiscating and auctioning the properties of Dera Sacha Sauda and its chief.

It said that government money should not be used to compensate the victims of violence.

"The properties, bank balance and cash of Dera Sacha Sauda/Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh may be attached and auctioned to pay compensation for loss of life, injury of damage to property," the plea, which is likely to be listed for hearing in a few days, said.

The PIL also sought steps to protect the lives and properties of those living in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

It has sought a direction to the Centre to frame a mechanism to safeguard the lives of innocent persons in the city and the states concerned.

"Direct respondents (Ministry of Home Affairs, Delhi and Haryana governments) to prepare and notify a mechanism clearly stating the role of all concerned constitutional and statutory authorities and agencies in the event of imminent danger to peace, life and property of innocent citizens in the states of Haryana, Delhi, UP, Punjab and other parts of the country," the PIL said.

The plea was filed by one Mohd Sakil who claimed to have witnessed incidents of violence in Northwest Delhi following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda Chief in two rape cases.

The petition, filed through advocate Vijay Panjwani, also sought setting up of an expert committee headed by a high court judge "to assess the damage caused to innocent persons by injuries, loss of life, property."



Yesterday, the 50-year-old Dera chief was sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping his two followers, with the special CBI court observing that he acted like a "wild beast" who did not even spare his own "pious" female disciples.

At least 30 people were killed and over 250 injured in the violence that had erupted in several parts of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi soon after the court convicted the self- styled guru of rape on August 25.

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The designation of senior advocates cannot be termed 'bad in law' and it does not violate Article 14 of Constitution, Attorney General K K Venugopal told the Supreme Court today.

The top law officer told a three-judge bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, R F Nariman and Navin Sinha that the classification between lawyers is being done on the basis of various parameters.

"The classification between lawyers does not violate Article 14 of Constitution. It is done by the courts on the basis of broad parameters like standing at bar, knowledge of law, integrity. This classification helps a litigant to brief a particular counsel," Venugopal said while arguing in favour of the designation of Senior Advocates.

He said that designation was not only for monetary benefits, but helps a litigant to make an informed choice.

Senior advocates incidentally make monetary benefits and expand their practice but they also sacrifice various benefits which they used to get while being an advocate, he said.

"If Senior designations for advocates is held to be bad in law, then even the system of Advocate on Records would have to be held to be bad. They (senior advocates) cannot deal directly with the client. They even cannot hold the office of Advocate of Records in Supreme Court," the AG said.

At the outset, the Gujarat High Court Bar Association also joined the arguments against the practice of designating senior advocates, saying none of the pre-constitutional laws had a division of laywers in senior and junior categories.

"This practice was started by Bombay Bar Association and the person conferred with the senior designation used to have a standing of 10 years in bar. The Association used to give the designation after a voluntary undertaking from a lawyer that he will not take instructions from the client," advocate Asim Pandaya appearing for Gujarat HC Bar Association said.

He said it is not in the inherent powers of courts to confer the senior designation and is purely derived from section 16 of Advocates Act. "Except in Bombay Bar Association the practice was not prevalent in any parts of country," Pandaya said.

He termed the conferment of senior designation as discriminatory and said that junior lawyers who may have degrees of LLD or LLM and have done good work in the field may not be in good books of judges who confer the designation.

"There is no rationale behind the classification and junior lawyers are not benefitted with the system. Reasonable classification is permitted but there should be a rational objective. And the classification should have a nexus to the object sought to be achieved," Pandaya said.

Mathews Nedumpara, arguing on behalf of the National Lawyers' Campaign for Judicial Transparency and Reforms, also opposed the practice of conferment of senior designation by courts.

The bench, after hearing the arguments, reserved its verdict.

The apex court had in March referred a PIL filed by senior lawyer Indira Jaising to a larger three-judge bench. It had sought transparency and overhauling in the "opaque system" of designating lawyers as senior advocates, terming it as discriminatory.

Jaising had said that current procedure was discriminatory and should be discarded in favour of a more transparent system.

"There should be deemed designation for law officers and retired judges as it is believed that senior advocates get preferential treatment in the court. The new system should consider various aspects, including integrity, pro bono work, expertise in specialised areas of law among other," she had said.

The senior lawyer had argued that in the United States, there are no senior or junior tags on lawyers and the practice was prevalent only in Commonwealth nations.

On January 2, the apex court had decided to hear afresh a plea seeking transparency and overhauling in the "opaque system" of designating lawyers as senior advocates.

The apex court had also tagged with it a petition pending in the Delhi High Court which challenged the provisions of the Advocates Act relating to the designation of lawyers as senior advocates.

It had said that after the verdict in the matter was reserved, some lawyers had approached the apex court to intervene in the case and submitted that all have not been given a proper hearing on the issue.

The petition pending in the high court challenges the constitutional validity of sections 16 and 23(5) of the Advocates Act, 1961 which provide the statutory basis for designation of lawyers as senior advocates.

The court had noted in its order that after it had reserved the judgement, an application was filed seeking recall of its October 21 last year order.

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Jammu and Kashmir Minister Priya Sethi today said she would raise with the Centre the issue of preservation and protection of Sharda Peeth in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and starting pilgrimage there.

Sharada Peeth is an abandoned temple located in the Sharda village along the Neelam River near the Line of Control. It was a major centre of learning, regarded as one of 18 highly-revered temples throughout south Asia.

The matter will be raised at appropriate level for starting pilgrimage from Jammu and Kashmir to theSharda Peeth, the basic seat of learning of Hindus, now is PoK, Minister of State for cultural tourism said at a function organised by Kashmiri pandits here.

Sethi assured the community leaders to convey their concern to the Central government about the preservation and protection of Sharda Peeth and allowing the community members to take up pilgrimage to the historic religious place on the lines of Sikh pilgrimage to Nankana Sahib in Lahore, Pakistan.

The Minister was speaking at the foundation day function of an organisation of Kashmiri Pandits working for the promotion and preservation of rich heritage and culture of the community.

"The government is committed to extend every support to help the displaced Kashmiri Pandits to preserve its rich heritage and culture," Sethi said.

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Washington's UN ambassador Nikki Haley said today that "something serious has to happen" following North Korea's missile test over Japan.

"It's unacceptable," Haley said. "They have violated every single UN Security Council resolution that we've had, and so I think something serious has to happen," she added, giving no specifics.

The UN Security Council is set to meet at 2100 GMT to discuss the crisis.

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The 32-year-old son of an ex- serviceman has been arrested for allegedly shooting at a man in an alleged case of road rage in southwest Delhi's Uttam Nagar, police said today.

The incident took place around 10 pm on August 18 when, the accused, Pradeep alias Monu, along with his associates, was going to Bindapur from Vikaspuri in a car.

Pankaj Gautam and his friend Dinesh were on a motorcycle and a quarrel ensued between the two sides over allowing passage for the car to pass, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Bhisham Singh.

The accused, Pradeep, fired at Gautam in Om Vihar, Phase-III, Uttam Nagar, the police said. Gautam was severely injured and admitted to a hospital.

Pradeep was arrested from Dwarka on August 25, the police said, adding that a .32 bore pistol loaded with one live cartridge was seized from him. His car was also seized.

In 2013, he, along with his associates, was involved in a case of robbery, the police officer said.

A reward of Rs 50,000 was declared on information leading to his arrest. Subsequently, he was arrested and sent to jail. After his release, he again got involved in criminal activities in west Delhi, the police said.

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Speculation was rife on Tuesday on who will succeed convicted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, with the names of his son Jasmeet, adopted daughter Honeypreet and Dera chairperson Vipassana Insan doing the rounds.

However, Dera sources said that no such move yet has been initiated by the Dera management.

The first priority of the Dera will be to file an appeal in the High court against the sentence pronounced by the Special CBI court on Monday, the sources said.

Fifty-year-old was sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping two of his followers.

Jasmeet, who is in his thirties, is married to the daughter of former Punjab Congress legislator Harminder Singh Jassi.

If Jasmeet is appointed as successor of Ram Rahim, it will be breaking the tradition of the Dera which has never appointed a person as its chief who is from the family of the present sect head.

Honeypreet Insan, who is considered close to Dera sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, is also seen as the likely successor of the Dera.

Honeypreet, who is her in thirties, had accompanied Ram Rahim when he was brought to the Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Panchkula for the pronouncement of verdict in the 15-year-old rape case on Friday.

Honeypreet, who describes herself as "papa's angel, philanthropist, director, editor and actress" on social media, is an adopted daughter of Ram Rahim Singh.

Vipassana Insan is the chairperson of the Dera Sacha Sauda and holds the top position in the Dera management which takes care of several activities like farming, social welfare, factories, educational institutions etc.

After the mayhem at Panchkula and Sirsa following conviction of Dera sect head, it was Vipassana who had issued an appeal in video message, asking followers to maintain peace and calm.

Vipassana, when contacted, said there was no move to appoint a new Dera sect head. "There is no succession move. Followers have complete faith in Guruji," she said.

However, she said for the time being, all educational institutions and factories of the Dera have been shut down.

was appointed as the third head of the Dera Sacha Sauda on September 23, 1990 at the age of 23.

The Dera Sacha Sauda was founded by Mastana Maharaj in Sirsa on April 29, 1948, "to encourage spiritual awakening among masses to uplift humanity and to create better world."

In 1960, Mastana Maharaj, who originally hailed from Baluchistan (Pakistan), handed over the reins of Dera to his successor Shah Satnam Singh.

The dera, which claims to have millions of followers, runs educational institutions, hospitals, carrying out farming and manufacturing activities etc.

It has several wings like administrative, political, youth federation, social welfare, medical, educational and IT.
The office of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, set up during the previous Obama administration, would be merged with the South and Central Asia Bureau of the State Department, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said.

In a letter, Tillerson informed Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on realignment of State Department structure which includes abolishing several posts and a number of special envoys positions.

"The Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) will assume the functions and staff of the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and coordinate across the government to meet US strategic goals in the region," Tillerson wrote.

He has sought feedback from Corker on his proposals.

According to Tillerson, his proposals on abolishing the office of Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan will involve removing the title and sustaining the realignment of nine positions and USD 1,985,000 in support costs.

"Given the administration's recent South Asia policy announcement, the Secretary will consider options regarding diplomatic responsibilities in the region as needed," he said.

"I believe that the Department will be able to better execute its mission by integrating certain envoys and special representative offices within the regional and functional bureaus, and eliminating those that have accomplished or outlived their original purpose," Tillerson wrote.

"In some cases, the State Department would leave in place several positions and offices, while in other cases, positions and offices would be either consolidated or integrated with the most appropriate bureau. If an issue no longer requires a special envoy or representative, then an appropriate bureau will manage any legacy responsibilities," he said.

This integration, he wrote, would also eliminate redundancies that dilute the ability of a bureau to deliver on its primary functions.

"Empowering regional and functional bureaus will make knowledge and resources more accessible, provide clarity in reporting authority, strengthen communication channels, and create a more efficient State Department," Tillerson said.

While indicating that he plans to abolish a number of positions, Tillerson said he intends to keep the special position on Tibet.

Corker has welcomed the move in general.

"Through the years, numbers of special envoys have accumulated at the State Department, and in many cases, their creation has done more harm than good by creating an environment in which people work around the normal diplomatic processes in lieu of streamlining them," he said.

"That is one reason our committee took bipartisan action last month to require Senate confirmation of special envoys while empowering the secretary to reduce bureaucracy by reining in these often unnecessary positions. I appreciate the work Secretary Tillerson has done to responsibly review the organizational structure of special envoys and look forward to going through these changes in detail," Corker said.

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A former Sri Lankan general accused of war crimes by human rights groups has left Brazil, where until recently he was his country's ambassador to six nations in South America, an embassy official said today.

Jagath Jayasuriya left Brazil on Sunday to return to Sri Lanka after completing his two-year tour of service, acting head of mission Premaphilake Jayakody told The Associated Press.

"He is no longer ambassador," Jayakody said.

He declined to comment on allegations in criminal suits that rights groups began filing the previous day in the six countries where Jayasuriya represented Sri Lanka.

The suits are based on Jayasuriya's role as a commander in the final phase of Sri Lanka's civil war in 2009. They allege he oversaw military units that attacked hospitals and killed, disappeared and tortured thousands of people.

Jayasuriya had diplomatic immunity in the countries where he was ambassador, and the groups pursuing the suits had hoped to compel governments to expel him. With the apparent end of his ambassadorship, he would no longer enjoy that diplomatic protection if he were to return.

On Monday, Carlos Castresana Fernandez, the lawyer coordinating the effort, said suits had been filed in Brazil and Colombia and more were coming soon for Argentina, Chile and Peru. He said Suriname had refused to accept the petition.

"This is one genocide that has been forgotten, but this will force democratic countries to do something," Fernandez said. "This is just the beginning of the fight."



The criminal suits, reviewed by the AP, were spearheaded by the human rights group International Truth and Justice Project, an evidence-gathering organization based in South Africa. They had three central aims: push local authorities to open investigations of Jayasuriya, remove his diplomatic immunity and expel him.

With Jayasuriya out of the country, the petitions can be amended to ask for arrest warrants in the case he returns, Fernandez said.

Speaking to reporters in London, Yasmin Sooka, executive director of the International Truth and Justice Project, said they believed that Jayasuriya had been tipped off about plans for the suits and fled.

"We discovered by tracking him that in fact by 10:00 last night he had reached Dubai," said Sooka. "That means that he took a direct flight from Brazil to Dubai and he made sure that he didn't cross any of the other countries like the US, the UK or Europe where he could potentially have been picked up."



The nations where Jayasuriya was ambassador have their own dark histories of violence, including military dictatorships, torture and the killing or disappearance of thousands.

Fernandez, the coordinating lawyer, was one of the attorneys who worked on international cases against former dictators Gen Jorge Rafael Videla of Argentina and Gen Augusto Pinochet of Chile. He has also helped win indictments in war crimes and organized crime cases in Guatemala, including one against ex-President Alfonso Portillo.

The civil war in Sri Lanka, an island off the southern tip of India, raged intermittently between 1983 and 2009.

Fueled in part by ethnic tensions between Sinhalese and Tamil citizens, an insurgency against the government was led by a group called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. They fought to establish a separate Tamil state in the northeastern part of the island.

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The UN rights chief today said decades of "systematic" abuses against Rohingya Muslims were largely to blame for spiralling violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state, insisting authorities could have prevented the bloodshed.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein expressed alarm at the upsurge in fighting in Rakhine, an impoverished state neighbouring Bangladesh, which has been raging since Friday when Rohingya militants staged coordinated ambushes against Myanmar's security forces.

More than 100 people, including around 80 militants, have been confirmed killed in the fightback, which has seen at least 8,700 Rohingya villagers fleeing for Bangladesh.

"I utterly condemn the violent attacks on security personnel, which have led to the loss of many lives and the displacement of thousands of people," Zeid said in a statement.

But the rights chief stressed that the turn of events was not only "deplorable. It was predicted and could have been prevented."



"Decades of persistent and systematic human rights violations, including the very violent security responses to the attacks since October 2016, have almost certainly contributed to the nurturing of violent extremism, with everyone ultimately losing," Zeid said.

The Rohingya have in the past largely eschewed violence, but that changed last October when a nascent Rohingya militant group launched surprise attacks on border posts.

Myanmar's military reacted with a violent "clearance operation", which the UN has warned could amount to ethnic cleansing.

The militants struck again on Friday, attacking around 30 police posts in pre-dawn raids, and killing at least a dozen security force members using knives, homemade explosives and guns.

Zeid on Tuesday called for those who attacked security forces and civilians to be brought to justice, and urged all sides to stop fuelling the violence.

Myanmar's political leadership should "condemn the inflammatory rhetoric and incitement to hatred that is proliferating, including on social media," he said.

Zeid voiced particular concern at "irresponsible" claims made by the government department run by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi that international aid workers were complicit in or supporting the attacks.

"I am extremely concerned that the unsupported allegations against international aid organisations place their staff in danger and may make it impossible for them to deliver essential aid," Zeid said.

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Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya today hailed the resolution of the Doklam standoff, describing it as an "unprecedented victory achieved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

"It is a great success of PM Modi's diplomacy that China has agreed to withdraw its troops from Doklam and we have ended up winning a battle without having to engage in a war," Maurya said in Naini, on the outskirts of the city.

Reacting to the opposition's barbs over the standoff in the Bhutanese territory from where the decision to withdraw troops was announced yesterday, Maurya said "critics should take note what the 56-inch-chest has achieved".

Maurya, who is also the state BJP chief, also expressed happiness over the party's political dominance in a major part of the country, saying "with the blessings of Mother Ganga, we can now see the lotus blooming from the Gomukh to the Gangasagar.

"The BJP is ruling Uttarakhand and UP and it has recently become a partner in the ruling coalition in Bihar. Further downstream, the party rules Jharkhand and is expected to wrest power in Bengal soon."



The UP Deputy CM was addressing a function organised by Homeguards volunteers who have undertaken a state-wide "Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra" to spread awareness against open defecation and making the river clean.

Minister of State for Homeguards (Independent charge) Anil Rajbhar was also present on the occasion.

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The following are top stories of the northern region at 2930 hrs:



DES29 CISF-AUTISM



New Delhi: The CISF will train its security personnel at airports in providing special care to passengers suffering from autism, a condition where a person exhibits a different behaviour when touched or frisked.

DES14 HEALTH-ORGAN DONATION-RELATIVES



New Delhi: In a move that is likely to benefit patients waiting for organ donation, the government is planning to include step-parents, step-siblings and extended family members in the definition of 'near relatives'.

DEL74 CBI-RAPE-LD ARREST



New Delhi: The CBI arrests Inspector General of Himachal Pradesh Police Zahur Haidar Zaidi and seven other policemen in connection with the custodial death of an accused in a rape case.

DEL51 BIZ-GST-HOSPITAL ROOM



New Delhi: Rent paid by patients for hospital rooms will be exempted from the Goods and Services Tax (GST): Government.

DES13 JK-LD BODIES



Srinagar: Two youth have been found dead under mysterious circumstances in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir: Police.

DES17 DL SIRSA-FOLLOWERS



Sirsa (Har): The were mixed reactions from the followers of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who were leaving the sect headquarters after a court awarded a 20 year jail term to the self-styled godman in two sexual exploitation cases. By Bunty Tyagi



DES36 DLTRIPLE TALAQ- NGO



New Delhi: The Muslim women's rights group, which was one of the petitioners against Triple Talaq in the Supreme Court, demands that the Centre bring in a codified personal law which is gender just and based on the Quran.

DES9 UP-TALAQ-MADRASSA SYLLABUS



Bareilly (UP): To educate Muslims about the practice of 'talaq' after recent Supreme Court ruling on the matter, a leading Dargah of the Sunni sect decides to include it in the curriculum of madrassas.

DES33 DL-WOMEN-FARMERS



New Delhi: Women farmer leaders from across India, who have gathered here for interactions with various government agencies, demand that they be recognised legitimately as farmers and that their rights be upheld by governments.

DES8 DL-AIIMS-SURGERY



New Delhi: The first phase of surgery to separate two- year-old twins from Odisha, who are joined at the head, was completed successfully at AIIMS.

DES7 HR-DERA-SUCCESSOR



Chandigarh: Speculation was rife on who will succeed convicted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, with the names of his son Jasmeet, adopted daughter Honeypreet and Dera chairperson Vipassana Insan doing the rounds.

NRG11 UP-DERA-HIGH ALERT



Lucknow: Security has been stepped up in western Uttar Pradesh districts, bordering Haryana and Delhi, to check any spill over of the violence by the supporters of rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the state.

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Congress leader Ahmed Patel today said the MLAs who recenlty left the party were "power hungry and not committed" to it.

Patel, who is Congress president Sonia Gandhi's political secretary, said the desertion would not affect the party's prospects in the upcoming state elections.

He was speaking on the sidelines of an event organised by the city Congress unit to felicitate him and the 43 MLAs who voted for him in the recently held Rajya Sabha polls.

The Congrees leader wore the trademark cap of the Patel quota agitation with the slogan "Jay Patidar, Jay Sardar" written on it. It was given to him during the function.

"Those who have left the party were not strongly rooted in our culture and were not committed to the Congress," Patel told reporters.

Fourteen Congress MLAs had resigned from the party just before the Rajya Sabha elections, bringing its strength in the state assembly to 43 from 57.

However, Patel managed to win the Rajya Sabha seat for the fifth time, pushing back an agressive BJP.

"We are not at all worried as these people were not committed to the Congress. Those who have gone are power hungry. It seems that the BJP had promised them ticket for the next assembly elections," he alleged.

He said the Congress would win the state assembly elections as the Rajya Sabha polls had boosted the confidence of its workers.

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One of the two truck drivers charged with causing the deaths of eight Indian-origin victims in one of the UK's worst road collisions was nearly twice the legal drink-drive limit, a UK court has been told.

Ryszard Maseriak had stopped in the slow lane of the highway when a minibus driven by India-born Cyriac Joseph and carrying the family and friends of four Wipro employees tried to avoid crashing into his large vehicle.

According to reports, the minibus got crushed as it was hit by a second truck at that moment.

Maseriak, 31, broke down in tears as High Wycombe Magistrates' Court was told yesterday that he was recorded as having 55mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

The legal driving limit in the UK is 35mg.

The collision, which occurred near Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire in the early hours ofSaturday, resulted in the death of six men and two women - three of whom have since been identified as Indian nationals who were working for Nottingham firm Capital One through Wipro-organised IT contracts.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those who lost their lives in this tragedy. We will continue to provide all assistance to the families in this hour of grief," a Wipro statement said, as it confirmed employees Karthikeyan Ramasubramaniyam Pugalur, Rishi Rajeev Kumar and Vivek Bhaskaran among the victims of the crash.

Another Wipro employee, Mano Ranjan Panneerselvam, was critically injured and remains in hospital.

Three other passengers, including a five-year-old girl whose parents are believed to be among the dead, also remain in hospital.

"Four people who were injured remain in a serious condition in hospital. We have had full cooperation from the two freight companies involved and they are fully supporting us with our investigation," Chief Inspector Henry Parsons from Thames Valley Police, said.

Maseriak is charged with eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving, four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and eight counts of causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit.

The Polish national, who made no application for bail and is yet to indicate if he intends to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges, was remanded in custody and will next appear at Aylesbury Crown Court on September 26.

A second truck driver involved in the crash on the UK's M1 motorway - 53-year-old David Wagstaff - who has also been charged with eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts causing serious injury by dangerous driving, will appear at Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court on September 11.

Masierak was driving a white Scania lorry, while the other two vehicles involved were a Mercedes Benz lorry and a Ford Transit minibus, the court was told.

The minibus had been taking a group of 11 - all Indians and British Indians - from Nottingham to London.

Its driver, 52-year-old Joseph, who was born in Kerala, was the owner of ABC Travels company based in Nottingham, who also died in the crash.

He was described by a friend on Sunday as an "extraordinary father".

The group had hired Joseph's minibus to be driven to London, from where they were to set off on a European holiday with members of Panneerselvam's family who were visiting the UK from India.

Panneerselvam's father, aunt and uncle also died in the crash along with his three colleagues.

Thames Valley Police is yet to formally reveal the identities of the victims of the crash until all their next of kin have been contacted and initial investigations are complete.

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US President Donald Trump has defended his controversial pardon of former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio calling him a "patriot" and alleged that the previous presidents, including Barack Obama, have pardoned "criminals".

Arpaio was convicted of criminal contempt last month for ignoring a court order in a racial profiling case. He has been accused for years of violating basic human rights in his prisons, but Trump insisted yesterday that he was no worse than Americans who had been granted clemency by previous presidents.

"Sheriff Joe is a patriot. Sheriff Joe loves our country. Sheriff Joe protected our borders. And Sheriff Joe was very unfairly treated by the Obama administration, especially right before an election -- an election that he would have won."



"So I stand by my pardon of Sheriff Joe and the people of Arizona, who really know him best, would agree with me," Trump said.

If you look at, as an example, President Clinton pardoned Marc Rich, who was charged with crimes going back decades, including illegally buying oil from Iran while it held 53 American hostages -- was not allowed to do that, selling to the enemies of the United States, he alleged.

He was pardoned after his wife donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Clintons, Trump alleged.

"Then you have dangerous criminals. President Clinton pardoned Susan Rosenberg, a member of the Weather Underground, charged as part of a bank robbery that led to a guard and two police officers being killed. President Clinton commuted the sentence of Carlos Vignali, a central player in a cocaine ring that stretched from California to Minnesota," he alleged.

"President Obama commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, who leaked countless sensitive and classified documents to WikiLeaks, perhaps and others. But a horrible, horrible thing that he did. Commuted the sentence and perhaps pardoned," he said.

Obama also commuted the sentence of Oscar Lopez Rivera, who was charged as part of a violent independence group from Puerto Rico, responsible for 28 Chicago-area bombings and many deaths in the 1970s and 1980s, Trump alleged responding to a question on why he pardoned Sheriff Joe, for which he has been widely criticised.

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US President Donald Trump has said that he hopes to have a good relationship with Russia and that it could prove to be a good step towards world peace.

"I hope that we do have good relations with Russia. I say it loud and clear, I've been saying it for years. I think it's a good thing if we have great relationships, or at least good relationships with Russia," Trump told reporters at a joint conference with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto yesterday.

"That's very important, and I believe someday that will happen. It's (Russia) a big country, it's a nuclear country, it's a country that we should get along with, and I think we will eventually get along with Russia," he said in response to a question.

Talking about Finland, Trump said, "Finland has been free of Russia, just about one of the few countries in the region that has been for 100 years. Russia has a lot of respect for Finland, so that's always good. But I think Finland is doing fine with Russia."



The US president hoped that the United States will someday be able to have a very good relationship with Russia.

"I think that's very good for world peace and for other things," he added.

Niinisto said he discussed issued related to Russia with Trump.

"We did discuss about Russia. In NATO meeting, a year ago approximately, it was stated by all NATO countries that with Russia you have to be deterrence, but you have to exercise dialogue too. These two-way elements have to be there," he said.

Talking about Afghanistan, Trump said the war-torn country has become a "modern-day frontier" between barbarism and civilisations and praised Finland for its efforts in the war against terrorism.

"Finland makes important contributions to the coalition and its efforts in Afghanistan, and has troops on the ground in Iraq training Iraqi soldiers.

"In Afghanistan, Finland provides troops and financial contributions to support the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces on a modern-day frontier between barbarism and civilisation," Trump said.

"That's what you have -- it's barbarism versus civilisation. We are particularly grateful to the Finnish citizens who have sacrificed for our mutual security," he said.

Niinisto said his country remains committed to supporting Afghanistan in its fight against terrorism.

"We are a dedicated member of the global coalition against ISIS. I want to underline that Finland has been involved from the very beginning to all the attempts to solve the situation in Afghanistan," he said.

Niinisto said all possible ways need to be tried to solve the situation in Afghanistan.

"It has been ongoing quite a long time, for decades. But to solve it by negotiations, surely you have to have full respect to the one you negotiate, and to also full believe that what is negotiated is also fulfilled. These elements have to be all the time present when you discuss with whichever party in Afghanistan," he said in response to a question.

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US President Donald Trump warned that Texas faces a "long and difficult road" to recovery after floods triggered by an unprecedented rainstorm, saying there's "never been anything like it."



"It's the biggest ever, they are saying it is the biggest, it's historic," Trump said, addressing a White House press conference yesterday, a day before he travels to the Lone Star State with First lady Melania Trump.

"There's probably never been anything like this," Trump said of Tropical Storm Harvey, which hit the Gulf Coast at the weekend and inundated the Houston region.

"I've heard the words 'epic,' I've heard 'historic.' That's what it is," he added.

The US leader earlier indicated his team had already been in contact with Congressional leaders to discuss relief for the millions of people affected by tropical storm Harvey, which is barrelling along the Texan coast toward Louisiana.

"We're dealing with Congress," Trump said, speaking from the Oval Office, "as you know it's going to be a very expensive situation. We want to take care of the people of Texas and Louisiana when that happens."



Since making landfall, Harvey has soaked Houston, America's fourth largest city and the capital of the country's vast energy industry.

Trump has been eager to show he is on top of the situation, and that he will not make the same mistakes as previous presidents in botching the federal response.

"Things are being handled really well, the spirit is incredible of the people and the coordination between all of the different services, as you know, has been going very well," he said.

Trump's trip to Texas comes much more quickly than other presidents may have dared. Along with a high-impact presidential trip comes the risk of hampering recovery efforts and tying up resources.

But the recently inaugurated president indicated he may make a return trip to the region this week.

"We may actually go back on Saturday, depending on where the storm goes we may also go to Louisiana on Saturday."



Since the crisis began last Friday, Trump has seized on his role marshalling the federal response, issuing a disaster declaration for Texas and neighboring Louisiana and deploying 8,000 officials throughout the flood zone.

During a busy weekend, the White House released photos of the president -- decked in a USA cap -- huddling with aides, liaising with cabinet secretaries to discuss what he called a "once in 500 year flood."



A steady stream of tweets have sought to show that the president, who spent the weekend at the bucolic presidential retreat of Camp David, was well apprised and in control.

The full impact of the ongoing storm is unknown, but up to 30,000 people are expected to need emergency shelter, and up to half a million some form of disaster relief.

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Kyrgyzstan said today that two militants were killed and one was injured in a shootout with police who also claimed to have foiled a terror plot in the Central Asian country.

Kyrgyzstan's State National Security Service (GKNB) claimed its officers killed two members of "an armed terrorist group" that had planned attacks ahead of the former Soviet Republic's independence day.

One accomplice of the pair was hospitalised in the clash, while another suspected plotter had been detained the day before, the GKNB said in a statement.

The same group had threatened traffic police with a pistol and a grenade after being pulled over for a routine inspection last week before driving off, the GKNB said.

In photos released by the security service, two corpses appear to be lying in a field along with a knife and a firearm.

The GKNB said the group was planning attacks in the capital Bishkek and surrounding region using "homemade explosives" during the independence holiday beginning August 31.

Authorities in Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked majority-Muslim country of six million people, regularly claim to have foiled terror plots without offering convincing evidence.

Although the country has seen relatively few terrorist incidents in its 26 years of independence an apparent suicide attack targeting China's embassy in the country set alarm bells ringing in August last year.

At least three people were wounded when a vehicle driven by a suicide bomber exploded after ramming through a gate at the embassy in the capital Bishkek.

A Kyrgyz court in June sentenced three Kyrgyz nationals for their alleged roles in organising the attack.

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British and European Union negotiators were locked in a tug of war this week, with the economic bloc being adamant that the cost involved with UK's exit must be decided before any future deal can be considered.

The British government has produced a series of so-called "position papers" to set out its stance on major subjects involved with Brexit in the lead up to the third round of ongoing discussions, which opened in Brussels yesterday.

While Britain is determined that any talks of an exit strategy must move in parallel with negotiating a future trade deal with the remaining 27 members of the bloc, the EU has been adamant that the so-called "divorce" and the costs involved with it must be thrashed out before any future deal can be considered.

"We believe the EU needs to show more imagination and flexibility when it comes to these discussions," British Prime Minister Theresa May's official Downing Street spokesperson said today.

"There are lots of issues where we believe you can't separate withdrawal from future relationship, and that's what we're seeking to agree... That we can move on to talk about our future relationship," the spokesperson said.

The statement came as European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told a conference of EU ambassadors in Brussels today that Britain's efforts in the negotiation process were not "satisfactory".

Speaking in French, he said: "We need to be crystal clear that we will commence no negotiations on the new relationship particularly the new economic and trade relationship between the UK and the EU before all these questions are resolved - that is to say the divorce between the EU and the UK."



On the series of position papers produced by the UK's Department for Exiting the European Union, he added: "I would like to be clear that I did read with the requisite attention all the papers produced by Her Majesty's government and none of those is actually satisfactory."



His tough stance comes in the wake of the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, telling a press conference yesterday that he was "concerned" at the progress so far and that the UK needed to begin "negotiating seriously".

"We need UK positions on all separation issues. This is necessary to make sufficient progress. We must start negotiating seriously," he said.

The EU wants "sufficient progress" in three key "separation areas" by October for negotiations to move onto the subject of the future UK-EU relationship.

The areas chosen by the EU are - citizen rights, Northern Ireland's border, and the divorce bill owed by the UK.

The UK's Brexit secretary, David Davis, said his team was ready to "roll up their sleeves" to get down to business and called for more "flexibility" from the EU27 in his opening statement that kick-started the latest round of talks Brussels yesterday.

He said: "We want to lock in the points where we agree, unpick the areas where we disagree, andmake further progress on the whole range of issues. "But in order to do that, we'll require flexibility and imagination from both sides - something I think the [European] Council has asked for on some subjects."



The UK government hopes the next round of talks, scheduled for September, will achieve sufficient progress to convince EU leaders that Brexit is on track at the European Council meeting set for October.

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UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres today condemned the latest launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea, saying it "undermines" regional security and stability and efforts to create space for dialogue.

North Korea fired a missile which flew over Japan, one of its most provocative missile tests in recent years that prompted Tokyo to warn residents in its path to take cover.

The Secretary-General calls on the North Korean government to fully comply with its international obligations and work towards reopening communication channels, a statement issued by his spokesperson here said.

"The Secretary-General condemns the latest launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in violation of Security Council resolutions. The launch undermines regional security and stability and efforts to create space for dialogue," it added.

The UN Chief remains in close contact with all parties concerned, the statement said.

The missile travelled around 2,700 kilometres (1,700 miles) at a maximum altitude of around 550 kilometres.

No North Korean missile had overflown Japan for years, and the launch came after a strained period on the peninsula following Pyongyangs testing of two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) last month that appeared to bring much of the US mainland within reach.

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UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday a two-state solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict remained the only viable option as he made his first visit to the West Bank since taking office.

Guterres spoke after meeting Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah following talks with Israeli leaders the previous day.

"I want to express very strongly the total commitment of the United Nations but my personal total commitment to do everything for a two-state solution to materialise," he said.

"I have said several times there is no Plan B to a two-state solution."



A two-state solution to the conflict has been the basis of international diplomacy since at least the early 1990s, but it has recently come under threat.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in his country's history, and has signalled he has no intention of evacuating settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli settlements are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state.

Prominent members of Netanyahu's government advocate annexing most of the West Bank, which would make an independent Palestinian state impossible.

US President Donald Trump has said he wants to reach the "ultimate deal", but he himself has cast doubt on the two-state solution, saying he could support a single state if this meant peace.

Such statements deeply concern Palestinian leaders.

Guterres spoke Tuesday of Israeli settlements as a "major obstacle" to peace, while also noting that they are "illegal under international law".

On Monday after meeting Netanyahu, he criticised settlements but also said Palestinians must condemn "terrorism".

He said on Tuesday that "it is important to create conditions for leaders of all sides to appeal for calm, to avoid forms of incitement, for violence to settle down".

Israeli leaders say Palestinian "incitement" against the Jewish state is a key reason why peace efforts have not advanced.

Peace efforts have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in 2014.

- 'Scouting and listening' -



============================



Hamdallah called on Guterres to pressure Israel to comply with UN Security Council resolutions, including one in December condemning settlement activity that Netanyahu's government has ignored.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas is currently visiting Turkey and was not expected to meet Guterres.

Guterres's visit follows a US delegation's talks with both Netanyahu and Abbas last week. The delegation was led by Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Trump aides have held a series of meetings with both sides, portraying them as hearing out concerns before deciding on a way forward.

The US president himself visited Israel and the Palestinian territories in May.

But Palestinian leaders have grown frustrated with the White House, after initially holding out hope that Trump could bring a fresh approach to peace efforts despite his pledges of staunch support for Israel.

They note the White House has not even clearly committed to a two-state solution to the conflict, in contrast to longstanding US policy.

Hamdallah on Tuesday said the Palestinian leadership was waiting for US officials to formulate a clear approach.

"What the US administration is saying is that they are still scouting and listening," he said.

"But during the last round, (Abbas) brought up settlements and the two-state solution. What is the position of the US administration regarding these two topics?



"So far, the US administration has not responded to these two questions, and promised they will be back in the next few weeks with clarifications and a work plan for the next phase."



Netanyahu on Monday night, after meeting Guterres earlier in the day, again spoke of not removing settlements.

"No uprooting of settlements," he said.

"It's been proven that it doesn't help peace. We uprooted settlements and what did we get? We got rockets," he added, referring to the 2005 Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and subsequent conflicts.

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that he continues to fully support the head of a UN anti-corruption commission in Guatemala despite the attempt by the president of that country to expel him.

Guterres yesterday said he was shocked by President Jimmy Morales' order to remove Ivan Velasquez. Speaking at a conference in Ramallah, West Bank, the UN chief noted he had met with Morales just days before and said that while the Guatemalan leader had expressed concerns, he didn't ask for Velasquez's removal.

Guterres praised the commission's work in helping Guatemalan prosecutors attack corruption, a campaign that has proved popular in the Central American nation.

Guatemala's Constitutional Court suspended Morales' order Sunday so it could study the legality of the action.

The president issued his expulsion order two days after Velasquez and Guatemala's chief prosecutor announced they were seeking to lift Morales' immunity from prosecution in order to investigate alleged illegal campaign financing.

Yesterday, Morales made his first public appearance since the crisis exploded, meeting with loyal mayors who voiced their support for him. The government distributed a video clip through its Twitter account that was just 14 seconds of mayors applauding Morales.

The mayors may have some self interest in seeing Velasquez go.

The commission he leads issued a report in 2015 saying that drug trafficking financed many political campaigns, especially in mayoral races.

Velasquez and chief prosecutor Thelma Aldana also have targeted several political parties, including Morales' National Convergence Front. Prosecutors allege that about USD 825,000 of financing for his 2015 campaign was hidden and other expenditures had no explainable source of funding.

Guatemalans are now keeping their eyes on the nation's courts. The Constitutional Court is expected to make a final decision on the legality of Morales' expulsion order, and the Supreme Court is considering prosecutors' request to strip Morales' immunity.

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The Election Commission (EC) set in motion today the process for filling up four vacant UP Legislative Council seats by issuing the notification for the by-polls.

There has been speculation that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his two deputies and a minister could become legislators within the stipulated six-month period after assuming office by getting elected to the Upper House.

Chief electoral officer Amrita Soni said the notification was issued today.

The last date for filing nominations is September 5 and the scrutiny will be done the next day. The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is September 8.

Polling will be held on September 15 and counting of votes will be done the same day.

Soni said the EC had also announced today the schedule for the bypoll to the fifth vacant seat in the UP Council, for which a notification will be issued on August 31.

The Election Commission had announced on August 24 the election schedule for the four vacant seats of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

Adityanath, who took over as the chief minister on March 19, has to become a legislator within six months of assuming office and the deadline expires on September 19.

Besides Adityanath, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, and ministers Swatantra Dev Singh and Mohsin Raza are not member of either of the two Houses.

Adityanath and Maurya are still members of the Lok Sabha.

All of them have to get elected to either the assembly or the legislative council before September 19 -- when they complete six months -- in order to continue as ministers.

If Adityanath chooses the council route, he will become the third successive chief minister, after Akhilesh Yadav (SP) and Mayawati (BSP), to opt for the upper house.

The four seats for which bypolls will be held on September 15 were vacated by MLCs Bukkal Nawab, Yashwant, Sarojini Agarwal and Ashok Bajpai - all members of the Samajwadi Party.

Another seat fell vacant when Thakur Jaiveer Singh, a former BSP MLC resigned from the party and joined BJP.

There has been speculation that Adityanath and his four colleagues could contest from these five seats.

Other UP chief ministers who had opted for the Legislative Council route are Narain Dutt Tiwari and late Ram Prakash Gupta (BJP).

Former chief minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh had become a member of UP Legislative Council in November 1980 after assuming the chief minister's office in June 1980.

He later contested a by-election from Tindwari assembly constituency, and became a member of UP Legislative Assembly in 1981.

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Security has been stepped up in western Uttar Pradesh districts, bordering Haryana and Delhi, to check any spill over of the violence by the supporters of rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the state.

The Uttar Pradesh police has deployed additional forces in these areas, put up cordons, intensified patrolling along its borders with Haryana, besides asking local intelligence units to be on high alert, fearing violence by the supporters of Dera Sacha Sauda chief who has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping two women.

There are 18 'Deras' run by the sect across the state and most of them are located in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Amroha, Agra, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Baghpat, Hapur and Meerut districts -- all in western UP, which falls under the Meerut zone, having proximity with Haryana.

"Orders have been issued to deploy adequate police force at all the Deras to ensure that there is no law and order problem. While district police officers have been told to remain vigilant, Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) will be assisting them in maintaining peace," IG Vijay Singh Meena said.

After conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda head on August 25 for committing rape on two women and incidents of large-scale violence that followed in Haryana, an alert has been sounded in UP to check spill over the violence in the state.

With police going hammer and tongs after Dera followers in Haryana, many of them might try to sneak into UP.

"An alert has been sounded in UP, especially in districts borderning Haryana and Delhi to check spill over of trouble in UP by strict checking on borders. No person or group should be allowed to foment trouble in UP. Administrative machinery has been geared up in western UP," Additional Director General, Law and order, Anand Kumar said.

Police have set up barriers on borders and also around the deras and are conducting round-the-clock patrolling in the districts, he said.

To stop any infiltration attempts at night, directions have been issued to ensure adequate lighting arrangements in districts skirting Haryana.

While local intelligence units have been directed to monitor the activities of Gurmeet supporters, the anti-riot machinery in these districts has been also activated to prevent any backlash.

Prohibitory orders will be enforced, if needed, in the districts sharing their border with Haryana and they have been asked to maintain extra vigilant, Kumar said.

The movement of dera supporters from Harayana is also been monitored as they had run riot in parts of the neighbouring state after his conviction in a rape case on Friday.

Police believe that the followers of the self-styled godman are spread across several states.

The dera has set up congregation centres in western UP where its followers assemble every morning. It has a big establishment in Barnawa town of Baghpat district and congregation centres in Mawana, Modinagar and other places.

Intelligence agencies had received inputs that hundreds of dera followers from Aligarh had left for Panchkula in private cars and hired buses.

A large number of the followers are from Tappal, Pisawan, Chandaus, Atrauli, Gangeri, Charra, Harduaganj, Jalali, Akrabad, Iglas, Gonda and Aligarh.

Since Friday, the ADG (law and order) has sent several missives to district police chiefs to ensure that Ram Rahim's sympathisers or followers are not allowed to hold any protest anywhere in the state.

"Any attempt of mischief mongering even through social media will be strongly dealt with," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The U.P. Special Task Force today arrested the former principal of a government-run medical college in Gorakhpur and his wife in connection with the deaths of 60 children at its hospital.

These are the first arrests in the case that had shaken the country.

"Dr. Rajiv Mishra and his wife, Dr. Purnima Shukla, who are named in an FIR lodged by the UP government, were arrested from Kanpur. They are being taken to Gorakphur," IG, Public Grievances, Vijay Singh Meena said here.

Mishra was suspended as principal of BRD Medical College on August 12 after the deaths, which occurred over a span of five days, were reported. He resigned the same day.

According to SSP, Gorakhpur, Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj, a police team last night also went to the home of Dr Kafeel Khan, the former nodal officer of the acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) ward in the hospital who was removed after the deaths, to quiz him but he was not there.

Mishra and his wife, as well as Khan, were among those named in the FIR lodged by the state government following a report by the state Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar, who headed a probe that went into the causes behind the child deaths.

An STF official said Mishra and his wife were being quizzed but declined to share further details.

The couple were picked up from Kanpur where they had reportedly gone to consult a lawyer.

"The STF team then left for Gorakhpur to carry out further interrogation there," Pankaj told PTI in Gorakhpur.

The FIR was lodged in the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow against nine persons, including Mishra, in connection with the deaths of children at the hospital attached to the college due to alleged lack of oxygen supply. The case was transferred to Gorakhpur.

The proprietors of M/s Pushpa Sales, the company responsible for the supply of liquid oxygen, have also been named in the FIR.

On Dr Kafeel Khan, the SSP said, "Police reached his residence for questioning. However, he was not there. His family members have been told to support the police, so that they do not face any legal action during investigations."



Recommendations were made by the probe team to initiate criminal action against Dr Khan for allegedly concealing facts and filing false affidavit and working against the rules of the Indian Medical Council.

However, a group of doctors at AIMS-Delhi had come out in his support, alleging that he was being made a scapegoat by the authorities.

Cases were registered under various sections of the IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Medical Council Act against Dr Rajiv Mishra, Dr Purnima Shukla, Dr Kafeel Khan, Dr Satish, Chief Pharmacist Gajanan Jaiswal, Accountant Sudhir Pandey, Assistant Clerk, Uday Pratap Sharma of Pushpa Sales and Manish Bhandari.

The IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.

The official report by the chief secretary, however, denied lack of oxygen as the cause of death.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had formed the committee on August 12, a day after the deaths of children were reported at the hospital. The state government had also shunted out additional chief secretary medical education Anita Bhatnagar Jain.

The issue had acquired a political hue with the BJP government drawing flak from the opposition over the deaths in Gorakhpur, which Adityanath had represented five times in the Lok Sabha.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two Indian students are in a critical condition after they nearly drowned in Lake Bryan in the US state of Texas, which is battling "catastrophic" flooding and torrential rains after wreaked havoc, claiming at least five lives.

The Indians, studying at the Texas A&M University, are in a critical condition. They were rescued from the lake, where they had gone swimming, by a police officer on Saturday.

According to the Bryan police, an officer patrolling the lake was flagged down by a person who said two people swimming in the lake were in distress.

The person who alerted the officer was with the two students, both in their 20s. He had managed to rescue one of them, while the police officer rescued the other one and treated both of them with CPR until medical help arrived, the police said.

The students were identified as -- Shalini, and Nikhil Bhatia. They were taken to the CHI St. Joseph Hospital, where their condition is stated to be critical.

It was not immediately clear as to why they were swimming in the severe weather.

India's Consul-General in Houston has been monitoring the two students' medical needs and the situation closely.

According to the consulate office, Nikhil Bhatia is yet to show signs of improvement, while Shalini showed some improvement today for the first time since her arrival at the hospital.

Nikhil's mother, Dr. Suman Bhatia, has arrived from India and was assisted by the consulate office amidst the devastating flood situations here after being received at the Dallas airport. Whereas, Shalini's brother will be arriving tomorrow, the consulate said.

Around 13 million people were battling "catastrophic" flooding and torrential rains in the storm-ravaged Texas where has wreaked havoc, turning streets into raging rivers and claiming at least five lives.

Meteorologists have forecast that the historic rainfall will dump up to 50 inches by Wednesday.

Heavy rain bands were expected to move in over the Houston area overnight, which will continue the catastrophic and life-threatening flash-flood emergency in the area.

At least 200 Indian students are stranded at the University of Houston due to "catastrophic" flooding after hit Texas were being evacuated to safer places, authorities have said.

The students were being provided food and other supplies by the Indian-American community in the area.

India's Consul-General in Houston Anupam Ray has been in touch with the students and monitoring the evacuation process.
The US health regulator has issued a warning letter to Hyderabad-based Hetero Labs for significant violations of good manufacturing norms at its facility in Jadcherla in Telangana.

The issues that were raised included failure to clean, maintain, sanitise and sterilise equipment and utensils at appropriate intervals used for manufacturing of drugs at the facility, the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) said.

USFDA investigators had inspected the company's drug manufacturing facility on December 7-16, 2016.

The letter also pointed out that the company does not have an adequate ongoing programme for monitoring process control to ensure stable manufacturing operations and consistent drug quality at Unit V facility at Jadcherla.

Besides, the USFDA letter, which was addressed to Hetero Lab's Chairman and MD Bandi Parthasarathy Reddy, said the firm failed to "establish adequate written responsibilities and procedures applicable to the quality control unit and to follow such written procedures".

The regulator asked the company for an overall assessment of the adequacy of the cleaning programme for all equipment, with special emphasis on difficult-to-clean parts.

It also asked the company to provide detailed retrospective review of all complaints, manufacturing, and laboratory investigations associated with each product it produces for the US market and all lots that were within expiry.

The USFDA asked Hetero to engage a qualified consultant to help meet CGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) requirements and warned that it could withhold any new approvals from the company till all the violations are corrected.

Failure to correct the violations may also result in the FDA refusing admission of articles manufactured at the company's Unit V at Jadcherla Mandal in the US, it warned.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Justice Prafulla Chandra Pant retired today, the strength of the Supreme Court has come down to 25 judges from 31 and one of the topmost priorities before newly-appointed Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra would be to fill up the six vacancies in the apex court.

The total strength of 31 judges in the apex court includes the Chief Justice himself. A Supreme Court judge retires at the age of 65 years.

A senior government functionary said that the Centre would await the recommendations of the Supreme Court collegium to fill up these vacancies.

While Justice J S Khehar had retired on Sunday as the Chief Justice of India, Justice Pant retires today. There are no retirements in the apex court this year.

In May last year, four judges were appointed to the top court. They were justices A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and senior lawyer and former Additional Solicitor General L Nageshwar Rao.

Khanwilkar, Chandrachud and Bhushan were heading high courts before their elevation to the apex court. Rao was a member of the bar.

After Justice K G Balakrishnan retired as the CJI in May, 2010, there is no judge from the SC community in the apex court.

While so far no judge from the ST community has been appointed to the top court, Justice R Banumathi is the only woman judge in the apex court.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Human rights groups in South America are alleging war crimes violations in lawsuits filed against a former Sri Lankan general who is now his Asian nation's ambassador to Brazil and five other countries in Latin America.

The suits against Jagath Jayasuriya are based on his role as a commander in the final phase of Sri Lanka's civil war in 2009. They allege Jayasuriya oversaw military units that attacked hospitals and killed, disappeared and tortured thousands of people.

Jayasuriya has diplomatic immunity in the countries where he is ambassador: Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Suriname. But the groups pursuing the suits hope they will compel regional governments to expel him.

Carlos Castresana Fernandez, the lawyer coordinating the effort, told The Associated Press yesterday that suits were filed Monday in Brazil and Colombia. Petitions also will be filed in Argentina, Chile and Peru in the coming days, he said, adding that authorities in Suriname refused to accept the suit.

"This is one genocide that has been forgotten, but this will force democratic countries to do something," Fernandez said. "This is just the beginning of the fight."



Calls to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Brazil's capital went unanswered Monday evening as did an email seeking comment.

Jayasuriya's whereabouts were not immediately known. Fernandez said Brazilian justice officials told him Jayasuriya had left Brazil on Sunday. That couldn't be independently confirmed.

The criminal suits, reviewed by the AP, were spearheaded by the human rights group International Truth and Justice Project, an evidence-gathering organization based in South Africa. The suits have three central aims: push local authorities to open investigations of Jayasuriya, remove his diplomatic immunity and expel him.

Many of the nations where Jayasuriya is ambassador have their own dark histories of military dictatorships and torture.

Fernandez, the coordinating lawyer, was one of the attorneys who worked on international cases against Argentine Gen. Jorge Rafael Videla and Chilean Gen. Augusto Pinochet. He has also helped indict many Guatemalan war criminals and organized crime members, including former President Alfonso Portillo.

While lawsuits across international jurisdictions can be tricky to sort out, such moves can also pay off. In the case of Pinochet, he ended up being arrested and held for a time in England because of international suits filed against him.

The civil war in Sri Lanka, an island off the southern tip of India, raged intermittently between 1983 and 2009.

Fueled in part by ethnic tensions between Sinhalese and Tamil citizens, an insurgency against the government was led by a group called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. They fought to establish a separate Tamil state in the northeastern part of the island.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that his government took various decisions with courage and executed them with conviction unlike the previous dispensation which had crippled the whole system.

The whole system had been "crippled" when the NDA government assumed office, he said addressing a massive rally at Khelgaon here.

"Had there been anyone weak in such a situation, he would have been intimidated. But, we are from a different soil. We accept challenges, find solutions and move ahead on the development path," he said.

The prime minister was here to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for several highway projects in Rajasthan, with an outlay of over Rs 15,000 crore.

"We will make efforts to complete the works undertaken by us. We take decisions with courage and execute them with conviction. The infrastructural projects will be game changer for Rajasthan," he said.

Modi dedicated to the nation 11 completed national highway projects, totalling a length of about 873 kms. These include a six-lane, cable-stayed bridge over the Chambal river in Kota.

He also digitally performed the ground-breaking ceremony for six national highway projects of about 556 kms.

Addressing the gathering, Modi said, "Making announcements and tall promises at the time of election had been a tradition. It continued for years. It is a challenge to eliminate evils and it takes a lot of strength to eliminate them that you cannot even imagine," Modi told the gathering.

He said that his government had increased speed, scale, scope for development activities.

Revering the "land of warriors", he said that his government had done development and not politics.

Hitting out at the previous Congress government in Rajasthan, he said that the bridge in Kota could not be completed in 11 years.

"Finally, our government took the challenge and completed it," he added.

It showed the difference between his dispensation and the previous government.

He said that inauguration and foundation laying of over Rs 15,000 crore worth development works in Rajasthan was a "historic" event.

He said that better road connectivity will open avenues in agriculture, tourism, industrial development.

"If the roads are good then from flower vendor to a tea- vendor, all will have a better income," he told a cheering crowd.

The prime minister also expressed his sympathies with the people in the flood-affected regions of the country.

He said that the Centre was with the people affected due to flood and stood by them in troubled times.

"The state government has sent a proposal and a high- level committee has visited the flood affected areas. We will together come out of situation," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's former envoy to India Abdul Basit has slammed former top diplomat and the country's ambassador to the US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry as the "worst foreign secretary ever" and blamed him for several foreign policy disasters including the Ufa joint statement with India.

Basit, who was twice overlooked for the post of foreign secretary, made the harsh remarks in a letter - widely circulated on social media - dated July 5, 2017 and printed on his official letterhead while he still served as Pakistan's high commissioner in New Delhi.

The Foreign Office has not confirmed the authenticity of the letter. However, the Dawn news, which published the letter on its website, quoted its sources in the Foreign Office as saying that the letter is authentic.

"The more I think the more I am convinced that you have been the worst Foreign Secretary ever," Basit wrote in response to a farewell letter by Chaudhry which he sent to Basit on March 12 after his appointment as the ambassador of Pakistan to Washington.

Instead of wishing him good luck on his new assignment, Basit had an ominous warning in the letter: "My concern is that you would also end up being the worst Pakistan Ambassador in Washington D.C."



He asserted that Chaudhry was not made for the "delicate profession of diplomacy" and cited the Ufa joint statement with India and Pakistan's failure to get re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council as leading examples of his failures.

The joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif's meeting in Ufa in 2015 on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation mentioned terrorism and the need to expedite the Mumbai trial but Kashmir was conspicuously missing in it.

Leaders and media in Pakistan had criticised the Sharif government over the absence of any mention of the vexed Kashmir issue in the joint statement.

Basit said Chaudhry's "heart was not in the right place" and argued that it was in Pakistan's interests that he should be immediately removed from his post as ambassador to the US.

He further said that if Chaudhry was not removed then he should not be at least given any extension beyond February 27, 2018, the date of his retirement.

"May Allah help Pakistan when people like you with weak and dubious credentials are at such important positions," Basit ended the letter with these grim words.

Basit opted for an early retirement earlier this month and was replaced by Sohail Mahmood as the high commissioner.

It is pertinent to mention that Chaudhry was appointed as the foreign secretary by ignoring Basit.

Basit was again ignored this year when his junior Tehmina Janjua was appointed foreign secretary, replacing Chaudhry who was sent to the US as Pakistan's ambassador.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil's government expects 2018 revenue of up to 10 billion reais ($3.16 billion) from the privatisation process of power holding company Eletrobras , deputy energy minister Paulo Pedrosa said on Tuesday.

Pedrosa told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar in Rio that the Eletrobras privatisation model was unlikely to be ready this week. He also said the government was ready to sell hydroelectric dams operated by Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais SA and that at least four groups were interested in the assets. (Reporting by Marcelo Teixeira; Editing by Richard Chang) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Syed Raza Hassan

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) is seeking to fine Pakistan's Habib Bank Ltd up to $630 million for "grave" antimoney laundering and sanctions compliance failures at its only U.S. branch, the regulator said on Monday.

If imposed, the penalty on Karachi-listed Habib Bank (HBL) would be the largest ever faced by a Pakistani financial institution.

HBL plans to surrender the foreign bank license for its New York branch, according to DFS documents, which said the watchdog intends to expand its review of the Pakistan-based bank's transactions.

In a filing, the DFS said HBL's compliance function was "dangerously weak" and that "serious and persistent" failings found at the bank's New York branch appeared to affect the entire Habib banking enterprise, posing "grave risks" to the banking system.

It also highlighted that HBL held a U.S. clearing account with Saudi's largest private bank, which has been linked in the media to Al Qaeda and terrorist financing.

The DFS further noted more than 4,000 transactions that were not screened because the parties involved were on a "good-guy" list of customers identified as very low risk. More than 150 "terms" on the list corresponded to entities sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department, and included a transaction involving the leader of a Pakistani terrorist group and another involving an international arm dealer.

The DFS said its investigation also uncovered payments totalling more than $27,000 sent to an account at the bank's head office associated with an individual wanted by the FBI for cyber crimes.

Nausheen Ahmad, the bank's company secretary, said in a statement earlier on Monday that DFS did not recognise "the significant progress that HBL has made at its branch in New York" and that the bank would vigorously contest the proposed fine in the U.S. courts.

HBL said the closure of its New York operation would have no material impact on HBL's business outside the United States. Pakistan's central bank said the potential fine posed no "imminent risks" to HBL or the country's system.

SERIOUS DEFICIENCIES

The DFS said HBL's compliance issues dated back to 2006, when the bank agreed with regulators to address problems with the bank's sanctions laws compliance programme.

Since then, HBL has struggled to comply with the agreement, the DFS said, noting a 2015 inspection identified "serious deficiencies" in the bank's anti-money laundering controls.

HBL, majority-owned by the Pakistani government, subsequently agreed to introduce a range of measures to guard against money laundering and sanctions violations, including improving management oversight, tightening customer due diligence and suspicious transaction monitoring.

But a 2016 inspection revealed ongoing problems, including insufficient training, documentation, oversight, and a U.S.-dollar clearing account with Saudi Arabia's Al Rajhi, which "presented Habib Bank with a significant risk of being used for terrorist financing," the DFS said.

In addition to the penalty, the DFS has demanded a so-called "look back" at some of HBL's previous transactions.

AGGRESSIVE ENFORCEMENT

U.S. federal and state laws require financial institutions operating in the United States to have policies and procedures in place to detect and prevent illicit money transfers.

New York State imposed strict anti-money laundering regulations in 2015, and the DFS has since pursued several aggressive enforcement actions against foreign banks for anti-money laundering control lapses over the past two years.

These include Agricultural Bank of China, Mega International Commercial Bank of Taiwan and National Bank of Pakistan.

In 2013, the DFS imposed a $2.4 billion fine on BNP Paribas for sanctions breaches.

Because the U.S. dollar is the global reserve currency, U.S. financial regulators have immense clout worldwide and can cut noncompliant foreign banks off from the U.S. dollar clearing system by preventing U.S. banks from doing business with them. This would restrict their ability to offer cross-border services to their clients back home.

(Writing by Saad Sayeed; additional reporting and writing by Michelle Price; Editing by Richard Borsuk and Steve Orlofsky)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Ron Bousso and Dmitry Zhdannikov

LONDON (Reuters) - Record oil and refined products stocks will cushion potential shortages caused by Hurricane Harvey, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday, adding that it could release emergency oil stocks in the event of extended outages.

Some crude production and about 2 million barrels per day (bpd) of refining capacity has been shuttered as Harvey has battered Texas, causing at least eight deaths and catastrophic flooding.

Though the IEA said on Monday that it still saw no need for a release of emergency stocks, the head of the global energy watchdog's Oil Markets Division says the organisation is monitoring the situation closely.

"If there is a continued shortfall of fuels we will act," the IEA's Neil Atkinson told on Tuesday.

The IEA and the U.S. Department of Energy continue to assess the damage but it is too early to say what action, if any, would be needed, Atkinson said.

"These are very early days. We know of refinery shutdowns and (crude oil) production that has come down. What we don't know is how long these closures will be," he said.

Record inventories, however, are expected to buffer any supply shortfalls.

Current U.S. commercial stocks stand at about 1.3 billion barrels, including 450 million barrels of crude, the IEA says. That excludes strategic petroleum reserves (SPR).

The United States consumes about 20 million barrels of oil per day, nearly half of which is for gasoline.

"Fuel stocks are very high at the moment so the issue is whether you can move fuels around and if trucks and pipelines can operate," Atkinson said.

The Paris-based intergovernmental agency coordinates emergency fuel releases when natural disasters or war interrupt global energy supplies.

Refineries in the Gulf Coast area, which is also a major export hub to other U.S regions as well as Latin America and Europe, took months to recover from previous hurricanes. It took 18 weeks to repair refineries and restore production fully after Katrina struck New Orleans in August 2005, Atkinson said.

IEA members agreed collectively to release 60 million barrels into the market in the weeks following Katrina.

Three years later, after Hurricane Gustav struck, it took 14 weeks before refining operations fully resumed.

This time, the recovery could take even longer because of Harvey's unprecedented intensity and the extensive flooding.

(Reporting by Ron Bousso and Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by David Goodman)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump last month rejected a Chinese proposal to cut steel overcapacity, despite the endorsement of some of his top advisers, the Financial Times said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Beijing proposed cutting steel overcapacity by 150 million tonnes by 2022 in a deal twice rejected by Trump, who instead urged advisers to find ways to impose tariffs on imports from China, the paper said, citing the sources.

(http://on.ft.com/2iCb7Sn)

The deal was endorsed by U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross a week before U.S. and Chinese officials held a high-level economic dialogue, the FT added, citing a U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter.

White House spokeswoman Natalie Strom declined to comment on the "purported internal discussions" between the president and his cabinet members when contacted by .

Last week, American steel industry executives appealed to Trump for immediate import restrictions in a letter seen by Reuters, saying the industry was suffering the consequences of government inaction.

Total steel imports through July were up 22 percent from the same period a year ago, the American Iron and Steel Institute said in a report.

Pressure over trade between China and the United States seems likely to grow in future and Beijing should prepare, China's hawkish Global Times newspaper said on Tuesday.

"China should not overly focus on the Trump administration's actions," it said in an online editorial. "Instead, it should begin drafting retaliatory measures against the United States so as to gain an upper hand."

(Reporting by Ishita Chigilli Palli in Bengaluru, David Lawder in Washington and John Ruwitch in Shanghai; Editing by Peter Cooney and Clarence Fernandez)

(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.)
Exhorting employees to re-dedicate themselves to turnaround Air India, its new CMD Rajiv Bansal said the national carrier will continue to expand its network as well as fleet.

This is Bansal's first formal communication with the employees after he was given interim charge as the Chairman and Managing Director last week.

"I have full faith in your capabilities and experience and am sure that we will work as a team and do everything to further strengthen the profitability of the company," he said in a letter to AI employees.

"We have introduced new flights to international destinations and will continue to launch new routes in the days to come. Along with extending our network, we will be inducting new aircraft to augment our fleet with state of the art aircraft like the Dreamliners and A320 Neos," the letter reads.

Referring to the 10th anniversary of the merger of Indian Airlines with Air India, Bansal told the employees, "exactly 10 years ago, a new resurgent Air India was born".

He has taken over at a time when the government has constituted a group of ministers to chart out a strategy for the disinvestment of the airline, which has a debt of over Rs 48,000 crore.

Against this backdrop, Bansal said, "I exhort you all to rededicate yourself towards turning around our beloved Air India."

Nearly 10 years after the merger, Air India managed to post an operational profit of Rs 105 crore in 2015-16.

Concerns have been raised in many quarters, including some related to Air India, that the merger led to poor financial health of the national carrier.

Bansal replaced Ashwani Lohani who assumed office as the Chairman of the Railway Board.

A senior IAS officer, Bansal has also served as a director in the civil aviation ministry and played a crucial role as a board member of the National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL) during the formative years of the merged national carrier.

A Nagaland-cadre IAS officer, Bansal has also been a board member of the Alliance Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air India, the release said.


Heavy rains in Mumbai has brought life in the city to a standstill and the situation likely to get worse as more downpour is expected in the next 48 hours. The rainfall has affected transport facilities in the city, with many local trains getting cancelled and buses and cars stuck in badly water-logged areas. Authorities, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and disaster management teams are monitoring the situation.

Most people returning from offices have found it difficult to reach their homes due to heavy traffic as many roads in Mumbai have submerged due to the rains. Many offices in Mumbai have asked their employees to leave early from work considering the flooded roads. The Harbour Line (from CST to Navi Mumbai) and Central Line (from CST to Kasara and Karjat) are shut, while most trains are running late.

Milan and Andheri subways have been shut due to water-logging, while traffic has been affected in Andheri, Wakola, Film City junction, Santacruz and Worli Sea Link. Traffic has been slowed down in Ghatkopar east, Jogeshwari after some trees fell due to the rains.

The Mumbai Municipal Corporation has claimed that the situation is under control, but the visuals from Mumbai suggest otherwise. Electricity has been affected in some areas of Mumbai due to transmission rooms that are flooded, according to India Today TV report. The Mumbai disaster management team has advised people to stay indoors and not venture out.

The Mumbai team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are on alert, while more units of NDRF have been called from Pune to Mumbai. The rains in Mumbai are likely to continue till Wednesday, the Met Department has suggested. "Scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall expected within 48 hrs, and isolated heavy rainfall expected in North Konkan," K S Hosalikar, deputy director general, Met department.

08:20 pm: Mumbai recorded heavy rainfall since last night. Between 8.30 am and 12 pm today, the city received 85 mm rainfall. The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)'s Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sudhir Naik said Wadala recorded the highest rainfall of 253 mm.



08:00 pm: Maharashtra education minister Vinod Tawde said keeping in mind today's heavy downpour and predictions for a heavier rainfall tomorrow, schools and college authorities have been instructed to remain closed tomorrow.



07:45 pm: Toll collection at Mumbai entry points and sea link suspended till situation becomes normal



07:35 pm: Thoughts with families, especially children, in Mumbai & western parts of the country hit by heavy downpour: President Ram Nath Kovind

07:15 pm: Govt and public agencies taking all steps amid heavy rains. Glad to note voluntary groups and citizens too coming together: President Ram Nath Kovind

CM @Dev_Fadnavis instructs to suspend toll collection at all #Mumbai entry points and sea link till rain situation gets back to normal. - CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) August 29, 2017

06:55 pm: Due to overflowing Dahisar river, traffic on Western Expressway was stuck. Now that the water has receded, traffic started moving Northward.



06:45 pm: Police Officers and men are present on road and will be there throughout. Ask them for any assistance you need : Mumbai police



06:30 pm: I also assured the Maharashtra CM of all possible help from the Centre. The NDRF teams have already reached Mumbai for rescue and relief ops: Home Minister Rajnath Singh



06:00 pm: Spoke to Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain in Mumbai and surrounding areas: PM Narendra Modi

Urge the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe & take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain. - Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

05:55 pm: Centre assures all possible support to the Government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state: PM Narendra Modi



05:54 pm: Urge the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe & take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain: PM

05:53 pm: Water logging has been cleared and Traffic has started moving on Bandra Worli sea link both north and south bound: Mumbai police



05:51 pm: Traffic closed on Bandra Worli sea link due to water logging at Worli end: Mumbai police



05:50 pm: Milan subway and Andheri subway closed due to water logging. Traffic slow at D.N.Nagar & BMW Junction : Mumbai police

Today's High Tide :1736 hrs - 3.01mtrs , Low Tide :0009hrs - 1.76 mtrs Next High Tide: 0730 hrs - 3.13 mtrs. - Disaster Management (@DisasterMgmtMum) August 29, 2017

High tide of 3.32mts at 16:30 Avoid waterfronts,sitting on tetrapods or on promenades. Pls cooperate with policemen on duty #MumbaiRains

- Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

If you are stuck on the road , kindly dial 100 or contact us on Twitter. We will assist you: Mumbai police


The market snapped four days of gains on Tuesday with the Sensex and Nifty falling over 1 percent lower, tracking weak global markets after Korea fired a ballistic missile that flew over Japan before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean.

While the Sensex closed 362 points or 1.14 percent lower at 31,388 level, Nifty closed 1.18 percent or 116 points lower at 9,796.

The Nifty closed below the 50-day moving average (DMA) of 9,810 on Tuesday.

JP Associates (9.57 percent), India Cements (5.05 percent) and Firstsource Solutions (4.87 percent) were the top losers on the BSE.

"Early negativity from Asian markets over North Korea followed through to the domestic market," said Anand James, chief market strategist with Geojit Financial Services.

"Investors are also booking profits after Nifty tested 9,900 levels on Monday while there is some volatility ahead of the expiry," he added.

On the 30 stock Sensex, NTPC (2.80 percent), Sun Pharma (2.35 percent), HDFC (2.20 percent) and Reliance Industries (2.17 percent) were the top losers. Mahindra and Mahindra (0.25 percent) and Wipro (0.02 percent) were the lone gainers on the index.

All sectoral indices on the BSE ended in the red with the bankex and consumer durables falling 290 and 258 points, respectively.

Bank Nifty too fell 248 points to 24,128 level.

NTPC which started a 5 percent stake sale today fell up to 4 percent in early trade and closed 2.80 percent lower on the BSE.

The Rs 7,000-crore share sale in India's largest power producer, NTPC, got off to a bumper start, with non-retail investors lapping up the quota reserved for them before close of market hours.

Market breadth was negative with 828 stocks closing higher against 1736 ending in the red on the BSE.

On Tuesday, the 30-share BSE Sensex rallied 154.76 points to 31,750.82 and the 50-share NSE Nifty gained 55.75 points at 9,912.80 despite subdued global cues.



Global Markets

The Asian region was rattled by an aggressive test-flight over Japan that sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.

France's CAC 40 dipped nearly 1.0 percent in early trading to 5,030.32, while Germany's DAX fell 0.8 percent to 12,021.52. Britain's FTSE 100 lost nearly 0.1 percent to 7,329.63. U.S. shares were also set to drift lower with Dow futures down 0.5 percent at 21,691. S&P 500 futures were also lower, down 0.6 percent, at 2,428.20.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 0.5 percent to finish at 19,362.55, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.7 percent to 5,669.00. South Korea's Kospi lost 0.2 percent to 2,364.74. Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.1 percent to 27,828.67, while the Shanghai Composite inched up nearly 0.1 percent to 3,365.23.
Vodafone has launched a new Rs 392 plan that is currently rolling out for Delhi-NCR customers. The plan is another combo pack that offers data, voice calls and even texts. The pack can be purchased from the 296 Vodafone stores across the city.

The plan offers unlimited calling which includes local, STD and even calls while roaming. The user will get 28GB of 4G data for 28 days.

Other than that the company is also offering a smaller plan for Rs 198. This plan offers free calling but that is only available to make calls to other Vodafone networks. The plan is only valid for a period of 28 days.

"A large part of Vodafone's pre-paid subscribers from Delhi & NCR go on roaming during the festive season. We found an existing need for these subscribers to have a pocket-friendly pack that enables them to stay connected with their world even while they are travelling or out of the station. Vodafone Delhi has designed the pack precisely to bridge that need," said, Alok Verma, Business Head - Delhi-NCR, Vodafone India.

While the telecom was finally resting after almost half-a-year long tariff battle ignited by Reliance Jio, the Mukesh Ambani-led company launched JioPhone; a feature phone that is capable of operating on the 4G spectrum. Over that, the company even declared that voice call on this device will always remain free.

The device was made available for pre-booking on August 24 and registered millions of pre-booking within a couple of days. JioPhone will be commercially available from the first week of September.

This launch has the power to disrupt the telecom industry yet again. The company has tapped into the massive feature phone market which has been out of reach for most smartphone manufacturers.

In a bid to counter the move all incumbent members of the telecom industry are seemingly working on their own variants of ultra-cheap smartphones.

Idea-Vodafone are planning to launch a ultra cheap 4G smartphone that will cost slightly more than JioPhone but will be able to function as a smartphone.

Airtel is also in talks with Indian smartphone manufacturers to prepare a 4G smartphone that will apparently run on Android operating system and will only cost around Rs 2,500.
CAMEROUN :: Cameroon: APF PRESS RELEASE ON SCHOOL REOPENNING FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2017/2018

For the children in the 8 Francophone Regions of the Republic, It is a certain and joyful occasion.

But it might not be so for the children of the North west and the South West Regions, for who the return to school is uncertain and pregnant with polemics , most of who failed to complete the 2016/2017 school year, on account of the socioeconomic and political crises plaguing the two Regions.

The task to return to School for the 2017/2018 school ,for all children without distinction, remains the responsibility of the Government of the Republic of Cameroon, who has so far failed to resolve the anglophone problem down to this day. This responsibility must be taken seriously.

For all the reasons advanced to keep the children at home for the last two terms of 2016/2017 school year, the outstanding one raised was the need for total detente within the national community. That total detente was predicated on the complete, unconditional and immediate release of all persons arrested and detained for any reasons directly or indirectly related to the strike action and socio economic and political problems in the North West and South West of the Republic as well as the safe return to Cameroon of all those who fled the country for fear of their lives.

The government for its part advanced the reason of insecurity and on that pretext, militarised the Regions, creating an undeclared state of emergency in these Regions with their consequent and inevitable outcomes in human rights violations and abuses in all forms.

Whatever positin one took in this issue, it can now be checked against the hard reality that has pevailed ever since:

The ungent need to create a situation of detente in the national terrritory in general and the two anglophone Regions in particular.

In the face of the present dillemma, the APF calls on the Government to release all persons arrested and detained for any reasons whatsoever relating to the socioeconomic problems plaguing the anglophone Regions, as well as make it clear that every Camerooninan is free to leave and return to his country without undue harrassment, making it possible for those who fled for their lives to return, if it is their wish to return.

If we value our children,the leaders of today and tomorrow,We should inevitably value their right to a good education in conducive and peacefull environment.

The strike action has been expensive in the extreme to the State and everyone at large. Ghost towns cost billions in losses to the State treasury and individuals.

The militarisation of the Regions is costly and yet, insecurity in the Regions remains rampant, tax collection in the Regions is virtually impossible, the arrest, detention and trials are expensive to the State and relatives of the suspects as they are time consuming and futile. Special missions within and out of Cameroon to resolve the nagging and persistent anglophone problem are wasteful, dangerous and expensive to our national and international image.

The APF, mindful of its role as a political party to keep Cameroon peaceful and progressive, do solemnly call on the Head of State to cause all the persons arrested and detained on account of activities in relation to the anglophone problem in the Republic to be released forthwith and unconditionally.

In the same light, the APF calls on the Head of State to convene an extraordinary constitutional conference to refomulate the basis and form of the Republic of Cameroon,with a view to resolve the pernicious anglophone problem that has held sway for the last 54 years.

The APF calls on the Head of State to send all Camerooonian children back to school in the 2017/2018 school year by immediately and unconditionally releasing Dr Niba Fontem, Barrister Bala AGBOR and all others detained with them.

In doing this, the Head of State will be clealy declaring his higher consideration of the rights of children to a good education in particular and the respect of the rights of the people to the various freedoms that mark out a modern democratic state.

Cameroon is nobodys personal property, not even that of any tribe or political party or linguistic group. It is that of all Camerooonians or it is nobodys. Leaders and people will came and go, no matter how invincible they believe they are. But Cameroon will remain. Let's work hard to promote and implement general interest.

Patriotically,

APF, Putting People First!

The National President, Alice SADIO.
| BY Ricki Green |

Australian Independent digital marketing agency Sparro has won big at the Google Premier Partner Awards, winning two of five categories open to Australian and New Zealand agencies.

These two accolades will see the Sparro team travel to New York on September 28th to compete in the Google Partner Summit where the global winners will be announced.

Sparro took out the top spot for the Shopping Innovation Award, recognising Sparros unique methods of utilising shopping advertising to generate sales for its clients. Sparro also won the Mobile Innovation Award which recognises the best-in-breed when it comes to supporting clients business growth as a result of mobile advertising strategy.

The Premier Google Partner Badge recognises Sparro as a leading agency for developing and maintaining successful digital advertising campaigns for businesses

Says Cameron Bryant, co-founder, Sparro: It is an honour to have Sparro acknowledged by Google in the Premier Partner Awards across Australia and New Zealand. It is key that we continue to work closely with Google on every single digital advertising campaign for our clients, from the strategy stage right through to the execution.

Winning two of the five categories in the Google Premier Partner Awards across Australia and New Zealand really highlights our commitment at Sparro to our clients, and our ongoing mission to build best- practice search, shopping and mobile campaigns that deliver world-class results.

Since brothers Cameron and Morris Bryant opened the doors of Sparro in 2013, the agency has grown rapidly to a team of 22. Boasting a client base including Dominos, Webjet, TAFE, Estee Lauder and F45. Sparro specialise in paid and organic search, with a heavy focus on data-driven marketing and API-driven solutions.
| BY Ricki Green |

Ella Bache has launched its new #IWillBeMe campaign via The ARC Factory, which encourages Australians to find confidence in their own skin.

Through their 28 Days to Skin Fit Program, #IWillBeMe is focused on empowering women to love and display their whole selves. Ella Bache believes its not just about how you show your skin, its what you do in it that matters. Ella Bache believes every Australian is unique and beautiful in their own way which is why theyre encouraging Aussies to take part in #IWillBeMe campaign.

The #IWillBeMe campaign focuses on an Ella Bache 28-day Skin Fit challenge, encouraging inner and outer health. 28 days is the length of time it takes for skin cells to rejuvenate which is why Ella Bache are launching a Spring 28-Day SkinFit program.

Says Pippa Hallas, CEO, Ella Bache: #IWillBeMe campaign is about empowering Australians to be confident in their own skin. The 28-day skin fit program will allow customers to join us on a journey to skin health. We want Australians to share the best versions of themselves which is why were also encouraging them to share their story on social media.

Research shows that that 85% of women are not using the right skincare. We want to help enlighten, educate and increase their confidence with their skin by providing them with the right tools and professional advice from our beauty therapists. In the same way customers commit to a fitness regime, we want them to commit to a program of treatments and at-home products to achieve optimum healthy skin.

Australians are encouraged to kick start their Spring journey to healthy skin by booking an initial complimentary skin diagnosis, followed by a 45 minute SkinFit facial treatment. Through the program customers will be prescribed a personalised skincare routine and educated on the best homecare skin solutions, allowing them to take the necessary steps towards optimum skin health. Theyll also receive a SkinFit pack with two travel sized products tailored to their individual skin diagnosis.

Ella Baches #IWillBeMe campaign stars Australian actress Madeleine Madden, Arabella Peterson of The Ladies Network and model Zoe Cross. Together these three Australian beauties signify the underlying themes of Ella Baches campaign, championing self-acceptance and a celebration of skin.

Creative: The ARC Factory

Media Agency: Vizeum

Photographer: Titus Pengelly

Models: Zoe Cross, Madeleine Madden, Arabella Peterson

Stylist: Charlotte Stokes
| BY Ricki Green |

Melbourne creative services group, Icon Agency, has today announced it has expanded into the ACT with the opening of Icon Agency Canberra.

Based in Deakin, Icon Agency Canberra is focused on the rapid increase in demand for transformational digital services arising from whole-of- government initiatives, including the Drupal-based govCMS platform.

The new business is a joint venture between Icon Agency founders Joanne Painter and Christopher Dodds (pictured), and respected Canberra-based developers Jason Guo and Joseph Zhao.

Icons managing director of digital, Chris Dodds, said he was excited to bring Icons integrated creative services model to the nations capital: Icon Agency Canberra recognises that digital technology is transforming the very nature of Government. Government is rapidly moving to a digital-first operating model that requires user-centric design and integrated solutions spanning SaaS, web interfaces, tools, platforms, social media and digital content.

With the launch of Icon Agency Canberra we bring a different perspective to traditional agencies in the ACT  one that seamlessly combines expertise in web development with digital content, social media, PR and creative services.

Dodds said the coming together of Icons Melbourne and Canberra talent would be a bonus for clients: Our award winning UX work and excellence in Drupal CMS has expanded with the inclusion of Jason and Joseph on the team. Theyve been core developers on the Department of Finances govCMS project, and were looking forward to rapidly scaling our ACT team to meet expected demand.

Says Dr Jason Guo, director, Icon Agency Canberra: At a territory level, the ACT Government is using digital technology to engage citizens in dialogue over key initiatives, and driving the development of the digital economy through the Digital Canberra Action Plan.

With our wealth of experience and end-to-end capabilities we look forward to being a trusted partner for the ACT and Federal Governments in supporting their digital agendas.

As the lead developers for the govCMS project since 2015, Guo and Zhao are at the forefront of these changes. Most notably they have been the key developers of the govCMS Drupal 8 distribution which will be available as a beta release later in 2017.

Todays launch follows a number of recent wins for the multi award-winning agency including a new campaign for Yarra Trams, the launch of a new custom-built Software as a Service (Saas) platform for St Vincent Health Australia and the launch of the National Firearms Amnesty campaign for the Attorney Generals Department.

Last week Icon also announced it would expand its offering to include a dedicated Digital Content and Social Media division, headed by former Ogilvy PR Melbourne MD Adam Vincenzini.

Dodds said the decision to focus on digital services in Canberra was an opportunity to build on the agencys extensive expertise in CMS development, in particular Drupal.

Says Dodds: The Federal Governments Digital Transformation Office is taking up the challenge to drive the agenda with a range of specific initiatives like govCMS, was well as a digitally savvy workforce.

With our wealth of expertise at the very forefront of digital innovation, including Drupal CMS, Icon is strongly placed for growth in the ACT.
| BY Ricki Green |

LinkedIn, the worlds largest professional network with over 500 million members globally, including over 9 million members in Australia, has announced its 2017 Power Profiles list for Australia.

This list showcases the most viewed professionals on LinkedIn across the following industries: CEOs and founders, government, HR, marketing and fashion. These industry leaders are not only great at what they do, but have also invested time in nurturing their professional identity on LinkedIn.

The list includes Jaimes Leggett, group CEO, M&C Saatchi Australia; Andrew Knott, chief marketing officer at NAB; Nick Reynolds, CMO, Asia Pacific, Lenovo and Stephanie Tully, EM group brand and marketing/CMO at Qantas to name a few.

Says Matt Tindale, country manager, LinkedIn Australia and New Zealand: These Power Profiles have developed their brand on LinkedIn by sharing their diverse experiences and voicing their opinion on topics that matter. They are adding value to the community with their insights, helping our members get better at what they do and achieve their professional goals.

The most viewed professionals in Marketing are (in no particular order):

Jaimes Leggett, Group CEO at M&C Saatchi

Andrew Knott, Chief Marketing Officer at National Australia Bank

Nick Reynolds, CMO, Asia Pacific at Lenovo

Stephanie Tully, EM Group Brand and Marketing/CMO at Qantas

Vittoria Shortt, Group Executive, Marketing and Strategy at Commonwealth Bank

Alex Kirk, Head Of Systems & Automation at MediaCom

Michael Scott, Executive GM, Brand Strategy & Marketing at Myer

Timothy Whitfield, Director, Technical Operations at GroupM

Cavan Brady, Brand & Marketing Strategy, Brand & Marketing Communication at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

The complete list of LinkedIn Power Profiles in Australia is available here.

Below are three tips from Tindale on how people can build their brand on LinkedIn:
China and Chile issued a joint declaration of cooperation in promoting sustainable development of energy and boosting cross-border power grid connectivity on Tuesday.

The move was to address the challenge of merging environmental and economic goals, according to the statement co-released by Chile's Ministry of Energy and China-led Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO).

In the declaration, the two sides agreed to share their know-how and technical capacity to conduct research on nationwide and cross-regional power grid networks.

Liu Zhenya, chairman of both GEIDCO and the China Electricity Council, called on the two parties to strengthen the cooperation to make global energy interconnection a reality in Chile. "The grid interconnection would help meet Chile's domestic power demand," Liu said.

Global energy interconnection is a vision to form a massive global electricity grid powered by renewable sources.

It is a globally interconnected smart grid with ultra-high voltage grids as its backbone. It also serves as an infrastructure platform to develop, transmit and consume clean energy on a massive scale worldwide.

In a speech, Chile's former president Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, also the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary for Asia, underscored the necessities of Sino-Chile collaboration in energy.

He said electricity interconnection could not only promote the use of renewable energy, but also strengthen energy security and ensure energy diversity.
| BY Ricki Green |

News Corp Australia via The Works, has today launched a news subscription campaign for all News Corp metro and regional newspapers nationally, offering Sennheiser noise cancelling, wireless headphones (valued at $329.95 RRP) with selected 12 month digital subscriptions to any metro or regional masthead.

The creative News and headphones. Better together, tongue-in-cheek campaign places the noise cancelling headphones into local, topical news content, providing unexpected, entertaining and engaging visuals.

Says Tony Phillips, chief marketing officer at News Corp Australia: With the volume of video streaming continuously increasing across all News Corp Australia mastheads, a digital subscription combined with noise cancelling headphones, is the perfect match.

The Courier-Mail as just one example, saw an uplift of 131%, from 1.2 million streams to 2.7 million streams in one year*. And with more video and live content available than ever before, people can watch, read and listen to our content anywhere, anytime, in comfort, while blocking out all distractions.

The creative concept came from The Works  News Corp Australias new creative agency, appointed in July 2017, and is the first major campaign produced together.

Says Adam Donnelley, creative partner of The Works: We are really excited about our first campaign for News Corp as it starts to integrate news content into the concept, while delivering a light hearted tone of voice. As the campaign rolls out we are going to have some fun with individual contextual and reactive executions. Above all it puts a fantastic subscription offer front and centre.

The ATL launch commences on August 29 for The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Courier-Mail, The Advertiser, Geelong Advertiser and Gold Coast Bulletin. The Townsville Bulletin, Cairns Post, The Mercury and NT News launch on September 5.

Creative Agency: The Works

Partner / Planning Director  Douglas Nicol

Creative Partner  Adam Donnelley

Creative Leads  Nathan Bilton & Guy Patrick

Creative Project Lead  Kristie Thistlethwaite

Creative Project Manager  Jodie Schwartfeger

Digital Producer  Adam Sylwestrowicz
| BY Lynchy |

To mark the launch of Gatsbys new hair pomades, Arcade collaborated with Singaporean rapper ShiGGa Shay to create an epic rap battle video. The rapper is well known for his iconic pompadour hairstyle, a look that can be achieved using the new Upper Hold pomade.

Entitled Style Wars, the battle stars ShiGGa Shay battling against himself, styled in a completely new way  with slick-back hair and a tailor-made suit. Each look matches the product offering of both variants of the Gatsby pomade  Classical Tight for a sleek look and Upper Hold for street.

Contrasting locations have been aptly chosen  Street ShiGGa and his iconic pompadour hair-style is set in a biker garage-themed barbershop. His opponent,

Sleek ShiGGa with his sleek side-parting and classic charmer style is set in a gentlemens parlour complete with leather sofas and mahogany fittings. The colour hues of the two settings subtly reflect the red and gold packaging of each variant.

At the close of the battle, viewers are asked to pick a side  The Sleek, or The Street.

Arcade founder and CCO Mark Taylor said, Collaboration is a big part of what we do. ShiGGa Shay bought into our concept right from the start, wrote most of the lyrics himself and really got into both the roles he played. The result is a really authentic piece of work. Thanks to our brave clients, our teams passion and the awesome ShiGGa Shay, weve ended up with a really entertaining campaign. We had a lot of fun and it shows in the work!

Sales and Marketing Director Takaya Ueda from Mandom Corp Singapore Pte Ltd added, We wanted a new and unique concept that would resonate with young males in Singapore, whilst bringing them a quality pomade at an affordable price. Working with a talented local rapper was a great experience and the results so far have been really positive. Weve not only seen a significant increase in social media followers, but also an increase in sales.

The video and digital campaign will be supported by a series of on-ground activations such as in-store and on campus pop-up barber shops where participants can get their hair professionally styled according to the side they pick The Sleek or The Street.

Credits 

Arcade Team

Mark Taylor: CCO

Gary Tranter: CCO

Angelina Tan: Account Director

Tracy Ong: Account Executive

Shaun Lee: Creative Services Director

Sunny Chuang: Art Director

Pek Li Jun: Copywriter

Keith Chang: Producer

Michelle OBrien: Senior Planner

Clients

Takaya Ueda: Sales & Marketing Director of Mandom Corp Singapore Pte Ltd

Shane Sng: Senior Marketing Executive (Mens Grooming: GATSBY)

Partners

Hiroshi Harada: Founder/Group CEO of Innovative Phenomenon International Pte Ltd

Production: Reckn Studios

Davian Teo Wee Ping: Director

Glenn Yong Zhu Xiang: Producer

Paul Daniele Viray Prado: DP

Yong Jun Jie Jonathan: Editor

Ysabel Wong Yoke Yan: Producer

Color grading: Kraftw5rkz
Monday, August 28, 2017 at 9:50PM

Fitbit just unveiled its newest smartwatch, the Fitbit Ionic, and brings with it a slew of new features. With that, MasterCard just announced that the new wearable will get contactless payment support, which it says is available at over 6.6 million merchants around the world. You just have to add your eligible cards to the fitness watch. The payment feature will first come to the US with participating issuer banks and will come to other markets soon after.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017 at 10:09AM

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence has once sent an internal memo to his team stating that he was willing to work with global leaders like Amazon, Google, and (likely) Apple [to bring] all the services that matter to every home. And it looks like theyre at least trying to make that happen. A recent FCC filing that references Product model S13, Sonos might bring different voice assistants to its smart speaker. The filing describes the S13 has having integrated voice control functionality and supports multiple voice platforms and music services. If Sonos will be able to integrate the likes of Amazons Alexa, Apples Siri, Googles Assistant, and even Microsofts Cortana, that should give them an advantage over their competitors.

Aside from that, the FCC filing shows off the possible UI look (as you see above). It shows a microphone, pause/play, as well as two unspecified icons to each side of the pause and play button. Theres also a line above the pause/play button. The S13 indicated also comes with far-field microphones, which can be seen in the likes of the Echo devices and Google Home.

Source: Android Authority
"The circumstances of my mother's birth and citizenship were investigated. As a result of these investigations it was determined that I had not obtained Ecuadorian citizenship by descent from my mother. The 2008 Constitution was not in effect when my mother was born in 1943.
"Our pilot site for activity-based working has a waiting list of staff eager to work in the environment and we have many staff across other locations asking for similar work spaces to be installed so we have the type of professional and modern workplaces they see in a large and growing number of other organisations," she said.
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car

I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ...
Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.
Hyundais premium brand, Genesis, continues to work on the G70, which will challenge the likes of the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, and Jaguar XE, among others.



Its currently in its final stages of development, as it should hit the market later this year, but scooped prototypes, like the one shown on video here, continue to keep their camouflage on, revealing very little of its new-age design.

However, the car is believed to be inspired by the larger G80 and G90, and it should ride on a rear-wheel drive platform, which will apparently make it lighter and faster than the new Kia Stinger, according to earlier sources.

All-wheel drive is expected to be found on the options list, and future customers should be able to choose between several engines, including the 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine that powers the Stinger. In the Genesis G70, the lump will reportedly receive a small power bump over its cousin, where it makes 365hp and 376lb-ft (494Nm) of torque, thus slashing the 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint probably to under 5 seconds.

VIDEO
Photo: BC Hydro

A United Nations panel says the construction of British Columbia's $8.8-billion Site C dam should be halted until there is a full review of how it would affect Indigenous land.

The recommendation is contained in a report by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which has completed its periodic review of how Canada complies with the world body's treaty to end racial discrimination.

The recommendation comes three weeks after British Columbia's NDP government requested a review of what had been a signature megaproject for former premier Christy Clark.

The government asked the B.C. Utilities Commission to determine the economic viability of the massive hydroelectric dam on the Peace River and issue a final report by Nov. 1.

Site C has become controversial after the previous provincial Liberal government's clean-energy laws allowed some projects to bypass a review by the regulatory agency.

The UN panel says a full review should be conducted in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples to "identify alternatives to irreversible destruction of Indigenous lands.

The committee heard testimony from a variety of groups on a wide range of topics related to racism and discrimination, but the recommendations on Indigenous issues are especially timely.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Solitary confinement is a cruel and inhumane punishment with "truly horrific" consequences including severe psychological harm and suicide, a lawyer said Monday in arguing the law allowing the practice in Canada must be struck down.

Joe Arvay, representing the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association and the John Howard Society of Canada, delivered closing arguments in B.C. Supreme Court in a legal challenge of the use of indefinite isolation in prisons.

The constitutional lawyer argued that solitary confinement violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including the right to life, liberty and security of the person.

He named several prisoners who have killed themselves, among them 19-year-old Ashley Smith, who hanged herself in 2007. A correctional investigator found reason to believe Smith would still be alive if she had been removed from segregation and given appropriate care.

"It's one thing if the law deprives a person of their liberty. That should be bad enough," said Arvay. "Then you layer on top of that that it deprives a person of their psychological or physiological integrity. That's even worse.

"And then you layer on top of that that it killed you. How much worse does it get?"

He said the so-called administrative segregation provisions of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, which allow inmates to be locked in cells for up to 23 hours a day, are arbitrary, overly broad and have grossly disproportionate effects on prisoners.

Arvay asked Justice Peter Leask to strike down the law and compel Parliament to establish external oversight of solitary confinement placements. Currently, segregated prisoners have a hearing after five days but its purpose is to decide whether they should be allowed out, not whether the placement was justified in the first place.

He said some prisoners who are in solitary confinement in Canada have been there for hundreds and even thousands of days, including one inmate at an unidentified prison who has been segregated for 6,273 days, or more than 17 years.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A B.C. Supreme Court judge says a private clinic that is suing the province over restrictions on private health insurance must continue to pay daily court fees.

The plaintiffs in the case, which include Cambie Surgery Centre in Vancouver, asked in June that they either be exempt from the $800 daily fee or that the province pay it for them because of the "undue hardship" it caused.

Justice John Steeves dismissed the request last week, noting in his written decision that the two corporate plaintiffs involved in the case admitted they could afford to pay.

The trial has covered about 80 days, putting Cambie Surgery Centre and the other plaintiffs on the hook for at least $52,000 in daily court fees.

The application would not have applied to fees already owed, only those accrued in the future, and they account for a fraction of the overall cost of the proceedings.

The lawsuit challenges B.C.'s ban on private insurance for medically necessary services already covered in the public system, arguing the restriction violates patients' constitutional rights by forcing them to endure unacceptably long wait times.

The trial began last September and Dr. Brian Day, owner of the centre, accused the government in May of deliberately delaying the trial in order to deplete the plaintiffs' resources.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Two people were killed and four others were injured when gunfire erupted inside a public library on Monday, throwing an eastern New Mexico community into a panic as officers swarmed the building with their guns drawn.

The gunman surrendered and was taken into custody without incident after police entered the downtown building, authorities and elected officials with the city of Clovis said during a news conference.

Warrants for his arrest were being prepared, but it's wasn't immediately clear what charges he would face.

Clovis Mayor David Lansford said things could have been much worse had it not been for the quick response, training and courage of police. He called the shooting tragic and senseless.

"This is a big blow to our community," he said. "Our community is a community that places a high value on life and the sanctity of life. And each life that lives in this community is precious. So we're all hurting right now as a result of what took place this afternoon."
Photo: The Canadian Press A man looks at a TV news program reporting North Korea's missile launch, in Tokyo.

North Korea fired a ballistic missile from its capital Pyongyang that flew over Japan before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said Tuesday, an aggressive test-flight over the territory of a close U.S. ally that sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile travelled about 2,700 kilometres and reached a maximum height of 550 kilometres as it flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The launch appeared to be the first of a North Korean missile to cross over Japan, though some rockets it said were used to put satellites into space have done so. It also appeared to be the North's longest-ever missile test, but South Korean officials couldn't immediately confirm.

Each new test puts the North a step closer toward its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States. The North has launched at an unusually fast pace this year, and some analysts believe the North could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of President Donald Trump's first term in early 2021.

The South Korean military said it is analyzing the launch with the United States and has strengthened its monitoring and preparation in case of further actions from North Korea. Analysts speculate the North may have tested a new intermediate-range missile that Pyongyang recently threatened to fire toward the U.S. territory of Guam, which hosts a major military base. This missile landed nowhere near Guam, which is about 2,500 kilometres south of Tokyo, but the length of its flight path may have been designed for the North to show it could follow through on its threat.
Photo: CTV

The mother of a five-month-old baby boy who died in an Edmonton house fire says she is touched by the support she is receiving from everyone.

Angie Tang says in a brief statement that she is especially thankful for a GoFundMe page that has been set up for her and her son, Hunter.

She also says she is aware of the arrests that have been made and is beginning to consider decisions around Hunter's final resting place.

Hunter died in a fire last week that police have said was purposely set.

Firefighters rescued Tang and Hunter, but the boy died of smoke inhalation and Tang is in hospital.

Cordell Brown, the baby's father, has said he was sleeping on the main floor and that his wife was asleep on the second floor with their son when the fire broke out.

Two people face several charges, including second-degree murder and arson, and are to appear in court on Friday.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Scotiabank is reporting a $2.1-billion profit in its third quarter and a dividend increase.

The bank says its net income equalled $1.66 per share, up from $1.54 per share in last year's third quarter.

About half of the quarter's profit was from Scotiabank's Canadian banking arm, which reported improved margins.

Scotiabank's revenue up about four per cent, rising to $6.89 billion.

Its dividend will rise by three cents to 79 cents per share.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Crews overwhelmed by thousands of rescue calls during one of the heaviest downpours in U.S. history have had little time to search for other potential victims, but officials acknowledge the grim reality that fatalities linked to Harvey could soar once the devastating floodwaters recede from one of America's most sprawling metropolitan centres.

More than three days after the storm ravaged the Texas coastline as a Category 4 hurricane, authorities had confirmed only three deaths  including a woman killed Monday when heavy rains dislodged a large oak tree onto her trailer home in the small town of Porter. But unconfirmed reports of others missing or presumed dead were growing.

"We know in these kind of events that, sadly, the death toll goes up historically," Houston police Chief Art Acevedo told The Associated Press. "I'm really worried about how many bodies we're going to find."

The disaster is unfolding on an epic scale, with the nation's fourth-largest city mostly paralyzed by the storm that has parked itself over the Gulf Coast. With nearly two more feet of rain expected on top of the 30-plus inches in some places, authorities worried the worst might be yet to come.

Early Tuesday, the relentless downpour continued to drench Houston and the surrounding area. Rain fell at a pace of up to 2 inches per hour.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Southwest Louisiana balanced on a knife's edge early Tuesday as Tropical Storm Harvey threatened to inundate the region with potentially disastrous flooding 12 years after Hurricane Katrina made landfall in the state.

Damage was nothing compared to the toll in Texas, but a heavy band of rainfall Monday night proved too much for some Lake Charles neighbourhoods, pushing water into houses that local residents said they'd never seen flood.

Across the state in New Orleans, a large cluster of heavy rain was moving in from the Gulf of Mexico as dawn broke Tuesday, seeming to take aim at the Crescent City.

Lake Charles Fire Department Division Chief Lennie LaFleur said rescuers evacuated hundreds of people from one neighbourhood, sometimes through chest-deep water. In addition to National Guard trucks and wildlife agents' boats, residents came out in jacked-up trucks and clinging to the cab of a semi-truck cab. They carried belongings in suitcases, trash bags or even soggy cardboard boxes.

"We all got stuck back there," said Andrea Boutte, who rode out on the big rig. "Those boats took forever."

"Storm surge is going to be a factor," said Andy Patrick, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service office in Lake Charles. "The water is going to be there and it's going to be hard to drain out."
Photo: CTV

A woman is recovering from a concussion after a speaker fell on her during an RCMP Musical Ride performance in Victoria.

The six-foot speaker tower toppled as hundreds of people watched the display at Royal Roads University on Sunday. It hit her in the head as she sat in a lawn chair.

I was in total shock. I didnt know what happened, I was in excruciating pain, said the woman, who gave her name only as Kathy.

It took more than half an hour for an ambulance to work its way through the crowd and take her to hospital.

Her husband was also struck.

I am very lucky to be alive, because there was a little boy beside me who could have easily been killed, she told CTV.

The Victoria Military Music Festival Society apologized for the incident.

 with files from CTV Vancouver Island
Photo: VPD

Vancouver police are warning the public about the release of a violent sex offender.

Brendan Dominic Billy was released Monday after serving a 15-year-sentence for break and enter, and committing sexual assaults on two elderly women in Squamish in 2001.

He is considered a high risk for violence and sexual reoffending.

Billy is described as 43, indigenous, five feet seven inches tall and 180 pounds, with short, dark, spiked receding hair and the name Lorna tattooed on the right side of his neck.

Billy's bail conditions include:
Photo: Christine Kehl O'Hagan

A college class ring lost in the surf at a Massachusetts beach nearly half a century ago is back on the finger of its owner.

The Cape Cod Times reports that Patrick O'Hagan lost the Class of 1969 Manhattan College ring while on his honeymoon in Dennis in 1970.

James Wirth was in ankle-deep water at low tide on a Dennis beach last month scanning with his metal detector when he found the corroded ring. Some elbow grease shined it back up.

Tracking down the owner was easy, because O'Hagan's full name was inscribed on the ring, along with an "E'' indicating he had studied engineering. Wirth returned the ring to O'Hagan at his Long Island, New York, home earlier this month.

O'Hagan's wife, Christine Kehl O'Hagan, says they were "thrilled" to get it back.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston and a levee in a suburban subdivision began overflowing Tuesday, adding to the rising floodwaters from Harvey that have crippled the area after five consecutive days of rain that set a new U.S. record for rainfall for a tropical system.

Brazoria County authorities posted a message on Twitter warning that the levee at Columbia Lakes south of Houston had been breached and telling people to "GET OUT NOW!!!" Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta said residents were warned that the levee would be overtopped at some point, and a mandatory evacuation order was given Sunday.

Engineers began releasing water from the Addicks and Barker reservoirs Monday to ease the strain on the dams. But the releases were not enough to relieve the pressure after one of the heaviest downpours in U.S. history, Army Corps of Engineers officials said. Both reservoirs are at record highs.

The release of the water means that more homes and streets will flood, and some homes will be inundated for up to a month, said Jeff Lindner of the Harris County Flood Control District.

The county is trying to determine where the water will go, Lindner said.

A weather station southeast of Houston reported 49.32 inches of rain as of Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. That breaks the previous record of 48 inches set in 1978 in Medina, Texas, by Tropical Storm Amelia.

Already 14 sites in Houston have recorded more than 40 inches of rain and 36 different locations have recorded more than 3 feet.

Although forecasters had feared that another 2 feet could fall in some places, it appeared that the outlook had improved somewhat on Tuesday. The weather service said the amount of rain falling in the Houston area would be 2 to 3 inches, perhaps a little less in Houston proper, as the storm moved east.

But southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana still would see "relentless torrential rains," with another 6 to 12 inches of rain across the upper Texas coast through Friday as Harvey continues to move slowly east over the Gulf of Mexico maintaining tropical storm force winds of 45 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

Meanwhile, more than 17,000 people are seeking refuge in Texas shelters, the American Red Cross said. With rescues continuing, that number seemed certain to grow.
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

A man and woman are facing charges after allegedly being caught with stolen property and cocaine.

A 32-year-old man and 23-year-old female were arrested in the parking lot of the Penticton Walmart after officers conducted a check on their vehicle Thursday at about 11:30 a.m.

The two individuals were found with two firearms  one of which was stolen  a stolen dirt bike and cocaine, according to Sgt. Andrew Baylis. A dirt bike stolen out of Kelowna was also allegedly found with the pair.

The couple, who are not Penticton residents, are facing firearm charges, possession of a controlled substance and possession of stolen property charges.

Busy public parking lots are often popular places for criminal activity, according to Sgt. Baylis.

I think any open business, where people can meet and do business with lots of other people around," he said. "It's not as noticeable."
Photo: Kathy Smith Summerland council held off on making a decision about a potential regional compost site.

An earnest pitch from Mayor Peter Waterman appeared to do little to sway Summerland council, or the public, about the benefits a regional compost facility could bring to Summerland.

At its Aug. 28 regular meeting, Summerland council was scheduled to vote on letting the Regional District of the Okanagan-Similkameen test a site at the Summerland Landfill to see if its suitable for a new organic and bio-solid compost facility.

But with Couns. Erin Carlson and Richard Barkwill absent, the remaining council unanimously decided to hold off on any decision until everyone could weigh in.

That means no decision will be made until at least October.

For more on why Mayor Waterman thinks the facility is a good idea, and what members of the public had to say about it, check out the full story on Castanet's sister business news website, Okanagan Edge.
Photo: pixabay

Its been a record-shattering 62 straight days without measurable rain in Penticton, according to Environment Canada.

The last time the city saw real rain was June 29, said meteorologist Trevor Smith, noting trace amounts fell on Aug. 12 and 13, but nothing more than the required 0.2 mm to be considered measurable.

The old record for consecutive days without rain was 50, and that was set in 1957, he said.

Looking at the three months of June, July and August the city has received 18.5 mm of rain, just 17 per cent of a typical years total of 103 mm.

Smith attributed the drought to a stronger than normal desert high-pressure system, pushing up from the United States.

It's deflecting weather systems that might come down from the north away from us and it's keeping the air mass so dry that it's really hard to get any kind convective of thunderstorm rainfall in the area.

Smith doesnt expect the city will be seeing any significant rainfall in the foreseeable future, with a possibility a few millimetres around Sept. 9 or 10.

The lack of rain means the wildfire smoke, visibility and poor air quality will be an on-and-off thing for the next two weeks or so, Smith concluded.

Despite the lack of rain, the City of Penticton told Castanet News last week the citys water reservoirs are holding up well, stocked by heavy rains this spring.
Photo: CHP

California highway officers say they stopped a young deer on a California toll bridge "for toll evasion."

A photo published Tuesday by the California Highway Patrol shows the doe on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge standing in the middle of an on-ramp with a deer-in-the-headlights look.

The officer joked in a Twitter post that the fawn usually pays the toll, but "today she was a buck short."

CHP Officer Matthew Hamer says two officers were on patrol on the bridge early Tuesday when the deer came out of the woods on Treasure Island and walked in front of their car.

He says after staring at them for a couple of minutes  long enough for the officers to snap a photograph  the deer went back into the woods.
Polson Park feels safer following last week's cleanup at a homeless encampment by the boardwalk.

Parents, grandparents and teenagers who were in Vernon's downtown park on Tuesday expressed relief at the cleanup, with a number saying there were also fewer homeless in the park during the day too.

There are less druggies and stuff, said one teen sitting on a bench with a friend.

One man said he felt a little bit safer but still would not allow his sons in the park without adult supervision.

It's better now though, for sure, he added.

A woman walking her granddaughter said she noticed more children playing in the park Tuesday and said it was the first time she had visited in weeks.

It's too close for comfort when there are unpredictables so close to children who are so vulnerable, she said. The difference I noticed is there are definitely kids there today.

While campers are allowed to put up their tents at 9 p.m. if there are no beds available elsewhere, the city's bylaw officers are enforcing a new rule and ensuring the tents and belongings are taken away by 9 a.m. each day.

Things that were left behind were removed from the park in a massive, three-day cleanup along the boardwalk last week.

About three weeks ago me and a girlfiend walked our babies along the boardwalk at about 11:30, late morning, and there were still a lot of tents there, said another woman in the park. We found a needle.

When asked about the cleanup and the new bylaw, she said: That is a relief because it was pretty dirty when we were there three weeks ago. As I said, there were empty syringes on the ground.

Me and my family would drive through (the park) and you'd see homeless person after homeless person, said a teenage girl. Then down at the wishing well they were always doing drugs and there were needles down there and at the bathroom and now there is nothing.

Meanwhile, City of Vernon spokesperson Tanya Laing Gahr confirmed that bylaw officers saw little overnight shelter activity along the boardwalk trail over the weekend.

Several warning tickets were issued last week and officers will continue with progressive enforcement, said Laing Gahr.

Unfortunately, the problem is moving elsewhere.

Some campers are moving to private property, which the city can't control unless the owners report them as trespassers.
Photo: Kate Bouey File photo of sandbags near Kal Beach.

The District of Coldstream is about to ask residents how they feel flooding issues were handled this past spring as the rising waters of Kalamalka Lake caused issues for some households, including those around the Kalavista Lagoon.

Coldstream officials activated the Emergency Operation Centre to Level 1 monitoring in late May and residents were asked to take measures to protect their private property.

Mayor Jim Garlick said the district is now asking for the public for feedback.

We'd like to know if there are things we can improve on, said Garlick.

Only written submissions will be accepted, either online through the district's website or by dropping off a written version at the district hall.

We were caught a little off guard to begin with, the extent and how long it lasted, Garlick admitted. We need to consider how to better educate people as well.

The mayor said Coldstream may do more things in house in future to ensure residents get the correct information, rather than rely on the North Okanagan Regional District.

He said people needed to know how to apply for flood assistance and perhaps even how to fill sandbags.

We are hoping to find things we might have missed and things we know we can't do and have to look to the province for them.

Coldstream closed all of its boat launches and had sand and sandbags at various locations for residents needing to protect their property.

Rotary Pier at Kal Beach was also closed after suffering damage from the flooding.
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Iraqi Forces Retake Tal Afar District By District

Tal Afar, Iraq (AFP) -- Seizing the city of Tal Afar district by district, Iraqi fighters take down the Islamic State group's black flags and hang them upside-down as they took "victory selfies". But of all the areas they reclaimed, it was the historic heart of Tal Afar and its Ottoman-era citadel that was the high point. Once an integral part of the Assyrian empire, Tal Afar's history goes back thousands of years and the city is dominated by the citadel, which was damaged in 2014 when IS blew up some of its walls. The citadel "is a pillar of civilisation, it's a major historical monument for all the Iraqi and Arab people," says Abdel Hamid al-Attar, a 49-year-old fighter with the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary units that fought alongside government forces. Atop a hill overlooking Tal Afar, the citadel weathered the many storms of violence that have shaken Iraq, including the 2003 US invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. After the invasion, it served as the headquarters of the municipal council and the local police. Two years later American forces set up a base in Tel Afar and launched Operation Restoring Rights to break the hold of Al-Qaeda and other insurgents in the city. The operation was seen as a major success for the US military and was led by HR McMaster, then a colonel and now US President Donald Trump's national security advisor. Through it all the citadel stood intact, until IS blew up its northern and western walls in 2014, sparking condemnation from UN cultural agency UNESCO. During their three-year occupation of Tal Afar, the extremist Sunni Muslim jihadists turned the citadel into a prison where they chained men and women whose behaviour they considered "sinful". "When we retook the citadel we found chains and other things IS used to restrain their prisoners," said Attar. "I was shocked and sad when I saw the damage caused by IS," he said. Not far from the citadel stands Tal Afar's grand mosque, its minaret damaged during the fighting. Half-way up, Hashed fighters have hoisted the green banner of one of their units, the Abbas Brigade. Fighters have taken up positions near the top to scout the area, and from up there they have a clear view of the extent of the damage inflicted on Tal Afar. The offensive was preceded by intensive air strikes on IS targets and huge craters can be seen around the city, where electricity poles have been uprooted, homes and shops destroyed. Some homes appear undamaged but none of the militiamen dare go inside fearing they could be booby-trapped. Except for the fighters there is not a soul around; most of the city's 200,000-strong residents were long gone before the offensive was launched last week. IS graffiti is everywhere, however, with "Property of the Islamic State" or "God is greatest" scrawled on walls and building facades. In the district surrounding the citadel, IS black flags that once flew from every corner have been brought down by the Iraqi forces and turned upside down. A group of Hashed fighters grab a tattered IS flag as one of their comrades, who calls himself Abu Abbas, takes out his cell phone to snap a "victory selfie". Turning to an AFP correspondent, Abu Abbas ridicules IS for its boasting that "the Islamic State will stay on and persist". "Where are they? I don't see any one of them here," said Abbas, who hails from the Shiite shrine city of Karbala in southern Iraq. As temperatures soar, some fighters find a spring of cool water to wipe away the dust caking their faces and hair, while others simply dive in for a swim. Suddenly one of the Hashed militiamen shouts out: "Hey guys, do you think the water is booby-trapped?"
One of the important roles Tennessee Aquarium volunteer SCUBA diver Bill Godsey plays is chef. He helps prepare diet for some of the fish. photo by Tennessee Aquarium Keith Sanford, TN Aquarium president and CEO, Volunteer SCUBA Diver Bill Godsey, and Chris Bowman, the Aquariums Manager of Volunteer Services photo by Tennessee Aquarium Only two volunteers have given 10,000 hours of volunteer service in the Tennessee Aquariums 25-year history. Bill Godsey and Fran Hiestand. photo by Tennessee Aquarium Previous Next

When Bill Godsey fell in love with SCUBA diving in 1956, the sport was still very much in its infancy. And as best friends tend to do, theyve grown older together.

Mr. Godsey became hooked on diving after dipping beneath the surface of a quarry in Hixson, Tenn., using equipment brought back by a friend who had served in the Navy. That experience sparked a passion for the sport that has defined Godseys life and helped him experience aquatic wonders at sites from Hawaii to the Red Sea.



People ask me which is my favorite place to dive, and I say it depends on what youre looking for, said Mr. Godsey, now 82. Whenever you dive, theres always something different. Its different everywhere you go.



Despite his globetrotting experiences, Mr. Godsey has spent the bulk of his time underwater as a volunteer at the Tennessee Aquarium. In 1992, he was among the first group of five divers to volunteer at the Aquarium, where he has used his skills to train others and to educate the public about the aquatic world.



Today, Mr. Godsey received a commemorative pin and congratulations from Aquarium President and CEO Keith Sanford for exceeding 10,000 hours as a volunteer.



In all, the Aquarium has an active pool of more than 495 volunteers, including 184 volunteer divers. Volunteers roles range from interacting with the public during dive programs or as docents to preparing food for the animals. In 2016, the Aquariums volunteers devoted almost 64,000 hours of their time, the equivalent to more than 30 full-time positions.



Its amazing what our volunteers do, Mr. Sanford said. These folks contribute the equivalent of more than $1.5 million a year in volunteer labor for us and a whole lot of their heart in coming here every day. For Bill to achieve 10,000 hours, especially diving, is amazing. Im just thankful and full of praise that someone can do that.



This amount of service  equivalent to five years as a salaried employee  has been matched by only one other person in the Aquariums 25-year history. In 2015, volunteer Fran Hiestand was the first to pass this milestone.



The next closest volunteer has about 5,600 hours of service, said Manager of Volunteer Services Chris Bowman. Its hard to imagine anyone else reaching 10,000 hours again.



The efforts of the Aquariums volunteer force have a tremendous impact on both the aquariums budget and the visitors experience. Clearly, it also has a positive impact on the volunteers as well, he adds. Anyone who is approaching that 10,000-hour milestone is truly dedicated to the Aquarium. Obviously, Bill loves what he does. And whats not to love? He gets to dive in a great environment.



Mr. Godsey was among the first group of five divers to volunteer at the Aquarium when it opened on May 1, 1992. In his years of service, he has instructed aquatic safety courses, helped maintain dive equipment, overseen dive tests for other volunteers and served on the Aquariums dive safety control board.



Having someone with Mr. Godseys level of experience as a volunteer is a huge benefit, says Aquarium Dive Safety Officer Mark Craven.



Bill brings an incredible amount of knowledge about all aspects of diving, Mr. Craven said. When hes serving as topside dive support, I dont have to worry about whats going on with the in-water team. Their safety is in good hands.



But Mr. Godsey said that, for his part, having one more pin to add to his badge isnt a measure of the value of his years of service. Thats a sentiment thats best presented in even simpler terms.



Ive loved SCUBA diving and helping people, he said. Ive enjoyed all my time there and hope to continue.


A sign outside Sherman Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram in Skokie on Aug. 29, 2017, says the dealerships service department is open. It is one of more than a half dozen dealerships that have struck their own deals with Automobile Mechanics Local 701, breaking ranks with the New Car Dealership Committee. The committee says such pacts are void. ( Kristan Lieb/for the Chicago Tribune )

After enduring a nearly monthlong mechanics strike, some new-car dealerships in the Chicago area have broken ranks with their bargaining group and reached separate agreements with their unionized workers.

"The strike is not over; it's just over for us," said Bill Koller, service adviser at Sherman Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram in Skokie. "We are happy."

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The 16 mechanics who were on strike at Sherman Dodge went back to work Tuesday morning after the dealership struck its own deal with the Automobile Mechanics' Local 701, Koller said.

Sherman Dodge joined the more than half-dozen Chicago-area dealerships that decided to take matters into their own hands as the strike entered its fifth week. The New Car Dealership Committee, which bargains on behalf of the dealerships, condemned the move, saying any deals struck away from the bargaining table are worthless. But for some dealerships, enough was enough.

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"It was getting to be just too much," Koller said. "We (have) got customers trying to get cars fixed. ... And in the meantime, we were making no money."

Mechanics at almost 140 new-car dealerships throughout the Chicago area went on strike Aug. 1, demanding a contract that resolves sticking points such as uncompensated work time. Though the parties have met multiple times at the bargaining table, negotiations appear to be stalled.

Meanwhile, business at the affected dealerships has suffered. Though some have continued offering basic services like oil changes or tire rotations, many had to shut down repairs completely. Some laid off nonunion employees for lack of work.

The Autobarn Mazda of Evanston typically services 40 to 50 cars daily, Service Director Aidan McCarthy said, but some days during the strike saw repairs on only seven or eight vehicles, and those repairs were very basic.

The union mechanics at Autobarn Mazda and six other dealerships under the same ownership voted on separate contracts Monday, said McCarthy, who is also service director at Autobarn Fiat of Evanston. Those deals cover about 45 mechanics.

As soon as the technicians approved the deal, some came right back to work. And they were needed, McCarthy said.

"(We were) not allowed to do any warranty work, any new-car preps, any certified inspections, any recalls  stuff like that," he said. "I just had a bunch of stuff waiting to get done. We were just barely hanging on."

There are about 420 new-car dealerships in the Chicago area. Of those, about 180 are unionized. In Illinois, there are no partially unionized dealerships. The mechanics at each dealership decide if they will be in the union. The dealerships affected by this strike are those that bargain with the New Car Dealer Committee.

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Dave Radelet, an outside lawyer acting as the spokesman for the dealers, discusses the impact the Chicago-area mechanics strike has had on customers, striking employees and workers that arent in the union. (Ally Marotti / Chicago Tribune/Videolicious - Chicago Tribune)

Committee spokesman Dave Sloan said dealerships involved with the committee cannot go rogue.

"All of these contracts that these dealers are signing are worthless," he said.

The National Labor Relations Board does not allow employers to leave multiemployer bargaining units during negotiations unless both sides agree or there are unusual circumstances, according to a decision the board made in June in an unrelated case.

The New Car Dealer Committee is ready to file a complaint with the NLRB "if we get an inadequate response from the union," Sloan said.

"We're ready to go to the bargaining table with the union," he said, "but first they need to stop this illegal activity."

A union representative did not respond Tuesday to requests for comment.

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With their mechanics on strike, many dealers fear losing customers, who would be hard to win back. Additionally, customers are confused, with many unaware whether their dealers are unionized. Dealers unaffected by the strike have had to combat that uncertainty, sending out email blasts and updating their websites to let customers know they're still functioning.

With the mechanics back to work at Autobarn Mazda, McCarthy said they thought it would be "a slow upswing of business," but by Tuesday afternoon, the dealership had serviced about 40 vehicles.

"Spirits are high. People are happy," he said, noting that no one expected the strike to last so long. "We gave it as much time as we did. We listened to the NCDC ... and (then) it was like, 'When is this going to end? We can't do this forever.'"

The last mechanics strike involving Local 701 occurred in 1994 and lasted more than six weeks.

amarotti@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @AllyMarotti
A package of Kraft Parmesan cheese is seen in 2014. A federal judge has granted a motion to dismiss class-action lawsuits against Kraft Heinz and other defendants over the labeling of Parmesan cheese products that contain an anti-clumping agent called cellulose. ( J. David Ake/AP )

Remember all those lawsuits last year about the labeling of Parmesan cheese products containing filler material made from wood chips?

They were dealt a heavy blow late last week when a federal judge in Chicago granted a motion to dismiss a consolidated block of class-action lawsuits against Kraft Heinz and Jewel-Osco parent company Albertsons, among other defendants. But the legal battle may not be finished: Plaintiffs in the lawsuit have until Sept. 14 to file an amended complaint.

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"We believe honesty in food labeling is important. ... We're going to proceed," said Chris Langone, an attorney representing an Illinois woman named Yvonne Averhart, one of dozens of plaintiffs in the consolidated multidistrict litigation.

Langone said Tuesday he intends to file an amended complaint on behalf of his client.

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It's unclear at this point whether Ben Barnow, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, intends to file a consolidated amended complaint. Barnow couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Last year, more than 50 lawsuits  also filed against Target, Walmart and Supervalu, among other defendants  alleged that the companies violated state consumer protection laws by marketing or selling products as 100 percent Parmesan cheese despite the items containing an anti-clumping agent called cellulose.

In his ruling last week, U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman said the plaintiff's claims were "doomed by the readily accessible ingredient panels on the products that disclose the presence of non-cheese ingredients."

Feinerman continued: "Although '100% Grated Parmesan Cheese' might be interpreted as saying that the product is 100% cheese and nothing else, it also might be an assertion that 100% of the cheese is parmesan cheese, or that the parmesan cheese is 100% grated."

Reasonable consumers seeking to understand the "ambiguous" claim could find more information on the ingredient list, he said.

"Doing so would inform them that the product contained non-cheese ingredients," the judge wrote.

The cellulose concerns last year stemmed from a Bloomberg News story that conducted a test of various cheese products with an independent laboratory. Kraft Heinz cheese, labeled "100% Grated Parmesan Cheese," was found to be 3.8 percent cellulose.

"American families have enjoyed Kraft 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese for decades, and the judge's opinion rejecting all of plaintiffs' claims reinforces the trust consumers have in our products," Kraft Heinz spokesman Michael Mullen said in an emailed statement Tuesday.

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gtrotter@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @GregTrotterTrib
Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox is warning thousands of people that their information may have been exposed by a data breach. (Daily Southtown file photo)

As many as 8,862 individuals may have had their personal information compromised because of a data breach at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox.

Silver Cross discovered in June that some patient information may have leaked onto the internet after a vendor that manages parts of its website upgraded its software, according to a letter sent earlier this month to those potentially affected. The upgrade may have reconfigured some security settings, resulting in the breach.

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Data at risk includes information patients typed into various forms on the hospital's website, such as the "contact" page and forms for maternity pre-registration, said Tracy Simons, a spokeswoman for Silver Cross. The forms may have included people's names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, health insurance numbers and information about health conditions, if people typed that into the forms.

Those who filled out forms on the website between January 2013 and June 14, 2017, may be affected.

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Silver Cross, however, "has discovered no evidence" that anyone has inappropriately accessed the information, according to the letter.

Simons said Tuesdaythat she could not immediately name the vendor involved in the breach, and she said she didn't know of any other hospitals affected.

The hospital is offering a year of free credit monitoring to those who may have been affected. It already has contacted the vendor to stop any potentially inappropriate access to the information.

The hospital also hired a computer forensics firm to investigate the incident. Silver Cross is working with the vendor to improve security and is reviewing policies and performing additional training.

Silver Cross self-reported the incident to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights, which investigates such matters, Simons said.

Attempts to reach the Office for Civil Rights were not immediately successful Tuesday.

lschencker@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @lschencker
Doug Sohn, owner of Hot Dougs Inc., is best known for his Avondale restaurant that closed in 2014 . Sohn still serves his signature sausages during Cubs home games in the Wrigley bleachers  but where does he go on nongame days to get a good sausage?

I asked Sohn to take me on a tour of his top three picks for sausages right now in Chicago  and filmed the whole thing (see above).

Our first stop was Publican Quality Meats in the West Loop, known for its fine meats and house-baked breads. Sohn ordered the hot sausage platter ($18)  that day, it came with kielbasa. The selection changes constantly; go now, and you may get boudin noir, plus fried potatoes, feta, harissa and cilantro. PQM sous-chef and head butcher Tom Carlin makes the sausages in-house, and you can also buy them to go ($9 per pound).

Next stop was a surprise: Kaiser Tiger, near where the West Loop borders the Near West Side. The expansive bar and restaurant offers a lesser-known sausage menu  a rarity, Sohn noted. All come on beautifully griddled pretzel buns. Sohn ordered two: the Beer and Bacon, a pork sausage cooked in Lagunitas IPA, wrapped in bacon and topped with pickled red onions and house-made beer mustard; and the Jailbreak Piggy, a wild boar sausage topped with cream cheese and fried onion strings.

All of Kaiser Tiger's sausages are made just for the restaurant by Makowskis Real Sausage in Bridgeport, founded in 1920 as Victory Sausage and now owned by a fourth-generation family member, Nicole Makowski.

Makowski's also makes the exceptional hot dogs for the third and last stop on my trip with Sohn, The Butcher and Larder, the butcher shop inside Local Foods market that's owned by chef and head butcher Rob Levitt. Sohn and I had the classic Chicago dog, served at Stock Cafe, the restaurant inside Local Foods. They top a Butcher & Larder hot dog with Midwest-sourced mustard, relish, onions, tomato, pickle, celery salt and sport peppers, all tucked in a local S. Rosen's poppy-seed bun.

Just before Sohn dug into his final sausage of the day, I ask him if he missed running Hot Doug's in Avondale. "I miss the food, and I miss a really good Chicago-style hot dog," he said. Would he ever reopen? Watch the video above for his last word on that.

The Butcher and Larder, 1427 W. Willow St., 312-432-6575, www.localfoods.com/butcher; Kaiser Tiger, 1415 W. Randolph St., 312-243-3100, www.kaisertiger.com; Publican Quality Meats, 825 W. Fulton Market, 312-445-8977, www.publicanqualitymeats.com

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lchu@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @louisachu






It's not on the Uptown restaurant's menu. It doesn't have to be. People catch sight of the meal as it's being served to other diners, and instantly everything on the menu seems inconsequential. They want the duck.

It's actually a good idea to order the duck when making reservations; indeed, the Cheng family is very close to making preorders a requirement. Maybe on a Wednesday you could stroll in and expect to find the duck dinner available, but on the weekends you'd really be rolling the dice.

This is what happens. A cart rolls up to your table, perhaps pushed by Kelly or Laura Cheng (co-owners along with their brother, Mike, and their parents), perhaps by Geovani Valdez, who makes up for any heritage shortcomings with consummate carving skill. Atop the cart is the duck, its lacquered skin so glistening you can sense its crispy perfection from 3 feet away.

With amazing speed and precision, the server deftly slices the breast into even pieces, separates the drumsticks and even slices the skin into bite-size strips. The meat, which by now fills a platter, hits the table along with some gwa bao (steamed buns), tangy plum sauce, shredded carrots and pickled daikon radish.

After this culinary striptease, it takes some restraint not to descend on the platter like a ravenous beast. Pause, if you can. Savor the meltingly tender meat, heady with five-spice seasoning, against the brittle crisp of the duck skin. Fill a puffy bao with meat, plum sauce, a little daikon for crunch and acidic contrast. Bite. Sigh. Repeat.

Realize, with a smile, that no one at your table has spoken for 5 minutes.

This platter alone would be worth the dinner's ridiculously low price ($32), but there is more. The server returns with an amberish duck soup, made from the carved carcass, and a huge bowl of fried rice, flecked with leftover fragments of duck meat.

That dinner, with a couple of appetizers and a vegetable (beautiful baby bok choy), easily fed my party of four, with plenty of leftovers.

Other dishes to consider include Mike's Chicken, a roasted and fried beauty with crisp, amber-colored skin (abetted by a sugar-syrup glaze) and tantalizingly moist, delicately seasoned meat (five-spice figures in here, too, though not as prominently as it does for the duck). This is another off-the-menu dish, and needs to be ordered when making reservations.

And scan the glass wall, which separates the barbecue area from the host stand; here's where Kelly or Laura post the day's specials, which one night included braised pork belly with asparagus, an inspired combination. The sweetness of the young asparagus -- for a moment, I thought spring had arrived -- made a fine counterpoint to the unctuous, rich pork meat.

Avoid, however, the duck egg foo young, a dish that originated as a customer request and has inexplicably developed a following. Adding bits of duck meat to the soggy mess that is egg foo young is not much of an upgrade. Your duck hunger will be better sated by the barbecued duck or the duck-scallop soup, both of which grace the menu.

I would also make room at the table for the batter-fried scallops, a bountiful portion of very tender scallops in golden-brown, buttery blankets.

Dessert, which arrives unbidden, consists of standard-issue fortune cookies and a scoops of very pleasant sorbets.

Sun Wah has a liquor license and a growing selection of bottled beers and wines. But the restaurant also permits BYO, charging a modest $3 corkage for wine and $1 per beer.

There are trade-offs to all this affordable goodness. In moving from Argyle Street to its present location, Sun Wah doubled in size, and the kitchen has yet to coordinate the additional workload efficiently, so delays are common on busy nights. The bare-bones dining room is way too bright, and would be more pleasant if the wattage were dimmed by half. Wood-bottom chairs are hard and unforgiving.

And if your server happens not to be named Cheng, communication might be an issue. One night a waitress approached and asked if I was ready to order.

"Actually, I'm getting the Mike's Chicken," I explained. "I ordered ahead."

She looked at me, puzzled. "You want a chicken head?"

We straightened everything out, but you get the idea.

This Saturday, Sun Wah will close at 6 p.m. so that workers may celebrate the Chinese New Year with their families. For many, it will be the Year of the Tiger. As far as I'm concerned, at this address it's the Year of the Duck.

pvettel@tribpub.com

Twitter @philvettel

Sun Wah BBQ

5039 N. Broadway

773-769-1254

www.sunwahbbq.com

Tribune rating:  

Open: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Fridays-Wednesdays; closed Thursdays

Price: Entrees $10-$16

Credit cards: M, V ($14 minimum)

Reservations: Recommended on weekends

Noise: Conversation friendly

Other: Wheelchair accessible

Ratings key:     outstanding;    excellent;   very good;  good; no stars: unsatisfactory. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by the Tribune.
Chefs Edna Lewis, Felipe Rojas-Lombardi, Joyce Chen, James Beard and Julia Child will be featured on the United States Postal Services new Forever stamps. (USPS)

Julia Child dispatched millions of hungry Americans into the kitchen with a cheery "bon appetit!" The U.S. Postal Service is surely banking on those same fans trooping down to their local post offices to buy the new Julia Child postage stamps.

Child, who died in 2004 age 91, is one of five celebrity chefs being honored with a limited edition Forever first class stamp (each priced at 49 cents), to be released in a Chicago ceremony on Friday.

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The woman who convinced Americans they could and should cook classic French food, is known for her classic cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," endless reruns of her television cooking shows and a movie ("Julie & Julia") starring Meryl Streep.

The other culinary legends are: James Beard, considered the father of modern American cooking; Joyce Chen, who gave Americans a taste of authentic Chinese food through her famed restaurant and television cooking show; Edna Lewis, a champion of Southern cooking who broke cultural stereotypes and extolled local, seasonal foods; and Felipe Rojas-Lombardi, a restaurateur and author whose work promoted Spanish and Caribbean cuisines.

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All five "revolutionized our understanding of food,'' a postal service press release said, and were chosen for championing regional and international cuisines. The stamps are digital illustrations by artist Jason Seiler meant to look like oil paintings.

Friday's release ceremony, slated for 11 a.m. at the Park Grill, 11 N. Michigan Ave., will feature chef Stephanie Izard, winner of "Top Chef" season 4 and owner of Girl & the Goat restaurant in Chicago. Louisa Chu and Monica Eng, hosts of WBEZ radio's weekly podcast, "Chewing the Fat," will serve as emcees. The stamps will be sold from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the restaurant.

Why Chicago? Child and Chen, after all were based in Cambridge, Mass., and Beard, Lewis and Rojas-Lombardi lived and worked for years in New York City.

"Because Chicago is a great town,'' wrote Mark V. Reynolds, a postal service spokesman, in an email. Also, this weekend marks the return to Millennium Park of Chicago Gourmet with its food and wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and other progams, Reynolds added. The postal service will have a booth at the event to sell Celebrity Chefs stamps stamps.

For more information on the stamps, visit store.usps.com.

wdaley@tribune.com

Twitter @billdaley
Ever since you were a little kid, you loved foods with holes.



You stuck black olives on your tiny fingers. And when your fingers got bigger, you moved on to doughnuts.



Oh, the hole foods you loved: bagels and Bundt cakes, cherry-flavored Life Savers and canned pineapple rings, popovers and profiteroles.



Our fascination with food with holes goes beyond the whimsical. Would English muffins be anything more than a bland, flat roll if it weren't for all those holes waiting for sweet butter and jam? Would a focaccia bread be as crisp? A French bread as intriguing? Probably not.



"I always say that good bread should have a consistently inconsistent texture. You can see the nooks and crannies," says Daniel Leader, cookbook author and founder of Bread Alone bakery in upstate New York.



"The holes are often  not always, but often  an indication of nice slow fermentation."



Ahhh, fermentation. Beer, bread and more would not be as interesting were it not for a chemical reaction that produces the gas (carbon dioxide) that prompts all those holes, bubbles and foams.



"Much of what we ingest is in foamy form, where the nutritious part is combined with gas, which lends no sustenance but enhances the texture, appearance and pure enjoyment of what we eat and drink," writes Emory University physics professor Sidney Perkowitz, the author of "Universal Foam."



Most cultures include such food and drinks in their cuisine, notes Perkowitz, from England's Yorkshire pudding to Switzerland's Emmenthal and Gruyere cheeses and France's mousses, meringues and souffles.



Fermentation and its gas bubbles, crucial to the texture of many baked goods, can be prompted by yeast, baking powder or another leavening agent.



"Gas bubbles are what make leavened doughs and batters light and tender," notes Harold McGee in "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen."



"The more bubbles produced during the preparation of a dough or batter, the finer and tenderer the result."



Leader is a firm believer in the offbeat holes, nooks and crannies in breads. In fact, his latest book, written with Lauren Chattman, is "Simply Great Breads: Sweet and Savory Yeasted Treats" (The Taunton Press; $22). The book's images celebrate holes from Navajo fry bread to Middle Eastern mana'eesh.



Leader prefers slow fermentation, favoring instant active dry yeast over rapid-rise yeast. "When the fermentation is slow, you get this irregular cell structure."



Afraid of yeast?



"Whenever I teach a baking class, especially a beginning baking class, I say to people, let go of all your yeast phobia," he says. "And second, trust your scale."



Focaccia from Genoa



Prep: 50 minutes

Rise: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

Makes: 1 focaccia, 12 servings



Note: Adapted from "Focaccia" by Carol Field.



Sponge:

1 package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast

2/3 cup warm water

1 cup unbleached flour



Dough:

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons flour

2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for sprinkling



1. For the sponge, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl; stir. Set aside until creamy, 10 minutes. Stir in the flour; beat until smooth. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; let rise until puffy and bubbling, about 30 minutes.



2. For the dough, add the water, wine and 1/3 cup of the olive oil to the sponge; beat together with a mixer using the paddle attachment. Add the flour and 2 teaspoons of the salt; mix until the dough comes together. Change to the dough hook; knead at medium speed, stopping once or twice to press the dough into a ball to aid kneading, 3 minutes. Remove dough from the bowl; knead by hand, using 1 to 2 tablespoons flour as needed, 6 to 8 turns at most.



3. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Set aside until doubled, about 1 hour. The dough should be soft, full of air bubbles and should stretch easily. Press it into a well-oiled 17-by-12-inch jelly roll pan; dimple it well with your fingertips. If the dough springs back before it is completely stretched, set it aside to relax a few minutes, then stretch again. Cover with a towel; let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.



4. Heat the oven to 425 degrees with a baking stone inside on the lowest shelf. Dimple the top again; drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil so it pools in the indentations; sprinkle with coarse salt.



5. Place the pan directly on the stone; reduce temperature to 400 degrees. Place a shallow metal container of water on the floor of the oven to make steam. Bake until the focaccia is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool briefly on a rack.



Nutrition information

Per serving: 231 calories, 35% of calories from fat, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 32 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 420 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.



jhevrdejs@tribune.com
Ribs, brisket and pulled pork are just a few of the selections at BBQ Supply Co. (formerly known as Rub's Backcountry Smokehouse), which is opening in Hyde Park. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Jared Leonard's BBQ Supply Co. resides in West Ridge, about as far north in Chicago as you can get before crossing into Evanston. For the restaurant's second location, Leonard plans to go in the opposite direction, opening in the South Side neighborhood of Hyde Park. If all goes well, this outlet will open Nov. 1.

It will take the place of Yusho Hyde Park, Matthias Merges' acclaimed spot that surprisingly closed in July, after occupying the spot for three years.

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Though Leonard has run a barbecue restaurant for more than seven years, it was known as Rub's Backcountry Smokehouse until he rebranded earlier this year. Along with the usual assortment of pork ribs and pulled pork, the restaurant serves Texas-style smoked brisket and sausages.

This is just one of many projects from Leonard and his restaurant group, Stone Soup Collective. Along with running three locations of The Budlong Hot Chicken and a Montreal-style smoked meat spot in Denver, Leonard recently announced Beacon St. Market, an ambitious food hall set to open next year in Uptown.

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And don't think he plans to slow down anytime soon. Stone Soup Collective hinted that it plans to bring more of its restaurants to the South Side in the future.

BBQ Supply Co., 1301 E. 53rd St., www.bbqsupply.com

nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @nickdk






A poster on a window of a business front in the Pilsen neighborhood listes advice on what do if immigration confront you. (LETICIA ESPINOSA/HOY)

A Chicago-based legal aid organization and a technology startup company have partnered in a first-of-its-kind initiative to refer immigrants to pro bono and low-cost services if they qualify.

Illinois Legal Aid Online, which connects people to legal resources when they can't afford a lawyer, has teamed up with Road to Status, a software company founded in June 2016 to help those in need gain access to immigration help regardless of their income. Road to Status provides online immigration document preparation tools and partner attorney services to individuals, businesses, attorneys and non-profits.

People who need help with immigration services may use a free online eligibility checker on the website IllinoisLegalAid.org to find out whether theyre eligible for U.S. immigration benefits.

The immigration tech sites team of legal experts used algorithms and artificial intelligence to set up the system to identify whether users have a straightforward path to the most common benefits  United States citizenship, green cards, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) renewals, and travel parole, said John Paul Demirdjian, chief operating officer of Road to Status.

The website lets applicants go through the eligibility questions in English or Spanish from any device. Certified human linguists and translators worked alongside Road to Status legal and technology teams to ensure the translations of the software are contextually and legally accurate.

We give them a result that says, based on how youve answered these questions, heres the next step, he said. We carefully screen for underlying issues related to the applicants background and criminal history and warn them that attorney involvement may be recommended to proceed. And we have hard stops in the process, if someone has committed a felony or has an outstanding issue that needs to be addressed, the system directs that person to an attorney consultation option."

The key goal is to provide access to people who fall within an enormous legal-services gapan estimated 75 to 80 percent of people who need legal services but fail to qualify for free help, yet who cannot afford private attorneysworth an estimated $437 million annually, according to Thomson Reuters.

Many cant afford $3,000 or $5,000 for the private attorney route, yet they make too much to qualify for legal aid, Demirdjian said. The largest underserved group makes just under the national poverty guidelines, disqualifying them from many free or low-cost resources. To solve this, a blend of technology plus people is necessary to deliver quality help at a scale that can make a difference.

Our company mission is to make immigration support services affordable and more accessible, he said. Nearly one in six people who live in America is an immigrant.

Anyone who accesses the program online at IllinoisLegalAid.org gets 30 percent off software services they use. Low-cost attorney review services for applications completed via the service start at $99, and are conducted by a licensed immigration attorney.

The service is unveiled as protesters last weekend marched in Texas' first major protest against a border wall, according to the Associated Press. The marchers said they may have no influence over President Trump's plan, but they hope to influence Congress members who've yet to approve a wall's financing.

Sandra Guy is an award-winning journalist, editor and freelance writer and blogger based in Chicago.
For almost 15 years, Francisca Lino,50, a Mexican national and mother of six  five American born  has been fighting to remain in the United States legally. Having exhausted her options, in late August, she decided to play her last card by taking sanctuary in a Chicago church, to avoid her scheduled self-deportation on August 25.

Sitting on an old wooden chair next to an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the living room of a small apartment above Adalberto United Methodist Church, at 2716 W. Division St., Lino wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked at her 15-year-old twin daughters and her husband Diego Lino, all U.S. citizens. The three had traveled from their home in Bolingbrook, Ill., to visit Lino.

I want you all to understand that Im truly doing this for all of you. To be able to stay by your side and keep our family together, the mother said. Her husband and children initially did not agree with Linos decision to take sanctuary because the process of fighting deportation has already been too long and exhausting, she said.

However, Lino decided to defy immigration authorities and disobey her family because she refuses to leave this country like a criminal, she said. And because she wants to show that the suffering that her family is going through, is the face of the unjust deportations under President Trump.

Sanctuary means that Lino cannot leave the premises of the church for any reason. She has 90 days before she is considered a fugitive by law. During those three months, her lawyer Chris Bergin will do anything legally possible to avoid her deportation and allow her to lawfully remain in this country, he said.

I know this wont be easy, Lino said. But my family is worth fighting for and I wont give up until I exhaust all my options because I deserve to be here, I am not a criminal.

Lino says shes doing this not just for her family. She wants the Trump administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities to see the suffering that other families have experienced, or are currently experiencing, due to separation because of deportations.

The first night she could hardly sleep. Right before the clock struck 5 a.m., Lino was already wide awake. She did a small prayer and waited until it was time to call her daughters to make sure they were up and ready to go to school.

While in sanctuary, my children will be alone while my husband is at work and thats my biggest concern, she said. The three younger ones have been undergoing psychological treatment.

While her husband works night shifts, her younger children will be alone in their home in Bolingbrook. Diego plans to make the one-hour drive to the city every evening so that his daughters can spend time with their mother.

Ive explained to them that this is better than being in jail or being thousands of miles away from them, because at least this way they can come see me and hug me, the mother said.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 12 (Laura Rodriguez )

The humble three-bedroom apartment above the church in Humboldt Park is the same place where activist Elvira Arellano took refuge with her then-7-year-old son, Saul Arellano in 2006. It is adorned with a number of flower vases, some candles and various images of the Virgin Mary and other saints. Arellano says it hasnt changed much.

The only difference is that now, there are several posters of the Arellano and her son throughout the church. One of them says We are all Elvira and Saul.

When I took refuge in our church, it was the first time our church was declared a sanctuary and we werent sure if ICE was going to come knocking on the door to deport me, Arellano said. Now its different, and Francisca must resist. Praying and staying positive helped me stay strong in there. My advice to Francisca is to have faith.

The church's pastor, Jacobita Cortes, has housed Arellano, Flor Crisostomo and now Lino, to protect them against the "unjust immigration laws in this country," she said. Cortes, who shares the apartment with her daughter, two grandkids and now Lino, says that her duty as an activist is to protect her immigrant community and does not fear any legal repercussions.

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All that Im doing is supporting and protecting a family that loves each other and who is not a danger to this country, Cortes said, adding that there is absolutely no cost to the family and instead hopes to get donations from the community to help them.

While in sanctuary, Lino will continue her fight to keep families together and for immigrant rights, she says. In between prayers, church services and interviews, Lino helps Cortes and Pastor Emma Lozano to organize their next action or protest.

Lino says she doesnt fear ICE will come to arrest her at the church.

At the end, if a judge decides that I need to leave, then I will. At least I will be at peace knowing that I did everything I could for my family and for the rest of the families undergoing this struggle, she said.

The Wednesday morning of August 23, Bergin notified the local ICE office that Lino was not going to attend the meeting scheduled for that day and instead she was going to take refuge.

Lino has no criminal record and has lived and worked in this country for 18 years, her lawyer said. She was arrested while crossing the border in 1999 and deported back to Mexico. The mother crossed the border once again and settled in Bolingbrook, where she married her husband in 2001.

Lino then applied for legal residency through her husband. She received a work permit and a social security number. However, Lino was arrested in 2005 during an interview with immigration authorities because although she admitted to her initial arrest, her application did not include it, Bergin explained.

Since then, Lino was put under deportation proceedings. However, she was allowed to remain in the country by meeting with ICE agents annually.

"She was not a priority," Bergin said.

However, at her first check-in under the Trump administration on March 7, she was advised that the reinstatement of her prior order of removal was being enforced, said a Chicago ICE representative.
I recently flew to New Zealand and back. I purchased a travel-insurance policy through AXA Assistance USA.

On my return flight from Christchurch, New Zealand, to San Diego via Auckland and Los Angeles, the Jetstar Airways flight took off more than an hour late because of operational problems. I missed the flight from Auckland to Los Angeles and my final connection to San Diego.

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I called the AXA assistance number from Auckland, and a representative told me that the airline would either reimburse me $200 per day for expenses while waiting for another American Airlines flight or pay up to $1,000 if I purchased another ticket.

I paid $1,357 for a flight, which resulted in my arriving in San Diego more than 13 hours later than my original flights. I filed a claim and was denied. I've filed an appeal, but haven't heard anything yet. Can you help me get the promised reimbursement?

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 John Schwegel, Wayzata, Minn.

A: When a travel-insurance company representative says you're covered, you should be covered. AXA should have reimbursed you for your expenses as promised. You should only have needed to file a claim, nothing more.

Your first claim was turned down because the company required at least a 12-hour delay. AXA's records suggested  incorrectly, it turns out  that you were delayed less than half a day.

This looks like a simple misunderstanding. In fact, you were held up 13 hours, according to your records. Even if AXA is correct, and it measures a "delay" differently, it still would be wrong. That's because one of its representatives had already told you to buy a replacement ticket, essentially agreeing to cover your costs.

I know some of you reading this will say that the written rules of a policy supersede the words of any employee. But I disagree. I think if an AXA representative tells you that you're covered, you should be covered.

I contacted AXA on your behalf. It reviewed your file and decided to honor your claim. AXA paid you the $1,000 policy limit.

Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the author of "How to Be the World's Smartest Traveler." You can read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org, or email him at chris@elliott.org.
Leading artist Kerry James Marshall has a modest proposal to resolve the controversy over Chicago's monument to fascist aviator Italo Balbo.

Rather than tear down the Burnham monument, as anti-fascists have demanded in the wake of clashes with white supremacists in Charlottesville, Va., or leave it as is, as some Italian-Americans prefer, Marshall suggests adding to the memorial gifted to our city by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in 1934.

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"A friend and former teacher of mine did a painting of the mutilated body of Mussolini and his girlfriend hanging upside down after they were killed by a mob at the end of the war," said Marshall, an honoree Monday alongside rapper Common, architect Jeanne Gang and the Steppenwolf Theatre at the city's annual Fifth Star Honors awards.

"You could add that if you really wanted to make it an anti-fascist thing ... there are places on the memorial, like the column, where you could make an addition."

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It isn't the first time that the 61-year-old  whose admirers include Beyonce and former first lady Michelle Obama  has suggested adding to historic monuments. He previously suggested "augmentations" to the Jefferson Memorial, the Liberty Bell and the Washington Monument, such as adding a statue of the slave rebellion leader Nat Turner, to reflect the fact that they honor slave owners.

"There's no way of erasing that history," Marshall said. "They are objects of independence ... but they are also monuments to slave owners."

Marshall said he also would prefer that monuments to Confederate soldiers such as the one of Gen. Robert E. Lee at the center of the Charlottesville clashes be augmented, rather than torn down. "It's a complicated history that needs to be understood and recognized," he said. "But I'm all for clarity and showing how things came to be."

The artist, however, said he is not angling for commissions to remake the Balbo monument or any others. "I don't do a lot of public work, because I'm not usually willing to engage in that kind of compromise," he said.

An exception is a major mural he is currently working on for the Cultural Center, which he said will depict 20 women instrumental in building Chicago's arts scene, including the novelist (and former Fifth Star honoree) Sandra Cisneros, poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the city's first commissioner of cultural affairs Lois Weisberg and Marshall's wife, the actress Cheryl Lynn Bruce.

kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimjnews
Scott Kennedy says he only wanted to be loved, but the FBI says he gave a professional escort access to his company credit card. Here's what they spent it on. (Tribune Graphics) (Chicago Tribune)

A one-time Buffalo Grove business executive pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges alleging he racked up $5.8 million in unauthorized charges on his company's expense account to fund a lavish lifestyle with his escort-turned-girlfriend.

It was the first court appearance for Scott Kennedy since he and his onetime girlfriend, Crystal Lundberg, were charged in a indictment this month with six counts of wire fraud.

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Dressed in a light gray suit and purple tie, Kennedy, 43, entered his not guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole, who ordered him released on his own recognizance pending trial.

Both Kennedy and his attorney, Sami Azhari, declined to comment after the brief hearing.

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According to the charges, Kennedy was a top financial executive at Nemera, a drug-delivery device company, when he met Lundberg through Backpage.com, a site that advertises sexual services.

Kennedy gave Lundberg access to a Nemera company credit card in November 2015, authorities said. Less than a year and a half later, the two had run up unauthorized charges of nearly $5.8 million. Nemera fired Kennedy this year after discovering the fraud in March.

Lundberg pleaded not guilty to the charges in a separate hearing this month.

As the Tribune first reported in a front-page story this month, an FBI search warrant affidavit unsealed in July lays out the spending in spectacular fashion. Much of it came after Lundberg moved with her children and pets to San Diego a year ago. The company unknowingly footed the $12,000-a-month rent for a mansion, according to the affidavit.

According to an analysis provided by Nemera to the FBI, Lundberg spent some $585,000 to open a medical spa, called the Royalty Room.

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Additional alleged expenses include two Rolex watches at a combined cost of $60,000, a personal driver for $8,000 a month and two purebred dogs that ran as much as $6,000.

Kennedy has been cooperating with the FBI and told them Lundberg led him to believe she would reimburse him, a version of events he repeated to the Tribune. Kennedy said Lundberg told him she had a trust fund worth $4 million that she could access at age 30, according to an FBI warrant.

Lundberg's bankruptcy filing in 2009 made no mention of any trust funds, the FBI pointed out.

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In a previous phone interview with the Tribune, Kennedy blamed much of the spending on Lundberg. Lundberg's California attorney, Marc Carlos, previously said Kennedy was the one responsible for the fraud.

"He's the one who wanted to get in her good graces by giving her gifts," Carlos said.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @jmetr22b
Police search an alley near the scene where a 23-year-old man was shot at the Jackson Red Line subway station on Aug. 17, 2017, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

A man on parole for a gun conviction was being questioned Tuesday afternoon by Chicago police in a shooting earlier this month at a CTA Red Line subway station in the Loop, according to law enforcement sources.

The shooting left CTA riders shaken because it happened on a popular train line downtown a little after rush hour Aug. 17. The gunman  appearing to aim at a particular passenger  fired into a northbound train as it pulled into the Jackson Boulevard station, police have said.

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One passenger aboard was shot in the left arm and ankle as the doors closed, but he survived his wounds. The gunfire caused other passengers to panic and scramble for cover.

The 24-year-old parolee was being questioned by detectives at Area Central police headquarters on the South Side, the sources said. The Tribune is not naming him because he hasn't been charged with a crime.

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At the time of the shooting, the man was on parole after serving prison time for a gun conviction, court records show.

In January 2015, Chicago police searched a car he had been riding in and found a loaded blue steel Beretta handgun and two plastic bags of marijuana, according to his arrest report.

The man pleaded guilty later that year to possession of a weapon by a felon. He was sentenced to four years in prison and released on parole in December 2016, according to Illinois Department of Corrections records.

He had previously been convicted in 2012 of a felony charge of attempted aggravated robbery and was sentenced to 30 months of probation and community service, court records show.

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)

Ted Pertzborn was on the Red Line train that night when a man pulled a gun and shot another man in the arm and ankle. Pertzborn said he was surprised he or other passengers weren't hit too.

"I saw his right arm go up and saw a muzzle flash," Pertzborn, 44, a graphics designer who works in Willis Tower, told the Tribune in a telephone interview at the time. "I heard boom, boom, boom ... boom, boom, boom, boom. About five or six shots. It was a big gun."

Pertzborn said he called 911 while a woman, possibly a girlfriend of the victim's, performed CPR on the man who had been hit.

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Chicago police First Deputy Superintendent Kevin Navarro told reporters that night that the shooting didn't appear to be random.

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"As far we can tell right now, this is a targeted event," Navarro said then. "There's no general threat to the public on transportation itself."

Officers that night could be seen searching the area with weapons drawn.

Subway trains were temporarily rerouted to the elevated lines between Fullerton Avenue and Cermak Road and bus shuttle service was put in place through the area of the shooting, the CTA had said.

Chicago Tribune's Megan Crepeau contributed.

jgorner@chicagotribune.com

dheinzmann@chicagotribune
Pedestrians walk on the sidewalk outside of Chicago Public Schools headquarters in downtown Chicago on Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Subscribe here.

Topspin (with updated numbers from Clerk Orr's office)

The compromise school funding bill the Illinois House approved Monday contains a provision to let the Chicago Board of Education raise property taxes by what Democrats estimated was an additional $120 million.

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Cook County Clerk David Orr's office, however, put that figure at closer to $148 million.

Among many other things, the 550-page bill would allow Chicago's Board of Education to increase its maximum property tax rate for the Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund by about 45 percent. That levy, first approved in late 2016, increased taxes by about $272 million this year.

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Orr's office said CPS could have raised property taxes for pensions even higher but did not do so. If the district went for the maximum amount allowed under the state legislation that's expected to pass, CPS could collect $147.9 million in additional taxes in 2018, Orr's office concluded. That would bring the total CPS tax levy for pension contributions to $419.7 million  and even that figure that could go higher if assessed property values go up.

That number could rise even more in future years because the pension levy is not subject to state property tax caps. It would remain steady or decrease only if property values stagnated or declined  or the district chose not to levy to the full available amount.

A significant part of the school district's financial woes stems from rapidly increasing required pension contributions, resulting in large part from the district's past skipping or skimping on those payments. In this year's budget, pension contributions are pegged at $773 million.

Under the proposed legislation, the state also would make a much larger contribution for Chicago teachers' pensions: $221 million, compared to about $12.2 million last year.

The property tax increase, if approved by the school board, would come on top of a record-high $543 million property tax increase the city is still phasing in to increase contributions to pension funds for police officers and firefighters.

Emanuel spokesman Molly Poppe said increasing the property tax levy for pensions would allow CPS to plow more money into education.

"We have always looked to separate pension costs from CPS operating costs as a way to protect classrooms," Poppe said. "We are still assessing the bill, and this isn't something that would be taken lightly but, combined with the state stepping up on normal pension costs, it would be a step toward that end."

The Illinois Senate is set to consider the school funding bill as early as Tuesday, and Gov. Bruce Rauner has praised the proposal. (Hal Dardick)

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What's on tap

*Mayor Rahm Emanuel will attend the Chicago Police Department's graduation ceremony.

*Gov. Rauner will spend the day Downstate, attending the annual Farm Progress Show and a plant ribbon cutting.

*The Illinois Senate is set to meet and could consider the school funding bill.

*Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke will speak to the City Club of Chicago about the Special Olympics.

*A coalition of unions is holding a morning news conference to announce Labor Day activities at SEIU Healthcare Illinois in Chicago.

From the notebook

*Change at the top: A brief turn for Gov. Rauner's latest top political strategist has ended, with Matthew Besler saying on Monday that he's returning to his role leading the Illinois Opportunity Project.

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"With Gov. Rauner's reelection team now in place and the teams for the House and Senate GOP caucuses in place, I am returning to my role as president of Illinois Opportunity Project and chairman of Illinois Liberty PAC, a direct expenditure PAC, as these organizations represent critical policy and political infrastructure for advancing economic liberty in Illinois," Besler said in a statement.

Both Rauner-aligned groups are affiliated with radio talk-show host and unsuccessful 2010 Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Proft. The Opportunity Project is a tax-exempt political operation that does not have to disclose its donors.

Proft co-founded the Illinois Opportunity Project, which poured $1.3 million into the unsuccessful effort to keep Democrat Ken Dunkin in the House. Dunkin, who voted at times to support Rauner initiatives, was crushed in the March 2016 primary by now-Democratic Rep. Juliana Stratton of Chicago. Stratton recently was named Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker's running mate.

Proft also leads the Illinois Liberty Principles Political Action Committee, an independent expenditure group. It spent more than $10 million in last year's legislative elections to help Rauner-backed candidates, including $2.5 million from the governor himself.

Betsy Ankney is now serving as Rauner's reelection campaign manager. She previously worked in that role for Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson's reelection campaign in Wisconsin.

Besler in July took a leave of absence to join the Rauner campaign following a major shakeup of his government staff. Besler was tapped to replace Mike Zolnierowicz as his lead political operative. (Rick Pearson)

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*Total veto: In signing an automatic voter registration bill Monday, Gov. Rauner cast the legislation as a product of negotiations between lawmakers and the governor's office, which had raised concerns last year about the measure conflicting with federal law, and about the potential for errors and fraud.

Rauner said he had used his amendatory veto powers to rewrite the measure last year to address those concerns.

In fact, he had vetoed it outright but spelled out his reasons in a lengthy veto statement. (Kim Geiger)

*Quick spin: McHenry County Board member Craig Wilcox announced Monday that he plans to run for Illinois Senate. The Republican retired Air Force colonel says he'll run for the seat now held by GOP state Sen. Pamela Althoff of McHenry.

What we're writing

*After twists and turns, the House approves the compromise education funding bill.



*Rauner signs immigration, automatic voter registration bills into law.

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*Chicago school board president says state funding deal would do "wonders" for district's finances.

*Emanuel's airport labor rules advance.

*CPS to teach eigth-, 10th-graders about Jon Burge legacy as part of reparations.

*Judge rules for ex-Treasurer Rutherford in suit tied to alleged harassment.

*Limits placed on what lawyers in Hastert civil case can tell reporters.

*Ex-Lake in the Hills village president avoids jail, gets fined for domestic battery.

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*Illinois transportation officials say new trains to shave an hour off Amtrak's Chicago-to-St. Louis trip.

What we're reading

*Jury convicts Chicago cop of shooting at car, wounding two teens.

*Homeless advocacy group seeks to stop eviction of Uptown tent city.

*Whole Foods, nearly half prices.

Follow the money

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*GOP attorney general candidate Erika Harold reported $34,183 in media production costs paid for by the Illinois Republican Party.

*Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here.

Beyond Chicago



*More than 450,000 people likely to seek federal aid because of Hurricane Harvey damage.

*Gas prices could rise because of hurricane damage to refineries.

*Trump Organization executive asked Putin aide for help on business deal.

*Trump allows local police to get more military gear.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel appears at a Thompson Center news conference with Attorney General Lisa Madigan Aug. 29, 2017, to talk about why he is now going to try to reach agreement with Madigan on court-enforced police department consent decree. (John Byrne / Chicago Tribune)

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan on Tuesday sued the city of Chicago, contending Mayor Rahm Emanuel's reforms are not sufficient to prevent the Chicago Police Department from continuing a pattern of deadly and excessive force that disproportionately hurts African-Americans and Latinos.

Despite the sharp criticism in the lawsuit, Madigan and Emanuel appeared together at a news conference where they called the effort moving forward "a partnership."

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Still, Madigan's move effectively pushes Emanuel toward acknowledging he will have to accept a federal judge's oversight of the Police Department, a still-to-be-negotiated agreement that likely will cost the city millions of dollars in reforms and run for several years.

The lawsuit also means Emanuel likely will have to agree to pursue reforms above and beyond what his administration already has put in place, at a time when the city continues to deal with surging homicide and shooting numbers. Complicating that effort are ongoing contract negotiations with the Fraternal Order of Police, which blasted Tuesday's announcement as "a potential catastrophe for Chicago."

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Figuring out how to fix a department that federal officials concluded has been plagued by misconduct for decades has been a challenge for Emanuel, who has pivoted several times on an issue he's been wrestling with since a judge ordered him in November 2015 to release the Laquan McDonald police shooting video.

Back then, Madigan called for a federal probe, which Emanuel initially resisted. The resulting federal civil rights investigation was highly critical of the Police Department, and in January, Emanuel signed an agreement with then-President Barack Obama's Justice Department to seek a consent decree in which a federal judge and court-appointed monitor enforce reforms.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan speaks about Chicago police reform while Mayor Rahm Emanuel, second from right, and police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, right, join her at the Thompson Center in Chicago on Aug. 29, 2017. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

By May, however, Emanuel was trying to reach an out-of-court agreement with President Donald Trump's administration, which has signaled a general opposition to court oversight of police departments.

Since then, Madigan has offered stinging criticism of Emanuel's efforts to deal with the Trump Justice Department, calling it "ludicrous" to negotiate with a White House that "fundamentally does not agree with the need for constitutional policing." Former Obama Justice officials, police reform advocates and some African-American politicians and community leaders offered similar criticism, but until Tuesday, Emanuel showed little sign of backing off his talks with the Trump administration and argued such a deal would get the same results as a consent decree.

At a Loop news conference, Madigan proclaimed that she had "filed a lawsuit against the city of Chicago based on the findings of the Justice Department investigation." The state's top law enforcement officer then listed what she saw as the city's policing deficiencies, from inadequate training and a lack of supervision to "a failure to investigate misconduct and discipline officers."

Madigan noted that minorities in Chicago "live in fear of criminals and the police," and stressed how the Justice Department investigation concluded that a "court-ordered consent decree, to be overseen by a federal judge" was necessary to properly reform the Police Department.

In the lawsuit, Madigan alleged that the policing changes the city had made after the release of the McDonald shooting video "are insufficient to eliminate the city's decades-long policy, custom, or practice of unlawful conduct and to ensure it will not recur."

Madigan did not specify when she informed the mayor she would proceed with the suit, but said she has been talking for weeks with Emanuel and police Superintendent Eddie Johnson about how to move forward in light of the Trump Justice Department's lack of interest in working toward a consent decree. She said the city had agreed to a consent decree, an independent court monitor and soliciting public input, but declined to outline any other specifics the two sides may have agreed upon, saying everything else would be subject to negotiations between her office and Emanuel's administration.

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For his part, the mayor spoke at length about the Police Department reforms his administration already has undertaken, which range from additional training and hiring more officers to an increase in the number of body cameras and Tasers issued to officers. Emanuel said agreeing to partner with Madigan was necessary, given the change in Washington.

The mayor predicted "better days lie ahead" for the department and with current and future reforms in place it would become "the most professional, proactive police department possible."

"I am proud the attorney general is standing up for our city, for its residents and for our police officers where the Trump administration fell flat," Emanuel said, noting the White House was "disinterested in reform" and "did not even want to pursue the concept they proposed"  an out-of-court agreement.

Change in tone

Emanuel said multiple times that he would work alongside the Illinois attorney general to institute lasting reforms. But the Emanuel administration has argued in a separate suit against some of the very points Madigan sought to make Tuesday.

City attorneys are asking a judge to dismiss a case brought by civil rights organizations and police misconduct victims. The city argued the group's calls for a consent decree were now "moot" because the Emanuel administration already had instituted the necessary police reforms. In that case, the mayor's office also argued well-known, decades-old police abuses were not relevant, while Madigan's office cited some of that very same police misconduct in arguing the city needs a consent decree.

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University of Chicago law professor Craig Futterman, who is part of the legal team representing the civil rights groups, said the Emanuel administration's motion raises questions about whether the mayor truly wants court oversight.

"Do I think (Madigan) is forcing his hand? Yes," Futterman said. "He  even after we filed suit and up until today  was fighting tooth and nail: We don't need a consent decree."

Asked in an interview Tuesday to explain why the city was agreeing to a consent decree this week when it had argued against one in court last week, top City Hall attorney Ed Siskel said the civil rights organizations' suit had "a lot of legal deficiencies."

"We raised those issues with the court," Siskel said. "That does not in any way preclude or reflect on our willingness to move forward with reforms. We have instituted reform steps before, during and after that case was filed and will continue to do so."

Christy Lopez, a former Justice Department lawyer who helped lead the investigation in Chicago, called Madigan's suit a "clarion call" and an example to other states and jurisdictions that no longer can rely on the Trump administration to push reform in the federal courts.

Lopez was less certain about Emanuel.

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"It's clear from how much he has gone back and forth on this he is not comfortable. But it is also clear there is such a strong argument for a federal court order overseeing reform here," said Lopez, now a professor at Georgetown University. "Whether he is doing this wholeheartedly or otherwise, let's give him credit where credit is due. He is doing that.  He wasn't doing the right thing last week and maybe he won't do the right thing next week. But right now, he is doing the right thing."

Lopez also found Emanuel's decision to fight the civil rights groups' lawsuit at the same time he partnered with Madigan curious.

"It's unclear why it's a good thing for the people of Chicago to fight the lawsuit brought by the victims while agreeing to fix the problems the victims are pointing out," she said. "It risks sending a message that this is more political than genuine."

Morale concerns

Sources close to Emanuel privately acknowledge that much of the mayor's hesitance toward pursuing a consent decree with civil rights groups  or even with Madigan  is rooted in his concerns over police morale and the fact that the city's shootings and murders have spiked the last two years.

In recent months, Emanuel repeatedly has lauded the city's officers and has worked to avoid alienating the rank-and-file police he needs to deal with the city's rampant street violence. Emanuel spent several minutes at Tuesday's news conference talking about bringing in officers as partners rather than adversaries in the reform effort.

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"Acknowledging the mistakes of the past is the only way to learn from them, and we must make and take any steps that we can to make sure they are not repeated again in the future," Emanuel said. "But the result cannot be that we drag down the men and women that we give the charge to keeping our communities safe. It must be that we build them up so they can make our communities also safe. Reform must reinforce our public safety efforts, not injure them."

The mayor said several times the city would "pursue reform with our officers, not to them, and not at them."

The remarks didn't seem to sway Chicago Fraternal Order of Police leadership, which backed Trump for president. Spokesman Martin Preib called the lawsuit "a potential catastrophe for Chicago" that would "only handcuff the police even further."

"We have worked hard in the last four months of our administration to work with the city and are extremely disappointed by the decision to pursue this route," Preib wrote. "We will gather with our legal team to consider our options."

Emanuel has sought to walk a fine line on police matters, and his negotiations with the FOP on a new contract will have ramifications on police reform. Some of the city's African-American and progressive aldermen have called on the mayor to strip out protections for officers that have been built into the contract over the years.

Asked whether he is concerned about officer morale and its impact on the city's homicides and shootings, Emanuel acknowledged the crime numbers are not where he'd like them to be and said he's worried about officer morale, but added that's always the case.

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The possibility of a judge forcing changes on the department doesn't heighten that concern, Emanuel said, because officers are by and large in favor of the moves.

"I think in the worst of times and the best of times morale is an issue," he said. "I think we are making gains every day where the rank-and-file know that reforms are in their self-interest because they've asked for more training, they've asked for more technology, they've asked for greater leadership."

Chicago Tribune's Hal Dardick and Jason Meisner contributed.

bruthart@chicagotribune.com

asweeney@chicagotribune.com

jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, left, and Senate President John Cullerton talk July 4, 2017, on the Senate floor at the Capitol in Springfield. (Rich Saal / AP)

SPRINGFIELD  Democrats and Republicans in the Illinois Senate came together Tuesday to approve legislation revamping how state money is distributed to local schools, ensuring more of the state's education funding is steered toward poorer districts.

Gov. Bruce Rauner plans to sign the bill into law Thursday, his office said. Doing so will authorize payments to school districts after they started their year without two regularly scheduled state checks. It also gives Chicago Public Schools the ability to further raise property taxes to help cover ballooning pension costs.

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The overhaul of the school aid formula represents the culmination of an effort years in the making. It often fell apart as communities across the state jockeyed for their piece of the school funding pie.

Now, after partisan bickering left Illinois without a full budget for more than two years, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were looking for a win  and a way to avoid blame should schools eventually have to close their doors. The state comptroller's office said the delayed checks could be sent out within days of Rauner signing the bill.

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"There will not be another generation of students that are subjected to inequity, the worst in the country, after this bill becomes law," said state Sen. Andy Manar, a Democrat from Downstate Bunker Hill who sponsored the proposal. "It is not perfect. But is this a moment that we should all grab and we should all take ahold of and we should all celebrate together, understanding that there is work to do and there is accountability that has to take place afterwards? The answer is absolutely, without question, in my mind."

The agreement and 38-13 Senate vote Tuesday came after weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations among the four Democrat and Republican legislative leaders after Rauner used his amendatory veto powers to rewrite an earlier proposal.

Rauner contended that version set aside too much money for CPS, often calling it a "bailout." However, the bill he now plans to enact could result in the Chicago district receiving as much as $450 million in new money  about $150 million more than in the original bill. It also contains little to reflect the changes Rauner proposed in his veto.

Even so, Rauner issued a statement saying the legislation "will bring historic education reform to Illinois children and their families." Following the vote, he shook hands with lawmakers on the Senate floor.

Some Democrats said Rauner and his supporters were hoping to avoid a repeat of the budget battle, when several Republicans broke ranks and helped overturn his veto of a spending plan and tax hike.

"I think the governor and his allies clearly recognize that both the mood in the General Assembly and public opinion was moving against him," said Sen. Don Harmon, a Democrat from Oak Park.

Republicans countered that they were able to get items they've long sought and wouldn't have secured without the governor's veto.

That includes $75 million in tax credits to help pay for tuition to private schools. In addition, school districts would face fewer requirements on daily physical education classes, and voters in well-funded districts could petition to lower their property taxes.

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The tax credit program spawned strong opposition among Democrats aligned with teachers unions who said it's a step toward the privatization of public education. Democratic governor candidate Sen. Daniel Biss, D-Evanston, called it "dangerous" precedent.

"I can't help but ask: What's next?" Biss said.

Supporters said lawmakers should focus on the larger goal of the bill: to invest more state money into schools over time, with the most funding first going to the poorest districts. They also pointed to a windfall for CPS.

Under the legislation, the Chicago Board of Education would be allowed to raise property taxes by an additional $120 million, Democratic legislators said. Cook County Clerk David Orr's office, however, put that figure at closer to $148 million. The new money would go into the Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund.

The state also would make a much larger contribution for Chicago teachers' pensions: $221 million, compared with about $12.2 million last year. That change was not written into the school funding bill but instead inserted into laws governing the state's retirement systems  reflecting a change Rauner wanted.

The property tax increase, if approved by the school board, would come on top of record-high $543 million property tax increases City Hall is still phasing in to increase contributions to pension funds for police officers and firefighters.

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Meanwhile, the Chicago Teachers Union has pushed back hard against the private school scholarships tax credit and is weighing a lawsuit challenging the bill and political strategies to oppose it.

"I know that our attorneys are reviewing it so we can understand what our options are," CTU legislative and political director Stacy Davis Gates said of potential legal action. "Those are all things that we're exploring." She called the tax credit program "a detriment to the school district and a tax shelter for wealthy people and corporations. It's a problem."

If the union successfully challenged the tax credits, the entire school funding measure would be "invalid" under a provision lawmakers inserted into the legislation. That would include the new money authorized for CPS.

Previously, an Illinois Appellate Court in 2001 upheld a state income tax credit of up to $500 for parents for paying "qualified educational expenses" that exceed $250 for the education of children in K-12 private schools.

The credit was challenged based on the state constitution prohibiting government money for religious purposes, including a ban on spending to "aid" or "to help support or sustain any school" that is "controlled by any church or sectarian denomination."

In its 2001 ruling, the Appellate Court noted that a tax credit "does not constitute public funds" received by the government. Instead, "it merely allows people to keep more of their own money."

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Chicago Tribune's Rick Pearson, Juan Perez Jr. and Kim Geiger contributed from Chicago.

mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com
Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday defended the idea of another big boost in Chicago Public Schools property taxes that's part of the compromise agreement on state school funding.

Under legislation that has cleared the General Assembly, the Chicago Board of Education would be given the authority to increase its property tax levy by at least $120 million  and perhaps tens of millions of dollars more  to help cover growing contributions to the Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund.

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"I've never, ever said that we were not going to also come up with the resources to make sure our schools were well funded, and we were investing in them  teachers," Emanuel said of the tax increase provision he hinted at last week. "And we never wanted to be in a situation where it was a choice between continuing to invest in our children's future or paying our teachers' pensions. So we'll be able to do our pensions and ... continue to invest in our children."

The property tax increase provision is part of an overall package that would provide hundreds of millions of additional dollars in state funding for CPS, much of it in the form of a $221 million payment toward the teacher pension system. Last year, the state provided $12.2 million to the system.

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Emanuel said that big boost in state pension funding ensures city taxpayers will be treated fairly, noting the state already contributes billions of dollars to the Teachers' Retirement System  the pension fund for suburban and Downstate public school teachers. Emanuel added that the new bill also would boost classroom education funding for CPS by tens of millions of dollars.

The mayor's comments came a day after CPS approved a budget outline that counts on $300 million in additional funding from the state. That outline also calls for $269 million in additional local funding yet to be identified. The property tax increase authority in the school funding bill could close much of that gap.

Although legislators estimated the authority would allow CPS to increase property taxes by $120 million, Cook County Clerk David Orr's office put that figure at closer to $148 million.

The 550-page bill would allow the Board of Eduction to increase its maximum property tax rate for the Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund by about 45 percent. That levy, first approved in late 2016, increased taxes by about $272 million this year.

Orr's office said CPS could have raised this year's property taxes for pensions even higher but did not do so. If the district went for the maximum amount allowed under the state legislation that's expected to pass, CPS could collect $147.9 million in additional taxes in 2018, Orr's office concluded.

That would bring the total CPS tax levy for pension contributions to $419.7 million  and that figure could go even higher if assessed property values go up.

That number also could rise even more in future years because the pension levy is not subject to state property tax caps. It would remain steady or decrease only if property values stagnated or declined  or the district chose not to levy to the full available amount.

A significant part of the school district's financial woes stem from rapidly increasing required pension contributions, which are largely the result of the district skipping or skimping on those payments in previous years. In this year's budget, pension contributions are pegged at $773 million, and they're expected to rise further in coming years.

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The property tax increase, if approved by the school board, would come on top of a record-high $543 million in property tax increases the city is still phasing in to increase contributions to pension funds for police officers and firefighters.

hdardick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @ReporterHal
KATY, Texas  As soon as Jordy Bloodsworth saw the images of Texans wading through Hurricane Harvey's gushing floodwaters, he borrowed his buddy's brand new Chevy truck, hitched his 18-foot fishing boat to the back and took off from his home in Baton Rouge.

Bloodsworth was just 12 years old when Hurricane Katrina dumped 14 feet of water on his family's home as the storm surged over the levee. They lost every photo, every cent.

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What he gained, though, was a deep motivation to help his brethren in Texas during this week's historic deluge.

He's part of a group that's known here as the "Cajun Navy," a volunteer online grassroots effort that, along with the "Cajun Coast Search and Rescue Team," roared into Pasadena, Texas, on Sunday. They came in high-clearance pickup trucks with bass boats and pirogues like the Cajun Cavalry, ready to help search and rescue efforts alongside first responders who were inundated with thousands of calls across the region.

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"I was young during Katrina, and I know how it feels to lose everything," Bloodsworth said. "So being able to help others going through this situation that I have experienced, there's no way  no way  I could pass up helping."

On Monday morning in Pasadena, which was nearly inaccessible by road as it sat under deep floodwaters, Bloodsworth said there were "thousands of people in the water stuck." By midday, the flooding had gotten so bad that the rescuers got stuck, too.

"Some guys had boat troubles and had to leave their stuff, and we are saving our own team right now," Bloodsworth said in a text. But they are determined to push on.

Cajun Navy member Benji Terro, 36, and his cousin Todd Gaspard drove for more than four hours through flooded areas of Katy on Monday, helping people who were floating on air mattresses and in canoes, some of them carrying trash bags stuffed with changes of clothes and photo albums. He said they had rescued nearly 40 people so far.

"We're burning a lot of gas trying to get boots on the ground," Terro said. "But when we help people, well, that's the point, the whole thing. This is familiar ground for us. We are from Louisiana, and we know floods."

The Cajun Navy is part of an armada of private boats that have descended on the Houston area after authorities asked for help from those who could potentially navigate the treacherous floodwaters across a massive swath of southeast Texas in search of residents. Many boaters from east Texas and west Louisiana streamed to the outskirts of the disaster until they could drive no more, switching over to boats to go door-to-door seeking out the stranded.

Painful and haunting memories of Hurricane Katrina run deep in what's informally known as the "Cajun corridor," between Texas and Louisiana. During Katrina, hundreds of Texans did just what Bloodsworth did, crossed the border and even the Sabine River to help rescue teams in New Orleans.

Many families in Houston housed relatives and friends who were Katrina's victims, in some cases for months. Thousands have now made Houston home.

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There are long-standing ethnic ties, and Cajun families often live across state lines and are connected by fishing and oil refinery jobs in both states. Many say these regions of Texas and Louisiana are mirror images, with the largely flat landscape dotted with oil refineries with their mazes of pipes and tanks and flare stacks burning high above them like giant torches.

"I vividly remember that many Texans came to Louisiana's aid, which was incredible to me," said Taylor Aucoin, who is in Baton Rouge working with an app called Zello that allows her and her husband to radio in rescue requests to volunteers on the ground in Texas. "I can't really describe the heartbreak that I feel now for Texans. It's a very small thing we can do from here to kind of repay the favor for the help we received last year and countless other times."

The most terrifying call they got was from a young mom of an 8-week-old baby with breathing problems. The mother tweeted asking for help for a couple of hours with no luck. She then posted that her newborn was turning blue and was not breathing. Her phone was at 2 percent.

"Someone shared the tweets and I immediately had my husband calling the Coast Guard over and over," Aucoin said. Finally he got on the Texas Search and Rescue channel on Zello, and they were able to send out boats and the Coast Guard. Last she heard, they were rescued and the baby was recovering.

Toney Wade, commander of the volunteer Cajun Coast Search and Rescue Team, stayed up to 3 a.m. and was at it again on Monday morning.

"Tired, but rolling lol," he texted. "It's just what we do for each other."

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Dressed in full hunting camouflage slickers, Todd Gaspard, with the Cajun Navy, was racing into floodwaters in the Cinco Ranch neighborhood of Katy, ready to assist. He helped out during Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, at times assisting with the rescue of cows whose noses were just sticking out of the water.

On Monday, he was on his way to save a woman who had water "right at her front door fixing to come in." Gaspard said helping people like her this week is just what he knows.

"Just the way we were brought up," he said. "You help your neighbor."
ExxonMobil acknowledged Tuesday that Hurricane Harvey damaged two of its refineries, causing the release of hazardous pollutants.

The acknowledgment, in a regulatory filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, follows repeated complaints on Twitter of an "unbearable" chemical smell over parts of Houston. However, it was not immediately clear what caused the smell.

ExxonMobil said in the filings that a floating roof covering a tank at the company's Baytown oil refinery sank in heavy rains, dipping below the surface of oil or other material stored there and causing unusually high emissions, especially of volatile organic compounds, a category of regulated chemicals.

The Baytown refinery is the second largest in the country. The company said in its filing that it would need to empty the tank to make repairs, though it wasn't clear when the weather would permit that.

An ExxonMobil spokeswoman said the company would "conduct an assessment to determine the impact of the storm once it is safe to do so." It would not say what was in the tank.

At the company's Beaumont petrochemical refinery, Harvey damaged a sulfur thermal oxidizer, a piece of equipment that captures and burns sulfur dioxide. As a result, the plant released 1,312.84 pounds of sulfur dioxide, well in excess of the amounts allowed by the company's permits.

"The unit was stabilized. No impact to the community has been reported," the company said in its filing. "Actions were taken to minimize emissions and to restore the refinery to normal operations."

A variety of other chemicals was emitted during the shutdown of the plants. Amy Graham, a spokeswoman for the Environmental Protection Agency, said that ExxonMobil had filed a report at the National Response Center operated by the U.S. Coast Guard saying the Baytown refinery would release about 15 pounds of benzene into the air.

"Most of the unauthorized emissions come from the process of shutting down, and then starting up, the various units of the plant, when pollution control devices can't be operated properly and there's lots of flaring," said Luke Metzger, director of the group Environment Texas.

Flaring is generally done when releasing chemicals without burning them is more hazardous for people and the environment. ExxonMobil said it had flared hazardous materials at its Baytown refinery Sunday and Monday.

Most of the other facilities belonging to major companies also filed notices with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Chevron Phillips, for example, said that it expected its Cedar Bayou chemical plant to exceed permitted limits for several hazardous pollutants, such as 1,3-butadiene, benzene and ethylene, during shutdown procedures.

Environment Texas and the Sierra Club sued ExxonMobil in 2010 alleging that the company's Baytown complex had emitted 8 million pounds of hazardous chemicals over a five-year period. A federal judge imposed a $20 million penalty on the company.

"Any release of carcinogens (like benzene, 1,3-butadiene) adds to the increased cancer risk for those living near these plants," Metzger said in an email. He said that large releases of nitrogen oxides or sulfur dioxide "and other respiratory irritants adds to the respiratory problems people in the area suffer from at high rates."

Separately, the Houston Chronicle reported that there was a chemical leak from a pipeline that ruptured in La Porte, Texas, on Monday. Local authorities urged residents to stay inside. The warning applied to people living as far away as Shoreacres and Baytown. The warning was later lifted.

The Energy Department said that all six oil refineries in the Corpus Christi area, seven oil refineries in the Houston and Galveston area, and one refinery in the Beaumont/Port Arthur area were shut down or in the process of shutting down. The idle refineries have a capacity of 3.2 million barrels a day, equal to a third of Gulf coast capacity and 17.6 percent of total U.S. refining capacity. Further closures are likely as the storm moves east into Louisiana, where there is another 1.65 million barrels a day of oil refining capacity.

The logjam of tankers and trucks was adding to woes. Valero, which had closed its two refineries in the Corpus Christi area, said it was looking to reopen the facilities but that damaged pipeline, port and transportation infrastructure could delay re-openings.

Bloomberg News reported that Marathon said it was closing its Galveston Bay refinery because it was running out of crude, which could not be delivered because of port closures.

Gasoline prices for September delivery also rose amid signs that the Gulf's woes could spread. The Colonial Pipeline, the main link between the heart of the nation's oil and gas industry and consumers in the northeast, said that supplies of refined petroleum products from the Houston area had been disrupted.
Donald Trump was in a bad mood before he emerged for a confrontational speech in Arizona last week.

TV and social media coverage showed that the rally site, the Phoenix Convention Center, was less than full. Backstage, waiting in a room with a television monitor, Trump was displeased, one person familiar with the incident said: TV optics and crowd sizes are extremely important to the president.

As his surrogates warmed up the audience, the expanse of shiny concrete eventually filled in with cheering Trump fans. But it was too late for a longtime Trump aide, George Gigicos, the former White House director of advance who had organized the event as a contractor to the Republican National Committee. Trump later had his top security aide, Keith Schiller, inform Gigicos that he'd never manage a Trump rally again, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Gigicos, one of the four longest-serving political aides to the president, declined to comment.

Even by his standards, Trump was remarkably strident in Phoenix. After introductory speakers, including Vice President Mike Pence, lauded him for his commitment to racial harmony, the president came on stage and lambasted the media for what he called inaccurate reporting on his remarks about violence between hate groups and counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Virginia.

He threatened to shut down the federal government unless Congress funds construction of the Mexican border wall he promised in his campaign. He telegraphed that he'd pardon former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, convicted of defying a court order to stop racial profiling by his deputies. And in their home state, he assailed Arizona Sen. John McCain for the failure of Obamacare repeal and Sen. Jeff Flake for being "weak" on illegal immigration, without mentioning their names. Both are fellow Republicans.

Gigicos had staged the event in a large multipurpose room. The main floor space was bisected by a dividing wall, leaving part of the space empty. There were some bleachers off to the side, but otherwise the audience was standing  and the scene appeared flat, lacking the energy and enthusiasm of other rallies.

Although the crowd looked thin when Trump arrived at about 6:30 p.m., rallygoers filled in the space while Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, former Georgia state Rep. Alveda King, evangelist Franklin Graham and Pence delivered introductory speeches. A city of Phoenix spokeswoman told the Arizona Republic newspaper that about 10,000 people were inside the room when Trump took the stage.

Trump's first words when he stepped to the microphone: "Wow, what a crowd, what a crowd."

A week later, Trump was still reminiscing about the event.

"You saw the massive crowd we had," he said at a White House news conference on Monday with Finland President Sauli Niinisto. "The people went crazy when I said, 'What do you think of sheriff Joe?' Or something to that effect."

Gigicos organized all of Trump's signature campaign events and his occasional rallies since entering office. He left his White House job as director of advance on July 31 to return to his consulting business. But he continued to work for Trump's re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee.

Over the past two years, Trump had often assigned the blame  rightly or wrongly  to Gigicos when his rally logistics weren't perfect. But his irritation usually blew over quickly. When his microphone had problems at a January 2016 rally in Pensacola, Florida, Trump bellowed: "The stupid mic keeps popping! Do you hear that, George? Don't pay them! Don't pay them!"

Gigicos is the latest high-profile departure from Trump's inner circle. Since July 21, press secretary Sean Spicer, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Stephen Bannon, and national security aide Sebastian Gorka have all resigned or been fired. Former Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci's tenure lasted less than two weeks.

Two outside advisory councils comprised of corporate CEOs dissolved after Trump's Charlottesville remarks, and the White House severed ties with billionaire Carl Icahn, a semiformal Trump adviser.

Jennifer Epstein and Justin Sink contributed.
I flew to Phoenix recently to attend my cousin's bat mitzvah.

Elle is a sweet and sublimely confident girl, who I'll forever remember at the age of 4 as she sat on my lap eating enchiladas at a Mexican restaurant, and then last summer, when she was 12, reading to my toddler son with lyrical grace as he sat on her lap.

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Her bat mitzvah was to be a three-hour affair on a Saturday, and Elle's mom  my cousin  asked me to take on a small role: reading the Prayer for Our Country. The prayer is a standard portion of a Sabbath service, a rote afterthought tucked amid the ritual, joy and solemnity.

A prayer for the country. What could be more ordinary?

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Most of the time.

That weekend's news included white nationalists marching in Virginia. The prospect of nuclear war with North Korea. A president who refused to condemn the former while seemingly cheering on the latter. A senator of the president's own party questioning his "stability" and "competence."

And that was just a three-day snapshot. The prior six months had been a litany of concerns and embarrassments rippling across races, classes, professions, sexual orientations, political affiliations and religions.

Our country most certainly could use a prayer.

So when my cousin asked me to read the Prayer for Our Country, she also encouraged me to add a few thoughts. I gladly accepted. I'm no religious scholar but do feel kinship to my Judaism. I also believe that, like all religions, it is at its best when not merely looking backward, but forward and all around, making us wiser and more empathetic in the current day.

About two hours into the service, the moment came. I walked to the stage and stood between the sacred Torah and a congregation of 200 people finely dressed for Judaism's holiest day of the week.

I had weighed how to preface a prayer for our nation, but the rabbi left me little opportunity; he pointed to the words I was to read and whispered to start. And I did: "We ask your blessings for our country, for its government, for its leaders and advisers ..."

I couldn't get past the first sentence without a chuckle rising from the crowd.

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An exceedingly large elephant had wandered into the synagogue.

I remembered my cousin's suggestion to share some thoughts, so I paused and began to say something about how it was impossible to read a prayer for our country without addressing the current context and 

 the rabbi stopped me cold.

He said we needed to keep going.

I didn't want to be disrespectful in the midst of prayer, so I leaned into the microphone and said I would save what I had to say for afterward.

But the rabbi whispered I could do no such thing; there was no time, he said. I whispered back that my cousin, Elle's mother, had encouraged me to do so. I wanted him to know I would never have taken such a detour without her encouragement. But again, he said, we didn't have time. I dutifully finished the prayer and left the stage.

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I wasn't sure how I would be received for the rest of the day  dinner, drinks and dancing followed the service  but the reaction was swift and unfailing: Strangers wanted to know what I planned to say.

I told each of them. And now I will tell you:

"We are a fractured, confused and angry nation," I would have said. "Maybe we've always been that way. I'm starting to think we have been. But now we see it in plain sight, and it's impossible to read a prayer for our country as mere protocol. We do need to pray for our country  pray, meditate, think, learn, read, whatever it is that each of us do. We need to understand how we got here and where we are going; what each of us has or hasn't done, the questions we've asked or failed to ask and the assumptions we've made. Then we need to decide if we are satisfied with the state of our country. If not, how can we effect change? How can we do better? What can each of us do? Because the reason we are here today proves that we need to do something.

"We are gathered to celebrate the impending adulthood of a lovely 13-year-old girl who will do incredible things in the years ahead. But the world we hand her is our responsibility  not hers; not yet. And Elle deserves better. Every child in this room deserves better. Let us pray for our country, for ourselves and our communities, not just as habit, but with the urgency we require. And then let us do better."

With all respect to the rabbi, I'm skeptical of the reason he didn't let me say those words  though I certainly don't blame him. He didn't know what I planned to say, and my improvisation was fraught with peril, especially in a room full of donors in a red-leaning state.

Several people in the audience later told me they were frustrated that I wasn't allowed to speak. They wanted to hear it. They needed to hear it. One of them was a woman who said she had recently attended a bat mitzvah in Philadelphia where something nearly identical happened. At the Prayer for Our Country, the bat mitzvah girl's grandfather used the moment to air concern and disgust.

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Except, in that case, the rabbi let him finish  a tacit agreement, perhaps, that in Trump's America, prayer alone is far from enough.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia  Canada is not a country whose politicians have been particularly comfortable saying no to questions involving immigration. The previous Conservative government raised rates to a 50-year high, and it's this legacy that the progressive administration of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seeks to outshine.

Back in January, following the rollout of President Donald Trump's ill-fated travel ban, the prime minister ratcheted his immigration rhetoric to new heights of unqualified generosity. "To those fleeing persecution, terror & war," he tweeted, "Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith." In March, he further assured the non-Canadian world that "regardless of who you are or where you come from, there's always a place for you in Canada."

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It would be unfair to suggest Trudeau's words are the sole reason Canada has seen an influx of Haitian migrants from the United States in recent weeks (though evidence suggests that urban legends within the Haitian community about Canadian immigration policy are playing a significant role). What is clear, however, is that Trudeau's "yes to everyone" posture has left him ill-equipped to handle the reality that a rules-based immigration system  and indeed, the national interest  requires a leader with the capacity to say no once in a while.

It's estimated that close to 7,000 migrants from the United States, predominantly of Haitian descent, have crossed the Quebec border this summer. The vast majority have done so illegally, though the preferred euphemism is "irregularly," as most do allow themselves to be apprehended by immigration authorities once on Canadian soil, in order to begin a bureaucratic process that wouldn't have been instigated if they attempted to enter legally (Canadian law doesn't recognize asylum claims from American-based persons). Either way, the inflow is far in excess of what Canada's refugee infrastructure is equipped to handle, with hundreds of migrants now housed in Montreal's old Olympic stadium and a tent village built by the army.

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Though they've been framed as "fleeing Trump," most of the Haitians appear motivated by a desire to dodge American laws they don't care to obey. Many were living in the United States under the protections of an Obama-era waiver issued after Haiti's devastating 2010 earthquake, intended to guarantee a temporary American home for those who couldn't return to their native one. Seven years later, Haiti, while not completely back to normal, has undeniably made significant progress rebuilding, with a corresponding decrease in homelessness. It's far from anyone's definition of paradise, but as a country with free elections, civil liberties and a scheduled withdrawal of U.N. forces, it's not some genocidal nightmare dictatorship either.

It was for this reason that Canada's former Conservative government removed Haitians from its "do not deport" list in 2014 (reaffirmed by Trudeau last year) and why the Trump administration plans to follow suit and may revoke their "temporary protected status" designation sometime next year. Under both U.S. and Canadian law, many Haitians have simply reached the end of a grace period they always knew would be temporary. This is nothing new, as Haitians in North America have been granted similar bouts of temporary reprieve from deportation in the past, only to see them revoked, or at least not renewed, once the motivating context is deemed to have changed.

On the other hand, any Haitian leaving the United States on the assumption that Canada will be comparatively lax in enforcing its broadly similar immigration rules isn't wrong either. Though Ottawa is theoretically prepared to deport most of the irregular Haitian border-crossers to Haiti, in practice, Canada's refugee adjudication system is a molasses-paced, overburdened mess prone to empty threats over decisive action. Some of this is by design  opportunities for appeals are vast  some of it the result of political decisions, such as the Trudeau administration's righteously gigantic intake of Syrian migrants, or its 2016 elimination of visa requirements for Mexican visitors (which saw Mexican asylum claims spike). Depending on the country, it can now take years before an (initial) asylum claim is ruled valid or not, with a recent government report estimating the average wait could get as high as 11 years by 2021. For those who have made it to Canadian territory, this "limbo" can be fairly comfortable given the heightened funding Trudeau's liberals have invested in health coverage for unprocessed asylum claimants  to say nothing of the welfare checks that will be soon handed out by the Quebec provincial government.

In a recent Facebook video, Michelle Rempel, the Conservative Party's persistent and articulate critic for immigration affairs, gave the prime minister some unsolicited tips for how to get a handle on the border situation, such as clearly and unambiguously stating, "Canada does not want people illegally entering the country." There doesn't seem to be much evidence that taking her advice would be politically dangerous  polls have shown strong antipathy to the "irregulars"  but appeals to common sense miss the awkward fact that the status quo, however problematic, is helping fulfill one of Trudeau's most oft-stated ideological goals: getting more people to Canada and creating a more interestingly "diverse" country.

At this point, for Trudeau to simply proclaim some sort of amnesty would offer a far easier out than continuing to feign faith in a legal process that it's clear his government isn't terribly committed to, as either a practical or moral matter. Such a move would be ethically repugnant and monstrously controversial, but if this prime minister were to ever expend a significant chunk of his leadership capital on a high-risk gamble, it would probably be something like this.

The Washington Post

J.J. McCullough, a political commentator and cartoonist from Vancouver, is a columnist at Loonie Politics.
In this photo taken Aug. 18, 2014, police is riot gear work to disperse a crowd of protesters in Ferguson, Mo. Local police departments will soon have access to grenade launchers, high-caliber weapons and other surplus U.S. military war gear after President Donald Trump signed an order reviving a Pentagon program that civil rights groups say inflames tensions between officers and their communities. (Jeff Roberson / AP)

On Monday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump administration has reversed an Obama-era policy that banned the sale of certain types of surplus military equipment from the federal government to local police departments. By reversing the Obama administration policy, President Donald Trump is allowing local law enforcement agencies to acquire, from the U.S. government, items such as tanks, weaponized vehicles, high-caliber firearms and ammunition, grenade launchers, bayonets and camouflage uniforms.

The president of the United States wants to arm the police like they're fighting a war, not like they are protecting communities. That would be worrisome enough on any given day, but Trump's timing reveals his broader vision of "law and order" to be even more brutal and brazen in its intentions.

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The new announcement comes just after Trump's Friday pardon of former Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the events in Charlottesville, Va., two weeks ago. In this context, it can be read as an alarming signal that Trump is amping up more than just his rhetoric. He is giving law enforcement explicit permission to treat policing like a war in which the president of the United States has defined enemies and allies.

It was less than a week ago that Trump pardoned Arpaio, who had been found in criminal contempt of a federal court order barring him from continuing his serial abuses and violations of the constitutional rights of Arizona citizens he suspected of being in this country illegally. The Arpaio pardon was a clear sign that not only is Trump willing to countenance the trampling of citizens' constitutional rights and our constitutional system of checks and balances, he is especially eager to do so to repay a campaign supporter and fellow traveler in his long-held campaign against immigrants.

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In the course of three days, then, Trump not only subverted the rule of law by pardoning the lawless sheriff. He signaled to all would-be lawless, abusive law enforcement officers that he has their backs, all the while offering to arm them with military equipment  designed for battlefields  that, in the wrong hands, might further intimidate and mistreat their citizens.

The timing of the announcement should also be seen in light of Trump's responses to Charlottesville, in which he refused to unambiguously condemn neo-Nazis and white supremacists for the violence that took place there. Instead, he blamed "both sides" and "many sides." Don't blame white supremacists and neo-Nazis, Trump is saying; the left is also to blame.

To bolster this claim, Trump has lumped a small number of violent anarchist activists affiliated with the antifa movement in with a much larger, nonviolent movement opposed to racism and neo-Nazism, using the former to smear the latter. Indeed, Trump has seized on antifa to shift his supporters' attention away from the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who organized the Charlottesville rally and have been implicated in violence there. Trump retweeted the conservative writer Dinesh D'Souza, who had suggested that "the violence is coming from" antifa. (In a Trumpian bit of large-scale "both sides-ism," D'Souza has a new book out that claims to expose "the Nazi roots of the American left.")

In this context, consider that, after white supremacists terrorized black residents of Charlottesville, Trump  at a moment when he should be seeking to calm racial strife  is now sending them a message that they should be policed in a more militarized way.

The lifting of the military equipment ban is even more worrisome when you recall what prompted then-President Barack Obama to implement it in the first place. Obama instituted the ban in May 2015, following the aggressive, militarized police response to protests in Ferguson, Mo., because "militarized gear can sometimes give people a feeling like they're an occupying force, as opposed to a force that's part of the community that's protecting them and serving them." Those protests, of course, unfolded after a white police officer shot Michael Brown, an unarmed black man, and were intended to draw attention to police mistreatment of Ferguson's black residents.

That context was missing from the speech Sessions delivered Monday to a conference of the Fraternal Order of Police, announcing Trump's reversal of the Obama ban. In fact, Sessions made no mention of race at all. Instead, he focused more on other challenges to policing  like drugs and gangs  and appeared disengaged from the recent events in Charlottesville and what they mean.

What's more, Sessions intimated that the ban on military equipment hampered police from doing their job, claiming that the banned equipment was needed, for example, for rescue efforts in flooded Houston. Sessions said that Trump "is rescinding restrictions from the prior administration that limited your agencies' ability to get equipment through federal programs, including life-saving gear like Kevlar vests and helmets and first responder and rescue equipment like what they're using in Texas right now." Surely the attorney general knows, though, that grenade launchers are not needed to rescue anyone from a flood.

Trump is steering law enforcement in a dangerous, incendiary direction. It's frightening to imagine the sorts of catastrophes that could ensue on American streets from this new policy, given that the president himself has endorsed lawless policing  and now appears to be taking steps to ensure that police are outfitted with more military gear.

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The Washington Post

Sarah Posner is an investigative reporter and the author of "God's Profits: Faith, Fraud, and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters."
Sen. Andy Manar, center, D-Bunker Hill, is congratulated by colleagues after the Senate approved a landmark education funding reform bill Aug. 29, 2017, at the Capitol in Springfield. (Rich Saal / AP)

Two years ago, the nonpartisan Education Trust based in Washington, D.C., released a national school funding report. Illinois was dead last in providing adequate resources to low-income schoolchildren who need the most help. On just about every metric the trust studied, on just about every chart and graph, the abbreviation "IL" appeared in the very last column.

Lawmakers finalized a decision Tuesday to pull Illinois from that shameful column. They sent a bill to Gov. Bruce Rauner that, if signed into law as expected, would rework how the state pays for education. A brief review: No school districts would lose what they receive currently from the state. But new money would get pumped through a formula directing more resources to property-poor communities. And a new scholarship tax credit program will provide private school options to low- and middle-income children stuck in underperforming public schools. In a school-choice-averse, teachers-union-subjugated state, this tax credit program marks a dramatic pivot from the status quo.

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For just a few hours Monday and Tuesday, Springfield buzzed with breakthrough instead of breakdown. It took years of task forces and failed legislation and sharp debate to arrive at Tuesday's Senate vote, a day after the House passed the bill. In the end, the "yes" votes came from all corners: Democrats, Republicans, liberals, conservatives, city representatives and rural senators.

"Is this a moment we should all grab? Absolutely, without a question in my mind," said Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, who worked on the legislation for several years and through multiple adaptations. "I request an 'aye' vote."

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He got lots of them. The House had passed the bill 73-34; the Senate margin was 38-13.

It's the "no" voters who intrigue us. We have no idea how some of them will try to justify their wrongheaded decisions:

Even though Chicago Public Schools gained the most under the bill, some Chicago Democrats in both chambers balked at the tax credit program. Among the "no" votes: Democratic Reps. Kelly Cassidy, Will Guzzardi, Mary Flowers, Robert Martwick, Christian Mitchell and Juliana Stratton, who is running in the 2018 election for lieutenant governor alongside Democratic hopeful J.B. Pritzker. Gubernatorial hopeful Sen. Daniel Biss, D-Evanston, also voted against the package.

On the flip side were Republicans who supported the scholarship program but wouldn't sign off on the expense of the bill and extra money directed toward CPS. Among them: Reps. David Harris of Arlington Heights, Jeanne Ives of Wheaton, David McSweeney of Barrington Hills and Lindsay Parkhurst of Kankakee.

Fortunately for Illinois schoolkids, enough House and Senate members did agree to a long overdue compromise  those bargains in which you may not get everything you want. The adults in both chambers realized the state's mathematical formula for doling out tax revenue to school districts hasn't pumped enough resources into poorer communities. Illinois' abysmal financial condition exacerbated the problem, forcing schools statewide to increasingly rely on property taxes to pay for education.

As a result, well-off districts have been stuck paying astronomical educational costs through their property taxes, but at least they've been able to grouse and bear it. Poor districts have been lifting their levies to the max, pressing upon already strapped property owners to foot the costs of schools, while the state slipped behind on what it contributed. The new formula narrows that gap between districts. Finally.

That Education Trust report from 2015, cast a harsh verdict. "By far the largest gap is in Illinois, where the highest poverty districts receive nearly 20 percent less state and local funding than the lowest poverty districts." The legislature "does not distribute state funds progressively enough to counteract disparities in local dollars," the report noted.

We ask those researchers: Give Illinois a few years and redo that study. We hope it shows Illinois shifting away from that disgraceful, lonely last column. For good.

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Mayor Rahm Emanuel appears at a Thompson Center news conference with Attorney General Lisa Madigan Aug. 29, 2017, to talk about why he is now going to try to reach agreement with Madigan on court-enforced police department consent decree. (John Byrne / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago's problems with police brutality and misconduct have run so deep that reforms will never take hold until a federal judge intervenes to play the role of enforcer. This is the "consent decree" approach to oversight that aggrieved residents want. We want it, too. Mayor Rahm Emanuel? He's run hot and cold on the idea.

On Tuesday, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan went to U.S. District Court to pursue that approach, suing the city over the Chicago Police Department's pattern of abuse that disproportionately targets African-Americans and Latinos. The lawsuit seeks a judge's order to require the city to put the right policies in place to fix CPD and appoint an independent monitor who would oversee the process and prevent foot-dragging.

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Madigan didn't telegraph the filing of her lawsuit, but here's the really surprising part: While Chicago is the defendant, Emanuel says he will be Madigan's partner in this endeavor. He and the attorney general say they agreed on this path and will negotiate terms of a consent decree. That will include details on a plan to fix CPD and the naming of an independent monitor with expertise in police reforms.

If this arrangement causes a double take, it should, because this isn't how big-city consent decrees involving police accountability normally work. Madigan's office is playing a role that the U.S. Department of Justice customarily plays.

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The crux of what Madigan asserts, and what the mayor appeared to endorse Tuesday (since he shared the stage with Madigan at a news conference) is stated on page 4 of the state's 35-page filing: "After decades of attempts to reform, a court order mandating effective, lasting changes is the only way to restore the badly broken trust between Chicago's residents and CPD and increase safety for residents and police officers."

Madigan's lawsuit, similar to one filed in June by several civil rights organizations, is either a direct challenge to Emanuel or the friendly nudge he needed to take this step. We're not sure because he's skipped around on the issue of accepting federal court oversight.

In the waning days of the Obama administration, the Justice Department released a blistering report on Chicago's bad policing record as a first step in obtaining a consent decree. Emanuel was on board. But then President Donald Trump took office, freeing Chicago of that obligation because new Attorney General Jeff Sessions wasn't interested. Since then, Emanuel has insisted Chicago can fix its problems without a pesky judge watching every move. He's been negotiating a Justice Department agreement that would not involve court supervision, but it's not clear Sessions was even interested in that idea. Now the mayor sounds like he's back on the side of using the courts.

Here's what we know for certain: This city has a long history of bad policing, from crooked cops and violent cops to poorly trained ones. Nothing has worked to fix that culture. Not the shock of individual cases of brutality (see: former Cmdr. Jon Burge, who allegedly tortured suspects) and not the many efforts at internal reform. It was public outrage over the release of video showing a white Chicago police officer shooting black teen Laquan McDonald 16 times that led to the Justice report and this round of angst over CPD.

The legacy of police misbehavior has an impact every day on the safety of all Chicagoans, including officers. The breakdown in trust in the police hurts neighborhoods. There's a financial impact, too, as the lawsuit notes: From 2004 to early 2016, Chicago paid out $662 million in settlements over police misconduct. Outrageous.

Madigan's been on record in support of a consent decree. Emanuel clearly feels pressure on all sides: to cooperate on the negotiations, to assure CPD members he'll look out for their interests and to avoid tying the city to an expensive, decadeslong process.

So now comes the hard part: negotiating a comprehensive deal that will provide officers with the training, supervision and equipment required to create a professional, effective police force that is also trusted by the public. The only way for that to happen is to give seats at the table to all stakeholders, including residents and civil rights groups.

There's an obvious road map to follow: the 2017 Justice Department report on Chicago policing lays out all the troubles that need to be addressed. So does the city's Police Accountability Task Force report. If Emanuel and Madigan are serious about finally solving those problems, they'll have well-thumbed copies of both reports with them as they talk to Chicagoans, and listen to Chicagoans, about what kind of police force this city deserves.

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I take strong exception to the article "Government shutdowns: A (sort of) love letter," by Heather Wilhelm. There is nothing lovable about a federal government shutdown. It is disruptive and ultimately very costly. "America survived," as Wilhelm states, because the other branches of government  the judicial and executive branches  did a lot of advance planning to minimize disruption to the public.

The Treasury Department continued to issue Social Security checks; the Transportation Security Administration continued to screen passengers; the Bureau of Prisons continued to confine convicted criminals; the veterans hospitals continued to treat our military; and the Department of Justice continued to prosecute offenses (to cite just a few examples) because certain federal employees designated "essential" were required to show up and work  without pay. They had an expectation that they would be paid eventually when the shutdown ended, but, remember, no one knew then when it would end.

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Two weeks is a long time to go without knowing when your next paycheck will be. Would employees in the private sector do that? Employees deemed "nonessential" were furloughed  without pay.

At the time of the shutdown, I was a U.S. magistrate judge in Chicago. The federal courts continued to function only because the courts had a reserve of nonappropriated funds from filing fees and the like, enough to get us through two weeks.

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As the shutdown dragged into the second week, the chief judge of the district court and the heads of the other court units had to consider what we would do when the money ran out. Of course, trials would have to be canceled because there would be no money to pay jurors even the modest amount they receive for jury duty. But what about criminal trials? Ms. Wilhelm would not, I think, be so nonchalant about a shutdown if persons accused of federal offenses had to be released because the government could not provide them with their constitutional right to a "speedy trial" within the time required.

After the shutdown ended, both the essential employees and the nonessential employees received their full back-pay, which was only fair. It means, though, that the taxpayers paid the nonessential employees for no work for two weeks. When employees returned there was also undoubtedly time lost getting projects and programs back on track.

Wilhelm concludes that the shutdown showed that "expansive government bureaucracies aren't as important as they'd like you to think." What it showed me is that many members of the judicial and executive branches care very much about their mission. If Wilhelm doubts that, she should consider what would happen if the essential employees did not show up and the federal government actually shut down completely.

 Geraldine Soat Brown, Chicago
Riot police stand before antifa members and counterprotesters during a right-wing No to Marxism rally on Aug. 27, 2017, at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Berkeley, Calif. (Amy Osbourne / AFP/Getty Images)

During his recent Phoenix freak out, President Donald Trump bashed one of his favorite go-to scapegoats, the news media, who vex him with their insistence on reporting facts he doesn't like to hear.

Instead of focusing on right-wing extremists, he said, we should focus on "antifa," short for anti-fascist. He was talking about the alliance of anti-fascist and anarchist groups who, he said, turned out in their "helmets and the black masks" to protest and often disrupt Trump rallies and other further-right events.

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At an earlier news conference, Trump attacked "the alt-left," a label that Fox News commentators and others on the right have attached to antifa and its fellow travelers. "You had a group on the other side that was also very violent," Trump declared. "Nobody wants to say that."

Quite the contrary, many have said that, including such leading voices on the left as Noam Chomsky, the linguistics and political philosophy scholar. He recently called antifa a "minuscule fringe of the left, just as its predecessors were," and a "major gift to the right, including the militant right, who are exuberant."

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I agree. I was appalled, for example, by the video that went viral this past weekend of five masked and black-clad antifa protesters beating an unidentified white man who is balled up on the ground at Sunday's "Rally Against Hate" (an ironic title as a backdrop for this video) in Berkeley, Calif.

But just before the clip ends, a flash of humanity and decency appears in the form of a young African-American man in a red T-shirt, his long dreadlocks tied into a long ponytail. He jumps in front of the attackers, waves them back and protects the man from further injury with his own body until the man can get away.

Mother Jones journalist Shane Bauer, who caught the video, identified the aggressors only as members of antifa and their victim as a suspected member of the alt-right.

I was curious about this spontaneous hero, who can be seen wearing a headset and a sound recorder strapped to his body. He turned out to be Al Letson, host of National Public Radio's excellent "Reveal" documentary magazine program, produced by the California-based Center for Investigative Reporting.

In a telephone interview, Letson told me that the beating triggered memories of another viral video, the brutal videotaped beating of a black man in Charlottesville, Va., by several white men with poles and sticks after the white-power rally broke down. At least one 18-year-old suspect has been arrested and more are being sought.

"All I could think of was that guy in Charlottesville," said Letson. "Nobody came to help him and I didn't want that story to repeat."

Anyone with a level head in the antifa movement should thank Letson for preventing even more bad news for the movement.

Antifa's actual violence pales statistically in comparison to terrorism rooted on the far-right, according to the Anti-Defamation League, one of the groups that keeps track of such things. Of the 372 politically motivated murders recorded in the United States between 2007 and 2016, the ADL finds, right-wing extremists committed 74 percent. Left-wing extremists committed less than 2 percent.

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Trump, unlike his predecessors in office from both parties, resists denouncing white racist groups  in an apparent move to hold onto as many votes as he can, regardless of where they come from. He instead insists that "both sides" are to blame for recent violence at the white-pride "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, which equates the neo-Nazi side with protesters against Nazism. Americans can do better than that.

If President Trump really wants to get rid of antifa, the best way would be for him to stand up and fight the white supremacist and other far-right movements to which antifa is rising in reaction.

As for antifa followers, they should remember  as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., among others, nobly showed  you maintain your moral authority by resisting the temptation to adopt the violent tactics that you deplore in your opponents.

Clarence Page, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/pagespage.

cpage@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @cptime
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, left, shakes hands with Illinois State Rep. Will Davis, D-Homewood, on the floor of the Illinois House after the education funding bill Davis sponsored passed on the second attempt during a special session at the Illinois State Capitol, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Springfield, Ill. (Justin L. Fowler / AP)

A month ago, only education policy nerds were talking about establishing a private school tax credit scholarship program in Illinois.

Now, after a flurry of negotiations in Springfield, we're going to have one of the biggest such programs in the country.

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Without committee hearings and expert testimony. With almost no public debate and precious little debate in the General Assembly, Illinois is about to join the ranks of states that funnel significant amounts of public money into K-12 private schools, many of them religious.

I'm against the idea  even backdoor methods of tax support for religion offends my belief in separation of church and state, and I believe draining education dollars away from public schools will hurt them and all of us in the long run  and I'm against the way it was rushed through the state legislature.

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The "Invest in Kids Act," as Republicans called their amendment to the school funding overhaul in Springfield, was a last-minute bargaining chip, a concession the GOP demanded from the Democratic legislative majorities in order to put votes behind an omnibus bill that gave Democrats quite a bit of what they wanted.

Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has said he will sign the overall bill, which passed the House on Monday and the Senate on Tuesday.

The scholarship fund is not quite a school voucher program. But it's close enough.

The new law will allow those individuals who pay state income taxes to earmark up to $1 million a year of the state tax they owe as a donation to the private school or schools of their choice. So, money that would otherwise go into the state's general revenue fund will thus be converted to private school scholarships for children whose family income is up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. And, these children may already be enrolled in private schools.

This is a big deal. Too big to have been thrown into the mix at the last minute.

In the 17 other states where such programs are in effect, large networks of not-for-profit "scholarship granting organizations" have sprung up to pass along donations (and keep a small percentage for themselves to pay administrative costs). These organizations, as well as the schools and students who benefit from the program, require bureaucratic oversight and review.

Illinois' annual available tax-credits will be capped at $75 million a year, yes, but that's among the largest limits, even per capita, of all such state programs, according to National Conference of State Legislatures research.

Yet, I'm not vibrating with indignation.

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 First, politics and governing require compromise. And Illinois Democrats, who all but ignored the education-funding inequity problem when they had control of all branches of government and could have done something about it, backed themselves into a corner where they had to concede a cherished point to the GOP. And who can blame the Republicans for not letting a good crisis go to waste?

 Second, the state now has an education-funding deal along with a budget deal and has stepped back from the ledge of disaster. That's huge, especially when you imagine the alternatives.

 Third, the Illinois program specifies that donations to scholarship funds are not eligible for the 75 percent state tax credit if the taxpayer also claims that donation as a charitable contribution for federal tax purposes. This provision eliminates the ability of donors in higher tax brackets to realize a profit from their donation, as they can in nine states, according to "Public Loss Private Gain: How School Voucher Tax Shelters Undermine Public Education," a recent study from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy in conjunction with the School Superintendents Association.

 And lastly, the program will sunset after five years, meaning the public and lawmakers will have ample time to evaluate its effect on students and on public and private schools, as well as the state budget, before allowing it to continue.

Studies conducted by school-choice advocates claim that by diverting students from more expensive public schools into less expensive private schools, states end up saving money through the backdoor investment in private education. But reviews of such studies by the National Education Policy Center have cast serious doubt on the methodology and validity of such studies.

When a handful of students leave a public school for a private school, that public school's operational costs  staff, utilities, transportation, etc.  do not drop nearly as much as the overall per-pupil cost of education would suggest.

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We'll see by and by whether this hastily enacted program is as wonderful as proponents claim, as destructive to overall education as I predict, or somewhere in the middle.

Voters, denied a voice so far in the debate, will have ample opportunity to weigh in on this issue at the polls.

ericzorn@gmail.com

Twitter @EricZorn
The FBI is offering a reward for information that helps solve the case of three Aurora-area men shot to death at a southeastern Wisconsin drag strip earlier this month.

The agency is offering as much as $25,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person or people responsible for the shooting deaths of Khalid Howard, 30; Derek Edwards, 26; and David Watson, 30.

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Authorities said the men were among more than 5,000 people attending an event called Larry's Fun Fest Aug. 13 at Great Lakes Dragaway near Union Grove in Kenosha County, about 25 miles south of Milwaukee.

At about 7 p.m., in broad daylight near a food vendor, a male gunman shot two of the men, shot the third as he tried to get away around a tent and returned to shoot the two others a second time, according to information previously released by the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department.

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Sheriff's officials have said the three men killed were known gang members in Aurora and that it's likely they were targeted by a rival gang.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department at 262-605-5102 or Aurora Police Department's Crime Stoppers line, 630-892-1000, according to the news release, which states that people can also contact a local FBI office or the nearest American embassy or consulate.
User Upload Caption: Richardson Adventure Farm opens Sept. 2 for the 2017 fall season. Its theme this year is the 2016 World Series champions Chicago Cubs. (Richardson Farm/HANDOUT )

Planning a corn maze starts way before the first seed of corn is planted.

Take the Richardson family in Spring Grove, for example. They take about a week off after the last Christmas tree is sold and then it's time to plan the coming fall's corn maze.

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Every year they try to think of a theme that's interesting and would make a good picture  from thousands of feet overhead  in their 28-acre field, said George Richardson. Richardson and his brother Robert, along with their wives Wendy and Carol, are the fifth generation owners. George's son Ryan and his wife Kristen Richardson make up the sixth generation to work at the farm.

Last year's maze honored the 50th anniversary of "Star Trek." The year before paid tribute to the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks. The 2012 maze honored the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts.

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There was no hesitation about this year's design. George Richardson knew exactly what he wanted in the quarter-mile wide field  to commemorate the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs.

"This one was easy because the Cubs won the World Series and they haven't done that very often," he said.

They did their first maze in 2001 and the business has evolved nicely over the years, George Richardson said.

"We decided when we wanted to do a corn maze that we wanted to make a fantastic big picture rather than a bunch of squiggly lines," he said. "My brother and I are pilots so we like flying up in the air and looking down at things. Initially, 17 years ago, we thought 'let's make a spectacular picture in our corn maze, not just some squiggles and squares.' So that's become our goal, to make a giant picture, where the elements make sense."

The intricate design features Harry Caray yelling, "Holy Cow!" the Cubs logo; a Cubs pitcher and a batter, the Chicago skyline, the Wrigley Field marquee and the ivy-covered outfield walls.

Right after the holidays, the Richardsons sketch out the designs and email them to their maze designer, Shawn Stolworthy with MazePlay in Idaho.

"He puts our scribbles into graphic images and sends them back about half a dozen times and we kind of come up with the basic idea," George Richardson said. "Now we have Harry Caray up in the clouds saying, 'Holy cow,' so his image is definitely recognizable."

They sought permission from Caray's estate to use his image. They also asked for permission from the Cubs organization to use the logo and famous Wrigley Field marquee.

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By the time they are getting down to the final emails, they're just changing a few lines, he said, to make the design work the best for them.

"We like to have it simple in some areas because we have a couple of kids' trails through there that are just like seven or eight-minute trails with kids' games along it. I want it to be easy to navigate so that a mom could take a three-year-old and not get lost.

"And we want some areas to be nicely complicated so it's a challenge for the people who want to really go for it all and get all the checkpoints. And we try to design it without any dead ends because it's really large and we don't want people to feel like they're trapped out there."

Richardson figured that out the hard way when he himself got lost at night the first year they did a maze.

When it's time to plant in May, they plant the corn thick and dense, in narrow rows. When the corn is about a foot tall, in mid-July, it's time to cut.

County Line Orchard in Hobart, Ind., opens for business Aug. 30 with its Chicago Cubs corn maze. ( County Line Orchard )

"Our maze designer comes down with his tractor and a Rototiller, and he's got the computer in his cab hooked in with a GPS," he said. "Basically, he's staring at his computer screen, driving his tractor so his GPS locator dot follows the lines of the trail that are on the computer screen and rototills the design out that way, into the corn field. So it's highly accurate."

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In the beginning of August, when the corn was about four feet tall, the employees install the many posts that will serve as checkpoints throughout the maze.

"Then we go in and get the last details set," he said. "We have three wooden bridges between the mazes. We have four separate mazes that are only connected by a wooden bridge so it helps for location to get your bearings, and it's fun to get up above the corn."

They spend August smoothing out the trails and packing them down so they're ready to go by Sept. 2.

There are five games in the corn maze as well as a 50-foot observation tower people can climb up and look around, he said.

He hopes that non-Cubs fans will appreciate the maze and if they don't, he hopes they will still come and do the other fun things on the farm, he said.

"We put a lot of effort into what we think is going to be a spectacular picture and we're happy to show it off," Richardson said. "People find that it's really interesting how we make it."

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They also grow pumpkins and gourds of every size and shape and color imaginable, he said.

"We started out as a big corn maze and not as many activities," he said. "We've just grown over the years and improved things every year."

County Line Orchard

At County Line Orchard in Northwest Indiana, owner Ryan Richardson (no relation, although it's a common question) also created a Cubs corn maze. It was something he knew he wanted to do as soon as the last ball was caught last November to win the World Series.

"Pretty much as soon as they won, we at least knew one maze theme, so that made it easy on us," he said. "It's a good image and it makes for an interesting maze. Every year we balance design with making it look cool and we also take into account what elements will make it an interesting and fun maze for people going through as well."

There's been a big response to the pictures of the Cubs maze on social media, he said.

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"Everyone's sharing the images and it seems like they're real excited," he said. They love the fact that they get to relish the World Series trophy one more time."

In addition to the giant World Series maze, he has partnered with Culver's and the Future Farmers of America by putting the Culver's logo and "Thank you farmers" in the second corn maze. They also partnered with Albanese Confectionary and created a one-acre maze out of soybeans in the shape of a gummy bear, Ryan Richardson said.

Harvest Tyme Pumpkin Patch's corn maze design celebrates the 75th birthday of Curious George. ( Harvest Time Pumpkin Patch/HANDOUT )

"We've never done a soybean one but  we figured we'd give it a go because the corn maze is fun but sometimes it's a little too much for the young kids," he said.

Here are some more corn mazes opening soon. Be on the lookout for a roundup of area pumpkin patches coming in September.

Homer Glen

Konow's Corn Maze, 16849 S. Cedar Road, Homer Glen. 708-301-8845; www.konowscornmaze.com.

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Open Sept. 17-Oct. 30. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday-Friday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $9 weekdays, $10 weekends, 3 and under free.

Konow's offers a 3.4-mile corn maze for the serious maze enthusiast, plus a .4-mile maze for kids and the casual maze walker. There are activities like hay rides, a cow train, pedal tractor track, indoor play land, animal barn, straw bale playground, corn pit and jumping pillow; concessions and live bands on the weekends. New this year are Plinko and a putting green.

Oswego

Keller's Farmstand, 2500 Johnson Road, Oswego. 630-219-8194; www.kellersfarmstand.com/fall/saturday-sunday-festivities/.

Open Sept. 16-Oct. 29. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends only and Columbus Day. Admission is $9, kids 3 and under free.

This year's 10-acre corn maze features the extraterrestrial theme, "Take me to your farmers." Activities include hay wagon rides, kids' straw maze, pedal tractors, large play area with pirate ship and castle, animal barn and concession stand. There is also a pick-your-own pumpkin patch.

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Richardson Adventure Farm, 909 English Prairie Road, Spring Grove. www.richardsonadventurefarm.com.

Open Sept. 2-Oct. 29. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Open from 3-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 12-10 p.m. Sunday. Open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Labor Day and Columbus Day. The grounds close at midnight during the full moon weekends of Sept. 8-9 and Oct. 6-7. Cost is $16 for adults 13 and up, kids 4-12 cost $13 and those 3 and under are free. Zip line, Orbiting and other activities cost extra.

Other activities at the farm include a pumpkin patch, train rides, bungee bouncer, jumping pillow, carousel, pedal carts, corn bin, pig races, 50-foot-long tube slide, 750-foot-long zip line and Orbiting (that's when you get strapped inside a big plastic sphere and then roll at high speeds down a hill).

Woodstock

All Seasons Apple Orchard, 14510 Illinois Route 176, Woodstock. 815-338-5637; www.allseasonsorchard.com.

Open Sept. 2-Oct. 29. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Labor Day and Columbus Day. Check the website for soon-to-be-updated admission. Credit cards accepted.

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Every fall, more than 10 acres of cornfield is transformed into a maze with more than three miles of pathways and a lookout bridge. The maze has two paths: a challenging one for the maze pro and a shorter one for kids and those who just want a simple walk. Quizzes and a "Who kidnapped Farmer Joe?" game help guide you through the main maze.

A wide variety of barnyard activities include a petting zoo, rat roller, giant swings, spider web, mini zip line, tire mountain, pumpkin checkers, pumpkin bowling, pedal karts, jumping pillow, goat bridge, tube slide, sand box, wagon ride, corn box and pig races. Some events are weekends only. The pick-your-own pumpkin patch opens at the end of September.

Indiana

Hobart

County Line Orchard, 200 S. County Line Road, Hobart, Ind. 219-947-4477; www.countylineorchard.com.

Open Aug. 30-Oct. 29. The corn maze is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Kid's Farm 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Admission is $7-$10.

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In addition to the two corn mazes and one soybean maze, this orchard has you-pick apples, you-pick pumpkins and even you-pick sunflowers. There is also bee yurts (housing for the farm's bee population), barrel car rides, hayrides, farm animals, a gift shop and Barnyard Jams with local musicians every weekend.

Lowell

Harvest Tyme Pumpkin Patch, 17904 Grant St., Lowell. 219-440-2386; www.harvesttymefun.com.

Open Sept. 23-Oct. 29. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Flashlight Maze 6-9 p.m. Oct. 13-14. Corn maze $7; 2 and under free. Kiddie corn maze is $2.50. Credit cards accepted.

This year's corn maze design celebrates the 75th anniversary of Curious George with the famous monkey jumping out of a pumpkin among its twists and turns. There's a lookout bridge in the four-acre maze for people to get a bird's eye view. Afraid you won't find your way out? There are games you can play in the maze to assist you, you can text for clues and if all else fails, there will be a corn patrol to help lost souls to the exits.

Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
Burr Ridge Mayor Mickey Straub and two village trustees are getting fire  and praise  for speaking out about perceived inequities between Hinsdale High School District 86's two schools.

Trustees Anita Mital and Zach Mottl, along with Straub, spoke at last week's school board meeting, condemning the unbalanced enrollment of the two schools and the district's buffer zone, which allows parents to pick whether their child attends Hinsdale Central or Hinsdale South.

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That did not sit well with Burr Ridge resident Yvonne Mayer, who said the mayor and trustees had no right to speak on her and other residents' behalf before District 86 officials.

"The problem with your public comments was that you forgot you represent all Burr Ridge residents," Mayer told the Village Board Monday. "You did not speak for me, a longstanding Burr Ridge resident, nor did you speak for other Burr Ridge residents whose children have always attended Hinsdale Central."

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Mayer said the elected officials did not represent her interests as a resident who wants to ensure her children attend the high school she chooses and that her property feeds into, adding she "does not believe there is discrimination or unequal academic instruction between the two high schools."

Mottl, a graduate of Hinsdale South, said the No. 1 issue he heard from residents when running for Village Board this spring was about the school district and the impact that is has on property values

He said District 86 wants to expand Hinsdale Central when it could more easily shift boundaries and send more students to Hinsdale South, or create freshman-sophomore and junior-senior campuses as is done at Lyons Township High School, where students in the Cook County portion of Burr Ridge attend.

He said the village should get involved in the issue because a perceived inequity between the two schools "degrades tax receipts" to the village because property values don't rise as much in the portions of town where students go to South.

Straub said the village has every right to get involved in an issue that affects residents and property values.

"The basic consensus is that 'there's nothing you can do about the school district so don't even bother trying,'" he said, "but I don't buy it. If not the Village Board of Trustees, then who is going to speak on behalf of our residents? It needs to be fair and balanced, and that is really all we are asking."

Straub said the buffer zone has created the overcrowding problem at Central. Current enrollments are 2,787 at Central and 1,513 at South.

The Village Board is expected to have an item on its Sept. 11 agenda examining what the village can do regarding the disparity between the two schools.

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Burr Ridge resident Adolph Galinski, who has three kids in Gower Elementary District 62, said he was grateful village officials spoke out about the District 86 issue.

"I am very concerned about the district's inequities," Galinski said. "Some people have a choice; some do not. Most people choose Central over South. One percent of South's students are from the buffer zone. 5.5 percent of Central's students are from the buffer zone."

Two Burr Ridge trustees questioned why the village would be diving into the school systems' issues.

"We are going down a slippery slope meddling in District 86 business," Trustee Guy Franzese warned.

Trustee Al Paveza said that the village needs to be careful not to overstep its boundaries.

"This is something beyond our charter," Paveza said. "Other bodies, they are governed by their own elected bodies. I am not sure just how deeply we should get involved in this. This is why they have their own school board."

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Kevin Beese is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

This article was edited on Aug. 30, 2017, to remove statements incorrectly attributed to a resident who spoke at the meeting.
Joliet police were investigating an apparent murder-suicide on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, authorities said. (Alicia Fabbre / Daily Southtown)

Joliet police are investigating the deaths of a woman and her twin daughters as an "apparent murder-suicide," authorities said Monday.

Autopsies are scheduled Tuesday for Celisa Henning, 41, and Makayla and Addison Henning, both 6 years old, according to the Will County coroner's office.

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A man who identified himself as the girls' grandfather said the deaths involved his daughter-in-law and his twin granddaughters, who had just started kindergarten at St. Paul the Apostle School in Joliet.

"It's a tragedy," said Dennis Henning, whose son was the girl's father and the woman's husband of 10 years. "I hope and pray to God that he can live through it."

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He said his two granddaughters had spent the day at home with their mother. His son, who is a plumber, tried contacting his wife throughout the day but she did not answer the phone, Henning said.

When the son arrived home around 3:30 p.m. he found the bodies of his wife and two daughters and called police, Henning said.

"He's grieving," said Henning, who said he had spoken with his son late Monday afternoon.

Joliet Police Chief Brian Benton declined to discuss how the girls or their mother died. He noted the three victims were found inside a bathroom in the home.

"It's a very tragic incident," Benton said.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

One neighbor who spoke with the mother regularly described her as a devoted mom who loved her children. She would often see the mother with her twin girls playing in the backyard.

"If she did this, I can't imagine the terror in her heart," neighbor Joan Paul said. "Those kids were her life. She was an excellent mother."

Taraus Campbell, a long-time friend of the couple, took off work to come check on his friend once he heard the news. Campbell said he was one of the twins' godfather.

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He said the family was "for the most part a happy household." Campbell said he grew up with the twins' father and the two had remained friends into adulthood.

Though the two kindergarten girls were twins, Campbell said they were quite different. One had blonde hair and the other had darker hair, he said.

"They were daddy's girls, but also mommy's girls," he said. "They were great kids."

Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Oak Forest police said Monday they have a person of interest in custody following the Sunday morning shooting death of a Chicago man.

Police responded at about 9:30 a.m. Sunday to a call of shots fired in the 6600 block of 157th Street, were an unresponsive male was found lying in a residential driveway, police said in a news release. He was taken to Advocate South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest where he was pronounced dead.

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Police said they were not releasing the victim's name pending notification of additional family members.

The Cook County medical examiner's office identified the shooting victim as Adrian R. Gagen, 21, of the 4700 block of South Union Avenue in Chicago.

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Police said they are working with the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force, and that initial information suggests the shooting stemmed from a domestic disturbance between family members.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the time of the shooting.
David Maher stands in the ravine next to his home. He believes the erosion in the ravine is getting worse. (Daniel I. Dorfman/Pioneer Press)

When David Maher bought property in Glencoe's Ravine Bluffs subdivision, one selling point was the location.

"The fact that it sat on a ravine in such a peaceful area is a plus," Maher said.

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But years after Maher and his wife, Pam, gutted and rehabbed their home on the property, adjacent to the replica of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed bridge on Sylvan Road, Maher expresses concern about the ravine's future.

"I've watched over the past four years as the erosion has continued to get worse," he said.

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Ravine erosion needs to be addressed so that Lake Michigan does not get polluted, according to Ethan Brown, a resilience coordinator from the Alliance for the Great Lakes. That organization that works with communities that are next to Lake Michigan, said the dangers of ravine erosion extend not just to Glencoe, but throughout the North Shore.

Brown said stormwater is the top threat to ravines as the water goes into pipes before reaching Lake Michigan, the drinking water source for the Chicago area.

"When it rains, the stormwater flowing out of these pipes can travel too fast and erode ravine beds and banks at the end of pipe," Brown explained in a village-sponsored roundtable earlier this year. "Unfortunately, if stormwater volumes rise high and fast enough, they can erode the ravine hundreds if not thousands of feet downstream of the stormwater pipes. When ravines erode, that sediment flows into Lake Michigan as pollution."

Brown said ravines can be the gems of a community.

"These are globally rare ecosystems," he said.

Glencoe took one action in June on one specific ravine in one part of an overall plan that as of now has Glencoe spending a projected $1.5 million on to improve seven storm water outfall locations, that include ravine and lake bluff areas, according to Public Works Director David Mau. Plus, the village's sustainability task force has made ravine erosion one of its areas to study that could have long range consequences.

"The natural erosion that occurs in all ravines is a slow process," Mau said. "Inaction by private property owners will have an effect over time, but gradually. It is important to continue to reach out to owners of these properties to educate and raise awareness about how they can best monitor and manage ravine properties."

According to the village, there are six ravines that sit entirely in Glencoe and two more that extend over the borders into other communities.

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At a June village board meeting, trustees unanimously authorized a contract to replace a failing drainage system at one ravine east of Sheridan Road between Rockgate Lane and Brentwood Drive. Mau indicated further research is being conducted this summer, which may lead to where efforts will be concentrated in the future.

Other steps have taken in the past. In 2007, the village enacted impervious surface regulations in an effort to control runoff from private property runoff into ravines, he said. He added a steep slope ordinance was put on the books in 2013 that village officials believe has been effective in reducing the amount of water going into properties that include ravines or bluff features.

"Our overall goal with that is to reduce the amount of stormwater that is being directed into our system," village engineer Anna Kesler said.

Overall, Mau noted it would take some coordination between the village and the private property owners to address the issue.

As for the deterioration has occurred in the area of the Sylvan Road Bridge, close to the Maher's home, that area is on the village's radar.

"There is some erosion on one of the banks which has been a progressive thing on the private property to the north of the (Wright) bridge located on Sylvan Road," Mau said. "We're evaluating it, but there is some active erosion that is going to have to be addressed eventually."

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Besides Maher, there are other Glencoe residents who are concerned with the ravine erosion.

Lisa Fremont, a member of the village's sustainability task force, lives in a home on a ravine on Longwood Avenue. She said she was shocked by the condition of the ravine when she went into it recently, saying it seemed to have eroded significantly over the past few years.

Fremont wants to form an alliance of private property owners in her area to address the issue. She envisions that would be the start of the initiative as she could see that group evolving into a village-wide effort to address all Glencoe ravines. The next step would be the entire North Shore, she said.

"I grew up on the ravine and I live today on that same ravine, so I wanted to save it by making sure it will be there for future generations," Fremont said.

Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
A Highland Park teen who has been raising funds for Equestrian Connection through lemonade and cookie sales since she was 5 years old is among 15 Jewish teens to be honored for their efforts to repair the world.

As a recipient of a Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award from The Helen Diller Family Foundation, Gabriella Cooperman, 17, will receive $36,000 to apply toward a charity or education. The teens were honored at an awards luncheon Aug. 28 in San Francisco, where the Diller Foundation is based.

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Tikkun olam in Hebrew means "repairing the world."

At a young age, Cooperman saw how her younger sister Danielle with special needs responded to horseback-riding therapy at the Equestrian Connection near Lake Forest. Cooperman said she wanted to raise money for the therapy and first thought of a lemonade stand "as any young kid would do."

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"I wanted to make it special so I asked my mom to make her famous peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies," said Cooperman, a senior at Highland Park High School.

She set up her stand at the corner of Lakeside Place and Sheridan Road, about two blocks east of Ravinia Festival's back gate, the weekend of the Port Clinton Art Festival.

"People thought it was cute that I wanted to raise funds through a lemonade stand," said Cooperman, who recalls raising about $500 the first year when others thought $50 was a realistic expectation.

For the past 11 years, Cooperman's Cookies for Charityhas continued selling cookies the last weekend in August at the same location. Because Cooperman will be in San Francisco during the traditional weekend this year, her Cookies for Charity event will take place Sept. 9 and Sept. 10.

A few years after starting Cookies for Charity, Cooperman learned there were kids in need of horse-riding therapy, or hippotherapy, whose families could not afford it. She began directing her proceeds toward a sponsorship program for those children.

She said sales have grown through word of mouth and networking as her own social sphere expanded with the moves from elementary school to middle school and then high school.

She recruits several dozen of her contemporaries to assist as volunteers.

She also found 22 corporate sponsors for her effort, with some contributing financially and others making in-kind donations of ingredients.

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"When I was 8, I asked my parents how come the United Center is named after an airline, and they explained corporate sponsorship," said Cooperman. "I ended up writing letters to CEOs, ranging from local businesses to Fortune 500 companies."

Cooperman plans to contribute 10 percent of her Tikkun Olam award to Cookies for Charity and apply the remainder to her post-high school education.

Initiated by Bay Area philanthropist Helen Diller, the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam awards recognize teen entrepreneurs who self-identify as Jewish and contribute to establishing methods for social change in the communities around them.

kberkowitz@pioneerlocal.com
Grayslake police are investigating a house fire that took place last Tuesday on the 400 block of Normandy Lane. A 17-year-old male who police rescued from the fire has died, police said. (John Konstantaras/For the Chicago Tribune) (John Konstantaras/Chicago Tribune )

The teenage boy who had been shot in the head before his rescue from a Grayslake house fire last week has died, authorities said Monday.

Police said the 17-year-old died Saturday at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. An autopsy on the teen was performed Sunday at the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, but his cause of death was not determined, according to a Grayslake police news release.

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"With many interviews to be conducted and a large amount of evidence to process, this case remains open," the release said. "No additional suspects are being sought in the case."

Authorities initially cited "strange circumstances" surrounding last Tuesday's early morning house fire on the 400 block of Normandy Lane. Three Grayslake police officers and a neighbor rescued the teen after emergency personnel were called to the fire.

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But on Friday, authorities revealed that the teen had been shot in the head before he was rescued from the blaze and that his grandmother later took her own life after being questioned by police.

Deborah St. Antoine-Browne, the boy's grandmother and guardian, told another minor in her care to consume a bottle of prescription medication before she committed suicide, police said Friday.

Grayslake Police Chief Philip Perlini said the relative ingested some of the medicine but sought emergency medical help at the hospital.

Hours after speaking with investigators, St. Antoine-Brown jumped off a parking garage outside the Maywood hospital where the teen was being treated.

Grayslake Sgt. Joe Holtz said Monday night that St. Antoine-Browne remained a suspect in the shooting.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 7 An investigator walks outside a home on Normandy Lane in Grayslake, where a fire early Tuesday resulted in injuries to a resident and three police officers. ( Joe Shuman/News-Sun )

Police said Friday the fire's cause had not been determined but that it was believed to have started near a utility lint tray. Authorities last week also declined to say whether the fire was believed to have started intentionally.

The investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Illinois State Fire Marshal and the Grayslake Fire Protection District.

emcoleman@tribpub.com

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Jason Strong sits outside his family's home in rural Tennessee in September 2015. Strong was wrongfully convicted of the death of Mary Kate Sunderlin and was sentenced to 46 years in prison. He spent 15 years in prison but was freed in May of 2015 after evidence cleared him of the crime. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune )

A man who served more than 15 years in prison for murder before being cleared of the crime would receive $9 million under a proposed settlement the Waukegan City Council has agreed on, the city's attorney said.

Jason Strong filed the lawsuit in May 2016 against Waukegan, the Lake County Major Crime Task Force and other municipalities whose officers were involved in the case through the task force. It was filed less than a month after a Lake County court granted him a certificate of innocence.

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Waukegan would end up paying about $100,000 of the proposed settlement, city attorney Robert Long said. The city's insurance would cover the rest of Waukegan's $6 million share, and the other entities named in the lawsuit would be responsible for the remainder, Long said.

A settlement conference with the federal judge handling the case was held in July, and a status hearing is scheduled for next week, according to court documents.

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A spokeswoman with the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center, which is handling Strong's case, declined to comment Monday.

Strong had been convicted of murder stemming from the slaying of a woman whose body was discovered in a Waukegan-area forest preserve in December 1999. Years later, the woman was identified as Mary Kate Sunderlin, a mentally disabled woman from Kane County, and the case against Strong began to fall apart.

Strong "suffered immeasurable harm as a result of his lengthy, unjust incarceration," according to his lawsuit. "He continues to suffer as he struggles to integrate into the free community and repair his shattered life. He brings this suit seeking justice and compensation from those responsible for his unjust charging and conviction."

"Imagine if you took the last 15 years of your life and say that it never happened  none of the birthdays, none of the celebrations with family, your children, your career," Strong said in a 2015 interview with the Chicago Tribune. "None of that happened. You miss all those things. You're like in pause mode. Life goes on, but you don't. It's loss, a giant loss that you can't really put into words."

Strong claims in the lawsuit that officers conspired to wrongfully convict him by feeding information to a purported witness, coercing confessions from Strong and his alleged accomplice, and manipulating others into providing false evidence, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit claims that the behaviors that led to Strong's false conviction were "widespread within the Waukegan police department," which "far from disciplining or firing these officers, the City of Waukegan rewarded and promoted them, such that the officers have flourished within the department and within the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force despite their troubled records."

The complaint points to seven other cases where convictions had been overturned after DNA evidence excluded the defendants, and in several instances, confessions were alleged to have been coerced.

Besides Strong's case, the city faces one other pending lawsuit related to a false conviction, filed by Angel Gonzalez, who had been arrested by Waukegan police and convicted of abducting and raping a woman in the mid-1990s.

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That case could end up costing the city more than Strong's case, as the city's insurance companies from the time have agreed to front $900,000, the maximum covered under the policies.

The city has two ways of reconciling with its history, Long said.

One is through how the police department moves forward, looking at its practices, providing additional training and, in Waukegan's case, asking the Department of Justice to mediate a review of the department, he said.

The other is through the settlement process, which is a matter of weighing the likelihood that the lawsuit can be won against the potential risks, he said.

The city does not get to participate in the legal process that ultimately results in the granting of a certificate of innocence, Long said. The Lake County State's Attorney's Office is the entity making decisions about how much or whether to challenge the later testing, be it pathologist reports or DNA testing.

That means if a lawsuit is filed against the city after a certificate of innocence is issued, the city has to overcome "a hell of a piece of evidence," Long said.

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A certificate of innocence "suggests that he never should have been convicted in the first place," he said. "That might be true, and it might not be true."

If the city decided to fight the lawsuit, it would also have to present evidence on how a case was investigated nearly two decades ago with some of the involved officers now deceased, most retired and others unavailable, Long said.

As is typical, the city does not admit any guilt as part of the settlement, Long said.

emcoleman@tribpub.com

Twitter @mekcoleman
Rich Arsenault of the Naperville Police Special Response Team helps Christopher Mroch, 14, of Naperville, try out one of the team's protective vests during this years National Night Out event. (David Sharos/Naperville Sun )

For the second time in less than a month, Naperville has been named the 7th safest city in Illinois and one of the safest communities in the country among towns with 50,000 people or more.

SafeHome.org released its list of the top 101 safest cities in America Tuesday after "analyzing statistics from the FBI and then looking at the Chapman University Survey of American Fears," spokeswoman Kristyn Pilgrim said via email. In addition to being found to be the 7th safest municipality in Illinois, Naperville was also ranked No. 33 nationwide.

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"Despite what is heard in the news about Chicago crime, (Illinois) overall has a wide selection of cities to live in with high safety ratings," a SafeHome news release said. "Of the top 25 safest cities in the state, 18 of them have a safety rating of 80 (out of 100) or higher."

Just as alarms.org did earlier this month in its "Top 100 Safest Cities in America 2017" report, the SafeHome study ranked Wheaton, Palatine, Hoffman Estates Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Des Plaines ahead of Naperville in overall safety. Wheaton, in the SafeHome report, was deemed the safest city in Illinois and 9th in the U.S.

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Like SafeHome, alarms.org  part of the National Council for Home Safety and Security  named Naperville the 7th safest city in Illinois, and ranked it 41st in the nation.

"We appreciate any recognition for our ongoing efforts to help provide a safe community for our citizens and visitors," Naperville police Cmdr. Lou Cammiso said.

Aurora edged out Orland Park, Cicero and Skokie in being declared the 12th safest city in Illinois, but did not make SafeHome's national list. Elgin was listed at No. 11 statewide and No. 72 in the U.S.

Chicago came in at No. 99 in the statewide listing, ahead of only Decatur and Peoria, according to the report.

"As a whole, Chicago has a safety rating of 72" out of 100, according to the release. "On the national level, Illinois has 11 of the top 100 safest cities, and Chicago even makes it into the top 500 safest cities in the nation."

The FBI data used in the SafeHome study was "compiled from the information provided by 13,366 law enforcement agencies," the release said. The survey done by Chapman University in Orange, Calif., was incorporated into the report "to highlight the crime rates of what Americans fear most, between violent crime and property crime rates."

The SafeHome.org and alarms.org findings are vastly different from the No. 1 in the country rating Naperville earned earlier this year from niche.com, a ranking and review website; and the No. 4 listing it received from movoto.com, a real estate website.

Another website, Safewise.com  which offers information on home safety and security systems  several years ago deemed Naperville the 19th safest city in America. This year, it gave Naperville an "honorable mention" award and listed it at No. 42 in the nation.

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Police Chief Robert W. Marshall, in speaking of the alarms.org survey, said earlier this month he would be curious to know how the organization drew its conclusions.

"I think the important thing is to look at what criteria they're looking at," Marshall said at the time. "For example, they excluded cities of under 50,000" in population, and Wheaton, while making the top 10, "had only 12 violent crimes" in all of 2016, he said.

"I think we've got to make sure we're comparing apples to apples," Marshall said. "Our records show that in 2016, (Naperville's) violent crimes actually went down by 6.8 percent. We are still one of the safest cities in America."

In the alarms.com study, officials said they relied on "the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics, along with our own internal research."

SafeHome declared Greenwich, Conn., to be the safest city in the U.S. Its list of the 101 safest cities can be viewed at www.safehome.org/safest-cities.

wbird@tribpub.com
Joe Garcia carries his dog Heidi from his flooded home as he is rescued from rising floodwaters Aug. 28, 2017, in Spring, Texas. (David J. Phillip / AP)

A Naperville woman is working with a national recreational vehicle company to send relief supplies to Texas.

Watching news accounts of the flooding in Houston from the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey sparked Naperville's Lynn Prehm into action. All she needed was a truck to carry out her mission, she said.

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Prehm recalls similar images from Hurricane Katrina 12 years ago when she helped load supplies destined for a church in Louisiana that distributed the items directly to people in need.

Because of an outpouring of support from the Naperville community, it took just five hours to load up the supplies back then.

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She said she would like to repeat that process but needed a vehicle to transport supplies.

"The truck is the hardest part," Prehm said.

After a day of searching, Prehm opted to partner with Camping World, a group that already planned to send donations to flood-ravaged areas.

Camping World is collecting new or gently used clothing for adults and children to send to the affected areas.

Donations are being accepted at two Naperville locations for delivery to the Texas area to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey.

The deadline to drop items off is Saturday, Sept. 1, Prehm said.

Items needed include nonperishable food, adult and baby diapers, pet food, laundry soap, personal toiletries, new or lightly used adult, child and baby clothing, baby food, baby formula, baby wipes, blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, blow-up mattresses, tents, unopened over-the-counter medicines, shoes, small games and new toys, pens, paper, feminine products and Ziploc bags.

All product donations should be in boxes, with the items contained marked on the outside, Prehm said. Clothing should be identified by gender, size and whether it's for an adult, child or baby, she said. All items should be washed and excellent condition. No winter coats are needed.

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Naperville donation locations are Jason's Deli, 1735 Freedom Drive, and 103rd Street and Book Road, across the street from Alleluia Church, from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday.

Also taking donations are Paws in Time Resort, with location at 1891 E. Fabyan Parkway, West Chicago, and 456 Treasure Drive, Oswego.

Camping World will pick up the Naperville-area donations and bring them to its Wauconda store, where they will be loaded onto semitrailers bound for Texas.

Camping World is accepting donations on behalf of the American Red Cross and will match total contributions up to $2 million.

All donations received by Camping World or dropped off at local collection sites through Labor Day will qualify for the match.

To donate directly to the American Red Cross, go to www.redcross.org.

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subaker@tribpub.com

Twitter @SBakerSun1
The Centennial Fitness Center, 1515 W. Touhy Ave. in Park Ridge, is celebrating its 25th anniversary on Sept. 5. (Jennifer Johnson / Pioneer Press)

On Sept. 5, 1992, the new Park Ridge Community Center opened its doors to the public for the first time for a day of free swimming and fitness.

It may have undergone a name change and some interior facelifts since then, but the center is marking its 25th anniversary the very same way it celebrated its grand opening.

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All amenities at the Centennial Fitness Center, as it is currently known, will be free to the public on Sept. 5, according to the Park Ridge Park District, which operates the facility. That includes use of the indoor pools, fitness equipment, double gymnasium, racquetball courts, indoor track and any classes offered that day, said Amy Murrin, Fitness Center manager.

"They can use whatever feature of the facility they would like," Murrin said of residents.

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Centennial Fitness Center is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and is located at 1515 W. Touhy Ave. For more information about class offerings on Sept. 5, call 847-692-5129.

An anniversary ribbon cutting  followed by cake  is scheduled for 4:30 p.m., Murrin said.

The origins of the Park Ridge Community Center began in 1989 with the closure of the Northwest Community YMCA, which had been located for many years at the southwest corner of Touhy and Western avenues.

The Park Ridge Park District ultimately bought the property and began construction of the community center in 1991, with Steve Meyer, former director of parks and recreation, telling the Chicago Tribune, "We have nothing like it in the district."

The two-story building cost $5.5 million to build, the Park Ridge Advocate reported at the time. On opening day, more than 4,000 people were reported to have turned out to sample what the center had to offer.

While the outside of the two-story building has not changed much in the last 25 years, "everything inside has been completely renovated," Murrin said. Most recently, the men's and women's locker rooms underwent a significant renovation and safety improvements within the facility were made, including the addition of an anti-slip application to the pool deck and locker room floors, and the addition of padding to the gymnasium walls to reduce injury if a player runs into them, Murrin said.

The center's name was changed to Centennial Fitness Center in 2015. Park District spokeswoman Margaret Holler explained that name "Community Center" was "not reflective of the activities occurring" within the building, which were largely fitness-based.

Lorraine Kieser has been working at the center for the last 25 years. Now 97 years old, Kieser says it's the camaraderie of the people there that keeps her coming back.

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"There was never a time when I didn't want to come to work," she said. "It was always pleasant."

Kieser works about 12 hours each week in the laundry room or wherever else she is needed. She begins her days at 4 a.m. and makes it a point to get a workout in after her shifts.

"When I get through with work, I go upstairs and do something on the machines for an hour," she said. "That's a lot of fun too."

As the Centennial Fitness Center begins its 25th year, it continues to face growing competition from a number of fitness-oriented businesses that have opened in Park Ridge in the last few years, including a 66,000-square-foot club less than a mile away.

Murrin said the center has responded by looking at all that can be improved, from physical renovations to adding new equipment and classes. Today, the center offers multiple strength, cardio, low-impact, Pilates, yoga and spin classes.

One newly added strength class that Murrin said has gotten a good response is called BodyPump, which incorporates weights.

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"There's some buzz about that format because it's a good, 60-minute, full-body workout," Murrin said.

Centennial Fitness Center also added a heart rate monitoring program in the spinning room, and is adding a Piyo class  a combination of Pilates, stretch and a bit of yoga  in September, she said.

"We feel we have a great facility, great amenities, classes and equipment, and we offer a great value," Murrin said.

jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @Jen_Tribune
A former Maine Township trustee, who was defeated in an election bid earlier this year, has been hired to fill a newly created township position aimed at assisting a revamp of the community food pantry.

Kelly Schaefer, who was appointed to the Maine Township Town Board in August 2016 and served eight months as a trustee, is the new assistant director of the Maine Township Food Pantry, Supervisor Laura Morask announced last week.

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Morask, who hired Schaefer, said Schaefer's responsibilities will include establishing partnerships with donors  including businesses and schools  in order to solicit additional revenue and donations for the food pantry, which serves at-need families living throughout the township. The pantry operates out of Maine Township Town Hall in Park Ridge.

"We're a really popular food pantry and we're lucky to be the recipient of many food drives, but it's also good to receive monetary donations so we can be self-sustaining, serve more people and expand more to meet customer needs," Morask said.

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Schaefer will also be responsible for streamlining the application process, she added.

Schaefer, of Park Ridge, ran for election to a full term on the Town Board in April as part of the Maine Township Republican slate. She lost to Democrat Claire McKenzie, also of Park Ridge, by 49 votes, Cook County election results showed.

McKenzie last week voiced opposition to Schaefer's hiring, saying a candidate who lost a township election should not be given a township job.

"It's a slap in the face to me personally, and I think it's not in the best interest of the township," McKenzie told the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate. "They didn't vote her in."

Morask, who ran with Schaefer on the Maine Township Republican slate, denied that Schaefer's hiring was political.

"It had nothing to do with the election," she said. "It was honestly that she is a person who lives in the township, knows the township, is familiar with the organization, and is familiar with everything that needed to be done. It was a perfect fit. It didn't even occur to me that a trustee would have any problem with it."

Morask acknowledged that she did not advertise the position for assistant food pantry director or interview additional candidates. She credited Schaefer with being "computer savvy and a good fundraiser" based on her fundraising work with the Lincoln Middle School Parent-Teacher Organization and Maine South High School.

A copy of a resume Schaefer provided the township indicates she has a degree in public relations and business management and lists a customer service representative position at Delta Airlines as her most recent employer.

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Schaefer declined requests for an interview.

The assistant director position was created as part of a pilot program in which the Maine Township Food Pantry will now be open Monday through Friday, during regular township hours (which are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), and on some Saturdays, Morask said. Previously, the pantry was open only two days a week, she said.

The request to open the pantry on additional days came from members of the community, Morask said.

Schaefer will earn an annual salary of about $30,000, and the position requires a 30-hour week week, Morask said. In order to create the position, three part-time, seasonal positions within the township's General Assistance Department were cut, the supervisor said, with their responsibilities taken on by existing staff.

Morask said that as supervisor, she has the authority to hire staff for the General Assistance Department.

Carol Langan, coordinator of the food pantry, will continue to lead the pantry, Morask said. Most clients approved to use it generally come about twice each month, she said.

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jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @Jen_Tribune
A judge postponed a sentencing hearing for one year for a Gary teen who had been released last year on his own recognizance on an armed robbery charge so he could attend college.

Lake Superior Court Judge Diane Ross Boswell, who had released Tre'Vion Conell Carlisle, 19, so he could attend Indiana State University in Terre Haute, began hearing sentencing arguments Monday from defense attorney T. Edward Page, who described his client "in some ways as a success story."

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"My client got involved in something that was beyond his ability to deal with," Page said, noting that Carlisle will have a felony conviction on his record that will take years to expunge.

Carlisle told Boswell he is a second semester sophomore.

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Carlisle pleaded guilty in June to robbery, a Level 5 felony punishable by one to six years. His plea agreement outlines a maximum three-year sentence. Carlisle and his co-defendants faced three to 16 years on the original armed robbery charge in which a deposit bag was taken from a Dollar Tree store employee in Merrillville.

Boswell postponed Carlisle's sentencing hearing until Aug. 22, 2018.

Ruth Ann Krause is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson voices her concerns over the proposed EPA budget cuts at a press conference at Marquette Park Tuesday morning. (Javonte Anderson / Post-Tribune)

Local environmentalists and elected officials are highlighting how proposed 2018 budget cuts for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would directly impact Northwest Indiana.

"The public needs to understand very clearly that the proposed cuts to the EPA will significantly impact our ability to protect human health and the environment in this state," said Michael Mikulka, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 704, which represents more than 900 EPA employees in the Chicago regional office and across the Midwest.

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The proposed EPA cuts were the subject of a press conference held Tuesday on the lakefront at Marquette Park that included Mikulka; Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson; Cathy Martin, Save the Dunes Program Manager; and Ashley Williams, of the Sierra Club's Indiana's Beyond Coal Campaign in Indiana.

With heavy industry along the shores of Lake Michigan and environmental problems present in Northwest Indiana, including the Superfund site in East Chicago and the carcinogen hexavalent chromium spill earlier this spring in Lake Michigan off of Portage, Freeman-Wilson said the necessity of a strong EPA presence in Northwest Indiana is apparent.

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"We don't have to think about this in the abstract," she said. "What we've seen in Flint, what we've seen in East Chicago and what we've seen in our own Gary, Indiana, underscores how important that agency is to us.

"The efforts to reduce this agency are unconscionable. And I've been working with mayors all over the country to ensure we maintain the funding that is needed for the EPA."

The House Appropriations Committee approved a spending bill last month that would cut the EPA's 2018 funding by $528 million or 6.5 percent.

Martin agreed with Freeman-Wilson citing EPA's response to the chromium spill in April as a prime example of his the agency protects the health of Northwest Indiana citizens.

"Their response and investigation into that incident helped ensure that are drinking water is safe, public safety is maintained and these sort of accidents don't happen again," she said.

Mikulka said he believes the current administration is trying to further deplete the EPA staff that's already been cut to a "bare bones" level.

"This is unacceptable, in addition to these cuts, the Trump administration is currently working to bleed the agency of talented staff through a mass buyout program," Mikulka said. In July, the EPA sent letters to nearly 200 employees working in the Region 5 office in Chicago asking them to leave the agency no later than Sept. 2, Mikulka said.

More than 30 employees from the EPA's Region 5 office, which serves Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, accepted the voluntary separation agreement or an early buyout, he said.

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Multiple phone calls made to the EPA Monday were not immediately returned.

jaanderson@tribpub.com

Twitter @JavonteA
While some celebrated the Aug. 21 approval of a welcoming ordinance in the village of River Forest, some board members expressed their concerns about a piece of the legislation.

The "sanctuary city-like" ordinance passed by a 4-2 vote of the village board, with trustees Carmela Corsini and Michael Gibbs voting against the motion.

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The resolution states no village employee, official or department shall inquire into nor collect information regarding the immigration status of individuals unless required to do so by state or federal law, or a court order.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, every village employee and official shall receive written guidance on compliance with the resolution.

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In December, Dominican University, whose campus is in River Forest, adopted a sanctuary campus ordinance, and several Dominican members spoke in March urging the village to do the same. At that time, Dominican Dean of Students Trudi Goggin noted the university is a Hispanic serving institution, with many international students from across the globe world.

In February, Oak Park adopted its sanctuary city ordinance. River Forest District 90 adopted an inclusive resolution in June. Forest Park also passed a similar ordinance this summer.

Corsini and Gibbs said they would have approved the village of River Forest's ordinance without Section 6, which they claim was added in prior to the meeting.

"Section 6 affected the cooperation between River Forest law enforcement and federal authorities," Gibbs said. "I do not feel that restricting cooperation between the many law enforcement agencies that protect our citizens is the best way to combat crime of any sort."

According to the ordinance, Section 6 states "no village employee or official shall detain or continue to detain any individual solely on the basis of any immigration detainer or non-judicial immigration warrant or otherwise comply with an immigration detainer or non-judicial immigration warrant."

The section also states no village employee shall "stop, arrest, search, detain or continue to detain an individual solely based on an individual's citizenship or immigration status."

According to the ordinance, nothing in the section prohibits communication between federal agencies or officials and village employees, however, Section 6 does not apply if a village employee or official is presented with a valid, enforceable warrant issued by a judge.

"The language says if there is an enforceable order, we'd abide by that," Trustee Respicio Vazquez said. "I will obey a federal order if that's the issue, but I shouldn't obey anything less than that. One of the key principles I had was I did not want the village to expend our local dollars on federal issues. The federal law does not require local entities to be enforcing the immigration laws."

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Corsini said she is committed to the equal, respectful and dignified treatment of people regardless of their immigration status, but would not support the ordinance with Section 6 included.

"It is not within the purview of local government to pick and choose which federal and state laws we will follow or not," Corsini said. "If Section 6 were removed from the resolution, I feel that it is possible to have unanimous consent on this important matter."

As a village trustee, Gibbs said he took an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution, which is why he raised his concerns.

"I will always uphold the law and expect the same from my elected officials and law enforcement," Gibbs said. "If a federal agent wishes River Forest law enforcement to assist in a legal matter, River Forest should make every effort to accommodate other law enforcement agencies. I would rather thank them for protecting me than restrict them and their tools that they provide that protection with. It is not my prerogative to choose which laws to uphold."

During the campaign earlier this year, Trustee Thomas Cargie said he supported such an ordinance if it were deemed legal, while also stating he supported what such an ordinance stands for.

"I'm very comfortable that there is nothing illegal with this resolution," Cargie said. "There's no reason why we should do this to people. My family came from Ireland on my mom's side and Italy on my dad's side. Thankfully, I get to live in this country because at some point America embraced my family. We have an obligation to do that to everyone else who comes here."

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Following the vote, Village President Cathy Adduci said she was "comfortable" with the resolution, adding it does not hinder public safety within the village.

"I believe it is the right thing to do," Adduci said. "We and every person who lives, works and studies here enriches our community. It is a statement of our values for our community."

sschering@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @steveschering
Adam Frisch keeps calm waiting for all ballots to be counted in CD-3
By Alexander Chipman Koty

A company in northwest China that has gained notoriety for its verbose name  There Is a Group of Young People With Dreams, Who Believe They Can Make the Wonders of Life Under the Leadership of Uncle Niu Internet Technology Co. Ltd.  will have to change its name in the wake of new company naming regulations.

The Rules for the Prohibition and Restriction of Enterprise Names, released by Chinas State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC), ban businesses from registering company names authorities consider weird, overly long, politically sensitive, or mimicking existing brands. Businesses already registered with names authorities deem inappropriate may be compelled to alter them. The new rules came into effect on July 31, 2017.

While authorities mainly designed the regulations to curb unwieldy and outlandish names  Uncle Nius registered name is 39 characters in Chinese  foreign companies should consider whether the new rules could affect their brand. Existing businesses whose names include puns or religious references, for example, could run into problems with the new rules, while new registrants will need to consider the guidelines when entering China.

Names now banned by the regulations

The regulations ban names that are entire sentences or paragraphs, like that of Uncle Niu. There is no formal character limit on the length of permitted names; rather, it appears that local regulators will have discretion to determine if they are compliant.

The rules also ban names that are too weird, which is a more subjective designation. Media outlets and social media users have uncovered numerous examples of company names that authorities might consider too weird, including:

Anping County Scared of Wife Netting Products Factory;

Beijing Under My Wifes Thumb Technology Co. Ltd.;

Hangzhou No Trouble Looking for Trouble Internet Technology;

King of Nanning, Guangxi, and His Friends Trading Co. Ltd.;

Shenyang Prehistoric Powers Hotel Management Limited Company;

There Is a Group of Young People With Dreams, Who Believe They Can Make the Wonders of Life Under the Leadership of Uncle Niu Internet Technology Co. Ltd.; and

What Are You Looking At Shenzhen Technology Company.

RELATED: Brand Equity and IP Considerations for your F&B Company in China

Although many of the above company names appear nonsensical, there is business logic behind some of them. For example, Shenyang Prehistoric Powers Hotel Management Limited Company is a reference to the Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui, who attributed her Olympic success to channeling prehistoric powers. Businesses that include cultural references and internet memes such as prehistoric powers as a way to market themselves may now find themselves in the crosshairs of AIC regulators.

Under the new guidelines, other types of banned company names include those that contain:

Names that have negative political connotation (e.g. Chi Na, Black Sun, Large Landowner);

References to terrorism, separatism, or extremism (e.g. 9/11, East Turkistan, Occupy);

References to colonial culture (e.g. Yamato, Formosa);

References to other illegal organizations (e.g. Falun Gong);

References to undesirable feudal era cultural concepts and superstitions that hinder social stability;

References to drug, obscenity, eroticism, and gambling;

References to current and revolutionary Chinese leaders or the Peoples Liberation Army (e.g. Dong Cunrui, Lei Feng);

Language that discriminates against genders, sexes, races, or ethnicities;

References to religious organizations or significant religious elements (e.g. Christianity, Buddhism, Islam);

Names of foreign countries, regions, or names of international organizations;

Names that give the impression that they are non-profit organizations;

Names that include names of political parties, organizations, and designation of troops;

Name of region, industry, and organization structure (e.g. Beijing, Steel, WFOE);

Names that refer to prohibited sectors;

Names that mimic existing brands;

Names that say they are national or the best; and,

Names of occupations, positions, degrees, job titles, military ranks, and police ranks.

Streamlining company registration

While the new guidelines add a variety of rules to company naming in China, the SAIC most likely designed them to filter out egregious and politically sensitive names, rather than to strictly regulate the naming process. In addition to eliminating duplicate names and intellectual property infringers, the guidelines aim to limit the potential for company names that authorities may find embarrassing to China.

China seems determined to save face linguistically and architecturally as well. Earlier this year, authorities released new standards for the use of English translations on public signage in an attempt to curb Chinas infamous Chinglish mistranslations. Last year, authorities also banned the construction of bizarre buildings after both domestic and international observers derided numerous questionably designed buildings across China.

Allan Xu, Business Advisory Services Manager at Dezan Shira & Associates, notes that the new rules are part of a larger effort to manage Chinas sprawling private sector. Every day, more than 10,000 new companies get registered in China, resulting in a total amount of about 30 million nationwide. This huge number makes it difficult for new companies to find a name that is not similar to any of the existing ones.

To prevent duplicate names, last year the SAIC established the Enterprise Name Query System, which enables companies to check their prepared names online. The SAIC also recently issued the Rules for Comparison of Similarity between Enterprise Names, which also seeks to streamline the naming process by limiting duplicate and similar sounding names.

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Naming your company

The new guidelines underscore the intricacies of naming a company in China  which foreign businesses find especially challenging. Just as Chinese companies translating their names literally into English can find their brands sounding awkward or in some cases offensive, foreign companies opting for literal translations can run into similar situations.

Although a direct translation can sound innocent on the surface, a name might unintentionally be associated with an offensive or absurd word or phrase, given the similarities in Chinese characters, tones, or cultural symbols. For example, the French auto company Peugeots Chinese name, Biaozhi, can sound similar to the word for prostitute (Biaozi).

Many foreign companies localizing their products to China strive for a name that sounds phonetically similar to the original, but also captures the essence of the product. One well-known example is the soft drink Coca-Cola, whose Chinese name Kekoukele means Tasty Fun. The home sharing company Airbnb tried to use this strategy earlier this year when announcing its Chinese name, Aibiying (Welcome each other with love), but Chinese netizens ridiculed it, saying the name was hard to pronounce and sounded like a sex product.

Navigating the various considerations of naming a company in China just got more complicated with the new restrictions. Xu warns that Based on Chinas new regulations on naming enterprises, there is a possibility that foreign companies with puns, cultural references, or religious undertones, among other features, could have their names rejected during the registration process. Getting approval will depend on the extent of their compliance with rules, the existence of companies with similar names, and the discretion of local government authorities.

Further, even if the local branch approves a name, authorities could review it again in the future. Xu continues, Any organization or individual who thinks a registered enterprise name is inappropriate may request the registration authorities to correct it. As such, a strange, controversial, or provocative company name might be problematic for businesses.

Beyond complying with the new enterprise naming restrictions, preexisting laws stipulate that a name must consist of more than two Chinese characters. The SAIC does not accept names containing foreign languages or alphabets, as well as numbers and special characters. Before submitting the application, businesses can conduct a preliminary check through the local Enterprise Name Query System to identify similar company names that are already registered. Further, businesses should prepare at least five potential names for AIC approval.

Naming companies in China is a delicate art, and foreign entrants now have additional considerations when developing their local name. Foreign businesses looking to develop a Chinese company name that both captures their brand and complies with government regulations should enlist professional consultation services to successfully localize their name to Chinas unique business environment.



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Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

This Dezan Shira & Associates 2017 China guide provides a comprehensive background and details of all aspects of setting up and operating an American business in China, including due diligence and compliance issues, IP protection, corporate establishment options, calculating tax liabilities, as well as discussing on-going operational issues such as managing bookkeeping, accounts, banking, HR, Payroll, annual license renewals, audit, FCPA compliance and consolidation with US standards and Head Office reporting.
After 35 days of training, a total of 43 Western and Chinese talented vocal artists presented a grand closing ceremony for the end of 2017 iSING International Young Artists Festival on August 27, in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province.

Artists perform Puccini's opera "Gianni Schicchi." [ Photo by Wu Xiaoshan / China.org.cn]

The closing ceremony was in two parts. In the first part, Puccini's opera "Gianni Schicchi" was presented with much creativity and innovation; in the second part, some classic operatic scenes from Chinese operatic genre were presented, providing a new brand image for the program.

The festival was the first program developed in China dedicated to promoting the vocal arts and training exceptional vocal talents from China and other countries.

It has now been held successfully four times in Suzhou. The festival continues its successful collaboration with Suzhou Industrial Park and Suzhou Culture and Arts Center.

"The two-hour performance involved integration of Eastern and Western music. The festival is indeed building a bridge of friendship through cross-cultural exchanges," said Tian Haojiang, master teacher of the festival.
Herakleidon museum opposite the Acropolis hill offered this summer a look at Greek seafaringfrom antiquity to modern timesshowcasing through models of ships and nautical instruments Greeks' achievements in a field that is regarded as an integral part of their identity.

However, as the curtain of the exhibition Voyage: Greek Shipbuilding and Seafaring falls this week in Athens, the museum prepares to host another significant exhibition of ancient Chinese technology in the fall, says Eleni Nomikou, the museum's director.

"Seafaring has formed Greeks' character. The spirit of Ulysses still exists in Greeks today. Shipping was and still remains their basic activity. The sea and shipping in particular offer Greeks wealth, vision and a future," Nomikou says.

A total of 35 handmade wooden models of vessels, complemented with works of art, maps, drawings and video projections narrate the history of Greek seafaring from prehistoric times to the middle of the 20th century.

As the Voyage exhibition is set to travel to Cyprus and the United States, Herakleidon museum is getting ready to welcome for first time in Athens a remarkable exhibition of the technological and scientific achievements of the ancient Chinese civilization.

"The museum has signed a significant agreement with Beijing's China Museum of Science and Technology for the exchange of two exhibitions of ancient technology," Nomikou says.

"Ancient Greek technology will travel to China in October this year, while ancient Chinese technology will be presented in Herakleidon museum in less than a month."

The deal was sealed as the two countries celebrate the China-Greece Cultural Exchanges and Cultural Industry Cooperation Year this year as part of efforts to further enhance bilateral ties.

Through models and demonstrations over the next few months at Herakleidon museum, visitors will have the opportunity to get acquainted with pioneering Chinese inventions covering a broad scientific spectrum from astronomy, mechanical engineering and seismography to papermaking, printing and weaving techniques.

The China Museum of Science and Technology will host an exhibition that will include reproductions of ancient Greek ships, metal machinery, automation models and measuring instruments.

The exhibition will also include a section on Chinese seafaring.
An automated store rolled out by Xiao Maipu Technology Development Co Ltd, in Beijing. [Zhao Naiming/for China Daily]

On the first floor of a residential building outside the Renmin University of China campus in Beijing, young college graduates pop into an automated self-service convenience store.

They scan their QR codes to enter the shop and pay for their favorite items by using Wechat at a special checkout point before leaving.

After their first visit, facial recognition programs allow shoppers to get in and out of the 24-hour outlet without using QR codes.

Novel, yes. Unique, no, as this is just one of 12 cashier-free outlets unveiled by Xiao Maipu Technology Development Co Ltd, short for Xiaomai, in Beijing.

By the end of the year, the number is expected to rise to more than 50 shops.

"Staff-less stores can reduce the high costs that often keep traditional convenience stores from fast expansion and healthy revenue growth," said Quan Bin, deputy general manager at Xiaomai.

The company has always catered for communities in colleges and universities. But last year, it upgraded its technology, turning its outlets into cashier-free zones.

In April, Xiaomai rolled out its first automated store.

Last month, Aplus Capital and Chenshan Capital invested 125 million yuan ($18.5 million) into the company.

Xiaomai plans to use the cash to build up its supply chain and upgrade its products and system. Most of the outlets are only 20 square meters, the size of a tiny room, and sell about 600 different kinds of products.

They are all automated with just one member of staff packing shelves. In-store cameras keep an eye on shoppers, while big data analysis highlights what products are hot and what are not among customers.

"The rate of shop lifting in staff-less convenience stores is about three people out of every 1,000 shoppers," Quan said. "The rate is five out of 1,000 at traditional convenience stores."

Xiaomai, of course, is not the only company in the automated store sector.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd rolled out Tao Cafe, a cashier-free retail store, on July 8. It uses a facial and voice recognition system.

BingoBox is another player. The Guangdong startup has ambitious plans to open 5,000 automated outlets across China in the next 12 months after receiving 100 million yuan in first round funding.

The market could end up getting extremely crowded with technology and customer experience deciding the winners and losers.

"Benefits will become more evident when technology matures," said Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China.

"At the moment, no one can offer it at a good level of scale and the customer experience is still quite poor," Yu added. "It is not superior to a vending machine."

There are certainly challenges ahead.

Only a month after Bingo-Box opened its first automated store in Shanghai, it had to temporarily close because of a malfunction in the air-conditioning.

Still, just as crucial are the products and getting the selection right, as well as the supply chain.

"The nature of convenience stores will not change through the evolution of technology," Quan at Xiaomai said. "In the end, merchandise selection, quality management and excellent supply chains are vital to survival."
Argentina's government announced Monday it was endorsing the joint construction of two hydroelectric dams in southern Santa Cruz Province with a Chinese company.

President Mauricio Macri's administration announced the endorsement via a joint resolution issued by the ministries of energy and environment.

"Public works approved," the article said, referring to the Nestor Kirchner and Jorge Cepernic dams to be built along the Santa Cruz River.

Concerns about the environmental impact of the project had led to additional studies, and the recommendations will be incorporated in the environmental management plan of the dams, the article said.

The binational project is being undertaken by China's Gezhouba Group, a construction and engineering company that is also helping to finance the work, and an Argentine consortium comprised of Electroingenieria and Hidrocuyo.

In December, the Supreme Court of Justice ordered new impact studies, as well as a congressional hearing on the project, in response to a petition by environmental NGOs.

At the hearing, held on July 20, lawmakers agreed on "the benefit of making progress on the execution of the works for the development of the country," according to the resolution.

"Provincial authorities presented their positive arguments, highlighting the project's contribution to clean energy production, promotion of economic development and employment outlook," it added.

Once completed, the dams will provide 5,000 gigawatt hours of energy, enough to power 1.5 million homes and meet 4 percent of the country's annual energy needs.
President Xi Jinping has stressed ongoing efforts in building an ecological civilization by adhering to green development concepts.

Tourists herd horses with local guides last month on a trail in Saihanba National Forest Park. The man-made forest, grown out of the desert and known for its ecotourism in Hebei province, shields Beijing and other big cities from sandstorms. [Photo/China Daily]

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remark in an instruction on the achievements of the man-made Saihanba Forest Farm in Hebei province.

Efforts to pursue green development and an ecological civilization should be made generation by generation to create harmony between people and nature and leave a better environment for future generations, Xi said.

These instructions were passed down at a seminar on Monday in Beijing about how to learn from the Saihanba experience. The seminar was presided over by Liu Qibao, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

The Saihanba Forest Farm, just 150 kilometers from Beijing, has managed within 55 years to form a natural barrier between the capital and sandstorms that blow in from the north, increasing forest coverage in the area from 12 percent in 1962 to 80 percent in 2016, data from the farm showed.

The largest man-made forest in China has supplied 137 million cubic meters of clean water to nature around the Beijing and Tianjin areas annually, and the annual amount of oxygen discharged from the forest is about 550,000 metric tons, making it important for the capital and its neighbors.

After the reports beginning in July on the transformation from a wasteland into a forest, Saihanba has attracted an increasing number of tourists from home and abroad.

"It's a miracle that such a lush and beautiful forest park was transformed from a wasteland," said Wang Yulong, a tourist visiting Saihanba National Forest Park from Xi'an in Shaanxi province.

Wang and his family drove to Chengde in early August to visit a famous scenic spotthe Chengde Imperial Summer Resort, about 180 kilometers from Saihanba.

"We didn't plan to visit Saihanba, but changed our minds when we heard from many media reports that a vast forest nearby was totally man-made, with efforts spanning more than five decades," Wang said.

During the 55 years, three generations of foresters kept planting trees in the area, where temperatures could drop to -43 C in winter.

Many tourists like Wang traveled from across the country as well as from abroad. Between Jan 1 and Aug 19, more than 355,000 tourists visited Saihanba, 13,000 more than the same period a year earlier, according to Tian Yawei, the office director of a company promoting Saihanba tourism.

Tian said the increase mainly came from the tourism boom the past two months.

These visitors also included people who want to learn more about how the forest was created and to be inspired by the spirit of foresters in Saihanba.

Cai Xingbo, general manger of Jianlong Mining Co Ltd in Kuancheng county, Chengde, said he decided to close his mining business after a recent visit to Saihanba and plans to restore mountains in his hometown to develop ecological tourism, such as planting fruit trees.

"As long as we have faith and persistence, we can restore bare mountains with the help of modern technologies," Cai said, adding that the spirit originated from Saihanba has inspired him.
BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's senior political advisors met Monday to offer suggestions on targeted poverty relief.

The issue was discussed at the 22nd meeting of the Standing Committee of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, which opened on Monday morning and was attended by Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee.

Wang Yang, Chinese vice premier also attended the meeting, issuing a report and pointing out some major current problems in poverty relief.

Vice chairman of the CPPCC Du Qinglin presided over the opening session, stressing the significance of the battle against poverty and asking for more opinions on the issue.

Attendees at the meeting voiced their opinions on six specific topics, including the accurate policies, the role of industrial projects, and basic public services.

More training should be held to improve grass-roots cadres' abilities on poverty relief work, and more intensive support, more effective measures and more dynamic work should be in place, some advisors suggested.

More efforts must be put into eliminating the roots of poverty, in order to set a stronger and more stable basis for poverty relief, the attendees said. Enditem
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The death toll has risen to 17 people with 18 still missing, after a landslide at Nayong county in southwest China's Guizhou Province Monday morning, local authorities said Tuesday.

As of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, 25 people had been found, of which 17 were dead and eight injured. The injured are being treated in a local hospital and in stable condition, according to a press conference at the scene.

The landslide occurred at about 10:40 a.m. Monday in Zhangjiawan township, affecting 34 households. More than 600,000 cubic meters of rock and mud fell 200 meters and hit a village.

Over 2,000 people, including police, firefighters and medical staff are at the scene and more than 90 emergency vehicles, 20 life detectors, 17 diggers and eight drones.

The identities of the 17 victims are to be confirmed by DNA tests and relatives.

The provincial, city and county governments have allocated 2.5 million yuan (379,100 U.S. dollars) as a relief fund. The governments have also sent relief, including tents, quilts and rice. A total of 195 people from 66 households were forced to evacuate to safety after the landslide.

On Tuesday, a landslide hit a village in neighboring Yunnan Province, leaving three people dead and five injured, authorities said.

The landslide occurred at 9:45 a.m. in Yingpan village, Daguan county in the city of Zhaotong.

Guizhou and Yunnan have seen continuous rainstorms over the past week as a result of recent typhoons.
U.S. President Donald Trump [Xinhua]

There is only one substantial change in the new U.S. policy towards Afghanistan that was announced by Donald Trump after seven months in office. The new strategy has rejected any artificial timeline to withdraw from Afghanistan. The rest of it is all too familiar.

And yet it is too early to say whether or not having a definite timeline at this juncture of the war in Afghanistan is good or bad. There are merits and demerits.

Trump's predecessor Barack Obama set an end date of 2014 as the deadline to pullout the bulk of troops from Afghanistan after years of futile efforts to win the war. His administration stuck to this despite huge criticism that it would serve as a major incentive for militants to lay back and wait for the international troops to go back.

Post-drawdown events showed that much of the criticism was correct. After more than two and half years since the handing of security responsibility to local Afghan forces, nearly 40 percent of the country has gone back to the rebels.

Trump has been critical of Afghan policy since his election campaign. He had promised to change it to win the longest war in America's history. After weeks and months of closed door consultations, he had delivered a kind of blue print of his ideas on Afghanistan and South Asia.

He has failed to take into account some of the mistakes by the successive administrations. Instead, he willingly hugged the narrative built through years that Pakistan is the "epicenter" of all the problems of Afghanistan, and by whipping it hard, things can change.

The second parallel streak in the policy is to give a greater role to India in Afghanistan. It appears that American policymakers have decided that it is only India which has a magic wand to undertake all socio-economic development in impoverished Afghanistan.

India may have some good ideas for Afghanistan but those aware of strategic issues understand that its real objective is to have a foothold advantage against arch-rival Pakistan. Strategic understanding between Afghanistan and India vis-a-vis Pakistan may not necessarily resonate with the U.S. calculations but it would eventually spoil any chances of peace.

It highlights a major contradiction in the American policy. It is true that Pakistan is important for stability and peace in Afghanistan due to historic links with the Taliban, but it has major problems with India including the territorial dispute over Kashmir. Despite this knowledge, Trump is adamant to give a formal role to India in Afghanistan by rejecting all the concerns of Pakistan.

It means that in the wider regional context, it is important to address the Pakistan-India tangle first, or at least to institute a parallel process for sorting out differences between Pakistan and India. Instead of addressing this major divisive issue, the U.S. is trying to have its way by boosting the role of India while asking Pakistan to "do more."

Trump's policy has also accused Pakistan (like his predecessor) of being a safe haven of militants and supporting the Haqqani network of militants. But there are scores of Taliban militants who escaped from Pakistan and are hiding along with their leader Mullah Fazlullah in Afghanistan and frequently launch cross-border attacks.

Pakistani intelligence agencies have maintained that these militants have the support of India and Afghanistan. Without going into the veracity of any such assertions, the new policy should have also highlighted those rouge elements involved in creating mayhem in Pakistan which has suffered more than 60,000 deaths and over 100-billion dollars of losses in the war on terror.

I am not defending the policies of Pakistan, some of which have turned on head to gnaw on the soul of the country. Pakistan, despite recent advances against militants, still needs to go a long way to completely eliminate the threat of home grown extremism.

But a policy coming out of Washington after months of painstaking discussion should be realistic. For example, instead of just seeking military victory it is far more important to sort out the issue of governance in Afghanistan which is currently a dysfunctional diarchy. Rampant corruption, low salaries and a non-existent economy are some of the problems which have foiled efforts for peace.

The United States has spent billions of dollars of tax-payers money without a clear exist strategy. They don't have one even after 17 years. The one announced by Trump may also prove to be a non-starter. They can press Pakistan and may get some short term gains but it will backfire in the long term.

Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on June 9, 2017 shows the test-fire of a new type of ground-to-sea cruise missile. [File Photo/Xinhua]

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile early Tuesday, and the missile fell into the Pacific Ocean off Hokkaido after passing over the Japanese archipelago, said the Japanese government.

The missile was fired around 5:58 a.m. (local time) (2058 GMT) from the western coat of the DPRK towards a northeastern direction, and passed over Cape Erimo in Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido around 6:06 a.m. (2106 GMT), said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

The missile flew over 2,700 kilometers with the highest altitude at 550 kilometers high, and fell into the Pacific Ocean some 1,180 kilometers east of Cape Erimo around 6:12 a.m. (2112 GMT), said Suga.

He said that it was possible that the missile separated into three parts over the Sea of Japan, and the Japanese government is analyzing the situation.

He also said that the missile firing posed "an unprecedentedly serious and grave security threat" to Japan and Japan will work closely with the United States and South Korea to address the issue.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the missile launch poses a grave threat to regional peace and security and Japan strongly protests against the missile launch.

He added that Japan is to call for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council and to call on the international society to cooperate and impose more pressure on the DPRK.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono reportedly said that the DPRK fired missile toward Hokkaido, not Guam, amid U.S. pressure.

He said that the missile flew over Japan without notice in advance and posed serious threat to the security of Japanese planes and vessels.

Following the missile launch, the Japanese government held a National Security Council meeting involving relevant ministers.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he hoped the U.S. could have good relations with Russia, which would be "good for world peace."

"I hope that we do have good relations with Russia," Trump said at a joint press conference with visiting Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. "I say it loud and clear. I have been saying it for years. I think it's a good thing if we have great relationships, or at least good relationships, with Russia."

"I believe someday that will happen...I think that's very good for world peace and other things," the U.S. President added.

When asked whether he considers Russia as a security threat, Trump said, "I consider many countries as a security threat, unfortunately, when you look at what's going on in the world today."

Trump's remarks came at a low point of bilateral relationship between Washington and Moscow, as the two sides hold differences on a range of issues, including the war in Syria, the conflict in Ukraine, and U.S. accusations that the Kremlin meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections, a charge Russia strongly denies.

Earlier this month, Trump signed into law a sanctions bill on Russia, Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), but he criticized the bill as "seriously flawed."

The new legislation also grants U.S. lawmakers power to block Trump from unilaterally lifting sanctions on Russia.

Russia will not resort to symmetric countermeasures in response to sanctions by the U.S. and will continue to seek dialogue with the latter instead, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said.

"This is a huge burden and a serious blow to the basis of our relationship. Nevertheless, we do not want to turn relations with the United States into a tit-for-tat game," Ryabkov said in an interview Tuesday with Xinhua.
Just three days after the abortive launch of a number of unspecified projectiles, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea fired what was believed to be a ballistic missile that flew over Japan on Tuesday morning, prompting an emergency phone call between Japanese and US leaders that ended with a vow to put more pressure on Pyongyang.

Whatever be its intended message, Pyongyang's latest provocation is in clear violation of United Nations resolutions, which could put it in a more difficult position.

It will not be easy to reason Pyongyang out of its nuclear and missile programs, especially because the DPRK, of late, has been reiterating it must press ahead with them at all costs. Divergences among stakeholding countries have given the DPRK ample breathing space to continue its nuclear/missile adventure. Pyongyang obviously believes that will not change.

But Pyongyang would commit a grave mistake by refusing to see that each of its new provocations is alienating it further from the international community. The UN Security Council has passed a number of resolutions aimed at nullifying the DPRK's nuclear/missile adventure because it perceives in it a big threat. The latest, Resolution 2371, which imposes the harshest sanctions on the DPRK, indicates a higher level of consensus on that threat.

However, it would be unfair to dump all the blame on Pyongyang alone. Washington, Tokyo and Seoul each has its own fair share in creating what Pyongyang sees as a threat to its very existence. Beijing has been consistent in calling for due respect for Pyongyang's security concerns, and for the US-Japan-ROK alliance to provoke the DPRK no further. It has rightly called for "dual suspension"  Pyongyang suspends its nuclear/missile activities while Washington and Seoul suspend their large-scale military drills  to break the deadlock, which none of the three has responded to.

But Beijing's latest warning that tensions on the Korean Peninsula have reached "tipping point" should not be taken as one meant just for Washington and its allies  Pyongyang deserves no cover for continuing to throw cold water on the international community's efforts to denuclearize the peninsula.

Considering the longstanding, unchanged script of the protracted drama, the "tipping point" may not necessarily materialize any time soon. More likely than not, a short interval of relative ease will follow, until Pyongyang launches another ballistic missile, or conducts another nuclear test.

The international community may remain helpless while Pyongyang steadily strengthens its capabilities, but Pyongyang will find the screw of sanctions tightening  until the threat gets too real, too devastating to be tolerated, or the sanctions too severe to endure.
The largest rare earth new material industrial park in China is expected to be built in Baotou, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, promoted by technological innovation and the "Made in China 2025" strategy.

"The national-level new material park is planned with a total area of 470 square kilometers, supported by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the autonomous region," said He Weihua, deputy mayor of Baotou, at the Ninth China Baotou Rare Earth Industry Forum on Monday.

Aimed at promoting global cooperation and exchanges in related trade, manufacturing, research and applications, the forum is a high-end meeting of leaders in the rare earth industry; This year's topic is scientific and technological innovation.

"China's rare earth mining, selection, metallurgy and the research of some materials are at the leading position globally," Li Chunlong, chairman of China Rare Earth Association, said at the forum, stressing that the fundamental ways to develop the sector lie in application.

The rare earth park will concentrate on the application of six kinds of new materials, including nanometers, high-polymer, new types of fiber, new graphite and highly purified rare earth metal materials, He said.

The city has laid out a program of highly purified rare earth metal materials covering an area of 0.45 square kilometers, with annual output of 30,000 metric tons, which is expected to be the largest highly purified rare earth materials area in the world.

Rare earth metal materials are widely used in sectors including aerospace, defense, robotics and medical instruments.

Several projects have made significant achievements at the park: Shenhua Group's coal-to-olefin projects with investment of 34 billion yuan ($5.07 billion) have realized revenue of 13 billion yuan.

A stainless steel project invested in by Mintal Group, a metallurgical joint venture held by China Minmetals and Goldman Sachs, is expected to achieve a revenue of 22 billion yuan, after being put into operation.

Until now, the area with infrastructure facilities including communication, natural gas and industrial water, has reached 25 square kilometers, with a strong ability to increase capacity and attract investment.

In 2016, the park's accumulated industrial output reached 37.15 billion yuan, rising 27.8 percent year-on-year, and the revenue has reached 55 billion yuan, surging 40.9 percent compared with that in 2015.

The rare earth industrial reserve in Baotou has been demonstrated to be about 43.5 million tons, accounting for 83.7 percent of the total reserve in China and 38 percent in the world.

The rare earth new material industry developed fast in Baotou in recent years, with 71 transformation and upgrading projects conducted in 2015-16, supported by special funds from the central government.

President Xi Jinping has repeatedly given instructions to accelerate the development of the new material industry, said a senior official at the forum.

Last December, the State Council set up a national new material development leading group, showing that the government attaches great importance to the development of the industry.
Far East Consortium, the Chinese property developer, has been given planning approval for a 235-million-pound ($303 million) residential development in Manchester, north west England.

The company will build four separate blocks of apartments around the fringes in the city's Angel Meadow park area, the tallest rising to 40 floors.

Building will start next year and the scheme will provide 754 new homes. The towers will be designed by UK-based 5Plus Architects.

Following a public consultation process in April, FEC submitted a planning application to the council which was approved on Thursday.

The towers mark a significant step forward in the continued regeneration of Angel Meadows, once one of the UK's most infamous 19th century industrial slums.

FEC will head up further builds in Manchester and its surrounding area in the years to come.

Earlier this year, Manchester City Council selected the Chinese firm as lead contractor on the one-billion-pound Northern Gateway project, which aims to bring 10,000 new homes to the city over the next 15 years.

The Northern Gateway project is led by Manchester Place, a joint initiative between Manchester City Council and the UK Government's Homes and Communities Agency.

Northern Gateway is described as one of the largest development projects ever undertaken in Manchester, and will include cycle routes, walking trails and green spaces across 1.2 million square meters of land-taking in the neighborhoods of New Cross, Lower Irk Valley and Collyhurst.

"Manchester is the third-most visited city in the UK and is famed for its architecture, culture, musical exports and media links along with an impressive heritage of scientific and engineering innovations," said David Chiu, chairman of FEC. "I am of the belief this project is a top priority for FEC in the UK."

FEC was founded in 1972 by Hong Kong entrepreneur Deacon Chiu.

The family business operates under the so-called "Chinese wallet" strategy, in which developers acquire real estate in areas that attract large numbers of Chinese tourists and residents. FEC's overseas portfolio includes property in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK and New Zealand.
A clerk counts Chinese 100 yuan banknotes at a branch of a foreign bank in Beijing Jan 4, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

Since the early 1990s, some China watchers internationally have, one after another, predicted a scenario in which the Chinese economy would experience a major recession, although it never happened. Now they seem to have found new ammunition for their argument: the country's rising debt.

Following the downgrading of China's credit ratings in May by Moody's, which cited the possibility of the country's continually rising debts, the International Monetary Fund warned this month that China's credit growth was on a "dangerous trajectory".

"International experience suggests that China's credit growth is on a dangerous trajectory, with increasing risks of a disruptive adjustment," the IMF said in a report. The IMF called for "decisive action" from China and suggested it press on with reforms to cut its debt levels.

Indeed, such warnings deserve serious attention from policymakers since China does face the challenge of debt reduction. But it is crucial that China should not be misled by such a doomsday argument and cut its debt levels in haste only to jeopardize economic stability.

If stable economic growth cannot be maintained, it will in return affect the country's drive to cut debt levels.

"The IMF's conclusion, although it deserves our attention, is out of line with China's real situation," said Yu Yongding, an economist of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "We should not adopt its suggestions."

Given its high deposit ratio, Yu told China Daily that the nation is very resilient in coping with its debt problem. If it rushes to solve its debt problemwhich has been accumulated over a long duration of decadesin a hasty manner, it may risk dampening economic growth.

"We have taken a series of measures to solve the debt problem and they have been quite effective," he said.

According to the Ministry of Finance, China's government debt-to-GDP ratio is 36.7 percent in 2016, lower than most major industrialized and emerging-market economies.

The National Development and Reform Commission said this month that China's overall leverage levels had dropped by the end of 2016, compared with the end of the third quarter of 2016. It also said that by the end of June, the asset-to-liability ratio of major industrial enterprises had dropped to 55.9 percent from 56.7 percent a year earlier.

Yu said that once economic growth slows, leverage levels could go up. Therefore, China must well handle the tempo of debt level reduction so that efforts to cut debt levels would not be carried out too hastily to affect overall economic growth.

Financial policymakers should also be more tolerant toward enterprises with high debt levels if their operation remains on track, Yu said.

Against the backdrop of leverage cutting, some enterprises, thanks to their high debt levels, cannot continue to get access to bank loans and are forced to the brink of bankruptcy. "If their operation remains largely sound, they may only face the challenge of a temporary liquidity shortage. Banks should continue to extend loans to them and, as their operation goes back on track, they would gradually step out of difficulties and become solvent," he suggested.

In this way, such enterprises would be able to gradually cut their debt levels after their operations improve, contributing to debt reduction and overall economic stability, he said.
A Diamond DA42 series aircraft, which was jointly produced by Chinese and Austrian companies. [Photo by Zhu Lixin / China Daily]

Three airplanes jointly produced by Chinese and Austrian companies were handed over to the customers after receiving their Chinese production certificates on Monday morning in Wuhu, Anhui province.

The airplanes, from the Diamond DA42 series, were manufactured by China Electronic Technology (Group) Co's Wuhu-based plant with technology from the Austrian firm Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc.

The airplanes, the first three among more than 30 ordered, went to a pilot school and a private aviation company, according to Ping Lihao, president of CETC Wuhu Diamond Aircraft Manufacture Co Ltd.

He said receiving the production certificate is a must before the products could be sold.

"The DA42 series, with twin engines and four seats, have been popular in Chinese pilot schools and on the inter-national market for private airplanes", said Ping.

"It is the first type of aircraft to have both an overseas type certificate and a Chinese production certificate", said Ping.

Jointly invested in by CETC and the Wuhu municipal government, the plant will also be allowed to produce the Diamond's DA20 series soon, according to Ping.

"It is the only one in China able to produce the aircraft from making the carbon-fiber materials to assemble every part", said Zeng Rui, general manager of the Wuhu plant's research and development center.

Hong Yuning, deputy general manager of Wuhu Diamond, said 97 percent of the aircraft's body is made of carbon-fiber material, which makes the plane more reliable and economic.

"In the near future, all of Diamond's DA42 and DA20 aircraft will be made by our company", said Hong.

"Currently, 12 of China's 20 civil aviation pilot schools are using Diamond DA42 aircraft as their training aircraft, and in the future, 90 percent of the schools will be doing so", said Hong.

"As the Chinese aviation authorities are loosening their grip on low-altitude airspace, market demand for private airplanes in China will also rise, and we should be prepared for that", said Hong.

Hong said he was told by the country's civil aviation authorities that each county in China should have at least one airport for general aviation, "which will promote the industry significantly".

Zeng said the development of aircraft with CETC's own brand and engines is also going ahead smoothly.

"They will be launched in about two to three years", said Zeng.
China's leading maker of ball bearings now has a facility near the center of the US automotive industry.

CW Bearing USA, a subsidiary of China's Cixing Group Co Ltd, held a grand opening for its headquarters and technical center in Northville Township, Michigan, on Friday.

The new headquarters will replace the company's previous headquarters in Tustin, California, and house the engineering, sales and executive staff.

The $25.9 million plant is expected to create 125 jobs and is supported by a $550,000 performance-based grant from the state and a property-tax abatement from Northville.

"The grand opening today is a compelling new quest for the company. The quest is to set up our new vision, new strategy and new goal for our long-term growth," CW Bearing USA's President and CEO Lirong Hu said during the ceremony.

Founded in 1984 in Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province by current company president Hu Xiangen, Cixing Group Co Ltd specializes in the development and production of a wide range of premium-quality ball bearings for electrical motors, gearboxes, power tools and the automotive industry.

As one of the 10 largest producers of ball bearings in China, the company possesses a worldwide sales and distribution network in Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America.

According to Hu, CW Bearing USA's customers include a dozen Fortune 500 companies, including toolmaker Stanley Black & Decker.

"We have successfully opened a market in automotive. We earned business from Nexteer, ZF-TRW, JTEKT, Mando and many others. Today, our business consists of 70 percent revenue in automotive and 30 percent in industries," Hu said.

With the phase one investment in the new headquarters and manufacturing space, Hu said the company is ready to embark on new business.

"We are ready for both automotive and industrial customers with the capacity and capabilities in designing, testing, engineering, grinding and assembling components and parts here in Northville," he said.

"With the planned phase II investment and production capacity, our goal is to achieve $500 million sales in North America by 2025," he added.

The company has developed its strategy to continue organic growth by adding manufacturing capacity in North America.

The company also has started expanding through mergers and acquisitions. Earlier this month, CW Bearing USA acquired Drake Manufacturing Inc of Warren, Ohio, for $2.1 million. Drake, a global designer and builder of production systems for makers of parts with threads, has been in business for 45 years.

With Drake now in the CW Bearing fold, Hu said it will help the company build a solid foundation to ensure customers a supply of high-quality parts.

"We had planned to invest at least another $10 million in North America, especially in Michigan and in other suitable markets. We will implement our strategy in advanced manufacturing and assembling components for our customers in local markets," he said.
Lin Xiaohai, Alibaba's vice-president and general manager of Alibaba Distribution Platform, at a news conference in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Aug 28, 2017. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Millions of unchained mom-and-pop shops will be included into LST system

E-commerce titan Alibaba Group Holding Ltd aims to deepen its omni-channel deployment by transforming millions of mom-and-pop stores in China via a data-backed retailer management system.

By encouraging merchants to link into the LST app, the online shopping emporium hopes to unlock the consumption potential of shoppers from second-tier cities to even lower-tier townships and villages by enhancing the merchants' capabilities in marketing, delivery and inventory management.

The goal to include 1 million unchained stores into the LST system in one year is the latest instance of Alibaba's New Retail strategy, which features customized manufacturing, seamless online-to-offline shopping, and precise demand-prediction based on big data and algorithms, Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang said on Monday in Hangzhou.

China has nearly six million retailers ranging from street stands and kiosks peddling soft drinks and snacks to street corner stores selling groceries, most of which have less financial leeway and limited negotiating power, said Lin Xiaohai, Alibaba vice-president and general manager of Alibaba Distribution Platform.

To address that, partner shops can bank on Tmall's procurement strength to secure previously unattainable products from brands directly and at competitive prices, said Lin, a fast-moving consumer goods veteran who spent two decades at retail giant P&G Co before joining Alibaba last year.

Furthermore, an inventory monitoring system is in operation to give real-time advice on product display and portfolio adjustment. This is coupled with a three-layer warehouse system covering 200 cities and townships to ensure the timely delivery of products, based on geographical shopping preferences that are logged in Alibaba's data book.

"Our goal is to digitalize all grocery stores by shortening their procurement cycle and doubling gross merchandise volume in a year," Lin said, adding that LST wants to grab one-third of all sourcing channels for small businesses by 2020.

"We are very excited about the LST business  because it helps enhance transparency, professionalism and efficiency in the industry," said Andrew Kennedy, vice-president of customer development at Unilever China, an Alibaba partner, on the data-driven distribution model.

Alibaba tested the service a year ago by inviting a select number of merchants to try out the service. Benefiting from a clear depiction and analysis of nearby demographics, half a million participating shops saw their gross merchandise volume skyrocket 28 times year-on-year in July, according to company data.

Fang Wei, owner of a 150-square-meter foodstuffs store in Huangshan, Anhui province, said the connection to LST helped to boost sales "significantly", without disclosing sales figures. He looked forward to better leveraging the platform's other functions, such as the procurement-on-credit service.

The LST service helps Alibaba fill the void of connecting smaller-scale business entities, after the internet giant tapped into high-end shopping chains like Intime Retail Group Co Ltd and Bailian (Group) Co Ltd.

Alibaba also plans to revamp 10,000 LST shops into Tmall Co-branded stores this year, which features a deeper level of cooperation from sourcing to use of data.
The U.S. Commerce Department has preliminarily found that steel wire rod imports from Italy and Turkey received countervailable subsidy rates of 1.7 to 44.18 percent and 2.27 percent, respectively.



The U.S. Commerce Department has preliminary found that steel wire rod imports from Italy and Turkey received countervailable subsidy rates of 1.7 percent to 44.18 percent and 2.27 percent, respectively.

Countervailable subsidies are issued by foreign governments to companies to encourage exports and their use of domestic materials over imports.

Commerce said it will instruct Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to collect cash deposits from importers of carbon and alloy steel wire rod from Italy and Turkey based on the preliminary rates.

Specifically, Ferriera Valsider S.p.A. of Italy will receive the countervailing duty rate of 44.18 percent, while Ferriere Nord S.p.A. and all other Italian exporters of steel wire rod will receive a duty rate of 1.7 percent. Turkeys Icdas Celik Eberji Tersane Ve Ulasim San will receive the de minimis rate, and Habas Sinai Ve Tibbi Gazlar Istih and all other Turkish exporters of steel wire rod will receive a countervailing duty rate of 2.27 percent.

Unless the final determinations are aligned with the concurrent antidumping duty investigations for this product, Commerce is expected to announce its final countervailing duty determinations on Nov. 9.

If Commerce makes affirmative final determinations of subsidization and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue its countervailing duty orders. However, if Commerce makes negative final determinations of subsidization or the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will end and no orders will be issued.

The petitioners for the countervailing duty investigation include Gerdau Ameristeel U.S. of Florida, Nucor Corp. in North Carolina, Keystone Consolidated Industries of Texas, and Charter Steel in Wisconsin. They filed the petition with Commerce and the ITC on March 28.

According to Commerce, U.S. carbon and alloy steel wire rod imports from Italy and Turkey in 2016 were valued at $12.2 million and $41.4 million, respectively.
A Zippo Manufacturing Co employee loads brass lighter cases onto racks at the company's plant in Bradford, Pennsylvania, on March 21. Zippo is a US company that has produced more than 550 million reusable lighters in eight decades, including versions specifically made for various regiments of the US military. [Photo/Agencies]

Zippo Manufacturing Co, known for its windproof metal lighters, will add more Chinese factorsincluding designs featuring a giant panda and golden dragoninto its product line, an acknowledgement that China has already become its biggest market by sales revenue in the world, said its head for Asian markets.

The company has experienced double-digit sales growth in China for the past six years, and also expanded its sales channels from traditional shopping malls to online platforms such as JD.com and Tmall.com.

Liu Jinghua, Zippo's managing director for Asia, said the lighter products with designs such as zodiac signs, love stories, famous paintings and military themes have become increasingly popular in China and the company has been busy sending information about cultural trends and related market information back to its global design centers in the United States.

"We rely on our own research and feedback from our dealers to tell us what sort of designs we should be adopting that will be appealing to Chinese consumers," Liu said.

Zippo is not a listed company, and Liu, who joined the company in 2011, didn't disclose the company's net income in China last year.

Still, lighters are clearly a key focus for the company. The company has staff at its US headquarters to select and design various themes, series and limited editions for its lighters. It also sells outdoor products, men's cologne, watches and pens in other markets.

"We have notably received a large number of orders for personal tailor products, even though they need to be shipped from our US plants, indicating the demand in Chinese market (is) diversifying with more disposable income," Liu said. "We certainly see China as a must-have and not a nice-to-have market."

Zippo currently serves more than 160 countries and regions in the world; besides China, other major overseas markets include Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, India and South Asia.

The company has manufactured more than 550 million lighters since 1932.

"Many foreign companies such as Zippo or US-based motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson are proficient in launching promotional campaigns through music, art and other culture related themes. They have worked well in the US and Europe," said He Jingtong, a professor of market management at Nankai University in Tianjin.

"As China makes progress on the path to an advanced economy, such promotional campaigns will be a practical marketing tool for global consumption goods manufacturers to use in China" for the long-term, He said.
Major stock indexes in Shanghai and Shenzhen bourses reached new highs on Monday, spurred by financial shares and forecast-beating results from industrial giants.

The Shanghai Composite Index closed the day with a 0.93 percent gain to 3,362.65 points, and the Shenzhen Component Index rose by 1.41 percent, both creating a 20-month high. The ChiNext startup index climbed by 1.65 percent and reached a four-month high.

A gauge of securities companies rose 6.15 percent at one point on expectations they will be the biggest beneficiary of a strong stock market recovery. Six listed brokerages such as China Galaxy Securities Co Ltd, First Capital Securities Co Ltd and Orient Securities increased by the 10 percent daily upside limit.

The revelation of State-backed fund China Securities Finance Corp boosting its holdings in some brokerages is adding to sentiment buoyed by recent market strength.

A note from Sinolink Securities Co said CSF's stake increases reflected the investment value in brokerage shares and brokers will be the primary beneficiary in the stock market as further upside is likely.

Orient Securities' first-half results released on Monday showed CSF owned 4.99 percent of the company at the end of June, up from 4.06 percent in March. Merchants Securities' report indicated a 4.64 percent CSF stake, compared with 2.67 percent stake at end-March.

Zhao Xianghuai, an analyst at Essence Securities, said valuations of listed securities firms have become very attractive as their net profits have largely improved compared with 2016 and their risk-control capabilities have become their competitiveness.

Zhao added that industry concentration of the Chinese securities market will be higher, which is another piece of good news for listed brokerages.

Profits of China's major industrial companies in July rose by 16.5 percent from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Sunday. The figure was 2.6 percentage points lower than in June, but still significantly on the plus side.

A research note by CITIC Securities said China's economic fundamentals remain solid, and both its domestic and external demands are rising, which should bolster growth in the coming months.

China's top coal miner China Shenhua Energy Co Ltd delivered its strongest interim results in four years, while oil giant Sinopec reported its best six-month profit since the second half of 2014, joining a slew of major State firms reporting earnings that beat their forecast.

Hong Hao, chief strategist at BOCOM International Ltd, said the solid earnings performances of large-cap shares can be among the reasons for Monday's rise.
A sales clerk welcomes visitors at the entrance of the newly-opened convenience store under the franchised agreement between Chaoshifa and Lawson in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chaoshifa and Lawson link up to launch 24-hour convenience stores aimed at Millennials

Retail veteran Chaoshifa Market has been given a new lease of life.

The Beijing-based supermarket chain caters for middle-aged and senior citizen customers, and has been operating in local communities since 1997.

But this month the group opened three, small outlets in Beijing with the Japanese convenience store franchise, Lawson China Holdings Inc, in a bid to attract Millennial shoppers and white collar workers.

"Young consumers have grown into the habit of shopping at convenience stores, pushing the fast development of such formats," said Li Yanchuan, chairman of Chaoshifa.

With 7,000 employees and more than 100 supermarkets, the group is ranked in China's top 500 chain-store enterprises and has a wealth of retail experience.

Last month, Chaoshifa and Lawson signed a cooperation agreement, with the Beijing group supplying the outlets and the Japanese company operating them.

The plan is to have 10 24-hour convenience stores in place by the end of 2017. After that, they aim to open another 10 outlets each year. Fast food such as sushi, sandwiches, salads and coffee will be on sale along with 2,000 products.

"The convenience store sector in Beijing still has great potential and is far from reaching saturation point compared to Shanghai," Li said.

Indeed, the decision by Chaoshifa to enter this part of the retail business shows the popularity of small, 24-hour shops in major Chinese cities.

Last year, the sector increased by 13 percent to 130 billion yuan ($19.5 billion) compared with the same period in 2015, a report by the China Chain Store & Franchise Association highlighted.

Revenue also jumped and store numbers expanded.

"First- and second-tier cities are the driving force behind the expansion of the smaller retail format and the sector has a great potential to develop," the 2017 China Convenience Store report stated.

At the last count, there were more than 260 convenience brands in the country. Last year, the overall numbers climbed 9 percent to 98,000 outlets year-on-year.

On average, daily revenue increased by 4 percent to 3,714 yuan per store during the same period, largely due to rising costs.

Store rents have gone up by 7 percent on average while staff wages have grown 6.5 percent, the report showed.

Water and electricity costs edged 0.7 percent higher, forcing retailers to improve management efficiency.

Only 10 percent of the food products stocked by half of the convenience store operators surveyed was fresh, the report showed. In Japan, the proportion was between 30 and 40 percent.

"About 85 percent of the convenience stores have merchandise with their own brands, but the average ratio between self-owned products and other brands is only 8 percent," the report stated.

Other key factors from the survey showed that nearly 30 percent of the retailers polled have yet to develop a franchise model. But up to 45 percent have adopted online shopping, which accounted for 10 percent of their revenue.

Still, convenience stores face a myriad of challenges.

"They need to lift up their revenue by expanding their services, such as copy printing or ticket bookings as rents and labors costs eat into their profits," Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China.

"High gross profit products, such as fresh food, will not be enough to improve the efficiency of convenience stores."
Thierry Courtade, a winemaker from the French Bordeaux region, rolls an empty wine barrel along this month at Silver Heights winery, which he runs with his wife, Emma Gao, in Ningxia Hui autonomous region. FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY

Dozens of winemakers from 18 renowned wine producing countries are eagerly awaiting a competition on Tuesday for wines made from grapes grown in a very promising region of China.

For the past two years, 48 international experts have brought winemaking philosophies and techniques from both the new and old worlds of wine, like South Africa and Italy, to the emerging wine region, the Eastern Foothills of the Helan Mountains in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

Each has received a 3-hectare parcel and been paired with a local winery to produce a cabernet. A total of 700,000 yuan ($105,000) in prizes is up for grabs in the Ningxia-sponsored competition.

But more important than the competition is the creativity and development that is fermenting in the area.

Winemakers often travel around the world to sharpen skills and work with different terroirs, the combination of soil, environment and farming practices that weigh heavily on a wine's quality. But the emerging Chinese region has garnered international attention relatively recently.

"No one wants to waste their time. They came because they believe this piece of land can make legends," said Cao Kailong, director of the Ningxia Bureau of Grape Industry Development, organizer of the competition.

Wines from the Eastern Foothills of the Helan Mountains have made a splash after winning more than 200 international prizes. Jancis Robinson, a respected international wine critic from the United Kingdom, has praised the region as one with the potential to soon produce world class wines.

The region yearly receives 1,700 to 2,000 hours of sunshine and little rainfall, 150 to 240 mm, while its cool nights help grapes develop acidity and flavor. The Yellow River, which runs through the area, has helped make its soil composition a favorable mixture of sand, clay and minerals. An altitude of about 1,300 meters and extremely dry air mean no pesticides are needed to keep the vines healthy.

The region has about 40,000 hectares of vineyards, the second largest in the world after France's Bordeaux, and there are 83 established wineries and 113 more being built, Cao said.

"The presence of international winemakers has been helping improve the quality of the wines and enrich the local winemaking technique and winery management," Cao said.

"Locals can learn from their experienced partners who bring their knowledge, ideas and techniques. Their presence has also developed our confidence in China not only being a big consumer of wines but also capable of becoming a major producer of fine wines," Cao said.

Renger Mathias, an Austrian winemaker and participant in the international winemaker competition in Ningxia, said, "I want to be part of the team that helps the Chinese wine industry to become a landmark on the global wine map, to reflect the worldwide unique terroir."

Unlike other international contestants who visit Ningxia periodically, French winemaker Thierry Courtade chose to settle down for romance and wine after serving 23 years at Chateau Calon Segurin, a winery in Bordeaux.

"This is my wife's hometown," he said.

Courtade became acquainted with Chinese wines and the region through his wife, Emma Gao, who was a young intern at the Bordeaux winery.

"The wine industry in France has developed to such a high level that it has reached its limit. But here in Ningxia, I am able to try new things, planting different grape varieties that suit the soil and applying different winemaking techniques," Courtade said.

While Bordeaux has strict laws specifying which varieties of grapes, materials and techniques can be used in certain regions, Ningxia is open to all trials and has yet to legislate the similar rules, Courtade said.

At their winery, Silver Heights, the couple planted such grape varieties as cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay, syrah and marselan, and applied various planting techniques from France, Israel and New Zealand.
Robots made by young people compete at the Robotic Challenge Junior 2017: Robot Hunter in Hong Kong, China, Aug, 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Robot contests aimed at inspiring innovation among younger people are taking place all across the country.

Participants showcase their creativity by creating robots with artificial intelligent technologies at different competitions such as the Robotic Challenge Junior 2017: Robot Hunter, 2017 World Robot Contest, and the BRICS Makers Competition.

By participating in these competitions, the young people can not only make friends but also exchange experiences and inspiring ideas in engineering and information technology.
BRASILIA - At the 9th BRICS Summit scheduled for Sept 3-5 in Southeast China's Xiamen city, Brazil will seek real convergence among the bloc members on economic and financial issues and common challenges, Brazilian President Michel Temer said.

Accompanied by a large delegation of senior officials, Temer will start his China trip on Tuesday, including a state visit in which he will have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping besides attending the BRICS Summit.

"Brazil has fully committed to the preparatory process for the Xiamen Summit. In the past few months, we have participated in technical and ministerial meetings in several areas of BRICS representatives. There is a lot of confidence in China's capacity to organize the event," Temer said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"I will have an opportunity to personally congratulate President Xi Jinping on the Chinese presidency of the BRICS," he added.

The Brazilian president praised the Summit's preparatory process and reaffirmed his country's commitment to strengthening and increasing cooperation among the BRICS members.

"We see in the BRICS a space of dialogue between great countries and an opportunity to promote cooperation for the mutual benefit of our peoples," he stressed.

Regarding the Xiamen Summit's agenda, Temer showed his country's interest in concrete cooperation among the bloc members, particularly in the economic area.

"Brazil will focus on areas of real convergence in the economic and financial field -- infrastructure financing, investment attraction, regional aviation and customs cooperation -- and in areas which represent common challenges, such as healthcare, cooperation in intelligence, research and development," the president said.

He also noted that, in recent years, BRICS, which groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has made great progress in the group's institutionalization process and financial field, with the creation of the New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserve Fund.

"The New Development Bank is a real example of BRICS's capacity for realization. The Bank allows mobilization of financial resources in an innovative manner for infrastructural and sustainable development projects, both priorities in our countries.

"It is necessary that BRICS remains focused in areas where there is concrete convergence among its members. It is necessary that BRICS remains committed to generating tangible results for our peoples," he said.

The Brazilian president will also take advantage of the summit to promote trade and present to other members his government's concessions and privatization programs, aimed at attracting investments from partner countries.

Besides, he hailed the role that political dialogue among BRICS countries plays in global governance and political stability as well.

"We are going through a time when uncertainties multiply in the midst of isolationist and protectionist tendencies. In view of these challenges, dialogue among countries like ours becomes more important than ever. We defend the WTO's multilateral trade system, and we defend the Paris Agreement on Climate Change," he stressed.

"In this way, we have made a decisive contribution to perfecting and advancing core issues of global governance today," Temer added.
Robust energy industry-related relations among BRICS countries  Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa  complement producers and exporters on one side and importers and suppliers on the other, creating a perfect atmosphere for win-win deals that could bridge the demand-supply gap among the bloc members, analysts said.

For example, Russia and Brazil are oil exporters and producers, while India, China and South Africa are net importers.

Russia is looking to export its oil to importers outside the European Union. Emerging economies like China are seeking to import oil for energy security. China is willing to seize opportunities arising from Russias needs, they said.

So, energy deals between such countries could help make BRICS stronger, said Li Li, energy research director at ICIS China, a consulting company that provides analysis of Chinas energy market.

China and Russia have already forged a variety of oil and gas ventures and undertaken investments in recent years.

These include the Yamal LNG project located in the Arctic region of Russia, the world's first integrated project for polar natural gas exploration, development, liquefaction and transportation.

In many ways, Yamal signifies future possibilities in the key energy industry for BRICS countries.

The project is expected to begin operations this year and much of Yamal's output will be supplied to China and other Asian countries, according to Novatek, the natural gas producer in Russia responsible for the Yamal project.

China is already the world's largest energy consumer, producer and net importer. Its total oil imports in the first six months of this year reached 212 million tons, according to the General Administration of Customs.

China has always regarded Russia a priority partner for cooperation in investments, Li said.

"China has been a top buyer and strategic partner of Russia's abundant oil and gas resources, and the country's financial support from institutions, including the China Development Bank, also helped deepen bilateral cooperation."

Yamal is not the only bright spot.

Gazprom, Russia's largest natural gas producer, has a 30-year deal with China National Petroleum Co under which Russia will start supplying gas to China through Siberia at the end of 2019.

Dubbed the "Power of Siberia", the new pipeline, part of a China-Russia supplementary purchase and sale contract, has a planned annual capacity of 38 billion cubic meters, Gazprom said.

According to Wang Jun, general manager of the Russian unit of China Petroleum & Chemical Corp, or Sinopec, the world's largest refiner, Russia has abundant energy resources, and Chinese oil and gas companies' are providing necessary technology for exploration and development, which makes the two countries a perfect match for energy cooperation.

Russia, with its political stability and low risk to resources, should be taken as a key strategic region for Chinese companies, he said.

According to Li, in addition to Russia, China has been actively nailing various energy cooperation agreements with other BRICS members, providing support in infrastructure construction, technology and export of capital goods.

In South Africa, for example, Sinopec announced in March that it will pay some $1 billion for a 75 percent stake in Chevron Corp's South African assets, like its subsidiary in Botswana, in an attempt to secure its first major refinery on the African continent.

The acquisition is believed to take further advantage of the energy behemoth's downstream experiences to turn the site on the African continent into a more profitable storage terminal.

Demand for refined petroleum in South Africa has been increasing at an average annual rate of nearly 5 percent over the past five years, thanks to a growing middle class. Such demand is currently estimated to be around 27 million metric tons, Sinopec said.

"Sinopec used to focus mostly on the domestic market, but now it has been expanding abroad, with its ample expertise and experience, interfacing more with the global market," Li said.

"China's oil and gas companies have been more active in chasing refinery assets worldwide in recent years, in an attempt to further reshape their asset portfolios while exporting their technologies."

This is also consistent with the country's Belt and Road Initiative, taking China's new refinery technology and management experience abroad and better strengthening the country's connectivity with the world, she said.

State Grid Corp of China, with its abundant expertise and experience, also has big plans to play a key role in the clean energy industry in South America.

The company, which runs the majority of the nation's electricity distribution networks, had landed ultra high-voltage electricity transmission projects in Brazil.

According to Li Lequan, deputy director of State Grid International Development Co Ltd, SGCC's subsidiary for global operations, the ultra high-voltage electricity transmission projects in Brazil mark a major breakthrough in China's "going global" strategy in the field of UHV technology.

Han Xiaoping, an analyst at Beijing-based cnenergy.org, said the technology makes it possible to transmit large amounts of power over long distances.

Given Brazil's vast and varied geography, this is exactly what the country needs, he said.

Han said the UHV line will signify Brazil's, as well as South America's, first "electricity superhighway".

"State Grid's UHV technology will also make the company a global leader in the power plant, as well as the distribution grid construction market," he said.

Zhou Dadi, a senior researcher at the China Energy Research Society, said China's advanced technology in power transmission, power transformation, nuclear energy and renewable energy can help countries, including India, to develop low-carbon energy alternatives.

Zhou said there is immense potential for energy cooperation among the five BRICS countries. They should maximize such potential, he said.

He also cautioned that thorough research of other countries' economic situation, foreign investment policy and state of the domestic energy industry is needed to ensure win-win cooperation.
China is committed to becoming a world leader in robotics, and will cooperate with other nations to achieve that goal, according to the head of the Israeli Robotics Association.

Zvi Shiller, founding chairman and president of the Israeli group, said China has the potential to take the lead in robotics.

"China's robotics industry has been moving forward at high speed in recent years. It is driven by long-term vision, by the understanding that innovation is essential, and by the government's commitment to provide the necessary resources," he said. "Robotics is all about integration, and cooperation is needed to take a leading position in developing smart robots."

Zvi Shiller, founding chairman and president of the Israeli Robotics Association. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Serving the Israeli robotics community that includes academia and industry, the Israeli Robotics Association is dedicated to promoting robotics research, education and the use of robotics and automation in traditional industries such as agriculture and medicine.

During his recent trip to China, Shiller said during the World Robot Conference in Beijing last week that cooperation between China and Israel is strategic as both can bring unique advantages to the table.

"China is a superpower in manufacturing and it has large markets. And Israel is a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship, having strengths in artificial intelligence, software development and developing components used in robots, such as vision sensors.

"With a partnership that is built on trust and mutual respect, the two countries will be able to reach a win-win-plus ... which means a sustainable cooperation in which each partner gives more than what the other partner expects."

According to Shiller, China and Israel should create new companies by establishing joint R&D institutes that can handle the high complexity of smart robotic systems.

"We have to increase the number of companies to create new products and to enable competition that will drive the robotics market."

In recent decades, China has boosted its economy into the world's second largest via low-cost factory production from clothing to home appliances. And now, Shiller said, it's time for the country to move on.

In 2015, China launched the Made in China 2025 strategy, a 10-year national plan to transform the country into a world high-tech manufacturing power, which is also echoed in the country's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20). The plan aims to move manufacturing up the value chain, developing several key sectors, including robotics.

That is where Israel comes in. China and Israel have already signed a cooperation agreement in economy and technology, paving the way with supportive policies. In this spirit, a new Sino-Israeli robotics institute was established in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. It will serve as a home base for Israeli robotics companies when they operate in the Chinese market.

Shiller said the institute will provide the technologies needed to develop smart robots and assist small and medium-sized companies in developing their products.

"We are now planning to launch a similar institute in Israel. We are hoping in a few months to announce our first pilot project," he added.
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With operations suspended through Wednesday for many areas, and longer for others, analysts have estimated that freight rates will spike as cargo transport will be affected for up to the next month.



Intense flooding from Hurricane Harvey continues to suspend industry operations in Houston and surrounding areas.

The effects of Hurricane Harvey continue to delay industry operations in the Gulf.

The Port of Houston remains closed Tuesday as port authorities monitor the inclement weather. Maersk Line has updated it list of vessels impacted by the storm, adding three ships to Mondays list. The vessels affected now include the MSC Sao Paulo on the TP18 service and the SL Illinois and MSC Stella, both on the TA6 service.

The vessel Maersk Ohio (TA1) from Mondays announcement will be omitting Houston and discharging imports at Freeport, Bahamas to connect to the MECL service. The Maersk Denver (MECL) will be induced to Freeport for the TA1 cargo and estimates a Houston arrival on September 2, said Maersk. Meanwhile, the additional three vessels have delayed Houston arrivals for later this week, pending terminal opening.

The Port of Corpus Christi is closed Tuesday as well, with the port authority aiming for normal operations to resume by September 4. The port stated that the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continue to expedite channel surveys, but current weather related to the remains of Hurricane Harvey is causing challenges to the survey operations.

The Port of Galveston issued an updated on Monday afternoon stating that ship channels will remain closed for the next 48 hours per the U.S. Coast Guard. The Port of New Orleans is not experiencing any inclement weather at this time and continues to accept cargo and vessels as they are rerouted to the port.

BNSF Railroad has experienced multiple washouts and high water on main lines in the area. As a result, all traffic destined to and originating from Houston has been suspended. Other area rail lines, including those with BNSF trackage rights, have also been forced out of service, said the rail line.

Furthermore, all operations at BNSF Houston-area railyards and facilities, including the Pearland Intermodal and Automotive facilities, are suspended as major interstate highways are closed. The rail line stated that crews will conduct an aerial assessment on Tuesday, weather permitting, to determine the current extent of damage and flooding impacts to the main lines.

However, with additional flooding likely during the next few days, normal train flows in the area may not resume for an extended period. Customers should expect continued delays on shipments scheduled to move through the area, said BNSF.

Union Pacific Railroad has also suspended rail operations along the Texas Gulf Coast from Brownsville through Corpus Christi to Houston and east to Lake Charles, Louisiana, said the rail line. It has implemented embargoes for all rail traffic destined to Gulf Coast locations and within the Houston Service Unit. The rail line recommends customers consider diverting cars destined to the impacted area where feasible.

According to the Wall Street Journal, shipping costs will likely rise across a wide area far from Houston, based on the markets response to previous natural disasters. In the meantime, freight operators say they expect an onslaught of demand, both from relief supplies and commercial freight thats been held back, once waters recede and shipping channels and roads are cleared for traffic.

FTR Transportation Intelligence firm has analyzed the impact of the hurricane, estimating that 7 percent or more of U.S. trucking will be strongly affected and/or out of operation for the next two weeks. During the first week, almost 10 percent of all U.S. trucking will be affected. That number jumps near 100 percent for the Gulf Coast region west of the Mississippi, said FTR. After a month, the numbers fall but are still significant  impacting nearly 2 percent (national) and 25 percent (regional).

Noel Perry, partner at FTR, said to look for spot prices to jump over the next several weeks with very strong effects in Texas and the South Central region. Spot pricing was already up strong, in double-digit territory. Market participants could easily add 5 percentage points to those numbers.

There is always a lag between spot rate increases and contract rates, said Perry. Analysts have been wondering when trucking contract rates will begin following spot rates up. The combination of regional and fuel effects from Harvey, coupled with the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate in December, could be the catalyst to a pricing spiral.
Draft insists on independence of judiciary, prohibits case interference

A series of judicial reforms, including the further establishment of intellectual property courts and orders preventing interference in cases by governmental departments, have been added to a draft amendment of the Organic Law of People's Courts for consideration by China's top legislature.

The current law, enacted in 1979, has not kept pace with the country's rapid development of justice, "so the revision is urgent and necessary", said Wang Shengming, vice-chairman of the Internal and Judicial Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress.

The draft amendment was submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for its first review on Monday, arousing the attention of legal professionals.

Several concepts of judicial reform that were promoted by the central leadership since 2013 appear in the draft. For example, intellectual property courts, which were set up in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong province in 2014, have been added to the draft.

A rule authorizing the Supreme People's Court to establish circuit courts also appears.

In addition, some reform orders have been upheld in the draft. For instance, Chinese courts must hear cases independently, preventing interference by local government departments, social organizations or individualsa requirement highlighted as a basic principle in the draft's first section.

The draft has expanded the law to 66 articles from the current 40.

Yang Weidong, a law professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance, said: "Adding the new articlesespecially the one requiring the national courts to handle cases independentlyin the draft is a big improvement in judicial reform and progress in the rule of law."

Bi Yuqian, a law professor at China University of Political Science and Law, said he is glad to see the draft highlight the goal of removing administrative interference in justice as a fundamental principle.

"In the past, justice in some regions was harmed by local government interference, which not only affected case handling but also damaged judicial credibility."

Both the legal experts said the draft still needs to be more specific.

Also on Monday, another draft amendment to the Organic Law of People's Procuratorate was submitted to the legislature for its first reading.
Recent moves by the Chinese Air Force show it has determined to expand its presence over oceans by conducting more long-distance drills and developing new bomber aircraft with longer ranges, according to military officers and experts.

The latest move came on Thursday, when six People's Liberation Army Air Force H-6K bombers flew through the Miyako Strait between the islands of Okinawa and Miyako in the East China Sea and approached the Kii Peninsula, Japanese media quoted the Japanese Defense Ministry as saying. This was the first time the PLA Air Force flew along that route, the report said.

The Air Force also disclosed the operation on its micro blog, saying that Chinese military aircraft would make more such training runs in the area. The account published a photo of an H-6K taken by the crew of another bomber during the mission.

"Such regular, long-distance exercises are in line with international laws and international practices. They are the normal needs of the PLA to enhance our combat capability and build a strong air force," said Senior Colonel Shen Jinke, an Air Force spokesman.

The H-6K is the PLA's most advanced bomber and is capable of carrying supersonic cruise missiles for strikes against land or sea targets.

General Ma Xiaotian, the PLA Air Force's commander, said earlier this month in Changchun, Jilin province, that the Air Force "must carry out drills at sea".

"Our Air Force cannot simply guard on land and not fly out", he said in response to questions on Japan's concerns about the PLA's "increasing activities" over the Sea of Japan.

Ma said it is normal for the Chinese Air Force to conduct training and exercises over the Sea of Japan and that "the Sea of Japan is not Japan's sea".

The PLA Air Force started to perform long-range, ocean-bound drills in March 2015. At first, the frequency was about four times a year, but now it is several times a week. In July, the PLA Air Force carried out exercises over the Bashi Channel and Miyako Strait with several types of aircraft, according to Shen.

Colonel Ren Guoqiang, a Defense Ministry spokesman, said in July that other nations should not "make a fuss about or over-interpret" the Chinese military's oceangoing exercises.

Wang Ya'nan, editor of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said these long-range drills would enable the Air Force and the PLA Navy's aviation units to push China's defense line farther into the ocean and to better safeguard the country's maritime routes.

In addition to intensified training, the Air Force also has commissioned Aviation Industry Corp of China, the leading Chinese aircraft producer, to develop a new-generation of long-range strategic bombers capable of fulfilling intercontinental missions, Air Force sources said.

Photos circulating on Chinese online forums indicate that the Air Force also is testing a variant of the H-6K equipped with a refueling probe, which enables the new model to be refueled in flight and thus operate farther than existing models.
When Kong Lingming started looking for a job late last year, the then-student found that opportunities were easy to come by.

As early as January, the 22-year-old had found a job and signed an employment contract with a company in Quanzhou, Fujian province - nearly six months before he graduated from Wuhan University of Technology, where he majored in marine navigation.

According to Kong, all 27 students in his class have found jobs since they graduated last month. Five of them, including Kong, have signed contracts with CQC Crew Manning Co, a subsidiary of China Quanzhou Co.

"We all believe that Quanzhou, as an ancient port city along the Maritime Silk Road, will see rapid development in the coming years as a result of the Belt and Road Initiative," he said.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, is an umbrella term for the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to build a trade and infrastructure network that will connect China with the rest of the world along the path of the ancient Silk Road.

Quanzhou, formerly called Zaitun, was one of the starting points of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. The earliest records of friendly contacts between the city and countries in Southeast Asia date from the Southern Dynasty (420-589) during the sixth century.

According to data released this month by the local customs authority, trade between Quanzhou and four of the BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa - reached 8.82 billion yuan ($1.32 billion) in the first half of the year, a rise of almost 65 percent from the same period last year.

South Africa was Quanzhou's largest trading partner among BRICS countries, with a volume worth 3.94 billion yuan, a rise of more than 60 percent from the first six months of last year.

Trade with both Russia and Brazil exceeded 1.9 billion yuan, with growth rates reaching 109 percent and 97 percent respectively.

Granite blocks, soybeans, petroleum and crude oil accounted for the majority of the goods imported by companies in Quanzhou, while most of the goods the city exported consisted of bags, suitcases, footwear and clothing.

In January last year, the city government issued an action plan to revive the ancient seaport by boosting investment and trade, connecting with overseas Chinese, promoting intelligent manufacturing and building a modern coastal city.

According to the plan, the cargo-handling capacity of Quanzhou Port will rise to 150 million metric tons in 2020, from 104 million in 2015.

The city will also open new maritime and air routes with countries along the route of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East.
The government of Quanzhou, Fujian province, may be one of the most diligent in China at nourishing private capital. So seriously does it take its role that it has even opened training courses for the adult children of local entrepreneurs to nurture them for future managerial roles.

Kang Tao, the city's mayor, said it is essential to hire the right people. "The key to business transformation and upgrading lies with people," he said. "We believe we have a responsibility to cultivate both the bosses in position now and those for the future."

The move is closely related to the city's history. As one of China's most vibrant urban economies, Quanzhou has long viewed private capital as a crucial component of its financial well-being.

Figures provided by the Development and Reform Commission show that the city's private economy has grown at an average of more than 30 percent a year since the reform and opening-up policy started in the late 1970s.

Private enterprise accounts for more than 90 percent of all businesses in Quanzhou, and the private economy accounts for more than 80 percent of the city's economic output and about 70 percent of tax revenues.

Private investment reached nearly 147 billion yuan ($22 billion) in the first half of this year, a rise of almost 18 percent compared with the same period last year, despite the sluggish economic background at home and abroad.

"We have paid special attention to the second generation of entrepreneurs. Compared with the older generation, they have both innovative thinking and capabilities," said Kang, adding that the government will give full support to, and examine, the development of several new sectors via young entrepreneurs and nourish a new batch of fast-growing, innovative companies.

For example, Live Show Wonderland, an advertising industry park established by a second-generation entrepreneur, has attracted more than 300 companies with a combined production value of 1.6 billion yuan.

Kang said the authorities will also use government funds to attract more private capital to the technology industry.

The city has established an industry investment fund with registered capital of 5 billion yuan, in addition to number of secondary funds, to support innovative new companies.
Workers will receive shares and dividends for technical contributions to companies

An increasing number of employees will get additional rewards, such as shares and dividends, for their technical contributions in some State-owned enterprises and government-funded science projects, said the State Council, China's Cabinet.

The move, decided at a State Council executive meeting, presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday, aimed to invigorate the enthusiasm and creativity of scientists and technicians to make technological innovations.

An incentive policy has been released to grant scientists and technicians shares, options and dividends while the country deepens reforms in the fund management of science projects endorsed by the central government, said a statement released after the meeting. The policy aims to further proceed with innovation-driven development as well as promote mass entrepreneurship and innovation.

The meeting also decided to work to expand the scale of the incentives for employees in technological SOEs. The income tax regime will be improved for those who are rewarded with equity incentives or stock shares for their technology.

From March last year, eligible State-owned technological enterprises could grant share and dividend incentives to their employees, after a notice was jointly released by the Ministry of Science and Technology and other two ministries in February last year.

Crucial technological staff members who have worked for these enterprises for at least three consecutive years can be rewarded with equities and stock shares, while no more than 15 percent of after-tax profit can be used as dividends to reward the employees, the notice said.

Difficulties will be sorted out in the next step to strengthen supervision and evaluations for such a policy, the statement said.

The meeting called to prioritize the country's technological plans, adopt fair and scientific review rules and allocate resources for science projects. The integration of economic growth with science and technology will be further boosted, the statement said.

"Recent years have seen such incentive measures being carried out. But many technologists said the effect was far from their expectations. They didn't have a strong sense of gain. What's the reason behind this, is it policy implementation or the timing of supportive measures? Relevant departments should carefully analyze to find out," the premier told officials at the executive meeting.

Wednesday's meeting was the central government's latest move to encourage technological innovations and increase welfare for scientists and technologists. On Tuesday last week, Li called to further delegate power to research institutions and universities, cultivating an inviting environment to spur the creativity of scientists and technologists when he inspected the Ministry of Science and Technology.

"Technological progress is fundamental to increasing economic growth and international competitiveness. However, most SOEs strictly control shares given to staff members, including technicians and researchers," said Huang Qunhui, director of the Institute of Industrial Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The phenomenon also exists in research institutions where a large number of technicians are burdened by current fund management, which should be reformed to give them more autonomous power and financial gain, Huang added.

Scientists and technicians have applauded the central government's reiteration of the incentives. Cheng Ling, a 35-year-od researcher at an SOE in Hefei, Anhui province, said the incentives will encourage scientists and technicians to work harder in their own fields partly because of the potential benefits.

"For my fellow researchers, it's the same salary whether or not they can make any breakthrough achievements. When the incentive policy is 100 percent carried out, I believe many of them will exert more efforts," Cheng said.

"I've been to some enterprises that have innovative ways to reallocate incomes as their employees earn commissions from revenues and profits or stock shares by conducting customized and individualized productions," Li said at Wednesday's meeting. "These practices should be promoted punctually."
A helicopter is landing at China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, Aug 29, 2017. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/China Daily]

China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing inaugurated a multi-storey parking facility to help alleviate parking problems, as well as to provide better air rescue services.

A launch ceremony was held on Tuesday in the hospital, after two helicopters from Beijing Emergency Medical Center and 999 Emergency Rescue Center arrived at the hospital.

The newly built parking complex is a four-storey building equipped with automatic system which allows smart-parking. Apart from the top floor for ambulance helicopters, it also has enough space for 369 vehicles.

It has the largest ground parking space of any hospital in Beijing. The parking apron on top of the building is also a 24-hour rescue platform which means emergency work can be carried out during night-time too.

With the opening up of low-attitude airspace in China, helicopters are gradually playing an important role in air medical rescue, especially during an emergency situation.
Weather, other factors to determine how to proceed with Donglang building

China will plan the construction of infrastructure in Donglang as "actual circumstances" allow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Tuesday, adding that Chinese border troops are continuing to patrol and defend the area.

"We will make an overall assessment of the weather conditions and all related factors, and according to the actual circumstances complete construction plans for the Donglang area," Hua said at a daily news briefing.

China has long been constructing infrastructure, including roads, in Donglang to meet the needs of border defense and to improve the performance and living conditions for local troops and civilians, Hua said.

All Indian personnel and equipment withdrew from Donglang about 2:30 pm on Monday, Chinese officials at the scene confirmed. On June 18, the Indian troops illegally crossed into the Sikkim sector of the China-India border to stop China from building a road, triggering tensions that lasted more than two months.

The Sikkim sector, a delimited part of the China-India boundary, was defined in the Convention Between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet, which was signed in 1890.

Hu Shisheng, director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asian and Oceania Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said stable ties between China and India are needed.

"Even though the standoff lasted about 70 days, the two mature, large countries didn't give up diplomatic efforts," Hu said, adding that the solution of the incident shows that the power of peace has triumphed.

Hu said the withdrawal has shown that India is aware of the legitimacy of China's infrastructure construction in Donglang, which is within China's sovereignty, and that India needs to reflect on its illegal trespass and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary it was the "correct choice" for India to withdraw, and "it is expected that India will continue its correct attitude and work with China to put China-India ties on a healthy track".

"For China and India, close neighbors and the world's two largest emerging economies, their common interests far outweigh their disputes," it said.

In another development, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the ninth BRICS Summit, which will be held in Xiamen, Fujian province, on Sept 3 to 5.
ATHENS - Herakleidon museum opposite the Acropolis hill offered this summer a look at Greek seafaring - from antiquity to modern times - showcasing through models of ships and nautical instruments Greeks' achievements in a field that is regarded as an integral part of their identity.

However, as the curtain of the exhibition Voyage: Greek Shipbuilding and Seafaring falls this week in Athens, the museum prepares to host another significant exhibition of ancient Chinese technology in the fall, says Eleni Nomikou, the museum's director.

"Seafaring has formed Greeks' character. The spirit of Ulysses still exists in Greeks today. Shipping was and still remains their basic activity. The sea and shipping in particular offer Greeks wealth, vision and a future," Nomikou says.
The International Promotion Programme of Chinese Ethnic Writers and International Forum on Translation and Publication of Chinese Ethnic Literature was held on Aug 24, 2017 in Beijing. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org]

The International Promotion Programme of Chinese Ethnic Writers and International Forum on Translation and Publication of Chinese Ethnic Literature was held on Thursday in Beijing during the 24th Beijing International Book Fair. The event was co-organized by China Translation & Publishing House, Chinese Culture Translation and Studies Support, Chinese Minority Writers Society and National Literature Magazine.

Chinese and foreign guests shared their insights on features of ethnic literature, exchange between Chinese ethnic groups and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as problems in translating and promoting ethnic literature. In addition, publishers showed great interest and passion for promoting ethnic literature.

There are 55 ethnic minorities in China. Ethnic literature is an important part of Chinese literature. Many excellent ethnic writers have created literary works with unique cultural and literary features. However, for readers in neighboring countries with the same language, religion and ethnic background, Chinese ethnic literature is easier to understand and accept, said Xu Zhengming, deputy director-general of the Publishing Management Department at the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of The Peoples Republic of China (SAPPRFT) in a speech.

SAPPRFT initiated the Promotion Programme of Chinese Ethnic Writers. The program aims to translate excellent ethnic literary works into different languages, so that foreign readers can get in touch with the real essence of ethnic culture, qualities and unique aesthetic judgments. Up to now, this series of books has been translated into 19 languages and more than 70 books have been contracted to be published globally.
Chinese Minister of Culture Luo Shugang and his Japanese and South Korean counterparts Yoshimasa Hayashi and Do Jong-whan attended the ninth China-Japan-ROK Cultural Ministers' Meeting on Aug 26, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Culture ministers of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ROK) exchanged views on further enhancing practical cooperation in cultural areas at the ninth China-Japan-ROK Cultural Ministers' Meeting held on Aug 26, 2017.

Chinese Minister of Culture Luo Shugang and his Japanese and South Korean counterparts Yoshimasa Hayashi and Do Jong-whan, attended the meeting.

At the meeting, the three sides went over the progress made since their eighth meeting held in Jeju, ROK last year, and exchanged views on further enhancing practical cooperation.

A joint declaration was adopted at the meeting, which further clarified the key areas and projects of trilateral cultural cooperation and made clear that the 10th China-Japan-ROK Cultural Ministers' Meeting will be held in China in 2018.

Cultural ministers of the three countries also attended cultural events in Kyoto.

The meeting also designated China's Harbin, ROK's Busan Metropolitan City and Japan's Kanazawa as Culture Cities of East Asia 2018.

Lau Kong-wah, secretary for home affairs of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, attended the meeting as a member of the Chinese delegation.

The China-Japan-ROK Cultural Ministers' Meeting is one of the 21 ministerial meeting mechanisms between China, Japan and the ROK.

It is an important dialogue and consultation mechanism for planning cultural communication and cooperation between the three countries.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday called for Russia and Ukraine to increase their efforts to implement a fragile ceasefire agreement in eastern Ukraine, Reuters reported.

August 29, 2017, 10:29 Germany and France urge Putin and Poroshenko to support ceasefire regime

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: Merkel and Macron said they were concerned that the security situation in eastern Ukraine had not significantly improved since they held a four-way telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko in the so-called Normandy format on Aug. 22.

We urge President Putin and President Poroshenko to fully respect their commitments, to support the ceasefire in a public and clear manner, and to ensure that appropriate instructions have been sent to the military and local forces, they said in a joint statement issued by the chancellery in Berlin.
Aug 28 is Chinese Valentine's Day, also known as Qixi. But this year it will also be remembered as the day that China and India successfully resolved their 70-day long border standoff through diplomatic means.

It was a feeling of relief for many, as both the Chinese and Indian governments announced the end of the standoff on Monday.

Tensions between the world's two most populous nations had escalated after Indian border troops illegally crossed the well-delineated China-India border in the Sikkim Sector into China's Donglang area on June 18.

While the Chinese military has shown strong resolve to defend the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Chinese government has exercised its utmost restraint by fully exploring diplomatic and peaceful means.

After all, China and India, despite their brief border war in 1962, trace their neighborly relations to ancient times. The ancient Silk Road, for example, served not only as a major trading route between the two countries, but also helped spread Buddhism from India to East Asia.

As the world's two largest developing nations, China and India have every reason to avoid a war or any military conflict and rather focus on their economic and social development and the improvement of their peoples' lives.

Bilateral relations have advanced rapidly in recent years, with China becoming India's largest trade partner and bilateral trade in excess of $70 billion. Bilateral investment has also grown. Yet, that's just the beginning for the two fast-developing nations, which have huge potential for cooperation.

The fact that the Shanghai-headquartered New Development Bank, formed by five BRICS countries, has an Indian as its president is also a reflection of the kind of cooperation the two countries should pursue.

The BRICS Summit, to be held in Xiamen, China, from Sept 3-5 will gather leaders from China, India, Russia, Brazil and South Africa and provide another huge opportunity for them to pursue win-win cooperation that not only benefits the five countries, but the whole world.

Peace and stability is vital not only for China and India, but also Asia and the whole world. As the two largest developing nations, China and India should play exemplary roles in observing the five principles of peaceful coexistence: mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty; mutual non-aggression; mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs; equality and cooperation for mutual benefit; and peaceful co-existence.

The mistake India made on June 18 should not be repeated. And China and India  and the whole world  should now celebrate as the border standoff was solved peacefully and diplomatically.

The author is deputy editor of China Daily USA. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Red flags on the Tian'anmen Square and atop the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

When the Communist Party of China was founded in 1921, it clearly listed in its constitution that people with higher social goals who embrace the Party's principles and policies could be accepted as a comrade on being introduced by two Party members. This makes it clear Party members are each other's comrades.

Comradeship means sharing the same principles and political goals; it also means all comrades are equal, and no comrade will be discriminated against because of his or her gender or other characteristics.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, "comrade" became the most common term people used to address each other. Yet the term has almost disappeared from people's vocabulary over the past couple of decades.

Ordinary people have the right to address each other in any way they deem fit, but Party members have to use "comrade" when addressing each other. That applies even to the Party leadership with comrade Xi Jinping as its core.

The top leadership has decided to promote the use of the term "comrade" within the Party for several reasons. First, rampant individualism has been hurting common interests for quite some time. All Party members have the right to pursue their individual interests, but they should do so only after serving the common interest of the people, because Party members are supposed to have higher goals than ordinary citizens and also work to realize the goals of the Party. In this regard, by addressing each other as "comrades", the Party members can deepen their unity under the common flag of the Party.

And second, the sense of equality among Party members must be further promoted. Many Party members, especially government officials, tend to address each other by their official ranks, which promotes hierarchy, instead of equality, because people start attaching greater importance to their positions in the bureaucracy than those in the Party. By requiring Party members to address each other as "comrades", the leadership aims to strengthen their sense of equality and weaken their belief in hierarchy. That in turn will help different levels of Party organizations to become more efficient in decision-making, by better mobilizing the wisdom of all.

Of course, as an honorific term, "comrade" has its limits. The requirement of the top leadership and the practices of various levels of Party organizations have encouraged its use within the Party. In other words, it is a requirement of Party members, not of ordinary citizens.

This is in accordance with the basic national policy of reform and opening-up. Since the implementation of reform and opening-up in 1978, the top leadership has been attaching ample importance to market economy. And the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee made it clear the market should play a decisive role in the allocation of resources.

Encouraging the use of the term "comrade" within the Party is also in line with the top leadership's move to strictly regulate the Party. Ordinary citizens are free to pursue their individual interests as long as both the pursuit and the interests are legal and do not hurt public interests, but Party members must place public interests above individual interests. The top leadership's requirements from Party members are higher than those from ordinary residents. As such, by urging Party members to use "comrade" to address each other, the top leadership is taking stricter measures to regulate the Party and deepen the unity among Party members. However, the top leadership also has to issue detailed regulations and take specific measures to ensure the Party members fulfill those requirements and meet those goals.
Fang Jianping | China Daily

In an apparent bid to quell Western concerns over a series of accidents involving US naval vessels, General Terrence O'Shaughnessy, the US Pacific Air Forces commander, insisted the US "freedom of navigation" operations in the South China Sea have not suffered a setback and the US military will continue them to combat China's territorial claims.

These remarks expose the US' hegemonic mentality: Never admit you have done something wrong, put the blame on others.

The USS John S. McCain was the latest US vessel to collidewith a tanker off Singapore on Aug 21in what was the fourth accident involving a US naval warship in the Pacific this year. Media reports said the 10 missing sailors were confirmed dead after their bodies were found on Monday. Together with the collision of the USS Fitzgerald in mid-June, which left seven US sailors dead, the US Navy has lost 17 personnel, compared with the 11 US soldiers killed in Afghanistan so far this year.

Judging by these figures alone, what the US claims to be "freedom of navigation" operations for peaceful purposes have become far more dangerous for the US military than fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. The US should rethink its "freedom of navigation" policy for the safety of its military personnel, if not for anything else.

Yet O'Shaughnessy's remarks show the United States prefers to stick to its hegemonic mentality.

The Barack Obama administration ordered several "freedom of navigation" operations in the South China Sea, using the maritime disputes involving China and some Southeast Asian countries as an excuse to interfere in regional affairs. The Donald Trump administration is continuing that practice, perhaps because it perceives the so-called freedom of navigation operations as a major US strategy to check China's influence in the region. But the reckless behavior of US naval vessel commanders have helped people to see through the US' dangerous strategic games.

Instead of defending the so-called freedom of navigation, US naval vessels sailing in the South China Sea have become moving threats to other ships. And their frequent and unannounced presence in the waters should make the international community realize it is the US Navy that is militarizing the waters.

But instead of urging the US to rethink its strategy, some Western journalists have hinted that cyberattacks, orchestrated by China, could have led to the accidents involving the US warships. Are these journalists trying to prevent the US Navy from thoroughly investigating the accidents because they fear that it would reveal the dirty truths?

And if the US believes in such preposterous ideas, its naval vessels will continue to pose a threat to not only other ships but also its own military personnel.
Protesters hang up a flag which reads, "Racism lives here", above a depiction of St. Louis, Missouri, outside the City of Ferguson Police Department and Municipal Court in Ferguson Missouri, March 11, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

The white-supremacist protest on Aug 12 in Charlottesville, Virginia, against the proposed removal of the statue of a Confederate general in the American Civil War (1861-65) snowballed into riots, in which a counter-protestor was killed and many people were injured.

The US media said President Donald Trump's criticism of the riots exposed his bias toward whites yet again, and instead of ending the chaos, it has deepened the social divide on racial lines. The US has not yet found a permanent solution to racism. In fact, the American Civil War was fought mainly between those for and against the abolition of slavery. And although the war ended with the official abolition of slavery, racism didn't disappear from US society, as the Ku Klux Klan which advocates white supremacy emerged in 1866, immediately after the end of the civil war.

Still, after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 abolished all enforced public segregation in the US, the white nationalist militias went underground. That's why many were shocked to see so many white supremacists marching openly in Charlottesville.

Neo-Nazi groups, which are strictly banned in Europe, now openly roam the streets in the US. They also have allies in other fields that usually air their views on the internet to propagate white nationalism. What's more disturbing is that many people sitting in front of TV sets at home also seemed to support the white supremacists. Such people felt depressed when Barack Obama became president and hope the US continues the tradition of white-dominated politics.

But Trump alone is not to blame for the reemergence of white supremacists in the US, as blacks were targeted even during Democratic administrations. Trump, thanks to his political and social policies, may have helped the white supremacists become more aggressive, but it is beyond his capacity to resolve the racial conflicts once and for all. The cause of racism is rooted in the culture, not in any US president.

-BEIJING YOUTH DAILY
Photo/Xinhua

THE TRAFFIC POLICE IN QINGDAO, East China's Shandong province, clear some roads of traffic around Badaxia Square from 6:30 pm to 9 pm every day to keep them free for joggers. The police say the traffic control will continue. Beijing News comments:

That car drivers and joggers, especially those in groups jogging down the middle of the road, hate each other is nothing new. But their mutual hatred escalated last month when a taxi driver accidentally hit a group of joggers from behind in Linyi, Shandong, killing one of the joggers and injuring two.

The Qingdao traffic police say they decided to cordon off some of the roads to ensure everybody's safety, but according to the Road Safety Law, such measures can be taken only for major events or construction projects.

By blocking the roads for joggers, the first such move in China, the police are seriously violating the civic rights of other people to use those roads. If they want to help the joggers, they could clear a park for them.

The Qingdao traffic police are trying to defend their biased decision by saying that the traffic control is to protect the safety of alljoggers, drivers, commuters and pedestrians.

Besides, some roads are blocked for mega events or construction projects only temporarily; they are thrown open to traffic as soon as the event or project is over. Which means traffic control is the last option traffic police use when it comes to balancing the interests of all those who use the roads.

Also, the Road Safety Law stipulates that automobiles, non-automobiles and pedestrians should use their respective lanes and follow the traffic rules, so as to not interfere with each other, which in most cases leads to traffic accidents.

The traffic police are compromising the rights of other civilians by blocking the roads. Their move not only lacks sufficient legal basis but also is arbitrary, because they didn't seek public opinions before blocking the roads.
President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses the opening session of a workshop in Beijing. A workshop for provincial and ministerial officials was held in preparation for the 19th National Congress of the CPC. [Photo/Xinhua]

Delivering a keynote speech at a high-level workshop on July 26, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasized the need to advance diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, while offering a glimpse into the key themes of the 19th CPC National Congress later this year.

And on Monday, China Central Television began the telecast of Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, a six-episode documentary summarizing the achievements of China's diplomacy over the past five years.

At the core of Chinese diplomacy is global peace and a stable neighborhood, which is necessary for the country's sustainable development and, of course, is a pursuit shared by all peace-loving nations. What really makes it stand out is its Chinese characteristics, from its socialist approach to its cultural inclusiveness.

China's rise as a peace-loving major power is evidence that its tailored socialist path, theories, institutions and culture have worked exceedingly well over the past decades. It also symbolizes the upgrading of the East-West political system that past leaders and diplomats pursued before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

Chinese characteristics do not mean Beijing's foreign policy is focused only on Chinese interests. Xi has vowed more than once to build a community of shared destiny with the rest of the world and advance globalization, while prioritizing Chinese people's well-being. The embedded Chinese characteristics, as Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said, are essentially a guarantee that China is striving to rise above the traditional role of emerging major powers.

Socialist institutions and development path, along with the adherence to the CPC leadership and socialism with Chinese characteristics, form the central premise of China's foreign policy. For decades, Beijing has been a staunch advocate of independent, peaceful diplomacy, the five principles of peaceful co-existence, and non-interference policy, while working to build a fairer global order. Its pursuit is in line with traditional Chinese credos, which call for greater harmony, and in defense of developing countries.

China knows it has to tread carefully because it has huge responsibilities as the world's second-largest economy and largest developing country. It also knows it should strike a balance between domestic development and opening-up. That's why it attaches great importance to developing economies to help build a community of shared destiny, and provide aid for the less-developed ones with no strings attached to boost their economies.

An exemplary manifestation of Chinese diplomacy is the Belt and Road Initiative. Inspired by the ancient Silk Road that connected the East and the West, the initiative goes beyond ideologies, treaties and alliances to focus on improving infrastructure in developing countries and making global governance fairer.

The alliance-based Cold War has taught China an important lesson, that it should pursue reciprocal partnerships worldwide and stay on the high road despite its robust rise, which is exactly what it has been doing. Unlike former colonial powers or the United States, which remains adamant to maintain its global hegemony, China is on course to achieve something rarely thought of in a more civilized, constructive manner.

The author is a professor of international relations at the Renmin University of China.
LI MIN/CHINA DAILY

The International Monetary Fund recently said China's average GDP growth in the next two years is expected to be 6.4 percent- higher than the earlier forecast of 6 percent. But a higher GDP growth is expected because of "the government's reluctance to rein in 'dangerous' levels of debt", the IMF said while also predicting China's growth will be 6.7 percent this year- also higher than the earlier forecast.

Given its reputation and influence, it's unprofessional of the IMF to take such a long time to correct its erroneous low forecast of China's economic growth, especially because the country's economy has grown by 6.7 percent to 6.9 percent for eight quarters.

It's difficult to accurately forecast GDP growth considering the multiple and complicated variables that influence each other, but the IMF's earlier forecasts suggest it was unnecessarily pessimistic about the Chinese economy.

A high debt level, a variable the IMF has emphasized, can influence China's economic performance, but it remains a disputable index which China's financial regulators and economic sector have also paid great attention to.

It is necessary to emphasize the significance of this index and devise ways to prevent the risks it might bring. But the IMF's assertion that China's non-financial sector's debt will exceed 290 percent of GDP in 2022 and that it has already reached a dangerous level are exaggerations, which could mislead public opinion. Despite the hullabaloo over a possible "hard landing" of the Chinese economy in the past two decades, it continues to be strong.

It is somewhat true that China's debt level is high, but we should analyze the index using the global prism. When an economy grows at an exceedingly fast pace or has reached a certain development stage, its debt level will be high. Even the developed economies of today, including Great Britain and the United States (and later Japan and the Republic of Korea), have all had high debt levels at some stage of their economic development. And only if we see China's debt from this perspective can we analyze the level of China's debt.

Besides, China's is a special case, as its economy is still centered on indirect finance. In 2014, former chairman of China Banking Regulatory Commission Shang Fulin said the ratio of indirect finance in China is as high as 80 percent, while that in other G20 countries is between 25 percent and 35 percent, while in the US it is less than 20 percent.

A high indirect finance ratio results in many repetitively calculated debts- a typical example being the huge amount of circulatory loans. It is difficult to clearly calculate what percentage of this contributes to China's 236 percent debt in 2016.

The Chinese government, unlike what the IMF said, is not reluctant to control the soaring debt level in order to expand its economy to a certain level by 2020. Instead, it pays great attention to debt control.

Over the past two years, the government has been carrying out supply-side structural reform, and one of its top priorities is deleveraging, because it can help manage M2 (a measure of money supply) as well as the business sector's debt ratio.

The debt ratio of China's public sector is less than 50 percent, which is a safe level. Moreover, the administrative authorities have never tried to hide the problem of rising debt among enterprises. Taking the efforts to prevent financial risks to a new level, the recent National Central Finance Conference announced the establishment of a Financial Stability and Development Committee under the State Council, China's Cabinet, with the aim of boosting the real economy, deepening financial reform and tightening financial supervision and risk prevention, including keeping the overall debt level in control.

President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, too, have emphasized State-owned enterprises' deleveraging and strictly controlling local government debt.

The government's prudent attitude toward the debt level is in line with the IMF's economic philosophy, but the IMF's views on the government's attitude toward debt is biased and too pessimistic.

Hence, we should regard the IMF's remarks as a prewarning, but we don't have to be too worried about it.

The author is the director of the China Academy of New Supply-side Economics.
Police investigate a pyramid scheme in Dayang town of Hefei, capital of Anhui province in this file photos. [Photo/China Daily]

Three graduates died within a month after being hounded by pyramid scheme gangs, say recent media reports. Why have pyramid schemes become a threat to personal safety?

Products exchange hands through direct selling or multi-level marketing. Direct selling means producers selling directly to consumers. In multi-level marketing, distributors buy the goods from producers and sell them to consumers. Both are accepted modes of sales.

Problems arise when distributors pay for concepts, instead of products, and then make profits by selling those "concepts" to lower-level distributors. This mode is nothing but a scam.

The pyramid scheme has its origin in the Ponzi scheme, which Charles Ponzi floated in the United States in 1919. It was based on continuous investments from new investors, which were used to pay interest to the old investors. The pyramid scheme is variant of the Ponzi scheme, and it is called so because its "business" structure looks like a pyramid.

Pyramid schemes in China have become a bigger social and economic threat in recent times. Well-organized gangs use alluring schemes to deceive people into becoming new investors, who find it almost impossible to escape from the clutches of these gangs.

Since some pyramid schemes continue to operate in China despite the crackdown, the authorities should consider imposing stricter punishments on those who run such schemes.

According to Article 224 of the Criminal Law, "distributors" of pyramid schemes can be sentenced to imprisonment of a maximum of five years, and in extraordinary circumstances, they can be sentenced to more than five years' imprisonment and/or made to pay a hefty fine. The prison term is too short and the standard of prosecution too high to deter pyramid scheme operators from continuing to lure new investors or launching new pyramid schemes.

Though a three-month crackdown on pyramid schemes was launched on Aug 15, it is unlikely to make much difference. More comprehensive efforts are needed to check the spread of pyramid schemes and eliminate the existing ones.

Apart from imposing stricter punishments on the pyramid scheme operators, the authorities should also strengthen online information security, because pyramid scheme gangs hunt for graduates mostly through online recruitment sites. We need in place thorough regulations on the issue, a normative supervision system and an up-to-date blacklist of pyramid scheme operators.

Online job hunters, on their part, must make careful choices. They should learn how to avoid fraudulent companies, for which they need to do careful research on the backgrounds and managements of their target companies before actually contacting them.

More important, regular inspection of communities and monitoring of areas where such schemes are known to operate could help curb the menace of pyramid schemes. And since pyramid scheme gangs are known to "detain" individuals in rental houses, the regulations on rental housing should be strengthened, so as to ensure rented property is not used for such illegal activities.

The author is the director of the Department of International Private Law at the Southwest University of Political Science and Law.
The China Translation and Publishing House holds a panel discussion on entrepreneurs and enterprises book series on August 24 in Beijing. [Photo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Chinas leading publishing house exhibited a bilingual series on Chinas notable private enterprises and their leaders during the Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) on Aug 24.

The ten books, in English and Chinese, touch upon Jack Ma and Alibaba, Ren Zhengfei and Huawei, Pony Ma and Tencent, Wang Jianlin and Wanda, as well as Dong Mingzhu and Gree.

A key project of the China Translation and Publishing House (CTPH), the series looks deep into the lives of private entrepreneurs and how they succeeded. It also analyzes their contribution to Chinas economic development and increasing global influence.

The CTPH and the corresponding foreign publishing houses worked closely -- through in-depth market research and multi-round discussions about readers interest -- since the series initial stage.

Li Yan, vice president of the China Publishing Group Corporation, said the project is a success story of co-research, planning, writing, translation and design by CTPH and British LID Publishing.

Li said the series will soon publish more books about other people and their companies to promote Chinese enterprise and culture on the global stage.

Martin Liu, general manager of LID Publishing, said the books have been well received in Britain since their June publication.

In August, CTPH signed a copyright export agreement for the series with Econ Publishers of South Korea.

The 24th Beijing International Book Fair took place at the China International Exhibition Center from August 23 to 27. More than 2,400 exhibitors from 89 countries and regions exhibited publications and engaged in copyright, trade and cooperation meetings.
And I saw little difference in either side at that time, with the government seeming to be a slightly better option.

Because I believed the myth of the middle bench.

Why did I not choose the opposition at that time?

I attended government caucus from time to time and made critical reviews of government decisions. If you are allowed to attend government caucus, you are government.

I should know. I was there believing that myth for the first two years of the last term of parliament.

ORO - My advice for Papua New Guineas new MPs and their staff, minions, hangers on and supporters. Some words about the middle bench. Its a myth.

I hoped I could do more to influence government decisions for the better. How wrong I was. The benefit of hindsight has since proved otherwise.

Well at that time both government and opposition seemed like bad choices, just flipsides of the same coin, and I honestly thought there was a special place in parliament for neutral ground or a third way from government or opposition.

Well, I was wrong. I was naive.

Fact: There Is No Neutral Ground.

Surprise surprise, there is no middle bench!

Anyway my continued critical review of the decisions made by prime minister Peter ONeills Peoples National Congress (PNC) government were pissing many off so eventually I was removed.

Thats right, by the ruling party PNC.

As I said, some of its members resented the critical review I provided. They despised my outspokenness on national issues and questioning their self-interest in most decisions.

They lobbied hard and then the ruling party met and decided unanimously to kick me out. Thats right. They can do that. Which means they are in control of that part of parliament.

Which means the middle bench is a myth!

Soon after I was quietly asked by a government MP to inform the government I wished to remain and would not make trouble.

If I could do this, I could stay but must remain mute and support all government decisions, good or bad.

So I decided to move to opposition.

I felt I was elected to speak for my people. All of Papua New Guinea. Not be a puppet and follow others blindly even when they were wrong.

So I left.

It dawned on me that the middle bench was only in my head, not a reality. So if you are there, you are in government.

And if the government holds control over that area, they own that territory. You are their territory.

You can pretend and be quiet and they will allow that pretence to be projected to the people. But speak up too often and you will see who has control over that area and you will soon see that you are there at their will and whim.

All the best.
CLOVIS, New Mexico - Two people were killed and four hospitalized Monday after a shooting at a library in the small city of Clovis, New Mexico, the city's fire chief said.

One person was arrested in the incident, Fire Chief Michael Nolen said.

Library patron Vanessa Aguirre said she was in the Clovis-Carter Public Library with her son when a man came in and "started to shoot" into the air, The Eastern New Mexico News reported. "It all happened so fast," she told the newspaper. "We took off fast. My purse is still in there."

Officials at the library could not be reached to comment.

Clovis, which has a population of about 40,000, is around 190 miles (306 km) east of Albuquerque near the Texas border and is home to Cannon Air Force Base.

The newspaper reported that air ambulances had been dispatched and at least one victim was taken to Clovis Municipal Airport for transport to Lubbock, Texas.

Reuters
British Brexit Secretary David Davis (L) and European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier address the media prior to the third round of Brexit talks in Brussels, Belgium, Aug 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

BRUSSELS - European Union's (EU) chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday called on Britain to take a more serious stance and quickly provide official positions on all issues to be tackled in the divorce talks prior to the beginning of the third round of Brexit talks.

"To be honest, I am concerned, time passes quickly," Barnier told reporters in a press conference.

"We welcome the (recent) UK government papers and we have read them very carefully... but we must start negotiating seriously," he said.

"We need UK papers that are clear. The sooner we remove the ambiguity the sooner we will be in a position to discuss the future relationship and a transitional period."

Saying that British documents were "products of the hard work and detailed thinking that has been going on behind the scenes not just the last few weeks but the last 12 months", David Davis, Barnier's British counterpart, said "they should form the basis of what I hope will be a constructive week of talks between the European Commission and the UK."

Progress will require "flexibility and imagination from both sides ... We're ready to roll up our sleeves and get down to work again once more," said Davis.

British government published a series of position papers outlining the country's negotiating positions regarding its withdrawal talks earlier this month.

"The papers demonstrate Britain's pragmatic approach to negotiations, and highlight how conversations about our exit and the future deep and special partnership we want with the EU are inextricably linked," a government spokesperson said.

One of the papers focused on Britain's post-Brexit relationship with the European Court of Justice.

Political commentators said the paper left open the possibility of Europe retaining a say on the British law, particularly in any transitional period beyond March 2019 when the two sides part company.

However, British Prime Minister Theresa May insisted on Wednesday that the jurisdiction of the European court will end with Brexit, with control over the British law returning to Britain.

Another paper discussed facilitating cross-EU trade and business, saying that Britain will seek a special customs deal with the EU after the completion of Brexit.

Schedule published on EU's website showed that the third round talks would last from Monday to Thursday, and Barnier and Davis are scheduled to conclude the talks with a joint press briefing on Thursday.
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BEIJING - China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will hold the 22nd Joint Working Group meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) on Aug 30 in Manila, the Philippines.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a routine press briefing on Tuesday that involved parties will exchange views on implementing the DOC, boosting maritime cooperation as well as consultation on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea.

Currently the situation in the South China Sea has been stabilized and cooled down due to the joint efforts of China and regional countries, Hua said.

"Parties concerned have returned to the track of dialogue and negotiation, and are committed to implementing the DOC in a comprehensive and efficient way, and safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea by controlling disputes, building mutual trust and boosting cooperation," Hua said.

She said parties concerned will continue the momentum of dialogue and cooperation, strive for more progress, and pave way for further consultation on the COC.
What Sil was doing during his arduous treks was recording what is known in the trade as oral history.

It contained what Dr Bill Standish called stories that link Galkope clans to those from Gembogl to Gumine and Kup to Koge and show Chimbu mens thinking from ancestral times to troubled life in the 21st century.

He then contrasted and correlated those recorded oral histories with the short and incomplete written histories of the modern era to produce a marvellous book.

Sil (pictured) had trekked throughout his ancestral lands speaking to all sorts of people, especially those in the mens houses, about their history and writing it down.

TUMBY BAY - Five years ago I worked closely with Kela Kapkora Sil Bolkin when he was finalising the chapters of his landmark book about one of the tribal diaspora in Simbu, The Flight of Galkope .

In most cases an oral history is not a stand-alone record. It is typically a useful supplementary method of filling in historical gaps in written history, especially if a particular aspect requires elucidating and other data is not available.

It is also a useful method of recording the points of view of groups that otherwise might be ignored in conventional histories.

Unfortunately in Papua New Guinea there is a real dearth of written history, particularly since independence.

In most cases the only available history is in an oral form.

This means, of course, that history is a fragile resource. As people die, much of history is lost.

What replaces it is a mishmash of vaguely remembered detail (usually second or third hand), misinterpreted or dubious data, biased opinion, fabrication and, in some cases, outright lies motivated by vested interests.

Examples of manipulated oral histories occur in landowner negotiations with resource companies.

Ive been involved in indigenous heritage work since 1975. It is a loosely defined discipline that combines anthropology, archaeology and history among other things. Its most familiar form in Papua New Guinea is social mapping.

In that time I have developed a deep distrust of oral history. This is because I have heard too many permutations of what I know to be the truth, or at least what I have good reason to suspect is the truth. I have become wary and sceptical.

Just recently Ive been arguing with a group of people near where I live about a purported massacre of Aboriginal people that can be irrefutably and demonstrably proven to have never happened.

These people have closed minds however. They think that the mixture of myth, local legend, invention and mischief they have heard over the years is true and no amount of cold hard facts can convince them otherwise.

Ive run into this sort of thing while undertaking social mapping in Papua New Guinea, mostly in relation to the interactions of Europeans and Papua New Guineans in the early colonial era.

In some cases I have wanted the stories to be true as much as the people telling them to me, but this would have serious implications for my integrity and Im not prepared to step over that line.

I guess everyone is entitled to their point of view however and they can believe what they want.

It takes a very scrupulous researcher like Sil Bolkin to sort the chaff from the wheat and. where this is not possible. to carefully explain the shortcomings of the data.

If Papua New Guineas history, as seems to be the case, is going to be largely oral, even in the 21st century, those interpreting it in the future will be faced with an unenviable task.

I have heard the argument that social media is taking up some of the historical slack but from what I read on the internet Im not inspired to believe this is the case.

Social media in Papua New Guinea, as everywhere, is so full of misinformation, bias, propaganda and outright untruth that it resembles oral history more so than it does real history.

Its going to be quite difficult for people in Papua New Guinea at the end of this century to know what really happened in the past.

Some of Papua New Guineas biggest crooks will probably be regarded as founding statesmen and angels in human form.

There is something deeply sad about that possibility.
It's not every day that you can see a seven-time Emmy award winner in a hospital gown, but an audience will see just that Wednesday, Sept. 6, at del Lago Resort & Casino.

Ed Asner  perhaps best known for his role as Lou Grant in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," Santa Claus in the movie "Elf" and Carl Fredricksen in Pixar's "Up"  will take on what he called a more "frank" role at the Seneca County casino. In the production, "A Man and His Prostate," Asner plays a character based on its author, Ed Weinberger. It will mark the actor's return to the Cayuga County area: He performed a one-man show about President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at Cayuga Community College in 2010.

Weinberger wrote "A Man and His Prostate" about his own experience with prostate cancer, but turned the serious subject into a one-man comedy. Proceeds from the del Lago show will go to the SUNY Upstate Medical University prostate cancer research fund. Asner said not many other prostate cancer research institutes have jumped onto the show yet, but he was glad to hear Upstate had.

The Citizen spoke to Asner in a phone interview Aug. 24 to learn more about what audiences can expect from "A Man and His Prostate."

Q. How did this production come about?

A. One of my producer/writers on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was Ed Weinberger, and he underwent this experience in his own life, and he wrote it up and did this brilliant comedy that I'm honored to present, "A Man and His Prostate." I guess it's telling, but most people think it's my story, but it's not.

Q. What made you say, "OK, I'll play this character"?

A. To fill my empty nights. It's very funny, I think, and it does a public service at the same time.

Q. How does this role compare to working on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," or the other roles you've played?

A. We get to talk about a man's body, which we didn't do too much on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." We didn't talk too much about a woman's body, either. It's much more frank and busy, calling a spade a spade. I enjoy frankness.

Q. The funds for this performance go toward prostate cancer research. Has this kind of cancer affected you or anyone near you, besides Ed Weinberger?

A. No. Although one of the glaring facts that I present is that prostate cancer is so prevalent that every 16 minutes in this country, a man dies of prostate cancer.

Q. What are you hoping people will learn from the show?

A. Certainly to get their prostates checked after the age of 40, to periodically do that. To be aware of the procedures necessary to determine whether they have it or not, that type of thing.

Q. How do you balance making something that is so serious and difficult to talk about into something funny?

A. I'm just somewhat comedical. I talk about wearing the same costume that I was wearing when I was taken off the cruise ship, so that from the get-go, you know that I'm not about to do Dante's "Inferno." And then the lines themselves very quickly  I start with jokes, which have nothing to do with the situation itself, but it leads us into the discussion of health. Do you want to hear a joke?

Q. Sure.

A. A German, an Irishman and a Jew walk into a bar. The German says, "I'm tired. I'm thirsty. I must have beer." The Irishman says, "I'm tired. I'm thirsty, and I must have whiskey." The Jew says, "I'm thirsty. I must have diabetes." And we're off to a running start.

Q. You've been playing this show for a while now. Do you have a favorite part?

A. It's all delightful. My least favorite part is talking about all the main people who have died. That's a downer. But the rest of it is a roller coaster ride of humor.

Q. What kind of feedback have you received from the audience?

A. The audience has been quite reactive and appreciative, and I've heard some grandiloquent statements. I guess I'm doing it right. I don't know why; we've presented it to various prostate societies. They have not risen up to say, "This is our representative." ... We just keep on booking, booking, booking.

Q. Is there anything you're looking forward to about visiting the Finger Lakes region again? Do you get any time to explore?

A. I have no idea what the schedule reads. I know they're (the lakes) quite beautiful and quite attractive.
From Protestant preachers to Jewish cantors to Catholic nuns, religious leaders of a range of faiths demonstrated in the nations capital for racial justice, criticizing the silence of some within their own ranks on the subject of white supremacy and questioning the morality of Trump administration policies.

Wearing stoles, robes and yarmulkes, the participants proceeded Monday (Aug. 28) on a 1.7-mile route from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial to the Justice Department. Organizers estimated close to 3,000 ministers took part, a larger turnout than suggested by the title of the event: One Thousand Ministers March for Justice.

We wanted to say this nation is in moral trouble, the Rev. Al Sharpton told those assembled at the King memorial.

One protester carried a sign saying Repeal and Replace Trump Pence, a reference to the efforts to halt the Affordable Care Act signed into law during the Obama administration. Anothers sign said Black Lives Matter To This Rabbi.

The march was originally planned to protest increased hate crimes, mass incarceration and discrimination and to call on the Trump administration and Attorney General Jeff Sessions to address those issues.

But the recent violence in Charlottesville, Va., where neo-Nazi, white supremacist and white nationalist protesters clashed with anti-racism activists, prompted increased interest in the gathering.

Sister Patricia Chappell, executive director of Pax Christi USA, decried white supremacy but said, as a black Catholic nun, she believes even our institutional church is racist and needs to address some of its policies and practices.

Sharptons National Action Network spearheaded the march on the 54th anniversary of the March on Washington. Many of the people  from Buddhists to Baptists had planned to be at the march before the Charlottesville events spurred more to join them. Some speakers ticked off a number of other issues that concern them, such as criminal justice, voter suppression and health care reform.

Youre going to see the victims of Nazism, the victims of white supremacy march today to the Justice Department, Sharpton said just before leading the march through downtown Washington. And say we dont care what partys in. We are not going to be out.

Sharpton said many of the people  from Buddhists to Baptists had planned to be at the march before the Charlottesville events spurred more to join them.

The Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant, an African Methodist Episcopal pastor from Baltimore, criticized evangelical ministers who support and advise the president and declare erroneously an outright lie  that Donald Trump is a man of God.

He is not Gods man, Bryant said. They do not reflect the body of Christ at large.

The Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners magazine and social justice organization, said the demonstration was theological because the soul of the nation and the integrity of faith were at stake. He called on clergy to speak out against white supremacy.

We have to preach from every pulpit in America that racism is Americas original sin, he said.

Wallis added that Trump should repent for pardoning former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted of criminal contempt for his treatment of undocumented immigrants.

The interfaith crowd took part in a call-and-response conversation with speakers who urged them to sing, recite Scripture and high-five each other in shows of unity.

Let me tell all the white supremacists and KKK and everybody that America is a multifaith country  Do you all agree? said Sikh leader Rajwant Singh, who was greeted by cheers. America belongs to all of us.

Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, recalled that Jews marched 5,000 years ago out of Pharaohs slavery and bondage in Egypt.

And we know today that we do have the power to break the bondage of the modern pharaoh, he said.

The National Action Network, a predominantly black, Christian organization, also was an organizer of a 50th anniversary commemoration of the March on Washington that was held in 2013 and drew throngs to the National Mall to remember the event that featured Kings I Have a Dream speech. Mondays march originally focused on clergy but some groups encouraged all people of faith to attend.

Some clergy who have supported or advised Trump gathered at the National Press Club instead of at the King Memorial and issued a statement about the need for the government and religious officials to do more to bridge racial divides.

Naturally, we need government, business, law enforcement, and community stakeholders to partner with us, their statement read. The glue that will keep our nation together, though, is the Church and faith leaders.

Courtesy: Religion News Service

Photo: People participate in the Thousand Ministers March for Justice on Aug. 28, 2017, in Washington, D.C.

Photo courtesy: Adelle M. Banks

Publication date: August 29, 2017
Devastating flooding continues to ravage Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Hundreds of thousands of people have been and are being rescued. President Trump is traveling to the area of impact today to ensure that Texas residents are receiving the necessary aid.

Despite the devastation and tragedy brought by the hurricane, many people are refusing to allow it to crush their spirits. Instead, they are courageously choosing to help others.

ABC News reports that in addition to FEMA workers, the entire Texas National Guard, and local officials, many citizens are also throwing themselves into the relief efforts.

In Houston, one pastor took it upon himself to make sure no one was trapped inside vehicles stranded on what had been Texas State Highway 288.

Although it was dangerous, the man waded out to the cars to make sure that no one was trapped inside.

"He wanted to get out there to make sure those cars were empty," Brian Roberson, a man who witnessed the pastors bravery, told CBS News. "It was so powerful to see firsthand."

Another story of bravery involves a Houston mom who was separated from her daughter as they were trying to escape the rising floodwaters.

The Daily Mail reports that Dajauh Zhane Henix had been in neck-deep water with strong currents as she and her daughter Paige were evacuating and became separated. Henix took to social media to ask for help in finding her daughter.

The little girl was rescued by Harris County police officers who also posted on social media to find the little girls mother. Thankfully, little Paige was able to be reunited with her mother through the efforts of local policemen.

Yet another story was shared by former Congressman Chris Bell. Bell and his family live in one of the hardest-hit parts of Houston, according to USA Today.

The water was so deep in the Bells home that they finally decided they needed to evacuate, so they called the emergency number for help.

Bell shared how he, his wife, his children, and his pets all needed to wait by the side of the road for rescue personnel to come for them.

"It was raining and really, really cold. At the time we had no idea where we were going. My boys were scared, I was scared, Allison was scared just because the uncertainty of the situation, he recalled.

Then the Bell family encountered a brave man who was spending his time and energy driving flood victims to safety. The Bells piled into the mans Jeep and he took them to safety.

So many other stories of bravery and the undefeatable human spirit are emerging, even as the floodwaters continue to rise. Join us in continuing to pray for Texas!

Photo: People are rescued from a flooded neighborhood after it was inundated with rain water, remnants of Hurricane Harvey, on August 28, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi late Friday evening, is expected to dump upwards to 40 inches of rain in areas of Texas over the next couple of days

Photo courtesy: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Publication date: August 29, 2017
I had the privilege or reading a pre-release version of "God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church." Here are 20 quotes from the book, which you should pick up.
Tradition holds that Henry McNeal Turners grandfather was an African prince. While his royal blood did not save him from slave traders who kidnapped him from his nation and brought him to South Carolina in the late 1700s, his lineage ultimately kept him and his family from slavery. South Carolina was a British colony when the prince arrived, and it was against British law to enslave royal blood. Freebut unable to return to homethe prince stayed and married a local woman. The couple gave birth to Turners father, Hardy, and in 1834, their grandson was born.

From an early age, Turners life was marked by dreams. When Turner was eight, he dreamed that he was standing in front of a large, racially diverse crowd who were looking to him for instruction. He interpreted the dream as God marking him for great things, and it ultimately catalyzed his passion for educationat a time when it was illegal for African Americans, free or enslaved, to attend school. In spite of this discrimination, Turner began to teach himself through the help of a divine dream angel that he believed appeared to him in his dreams to help him learn. As Turner later told author William Simmons:

I would study with all the intensity of my soul until overcome by sleep at night; then I would kneel down and pray, and ask the Lord to teach me what I was not able to understand myself, and as soon as I would fall asleep an angelic personage would appear with open book in hand and teach me how to pronounce every word that I failed in pronouncing while awake, and on each subsequent day the lessons given me in my dreams would be better understood than any other portions of the lessons. This angelic teacher, ...
Pope Francis offered prayers on Aug. 27 for the victims of devastating floods in northern India, Bangladesh, and Nepal that have already claimed hundreds of lives over the past several days.

During a traditional Sunday Angelus prayer, the pontiff has expressed paid tribute to the victims.

"I express my closeness to all the [affected] populations, and pray for the victims and for all who suffer because of this calamity," said Pope Francis, according to Vatican Radio.

The floods from the annual monsoon rains have killed over 1200 lives and disrupted more than 24 million lives. Rescue and relief efforts are in operation, with national and international aid agencies reporting thousands of villages destroyed.

People in distant and cut off villages have been without food and clean water for many days. Christian bodies have working their best to reach out to such areas to offer aid.

Caritas India, a charity organization that comes under the umbrella of the Catholic Church, has already stepped forward to aid the victims by offering 50 million rupees (US$ 780,000) to provide emergency assistance.
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Flood waters from Hurricane Harvey created an emergency situation that could trigger explosions at the Arkema chemical plant northeast of Houston in Crosby.

Late Monday night, the facility lost power from both its primary supply and its backup generators due to flooding. Employees moved highly volatile organic peroxides into back-up containers to keep them cool. If this class of chemical gets too hot, it can cause fires or explosions.

FLOOD CLAIMS: Damages could surpass Ike's $12.5 billion of insured losses

"At this time, while we do not believe there is any imminent danger, the potential for a chemical reaction leading to a fire and/or explosion withing the site confines is real," Arkema spokeswoman Janet Smith said on Tuesday.

Harvey aftermath: Chemical plants imperiled Hurricane Harvey's winds and floodwaters have created emergencies at chemical facilities across the Houston area, from an Exxon Mobil roof collapse at its massive Baytown complex to the risk of an explosion at a chemical plant northeast of Houston. We combined our Chemical Breakdown risk map, based on a facility's potential for harm, with the region's 100-year floodplains. Type in a Harris County address in the search bar above to view which sites with "potential for harm" fall within a two-mile radius of that address.

The Crosby Fire Department evacuated one employee last night and the rest of the staff was evacuated Tuesday afternoon when the refrigeration in some of the back-up containers also started to fail. The French specialty chemical company produces organic peroxides at the plant.

It would be surprising if the company had not considered as scenario like this, said Sam Mannan of Texas A&M University's Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center.

Companies typically would have the ability to quench the organic peroxides in situations like this with another chemical so it's no longer dangerous.

"You'll lose the feedstock but it's safer than letting it go into runaway mode," Mannan said.

The plant at 18000 Crosby Eastgate Road, northeast of Houston, has been shut down since Friday in anticipation of the storm.

HARVEY FROM ABOVE: Aerial photos show impact of the storm

Arkema's Crosby facility is among the Houston-area sites with the highest potential for harm in an incident, according to a 2016 analysis by Texas A&M's Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center and the Houston Chronicle.

It was an organic peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide, that helped land Arkema on that list.

Many homes and businesses are within two miles of the facility.

The company is working with the Department of Homeland Security and the state of Texas on a safe location to have a command post to manage the situation.
Dozens of school buildings in the Greater Houston metropolitan area have flooded since Tropical Storm Harvey's heavy rains began pounding the region Saturday, throwing into question whether students can return to their schools next week - and if there are enough dry schools to return to.

But through the chaos - through the flooded homes and evacuated students and stranded staff members - school systems are rising to a series of seemingly never-ending challenges.

Virtually every school district in the area volunteered campuses to use as shelters or staging areas, even as some in rising water had to be evacuated themselves. Teachers, students and families left their own water-logged neighborhoods to help those showing up to campuses with nothing but the drenched clothes on their backs. Meals that normally would be reserved for student lunches fed many across the Houston area.

Still, the flood waters hampered those efforts. Houston ISD, the largest school district in Texas and the seventh largest nationwide, had to close all its 15 campus shelters by Tuesday. Superintendent Richard Carranza said the schools that opened were never meant to be shelters, only areas of last refuge, because the district could not provide necessities like places to sleep, clothing, food or a way to replenish supplies.

District staff members did not need shelters. "We had team of bus drivers starting Thursday of last week actually started sleeping at district headquarters," Carranza said. "They were there 24/7, deployed out to help transport people."

Carranza said most of the bus drivers went home Tuesday to check on their homes and families.

Houston ISD Board of Education President Wanda Adams was evacuated from her South Houston home, she told the Chronicle, and her friend's house she fled to was flooded. She has stayed in touch with Houston ISD officials almost hourly, worried more about students' and staff members' plights than her own.

"We know it's hard on them. Some of them affected by this - they lost everything," Adams said.

"We are coming up with our plan, operating schools to identify families that have been displaced."

In the devastated northeast Houston area and Humble ISD, spokeswoman Jamie Mount was rescued from her water-logged Kingswood home at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, worked from shelters and schools to provide information to Humble ISD staff and her community at large.

She was rescued after a Houston Police officer drove a boat, owned by a Dallas volunteer, to pick up her family, ferry her to another boat and take her to the Kingswood Activity Center.

"Volunteers helped us walk through water out of the boat, and more volunteers were waiting," Mount said. "Friends were driving by, and they saw us and picked us up. That is happening for families in different parts of Kingswood today."

Social media posts showed countless groups of student, teacher and staff volunteers fanned out across their communities. Some helped check people into shelters, others read books to entertain kids, still more organized mountains of donations that poured in from residents lucky enough to be spared from the floodwaters.

School districts are accepting donations to help their students, families and staff members affected by the historic floods. Those interested in donating to Houston ISD can find more information by clicking here.

A previous version of this article said Houston ISD Board of Education President Wanda Adams feared her South Houston home was destroyed. Her home was unscathed - it was the home she evacuated to that was destroyed. The story has been updated.
On the fourth day of relentless rain and flooding from tropical storm Harvey, residents of Seabrook have fared somewhat better than Houstonians and others further south.

But that doesn't mean the island community is in the clear.
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WASHINGTON  Federal emergency officials, along with truckloads of supplies, streamed into Texas on Monday, the beginning of what is expected to be a yearslong rebuilding effort up and down the Gulf Coast after Harvey is done inflicting damage.

A day ahead of President Donald Trump's visit to Texas on Air Force One, FEMA Administrator Brock Long flew into Corpus Christi to meet with state and local officials, presenting a unified front in what is likely to be a daunting logistical test for the new administration.

During a news conference in Washington on Monday, Trump reassured the state, "we are 100 percent with you. We're praying for you."

"Every asset at my disposal is available to local officials," he said. "It's the biggest ever. They're saying it's the biggest ever. It's historic. It's like Texas. It's really like Texas, if you think about it."

Three days after Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast, the federal government was just beginning a complex and costly rehabilitation effort. Gulf Coast lawmakers who conferred with state and federal officials over the weekend said that damage from the storm could easily exceed $20 billion, rivaling the damage of Hurricane Ike in 2008, which left a tab of more than $29 billion.

While other storms caused bigger initial wallops, Harvey's meander along the coast left a trail of flooding and destruction more than 200 miles wide.

"It's going to take a long time to dig out of this thing," said Rep. Brian Babin, a Republican representing counties east of Houston. "It's going to take months and months, if not years to rebuild a lot of our infrastructure, especially in the Houston area."

So far, FEMA remains focused on assisting local authorities in rescue efforts and distributing emergency supplies. Almost 8,500 federal workers have been assigned to assist authorities in Texas and Louisiana, Long said. Officials estimated Monday they had already shipped more than 2 million meals and 2 million liters of bottled water - along with truckloads of cots, blankets and generators.

For an agency that many still remember for its struggles to manage Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the bigger test will come in managing the rebuilding efforts, experts say. But so far, the agency is winning early praise.

Gov. Greg Abbott, echoing comments by local officials and Texas congressmen and women, commended FEMA's efforts Monday in "one of the largest disasters America has ever faced."

"We know we're still early in the process. We need to maintain this," he said.

Washington budget deal

From wide-scale flooding in Houston to houses knocked from their foundations in Rockport, Harvey is likely to strain FEMA's resources. The agency had an emergency response fund balance of $3.8 billion as of July 31, meaning that Congress is almost certain to have to allocate more money for the region's long-term recovery.

"I think $3.8 billion is a pretty good down payment, but it's still early," said Houston U.S. Rep. Gene Green, a Democrat whose district includes the Houston Ship Channel. "We don't know what the cost will be."

Already Texas politicians were gearing up for getting back to Washington next month to get legislation moving for disaster relief. The hurricane comes as pressure is building on President Donald Trump and the Republican Congress to work out a budget deal to avoid a government shutdown at the end of next month.

But politicians of both parties, including Trump, expressed confidence Monday that would not interfere with getting emergency funding to Texas.

"This is going to be a very expensive effort," said Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville. "I'm sure members of Congress are going to agree this is a situation that deserves federal help."

Hanging over the cleanup efforts will be the financial distress of the National Flood Insurance Program, the FEMA-run organization backing virtually every home flood insurance policy in the country.

After covering the losses from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, FEMA is now more than $20 billion in debt.

That is unlikely to slow down insurance payouts for Harvey, said Larry Filer, an economics professor at Old Dominion University. But the additional losses are likely to increase pressure for increasing premiums for flood insurance.

"They have to go up because they have to reflect the reality of the associated risk," Filer said. "The unfortunate part about this is it's been easy to kick the can since Sandy because we haven't had a big issue."

Even with Harvey still lingering over the Gulf, Texas politicians were thinking ahead to preparations for the next big storm.

'Water from the sky?'

A number of congressmen interviewed Monday said the storm was further evidence of the necessity of building a sea wall protecting Galveston and the Houston Ship Channel.

The project, sometimes called the "Ike Dike" for the destructive storm surge of Hurricane Ike, comes with a $15 billion price tag. U.S. Rep. Randy Weber, a Republican from Friendswood, argues that hurricane protection is worth it, given the staggering costs of storm recoveries. Still, he acknowledges that it would have made little difference with Harvey, where the bulk of the flooding has come from torrential rain, not storm surge.

"Water from the sky?" he said. "You can't make an umbrella that big."

Other infrastructure projects that might get another look in Congress include the aging Barker and Addicks dams, which were forced to spill water Monday into the Buffalo Bayou, increasing the flood risk in Houston.

"We should be appropriating money to shore them up, and hopefully this will be a push for that," Green said.

Harvey poses a test for Trump not just by virtue of the fact it's his first major natural disaster as president but by the fact he currently has nobody at the helm of the Department of Homeland Security. The department's past secretary, retired Marine General John Kelly, is now Trump's chief of staff.

Among those thought to be in line for the post is Texas U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, whose district runs between Houston and Austin.

Weber, however, said he hasn't felt a leadership vacuum in the response to Harvey. "We've got a lot of good people at the state and local level," he said.

Even as people around the country and word expressed their solidarity with those along the Texas coast, that same good feeling did not necessarily extend to their politicians.

Following Sandy, many Texas Republicans voted against legislation providing financial relief to residents in New York and New Jersey. On Monday New Jersery Governor Chris Christie, a Trump ally, told reporters, "Congressional members in Texas are hypocrites and I said back in 2012 they'd be proven to be hypocrites."

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who voted against the Sandy bill, defended that vote Monday as an attempt to stop efforts by Democrats to add "pork" and "pet projects" into the legislation.

"Every Republican, including Texas Republicans, agreed hurricane funding was critical," Cruz told CNN.
The future of the Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology at Cayuga Community College is in question following the resignation of its president and CEO, Bob Brower.

The institute began as a nonprofit organization in 2003, and utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to do things like digital mapping, collecting geospatial data and remote sensing, to name a few. NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey and the state Department of Environmental Conservation have been some of the organization's collaborators.

Brower has spearheaded IAGT for the last approximately 15 years, but he said he was ready to retire. The organization's board, he added, accepted his resignation at the end of June, but he's still working in a volunteer capacity.

When asked what is next for the organization, Brower said he thinks it makes sense for the board to examine the institute's future.

"I think it's every bit as compelling now as it was 15 years ago," he said. "The advances in the technology have just been astonishing. In other words, I think there's fundamental purpose and service that can still be provided. I think the question is whether it remains viable and still can be a significant part of the campus. I hope so, because I love the people that work up here. I think it's the right place for it, but it could also be regionalized, for example."

Brian Durant, president of Cayuga Community College and chair of the IAGT board, said the main focus for Brower and the institute at this time is finishing up work around Owasco Lake. The state presented the college with a $600,000 grant, which is being used for researching harmful algal blooms as well as implementing specific projects in the watershed to reduce nutrient loading.

Durant said the board has been meeting in recent months to examine the organization's future, and it likely will continue to consider its next steps over several months.

"We'll be evaluating what the future looks like, and how it can make sense to figure out how IAGT serves in the current landscape," Durant said. "Once the board completes their due diligence and next steps are identified, decisions will be made on the future, the future of the institute and the future work the institute does."

Cayuga County Legislator Tim Lattimore had expressed concern about the institute's future at the Legislature's full meeting Aug. 22. In a phone interview with The Citizen Monday, Lattimore said with all of the flooding in Texas and the Great Lakes, the technology IAGT offers is valuable at this time. He wants to see the institute remain at CCC.

"You just don't get a federal platform every day, and to let it go would be a major mistake," Lattimore said.

While Durant serves on the IAGT board, he said it's important for the public to understand that IAGT is a separate entity from the college. It's only housed on campus, he said. Students could have the opportunity to do internships and gain experience through the institute, but the college's GIS academic program stands on its own, he added.

The IAGT board is grateful for Brower's work over the years, Durant said. Besides creating multiple mappings of Owasco and Cayuga Lake, IAGT has helped with projects nationwide. One of note included creating a three-dimensional image of ground zero following the 9/11 attacks. The map helped responders survey the stability of the structures and get a bird's-eye view of what remained.

"I believe the institute has a rich history of doing tremendous work and making a great impact," Durant said.
Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News

Massive flooding in the Houston area cost H-E-B three of its local stores, including one in the Meyerland area that only recently reopened after the Tax Day floods.

The Meyerland store on Braeswood at Chimney Rock and a relatively new store in Kingwood and a Joe V's Smart Shop near Timberwood flooded substantially during Tropical Storm Harvey. Scott McClelland, the company's Houston division president, said the stores could take months to reopen because they'll need repairs and new refrigeration systems.
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Olivia Deman began hustling days before Hurricane Harvey slammed ashore. She shopped for groceries three days in a row, buying canned goods and produce for stews and sauces to stash in the freezer. By the end of the week, she had prepared enough for herself and her husband.

Then the storm ripped into coastal Texas and soon moved north to terrorize Houston, dumping record amounts of water and sparking evacuations for thousands across the city. By Monday afternoon, Deman had six friends heading to stay at her house in Montrose.

On Monday, she joined a long line at the Kroger on West Gray, one of a limited number of Houston-area grocery stores that managed to open after a second night of torrential rainfall.

Flooded roadways, power outages and evacuations forced many major retailers to again close some or all stores, and leaving residents scrambling to restock provisions as the storm threat continued.

H-E-B, Kroger, Walmart and other big chains began the morning with crisis calls to discuss conditions and where employees and supply trucks could reasonably travel. Stores that opened for business had lines snaking out the doors in a matter of hours.

H-E-B operated dozens of stores in the region until midafternoon. About two dozen people were lined up outside the Montrose location when a manager appeared to deliver bad news to dripping-wet customers approaching from the parking lot.

"We're closed!" he yelled.

Spokeswoman Cyndy Garza-Roberts said the company has dispatched more than 120 trucks to stock Houston-area stores in the coming days, and it's pulling from other distribution centers throughout the state.

But she noted that drivers are limited in their abilities to skirt flooded highways and find alternate routes to stores.

"They're facing the same challenges Houstonians are facing," she said.

Kroger, too, managed to open dozens of stores throughout the metro area after shutting down entirely on Sunday. Managers stood at the doors Monday, ushering in customers a few at a time as lines continued to grow.

At the store on Telephone Road, Eri Le Jordan waited in line for at least 45 minutes. The Tropicana Village resident had enough provisions for herself, her boyfriend and her daughter, but she sought extra nonperishables, charcoal and meat to feed families who might seek shelter under her roof.

"It's really difficult to get into our neighborhood once the roads flood, but if anyone in our neighborhood or anyone who can make it in needs somewhere to go I want to be ready to help," Jordan said.

Fiesta Mart opened much of its store chain and attempted to keep normal business hours, weather permitting. At the Midtown store, a line out the door continued to build well into the afternoon.

Jose Simon trekked from his nearby residence in search of fresh food to cook for 10 relatives that had been evacuated from the Sienna Plantation subdivision earlier in the day.

"I'll take whatever meat they have left," he said.

Walmart opened relatively few stores in the Houston, restricting its operations efforts to stores north of the city in the suburbs and along evacuation routes.

Spokesman Regan Dickens said the company is working with transportation officials to determine where its trucks can safely deliver food and supplies closer to the city.

"It's an hour-by-hour sitatuion," he said.

Restaurants faced similar supply challenges, hindered by flooding and lack of inventory. Jonathan Horowitz, president of the Greater Houston Restaurant Association, said only a few had been able to open in the Heights and other areas spared the worst of the floods.

"It's going to be bad for a while," he said. "Getting product to actually make food is going to be nearly impossible."

Deman, worried that trucks wouldn't be able to supply all of the shelters throughout the area, also sought baby formula and supplies to hand out. She planned to spend Tuesday volunteering.

"Someone has to get to the store," she said.Ileana Najarro contributed.
6:16 p.m., Sept. 1 Update: Crosby ISD employees are being asked to return to school Sept. 6, and students will return Sept. 7.

"We know that we have many families affected by the hurricane and we are cooperating with local organizations to establish assistance networks for which they need more help ... If for some reason we see it necessary to change the dates of return, we will notify you as soon as possible," reads a statement from the district. "We know these are difficult times but we have confidence in our community and we know that together we will stand out. Together we are strong."

11:13 a.m., Sept. 1 Update: HPD Kingwood Division stated U.S. 59 at the San Jacinto Bridge is now open.

3:01 p.m., Aug. 31 Update: Kingwood First Baptist Church is sending teams out to help residents who are cleaning out their homes and is asking for donations or loans. The church asks people loaning tools to mark them with their name and phone number.

The list of needs includes:

Wheelbarrows

Push brooms

Sweep brooms

Scoop shovels

Trash bags

Hammers

Pry bars

Utility knives

Utility knife blades

Generators

Extension cords

Fans

Spray bottles

Bleach

Floor scrapers

1:30 p.m., Aug. 31 Update: The city of Houston has stated a recent rumor posted to Facebook regarding the Kingwood water filtration plant losing power is false.

The post falsely claimed that the plant lost power and Kingwood's water would run out. The city stressed this is not true.

The director of Houston water, Yvonne Forrest, stated in an email, "This is a rumor. The STE operations staff is onsite and the plants are still functioning."

10:39 a.m., Aug. 31 Update: City of Humble residents who are able to begin the debris removal process from their homes and property are urged to pile their debris in their front yards near the curb. The city's disaster debris removal contractor, DRC Emergency Services, will be coming through to remove storm debris beginning Tuesday of next week. There is no fee for this service.

By utilizing the official disaster debris removal contractor, the city will be able to best track and account for total losses incurred by the city in our reports to FEMA.

Residents should be cautious of individuals or "businesses" that approach them to solicit debris removal services for a fee.

10:24 a.m., Aug. 31 Update: The city of Houston District E office has announced the closure of the shelter at Kingwood Bible Church. The remaining residents have been transported to the George R. Brown Convention Center.

10:22 a.m., Aug. 31 Update: HPD-Kingwood announced West Lake Houston Parkway has now been reopened from Kingwood Drive to the YMCA at 2400 West Lake Houston Parkway.

Additionally, Kingwood Drive is now open from West Lake Houston Parkway to East End Park.

9:05 p.m., Aug. 30 Update: Humble Independent School District's first day of school will be Thursday, Sept. 7, "under the best-case scenario."

In an announcement Wednesday night, the district stated the first day of school will be delayed as staff members assess each campus and work with authorities to determine when roads will open.

"Humble ISD will provide an update, including information about when staff may report back, by noon this Saturday, Sept. 2," reads the statement. "The district is working around the clock to reopen for the well-being of students, families and our community."

3:47 p.m., Aug. 30 Update: Humble's curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. remains in effect.

Humble will "have additional patrols out and will be utilizing boats and high water vehicles where necessary to protect property throughout the city," stated Jason Stuebe, assistant city manager.

3:24 p.m., Aug. 30 Update: Humble City Hall will be closed until Tuesday, Sept. 6, but city leaders have announced they are waiving all building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC permit fees for work related to recovery.

Homeowners and contractors still need a permit, but they can begin before city hall opens Tuesday.

"We are asking that they simply come in to apply for and receive a retroactive permit," reads a statement from the city. "This will greatly assist our inspectors in knowing where work is taking place to ensure that the repairs are in compliance with the various codes for the homeowner or business owner's protection."

Work related to the repair and recovery of structures will be eligible for the waiver until Sept. 29.

1:36 p.m., Aug. 30 Update: The following shelters and needs have been reported in the Kingwood area:

Kingwood Bible Church, 3610 West Lake Houston Parkway

Need: Food/Water/Toiletries/Supplies

Kingwood Christian Church, 3910 West Lake Houston Parkway

Need: Food/Water/Toiletries/Supplies

Kingwood First Baptist, 3915 Woodland Hills Drive

Need: Cots/Toiletries, good on food and water for now

11:29 a.m., Aug. 30 Update: Rescue efforts are now mostly local law enforcement and volunteers.

Volunteer Kyle Thomas-Brooks, of Atascocita, is working with volunteers and law enforcement, helping in the effort and directing traffic away from the bridge, which is still blocked off, but the water is receding. He said they've rescued six more people and more are coming. He said the other side of the bridge is pretty bad with a heavy current, but there are still boats making rescues. Unclear how many more need to be rescued.

Pastor Mark Barnhill with Woodridge Baptist Church is also volunteering there. He said Woodbridge will be aiding in cleanup efforts for the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, the city of Humble is moving evacuees at the Humble Civic Center to other shelters in the area better equipped and staffed for longer-term aid.

"No more donations are necessary at the Civic Center at this time and volunteers wishing to contribute their time and efforts are asked to please seek other shelters to provide assistance," reads a statement from the city.

8:18 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: Humble Mayor Merle Aaron has ordered a curfew for the City of Humble tonight from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Also, the shelter at Humble Civic Center reached capacity as of 8 p.m., and the city is now turning people toward Light of the World Christian Fellowship Church on Atascocita Road.

Houston Councilman Dave Martin's office still is seeking volunteers to help man a shelter at Fallbrook Church, 12512 Walters Road. The shelter will be used only for people being transported from Kingwood.

The shelter also is seeking food, water, toiletries, pillows and blankets. For more information, see Martin's Facebook page.

6:07 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: The Humble Civic Center opened as a shelter for evacuees this morning, Aug. 29. Evacuees are still arriving, and space is available as of 5 p.m.

The civic center shelter is stocked with supplies. However, volunteers are needed, especially for the night shift.

People interested in volunteering are welcome to show up at 8233 Will Clayton Parkway in Humble. For more information, visit the Humble Civic Center & Arena Complex Facebook page.

5 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: Houston Councilman Dave Martin's office is working to open a shelter at Fall Brook Church, 12512 Walter's Road, and needs five volunteers to open it overnight for Kingwood evacuees.

Updated directions: Take 1960 to U.S,. 59 South feeder. Then, take 59 South exit to Sam Houston Parkway and go west across I-45 on the beltway. Exit Veterans Memorial, and take a right on T.C. Jester, another right on Gears Road and left on Walters Road. The church is 1.8 miles down on the righthand side.

3:45 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: Crews are wrapping up work at the West Lake Houston Parkway bridge. Equipment is being pulled from the water, and even private-owned boat owners are leaving, according to Matt Rhoades, a federal rescue squad officer from Kingwood.

"Either everybody's been rescued or no one wants rescued at this point," he said.

3:13 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: The shelter at Lone Star College-North Harris is full and not able to accept any more evacuees, according to a news release.

Current needs are:

Box drinks/juice bags for kids

Towels

Travel-sized toiletries  shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes

Pet kennels, leashes

Packaged snacks

Extension cords/power strips

They are not in need of clothing and pet food at this time.

Donations can be dropped off at the LSC-North Harris Digital Technology Building.

2:57 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: Family members and friends wanting to check the status of those registered in shelters can call 866-526-8300, Option 3, according to a Tweet from Houston Councilman Dave Martin.

2:18 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: Federal rescuers will pull out of Kingwood around 7 tonight, according to Matt Rhoades, a rescue squad officer with the Utah task force.

"The private-owned boats may continue, but we have working orders to pull out," Rhoades said.

He estimated they've rescued several hundred people with several hundred more waiting still waiting. Rhoades did not know if the federal crews tomorrow morning would be reassigned back in the Kingwood area or somewhere else.

1:14 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: The Federal Emergency Management Agency is overseeing evacuations across the West Lake Houston Parkway bridge in Kingwood and is no longer working with private citizens to rescue residents.

Instead, military vehicles have taken over the operation.

1:11 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: Atascocita Fire Chief Mike Mulligan said emergency evacuations are taking place in the Kings River, Walden and Ramblewood subdivisions.

12:46 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: Woodland Church in Atascocita is serving as a shelter and is not at capacity. Representatives there said they are in need of water, air mattresses, cots and baby products.

12:31 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: A member of the Border Patrol Search and Rescue Team said they are currently focused on evacuating people on the other side of the bridge at West Lake Houston Parkway bridge in Kingwood.

"If it keeps raining like this, there's not going to be any access across the bridge," he said before quickly rejoining the efforts. "At this point, there's a school down there; there's a few hundred people there, and there's a local police dept that needs to be evacuated."

12:21 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: Rescue efforts are underway in Kingwood. Local agencies and volunteers are helping evacuees as they are brought from across West Lake Houston Parkway bridge out of flooded homes in Kingwood and to transports stationed at West Lake Houston Parkway and Kings Lake Estates.

Volunteers are donating time and resources to the effort.

Kingwood resident Alana Nunn is a resident of Kings River, which she says is currently fine.

"We just rounded up all the jackets we had in or house, towels, and just giving it to the people coming over who are soaking wet," Nunn said.

12:15 p.m., Aug. 29 Update: The Crosby Middle School shelter is out of cots and expecting three busloads of evacuees.

"Our need now is for pillows, blankets, sleeping bags and towels for our new arrivals," states a Facebook post.

11:21 a.m., Aug. 29 Update: Harris County Pct. 4 Constable Mark Herman said his office is working with local Houston fire stations to coordinate rescues. They have an ongoing list of those in need of help and are prioritizing based on medical issues and other urgent needs.

11:05 a.m., Aug. 29 Update: Houston Councilman Dave Martin's office says Willow Creek Elementary is currently taking in people, but has no supplies. The office is trying to coordinate with the American Red Cross, but the Red Cross may not be able to access the area due to flooding.

9:57 a.m., Aug. 29 Update: The Lone Star College-North Harris campus Digital Technology Building and Theater will now serve as the shelter location for displaced Kingwood residents, according to city of Houston District E office.

People may enter through the Hurricane Drive entrance.

For information about volunteering or donating supplies, people can call the Command Post contact number at 281-618-5651.

11:14, Aug. 28 Update: Lone Star College Kingwood's gymnasium has been opened as a Red Cross shelter.

The LSC-Kingwood gymnasium shelter does not currently have food, but water is in transit.

The city of Houston Councilman Dave Martin's office is working with the Red Cross to obtain supplies tonight.

There are still no evacuation orders for Kingwood, and city of Houston District E office urges residents to shelter in place.

For high-water rescue situations, people should contact the HPD citizen line at 832-395-1820.

Rescue boats are not equipped with appropriate nighttime rescue lights, and no nighttime water rescues will be conducted, unless there is a medical emergency. Rescue boats will continue rescue efforts immediately upon first light tomorrow morning.

There are people currently volunteering at the shelter, but if others are interested in becoming volunteers, please contact kwsheltervolunteers@gmail.com and include name and email address.

No supply list has yet been provided, but people who wish to receive alerts can contact kwsheltersupplies@gmail.com and include name, email and items they can donate.

Currently, volunteers and donations are only being sought from residents who have high-water vehicles (lifted trucks).

Once the need is determined, the shelter will require donated items including individual snacks, water, clothing  clean clothes, undergarments, socks  blankets, pillows, towels, toiletries  deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes  phone chargers, Clorox wipes, feminine sanitary products, infant and adult diapers, baby formula and baby food.

Creekwood Middle School will also be open as a transport location at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, in order to transport residents to the Lone Star College  Kingwood shelter.

Lone Star College-Kingwood gymnasium shelter is at 20000 Kingwood Drive. To reach the District E office, email districte@houstontx.gov.

6:12 p.m. Aug. 28 Update: The transports service from Kingwood High School to shelters in surrounding areas will be discontinued at 8 p.m., according to Jessica Beemer, chief of staff for Houston Councilman Dave Martin's office.

Beemer encouraged residents to remain in their shelters because much of Kingwood Drive remains impassable.

In addition, Beemer said, many gas stations do not have power and are not functioning.

5:50 p.m. Aug. 28 Update: Ronda Trow, public relations manager for San Jacinto River Authority said the water release levels at the dam due to this weather event were unprecedented. However, since approximately 2:30 p.m., the Lake Conroe levels have been starting to drop, and they have not had to increase the water release.

The normal pool for Lake Conroe's lake level is 201 feet and the SJRA website shows as of 5 p.m., the lake level was at 205.84 feet. And the lake release was at 79,141 cubic feet per second.

Trow said the releases experienced at the Conroe dam contribute as one of five sources flowing downstream to the Kingwood, Lake Houston areas, so she said it is difficult to say what the exact effect of the dam release will be on the area. However, current lake and river conditions may be found on www.sjra.net under the Lake Conroe tab.

River level forecasts at certain river and stream sites can be found at the National Weather Service website at http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=hgx

5:08 p.m. Aug. 28 Update: "We are actively involved in voluntary evacuation from the point area of Atascocita Shores on Atascocita Way. We've evacuated 15 so far, collecting an addition of 30, waiting on some boats to come, have multiple requests for boats, from the Department of Public Safety from Katy on their way over," said Fire Chief Mike Mulligan.

There are possibly a 100 homes that have to be evacuated in that area. Mulligan urged residents not to wait until water is in their home to self-evacuate if they are able to do so safely. He stressed residents should know where they are going before they evacuate.

There have been reports of flooding in backyards, and Atascocita resident Jonathan Ryne had to knock out part of his backyard fence to alleviate the water levels as it was inches from reaching inside his home.

"We are getting hit with another round, so we are going to see how well the trench we dug to the bayou works," Ryne said.

4:45 p.m. Aug. 28 Update: The city is using Kingwood High School as a transport place to the below shelters while there is space:

New Covenant Church 901 Wilson Road

M.O. Campbell Center 1865 Aldine Bender

George R. Brown Convention Center 1001 Avenida de Las Americas

4:15 p.m. Aug. 28 Update: City of Houston Mayor Turner posted on Facebook, responding to concerns about Houston's drinking water safety. As of 2 p.m., Aug. 28, all of the city's drinking water purification plants are operational, and Houston's drinking water is safe and not a health concern.

The city's four water plants are operational, but one is experiencing flooding. Officials are working with engineering and construction entities to continue operating the Northeast Water Purification Plant. However, the city asks people to limit the use of water for the time being.

Additionally, the brownish discoloration of the drinking water being reported by some residents in the city is most likely due to iron from the aging pipes, but is not a health hazard.

3:44 p.m. Aug. 28 Update: Woodridge Baptist Church posted a Facebook update around 3 p.m. stating they do not have electricity and cannot accept evacuees. Additionally, they will not need volunteers until they have power again. They said people can check the Woodridge Baptist Church Facebook for updates.

2:31 p.m. Aug. 28 Update: The Huffman Volunteer Fire Department is undertaking rescue efforts. As of 2:25 p.m., they report two shelters are established in the Huffman area at First Baptist Church Huffman and at Copeland Elementary School in Huffman ISD. Both shelters are still able to take evacuees and are accepting any donations, including all food, water, clothing and blankets.

FM 1960 has been closed heading toward Dayton, as has FM 1485 toward Casey Road in New Caney. Minor closures are also being reported throughout the district.

1:35 p.m. Aug. 28 Update: Kingwood Drive may become completely covered in water and Houston City Councilman Dave Martin urged all residents out exploring the area to return to their homes immediately.

Rescue efforts are continuing in the Kingwood Area, according to Martin's office, and high water vehicles are deployed as well as boats. The Houston Police Department, Houston Fire Department, and the United States Coast Guard are in the area assisting and responding to all calls.

The Kingwood Citizen Line is open at 832-395-1820.

11:01 a.m. Aug. 28 Update: As of 10:49 a.m., the Crosby Volunteer Fire Department is working to evacuate area residents who have been displaced from their homes due to flooding.

Representatives with the fire department stated they would highly advise anyone in Crosby within 500 yards of the San Jacinto River to self-evacuate if they are able, as well as any Crosby residents within 200 yards of canals or creeks.

The fire department said shelters in the immediate Crosby area are at capacity, and evacuees' best bet is the shelter at Channelview High School.

While they report no major Crosby road closures, the fire department said to proceed with caution as there are several areas with waters over the top of the road.

10:22 a.m. Aug. 28 Update: The city of Humble is advising residents in some parts of the area to evacuate. The city received notice at 3:30 a.m. that Lake Conroe is releasing a record amount of water, which will raise the river height to 65.6 feet.

"At this point we will see US 59 possibly under water and many homes in the Northshire subdivision under water," states a notice from the city. " At daylight we are sending personnel to the Northshire Subdivision and advising the residents along the bayous to evacuate (note at this time the evacuation is NOT mandatory). At this time the river sits at 61.34 ft. and rising."

7:23 p.m. Aug. 27 Update: The Crosby Middle School shelter is at capacity with more than 400 people. They have taken on evacuees from Crosby as well as surrounding communities. They are in need of donations of pillows, blankets, towels, clothes and food.

As they are unable to cook or serve food, they are requesting single-serve, easy to distribute food. For information, visit the Crosby ISD Facebook page.

The Crosby American Legion is not yet at capacity of 350. It currently has approximately 170 evacuees with two buses on the way as of 7 p.m. They are requesting donations of any supplies, including bread, and especially pillows and blankets.

4:34 p.m. Update: Houston Police-Kingwood Division reported high water in the following areas: Northpark Drive at Hidden Pines, Kingwood at Royal Forest westbound lanes, Woodland Hills Drive north of River Grove Park, Belleau Wood Drive, and Moonshine Hill Loop.

Hamblen Road is shut down from Loop-494 due to high water.

There is a tree down at 3900 Glade Valley.

4 p.m. Update: The city of Humble has put a curfew into effect from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice.

3:02 p.m. Update: Harris County Sheriff's Office is looking for community volunteers with boats and trucks large enough to navigate flooding to help people get to safety.

Volunteers are asked to report to First Baptist Church, FM 2100, in Huffman, and Anneshia Keller, with the sheriff's office, is the contact person. Vehicles can be parked in the large lot behind the church office.

The First Baptist Church also is coordinating with first responders to prepare for serving as a shelter tonight. There are no evacuees at the site as of 3 p.m., but the church is expecting the first to arrive later this afternoon, or early this evening.

They are currently asking for donations of towels, socks, diapers, toiletries, hand soap, dish soap, and clean blankets, pillows, towels, and food, including nonperishables, loaves of bread, sandwiches, and water.

First Baptist Church of Huffman is located at 25503 FM 2100 Road in Huffman. Check the First Baptist Church Huffman Facebook page for more information.

Around Lake Houston: Atascocita residents are being urged not to leave their shelters because several roads in the area are flooded.

Also, Mayor Merle Aaron has signed a Declaration of Disaster in Humble, activating the city's Emergency Management Plan.

Residents cannot go west on Will Clayton, but can get across by staying on Atascocita Road, according to Sean Conley, assistant chief of EMS. Woodland Hills, east of Will Clayton Boulevard is impassable, and North Houston Road, north of Townsen is impassable.

"The only thing we were dealing with overnight, was a house fire on the north end of Timber Forest. (We) did have delay getting to it because of the weather, but we were still able to get to it," Conley said.

The Coast Guard will be landing soon at the Atascocita Fire Department at Timber Forest, Conley said, adding there have not been any water rescues as of yet but there have been requests.

According to Houston Police-Kingwood Division, a large tree fell, blocking the northbound lanes at the 2000 block of West Lake Houston Parkway, but it has since been taken care of.

The San Jacinto River is out of its banks and high water has caused some road closures. Hamblen Road in Kingwood has been shut down, as has Woodland Hills to River Grove Park.

In Humble, some sections of McKay Boulevard have been closed near Memorial Hermann Northeast.

U.S. 59 between Will Clayton Parkway and Rankin Road is impassable. One vehicle was stuck on the flooded road, but the driver was able to escape.

Townsen Boulevard also has been closed between the Walmart and the Target.

"There's not much that we can do right now, close the roads and monitor our subdivisions for any water," said James Nykaza, Emergency Management coordinator for the city of Humble.

The Crosby Volunteer Fire Department is under full activation and has made multiple water rescues. The most severe flooding is around the Highway 90 and Eastgate areas.

The Newport area has fared relatively well with water able to drain off.

Crosby Middle School has been converted into a shelter for people who have been displaced from their homes due to flooding.

Crosby Volunteer Fire Department has made evacuation rescues of people whose homes have flooded on roads including Milo Dr., Jean Lafitte and Gulf Pump Road, according to Christy Graves, director of Harris County Emergency Services District No. 5. A school bus was sent to pick up those residents and transport them to the Crosby Middle School shelter.

Crosby ISD Superintendent Keith Moore was busy helping to accommodate flood evacuees.

The Crosby Middle School gym shelter now has approximately 75 to 80 evacuees.

The school district had partnered with the Red Cross, which was supposed to provide water and sup-plies, but the Red Cross was unable to get to the school. Crosby ISD decided to open the shelter any-way and put a call out to the community for supplies, which they received in plenty.

"We got here and needed supplies," Moore said. "We asked for water, food and the Crosby communi-ty came out and stocked us with food, Domino's provided pizza, Walmart gave supplies. People were coming in wet and cold, so we asked for blankets, pillows and towels. The community provided tre-mendous amounts of the supplies we needed."

While the Crosby Middle School shelter is stocked with the supplies they need for the time being, Crosby ISD will continue to provide updates on needed supplies as the necessity may arise in coming days.

Busloads of evacuees are being brought in from the Crosby and surrounding areas, including Sheldon. Barrett Station is among the most flooded areas in the Crosby area.

The Crosby American Legion Hall is also serving as a shelter.

School closures

Humble and Independent School District announced its first day of school will be Tuesday, Sept. 5. Huffman and Crosby school districts are also closed until Sept. 5.
Kemah city leaders hope the Miss Texas USA crown isn't going anywhere, as Miss Kemah 2017, Stephanie Ludwig, will compete to follow in the footsteps of her predecessor.

The event had been scheduled for Sept. 2-3 but will be at a later date because of Hurricane Harvey.

Ludwig, 22, is a model who attends Sam Houston State University. She became only the sixth Miss Kemah when she was crowned July 11 in a pageant at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Last year, as Miss Bayou City, Ludwig won Miss Photogenic at the state pageant, which is held each year in Houston.

Five other Bay Area women are among the 94 contestants who will compete for the title of Miss Texas USA 2018.

As Miss Kemah 2016, Nancy Gonzalez won the state title and represented the Lone Star State at Miss USA, which was televised May 14 from Las Vegas.

"That was just a dream come true," said pageant co-director Kelly Williams, who attended the national pageant. "The City of Kemah received national publicity for our local pageant and our winners."

"The Miss Kemah Pageant has really put Kemah on the map," said Mayor Carl Joiner. The Miss Kemah pageant "is unlike any other," said co-director Kelly Williams, who was a Kemah City Council member for 11 years (2001-2012) and mayor pro tempore for two years.

"During the pageant weekend, the Kemah Boardwalk hosts a swimsuit preview on their beautiful FantaSea Yacht, and then they host a VIP post-pageant party at Landry's Seafood House on the Boardwalk," said Williams.

"Our newly crowned queens and their families, the mayor, city council, pageant judges, media and sponsors all get to visit with each other and enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres."

Joiner noted that Miss Kemah 2015, Karlie Hay, won both Miss Texas Teen USA and Miss Teen USA titles for 2016. Williams, 51, was Mrs. Galveston County in 2005 and first runner-up at Mrs. Texas.

"I also knew that a topnotch pageant with the City of Kemah's name on it would take a lot of hard work, but this was something that not many cities are blessed to have - their own pageant."

"We chose the Miss USA system because our Miss Kemah could possibly go on to become Miss Universe," said Williams, "and that would give us a bigger opportunity to promote our city, our community and our sponsors.

"We decided on the USA system, and ended up partnering with Denise O'Brian, a long-time recruiter and director for several Miss Texas USA pageants."

Williams added, "I honestly felt like God was giving me the opportunity to use my experience to help others, and with the support of my husband and children, I was going to surround myself with smart, talented people, and just go for it!"

For more on Miss Texas USA, call 281-493-4100 or www.misstexasusa.
Some communities in Fort Bend County have been ordered to observe a mandatory evacuation.

Much of the area slated to be evacuated are along the Brazos River, which is rapidly flooding.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is urging all traveling residents not to travel through high water and to avoid traveling toward Houston.

Safe evacuation routes will be US 59 South to US-71, on to IH-10 West.

Evacuation Check List:

 Leave as soon as instructed to and follow the instructions of officials

 Determine safe evacuation routes

 Pack essential items including medicine, important documents, first aid kits, blankets, pillows, phone chargers, critical contacts information, basic need equipment such as glasses or contacts

 Take your pets with you, don't forget your pet's food and medication

 Secure your home by locking all doors and windows

 Shut off your homes utilities

 Unplug electrical equipment including appliances, TV's, and radios

 Take your vehicle and house keys with you
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The decision to begin releasing water from the Addicks and Barker reservoirs resulted in some residents in the area to flee their homes and seek safety.

Darryl Preen had seen the stories of homeowners who thought they could wait out the flood waters from Hurricane Harvey. He wasn't going to be one of those who needed a rescue boat to make it to safety.

LATEST ON HARVEY: Follow our updates on the storm's impact on Houston

One Monday, Preen's family and a couple of others from their neighborhood near S. Mason and the Westpark Tollway decided to make their way to Cinco Ranch High School, the site of a shelter for displaced people in the area.

"The water was about a foot from the door when we left," Preen said, warming himself up with a cup of hot coffee. "We decided to get out before it was a problem."

Preen and their neighbors had no intention of leaving their pets behind. They found some air mattresses and placed their pets - three dogs and three cats - on top. "We just floated them all out," Preen said.

Several streets around Cinco Ranch High School were impassable by vehicles that weren't four-wheel drive trucks. Some motorists carefully inched their way through the high water but others raced through, swamping other vehicles. A number of cars were seemingly abandoned along the roads.

Lee Crews, the Katy Independent School District's chief operations officer, bustled around the school cafeteria Monday as he thanked some of the volunteers - including some school employees - for their efforts.

READER PHOTOS: Houstonians document catastrophic flooding event

"It really makes your heart glad," Crews said. "A lot of folks left their own families to come here."

On Sunday, it became clear to Katy ISD officials that the weather situation was quickly deteriorating.

"We started noticing that there wasn't a lot of shelter opportunities for local folks," Crews said.

With classes cancelled in the district for the week, it became obvious that some of the campuses - Cinco Ranch High School and Morton Ranch High School - could be pressed into service as temporary relief shelters.

"We want to be as good a community partner as we can be," Crews said.

Ted Jones was sitting in the Cinco Ranch High cafeteria quietly nursing a cup coffee. He just got tired of watching the floodwater as it came closer and closer to his house near the Grand Parkway and Fry.

"It was an inch away from coming in the back door, he said. "It was a little on the scary side."

Before Jones and his wife evacuated Monday, he saw some of the neighbor kids splashing around in the water. Jones said he was concerned at first.

"But they were having a good time and I was thinking of joining them," Jones said. "Anything to take my mind off this stupid flood."

Katy ISD officials said they were proud of the way local people stepped up to help their neighbors in need.

The hallways at Cinco Ranch were lined with folding tables that overflowed with donated clothes, towels, diapers, and even a wide variety of pet food and snacks.

Lisa Sevilla is a 16-year-old junior at Cinco Ranch. Part of her volunteer duties on Monday were to arrange a variety of shoes that had been donated.

"Just leave it right there," she said to another volunteer holding yet another bag filled with footwear.

Taking a short break, Sevilla said she wanted to help out in any way she could.

"I'm thankful that my house is safe and I feel bad for everyone here," Sevilla said. "This is just a way I could help."

Crews said the shelter at Cinco Ranch could realistically support about 500 people.

"But I don't want to turn anybody away, that's my goal," Crews said.

Jones said he was glad to be at the shelter - he was still working on the details about how long he and his wife would be staying. At the very least, the shelter is giving him a bit of a respite.

"We're just tired to worrying about it. You can come here and decompress," Jones said.

Daniel Purdy had planned to get to Austin when the flood waters forced his family from their home in the Pecan Grove subdivision. But, each of their routes was blocked - either by high water or law enforcement officers.

"One of the deputys told us go to Cinco Ranch," Purdy said. "We burned half a tank of gas just getting here."

Jones said he doesn't know when he will be able to return and survey the damage.

"But it's just stuff," he said. "Stuff can be replaced."
Katy Mayor Chuck Brawner has instituted a dusk to dawn curfew "to protect our citizens and property from unauthorized individuals entering our city," he said in a statement released Monday.

"Please help us by watching your neighbors' homes and property from individuals you do not recognize," Brawner said.
OakBend Health Systems is currently under Code Grey Disaster due to Hurricane Harvey, according to a hospital spokesperson.

The Williams Way Campus will undergo a coordinated and organized evacuation throughout Monday, Aug. 28, to the Jackson Street Campus, 1705 Jackson St., Richmond. Grand Parkway ER is closed, Hospital for Surgical Excellence and the Ambulatory Surgery Centers are closed through Friday, Sept. 1.
More than 75 people died in Texas as a result of Hurricane Harvey and the massive flooding it triggered, as well as in medical emergencies in which care may have been delayed because of the storm.

Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane northeast of Corpus Christi on Aug. 25, and then struck the Houston area as a tropical storm, dumping up to 51 inches of rain on the region.

Here is a breakdown of deaths reported by Houston-area officials by county as of Sept. 26: Harris County (36, nearly all of which were drownings), Galveston (6), Montgomery (4) and Fort Bend (3).

Nearly two dozen people died outside of the Houston area due to Harvey. Local officials have reported storm-related deaths in the counties of Orange (10), Jefferson (3), San Jacinto (3), Jasper (2), Newton (2) and Aransas, Hardin, Victoria and Walker (1 each).

The death toll rises when certain medical emergencies are added, including a 38-year-old woman who developed complications from surgery at her family's flooded northeast Harris County home and died despite efforts by volunteer rescuers to get her to a hospital, and an 8-year-old boy who suffered an asthma attack at home and also faced a significant delay in care.

Officials ultimately found that two deaths -- an 82-year-old evacuee from Friendswood who suffered a fatal heart attack while on a charter bus to Huntsville, and a Montgomery County heart attack victim -- were not storm-related. They reached a similar finding in the cases of two reported Beaumont deaths, as well as that of a homeless man found dead in a La Marque Walmart parking lot on the weekend the storm hit.

Authorities initially said the death of a Port Aransas man found dead in his home was connected to the disaster, but later said they weren't sure it was storm-related.

To read complete coverage of the victims, visit houstonchronicle.com.

Here are some details on the confirmed dead and those feared to be deceased:



HARRIS COUNTY

* Alexander Kwoksum Sung, 64, an immigrant from China who ran a South Houston business, died at his clock repair and restoration business in the 900 block of College Avenue on Aug. 27. He had gone to his longtime business to ride out the storm but was found surrounded by the clocks he worked on.

* Batool Qasem, 76, died Aug. 26 after driving into high water and leaving her vehicle on Warrenton Drive in Houston. She was found floating in floodwaters near her vehicle, not far from Buffalo Bayou.

* Travis Lynn Callihan, 45, was pronounced dead at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital on Aug. 28. He perished after exiting a vehicle and falling into floodwaters.

* Agnes Stanley, an 89-year-old Audubon Houston volunteer, was found dead on Aug. 27 in 4 feet of water in her one-story brick home in the 4300 block of Meyerwood.

* Houston Police Sgt. Steve Perez, 60, drowned in his car in floodwaters on the morning of Aug. 27, officials said. The officer, who served in the HPD for 34 years, was driving to work when he entered an underpass and got trapped in high water at Beltway 8 and the Hardy Toll Road. His body was found Aug. 29 by a police dive team.

* Charles Ray James, 65, was found floating in high waters on a residential street in the 7400 block of Claiborne on Aug. 29, after trying to reach his 90-year-old mother during the storm.

* The body of Benito Cavazos Juarez, 42, was found face-down in a parking lot on Aug. 29 after waters receded at the East Freeway and Holland Avenue.

* The body of Calvin Oran Montalbano, a 54-year-old man, was found Aug. 29 in a grassy area near the Eastex Freeway.

* Andrew Pasek, 25, died Aug. 29 after stepping on live electrical wires in floodwaters in northwest Harris County, according to the medical examiner report. His family said he died in the Bear Creek Village subdivision while trying to rescue his sister's cat from the home she had evacuated.

* Four volunteer rescuers perished in Greens Bayou after swift water carried their boat toward a power line on Aug. 28, sending them and three others into the water. The four drowning victims were Jorge Raul Perez, 33; Yahir Rubio-Vizuet, 25; his brother Benjamin Vizuet, 33; and Gustavo Hernandez Rodriguez, 40. The Houston Fire Department found the bodies of Perez and Yahir Vizuet on Aug. 29. The other two victims' bodies were found days later. The three other boat occupants survived by clinging to tree branches until they were rescued and taken to the hospital.

* Belia and Manuel Saldivar, ages 81 and 84, and their four great-grandchildren died when their van was swept off the road by floodwaters near Greens Bayou in east Houston on Aug. 27, according to the sheriff's office and the medical examiner. The elderly couple's son, who was driving the vehicle, managed to escape but was unable to save his parents and the young children. They are Devorah (or "Devy") Saldivar, 16; Dominic, 14; Xavier, 8; and Daisy, 6. All were students in the Pasadena school district.

* Samuel Lawrence Burns, Sr., 62, was found Aug. 27 in the 4900 block of Airline Drive after apparently collapsing in high water.

* The body of Colby Henry Osorno, 24, was found Aug. 31 in the Greens Bayou/Houston Ship Channel area. He worked as a petroleum inspector and was had played on the basketball team at Memorial High School.

* Wilma Ratcliff Ellis, 73, was pronounced dead Aug. 28 at LBJ Hospital after the Coast Guard found her floating during a search-and-rescue operation. NOLA.com reported that she had been found seemingly lifeless in floodwaters earlier Monday before being resuscitated by a Louisiana man. Family members had desperately been seeking word on Harris, who got separated by relatives and was unable to speak.

* Clear Creek ISD in Galveston County confirmed on Facebook on Aug. 29 that longtime former Clear Creek High School track and football coach Ruben Jordan had died. Friendswood police said his body was recovered by boat in the 3000 block of West Bay Area Boulevard. The family said in a statement, "Our family would like to extend our sincere appreciation and thanks for the effort, support and prayers we received while trying to locate him."

* Manuel Acevedo, 67, was found early on Aug. 28 in an alleyway after floodwaters receded on Arkansas Street in East Houston. The father of four daughters had gone to get a truck to rescue his bedridden wife Dianne.

* The body of Martin Salazar, 49, who worked for 20 years at the city of Pasadena's golf course, was found Aug. 30 in a ditch on Preston Avenue in Pasadena after evacuating his home, officials said.

* The body of Michael Tucker, 66, was found floating in 4 feet of water on Aug. 29 after leaving his Baytown residence.

* The body of Keisha Monique Williams, 32, was found on Woodforest Boulevard in Houston on Aug. 30. after floodwaters receded. The nurse and single mother of two had gone back to her home to get her daughters' new school clothes and their dogs.

* Efrain Angel, 26, a gardener and landscaper, was found Aug. 29 in a drainage ditch near Harris County Katy Park.

* The bodies of Alonso Guillen, a 31-year-old disc jockey from Lufkin, and 25-year-old Tomas Carreon Jr. were recovered from Cypress Creek days after their boat flipped in the early morning hours of Aug. 30. The two were among a group of volunteer rescuers whose boat was carried by the current into the I-45 southbound frontage road bridge over the creek and capsized. One was rescued after clinging to a tree in the rushing water. Guillen's body was found Sept. 3 by searchers, two days after Carreon's was recovered.

* The body of Joseph Dowell, 43, was found Sept. 7 in the 3500 block of North Wayside Drive. He was heading to work at the city's public works department in a downpour on Aug. 27 when he reportedly hit high water on Wayside Drive and called a supervisor. He had been missing since then.

* Jill Renick, 48, drowned at her workplace at the Omni Houston Hotel. She called the front desk on Aug. 27 to say she was trapped in an elevator, but was never heard from again. The hotel was being evacuated as floodwaters entered the building, and initial efforts to locate her were successful. Her body was discovered Sept. 7 in a ceiling area above the lower level of the hotel.

* Cathy Harling Montgomery, 71, was found in her Memorial-area home on Sept. 7. Authorities said she had drowned.

*Robert Arthur Haines, 71, was found in his Memorial-area home on Sept. 3, but his body was not recovered until Sept. 8 in 4 feet of standing water. Officials reported he had drowned.

* Gary Wayne Sanchez, 58, was found floating in the Houston Ship Channel on Aug. 31. The father and former car salesman had lived in homeless shelters in recent years.

* Nancy Reed, 77, of Kingwood, died Sept. 15 after falling in her flooded home and acquiring flesh-eating bacteria acquired through the injury. The Harris County medical examiner said she had flood-related necrotizing fasciitis complicating blunt trauma of an upper extremity via an accident. Reed lived in a house near Kingwood High School.

(Not on official Harris County list of storm-related fatalities)

* Ronald Zaring, 82, died of a heart attack while riding a charter bus on the Hardy Toll Road. The medical examiner report noted that he suffered from heart disease and pneumonia. Friendswood police said that the Friendswood Health Center patient was evacuated on Aug. 27 and then cared for at a local high school. He was being transported by a strike team to Huntsville on Aug. 29 when he died, police said. His death was later ruled not storm-related.

* Casey Dailey, a 38-year-old mother of two, was pronounced dead Aug. 29 at a Humble emergency room after volunteer rescuers attempted to transport the ailing Dailey to a hospital when first responders never arrived. She had suffered a blood clot and from complications from recent surgery.

* Noah Delgado, 8, died days after suffering an asthma attack on Aug. 28. His mother told a news station that first responders did not arrive soon enough. Noah went into a coma and died at Texas Children's Hospital's West Campus on Aug. 30.

ARANSAS COUNTY

* Rockport's mayor reported that one man died in a mobile home fire when Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Aug. 25. He was later identified as Arthur Curtis Adams, 39, who had decided to ride out the storm after sending family to higher ground in San Antonio. Authorities received word of the fire but couldn't dispatch a crew due to the pounding storm.

FORT BEND COUNTY

* A Katy preacher and his wife died when they drove into high water on Pool Hill Road in Fulshear while trying to check on a family member on the afternoon of Aug. 30. The victims were identified as Donald Rogers, 65, and his wife Rochelle, 58.

* Journalist James Simmon's body was found in a Fort Bend County sand pit on Sept. 12, two weeks after he went missing. Simmon, 63, who had early-onset dementia, vanished after leaving his Montrose home to go for a walk.

GALVESTON COUNTY

* Bobby Murphy, 54, drowned during storm rescue efforts in Dickinson on Aug. 27. His body was found days later.

* Patrick Hurley, 59, drowned in League City on Aug. 27, at the height of flooding.

* Peter Pellerin, 83, of Dickinson drowned on Aug. 27. The Louisiana native had served in the Navy during the Korean War.

* Bonnie Parsutt, 69, died in her Santa Fe home early on Aug. 27 Saturday after her oxygen tank failed when the electricity went out.

* Mary Avila, 80, died in a Texas City nursing home on Aug. 29 after she was unable to get dialysis during the storm and flooding.

*Clevelon Brown, 64, of Dickinson died on Sept. 3, days after floodwaters receded. He had a cellulitis infection and developed sepsis from floodwaters.

* One man was found dead Aug. 27 in a La Marque Walmart parking lot, but authorities later said his death was not storm-related.

HARDIN COUNTY

* Scott Coyle, 67, was found by Hardin County officials on Sept. 7 floating face down in 3 feet of floodwater inside his Silsbee trailer. The autopsy showed the cause of death was accidental drowning, though family said he could have had a medical emergency before that.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

* Lisa Jones, 60, of Porter, was killed when a tree loosened by saturated ground crashed onto her mobile home on Aug. 28. Authorities said Jones was in bed when the tree fell. Her companion called first-responders after he was unable to assist her.

* James Gorman Sr., 61, died after walking into floodwaters on Aug. 28 near Spring Park Ridge and the Grand Parkway in Spring, according to local officials. Witnesses said Gorman entered the water at about 11:30 p.m., but they were unable to help him before he went under. His body was found the following day.

* Joshua Aedan Feuerstein, 33, of The Woodlands died after driving his pickup into a flooded area near the Woodforest subdivision on Aug. 28. He tried to back up but could not escape the rising floodwaters.

* Remington Esquivel, 23, of Conroe, was hit and killed by a vehicle while he was walking along FM 2854, about five miles west of Interstate 45, on the night of Aug. 26. Storm conditions are believed to have played a role in the crash.

* A person suffered a fatal heart attack and was unable to be reached by first responders due to flooded streets around the victim's home, Office of Emergency Management spokeswoman Cynthia Jamieson said Sept. 4. Authorities later determined the death was not storm-related.

JASPER COUNTY

* Russell and Ginger Barnes of Alvin, ages 51 and 43 respectively, were killed in Jasper County around 11:45 p.m. on Aug. 29 when a tree fell on their truck as they traveled on FM 777. Russell Barnes was behind the wheel of the 2012 Ford pickup at the time of the accident, when wind gusts were already high in Southeast Texas as Tropical Storm Harvey neared a daybreak landfall at Cameron, La.

JEFFERSON COUNTY

* Beaumont police on Aug. 29 found a 3-year-old clinging to the body of her drowned mother in a rain-swollen canal after the woman tried to carry her child through floodwaters to safety. Police identified the mother as Collette Sulcer, a 41-year-old nurse. Her daughter survived.

* Roy Simmons, 69, was found in floodwaters in Beaumont on Aug. 30 after apparently being swept away in the strong current when trying to leave his vehicle.

* Dorothy "Dot" Lacobie, 88, drowned in her Port Arthur home after it flooded. She was found Sept. 2.

* Beaumont police on Aug. 30 recovered the body of a woman found in the city's low-lying North End. Police later said it wasn't storm-related.

* Rescue teams reportedly found a body floating in the 8600 block of Overhill Lane on the night of Aug. 30 . Police said on Sept. 14 they had no information on the death.

NEWTON COUNTY

* Richard Sneed, 68, died Aug. 31 near Spur 272 after attempting to ride a four-wheeler through floodwaters to check on a neighbor. His body was found three days later in waters near the vehicle.

* Clementine Thomas, 61, died when floodwaters swept her car off a highway south of Newton on Aug. 30. She had been a stay-at-home to mom and recently moved in with her daughter.

NUECES COUNTY

* Ronald Darrell Head, 57, of Port Aransas, was discovered Sept. 2 when officers were called to a residence and found him. Police in Port Aransas are still piecing together what happened to Head, who officials at first called the first Port Aransas victim of Harvey. They have yet to confirm the storm played a role in his death. He had talked to his mother on Aug. 23, and witnesses told police they saw him early on Aug. 27. That night, police said someone reported receiving a text from Head that he had survived. That was last indication of his safety.

ORANGE COUNTY

* Gene DeBlance, 55, of Vidor was found dead in the area of Interstate 10 and Church Street. The police chief believes DeBlance drove into high water on I-10 and escaped his vehicle but was swept away by the strong currents. He had been reported missing on Aug. 31, days before his 56th birthday.

* Lee Roy McGraw, 54, died trying to rescue those in need from the storm, according to his obituary. The lawn care service owner's body was found on Sept. 3 in Cole Creek, west of FM 1136.

* Clifford Allan Brunett, 75, of Vidor died in his home during Harvey. Additional details were not available.

* Michael "Mickey" Riley, 77, of Nederland, went missing Aug. 30 and was found dead on Sept. 1 in Orange County, according to Orange Police Department records

* Sheila Marburger, 73, died on Aug. 31, according to Orange Police Department records. She loved creative hobbies, including painting, drawing and making flower arrangements, her obituary said. She also enjoyed fishing with her late husband of 43 years, Harold Marburger.

* Una Celestine Ebanks, 82. Orange police officers were called to a home in the 1800 block of 24th street after a 911 call on Aug. 29, according to police records. No other details about Ebanks' death were released.

* Timothy Michael Lewis, Jr., age unknown, and Jimail Caddy, 19. Both died of electrocution on Aug. 30 at a home in the 3600 block of Hemlock Lane, according to Orange Police Department records. No other details were released.

* Francis Gerity, 87, died on Aug. 30 in Orange. City police records indicate that she was a hospice patient. No other details were released.

* Unidentified infant. Police were called to a home on Cross Lane around 11:26 a.m. on Aug. 25 for an unresponsive infant, according to records from the Orange Police Department. No other details were released.

* Unidentified infant. Another child died on Aug. 28, according to Orange police records. Acadian Ambulance and Orange firefighters were at the scene in the 700 block of Levingston Street when police arrived around 11:07 p.m. The baby was taken to Christus St. Mary's Hospital in Port Arthur, where the child was pronounced dead. The death is listed as accidental in police records.

SAN JACINTO COUNTY

* The body of a 3-month-old girl ripped from her father's arms by gushing floodwaters was recovered Sept. 3 in a muddy puddle about 100 yards from her parents' truck. The child's parents, a Houston couple in their 20s, had fled their home due to flooding and were on their way to shelter at a friend's house on Aug. 27 when high water forced them from their pickup truck along Highway 150. They swam through 30- to 40-foot-deep water looking for safety, according to the sheriff's office - but lost their only child in the process. The parents clung to tree branches for hours before firefighters rescued them. The child was identified as Ziya Jones.

* A San Jacinto County resident died in floodwaters near his residence on Aug. 28. Authorities confirmed the death of Jimmy Capers, the uncle of Sheriff Greg Capers. Capers was reportedly herding cattle away from the floodwaters toward higher ground alongside friends and family members. Precinct 3 Capt. Peter Sparta said Capers was possibly swept underwater by the current. Efforts to revive him after about he spent about 5 minutes underwater were unsuccessful.

*A man drove into floodwater on U.S. 59 and drowned, the sheriff's office said on Sept. 5. He was later identified as George Henry Leutert, 64, a former Houston resident who lived in Shepherd.

VICTORIA COUNTY

* A lineman was electrocuted on Sept. 5 while working to restore electricity outside of Bloomington, about 13 miles southeast of Victoria. He was identified as Lachlan Morgan Brain, 22, of Winchester, Tennessee.

WALKER COUNTY

* An 83-year-old woman died after her vehicle was caught in floodwaters in Walker County. Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety told the Associated Press that a state trooper checking the road early in the morning on Aug. 29 came across Ola Mae Crooks' vehicle. The trooper contacted the swift water rescue team, which recovered the body. Crooks apparently drowned when her car was swept off a farm-to-market road at the San Jacinto River near her home, Sgt. Steven McNeil told the Huntsville Item newspaper. He said a preliminary investigation suggests she was trying to cross a bridge.

This list is based on interviews with local officials. The Associated Press, the Beaumont Enterprise, the Conroe Courier and the San Antonio Express News contributed to this report.
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Harvey continued its downpour in the Greater Houston area on Tuesday, causing residents to evacuate or be rescued from their homes and seek refuge in shelters around the area.

As the water receded, more roads were cleared for travel, although officials in Tomball cautioned against unnecessary travel.

Lake Forest Utility District sent out a notice to residents in the Northwest about unsafe water after losing water pressure before noon. The notice advises residents to boil water for a minimum of two minutes.

Officials were not available to comment on the notice.

Tomball closed its municipal court and announced that anyone scheduled to appear before Sept. 5 needs to reschedule their appearances in person by Sept. 12.

"We couldn't get the staff in here to man it," Tomball spokesman Mike Baxter said. "We didn't want to cause any safety issues with anyone who had (upcoming) court dates."

While the court and other city buildings were shuttered, no damages were reported as of Tuesday, he said.

CHI St. Luke's Health  The Vintage Hospital in Willowbrook announced it closed its doors on Tuesday due to safety precautions from the storm.

"Patients were safely transferred to other CHI St. Luke's Health facilities," according to a press release.

Some hospitals in the northwest region are remaining open, such as the Kindred Hospital Tomball.

"In the Greater Houston area, Kindred Hospitals are currently taking care of more than 450 patients and still accepting additional patients from our acute care partners," Kindred Hospital Tomball CEO Tracy Kohler wrote in a statement.

CHI St. Luke's Hospital in evacuated about 50 patients from Vintage Park and Sugar Land to other hospitals out of the Houston area.

Tomball officials also said more shelters had opened up in the area. Lone Star College  Tomball at 30555 Tomball Parkway; Creekside Park Junior High School at 8711 Creekside Green Dr. in The Woodlands; and Graceview Baptist Church at 25510 Texas 249 in Tomball.

Baxter said Graceview Baptist Church needed more supplies, such as blankets, towels and toiletries.

Trinity Klein Lutheran Church at 5201 Spring Cypress Rd. in Spring has also set up a shelter to accept a capacity of 200 people with shelter, food, clothes, and toiletries available, and meals offered for first responders.
AUBURN  A Syracuse man was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation for sending sexually explicit messages to a 12-year-old girl in Cayuga County.

Joshua E. Mauro, of 209 Lawrence Ave. Apt. 2, pleaded guilty to felony first-degree disseminating indecent material to minors in May. At the time, he told the court that he engaged in "inappropriate contact" with the girl in November 2016.

Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said Mauro messaged the victim  a 12-year-old girl from the town of Locke  and invited her to partake in sexual acts. He also said Mauro sent the child sexually graphic images and used role playing, referring to himself as "Daddy."

"It's pretty horrendous," Budelmann said Thursday in court. "Child pornography feeds an appetite and that appetite is clearly here."

Mauro's defense attorney, Rome Canzano, said the 25-year-old had expressed remorse and begun seeking mental health treatment. Canzano also made it clear that Mauro never had any physical contact with the victim.

"I can't disagree that the language was inappropriate to say the least," Canzano said.

When asked if he had anything to say to the court, Mauro apologized.

"I don't understand why this happened," he said. "I should have been more cautious. I wish I'd never done it."

Mauro faced up to seven years in prison for the crime. However, Judge Mark Fandrich agreed to compromise, sentencing Mauro to a term of shock probation.

"The facts are deeply disturbing to me and everyone else in the courtroom," Fandrich said. "It troubles me that you somewhat minimized your conduct (to probation), but I appreciate your apology."

In addition to serving six months in Cayuga County Jail, Mauro will have to register as a sex offender. He will also not be allowed to use the internet as a condition of his probation.

Also in court:

 A convicted felon will spend an additional three to six years in prison for assaulting a corrections officer and an inmate at Auburn Correctional Facility.

Ashton Jacobs pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of second-degree attempted assault.

During his plea, Jacobs said he was incarcerated at Auburn prison in December 2015 when he got in a fight with another inmate. The 29-year-old admitted to "cutting" the inmate before injuring an officer trying to break up the fight.

"I walked up to (the inmate) and I cut him," Jacobs said. "As far as the officer getting involved, I swung at him. I hit him."

Budelmann elaborated, saying Jacobs used the lid of a soup can to cut the other inmate. The inmate required eight sutures to his forehead while the officer suffered injuries after being shoved in his stomach and chest.

An inmate at Attica Correctional Facility, Jacobs was sentenced to 17 years in prison for first-degree manslaughter in 2010. He was also sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison for first-degree attempted assault in 2005.

According to the district attorney, Jacobs could have faced life in prison as a persistent felony offender. However, Judge Fandrich agreed to sentence Jacobs to a total of three to six years in prison in exchange for his pleas of guilty.

Jacobs' sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 14.

 Two people have admitted to selling cocaine in Cayuga County.

Crystal Baker, 34, of 145 Park Place, Auburn, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a class B felony.

During her plea, Baker said she sold cocaine in the city in January. Baker could be sentenced to a maximum of nine years in prison, but Judge Fandrich agreed to no worse than two years in prison plus a shock camp order.

Baker was released on her own recognizance pending her sentencing Oct. 31.

Meanwhile, in a separate case, Julious Anderson, of Syracuse, also pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. Anderson, 27, told the court he sold cocaine in Cayuga County in December 2015.

A second felony offender, Anderson was previously convicted of fourth-degree grand larceny and third-degree robbery in 2014. He could face up to 12 years in prison, but Fandrich said he would likely sentence him to two years in prison and two years post-release supervision with a shock camp order.

Anderson's bail was reduced to $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond. His sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 31.
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Sweep. Sweep. Sweep.

On Monday morning, John Bell was back in his one-story house in Meyerland, flushing out the remains of 40 inches of water that had toppled the fridge and turned a granite-topped kitchen cabinet upside down. He and his wife, Ellen, have been there for 38 years, living through Tropical Storm Allison and remodeling completely after taking in 16 inches during the Memorial Day floods in 2015. It was perfect, from the crown moldings to the chandeliers.

"This house was exactly as we wanted it," said Ellen Bell, 72, standing with a broom in her aqua socks as a smoke alarm shrieked overhead. Perfect, except for one thing: Unlike the new houses in the rapidly changing area, it had not been elevated.

"The only way to salvage it would be to lift it off the ground," she said.

These days, there generally are two kinds of houses in Meyerland, a middle-class neighborhood fronting Brays Bayou in southwest Houston that has gotten some of the worst flooding here in recent years. There are the '50s-era ramblers now occupied by many retirees like the Bells. And the tall, modern homes with porches several feet off the ground, many of them built since the floods in 2015 and 2016.

Many of the ranchers had been evacuated by Monday morning, with boats having pulled people out all Sunday. At one house, a paper sign rested on a doorstep: "Need rescue. 4 people & 1 cat. Please come in." No one responded to pounding on the door.

Four teenage boys, splashing through the partially submerged neighborhood with a surfboard looking for still-stranded survivors, said they had not found any.

RELATED: For years, the Houston area has been losing ground

A few, like the Bells, were back and trying to clean up.

Michelle and Chuck French spent the day ripping out carpet and using a wet-dry vacuum on the floors. They got about a foot of water in their home early Sunday. They carted the sodden carpet pieces out in a wheelbarrow.

Still, she admitted to feeling lucky to have not gotten off worse.

"I keep thinking about the people I'm seeing on television who have to be evacuated by boat," she said. She also was buoyed by the outpouring of support from family, friends and coworkers asking how they can help and whether the couple needs a place to stay.

"I really appreciate it," French said.

Many of those who did not or could not evacuate found refuge at their neighbors' homes, the ones that had rebuilt to withstand high water. The Bells escaped at 6:30 Sunday morning to a tall house just down the street in the 4900 block of Valkeith, which had taken in several families, as did another house just across the way.

That house, across the street from the Bells' hosts, was owned by Scott and Margaret Flippen, who tore down their 1959 house when it flooded in 2015, and replaced it with a stately brick two-story. The power was out Monday morning, with six young kids bouncing off the walls. But the water had been lapping at their front door before finally receding.

Why did the Flippens rebuild there after knowing full well that the neighborhood was flood-prone?

They loved the community, Margaret Flippen said, with their friends all around. Both their kids go to Kolter Elementary School a few blocks away, and the area is zoned to well-regarded Bellaire High school.

"We chose to rebuild," Flippen said. "And we could have gone anywhere."

The Bells had felt the same way, back in 2015. This time, they're not sure.

"It's really hard to just pick up and leave," Ellen Bell said. "We're not young enough to start over."

Wooty Sixel contributed to this story.
Looters at businesses near Tidwell and Mesa shot at Houston police officers and firefighters who responded to the scene, a police union official said.

Joe Gamaldi, vice president with the Houston Police Officers Union, said police had to divert from making high-water rescues to respond to the incident.
The massive relief mission across Houston is a testament to the strength of those beaten by the storms, but also those trudging through the waters to lend a hand, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

"Anyone who bets against the city of Houston is a loser," Turner said at an evening press conference. "I know the city, I know the spirit of the people in this city. I saw it at George R. Brown and I've seen it at M.O. Campbell, I've seen it in the faces of our first responders. This storm has not redefined who we are. If anything this storm has made us even stronger and prouder to be Houstonians."
We parked on the corner of Izabel and Sixth Avenue and used the Sego Lily section of our urban trail system to climb up to the Arizona Trail on McMillan Mesa. Don Carter and I lead walks from the Adult Center and had decided to view the partial eclipse of the sun from that elevated position.

The steep Sego Lily Trail meanders through a dense Gambel oak forest that clings to the eastern slope of McMillan Mesa. Once on top we could see the far-flung Mormon, Woody and A-1 mountains plus Wing, Kendrick and the Peaks. Located much closer is Lowell Observatory, Mount Elden and the Turkey Hills. Viewing that surrounding panorama is a great way to start a day.

The McMillan Mesa meadow was alive with wild flowers, zooming swallows and busy honey bees. in the distance we could see a train passing through Flagstaff, the flash of an emergency vehicle on Cedar and a tiny aircraft approaching Pulliam Airport.

As we monitored the progress of the moon's passing in front of the sun, walkers and runners stopped to share our protective glasses. Among them was Karen Knorowski, the artist responsible for the wonderful Thorpe Road Bridge mosaics. The Arizona Trail, McMillan Mesa, a dazzling solar event and Karen Knorowski, too. No way it could have been a better day.

And speaking of the Arizona Trail, the annual celebration of this magnificent 800-mile route will be in Flagstaff on Saturday, September 9th in Buffalo Park. Live music from Trypster, tasty food from local restaurants and crafted beer from the Wanderlust Brewery, plus many information booths will be there also. This will be your golden opportunity to talk with hikers who have walked the trail's entirety, bike packers who have ridden its wide range of landscapes and folks eager to share their outdoor knowledge.

Featured this year will be the local business partners and members who support the Arizona Trail Association. And Mountain Bike rides and group hikes as well. I'll be leading a walk that will start at 8:30 a.m. and cover the Arizona Trail from Buffalo Park past the Dale Shewalter Memorial and over the Matt Kelley Bridge to McMillan Mesa. From there we'll visit the location where some of us watched the partial eclipse and walk a footpath to the middle of the meadow for a splendid view of the San Francisco Peaks. We'll be back in Buffalo Park in time for the Arizona Trail celebration, which starts a 10 a.m. and lasts until 2 p.m. For more information, Google ATA-Trail Day-Flagstaff.

And for those interested in Flagstaff's past, historian John Westerlund will be discussing the death of little Johnny Elden and its myths and what's true on Friday evening, September 8, at 6:30 p.m. at the Pioneer Museum. Because of limited seating the museum is asking folks to RSVP at (928) 774-6272 to reserve a seat for this free

presentation. The museum is located at 2340 Fort Valley Road.

And earlier I mention Karen Knorowski and her wonderful mosaics. Nearly a thousand dollars is still needed to finish the project and if you wish to contribute Google "Fundraiser by Karen Knorowski." Let's all support our local artists!
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As emergency crews rushed to pluck Houstonians from still-rising waters and a steady stream of victims stumbled into area shelters sopping wet Monday, local leaders continued to defend their decision not to evacuate the city before the first rains fell.

While coastal counties where Hurricane Harvey was expected to come ashore called for evacuations before it hit land, Houston and Harris County, which have borne the brunt of record rainfall, did not.

For good reason, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

Faced with a strengthening storm aimed at Texas' Gulf Coast 12 years ago, officials decided to empty the city. The resulting 20-hour traffic jams caused dozens of deaths from heat-related illnesses and accidents, roughly as many as were attributed to Hurricane Rita itself.

"In the city of Houston there are 2.3 million people. When you combine that with Harris County, you're talking about 6.5 million people. Where are they going?" the mayor said. "And then once they are away from the city of Houston, they're away from our assets and our ability to help them. The decision that we made was a smart one. It was in the best interest of Houstonians."

Noting Harvey's rapid growth, Turner said to vacate the city within days "would have been crazy." Rita triggered "a great deal of confusion, a great deal of chaos," he said.

Now Playing: A UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter and crew from U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations rescues residents in areas flooded by Hurricane Harvey on August 28, 2017. (Video: US Customs and Border Protection) Video: JW Player

Payshunz Nagashima, a Beaumont resident who spent seven years working in the disaster recovery field in Texas, said Houston would need to order an exodus at least 72 hours from landfall to avoid a Rita repeat.

That would have meant issuing an order Tuesday night, when Harvey still had not fully reformed into a tropical storm. Though the storm had been expected to produce ample rainfall, it was not until Friday that meteorologists knew a serious hurricane was coming.

"Obviously, you don't want anybody sitting on top of roofs trying to get rescued, but if you're looking at - 'OK, we need to evacuate 6.5 million people,' or do people need to slowly watch the floodwaters rise and make their best decisions? - at the end of the day, it's a disaster," Nagashima said. "You can't prevent every horrible scenario for every individual within an area."

There is precedent for mayors waiting too long to order their cities to clear out.

A congressional report on the response to Hurricane Katrina criticized former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin for waiting until 24 hours before the storm made landfall to order an evacuation, despite 100,000 residents lacking cars.

Some critical of decision

Waiting too long also could create gridlock at exactly the wrong moment. The majority of flood deaths from 2010 through 2014 - 53 percent - occurred when people tried to drive through a storm, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Still, Houston roofing contractor Jaime Calderon said officials should have emptied the city when the forecasts grew darker. Calderon fled Houston late Thursday for Austin, fearing his home would flood for a third time in four years.

"The Houston people should have issued a mandatory evacuation order, especially after they saw it was going to be much worse than everyone first thought," he said.

Jim Hoffler, a systems engineer from Clear Lake, agreed.

"I've lived in various places where evacuations have been part of life - Florida, South Carolina, New York - and Houston, in my opinion, didn't do its job on Harvey," said Hoffler, who left the city Thursday with his wife and three children to stay with relatives in Austin. "It doesn't take an idiot to see that everything was going to flood, big time."

Gov. Greg Abbott had said before the storm hit that Texans from Corpus Christi - which issued a voluntary but not mandatory evacuation edict - to Houston should "strongly consider evacuating," but later declined to second-guess local officials' decisions.

"We are at the stage where we just need to respond to the emergencies and necessities that the people around Houston have," he said.

'Every storm is different'

County Judge Ed Emmett noted that throughout Harvey's buildup to a Category 4 storm shortly before it struck the coast Friday night, experts had struggled to predict its path or which areas would bear the brunt of the rainfall it would produce.

"To evacuate (an area), you have to know where to tell your people to go," he said. "Every storm is different."

Before Harvey made landfall, Emmett had said evacuations typically are required due to the threat of high winds and storm surge, not rainfall.

"In this case, we'll have a lot of water," he said Friday night, "but it's not the kind of water that we would ask people to evacuate from."

Dennis Storemski, the city's director of public safety and homeland security, echoed that.

"Rising water is something somebody can evaluate at the time," he said. "You don't know where the water's going to go, so why would you require everybody to leave when people would probably argue, 'Well, I don't want to leave.' The best we can do is provide information about what can be expected and people make their own decision."

That argument rang true for Al Roth, 54, who decamped from Houston to Cedar Creek to stay with relatives before the storm hit.

"The mayor and the other officials handled it just right. They gave people the option to evacuate - and that's all anyone who knows Houston needs," he said. "Anyone who knows anything about Houston knows this much rain will cause severe flooding."

Miguel Moreno, whose unit at the Colonial Oaks apartments in Oak Forest took on several inches of water, agreed. Moreno said he and his mother would have preferred to stay and would have done so even under a voluntary evacuation order.

"There's a lot of people that they don't want to move," he said. "In our apartment complex, the highest it ever gets is just what happened today. It's really not a disaster where we're at."

Amy Fairchild was one of three Columbia University public health professors who contributed to a 2006 paper on mandatory evacuations. She and her colleagues argued such orders require government to both offset the inconvenient edict with ample assistance and to vigorously enforce the order.

It would be a mistake to empty out a dense urban area, Fairchild said Monday, but targeted orders could be a useful tool.

"The roadways can't handle millions, but city and state officials can and should enforce highly targeted areas to get those at greatest risk out of harm's way," she said. "A targeted order may not have quite the emotional punch of a broad mandate, but it may also be more feasible to enforce in a muscular way."

Lessons learned

Turner said Monday that ordering targeted evacuations, such as including those living in floodplains, was not discussed.

"Now, what we also attempted to do was, as the situation changed and as the water was coming up in certain areas we knew would probably flood, like the Greenspoint area, we immediately moved to set up the M.O. Campbell (shelter), and that has been much smoother this time around then before," Turner said, referencing last year's Tax Day flood, which hammered Greenspoint.

Houston police began evacuating residents from apartments next to the swelling Greens Bayou on Saturday night. By early Sunday, the bayou again was rushing into nearly 2,000 apartments that took on water during the Tax Day flood the year before.

Mike Ward contributedto this report.
La Porte firefighters and a Harris County hazardous materials team have contained a chemical spill Monday after a pipeline ruptured on the northeast side of La Porte in the petrochemical district about 20 miles east of downtown Houston.

Around 4:30 p.m. Monday, residents of La Porte, Baytown and Shoreacres were warned to shelter in place - meaning they should stay inside, shut off air conditioning and close doors and windows.

La Porte police and the city of Shoreacres signaled shortly after 7 p.m. that the incident was resolved. No injuries were reported.

"We have given the all clear," La Porte police Sgt. Bennie Boles said in a statement. "Roadways are opened."

"The chemical release has been contained," the city of Shoreacres said in a release from the Harris County emergency management office.

Sheltering in place

The chemical that leaked just north of the interchange between Texas 225 and Texas 146 was anhydrous hydrogen chloride, "which presents symptoms of eye, throat, and nasal irritation," according to a statement issued by the city of La Porte.

A federal safety guide identifies hydrogen chloride as a corrosive poison gas that "can cause serious or permanent injury." The guide describes the chemical as a "colorless gas with a sharp, pungent odor." The non-flammable substance is part of the manufacturing process for "rubber, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and in gasoline refining and metals processing."

Residents were ordered to shelter in place on La Porte's northeast side, in the area contained by Farrington Road on the west, North Avenue H on the south and Texas 146 on the east.

As a result, the city of Baytown said the Fred Hartman Bridge was closed over the Houston Ship Channel.

A hazardous materials team from the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office was on scene by 6:30 p.m., agency spokeswoman Rachel Moreno said. They worked with local firefighters and the pipeline company, as Harris County pollution control officials monitored air quality.

"Our team has cleared the scene and is headed home," Moreno said about 7:30 p.m.

La Porte residents had started posting on the city's Facebook page about 5 p.m. asking why sirens were going off and seeking information. The city did not post the shelter-in-place order until after 5:30 p.m.

Company not named

Amy Martin, a La Porte resident, said she received an automated text message, phone call and email from the city with instructions to shelter in place because of a "chemical emergency."

The outdoor sirens began to sound a few minutes later, Martin said. She added that she shut off her air conditioning, as instructed, and had yet to get the "all clear" as of 6:20 p.m.

A TV station reported that the spill came from a Valero pipeline, but a company spokeswoman said the incident did not involve the company's infrastructure. "It's not our asset," Valero spokeswoman Lillian Riojas told the Chronicle in an email. "Hopefully the city of La Porte can identify the company."

The La Porte Police Department did not identify the owner but said that "the company responsible for the line and the cause of the leak is being investigated and will be determined at a later date."
Mandatory evacuations were ordered in Fort Bend and Brazoria County on Monday as the Brazos River rose toward historic heights, putting a string of levees at risk of failure.

The amount of water expected to hit Fort Bend County by late Tuesday could reach levels seen only about once ever 800 years.

"It's a true disaster," County Judge Robert Hebert said.

The coming danger sent ripples across the county southwest of Houston. People fled to friends' homes. Hotels booked. Shelters continued to open to try to keep up with the demand. Those evacuating were urged to head north or west.

The water in the Brazos would carry next toward Brazoria County, where officials likewise warned Monday that imminent, widespread flooding in the central and western part of the county would be significantly worse than had been previously seen.

Projections show the Brazos River will reach roughly the same levels there as 2016, but with a significant difference: In 2016, the county was dry when the river broke its banks. This week, following enormous amounts of rain, the river is expected to flood into areas already inundated with rainwater and runoff from nearby creeks. The San Bernard River is also expected to flood in Brazoria County.

"Waters will rise faster," Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta said. "Rivers will accelerate through the floodplain faster."

In a 100-year-flood, the Brazos would carry 56 feet of water at the measurement point in Richmond, the county seat. Federal law requires that levee systems be built to withstand heights three feet above that. To accommodate for continued development along the watershed, the county requires a fourth foot, making levees legally required to be able to withstand 60 feet.

If water breaches the levees, it could them to break, allowing water to come rushing through into neighboring communities.

County officials ordered emergency evacuations.

"That's the risk we can't take," Hebert said. "The risk to lives."

The operations center was in high gear Monday, however, with other protective measures also underway. An emergency berm was built to help protect the jail and other facilities. A bridge that was under construction to be protected against further river damage was being shut down.

Parts of Brazoria County to the south, meanwhile, started to flood in pockets Monday, as county officials made a final plea for residents in the mandatory evacuation zone also to leave the region.

The evacuation zone included virtually all areas west of Highway 288, covering the entire western half of the county.

Sebesta said residents should not expect to be able to leave or return to the area for days once the Brazos River spills over. And unlike last year, when the state sent 300 people to assist, local officials are not expecting significant state help given disaster conditions across the region.

"If you stay and you're caught by rising waters, it may take a while to get to you," Sebesta said.

Officials could only hope people heeded their warnings.

In Brazoria, Johnny Penney, 43, said the Brazos River was threatening Monday afternoon when he crossed it on Highway 35 near West Columbia. The river's water had started turning red.

"That's when you know it's going to be bad," Penney said.

Until Monday, Linda Haskovec was hopeful her home in Columbia Lakes, about a mile west of the river, would avoid major damage. Her home didn't take on water in 2016, despite its proximity to the Brazos.

But Haskovec's neighbors reported Monday morning that water had started approaching homes - even before the river flooded its banks. She now worries about Brazoria County struggling to rebuild at the same time Houston is recovering.

"It's not as populated here as a metropolitan area, but this could create a lot of problems," Haskovec, 56, said. "Especially since it's affected Houston so much, we're all going to need so many things, there's no way to know how it's going to go for us."
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With the Houston area under water for the third straight day, emergency crews rescued thousands of people with boats and helicopters as suburban leaders ordered massive evacuations over fears that levees would give way under the force of flooded waterways.

Much of Fort Bend and Brazoria counties were evacuated as the rain-swollen Brazos River was expected to approach historic flood levels Tuesday, and two subdivisions in north Harris County were evacuated late Monday amid similar concerns over aging levies.

Rains, sometimes heavy, are expected to continue throughout the area perhaps into next week, reaching up to 50 inches over the upper Texas coast, including the Houston-Galveston area.

"This is a landmark event," said Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long after making a plea for help from the public. "We have not seen an event like this. You could not dream this forecast up."

How Addicks, Barker dams are supposed to work Water flows downward into creeks and streams in Addicks and Barker watersheds, kept behind large earthen dams. The dams control flow into Buffalo Bayou, which keeps downtown Houston from flooding. Too much water on both sides, and the flow is impacted. Thats complicated by the Houston Ship Channel, which is actually pushing water into Buffalo Bayou backwards. This week rising pool levels in Barker Reservoir and Addicks Reservoir spilled over into adjacent subdivisions that sit against the dams, shown below. Map created by data reporter John D. Harden

Source: Harris County Flood Control District

Across the state, up to 30,000 people may need shelter and perhaps 450,000 could be eligible for federal flood victim assistance, Long said. The other numbers from Monday were equally stunning: 8,000 rescues in the Houston area and 12,000 guardsmen deployed statewide by Monday.

Dramatic rescues across the Houston region stretched from Dickinson near Galveston - where people were pulled by boat then airlifted to safety - across the Houston area and into the northwest Harris County, where officials began releasing water from two reservoirs into Buffalo Bayou.

Up to 200 homes were already flooding upstream from the Barker and Addicks reservoirs in northwest Harris County late Monday.

At least eight people are believed to have died in Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, and a Houston family of six was reported missing after driving into floodwaters near Greens Bayou.

The days of turmoil took their toll on Houston.

"I'm angry. I'm stressed. I'm outraged," said Luis Morales, who waded through water almost up to his neck pulling a boat carrying his wife and two young sons. "Everything."

Clearing people out

As the San Jacinto River overflowed into homes and the Brazos River rose, officials from as far north as Humble and as far south as Galveston County cleared out neighborhoods, warning that those who did not heed orders might be on their own as floodwaters deepen in coming days.

In Humble, police went door to door in the Northshire subdivision, urging stunned residents to get out before they opened the floodgates at Lake Conroe, sending water downstream. Conroe cleared out the McDade Estates neighborhood and recommended evacuations for a half dozen more.

By the afternoon, Brazoria County officials were warning that imminent, widespread flooding expected there Wednesday likely would be significantly worse than in 2016, when the Brazos River spilled over and left swaths of the region under water.

By 3:30 a.m. Monday in Fort Bend County, officials already were sounding the alarm. Voluntary evacuations announced for the Sienna Plantation neighborhood were made mandatory Monday morning.

"If people need to get out, now is definitely the time," said Alan Spears, deputy emergency management coordinator of Fort Bend County. "If the water is down, take that opportunity and leave."

People tried to leave Houston on its vast network of highways, but many ran into floodwaters lingering from days of torrential rains. Although some made it out, others turned back to the homes they abandoned hours earlier, planning to wait out the storm.

Houston's emergency response network remained strapped to the point that officials asked for anyone with a boat to help people stranded in high water.

"Please don't give up on us," Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said. "None of us will give up."

Harvey hit the Gulf Coast late Friday as a Category 4 hurricane and then stalled into a tropical storm, sending bands of heavy rain toward the Houston area. Torrential rains late Saturday into Sunday inundated the city, and brief respites Monday allowed some streets to clear.

Still, more than 130,000 CenterPoint customers were without power by Monday night, with crews unable to get to some affected areas. Houston TranStar was reporting 343 high water locations along major roads in the area, with hundreds more residential streets submerged.

Most rivers, creeks and bayous tracked by regional flood management officials were showing historic water volumes.

Spring Creek, running along north Harris and south Montgomery counties, had reached a major flood stage Sunday evening and was expected to crest late Monday, putting at risk residents of more than two dozen neighborhoods in The Woodlands and Spring areas on either side of Interstate 45. Voluntary evacuations were recommended.

No area safe

No point on the compass was spared. Most everyone in the greater Houston area and points beyond woke up Monday to yet another day of life-threatening conditions.

So many people went to the Greenspoint-area shelter at the M.O. Campbell Education Center that they ran out of space and supplies and started busing them to the larger George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. Shelters in Austin and San Antonio also took in some Houston residents.

Dickinson, in Galveston County, was among the hardest hit.

Debbie Barlow, however, refused to budge from the second floor of her elevated home on Deats Road. The city of Dickinson had put out a mandatory evacuation order but Barlow said she wasn't going anywhere.

"We don't feel invincible, but we feel like we're going to be okay," the 46-year-old said. "We have the third floor."

Pat Deeves, 63, spent Monday cleaning out her four-bedroom home in the Maplewood South neighborhood south of Brays Bayou.

After spending Sunday removing the 6.5 inches of water she and her husband, Sheldon Bloch, got in their home, they spent Monday pulling items out of closets.

"A lot of it is just a wadded up mess," she said.

But it wasn't been all bad. She found two handwritten letters from her grandmother - one from 1979 and the other from 1982 - she didn't know she had. And they were still dry.

The luckier area residents included countless thousands who had to cope with one more round of flooded cars and carpets. Even those for the moment dry or mostly so were not confident they'd been spared.

Whatever happens in the next day or two, Harvey has hit the record books, surpassing Tropical Storm Allison which inundated the city in 2001.

Cody Pendergraft, who lives a few miles west of the Brazos River in West Columbia, fled his home Monday morning for refuge at his aunt's house in Angleton. He packed a camper with clothes and hauled it to the Brazoria County Fairgrounds, where about 50 trailers were parked in an area expected to stay dry.

"It shows no mercy when it starts coming down here," Pendergraft, 31, said. "I don't think anybody really knows how bad it's going to be."

Reporters Emily Foxhall, Lomi Kriel, Mike Morris, Jacob Carpenter, St. John Barned-Smith, Lydia DePillis, Mike Glenn, Lindsay Ellis, Cindy George and Mike Tolson contributed to this report
WEST COLUMBIA  The waters in West Columbia rose steadily, like most everywhere else in southeast Texas, filling fields, breaking down riverbanks and flooding roadways.

So Seth Irwin set to work.

He and his neighbors scrounged up plywood and bricks from nearby construction projects. They found bags of sand and planks of lumber, working for hours pounding in stakes to create an artificial barrier to hold back the water threatening his Columbia Lakes community.

"What were we going to do,"said Keith Bailey, 32, who joined Irwin for the construction project. "Sit at the kitchen table and watch this happen?"

Columbia Lakes was among a string of communities in Brazoria and Fort Bend counties evacuated Monday and Tuesday, as water from the Brazos River overtopped a levee in Brazoria and pounded another, threatening homes, businesses to engulf the small community of about 4,000 southwest of Houston.

And upstream, residents in key areas of Fort Bend County were also evacuated amid fears the Brazos could reach historic flood levels in coming days.

In small towns and rural areas up Highway 35 toward Alvin, water rose several feet in many neighborhoods, nearly touching rooftops on single-story homes. Unlike the western half of the county, residents on the east side were not subject to a mandatory evacuation. After torrential downpours Monday and early Tuesday, the area's largest bayous all flooded.

Members of the all-volunteer fire department in Liverpool, home to about 500 residents, feverishly coordinated from headquarters with boat-toting county residents. As residents called for help, volunteers scribbled new assignments on a white board and huddled to map out routes.

Using vessels ranging from kayaks to airboats, a few dozens volunteers fanned out, dodging submerged cars, downed power lines and yard fences.

MORE UPDATES: A weary Houston likely to endure catastrophic flooding through Wednesday

Tylor Land, a volunteer firefighter in neighboring Danbury, and Sean Blakeley, a local resident donning a cowboy hat, were dispatched in their canoe to rescue two people and four dogs.

"We just had to fight against a strong current, but it was nothing we couldn't handle," Land said. "We knew we could swim if we had to."

Jim Turner, a 62-year-old Liverpool resident who's lived in eastern Brazoria County his whole life, said the flooding surpasses any disaster he's seen. He suspected many residents of Liverpool stayed behind because prior storms petered out after dire warnings to evacuate.

"Folks that have been here and lived here for years, they never, ever expected this," said Turner, whose son suffered severe flooding damage to his Liverpool home.

"This is so out of the ordinary. We've been through hurricanes, we've been through tropical storms, we've been through everything else, but nothing like this."

Watching and waiting

Bailey, a barrel-chested offshoreman who lives just a few hundred very flat yards from the levee, had joined the effort to hold back the rising waters of Varner Creek, the creek flowing along the southern edge of the subdivision.

To the east, the swollen waters of the Brazos also threatened to add water to the creek and send it spilling over the berm that protects Columbia Lakes from flooding.

It was not the only barrier they'd erected. Earlier in the day, a few hundred yards away, water had threatened to overrun another section of the stream.

They had used bricks, cinder blocks and sand to erect that barrier, holding the water back and slowing the water to a trickle, rather than the knife-edge he'd feared would cut through the earthen berm, unleashing the rain-water-swollen creek across the subdivision.

Some residents had decided it was better to evacuate than stick around.

Danny Hill, 38, has lived in the community since 2014 and weathered a house fire in 2015.

They'd finally moved back in shortly before Christmas of 2016.

"We're hoping it will be ok, but if it rises to the [levels] they're predicting, it will fill the subdivision," he said.

He'd gone to evacuate his daughters and ex-wife when their home in Dickinson flooded, then returned to his home in Columbia Lakes to grab a few supplies.

Throughout the day, Bailey and Irwin watched the berm. Around 4 p.m., after word of the levees possibly failing had spread across the community, approximately dozen men showed up, with a tractor and dump truck and sand, red clay and a pile of shovels.

"We're just trying to beef it up a little," he said.

They would have to see what tomorrow would bring.

'An 800-year flood'

From atop Mullins Crossing in southern Simonton, the Brazos River is mostly indistinguishable from the hundreds of acres of flooded grazing land that stretch into the horizon.

About 80 percent of the Fort Bend County town's 800 or so residents saw severe flooding this week, Mayor Louis Bourdreaux estimated Tuesday, with most of the water converging into the highly populated Valley Lodge neighborhood.

A cafe was lost, and a few cattle had to be rescued from the fields. But no one was seriously injured, he said, and he knows things could have been much worse.

Last year's Tax Day Flood devastated the town, forcing officials to be more proactive in their emergency management approach, he said. And residents, some of whom he said were still rebuilding from last year's storm, were more likely to heed evacuation warnings or take precautions for the floods.

"It's considerably calmer than it was last year," Bourdreaux said. "Originally the projection was that the water was going to be way higher. Fortunately it's not.

"But there's still flooding."

Bruce Allen, 67, spent the last few days eyeing a stick he'd driven into the ground outside of his home. Slowly the water crept up, about a dozen or so feet past where it reached last year. It swallowed Barnes Road  a main road into town  but stopped short of his home, where a less-fortunate neighbor was staying for the time.

"It's spooky, without a doubt," he said, of the storm's effect on the neighborhood, where at least half of the residents left before their homes were seriously damaged.

"You don't really factor for an 800-year flood," he said.

Fort Bend fears

In Richmond in Fort Bend County, 34-year-old Wyatt Sebesta wasn't leaving, even as the Brazos built toward unprecedented levels, even as his neighborhood flooded again.

Officials were saying the levees could be at risk of failing, prompting mandatory evacuations in places previously though largely impenetrable.

But Sebesta, and many in his neighborhood, the seeping of floodwaters into homes was expected. It had happened a year before. They had no barrier to protect them.

Some neighbors there believed the levees guarding the pristine, new subdivisions had only made things worse for them, pushing more water their way. Engineers said that was a misperception. The river doesn't discriminate in who it floods, the county judge said.

It wasn't right, Sebesta said, but he felt sure his house would again likely take on water in coming days while new subdivisions had a better chance at staying dry. But he remained loyal to his turf: Last year, he had stayed in his neighborhood to help people out by boat and keep an eye on the surroundings.

This year, with two boats, a kayak and his revolver on his hip, he planned to do it again.

The neighborhood was a struggling one, where many people were still in the process of fixing their homes after the last floods.

Residents already knew the anxiety and fear that many people were feeling as Hurricane Harvey ravaged their homes. They knew the scramble of trying to save their belongings, of choosing what to leave behind.

Gumesindo Cerda, 59, still hadn't been able to repair his kitchen, leaving him and his two children unable to cook for a year. They lived mainly on the second floor, and his floors and walls downstairs stood again to be ruined.

From his backyard, Cerda could see the Brazos River, which usually flowed at about 10 feet. On midday Tuesday, the mighty river roared past at 52 feet, pouring into the neighborhood.
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An old military vehicle usually used to promote Houston's 8th Wonder Brwery has been enlisted in helping rescue and relief efforts in Houston.

The brewery's retired M35 Deuce has been a constant on the flooded streets of Houston since Sunday, swooping up passengers and ferrying items from one place to the next.

RELATED: Disney pledges $1 million to TS Harvey relief efforts

It's normally seen outside the brewery but it has never been used to save Houstonians like this.

"We bought that truck from a friend of the brewery just because we thought it was cool and the price was right," 8th Wonder's Ryan Soroka said Tuesday. "It really hasn't gotten a lot of use, but we're glad it was able to help people out in this catastrophe."

The brewery, located on the east end of downtown, is also opening up on Wednesday to collect donation items for area shelters.

Many people associated with the brewery have had close family members severely impacted by Tropical Storm Harvey's flood waters, making the missions especially important.

Now Playing: Houston pulls together to face Hurricane Harvey. Video: David Funchess/Houston Chronicle

On Monday it was in the Fifth Ward and the Meyerland area.

"Basically it got as deep as it could. It was used with boat rescuers to to drive people to higher ground," said Soroka.

RELATED: Constable's office requesting boats for rescue efforts in southeast Harris County

Soroka himself has been stuck in Dallas since last week but is proud of everything he's seen so far from his team.

"I've been stuck in Dallas since Thursday and while I feel helpless, I'm proud of our team. As soon as I get back, I'll hit the ground running and help out," Soroka said.

Drivers and rescuers include Alex Vassilakidis, Robert Piwonka, Alex Piwonka, Jack Nugent, Frances Nugent and Patrick Nugent.
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On Monday afternoon, Nana Ankamah was out walking in his neighborhood near The Woodlands and taking pictures of the high floodwaters caused by Tropical Storm Harvey.

Homes in the back road of his apartment complex off I-45 and Rayford/Sawdust were flooded with water nearly five feet high and many families were evacuating.

LIFE IN SHELTER: This is what it's life to find refuge in Houston's downtown shelter

Among them were the owners of an emotional German Shepard, which Ankamah captured on his camera.

In the photo, the dog is standing on a damp road with water in the background. The German Shepard is looking back and directly into the camera with an incredible amount of emotion in his eyes.

Now Playing: Houston pulls together to face Hurricane Harvey. Video: David Funchess/Houston Chronicle

The dog was among three German Shepards owned by the family, who was in the middle of evacuating their home.

"My apartment complex has a huge pond that got overflowed and Spring Creek got overflowed and the dog's homeowners also have a pond that got overflowed," Ankamah told Chron.com. "Their home was totally surrounded by water."

HURRICANE HARVEY: How to help victims of the Texas storm

Ankamah also told Chron.com that the family was able to evacuate safely, though he is unsure where his neighbors have gone since then.

This German Shepard is among the hundreds of animals that have been rescued since Harvey swept over the Houston area and caused catastrophic damage across the region.

Since Harvey made landfall in Texas on Friday, up to 30,000 people across Texas may need shelter and perhaps 450,000 could be eligible for federal flood victim assistance, officials said. The other numbers from Monday were equally stunning: 8,000 rescues in the Houston area and 12,000 guardsmen deployed statewide by Monday.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, there are more than 11,000 homes in Harris County with major damage caused by Harvey as of Tuesday afternoon. Region wide, those totals increase significantly.
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As the rain pelted and wind thrashed, Humble police officers fanned up and down Fieldtree Drive, knocking on the front doors of townhomes and warning residents that they had about an hour or two to evacuate.

The street, in the Northshire subdivision just behind Deerbrook Mall, was already drenched, with large pockets of deep water hobbling drivers.

Soon, a planned release from Lake Conroe, would likely engulf the houses, the officers informed stunned homeowners. The road north would also be cut off, with Highway 59 expected to be closed off within a few hours.

Harvey's destructive spiral across the Houston region had not spared this part of the county, which thousands of people in Humble, Atascocita and Kingwood call home.

The park and ride at Townsen Boulevard was already submerged, with road signs and the white tips of kiosks barely visible above muddy water. A recently built Costco sat like an island in a flooded expanse.

In Kingwood, trees had been downed and water spilled out from bayous and canals, blocking streets and blanketing the fairways and greens at the Kingwood Country Club. By late afternoon, the parking lot of a just-finished shopping center in the heart of the community -- passable at 9 a.m. -- was under a foot of water.

West Lake Houston Parkway -- and the bridge connecting Kingwood to Atascocita -- were closed for much of Monday.

Around 1:34 p.m., officials sent out an urgent message, warning that Kingwood Drive -- the community's main thoroughfare -- was expected to be under water and asking residents to stay off the streets. At 4 p.m., officials said the road was open only to emergency vehicles.

The road closures effectively sealed Kingwood residents off from the rest of the city, leaving many feeling helpless and worried about friends and relatives in other neighborhoods.

Brycie Wade Parnham funnelled her anxiety into action, putting out a Facebook call for donations for shelters and flood victims.

She soon received dozens of pledges of clothes and supplies -- but had no way to reach those who wanted to donate, no way to reach the shelters in need, no way to reach her own brother whose home in Bellaire had been flooded.

Still, Parnham planned to keep trying. She had to. She could not shake the images of families forced from their houses by Harvey.

"I couldn't watch the news without crying," said Parnham. "Here I am cooking breakfast and watching TV and families are homeless."

Just a few miles away, in the Northshire neighborhood, some Humble families faced that grim prospect.

"We're telling everybody to leave their townhomes," Officer Jesse Manning, who wore a white cowboy hat and long black raincoat, told one couple. "I understand it's your home."

"Nah, we're going to leave," conceded the resident, who had already lost two homes in Rockport to Harvey and now fretted about his mother who lives down the street. "It probably will flood."

A shelter for displaced residents had opened at New Covenant Church in Humble, Manning told the man and his wife, who did not want to be identified.

They did not need much convincing.

"Hey, we're Texans, right?" the homeowner told Manning as he prepared to go inside and start packing up to leave.

Manning and the other officers moved to the next house. One resident asked if the police could place barricades along the road. They were all out, Manny replied.

Another wondered if piling sandbags would help.

"I don't think you can stop the bayou," Manning said. "I think that's in vain."

To Shelley Krueger, he explained that emergency services would be curtailed after dark. "When night falls," he said, "we can't come up."

"I thought we were high up, but now I may rethink staying since police are going door to door," said Krueger, her expression growing dark with worry.

Leaving would mean packing up family photos, prized possessions, two dogs (Frankie and Jules), three cats (Ben, Remi and Kitty Smack), and her 14-year-old daughter, Samantha.

A little further down Fieldtree, Christopher Pehl, 36, stood in his doorway, his face grim, a shadow across his eyes. He has lived in the neighborhood for years  through Allison, through Ike, through the Memorial and Tax Day floods. Water never got back his front step.

This time, he is not optimistic. He planned to evacuate with his girlfriend.

"It makes me sad," Pehl said. "You know it's coming, but you can't do anything about it."

Jerome Solomon contributed to this report.
While stories of Houstonians helping neighbors and strangers in need during the historic flooding caused by Tropical Storm Harvey are circulating, area law enforcement officials have a message for those with more nefarious intentions.

On Monday afternoon, during the third day of the disaster, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office posted a warning for criminals: there will be mandatory jail time for looters, thieves or burglars caught victimizing area residents.
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A Houston area family has given new meaning to southern hospitality during Tropical Storm Harvey.

Nicole Richert, 42, was driving around her Cypress community Monday about noon when she saw groups of people seeking shelter at Shell gas station roughly a mile from her home.

Richert, a children's pastor at Fairfield Baptist Church, stopped and for about seven hours, shuttled 16 people and seven dogs to her home to shelter.

HELPING HAND: Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church opens its doors to those seeking shelter from Harvey





"There was no place where they could go," Richert told Chron.com Tuesday morning.

The group ate a chili and cornbread for dinner before Richert found them places to sleep around her home.

The group includes older couples and young families, one of which who had a dachshund who had just given birth to puppies.

RESOURCEFUL: Houston family uses LEGOs to save furniture from Harvey flooding

"They were all complete strangers to Nicole, but Nicole shows all the best character traits of Texas hospitality and Christian love. What a great lady," family friend Kevin McGown told Chron.com.
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Tropical Storm Harvey continues to dump record-breaking levels of rainfall on Bayou City, days after making landfall.

On the ground, federal and civilian rescue efforts are trying to keep up with the floodwaters.

One recent image captured by Houston Chronicle photographer Melissa Phillip at Tidwell and east Sam Houston Tollway shows the mind-boggling manpower needed to sustain these rescue efforts in roadways that have now become heavily-trafficked rivers.

LATEST UPDATE: More rain on the way for flood-swollen Houston area

As of Monday evening, Harvey's center appears to have gone offshore, but more rain is forecast Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

So far, Harvey has dumped an estimated 30 inches of rainfall in Harris County, with some experts predicting that number to reach 50 by the time the storm ends.

DRONE PHOTOS: See drone photos of flooding over Houston in wake of Harvey

Harris County residents are advised to stay off the road and only call 9-1-1 if they have a life-threatening emergency.

To see the most recent updates on Harvey, visit Chron.com's hurricane page.

See more images of Houston's flooding above.
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Thousands have been displaced and evacuated as a result of the flooding and destruction caused by Tropical Storm Harvey.

LATEST: Get the most up-to-date details, photos of Harvey here

As it continues to pour in Houston, more and more people are being forced to flee their water-logged homes and neighborhoods. Brazoria County officials told residents to 'get out' Tuesday morning after a dam levee was breached.

A new report estimates that only 20 percent of homeowners affected by Harvey have insurance coverage and the majority will be facing big bills on their own.

EVACUEES: George R. Brown's Harvey evacuees: Photos show what life is like inside Houston's convention center

The American Red Cross is encouraging people to make donations to help the tens of thousands left temporarily homeless as a result of the flooding. Here is how you can help.

See heartbreaking photos of the people affected by flooding and destruction caused by Harvey.
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As of 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 31, this post was no longer being updated.

CHI St. Luke's Health

Open

CHI St. Luke's Health, Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center

CHI St. Luke's Health, The Woodlands Hospital

CHI St. Luke's Health, Lakeside Hospital

CHI St. Luke's Health, Springwoods Village Hospital

CHI St. Luke's Health, Patients Medical Center

CHI St. Luke's Health, Brazosport Hospital

CHI St. Luke's Emergency Center, Conroe

CHI St. Luke's Emergency Center, Huntsville

CHI St. Luke's Emergency Center, Clear Lake Area

CHI St. Luke's Emergency Center, Spring/Harmony.

Closed

CHI St. Luke's HealthSugar Land Hospital (indefinitely, patients transferred to CHI St. Luke's Health facilities)

CHI St. Luke's HealthPatients Medical Center (indefinitely, current patients treated on site)

Texas Heart Institute Clinic (through Wednesday)

Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center Transplant Center Clinics (through Wednesday)

CHI St. Luke's HealthDiagnostic & Outpatient Center, Radiation Therapy & CyberKnife at Kirby Glenn (through Wednesday)

CHI St. Luke's HealthThe Vintage Hospital (indefinitely, patients transferred to CHI St. Luke's Health facilities)

Baylor St. Luke's Emergency Centers, Holcombe, Galleria, & Pearland (indefinitely)

Memorial Hermann

Open

Memorial Hermann Urgent Care-Friendswood

Memorial Hermann Urgent Care-Fulshear

Memorial Hermann Urgent Care-Spring

Memorial Hermann Urgent Care-Tanglewood

Memorial Hermann Urgent Care-Washington

Memorial Hermann Urgent Care-Clear Lake

Memorial Hermann Convenient Care CenterKaty

Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center

Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital

Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital

Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital

Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center

Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital

Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital

Memorial Hermann Pearland Hospital

Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital

Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital

Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital

TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital

Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital  Katy

Memorial Hermann PaRC

Memorial Hermann  Tomball

CLOSED

Memorial Hermann Convenient Care Center  Spring

Memorial Hermann Convenient Care Center  Sienna Plantation

Memorial Hermann Convenient Care Center  Summer Creek

Memorial Hermann  First Colony

Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital Kingwood

Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital

Memorial Hermann Orthopedic & Spine Hospital

Houston Methodist

All seven Houston Methodist hospitals are open in the greater Houston area.

Houston Methodist Hospital

Central - Texas Medical Center6565 Fannin Street

Houston, TX 77030

713.790.3311

Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital

East - Baytown4401 Garth Road

Baytown, TX 77521

281.420.8600

Houston Methodist West Hospital

West - Katy18500 Katy Frwy.

Houston, TX 77094

832.522.5522

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

Southwest - Sugar Land16655 Southwest Freeway

Sugar Land, TX 77479

281.274.7000

Houston Methodist St. John Hospital

Southeast - Bay Area18300 St. John Drive

Nassau Bay, TX 77058

281.523.2000

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital

Northwest - Willowbrook18220 State Highway 249

Houston, TX 77070

281.737.2500

Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital

North - The Woodlands17201 Interstate 45 South

The Woodlands, TX 77385

936.270.2000

St. Joseph

St. Joseph Medical Center Downtown and its Houston Heights location are open.

St. Joseph Medical Center  Downtown, 1401 St. Joseph Parkway

St. Joseph Medical Center in the Heights, 1917 Ashland Street

Baylor

Open

Baylor College of Medicine Medical Center

Baylor Clinic, Main Street

Lee and Joe Jamail Specialty Care Clinic

Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center

Texas Children's

OPEN

Texas Children's Hospital (Surgery resumes Monday, clinics open Tuesday)

OPEN

TEXAS CHILDREN'S PEDIATRIC CENTERS

Cinco Ranch

Sugarland

Pediatric Medical Group

Town and Country

Westchase

Fannin

Katy

Cohan and Masharani

Houston Pediatrics

Heights

Green Park will operate out of the Pediatric Medical Group location

Pediatrics of Cy Fair

Piney Point

West Houston

FM 2920

Palm Center

Humble Atascocita

Pasadena

Lakewood

Kingsland

Corinthian Pointe

Cypress

Conroe

Rayford

Woodlands

Sterling Ridge

Dr. Leass

TEXAS CHILDREN'S URGENT CARE

The Woodlands

Heights

Vintage

Fairfield

Cinco Ranch

Main Campus

HCA Healthcare

OPEN

Houston Area Hospitals

Bayshore Medical Center

4000 Spencer Highway

Pasadena, TX 77504

(713) 359-2000

Clear Lake Regional Medical Center

500 Medical Center Blvd

Webster, TX 77598

(281) 332-2511

Conroe Regional Medical Center

504 Medical Center Blvd

Conroe, TX 77304

(936) 539-111

Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital

10655 Steepletop Drive

Houston, TX 77065

(281) 890-4285

Houston Northwest Medical Center

710 Cypress Creek Parkway

Houston, TX 77090

(281) 440-1000

Kingwood Medical Center

22999 US Highway 59 N

Kingwood, TX 77339

(281) 348-8000

Mainland Medical Center

(a campus of Clear Lake Regional Medical Center)

6801 Emmett F Lowry Expressway

Texas City, TX 77591

(409) 938-5000

Park Plaza Hospital

1313 Herman Drive

Houston, TX 77004

(713) 527-5000

Plaza Specialty Hospital

1313 Herman Drive

Houston, TX 77004

(713) 285-1000

Pearland Medical Center

11100 Shadow Creek Pkwy

Pearland, TX 77584

(713) 770-7000

Texas Orthopedic Hospital

7401 South Main Street

Houston, TX 77030

(713) 799-8600

Tomball Regional Medical Center

605 Holderrieth Blvd.

Tomball, TX 77375

(281) 401-7500

The Woman's Hospital of Texas

7600 Fannin

Houston, TX 77054

(713) 790-1234

West Houston Medical Center

12141 Richmond Ave

Houston, TX 77082

(281) 558-3444

South Texas Area Hospitals

CLOSED

Houston Hospital - Closed

East Houston Regional Medical Center

(a campus of Bayshore Medical Center)

13111 East Freeway

Houston, TX 77015

(713) 393-2000

CLOSED, to open next week

Affinity Emergency Center

18230 FM 1488 (Landmark Bldg.)

Magnolia, TX 77354

(281) 259-CARE

Bayshore Medical Center 24 Hour Emergency Center

6002 Fairmont Parkway

Pasadena, TX 77505

(713) 359-2100

Cy-Fair Emergency Center @ Beltway 8

5655 W. Sam Houston North

Houston, Texas 77041

(281) 949-3800

Cy-Fair Emergency Center @ Hwy 6 North @ West Rd.

8470 Hwy 6 North

Houston, Texas 77095

(281) 949-3799

Cy-Fair Emergency Center @ Barker Cypress & FM 529

7015 Barker Cypress Road

Cypress, Texas 77435

(281) 949-3600

Kingwood Medical Center 24 Hour Emergency Center

9711 N. Sam Houston Pkwy East

Humble, TX 77396

(281) 441-6520

Sacred Heart Emergency Center

Katy Freeway locations at Bunker Hill and Interstate 10 will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. 9774 Katy Freeway #500.

The Galleria area location at 5018 San Felipe St. is closed.

PlushCare Urgent Care

The San Francisco-based company that consults with patients by phone and video, is available. The phone number is 888-861-8280.

Harris Health System

Open

Ben Taub Hospital

LBJ Hospital

Riverside-Dialysis Center (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.)

Opening 9 a.m. Friday

Quintin Mease Hospital

Margot Hilliard Alford Same-Day Clinic (LBJ campus)

Opening 8 a.m. Thursday

Fondren Pharmacy at Smith Clinic

Temporary emergency prescription pickups

Harris Health System primary care centers and community clinics

CLOSED (opening Tuesday)

A.C. Taylor Health Clinic

Acres Home Health Center

Aldine Health Center

Baytown Health Center

Casa De Amigos Health Center

Cypress Health Center

Danny Jackson Health Center

El Franco Lee Health Center

Goose Creek Health Clinic

Gulfgate Health Center

Long Branch Health Center

Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center

North West Health Center

Pediatric and Adolescent Health Center  Bear Creek

Pediatric and Adolescent Health Center  C.E. Odom

Pediatric and Adolescent Health Center  Pasadena

Robert Carrasco Health Clinic

Sheldon Health Clinic

Southside Health Clinic

Settegast Health Center

Sheldon Health Clinic

Southside Health Clinic

Squatty Lyons Health Center

Strawberry Health Center

Thomas Street Health Center

Valbona Health Center

Kelsey-Seybold

OPEN

Main Campus  Endoscopy

Main Campus  Cancer Center  Infusion

Main Campus  Cancer Center

Clear Lake Clinic

Downtown at the Shops Clinic

Fort Bend Medical and Diagnostic Center

Katy Clinic

Pearland Clinic

Sleep Center

Spring Medical and Diagnostic Center

Spring Medical and Diagnostic Center  Endoscopy

Spring  Cancer Center  Infusion

Summer Creek Clinic (Humble)

Tanglewood Clinic

The Vintage Clinic

The Woodlands Clinic

Woman's Center

CLOSED

Kingwood Clinic

Sienna Plantation Clinic

Main Campus  Surgery Center

Pasadena Clinic

Go to Kelsey-Seybold's website for specific clinic locations and hours.

MD Anderson

All seven locations of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in the Greater Houston area will be closed through Friday, including its location at the Texas Medical Center.

VA

Open: Houston VA Medical Center and Charles Wilson VA Outpatient Clinic in Lufkin.

Closed: All local VA Outpatient Clinics until Tuesday.

LEGACY

OPEN, 8 to 5

Legacy Montrose Clinic, 1415 California St. Houston, TX 77006

Legacy Fifth Ward Clinic, 3811 Lyons Ave. Houston, TX 77020

Legacy Bissonet Clinic, 12667 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77099

Legacy Sharpstown Rookin Clinic, 6677 Rookin, Houston, TX 77074

Legacy Southwest Clinic, 6441 High Star, Houston, TX 77074

Neighbors Emergency Centers



Open

Baytown, 6501 Garth Rd. Baytown

Bellaire, 5413 S. Rice Ave. Houston

Pearland, 11130 W. Broadway, Pearland

Open at 6 p.m.

Copperfield 5835 Highway 6 North Houston

Pasadena 7215 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena

Texas City 3302 Palmer Highway, Texas City

Opening 6 a.m. Thursday

Crosby 14120 FM 2100 Crosby

Kingwood 1120 Kingwood Drive, Kingwood

Porter 22678 Hwy 59, Porter

Beaumont 4755 Eastex Frwy

Open at 7 am Friday: 3330 Hwy 365, Port Arthur

Orange 1321 N. 16th Street, Orange





Next Level Urgent Care

Four Next Level Urgent Care centers are open Tuesday. That includes:

Cinco Ranch Urgent Care, 10705 Spring Green Blvd, Suite 600, Katy from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Copperfield, 8100 Highway 6 North, Suite E, Houston from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Tanglewood, 5749 San Filepe St., Houston from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Memorial Park, 5535 Memorial Dr., Suite B from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

MedSpring Urgent Care

OPEN

River Oaks - 1917 W. Gray St.

Midtown Houston - 2707 Milam St.

Sugar Land - 1403 Highway 6

Heights - 102 W. 11st

Street Falcon Landing in Katy - 9722 Gaston Rd.

Katy, Falcon Landing  9722 Gaston Rd, Suite 190

Katy, Fry Rd, 6501 S. Fry Road #1000

CLOSED

Kingwood  1450 Kingwood Dr.

Memorial  14045 Memorial Drive

Signature Care Emergency Center

Two Houston area locations of Signature Care Emergency Center are open, including one near Memorial City at 1014 Wirt Rd. and another near Mission Bend at

8910 Hwy 6, according to the health provider's website.

The center's locations in Montrose, Stafford and T.C. Jester are closed.

Minute Clinics

Minute Clinics inside the following CVS Pharmacy locations are closed, according to the company's website.

3939 Bellaire Boulevard, Houston

5402 Westheimer Road, Houston

1003 Richmond Avenue, Houston

2469 Bay Area Blvd, Houston

9101 Highway 6,

Houston,

15010 Memorial Drive,

Houston,

5603 FM 1960 West,

Houston

8000 North Sam Houston East,

Humble

RediClinic is located inside some Rite Aid Pharmacies and H-E-B grocery stores.

Open (until 2p.m.)

RediClinic Woodlands-Creekside  26500 Kuykendahl Rd, Tomball

Open (until 3 p.m.)

RediClinic Atascocita  7405 FM 1960 East, Humble

RediClinic Spring Cypress  14100 Spring Cypress Rd, Cypress

RediClinic Katy  6711 South Fry Road, Katy

RediClinic Tomball  28520 Tomball Parkway, Tomball

RediClinic Vintage Park, 10919 Louetta Road, Houston

RediClinic Bunker Hill  9710 Katy Freeway, Houston

RediClinic Pearland  2805 Business Center Drive, Pearland

RediClinic Pin Oak  25675 Nelson Way, Katy

RediClinic Sienna Plantation  8900 Highway 6, Missouri City

RediClinic Sugar Land 2  530 Hwy 6, Sugar Land

Open (until 4 p.m.)

RediClinic Montrose  1701 W. Alabama St, Houston

Closed

RediClinic Barker Cypress  24224 Northwest Freeway, Cypress

RediClinic Kingwood  4517 Kingwood Dr, Kingwood

RediClinic North Woodlands  3601 FM 1488, The Woodlands

RediClinic Spring  130 Sawdust Road, Spring

RediClinic The Woodlands  10777 Kuykendahl Road, The Woodlands

RediClinic Friendswood  701 W Parkwood, Friendswood

RediClinic League City/Bay Colony  2955 South Gulf Freeway, League City

RediClinic Pasadena  6210 Fairmont Pkwy, Pasadena

RediClinic Sugar Land  19900 Highway 59, Sugar Land

RediClinic Tuscan Lakes  2755 E. League City Parkway, League City



UTMB

UTMB Hospitals open:

Galveston

League City

Angleton

Danbury

UTMB Clinics open:

Pediatric and adult primary Friendswood, League City, Angleton and Galveston.

Regional Maternal and Child Health Program clinic Conroe

HOPE Clinic-West

12121 Westheimer Rd #205, will be open Wednesday. It closed at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

First Choice Emergency Room

First Choice Emergency Room

Open

First Choice Emergency Center Alvin

First Choice Emergency Center Atascocita/Humble

First Choice Emergency Center Briar Forest

First Choice Emergency Center Conroe

First Choice Emergency Center Cypress-Fairfield

First Choice Emergency Center Cypress Grant Road

First Choice Emergency Center Deer Park

First Choice Emergency Center-Fallbrook

First Choice Emergency Center-Jones Road

First Choice Emergency Center Katy

First Choice Emergency Center-Katy Cinco Ranch

First Choice Emergency Center-Spring Green

First Choice Emergency Center-South Shore Harbor

First Choice Emergency Center  Kuykendahl

First Choice Emergency Center- Glen Loch

First Choice Emergency Center-Spring Rayford

First Choice Emergency Center-Summerwood

First Choice Emergency Center-The Woodlands

First Choice Emergency Center-Creekside

Closed

First Choice Emergency Center Friendswood

First Choice Emergency Center Kingwood

First Choice Emergency Center League City-Victory Lanes

First Choice Emergency Center Missouri City-Lakes

First Choice Emergency Center Pearland (Broadway)

First Choice Emergency Center Rosenberg

First Choice Emergency Center Sienna Plantation

First Choice Emergency Center Spring-Rayford
As police and rescuers travel through floodwaters to recover Hurricane Harvey victims, one Texas sheriff has shared a photo showing the great lengths people are going through to stay safe.

On Monday, Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody tweeted a photo of a home where floodwater encroached on the door of a home, with tents pitched on the roof.
A law enforcement crackdown on looters, burglars and robbers netted 15 arrests across the storm-ravaged Houston area.

They could face 20 years in prison, since sentences for looters and other thieves can be doubled because of Texas law governing law enforcement during disasters, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Tuesday.

"People displaced or harmed in this storm are not going to be easy prey," Ogg said. "Anyone who tries to take advantage of this storm to break into homes or businesses should know that they are going to feel the full weight of the law."

If looters are charged with breaking into homes, they could face life in prison.

Houston police Chief Art Acevedo said he coordinated with Ogg to ensure that the judges and juries who will decide punishment are aware of suspects charged with crimes during the storm.

"We're not just in a search-and-rescue mode, we're still in a law enforcement and public safety mode," he said. "When you prey on people in these circumstance, that's despicable behavior and we're all going to push hard to make sure you don't see the sunlight anytime soon."

Court records show that the arrests included two roving groups of four who were jailed for breaking into businesses.

One group was arrested outside a liquor store in the 7200 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in southeast Houston. A resident flagged down a police officer late Monday to report that people were breaking into the store.

Natasha Matthews, 44, was arrested with a bag of liquor bottles, according to the district attorney's office. After seeing that an entryway had been broken in, officers also found and arrested Joseph Guillory, 53; Rochelle Brown, 54; and Shameca Poole, 39.

Four others were arrested late Monday after a deputy constable saw a suspicious pickup truck outside of a shoe store in a shopping center on Old Spanish Trail, court records show.

Another man, 31-year-old Jared Babineaux, was arrested trying to use an SUV to smash into a convenience store in south Houston in an apparent attempt to steal an ATM, officials said. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

After reports of the looting were publicized, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner issued a curfew Tuesday in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. During a press conference late Tuesday, the mayor said it was necessary for public safety.

The curfew will remain in effect until further notice.

Another six accused thieves were arrested by the Houston Police Department, the sheriff's office and various Harris County constables offices across the area, Ogg said.

Acevedo said police took extra steps to arrest one group of thieves late Monday.

"Our officers heard about it, they deployed in heavy rain, and they went and found them," he said. "They went in pursuit and all of those suspects were taken into custody."

The chief was resolute despite an overworked police force reeling from the death of one of their own. Steve Perez, 60, a 34-year veteran of the Houston department, drowned in his patrol car Sunday in Harvey floodwaters.

Acevedo noted that police and prosecutors are continuing to work 24 hours a day, including sleeping at police stations and courthouses. A small staff of prosecutors with the district attorneys office has been sleeping in shifts to remain at the courthouse to file charges around the clock.

Under Texas law, punishments increase and even double for crimes such as assault, robbery, burglary and theft if they are committed in a county declared a disaster area by the governor.

Burglarizing a home, for example, normally would bring a penalty ranging from two to 20 years in prison. Now it could bring the possibility of five years to life.

Other crimes also have enhanced penalties.
Police in Harris County are working tirelessly to rescue victims affected by Hurricane Harvey and they need help.

On Tuesday, the Harris County Precinct 7 Constable's Office said it needs more boats to help with rescue efforts. The agency is asking anyone with available boats to contact them at 713-643-6602.
When Emily and Ryan Carson left on their Royal Caribbean cruise, they'd hoped to be off the ship and home in Edmond on Sunday.

Instead, they are sitting between Galveston, Texas, and Miami.

"We're in the middle of the Gulf, basically. Halfway to Miami," Ryan Carson said.

The Carsons believe the cruise ship should have been diverted earlier.

"Everybody knew it was going to be like this, and we're still headed to Galveston as of even Saturday night," Ryan Carson said.

Now they're headed toward Miami, and there's another concern.

"One of our major concerns is I'm 12 weeks pregnant," Emily Carson said. "I have medication that I need for this pregnancy."

She runs out of that medication Tuesday.

Royal Caribbean officials said the ship will arrive Tuesday in Miami. Guests can leave from there or sail back to Galveston to arrive Friday.
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The company that owns a flooded chemical plant in Crosby where refrigeration of explosive, heat-sensitive chemicals failed says workers are still on site but have been moved away from the hazard.

The chemicals were moved to diesel-powered refrigeration cars, which the company is still monitoring, Arkema spokeswoman Janet Smith wrote in an email.

READ ALSO: Explosion, fire at building in downtown Houston amid flooding

A wife of one of the workers had previously reported that Crosby firefighters evacuated a group of about 12 employees overnight. But Smith said the workers were given the option of leaving with rescue crews, and only one chose to do so.

"Arkema does not believe that the situation presents a risk to the community or the ride-out crew, due to the distance between the refrigerated cars and any people," Smith said.

The site lost refrigeration to all of its cold-storage warehouses when power was lost and backup generators flooded, she said. Workers then transferred the chemicals.

The plant at 18000 Crosby Eastgate Road, northeast of Houston, has been shut down since Friday in anticipation of the storm. A crew of 11 people has remained on site to ride it out. The company has informed regulators of the situation, Smith said.

"Arkema is limited in what it can do to address the site conditions until the storm abates," she said, adding, "We are working without pause to keep our materials safe. We have no higher priority than the safety of our employees, neighbors and the environment. While roads around our plant are impassable, our ride-out crew has two boats that could be used to carry the crew out of the site."

The wife, who did not want to be identified, said early Tuesday morning that within the last six hours, the situation had "deteriorated greatly."

This is a breaking news story. Check back here for developments.




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A shocking video of a young Houston girl in a diaper wandering the flooded streets of a Pearland neighborhood with her sippy cup in hand has gone viral after a teenager came to her rescue and returned her to her parents.

Renz Michael, a sophomore at Pearland High School, captured the little girl on video and shared the footage to his Twitter account on Sunday evening.

"I found this little girl walking in the streets alone. I decided to get her back to her house. #HurricaneHarvey," Michael wrote in his tweet.

NEWS TO USE: Here is where you can get food right now in Houston

The video shows Michael asking her numerous questions including "where are you going?" and "where are your parents?" With a hint of sass, the Pearland girl walked him back to her house to show Michael where she came from. When they got to the house, a man who appears to be her father walked from the home and took her back inside. Michael reported on his videos that she somehow snuck out of the house.

Since Sunday, the post has been retweeted over 5,300 times and liked over 8,800 times. Along with the retweets, Michael got extensive praise for his actions in getting the child back to her house.

"We do need more in this world like this man," Grace Asher replied to his tweet. "They are so blessed it was him and not some perve that found that angel."

Jen Vieria replied back saying: "I suspect she lied to you about her parents knowing. She has no idea how lucky she was to have you looking out."

Now Playing: Texas National Guard soldiers respond to the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Video by: Staff Sgt. Tim Pruitt, Courtesy: Texas Military Dept. Video: Houston Chronicle

Others, like Elaine Torres, were concerned with the danger the girl was in saying, "Omg...what if that kid had drowned!! The manhole covers float away during floods she could have dropped right in... well done, dude!"

STORES OPEN: Grocers around Houston open their doors to feed during Harvey

Chron.com has reached out to Michael for comment, but have yet to hear back from him as of publication.

As of Tuesday, over 3,000 people have been rescued by Houston officials and National Gaurd men and women. At least 6 people have lost their lives due to Harvey and a family of 6 is reported dead by KHOU, though officials are investigating to confirm their deaths.
PHOENIX  Just days after having his criminal conviction wiped out with a pardon, former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is weighing another bid for public office  perhaps against Jeff Flake.

The 85-year-old Arpaio acknowledged Monday that his inclination after being defeated last year and found guilty of criminal contempt was to simply retire into the background.

But Arpaio told Capitol Media Services he is entertaining various requests that he reenter political life. And the former sheriff said if he did, he might take on the incumbent U.S. senator who is seeking reelection next year.

Arpaio said any decision is not based on the fact that both Flake and John McCain, the state's other senator, were very critical of Friday's decision by President Trump to pardon him. But he did unload on both, saying they should have spoken to him about the underlying issue before making their statements.

I'm their constituent, he said. You would think they would check with me if there was abuse of the justice of the courts.

But he specifically singled out Flake for saying that Trump should honor the judicial process and let it take its course.

Arpaio said that would have meant waiting until he was sentenced on misdemeanor charges that he ignored a federal judge's orders not to use his deputies to go after those suspected of being in the country illegally. That could have meant up to six months in jail.

Potentially more significant, the normal practice of the U.S. Department of Justice is to wait five years before considering such requests.

It's too late then, he said.

Instead, Arpaio said, any decision to run would be solely to support Trump and his agenda in Washington.

The main thing I would want to do is help the president, he said.

If Arpaio runs  and he stressed that no decision has been made  it could undermine the candidacy of former state Sen. Kelli Ward who to this point is Flake's only announced foe. Ward has staked out some of the same positions as Arpaio on things like illegal immigration and her support for Trump.

But Ward suggested Monday she's not about to withdraw, though she sidestepped questions Monday about how an Arpaio run might affect her chances.

My campaign has incredible momentum and I will do everything possible to make sure the sheriff and I remain on the same team  united to retire Sen. Flake in 2018, she said in a prepared statement.

Flake, for his part, had no comment.

Whether the former sheriff's musings translate into an actual candidacy is speculation at best.

During his 24 years in office, Arpaio often delighted in telling reporters how he was the most popular elected official in the state and openly suggested he might run for governor. None of those campaigns ever materialized as Arpaio concluded he liked being the top law enforcement officer in the state's most populous county.

But now, after he lost last year's reelection bid and following the criminal contempt conviction  now moot because of Friday's pardon  Arpaio finds himself with nothing to fall back on.

When I left office, I told my wife I am not going back into politics, the former sheriff said. And then I decided in recent months that I'm going to go back into politics.

And the possibilities, he said, include going after Flake who recent polls suggest would be vulnerable in a Republican primary.

A statewide survey of 400 likely Arizona general election voters found that if Flake went up against Ward, she would pick up 42.5 percent of the vote against 28.2 percent for Flake. But nearly a quarter had no opinion or declined to comment.

One interesting note in that HighGround poll is that it found that both likely would lose to Democrat Kyrsten Sinema in the general election if the congresswoman opted to make a run for the Senate. That leaves the question of whether Arpaio would fare better.

Political consultant Chuck Couglin said his firm's poll conducted earlier this month did not pose that question.

The former sheriff has a high name ID amongst a vast majority of Arizona's electorate, he said, as well as a strong loyal following among Republicans which, in a general election cycle is not an insubstantial thing to consider.

But Coughlin said Arpaio, like Trump, remains a highly polarizing figure among many voters, and would also have a hard time beating Sinema were she to get into the race.

There's something else for the GOP to consider if there is a primary fight.

The last time Arizona put a Democrat into the U.S. Senate was in 1976 when two Republican members of Congress, John Conlan and Sam Steiger, engaged in a heated battle to be the party's nominee after Paul Fannin retired. While Steiger won the primary, the race left so much bad blood that Democrat Dennis DeConcini from Tucson snatched the seat in November with 54 percent of the vote.
Donald Trump was in a bad mood before he emerged for a confrontational speech in Arizona last week.

TV and social media coverage showed that the rally site, the Phoenix Convention Center, was less than full. Backstage, waiting in a room with a television monitor, Trump was displeased, one person familiar with the incident said: TV optics and crowd sizes are extremely important to the president.

As his surrogates warmed up the audience, the facility eventually filled in with cheering Trump fans. But it was too late for a longtime Trump aide, George Gigicos, the former White House director of advance who had organized the event as a contractor to the Republican National Committee. Trump later had his top security aide, Keith Schiller, inform Gigicos that he'd never manage a Trump rally again, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Gigicos, one of the four longest-serving political aides to the president, declined to comment.

Even by his standards, Trump was remarkably strident in Phoenix.

After introductory speakers, including Vice President Mike Pence, lauded him for his commitment to racial harmony, the president came on stage and lambasted the media for what he called inaccurate reporting on his remarks about violence between hate groups and counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Va.

He threatened to shut down the federal government unless Congress funds construction of the Mexican border wall he promised in his campaign. He telegraphed that he'd pardon former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, convicted of defying a court order to stop racial profiling by his deputies. And in their home state, he assailed Arizona Sens. John McCain for the failure of Obamacare repeal and Jeff Flake for being "weak" on illegal immigration, without mentioning their names. Both are fellow Republicans.

Gigicos had staged the event in a large multipurpose room. There were some bleachers off to the side, but otherwise the audience was standing - and the scene appeared lacking the enthusiasm of other rallies.

Although the crowd looked thin when Trump arrived at about 6:30 p.m., rallygoers filled in the space while Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, former Georgia state Rep. Alveda King, evangelist Franklin Graham and Pence delivered introductory speeches. A city of Phoenix spokeswoman told the Arizona Republic newspaper that about 10,000 people were inside the room when Trump took the stage.

Gigicos organized all of Trump's signature campaign events and his occasional rallies since entering office. He left his White House job as director of advance on July 31 to return to his consulting business. But he continued to work for Trump's re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee.
Susan Walsh/STF

WASHINGTON  The U.S. Department of Labor on Tuesday announced an initial $10 million National Dislocated Worker Grant to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts in Texas.

"The Department of Labor is deploying resources to help Texans who find themselves unable to work, and without a paycheck, get back on their feet. An initial investment of $10 million will be provided to help Texas assess their workforce needs," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. "The American workforcealong with our volunteers and first respondersis the greatest in the world. Together, we will recover and rebuild Southeast Texas."
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AUSTIN -- Eleven young girls sat on the ground and held out their hands as Martha Rosales, 18 from Houston, painted their nails with silver, red and purple nail polish while listening to Taylor Swift music and snacking on Sour Patch Kids.

Tired of sitting indoors, Rosales and Britny Mitchell, a 19-year-old volunteer, set up a makeshift nail salon outside an emergency shelter Monday where nearly 200 people have sought refuge since tropical storm Harvey forced them from their homes.

"A lot of people are crying and nervous," Rosales said. "It's hard to see people like that."

She is one of about 40 people who fled Harris County for Austin since Hurricane Harvey slammed into the Gulf coast Friday night, decimating homes and cities before dumping nearly 30 inches of rain in parts of Houston over the weekend, turning the nation's fourth most populated city into a flooded swampland.

Shelters across Texas are preparing for thousands more people to seek sanctuary across Texas in the coming days as rains continue to pummel the Houston area, forcing nearby cities and counties to enforce mandatory evacuations.

The Red Cross opened the doors of the Walnut Hill Recreation Center in Dallas on Friday, and its 300 beds were taken by Saturday night, mostly by people evacuating the Houston area, including from as far as bay Town and Pasadena, a volunteer operator said.

Dallas -- which already has three shelters in operation housing about 640 people as of Monday evening -- is preparing to open the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, which can shelter another 5,000 people. City officials plan to have it ready by Tuesday morning.

"We are trying to help any way we can," Dallas Council member Lee Kleinman said.

San Antonio officials say they have processed about 1,160 evacuees who were largely from the coast and can take in at least 10,000 people.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler -- who credited Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner's as "an example of what strong leadership and action looks like -- said he's been asked to make room for about 7,000 people.

The question is when.

Rosales fled Houston with her parents and two younger brothers Friday out of fear that the Whiteoak Bayou in their backyard was going to overflow into their home.

Once they arrived at Austin's Wilhelmenia Delco Center with its cot-filled gym, Rosales said she felt the urge to help others. She has since helped serve dinner and lunch and clean up the center after meals.

"When I got here, I went online and signed up to become a volunteer right away," Rosales said.

She's since bonded with a group of younger girls, ranging from 8 to 11 years old, who left their homes in Corpus Christie and Victoria over the last few days. She doesn't know what's happened to her's.

Her family plans to wait until Tuesday evening to check in on recorded water levels so they can figure out when they can return to Houston.

"My mom is very religious, so she tells us to have faith that everything is going to be okay," Rosales said.

The number of mandatory evacuations have quickly increased as the storm has progressed. The entire western half of Brazoria County is now under a mandatory evacuation order, and Sienna Plantation's optional evacuation has turned mandatory in the area west of FM 521 as the Brazos River was expected to crest.

"If people need to get out, now is definitely the time," said Alan Spears, deputy emergency management coordinator of Fort Bend County, on KTRK Monday morning, asking residents to heed calls for evacuation. Fort Bend County upgraded their evacuation status in some low-lying areas from voluntary to mandatory Sunday. Roads in the area are "in pretty good shape," he said.

The sun feels good on Elias Rodriguez's face and arms as he stands outside an emergency shelter a three hour drive from his basement apartment in Bay City that he's pretty sure is flooded.

He would have ridden out the storm if it wasn't for his daughter, 11-year-old Samantha wearing a black pullover sweater with the word "fearless" on the front.

"She's the only reason I'm here. If something happened to her, I'd feel guilty all my life," said Rodriguez as he stood outside the center in Austin, one of about a dozen planned emergency shelters outside the Houston area taking people in.

Samantha stood outside in her black socks, enjoying the breeze as her black and red hair blew in the wind. "Mother Nature can be beautiful, but sometimes awful."

Andrea Zelinski covers politics and education for the Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com.

Alejandra Matos covers politics and immigration. Follow her on Twitter and send her tips alejandra.matos@chron.com.
CORPUS CHRISTI -- In his first visit to the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast after Hurricane Harvey, President Donald Trump sought to lift spirits of storm-weary Texans, repeatedly praising residents for their perseverance.

"It's historic, it's epic, but I tell you it happened in Texas, and Texas can handle anything," Trump shouted to more than 1,000 people who lined a Corpus Christi street as he ended a briefing on Hurricane Harvey with both state and national emergency operations officials.

Moments later, Trump held up a Texas flag as people across the street roared their approval.

Trump did not provide any specific details on casualties or people displaced by the storms, but repeatedly said he is providing everything he can to help Texas recover. He and Gov. Greg Abbott also took time to praise each other and stress that the state and federal government are coordinating their response together well.

"Your governor has done a fantastic job," Trump said.

Moments earlier Abbott praised Trump for his quick response to provide assistance. Abbott said behind the scenes, days before the storm hit, the administration was working with him to prepare for the storm.

"The president and his cabinet have remained in constant contact," Abbott said at a fire station in Corpus Christi that is serving as an emergency operations center just about 30 miles from where Hurricane Harvey devastated the town of Rockport. "What I have learned, is that we can count on the President of the United States and his staff for helping."

The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long used the briefing to assure the media that FEMA is doing everything they can to make sure supplies gets to the Houston Convention Center, which has become a shelter for thousands seeking protection from Harvey.

"This is not the Superdome," Long said in a reference to Hurricane Katrina when FEMA was faulted for allowing deadly conditions to develop at the Louisiana Superdome.

The briefing included both U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, as well as Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Hundreds of people lined the streets along the motorcade route to and from the airport. Many waved American flags and wore "Make America Great Again" caps.
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Two additional state prisons were evacuated starting late Monday as flooding from Harvey continued to escalate the high-water emergency southwest of Houston.

Texas Department of Justice officials said rising floodwaters from the Brazos River had forced the relocation of an estimated 1,400 convicts from the Jester 3 and Vance prisons in Richmond to some of the other 100-plus state lockups across Texas.

Jason Clark, a spokesman for the criminal justice agency, said the first prisoners began moving out late Monday to other state prisons in South Texas, at a time when most major roads and highways in the area are inundated by flood waters.

FORECAST: A weary Houston likely to endure catastrophic flooding through Wednesday

Two other nearby prisons are on higher ground and are not affected, officials said.

The likely move brings to five the number of state prisons that have been evacuated since Friday, when torrential rains from Harvey began inundating the Houston. More than 5,900 convicts will have been relocated in secure buses accompanied by correctional officers and other corrections staff.

The closures set a new record for prison closures from flooding not seen for decades in the nation's largest state prison system.

The earlier evacuations vacated the Stringfellow, Terrell and Ramsey prisons near Rosharon, miles downstream from the two units that were emptied on Monday. Photos on social media from the previously emptied prisons on Monday showed them surrounded by water.

HISTORIC FLOODING: Incredible image of Harvey in Houston shows immense flood rescue effort

According to prison officials, the maximum-security Jester 3 unit opened in 1982 houses about 1,100 convicts with a staff of about 280.

The 1933-vintage minimum-security Vance Unit, which houses the prison system's faith-based pre-release program, houses about 375 convicts with a staff of approximately 115.

See who came to help Houston after Harvey above.
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Dear President Donald Trump,

While we write this letter, the trees are still bending in near gale-force winds and floodwaters are rushing out of bayous into our homes and neighborhoods. But you should know that the bayous are what attracted the Allen Brothers - two ambitious developers from New York, not unlike yourself - to found Houston in the first place.

In the 19th century, the bayous were a byway for cotton traders. But now they converge at the Houston Ship Channel, the core of our national oil and gas industry.

Hurricane Harvey made first landfall near Corpus Christi, and Houston is still enduring the worst of this ongoing disaster, so it is only appropriate that you're visiting our sister city to the south today for your speech. We're glad you're there, and they need your help, too.

EDITORIAL: We're in this together, Houston

But before you leave, Mr. President, and move on to your next speech in Missouri, please take some time to learn about Houston. Schedule a helicopter tour or a flyover in Air Force One so that you can grasp the full range of destruction that has beset our neighborhoods, businesses and, importantly, refineries. The sheer scale of our city, and its role in the international energy economy, can only be seen from a bird's-eye view.

Houston is no flyover country. We're the energy capital of the world and responsible for a quarter of U.S. petroleum refining and more than half of all jet fuel. In fact, you have an expert on the topic in your cabinet - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, former CEO of ExxonMobil.

We're the Fort Knox of oil and gas, and you risk losing untold wealth if the federal government doesn't muster the resources necessary to help our city repair, rebuild and ensure resilience against the next inevitable storm.

Our city has been pushed to the brink, and the crisis still isn't over. Homes continue to fill with floodwaters, and thousands seek shelter from a storm of biblical proportions. The number of deaths continues to inch higher, and countless families are finding themselves homeless their neighborhoods lost to the rising waters.

HOW TO HELP: What you can do for victims of the Texas storm

While millions hunker down, other fellow Houstonians are putting their bodies and souls to the ultimate test.

Think of the doctors and nurses working without rest, the sheriff's deputies and rescue workers venturing into neighborhoods overwhelmed by waist-high waters, the volunteers who bring comfort to shelters and weekend warriors whose kayaks became a lifeline for stranded families.

As hours without rest turn to days without sleep, these heroes find within themselves a drive - a compassion - that they never knew existed.

Mr. President, these men and women are the soul of our sprawling and diverse Houston. When you speak this morning in Corpus Christi, you have the opportunity to help empower their last reserves of energy so they can endure until the final raindrop falls and the bayous return to their banks.

Ronald Reagan once joked that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."

That isn't a joke you hear during a storm.

Now, more than ever, we need help from the government. We need to know that our politicians in Washington, D.C., are working just as hard as our first responders.

You've never hesitated before to use the power of your bully pulpit to rally for your cause, nor were you ever one to mince words when promising to fight for the coal miners of West Virginia or steelworkers of Pennsylvania - now you can harness that passion to fight for Houston.

NEED TO KNOW: Grocers and other retail are opening their doors again

Even for a man prone to hyperbole - we all have our rhetorical tics - it is hard to overstate the massive scale of the ongoing disaster.

A nation is waiting to hear an impassioned plea on behalf of the charities that will help our families in need, like the Houston Food Bank, the Texas Diaper Bank, and the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, which Mayor Sylvester Turner established as a central clearinghouse.

You've already told reporters that we can expect rapid action on relief funding, and Democrats and Republicans alike will no doubt agree that an unprecedented storm like Harvey will require a major effort. Calls to offset this emergency spending with cuts elsewhere must be cast aside. Deficits are a debate for another day, and bluster about shutting down the government must end.

Now we have to help a great American city, an economic engine, get back on its feet.

But it can't end with relief and rebuilding. Houston also needs the resources to harden ourselves against the next inevitable storm.

This means funding for new flood infrastructure - Mike Talbott, former executive director of the Harris County Flood Control District, estimated the cost at $26 billion.

FORECAST: More rain for flood-swollen Houston

Coastal storm surge protection also has to be part of any plan. Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, a major backer of your presidential campaign, knows all about that.

Our city still lives in the shadows of great politicians like U.S. Reps. Tom Ball and Albert Thomas, who built the flood and bayou infrastructure that transformed Houston from a swampy town into a 20th century energy metropolis. We're still waiting for a politician with the strength and dedication to build the sustainable cityscape that brings us into the 21st century - and that includes an honest recognition of global warming. We have no doubt that you can be that man if you choose to be.

Mr. President, our worry is that this attention from the White House will recede along with the floodwaters. Several of your tweets during the storm - promoting a friend's book? - left us concerned that you're easily distracted from the task at hand. And all too many of your speeches have revealed a startling gap between what appears on the teleprompter and what lies in your heart. Last week we saw a tempered address on Afghanistan erased by a hateful tirade in Phoenix. How long until reassuring rhetoric from Corpus Christi gives way to a less inspiring tone?

"We will get through this. We will come out stronger. And believe me, we will be bigger, better, stronger than ever before. The rebuilding will begin, and in the end, it will be something very special," you told reporters on Monday.

If we truly want to come back stronger than ever, then the federal government has to step up with funding and leadership, and the buck stops with one man: President Donald J. Trump.
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.
PHOENIX  A federal appeals court on Monday rebuffed a bid to have the Sonoran Desert Area bald eagle listed as endangered, saying, in essence, that if they all are eradicated it wouldn't make a real difference to eagle populations as a whole.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that while the eagles are different than others, they are not ecologically or biologically significant. And with bald eagles as a whole no longer endangered, the judges said there was no justification for providing that status for this group alone  even if they disappear from the Southwest.

Daniel Rohlf, who represents the Center for Biological Diversity and the Audubon Society, called the ruling unfortunate. He said it represents a conclusion by the federal agency that the variety of eagles that can exist in the desert aren't that important.

But Rohlf said no decision has been made on whether to seek review.

The issue goes back to 1967 when the bald eagle was first listed as endangered. That followed statistics showing there were only an estimated 487 breeding pairs in the United States.

By 2007 that figure increased to 9,789, resulting in Fish and Wildlife Service removing it from its list of threatened species.

At the same time, though, Center for Biological Diversity sought a separate listing for the Sonoran Desert Area bald eagle. It was denied.

In the latest lawsuit, challengers argued the federal agency ignored or discounted information from its own biologists that the desert eagles are sufficiently different from other bald eagles to be considered for their own protected status.

But Judge William Fletcher, writing for the unanimous three-judge appellate panel, disagreed.

On one hand, Fletcher said Fish and Wildlife found this variety of eagle is different, with the birds being smaller and breeding earlier than other bald eagles. But he said that could be related to latitude rather than desert environment, noting that Florida bald eagles are even smaller, and Baja California bald eagles breed even earlier.

And he said while there is a preference for cliff nests which is unusual among other bald eagle populations, that may simply be based on the availability of nesting sites.

All that goes to the requirement for a variety to be considered significant to be entitled to its own listing as endangered or threatened.

The lawsuit also said it is irrelevant that the overall population of bald eagles is not threatened.

Challengers said that desert eagles  about 60 breeding pairs were known to exist when the lawsuit was filed  are on the brink of extinction. And they said a population viability estimate based on data from the Arizona Game and Fish Department suggests that desert eagles will likely become extinct in about 75 years.

Fletcher said that may be true.

He cited a determination by Fish and Wildlife Service that the loss of the desert eagle population would create a gap in the range of all eagles. And Fletcher noted that the agency said it's possible that eagles may never return to the area.

But the agency said  and Fletcher agreed  that there is no evidence of distinctive traits or genetic variations among the Sonoran Desert Area population that suggest that loss of the population would have a negative effect on the bald eagle as a whole. And that, the judge said, is the test for determining whether this specific population is entitled to protected status.

Rohlf said that's a bad way to look at the situation.

The agency's 'distinct population segment' policy means that as far as the Endangered Species Act is concerned, it's irrelevant whether desert eagles continue to exist or not because, literally, the agency has said that population is insignificant to bald eagles as a whole, he said.

This is actually the third lawsuit brought against Fish and Wildlife Service over the listing.

In the first lawsuit, Judge Mary Murguia said she had no confidence that the agency made an objective decision, ordering another look.

Judge David Campbell rejected a second study in 2011 with a new directive to redo it  the study that again concluded the eagle was not entitled to protection and led to Monday's ruling.
Flagstaff police are still seeking the person behind at least one letter falsely telling undocumented immigrants they are at risk of being deported by federal immigration agents if they are reported to the Coconino County Sherriffs Office and the police department.

The police have been unable to confirm whether the note sent to one individual in the undocumented community was a legitimate threat.

Flagstaff Police Public Information Officer Cory Runge said the department has been informed of only one note, but that there could be more people who received the threatening letter based on the fact that the letter addressed the undocumented community in general.

The police are looking into potential harassment charges, but police cannot charge for harassment without knowing the intentions of the suspect.

The letter said it was sent by a group calling itself the Legal Americans Surveillance Citizens Project; however, police could not find any indication the group was real.

The letter had an address of P.O. Box 5119 in Flagstaff, but police have confirmed that this address is fraudulent.

Runge said the police department and the sheriffs office are not deputized to enforce immigration laws nor do we intend to be.

Anyone receiving one of these letters is encouraged to report it to the police department so it can be determined if a crime is being committed and if certain people are being specifically targeted due to their race or ethnicity. Please reference Departmental Report P17-12131 when making a report.

The police department dispatch number is (928) 774-1414.
Copiii cu nevoi speciale din Stefan Voda au conditii de reabilitare mai bune, datorita UE si Fundatiei Soros Moldova
An article emphasizing the many questions employers have relating to marijuana use has been published by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI). The article, The Marijuana Conversation: Questions Employers Are Asking is the second in a five-part series examining the issues surrounding the growing impact of legalizing marijuana on workers compensation stakeholders.

The first article in the series, The Marijuana Conversation: Questions Workers Compensation Insurers Are Asking, focused on the insurance carrier perspective.

The NCCI article outlines three main questions.

What is the impact on workers comp when an employee is injured on the job while under the influence of marijuana?

The impact on workplace safety and workers comp is foremost on employers minds.

The majority of jurisdictions (47) have workers compensation laws that address this issue and, in some form, restrict workers compensation benefits when a workers injury is attributed to intoxication or drug use. Of those, 40 states are able to completely deny all benefits (100% of medical and income benefits) and a handful of states deny income benefits, but allow injured employees to receive medical benefits, wrote the NCCI authors.

In addition, according to the article, some states allow benefit reduction if intoxication or drug use can be proven. Many of the states allow employees to rebut any presumption that drug or alcohol use played a role in an injury. Some states allow benefits to be denied if employees refuse drug or alcohol testing.

The questions of what constitutes impairment resulting from marijuana use and how to determine if an injured worker was impaired at the time of injury are still up in the air. The authors point out that marijuana can remain in a workers system for a period of time, which makes determining impairment at the time of injury more difficult.

How can employers administer a drug-free workplace and establish hiring practices when employers are legally able to use medical marijuana?

Employers are unsure how to handle a drug-free work environment amid some states legalization of medical marijuana. According to the article questions employers have include:

Does an employees legal use of medical marijuana impact whether an employer must allow use of the drug in the workplace? What are the implications if the employees medical marijuana use is to treat a work-related condition?

So far, no states have placed restrictions on drug-free workplace policies.

Has there been any recent state activity that could complicate matters for employers in determining how to handle the marijuana issue?

Even though no state has restricted drug-free workplaces, the article noted that nine states (Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New York and Rhode Island) have anti-discrimination or reasonable accommodation provisions as part of their medical marijuana laws that may impact how employers enforce such policies. These could affect how employers address marijuana use.

Two state court decisions reveal the complexity of the relationship between marijuana and the workplace. According to the article, In July 2017, Massachusetts highest court ruled that an employee who was terminated after testing positive for marijuana could proceed with a claim against her employer based on the states disability discrimination statute. Then, one month later, in August 2017, a Connecticut federal district court ruled that a job applicant could bring a lawsuit against her potential employer for discrimination under Connecticuts medical marijuana law when the employer rescinded a job offer based on the applicants positive drug test for marijuana during the pre-employment drug screening.

The next edition of The Marijuana Conversation will focus on questions employees are asking.

Source: NCCI
Officials released more water from Houston-area reservoirs overwhelmed by Harvey early Monday in a move aimed at protecting the citys downtown from devastating floods but that could still endanger thousands of homes, even as the nations fourth-largest city anticipated more rain.

Harvey, which made landfall late Friday as a Category 4 hurricane and has lingered dropping heavy rain as a tropical storm, sent devastating floods pouring into Houston on Sunday. The rising water chased thousands of people to rooftops or higher ground and overwhelmed rescuers who could not keep up with the constant calls for help.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Brock Long said during a news conference Monday that 50 counties in Texas are affected by the flooding and that a tremendous amount of rainfall is in the cards for southwest Louisiana. The rain and floods have been blamed in at least two deaths.

Residents living near the Addicks and Barker reservoirs  that were designed to prevent flooding in downtown Houston  were warned Sunday that a controlled release from both reservoirs would cause additional street flooding that could spill into homes. Rising water levels and continuing rain was putting pressure on the dams that could fail without the release. Harris and Fort Bend county officials advised residents to pack their cars Sunday night and leave in the morning.

When the sun comes up, get out, said Jeff Lindner, a meteorologist for the Harris County Flood Control District. And you dont have to go far, you just need to get out of this area.

The Army Corps of Engineers started the reservoir releases before 2 a.m. Monday  ahead of schedule  because water levels were increasing at a rate of more than 6 inches (15 centimeters) per hour, Corps spokesman Jay Townsend said.

Officials in Fort Bend County, Houstons southwestern suburbs, late Sunday issued mandatory evacuation orders along the Brazos River levee districts. County officials were preparing for the river to reach major flood stages late Sunday. County Judge Robert Herbert said at a news conference that National Weather Service officials were predicting that the water could rise to 59 feet (18 meters), three feet (90 centimeters) above 2016 records and what Herbert called an `800-year flood level. Herbert said that amount of water would top the levees and carries a threat of levee failure.

On Sunday, incessant rain covered much of Houston in turbid, gray-green water and turned streets into rivers navigable only by boat. In a rescue effort that recalled the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, helicopters landed near flooded freeways, airboats buzzed across submerged neighborhoods and high-water vehicles plowed through water-logged intersections. Some people managed with kayaks or canoes or swam.

Volunteers joined emergency teams in pulling people from their homes or from the water. Authorities urged people to get on top of their houses to avoid becoming trapped in attics and to wave sheets or towels to draw attention to their location.

Police Chief Art Acevedo said Monday that drainage remains a concern.

Im not sure where the water is going because its just so much that we cant really absorb more in the ground at this point.  We have way too much water and not enough places for it to drain, Acevedo told MSNBCs Morning Joe.

And on the possibility of the rain subsiding, he said: Were just keeping our fingers crossed

As the water rose, the National Weather Service issued another ominous forecast: Before the storm is gone, some parts of Houston and its suburbs could get as much as 50 inches (1.3 meters) of rain. That would be the highest amount ever recorded in Texas.

FEMAs Long predicted that the aftermath of the storm would require FEMAs involvement for years.

This disasters going to be a landmark event, Long said.

The National Weather Service meanwhile warned that the catastrophic flooding would worsen due to heavy rainfall in the coming days and that it would be slow to recede once Harvey finally moves on.

Director Louis Uccellini said during a news conference Monday that up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain could fall in the coming days, on top of the more than 30 inches (76 centimeters) some places have already seen.

Rescuers had to give top priority to life-and-death situations, leaving many affected families to fend for themselves. And several hospitals in the Houston area were evacuated due to the rising waters.

It was not clear how many people were plucked from the floodwaters. Up to 1,200 people had to be rescued in Galveston County alone, said Mark Henry, the county judge.

Houstons George R. Brown Convention Center was quickly opened as a shelter. It was also used as a shelter for Katrina refugees in 2005.

Gillis Leho arrived there soaking wet. She said she awoke Sunday to find her downstairs flooded. She moved some belongings upstairs then grabbed her grandchildren.

We had to bust a window to get out, Leho said.

Some people used inflatable beach toys, rubber rafts and even air mattresses to get through the water to safety. Others waded while carrying trash bags stuffed with their belongings and small animals in picnic coolers.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said authorities had received more than 2,000 calls for help and urged drivers to stay off the roads.

I dont need to tell anyone this is a very, very serious and unprecedented storm, Turner said.

The deteriorating situation was bound to provoke questions about the conflicting advice given by the governor and Houston leaders before the hurricane. Gov. Greg Abbott urged people to flee from Harveys path, but the Houston mayor issued no evacuation orders and told everyone to stay home.

The governor refused to point fingers on Sunday.

Now is not the time to second-guess the decisions that were made, Abbott, a Republican, said at a news conference in Austin. Whats important is that everybody work together to ensure that we are going to, first, save lives and, second, help people across the state rebuild.

The mayor, a Democrat, defended his decision, citing the risk of sending the citys 2.3 million inhabitants onto the highways at the same time.

If you think the situation right now is bad, and you give an order to evacuate, you are creating a nightmare, Turner said.

The Coast Guard deployed five helicopters and asked for additional aircraft from New Orleans.

The White House said President Donald Trump would visit Texas on Tuesday. He met Sunday by teleconference with top administration officials to discuss federal support for response and recovery efforts.

The rescues unfolded a day after Harvey settled over the Texas coastline. The system weakened Saturday to a tropical storm. By early Monday, Harvey had shifted a little closer to the coast, hovering about 20 miles (30 kilometers) east of Victoria, with sustained winds of about 40 mph (65 kph). The National Hurricane Center said it continued to edge in a southeasterly direction at 3 mph (4.8 kph).

Harvey was the fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in 13 years and the strongest to strike Texas since 1961s Hurricane Carla, the most powerful Texas hurricane on record.

(Associated Press writers Carla K. Johnson in Chicago; Juan Lozano, Josh Replogle and Robert Ray in Houston; Peter Banda in Dickinson, Texas; and Jamie Stengle and Claudia Lauer in Dallas contributed to this report.)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
AKRON, Ohio - The last time Greg Wiley saw his little brother, Xavier McMullen, he told him that wanted to see him succeed.

"'I want to see you do big things. Don't get in trouble. Just do right, and you'll be just fine,'" Wiley said. "He told me, 'I will, big brother.'"

McMullen, 17, died Friday night while in Akron police custody. The teen was arrested earlier in the evening in connection with a robbery when he shot himself in the head while seated in the back of a patrol car, the Summit County Medical Examiner said Monday.

Wiley, 29, said he's still numb four days after the fatal shooting. He struggles to understand how his brother's death happened, since police said McMullen's hands were handcuffed behind his back.

"I don't believe he killed himself. I can't," Wiley said. "But maybe, if he had a gun on him, he was trying to get it off of him and while wiggling and struggling, the trigger pulled. I'd understand a gunshot wound to his back, stomach, something like that. But not the head - how is that possible?"

McMullen was the one who made his friends and family smile. His brother said their home life was never hard, compounding the reasons why suicide just seems like an unlikely explanation.

"Why wasn't he patted down properly?" Wiley asked several times during an interview. "The cops did not do their job. I feel the cops took my brother."

McMullen's death happened after police arrested him and two others -- Matthew Allen and Anthony Criss, both 18 -- following a robbery on 7th Avenue between Kenmore Boulevard and Maryland Avenue, Akron police said Saturday. Allen and Criss are charged with aggravated robbery in Akron Municipal Court, records show.

Akron police Capt. Jesse Leeser did not say Monday whether officers searched McMullen for weapons before they placed him in the cruiser. He also declined to discuss the department's procedures for pat-downs.

"It all depends on the circumstances," he said. "It's hard just to say, 'every time you do it this way.' It's a rapidly evolving situation."

None of the six officers who were at the scene are on administrative leave.

"That's not fair to us as a family," Wiley said in response to the department's actions. "A badge does not make you better than the rest of us."

While McMullen's death remains under investigation by Akron detectives, the department's office of professional standards and the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office, Wiley is begging for answers.

"Enough violence is going on around us. We want the real truth," he said. "Someone needs to pay the consequences. There needs to be justice."

If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.
AKRON, Ohio - Derogatory comments that now-former Akron police Chief James Nice is accused of making before Mayor Dan Horrigan asked him to resign were "of a racial nature," a spokesman for the mayor's office said.

Horrigan said Monday at a press conference that Nice is accused of making disrespectful remarks about other city employees. Horrigan asked Nice to resign after he learned of the remarks and other misconduct allegations against Nice over the weekend.

Horrigan declined to elaborate on Nice's remarks, but Assistant to the Mayor and Chief of Staff James Hardy confirmed they were racial in nature. Hardy declined to say who the remarks were directed toward.

"Out of respect for the employee involved we will not be commenting further in regards to that conduct," he said in an email.

Nice's attorney, Michael Callahan, denied that Nice made any racially-tinged comments, but he said Nice is sorry for any comments he made that may have been inappropriate.

Callahan also denied the allegations that Nice was involved in any criminal wrongdoing.

Callahan declined to discuss the case but said Nice is grateful to have served as Akron's police chief for six years.

Horrigan said at the press conference that Nice made the remarks while discussing a criminal investigation involving his nephew. Joseph Nice, 41, was indicted April 12 on charges of grand theft, forgery and tampering with evidence, Summit County Common Pleas Court records show. He's accused of forging a motor vehicle title, records show.

The Summit County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the misconduct allegations against Nice, who resigned Sunday. The prosecutor's office declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.

The allegations against Nice include conduct unbecoming of an officer, inappropriate contact with a city employee and potential criminal misconduct, Horrigan said.

The Akron Beacon Journal reported that Nice is accused of coercing a female employee into a relationship. Horrigan and other officials declined to elaborate on any additional allegations.

Horrigan appointed Major Kenneth Ball as interim chief of the police department. The mayor and other city officials will follow a formal process outline in the city's charter before selecting the a permanent police chief, Horrigan said.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments section.
BROADVIEW HEIGHTS, Ohio - The city may increase its hotel tax by 3 percent - even though no hotel is operating in Broadview Heights.

City Council President Robert Boldt made the suggestion Monday night. He wants to raise the hotel tax from 7 percent to 10 percent. Other council members expressed support.

"Now is the time to do it, when we don't have a hotel," Councilman Brian Wolf said. "At least they (prospective hotels) will know what they're getting into."

Boldt said Tallyho-Tel - which stood on the northwest corner of Ohio 82 and Interstate 77, where Giant Eagle is today - was the last hotel to operate in Broadview Heights. Tallyho opened in the 1980's and closed about five or six years ago, when Giant Eagle built a new store on the site.

Boldt said he's not aware of any hotel wanting to open in Broadview Heights. However, he wants to prepare for that possibility.

"The higher (10-percent) tax would bring a better hotel than what we've had in the past," Boldt said.

Boldt admitted that a 10-percent tax rate would be relatively high. Hotel taxes in communities with hotels typically range from 3 percent to 5 percent, he said.

Strongsville, for example - which does contain hotels, including a Holiday Inn - imposes a 3-percent hotel tax, said Strongsville Finance Director Joe Dubovec.

Brecksville and North Royalton have no hotels or hotel taxes, according to Brecksville Finance Director Virginia Price and North Royalton Mayor Robert Stefanik.

Boldt said the high hotel tax in Broadview Heights is justified due to the location of major interchange, Ohio 82 and Interstate 77, in the city.

Broadview Heights established a hotel tax in 1982, according to records provided by the city. The tax equals 7 percent of a hotel guest's lodging bill and is paid by the guest. Hotels failing to pay the tax to the city are subject to misdemeanor criminal charges.
BROADVIEW HEIGHTS, Ohio - A German grocery-store chain - which operates more than 10,000 stores in 27 countries and is now rapidly expanding in the United States - wants to open stores in Broadview Heights and throughout Ohio.

Lidl, which opened its first U.S. stores this summer in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, would build a 36,000-square-foot store on the west side of Broadview Road, just south of Sprague Road. The estimated cost is $6.8 million.

"I think the city of Broadview Heights is going to love this project," Councilman Glenn Goodwin said Monday night. City Council referred the plan to the city's Board of Zoning Appeals.

Michael Kennedy, senior development manager with Lidl US LLC, told cleveland.com that the Broadview Heights Lidl would be among the first in Ohio. The company has also submitted applications in Howland, a township near Warren, and Austintown, south of Columbus. More applications in Ohio are planned.

"We would like to have grand openings of several stores at once," Kennedy said. "It depends how the approval process goes."

Lidl, in its application to the city, said it would like to start building the Broadview Heights store in spring 2019 and open in 2020. In May, the company said it was considering adding stores in Ohio but had made no decisions at that time.

Grocery revolution

On its website, Lidl says it is "revolutionizing" grocery-store shopping for busy customers. About 90 percent of its products are sold under its own private label, which gives Lidl control over quality, allows the company to keep prices low and reduces the number of brands customers must consider when shopping.

All store interiors are identical so customers don't have to navigate different layouts store-to-store. The store designs are "intuitive" and help customers find what they need quickly, the website says.

Lidl says it buys from local and regional farms and suppliers and that each product is tested for quality and taste. The store chain also sells a limited supply of appliances, clothes and other nonfood items, and asks customers to bring their own shopping bags to reduce costs.

"Some people compare us to Trader Joe's," Kennedy told council Monday night.

Kennedy said Lidl has four new distribution centers in the United States. The centers are in Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and Georgia.

According to Lidl's website, the company's first store opened in 1973 in Ludwigshafen, Germany. By the 1980's, Lidl had established 300 stores in Germany, then expanded into other countries, including France, in the 1990's. Lidl says it became a leading retailer in the United Kingdom during the 2000's.

In June, Lidl announced that it was opening 20 stores - its first U.S. locations - in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. A store was scheduled to open this month in Middletown, Delaware. The company eventually would like to open a total of 100 stores across the East Coast. Kennedy said Lidl also hopes to expand into Pennsylvania

Broadview store

In Broadview Heights, Lidl would tear down a 28,000-square-foot building last occupied by Andy Sims Buick, across from Marc's Deeper Discount Store, and construct a new building on that site, which is owned by DiFiore Family Properties LLC in Strongsville.

Kristina Sorensen, the city's economic development coordinator, said DiFiore will sell the property to Lidl if the city approves the new store.

Adam Whalen - assistant project manager with Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc., a Pittsburgh firm working on the Broadview Heights project for Lidl - said that based on a traffic study already completed, Lidl would add a left-turn-only lane leading from Broadview northbound onto the store property. Lidl would only have to restripe the existing road, not widen the street.

The project would require two zoning variances. One is for building size - municipal zoning code does not allow a building as large as 36,000 square feet. Also, code requires at least 50 feet between the store's side yard and nearby residential properties. Lidl has requested a 9-foot setback.
BEREA, Ohio - The Browns are trying to trade former first-round offensive lineman Cameron Erving, a league source told cleveland.com.



Erving, the No. 19 overall pick in 2015 out of Florida State, was competing for the right tackle job before he suffered a calf injury last week that has him week-to-week.



Now, it's second-year lineman Shon Coleman's job.



Erving started 13 games last season, including 12 at center, where he struggled with the demands of the position. This preseason, he said he felt much more comfortable at right tackle, where he didn't have to be responsible for sliding the protections and all the other responsibilities of center.



Erving is under contract for two more years, with a club option for a fifth year. He's set to make almost $1.3 million this year, and $1.72 million next year.



Erving is one of a number of players being shopped by the Browns, including Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden.

Erving was one of two first-round picks in 2015 made by former Browns general manager Ray Farmer. The other was No. 12 overall pick Danny Shelton, who's starting at defensive tackle but is currently week-to-week with a knee injury.

If Erving is dealt, he'll join a long list of recent first-round picks since 2011 who are no longer with the team. It includes Phil Taylor, Trent Richardson, Brandon Weeden, Barkevious Mingo, Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel.

* Dealing Haden has always felt inevitable as part of rebuild: Dan Labbe
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This 1951 coin, graded Proof 67 Deep Cameo by PCGS and bearing a green Certified Acceptance Corp. sticker indicating quality within the grade is the finest Deep Cameo example certified by PCGS.

This magnificent 1951 Franklin half dollar graded Proof 67+ Deep Cameo and bearing a CAC sticker is the perhaps the finest example known and sold for $82,250 on Aug. 2.

Heritage offered a spectacular group of Proof Franklin half dollars during its American Numismatic Association Worlds Fair of Money Platinum Night auction on Aug. 2. Proof Franklin half dollars are a limited series consisting of just 14 issues struck between 1950 and 1963, but finding Deep Cameo contrast between the fields and devices for several issues is challenging, and the set offered at ANA (called The Blue Ocean Collection) ranks second among both the All-Time and Current Finest Professional Coin Grading Service Proof Franklin Half Dollars with Major Varieties Registry Set. Two reverse subtypes on the 1956 Proof issue and a dramatic Proof 1961 Franklin, Doubled Die Reverse half dollar add some variety to the series for specialists.

Here's the first of three lots that we profile from the Blue Ocean Collection:

The Lot:

1951 Franklin half dollar, Proof 67+ Deep Cameo, CAC green sticker

The Price:

$82,250

The Story:

The top lot of The Blue Ocean Collection of Proof Franklin half dollars was this 1951 coin, graded Proof 67 Deep Cameo by PCGS and bearing a green Certified Acceptance Corp. sticker indicating quality within the grade, that sold for $82,250. It is the finest Deep Cameo example certified by PCGS, and, as Heritage observes, This could very well be the pinnacle of collecting for an advanced Franklin half dollar proof specialist.

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Proof 1950 and 1951 Franklin half dollars are both generally found with little contrast between the fields and the devices. Any Deep Cameo piece is elusive and this is the finest example that is available to collectors  and the finer of two Proof 67 Deep Cameo examples certified by PCGS. Franklins head shows die polish lines, which are not to be confused with scratches, since these lines are in the die. Bidders seemed to agree with Heritages assessment that the subject coin represents the finest Proof 1951 Franklin half dollar ever offered at auction.
A woman was cited after a crash last week near Beatrice.

Gage County Sheriffs Office deputies were dispatched to Beatrice Community Hospital on Wednesday, Aug. 23 at approximately 1:15 p.m. to interview a patient in the emergency room who may have been involved in a motor vehicle accident earlier in the day.

The deputy responded to the hospital and interviewed the patient, the nurses and another person associated with the vehicle.

According to a press release from the department, the investigation revealed that Alicia Miller, 46, who lives west of Beatrice, had worked a long overnight shift in Fairbury and was returning home.

When Miller made a right turn to go south on Southwest 75th Road from West Juniper Road, she lost control of her vehicle, a red 1995 Chevrolet pickup, on the gravel road.

She allegedly continued accelerating while swerving back and forth, trying to correct the loss of control, and ran off the roadway on the west side. She then struck the dirt embankment in the ditch.

There was damage to the front bumper area of her vehicle, estimated at about $800.

The deputy cited Miller for operating a motor vehicle without a license and no proof of insurance.

Neither alcohol nor speed were believed to be factors in the accident. Miller stated she was tired from working an overnight shift the night before.

An investigator and a deputy drove to Southwest 75th and West Juniper roads and confirmed that was the location of the accident based on evidence found at the scene.
A circa 450 B.C. tetradrachm of Athens features the head of Athena upon its obverse and a standing owl on the reverse. When Florence Nightingale visited the Acropolis, she found a real owl of the species featured here and kept it as a pet.

On a circa 430 B.C. tetradrachm of Messana, Eaglen comments that the hares jovial expression would doubtless have impressed Walt Disney. The obverse features a chariot drawn sedately by two mules, and a dolphin is seen below the reverses bounding hare.

When Cato the Elder was asked for advice on public speaking he replied, Grasp the subject, the words will follow.

When In Celebration of Greek Coinage was sent for review, I did a double take, as I know its author, Robin J. Eaglen, president of the British Numismatic Society from 2008 to 2011 and author of two learned volumes on the Abbey and Mint of Bury St. Edmunds. I had not realized his current collecting passion is the coinage of the ancient Greeks.

The Reverse Proof American Buffalo, a model of marketing: Also in this weeks print issue, we explore a cluster of Lincoln cents found while searching two rolls and ponder their origin.

Cato the Elders advice could apply to writing equally as well as public speaking. I have found some past books on ancient Greek coins challenging, but this volume is a breath of fresh air, serving as an excellent taster for anyone interested in Greek coinage but too daunted to step in. Eaglen knows his subject and writes with crystal clarity, interweaving interesting facts to enhance the narrative. Greek coin enthusiasts will find it a pleasure, too.

First, some background

The opening chapter, Amor Numorum, is a precis of his numismatic adventures from schoolboy to the present. I saw parallels with my own experience  initially English and Roman buys, but mainly English acquisitions.

He sold his collection at university, while I sold just before I became an undergraduate. While my collecting interests diverted to other areas in later life, he returned to numismatics in his late 30s when he became legal director for the British pharmaceutical Beecham Group plcs European HQ in Brussels (now part of GlaxoSmithKline).

Eaglen has been a numismatic polymath, embracing English hammered, Indian Moghul and Roman coinages. In 2000 his interest spread to ancient Greek coins. Although encouraged to specialize, he decided that he would buy individual coins in the series and study and enjoy each one, regardless of any connection with other coins from the Greek world. When he wrote articles on selected coins for Spinks Numismatic Circular, the series was very popular and he was urged to produce it in book form: In Celebration of Greek Coinage.

The book includes an excellent chapter on Greek Coins as Art. I liked John Ruskins suggestion (in Aratra Penelici, 1890) that coins were the most convenient and accessible vehicle for appreciating Greek sculpture. Eaglen makes an interesting point regarding the Greek use of three-quarter facing heads as well as those in profile. The former allow greater scope to convey expression, so it is surprising that profile heads are favored in later coinages, down to the present.

Essays on many topics

The main body of the work comprises 50 essays inspired by the Greek coins in Eaglens collection. These seek to identify the formative geographical, historical, ethnic, political, religious, cultural, artistic, social, economic and commercial influences behind the coins.

The essays are presented mainly in chronological sequence from the birth of Greek coinage to its demise. They begin with the coins of Lydia and Ionia, initially struck from a natural occurring alloy of gold and silver, and eventually evolving to distinct issues in each metal.

With a design on one side only, the reverses have deeply incised punches, to give stability to the flan during striking and to reveal that the core of each coin was of the same metal as the surface. Eaglen refers to these as most unpromising buds, which nevertheless later blossomed into spectacular creations.

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I smiled at his description of the running hare found on the reverse of the coinage issued by the city of Messana in the north-eastern corner of Sicily. According to Aristotle, the chariot drawn by two mules on its obverse was an allusion to the citys victory in the mule races at the Olympic Games in the 480s B.C. I thought the hare indicated fast mules until I found mules were not known for speed. Aristotle said it was there because Anaxilas, the citys ruler, introduced hares to Sicily. Eaglen doubts this, but adds, The hares face is often executed with expressive joviality, that would doubtless have impressed Walt Disney.

Possibly the most reproduced coin type of the series is the Owl tetradrachm introduced by Athens in the fifth century B.C. Ornithologists know the species portrayed as the Little Owl. When Florence Nightingale visited the Acropolis, she found a live owl and kept it as a pet, and the 7th Duke of Devonshire gave her a silver version, which remains at Claydon House in Buckinghamshire.

Interesting snippets like this woven into the text set this volume apart from a run-of-the-mill book on ancient Greek coins. It is a treasure.

Buying the book

In Celebration of Greek Coinage by Robin J. Eaglen is published by Spink. The hardback book contains 229 pages, with color illustrations throughout, and retails for 40.

To order, visit the website for Spinks book department, http://spinkbooks.com.
SOUTH GLENGARRY, Ontario  On July 21, 2017, while on patrol in South Glengarry area, investigators of the Cornwall Regional Task Force (CRTF) observed suspicious activity occurring along the St. Lawrence River shoreline. Investigators later stopped a white Chevrolet Express van leaving the area. Inside the van, officers located and seized 65 bags of unstamped fine cut tobacco weighing a total of 1172 kg valued at $105,500.00.

The vans occupants, Pascal CARON, aged 25, of Sainte Therese, Quebec and Danny GUINDON, aged 23, of Blainville, Quebec were arrested and charged for Possession Of Unstamped Tobacco, pursuant to the Excise Act, 2001 and the Ontario Tobacco Tax Act. The accused men were later released from custody and are scheduled to appear in the Cornwall Provincial Court on October 10, 2017.

The CRTF will continue to work at protecting our border and community from Organized Crime and illegal activity. This event reminds us that we should not let our guards down. It is important for members of the community to be vigilant of suspicious activities and to report it immediately. It is in everyones best interest, stated Sgt. Hebert, CRTFs acting Operational NCO.

If you have any information regarding criminal activity in your area, you can contact the CRTF at 1-613-937-2800 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

The CRTF is a joint forces partnership that includes the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Ontario Ministry of Finance. The CRTF would like to extend their thanks for the ongoing assistance and cooperation by the Initiative integree de lutte a la contrebande  which includes members from the Valleyfield RCMP and Surete du Quebec detachments.
Karolina Skog, Minister of Environment of Sweden, invited the audience of the plenary session to discuss the essence of water. She also pointed out the strong links water has with city-planning, industry, health and sustainable environment.

The SIWI World Water Week is not an oratorical competition on the theme of water. The event wants the world to become more water wise and draw attention to the sordid fact that more than 2 billion people in this world do not have access to clean water at this very moment.

During this entire week, the thematic scope of Water Week will address issues like the drivers, the water-waste cycle, health and biodiversity, water quality management and the industry and urban dimensions of water.

The theme this year, Water and Waste: Reduce and Reuse echoes the prophetic words of the great economist, Gunnar Myrdal, who had exhorted his own compatriots to reduce consumption in this very city in 1972, during his Nobel Prize acceptance speech:

"As has also been amply demonstrated the cutting down of consumption, and of production for home consumption, of many other items besides food, and in all the developed countries, is rational and in our own interest. This is what the discussion of the quality of life is all about. Our economic growth in a true sense, but it should be directed differently, and in a planned way, to serve our real interest in a better life."
Montanas attempt to influence a key decision on Colstrips future has been ruled irrelevant and too late to matter by an administrative judge.

Judge Dennis Moss has shelved Montana Attorney General Tim Foxs attempt to influence a Washington utilitys plans for shutting down Colstrip Units 1 and 2, saying that most of the points submitted on Foxs behalf are irrelevant. Moss called the Republican attorney generals expert witness unqualified.

The ruling comes from Washington state, where Colstrips largest stakeholder, Puget Sound Energy, is laying out a multi-year plan for future rates and the not-too-distant shutdown of Colstrip Units 1 and 2. The four-unit power plant in southeast Montana is one of the largest coal-fired generation stations in the West.

Those rates, to be set by the Washington Utility and Transportation Commission, speak to the expected costs of Colstrip's partial closure and environmental cleanup, among Puget's other costs of business. Moss is an administrative judge for the WUTC.

The power plants oldest two units are slated for shutdown within six years. The economic loss associated with shuttering the two units is expected to surpass $500 million within three years of the units closure.

Puget suggests a shutdown date of 2037 for Colstrip Units 3 and 4. Fox has insisted that those units shouldnt be part of the discussion, though Moss ruled that argument incorrect and said it was presented too late.

Utility commission staff attorneys, along with the Sierra Club, had asked Moss to strike Montana's testimony.

Foxs attempts to influence Pugets plans have been hampered by a June 30 deadline for recommending changes to Pugets proposal. The attorney general made no recommendations by that date. Later attempts to influence the process by providing expert witnesses have been ruled too late.

Foxs decision not to make recommendations to Puget Sound Energys proposal angered Montana legislators, who set aside $80,000 for Fox to defend the interests of Montana and Colstrip, and directed the attorney general to follow through.

In early August, Montana attempted to make its case by submitting testimony from Department of Justice staff attorney Patrick Riskin. Testimony supposed to come from expert witnesses challenging the testimony of experts provided by other parties in the case, of which there are several. Riskins testimony was anything but expert, Moss ruled. The states attorney had no experience in utility matters.

Moss ruled Riskins testimony procedurally flawed and untimely. To the extent his testimony touches on issues before the Commission in this proceeding, the judge said, "Those issues were raised, or at least suggested, by the PSE in its direct case. The opportunity to respond to such testimony was on June 30, 2017.

The record will show that Montana submitted something, but neither that submission, nor the exhibits the attorney general submitted to back it up, will be put to use in deciding Puget Sound Energys general rate case, Moss ruled. In other words, the official record will show Montana offered no evidence.

The judge is saying, Its been submitted, its findable later. Its going to be published, but its not going to have any bearing on this proceeding, explained Samuel Panarella, a University of Montana Law School associate professor specializing in energy law.

But, Foxs staff called Moss ruling a win.

We are pleased the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission accepted Montanas testimony into the overall record of the Puget Sound Energy rate case. This decision was a win for Montana and Colstrip, said Fox press secretary Eric Sell, in an email.

The Gazette requested comment from Fox, but there was none provided, nor a reason given. These are the questions that went unanswered:

Moss has found that Montanas expert witness lacks any qualifications as an expert witness.

Question: Why did the attorney generals office choose to not use the testimony of experts who could offer factual testimony on issues relevant to reasons offered by DOJ for intervention, such as remediation and decommission costs, and Montanas substantial interest in the economic issues to be addressed, as mentioned Feb. 6 in the attorney generals petition to intervene on behalf of Montana.

Question: The judge is saying that the time for testimony of the kind submitted by the Department of Justice on Aug. 9, was June 30. The attorney generals office has said that it intentionally didnt file testimony by June 30. Explain again why DOJ chose not to file and whether that decision is proving to be useful.

Moss states that Riskens testimony is largely irrelevant but to the extent it can be considered relevant, it is immaterial. It would in no way contribute to the Commissions ability to determine any fact in dispute in this proceeding.

The judge goes on to note the irrelevance of the several specific arguments made by the attorney generals office.

On the matter of whether the retirement of Units 3 and 4 are an issue in this general rate case, Moss says the attorney general is simply incorrect in suggesting the units should be left out, given that Puget Sound Energy included a closure date in its filing. Moss said this challenge should have been made by the June 30 deadline.

Question: Why didnt the attorney general address the depreciation schedule of Units 3 and 4 as it was presented by PSE in the utilitys pre-filed testimony? PSE included the depreciation schedule of those units. If the attorney generals office didnt think it should be included, why didnt it make that case in June?

The hearing of Pugets rate case begins Tuesday. Montana will have an opportunity to file a post-hearing brief by Oct. 2. Will the attorney general be filing an initial brief in this case by Oct. 2?

Question: Moss is allowing the attorney generals office narrative as part of the record, but not as evidence to be considered. Describe the usefulness of a non-evidentiary submission in a proceeding. Explain why the attorney generals office believes this non-evidentiary designation is a win.
Darryl Wilson, president of the Yellowstone River Parks Association, will be the guest speaker at the Magic City Fly Fishers meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 5, at the Billings Rod and Gun Club.

Wilson will present an overview of the YRPA Dover Park project and Joel's Pond (behind Scheels). Both represent new urban fishing opportunities for Billings.

Wilson's presentation is at 7:30 p.m. and is preceded by a brisket barbecue. The meeting is free and open to the public. The barbecue is $7.
Drought and the resulting dry conditions have prompted some landowners to close their property to hunting as the Montana upland bird season opens on Friday and most archery seasons open on Saturday.

Montana antelope hunters' archery season has already opened.

In northeastern Montana, the region hardest hit by drought, six Block Management Areas have been indefinitely closed, one has restricted access to walk-in hunting only and another won't open until Oct. 1. Around the state, more than 80 BMAs have been closed.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is urging hunters to check in with regional FWP offices or online about potential closures before making final plans to hunt.

Hunters and other recreationists should also: drive only on established roads; avoid roads with tall vegetation in the middle track; never park over dry grass and other vegetation; carry a fire extinguisher  or water-filled weed sprayer  shovel, axe and a cell phone for emergency calls; restrict camping activities to designated camping areas; build campfires only in established metal fire rings, if allowed (note restrictions); smoke only inside buildings or vehicles; check on any fire restrictions in place.

Most counties have also enacted fire restrictions.

In northeastern Montana's Region 6, the BMAs indefinitely closed are: 181 - Biebinger Ranch, Blaine County; 10 - Williamson Ranch, Blaine County; 183 - BKB Ranch, Blaine County; 187 - Wine Cup, Blaine County; 6 - Mack Ranch, Choteau County; and 3 - Phalen Ranch, Hill County.

BMA 29, North Phillips, in Phillips County is open but restricted to walk-in hunting only. BMA 193, Larry Christianson, in McCone County, is closed until Oct. 1.

BMAs fire restrictions and closures will be updated as changes occur at fwp.mt.gov/export/sites/FwpPublic/hunting/hunterAccess/blockman/region6/.

For up-to-date details on statewide FWP property fire and drought-related restrictions and closures, visit FWP's website at fwp.mt.gov. Click Restrictions & Closures under the News tab. In addition, you can go to https://firerestrictions.us/mt/ to see restrictions statewide.
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SolarWinds MSP Buys Email Security Provider To Build Up Its Threat Intelligence Muscle

Michael Novinson

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SolarWinds MSP has made its first-ever acquisition, purchasing an email security provider with services for email archiving and both incoming and outgoing spam and virus filtering.

The Durham, N.C.-based IT service management provider said the offering from Amsterdam, Netherlands-based SpamExperts can be delivered either on-premise or in the cloud, and will augment the existing SolarWinds MSP Mail offering.

"We really liked the nature of their SaaS-based model," Greg Lissy, SolarWinds MSP vice president of product management, told CRN. "We're genuinely very excited about that."

[RELATED: SolarWinds Buys LogicNow To Create MSP Solutions Powerhouse]

Although SolarWinds MSP has mail antivirus capabilities today, Lissy said the acquisition will provide more robust detection capabilities thanks to the SpamExperts' rich threat intelligence engine that it is continuously updating and the more than 10 million secure domains they currently house.

SpamExperts has provided SaaS-based mail protection and mail archiving services for best-in-class MSPs, internet service providers, telecom agents, and other IT service providers since its 2005 founding. The 50-person company also has offices in Bucharest, Romania.

SolarWinds MSP said SpamExperts has a reliable user interface and is easy to set up. SpamExperts was built using responsive design, Lissy said, enabling IT professionals to react quickly to events since the application can be utilized effectively on devices of various sizes.

The offering will help MSPs enhance reliability and security, SolarWinds MSP said, and can be delivered in 16 languages with easy private-branded options. SolarWinds MSP hasn't decided how the SpamExperts offering will be priced, Lissy said, or if the SpamExperts brand will be retained going forward.

The SpamExperts offering will primarily be resold by MSPs to their end users as either a standalone product or as part of an integrated package, Lissy said. The company plans to integrate SpamExperts into SolarWinds MSP Mail over the next 30 days, Lissy said.

The existing SolarWinds MSP mail antivirus offering has primarily been adopted by small and mid-sized businesses, Lissy said. SolarWinds MSP wants to continue driving adoption in the SMB space after SpamExperts is integrated, Lissy said, but will also look for opportunities to expand its reach to larger customers.

SpamExperts has doubled in size nearly every year since 2008, according to the company's website, and was recognized as one of the 50 fastest-growing technology companies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) in both 2013 and 2014, according to Deloitte Technology and Main Software.

The privately-owned company services clients in 85 countries. SolarWinds MSP's increasing footprint in EMEA led the company to SpamExperts, Lissy said, and both companies today very much have a global focus. Both of SpamExperts' co-founders  CEO Sam Renkema and CTO Dreas van Donselaar  plan to join SolarWinds MSP, Lissy said.

The acquisition is SolarWinds MSP's first since being formed in June 2016 from the combination of SolarWinds N-Able and LogicNow. The combined company services some 20,000 MSPs globally, managing more than five million endpoints and one million mailboxes.

SolarWinds MSP also recently rolled out a data backup offering that enables MSPs to protect their SMB clients against ransomware in a cost-effective manner, channel development and enablement manager Nadia Karatsoreos told CRN earlier this month.

The new offering costs just $3 per workstation, is completely automated, and allows end users to recover their own data, Karatsoreos said. The product does two scans per day, and saves results from the past 28 days, according to Karatsoreos.
Intel's Focus On AI

Intel has been sharpening its focus on artificial intelligence as the company looks to grow in new areas of technology beyond the PC market.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company Monday inveiled its next-generation "vision processing unit," embedded technology with processing capabilities for edge devices such as virtual reality headsets, smart cameras, wearables and robots. Intel's chip, which has a Neural Compute Engine for deep learning at the edge, comes almost a year after the company in September 2016 acquired Movidius, which is now a subsidiary of the company.

CRN talked to Gary Brown, vice president of marketing at Movidius, about Intel's overall artificial intelligence strategy.
Mobile Showdown

Samsung's new Galaxy Note8 includes important enhancements to its display, processor and S-Pen  but is it enough to beat Apple? When Apple launched its iPhone 7 Plus in September 2016, the company added new features including a better processor, improved design and a removed headphone jack.

Samsung's newest 6.3-inch smartphone, which was released Wednesday and is available for pre-orders on Thursday, may be helpful for professionals in the workplace, while Apple's 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus might be a better fit for consumers  but it depends on what the end user is using the smartphone for. Following is a head-to-head comparison of Samsung's newest enterprise-targeted phone versus Apple's iPhone 7 Plus smartphone.
Time to get back to school!

Now that everybody is getting to swap stories about what they did on their summer vacations, it might be fitting to review some of the top issues CSOs are most likely going to face in the coming months, and while much of this may seem old hat to the veteran security leaders, it never hurts to get a refresher course. In Part One of a two-part series on Getting Back to Basics, lets look at five issues that make this seasons Honor Roll for trouble-making among the corporate halls.

1. CEO Fraud

Email phishing is on the rise, but no more recurring than in targeting the corner office.

The FBIs Internet Crime Center reported recently that fraud at the C-suite level has resulted in more than $200 million in losses in 2016 alone!

CEO fraud is most often linked with email scams in which would-be attackers trick the staff into thinking they are the senior executives, contacting them for some bit of controlled information (like a file, password, account name or client list). The results always lead to illegal access to funds and a file transfer of some kind, compromising the Big Boss and costing thousandsif not millionsin lost capital or assets.

With more than $2 billion in total lost assets reported over the last three years, according to the FBI, the challenge with this increasing problem is that these types of attacks are very specific, limited, and often slip in under the watchful eyes of regular filter systems. To combat this problem, the watchword is vigilance, according to Senior Litigation Lawyer and Partner at De Grandpre Chait, Ron Levy: To guard against fraud, it is crucial to understand the level of sophistication involved and immediately take steps to ensure that processes designed to protect you are put in place, writes Levy. CEOs must have their filters configured to read To address fields, quarantining any emails with unknown or dubious address strings (even if they contain names of people who are known to them). On the other side of the desk, employees should understand their role in preventing phishing campaigns, and ensure all updates, filters, anti-malware and other security controls are updated, and that if they do get a note from the Bossbe sure they verify its from that corner office upstairs, and not from some corner of Botswana.

2. Mobile device security

According to Forbes Untethered Executive, 90 percent of business leaders use a smartphone every day, and the rate of tablets replacing traditional office workstation PCs and Laptops is outpacing market supply. Executives not only use mobile devices for work during business hours, but it has become their office/home/business away from everything else mode of communication.

Because executives hold the fabled keys to the kingdom, they are especially susceptible to being targets and being targeted for fraud and ... in the middle types of attacks on their respective infrastructures. Here are a couple of things executives can do immediately to improve risk management at their level:

Routine device assessment: What is being used and how? For example, are you using the current version of software on your Android device? Is your iPhone encrypted? Do you use an RSA token when establishing a link into the corporate network?

Regular executive updates: Mike Tierney, in a recent Dark Reading article, emphasizes the fact that no one possess more sensitive information than upper management. But what does the senior management team know about Risk and how it affects them in their day-to-day operations? For example, is there a resource in the organization that can provide regular updates and current news and information about relevant security issues that directly /indirectly impact the business, its market, its operations, its clients? This could be anything from daily briefings on natural disasters to updates on the latest security breachdepending on level of risk that needs to be articulated to the executive staff. In its Global Cyber Executive Briefing, Deloitte makes the important point, Every organization has valuable data to lose.

Securing wireless access points: Who has access to the Jewels, for how long & why? Incorporating something as simple as ensuring the SSID feature is being used in the wireless network settings options can be an extra precaution to secure wireless access. Here are nine easy steps to share with the boss (and his family) on how to secure wireless access points.

Dedicated resources are inevitable: Who manages the management? Is there a designated key management support role on your staff? Many organizations are implementing a two-person back-up and access redundancy, which provides the additional value of sharing the trust (as well as the accountability for what is being trusted). While executives are good at being executives, it doesnt hurt to bring in an SME or two to keep things safe while the bosses are away, writes Ricoh Danielson. Work to create a culture that allows others to work together in the interest of security.

Upgrade legacy systems: (We know you like your palm, but). Advancements in technology needs to make sense for everybody in the organizationincluding the C-Suite. Moving off outdated applications and systems to newer tech is often fraught with complexity, but is essential to keep costs of management/ maintenance (and security) in check. Heres a five-step process offered by Samsung to help keep the peace during a legacy migration. If the policy is meant to keep the business safe at all levels, then the Boss will have to surrender that old Galaxy Note for the new version (as long as its part of a defined migration strategy). Vendors such as Lookout do a pretty good job of providing an added layer of security for mobile devices.

3. Remote and travel Wi-Fi risks

When defending the business environment and protecting sensitive information, business operations must run seamlessly and consistently, based on a set of frameworks, policies and mandates that have been articulated by the organization, and remote access must be treated as a privilege from all points throughout the organization. Symantec suggests a good offense starts with a good defense.

For contingency, business continuity and DLP purposes, key decision makers from across the organization must work in concert and agree on a forced (and fixed) set of parameters for operating in remote computing conditions, and should address the following key elements to maintain vigilance over corporate assets:

Mobility: The world of mobile computing has become the new standard for organizations as well as individuals. With Gartners report of more than $100 billion to be spent on IT security by next year, the level of flexibility in what can be used as remote devices, and whether the range of acceptable devices can be hardened by the organization (to meet GRC / ISMS / Security Mandate requirements), can become a major investment for any size organization.

Connectivity: Executives often require a higher degree of accessibility, as well as flexibility in communicating with the corporate assets. Execs must remain productive and accessible with colleagues and clients with more flexibility than their respective subordinates. Because of the rate of speed in which business is now conducted from day to day, IT infrastructures must maintain even greater vigilance (while maintaining a sense of decorum), as business executives are required to do more from the road than from the office. Keeping sensitive information by exposing it to unprotected environments is an important element in balancing accessibility with protecting critical assets.

Accessibility: Its often about risk appetite and risk tolerance. Who has access is important, but what is being accessed and why? can be mission-critical to the long-term success (and failure) of a business and its executive team. Maintaining a predetermined set of operating guidelines for which part of the organization is accessed, by whom, for how long and from which devices/location, can mean the difference between compromise and catastrophic failure.

4. Social media precautions for executives

Social media risks associated with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can create greater headaches for CSOs and their teams, despite the fast and convenient ways to stay in touch with friends and family while working from controlled devices. With over two billion active users monthly, Facebook is the largest social media on the web. Companies can set up groups for employees, allowing messages to reach all members simultaneously. Individuals can broadcast information from the mundane to the profound, and many keep a steady stream of Facebook postings and tweets, creating a following that can number in the millions (usually for actors and media personalities.)

Sharing information is a social norm, but oversharing information creates its own dangers, in particular for executives. By identifying ones senior role in a company or organization, executives may be singled out for exploitation by attackers looking to gain a foothold in a corporate information network. For example, many corporate IT systems have lost password reset questions to save money on tedious help desk calls that can be resolved automatically. But if the answer to What is the name of your favorite pet? is readily available in your Facebook profile, then regardless of the complexity of your password, youve lost control of your account.

In addition, you or family members posting vacation plans, photos, or narratives usually allow anyone who can see your postings to assess whether your home is ripe for burglary, your staff expects you to be out of touch, or creates a plausible explanation for why you are contacting corporate from an unusual email or phone number.

5. The rise of ransomware & bitcoin

Ransomware is an attack that involves criminals encrypting a victims files, and then sending a demand for payment to obtain the decryption key. The FBI estimates that over one billion dollars in extortion payments were made last year, which has only encouraged the proliferation of these digital weapons, usually from locations out of reach of U.S. law enforcement. Not every instance of ransomware is the same; there have been dozens of new variants in the last three years. Some encrypt only files on a victims hard drive; others are designed to spread throughout the corporate network, encrypting everything in its path.

Many ransomware payments are denominated in a cryptocurrency called Bitcoin, which is a form of currency taking the C-suite by storm, according to National Security Corporation President and SANS Instructor, G. Mark Hardy: Bitcoin is a distributed ledger maintained by software that uses encryption to protect prior entries from alteration, while creating an interface to add new transactions, he writes. Because of its relative untraceability, Bitcoin has become an anonymous payment mechanism of choice for criminals, even though it has many legitimate uses. Ransom is often due in 24 or 48 hours before it goes up or the key is destroyed forever. Thus, having a member of your team know how to purchase Bitcoin (or holding some as a contingency) is a prudent precaution.

Ransomware often arrives as an email attachment or as a clickable link in a message that takes the victim to an infected website. Sometimes legitimate websites are infected with tools called exploit kits that are silently downloaded while the user looks at the normal page. These kits look for unpatched vulnerabilities or out-of-date software that allows the attackers to install malware that can search for sensitive files and begin the encryption process.

Infected attachments usually require the user to take an additional action such as open this file, enable macros, or enable content. Rarely is this a requirement for legitimate correspondence, but many people click through without thinking as they have not been sensitized to the risk of what these files can do. Emails that appear to come from known correspondents raise less suspicion; thus some attack tools harvest a victims email contacts for spreading their malicious content.

Hardy suggests that paying ransom is not a matter of principle, its a matter of operational effectiveness. If an enterprise does not have regular, complete backups, it is faced with the prospect of extended downtime which may cost many thousands per hour, as compared to the payment of several hundred with the (unproven) promise of getting files back. Although attackers often deliver, not all do. Discuss with your legal team now the ramifications of paying or negotiating ransom, and whether or not any reporting or shareholder disclosures are required. Ransomware is unlikely to vanish in the near future; consider it an ongoing threat that requires predetermined courses of action to allow fast response.

Next time well round out the Top 10 with a closer look at the latest trends in whaling, email threats, doing homework, and how to destroy files (yesseriously!)

Its been a busy summer.
MoneyTips

Are you familiar with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)? If so, you probably associate the BLS with either jobs and unemployment reports, or statistics quoted by politicians (sometimes incorrectly or out of context) who want to make a point. However, the BLS contains a treasure trove of other useful statistics and functions of which you are probably not aware.

For example, if you are entering college and have not decided on a professional career path, or are in the middle of a midlife career switch, you may want to consult the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). The OOH is a searchable database that contains information on over 500 careers, from accountants to zoologists.

Careers may be sorted and analyzed in five categories: median pay (2019 reference), number of projected new jobs from 2019 to 2029, entry-level educational requirements, growth rate of the field, and the type of on-the-job training that employees in the field receive. Estimates and projections are based on results from the bi-annual Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey and adjusted to include results from the previous three years.

Special buttons are available to display the three categories that most people are interested in  the highest-paying jobs, jobs with the fastest expected growth, and careers with the most projected new jobs. One broad field dominates with most of the top spots in all three categories  medicine. As Obamacare meets our aging population, high-paying positions are available at all levels of the medical system from surgeons to physical therapists, personal care to home health aides.

However, you don't have to be in medicine to find jobs with good pay and high demand. For example, software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers are expected to add 316,000 jobs with a median salary of $107,510 per year.

What do they do and how do I become one? Glad you asked. Simply click on the link with the occupation name, and a secondary page will show up with tabs showing what people in that profession do, their work environment, how to become an employee in that field, pay distributions, job projections, and other useful career information.

What careers should you avoid? Search by the lower end of one category if you want to rule out a profession by any criteria.

If money is your concern, there are 92 occupations that pay a median of less than $30,000 annually. Several of those categories also have a declining number of jobs, including motion picture projectionists, fast food and short order cooks, and pressers of textiles and garments. That doesn't mean that if you love cooking you shouldn't go into the field  just have reasonable expectations.

Occupations can also be browsed and searched alphabetically. If you prefer to sort by groups, the home page also contains 25 occupational groups. Is math your specialty? Click on the math group and you can find more detailed information about the three occupations listed: Actuaries, Operations Research Analysts, and Mathematicians and Statisticians. What about math teachers? They would be included under the Education, Training, and Library group.

The OOH page does not have geographical data, but the OES webpage does. It contains an occupational map that you can use to look for regional differences. Drop down menus allow you to filter by category. Want to be a landscape architect? Your average wage is $50,860 in Oklahoma versus $90,940 in California. Prefer to be a social worker? You could make $51,980 in Florida or $74,390 in Massachusetts.

If you are a fan of statistics, the BLS is an interesting place to browse. There are many other labor-related statistics available. Get familiar with the site and not only can you potentially find your new career choice, you can find just the fact you need to refute politicians or obnoxious Facebook "friends." It's great to be armed with facts.

Let MoneyTips protect your credit and your identity with a free trial.

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Originally Posted at: https://www.moneytips.com/bureau-of-labor-statistics

Facts About The Labor Force

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A man has been charged with felony sexual assault after an elementary school student told her school counselor the man abused her, charging documents say.

Chad Everett Meeks, 45, appeared on the charge Monday in Yellowstone County Justice Court. Justice of the Peace David A. Carter set bond at $150,000.

Meeks inappropriately touched the child multiple times and later told her not to tell, the charges state. The child told her counselor she was afraid of Meeks. Once Meeks learned the child had told, he quit his job and planned to flee, despite being on parole after serving prison time for a federal offense, charges say.

The childs mother tried to convince investigators that her child was fabricating the stories and had since recanted, charges say. After having time alone with her mother, the child gave a second interview in which she did recant her allegations, charges say. The mother has a history of protecting offenders after a reported crime and showed hostility to people providing services for her daughter, charging documents say.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is projecting Connecticut will hit a dire milestone this year: More than 1,000 people are likely to die from drug overdoses in the state.

Chief Medical Examiner Dr. James Gill in a release Monday said hes projecting 1,078 fatal drug overdoses by the end of 2017, a skyrocketing figure when compared to 2012, when fatal overdoses totaled 357. The figures indicate theres no end in sight to the states opioid crisis, which is reflective of a nationwide epidemic that President Donald Trump earlier this month called a national emergency.

Gills release offered another harrowing milestone: Fentanyl, the synthetic opioid, has surpassed heroin as the most common opioid causing fatal overdoses. Gill had previously warned about fentanyls rise in fatal overdoses. The drug, which can be up to 50 times stronger than heroin, was found in 322 overdose deaths so far this year. Heroin by comparison was found in 257 overdose deaths.

It appears this increase in overdoses is largely being driven by fentanyl, Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a statement. To address this issue, we need full force of the federal government to help prevent the influx of fentanyl from abroad  particularly from countries like China.

Dr. Gail DOnofrio, Yale New Haven Hospital chief of emergency services, said Monday that fentanyls increase in use is a result of lower manufacturing costs, which can increase its profitability. DOnofrio, who is also a professor of emergency medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, said fentanyl can be mixed with heroin or even pressed to appear like prescription medication.

Im afraid that, as you can see, its escalating. Thats very worrisome, DOnofrio said. Theres a lot of ways that they can market this. Its very scary since its more potent.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., called Mondays announcement devastating in a statement, adding the opioid epidemic is ravaging the state. In a separate statement, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called the news shocking and inexorable.

People in Connecticut are counting on us to help end this epidemic, Murphy said in his statement. Unfortunately, weve only seen lip service from the Trump administration  calling it a crisis but then championing billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid that would cripple life-saving substance abuse programs that Connecticut families rely on. Republicans and Democrats need to start working together to address this crisis.

Fatal overdoses have increased in Connecticut each year since 2012, with last year seeing 917 fatal drug overdoses. The overall figures include deaths from opioids such as heroin and fentanyl, as well as other drugs such as cocaine, MDMA and methamphetamine.

According to Gills office, 539 people have died from drug overdoses this year through June 30. This figure is already close to 2014s total number of fatal overdoses, which was 568. Deaths from drug overdoses are ruled accidental by Gills office.

The youngest overdose victim in the state so far this year was 17 and died in the New Preston section of the town of Washington, while the oldest victim was a 73-year-old Newington resident.

Malloy in his statement said opioid addiction and prescription drug misuse, is a disease that is impacting nearly every community and people of every background. Malloy in June signed a bill addressing the crisis by implementing new provisions, including restricting opioid prescriptions and requiring electronic monitoring of scheduled drugs. The state has passed other laws addressing the crisis, including increasing access to naloxone, the opioid overdose antidote.

This is a complex crisis that does not have one root cause, nor does it have simple solution, but we need to do everything in our power to treat and prevent it, Malloy said in the release. Connecticut is taking action, but our work is not finished until our communities and our families are no longer struggling with the grave costs of this illness.

Another powerful opioid thats found its way into the states drug supply is carfentanil. The opioid is most commonly used as an elephant tranquilizer and is about 10,000 times stronger than morphine. Gills data indicate the drug was found in at least four overdoses, including two in Bridgeport, one in Norwalk and one in Stratford. The first reported overdose involving the powerful opioid was reported in Norwalk in April.

The release Monday offered an update on the medical examiners offices national accreditation status, which had been threatened in part because of the increase in bodies handled by the office. Gill said the offices accreditation status will be re-evaluated next month.

We still need at least 2 more medical examiners to become eligible for full accreditation, Gill said in the release. Until the final State budget is passed, we do not know if we will get these needed positions.

DOnofrio has worked with the state to develop the Connecticut Opioid Response, or CORE, team. Its goal is to collaborative with the state to call attention to addiction treatment options, including medication-assisted treatment options such as methadone. These treatment options are evidence-based, DOnofrio said.

DOnofrio added that people should not be experimenting with pills, including those purchased over the dark web, since the product advertised may not be the one they end up using.

Everybody is working very hard, DOnofrio said. We have our work cut out for us.

Mondays release also included 2016 homicide figures. The office certified 87 deaths as homicides in Connecticut last year, compared with 129 in 2015.

Reach Esteban L. Hernandez at 203-680-9901.
WASHINGTON  With Republicans appealing for swift action on a relief package for Texas victims of Hurricane Harvey, Democrats wagged a collective finger by recalling GOP resistance to similarly funding in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Most Democrats who pleaded for aid in 2012 after Sandy  which devastated the Connecticut coastline  appear ready to vote for Harvey relief.

But not before savoring the irony of the political moment.

The shoe is now on the other foot, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. But this is a moment in history for us to come together as a nation and overcome our partisan divisions. It was right then for the nation to provide Sandy relief, and its right now to provide Harvey relief.

Democratic irritation mostly is focused on the Texas Republican delegation, particularly arch-conservative Sen. Ted Cruz.

Its worth noting that the Texas delegation mostly voted against aid to help us in Connecticut after Superstorm Sandy, said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., But were not going to do that. Were going to try to get this relief package done to get assistance out to them as soon as possible.

Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., also aimed for the high road, tweeting: Texas reps and notoriously, @SenTedCruz fought against Sandy aid, so crucial to CT. Going with my better angels to fight FOR Texas aid.

The battle shaped up along geographic lines as much as political ones, with Republicans including Rep. Peter King of Long Island, N.Y., and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie joining Democrats in blasting the turnaround of Texas Republicans.

Cruz led Republican opposition to Sandy aid in 2012, insisting it must be by equal spending cuts in other areas. Other conservative Republicans outside the Northeast fell into line, delaying a relief package until four months after Sandy devastated the coastlines of Connecticut, New Jersey and Long Island, and caused flooding in Staten Island and even Lower Manhattan.

Cruz defended his Sandy position, saying in an interview on MSNBC that the $50 billion package was filled with unnecessary pork spending.

Its not right for politicians to exploit a disaster when people are hurting to pay for their own political wish list, he said.

President Donald Trump visited Texas on Tuesday and declared relief was a multi-pronged effort. Its a real team, and we want to do it better than ever before, he said.

On Monday in a news conference with the president of Finland, Trump said, you are going to see very rapid action from Congress, certainly from the president.

The urgency of Harvey relief money comes at an inopportune time especially for congressional Republicans, who are wrestling with their own conservative consciences over raising the debt ceiling and reaching a budget deal by Sept. 30.

Although both branches of Congress are under GOP domination, Trump is threatening a shutdown unless he gets funding to build his promised wall across the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border.

Democrats may well be tempted to sit on the sidelines and watch Republicans duke it out among themselves. But they appear united in wanting relief for Harvey victims to stand on its own, regardless of ideology.

It is abhorrent to use public emergencies to score political points, said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn. We needed to fund relief efforts following Hurricane Sandy and the Zika outbreak, and now we need to help Texans in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. There should be no question as to whether we will respond.

dan@hearstdc.com
STRATFORD  Tina Manus, the Dist. 10 town councilwoman who opposed a luxury apartment building planned near her home, is being sued by the developer over a dustup that occurred at a Zoning Commission meeting.

The developer, Gerard J. Kiley Jr., of Stamford, has accused Manus in his civil suit of slander, libel and tortious interference with business expectancies.

In court papers filed in recent days, Kiley also accused Manus of lying to police and also made untrue and defamatory statements.

In the Zoning Commission meeting that took place March 28 in Town Hall, Manus said that Kiley threatened her.

Manus also called police to the meeting, but no one was arrested. Police were dispatched to Town Hall late in the meeting, just after midnight. Cops arrived after the meeting was adjourned.

In the official police report, Manus told officers that Kiley told her: You're not going to like what happens next.

But, according to the report, Manus later told police Kiley did not speak to her directly, although it also says she felt as if Gerald was speaking directly at her.

The suit says Manus untrue and defamatory statements were published in the Connecticut Post and that his business reputation was tarnished. It says she made a hysterical outburst at the zoning session.

Manus lives near the end of Fox Hill Road, which dead-ends at the seven-acre wooded lot behind the Big Y supermarket where the development would have been constructed.

It called for 300 luxury apartments, possibly with a restaurant to be added later. Manus was one of 13 homeowners who spoke in opposition to the plan that night.

The total acreage of the site is 34, but 27 of those acres are either conservation area or wetlands.

That night, the zoning panel turned down the request for a so-called text amendment that would have allowed residential units in an office park district, effectively scuttling the project.

The Planning Commission had earlier recommended, with conditions, the text amendment be approved. The developer argued the project, known as SHD Hawley LLC, would have added $1 million a year to property tax revenues, but residents said that it would generate too much traffic and change the character of that part of town.

Kileys attorney could not be reached for comment. and Manus declined to talk about the suit. Its not known as yet the damages hes seeking.

Manus was there not as a Town Council member, but rather a citizen speaking in opposition to the development idea.

Manus does not yet have an attorney, according to court documents. There are no hearings in the case scheduled at this point.

Manus, a Democrat, is running for re-election this fall; her Republican opponent is Laura J. Dancho. But first she must survive a primary challenge from Democrat Matthew Light on Sept. 12.

jburgeson@ctpost.com
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What happened?

Hillary Rodham Clinton at the Costco in Brookfield, instead of the White House?

Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate who won the popular vote, but lost to Republican Donald Trump in the Electoral College, will be at the Brookfield Costco on Federal Road at noon on Saturday, Sept. 16.

The Brookfield stop is part of a tour Clinton is doing to promote her 515-page book entitled What Happened, her forthcoming memoir on the 2016 presidential election. The Brookfield stop is the only appearance scheduled at a Costco in the United States.

Brookfield is about 40 miles from Clintons home in Chappaqua, N.Y.

She will also have a book signing at Wesleyan University in Middletown at the R.J. Julia Bookstore at 2 p.m., Oct. 21. The Wesleyan stop is a ticketed event. A $30 ticket includes admission to the book signing line and one copy of What Happened, which Clinton will sign.

Costco, which posted the Clinton appearance at the Brookfield store, has not released any information about book or ticket fees. It suggests calling the store or vistinfg its website for details.

There are two parts of the tour. One, called Hillary Live, where Clinton will speak in 15 cities; the other includes nine book signings from September to December.

In announcing the visit, her publisher, Simon and Schuster posted: Join Hillary Rodham Clinton as she travels the United States this fall. Shell connect with audiences with a story thats personal, raw, detailed and surprisingly funny. Shell take you with her on her journey and talk about What Happened, whats next, and whats on your mind.

What youll see will be her story - Live. Her story of resilience, how to get back up after a loss, and how we can all look ahead.

Its about Hillarys experience as a woman in politics - she lets loose on this topic, and others, in a way she never has before.

The book will be released on Sept. 12.
BRIDGEPORT - A Mexican citizen was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison for traveling to this state to have sex with a 15-year-old girl he met online.

Arturo Castro, 53, of Wilmette, Ill, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of use of an interstate facility to persuade a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
A committee advising the Billings City Council on how to run the Babcock Theatre once its turned back over to the city voted unanimously Monday to recommend spending $127,977 to purchase the theaters green room.

The renovated green room, which includes bathrooms, showers, kitchen sink, a laundry facility and ancillary space, is not part of the theater, City Administrator Tina Volek told the committee Monday. Committee members toured the green room  which is actually painted white  before voting to recommend the green room purchase.

According to Volek, groups that have inquired about managing or purchasing the historic theater, at 2812 Second Ave. N., have said that having a green room  a backstage space where cast and crew can relax, put on makeup and get work done before and after a performance  is essential to the operation of the theater.

The citys 2017-18 budget includes $500,000 to be spent on capital items associated with the Babcock Theatre. On Sept. 11, the City Council is scheduled to decide whether to purchase the green room and whether to formally accept control of the theater.

If I had $500,000 in the budget, said Jack Pelham of We Montana, one of the groups to have expressed interest in managing the theater, Id spend this money in a heartbeat.

Volek said the council has directed staff to prepare both a request for proposal to manage the Babcock, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and a sale offer. Both documents will be distributed in September and opened in October, she said.

There is money available, and staff feels that we need to move forward, she said.
The Montana Supreme Court on Monday reversed a judge's decision that the city of Billings pay $2.7 million to police as part of a contract lawsuit.

In a 5-2 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that language in collective bargaining agreements between Billings Police Department officers and the city of Billings were not as clear as a lower court had determined.

My initial impression is I'm stunned and very disappointed," said Randy Bishop, an attorney representing the officers.

"We credit this decision to the perseverance and effort of the city's appellate attorneys, Jim Goetz of Goetz, Baldwin and Geddes in Bozeman and Andy Forsythe of Moulton Bellingham in Billings," said Brent Brooks, Billings city attorney.

Writing for the majority opinion, Justice Jim Rice said that District Judge Brenda Gilbert's conclusions failed to consider all available evidence when she ordered the city of Billings to pay, and that the contract language could be interpreted more than one way depending on what evidence is considered.

Twenty-eight Billings officers first filed the lawsuit in 2009 with Ernie Watters as the lead plaintiff. It was later expanded as a class-action suit.

The officers claimed the city underpaid them for years by incorrectly calculating longevity pay, which uses a formula based on the number of years an officer has worked. Longevity pay was negotiated as part of the officers' bargaining agreement, which is the contract with the city.

Interpretations of some contract language were in dispute, including whether longevity pay for the first year of work was awarded during that year or after it was completed. The two sides also disputed whether longevity pay is calculated based on an officer's standard first-year base pay or each officer's individual pay.

Former District Court Judge Nels Swandal ruled in the officers' favor with a partial summary judgment in 2011. Litigation continued until last fall, when Judge Gilbert ordered the $2.7 million judgment against Billings.

Gilbert succeeded Swandal after his retirement.

Attorneys for the city appealed. The city cited multiple reasons in the appeal, but the Supreme Court focused only on whether the contract language was "unambiguous" enough to warrant the district judges' decisions.

The justices determined that both the city and the officers had reasonable interpretations of the contract. Furthermore, the Supreme Court's majority opinion took issue with Swandal's conclusions in his 2011 ruling that favored the officers' position  conclusions that influenced the rest of the case.

The Supreme Court noted that attorneys for the city of Billings argued that other evidence favored their interpretation. The city said in its appeal that the police union representatives who negotiated the contract agreed with the city's interpretation, for example.

Swandal wrote in 2011 that he believed he was interpreting only what was written "within the four corners" of the contract and nothing else.

Bishop, the attorney representing the officers, backed the district court judges' previous rulings.

"We felt that the legal issue was one that was based upon well-established contract law and both Judge Swandal and Judge Gilbert felt that way in multiple rulings, he said.

The majority of the Supreme Court felt there was enough ambiguity in the contract to warrant reconsideration.

Two justices dissented: Michael Wheat and Chief Justice Mike McGrath.

Wheat wrote the dissenting opinion and backed Swandal's interpretation that the contract should have been interpreted as the officers saw it from the beginning. Thus, the city was always going against the contract language with its interpretation.

Bishop was traveling Monday and said he hadn't yet reviewed options moving forward.

The case will now go back to District Court.

"There will be more work ahead for the District Court, the city and the plaintiffs in this case," Brooks said.

City officials said they will meet with the city's attorneys to discuss the remand issued by the Supreme Court.
On Monday evening, USS Billings officers and crew members presented the Billings City Council with a shield they designed. The shield  complete with Native headdress and trident  will adorn the ship until its decommissioned.

In turn, the council handed a plaque to the crew, wishing sailors fair winds and following seas as you defend your country.

City officials journeyed to Marinette, Wisconsin, to celebrate the July 1 christening of the USS Billings.

Sharla Tester, the ships sponsor and the wife of U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, gave council members a pair of prints depicting the Littoral Class ship, which the council learned will replace three kinds of ships: frigates, mine countermeasure and patrol combatants. While the USS Billings is still being tested, its expected program life is 50 years, said Cmdr. Nate Rowan, the ships commissioning commanding officer.

This is your ship, Rowan told told the council and a packed council chambers. When people walk on board the USS Billings, we want to give them a snapshot of Billings.

Mayor Tom Hanel told crew members, We want you to know that we are praying for you.
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Having any affiliation to white supremacy and neo-Nazism can cost one their job, with one of the best examples being the rioters in the Charlottesville rally, where many demonstrators were let go from their jobs after being identified on social media.

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Such is the case with Bart Alsbrook, a Colbert, Oklahoma interim police chief who resigned after local TV station KXII-TV revealed he was connected to two neo-Nazi websites. Alsbrook quit his post after only finishing his first week on the job. The town had been dealing with turnover issues, as Alsbrook was the its third police chief in less than a year.

KXII realized Alsbrook was linked to websites selling white supremacist-themed music and memorabilia, ISD Records and NS88 Videos. The former is a record company which boasts artists such as The Klansmen and albums such as Hitler was Right. The sites were taken down hours after KXII made an inquiry.

Southern Law Poverty Center tracks extremist groups and both sites were included on its Hate Map. The center also confirmed that Alsbrooks was the USA Texas Coordinator for neo-Nazi skinhead group Blood & Honour. Alsbrook has denied having any connection to either of the websites and claimed that vindictive skinheads hed met at heavy metal concerts were the reason why he was linked to the racist platforms.

Someone has been using my name for years on the internet in regards to racist topics, Alsbrook told Tulsa World. Its not me, rather someone who has hijacked my name due to my combativeness and rejection to white power skinheads who were always coming to the heavy metal shows, starting fights and messing up our scene.

Source: HuffPo

What do you think about Alsbrooks statement? Do you believe he is associated with neo-Nazi groups? What do you think about the hate groups affecting someones job in general? Lets discuss in the comments!

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Six years after the initial raid of his Jefferson City home, a convicted animal abuser with an illegal marijuana-growing operation has been granted a jury trial to determine the fate of the land and residence he had to forfeit.

Mike Chilinski, who remains under supervision for more than 90 counts of animal cruelty, will be back in Jefferson County district court for the trial early next year.

The district court had earlier rejected Chilinski's request for a jury trial regarding the forfeiture of his property due to his illegal growing operation. The Montana Supreme Court earlier this year reversed that decision and remanded the case back to the lower court.

A trial date is slated for Jan. 16, 2018.

About 140 malamutes were rescued from deplorable conditions during a 2011 raid of the inhumane dog breeding operation on Chilinski's property. Authorities also saw the marijuana operation in plain view.

The Southwest Montana Drug Task Force was alerted to the operation and conducted its own investigation, which netted more than 300 plants and upwards of three pounds of processed pot. This amount drew federal attention, and Chilinski was later convicted in federal court of producing dangerous drugs.

The federal conviction included a forfeiture provision, but federal authorities opted to not pursue the confiscation for "unknown reasons," court documents note.

In 2013, state officials resumed the forfeiture and the next year a district judge ordered the forfeit of Chilinski's property. This was appealed to the Montana Supreme Court, which ruled in his favor.
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.
The document seen by The Times claims the child was 'very distressed' and claimed she had her Christian cross taken away (picture posed by models)

The social services industry prides itself on its cultural sensitivity, especially when it comes to fostering and adoption.

Respect for background and identity is meant to be central to the process of finding a home for a vulnerable child.

But that ideal has utterly broken down in the case that emerged yesterday, in which it was reported that a five-year-old girl from a white Christian family was placed by Tower Hamlets council in London in two successive Muslim households.

Much to the childs distress  as logged in confidential local authority reports seen by The Times  neither family seems to have shown much respect or understanding for her upbringing or faith.

One supervisor is reported to have described her sobbing as she begged not to go back to the carers home because they dont speak English.

A necklace with a crucifix was apparently taken from her and she was told to learn Arabic. She was also told that Christmas and Easter are stupid and European women are stupid and alcoholic.

When, on a visit to her birth mother, she was given her favourite dish of spaghetti carbonara to take back to her foster home, she was banned from eating it because it contained bacon.

Compounding what must have been this childs sense of alienation, her first carer, with whom she spent four months, is said to have worn the niqab  a face veil  when outside the family home.

In the second and current placement, her carer wore the all-enveloping burka and fully concealed her face in public.

(In my view, this is a garment that should have no place in British society. Both the burka and niqab should be banned, as they have been in France, Belgium and elsewhere.)

It is absolutely right that MPs demand an inquiry into this appalling example of forced cultural convergence.

Social services bosses love to prattle about human rights, but the treatment of this little girl represents a denial of her most basic rights.

If the reports are correct, she has been plunged into an unfamiliar environment of language, creed and dress code, where her carers make plain they have little time for her family or heritage.

To a young child, of course, such words mean little  but we can imagine her confusion and anxiety at the apparent hostility towards her background, the dismissive description of its women and its ancient festivals.

And lets not forget that she is likely to have been traumatised already by difficult family circumstances.

This is yet another case in which the dogma of liberal political correctness appears to have triumphed over common sense. How else could one even begin to rationalise placing this child in strict Muslim households?

Here is what should happen now. The girl should be removed immediately from her current foster parents to a more appropriate placement. Then the social workers and their line managers who made this insensitive decision should be named, shamed and dismissed.

In April this year, an Ofsted inspection at Tower Hamlets council found widespread and serious failures in the services provided to children who need help and protection

I would go further. If the reports are confirmed, these foster parents should be barred from taking in more children, even those of Muslim heritage.

You may think my judgment is harsh. But the kind of religious intolerance these reports suggest is not found anywhere in the Koran, which demands respect for all faiths. There are some beautiful verses which speak of every believer, irrespective of their faith, reaching Heaven.

Tragically, a reactionary version of the Muslim religion, known as Wahhabism or Salafism, has been imported into Britain from the Middle East, mainly Saudi Arabia. A central feature of Wahhabism is its antagonism to the freedom of women, hence the growing prevalence of the burka and the niqab.

Here in Britain, Wahhabism is becoming the dominant Muslim sect. It increasingly holds sway in conurbations such as Luton, Slough, Birmingham, Leeds and Bradford. But nowhere is it stronger than in Tower Hamlets.

One of this girls family friends claims she is trapped in a world where everything feels foreign and unfamiliar. That could almost be a description of a borough that has been rocked by scandals, with a council that at times became a byword for financial corruption, tribal conflict, election fraud and poisonous identity politics.

This is clearly no recipe for a cohesive society.

Yet the authorities, typified by the social services, remain trapped in their deluded ideology of multiculturalism, where sectarian habits and backward-looking customs go unchallenged because they are held to be indicators of vibrant diversity.

Such an attitude has bred a tremendous amount of hypocrisy and double standards.

Can you imagine the mass hysteria from the Left if Tower Hamlets had decided to place a five-year-old Muslim girl with fundamentalist Christians who forced her to eat pork and read the Bible?

So far, there has been barely a peep from any of the usual voices, such as Labours Diane Abbott, who love to wallow in ethnic minority victimhood.

Yet in Tower Hamlets, this girl is a representative of an ethnic minority  given that, according to the last Census, just 31 per cent of the local population is white British.

These double standards are, sadly, not confined to Tower Hamlets. Rotherham council barred one couple from fostering children because their membership of Ukip was deemed incompatible with multiculturalism, even though there had been no complaints about their competence as foster parents.

Yet this same council did nothing for years about Muslim grooming gangs in the town preying on hundreds of vulnerable white girls, despite a wealth of evidence about this systematic abuse.

It is exactly this kind of institutionalised cowardice that allows exploitation to flourish across the country, along with all the other features of Muslim extremism such as jihadism, hate preaching, misogyny and intolerance.

We cannot go on like this. Should an inquiry confirm the reports about this case, then, as well as sacking the staff responsible, we should abandon the obsession with political correctness in fostering and adoption cases. What should count is the competency of the carers, not their backgrounds or beliefs.

We should drop the discredited fixation with multicultural diversity. In fact, we should move in the opposite direction, seeking to create a viable society that upholds indigenous traditions and hard-won liberties.

This focus on integration through the acceptance of historic British values of tolerance, liberty and respect is the only way to avoid tearing apart the cementing fabric of our society.

By definition, a good foster parent is already open, tolerant and loving, eager to provide the best possible home to a troubled child. Race and religion should not enter into it, except in the sense of respecting the values of the childs identity.

If only that had happened with this little girl, she might not have faced such a traumatic upheaval.
When was the last time you gave your LinkedIn profile some love?

If the answer is a while, now might be the time to update and refine it.

New research by the business social networking service found that women do not promote themselves as much as men on the site - and it's costing them jobs as a result.

New research by the business social networking service has found that women do not promote themselves as much as men on the site (stock image)

LinkedIn found that while women have shorter profiles than men, they will also include 'eleven per cent fewer skills than men on their LinkedIn profile' (stock image)

After analysing some 141 million profiles, researchers from LinkedIn in the US found that while women have shorter profiles than men, males also 'tend to skew their professional brands to highlight more senior-level experience, often removing junior-level roles altogether'.

The average woman includes 'eleven per cent fewer skills than men on their LinkedIn profile, even at similar occupations and experience levels'.

Meanwhile, the most applied-for roles for men include software engineer, project manager and business analyst, whereas for women it is administrative or executive assistant, followed by project manager and account manager.

In order to boost your profile on LinkedIn, the key is to invest time - 'Invest time in actively posting,' the Country Manager for LinkedIn Australia and New Zealand said (stock image)

So how can you boost your profile and build your brand on LinkedIn?

According to the Country Manager for LinkedIn Australia and New Zealand, Matt Tindale, the key is to invest some time.

'Invest time in actively posting,' he said. 'Don't just share articles, but add your thoughts and commentary to what is being discussed and liken it to your experience or brand.'

Then, make sure you have an 'authentic perspective'.

'If you are passionate about topics that matter to you, share your perspective,' the expert continued.

You can also 'nurture your network' by engaging in 'meaningful conversations and sharing insightful information' (stock image)

Finally, 'nurture your network' by engaging in 'meaningful conversations and sharing insightful information'.

You could also add more skills to your profile and make it longer as a whole - to reflect those of many men from the research.

LinkedIn Australia recently shared the most viewed profiles in the Australian fashion industry - the Power Profiles 2017 list.

These include the founder and CEO of Showpo, Jane Lu, the CEO of the Iconic, Patrick Schmidt and the CEO of Cotton On, Peter Johnson, among others.

For more information about the Power Profiles, click here.
When I attended my granddaughters graduation from Transylvania University in Kentucky, I was surprised and pleased to find the student population roughly 50 percent white and 50 percent students of color. Although it was 2014, I had expected the student population of a southern university to be primarily white. Many of the black students came from Kentucky and surrounding states; many came from Africa. The families and friends attending were equally mixed and we all mingled and shared stories in a way that was definitely not Old South. I wondered how did this happen and how can it be duplicated elsewhere?

Transylvania is one of the oldest universities in the United States with a starting date preceding the formation of the United States. It was a white gentlemans school for many years, with no females attending until the 1950s and certainly only white girls enrolled there.

The graduation speaker was a black lady who entered Transylvania 50 years earlier in 1964. Lula Morton Drewes graduated from Transylvania, went on to earn a doctorate in clinical psychology from Vanderbilt University and specializes in treatment of trauma, stress and crises management and womens and multicultural issues. She is internationally known and lives in Germany.

How she got to Transylvania was the amazing story that she told. In 1963, Patrick Molloy and Michael Mitchell, two senior students at Transylvania, went to the chancellor and said it was time to have black students at Transylvania. The chancellor responded that he would love to have black students, but they would have to meet the high entrance standards of Transylvania and be able to afford it as the university had no scholarship money.

For the next year, Patrick and Michael visited every black high school in Kentucky looking for a student who could qualify and would like to attend Transylvania. Lula was an outstanding student, but had no money. Patrick replied no problem as she would have a scholarship. Lula attended all four years believing that her education was paid by a university scholarship. It was actually paid for by Patrick out of a Trust Fund left to him by his grandfather. Lula did not know until 2010 that Patrick paid for her education. She said that Transylvania had been warmly welcoming. She was accepted by both students and faculty, and made friends that had stayed in touch with her for her entire life.

In the past weeks, I have thought about the contentious years of the 1960s. I was a young mom trying to figure out ways to teach my children acceptance of other races in a culture that was reflecting violent prejudice every day. I think it helps to know that in any time of conflict, there are people everywhere who are kind, caring and courageous. These are the people who lead all of us in lasting change. We will not know who they are, or what they do, and we will only see the lasting results later. They will not be twittering, they will be doing.
The founder of Australian boutique lingerie chain, Honey Birdette, has hit back after one of their new campaign images was banned from stores this week.

One of the ads from Honey Birdette's 'Issy' campaign was deemed 'highly sexual' and banned from stores after a flood of complaints.

The image, which showed two women in lacy black lingerie, was reviewed by the Australian Ad Standards Bureau.

It was one of seven ads displayed on digital billboards in stores around the country and was therefore visible to children in shopping centres.

As a result it was found to be in breach of Section 2.4 of the Code which states that 'Advertising or Marketing Communications shall treat sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience'.

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The founder of Australian boutique lingerie chain, Honey Birdette, has hit back after one of their new campaign images (pictured) was banned from stores this week

One of the ads (not pictured) from Honey Birdette's 'Issy' campaign was deemed 'highly sexual' and banned from stores after a flood of complaints

The Ad Bureau said that the 'cut of the bras the women are wearing means that their nipples are visible through the lace'.

'Depiction of nipples in an image in a store window is not appropriate and does not treat the issue of sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant broad audience which would include children,' they wrote of the image.

'Overall the Board considered that the image entitled "Issy" did not treat the issue of sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience.'

As a result, the signage was changed on Monday.

'What's so threatening about a female nipple as opposed to a male nipple?' Ms Monaghan told FEMAIL

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia Honey Birdette creator Eloise Monaghan said the image in question was 'beautiful' and they plan to simply 'keep on doing what we're doing'.

We are here to empower women and we are going to continue to advertise lingerie. Eloise Monaghan

'What's so threatening about a female nipple as opposed to a male nipple?' Ms Monaghan told FEMAIL.

'This whole thing is a step backwards for society - this collection is our best-selling collection and the fastest selling collection ever and we sold 2,500 units within the first three hours.

'People have nipples, wow. It's not like there are tassles on them, they are covered and we faded them as much as possible but unfortunately we are a target.'

'People have nipples, wow. It's not like there are tassles on them, they are covered and we faded them as much as possible but unfortunately we are a target,' she said

'Yes, some parents did complain in addition to specific groups but I hardly imagine a four-year-old is walking past saying "look Mum there's a nipple, I'm offended,' Eloise (pictured) said

Ms Monaghan hit back at any suggestion that the ads 'objectify' women.

'We are here to empower women and we are going to continue to advertise lingerie and empower women moving forward,' she said.

'Yes, some parents did complain in addition to specific groups but I hardly imagine a four-year-old is walking past saying "look Mum there's a nipple, I'm offended".

'I've even had leasing agents say they weren't comfortable with our store because it was too focused on female sexuality - that got me fired up and now we are going to start looking to launch in California as well.

'We need to wake up, it's frightening how conservative society is becoming. I will continue to fight for me and my team.'

'We need to wake up, it's frightening how conservative society is becoming. I will continue to fight for me and my team,' she said

One complainant said the ad in question was not appropriate in shopping centres frequented by minors because 'it is pornography'.

'I complained to centre management and they said there was nothing they could do (not even get signs removed),' they wrote.

'This is not the first time I have seen posters like this on display in this shop. In fact last year my complaint for exactly the same reason was upheld. Why are they allowed to continue to expose minors to their inappropriate marketing? We should not be repeatedly subjected to this marketing ploy.'

Another wrote: 'The images were highly sexual in nature and nipples were also visible on some images. This is displayed in a public mall and was visible to my children. The store attendant also said that it was an adult only shop and under 18s are not allowed in, but are allowed to view their images from the front of the store.'

One complainant said the ad in question was not appropriate in shopping centres frequented by minors because 'it is pornography'

In 2015, they were found to have breached the advertising code of ethics in a Christmas advertisement after complaints were made about the suggestive sexual violence in it

In a response to the complaint on the Ad Standards Bureau, Honey Birdette said they are 'sensitive to the views' of customers and 'greatly appreciate' the feedback.

'Our stores are all about making women feel safe and sophisticated and are not overtly sexualised,' they wrote.

'I believe in increasing womens power in society. We are a chain store for women by women. 95% of our 140,000 plus customers are women. Please be assured that we put a lot of time and effort into ensuring that it is not offensive whilst also representative of our brand.

'We focus test it with a wide range of people to ensure it is sophisticated. I hope this helps you understand that to market and advertise lingerie, a certain level of skin needs to be exposed, however we do this in a way that empowers women rather than demean them.'

The ad watchdog ruled that one of the two adverts 'featuring a bound and gagged Santa' suggested a sexual scene that was inappropriate to a broader audience

This isn't the first time Ms Monaghan has had to deal with complaints however, with the chain often the centre of angered social media posts and complaint.

In 2015, they were found to have breached the advertising code of ethics in a Christmas advertisement after complaints were made about the suggestive sexual violence in it.

The ad watchdog ruled that one of the two adverts 'featuring a bound and gagged Santa' suggested a sexual scene that was inappropriate to a broader audience.
Even if you haven't committed the crime, it isn't always easy to look innocent.

When pet owner Jennifer Kinderman, 23, from Canutillo, Texas, returned home to find a dog mattress had been spectacularly ripped apart and then strewn across her living room, there was an obvious prime suspect.

While one of her fiance's dogs, Abby, pottered around the mattress carnage at ease, her golden labrodor brother Tobby retreated sheepishly from the scene.

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Texan Jennifer Kinderman, from Canutillo, arrived home to find a whole lot of mess and her fiance's dog Tobby looking very sheepish after retreating from the scene

Dog days: While Kinderman was out, one of the labrodors went to town on the doggy mattress that Tobby sleeps in...and it wasn't difficult to work out who the prime suspect was

While Abby hid any guilt by continuing to rummage through the mattress debris, Tobby knew something bad had happened and retreated to a safe distance

A comedy video shows the dog's reaction when being chastised for the shredding by Kinderman.

She zooms in on Tobby, who looks absolutely guilty, and asks: 'Did you do this?'

Tobby and Abby had been left home alone and with their owners out of the picture for a few hours, one of the pair was determined to have some fun.

Jennifer explains: 'I got home from work and I immediately saw the mess as soon as I walked in the door.

'There were pieces of sponge scattered all around the living room.

'I took a picture and sent it to my fiance to show him what his 'kids' did, they're usually more afraid of him when they know they're in trouble.

'Then when I started asking questions Tobby moved away quickly from the scene and hid behind the fridge, naturally he looks guilty and I assumed it was him.

Spot the naughty one: Abby has a track record for chowing down on mattresses, which is how her owners knew Tobby wasn't guilty

And for my next trick...Tobby wears a poop bag on his head during another misadventure

Butter wouldn't melt: Abby and Tobby are described by their owners as 'energetic, inseparable and a pain in the butt'

The golden labrodors have regularly given Kinderman a headache with their mischievous behaviour...but the doting pet owner says she wouldn't have them any other way

However, it seems Abby was merely acting calm in the face of the chaos she'd created. Kinderman explains: 'It was Abby that made the mess because she had done the exact same thing to her own bed the week prior to this incident.

'Now poor Tobby is left without a bed as well, I guess he figured the outcome was not going to be a good one and wanted to hide. But I couldn't stay mad at them.

'Abby is very sassy and so she clearly didn't care what I thought, she thought it would be a good idea to bring me her toy while I was trying to clean up.

'Tobby waited until I finished cleaning everything then finally decided to ask me for cookies because that's his favourite part of the day.'

Time for a new pet? Not a chance, says Kinderman: 'They are such characters, they are super energetic, inseparable and a pain in the butt. But I wouldn't have it any other way.'
A man whose wife concocted an online experiment to teach him how it feels to be female said it had 'opened his eyes'.

Jessica Eaton, doctoral specialist in forensic psychology and feminist speaker, from Burton Upon Trent in Staffordshire, was determined her husband Alex should understand what it can be like using the internet as a woman.

She had him log into an internet chat room under fake profiles - one male, and one female, to demonstrate the vast differences in the ways that men and women experience social media.

Her point was proven when Alex's male profile received no messages, while the profile under which he posed as an 18-year-old girl was bombarded with sexual messages within seconds. Her husband said of the flood of pornographic images: 'This is horrible'.

Jessica Eaton, a feminist speaker from Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, was determined for her husband Alex to understand what it's like to use the internet as a woman

Describing her experiment on Twitter, Jessica said Alex was shocked by the 'hundreds' of dirty messages, and other users said they were tempted to test it out for themselves.

Alex and Jessica created two profiles on non-sexual forums to conduct the experiment research, one for a man and one for a woman, both of whom were listed as 18 and given 'boring' usernames.

Jessica, whose work specialises in the sexual abuse of children, tweeted: 'Just did a social experiment with my husband to teach him what being a female online is like.

'I got him to enter a generic non sexual forum as a 18 year old male with boring chat name and guess what? Nothing happened.'

Alex then logged out of the male account and logged into the female page, on which he received sexual messages within seconds.

The Twitter user said Alex's fake profile was flooded with explicit messages, which he found shocking and uncomfortable

'Within seconds he had eight inbox messages from men and the first one he opened was a full picture of a guy's d***,' Jessica said.

The account was flooded with hundreds of messages within minutes, including from one user who sent pornographic pictures.

She said: 'He got hundreds of messages in a few minutes and couldn't keep up.'

Alex was shocked by the volume and content of the messages, telling his wife that he couldn't keep up with them.

Jessica posted: 'He then turned to me and said "This is shocking - this has opened my eyes Jess, this is horrible."

Jessica posted a Twitter thread about the experiment, which was re-tweeted and liked more than 1,000 times

'I said to him "That's what you get for being female online" and he just stared as hundreds more messages poured in.'

The fake profile was contacted by 40 accounts in just half an hour, with the messages being so constant they crashed Alex's phone.

Alex was most shocked about the amount of explicit images the profile received and was scared to look as more and more messages came pouring in.

Twitter users were shocked by the experiment, with over 1,000 people liking and retweeting the thread.

Many men responded to the tweet saying they would like to do the experiment, with one posting: 'Is it possible I could know what forum it was on so I can try this for myself? Sounds like an eye-opening experiment.'

Many of the men on the forum sent explicit messages, including one who sent a picture of his privates

'Thank you for this info. That is a great lesson for us guys,' another tweeted.

A third said: 'I am not surprised by the result of your experiment and any idea how to fix this? Is revolting . I think I am a pretty normal straight guy.'

Jessica later updated her followers saying that Alex performed the experiment on his friends and they were also shocked by the results.

She said: 'As an update, my husband has now repeated this experiment to show his friends and co-workers just how real this s*** is and it worked every time.'
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Melania Trump knows how to dress for a society event, a White House fete, or a photoshoot  but a national disaster? Some say, not so much. At least not on the first try.

After watching the progress of Hurricane Harvey safely from the presidential retreat of Camp David, President Donald Trump and the First Lady have departed the Maryland compound for a visit to Texas  and Melania, 47, picked a rather bizarre outfit for the occasion.

While Trump wore chinos, a white button-down shirt, and a windbreaker jacket, his wife looked more prepared for a Top Gun-inspired fashion shoot in her black slacks, green bomber jacket, and stiletto heels, which Americans were quick to mock on Twitter - and which she subsequently changed out of before reaching her final destination in Texas.

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She feels the need... the need for speed: Melania did her best Top Gun impression as she and Donald Trump boarded a plane for Texas on Tuesday

All change! The First Lady had changed her unsuitable ensemble by the time she arrived in Texas, opting to wear a white button-down and a pair of white Adidas sneakers, which looked almost brand new

That's better: Before landing at her destination, Melania changed out of her sky-high Manolo Blahnik heels

She's his wingman: She also wore a black top and pants layered with an army-green bomber jacket

Ready to roll: As Melania stepped off Air Force One in Texas, she was seen modeling a very different look - although she kept the same black ankle-length pants and the aviator-style shades

Melania certainly put the Air Force in Air Force One with her ensemble, layering the trendy army-green bomber over her all-black ensemble. She even accessorized with a pair of aviators, looking like a female version of Tom Cruise on a 1986 movie poster.

Never seen without a pair of heels, Melania didn't switch to flats or boots for the first leg of her trip either, picking a pair of particularly impractical Manolo Blahnik pumps for the occasion. But while those heels are appropriate for most of the events Melania has encountered so far during her husband's presidency, many critics are calling them a 'utterly idiotic', 'ridiculous', and a 'useless photo op.'

'Melania. Is. Wearing. Six. Inch. Stiletto. Heels. To. Visit. A. Disaster. Zone,' wrote one Twitter user. 'These. People. Just....These. People.'

'Melania ensures that at least her heels will be 5 inches clear of any floods. Utterly idiotic, makes her look like a hooke...oh, wait,' wrote another. A third added: 'What was your first clue that this Texas trip was to be nothing more than a fake, useless photo op? Was it Melania's six-inch spike heels?'

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon writer Jess Dweck imagined the scene once they land: '(Melania wobbles into shelter in 6-inch heels) "I here help. I bring you perfumes and chocolates."'

And it seems that the impractical nature of her outfit really hit home while Melania was in-flight, for she emerged from Air Force One wearing something very different, and far more suitable for the occasion.

When they arrived in Texas, Melania had completely swapped her outfit, except perhaps her pants, for something more appropriate.

Glamorous as ever: Despite traveling to areas of the country that have been ravaged by the horrific storm, Melania still ensured that she looked perfectly pampered, and wore a full face of make-up for the occasion

Say her name: The First Lady also wore a black cap with FLOTUS written across the front, having pulled her hair back in a ponytail to keep it off her face

Cap it off: Melania's choice of hat complemented her husband's white USA cap

All dressed up: Many Twitter users have chimed in to say that Melania's shoes are inappropriate

Already impractical for walking on grass on a rainy day, the shoes, some critics say, are laughable for a storm-ravaged area

Departing the plane, she was photographed wearing a baggy white button-down that matched her husband's, a FLOTUS baseball cap, to match her husband's white USA hat, and  most notably  white sneakers.

While not quite as practical as a pair of rain boots and a thick jacket might have been, the bright white sneakers, which looked brand new, were certainly a more appropriate choice than her sky-high heels.

And while the outfit may not have been the most rugged of choices, it's certainly a marked move away from the overtly glamorous ensembles the world is used to seeing Melania model.

But Melania's outfit change came too little too late as far as her online critics were concerned; indeed, the teasing began pouring in very quickly as soon as the initial photos of the couple hit the internet.

'Only Melania would wear heels to tour a flood zone,' one commenter noted.

Another added: 'UGH is right! Melania Trump with her obligatory high inch heels to a disaster area is ridiculous. Why?'

'Maybe Melania is wearing high heels so she can use them as a weapon if they get attacked by any sharks swimming down freeways.'

TWITTER USERS MOCK MELANIA Funny: One Twitter user joked that Melania misunderstood Texas' request for pumps Seriously!?! Twitter users have joked that the heels are Melania's version of 'wading boots' Yikes... Critics accused her of acting like she was going to a fashion show Advertisement

Flashback: In 2006, First Lady Laura Bush wore flats with her suit when she accompanied her husband to the Gulf Coast to tour the area destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and get an update on the recovery there

Slightly more sensible footwear: In 2010, Michelle Obama visited New Orleans, Louisiana for a post-Katrina update. Though it was years later, it was also pouring  and the First Lady wore flats

Rainy days: The couple carried their own umbrellas as they walked to board Air Force One

Inappropriate on more than one level? Some have found it tone-def for the First Lady to put so much thought into her appearance for such an occasion

Outfit change: Melania was wearing new clothes when she got off the plane in Texas

'Gotta love Melania wearing high heels to a disaster site. Real Housewife of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.'

'I see Melania is ready to dive in and help... with 6" spike heels. NOT. How out of touch!'

'Can't we stop being surprised by Melania's heels? This is not a family that's in touch with reality. This whole trip is a photo op.'

'Thankful Melania is wearing her high water heels.'

'Is it bothering anyone else Melania is wearing heels to see Houston? Girl this isn't a luncheon this is devastation!'

'Like, serious question: couldn't Melania have found some cute cowgirl boots or something? They're way more practical than four inch heels.'

Trump announced that they'd be heading to Texas on Twitter on Monday, writing: 'I'll be going to Texas tomorrow I look very much forward to it things are being handled really well. The spirit is incredible of the people. The coordination between all the different services as you know has been going very well [sic]," he said.

They arrived mid-morning, and soon after headed to Corpus Christi Fire Station 5 for a briefing.

At around 1:30, they made their way to Austin, where they will get a tour of the Texas Department of Public Safety Emergency Operations Center and receive a briefing from the governor's briefing room at the Emergency Operations Center. They are due to leave Austin around 4:20pm and go back to D.C.
A transgender couple from India have received death threats after news of their impending wedding went viral.

Love-struck Aarav Appukuttan, 46, and Sukanyeah Krishnan, 22, from Southern India met while in hospital awaiting gender reassignment surgery.

Aarav was born a male named Bindu but is now a woman and Sukanyeah was born a female called Chandu but is now a man.

Last week news of their planned wedding next month began circulating in their native India and went viral on social media.

They have since been bombarded with threatening messages, many from bogus Facebook accounts.

Krishnan also received a threatening phone call which said, 'Whatever you are doing is wrong. If you give an interview on TV or to any other media, we will see to it'.

They have reported the issue to police and vowed to push ahead with their nuptials.

Born a girl and now a man, Aarav Appukuttan, 46, (right) and Sukanyeah Krishna 22, (left) who was born a man but is now a woman are going ahead with their wedding in India despite death threats

Aarav said: 'There are many people who are against us. They don't like what we are doing, because of which we are receiving abusive messages on social media.

'They have attacked us in such deplorable language that I can't even repeat the words.'

The couple met three years ago during a chance run-in at a doctor's clinic in a southern Indian state.

They spoke to each other for quite some time while waiting for the doctor. Towards the end of the conversation, they exchanged numbers and stayed in touch.

Sukanyeah Krishna, 22, pictured before gender reassignment, is due to marry Aarav Appukuttan, after meeting at a clinic while awaiting surgery

Aarav Appukuttan, pictured before transitioning, proposed to Sukanyeah this year and the couple hope to adopt a child together

'For three years we spoke to each other on a regular basis,' said Aarav.

'We cultivated a deep friendship and were there for each other through out respective journey.'

Arav proposed in April this year. He said: 'I was hesitant given the huge age difference between us. But she said yes and we will be married next month.

'Since normal conception is not possible. We plan to adopt a child and build a family.'

Sukanyeah added: 'I don't think the age difference is a lot. Aarav is a very sweet man and has always been there for me through all the ups and downs.

Sukanyeah said that she's not worried about the 24 year age gap between herself and her future husband and said Arav has supported her through all her ups and downs

'We both need each other and I hope I can am very excited to spend the rest of my life with him.

'We bond because our journeys have been so similar. His transition is mostly complete, I only have a few procedures left.

'We are about to be married and I am very excited to begin our life together.'

Both Sukanyeah and Aarav felt their bodies didn't align with the gender identities from an early age.

Aarav recalled: 'My mother told me I always behaved like a boy. I also always felt like one. We consulted a psychiatrist around the time I became an adolescent. He said 'let's wait and see how she feels in some years'.

The couple have received death threats on social media after news of their upcoming wedding went viral

Last week news of their planned wedding next month began circulating in their native India and went viral on social media

'However, when I grew up my gender took the back seat because I had to shoulder the responsibility of my family.

'I got busy making a living, but after working a long time in Dubai and saving enough money I decided to transition from woman to man.

'After 45 years Dr Sanjay Pandey, who performed my gender reassignment surgery, gave me a chance to be my authentic self.

'I think he is the best doctor for this purpose in India,'

Dr Pandey also helped Sukanyeah through her transition. The two have initiated a fundraiser to raise money for their very expensive surgeries.

The couple has been bombarded with threatening messages, many from bogus Facebook accounts

Sukanyeah recalls her experience growing up as a trans person. 'I was fond of dolls as a kid and liked the company of girls. I liked playing dress up.

'I even had more than normal female hormones growing up. I was teased a lot for being effeminate. My name was Chandu they called me Chandni because I was feminine.

'Honestly, I liked the fact they thought I was a girl. That's all I ever wanted to be.

'I decided to transition because I didn't want to live a lie. I knew people would mind in the beginning but after a while a bunch of them would accept the honest expression of myself.'
Their brother is the sporting success story of 2017 having turned his loss against Floyd Mayweather into a 77M payday, just four years after surviving on dole payments of 188-a-week.

But while Conor McGregor has been basking in the glory of the most lucrative of defeats, his two sisters Erin and Aoife have been busy edging into the spotlight.

The blonde sisters have been on hand in Vegas to support their brother, hitting a pool party at the Aria Resort & Casino on Sunday in Team McGregor swimsuits with Erin later quaffing champagne direct from a gold bottle at the Encore Beach Club.

And the glamorous pair are certainly no stranger to the high life, regularly flaunting their enviable lifestyle on Instagram to their combined following of more than 125,000.

Both sister share a love of designer gear from labels such as Chloe, Gucci and Christian Louboutin and have been treated to trinkets such as Rolex watches by their generous brother.

Hairdresser Erin, 34, a mother-of-two is responsible for Conor's man infamous man bun, telling the Sunday World: 'Everyone loves Conors hair and so many men want it. Its so funny.

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Erin (left) and Aoife McGregor, pictured with their brother Conor, have become social media sensations in their own right

Aoife flaunts her slim figure in a wifey swimsuit during her honeymoon in The Maldives

The generous star treated his mother Margaret and sister Erin to a designer shopping spree at high end department store Brown Thomas in Dublin

The lucky sisters received Rolex watches as a treat from their generous brother

'Its great to be able to express my creativity through him. Conor is very stylish, always has been. It runs in our family.'

Erin is currently taking a break from her second career as a bikini and fitness model but said that the rigours of training brought her and Conor closer together.

'Whenever I was low Conor was on the other end of the phone,' she explained. 'I remember him saying: "No-one realises what its like until theyve done it themselves." We forged this mutual respect that I suppose we never had before.'

She's a regular fixture at her brother's fights and is even credited with introducing him to Rhonda Byrne's book, The Secret, which inspired him to embrace the power of positive thinking.

Erin celebrating by quaffing champagne straight from the bottle in Vegas and (right) partying with DJ Snake

The sisters flew into Sin City for their brother's bout against Flloyd Mayweather on a private jet

Aoife (left) and Erin right showed celebrated their brother in slashed Team McGregor swimsuits at a pool party in Las Vegas on Sunday

A family affair! Left to right: Aoife McGregor, Dee Devlin, Conor with his son Conor Jr, his mother Margaret, sister Erin and father Tony

Aoife shows off her incredible figure in a white two-piece on her hen weekend in Marbella

The Notorious has repaid his sister's loyalty by treating her to gifts such as a Louis Vuitton handbag and a swanky white BMW .

Younger sister Aoife, 30, also joined Erin in Sin City at the weekend, travelling to Vegas on a private jet.

Aoife works for a mini digger hire company in Dublin and married husband Mark Elliot last New Year before jetting to The Maldives on honeymoon.

The stylish sisters are fans of designer labels such as Christian Louboutin and Gucci

Hairdresser Erin is mother to a teenage daughter and a one-year-old son called Harry

The sisters waiting to board a private helicopter flight to ferry them away from Monaco
She's got her hands full at the moment with her twins starting school, but Crown Princess Mary looked as stylish as ever as she stepped out in Copenhagen today.

The royal, 45, opted for a chic white blouse teamed with a navy polka dot skirt as she opened the new Centre of Grief in the Danish capital.

She finished off her sophisticated ensemble with a pair of snakeskin pumps, adding pearl earrings and a matching bracelet to pull the whole look together.

Mary looked to be in high spirits as she met with officials at the centre, where she was presented with a bunch of posies.

Crown Princess Mary looked effortlessly chic as she stepped out in Copenhagen for an official engagement today

The Centre of Grief in Copenhagen will help support people who are struggling with bereavement.

Mary was seen meeting guests after taking a tour of the building, before giving a speech during the official opening ceremony.

Her public appearance comes a day after the Danish royal family gathered to celebrate Prince Nikolai's 18th birthday.

The eldest son of Prince Joachim marked the occasion with a dinner party aboard the royal yacht Dannebrog, which was hosted by his grandmother Queen Margrethe, 77.

She teamed a sophisticated white ruched blouse with a navy polka dot midi skirt

The 45-year-old looked to be in high spirits, flashing a big smile at onlookers as she arrived

Mary spoke to guests during the official opening of the new Centre of Grief in Copenhagen

Mary, who is Nikolai's aunt, attended the royal gathering in an elegant cream pleated dress, which featured metallic embellishments.

She was accompanied at the dinner by her four children Christian, 11, Isabella, 10, and twins Josephine and Vincent, six.

However, her husband Crown Prince Frederik was notably absent from the family event.

Frederik, 49, made headlines last week after he was denied entry to a bar in Australia because he failed to produce ID.

The mother-of-four opted for a sophisticated look, finishing her outfit with a pair of stylish snakeskin pumps

All eyes were certainly on the royal as she arrived at the centre for the official engagement

Mary gave a speech during her visit to the Centre Of Grief, which will help people who are struggling with bereavement

She also took time to speak to guests at the reception during the official opening

Mary's appearance comes a day after the Danish royal family gathered to celebrate Prince Nikolai's 18th birthday

Despite her busy schedule, Mary showed no sign of weariness at the official engagement

Mary was seen listening attentively as she met with guests at the new Centre of Grief

She has her hands full at the moment, with twins Josephine and Vincent, six, starting school
Last week an online fitness guru, stunned followers with her surprise engagement announcement to a longtime secret boyfriend, in a post that broke her social media record and shocked her 1.4 million fans.

Health blogger and Blogilates founder Cassey Ho, 30, sent shock waves through social media after she announced she is newly engaged to Sam Livits, 31, in her most-liked Instagram post yet, which racked up 190,000 likes.

And this week, the San Francisco-based starlet revealed why she kept the relationship under wraps for so long.

Blushing Bride-to-be: Blogilates founder Cassey Ho, 30, is revealing why she kept her relationship with fiance Sam Livits under wraps for so long in blog post

Life's a beach: The fitness guru shared this Instagram upon her return from vacation to ask fans for relationship questions for an upcoming Q&A centered on her past with Sam

Relaxed together: The blogger also shared this photo to reveal she started wedding plans

'People really love love!' she said on breaking her social media record, opening up about her low-key engagement on her blog.

'Though I never officially shared Sam with you guys, if you look carefully, hes actually been in quite a few on my YouTube videos!' she shared.

To answer her fan's shell-shock she explained that she kept the relationship private to keep it special.

'We kept our relationship private because as a 'public figure', there are just some things you need to save for yourself,' she said.

'To me, love is very precious, and I did not want to put our relationship or Sam in a place of constant judgement. We needed to purely and genuinely develop our relationship without the pressure of followers, likes, and comments etc,' she added.

The social media star is famous for sharing every aspect of her day-to-day life with her fan base of millions, but somehow was able to keep her fiance Sam away from the spotlight. That is, until he popped the question August 16 in a romantic vacation in Hawaii. It took Cassey nearly a week before she shared the announcement on Instagram August 22.

'Weve been together since college and he knows me better than any person in the world, including myself,' she wrote on the blog.

'I cannot wait to share more stories about our relationship and things weve learned over the years,' she added.

The duo met at Whittier College in 2008 when Cassey, at the time a pre-med junior, sought a tutor for her finance course, Cosmopolitan reported.

Her tutor was none other that Sam, then a senior studying business. The two hit it off and were dating by May. Cassey also revealed that her very first fitness video was filmed by Sam in his parent's home in Fullerton, California.

Cassey graduated in 2009, and the couple split before coming back together two years later.

Love birds! Cassey is newly engaged to longtime boyfriend Sam Livits, who works for her as Head of Strategy of her company

On one knee: Cassey was shocked with the Hawaii cliff proposal and so were her 1.4 million Instagram fans, many of which had no idea the fitness guru even had a boyfriend

Bring on the bling: The influencer flaunted her custom rock, designed to look like a rose vine

'Sam has been there with me from the very beginning,' Cassey said.

She revealed that despite the break up they stayed in constant contact.

'We spoke to each other every day and were there for each other the entire time. It was a painful time period for both us,' she added.

In 2011, Sam join the Blogilates team and today serves as Head of Business Development for the brand and its affiliates.

'We own everything together,' Cassey noted.

She added that her motive for keeping the relationship a secret was for themselves.

'Since I put so much out there already, and we wanted something special for ourselves,' she said.

She introduced Sam for the first time in her engagement announcement post in Hawaii, with a photo that displayed him on one knee on a Kauai cliff.

'I've been waiting a week to post this because I wasn't sure how to tell you guys. Most of you probably didn't even know I was in a relationship because I've been very private about my life offline,' Cassey captioned the photo.

Cassey confessed that she and Sam dated before she launched her brand Blogilates, which has grown since it's humble how-to workout videos days in 2009 and won her the sixth spot on Forbes 2017 top fitness influencer list.

'He knew me and loved me before Blogilates ever existed. We dreamt together, built together, failed together, lost hope together, and found what we were desperately searching for in one another...together,' she wrote.

'We've been through so much and I 100 per cent would NOT be who I am today without him,' she added in the lengthy letter to her fans.

She then introduced Sam as her best friend and tags him in the stunning photo.

'I want you to meet my biggest supporter, my best friend, the man of my dreams, the man of my reality, the only one who can make me laugh within five minutes of a heated argument by putting on my favorite Disney songs and forcing me to dance with him...' she gushed.

Couple goals: Cassey revealed for the first time to her followers that she and Sam had been dating for some time and says her engagement 'feels like a dream'

Work hard, play hard: Sam, pictured above vacationing with Cassey in 2016, has worked for Blogilates for nine years and the two have been dating for some time

Fitness fans: The duo flaunt their affection holding hands in Zion National Park in Utah in July

Cassey then let her guard down and told her followers all the little proposal details. She explained that Sam told her he discovered an amazing cliff and that at sunset, they would go take Instagram photos.

'So right before golden hour, I got ready, put on my new dress, and did my hair & makeup! Once he walked me to the edge of the cliff, he bent down to get his camera and said something along the lines of, "Oops, I forgot my camera,"' she wrote.

'He was probably confused because all I said was "Oh ok!" Then... I saw a black box. And I was like ummmmmmmmmmmmmm,' she added, expressing her shock at the sudden turn of events.

She went on to explain that the couple 'ALWAYS discusses everything' but that they had not planned for an engagement just yet.

'He got on one knee and asked, "Will you marry me?" And all I could say was... "Wait, is this real?", "You're kidding right?", "Hold on, this isn't fake?!" He was like, "NO CASSEY! THIS IS REAL!!!!"'

It was all too much for Cassey to take, and like any other befuddled bride-to-be, she burst into tears of joy, and all the while her sister and her boyfriend were snapping photos and video to capture the big moment discreetly behind a bush.

'And at that moment, I started crying, he slipped on the most beautiful ring I had ever seen,' she wrote.

But fans were dying for more and Cassey followed with another post displaying the radiant rock on her ring finger that was custom designed in rose gold with pink stones and in the shape of a rose.

She opened her post declaring an utter distaste for rings and how she told her boyfriend not to purchase one saying, 'our love does not need to be shown off by an overvalued rock.'

Number one fan: Sam shared a proud Instagram for Cassey's Health Magazine cover

Stretching star: Cassey started her health brand in 2009 with home workout videos, which has since evolved into a mega website and YouTube channel

Fab n Fit! Despite the shock she left her followers with by her surprise engagement posts, Cassey has received plenty of loving messages of congratulations from her massive fan base

Instead she suggested using the money to start another venture.

'He must have been DYING inside because Sam and lil sis have been working so hard CUSTOM DESIGNING this ring just for me - in secret!' she said.

She explained that her sister Jackelyn just a few months ago asked her influencer sister what ring she would choose if she had no other choice.

'... something that doesn't look like a traditional wedding ring! I want it to look like a rose on a vine!' she said.

Her sister was shocked with the unusual reply.

'Well baby sis and fiance, you guys knew me better than I knew myself because I DIDN'T KNOW that I could love a ring THIS MUCH. It is so beautiful and the fact that you guys designed it for me makes it even more special,' she added.

'Oh and by the way, for those of you wondering...how does being a fiancee feel different from being a girlfriend? Surprisingly it feels REALLY different! I feel like I've unlocked a new level of adulthood and am experiencing a heightened kind of love. It's so weird and magical!' Cassey said.

Fiance Sam also shared some love on social media posting a photo on Instagram with the caption, 'From finance tutor to fiance. Feeling like the luckiest guy in the world.'

Comments on each of the pair's Instagram pages are over-flooding with messages of love and congrats. Fiance has also seen a surge in followers after Cassey's popular pots.
Bristol Palin's parents are celebrating their 29th wedding anniversary this week, and the doting daughter couldn't resist paying tribute to their everlasting love.

The 26-year-old mother-of-three took to Instagram on Tuesday to honor her parents, Todd and Sarah Palin, by sharing photo of them from 2010 along with a throwback snapshot of them posed at their senior prom.

'Happy 29th Anniversary to my parents!! [heart emoji] #highschoolsweethearts,' she captioned the side-by-side images.

Paying tribute: Bristol Palin celebrated her parents' anniversary on Tuesday by sharing throwback photos of them at their prom in in 1982 (L) and at the Time 100 Gala in 2010 (R)

'High school sweethearts'; Todd and Sarah Palin celebrated their 29th anniversary on Tuesday

Feeling nostalgic: Bristol, 26, later shared a snapshot of herself holding her now-eight-year-old son Tripp when he was a baby, revealing the photo was one of her senior portraits

Todd and Sara both graduated from Wasilla High School in Alaska, and the first photo sees them at their senior prom in 1982.

Sarah is pictured wearing a spaghetti strap red dress and black heels while Todd is sporting a tuxedo with a ruffled shirt, which was trendy at the time.

In the second photo, they are just as dressed up  this time in matching black and gray  as they attend the Time 100 Gala together.

Bristol must have been feeling nostalgic on Tuesday because she later posted a throwback photo of her and her now-eight-year-old son, Tripp, when he was a baby.

Sibling bonding: Bristol's sister Willow, 23, shared a video of her and her nine-year-old brother Trig earlier this week

Hard to be away: After Willow shared the clip on Instagram, Bristol said she could cry because she misses her little brother so much

The picture sees Bristol holding the framed portrait on her lap, and she admitted it was one of her senior photos.

Bristol and her former fiance Levi Johnston welcomed their son into the world in December 2008, just five months before she graduated from Wasilla High School.

'Going through my old pics,' she captioned the image. 'My son, my son, my only son!! P.S. - this was definitely from my senior pictures.'

The sweet photo sees Tripp lying on her chest as she kisses his forward, and she noted that he 'kinda looks like Atlee', her nearly four-month-old daughter with her husband Dakota Meyer.

Missing Bristol: Willow also shared a photo of her and Trig with their 16-year-old sister Piper

Throwback: Bristol revealed that she and her cousins have welcomed a total of three babies just one year after this photo of them at the Alaska State Fair was taken

Bristol and Dakota, 29, also have a 20-month-old daughter Sailor Grace, and the family of five is currently living in Texas after moving from Alaska earlier this year.

Although the couple and their children appear to be loving their new home, Bristol clearly misses her family.

Earlier this week her sister Willow, 23, shared a video of herself lying down with their nine-year-old brother Trig while playing with a Snapchat filter.

'Mr. Cool,' Willow captioned the image, and Bristol commented: 'I could literally cry I miss him so much.'

Too cute: In addition to Tripp, her only child with her former fiance Levi Johnston, Bristol is mom to three-month-old Atlee Bay (L) and 20-month-old Sailor Grace (R)

Getting bigger by the day: Bristol and her husband Dakota Meyer are pictured with Atlee on her three-month birthday a few weeks ago

Willow also posted an Instagram Stories photo of her and Trig posing with their 16-year-old sister Piper.

Bristol and her sisters are incredibly close, and over the summer they have both come to Texas to visit her and her children.

The mom recently shared a throwback photo of her and Willow posed with their cousins at the Alaska State Fair last year.

'Exactly a year & 3 babies ago,' she captioned the photo, explaining that since the photo was taken, their family has welcomed three babies, including her daughter Atlee Bay.
Victoria's Secret Angels aren't known for taking a lot of downtime after giving birth, and have a history of making headlines for modeling lingerie just months after having babies.

So it should come as no surprise that Behati Prinsloo and Candice Swanepoel, who both welcomed little ones last year, are returning to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in November.

In fact, the two models will each have had more than a year to whip themselves back into shape  much more time than fellow Angels have had in the past.

She's back! Candice Swanepoel will return the the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show this year after giving birth in October 2016

Her too! Behati Prinsloo will also make her return after taking 2016 off, having only given birth to her first child in September of that year

Working it: Behati is clearly already in incredible shape

Post-baby: Candice, too, has wasted no time and doesn't seem shy about showing off

Victoria's Secret announced this week that both Candice and Behati will appear in the annual lingerie spectacular later this year when it goes to Shanghai for the first time.

Both took last year off, having each been just weeks out from giving birth to their first children.

Candice and her fiance Hermann Nicoli welcomed a baby boy named Anaca in early October of 2016, while Behati and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine welcomed a girl named Dusty Rose in late September.

Each will have had over 13 months to ready themselves to hit the runway again  and as red carpet and paparazzi photos from earlier this year indicate, they're more than prepared.

Back to modeling: Behati took the weight off fast and walked for Versace earlier this year

Cutie: Behati welcomed a girl named Dusty Rose in late September

Ta da! Candice said she is 'lucky' to have a fast metabolism and is 'amazed' by how her body bounced back

Little one: She welcomed a son named Anaca in early October of 2016

Shedding: She said that since welcoming her baby, she's been doing yoga and Pilates

'I've been lucky  I was born with quite a fast metabolism,' Candice told The Cut this year. 'I'm that girl who orders the healthy plate with a side of fries. Your body is like a machine and everyones is different. I know mine quite well.

'[But] it definitely changes after you have a baby,' she went on. 'Having a baby is, like, extraterrestrial stuff. I'm amazed by how it bounced back and repaired. Creating a life in your tummy  it's amazing.'

She also divulged that she switched her workouts to the evening since giving birth because she spends the day caring for her baby. She does yoga, Pilates, and 'squat resistance stuff'.

In an interview with Savoir Flair back in 2014, she also explained why it's so typical to see models bounce back quicker than other people.

Maternity leave: The two Victoria's Secret Angels gave birth shortly before last year's show but Candice, picture right in July, has done some modeling work since

New moms: Candice and Behati, pictured left in 2015 and right in May, will each be walking in the show for the first time since welcoming babies

Happy couple: This was the first child for Candice and her fiance Hermann Nicoli, who are pictured at the Victoria's Secret show in 2013

Baby makes three: This was also the first child for Behati and her Maroon 5 frontman husband Adam Levine, who are pictured together at the Oscars in 2015

'Staying healthy and fit is my job,' she said. 'Taking care of myself makes me feel better; it makes me able to perform as a model. If I was unhealthy I wouldn't be able to do what I do. I feel lucky that it is part of my job to take care of myself.'

Behati  who actually made her post-baby runway debut at Versace for the designer's Fall 2017 earlier this year  appeared to snap back into shape by the end of October of last year.

Though Victoria's Secret has confirmed that the two models are returning, the company has not yet released the official line-up, which was whittled down from 400 hopefuls who auditioned last week in New York.

The brand has also not announced the musical guests for the show, which will air on CBS on November 28 at 10pm.
As a result of President Trumps decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accords, we, along with legislative colleagues and local government officials, sent a letter to Gov. Steve Bullock urging him to join with other states, cities and businesses to uphold the accords, despite the presidents decision. Specifically, we believe that the governor should use his executive authority to establish firm, quantifiable and enforceable limits on Montanas greenhouse gas emissions, and then take steps to meet those limits.

It is true that climate change is adversely affecting Montana, and indeed, the entire planet. It is also true that acting alone, Montana can do almost nothing to arrest climate change. It is only by negotiated international agreements, such as the Paris accords, that the most destructive effects of climate change can be averted. But such agreements are difficult to maintain. Participants face the temptation to benefit from the costly efforts of others, and to avoid making such efforts themselves. Shortsightedly, the president has yielded to exactly that temptation, putting the whole agreement, and the effort to arrest climate change, in jeopardy.

Fortunately, other signatories have indicated that they will continue to honor their Paris commitments. Their willingness to do so reflects farsighted and thoughtful leadership.

Similarly, American governors, mayors, and business people clearly understand that our fate depends on collective action and they are prepared to exercise the leadership the president has abandoned by aligning their communities with the spirit and intent of the Paris agreement. We believe Bullock should join these leaders; by moving to cap and then reduce emissions he will make it clear that Montana is prepared to play its part in this crucial collective effort.

Developing a climate change policy for Montana will be a challenge, but a challenge we must face. At some point, and the sooner the better, climate change will require a response, and we will be far better off crafting that response here in Montana rather than having it imposed upon us.

We need to understand the various strategies available to us for capping emissions, how they can be cost-effectively deployed, and the policies that can achieve that deployment. Those policies can create opportunities for us in developing new ways of producing and using energy. But since reducing emissions will inevitably have adverse effects on certain industries, occupations, communities and income groups, we must also be prepared to address the concerns of those most severely impacted. In the end, Montanans need to share equitably both the benefits and costs of meeting the challenge of climate change.

Participating in the international effort to arrest climate change will be a challenge, but one which forward looking political leaders must accept. The pace of climate change is accelerating and the costs of inaction are mounting. Now is the time to unite with partners from across the world and to act boldly to address this global threat.
The Great British Bake Off is back and the world is watching, as it's the first time the hit series has returned to screens since its controversial move from the BBC to Channel 4.

The eighth season is the first without national treasure Mary Berry as judge and Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins as presenters. But despite the new line-up, the programme looks set to retain its crown as the most-watched show on British television after pulling in 14 million viewers for the final last year.

Twelve new amateur bakers are once again aiming to get their hands on the coveted Bake Off trophy - but how much money could they make if they win?

FEMAIL looks back at seven years' worth of GBBO winners to reveal who has gone on to launch very lucrative careers in television, like Nadiya Hussain, and who has stepped away from the limelight since their victory.

SERIES ONE: Edd Kimber

Edd Kimber was the first-ever GBBO winner. Despite not instantly finding success after his win, Edd now has three cookery books to his name

The Great British Bake Off was not the must-watch global phenomenon that it is today when series one aired.

Only three million people tuned in to watch former debt collector Edd Kimber, from Yorkshire, win the first series.

Back then, there were no instant book deals or commercially lucrative TV spots for winning the show. 'There was nothing set up for the winners,' he said.

Despite that, Edd quit his job - three months before the show actually aired.

Edd, who has appeared on TV shows giving cooking demonstrations since his win in 2010, says he doesn't class himself as wealthy

He told the Radio Times: 'Basically, I had no money. I just sat there at home, doing nothing, going, "OK, somethings going to happen".'

Edd moved to London, and stayed on a friend's sofa until the programme eventually aired.

He said: 'So I set myself a deadline. I very specifically sat myself down and thought, "OK, if by the end of the year Im paying my rent and Im happy and I like what Im doing, Ill stick at it."'

Edd, who worked in Raymond Blanc's pastry kitchen, has since published three cookbooks. The first, The Boy Who Bakes, sold 13,000 copies, making 150,000. He was expected to take a 37,500 cut from his first book.

Edd, who was rejected by his local catering college before appearing on Bake Off, also writes about baking for magazines and has a podcast called Stir the Pot.

SERIES TWO: Joanne Wheatley

The 2011 winner Joanne Wheatley was tipped as the series' most successful contestant with her two tomes racking up almost 500,000 in sales and earning Jo a reported 75,000

You probably don't remember her - but winner of the second series, Joanne Wheatley, is probably one of the most successful Bake Off stars to date.

The mother-of-three went on to launch her own cookery school, where she holds classes on cake-making, and she's written columns, appeared on TV and has written two cookbooks.

She was reported to have earned 75,000 from those lucrative book deals after racking up 500,000 in sales.

'Bake Off totally changed my life,' she said. 'I couldn't believe it when my books became bestsellers.'

SERIES THREE: John Whaite

Series 3 winner John Whaite turned his back on law and studied at Le Cordon Bleu, becoming a cookbook author and TV chef

John Whaite, who declined a place to study at Oxford University, was studying for a law degree at the University of Manchester when he appeared on the third series of Bake Off, a period he calls the 'most 'stressful' time of his life.

After winning, the then 23-year-old turned his back on the bar to take classes at Le Cordon Bleu and focus on cooking.

He has now published three cookbooks, and until recently was the resident chef on Lorraine and hosted cookery show Chopping Block on ITV.

But it hasn't been an easy ride. John has recently opened up about his struggles with depression.

John was until recently Lorraine's resident chef but is now taking a break from TV to focus on his new cookery school and the release of his fourth cookbook

He told the Radio Times: 'People think if you win the Bake Off you walk straight into a big book deal and all of this but it isnt like that.

'Youve still got to work really, really hard  probably harder than before  to make the right connections, to tour with brands, to discuss opportunities and negotiations.'

He said that looking back, he got 'pushed in the wrong direction,' and as a result, he says his first two cookbooks, from which he made 24,000, didn't reflect his own design and style preferences.

He has now taken a break from TV appearances, and has opened a cookery school: John Whaite's Kitchen in Lancashire.

In October, he will publish his next book: Comfort: Food to soothe the soul, a 19.99 hardback tome focusing on savoury comfort food.

SERIES FOUR: Frances Quinn

Leicestershire-born Francis Quinn won series 4 and has since graced the pages of Vogue magazine, baked for Clare Balding and Quentin Blake, and released her own recipe book

Frances has appeared on daytime TV, has published a cookbook, and baked the world's largest jaffa cake

The Leicestershire-born former clothes designer stunned judges on the Great British Bake Off with her elegant and show-stopping bakes, but was often criticised for 'style over substance'.

However she proved she had what it took to win the show.

Since then, she's graced the pages of Vogue, has baked for Clare Balding, Jools Holland and Quentin Blake and even holds the Guinness World Record for baking the world's largest jaffa cake.

In 2015, she released Quintessential Baking, which was lauded by Heston Blumenthal, and now she takes commissions from private clients for cakes.

She's also been a baking ambassador for some corporate giants, such as Nike, and appears at food festivals.

SERIES FIVE: Nancy Birtwhistle

The surprise winner of 2014 was Nancy Birtwhistle, a retired GP practice manager who was initially snubbed after applying for the previous series as her bread wasn't 'up to scratch'

Nancy has challenged herself to upload titbits of household and baking advice to her social media and website every day in the hopes of securing a book deal

It surprised everyone when Nancy Birtwhistle, a 62-year-old retired GP practice manager from Hull, won Bake Off in 2014 after she was previously rejected from the show for her bread not being up to scratch.

She's mostly stayed out of the limelight since her win, but has kept busy with after-dinner speeches, talks on cruise ships, and appearances at food shows.

This year, she has started a #365Challenge, where she shares tips every day of how to bake an item or other useful household advice.

The grandmother-of-eight hopes a publisher will help her to make a book out of the concept.

SERIES SIX: Nadiya Hussain

After her win was announced in 2015, a tearful Nadiya said: 'Im never gonna put boundaries on myself ever again. Im never gonna say I cant do it. Im never gonna say maybe'

Nadiya had her own series, Nadiya's British Food Adventure, on BBC2 this year, and last year starred in The Chronicles of Nadiya

Who could forget the triumphant moment that Nadiya Hussain was declared the winner of GBBO in 2015?

Nadiya, 32, is undoubtedly the biggest success story of the show, with lucrative cookbook and TV deals to her name after winning the nation's hearts with her can-do attitude and cheerful disposition.

Formerly a stay-at-home mum, mother-of-three Nadiya has had two TV series on the BBC in the last two years, and has just become the host of the Beeb's new cooking show: The Big Family Cooking Showdown. Last year, she signed a huge deal with the BBC for an undisclosed figure.

Nadiya has also had two columns in national magazines and newspapers, a bestselling cookery book, been a guest presenter on Loose Women and even baked Queen Elizabeth's birthday cake when the monarch turned 90 last year.

She's even written her debut novel: The Secret Life of the Amir Sisters.

She was even selected to bake Queen Elizabeth's birthday cake when the monarch turned 90 in April last year

At the time, it was expected that Nadiya would rake in 1 million from her first year after Bake Off.

And with more and more TV deals under her belt, it would be of little surprise if the beaming baker has exceeded that figure now in terms of her earnings.

Dominic Mohan, CEO of The Outside Organisation, previously told the Daily Mail: 'The earning potential is huge as previous winners have shown, from newspaper and magazine deals to endorsements and public appearances and then on to cookbooks and maybe even their own restaurant.

'In terms of earning power and with the right representation and of course personality, winners could in the first instance be looking at half a million pounds with the potential to reach the million mark as their career develops.'

SERIES SEVEN: Candice Brown

Candice was one of the most divisive Bake Off winners ever, as viewers loved or hated her bold lipstick choices and perfect pout

Candice Brown has been busy in the year since winning Bake Off. She's published a cookbook, writes a column for The Sunday Times and has appeared on TV regularly

With 14 million viewers tuning in to watch her claim the coveted Bake Off trophy, lipstick-wearing Candice Brown, 31, was tipped to be the most successful winner of all time.

Celebrity agent Jonathan Shalit said the glamorous baker could easily earn '1 million' in the 12 months since winning Bake Off.

So how close is the former secondary school PE teacher to reaching that figure?

Candice, who divided GBBO fans with her bold lipstick choices and perfect pout, has certainly been busy in the year since winning the show.

She's been an ambassador for several corporate brands, and this summer published her first cookbook: Comfort: Delicious Bakes and Family Treats, which features quirky recipes such as courgette cakes.

She also landed a column in the Sunday Times and has made appearances on Loose Women.

However despite rumours, Candice has denied she will be starring on the rebooted version of Dancing On Ice.

In the future, she's hoping to follow in Nadiya's footsteps and have her own TV series.

She told Vulture.com: 'Id love to do more television.'
The happiest place on Earth just got a whole lot happier, thanks to Disney Parks' latest boozy beverage addition that has left social media users in a total frenzy for the new fruity concoction.

From Mickey Mouse ice cream to Tonga toast and Dole whips, Disney Parks offer a selection of food and drink that is entirely their own. But it is the latest addition to the menu at Disney Springs in Florida - alcoholic wine slushies - that are proving to be the most popular item yet.

Available in strawberry shiraz and mango moscato, the chilled drinks make the perfect addition to a day of perusing the park in the sunshine state - at least for those visitors who are over the age of 21.

Cheers! Disney Parks in Florida introduces wine slushies and social media is going gaga for the the wine drinks available at Amorette's Patisserie located in Disney Springs

Bottoms up! The sloshed slushies come in strawberry shiraz and mango moscato flavors

The slushies are available at Amorette's Patisserie, where users are checking in on Instagram to show off their tipsy sips - suggesting that the beverages could well be the key to surviving the notoriously long Disney lines.

Social media going wild for the wine slushies that are not too far off from today's frose trend.

One fanatic took to Instagram to share her obsession with the pink drink saying, 'so new favorite drink at Disney Springs?'

Commentors were just as excited about the park's frozen wine introduction

'Ummmm yes please!?' one wrote on an Instagram photo.

'Omg I'm literally dying!!! I need that!!!' another added.

'Yes we need to go get one or two... three perhaps,' one desperate Instagram user wrote.

'THIS is why Disney is my favorite place! It's like they just get me lol!' a wine lover added.

A dream come true: Wine lovers and sweet tooths alike are obsessed with Disney's addition

Sweet treats! Amorette's patisserie is also known for a variety of delicate and artisan sweets

Disney delights! Mickey and Minnie shaped pastries are a classic bite at the patisserie, which would pair well with the newly debuted moscato or shiraz slushie

While in line for a buzzed slushie, customers can also peruse Amorette's other goods such as Disney themed pastries or, for the pickier drinkers, champagne and sparkling wine.

The restaurant, originally established in the 1900's, was re-opened just last spring and has since seen a major spike in popularity. We have a feeling the wine slushies will attract a lot more traffic for their treats that make Disney the happiest place on Earth.

But this isn't the first time that Disney has released a drink that's sky rocketed to viral fame.

In April Disneyland Starbucks in Anaheim, California, released a limited edition Pink Pegasus Frappuccino, following the craze of the not-so-popular but very trendy Unicorn Frappuccino.

Fans took to Instagram to share photos with the rare bubblegum pink drink. The bubbly beverage strayed away from the eclectic flavor combination of its Unicorn predecessor and instead stuck with classic coffeehouse flavors of white mocha and raspberry.

One YouTuber described the flavor as 'strawberry shortcake', making the limited edition mythical-themed drink a catch compared to the dismal reviews of the Unicorn concoction.
All babies born at one of Britain's largest women's hospitals could soon be tested for genetic diseases.

A major project will screen the newborns for inherited conditions or illnesses and provide early treatment.

Genetic testing has become far cheaper and easier, coming down in price from millions to hundreds of pounds in the past decade.

But it remains controversial, particularly in unborn children screened for conditions such as Down's syndrome.

All babies born at one of Britain's largest women's hospitals could soon be tested for genetic diseases (file photo)

Plans for a nationwide data bank for every newborn baby proposed by Tony Blair's government in 2003 did not go ahead.

But Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust could pave the way for more trusts to follow.

Now able to screen every baby born under its roof, the NHS trust can offer the service to 12 times as many families as before.

The project was announced by information technology firm Novosco, whose managing director Patrick McAliskey said: 'We are delighted to secure this contract which will enable the trust to take genetic testing to the next level and play an important role in the identification and prevention of conditions and illnesses in newborn babies and the wider population.'

Currently, every baby is offered a heel prick test at five days old to determine if it has one of nine rare but serious health conditions. These include sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis and inherited metabolic diseases.

This is not compulsory but is recommended by doctors to save babies' lives.

The new genetic tests would go further in determining the risk of other illnesses which are written in a baby's DNA.

A major project will screen the newborns for inherited conditions or illnesses and provide early treatment

They will contribute to a major population health programme in Liverpool analysing genetic information by location, aimed at preventing local health issues. Liverpool Women's Hospital already provides a regional clinical genetics service based at Alder Hey Hospital, covering a population of around 2.8million people from across Merseyside, Cheshire and the Isle of Man.

The chief executive, Kathryn Thomson, has written about this in a blog on the trust's website. She said: 'To discover that you or any child you have or plan to have may be at risk of a genetic disorder which could cause disability or a rare condition is traumatic.

'People are sometimes shocked and anxious and wonder what the future might hold. They need as much information and support as possible to help them cope.

'That is why the often unsung work of our clinical genetics team is so important, providing diagnosis and supporting families when they need it most.'

It is not clear whether parents will be able to opt out of having their babies tested, and the trust could not be reached for a comment yesterday.

It is understood the organisation has the ability to screen every newborn baby, but there is no indication of whether it will make any exceptions in practice.

The Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust, which cares for women and babies in hospital and also in the community, is one of only two such specialist trusts in the country.

Novosco is an IT infrastructure and computing company, employing more than 150 people, with its headquarters in Belfast.
Arthritis sufferers are at greater risk of heart disease and stroke if they take ibuprofen to dampen their pain, a study shows.

The common painkiller, available in corner shops, supermarkets and petrol stations, had a more profound effect on raising blood pressure than other similar medications.

The findings, made by Swiss researchers, adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests the cheap pills may have deadly consequences.

Scientists warned the results of the trial is worrying for the elderly, considering their higher rates of arthritis and hypertension.

The findings, made by Swiss researchers, adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests the cheap pills may have deadly consequences

Frank Ruschitzka, professor of cardiology and head of the department at University Heart Centre, Zurich, was behind the study of arthritis patients who often rely on ibuprofen.

A 'clear demonstration'

He said: 'The study clearly demonstrates that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), particularly ibuprofen, may be not as safe as previously thought.

'Patients receiving ibuprofen had a 61 per cent higher incidence of hypertension compared to those receiving celecoxib.'

The findings, based on 444 patients, were presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Barcelona.

How was the study carried out?

All participants involved in the latest trial of three NSAIDs had evidence of or were at an increased risk of heart disease.

Investigators discovered that celecoxib, often sold under the brand name Celebrex, decreased systolic blood pressure slightly over a four-month period.

THE TRUE DANGERS OF IBUPROFEN Ibuprofen and other painkillers may trigger a heart condition, a major study uncovered last September. University of Milano-Bicocca in Italy experts found patients who regularly take the pills are up to 20 per cent more likely to develop heart failure. While the over-the-counter painkillers taken by millions could significantly raise the risk of fatal heart problems, a major study suggested in March. People who take ibuprofen have a 31 per cent increased risk of cardiac arrest, Copenhagen University Hospital scientists found. Until recently, NSAIDs were used for arthritis and back pain  but several recent studies have suggested they could do more harm than good. Advertisement

However, both naproxen and ibuprofen were found to increase it, raising the risk of heart disease and stroke. Ibuprofen's jump was deemed significant.

What could the results lead to?

Professor Ruschitzka said decreasing blood pressure by a small amount could lower both stroke and heart mortality by 10 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.

He hypothesised that such an action could avoid more than 70,000 deaths from stroke and 60,000 deaths from coronary heart disease each year.

Welcomed by experts

Arthritis Research UK said ibuprofen, one of the most widely prescribed drugs in the world, was taken by many sufferers.

A spokesman said: 'Long-term use of NSAIDs, including ibuprofen, can increase the risk of problems with your heart or circulation.'

They added: 'You shouldnt take ibuprofen for long-term pain relief without seeing your doctor first.'

Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at British Heart Foundation, welcomed the findings.

He said that patients and doctors must 'weigh up the risk and benefits of NSAIDs', especially if they have another long-term health condition.
An online pharmacy is planning to use drones to deliver the morning-after pill and Viagra following successful UK trials.

MedExpress is in talks with the independent regulator for pharmacy services to dispatch medicines and the contraceptive nationwide.

The company says the service will be particularly useful for people living in remote areas.

They have offered assurances that the products will be delivered discreetly with purchases details blacked out on sales records and bank accounts.

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The morning after pill was delivered safely during a trial in Broadstairs, Kent, under controlled conditions (file photo)

One challenge MedExpress faces is delivering medication safely and at temperatures that do not interfere with the drugs' effectiveness.

But in the trial, the emergency contraception pill was carried at below 25C by a drone and successfully delivered in Broadstairs, Kent.



MedExpress has now filed an enquiry with The General Pharmaceutical Council. Managing director Dwayne D'Souza said regulatory approval may take some time but the company hopes to launch the service as soon as possible.

Viagra and the emergency contraception pill could be delivered by drone in the UK (file photo)

He said: 'The rise of artificial intelligence, along with autonomous delivery and other sophisticated technologies, provides ample opportunity for businesses such as MedExpress to trial a range of convenient customer service options.'

'We were very pleased with how the trial went. We're considering making drone delivery part of our future service and are in talks to work out how we can do this.

'We're confident our customers will love the idea.'

A drone-based delivery system is currently in development by Amazon.com. It made its first commercial delivery using a drone, in the UK last December.

The package arrived safely at its destination in Cambridge, 13 minutes after being ordered.
Adults wanting to bulk up and get in shape should keep away from ibuprofen, new research suggests.

Regularly taking the cheap painkillers can slow down any muscle growth obtained by lifting weights in the gym.

Swedish researchers found the drugs, which are one of the most widely consumed in the world, interfere with the healing process of muscles - which stops them from getting bigger following a work-out.

Dr Tommy Lundberg, who is based at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, was behind the 'extremely interesting' findings.

Regularly taking the cheap painkillers can slow down any muscle growth obtained by lifting weights in the gym, a study found

He said: 'Our results suggest young people who do weight training to increase their muscle mass should avoid regular high doses of anti-inflammatory drugs.

'The results are extremely interesting since the use of anti-inflammatory drugs is so globally widespread, not least amongst elite athletes.'

How was the study carried out?

For the study, researchers randomly assigned the participants, who were aged between 18 and 35, into two groups.

One set were given a high dose of ibuprofen and the others a lower dose of aspirin every day for eight weeks.

Over the same period, the volunteers also took part in supervised weight-training exercises designed for their thighs.

Researchers then measured certain variables, including muscle growth, strength and anti-inflammatory markers.

What did they find?

HEART DISEASE RISK FROM IBUPROFEN Arthritis sufferers are at greater risk of heart disease and stroke if they take ibuprofen to dampen their pain, a study showed this week. The common painkiller, available in corner shops, supermarkets and petrol stations, had a more profound effect on raising blood pressure than other similar medications. The findings, made by Swiss researchers, added to a growing body of evidence that suggests the cheap pills may have deadly consequences. Scientists warned the results of the trial is worrying for the elderly, considering their higher rates of arthritis and hypertension. Advertisement

It was found that after the eight weeks, the increase in muscle volume was twice as large in the low-dose aspirin group.

Muscle strength was also impaired with high doses of anti-inflammatory drugs, but not to such a huge extent.

After analysing muscle biopsies, the researchers found that classical markers for inflammation were inhibited in the ibuprofen group.

Not only ibuprofen

Writing in the journal Acta Physiologica, the researchers said it is unlikely that the effects are exclusive to just ibuprofen.

Dr Lundberg added: 'We chose to look at the effect of ibuprofen as it is the most well-studied anti-inflammatory drug on the market.

'But we believe that high doses of all types of over-the-counter NSAIDs have similar effects.'

The new findings come after a study in June suggested that going to the gym and lifting weights could prevent against dementia.

The Finnish study found greater upper and lower body strength was linked to better cognitive function in ageing adults.
Michelle Curran thought that sending her drug-addicted daughter Mikaya Feucht to a rehabilitation center would solve everything.

The mother-of-two started taking prescription opioids when she was just 15 after an operation to remove a cyst in her lower back, and again at 16 when she pulled a tendon. By her early 20s she was hooked.

So in January 2015, Mikaya left her mother's home in Columbus, Ohio, for a treatment facility in South Florida.

As they said their emotional goodbyes, they had no idea Mikaya was headed to a region marred by 'body snatchers' - brokers who profit from luring patients away from less-than-perfect treatment centers to scam 'sober houses'.

Michelle says that Florida's murky rehab facilities eventually killed Mikaya.

She died of an overdose in July 2016 at the age of 23, after being persuaded to move from her rehab to an unofficial facility which offered her heroin and charged her thousands of dollars for something as simple as a urine test.

Mikaya Feucht is featured with her two sons Lane (left), now seven, and Reed (right), now six, in 2015, the year before she died of a drug overdose

The brutal phenomenon of body-snatching has been dubbed 'patient brokering'.

Mikaya's case was hardly the first.

Since the opioid epidemic took hold in the US, there has been a surge in cases of addicts dying in scam treatment centers.

The problem has become so pervasive in South Florida that Palm Beach County has created a task force to deal with it, making 34 arrests in less than a year.

In Mikaya's case, a body snatcher took her to a house called Reflections owned by Kenny Chatman.

Chatman owned multiple sober houses that specialized in getting substance abuse patients to relapse, according to court documents seen by Daily Mail Online.

Mikaya's mother claims that he made her daughter do heroin in front of him and that he watched her overdose. Chatman was also accused of sexually exploiting patients.

Since Mikaya's death, Chatman has been found guilty of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and he was sentenced to 27 years in prison.

Now, her family is sharing her story in a bid to warn others of the dangers.

HOW MIKAYA BECAME ADDICTED TO PAIN PILLS AFTER A ROUTINE OPERATION IN HIGH SCHOOL

Mikaya first came into contact with pain medications after having a pilonidal cyst removed during her sophomore year of high school when she was 15.

The cyst had developed in a hole in her lower back and doctors had to cut very deep to remove it.

She was prescribed Vicodin and Percocet, two highly-addictive opioids, to manage the resulting pain.

The next year, when Mikaya was a junior in high school, she pulled a tendon in her foot and was again prescribed pain pills.

'I was saying to myself, "These doctors pass these pain pills out like they're nothing",' Michelle said.

Mikaya gave birth to her first son, Lane, now seven, when she was 17 years old. Next she had Reed, now six, when she was 19.

After giving birth twice, the pain that had come as a result of the cyst she had removed in high school became extreme.

It hurt for Mikaya to sit down and the pain became unbearable when she turned 21.

'She started with pills because pain pills would take that pain away,' her mother said. 'It just got worse and worse.'

At first, Mikaya was only taking pills prescribed to her but then she started taking ones that had not been recommended by a doctor.

Michelle soon decided it was time for her daughter to get help so she searched the internet for a treatment center, an abundance of which were in South Florida.

Mikaya (left) had a cyst removed in high school and the aftermath of the surgery was extremely painful. She developed a problem abusing painkillers and her mother, Michelle Curran (right), decided she needed to get help at a treatment facility. This picture of the two was taken in 2010

MIKAYA'S FIRST JOURNEY TO SOBER HOUSES IN SOUTH FLORIDA

Last year, there were 931 substance abuse treatment centers in Florida, 34 percent of which were in the state's Southeast region.

Michelle settled on one in the Boynton Beach area of Florida after noticing that the advertising made it seem top notch. 'They promised you the world,' she said.

The center asked for Mikaya's insurance information and then booked her flight to the facility, which was illegal, unbeknownst to Michelle.

'We searched online,' Michelle remembered. 'I knew nothing about anything going on down there.'

Mikaya left for the facility in January 2015 when she was 23 years old.

Mikaya had her first son, Lane, when she was 17 years old. This photo was taken during the summer of 2015, a year before Mikaya died

And the care that she received there was good at first. Michelle said her daughter would call her either jointly with a therapist or alone and give her mother updates.

'I didn't think she was using [then],' Michelle said. 'She did well for several months.'

But at the beginning of March, Mikaya came back to Ohio. Michelle said she regretted letting her come home that time.

Her daughter relapsed soon after she came home. Mikaya briefly checked into a rehab center in her home state before heading back to Florida to give the Boynton Beach treatment center another try.

The care she received at the rehab center she tried in Ohio was mediocre, according to her mother.

Michelle said the center allowed Mikaya to be on meds she should not have been on and that an employee there made sexual advances at some of the patients - Mikaya included - but was only suspended, not fired, which infuriated her.

But Mikaya was home by Christmas, in time to be with her children for the holiday, before another relapse.

'She spent Christmas with us. It was a week later and she'd relapsed again. You could just tell her mind wasn't straight,' Michelle said.

In January 2016, a year after her first trip to Florida for rehab, Mikaya returned to give it another chance.

Michelle thought her daughter would receive help at treatment centers in Florida but, instead, her daughter's drug addiction was encouraged because of the financial benefits a patient's relapse provides a treatment center. Mikaya poses here in the spring of 2016, months before she died of an overdose

HOW A SOBER HOUSE 'PUSHED MIKAYA TO HER DEATH'

The second time, the care she received was worse, Michelle said.

Mikaya told her mother that one of the techs raped her, and that the center's substance abuse patients were being handed drugs.

Drug dealers lived in a house neighboring the facility and they would simply pass the patients drugs through an adjoining fence.

'They do not keep track of them,' Michelle said, referring to the supervision that the patients at the treatment center were supposed to get but did not.

Michelle experienced a fleeting period of hope when, towards the end of February, Mikaya moved to a 'sober living house' in the same area that actually helped her daughter live briefly without drugs.

'There were house managers there and the owner would check in frequently,' Michelle said.

'She was doing really good,' Michelle recalled. She felt good about her daughter's care because the techs at this new sober house made sure patients went to their treatment meetings and they gave them encouragement.

But this only lasted one month. A couple of weeks after moving into the facility that was helping her, Mikaya relapsed.

Confused, she went to a support group meeting in South Florida, where a 'body snatcher' convinced her to move to a 'sober house' called Reflections, owned by Chatman.

Mikaya fell into the vicious cycle of patient brokering, in which people looking to make money by taking advantage of vulnerable drug addicts pounce on substance abuse patients to try to lure them to certain sober houses.

When they arrive, they are encouraged to continue to use drugs because each time they relapse or require medical assistance because of their drug addiction, the treatment centers get money from the patient's health insurance company.

Mikaya's move was the first of many and during the following months, she was tossed around from house to house and continually promised help at the next one.

Mikaya poses with her youngest son Reed, now six, in the summer of 2015

During this time, she was injured after getting into a fight with another patient and she was given heroin by Chatman. When she overdosed, Chatman dropped her off in the front yard of the sober house she was living in, according to Michelle.

And bills sent from Reflections to Mikaya's home in Ohio started piling up, eventually totaling $600,000.

Mikaya moved so frequently that it was dizzying for Michelle to try to keep up with.

'Her mindset was out of control,' Michelle said, adding that from that point on her daughter's addiction problem was in a 'downward spiral'.

'They were using, I know,' she said about patients at Reflections.

Michelle said that after Mikaya moved to Reflections, she started receiving astronomical bills, an example of which was one that charged $10,000 for a urine test.

These charges had not come when Mikaya had stayed at the previous two South Florida rehab centers she visited but now they were coming every couple of weeks.

Since the charges would be labeled vaguely as 'lab' or 'urine test' on bills, Michelle started to worry about the tests being done on her daughter, which were costing her hundreds of thousands of dollars.

'PATIENT BROKERING': THE DANGERS OF FLORIDA'S SOBER HOMES Many patients come to Florida's sober homes from other parts of the country. Treatment programs at these facilities dictate that patients should go through a detox and then move into a home with other sober home patients to learn to live in a community again. As the sober homes have become corrupt, though, a practice called 'patient brokering' has become more frequent. It occurs when a person, known as a 'body snatcher' convinces a patient struggling with substance abuse to move to a certain sober home, often luring them with free gifts. Insurance companies covering these patients often have to pay every time a person relapses. When this happens, the treatment center has an economic incentive to keep patients hooked on drugs. More and more, these treatment centers - which want the money that insurance policies have to offer - see the lucrative side of a patient's relapse. Advertisement

'I thought something was really wrong with her,' Michelle said.

She tried calling for an explanation multiple times but it was to no avail. 'They'd hang up on you,' she said.

By spring, Michelle knew something was very wrong and that her daughter definitely was not getting the care she needed.

'In May, she was very erratic and I found out then they were letting them use,' Michelle said.

Things were getting out of hand quickly. Mikaya fought with another female resident, which left her with a huge gash on her eye.

She also started dating another patient in one of the sober houses she stayed in.

In May, Chatman made Mikaya, her boyfriend and another girl do heroin in front of him in his car.

When they overdosed, he simply took them back to the house they were staying in and left them there.

Mikaya then told her mother that she wanted to come home.

But on July 29, she and her boyfriend got high and the person running the house they were in at that time kicked them out while they were still feeling the effects of the drugs they had taken.

Mikaya and her boyfriend went to a motel, where Mikaya overdosed and died on July 30, 2016.

On July 31 at 3.10am, two sheriffs knocked on Michelle's door and told her that her daughter had died.

Michelle's brother, who worked at a funeral home, arranged for Mikaya's body to be brought home.

Chatman has since been found guilty of providing patients in his treatment centers with drugs and sexually exploiting his patients.

WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FLORIDA'S SOBER HOUSES

Mikaya's story is just one of many that parents who have lost children to fraudulent treatment centers in South Florida are telling.

The problem with faulty treatment centers has become so overwhelming that Palm Beach County has created a task force to tackle it.



Florida state attorney Dave Aronberg said that faulty facilities are luring people in by promising them benefits such as free flights, which is exactly what happened to Mikaya.

Aronberg warned that families looking for help for someone with a drug addiction should 'carefully scrutinize the claims of marketers who are promising specific outcomes or offering free gifts and discounts in exchange for one's participation in a treatment program'.

He said that since October 2016 - less than a year ago - the task force has made 34 arrests.

Most of the defendants the task force has arrested have been charged with patient brokering, which is a third-degree felony.

After Chatman's sentencing earlier this year, Acting US Attorney Benjamin Greenberg said in a statement: 'Kenneth Chatman will spend the next 27 years in prison for orchestrating an egregious fraud scheme that denied addicts and their families the legitimate treatment and supportive services they desperately needed.'

Greenberg added: 'Instead of helping his patients to achieve sobriety, Chatman exploited the vulnerable victims to satisfy his personal greed.'

These patient brokers are overshadowing treatment centers in Florida that are focused on helping people stop abusing drugs.

'There are good providers in the drug treatment industry but they are being undermined by rogue players who are breaking the law by making misleading statements about their programs and offering unlawful benefits,' Aronberg said.

He said that the number of sober homes is unknown because 'there is no mandatory registration, certification or licensing'.

While the task force's efforts are a step in the right direction, they came too late to save Mikaya.

'She was too kind,' Michelle said about her daughter. She said Mikaya loved the outdoors and animals and was in cosmetology school before her drug addiction took over her life.

'She was just a very sweet girl,' Michelle said.

Michelle legally adopted Mikaya's two sons earlier this year.


India's self-styled 'godmen' have legions of devoted followers but many are dogged by scandal and several have been charged or convicted of crimes.

Gurus - often Hindu ascetics - have long played an integral role in the daily lives of many Indians, who believe their teachings provide a pathway to enlightenment.

But sceptics say some of the newer 'godmen' are nothing more than confidence tricksters who use their often poor followers to win power, fame and riches. Many lure supporters with free canteens, clinics and other services not provided by the state.

But experts point out that among their devotees are wealthy and educated Indians and say they also provide a sense of community and purpose in a rapidly changing country.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim singh in a helicopter in which he was flown from Panchkula to Rohtak town to be locked up

Here are some of the more famous godmen:

Rampal Maharaj

Rampal Maharaj, who was wanted for conspiracy to murder back in 2014

In 2014 Rampal Maharaj barricaded himself into his ashram, guarded by devotees armed with stones, petrol bombs and other weapons, after a court issued a warrant for his arrest on a series of charges including conspiracy to murder.

It was days before police were finally able to clear the giant complex and arrest the guru, who considered himself an incarnation of a 15th-century mystic Indian poet.

Six people died during the siege.

Followers said the guru regularly bathed in milk, which was then used to make kheer, a sweet rice pudding that they believed could cure illnesses.

Ashutosh Maharaj

A cardboard cut-out of Ashutosh Maharaj which devotees still offer prayers to

Devotees of Ashutosh Maharaj, who died in January 2014, are preserving his body in a freezer and insist he is in a deep meditative state.

The hugely wealthy founder of the multi-million dollar Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan (Divine Light Awakening Mission) sect apparently died of cardiac arrest.

But his followers say he is in a spiritual state called samadhi and have kept his body in a freezer at his heavily guarded 100-acre (40-hectare) ashram in the northern state of Punjab.

One man who claimed to be his former driver has alleged that followers were refusing to release the body because they wanted a share of the guru's assets.

Asaram Bapu

Suspected child rapist Asaram Bapu is a guru who once condemned Valentine's Day as encouraging young people to engage in 'dirty acts'

Asaram Bapu, a white-bearded guru who once condemned Valentine's Day as encouraging young people to engage in 'dirty acts', is charged with several offences including rape, trafficking and sexual crimes against minors.

Police arrested him in 2013 after a 16-year-old girl accused him of raping her on the pretext of ridding her of 'evil spirits'.

Hundreds of the 76-year-old's supporters clashed with television news crews and police after his arrest.

Since then at least three key witnesses have been shot dead.

In his preachings, he had urged followers to live a 'pious life' free of sexual desires.

Swami Nithyananda

Indian guru Swami Nithyananda faces a series of assault and sexual abuse charges

Indian guru Swami Nithyananda faces a series of assault and sexual abuse charges, although he has never been convicted.

Five women accused the 40-year-old of abusing them at his Hindu religious retreat in the southern state of Karnataka.

He was held in jail for 53 days in 2010 after a sex video scandal.

When a local television station aired the footage purportedly showing him fondling two women, angry villagers attacked his ashram, where devotees practise yoga and follow spiritual teachings.

Nithyananda, who also operates a meditation centre in Los Angeles, has claimed to possess paranormal powers of levitation.

Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba was one of India's most famous and widely followed gurus, known for his vast charitable empire

Sathya Sai Baba was one of India's most famous and widely followed spiritual gurus, known for his vast charitable empire.

When he died in 2011, he was given a state funeral attended by tens of thousands of followers, as well as then-prime minister Manmohan Singh and cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar.

But his charitable trust was often criticised for lacking transparency.

After his death 98 kilos (215 pounds) of gold, 307 kilos of silver and 115 million rupees (around $1.8 million) in cash were found in his private quarters.

At public meetings, his showman antics - in which he would miraculously produce gold coins or watches on stage - brought him both fame and notoriety, with critics accusing him of being a fraudster.
RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav held a massive show of strength through his 'Desh bachao, BJP Bhagao' rally in Patna.

The rally, which was organised in the backdrop of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar snapping ties with Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) last month to ally with the BJP, was attended by 17 of India's Opposition parties.

However, leaders like Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Bahujan Samaj party (BSP) chief Mayawati sent emissaries.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad with Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav

The leaders who attended Lalu's mega show were Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and CP Joshi, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, former chief ministers of Jharkhand Hemant Soren and Babulal Marandi, CPI leader D Raja and DMK leader TKS Elangovan.

During the rally, the RJD chief lashed out at Nitish calling him a leader with no ethics or ideology.

Labeling the chief minister a 'palturam', Lalu said the back-pedaling of his former ally would be the last moment of Nitish's political career.

Asserting that he would never compromise with the BJP, Lalu used the opportunity to declare that he would once again form government in Bihar in the next Assembly elections.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav with rebel Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Sharad Yadav during the 'BJP bhagao, desh bachao' rally at Gandhi Maidan in Patna

He also accused the Centre of plotting conspiracy to frame his family in false corruption cases.

'Once again, Lalu raj will set foot in Bihar. I would rather like to be hanged than to compromise with the BJP,' he said.

Lalu's younger son Tejaswi Yadav also hit out at the CM declaring that he would 'soon embark on a yatra to expose Nitish and (Sushil) Modi's involvement in SRIJAN scam'.

The highlight of Lalu's show was the presence of Sharad Yadav, who attended the event despite warnings from his party's high command. Sharad, who has been critical of Nitish's decision of snapping ties with mahagathbandhan, slammed him for insulting the 2015 mandate.

He also reiterated his intention to rebuild mahagathbandhan ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections. 'I promise that the mahagathbandhan will be formed in the national front,' he said.
China has said its troops will continue to patrol the Doklam border area despite resolving a military standoff with India at the disputed plateau.

Tensions flared in June after Chinese soldiers started building a road in the strategically-important Himalayan area, claimed by both China and India's ally, Bhutan.

On Tuesday, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman said its military would maintain a presence there and refused to disclose future plans for the road project that had triggered the confrontation.

Chinese and Indian border troops: The two sides have been locked in a military standoff since mid-June

The area near the Indian border that is claimed by both China and Bhutan (Indian and Chinese troops file pic)

'I've said that Chinese border troops will continue to be stationed and patrol in Doklam and we will continue to exercise our sovereignty according to historical conventions,' Hua told a regular press briefing.

India itself does not claim the territory but has a military presence in Bhutan.

The Indian government announced on Monday that Beijing and New Delhi had agreed to pull back back their border forces.

When asked whether China would halt road-building, Hua told reporters: 'We'll take into consideration all relevant factors, including weather, to make any infrastructure plans - including road-building.'

The border tensions eased days before India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to travel to China for a summit of the BRICS group of countries, which also include Brazil, Russia and South Africa.

When asked if the border issue was settled in order to avoid conflict at the BRICS meetings, Hua only said that 'ensuring the success of the summit serves interests of all relevant parties'.

Bhutan separately expressed relief the crisis was apparently over.

The tiny Himalayan country of fewer than a million people had been caught in the middle of what some analysts called the worst crisis in India-China relations in decades.

'Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area,' its foreign ministry said.

'We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquility and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India, in keeping with existing agreements between the respective countries.'
Throughout most of Montana, jail booking photos are public information. Thats why Gazette readers see mugshots of individuals who have been arrested and jailed in Billings.

Yet after U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte finally was fingerprinted and photographed at the Gallatin County jail last week, his mugshot was deemed confidential by County Attorney Marty Lambert.

In fact, Lambert interprets the law differently from most in Montana. In his county, getting a jail mugshot requires that a journalist or other interested citizen obtain an order from a District Court judge.

So last Friday, after Gianforte was photographed, Montana media representatives, including the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and Lee Newspapers (which publishes The Billings Gazette) filed requests with Gallatin County District Court. Nick Ehli, managing editor of the Bozeman newspaper, said he was told by the court clerk that it may take several weeks to act on the requests for releasing the mugshot.

This issue is broader than the case in which Montanas sole U.S. representative pleaded guilty to body slamming and punching a news reporter. If Gianfortes mugshot is confidential, couldnt other individuals claim that their jail photos are off limits to the public, too? What if no photos were available to the public to see who has been arrested for assault, robbery, rape or murder?

Keeping booking photos public has occasionally helped law enforcement solve crimes. In Billings, for example, a man who had been charged with crimes against women, eventually was charged with another offense after the victim recognized her attacker in a booking photo in the local media.

At the request of local news media years ago, Lambert sought a state attorney generals opinion. Then a District Court judge in Park County ruled on that very question, finding that booking photos are public information under Montana law. Citing the judges ruling, the attorney general declined to issue an opinion because the matter had been settled by the judiciary. Lambert, however, insists that precedent doesnt apply in Gallatin County.

So the matter went to the Legislature. The Montana Newspaper Association and the Montana Association of Police Chiefs supported a bill introduced by Frank Garner, R-Kalispell, that would have clarified existing law to ensure all understand that jail mugshots are public information statewide.

The House Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Alan Doane, R-Bloomfield, turned Garners bill around to make jail mugshots secret. On the House floor, 55 representatives killed the altered bill.

Requesting a court order to release each mugshot as journalists are being required to do in Gallatin County makes unnecessary demands on the time of already-overloaded courts. Thousands of booking photos are made every year in Yellowstone County and hundreds are printed in The Gazette or used by local television news.

Denying that mugshots are public information doesnt prevent the public from seeing suspects when they appear in open court. Why require the public to wait for court appearances that may be days or weeks later?

Gianforte received special treatment for this case that opened on election eve, May 24. Usually, a misdemeanor assault suspect would have been booked into jail, including fingerprinting and having a mugshot taken. But none of that was done on election eve.

Even after pleading guilty, Gianforte argued that Gallatin County couldnt fingerprint or photograph him. To his credit, Lambert successfully argued that Gianforte should be subject to the same requirements as other misdemeanor offenders. Justice of the Peace Rick West ordered that Gianforte comply.

Gianfortes photo isnt confidential because all jail booking photos are public information in Montana. We call on the busy District Court of Gallatin County to release his photo as quickly as possible. We call on lawmakers to clarify and affirm in 2019 that their constituents have a right to see the public photos of people booked at county jails.
The riots over the weekend in Haryana, Punjab and even parts of Delhi over the sentencing of Ram Rahim have left over 30 people dead and hundreds injured.

The crowds had begun to gather days before the verdict, providing authorities with sufficient warning of their intentions, yet there were insufficient preparations.

A gathering of lakhs of supporters of any supposed godman is a sign of trouble, yet these signals were ignored. Earlier incidents of violence following the arrests of flourishing cult exploiters like Rampal in 2014, Ram Vriksh Yadav in 2016 and Asaram Bapu in 2013 are well-documented.

It took the courts to issue strictures which made the state government wake up from its slumber and act.

The riots over the weekend in Haryana, Punjab and even parts of Delhi over the sentencing of Ram Rahim have left over 30 people dead and hundreds injured

Violence

It was anticipated even by the common man, living in Panchkula, that violence would be on the cards, as soon as the verdict is announced, but our political leaders and their administrative advisors refused to consider such thoughts. Hence the authorities wasted time and were compelled to react to situations, rather than launch planned and prepared contingencies.

In just one hour of rioting, more than 25 people were dead and hundreds injured. An analysis would indicate a complete failure and lack of intent at every level of the state machinery.

The state had forces made available, whereas it should have been the reverse, where masses were prevented from entering the region. A clear sign of reacting, not anticipating.

This was the state machinerys first major blunder, which they have attempted to defend. Intelligence inputs on large movement of population would have been known, assessing its impact a part of the routine, but ignoring it, another major blunder.

Permitting a 200-vehicle convoy of the accused to traverse the streets of the state, halting regularly at every dera, with live coverage on TV, whipping up passion amongst supporters, is criminal negligence and permitting it, another major blunder.

Supporters of Indian religious leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh throw stones at security forces next to burning vehicles during clashes in Panchkula

While the nation is screaming for the Haryana chief minister to resign, why have voices not been raised against the top lobby of the IAS and IPS of the state, who are actually responsible on ground for law and order, to resign, be sacked and charged with dereliction of duty.

The state chief secretary is not a file pusher, but the individual responsible, alongside his home secretary, for ensuring the security and safety of the state and its population.

They are expected to be the two most senior and capable civil servants of the state, with complete control over all agencies within the state. They control the intelligence as also the law and order machinery and hence are responsible.

If the state has failed, it is because they failed in their assessment of the situation, demands for additional forces and preparing security forces to face the violence.

The IPS lobby, which should have anticipated trouble and deployed forces to contain the violence also needs to be questioned.

A politician takes decision based on recommendations of his chief advisors. His failure is due to collective failure of the state machinery. The Jat agitation and the resultant Prakash Singh probe panel report last year had recommended action against state police personnel and suggested changes in the functioning of the state police and civil administration.

It is evident that no action was taken and the report, like others before it, is gathering dust as the next inquiry commission would prove. It was again the Army which came to the rescue of the state and was instrumental in restoring order.

Conviction: A follower of Singh pleads for his safety after being hit with a stick during clashes between the controversial guru's followers and security forces

Why do states maintain such massive police forces, when at the first instance they rush for central assistance?

Reports of police turning tail and running away from the mobs was witnessed in the Jat agitation last year and again this year.

If this is their level of training and confidence, then is such expenditure warranted? Or is it because they are left to fend for themselves, while their officers are secure in their headquarters.

The Centre had pushed in hundreds of CAPF contingents, yet they failed to control the mobs.

Training

Is there something amiss in our organisation structures, and in training and equipping such forces that the state runs for Army assistance at the drop of a hat?

Alternatively, is it a failure of planning, anticipation, positioning, tactics and deployment, where the right forces were unavailable in sufficient numbers at the right time and place? If this was the case, then it is the states top hierarchy which should be held responsible, not those deployed.

If they failed to act decisively or lacked sufficient equipment, then it is lack of training and procurement, again the responsibility of the officer cadre of the state.

Unless those heading the law and order machinery are pulled up and questioned, held accountable and sacked, failures and laxity will become a norm.

Politicians are easy targets, whereas those responsible are ignored.

Instrument

The Army is always there, the instrument of last resort which cannot fail, irrespective of mobs and violence. However, rushing it at the first instance of a crisis belies mass expenditure on central forces.

If the Army can succeed, whereas other similar armed central police forces cannot, then we lack training and motivated manpower.

That an Army column headed by a young major could contain a situation, while a collection of forces under multiple director generals of police seems to have failed is a sad reflection on the quality of leadership of our central forces.

Hundreds of CAPF are available and it is the Army which is tasked to take over the deras - this too is a sad reflection of why the central government maintains hundreds of CAPF battalions.

Has the government lost faith in its CAPF? If it has, then the time has come for them to be commanded by the Army.

This serious state of affairs must be rectified forthwith or the nation will remain burdened with poor quality police, officered by an incompetent IPS cadre, backed by equally incompetent IAS.

The public cannot accept such failures every time. There must be accountability and responsibility.

Those in power must be sacked for failing. Simultaneously, at the central level, measures must be put in place to enhance capability, leadership and functional efficiency of CAPFs.

They have to be capable of holding the fort, not surrendering the situation within an hour into the Army's hands.

The author is a retired Major General
Amrita (name changed) was only 12 years old when she was taken away from her home in Bokaro in Jharkhand. She was sold to a placement agency in Delhi, which in turn forced her into flesh trade when she turned 16.

Three years later, she has been rescued from a brothel in Mumbai. To avert the possibility of being caught, she was drugged for the train journey from Jharkhand to Delhi.

The agent kept her captive for a week somewhere in the city. The girl is unable to recall the place where she was kept hostage, but told police that it was a one-room set where a few others girls were also kept. The room was poorly lit and for one week, they were made to starve.

A sex worker covers her face in the red light district of Kamathipura in Mumbai (file pic)

'We were told that we have to work as domestic help and will be paid well. All of us were told that our parents have sent us for work and the money will reach them on time. After a few days, we will be released and sent back to our homes,' she told Jharkhand police.

She added that an agent threatened them that in case they receive any complaint about them, the duration of stay would increase. A month later, Amrita was hired by someone in Southwest Delhi as a domestic help.

She was supposed to take care of two school-going kids aged 5 and 7 years. She also had to do household work with another maid.

After around 18 months, she asked the agency for another job. This time, she was hired by a family in West Delhi who often beat her up.

'Since the day I was taken away from home, I was not in touch with my family. Neither did the agent pay me my salary,' Amrita told police.

According to a Jharkhand-based NGO, the placement agency brought Amrita back when she turned 16 and forced her into prostitution in the Capital. She told police that she was sent to a brothel in GB Road.

Jharkhand police have rescued more than 50 girls from Delhi who were brought for domestic work, but later forced into prostitution (file pic)

'For more than six months, I tried to escape but failed every time. Then I quit. I was tortured by one aunty to whom we used to address as 'Madam ji'.

'Almost, two years ago I was sent to Mumbai to another brothel,' she told police. Amrita was recently rescued after Jharkhand police conducted a raid in Mumbai.

After recording her statement, she was sent to a shelter back in her home state.

A sex worker inside a room in a brothel in the city of Nashik (file pic)

Speaking to Mail Today, Baidnath, an activist in Jharkhand, said that this year, Jharkhand police have rescued more than 50 girls from Delhi who were brought here for domestic work, but later forced into prostitution.

On March 29 this year, replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, MoS Home Gangaram Ahir said 109 trafficking cases had been reported in Jharkhand in 2016, the fifth highest in the country in a state that ranks 16th in size.

In April this year, 29 girls from Jharkhand were rescued in Delhi alone. Officials say the racket is spread across the interior villages, with girls taken to Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Mumbai and Kolkata.
Alarm bells are ringing for the 'tipsy' Indian Railways.

The Railway Board's new boss Ashwani Lohani has warned train crews and staffers from consuming liquor while on duty after identifying alcoholism as a cause of recent accidents.

He is also working hard to crackdown on corruption and sexual harassment at workplace, sending a strong message to all railway employees.

Rescue and relief works underway on Sunday near the mangled coaches of the Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express train which derailed at Khatauli near Muzaffarnagar

Kaifiyat Express heading towards the national Capital derailed

Faced with the onerous task of bringing down accidents and improving punctuality and hygiene on trains, Lohani has listed out his priorities in order to strengthen the organisation and improve its functioning.

'I have always believed in the supremacy of the human resource. For me, my employees, and not the customers, come first.

'But at the same time we have to deal with corruption, sexual harassment at workplace and alcohol abuse while on duty. These are social evils and need to be dealt with iron hand,' Lohani said in a letter addressed to the railway employees.

Sources said a number of drivers drink while on duty because of long hours, especially during the night. They said at least 15 to 20 per cent of loco pilots fail the breathalyser test.

Officials said there is no upper limit in the railways rulebook on the number of night duties to be done by the engine crew despite data from major rail accidents pointing to the fact that most mishaps take place between late night and early morning.

Nearly 350 rail accidents took place since 2015 when Suresh Prabhu became the railway minister.

After back-to-back derailments this month, the top hierarchy of the Indian Railways decided that enough was enough.

Former chairman of railway board A K Mital had to quit and Prabhu too offered his resignation. This was followed by Lohani's appointment as the administrative head of the railways.

350 rail accidents since 2015 when Suresh Prabhu became Indian Rail Minister

Nine coaches of Azamgarh-Delhi Kaifiyat Express train derailed

A railway official of Delhi Division said a number of loco pilots and co-pilots turn up for duty under the influence of liquor.

However, train drivers tend to justify the same saying they are forced to drink because of stress.

'Most of these loco-pilots show up for work drunk. This trend came to light after many of them failed the alcohol test. This is a clear indication that these drunk drivers put thousands of lives at risk,' the official said.

Railway rules say every loco pilot must undergo a breathalyser test while signing on and signing off duty.

Failing a test can lead to removal from service, though most offenders are let off with temporary removal from rosters or denial of increments.

Even statistics of the Indian Railways claims that more than 800 railway crew members have been penalised since 2014 for violation of rules.

A top railway ministry official said 662 railway staff were penalised while 147 were summarily dismissed from service. Railway sources also blamed the rising trend of alcoholism on the shortage of running staff.

They said at least 20 to 30 per cent posts of drivers and co-drivers are lying vacant in almost all 16 zones of the Indian Railways.

Shortage of staff means longer duty hours for the existing workforce. 'I expect all railway men to work for welfare of the employees and restrain from indulging in any frills such as gifts, celebration and excessive protocol as these divert our attention from the core responsibilities,' Lohani wrote.
Delhi University polls will be a testing ground for Rahul Gandhi's anti-RSS formula

The upcoming Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) polls are set to be the testing ground for Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's anti-RSS formula that he proposes to play up ahead of the 2019 parliamentary election.

Eyeing the youth votebank, the party has decided to test the waters by launching a scathing attack on the RSS for allegedly attempting to 'saffronise' universities and the education system.

As NSUI candidates lash out against the RSS, they repeatedly underline that the ABVP is the students' wing of the Sangh and not the BJP.

'The BJP was founded 30 years after the ABVP in 1980. The RSS was banned by Sardar Patel in February 1948 after Gandhiji was shot dead. ABVP is one of the organisations registered to circumvent the ban on RSS,' are pointers handed out to NSUI candidates as part of their campaign.

The NSUI team in DU (above) has launched an attack against attempts to saffronise education

'It is an ideological battle with the RSS which is trying to curtail basic freedom on campus. The RSS is dictating Indians what they can eat, who they can marry and how Indian women should dress,' All India Congress Committee incharge of NSUI Ruchi Gupta told Mail Today.

'BJP leaders and their allies have beaten up men and women for going to pubs. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had said women are not worthy to be free. Our fight is against all these ideals as they have now reached college campuses,' Gupta added.

The NSUI campaign has been centred around Benaras Hindu University where it alleges that following the appointment of Girish Chandra Tripathi, an 'RSS man', there have been impositions of uniforms on campus and strict curfew hours for women among other restrictions.

Ex-Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit also lent weight to the campaign

'The university has banned the use of mobile phones by female students after 9pm and they have been made to sign an affidavit that they will not participate in any dharna in the girls' hostel or on campus. These are absolutely arbitrary and against the free spirit of universities,' Gupta further said.

The DUSU polls will officially kick off the anti-RSS campaign conceptualised by Rahul Gandhi and will intensify as he takes over the top job, most likely in October after the internal elections of the Congress.

The response to the campaign is expected to help the party tweak and plan its way forward in the upcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh later this year and others slated for next year before the big 2019 battle.

Polls will be held on September 12, the university announced this week

While slamming the RSS, the NSUI will promise students 'democracy and freedom' on campus and 'equal opportunity for all students irrespective of gender, caste and religion'.

With soaring tuition fees of technical courses following privatisation, it will also promise to ensure 'rational fixation of fees', 'oppose privatisation', and to make DU 'more accessible'.

Delhi University on Monday announced that DUSU polls will be held on September 12 and the nomination papers for the office bearers are to be submitted to the chief election officer latest by September 4.

The university campus has already come alive with campaigns as students affiliated with various political parties take on one another.
Striking qualities Nandan Nilekani has are his affable attitude, his pleasant demeanour and his optimism that always hinges on the art of the possible.

That forms part of his armour as he readies himself for yet another innings at Infosys as its non-executive chairman, a decade after he retired as CEO from 2002 to 2005.

He was hailed as the person best capable to quell the fire at Infosys, after co-founder Narayana Murthys relentless tirade against the company board, especially former CEO Vishal Sikka and former co-chairman R Seshasayee, on issues related to corporate governance.

Nandan Nilekani has been hailed as the person best capable to quell the fire at Infosys

Nilekani, who shot to international limelight after a reference to his leadership at Infosys in Thomas Friedmans 2005 bestseller The World is Flat - A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, was seen as the person who can best assuage Murthy and prevent further damage to a company which reportedly lost nearly Rs 36,000 crore in investor wealth in just two days after the Sikkas resignation on August 18.

Nilekani, 62, who started his career in 1978 at Patni Computer Systems where he met Murthy, was not only a co-traveller of the latter in founding and building the IT services firm to an internationally respected giant, with current revenues of over $10 billion (Rs 64,000 crore). As CEO, his performance was equally spectacular.

During the five years Nilekani held the post, Infosys revenue grew six-fold, from $500 million (Rs 3,200 crore) to $3 billion (Rs 19,200 crore). However, his biggest contribution is yet to come.

His reappointment at the firm came after complaints against CEO Vishal Sikka (pictured) on issues of governance

Stepping into Infosys after founding the Aadhaar as the chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), and a shot at politics as Lok Sabha candidate from Bangalore South on a Congress ticket in the 2014 general elections, which he lost, Nilekani is expected to marry the old ideas with the new at Indias second largest IT company that employs two lakh people.

Remember, Murthy was whipping up the same allegations over the $200 million (Rs 1,278 crore) Panaya acquisition in 2015, which seemingly benefited Sikka as alleged by a whistleblower complaint, and how two top executives Rajiv Bansal and David Kennedy were offered big severance packages to buy their silence as they red-flagged certain chinks in the corporate governance armour.

All these allegations were sufficiently addressed by the Infosys board, with investigations conducted on three different occasions by reputed law firms, on which Infosys spent Rs 10 crore.

India's $150-billion IT sector remains one of the country's flagship industries

All investigations proved no wrongdoing, insisted the board under Seshasayee and former Microsoft India head Ravi Venkatesan.

Investors and staff seem to be equally convinced, with foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), who hold 37.53 per cent stake in Infosys, not raising a red flag over the issue.

Rather, Oppenheimer Fund, an FPI, came out in public support of Sikka in February. The staff tuned in to Sikkas ambitious plan to generate $20 billion (Rs 1,27,770 crore) in revenues and $80,000 (Rs 51,10,800) per employee revenue by 2020 (a plan which may not meet success, given the distractions the company has gone through).

Under Sikka, Infosys looked poised to regain its sheen that it seemed to lose during the days with some of its cofounders at the helm.

Nandan Nilekani is one of the company's co-founders, who served as its CEO from 2002-05

But Nilekani will tread cautiously on Murthys allegations. He will have to use all his negotiation skills to charter a mid-path, taking Murthys views on board, while ensuring not to upset the Infosys apple cart once again by reviving old allegations.

He has said his comeback is not a permanent one, but will move out once Infosys is on the stable path once again. How long would it take to bring about stability?

One feels that Nilekani, who has penned acclaimed books Imagining India-Ideas for the New Century in 2010 and Rebooting India-Realising a Billion Aspirations in 2015 with Viral Acharya, now an RBI Deputy Governor, would give himself at least a couple of years at Infosys now.

He is expected to move along the path of innovation that Sikka had set forth on, rejuvenating the company to take on global competition. He would work to maintain and strengthen the confidence of high value clients whose trust in Infosys would have got a jolt with Sikkas resignation, and instil new confidence in a workforce whose morale would have taken a serious knock.

Last but not the least, he will have to identify and bring in a new CEO at Infosys, at a time when getting external CEOs into the firm would be a tough task. Building a new management with a new competent CEO and several independent board members will be Nilekanis most formidable task.

When he steps out when he pleases to, he would not want to see Infosys embroiled in yet another war with the original co-founders. To ensure that, Nilekani would need to work out his real magic that had once endeared him to Infosys and its various stakeholders.
Hard to believe that vending machines are the one area of retailing yet to embrace machine-speak or internet of things technology.

But thats the case according to Sergei Kornienko, chief executive of Uvenco UK and something he plans to change.

Machines talk to each other. We see it in everyday life but not in vending, he said.

Telemetry is the description he uses, or the ability to control whats in a vending machine from an office and respond almost immediately when either a machine breaks down or stock runs out  empty spirals.

Uvenco UK said it should start introducing the new machines from 2018

Kornienko is also chief executive of Uvenco of Russia, where smart machines have been in operation for five years, so he has plenty of experience of their use and potential. As you might have spotted there is a link between Russian Uvenco and the AIM-listed firm.

A consortium of Russian investors led by Uvenco owner Boris Belotserkovsky owns just over 53 per cent of the shares, it supplies the UK business (and others) and will be the source of the new smart vendors.

Their introduction here would have happened sooner but for the poor financial and operational state of SnackTime, Uvenco UKs name until earlier this year.

Kornienko says it has taken two years to get the UK business to a position robust enough to start to roll-out the new state-of-theart machines. But after a final six months of sorting out the business, the long-awaited introduction should start to happen from 2018.

Why Kornienkos keen to get started is easy to spot. The classical vending machines model involves an operator turning up every two days to refill or repair a machine.

In some cases, where a coffee machine and a snack machine are on the same premises, that involved two people being sent to the same place.

UVENCO Ticker: UVEN Market cap: 4.4million Latest price: 5.75p Year high: 7.7p Low: 3p

Not a problem for the new, smart vending machines. They minimise downtime and empty shelves by monitoring their own stock levels and performance.

Delivery route planning, forecasts and the analysis of what is selling well and what isnt also becomes a lot easier.

All in all, Kornienko reckons a smart vending machine can shave up to 30 per cent off costs with incremental revenue from better stock control, fewer outages and so on.

That would make a big difference to Uvencos UK numbers, although things here have already been moving in the right direction, at least on the profit front.

Benefits from the heavy restructuring meant a reduced operating loss.

Sales have been harder to turn around, especially as one of the main planks of the restructuring was to assess the profitability of contracts and cull the loss makers.

Revenues dropped 9 per cent on an annualised basis in the year to March and there will be some more slippage this year says Kornienko, but he expects underlying profits to continue to improve.

Railways stations and airports remain the best places for a vending machine, but Uvenco UK also has a sizeable chunk of public sector-based outlets such as hospitals

From 2018 onwards and the advent of the new technology, sales should start to pick up.

Railways stations and airports remain the best places for a vending machine, but Uvenco UK also has a sizeable chunk of public sector-based outlets such as hospitals.

Financials have also steadied with the link with Uvenco proving a help. In June, for instance, it loaned 1million to Uvenco UK. The market is also moving on. Micromarkets are the new big thing in vending in the US and Uvenco is trialling 30 in Russia.

Essentially mini-shops, they stock 300 products instead of the 40 in a traditional vending machine. Some of these are perishables and the key is razor-sharp stock control using telemetry.

Kornienko says two micromarkets are being trialled in the UK, but how the concept will work here is still under review.

Another ingredient in the mix is the strong likelihood of consolidation among the vending machine operators. This is already underway with two of the private equityowned European giants Selecta and Pelican Rouge trying to get a 2billion merger past the European authorities.

Uvenco UK is much smaller with 3,500 machines currently, but once the business has the right foundations Kornienko sees a lot of potential for expansion.

Its a fragmented business with a lot of 100-200 machine operators, said the CEO.

Early-stage discussions have already been held with one 2million turnover operator and this year there were reports Uvenco wanted to buy the UK business outright.

If the new smart machines have as dramatic impact as Kornienko believes, it is unlikely that will be the end of the story. Indeed, it may be just the beginning.
A British couple could make hundreds of millions of pounds after their fashion business became the subject of a bidding war.

Matchesfashion is being eyed by big private investors who could pay more than 800m to buy it.

The business, founded in 1987 by Tom Chapman, 54, and his wife Ruth, 55, sells designer brands such as Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Burberry. It employs hundreds of people, has four stores and its HQ is based in The Shard, in London.

The Chapmans stepped down as joint chief executives two years ago but still own more than half the shares, meaning they would be in line to receive at least 400m.

It could see the South London pair, who have three children, join the ranks of Britains super-rich.

Possible buyers are said to include private equity funds Apax Partners, KKR, Permira and Bain Capital.

They have been drawn in by booming growth at the business, which swung to a profit of 11m last year after five years of losses.

Sales on its website have grown rapidly as wealthy customers have embraced internet shopping.

Last night a spokesman for Matchesfashion declined to comment.
Lawyers who fail to protect their customers from houses with rip-off leases were last night accused of being developers stooges and could face a Parliamentary inquiry.

Conveyancing solicitors are meant to help buyers understand their contracts and advise them against agreeing a bad deal when buying a new home.

But a string of families have claimed they were not given proper advice when buying leasehold properties  and are trapped on toxic terms as a result.

Toxic terms: Pressure is mounting on the lawyers with regulators urging victims to come forward

Some are now stuck in houses where ground rents double every decade, while unscrupulous investors have snapped up the freeholds for their homes.

Although hundreds of thousands of families are thought to have been hit by the scandal, no lawyer has ever been disciplined by regulators. But pressure is mounting on the lawyers with regulators urging victims to come forward.

Sebastian OKelly, of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership campaign group, said: These conveyancing firms are little more than developers stooges. The idea they act independently is laughable. Weve got to stop developers from having panels of stooge solicitors who they recommend to house buyers.

Justin Madders, a former solicitor who is now a Labour MP, is calling for a Parliamentary inquiry into the scandal that has seen thousands of homes sold with toxic leases.

He said: I would hope for the professions sake that regulators will be able to go to this inquiry and say they have fully investigated what happened  rather than going to a hearing and saying theyve not looked at it because they didnt think there was a problem.

Andrew Selous, a Conservative MP and a prominent leasehold critic, said: Parliament needs to take action over in-house conveyancers for leasehold houses. These firms then disappear, leaving buyers with no ability to get redress when they have been poorly advised.

Many buyers use a conveyancer recommended by their housebuilder, raising questions over their independence.

Solicitors who work in the industry can be disciplined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) while the task of investigating other legal professionals involved falls to the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).

An SRA spokesman said it had received just a handful of complaints about bad practice in relation to leasehold, while the CLC said it had received none.

Neither has launched any investigations and both said they were unable to act unless a complaint was made. Both regulators urged victims to come forward.

Beth Rudolf of the Conveyancing Association trade body said lawyers were not acting against their clients best interests. Theyre regulated and could be sued or struck off, she said, adding that buyers needed to be given information about their leasehold status much earlier.
Outsourcing firm Bunzl posted a sharp rise in first half profits but warned that the UK market continued to be challenging as political and economic uncertainty held back investment.

Bunzl, which supplies hotels, restaurants and grocery stores with products from food packaging, to napkins and safety gears, said it had been buoyed by a string of acquisitions in its main US market and a weaker pound.

The group posted a 17 per cent rise in pre-tax profit to 181.9million in the six months to 30 June, while the effect of a weaker pound helped revenues 20 per cent higher to 4.1billion.

Bunzl supplies restaurants and grocery stores with products from food packaging to napkins

Even if that is stripped out, revenues still rose by 7 per cent, while organic revenue was up 3.6 per cent. In light of the positive results, the board decided to increase the dividend by 8 per cent to 14p.

However shares in Bunzl were down 0.7 per cent, or 16.5p, to 2,315.5p, in a tough session for the FTSE 100 after a North Korean missile launch spooked investors.

It comes as another outsourcing giant, Mitie, saw shares tank by a quarter today after it revealed the FCA has launched an investigation into its September 2016 profits warning.

Mitie, which has clients like the NHS and London City airport, issued three profits warnings in five months last year in what turned out to be a torrid time for the outsourcer.

On the contrary, Bunzl has been going from strength to strength.

Neil Wilson, senior market analyst at ETX Capital, said: 'Over the last 5 years the companys stock has doubled, while Mities has flatlined.'

Bunzl chief executive Frank van Zanten said he was particularly pleased about the growth in organic revenue and that acquisitions had accelerated this year, planning to invest 546million on them.

The group announced a new deal in China to take over HSESF, which specialises in the sale of personal protection equipment. This adds to another 10 acquisitions in the pipeline, which include DDS in the US and Hedis group in France.

Frank van Zanten said: Bunzl has once again delivered good increases in revenue, adjusted operating profit and adjusted earnings per share.

'I am particularly pleased to report a significant pick up in the level of organic revenue growth to 3.7% during the first half of 2017 following the previously announced new business win in North America last year.

It is also good to see that acquisition activity, which continues to be an important part of our growth strategy, has accelerated in 2017.

However, the group sounded a warning about the UK, which contributes to around 15 per cent of total revenues. It said that while trading picked up in the first half since the declines seen in 2016, when Bunzl lost a big grocery customer, the market remained challenging.

It said: 'Although the UK Government has commenced negotiations with the European Union, the terms under which the UK will eventually leave the European Union and the impact this will have on the group's operations are currently unclear.

'The risks to the group's operations are most likely to relate to the impact of foreign exchange volatility, an economic slowdown in the UK and the imposition of trade tariffs.'

Wilson said the results indicated continued strength.

Pre-tax profits were 17% higher thanks to lower margins in the US, but of particular note organic revenue growth rose to 3.7% - its not just acquisitions driving the growth, he said.
Banks could see their PPI costs soar over the next two years as the banking watchdog's new ad campaign urges millions of policyholders to claim before the deadline in August 2019.

Banks have set aside 35billion so far to compensate people who are thought to have been mis-sold payment protection insurance. Out of this sum, more than 27.4billion has been paid out to customers since the UK financial watchdog introduced rules for complaining about payment protection insurance in 2011.

That means banks have about 8billion left in their compensation war chest for the next two years. But just 24million mis-sold insurance policies have been dealt with out of the total 64million insurance policies that have been sold.

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The FCA today launched a 42m advertising campaign featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger

Neil Wilson, senior financial analyst at ETX Capital, said that although it was a hard guess to predict how many of those policies were actually mis-sold and how many people still entitled to compensation would come forward, banks could end up paying out far more than 8billion.

Wilson said: You could conceivably see the costs double [that is, another 27billion] from here if you think that just 24million of the 64million policies have been dealt with so far. Thats probably the absolute limit and will more likely be considerably less than that as not everyone will come forward.

Those who have already come forward will likely be larger payouts on average as those who have most to gain more likely to claim by now, and because millions actually have an earlier deadline so could miss out.

It all depends on how Arnie performs.

Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said any estimate was subject to a great deal of uncertainty, but it was possible that provisions would creep up later this year.

The television advert features an animatronic model of Arnie's head which urges people to decide about making a PPI complaint before the 2019 deadline

He said: The big UK banks have already set aside 35billion, of which 27billion has already been paid, so the remaining 8billion is the banking industrys best guess as to what they have to pay out between now and 2019.

Estimates of this kind are obviously subject to a great deal of uncertainty, so we may well see provisions creep up later this year. To that end the next round of bank reporting towards the end of October will give us an idea of how claims are being affected by the FCA marketing campaign.

It comes as the financial watchdog today launched a 42million advertising campaign featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger in a bid to raise awareness about the deadline to make a complaint on 29 August 2019.

Payment Protection Insurance - otherwise known as PPI - was devised back in the 1990's and was sold en masse to bank customers to ensure repayment of credit if a borrower died, became ill or disabled or lost a job.

PPI policies were sold alongside loans, credit cards, store cards and mortgages mostly between the 1990s and 2010.

The Financial Conduct Authority decided to put a deadline to PPI claims as banks complained that allowing customers to make complaints indefinitely made it difficult for them to plan and move on.

And because many people are still unaware of the deadline, the FCA today launched the ad campaign featuring the Hollywood giant turned politician Schwarzenegger.

The television advert features an animatronic model of his head which urges people to decide about making a PPI complaint before the 2019 deadline.

The campaign featuring Arnie will appear on TV, online and on outdoor advertising across the UK over the next two years

Andrew Bailey, chief executive of the FCA, said: 'Our campaign aims to cut through the noise on PPI.

'We want to encourage people to decide whether to find out if they had PPI and whether to complain or not. Our message, and Arnie's, is 'do it now' and I urge people to make a decision before the deadline on 29 August 2019.'

The campaign will appear on TV, online and on outdoor advertising across the UK over the next two years.

The advert's production costs stand at 4.9million and the campaign is being paid for by the 18 firms including banks, building societies and credit card providers who had the most PPI complaints.

The total campaign cost 42.2million, which included 24.4million on advertising spend, and 3million on 'partnerships, PR and social media customer service'.

Alex Neill, Which? managing director said: 'With just two years left for consumers to claim compensation for mis-sold PPI it is worrying that so many are unaware of this deadline, while others have been put off from claiming because they think its too much hassle or they dont want to pay a fee.'
A South Korean man has been fined for spreading rumours online that the 94-year-old widow of late president Kim Dae-Jung was going to marry hip-hop legend Dr Dre.

The 73-year-old from Seoul was found guilty of defamation and ordered to pay 3,430 after sharing links to a conspiracy theorist's blog.

It claimed that the nonagenarian former First Lady and the founder of Death Row Records were to unite in holy matrimony in order to launder money left behind by President Kim.

He's on Death Row: A South Korean man was fined over spreading a conspiracy theory that Dr Dre, was going to marry Lee Hee-Ho, the 94-year-old widow of a former president

President Kim is known for his 'sunshine policy' in relation to North Korea, working towards peaceful engagement with Pyongyang.

He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000, is sometimes called the 'Nelson Mandela of Asia'.

His widow, Lee Hee-Ho, remains an influential figure in Korean politics even after her husband's death in 2009.

The bizarre online rumour involving Mrs Lee and Dr Dre emerged on an anonymous blog in January this year.

It claimed that the former first lady was to marry the American rapper to 'launder the late president Kim's slush funds'.

Bizarre: The rumour claimed that the U.S. music mogul and the elderly former first lady were planning on marrying in order to launder money left behind by the late president

The 73-year-old now convicted of defamation is believed to have shared the blog post online.

The Seoul Western District Court on Friday dismissed the rumour as 'groundless' and fined him 5 million won (3,430).

'The defendant violated the honour of the deceased and the bereaved,' Judge Lee Eun-hee said in the ruling, the Korea Times reported Monday.

'The rumour about the slush fund and the marriage between Lee and Dr Dre is groundless,' the judge added.

'Nelson Mandela of Asia': Lee Hee-ho, right, poses with her late husband, former President Kim Dae-jung, and the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang in 2000

Rapper-producer Andre Romelle Young, also known under his stage name Dr Dre, has risen to icon status since pioneering gangsta rap with NWA in the 1980s.

He is the man behind Death Row Records, credited with discovering Snoop Dogg, Tupac, 50 Cent and Eminem, and more recently created the Beats headphone brand, bought by Apple in a multi-million-dollar deal.

It is not known if the Compton-born 52-year-old has been made aware of the South Korean defamation case.

Online South Korean commentators quickly picked up on the fictional wedding as one of the funniest jokes for some time.

'I cracked up just by reading the headline,' posted one online user.

Another asked: 'Will Eminem be singing at their wedding?'
The liberal documentary filmmaker Michael Moore thinks President Trump is on track to win re-election in 2020, doing it the same way as before  winning the Electoral College, but not the popular vote.

'I should say re-appointed, because we will have an even larger population that will vote against him in 2020,' Moore told Fast Company during a recent sit-down. 'But he will win those electoral states as it stands now.'

Moore was one of the only famous political figures who had predicted a Trump 2016 win, aided, in part, by his familiarity with Michigan, a state the president moved from blue to red, having grown up in Flint.

In a recent interview with Fast Company, Michael Moore said he thought President Trump was on track to win re-election in 2020

Heralding from Flint, Michigan, Michael Moore was one of the few political figures who believed President Trump would win the White House in 2016

Now the documentary filmmaker  known for Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine and Sicko  is trying something new, performing a show on Broadway as a way to get more Americans politically involved.

Right after a recent performance of Terms of My Surrender, his one-man show that runs through October 22, he loaded the attendees onto buses and rolled them to Trump Tower to engage in an anti-Trump protest after the Charlottesville violence.

'A number of them had never been to a protest before, and it was exciting for them,' Moore said.

'They felt like Americans, like they were participating, and that always feels good,' Moore added.

Moore had some other feel-good quotes for making such a dire prediction for liberals.

'Here's the good news,' he said. 'We don't have to convince a single Trump voter to vote differently because we already have the majority,' Moore said, pointing to how Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 3 million votes.

Moore also pointed out that 8 million Obama voters had switched political sides and voted for Trump.

'We just need to convince a few of them  hold out our hand and bring them back. Can we do that? I think we can do that,' Moore said. 'You know, there were seven-and-a-half million that voted Green or Libertarian.'

'I think we can convince a few of them to come back,' Moore continued. 'We don't need to convince a whole lot here.'

Moore also said he was behind the National Popular Vote movement as a way to more easily get rid of the Electoral College.

It's an interstate compact that pledges a state's votes will go toward the winner of the popular vote, preventing another Trump or George W. Bush-type election.

'That'll be an easier way to get this done,' Moore said. 'People should not despair, thinking, well, the Republicans have all this power and all that.'

'Think of the suffragettes. They were trying to get the vote for women. They got [the 19th Amendment ratified] in 35 states to give women the right to vote,' Moore pointed out. 'Think of that uphill battle.'
A huge brawl that erupted in a housing complex in Perth has left residents fearing for their safety.

Shocking video from the scene shows the horrifying moment a woman was left in tears as she called on those involved to stop, fearing someone would die.

The incident occurred on Sunday at Healy Lodge in Hamilton Hill, according to Seven News.

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A huge brawl that erupted in a housing complex in Perth has left residents fearing for their safety, with one woman left sobbing as she filmed the fight, fearing someone would die

Video from the scene shows two men hit one another outside the apartment complex, before one falls backwards over a hedge.

A large crowd of onlookers were seen gathering, with a man dressed in shorts and a t-shirt seen striking another similarly-dressed man in the head.

The woman, who filmed the exchange, said the fight was 'terrifying' and could be heard in the clip pleading with those throwing the punches to stop.

She yells: 'Has someone called the police?' They're gonna kill each other.'

The video showed a large crowd of onlookers gathering, as well as a man dressed in shorts and a t-shirt striking another similarly-dressed man in the head (pictured)

The woman, who wished to keep her identity secret (pictured), was left in tears during the 'terrifying' fight and could be heard in the clip pleading with those throwing the punches to stop

'It was all over the place - I couldn't really keep up, to be honest,' she told Seven.

Residents at the complex said it was not the first time such violence had broken out and called on the council to step in.

'The council, if they're going to approve these things [council housing complexes], they really need to consider the implications on the community and the tenants that live there as well, before someone gets seriously, seriously hurt,' the woman who filmed the video said.

One man was arrested following the altercation but not charged, with an injured man taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital.
A Queensland childcare worker has successfully challenged several wills which split her grandmother's $1 million estate between a local church and a charity, having previously promised it all to her grandchildren.

Helene Craig-Bridges told The Australian she was relieved by the decision and she was looking forward to spending time at a holiday home in Yamba, on the New South Wales north coast, which was part of her grandmother's estate.

'All is know is that we won,' Ms Craig-Bridges told the newspaper. 'All I remember is my lawyer called and asked: "How are you today?" I said, "I'm not sure, you tell me", and he said, "You're good".'

Helene Craig-Bridges convinced a court her grandmother's last three wills were inadmissible

Helene said the relationship with her grandmother was more like that of mother and daughter

A tribute Helene Craig-Bridges posted to her grandmother Ella Bush after her death in 2015

Ella Minnie Lillian Bush, who died aged 90 in January 2015, made five wills between 1990 and 2013, the third of which named her brother Cecil as executor, even though he had been dead nine years.

Ms Craig-Bridges, one of Mrs Bush's five granddaughters, argued her grandmother was not mentally fit to make the last three wills, which split her fortune between the Cancer Council and Wee Waa Anglican Church, in northern NSW.

Ms Craig-Bridges, who described her relationship with Mrs Bush as having been more like mother and daughter, challenged a NSW Supreme Court decision which upheld the validity of those three wills.

Mrs Bush's estate included her home at Wee Waa and the property at Yamba, as well as about $700,000 in cash deposits, most of which came from an early 1990s Lotto win.

She and her husband Samuel had two sons, one of whom died in 1970. The other son Ronny had five daughters including Ms Helene Craig-Bridges.

Mrs Bush's first will, made in March 1990, named her husband as sole beneficiary. If Samuel and Ronny did not survive her, the estate was to be split equally between Ronny's five daughters.

Samuel Bush died in February 1995 and Ronny died in April 2011. Two months later Mrs Bush made another will, splitting her estate equally among her five granddaughters.

Mrs Bush made three more wills, in November 2011, November 2012 and February 2013. All these wills divide her assets 50/50 between the Cancer Council and Wee Waa Anglican Church.

Childcare manager Helene Craig-Bridges successfully challenged her grandmother's will

Ella Bush left half her $1 million estate to the Cancer Council and half to her local church

It was those three wills Ms Craig-Bridges successfully disputed.

The only difference between those wills was the identity of the executor. The will of November 2011 appointed Mrs Bush's brother Cecil as executor.

Cecil had died in 2002. Mrs Bush organised and attended his funeral.

The November 2012 will named Mrs Bush's brother Ted as executor. Ted died a month later. The last will appointed the NSW Trustee and Guardian to handle Mrs Bush's estate.

Mrs Craig-Bridges contended her grandmother lacked the legal and mental ability to make the last three wills. She wanted Mrs Bush's estate to be split equally among the five grandchildren.

NSW Supreme Court judge James Stevenson decided in November last year Mrs Bush did have the capacity to write each of the last three wills but that Ms Craig-Bridges was entitled to a fifth of the estate.

'I see no reason to conclude that the bequest to the two charities was not Mrs Bush's own idea,' Justice Stevenson found.

Ella Bush left half her $1m estate to her local Wee Waa Anglican Church in northern NSW

A Facebook tribute Helene Craig-Bridges posted after her grandmother Ella Bush's 2015 death

'On the limited evidence before me, I am not able to come to any conclusion as to why Mrs Bush had this change of heart.'

'The decision does seem a harsh one, from Helene's point of view. Helene remained in close and regular contact with Mrs Bush throughout her life.'

Ms Craig-Bridges said that was not enough and appealed against Justice Stevenson's decision in the NSW Court of Appeal, which found in her favour.

'It is no small thing to conclude that Ella lacked testamentary capacity to make her wills in November 2011, November 2012 and February 2013,' the court ruled.

'But this court must conduct a real review of the entirety of the evidence, in light of which we have concluded that the primary judge appears not to have had regard to significant portions of Helen's unchallenged evidence of Ella's declining capacity.'

Associate professor Tuly Rosenfeld, a consultant geriatrician, believed as of November 2011 Mrs Bush 'suffered from a dementing illness the nature of which was likely to have been Alzheimer's disease and/or vascular dementia.'
Comedian Kathy Griffin has hit back at Sunrise host Sam Armytage over the infamous photo of her holding a decapitated head of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Appearing on the show ahead of her stand-up comedy tour of Australia later this year, Griffin was asked by Armytage if the photo of the comedian holding a Trump mask with fake blood was a step too far.

Even Democrats said it was out of line, I get that comedy is about pushing the boundaries but do you not agree that that picture holding up a severed head - I know its a mask covered in tomato sauce - but do you not accept that was a little bit over the line? Armytage asked.

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U.S. comedian Kathy Griffin (right) appeared on Sunrise with Sam Armytage (far left) and David Koch this morning

Griffin fired up when she was asked if she thought a photo she posed for with a severed head of U.S. President Donald Trump was 'over the line'

Donald Trump tweeted about the photo, saying Griffin 'should be ashamed of herself'

Griffins reply was feisty and direct, as she said Armytage was full of crap.

Stop acting like my little picture is more important than talking about the actual atrocities that the president of the United States is committing.

After the photo of Griffin posing with the decapitated head went viral in June, Trump himself hit out at her on Twitter saying she should be ashamed of herself and that his children especially my 11-year-old son Barron were troubled by it.

Griffin was investigated by the Secret Service for the photo.

Although she issued a tearful apology after copping criticism and even death threats for the photo, the comedian said she is no longer sorry.

No I dont apologise for that photo anymore and I think the outrage is complete BS, because we have real things to deal with.

Griffin attempted to make light of the awkward exchange as the interview came to a close.

Griffin issued a tearful apology amid backlash over the photo, saying she received death threats

Griffin's lawyers said she was being investigated by the Secret Service after the photo came to light

Im in trouble, according to you Sam, way to take my back girl, Griffin said.

Im a journalist Kathy Im here to ask you questions, Armytage said, while also explaining she was playing the devils advocate.

I know your type, Ive got your number Sam, Griffin replied.

At the end of the awkward interview Griffin joked that Armytage was a 'white Trump voter'

Armytage (left) responded to Griffin's jibes by saying she was 'playing the devil's advocate'

Youre like a white Trump voter in America, I know your deal.

Thats it, Im going to meet you in an alley and were going to exchange beauty tips... Look Ive got to make fun of this stuff, its so ridiculous, its so over the top.

Armytage and co-host David Koch ended the interview saying they would be attending one of Griffins shows.
An owl knocked out most of the power to a police force's headquarters after it flew into cables.

For more than 12 hours yesterday, Avon and Somerset Police could only deal with 999 emergency calls.

It had to urge people to avoid using the non-emergency 101 service.

Power at the Avon and Somerset Police HQ was cut off yesterday after an owl flew into power cables. It meant they could only deal with 999 calls for more than 12 hours

The HQ at Portishead, which lost most of its power, said neighbouring forces supported them with their 999 call response on Monday.

Becky Tipper, centre manager for communications at Avon and Somerset Police, said staff came in on their day off to make sure anyone dialling 999 could still get through.

The force usually receives about 3,000 calls on a typical bank holiday Monday, she said, and would be 'extra busy'.

A back-up service ran from Taunton and Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Police helped field calls.

A spokesman said: 'We're pleased to confirm that all systems are now back up and running and normal bank holiday service has been resumed.

A police spokesman said they could not confirm the owl's fate but hoped it had escaped without injury (stock picture)

'We would once again like to thank everyone for their patience and support, whilst we worked to rectify matters and apologise for the inconvenience caused.'

He said many people had asked about the owl's fate. 'We don't know for sure,' he added.

'But we certainly hope our feathered friend escaped without injury and was unaware of the feathers he ruffled, to keep us on our toes today.'
More than 1million a year of taxpayers' money is being lavished on sending the children of foreign aid officials to private schools such as Marlborough, Roedean and Winchester, it can be revealed today.

The Department for International Development is footing the bill so the offspring of staff posted abroad can enjoy an elite education at some of the country's top boarding schools.

And some aid department workers still benefit from the perk even when they have returned to the UK.

The Department for International Development is footing the bill so the offspring of staff posted abroad can enjoy an elite education at top boarding schools including Winchester College (file photo)

Almost 4.3million of state money has gone towards educating the children of Dfid staff at private schools in the past three years, with the bill rising as the department has grown.

Last year, 1.2million went on school fees for the children of 51 staff members, meaning on average they got a generous 23,676 each. Some 133,000 of the bill was for the offspring of UK-based personnel, the figures reveal.

Officials refused to give details of which schools the Dfid employees are sending their children to, but the department has previously admitted they have included Marlborough, Roedean and Winchester.

Dfid last night defended the perk, claiming it was needed to 'motivate and retain' aid officials.

Civil servants are entitled to claim for school fees if they are posted overseas for a year or more, but the money continues to be paid on the official's return if their child has started a GCSE or A-level course.

It means the taxpayer can pay the school fees for up to two years after the end of a posting.

A similar benefit is offered by the Foreign Office to diplomats posted abroad and by the Ministry of Defence to military personnel.

Figures released last week showed that the Foreign Office, which is a much bigger government department, spent 12.7million on private school fees for staff posted abroad last year.

The department has previously admitted they have included Marlborough, Roedean (pictured) and Winchester

LET PEACEKEEPING COUNT TOWARDS PAID TARGET, SAYS PRITI Priti Patel is set on a collision course with international aid chiefs Priti Patel is set on a collision course with international aid chiefs over plans to demand that worldwide rules on overseas development are overhauled so more of the money can be spent by the military. The International Development Secretary wants the guidelines on what can be counted towards the aid spending target relaxed to include things such as peacekeeping in countries where poverty is driven by conflict. When he was prime minister, David Cameron passed controversial legislation that means ministers must spend 0.7 per cent of Britain's income on overseas development. The law states that money can be spent only according to the Overseas Development Assistance rules laid down by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Miss Patel said she will push for changes at a meeting of the OECD's development assistance committee in October 'to get the very best value for every pound of taxpayers' money Britain spends on international development'. But Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, chairman of the committee, warned that her demands are 'not up for discussion' because the rules were tweaked last year to allow aid to be used to support the military in fragile countries on issues that promote development. Advertisement

While most Whitehall departments have contended with repeated budget cuts, Dfid has seen its resources balloon thanks to David Cameron's controversial pledge to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on overseas aid. John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance campaign group, last night said: 'Hard pressed families will be shocked that so much of their money is being spent on perks for employees.

'These are privileges that UK taxpayers can often not afford for their own children.

'The Department for International Development should think long and hard about how they can bring these bills down in the future.'

Dfid said offering to pay boarding school fees for the children of staff posted abroad was necessary 'in order to recruit, motivate and retain staff that have the skills and expertise to deliver the department's work  tackling extreme poverty'.

A Government spokesman said: 'All Dfid staff allowances are in line with guidelines from the Cabinet Office who set this policy. In a small number of circumstances those working overseas for Dfid for at least 12 months are eligible to receive an education allowance if free education does not exist or is substandard to UK schools.'

Ministers are under pressure to improve how Britain spends money abroad after Theresa May pledged at the general election to keep Mr Cameron's commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on overseas development.

Critics have argued that it is wrong that the aid budget has spiralled to 13billion at a time when there is a shortage of cash for spending at home.

Last night Dfid would not confirm whether the expenditure on private school fees is counted towards the aid target.
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Wearing just a pair of leather boots and a farm hat, veterinarian students have dared to bare all in a cheeky photo shoot.

About 70 Queensland students stripped down to pose on tractors and hay bales, not forgetting to include dozens of cute pooches.

Nothing was off limits in the raw shoot, with the students exposing their derrieres in everything from cattle yards to horse stables.

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About 70 veterinarian students stripped down for a photo shoot, not forgetting to include dozens of cute pooches (pictured)

The Queensland students were posing for a calendar to raise money for drought stricken farmers and their graduation ball

Vets Uncovered organiser Chelsea Crake told Daily Mail Australia it was exciting to be involved in the daring calendar

Nothing was off limits in the raw shoot, with the students exposing their derrieres amoung everything you find on a farm

Vets Uncovered organiser Chelsea Crake told Daily Mail Australia the James Cook University graduating students launched the annual calendar three years ago to raise money for drought stricken farmers as well as their annual graduation ball.

'It was a great way to break up the stress of our university semester and come together to raise money,' Ms Crake said.

'There were a lot of funny moments during the photo shoot, mainly wriggling dogs wanting to play.'

Despite some pre-shoot nerves at Rhondu Stud, Mingela, one hour south of Townsville, Ms Crake said everyone felt comfortable by the end.

'It is a great way to do something a little daring and different to raise money for both our graduation ball and the Burrumbuttock Hay Runners,' she said.

'There was both apprehension and excitement going into the first photo ... after that we were all very comfortable and we all had a lot of fun doing it.'

For the last three years, the graduating vet class of James Cook University have created the daring calendar to raise funds

The 2018 calendar will raise about $3000 for Burrumbuttock Hay Runnners charity if they sell all 1500 of their calendars

The charity will deliver hay bails to farmers struggling across Australia who have been affected by the drought

With the project being supported by a number of vet clinics around Australia, the calendar has been a long running project at other universities.

'It is a daring project but in my opinion, the way we present it and the quality of the photos makes a really beautiful calendar,' Ms Crake said.

Hoping to raise as much money for farmers struggling with the drought, 10 per cent of proceeds will be donated to Burrumbuttock Hay Runners - a charity that donates hay to struggling farmers across Australia.

If all 1500 copies of the 2018 calendar sell, which featured students who will be graduating next year, the vet students will be able to donate $3000 to the charity.
A woman suspected of drunk driving has crashed into a police car after running a red light.

A deputy with the Macomb County Sheriff's Office was responding to a call in Washington Township, Michigan around 1am Saturday when the crash occurred at a controlled intersection.

Dashcam video shows the police car, driven by a 17-year veteran of the force, approaching the intersection where the stop lights are flashing.

The deputy approaches the intersection while responding to a call, where he has flashing yellow lights, which mean proceed with caution. Cross traffic has flashing red lights

Suddenly a Ford Edge flies into the deputy's path, and he is unable to avoid a collision

The deputy approaches a flashing yellow light, which means proceed with caution, while the signal for crossing traffic is a flashing red light, which is the same as a stop sign.

Suddenly, a 2010 Ford Edge flies into view, and the deputy is unable to break.

The impact sends the patrol car spinning out, and the deputy was injured and hospitalized, but is expected to recover.

Police said the woman driving the Ford had a blood alcohol content of .12, which is over the legal limit.

The 27-year-old woman was taken into custody on suspicion of drunk driving.

The suspect and and her passenger were not injured in the crash.

The deputy's K-9 partner was also uninjured, despite the severity of the crash.
The EU's chief Brexit negotiator was accused of trying to hold Britain to ransom over the so-called 'divorce bill' last night as talks threatened to descend into acrimony.

At a meeting in Brussels, Michel Barnier lashed out at Brexit Secretary David Davis for refusing to say how much Britain was willing to pay towards the EU's demand for about 74billion.

In the most hostile confrontation of Brexit talks so far, Mr Barnier tried to scold Mr Davis, telling him: 'We must start negotiating seriously.'

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, left, has criticised Britain's Brexit secretary David Davis for failing to take the talks between Britain and the EU seriously

Both sides have blamed each other for the slow pace of talks during the opening months of negotiations with the EU demanding to know how much Britain will pay in a divorce bill

He warned there would be no trade deal unless Britain coughed up, despite German business leaders calling for an early agreement.

Last night a British source hit back, dismissing the remarks as 'inconsistent, ill-judged, ill-considered and unhelpful for the next round of negotiations'. And MPs accused Mr Barnier of making 'outrageous' demands without any legal justification.

As the week of talks kicked off yesterday, each side blamed the other for stalling progress. Mr Barnier had demanded Mr Davis arrived ready to set out what the UK would pay.

But the Brexit Secretary ruled out making any such commitment until the EU gave the legal basis for its claim.

Mr Barnier denounced the UK for refusing to provide a document revealing what it believed it owes.

He said: 'To be honest I'm concerned that time passes quickly. We need UK papers that are clear in order to have constructive negotiations, and the sooner we remove the ambiguity, the sooner we will be in a position to discuss the future relationship and a transitional period.'

The French ex-minister said the 27 countries remaining in the EU were clear that talks had to move forward over the bill and the rights of Europeans in the UK before trade discussions could begin.

He said: 'The EU27 and the European Parliament stand united  we will not accept that separation issues are not addressed properly.'

But Mr Davis responded by urging his counterpart to show 'flexibility and imagination', and told him twice that the UK wanted to move forward with 'all the issues' and not just the money.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: 'What Mr Barnier means by 'negotiating seriously' is giving in to their outrageous demands. He is trying to hold us to ransom. It's a desperate throw of the dice as he knows that legally we do not owe them anything at all. Anything we pay is a goodwill gesture that must be linked to what sort of trade deal we get. That is the truth he cannot escape from.'

British officials believe Brussels will be forced into a climbdown as EU leaders face a backlash from European businesses if they stall trade talks.

In the first sign of a revolt, German business leaders yesterday issued a plea to the EU to begin work on a trade agreement.

The influential Association of German Chambers of Commerce (DIHK) warned it was important for businesses on both sides of the Channel for them to start looking at the future arrangements.

Mr Barnier had stoked tensions by claiming in a French newspaper that Brexit would have 'practical consequences' on UK security. As the talks continue in Brussels, Theresa May will this evening fly to Japan for a three-day trip expected to include a meeting with Emperor Akihito and prime minister Shinzo Abe.

Yesterday, Japan's deputy cabinet secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura warned the country's businesses wanted reassurances as they felt a 'sense of crisis' over Brexit, and officials played down the chances of starting talks on a trade deal.

'We need to make use of Prime Minister May's visit for conveying Japan's stance to various levels in Britain and EU,' he said.

The UK is the second most important destination for Japanese investment after the US.

Last night Downing Street said Japanese firms had 'continued to show confidence in the UK' with, for instance, Nissan building its new Qashqai in Sunderland.
Ending his career where it began, Tribune publisher Dave Braton is putting the punctuation on a 45-year career.

Braton, a Fargo-Moorhead native, got his start in the newspaper business at the Fargo Forum in 1973, staying with the paper for 20 years. September 6 will mark the end as he retires from his role as publisher.

I had a good career; I enjoyed my time, he said. The timing is right.

Braton got his start while attending college for communications and marketing at Minnesota State University. He had visited the Forum, talking to staff about what it might be like to work for a newspaper. The head of the universitys mass communications school would later approach him, asking about the meeting.

Because they want to hire you, his professor told him.

From 1973 to 1993, Braton held advertising and management positions at The Forum in Fargo, serving six years as general manager.

I liked the idea of working with a variety of businesses, Braton said of his decision to join the Forum.

He said he had never thought of himself as a salesman, which he did for five years before working his way up to ad director within 10 years, but found he enjoyed it.

I really enjoy entrepreneurs  people who, wow, put it all on the line and put a lot of risk out there, Braton said.

Before joining Lee, Braton was director of publications for Davon Press Inc. He came to Bismarck for the first time in 2000 as director of sales for the Tribune. As he moved around, he took on more management roles.

I took joy when other people succeeded, he said of a good story in the newsroom or a successful sales effort in circulation or advertising.

In 2003, Braton became general manager of the Beatrice Daily Sun in Nebraska and moved to Waterloo, Iowa, in 2004 as advertising director of The Courier. Braton was named publisher of Courier Communications in March 2008. He returned to Bismarck in April 2016.

As publisher, Braton said he has enjoyed the communication with the public and hearing feedback from readers.

Im going to miss the people, he said.

Braton said he believes a publisher is the steward of a communitys newspaper, and, though he was only here for a short period in the history of the Tribune, he hopes readers got the sense that it reflected them: Like the community looking at itself in the mirror.

Braton said he thinks a newspaper should seek roles to lead in its community  whether that be with an editorial or fundraising  and that recognizing the unpopular areas where the community could improve is as important as helping the community grow.

At 65, Braton and his wife plan to spend more time with their four grandkids at their lake home near Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Im ready for a new chapter, he said. Well see what that brings.

But Braton wont be sitting idle and said, whatever role he plays, it will include working with people.

I need to have a purpose, he said. I want to be a closer grandfather, a closer father.

In Bratons absence, Tribune controller Libby Simes will serve as interim publisher and Jim Gaasterland will oversee press and packaging in his role as regional production director.
Ordinary workers will get a voice on executive boards in a crackdown on corporate excess, ministers will announce today.

But Theresa May was last night accused of watering down her original plans, having promised that staff would actually get to sit on company boards.

The Prime Minister told the Tory conference last October she would force companies to accept workers representatives.

However, firms will now merely have to show they have listened to employees concerns, either by assigning a non-executive director to represent staff, or creating a workers advisory council.

The Prime Minister told the Tory conference last October she would force companies to accept workers representatives

Mrs Mays pledge last year to give shareholders more frequent votes on executive pay was also dropped.

Instead, Business Secretary Greg Clark will unveil plans to force all listed firms to give the pay ratio between bosses and staff  and justify the difference.

Top firms whose shareholders have rebelled over executive pay will also be named and shamed in a new public register.

The Prime Minister said at the weekend that fat-cat bosses were undermining trust in big business and were the unacceptable face of capitalism  as she insisted her plans were a huge step forward.

But last night, critics accused her of diluting her proposals.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable dismissed the Governments approach as strong on rhetoric, weak on action.

And Len McCluskey, leader of the Unite union, said: Once again the big business lobby has brought the Tory party to heel.

Mr Clark is expected to say: Todays reforms will ensure our largest companies are more transparent and accountable to their employees and shareholders.

For the first time, 900 listed companies will have to publish the pay ratios between their chief executives salary and the average earnings of their British workers.

Ministers will also publish the worlds first public register of listed companies that have faced objections to executive annual pay packages from at least a fifth of their investors.

Business Secretary Greg Clark will unveil plans to force all listed firms to give the pay ratio between bosses and staff  and justify the difference

In the coming months, the Government will introduce laws to require all companies of a significant size to publicly explain how their directors take employees and shareholders interests into account. Mr Clark said he would ask the Financial Reporting Council, which sets standards of governance through the UK Corporate Governance Code, to introduce a requirement to ensure workers voices are heard.

Under the codes comply or explain rules, firms would have to either assign a non-executive director to represent employees, create an employee advisory council or nominate a director from the workforce.

Paul Drechsler, president of the Confederation of British Industry, said: The unacceptable behaviour of a few firms does not reflect the high standards and responsible behaviour of the vast majority of companies. If pay ratios include meaningful context they could prove a useful addition to the debate about executive pay.

Providing shareholders with a say on pay has been an effective tool and a public register will help to shine a light on the small minority of cases that warrant greater attention.

But Mr McCluskey said: Too many at the top enjoy eye-wateringly high salaries and rewards like gold-plated pensions while the workers who have helped make them so rich struggle more and more to make ends meet.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable dismissed the Governments approach as strong on rhetoric, weak on action

Something must be done to bring some sanity and justice to wages. What is being proposed will not do that.

TUC general secretary Frances OGrady said: This is a far cry from Theresa Mays promise to crack down on corporate excess. Its a feeble proposal, spelling business as usual for boardrooms across Britain.

The Prime Ministers pledge to put workers on company boards has been watered down beyond recognition. This amounts to little more than a box-ticking exercise.

Labour business spokesman Rebecca Long-Bailey said: These proposals are just more crony capitalism from the Tories, who once again prop up the rigged system for the few at the expense of the many.

The Tory plan is a fraud, watering down an original promise to increase workers voice to a lone representative on the board of directors or a separate employee advisory council.

Each of these will be easily outvoted or ignored.
Sir Keir Starmer, pictured, announced Labour wanted to remain in the customs union and single market for a 'transition period'

Labour was at war over Jeremy Corbyns Brexit U-turn last night as pro-EU MPs boasted it could be used to keep Britain tied to Brussels forever.

Eurosceptics warned the plan to stay in the customs union and single market for years after leaving the EU could lead to an exodus of the partys voters and the revival of Ukip.

But Remain-supporting MPs crowed that the new policy, which includes continuing hefty payments to Brussels and accepting open borders, could become a permanent arrangement.

Labours shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer on Sunday announced that the party now wanted to remain in both the customs union and single market for a transition period after Britain formally leaves the EU in March 2019, which could last as long as four years.

Yesterday, veteran Eurosceptic Kate Hoey dismissed the plan as ignoring the will of voters in the referendum.

The Labour MP for Vauxhall told BBC Radio 5 Live: It is very worrying to those of us that want to support the view of the British public, which was overwhelmingly to vote to leave.

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This is moving towards a kind of mushy blancmange, which is really not in the interests of this country.

Miss Hoey warned that while there had been a dwindling in support for Ukip since the referendum, Labour could not be complacent about their demise.

She said: The most important thing about this is we did very well in the last general election by winning back some of those people who left Labour disillusioned and gone to Ukip.

Labour MP for Vauxhall Kate Hoey, who appeared on the referendum campaign trail with Nigel Farage warned Labour risked losing pro-leave supporters back to Ukip by frustrating Brexit

And I do think now many of those people will be feeling hang on, we voted for Labour because we thought they were serious about Brexit, that they wanted to make a success of it.

Now we look like were not going to do that and we could lose those voters back to perhaps, you never know Nigel Farage could come back and there could be a revived Ukip. Labour would have done something which was not necessary.

Graham Stringer, the Labour MP for Blackley and Broughton, branded the partys new Brexit stance as chaos.

He told BBC Radio 4s PM programme there was a risk for democracy if MPs tried to sabotage the referendum result and Britain did not come out of the EU.

He said: What Keir said seems completely at odds with what the leader of the party, the shadow chancellor of the exchequer, have said.

They have made it quite clear that we cannot honour the decision of the referendum if we remain in the customs union and the single market.

So, I think its a bit of chaos at the centre of the party, makes no sense to me whatsoever.

The risks of any of this is that we end up with no deal at all.

The Labour Partys position should be to honour the decision made in the referendum and try to support the Government in getting the best deal we can.

I think there is a real risk for democracy if we do not come out of the EU.

Asked about the consequences of the move on Labour MPs in Leave constituencies, Mr Stringer added: MPs, from whatever party, if they are trying to undermine and sabotage a decision that was made by the people of this country in the referendum just over a year ago, then they will be seriously threatened, as will be democracy.

Meanwhile, former shadow health minister Heidi Alexander said Labours plans to stay inside the single market and the customs union for a transition period could become an never-ending arrangement.

She told ITVs Good Morning Britain: I think that if there isnt a better offer on the table then staying in the single market and customs union permanently would be the right thing for the country.

And Lord Wood, a senior advisor under ex-Labour leaders Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband, said it was definitely a possibility that the transitional period could give pro-Remain campaigners the opportunity to cancel Brexit.

He told BBC Radio 4s Westminster Hour: I think if I was a Brexiter Id be worried that over the next three of four years if a transition deal lasts that long that other circumstances will change and the will to move on from transition stage to full Brexit might be less present than it is now.

I think thats definitely a possibility.
The Big Six energy firms have made more than 7billion over five years by overcharging loyal customers, research suggests.

The largest gas and electricity companies offer discounted rates to persuade families to switch from other suppliers, but then put up their charges a year or two later.

It means that if they fail to switch suppliers regularly, millions of customers of British Gas, SSE, E.ON, Npower, EDF and Scottish Power pay more than they need to.

An analysis of official statistics has found that each family that has stuck with the same Big Six provider for at least five years has handed over an average of 853 more than it needed to. That works out at 14 a month.

If they fail to switch suppliers regularly, millions of customers of British Gas, SSE, E.ON, Npower, EDF and Scottish Power pay more than they need to

The extra charges mean the Big Six have amassed a windfall of 7.3billion over the past five years, according to figures from the energy regulator Ofgem.

Hayden Wood, co-founder of the green energy firm Bulb, which conducted the analysis, said: These numbers show that so-called standard tariffs no longer have the customers best interests at heart. The Big Six need to show theyre putting customers first, instead of profits.

Loyalty towards a brand is often rewarded, yet households whove put their trust for years in a single energy company are being forced to subsidise others who switch every 12 months.

Before the general election Theresa May promised an end to the injustice of energy firms ripping off poor customers. She said there would be a cap on expensive standard variable tariffs, delivering a saving of up to 100 a year for 17million households.

Since the election, the idea appears to have been watered down. Instead, Ofgem has been asked to come up with a more limited system of protection for vulnerable customers. The overcharging uncovered by the analysis occurs because each of the Big Six firms offers cheap fixed tariffs to entice new customers.

These usually expire after one or two years, when the energy company automatically puts the customer on its standard variable tariff (SVT), which is up to 30 per cent more expensive. Earlier this month, for example, British Gas increased its electricity prices for SVT customers by 12.5 per cent, even though wholesale costs are falling.

Before the general election Theresa May promised an end to the injustice of energy firms ripping off poor customers

The gap between the SVT and the cheapest tariff is known as the loyalty fee.

Using figures from Ofgem, Bulb has calculated the average loyalty fee for the past five years.

For example, the average SVT across the Big Six firms last year was 1,065.97, compared with the average cheapest tariff of 897.18. This worked out at a loyalty fee of 168.79.

Over the past five years, the loyalty fees added up to 852.75.

Using Ofgem figures, Bulb has worked out that 8.5million people with Big Six firms have not switched over the past five years. It means the six companies have made almost 7.3billion from customers who have not switched.

At the start of this month, British Gas increased electricity bills by 12.5 per cent despite falls in wholesale costs. It meant 3.1million households on standard variable tariffs will pay an average of 76 extra.

The company blamed the rise on green levies, government policies and a plan to spend billions installing smart meters in every home.

The firm was the last of the Big Six providers to increase prices after it promised in December to freeze tariffs until August. Rivals moved to put up bills at the start of the year.

Mrs May put energy bills at the centre of her election manifesto, promising a cap that would cut bills for millions on expensive SVT deals by around 100 a year.

But British Gas insisted government policies are the reason bills are going up. It said the wholesale cost of power has actually fallen by an average of 36 per customer since 2014.

However, it claimed this was wiped out by an increase of 88 to 98 per customer in various government levies, including those to support wind farms.
Peter Thiel, the eccentric tech billionaire and supporter of President Donald Trump, is helping fund a controversial offshore test of an experimental herpes vaccine, it was reported on Monday.

The trials are part of a $7million experiment being conducted by an American university  with the backing of a group of wealthy libertarians  that is drawing criticism because of its noncompliance with traditional guidelines governing testing on humans, according to Kaiser Health News.

Southern Illinois University is reportedly behind the research, whose first trials are being conducted on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts.

'What they're doing is patently unethical,' said Jonathan Zenilman, chief of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center's Infectious Diseases Division.

'There's a reason why researchers rely on these protections. People can die.'

The trial is being done on 20 participants, most of whom are Americans who were flown to St. Kitts several times in order to be vaccinated.

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Peter Thiel, the eccentric tech billionaire and supporter of President Donald Trump, is helping fund a controversial offshore test of an experimental herpes vaccine

But none of the tests were monitored by the Food and Drug Administration or a safety panel known as an institutional review board.

The risks of conducting experimental trials with live viruses without these built-in safeguards range from infection to dangerous side effects.

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease that often produces either mild symptoms or none at all, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

It is no accident that Thiel, the billionaire who struck it rich by co-founding PayPal and investing in Facebook when it was in its infancy, is aiding the effort to bypass the FDA.

The trial is being done on 20 participants, most of whom are Americans who were flown to the Caribbean island of St. Kitts (above) several times in order to be vaccinated

Thiel has been on record criticizing the FDA for the manner in which it approves pharmaceuticals.

He believes that 'you would not be able to invent the polio vaccine today' because of the agency's requirements.

Trump has also long advocated for speedier approvals of medicine by the FDA, which places constraints on pharmaceutical companies in order to ensure consumer safety.

Trump's pick for FDA commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, criticized the agency before his confirmation for what he views as a slow approval process.

Another investor in the vaccine, Bartley Madden, said that Americans are unhappy about 'the FDA standing in the way' of new treatments.

An increasing number of American drug researchers are conducting offshore clinical trials due to what they say is the prohibitive costs of doing these trials in the U.S.

Still, for any drug to be approved in the U.S., it must meet FDA safety standards as mandated by an IRB.

But none of the tests were monitored by the Food and Drug Administration or a safety panel known as an institutional review board. FDA headquarters is seen above in Silver Spring, Maryland

The fact that the Thiel-backed clinical trial has not set up an IRB is puzzling to some.

'There's a tradition of having oversight of human experimentation, and it exists for good reasons,' said Robert Califf, who served as FDA commissioner during the Obama administration.

'It may be legal to be doing it without oversight, but it's wrong.'

But the company conducting the trials, Rational Vaccines, says the safety concerns are overblown because the participants already are infected with herpes.

A co-founder of Rational Vaccines is William Halford, a tenured professor at Southern Illinois University.

The school is one of the patent holders of the vaccine and it has solicited donations for the trial.

Halford died of cancer this past June.

The university said it has no concerns about safety risks because it believes Halford took the necessary precautions.

President Trump has also long advocated for speedier approvals of medicine by the FDA, which places constraints on pharmaceutical companies in order to ensure consumer safety. Trump's pick for FDA commissioner, Scott Gottlieb (above), criticized the agency before his confirmation for what he views as a slow approval process

'SIU School of Medicine did not have any involvement in Rational Vaccines' clinical trial,' said Karen Carlson, the university's spokeswoman. 'But we are confident that as the chief scientific officer of Rational Vaccines, Dr. Halford followed safety protocols appropriate to the clinical trial.'

This explanation will likely not assuage critics who are aghast at what they say is a reckless experimentation on humans.

Still, the vaccine's researchers insist that safety protocols are being followed and the drug has so far been shown to be safe and effective.

Richard Mancuso, who agreed to participate in the trial, said that the vaccine has 'saved my life.'

He said the drug has stopped his severe herpes outbreaks.

So far, there have been no peer-reviewed journal articles about the vaccine due to concerns over lack of safety.
A Greens MP has been slammed on social media for using the Texas floods to make a political point about climate change.

Adam Bandt, the federal member for Melbourne, sparked outrage with his simultaneous Twitter and Facebook posts featuring an image of frail, elderly women trapped in a flooded, American nursing home.

'This is what climate change looks like,' he said on social media.

However, this isn't the first time the left-wing former lawyer has timed his remarks on global warming to coincide with natural disasters.

Greens MP for Melbourne Adam Bandt used the Texas flood tragedy to make a political point

Adam Bandt posted this image of the La Vita Bella nursing home on Twitter and Facebook

Many of his followers were clearly unimpressed, with one woman mocking his Tuesday morning message about Hurricane Harvey in Texas.

'This is what an opportunist looks like,' she said.

Another woman slammed how he had used the image of the La Vita Bella nursing home at Dickinson, south of Houston, to make a political point.

'No, this is using tragic events and human suffering for political opportunism and you should hang you head in shame,' she said.

This Greens political has linked a natural disaster with climate change on his social media

Two women on Twitter were angry with the Greens MP using a flood to score political points

The Greens are accused of using human suffering in the United States to make a political point

The left-wing politician's social media messages had some supporters.

One woman went as far as to link with corporate greed the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in 50 years, which has so far killed two people.

'Climate change combined with capitalism,' she said on Facebook.

However, Mr Bandt's message had plenty more critics.

'It's call natural disasters,' one man said.

One woman suggested the Greens member consider deleting his Facebook post.

'I suggest you taken this down, it's not going to assist your argument,' she said.

The Greens member for Melbourne has been advised on Facebook to delete his Tuesday post

This woman on Facebook linked the Texas floods with global warming and corporate greed

However, this man was a little more neutral suggesting the hurricane was a natural disaster

This woman suggested Adam Bandt removed his Facebook post about the Texas flooding

In March, Mr Bandt linked Tropical Cyclone Debbie then ravaging north Queensland to the effects of coal on climate change.

He had used this natural disaster to campaign against a new coal-fired power station proposed for Rockhampton.

Turnbull Government Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg described his comments then as 'unconscionable and hysterical'.

Mr Bandt won his inner-city seat of Melbourne in 2010 after the Greens had repeatedly blocked Labor's emissions trading scheme, designed to reduce carbon pollution linked to global warming.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull supported the Rudd governments ETS proposal in 2009, as a Liberal Party backbencher, but in power, he has declined to introduce carbon pricing.
A baby boy allegedly murdered by his mother's boyfriend had the drug ice in his system, a Melbourne court has been told.

Emergency crews found infant Chayse Dearing pale with strangle-like marks around his neck, a bump on his head, genital injuries and blood around his nose at a Glenroy unit on the morning of June 26, 2016.

The injuries were 'almost certainly caused by assault', medical experts said.

Michelle Dearing's (left) son Chayse Dearing (right) was found dead by emergency crews 2016

Six-month-old Chayse (pictured) allegedly had drug ice in his system when he died

Dwayne Lindsay, 34, (pictured) has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend's baby

Dwayne Lindsay, 34, is facing day two of a committal hearing, charged with murdering the six-month-old baby while his mother was out shopping.

Forensic pediatrician Dr Geetika Badkar told the court on Tuesday low levels of methylamphetamine, or the drug ice, were found in Chayse's system.

'I'm unable to say how that entered Chayse's body,' Dr Badkar said.

Lindsay, the baby's mother and two others smoked ice in the hours before Lindsay allegedly inflicted 'catastrophic' and fatal injuries to Chayse, prosecutors allege.

Dr Badkar said the baby's mother Michelle Dearing told her Lindsay had previously been violent to her and frustrated with Chayse.

The hearing continues.
Australia has offered to send troops to help train the military in the Philippines for its fight against Islamic extremists.

The role would be similar to the help Australia is providing Iraq in the fight against Islamic State, which is looking to expand into the southern Philippines.

Australia already has sent two surveillance planes to help the Philippines.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Tuesday said she had outlined to President Rodrigo Duterte what support Australia was giving Iraq but he had yet to respond to the offer.

'It is a very dangerous fight but Australia has already offered - and is supplying - support to the Philippines and we stand ready to assist should they require more,' she told an audience in Canberra.

'Obviously, we would be ready to support the Philippines in the same way we are supporting Iraq in advising, assisting and training as the armed forces [in] Philippines are in the process of engaging in a pretty brutal fight with ISIS.'

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Australia has offered to send troops to help train the Philippine military for its fight against Islamic State (pictured), which is looking to expand into the country's south

Ms Bishop's comments come just days after Australian Secret Intelligence Service boss Nick Warner (left) was bizarrely pictured posing with a clenched fist beside the controversial President Rodrigo Duterte (right)

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (pictured) on Tuesday said she had outlined to President Rodrigo Duterte what support Australia was giving Iraq but he had yet to respond to the offer

The United States, Malaysia and Indonesia had also made offers to help, Ms Bishop said.

The Philippines government was taking the fight against ISIS very seriously but was yet to identify what aid its own forces might need.

Over the weekend a graphic propaganda video produced by ISIS in the Philippines was released.

The video labelled Australia the 'regional guard dog' of the US and made a general call for jihad.

The video highlights Australia's role in the conflict which has engulfed the southern Phillipines city of Marawi since May, and calls the air campaign waged against it 'malicious'.

Claiming the actions of its enemies will only attract more Muslims to the cause, ISIS militants in the video call on their followers across Southeast Asia to join them in holy war.

A propaganda and recruitment video (pictured) produced by ISIS in the Philippines labels Australia the 'regional guard dog' of the US alongside a general call for Jihad

Only days after the graphic video was produced, Australian Secret Intelligence Service boss Nick Warner travelled to Manila to meet President Rodrigo Duterte.

The two met to discuss regional security issues, with the battle against Islamist militants in Marawi at the top of the agenda.

During his visit, Mr Warner was bizarrely pictured posing with a clenched fist beside the controversial president.

Warner's actions have been met with a wave of criticism, with many condemning his apparent support of a man who has killed thousands of drug users, including 80 in three days this month, in an attempt to 'clean up' his country.

Australia has been contributing to the fight against ISIS (pictured) on the southern Philippines island of Mindanao

Claiming the actions of its enemies will only attract more Muslims to the cause, ISIS militants in the video (pictured) call on their followers across Southeast Asia to join them in holy war

Mr Warner's trip followed Australia's formal listing of Islamic State in East Asia as a terrorist organisation.

The ISIS video, which is narrated in English, shows ISIS militants vandalising a church and tearing up photos of the Pope.

'After soldiers of the Taghut [Infidel government] were left embarrassed and demoralised, Duterte ran to his masters, the defenders of the cross, America, along with their regional guard dog Australia and begged them for help,' says the narrator.

'And this is a message which we direct to our Muslim brothers in East Asia, specifically those in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand and Singapore,' says an insurgent from Marawi called Abul Yamaan.

'And this is a message which we direct to our Muslim brothers in East Asia, specifically those in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand and Singapore,' says an insurgent from Marawi called Abul Yamaan (pictured)

ISIS fighters (pictured) are shown engaged in fierce urban combat in the streets of Marawi

The video is graphic and well-produced, and has provoked fears it will inspire people to join the militants (pictured)

'Come forth to the land of Jihad. Come forth to dar-al-Islam in Marawi.'

Malaysian counter-terrorism chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay is concerned that the video could prove effective in enticing people to join ISIS.

He told Channel News Asia it could, 'inspire followers in Malaysia, Indonesia - all of Southeast Asia - to go to southern Philippines to wage Jihad.'

Indonesian National Police spokesman Setyo Wasisto said the video was being examined to see whether any Indonesian fighters were present, and said authorities were trying to prevent ISIS followers travelling to the conflict zone.

The Philippines armed forces have been supported by other militant groups opposed to ISIS, such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (pictured)

The ISIS video, which is narrated in English, shows ISIS militants vandalising a church (pictured) and tearing up photos of the Pope

Malaysian counter-terrorism chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay is concerned that the video (pictured) could prove effective in enticing people to join ISIS

Fighters from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Yemen and India are among the foreign fighters killed since the conflict erupted in late May.

Previously, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declined to confirm if Australia would send ground troops if asked, but said the country is committed to fighting ISIS.

'We are determined to ensure that ISIL does not establish a foothold in our region. We have a very strong vested interest in ensuring that the ISIL insurgency in the Southern Philippines in Marawi is defeated,' he said.

The Philippines armed forces have been battling ISIS militants in Marawi since May 23, when hundreds of fighters occupied buildings and took hostages.

They have been supported by other militant groups opposed to ISIS, such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
An Australian police investigation into child pornography has reportedly saved a six-year-old from a porn ring and led to the arrest of an alleged child rapist in Canada.

The investigation began in Australia after graphic images were shared by paedophiles on the internet and a trail of clues led to Canada.

Police in Winnipeg were notified of an investigation involving Australian police including the South Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team - a partnership between the South Australian police Special Crimes branch and the Australian Federal Police.

A 28-year-old man has been arrested on child porn and sexual assault charges (stock image)

A man and two women were arrested in South Australia and New South Wales last week.

A 34-year-old man and 45-year-old woman from Adelaide's northern suburbs and a 32-year-old woman from regional NSW were all arrested and face child pornography charges.

Detective Inspector Catherine Hilliard of SA police said she has not ruled out further arrests, saying the investigation remains ongoing.

An Australian police investigation led to a six-year-old being saved from an alleged child porn ring in Winnipeg (stock image of Winnipeg)

'This case highlights that police agencies develop cohesive partnerships to promptly respond to the global sharing of child exploitation material, and prevent and detect child sexual abuse.'

In a statement, SA police said following the arrests in Australia they identified a Canadian suspect involved in 'similar offending'.

Constable Jay Murray of Winnipeg police said Australian police told them about their investigation on August 25, according to CBC News.

He said the arrest of a man in Australia was 'critical to identifying a suspect'.

In a statement, Winnipeg police said a six-year-old victim was raped between January and August this year at a residence in the suburb of East Kildonan.

'Images of the sexual assaults were subsequently shared using an online messaging application with various users.'

The investigation began in Australia after graphic images were shared on the internet (stock image)

Police found the victim at the house, searched the property and seized electronic devices.

The alleged child rapist, a 28-year-old man, was charged with sexual assault, sexual interference and possession of child pornography.
Banyule Mayor Tom Melican (pictured) suggest to ban Australia Day but received huge amount of backlash

A Melbourne council that banned Australia Day has been forced to reconsider their decision after a huge backlash from angry ratepayers.

Banyule Council gave in to the public's outrage over the proposition to ban the public holiday shortly after their announcement.

Banyule Mayor Tom Melican proposed he would follow other Melbourne councils who have banned Australia Day celebrations but more than 330 social media users slammed the idea, reported Leader Community News.

Watsonia RSL sub-branch president Jeff Mawkes said Cr Melican's comments caused 'one hell of a lot of angst' from rate payers.

Banyule Councillor Rick Garotti said he had more than 20 phone calls and emails over the weekend asking him why they were changing Australia Day, prompting him to call the urgent motion at Monday night's meeting, The Age reported.

After several comments on social media slamming the council for suggesting to ban the day where they should instead focus on roads, rates and rubbish, Banyule Council retracted their decision an hour later.

'Banyule is not considering changing Australia Day,' the council's Facebook page posted.

The plan to boycott Australia Day has been followed by Melbourne's neighbouring Darebin and Yarra City councils earlier this month.

The Melbourne council would have been the third council to ban Australia Day celebrations

The two councils have dumped any Australia Day citizenship ceremonies on January 26, prompting the Federal Government to strip them of their power to hold citizenship ceremonies.

Instead, Yarra City Council will hold an Indigenous-themed event and Darebin Council will hold their own community awards.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten are both against the move to ban Australia Day celebrations on the historical date.
A man whose wife disappeared mysteriously at sea while the two were yachting in the Bahamas has been arrested in the theft of $100,000 worth of rare gold and silver coins.

Lewis Bennett, 38, was arrested on Monday on a federal charge of transporting stolen goods worth more than $5,000, and is due to appear in a Key West, Florida court on Tuesday.

Investigators say they recovered some of the stolen coins from the very life raft Bennett was rescued from when his wife disappeared.

On May 15, Bennett and his wife Isabella Hellmann, 41, were sailing from Cuba to the Bahamas on a delayed honeymoon when he put out a distress signal from a life raft, claiming she had disappeared and the boat had hit something while he was sleeping.

Investigators have never officially said whether they suspect foul play in Hellmann's disappearance or named Bennett as a suspect.

The arrest warrant affidavit in the coin theft reveals new details in the strange case, however, and adds an unexpected twist with allegations of stolen treasure on the high seas.

Isabella Hellmann, 41, (right) disappeared while sailing off the coast of the archipelago with her engineer husband of just three months Lewis Bennett, 38, (left) on May 15. The FBI now says that Bennett was in possession of rare stolen coins when he was rescued

Bennett's catamaran was found about 30 miles from Cay Sal (as depicted by this map) and had partially sunk, but there was no sign of Hellman. In addition to coins found on Bennett's life raft, the Coast Guard said he had an 'unusually heavy' backpack which they didn't search

The 37-foot catamaran, the Surf Into Summer, was found capsized about 30 miles away from Cay Sal. A search for Hellman proved fruitless

Police say the coins in question were stolen in May of last year from the ship Kitty R, in the Caribbean nation of St. Maarten.

The trove of 617 gold and silver coins was hidden in a secret compartment, which the thief had to break a floor panel under a pallet of food to access.

Bennett was working as a crew member on the Kitty R at the time, and he was the one to report the theft to police on the owner's behalf, saying they were stolen when neither he nor the owner were on board at the time.

A year later, in May of this year, Bennett and his new wife were on their honeymoon trip aboard a 37-foot catamaran, the Surf Into Summer.

The pair were married earlier this year and had an infant daughter, who did not join them on the trip.

On May 15, 'Bennett stated he awoke to a loud thud at 1am... and noticed the vessel was taking on water,' investigators wrote in the arrest affidavit obtained by the Sun-Sentinel.

He 'reported he moved topside to look for [Hellmann] who was not at the helm, or anywhere on the boat  He was unable to slow the flow of water, so he gathered his personal belongings, deployed the life raft and abandoned ship,' the affidavit said.

Happy together: Isabella Hellmann had married British-Australian husband Lewis Bennett in Atlanta, Georgia, just a few months before she went missing at sea

Bennett put out a distress signal and he was rescued from the life raft by the Coast Guard, bringing a backpack with him that the rescue swimmer noted was 'unusually heavy'.

The contents of the backpack were not seen by rescuers, but the Coast Gaurd inventoried the rest of the items on the raft: a suitcase; a backpack; unexpended parachute flares; buoys; 14 gallons of water; a homing device, and nine plastic tubes which were found to contain some 225 silver coins.

The coins were returned to Bennett on May 23, after a four-day search for his missing wife had proved fruitless, but FBI investigators quickly realized their significance and returned to ask for them back the same day.

Bennett agreed to hand over the coins, still in evidence bags, and photographs of them were identified as the stolen coins by the owner of the Kitty R, according to the affidavit.

A June 16 search of Bennett's home turned up more incriminating evidence, investigators said: a cache of 162 gold coins hidden inside a pair of boat shoes in his closet.

Those coins were also identified as stolen by the owner of the Kitty R, police said.

At least 230 stolen coins, about a third of the total, have not been recovered by investigators.

Search: The Coast Guard released images of the search for Bennett's missing wife, which spread out from the hull of their capsized catamaran

Lawyers for Bennett and Hellmann's family could not be reached for comment late Monday evening.

Earlier this summer, it emerged that Bennett had requested a letter of 'presumed death' just a day after the coastguard called off the search for his wife, court documents show.

The Coast Guard called off their three-day search which covered an area of more than 6,000 miles and was aided by helicopters, boats and aircraft, on May 18 for the missing wife who has been classified as being lost at sea.

In July, speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com at the apartment he and his wife bought last year in Del Ray Beach, British-born Mr Bennett, also an Australian citizen, revealed he made a trip to Cuba to try to find out if his wife had been found and taken there because of its proximity.

He said: 'I met the authorities there and checked every hospital, but there is no sign of her.

'It is now two weeks since she has been missing, so I am not holding out much hope of seeing her so I have to come to terms with that.

'This is absolutely devastating for me. She is my soul mate. I thought we were going to be together forever.'

Mr Bennett, who is from Dorset in the UK, studied at Bangor University in Wales, and lived for several years in Queensland, Australia, met divorcee Isabella, 41, through the internet.

Speaking to DailyMail.com earlier this year he said: 'I had been with Isabella for four years. We were looking forward to our life together.

'We have got a daughter. We were planning a great life together and now I am alone without her. I loved her very much... we'll just have to see.'

Asked if it was any suspicion that he had harmed his wife that was fueling the investigation, he said: 'They haven't accused me of anything. Nobody has put that allegation directly against me.

'But I understand why they have to investigate and that is fair enough. I have got nothing to hide. They have to do what they have to do.'
Dear Annie: My husband, ''Matthew,'' and I started dating at 15, got married at 21 and have been happily married for 45 years. We have two happy and successful children and four beautiful grandchildren. I thank God everyday for what we have.

But something came up one night six months ago, when my husband's old roommate, ''Will,'' called. We were telling those ''remember when'' stories, when Will said, ''Ask Matthew if he remembers the night I accidentally walked in on him and Tina sound asleep lying naked on his waterbed!''

We were on speakerphone, and when my husband heard this comment, it looked like he was about to fall through the floor. I immediately said, ''Oh, sure, Matthew told me all about that, but I've forgotten the exact details over the years.'' Will proceeded to explain that he had been riding around and picked up a couple of girls and brought them to the house. When it was time for Will to take the girls home, he knocked on the door but there was no answer. That is when he discovered the two asleep, unclothed, on the bed.

Matthew and I were engaged at the time he and Will were roommates. I had always trusted Matthew and thought that I had been his only sexual partner, as he was mine. Life the last six months between us has not been good. He swears to me he did not have sex with her, but when I question him about details his reply is: ''I don't remember.''

I am nagging the poor man to death, but I am so miserable I can't stand it. I think if Matthew would come clean and answer all of my questions I could let this go. I would appreciate your take on this matter and I know he reads your column. I'll be waiting for your answer, as I feel it will be to go to counseling. -- To Let It Go or Not

Dear To Let It Go or Not: I'm sorry you're in this position. One foolish, reckless night does not negate the love you and your husband have shared for 50 years -- but the fact is you've been deeply hurt. Though this happened a long time ago, to you it's a fresh wound. Your husband needs to respect that.

Knowing the details of their encounter won't give you peace of mind. But as you mentioned, talking out your concerns with a marriage counselor could help a great deal. The sooner you make that call, the sooner you and your husband can put this behind you and perhaps feel closer than ever.

Wedding etiquette

Dear Annie: It seems bachelor parties have turned into moneymaking events. My 23-year-old son has been invited to many of them lately. Grooms hold gambling nights or raffles to offset the cost of the honeymoon. I would not have a problem with this, but my son gets invited to these events when he's not even invited to the wedding. I was under the impression that if you are invited to the prewedding festivities you are also invited to the wedding. Am I just old-fashioned? -- Nancy in Ohio

Dear Nancy in Ohio: Weddings have changed a lot in the last few decades, but etiquette remains important -- and inviting someone to a prewedding event but not to the wedding itself is a major breach of etiquette. It makes people feel as if they're on the B-list. If your son won't be a guest at the wedding, he should not feel pressured to attend the bachelor party, period.
A newly married couple have snagged themselves a sausage wedding cake on live television after pictures from their reception at a Bunnings barbeque went viral.

Jordan and Chantelle Wilson tied the knot on Saturday on Sydney's northern beaches, before moving the party up the road to the Belrose Bunnings for a wedding feast they will never forget.

To help celebrate the 'Aussiest wedding ever', Today Show presenters Sonia Kruger and David Campbell gifted the couple with a wedding cake made from sausages in bread topped with tomato sauce.

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Jordan and Chantelle Wilson nagged themselves a sausage wedding cake on live television after pictures from their reception at a Bunnings barbeque went viral

Jordan and Chantelle Wilson tied the knot on Saturday on Sydney's northern beaches

'That is the best wedding cake that I have ever seen' said Jordan.

Mr Wilson then got his phone out so he could take a selfie with his wife and the uniquely Australian wedding cake.

Speaking on Monday about their special day, Mr Wilson said: 'I told my wife for months this is all I wanted. I wouldn't say it was planned, she didn't have a choice.'

Following their wedding at the Metro Mirage hotel, Jordan quickly rounded up the guests and drove straight to the hardware store.

'We got there and went straight to the snags. No side salad, just straight to the Bunnings stand,' Jordan told Daily Mail Australia.

'We did not even walk inside, but they were all happy to see us, all having a laugh. A staff member came out to take photos with us and the Mrs got her face painted.'

Mr Wilson then got his phone out so he could take a selfie with his wife and the uniquely Australian wedding cake

To help celebrate the 'Aussiest wedding ever' Today Show presenters Sonia Kruger (far right) and David Campbell (right) gifted the couple with a wedding cake made from sausages in bread topped with tomato sauce

Jordan said there was no need to convince Chantelle of the idea.

'She was all about it,' he said.

'They asked if she wanted onions and she said I do. It was the best. And they say Australians aren't cultured!'

After throwing down a few sangers and washing them down with a couple of cans of coke, another Bunnings staff member emerged - this time bearing a gift.

Jordan and Chantelle Wilson tied the knot on Saturday in Newport on Sydney's northern beaches, before producing some truly unique wedding photos

The new husband made his friends all perform a shoey on a wharf in Newport before moving the party up the road to the Belrose Bunnings for a wedding feast they will never forget

'I told my wife for months this is all I wanted. I wouldn't say it was planned, she didn't have a choice,' Jordan told Daily Mail Australia

Following their wedding at the Metro Mirage hotel, Jordan quickly rounded up the guests and drove straight to the hardware store

'Out of nowhere some long haired dude came from inside and gave a present from inside, a carpet cleaner,' Jordan told Daily Mail Australia.

'We couldn't believe it, we needed one, my Mrs was about to hire one!'

Jordan even revealed he used to work at the same exact sausage sizzle stand.

'I actually worked at that Bunnings sausage sizzle a few years back. My friend's dad was involved in the local rotary club so one weekend I gave them a hand at the snag stand.

'We got there and went straight to the snags. No side salad, just straight to the Bunnings stand,' Jordan said

Jordan told Daily Mail Australia there was no need to convince Chantelle of the idea. 'She was all about it. They asked if she wanted onions and she said I do. It was the best'

'We did not even walk inside, but they were all happy to see us, all having a laugh. A staff member came out to take photos with us and the Mrs got her face painted'

Jordan hopes the idea takes off now and other newlyweds follow their lead.

'It's the backbone of the Australian culture, the Bunnings snag.'

He said after fulfilling his Bunnings wedding dream, all he wants to do now is share a snag with his hero, Karl Stefanovic.

'But if not him, I'll settle for Oprah.'

Bunnings told Daily Mail Australia they were glad the Wilsons enjoyed their wedding experience.

'We are always happy to hear stories of people enjoying the Bunnings sausage sizzle. We wish the newlyweds all the best.'

'Out of nowhere some long haired dude came from inside and gave a present from inside, a carpet cleaner. We couldn't believe it, we needed one, my Mrs was about to hire one!'
Ivanka Trump is derisively referred to as 'princess royal' by White House aides while her husband, Jared Kushner, is mocked by Washington, DC insiders as a political neophyte in way over his head, according to a lengthy magazine profile which was published on Monday.

President Donald Trump's daughter and her husband, who is also a senior White House adviser, are described as a couple that is star struck by their seemingly powerful titles yet completely oblivious as to how little influence they really have on policy, according to Vanity Fair.

The unflattering profile of the couple portrays them as ignorant in the ways of how government works while 'lacking self-awareness' in knowing how to behave with officials in Washington.

Kushner and Ivanka are also described as being unhappy in Washington, a town which 'punctures their self-esteem on a daily basis' while also mindful of the fact that their involvement with this president likely means they cannot return to the same Manhattan social circles which they frequented before the 2016 presidential campaign.

They are also reported to be weighed down by the investigation into the Trump campaign's alleged collusion with Russia - with Kushner being one of the focal points of the probe.

Ivanka Trump (left) is derisively referred to as 'princess royal' by White House aides while her husband, Jared Kushner (right), is mocked by DC insiders as a political neophyte in way over his head, according to an article published on Monday

In its story, Vanity Fair cites a number of friends, acquaintances, and officials close to the couple.

The magazine notes that while President Trump is 'emotionally dependent' on his daughter and son-in-law, they, in turn, are too weak and ineffectual to have any impact on actual policy.

While Ivanka Trump has spoken publicly about her support for the LGBT community, it did not prevent her father from announcing a ban on transgender personnel in the military.

Ivanka Trump is also reported to have urged her father to keep the United States in the Paris Agreement on climate change  to no avail.

President Trump announced that the U.S. would be pulling out of the deal.

While President Donald Trump (center) is 'emotionally dependent' on his daughter and son-in-law, they, in turn, are too weak and ineffectual to have any impact on actual policy, according to Vanity Fair

Then there was Ivanka Trump's failed attempt to get Planned Parenthood to stop offering abortions in exchange for her father's agreement not to see its defunding.

The Republicans were eager to pass a health care law that would have essentially shut down Planned Parenthood.

President Trump's support for the health care law, which ultimately died in the Senate, led Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards to criticize Ivanka.

The harsh backlash from liberals who saw Ivanka as a possible ally who could moderate her father's policies was hurtful to her, according to Vanity Fair.

The magazine also notes that even supporters of President Trump are unhappy over the fact that Ivanka and Jared are clear beneficiaries of nepotism.

When Ivanka Trump briefly sat in her father's chair at the G20 Summit in Hamburg next to the British prime minister and the president of China, an outcry erupted.

One former adviser to President Trump also raised an eyebrow, saying: 'Excuse me, this is not a royal family, and she's not the princess royal.'

Ivanka Trump's influence with her father and her White House role has led some aides in the West Wing to refer to her as 'princess royal'  but only behind her back.

The magazine also quotes 'a longtime associate' of the couple as saying that they view their time in Washington as 'sacrificial.'

There is a growing sense among Washington insiders that Jared and Ivanka see the writing on the wall and that a move back to New York may be what is needed to salvage their reputations  before the White House becomes engulfed in even more chaos.

There is a sense among people close to the president that it was Kushner who leaked emails of Donald Trump Jr's (above) planned meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower during the election campaign a year ago

'When they decide it's more important to protect their own and their children's reputations than it is to defend their indefensible father's, that's a sign the end is near,' one prominent Republican donor told Vanity Fair.

Political insiders also say that one symptom of the Trump administration's dysfunction is the influence wielded by Jared and Ivanka over West Wing personnel  even though they have little understanding over how Washington works.

'There's nothing more obstructive and distracting and unhelpful than to have a bunch of stupid apolitical family members calling all the shots,' one former White House aide from a previous administration said.

Jared and Ivanka are also not shy about flashing a mean, vindictive streak at anyone who gets in their way.

Kushner has said that he would 'exfoliate' those in his life who did not support the work he did for his father-in-law.

Kushner is also described as territorial and someone not afraid to wield sharp elbows. When former chief strategist Steve Bannon (above) was receiving media attention for his role in helping Trump win the election, Kushner smeared him

He also said he did not 'give a s***' if people refused to do business with him after the harsh rhetoric of the election campaign that he helped run.

'I haven't had anything to do with them since they moved,' said a New York-based former acquaintance of Jared and Ivanka.

'And it is because the day that man gave an inaugural speech, what am I going to say? "What the f*** is wrong with you?"'

Ivanka, for her part, has been described as 'cold' to staffers who fall out of favor with her father.

'She tries to charm you at first, and then there'll be the cutting remark in front of her father,' a former Trump adviser said.

Kushner is also described as territorial and someone not afraid to wield sharp elbows.

Kushner also told his father-in-law that ex-White House chief of staff Reince Priebus (above) was 'weak'. It was Jared and Ivanka that reportedly pushed to have Priebus fired

When former chief strategist Steve Bannon was receiving media attention for his role in helping Trump win the election, Kushner smeared him.

Kushner also told his father-in-law that former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus was 'weak,' according to Vanity Fair.

It was Jared and Ivanka that reportedly pushed to have Priebus fired.

Perhaps even more shocking is the suggestion - offered without any evidence so far - that Kushner was the one who leaked emails of Donald Trump Jr's planned meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower during the election campaign a year ago.

There is suspicion among people close to the president that it was Kushner's camp who leaked the emails to The New York Times.

Trump aides are ready to believe that Kushner is willing to sacrifice his brother-in-law if it means his own personal survival is at stake.

While the couple may be under the impression that they wield clout on questions of policy, the unforgiving political establishment in Washington has an entirely different view.

'What is off-putting about them is they do not grasp their essential irrelevance,' said a Beltway veteran.

'They think they are special.'
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The first military plane transporting evacuees from Galveston County, Texas, arrived in Dallas Monday afternoon, as rescue teams continued to rush to help thousands of people in Houston who were devastated by the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

About 70 people and about a dozen pets were flown in on military C-130 planes and were taken to a shelter in Irving, Texas, after getting a medical evaluation.

The first plane arrived around 6.20pm and at least six others are expected to make the same trip.

The Lively Point Youth Center in Irving, Texas, has now become a shelter for Harvey evacuees as more are airlifted by Texas Air National Guard.

The space has capacity for about 200 evacuees and the shelter will be run by the Red Cross and City of Irving employees, Fox 4 reported. The city's emergency management coordinator said they are planning for the shelters to run 'long term'.

Evacuees and those working the shelters have and will be vetted through criminal background checks.

The City of Dallas is also planning to host more than 5,000 evacuees in a shelter at the convention center.

The President declared at a press conference Monday afternoon that the nation will emerge bigger, better and stronger than ever after the storm that's ransacking the Gulf.

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People and rescue boats line a street at the east Sam Houston Tollway as rescues continue from flooding following Tropical Storm Harvey

'We ask God for his wisdom and strength. We will get through this,' Trump said. 'The rebuilding will begin. And in the end it will be something very special.'

The U.S. president said residents of the region have shown incredible teamwork in a time of tragedy.

'We are one American family. We hurt together, we struggle together. And believe me, we endure together,' Trump proclaimed. 'We are one family. To the people of Texas and Louisiana, we are 100 percent with you. '

Meanwhile, rescue efforts are in full swing in Houston and other areas devastated by Hurricane Harvey, which is slowly heading back towards the Gulf of Mexico and continues to drop heavy rains on the Houston and Galveston areas.

The National Hurricane Center said the center of the storm is expected to drift offshore through Tuesday before going in a 'slow northeastward motion', even bringing heavy rains to Louisiana.

Floodwaters reached the rooflines of single-story homes Monday and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as Harvey poured rain on the Houston area for a fourth consecutive day after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues

Residents ride in the bed of an emergency vehicle carrying them to safety following flooding to their homes in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on Monday night

Lake Charles rescue personnel help lower this wheelchair bound resident from the back of a vehicle late Monday night. Almost constant rain over the last two days from Harvey, overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues

People use plywood to row a boat down Deats Road in Dickinson, Texas, and floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey continued to rise on Monday

Evacuees wearing rain jackest and ponchos ride in a boat down Tidwell Road as floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey rise Monday in Houston

A woman covers her face as she and several others are evacuated from their homes in Houston on Monday during Tropical Storm Harvey

Volunteers and Harris County Sheriff deputies lift an elderly person on a wheelchair over the flooded C.E. King Parkway under the East Sam Houston North on Monday

Rhonda Worthington is lifted into a boat while on her cellphone with a 911 dispatcher after her car became stuck in rising floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Houston on Monday

Conception Casa, center, and his friend Jose Martinez, right, check on Rhonda Worthington after her car became stuck in rising floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Houston

A woman holds her dog as she arrives to high ground after evacuating her home due to floods caused by Tropical Storm Harvey along Tidwell Road in east Houston

A policeman carries a young girl as her family follows after they fled their home due to floods caused by Tropical Storm Harvey along Tidwell Road in east Houston

A couple with two young children stand under an overpass in Houston on Monday night after evacuating their home due to floods caused by Tropical Storm Harvey

A man rides a pool float in his front yard after severe flooding following Hurricane Harvey in the Cypresswood Creek subdivision in north Houston on Monday

People make their way out of a flooded neighborhood in Houston after it was inundated with rain water, remnants of Hurricane Harvey. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi late Friday evening, is expected to dump upwards to 40 inches of rain in areas of Texas over the next couple of days

Evacuees are helped to dry land after their homes in Houston were inundated with flooding from Hurricane Harvey, which also made a landfall north of Corpus Christi late on Friday evening

A woman carries a child through flooded waters along Tidwell Road in East Houston on Monday after evacuating her home due to flooding

A family arrives to high ground after they fled their home due to floods caused by Tropical Storm Harvey along Tidwell Road in east Houston

A woman holds a girl as her family arrives to high ground by boat due to floods caused by Tropical Storm Harvey in east Houston on Monday

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards warned Monday that the worst is on its way to his state.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Monday that 3,052 people have been rescued by police since the storm flooded the city, adding that 1,000 have been rescued in the last eight hours alone, the Associated Press reported.

At the same time, the Coast Guard has been receiving more than 1,000 calls an hour, US Coast Guard Lt Mike Hart said Monday.

'Today alone, the Coast Guard has rescued over 3,000 people,' he said. 'That includes both air rescues and rescues using boats.'

Texas Governor Greg Abbott visited some of the devastated areas Monday before he gave an update on the aftermath of the storm in a press conference.

'A Texas-sized storm requires a Texas-sized response, and that is exactly what the state will provide,' he said.

'While we have suffered a great deal, the resiliency and bravery of Texan's spirits is something that can never be broken. As communities are coming together in the aftermath of this storm, I will do everything in my power to make sure they have what they need to rebuild.'

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are expected to visit Corpus Christi and Austin on Tuesday to see areas that were effected by the storm and to be briefed on relief efforts.

The extent of the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston has started to become clear as rains continued in the city.

Huge swathes of Houston now sit underwater as floodwater continues to rush through its streets.

Evacuees from Dickinson, Texas, board an airplane at Scholes International Airport on Monday in Galveston, Texas. Texas Air National Guard planes took evacuees to cities, including Dallas, where they can stay in shelters

A Nacogdoches firefighter helps Sara Golden and her daughters Paisley, Poppy and Piper, of Dickinson, Texas, evacuate and board a Texas Air National Guard C-130 at Scholes International Airport in Galveston

Evacuees from Dickinson, Texas, board an airplane at Scholes International Airport on Monday

Evacuees are helped to dry land after their homes were inundated with flooding from Hurricane Harvey in Houston

Theresa Ross receives a tank of oxygen when she arrived to the George R. Brown Convention Center seeking shelter with her husband in Houston on Monday

Thousands take shelter from the Tropical Storm Harvey at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston on Monday

Oscar Galindo, Donato Galindo, 2, Oscar Galindo, 11, Andre Galindo, 9, and Maria Rodriguez relax while taking shelter at the George R Brown Convention Center on Monday in Houston, after living inside a car since Saturday after the rain from the Tropical Storm Harvey flooded their home in Dickinson

A rescue truck brings people to a street intersection at the east Sam Houston Tollway as evacuations continue from flooding in Houston

People walk with dogs along a street at the east Sam Houston Tollway from rescue boats as evacuations continue from flooding in Houston

People are rescued from a flooded neighborhood. Floodwaters reached the rooflines of single-story homes Monday and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as Harvey poured rain on the Houston area for a fourth consecutive day after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues

People are rescued from a flooded neighborhood on Monday in Houston. Hurricane Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi late Friday evening, is expected to dump upwards to 40 inches of rain in areas of Texas over the next couple of days

Evacuees in Houston make their way to dry land after leaving their homes that were inundated with flooding from Hurricane Harvey

A boy is lifted from a rescue truck on a street at the east Sam Houston Tollway

A man reaches to take a small dog from a rescue truck at the east Sam Houston Tollway as evacuations in Houston continue

Genice Gipson (right) comforts her lifelong friend, Loretta Capistran (left), outside of Capistran's apartment complex in Refugio, Texas, on Monday. 'We got to be strong, baby,' Gipson told Capistran

Texas Governor Greg Abbott looks over destroyed stores in Rockport during a tour of areas damaged by Hurricane Harvey, on Monday

A view of Rockport Donuts, local restaurant serving food to residents and aid workers, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas

Sopheak Otero cooks eggs in the kitchen of Rockport Donuts, local restaurant serving food to residents and aid workers, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey

Thousands are without homes, about 100,000 have lost power and 11 people are feared dead across the entire state as a result of the storm.

There is no respite on the horizon, with more rain scheduled to land over the course of the week and the potential for it to make another landfall on the already-devastated Texas.

Harvey increased slightly in strength Monday as it drifted back over the warm Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters expect the system to stay over water with 45 mph winds for 36 hours and then head back inland east of Houston sometime Wednesday. The system will then head north and lose its tropical strength.

Many residents have been left no choice but to wait in their homes to be rescued but emergency services have been pushed to the limit. 911 operators are having to choose between life-fearing callers and panicked residents are clambering to their roofs to wave towels in the hope that someone will rescue them.

FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, estimates that 30,000 will be in need of shelter by the time the storm passes and there is already an estimated $40billion in damage. The agency also estimates that more than 450,000 people are likely to seek federal aid.

FEMA has around $3billion in its disaster relief fund but the sum is dwindling.

At a press conference mid-morning, Mayor Sylvester Turner pleaded for help from other cities and plugged charity relief funds to care for the thousands of Houston residents in crisis.

Two major dams which sit to the east of the city are being gradually drained by the army to stop them from overflowing.

The Addicks and Barker Reservoirs are both dangerously close to their capacities. With more rain on the way, US Army experts are racing the storm to release water from each dam.

Dead livestock lie on the ground in the wake of Hurricane Harvey on Monday in Bayside, Texas

This aerial photo shows a view of damage in the wake of Hurricane Harvey on Monday in Corpus Christi, Texas

This house in Bayside, Texas, was destroyed after Hurricane Harvey hit Bayside, Texas

Debris lies on the ground near homes in the Key Allegro subdivision of Rockport, Texas on Monday

An apartment unit sits completely destroyed from Hurricane Harvey in Refugio, Texas on Monday

Todd Witherington searches his trailer that was overturned by the effects of Hurricane Harvey on Monday in Aransas Pass, Texas

This photo shows The First Baptist Church roof after it was peeled off by Hurricane Harvey in Refugio, Texas, on Monday

Damage to the Bay House Condominiums is shown in Rockport, Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey on Monday

Debris lies on the ground and fields are flooded in the wake of Hurricane Harvey in Bayside, Texas. Harvey hit the coast as a Category 4 hurricane

Debris lies on the ground next to a damaged home in the wake of Hurricane Harvey on Monday in Bayside

High levels of flood submerges a road after Hurricane Harvey hit Conroe, Texas, on Monday

A truck navigates a road flooded with rain water, remnants of Hurricane Harvey, on Monday in Houston

Heavy duty machines are seen on a road submerged by flood after Hurricane Harvey hit Conroe

A rainbow appears over over a Whataburger sign that was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Refugio, Texas on Monday

Power poles blown by Hurricane Harvey lean over a road in Refugio, Texas

US and Texas flags fly in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas on Monday

 Slide me  Aerial footage shows the floods in Rockport, Texas, after Hurricane Harvey on Sunday (right) and before (left)

 Slide me  Interstate 45 Highway in Houston in 2005 (left) and on Sunday (right) after the Hurricane Harvey floods swept the city

 Slide me  The theater district is shown above in ordinary conditions (left) and on Sunday (right). The total damage of Hurricane Harvey has been estimated as $40billion

 Slide me  Another view of Houston's theater district taken on an ordinary day (left) and on Sunday (right) as water flooded the city

 Slide me  The colorful bridges above highway 59 towered over a bleak scene on Sunday (right), with large portions of the road under water

The controlled release will send more water cascading in to the area of Buffalo Bayou, where freeways are entirely underwater.

It will stop an uncontrollable wave of water from rushing through homes.

FEMA has warned it will be take years for the city and coastal towns to recover.

As the situation became more grave, criticism of Mayor Turner's decision not to evacuate the city grew.

When the storm began on Friday, Houston was not immediately hit. It was safe from the battering winds which tore apart towns on the coast and many felt confident enough to remain in their homes.

However as the storm moved further inland on Saturday and Saturday, floods - the likes of which the city has never before seen - swept through.

The city woke up to a water world and many, with no alternative, swam to safety or climbed in to rescue boats.

Now, many are trapped in their homes with no way out. They have been left to wait for rescue boats but the situation is bleak.

 Slide me  Another view of the theater district shows it dry (left) before the storm and completely submerged in water (right) afterwards

 Slide me  An aerial view of downtown Houston (left) and the same view after the Hurricane Harvey floods (right)

 Slide me  A home in the area of Cottage Grove, Houston, before and after the Hurricane Harvey floods swept through on Saturday

 Slide me  The coastal town of Rockport was spared severe flooding but was battered by 130mph winds on Friday night and Saturday morning

 Slide me  A home in Cottage Grove which is among flooded areas in Houston before (left) and after (right). There is still no mandatory evacuation order in place for the city

 Slide me  In Rockport, Texas, 130mph winds removed the dome roof of this building and battered the rest of its shell

Oliver Simpson, 35, a father of four from west Houston, is stuck in his home with his children. He told DailyMail.com on Monday: 'It's horrible. I feel helpless - sitting with no power and just waiting to see what happens. And we have it so much better than many others.

'I have a neighbor who had a tree fall on his garage, it went across a gas line. There is a gas leak and despite calls to 911 still no one been out. That was at 4am this morning.

'To be clear, authorities are doing everything they can [there are] just many people in far worse situation than us.'

WHY HOUSTON IS PRONE TO FLOODS Though the most severe, Hurricane Harvey's floods are not the first to ever torture the city of Houston. Less extreme flooding was seen in 2001 with Tropical Storm Allison, in 2015 on Memorial Day and on Tax Day last year. The city is predominantly flat and sits little above sea level - 50 feet above in the center and 40 feet above in some downtown suburbs to be exact. This makes it easier for water from heavy rainfall to gather on the ground. When the bayous flood, the freeways act as an unofficial flood control system. Once water spills over them, it pours in to residential streets and rises from there. Advertisement

Mayor Turner is now asking anyone with a boat to help with the rescue efforts. Many Texans responded bravely to his call to arms and were out in force on Saturday saving vulnerable neighbors and strangers from the floods.

'The goal is rescue. That's the major focus for the day. We want to focus on getting them out of their homes or whatever their stressful situation may be,' he said.

With 911 operation centers inundated, panicked residents turned to social media to be saved.

They shared pictures of frightened children cowering on kitchen work tops as water covered the floors of their homes.

Heartbreaking photographs from nursing homes showed elderly residents floating around in their wheelchairs and hospital beds. President Trump is scheduled to visit Texas on Tuesday.

As the devastation continues to unfold, authorities are now turning their attention to fundraising efforts.

The Red Cross has launched a designated relief fund (which can be found here) and there will be a Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund organized by the City of Houston.

Celebrities shared their thoughts and prayers for the city's residents en masse but were taken to task by actor Kevin Hart who, after pledging $25,000 to relief funds, called on a number of stars including Jay Z, Beyonce, Jerry Seinfeld and Justin Timberlake, to make donations.

To donate to the Red Cross Hurricane Harvey relief fund, click here or call 1-800-435-7669.

Good Samaritans have come out in force and, in some cases, from other states.

Alexandre Jorge evacuates Ethan Colman from his home in Houston on Monday

Jose Garcia carries Heidi, his German Shepherd, to safety after fleeing their home in Houston on Monday

The pair hitched a ride on Murphy Fire Department's Todd Herrington's boat on Monday morning

A family uses toys to safely push a young relative through water as they carry umbrellas after fleeing their home in Houston

Residents flee their homes in Houston on Monday as flood waters continue to rise in parts of the city

Residents hitch a ride on a construction vehicle with children hiding inside next to the driver to try to stay warm

Some residents maintained their smiles despite the treacherous conditions and waved for news photographers as they fled their homes

New mother Shardea Harrison watches over her three-week-old baby as she is rescued from her home by Dean Mize and Jason Legnon

Houston Fire Department's Dive Team power through flood water in a motor boat looking for people who need to be saved

Apartment residents flee their home in North Braeswood Boulevard as the flood waters continue to rise on Monday

Two men carry their belongings across a flooded road after fleeing their apartment in North Braeswood Boulevard on Monday

Volunteer Dean Mize holds on to two frightened and soaking children as he and his friend Jason Lengon rescue more stranded residents on their boat

Belinda Penn carries her two dogs from a boat after being rescued from their home in Houston on Sunday

FAMILY OF 6 'DROWNS IN THEIR VAN TRYING TO ESCAPE' Six members of the same family died by drowning in their van as they tried to escape Harvey's floods on Saturday, according to other members of the family. KHOU reports that the victims - four children under the age of 16 and their grandparents - were traveling in a van being driven by their great uncle near Greens Bayou when they ran into trouble. Six members of a family - including Xavier Saldivar (left), 8, and his sister Daisy (right), 6, as well as their siblings and great-grandparents - died in the Hurricane Harvey floods Monday They had just crossed a bridge in Houston when their van was swept away by strong flood-water currents. Devy Saldivar (left), 16, and her brother Dominic (right), 14, also died Their great-grandparents Manuel and Belia Saldivar (pictured), aged 81 and 83, respectively, also drowned. The driver - the children's great-uncle - survived the accident He was able to escape as water rushed in to the vehicle but the others could not and he watched as they perished in the water, other relatives said. The official death toll on Saturday was two - meaning authorities have so far been able to confirm two deaths. They are inundated with crisis situations, however and are therefore redirecting attention to rescuing people who are trapped. This makes it difficult to deliver an exact number but the total was reported as five on Sunday. The family's deaths bring this to 11. Advertisement

As the kind-hearted rushed to save strangers from rising waters, a small crop of evil, opportunist scammers popped up.

One viral social media post for distressed residents advised anyone seeking the help of emergency services to call a phone number DailyMail.com is not publishing. The phone number led vulnerable callers to Foremost, a private insurance company.

There have been four arrests for looting in Houston so far and more disruption is feared.

Former President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara, who are Houston residents, escaped the disaster and are in Maine. They released a statement on Monday expressing their gratitude for the emergency services.

'Barbara and I are in Maine but our hearts are in Houston.

'We are praying for all of our fellow Houstonians and Texans affected by Harvey, and truly inspired by the flotilla of volunteers  Points of Light all  who are answering the call to help their neighbors.

'We salute them, the first responders, and the local elected officials for their grit and determination in the face of this extraordinary storm. This we know: Houston, and Texas, will come together and rebuild,' they said.

Creative residents used kiddie pools to transport their belongings through the flood water in swamped residential streets
The former boyfriend of a woman found dead on a roadside embankment last month pleaded not guilty Monday to first-degree murder and other charges.

The shackled Randal Gebo, who bent over and pulled down his pants in front of news crews as he was led into the courtroom, appeared in Vermont Superior Court in Barre, while relatives and friends of victim Cindy Cook looked on.

Superior Court Judge John Pacht ordered the 61-year-old Gebo held without bail pending another hearing that will be scheduled in the coming weeks.

Gebo's attorney, Maggie Vincent, didn't comment after the hearing.

Gebo is charged in the death of Cook, 59, whose body was found over an embankment in Middlesex on July 12 by a woman walking her dog.

Randal Gebo, the former boyfriend of a woman found dead on a roadside embankment last month, pleaded not guilty Monday to first-degree murder and other charges in Vermont Superior Court in Barre

The shackled Gebo bent over and pulled down his pants in front of news crews as he was led into the courtroom

An autopsy determined she had been strangled.

Cook and Gebo lived in Barre.

Cook's eldest child, Christina Searles, said after Gebo's court hearing she was trying to piece together what happened.

'It's just really hard to swallow, to think that another human being could do something so heinous to another human being, I think, and it just happens to be our mom,' Searles said.

Gebo is charged in the death of Cindy Cook, 59, whose body was found over an embankment in Middlesex on July 12 by a woman walking her dog. Tammie Duprey of Barre holds up a photo of her deceased neighbor, Cook, during Gebo's arraignment

Searles' younger brother, Matthew Hayes, said it was a relief that Gebo was in jail and facing charges.

Court documents said Gebo was known to have a temper, but the documents did not describe how detectives believe Cook was killed.

Cook last had contact with friends on July 4, and Gebo started using her credit cards and driving her car on July 5.

After Cook's body was found, police traced Gebo as he crisscrossed the country in Cook's car.

He was arrested July 19 in Downers Grove, Illinois, just west of Chicago.

Gebo is also charged with credit card fraud, aggravated operation of a vehicle without the owner's consent and other offenses, including animal cruelty.

Cook's dog, a dachshund named Honey Bee, was apparently freed at a Middlesex picnic area about 5 miles from where Cook's body was found.

The dog has not been found.
An Australian eye clinic has posted a photo to Instagram sharing their views against same-sex marriage, but it backfired enormously.

The eye clinic posted a photo of a pink flowers to Instagram beside a phrase describing how same-sex marriage was selfish.

'Marriage is a commitment, say NO to selfish love, consider children,' the clinic's post read.

An Australian eye clinic was slammed after they posted a photo to Instagram sharing their views against same-sex marriage (pictured)

Dozens of people took to Instagram (pictured) critising the clinic's gay marriage post

Social media users posted witty remarks, toying with the company's eye clinic (pictured)

Despite the post being published on Sunday the eye puns about gay marriage kept giving

One Instagram user told the clinic not to 'make a spectacle of the issue' (pictured)

However dozens of people criticised the post with an array of witty eye puns.

'That's a bit of a 'short-sighted' opinion,' one user commented.

'You and I don't see eye to eye on this,' another wrote.

'Come on, don't make a 'spectacle' of this issue,' someone else posted.

'Not cool, lens give everyone a chance to say 'eye do',' one wrote.

The Australian clinic was told by Instagram users to look beyond their noses and 'stick to what they know best'.

Many of the comments on the Australian eye clinic's post were in favour of same-sex marriage

What the post lacked in likes, it made up for through array of puns, amusing readers (pictured)

The eye clinic has not responded to any comments despite the post being up since Sunday

What the post lacked in likes, it made up for through an array of puns, amusing readers.

'You don't have to lash out' one user wrote while another told the company they had 'really poor vision for the future'.

'How can you be so blind? Are you having trouble with your plebisight (sic),' another Instagram user commented.

Despite the post being online since Sunday, the eye clinic has not responded to any of the comments.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the company for comment.
A statue of Captain Cook in Sydney's Hyde Park has been fenced off after it was the target of a vandal who scrawled 'change the date' and 'no pride in genocide' across the monument.

Cones and tape now surround the monument of Captain Cook, which boasts an inscription saying the British explorer 'discovered this territory, 1770'.

The fencing off of the statue on Tuesday comes after it was vandalised on Saturday morning.

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Cones and tape now surround a statue of Captain James Cook in Sydney's Hyde Park

The statue was fenced off on Tuesday after vandals scrawled messages on the statue.

The messages have been washed off the statue, but cones and tape separate it from the public.

Labour leader Bill Shorten has called for Hyde Park's Captain Cook statue to be reformed.

Speaking at Hyde Park in Sydney's centre on Monday, Mr Shorten joined a growing number of activists campaigning for the statue to acknowledge and pay respect to Aboriginal people - the country's first Australians.

'This country works best when we work together, so an additional plaque on Captain Cook's statue is fine by me,' Mr Shorten said.

Speaking at Hyde Park in Sydney's centre on Monday, Mr Shorten joined a growing number of left-wing activists campaigning for the statue to acknowledge and pay respect to Aboriginal people

'I'm proud of our Aboriginal history, I'm not so proud of the way Aboriginals have been treated since 1770.'

While Mr Shorten welcomed an additional plaque, he did not support the removal of the statue altogether, according to Seven News.

The statue of Captain Cook, which boasts an inscription saying the British explorer 'discovered this territory, 1770', was vandalised about 2am on Saturday.

The words 'change the date' and 'no pride in genocide' were scrawled across the monument in spray paint  political slogans used by people who want the date of Australia Day changed.

Statues of Lachlan Macquarie and Queen Victoria were also defaced with spray paint.

An iconic statue of Captain James Cook (pictured) was the target of vandals early on Saturday morning

The statue (pictured) was spray-painted with political slogans referring to the debate over the date of Australia Day

A statue of former NSW governor Lachlan Macquarie (pictured) was also targeted by vandals

Mr Shorten's views were in stark contrast to those held by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who said the statue was 'part of history' and should remain as is.

'All of those statues, all of those monuments, are part of our history and we should respect them and preserve them,' he told 3AW's Neil Mitchell.

'By all means, put up other monuments, put up other signs and sites that explain our history.

'You don't rewrite history by editing stuff out. If you want to write a new chapter of our history, if you want to challenge assumptions in the past, by all means do so.'

Mr Shorten's views were in stark contrast to those held by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who said the statue was 'part of history' and should remain as is

Images of a male police believe might be able to assist with inquiries into the malicious damage of a number of public monuments in Sydney's CBD have been released

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison also condemned the vandalism and slammed the anonymous culprit.

'That idiot who did this on the weekend, he's not doing anything to help indigenous young Australians. This was just an act of pure ego and vanity; it's disgraceful,' Mr Morrison said on Monday.

Mr Shorten's support for the change was shared by Sydney councillor Kerryn Phelps.

'I think it's important we don't sanitise history, but I think it's equally important that the inscriptions on our statues are historically accurate,' Ms Phelps said.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore ordered a review of the Captain Cook statue.

Suggestions will be submitted to Mayor Clover Moore (pictured) for consideration

Mr Moore said any potential changes would be the 'result of very considered consultation between city government and state government'.

Aboriginal broadcaster Stan Grant also called for the inscription on the statue to be changed, but said vandalism sent the wrong message.

'That's appalling. It's vandalism. If we can't have this conversation in a country, democratically and respectful, then it is just disgraceful,' he said.

The graffiti attack comes just days after indigenous broadcaster Stan Grant (pictured) called for the inscription on the Cook statue - saying he 'discovered' the territory in 1770 - be changed

'People who do that, they actually reflect badly, not just on themselves, but if they actually care about indigenous people and our cause, they are the ones who damage us.'

The statues were vandalised just days after Mr Grant called for the Cook inscription to be changed.

'The inscription that Cook 'Discovered this territory 1770' maintains a damaging myth, a belief in the superiority of white Christendom that devastated Indigenous peoples everywhere,' he wrote for the ABC.

New South Wales police released CCTV footage on Sunday of a man they wanted to speak to in relation to the vandalism.

He was described as being of Caucasian appearance with a full face beard, wearing black sunglasses, a khaki-coloured jacket, black tracksuit pants and brown boots.
A leader with the Cajun Navy has said that looters fired upon rescue boats that were attempting to assist flood victims of Hurricane Harvey.

Clyde Cain, an organizer with the Louisiana Cajun Navy, said on Monday that no one was injured when apparent looters fired guns at volunteer rescuers earlier in the day in Houston.

The group is one of several gathering volunteers with leisure boats to assist desperately over-extended first responders in search and rescue efforts as the flood waters from Harvey continue to rise.

'It came over [the radio] and it was looters who are out there and not wanting our boats around them,' Cain said in a live video stream on Facebook. Cain said it was also possible the looters were attempting to steal the boats.

Volunteers with leisure boats have stepped in to assist with search and rescue in Houston, but one leader says looters have fired shots at some of the rescuers. Pictured: Volunteers stage their rescue boats on Sam Houston street on Monday

A video shows two men stealing flatscreen TVs from a Metro PCS in Houston on Sunday. There have been sporadic reports of looting in the city and now a volunteer says shots have been fired at rescue boats

There have been sporadic reports of looting during the devastating flooding in the Houston area, but police said Monday that only four looters had been arrested.

'No one got injured... no one actually got shot, they shot at the boats,' Cain said, attempting to quell online rumors that volunteers had actually been shot.

Cain said that the volunteers returned to the area with law enforcement, but the offenders were no longer on the scene.

Volunteer rescue attempts are continuing with caution as conditions permit, he said, adding that areas near commercial stores may require extra caution or avoidance.

'There's looters out here, as in any time you have a natural disaster or catastrophe,' he said.

Volunteers use their boat to help evacuate residents as floodwaters from Harvey rise Monday

Huge swathes of Houston now sit underwater as flood water continues to rush through its streets.

Thousands are without homes, even more have lost power and 11 people are feared dead across the entire state as a result of the storm.

There is no respite on the horizon, with another 50 inches of rain scheduled to land over the course of the week.

Many residents have been left no choice but to wait in their homes to be rescued but emergency services have been pushed to the limit. 911 operators are having to choose between life-fearing callers, and panicked residents are clambering to their roofs to wave towels in the hope that someone will rescue them.

Houses and cars are seen partially submerged by flood waters from tropical storm Harvey

The Cajun Navy, which includes Cain's group and others organized under similar names, has mobilized volunteers from throughout the region to step into the gap.

The Cajun Navy is a volunteer group of hundreds of boat owners who came together to help out their community during the Louisiana flood in the summer of 2016.

On Sunday, the Houston Police Department made a call for volunteers on Twitter asking people with boats to call a number and help the department out.
A fan has immortalised convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby with an elaborate tattoo of the infamous Australian's face on his leg.

Melbourne resident Sean Dobbs got the ink work on Monday at Reverence Tattoo Richmond. Ms Corby then posted images of the tattoos on her Instagram account.

The tattoo shows Corby, 40, wearing a Balinese Bintang-branded beer hat, holding a bodyboard and smoking a joint in a tongue-in-cheek reference to her 2005 conviction.

'I wanted something people would notice and get a laugh from,' Mr Dobbs told Daily Mail Australia.

'And yeah, I find her sexy.'

A fan has immortalised convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby with an elaborate tattoo of the infamous Australian's face on his leg

The tattoo shows the 40-year-old wearing a Balinese Bintang-branded hat, brandishing a bodyboard and smoking a joint in a tongue-in-cheek reference to her 2005 conviction

Melbourne resident Sean Dobbs got the ink on Monday at Reverence Tattoo Richmond

The image shows the drug smuggler's face in front of a large sun with palm trees either side, a reference to the tropic Balinese landscape.

In the tattoo, Ms Corby has facial tattoos, perhaps a link to her prison time at the infamous Kerobokan Prison. The back-to-front Bintang snapback hat and body board are also references to her drug bust.

Mr Dobbs said he and tattooist Ben Smith met to come up with the idea to honour an 'Australian icon'.

'As soon as Schapelle Corby with the boogie board came up we started designing straight away,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Mr Dobbs said the tattoo was inspired purely for 'banter' rather than any political statement or allegiance to Ms Corby.

A friend sent images of the tattoo to the 40-year-old, who replied 'Geeezzuusss.'

A friend sent images of the tattoo to the 40-year-old, who replied 'Geeezzuusss'

Schapelle Corby was arrested in 2005 attempting to smuggle 4.3 kilograms of marijuana into Bali in a bodyboard bag

Ben Smith, who has been tattooing professionally for five years, told Daily Mail Australia the motivation was always to create something 'tongue-in-cheek' and meant to 'raise eyebrows'

Ben Smith, who has been tattooing professionally for five years, told Daily Mail Australia the motivation was always to create something 'tongue-in-cheek' and meant to 'raise eyebrows.'

'We started talking about Australian icons and of course Schapelle Corby is an Australian icon. He was happy with it and I think she was pretty happy with it too,' Mr Smith told Daily Mail Australia.

I haven't seen too many people in the world with tattoos like this. We're in discussions to do another one on an Australian icon on Ben's other leg, but I can't say who yet.'
Conservatives are fighting plans for Christmas carols to be banned in state schools.

South Australia's Department of Education is reportedly planning to bar Christmas carols from the classroom, on the grounds public schools are secular.

However, the policy appears to have virtually no public support from parents.

South Australia's Department of Education wants to ban school Christmas carols (stock image)

More than 98 per cent of parents surveyed in South Australia opposed banning school Christmas carols (stock image)

More than 98 per cent of parents surveyed by the South Australian Association of State School Organisations are opposed to the idea of keeping carols out of school.

Of the 1,179 people polled, only 19 are backing the department's plan.

The parents' group said mums and dads were concerned about 'political correctness in the extreme' and how Christmas was something people of other faiths celebrated.

Australian Conservatives leader Dennis Hood says the state Labor government had little regard for upholding traditional values.

Australian Conservatives leader Dennis Hood says Christmas carols are part of our heritage

'A person does not have to be of the Christian faith to understand that these songs are part of our heritage and our tradition and that the messages they contain are positive and offer hope and a message of love,' the upper house MP said.

'In fact, many of those who responded to the survey were highly critical of the government and education department for trying to enforce yet more political correctness on the rest of society.'

The latest controversy in South Australia comes after Queensland's minority Labor government considered banning schoolchildren from inviting classmates to religious events.

But the plan was scrapped earlier this month following an outcry from religious groups.
Special counsel Robert Mueller is reportedly investigating President Donald Trump's role in drafting his son Donald Trump Jr's response to revelations about a meeting with a Russian lawyer.

Mueller's investigators have been probing the president's role in crafting his son's July 8 statement that he was 'not told the name of the person' he was meeting, according to 'three sources familiar with the matter' cited by NBC News. That statement from Trump Jr was later undermined by further revelations.

The investigators want to know what the president knew about the meeting and whether he sought to conceal its purpose, the sources said.

The meeting came to light in July, when Trump Jr initially tried to downplay it before it emerged that he had been offered incriminating information about Hillary Clinton by a Russian lawyer, which never materialized.

Special counsel Robert Mueller (pictured) is reportedly investigating President Trump's role in drafting his son's response to revelations about a meeting with a Russian lawyer

Donald Trump Jr (above) met with a Russian lawyer last summer who offered incriminating info on Hillary Clinton, but his initial statement about the meeting said it was about adoption

The meeting occurred last summer in Trump Tower. Present were Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort, who met with Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya and former Soviet intelligence officer Rinat Akhmetshin.

Trump Jr reportedly drafted his initial response to revelations of the meeting on board Air Force One.

It said in part: 'We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow up.'

It later emerged that opposition research on Clinton was a main topic of the meeting.

At the time, President Trump was reported to have had a close role in crafting his son's response. His spokesmen have later said his role was minimal.

The meeting itself has not been clearly tied to any crime, and concealing its purpose in public statements is unlikely to break any laws.

The meeting is not believed to be tied to any criminal act, nor is Trump Jr's statement. Prosecutors could be looking at the incident as 'character' evidence. Pictured: President Trump speaks at a joint press conference at the White House on Monday

However, NBC's sources say that investigators could be interested in the incident as evidence of the president's character, in support of separate criminal charges.

'Even if Trump is not charged with a crime as a result of the statement, it could be useful to Mueller's team to show Trump's conduct to a jury that may be considering other charges,' the person said.

The president's attorney, Ty Cobb, dismissed the notion that there was any criminal act associated with the statement, and defended the statement as true.

The statement 'was not a bible of events leading up to and after the meeting, but it was not untruthful,' he told NBC, pointing to the additional details that Donald Trump Jr and his attorney have since made public.

'It was a simple response to a short request,' said Cobb, and the president's role in crafting the statement was 'minimal.'
A 71-year-old man pulled over earlier this month in Morton County with a reported 183 pounds of marijuana in his vehicle has pleaded not guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled substance with an intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Harold Miller, of Sacramento, Calif., appeared in South Central District Court Monday afternoon. Miller, through his attorney Thomas Glass, waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

According to an affidavit filed in the case against Miller:

On Aug. 8, a North Dakota Highway Patrol trooper stopped Miller, who was driving a Dodge minivan, for following too close to the car in front of him. The trooper pulled over Miller's vehicle at the junction of Bismarck Expressway and the eastbound lane of Interstate 94.

While speaking with Miller, the trooper smelled a "strong odor of raw marijuana."

The trooper noticed Miller, who said he was traveling from California to Illinois, appeared to be nervous. Miller's hands were allegedly shaking, and there appeared to be several black garbage bags covered in blankets in the back seat of the van.

When the trooper asked Miller if he had any marijuana in the vehicle, Miller said he had a small amount in a bag sitting in the passenger's seat.

The trooper took Miller to his patrol car, where he issued Miller a warning for following to close. The trooper then conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle, where he found several vacuum-sealed plastic bags marijuana and a long smoking device.

Miller was placed under arrest and taken to the Burleigh County Detention Center. The marijuana  worth $700,000  and other evidence were secured and logged at the Highway Patrol's office.

Miller is scheduled to go to trial on Oct. 4.
Clint Gutherson may be having the best season of his career on the field, but his form in other areas off-field is certainly lacking.

The Parramatta Eels fullback has been relentlessly mocked on social media after attending a team function in interesting formal attire.

The 22-year-old was photographed on the red carpet prior to the event with his girlfriend.

Clint Gutherson may be having the best season of his career on the field, but his form in other areas off-field is certainly lacking.

The 22-year-old was photographed on the red carpet prior to the event with his girlfriend, wearing a poorly executed tie without a windsor knot

The Parramatta Eels fullback was spotted wearing a poorly executed tie without a windsor knot.

'The only time I have been disappointed with King Guth, this effort with his tie is extremely poor. You're better than this Gutho!!' a fan commented on the image.

He attended the club's annual Ken Thornett Awards night on Monday with his partner, and fans were quick to pull attention to his tie.

The photo was shared on the Parramatta Eels Facebook page, where people first started to notice the cult hero's very untidy tie.

Despite his apparent inability to tie a tie, Gutherson has been fantastic for Parramatta this season. The cult hero is in the top ten for points in the NRL, before injuring his ACL in July

The Parramatta Eels fullback has been relentlessly mocked on social media after attending a team function in interesting formal attire

The photo was shared on the Parramatta Eels Facebook page, where people first started to notice the cult hero's very untidy tie

Memes have already been created to mock the City Origin representative

The Parramatta Eels fullback attended the club's annual Ken Thornett Awards night on Monday with his partner, and fans were quick to pull attention to his tie

The 22-year-old was photographed on the red carpet prior to the event with his girlfriend, wearing a poorly executed tie without a windsor knot

'Someone needs to invest in those elastic ties that stay done up haha' an observer wrote.

'It's like he's always in a rush. Check out the tie effort,' another fan said.

Memes have already been created to mock the City Origin representative.

Gutherson responded to the image through his Twitter account on Tuesday afternoon, saying his public school education was the reason for him not being able to tie a tie.

'For everyone asking about the tie,I have no idea how to do a tie, one of the guys got me a beauty,Kind regards public school kid with no tie,' Gutherson said.

Gutherson responded to the image through his Twitter account on Tuesday afternoon, saying his public school education was the reason for him not being able to tie a tie

Despite his inability to tie a tie, Gutherson has been fantastic for Parramatta this season.

The cult hero is in the top ten for points in the NRL, registering 11 tries and breaking the line 14 times.

He injured his ACL in late July which unfortunately ended his season, vastly impacting the Eels' premiership hopes. They currently sit fourth a week away from the finals.
A judge has asked for more detail about the conditions faced by Muslim inmates in Queensland jails after hearing a refugee who tried to kill his ex-partner was having trouble observing Ramadan.

Muhumed Samow Ali appeared in the Supreme Court in Brisbane today after being convicted of trying to kill his former girlfriend with a machete at Wacol, in Brisbanes south-west, on September 10, 2015.

He was sentenced to 10 years' jail for attempted murder, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, assault and going armed as to cause fear.

Muhumed Samow Ali was sentenced to jail for crimes including attempted murder and assault

Muhumed Samow Ali attempted to kill his former girlfriend with this machete in late 2015

Justice Rosyln Atkinson wanted to hear more detail about the jail conditions faced by Muslims

The Somalian refugee, then 52, drove his car head-on into his 45-year-old ex-partners vehicle near a train station then struck her seven times in the head and back with a machete as she tried to escape. She suffered a fractured skull.

Ali's lawyer, Ben Power, told the court his client suffers from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder due to his experiences in his native Somalia.

Mr Power also told the court Ali was having problems properly observing Islam behind bars and had been teased during his prayers. He had been assaulted in jail.

'The situation is there are also very few Muslims in jail,' Mr Power said, according to The Courier-Mail.

'He has real problems with the food in the jail ... Ramadan is very difficult because they dont make allowances for fasting so he has to store up his food in order to eat it after dusk or dawn in order to observe Ramadan.'

'He says he is often taunted during his required prayers.'

A Queensland inmate has complained he is not able to properly observe Ramadan in prison

Muhumed Ali, who tried to kill his ex-partner, says he has been taunted during Islamic prayers

Muhumed Samow Ali was having difficulty getting halal meals (stock image of Lebanese food)

Ali, who denied trying to kill his ex-partner, also had concerns about the halal status of some prison food.

Justice Roslyn Atkinson had said she wanted more information on the conditions for Muslim prisoners before she sentenced Ali, according to the newspaper.

'Obviously he has the right and he should have the expectation of being able to practise his religion and all that that involves without any difficulty ... including any fasting requirements,' Justice Atkinson said.

'And I would be surprised that he is not allowed to do that.'

Justice Atkinson also said English lessons would help Ali not feel 'so isolated'. Such lessons were not available.

Later in the day Justice Atkinson sentenced Ali to 10 years' jail, dismissing submissions his traumatic experiences fleeing Africa contributed to the attack upon his ex-partner.

'She wanted to end the relationship and she's entitled to do that without the fear of retribution or violence,' Justice Atkinson said, according to 9 News.

'A woman that wants to end a relationship should be protected. The victim did nothing to deserve this kind of violence.'
The New York Police Department is being forced to retire 36,000 smartphones distributed to officers over the past two years because the models have quickly become obsolete, it was reported on Monday.

The city provided the phones to their police officers as part of a $160million initiative that was hailed by Mayor Bill de Blasio as a huge step into the 21st century.

But now officials say that the city erred in choosing to equip the NYPD with Nokia smartphones that run on a Microsoft-backed Windows Phone system instead of the more popular and practical Android software by Google or Apples iOS, the New York Post reported.

Because Microsoft recently announced its decision to stop supporting the operating system, the phones have essentially become useless.

The NYPD will retire 36,000 smartphones purchased just two years ago because they are obsolete, it was reported on Monday. NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Information Technology Jessica Tisch (seen in the above photo in 2016) is being blamed for the error

Now the city is planning to provide its police officers with iPhones, which can be upgraded and thus can maintain a longer shelf life.

NYPD officials quoted by the Post anonymously blame Jessica Tisch, the deputy commissioner for information technology, for making the errant decision.

She drove the whole process, an official told the Post.

'Nobody purchases 36,000 phones based on the judgment of one person.

I dont care if youre Jesus f***ing Christ, you get a panel of experts.

Tisch is being blamed for recommending that NYPD officers be equipped with Nokia phones (like the one above) that operate on the Windows Phone system. Nokia announced earlier this year that it would no longer support Windows Phone

The two models bought by the NYPD were the Lumia 830 (seen above), which was first released in October 2014; and the Lumia 640XL, which came out in March 2015

Tisch reportedly chose the Windows-backed phones because the NYPD was already relying on Microsoft software to run its video surveillance program at the Security Initiative Command Center in Lower Manhattan.

Critics note that the decision to supply police officers with the Microsoft-supported operating system was odd given that Windows Phone had just 2.3 per cent of market share in the U.S. while Android had 65.2 per cent and iOS had 30.9 per cent, according to Digital Trends.

The two models bought by the NYPD were the Lumia 830, which was first released in October 2014; and the Lumia 640XL, which came out in March 2015.

Apple is due to launch its latest iPhone, the iPhone 8, on September 12.

Microsoft announced that its phones would no longer support the Windows Phone system beginning July 11.
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Two million Muslims from around the world have arrived in Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage two years after a deadly stampede killed more than 2,000 worshippers.

Shiite Muslims from Iran returned to Mecca in Saudia Arabia, following the biggest catastrophe in the history of the hajj.

Last year the tragedy killed nearly 2,300 pilgrims with 464 Iranians among the fatalities, leading to officials in Tehran criticising Saudi Arabia's organisation of the pilgrimage.

Two million Muslims from around the world have arrived in Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage two years after a deadly stampede killed more than 2,000 worshippers

Worshippers visit Mount Al-Noor where the Prophet Muhammad received the first words of the Koran in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

The two countries severed diplomatic relations in January 2016 after the Saudi embassy in Tehran was ransacked by a crowd protesting against the execution in the kingdom of a Shiite religious dignitary.

However, neither Iran or its Sunni regional rival, wants to prolong the dispute.

This year's hajj pilgrimage also comes at a time when the Gulf is mired by a political crisis and ISIS continues to fight in Iraq and Syria.

For nearly three months, Saudi Arabia and its allies have faced off against Qatar, which they accuse of being too close to Iran and backing extremism.

A boycott imposed on the small but gas-rich emirate since June 5 has resulted in Qatar's land, sea and air links being badly affected.

This has also had a knock-on effect on hajj-related travel, although Riyadh announced it was relaxing certain restrictions for pilgrims.

In the arrivals hall at Jeddah airport, determined pilgrims walk hastily to avoid losing contact with other members of their group.

Thousands of Muslim worshippers kneel as they pray outside the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia

A group of Muslim worshippers enjoy a drink while they rest during a visit to Mount Al-Noor in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

'I'm so happy to be a part of it this year,' said 43-year-old Nigerian Mohammed Said, in the seamless two-piece white garment or 'ihram' worn by male pilgrims.

'I want to do it every year if I can afford it,' added Said who is in Saudi Arabia for his third hajj.

'Every time it's different -- it's like I'm doing it for the first time.'

The hajj is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith, which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in a lifetime if he or she has the means to do so.

'I'm so excited because many people dream of coming to this place,' said 47-year-old Eni from Indonesia, her face framed in a sand-coloured veil trimmed with lace.

'We feel more religious when we leave this place,' she said.

Muslim prospective Hajj pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the centre of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca

Thousands of Muslims stand in lines as they perform prayers at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca

For author Zeghidour, going on the hajj takes pilgrims to another level altogether.

'The pilgrim has to run, move, and perform several stages' of the ritual.

'It is so physically and mentally demanding that he doesn't have time to think about the crisis in the Gulf. For him this is literature.

'Many pilgrims come from Asia or Africa, far from the Middle East, and they come to a place where they can try to forget their lives back home.'

Murderous jihadist attacks across the world in recent years will be on the minds of many pilgrims, especially those from Iraq and Syria where the ISIS has suffered a series of setbacks.

But the threat from extremists has not put off pilgrims such as Fatima, from Perpignan in southern France.

'I've been waiting to go on this journey for a long time,' she said, wearing a red veil like the other people in her group.
A former Adelaide scout master who engaged in 'repulsively evil criminal acts' has been jailed for more than ten years for abusing two young boys.

Anthony Allan Munro pleaded guilty to ten charges, including some dating back to the 1960s, and was sentenced in court Tuesday.

District Court Judge Paul Slattery described the 72-year-old's actions as 'predatory conduct,' and said they had resulted in inestimable damage.

Anthony Allan Munro (pictured), a former Adelaide scout master who engaged in 'repulsively evil criminal acts,' has been jailed for more than ten years for abusing two young boys

Munro reportedly groomed the boys by offering them financial and other inducements that he knew their parents could not match.

The offending involved a gross breach of trust and occurred over a protracted period, starting when the boy's were as young as 11, the judge said.

The judge also said that Munro had 'violently and repeatedly' abused the boys between 1965 and 1983 and videotaped one of his acts, according to The Advertiser.

'Their lives have been forever compromised by the repulsively evil acts you perpetrated upon them,' Judge Slattery said.

Victim Andrew McIntyre was pictured attending court on Tuesday and said he was saddened by the sentence imposed on Munro

Victim Andrew McIntyre, who agreed to be identified, said he was saddened by the sentence imposed on Munro, calling it too short.

'I'm very disappointed but that's the way it goes... it's not enough.' he told reporters outside court.

Mr McIntyre also said the impact of Munro's offending would not go away.

'Times have changed, we're all aware of these things,' he said. 'When I was a child, it wasn't spoken about. It went on unchecked.'

Judge Slattery initially imposed an 18-year sentence on Munro but reduced it to ten years because of his guilty pleas.

The judge also set a non-parole period of five years and five months.
Prosecution material is still to be filed in the long-running case against a former South Australian midwife charged with the manslaughter of two babies during home births.

Lisa Barrett was charged after a protracted investigation into the deaths of Tully Kavanagh in October 2011 and an unnamed baby in December 2012.

In the first case of its kind, the 50-year-old came before Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday with the court told a significant amount of material had been handed over to the defence.

Lisa Barrett (pictured) was charged after a protracted investigation into the deaths of Tully Kavanagh in October 2011 and an unnamed baby in December 2012

Defence counsel Mark Twiggs told the court that in June Barrett had not been involved with home births for some years and was now studying law at university

But a prosecutor said more material was still to be provided with the court scheduling October 12 for final declarations.

Barrett remains on bail with conditions including she not approach witnesses in the case, not engage in any activities associated with home birthing and not be present at any birth.

She relinquished her midwifery certificate in 2011 but continued to provide some services after that date.

In March 2014 the Health Practitioners Tribunal of South Australia banned her from working as a midwife, including the provision of almost any services to pregnant women and their babies.

Defence counsel Mark Twiggs told the court that in June Barrett had not been involved with home births for some years and was now studying law at university.

The 50-year-old came before Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday with the court told a significant amount of material had been handed over to the defence
Pauline Hanson has suggested Muslim women are paid to wear the burqa after a Swiss academic backed her stance on the Islamic garment and said 'the burqa is not Islamic'.

Dr Elham Manea, from the University of Zurich, said the burqa originated in Saudi Arabia and was made popular with oil money in the 1970s.

Senator Hanson, who leads One Nation, said the burqa was a political symbol and not a religious one.

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Senator Hanson, who leads One Nation, said the burqa was a political symbpl and not a religious one

Speaking on 2GB radio on Tuesday, Ms Hanson said she believed Muslim women in Australia would support the banishment of the burqa.

'Look, there are women here who I really do believe would really love us to bring in laws that they don't have to wear the burqa anymore,' she said.

'But they're actually controlled by their husbands and their fathers and brothers and they have to do it.

'And I do believe that, what I've heard is, there are women getting paid to wear the burqa.'

Ms Hanson's comment comes after Muslim scholar and human rights advisor Associate Professor Elham Manea (pictured right) said the burqa was not a garment of faith

Dr Manea (pictured right) said the veiled garment was not worn by women outside of Nejd until Saudi Arabia's Wahabi regime came to power in the late 1970s

Ms Hanson's comment comes after Muslim scholar and human rights advisor Associate Professor Elham Manea said the burqa was not a garment of faith.

'The burqa is not Islamic,' she told the ABC.

Dr Manea said the veiled garment was not worn by women outside of Nejd until Saudi Arabia's Wahabi regime came to power in the late 1970s.

With Gulf money, she said the burka turned into an 'Islamic' tradition.

Dr Manea, a Swiss-Yemeni citizen, said Senator Hansons burqa-wearing stunt should not have been so harshly condemned by her peers in the Senate

While Dr Manea did not align her beliefs with those of Ms Hanson (pictured), she said the burqa was a sign of segregation, separation and the rejection of modern day values

Dr Manea, a Swiss-Yemeni citizen, said Senator Hansons burqa-wearing stunt should not have been so harshly condemned by her peers in the Senate.

She said conversation surrounding the burqa was hugely important.

'To tell me that by talking about the burqa we are hurting the feelings of the Muslims is not only inaccurate, with all due respect, it's almost racist,' she said.

While she did not align her beliefs with those of Ms Hanson, she said the burqa was a sign of segregation, separation and the rejection of modern day values.

'(It reflects) a culture that treats woman as a sexualised object that has to be covered,' she said.
Supersonic-speeding pods that could get you from Sydney to Melbourne in less than an hour just had their first test run.

Elon Musk shared footage of a passenger capsule travelling along a 1.2km fully vacuum-sealed 'hyperloop' tunnel in seconds.

The effort by Munich's Technical University's WARR team reached 324km/h, finishing second in a hyperloop competition sponsored by Mr Musk's SpaceX company.

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Supersonic-speeding pods that could get you from Sydney to Melbourne in less than an hour just had their first test run

The journey time would eclipse the three hours predicted for high-speed rail linking the state capitals

Elon Musk shared footage of a passenger capsule travelling along a 1.2km fully vacuum-sealed 'hyperloop' tunnel in seconds

The tech billionaire said the technology would eventually allow for travel at 1,200km/h, and RMIT engineers already have a plan for a 53-minute route between Australia's two biggest cities.

The journey time would eclipse the three hours predicted for high-speed rail linking the state capitals.

VicHyper chief executive Zac McLelland in June claimed the loop could be built within five years for about $40 billion.

Passengers would sit in pods which would then be accelerated with magnets.

Connecting Sydney and Melbourne would create a 'mega-region' with the area in between turned into an economic powerhouse.

White-knuckle footage from Mr Musk's competition shows a pod-view perspective of the run through the test tube, as it accelerates to staggering speeds.

Eventually, Musk said the system could even 'go supersonic'  but, the ride will be much smoother, meaning 'no spilt drinks'.

He also reassured his Twitter followers the strobe lights in the video were only for testing purposes, and said the passenger version would also have more comfortable levels of acceleration.

'Might be possible to go supersonic in our test Hyperloop tube, even though it's only 0.8 miles long. Very high accel/decel needed'

VicHyper chief executive Zac McLelland in June claimed the loop between Melbourne and Sydney could be built within five years for about $40 billion

Passengers would travel in pods (similar to the one pictured) and would revolutionize travel within Australia

'Btw (by the way), high accel only needed because tube is short. For passenger transport, this can be spread over 20+ miles, so no spilt drinks.'

'Will run the SpaceX pusher sled later this week and see what it can do,' Musk tweeted a few hours later.

Though Mr Musk champions the technology he isn't actually developing it, rather leaving the concept as open source for anyone to work on.

He does own The Boring Company, which builds high-speed underground tunnel s for vehicles - and potentially hyperloop pods - to move through.

The company just gained approval to build a 3.2km test tunnel near its Los Angeles headquarters, 13 metres below ground.

The dry run will prove whether the plan will actually work  and, if it doesn't, the city can request the tunnel is filled with concrete or soil.

The tech boss took to social media this week to share the tunnel's progress, revealing it is now big enough to fit a Tesla Model S.

The footage came from the second Hyperloop competition. The winning team, WARR Hyperloop, managed to hit over 200 miles per hour in the test track

The tech boss took to social media to share progress on his traffic-beating tunnel beneath Los Angeles, revealing it is now big enough to fit a Tesla Model S. Musk was given the green light last week to built a two-mile-long test track under the city

Musk's other radical transportation system made progress this weekend as well, as the firm wrapped up its second Hyperloop competition. The winning pod from WARR Hyperloop is shown above

'Just installed steel skeleton of the car/pod elevator. Should be operating next week', the SpaceX founder tweeted today, with a five second video of the site.

This marks a major step in Musk's plans to build a transport network beneath the city.

He recently completed the first successful test of the passenger pod, marking what he said was the debut of 'the dawn of a new era of transportation'.

The Hyperloop One XP-1, the company's first-generation pod, accelerated for 300 meters and glided above the track using magnetic levitation before braking and coming to a gradual stop.

Several firms including Hyperloop One (pictured) are already building test tracks using Elon Musk's technology. Now, it appears Musk is set to build one himself

During phase 2 on July 29th, Hyperloop One achieved record speeds, in a tube depressurized down to the equivalent of air at 200,000 feet above sea level. Pictured, the view from an on board camera during the test

Elon Musk says he has 'verbal government approval' to build an underground tunnel to transport passengers between New York and Washington DC in just 29 minutes

WHAT IS HYPERLOOP? Hyperloop is a proposed method of travel that would transport people at roughly 700mph between distant locations. It was unveiled by Elon Musk in 2013, who at the time said it could take passengers the 380 miles (610km) from LA to San Francisco in 30 minutes - half the time it takes a plane. It is essentially a long tube that has had the air removed to create a vacuum. The tube is suspended off the ground to protect against weather and earthquakes. As several firms vie to create the first operational Hyperloop, Elon Musk's vision of a radical transport system that could ferry passengers above land at 760 miles per hour continues to inch closer to reality Advertisement

Along with the announcement of the ground-breaking test, the firm has also revealed a look at the XP-1 vehicle  the pod that will soon be used for full systems tests. It has a carbon fiber and aluminium aeroshell with a levitating chassis, for 'suspension, lift, guidance and propulsion'

In a test that lasted just 5.3 seconds, the vehicle managed to hit 70 miles per hour using just 100 feet of the motor at the DevLoop test track in Nevada.

While it's a far cry from the 760 miles per hour proponents of the Hyperloop boast it will one day achieve, the firm says the test marks an important milestone ahead of the completion of the linear motor, as 'the longer the motor, the faster we can go.'

The tweet follows images released in June showing the Boring Company's own underground electric buses that it plans to use in the tunnels.

The vehicles, based on the same 'electric sled' that owners will drive their cars onto, have space for seated and standing passengers.

They are mainly glass - even through they are designed to travel underground.

Musk has come under fire repeatedly from experts claiming the tunnels are impractical and would be impossible to implement.

But in June, the firm published an FAQ on its website outlining how it plans to achieve his vision.

'The key to making this work is increasing tunnelling speed and dropping costs by a factor of 10 or more  this is the goal of the Boring Company,' it says.

'Unlike flying cars, tunnels are weatherproof, out of sight and won't fall on your head,' it explains.

'A large network of road tunnels many levels deep would fix congestion in any city, no matter how large it grew (just keep adding levels).'

Musk recently said he had 'verbal government approval' to build an underground tunnel to transport passengers between New York and Washington DC in just 29 minutes.

Musk tweeted the tunnel will run via Philadelphia and Baltimore, and use his Hyperloop technology.

If completed, it would become the world's longest tunnel.

Critics have slammed the plan as completely unrealistic as it would require a mass of permits and huge disruption as hundreds of tunnels and access 'lifts' are dug.

However, Musk says the area is ripe for innovation.

'Currently, tunnels are really expensive to dig, with some projects costing as much as $1 billion per mile,' the new FAQ says.

'In order to make a tunnel network feasible, tunnelling costs must be reduced by a factor of more than 10.'

The key to this is smaller tunnels that can be dug more quickly, the FAQ says.

'To build a one-lane road tunnel, the tunnel diameter must be approximately 28 feet.

'By placing vehicles on a stabilized electric sled, the diameter can be reduced to less than 14 feet.

Reducing the diameter in half reduces tunnelling costs by 3-4 times.

'Secondly, increase the speed of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM).

'TBMs are super slow.

'A snail is effectively 14 times faster than a soft-soil TBM.

'Our goal is to defeat the snail in a race.'

Musk envisions a new breed of smaller, more powerful TBMs with triple the power of current machines that can tunnel continuously, making 'hyperloop' technology a feasible option for Australia.
A father has pleaded guilty to murdering his nine-year-old son.

Graham Stuart Dillon, 38, pleaded guilty to six charges, including inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault and choking Bradyn until he became unconscious at their home in Canberra's north, Nine News reports.

The little boy's family cried in court on Tuesday after hearing his father admit to the murder.

The youngster's body was found injured in a home in Jacka in February last year.

Graham Stuart Dillon (left) has pleaded guilty to murdering his nine-year-old son Bradyn (right)

He was transported to hospital, where he later died of brain injuries after being repeatedly hit in the head in separate incidents.

Court papers revealed Bradyn was subjected to horrific abuse over a lengthy period of time.

According to Nine News, he was punched in the stomach, thrown against a wall and burnt with cigarettes in the months leading up to his death.

Bradyn sustained 60 injuries to Bradyn's head and body  which according to the papers, were punished for 'real or imagined infraction of discipline.'

On the night of the little boy's death, Dillon accused his son of stealing lollies.

The documents also state that Dillon made unsuccessful attempts to revive the little boy, but didn't call emergency services.

But he did search Google on what to do if someone was knocked unconscious, then went shopping online and watched pornography.

Dillon had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges and was set to face trial in October. He will now be sentenced in December.
Ten offensive place names in Queensland which symbolise Australia's shockingly racist past will be wiped from the map.

After concern was raised about N****rs Bounce, south-west of Townsville, the Natural Resources and Mines Department launched a review into location names across the state.

Nine others - Mount N****r, N****r Head and seven instances of N****r Creek - were found to be 'similarly offensive' and will be scrapped and renamed.

Ten offensive place names in Queensland which symbolise Australia's appallingly racist past will be wiped from the map (stock image)

They have yet to be given new names and their old ones will still appear on historical maps, plans and records.

The changes come amid debate in Australia over colonial-era statues, with critics calling for greater acknowledgement of the role of Aborigines in the nation's history.

Indigenous Australian cultures stretch back tens of thousands of years before early European settlers.

While not carrying quite the same weight as in the US, the N-word remains highly offensive and derogatory to indigenous Australians and minorities of African descent.

Concern was raised about N****rs Bounce, south-west of Townsville, before nine others - Mount N****r, N****r Head and seven instances of N****r Creek - were found to be 'similarly offensive'

'We welcome the removal of those names since the N-word is an unmistakably racial slur and a potent symbol of slavery, white supremacy and violence,' Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich said.

'It is rooted in hate, and has often been employed to dehumanise and to perpetuate demeaning stereotypes.'

Keppel MP Brittany Lauga has called for other place names in Queensland to be changed because of their racist origins, including Mount Jim Crow and Mount Wheeler.
The American Red Cross Dakotas Region is planning to host informational sessions early next week for volunteers interested in deploying to Texas and Louisiana to respond to Hurricane Harvey.

These sessions will be held Monday and Tuesday in Minot and Bismarck. Lynn Speral, CEO for the American Red Cross Dakotas Region, said the goal is to determine how many people are interested in volunteering and to provide general information on training required to become a Red Cross volunteer.

"We dont send people there without making sure theyre trained," Speral said.

Twenty-two volunteers from the Dakotas Region  which represents North Dakota, South Dakota and 10 counties in northwest Minnesota  have been sent to the Houston area to assist in relief efforts, including helping at the shelters that have taken in thousands of people who have been displaced due to the storm.

"Right now, were still in a rescue mode there, and so (were) still making sure that the authorities and the first responders are finding people who need help, and then those people and the others who have been displaced are going to shelters," Speral said.

The Red Cross estimated on Tuesday there are more than 17,000 people in Texas seeking refuge in shelters, according to the Associated Press. Houston and the surrounding area have been pounded by torrential rains since Friday. More than 30 inches of rain has fallen, and nearly 2 feet more is expected.

Volunteers for the Dakotas Region left Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, Speral said. Some volunteers packed into four emergency response vehicles to drive to Texas.

Speral said they will spend a maximum of two weeks in the area, so additional volunteers are needed to continue to provide relief for "many weeks, if not many months."

"These folks are spending 10-hour work days and then theyre sleeping on cots just like the people displaced from their homes, and so it is taxing," she said. "We want to make sure that our volunteers are getting a respite, so they have to come back and get some rest, and then they can redeploy, but we dont allow people to stay beyond the two-week time period."

Informational sessions will be held Monday at 5:30 p.m. in Minot, located at the Red Cross office, 2021 4th Ave N.W., and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Bismarck Red Cross office, 4007 State St. For more information, call the American Red Cross Dakotas Region at 701-364-1800.

For those who can't volunteer, you can donate at www.redcross.org or send checks directly to the American Red Cross Dakotas Region at 2602 12th St. N., Fargo 58102. Text the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

United Blood Services Dakotas is also asking for blood donations to help with shortages due to Harvey. Visit www.bloodhero.com or call 877-827-4376 to schedule an appointment.
Racial tensions are close to boiling over in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, after the father of dead Aboriginal teen, Elijah Doughty, is arrested on the eve of the one-year anniversary of his son's death.

Elijah was 14 when he was killed, after a white man knocked him off the road, after giving chase to the school boy who had taken off on a stolen motorbike.

The boy's death caused a major race riot on the gold town - but the Aboriginal community were asked to let the legal system do its job.

Darryl Doughty, pictured here with son Elijah, in happier times - has been charged with assaulting a security guard the day before the one-year anniversary of his son's death

Elijah, pictured, was killed on August last year after the stolen bike he was riding was knocked off the road

The simmering tension once again built up after the man accused of killimng the boy was acquitted of manslaughter - and jailed for three years after being found guilty of dangerous driving instead.

Now - a year on from the young boy's death - the community are screaming about racial injustice again - as a video of Darryl Doughty, 42, being arrested emerges online.

A witness to the man's arrest told Daily Mail Australia his young children were forced to watch on, crying, as their father was lead to the back of a police wagon.

The witness said she saw the father in handcuffs outside the Kalgoorlie Court House on Monday - on the eve of the first anniversary of Elijah's death.

She claimed the arrest was 'targeted racism'.

'He's at the court house, serco (Court Security and Custodial Officer) antagonise him very much in his face, he shrugs them off, they get quite physical, he tries to defend himself, other police run in and pretty much seven men made up of serco and police officers punch into him knocking him to the ground kicking him, all in front of his little children,' the witness claimed.

But police claim the alleged altercation began at about 9.10am as the man was entering the courthouse.

'The man was subject to a security search with a metal detector wand by a male Court Security and Custodial Officer. The man failed to comply with the search and left the building,' police said.

'He was seen by the male officer to act aggressively towards a member of the public.

The incident caused a race riot on the gold mining town with the local Aboriginal community rising up against authorities after the death

Elijah was 14 when he was killed, after a white man knocked him off the road, after giving chase to the school boy who had taken off on a stolen motorbike.

Darryl Doughty, pictured, being placed in the back of a police car on Monday

'He was instructed to leave, before he allegedly spat at the officer.

'As he was being apprehended by the officer, he allegedly assaulted him to his face causing minor injuries.'

Police will also allege Mr Doughty assaulted a female security officer to the face, also causing minor injuries.

'Police were called to attend the scene and arrested the man without incident,' they said.

A witness to the man's dramatic arrest posted a video online, showing the father handcuffed and head-bowed heading to the back of a police wagon.

The footage sparked outrage in the community.

'Need to get white observer's out there to gard (sic) the mob out there its a powder keg out there and our mob out there are sitting ducks need independent media and numbers fast,' said one supporter.

'Kalgoorlie police for ya nothing but racist dawgs!,' Jayden Doughty, a relative, wrote.

But some would-be-supporters were critical of the video.

'Kalgoorlie police for ya nothing but racist dawgs!,' Jayden Doughty, a relative, wrote.

Members of the Kalgoorlie City Football Club pay their respects to Elijah Doughty following his death last year

'Please provide actual proof of the bashing! Not trying to sound non comformative here but I seen no blood, no brushing nothing on him! Except the fact there is DETECTIVES AROUND HIM!!!

'So obviously not a simple "fine " as you say because detectives do not get their hands dirty unless they have to. Please don't cry wolf!! It will ruin all credibility for the actual facts that needed to be pushed to help make the changes,' one woman wrote.

'Don't let facts get in the way of a good uprising. It kills the buzz,' another replied.

'Come on give him a break this family have been through enough,' said another supporter.

Elijah Doughty, pictured as a young boy, before his death in August 2016

There have been many tense periods between the community and authorities since the boy's death

'Come on give him a break this family have been through enough,' said another supporter

There have been many tense periods between the community and authorities since the boy's death.

Protesters rubbed ochre on the windows of the Supreme Court of NSW on Monday to vent their anger over what they say is a light sentence for the man accused of killing the Aboriginal teenager.

The man was acquitted for manslaughter and sentenced to three years behind bars after hitting Elijah Doughty, 14, with his ute in August 2016.

Hand prints, finger marks and the words 'justice' and 'Elijah' appeared in a burnt red on the glass as a large crowd bearing placards turned out to vent their frustration.

One woman threw ochre on the steps of the courthouse.

'This is the blood of Aboriginal people, don't wait for this to be your children's,' a protester screamed, as she listed the names of Aboriginal people who had died in custody.

'The blood is on the Commonwealth,' she said.
A woman has taken to social media to take up the 'fight' to 'manspreading' by posting an image claiming a man is taking up too much of the seat.

The Sydney woman posted the image to Twitter accusing the man of hogging the two-person seat on a bus on Tuesday afternoon.

She claims she can 'barely fit' on the seat and nearly falls off every time the vehicle turns.

'(Can barely sit and fall when the bus is turning) I've decided to fight manspreading in the bus by putting these people in the open #manspreading #bus381 #leavingbondijuctionat1350' the disgruntled passenger wrote.

A woman has taken to social media to take up the 'fight' to 'manspreading' by posting an image claiming a man is taking up too much of the seat

The alleged 'manspreading' occurred on the 381 bus between Bondi Junction and Bondi Beach at about 1:50pm

The alleged 'manspreading' occurred on the 381 bus between Bondi Junction and Bondi Beach at about 1:50pm.

The woman received dozens of replies, with some supporting her crusade.

'I don't know why other men often feel the need to do this, didn't know it had a name. Not sure the post will help but it's definitely real and definitely annoying,' a man agreed.

The woman received dozens of replies, with some supporting her crusade

However, many disagreed with the post saying the woman overreacted

However, many disagreed with the post saying the woman overreacted.

'Instead of b***hing over FB why not ask him to move,' one person wrote.

'Have you tried to ask him to sit properly,' another Facebook user asked.

'Fighting manspreading by posting an unidentifiable photo of some guy you could have politely asked to sit differently,' said another.
Two RAF Typhoon jets have joined 800 British troops in Estonia to support a Nato operation to deter Russian aggression in the Baltic.

The aircraft have been deployed to train and work with UK personnel on the ground, as well as Estonian allies, in the face of increasing Russian aggression.

The deployment of British troops to the country was announced in 2016 following continued concerns about Russian activity after its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

The two Typhoons (file photo) have been deployed to train and work with UK personnel on the ground, as well as Estonian allies, in the face of increasing Russian aggression

This map shows Estonia, where Nato forces have been deployed to deter aggression from Russia

Around 120 soldiers from the 5th Battalion The Rifles landed at the Amari airbase, 25 miles south-west of the capital Tallinn, in March.

The first batch will set up a UK headquarters in the country before the rest arrived a month later.

Sir Michael said: 'Since last year's Warsaw Summit, the UK is stepping up its commitment to Nato, nowhere more clearly than in the Baltic States.

'Nato's presence on land, sea and air is vital to secure peace and prosperity.

'We are there, standing shoulder to shoulder with our allies in the face of any potential threats thereby demonstrating our unwavering commitment to the security of Europe.'

There are currently over 1,000 British troops deployed across the Baltic region, while the Royal Navy is taking part in Nato training exercises.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, seen outside Downing Street in June 2017, said the UK was stepping up its commitment to Nato

They will work alongside French and Danish forces to 'deter any form of hostile activity against the Alliance'.

Squadron Leader Paul Hanson is a Typhoon pilot based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

He said: 'The RAF Typhoons are no stranger to the Baltics, we have conducted air policing to secure Nato airspace in the region a number of times in recent years.

'On this occasion, we will be working closely with the British Army and our Allies to improve inter-operability.'

The Typhoons, which have just returned from a deployment to Romania, will be greeted in Estonia by armed forces minister Mark Lancaster.

Britain is taking a leading role in the Estonia Battlegroup, while other nations are deploying troops to Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

The UK and Estonia have a long history of defence cooperation.

In November 1918 a Royal Navy squadron was deployed to the region to support the independence of the Baltic states.
Police are investigating the alleged rape of a British tourist by a taxi driver working in the upmarket Costa del Sol resort of Puerto Banus.

The distressed holidaymaker told officers he forced himself on her after taking her to waste ground instead of leaving her at her hotel.

She took the cab after deciding to leave friends she was out partying with and return to the unnamed hotel around 4am on Sunday.

It comes just a day after a 19-year-old Scottish woman was gang-raped by one of her friends and two of his friends on a beach in Magaluf at 1am Saturday.

The upmarket port town of Puerto Banus in the Costa del Sol where the latest rape happened

The latest victim has been unable to give police a proper description of the man she says raped her, or any detailed information about the car he was driving including his taxi number.

She alerted detectives after being abandoned in an unidentified street near her hotel.

Police have so far revealed few details about their ongoing investigation, although sources described the holidaymaker as British and said she was in her twenties.

She is thought to have flown back home since reporting the incident while police continue their hunt for the suspect.

Police insiders say they are taking her complaint 'very seriously' and have described her as being in a 'state of shock' when she informed them what had happened.

No arrests have yet been made and it is understood the police investigation is being slowed down by the woman's memory lapses due to the alcohol she had consumed.

The Punta Ballena strip is the most popular part of the tourist resort (file image)

The Punta Ballena strip in Magaluf, where a woman says she was raped on a beach (file image)

News of the Puerto Banus incident comes after a Scottish tourist reported being gang-raped by three men in the Majorcan party resort of Magaluf.

It emerged yesterday she had shown investigators a photo of one of her alleged attackers believed to have been on her mobile phone.

The 19-year-old told officers she agreed to go to a beach near the party strip of Punta Ballena with one of the men - but was raped by him and two uninvited pals around 1am on Saturday.

She said she had called out for help while she was being forced to have sex but no-one came to help her.

DNA tests are being performed on her clothes to try to extract evidence.

The nationalities of the alleged offenders has not been revealed, although they are thought to be British.

Civil Guard officers in Majorca confirmed this morning they had yet to make any arrests.

A spokesman for National Police covering the Puerto Banus area, speaking of the latest incident, said: 'We are investigating a complaint of a sexual attack.

'We are not giving out any details about the complainant for obvious reasons. All I can say is that she is foreign.'
A North Korea expert who became internet famous after his children interrupted his interview earlier this year has returned to TV to give his analysis on Kim Jong-un's latest missile launch - but this time his kids stayed off the screen.

Professor Robert Kelly spoke to Bloomberg on Tuesday calling Tuesday's missile launch over Japan a signal that 'North Korea could retaliate against Japanese civilians, as well as South Korea and the Americans'.

Kelly, 44, made headlines in March after his two children burst into his office while he was on BBC answering questions on the South Korea's president, Park Geun-hye, being ousted from power.

Professor Robert Kelly called Tuesday mornings missile launch over Japan a signal that North Korea could retaliate against Japanese civilians, as well as South Korea and the Americans

The associate professor of Political Science at Pusan National University in Busan is using his Korea expertise to explain why Kim Jong-un fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload over Japan before it splashed into the northern Pacific Ocean on Tuesday

Here's what analysts are saying about Japan and U.S. options after North Korea fires latest rocket https://t.co/HQiZbAXQqI pic.twitter.com/toeBhlpNpg  Bloomberg Politics (@bpolitics) August 29, 2017

Prof Kelly, an Ohio native, said he usually locked the door of his study but he had forgotten, and his daughter Marion swaggered in, wearing a bright yellow sweater.

He said he gamely tried to continue with the interview but then nine-month-old James tottered into the room. 'Then I knew it was over,' he said.

To complete the farce, his wife Jung-a Kim then came skidding through the door.

She grabbed the two youngsters and attempted to drag them out of the door, but one of them could be heard wailing and the baby's walker got stuck in the door.

Now the associate professor of Political Science at Pusan National University in Busan is using his Korea expertise to explain why Kim Jong-un fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload over Japan before it splashed into the northern Pacific Ocean on Tuesday.

The aggressive missile launch - likely the longest ever from the North - over the territory of a close US ally sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.

Kelly said: 'The news in the last couple of weeks has been North Korea's ability to strike the United States, and it's been well known for a long time that North Korea could do a great deal of damage to South Korea.

'And this is North Korea's way of saying "We also can hit Japan", which hasn't gotten much press recently. And of course striking Japan would be any part of retaliatory package if there was an American strike on the North Korean missile program.

'So this is a way for North Korea to threaten Japanese civilians to convince the Americans and South Koreans not to attack North Korea over the nuclear program.'

How far would missile have to travel from Pyongyang to reach the rest of the world? US Naval Base in Guam: 2,114 miles (3,402 km) Hawaii: 4,727 miles (7,670 km) London (over mainland Europe): 5,379 miles (8,657 km) San Francisco: 5,588 miles (8,993 km) Los Angeles: 5,935 miles (9,551 km) New York: 6,783 miles (10,916 km) Washington, DC: 6,857 miles (11,035 km) Advertisement

A highly respected expert on South Korean politics, Prof Kelly has written for outlets including Foreign Affairs, The European Journal Of International Relations and The Economist.

He earned his bachelors degree in political science from the University of Miami and completed his PhD at Ohio State.

Kelly moved to Korea in 2008, and married Jung-a Kim, a former yoga teacher who is now a stay-at-home mother to their two children, Marion, four, and James, nine-months.

Kelly said that the more it looks like North Korea can do 'damage to people' who have nothing to do with the conflict, 'the more dangerous and risky it becomes to strike North Korea'.

'North Korea is really vulnerable to an American strike,' Kelly said. 'Its primary way of preventing that strike is its ability to damage the region locally, and that means the conventional threat to South Korea, but also a missile threat to Japan and now a nuclear missile threat to the continental United States.

'North Korea's best option to prevent any kind of regime change assault is to threaten massive civilian casualties in the United States, South Korea and Japan, and that's what I think this was today, showing that you could do that to the Japanese.'

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) and reached a maximum height of 550 kilometers (341 miles) as it traveled over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Living in fear: South Koreans watch file footage of a North Korean missile launch, at a railway station in Seoul after the North fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean

The missile broke into three pieces off the coast of Hokkaido and landed in the North Pacific Ocean, around 700 miles east of Cape Erimo

The distance and type of missile test seemed designed to show that North Korea can back up a threat to target the U.S. territory of Guam, if it chooses to do so, while also establishing a potentially dangerous precedent that could see future missiles flying over Japan.

Any new test worries Washington and its allies because it presumably puts the North a step closer toward its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States. Tuesday's test, however, looks especially aggressive to Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.

The North has conducted launches at an unusually fast pace this year - 13 times, Seoul says - and some analysts believe Pyongyang could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of President Donald Trump's first term in early 2021.

Seoul says that while the North has twice before fired rockets it said were carrying satellites over Japan - in 1998 and 2009 - it has never before used a ballistic missile, which is unambiguously designed for military strikes.

The North also chose not to fire its most recent missile at a lofted angle, as it did in previous launches to avoid other countries.

The South Korean military was analyzing whether the North had launched the Hwasong-12, a new intermediate-range missile that Pyongyang recently threatened to fire into waters near Guam, which hosts a major U.S. military base that the North considers a threat.

Response: A bomb hits a mock target at the Pilseung Firing Range in Gangwon-do, South Korea on Tuesday as the South continues military drills

Tuesday's missile landed nowhere near Guam, but firing a Hwasong-12 (Hwasong is Korean for Mars, or Fire Star) so soon after the Guam threat may be a way for the North to show it could follow through if it chose to do so. Guam is 3,400 kilometers (2,112 miles) away from North Korea, but South Korea's military said the North may have fired the most recent missile at a shorter range.

Japanese officials made the usual strongly worded condemnations of the launch. There were no immediate tweets from Trump.

'We will do our utmost to protect people's lives,' Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. 'This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat.'

Tokyo said there was no reported damage from the missile, which Japan's NHK TV said separated into three parts.

Residents on Hokkaido were warned of a North Korean missile launch by a 'J-Alert' on their cellphones, with loud alarms and an email that told people to stay indoors. A radio speaker broadcast an alert saying 'missile is passing, missile is passing.'

Tuesday's launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

Under Kim Jong-un (pictured on Saturday), Pyongyang has made rapid strides in its ballistic missile technology in violation of UN resolutions and threats of 'fire and fury' from Trump

South Korea's Foreign Ministry warned that the North will face a strong response from the US-South Korean alliance if what it called nuclear and missile provocations continue.

The ministry also urged Pyongyang to accept talks over its nuclear program and acknowledge that abandoning its nuclear ambitions is the only way to guarantee its security and economic development.

In an unusual move, South Korea's military released footage of its own missile tests it says were conducted last week.

The videos showed two types of new missiles with ranges of 800 kilometers (497 miles) and 500 kilometers (310 miles) being fired from truck-mounted launchers during three tests conducted on Aug. 24.

South Korea's Agency for Defense Development said the launches represented the last flight test for the longer-range missile before it is operationally deployed.

Such missiles, which would be the latest additions to South Korea's Hyumoo family of missiles, are considered key components of the so-called 'kill chain' pre-emptive strike capability that the South is pursuing to counter the North's nuclear and missile threat.

South Korea also said its air force conducted a live-fire drill involving four F-15 fighters dropping eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field near the country's eastern coast.

Yoon Young-chan, chief press secretary of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said the exercise was conducted after Moon directed the military to 'display a strong capability to punish' the North if need be.
An adopted woman has launched a last-ditch effort to track down her birth mother who left her in the hospital more than 40 years ago thinking she would die.

Carolyn Jones, who now lives in Henderson, Nevada, was born at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington in 1973 three months early and weighing just 1lb and 10oz.

She was abandoned at the hospital by her mother Patricia Ross, who was around 19 years old at the time, after doctors told her the premature baby had little chance of survival.

An adopted woman has launched a last-ditch effort to track down her birth mother who left her in the hospital more than 40 years ago thinking she had died. Pictured, Carolyn Jones in her viral Facebook video

Carolyn (with her son Atlas), who now lives in Henderson, Nevada, was born at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington in 1973 three months early weighing just 1lb and 10oz

Police tried to track down the mother by visiting her listed address  a squat in Westbourne Park, West London  but the occupants had never heard of Patricia.

And now the 44-year-old, who was adopted by a family from Maidenhead, Berkshire, who moved her to America, is trying to reconnect with her long-lost birth mother.

In a viral Facebook video that has been viewed more than one million times, Carolyn said: 'My name is Carolyn Yvonne Ross. I was born on March 28 1973 at St Mary's Hospital in London, England.

'I only weighed 1 pound 10 ounces and was three months early. The doctor told my mom I would not survive so she left the hospital and never returned (thinking I died).

She was abandoned at the hospital by her mother Patricia Ross, who was around 19 years old at the time, after doctors told her the premature baby had little chance of survival. Pictured left, Carolyn and husband Robert on their wedding day

'The police looked for her but never found anything. I was later adopted and moved to the USA in 1980.

'I have tried EVERYTHING to find her. In the last 14 years I have tried to locate her [using] Google, two DNA tests, contacting a medium, hours upon Facebook... and private investigators.

'I do not think she knows I am alive but here I am waiting, hoping, wishing every day. This is my last shot.

'Her name is a very common one in the UK but someone has to know her. This is the info that was on my certificate: Patricia or Pat Ross from Newcastle Upon Tyne, approx. 19 yo in 1973.

'Please, please share my story. Help my find my birth mom  the missing piece.'

In a viral Facebook video, Carolyn said: 'My name is Carolyn Yvonne Ross. I was born on March 28 1973 at St Mary's Hospital (pictured in the 1970s) in London, England'

Carolyn, who is married to Robert Polk and has a 14-year-old son called Atlas, is also raising money to help fund a trip to the UK to trace her birth mother

Carolyn, who is married to Robert Polk and has a 14-year-old son called Atlas, is also raising money to help fund a trip to the UK to trace her birth mother.

She wrote: 'I believe the only thing left is to go to the UK and search on foot, not from a computer - this trip would be my last hope.'

Carolyn told The Mirror: 'I would desperately like to find my mother and tell her that I did survive and I am still alive.'

'I'm Carolyn Jones now but she is still my mother and I kept the name she gave me all those years ago.

'Of course I have lots of questions, such as if I'd survived would she have still given me up? There's no father's name on the birth certificate.'
Theresa May today warned North Korea to expect new international sanctions after its 'outrageous' missile test over Japan.

Mrs May, who is flying to Tokyo tonight, 'strongly condemned' the 'illegal' launch of the ballistic rocket from the rogue state.

Downing Street confirmed Britain would take part in an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council in New York tonight.

Further economic sanctions are expected to be discussed, No 10 said, in a renewed bid by the international community to pile on the pressure.

Mrs May's trip to Japan is going ahead as planned despite the new missile test.

North Korea's overnight test saw a ballistic missile fired over Japan and into the Pacific, triggering air raid warnings and international alarm.

Theresa May (pictured in Downing Street today) flies into the eye of the North Korean storm today as she embarks on a visit to Japan

Mr Johnson (pictured in Downing Street today) said the missile launch was a 'reckless provocation' by the North Korean regime

Speaking from Downing Street today, Mrs May condemned the 'illegal' launch by North Korea.

She said: 'I'm absolutely clear that the trip to Japan will go ahead. It gives me the opportunity to sit down with prime minister Abe and discuss the action North Korea has taken.

'As I say, these are illegal tests, we strongly condemn them and we will be working with Japan and other international partners to ensure pressure is put on North Korea.'

She added: 'This action by North Korea is reckless provocation, these are illegal tests and we strongly condemn them.

'There will be an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council later this afternoon and we will continue to work with our international partners to put pressure on North Korea to stop these illegal tests and of course, I will have the opportunity in my visit to Japan over the next few days to be discussing these issues with prime minister Abe.'

Earlier, Mrs May's official spokeswoman said: 'There is an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council later today at which the UK will be represented.'

She added: 'There was a round of sanctions agreed unanimously in early August. We expect that new sanctions will be discussed at the UNSC later today.'

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson earlier condemned the action and Mrs May will face questions about her response on arrival.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has condemned the action and Mrs May will face questions about her response on arrival

Mrs May will be received by Emperor Akihito and Mr Abe when she lands in Japan tomorrow.

Mr Johnson tweeted: 'Outraged at reckless provocation by North Korea. Strongly condemn latest illegal missile launch by DPRK.'

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters: 'We will do our utmost to protect people's lives.

'This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat.'

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (pictured responding to the missile launch overnight) is due to receive Mrs May in Tokyo tomorrow. He has condemned the launch

Residents on Hokkaido were warned of a possible missile launch by a mobile phone message which told people to seek shelter in a 'sturdy building or basement'.

Japanese officials said the missile flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and landed in the Pacific Ocean. There was no damage to ships or anything else reported. Japan's NHK TV said the missile separated into three parts.

The launch comes amid heightened tension in East Asia after North Korea threatened to fire missiles towards the American territory of Guam.

The launch happened after Pyongyang expressed anger at joint US-South Korea military exercises.

Mrs May's trip is her first visit to Japan as prime minister. She met Mr Abe at the G20 in Hamburg last month, at Chequers in April, and at the UN General Assembly in New York last year.
A British family crashed their catamaran into a reef 150-miles off shore while battling 40mph winds and high waves due to a navigation error.

Veteran yachtsman Bobby Cooper, 51, and his wife and children were on board the Avanti when it ran aground.

The submerged reef, which grounded their ocean-going vessel, did not show up on their GPS plotter.

Bobby Cooper and partner Cheryl Kerr, along with children Lauren and Robbie, were rescued after their catamaran ran aground in the darkness in the South Pacific Ocean

The family faced being stranded and were 'very lucky' a sailboat was anchored nearby and saved them, as their vessel was likely to break apart on the reef

Speaking to The Times by satellite phone, Mr Cooper said after running aground on the Beveridge Reef, he roused his family from their bunks and started to deal with the emergency situation.

He said: 'It was fairly interesting. We surfed onto the reef. Bit of a navigation error. It was very violent and we grounded. We were then being hit by subsequent waves as they came over us.'

The catamaran ran aground at 4am Monday. He said his wife Cheryl and children Lauren, 13 and Robbie, 11 were unharmed.

The family left Europe more than a year ago on their world adventure, but had to be rescued yesterday morning

A terrified British family of four were dramatically saved from a remote South Pacific reef

He said: 'The waves were breaking over our stern. We got the kids up. We put them to the task of collecting whatever things they required and we assessed our situation.

'We realised the boat was not sinking and that the best place to be was on board. We sat it out until the waves pushed us far enough onto the reef to be away from the breakers.'

Fortunately, when he set off his emergency distress beacon their was a New Zealand-registered yacht less than two miles away, sheltering from the same storm.

Luckily, the family were picked up by the New Zealand boat and were later able to refloat their own catamaran.

The family set off from Palma de Mallorca in Spain in April last year, The Times reports, before sailing across the Atlantic, the Galapagos Islands and French Polynesia.

He said the boat was taking shelter as it sailed from New Zealand to the remote island of Niue, about 240 kilometers (150 miles) to the northwest, to help with a study of humpback whales
Surveillance footage of two Russian agents is being touted as proof that Moscow was involved in an attempt to assassinate the Prime Minister of Montenegro last year.

Images shows Eduard Shishmakov and Vladimir Popov, allegedly both Kremlin military secret service operatives, in neighbouring Serbia in the days after the failed coup in October.

The pair are accused of planning to take over parliament, assassinate then-prime minister Milo Djukanovic and install a pro-Russian leadership to prevent Montenegro from joining NATO.

Accusations: Eduard Shishmakov , left, and Vladimir Popov, right, are two Russian nationals who have been implicated in a foiled attempt to assassinate the former Prime Minister of Montenegro as part of a plot to overthrow the government

Shishmakov and Popov have been charged alongside 12 Montenegrin men, including two opposition leaders, who were arrested in February this year.

Shishmakov and Popov remain at large, as they were allowed to return to Russia despite accusations of carrying out a covert operation in Serbia, and will be tried in absentia.

They are alleged to have been behind a plan to infiltrate a rally in the capital Podgorica where Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic would be shot by men dressed in police uniforms to and make it seem like Montenegrin state security had turned on him.

This would then open up for a Moscow-aligned leader to take charge in Montenegro, once a Russian ally state.

The new images, taken in the days following the failed attempt in October 2016, were taken by an unnamed European security service, and obtained by Sky News.

'Plotters':Shishmakov, left, is pictured meeting Serbian agent Aleksandar Sindjelic in Belgrade at the time of the foiled assassination attempt

Deadly plans: The plot to kill then-Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, pictured, was meant to trigger a collapse of the government which would stop Montenegro from joining NATO

It shows Shishmakov in deep conversation with a Serbian man named Alexsandar Sindjelic, who has since confessed 'his involvement in the attempted coup and admitted working as an agent for the two Russians'.

Another image shows Shishmakov and Popov sat on a bench together, with the latter holding what appears to be a long-lens camera.

Russia, which is strongly against NATO's expansion in Europe, has repeatedly denied involvement in the alleged coup attempt. But it openly supported groups in Montenegro that oppose the small Balkan country joining the Western military alliance.

NATO invited Montenegro - a traditional Russian ally - to join as its 29th member in December 2015.

The U.S. Senate backed Montenegro's accession last month, a message that the U.S. will push back against Russian efforts to increase its influence in Europe. President Donald Trump signed the ratification earlier this week.
The nanny accused of having an affair with Katie Prices husband has hit back at the former glamour model, calling her vile and vowing to go through to the end with her on this.

Speaking to MailOnline, Nikki Brown, 40, said: Im going to clear my name. I'm not going to be just somebody else that she's disposed of. It's not going to happen. She's vile.

Brown also demanded that Price say sorry. I do want an apology from Katie for this, publicly, she said.

Accused: Katie Price has publicly accused her former nanny, Nikki Brown, of having an affair with her husband Kieran Hayler. Nikki, pictured on holiday, vehemently denied the claims and said she was owed thousands of pounds by Price, 39

Angry: Nikki Brown, pictured above partying with friends, right celebrating at a cake, said she was very upset by the claims she had slept with Katie Price's husband Kieran Hayler and insisted she would 'fight' to clear her name

Radio silent: Kieran has yet to acknowledge the cheating claims after he documented an outing with their children Jett Riviera, four, and Bunny, three, on Sunday - hours after Katie Price accused him of having an affair with their nanny

The nanny had worked for Katie Price, 39, and her former stripper husband, Kieran Hayler, 30, for two-and-a-half years. But the relationship broke down in recent months, with Price claiming that she came across intimate emails between the nanny and her husband.

In an interview over the weekend, Price accused Brown of having sex with her husband even in the kids bathroom, and today said on Loose Women that she and her husband's sex life was perfect.

The nanny categorically denied that she had sent any intimate emails to and challenged Price to make any evidence public. It's incorrect, it's slandering my name, she told MailOnline. Surely you have to have some sort of evidence to basically ruin me?

It's all just a complete lie. There were no intimate emails. I have the emails. If she'd have sent the emails to the press, they'd have seen there's no intimacy in them emails. It's all a little story that comes from her head.

When asked why Price had made the allegations, she said: Because that's how Kate works. She's jealous.

Brown was accused of carrying out the affair when she was on holiday with Price, Hayler and their children, a suggestion she vigorously denies.

'Heartbroken': The TV personality today appeared on Loose Women to reiterate claims that the pair were splitting because of her husband's infidelity

Furious: Acknowledging her husband Kieran does feel guilty for his actions, Katie Price was quick to blast him for bringing the split on himself

Tough: Katie insisted on Loose Women that she would be tough with her husband, saying: 'I am acting normal. When he first did it I was pregnant and needy. But this time, I've turned. Enough's enough, I don't want to be hurt anymore'

I went on holiday as their nanny, she said. I went on holiday to the Maldives for two weeks. Nothing happened. I was Kieran's friend, I supported him in that house, like any nanny would support any family. That was my job.

There was not even any chatting late at night, not at all. She's gone and taken it a little bit too far.

The nanny also disputed Prices suggestion that she was dismissed from her position. She didn't sack me, she said. I left. I'd had enough.

In response, a source close to Katie Price said: Kate discovered the affair via the email. She didn't have any other evidence of it at all. Just the emails. She's seen everything she needed to see.

The source also denied the nannys claims to the Sun newspaper today that Price owed her thousands of pounds.

There's no money owed from Kate's part to her. No money owed, the source told MailOnline. Kate's been straight on to her lawyer because there's no money owed. She's got to be careful what she says.

Keeping a low profile: The former glamour model seemed keen to escape the furore surrounding her divorce scandal by heading to the spa on Saturday

The source said that Price had got rid of Brown even before the sexual allegations had emerged. She just wasn't the right person for the job, really, the source said. Obviously this has confirmed it.

In a revealing interview with The Sun over the weekend, the former glamour model claimed that Hayler hated cheating with the nanny and revealed her anger at 'basically paying her to f*** my husband.'

Price detailed how she had caught Hayler sending intimate emails to their nanny.

Katie told the publication: 'I was gutted. They had sex everywhere except in our bedroom, they even did it in the kids bathroom.'

Downcast: Katie Price arriving at the TV studios ahead of her Loose Women appearance today

The TV personality, who has been married to Hayler for more than four years, said she had cried and screamed 'like a lunatic' as her husband confessed.

She said: 'When I confronted him he denied it at first, even when I said shed admitted it. I was crying, asking, "How could you do this to me again?"'

Price also hit out at the nanny, claiming Hayler had told her he hadn't enjoyed sleeping with Nikki due to her smelling of 'body odour and cigarettes'.

Price claimed that when she confronted Brown, she had told her Hayler 'seduced her'.

Seconds after Hayler had admitted to his alleged third affair, Price revealed that he had accused her of cheating by sending texts to other men behind his back.

She admits it had been merely a 'self-defence mechanism' as she suspected he was sleeping around and had wanted to believe that somebody else would 'want her' and stay faithful.

Despite his alleged infidelity, Price has insisted she wants the couple's divorce to remain on amicable terms 'for the sake of the kids' and hopes to keep things 'civil'.

She explained that Hayler is currently still living in their house with her, but is staying in a separate room to the reality star and will 'move out gradually', as she didn't want to make him leave immediately. Price added that she no longer sees a future with Hayler.

The couple share two children, son Jett, four and daughter Bunny, three. Price is also mother to Harvey, 15, with Dwight Yorke and Junior, 12, and Princess, 10, with Peter Andre.

'It's all lies': Katie Price's nanny Nikki Brown (above) has denied she had an affair with the TV personality's husband Kieran Hayler

Kate Price tells Loose Women 'there is more to come out'

Katie Price appeared on Tuesday's Loose Women to discuss her divorce from Kieran Hayler, following her accusations that he had an affair with family nanny Nikki Brown.

The devastated 39-year-old admitted she had thought their 'marriage and sex life was perfect' - before hinting there was 'more to come out' regarding Kieran and their reason for separating.

She said: 'I employed a nanny to come in and I've caught him again having an affair with my nanny for a year. Sleeping with her in my house - but there's other things that are going to come out.'

Heartbroken: She wrapped up the chat by adding: 'I'm going to have to go through all this heartbreak again, I just don't deserve it'

His fault: Leaning on the support of her co-hosts, Nadia Sawalha then commented: 'Listening to you talk about it over these least few days, it's like you're in shock'

She added: 'It is what it is, and what you've read. Years ago I caught Kieran cheating. I paid for therapy to get him help. As far as I knew our marriage and sex life was perfect, our family unit was perfect.

Referencing his previous infidelities, she then admitted she had not been hugely shocked by the affair, quipping: 'Here I am again! I think when someone stabs the knife in the first time and they twist it, I was literally distraught.

'I suppose this time was I expecting it to happen again? Was my guard up? Because I'm acting completely different this time.'

'My kids are older, they know what's going on and for me I love coming to work. He's got to get help. It's not normal behaviour, especially when you're in a happy marriage.'

Leaning on the support of her co-hosts, Nadia Sawalha then commented: 'Listening to you talk about it over these least few days, it's like you're in shock.'

To which Katie agreed, explaining: 'You employ someone to look after your children, then they're doing this behind my back!'

Speaking out: Katie Price appeared on Tuesday's Loose Women to discuss her divorce from Kieran Hayler, following the news he had enjoyed an affair with family nanny Nikki Brown

'They can say no!': She also admitted she was baffled by the behaviour of the women, including Nikki as well as friends Jane Poutney and Chrissy Brown who also enjoyed affairs with Kieran

Acknowledging Kieran does feel guilty for his actions, she was quick to blast him for bringing the split on himself - and confirm he still has the 'addiction' to sex and infidelity they attempted to cure with therapy, earlier this year.

She said: 'Kieran is absolutely devastated. I'm like, 'Well you're devastated but you've done this to me.' But he doesn't want to lose me. He does need help, he does have an addiction.

'It's confusing as when I come home to him, I love him. But I don't deserve to be hurt. I love him... There's no future for us at the moment, he needs to get help.'

Detailing his struggle with the addiction, she went on: 'I asked him what went through his head ... He knows he's got a problem because he said when it happens he gets like a faze, he can't stop it.

'He needs to but he has to do it on his own accord. I tried my hardest the first time but how many times do you forgive someone.'

KATIE AND KIERAN'S DIVORCE - WHAT'S HAPPENED SO FAR? 26th August: Katie Price announces she is divorcing Kieran Hayler, after discovering he embarked on a year-long affair with their family nanny Nikki Brown In an interview with The Sun, Katie revealed the pair had 'sex all over the house', and that she had cried and screamed 'like a lunatic' as her husband confessed 27th August: Kieran baffled fans by posting a string of cosy photos on Instagram - with one seemingly seeing Katie lying on him as they watched the Mayweather vs McGregor fight together Katie later slammed the posts as fake, writing on Twitter: 'My heart is broken , Kieran's video is fake to make it look like I'm not serious! my story is totally TRUE... it's over' 28th August: Katie is seen easing her woes at the Ribby Hall Spa in Lancashire with her son Junior, 12 The star is spotted taking a tense phone call on the balcony of her hotel room, without her wedding ring on her hand 29th August: Nanny Nikki Brown came forward to completely DENY her affair with Kieran, branding the star as 'vile' and her accusations as 'slander' She claimed the emails between her and Kieran contained 'no intimacy' and the affair was a 'story made up in her head' She claimed the emails had actually discussing the 'thousands of pounds' Katie owes her, adding: 'Katie wanted a divorce, she wants an excuse to get out and blame someone else' 29th August: Katie appears on Loose Women to confirm his affair and their divorce, and discuss Kieran's 'addiction' to cheating and sex Advertisement

Confirming there was no longer a future with him, she then blasted recent reports she had kicked him out of their family home - as she does not want to disturb the life of their kids.

She revealed: 'I haven't kicked him out, we've got children involved. What have I got to gain from kicking him out? We've got to deal with it maturely.'

However after confirming he was not yet moving out, Katie then hinted he would not be leaving the family home for a long time, in a fierce message to the paparazzi.

She continued: 'What's happened has happened. So all the paps outside my house today - jog on, because you're not going to get no suitcases, no boxes, nothing.'

She further confessed she found the behaviour of the women, including nanny Nikki as well as friends Jane Poutney and Chrissy Brown who enjoyed affairs with Kieran in the past, baffling.

Low-profile: Katie had arrived at the studios ahead of her appearance with a towel over her head, in a bid to keep a low profile following a tense few days

Secure: Pulling up in a Royal Conceptions van, a rep confirmed to MailOnline that Katie has upped her security ahead of her new tour on Friday

Comfortable chic: However she kept comfy in a black tracksuit, emblazoned with the words 'Princess' in the Disney font on the front

Sleek: She left her hair in their glamorous loose waves, and accessorised with chic cat-eye sunglasses

She explained: 'As a person I want to enjoy my work, my family. What is it with all these women around me? They can say no.

'I am acting normal. When he first did it I was pregnant and needy. But this time, I' ve turned. Enough's enough, I don't want to be hurt anymore.

'The children adore him. Its not just me, what do they deserve? Whatever happens. they should still be involved.'

Before adding sadly: 'I'm going to have to go through all this heartbreak again, I just don't deserve it.

'I can't tarnish everyone with the same brush ... but what he does - and he'll admit it - he'll send messages to people but then it will get to a point where he'll say, 'Oh you know you fancy me.'

'As a joke and then he says from their reaction back, he knows if he can manipulate them but he can't help himself."

While she said her fans on social media have been nothing but 'supportive', she confessed she still felt in shock.

However, Katie proved she was still her usual witty self by joking: 'Everyone says 'Get a male nanny' - but I'd probably fall in love with him!'

Keeping the mood light-hearted, she then proceeded to make a very saucy joke about their bedroom habits - to the hilarity of her co-hosts.

She joked of her formed partner: 'I play tennis in the bed as well!' to which a shocked Andrea said: 'I dont even know what that means!', while Nadia added: 'You dont want to know!', to the laughter of the audience.

The star had arrived at the ITV studios earlier that day with a towel over her head, in a bid to keep a low profile amid her romantic woes.

However, she was seen pulling up in a Royal Conceptions van, who provide both travel and 'close protection' service.

A rep confirmed to MailOnline that Katie has upped her security ahead of her new tour on Friday - and is using the company for full-time protection and travel for her and her five children.

A source close to Katie Price said: Kate discovered the affair via the email. She didn't have any other evidence of it at all. Just the emails. She's seen everything she needed to see.

The source also denied the nannys claims that Price owed her thousands of pounds.

There's no money owed from Kate's part to her. No money owed, the source told MailOnline. Kate's been straight on to her lawyer because there's no money owed. She's got to be careful what she says.

Care-free: Refraining from commenting on the furore, Kieran shared a number of care-free shorts clips of their little ones enjoying the outdoors while on their scooters

Confusing:In the early hours of Sunday morning, Kieran had shared a video to his Instagram story of himself and his wife cuddled up together in front of the TV, and left fans baffled in the process

Zipping around: Zipping around, the proud father made sure to capture every moment while they made the most of the sunshine over the Bank Holiday weekend, despite the stress between himself and the TV personality

MailOnline has contacted representatives of Katie for comment.

The TV appearance also saw Katie deny reports she had kicked Kieran out of their Sussex mansion, after he 'refused to accept that his cheating has broken up their four-year marriage.'

Refraining from commenting on the furore, Kieran, meanwhile, shared a number of care-free shorts clips of their little ones enjoying the outdoors while on their scooter and bike.

Zipping around, the proud father made sure to capture every moment while they made the most of the sunshine over the Bank Holiday weekend, despite the stress between himself and the TV personality.

Although Katie is adamant that divorce is on the cards, the former builder rather interestingly changed his Instagram profile photo to an image of the couple looking at each other adoringly.

The fallout comes after Katie's rumoured fling DJ Tom Zanetti hit back at claims that the Loose Women panellist's marriage woes was due to an alleged affair between the two, something which Kieran spoke about on their TV show My Crazy Life.

Similar: Katie's fans have also noted that Nikki bears a striking resemblance to her ex best friend Jane Pountney (pictured) who embarked on a passionate affair with Hayler in 2014

'He has a type': Shocked fans flocked to Twitter to point out the uncanny resemblance to Katie's former pal, Jane

Katie also hit out at the nanny, as she claimed Kieran had told her he hadn't enjoyed sleeping with Nikki due to her smelling of 'body odour and cigarettes'.

And shocked fans have also noted another surprising thing about Nikki - the fact that she looks 'exactly like' Jane Pountney - her former pal who Kieran cheated on her with in 2014.

'Is it just me that thinks she looks EXACTLY like her friend Jane,' one Twitter user pondered while another tweeted: 'Weird how the nanny looks like Jane!'

The comments continued to pour in with: 'I thought they looked alike. She must be devastated' and 'Someone has a type.'
A man who shot at a Bismarck home last summer over a $300 drug debt will serve 10 years in prison.

Vernon Valentino Pook Jr. was sentenced this week by U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland after Pook pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Hovland also ordered Pook, of Bismarck, to serve five years of supervised release.

The North Dakota U.S. Attorneys Office said Pook fired 14 rounds into an occupied home on Center Street in Bismarck and vehicles parked outside for an untimely repayment for an ounce of marijuana.

Bismarck resident Michelle Lang told the Tribune last year that one of the gunshots missed her grandson and daughter by five feet.

In exchange for Pooks guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to drop charges related to drug distribution and possession of a stolen firearm.
Katie Elizabeth Irvine, 32, (pictured outside court) has been given a suspended jail term

An online troll who bombarded a transsexual woman with horrific abuse has been spared a jail sentence.

Katie Elizabeth Irvine, 32, set up a fake Facebook profile and sent Lucy English expletive-ridden messages about her gender reassignment in March 2016.

A court heard Irvine - herself a member of the town's LGBT community - left her victim depressed when she messaged her saying, "I know you're the biggest freak around, you are not normal".'

Prosecutor Lee Dacre told Furness Magistrates Court in Cumbria: 'The victim was returning home from hospital when she received the first of the messages.

'They were directed at her gender change. Irvine sent the messages because she knew it would upset the victim.

'Since the incident she's had sleepless nights and has suffered a lack of confidence and become more depressed.'

At an earlier court appearance prosecutor Pam Ward read out a statement from the victim which said: 'I was returning home when I received a message on Facebook saying "you're a freak" and "I've seen you around and I don't like you".

'A few hours later I received another message saying, "I know you're the biggest freak around, you are not normal".'

Irvine (pictured right outside court) - herself a member of the town's LGBT community - messaged her victim saying, "I know you're the biggest freak around, you are not normal"

When questioned about her actions prior to being sentenced, Irvine said: 'I've got no idea why I've done this. She was just trying to get to my friends and I wanted to hurt her.

'These friends are like my family. I apologise to her and I've seen her in town since and avoided her. I will never do this again to anyone.

'I regret my actions. I've got nothing against her per se.'

District judge Gerald Chalk said: 'This is not just abuse. It is a particularly sensitive time for her.

'You must have known the words you chose and the language you used were designed to hurt.'

Irvine told Furness Magistrates Court: 'I've got no idea why I've done this. She was just trying to get to my friends and I wanted to hurt her'

After pleading guilty to harassment without violence earlier in the month, Irvine, from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, was sentenced on August 23 to 42 days in prison, suspended for 12 months.

A restraining order was also made to avoid contact with the victim for two years and she must pay a victim surcharge of 115 and 85 court costs.
A joiner who has voted, paid taxes and used the NHS in Britain for two decades has been told to leave the country immediately even though he was born in the UK.

Shane Ridge, from Colne, Lancashire, has lived in the UK since birth and describes himself as 'as British as they come'.

But last week, the 21-year-old - whose parents are both British - received a 'terrifying' letter from the Home Office telling him he had 'no lawful basis to be in the UK'.

Shane Ridge, with his girlfriend Jodie. He has received a Home Office letter telling him to leave the UK, even though he was born here

The Home Office letter says he has no lawful basis to be in the UK, and tells him to leave the country immediately

Mr Ridge's mother was born in Australia during a family holiday, but has lived in Britain ever since and now has dual citizenship between the two countries.

But because Mr Ridges parents never married, Mr Ridge does not have an automatic right to citizenship and must apply for his 'right of abode' under his fathers British citizenship.

UK law states that, if a child was born before July 2006, the fathers British nationality will normally only automatically pass to the child if he was married to the mother at the time of the birth.

Applications will usually be accepted if the child would have automatically been a citizen if their parents had been married.

But Mr Ridge has now been left in limbo because he had no idea that his right to citizenship was not automatic.

He said: 'It's surreal. This is the only letter I have ever received in relation to me having to leave the country. It just came through my letterbox out of the blue.

'The last bit scared me the most - "leave the UK voluntarily". I'm speechless - I don't know what I can say.

Despite six years working here, being educated here and even passing his driving test here, he has now been told by the Home Office that he is not a British citizen

Above with brother Liam, mother Sue Ebbs and older brother Connor. He says he's worried about his half-siblings, as his mother is not married to their father

'I received the letter from Immigration Enforcement saying they were going to revoke my driving licence and I should leave the UK voluntarily or face a 5,000 fine.

'I'm confused and worried that I'll have to leave my entire family behind and move to a country that I don't know.

'I don't understand it because I was born in the UK. I did my GCSEs here, I've worked for six years, I pay tax and national insurance.

'Me and my girlfriend rented a house, I vote, I use the NHS and opened a bank account without any problems, ever.

'I've had my car for five months and before that, I had a provisional licence since I was 17.

'Nothing has ever flagged up that I don't have British citizenship until I went to apply for a passport last year to go on holiday with my girlfriend and my application was declined.'

Mr Ridge, who was educated in the UK, and did his GCSEs here, shown right, has been left totally perplexed by the letter

His girlfriend Jodie, pictured with him and little brother Liam, five, is furious about the letter. Mr Ridge is worried he will have to leave the country

Mr Ridge successfully applied for and holds an Australian passport, which he was granted after he tried to get a British passport but was turned down.

He has travelled abroad with it, but had to have a temporary solution for returning to the UK with it when he got home, which he negotiated with the passport office in Liverpool. He says he had no idea until this letter that he was not classed as a British citizen.

The 21-year-old now has to apply for Right of Abode, as a person born after July 2006 and to a British father.

The letter he received declares that the Home Office is working with the DVLA, NHS and banks to 'stop access to benefits and services for those with no lawful basis to be in the UK' - before writing bluntly: 'This includes you.'

The law on citizenship in Britain Currently, if you were born in the UK, you will be a citizen if your mother or father was either: a British citizen when you were born; or settled in the UK when you were born. But, if you were born before July 2006, your fathers British nationality will normally only pass to you if he was married to your mother at the time of your birth. It meant that if your parents weren't married, you must apply to register as a British citizen. Applications will usually be accepted if you would have automatically been a citizen had your parents been married. Source: gov.uk Advertisement

It also states that his driving licence will be revoked and that he must stop driving immediately.

Mr Ridge said: 'I applied for an Australian passport and was accepted because my mum was born there, despite both her parents being British, and therefore she has dual citizenship.

'I went to apply for right of abode myself after receiving this letter and was told by the Home Office that I need to apply for British citizenship first before I can do that.

'I just don't understand how they've just got through to me now.

'I even have a birth certificate with my dad's signature on it - he's British.

'If I cannot get dual citizenship or right of abode, or if this isn't a mistake, I don't know what I'll do.'

Mr Ridge is now facing a waiting game after appealing the decision but is living in constant fear that tomorrow may be his last day living with his family.

He said: 'It's terrifying. My parents keep telling me everything will be fine but I'm really scared.

'My girlfriend, Jodie, isn't happy. Everyone is in shock and wondering how this can possibly happen.

'I've lived by the book - never had a criminal record.

Mr Ridge with his mother, Sue, who was born in Australia, and has held dual citizenship with the UK. He has been able to get an Australian passport but not a British one

'I have brothers and sisters. They have dual citizenship because my mum married their dad, but my youngest sister, who is five, is also technically in the same position as me as my mum didn't marry her dad.

'The letter even says they will stop my accessing the NHS or banks. I've always been to the doctors with no problems and me and my girlfriend have a joint bank account.'

A Home Office spokesman told the MailOnline it has been in constant contact with Mr Ridge to offer advice and hopes the issue will be resolved soon.
Police investigating a tribe of cannibal witch-doctors have found eight human ears in a cooking pot as it emerged villagers were coerced into eating flesh because it would make them bulletproof.

Five suspects have been arrested after one of the men walked into a police station with a piece of an arm and a leg saying he had lost the taste for human flesh.

It prompted villagers in Estcourt, South Africa, to hold a meeting, where three hundred residents allegedly admitted eating humans and digging up graves.

Grim new details of the case have emerged as the spiritual healers' homes were raided with officers discovering a number of severed body parts and human remains stuffed inside suitcases.

The three men were arrested in after one of them handed himself over to police, admitting that he had grown tired of eating human flesh, and officers were led to a house, pictured, where bodyparts and a mutilated body of a woman was found

It is thought the decomposing corpses were being used in potions given the witch doctor's customers who were told it would bring them powers.

Villagers were told eating humans would mean they would be free from poverty and would make them invincible and bulletproof so that police could not shoot them.

Local politician Mthembeni Majola held a meeting in the village of Esigodlweni, home to just 971 people, and it it emerged almost a third of the population had been digging up graves or eating residents.

Mr Majola told the BBC: 'Most residents were shocked by this and now live in fear.

'A few confessed to have consulted with the traditional healer and knowingly ate human flesh.

'But what has angered most of us here is how gullible our people have become.'

Armed police stand guard outside the magistrates court in Estcourt, South Africa, where crowds gathered following the brief court appearance of men accused of killing and eating human flesh

Armed guards were forced to beef up security as tempers flared at a magistrates court where the five suspected cannibals appeared in front of a judge last week.

Police are now following up reports that the cannibals robbed graves to source flesh and bones.

Mr Majola added that community members had also allegedly confessed to digging up graves under the orders of 33 year-old Nino Mbatha, and giving him the bones.

Zanele Hlatshwayo, 25, is thought to be the woman who was murdered and cut up before her flesh was shared around neighbours in an unfolding cannibal saga in Estcourt, a town in the uThukela District of KwaZulu-Natal Province

He told them that digging up the graves would make them strong and protect them from harm and that bringing him the bones would bring them wealth in the future.

Zanele Hlatshwayo, 25, is thought to be the woman who was murdered and cut up before her flesh was shared around neighbours in an unfolding cannibal saga in Estcourt, a town in the uThukela District of KwaZulu-Natal Province.

Hlatshwayo's mother, Philiswe, now fears the worst after police showed the family blood-soaked clothing found on what was left of the body which appeared to belong to that of her daughter, from Shayamoya.

Hlatshwayo vanished on July 25 after heading for Pietermaritzburg to visit her grandmother and had stopped to see relatives at Estcourt 20 miles away en-route. She never arrived at her intended final destination.

Detectives said the alleged victim's mother was not overly concerned, but her feelings changed on Monday when Hlatshwayo's cousin Nozipho Hlatshwayo heard that four men had been arrested in Estcourt for cannibalism.

They, along with a fifth man, have been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder as part of an alleged cannibalism ring which could include untold victims.

One of the killers walked into the police station in Estcourt, pictured, and told officers that he had become 'tired of eating human flesh'

Three of the men arrested by police initially allegedly raped and murdered the woman before butchering the body and eating the flesh.

Crowds of residents gathered outside Estcourt magistrates court Monday as the trio appeared on murder charges alongside a fourth man, 31, accused of possessing human flesh and tissues.

They were all remanded in custody and are due to reappear in court this week and a fifth person has since been arrested.

The stunned local councillor Mr Majola said one of the suspects led community members and police to the woman's body.

'It was buried under big rocks and we had to call a machine to remove the rocks,' he told News24.

'They showed us the body parts in one of the houses.

Mr Majola added that authorities fear the group had killed more victims, saying: 'it cannot only be one.'

'When the police were following this matter they discovered eight ears in a pot where one man was staying. That means there is much more to this.'

Police spokeswoman Captain Charmaine Struwig said: 'Three of the suspects face charges of murder and charges relating to the possession of human organs and tissue.

Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said the man handed over bodyparts during questioning

'A fourth suspect faces charges relating to the possession of human organs and tissue.

'The three suspects are alleged to have murdered a woman and then cut her body up.

'Allegations are that some consumed some of her flesh while some of her body parts were shared with the fourth suspect in Amangwe.

'Human remains were found at one crime scene in Estcourt and another crime scene at Amangwe.

'At this time only one person is suspected of having been killed and her identity is as yet unknown.'

Another spokeswoman, Colonel Thembeka Mbhele, said the three main suspects were arrested on Friday night after one walked into Estcourt police station with his 'tired of eating human flesh' bombshell.

She said: 'When he was questioned, he produced part of a human leg and a hand.

'Further investigation led police to a house where they were met with a foul smell, and more human remains were found.

'A second suspect was also arrested in Estcourt and a third in the Amangwe area. More body parts were found.

'It is alleged the suspects raped, killed and cut up the body of a woman, which they then consumed.'

Muti medicine, a term used to describe traditional practices in South Africa is common, and so called muti killings have been reported from time to time, where people are killed for their body parts to be used by witchdoctors.

People with albinism are particularly at risk of muti killings due to the belief held by some that their body parts impart power and health to those who consume them.

Earlier this month, a man was found in Durban, 100 miles from the scene of the latest incident, with a human head in his backpack.

He was thought to be attempting to sell the head to a witchdoctor.
Australia's most prestigious Catholic schools have defied the Catholic Church's stance on same-sex marriage.

St Ignatius' College in Sydney and Xavier College in Melbourne stopped short of advocating a 'yes' vote  but noted Pope Francis' teachings on love, mercy and non-judgement in messages to staff, students and parents, the Age reports.

Father Chris Middleton, the rector of Xavier, called on the Church to look on the huge amount of support among the youth for marriage equality.

'In my experience, there is almost total unanimity amongst the young in favour of same-sex marriage, and arguments against will have almost no impact on them,' he wrote.

Father Chris Middleton (above), the rector of Xavier, called on the Church to look on the huge amount of support among the youth for marriage equality

He added that young people were driven by a 'strong emotional commitment to equality'  which he said was something to respect and admire.

St Ignatius' rector Father Ross Jones argued Catholic couples can 'in good conscience' have sexual relationships for reasons besides procreation under the 'order of reason' school of Natural Law.

'Presumably, same-sex couples, who make such a commitment to each other in good conscience, do so by reflecting on experience and on what it is to be human, using their God-given reason,' he wrote.

Father Middleton also claimed the church could be slammed for hypocrisy in the aftermath of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

St Ignatius' rector Father Ross Jones (above) argued Catholic couples can 'in good conscience' have sexual relationships for reasons besides procreation

'To be brutally honest, the church speaking out in controversial areas around sexuality risks being mired in vitriolic attacks on its credibility in the aftermath of the royal commission,' he added.

The Jesuit schools have educated many prominent Australian politicians.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce went to St Ignatius' College and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's alma mater is Xavier College.

Meanwhile, polling commissioned by same-sex marriage advocates found two-thirds of Catholic Australians say they'll vote yes - broadly in line with polling for the wider community.

The proportions were similar for Australians from other religions, the Newgate Research poll found.

'The upper management of the (Catholic) Church isn't listening to the flock who have made up their minds on marriage equality because it's about their friends, family members and neighbours,' Equality Campaign executive director Tiernan Brady said.

'This is about civil marriage, not religious marriage. Allowing lesbian and gay couples to have access to civil marriage will not interfere in any way with any religious sacrament and nor should it.'

A record proportion of Australians have enrolled to vote after a push from both sides of the marriage campaign to encourage people to take part.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics will run the voluntary postal survey with ballot papers set to arrive in letter boxes from mid-September, pending the outcome of a High Court challenge.
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Rudolf Hess' long johns and a moustache comb belonging to Adolf Hitler are among a collection of 100 items that have been uncovered in an alternative look at the Third Reich.

Most of the items were confiscated by the British secret service for 'propaganda' purposes and have been locked away in the Imperial War Museum archives in London for the past 75 years.

The assortment of memorabilia will now feature in historian Roger Moorhouse's new book, The Third Reich in 100 Objects.

Rudolf Hess' long johns which were seized by the British after his misjudged decision to fly to Britain in 1941 for 'peace' talks. He was captured by a ploughman and handed over to the Home Guard who took him to a local scout hut at Giffnock

Hitler's personal moustache brush which was taken from the bedroom of his Munich apartment after his death by his housekeeper Anni Winter. The 7cm horn-backed brush was an integral part of his toiletry bag and travelled with him wherever he wen

The Fuhrer using the a Nazi salute to greet members of the public. The Reich continues to exert a macabre fascination long after its demise

Hitler's Third Reich lasted only 12 years yet it continues to exert a macabre fascination long after its demise and the swastika is still daubed on walls by fascists today.

Included in the comprehensive list is Hitler's personal moustache brush which was taken from the bedroom of his Munich apartment after his death by his housekeeper Anni Winter.

Hitler carried around the 7cm horn-backed brush which according to his entourage was an integral part of his toiletry bag and travelled with him wherever he went.

He worked hard with his photographer Heinrich Hoffmann to hone his public image in the 1920s and create a 'look' that would appeal to his audience.

Hitler wanted to be seen both as the stern, unyielding messiah of the German people and also the genial, unpretentious leader happy to pat small children and play with his dog.

He was so image-conscious that he would not allow any photograph of him wearing glasses to be published.

Another item highlighted in the book is Eva Braun's lipstick case, which was a gift from Hitler in 1938. She was always immaculately dressed and often sported the latest gifts from Hitler be they gold watches, jewellery or trinkets

A Star of David used to identify Jews in the Reich. These would become commonplace on prisoners' outfits in Nazi concentration camps

A signed score of Die Fahne Hoch! that Horst Wessel sent to Hitler. The song was cobbled together from old folk tunes as a New Year gift to Hitler

Another item highlighted in the book is Eva Braun's lipstick case, which was a gift from Hitler in 1938.

A Hitler figure made from Elastolin is another of the items to feature in the collection

She was always immaculately dressed and often sported the latest gifts from Hitler be they gold watches, jewellery or trinkets.

Hitler's chief architect and subsequently his minister of war production Albert Speer designed a monogram for Braun combining her initials 'EB' into a four-leaf clover which adorned many of her possessions.

It can be seen on the inside of her elaborately engraved lipstick case made from Italian silver which was most likely given away to a member of the Berghof household.

Mr Moorhouse also reveals the bizarre tale of Nazi deputy leader Rudolf Hess' thermal underwear, which was seized by the British after his misjudged decision to fly to Britain in 1941 for 'peace' talks.

On the evening of May 10, 1941, Hess flew over to Britain with a peace offer and parachuted to earth over lowland Scotland.

He was captured by a ploughman and handed over to the Home Guard who took him to a local scout hut at Giffnock.

Confessing his true identity, Hess asked to see the Duke of Hamilton whose estate was nearby.

He was interrogated but his offer was not taken seriously, with Churchill refusing to change his plan to see the latest Marx brothers' film to meet him.

Hess was dispatched to the Tower of London and then to Mytchett Place, a country house near Farnborough in Surrey.

Soon after his arrival Hess' woollen long johns were confiscated.

The Ministry of Economic Warfare petitioned the British Intelligence Service to ask permission to examine Hess' underwear in the hope that 'something of propaganda value' might be gleaned.

Permission was granted and the long johns were procured, but they turned out to be plain and unremarkable, with the head of Secret Intelligence Service describing them as 'of the cheapest variety'.

A souvenir beer stein from a Nazi Party rally in Nuremberg. Hitler garnered much of his early support by speaking in beer halls

U-995 at Laboe, the last surviving Type VII U-boat. At the end of the war on 8 May 1945 she was stricken at Trondheim, Norway and surrendered to the British. In December 1952 U995 became the Norwegian submarine Kaura and in 1965 she was stricken from service and returned to Germany as a historical item

They were stored in the archives of the Imperial War Museum in London in 1942 and remain there to the present day.

Hess returned to Germany to stand trial in the Nuremberg Trials of major war criminals in 1945.

During much of the trial he claimed to be suffering from amnesia, but later admitted this was a ruse.

Hess was convicted of crimes against peace and was transferred to Spandau Prison in 1947 where he remained until he committed suicide aged 93 in 1987.

Another fascinating tale highlighted by Mr Moorhouse is that of Horst Wessel, the 21-year-old son of a Lutheran pastor and the leader of his local Sturm of the SA, the Nazi 'Brownshirts'.

A Stuka in flight over the North African coast in 1941. These models spearheaded the air assaults in the invasion of Poland in September 1939 and crucial in the rapid conquest of Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and France in 1940

The Olympic Stadium, packed for some of the track and field events in 1936, the year when the Nazis hosted the sporting event, bringing controversy with the participation of some black athletes such as US sprinter Jesse Owens

He penned a song - 'Die Fahne hoch!' or 'The Flag on High!' - cobbled together from old folk tunes as a New Year gift to Hitler.

Wessel sent him a package of items including a photograph of himself in SA uniform, a covering note addressed to 'Mein Fuhrer' and a handwritten score of his song with lyrics to the first verse.

Just weeks later, on the evening of January 14, 1930, he was shot in the face by a communist.

As he hovered between life and death for the next five weeks, he became a Nazi martyr, and on February 7, 15,000 people sang his hymn at a Nazi rally at the Berlin Sportpalast.

He died weeks later but his song became a secondary national anthem with all Germans obliged to give the Hitler salute as they sang.

The Fuhrer's car of choice was a Benz (he is pictured standing up inside of it) which was bulletproofed, but vulnerable

The very same car pictured today. The items have been locked away in the Imperial War Museum archives in London for the past 75 years

The song is still banned in Germany to this day.

Mr Moorhouse, 48, of Tring, Herts, said: 'I had heard a rumour that Rudolf Hess' long johns were in the Imperial War Museum archive so I contacted them and found out they had been there since 1942.

'If you look into the history of Hess' incarceration before his trial in 1945 the secret service confiscated all his personal effects to see if there was anything vaguely embarrassing they could use for propaganda purposes.

'Hess came here to sell a peace offer to the British before the Soviet Union invasion but he was derided on both sides and the British looked for anything that would humiliate him.

'Hitler's moustache brush was absolutely pivotal to him as the moustache became a fashion statement.

Hitler greeting a march-past of the SA through the centre of Nuremberg during the 1935 rally

A Waffen-SS poster aimed at recruiting Flemish men in occupied Belgium (left). The items feature in the book 'The Third Reich in 100 Objects', by Roger Moorhouse (right)

'He was advised to shave it off in 1923 but he refused and said that in 10 years everyone would be copying his moustache.

'Close friends did adopt his style as an act of loyalty to the Fuhrer.

'By taking a different approach and focusing on objects instead of conventional documents you get a real insight into the true nature of the Third Reich.

'Social history tends to be overlooked so it has been refreshing to adopt a slightly different twist which I believe provides a much more rounded view of the regime.'

The Third Reich in 100 Objects, by Roger Moorhouse, is published by Pen & Sword on August 31 and will cost 20.
He uploaded horrifying footage of the removal to Facebook on Sunday

The reptile was removed by professional snake catcher, Luke Huntley

A giant 1.5 metre carpet python has been coaxed from a bathroom sky light

A giant 1.5 metre carpet python has been coaxed from the bathroom sky light of a Queensland couple's home.

The huge reptile was soaking up some heat before being removed by a strangely calm Sunshine Coast professional snake catcher, Luke Huntley.

Video footage shared to Facebook shows Mr Huntley remaining exceptionally relaxed throughout the extraction, all while holding a casual conversation with one of the home's occupants.

The shocking video has been viewed more than 13,000 times since it was uploaded on Sunday.

'Happy Sunday all! I was called to a home in Noosaville this morning to catch this cute 5 ft Carpet Python which had been sunning itself on the inside on the skylight,' Mr Huntly wrote with the video.

'Imagine having a shower or going to the loo and seeing that above your head!!!'

A giant 1.5 metre carpet python was coaxed from the bathroom sky light of a Queensland couple's home on Sunday

'Lucky for me this little guy was in an awesome mood and was very accommodating by letting me gently coax him out by tickling his belly.'

He concludes the post with a proclamation of his enjoyment of the job: 'What a fun catch,' he says.

The snake is unsuccessful in its attempt to escape the grasp of Mr Huntly by slithering further into the roof.

The huge reptile was soaking up some heat before being removed by a strangely calm Sunshine Coast professional snake catcher, Luke Huntley

And although it appears to remain remarkably placid throughout the procedure, it begins winding around Mr Huntly's arm after being pulled from the roof.

The courageous catcher makes the wise decision to 'bag him up' before he has the chance to 'lunch' on his arm.

'Look at that! Got a little carpet python there, so he's hopefully not going to latch onto my arm,' Mr Huntly said while standing calmly with the python in his hand.
Zara Brown has been jailed for more than half a year for the appalling catalogue of cruelty she subjected animals in her care to

The owner of a pet shelter where six dead dogs and a cat were hidden in a freezer has been jailed for seven months.

Zara Brown, 29, was supposed to be caring for animals at the Patna-based Ayrshire Ark dog shelter.

Instead, she allowed them to wallow in their on filth, become malnourished and ultimately die.

Others were left with infections, ulcers and other health problems.

Brown, of New Cottages, Patna, was today locked up for more than half a year at Ayr Sheriff Court.

A campaigner told MailOnline: 'No sentence will ever be enough for her actions. She's one evil woman.'

There were dramatic scenes when dog owner Janice Grant, 44, lunged at Brown as she stood in the dog.

Janice, who travelled 400 miles to see Brown's sentencing, shouted: 'Oh my God, Bruce!' and ran from the public gallery after hearing evidence about how her dog was found during the Scottish SPCA raid.

Her pet bull terrier Bruce was found dead at the home and she had to be removed from the courtroom by police.

The sanctuary boss was branded a real-life Cruella de Vil after campaigners compared the string of cruelty she inflicted to 101 Dalmatians.

She had presented herself as a devoted dog lover and frequently shared pictures of herself with animals.

'Just like the film character she has no compassion for animals and the way she treats them is just evil', one campaigner told The Scottish Sun.

'She should be banned from ever keeping pets or running a rescue again.

This dog called Shadow was given to Brown in June last year but has not been seen since

Willow (left) and Kilo (right) were also handed over to be looked after by Brown. The Ayrshire Arm Missing Dogs Facebook page has been campaigning for information relating to there whereabouts

'This vile woman has duped so many people and betrayed so many dogs she was supposed to be saving  she should hang her head in shame.'

Commenting on the court case, Scottish SPCA Inspector Leanne McPake said, 'I was horrified with what we saw in the school that night.

'As an inspector who deals with animal cruelty we expect to see horrible things, however this case was particularly harrowing and will stay with us for a long time.

'The conditions in which the dogs were forced to live were woefully inadequate.

Horrific: One of the poor animals which was discovered alongside five others in the freezer at the sanctuary

This dog suffered unimaginable pain and was found dead and slumped in a corner by horrified SPCA inspectors

'There was an overpowering stench as all the floors were covered in dog faeces and urine, and there was debris strewn in some of the rooms creating more hazardous and unacceptable conditions.

'On arrival we found nine dogs in various rooms tethered or caged, one dog was found dead and six others were discovered in a freezer.

'The dogs that were still alive were clearly malnourished and had no access to food or water.

'The Animal Health and Welfare Scotland Act 2006 includes the need for a suitable environment to be provided for animals, and as can clearly be seen from the photos this wasn't the case.

'We are delighted that she has been handed a lifetime ban and custodial sentence. We hope that this sentence will act as a deterrent to others.'
Charles Bronson's fiancee is planning to have his baby using artificial insemination if his plea for sex visits are refused.

Former Coronation Street star Paula Williamson, 37, today dismissed any fears that her husband-to-be's genes could just produce another future violent criminal.

Ms Williamson revealed today she is willing to have his sperm transported out of HMP Wakefield and introduced into her uterus after Bronson told her he would be 'the best dad in the world'.

Charles Bronson's fiancee Paula Williamson, 37, pictured today, is planning to have his baby using artificial insemination if his plea for sex visits are refused

Ms Williamson has repeatedly been accused of using her engagement to boost her own profile and when Richard Madeley asked her: 'What are you playing at?', she replied: 'I have fallen in love with a man. Why is it so hard to believe?'

Bronson, who has largely been in jail since 1974, says he wants a daughter and already knows it'll be called Sophie.

Paula has admitted that with the couple unable to have sex in prison: 'I think it would have to be a case of medical science would help'

Speaking to Richard Madeley on ITV's Good Morning Britain his fiancee Paula said: 'I want his baby. He's my future husband'.

But with conjugal rights still being denied Richard asked her: 'How do you plan to get pregnant? and Paula responded: 'I think it would have to be a case of medical science would help.

She went on: 'I'm 37 now and the realisation hit me that, what if he does spend the next three years in prison?

'He's 64 now and we might want to have a baby, that's something we've seriously considered.

'He was a criminal, but right now all he is doing is charity work. He's not going to be in prison forever, I will make sure of that.

'We will live a happy life together, I will not give up. This is real. I genuinely love the man. I am going to marry this man, we're waiting on a date now. It's time for him to come home now.'

Mr Madeley then asked: 'We know that criminal behaviour is quite often linked to genetics, what if you have another Charles Bronson?' he asked.

She hit back: 'No one in his family are criminals'.

Richard Madeley also asked: 'What are you playing at?', and Paula replied: 'I have fallen in love with a man. Why is it so hard to believe?

She added: 'It's who he is on the inside. He is an artist, charity fitness fanatic and loving person. He wouldn't frighten me. he has a heart of gold'.

Former Coronation Street star Paula Williamson, pictured, is due to marry Britain's most notorious prisoner Charles Bronson at a ceremony inside HMP Wakefield

The actress has appeared in several British soaps and said they are a 'perfect match'

Their baby plans emerged when a Sunday newspaper said Bronson was demanding sex visits so he can become a father.

The 64-year-old said he wants to have a daughter with actress Paula Williamson having spent the majority of the past four decades imprisoned for a series of violent crimes.

In 2013 Charles Bronson began writing to Paula, who has had small roles in Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks

But despite his past, he believes he will be an ideal father and is calling on the justice system to allow him to become a father after hours.

The criminal, who currently resides in HMP Wakefield, told reportedly told a friend: 'Ten years ago in this very jail they started giving out condoms so where I come from that's encouraging sex. Why can't I have sex like they do here? I want to be a dad and come out to a beautiful angel with a beautiful wife.'

The lifer whose crimes include kidnap and threatening to eat a terrified inmate told newspaper The People: 'I want a little baby. I've always fancied a daughter and I'll be the best dad in the world.

He added: 'I've even got my girl's name, Sophie, the angel of all angels. My life will be a dream come true.'

Britain's most violent prisoner, 64, proposed to Paula Williamson by serenading her with a personalised version of the Frank Sinatra classic My Way from a HMP Wakefield pay phone.

They are getting married even though though they met for the first time last September - and only three times since then.

Their only physical contact has been 'kissing through bars' and she now has a 'ritual' of seductively eating a banana in front of Bronson 'for his viewing pleasure.'

The former Coronation Street actress, 36, has repeatedly denied that she is marrying Bronson as a publicity stunt to relaunch her career.

He had a diamond cluster ring delivered before asking her 'Do you want to be my missus?'.

The 64-year-old sang 'Our Way', altering some of the lyrics, and sang: 'We've lived a crazy life and travelled in and out of darkness. But more, much more than this, we did it our way.'

The couple exchanged letters while Bronson was engaged to his former partner Lorraine Etherington, secretary of the Charles Bronson Art Foundation which raises money for charity by promoting his drawings.

He proposed to her in 2015 but the couple later split and it is believed he did not meet Miss Williamson until after the end of that relationship.

Bronson, who has been married twice and engaged three times, is believed to have saved up for the ring despite previously getting 'knock-off versions' for his partners.

The notorious prisoner and former bare-knuckle boxer was first jailed in 1974 and has spent a total of 41 years in prison, having had his sentence increased previously for attacking fellow inmates and taking people hostage.

Lifer: Bronson (left the last time he was freed) has spent much of his time in jail in solitary confinement due to his history of violence - he may never be released from jail (right in 2004)

Miss Williamson, pictured appearing as a stripper on Emmerdale, said she had been in relationships with 'both men and women' in the past but 'none come close to her love for Charlie'

The pair are said to be 'determined to make the relationship work' despite him being in prison.

Bronson  whose life was made into a 2009 film starring Tom Hardy as the prisoner - has been married twice before, first to Irene Bronson, whom he divorced in 1977 after a five-year marriage.

The couple had one child - Michael - who was born in 1970. Bronson then married Fatema Saira Rehman, a Bangladeshi-born divorcee, in 2001 after the pair had corresponded after she saw a picture of him in a newspaper.

He briefly converted to Islam during the second marriage, which ended after four years.

Asked about whether their marriage would go the same way Paula said earlier this year: 'I am a different person to what she is'.
A toddler who hurtled down an escalator on a trike broke his nose when he came flying off it into a stand having escaped a play area at a shopping centre in India.

The three-year-old, named as Abhiram, was playing in a children's area near the escalators on the toy when he left under the nose of his father and and headed for the moving ramp.

He went riding down the escalator but started going too fast and crashed into a stand, sending him flying off the trike.

The Bizarre incident happened in the Kachiguda Big Bazar Mall in Hyderabad, India, and was captured on CCTV footage, prompting the father to lodge a complaint with the local police force.

The toddler, named as Abhiram, is seen at the top of the escalator in the Indian shopping mall

It is reported the boy's parents have now lodged a complaint against the shopping centre's staff.

Dad Sudhakar, his wife and two children went to the shopping centre together and the parents left the children in the unsupervised play area while they browsed the shops.

The boy left on the trike and was left bleeding from the mouth and suffered a fractured nose, it has been reported.

The father said: 'I was unaware Abhiram had an accident because I was looking at a toy for my other son.

'Abhiram was only a few feet away from me when he got on the ramp, but I did not notice.

'Only after looking for him for some time that I noticed someone had had a mishap.

'When I went to see what was going on, I saw Abhiram bleeding.'

Nobody has even noticed the boy is half way down the escalator and on his way to crashing into the stand at the bottom

After hearing him clattering into the stand, those in the shopping centre rush to help him

He said he received no help in attending to his son from shopping centre staff.

He continued: 'I had to move to four different hospitals, before Lotus Hospital, Lakidikapul, admitted my injured son.

'The reason I lodged a police complaint is to make sure that such incidents do not repeat and it is the responsibility of the mall management to man the ramps.'

Inspector P Shiva Shankar Rao said there had been 'clear negligence on part of boy's parents and not the mall management'.

The police officer said: 'We got the complaint against the mall but they are not at fault.

'So, no case was registered against the mall.'
The horrifying moment a Russian Communist MP was shot dead while driving to work was captured on a dashcam.

An unknown gunman opened fire on Magomed Askhabov, from south-western Russias autonomous Republic of Chechnya.

Investigators have said Mr Askhabov may have been killed by ISIS-inspired terrorists, but Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has poured water on this theory.

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The moment shots were fired at Chechen MP Magomed Askhabov was captured on horrifying dashcam footage

Investigators have said Mr Askhabov may have been killed by ISIS-inspired terrorists, but Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has poured water on this theory

He claimed that the murder was not political, Crime Russia reports, posting on Instagram that this had been confirmed by 'numerous independent sources, as well as the reports of law enforcement agencies'.

Mr Askhabov, head of the committee on land relations, was on the way to work to the city of Grozny when the Toyota Camry that he was driving was shot by an unknown gunman.

Dashcam footage shows another vehicle driving alongside Mr Askhabovs to his left.

Pictures from the scene show that the car overturned and the MP died on the spot

Gunshots are heard and suddenly the car rams into a lamppost, destroying the windscreen before the car spins over and turns onto its side.

Local police have launched a criminal case for murder connected with the public duties of a person.

They are also looking to prosecute for illicit trafficking in weapons. The assailant has not yet been identified.

It is reported that the investigation is under the personal command of Alexander Bastrykin, 64, head of the investigative committee of the Russian Federation.

Following Askhabov's death, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov released a statement describing him as 'a friend, a brother and a colleague'.

The killing is the most recent in a series of high-profile assassinations in Russia.

Russia's ambassador to Sudan, Mirgayas Shirinskiy, was found dead at his home in Khartoum on Wednesday

Russia's ambassador to Sudan, Mirgayas Shirinskiy, was found dead in the swimming pool at his home in Khartoum on Wednesday, the Sudanese police said.

The 62-year-old ambassador's death marks the fourth Russian ambassador to die on the job in just eight months.

Shirinskiy, who was known to have suffered from high blood pressure, is believed to have died of natural causes, a spokesman for the police said.

He was found by police at his home in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, on Wednesday, but doctors were not able to save him.

Sudan's foreign ministry expressed its condolences to Russia in a statement, hailing Shirinskiy's diplomatic efforts.

Since December 2016, Russian ambassadors to Turkey, India, and the UN have also died while on the job.

Russia's ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was assassinated while speaking at an art gallery in Ankara in an act famously captured on video December 19.

The off-duty police officer who killed him, Mevlut Mert Altntas, is said to have shouted 'Don't forget Aleppo' before opening fire.

Russia's ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was assassinated while speaking at an art gallery in Ankara in an act famously captured on video December 19

The off-duty police officer who killed him, Mevlut Mert Altntas, is said to have shouted 'Don't forget Aleppo' before opening fire

He was killed by Turkish special forces after shooting Karlov, who had been in the diplomatic service for 40 years.

A month later, on January 26, 2017, Alexander Kadakin, the Russian ambassador to India, died of heart failure in the hospital, aged 67.

Kadakin was the longest-serving Russian diplomat in the region, having served 12 years in India.

On January 26, 2017, Alexander Kadakin (left), the Russian ambassador to India, died of heart failure in the hospital, aged 67. On February 20, 2017, former child actor and Russian ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin (right) died from a heart attack, aged 64

On February 20, 2017, former child actor and Russian ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin died from a heart attack, aged 64.

Churkin, the longest-serving ambassador on the UN's security council, had collapsed in his New York office before he was pronounced dead.

His death came just a day before his 65th birthday.

NYPD sources said he died of a heart attack, and President Vladimir Putin was 'deeply upset' by the news, having greatly valued Churkin's professionalism and diplomatic talent, according to a Kremlin statement quoted by the Russian news agency TASS.
FARGO  Brooke Lynn Crews, charged with conspiring to murder a pregnant neighbor and kidnap her unborn child, told police the neighbor gave Crews the baby and left, according to court documents released Monday.

William Henry Hoehn, Crews boyfriend and co-defendant, told police he arrived home to find Crews cleaning up blood in the bathroom and presenting him with the child saying, This is our baby, this is our family.

The neighbor, Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, 22, went missing Aug. 19. She was eight months pregnant at the time. Her body was found wrapped in plastic bags in the Red River on Sunday night.

Crews, 38, and Hoehn, 32, have each been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and providing false information to law enforcement. They appeared in Cass County District Court on Monday.

The charge of conspiracy to commit murder, a Class AA felony, carries a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole, while conspiracy to commit kidnapping, a Class A felony is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, Burdick said. A false information charge is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison.

No one else is expected to face charges in the case at this time. "We have no indication that there are any other suspects involved in this crime," said Lt. Jason Nelson of the Fargo Police Department.

Although the case may stretch across two states, North Dakota and Minnesota, authorities said it is too early to tell if the case would head to federal court. Burdick said at this time, it will be handled in Cass County District Court, but that he will communicate with other agencies as more information becomes available.

We just need to await facts, Burdick said. If further information comes to us that leads us to believe that other jurisdictions would be appropriate then I will sit down with those jurisdictions.

LaFontaine-Greywinds body was found about 8:20 p.m. in the Red River near the 90th Avenue Northwest bridge. About the same time, investigators from the Clay County Sheriffs Office were called to a nearby abandoned farmstead after a search party reported finding suspicious items that could indicate criminal activity.

The team that was searching, when they went to the house, they found some things that were very, very suspicious, Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist said. Thats what brought us there.

The Clay County Sheriffs Office is handling the search and investigation of the farmstead, Fargo Police Chief David Todd said.

On the property is an abandoned house with barns, and it has not had an official address for years. The owner has been cooperative with investigators, Bergquist said.

LaFontaine-Greywind's body, which was found bound in plastic and duct tape, was sent to the Ramsey County Medical Examiners Office in St. Paul for an autopsy.

On Monday, investigators could not say where LaFontaine-Greywind may have died or how. Preliminary information from the autopsy is expected later Monday or early today.

Todd said, Savanna was the victim of a cruel and vicious act of depravity.

Lt. Nelson provided additional information about earlier searches of Hoehn and Crews' Fargo apartment. Officers searched that apartment twice for LaFontaine-Greywind on Aug. 19, the day she went missing, and a detective searched the apartment on Sunday. There was no indication of LaFontaine-Greywind or a child during those three searches, Nelson said.

During those searches, the suspects were cooperative and there were no signs of a crime scene, Nelson said.
An American news website has been mocked online after using a picture of Nicola Sturgeon as a generic scientist.

Vox used a picture of Scotland's First Minister peering down a microscope to illustrate an article about proposals for healthcare reform in the US.

And while the website soon realised its error and took the pictured down, Twitter users were quick to spot the error.

Twitter user Ryan Peterrana compared it to the infamous moment last year when NBC News used a picture of Ed Miliband blowing his nose for a story on a flu epidemic.

American news website Vox has been mocked online after using this image of Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon staring down a microscope as a generic picture of a scientist for one of ts articles about plans for healthcare reform in the United States

While another, Maureen Johnson, posted a snap of Ms Sturgeon in a hard hat and high-vis jacket and joked that she is in fact a builder.

And fellow Twitter user Sandra Pickering hailed the use of the picture as evidence that the SNP leader is helping in the bid to get more women into Stem subjects - the sciences, technology, engineering and maths.

Ms Pickering, a brand marketing strategist, posted a link to the article with the message: 'Brilliant! Someone searched for 'scientist' and remembered to add 'female'.

'Well done @NicolaSturgeon for advancing women in #STEM :)'

Journalist Jamie Ross was the first to spot the blunder online - and his tweet sparked a flurry of mocking replies from fellow Twitter users

Journalist Jon Stone kicked off the mockery by posting this snap of German Chancellor Angela Merkel dressed in a lab coat and peering through a microscope, joking that the website could have chosen his snap to illustrate its story

Maureen Johnson posted a picture of Nicola Sturgeon in a hard hat and high-vis and joked that everyone knows that in fact the leader of the SNP is actually a builder

Several Twitter users compared the infamous moment last year when NBC News used a picture of Ed Miliband blowing his nose to illustrate a story about a flu epidemic

Scottish journalist Jamie Ross was the first to spot the blunder, posting it online and writing: 'Incredible scenes.

'Vox has mistakenly used a picture of Nicola Sturgeon as a stock picture for a scientist.'

Independent reporter Jon Stone kicked off the mockery by posting an image of German Chancellor Angela Merkel also in a white lab coat staring down a microscope.

One Twitter user offered up an old photograph of the former Margaret Thatcher in a lab coat looking at a fask as an alternative

Sandra Pickering hailed Nicola Sturgeon's appearance on the website as a boost in the bid to get more women into science, technology and maths subjects

Vox is not the only website to make the blunder. technology website Engadget used a different picture of the Scottish First Minister looking through a microscope for another story on cell science

He wrote alongside it: 'Amazing that they would make this mistake when there are so many other perfectly good photos of scientists.'

Simon Harley joined in the fun online, posting a picture of Margaret Thatcher in a lab coat inspecting a flask.

The late former Prime Minister was a chemist before she entered Parliament.

And it appears that Vox is not the only website to use a picture of Ms Sturgeon dressed up as a scientist to illustrate its stories.

Twitter user TheRealHD posted a link to the technology website engadet which had used another picture of Ms Sturgeon peering down a microscope on a different visit to illustrate a story about cell technology.
Sadia Malik's husband Sajid Idris pictured outside court last month, when he appeared after being charged with terror offences

A special needs primary school teacher accused of sharing links to YouTube videos featuring an extremist Islamic preacher has appeared in court charged with a terror offence.

Sadia Malik, a special education needs coordinator from Wales, was suspended over her alleged links to extremist groups.

The 36-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court today accused of promoting a banned hate group and encouraging Muslims to sacrifice all their money to help establish a worldwide Islamic Caliphate.

Her husband, Sajid Idris, 34, has already been charged with four counts of disseminating terrorist publications as part of the same investigation and appeared in court last month.

Malik is accused of sending two messages via WhatsApp with YouTube links to four videos and a website linked to banned British-born hate preacher Omar Bakri Mohammed.

She was arrested along with her husband and charged with two counts of distributing terrorist material on January 28, 2014.

At court today she sat outside the dock wearing a dark blue hijab and black burkha, where she spoke only to confirm her name, date of birth and address.

Sadia Malik, a special education needs coordinator from Wales, was suspended over her links to the extremist groups. The 36-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court today

Samuel Main, prosecuting, said: 'The Crown say the defendant sent messages with links to videos to 12 recipients via WhatsApp.'

Deputy Chief Magistrate Tanvir Ikram released Malik on conditional bail.

One condition of her bail was not to give talks at any public event where Islam is being discussed or to distribute leaflets.

Both Malik and her husband, from Grangetown in Cardiff, will next appear at the Old Bailey on September 21.
An advertising campaign directed at convincing Australians to say 'no' to same sex marriage aired for the first time on Tuesday night.

Organised by Coalition for Marriage, the 30 second advertisement features three mothers who argue potential adverse affects on their children if the legislation is passed.

Cella White, who withdrew her children from a Victorian high school because of a transgender awareness program, appears as the first speaker.

The mother of four explains her concern at her son's school telling him 'he could wear a dress next year if he felt like it.'

Referring to LGBTIQ sex and gender education programs in schools, a second woman says 'when same sex marriage passes as law overseas, this type of program become (sic) widespread and compulsory.'

An emotive song plays softly in the background before plain text saying: 'in countries with gay marriage, parents have lost their right to choose,' flashes on screen.

Cella White (pictured above) explained her concern at her son's school telling him 'he could wear a dress next year if he felt like it'

A third woman then expresses her worry of how 'kids in Year 7 are being asked to role play being a same sex relationship.'

The advertisement finishes on the captions 'we have a choice' and 'you can say no'.

Equality Campaign executive director Tiernan Brady has labelled the advertisement 'disgraceful in its dishonesty' news.com reports.

The second speaker (pictured above) says 'when same sex marriage passes as law overseas, this type of program become (sic) widespread and compulsory'

'The people behind this ad know that the Australian people are for allowing all Australians the right to marry so they want to desperately pretend this simple straightforward question is about something else,' Mr Brady told the publication.

Coalition for Marriage spokeswoman Sophie York argued against 'radical' LGBTIQ sex and gender education programs becoming mandatory in primary schools, like they had in Canada and the UK, in a statement.

'Every day across the country, on social media, in coffee shops, in mothers' groups and at BBQs, hundreds of thousands of parents are speaking to each other about the impacts of radical LGBTIQ sex and gender education programs,' Ms York said.

A third woman (pictured above) expresses her worry of how 'kids in Year 7 are being asked to role play being a same sex relationship'

'Millions of Australians are now concerned about the consequences of changing the Marriage Act.'

The campaign has won the support of the Australian Christian Lobby, which believes: 'Changing the marriage law will have consequences for what is taught in our kids' classroom.'

In an online post, the group wrote, 'If same-sex marriage becomes law, parents will not have a leg to stand on if they don't want their kids taught radical sex education, and gender ideologies.'

The advertisement is set to continue airing on national mainstream television networks and pay TV stations.

The campaign has won the support of the Australian Christian Lobby, which believes: 'Changing the marriage law will have consequences for what is taught in our kids' classroom'

The advertisement finishes on the captions 'we have a choice' and 'you can say no'

There has been a diverse reaction to the ad on social media with some arguing it fails to address 'real' issues of same sex marriage, instead, making it a discussion about children and the Government's Safe Schools program.

'The strange thing is that the Same Sex Marriage vote has absolutely zero to do with children, yet our supposed Christian lobbyists have somehow made it about children,' a Facebook user wrote.

Another agreed, writing: 'What has the safe school programme got to do with the SSM debate?'.

Social media users were quick to weigh in on Coalition for Marriage's new anti-gay marriage ad

A Twitter user accused the campaign of 'scare mongering' in schools, while another added how they didn't think the ad was an accurate reflection of the beliefs of the majority of voters, calling it 'humiliating.'

'Sometimes I feel ashamed to call myself Australian,' one disgruntled social media wrote.

Another pointed out the irony of the ad and its role in reminding viewers they have the option to be a 'jerk'.

A Twitter user accused the campaign of 'scare mongering' in schools, while another added how they didn't think the ad was an accurate reflection of the beliefs of the majority of voters, calling it 'humiliating'

'I love that the no campaign's slogan is 'You can say no'. Like, they know you shouldn't but want you to know you can be a jerk if you want.'

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has slammed the ad, calling it 'offensive and hurtful to LGBTI Australians and their families,' the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

'This is exactly what was predicted when Malcolm Turnbull decided to waste $122 million on a postal survey. He gave the green light to this rubbish,' Mr Shorten told Fairfax Media.

Adding: 'This is not freedom of speech. This is freedom to hurt. I just want to tell LGBTI families that they are not on their own. Most people know this is total rubbish.'
This is the incredible moment a navy soldier son surprised his mother by bursting out of the trunk of a car, after a staggering two and a half years apart.

In Jacksonville, Florida, auntie Tonya Jackson had a very special surprise for her sister, Diana, when she asked her to help with some 'good stuff' she has stashed in her car.

Hesitant to venture out in the rain, Diana eventually accepted her sister's strange request, but as Tonya lifted the trunk of her car, Diana could barely believe her eyes when she saw what was inside.

Serving in the naval forces for the last four years, Diana's son Lee hadn't been home to see her in nearly three years.

Diana launched herself into her son's arms and instantly erupted into a flurry of tears, calling out 'my baby', while clinging on to him tightly.

Lee said: 'I'd been away in Guam for a very long time, and haven't been able to see my mum for two and a half years.

'I knew I wanted our reunion to be a special moment, particularly after all this time, so I called my aunt, who was more than happy to help.

This is the incredible moment a navy soldier son surprised his mother by bursting out of the trunk of a car, after a staggering two and a half years apart

'I wasn't really sure how the plan would go, because my auntie isn't the most secretive of people.

'My mother and I have always been very close, so it was nice to be able to give something back to her, to show my appreciation for everything she's done for me.

'When you're on deployment it's these moments that you hope for when you come back home.

Launching herself into his arms and flailing her legs, Diana instantly erupted into a flurry of tears, calling out 'my baby', while clinging on to him tightly

'Not the moment of surprise, but the moment of having the person you love with you.

'Immediately after surprising my mum, I went to pick up my little sisters from day care, it was amazing to see their little faces.

'It feels amazing to be back with my family again, it makes everything I do seem worth it in the end.'
A Victoria teenage boy has died two days after being shot in the head in what police believe may have been accident.

The 17-year-old had been critically injured at a home in Neeram East, 115km east of Melbourne, after being shot in the head on Sunday.

Paramedics were called to the address about 2pm where police believe the boy was with two friends before the incident about 1.30pm.

The 17-year-old was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in critical condition (stock image)

An Ambulance Victoria spokesman confirmed the teenager was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital while in a critical condition after the 'possibly accidental' shooting.

However the 17-year-old died in hospital on Tuesday.

Victoria police have revealed they are still trying to piece together the events leading up to the alleged accident.

'The circumstances are yet to be established and the investigation is ongoing,' a Victorian police spokesperson said in a statement.

Police have confirmed they are not looking for anyone else involved in the incident.
Laura Meakin, 24, seen with her boyfriend Curtis Henderson, spotted the tip-toeing worker as she washed after a night on the town in the tourism hotspot of Gran Canaria

A holidaymaker claims she discovered a security guard filming her while she showered, leading to a confrontation in which her boyfriend punched the man, knocking him out.

NHS worker Laura Meakin, 24, claimed she spotted the tip-toeing worker as she washed after a night out in the tourism hotspot of Gran Canaria.

Ms Meakin then rushed out to the walkway of their eighth floor room in Puerto Rico to confront the creep with her boyfriend Curtis Henderson, also 24.

But she says the man claimed he had only been having a cigarette - despite their out-of-the-way room location and a smoking ban at the Castillo de Sol complex.

Ms Meakin, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, explained how she first noticed a mobile phone poking through her hotel window.

She said: 'We had come back from a night out at 3am. Curtis was laying on the bed, eating his kebab. I told him I was going to have a shower and wash my hair.

'I got into the shower. The window into it opens into the bathroom. For some reason it was in my eye line, so I kept looking at it.

'At one point I looked up, and I just saw a phone pointing in the window. I thought, "That's weird".

Ms Meakin, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, explained how she first noticed a mobile phone poking through her hotel window

So I got out, walked to the door and the security guard was standing outside, smoking.'

Ms Meakin, who fell victim to the voyeur a week into her fortnight-long break in June, continued: 'I said, "I've just f*****g caught you filming me in the shower".

'He said "No, no, me smoking a cigarette". I said, "You weren't smoking a cigarette, you were filming me in the shower".

'I said it was forbidden to smoke, and asked him why he had come up to the top floor to smoke anyway.'

Mr Henderson then confronted the man, with the couple demanding he call the police - only for him to refuse.

Their confrontation escalated in the hotel lobby, where Mr Henderson hit the pervert, knocking him out.

She said: 'I got into the shower. The window into it opens into the bathroom. For some reason it was in my eye line, so I kept looking at it'

This resulted in an appearance before a local court and 3,000 Euro (2,788) fine.

Ms Meakin said of the June 16 incident: 'Curtis went over and grabbed him. He said I'm sorry, I'm sorry, and ran off.

'Curtis ended up smacking him, and knocked him out.

'He got taken to court for that, which resulted in him getting a big fine.'

She says if the hotel had simply called the police, Mr Henderson would never have responded so aggressively.

And the shell-shocked holidaymaker blasted local police for sending around 15 officers to arrest him.

She said they ignored her pleas to collar the security guard, who she also claimed deleted the incriminating footage from his phone.

They were forced to borrow money to pay the fine, and moved hotel on the Monday after the incident took place.

Ms Meakin claimed she was fobbed-off by local authorities when she attempted to report the crime again afterwards.

She also criticised holiday company Thomas Cook for their handling of the incident.

She claimed the company initially said the case was being investigated 'at the highest level' - only to be later asked by a staff member 'What do you want us to do?'

She continued, describing the scene in the bathroom, pictured: 'At one point I looked up, and I just saw a phone pointing in the window. I thought, "That's weird"

The trauma of Ms Meakins ordeal saw her visit her GP when she arrived home, with the doctor signing her off with stress. Pictured: The window through which the pervert filmed

The trauma of Ms Meakins ordeal saw her visit her GP when she arrived home, with the doctor signing her off with stress.

She said: 'The whole thing has been so stressful and upsetting. I'm disgusted with the way it has been handled.

'I'm a victim, but I've been made to feel as if I've done something wrong.

'I know Curtis shouldn't have hit the bloke, and I've told him as much, but he was so angry, and most blokes would have done the same in his situation.'

A spokeswoman for Thomas Cook said 'The hotel security guard went to Mr Henderson's room after reports of a disturbance. We are aware of the allegations made by Ms Meakin, and the customers' request that we pay Mr Henderson's fine and court costs following his assault of the security guard, which we declined.

We helped the couple in the resort, including proving a translator for the court appearance. We cannot comment further as this is now a police matter.'
Horrifying video shows the moment a masked gunman opened fire on an ex-bikie gang member in a failed assassination attempt in Sydney's west.

Recently released CCTV footage shows the attack on Hayan Chandab, a former senior Comanchero, outside his St Marys home in 2013.

The gunman is seen repeatedly shooting Chandab in the street, before he remarkably manages to get to his feet and call an ambulance.

He was shot in the back, shoulder and leg, while another bullet grazed his skull, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Horrifying footage shows the moment a masked gunman opened fire on ex-bikie gang member Hayan Chandab (pictured) in a failed assassination attempt in Sydney's west in 2013

Chandab also suffered a broken nose when he was kicked in the head after he fell to the ground in a hail of bullets.

At the time, his sister Taghred Chandab, a former News Corp reporter, penned 'the most difficult story' she had ever written describing the shooting.

'He was calling out for his neighbour when the gunman shot him a fourth and fifth time. Before fleeing, the gunman kicked him in the face, breaking his nose,' she wrote for the paper.

'My brother's past had finally caught up with him.

'Lying in a pool of blood, he reached for his phone. There was so much he had to live for - he had just married and had seven-month-old twin boys.'

The ex-bikie spent two months in hospital following the assassination attempt, but survived.

The gunman is seen repeatedly shooting Chandab in the street, before he remarkably manages to get to his feet and call an ambulance

The ex-bikie spent two months in hospital following the assassination attempt, but survived

Three years later, two balaclava-clad men shot dead a 29-year-old man outside Chandab's home.

The man was returning to his car after briefly entering the property when he was shot at point blank range as his fiancee sat next to him, police said at the time.

A neighbour at the scene told Seven News: 'It was eight shots or ten. It sounded like a pistol to me.'

The killers fled and the man died at the scene.

'They certainly wanted to make sure this individual was deceased,' Inspector Taylor said at the time.
Piers Morgan has revealed he has broken three ribs

Piers Morgan has revealed he has broken three ribs after suffering a nasty fall.

The Good Morning Britain host has been left in agony after breaking the bones in an accident, but has not yet revealed the circumstances surrounding his tumultuous tumble.

Mr Morgan was treated at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in Fulham, London, and he praised NHS staff for their assistance in his hour of need.

Revealing his injury on his Twitter account, he posted: 'BREAKING (literally...) NEWS: I've broken 3 ribs falling flat on my a**e. Thanks to @ChelwestFT staff for speedy treatment.'

He later added: 'Trying to work out what's causing me more pain, Wenger or 3 broken ribs. Fairly sure it's Wenger.'

Mr Morgan, 52, has a history of rib injuries and broke one of his bones in December 2013 when he faced a barrage of six deliveries from Australian fast bowler Brett Lee for a TV segment on Sky Sports.

In 2007, he broke three ribs after falling off a Segway at 12mph in California three days before he was due to appear as a judge on the final of reality show America's Got Talent.

Revealing his injury on his Twitter account, he posted: 'BREAKING (literally...) NEWS: I've broken 3 ribs falling flat on my a**e. Thanks to @ChelwestFT staff for speedy treatment'

In 2007, Mr Morgan broke three ribs after falling off a Segway at 12mph in California three days before he was due to appear as a judge on the grand final of reality show America's Got Talent

Mr Morgan and Susanna Reid are due to return to GMB next week after enjoying the summer off from the ITV breakfast show.

The pair are due to resume duties on Monday, September 4 following their lengthy break which began in July.

Mr Morgan and Susanna Reid are due to return to GMB next week after enjoying the summer off from the ITV breakfast show

In their absence Richard Madeley, Jeremy Kyle and Eamonn Holmes have been filling in for Piers over the last six weeks, with Ranvir Singh and Charlotte Hawkins stepping in for Susanna.

The presenter has just returned from a holiday with his sons Spencer, Stanley and Albert in Antigua.

He spent the weekend in America, where he watched Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
An alcoholic who stole a car at knife point while on a bender triggered by a sip of wine at Holy Communion in church has been locked up for two and a half years.

Adam Alfred Taylor, 32, raided a Gold Coast takeaway restaurant and demanded a couple hand over the keys to their car while threatening them with a 30-centimetre kitchen knife.

The couple managed to rescue their bags and dog from the car, before Taylor escaped in the stolen vehicle, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

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Taylor's June 18 crime was called 'brazen and opportunistic against unsuspecting members of the public' when the case went to court on Tuesday

When he appeared at Southport District Court on Tuesday, the Judge heard Taylor had a long history with alcohol and drug abuse when he went to church and consumed wine at Holy Communion on June 18.

Taylor pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful use of a vehicle and unlawful entry of a vehicle whilst armed.

Barrister Sarah Thompson told the court Taylor continued to drink when he returned home from church that day  which lead to his decision to confront his ex-partner's family over custody of his young daughter.

Taylor, 32, raided a Gold Coast takeaway restaurant and demanded a couple hand over the keys to their car while threatening them with a 30-centimetre kitchen knife

The couple managed to rescue their bags and dog from the car, before Taylor escaped in the stolen vehicle

The 32-year-old father did not physically hurt anyone during his June 18 rampage.

When the police intercepted Taylor he was 'so intoxicated' he was 'unable to be interviewed', the court heard on Tuesday.

He was found to be three times over the legal blood alcohol limit.

Crown Prosecutor Nicholas McGhee told the court on Tuesday Taylor's offence was 'serious' and pushed for a three-year jail sentence.

When the police intercepted Taylor he was 'so intoxicated' he was 'unable to be interviewed', the court heard on Tuesday

The rampage was triggered by a sip of wine at Holy Communion, the court heard on Tuesday

'It was brazen and opportunistic against unsuspecting members of the public,' Mr McGhee said.

Taylor was sentenced to two and a half years behind bars but will be eligible for parole in seven months.

The court heard Taylor had a criminal history which included a previous armed robbery and drink driving offences.
Police in Indiana are hunting for a peeping Tom after two different families reported seeing a man spying on their daughters.

The unidentified man was caught on one family's surveillance cameras climbing up a tree outside their home in Plainfield, just outside Indianapolis, to stare at a 13-year-old girl while he masturbated.

Nydia Botero and her husband spotted the man on the surveillance video on August 19 after they noticed their ladder outside their home had been moved during the night.

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The man was caught on one family's surveillance cameras climbing up a tree outside their home in Indianapolis to stare at a 13-year-old girl while he masturbated on August 19

The video shows the man coming into their backyard at about 5.30am and trying to move the ladder against the house.

He then climbed a nearby tree to peer into their 13-year-old daughter's bedroom as she was waking up and getting dressed for school.

Botero said the man was then caught on camera masturbating before eventually climbing back down.

She said at one point he tried to cover his face with his shirt when he realized there was a security camera in the backyard.

Their neighbor, Bekezela Mguquka, said her teenage daughter and nieces woke on August 23 to find a man crawling in their bedroom as they slept.

Nydia Botero said the man was caught on camera masturbating outside her daughter's bedroom window. She blacked out the image (above) before sharing it on Facebook

The video shows the man coming into their backyard at about 5.30am before climbing a tree to peer at their teenage daughter

She said it is the second time in three weeks the girls have woke screaming because a man was staring at them from inside their bedroom.

'He didn't say anything. Just staring at them,' Mguquka told WTHR.

She said the man fled when the girls started screaming.

'Mommy, he was right there in our face. We saw him looking at us',' Mguquka said the girls told her.

'It's so shocking. I think he targets girls.'

Police have not yet confirmed if it is the same man in both instances but they are still investigating.
History was breaking news last week in Montana. The publicity revealed some of the best and the worst ideas circulating in our state.

First, Helena city commissioners ordered the removal of a century-old fountain erected by a group that supported the Ku Klux Klan to honor Confederate soldiers who fought against the United States in the Civil War. Two years ago, the commission had decided that the Confederate memorial should have a sign to describe its history. Most unfortunately, that informative signage was never added. In the wake of violence in Charlottesville, Va., over plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, Helena leaders quickly decided to remove the memorial from a city park for public safety.

Native American state lawmakers united in an eloquent call to remove that monument to racism and defenders of slavery. Other Montanans decried the loss of history with the memorials removal. The angriest comments indicated ignorance of Civil War history.

The Ku Klux Klan history is racist and anti-Catholic, and, more recently, anti-LGBTQ. The Klan was active in Montana through the 1920s and beyond. Forty-two different Klan groups were active in 22 states as of June this year, but none were in Montana, according to a report from the Anti-Defamation League.

After the Helena memorial story, came welcome news of Montanans striving to present history accurately, to teach tolerance by informing new generations about the Holocaust. The Holocaust Museum of Montana, based in Bozeman, announced a board with members including former U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, his wife, Melodee Hanes, mountaineer Conrad Anker, Montana State University President Waded Cruzado, former U.S. Rep. Rick Hill and former Billings Mayor Chuck Tooley.

Our state and nation are in dire need of honest and accurate portrayals of history. Let there be no equivocating: The Nazis brutally murdered 6 million Jews, plus other people who didnt fit the Nazi definition of pure white. Nazis started World War II, the war that took 60 million lives in battle, disease and famine.

Executive Director Chavie Bruk, wife of a Bozeman rabbi, said the museum will present history to teach people to build a better future.

The goal is education, teaching tolerance and love, accepting people for who they are, Bruk told The Billings Gazette Thursday from Bozeman. Its OK to have differences. We can still love and respect each other.

Development plans include two classrooms, a multimedia room and exhibit gallery. Bruk wants visitors to do more than just walk through. She envisions engaging folks with interactive exhibits, lectures, discussions and other activities.

In a video promoting the Holocaust Museum of Montana, Georgette Cassen, a Holocaust survivor now living in Bozeman, says: You have to remember because it could happen again. There is enough hatred in this world it could happen again.

Cassen is correct. Americans must learn the lessons of history to avoid repeating them. There is no room in a free society for denying the Holocaust. No place for glorifying slavery, racism or secession from the United States. Montanans who value the Constitution must marginalize hate speech and embrace the equal protections our U.S. laws guarantee to all citizens.

 The Billings (Mont.) Gazette
The leaders of Germany and France have committed to pressing ahead with deeper European integration and promised a tighter euro zone at the core of the European Union shaken by Britain's vote to leave.

French President Emmanuel Macron, elected in May on a pro-EU platform, said he wanted to strengthen Europe's single currency union in light of Brexit and pledged to announce proposals after Germany's election on September 24.

'This is a revamp that we need,' he told an annual assembly of French ambassadors in Paris, promising 'concrete steps in around 10 areas' and adding that the EU could not afford to 'get stuck in routine or technocratic quarrels'.

He said a multi-speed Europe led by a core of 'avant-garde' countries was the way forward, insisting, 'We should imagine a Europe of several formats - going further with those who want to advance, while not being held back by states which want to progress slower or not as far.'

'Brexit should not take up all our energy,' he added as British and European Commission officials hold a third round of talks this week on Britain's departure from the EU.

French president Emmanuel Macron (right) greets German Chancellor Angela Merkel upon her arrival at the Elysee Palace in Paris on August 28, 2017

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Elysee Palace in Paris

In Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel, who met Macron on Monday, endorsed the idea of a European Monetary Fund and said she could imagine creating a combined European finance and economy minister.

In power since 2005, the conservative chancellor, 63, is comfortably on course to win re-election, which would allow her to pursue deeper euro zone integration together with Macron.

Describing a European Monetary Fund as a 'very good idea', Merkel told reporters: 'It could make us even more stable and allow us to show the world that we have all the mechanisms in our own portfolio of the euro zone to be able to react well to unexpected situations.'

Such a Fund would evolve out of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) - a rescue facility set up in 2012 to help defuse the euro zone crisis that threatened to tear apart the common-currency bloc at the heart of the EU.

France's President Emmanuel Macron, right, poses with German Chancellor Angela Merkel prior to their meeting at the Elysee Palace, in Paris on Monday

Merkel, who wants to proof the currency union against future crises, said she did not rule out a French idea to have a common euro zone finance minister. 'I could also imagine a (combined) economy and finance minister,' she said, adding that this could allow for better coordination on budget and economic policies.

Speaking for more than 1-1/2 hours, Merkel addressed a wide range of issues in good humour two days after her main election challenger, Social Democrat Martin Schulz, accused her of being aloof and out of touch with voters.

She also called for more European cooperation on migrant policy, pressed Turkey to release German citizens it has detained.

The EU and Germany also criticized the Polish government for threatening the rule of law in the country.

Merkel said its disrespect for democratic norms could undermine cooperation in the 28-nation bloc and that she would not keep her mouth shut 'for the sake of peace' when it came to the neighbours.

Merkel said the worsening dispute between Warsaw and Brussels over changes in Poland's judicial system touches on 'the basis of cooperation inside the European Union'.

And the EU's executive branch dismissed Poland's position that it should stay out of the country's legislative affairs if it feels democratic standards are threatened.

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, meets German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, August 28, 2017, a day before she held a news conference to discuss a range of issues ahead of the September 24 general election

The EU Commission has been taking on Poland for perceived flaws in the rule of law after the Law and Justice party of Jaroslaw Kaczynski (pictured watching Finland against Poland at Euro 2008) came to power two years ago

The EU Commission has been taking on Poland for perceived flaws in the rule of law after the Law and Justice party of Jaroslaw Kaczynski came to power two years ago.

A primary point of contention is legislation the government aggressively pushed through to put the court system under the ruling party's control.

Merkel said there is not much choice but to raise concerns, adding: 'It's not about the rule of law or sticking together. Sticking together in the EU while abandoning the rule of law wouldn't be the European Union anymore.

In some of her most pointed comments to date on Germany's neighbor, Merkel said: 'However much I want to have very good relations with Poland, we cannot simply hold our mouths and say nothing for the sake of peace.'

Angela Merkel is scheduled to meet with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured) in Berlin on Wednesday, when Poland expected to be one of the main points of discussion

Merkel is scheduled to meet with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Berlin on Wednesday, when Poland expected to be one of the main points of discussion.

The Commission, echoing the concerns of Polish government critics and some other nations, has said the moves threaten to reduce the independence of judges and increase government interference.

The Law and Justice party has criticized the EU as overly bureaucratic and meddlesome in national affairs, reserving special scorn for EU Council President Donald Tusk, a longtime political opponent of Kaczynski.

The tension edged up another notch on Monday, when Warsaw sent the EU a letter stating that its criticism of the judicial changes 'go beyond the Commission's authority.'

Commission spokeswoman Vanessa Mock fired back on Tuesday and said: 'It is something we would actually quite powerfully refute.'

The comments were made at a news conference with less than a month to go until Germans head to the polls for their general election on September 24.

As well as Poland and the EU, Russia and immigration was also on the agenda as the Chancellor addressed the crowd.

Angela Merkel has said Europe still 'hasn't done its homework' on long-term solutions to the flow of migrants to the continent after her decision to open the door to those fleeing the Middle East.

Merkel said Tuesday that two years ago it was 'important and right' that Germany took in refugees in an 'exceptional situation', but it's also important to have 'long-term sustainable structures'.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Europe still 'hasn't done its homework' on long-term solutions to the flow of migrants to the continent after her decision to open the door to those fleeing the Middle East

She said 'Europe itself still hasn't done its homework to this day', with some countries refusing to accept a share of the refugees arriving in Europe.

Merkel added: 'It cannot be that Europe only shows solidarity when it helps some.'

Immigration has been a topic high on the agenda in the German general election race and with just weeks to go until Merkel discovers whether she has gained another term as Chancellor, she is currently out ahead in the opinion polls.

But Germany has become embroiled in a string of migrant-related issues during her tenure, which has come to a head in the past two years.

New Year celebrations in Cologne and other German cities were marred by ugly incidents of marauding mobs of migrant men sexually assaulting young women.

Islamic terror in the country has also been heavily linked with immigration and experts have warned with ISIS' imminent demise in Syria and Iraq, a new wave of extremists could be making their way to Germany.

Last month a police chief warned the country is now home to around 700 Islamists thought to pose a terror threat.

The federal police chief Holger Munch said the group posed the biggest threat to Germany, which has been rocked by terror attacks prompting criticism of Angela Merkel's open-door immigration policy.

He believes the number of extremists potentially willing to carry out terror attacks in Germany is now up to 690, almost a hundred more than the figure issued by the Interior Ministry in February.

Members of the German police's BFE+ (Evidence and Arrestment Unit) anti terror unit present a training operation in Berlin's Ahrensfelde district

Riaz Khan Ahmadzai in a video Islamic State posted July 19, 2016 in which a man whom it identifies as the Afghan refugee who attacked passengers with an axe on a train in Germany vows to carry out a suicide mission and urges other Muslims to do the same

Talking to the German daily newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau, he said there is an undercurrent of right-wing and left-wing extremists, but that Islamists pose the greatest threat.

'In the left-wing scene, the German states have currently estimated a number that can be counted on the fingers of one hand. In the right-wing scene, the number is in the low double digits,' he said.

'Unlike in the current scene of left-wing criminality, we very much see the risk that terrorist structures could form in the right-wing spectrum.

'Over the past two years, the topic of immigration has led to a noticeable radicalization of the scene.

'The huge number of offenses directed at asylum seeker shelters in 2015 and 2016 underlines that.

'We are being very vigilant, and want to start open investigations as fast as possible, without merely observing for too long.'

A man suspected of being an Islamic State militant is detained by the Iraqi Army in the Old City district on July 10, 2017 in Mosul, Iraq. The Iraqi government and armed forces have declared victory but fighting continues

A picture taken on July 9, 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosul's Old City.Iraq will announce imminently a final victory in the nearly nine-month offensive to retake Mosul from jihadists, a US general said Saturday, as celebrations broke out among police forces in the city

With ISIS on the brink of being flushed out of Iraq and Syria, experts suggest militants returning to the West may want to be sent to prison where they can set up what is being described as jihadi universities to spark a new movement.

Germany was rocked by terror last year, heaping pressure on chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door immigration policy

Germany was rocked by terror last year, heaping pressure on Merkel to change her stance on the country's open-door immigration policy.

A bloody week of violence shook the country beginning on July 18 when Pakistani teenager Riaz Khan Ahmadzai, 17, posing as an Afghan refugee, hacked at passengers on a train in Wurzburg with an axe, wounding five.

He was shot dead by police.

Four days later mentally unstable German-Iranian teenager Ali Sonboly shot nine people dead during a rampage through a shopping centre in Munich before taking his own life.

Sonboly claimed he was taking revenge for being bullied at school with no political motive to the murderous rampage.

Earlier that month, a suspected ISIS airport bomb plotter hanged himself in a German prison after being arrested following a manhunt.

Syrian national Jaber al-Bakr, 22, was found dead in his cell in Leipzig, eastern Germany having reportedly used his own t-shirt days after being detained.

He was arrested after three days on the run following a tip-off that he may have been looking to team up with associates in Leipzig.

A tow truck operates at the scene where a truck ploughed through a crowd at a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square near the fashionable Kurfuerstendamm avenue in the west of Berlin, Germany on December 20, 2016

Tunisian nantional Anis Amri, pictured left and right, who was responsible for the Berlin attack

Rescue workers at the scenes and the truck that crashed into a Christmas market, close to the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church in Berlin, Germany, 19 December 2016

Syrian Jaber al-Bakr Syrian who was found tied up in a compatriot's apartment in the eastern city of Leipzig having fled police after plotting to blow up an airport

Al-Bakr had built 'a virtual bomb-making lab' in a flat in Chemnitz and was thought to have planned an attack against either one of Berlin's two airports or a transport hub in his home state of Saxony, security sources said.

Chemnitz was on lockdown for hours when police raided his flat but failed to seize him before he was captured by fellow Syrian nationals who tied him up and handed him over to the authorities.

And on Monday, December 19, Tunisian ISIS fanatic Anis Amri hijacked a 35-tonne truck and ploughed it into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people.
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Hurricane Harvey is fast emerging as one of the most severe natural disasters in US history, with 20,000 people in shelters across Texas already and with no near end to the storm in sight.

A record 49.5 inches of rain has fallen in some parts of Texas, the highest amount to have ever fallen anywhere in the country, and experts say it is worse than Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Shelters across Houston have been overwhelmed by 17,000 displaced residents and there are still thousands of rescues being made from the floodwater.

The number of those killed in the disaster is not yet known, with emergency services focusing their efforts on rescuing the living instead of recovering any bodies, but the reality of the devastation is growing increasingly grave.

At least 11 are dead but it is likely that number will rise as the floods recede and more victims are found.

Among those killed is a Houston police officer who drowned in his car after getting stuck in the water as he made his way to work on Tuesday.

The storm is still thundering on off the coast of Texas and is making its way towards Louisiana where evacuations are already underway in preparation for its wrath.

It is expected to make landfall in the town of Cameron Parish on Wednesday, dumping between four and six inches of rain on areas where 20 inches have already fallen. This will aggravate flooding in already swampy areas and threatens to burst rivers.

In Houston, dramatic warnings to 'get out now' were issued to residents as river levees burst on Tuesday and dams, which are being drained by US Army engineers, overflowed.

The estimated cost of the storm damage is $40billion and it has crippled the country's oil trade, hampering 16 per cent of the US's refineries which are in the danger zone.

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An aerial view of an area in Houston near the Addicks reservoir on Tuesday shows the devastating floods from Hurricane Harvey

Homes and businesses near the Addicks Reservoir in Houston on Tuesday as authorities race to release more water from it before it overspills, sending more floods on to the city which is already on the brink

An aerial view of downtown Houston shows the devastating flooding on Tuesday as the water levels continue to rise

An area near the Addicks Reservoir on Tuesday. Homes near the dam will be flooded for months as a result of a controlled release of its water which the US Army Corps of Engineers was forced to carry out on Monday to avoid the dam from failing

Cars at a dealership in Houston float are almost entirely submerged in water as the flood levels continue to rise on Tuesday

Rescue efforts are ongoing in Texas where floods continue to wreak havoc on Houston and where almost 20,000 are taking shelter in refuges

Rescue efforts are still underway with hundreds of people being removed from their homes in high water trucks and boats

People have been forced to use kayaks and small boats to navigate their way through the floods in Houston

Men use jet skies to rescue stranded residents in Houston and tow them to safety as the flooding from Harvey continues

Volunteers on boats toe people on rubber rings (left) to safety as a man carries a woman through the floods (right)

Erik Peterson and his son Carlos are evacuated on a raft from their home near the Addicks Reservoir

Michael Brown, the former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, gave a bleak description of the storm on Tuesday.

'There are several factors that make it worse than Katrina. For one, there is the scope of the flooding. Harris County and the surrounding areas are so saturated.

Brazoria County - a suburb south of Houston - issued this dramatic warning on Tuesday morning as the levees of the Brazos river burst in Columbia Lakes

'Also, the amount of damages will continue to grow. There will be mold and structural damages adding up,' he told The Houston Chronicle.

On Tuesday, the Governor of Louisiana said it would welcome victims from Texas into its own shelters.

Storm evacuations have begun in the Lake Charles region of the state - where thousands were killed and rendered homeless by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

A state of emergency has been declared in Louisiana in anticipation of the storm.

There are more than 9,000 people in one shelter in Texas - the George R. Brown Center - and it is still taking people in need.

Churches have opened their doors to people in need and there are countless residents taking shelter in the homes of friends and well-wishers.

On Monday, hospitals asked for trained nurses to volunteer at their centers.

As Houston struggles with the storm's aftermath, help from other states and cities is pouring in.

One Michigan-based company has donated 22,000 kayaks to help residents get around as the flood waters cease to drain.

On Monday night, 11 people had to be rescued after one private boat of volunteers capsized. They were all rescued by the Houston Fire Department and none have serious injuries.

Homes near the Addicks Reservoir which overflowed on Tuesday, sending more water down towards Houston

Planes in an airfield near the Addicks Reservoir on Tuesday after more flood water came cascading down

Homes near the Addicks Reservoir where flood water continues to rise as a result of the overflowing dam

President Trump waves a Texas flag as he visits communities in Corpus Christi on Tuesday

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive in Texas on Tuesday as the city continues to struggle under the floods

President Trump and Melania Trump left the White House on Tuesday morning in less practical outfits

EXPERTS WARN HARVEY IS WORSE THAN KATRINA Michael Brown, the former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Hurricane Harvey would bring more devastation to Texas than the historic Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In an interview with The Houston Chronicle, Brown explained that the scope of the flooding in Houston - where up to 49 inches of rain has fallen - is considerably worse than was seen in New Orleans and other towns in Louisiana after Katrina. 'There are several factors that make it worse than Katrina. For one there is the scope of the flooding. Harris County and the surrounding areas are so saturated. 'Also, the amount of damages will continue to grow. There will be mold and structural damages adding up.' 1,833 people died as a result of Katrina. More than 273,000 people were in shelters and more than 1million are thought to have lost their homes. The full extent of the damage caused by Harvey is not yet clear. On Tuesday, there were 17,000 in shelters and more were being rescued by the minute. Eighty-percent of New Orleans flooded as a result of the storm as levees failed. On Tuesday, the first levee in Texas was breached as the flood waters rose. New Orleans is bracing itself to be pounded by Harvey which is scheduled to make landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday. Advertisement

Major Houston prisons have been evacuated to save inmates from the floods.

Six thousand prisoners have been bused to other correctional facilities across the state.

At 6.45am on Tuesday, the National Weather Service revealed that rain was still falling to the east of Houston at a rate of 2 inches per hour.

Even in homes which are not flooded, residents are running out of food and water and some cannot safely make their way to grocery stores.

Those who do make it there face snaking lines and empty shelves inside the stores.

President Trump raised spirits as he addressed a crowd of fans at a firehouse in Corpus Christi, telling them: 'This is historic, it's epic, what happened, but you know what, it happened in Texas. Texas can handle anything.'

He promised to take care of survivors and help with rescue efforts, saying: 'We love you. You are special. We are here to take care of you.'

'This was of epic proportion. Nobody's ever seen anything like this,' said Trump before praising Texas Governor Greg Abbott as being 'terrific' in the face of catastrophe.

He commended the emergency services but said cautiously: 'We'll congratulate each other when it's all finished.'

Flood waters continued to rise on Tuesday as the Addicks Reservoir overspilled at 108ft.

The US Army Corps of Engineers is racing the rain to drain the dam, pumping out thousands of cubic ft of water per second, but they cannot work fast enough.

The bridge is on Woodforest Boulevard over Greens Bayou has collapsed and drinking water in Lake Forest is no longer safe due to a loss of water pressure.

Residents there must now boil water before drinking it and using it for cooking or brushing their teeth.

A satellite image shows Hurricane Harvey covering Louisiana on Tuesday morning as it moves away from Texas

There are 17,000 people in shelters across Texas and more will flock to them as the disaster continues to unfold. Above, the George R. Brown Convention Center on Tuesday morning where 9,000 people are taking shelter

People line up for food at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Texas on Tuesday morning after spending the night. There are 17,000 people at shelters across Texas and more are expected to need cover in the coming days

A woman naps on a chair while others sleep on the ground at the expansive shelter where hundreds are taking cover

Thousands of people spent the night in shelters across Texas on Monday after being rendered homeless by the storm. A mother cradles a baby (above) at the George R. Brown Convention Center

A man is searched by a police officer before being allowed in to the George R. Convention Center. Everyone is searched before going inside to prevent weapons being brought in

Mark Ocosta feeds his baby Aubrey at the George R. Brown Convention Center on Tuesday

Two-year-old Malachia Medrano sleeps at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, on Monday night

A family is driven out of a flooded neighborhood in Corpus Christi on Tuesday

A man is carried out of flood water in a rubber boat after being rescued by volunteers in Corpus Christi

Capt Martha Nigrelle of the US Army National Guard enjoys a chicken wing in the flood water while taking a break from saving stranded residents

A man wearing a t-shirt with the words 'here 2 give a hand' written on the back joins volunteers in Houston on Tuesday

A woman and children are pushed through the storm in a kiddie pool by relatives as scores more try to escape the floods

Andrew Brennan, a volunteer from Louisiana, drags a woman and her child to safety on board an inflatable raft

A woman is wheeled in to a shelter on a stretcher in Houston after being evacuated from her home on Tuesday

81-year-old Ramona Bennett is carried by Texas Army National Guardsmen Sergio Esquivel (L) and Ernest Barmore (R) after being evacuated from her home in Pine Forest Village

An abandoned BMW lies on the Waugh street bridge over Buffalo Bayou near downtown Houston on Tuesday

A handout image from the Texas Military Department shows the National Guard making its way through a boarded up street

Abandoned cars near the Addicks Reservoir on Tuesday where flood waters continue to rise

SCIENTISTS WARNED THE MAYOR HOUSTON WAS A 'SITTING DUCK' FOR HARVEY A YEAR AGO A group of scientists warned the mayor that Houston was a 'sitting duck' for a 'perfect storm' like Hurricane Harvey a year ago. In the wake of Hurricane Ike in 2008, which threatened to swamp Houston but which by-passed it without causing drastic devastation, many questioned whether the city would be able to withstand a storm of Harvey's size. Ike killed 74 and caused $30billion of damage. 'Were sitting ducks. Weve done nothing,' Phil Bedient, an engineering professor at Rice University and co-director of the Storm Surge Prediction, Education, and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center, told Pro Publica last year. 'Weve done nothing to shore up the coastline, to add resiliency  to do anything.' Advertisement

The impact of the storm on the lives of residents in the danger zone is unfathomable. Many have no idea of the extent of the damage in their homes and are now fearing the financial torment they may now face.

Huge fundraising efforts are underway by the Red Cross. The New York Stock Exchange has donated $1million and Facebook has raised more than $1million too.

Celebrities including actor Kevin Hart and Real Housewives of New York star and business mogul Bethenny Frankel have pledged more than $50,000 combined. The cost of the storm will extend beyond state lines.

Experts at Goldman Sachs say it is likely to reduce GDP growth by 0.2 percent. Oil prices surged as supplies became suddenly precarious on Tuesday.

The full extent of the damage is not yet clear and won't be for some time. For now, charities and volunteers are focusing on the immediate needs of the people who have been displaced.

Dallas is preparing super shelters for thousands of displaced residents. On Monday afternoon, military planes transported the first evacuees to the Lively Point Youth Center in Irving. The space has capacity for about 200 evacuees and the shelter will be run by the Red Cross and City of Irving employees.

The city's emergency management coordinator said they are planning for the shelters to run 'long term'. Evacuees and those working the shelters have and will be vetted through criminal background checks.

The City of Dallas is also planning to host more than 5,000 evacuees in a shelter at the convention center. The Coast Guard has been receiving more than 1,000 calls an hour, US Coast Guard Lt Mike Hart said Monday.

The Texas Military Department rescues people on kayaks on Tuesday as they continue to evacuate people from their homes

The few grocery stores which opened were entirely pillaged on Tuesday as panicked residents stocked up in preparation for more disruption

Texas National Guard evacuates families from Pine Forest Village on Tuesday morning

Evacuees from Dickinson, Texas, board an airplane at Scholes International Airport on Monday in Galveston, Texas. Texas Air National Guard planes took evacuees to cities, including Dallas, where they can stay in shelters

Genice Gipson (right) comforts her lifelong friend, Loretta Capistran (left), outside of Capistran's apartment complex in Refugio, Texas, on Monday. 'We got to be strong, baby,' Gipson told Capistran

Texas Governor Greg Abbott looks over destroyed stores in Rockport during a tour of areas damaged by Hurricane Harvey, on Monday

A view of Rockport Donuts, local restaurant serving food to residents and aid workers, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas

On Monday, the Coast Guard rescued over 3,000 people alone.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott visited some of the devastated areas Monday before he gave an update on the aftermath of the storm in a press conference.

'A Texas-sized storm requires a Texas-sized response, and that is exactly what the state will provide,' he said.

'While we have suffered a great deal, the resiliency and bravery of Texan's spirits is something that can never be broken. As communities are coming together in the aftermath of this storm, I will do everything in my power to make sure they have what they need to rebuild.'

FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, estimates that 30,000 will be in need of shelter by the time the storm passes and there is already an estimated $40billion in damage. The agency also estimates that more than 450,000 people are likely to seek federal aid.

FEMA has around $3billion in its disaster relief fund but the sum is dwindling.

At a press conference mid-morning, Mayor Sylvester Turner pleaded for help from other cities and plugged charity relief funds to care for the thousands of Houston residents in crisis.

Two major dams which sit to the east of the city are being gradually drained by the army to stop them from overflowing.

The Addicks and Barker Reservoirs are both dangerously close to their capacities. With more rain on the way, US Army experts are racing the storm to release water from each dam.

This aerial photo shows a view of damage in the wake of Hurricane Harvey on Monday in Corpus Christi, Texas

This house in Bayside, Texas, was destroyed after Hurricane Harvey hit Bayside, Texas

Debris lies on the ground near homes in the Key Allegro subdivision of Rockport, Texas on Monday

Todd Witherington searches his trailer that was overturned by the effects of Hurricane Harvey on Monday in Aransas Pass, Texas

This photo shows The First Baptist Church roof after it was peeled off by Hurricane Harvey in Refugio, Texas, on Monday

A truck navigates a road flooded with rain water, remnants of Hurricane Harvey, on Monday in Houston

US and Texas flags fly in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas on Monday

 Slide me  Aerial footage shows the floods in Rockport, Texas, after Hurricane Harvey on Sunday (right) and before (left)

 Slide me  Interstate 45 Highway in Houston in 2005 (left) and on Sunday (right) after the Hurricane Harvey floods swept the city

 Slide me  The theater district is shown above in ordinary conditions (left) and on Sunday (right). The total damage of Hurricane Harvey has been estimated as $40billion

 Slide me  Another view of Houston's theater district taken on an ordinary day (left) and on Sunday (right) as water flooded the city

 Slide me  The colorful bridges above highway 59 towered over a bleak scene on Sunday (right), with large portions of the road under water

As the situation became more grave, criticism of Mayor Turner's decision not to evacuate the city grew.

When the storm began on Friday, Houston was not immediately hit. It was safe from the battering winds which tore apart towns on the coast and many felt confident enough to remain in their homes.

However as the storm moved further inland on Saturday and Saturday, floods - the likes of which the city has never before seen - swept through.

The city woke up to a water world and many, with no alternative, swam to safety or climbed in to rescue boats.

Now, many are trapped in their homes with no way out. They have been left to wait for rescue boats but the situation is bleak.

 Slide me  Another view of the theater district shows it dry (left) before the storm and completely submerged in water (right) afterwards

 Slide me  An aerial view of downtown Houston (left) and the same view after the Hurricane Harvey floods (right)

 Slide me  A home in the area of Cottage Grove, Houston, before and after the Hurricane Harvey floods swept through on Saturday

 Slide me  The coastal town of Rockport was spared severe flooding but was battered by 130mph winds on Friday night and Saturday morning

 Slide me  In Rockport, Texas, 130mph winds removed the dome roof of this building and battered the rest of its shell

Oliver Simpson, 35, a father of four from west Houston, is stuck in his home with his children. He told DailyMail.com on Monday: 'It's horrible. I feel helpless - sitting with no power and just waiting to see what happens. And we have it so much better than many others.

WHY HOUSTON IS PRONE TO FLOODS Though the most severe, Hurricane Harvey's floods are not the first to ever torture the city of Houston. Less extreme flooding was seen in 2001 with Tropical Storm Allison, in 2015 on Memorial Day and on Tax Day last year. The city is predominantly flat and sits little above sea level - 50 feet above in the center and 40 feet above in some downtown suburbs to be exact. This makes it easier for water from heavy rainfall to gather on the ground. When the bayous flood, the freeways act as an unofficial flood control system. Once water spills over them, it pours in to residential streets and rises from there. Advertisement

'I have a neighbor who had a tree fall on his garage, it went across a gas line. There is a gas leak and despite calls to 911 still no one been out. That was at 4am this morning.

'To be clear, authorities are doing everything they can [there are] just many people in far worse situation than us.'

Mayor Turner is now asking anyone with a boat to help with the rescue efforts. Many Texans responded bravely to his call to arms and were out in force on Saturday saving vulnerable neighbors and strangers from the floods.

'The goal is rescue. That's the major focus for the day. We want to focus on getting them out of their homes or whatever their stressful situation may be,' he said.

With 911 operation centers inundated, panicked residents turned to social media to be saved.

They shared pictures of frightened children cowering on kitchen work tops as water covered the floors of their homes.

Heartbreaking photographs from nursing homes showed elderly residents floating around in their wheelchairs and hospital beds. President Trump is scheduled to visit Texas on Tuesday.

To donate to the Red Cross Hurricane Harvey relief fund, click here or call 1-800-435-7669.
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President Donald Trump backed off his claim that Texas would be 'up and running very, very quickly' after Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday afternoon.

The president mused during a briefing at the Texas Department of Public Safety that the flood waters in southern Texas, which has seen record-breaking rainfall, might never recede.

'Nobody's ever seen this much water. The wind was pretty horrific, in particular, but the water has never been seen like this, to this extent. And it's, maybe someday going to disappear. We keep waiting,' Trump said this afternoon in Austin.

His wife soon followed with an official statement of her own.

'The effects of Hurricane Harvey will be felt in Texas, Louisiana, and other parts of the country for many months and years to come,' she said.

Areas east of Houston, Texas have been drenched with more than 50 inches of rain. The storm continues to hover over southeastern Texas and parts of southwestern Louisiana.

Earlier, Trump told a crowd of Texans who'd lined up outside a Corpus Christi firehouse he was visiting that the recovery effort is 'going well' and his administration is 'here to take care of you.'

'We love you. You are special,' the president said to cheers from onlookers. 'This is historic, it's epic, what happened, but you know what, it happened in Texas. Texas can handle anything.'

The president held up the Texas flag as he delivered the impromptu remarks to the throng of cheering Corpus Christi residents after a briefing on relief efforts from emergency responders.

President Donald Trump backed off his claim that Texas would be 'up and running very, very quickly' after Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday afternoon

The president mused during a briefing at the Texas Department of Health that the flood waters in southern Texas, which has seen record-breaking rainfall, might never recede. He's pictured here next to his wife Melania and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

Trump told a crowd of Texans who'd lined up outside a Corpus Christi firehouse he was visiting earlier in the day that the recovery effort is 'going well' and his administration is 'here to take care of you'

The president held up the Texas flag as he delivered the impromptu remarks to the throng of cheering Corpus Christi residents after a briefing on relief efforts from emergency responders

A crowd of people welcome Trump to Corpus Christi, Texas, this afternoon outside the firehouse where he received a briefing

The president and first lady spent the day in Texas, touring government facilities in Corpus Christi and Austin.

They headed back to Washington this evening following their visit to the Lone Star State's emergency management center.

President Trump said Monday that they could return to Texas on Saturday, and possibly stop through Louisiana, but nothing has been determined yet.

Melania Trump hinted that she'd like to be part of the boots on the ground.

'I want to be able to offer my help and support in the most productive way possible, not through just words, but also action,' she said in her statement issues Tuesday night.

The president acknowledged this afternoon in Texas that the nation's largest state would need long-term assistance with its recovery and that the effort would be a 'costly proposition.'

The president said he was confident, though, that Congress would come to an agreeable solution on disaster funding.

Yesterday, Trump told a Texas reporter during an international news conference that he'd already spoken to lawmakers and 'everybody feels for you and feels for what you're going through.'

'Texas is a unique place. Its a great, great state, great people, and I think you you'll be up and running very, very quickly. Really, very quickly,' he said then.

Trump was a little more sober in his assessment of the disaster on Tuesday after he'd been briefed in person by the state and federal officials managing the crisis.

'Probably there has never been something so expensive in our country's history and there's never been something so historic in terms of damage,' he said. 'In terms of ferocity of what we witnessed with Harvey. Sounds like such an innocent name, Ben, but it's not innocent, it's not innocent.'

Trump said several times this week that the storm was 'historic' and 'epic.'

'It it's a long road. Still pouring, still a lot of rain. Nobody has ever seen anything like it,' he said on Monday.

Trump lauded state and federal officials for their handling of Harvey during multiple stops today, and he told the group of 1,000 or so supporters in Corpus Christi: 'We are here to take care of you.'

The U.S. president said it was too early for 'congratulations' be passed around - 'we'll congratulate each other when it's all finished,' he said - but he told Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott that he has 'been terrific' in the face of historic floods and he hopes the joint efforts will become example of how to manage a storm.

'We want to do it better than ever before. We want to be looked at in five years, in ten years from now as, this is the way to do it,' Trump told Abbott during the Corpus Christi briefing. 'This was of epic proportion. Nobody's ever seen anything like this.'

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump (R) receive a briefing on Tropical Storm Harvey relief efforts with Texas Governor Greg Abbott (2ndL) in Corpus Christi, Texas, this afternoon

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive take part in a briefing on Harvey relief efforts at Firehouse 5 in Corpus Christi, Texas

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have arrived in Corpus Christi, Texas to survey the storm-ravaged Gulf and meet with relief providers

They deplaned Air Force One at 11:30 am local time with an entourage that included Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon

First Lady Melania Trump had swapped the black stilettos she'd been see for white tennis shoes that she paired with a white top. She'd ditched an olive-green jacket she wore from the White House to Air Force One, as well, but kept a pair of black aviators and added a black hat bearing her title, 'FLOTUS'

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk from Marine One across the South Lawn to the White House in Washington as they return from Texas

The president and first lady traveled to Corpus Christi earlier this afternoon on the first leg of their trip to survey the storm-ravaged Gulf and meet with relief providers.

They deplaned Air Force One at 11:30 am local time with an entourage that included Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon.

Abbott was on the tarmac to meet them them in Corpus Christi, where the sun was shining and the local temperature was a balmy 82F when the first couple landed.

President Trump gave a wave as a he walked off the government aircraft in a windbreaker sporting the presidential seal, khaki pants and brown boots - the same outfit he was wearing when he boarded.

First Lady Melania Trump had changed, however, swapping the black stilettos she'd been seen in leaving the White House for white tennis shoes that she paired with a white top. She'd ditched an olive-green jacket she wore from the White House to Air Force One, as well, but kept a pair of black aviators and added a black hat bearing her title, 'FLOTUS,' to the ensemble.

Her husband wore the white 'USA' cap he'd been seen wearing over the weekend as he received a briefing on the tropical storm at Camp David.

In Corpus Christi, they received an update from FEMA Administrator Brock Long, who President Trump commented has become 'very famous on television over the last couple of days' as a result of the weather event that was previously defined as a hurricane but has been downgraded to a tropical storm.

'You have been just outstanding,' Trump told Long just before the briefing.

At their second stop, in the state's capital city, the president and first lady toured the Texas public safety department's emergency operations center and sat for another briefing with Abbott, Carson, Price, McMahon and other officials.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are on their way to Texas to survey the storm-ravaged Gulf and meet with relief providers

The president and first lady left the White House this morning just after 8:30 am for Joint Base Andrews in Maryland

The president was in a windbreaker sporting the presidential seal. He wore khaki pants and brown boots. The first lady was in all-black attire, save for an olive green windbreaker of her own

Unlike her husband, Melania Trump did not wear boots. The first lady went with classic black stilettos for the trip to Texas' flood zone, though later changed to white sneakers

Project satellite handout image taken on August 29 shows storm activity from Hurricane Harvey off te US Gulf coast. Harvey is now heading for Louisiana while flood levels in Houston are expected to peak on Wednesday or Thursday

STATEMENT FROM FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP AFTER HER VISIT TO TEXAS The effects of Hurricane Harvey will be felt in Texas, Louisiana, and other parts of the country for many months and years to come. So far, 1.7 million people are under orders to evacuate their homes, and, as the floodwater in Houston rises, sadly, so will the number of evacuees. I want to be able to offer my help and support in the most productive way possible, not through just words, but also action. What I found to be the most profound during the visit was not only the strength and resilience of the people of Texas, but the compassion and sense of community that has taken over the State. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the people of Texas and Louisiana. Advertisement

They brought Abbott and Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn along for the ride from Corpus Christi to Austin. All three are Republicans.

Trump had earlier thanked the two senators for being with him in Corpus Christi, claiming they were 'trapped' in other locations and it was a real difficulty for them to make it there.

Of Abbott he said, 'Working with the governor and his entire team has been an honor for us.'

'You have been terrific, really terrific. It's a great honor,' Trump told him. 'And you've been my friend, too, for a long time.'

Trump promised on Monday to 'take care' of Texas and Louisiana through the 'long and difficult road' to recovery as floods triggered by Tropical Storm Harvey wreaked havoc on the Houston area.

'It's the biggest ever. They are saying it is the biggest. It's historic,' Trump said, addressing reporters in the Oval Office.

He said at a press conference shortly after, 'Nobody has ever seen anything like it.'

'I've heard the words "epic," I've heard "historic." And that's what it is.'

Upbeat, in spite of the catastrophic weather event, Trump said the nation will emerge 'bigger, better, stronger than ever before' after the storm that's ransacking the Gulf.

'We ask God for his wisdom and strength. We will get through this,' Trump said. 'The rebuilding will begin. And in the end it will be something very special.'

They'll make two flights, one to Corpus Christi and one to Austin, this afternoon before their return to Washington

In both cities, they'll receive briefings on the storm's impact from area officials. They're seen boarding Air Force One this morning in Maryland

Designer bags at the ready: A White House aide carried Louis Vuitton luggage to the chopper Tuesday morning in Washington, D.C.

People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center that has been set up as a shelter for evacuees escaping the floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Houston on Tuesday

Texas Army National Guard members Sergio Esquivel, left, and Ernest Barmore carry 81-year-old Ramona Bennett after she and other residents were rescued from their Pine Forest Village neighborhood due to high water from Hurricane Harvey

Trump was dealing with dueling crises, one at home and one abroad, on Tuesday morning as he departed Washington.

Early this morning North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, this time over Japan. The test terrified Japanese citizens and caused a sudden drop in financial markets.

In an official White House statement Trump lambasted North Korea as a threat to the entire world and, in a return to the saber-rattling of the last flare-up with Pyongyang, warned that 'all options are on the table.'

'The world has received North Koreas latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior,' he said.

'Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regimes isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table,' the statement said.

Trump called Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and the two agreed that North Korea poses a 'grave and growing direct threat,' the White House said in a separate readout early this morning.

As he left the White House Trump was vague on his plans to handle Kim Jong-un, telling reporters, 'We'll see, we'll see.'

His focus since has been the storm in Texas, which he has repeatedly referred to as 'historic' and 'epic.' The usually chatty president has been silent on North Korea on Twitter since he left this morning. He has not sent any messages about Kim as he travels through Texas or made verbal threats to the young dictator.

Trump's presidential campaign was similarly focused on disaster relief.

It asked supporters in a Tuesday morning email to donate to non-governmental groups providing disaster assistance such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way, SPCA and the Humane Society.

'This is a time to come together as a nation to support those in need in the wake of this disaster and the unprecedented flooding they are experiencing in the greater Houston and coastal Texas region. Americans are at their finest when our friends and neighbors are in need  and the need in Texas is great and will continue to be for a long time,' an email from the president's daughter-in-law Lara said.

The senior advisor to Trump's re-election effort and wife of the president's son Eric said, 'Anyone who is able to support relief efforts should donate if they can. Victims and those on the front lines of this unprecedented disaster, including first responders from around the nation, disaster relief workers, and regular citizens rushing to aid our fellow Americans, are all in our thoughts and prayers.'

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump depart the White House in Washington on their way to view storm damage in Texas

President Trump said Monday that residents of the Gulf region have shown incredible teamwork in a time of tragedy.

'We are one American family. We hurt together, we struggle together. And believe me, we endure together,' Trump proclaimed. 'We are one family. To the people of Texas and Louisiana, we are 100 percent with you. '

His wife sang a similar tune Tuesday in the statement she released.

'What I found to be the most profound during the visit was not only the strength and resilience of the people of Texas, but the compassion and sense of community that has taken over the State,' Melania Trump said.

'My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the people of Texas and Louisiana,' she added.

At a news conference Monday, Trump offered his encouragement to those in the tropical storm's path. At least night people have died since it made landfall.

'We're praying for you, we're working closely with your leaders and officials, and I will be visiting the impact zone tomorrow to ensure that you're receiving full support and cooperation from the federal government,' Trump said.

Trump has been eager to show he is on top of the situation and his administration will not make the same mistakes as previous presidents in botching the federal response.

'Things are being handled really well, the spirit is incredible of the people and the coordination between all of the different services, as you know, has been going very well,' he said Monday.

President Donald Trump declared at a press conference Monday that the nation will emerge bigger, better and stronger than ever after the storm ransacking southern Texas and Louisiana

Trump's trip to Texas comes much more quickly than other presidents may have dared. The floodwaters continue to rise in the Houston area, where nearly 50 inches of rain has fallen.

The tropical storm is set to continue off the coast for another two days before it peaks on Thursday.

It is currently hovering above the ocean but may make landfall again on Wednesday, threatening 46mph winds in Louisiana towns that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

With Trump's high-impact presidential trip comes the risk of hampering recovery efforts and tying up resources.

He said Monday that he make a return trip to the region this week. 'We may actually go back on Saturday. Depending on where the storm goes we may also go to Louisiana on Saturday,' he told reporters yesterday.

Trump told a reporter from the Texas-based paper The Dallas Morning News during Monday's press conference that relief efforts were unlikely to get bogged down in congressional gridlock.

'We expect to have requests on our desk fairly soon, and we think that Congress will feel very much the way I feel,' he said.

The president said, 'Texas is a unique place. Its a great, great state, great people, and I think you you'll be up and running very, very quickly. Really, very quickly. So, yeah, I think you're going to be in fantastic shape.'

The Texas Military Department rescues people on kayaks on Tuesday as they continue to evacuate people from their homes

Capt Martha Nigrelle of the US Army National Guard enjoys a chicken wing in the flood water while taking a break from saving stranded residents

Rain will blanket the state until Thursday - when the storm will peak - and then will continue afterwards as it tails off

Since the crisis began last Friday, Trump has seized on his role marshaling the federal response, issuing a disaster declaration for Texas and neighboring Louisiana and deploying 8,000 officials throughout the flood zone.

During a busy weekend, the White House released photos of the president - wearing a USA cap - huddling with aides, liaising with cabinet secretaries to discuss what he called a 'once in 500 year flood'.

Trump's remarks Monday on Hurricane Harvey were his first, aside from a string of tweets he sent over the weekend.

His split in focus between federal disaster relief for Texas and a host of other issues he delved into last weekend on Twitter came under scrutiny, but a senior U.S. official argued Monday morning that the president has the ability to multitask.

'The president is very, very engaged. He knows exactly what's going on,' said Rick Perry, the energy secretary and the longest-serving governor in Texas' history.

President Donald Trump's split in focus between federal disaster relief for Texas and a host of other issues he delved into last weekend on Twitter are evidence of his ability to multitask, Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Monday

Trump is pictured during a conference call with his Cabinet receiving an update on Hurricane Harvey from the FEMA administrator and other national security officials over the weekend

Trump and wife Melania, the first lady, are due to arrive in southern Texas on Tuesday along with members of the president's Cabinet

The president will also make a trip to Missouri this week to push his tax reform proposal, the White House has said

'Interestingly, Brian, he's multitasking at the same time. He's got a lot of other things going on as the President of the United States that he's dealing with halfway around the world, right here in this country,' Perry, who did not travel with the president to Texas, told Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade.

The president will also make a trip to Missouri this week to push his tax reform proposal, the White House has said. Plans call for him to fly into Texas on Tuesday and Missouri on Wednesday.

He hosted the Finnish president Monday at the White House. Their meetings concluded with a joint press conference, at which Trump offered his condolences to victims of the hurricane at the top of his remarks.

After a quiet Saturday, Trump sent a string of tweets Sunday morning on storm rescue efforts and other priorities of his, including tax cuts and the border wall

Perry insisted Monday morning on Fox that Trump is fulfilling his responsibilities to the people of Texas and Louisiana, which was also struck by the tropical storm.

'This president is as engaged in a personal way as any president that I had the privilege to work with. He wants to come to Texas,' he said.

He wants to let people know the federal government is a partner in the state-led efforts, the Cabinet official explained.

Bringing up Trump's trip to Missouri on Wednesday, Perry added, 'This is a president who can multitask. This is a president who cares about his people greatly and we're seeing the reflection of that in his actions.'

Texas' sitting governor, Abbott, also, offered Trump a positive review for his handling of the crisis on Monday.

'The engagement and response by the president, the White House, by his Cabinet and by FEMA have been actually remarkable,' Abbott said.

Texas' sitting governor, Greg Abbott, also a Republican, offered Trump a positive review for his handling of the crisis, as well on Monday

Trump's administration touched base with him a week or two in advance of the storm, Abbott said, and has been in constant contact ever since.

'And they've provided Texas everything that we need. Whenever Texas asks for anything, the answer has been 'yes,' ' he said. 'We've been very pleased with their collaborative response.'

Appearing on CBS News on Monday morning, Abbott said that Trump would not be interfering with the state's emergency outreach with his visit.

'The place he will be going to will not be Houston, so he will not be getting into harm's way or interrupting the evacuations or the emergency response in the Houston area,' Abbott said, 'He most likely will be going closer to where the hurricane hit land, and that's where I will be going today to meet with the FEMA administrator Brock Long.'

Houston has been hit hit harder than expected by the storm, and Abbott announced Monday that Dallas was opening a mega-shelter that could house 5,000 evacuees.

San Antonio is also operating an evacuee center, and the state began running airlift operations out of Galveston to remove and relocate evacuees yesterday.

The state is hosting an approximate 30,000 people in shelters. Another 450,000 will need government assistance.

Conditions are expected to rear over the next few days.

Houston is likely to see more than 50 inches of rain by Saturday. By comparison the Texas city usually accumulates 50 inches of rain a year.
The South Sudan government has gone on the defensive after an American journalist embedded in rebel troops there was shot and killed.

Christopher Allen, 28, was hit by a large-caliber bullet on Saturday in the town of Kaya - but the government claims that he was not identified as a member of the press when he was hit.

He also entered the country illegally with rebels, army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang claimed, adding that those who stand with the rebels will not be protected by the government.

'Anybody who comes attacking us with hostile forces will meet his fate,' he said.

Slain: Freelance journalist Christopher Allen (left in undated picture), 28, was killed in South Sudan on Saturday. He was hit in the head during the ongoing civil war

Target: The government (troops pictured) said anyone embedded with rebels - as Allen was - is a target. It also claimed he wasn't obviously press and entered the country illegally

Allen was in the East African country to report on the civil war there, which has stretched on since late 2013.

He was embedded in Kaya with troops led by Riek Machar, who opposes President Salva Kiir, when he was struck and killed.

Dr Peter Ajak Bullen, the army's chief medical officer, said he was shot in the head with a 'large bullet' but he couldn't confirm that the American was killed at close range.

It isn't clear who shot Allen, Koang said, adding: 'Bullets don't know color or race.'

But the rebels Allen was reporting on tell a different story: They say he was wearing a large vest emblazoned with the word 'Press' when he was shot.

They also claim that troops 'targeted' him when they saw him taking photos during the fighting, according to opposition spokesman William Gatjiath Deng.

Allen's body was handed over by South Sudan's army to the US Embassy on Tuesday.

Rebels: Allen was embedded with the SPLA rebels (soldiers pictured in 2015), who claimed that he had worn a vest with 'Press' written on it. It's unclear who shot him

The opposition's deputy spokesman, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, has said Allen and two other journalists were embedded with the rebels on a two-week mission after coming from Uganda's capital, Kampala.

One rebel who knew Allen said: 'We are sad for his family. He came here to tell our story.'

Some 15 other bodies were found around Allen's corpse, officials said.

The War Zone Freelance Project, which exhibits work by freelancers in conflicts, paid tribute to Allen on its Facebook group.

'Chris was a dedicated freelance writer and photojournalist driven by his love for people and history and a strong belief in the importance of honest thorough reporting,' the post said.

'His desire to share the details of under-reported conflicts and the stories of the people he covered took him to dark corners of the earth regardless of the trending news cycle.'

It added: 'His energy and independent personality was an inspiration to our whole team and he will be greatly missed by all of us.'

War: The civil war has been tearing up the country for close to four full years now. Pictured are civilians fleeing fighting in a UN base in the town of Malakal in February 2016

He is the 10th journalist and the first international journalist to be killed in South Sudan since 2012, according to the United Nations.

South Sudan is one of the harshest places in the world for journalists, according to press freedom groups.

In the past few months, 15 South Sudanese journalists have been detained, beaten or denied access to information, according to the Union of Journalists in South Sudan, and more than 20 foreign journalists have been denied entry or kicked out.

South Sudan's civil war is well into its fourth year, with tens of thousands of people killed. It began when Kiir sacked Machar in late 2013.

The fighting, often along ethnic lines, defies peace deals and unilateral cease-fires.

A peace accord was signed in August 2015 and Machar returned to the capital in April last year to share power with Kiir, before the deal fell apart less than three months later and Machar and his supporters fled the capital.

The conflict has forced about 4 million people to flee their homes. Uganda currently hosts more than a million South Sudanese refugees, while over 330,000 have fled to neighboring Ethiopia.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, pictured in Downing Street today, is reportedly considered a joke by his counterparts in America and Europe, according to reports

Downing Street today scrambled to insist Boris Johnson has the full backing of Theresa May after claims surfaced that he is considered 'a joke' abroad.

The Foreign Secretary is considered such a 'fool' the Trump White House 'don't want to go anywhere near him', diplomatic sources reportedly said.

While a minister said not a single European foreign minister takes him seriously as they all think he is a 'he's a clown who can never resist a gag'.

The Prime Minister's official spokeswoman said insisted Mr Johnson has Mrs May's full confidence adding: 'He's doing a good job.'

The spokeswoman said: 'I'm not going to comment on a column in a newspaper.

'But the Prime Minister meets the Foreign Secretary regularly and they have a good relationship...It's an opinion piece.'

Number Ten's response came after a string of Tory MPs and diplomatic sources rounded on the Foreign Secretary.

In a damning column in The Times, Rachael Sylvester said US entrepreneurs and political strategists told her: 'Why has your Prime Minister appointed a fool as foreign secretary?'

While diplomatic sources tore into him, telling her that officials working for Donald Trump 'don't want to go anywhere near Boris because they think he's a joke'.

A minister said he is held in even lower esteem in Europe where 'there is not a single foreign minister there who takes him seriously.

'They think he's a clown who can never resist a gag.'

Meanwhile, senior Tories have accused the flamboyant Cabinet minister of 'vanity' because he is unable to stay 'on message'.

One Tory Mp told the paper: 'The French think Boris is totally unreliable, the Germans think he's a liar and the Italians think he's dangerous,' says one well-travelled Tory MP.

'He is undermining our ability to negotiate internationally and degrading our position abroad.

'The Foreign Secretary is supposed to enhance Britain's reputation but all over the world Boris is making matters worse.'

Mr Johnson's colourful language and outspoken criticism of the EU has ruffled feathers in Europe.

Theresa May, pictured in the garden of No 10 today with the England women's cricket team, who won the world cup in a thrilling final against India at Lords. The PM's official spokeswoman today insisted that Boris Johnson has Mrs May's full backing after damning allegations that he is not respected abroad

He was accused of insulting Italy after staying the country would want to strike a free trade deal with the UK post Brexit to protect their prosecco sales.

Some civil servants find Mr Johnson so hard to work with they try to see his deputy, Sir Alan Duncan instead, it was reported.

One Whitehall source said: 'It's all about managing Boris, not respecting him.

'He's got no concentration span so it's difficult to have a detailed discussion with him.

'The whole thing is completely ramshackle for someone who is supposed to be so clever. He doesn't know what he thinks so he flies by the seat of his pants.'

The scathing assessment comes after a withering attack of the Foreign Secretary's style by Lord Kerr, the former head of the diplomatic service.

Writing in The Evening Standrad, he said: 'Keeping our heads down isn't always wrong.

'But a policy of always doing so risks seeming ignominious . . . Callaghan, Carrington, Howe, Hurd: foreign secretaries used to cut ice abroad, particularly in Europe and America, but maybe that's not Boris' game.'

Ms Sylvester, a respected political journalist, said Mr Johnson's tenure as foreign office chief is a 'national embarrassment' and compared him to the comic book character 'Where's Wally?'.
Montreal police say 35-year-old Katay-Khaophone Sychanta tried to flee on foot along a bike path, but officers caught him for alleged drug possession

Canadian bicycle-mounted police officers chased down and caught an 'armed and dangerous drug smuggler' who is on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) list of its top 10 most wanted criminals during a routine patrol.

Montreal police say 35-year-old Katay-Khaophone Sychanta, who had a $25,000 (19,000) reward on his head, tried to flee on foot along a bike path, but officers caught him for alleged drug possession.

His identity was discovered back at a police station where officers noticed a distinctive amputated right middle fingertip.

An ICE wanted page for Sychanta says: 'He has a history of violence and has allegedly made threats against HSI Special Agents and other law enforcement officials.

'Khaophone Sychantha is known to have associates and could be hiding in the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Asia.

'He should be considered armed and dangerous.'

He was arraigned Thursday on charges of drug possession, obstructing the work of police and false documents.

He should be considered armed and dangerous

Sychanta faces earlier drug charges in Ontario as well as those in the United States.

Sychanta was born in Laos and was first indicted in 2005 in Michigan.

The ICE most-wanted list says he evaded capture on drug charges in the U.S. and continued to supervise a drug-smuggling organization based near Windsor, Ontario.
Donald Trump has angrily parted ways with the aide who was responsible for planning and producing hundreds of campaign rallies.

The president told his security director Keith Schiller to inform George Gigicos following an Arizona rally last Tuesday that he would never stage another event for him.

Bloomberg reported that Trump was furious about the size of the crowd that turned up to see him at the Phoenix Convention Center.

A White House official told DailyMail.com that the president was angry when he learned that the venue's cavernous main hall had been split in two by a giant wall, leaving only half of the space for his audience.

Donald Trump has cut ties with George Gigicos, his scheduling and advance director, over his disappointment with the crowd size at last week's Phoenix, Arizona rally

The Phoenix Convention Center's cavernous main space was split in two, leaving only half of it for Trump's crowd to fill. The venue is pictured nearly three hours before the rally, as the audience (left) began to enter

By the time the rally began, about 10,000 people were present  but Trump could see the far corners of the space were empty

About 10,000 people filled most of it, but the hall's far corners remained empty  and in Trump's line of sight from his podium.

The president later claimed on Twitter that the real number was 15,000.

Before he spoke, Trump watched TV backstage and saw cable news footage of the convention center filling up slowly.

'Yes, he was angry. Yes, he took it out on George,' the official said Tuesday.

Gigicos was the White House Scheduling and Advance Director until the end of July when he left the administration to return to a private campaign consultancy.

But his claim to fame was staging Trump's wild and often raucous presidential campaign rallies, which he supervised day after day.

Gigicos was also responsible for compiling the pre-rally playlist of songs that became Trump's musical calling card  from the Rolling Stones' 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' to Puccini's torch-song aria 'Nessum Dorma.'

Trump often blamed him when logistics didn't work out as planned.

The president boomed 'What a crowd!' as he came to the stage in Arizona

The crowd numbered about 10,000 but Trump claimed on Twitter that the number was higher

When his microphone had problems at a January 2016 rally in Pensacola, Florida, he ranted: 'The stupid mic keeps popping! Do you hear that, George? Don't pay them! Don't pay them!'

By Monday Trump was boasting that the Phoenix crowd was gigantic.

'You saw the massive crowd we had,' he told reporters during a White House joint press conference with Finland's president.

Gigicos was one of the longest-serving aides in Trump's orbit.

Minutes after he blasted Gigicos backstage, he strode to the microphone and bellowed: 'Wow, what a crowd! What a crowd!'

'A lot of people in here, a lot of people pouring right now,' Trump said. 'They can get them in. Whatever you can do, fire marshals, well appreciate it.'
The residents of a Texas nursing home who were seen up to their waists in murky water in a viral photo on Sunday are now safe and sound in a new home.

The 15 residents of La Bella Vita were captured in a startling photograph that showed them knitting and sitting around, apparently unbothered by the flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

Now, two days on, all of the ladies have been moved to safer and dryer ground, as CBS News reported.

Scroll down for video

The elderly women seen up to their waists in flood waters from Hurricane Harvey are now dry and safe after being airlifted from their partially submerged nursing home Sunday

This photo of La Vita Bella nursing home in Dickinson, Texas, went viral when posted Sunday morning. The ladies - 15 of whom lived in the home - were airlifted to safety at 1pm that day

The initial picture was posted by Timothy McIntosh, the son-in-law of the woman who runs the home. The women had been told to stay put by emergency responders, but waters kept rising

On Monday, CBS reporter Omar Villafranca tweeted a photograph of seven of the women in nice, clean - and dry! - clothes.

'Remember the heartbreaking pic of Tx Sr Citizens stuck in chest deep water in #Harvey?' he asked. 'New pic: They're safe, warm & dry!'

He later explained that they had been taken to another institution in Alvin, Texas, around 20 miles from La Bella Vita.

That was a relief to many commenters, who had worried about the ladies' conditions ever since the photo was posted on Sunday along with a message asking for help.

'I literally squealed and clapped when I saw this! Happy happy happy! Such great news!' wrote Robinne Lee.

Though some people on the social media site doubted if the picture was real, a woman in Dickinson posted a picture of her flooded street from the second floor of her home

'Thanks for the update. My Mom was in a nursing home for years, so that pic struck a chord. I'm glad to hear they are OK!' said Carl Artist.

Many more commenters asked about the condition of the cat glimpsed on a chair in the background of the scene - but the feline's fate remained unknown.

The nursing home began to flood just a little before dawn on Sunday, The New York Times wrote.

Emergency responders told everyone inside to stay where they were. But the waters kept rising - and the ladies weren't going anywhere.

Kim McIntosh, whose mother owns the nursing home, told KTLA 5 that 'most' of the patients there could not be moved without assistance as they were 'in wheelchairs and [on] oxygen'.

In the background of the picture a woman with a hunched back and shawl over her shoulders can be seen; she is Ruth, a 64-year-old woman whose second name is being kept private.

Her sister, Susan Bobrick, 68, was unable to get to the home due to the flooding from Hurricane Harvey and saw the interior for the first time on Twitter.

She said that she wasn't surprised that the ladies in the photo - including Ruth, who suffered a debilitating head injury aged 19 - appeared unbothered by the water.

'They did look sort of calm in that photo,' she said. 'But at this point in time they had been in that water for several hours.

'When you get people that are in wheelchairs, or cannot get around, or they have walkers, if the water kept coming up, what were they going to do?'

The residents were evacuated on Sunday, sad Ken Clark, a Galveston County commissioner.

'We knew about it before it hit social media,' he said. 'We were working on a solution for the nursing home, and it was in progress, so social media can sometimes leave one with the wrong impression.'

Several hours after McIntosh tweeted the first picture, the residents of the nursing home were rescued by helicopter.

Concerns were also raised about leaving the elderly women in the flood water for an extended period.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, urban flooding can cause huge health risks as sewage rises up.

Wounds can become infected, mosquitoes can breed in the standing water, and accidentally consuming the water can also lead to dangerous illnesses.

Bottled water was seen alongside the women in the initial tweet.

It's also possible to get trench foot - in which skin swells, blisters and peels - after being immersed in water for too long.

The risks aren't just biological, though. With warehouses, factories and other industrial areas being flooded, there are also risks of dangerous chemicals contaminating waters.

See the box-out at the bottom of this article for more risks associated with flooding - both during and after the disaster.

La Bella Vita is seen here prior to the flooding. The home had never before experienced flood waters, so officials told everyone to wait in place

There are other risks for Texas residents at the moment, including floating colonies of fire ants.

The insects - which originated in the Amazon - use their waxy bodies to protect the queen at the center, and rotate to avoid drowning.

The large red balls of insectile bodies pose a risk to anyone who touches them, and residents have been warned to stay away.

But that's no help if they happen to touch ground near someone's home - at which point the spread out across the dry area.

'The unfortunate thing is they don't care what it is that's dry,' Wizzie Brown, extension program specialist also at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, told Wired.

'So if it's a house that they hit and there are people on the roof stranded, they will go up there as well because that's them trying to escape the flood waters.'

Flood waters can cause infections and illness; other threats include floating masses of living fire ants that will attack anyone who touches them - and will crawl onto or into buildings that they float into

And as fire ants are aggressive, venomous and like to cling onto their victims, the arrival of 100,000 of them on the roof of a building is not good news for stranded survivors.

The ants' bites are painful but rarely fatal unless the victim has an allergy, but it's still something most would not want to experience.

People are advised to hit the floating colonies - which can sail around for as much as two weeks - with soapy water, which breaks up the ants' waxy coating, causing them to drift apart and drown.

The original photo of the flooded nursing home was posted by Timothy McIntosh, whose mother-in-law owns the business, just before 10am Sunday.

He accompanied the message with a cry for help: 'La vita Bella nursing home in Dickinson Texas is almost underwater with nursing home patients. Need help asap emergency services please RETWEET.'

Though some people on the social media site doubted if the picture was real, a woman in Dickinson posted a picture of her flooded street from the second floor of her home nearby.

She wrote: 'This is taken from the second floor of a home that is less than a mile away. And Dickinson Bayou is between them. Very plausible.'

Several hours after McIntosh tweeted the first picture, the residents of the nursing home were rescued by helicopter.

'We were airlifting grandmothers and grandfathers,' Dickinson emergency management coordinator David Popoff told Galveston County's Daily News.

McIntosh tweeted that the residents had been rescued just after 1pm.

He posted: 'RESCUED!! Thank you to the National Guard & the Galveston City Emergency crew for our rescue; @GalvestonOEM #houstonflood @NationalGuard'.
Elise Dorr, five, was shot and killed at her grandparent's home in Scarborough, Maine

A five-year-old girl was shot to death while inside her grandparent's home in Maine.

Elise Dorr, of Belfast, died Monday evening shortly after arriving at Maine Medical Center.

Police were called to the home at 7:30pm where detectives say the girl was staying with her two parents and two older sisters in Scarborough while her grandparents were away.

Parents Todd and Virginia Dorr were both home during the shooting but it is unclear how the situation unfolded and if it was accidental.

State police spokesman Steven McCausland said interviews are being conducted.

Officials searched the two-bedroom home throughout the night gathering evidence.

No one has been arrested or charged yet and the gun was recovered at the scene.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.

The gun was recovered from the scene and police say an autopsy will be conducted

The little girl was at the home with her parents and her two other siblings at the time of the shooting

It's unclear exactly what happened and if the shooting was accidental
Ricardo McFarlane, 30, arriving at Southwark Crown Court today

A Muslim convert accused of preaching sharia law in central London was ordered to stand up for a judge who told him: 'This is not a court of religion.'

Ricardo McFarlane, 30, allegedly breached an ASBO made in February 2014, which barred him from approaching members of the public 'in order to promote sharia law'.

McFarlane and a group of up to 20 other men are said to have set up a stall outside Topshop in Oxford Street on March 25 last year and called for strict Islamic laws to be imposed across the UK.

He is also said to have gone to Tooting Broadway Station on April 4 and Kingsland Road in Dalston on April 16, 2016, to set up similar stalls.

He denies one count of breach of an ASBO and was due to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court today.

The bearded defendant, wearing a green and gold robe, told the court usher he would not stand for 'any man' before the hearing began.

Judge Martin Beddoe noticed that McFarlane, who is on conditional bail, did not stand up when he entered the courtroom.

'If Mr McFarlane isn't going to treat this court with respect then I might have to deal with him differently than to release him on bail,' he said before a break in proceedings.

Ricardo McFarlane allegedly breached an ASBO that barred him from approaching members of the public 'in order to promote sharia law' outside Topshop in Oxford Street (file photo)

He denies one count of breach of an ASBO and was due to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court today

Roy Hedlam, defending, said: 'Because of his religious belief he believes there is only one person who he should bow to.'

Judge Beddoe continued: 'That is as may be, but this isn't a court of religion, this is a secular court and it expects to be treated with respect.

'That isn't in breach of any religious principles I'm aware of.'

McFarlane stood up in the dock while judge Beddoe was speaking, prompting him to say: 'He's very kindly standing up for me because I'm about to go.'

McFarlane refused to stand for the judge during his appearance at Southwark Crown Court

The defendant stood up in the dock during the rest of the hearing.

His trial was adjourned until the week beginning 11 September because a witness was unable to attend court.

Judge Beddoe said: 'I'm sorry your case hasn't been able to advance today, but you know the reasons why. It is now in the warned list for the 11 September.'

McFarlane, from Walthamstow in northeast London, must report to his local police station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday while he is on conditional bail.

He denies one count of breach of an ASBO and is due to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court in the week beginning the 11 September.
The government of Poland recently funded media outlets that agreed to cover the EUs international wealth redistribution program, the EU Structural Funds. The fact that one of the recipients was a Catholic weekly raises numerous moral and ethical questions.

Marcin Rzegocki, who lives in Poland, describes the omnipresent propaganda, funded by taxpayer funds, intended to promote the public perception of the European Union. In a new essay for Religion & Liberty Transatlantic, he reveals the extent of the issue. The government awarded nearly 2.9 million zlotys ($781,321 U.S.) in all  including nearly $39,000 to a conservative-leaning Catholic publication, which happens to be Polands most popular weekly magazine. He asks:

To what extent can religious media maintain their objectivity and independence if they receive government funding? Can this magazine be free to present objective truth about the negative aspects of European programs? It seems clear that any recipient, especially one that willingly entered a contest with such clear-cut goals as this one, would be inclined toward favorable coverage. The funding would also increase the pressure for any other religious publisher who wants to maintain his publications position in the market vis-a-vis his competitors, who are now supported by state agencies. Can a Catholic newspaper that does not accept public money compete in the free market against other periodicals that do receive taxpayer funding?

He adds that EU image enhancement is seemingly everywhere, funded by Polish taxpayers, regardless of their views of the European Union. It even targets schoolchildren with contests to win prizes in exchange for writing a song or developing a game about the EU Structural Funds. It is not difficult to imagine whole schools in poorer regions of Poland involved in such an activity  or the impact that this may have on the political, social, and economic beliefs of these youngsters in the future, he writes.

In addition to raising serious ethical issues that every church member  clergy or laity  should ponder, Rzegocki provides copious details about the EUs publicly funded marketing and PR campaign, which seems to pervade every portion of Europe. It is hard to justify spending taxpayers money on publicity campaigns that promote applying for more taxpayer-funded grants, he writes  an issue we face in the United States, as well.

His research is informative. His questions are penetrating. How would government funding affect the views of those who rely on church leaders for accurate information? Should religious leaders accept such funds?

You can read the full article here.

(Photo credit: Public domain. CC0.)
Amid the horrific devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, several islands of fire ants have been spotted floating on the rising floodwaters in Houston.

The fire ants, which are known for their painful bites and venom, appear to have perfected their survival skills by coming together to create a raft or a structure of some sort.

A study released in July from researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology found that fire ants are able to link their bodies together thanks to the sticky pads underneath their feet.

When they do unite, the moving ants from afar resemble a pile of dirt or wood chips.

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Amid the horrific devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, several islands of fire ants have been spotted floating on the rising floodwaters in Houston. The above image was shared to Twitter by CBS National Correspondent Omar Villafranca showing the ants in an island

The fire ants (pictured above in a Houston retention pond), which are known for their painful bites and venom, appear to have perfected their survival skills by coming together to create a raft or a structure of some sort

Photos and videos shared to social media in recent days from the Houston area show the creepy insects floating, as experts are advise people to not touch the ants.

CBS National Correspondent Omar Villafranca tweeted a photo of fire ants formed into a 'protective island' floating in the city.

Houston Chronicle reporter Mike Hixenbaugh tweeted a video showing the red ants on Sunday and advising not to touch them as they will 'ruin your day'.

The captivating video shows thousands of the dangerous ants grouped together in a dark colored mound as the entire colony floats on water.

Making things more interesting, a study from 2011 from the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that a group of fire ants can sustain buoyancy in water from days to as long as weeks. Plus, they can get into formation to create a raft in as quick as 100 seconds.

Courtesy of Mike Hixenbaugh/Houston Chronicle

The Texas A&M Agrilife Extension service has urged people to use extreme caution around floating fire ant islands.

'Avoid contact with floating mats of fire ants. If you are in a row boat, do not touch the ants with the oars since they can 'climb aboard' via the oars,' Texas A&M Agrilife Extension specialist Paul Nester wrote in the guidance note.

'Occasionally, floating ant masses are encountered even indoors in flooded structures.'

He also advised people working in floodwater to dress appropriately.

'Cuffed gloves, rain gear, and rubber boots help prevent the ants from reaching the skin. If they do, they will bite and sting,' he wrote.

'Remove them immediately by rubbing them off. If submerged, ants will cling to the skin and even a high-pressure water spray may not dislodge them.

Houston! Stay away from floating fire ant colonies. They are deadly. The ants will act aggressively and will sting en masse. pic.twitter.com/QJnmGEvvMk  Daniel Schneider (@BiologistDan) August 27, 2017

'However, a spray made of diluted biodegradable dishwashing liquid may help immobilize and drown them.'

Nester wrote that even after flood waters disappear, fire ants 'can be underneath anything'.

'When picking up debris, pay attention to what is on, under, or in it - especially if the debris has been sitting in one area for several days,' he wrote.

'Fire ants love to get under carpet strips, furniture, and old wood to re-establish their colony.'

This is not the first time floating fire ants have been spotted during floods.

In 2015, the colonies formed rafts during the floods in South Carolina.
As Hurricane Harvey was battering Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday night, an electrical fire engulfed the property of one local family, destroying everything in sight, save for one thing: a small statue of the Virgin Mary.

Jesus Rojas Jr and his extended family had fled their homes in suburban Robstown before Harvey came ashore as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing life-threatening 130mph winds and catastrophic flooding.

Before seeking shelter, the Rojas clan had boarded up the three houses located on their sprawling property against the ferocious storm, but the fire that erupted soon after in one residence had spread to the others.

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Miracle in Texas: This Virgin Mary statue is the only thing that remained intact after a fire ravaged a family's property in suburban Corpus Christi, Texas, during Hurricane Harvey

Total loss: The Rojas family's main residence, a three-story Victorian-style house (left), was reduced to rubble by the electrical fire, along with two adjacent homes

Nearly a dozen members of the extended family lived together in Robstown, Texas

The family had fled their property before Hurricane Harvey made landfall just outside Corpus Christi Friday night

Firefighters from the Robstown Fire Department responded to the blaze but were unable to contain the raging flames, which were being fanned by the gale-force winds, reported KRIS-TV.

In the end, the inferno reduced all three homes to ashes, including the family's main three-story Victorian-style house.

When the Rojas family returned to survey the devastation and try to salvage some of their belongings from the scorched rubble, they discovered the statute of the Virgin Mary standing intact amid the debris.

Some may blame God and some may blame the hurricane, but the only thing standing were holy things,' Rojas grown daughter, Natali, said. 'As you can see, this statue is the only thing that survived, I dug in there for things and all I found is a Virgin Mary.'

Jesus Rojas Jr (second from left), the patriarch of the large clan, expressed gratitude that no one from his family has perished in the fire or the storm

Picking up the pieces: The Rojases later returned to their devastated homes to try and salvage whatever they could

Mr Rojas, the family patriarch, expressed gratitude that no one perished in the fire and thanked the local firefighters for putting themselves in harms way to try and save their homes in the middle of the hurricane.

I believe that throughout my life I've suffered a lot, we were migrants. We worked all of our lives in fields and trying to show our families how to stay strong, how to believe in God and keep everybody together as a family, he said.

A family member has launched a GoFundMe account to help their now-homeless relatives, who are said to be in immediate need of lodgings, food, clothing and other necessities, having lost all of their possessions in the fire.

As of Tuesday morning, just over $3,500 has been raised.

Plea: The family have launched a fundraiser asking for donations to help them rebuild after losing their homes and all of their possessions, save for the Virgin Mary statue (right)

According to another online fundraiser created on behalf of the Rojas family, nearly a dozen people had lived on the Robstown property before Friday night's fire, among them multiple children.

The description of the fundraiser states that the Rojases have only recently lost a 17-year-old granddaughter.

We are asking you from the bottom of our hearts to help us rebuild, the campaign reads. We will be truly grateful for any donations as they try to rebuild and make new memories.

The family has beautiful faith in God and the Blessed Mother. They have hope that they will come back stronger from this.
Britain can only afford to deport foreign terrorists who are hiding behind human rights laws to two countries at a time, a major review has found.

Jihadis who pose a threat to the UK cannot be handed over to a host of countries including Syria and Libya because they are war-torn.

Even where countries are willing to take ISIS-inspired terrorists back and give them a fair trial, the process is so bureaucratic the Home Office can only deal with two countries at a time, it was claimed.

The findings were contained in a long-awaited report into the Deportations With Assurances (DWA) scheme, ordered by then Home Secretary Theresa May four years ago.

The scheme emerged out of the ten-year legal battle to get hate preacher Abu Qatada booted out of the UK, but the review found it is at a 'low ebb'.

Hate preacher Abu Qatada, pictured in Jordan in September 2014, was booted out of Britain after a decade-long legal battle. The protracted case spawned the 'deportations with assurances' scheme to kick suspected terrorists out of Britain

He was eventually deported after Jordan signed a treaty which guaranteed he would get a fair trial, and the scheme was rolled out to other countries and jihadis who posed a risk to Britain's national security.

But serous questions have been raised over its usefulness after it emerged just eleven people, not including Qatada, have been deported through it - nine to Algeria and two to Jordan.

Terrorism expert Professor Clive Walker, who co-authored the report, said around 40 suspected terrorists have used human rights laws to stay in the UK.

And he warned that given the 'increasing travel to Iraq and Syria for terrorism purposes....this figure could now markedly increase'.

David Anderson QC, the government's former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation who helped write the report, said the scheme is at a 'low ebb'.

And he revealed he was told in 2014 'the Home Office only had the resources to contemplate the use of DWA in a maximum of two countries at any one time'.

He pointed out the scheme has faced a barrage of attacks from NGOs and charities who have mounted a string of challenges against the UK's efforts to deport dangerous jihadis.

This has meant that UK government officials have had to plough time, money and resources into fighting these legal challenges and monitoring the scheme.

Mr Anderson and Prof walker's review backed the scheme, with the pair concluding that 'DWA can play a significant role in counter-terrorism, especially in prominent and otherwise intractable cases which are worth the cost and effort, but it will be delivered effectively and legitimately in international law only if laborious care is taken'.

Theresa May, pictured in the Downing Street garden today with members of the UK women's rugby team, ordered the review into DWA arrangements in 2013 while she was still Home Secretary. It found that the process is so legally complicated and drawn out tat very few deportations have been ordered under it

Just six countries have entered into arrangements for DWA - Libya, Ethiopia, Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco and Jordan. But the first three of these have been ruled out due to political instability.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'Deportation with assurances (DWA) remains a valuable policy which allows us to remove those who threaten to do us harm while meeting international human rights obligations.

'We are very grateful to David Anderson QC for his report and we are pleased with his recognition that the UK has taken the lead in developing rights-compliant procedures.

'Keeping the public safe is our primary duty and DWA is one of a range of powers available to disrupt terrorists.'

The Home office stressed there has never been a problem with funding the DWA scheme and that they have dealt with at least four countries simultaneously in the past.
During the most oppressive and racially divided era in our nations history, an unlikely friendship was born that gave way to the creation of one of Americas best known brands  Jack Daniels whiskey.

A young Jack Daniel, orphaned at the age of 16, went to work as a chore boy for a preacher and distillery owner in his hometown of Lynchburg, Tennessee in the early 1800s.

It was there that he met a slave named Nathan Green, known better as Nearest. After being sold and sent to Tennessee from Maryland, he was rented out to a preacher, Dan Call, for the price of $50 to work as a distiller. He later became one of the wealthiest and highest regarded African-American men in Tennessee, and the first master distiller of Jack Daniels whiskey.

Over the years, Nearest became Jacks mentor and teacher. He showed him the methods he had painstakingly perfected of charcoal mellowing, the signature of all Tennessee whiskey, which became the process for brewing the famous Jack Daniels product.

Nearests name, however, was missing from the story of Jack Daniels. Despite it being widespread knowledge among the Green and Daniel families that remain in the small community of Lynchburg, it had disappeared from the nations collective memory and from the company's own telling of the Jack Daniel's story.

Nathan 'Nearest' Green was a mentor to Jack Daniel for most of his life. He was a slave in the early 1800s who taught Jack Daniel (pictured right of center in a white hat and his trademark mustache and goatee beard) how to make his famous whiskey. Seated directly to his left is the only existing photo some say depicts Nearest - though others believe it is more likely to be one of his sons. The photograph is significant because typically black employees would have been made to stand at the back

One author and researcher has made it her mission to change that. Fawn Weaver has begun to piece together the life story of Nearest Green after spending months living in Lynchburg and eventually purchasing Dan Calls farm where Jack and Nearest met more than 150 years ago.

With a half-million dollar investment to fund the creation of his own whiskey brand, Uncle Nearest 1856, and the establishment of a scholarship fund to send Nearests ancestors to college, Fawn hopes that the name Nearest Green and his legacy can finally be immortalized.

When Fawn Weaver first read about Nearest Green, she felt it was a story she was destined to tell.

Ive never done anything like this in my life, and I almost feel more chosen than as if I chose it, the 41-year-old African-American author told the DailyMail.com.

Fawn Weaver, a best-selling author, has been researching Nearest's life for the last year and has worked with his descendants to create a whiskey brand and scholarship fund in his name

Mrs Weaver shares a birthday with Jack Daniel  September 5th. Though the exact date of Jacks birth is disputed among historians, it is the day most commonly celebrated.

She, like many others, was shocked by a New York Times article in June 2016 that first revealed the whiskey companys slave history that was never openly discussed, despite being widely known among the community in Jack Daniels home in Lynchburg.

The story previously told was that Dan Call had taught his young apprentice Jack Daniel, how to run his Tennessee distillery.

Hoping to learn more about Nearest Green, Mrs Weaver bought the first biography written on the whiskey distiller: Jack Daniels Legacy. As she read, she was immediately struck by how frequently Nearest and his sons were mentioned in the book, which was published in 1967.

'Uncle Nearest is the best whiskey maker that I know of,' Call is recorded as having said.

She began to dig deeper, and found an article written in a local Tennessee paper in 1974 that listed Nearest Green as the first master distiller at Jack Daniels.

But when Mrs Weaver visited the Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, there was no mention of Nearest during the facilitys tour. She went on the tour once more, and then again, just to be certain. Still Nearests name or influence werent discussed.

How, she wondered, had this story gotten lost in the passage of time? Why wasnt it being taught as common knowledge to the public, despite being understood for generations among the people it involved?

To this day I dont know how Nearest ended up being hidden. I really dont, she said. Because when Jack was alive he never hid him. When Jacks descendants ran the distillery, they never hid who he was or what he did. The relationship between Jacks descendants and Nearests descendants were one that was rare between blacks and whites. They wouldve stood out. In Lynchburg, they always knew.

She decided to travel to Lynchburg  a town of about 6,000 people today, and was immediately confronted with the legacy of not Jack Daniel  but Nearest Green.

While getting a pedicure, she asked a woman working there what the reaction in the community had been when the New York Times article went viral.

She looked at me with this very blank face and said: Weve always known. It was no big deal.

Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey celebrated its 150th anniversary last year, and pledged to work towards incorporating Nearest's name into their celebrations

Jack Daniel, orphaned at 16, was sent to work as a chore boy for pastor and distillery owner Dan Call in Lynchburg where he met Nathan 'Nearest' Green, a slave who was a very skilled distiller. In this photograph Call is pictured standing with a guitar in hand on the right hand side of the image at his farm

The mission to tell Nearests story became a near obsession for Fawn, even driving her to purchase the farmland that once belonged to Dan Call to serve as a home base for her project.

After spending months poring over more than 10,000 historical documents and connecting with nearly 100 of Nearests remaining family members from across the nation  Fawn has pieced together what she can of Nearest Greens life in her research room.

With peeling floral wallpaper and creaking floorboards, it sits in the farm house where the original distillery for Jack Daniels whiskey was built nearly 200 years ago.

When Jack met Nearest, the two took on what Mrs Weaver believes to be a relationship of mentorship and mutual respect.

When you consider a young man who has no parents, youre going to gravitate to successful adults no matter what. Nearest, as odd as it may sound and seem to many, right after the Civil War was one of the wealthiest African Americans in Lynchburg and in the surrounding areas.

More importantly, he had a greater personal wealth than many of the white people who lived there. Nearest was highly regarded and highly compensated for his skill set, she continued.

Fawn mused on what their friendship might have looked like to others in Tennessee during the height of the Civil War.

With a booming laugh, she said: You have to think about how interesting this mustve looked, these two men going through town. Nearest, who Im guessing was somewhere around 6 feet if not taller, and Jack, who was five foot two. The sight of that spectacle walking through town had to just be so interesting.

She believes that Jack Daniel was a genius businessman, despite his lack of formal education.

I think Jack wouldve succeeded at anything he put his mind to. However, for this particular whiskey, I do believe that the relationship between Jacks family and Nearests family is what truly propelled it to greatness, she continued.

Thus began a relationship that survived generations to come  and served as the base of a company that now nets approximately $3billion in annual revenue.

Fawns research found her traveling to Tennessee, Washington DC and Georgia to scour their public records, and gradually she began to compose the first comprehensive timeline of Nearest Greens life.

HOW WORLD FAMOUS WHISKEY IS MADE IN A DRY COUNTY The town of Lynchburg, home to the Jack Daniels distillery, is within the dry county of Moore. Tennessee was the first state to implement prohibition laws in 1838, which made it illegal to sell alcoholic beverages. The Jack Daniels distillery briefly closed down in 1910 during the restrictive time, and relocated distilleries to other places, such at St Louis. In 1933, when prohibition was repealed, it was left to the discretion of the states to decide how to reintroduce alcohol. In Moore County, it was decided that the towns would remain dry  declaring that alcohol cannot be sold within the county. Ironically, this means that one cannot actually purchase Jack Daniels whiskey at the distillery in which it is made. Advertisement

In the Tennessee state census, Nathan Green is listed as originally hailing from Maryland. His name is printed in the center of the page as the only name denoted as a Maryland transplant to Tennessee. It was first reported that his name was Nearis  a misinterpretation of his common nickname of Nearest.

From the census data, Mrs Weaver surmised that this reveals some understanding of Nearests life before he came to the Call farm.

It is very likely that he at least recalled where he began, meaning he wasnt sold as an infant, she said.

At the time, the slave trade route from Maryland to Tennessee wasnt uncommon. However, if Nearest came to Maryland with any family, records of them disappeared when he arrived in Lynchburg.

The Green surname likely came from the slave rental group that owned him at that time, Landis & Green, who sold him to the Call farm for his well-known skills as a distiller.

Usually $50 is that fee that they would charge, Mrs Weaver continued. If there was a slave that was incredibly skilled in a particular area they would be rented to owners in those industries.

My guess was Nearest was a really skilled distiller before he ever made it to the Call farm.

Little is known about the time frame in which Nearest arrived at the farm, how long he stayed there, or how old he was while he worked for Dan Call.

Mrs Weaver said a complicating factor in her research has been the absence of records, given that on paper, slaves had no roots in America.

I imagine he had siblings, I imagine he did not come into Tennessee on his own. But sometime between Maryland and Tennessee he no longer has any family, Mrs Weaver said.

However, it is known that Nearest went on to have 11 children, who became very close with Jack Daniel and his family in Lynchburg. Even to this day, the descendants of Nearest Green and those of Jack Daniel have a relationship of mutual solidarity  and have worked together with Mrs Weaver to compose the Green family tree and push Nearests story into the limelight.

Fawn became so enamored with the story that she bought the former farm that was home to Nearest and Jack and turned it into her 'research room' - home to more than 10,000 documents she has used to piece together Nearest's life

Every day, Mrs Weaver is in contact with at least one of Nearests ancestors. They are spread all over the country, from Indianapolis to St Louis to Nashville, in many locations that are associated with Jack Daniels distilleries

It seemed that the community jumped at the opportunity to share the history they were proud to uphold; one of divided races working together. Even the eldest of ancestors wanted to impart any pieces of oral history they could share that could be of help to Fawns research. Nearest Greens oldest living relative, Mrs Weaver said, just turned 107 - and played a crucial part in providing details that strung the familys history together.

Strangely, Mrs Weaver noted, most of the information that led to breakthroughs in her research came from members of the community who were white.

This is not a scenario where people ran and hid, Mrs Weaver said. They all led me, black and white alike - most of the people who live in Lynchburg, by the way, are white - to get to truly tell this story. To see Nearests legacy I had to rely equally on whites and blacks.

She believes this may have been because Nearest was so wealthy, he lived among significantly more white people than black people in the town.

There was not a black person within miles of him and Lynchburg was not that big, she said.

However, this wasnt a distinction that wouldve made any difference to his neighbors, most of whom were relatives of Jack Daniel.

His family was fully integrated after the Civil War. Jack and his family did not see a difference between Nearest and his family and their own, Mrs Weaver said.

That wasnt just when Nearest was alive - that was with his kids, his kids kids. This is not your typical story, she continued.

Together, Nearest's descendants all knelt to take drink from the same water that was used to distill Jack Daniels whiskey, and now Uncle Nearest 1856 whiskey today

The relationship between Nearest and Jack was, Fawn believes, one of a unique and beautiful pairing that superseded the racial tensions of the time  and continues to do so today.

It is due to race relations that Jack Daniels Company claims they decided ultimately not to pursue their widespread recognition of Nearest Green during their 150th celebration of Master Distillers. The companys president Mark McCallum told the New York Times: I thought we would be accused of making a big deal about it for commercial gain.

Mr McCallum subsequently cancelled his interview with DailyMail.com. Instead, a representative for the company issued a statement on his behalf which read: 'We will continue to honor and recognize Nearest Green's unique role in our heritage, and will thoughtfully and respectfully look for ways to honor his legacy. We appreciate everything the Weavers are doing in this regard as well. Our primary ambition is to do all that should be done to honor the memory and role of Nearest Green and, therefore, we recognize any activity that supports this ultimate goal as worthy.

Following a six-hour long conversation with Mrs Weaver, the company has integrated discussion about Nearest into their five distillery tours.

Brown-Forman, the umbrella company acting as the main representative body for Jack Daniels, also made a major change after Mrs Weavers research came to light. In May of 2017, they decided to list Nearest Green as the first master distiller of Jack Daniels whiskey, and is now listed as such on their website homepage - knocking Jack Daniel himself down to the second spot.

When I presented them with the proof of who Nearest was and what he did, I give them an enormous amount of credit for moving immediately to set the record straight, Mrs Weaver said.

Descendants of Nearest Green joined Fawn at the Dan Call farm, where hundreds of photos were hung around a tent where the first distillery once stood chronicling their family tree

What began as an initial interest transformed into an obsession for Fawn Weaver, and now, she believes, it is her calling to tell Nearests story to its fullest extent. In the process of doing so, shes found that shes become a part of the Green family  after working to bring so many of them together in their shared history that they previously had no knowledge of

What began as an initial interest transformed into an obsession for Fawn Weaver, and now, she believes, it is her calling to tell Nearests story to its fullest extent. In the process of doing so, shes found that shes become a part of the Green family  after working to bring so many of them together in their shared history that they previously had no knowledge of.

Its a lot to juggle. This story, this change in history, this family. That are all raised differently  there are different branches of the family that didnt know eachother. So Im bringing them all together and theyre learning about their own history at the same time that I am. Thats a lot, she said.

Every day, Mrs Weaver is in contact with at least one of Nearests ancestors. They are spread all over the country, from Indianapolis to St Louis to Nashville, in many locations that are associated with Jack Daniels distilleries.

My focus is on what matters to the descendants most  how do I make them most proud, and in the process, how do we ensure that we are doing enough things related to the name of Nathan Nearest Green that the name is never again erased from history? she said.

The only remaining family members who still have the Green name mostly reside in Nashville. They met with Mrs Weaver there, at a church, to discuss what could be done to cement the memory of Nearest and his role in helping to create Jack Daniels whiskey.

The idea they settled on wouldnt be easy or cheap, but it was what they collectively felt would be the best way to project his name into the modern world.

They wanted to create a bottle of whiskey named after their ancestor.

Nearest's descendants decided that the best way to honor him would be to create a whiskey in his name - thus began Uncle Nearest 1856

Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey celebrated its 150th anniversary last year, and pledged to work towards incorporating Nearest's name into their celebrations - to little avail

Mrs Weaver immediately set to work putting the wheels in motion to make it happen. She connected with one of Jack Daniels descendants, who had continued to work in the whiskey industry for three decades, who pledged to help them make the bottle for Nearest Greens whiskey.

Family members were a part of helping us to raise the money and make sure that not only a bottle comes out, but its done in such excellence that it doesnt then go away, Mrs Weaver said.

Weve had the problem of things relating to Nearest going away! she laughed.

The group decided on the name of Uncle Nearest 1856 for the whiskeys brand. The name Uncle Nearest comes from a longstanding tradition in the south of referring to teachers, mentors or others close to a family as uncle, aunt or cousin out of respect.

If you are in Lynchburg, everyone calls eachother uncle, aunt, cousin so and so, whether youre black or white, Mrs Weaver said. The Green family all refers to her as Cousin Fawn, she said - and they frequently remind her that she too is family.

When we were looking at this and going how do we get across that he was a mentor, he was a teacher; he was that person who everyone knew had the expertise? We dont want to call him mister, that seems way too cliche  so it became Uncle Nearest.

They chose the year 1856 to add to the title because its the year they believe he helped perfect the Lincoln County process  a special type of charcoal mellowing filtration named after the county he lived in that makes Tennessee whiskey unique from any other kind in the world.

The whiskey, which characterizes its taste as bold and spicy upfront then mellows with sweet caramel and maple, like biting into an oatmeal raisin cookie, has been flying off the shelves. It is available at 70 stores in the Nashville area, but ships across the country to 46 states.

Its not just African-Americans who are going into the store and buying this, its everyone. People want to be a part of cementing this mans history  which is absolutely unbelievable, Mrs Weaver said.

The process of first creating and continuing to produce a whiskey bottle is expensive, so Fawn continues to focus her energy on fundraising. She and her husband Keith, an executive vice president at Sony Pictures, are based in Los Angles - so she has looked to the Hollywood crowd in the hopes of finding donors to keep Uncle Nearest 1856 going.

A statue of Jack Daniel has been erected at the entrance of the spring hollow cave in Lynchburg, which is filtered over limestone rocks and is known for its purity. The water is used to distill Jack Daniel's whiskey

Jack Daniels Company says they decided ultimately not to pursue their widespread recognition of Nearest Green during their 150th celebration of Master Distillers due to tense race relations following the 2016 election. The companys president Mark McCallum told the New York Times: I thought we would be accused of making a big deal about it for commercial gain'

She struck gold with her first big investor who pledged half a million dollars to the effort to create the whiskey that would immortalize Nathan Green  but the investors motive wasnt in the whiskey, but in what it would serve to finance.

While working to create the Uncle Nearest whiskey, Fawn had another idea. She decided to set up the Nearest Green Scholarship Fund, which pays the bills in full for qualifying ancestors who seek a college education.

She said: Especially with race relations in the country how it is now  everyone wants to argue about what blacks should be given. I think that the only way we are ever going to balance the scales in America is to make sure as we are as educated as everyone else. If we can impact just one lineage  I think that goes a really long way.

Mrs Weaver said that this fall, Nearests descendants will head to Texas A&M, Middle Tennessee State University, Montlow State College, and College of Dupage in Chicago - just to name a few.

She and her husband have worked directly with the schools - who send them a bill for the students tuition, fees, and textbooks  and they cover it in full.

Mr and Mrs Weaver paid for the first two of Nearests ancestors to enroll in college this fall themselves, but with the success of Uncle Nearests whiskey, they plan to use the proceeds from sales to support the familys education for the rest of their lives.

All interested applicants must do is visit the website, enter a password given to them by their parents, and present their own family tree demonstrating how they are related to Nearest  something that has been a helpful tool for Fawn in understanding how the family has evolved over the years.

Then, they must discuss how they plan to continue on Nearests legacy, and of course  be accepted to a college or university.

Youre talking about an entire lineage of people that are able to then go and pay it forward and really begin to help change race relations in this country as their ancestor did when he was alive, Mrs Weaver said.

Fawn and her husband Keith, an executive vice president for Sony Pictures, have paid in full for two of Nearest's relatives to attend college. Continued funding for the scholarship program will come from sales of Uncle Nearest 1856

In August, at the very same moment that white supremacists were marching on Charlottesville in the neighboring state of Virginia, Mrs Weaver hosted an event for Uncle Nearest 1856 at the Dan Call farm for two busloads of Nearests surviving ancestors.

They had lunch at Miss Mary Bo Bos, a Lynchburg restaurant owned by one of Jack Daniels family members. Greens ancestors then visited a nearby cemetery with no sign or entryway. It was there that their family had been buried generations before  and nearly every African-American person born in Lynchburg lies.

Mrs Weaver is in the process of redesigning the graveyard so that it is more easily accessed and viewable by visitors to the small town. That wasnt the only surprise she had for the Greens.

As they turned onto the road which led to the farm where the original distillery once sat, where Nearest Green lived and brewed for decades, they noticed that the street had been renamed.

To Nearest Green Way.

Once arriving at the farm there was a tent erected and decorated with hundreds of photos collected from family members across the nation. Military enrollments, birth certificates, and a cacophony of memorabilia hung from clothespins around the tent as Greens family observed them in awe.

For the first hour or so that the family was there  you could just see their wheels spinning, Mrs Weaver said.

Many of Greens family members had not known each other before that day  or known about the history of where they came from.

After the family had time to circle the tent, and comprehend their own family tree, they walked down to the nearby spring that has been flowing ceaselessly since Nearest Green lived.

It still pours that water out  its still ice cold when it comes out, its filtered naturally over limestone rocks so you can put a tin cup and drink it and its the best water youd ever want to have, Mrs Weaver said.

Together, they all knelt to take drink from the same water that was used to distill Jack Daniels whiskey, and now Uncle Nearest 1856 whiskey today.

They stood on the same grounds their ancestor had more than 150 years ago and toasted to Nearest Green  whose legacy is finally allowed to live on.
Danish police are re-examining the submarine where a female journalist - whose dismembered remains were later found dumped in the sea - is believed to have been killed,saying they are scanning the vessel for concealed cavities.

They are investigating whether inventor Peter Madsen, 46, may have included hidden rooms on his 60-foot-long home-made submarine, and that these could hold clues to the final moments of reporter Kim Wall.

The 30-year-old was last seen alive on Madsen's submarine on August 10, and her naked, headless torso was found in the water off Copenhagen ten days later.

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Search: Copenhagen police are investigating whether inventor Peter Madsen, 46, may have included hidden rooms on his 60-foot-long submarine where reporter Kim Wall, 30, died

Mystery: The headless torso of Miss Wall, left, was found in Koge Bay in Copenhagen last week, not far from where Madsen (right) sunk Nautilus

The UC3 Nautilus was raised from the bottom of Copenhagen harbour the day after it sank, after which police have carried out a thorough investigation of the vessel

'There can be hidden rooms on submarines, and that's what we are looking for,' Copenhagen police investigator Jens Moeller Jensen said on Tuesday.

The 40-ton submarine, was deliberately sunk by Madsen on the day after Miss Wall's disappearance. He was subsequently arrested, and is now facing charges of murder and indecent handling of a corpse.

The submarine - UC3 Nautilus - stands on land in a remote corner of Copenhagen's harbor where a mobile cargo scanner has been deployed.

'It should be highlighted that the scanning is being carried out in order to rule out the possibility that there may be un-searched rooms, and not on the background of there being any suspicion of this,' Copenhagen police said in a statement to Extrabladet.

In Tuesday's statement, police also said Swedish colleagues with dogs specially trained to search for corpses in the water were combing the Copenhagen coast looking for clothing and more missing body parts.

Are you ok ? Peter Madsen, who is now charged over the death of Kim Wall, gives the thumbs up after he is rescued from the submarine where police later found traces of her blood

Tragedy: Journalist Kim Wall died on the submarine, Madsen has admitted, but he claims it was an accident

While Miss Wall's torso was recovered last week, authorities still look for other remains

Police say Miss Wall's limbs had been 'deliberately cut off' her torso, which had been weighted down with metal to make it sink to the bottom of the sea, police said.

Madsen has admitted that she died on his submarine, and says he then 'buried her at sea', and continues to deny that he has committed any crime, Danish police say.

Last week, footage filmed by Denmark's TV2 as he was fished out of Kge Bay shortly after Miss Wall had died, shows him giving a 'thumbs up', telling journalists he is ok.

As Madsen is known in Denmark for his ambitious projects, which as well as submarines include building space rockets, the TV2 crew were there to report on his rescue.

Wearing camouflage overalls, Madsen is seen speaking to two policemen about Miss Wall, who by then had been reported missing by her family. They ask: 'Do you have any contact information for her?'

'It's in my phone at the bottom of the ocean,' Madsen replies according to Ekstrabladet.

'So you don't have her name or what?'

'Just that her name is Kim. I don't check the background of a journalist, they call and ask 'can I have an interview'.'

Further search: Police and other authorities search a waterway for further remains related to the ongoing Kim Wall investigation at the west coast of Amager, Copenhagen, Denmark

Police search a waterway for remains related to the ongoing Kim Wall investigation at the west coast of Amager close to Copenhagen, Denmark

Last moments: One of the last images taken of Miss Wall shows her on board the sub alongside Madsen on Thursday August 10

As the camera follows him, Madsen explains in a chillingly casual way that he submarine sank because of an issue with one of the ballast tanks.

Smiling at the camera, he says: ' I was just out for a practice voyage when there was an issue with a ballast tank - which was not very serious - and when I tried to repair it, it only got worse.

'Nautilus sank in 30 seconds so I did not have time to close any hatches or anything. Which was very good, because otherwise I would be down there,' he adds smiling again.

He smiles again. After this, Madsen can reportedly be heard talking about how they can retrieve the submarine, and how much it's going to cost - not mentioning Miss Wall, but stressing that there is some form of insurance for the vessel.

Police have found traces of Miss Wall's blood inside the submarine, despite having had to retrieve it from the bottom of a Copenhagen bay where it sank on August 11.

Tribute: Around 40 of Miss Wall's classmates from the Graduate School of Journalism in Columbia University gathered at a candle vigil on Wednesday evening

Honour: Salima Koroma, left, and Matthew Claiborne, classmates of Miss Wall, who studied at Columbia University in 2013, mourn at the university campus in New York

In memoriam: Miss Wall hailed from southern Sweden, but had recently been splitting her time between New York and China as she travelled around the world to report stories

Last week, Moeller Jensen said that they had been able to match both the blood and the torso to DNA retrieved from a toothbrush and a hairbrush belonging to Kim Wall.

He added that police had found that the torso had been subjected to some form of force, in order for air to be pushed out of the lungs so it would not float.

Police believe the metal found on the torso had the purpose of ensuring the body sunk and remained on the seabed.

The torso was found by a passing cyclist at the water's edge in Kge Bay in Copenhagen, where Madsen had informed police that he had 'buried' Miss Wall's dead body.

Miss Wall was a freelance journalist, who grew up in Sweden but was mainly based in New York and Beijing, whose work had appeared in several major publications, including The Guardian and New York Times.

She had arranged to join Madsen on Nautilus as part of an article she had planned on writing about him and his projects.

'Hot-tempered': Peter Madsen, pictured with fellow enthusiast Kristian von Bengtson and one of their rocket prototypes in 2010, allegedly has a history of lashing out at journalists

Passionate: Madsen's biographer has revealed that the hobby rocket builder has made enemies of the people he has worked with, and that his temper can flare unexpectedly

The 40-ton, 18-meter long Nautilus, one of three subs built by Madsen, was found by divers under 7m (24ft) of water, though they were unable to enter it safely

Madsen, an amateur enthusiast who had built the UC3 Nautilus himself, has a history of lashing out at journalists who gave his project bad press, his biographer has said.

'He often ends up in conflicts, and has a lot of enemies,' says Thomas Djursing, a journalist who has written a book about Madsen.

'He can throw tools at you. But at the same time, he's not a violent person. I've never been afraid of him,' he told Aftonbladet.

Mr Djursing adds that Madsen would often become angry with journalists who wrote about his ambitious projects in a negative way, and says 'I don't know a journalist who has not been in conflict with him'.

Madsen, pictured above in 2008 in front of his submarine, was seen standing the tower of the still-floating submarine moments before it sank, according to a rescuer

Peter Madsen, who built the submarine himself, is under investigation for negligent manslaughter as investigators say there is evidence it was wrecked deliberately

In Mr Djursing's book 'Rocket Madsen', the inventor describes himself as a 'nerd with few friends' who grew up with his elderly father after the parents' separation.

Early on, he joined several rocket and space travel clubs, but his lack of patience and short fuse saw him excluded from the societies in his teens.

'The past few years, he has been driven by a kind of vengeance. To show those he has worked with in the past, but who has since become his adversaries, that he can beat them,' Mr Djursing toldExpressen.

'He is a crazy person,' photographer Bo Tornvig tells the newspaper.

'I mean, making space rockets and sailing around in home-made submarines is not normal behaviour. But I've never seen him lay a hand on anyone. This whole story really stinks. '
Nick Irving, the notorious 30-year-old Ranger sniper who exited the Army nearly six years ago, continues to recount jarring pastimes from his military career which will soon be depicted further through an NBC miniseries.

Irving earned the name 'The Reaper'  also the title of his first book  for his body count of 33 men during a single deployment in Iraq. He was deemed one of 'America's deadliest snipers' as he compared hits to that of a simple game 'of whack-a-mole.'

Already at age of 18, Irving fired a seven-round shot into a man's head as he watched him burst into 'a cloud of mist and chunks' on a battle ground in Tikrit, Iraq  an event he reveals in his memoir to be something nightmares are made of.

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Ex-Army sniper Nick Irving earned the name 'The Reaper' for his body count of 33 men during a single deployment in Iraq

At the age of 18, Irving fired a seven-round shot into a man's head as he watched him burst into 'a cloud of mist and chunks' on a battle ground in Tikrit, Iraq

Irving's autobiography 'The Reaper,' was a best-selling book that will soon be made into a miniseries on NBC

Irving discussed his experiences further in an interview with news.com.au

Irving recently spoke further on his experiences in an interview with news.com.au, where he discussed what he believes was the most violent deployment  his second  the 'Hotel Party' in Mosul.

Irving remembered a specific horrific and cloudy scene one afternoon that reminded him of some sort of 'dystopian birth.'

It was the traumatic moment he witnessed his tour leader and buddy, Keith, get brutally shot in the leg.

He heard him scream out in pain, 'I'm hit, I'm hit!' 'My leg, I think it's f***ed up! It might be gone ... Holy s***.'

He talked about what he believes to be the most violent deployment  his second  the 'Hotel Party' in Mosul

Irving remembered a specific horrific and cloudy scene one afternoon that reminded him of a kind of 'dystopian birth'

Irving explained going out on the streets in broad daylight was a 'literally and figuratively eye-opening' experience

Irving said his most notable pastimes were from that deployment, where he accomplished some of the greatest missions of his entire career.

'It was one of those times I got to feel like a cool guy ... I was 18, 19 driving a Stryker, ready to get shot at by bad guys. I thought I was invincible,' he said.

'There were guys hopping out of helicopters, all types of bombs, munitions, I'm hanging out, cigarette in one hand, shooting bad guys. There's a guy hanging out of a helicopter spraying a machinegun ... It was an experience.'

Going out on the streets to battle in broad daylight was a 'literally and figuratively eye-opening' experience for him.

'I'd heard people say we should blow Iraqis and others into the Stone Age, and it kind of looked like we had tried,' he wrote.

'I'd heard people say we should blow Iraqis and others into the Stone Age, and it kind of looked like we had tried,' he wrote

'Shattered buildings and islands of rubble all dotted the landscape. All I know is that we had each other's backs at the time and did everything we could to support one another. Whether or not the higher-ups did the same is tough to say.'

Irving, who since jump started a career in television, told the newspaper his life really took off following the wild success of his memoir.

He's appeared in shows like 'The IT Crowd,' 'The Rob Brydon Show,' and more recently, 'American Grit' with WWE superstar and actor, John Cena.

The NBC miniseries produced by Jay-Z will retell the timeless stories from his 2015 autobiography.

The Reaper gives credit to the tribulations he experienced during his time in the military that taught him valuable lessons he couldn't receive elsewhere.

Irving, who since jump started a career in television, said his life really 'took off' following the wild success of his memoir

'I've learnt a lot from struggle ... You have to go through struggles to appreciate things,' Irving said.

'Special ops guys have been overseas and seen different things. In the military community, we harp on about not expressing emotions, you're the tough guy. That eats guys up in the long run.

'There's nothing wrong with talking about what you did overseas, what not to do, what to do. Everyone has feelings, emotions,' he added.

'In the military, you get into a mindset of 'failure is not an option.' You're not used to rejection, the army doesn't allow it. On the civilian side, you get that. The first dose is hard to overcome, then you realize, 'this is just life.''
Weeks after being ousted from the White House, former chief strategist Stephen Bannon is backing a different candidate than President Donald Trump in Alabama's contested primary election.

Trump endorsed the incumbent, Sen. Luther Strange in an early August tweet, saying Strange has done 'a great job representing the people of the Great State of Alabama. He has my complete and total endorsement!'

Bannon has since left the White House. Though he has expressed a determination to continue to fight battles on behalf of nationalists during his return to Breitbart News, Bannon has not expressed any desire to go after Trump.

Bannon is, however, backing a different candidate in Alabama, controversial former state chief justice Roy Moore, who has received national coverage over the years for his crusade to display the Ten Commandments.

Former chief White House strategist is backing Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate primary runoff

Bannon made his support for Moore known at a meeting of the Conservative Action Project, Politico reported, though not as a way to break with Trump.

Instead, it was a way to counter Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who in Bannon's eyes is the leading force of the GOP establishment he battled when he was in the White House.

The meeting of the influential conservatives took place at the offices of the Family Research Council, and included former Attorney General Ed Meese, former American Spectator publisher Alfred Regnery, and former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, according to the report.

Despite his formal endorsement on Twitter, it is not yet clear how much effort Trump is planning to put into backing Strange.

The announcement coincided with a Trump-McConnell feud that broke out into the open.

President Donald Trump endorsed Sen. Luther Strange in the primary

Bannon is backing former chief justice of the state supreme court Roy Moore

STRANGE DAYS INDEED: Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., talks with a reporter on the East Front of the Capitol on August 2, 2017. He has the backing of President Trump, but it is unclear how much the president will put into the effort

Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., left, and Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., arrive for a meeting of Senate Republicans after a vote in the Capitol on Thursday, July 20, 2017

McConnell affiliate groups have been Strange's top financial backers.

Trump cut a robocall for Strange during the first round of voting, saying: 'He's helping me in the Senate. He's going to get the tax cuts for us. He's doing a lot of things for the people of Alabama and for the people of the United States.'

Strange was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions when he became attorney general.

The Alabama Senate race has coincided with a feud between President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky.

The Washington Post reported last week that Trump was considering becoming 'less engaged' in the race.

It is unclear if Trump will travel to Alabama before the Sept. 26 GOP runoff vote.

Moore has campaigned against 'the swamp' and has gone after McConnell in an online fundraising appeal.

Bannon issued a warning to go after McConnell in an exit interview with the Economist immediately after he was out at the White House.

'Mitch McConnell, Im going to light him up,' Bannon warned.
Russia has insisted it is not planning a surprise invasion on Poland, Lithuania and the Ukraine after sending thousands of troops to Europe ahead of planned war games.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday the large-scale exercise in Belarus would rehearse a purely defensive scenario and that allegations it was a springboard to invade were false.

Ahead of the Zapad 2017 exercise, Moscow has said it sent 5,500 troops into the country which borders Poland, Lithuania and the Ukraine to join 7,200 Belarusian soldiers as well as 700 pieces of military equipment.

But experts have warned the true figure of troops could be nearer 100,000, prompting the US to send 600 soldiers to the area as a precautionary.

Russian paratroopers march during the celebrations of Paratroopers Day in the Red Square in Moscow, Russia, on August 2. The Russian military says major war games, the Zapad 2017 maneuvers, set for next month will not threaten anyone

Almost 700 pieces of military hardware will be deployed, including almost 250 tanks, 10 ships and various artillery and rocket systems

Russian soldiers compete during a team's run at the Army Scout Masters competition, part of Army Games, outside Novosibirsk, 2900 km (some 1800 miles) east of Moscow, Russia. The main event - the Zapad 2017 - will take place from September 14 to 20 in Belarus

Russia has used such exercises in the past as a precursor or as a cover to project force in other countries such as Georgia and Ukraine, and the war games are taking place at a time when East-West tensions are high.

Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, the US Army's top general in Europe, said last month that US allies in eastern Europe and Ukraine were worried the exercises could be a Trojan horse aimed at leaving behind military equipment brought into Belarus.

The fears are not unsubstantiated, given that the Russians invaded the Ukrainian peninsular of Crimea in March 2014.

Vladimir Putin's officials have denied invasion rumours

And NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who has warned that 'substantially more' troops may take part than will be officially divulged, said last week the alliance would be watching closely.

Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin told Western military attaches in Moscow on Tuesday the West had nothing to fear.

'Some people are even going as far as to say that the Zapad-2017 exercises will be used as a springboard to invade and occupy Lithuania, Poland or Ukraine,'Fomin said.

'Not a single one of these paradoxical versions has anything to do with reality.'

He called suggestions that Russia posed a threat to anyone 'myths'.

The drills, which will be held from September 14 to 20 in Belarus, western Russia and Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad, will simulate repelling an attack by extremist groups.

Fomin, who said the drills were routine and conducted every other year with ally Belarus, added: 'As well as its anti-terrorist backdrop, the Zapad 2017 exercise is of a purely defensive nature.'.

Moscow says almost 13,000 Russian and Belarussian servicemen will take part, as well as around 70 planes and helicopters.

Almost 700 pieces of military hardware will be deployed, including almost 250 tanks, 10 ships and various artillery and rocket systems.

Ahead of the Zapad 2017 exercise, Moscow has said it sent 5,500 troops into the country which borders Poland, Lithuania and the Ukraine to join 7,200 Belarusian soldiers as well as 700 pieces of military equipment

A soldier takes his gun off his neck. Russia has said it is sending 5,500 troops to Belarus to join their 7,200, but experts have warned the figure could be closer to 100,000

A self-propelled gun destroyer 2S25 Sprut-SD fires during the International military forum Army 2016 in Alabino, outside Moscow, Russia

Russia said the scale of the exercise was in line with international rules.

With less than 13,000 troops, international observation of the drills was not mandatory, it said.

Belarusian Deputy Defence Minister Oleg Belokonev, speaking in Minsk, said any troops and equipment brought into Belarus for the war games would be withdrawn afterwards.
Taiyah-Grace Peebles (pictured) had been returning from a night out with friends in Whitstable in Kent before her tragic death

The father of a schoolgirl who was killed on railway tracks has been found dead.

Paul Butters' body was found on Sunday, just over a month after his daughter Taiyah-Grace Peebles, 16, was electrocuted on a train line in Kent.

Taiyah was found on Wednesday, July 26 after she was electrocuted following a night out with friends, according to British Transport Police.

Her mother Hayley Peebles, former partner of Paul, who was in his 30s, said: 'We are all completely shocked and saddened and feel for his family, especially coming so soon after Taiyah's death.

'I had not seen him for years but he was invited to her funeral and would have been welcomed, but didn't come.

'It's difficult to know at this stage what happened until there's been a proper investigation.'

A Kent Police spokesperson said officers were called with a report that a man in his 30s was found dead at a house in the Ramsgate area of Kent at 4.55pm on Sunday, August 27.

The circumstances are not suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner, police said.

Taiyah was last seen before her death hanging around a train station with friends, before her body was found the following morning.

The much-loved teenager, who had recently finished her GCSEs and was waiting to pick up her results, had been enjoying the summer with friends.

Pictured: Herne Bay railway station, where Taiyah-Grace's body was found at 6.45am on July 26

She was returning from a night out with a group of friends when she left them to use the toilet.

They were returning from a night out in Whitstable in Kent when her pals left the 16-year-old alone on the platform of Herne Bay station just after 11pm on July 26.

Her body was found on the tracks at about 6.45am the following morning.

Taiyah-Grace's father has died a month after her death

Five London-bound trains would have already passed through Herne Bay on the opposite side of the tracks that morning, the first at 4.59am.

It is believed the driver of the first Thanet-bound train spotted Taiyah's body on the tracks after pulling into the station.

The power to the line was shut off and all trains cancelled as emergency crews descended on the station.

Taiyah was pronounced dead at the scene.

A mural was painted for the teen in nearby Margate by local artists, and a fundraising page in her memory raised more than 1,300.

More than 100 friends held a vigil and let off balloons in a tribute described as 'a beautiful but heartbreaking moment'.
The driver of a tractor-trailer packed with immigrants illegally entering the United States in an alleged human smuggling operation that resulted in the death of ten people has pleaded not guilty to federal charges against him.

James Matthew Bradley Jr, 60, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to five charges, including conspiracy to transport immigrants illegally for financial gain resulting in death and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

At least 39 people were inside the trailer as it drove from the border city of Laredo, Texas, to San Antonio, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) north.

James Matthew Bradley Jr, 60, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to five charges, including conspiracy to transport immigrants illegally for financial gain resulting in death and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

He was the driver of a tractor-trailer packed with immigrants illegally entering the United States in an alleged human smuggling operation, which resulted in the death of ten people

The trailer's refrigeration system was broken, and investigators said passengers struggled to breathe as the temperature rose to dangerous levels. One witness told The Associated Press he heard people crying and asking for water.

The alleged smuggling operation resulted in at least ten deaths. Twenty-two survivors are in custody as potential witnesses. Two people remain in the hospital. Five others have been turned over to immigration authorities.

Four of the survivors testified before the grand jury, said Michael McCrum, a San Antonio attorney appointed to represent them.

'They came to America wanting just to work, as they could not find a job in Mexico that could support their families. And yet, the circumstances of what happened brought them to this situation,' McCrum said in an email. 'They were asked to tell the truth about how they suffered, and they did.'

Bradley was indicted in earlier this month by a federal grand jury in San Antonio on five counts, including a count of illegally transporting immigrants for financial gain, resulting in death, and a separate count of conspiracy to transport immigrants illegally, resulting in death.

Bradley was indicted in earlier this month by a federal grand jury in San Antonio on five counts. The truck driver denied knowing people were inside the trailer

The trailer's refrigeration system was broken, and investigators said passengers struggled to breathe as the temperature rose to dangerous levels. One witness told The Associated Press he heard people crying and asking for water

Those charges carry the possibility of the death penalty.

Bradley was also indicted on two counts related to illegally transporting immigrants resulting in serious bodily injury, and one count of firearm possession by a convicted felon. The indictment alleges Bradley, who pleaded guilty in 1997 to a felony domestic violence case in Colorado, was in possession of a .38-caliber pistol.

Investigators have said they believe Bradley was part of a broader conspiracy funding and planning the smuggling operation, though they have not announced any additional arrests or charges.

According to a criminal complaint released in July, Bradley told investigators that the trailer had been sold and he was transporting it for his boss from Iowa to Brownsville, Texas.

In late July 2017 the tractor-trailer Bradley was driving was discovered in a Walmart parking lot in San Antonio, Texas with 39 people inside

But he said he had driven to Laredo and stopped twice there before driving back to San Antonio, in the opposite direction from Brownsville.

He denied knowing people were inside the trailer.

After hearing banging and shaking, he opened the door and was 'surprised when he was run over by 'Spanish' people and knocked to the ground,' according to the criminal complaint.

Human smuggling operations often linked to Mexican drug cartels are a major problem for law enforcement along the United States' southern border.

Border Patrol agents in West Texas found 20 people crammed in a semitrailer just this week, one day after police in the border city of Edinburg discovered 16 people inside another trailer.

Most of the people known to have been on board were from Mexico. Others are believed to have fled from the truck after it stopped.
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- "It's going to rain."

That was Jackson County Emergency Management Director Earl Etheridge's succinct answer when asked what local residents could expect over the next few days.

He was only half-joking. Forecast as of Tuesday afternoon called for 4-8 inches of rain in Jackson County over the next 2-3 days as the remnants of Hurricane Harvey move into the Mississippi coast.

"To get 6-8 inches over a three to five-day period is not an issue," Etheridge said. "The problem occurs if it sets up on top of us and we get six to eight inches in two or three hours. That's when we have our issues."

The National Weather Service has Jackson County under a flash flood watch until Thursday. According to the NWS, residents should expect rainfall of 4-8 inches, with locally higher amounts possible.

"The problem is, they always put that little caveat in there that says 'some areas may see as much as 10 inches,'" Etheridge said. "So all I can do is tell people it's either going to rain or it isn't. Those are the only two certainties at this point."

Possible heavy rains from Harvey could result in street flooding of low-lying and poor drainage areas, according to the NWS.

Etheridge said the county remains under a state of emergency declaration, which allows for services and materials to be shared between the county and the four municipalities.

The locations where residents can get sand and sandbags remain the same:

West Division Roads Department on North Washington Avenue in St. Martin

East Division Roads Department at 10825 Highway 63 in Moss Point

Central Division Roads Department at 8500 Jim Ramsey Road in Vancleave

St. Andrews Fire Department at 1401 Elm Street in St. Andrews

Escatawpa Volunteer Fire Department at 3801 Sentinel Drive in Moss Point

Forts Lake Fire Department at 10701 Forts Lake Road in Moss Point

Old Americus Road Fire Department at 24321 Old Americus Road in Lucedale

Gautier City Hall at 3330 U.S. 90 in Gautier

Moss Point Central Fire Station at 4204 Bellview Ave., in Moss Point

Ocean Springs Public Works at 712 Pine Drive in Ocean Springs

Pascagoula Recycling Center at 4011 14th Street in Pascagoula

"We're just watching this thing," Etheridge said. "Until it passes north of us and goes away, it's going to be sucking moisture from the Gulf. And we've already had a wet spring and summer."
The US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has revealed that it has conducted a second series of test flights involving an upgraded version of a nuclear bomb that has been part of the U.S. arsenal for decades.

An F-15E from Nellis Air Force Base dropped an inert version of the weapon over the Nevada desert earlier this month as well as in March to test its non-nuclear functions as well as the plane's ability to carry the bomb.

Work on the B61-12 has been ongoing for years, and government officials say the latest tests using mock versions of the bomb will be vital to the refurbishing effort.

The bomb is described as the most dangerous nuclear device ever produced because its yeild can be adjusted between the equivalent of 50,000 tons and 300 tons of TNT. It is also more accurate than ever.

With a mere puff of dust, the mock bomb landed in a dry lake bed at the Tonopah Test Range.

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An F-15E from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada releases a mock nuclear weapon for an August 2017 test at Tonopah Test Range. The test is the second in a series planned over three years

The 'most dangerous nuclear bomb ever produced': Work on the B61-12 has been ongoing for years. It consolidates and replaces older versions in the nation's nuclear arsenal

The first test drew criticism, including from Brian Becker, director of the anti-war Answer coalition, who told RT: 'In order to placate his critics, in the media and in politics, Trump has given a blank check to his generals. So they are having a grand time right now, and they are testing all the weapons they've been wanting to test, but not been able to.'

'B61-12 gravity bombs, without a nuclear warhead, were dropped from F-15E fighter jets at Tonopah Test Range in Nevada on August 8. The tests were intended to check the bomb's 'non-nuclear functions and the aircraft's capability to deliver the weapon,' according to an NNSA statement.

The B61-12 will replace the B61 gravity bomb, one of the main pillars of the US Air Forces nuclear arsenal and one part of the so-called air-land-sea triad, which also includes Ohio-class submarines and B-52 strategic bombers. The first production of the bomb is scheduled for March 2020.

In March of this year, an Air Force F-16 dropped an inert B61-12 during a development flight test by the 422nd Flight Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nevada

The B61-12 life extension program is progressing on schedule to meet national security requirements, Phil Calbos, acting NNSA deputy administrator for defense programs, stated. These realistic flight qualification tests validate the design of the B61-12 when it comes to system performance.

Tracking telescopes, remote cameras and other instruments at the test range recorded information on the reliability, accuracy and performance of the weapon under conditions that were meant to replicate real-world operations.

More test flights are planned over the next three years, and officials with the National Nuclear Security Administration said the first production unit of the B61-12 - developed under what is called the Life Extension Program - is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

The B61-12 consolidates and replaces four older versions in the nation's nuclear arsenal. It's outfitted with a new tail-kit assembly and other hardware.

Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories are claiming success with the second in series of test flights involving an upgraded version of a nuclear bomb that has been part of the U.S. arsenal for decades

The weapon is different to other non-nuclear 'mother of all bombs' used in Afghanistan earlier this year to attack an Islamic State stronghold.

The Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, or MOAB, isn't designed to penetrate like the B61-12 but rather create a large blast over the surface and it has to be ferried by a much larger plane given its size.

In the first test last March, people gathered on balconies at the range despite knowing they would see only dust rising from the target miles away.

A video feed showed the test bomb fall through the air after being released by an F-15E fighter aircraft.

Officials said it left behind a rather neat hole. Crews were able to dig the mock weapon out of the dirt so it could be packed up and returned to Albuquerque for further study.
As the devastating Hurricane Harvey inundated parts of Houston with floodwaters on Sunday, a 16-year-old girl posted a desperate message online revealing her fear and begging for the storm to pass quickly.

But Devy Saldivar's plea has gone unanswered, as the high school student, her three siblings and the children's great-grandparents all presumably drowned after their van was swept by raging currents.

Virginia Saldivar, Devy's grandmother, said on Monday that the vehicle carrying the teenager, her brothers and sister Dominic, 14; Xavier, 8; and Daisy, 6, as well as their great-grandparents, Manuel, 83, and Belia, 81, sank into Greens Bayiou in East Houston.

Final post: Devy Saldivar, 16 (left), took to Facebook on Sunday, writing that she was anxious about the storm. This was to become her final post before she drowned with her siblings

Devy's great-grandparents Manuel and Belia Saldivar (pictured), aged 81 and 83, respectively, also drowned. The driver - the children's great-uncle - survived the accident

The woman said her brother-in-law - the children's great-uncle - was driving the van Sunday when a strong current swept the vehicle over a bridge and into the bayou.

The driver was able to escape and urged the children to follow him through the back door, Virginia Saldivar said, but they could not.

'I'm just hoping we find the bodies,' the grandmother added.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office said it could not confirm the deaths as of Tuesday morning.

Speaking to NBC News on Monday, Esmeralda Saldivar, the children's aunt, revealed that Devy's mother took a boat to the bayou to try and find the doomed van.

'She just wants her kids,' she said.

Virginia Saldivar described the four siblings as 'the sweetest kids' who lived across the street from her.

She said Devy, a student at Pasadena High School, loved animals, Starbucks drinks and shopping at thrift shops.

Six members of a family - including Xavier Saldivar (left), 8, and his sister Daisy (right), 6, as well as their siblings and great-grandparents - died in the Hurricane Harvey floods Monday

They had just crossed a bridge in Houston when their van was swept away by strong flood-water currents. Devy (left), 16, and her brother Dominic (right), 14, died

'She was my sunflower, my sunshine,' Virginia added.

Her brother Xavier loved playing video games and was enthralled with anything related to the US Army.

'Daisy was our princess. She was grandpa's girl. She loved kittens and dressing up, and watching YouTube videos,' Virginia said in a statement. 'Dominic was my heart. He was the most amazing, loving boy.

'He loved playing his trombone, watching YouTube and playing video games. He loved his family and he would defend them against anything.'

On Sunday, the Salidvars' van ran into trouble after it crossed a bridge and hit high floodwater on Green River Drive.

The sole survivor, identified as the children's 56-year-old great-uncle, managed to grab onto a branch and told the children to climb out of the back door of the van, but they were unable to do so.

Instead, it sunk quickly - taking the family with it.

Witnesses to the incident said that although there were emergency crews in the area, it happened too fast for them to respond.

Belia and Manuel Saldivar (pictured together left) are presumed dead. Daisy, Xavier and Dominic Saldivar (pictured right together), are three of the four children presumed dead after their van sank

Sunny girl: Virginia Saldivar described her granddaughter Devy as her 'sunflower' and 'sunshine'

All-American girl: Devy, a student at Pasadena High School, loved animals, Starbucks drinks and shopping at thrift shops

The children's grandmother, Virginia Saldivar, herself narrowly escaped death by drowning Sunday.

'If anyone has a boat that can come rescue us on Talton St please come,' she posted on Facebook Sunday. 'This is getting so scary with the water rising.'

Relative Adriana Saldivar replied: 'We gave the helicopter people your address they will be looking at roofs and open space.'

A GoFundMe account set up to help the family of the dead children was posted to Virginia Saldivar's page.
The 'teenage' Moroccan asylum seeker who has admitted to killing two people and wounding eight in what is believed to be Finland's first ever terror attack, lied about his identity..

Abderrahman Bouanane, aged 22, claimed to be a 17-year-old boy called Abderrahman Mechkah when he arrived in Finland last year, and applied for asylum as an unaccompanied minor.

Bouanane appeared in court via video link last week, and confessed to carrying out the attack in Turku, but denied he had a terrorist motive.

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Abderrahman Bouanane, 22, (pictured during the hearing at his hospital bed) confessed to carrying out the attack that left two women dead, but denied he had a terrorist motive

Killer: Bouanane, 22, claimed to be a 17-year-old boy called Abderrahman Mechkah when he arrived in Finland last year

Police have said he targeted women in the Friday afternoon attack at a market square in the southwestern port city. Two women were killed and six women and two men were injured.

His true identity, revealed in court documents, could be established following an international police investigation after his arrest, local media reports

'(My client) admits manslaughter and injuries. But based on what the investigator has presented thus far, the crime was not necessarily with terrorist intent,' his lawyer Kaarle Gummerus said at the time of the hearing last week.

He appeared via video link at a court in Turku, where the horrific stabbing frenzy happened on Friday.

As of Tuesday, Bouanane is the only suspect who remains in custody. Finnish police arrested a total of seven people after the attack, and have now released five of them without charge.

He appeared via video link at a court in Turku, where the horrific stabbing frenzy happened on Friday

It has emerged that Bouanane had been living in a Red Cross reception centre in Turku, and was appealing the result of an asylum application when the attack happened.

A spokeswoman from the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation said: 'He has received the result of his asylum application and he has appealed it.

'He is still in the (asylum) process.'

In a Twitter post the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said: 'The offender in Turku incident is suspected on probable cause of murders and attempted murders with terrorist intent and placed in detention.'

It emerged last week that the Finnish intelligence service had received a tip-off earlier this year about Bouanane.

'According to the tip-off, the suspect seemed radicalised and was interested in extreme thinking,' a Finnish intelligence statement said, while adding there was no information to suggest a threat of an attack.

Two women were killed and six people were injured in the knife attack on Friday in Turku

Friday's attack is being investigated as Finland's first ever terror attack, but the killer denies being a terrorist

The service said Bouanane was not among the around 350 people it was monitoring in its terrorism prevention programme.

Bouanane, who was shot in the thigh by police minutes after the attack, appeared before the Turku court last Tuesday via video link from hospital.

Most of the hearing was held behind closed doors, but press photos taken at the beginning showed the suspect lying in his hospital bed, his head propped up on a pillow and his face shielded by a white sheet.

The motive for the attack is unclear, but the country's intelligence agency SUPO said Monday that he might have been radicalised.

The investigation is the first into suspected terrorism-related crimes in Finland's history.

Gummerus said it was 'impossible to take a final stance at the moment' on the issue of whether the stabbings were terrorism-related.
Washington's UN ambassador Nikki Haley said Tuesday that 'something serious has to happen' following North Korea's missile test over Japan.

'It's unacceptable,' Haley said. 'They have violated every single UN Security Council resolution that we've had, and so I think something serious has to happen,' she added, giving no specifics.

Washington and Tokyo called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting, set to convene Tuesday to discuss the crisis.

U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley warned that 'something serious' should happen following North Korea's latest missile launch

The nuclear-armed totalitarian state fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean on August 29 amid tensions over its weapons ambitions

'We are going to talk about what else is left to do,' Haley continued, saying that 'no country' should have missiles flying over a nation of 130 million people like Japan.

New sanctions on North Korea could be discussed, the U.S. envoy said.

'I think we have a lot to talk about today. So with all of our partners, what we hope is that China and Russia continues to work with us, like they have in the past on North Korea  but I think enough is enough,' Haley declared.

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier warned that 'all options' remain on the table to handle the crisis  implying Washington has not ruled out a military strike.

The test launch by the isolated but defiant nuclear-armed nation was seen as a major escalation and triggered an angry response from Tokyo.

A Tokyo pedestrian walks past a monitor showing an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in a news program reporting on North Korea's missile launch

This file photo shows a North Korean missile launch

North Korea defended its right to take 'tough counter-measures' in response to what it calls US aggression  despite repeated calls from Washington for it to come to the negotiating table.

'Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world,' Trump said, in a statement released by the White House.
A taxi driver bombarded socialite Jemima Khan with hundreds of messages and calls, threatening to go to her house, after allegedly saving her number, a court heard.

Hassan Mahhmood, 27, is said to have harassed Ms Khan for a year after saving her phone number when he dropped her off to her Fulham home.

He sent hundreds of unwanted messages and called her, asking to meet up, between June 2016 and July this year.

Mahhmood, in the sunglasses, left, is said to have saved Ms Khan's number when she used his taxi to get home one evening

Mahhmood also threatened to turn up to her home.

Prosecutor Julien Becker said 'taxi or mini cab driver' Mahhmood 'bombarded' Ms Khan with more than 400 messages and 'repeatedly' called her phone.

'He made attempts to establish contact even after she told him she did not want it,' he said.

Mahhmood also threatened to turn up at Ms Khan's address in Fulham, south west London but never actually attended the address, said Mr Becker.

Jemima Khan with brother Zac Goldsmith. She is said to have told Mahhmood not to contact her when he continued sending messages

At Westminster Magistrates' Court Mahhmood, of Waltham Forest, wearing a blue suit, denied one count of stalking and indicated a not guilty plea to one count of harassment.

Jemima Khan: Socialite and Hugh Grant's ex-girfriend Jemima Khan is the older sister of former Tory MP Zac Goldsmith. Her father was the late billionaire tycoon Sir James Goldsmith, while her mother, Lady Annabel, is the daughter of the Marquess of Londonderry. She is an associate editor of New Statesman and European editor-at-large for Vanity Fair. Ms Khan has also had high profile relationships with Hugh Grant and Russell Brand. She also has a close association with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Miss Goldsmith previously tweeted about a man following her and her children in September 2014. She was married to Imran Khan. Advertisement

Deputy Senior District Judge Tan Ikram released him on conditional bail not to contact Ms Khan or to go to any address he knows or believes she may be residing.

Mahhmood will next appear at Isleworth Crown Court on 28 September for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Ms Khan was harassed earlier this year as well, by a man from Kent who sent her multiple messages on Twitter every day.

Conor O'Mahony, 60, of Deal, Kent, bombarded the 42-year-old with messages on social media, sending her five messages a day on Twitter.

He turned up outside her home and attended events where Ms Khan- also known as Jemima Goldsmith - was speaking, asking her out for dinner.

O'Mahony also sent an unwanted Addison Lee taxi to her home address with instructions to meet him in a hotel.

His actions caused Ms Goldsmith 'serious harm or distress', Hammersmith Magistrates Court heard in February.

He had received a caution in November 2015 for harassment. In March this year, he was handed a restraining order.

He was banned from contacting Ms Khan including on social media and ordered not to go within 200m (650ft) of her home.
A grandmother died in a blaze which ripped through her home after candles set alight a Glade air freshener.

Kathleen Holme, 67, was killed at the terraced property she shared with her son in Kendal, Cumbria on Mother's Day this year.

The deadly blaze started after the air freshener shot a spray of perfume on to candles burning on her bedside table, causing a jet of fire which ignited a pile of clothes on the floor.

Her 38-year-old son Peter Holme, who has learning difficulties, was arrested on suspicion of murder after the accident but later released.

Kathleen Holme, pictured with her daughter Tamara (right), died in the fire in March

A coroner has now warned air freshener manufacturers, including Glade, to highlight the dangers of using automatic sprays near naked flames.

An inquest into her death today heard five or six canisters of freshener were found in the bedroom of Ms Holme's property alongside a tray of candles.

Fire chief Roger Exley told the inquest he and his officers had been shocked when they tested the effect of placing the freshener alongside candles when investigating the cause of the blaze.

'They produced significant flames which were capable of igniting any flammable material, like discarded clothing, nearby,' said Mr Exley, delivery manager of Cumbria Fire Brigade.

An automatic air freshener manufactured by Glade, similar to the one which most likely played a part in the house fire

Mr Exley believed the air fresheners and candles were the most likely cause of the fire which ripped through the property in the early hours of March 26.

The canisters are powered by battery and have a setting to spray air freshener automatically at regular intervals.

There is a warning on the boxes of air fresheners but not on the canisters themselves, the inquest heard.

The inquest heard how Peter and his mother had been drinking at a local pub on the night of the tragedy.

Mrs Homle's 38-year-old son Peter Holme, who has learning difficulties, was arrested on suspicion of murder after the accident but later released

Mrs Holme suffered from an over-active thyroid, high blood pressure, liver disease and anaemia.

Peter has brain injuries, learning difficulties and epilepsy after contracting tuberculosis as a teenager.

Mrs Holme's daughter Tamara Knowles told the inquest her mother and brother were 'mutual carers'.

She added: 'They were very close. They had their rows, but I don't believe my brother would harm my mother in any way.

'My mother was obsessed with candles. She had them all over the house and in her bedroom on a tray on a bedside table.

'She had the air fresheners to cover the smell of two cats which lived in an airing cupboard in the bedroom.

'I was not aware of the risks of using the two together. I don't think many people realise.'

She said her mother, a retired cleaner, had let the house become untidy following the death of her father Peter last year, with clothes strewn on the floor.

The inquest was told that when the fire alarm went off Mrs Holme's son went to the Bridge Hotel Kendal opposite their house, to raise the alarm.

Statements were read from Jordan Mason, a customer at the nearby pub, and manager Andrew Rafferty, who tried to rescue Mrs Holme.

Mr Mason wrapped himself in a duvet, grabbed a extinguisher and forced his way up the smoke-filled stairs to where Mrs Holme was lying badly burned on a first floor landing.

Police and emergency services at the scene of the fire in March this year

Mr Rafferty also tried to save Mrs Holmes but the smoke and heat were too intense. Both men's actions were praised by Coroner Robert Chapman.

Mrs Holme was eventually rescued by firefighters but she stopped breathing and had a cardiac arrest in an ambulance. She was pronounced dead at Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Mr Chapman said he would be writing formal letters to manufacturers including Glade to highlight the dangers of keeping the automatic sprays near candles.

He concluded Mrs Holme's death was accidental and said the cause of her death was burns and smoke inhalation.

Mrs Holme's son Peter is now under the care of social services.
Australia's hemp growers and suppliers are fighting a federal government ban that stops them from supplying the plant for cosmetics and pet food.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration reversed a long-standing exemption that allowed the supply of industrial hemp to make certain products in May last year.

Before then, hemp was permitted to be used in products that were for external use, provided the amount of tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) in the product was 50mg per kg or less.

Since then, some growers and industrial hemp associations  including Industrial Hemp Alliance and OzHemp - have launched a federal court case against the federal health department, the Guardian reports.

Australia's hemp growers and suppliers are fighting a federal government ban that stops them from supplying the plant for cosmetics and pet food. File photo

During a hearing in Sydney on Monday, barrister Jeremy Kirk said the exemption essentially extended political concerns about illegal drugs into the TGA's legislation.

'The TGA act is not a federal drugs act, it's about public health and safety,' he said.

Earlier this year, the industrial hemp industry had celebrated a decision to allow hemp to be used in food products  and products with low concentrations of THC to be legally consumed.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration reversed a long-standing exemption that allowed the supply of industrial hemp to make certain products in May last year. File photo

But now, the new regulations are deterring investors from putting money into the sector, according to James Vosper, the vice president of the Australian Industrial Hemp Allowance.

He added that Australia is uniquely placed to be able to supply industrial hemp to countries in Asia and that the industrial would be a boon for 'economically depressed areas.'

The federal court is expected to make a decision on Friday.
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Tuesday denied that his country was buying new fighter jets from American plane maker Boeing, following remarks by President Donald Trump.

Finland is looking to replace its aging fleet of 62 F/A-18 Hornet jets with multirole fighter aircraft in a procurement estimated at 7-10 billion euros by 2025.

'One of the things that is happening is you're purchasing large amounts of our great F-18 aircraft from Boeing and it's one of the great planes, the great fighter jets,' Trump said on Monday at a news conference with his Finnish counterpart in the White House.

PLANE TALK: President Donald Trump said Monday that Finland was 'purchasing large amounts of our great F-18 aircraft from Boeing,' but Finland's president said it was not a done deal

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Trump was responding to a question about whether the U.S. would provide Finland assistance if relations deteriorated with Russia.

He continued: 'And you're purchasing lots of other military equipment, and, I think, purchasing very wisely. I know all of the military equipment and I actually agree with everything you purchased. We talked about it before.'

Niinisto, who was standing next to Trump, looked surprised but did not follow up on the comment.

He later denied the deal with Boeing on his Twitter account and on Tuesday in Washington.

President Donald J. Trump (R) and President Sauli Niinisto of Finland (L) hold a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 28 August 2017

A McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet military airplane of the Finnish Air Force emits so-called 'flares' countermeasure munition during the International Air Show ILA in Schoenefeld near Berlin on September 15, 2012

President Niinisto did not correct the president about the airplanes, but did not that Trump wasn't correct when he said he called on the same Finnish reporter two times in a row

'It seems that on the sale side, past decisions and hopes about future decisions have mixed ... The purchase is just starting, and that is very clear here,' Niinisto told Finnish reporters.

Helsinki is expected to request that European and U.S. plane manufacturers provide quotations for new jets in 2018, with a final decision made in the early 2020s.

A government working group has listed possible candidates as Saab's Jas Gripen, Dassault Aviations Rafale, Boeings Super Hornet, Lockheed Martins F-35 and the Eurofighter, made by Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Trump's comments caused shock in Finland, Defense News reported.

In this image released by the U.S. Navy courtesy of Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Navy variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35C, conducts a test flight February 11, 2011 over the Chesapeake Bay. Lt. Cmdr. Eric 'Magic' Buus flew the F-35C for two hours, checking instruments that will measure structural loads on the airframe during flight maneuvers

A member of Finnish Air Force fires flares with an F-18 at the Hungarian Air Force base of Kecskemet, 100 kilometres south-east of Budapest, on August 17 2008 during the International Air Show and Military Display

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto during their joint news conference, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in the East Room of the White House in Washington

'President Trump's remarks are baffling. There are still years to run in the fighter replacement competition before a final decision is reached. If the leadership of the United States harbors the idea that the matter is a done deal, then this is not good,' Matti Vanhanen, chairman of the Finnish national parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, said, according to the publication.

Niinisto hasn't said whether the purchase competition came up during his talks with Trump, although Trump ended his own remark by saying, 'We talked about it before.'

Finland plans to put the new multi-role fighters into service by 2025-2030.

Trump has gone back and forth with Boeing during his presidency. He tweeted about 'out of control costs' of the Air Force One replacement, renegotiated for price reductions, and threatened to buy Boeing jets to try to gain price reductions for Lockheed f-35 planes.

Trump also visited the firm's massive South Carolina plant, and has hosted company chief executive Dennis Muilenburg multiple times.
A Queensland school has allowed a father to carry a religious sword on its grounds despite complaints from other parents that it causes fear among their children.

The man was allowed to wear a kirpan - one of five articles of faith that must be worn by males of the Sikh religion.

While Sikhs are permitted to carry kirpans in public places, the blunt knife is illegal on school grounds by Queensland law.

But the Education Department said it would allow the item to be worn by parents and students on a 'case-by-case basis', the Courier Mail reported.

A Queensland school has allowed a father to carry a religious sword on its grounds despite complaints from other parents that it causes fear among their children (stock image)

The school's principal reportedly asked police about the legality of the kirpan last year and was told it was not illegal.

When he allowed the Sikh parent to continue wearing the kirpan, while suggesting he made attempts to better conceal it, an outraged parent wrote to Education Minister Kate Jones.

It is unclear how Ms Jones responded, but she was advised that reporting kirpans to police may upset the Sikh community, according to the paper.

A spokesperson for acting Education Minister, Grace Grace, backed the school's handling of the situation.

While Sikhs are permitted to carry kirpans in public places, the blunt knife is illegal on school grounds by Queensland law (stock)

ARTICLES OF FAITH IN THE SIKH RELIGION Sikhs must carry five articles of faith with them at all times as a reminder of their beliefs: Kesh Hair must never be cut, and it is kept wrapped in a turban. Kanga A comb is used to brush the hair twice a day and to help keep the turban neat. Kara The bracelet is worn on the right wrist and symbolizes restraint from evil deeds. Kirpan The small dagger is a symbol of courage and must never be used to attack, although it can be used for protection if other methods of defense have failed. Kachehra The undershorts remind Sikhs of their devotion to a faithful life. Advertisement

'The department is aware of a nonviolent incident involving a kirpan at a school more than 18 months ago,' she said.

'The incident was appropriately managed by the principal at the time.'

According to the Sikh religion, the Kirpan symbolises courage and self-sacrifice and must never be used to attack anyone.

It is an important religious symbol that represents the bearer's obligations to protect the weak and promote justice.
A police officer in India has been hailed a hero after he picked up a 22lb bomb found in a school playground and sprinted down the road to protect the 400 children in the area from being injured.

Abhishek Patel, 40, grabbed the bomb with his bare hands on Friday and ran away with it to minimise damage to the school in of Chitora, Sagar District, Madhya Pradesh State, Central India.

The head constable ran 0.6 miles (one kilometre) with the unexploded artillery shell - big enough to cause damage in a 1,500-ft radius - to dump it in a drain far away from the school.

Abhishek Patel, 40, grabbed the bomb with his bare hands and ran away with it to minimise damage to the school in of Chitora, Sagar District, Madhya Pradesh State, Central India

The cop took the bomb in his own hands after there was no bomb squad available to attend to the incident, local media reported.

He picked up the 12-inch (30-centimetre) bomb, weighing around 22lb (ten kilograms) and carried it on his shoulder.

The cop was trying to protect the 400 schoolchildren from being hurt in the incident.

The bomb was later defused by army personnel of Mahar Regiment Centre at Sagar on Sunday, according to the Hindu Times.

He was praised by his bosses and rewarded with 50,000 INR (606) for his act of bravery.

He picked up the 12-inch (30-centimetre) bomb, weighing around 22lb (ten kilograms) and carried it on his shoulder

The head constable ran 0.6 miles (one kilometre) with the explosive device - big enough to cause damage in a 1,500-ft radius - to dump it in a drain far away from the school

Mr Patel told local media: 'Since it was a residential area and a school compound, my only aim was to carry the bomb as far away as possible from there.

'We have learnt during our training that had it exploded, it would have damaged 500 metres (0.5 miles) of the surrounding area.'

'It was a risky job and could have taken my life as well,' he added. 'I did it to save the lives of hundreds of children who were present in the school. They are our future.'

It is not known where the bomb came from. It is also not known whether it was planted near to the school or whether it came to be there by accident.

Police are investigating the theory that it had come from an army barracks nearby.
Even if Anthony had a year to analyze and dissect each piece...(he couldn't tell if it would)... stand the harsh light of public exposure.

WUWT insider Willis Eschenbach tells you all you need to know about Anthony Watts and his blog, WattsUpWithThat (WUWT). As part of his scathing commentary , Wondering Willis accuses Anthony Watts of being clueless about the blog articles he posts. To paraphrase: Click here to read more.
Police divers confirmed the man's body was in the car throughout the ordeal

A man has died after the car he was travelling in crashed and rolled into a creek in South Australia.

The passenger died at the scene of the crash in Myponga at about 7pm on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old male driver, escaped with minor injuries.

The passenger died at the scene of the crash in Myponga at about 7pm on Tuesday

The incident occurred on Pages Flat Road where the car smashed through the roadside barrier, before ending on its roof in a creek.

Evidence attained at the scene of the accident suggested the car had rotated as it lost control before leaving the road, The Advertiser reported.

With glass visible three metres high into a nearby tree, the car could have been vertical before it flipped into the water, according to the publication.

A male passenger has died after the car he was travelling in crashed off the road and rolled into a creek in South Australia

Police divers took to the murky creek to search the car and confirmed the male's body was inside the vehicle throughout the ordeal.

The roof of the car was revealed to be extensively damaged after two tow trucks worked to restore it to an upright position.

Emergency crews continue to work at the scene to remove the vehicle from down the embankment and piece together the moments that led to the incident.

Police divers took to the murky creek to search the car and confirmed the male's body was inside the vehicle throughout the ordeal

A team of major crash investigators and a specialist recreation investigator are reportedly working into the night examining the case.

It is understood the driver is remaining in Flinders Medical Centre over night.

Police have revealed the male is from Adelaide's Southern Suburbs.
Half a dozen Chinese men have managed to sail ashore onto Australian soil, rubbishing claims from the Turnbull Government that asylum boats have been stopped.

Six Chinese nationals and one man from Papa New Guinea, believed to be a people smuggler, managed to breach Australian Border Force when landing on Saibai Island on August 20.

Saibai Island has a population of around 300 people and is located 150km north of Queensland and just 4km from Papa New Guinea.

Half a dozen Chinese men have managed to sail ashore onto Australian soil rubbishing claims from the Turnbull Government that asylum boats have been stopped (Asylum seekers attempting to arrive in Australia in 2012 pictured)

One of the Chinese men and the Papua New Guinean man were arrested and charged with aggravated people smuggling, while the five other Chinese nationals were returned to China, The Age reported.

On Monday Immigration Minister Peter Dutton was insistent that 'we've not had a successful boat now in well over 1000 days', with the news of the breach coming as a blow to the Government.

The arrested duo faced a Cairns court over the weekend and remain in custody.

Their motive for arriving in Australia has yet to be determined whether they were asylum seekers.

It appears their arrival has been a breach of Operation Sovereign Borders, a suggestion that a high level source has denied.

Sovereign Borders, introduced during Tony Abbott's tenure, Australia have turned asylum seeker boats around at sea, not allowing them to dock on Australian land.

On Monday Immigration Minister Peter Dutton (pictured) was insistent that 'we've not had a successful boat now in well over 1000 days', with the news of the breach coming as a blow to the government

Opposition leader Bill Shorten has lambasted the decision for the government's plan to withdraw financial support to Australian-based asylum seekers as Mr Turnbull's 'weakest move yet' and is a 'new low' for the Prime Minister

Since his appointment Mr Turnbull has embraced the controversial policy, celebrating its third year anniversary last month.

'Since Operation Sovereign Borders commenced we have turned back or dealt with 31 boats and had those 31 boats got through, hundreds and hundreds of boats would have followed. So this problem has not gone away,' Mr Dutton said.

Mr Turnbull has come under pressure for his plan to end support for about 100 asylum seekers residing in Australia but Mr Dutton has stood by the decision saying they will still have other benefits including Medicare.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten has lambasted the decision as Mr Turnbull's 'weakest move yet' and is a 'new low' for the Prime Minister.
Ousted: Kenneth Storey, a visiting assistant professor of sociology at the University of Tampa, has been fired for tweeting that Hurricane Harvey was 'instant karma' for Texas because it voted Republican

The University of Tampa has fired a visiting assistant professor who said in a tweet that Hurricane Harvey was 'instant karma' for Texas because it voted Republican.

Sociology professor Kenneth Storey sent out the message and two responses on Sunday before removing the entire thread and his profile photo from Twitter.

University spokesman Eric Cardenas said in a statement released on Tuesday that Storey was fired after the school weathered an outpouring of online outrage over the comments.

The Tampa Bay Times reports Storey issued an apology on Monday, writing that he 'never meant to wish ill will upon any group.'

In a Facebook post on Monday evening, the university said it 'stands in solidarity with the people impacted by Hurricane Harvey.'

Ill-timed tweet: Storey sent out this message and two responses on Sunday, as Texas was dealing with the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey

When a fellow Floridian tweeted at Storey noting that since theirs is a 'Red state' as well, and by that logic, must also deserve 'some bad karma,' the sociology professor concurred

Officials said another sociology professor will take over Storey's classes.

The tweet that ultimately cost Storey his job at UT read: 'I dont believe in instant karma but this kinda feels like it for Texas. Hopefully this will help them realize the GOP doesnt care about them.'

Graduate: According to his LinkedIn page, Storey earned his Masters degree in applied sociology from the University of Tampa in 2011

When a fellow Floridian tweeted at Storey noting that since theirs is a 'Red state' as well, and by that logic, must also deserve 'some bad karma,' the sociology professor replied: 'Yep, those who voted for him here deserve it as well.'

Storey was seemingly referring to President Donald Trump in his tweet.

During the 2016 presidential election, Trump carried Texas with just over 52 per cent of the popular vote and won 49 per cent of the vote in Florida.

Storey quickly deleted the post and the second tweet, but not before Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA, took screenshots and then retweeted the messages to his followers, writing in an accompanying post: WOW! Professor at U of Tampa says GOP voters and Houston residents DESERVE #hurricaneharvey because of how they voted -- SICK!

Eagle-eyed user: Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA , took screenshots of Storey's Harvey posts and disseminated them

Walk-back: Storey on Monday issued this apology and removed his profile photo from Twitter

Too late to say 'sorry': Officials at the University of Tampa condemned Storey's comments 'and the sentiment behind them' in a statement Tuesday

After encountering backlash for his provocative post, Storey issued an apology on Monday to his 4,500 followers: 'I deeply regret a statement I posted yesterday. I never meant to wish ill will upon any group. I hope all affected by Harvey recovery quickly.'

In a longer statement issued to the station ABC Action News, Storey further explained: This was a series of tweets taken out of context. I was referring to the GOP denial of climate change science and push to decrease funds from agencies that can help in a time like this.

STATEMENT FROM UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA On Sunday, Aug. 27, visiting assistant professor of sociology Kenneth Storey made comments on a private Twitter account that do not reflect UT's community views or values. We condemn the comments and the sentiment behind them, and understand the pain this irresponsible act has caused. Storey has been relieved of his duties at UT, and his classes will be covered by other sociology faculty. As Floridians, we are well aware of the destruction and suffering associated with tropical weather. Our thoughts and prayers are with all impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Advertisement

He went on to defend his comments by saying that 'it is hard to express one's full thoughts in 140 characters... taken out of context some tweets may sound extremely off-putting.'

According to his LinkedIn page, Storey earned his Masters degree in applied sociology from the University of Tampa in 2011 and joined the teaching staff at his alma matter as an adjunct professor that same year.

Storey, who on Twitter described himself as a 'liberal native Floridian,' also has been teaching at Hillsborough Community College and working as a freelance writer at Orlando Weekly.

Harvey made landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing with it life-threatening winds, downpours and floodwaters.

The storm has so far caused at least 15 deaths in the state and sparked mass evacuations.
A seven-year-old girl died after her mother allegedly threw her from a fourth floor terrace.

Authorities believe it was the second time Aishika Sarkar had been thrown from the building by her mother, Swathi Sarkar.

Angry locals grabbed Sarkar and died her to a lamp post with electricity cable in Jaraganahalli, in Bangalore.

Swathi Sarkar, pictured, has been charged with murdering her seven year old daughter in Bangalore after allegedly throwing the youngster from a fourth floor terrace

A mob chased Sarkar and tied her to a lamp post with electrical cable until police arrived

Witnesses claimed Sarkar threw her daughter from the balcony a second time

She was later arrested by police on suspicion of her daughter's murder.

According to police, Aishika suffered from speech development issues and was not enrolled in a school.

Her parents lived in separate houses after breaking up and her father travelled to the home once a month to give money to Mrs Sarkar.

Police suspect the mother was suffering from mental health issues.

Her estranged husband, Kanchan Sarkar, also claimed that she would regularly fly into a rage.

The girl reportedly died instantly after being allegedly thrown from the terrace.

Neighbours claimed they saw Sarkar carrying her bleeding child upstairs before throwing her down again.

One witness said the child was bleeding and clearly in pain when Swathi ran back upstairs and allegedly tossed her over the side for a second time which killed her

She tried to flee the scene and was caught by neighbours who tied her to the lamppost while they waited for police.

One witness said: 'I was sleeping when I heard a huge noise around 3.30pm, and I ran out to see what had happened.

'I noticed Swathi, clad in a nightie, holding her daughter who was bleeding profusely.

'The child was crying and writhing in pain. I asked Swathi what had happened.

'She shouted at me and ran towards the terrace and threw the girl to the ground.'

Mrs Sarkar was interrogated at a police station where she was arrested.

She reportedly told police that her child was mentally unstable and that after killing her she planned to take her own life.
A sheriff's detective in Washington state has been caught on camera pulling a gun on a startled motorcycle rider during a traffic stop.

The King County detective was placed on administrative leave on Tuesday after footage emerged of the confrontation earlier this month in Seattle.

Biker Alex Randall filmed the encounter on his helmet camera and uploaded the footage online accusing the detective of using excessive force.

The video, which starts as the biker slows down at a set of traffic lights, shows the officer walking up to the left of the motorcycle.

The King County detective was placed on administrative leave on Tuesday after footage emerged of the confrontation earlier this month in Seattle

His unmarked police car can be seen in the background with the lights flashing.

The detective, who didn't show a badge or identify himself, can be seen holding his gun close to his chest as he points it at the rider.

'What are you doing to me?' the startled biker can be heard asking.

'What do you mean what am I doing?' the deputy said. 'You're f***ing driving reckless. Give me your driver's license or I'm going to knock you off this bike.'

Randall repeatedly asks if he can shut his bike off and remove his helmet.

After a brief exchange during which Randall told the detective he was unarmed, the officer reached into the biker's front pants pocket and took out his wallet to get his ID.

The footage, which starts as the biker slows down at a set of traffic lights, shows the officer walking up to the left of the motorcycle (above) with his gun drawn

The detective, who didn't show a badge or identify himself, can be seen holding his gun close to his chest as he points it at the rider

'I'm sorry. You have a gun drawn on me, so I'm a little panicked,' Randall said.

The officer replied: 'You're right, because I'm the police. That's right. When you're driving and you're going to place people at risk at 100 miles an hour plus on the God dang roadway.'

Randall claims he was never traveling 100 miles per hour, saying the detective's comment was a 'fabrication and an exaggeration'.

He said he was not physically hurt but claimed he was left feeling scared and angry.

King County sheriff john Urquhart said in a statement on Tuesday that he had been sent the footage of the traffic stop and ordered an investigation.

After a brief exchange during which Randall told the detective he was unarmed, the officer reached into the biker's front pants pocket (above) and took out his wallet to get his ID

The rider said he was not physically hurt but claimed he was left feeling scared and angry after having the gun pointed at him during the ordeal

'With the caveat that I have not yet heard the other side of the story, I was deeply disturbed with the conduct and tactics that were recorded,' he said.

'I have ordered the detective be placed on administrative leave as of Tuesday morning pending a full investigation of the facts.'

'In every encounter I expect my deputies to treat others with respect. Our manual requires that firearms not be drawn and pointed unless the deputy believes their use may be required.

'Generally that means the deputy believes the safety of him or herself is in jeopardy, or a member of the public. Drawing your weapon on someone when investigating a misdemeanor traffic offense is not routine.

'All of these issues will be covered in a full investigation. In the meantime, the detective involved will not be working with the public.'
Nearly three quarters of Brits think paying a Brexit divorce bill of 30billion or more, a poll out today finds.

Brussels wants the UK to pour yet more cash into their coffers when we leave the bloc with some reports saying they will demand up to 93billion (100 billion euros).

Britain is reportedly prepared to pay 36bn - but a survey out today finds the vast majority of voters would be angry at parting with this much cash.

The poll found that 72 per cent of voters asked said they would find a Brexit bill of 30bn 'not acceptable', while just 11 per cent said they would be okay with it.

Brexit Secretary David Davis and EU negotiator Michel Barnier, pictured yesterday, have kicked off a third round of talks. A new ICM poll found that nearly three quarters of British voters would find a Brexit divorce bill of 30billion or more 'not acceptable'

And 75 per cent of voters polled said they think a 40bn bill would be unacceptable, with just 9 per cent saying it would be fine.

Meanwhile, 65 per cent said they would object to paying the Brussels club another 20bn, with just 18 per cent of voters said this would be acceptable.

The poll, carried out by ICM for The Guardian, questioned nearly 2,000 British adults.

It comes as British and EU officials embark on their third round of Brexit talks in Brussels.

Theresa May's government has published a series of papers over the past two weeks outlining their position on the major Brexit issues - but this did not include the divorce bill.

An ICM poll published today found that the majority of British voters would object to a Brexit divorce bill of 30billion or more

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, pictured in Strasbourg in July, said the UK's Brexit position papers are not satisfactory and said that trade talks cannot begin until the issues including the Irish border, EU citizens and the divorce bill are settled

But EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker today became the second Eurocrat in two days to slam the UK's Brexit papers

He said: 'All the papers produced by Her Majesty's Government and none of those is actually satisfactory.

'So there is still an enormous amount of issues which remain to be settled.

'Not just on the border problems regarding Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is a very serious problem in respect of which we have had no definitive response, but we also have the status of European citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living on the Continent.

'We need to be crystal clear that we will commence no negotiations on the new relationship - particularly a new economic and trade relationship - between the UK and the EU before all these questions are resolved.'

His scathing remarks echoed those of EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier who yesterday said that 'serious' negotiations were yet to begin.

Downing Street today played down Mr Juncker's intervention and insisted the talks were in a 'good position'.
A former boyfriend of a woman who was allegedly killed by Robert Durst testified on Monday that she had once casually mentioned that the real estate scion had 'killed' his first wife.

During a Los Angeles Superior Court hearing, Paul Kaufman testified that Susan Berman made the shocking statement while they were on a flight to New York years ago, the Los Angeles Times reported.

'She said, 'By the way, you know, Mr. Durst killed his wife,' ' Kaufman testified during the hearing tied to the 74-year-old's upcoming trial in professional writer Berman's 2000 execution-style slaying.

The real estate heir is charged with murdering Berman in an effort to keep her quiet about his alleged role in the 1982 disappearance of his then-wife, Kathie Durst.

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A former boyfriend of a woman who was allegedly killed by Robert Durst (file above) testified on Monday that she had once casually mentioned that the real estate scion had 'killed' his first wife

The real estate heir is charged with murdering his friend, Susan Berman (above with Durst), in an effort to keep her quiet about his alleged role in the 1982 disappearance of his then-wife, Kathie Durst

The body of Kathie Durst has never been found since she disappeared in 1982. She is pictured above with her then-husband Robert

Kaufman told a court that he isn't sure if what Berman said was true because they were 'talking about imaginary circumstances' during a discussion on script ideas involving mobsters and murder.

He said that he 'did not' ask Berman about how she knew what she had claimed was true at the time.

'I did not particularly believe it or disbelieve it,' he added, according to the LA Times.

Another friend of Berman's testified about the conversation he had with her.

Richard Markey, who is one of the last people to have seen Berman alive, testified under oath, 'She said to me at some point that she knew things that no one else knew, but I don't think the conversation went any further than that.'

Prosecutor Habib Balian pressed Markey further, and reminded him that he told police in 2001 that Berman made the comment while discussing the unsolved disappearance of his wife.

'Susan said, 'I think I'm the only person who knows what happened,'' Markey recalled.

Durst (above in January) was arrested by police in March 2015, one day before the finale of the popular HBO documentary The Jinx, in which he was caught on camera talking to himself in a bathroom saying: 'What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course.'

Kaufman, 74, and Markey, 69, are two of many now-elderly witnesses whose testimony regarding her fatal shooting is being recorded on video before Durst goes on trial in fears they could be killed or die before the trial.

Berman was found dead on Christmas Ever 2000 in her Beverly Hills home after police received an anonymous letter alerting them to a 'cadaver' there.

Durst was arrested by police in March 2015, one day before the finale of the popular HBO documentary The Jinx, in which he was caught on camera talking to himself in a bathroom saying: 'What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course.'

When he was arrested, Durst was staying in a New Orleans hotel under another name and had a loaded gun, cash and a stash of marijuana, police said.

The real estate scion also had an elaborate human mask and a map suggesting that he was planning to flee to Cuba, police said.
Sean Spicer finally got to meet the pope.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke confirms the former White House press secretary attended a meeting with Pope Francis on Sunday.

The audience was part of an annual meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network, which gathers lawmakers from across the world.

In this Aug. 11, 2017 file photo, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer walks up the steps of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House in Washington. Spicer finally got to meet the Pope. Vatican spokesman Greg Burke confirms the former White House press secretary attended a meeting with Pope Francis on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Vatican Radio posted photographs of the event on its Facebook page. One photo shows Spicer in the front row, taking photos of the pope with his phone.

Spicer, who is Roman Catholic, had been left off a list of White House officials who had the chance to meet with Pope Francis in May when Trump visited the Vatican.

Spicer announced his resignation last month, but remains on the White House payroll through the end of August.

The Vatican confirmed former White House press secretary Sean Spicer met Pope Francis Sunday

FILE - In this May 24, 2017 file-pool photo, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Sean Spicer finally got to meet the Pope. Vatican spokesman Greg Burke confirms the former White House press secretary attended a meeting with Pope Francis on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017. Spicer, who is Roman Catholic, had been left off a list of White House officials who had the chance to meet with Pope Francis in May when Trump visited the Vatican. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool, File)

It was taken as a major slight when Trump left Spicer off the list for his own papal audience.

America The Jesuit Review published photos of Spicer meeting the Pope.

The pope told the gathering of legislators politicians should build bridges, not walls.

The laws that you promulgate and apply ought to build bridges between different political perspectives: even when they respond to precise ends ordered to the promotion of greater care for the defenseless and the marginalized, especially the many who are constrained to leave their countries; and when they are in order to favor a correct human and natural ecology, he said.

Trump blasted the pope during the 2016 campaign, calling him 'very political' after the Argenina-born Pope Francis said anyone who wants to build a wall is 'not Christian.'

Spicer, a devout Catholic, was reportedly furious after he got lift the first time at the last minute.

'TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON': Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer got kept off President Trump's entourage when the president met the pope, but got to meet Pope Francis Sunday anyway

At the time, as at other junctures of his tenure, he was being watched as a possible early casualty of the Trump administration.

The group that did get to go included first lady Melania Trump, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and other State officials, longtime press advisor Hope Hicks, body man Keith Schiller, and Dan Scavino, White House director of social media.

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner also got to meet the pope, who blessed rosary beads presented by Melania Trump.

Spicer resigned his post in late July after Trump hired Anthony Scaramucci.

Scaramucci was out within days after place a profane late-night call to a reporter.
A 25-year-old chef shot dead his colleague who introduced him to smoking after developing throat cancer.

Mustakeem Ahmad, from west Delhi allegedly told police he was angry after being told his illness was smoking related.

Ahmad, who worked at his brother-in-law's restaurant, had never smoked until being introduced to tobacco and marijuana by his colleague from Myanmar, known only as Inayat.

Mustakeem Ahmad was working in his brother-in-law's restaurant in west Dehli, file photo, when he was introduced to smoking tobacco and marijuana by a work colleague

Ahmad fled west Dehli after shooting dead his work colleague after discovering he had developed throat cancer as a result of his recently-acquired smoking habit

According to the Hindustan Times, after being told he had developed cancer, Ahmad purchased a pistol and practiced using it so he would not miss when he went to confront his work colleague.

Investigator Shibesh Singh said: 'Though Ahmad and Inayat were friends at the workplace, Inayat was reportedly better at his job and well-behaved and soon became the favourite of the restaurant owner.

'In the course of time, Ahmad developed throat infection, forcing him to consult a doctor. Ahmad has claimed that the doctor told him he had developed throat cancer due to excessive smoking.'

Police believe Ahmad went to his village in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh to buy the gun before returning to Dehli.

He first asked his brother-in-law to sack Inayat before opening fire.

Police said: 'He was carrying his loaded pistol to the restaurantad had planned to kill Inayat if he failed to get him fired from the job. That is what eventually happened. Ahmad ended up picking a fight with Inayat. He later shot at him in the middle of the argument.'

Police arrested Ahmad on Friday, 24 hours after the murder.
President Trump's campaign sent out an email Tuesday morning in an effort to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Harvey.

'The campaign wants to encourage all Americans to unite in this tragic moment as a nation to help our fellow Americans in need,' it said, offering 'prayers and support' from the president and first lady Melania Trump.

The email directed supporters to donate money to seven different charities, three for humans and four to assist animals in Texas and Louisiana, the two states most impacted by the storm and catastrophic flooding.

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President Trump's presidential campaign sent out an email to supporters today asking for donations to a number of charities to help Hurricane Harvey victims

The president and first lady flew to Texas today to survey some of the damage as the Trump campaign pointed supporters to three charities that helped people and four charities that would help the animal victims of Hurricane Harvey

Lara Trump (pictured) was quoted in the email, asking President Trump's supporters to donate to Louisiana and Texas-based charities. She's married to the president's middle son, Eric

The Trump campaign sent out an email today encouraging supporters to donate to charities that help humans and animal victims of Hurricane Harvey too

The Trump campaign recommended that the president's supporters donate to three human charities and four animals ones

President Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump was quoted in the correspondence, trying to get Trump voters on board.

'This is a time to come together as a nation to support those in need in the wake of this disaster and the unprecedented flooding they are experiencing in the greater IHouston and coastal Texas region,' Lara Trump said.

She's middle son Eric's wife.

'Americans are at their finest when our friends and neighbors are in need  and the need in Texas is great and will continue to be for a long time,' she continued. 'Anyone who is able to support relief efforts should donate if they can.'

'Victims and those on the front lines of this unprecedented disaster, including first responders from around the nation, disaster relief workers, and regular citizens rushing to aid our fellow Americans, are all in our thoughts and prayers,' the president's daughter-in-law added.

'It's historic, its epic, but I tell you it happened in Texas and Texas can handle anything,' President Trump said in Texas today. Here he's photographed with the state's flag

To help the people of Texas and Louisiana, the Trump campaign pointed supporters to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the United Way.

To help the animals of Texas and Louisiana, the Trump campaign referred donors to the SPCA of both Texas and Louisiana, along with the Humane Society in Houston and for the state of Louisiana.

The email also warned Trump's supporters of fraudulent charities, referring them to monitoring organizations, just to be sure.

The president and first lady were surveying some of the damage on Tuesday, landing Air Force One in Corpus Christie, as Houston continued to get hammered with more rain.

'It's historic, its epic, but I tell you it happened in Texas and Texas can handle anything,' Trump said at an event in a Texas fire house Tuesday afternoon.
Schools should provide services like after-school programs, mental health supports, and health services for students who dont have access to them elsewhere, a majority of respondents to a national poll said.

And 76 percent of respondents also agreed schools are justified in seeking additional funds to pay for those services.

This years version of the poll, administered annually by PDK International, asked respondents if schools should or should not provide so-called wraparound services, which are designed to address some needs poor families have that may become barriers to academic achievement. PDK surveyed a random representative 50-state sample of 1,588 adults interviewed by cell or landline telephone, in English or Spanish, in May 2017.

Among respondents, 77 percent said schools should provide after-school programs, 76 percent said they should provide mental health services, and 66 percent said schools should provide health services. Dental services had much less support; just 44 percent of respondents said schools should provide them.

Across all categories, Democrats were more likely to support school services than Republicans, and white respondents were less likely to support the services than people of color. College graduates were also less likely to support wraparound services than those without a college degree.

Community Schools

The polls findings will provide a boost to backers of community schools, which organize community programs, social supports, and wraparound services to help low-income students and their families.

Denisa Superville recently wrote about New York Citys ambitious community schools effort , which has led to an increase in student attendance and family participation in school activities, a drop in chronic absenteeism, but uneven academic progress. She wrote in her Education Week story:

Flooding impoverished schools with a range of services and resources is not new, and there's still lively debate in education circles about whether it's something schools should take on. Commonly referred to as 'community schools' or 'whole-child' initiatives, the approach has been used in districts from Tacoma, Wash., to Cincinnati for several years, but the movement has picked up steam more recently amid a backlash against single-measure, test-based accountability and as an alternative to closing long-struggling schools. It's gotten robust support from the nation's teachers' unions. And some states are looking to incorporate the features of community schools in their plans required by the new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act."

Supports have sought to use ESSA to drum up support for community schools and student services. A survey of existing data suggests community schools could meet the standard of an evidence-based school improvement intervention under the Every Student Succeeds Act , the Learning Policy Institute and the National Education Policy Center said in a June policy brief.

Photo: Students at P.S. 188 in New York socialize on the playground during the last week of the 2016-17 school year. The school, which is part of the citys community schools effort, coordinates services like health and mental health supports for its students. --Mark Abramson for Education Week.

Related reading about poverty and community schools:



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This is the repulsive moment a racist woman verbally attacks an elderly Filipino couple in Vancouver, Canada.

The incident occurred on August 21 on a Canada Skytrain going to Burnaby when a 75-year-old woman told a couple speaking their first language to lower their voices.

The couple then apologized saying they were used to speaking loudly because they were from the Philippines but the woman still launched racist comments toward them.

In the video, the woman can be heard yelling 'Go back to the f*****g Philippines.'

In response a passenger says, 'Don't say that.'

The racist woman then snaps, 'No, I'll say what I want.'

A racist woman verbally attacked an elderly Filipino couple on a Vancouver Skytrain in August

A teenager tells the woman to 'Get the f**k off the train,' and continues with the statement, 'You're racist.'

The woman then says she's not a racist and only asked them 'to talk a little lower.'

She also insults the teen after he tells her she has a problem.

The woman told the couple to lower their voices after she heard them speaking a different language

She says: 'I have a big fat a** and a brain, much more than you have little boy. You f*****g little boy.'

She eventually gets off the train, but not before ridiculing the couple again.

The video has since gone viral on social media and caught the attention of Metro Vancouver Transit who are now investigating the incident, according to Inquirer.net.

The woman then verbally attacked a teenager who defended the couple. She says: 'I have a big fat ass and a brain, much more than you have little boy'

Passengers apologized to the couple for the woman's behavior, a witness said.

The witness then added that although unfortunate, it is possible for situations like this to happen in the 'very place we call our home'.

The couple did not want police involvement after the incident and will interview the witnesses who took the videos, according to Inquirer.net.

Police also identified the culprit as someone with documented with anger-related issues.
A man who was on his way to work in New York City ended up becoming trapped in the street after the ground gave way beneath his feet.

The man felt the asphalt beneath him break away as he made his way across a Brooklyn crosswalk near Myrtle Avenue and Walworth Street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of the borough shortly before noon.

Although the size of the hole appeared to be no larger than a softball, the man's leg ended up falling through the crack and became stuck as far as his knee.

A man ended up getting his knee trapped in the pavement after the roadway gave way

A man on his way back to work got trapped in the street Tuesday when the ground gave way as he passed through a Brooklyn crosswalk

Firefighters rescued a man after his right leg became trapped in a small sinkhole on a Bed-Stuy street Tuesday morning

Firefighters came along to help the man out of a rather tricky situation

The man's father even took a photo of his son looking very distraught.

'From what I understand he was walking and the ground gave way. I ran over there and he was stuck in the ground, and the fire department was just arriving when I got there,' said Joe Grunbaum of Kings County Autobody to DNA Info.

'It almost looked like he didn't have a leg. He seemed to be in a lot of pain.'

Another witness heard the victim say his foot had gone numb while awaiting rescue.

The man's leg was trapped in a sinkhole at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Walworth Street, fire officials said

It is not known how long the man had been trapped for, however emergency crews had to come by and pull him out.

The man was taken to a hospital complaining of leg and back pain.

'He said he couldn't feel his foot,' said construction worker Danny Flores, 26, who lives nearby. 'I thought he didn't have no leg when I first saw him. It's scary because his whole body could have fallen in.'

Crews were busy repairing the street on Tuesday afternoon.
The couple who were killed in a horrific M1 pile-up which orphaned their five-year-old daughter have been pictured for the first time.

Karthikeyan and Lavanya Ramasubramanian were taking their daughter to Disneyland when their minibus was 'squashed flat' in a crash with two delivery trucks.

The couple were among the six men and two women who died at the scene on the scene on the M1 at Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, on Saturday.

The couple who were killed in a horrific M1 pile-up which orphaned their five-year-old daughter have been pictured for the first time. Pictured: Karthikeyan and Lavanya Ramasubramanian with their daughter

The couple were taking their daughter to Disneyland when their minibus was 'squashed flat' in a crash with two delivery trucks. Pictured: Lavanya with her daughter

Six men and two women were killed in the M1 collision in Newport Pagnell, Thames Valley Police said

Shravathi was found trapped underneath a chair in the minibus flattened by two lorries.

She was rushed to hospital and has been intensive care since Saturday's crash but her grandmother has revealed she is now recovering and responding to medicines.

Relatives from India have flown to her bedside at Birmingham Children's hospital.

Gran Malti said: 'My son Nand Kumar and two other relatives reached England last night at 11:30 pm. The Ministry of External Affairs and Wipro helped expedite their visa request.

'Nand told us Shravathi is out of danger but she is heavily sedated as the wounds are still fresh. He saw her in the hospital. She is responding to the medicines.

'We do not know the future plan yet. We are yet to believe that our daughter and son-in-law are no more. They had moved to England in January this year and were going to be there for at least another year.

'We will see where Shravathi will live. Our priority at the moment is her life. We only hope that she heals quickly. Once she heals completely then we will sit and discuss.'

Father-of-two Cyriac Joseph, named as the driver of the minibus, was killed instantly in the collision.

Joseph, who was taking a party of Indian tourists to London, is believed to have collided with a second lorry as he attempted to avoid the first vehicle.

Three minibus passengers, including the orphaned five-year-old, were left fighting for their lives and a fourth suffered minor injuries in the crash near Newport Pagnell.

Polish lorry driver Ryszard Masierak, 31, from Worcestershire, has been charged with eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

He also faces four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and eight counts of causing death by careless driving while over the drink-drive limit, Thames Valley Police said.

The couple's child is reported to have been trapped under a chair and is now fighting for her life in hospital

Pictured: The front of a FedEx lorry was completely caved in (bottom right) while a second lorry appeared to have jack-knifed across the M1 carriageway. The minibus was described as 'squashed'. The first victim has been named as father-of-two and minibus driver Cyriac Joseph (bottom left and top right)

Bank Holiday horror: The smashed up cab of the FedEx lorry involved in a fatal crash being towed away from the scene as four others remain in hospital

Pictured: Visible skid marks can be seen in the left-hand lane while the churned up verge shows where vehicles collided with the bank

Meanwhile David Wagstaff, 53, of Derwent Street, Stoke-on-Trent, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

Masierak wiped away tears as he appeared at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court on Monday.

He is accused of having 55mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, though the legal driving limit is 35mg.

He made no application for bail and did not indicate how he would plead to the charges.

He was remanded in custody to appear next at Aylesbury Crown Court on September 26.

Speaking outside court, Chief Inspector Henry Parsons, from Thames Valley Police, said: 'Four people who were injured remain in a serious condition in hospital.

Cyriac Joseph (pictured) was killed outright when his minibus - carrying eleven passengers - was involved in a crash with two lorries

Joseph, who was taking a party of Indian tourists to London, is believed to have collided with a second lorry as he attempted to avoid the first vehicle

The accident happened just after 3am on Saturday morning involving two lorries and a minibus, thought to have been travelling from Nottingham

'We have had full co-operation from the two freight companies involved and they are fully supporting us with our investigation.'

Mr Joseph, who was the owner of Nottingham-based ABC Travels, was described as an 'extraordinary father'.

He had been taking his passengers to London from where they were due to start a tour of Europe.

Three other people who died were named on Sunday as employees of IT company Wipro.

A spokeswoman for the firm said: 'It is with deep regret and sadness that we confirm the passing away of three of our colleagues, Karthikeyan Ramasubramaniyam Pugalur, Rishi Rajeev Kumar, and Vivek Bhaskaran in a tragic road accident in the UK.

'Another colleague, Mano Ranjan Panneerselvam was critically injured in the accident and we are praying for his speedy recovery.

Service workers at the scene cleaning the motorway before reopening it to the public following the crash

Hundreds are stuck in congested traffic on the M1 northbound after two lorries and a minibus collided just after 3.15am

'Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those who lost their lives in this tragedy. We will continue to provide all assistance to the families in this hour of grief.'

The other lorry driver, David Wagstaff, 53, from Stoke-on-Trent, has also been charged in connection with the crash.

He is accused of eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Wagstaff is due to appear at Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court on September 11.
A mother and her young twin daughters were found dead in their Illinois home in what authorities are now calling a double murder-suicide.

Celisa Henning, 41, and her six-year-old twin daughters, Makalya and Addison, were found dead on Monday inside of their home in the 400 block of North Reed in Joliet, which is about an hour away from Chicago.

Police said that Henning was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, with her daughters suffering from the the same fatal injuries.

Tragedy: Celia Henning, 41, and her six-year-old twin daughters, Makalya and Addison, were found dead on Monday inside of their home

Police are calling their deaths a double murder-suicide. Celisa Henning is pictured with her twins and husband

The six-year-old twins were found with fatal gunshot wounds to the head

Dennis Henning, the woman's father-in-law and the girls' grandfather told the Chicago Tribune that the girls stayed home with their mother on Monday.

He explained that his son, who is a plumber, tried contacting his wife during the day but she did not answer the phone.

When he arrived home around 3.30pm, he found the bodies of his wife and twin girls, Dennis said.

'He's grieving,' the Dennis said of his son. 'It's a tragedy... I hope and pray to God that he can live through it.'

Twins Makalya and Addison are pictured together on their fifth birthdays

The girls, pictured with their mother, had just started kindergarten at St. Paul the Apostle School

He shared that the girls had just started kindergarten at St. Paul the Apostle School and that his son was married to their mother for 10 years.

Joliet Police Chief Brian Benton did not reveal how the children or their mother died.

He did say they were found inside of a bathroom in the home.

Neighbor Joan Paul said she spoke regularly with the mother and described her as being devoted to her children.

The woman's husband and the children's father found them dead inside the home (above) on Monday afternoon after his wife did not respond to any of his calls or messages during the day

The girls had just started kindergarten at St. Paul the Apostle School. Authorities have not said if the mother left a note or revealed a motive for the tragedy

'If she did this, I can't imagine the terror in her heart,' Paul told the newspaper. 'Those kids were her life. She was an excellent mother.'

The Will County coroner will be conducting the autopsies.

Authorities have not said if the mother left a note or revealed a motive for the tragedy.
Fans have celebrated the return of the Great British Bake Off but found the show's new advert breaks hard to swallow.

GBBO's eagerly anticipated first episode went down well with viewers as it aired for the first time since switching from BBC to Channel, 4 last night.

Audiences of a 6.5million tuned in to get their baking fix, with show bosses said to be 'delighted' it was such a hit despite its controversial re-boot.

The show is said to have given C4 its highest audience since the Paralympic opening ceremony in 2012.

Fans of Britain's favourite cooking show appeared to miss Mel and Sue as new narrator and host Noel Fielding made his debut

New presenters Sandi Toksvig and Fielding proved willing to continue their predecessor's enthusiasm for raunchy humour

It was a successful debut for new presenting team Noel Fielding, Sandi Toksvig and Prue Leith, who replaced the much-loved Mel and Sue

However, despite C4 bosses being happy with the debut, the figures are actually a decline on previous series.

Last night's episode attracted the lowest amount of viewers for a debut since 2013, with Series 4 garnering just 5.6million.

While audiences of 10.4million tuned in for the start of season 7 last year and 9.3million for season 6 in 2015.

Judge Paul Hollywood had previously said he would consider eight million viewers a 'slump' and a sign 'we need to change something'.

Hollywood is the only remaining member of the old Bake Off team and it was mixed reviews for his new colleagues Noel Fielding, Sandi Toksvig and Prue Leith, who replaced the much-loved Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins and Marry Berry.

But while some fans tried to shun their sense of guilt and celebrated the trio on Twitter, they were less than impressed with the new-look Hollywood.

Known for his harsh and stern treatment of bakers, the expert baker appeared to be a lot warmer in last night's episode and was accused by viewers of being too 'nice'.

Audiences were over the moon to see Bake Off's trademark innuendos and banter back on our screens, but were frustrated about its succession of advert breaks.

Many viewers felt they were 'rushed in' at the expense of the programme.

The new presenters were introduced to the series by looking for the tent in a giant hot air balloon, with Toksvig on the phone: 'Sorry Sue, did you say a white tent?'

Hollywood heralded the arrival of the new judge by saying: 'This year is going to be very special.

'The bakers may think they know what I want but when it comes to Prue they have absolutely no idea.'

Meanwhile Leith promised to be 'firm by fair.'

It was always going to be tough to follow in the footsteps of Mel and Sue and for many viewers, Fielding in particular did not get off to a good start.

Bake Off judge Prue was spotted enjoying a day out with friends in Oxford the morning after the debut hit our screens, with her performance attracting mixed reviews from fans

One fan tweeted: 'Noel Fielding's voice overs are disturbing me, like he's doing an impression of a 50's BBC presenter.'

Another wrote: 'I hate Noel Fieldings voice over already,' while another posted: 'I'm not even sure about the voice over man.' and another said: 'Noel sounds like he's presenting CBeebies.'

One viewer said: 'The kids don't like Noel Fielding's narration - he speaks too quietly, apparently. I'm not mega-keen, either. Still, give it time.'

But not all were left cold by the comedian's debut, one fan wrote: 'I think I've fallen in love with Noel Fielding' and another said: 'Noel Fielding is brilliant. I think I actually love him.'

Another said: 'Am i the only one that likes the new #gbbo ??? like it's basically the same plus it has noel fielding.'

Another said: 'Screw the haters, Noel Fielding will be great on Bake off, just a pity about the adverts.'

Great British Bake Off judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith examine the contestant's cakes, while new presenters Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig watch on

Another viewer wrote: 'The kids don't like Noel Fielding's narration - he speaks too quietly, apparently. I'm not mega-keen, either. Still, give it time'

Leith was also a hit with certain members of the audience, who even said she was better than former judge Mary Berry.

One viewer tweeted: 'Unpopular opinion but I already like Prue more than Mary Berry, loving this new set up other than the ads!'

Another said: 'Sorry, Prue Leith is so, so, so much better than Mary Berry as a judge. Not even a comparison. #GBBO.'

One fan said: 'Anyone missing Mary Berry? Nah, me neither. Noel Fielding fits in well and Prue seems a very good Berry replacement #GBBO.'

Another wrote: 'Prue Leith is as good on Bake Off as Mary Berry was. There, I've said it!'

But while some fans were focusing on the performances of the new presenters, others were preoccupied with show stalwart Hollywood.

One fan wrote: 'Paul Hollywood trying to be nice on bake off when we all know he's a snake who abandoned Mary.'

Another said: 'Has someone told Paul Hollywood to be nice? It's weird. #GBBO'

One said: 'Paul Hollywood is being so nice it makes me wonder what Mary, Mel and Sue ever did to the poor guy #GBBO.'

When the show aired on the BBC episodes lasted one hour and featured no adverts.

The new presenters were introduced to the series by looking for the tent in a giant hot air balloon, with Toksvig on the phone: 'Sorry Sue, did you say a white tent?'

Paul Hollywood 'raised the bar' with his handshakes on GBBO Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood has said he only watched the last 20 minutes of the show when it made its debut last night. Hollywood, 51, told Sara Cox on BBC Radio 2 that he did not like seeing himself on TV. 'I caught the last 20 minutes of it last night. I was there so I didn't need to watch the whole thing. 'But it was great, all the reaction has been very, very positive, which is great news.' Asked about not sitting down for the full episode, he said: 'I sort of know (what it looks like) but, to be honest, I don't like watching myself on telly so I flit in and out, grab a cup of tea.' He promised: 'Next week we have biscuit week and some of the things they produce in that are spectacular.' The judge, who moved with the hit series when it left the BBC, said he had to 'raise the bar a little bit on the handshakes'. Viewers saw him give out two handshakes - his highest form of praise - to two contestants. 'I gave out two handshakes ... I was giving them out and thinking this is ridiculous,' he said. He added: 'There's a lot more people baking now than there was nine years ago. That's a good thing ... If we get people baking then Bake Off's done its job and I think it's worked over the last few years.' Advertisement

Another said: 'Screw the haters, Noel Fielding will be great on Bake off, just a pity about the adverts.'

One tweeted: 'Such is my shallowness, I've already forgotten about Mary, Mel and Sue and am on to complaining about adverts #GBBO.'

When the show aired on the BBC episodes lasted one hour and featured no adverts.

The first commercial was for online auctioning site Ebay, while other ads were for brands including Freeview, Lloyds, BMW and EE and Channel 4 shows such as Gogglebox, Celebs Go Dating and new comedy Back.

One fan wrote: '#GBBO feels way too rushed now they've squished adverts in! while another said: 'It's too bloody rushed to fit in ALL THE ADVERTS surprise' and another wrote: '#GBBO Too many adverts - rushed judging to fit more ads in - get a grip @Channel4.'

Others said they missed the history segments and external shots of animals around the tent.

One fan wrote: 'I don't know the history of mini rolls I need the history of mini rolls. I don't need adverts.'

Another said: 'Just realised that to make room for adverts, C4 have cut all the external shots. No more sheeps and squirrels. That's GBBO done for me.'

The Great British Bake Off's tradition for innuendo has not been subdued by the change in hosts, judge and channel

The Great British Bake Off returned to TV screens across the country in the first show since its switch from the BBC to Channel 4

Other viewers said the inclusion of the breaks felt strange and jarring.

One said: 'So #GBBO is back, always going to like Noel Fielding BUT adverts in bake off is just wrong and weird,' as another wrote: 'Can't get used to #bakeoff with adverts, this is too weird' and another added: '#GBBO hate hate hate all these adverts.'

However others embraced the breaks and used them as chances to eat their own cakes.

One viewer looked on the bright side saying: 'These commercial breaks are good for a quick brew and a Mr Kipling.'

Another joked: 'Loving #GBBO I made a cake in the adverts!'

Others used the time to get tasks done, with one fan saying; '#GBBO Ads? So what? Not as if we haven't got them on other progs. Go to the loo. Make a cuppa. Unload the dishwasher. Have a snog!'

Another wrote: 'I actually love the adverts during #GBBO i've managed to change my bedsheets and make a cup of tea during them. #Productive'.

Contestants create a wide range of sweets and pastry dishes, including cakes, pies and patisserie before returning judge Paul Hollywood and series newcomer Prue Leith cast a critical eye over their efforts

New presenters Sandi Toksvig and Fielding proved willing to continue their predecessor's enthusiasm for raunchy humour

As the contest changes channels, presenters Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding welcome a new batch of cooks to the tent

The Great British Bake Off's tradition for innuendo has not been subdued by the change in hosts, judge and channel.

New presenters Sandi Toksvig and Fielding proved willing to continue their predecessor's enthusiasm for raunchy humour.

Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins frequently raised eyebrows and prompted giggles with their double entendres while the show was a fixture on the BBC.

Toksvig kicked off proceedings by telling the amateurs their time for baking a fruit-filled cake was almost up, announcing: 'You have two minutes to bring this to a fruity conclusion, and you know, who doesn't want that?'

While administering instructions for the technical challenge of chocolate mini rolls, she told the hopefuls the cakes must be 'covered in chocolate but, cheekily, do not worry about leaving a bare bottom.'

Fielding also embraced the 'bare bottom' humour by saying: 'If there is an opportunity to keep the bottom exposed we should all embrace that.

'I'm planning on taking my trousers off when Paul and Prue do the judging.'

TWO 'HOLLYWOOD HANDSHAKES' Great British Bake Off star Paul Hollywood stunned viewers when he offered up two coveted 'Hollywood handshakes' in the first task of the first episode of the new series. As the show debuted on Channel 4, Hollywood gave his highest praise to bakers Sophie and Steven. The hard-to-please judge was impressed with Sophie's pineapple and coconut sandwich cake, hailing it as delicious. The offered hand shocked the baker so much she said: 'I'm worried I might have peaked too soon.' As the show debuted on Channel 4, Hollywood gave his highest praise to bakers Sophie and Steven (pictured) He also offered his hand out to Steven for his bonfire night cake with toffee apples, which Hollywood described as 'beautifully baked.' Steven was so stunned he said: 'When he put his hand out, I thought he was going to hit me.' Viewers were stunned he was so liberal with his highest praise, with one writing: 'Paul needs to calm down with these handshakes. Cant just give away a Hollywood handshake.' Another wrote: 'Hollywood handshakes on episode 1?? What's going on??' Another viewer wrote: 'Two handshakes already..far too generous for the first episode Paul,' while another said: '2 handshakes already is grade inflation.' Another viewer was baffled by his generosity, saying: 'I thought Paul's handshake was like a rare golden goose...what is going on? This feels weird.' Advertisement

IT programme manager Peter failed to rise to the occasion as he got the chop in the first episode of the show not to air on the BBC.

The hit programme returned to television in its new home with different presenters and a new judge but the familiar tropes of oven-watching, cake binning and sprinting round the tent in a race against the clock.

The first episode to air since the programme parted ways with the BBC featured new presenting team Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding, as well as new judge Prue Leith, who joined series regular Paul Hollywood, and the arrival of ad breaks.

Leith took over the baton from previous judge Mary Berry, while Toksvig and Fielding stepped into the shoes of Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins.

The show, which is still made by Love Productions, featured the same theme music and opening sequence, as well as the same bunting-decorated tent and three-challenge format.

Essex resident Peter, 52, was the first to get the boot from the competition after his coconut cake contained too much baking powder, his chocolate mini rolls failed to impress and his cake in the shape of a bread and bread board proved to be too dry and too simple for the judges.

He said: 'I'm disappointed to be the first off, but it has been a lovely experience throughout. It was quite surreal from day one, and I wouldn't change any of it for the world.

'No matter how far you go in the series, it's still great to be part of the show. And it doesn't end for me on week one, as all of the bakers are my friends now, and they are amazing in their own way.

'They are a wonderful bunch of guys and we keep in touch regularly. I will be watching them throughout of course.'

He added: 'My daughter Temi always wanted me to apply in previous years, and this year she let me know when the applications were open and really encouraged me to apply.

'Although I am the first baker to leave the tent it doesn't mean it's a bad experience. To be shortlisted from such a large list of applications and to be one of the 12 bakers to enter the tent was a huge personal achievement.'

Pictured is 'star baker' Steven's illusion cake in the shape of a BLT sandwich and loaf of bread, described by Leith as 'absolutely astonishing'

The showstopper challenge to create an illusion cake was described by Hollywood as 'the most complex showstopper challenge ever set in the first week of Bake Off.'

Pictured is Flo's watermelon illusion cake which the judges were extremely impressed with

During the episode the amateur bakers were tasked with a signature challenge of a family-sized cake using fresh fruit before a technical challenge of 12 chocolate covered mini rolls.

The showstopper challenge to create an illusion cake was described by Hollywood as 'the most complex showstopper challenge ever set in the first week of Bake Off'.

Contestant Steven's bonfire night cake with toffee apples, his proficient mini rolls and illusion cake in the shape of a BLT sandwich and loaf of bread, described by Leith as 'absolutely astonishing', landed him the title of star baker.

Now that's a showstopper! The Great British Bake Off is back on Channel 4 with all its crazy creations which ARE really cakes

By Laura Lambert, TV and Radio Reporter, for The Daily Mail

They are creations that would not look out of place in the final of The Great British Bake Off.

Yet these extraordinarily convincing 'illusion cakes', made to look like a BLT sandwich, a watermelon, a stack of pancakes and a bowl of noodles, were crafted during last night's first episode of the new series.

The fiendish task was billed as the 'hardest first showstopper' ever to be set on the hit baking show  which has moved to Channel 4  and was always going to sort the wheat from the chaff.

And the triumphs of deception and baking competence were certainly matched by disasters, in the form of a black clutch bag and a loaf of bread with a snapped knife.

Marketing executive Steven was crowned the first star baker for his bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich

Merseyside grandmother Flo, 71, made a watermelon cake that would not look out of place in a greengrocer's

And 19-year-old student Liam, from North London, wowed with his fake pancakes

Indeed, while marketing executive Steven was crowned the first star baker for his bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, the challenge proved the undoing of IT manager Peter.

The 52-year-old had earlier finished bottom of the technical challenge when piping the wrong type of chocolate on his mini-rolls, and was then doomed when the sugar knife for his bread broke.

Nevertheless, the show's return was met with a positive reaction from fans, who commented that it had barely changed in moving from the BBC.

One aspect that was strikingly similar to the corporation's version was the prevalence of innuendos, including mentions of 'bare bottoms', 'a nice pair' and even a 'moist clutch'.

At one point, ex-Army officer Sophie unintentionally produced a phallic moment, when moulding the shaft of her fondant icing champagne bottle.

Following Paul Hollywood's bold claim that this year's contestants were the best bakers ever to grace the tent, Steven threw down the gauntlet with his 'Baker's Lunch' cake.

Hollywood said: 'The standard of the show is so high, but unfortunately it was Peter's turn to go.'

Health and safety inspector Kate, 19, from Liverpool, failed her test with the Greenhouse cake

Former teacher Stacey, 42, from Hertforshire, didn't get pass marks for this clutch bag cake

Indeed, both Hollywood and his new co-judge Prue Leith, who has replaced Mary Berry, looked taken aback at the creation, describing it as 'stunning' and 'perfect'.

Such was the level of trickery that Miss Leith  who was not afraid to show her formidable side when faced with below-par cakes  commented: 'You wouldn't think it wasn't bread.'

Meanwhile, Merseyside grandmother Flo, 71, made a watermelon cake that would not look out of place in a greengrocer's, and 19-year-old student Liam wowed with his fake pancakes.

Molecular biologist Yan, who works for the NHS, demonstrated her ability with her Asian-inspired dish, featuring fondant icing noodles and chicken ramen made from Rice Krispies.

It was not the first time Stacey, a stay-at-home mother, had faltered  earlier in the episode she resorted to throwing her cake in the bin

Using her noodle: NHS worker Yan's cake has an Asia inspiration

However, at the opposite end of the leader-board, ex-school teacher Stacey left the judges stumped with her black clutch bag cake.

Miss Leith said: 'I am not certain I would know it was a handbag', while Hollywood said: 'It looks like a decorated cake rather than a handbag.'

It was not the first time Stacey, a stay-at-home mother, had faltered  earlier in the episode she resorted to throwing her cake in the bin.

In an earlier round, Yan also threw her first attempt at an apple crumble cake in the bin, before starting again.

Speaking about becoming the first baker to leave the tent, Peter said: 'I'm disappointed to be the first off, but it has been a lovely experience throughout. It was quite surreal from day one, and I wouldn't change any of it for the world. All of the bakers are my friends now, and they are amazing in their own way. They are a wonderful bunch and I will be watching them throughout.'

Hollywood said: 'The standard of the show is so high, but unfortunately it was Peter's turn to go.'

Last week Channel 4's outgoing chief creative officer, Jay Hunt, said the show would need to be watched by 3million people for the broadcaster to break even. The broadcaster spent a reported 75million on a three-year contract for the show, which aired for seven series on the BBC.
Russia dramatically relocated 1,500 people from its border with North Korea after Kim Jong-un's latest missile launch, it was reported today.

The surprise move instructed civil defence officials to shift residents to 'safe areas' in the country's far east, according to pro-Kremlin media outlets.

'A verbal order was given to relocate 1,500 people to safe areas,' reported Mash, a social media outlet linked to major news service Life.ru which has close links to the Russian security services.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian citizens to leave the country's 24-mile international frontier with North Korea because of increasing tensions in the region

Russian citizens have been ordered to leave a 24-mile stretch of the frontier with North Korea

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un fired a missile over Japanese territory on Monday night

Japan's Air Self Defence Forces have been holding drills using Patriot Missiles in response to North Korea's provocative actions on Monday night

'The order came from the regional department of the Russian Ministry of Emergencies.'

Russia shares a 24 mile land border with reclusive North Korea.

It was unclear where the 1,500 were moved.

The civil protection department in Vladivostok was instructed to relocate residents living in the border area with North Korea.

The relocation was later described as a 'training exercise', according to FedPress.ru.

But it appears to have been triggered by the launch of a missile over Japan in the tinderbox region which has led to soaring tension in Asia.

'A relocation scheme is being exercised as part of the training,' said a source.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has warned that the North Korean crisis could morph into an armed confrontation and 'lead the world to the brink of a catastrophe'.

South Korea launched a pair of F-15 fighter jets on a live-fire training mission in Gangwod-do at the Taebaek Pilsung Firing Range as a show of force for the North Koreans

South Korea's defence ministry released footage of the high-octane bombing mission

North Korea fired a missile over Japan's northern island in a provocative gesture on Monday

Yet Russia also maintains political and business ties to Pyongyang.

Officials in Vladivostok also announced that radiation in the border region had not charged following the North Korean launch.

In another unexpected development, Russia's largest island - Sakhalin - disappeared from the country's online maps of major IT company Yandex after the latest launch.

The Pacific island lies north of Japan.

Yandex claimed it suffered a 'technical' problem.

The island could be vulnerable to a stray launch by trigger-happy North Korea.
President Donald Trump's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., has agreed to testify privately to the Senate Judiciary Committee as it looks into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

CNN first reported the news Tuesday, weeks after the eldest Trump son was invited to testify in public at a hearing in July.

The network also reported that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had issued subpoenas to Melissa Laurenza, an attorney with the Akin Gump law firm, who formerly represented Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and to Jason Maloni, a Manafort spokesman.

Donald Trump Jr will be testifying behind closed doors to staffers and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee

Additionally, two associates of President Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, have been subpoenaed, reported CNN

Special Counsel Robert Mueller subpoenaed Jason Maloni (left), a Manafort spokesman and Melissa Laurenza (right), an attorney who previously represented Manafort

Spokesmen and spokeswomen for the committee's leaders did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report.

CNN said Maloni and a spokesman for Mueller declined comment and that Laurenza referred questions to a spokesman who did not immediately comment.

Russia has loomed large over the first six months of the Trump presidency. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia worked to tilt last year's presidential election in Trump's favor.

The principle investigation is through Special Counsel Mueller, who was appointed to take over the FBI's investigation by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in May after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey.

Comey subsequently testified before Congress and said Trump's reason for firing him was the Russia probe.

Additionally, several congressional committees are looking into the matter, including the Senate panel Donald Trump Jr will appear before.

The eldest Trump son cut a deal with lawmakers, according to CNN, so that he would not have to testify in public about his meeting with a Russian lawyer, who had promised him dirt on Hillary Clinton in June 2016, in the midst of the presidential campaign.

The meeting marks the first time Donald Trump Jr. will meet with lawmakers and staff on Capitol Hill.

A date for the meeting hasn't been publicly announced but CNN's Manu Raju said some lawmakers are saying as early as September, which means Donald Trump Jr. could be arriving on the Hill in a matter of days.

Moscow has denied meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Trump denies any collusion by his campaign, while regularly denouncing the investigations as political witch hunts.
Footy star Clint Gutherson was relentlessly mocked for his formal attire on the red carpet this week.

The 22-year-old, who was photographed at the Ken Thornett Awards night on Monday with his girlfriend Jesse Arena, faced social media backlash over his attempt to tie a Windsor knot.

But it would now seem the Parramatta Eels fullback's game off the field matches his stellar season.

A second image of the couple posted by Gutherson to Instagram on Tuesday night shows the footy player with a complete Windsor knot.

Parramatta Eels fullback Clint Gutherson, 22, was seen sporting a complete Windsor knot in an image he posted to Instagram on Tuesday (pictured)

The 22-year-old, who was photographed at the Ken Thornett Awards night on Monday with his girlfriend Jesse Arena (pictured), faced social media backlash over his attempt to tie a Windsor knot

The footy star quickly drew attention on Monday after the picture of his incomplete tie was shared on the Parramatta Eels Facebook page

Friends and fans were quick to congratulate Gutherson on fixing his error (pictured)

The 22-year-old captioned the image with a simple tie emoticon.

Friends and fans were quick to congratulate Gutherson on fixing his error.

'You fixed the tie!' one person pointed out.

'Tie game on fleek here king gutho,' another wrote.

'Bahahahaha talk of the town with that tie,' a woman commented.

The footy star quickly drew attention on Monday after the picture of his incomplete tie was shared on the Parramatta Eels Facebook page.

Despite his apparent inability to tie a tie, Gutherson has been fantastic for Parramatta this season. The cult hero is in the top ten for points in the NRL, before injuring his ACL in July

The Parramatta Eels fullback has been relentlessly mocked on social media after attending a team function in interesting formal attire

The photo was shared on the Parramatta Eels Facebook page, where people first started to notice the cult hero's very untidy tie

Memes have already been created to mock the City Origin representative

The Parramatta Eels fullback attended the club's annual Ken Thornett Awards night on Monday with his partner, and fans were quick to pull attention to his tie

The 22-year-old was photographed on the red carpet prior to the event with his girlfriend, wearing a poorly executed tie without a windsor knot

'Someone needs to invest in those elastic ties that stay done up haha' an observer wrote.

'It's like he's always in a rush. Check out the tie effort,' another fan said.

Memes have already been created to mock the City Origin representative.

Gutherson responded to the image through his Twitter account on Tuesday afternoon, saying his public school education was the reason for him not being able to tie a tie.

'For everyone asking about the tie,I have no idea how to do a tie, one of the guys got me a beauty,Kind regards public school kid with no tie,' Gutherson said.

Gutherson responded to the image through his Twitter account on Tuesday afternoon, saying his public school education was the reason for him not being able to tie a tie

Despite his inability to tie a tie, Gutherson has been fantastic for Parramatta this season.

The cult hero is in the top ten for points in the NRL, registering 11 tries and breaking the line 14 times.

He injured his ACL in late July which unfortunately ended his season, vastly impacting the Eels' premiership hopes. They currently sit fourth a week away from the finals.
As Houston struggles with the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, lawmakers in Texas are vowing to be extra tough on anyone caught looting after authorities reported some minor thefts and armed robberies had taken place.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Houston police chief Art Acevedo put criminals on notice and said he would seek that they be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

'We're going to urge juries and judges to give you the most, the toughest sentence that you can possibly get,' Acevedo said.

'We're going to push hard so that you don't see the sunlight anytime soon.'

Scroll down for video

As Houston struggles with the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, lawmakers in Texas are vowing to be extra tough on anyone caught looting after authorities reported some minor thefts and armed robberies had taken place. Above an aerial view of the Addicks reservoir on Tuesday

During a press conference on Tuesday, Houston police chief Art Acevedo put criminals on notice and said he would seek that they be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez also warned people bent on trying to take advantage of those who are victims in the horrific storm to think twice in the tweet above

He added, 'This is the state of Texas, and we're a welcoming city, but we're not going to tolerate people victimizing, especially committing armed robberies in our city.'

Acevedo revealed that authorities had already arrested three looters on Monday night at a Game Stop video game store.

He also said some armed robbers who were accosting residents were apprehended as well.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez also warned people bent on trying to take advantage of those who are victims in the horrific storm to think twice.

In neighboring Montgomery County, the District Attorney's Offices said in a Facebook post that it would have zero tolerance for anyone who is charged with looting or similar crimes committed during the tragic situation

'To the crooks out there, be warned,' Gonzalez said in a tweet. 'No looting & burglaries. We will not have it. My jail is open and you will be arrested and charged,' he wrote.

In neighboring Montgomery County, the District Attorney's Offices said in a Facebook post that it would have zero tolerance for anyone who is charged with looting or similar crimes committed during the tragic situation.

'Leniency and probation will be off the table for these offenses committed during this time,' Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon wrote in the Facebook post.

Crimes committed during natural disasters allows the punishment to be enhanced, according to his office.

Houston store owner Samir Ebrahim took to Facebook on Sunday to share that his business was looted. He uploaded surveillance video (above) of the crime happening

Ebrahim shared surveillance camera footage from inside and outside the store showing dozens of people ransacking it and stealing items. In his Facebook post, he said that he was unable to get to the store to check on it due to the weather and flooding conditions

Reports of looting are not widespread, authorities say, but it has occurred in some instances.

Houston store owner Samir Ebrahim took to Facebook on Sunday to share that his business was looted.

Ebrahim shared surveillance camera footage from inside and outside the store showing dozens of people ransacking it and stealing items.

In his Facebook post, he said that he was unable to get to the store to check on it due to the weather and flooding conditions. He also said he tried to call the police, but they were unable to respond.

There have also been reports that an Apple store was damaged by gunfire.
Thousands of pounds worth of bath lifts, hoists and walking frames are alleged to be lying abandoned in a council depot as Britain faces an ever-growing crisis.

These photographs taken outside the building used by council-owned supplier Essex Cares Limited have been taken to leave council bosses shamefaced.

It is claimed they show around 180,000 worth of care equipment, including 90 beds thought to cost 600 each and nearly 100 hoists worth around 900 each.

Whistle blowers claim thousands of pounds of medical equipment is being put at risk because there are not enough agency staff to decontaminate the used devices for re-issue in Essex

The medical equipment is being stored in a council depot in Witham, Essex

Fifty toilet frames, 25 bath lifts and twelve walking frames have also been stacked away in the depot in Witham.

The equipment is returned to Essex Cares after use, and the company is meant to clean each item before handing them on to patients.

But a whistleblower told The Sun there were not enough staff to clean the equipment, and Essex County Council has been wasting money on new purchases.

The source told the newspaper: 'The company used to decontaminate the items, refurbish them and send them out to a new customer within 24 hours.

'But a shortage of agency staff has caused stock to pile up in the yard and bosses have been buying new stock to send out instead because it's easier. Money is being wasted on new items as perfectly good stuff is left to rust.'

In 2015/2016 spending on adult social care was cut by 6.4 per cent across the country, compared to figures from 2009/10.

But these cuts have been made as Britain faces an ever-growing ageing population. The Institute for Public Policy Research estimates that the number of over-65s will increase by almost a third by 2030.

A spokesman for Essex Cares described the newspaper's story as 'extremely misleading'

The company claimed 90 per cent of the equipment was sent out to new patients

Witham MP Priti Patel said: 'The care needs of elderly people across Essex must be met through the most efficient use of taxpayers' money. If the equipment is there, get it out to those who need it.'

A spokesman for Essex Cares described the newspaper's story as 'extremely misleading'.

A statement said: 'Essex Cares Limited sorts, cleans and reuses thousands of pieces of equipment every month.

In fact more than 90 per cent of the chairs, frames and hoists and other all the other equipment returned to Essex Cares Limited is cleaned, checked and either warehoused or sent out to be used again, normally within four days of it arriving at our depot.

East item is checked in and registered. Then it goes on to be completely decontaminated and sterilised using specialist equipment on the site.

Once it has been fully decontaminated, our staff clean the equipment by hand and it is sorted ready for distribution again. This work takes place five days a week, all year long, while our fleet of 32 van collects and delivers equipment throughout Essex.

In June 2017 we collected 3,500 used equipment items from homes across Essex and 95% were cleaned, refurbished and reused by other customers in around four days, with only 5% scrapped; in July 93% of the 2,226 items collected were reused. With this kind of turnaround equipment is constantly moving in and out of the yard in Witham.

When we recycle any old equipment, all the money from this is ploughed back into new items, which helps keep the cost to taxpayers of equipment down'.
ACLU, Lambda Legal Sue Trump Over Transgender Military Ban

Over the course of three tweets last month, President Donald Trump expressed his intent to ban transgender people from serving in the military. The White House made that intent official on Friday, issuing a Presidential Memorandum for the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security "prohibit[ing] openly transgender individuals from accession into the United States military and authoriz[ing] the discharge of such individuals.

And it didn't take long for the lawsuits to follow. Both the ACLU and Lambda Legal have sued Donald Trump and his Secretary of Defense James Mattis, claiming the ban is unconstitutional and "compromises the safety and security of our country."

Animus

Trump's memo reverses Obama-era guidance allowing transgender individuals to openly serve in the military and allowing defense funds to cover sex-reassignment surgery. The ban would remain in place "until such time as a sufficient basis exists upon which to conclude that terminating that policy and practice would not have the negative effects discussed above." In the memo, Trumps says, "The Secretary of Defense ... may advise me at any time, in writing, that a change to this policy is warranted," but that recommendation for change must be something that "I find convincing."

The ACLU claims there is no military basis for the ban:

The Trump Administration has provided no evidence that this pronouncement was based on any analysis of the actual cost and disruption allegedly caused by allowing men and women who are transgender to serve openly. News reports indicate that the Secretary of Defense and other military officials were surprised by President Trump's announcement and that his actual motivations were purely political, reflecting a desire to accommodate legislators and advisers who bear animus and moral disapproval toward men and women who are transgender, with a goal of gaining votes for a spending bill that included money to build a border wall with Mexico.

Amicus

The claims may bear some truth. Mattis was reportedly caught off guard by Trump's tweets, and sources say he was "appalled." Lambda Legal's suit alleges "the Ban and the current accessions bar violate the equal protection and due process guarantees of the Fifth Amendment and the free speech guarantee of the First Amendment," and "are unsupported by any compelling, important, or even rational justification."

This is not the first time Trump has been sued over an executive order or memo -- there are now at least three lawsuits regarding the transgender military ban alone -- and will likely not be the last.

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Just when simmering tensions over North Koreas nuclear missile programme seemed to be easing, its unpredictable dictator yesterday upped the ante in brazen style  sending a missile capable of bearing a nuclear warhead over Japan.

It was an act of outrageous provocation.

As we have seen, South Korea responded with a display of firepower near its border with the North, while President Trump announced hed received Kim Jong-uns message loud and clear and repeated that all options are on the table.

His words didnt have the impact of that fire and fury speech aimed at Pyongyang earlier this month, but the threat is implied. Which begs the question: just how long can the White House go on sabre-rattling?

Washington had persuaded itself that Kim was backing down. The U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, believed that Chinas willingness to back new, tougher UN economic sanctions against its old ally were a restraint on Pyongyang.

But the latest launch not only flouts Japans sovereignty with utter contempt, it confirms that Kim Jong-un has missiles with the potential to reach a wide arc of the Western Pacific, including U.S. bases such as Guam. Major Chinese cities are also within range.

A small, poor but reckless and belligerent nuclear-tipped country is testing not only Donald Trump and the United States, but the UN Security Council, which met in emergency session yesterday, too.

It is one thing for global leaders to say all options are on the table, quite another to choose a line of action that stops North Korea without setting off a nuclear war in East Asia  and, quite probably, World War III.

But at some point, President Trump  and remember, there are four generals in his top team now  must act to teach North Korea and any other rogue regime with nuclear capabilities or aspirations not to push it too far.

Show of force: South Korea launched military drills which included dropping eight bombs on a training field near the northern border, within hours of the North's missile test

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump depart the White House in Washington, U.S., on their way to view storm damage in Texas

The Kim dynasty has invested everything it has to obtain nuclear weapons to safeguard its regime. This latest launch is yet another warning that it will stop at nothing to stay in power.

To counter such a high-risk mentality, some in Washington are beginning to think the unthinkable. But for the moment, other options that stop short of triggering Armageddon are more likely.

Option 1: DIPLOMACY

For some analysts, Kim Jong-uns provocative actions are what a psychiatrist might call a cry for recognition. He is a small boy behaving very badly so that the biggest boy on the block, the U.S., will take him seriously.

Treat North Korea as an equal not a rogue, say these analysts.

The problem is that both Kims grandfather (Kim Il-sung, who led the invasion of South Korea that started the Korean War of 1950-1953) and father (Kim Jong-il who turned North Korea into a nuclear power) charmed delegations from Washington into reporting back on their plans for reform, when what they were actually doing was pursuing their nuclear agenda relentlessly.

Under Kim Jong-un (pictured on Saturday), Pyongyang has made rapid strides in its ballistic missile technology in violation of UN resolutions and threats of 'fire and fury' from Trump

Living in fear: South Koreans watch file footage of a North Korean missile launch, at a railway station in Seoul after the North fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean

Appeasement has a poor track record in Pyongyang.

In any case, the Trump administration would demand a verifiable halt to further missile development  and Kim wont give up his only card willingly.

Option 2: SANCTIONS

If Kim cant be sweet-talked into seeing sense, then even tougher economic sanctions would force him to choose between North Koreas economic viability and its nuclear prowess. The UN Security Council, which includes China and Russia, has backed sanctions repeatedly since Pyongyang started its nuclear and missile tests a decade ago.

Earlier this month, the UN beefed up existing sanctions with an international ban on key exports from North Korea amounting to $1billion. China and Russia are North Koreas lifeline to the outside world and could strangle the regime if they acted in tandem to cut all trade and transport links.

However, with more than 90 per cent of North Koreas trade going through China, the Chinese would take a hit financially, while a chaotic economic collapse in North Korea could see millions of refugees heading for the Chinese border.

Response: U.S. President Donald Trump said he had received Kim Jong-un's message 'loud and clear' after North Korea's ballistic missile launch over Japan today

Response: A bomb hits a mock target at the Pilseung Firing Range in Gangwon-do, South Korea near the border to the North after on Tuesday as the South continues military drills

A desperate Kim might even, in a last act of defiance, turn his fire on Beijing and Moscow itself.

Even if prepared for that outcome, Presidents Xi and Putin would demand a high price from Trump for that kind of high-risk help. And remember, the U.S. has just imposed mandatory sanctions of its own on Russia. Would Congress swallow its pride and repeal them to get Putin on board?

In reality, sanctions are slow to deliver. Decades of sanctions were needed to prod Iran into doing a deal, which Trump and Israel still dont trust. Would a North Korean deal be any more believable?

Option 3: A LIMITED STRIKE

The U.S. had a range of airbases in South Korea, Japan and on the Pacific island of Guam from which to strike, with B1 bombers, cruise missiles, bunker-busting bombs, plus its fleet of nuclear aircraft carriers (each with more attack planes than the entire RAF).

Warning: Colonel Lee Kuk-no of South Korea made it clear that Seoul would respond with full force is North Korea threatened the South

While this firepower would, ultimately, destroy much of North Koreas military nuclear infra-structure and 10,000 artillery sites, the country is more prepared than ever against an air attack.

It has mobile launchers to move and hide missiles, while the newer North Korean missiles are solid-fuelled (not liquid-fuelled) so can be launched much more quickly in retaliatory strikes at Seoul, the capital of U.S. ally South Korea, where 10 million people live.

There is no foolproof way to neutralise Kim Jong-uns nuclear warheads by a massive airstrike. Simultaneous special forces attacks would be required  and all-out war might well result.

Option 4: FULL INVASION

Despite being far better-equipped than North Korea, the U.S. would require the bulk of its military manpower to be deployed to Korea to ensure a rapid and decisive win, leaving it exposed elsewhere in the world.

War in Korea would tie down the U.S. army and marines  unless South Koreas 650,000 troops also took part. But South Korea is reluctant to engage in a pre-emptive war that would threaten Seoul with instant destruction.

China is a factor, too. It is vehemently hostile to the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defence system that was recently deployed in South Korea.

Drills: South Korea's F-15K fighter jets drop bombs during a training at the Taebaek Pilsung Firing Range on Tuesday morning in Gangwon-do, South Korea

Beijings fear is that the real target of any American military action in the region is ultimately China. For the U.S. to act without being sure of Chinese neutrality runs the risk of a wider and far more perilous conflict.

Even if China was ready to accept the fall of the Pyongyang regime, a conventional invasion would not be swift enough to stop Kim Jong-uns regime launching some kind of nuclear strike, as well as firing off his stockpile of chemical and biological weapons.

According to U.S. intelligence, North Korea has between 20 and as many as 60 nuclear bombs. If only a couple were successfully launched at South Korean cities, the scale of the casualties would be horrendous.

Option 5: ASSASSINATION

Taking out Kim Jong-un and his key commanders in a so-called decapitation strike is arguably the cheapest and least devastating option in terms of military and civilian casualties.

Unfortunately, a successful assassination wouldnt stop a barrage of artillery and rockets being fired in instant retaliation against South Korea and Japan.

It might also require a U.S.-South Korean occupation of North Korea that would be faced by guerilla resistance deploying Kims stockpile of chemical and biological weapons. Nor would China  faced with the prospect of millions of refugees heading to its territory  be pleased by a speedy collapse of Kims regime.

And if it failed, Kims revenge would be indiscriminate attacks aimed at South Korea, Japan and any U.S. bases within range. In reality, a decapitation strike would probably mean all-out war.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he would do all in his power to protect the Japanese public

Option 6: A U.S. NUCLEAR STRIKE

The first strike option is the unthinkable that some in Washington are now considering, using Americas massive nuclear superiority to eliminate North Korea.

But such an attack would kill millions of North Koreans, alarm Americas European allies, and trigger massively increased defence spending by nuclear superpowers China and Russia.

Option 7: PRESSURE ON CHINA

Chinas rivalry with the U.S. has been a key determining factor in its relationship with North Korea in recent years.

North Korea has served a useful purpose because its nuclear antics required Washington to go cap in hand to Beijing in the hope it would restrain its protege and stop the region from exploding into war.

And China has done well out of its dealings with North Korea. In return for hard currency  which it uses to buy components and expertise for its nuclear programme  North Korea provides cheap labour and raw materials to Chinese businesses.

China, however, has been finding increasingly that the Kim dynasty is not a cosy client. The grisly slaughter of Kim Jong-uns uncle  reportedly fed to dogs  who had been the regimes point-man with Beijing back in 2013, was a warning that there were limits to what China could make Kim do.

Without the Chinese support, Kim Jong-uns militarised economy would suffocate quickly, so why doesnt China do more than cut oil supplies and stop buying Kims coal?

The truth is that Beijing is wary. Kims nuclear deterrent can be pointed at China, too; while a regime collapse would mean a flood of refugees into Chinese territory.

Worse still, an American invasion of North Korea might advance to the Yalu River border with China, as it did briefly in 1950. Such a humiliation could turn Chinese nationalist sentiment against their Communist rulers.

Nor does China want U.S. bases in North Korea. It wants a neutral Korean peninsula and for the U.S. to back off from challenging Beijings claims to big swathes of the South China Sea.

Only if Washington can offer China a cast-iron deal would Beijing risk pulling the plug on Pyongyang. But can Washington swallow such concessions?

Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, has hinted he could live with some concessions. But can he persuade Trump? Kim is betting there will be no deal with China.

Mark Almond is Director of the Crisis Research Institute, Oxford.

'That's just a curtain-raiser': Giggling tyrant Kim Jong-un personally oversaw the launch of North Korea's latest ballistic missile test before promising more flights over 'cruel' neighbour Japan

Kim Jong-un was there in person to oversee the launch of North Korea's latest long-range ballistic missile test which flew 1,700 miles over Japan.

The dictator was pictured laughing with top officials as the Hwasong-12 was unleashed on Tuesday and later warned the launch was a mere 'curtain raiser'.

State media boasted that the test was timed to mark the 107th anniversary of the 'disgraceful' Japan-Korea treaty of 1910, under which Tokyo colonised the Korean peninsula.

It was part of 'a bold plan to make the cruel Japanese islanders insensible on bloody August 29', the KCNA agency said.

This morning, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley warned America will not allow North Korea's lawlessness to continue adding it is time for Pyongyang to recognise the 'danger they are putting themselves in' as the world is united against them.

Kim Jong-un views in person (shown) the launch of North Korea's latest long-range ballistic missile test which flew 1,700 miles over Japan

Tuesday's aggressive missile launch (pictured) sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby

US President Donald Trump has said that 'all options' were on the table, reviving his implied threat of pre-emptive US military action just days after congratulating himself that Kim appeared to be 'starting to respect us'.

The UN Security Council - which has already imposed seven sets of sanctions on Pyongyang - said in a unanimous statement the North's actions 'are not just a threat to the region, but to all UN member states'.

Both the North's key ally China and Russia, which also has ties to it, backed the US-drafted declaration, but it will not immediately lead to new or tightened measures against Pyongyang.

The Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the mouthpiece of the North's ruling party, on Wednesday carried more than 20 pictures of the launch near Pyongyang, one showing Kim smiling broadly at a desk with a map of the Northwest Pacific, surrounded by aides.

Another showed him gazing upwards as the missile rose into the air.

The official Korean Central News Agency cited Kim as saying that 'more ballistic rocket launching drills with the Pacific as a target in the future' were necessary.

Tuesday's launch was a 'meaningful prelude to containing Guam, advanced base of invasion', he said, and a 'curtain-raiser' for the North's 'resolute countermeasures' against ongoing US-South Korean military exercises which the North regards as a rehearsal for invasion.

Wednesday's statement was the first time the North has acknowledged sending a missile over Japan's main islands. Two of its rockets previously did so, in 1998 and 2009, but on both occasions it claimed they were space launch vehicles.

Kim expressed great satisfaction over what the North described as successful testing (shown) and said the country will continue to watch 'US demeanors'

The rocket 'crossed the sky above Oshima peninsula of Hokkaido and Cape Erimo of Japan along the preset flight track and accurately hit the preset target waters in northern Pacific', it said.

South Korea's military said Tuesday that it had travelled around 2,700 kilometres (1,700 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of 550 kilometres.

North Korea has twice previously sent rockets over the main islands of Japan, in 1998 and 2009, but on both occasions claimed they were space launch vehicles.

'The drill had no impact on the security of the neighbouring countries,' KCNA insisted, adding that Kim expressed 'great satisfaction' over the launch.

There would be 'more ballistic rocket launching drills with the Pacific as a target in the future', it cited him as saying.

TOKYO STOCKS RECOVER Tokyo stocks opened higher today, recovering from the previous day's sell-off after North Korea fired a missile over Japan. Global stocks swooned on Tuesday after North Korea launched a missile over Japan, deepening geopolitical worries while sending safe-haven assets like gold higher. But Wall Street righted itself mid-session, with two of its major indices shrugging off missile-related worries and grinding out a positive result for the day, although Hurricane Harvey's impact on Texas and the oil industry weighed on buying sentiment. 'Investors bought back stocks as they are relieved to see gains in New York,' said Hikaru Sato, senior technical analyst at the investment strategy section of Daiwa Securities. 'The yen's weakness is also helping sustain buying sentiment,' Sato told AFP. 'However, the Tokyo market is expected to remain nervous about geopolitical factors for now,' he added. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index, which fell to a four-month low on Tuesday, gained 0.51 percent, or 99.45 points, to 19,462.00 in the first few minutes of trade, while the Topix index of all first-section issues was up 0.41 percent, or 6.58 points, at 1,604.34. The dollar, which fell below 109 yen following the missile launch, changed hands at 109.73 yen, compared with 109.75 yen in New York on Tuesday. A weaker yen is positive for Japanese shares as it boosts the value of exporters' repatriated profits and makes them more competitive overseas. Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing, a market heavyweight, which tumbled nearly 2 percent on Tuesday, rose 1.10 percent to 31,140 yen. Sony jumped 1.54 percent to 4,265 yen and Panasonic gained 0.51 percent to 1,454.5 yen. Toyota rose 0.73 percent to 6,135 yen but Nissan edged down 0.04 percent to 1,085 yen with Honda down 0.06 percent at 3,038 yen. Advertisement

The launch, it added, was timed to mark the 107th anniversary of the 'disgraceful' Japan-Korea treaty of 1910, under which Tokyo colonised the Korean peninsula.

It ushered in a period of oppressive ruled that only ended with Japan's defeat in the Second World War and is resented by Koreans on both sides of the divided peninsula, complicating the relationship between Tokyo and Seoul, both of them US allies threatened by Pyongyang.

With the launch, KCNA said, Kim 'gave vent to the long-pent grudge of the Korean people' with 'a bold plan to make the cruel Japanese islanders insensible on bloody August 29'.

Tuesday's aggressive missile launch sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.

Pyongyang said it was a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile that the North first tested in May and threatened to fire into waters near Guam earlier this month.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile travelled around 1,677 miles and reached a maximum height of 341 miles as it flew over the northern Japan.

Kim expressed great satisfaction over what the North described as successful testing and said the country will continue to watch 'US demeanors'.

He called the launch a 'meaningful prelude' to containing Guam, which is home to key U.S. military bases.

The leader was quoted as saying: 'The current ballistic rocket launching drill like a real war is the first step of the military operation of the KPA in the Pacific and a meaningful prelude to containing Guam.'

This morning, British Prime Minister Theresa May called on China to put more pressure on North Korea to stop missile tests, saying Beijing has a key role to play in international efforts to prevent what she described as significant provocation by Pyongyang.

'We want to ensure that they desist this action. We see that the best way of doing that is for China to be bringing pressure to bear on North Korea,' May told reporters on her way to Japan for meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Weeks ago, Trump had warned that North Korea would face 'fire and fury' if it issued threats to the U.S.

The U.S. led an effort for new sanctions against the rogue regime that were approved by the UN Security Council.

Within hours of Kim's missile launch, South Korea had responded with an 'overwhelming show of force' by bombing a shooting range near its border to the North as part of a military drill, launching footage which contained a stern warning to Kim Jong-Un.

Seoul dropped eight Mark 84 bombs with four F15K fighter jets near Taebaek, Gangwon-do province, and released footage of the drill along with a video of its own ballistic missile tests conducted last week.

'If North Korea threatens the security of the South Korean people and the South Korea-US alliance with their nuclear weapons and missiles our air forces will exterminate the leadership of North Korea with our strong strike capabilities,' South Korean Colonel Lee Kuk-no warned in the video.

A statement from Seoul later on Tuesday echoed this sentiment, saying South Korea is 'fully ready for any threat from the North'.

'We strongly condemn the North's yet another provocation despite a grave message sent through Resolution 2371 adopted by the international community in the wake of its repeated strategic provocations,' the government said in a statement published by Yonhap news.

'We are fully ready for any threat from the North and will make unwavering efforts to protect the lives of our people and the security of our nation,' it said.

In the wake of the launch, Trump spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

South Korean army soldiers work near K-9 self-propelled howitzers during a military exercise in Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea this morning

South Korean army soldiers were pictured carrying out drills close to the border with the North amid heightened tensions between the two countries

South Korean soldiers carried out drills with K-9 self-propelled howitzers in Paju, South Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for more weapons launches targeting the Pacific Ocean to advance his country's ability to contain Guam, state media said on Wednesday

According to a readout released by the White House, 'The two leaders agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, as well as to countries around the world.'

'President Trump and Prime Minister Abe committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the international community to do the same,' according to the statement.

The rocket launched by North Korea this morning broke into three pieces off the coast of Hokkaido and landed in the Pacific Ocean, around 700 miles east of Cape Erimo, after travelling 1,700 miles in eight minutes.

Japanese military did not attempt to shoot down the rocket, reportedly a mid range ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload.

North Korea's UN ambassador has blamed the U.S. for 'driving the peninsula towards an extreme level of explosion' by joining the South for war drills in the Pacific, calling today's missile test 'justified'.

Han Tae Song set to attend a United Nations Security Council meeting in Geneva later today, did not explicitly refer to his country's latest test firing of a ballistic missile that flew over Japan into the sea earlier in the day.
North Korea very deliberately chose Japan for its greatest act of provocation to date.

Yes, it wanted to demonstrate the vulnerability of America's key ally in East Asia  but Kim Jong-un's regime was playing on North Koreans' savagely bitter memories of Imperial Japan's 35-year occupation of Korea until 1945.

Japanese was imposed as the only permitted language in schools, but few Koreans were able to master it well enough to get good jobs.

Kim Jong-un ordered a missile to be fired over Japan on Monday to increase regional tension

Japan has increased the preparedness of its missile defence units, pictured

South Korean jets have flown live fire exercises during their own display of force

Any new businesses were owned and run by the Japanese. Only a handful of Koreans were permitted to go on to higher education.

The Thirties were the height of Emperor Hirohito's Great East Asia Co-Prosperity sphere, an initiative that purported to benefit all of East Asia but which, in reality, had the Japanese installed as the master race and ultimate beneficiaries.

Koreans were dragooned for forced labour and to be cannon fodder in Hirohito's armies, while 200,000 Korean women were turned into sex slaves.

At that time Japan's armies occupied a vast swathe of territory from Korea to New Guinea, and the troops needed company on garrison duty.

In South Korea, the plight of 'comfort women' is still a major issue can could cause problems with the North attempting to divide Seoul and Washington over the protection of Tokyo

So-called 'comfort women' were provided by their caring imperial government  Korean women who were shipped around Hirohito's Pacific Empire as well as into occupied China. They were not only degraded into forced prostitution, but faced the risk of being bombed by the Allies when they attacked Japanese bases.

After World War II, the surviving 'comfort women' were deplorably treated by their own people.

They were regarded as collaborators and shunned. In North Korea  Korea was divided into North and South in the aftermath of the war  a charge of collaboration with the Japanese could mean death.

Imperial Japan neither apologised nor paid compensation. In South Korea today, the legacy of this exploitation is still seen as a humiliation for which Japan has not made amends.

Stoking more than a century of Korean-Japanese antagonism is part of Kim's play to split America's allies. At the same time he is bolstering his dynasty and ramping up national feeling by reminding North Koreans of the potent myth of his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, as a resistance hero, defying the Japanese.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, pictured, wants to change his nation's pacifist post-war constitution which prevents him from threatening the use of war to settle disputes

In response to the North Korean threat, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is trying to push through changes to his country's post-war 'pacifist' constitution which renounces war and 'the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes'. And while other players in the region such as South Korea, China and the Philippines don't like Kim's aggression either, they have lurking fears of Japanese rearmament.

What is most alarming for Abe is North Korea's ability to overfly Japan. Japan's Patriot missile defence didn't intercept Kim's rocket  but it was not because Tokyo chose restraint.

It couldn't have stopped the missile if it wanted to, because it was launched from a new site in North Korea, by a mobile launcher, and in a very unexpected direction.

This brought the issue of Japan acquiring a nuclear deterrent to the fore.

For millions of Japanese, the legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, destroyed by atomic bombs in 1945, is the only argument needed against going nuclear. The Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in 2011 has made even civil nuclear power controversial.

Some in Japan want the nation to develop its own nuclear deterrent over fear the United States may not protect them in the event of a concerted attack

But North Korea's apparent impunity and America's dithering have brought out Japanese hawks who say their country must go nuclear. Washington is against such a move, but after events on Tuesday Japan can legitimately ask if it can really rely on its ally to deter an attack.

Japan's role in the world economy is huge and its forces  for the purposes of self-defence under that post-war constitution  are impressive. Since 1945, it has built up a large army and air force, and one of the biggest navies in the world (although the U.S. has made sure Japan lacks aircraft carriers capable of offensive action).

Given Japan's mix of high-tech industry and nuclear power stations, it could make a nuclear bomb quickly. But there is another player in the region  China's reaction to such a development would be off the scale.

In Europe, in the seven decades since the end of World War II, the idea of a war between the old enemies seems incredible. But in East Asia, while American power has kept the peace between Japan and her old foes, the deep-rooted enmity between the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese is never far from the surface. Disputes over sea borders are just one symptom of the distrust between these nations.

So there is method in Kim's madness in his twisting of Japan's tail, and it leaves the Japanese government facing a huge dilemma.
A top grammar school has been accused of illegally throwing out sixth-formers who failed to win top grades ahead of their final A-level year.

It is understood 16 pupils at St Olaves Grammar School in Orpington, London, were told they had to leave because their performance in their AS-levels was not good enough.

The exams are taken in Year 12, although many schools are now dropping them following government reforms.

The school, in the South London borough of Bromley, allegedly told the pupils their places for year 13  the last year of school  had been withdrawn after they failed to reach the required three Bs.

It is understood 16 pupils at St Olaves Grammar School in Orpington, London, were told they had to leave because their performance in their AS-levels was not good enough

One father accused the school of dumping his son like old garbage.

Other pupils were told they would be allowed to continue on a discretionary basis and were asked to sign a contract warning that if they did not get a minimum B grade in their mock exams, the school reserved the right not to enter them for their A-levels.

Lawyers acting for two of the affected families have issued proceedings against the schools governing body.

Parents said many of the pupils were in tears when they discovered the news.

One father said: My son is devastated. Its like putting your old garbage out. He doesnt know what to do. We are in limbo. School starts soon and we dont even know where hes going.

Days before the new term starts, those who have lost their places are having to look for another school or college to take them on and are said to be devastated at losing their friendship group.

Yesterday, experts said a number of other schools, including other high-achieving grammars, were employing similar tactics to ensure the best possible results.

However, it is thought this is the first time parents have challenged the issue in court.

Dan Rosenberg, the lawyer acting for the families, said the parents claim the school is operating an unlawful policy, The Guardian reported. He said: Proceedings have now been issued. As well as assisting our clients, these proceedings will hopefully assist others who may be affected now and/or in the future by the schools policies and practices.

We hope that the governing body will now reconsider the policy and its application, and further that the children affected can return to their A-level studies at the start of term with their peers.

Pupils who lost their places were regarded as highly academic, passing an exam to get into the school aged 11.

They all then met the threshold to be accepted into the sixth form, with many achieving a string of A*s and As at GCSE.

The school allegedly told the pupils their places for year 13  the last year of school  had been withdrawn after they failed to reach the required three Bs (stock image)

St Olaves is one of the highest achieving schools in the country. On its website it states that this years A-level pupils were awarded 96 per cent A*/B grades, 75 per cent of all grades were at A*/A, and 32 gained straight A* grades in at least three subjects.

Education lawyer Imogen Jolley, of Simpson Millar, said withdrawing a school place at the end of year 12 amounted to an exclusion.

Under government guidance, it is only lawful to exclude a pupil on disciplinary matters.

It states clearly that it is unlawful to exclude for a reason such as academic attainment/ability.

It is understood the guidance applies to all local authority-maintained schools, but not to sixth-form colleges or academies for 16 to 19-year-olds.

The school did not respond to a request for comment.
An 11-year-old girl was shot in the head as she sat in a car after an argument between her mother and another woman turned violent.

The child was rushed to a local hospital in Deloraine in northern Tasmania by a family member about 9pm on Tuesday after the shooting in Stagg Court.

She was then taken to Launceston General Hospital before being flown to Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne where she was in a stable condition.

The child was rushed to a local hospital in Deloraine in northern Tasmania by a family member about 9pm on Tuesday after the shooting in Stagg Court (pictured)

The bullet rebounded off the car's passenger door, lodging fragments in the girl's neck and head which travelled to her heart

A 25-year-old man was arrested and later charged with grievous bodily harm and recklessly discharging a firearm.

The shooting stemmed from a fight between the girl's mother and another woman about an hour before the shooting, Inspector John King said.

An argument between the pair at the Deloraine Woolworths turned into a fight that left the mother with a cut to her face and the other woman with a bite mark.

The girl's mother then called her brother and they drove to the woman's house on Stagg Court, with her daughter and the brother's four-year-old boy in the back seats.

The shooting stemmed from a fight between the girl's mother and another woman at the Deloraine Woolworths (pictured) about an hour before the shooting

She was then taken to Launceston General Hospital (pictured) before being flown to Melbourne where she remains in a critical condition

They had a loud argument with the woman and her partner outside the house and a neighbour told Daily Mail Australia they heard a heated argument followed by 'what sounded like a firecracker'.

A woman claiming to be a distantly related to the girl's family called a local radio station saying the man approached carrying what they though was a baseball bat.

Inspector King alleged the man was actually carrying a small-calibre rifle which he then fired at the car from about 50 metres away, hitting the girl.

The 25-year-old alleged shooter was arrested at his house on Stagg Court later that night.

'Head wounds can be catastrophic and it didn't look good to begin with so we're very happy she's now stable,' Inspector King said.
A heroic off-duty police officer has saved the lives of an elderly couple after kicking down the door of their burning brick home and dragging them to safety.

The officer was driving to work at 5.45am on Wednesday morning when he spotted the single-storey house in Sydenham, in Sydney's inner west, completely alight.

He kicked down the front door and helped remove a man and a woman, believed to be aged in their late 70s or early 80s, with the help of two neighbours.

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A heroic off-duty police officer has saved the lives of an elderly couple after kicking down the door of their burning brick home (aftermath pictured) and dragging them to safety

The officer was driving to work at 5.45am on Wednesday morning when he spotted the single-storey home in Sydney's inner west completely alight

The elderly couple were taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where they are being treated for the effects of smoke inhalation.

Firefighters had the blaze under control by 6.10am but were still working on totally extinguishing the fire at 7.30am.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but firefighters believe it broke out in the rear of the property.

Newtown Local Area Commander, Superintendent Gavin Wood, paid tribute to the actions of the police officer.

The elderly couple were taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where they are being treated for the effects of smoke inhalation

'The officer was on his way to work when he saw this home on fire,' Supt Wood said.

'He has literally kicked in the front door of a burning building, entered and saved this couple.

'We are fortunate to have police who see trouble, respond and  without a thought for themselves  save lives.

'I will be reviewing this incident with a view towards appropriate recognition of his actions,' Supt Wood said.

The police officer has been taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital as a precaution.

The blaze caused severe damage to the old home, including a partial roof collapse, and forensic officers will examine the scene once it is safe enough to enter.
Corbynistas have threatened to deselect Jess Phillips after Kezia Dugdale quit as Scottish Labour leader amid claims she was 'hounded out by JC's mob'.

Ms Phillips became the latest Labour MP to be targeted by the hard-left after she spoke out against the attitudes of some British-Pakistanis in the wake of the grooming scandals.

She criticised families for 'going and getting a wife from abroad' for their disabled sons because he 'deserves' to have one.

But the comments have sparked anger among some hard-left supporters of the Labour leader who described her as a 'Zionist' and threatened her with deselection.

The attack surfaced online last night around the same time as Ms Dugdale quit her post saying it is time to 'pass the baton' to someone else.

Nadeem Ahmed, who describes himself as a Corbyn and Momentum supporter, demanded that Ms Philips takes back the comments or face a putsch to kick her out.

He wrote on Twitter: 'Jess Phillips remarks on British Pakistani's she has till 10pm to apologise, or I will start deselection process. Momentum is powerful force.'

Momentum activists have demanded the deselection of Labour MP Jess Phillips after she spoke out against some British Pakistani families' attitudes to women in the wake of the grooming scandals. Corbynistas rounded on her as news broke that Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale quit amid claims she had been hounded out by 'JC's mob'

Corbynistas took to Twitter to demand Ms Phillips is booted out of office. One posted an offensive leaflet online branding her a 'Zionist'

Jess Phillips has defended her comments online and hit out at the 'bullies' attacking her

His message was quickly seized upon by the Corbynista account going by the name @MontyBestUK who also demanded her deselection.

The account posted a leaflet posted online branding the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley a 'Zionist' and calling for her to be kicked out.

Ms Phillips has defended her comments online and hit out at the 'bullies' attacking her.

Many female Labour MPs have spoken out against the constant stream of abuse and threats of deselection they have received from some of Mr Corbyn's supporters.

Labour MP Sarah Champion quit as Women and Equalities minister in the Labour shadow cabinet after she sparked a storm of criticism for saying 'Britain has a problem with British Pakistani men raping and exploiting white girls'.

She made the intervention after 18 people were convicted in the Newcastle grooming case - the latest in a string of similar scandals stretching back to Rotherham.

Ms Dugdale shocked the political establishment last night when she announced she is quitting.

She had faced heavy criticism from the left wing of her own party after attacking Mr Corbyn.

She fell foul of his supporters after giving her backing to leadership challenger Owen Smith in last summer's contest - accusing the firebrand socialist of speaking 'only to the converted'.

A senior source is said to have revealed today to Buzzfeed that Ms Dugdale was 'hounded out by JC's mob'.

Scottish Labour suffered major losses in last year's Scottish Parliament election with 13 of its seats going to other parties.

It slipped to an embarrassing third place in the polls leading Ms Dugdale to admit that she had seen first-hand what happens to a party that 'repeatedly refuses to listen to the message the electorate is saying'.

Kezia Dugdale, pictured right, last month revealed she is in a relationship with SNP politician Jenny Gilruth, pictured left. last night she announced she is quitting as Scottish Labour leader

The politician, pictured right, had faced heavy criticism from the left wing of her own party after attacking UK leader Jeremy Corbyn, pictured left

But she insisted she had left the party in a better state than she had found it when she took over as leader in August 2015.

Ms Dugdale said she wanted to give the 'space and time' to prepare for the next Scottish Parliament election in 2021.

The death of her close friend Gordon Aikman - a Motor Neurone Disease campaigner - had also led her rethink her priorities, she said.

In a statement she said: 'As chair of the party, I am writing to you today to resign as leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

'It has been an honour and a privilege to have served this party in a leadership position for the last two and a half years, covering four national elections and one referendum.

Ms Dugdale, pictured left, also said the death of her close friend Gordon Aikman, pictured right - a Motor Neurone Disease campaigner - had led her rethink her priorities

'I have worked with many great people, not least the staff in our HQ led by Brian Roy and those in the Scottish Parliament, whose boundless energy, expertise and good humour has guided our party through some dark hours and difficult times.

'I'd like to thank my shadow cabinet for their efforts, and in particular Iain Gray for his unflinching love and support and James Kelly for the thankless but crucial job he does so well as our business manager.

'Earlier this year I lost a dear friend who taught me a lot about how to live. His terminal illness forced him to identify what he really wanted from life, how to make the most of it and how to make a difference. He taught me how precious and short life was and never to waste a moment.

'Being leader has always been a difficult but fulfilling challenge. One that until now I have enjoyed, driven by a clear guiding purpose and goals, many of which I have achieved.'

It comes just days before the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood in Edinburgh is due to begin a new session.

Last month it was revealed that Ms Dugdale was in a relationship with an SNP parliamentarian.

She has now been dating Mid Fife and Glenrothes MSP Jenny Gilruth for about five months after the pair first met on a cross-party politics trip to the USA last summer.

Ms Dugdale split from her fiancee Louise Riddell in December following a nine-year relationship.

Ms Gilruth, 32, worked as a teacher before being elected to the Scottish Parliament in May last year.

Following Ms Dugdale's resignation, Corbyn posted on his Facebook page: 'I'd like to thank Kezia Dugdale for her work as Scottish Labour leader and the important role she has played in rebuilding the party in Scotland.

'Kezia became Scottish leader at one of the most difficult times in the history of the Scottish Labour Party, and the party's revival is now fully under way, with six new MPs and many more to come.

'I want to thank Kez for her tireless service to our party and movement, and look forward to campaigning with her in future for a country that works for the many not the few.'

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson tweeted: 'Leadership can be tough and @kezdugdale deserves the thanks of her party for putting in the hard yards. I wish her well.'

Ms Dugdale's partner Jenny Gilruth added jokingly: 'PS are you now free to wash the dishes?'
A Christian girl forced to live with a Muslim foster carer was last night returned to her family after a court ruling.

It follows a national outcry over Tower Hamlets councils decision to place the five-year-old in two Muslim households  against the wishes of her family.

The girl was taken to her grandmothers house yesterday after a judge urged councils to seek culturally matched placements for vulnerable children.

Judge Khatun Sapnara, a Muslim, told the council it was in the girls best interests to live with a family member who could keep her safe, promote her welfare and meet her needs in terms of ethnicity, culture and religion, The Times reported.

In April this year, an Ofsted inspection at Tower Hamlets council found widespread and serious failures in the services provided to children who need help and protection

The judge even went as far as to order the East London council to conduct an urgent investigation.

Friends of the girls family told the newspaper they were hugely relieved by the decision to remove her from placements where everything was foreign and unfamiliar into surroundings where she would feel much more at home.

During yesterdays hearing at East London Family Court, security staff tried to remove a journalist, but Judge Sapnara ruled that the reporter be allowed to stay.

The girls parents were said to have pleaded with the scandal-hit council to allow the child to live with friends or relatives, but officials had opposed their plans to place her into the temporary care of her grandmother.

Instead, social workers noted the British-born childs distress as she begged not to be returned to a Muslim foster home where she said she could not understand her carers because they did not speak English.

Friends of the childs family said she spoke English as her first language, had a UK passport and had been christened. But during an access visit she was said to have told her mother that Christmas and Easter are stupid and European women are stupid and alcoholic, prompting questions over cultural attitudes expressed in at least one of her foster homes.

The Childrens Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, said she had raised concerns with Tower Hamlets and would continue to monitor the case.

The council was criticised earlier by Ofsted inspectors who said its childrens services were inadequate.

Confidential reports seen by The Times described the five-year-old sobbing and begging not to go back to one foster mother who wore a headscarf and face veil in public.

The girl claimed the foster carer had taken away her necklace, which had a Christian cross on it, suggested she should learn Arabic and had refused to allow her to eat food prepared by her birth mother because it contained bacon.

Former justice minister Shailesh Vara, Tory MP for North West Cambridgeshire, said the council's decision was completely wrong

She was left in that placement for four months before being handed to her current foster mother, who reportedly wears a burka in public to cover her face. Sources at Tower Hamlets said the placement was temporary.

Miss Longfield said: I have spoken to Tower Hamlets council and raised a number of concerns, and have asked about the wishes of the little girl. I have asked the council to ensure that this child has the support of an independent advocate so that her views are heard at the heart of this process.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said child safety was a priority and the Department for Education was conducting a stocktake of national fostering. She said: Councils have to bear in mind the ethnicity and religion of children when they are placing them in care, but they approach that on a case-by-case basis, which is right.

Simon Calvert, of the Christian Institute, said councils normally tried to ensure children were placed with carers who would respect their beliefs.

Clearly something has gone wrong in this case, he said.

We cant have a situation where a local authority respects all religious backgrounds except Christianity.

In my experience, Christian foster carers do all they can to respect the religious and cultural heritage of children placed in their care.

Peter Golds, leader of the Tory group on the council said: This case raises some troubling questions about the suitability of at least one of our foster parents and the judgment of Tower Hamlets childrens services.

Tower Hamlets refused to say why it took the child into care. It was concerned that reports risked identifying her and criticised inaccuracies in some coverage. Before yesterdays court ruling, it said: The child is fostered by an English-speaking family of mixed race in this temporary placement.

We would like to give more details but we are legally restricted.

We have always been working towards the child being looked after by a family member and we continue to do so.

The panel member who said ignoring a childs culture is terrible crime

By Josh White and George Odling

A fostering panel member at Tower Hamlets Council once claimed it was a terrible crime to ignore the culture and background of a child in care, it can be revealed.

Liz Sibthorpe, who sits as an independent member on the councils fostering panel, issued the warning when recounting her own difficulties as a girl of mixed-race heritage who was placed with a white adoptive mother.

The fostering panels main function is to decide on the suitability of applicants to foster children, and review the performance of recently-approved carers.

Miss Sibthorpe has considerable expertise in fostering and adoption, informed in part by her own background. Her council biography says she was adopted in a transracial placement as a baby.

The 68-year-old author has spoken openly about the strains she felt after being placed with a white adoptive mother from the age of 12 months. From a very young age I knew I wasnt fully English. The difficulty for me was that [my adoptive mother] wanted me to be white, she said in an interview with the York Press 2006. She would say, Dont go for an interview in the summer because you look coloured. It made me feel that being of mixed race was bad. But I wasnt ashamed of my colour and wanted to know who I was.

In my experience, our background and cultures were denied to us. Its a terrible crime to do to a child.

The same year, she wrote how she grew up feeling embarrassed... but I didnt know where else I belonged.

The fact that one of its panel members has made such clear comments on the issue will add to questions over the state of childrens services in Tower Hamlets.

Last night, Miss Sibthorpe told the Daily Mail: I do believe the department does its very best to care for children and that is all I can say. I have no idea when this happened or how it was dealt with. I was adopted 60-odd years ago and things are very different now.

The job of fostering panels is to oversee the conduct of assessments and give advice and make recommendations. They do not, however, decide on where to place a child.


Holly Marie Collino was charged with homicide on Tuesday

An Arizona woman has been charged with murder after she allegedly gunned down a woman in Brockport, New York in what police say was a random act of violence.

Holly Marie Collino, 31, was arraigned on Monday on homicide charges after authorities alleged she killed Megan Dix last Friday in cold-blood while she was taking her lunch break.

Authorities say that Collino shot Dix in the head in a parking lot on South Avenue while sitting in her vehicle, adding that no prior relationship existed between the two women.

'Megan Dix, a 33-year-old young mother and wife, was senselessly murdered in this random and heinous act of violence,' NBC affiliate WHEC 10 quoted Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn as stating, adding 'this could have been anyone.'

Collino (pictured) was arraigned on homicide charges for allegedly killing Megan Dix in cold-blood last Friday

Collino denied that she had any involvement in the incident before her arraignment, according to WHEC 10.

Dix's brother, Donnie Duncanson, told the broadcaster that news of Collino's arrest has given the family some solace following a tragic week.

'When we had seen it on the news that... they had a suspect in custody, I think that was the first time I was able to drink or eat anything in four days,' Duncanson said.

'It was like this thing in your stomach that was relieved a little bit,' he added.

Police say Collino killed Dix (pictured left) as she sat in her vehicle while on her lunch break

Dix's (left) brother, Donnie Duncanson, said news of Collino's arrest has given the family some solace

Collino was arrested later in the week after she had pointed a gun at employees at a restaurant in Henrietta.

'Deputies responded to Sticky Lips in Henrietta for an employee who had a gun pointed at her head,' said Sheriff O'Flynn.

'The suspect was located at a hallway in the Holiday Inn on Jefferson Road. After a brief struggle, the suspect was taken into custody.'

Police say Collino was living in Arizona but had previously lived in the Brockport area between 2011 and 2014.

Disturbing footage uploaded to a YouTube page apparently belonging to Collino show self-made videos voicing paranoid thoughts about 'haters' trying to harm her and another clip were just incoherently suggests that she has a 'license to kill.'

'I have a license, Im legal, to kill now,' she says in the YouTube clip.

A look at Collino's Facebook page also shows strange messages, with one stating in oddly punctuated phrasing: 'Beyond, the, fact, that, I..She; Honor; Holly M Colino, can, Justly, and, Rightfully, Kill, (Death Correction), these, Cruel, Rot Ins..I'm, I..She; Holly M Colino, have, been, and, will, continue...'

A GoFundMe page has been set up by the victim's family to help with expenses.
A Houston mother shouted at an interviewer live on television for her coverage of Hurricane Harvey victims.

The woman, named Danielle, had just arrived at the shelter after waiting 36 hours to be rescued from the floodwaters with her two children.

She and her kids were still wearing their bags and backpacks with their belongings inside.

As CNN correspondent Rosa Flores asked Danielle several questions, the woman appeared to become more upset, eventually shouting at Flores for interviewing people 'during their worst times', before she turned and walked away with her children.

The exchange was captured on live television before cameras cut back to Jim Acosta in the studio.

The interaction began with Flores standing beside Danielle at a shelter in Houston, where Danielle and her children had just recently arrived.

Danielle was shivering and looked visibly distressed as she stood with her young daughter and her young son peeked out from behind her.

Flores asked how she was rescued and Danielle explained that she and her family had been waiting for 36 hours at their home for police to come help them.

She said they waited for days without food or electricity, with flags outside their house to signal a need for help, but no one came.

Eventually she said she walked through flooded streets with her children to a gas station where someone called them a cab to pick them up.

Houston mother Danielle (right) ranted at CNN correspondent Rosa Flores (left) for her coverage of the victims of Hurricane Harvey

Danielle had just arrived at the Houston shelter after waiting 36 hours to be rescued from the floodwaters with her two children

Flores asked how she was rescued and Danielle explained she and her kids had waited for days without food or electricity with flags outside their house to signal a need for help, but no one came

As Danielle told her story, she clearly became more upset, looking around the shelter, hugging her children and even crying.

Meanwhile Flores touched Danielle's arm and continued to ask her a question about saving her children from the floods, which further upset the distressed mother.

'We walked through four feet of water to go get them food on the first day. Yeah, that's a lot of s***,' Danielle said, before she turned on Flores.

'But y'all sitting here, y'all trying to interview people during their worst times. That's not the smartest thing to do.

'Like people are really breaking down and y'all sitting here with cameras and microphones trying to ask us what the f*** is wrong with us.'

As Danielle told her story, she clearly became more upset, looking around the shelter, hugging her children and even crying while Flores touched Danielle's arm and continued to ask her a question about saving her children from the floods, which further upset the distressed mother

Eventually Danielle raised her voice and said: 'Y'all sitting here, y'all trying to interview people during their worst times. That's not the smartest thing to do. Like people are really breaking down and y'all sitting here with cameras and microphones trying to ask us what the f*** is wrong with us'

As she spoke, Danielle raised her voice almost to a scream at Flores, who repeated: 'Sorry, I'm so sorry' as she put down the microphone and raised it again.

Danielle continued: 'And you're really trying to understand with the microphone still in my face with me shivering cold with my kids wet and you still putting a microphone in my face.'

As soon as she said that, Danielle turned and walked away from the cameras as Flores continued to apologize.

The cameras quickly cut back to Jim Acosta in the studio who said: 'Rosa Flores, it sounds like you've got a very upset family there. We're going to take a break from that and we'll get back to you later on.'
Houston has imposed an overnight curfew for an indefinite period amid incidents of looting, armed robberies and people impersonating police officers, city officials said.

The curfew will run from midnight until 5pm starting Tuesday, Mayor Sylvester Turner told a news conference. The city is also bringing additional police from other regions.

'You cannot drive, nor be in any public place. We have had problems with armed robberies, with people with guns and firearms,' said Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo.

Curfew violators will be stopped, questioned, searched and arrested, the police chief said.

Military trucks enter a flooded Houston neighborhood as the sun sets on Tuesday

The non-profit relief group StormPoint posted this picture on Tuesday in Houston, with the caption: 'We've seen some looting in some places. Sad that people want to make a bad situation worse'

These Houston residents posted this picture on Monday vowing unpleasant consequences for anyone who loots during the flood or shoots at rescuers

Houston store owner Samir Ebrahim took to Facebook on Sunday to share that his business was looted. He uploaded surveillance video (above) of the crime happening

It comes after fourteen people were arrested for looting in the Houston area over the past 48 hours, as floodwaters from Harvey continue to devastate the region.

Prosecutors on Tuesday promised the harshest penalties under the law for anyone caught looting during the disaster - and that's if angry, armed homeowners don't get to the crooks first.

'You loot, I shoot,' promised one spray-painted sign in a residential neighborhood of Portland, Texas, a small city right outside of Corpus Christi on the Gulf coast.

'If I needed to shoot somebody to protect my stuff if they broke into my house, I think that's appropriate,' one mother in the neighborhood told KIII, asking not to be identified.

'We're in a state of disaster,' she said.

'When you have people that have lost everything, you need food, you need clothes, people get desperate and you go into that kind of mindset,' the mother said.

So far, looting has not been as rampant as in disasters like Hurricane Katrina in 2005, although on Monday there were unconfirmed reports of looters shooting at volunteer rescue boats.

And a Houston police union official said that looters had shot at police and firefighters conducting a rescue operation.

Prosecutors in Houston issued a statement promising that looters would face enhanced penalties under Texas law for committing burglaries during a crisis.

'People displaced or harmed in this storm are not going to be easy prey,' Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said in a statement.

'Anyone who tries to take advantage of this storm and break into homes or businesses should know that they are going to feel the full weight of the law,' she said.

'Offenders will be processed around the clock without delay.'

As Houston struggles with the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, lawmakers in Texas are vowing to be extra tough on anyone caught looting after authorities reported some minor thefts and armed robberies had taken place. Above an aerial view of the Addicks reservoir on Tuesday

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez also warned people bent on trying to take advantage of those who are victims in the horrific storm to think twice in the tweet above

During a press conference on Tuesday, Houston police chief Art Acevedo put criminals on notice and said he would seek that they be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law

In Houston's Highland Village neighborhood, the college newspaper The Venture tweeted a photo of an Apple Store with damage to the door, saying that the doors 'appear to have been shot at with a firearm. Looters have been rampant.'

'Employees say not the first time targeted by looters,' the newspaper added.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Houston police chief Art Acevedo put criminals on notice and said he would seek that they be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

'We're going to urge juries and judges to give you the most, the toughest sentence that you can possibly get,' Acevedo said.

'We're going to push hard so that you don't see the sunlight anytime soon.'

He added: 'This is the state of Texas, and we're a welcoming city, but we're not going to tolerate people victimizing, especially committing armed robberies in our city.'

Acevedo revealed that authorities had already arrested three looters on Monday night at a Game Stop video game store.

He also said some armed robbers who were accosting residents were apprehended as well.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez also warned people bent on trying to take advantage of those who are victims in the horrific storm to think twice.

Floodwaters in Houston are seen on Tuesday. Officials have vowed harsh penalties for looters

'To the crooks out there, be warned,' Gonzalez said in a tweet. 'No looting & burglaries. We will not have it. My jail is open and you will be arrested and charged,' he wrote.

In neighboring Montgomery County, the District Attorney's Offices said in a Facebook post that it would have zero tolerance for anyone who is charged with looting or similar crimes committed during the tragic situation.

'Leniency and probation will be off the table for these offenses committed during this time,' Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon wrote in the Facebook post.

Crimes committed during natural disasters allows the punishment to be enhanced, according to his office.

Houston store owner Samir Ebrahim took to Facebook on Sunday to share that his business was looted.

Ebrahim shared surveillance camera footage from inside and outside the store showing dozens of people ransacking it and stealing items.

In his Facebook post, he said that he was unable to get to the store to check on it due to the weather and flooding conditions. He also said he tried to call the police, but they were unable to respond.
Arizona Can't Ban Mexican American Studies in Schools

Generally speaking, courts are fairly deferential to schools on educational matters, except possibly when it comes to race. And while the Supreme Court has major rulings on school desegregation and affirmative action , this might be the first time a federal court has taken up the issue of race in a school district's curriculum.

Arizona had passed legislation prohibiting courses "designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group," which targeted a decades-long, voluntary Mexican American Studies program for K-12 students in the Tucson Unified School District. But a federal judge ruled the ban was "enacted and enforced with a discriminatory purpose," and is therefore unconstitutional.

Racial Animus

Judging from local reporting on the ban, it became a personal issue. The Arizona Daily Star reports that Arizona's superintendent of public education at the time, Tom Horne, and former state senator, and Horne's successor John Huppenthal, had it out for the Mexican American Studies program for years, culminating in an alleged blog post comment by Huppenthal comparing the classes to Hitler's rise to power.

In 2010, the Arizona Senate passed H.B. 2281, which prohibited a school district or charter school from including in its program of instruction any courses that:

"Promote the overthrow of the United States government," "Promote resentment toward a race or class of people," "Are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group," or "Advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals."

Racial Motivations

In a scathing opinion, Judge A. Wallace Tashima determined officials "were motivated by racial animus" and were pushing "discriminatory ends in order to make political gains." Tashima ruled that the ban violated students' First and Fourteenth Amendment rights by denying them the "right to receive information and ideas" and discrimination against Latinos, respectively.

"Having thus ruled out any pedagogical motivation," Tashima wrote, "the Court is convinced that decisions regarding the MAS program were motivated by a desire to advance a political agenda by capitalizing on race-based fears."



The court will hear arguments regarding what remedies to take in the coming weeks.

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Theresa May is planning to turn to Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron to resolve the Brexit divorce bill dispute.

Amid increasing anger over the EU's handling of negotiations, the Prime Minister believes she can broker a deal over the payment by going directly to the bloc's leaders.

Tension increased yesterday when European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said it was 'crystal clear' trade talks could not begin until the UK caves in and pays the 74billion exit settlement the EU is said to want.

Theresa May is convinced she can split the EU's negotiating team by appealing directly to leaders such as Angela Merkel, left, and Emmanuel Macron, right

Mrs May, pictured left, does not believe Britain should have to wait any longer before opening talks about the country's future relationship with the European Union

In a move that infuriated British officials after the hostile start to the latest round of talks, he also called Mr May's approach to Brexit 'unsatisfactory'.

His attempt at muscling in was immediately criticised by British officials who said the EU's stranglehold on the timetable for finding a solution may threaten a deal.While the UK has promised to pay the EU as part of a Brexit deal, officials are concerned at the bloc's inflexibility on the issue.

Brussels has insisted it will not discuss any future trade deal until the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier judges 'sufficient progress' has been made in talks on the bill, citizens' rights and Northern Ireland. While talks on the future relationship were expected to be given the go-ahead in October, EU officials have escalated threats to force a delay until the UK offers a stronger financial commitment.

Downing Street yesterday said the Prime Minister could ask EU leaders to overrule Mr Barnier and order that work begins on a trade agreement sooner. The Prime Minister's spokesman refused to rule out Mrs May going on a round of 'shuttle-diplomacy' in Europe to persuade leaders that work needs to begin on a trade deal.

He said: 'We believe the EU needs to show more imagination and flexibility when it comes to these discussions.

Brussels chief negotiator's 220k pay Michel Barnier, teh EU's chief Brexit negotiator The EU'S chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is earning up to almost 220,000 a year to oversee the UK's split from the bloc. The huge salary, partly-funded by British taxpayers, could see him earn around 76,000 more than his opposite number, Brexit Secretary David Davis. Figures revealed yesterday that Mr Barnier, 66, is entitled to one of the highest categories of pay under EU rules after he was installed as a European Commission 'director general'. His exact pay is unknown but the rules set his pay grade between 15,994 and 19,588 every month, a maximum of around 18,150. If he is paid the highest amount, he could receive around 217,800 a year. Mr Davis earns 141,505 while Theresa May is paid 149,440. Mr Barnier, who will oversee the talks until 2019, is also entitled to a range of benefits and tax breaks offered to eurocrats. Unlike Mr Davis, who undertakes other ministerial work, Brexit is Mr Barnier's sole role. Insiders have claimed that since being appointed to the job, the French former minister has often struggled to fill his schedule during negotiations. Revelations over his pay will add to criticism of the salaries and perks of the EU's most senior officials. Advertisement

'Our desire is to discuss both [trade and divorce issues such as the bill] at the same time, we have repeatedly said that and that is what we are working towards.'

British officials also believe Brussels will be forced into a climbdown as EU leaders face a backlash from European businesses if they stall trade talks.

Insiders said it is 'highly likely' a compromise will be thrashed out by Mrs May with the EU's most influential leaders.

One said: 'In the end it will be a political deal. Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.'

Speaking to EU ambassadors in Brussels yesterday Mr Juncker said: 'There are still an enormous number of issues that need to be settled. We need to be crystal clear that there will be no negotiations, particularly on trade between the UK and the EU, before all these issues, that is to say those under Article 50, are resolved.'

Mr Juncker said Mrs May's refusal to give a clear figure over how much she is prepared to pay is a clear sign the 'UK government is hesitating to show all its cards'.

He also criticised a raft of recent papers published by the UK setting out its position on key Brexit issues by saying: 'None of those is actually satisfactory.'

He added: 'There are a huge number of questions that need to be answered.'

Following claims by EU officials that Britain is using the Northern Ireland border as a 'bargaining chip', Mr Juncker said the UK has refused to provide a 'definitive response' to the matter.

Nearly three quarters of voters would find a Brexit divorce bill of 30billion unacceptable, a poll shows.

Recent reports suggest a realistic 'exit fee' could be around 36billion, but 72 per cent of those surveyed rejected that amount.

Even a 20billion payment would be unacceptable to two thirds of voters, the poll suggests.

Only 18 per cent of voters would find that amount agreeable, according to the ICM poll of 1,972 adults for The Guardian.
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Britain's most popular properties this month cater for a variety of tastes - and prices.

The list includes a luxury 6million mansion in one of Hertfordshire's most sought-after roads, where no expense has been spared.

Compare this to a more modest 395,000 converted one-bedroom house that was once a Methodist chapel and sits on a river's edge in Cornwall.

The wide variety of prices being asked for the most popular houses for sale this month comes as Nationwide announces a drop in overall values.

It claimed the average price of a home in Britain has fallen from 211,671 last month to 210,495 this month.

Here we list the most viewed homes for sale in Britain, according to property website Zoopla.

This luxury mansion for sale in Hertfordshire's St Albans is situated in one of the town's most desierable roads, and is among the most popular houses for sale this month

1. Six-bedroom detached house in Oxshott, Surrey, for 4,950,000

Never lived in before! This brand new home covers 8,000 sq ft and includes six bedrooms - it is being sold via estate agents Hawksman and includes landscaped grounds and three floors

The kitchen space includes several eating areas, with bi-folding doors providing views across the garden and a newly-fitted kitchen bar and double-door fridge

Luxury living! The extensive master bedroom suite (shown far right) includes separate 'his' and 'her' bathrooms and a stand-alone bathtub, accessed via an adjacent hallway

2. Six-bedroom detached house in Southburgh, Norfolk, for 750,000

This period farmhouse, complete with a separate annexe, sits on almost an acre of beautiful country land and is being sold via estate agents Purplebricks

The beautifully-presented interior includes a high-vaulted ceiling with exposed roof timbers and a feature brick wall, with stylish finishings and barn-style doors

A total dream! This spacious bedroom, located in the converted attic, includes pretty exposed timbers with views of the open countryside from the windows

3. Five-bedroom house in Upper Hulme, Staffordshire, for 899,950

This spacious farmhouse, which comprises three separate buildings with a central courtyard, comes with 23 acres of land and is in the Peak National Park

The property comes with a unique swimming pool, complete with stained-glass windows, and is being sold via estate agents Whittaker & Biggs

The farmhouse's main reception room includes a stone wall, a wood-burner stove and reclaimed parquet flooring, as well as mock stained-glass windows

4. One-bedroom house in Whitstable, Kent, for 265,000

This unique property - called 'The Old Stable' - features original brick work in places is being sold via estate agents Harvey Richard & West

The rustic touch! It boasts high beamed ceilings and reclaimed beech wood flooring, as well as a wood-burning stove for winter evenings

The freehold property includes a staircase that leads to a large double bedroom upstairs, which includes vaulted ceilings and an airy atmosphere

5. Seven-bedroom detached house in St Albans, Hertfordshire, for 6million

Pure glitz! The luxury mansion, with a roomy drive and lighting leading up to the house, is described by its estate agents Cassidy & Tate as a 'jewel'

No ordinary parking: The specially designed lift moves cars from the outside ground level to the garage below, providing even more space for any buyer

The lifts lead to a pristine underground garage with plenty of spacefor a collection of cars. The high-tech area is fitted out with bespoke lighting

6. Six-bedroom detached house in Gorseinon, Swansea, for 349,950

The six-bedroom property, with a large drive at the front, is part of a cul-de-sac in Wales and is on the market via estate agents John Francis

The dining room overlooks the garden and is currently being used as a games room, but could easily be used as a dining room with the kitchen adjacent

More fun in the garden: If you think it's time for a hot tub, then here's your chance to dive in. There's also an airy conservatory and decking directly outside the house

7. Eight-bedroom house in Bromley, in Greater London (price on application)

They say you can't afford a property if you need to ask it's asking price! This luxury property is being sold via estate agents jdm, with the price available on application

This reception room is so spacious that it easily accommodates a grand piano, several sofas and a feature fireplace, as well as high levels of natural light

Just in case a TV and snooker table wasn't enough for any potential buyer, there's room for table tennis and a flat-screen TV in the property's games room

8. Five-bedroom detached house in Freshfield, Liverpool, for 2,750,000

This luxury new build house, hidden from street view by high ceilings and a unique gate, has five bedrooms and is on the market via estate agents Gunter

Take a seat: There's room to sit and ponder your outfits in the walk-in wardrobe, which includes bespoke chandeliers and a central seating unit

The heated outdoor swimming pool comes with an electric cover and several patio areas, providing the perfect venue for summer parties

9. Six-bedroom town house in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, for 2million

This exception Grade II listed town house is being sold via estate agents Kingsley Evans, and is one of several on an exclusive road

It features a stunning first floor drawing room, with a marble fireplace and deep ornate ceiling mouldings, with floor to ceiling windows providing natural light

Al fresco dining: The raised terrace at the back of the property includes an ornate wrought iron canopy and lovely views of the surrounding area

10. One-bedroom detached house in Malpas, Cornwall, for 395,000

South coast bliss! The former Methodist Chapel, situated right next to a stunning river, comes complete with stunning countryside views

Business opportunity: The restored building has turned into an established holiday letting, with split floors, vaulted ceilings and on-trend shutters
The NYPD is facing a major financial blow after discovering it must replace 36,000 phones it issued to officers.

The Nokia devices - the Lumia 830 and the Lumia 640XL - need to be scrapped because they're obsolete and can't be upgraded.

The police agency plans to replace them all with brand new iPhones by the end of the year.

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The NYPD is facing a major financial blow after discovering it must replace 36,000 phones it issued to officers. The Nokia devices - the Lumia 830 and the Lumia 640XL - need to be scrapped because they're obsolete and can't be upgraded

NYPD APPS The phones ran a collection of apps custom-made for the NYPD. These are the apps: - 911: allows officers to get 911 calls directly, without waiting for dispatchers to read the report - Search: lets officers search databases for names, police records, license plates, warrants and any other details stored within police databases - Crime Information Center: a bulletin board with wanted, missing persons and other notifications - Messaging: allows NYPD to send officers messages based on assignments, ranking, location, etc. - DD5: known as the Case Management System, it's a digital notepad - Forms: used for filing paperwork for accident reports, domestic violence incidents and more - NYPD U: an app for officers to stay refreshed on policies through training videos, quizzes, and more Advertisement

The Microsoft-based devices were purchased over the last two years as part of a $160 million NYPD Mobility Initiative Mayor Bill de Blasio touted as 'a huge step into the 21st century.'

It's only been months since the last phone was issued, and already the NYPD must replace all 36,000 of the devices, according to a source who spoke to The New York Post.

The decision follows Microsoft's move to stop running the operating system - Windows 8.1 - that powers the devices on July 11.

The Microsoft platform is widely considered to be outdated and commands less than one percent of the phone market.

All of the Lumia 830 (which was first released in October 2014) and the Lumia 640XL (which was released in March 2015) devices boast nearly a dozen apps custom-made for the NYPD.

One app is 911, which allows officers to directly get 911 calls instead of having dispatchers read the reports to them.

The app led to 12 percent decrease in crime response time compared to 2015's statistics.

Other apps allowed officers to file paperwork, search law enforcement databases and read up on NYPD policies.

Distribution of the phones also marked the first time officers have had a work phone number they could distribute to people needed to contact them for incident follow-ups and questions.

Blame is being cast on NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Information Technology Jessica Tisch, with one source saying, 'She drove the whole process.'

'Nobody purchases 36,000 phones based on the judgment of one person,' a source said.

'I don't care if you're Jesus f- -king Christ - you get a panel of experts.'

The Lumia 640XL (left) and Lumia 830 (right). The decision follows Microsoft's move to stop running the operating system - Windows 8.1 - that powers the devices on July 11. The platform is widely considered to be outdated and commands less than one percent of the phone market

Sources said Tisch, insisted on Microsoft-based phones and said, 'it was her project, no question about that.'

Her motivation was partly that the NYPD was already using Microsoft software to run the video surveillance program at its Lower Manhattan Security Initiative Command Center.

When officials announced the plan to issue Nokia phones in October 2014, even then-NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton acknowledged Tisch's role in the decision-making process.

'She's a terror if she doesn't get her way, so I usually let her get her way,' he joked.

'So she's certainly getting her way with this technology.'

The decision to equip the officers with these Nokia phones had been questioned by technology experts..

Blame is being cast on NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Information Technology Jessica Tisch, with one source saying, 'She drove the whole process'

'You read that right - Life and death situations rely on outdated phones running Microsoft's Windows Phone software,' CNET wrote last year.

'The NYPD's decision to go with Microsoft's mobile operating system seems to confound more than a few, since Windows Phone's 2.3 percent US market share is anemic when compared to Android's 65.2 percent and iOS's 30.9 percent,' Digital Trends wrote in October.

Two years is a long time in the world of smartphones - since those Nokia devices have been released, Apple has updated the iPhone three times and will launch another on September 12.

The Nokia Lumia 830 was launched in 2014 as an 'affordable' phone.

It touts a solid aluminum frame, image-stabilized rear camera and has been said to have 'good everyday performance' and 'mi-range internals.'

The Lumia 640XL was launched in March 2015 with a 5.70-inch touchscreen display.

Some reviewers said the device was 'Windows playing catch-up' and gave the device a low performance rating.
Some 700 million years ago, our Blue Planet was white  imprisoned within thick ice and surrounded by an atmosphere of extreme toxicity.

This was no ordinary Ice Age but a lethally frigid super-winter that scientists have dubbed Snowball Earth and which lasted for up to 50 million years.

Where once, ultra-primitive life forms had teemed in warm waters lapping tropical shores, a sudden global catastrophe transformed the young planet into a great icescape, with an average temperature of around minus 38c  the equivalent of the harshest Siberian winter today.

Ice sheets extended beyond the equator, where it was a little warmer (minus 20c), and across the globe gigantic glaciers up to two miles thick flowed over mountain ranges, grinding barren rock into dust.

Some 700 million years ago, our Blue Planet was white  imprisoned within thick ice and surrounded by an atmosphere of extreme toxicity

What life had evolved during the previous 3.8 billion years  simple, single-celled lifeforms including viruses, bacteria and primitive sponge-like creatures  was all but wiped out.

Those that survived, congregated beneath the ice at the bottom of oceans, in the relative warmth of currents from springs bubbling up from the Earths core.

New research now suggests that this seemingly eternal winter  the bleakest climatic period in our history  was, in fact, what kick-started life on Earth, and facilitated its abundance and variety.

And what ended it was one of the scourges of the environment today: acid rain.

The theory of Snowball Earth first emerged in the early Nineties after geologists made some startling finds in the tropics. They discovered rocks that clearly had been shifted hundreds of miles from their origin by massive glaciers.

Tropical glaciers? It seemed unlikely.

Then, in 1992, Joseph Kirschvink, professor of geobiology at the California Institute of Technology, was inspired by these findings to write a paper in which he proposed his Snowball Earth theory.

Professor Kirschvink went further, suggesting that when this global freeze finally thawed, it created a new habitat in which higher multi-celled organisms could begin to evolve.

The theory of Snowball Earth first emerged in the early Nineties after geologists made some startling finds in the tropics. They discovered rocks that clearly had been shifted hundreds of miles from their origin by massive glaciers

This seemed so speculative  oddball rather than snowball  that the editors of Kirschvinks paper didnt bother to have it peer-reviewed as normal scientific procedure demands, doubtless because any reviewer would have suggested his theory was outrageous. Twenty-five years later, it could be that Kirschvink has been vindicated.

The cause of Snowball Earth, known by geologists as the Sturtian glaciation, is still widely debated, but the best-accepted theory comes from researchers at Harvard University.

Volcanic eruptions have always influenced weather patterns and temperature  Krakatoa in 1883 cooled the world by 1.2c and triggered floods and freezes  and continue to do so. But the U.S. scientists postulated a super-massive eruption that continued for millions of years.

Geological evidence shows the eruption zone stretched from present-day Alaska to Greenland and was 2,600 miles wide  equivalent to the length of Chile.

Titanic explosions, accompanied by enormous plumes of fire and rock, blasted sulphur dioxide gas so high into the atmosphere that it remained there. Crucially, this gas absorbs solar radiation and, as Earth fell into perpetual shade, temperatures plummeted.

Glaciers began to spread rapidly down from both poles. When they reached as far as 30 degrees from the equator, the process began to accelerate.

There was now so much shining white ice on Earth that it reflected back what little solar energy had penetrated the sulphur cloud.

A catastrophic feedback loop had formed. Temperatures dropped further, more ice formed; more sun was reflected . . . until Earth became that frozen ball in space

A catastrophic feedback loop had formed. Temperatures dropped further, more ice formed; more sun was reflected . . . until Earth became that frozen ball in space.

The argument moved on to what could have warmed our planet from this perpetual ice-lock, and it appears that it was a torrential downpour lasting thousands of years.

Nowadays, environmentalists rail against acid rain which is created by burning fossil fuels. The gases released contain sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide that react with water and oxygen in the atmosphere to create sulphuric and nitric acids.

When this falls as acid rain, it damages forests and lakes. In humans, it can cause asthma and bronchitis.

But acid rain proved Snowball Earths saviour, by melting the glaciers that held it icebound. Last year, scientists based at Peking University in Beijing reported that Snowball Earths toxic atmosphere  high in sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide  would have created a rain so acidic that it did not freeze despite the frigid temperatures.

This corrosive deluge lasted for hundreds of thousands of years, setting off chemical chain reactions that eroded the glaciers and the ice sheets, and enabled Earth to start warming again. As the ice and snow melted, it doubled the amount of water in the oceans. In the thousands of years that Snowball Earth took to thaw, the sea level rose by 50 metres.

According to the latest scientific findings, published this month in Nature, something still more amazing happened during the thaw: it fuelled the development of complex life forms.

Scientists at the Australian National University have analysed rock sediments buried deep in the central Australian desert that were formed around 663 milllion years ago, towards the end of Snowball Earth.

Melting ice, they say, unleashed a feast of phosphates  the main component of commercial fertilisers today  which were the result of barren rock being pulverised into powder by the weight of glaciers moving over them. The thaw waters then swept vast quantities of the minerals into the oceans.

Phosphates were the perfect food to fuel a population explosion of microscopic algae. These were ten times thinner than a human hair, but together they sparked a revolution in life on Earth.

Before the advent of Snowball Earth, bacteria had dominated the planet for billions of years, but in terms of enabling more complex life forms to develop, they were an evolutionary cul-de-sac.

Now, as the oceans began to swirl with nutrients, giant forms of blue algae grew  a nutritious foodstuff on which the Earths first moving animals could feed. These are thought to have been primitive worms or Dickinsonia  flat, worm-like creatures that grew up to 5ft in length.

In their Nature paper, the Australian scientists say that samples taken from the rocks contain abundant chemicals called steranes, in invisibly small traces. These are a telltale molecular fingerprint of the ancient primitive algae.

The wide variety of steranes discovered shows how the thawing world was soon teeming with vast populations of increasingly complicated algae. The scientists describe it as the Big Bang in terms of species diversity.

Lead researcher Jochen Brocks, an associate professor of paleobiogeochemistry, explains: It was algae at the bottom of the food web that created this burst of energy required for the evolution of complex ecosystems, where increasingly large animals could thrive on Earth.

This takeover by algae, he says, is one of the most profound ecological and evolutionary transitions in Earths history. Indeed, we should reshuffle humankinds family photo album and place these minuscule organisms right there on page one.

Furthermore, the research provides a conclusive reply to that difficult question: Where did life come from? Now we have the answer: it came straight out of the deep freeze.
Military drones that can fly for more than 40 hours and stream footage of US cities will replace police helicopters by 2025, experts claim.

Multiple defence companies are now racing to build unmanned aircraft that will be allowed to fly in US airspace - which is incredibly tightly controlled.

Leading the race is a long-winged craft called MQ-9B, created by Californian-based company General Atomics.

This could allow law enforcement to stream video of cities from 2,000 feet (50 metres) high using cameras that are powerful enough to pick out individual faces from a crowd.

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Californian-based company General Atomics is investing heaving in a long-winged craft called MQ-9B (pictured) and are aiming to receive FAA certification to fly in 2025

MQ-9B DRONE Californian-based company General Atomics is investing heaving in a long-winged craft called MQ-9B and are aiming to receive FAA certification to fly in 2025. On 19 August, the company flew a MQ-9B from Arizona to Grey Butte, north of Los Angeles - part of which required a FAA waiver as it was over civil airspace. In order to be approved by the FAA, drones need to be able to fly in any weather and survive being struck by lightening. Like a self-driving car it will have to avoid collisions by itself. Its camera has 720p HD resolution - which is powerful enough to show people's faces from in a crowd by 2,000 feet up. The drones, which cost around $12 million (9 million) each, can stay up for around 41 hours at a time - which is significantly longer than smaller, cheaper models. Advertisement

Many Federal Aviation Authority's (FAA) regulations were created for manned aircraft long before people conceived of flying unmanned crafts.

'The market won't exist until the regulations exist,' Matthew Scassero, director of the University of Maryland Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site told Defense One, who wrote the report.

'The FAA was a little slow in coming around to the realisation that we needed to get those in place.'

'Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, they all have irons in the fire. But I don't know that any of them are pushing as hard as General Atomics, or as early on the civil commercial side,' he said.

General Atomics says it aims to have FAA certification by 2025.

On 19 August, the company flew a MQ-9B from Arizona to Grey Butte, north of Los Angeles - part of which required a FAA waiver as it was over civil airspace.

In order to be approved by the FAA, drones need to be able to fly in any weather and survive being struck by lightening.

Like a self-driving car it will have to avoid collisions by itself.

Its camera has 720p HD resolution - which is powerful enough to show people's faces from in a crowd from thousands of feet high.

The MQ-9B (pictured) took off on May 16th, 2017 from Laguna Airfield at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona, with 6,065 pounds (2,750 kilos) of fuel

THE THREE VERSIONS OF THE DRONE There are three versions of the MQ-9B drone, all of which are designed to fly in excess of 35 hours with airspeeds up to 210 knots (388 kilometers per hour, 240 miles per hour) and reach altitudes of more than 40,000 feet (12,192 meters): The first version of the drone was designed to operate under the requirements of non-military air space. A weaponized version of the drone is being acquired by the UK's Royal Air Force under the Protector program. A maritime patrol version, called SeaGuardianTM, is designed for open-ocean and shore surveillance. Advertisement

The drones, which cost around $12 million (9 million) each, can stay up for around 41 hours at a time - which is significantly longer than smaller, cheaper models.

Some people have raised privacy concerns that they could potentially carry intelligence collection as payloads.

The report says individual police departments will essentially decide what sensors these drones use and what information they are allowed to collect.

Last week it was revealed MQ-9 Reaper drones were being prepared to protect Guam from a North Korea attack.

The new system is based on one tested in June 2016, that saw teams of modified MQ-9 Reaper drones used to track missile launches and feed crucial data to Navy interceptor warships offshore, and experts say the effects could be 'game changing'.

The 2016 missile defense drill was called Pacific Dragon, and brought together the militaries of Japan, the U.S., and South Korea in a series of tests that showed that a pair of modified MQ-9 Reaper drones could effectively track a ballistic missile.

'The biennial exercise focuses on improving tactical and technical coordination among its participants, including the detection, tracking and reporting of ballistic targets,' the Navy said at the time.

Now, General Atomics is working to improve its ability to contribute to missile defence.

A weaponized version of the drone is being acquired by the UK's Royal Air Force under the Protector program - a counter terrorism program introduced by former UK Prime Minister David Cameron

ROBOTS ARE THE FUTURE OF WARFARE Experts predict robots are the future of warfare  and it may come sooner than many expect. In June a military expert claimed there wil be more robotic soldiers than human fighters in the US military. The Pentagon awarded an $11 million contract to build a combined-arms squad of human and robotic capabilities Such a squad, it explains, 'combines humans and unmanned assets, ubiquitous communications and information, and advanced capabilities in all domains to maximize squad performance in increasingly complex operational environments. From unmanned trucks and aircraft, to ghost fleets of underwater drones, the military has in many ways turned its sights on autonomous technology to improve capabilities. Advertisement

'Let's just say that within the next few years, there's lots of improvements in the tracking capability,' company president David Alexander told reporters last week at the company's headquarters here, according to Defence One.

'The accuracy in the early part of the boost phase that this provides is game-changing,' he said, before adding 'If I say any more, I might get into trouble.'

The drones used special Multi-Spectral Targeting System C sensors from Raytheon aboard the drones.

Their electro-optical infrared sensors can detect the heat of a missile as it enters its boost phase, and a pair of these modified drones can triangulate on the plume to obtain 3D targeting data, helping interceptor ships draw a better bead on the flying missiles.

According to Defence One, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency wants to reduce to one the number of Reapers needed to track enemy launches, likely by adding a tracking laser to keep tabs on the soaring missile, the source said.

Further into the future, Mr Alexander said that the company's large, jet-powered Predator C 'Avenger' drone could add a layer of surveillance and targeting data to North Korea  or anywhere else the military might want one.

This would allow a more complex sensor package to be used.

Mr Alexander said a Predator C, equipped for an MS-177 and priced at between $12 (9) million to $15 (11.5) million, might be able to do a similar job.

Raytheon's Multi-Spectral Targeting System (MTS) provides electro-optical/ infrared (EO/IR), laser designation, and laser illumination capabilities integrated in a single sensor package. Rayhteon

And in the future, a similar long-range sensor with 'very large aperture, so if you wanted to fly this airplane along the border of someone else's country and look deep in,' said Mr Alexander.

Experts predict robots are the future of warfare  and it may come sooner than many expect.

In June a military expert claimed there will be more robotic soldiers than human fighters in the US military.

The Pentagon awarded an $11 (8.5) million contract to build a combined-arms squad of human and robotic capabilities

Such a squad, it explains, 'combines humans and unmanned assets, ubiquitous communications and information, and advanced capabilities in all domains to maximize squad performance in increasingly complex operational environments.

From unmanned trucks and aircraft, to ghost fleets of underwater drones, the military has in many ways turned its sights on autonomous technology to improve capabilities.
Cliches of the midlife crisis abound in popular culture, but scientific studies on the subject are divided.

A new paper claims to offer definitive proof of the effect in action, demonstrating a significant drop in happiness between the ages of 30 and 50.

Despite the findings, some experts remain convinced that there is no link between hitting a certain age and plummeting levels of life happiness.

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New research offers 'proof' of the middle age crisis in action, demonstrating a significant drop in happiness between the ages of 30 and 50. But some experts remain convinced that there is no link between hitting a certain age and plummeting levels of life satisfaction (stock image)

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATION Many psychologists are of the opinion that midlife crises do not exist. Dr Susan Krauss Whitborne has spent much of her career following the lives of several hundred people since the 1960s. While her participants did experience the type of questioning characteristic of a midlife crisis, it was not limited to a particular phase of their lives. One explanation of why this questioning may be more prominent in middle age could be down to the reality of adult life kicking in. The dip appears at a stage of life where people's careers, families and financial worries may place additional pressures on them. Unexpected challenges like divorces and unemployment may add to this effect. Advertisement

Economists Andrew Oswald, from the University of Warwick, and David Blanchflower, from Dartmouth College, examined the pattern of psychological well-being from ages 20 to 90.

They studied seven recent data sets, covering 51 countries and a random sample of 1.3 million people.

Their statistical analysis uncovered evidence of a midlife dip in happiness across all seven groups, although the researchers add that the cause is unclear.

Writing in the paper, they said: 'There is much evidence that humans experience a midlife psychological 'low'.

'The decline in well-being is apparently substantial and not minor.

'Our own view is that these kinds of plots of happiness and life satisfaction should be shown, with a discussion of appropriate caveats, to all young psychologists and economists.'

Many psychologists are of the opinion that midlife crises do not exist, however.

Speaking to Bloomberg Susan Krauss Whitborne, a professor of psychology and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, said: 'I don't understand why they're so set on this. They're economists.

'What if I tried to use psychoanalytical measures to index the economy?

'Ive been doing research for pretty much my whole career on adult development, and Ive never found age linked definitively to anything psychological about a person.

'You can call it a midlife crisis. A quarter-life crisis. But whatevers going on with you personally, you cant blame it on age.'

The term 'midlife crisis' was coined in 1965 by Elliot Jacques, a Canadian psychoanalyst, to describe challenges during the normal period of transition and self-reflection many adults experience from age 40 to 60.

Economists Andrew Oswald, from the University of Warwick, and David Blanchflower, from Dartmouth College, examined the pattern of psychological well-being from ages 20 to 90. This graph shows ONS figures recording the life satisfaction of 416,000 people in the UK

Experts studied seven recent data sets, covering 51 countries and a random sample of 1.3 million people. This graph shows Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for the life satisfaction of 427,000 people in the United States

WHAT IS A MIDLIFE CRISIS? The term 'midlife crisis' was coined in 1965 by Elliot Jacques, a Canadian psychoanalyst, to describe challenges during the normal period of transition and self-reflection many adults experience from age 40 to 60. During these years, adults may commonly question who they are in this world and in their life, what their purpose is, and how have they used their time thus far. These questions can be triggered by the realization of the passage of time or changes that may occur with the physical body, such as a health scare or a diminished ability to perform physical tasks. The emotions these questions and changes prompt may cause you discomfort, stress and confusion, and may lead you to feel that you are in a crisis. Occasionally, midlife transitions might invoke depression. Despite this stress, you might experience this time as the beginning of a new and exciting stage of life.

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During these years, adults may commonly question who they are in this world and in their life, what their purpose is, and how have they used their time thus far.

Dr Krauss Whitborne has spent much of her career following the lives of several hundred people.

She began with their college graduations in 1965 and tracked them to the present day, adding younger participants over the years.

While her participants did experience the type of questioning characteristic of a midlife crisis, it was not limited to a particular phase of their lives.

'People do go through periods of self-evaluation, but its not tied to age,' she added.

'If someone close to you dies and you start to think about how life is limited, is that a mid-life crisis?

'Or is it just a healthy reevaluation of your priorities?'

One explanation of why this questioning may be more prominent in middle age could be down to the reality of adult life kicking in.

The dip appears at a stage of life where people's careers, families and financial worries may place additional pressures on them.

Unexpected challenges like divorces and unemployment may add to this effect.
An 132 million-year-old sea beast measuring 8 metres (26 ft) has been identified as a new species by scientists.

Researchers made the find while studying a fossil first discovered in northern Germany more than half a century ago.

The skeleton is that of a plesiosaur, an extinct sea reptile that resembled the Loch Ness monster and dominated Earth's oceans during the Age of the Dinosaurs.

Having now been identified as a plesiosaur, the fossil is one of the oldest of its kind.

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An 132 million-year-old plesiosaur (artist's impression) measuring 8 metres (26 ft) has been identified as a new species by scientists. The skeleton of the beast includes most of the skull, vertebrae, ribs and bones from the animal's four flipper-like limbs (all in white)

THE NEW SPECIES The skeleton of the beast includes most of the skull, which had a meshwork of long fang-like teeth. The well-preserved fossil also sported vertebrae, ribs and bones from the animal's four flipper-like limbs. A broad chin expanded into a massive jutting crest, and the reptile's lower teeth stuck out sideways. These probably served to trap small fish and squid that were then swallowed whole, researchers said. The upper jaw shows internal channels in the bone, which scientists think contained a network of nerves linked to smelling receptors in the snout. These may have been used to track and locate prey. Advertisement

'The most important aspect of this new plesiosaur is that it is amongst the oldest of its kind,' said study lead author Dr Benjamin Kear, from the Museum of Evolution at Uppsala University in Sweden.

'It is one of the earliest elasmosaurs, an extremely successful group of globally distributed plesiosaurs that seem to have had their evolutionary origins in the seas that once inundated Western Europe.'

First unearthed in a clay pit in Sarstedt near Hannover, Germany, in 1964, the fossil was kept for decades by private collectors.

Scientists were only recently allowed to study the remains of the ancient animal, which were being held at Germany's Lower Saxony State Museum.

The skeleton of the beast includes most of the skull, which had a meshwork of long fang-like teeth.

Researchers made the find while studying fossilised remains first discovered in northern Germany more than half a century ago. Pictured is part of the animal's skull

The plesiosaur (artist's impression) is an extinct reptile that dominated Earth's oceans during the Age of the Dinosaurs

The well-preserved fossil also sported vertebrae, ribs and bones from the animal's four flipper-like limbs.

'The jaws had some especially unusual features,' said study coauthor Dr Jahn Hornung a palaeontologist based in Hamburg.

'Its broad chin was expanded into a massive jutting crest, and its lower teeth stuck out sideways.

'These probably served to trap small fish and squid that were then swallowed whole.'

The upper jaw shows internal channels in the bone, which scientists think could have contained a network of nerves linked to smelling receptors in the snout.

These may have been used to track and locate prey.

The new plesiosaur has been named Lagenanectes richterae, which translates as 'Lagena Swimmer' after the medieval German name for the Leine River near Sarstedt, Germany, where it was found.

The skeleton of the beast includes most of the skull (artist's impression), which had a meshwork of long fang-like teeth

The skeleton is that of a plesiosaur, an extinct sea reptile that resembled the Loch Ness monster (file photo)

Dr Annette Richter, the Chief Curator of Natural Sciences at the Lower Saxony State Museum, who helped to identify the fossil, inspired the second part of the new species' name.

Elasmosaurs were among the largest plesiosaurs, sometimes growing up to 15 metres in length.

They had very long necks that housed up to 75 vertebrae.

The reptiles dominated the seas during the Cretaceous period (145-66 million years ago) but went extinct at the same time as the dinosaurs.
Best Buy is rolling out a free service next month where salespeople will sit with customers at their own homes to help make recommendations on TVs, streaming services and more.

The service, which was tested in five markets, will be expanded to more cities around the country.

Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly said Tuesday that the service is a way to unlock 'latent' customer demand - the company has found that shoppers spend more at the home than they do at the stores.

In this Monday, May 22, 2017, photo, Edward Calixto walks out of a Best Buy store with his purchased LED TV, in Hialeah, Fla. Best Buy Co., Inc. reports earnings, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

HOW IT WORKS Sales associates are promoting the new service in stores -when they talk to shoppers about products, they often will recommend setting up a home visit. Consultation topic range from getting recommendations for TVs to streaming or smart home services. That complements the Geek Squad service, which offers tech repairs and at home installations for a fee. The salespeople for the new home service are being paid a salary or receive hourly wages, not commissions, spokesman Jeffrey Shelman confirmed. Advertisement

Best Buy, the nation's largest consumer electronics retailer, is trying to make itself indispensable to shoppers as people shop more online.

It's been beefing up its customer service in the appliance areas of its stores.

This fall, it's showcasing experiences of voice-activated devices from the likes of Amazon's Alexa-controlled Echo and Google Assistant at 700 stores.

Amazon, though, has reportedly also been trying out a program that sends its employees to shoppers' houses for free 'smart home' recommendations.

Amazon couldn't be reached immediately for comment.

So far, Best Buy's strategies are resonating with shoppers. It raised its full-year profit and revenue outlook Tuesday after second-quarter results that beat Wall Street estimates. Revenue at U.S. stores open at least a year rose 5.4 percent, while Wall Street had estimated a 2.2 percent increase. Sales of products like smart home devices, mobile phones, and appliances were especially strong. Online sales soared about 31 percent.

'I see a wealth of opportunity to push the company forward,' Joly said.

Skeptics had been prepared to write Best Buy's obituary just a few years ago, predicting it would follow its now-defunct rival Circuit City as shoppers used stores as a browsing showroom and then bought online.

But the company has cut costs and improved stores and training. Best Buy is also working to forge deeper partnerships with its suppliers, and offering more online services.

Joly said Best Buy would do more marketing of the in-home service.

Right now, sales associates are promoting it in stores -when they talk to shoppers about products, they often will recommend setting up a home visit.

Consultation topic range from getting recommendations for TVs to streaming or smart home services.

This Monday, May 22, 2017, photo shows a Best Buy sign at a store in Hialeah, Fla. Best Buy Co., Inc. reports earnings, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

That complements the Geek Squad service, which offers tech repairs and at home installations for a fee.

The salespeople for the new home service are being paid a salary or receive hourly wages, not commissions, spokesman Jeffrey Shelman confirmed.

'There are large groups of customers who feel more confident buying online from Best Buy than other e-commerce only merchants, mainly because Best Buy has stores where they can seek advice, resolve problems, and return items if needed,' wrote Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail in an analyst note.

Best Buy joins other traditional retailers including Walmart, Target, Home Depot and Lowe's in seeing gains for a key revenue metric for the quarter.

This May 23, 2017, photo, shows a Best Buy in Las Vegas. Best Buy Co., Inc. reports earnings, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. (AP Photo/John Locher)

For the quarter ended July 29, Best Buy earned $209 million, or 67 cents per share. Adjusted earnings were 69 cents per share, better than the 63 cents that analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research expected. Revenue for the Richfield, Minnesota-based company totaled $8.94 billion, topping the $8.66 billion predicted.

Best Buy expects earnings of 75 cents to 80 cents per share and revenue between $9.3 billion and $9.4 billion for the quarter ending in November. Analysts polled by FactSet anticipate earnings of 65 cents per share. Analysts surveyed by Zacks foresee revenue of $8.98 billion. For the full year, the company expects revenue growth of 4 percent, up from its estimate of 2.5 percent.

But Joly told analysts the second-quarter pace in same-store sales was not the 'new normal.'

That seemed to sour investors' optimism, sending shares down 11 percent to $55.52.
Wannabe hackers who try to break into Facebook accounts using a ready-made tool are in for a nasty surprise.

Facebook Unlocker promises to provide access to a target's profile on the social network, but instead steals information that could be sold to criminals.

Although the app's low budget appearance should be enough to deter anyone, warnings have been posted online for the benefit of anyone who is tempted try it.

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Wannabe hackers who try to break into Facebook accounts via a ready-made tool are in for a nasty surprise. Facebook Unlocker promises to provide access to a target's social media site, but instead steals personal information that could be sold to criminals on the dark web

FIVE STEPS TO MORE SECURE ONLINE OPERATIONS 1) Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). Most major online services, from Amazon to Apple, today support 2FA. 2) Encrypt your internet traffic. A virtual private network (VPN) service encrypts digital communications, making it hard for hackers to intercept them. 3) Tighten up your password security. This is easier than it sounds, and the danger is real. Hackers often steal a login and password from one site and try to use it on others. 4) Monitor your devices' behind-the-scenes activities. Many computer programs and mobile apps keep running even when they are not actively in use. 5) Never open hyperlinks or attachments in any emails that are suspicious. Advertisement

Malicious software expert Malware Hunter was the first to sound the alarm, when he posted to Twitter.

The anonymous security researcher tweeted: 'Another fake hacking tool for Facebook.

'This time an "account unlocker". When humans will stop believing in these obviously fake things?'

The fake hacking tool, which has been available in various forms since at least 2014, asks users for the profile URL of the target account.

To activate it, you must also provide an email address and phone number linked to your own Facebook account, as well as your password.

Clicking the 'make it rain' button should run the hack, but instead it sends the information you have entered to an email address set up by hackers.

This could be used to access your personal information on the site, including private pictures and correspondence.

It could also be used for the purposes of identify theft.

Malware Hunter later traced this particular version of the app to a hacker in Hungary.

The fake hacking (pictured) tool asks users for the profile URL of the target account. To activate it, you must also provide an email address and phone number linked to your own Facebook account, as well as your password

Activating the hack (pictured) sends the information you have entered to an email address set up by cyber criminals. This could be used to access your personal information on the Facebook, including private pictures or it could be used for the purposes of identify theft

Twitter users were largely unsympathetic to anyone caught out by the software, with many mocking victims.

Hapless Dark Star said: 'I kind of want to make one that all it does is post how stupid you were to your own Facebook account.'

Others suggest that the malware may be an adapted version of a piece of software called blackra1n, which is designed to 'jailbreak' the iPhone.

Cyber security expert Sec-7 added: '"Make it ra1n" I'm sure that's associated with the "blackra1n" program for unlocking iphones. I wonder if it's just a redesigned blackra1n.'
Young men from late medieval London's lower classes faced a life of violent conflict to resolve their differences, according to a new study.

Analysis has found that rates of serious head injuries were twice as high in London, compared to other big cities like York.

Around 400 skulls uncovered at cemeteries dating from the 11th to 16th centuries revealed that lower class men were the most likely to suffer 'extreme levels' of brutal crime.

Experts believe this was due to their lack of access to the legal system, which meant they resolved their differences in bar fights rather than through barristers.

Young men from medieval London's lower classes faced a life of violent conflict to resolve their differences, according to a new study which examined serious head injuries found to skulls uncovered in London cemeteries dating from 1050 to 1550 AD

Archaeologist Kathryn Krakowka, from the University of Oxford, examined skulls from over 750 skeletons dating from 1050 to 1550 AD.

Almost seven per cent showed evidence of a violent impact.

Previous discoveries at cemeteries in York, believed to be London's chief rival in terms of population size, had far fewer fractures.

Skulls uncovered at Jewbury and St Helen-on-the-Walls, which date to the same period, featured head injuries in just 2.4 and 3.6 per cent of cases respectively.

And wounds were found more frequently in lower class plots than their upper class contemporaries, with lower class men between the ages of 25 to 36 disproportionately affected.

Speaking to New Scientist, Dr Krakowka said: 'It appears that violence in medieval London may have been largely tied to sex and social status.

'This, in combination with my results, possibly suggests that those of lower status resolved conflict through informal fights that may or may not have been fuelled by drunkenness.'

Dr Krakowka studied bone records from six sites across the city.

This included monastic sites like Blackfriars priory and the abbey of St Mary Graces in Tower Hill, also known as Eastminster.

MEDIEVAL LONDON Medieval London was destroyed by invaders, racked by famine, fire and disease, and torn apart by religious and political controversy. But it grew to become one of the wealthiest and most important cities in Europe. At the end of the 11th century, from when the first skulls date, the population of London was less than eighteen thousand. By the first half of the 14th century, it estimated to have risen to around eighty thousand. At that time London was larger and wealthier than cities like York, Norwich and Bristol. Almost seven per cent of the skulls showed evidence of a violent impact. This painting, Old London Bridge by Claude de Jongh, shows London Bridge as it appeared in 1627. By this date, it was already 500 years old It had four times the number of residents compared to its nearest rival, York, and Londoners accounted for around one and a half per cent of England's population. It was also England's leading commercial centre and Westminster was the royal, political and legal capital. The river was the most convenient and pleasurable way to travel for all Londoners. It became increasingly busy during the 16th century, from when the most recent skulls were uncovered. Aristocrats and leading clergy built their palaces facing on to the river in order to embark directly on to their boats. By 1500, about forty five per cent of Englands wool and seventy per cent of cloth exports were passing through the Port of London. However, it was also a place were violent crime was rife. Young men from late medieval London's lower classes faced a life of violent conflict to resolve their differences, according to a new study. Analysis has found that rates of serious head injuries were twice as high in London, compared to other big cities like York. Advertisement

Lower class cemeteries like St Nicholas Shambles and the mass graves at St Mary Spital infirmary were also included.

The raw data from 5,400 skeletons interred in the main cemetery of St Mary Spital was also included in the overall data, to help create a more complete picture of violence in medieval London.

Around one quarter of injuries were sustained just before the people died, suggesting their injuries may have killed them.

Coroners rolls from the time confirm that a disproportionate amount of murders happened on a Sunday.

This was the main night out of the week, when peasants would get drunk in their local taverns, and many of these recorded injuries were the result of an argument.

Dr Krakowka, who specialises in bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology, believes the disproportionate number of injuries in peasants was the result of the legal system.

Dr Krakowka studied bone records from six sites across London including monastic sites like Blackfriars priory and the abbey of St Mary Graces in Tower Hill, and lower class cemeteries like St Nicholas Shambles. Previous discoveries at cemeteries in York (pictured), believed to be London's chief rival in terms of population size, had far fewer fractures

Upper class nobles would have hired a barrister to resolve their issues in court, or taken part in duels while wearing armour to protect their heads.

Peasants, meanwhile, would have resorted to settling their differences in the streets and taverns.

Medieval London was destroyed by invaders, racked by famine, fire and disease, and torn apart by religious and political controversy.

But it grew to become one of the wealthiest and most important cities in Europe.

At the end of the 11th century, from when the first skulls date, the population of London was less than eighteen thousand.

By the first half of the 14th century, it estimated to have risen to around eighty thousand.

The full results of the study were published in the journal Physical Anthropology.
Throughout his long and distinguished career, Gregory Peck portrayed countless heroic figures who often - to quote Theodore Roosevelt - spoke softly yet carried a big stick. His most famous characterization, the stoic, forthright attorney Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, defines that persona, but in Night People, one of his relatively minor movies, Peck gets a rare chance to blow his stack. And he makes the most of it.

As Lt. Colonel Steve Van Dyke, a gruff, pugnacious officer stationed in Berlin during the early days of the Cold War, Peck barks orders at his underlings, vociferously chastises their incompetence, and confronts adversaries with vigorous diatribes. It's a meaty role and the actor hungrily sinks his teeth into it. Such enthusiasm certainly enhances writer-director Nunnally Johnson's cloak-and-dagger tale about the abduction of a young GI by Russian operatives and how the American government plans to gain his freedom. Packed with twists - some of which work and some of which seem contrived - Night People zips along, but often the lovely Berlin locations and expansive allure of early CinemaScope eclipse the rather pedestrian story.

A trio of Russian thugs ambushes Corporal John Leatherby (Ted Avery) as he walks along Berlin's deserted streets after kissing his German girlfriend goodnight. Stuffed into a getaway car by these stealthy "night people" and shepherded across Checkpoint Charlie into Communist territory, Corporal Leatherby instantly becomes a bargaining chip in a high-stakes prisoner exchange spearheaded by bitter Russians seeking revenge for acts of betrayal during World War II. Leatherby's father, Charles (Broderick Crawford), a blustery, vulgar tycoon from Akron, Ohio, hops the first plane to Germany and quickly locks horns with Van Dyke over the government's plan to rescue his son. A bit reminiscent of Donald Trump with his "I alone can fix it" attitude, disregard for proper procedure, and willingness to use his considerable wealth to get what he wants, the senior Leatherby doesn't care what happens to any other pawns in this risky cat-and-mouse game as long as he gets his boy back. Charles may be a loud-mouth big shot in the axle grease industry, but he has a tough time greasing the wheels of American bureaucracy and browbeating Van Dyke, who refuses to kowtow to his demands and remains determined to proceed as he sees fit.

That means tapping his local network of undercover spies, namely Frau "Hoffy" Hoffmeier (Anita Bjork), a former flame with Russian contacts, who learns the Russians would be willing to swap Corporal Leatherby for an elderly German couple who valiantly stood up against the Nazis and have the scars to prove it. Charles supports the trade, but Van Dyke, who recognizes the human cost of such a deal, hopes to finesse the situation and protect all involved. Yet circumstances conspire against him, and as events unfold and truths are revealed, the rescue of Corporal Leatherby becomes ever more dicey and uncertain.

Night People was shot almost entirely on location in Berlin, which lends this tense yarn a welcome authenticity that helps gloss over some of the far-fetched plot developments. Color photography and the still fledgling CinemaScope process also heighten realism and help immerse us in the action, yet despite all the bells and whistles, Night People struggles to distinguish itself from similarly themed films. Veteran screenwriter Johnson, who received an Oscar nomination for his adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath 14 years earlier, makes his directorial debut here, and though his work is competent, it lacks panache. Johnson seems to rely more on his dialogue to tell the story than interesting visuals, resulting in a rather static, talky presentation that diminishes the impact of the film's thriller elements.

Peck's lively portrayal carries the movie (he reportedly enjoyed the change-of-pace role), and his sparring with the equally spirited Crawford is fun to watch. In supporting roles, the lanky Buddy Ebsen supplies some light-hearted moments as Van Dyke's right-hand man, while the usually boisterous Walter Abel files a surprisingly sober performance as a military doctor. Jill Esmond, perhaps best known as Laurence Olivier's first wife (before he left her for Vivien Leigh), also turns up briefly as the aged German woman caught in the web of the negotiations surrounding Corporal Leatherby's release.

In the large realm of Cold War thrillers, Night People is a minor entry (even some of Peck's diehard fans may never have heard of it), but its involving story and solid performances lend it merit. The film may lack the expected nail-biting tension, but more often than not it hits its marks and remains an entertaining exercise in international intrigue.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray

Night People arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu with music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.
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As NASAs Cassini spacecraft nears its finals days, the space agency has shared a stunning new view of Saturns turbulent clouds, captured the day Cassini first began its Grand Finale.

The breathtaking photo shows the swirling clouds on top of the world at the ringed planet just weeks before Saturns northern summer solstice  a period soon to be followed by years of darkness.

Cassini began the first of its final five orbits mid-August, bringing it closer to Saturn than ever before.

And, images from its August 20 dive now offer a mesmerizing inside out perspective from the gap between the planet and its rings, just weeks before the final death dive.

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As NASAs Cassini spacecraft nears its finals days, the space agency has shared a stunning new view of Saturns turbulent clouds, captured the day Cassini first began its Grand Finale. The breathtaking photo shows the swirling clouds on top of the world at the ringed planet just weeks before Saturns northern summer solstice

SATURN'S RINGS Saturn's rings consist of countless small particles, ranging in size from micrometres to metres, that orbit the planet. The ring particles are made almost entirely of water ice, with a trace component of rocky material. They also contain features known as straw and propellers, which are caused by clumping ring particles and small, embedded moonlets, respectively. Advertisement

The observations released by NASA this week come roughly two weeks shy of Cassinis mission-ending plunge into Saturns atmosphere.

In a strikingly dynamic photo captured on April 26, 2017  the day it approached Saturn for its first dive  Cassini observed the planets north pole as it remained bathed in sunlight, from about 166,000 miles away.

But soon, the region will be enveloped in darkness.

Although the pole is still bathed in sunlight at present, northern summer solstice on Saturn occurred on May 24, 2017, bringing the maximum solar illumination to the north polar region, NASA explains.

Now the Sun begins its slow descent in the northern sky, which eventually will plunge the north pole into Earth-years of darkness.

Cassinis long mission at Saturn enabled the spacecraft to see the Sun rise over the north, revealing that region in great detail for the first time.

A series of images captured months after its Grand Finale began shows a different perspective of the planet, with an inside view from the gap between Saturn and its rings.

Cassini began the first of its final five orbits mid-August, bringing it closer to Saturn than ever before. And, images from its August 20 dive now offer a mesmerizing inside out perspective, shown above, from the gap between the planet and its rings

In a movie stitching together 21 images taken with Cassinis wide-angle camera, NASA reveals a look at the entirety of the main rings.

The images were taken over a period of roughly four minutes on August 20, 2017.

The entirety of the main rings can be seen here, but due to the low viewing angle, the rings appear extremely foreshortened, according to NASA.

The perspective shifts from the sunlit side of the rings to the unlit side, where sunlight filters through.

On the sunlit side, the grayish C ring looks larger in the foreground because it is closer; beyond it is the brightest B ring and slightly less-bright A ring, with the Cassini Division between them.

The F ring is also fairly easy to make out.

During Cassini's journey around Saturn, it has captured unprecedented views of the ringed planet.

In a movie stitching together 21 images taken with Cassinis wide-angle camera, NASA reveals a look at the entirety of the main rings. The images were taken over a period of roughly four minutes on August 20, 2017

Its one of 53 named moons known to be circling Saturn  but, in a stunning new image, the icy moon Tethys appears to be the planets only companion, bathed in Saturnshine. In this view, Cassini is roughly 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Tethys

THE SCALE OF SATURN When it comes to space, it isn't always easy to understand how big objects really are. To put things into perspective, if Earth was the size of a tennis ball, the moon would be the size of a marble. Saturn would be the size of a beach ball and the sun would be the length of seven football fields away from Earth. Advertisement

But, it's also revealed critical new insight on its many mysterious moons.

Its one of 53 named moons known to be circling Saturn  but, in a stunning image shared recently by NASA, the icy moon Tethys appears to be the planets only companion, bathed in Saturnshine.

The image, captured by the Cassini spacecraft at roughly 750,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) from Saturn, shows the mid-sized moon illuminated by sunlight reflected off the ringed planet, bringing its night side into full view.

Cassini is now just weeks away from its mission-ending plunge into Saturns atmosphere, as it dips further than ever before to explore the region between the planet and its rings.

The view of Tethys was captured in visible light by Cassinis wide-angle camera on May 13, 2017.

Sitting roughly 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) from the spacecraft at the time the photo was taken, Tethys is just a speck in the dark sky far beyond the massive figure of Saturn and its rings.

But, thanks to sunlight bouncing off Saturn, Cassini was able to view the moon from its night side.

Tethys was on the far side of Saturn with respect to Cassini here; an observer looking upward from the moons surface toward Cassini would see Saturns illuminated disk filling the sky, NASA explains.

Tethys was brightened by a factor of two in this image to increase its visibility. A sliver of the moons sunlit northern hemisphere is seen at top.

A bright wedge of Saturns sunlit side is seen at lower left.

A stunning new view of Saturn has revealed waves of clouds swirling above the planet, like strokes form a cosmic brush. The image, captured by the Cassini spacecraft from roughly 750,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) above the surface, shows the turbulent essence of Saturns clouds, which move as bands in different speeds and directions

THE 'GRAND FINALE' Cassini has circled Saturn for 13 years since reaching its orbit in 2004, spearheading remarkable discoveries about the ringed planet and its icy moons  but now, it's running low on fuel. On April 22 the spacecraft began to transition into its grand finale orbits, taking one last close flyby of Saturn's massive moon Titan. Titan's gravity bent Cassini's flight path, causing the orbit to shrink until it was on course to pass between Saturn and the inner edges of its rings. Cassini then began the first of 22 dives through an unexplored gap before it ultimately plunges through the skies of Saturn to end its mission as 'part of the planet itself.' Cassini's mission will officially terminate on September 15, after a planned plummet through Saturn's atmosphere. And, all the while, it will transmit data from several instruments until the signal is finally lost. Advertisement

Earlier this month, NASA released a stunning view of Saturn that reveals the waves of clouds swirling above the planet, like strokes from a cosmic brush.

The image, captured by the Cassini spacecraft from roughly 750,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) above the surface, shows the turbulent essence of Saturns clouds, which move as bands in different speeds and directions.

Cassini began the final phase of its mission this month, executing the first of five ultra-close passes of the gas giant on August 14.

The new false-color image shared by NASA was captured using Cassinis narrow-angle camera on May 18.

This instrument uses a combination of spectral filters to preferentially admit different wavelengths of near-infrared light.

Neighboring bands of clouds move at different speeds and directions depending on their latitudes, NASA explains.

This generates turbulence where bands meet and leads to the wavy structure along the interfaces.

'Saturns upper atmosphere generates the faint haze seen along the limb of the planet in this image.

Now, Cassini is much further along in its journey  and, less than a month from now, its mission will come to a dramatic end.

Earlier in the week, the spacecraft sent back stunning images of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, as it prepares to end its 20-year mission.

Titan's surface can be seen in incredible detail, as well as the moon's ever-changing atmosphere.

The images come as Cassini begins the final phase of its journey around Saturn.

On Monday August 14, at 05:22 BST (00:22 EST) the probe executed the first of five ultra-close passes of the gas giant, brushing the top of its atmosphere.

Data from the manoeuvre is expected to be received back on Earth tomorrow, and Nasa hopes it will provide new information of the chemical composition of Saturn.

Just days into its Grand Finale mission phase, Nasa's Cassini spacecraft has sent back stunning images of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Titan's surface can be seen in incredible detail, as well as the moon's ever-changing atmosphere

Nasa previously revealed the images taken by Cassini as it pierced the through hydrocarbon haze that surrounds Titan and capture the images of the moon.

In addition to Titan's surface, the images show the moon's ever-changing atmosphere, chronicling the appearance and movement of hazes and clouds over the years.

A large, bright and feathery band of summer clouds can be seen arcing across high northern latitudes in the image on the right.

The stunning views were captured at a distance of 613,000 miles (986,000 kilometers) from Titan.

Over the course of its 13-year orbit around Saturn, Cassini has made 127 close flybys of Titan, with many more-distant observations.

In addition to Titan's surface, images have provided windows into the moon's ever-changing atmosphere, chronicling the appearance and movement of hazes and clouds over the years

COULD PRIMITIVE LIFE EXIST ON TITAN? Using data collected as Cassini flew through the upper atmosphere, at about 9501,300 km (590-807 miles) above the surface, researchers have identified what are known as 'carbon chain anions.' These are thought to be the building blocks of more complex molecules. Researchers say the data from Cassini's plasma spectrometer (CAPS), suggest the carbon chains 'seeded' larger molecules at Titan, as they were found to dwindle closer to the moon, while precursors to larger aerosols underwent rapid growth. Not only does the discovery suggest Titan may contain molecules that drive prebiotic chemistry, but it could also help to explain how life sprung up on Earth, according to ESA. Advertisement

While early images of Titan taken by Cassini were spotty, every encounter has built upon the previous one.

And over the course of the entire mission, Cassini's radar investigation imaged approximately 67 per cent of Titan's surface.

Views from Cassini have slowly added details, building up a more complete picture of Titan.

Steve Wall, deputy lead of Cassini's radar team at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said: 'Now that we've completed Cassini's investigation of Titan, we have enough detail to really see what Titan is like as a world, globally.'

Scientists now have enough data to understand the distribution of Titan's surface features and the behaviour of its atmosphere over time.

During its latest close brush with Titan as it heads into its Grand Finale, Cassini imaged a long area of the surface that included terrain seen on the very first Titan flyby in 2004.

Mr Wall said: 'It's pretty remarkable that we ended up close to where we started.

'The difference is how richly our understanding has grown, and how the questions we're asking about Titan have evolved.'

In today's first pass, the researchers expect Cassini's thrusters to operate between 10 and 60 percent of their capability.

If they have to work harder, the team will have to increase the altitude of the next orbits in what's known as a 'pop-up maneuver.'

In today's first pass, the researchers expect Cassini's thrusters to operate between 10 and 60 percent of their capability. If they have to work harder, the team will have to increase the altitude of the next orbits in what's known as a 'pop-up maneuver'

If the pop-up is deemed necessary, the thrusters will raise the altitude of closest approach by about 120 miles.

If not, and the atmosphere is less dense than expected, the team may use the pop-down and instead lower the closest approach of the last two orbits by about 120 miles.

This would allow Cassini's instruments to gather unprecedented data near the cloud tops.

'As it makes these five dips into Saturn, followed by its final plunge, Cassini will become the first Saturn atmospheric probe,' said Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist at JPL.

'It's long been a goal in planetary exploration to send a dedicated probe into the atmosphere of Saturn, and we're laying the groundwork for future exploration with this first foray.'

The ion and neutral mass spectrometer (INMS) will investigate the atmosphere, while other instruments will capture high-resolution observations of Saturn's auroras, temperature, and the vortexes at the planet's poles

The ion and neutral mass spectrometer (INMS) will investigate the atmosphere, while other instruments will capture high-resolution observations of Saturn's auroras, temperature, and the vortexes at the planet's poles, according to Nasa.

The craft's radar will look deep into the atmosphere to see features as small as 16-miles wide.

This is about 100 times smaller than it could previously achieve.

Then, on September 11, Cassini will have a gravitational pop-down as it encounters Titan, slowing its orbit around Saturn and bending its path to send the craft toward its plunge.

This illustration gives an idea of what Cassini will look like as it breaks up in Saturn's atmosphere in its last Grand Finale in September

On September 15, the craft will begin its mission-ending decent. During this time, seven instruments will be turned on and monitoring the environment as Cassini plummets to an altitude where density is roughly twice what it experienced during the final five orbits

On September 15, the craft will begin its mission-ending decent.

During this time, seven instruments will be turned on and monitoring the environment in real time as Cassini plummets to an altitude where density is roughly twice what it experienced during the final five orbits.

Then, it will come to a dramatic finish.

'Once Cassini reaches this point, its thrusters will no longer be able to work against the push of Saturn's atmosphere to keep the spacecraft's antenna pointed toward Earth, and contact will permanently be lost,' Nasa explains.

'The spacecraft will break up like a meteor moments later, ending its long and rewarding journey.'
The world will end in a fiery collision in a matter of weeks if one conspiracy theorist is to be believed.

Christian numerologist David Meade has again warned that the mysterious planet 'Nibiru' is about to smash into Earth.

According to his theory, the apocalypse will take place between September 20-23, and the clues are written on the pyramids and in the Bible.

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The world will end in a fiery collision in a matter of weeks if one conspiracy theorist is to be believed. Christian numerologist David Meade has again warned that the mysterious planet 'Nibiru' (artist's impression) is about to smash into Earth

WHAT IS NIBIRU? Nibiru, sometimes referred to as Planet X, is a hypothesised planet on the edge of our solar system. Nibiru is a different planet to the Planet Nine, which is also sometimes referred to as Planet X, that was proposed by astronomers in Caltech in January last year. Conspiracy theorists believe the gravitational influence of the 'rogue planet' Nibiru disrupted the orbits of other planets hundreds of years ago. They claim the next disruptive passage into the inner solar system could happen at any time. Some claim that this 'planet' is sending 'plasmatic energy particles' through our solar system. The flow of energy will disrupt the 'core flows' of the Earth and trigger catastrophic changes in Earth's climate. They claim, since 1996, we have already been feeling the disruptive effects of the inbound rogue Planet X. Conspiracy theorists often blame natural disasters and freak weather patterns on the planet. 'Nibiru and other stories about wayward planets are an internet hoax,' Nasa has said. 'Obviously, it does not exist.' Advertisement

The conspirator said: 'It is very strange indeed that both the Great Sign of Revelation 12 and the Great Pyramid of Giza both point us to one precise moment in time  September 20 to 23, 2017.

'Is this the end of the Church Age and the transition to the Day of the Lord?

'There couldn't be two greater witnesses.'

Mr Meade thinks Nibiru, also known as Planet X, will become visible in the sky around mid-September before it collides with our planet.

Earlier this year Mr Meade made a September prediction using verses from the Bible, but he now claims this date is backed up by marking on the pyramids.

Of the pyramid, he said: 'It faces true north with only 3/60th of a degree of error and is located at the centre of the land mass of the Earth.

'The east/west parallel that crosses the most land and the north/south meridian that crosses the most land intersect in two places on the Earth  one in the ocean and the other at the Great Pyramid.'

Two tunnels set in the Great Pyramid will point to significant celestial objects after September 20, the conspiracy theorist claims.

He said the Descending Passage will point to the star Regulus  also known as the 'King'  in the constellation Leo, and the Ascending Passage will point to Jupiter  known to the Jews as the 'Planet of the Messiah'.

As well as detailing markings on Egypt's pyramids, David's prediction is mostly based on the Bible passage Isaiah, Chapter 13 9-10, which says, 'See, the Day of the Lord is coming  a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger  to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.

'The Stars of Heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the Moon will not give its light.'

Despite a lack of evidence for the hidden world, which Nasa has previously stated is an 'internet hoax', many people believe it is real.

Earlier this year Mr Meade made a September prediction using verses from the Bible, but he now claims this date is backed up by marking on the pyramids (stock image)

Nibiru, and is sometimes referred to as Planet X, has been predicted to end the world several times since 2003.

Mr Meade's latest claims follow his original apocalyptic predictions, which came in January after he claimed a star, which he calls 'a binary twin of our sun', is coming 'at us towards the south pole'.

Mr Meade, author of the book 'Planet X  The 2017 Arrival', said the star will bring with it 'seven orbiting bodies', including Nibiru, a large, blue planet that he also refers to as Planet X hurtling towards our planet.

In his book, he claims to put forward scientific evidence, but readers commenting on the book say the argument quickly develops into a religious argument.

According to his latest theory, the apocalypse will take place between September 20-23, and the clues are written on the pyramids and in the Bible (stock image)

One reviewer says: 'on his website he focus on facts and science, astronomical 'evidence' to lure some readers into his material, but after a dozen pages it starts to get all religious for almost 40 pages, more than a 1/3 of the book, mentioning visions and dreams.'

He continues, the 'author mentions several times how certain things are 'facts' just because 'God said so on the Bible', and then goes on and on over the rapture.'

The scientific community does not agree Nibiru exists.
Popular dating app Tinder will now allow users to see who has liked their profile - for a price

The 'Likes You' feature, which will be offered to select iOS users worldwide today as part of Tinder's Gold product, shows users a grid of people who have already swiped right on their profile.

Tinder Gold, which costs $4.99 per month, also lets members access other features like rewind (where you can undo a swipe), unlimited likes and five super likes a day.

Tinder Gold members opening up the app will have the option to jump to a section that shows them a grid of everyone who has already swiped right on their profile

Tinder Gold began testing in Canada, Argentina, Mexico and Australia in June, and is now being rolled out worldwide to iOS users, with an Android release set for next month.

Gold members opening up the app will have the option to jump to a section that shows them a grid of everyone who has already swiped right on their profile.

TINDER GOLD Tinder Gold, which costs $4.99 per month, has a allow members to open the app and have the option to jump to a section that shows them a grid of everyone who has already swiped right on their profile. Tinder Gold will also offer other features, including: Passport : Lets you search outside of your geographic region.

: Lets you search outside of your geographic region. Rewind : Allows you to undo a swipe.

: Allows you to undo a swipe. Unlimited Likes : Allows users to swipe right (like) as much as they want. Normal users who swipe too much in a 12-hour period can run out of likes.

: Allows users to swipe right (like) as much as they want. Normal users who swipe too much in a 12-hour period can run out of likes. Five Super Likes per day : Blue start icon that lets someone know that they stand out from everyone else. All Tinder users get one to use per day.

: Blue start icon that lets someone know that they stand out from everyone else. All Tinder users get one to use per day. One Boost per month : Sends your profile near the top of potential matches' swiping queue for half an hour. Advertisement

They will then be able to search through the list and swipe right on people they like, at which point they will instantly match.

And if you're going through swiping through profiles instead of using the grid, a gold heart on a person's profile indicates that they've already liked you.

Unlike Gold members, Tinder users on the free tier have to swipe through a list of profiles without knowing which potential matches have liked them.

'Think of it as your personal Swipe Right concierge - available 24/7 - bringing all of your pending matches to you,' Tinder wrote in a blog post in June.

'Now you can sit back, enjoy a fine cocktail, and browse through profiles at your leisure.

Tinder Gold includes several other features, including Passport (which lets you search outside of your geographic region), Rewind (which allows you to undo a swipe), Unlimited Likes, five Super Likes per day, one Boost per month (which sends your profile near the top of potential matches' swiping queue for half an hour), and more profile controls.

Tinder already has another paid subscriber option called Tinder Plus, which also allows users to undo a swipe and swipe in different locations around the world,

Tinder Plus costs more than Tinder Gold, but it is not yet clear if Tinder Gold will replace Tinder Plus.
A behind-the-scenes look at Apple's nearly-finished headquarters in Cupertino has been revealed thanks to Snapchat.

Construction workers building the Apple Park have been posting photos and videos of the firm's new $5 billion headquarters, including the Steve Jobs Theater where Apple will unveil the new iPhone during a special event on September 12.

They show the exterior of the spaceship, the sleek walls of the new theater, the 'Apple Campus tunnel,' and several areas still under heavy construction.

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A behind-the-scenes look at Apple's nearly-finished headquarters in Cupertino has been revealed thanks to Snapchat. Construction workers have posted photos and videos of sleek walls on the interior as well as the exterior of the 2.8 million-square-foot office

While the videos are not showing up on the Snapchat map, they can be found by typing 'Apple Park' into the Stories search feature.

The stories all appear to be coming from construction workers, who are pictured in some of the videos taking breaks and using construction equipment.

The first video offers a look at the new 1,000-seat glass auditorium honoring Apple founder Steve Jobs, which measures 20 feet tall and 165 feet in diameter.

The theater is expected to open for the first time on September 12th for the launch of the iPhone 8 as well as the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus, a new version of the Apple Watch and a new 4K Apple TV.

In subsequent videos, both interior and exterior walls of the 360-degree curved glass office building, which has been nicknamed 'spaceship, can be seen.

Trees and foliage can also be seen in the background of some of the videos, lending to the idea that the landscaping is almost complete.

It's expected the final tree count will be around 9,000 and will include apple, apricot, and cherry trees.

Other shots show Apple signs, stairs, parking lots, and a modern-looking tunnel captioned 'Apple Campus tunnel' by one of the construction workers.

Several of the videos show heavy machinery and the construction workers operating various types of equipment.

KEY FEATURES OF THE SPACESHIP-LIKE CAMPUS Appearing as a giant saucer, the Silicon Valley site near the 280 Highway will be home to 13,000 Apple employees. There will be jogging and cycling trails, with more than a thousand bikes kept on site at all times, which staff can use to make their way around. The Spaceship will have 360-degree curved glass fronted walls and central courtyard as well as a 1,000-seater auditorium, a gym and 300,000 square feet of 'research' space. Apple Campus 2 will additionally have underground parking hidden from view, meaning 80 per cent of the site can be covered in trees. The site was previously owned by Hewlett Packard and the majority of the area is currently covered in asphalt. Elsewhere underground, the auditorium will be where Apple's CEO Tim Cook will present the companies keynotes ahead of product launches, for example. This auditorium will be covered with a circular glass pavilion that will also be an access point for employees and guests. Natural gas will, primarily, provide the building's power and the local energy grid will only be accessed in emergencies. The glass structure will also be fitted with solar panels. The circular, four-storey building will be around a mile in circumference and a third of a mile wide and was recently described by the San Fransisco Weekly as a 'massive glass doughnut' . The building stays eco-friendly with natural ventilation that works instead of air-conditioning for 70 per cent of the year, low energy LED lighting where natural light doesn't reach, and on-site recycling. Advertisement

The 2.8 million-square-foot Apple Park campus was originally commissioned by the late Steve Jobs in 2009.

Jobs called it 'the best office building in the world' and the current Apple CEO, Tim Cook, now refers to it as a 'gift' to the future of Apple employees.

Estimated to cost a staggering $5 billion, the campus was built on a massive 175 acres.

The finished product will span 2.8 million square feet and house 13,000 Apple techies.

Inside the circular building, each floor will be lined with fins called 'canopies,' which will be equipped with specially designed vents on the underside that will allow the Ring to 'inhale' air and breathe.

The footage includes a look at the Steve Jobs Theater - where Apple will unveil the new iPhone at during a special event on September 12 - and the signs on the campus.

It is a stunning scene  the sun setting over what Steve Jobs had called the best office building in the world. The video shows parts of the spaceship lighting up as the sun starts to go down and although the main building looks near complete, the landscape suggests otherwise

Shafts placed elsewhere will allow it to exhale warm air to the outside.

It will be mostly self-sufficient with a 'mini forest' of thousands of drought-resistant trees planted in the surrounding area as well as a new micro-grid capable of delivering 17 megawatts of solar power and handling about 75 percent of the facility's power requirements.

In total, it will have 805,000-square-feet of solar paneling.

The campus will also have a 100,000 square-foot Fitness and Wellness Center  and, this will contain a two-story yoga room built from distressed stone from 'the right quarry in Kansas,' to mimic the stone at Jobs' favorite Yosemite hotel.

The building will have a massive four-story atrium as its cafe, with four-story glass doors that will open up on nice days so employees can eat outside.

The building will be home to scores of glass-encased 'pods' designed for the many different activities that will take place within its walls, from work and collaboration to socializing, according to Wired.

Apple began developing the project in 2014 and has since been working around the clock to finish the campus, which opened to employees in April - although the entire space is not yet complete.

THE OBSESSION WITH DETAIL INSIDE 'APPLE PARK' Construction on Apple's futuristic campus has been estimated to cost roughly $5 billion. Apple has specified every part of the project with rules for contractors, and features include: 'Breathing building' that uses soffits beneath the canopies to inhale, and shafts to exhale warm air - as Steve Jobs hated air conditioning and fans

Artificial hills and a mini-forest of 9,000 native trees, all drought-resistant with hopes they can 'survive a climate crisis' with some hand picked by Jobs

100,000-square-foot Fitness and Wellness Center (including a two-story yoga room made of distressed stone to look like Steve Jobs favourite Yosemite hotel)

Canopies (fins along the glass) on every floor to help the building 'breathe'

A cafe with four-story glass doors that will open up on nice days so employees can eat outside 'Pods' designed for the many different activities that will take place within its walls, from work and collaboration to socializing

1,000-seat Steve Jobs Theater

805,000 square-feet of solar panelling

755-foot tunnel adorned with thousands of tiny white tiles

Shock absorbers to withstand earthquakes

Offices panelled with 'custom timber veneer' from recycled wood - and guidelines for the special wood used frequently throughout the building ran to some 30 pages

Patented pizza boxes to keep food from getting soggy

Contractors were told no vents or pipes could be reflected in the glass Advertisement

Timelapse videos have shown a birds' eye view of the construction of the site from 2015 to 2017.

The video begins with the spaceship in the center of Apple Park standing as gray, lifeless pieces.

As time goes by, it begins the take shape  the gaps are filled in to make the iconic circle.

The surrounding area also progresses during the timelapse, as viewers can see the Steve Jobs Theater and wellness center rise from the dirt.

And surrounding artificial hills and mini-forests also begin to sprout up.

Although the campus is not yet fully completed, Apple has not shied away from boasting about the wonders that it will soon be home to.

A drone video released in May also shows stunning footage of the developing headquarters as well.

Duncan Sinfield, a YouTuber and independent drone pilot, shared the 4 minute and 41 second video of the progress.

The video shows parts of the spaceship lighting up as the sun starts to go down and although the main building looks near complete, the landscape suggests otherwise.

Parts of the campus still looks very much like a construction zone- there are mounds of dirt and empty space that should be filled with lush vegetation.

This image is an artist's impression of what the Apple Campus will look like from above when its complete. The site will be surrounded by a man-made forest featuring 9,000 trees

Not all of the parking spaces will be hidden. The parts of the multi-storey car park that will be on show, according to this image from Apple, will be covered in plants and greenery to help the concrete structure blend in

The cafeteria will additionally feature an outside dining and picnic area (pictured). Apple's Campus 2 additionally comes with a fitness centre in the northern part of the building. Pictured is an artist's impression

During his initial proposals,Jobs said he wanted the building to be covered in 40ft floor-to-ceiling panes of curved glass so that all of the building's four storeys would be visible from the outside and offer a large amount of natural light

More than $1 billion was allocated for the interior of the main building alone, according to a former construction manager.

The campus is something of an exception to the trend of radically open offices aimed at fostering collaboration, said Louise Mozingo, a professor and chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at University of California, Berkeley.

Its central office building - a massive ring of glass frequently likened to a spaceship - could be a challenge just to navigate, she noted.

'It's not about maximizing the productivity of the office space, it's about creating a symbolic center for this global company,' she said. 'They are creating an icon.'
They roamed the Earth during the last Ice Age, dominating an area that stretched from Europe to South Korea before mysteriously going extinct 10,000 years ago.

Its thought that over-hunting by early humans may have contributed to the decline of the woolly rhino, along with disease and the changing climate  but now, researchers may have uncovered new clues on their downfall.

A study on neck vertebrae from the extinct species and modern rhinos has revealed evidence of a rare condition in the Pleistocene-era bones, suggesting abnormalities from inbreeding and difficult pregnancy may have played a role in their demise.

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A new study suggests a 'vulnerable condition,' revealed by the presence of a neck rib, may have contributed to the woolly rhino's downfall. While the rib may not cause much harm on its own, the experts say its often linked to inbreeding and harsh conditions during pregnancy

The study, led by researchers from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, Netherlands examined bones from American and European museums to compare the extinct and living species.

In doing this, they discovered the presence of a cervical (neck) rib in many rhinos from the North Sea.

But, the modern rhinos did not have this feature.

According to the researchers, this suggests the extinct beasts may have been afflicted with a vulnerable condition.

While the rib may not cause much harm on its own, the experts say, in modern animals, its often linked to inbreeding and pregnancies that occur under harsh environmental conditions.

The neck rib has been seen in previous research on late-Pleistocene creatures, as well, where Frietson Galis, one of the authors on the new study, noted a high percentage of the feature in the extinct woolly mammoth.

A study on neck vertebrae from the extinct species (illustrated left) and modern rhinos has revealed evidence of a rare condition in the Pleistocene-era bones. They found many had a 'neck rib' (right)

This aroused our curiosity to also check the woolly rhino, a species that, like the woolly mammoth lived during the late Pleistocene and similarly died out, said Alexandra van der Geer, one of the authors of the study.

The woolly rhino bones were all dredged from the North Sea and river deltas in the Netherlands.

We knew these were just about the last rhinos living there, so we suspected something could be wrong here as well.

THE WOOLLY RHINO The woolly rhinoceros is an extinct species of rhinoceros that was common throughout Europe and northern Asia during the Pleistocene epoch and survived the last glacial period. The last of the species is thought to have died out around 10,000 years ago. In the Pleistocene epoch, the woolly rhino roamed across Europe and Asia from Scotland and Spain in the west, to South Korea in the east. It was well adapted to its environment, with stocky limbs and a thick woolly fleece to suit the icy tundra. Previous studies using DNA from the ancient creatures have found that its closest modern relative is the Sumatran rhino. Based on skeletons and cave paintings, scientists believe that adult woolly rhinos were up to 13ft (4metres) long and weighed as much as 4,400lbs (2,000kg). The two horns on the skull were made of keratin - the longest being 24 inches (61cm) - and the woolly rhinoceros used them for defensive purposes and to attract mates, but spent most of its time grazing on grasses. The reason for their extinction around 10,000 years ago is not fully understood, but like woolly mammoths, they may have been over-hunted by early man and affected by the receding Ice Age and the spread of disease. Advertisement

Our work now shows that there was indeed a problem in the woolly rhino population.

Rhinos today are facing severe threats, with some species now nearing critical population lows.

And, the western black rhinoceros has totally gone extinct.

As the modern bones used in the study were collected at least five decades ago, the researchers say the new insight could help to predict risks among populations before its too late.

According to Galis, Our study suggests that monitoring the health of the vertebrae in rhinos has the potential to timely detect developmental errors that indicate the level of extinction risk.
A 27-year-old man has become an Instagram sensation for his kilt-clad, bagpipe-playing photos across the globe, on daring cliffs, the Arabian desert, and along the Great Wall of China.

Ross OC Jennings, who's half Irish and half Scottish, is on a quest to be the first human to play the bagpipes in every country in the world. Hes already crossed 64 countries off his list.

He calls himself the First Piper, and for the crowds that gather in the public squares and parks he plays in across the globe, he very well may be.

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On top of the world: Ross OC Jennings stands atop a rock peak at Scotland's Isle of Skye, one of his stops on his global tour to be the first man to play the bagpipes in every nation

Kilted adventures: Jennings stands small next to the tallest towers in Shanghai

The music man: Ross, 27, plays in China's Forbidden City, the country where his parents live

The seed for the world travelling idea came to him when he attended a travel expo in London after graduating from university, where he met adventurers who shared their expeditions from across the globe.

Already bitten by the travel bug, Ross was inspired to embark on a journey of his own.

'I started because I wanted to be the first person to do something,' he said. 'I thought why dont I try and pipe in every country.'

The journey serendipitously began on a night in Tunisia in May 2014. Ross packed his bags without knowing much about the North African country.

I thought maybe I should have a look and see if people actually knew about the bagpipes so I started doing a bit of research and everyone is like yeah, the mizwad [a type of bagpipes], it's the national instrument of Tunisia! he said.

For Ross, bagpiping through the Old Town of Tunis and the Ksar Ghilane Sahara crystallized his enthusiasm for his odyssey.

Following Tunisia he has travelled across Western Europe, the mountains of China, played in front of the Taj Mahal in India and Cambodias ancient temples.

But his greatest performance was in Kenya.

All dressed up with nowhere to go: Ross stands in the middle of the Sahara desert

Majestic music: A camel calmly enjoys Ross' music in Tunisia's Sahara desert

En route to Nairobi, Ross reached out to a famous giraffe sanctuary and hotel in Kenya. He begged the hotel owners to ask if he could play the bagpipes there. They answered warmly of course, the house was built by a Scotsman'.

Honestly the minute I started playing all these giraffes started wandering in unison towards me, rocking. And they got to a certain point and just stopped and spectated as if to enjoy the sound. It is honestly surreal, Ross said.

It was the most incredible audience Ive ever had.

Ross also stumbled upon a surprisingly joyful welcome to his loud pipes on a tour of the Gulf countries.

One day Ross played in the souq of Manama, Bahrain. As he made his way through the commercial market place, people styled him in a ghutra, the traditional head scarf, and sent him walking through the souq to play over and over again.

As Ross was about to step into a taxi to leave, two ladies in full abaya and niqab approached him.

They rushed up to me saying "photo, photo photo!" I thought this is incredible because youre not often allowed to have photos with women who wear the abaya but they were desperate for one, he said.

I kept thinking this is such a lovely interaction. As I was about to leave one of the girls looks at me then looks around in a really suspicious way. She grabs her niqab, the veil, lifts it up, and is like Remember my face! and drifts off into the souq.

I thought, "Did that just happen?" It was bizarre!

Ross has three rules when travelling. First, pipe in a school to interact with students, second, challenge himself to play in a dramatic place, third, play in public.

His Instagram is littered with photos taken in front of epic water falls, on the edge of wooden canoes in Laos, and above the clouds on the tallest point of Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia.

Ross' most magical audience were giraffes at an animal sanctuary in Nairobi, Kenya, where the tall beasts seemed to stop and listen to his music

Criss-crossing the globe has its perks, such as seeing Ethiopia's stone churches in person

Deep breath! There's nothing like playing to the hills that flow endlessly along the Great Wall of China

And in all his travels, he says hes only had one negative experience in the Netherlands.

I was piping on one of the canals midday and this Dutch guy came out and went to town on me, he said.

Honestly if you havent seen an angry Dutchman scream at you He told me he'd called the police and his face was shaking!'

His travel passion can be blamed on his obsession with planes, but also on his expatriate status as a Scot raised in Shanghai, China.

I love flying. I kind of grew up on planes so on holidays, even short ones, from my school in the UK, Id go straight to the airport and fly back to my parents in China, even sometimes if it was only for five days, he said.

Ross' journey is all possible thanks to his unique music career, which started aged 13 when he was offered the chance to play bagpipes at a boarding school in England. He gladly took the opportunity to connect to his Scottish roots.

He said: Why would I not? This instrument is awesome, my mother is Scottish and I've got a kilt! I've got very Scottish family, they were like yeah! We've always wanted a piper in the family!

After graduating from university, the piper realised the last thing I wanted to do was work behind a desk'.

But inspired by the travel expo and equipped with his bagpipes, he fulfilled his wish to avoid a desk.

He just has 140 countries left to discover and enchant with his music.

Hot flash: Ross was warmly welcomed by the people of Manama, Bahrain, and was able to snap a shot with these two ladies before one flashed her face from under the veil then disappeared into the souq

Okay ladies, now let's get in formation! Ross plays through the streets of Hoi An in Vietnam, accompanied by women carrying fruit in pointed hats

Jet-setting from Europe to the Middle East, Ross played at the corniche in Doha, where he shared in an Instagram caption that a tank of petrol is cheaper than two coffees

Belgian bagpipes: Scenic views, tranquil waters, all that's missing is music. So Ross dutifully obliges

So far hes swept Western and Eastern Europe, the coast countries of Africa, the islands and bustling cities of Asia and the deserts of the Middle East, Canada and Australia. Hes yet to hit the United States and Latin America, bagpipes in hand.

But just how does Ross manage without a 9-5 job?

The secret is asking. Ross juggles content creation jobs with hosting workshops and giving motivational talks at international schools, an environment he grew up in.

Ross reaches out to people via social media for connections and sometimes housing. Other times he stays in hostels or even offers to play at hotels in exchange for a free stay.

Rather than planning what to do in the countries he visits, the plans seem to find him.

He said: Chance is a big part of it. Thats why I partly, intentionally, dont try to plan too much because I might be sitting next to someone on the plane whos like "hey come to this thing".

May sound like luck, but its played many times in Ross favor around the world.

The most surreal thing was being linked up with a 75-year-old Scottish lady who lived in Lalibela, Ethiopia, who owned this fabulous restaurant-hotel called Ben Abebba. She said come along at this date, you can pipe for us and well do a ceilidh, which is by the way a Scottish dance.

I walked in with my kilt and she lost it. She was like "no way, you actually came!"

That evening she fed me and we had this evening where she put on a bonfire and got everyone dancing and got me to play the bagpipes, it was just hilarious.'

Life's a beach! A kilt and bagpipes may seem out of place on the shore of San Blas Islands of Panama, but Ross seems right at home

Dancing around the fire: An outdoor fire in Ethiopia became the surprising location for a traditional Scottish dance

Music for the soul: After being connected to a hotel owner in Lalibela, Ross played for a Scottish gathering at the international guesthouse

There arent many Scottish people in the world, the Edinburgh-based traveller said, but they somehow manage to reach the ends of the earth.

The music connects people in uncommon and inexplicable ways.

Without having this dripping in cliches, it is amazing how music does connect people and how it makes people smile, Ross said.

With the pipes its less familiar but it has this bizarre wow factor.

I use that as a catalyst for getting to know people and a way for opening a door and leading to something else.

But just what sparks that curiosity?

Maybe because Im nosy. I like to know how people live their lives but I just feel like the more you travel, the more you notice how small the world is and how lovely people are. The more interactions I have really confirm that, Ross said.

Nowadays where theres a hell of a lot of negative media, its just nice to spread a bit of silliness every now and then.

Bagpipes have a great way of making even the grumpiest of policemen smile.
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It's one of the most highly-anticipated fashion events of the year and the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is set to return in November.

Preparations are already underway for the catwalk extravaganza, with its most famous stars having already begun their official duties for the event, as supermodels Stella Maxwell and Adriana Lima were seen leaving the brand's New York headquarters on Monday.

The beauties, along with Martha Hunt, Elsa Hosk, Gigi Hadid and Sara Sampaio, stepped out to attend top secret fittings for the show - making sure to flaunt their modelling credentials as they did so.

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Here come the girls! Stella Maxwell, 27, and Adriana Lima, 36, visited the Victoria' Secret offices in New York on Monday to attend a top secret fitting for this year's runway show

Dazzling on her arrival, blonde beauty Stella flaunted her lengthy pins in a thigh-grazing pair of black denim shorts and studded leather ankle boots.

The fashion star, who first walked for Victoria's Secret in 2014 - before being granted her wings a year later, ensured all eyes were on her as she flaunted her svelte frame, and incredibly toned stomach, in a white crop top that she paired with a leather biker jacket on top.

Sporting a glamorous make-up look, Stella left her blonde tresses down in a central parting and accessorised with a chunky silver chain around her neck.

The Brussels-native was seen clutching onto a huge pair of white feathered angel wings and struck up a series of poses as she commanded the attention of onlookers on the streets of the Big Apple.

Stunning: Dazzling on her arrival, blonde beauty Stella flaunted her lengthy pins in a thigh-grazing pair of black denim shorts and studded leather ankle boots

Fashion forward: The fashion star, who first walked for Victoria's Secret in 2014 - before being granted her wings a year later, ensured all eyes were on her as she flaunted her svelte frame

Gorgeous: The Brussels native wore her long hair down and in waves and sported a glamorous make-up look

Commanding attention: She was seen clutching onto a huge pair of white feathered Angel wings as she made her way into the Victoria's Secret headquarters

Stella was closely followed by veteran Angel Adriana, who has been part of the Victoria's Secret family since 1999 and first walked for the brand at just 18-years-old, was nothing short of a vision in an all-black ensemble.

The 36-year-old cut an edgy figure as she teamed together a form-fitting ribbed bandeau top that she tucked into a grunge leather mini-skirt that boasted zip detailing across the front.

Adriana strutted her way into the headquarters with a pair of military-inspired lace-up boots, that accentuated her slender pins, and toted a vibrantly embroidered handbag over one shoulder.

Her trademark dark tresses were swept over to the side in a slightly tousled style and despite catching the wind on Adriana's arrival, the model still cut a more than slick appearance.

The Brazilian-born beauty emphasised her natural beauty with a minimal make-up look that came complete with a slick of eyeliner and a nude lipstick across her lips.

In the army: Stella was closely followed by veteran Angel Adriana, who has been part of the Victoria's Secret family since 1999, was nothing short of a vision in an all-black ensemble

Stunning: The Brazilian-born beauty emphasised her natural beauty with a minimal make-up look that came complete with a slick of eyeliner and a nude lipstick across her lips

Commanding attention: Adriana strutted her way into the headquarters with a pair of military-inspired lace-up boots, that accentuated her slender pins, and toted a vibrantly embroidered handbag over one shoulder

Established: Proving why, Adriana appeared just effortless as she put on a leggy display in New York City

They suit you! Adriana was later seen sporting her Angel wings as she left the headquarters clearly thrilled to be back on board for this year's showcase

Mother-of-two: The model is proud mum to two daughters, Valentina, seven, and Sienna, four, who she shares with her former husband Marko Jaric - they separated in 2016 following five years of marriage

Wearing them well: The longstanding model for Victoria's Secret happily wore her wings over her shoulder as she headed out of the brand's headquarters

Meanwhile, Martha Hunt, 28, looked simply stunning as she joined her fellow Angels, clad in a minimalist swing dress and head-turning thigh-high boots.

Her understated black frock boasted an A-line cut and Martha chose to highlight its thigh-grazing hemline with her choice of sultry footwear that undoubtedly garnered plenty of attention.

The North Carolina native was seen proudly toting her feathered Angel wings in one hand and completed her look with perfectly styled blow-dried locks and an understated make-up look that came complete with netural lips and bronzed cheeks.

Martha has walked for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show since 2013 and earned her Angel wings in 2015 - boasting a successful modelling career that has seen her feature in over 180 shows since she first started out and grace the pages of Vogue, Elle and Harper's Bazaar.

All eyes on her: Stunner Martha Hunt, 28, looked simply stunning as she joined her fellow Angels, clad in a minimalist swing dress and head-turning thigh-high boots

Fashionista: Her understated black frock boasted an A-line cut and Martha chose to highlight its thigh-grazing hemline with her choice of sultry footwear that undoubtedly garnered plenty of attention

Success: Martha has walked for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show since 2013 and earned her Angel wings in 2015

Runway regular: She boasts a successful modelling career that has seen her feature in over 180 shows since she first started out and grace the pages of Vogue, Elle and Harper's Bazaar

Gigi Hadid, 22, appeared in high spirits as she arrived for the fitting clad in an all-nude ensemble.

The model, who is dating former One Direction star, Zayn Malik flashed a smile as she playfully flicked her hair while strutting her way into the important meeting ahead of November's showcase.

Opting for a pair of high-waisted cropped jeans that sheathed her pins, Gigi sported an intricate bodice on top that boasted dainty spaghetti straps and coyly hidden cut-outs that teased a look at the starlet's cleavage underneath.

Gigi wore her lightened tresses down in a tousled style and accentuated her flawless complexion with a barely-there make-up look.

The beauty had made her first appearance for Victoria's Secret in 2015 and returned for the showcase a year later, earning her wings in 2016 - the same year her younger sister Bella Hadid, 20, walked for the brand for the first time.

Stunning: Gigi Hadid, 22, appeared in high spirits as she arrived for the fitting clad in an all-nude ensemble

Hamming it up: The model, who is dating former One Direction star, Zayn Malik flashed a smile as she playfully flicked her hair while strutting her way into the important meeting ahead of November's showcase

Sartorially savvy: Opting for a pair of high-waisted cropped jeans that sheathed her pins, Gigi sported an intricate bodice on top that boasted dainty spaghetti straps and coyly hidden cut-outs that teased a look at the starlet's cleavage underneath

Bella was also in attendance for the fitting and appeared to complement her sibling, as she too sported the same nude shade.

The catwalk queen showcased her perky chest as she went braless in a slinky nude bodysuit, teaming her skimpy top with a denim micro-mini skirt.

Bella added height to her already statuesque frame with a pair of pale pink satin heels with an ankle strap and toted her belongings in a blue backpack, while accessorizing with a blingy gold Dior necklace.

Wearing her dark locks scraped back from her face in a tight bun, Bella completed her look with sunglasses, gold hoop earrings and natural make-up.

Her appearance in the Victoria's Secret showcase in three months time will mark her third appearance at the highly regarded fashion event. Sharing her excitement over her inclusion in the lineup, Bella penned via Instagram: 'I feel so crazy humbled to get the opportunity to be a part of this show again...Walking into the offices this year I felt so happy, healthy, and honored.

'I can't wait for another incredible experience!!! Congrats to all of the beautiful ladies I will be walking beside. I can't wait! Xx'.

Retro girl: Bella was also in attendance for the fitting and appeared to complement her sibling, as she too sported the same nude shade

Risque: The catwalk queen showcased her perky chest as she went braless in a slinky nude bodysuit, teaming her skimpy top with a denim micro-mini skirt

Much-loved Angel: Her appearance in the Victoria's Secret showcase in three months time will mark her third appearance at the highly regarded fashion event and she took to Instagram to pen her excitement over the show

Sara Sampaio, 26, meanwhile, looked sensational as she stepped out in a pair of frayed denim shorts, that showcased her endless pins, and a sultry lace bodysuit.

Ensuring all eyes were on her, Sara proved why she is one of the the most anticipated models to appear on the runway and favoured a revealing getup that highlighted her lithe frame. She accentuated her already lengthy pins with a pair of leather ankle boots and added a stylish belt around the waistline of her chic shorts.

Drawing attention to her bust, Sara sported a plunging lace bodysuit that she paired with a visible black bra underneath. Its semi-sheer design boasted pretty lace detailing around the neckline and puffed sleeves.

The fashion star teamed her scanty attire with a glamorous yet subtle make-up look and wore her glossy locks down in tousled curls that fell past her shoulders. Clearly excited at the prospect of seeing yet more of her outfits for the showcase, Sara was seen flashing a huge smile as she made her way into her fitting.

The Portuguese beauty first embarked on modelling at the age of 16, with her career taking off when she was picked to work with Victoria's Secret - walking in several shows before making her debut at its Fashion Show in 2013.

Two years later, Sara was granted her Angel wings and remains one of the lingerie brand's top girls.

Eye-catching: Sara Sampaio, 26, meanwhile, looked sensational as she stepped out in a pair of frayed denim shorts, that showcased her endless pins, and a sultry lace bodysuit

Incredible: Ensuring all eyes were on her, Sara proved why she is one of the the most anticipated models to appear on the runway and favoured a revealing getup that highlighted her lithe frame

Chic: Drawing attention to her bust, Sara sported a plunging lace bodysuit that she paired with a visible black bra underneath. Its semi-sheer design boasted pretty lace detailing around the neckline and puffed sleeves

Candice Swanepoel, 28, was beaming as she stepped out in New York, after enjoying eight months away from modelling, after welcoming her son Anaca in October 2016.

She returned to work for Victoria's Secret back in May, earlier this year, and is among the string of models expected to take to the catwalk in November. Clearly thrilled with her addition to the lineup, Candice flashed a smile as she stepped out sporting a chic white shirt dress that sat on her upper thigh.

Her casual number was nipped in at the waist with a lattice belt and she elongated her legs with a towering pair of strappy grey heels.

Candice left her blonde tresses down in a voluminous style and toted her essentials in a chic leather bag that complemented her getup. The stunner was later seen clutching onto her huge angel wings.

Back to her best! Candice Swanepoel, 28, was beaming as she stepped out in New York, after enjoying eight months away from modelling, after welcoming her son Anaca in October 2016

Mother-of-one: She returned to work for Victoria's Secret back in May, earlier this year, and is among the string of models expected to take to the catwalk in November

Revealing: Clearly thrilled with her addition to the lineup, Candice flashed a smile as she stepped out sporting a chic white shirt dress that sat on her upper thigh

Unlike her pals, Elsa Hosk, 28, appeared to cut a more demure appearance in NYC, as she arrived to the lingerie brand's top secret fitting in a funky '80s-inspired leopard print denim jacket.

Her over-sized outerwear featured puffed sleeves and a peplum hem that nipped in at the waist, making sure to draw attention to the Stockholm native's model figure.

She paired her statement jacket with a lightwash denim mini-skirt that left her lengthy legs on full view and boasted a thigh-skimming frayed hemline.

Choosing not to add too much extra height to her 5ft 10in frame, Elsa favoured a designer pair of kitten heels - compared to her usual towering stilettos - to finish off her ensemble.

She was among ten other beauties that were named as new recruits for Victoria's Secret in 2015, two years ago, and had opened the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2016, held in Paris at the Grand Palais.

Making a statement: Unlike her pals, Elsa Hosk, 28, appeared to cut a more demure appearance in NYC, as she arrived to the lingerie brand's top secret fitting in a funky '80s-inspired leopard print denim jacket

Stylish: She paired her statement jacket with a lightwash denim mini-skirt that left her lengthy legs on full view and boasted a thigh-skimming frayed hemline

Dainty: Choosing not to add too much extra height to her 5ft 10in frame, Elsa favoured a designer pair of kitten heels - compared to her usual towering stilettos - to finish off her ensemble

New recruit: She was among ten other beauties that were named as new recruits for Victoria's Secret in 2015, two years ago, and had opened the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2016, held in Paris at the Grand Palais

Brazilian model Lais Riberio's place in the showcase was also confirmed by her appearance in New York.

The stunner cut a sultry figure on arrival to her fitting for the runway show, as she chose to step out wearing a sheer bodysuit that left little to the imagination and her asset-enhancing lingerie on full view.

Lais also teased a look at her washboard abs and paired her revealing bodysuit with a pair of dark skinny jeans and barely-there stiletto heels.

She has been a regular feature in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for the last six years, but was forced to pull out of the 2012 showcase after spraining her ankle in rehearsals. The brunette beauty earned her wings in 2015.

You're in! Brazilian model Lais Riberio's place in the showcase was also confirmed by her appearance in New York, with the stunner putting on a sultry display in a sheer bodysuit

Daring: Her getup left little to the imagination and her asset-enhancing lingerie on full view, with Lais teaming the risque bodysuit with a pair of dark skinny jeans and barely-there stiletto heels

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is considered to be the most-watched fashion event of the years, with 800million people believed to tune in to see the models take to the catwalk in the bejewelled ensembles.

According to Harper's Bazaar, it's claimed around $12million (9.2million) is spent on putting the major fashion event together, with a slew of famous musicians accompanying the models as they showcase the brand's dazzling designs.

Ed Sheeran has previously sung on stage with the Angels, with Bella Hadid famously strutting past ex-boyfriend The Weeknd as he performed and both Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Bruno Mars have also entertained guests in attendance and viewers at home too.

This year, the spectacle is set to be held in Shaghai, China and will take place in November, before later being aired a month later in December.

Over 50 scantily-clad models are expected to take to the runway for this year's extravaganza - including Irina Sharipova, Alessandra Ambrosio, Lily Aldridge and Victoria Lee, while Behati Prinsloo is expected to return following maternity leave.

Highly-established: The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is considered to be the most-watched fashion event of the years, with 800million people believed to tune in to see the models take to the catwalk in the bejewelled ensembles.

Costly: According to Harper's Bazaar, it's claimed around $12million (9.2million) is spent on putting the major fashion event together, with a slew of famous musicians accompanying the models as they showcase the brand's dazzling designs

Lavish affair: Every year a slew of famous faces accompany the models on stage and perform at the event; Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and The Weeknd had taken to the stage last year in Paris
She enjoyed a six week break from the small screen every summer.

And Holly Willoughby is certainly making the most of her final days before returning to work as she partied up a storm with Mark Francis and Jimmy Carr in St. Tropez over the weekend.

Cosying up to the Made In Chelsea star and the Eight Out Of Ten Cats' comic, the 36-year-old This Morning presenter looked uber-glamorous as she mingled with the jet set at a lavish bash on the French Riviera.

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Holly-day! Holly Willoughby looked sensational as she partied up a storm with Mark Francis and Jimmy Carr in St. Tropez over the weekend

Holly oozed confidence as she put her envy-inducing curves on display in the form-fitting white frock, which featured pointed elegant sleeves.

The TV queen wore her trademark locks in a loosely-tousled fashion and wore a dusting of make-up to accentuate her beautiful features.

Reality star Mark showed off his noteworthy fashion credentials in a daring floral dinner jacket, teamed with a crisp shirt and smart trousers.

Meanwhile, comedian Jimmy played it safe in a dapper blue two-piece complete with a white shirt.

The group enjoyed a showbiz reunion in St. Tropez, catching up after bumping into each other at the celebrity hotspot.

Nice to sea you! Earlier in the day Holly looked blissfully happy as she sped through the high seas aboard a yacht

Earlier in the day Holly looked blissfully happy as she sped through the high seas aboard a yacht.

Holly beamed as she enjoyed the panoramic views as the sun shined down on her tanned skin.

The ITV personality looked positively radiant as she went make-up free and slipped into a chic Bardot dress.

The star is now heading for the UK in time to return for her This Morning job post after her summer break.

True jetsetter! Holly was fresh from her holiday to Portugal where she was reunited with her co-presenter Phillip Schofield (pictured together on the show)

Before jetting off for Bank Holiday weekend, Holly was fresh from her holiday to Portugal where she was reunited with her co-presenter Phillip Schofield.

Both stars were holidaying with their respective families on the sunny getaway.

She and husband Dan partied alongside Phil and his wife Stephanie, as well as
She's the Hollywood actress who has successfully stepped out of the shadow from her child star sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

And on Monday, Elizabeth Olsen turned heads as she explored the streets of Melbourne dressed in Dior during a photo shoot.

Spotted in some of the city's most colourful lane ways, including Flinders Lane, Duckboard Place and AC/DC Lane, the 28-year-old stunned in a camel coloured skirt from the brand's 2018 Cruise Show collection.

Stunner: On Monday, Elizabeth Olsen, 28, turned heads as she explored the streets of Melbourne dressed in Dior during a photo shoot

Posing on a rooftop that overlooked the city, Elizabeth donned an a-line skirt with material that resembled the look of a Hessain bag.

The designer garment featured sketches of wild animals running including deers.

A Christian Dior Sauvage signature was also spotted on the bottom left hand corner.

Sight-seeing: Posing on a rooftop that overlooked the city, Elizabeth donned an a-line skirt with material that resembled the look of a Hessain bag

Fashion forward: Ensuring all eyes were on her statement piece, Elizabeth kept her top casual with a plain black shirt

Ensuring all eyes were on her statement piece, Elizabeth kept her top casual with a plain black shirt.

Rolling up her sleeves, the starlet also left a few buttons undone, opening up her chest.

Elizabeth completed her outfit with classic black pumps before changing into flat boots while she walked around and explored the town.

Natural: The Avenger's star kept her blonde hair out in soft waves

Minimalist: Her makeup was also kept simple, sporting rosy cheeks and defined cheekbones

Holding onto a cup of coffee, the Avenger's star kept her blonde hair out in soft waves.

Her makeup was also kept simple, sporting rosy cheeks and defined cheekbones.

Elizabeth has been in Melbourne to celebrate 70 years of Dior.

On Saturday night, an event was held at the National Gallery of Victoria and was dubbed Australia's first MET Gala.
It's the annual desert festival which features plenty of nudity and an 'orgy dome'.

And Australian models Shanina Shaik, Ashley and Jessica Hart are among the first to head to Burning Man Festival in Nevada, United States.

On Monday, Shanina shared a loved-up desert snap of her and fiance DJ Ruckus, while sisters Jessica and Ashley showed off their festival outfits on Instagram.

Already there: On Monday Shanina shared a loved-up desert snap of her and fiance DJ Ruckus at Burning Man Festival

Burning Man festival is held annually in a temporary city erected in Black Rock Desert, with 70,000 expected to attend this year's festivities.

The festival has gained notoriety thanks to its scantily clad and naked revellers, with attractions including art installations and an 'orgy dome'.

In a photo shared to social media, Shanina strikes a pose alongside her husband-to-be.

En route: Earlier Shanina shared a photo as she made her way to the festival

Festival veterans: The genetically blessed couple previously attended the desert festival together in 2015

Hippy collective: Burning Man festival is held annually in a temporary city erected in Black Rock Desert

The Australian model shows off her slim legs in a quirky mini dress, which featured feather detailing and gold sequins.

DJ Ruckus, real name Gregory Andrews, went shirtless, wearing equally unusual fringed black pants and a top hat.

The genetically blessed couple previously attended the desert festival together in 2015.

They're not shy! The festival has gained notoriety thanks to its scantily clad and naked revellers

Ready to party: sisters Jessica and Ashley Hart debuted their festival looks on Instagram

Also on their way to Burning Man were sisters Jessica and Ashley Hart, who debuted their festival looks on Instagram.

Jessica wore her hair in braids with a statement pair of Gucci sunglasses, while Ashley channeled a more hippy vibe with an elaborate nose piercing.

'May the journey begin,' Ashley captioned a photo of the pair, also adding the hashtag 'burningman'.

A video posted to Instagram showed Jessica preparing for the festival by getting her hair styled.
The junta forces are said to have burned down the homes of local people in a clash with the Peoples Defense Forces in Tanintharyi Regions Palaw...
Kim Kardashian proudly showed off her latest photo shoot on Tuesday and Twitter isn't impressed.

The reality star, 36, posed as Jackie Kennedy for Interview magazine and that was enough to provoke ire from fans of the late First Lady.

And if channeling the beloved icon wasn't enough to spark a backlash, Twitter users also wanted to know why Kim's skin color was a darkened to match that of her daughter North, whose father is rapper Kanye West.

Mistake? Kim Kardashian proudly shared her new photo shoot as Jackie Kennedy Onassis with her social media followers on Monday but the reaction wasn't kind

Not impressed: Twitter users responded to Kim branding her channeling of the iconic former First Lady 'a disgrace', 'ridiculous', and 'a big, bold mistake'

One of those who replied to Kim's original tweet gushing about how special she thinks the photos are pulled no punches.

'This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen,' she tweeted.

'This is a disgrace,' another person wrote.

'You are no Jackie O,' added another.

'Jackie O turning over in her damn grave right now,' another Twitter user chimed in.

Kim posed with her daughter, who's four, for the series of pictures that hark back to the Kennedy White House of the early 1960s.

But social media was quick to wonder why the 36-year-old, who is of Armenian and British/Dutch descent, looked identical in skin color to her bi-racial child.

Huh? Other social media users were confused as to why Kim's skin color appeared to have been darkened to match that of her four-year-old daughter North whose father is Kanye West

Why darker? Twitter users took the reality star and the magazine to task about the skin tone

'Why did they darken her skin to try and make her look black?' one asked.

'@InterviewMag since when @KimKardashian has the same color of the skin of her daughter? asked another Twitter user.

Still others were upset and insulted that the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star who found fame thanks to a sex tape was dubbed 'America's New First Lady' by the magazine.

Not buying it: Others were upset and insulted that the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star who found fame thanks to a sex tape was dubbed 'America's New First Lady' by the magazine

Kim looked very dark on the cover

When her interviewer - trans rights activist Janet Mock - asks her about raising a 'mixed black girl' Kim commented: 'I'm very conscious of it. Kanye always has his family around and people who look like my daughterthat's important to me.

'She's obsessed with her curly hair, and if she finds someone who has the same hair, she runs to them and is like, 'You have curly hair like me?' And we get to talk about it.'

She added: 'We also talk about it with my niece Penelope, because she and North look really different, but they're best friends and they're together all the time.'

On Monday Kim took to Instagram to talk about her new spread.

'Just wanted to thank @stevenkleinstudio for pushing me to do a shoot that was very different & powerful & allowed me to pay homage to the iconic Jackie Kennedy who I admire & respect!' the star wrote in her caption.

The cover and editorial was shot by Klein.

Loved one: Kim's husband, Kanye West, was spotted choosing a sample of fabric during a business trip to Verona, Italy on Tuesday

Trendy: The multi talented rapper looked trendy in a graphic green T-shirt

Popular man: Kanye was spotted signing his autograph on a fan's shoe

Insensitive? Kim had gushed about the photo shoot as 'powerful' and said she was thrilled to be able to pay homage to Jackie
If ever the popularity of JK Rowling was in doubt, one needs look no further than Sunday nights television ratings.

For the BBC adaptation of the Harry Potter authors crime novels trounced the second series opener of ITVs Victoria by almost 2million.

The battle between the two dramas had been one of the most hotly-anticipated head-to-heads of the year, following the fraught tussle between Victoria and the BBCs Poldark last summer.

On the case: Tom Burke as Cormoran Strike with Holliday Grainger

Yet the result proved to be nowhere near as close as predicted, with BBC One thriller Strike: The Cuckoos Calling drawing 5.46million, versus the 3.6million who tuned into the Jenna Coleman-fronted period drama.

The figures cover just those who were watching the programmes live, not those watching on catch-up.

The Strike series is adapted from Miss Rowlings Cormoran Strike novels, which were written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, and has begun with The Cuckoos Calling.

The three-part series, which is executive-produced by Miss Rowling, stars Tom Burke as private detective Cormoran Strike and Holliday Grainger as his keen assistant Robin Ellacott.

Usurped: Victoria's Jenna Coleman and Tom Hughes

Sundays opening instalment featured a murder in the first five minutes and a stalker wearing a wolfs head, before damaged Army veteran Strike was tasked with pursuing the case.

Meanwhile, Victoria picked up in 1840, when the Queen was struggling to reassert her authority on return to power after having her first child.

In a bid to take advantage of the Bank Holiday audience, the BBC aired the second instalment of Strike at 9pm last night, with the final episode airing this Sunday night.

The ratings victory was a welcome one for the BBC, after Poldark struggled to match the popularity of Victoria last year, and regularly lost out in the head-to-head.

However, the corporation will be keen to ensure that Strike retains its popularity throughout, as the 2015 adaptation of Miss Rowlings novel The Casual Vacancy lost almost 2million viewers over its three parts.
Actor Brandon Jones, star of hit TV show Pretty Little Liars, has been sentenced to jail time for threatening a neighbor with a gun last year.

The 29-year-old actor entered a plea of no contest Monday to one misdemeanor count of assault with a firearm, TMZ reported.

In addition to the 180 day jail sentence, Jones was also put on probation for three years and must also perform 30 days of community labor.

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Sentenced: Brandon Jones, star of TV's Pretty Little Liars, has been given 180 days in jail after pleading no contest to misdemeanor assault for threatening a neighbor with a gun last year

Brandon was also ordered to attend anger management classes.

TMZ claimed that Jones could have faced up to five and a half years behind bars following the incident in which he pulled a gun on a neighbor during an argument.

The actor, who has also starred on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, was originally charged with one felony and two misdemeanors.

As seen on screen: Brandon played Andrew Campbell in Pretty Little Liars, starring alongside Lucy Hale, Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson and Shay Mitchell

At the time of the incident in March 2016, Brandon's rep confirmed the actor was charged but said he had felt he and his girlfriend were under threat.

'He was on his girlfriend's private property, and that he and his girlfriend felt that they were under threat in a dispute with neighbors,' the rep stated.

The actor reportedly got into an argument with a male neighbour on March 24 and during the fight brought out a firearm and pointed it at the man.

The star did not fire the weapon or strike the man with it, police sources claimed.

Sentenced: Jones, pictured in May 2015, was also sentenced to three years probation and must perform community labor and take anger management classes

MailOnline have contacted Brandon's representatives for comment

Brandon played Andrew Campbell in Pretty Little Liars, starring alongside Lucy Hale, Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson and Shay Mitchell.

Andrew was a classmate of the Liars who was teased to be A.

He appeared regularly on the show between series three and six, until the show jumped forward 5 years and he was not seen again.
That's a very leggy look.

Kristen Stewart's girlfriend Stella Maxwell showed exactly why Victoria's Secret chose her to be one of their Angels when she was spotted out with the Twilight saga actress in New York on Monday.

The 5ft 9ins beauty, who towered over petite Kristen, was wearing teeny black shorts that made the most of her perfect pins.

Hitting the streets: Kristen Stewart's girlfriend Stella Maxwell showed exactly why Victoria's Secret chose her to be one of their Angels when she was spotted out with the Twilight saga actress in New York on Monday

The 27-year-old blonde, who describes herself as British-New Zealand, teamed her shorts with a black leather biker jacket that she wore over a simple white T-shirt.

And Stella carried a very precious accessory - their new pup, who looked completely at ease in her arms.

Kristen, also 27, chose white for the outing, donning a white Duck Stars T-shirt and white cropped jeans that she wore with white socks and black sneakers.

Tough girls: The 5ft 9ins beauty, who towered over petite Kristen, was wearing teeny black shorts that made the most of her perfect pins

She wrapped a blue and white bandana around her bleached blonde pixie-cut hair.

Kristen rested her hand in the waist of her jeans, revealing her toned and tanned tummy, when they stopped to talk to friends.

The actress had a busy 2016 with four movies out and this year she's working on three projects, all in post-production.

Time to relax: The actress had a busy 2016 with four movies out and this year she's working on three projects, all in post-production

In bio-drama JT Leroy, Kristen stars opposite Diane Kruger and Laura Dern as Savannah Knoop, who spends six years pretending to be celebrated author JT LeRoy, the made-up literary persona of her sister-in-law.

Lizzie is a psychological thriller based on the infamous 1892 murders of the Borden family, starring Chloe Sevigny as Lizzie Borden.

Meanwhile, she co-stars with Jessica Henwick and T.T. Miller in Underwater, an action thriller about a crew of underwater researchers who must scramble to safety after an earthquake devastates their subterranean laboratory.
Nina Dobrev is a bonafide beauty.

But even the Vampire Diaries starlet has admitted to 'feel[ing] insecure all the time.'

The Bulgarian-born beauty opened up about worries, zits, and the importance of 'showing young girls that they are perfect exactly the way they are' in refreshingly candid interview with Ocean Drive magazine out Monday.

Real talk: Nina Dobrev opened up about insecurity, awkward zits, and 'showing young girls that they are perfect the way they are' in candid interview with Ocean Drive magazine

Nina, 28, stunned in her spread for the Miami based magazine, where she sported knit Prada, a smoldering Dolce & Gabbana gown and more choice couture.

And while the Flatliners actress radiated confidence in her shoot, the former gymnast didn't hesitate to talk about how 'we all feel insecure all the time.'

The star, who has legions of teen fans from CW's Vampire Diaries, talked about how celebrity culture and social media impacts girls these days.

'Young girls see this image and think thats what they should be and thats how they should wake up... [but] Its so not realthats the scariest part.'

Spinning her yarn: The Bulgarian born beauty dazzled in the shoot, sporting a pink crocheted Prada bralet with a tweed jacket slung over her shoulders

It's universal: While the Flatliners actress radiated confidence in her shoot, the former gymnast didn't hesitate to talk about how 'we all feel insecure all the time'

Worrisome: The star talked about how celebrity culture and social media impacts girls these days. 'Young girls see this image and think thats what they should be and thats how they should wake up... [but] Its so not realthats the scariest part'

The trilingual talent stressed how 'Its especially important now to show young girls that and to make them aware that they are perfect exactly the way they are.'

Nina explained one small way she uses her platform to fight impossibly perfection expectations is with her social media.

'I dont wear makeup on a daily basis. I try to reflect that on my social media, too.

Her platform: The Vampire Diaries star explained one small way she uses her platform to fight impossible expectations, saying 'I dont wear makeup' and that tries 'to reflect that on' her social media

Forget something? The XXX: Return Of Xander Cage talent didn't shy away from talking about the 'unpredictable and awkward' parts of her own life, revealing 'sometimes I walk out of the house with the zit cream [on my face] and forget about it,' she laughed, 'thats just life'

'When I do Instagram stories, Im not all dolled up and glamorous, it's a peek into my day-to-day life, which is kind of normal and average.'

And the XXX: Return Of Xander Cage talent didn't shy away from talking about the 'unpredictable and awkward' parts of her own life.

'I get pimples and zits all the time and I deal with them just like anybody else, with zit cream,' said the starlet.

'[But] sometimes I walk out of the house with the zit cream and forget about it,' she laughed, 'And thats just life.'

Going with the flow: The starlet had a hopeful message, 'It's unpredictable and awkward and we all feel insecure all the time but that's completely normal and okay'

Thrilled to meet you! Nina's next film is the psychological thriller Flatliners where she stars opposite Ellen Page and Diego Luna

'It's unpredictable and awkward and we all feel insecure all the time but that's completely normal and okay and everybody has good days and bad days.'

Nina's next film is the psychological thriller Flatliners where she stars opposite Ellen Page and Diego Luna.

Flatliners arrives in theaters September 29 2017.
In Solitary: The Anti-Social Experiment (C5)

Rating:

Dangerous Borders: A Journey Across India And Pakistan (BBC2)

Rating:

Greta Garbo, moody superstar of the silent screen, would have enjoyed this game. I vant to be arr-lone, she liked to boom in her deep Swedish accent, and spent her last 40 years as the worlds most famous recluse.

In Solitary: The Anti-Social Experiment (C5) gave four of todays social media addicts the Garbo treatment, by locking them in shipping containers for five days with no phone, computer or company.

George Lamb (pictured) only lasted 23 hours in Channel five's InSolitary: The Anti-Social Experiment

This was billed as a unique psychological investigation, but it was just voyeuristic cruelty on camera, a cheapo version of torture shows such as The Island and Im A Celeb.

The only aim was to see which contestants cracked up. A couple did, and that was just what the producers wanted. It was nasty, and pointless.

These candidates had been chosen for their vulnerability and need for human contact. There were no grumpy Garbos. Ive worked with newspaper sub-editors who were more solitary than giant pandas: after five days shut in a box, they would order any rescuer to bog off and leave them alone.

Its baffling that people want to take part in these TV trials. Are they so desperate to be micro-celebrities? One woman, a 36-year-old single mother called Sarah, announced she was taking part to focus on myself a little bit more and reconnect. Why not do a spa weekend?

Strangest of all was presenter George Lambs decision to join the experiment without telling anyone. He only lasted 23 hours, before reaching the limits of his attention span. As he flounced out of the cabin, he snapped: Theres no hairbrush and no mirror! Poor dear ... he hadnt seen the one person he loved most in the world for almost a whole day.

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The cast stayed in shipping containers for five days with no computer, phone or company

None of the contestants took books into their cells. The voiceover didnt suggest that reading material was forbidden, so this appears to be more proof that many under-40s are now functionally illiterate.

A couple of fat novels would make five days fly by. And if thats forbidden, why not take a guitar or a monster jigsaw? One woman thought to equip herself with drawing materials, and she easily coped the best.

This one-off programme wont become a series. If we learned anything, its that no one enjoys being bored  and this was very boring TV.

Presenters Adnan Sarwar and Babita Sharma have had no time to be bored as they explored the aftershocks of partition in their three-part series Dangerous Borders: A Journey Across India And Pakistan (BBC2).

The dual travelogue has been something of an overload of sensations in stereo.

As Adnan investigated life in mainly Muslim Pakistan, Babita adventured through the more diverse Indian states.

Babita Sharma (pictured) in BBC2's Dangerous Borders: A Journey Across India And Pakistan adventured through diverse Indian states

The show seemed to be trying to illustrate how different the two countries had become over 70 years, but since everything we saw was outlandish and strange, the point was lost. In Pakistan, close to the Khyber Pass, Adnan discovered a bright blue lake that formed only seven years ago, submerging a village after a landslide. And he met a 90-year-old former freedom fighter, who was once a polo champion.

In India, Babita saw police using slingshots to hurl rocks back at Kashmiri protesters. She visited George Harrisons favourite retreat, and paid homage to three boulders dressed as goddesses in a mountain cave.

But the two halves of the programme never intersected. The only message was: these two different countries really are two different countries.
Made In Chelsea: Ibiza has spent the last month being exactly the same as MiC always is. The usual couples flirting or bickering (or flirting and bickering), but nothing actually happening  only in Spain.

But the sensational revelations kept on coming in this weeks episode, at least comparatively.

Frankie Gaff and Lucy Watsons Sister both sealed the split with their long-standing, occasionally unfaithful, boyfriends, with Sam Thompson in particular having a meltdown of Basil Fawlty proportions.

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MiC: Ibiza spent the last month being exactly the same as MiC always is. The usual couples flirting or bickering (or flirting and bickering), but nothing actually happening  only in Spain

This was nothing though to the bombshell that one of MiCs most protracted sources of devastating, emotional, heartache had finally come to a close.

Yes, Jamie Laings years of constantly fighting his receding hairline were over, putting an end to endless episodes of denial and hopelessly covering things up.

The carefully arranged spiky peroxide blonde locks on the top of his shiny red face were no more when he suddenly came to his senses and shaved them off.

I know, whatever next?

Meltdown: Frankie Gaff and Lucy Watsons Sister both sealed the split with their long-standing, occasionally unfaithful, boyfriends, with Sam Thompson in particular having a meltdown of Basil Fawlty proportions

Jamie Laings haircut had been a permanent fixture since the beginning of MiC and so signalled the end of an era.

He was rewarded emerging transformed. No longer resembling one of the characters from a Rice Krispies packet but someone who actually, amazingly (almost), looked like Eminem (albeit only if Eminem had a shiny red face).

Sadly, having put it off for so long, his bravery did him no good though.

Laing and his girlfriend Frankie split up, which admittedly is something they do every series but this time did appear to be real, or at least as real as anything on MiC.

New look: Jamie Laings haircut had been a permanent fixture since the beginning of MiC and so signalled the end of an era

Frankies admission that she preferred it when Jamie wasnt there was one of the shows stranger statements but not necessarily a revelation.

After all we knew how she felt. Wed been thinking the same thing for several years (five).

Elsewhere Olivia Bentley announced she did not want to endure any more weird dates.

Us neither...

And Alex Mytton dismissed himself as some sleazy bloke called Alex.

Frank revelation: Alex Mytton dismissed himself as some sleazy bloke called Alex.

True, he did say it by way of the classic Im a sexy swine bad boy chat-up line (attempting to charm Mimi the Easy Canadian, who hardly needed much charming).

Tell us something we dont know, or show us we havent seen before, you thought.

Amazingly it did. Not just in the shape of Jamie Laings skinhead but the disintegration of not just Sam Thompsons relationship but his equilibrium.

These were the 10, hilarious, steps before the meltdown.

1.Alex Mytton cosies up to Mimi the Easy Canadian after Little Sammy T had dumped her

Youre putting on a brave face ! Mytton cheered.

Im so tired of it ! Mimi proclaimed, speaking for us all.

Adding: Im a sexy swine bad boy chat-up line (attempting to charm Mimi the Easy Canadian, who hardly needed much charming)

2. Mimi reveals that Sam was still contacting her, gushing about how much he cared for her

He sent me this long one-page text... she exclaimed, which did sound long but was basically just a text.

3. Louise Thompsons boyfriend, Ryan the life-size human sex doll, is shaken by the size of Mimis cheek (not that one).

How-now-brown-cow was your chat with Mee-Mair? Louise Thompson asked her brothers ex-girlfriend, Lucy Watsons Sister, trying to sound as posh as the other gals. Mimi had invited herself to the part-air given by Marcus.

Wow shes got some big cojones ! grinned Ryan, trying (and failing) to sound (and look) disapproving.

Whether the homo-erotic gym bunnys knowledge of the female anatomy (and Spanish language) were good enough for him to know what cojones really are we will never know.

Lady in demand: Mimi reveals that Sam was still contacting her, gushing about how much he cared for her

4. Louise tells Sams ex that he is about to turn up

I hope you dont mind, Louise told Lucy Watsons Sister. But hive hac-tual-air hin-vited Sam to join hus.

I think we can safely say she probably did mind. Why wouldnt she?

5. Louise tries to act as peace envoy between her brother and his ex-girlfriend

Hi warn-taird to get both of yew hair to-dair becawse yew harr going to be in Hi-beeth-a togeth-air, she told them. Lucy Watsons Sister, you know youre one of my best friends and I love hanging out with you. And obvious-lair Sam youre my brother and I luff you.

And with that she left them to it (to have a row).

Stuck in the middle: Louise tries to act as peace envoy between her brother and his ex-girlfriend

6. Sam and Lucy Watsons Sister talk things over (have a row)

You coming out here changed everything, bumbled Sam, trying to say something nice.

Did you actually have feelings for her? his ex snapped, not beating about the bush.

She was awesome out here, Sam admitted, with unbelievable stupidity.

She was awesome out here?! LWS quoted back in disbelief, signalling reasoning with Sam wasnt really possible.

Face to face: Sam and Lucy Watsons Sister talk things over (have a row)

7. Lucy Watsons Sister confesses to Sam that she had also slept with someone else during their break

I kissed two people in Croatia and slept with someone, Lucy Watsons Sister told Sam, pausing before twisting the knife: And then I slept with him again in Barcelona.

This, predictably, was the start of Sam mentally unravelling.

How did you get from Croatia to Barcelona?! he spluttered.

LWS explained to him about planes and how they worked but Sam wasnt listening. He had other things on his mind (what little there was of it).

Youve done the exact same thing as I have! Youve had a fling! Youve had a boyfriend out there!

Are you joking? Im met with him twice! she protested.

And you slept with him twice!

A 100% record...Result!

Shocker: Lucy Watsons Sister confesses to Sam that she had also slept with someone else during their break

8. Sam meets up with Mimi the Easy Canadian to go over things

I TOTALLY gave myself up to you. Ive been f**ked over! Mimi complained.

Ive been f**ked over too ! countered Sam, without pointing out how  except by himself.

Just tell me the real truth, why did this fall apart?

To be completely honest with you, Ive looked back on it a little bit and there might be a small chance it might have been a bit of a rebound, Sam said.

Really?! Mimi gasped as if she was so dumb this hadnt occurred to her before now.

9. Sams ex brings Pablo along to the party  a professional volleyball player and model so handsome even Sam fancied him

Dating again: Sams ex brings Pablo along to the party  a professional volleyball player and model so handsome even Sam fancied him

Youve got to be kidding! Wow! She moves on quick! Mimi tutted, trying to sound disapproving but actually giving her props.

Dude, youre really tall! Harry fumbled to Pablo, blanching at the knowledge that he definitely wasnt the dishiest man in the room.

Sam couldnt conceal his jealousy.

For f***s sake, he is so beaut! Sam gasped when he saw Pablo  a model, professional volleyball player, and, um, barman. Even he fancied Pablo...

Sams' jealous: For f***s sake, he is so beaut! Sam gasped when he saw Pablo  a model, professional volleyball player, and, um, barman. Even he fancied Pablo...'

10. Sam goes bananas

Even for Made In Chelsea, the chauvinistic hypocrisy/gross stupidity of Sams protests when his EX-girlfriend turned up at the dinner party with Pablo was breath-taking/brilliant.

After all, Sam was sitting next to Mimi the Easy Canadian at the time.

Why are you doing this?! When you know Im here ! he wailed, suggesting despite all his years in the cast he still hadnt got the point of the Made In Chelsea (if there was a point that is). All of my friends are here !

All of our friends ! LWS pointed out. You havent got any respect for me, so why would I have any respect for you?!

Classic MiC: Even for Made In Chelsea, the chauvinistic hypocrisy/gross stupidity of Sams protests when his EX-girlfriend turned up at the dinner party with Pablo was breath-taking/brilliant

Not an unreasonable notion.

Lucy Watsons Sister assured him that her and Pablo werent going to do it in front of Sam.

Youre doing a great big Spanish c**k ! Sam protested, now going properly bananas, clapping sarcastically, and cheering: Well done !

Right ! he continued, sounding like a posh Basil Fawlty.

Shall we dig in to the food?!

But before he could, Jamie Laing turned up, returning to Ibiza from London so that he could break up with Frankie.

Everyone good?! Jamie asked hopefully.

Er....NO !
Kate Beckinsale arrived home in Los Angeles on Monday after spending the weekend in New York.

The British beauty, 44, looked lovely in a black slip top paired with white tailored slacks.

She added a pale pink duster and towering black heels.

Cool for the summer: Kate Beckinsale arrived at LAX on Monday looking lovely in a black slip top and a pair of large black shades

The Underworld star wore her long brunette hair tied back from her face with a handful of tendrils left loose to soften the look.

She rocked black-framed sunglasses and dark polish on her fingernails.

She had kept her makeup light for her cross-country trip with just a dab of blusher and some lip gloss.

Cross-country trip: The British beauty, 44, was stylish in tailored white slacks and a long pale pink duster as she headed home after flying in from New York

Natural beauty: The Underworld star wore her long brunette hair tied back from her face with a handful of tendrils left loose to soften the look

Kate had spent the weekend int he Big Apple with her daughter Lily, 18, and her former partner and Lily's father, actor Michael Sheen.

She shared a funny selfie of the three of them to her Instagram before catching her flight home.

They are all puckering up close to the camera and the actress captioned the snap: 'What we liked so much about Michael's response to "Do a kissy face "was how much it looked like someone blissfully releasing a really long held in wee #ourgirl #.'

The former couple split in 2003 but have remained close friends as they co-parented their daughter.

She is separated from director Len Wiseman who filed for divorce last year after 11 years of marriage.
She was recently selected to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in December.

Lais Ribeiro showed off her model form in an all-black ensemble after leaving the brand's New York headquarters on Monday afternoon.

The 27-year-old Victoria's Secret Angel used the city streets as her own personal runway while showing off her toned torso in a sheer black top.

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Walk this way: Lais Ribeiro showed off her model form in an all-black ensemble after leaving the brand's New York headquarters on Monday afternoon

The Brazilian model donned a skin tight sheer black body suit which featured long sleeves and a thick black turtle neck.

Always a spokeswoman for the brand, Lais wore a black Victoria's Secret bra with a golden v emblem in the middle underneath her see-through shirt.

Long black skinny jeans hugged the model's tiny waist without an inch to spare and fully covered her slender legs.

Back in black: The 27-year-old Victoria's Secret Angel used the city streets as her own personal runway while showing off her toned torso in a sheer black top

Ribeiro added strappy black stilettos to her already towering 6ft frame.

The mother-of-one looked to be nearly makeup free and wore her long chocolate brown hair in loose waves near her shoulders.

Sporting a bright red purse on her shoulder, she added a pair of golden hoop earrings and a gold ring to her afternoon attire in the city.

City chic: The mother-of-one looked to be nearly makeup free and wore her long chocolate brown hair in loose waves near her shoulders

Lady in black: The top model looked stunning in her all-black ensemble

Street siren: Lais looked runway ready with her wings

A list of returning Angels to the winter Victoria's Secret show includes Lily Aldridge, Alessandra Ambrosio, Taylor Hill, Elsa Hosk, Martha Hunt, Adriana Lima, Stella Maxwell, Behati Prinsloo, Sara Sampaio, Josephine Skriver, Romee Strijd and Candice Swanepoel.

Lais joined some of the top models in the world earlier in August in Aspen for a Victoria's Secret photo shoot.

The cowgirl-themed shoot included photographer Jerome Duran and was directed by Transformers Michael Bay.

Model mayhem: Lais joined some of the top models in the world earlier in August in Aspen for a Victoria's Secret photo shoot
They have been dating since the early months of the year, officially outed as a couple in March.

And on Monday, Melissa Benoist and Chris Wood enjoyed a low-key outing in Vancouver.

The Supergirl co-stars, coffee in-hand, took their dogs for a walk in the popular Canadian city.

Day date: On Monday, Melissa Benoist, 28, and Chris Wood, 29, enjoyed a low-key outing in Vancouver with their dogs

Melissa styled her slim figure in a T-shirt and a set of cropped leggings.

The 28-year-old kept warm with a denim jacket, and completed her look with flip-flops, shades and a cap.

Chris, 29, looked relaxed in a solid grey T-shirt, jeans and sneakers.

Their story: The Supergirl co-stars have been dating since the early months of the year, officially outed as a couple in March

Melissa and Chris met while filming season two of Supergirl, which debuted in October of last year.

On the show, Chris played Mon-El, the love interest of Supergirl/Kara Danvers.

Their romance eventually moved from on-screen into real life.

Prior to her relationship with Chris, Melissa was married to former Glee co-star, Blake Jenner. The two married in 2015 and Melissa filed for divorce in December of last year.

From work to real life: Melissa and Chris met while filming season two of Supergirl, which debuted in October of last year

Season one of Supergirl debuted on CBS, but was moved to the CW for season two.

Once the network move was made, so was the location. The show began filming in Vancouver after originally shooting in Los Angeles.

Also shooting in the Canadian city is Riverdale, another teen drama also on the CW.

Action stars: On the show, Chris played Mon-El, the love interest of Supergirl/Kara Danvers

Last Wednesday, Riverdale creator Roberto Aguirre Sacasa sent fans into a frenzy when he teased a possible Supergirl/Riverdale crossover.

'Look who dropped in to #Riverdale for a visit! Worlds colliding!! Can a crossover be far behind?' he teased.

Supergirl's third season will premiere on Monday, October 9 on the CW.
She was pictured babysitting the children of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West earlier this year.

And despite appearing to be on good terms with the famous couple, Kathy Griffin has jokingly accused her neighbours of 'spying' and being 'obsessed' with her.

The 56-year-old, who once called Kim 'super stupid,' told WSFM's Jonesy & Amanda on Tuesday that Kim's mother Kris Jenner once admitted that the reality star and the rapper keep a close eye on the comedian.

Joking around: Kathy Griffin has jokingly accused her neighbours Kim Kardashian and Kanye West of 'spying' and being 'obsessed' with her

'I think it's been their dream [to live next door], I don't care what they say because apparently they're obsessed with me and spying on me,' she said.

'You know what Kris admitted? She admitted that THEY spy on ME all the time and I said I knew it.

She added: 'My mother came over one day and she's 97 and may have been a little drunk and said "I think that Kim is using your fame and riding on your coattails.'''

Celebrity babysitter: The interview comes after Kathy was pictured babysitting Kim, 36, and 40-year-old Kanye's two children North, four, and 20-month-old Saint back in April

Kathy lives in a $10.5m Bel Air mansion, while Kim and Kanye live in a very lavish $10.7m property next door.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Kim and Kanye for comment.

The interview comes after Kathy was pictured babysitting Kim, 36, and 40-year-old Kanye's two children North, four, and 20-month-old Saint back in April.

Kris Jenner, 61, shared a playful snap to Instagram and captioned: 'When @kathygriffin is babysitting my grandchildren but suddenly realizes she is outnumbered by toddlers and dogs...OMG!!'

Lavish property: Kathy lives in a $10.5m Bel Air mansion next door to Kim and Kanye

She added the hashtags: '#atleastshelooksgooddoingit #friendship #kathygriffin #help! #saint #north.'

Last year, Kathy told People magazine that she enjoyed having the famous pair as neighbours.

'They're actually really dreamy neighbors because the last thing they want is trouble with their neighbors,' she said.

Sprawling mansion: Kim and Kanye renovated their $10.7m Spanish style mansion

'They're very busy with Taylor Swift and their lip kits and what have you.'

The Emmy award-winner is no stranger to making bold statements and in May was forced to apologise for what critics deemed to be crossing the line.

Kathy was pictured holding a severed head, which bore an uncanny resemblance to US President Donald Trump.

'I sincerely apologise,' she said.

'I've just seen now the reaction of these images. I'm a comic, I crossed the line. I move the line, and then I cross it [but] I went way too far. The image is too disturbing.'
He has endured a long list of legal and personal woes over the years.

But Matthew Newton has finally reached a place of happiness in his life, according to his famous mother Patti.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, Patti said: 'In talking to [Matthew] yesterday, he's the happiest he's ever been.'

'He's the happiest he's ever been': Patti Newton has confirmed her son Matthew is doing well amid reports he has tied the knot with fiancee Catherine Schneiderman

'That's from a mother's point of view, from a family's point of view. That's all we care about,' she said.

While Patti refused to weigh in on rumours he has tied the knot with fiancee Catherine Schneiderman, she did confirm that his career success was part of his new-found happiness.

'He's doing well. That's part of his happiness. Everything's going well.'

' Everything's going well': Matthew has been celebrating the critical success of his recent film From Nowhere while also focussing on his new directorial work, Who We Are Now.

Indeed, Matthew has been celebrating the critical success of his recent film From Nowhere while also focussing on his new directorial work, Who We Are Now.

It comes days after New Idea reported that Matthew and Catherine recently exchanged 'I dos' in an intimate New York ceremony.

'[Matthew] rang his parents prior to the big day and invited them but with Bert's health being a little strained in recent months they decided a long-haul flight to New York might not be a great idea,' a source was reported as saying.

Wedding rumours: It comes days after New Idea reported that Matthew and Catherine recently exchanged 'I dos' in an intimate New York ceremony

'This is the best news ever for Bert and Patti ... they're just so happy for Matthew.'

The insider added: 'Matthew's battled a lot of demons over the years, but he finally feels like he's found his place in the world in New York with Cat.'

Catherine and Matthew first sparked engagement rumours in October, after she stepped out wearing a diamond ring.

At the time, Matthew's famous parents said they were overjoyed at the news.

'Patti and I are thrilled,' Bert told The Herald Sun. 'We love him as a son, and this is the best thing we could hope for.'
She left the mansion after having a dramatic on-camera meltdown.

And former Bachelor contestant Sian Kelly has found love since leaving the Channel 10 dating show, appearing to confirm via social media she is in a relationship with another woman.

The 24-year-old tattooed beauty teased on Instagram her romance with stunning brunette Gabrielle Crilly.

She found love! The Bachelor's Sian Kelly reveals she is in a relationship with a WOMAN

In photos shared to both their Instagram accounts the two women pose for pictures in their bikinis.

'She had me at ''we'll make it look like an accident'',' the retail assistant captioned a selfie of the pair last week, also adding the hashtag 'makegaymarriagelegal'.

Sian also hinted at the seriousness of her and Gabrielle's relationship on Tuesday, sharing a snap of the pair holding hands.

New romance: The 24-year-old tattooed beauty has found love with stunning brunette Gabrielle Crilly

Close: Sian also hinted at the seriousness of her and Gabrielle's relationship on Tuesday, sharing a snap of the pair holding hands

'Introducing to you, Mrs and Mrs flog,' she wrote in the caption.

It is unclear how long the pair have been dating and whether this is Sian's first same-sex relationship. Daily Mail Australia has contacted her for comment.

Sian joins ex-contestants Megan Marx, Tiffany Scanlon and Alex Nation, who have all gone on to have relationships with women since leaving the show.

Meanwhile fellow 2017 contestants Natalie Holmberg and Elora Murger were previously in relationships with women.

During her time on The Bachelor, Sian hit headlines thanks to her friendship with 'villains' Leah Costa and Jennifer Hawke.

Unknown: It is unclear how long the pair have been dating for and whether this is Sian's first same-sex relationship

Insta ready: The genetically-blessed pair have been documenting their romance online

The Perth-based retail worker left the show in episode six, staging a dramatic exit after failing to be noticed by Matty during a cocktail party.

Locking herself in a bathroom, a sobbing Sian could be heard saying: 'Im leaving. I dont like him! Im better than him. Im better than this. I dont like him!'

Later she told Matty: 'Id prefer to exit. Its got absolutely nothing to do with you. Its just me and my energy. And just everything today its like, "Get the f**k out".'

But after changing her mind again and deciding to stay, Matty took things into his own hands, dramatically stopping the rose ceremony to talk to Sian and persuade her to leave.

'If Im gonna be completely honest, I think the kind of doubt youve got at the moment ... I cant really see that anything between us is going to come to fruition here,' he explained.
Australia may be entering its spring months.

But winter was in full force this week thanks to the arrival of Game Of Thrones' Night King.

To celebrate the release of Game Of Thrones' seventh season in Digital HD, HBO decided to release the show's terrifying antagonist upon the streets of Sydney this week.

Winter has come... Down Under! To celebrate the release of Game Of Thrones' seventh season in Digital HD, HBO decided to release the show's terrifying antagonist The Night King upon the streets of Sydney this week

Dressed in full Night King garb, HBO's impersonator certainly managed to turn heads as he strode through iconic locations such as Bondi Beach, Sydney Opera House and Circular Quay.

The grey-skinned villain also managed to surprise early-morning commuters on their train journey to work while taking the time to pose for selfies with fans.

Many devotees took to social media to reveal their delight at the sighting, with one Tweeting: '@TrainsInfo so did anyone else see the #NightKing at town hall this morning?! Did he catch his train on time?'

An icy reception? Dressed in full Night King garb, HBO's impersonator certainly managed to turn heads as he strode through Sydney's most iconic locations

Surf's up! He was also spotted raising his arms dramatically outside Bondi Beach's famous Icebergs restaurant

He's not that scary after all! The grey-skinned villain also managed to surprise early-morning commuters on their train journey to work while taking the time to pose for selfies with fans

'Did he catch his train on time?' Many devotees took to social media to reveal their delight at the sighting

The Emmy award-winning drama's seventh season is now available to purchase through a variety of retailers including FetchTV, Google Play, iTunes, Playstation Store and Microsoft Store.

In the hotly-anticipated season seven finale, the Night King, played by Vladimir Furdik, finally made his move to wipe out the people of Westeros by bringing down The Wall.

The heart-pounding episode ended with the land of the living on a knife edge, with the leader of the White Walkers using his powerful new undead dragon to smash an enormous hole in the structure that has stood for around 8,000 years.

He's a fan! The Night King also took the time to catch up on the latest episode of Game Of Thrones on his iPad

Theory: Meanwhile, fans have been buzzing with speculation that the Night King has had contact with Bran Stark in his visions- meaning the zombie ruler may also able to access the Three Eyed Raven's mind

Mind games? If this theory were true, it would explain why the Night King waited until he had a dragon before marching south despite never having seen the beast for himself

The lingering final shot depicted the army of the dead marching through an enormous hole in what was supposed to be an impassable fortress.

Meanwhile, fans have been buzzing with speculation that the Night King has had contact with Bran Stark in his visions- meaning the zombie ruler may also able to access the Three Eyed Raven's mind.

If this were true, it would explain why the Night King waited until he had a dragon before marching south despite never having seen the beast for himself.
He enjoyed a family trip to church on Sunday with his famous ex-wife.

Ben Affleck was spotted filling up his black Bentley at a gas station in Los Angeles while new girlfriend Lindsay Shookus ran inside the convenience store to get coffees for the couple on Monday afternoon.

The 45-year-old Armageddon actor topped off before meeting his three children for ice cream in Brentwood.

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Gas guy: Ben Affleck filled up his black Bentley at a gas station in Los Angeles while girlfriend Lindsay Shookus ran inside the convenience store to get coffees on Monday afternoon

Wearing a bright blue shirt with the image of Egyptian King Tut emblazoned across his chest, Affleck fumbled through credit cards before finding the right one to purchase gasoline.

Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus leaned up against the actor's back as she helped her boyfriend fuel his ride.

Feeling blue, Affleck donned a pair of light blue jeans and matching blue sneakers for his afternoon adventure.

Ben shielded his eyes from the summer sun in a pair of silver framed aviator sunglasses with dark lenses.

Blue man: The 45-year-old Armageddon actor topped off before meeting his three children for ice cream in Brentwood

California cool: Sporting a white sweater with black and white wave and palm tree prints, Shookus showed off her slender form in a pair of distressed denim shorts

His 37-year-old blonde girlfriend ran into the mini market for fuel of her own and returned with two iced coffees for the couple.

Sporting a white sweater with black and white wave and palm tree prints, Shookus showed off her slender form in a pair of distressed denim shorts.

Ben was later seen cuddling up with his three children after treating Violet, 11, Seraphina, eight, and Samuel, five, to ice cream in Brentwood.

You scream! Ben was later seen cuddling up with his three children after treating Violet, 11, Seraphina, eight, and Samuel, five, to ice cream in Brentwood

Off out: Shortly before the outing, his ex-wife Jennifer Garner was seen out and about while Ben was hanging out with their kids

Shortly before the outing, his ex-wife Jennifer Garner was seen out and about while Ben was hanging out with their kids.

Together with their children, Ben and Jen were spotted attending services at her church in Pacific Palisades on Sunday.

The actress filed for divorce from Affleck in April, following their split in 2015 after almost 10 years of marriage.

Church time: Ben held daughter Violet's hand as little Samuel trailed behind on their way into Garner's church on Sunday morning
She's spent most of the summer on the island of Ibiza spinning discs.

But on Monday, Paris Hilton returned home to Los Angeles after a brief foray to the Spanish resort for a gig.

The hotel heiress, 36, held hands with her actor boyfriend Chris Zylka, 32, as she strolled through the arrivals terminal.

Back in the City of Angels: On Monday, Paris Hilton returned home to Los Angeles from Ibiza with boyfriend, actor Chris Zylka

The globe-trotting blonde wore a brightly colored ankle-length dress with a low-cut neckline.

She added black flats and carried a smart phone and a red purse.

Her signature blonde hair was long and loose and she sported a pair of large round sunglasses.

On show: The globe-trotting hotel heiress wore a brightly colored ankle-length dress with a low-cut neckline and carried a red purse

Looking to get noticed: Paris's signature blonde hair was long and loose and she sported a pair of large round sunglasses as she walked hand-in-hand with her beau

Dark ensemble: Zylka wore distressed black jeans and a matching baggy sweatshirt. He added a backwards baseball cap and shades

Zylka wore distressed black jeans and a matching baggy sweatshirt.

He added a backwards baseball cap and shades.

He and Paris began dating Zylka last year but they only went public with their relationship in February.

'It [makes] me so happy to have Chris by my side,' Paris told MailOnline last week.

'He loves kids just like I do...I can't wait to have my own child one day and how special that feeling would be.'
Nicolas Cage's son Weston has some tough decisions ahead of him.

The 26-year-old son of the enigmatic 53-year-old actor and 50-year-old designer Christina Fulton has been given a chance by the judge in his DUI case to partially decide which sentence he will take after pleading no contest in the February 4 incident earlier this month,TMZ reported Monday.

Weston can either serve 45 days in county jail, 30 days of community labor or complete 350 hours of community service as part of his sentence in the case, in which Weston was convicted of driving with a BAC of 0.08 or higher, the outlet reported.

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Troubled times: Weston Cage, 26, has been given a chance by the judge in his DUI case to partially decide which sentence he will take after pleading no contest, TMZ reported Monday. The musician was snapped earlier this month at an LA movie premiere

In addition to one of the options, the outlet reported, Weston will also be obligated to take part in a three-month alcohol program and face assorted financial penalties in fallout of the incident six months back.

The incident took place during the afternoon of Saturday, February 4, when the son of the Leaving Las Vegas Oscar-winner, driving in a white Chevrolet Camaro, was involved in a collision with another motorist.

He initially gave the other driver his information, but left abruptly as he thought the police were pursing him, TMZ reported.

Law enforcement eventually did catch up with Weston, who collided into mailboxes and street signs before plunging into a tree.

Bad time: The son of actor Nicolas Cage was taken into custody February 4 in connection with DUI in the San Fernando Valley

Damage: Weston careened into street signs and a tree on the drunken drive, yet thankfully, no one was injured

The impact from the collision caused the airbag in his vehicle to discharge, and knocked a tire off the automobile.

He was subsequently arrested and then hospitalized in the wake of the harrowing incident.

Weston, who has a three-year-old son named Lucian, told DailyMail.com in September of 2015 that 'alcohol became a nightmare' in his life during a time he was drinking up to 30 beers daily, in addition to abusing substances such as wine, hard liquor and pills.

Famous dad: Weston posed with Nicolas at a September 2016 screening in Hollywood

Setback: Weston, seen with Nicolas in 2015 in LA, said he had been able to achieve sobriety for some time amid a self-destructive battle with alcoholism

Rocker: Weston, seen here in 2009 in LA, has had past issues with the law, including two arrests for domestic violence

He said that boozing brought out his self-destructive side in a terrible way.

'You have to know what type of alcoholic you are,' he said. 'I was the kind that drank until I was unconscious. I knew I could not go on living that way. I knew there had to be a better life.

'It's dangerous because you can get taken advantage of, you can't protect your family when you are that out of it. I don't miss the hangovers, I don't miss the bad feelings and the bad dreams.'
Her husband Bert Newton made national headlines due to his battle with pneumonia earlier this year.

But Patti Newton, 72, has now spoken about her own health struggles after being struck down with a debilitating case of shingles.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, the iconic show-woman revealed: 'When I was in my 40s I had a bad case of shingles which was, I must say, absolutely devastating because Bert and I had just planned a trip overseas and I had to go.'

'Like a big poker going through my back and it was so so painful': Patti Newton has revealed she lived in excruciating pain during a 'devastating' year-long shingles battle

She explained that initially she had noticed a small, harmless-looking rash on her body but soon realised the skin irritation was more serious when it turned into blisters that extended around her back.

'I also had PHN which is something that attacks the nervous system. Mine was like a big poker going through my back and it was so so painful,' she said.

Revealing that she suffered from shingles for a year, Patti added: 'It's such an awful thing. People in their seventies probably don't go the GP often enough to ask about these sorts of things.'

Health battle: Her husband Bert Newton (right) made national headlines due to his battle with pneumonia earlier this year

What are shingles? Shingles is caused by a reactivation of the chicken pox (herpes zoster) virus in the body, and usually gives rise to a red, painful, belt-like rash around one side of the torso. Because the virus affects the nerves, the pain that comes with the rash can last for many years after the attack. This is called post-herpetic neuralgia. Symptoms include oversensitivity, fatigue, a burning sensation in the affected area, a band-shaped rash that follows the nerve supply to the skin, blisters and scabbing. Advertisement

'It can lead to stroke, it can lead to other major illnesses when you're a senior.'

Patti said she encourages those in their seventies to ask their doctor about government-funded shingles prevention and treatment.

This month a new survey has revealed that Australians over the age of 70 are failing to prioritise their health, giving them a greater risk of developing shingles.

A survey of more than 1000 people aged 70-79 found 70 per cent were not aware of their increased risk of many serious illnesses such as shingles.

Associate Professor Michael Woodward AM at Austin Health and University of Melbourne has said these new findings are concerning.

'Although there is no cure for shingles and we know one in three will develop shingles in their lifetime, 40 per cent of Australians aged 70-79 are not aware that there are government funded shingles prevention and treatment options,' he told AAP.
They were accused of being 'copycats' with their winning children's room design.

And The Block's Georgia and Ronnie Caceres have defended themselves against suspicious contestants on Tuesday's episode.

The Perth team spoke up when rival Jason said he saw 'pictures on the Internet' that looked 'extremely similar' to their winning design.

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We're not cheaters! The Block contestants Georgia and Ronnie Caceres defended themselves against suspicious rivals on Tuesday's episode

'Ive gotta say something, I have to defend myself here,' Georgia replied.

'I am highly passionate about that bedroom I did,' she added. 'I went into that store because I knew I wanted the Mrs Mighetto prints, I wanted them for my girls room.

'I knew I wanted the rose gold bed from Incy Interiors, they happened to be a stockist of that. I 150 per cent did that whole room on my own!' she told the group.

'I am highly passionate about that bedroom I did. I went into that store because I knew I wanted the Mrs Mighetto prints, I wanted them for my girls room,' Georgia explained

'I knew I wanted the rose gold bed from Incy Interiors, they happened to be a stockist of that. I 150 per cent did that whole room on my own!' she told the group

'I did not have help from them and I take pride in my interior design abilities and I wont let you say that they helped me on that,' Georgia concluded.

Ronnie and Georgia were accused of using the Instagram of a professional interior design company to inspire one of their winning rooms - even though 'contestants (are allowed to) gather inspiration from many different sources', according to a Channel Nine spokesperson.

The Perth couple had defended themselves against the claims to Woman's Day on Monday, with Ronnie calling their fellow contestants 'bullies'.

Dubious: Ronnie and Georgia were accused of using the Instagram account of a professional interior design company to inspire one of their winning rooms

'It's Tall Poppy Syndrome,' Ronnie told the magazine, with Georgia adding: 'It felt like we were ganged up on!'

The experienced renovators appeared to take inspiration for their children's room from Melbourne-based Norsu Interiors, who thanked them on social media.

'A heartfelt thank you to the gorgeous @ronnieandgeorgia for visiting our store, we're absolutely pinching ourselves. Such a special moment for our Norsu team,' they wrote.

Remix? The experienced renovators appeared to take inspiration for their children's room from Melbourne-based Norsu Interiors, who thanked them on social media

Not only is the same rose gold metal bed from Incy Interiors used in both designs, so too are the wall prints, a canopy in the corner and a stuffed toy on the bed.

A shot of the 'professionally designed' room was sent to Ronnie and Georgia's fellow Block contestant Jason, 46, who immediately accused the duo of being 'copycats'.

According to a publicist for the TV show, it is 'a long-standing rule on The Block that contestants are not allowed to enlist the help of a professional interior designer'.

Inspired: Not only is the same rose gold metal bed from Incy Interiors used in both designs, so too are the wall prints, a canopy in the corner and a stuffed toy on the bed

Guidelines: According to the reality TV show's rules, all competitors are banned from being assisted by a professional interior designer

'Ronnie and Georgia have not broken any rules by drawing inspiration from the latest trends and styles,' a Nine Network spokesperson explained.

'During the episode airing on Tuesday, August 29, other contestants are seen to be gathering inspiration from many different sources i.e. from stores, photographs in magazines, and online outlets. This has been the case with contestants across many past seasons,' they added.

Fans of the show took umbrage with Ronnie and Georgia, with one commenting on the program's Instagram account that they were 'not really inventive'.

'Ronnie and Georgia have not broken any rules by drawing inspiration from the latest trends and styles,' a Nine Network spokesperson explained

'To copy it almost exactly is getting money for someone else's ideas, it's a building and design show, you should be losing points for such plagiarism,' added another.

Georgia is reportedly 'determined' to find out who sent the Instagram picture from Norsu Interiors to Jason, with rivals Hannah and Josh being suspected.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Norsu Interiors for further comment.
She is the Hollywood star known for her age-defying looks.

And Jada Pinkett Smith showed off her very youthful complexion while on a promotional tour for her new film Girls Trip in Sydney on Tuesday.

The actress looked nowhere her 45 years, revealing her completely line-free visage.

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What's her secret: Jada Pinkett Smith showed off her youthful complexion while on a promotional tour for her new film Girls Trip in Sydney on Tuesday

Going bra-less in a cream dress with a modest v-neck cut, Jade also flaunted her super fit figure.

The frock was cinched in at the waist, showcasing her trim and toned physique.

Keeping her accessories minimal, the actress sported a single ring on her index finger and large oval shaped diamond drop earrings.

Fit and fabulous: Going bra less in a cream dress with a modest v-neck cut, Jade also flaunted her super fit figure

Flattering: The frock was cinched in at the waist, showcasing her trim and toned physique

Letting her natural beauty shine through, Jada opted for a smokey eye that complemented her well groomed eyebrows.

A sweep of rose blush on her cheeks and a glossy pink lip completed her beauty look.

The star is in Sydney for tomorrow night's premiere of Girls Trip.

She is set to give a special guest intro to early viewers.

The movie also stars Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish and Kate Walsh, and centres around a group of friends who go to New Orleans for a festival.

Picture perfect: Letting her natural beauty shine through, Jada opted for a smokey eye that complemented her well groomed eyebrows

Natural beauty: A sweep of rose blush on her cheeks and a glossy pink lip completed her beauty look
Extreme Sailing Series: CARDIFF, Wales - August 28, 2017 - The young sailors of Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trusts Round Britain 2017 voyage got shown the ropes by the crew of Oman Air, as their journey coincided with the sixth Act of the Extreme Sailing Series on Cardiff Bay.





The national organisation was set up in 2003 by Dame Ellen MacArthur with the aim of helping young people rebuild their confidence after cancer through sailing. 100 of these young people will be involved in the Trusts Round Britain Tour this summer, a 2,400-mile sailing relay around the UK.





The 44ft voyage yacht, Moonspray, has just completed leg 13 of its 120-day journey, which began in Scotland in May and has travelled clockwise around the UK since, stopping in Cardiff Bay before it continues on to Holyhead.





One of the crew who will be taking part in the next leg of the trip, Mark Adams, explained what the project means to him: It helps you to get out and meet new people and builds your confidence. You can be independent and learning new skills and you get to see the country through a totally new experience. I was completely new to sailing the first time I did it but it was great fun and I learned loads of new things about the sport.





It was good to meet the other people on the boat. They had all been in the same situation as me, were going through treatment or had been through treatment, so it was really interesting to hear their stories and just get to know them. It was inspiring and motivating, added Adams, who has previously sailed with the Trust.





Extreme Sailing Series sailors Ed Smyth and James Wierzbowski spent the morning with the young sailors, showing them around the Omani-flagged foiling GC32. The high-performance catamaran, which is designed for inshore racing, is very different to the monohull that makes the trip around Britain.





We had to pull up one of the J-foils which was extremely hard work, so credit to the sailors for being able to do that quickly while racing. Id love to get into foiling having watched it now, its just incredible, said Moonspray crew George Paxford.





Sailing has become a real passion of mine since I first started with the Trust so Im really excited to watch more of the racing, added Paxford.





Hannah Spencer is a true success story of the Trust. She explained how she took to sailing after her first experience and went on to work for the project.





I was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 and got invited by my hospital to go sailing with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust for the first time in 2010. I did my four-day sailing trip, like Mark has done, and I really took to it so I kept going back every year.





I went through the Trusts Return to Sail programme, did my Royal Yachting Association Competent Crew qualification and went back as a volunteer. Then last year I did my Yachtmaster, became commercially endorsed, and got offered the job to be mate on the Round Britain 2017.





The Extreme Sailing Series is really exciting. The boats were tacking right in front of us and it was really cool. We were very impressed, added Spencer.





The Trust have a stand in the free entry public Extreme Sailing Series Fan Zone, located by the Norwegian Church on Cardiff Bay, where you can find out more about the inspiring work they are doing.




Love hurts, even for the rich and famous.

The Real Housewives of New York City's Luann de Lesseps, speaking with Bravo's Andy Cohen in a preview of Watch What Happens Live One-on-One, delved into detail about the circumstances that led to the end of her seven-month marriage to printing mogul Tom DAgostino Jr.

The 52-year-old reality star, chatting with Cohen at her home in the Hamptons, described the chain of events that led to her parting ways with DAgostino, which she announced earlier this month.

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Difficult time: The Real Housewives of New York City's LuAnn de Lesseps, 52, opened up about her split with Tom DAgostino Jr. in a preview clip for Watch What Happens Live One-on-One released Monday

'It was like the weekend before the reunion, basically,' she said. 'Tom went out and he called up an old girlfriend and they met up with a group of people and I didn't know about it.

'I found out about it the next day in the press, so that for me was the final straw. I was like, "I can't do this anymore."'

Cohen also asked the mother-of-two about a report from The New York Post's Page Six, about the former couple's acrimony, in which sources told the paper that de Lesseps slapped DAgostino 'in a fancy Manhattan restaurant' during a spat.

But the 5ft10 beauty - who married DAgostino last New Year's Eve at Palm Beach, Florida's The Brazilian Court Hotel - denied striking her estranged husband.

Crumbling union: LuAnn said learning her DAgostino was with an old girlfriend through the media was a crushing blow to the relationship

Lost love: The reality star sat down for the emotional interview just weeks after announcing her divorce

Hands off: Luann denied a report that she had slapped DAgostino during a fiery dinner argument

'I didn't slap him,' Luann, who was previously wed to Count Alexandre DeLesseps from 1993 until 2009, told Cohen. 'What I did was grab his face.

'It was in the heat of the moment, and I was hurt by something, so I just - I wanted his attention so I grabbed his face, so it wasn't really a slap.'

In a tweet she posted August 3, de Lesseps announced her parting from DAgostino. She wrote, 'It's with great sadness that Tom & I agreed to divorce. We care for each other very much, hope you respect our privacy during this sad time!'

The interview will air in its entirety on Bravo September 6 at 11/10c.

Clarification: Luann said that she had grabbed Tom's face in the 'heat of the moment'

Full disclosure: Luann's chat with Andy airs early next month on Bravo
Tensions are rising on Home And Away.

While Pia Miller's pregnant character Katarina Chapman was fatally injured in recent scenes, it appears the tension has shifted to a new heights with George Mason and Jake Ryan's characters coming to blows.

Pictures surfaced on Tuesday show a dramatic fight scene taking place between characters Ash and Robbo.

Tense: It seems the tension has shifted to a new heights with George Mason and Jake Ryan 's characters coming to blows during filming of Home and Away.

Jake Ryan's character Robbo is pictured standing over George Mason's character Ash, as the two square each other up in a heated exchange.

The duo appear to be yelling at each other before the scuffle gets physical.

Following confirmation this month that Jake will play a love interest of Katarina's before her death, it's likely the pair were arguing about the death of Pia Miller's onscreen character.

It's also been speculated that George could be a suspect related to Katarina's death.

Coming to blows: The pictures also seem to show the pair subsequently coming to blows after what looks like a heated exchange in front of the lighthouse.

The pictures also show the pair subsequently coming to blows after what looks like a heated exchange in front of the lighthouse.

Other pictures released show police present at a separate fight scene, but it's unclear as to what is taking place, with new actors yet to be introduced to the series seen alongside the cops.

The mass brawl shows several actors fighting on the beach, with policemen being thrown violently onto the sand.

Police presence: Police are present at a separate fight scene, but are unclear as to what is totally taking place

New actors yet to be introduced to the series are pictured alongside the cops in a scuffle
Her sizzling frame has been widely-scrutinised - with everything from looking 'too thin', 'pregnant' and most recently claims she has surgically-enhanced her cleavage.

Yet Megan McKenna has always remained defiant in the face of the rumours, with her latest defence coming in an interview with OK! Magazine as she insisted her enhanced cleavage was merely a result of clever underwear trickery.

The 24-year-old TOWIE stunner posed alongside her handsome boyfriend Pete Wicks in the shoot, as they lashed out at co-star Chloe Sims' comments over their reunion - branding the words 'nasty' and 'hurtful'.

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Happy days: Megan McKenna posed alongside her handsome boyfriend Pete Wicks in the OK! Magazine shoot, as they lashed out at co-star Chloe Sims' comments over their reunion - branding the words 'nasty' and 'hurtful'

Megan and Pete have been locked in a convoluted love story since she entered the structured reality programme in March last year, with their dramas captivating viewers following many bumps in the road.

After a series of make-ups and break-ups the duo headed on a trip to Vegas to iron out the creases in their romance in June, yet Chloe, who was previously embroiled in their woes amid infidelity claims, had some choice words over their reunion.

The mother-of-one said of the duo earlier this month: 'No one really cares about them getting back together, they need to try and keep it a little more to themselves this time. I hope this time round their relationship isn't as toxic.'

Megan and Pete lashed out at the star, as Megan said: 'She doesnt know us. If people are your true friends on the show or not, they will never say nasty things like that, a stunned Pete concurred: 'I didnt realise shed said that. Thats a bit of a nasty thing to say because she knows how hurt I was and how bad I felt at the time.

Not true: Her sizzling frame has been widely-scrutinised - with everything from looking 'too thin', 'pregnant' and most recently claims she has surgically-enhanced her cleavage

Perkier than ever: She has always remained defiant in the face of boob job claims, with her latest defence coming as she insisted her enhanced cleavage was merely a result of clever underwear trickery

Aside from their relationship woes, Megan also addressed her image amid long-standing claims she has boosted her perky assets under the knife: 'I just have a really good set of chicken fillets. I stick them in when I want that fuller look.

After claims she was looking 'too thin', in June she lashed out at rumours she was expecting a child, as she claimed her rounded stomach was merely down to a 'food baby'.

She took to Instagram to lash out at reports from publications in which it was claimed she was pregnant with her on-off beau's baby, after she was pictured during the Vegas trip.

Her defiant rant saw Megan refer to concerns from fans after she displayed an extremely slender frame in an Instagram selfie - as she lashed out at the contradictory comments against her figure.

While their fractious relationship may loiter on shaky ground, she is adamant she will wed the tattooed hunk in what she will fashion as a 'royal wedding'.

Cruel comments: The mother-of-one said of the duo: 'No one really cares about them getting back together, they need to try and keep it a little more to themselves this time. I hope this time round their relationship isn't as toxic'

Happier times: The mother-of-one said of the duo earlier this month: 'No one really cares about them getting back together, they need to try and keep it a little more to themselves this time. I hope this time round their relationship isn't as toxic'

The latest issue of OK! Magazine is on news stands now

She said: 'I would want it to be like a royal wedding. The Duchess of Cambridge meets Diana, Princess of Wales. A massive dress, all the ivy falling down, a huge church. Id like a proper traditional wedding. I dont like all that doing it abroad. I would want it to be massive!

Pete went on: 'I never thought about getting married before I was with Megan, but I think every girl does.

Speaking of their trip to Vegas, Megan said: 'We went to Vegas for a secret getaway, which wasnt secret after we got pictured on the first day!

'We wanted to go away without anyones opinions and just enjoy ourselves. When we were there, I think that was the point when we realised it was going to work properly because we had such a good time.

Pete went on: We had a good break apart. Although we saw each other on nights out, it was just trying our best to be civil. But since getting back together its been like a new relationship. Its the beginning.

The latest issue of OK! Magazine is on news stands now
They tied the knot in July, in a lavish trio of ceremonies.

And Strictly Come Dancing professionals Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec are still living in the blissful throes of newlywed bliss one month down the line as they gushed about their unconventional choice to host three weddings.

Speaking in the latest issue of OK! Magazine, the happy couple could hardly contain their glee as they giggled and cosied up in images accompanying their chat - showing Janette, 33, in one of her two dresses for the nuptials.

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Happy days: Strictly professionals Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec are still living in the blissful throes of newlywed bliss one month down the line as they gushed about their unconventional choice to host three weddings

Before their epic vows, Janette and Aljaz revealed they were planning three wedding celebrations, in London, Florida and Slovenia, because their grandparents can't travel and they don't want them to miss out.

Aljaz said: The main reason is because our grandmas cant travel. None of them can fly eight or nine hours, so this way they get to see us getting married.

Now the duo have discussed their nuptials, as the brunette beauty said: 'It was the happiest two weeks of our lives.

'To say that we got to walk down the aisle, exchange our vows and celebrate our marriage three times is really nice. Most people only have the one day. We would do it all again  all three weddings were just perfect.

Lasting love: Speaking in the latest issue of OK! Magazine , the happy couple could hardly contain their glee as they giggled and cosied up in images accompanying their chat - showing Janette, 33, in one of her two dresses for the shoot

Aljaz went on: It was so special. All our families, planners and guests put so much into making each wedding so special for us.

'It was lovely that our families could spend two weeks together and get to see each others homes. We would do it all again  all three weddings were just perfect.

Of her dresses, the stunner explained the reasons behind her having two dresses - transforming her Julian McDonald gown for another dress for her Slovenian nuptials, to ensure her grandparents saw a different ensemble to that in their initial snaps.

She said: 'I went to a place called Davids Bridal. Most of my family had seen the London wedding in OK! magazine, so I wanted my grandparents to see me walk down the aisle in a different dress to the one theyd seen. My mum and my sister went to buy it with me but it was a surprise for Aljaz.

Happy days: Aljaz went on: It was so special. All our families, planners and guests put so much into making each wedding so special for us'

Aljaz and Janette's London celebration was spread across three different locations  a legal ceremony at Chelsea Old Town Hall, the wedding breakfast at Heron Towers Duck and Waffle before the party at Victorian Bath House in Bishopsgate.

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There was certainly no shortage of celebrity guests waiting to take a spin on the gold-mirrored dancefloor. Among those were Zoe Ball, Frankie and Wayne Bridge, Ore Oduba and wife Portia.

Talking about seeing his bride for the first time in her Julien Macdonald creation, Aljaz told the magazine: 'Janette looked so beautiful. She looked just like a Disney princess'

I love everything about Janette. We do everything together and I love it all. I think we are like one person.

Janette added: 'Meeting and marrying Aljaz is a dream come true. He is my Prince Charming. Im going to start crying again!

Guests were wowed by the speeches, in which Aljaz told Janette: 'Six years ago you stole my heart and it will always be yours.

The couple are planning a family together, with Janette revealing she plans on quitting the dance show which made her a household name.

She said: 'Hopefully I will have a few more years of Strictly then once I have children I want to devote my life to them.

The new issue of OK! Magazine is on news stands now
She is rarely seen without her dog, while enjoying some downtime away from filming.

And Jennifer Lawrence proved her love for pooch Pippi Lawrence-Stocking was stronger than ever on Tuesday, as she treated her to a taxi ride in NYC.

The actress, 27, cut a casually cool figure in a trendy leather cap as she enjoyed a stroll around Central Park with her furry friend - before scooping her into her arms and hailing a taxi on Fifth Avenue.

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And they called it, puppy love: Jennifer Lawrence proved her love for pooch Pippi Lawrence-Stocking was stronger than ever on Tuesday, as she treated her to a taxi ride in NYC

The actress, known for her glamorous appearance on the red carpet, opted for a more casual but chic look as she took Pippi for a walk around the sun-soaked park.

The Passengers star slipped her slender frame into a white vest and simple black skinny jeans, which she jazzed up with a quirky leather cap.

Adding comfortable tan desert shoes to her feet, Jennifer then upped the glamour of the low-key look with a sleek leather handbag, slung over one shoulder, and a pair of dark, oversized shades.

Trendy: The Passengers star slipped her slender frame into a white vest and simple black skinny jeans, which she jazzed up with a quirky leather cap as she strolled around Central Park

Sweeping her hair into a loose ponytail, the X Men actress appeared completely relaxed as she walked her adorable dog around Central Park, chatting to a friend on the phone as she went.

Rarely seen anywhere without her pet however, Jennifer was later seen scooping her pooch into her arms and carrying her into a taxi, as she embarked on the rest of her busy day in the city.

Jennifer seemed to be enjoying some time off from filming, ahead of the release of her new horror flick Mother.

Just the two of us: Jennifer is often seen out and about in New York with her pet (pictured in May)

New project: Jennifer seemed to be enjoying some time off from filming, ahead of the release of her new horror flick Mother (above)

Set for release on September 15, Jennifer portrays a young woman in the flick whose life takes a nightmarish turn, after the unexplained arrival of a mysterious couple to her house.

The disturbing trailer captures Jennifer's life of domestic bliss descend into madness, as the couple make themselves at home in their new property.

Despite her highly successful career in the acting world, the Kentucky native recently admitted it is 'scary' leading such a high-profile lifestyle.

Speaking to Vogue about her traumatic nude photo leak in 2014, the actress revealed she is constantly waiting to be 'blindsided'.

'It's terrifying': Despite her highly successful career in the acting world, the Kentucky native recently admitted to Vogue it is 'scary' leading such a high-profile lifestyle

Staying strong: Speaking to Vogue about her traumatic nude photo leak in 2014, the actress revealed she is constantly waiting to be 'blindsided'

She explained: 'Having your privacy violated constantly isn't a problem if you're perfect. But if you're human, it's terrifying.'

Confessing she lives in fear of another scandal, she went on: 'When my publicist calls me, I'm like, "Oh, my God, what is it?" Even when it's nothing. I'm always waiting to get blindsided again.

Before adding: 'It's scary when you feel the whole world judges you.'

Earlier this year, Edward Majerczyk, 29, from Chicago WAS sentenced to nine months in prison for hacking the electronic accounts of 30 celebrities, among them Jennifer, and stealing their private information, including nude videos and photos.

He was also ordered to pay $5,700 in restitution for counselling services for one undisclosed celebrity victim whose photos were disseminated online.
They fell in love on last year's series of Love Island, and are set to tie the knot next September.

And Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen proved they were more besotted than ever during their recent trip to Croatia, as they were spotted cosying up on the beach.

The blonde beauty, 23, confidently flaunted her slender figure in a slinky red swimsuit as she strutted her stuff along the sand - before joining her hunky beau, 25, for a playful embrace in the sea.

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Loved-up: Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen proved they were more besotted than ever during their recent trip to Croatia, as they were spotted cosying up on the beach

Red hot! The blonde beauty, 23, confidently flaunted her slender figure in a slinky red swimsuit as she strutted her stuff along the sand

The duo, who have been together for just over a year, proved their relationship was only going from strength to strength as they put on an affectionate display on the beach.

Olivia stripped to a slinky red swimsuit to top up her tan while away - showing off her enviably slender frame for all to see.

The scarlet one-piece, emblazoned with a playful 'Stay Sassy' logo, dipped into a low round neckline to tease at her cleavage underneath, before cutting off far above her hip to lengthen her already long and lean pins.

Their own Love Island: The duo proved their relationship was only going from strength to strength as they put on an affectionate display on the beach

Sensational: Olivia stripped to a slinky red swimsuit to top up her tan while away - showing off her enviably slender frame for all to see

Only making the look more saucy, the swimsuit then plunged into a backless style to show off even more sun-kissed skin, before rising to a daring height at her rear to flash her peachy derriere to all.

Proving her trendy sense of style, Olivia accessorised her swimwear with a black and white belt, to further emphasise her petite waist and slim frame.

Leaving her hair in loose waves and opting for a bronzed and dewy make-up look, the reality star was every inch the natural beauty as she soaked up the sun with her man.

Simply the bust: The scarlet one-piece, emblazoned with a playful 'Stay Sassy' logo, then dipped into a low round neckline to tease at her cleavage underneath

Bronzed: Only making the look more saucy, the swimsuit then plunged into a backless style to show off more sun-kissed skin, and rose high at her rear to give a flash of her derriere to all

Model material: Proving her trendy sense of style, Olivia accessorised her swimwear with a black and white belt, to further emphasise her petite waist and slim frame

Summer loving: Leaving her hair in loose waves and opting for a dewy make-up look, the reality star was every inch the natural beauty as she soaked up the sun with her man

First wandering through the shallows hand-in-hand, Olivia and Alex were then seen sweetly embracing in the water, proving their love was as strong over a year later.

Becoming more playful however, the good-looking duo then embarked on a spot of play fighting, leaving them in fits of giggles as they relaxed on the beach.

The pair have been enjoying a lengthy break in Croatia, where they attended the famously wild electronic music festival Sonus on Pag Island.

Besotted: First wandering through the shallows hand-in-hand, Olivia and Alex were then seen sweetly embracing in the water

Stop it! Becoming more playful however, the good-looking duo then embarked on a spot of play fighting

Sweet: The activity left the pair in fits of giggles, proving their love is stronger than ever

Amidst all the partying however, the duo have also been documenting a number of dinners and beach days during the getaway on social media - proving their romance to be stronger than ever.

Olivia and Alex met on Love Island in July 2016, and became engaged after a whirlwind romance during a trip to New York over Christmas.

The couple recently confirmed they have set a date for their nuptials, which will take place in 2018, and will be attended by many of their reality star pals.

For life: Olivia and Alex met on Love Island in July 2016, and became engaged after a whirlwind romance during a trip to New York over Christmas

Making it official: The couple recently confirmed they have set a date for their nuptials, which will take place in 2018, and will be attended by many of their reality star pals

Getting sorted: Olivia recently revealed: 'Its in September next year. Ive been wedding dress shopping in Kensington' while Alex gushed: 'There's never going to be another couple like us'

Speaking to OK! Magazine, Olivia, who appeared on TLC's Say Yes To The Dress in April, revealed: 'Its in September next year. Ive been wedding dress shopping in Kensington. Ive found the dress but they are all out of our budget. Theyre about 11,000.

I dont really want to have a budget for my dress. Its the most special day of my life.

Despite proposing so soon after they met, Alex was quick to gush of their unique romance, telling the publication: 'There's never going to be another couple like Olivia and I'.

While his fiancee backed him up by adding: 'We have something I cant even imagine anyone ever finding.
They set tongues wagging after he asked her out on Celebrity Big Brother's Bit On the Side and enjoyed a night out together.

Now Marissa Jade, 32, and Calum Best, 36, have continued to set the romance rumour mill into overdrive after they were pictured together on Monday in London, enjoying the last of the sunshine and eating ice creams.

The Mob Wives' star showcased her petite frame in a pair of figure-flaunting midwash denims that hugged her pins as she wrapped her arm around fellow reality star Calum.

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Stepping out: Marissa Jade, 32, and Calum Best, 36, have continued to set the romance rumour mill into overdrive after they were pictured together on Monday in London, enjoying the last of the sunshine and eating ice creams

Her choice of ripped jeans accentuated her pert posterior while she was playfully lifted by the TV star.

The brunette beauty teamed her laid back look with a skintight black vest which teased at her ample cleavage and drew attention to her long crystal necklace.

Carrying an ice cream cone in her manicured mitt, she left her glossy locks loose in a straight style, navigating the path in her nude stilettos and keeping her eyes on the hunky CBB alum.

Complementing his friend, Calum sported a pair of distressed denim with a tattoo-flashing sleeveless T-shirt which featured gaping panels at either side.

Larking about: The Mob Wives' star showcased her petite frame in a pair of figure-flaunting midwash denims that hugged her pins while she was playfully lifted by the TV star

At ease: The brunette beauty teamed her laid back look with a skintight black vest which teased at her ample cleavage and drew attention to her long crystal necklace

With his slicked back 'do, he exuded energy as he playfully lifted Marissa over his shoulder, hinting at his underwear while he pulled her over his back.

MailOnline have contacted Marissa Jade and Calum Best's reps for comment.

The pair first got tongues-wagging after Calum ask Marissa out live on air during an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother's Bit On The Side on the night of her eviction.

Accepting his offer, Marissa was later seen on his arm - sizzling in a red eviction dress that highlighted her curvaceous frame.

She and Calum were seen leaving DSTRKT nightclub, with a source telling The Sun that pair had been 'all over each other'.

Cheeky: Her choice of ripped jeans accentuated her pert posterior while she was playfully lifted by the TV star

Having fun: Carrying an ice cream cone in her manicured mitt, she left her glossy locks loose in a straight style

Strong: Calum couldn't keep his hands off the American star as he pulled her over his shoulder

An onlooker told the paper: 'They were all over each other in DSTRKT - Calum was putting his arm around Marissa, and leaning in to whisper in her ear.

'He'd called ahead to the club to set up the 'date night' after Marissa agreed to go out with him.

'They left together at the end of the night - he was stroking her back and her hair as they left.'

Speaking to MailOnline, Marissa's spokesperson explained: 'Marissa and Calum met on CBB BOTS and have mutual friends.'

Back to it! With his slicked back 'do, he exuded energy as he playfully lifted Marissa over his shoulder, hinting at his underwear while he pulled her over his back

Tatt's nice: Complementing his friend, Calum sported a pair of distressed denim with a tattoo-flashing sleeveless T-shirt which featured gaping panels at either side

American-British Calum has a string of high profile romances under his belt, including current CBB star Sarah Harding, Lindsay Lohan and Georgia Salpa (who ended things when he was spotted with Donna Air) - as well as being linked to a string of beauties in the past, including Kim Kardashian.

His appearance with Marissa came after she had hinted at a future romance with Jordan - who has previously dated Megan McKenna - during her exit interview with CBB host Emma Willis.

However, their friendship has caused friction between Marissa and possible love interest Jordan Davies when viewers watched the duo clash over their short-lived fling on their return to the Borehamwood mansion last week.

Jordan had called out the Mob Wives' beauty for heading on a date with Calum straight after her early exit from the show, prompting her to hit back at the Ex On The Beach hunk for suggesting things had progressed with her and Calum, as she remarked: 'Do you really think I'm that easy?'

Getting close: The pair first got tongues-wagging after Calum ask Marissa out live on air during an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother's Bit On The Side on the night of her eviction

Relaxed: Accepting his offer, Marissa was later seen on his arm - sizzling in a red eviction dress that highlighted her curvaceous frame

Tensions rose between the pair as they found themselves having an awkward reunion on their return to Celebrity Big Brother.

They had joined Paul Danan, Brandi Glanville and Karthik Nageson on the show for the house's latest task that saw them take on the role of Big Brother and re-enter the house to surprise their former housemates.

Coming face-to-face with one another, after their flirty antics on the show, Marissa and Jordan were quick to call one another out for pursuing things between them on the outside.

While Marissa slammed Jordan for not messaging her on Twitter, like he had promised, he hit back that he had been left 'annoyed' by the brunette bombshell for stepping out with Calum Best, shortly after she had been evicted.

'All over each other': She and Calum were seen leaving DSTRKT nightclub, with a source telling The Sun that pair had been 'all over each other'

Close: An onlooker told the paper: 'They were all over each other in DSTRKT - Calum was putting his arm around Marissa, and leaning in to whisper in her ear'

Marissa kicked off the awkward exchange as she asked Jordan whether he was going to apologise to her.

The MTV star asked why she had wanted him to say sorry to her, with Marissa cryptically responding: 'Because you're rude.'

Jordan then told her: 'I'm sorry for not messaging you on Twitter, but I was p***ed off. You can understand why I was p***ed off,' alluding to her date with Calum.

Irked by his comment, Marissa, bringing up Jordan's colourful dating history, hit back: 'Do you think I'm that easy of a female that someone's going to get me as soon as they see me? Like for real, do you think I'm on of your 1500?'

'Date night': A source added: 'He'd called ahead to the club to set up the 'date night' after Marissa agreed to go out with him'

Denim days: The insider added: 'They left together at the end of the night - he was stroking her back and her hair as they left'

Jordan has claimed to have slept with 1500 women.

Annoyed at Jordan for suggesting things had progressed between herself and Calum following their outing, Marissa added: 'Don't say it like I was dusted the second I walked out. You couldn't even get my lips.'

Firing back at Jordan further, she said: 'You didn't even miss me when I left, so I guess it doesn't matter.'

Defending his decision not to pursue Marissa on the outside, Jordan responded: 'I didn't know if it was real Marissa. You were straight out with someone else, so you can't have missed me that much.'

Friendly faces: Speaking to MailOnline previously, Marissa's spokesperson explained: 'Marissa and Calum met on CBB BOTS and have mutual friends'

His comments prompted Marissa to elaborate on her date with Calum, as she told Jordan she'd had a 'great time' with the Famously Single star.

Jordan was quick to tell Marissa that if he had left before her, he wouldn't have gone out and got with three or four different girls, but unconvinced, she replied: 'I don't know Mr 1500.'

Revealing that he hasn't added any more notches to his bed post, Jordan then told Marissa: 'It's still 1500, so there you go. How does that feel?' prompting her to giggle in response.
He was assaulted at the launch of fellow Love Island star Kem Cetinay's clothing launch in London last week - leaving him with a bruised and bloodied face.

But it seems Rykard Jenkins, 26, has had a smooth recovery after he was spotted for the first time since the incident, while joining his nurse girlfriend Rachel Fenton - who he lauded for helping him return to rude health.

The hunky reality star spent Monday afternoon kissing and cuddling with the 24-year-old girlfriend, days after the horrific attack, which he blamed on the pint-sized Essex boy - who maintained he had no involvement.

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Besotted: Rykard Jenkins and girlfriend Rachel Fenton were spotted for the first time since the Love Island star was assaulted outside a nightclub

Rykard shared with his 179,000 Twitter followers on Thursday that he had been physically assaulted outside of a nightclub where Love Island 2017 winner Kem had launched his clothing line with BoohooMAN.

He was involved in a brawl which ended in Rykard sporting a bloodied nose and lip, initially accusing Kem of the attack - a claim that the star profusely denied before reconciling with the battered hunk.

Rykard appeared happy and bubbly as he strolled with his arm around Rachel, the besotted pair clearly unconcerned after the event, which saw Rykard delighting in returning home to his girlfriend after the launch due to her job as a nurse.

For his day out, the Love Island 2016 star wore a backwards cap and a white muscle T-shirt, coupled with a pair of light-blue denim shorts.

Shocking: He was assaulted at the launch of fellow Love Island star Kem Cetinay's clothing launch in London last week - leaving him with a bruised and bloodied face

Enjoying the sun: The hunky reality star spent Monday afternoon kissing and cuddling with the 24-year-old girlfriend, days after the horrific attack, which he blamed on the pint-sized Essex boy - who maintained he had no involvement

Nurse to the rescue: Rachel stroked her beau's face lovingly as they walked with their arms around eachother

Romance: The pair were seen kissing, cuddling and feeding eachother fruit

Rachel, who also starred in the second series of the wildly popular reality show before leaving early while followed shortly after by her now-beau, wore a short white dress cinched at the waist with a belt, a Chanel handbag and a pair of slides.

At one point the blonde beauty appeared to stroke Rykard's face, putting her nursing experience into practice as she lovingly embraced her beau.

The pair stopped at a market stall to grab a cup of fresh fruit and sat down to pack on the PDA as they kissed and fed eachother pieces of food.

The reality stars then headed home for a casual evening, with Rykard later Tweeting: 'Time for @Dominos_UK even though it's Monday.'

Reality stars: Both Rachel and Rykard found fame on the reality TV show Love Island

All smiles: Rykard appeared happy and bubbly as he strolled with his arm around Rachel, the besotted pair clearly unconcerned about the eventful night last Thursday

Fruit for days: The pair stopped at a market stall to grab a cup of fresh fruit and sat down to pack on the PDA as they kissed and fed eachother pieces of food

Bliss: The pair laughed as they picked out some fruit at a market stall on Monday

Love is in the air: The Love Island stars fed each other fruit while resting

Packing on the PDA: Rykard and Rachel stopped to steal some kisses

After last week's row, Kem insisted he hadn't been and has now revealed he and Rykard have cleared the air over the altercation.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, the reality star claimed there had been a 'misunderstanding' over the incident, while making sure to credit his girlfriend Amber Davies for being 'so supportive' as the events unfolded.

Recalling the situation that developed at his fashion launch, Kem explained: 'I didn't actually know what happened, it was only when I saw it on social media that I realised.'

Helping hand: Rachel stroked Rykard's face lovingly as they strolled along a London street

Selfie! The loved-up pair posed for a quick photo together while out and about

Kisses: The reality stars appeared to have moved on from the dramatic events last week

'It's been cleared up now and Rykard has accepted he misunderstood the whole situation. It was a shame that it happened, but obviously I wasn't there... we're going to sort it.'

He added that he hadn't known those involved with assaulting Rykard and said: 'Rykard was drunk and he had assumed that it was to do with me because it was my launch, but I don't know everyone there.'

Fans were left speculating over what had happened between the duo, after Rykard had claimed, in a series of now-deleted tweets, that he was 'punched' after being accused of 'flirting' with Kem's girlfriend Amber.

'She's so supportive': Kem praised his girlfriend Amber Davies for standing by him following the explosive brawl that took place at the launch of his collection with BoohooMAN

'We deal with everything together': Praising his co-star love, Kem told MailOnline: 'Me and Amber are strong as always, she's so supportive over everything I do whether it's the show or the launch last night'

Amber, meanwhile, appeared to leave her beau's style event in distress, as she was seen crying and being consoled by friends on her exit.

But insisting everything is fine between himself and Amber, Kem credited his co-star love for being a huge support to him throughout the drama.

He said: 'Me and Amber are strong as always, she's so supportive over everything I do whether it's the show or the launch last night.

'She was there with me, we went for dinner before and got picked up in a car, it was like a perfect night. Asides with what happened, we had such an amazing night... we deal with everything together.'

Drama: Amber had appeared to leave her beau's style event in distress, as she was seen crying and being consoled by friends on her exit

Eventful: The starlet was seen with her friends rallied around her, as they appeared to comfort her

Following the events that played out, Kem has taken to Twitter to assure his followers he hadn't been involved in the bust up and insist he and Rykard have cleared the air.

He shared a statement to the social media site, that read: 'I am literally so gutted about this situation that took place outside the club.

'Firstly that got someone got hurt and secondly that my name has been dragged into something which I had absolutely nothing to do with myself.'

Trouble: Seeming upset, Amber was without beau Kem as she left the venue in London

Nothing to see here: She was whisked away by friends, as Rykard took to Twitter sharing the explosive claims that he had been attacked at the fashion launch

All ok: Despite Amber's apparent distress, Kem insisted everything is fine between himself and the brunette, adding: 'Asides with what happened, we had such an amazing night...'

Kem concluded the message, by adding: 'It's upsetting that this violence has been used on my night with my family around me.'

He also posted a series of tweets thanking his fans for their support and praising them for not 'jumping to conclusions', while revealing he had spoken to Rykard over the phone and won't be letting the altercation 'ruin' his night.

Rykard responded to Kem by tweeting: 'Appreciate it mate. You're a good kid. Just be careful who you have around ya because you don't want them ruining things. Love.'

The personal trainer who starred on series two of Love Island had explosively claimed that he had been attacked by four males while sharing a bloodied snap of himself shortly after the brawl had taken place at Opal Bar.

In a series of tweets, he alleged: 'So @KemCetinay and his boys just attacked me because apparently I was flirting with Amber.

'I stood there and took the beatings and went home. But in my eyes they are all p****s. One on one let's go boys. It takes more than 4 geezers punching me in the head to knock me out.

'I am literally so gutted': Kem shared a statement regarding the situation with Rykard via Twitter

Clearing the air: Appreciating the sentiment, Rykard proved there are now no hard feelings between himself and Kem

'It's easy to jump to conclusions': Kem made sure to thank his fans for supporting him

'I've delt with worse. When they are ready. Come to my ends and we can settle it. Honestly Kent boy through and through. Going home to the misses lucky she's a nurse.' (sic)

Kem had responded at the time, hitting back at claims he had been involved as he penned: 'Because he got in a fight does not mean it's me do I look like I can throw a punch ffs.'

He shared a slew of crying laughter emojis within his tweet and insisted he wouldn't let the accusations 'ruin' his big night.

Sharing a selfie with his co-star girlfriend Amber Davies while the pair were in bed together, Kem penned: 'I will not let lies ruin the biggest night so far of my career.. ridiculous.. night guys xx.'

Venting: Rykard had shared his sensational claims via social media, as he posted a series of tweets detailing how he had been attacked

Hitting back: Kem was quick to share his side of the story on Twitter in response to Rykard and has since claimed to MailOnline he didn't know those who had assaulted the reality star

'Not a clue what's gone on': Kem made sure to stress that he hadn't been involved

As he had arrived at his hotel, following the launch, Kem had tweeted: 'Just got back to hotel with @Amber_Davies7 not a clue whats gone on, but I hope everyone is okay and thanks for supporting x.'

Amber made sure to jump to Kem's defence via her own account on the social media site and tweeted her beau, protesting his innocence. She said: '@KemCetinay don't let anyone ruin your night you haven't done anything wrong! Sleepy time for me and my boy xxx.'

A representative for Rykard Jenkins declined to comment. A representative for Kem Cetinay, meanwhile, told MailOnline: 'A small altercation took place outside Kem's launch party last night. Kem was inside at the time and was not involved.'

Moments before Rykard was beaten up, Amber Davies and her sister Jade were seen having a huge bust up.

A source told Ok! Magazine the siblings' argument turned violent, with the feisty duo even 'swinging' for each other.

'Ridiculous': A defiant Kem shared a selfie with Amber of the pair in bed together following his launch, as they chose to shrug off the drama that had played out earlier in the evening

'You haven't done anything wrong': Amber made sure to jump to Kem's defence via her own account on the social media site and tweeted her beau, protesting his innocence

An onlooker revealed that Amber was 'swinging' for Jade while calling her a 'p***k' and a 'c***', before disowning her.

'Amber was shouting that her sister had slapped her in the face and lunged to hit her, so her friends had to pull her away and restrain her,' they revealed.

'Jade seemed totally shocked as Amber was screaming abuse at her and was sobbing uncontrollably.'

However Amber later spoke to the publication, reassuring them that it was just a 'sisterly spat' and they made up before leaving together.

Explaining that things had been blown out of proportion, Amber said: 'I absolutely love her so much, I was on the phone to her this morning. We didn't even talk about it, sisters are sisters  you have your arguments don't you?'

Kem and Amber had been joined by a number of her co-stars at the launch, including Gabby Allen, Dom Lever and his girlfriend Jessica Shears, along with newly single Montana Brown.

High spirits: Earlier in the evening, Kem had appeared in high spirits as he launched his first clothing range with BoohooMAN

Rykard, meanwhile, had attended alongside his pal and former co-star Nathan Massey - who is expecting his first child with his ex-girlfriend Cara de la Hoyde.

Prior to the boys clearing up what had occurred at the party, fans had been left confused by the events of the evening. While many appeared to show Kem their support and accused Rykard of 'riding on his success', others were left unconvinced and questioned why Rykard would 'lie' about Kem's 'involvement'.

According to The Mirror, Kady McDermott had also appeared to weigh in on the situation, as she cryptically tweeted and swiftly deleted a post that read: 'What am I reading, fame getting to people's head.'

Another deleted tweet had sent her well wishes to Rykard, as it read: 'Love you Rykard, hope you're ok x'

New venture: Despite admitting he had never thought about delving into fashion, Kem joked he was 'getting the hang of' being a model now

Kem, meanwhile, had marked his first fashion collaboration with online retailer BoohooMAN - despite the star admitting he had never thought about pursuing a career that was style led.

Joking about his new career as a model, after parading his own designs, Kem told MailOnline: 'I never really did modelling before, I'm quite short obviously! But it was a dream come true and you know what, I got the hang of it by the end of it, I could have been a model!

'All the photos have come out amazing... doing all my little poses.'

Kem had starred on series three of Love Island, airing earlier this year, and went on to win the series with girlfriend Amber - after viewers became hooked on their on/off romance that played out onscreen.

Romance: Rykard shot to fame on the second series of Love Island where he struck up a relationship with his co-star girlfriend Rachel Fenton

They had beaten the likes of Chris Hughes and Olivia Attwood to the 50,000 cash prize, along with Gabby and Marcel Somerville and Jamie Jewitt and Camilla Thurlow.

Rykard, meanwhile, had starred on the same show in 2016. He famously walked from the series, after his now girlfriend Rachel was chosen by his fellow islanders to leave the villa.

Wanting to pursue their romance, he decided to quit and head home with her, but not before Rachel finding out he had controversially slept with Olivia Buckland behind her back.

The duo, however, managed to move past Rykard's secret bedroom antics with Olivia and have continued their relationship on the outside and are now living together.
Just days before, she confirmed her widely-discussed pregnancy news.

And Danniella Westbrook appears to be taking to her third pregnancy swimmingly as she headed out with her toyboy fiance Alan Thomason in Portugal, as she displayed her growing bump while getting steamy with her beau.

The 43-year-old former EastEnders actress, who is also mother to Kai, 21, and Jody, 15, with ex-husband Kevin Jenkins, got up close-and-personal with the hunk who delightedly licked her face on the street.

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Come here you! Danniella Westbrook appears to be taking to her third pregnancy swimmingly as she headed out with her toyboy fiance Alan Thomason in Portugal, as she displayed her growing bump while getting steamy with her beau

After confirming the news, Danniella has been looking overjoyed while spending her time with Alan, who she only unveiled as her beau weeks ago.

Proving she is bumping along nicely, the stunning star slipped into a pretty khaki two-piece complete with a crop top and skirt with a perilous split.

She was showing off the fabled expectant mother glow as she went make-up free while scraping her blonde tresses off her face with a pair of sunglasses.

While Danniella was low-key, Alan went for a funky top with cream shorts while his hair was scraped into a top knot with sheared sides.

Blooming: The 43-year-old former EastEnders actress, who is also mother to Kai, 21, and daughter Jody, 15, got up close-and-personal with the hunk

Loved-up: The pair could not stop beaming as they roamed the streets arm-in-arm

Stocking up: Proving she is bumping along nicely, the stunning star slipped into a pretty khaki two-piece complete with a crop top and skirt with a perilous split

What's what? As they paraded around the shops and in between kisses, the happy family were looking at baby clothes including a dressing gown

As they paraded around the shops and in between kisses, the happy family were looking at baby clothes including a dressing gown.

While they were looking at the clothes, Danniella could not help placing a hand over her bump protectively as she looked at total ease.

The actress and her toyboy have no doubt jetted to Portugal to celebrate the recent news that they are expecting a baby.

Happy days: While they were looking at the clothes, Danniella could not help placing a hand over her bump protectively as she looked at total ease

Hold me close: The happy couple could not keep their hands off one another

Come here you! Danniella's smile was contagious as she walked the streets in her pretty ensemble

Speaking to the Sunday Mirror Danniella, who is already mother to Kai, 21, and Jody, 15, gushed: 'Its the happiest Ive ever been.'

Describing herself as a 'chavvy b***h', the former EastEnders star admitted she was fed up with being judged on her past.

She explained: 'I could win 12 Oscars and I would still be known as the cokehead girl off Eastenders' However, she won't be spending time worrying about public opinion as her mind is firmly on her unborn baby and her loving fiance.

Eating for two: The actress was seen to be indulging in a sweet treat while her beau was puffing a cigarette

Playful: Her beau was seen playfully attempting to push the cake into her mouth

Sharing is caring: Her toyboy was then seen tucking into the treat herself

Besotted: The pair could not take their eyes off each other as they fooled around on the Spanish streets

Two become three: The actress and her toyboy have no doubt jetted to Portugal to celebrate the recent news that they are expecting a baby

She reasoned: 'I think well be good parents together. Hes got a lot of time and patience. I just think this will complete us.'

The pregnancy announcement comes just days after Danniella refuted claims she was expecting on Good Morning Britain.

Speaking on the show, she said: 'If you believe everything you read in the papers, apparently today I'm pregnant', before adding, 'I'm just fat at the moment... because I'm happy.'

Fun parents: The pair implied they would be fun parents as they fooled around with the sweet treat on the street

Doting mother: Speaking to the Sunday Mirror Danniella, who is already mother to Kai, 21, and Jody, 15, gushed: 'Its the happiest Ive ever been''

Dynamic duo: She reasoned: 'I think well be good parents together'

My man: Praising her beau further, she added: 'Hes got a lot of time and patience. I just think this will complete us'

Denial: The pregnancy announcement comes just days after Danniella refuted claims she was expecting on Good Morning Britain

Probing further, Jeremy bluntly asked her, 'Are you pregnant?' to which she replied, 'Not the last time I looked, no!

Asking her how it felt to be plagued by constant rumours about her personal life, Danniella insisted she brushes it off, saying, 'My agent was laughing [about the pregnancy claims last night.'

The pregnancy no doubt marks a new chapter for Danniella, who recently checked into rehab to overcome her demons and drug addiction once and for all.

Playing coy: Danniella happily shopped for baby clothes while away - having said on GMB: 'If you believe everything you read in the papers, apparently today I'm pregnant'

Not true: Probing further, Jeremy had gone on to ask her, 'Are you pregnant?' to which she replied, 'Not the last time I looked, no!'

Feeling good: The pregnancy no doubt marks a new chapter for Danniella, who recently checked into rehab to overcome her demons and drug addiction once and for all

She also to Poland earlier this year, where she endured six hours of surgery to stop her face from collapsing after years of drug abuse.

Speaking to Jeremy and Kate on GMB, she said: 'I've got osteoporosis on my face from having veneers. I had to go to Poland and have this done. As the bone disintegrates, the skin just drops, so they had to tighten it up. I woke up and I looked like an emoji.'

However, she confirmed that her operation had 'nothing to do with the cocaine' and insisted she had no regrets in life, joking: 'Obviously it has aged me, drugs are bad, as is alcohol and smoking. I would not take cocaine [again], that's for sure.

Better than ever: Danniella happily shopped with her man, after enduring gruelling six-hour surgery to stop her face from collapsing after years of drug abuse

In the past: She did however confirm that her operation had 'nothing to do with the cocaine', joking: 'Obviously it has aged me, drugs are bad, as is alcohol and smoking'
She has won a legion of fans for her on-screen honesty and stunning looks.

Among Maya Jama's fans is grime artist Stormzy, and their romance has captivated the nation of late.

And the 4Music presenter, 23, proved just what had earned her such a huge following, as she slipped into a red ruched bardot dress for a photoshoot with House of CB.

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Sizzling! Maya Jama, 23, proved just what had earned her such a huge following, as she slipped into a red ruched bardot dress for a photoshoo

The plunging piece skimmed her enviable figure, teasing a glimpse of her tanned decolletage and shapely pins.

Adding a splash of designer, she accessorised with a delicate Christian Dior gold necklace, wearing her raven hair in a sleek centre parting.

Opting for a touch of metallic eyeshadow and lipstick, Maya went for minimal make-up, letting her natural beauty shine through.

Teaming the dress with a pair of patent burgundy heels, the statuesque beauty posed up a storm for the shoot.

Sizzling: Beyonce wore the same dress on August 11 when she attended a private party hosted by sister Solange Knowles at MASHstudios in LA a month after giving birth to twins

Red hot! The plunging piece skimmed the 4Music presenter's enviable figure, teasing a glimpse of her tanned decolletage and shapely pins

The presenter has had a busy week, enjoying a carnival party backstage at the Red Bull Music Academy who partnered with The Duppy Share Rum, on Sunday.

Speaking to The MailOnline about carnival and her rising star, the modest beauty admitted: 'I'm having a great time at carnival. The attention makes me feel anxious though!'

Maya's outing comes after she candidly discussed her upbringing with a convict father on ITV's Loose Women.

The presenter revealed on Tuesday that her father had been in jail since she was three - and admitted she stopped talking to him as she was 'fed up' of him doing 'bad things.'

Proving to be a supportive beau, Stormzy was quick to praise her bravery - tweeting: 'Maya Jama on Loose Women right now' followed by a crown emoji.

Detail: Adding a splash of designer, she accessorised with a delicate Christian Dior gold necklace, wearing her raven hair in a sleek centre parting

4Music host Maya appeared on Loose Women to talk about her 5STAR documentary, titled When Dad Kills: Murdered in the Family - which explores how children are affected if they have a parent in jail.

Revealing her own experience, she said: 'My dad has been in jail since I was three and I broke contact when I was 10.'

Maya, who is of Swedish and Somali descent, added that she was lucky because her dad's sisters supported her, as did her step-dad - who her mother married when she was seven.

'My earliest memory is around five when I was visiting him in prison. It was a bit weird, I had a super supportive family around me, I had a stepdad. I never really felt like I was missing out.'

'All the attention makes me feel anxious': The presenter has had a busy week, enjoying a carnival party backstage on Sunday where she spoke briefly with MailOnline

Maya previously revealed that she felt responsible for her father going to prison, because told police where he was hiding when they came to their house.

'From a young age you blame yourself. The police came and knocked on my door and I told them where my dad was hiding - he was hiding under a bed upstairs or something,' she told The Beat London 103.6FM.

'Then I saw him get arrested and for ages in my child mind I thought it was because of me.'

Speaking about what she learnt while filming the documentary, Maya admitted: 'I learnt that I'm not as strong as I thought I was.

'Especially when it came to my dad, I was like "Doesn't matter, my life's great, didn't need him anyway, don't care".

'As it went on, I started feeling overwhelmingly sorry for him. I learned that I have such a little melty heart like "Oh, I just want to love!"

Despite rising to prominence more recently through boyfriend Stormzy's chart success, Maya is a veteran in the presenting business and star in her own right.

The beauty moved to London aged just 16 to pursue a presenting career, landing a gig as a presenter for JumpOff.TV, before becoming the host of MTV Base show, The Wrap Up, and moving on to host MTV Essentials and MTV News.

She is currently a TV and radio presenter on 4Music and presents RinseFM's drive time show.
Entertainment / Celebrity

by Ndou Paul

Following the bashing of South African "provocateur" Zodwa Wabantu by actress-cum-reality show host Anne Nhira, the Acting Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Patrick Zhuwao has seen it fit to cancel the South African's appearance at this year's Harare International Carnival, according to a letter circulating on social media.An unstamped letter dated 29 August on the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality letterhead says, "Government position is that the artist concerned (Zodwa waBantu) may not participate at the Harare International Carnival. In this regard, relevant authorities have been notified," concluded the letter purporting to have been signed by Patrick Zhuwao, the Acting Minister.Nhira wanted to know why Zimbabwean promoters have seen it fit to give Zodwa Wabantu Libram a second over R20 000 cheque for the same reason countless females in show business have been vilified for in the country.Zodwa Wabantu, who shot to fame for sleazy dressing at gigs in addition to sexually evocative dance moves, was invited to Bulawayo recently where she reportedly wowed a packed club.Scheduled to grace the Harare International Carnival street party next week, the carefree mother of one is literally making a killing off an aphrodisiac, a practice which is socially contraband locally and that is the basis of Nhira's argument."It continuously puzzles me. I clearly believe the progress of our nation Zimbabwe is in our hands and is contributed by lack of our own efforts to lift each other up or having the ability to do so," she posted on Facebook recently."Zimbabwe's tourism sector, which should be one of the instigators of local exhibitions calls a 'South African' socialite, not celebrity. A socialite named provocateur Zodwa."According to Anne, who is famed for her impressive role as Vimbai Jari on Zimbabwe's once popular soapie Studio 263 over a decade ago, inviting "socialites" is sheer waste of already depleted resources by promoters."A celebrity is someone who is celebrated by the good works they have done to lift the national flag up in their respective craft and a socialite just wait for it socialises, as in talks nonsense, takes indecent pictures, videos, seduces and you know that kind of stuff according to the general experience so far," she said."In this case, Zodwa dances with no panties and posts indecent pictures on social media. How does that qualify her to be a Zimbabwe national tourist attraction and to attend a function of the highest stature this year?"Speaking "from experience", Nhira detailed how other countries, including Zodwa's homeland, give preference to their own talent before extending the fishing nets to foreign ponds."we have one of the highest unemployment rates and whatever Zodwa, a South African provocateur who is not even one of the top socialites in South Africa is [sic] getting paid could have gone to another young Zimbabwean woman who has worked tirelessly and does so decently, or a dancer if the intention was that particular? We have dancers and socialites in Zimbabwe who would benefit from this national tourist exposure," she wrote.
Kim Kardashian was trashed on Monday for having what appeared to be darker skin to match her daughter North's as she posed as First Lady Jackie Kennedy for Interview magazine.

Later that day the 36-year-old beauty brushed off the mean jabs as she shared a heartwarming video to Snapchat with her cute little four-year-old.

The two are at a dining room table as North sings 'So beautiful to me' while mom Kim kisses her and says, 'So sweet!' in the intimate clip.

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Brushing off the bad vibes: Kim Kardashian shared a sweet clip with North West on Monday after she was attacked for her Interview cover

Touching: The two are at a dining room table as North sings 'So beautiful to me' while mom Kim kisses her and says, 'So sweet!' in the intimate clip

A close bond: The siren appeared to be thrilled with her cute little tot

They are seated at a table and North is playing with the silverware on a placemat.

North has on a black T-shirt that is a tribute to Kanye's late mother Donda who died in 2007.

North is also seen walking in a room and also in a car.

Grandma: North has on a black T-shirt that is a tribute to Kanye's late mother Donda who died in 2007

She likes her music: Here the child is seen in her car seat while holding her computer

Later Kim showed off her Kimoji mouse pads which include her crying face, her bottom, the word Lit and a peach.

This comes after Kim was slammed for appearing to have darker skin in her Interview magazine shoot.

Haters took to social media to take down the reality TV icon.

One of those who replied to Kim's original tweet gushing about how special she thinks the photos are got right to her point. 'This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen,' she tweeted.

'This is a disgrace,' another person wrote.

A fuss: Kardashian proudly shared her new photo shoot as Jackie Kennedy with her social media followers on Monday but the reaction wasn't kind

Mean spirited: Mary MacLeod called the inspired shoot 'ridiculous'

Off base: Rachel Miller said Kim was no Jackie O, but Kim was actually channeling Jackie Kennedy before she met Onassis

Not impressed: Twitter users responded to Kim branding her channeling of the iconic former First Lady 'a disgrace', 'ridiculous', and 'a big, bold mistake'

'You are no Jackie O,' added another.

'Jackie O turning over in her damn grave right now,' another Twitter user chimed in.

Kim posed with her daughter, who's four, for the series of pictures that hark back to the Kennedy White House of the early 1960s.

But social media was quick to wonder why the star, who is of Armenian and British/Dutch descent, looked close in skin color to her bi-racial child.

Huh? Other social media users were confused as to why Kim's skin color appeared to have been darkened to match that of her four-year-old daughter North whose father is Kanye West

Why darker? Twitter users took the reality star and the magazine to task about the skin tone

'Why did they darken her skin to try and make her look black?' one asked.

'@InterviewMag since when @KimKardashian has the same color of the skin of her daughter? asked another Twitter user.

Still others were upset and insulted that the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star who found fame thanks to a sex tape was dubbed 'America's New First Lady' by the magazine.

The comments seemed incredibly harsh, but Kim did not respond.

Kim looked tan on the cover

When her interviewer - trans rights activist Janet Mock - asks her about raising a 'mixed black girl' Kim commented: 'I'm very conscious of it. Kanye always has his family around and people who look like my daughterthat's important to me.

'She's obsessed with her curly hair, and if she finds someone who has the same hair, she runs to them and is like, 'You have curly hair like me?' And we get to talk about it.'

She added: 'We also talk about it with my niece Penelope, because she and North look really different, but they're best friends and they're together all the time.'

On Monday Kim took to Instagram to talk about her new spread.

'Just wanted to thank @stevenkleinstudio for pushing me to do a shoot that was very different & powerful & allowed me to pay homage to the iconic Jackie Kennedy who I admire & respect!' the star wrote in her caption.

The cover and editorial was shot by Klein.

Loved one: Kim's husband, Kanye West, was spotted choosing a sample of fabric during a business trip to Verona, Italy on Tuesday
Kris Smith looked like he could fit right in on Australian Ninja Warrior on Tuesday.

The 39-year-old model was seen carving up a gravity-defying obstacle course in Sydney, during the early hours of the morning.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph after his run on the course, the Tough Mudder ambassador told said the endurance event is about more than just physical skill.

Next Ninja Warrior? Kris Smith was seen carving up a gravity-defying Tough Mudder obstacle course in Sydney on Tuesday, in scenes that were reminiscent of Australian Ninja Warrior

'Im not by any means saying it is easy, its not,' he told the publication after blitzing through the Tough Mudder obstacle course at World Square.

'People look at Tough Mudder, and think: "Im not fit enough to do that," but you dont have to be, its about yourself, your team and getting through this together.'

The former partner of pop icon Dannii Minogue has clearly drawn on the team-oriented endurance mentality he honed on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

He's also got a former Rugby League career to his name, giving him the right to remind contestants that mental and physical prowess go hand-in-hand.

It's not easy! 'Im not by any means saying it is easy, its not,' the 39-year-old told reporters, after blitzing through the Tough Mudder obstacle course at World Square

The hunky father-of-one was in attendance to promote the next Sydney event for the global fitness franchise.

The 20km obstacle course will take place in Glenworth Valley in November and may well see a boost in numbers following the success of Australian Ninja Warrior.

At the pop-up, he was seen straddling a pair of gymnastics rings while dangling precariously over a large drop.

'Its about yourself': The model added: 'people think: "Im not fit enough to do that," but you dont have to be, its about yourself, your team and getting through this together'

The similarities between the course and those on Nine's Ninja Warrior are hard to pass-up, making Kris a good candidate, should he choose to audition for the show.

While it was all work for the bearded hunk on Tuesday, he was recently seen enjoying a sun-soaked vacation in Bali.

Last week, Kris and stunning personal trainer Sarah Boulazeris were seen at the airport, later sharing a snap from a local beach.

The former partner of Dannii Minogue, with whom he shares seven-year-old son Ethan, recently told Daily Mail Australia he was enjoying the single life.

Meanwhile! Last week, Kris and stunning personal trainer Sarah Boulazeris were seen at the airport, later sharing a snap from a local beach
She's the successful actress who is married to one of Hollywood's biggest stars.

And Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed the secret to her 20-year-long marriage to Will Smith.

The 45-year-old said the key to their long lasting union is admitting their relationship is not perfect.

'As long as you know it's not perfect': Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed the secret to her 20-year-long marriage to Will Smith

'As long as you know that your relationship is not perfect, because that is when you get in trouble,' she told Confidential.

'Relating to the imperfections is what makes everything perfect and that you know a part of being in a relationship is growing together,' Jada added.

The Baltimore-born beauty, who shares two children with Will, is currently in Sydney promoting her latest comedy flick Girls Trip.

Loved up! The 45-year-old said the key to their long lasting union is admitting their relationship is not perfect

Family ties: Jada and Will share two children Willow and Jaden Smith (pictured centre), as well as Will's son from a previous relationship Trey Smith (left)

Jada stars along side Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish and Queen Latifah.

The films tells the story of four lifelong friends who travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival.

The women enjoy a night out on the town where hilarity ensues, and they rediscover their sisterhood.

Girl's Trip: The films tells the story of four lifelong friends who travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival

'What Girl's Trip has done is break those stereotypical ideas of films starring African-American women specifically,' she tells Sydney Morning Herald.

'We have stories to tell that are universal, that everybody can enjoy. They're just human stories.'

Girls Trip will open in Sydney on Thursday.
Nick Viall has broken his silence on his split from fiancee Vanessa Grimaldi, insisting he still 'loves her very much'.

The reality star, 29 - who found love on season 21 of The Bachelor - noted that his former flame, 29, is still part of his 'support system' and said he is trying to 'stay positive' in the wake of the pair calling time on their five-month engagement.

Speaking to US Weekly, he said: 'I still love her very much. I'm not afraid to say that.'

Calling it quits: Nick Viall has broken his silence on his split from fiancee Vanessa Grimaldi, insisting he still 'loves her very much' (pictured in April)

'My friends, my family and Vanessa and I are still very much each others support system. Were trying to do that and its a challenge at times, but we still realize that were there for each other.

'It's obviously easy to get insecure and feel bad about yourself. You get in your head about things when things aren't working out for you.'

The former Dancing With The Stars contestant said he is trying to 'stay busy' and despite the heartbreak, he still believes in finding true love.

Nick added: 'I mean of course, right? And again, I was still lucky enough to find it with Vanessa.'

In happier times: The reality star, 29 - who found love on season 21 of The Bachelor - said he is trying to 'stay positive' in the wake of the pair calling time on their five-month engagement

No hard feelings: The former Dancing With The Stars contestant said he is trying to 'stay busy' and despite the heartbreak, he still believes in finding true love (pictured in May)

Nick's statement comes after Vanessa broke her silence with a heartfelt social media post.

The special needs educator, 29, took to Instagram to share her feelings with an introspective social media post.

The Canadian reality star bared her heart in her caption, writing: 'Its okay to feel broken. Its okay to cry' while she leaned on a supportive friend in the accompanying photo.

The caption continued as Vanessa tenderly reminded herself and her followers 'Its okay to lean on a friend.'

Life after love: Nick's statement comes after the special needs educator, 29, took to Instagram to share her feelings with an introspective social media post

Her caption finished on a hopeful note, promising 'In the end, it will always be okay' while the dating show winner tagged her friend Andriana Ingelsi in the photo.

Though Vanessa is mourning her relationship, sources close to Bachelor duo say the breakup was a long time coming.

'It was a mismatch from the start,' a source told People. 'Their friends knew if would never last.'

'She's super fun, bubbly and outgoing and he's more of a serious personality and more introverted. She would try to bring him out of his shell, but he's just not as comfortable in big groups.'

The fairytale is over: Nick and Vanessa released a joint statement confirming their split on Friday, insisting they gave their reality TV relationship their all

Nick and Vanessa released a joint statement confirming their split on Friday.

Speaking to E! News, they said: 'It's with a great amount of heartbreak for the both us as we have decided to end our engagement.'

'We gave this relationship our all and we are saddened that we did not get the fairytale ending we hoped for.

'We will continue to be there for each other no matter what. This hasn't been an easy decision, however, as we part ways, we do so with lots of love and admiration for each other.'

Friday's break up announcement came as little surprise to most members of Bachelor Nation.

Nick and Vanessa were plagued by rumors of relationship issues from the moment the Bachelor veteran popped the question during the series' March finale.
Paris Jackson shared a touching tribute to her late father Michael on what would have been his 60th birthday.

'Birthday wishes to the love of my life, the one person who showed me what passion truly was, the one that gave me solid morals to live by and how to dream,' the 19-year-old IMG Model - who boasts 3.2M social media followers - gushed on Instagram Tuesday.

'I will never feel love again the way I did with you. You are always with me and I am always with you. Though I am not you, and you are not me, I know with all of my being that we are one. And our souls will never change in that way. Thank you for the magic, forever and always.'

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Ghost dad: Paris Jackson shared a touching tribute to her late father Michael (R) on what would have been his 60th birthday

The 19-year-old IMG Model gushed on Tuesday: 'Birthday wishes to the love of my life, the one person who showed me what passion truly was, the one that gave me solid morals to live by and how to dream. I will never feel love again the way I did with you'

'You are always with me': The tattooed wildchild was only 10 when the King of Pop succumbed to 'acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication' back in 2009 (pictured in 2008)

The heavily-tattooed wildchild was only 10 years old when the King of Pop succumbed to 'acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication' back in 2009.

Paris issued a non-apology to MTV immediately following her barefoot 'resist' speech blasting 'Nazi, white supremacist jerks' during Sunday night's Video Music Awards.

'I want to apologize for not sticking to the script, but with the Grammy's and the Daily Front Row Awards, it's kind of weird to invite me to [go] up onstage and then not expect me to say something political or liberal, so I kind of couldn't help it,' Jackson told ET Canada at The Forum in Inglewood.

'I saw a window of opportunity and I siezed it. But it's gotten to a point in this country where, I can't take it anymore and I know that there are thousands of other people - probably millions - that feel the same way. And something has to change.'

i will never stop A post shared by Paris-Michael K. Jackson (@parisjackson) on Aug 27, 2017 at 8:39pm PDT

Sorry not sorry: Paris issued a non-apology to MTV immediately following her barefoot 'resist' speech blasting 'Nazi, white supremacist jerks' during Sunday night's Video Music Awards

Jackson told ET Canada: 'I want to apologize for not sticking to the script, but with the Grammy's and the Daily Front Row Awards, it's kind of weird to invite me to [go] up onstage and then not expect me to say something political or liberal, so I kind of couldn't help it'

'Add up all the Instagram followers that people in this room have': The nepotistically-privileged socialite revealed that her words were actually more directed at the politically-inactive celebrities in the room - not the viewers tuning in

The nepotistically-privileged socialite then revealed that her words were actually more directed at the politically-inactive celebrities in the room - not the viewers tuning in.

'Everyone that's here tonight, the impact that they have, like add up all the Instagram followers that people in this room have. If they were to use their platforms for something like this then we'd actually see change,' the former Bernie Sanders supporter explained.

'So I wanted to see if I could spark something in them to, like, get on board. It's human rights! I feel like everyone should be passionate about human rights. It's what we all deserve. We deserve love, equality, etc. I feel like everyone should be this passionate about it.'

After the star-studded ceremony, Paris captioned an Insta-story of her 'Michael' nameplate necklace: 'Thank you for the good luck tonight. Hope I made you proud.'

After the star-studded ceremony, Paris captioned an Insta-story of her 'Michael' nameplate necklace: 'Thank you for the good luck tonight. Hope I made you proud'

RIP: Michael famously put the then-fledgling cable channel on the map with his pioneering music videos, and he amassed 85 MTV-related honors including the 1990 Artist of The Decade Vanguard Award

Jackson was taken aback by the online trolling of her speech by MJ fans and tweeted: 'Oh he'd be disappointed in me? For my activism n positive messages? Hunty you da one nonstop saying the most vile, hateful, f***ed up things'

Michael famously put the then-fledgling cable channel on the map with his pioneering music videos, and he amassed 85 MTV-related honors including the 1990 Artist of The Decade Vanguard Award.

Jackson was taken aback by the online trolling of her speech by MJ fans and tweeted: 'Oh he'd be disappointed in me? For my activism n positive messages? Hunty you da one nonstop saying the most vile, hateful, f***ed up things.'

While at MTV's afterparty Sunday at newly-opened West Hollywood hotspot Poppy, the underage teenager reunited with her cousin Jaafar, the 21-year-old son of Jermaine Jackson.

The privileged heiress receives $8M annually from her estimated $100M inheritance as well as additional bonuses at ages 33 and 40 - according to Page Six.

'LOOK WHO I RAN INTO!' While at MTV's afterparty Sunday at WeHo hotspot Poppy, the underage teenager reunited with her cousin Jaafar, the 21-year-old son of Jermaine Jackson

Teen millionaire: The privileged heiress receives $8M annually from her estimated $100M inheritance as well as additional bonuses at ages 33 and 40 - according to Page Six

Chopped liver? Meanwhile, it's unclear when Paris last visited her mother, dermatology nurse Debbie Rowe, who's been battling breast cancer (pictured October 7)

Meanwhile, it's unclear when Paris last visited her mother, dermatology nurse Debbie Rowe, who's been battling breast cancer.

On Tuesday, Jackson had a costume fitting for her character Rachel Wells on the second season of Star, which premieres September 27 on Fox.

'Leeeeee what do you have me wearinggg?' the Calvin Klein spokesmodel wrote, referring to Star co-creator Lee Daniels.

The I Dare You video vixen also Insta-storied several snaps of her significantly hairy legs.

'[Lee Daniels] what do you have me wearing?' On Tuesday, Jackson had a costume fitting for her character Rachel Wells on the second season of Star premiering September 27 on Fox

'A look': The Calvin Klein spokesmodel also Insta-storied several snaps of her significantly hairy legs

Au natural: The homeschooled millennial made sure to show off her unshaven armpits in the sleeveless Christian Dior dress she wore to the VMAs

As for why she didn't shave, the meditation-loving hippie tweeted a Game of Thrones meme on Monday captioned: 'Winter is coming'

The homeschooled millennial made sure to show off her unshaven armpits in the sleeveless Christian Dior dress she wore to the VMAs.

As for why she didn't shave, the meditation-loving hippie tweeted a Game of Thrones meme on Monday captioned: 'Winter is coming.'

Paris will next have 'one scene' as an edgy 20-year-old called Nelly in Nash Edgerton's feature directorial debut Gringo, which begins streaming March 9 on Amazon.

Jackson has come along way since allegedly slashing her wrists and overdosing on pills back in 2013, which led to her enrolling in the $10M Diamond Ranch Academy in Utah.

First movie! Paris will next have 'one scene' as an edgy 20-year-old called Nelly in Nash Edgerton's feature directorial debut Gringo, which begins streaming March 9 on Amazon
They're on the west coast for the MTV VMAs which they attended on Sunday.

And Teen Mom 2 star Jenelle Evans and fiance David Eason made the most of their time in Southern California on Monday as they took a stroll on the beach in Santa Monica.

The 25-year-old North Carolina native and mother-of-three proudly paraded her figure in a sheer white swimsuit as she walked along the shore at sunset.

Sheer daring! MTV star Jenelle Evans showed off her figure in a revealing swimsuit in Santa Monica on Monday

While her tattooed torso was on display, opaque panels preserved the reality star's modesty.

Jenelle accessorized with some oversize aviator shades.

When she wasn't wading in the water, the TV star donned a pair of faded denim short.

Jenelle attended the VMAs on Sunday and dazzled on the red carpet in a colorful two-piece dress consisting of embroidered bodice and black ball gown skirt.

Beach babe: The 25-year-old mother-of-three showed off her figure in a see-through white swimsuit with panels protecting her modesty

The troubled star revealed to UsWeekly that her mother Barbara is 'very upset' at not being invited to her September 23 nuptials.

She revealed that the cause of the ongoing rift centers around her eight-year-old son Jace, following years of a custody battle between mother and daughter that 'hasn't been resolved.

'I can't forgive someone that's just not going to give me back my son, so, and it's still going on,' Jenelle said. 'And if I had custody of him now, maybe I would have invited her, but I'm not at the moment.'

Sunset walk: Jenelle strolled the beach with fiance David Eason who she's set to wed in three weeks

Belle of the ball: The Teen Mom 2 star made an appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday

By her side: Eason escorted the North Carolina native on the red carpet

Last month, Barbara opened up to People that the lack of an invite was 'very painful,' adding that the MTV star also was not inviting her older sister Ashleigh or older brother Colin.

'Im just hurt with Jenelle . she just excludes us out of her life,' she told the magazine. 'Jenelle is Jenelle. Shes all about Jenelle.'

Jenelle is mother to three children, Jace, with ex Andrew Lewis; Kaiser, three, with ex Nathan Griffith; and Ensley, seven months, with Eason.

Her husband-to-be also has two children from a previous relationship, daughter Maryssa and son Kaden.
They finally went public with their relationship in July, after love blossomed between the pair while filming for Channel 4's celebrity version of The Island.

And despite recently jetting off with his reality star love Lucy Mecklenburgh, Ryan Thomas, 33, was back in sunnier climes as he put on a personal appearance at a pool party held at BH Mallorca Hotel.

The former Coronation Street star appeared to be having a ball as he entertained fellow party-goers, before going shirtless and causing a splash in the water.

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Look away, Lucy! Ryan Thomas, 33, was seen getting up close with party-goers as he put on a personal appearance at a pool party held at BH Mallorca Hotel

Ryan appeared to be a hit with female guests at the sun-drenched bash, with many queuing in their bikinis to get a snap with the soap star.

He cut a casual figure in a plain white t-shirt that he had paired with dark shorts and complementing trainers and sported a pair of stylish shades.

Seeming to relish the attention from the adoring crowds that had gathered in the resort, the actor, who is the older brother of Adam and Scott Thomas, was seen riling everyone up over the microphone before appearing to grind with a bikini-clad beauty on stage.

New love: His appearance overseas comes after the former soap star recently jetted back from a break in Marbella with girlfriend Lucy Mecklenburgh, 26

Centre of attention: Ryan appeared to be a hit with female guests at the sun-drenched bash, with many queuing in their bikinis to get a snap with the soap star

Ryan seemed keen to take selfies with fans and, appearing in high spirits throughout his time there, the Manchester-native was seen blowing kisses in their direction as he kept the party going in the soaring temperatures.

When he wasn't taking centre stage up by the DJ decks, he soon whipped off his t-shirt to dive into the pool with his pals. Stealing a glimpse at his muscular physique and tan of late, Ryan was seen grinning from ear-to-ear as he joined other guests in the water and cavorted to the music.

His time in Mallorca comes after Ryan recently jetted overseas in the company of Lucy and his eight-year-old daughter Scarlett, whom he shares with his former Coronation Street co-star Tina O'Brien.

Getting involved: Ryan seemed keen to take selfies with fans and, appearing in high spirits throughout his time there

Making a splash: While enjoying the pool party, Ryan rid himself of his t-shirt and dived into the water to cavort around to the music with fellow guests

Star of the show: Ryan was seen grinning as he posed with a hen party on resort

In demand! He was surrounded by female party-goers as he stopped for photographs with fans throughout the sun-drenched event

They had ventured to Marbella, where the couple were seen packing on the PDA as they reclined in the sunshine together.

Lucy and Ryan are now flaunting their romance openly after they set tongues wagging when they were seen posting holiday photographs from the same location on Instagram earlier this year, despite denying claims they were dating.

Rumours they had got together first emerged while the pair were filming for Bear Grylls: The Island, with fans of the show set to see romance blossom for Ryan and Lucy when the series returns to Channel 4 on Tuesday.

Getting the crowds going: The actor riled up party guests by taking to the microphone

Man of the hour: Ryan wasn't afraid to get stuck in and meet other guests during the bash

Casually clad: Ryan sported a dressed down figure for his appearance in a white t-shirt and dark shorts

Flying solo! Ryan appeared to be without girlfriend Lucy and with a male pal for the trip, but seemed to be glued to his phone at times

The duo decided to go public with their relationship at Wimbledon in July, but are still remaining coy when it comes to parading their romance on social media - only choosing to post the rare snap together.

In one particular post, Lucy, who turned 26 this month, recently gushed that she'd had the 'best birthday ever' with her 'love'.

Speaking to Hello! magazine previously, Lucy claimed that meeting her beau on The Island had been a 'real bonus' to the gruelling show.

The celebrities are forced to fend for themselves on the Pearl Islands, off the coast of Panama, with only the survival tips of their guide Bear Grylls to hand.

Gushing over Ryan, she had said: 'We didn't actually know each other before we went in, but we'd crossed paths - we have loads of mutual friends.

'We had a connection early on because we're a similar age and had a lot to talk about.'
She made her name in part thanks to her trademark daring ensembles.

But now she runs a style empire herself, it seems Victoria Beckham is much more relaxed about the rules of styles.

The designer, 43, stepped out in New York on Tuesday wearing a very casual pink two-piece from her pre Spring/Summer '18 resort collection.

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Bed it like Beckham! Now she runs a style empire herself, it seems Victoria Beckham is much more relaxed about the rules of styles as she stepped out on Tuesday

Happy: Victoria was joined by her son Romeo, 14, who looked to be in a great mood as he joined Victoria for her excursion

The pyjama-style ensemble wouldn't have looked out of place in her bedroom, but the uber-successful mother-of-four was wearing it to visit her firstborn Brooklyn, 18, who started at Parsons School of Design this autumn.

The outfit featured Victoria's current favourite design style - the oversized trouser - and she rocked it with a pair of her trademark huge shades.

In case she felt the chill later on, the former Spice Girl carried a chunky beige coloured knit in her hand as she strutted along in her high heels.

The British beauty was joined by her son Cruz, 14, who looked trendy in a Gucci hoodie and baseball cap.

Work it! The designer, 43, stepped out in New York on Tuesday wearing a very casual pink two-piece

Tickled pink! The pyjama-style ensemble wouldn't have looked out of place in her bedroom, but the uber-successful mother-of-four was wearing it to a fashion show

Proving to be quite the busy day for Victoria, she was later spotted shopping at vintage store What Goes Around Comes Around in Soho.

While she walked out without any purchases, it looked like the talented beauty was sourcing inspiration for her next collection.

It's been a busy few weeks for the former Spice Girl as she got ready to say goodbye to her eldest son Brooklyn, who is attending university in the Big Apple.

Brooklyn appeared to be settling in to the city last week as he cosied up to his fatherDavid for a sweet Instagram snap on Sunday.

Sleeping beauty: The outfit featured Victoria's current favourite design style - the oversized trouser - and she rocked it with a pair of her trademark huge shades

Sweet dreams: In case she felt the chill later on, the former Spice Girl carried a chunky beige coloured knit in her hand as she strutted along in her high heels

She designed it! The co-ord is from her pre Spring/Summer '18 resort collection, and gives her fans a taste of what to expect with her upcoming lines

David looked cool in a beanie hat pulled low over his face, and captioned the photo 'Englishmen in New York', evidently excited about his trip to the big city.

Brookyn, who will be studying photography at Parsons, has already made waves in the art world; he recently released a photography album, named What I See, which gives a glimpse into his A-list lifestyle and family.

Located in Greenwich Village, New York, Parsons Private Art and Design School is one of the most prestigious art schools in the world.

And Brooklyn hinted that he may have received a generous gift for his A-level results and educational success, after he shared a cryptic snap of a vintage Kawasaki motorbike on his Instagram page on Saturday.

Fans instantly flocked to the comments section to ask if the 18-year-old had recently splurged out on the new ride, after he cryptically captioned the shot: 'Oh my.'

Beauty: A pair of chic black shades complemented her simple slick of make-up

Trendy: Victoria's second oldest son donned a stylish Gucci hoodie and trousers as he headed out

Out and about: Proving to be quite the busy day for Victoria, she was later spotted shopping at vintage store What Goes Around Comes Around in Soho

Fashion lover: While she walked out without any purchases, it looked like the talented beauty was sourcing inspiration for her next collection

Perfection: Victoria's looked proved to be flawless through the day

The teen already has a track record for mimicking his dad's style, recently sharing his penchant for tattoos by undergoing his seventh inking, which ironically read 'Mama's boy'.

And it looks like the photographer is already setting his sights on an impressive set of new wheels like his dad's.

Or perhaps Brooklyn is hinting at a possible new gift, given that his mother Victoria recently expressed her joy at his phenomenal A-level results.

Catching up: The star seemed to be enjoying her bonding say with Romeo

Trendsetter: She draped her hands into the pockets of her bottoms as she headed down the stairs

Mane attraction: At one point, a gust of wind blew up her locks and she did her best to tame it

Scene stealer: All eyes were on Victoria as she made her way down the stairs

Statement: Despite the grey skies, a pair of sunnies continued to be positioned on her face as she carried on about her day

Together: Romeo proved to be hot on her heels during the mother and son bonding day

He is now set to enroll in the distinguished Parsons School of Design.

Sharing her elation at her son's academic success earlier this week, she posted a photo of her pride and joy enjoying a celebratory cuddle with his mum.

She captioned the snap: '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.'

In good condition: Her brunette shoulder length mane features slightly tousles waves

Wet and wild: Suddenly the heavens opened and a man followed Victoria with a green umbrella

Always on form: Despite the grisly weather, Victoria still managed to keep her composure as she strutted along

Taking no risks: Romeo took action when the rain commended as he switched out his pristine white Yeezy's for a more casual pair of trainers

Boys in the Big Apple! Victoria's son Brooklyn, 18, is settling into the Big Apple after he started at Parsons university to study photography

On your bike! Fans instantly flocked to the comments section to ask if the 18-year-old had recently splurged out on the new ride, after he cryptically captioned the shot: 'Oh my'

Daddy cool! It looks like the photographer is already setting his sights on an impressive set of new wheels like his dad, who has a penchant for custom-made vehicles

Any takers? Perhaps Brooklyn was hinting at a possible new gift, given that his mother Victoria recently expressed her joy at his phenomenal A-level results

Opening up about spending the next four years in the Big Apple, while his parents continue to be based in West London with their younger children Romeo, 14, Cruz, 12, and Harper, six, he recently admitted to GQ: 'I'm nervous, and my mum's upset about me leaving.

'But it's really exciting. I kind of live in the moment. I don't think people in New York will annoy me, and I feel like when I go there, I'll meet lifelong friends.'

He also joked that he is often left red-faced when Victoria encourages him to use his budding photography skills at her launches.

He enthused: 'She says "Go take pictures of the models!" and I'm a bit shy. So I kind of have to get the first two out of the way, and then I'm used to it.'

Impressive: Brooklyn is set to enroll in the distinguished Parsons School of Design after his impressive results
She's one of the world's most photographed supermodels.

And Bella Hadid added yet another cover shoot to her list of achievements as she sizzled for the September issue of Vogue Brazil.

Showcasing her incredible figure in the smoldering snaps, the catwalk queen, 20, slipped into a bright fuchsia sheer lace bodysuit as she worked her magic in front of the lens.

A bright fuchsia: Bella Hadid slipped into a bright fuchsia sheer lace bodysuit as she sizzled on the cover of the September issue of Vogue Brazil

The Victoria's Secret bombshell wore a brightly-colored silk scarf around her head and accentuated her striking features with dramatic make-up.

In another shot by Gui Paganini, Bella posed up a storm in an electric blue PVC dress and canary yellow gloves.

Pouting into the lens, the brunette beauty accessorized with dramatic diamond earrings and wore her locks scraped into a sleek high ponytail.

The third and final Vogue Brazil image saw Bella channel a retro look in all-black and bright jewels.

Bombshell: In another shot by Gui Paganini, the supermodel, 20, posed up a storm in an electric blue PVC dress and canary yellow gloves

Always the Bella of the ball: The third and final Vogue Brazil image saw Bella channel a retro look in all-black and bright jewels

The model's latest cover shoot sees her break records for appearing on the most Vogue covers in one month.

Bella features on a total of eight versions of the international fashion bible as the face to introduce the new fall fashion, marking a first in the history of Vogue.

In just one week, Bella shot seven covers including China, Spain, Australia, Brazil, and Arabia.

The model posted a series of photos of each international Vogue cover on her Twitter page.

Far from displaying any sibling rivalries, Bella's sister Gigi, 22 - also a model - praised her accomplishment.

Record breaker! The model's latest cover shoot sees her break records for appearing on the most Vogue covers in one month

Model moment: Bella features on a total of eight versions of the international fashion bible as the face to introduce the new fall fashion, marking a first in the history of Vogue

She wrote on Twitter alongside a flame emoji: 'WOW LOVE'

Bella's appearance comes just days after she confirmed she is set to appear in the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai, China, in November.

Taking to her Instagram page on Saturday, she wrote: '@victoriassecretI am so excited!..!!!!

'Thank you @monica.mitro @10magazine @johndavidpfeiffer and of course the wonderful, incredible @ed_razek + everyone on the team for making this dream come true again..

Talented: In just one week, Bella shot seven covers including China, Spain, Australia, Brazil, and Arabia

Accomplishment: The model posted a series of photos of each international Vogue cover on her Twitter page

Woman of the moment: Bella has become one of the world's most photographed supermodels

'I feel so crazy humbled to get the opportunity to be a part of this show again... Walking into the offices this year i felt so happy, healthy, and honored.

'I can't wait for another incredible experience!!! Congrats to all of the beautiful ladies I will be walking beside. I can't wait! Xx'.

Tagged in the photo were hairstylist and photographer Owen Gould, makeup artist Nina Park, health consultant Joe Holder and Bella's representation, IMG Models.

This will mark Bella's second VS show appearance, after making her debut during last year's extravaganza in Paris, France.

Supportive: Far from displaying any sibling rivalries, Bella's sister Gigi, 22 - also a model - praised her accomplishment

She's back! Bella's appearance comes just days after she confirmed she is set to appear in the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai, China, in November

Making it a real family affair for a second consecutive year, Bella's sister, Gigi also confirmed she will walk in the show on Monday.

Gigi wrote alongside a video of herself in lingerie and angel wings: 'Forever and ever and ever a dream come true to be asked back to the VS Show!!!

'Thank you my friends @ed_razek @10magazine @johndavidpfeiffer @monica.mitro for another unforgettable opportunity.

'Every aspect makes me feel like a dreaming kid again (as shown here at last year's fitting, by @jeromeduran)! @victoriassecret #VSFS2017.'

The 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show will take place in late November and will be hosted in Shanghai, China, for the first time.
She stripped almost naked in a sizzling snap to help spread a message of image positivity to her millions of fans.

And Winnie Harlow, who has the skin condition vitiligo, certainly looked the height of body-confident on Tuesday as she touched down in Toronto.

The model and social media influencer, 23, showcased her enviably toned abs in a Nineties-inspired black bandeau crop top and high-waisted jeans.

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Looking good: Winnie Harlow, who has the skin condition vitiligo, certainly looked the height of body-confident on Tuesday, as she touched down in Toronto

Returning home after a trip to Australia, the former America's Next Top Model contestant looked ultra-chic in a Calvin Klein black denim jacket and sunglasses.

She added a grungy twist to her look with black Converse trainers and gold jewellery and beamed as she wheeled her suitcases through the terminal.

Styling her raven tresses in a Linda Evagelista-inspired crop, her blunt fringe perfectly framed her striking features.

Winnie's outing comes after she hit the headlines earlier this month after stripping off for a meaningful Instagram snap.

Chic: The model and social media influencer, 23, showcased her enviably toned abs in a Nineties-inspired black bandeau crop top and high-waisted jeans

The model donned only a skimpy nude-coloured thong as she showed off her peachy posterior and statuesque frame in a fierce pose.

She proudly captioned the snap: 'The real difference isn't my skin. It's the fact that I don't find my beauty in the opinions of others.

'I'm beautiful because I know it. Celebrate Your unique beauty today (& everyday)!'

Winnie, who is 5ft 9in, was diagnosed with vitiligo around the age of four, making her among one per cent of the population who has the condition.

In an interview with Cosmopolitan magazine, she revealed: 'Kids called me a cow and mooed at me. I remember sitting by my window wishing upon the stars that my skin condition would go away.'

'I'm beautiful': Winnie used her rising star platform to relay a message on body positivity as she stripped nearly naked for a sizzling snap earlier this month

'Airport flow': She also flashed her impossibly toned stomach in an incredibly skimpy grey bandeau bikini top as she relaxed in an Instagram snap

She was physically taunted later in life and reveals that a group of girls 'jumped her' in a fight, which led to her being suspended because she started skipping class. She dropped out of school at the age of 17 and never looked back.

Winnie, who was working at a call centre, was scouted on Facebook and was quickly snapped up to star in a string of campaigns and music videos.

Her big break came when she starred on America's Next Top Model in 2014 and Tyra Banks said that Winnie's skin breaks down barriers of what is considered beautiful.

Now Winnie, who describes her self as a 'vitiligo spokesmodel' on Instagram, is being celebrated for her distinctive look.

In an with Cosmopolitan magazine, she revealed: 'Kids called me a cow and mooed at me. I remember sitting by my window wishing upon the stars that my skin condition would go away'

She recently described her determination to support women from 'every background' and help them become successful.

'My needs aren't the same as yours and yours aren't the same as mine or your friends or siblings,' she added to Harper's Bazaar.

'Once we stop trying to fit everyone into the same box I think we'll be better off.'

Her striking good looks have even caught the eye of Formula One hunk Lewis Hamilton and the pair have frequently been spotted partying together.

However, they have never confirmed a romantic relationship.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The country's largest opposition party, the MDC, could be headed for another split owing to widening differences in its top echelons over an alliance pact sealed by Morgan Tsvangirai on August 5.Thokozani Khupe-Tsvangirai's longest serving deputy, has teamed up with several other MDC heavyweights to take Tsvangirai head-on for inking the pact without the full blessings of the movement's leadership.However, MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu dismissed speculative reports that the MDC-T was heading for a split following Tsvangirai and Khupe's fallout."The MDC is not heading for a split. We are very mature and responsible politicians who are capable of amicably resolving whatever differences that we might have among ourselves.Let me make it abundantly clear that the MDC Alliance is the new game in town it is irreversible," he said, adding that the party's leadership was currently in consultations to resolve the impasse."As party leaders, we are meeting and discussing our different opinions and believe you me, at the end of the day, we are all going to agree on the need for a formidable coalition to face Zanu-PF in next year's elections. These are just teething challenges. You shouldn't read too much into this episode. It's just a passing phase. Trust me."Khupe wrote a stinging letter last week accusing the former Prime Minister of being "unapproachable and unilaterally" signing the MDC Alliance deal, which gave him excessive powers, NewsDay reported.In a letter in our possession dated August 21 and co-signed by Khupe, party chairman Lovemore Moyo and suspended organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe, they claimed that they decided to write instead of visiting Tsvangirai to register their concerns for fear of further attacks.The move by the trio emerged hardly a day after Tsvangirai suspended Bhebhe following a three-hour extraordinary national executive meeting in which Bulawayo East MP Thabitha Khumalo was reinstated to her position, while deputy treasurer-general Charlton Hwende remained suspended.The three were recently severely bashed at the party's Bulawayo provincial offices by party youths allegedly sent by Tsvangirai after they spurned the MDC Alliance signing ceremony in Harare.They added that they boycotted the MDC-T national executive council meeting held in Harare on Friday over the same security concerns.The latest move, which comes less than a week before Tsvangirai's scheduled trip to Bulawayo to officially launch the MDC Alliance, is likely to further derail the envisaged coalition pact.Part of the letter read: "We write this memorandum to reiterate our concerns about the MDC Alliance co-operation agreement you signed with other alliance partners on August 5, 2017 . . ."We are, however, concerned about the seemingly centralisation of power in one person, and method that was employed, which gave birth to the alliance agreement, which is fraught with inconsistencies, as we were never consulted regarding the substantive contents of the alliance agreement."Tsvangirai's lieutenants said while they supported the coalition pact, they were, however, concerned over the uneven distribution of constituencies in the Matabeleland region and Bulawayo, among parties to the MDC Alliance."In terms of Clause 3(c) of the Composite Political Co-operation Agreement, the party which is strongest electorally in a given constituency must field the candidate for the coalition. It is for this reason that we are against the allocation of the seats that have been allocated to other coalition partners from Bulawayo, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North. We are certain that the party is strongest electorally in these provinces . . . ," the top MDC-T officials said."More specifically, we are concerned about the formula or method that has been used to come up with the distribution. Precisely, because mathematically, the party has given away 45,7% of the parliamentary seats and remained with 54%."Our concern is that even if the party is to win all the contested seats, it may not achieve outright majority presidential victory."Efforts to contact Tsvangirai's spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka, Khupe and Moyo were fruitless as their mobile phones were switched off yesterday.Bhebhe refused to comment, saying: "Why do you have to call me when you have the letter?"The three also raised concern about the party only having to nominate the Speaker of Parliament with other legislative leadership positions being given to coalition partners.Khupe, Moyo and Bhebhe were also not happy with a clause giving the post of deputy mayor for Harare and Bulawayo to the Tendai Biti-led People's Democratic Party.Part of the contentious clause read: "The alliance party with the second highest elected councillors shall nominate the deputy."The MDC-T bigwigs also raised concern over the distribution of posts for chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of provincial councils and also the setting-up of a Coalition Principals' Forum and Coalition Liaison Committee, arguing "in our view these committees usurp the functions of the organs of the party".
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Andy Cohen is hardly home - he's too busy hosting Watch What Happens Live and Love Connection as well as a Sirius XM radio show. And then there is looking after those Real Housewives.

But when the 49-year-old Bravo star is home, he likes to get lost in his pre-war West Village spread in New York City, which he has showed off for the first time to October issue of Elle Decor. The colorful sanctuary is full of offbeat touches like a photo he took of Madonna licking George Clooney's Oscar.

The lair is also a favorite hang out of his good pal and neighbor Sarah Jessica Parker: 'I sneak out to Andy's place when I have a half hour, and we'll have a drink and catch up,' the Sex And The City veteran actress told the magazine.

Nice digs: Andy Cohen has shared a look at his West Village apartment with the October issue of Elle Decor; here is a photo of his dog Wacha making the post of a cushioned ottoman

She added: 'That flowered wallpaper, that yellow buffalo plaid on the couch, are so divinely Andy. Theyre whimsical but weighted in something grown-up.'

Anderson Cooper, John Benjamin Hickey, Joe Mantello also live in the neighborhood and drop by.

His West Village apartment is a duplex located in a Bing & Bing building from 1931 that has 17 floors. The space was photographed by Douglas Friedman.

He loves the space: 'The light in this apartment is phenomenal and the views are just sick,' he said of his dwelling located in a 1931 building that has 17 floors

One of the first things Cohen does during his interview is take the writer into the kitchen where he pours a glass of Pellegrino.

'I have like nine jobs - I barely cook, to be honest,' he said.

He then offers a tour. His dog Wacha follows. 'I have more paintings of Wacha than you would believe. When youre a talk-show host with a dog...people send you things,' he said.

The guest room: His late manager Sandy Gallin, told him, 'Its weird because nothing matches, but everything matches'

'The light in this apartment is phenomenal and the views are just sick,' he said.

Andy landed the dwelling in true Manhattan style.

He was already living in the building when the doorman told him an elderly resident above his own unit was dying.

'I began doing that creepy New York thing of asking, "Hows my neighbor?" Then the guy passed away, and my doorman and super were looking at me like Id killed him,' he joked.

Gold and cherries: Here is a look at the guest bathroom with a work by Andy Warhol

Cohen hired interior designer Eric Hughes and architect Gordon Kahn to begin the process of turning the two-bedroom layout into 'a series of spaces that flow into one another,' according to Elle Decor.

A staircase now connects the two floors.

'Its Gordons triumph,' said Cohen.

His late manager Sandy Gallin, told him, 'Its weird because nothing matches, but everything matches.'

A lot of hard surfaces: Grey marble was mixed with blue tiles and a wood-toned bathtub

Cohen's office on the second floor is a a near-replica of his Clubhouse on WWHL.

'These are autograph books from the show that the guests have signed over the years. These are my high school yearbooks. Some old cassettes of Grateful Dead shows. A Peabody award. Theres an Emmy up there.'

He waves to glass jars. 'A lot of pot.'

In his walk in closet there are 500 ties. 'Its a little much,' he said.

His big job: He serves as mediator for the Real Housewives reunion specials; here he is seen with (l-r) Melissa Gorga, Teresa Giudice, Jacqueline Laurita, Siggy Flicker, Dolores Catania for RHONJ

Andy told Elle Decor he has 500 ties and admits that is a bit much

In the living room there is a couch from Classic Sofa of NY. The Willy Rizzo cocktail table and Italian bench are from John Salibello.

The faux-bamboo vintage brass stools, with seats in a Rogers & Goffigon wool blend, and the midcentury Marcello Fantoni lamp are from 1stdibs.

The brass side table is from ABC Carpet & Home, the vintage folding chair covered in a Jerry Pair leather is from Harbinger, and the silk burlap wallpaper is by Ralph Lauren.

Green jute rug, Lawrence of La Brea. Oak flooring, LV Wood.

In the sitting room there is an ottoman from Barbarella Home.

The blue midcentury Italian armchair is from Lucca Home and the vintage Guillerme et Chambron armchair is from Hollywood at Home.

A Roy Lichtenstein lithograph hangs above a Chesneys mantel in Nero Bilbao marble.

His pal: Bethenny Frankel brought smiles and tears to her RHONY reunion special last week

Sarah Jessica Parker, with John Corbett on SATC, is a frequent guest

There is also a David Hockney lithograph.

In the kitchen, the cabinets are by Christopher Peacock, the range is by BlueStar, the hood is by Proline, the ceiling light is by the Urban Electric Co., and the wallpaper is Field of Daydreams by Flavor Paper.

The master baths tub is by Wooden Baths Ltd. The sinks, fixtures, and sconces are by Waterworks. The counter and window surround are in Statuary White marble. The wall and hexagonal floor tiles are by Artistic Tile.

In the office he has a vintage Eames Time-Life desk chair from Orange Furniture, a Bodil Kjaer desk from JF Chen, Danish armchairs, re-covered in a Holland & Sherry houndstooth, from Baxter & Liebchen, the vintage Gaspare Asaro chandelier is from Le Lampade, and the rug is by Crate & Barrel.

The bed in the master bedroom is from Ralph Lauren, the leather bench is from Black Swan Antiques, the custom nightstands are by Blend Interiors, the vintage Pierre Giraudon green-resin lamps are from John Salibello, and the sconces are by RH Modern.

The rug is from Crate & Barrel and the walls are covered in a Ralph Lauren Home wallpaper.

The photograph over the bed is by Micheal McLaughlin.

A guest bedroom has a Consort bed, a nightstand from Patrick Moultney and a lamp from the End of History.

This story was originally published in the October 2017 issue of ELLE DECOR.
They first met while co-starring in a Broadway production of Machinal in 2014 and tied the knot the following year.

And Rebecca Hall was all smiles as she arrived at Venice Airport with her husband Morgan Spector on Tuesday.

Touching down in Italy ahead of the 74 annual Venice Film Festival, the acclaimed actress, 35, looked undeniably chic as she made the rare hand-in-hand outing with her handsome other half, 36.

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Jetting in: Rebecca Hall, 35, was all smiles as she arrived at Venice Airport with her husband Morgan Spector, 36, on Tuesday

Rebecca, who has found her fame in movie's such as Christopher Nolan's The Prestige and Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona, proved to be in a great mood ahead of a dazzling few days of red carpet soirees.

The London born beauty was dressed to impress in a sensational striped skirt, which boasted a number of sexy slashes to bare her toned legs.

A simple, figure-hugging white top was neatly tucked into the skirt and she completed the look with a flirty-collared cream-coloured coat.

Rebecca clutched onto a chic brown handbag, as she strolled along in her comfortable, but stylish suede pink loafer shoes.

Style star: Touching down in Italy ahead of the 74 annual Venice Film Festival, the acclaimed actress looked undeniably chic as she made the rare hand-in-hand outing with her handsome other half

Happy: Rebecca, who has found her fame in movie's such as Christopher Nolan's The Prestige and Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona, proved to be in a great mood ahead of a dazzling few days of red carpet soirees

Fashionista: The London born beauty was dressed to impress in a sensational striped skirt, which boasted a number of sexy slashes to bare her toned legs

With a huge smile plastered across her face, the star was no doubt thrilled by her company - her hunky husband Morgan.

The actor proved to be super trendy himself in a grey top, dark wash denims and a lightweight outerwear.

He looked to be incredibly smitten with his wife as they lovingly held hands while heading out of the airport to their hotel.

Rebecca embarked on a romance with Morgan a year after her split from Skyfall director Sam Mendes.

The Venice Film Festival is one of the biggest film events of the year, following its high-summer rival in Cannes and on Monday, workers in the stunning Italian city were seen making finishing touches to the event's decor.

Chic: A simple, figure-hugging white top was neatly tucked into the skirt and she completed the look with a flirty-collared cream-coloured coat

Stunning: Rebecca clutched onto a chic brown handbag, as she strolled along in her comfortable, but stylish suede pink loafer shoes

Lovebirds: With a huge smile plastered across her face, the star was no doubt thrilled by her company - her hunky husband Morgan

Handsome: The actor proved to be super trendy himself in a grey top, dark wash denims and a lightweight outerwear

An array of A-List names are expected to attend this year's event ahead of their films' debuts - including George Clooney, Jennifer Lawrence and Matt Damon.

Clooney is in the running for the festival's top prize - the Golden Lion - with his latest directional venture, Suburbicon, which is due for release in October and stars Matt and Julianne Moore.

Matt, 46, is set to open this year's festival on Wednesday with the new Alexander Payne sci-fi flick Downsizing - which follows his character's attempts to minimise his problems, by shrinking himself.

The festival is kicking off the fall cinema season with drama, glamour and a crop of new movies vying for attention, awards and acclaim.

Romantic: He looked to be incredibly smitten with his wife as they lovingly held hands while heading out of the airport to their hotel

Love story: Rebecca embarked on a romance with Morgan a year after her split from Skyfall director Sam Mendes

Background: They first met while co-starring in a Broadway production of Machinal in 2014 and tied the knot the following year

With its late-summer time slot, just ahead of rivals in Telluride and Toronto, the world's oldest cinema festival has become a key showcase for films hoping to dominate Hollywood's awards season.

In recent years, Venice has been a launch-pad for Oscar winners including Gravity, Birdman, Spotlight and La La Land.

The festival, which runs till September 9, takes place near George's beloved holiday home in Lake Como, where he'll be joined by his good friend Matt.

Matt stars in both Suburbicon and Downsizing, which also features Kristen Wiig.

Getting to it: The festival, which runs till September 9, takes place near George Clooney's beloved holiday home in Lake Como, where he'll be joined by his good friend Matt Damon

Star of the show: Matt, 46, is set to open this year's festival on Wednesday with the new Alexander Payne sci-fi flick Downsizing - which follows his character's attempts to minimise his problems, by shrinking himself

Jennifer meanwhile is expected for the much-anticipated Mother!, which also stars Javier Bardem. The Spanish star should also be on hand alongside Penelope Cruz for the drug-lord biopic Loving Pablo.

An older generation of showbiz royalty will be well represented by stars including Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland and Michael Caine.

Jane Fonda and Robert Redford star in the late-life romance "Our Souls at Night" and are being given lifetime-achievement awards by the festival.

Starring it up: Workers set up lighting at the Cinema Palace ahead of the 74th edition of the Venice Film Festival, at the Venice Lido, Italy
She has weathered the latest storm in her rocky relationship with Stephen Bear.

But Charlotte Crosby, 27, has been banned from talking about Gary 'Gaz' Beadle as part of the stipulation of the couple rekindling their romance, The Sun reports.

An insider told the publication: 'Bear gets so jealous and has real issues about Charlotte's exes. It makes him insecure every time Gaz is bought up.'

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Must be love: Charlotte Crosby has been banned from talking about Gary 'Gaz' Beadle as part of the stipulation of her getting back together with Stephen Bear

Bear called it quits on the relationship within 24 hours of Charlotte breaking down on live television when she was asked about her former flame's pregnancy news.

Gaz's current girlfriend Emma McVey is expecting just 16 months after ex and former co-star Charlotte lost their unborn baby through an ectopic pregnancy.

The heartache left both Geordie Shore stars devastated, finally ending their on/off relationship.

Despite Charlotte and Gaz both moving forward in their respective relationships, Bear is said to get 'insecure' and 'jealous' about any mention of the former flame.

It is apparently so bad he is unable to listen to any interviews when his girlfriend is confronted with questions about her ex lover.

Dad-to-be: Gaz's current girlfriend Emma McVey is expecting just 16 months after ex and former co-star Charlotte lost his baby through an ectopic pregnancy

But the Celebrity Big Brother star has agreed to start dating her again - on his terms that she never speaks about Gaz again in private or on television.

The source further explained: 'Part of the reason they're back together is that Charlotte's agreed not to speak about her ex Gaz either on TV or in private.

'He just hates when her past is bought up. It really makes him upset.'

A defiant Charlotte made sure to champion her relationship with boyfriend Stephen Bear while commenting on his Instagram post of the pair that revealed they are now back together again.

Commenting on the couple's tumultuous times of late, the reality star insisted every relationship has its ups and downs, but 'REAL relationships' get through their rocky patches.

'REAL relationships get through it': Charlotte defiantly supported her rekindled romance with beau Bear by responding to his Instagram tribute to her

Despite tweeting about himself and Charlotte splitting, just a day later Bear had paid tribute to his girlfriend on the photo-sharing site, hinting that they are now back together.

He shared a split picture of two make-up free selfies which showcase the blonde bombshell's natural beauty in her full glory and penned alongside his post: 'No relationships perfect but I wanna do my best to keep this girl with me forever.'

'She's my best friend,' he gushed.

Clearly moved by the sentiment, Charlotte made sure to share her thoughts on the duo rekindling, after her beau's post had sparked a slight backlash online.

Having her say: Bear had hinted the pair are now back together after yet another brief split, with Charlotte hitting back at the duo's critics and insisting they are now 'stronger'

Backlash: They have left fans confused over their relationship, after appearing to split and rekindle their romance multiple times - with many now urging the pair to part ways

Fans claimed they had been left 'confused' by the couple's relationship, with one fan remarking the drama-fuelled break up had changed 'every six hours'.

Setting the record straight, Charlotte hit back: 'Every relationship has ups and downs, all relationships go thru hell, REAL relationships get thru it. We are stronger then any1s opinions.'

However, her comment sparked a new wave of criticism from Instagram users, as some branded Charlotte an 'idiot' for getting back together with Bear once more, claiming he is 'using' the starlet for 'publicity', while others urged her to rethink her decision.

MailOnline have contacted a representative for Bear.

Fans penned: 'She's just his meal ticket!! One day she will wake up and smell the coffee.. Don't know why they post things all over social media and then delete it!!

'You are a grade A class b***end if you take him back after he dumped you on Twitter like what? Yesterday? He's using you for publicity, fame, and $$$. I'm a fan of yours Charlotte, but you're making yourself look like a pure idiot.

Others suggested that the duo keep their relationship private between themselves and refrain from taking to social media to speak so publicly of each other:

'They're what 9 months into a relationship!?! Already put on social media that they've split 3 times. It's supposed to be the easiest time of the relationship. I agree it takes work to make it last, that work usually starts after years of marriage not within a year. Sometimes you're fighting a losing battle.

Angry: Instagram users were quick to hit out at the volatile nature of the pair's relationship, with one claiming they are 'fighting a losing battle'

'Stop posting your feelings': Others advised the couple to refrain from posting on social media when it comes to their rocky romance

'Maybe it's to do with the Twitter post...don't laugh at people who are following what is it YOU AND YOUR "BOYFRIEND" or whatever you two call yourselves are publishing on tv and social media. Maybe try to keep your relationship between yourselves and you won't have to deal with people's opinions.'

Many more, however, rushed to send Charlotte and Bear their support, clearly delighted that the pair seem to be getting back on track.

They were dubbed a 'brill couple' by one user, while another urged Bear not to let Charlotte 'slip through the net'. One eager fan excitedly expressed their hopes for the pair to now have a baby, adding: 'NOW A BABY BEARRRRR.'

'Now a baby Bear!' Many were quick to support the reality star couple, with one urging the duo to have a baby together now they are back together

Troubled: Stephen had 'dumped' Charlotte just 24-hours after she broke down on live television discussing ex-boyfriend Gary 'Gaz' Beadle's news that he is expecting his first child

All over? The news came 16 months after Charlotte had lost Gaz's baby through an ectopic pregnancy and the fragile star burst into tears when asked her thoughts on her ex becoming a dad

'It's a hard time': Days earlier Charlotte broke down in floods of tears on live TV as she thanked fans for their support with ex Gaz Beadle's baby news...after losing his baby 16 months ago

Happy news: Her post comes a day after her ex Gary 'Gaz' Beadle announced he is expecting a baby with his girlfriend Emma McVey with a sweet snap on Instagram

It comes after Charlotte burst into tears on Ireland AM, when presenters Alan Hughes and Sinead Desmond asked the former Geordie Shore starlet, 27, how she was feeling about ex Gaz's baby news.

The fragile reality star was in floods of tears over the situation, having thanked fans for their support during what she branded 'a hard time', while also alluding to the troubles she had with boyfriend Bear.

In his initial tweet about their split, Bear had addressed his 294,000 followers and wrote: 'Sadly me and Charlotte have split up. We have had a good run but we wasn't right for each other (sic).'

Getting emotional: She also mentioned her troublesome relationship with current boyfriend Stephen Bear, leaving host Alan to comfort her

Brave face: She said, through her tears 'Honestly I get so overwhelmed by all the support, it's just so amazing. I've gotten so many nice messages over the past couple of days

Little one on the way: Gary went on to share a second snap of their first baby scan on Tuesday - alongside a white Dior dummy, and another pair of baby shoes

Bear had jetted to Las Vegas for the Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor fight and reportedly did not speak to Charlotte about breaking up, instead 'dumping' her on Twitter after being left 'upset' that she had partied with Jeremy McConnell whilst in Ireland for her make-up launch.

A source told The Sun: 'Charlotte literally had no idea Stephen thought their relationship was in a bad way.

'She logged onto Twitter and saw his message, she's in pieces and can't believe her fairytale ending has been shattered.'

Party animal: Bear, meanwhile, had been spotted partying with a group of swimsuit-clad girls during his Las Vegas holiday

Finished: He had confirmed his separation from Charlotte in an emotional Twitter post on Thursday - a day after her emotional appearance in Ireland

Proving that he was still in good spirits after their supposed split, Bear was seen out partying with a host of girls during his Las Vegas holiday.

Reports then surfaced claiming the break up is costing former Geordie Shore star Charlotte 'thousands of pounds', after setting up a clothing company titled His and Hers with Bear that's premise had been based around their relationship.

Stephen and Charlotte are both listed as directors of the company, but another source added to the paper that they are now reluctant to promote the brand and are instead hoping to 'cut ties' with one another.

The insider claim that the duo have 'thousands of pounds' worth of stock left to sell that is now set to 'go to waste'.

Former flames: Bear and Charlotte started dating in February 2017 while filming reality show Just Tattoo Of Us and had been inseparable ever since

Costly: News of their split is said to be costing former Geordie Shore star Charlotte 'thousands of pounds', after setting up a clothing company titled His and Hers with Bear that they will no longer pursue

They said that Charlotte and Bear had been so invested in the fashion brand and determined to make it work, but now they have split, it's something they can longer pursue.

The source claimed: 'Their relationship was a key part of the brand... but now they're not together, that's not going to happen.'

Prior to Bear announcing the pair had parted ways, a week before Charlotte suggested their on/off romance had culminated in another split.

She made the announcement in an emotional Snapchat video, but hours later appeared to backtrack and claimed she had been a 'drunken d**k' - insisting she and Bear were still together.
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She showcased her incredible figure in a 500 plunging Norma Kamali swimsuit earlier this week.

And it seems Chrissy Teigen was feeling flash on Monday, as she splashed out yet another 500 for the same sizzling one-piece - this time in a chic nude hue - during a romantic Mediterranean trip with husband John Legend.

The 31-year-old supermodel displayed plenty of sideboob in the daring swimwear, also worn by Kourtney Kardashian, as she frolicked on their impressive luxury yacht off the island of Corsica.

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Looking good: Chrissy Teigen displayed plenty of sideboob in the daring swimwear, also worn by Kourtney Kardashian, as she frolicked on her impressive luxury yacht in Corsica

The brunette beauty looked every inch the beach babe in her eye-catching swimsuit, which featured a plunging neckline and back, as well as boasting perilous side cut-outs.

Flashing a peek of her cleavage, the swimwear was equipped with gold penny detailing to draw attention to her sensational appearance.

Boasting a golden glow from their idyllic week-long getaway along the island,the Lip Sync Battle host appeared to be in great spirits as she soaked up the sun on the yacht.

Scraping her long chestnut-hued tresses into a sleek topknot, the mother-of-one showcased her striking model features with no make-up.

Complementing his make-up free love, John slipped on a pair of navy floral swim shorts during his outing to the calm and tranquil Island.

Seeing double: It seems she was feeling flash on Monday, as she slipped into a 500 nude version of the black Norma Kamali swimsuit she wore earlier in the week during a romantic Mediterranean holiday with husband John Legend

Making a splash: The brunette beauty looked every inch the beach babe in her eye-catching swimsuit, which featured a plunging neckline and back, as well as boasting perilous side cut-outs

Inseparable: Chrissy stayed close to her Grammy-winner husband John, who rocked a pair of blue printed swimming shorts

She's got some front: Flashing a peek of her cleavage, Chrissy's swimwear was equipped with gold penny detailing to draw attention to her sensational appearance

The Grammy-winning hitmaker went shirtless for the occasion as he showcased his muscular physique while cooling off in the crystal clear sea.

Meanwhile, the frank fashion star recently opened up about her plans to build their family with husband John Legend.

'I used to think it was kind of nutty to have to go totally sober,' the model told Cosmopolitan on Sunday. 'But now I get it. I don't want to be that person I have to fix myself.'

Honey, you missed a spot: Ever the doting husband, John leaned over to rub suncream into Chrissy's back

Topping up her tan: Boasting a golden glow from their idyllic week-long getaway along the island, the Lip Sync Battle host appeared to be in great spirits as she soaked up the sun on the yacht

Natural beauty: Scraping her long chestnut-hued tresses into a sleek topknot, the mother-of-one showcased her striking model features with no make-up

Share the joke! The model seemed to spy something amusing on her phone as she had a quiet chuckle to herself

And he's off! Armed with a lifejacket, John launched himself energetically into the sea

'I was, point blank, just drinking too much,' the Lip Sync Battle host admitted.

'I got used to being in hair and makeup and having a glass of wine. Then that glass of wine would carry over into me having one before the awards show. And then a bunch at the awards show.'

Legend and Teigen embarked on a health-reset trip to Bali earlier this year, where the couple abstained from alcohol entirely.

Natural beauty: The statuesque model stole the spotlight with her beauty despite not wearing a scrap of make-up

He's got her back: The couple couldn't keep their hands off each other as they holidayed with a group of friends

Stealing the spotlight: Teigen took centre-stage in her sizzling studded swimsuit

Just chilling out: The catwalk star showcased her enviable figure while topping up her tan

Just kicking back: Chrissy seemed to be having a whale of a time as she topped up her tan on the deck

The mother to 16-month-old daughter Luna continued: 'And then I felt bad for making kind of an ass of myself to people that I really respected.

'And that feeling, there's just nothing like that. You feel horrible. It's not a good look for me, for John, for anybody.'

Chrissy went on to say that her family has a history of alcohol abuse and she currently takes medication for postpartum depression and anxiety, both of which conflict with any alcohol intake.

Get back! Chrissy larked around with John as she batted at him playfully with a giant pink foam tube as he tried to climb up

Attack of the foam! The mother-of-one seemed to be relishing her power as she jabbed at a chuckling John with her inflatable weapon

Quick outfit change! The brunette beauty later slipped into a pink floral swimsuit with a plunging neckline

Packing on the PDA: The good looking couple couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other

Sun worhsipper: Chrissy stretched herself out on the yacht while two crew members stood behind her

'No filter necessary': John shared a sweet snap of a make-up free Chrissy, and later planted a kiss on her cheek in a loved-up selfie

Her need to cleanse her mind, body and soul was sparked by the couple's interest in adding another member to their family.

'A lot of stuff's about to come,' Teigen said. 'We're going to try to have a child.

'This is for us to try to get in the zone of "let's travel, let's be away together, let's see our closest friends," and then we're going to have to do something super hard, which is the IVF process, all over again.'

Born on April 14, 2016, Chrissy and John were very candid about their struggles with conceiving baby Luna Simone.

They used IVF to conceive their child, and also revealed they hand-picked a female embryo to ensure she and John would have a daughter.

Retail therapy: The couple later covered up as they went onshore to do some shopping

In great spirits: The pair looked smitten as they laughed and chatted away happily together

Pretty in prints: Chrissy sheathed her incredible figure with a whimsical nude sarong tied at her waist

Hitting the town: Chrissy later slipped into a silky floral dress cinched in with a Seventies-style belt, while John scrubbed up in a striped T-shirt and woven sneakers

Feeling peckish? Chrissy posed with her cereal of choice on the yacht, before showing off her bikini body in a reflection selfie with John
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They're set to spread their wings overseas as they head to Shanghai, China, to rock the runway in this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

And brand Angels Jasmine Tookes, Taylor Hill and Lily Aldridge looked positively heaven sent as they arrived at the VS headquarters in New York City for another day of show fittings on Tuesday.

Using the sidewalk as their catwalk, the trio looked camera-ready as they dodged the rain and headed inside the Manhattan building.

The Angels have landed: Jasmine Tookes (left), Taylor Hill (center) and Lily Aldridge (right) looked positively heaven sent as they arrived at the Victoria's Secret headquarters in New York City for another day of show fittings on Tuesday

Jasmine was feminine in a striped, ruffle top that tied at the bottom, showcasing her incredibly toned abs.

The model, 26, paired her blouse with skintight leather cigarette pants and platform heels to add height to her already statuesque frame.

The California native, who became a VS Angel in 2015, wore her hair down and in bouncy waves, accentuating her striking features with a smokey eye and soft nude lips.

Abs-olutely fabulous: Jasmine was feminine in a striped, ruffle top that tied at the bottom, showcasing her incredibly toned abs, while Lily also showed off her toned tum in a cropped tee, accessorizing with Linda Farrow sunglasses

Natural beauty: The California native, who became a VS Angel in 2015, wore her hair down and in bouncy waves, accentuating her striking features with a smokey eye and soft nude lips

Angelic: Jasmine toted a small white leather handbag and accessorized with multiple gold necklaces

Model on the move: The model, 26, paired her blouse with skintight leather cigarette pants and platform heels to add height to her already statuesque frame

Lily, 31, was casual for the occasion, also showcasing her washboard abs as she headed inside.

The mother-of-one wore a cropped white T-shirt and wide-leg jeans for her meeting, teaming her low-key look with a pair of heeled ankle boots.

In keeping with true Victoria's Secret fashion, the stunning model wore her hair down and in loose beach waves, and she accessorized with a pair of circular Linda Farrow shades.

The brunette beauty was seen leaving the office building with a dramatic pair of white wings, perhaps for her to try out her catwalk moves with at home.

Girl-next-door: Lily, 31, wore a cropped white T-shirt and wide-leg jeans for her meeting, teaming her low-key look with a pair of heeled ankle boots

Natural beauty: In keeping with true Victoria's Secret fashion, the stunning model wore her hair down and in loose beach waves, and she accessorized with a pair of circular shades

Also spotted leaving the fitting was Taylor Hill, 21.

Taylor gained prominence when she became the youngest Angel to join the brand, having earned her wings at just 19 years old.

The Illinois native rocked a bohemian white dress and wide lace-up belt for her VS visit, later adding a punky leather jacket by Nour Hammour to her look as she headed out into the summer downpour.

The beauty kept comfortable in a pair of rock-chick style black leather boots, which she left partially unlaced.

The baby of the group: Also spotted leaving her fitting was Taylor Hill, 21, who gained prominence when she became the youngest Angel in the brand, having earned her wings at just 19 years old

Punk rock princess: The Illinois native rocked a bohemian white dress and wide lace-up belt for her VS visit, later adding a punky leather jacket by Nour Hammour to her look as she headed out into the summer downpour

Romee Strijd looked to the future for her ensemble.

The Dutch beauty, 22, stood out from the model crowd in a shiny, blue glittery sweater, which she wore tucked into zany lilac metallic pants.

The pretty blonde, who earned her Angel wings in 2015, sported oversize, vintage shades and a classic leather bag by Chanel.

Romee wore her long blonde locks loose around her shoulders and sported minimal make-up.

Space cadet: Romee Strijd looked to the future for her ensemble, standing out from the model crowd in a shiny, blue glittery sweater, which she wore tucked into zany lilac metallic pants

Blonde ambition: The Dutch beauty, 22, sported oversize, vintage shades and a classic leather bag by Chanel

Josephine Skriver made a later arrival to the fittings.

Proving it was a case of last but by no means least, the Danish model, 24, ensured all eyes were well and truly on her thanks to her racy choice of attire.

Josephine showed off plenty of cleavage in a very skimpy lace body suit with keyhole detailing, which she teamed with a tiny black ra-ra skirt.

The statuesque beauty accessorized with towering black suede boots, a sheer cover-up and dark shades, in spite of the rain.

Dare to bare: Proving it was a case of last but by no means least, latecomer Josephine Skriver ensured all eyes were well and truly on her thanks to her racy choice of attire

Josephine wore her glossy brunette locks in loose waves and accentuated her striking features with a light smattering of make-up.

The model was helped inside by a helpful assistant to carried a large umbrella over her head so not to ruin her carefully-coiffed hair and make-up.

On Twitter on Tuesday, Victoria's Secret announced both the date and the location of its annual fashion show.

'Ni hao, China! This year's #VSFashionShow is headed to Shanghai. Watch it Nov 28, 10/9C on @CBS,' it read.

This year's line-up will feature some of the modeling world's biggest names, including Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel, Bella Hadid and Gigi Hadid.

Last year, the annual showcase took place in Paris, France.

Sheer daring: The Danish model, 24, showed off plenty of cleavage in a very skimpy lace body suit with keyhole detailing, which she teamed with a tiny black ra-ra skirt
In honor of the 15th season of her self-titled daytime talk show, Ellen DeGeneres shared a rare retro snap of her teenage self on Tuesday.

'Here's a photo of me when I was just about 15 (why God, why?!),' the 59-year-old host - who boasts 146.7M followers - wrote on Instagram.

'Now I wanna see yours. Post a photo from when you were 15 with #ellen15 and you just might see yourself on my show next week!'

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Throwback! In honor of the 15th season of her self-titled daytime talk show, Ellen DeGeneres shared a rare retro snap of her teenage self on Tuesday

The 59-year-old host wrote on Instagram: 'Here's a photo of me when I was just about 15 (why God, why?!). Now I wanna see yours. Post a photo from when you were 15 with #ellen15 and you just might see yourself on my show next week!'

The 30-time Emmy winner's new season kicks off September 5 in syndication with Daddys Home 2 duo Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.

But don't expect Ellen to go another 15 years on the air.

'I don't think my walker would get up those stairs!' DeGeneres joked to Good Housekeeping this month. 'But it's not scary at all anymore, which is why I'm starting to do stand-up again.'

Speaking of the number 15, it's also been 15 years since the Louisiana-born funnywoman taped a comedy special and she's currently writing one to stream on Netflix.

Upcoming guests: The 30-time Emmy winner's new season kicks off September 5 in syndication with Daddys Home 2 duo Will Ferrell (2-R) and Mark Wahlberg (2-L)

'I don't think my walker would get up those stairs!' But don't expect Ellen to go another 15 years on the air (pictured Sunday)

'I wanted to do something completely different': It's also been 15 years since the Louisiana-born funnywoman taped a comedy special and she's currently writing one to stream on Netflix

'I wanted to do something completely different and give people a glimpse into my life and do things I don't do on the show,' the Finding Dory actress explained.

'The writing is scary. To sit down and write something out of nowhere that is funny enough to elicit noise out of someone else's body? It's hard.'

On Monday, Ellen revealed she and her show would be collectively donating $50K to the American Red Cross, and the animal lover will also donate another $25K to the SPCA of Texas.

'Because of Hurricane Harvey, a lot of people in Texas have lost their homes. The city of Houston has been hit the hardest,' DeGeneres said on YouTube.

'We love you Texas!' On Monday, Ellen revealed she and her show would be collectively donating $50K to the American Red Cross, and she'll also donate $25K to the SPCA of Texas

DeGeneres said on YouTube: 'Because of Hurricane Harvey, a lot of people in Texas have lost their homes. The city of Houston has been hit the hardest...You can help too'

'I know people want to help...You can help too. Any amount helps. If you text the word Harvey" to 90999 you'll automatically donate $10. We love you Texas.'

On the personal front, the LGBTQ icon - who came out in a 1997 Time magazine cover story - celebrated her ninth wedding anniversary with Scandal star Portia de Rossi on August 16.

And despite her lifestyle brand ED launching a new baby collection for Buy Buy Baby, the Presidential Medal of Freedom champ and the Australian 44-year-old have no plans for children.

Came out in 1997: On the personal front, the LGBTQ icon celebrated her ninth wedding anniversary with Scandal star Portia de Rossi on August 16

Piggies: And despite her lifestyle brand ED launching a new baby collection for Buy Buy Baby, Ellen and the Australian 44-year-old have no plans for children

'We talked about it for a minute, about four years into the relationship, but we just decided we like our conversations not being interrupted and our furniture without sticky grape juice on it,' Ellen explained to Sunday Style last year.

'Also, I think in this profession it can be really tough for children. It's hard for them to have to share their parents with the world. I even see it with my nieces. When we're out in public and people want to talk to me they're like, "Why does everybody want your time? Why arent you just with me?"'

Rather than babies, the lesbian couple fill their numerous homes with cats, dogs, horses, mini-horses, and cows.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom champ explained to Sunday Style last year: 'We decided we like our conversations not being interrupted and our furniture without sticky grape juice on it'
He's been busy jet-setting across the globe thanks to his high-profile acting commitments after soaring to fame in Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015.

But John Boyega proved he was a London boy at heart, as he stepped out to celebrate Notting Hill carnival on Monday.

The 25-year-old looked in his element as she got up close and personal with a scantily clad female - proceeding to grind up a storm while filming the whole process.

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Getting into the spirit of things! John Boyega, 25, proved he was a London boy at heart, as he stepped out to celebrate Notting Hill carnival on Monday

The clip of him having a great time at the annual extravaganza started off with him singing to the camera, while showing off all the glitz and glamour behind him.

He then found himself company, in the form of a glamorous female who worked her sexiest moves.

Obviously liking what he saw, the Peckham native carried on grinding with the woman as they continued enjoying the fun-filled day.

This comes after John insisted that Star Wars: The Last Jedi will do the late Carrie Fisher, and her beloved character, Princess Leia, justice after the star's untimely and shocking death in December.

Fun: The Star Wars star looked in his element as she got up close and personal with a scantily clad female - proceeding to grind up a storm while filming the whole process

Having a blast: The clip of him having a great time at the annual extravaganza started off with him singing to the camera, while showing off all the glitz and glamour behind him

Racy: He then found himself company, in the form of a glamorous female who worked her sexiest moves

In an interview with ABC News earlier this month, Boyega, 25, told Peter Travers that she's still very much 'kept alive in this franchise.'

'This movie, it sends her off in an amazing, amazing way,' he continued.

He confirms that she will be heavily featured in the next instalment and although he didn't give anything away, he said fans should be happy with the late actress' appearance

'That's the beauty of it: She lives forever in a sense,' he said.

But that doesn't give much peace to the actor who worked with Carrie quite a bit while filming the latest chapter.

He revealed he was in Nigeria with his family when he found out about her death.

Raunchy: Obviously liking what he saw, the Peckham native carried on grinding with the woman as they continued enjoying the fun-filled day

'This movie sends her off in an amazing way': This comes after John insisted that Star Wars: The Last Jedi will do the late Carrie Fisher, and her beloved character, Princess Leia, justice after the star's untimely and shocking death in December

'It was a strange, strange feeling. I felt like everyone in the cast went silent for a bit after that,' he added.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the upcoming film set to be released on December 15, is the last film to feature the actress.

She was actually expected to have a much larger role in 2019s Episode IX before her death.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy revealed Carrie wanted more screen time.

The producer said Fisher was 'having a blast' filming her scenes for Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, and was keen to get started on the final chapter.

'She lives forever': He confirms that she will be heavily featured in the next instalment and although he didn't give anything away, he said fans should be happy with the late actress' appearance

Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the upcoming film set to be released on December 15, is the last film to feature the actress -Pictured 1980

'The minute she finished, she grabbed me and said, 'I'd better be at the forefront of IX!',' Kennedy recalled

'Because Harrison was front and centre on VII, and Mark is front and centre on VIII. She thought IX would be her movie. And it would have been.'

General Leia Organa is only seen in a handful of scenes in The Force Awakens, while her onscreen brother Luke Skywalker - played by Mark Hamill - only features in the film's very last shot.

Fisher will feature heavily in The Last Jedi, but the middle instalment of the final trilogy is expected to centre on the Hamill's self-exiled war hero.

Carrie died of cardiac arrest on December 27, 2016, at age 60, four days after a medical emergency during a transatlantic flight from London to Los Angeles. She had, at that stage, finished filming all her scenes for The Last Jedi.

She was actually expected to have a much larger role in 2019s Episode IX before her death as The Force Awakens focused mostly on Harrison Ford's character and The Last Jedi on Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker

After Fisher died, Kennedy confirmed Princess Leia would not feature at all in Episode IX.

The role would not be recast, nor would the studio consider using CGI, as they had to allow Fisher play a younger version of the character in 2016's Rogue One.

At this year's 40th anniversary Star Wars Celebration, both Kennedy and Hamill gushed over Fisher's performance in what will be her final film.

'Wait until you see her in The Last Jedi, ' Hamill said. 'You're going to love her.'

'Carrie is remarkable in the movie,' Kennedy added. 'You guys are going to find it an amazing tribute to her talent.'
It was reported last week that Chris Pratt and Anna Faris are in therapy to try to make their relationship work after announcing their decision to split.

But now - dashing fans' hopes of a reconciliation between the actors - more details have emerged about the couples counseling the duo are receiving, suggesting it's only for the sake of their son Jack, five.

'They are going through couples counseling now, which is what you do when you want to divorce and there are children involved,' a source close to the actors told People.

Talking it out: Chris Pratt and Anna Faris - who announced their split earlier this month - are having therapy to work on their relationship, for the sake of their son Jack

'It wont likely change the status but it could help with their future co-parenting.' they said.

'Their work separations have taken a toll, and it is not likely that the marriage can be repaired enough to work right now,' the insider explained, adding that there is 'still love' between the two stars.

Earlier this month the Hollywood couple shocked fans when they announced they were splitting after eight years together.

'It wont likely change the status but it could help with their future coparenting.' a source said of the duo's decision to get therapy together

'Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we want to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward.' they wrote in their joint statement.

It was reported by Life & Style that the 40-year-old Mom actress and the 38-year-old Jurassic World action were hashing out their issues in couples counseling.

The timing is good as he just completed filming Avengers: Infinity War as well as Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and appears to have time on his hands.

'Its the first time theyve ever been in counseling together and it only happened after they split,' an insider revealed.

'They have committed to it. They are trying to keep the pressure low by doing it out of the spotlight, but there is still a lot of love between them.'

'Their work separations have taken a toll': a source told People this week. The trio are seen at LAX in May 2016

Another source said it helps that they are still living in the same Los Angeles house together that they share with Jack.

'Its been very intense, with Anna discussing how she feels isolated with Chris gone so much of the time and her career taking a backseat,' said the source.

'Chris gets frustrated because Anna is in the industry, too, and knew the commitments involved when she married him.'

On August 6 the actors released a joint statement on social media which read: 'We are sad to announce we are legally separating,

'We tried hard for a long time, and were really disappointed. Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we went to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward. We still love each other and will always cherish our time together.'

His big movie career: The actor has been off making Jurassic World (left) and Passengers (right) for the past few years

Time with mommy is a thumb's up: The blonde beauty with Jack in July in Hollywood. Her son was born two-and-a-half months early and spent a month in the NICU before he went home

Break: On August 6 the actors released a joint statement on social media revealing the news they're separating

Her first comments after the split were made on her Unqualified podcast: 'Hey, dear listeners!' she said. 'I just want to thank you all so much for all the love I've been receiving, and I truly love you.'

Last week Faris went on a podcast where she proved all is not well with the two by saying: 'Life is too short to be in relationships where you feel this isn't fully right or somebody doesn't have your back, or somebody doesn't fully value you.'

The blonde beauty, who wed Pratt in 2009, was not speaking specifically about her relationship with Chris, but rather was giving advice to a caller on the podcast My Favourite Murder.

But her choice of words suggested she was using her own failed romance as an example. Anna continued her heartfelt message: 'Don't be afraid to feel your independence if things aren't right.'

On his own: The action star was seen with his son on August 13; he announced his separation from Anna a week earlier




They are creations that would not look out of place in the final of The Great British Bake Off.

Yet these extraordinarily convincing illusion cakes, made to look like a BLT sandwich, a watermelon, a stack of pancakes and a bowl of noodles, were crafted during last nights first episode of the new series.

The fiendish task was billed as the hardest first showstopper ever to be set on the hit baking show  which has moved to Channel 4  and was always going to sort the wheat from the chaff.

And the triumphs of deception and baking competence were certainly matched by disasters, in the form of a black clutch bag and a loaf of bread with a snapped knife.

Marketing executive Steven was crowned the first star baker for his bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich

Merseyside grandmother Flo, 71, made a watermelon cake that would not look out of place in a greengrocers

And 19-year-old student Liam, from North London, wowed with his fake pancakes

Indeed, while marketing executive Steven was crowned the first star baker for his bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, the challenge proved the undoing of IT manager Peter.

The 52-year-old had earlier finished bottom of the technical challenge when piping the wrong type of chocolate on his mini-rolls, and was then doomed when the sugar knife for his bread broke.

Nevertheless, the shows return was met with a positive reaction from fans, who commented that it had barely changed in moving from the BBC.

One aspect that was strikingly similar to the corporations version was the prevalence of innuendos, including mentions of bare bottoms, a nice pair and even a moist clutch.

At one point, ex-Army officer Sophie unintentionally produced a phallic moment, when moulding the shaft of her fondant icing champagne bottle.

Following Paul Hollywoods bold claim that this years contestants were the best bakers ever to grace the tent, Steven threw down the gauntlet with his Bakers Lunch cake.

Hollywood said: The standard of the show is so high, but unfortunately it was Peters turn to go.

Health and safety inspector Kate, 19, from Liverpool, failed her test with the Greenhouse cake

Former teacher Stacey, 42, from Hertforshire, didn't get pass marks for this clutch bag cake

Indeed, both Hollywood and his new co-judge Prue Leith, who has replaced Mary Berry, looked taken aback at the creation, describing it as stunning and perfect.

Such was the level of trickery that Miss Leith  who was not afraid to show her formidable side when faced with below-par cakes  commented: You wouldnt think it wasnt bread.

Meanwhile, Merseyside grandmother Flo, 71, made a watermelon cake that would not look out of place in a greengrocers, and 19-year-old student Liam wowed with his fake pancakes.

Molecular biologist Yan, who works for the NHS, demonstrated her ability with her Asian-inspired dish, featuring fondant icing noodles and chicken ramen made from Rice Krispies.

It was not the first time Stacey, a stay-at-home mother, had faltered  earlier in the episode she resorted to throwing her cake in the bin

Using her noodle: NHS worker Yan's cake has an Asia inspiration

However, at the opposite end of the leader-board, ex-school teacher Stacey left the judges stumped with her black clutch bag cake.

Miss Leith said: I am not certain I would know it was a handbag, while Hollywood said: It looks like a decorated cake rather than a handbag.

It was not the first time Stacey, a stay-at-home mother, had faltered  earlier in the episode she resorted to throwing her cake in the bin.

In an earlier round, Yan also threw her first attempt at an apple crumble cake in the bin, before starting again.

Speaking about becoming the first baker to leave the tent, Peter said: Im disappointed to be the first off, but it has been a lovely experience throughout. It was quite surreal from day one, and I wouldnt change any of it for the world. All of the bakers are my friends now, and they are amazing in their own way. They are a wonderful bunch and I will be watching them throughout.

Hollywood said: The standard of the show is so high, but unfortunately it was Peters turn to go.

Last week Channel 4s outgoing chief creative officer, Jay Hunt, said the show would need to be watched by 3million people for the broadcaster to break even. The broadcaster spent a reported 75million on a three-year contract for the show, which aired for seven series on the BBC.
Emma Roberts indulged her sweet tooth at the Big Sugar Bake Shop in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old actress grabbed some goodies while parading her alabaster pins in a dark floral shirt-dress and platform shoes selected by stylist duo Brit & Kara Elkin.

The nepotistically-privileged niece of Julia Roberts' sighting came three days after she shared a swimming pool snap of herself in a yellow ALIX bikini captioned: 'I'll be here all day.'

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Cheat day! Emma Roberts indulged her sweet tooth at the Big Sugar Bake Shop in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Leggy: The 26-year-old actress grabbed some goodies while parading her alabaster pins in a dark floral shirt-dress and platform shoes selected by stylist duo Brit & Kara Elkin

On August 1, American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy shared the first glimpse of his Scream Queen as Michigan newscaster Serina Belinda in one episode of Cult, which premieres September 5 on FX.

The seventh season of the horror anthology kicks off with the 2016 presidential election and will also feature Emma's fiance Evan Peters as six different cult leaders.

The combative, on/off couple - who've split twice - first met as castmates on the 2012 set of Adult World.

The nepotistically-privileged niece of Julia Roberts' sighting came three days after she shared a swimming pool snap of herself in a yellow ALIX bikini captioned: 'I'll be here all day'

Premieres September 5 on FX! American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy shared the first glimpse of his Scream Queen as Michigan newscaster Serina Belinda in one episode of Cult

Meet Kai: The seventh season of the horror anthology kicks off with the 2016 presidential election and will also feature Emma's fiance Evan Peters as six different cult leaders

Split twice: The combative, on/off couple first met as castmates on the 2012 set of Adult World

Intense: It's hard to believe Roberts was once arrested for domestic violence during a 2013 Montreal quarrel with the 30-year-old actor but he declined to press charges

It's hard to believe Roberts was once arrested for domestic violence during a 2013 Montreal quarrel with the 30-year-old actor but he declined to press charges.

The Belletrist curator will also play an idealistic public defense lawyer called Jess in Matthew Newton's Who We Are Now, which premieres September 8 at the Toronto Film Festival in Canada.

The criminal drama also stars Julianne Nicholson, Zachary Quinto, Jimmy Smits, and Jason Biggs.

'Good morning': The Belletrist curator will also play a lawyer called Jess in Matthew Newton's Who We Are Now, which premieres September 8 at the Toronto Film Festival
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) on Tuesday accused business mogul Strive Masiyiwa for ill-treating workers at his companies, Econet Wireless and Steward Bank.In a statement, ZCTU secretary general Japhet Moyo said while the labour body commiserated with Masiyiwa over the frustration he continued to get from the Government in his bid to establish businesses, the union was concerned with ill-treatment of workers at his companies."Masiyiwa's businesses are characterised with alarming work deficits, depriving workers of their fundamental rights. The nature of contracts that these companies are dangling to employees smacks of cold-blooded capitalism. They have introduced precarious volunteer contracts, in clear disregard of the sanctity of work relations where they treat workers as 'helpers' instead of stakeholders in the employment relationship," he said.ZCTU also accused Masiyiwa's Econet Wireless and Steward Bank for leading the revolt against labour by refusing to pay compensation to workers who were retrenched in 2015 following an infamous Supreme Court judgement."While the ZCTU feels for Masiyiwa on the injustices that he is being subjected to we also ask him to take a deep introspection of his conduct of union busting, threats and dismissal of workers who attempt to organize and defend their rights and take corrective measures before seeking empathy and preaching the gospel which he does not practice," said Moyo.Recently, the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe barred Masiyiwa's Kwese Television from operating in the country without a valid license.
She's used to making a cheery statement with her clothing choices.

But Reese Witherspoon shared a more somber message on Tuesday as she showed her solidarity with the state of Texas as it experiences its worst storm in 500 years.

The Louisiana-born star, 41, affixed a baby blue Texas pin to her chambray blouse as she made her way into an office building in Los Angeles.

Making a statement: Reese Witherspoon shared a more somber message on Tuesday as she showed her solidarity with the state of Texas as it experiences its worst storm in 500 years

The actress posted a picture of the button on Snapchat, writing: 'Texas on my mind & on my heart today.'

The mother-of-three also urged her 1.97 million followers on Twitter to help relief efforts, writing: 'Praying for everyone in Houston. Please help anyway you can #HurricaineHarvey #TexasFlood'.

Reese paired her blue denim shirt with a white denim pencil skirt for her low-key daytime outing.

Support: The Louisiana-born star, 41, affixed a baby blue Texas pin to her chambray blouse as she made her way into an office building in Los Angeles

The Big Little Lies star finished her look with a pair of Hello Darlin' flats from her Draper James clothing line, which showed off her bright pink pedicure.

The brand has a boutique in North Texas at the popular Highland Park Village shopping center which was not affected by the storm.

It has just been announced that Reese will appear on the sixth and final season of Hulu's The Mindy Project.

Short and sweet: Reese paired her blue denim shirt with a white denim pencil skirt for her low-key daytime outing

Social star: 'Texas on my mind & in my heart' Reese wrote in a post, showing off her Texas pin

Mindy Kaling shared a photo from the set with she and Reese trapped in a cave.

She wrote along with the pic: 'Our special guest star on #themindyproject is the only woman I want to be stuck in a cave with.'

'Looks like this is becoming our thing!', Reese wrote back, giving a nod to their upcoming movie, 2018's A Wrinkle In Time which also stars Oprah and Chris Pine.

On Tuesday, Reese shared her excitement with a picture of her script on Twitter, writing: 'Is it possible to have too much fun on set? Exciting cave-dwelling things to come with @mindykaling and #TheMindyProject!'

Saying hi: The Big Little Lies star finished her look with a pair of Hello Darlin' flats from her Draper James clothing line, which showed off her bright pink pedicure

Reese was previously referenced on The Mindy Project in 2014, with Kaling's celebrity-obsessed character having a Wreath Witherspoon Christmas decoration.

Upon learning that Mindy's fans were copying the idea from Mindy's show - Reese re-posted an image of the variations, writing: 'Love it!!!!'.

The mother-of-three is gearing up for awards season, her hit HBO show Big Little Lies has eight nominations at the Emmy Awards, which will take place on September 17.

Big Little Lies was meant to be a stand-alone series but due to it's popularity, the possibility of a second installment is being explored.
She is known for her party girl ways.

But Tara Reid showed that she is a country girl at heart.

The 41-year-old actress looked every bit the southern belle as she left hotspot Catch LA on Monday night.

Howdy partner! Tara Reid looked every bit the southern belle as she left hotspot Catch LA on Monday night

Tara did add a bit of flare to her look as she sported a black bandeau under a white blazer to show just a peek of her slender figure.

She also sported a pair of light blue skinny jeans with a brown leather belt along with a matching pair of studded boots.

The former star of American Pie accessorized with a black cowboy hat, brown leather designer bag, and multiple bracelets around her wrists.

Stunning: The 41-year-old actress did add a bit of flare to her look as she sported a black bandeau under a white blazer to show just a peek of her slender figure

Casual cool: She also sported a pair of light blue skinny jeans with a brown leather belt along with a matching pair of studded boots

Tara wore her signature platinum blonde locks down into waves flowing over her shoulder as she topped off her make-up with a swipe of bright red lip.

The veteran actress looked to be in good spirits as she flashed a big smile while leaving the eatery which specializes in seafood.

Tara has been keeping herself quite busy as she has nine upcoming film projects set for release in the near future.

She currently has five movies currently in post-production including Party Bus To Hell, Worthless, Bleach, Baby Bulldog, and Andy The Talking Hedgehog.

More recently she starred in Sharknado 5: Global Swarming which aired for the first time on Syfy back on August 6.

Tara has starred in all five films of the franchise along with Ian Ziering.
Iraqis look at the damage following a car bomb explosion in Baghdad's Shiite-majority district of Sadr City on August 28, 2017

A car bomb exploded in a market in the Iraqi capital's Shiite-majority district of Sadr City on Monday killing 11 people and wounding another 26, security officials and medical sources said.

A police officer, who asked to remain anonymous, said the explosion ripped through a market in northeastern Baghdad leaving "11 dead and 26 wounded".

Members of Iraq's security forces were among the victims, medical sources said, confirming the toll.

Security sources said the bombing occurred near one of Baghdad's largest shopping centres at around 10:30 am (0730 GMT).

The casualties were evacuated to two hospitals in Sadr City.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the Islamic State jihadist group has claimed previous bombings in the capital.

The explosion damaged several stalls at the market and gutted shops in the adjoining shopping centre, with debris, glass and vegetables strewn across the ground, an AFP reporter said.

Bulldozers were still at midday trying to clear the area, including removing two cars destroyed in the bombing.

The mangled hull of a vehicle suspected of being the car packed with explosives could be seen in the area.

The bombing came as Iraqi forces and the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary coalition dominated by Shiite fighters, some from Sadr City, battle IS members in their last pocket in the northern province of Nineveh.
As Harvey pummelled Texas over the weekend, the White House released photos of the president -- decked in a USA cap -- huddling with aides to discuss the response to the storm

The floodwaters deluging Houston -- America's fourth largest city and a major global oil hub -- also present Donald Trump with a significant long-term test of his presidential leadership.

Facing tropical storm Harvey, Trump plans to travel to "The Lone Star State" on Tuesday, a demonstration that he is on top of a disaster that is already posing a fierce challenge for local and federal responders.

The full impact of the ongoing storm is unknown, but up to 30,000 people are expected to need emergency shelter as -- thanks to plant-shutdowns -- gasoline prices surged four percent in early New York trade.

Since the crisis began on Friday, Trump has seized on his role marshalling the federal response, issuing a disaster declaration for Texas and neighboring Louisiana and deploying 8,000 officials throughout the flood zone.

During a busy weekend, the White House released photos of the president -- decked in a USA cap -- huddling with aides, liaising with cabinet secretaries to discuss what he called a "once in 500 year flood."

A steady stream of tweets have sought to show that the president, who spent the weekend at the bucolic presidential retreat of Camp David, was well apprised and in control.

"They're providing everything we've asked for" Texas's Republican governor Greg Abbott said describing Washington's response.

Trump's trip to Texas comes much more quickly than other presidents may have dared. Along with a high-impact presidential trip comes the risk of hampering recovery efforts and tying up resources.

First Lady Melania Trump is also expected to travel.

With the rain still falling, they will have to avoid the area around Houston that has been hardest hit. But the president seems determined to show leadership on the ground.

In responding to Harvey, Trump appears cognizant of the political pitfalls his predecessors found in their flawed responses to Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew, when the federal government came up short.

Images of George W. Bush looking safely from the window of Air Force One down at ravaged New Orleans in 2005 became an indelible image of his presidency.

Trump's display of decisiveness comes in stark contrast to Trump's prevarications in the face of a white supremacist rally that turned deadly two weeks ago in Charlottesville, Virginia.

His failure to condemn the extreme right shook an already fragile administration.

And despite his hands-on response, Trump has already been pilloried for making a series of controversial announcements just hours before Harvey hit.

As the storm barreled towards the Gulf Coast, Trump pardoned a sheriff who had been accused of racism and convicted of defying the courts and banning transsexuals in the military.

- Management tools -

Flood-hit Houston, the fourth-largest US city, was among the areas hardest hit as Harvey deluged the state of Texas

Post-Katrina reforms give Trump more levers to manage the crisis, but he will still have to coordinate several agencies and work with Congress to unblock funds.

That could be made more difficult by Trump's poor relationship with Republican members of Congress and a contentious and already jam-packed legislative agenda in September.

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, a large number of Republican senators blocked relief to the devastated and predominantly Democratic northeastern states.

Grudges over that episode remain, and could be exacerbated by tensions over the need to raise the government's debt ceiling and a vote on the 2018 budget.

Trump has demanded Congress provide funds for his unpopular border "wall," something many lawmakers are reluctant to do.

Beyond that, the scope and scale of the damage from Harvey may pose a durable challenge for a president who often seems to think in 140-character blocs.

The long-term economic impact could be as severe as the immediate humanitarian need, with small businesses in need of loans and insurance payouts to get the local economy back on its feet.

And Houston's role as an oil hub and major port makes the impact truly global in scale.

According to research from Goldman Sachs, the storm has put 16.5 percent of US refinery capacity offline and 11 percent of crude oil production, although many of the closures have been preventative.

"This is going to be a very long-term project, helping Texas dig out," governor Abbott told CNN.

Vice President Mike Pence tried to reassure Texans that the White House's focus would not be fleeting.

"We're very confident that, working with the Congress, we'll be there for the long haul," he said. "We'll see Houston all the way back and provide all of the appropriate support from the federal government."
Harvey slammed into the Texas coast late Friday as a Category Four hurricane, bringing lashing rain and sustained winds of 130 miles (215 kilometers) per hour

Monster storm Harvey slammed into the US Gulf Coast three days ago, tearing down homes and businesses before dumping what meteorologists said was an "unprecedented" nine trillion gallons of rainfall inland.

Here is what we know about the deadly storm, which has devastated swathes of Texas and is continuing to linger over the area:

- Harvey: an unpredictable monster -

Harvey made landfall on the Texas coast late Friday as a Category Four hurricane, bringing lashing rain and sustained winds of 130 miles (215 kilometers) per hour.

The National Hurricane Center called it the biggest rainstorm on record, with rainfall potentially reaching 50 inches (127 centimeters) in some places, including in Houston, the fourth-largest city in America.

The city with a population of 2.3 million people -- and more than six million in the greater metropolitan area -- did not order evacuations ahead of the storm. Authorities have scrambled to provide help as the storm flooded streets and homes, forced the evacuation of hospitals and closed two major airports.

To make matters worse, Harvey was hovering on the Texas coast Monday, sucking up more precipitation. It is now threatening to turn eastward and make a new landfall on Wednesday before driving on to neighboring Louisiana, which was already being pelted with rain.

- What is the damage so far? -

Storm Harvey: Houston battered

Authorities have not yet provided specifics on the scale of damage caused by Harvey, with Texas Governor Greg Abbott saying only that the cost of recovery was set to reach billions.

Analysts on Monday were estimating damage could end up costing between $30 and $100 billion, according to Bloomberg. Much of the economic damage will not be covered by insurance.

The Gulf of Mexico region struck by Harvey is a key US oil producing hub. About 22 percent of crude production in the Gulf of Mexico, accounting for more than 375,000 barrels a day, was shut down.

Abbott said the oil industry was well prepared and could restart operations within one or two weeks.

Multiple ports along the Texas Gulf Coast were also shut, including the Port of Houston which is the second busiest in the country in terms of total tonnage.

- And the human impact? -

The confirmed death toll stands at three, but is expected to rise as rescuers reach some of the hardest-hit areas, with hundreds of people still marooned on flooded streets in and around the city of Houston alone.

More than 2,000 people have been brought to rapidly-filling shelters in America's fourth largest city and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said it expected more than 30,000 people would need temporary shelter.

"While the hurricane-force winds have diminished, I want to stress that we are not out of the woods yet, not by a long shot," Homeland Security acting secretary Elaine Duke said at a news conference.

"Life-threatening flooding will occur over a large portion of south-central and southeast Texas in the coming days. Rivers won't crest until later this week."

FEMA chief Brock Long said search and rescue missions were ongoing across a swath of Texas encompassing as many as 50 counties.

- What is being done to help? -

Days after Harvey made landfall, rescue efforts were being carried out by a combination of federal and local authorities as well as by ordinary people.

Abbott on Monday mobilized the entire Texas National Guard, bringing the number of troops deployed to 12,000.

Vice President Mike Pence meanwhile said the federal government had mobilized 8,000 officials in the area, shipping more than 1.2 million meals and a million liters of water.

In Houston, some residents were stranded on rooftops as murky floodwaters forced them out of their homes.

Harvey was still classified as a tropical storm on Monday, with winds of up to 40 miles per hour (64 kilometers per hour) that were grounding some rescue flights.

- What challenges lie ahead? -

Authorities at every level of government have stressed that the disaster is continuing to unfold, with Long saying the work was still at a "life sustaining" stage.

"We're not at recovery yet. We're thinking and planning for recovery," he said in Washington.

Some 450,000 people could ultimately require some form of disaster assistance, Long said.

In the meantime, first responders were trying to get through the backlog of emergency calls, before Harvey hits Houston again.

The Army Corps of Engineers opened release valves behind two dams straining with floodwaters, amid concerns they could be overtopped.

Houston's police chief warned would-be troublemakers to stay away, saying four people have been arrested for looting and that law enforcement resources were being expanded to keep order.

From an environmental standpoint, experts were warning of bacterial infections brought on by sewage-laden floodwaters and the potential for contaminated drinking water.
A nurse loads a syringe with a vaccine against hepatitis

A record outbreak of Hepatitis A has killed 14 people and put scores in hospital in San Diego, hitting mostly homeless and patients using intravenous drugs.

The latest data from San Diego County in California show that more than 350 cases have been diagnosed since the beginning of the year. Most of those have taken been identified since July, and 264 people have needed care in hospital.

"As hepatitis A goes, the number of deaths is greater than in other large outbreaks reported to CDC, though not all outbreaks are reported to CDC," a spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told AFP.

Another outbreak in 2003 linked to green onions in Pennsylvania caused three deaths and sent 124 people to hospital.

Authorities have not yet identified the cause of the latest outbreak.

But they say it is being spread person-to-person and through contact with a fecally contaminated environment.

This puts homeless people especially at risk since they do not have regular access to sanitary facilities and clean water to wash their hands, state health authorities noted.
A deal, in which a Trump Tower-style edifice was planned for Moscow, reached the "letter of intent" stage, but ultimately was not finalized

Donald Trump's real estate company actively pursued plans for a commercial development in Moscow while he was running for president, Trump Organization lawyers said in documents reviewed and reported by US media Monday.

The involvement by the then-candidate in a proposed commercial property in Russia contradicts Trump's repeated declarations during the presidential campaign that he had no business ties to the country.

The deal, in which a Trump Tower-style edifice was planned for Moscow, reached the "letter of intent" stage, but ultimately was not finalized, the Trump Organization's chief counsel at the time, Michael Cohen, told ABC News in a statement.

"Certain documents in the production reference a proposal for 'Trump Tower Moscow,' which contemplated a private real estate development in Russia," Cohen said.

The decision to pursue the proposal was "unrelated" to Trump's presidential campaign, Cohen said. But he added that he personally told Trump about the proposal "on three occasions, including signing a non-binding letter of intent in 2015."

According to ABC, the revelation came as Cohen's attorney provided several documents and emails to US congressional investigators.

The commercial proposal was first reported Monday by The Washington Post.

The newspaper detailed how a Russian-born real estate developer, Felix Sater, urged Trump to push the deal.

Sater also boasted of his ties to Vladimir Putin, saying he could get the Russian president to say "great things" about Trump, according to people briefed on the exchange.

"Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it," Sater wrote in a November 2015 email quoted by The New York Times.

"I will get all of Putin's team to buy in on this, I will manage this process."

The reported exchanges form some of the strongest signals yet that Trump was connected -- at least through his company -- to Russia, a country that US intelligence leaders have concluded sought to sway the US presidential election in Trump's favor.

The US Justice Department and congressional committees are probing the extent of the ties and collusion, if any, between Trump's campaign and Russia.

Sater, according to the reports, said he had arranged financing for the deal through Russia's VTB Bank, which was under US sanctions for its alleged involvement in Moscow's intervention in Ukraine.
Sea Shepherd has waged an often violent 12-year high-seas battle against Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean, but says it is calling a halt to its campaign

Activist group Sea Shepherd on Tuesday pulled the plug on its annual campaign to disrupt Japanese whaling, saying it can no longer match the country's military and economic power.

The organisation has waged an often violent 12-year high-seas battle against whaling in the Southern Ocean, claiming success for saving thousands of the giant mammals and bringing the slaughter to world attention.

But the group's founder Paul Watson said his ships -- which usually leave from Australia -- would not sail this year, with different strategies and tactics needed to hinder the hunt.

"What we discovered is that Japan is now employing military surveillance to watch Sea Shepherd ship movements in real-time by satellite and if they know where our ships are at any given moment, they can easily avoid us," he said in a statement.

"We cannot compete with their military-grade technology."

He claimed that for the first time this year, Tokyo also planned to deploy its armed forces to defend the whalers, making it increasingly difficult to compete with a cashed-up "major economic superpower".

Japan's Antarctic whale hunt

"The decision we have had to face is: do we spend our limited resources on another campaign to the Southern Ocean that will have little chance of a successful intervention or do we regroup with different strategies and tactics?," he said.

"If something is not working the only recourse is to look for a better plan, because when a plan no longer works, the only alternative is an improved course of action.

"We need to formulate this new plan and we will."

He hit out at the United States, Australia and New Zealand for not doing enough to help, singling out Canberra for "obstructing Sea Shepherd's ability to raise funds by denying our charitable status".

- 'Exposed and humiliated' -

Japan has previously sought to close down the anti-whaling campaigns in court, saying Sea Shepherd activists rammed their ships, snared propellers with ropes and harassed crew with paint and stink bombs.

The conservationists in turn complained that the whalers had thrown stun grenades at them, and tried to sabotage their boats.

Environmental activist and Sea Shepherd group's founder, Paul Watson

A Japanese fisheries agency official said the department was aware of Sea Shepherd's announcement.

"But, at this stage, we don't know if they will really stop their campaign," he told AFP.

"There are also other anti-whaling groups so we may be disrupted by them. We'll continue to carefully monitor the situation."

Japan is a signatory to the International Whaling Commission's moratorium on whaling in force since 1986. But it exploits a loophole allowing whales to be killed for the purposes of "scientific research", making no secret of the fact that they often end up on dinner plates.

Tokyo was forced to call off the 2014-15 hunt after the International Court of Justice ruled its annual Antarctic foray was a commercial hunt, masquerading as science.

It resumed in late 2015 with cuts to the target catch number, but it still returned with more than 300 minke whales.

Japan has hunted whales for centuries, and their meat was a key source of protein in the immediate post-World War II years when the country was desperately poor.

But consumption has dramatically declined in recent decades, with significant proportions of the population saying they "never" or "rarely" eat whale meat.

Despite calling off their campaign to disrupt the hunt, Watson said it was satisfying that Japan had been "exposed and humiliated" by Sea Shepherd.
Dara Khosrowshahi is known as an experienced top executive, willing to speak his mind and to advocate for women getting equal pay and leadership opportunities

Expedia chief Dara Khosrowshahi is credited with turning the company into a global travel services behemoth, winning admiration from employees on the journey.

Uber is hoping he will now slip into the driver's seat at the controversy-battered ride-sharing service and steer it along a similarly glorious route.

The San Francisco-based startup has yet to confirm reports that Khosrowshahi was picked to replace ousted chief Travis Kalanick.

However, Expedia board chairman Barry Diller appeared to confirm the choice in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.

"As you probably know by now, Dara Khosrowshahi has been asked to lead Uber," read a copy of a memo from Expedia board chairman Barry Diller to Expedia employees included in an SEC filing.

"Nothing has been yet finalized, but having extensively discussed this with Dara I believe it is his intention to accept."

Uber and Expedia did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Khosrowshahi is known as an experienced top executive, willing to speak his mind and to advocate for women getting equal pay and leadership opportunities.

His most recent Twitter post criticizes US President Donald Trump for his response to a white supremacist rally that turned deadly in Charlottesville.

"I keep waiting for the moment when our Prez will rise to the expectations of his office and he fails, repeatedly," Khosrowshahi said in the tweet, which included a link to a story about the Trump controversy.

Born in Iran, Khosrowshahi immigrated to the United States with his family as a child and became a citizen here.

Expedia shares have climbed more than five-fold during the 12 years Khosrowshahi has been in charge of the travel services internet firm.

"I don't doubt his skills and his background in finance and hospitality, which is going to be very important," said Tim Bajarin, president of Silicon Valley technology analyst firm Creative Strategies.

"The only thing we don't know is his ability to navigate some of the difficult settings around internal disciplinary issues and code of conduct that he will inherit."

- Need for discipline -

Whoever takes charge at Uber will have to address conflicts with regulators and taxi operators, a cut-throat company culture, sexism and board members feuding with investors over Kalanick.

Kalanick was the driving force behind Uber, taking a spur-of-moment idea and turning it into the world's most valuable venture-funded tech startup.

But his brash personality and freewheeling management style, which some argue set a tone inside the company, made him a liability as well as an asset to the global ridesharing giant, and in June he stepped down as chief executive.

Good chief executives typically ramp up discipline and accountability in employee ranks upon taking charge at companies, so that would likely be among steps taken by Khosrowshahi at the Uber helm, according to Bajarin.

"He is going to have to be highly aggressive in disciplining the company to stay on message and, more inmportantly, to stick within whatever the codes of conduct are," the analyst said.

Khosrowshahi has consistently scored well at website Glass Door, where executives and companies are anonymously rated by employees past and present, suggesting he might able to parent workers without alienating them.

And, since Uber's board members including Kalanick need a consensus to offer him the job as chief, he could have backing if he butts heads with those resentful the founder was pressured to step down.

- Is it enough? -

Khosroshahi's strong background in travel and transportation should be a benefit when it comes to guiding Uber through its next phase of growth, according to Bajarin.

Khosrowshahi's experience includes jobs managing finance and strategy, having worked in executive positions at IAC/InterActiveCorp and the investment firm of Allen & Company, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Khosrowshahi, 48, was born in Tehran to a prominent family behind a conglomerate with interests in food, trade, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and more.

His family immigrated to the United States prior to the Iranian Revolution in 1978.

He attended college here, earning a university degree in electrical engineering.

Expedia is based in the city of Bellevue, near Seattle.

"If Dara does leave us, it will be to my great regret but also my blessing -- he's devoted 12 great years to building this company and if this is what he wants for his next adventure, it will be with my best wishes," Diller said in a letter included with a filing notifying the Securities and Exchange Commission that Khosrowshahi had been offered the job as chief of Uber.

Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry considered Khosrowshahi a fine choice to run Uber, but questioned whether one person can make a difference at a troubled company.

"Dara is not a magician," Chowdhry said.
Experts who study natural disasters say the so-far low death toll from the storm Harvey reflects factors such as widespread use of technology and social media and just what kind of weather event it actually was

They're running out of superlatives and statistics to describe Harvey's wrath: rainfall on an unprecedented scale, nine trillion gallons of water and forecasters adding new colors to their charts to better illustrate the maelstrom.

But while the monster storm's damage is projected to run into the billions, the death toll is so far relatively low: three confirmed fatalities, with another six feared linked to the storm. By comparison, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina killed more than 1,800 people, changing hard-hit New Orleans forever.

So, what gives this time? Experts say several factors make the aftermath of the storms very, very different.

- Where the water came from, and what it hit -

It is essentially a question of the sea versus the sky.

The biggest danger from Katrina was storm surge: a towering wave of water caused by high winds. In the case of New Orleans, even before that surge, gushing seawater breached levees in a city shaped like a bowl, with some of it actually below sea level. It took days to get the water pumped out.

The failure of the levees along the Mississippi River and elsewhere was sudden and critical, said Brian McNoldy, a senior researcher in marine and atmospheric sciences at the University of Miami. In a matter of hours, because of the levee failure, much of the city was under water.

"If those had held, New Orleans wouldn't be a story right now. We would not even be talking about it," McNoldy told AFP.

To give an idea of how mighty a storm surge can be, he said the 25-footer (8-meter) that hit the coast of Mississippi when Katrina finally made landfall would be enough to destroy a 25-story building.

"If it's is a well-built building, like, you know, big, cement, with steel beams and everything, the frame would probably make it through. There just wouldn't be anything left inside," he said.

On the other hand, Houston got, and is still getting, rain, rain and more rain since late Friday -- perhaps up to 50 inches (1.27 meters) in some places. The National Weather Service says this is the biggest rainstorm it has ever recorded.

But the city is flat, so the flooding has been less abrupt -- "people could get to their rooftops, basically," said McNoldy -- and the water should drain off faster than in the case of North Orleans.

But until then, much of Houston looks like a lake.

And "little streams that usually flow very modestly are now trying to carry huge volumes of water, overflowing their banks. And people are astonished, which they should be," said John Mutter, a Columbia University geophysicist who led an effort to count Katrina's dead.

- Remember life without Twitter? -

Imagine trying to get through a natural disaster without your smartphone and social media.

That's what New Orleans did: the storm hit 12 years ago -- when Twitter and smartphones did not even exist yet and Facebook was a year old.

Most of the city was black and poor, and even those who did have cell phones could not use them or their computers because the storm knocked out power and telecommunications networks.

Houston and Harvey are a different story altogether. The power stayed on. Warnings about the storm were all over TV and elsewhere for days in advance. And once it hit, people were able to call emergency services to be rescued.

"Now that we're in the cell phone era, we're better able to hear from folks that are trapped. That's important," said Ed Emmett, chief executive of Harris County, which includes Houston.

Mutter said that if the death toll in Houston is so low at this stage -- "a wonderfully small number for such a big storm" -- he does not expect it to shoot up dramatically.

"At this time in New Orleans, they did not know it was 2,000 but there were bodies all over the place," said Mutter, who traveled to the city several times after Katrina to study the different ways in which the storm killed people.

- Being poor and feeling disenfranchised -

Mutter said that in his post-storm trips to New Orleans, he learned that among poorer people there was tremendous mistrust of city government authorities. The storm was forecast properly and warnings were issued, albeit late.

He said the mindset was "government has never done anything for them. Why should they believe them if they say get out of town? And what happens if you don't have a car?"

Houston is a big city where you basically cannot get by without a car. The low death toll so far suggests that people were warned well in advance and ready to act.

"Just about everybody knew at least some way to prepare or get out of town if they could," Mutter said.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Zanu-PF has organised a solidarity march in support of the work being done by the First Lady and the party's Secretary for Women Affairs, Dr Grace Mugabe to be held this Wednesday in Harare.The march will commence from six designated points in the capital and supporters will converge at the party headquarters where they will be addressed by the party's leadership.Zanu-PF supporters from all the provinces are expected to take part.Zanu-PF Harare Province Political Commissar, Shadreck Mashayamombe said the march is being organised by war veterans association and all the party wings will be participating.Supporters from zone six and those from Matabeleland South will meet at Rufaro Stadium, while zone three supporters and those from Mashonaland West will commence the march from the Vehicle Inspection Depot yard situated at corner Samora Machel and Bishop Gaul avenues.Zone four and Mashonaland Central will converge at corner Hebert Chitepo and Second Street, while supporters from zone five and those from Manicaland are meeting at Zanu-PF Harare provincial offices along Simon Muzenda Street.Supporters from Mashonaland East will start the march from East 24 in Eastlea, while zone one supporters comprising Chitungwiza residents will begin the march from OK Julius Nyerere Way.
Qatar's border crossing that Saudi Arabia's King Salman has ordered temporarily reopened to allow in Qatari pilgrims for the annual hajj to Mecca and Medina

Qatar has sent only dozens of its citizens across the border to Saudi Arabia for this week's hajj pilgrimage to Islam's holiest sites because of the increasingly bitter crisis between the Gulf neighbours.

The annual pilgrimage that draws two million Muslim faithful from across the globe and starts this year on Wednesday has become embroiled in a dispute between Doha and Riyadh now nearing its third month.

Qatar's only land border, which it shares with Saudi Arabia, has been closed and travel, diplomatic and economic sanctions imposed over charges that Doha supports Islamist extremists and has too close ties to Riyadh's regional rival Iran.

Doha has strongly denied the accusations.

Impacting on the hajj, only a few dozen Qatari nationals have been able to travel to Mecca and Medina, western Saudi Arabia, according to a member of Qatar's state-linked National Human Rights Committee (NHRC).

"Through the border, we estimate 60 to 70 people (travelled) last week," he told AFP. "It's not an official figure, we are waiting for an official figure."

Media reports in Saudi Arabia have put the number at up to 1,200 Qataris.

In sharp contrast, 12,000 Qataris took part in last year's hajj, a pillar of Islam that capable Muslims must perform at least once in their lives, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency.

- Politics and paperwork -

Saudi Arabia temporarily suspended the border closure on August 17, at the same time as it announced Qatari pilgrims would be allowed into the kingdom for the hajj.

With flights between Qatar and Saudi Arabia suspended and Qatar Airways banned from using Saudi airspace, Riyadh had offered to ferry pilgrims using exclusively Saudi Arabian Airlines planes.

But the offer soon became mired in the diplomatic spat, with Qatar charging that Saudi authorities had politicised a religious right.

The Saudi carrier accused Qatar of refusing to allow its planes to land in the emirate on the grounds that they lacked "the right paperwork".

In response, Qatar said the Saudi airline had lodged the papers with the wrong government department.

The decision to reopen the border came a day after a surprise meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a little-known member of Qatar's royal family, sparking allegations Riyadh was seeking regime change in Doha.

- 'Millions lost' -

In past years, most Qatari pilgrims travelled to Mecca, crossing the width of Saudi Arabia, in officially-sanctioned groups.

Those who crossed into Saudi Arabia this year have travelled privately, ignoring official Qatari warnings over the treatment they could receive in the kingdom.

Doha has said it is worried about potential "harassment" of Qatari pilgrims who make the journey to Mecca.

Some 2,400 pilgrims were originally due to travel from Qatar through official operators, although 24,000 people had applied, according to the NHRC.

The committee said eight companies, which planned to transport pilgrims, had lost 30 million riyals ($8.2 million) in potential earnings due to the Saudi "restrictions".

Qatar has said it would seek a total of billions of dollars in compensation for the sanctions enforced since June by Saudi Arabia and its allies, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.
Hollywood royalty, including George Clooney, Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, are expected to grace the red carpet at the 74th edition of the world's oldest cinema festival in Venice

Hollywood royalty, in the shape of George Clooney, Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, will share the limelight with a 19th-century British monarch at this year's Venice film festival, which kicks off Wednesday.

The world premiere of "Victoria & Abdul", Stephen Frears' big-screen adaptation of the true story of the elderly Queen Victoria's friendship with an Indian clerk, is set to be a highlight of the 74th edition of the world's oldest cinema festival.

Th 2017 festival gets under way with Oscar-winning US director Alexander Payne's sci-fi comedy "Downsizing" in an opening slot that, in recent years, has been a trampoline to future international success for the films involved.

The beachside bash runs until September 9, when the winner of the Golden Lion for the best of the 21 films entered in the main competition, and a string of other prizes, will be announced.

Silver screen legends Redford, 81, and Fonda, 79, are due on the Lido, the sandbar island that hosts the festival, on Friday to receive lifetime achievement awards, before an out-of-competition showing of their latest film, "Our Souls at Night".

Produced by Redford for Netflix and directed by India's Ritesh Batra, the film sees the one-time sex symbols play elderly widowed neighbours pursuing a friendship that becomes increasingly intimate.

British director Frears is to be honoured on Sunday for his innovative contribution to cinema, ahead of the premiere of "Victoria & Abdul", in which Judi Dench stars opposite Bollywood actor Ali Fazal.

- Oscar launchpad -

The subject of much pre-release excitement, the film is billed as a wry look at issues of race, religion and power at a time when the British Empire was at its peak and India was its "Jewel in the Crown".

Redford and Jane Fonda (L) are due in Venice to receive lifetime achievement awards, before an out-of-competition showing of their latest film "Our Souls at Night"

Coming at a time when Britain and India's post-Empire relationship is being recast by the former colony's economic growth, the film sees Frears return to the theme of royal comportment he addressed, to much acclaim, in "The Queen" (2006).

Dench, meanwhile, is portraying Victoria onscreen for a second time, 20 years after the release of John Madden's equally praised "Mrs Brown".

The likes of Matt Damon and Michelle Pfeiffer are also expected to be spotted hopping off and on gondolas during an industry gathering that has become an important launchpad for Oscar contenders.

"La La Land", which went on to collect five Academy awards including best director and best actress, took its first dance steps on the Lido last year, along with fellow Oscar winners "Arrival" and "Hacksaw Ridge".

Their success extended a remarkable four-year streak for festival director Alberto Barbera after Venice showcases helped propel "Gravity", "Birdman", and then "Spotlight" to success at the 2014, 2015 and 2016 Oscars, respectively.

"Gravity", "Birdman" and "La La Land" were all shown in the coveted opening slot that Payne's "Downsizing" occupies this year.

A sci-fi comedy, it stars Damon as a man who realises he would have a better life if he shrank, and Kirsten Wiig as his indecisive wife.

- Thrillers and Thriller -

"Downsizing" is one of seven US productions in the main competition. Others include the Clooney-directed "Suburbicon", Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's epic documentary on the global refugee crisis and "mother!" by "Black Swan" director Darren Aronofsky.

The latter is one of several thrillers vying for honours. With Jennifer Lawrence in a lead role, it tells the tale of a couple thrown into turmoil by uninvited guests.

Another spine-chiller features Ethan Hawke in Paul Schrader's "First Reformed", which turns around a dark secret harboured by members of a church who are tormented by the deaths of loved ones.

The festival will feature the Clooney-directed "Suburbicon" starring Matt Damon and Julianne Moore, a dark Coen brothers-scripted comedy dealing with the underbelly of violence in 1950s American suburbia

Britain's Martin McDonagh, best known for the 2008 black comedy "In Bruges", will also hope to have a jury chaired by Annette Bening on the edge of their seats.

His "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" stars Frances McDormand as a mother trying to get to the bottom of her daughter's unsolved murder.

Damon also stars alongside Julianne Moore in "Suburbicon", a dark Coen brothers-scripted comedy dealing with the underbelly of violence in 1950s American suburbia.

More dark themes are explored in "The Exorcist" director William Friedkin's documentary about real-life exorcisms and in Netflix's first Italian original series "Suburra", which deals with gangster-politician links in Rome.

On a more upbeat tone, there will also be a new 3D version of the late Michael Jackson's "Thriller", accompanied by Jerry Kramer's 1983 documentary about the making of one of pop's most celebrated and influential videos.
Despite the ongoing threat posed by Boko Haram insurgents, some of the tiny interconnected islands in the Lake Chad region are coming back to life as residents return

Gaou Moussa stands in front of his family home nestled in the dense vegetation of Chad's Tchoukouli island, where burnt straw and charred wood still litter the ground from a Boko Haram attack three years ago.

"They killed my brother and we fled," he said.

Tchoukouli -- one of hundreds of tiny interconnected islands about an hour's canoe ride from Lake Chad's northern banks -- is coming back to life.

Despite the ongoing threat posed by the Islamist insurgents, fishermen sit mending nets and repaired ones curl in the sun nearby, while farmers guide their cattle into the water and others tend to cornfields in the distance.

All of these are activities that have been absent for more than two years.

Boko Haram has been fighting a bloody insurgency since 2009, seeking to carve out a hardline Islamic caliphate in the northeast of neighbouring Nigeria.

After controlling a region the size of Belgium inside Nigeria by 2014, the Sunni jihadist group was driven back in the last two-and-a-half years to remote areas around Lake Chad, straddling Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

The people of the islands have suffered from Boko Haram's relentless violence. Villages have been pillaged and residents kidnapped and killed.

But the first of the group's envoys came into the village mosques peacefully to preach their version of the Koran, villagers said.

"They would promise us paradise, resources, women," said Mohamed Mboh, the chief of neighbouring Bouguirmi island.

Those who resisted or opposed the movement's message were killed, their throats slit, villagers said.

- 'We hear rumours' -

Island residents, particularly members of the Buduma ethnic group, also found themselves caught between the jihadists and the Chadian army.

"Soldiers came to burn our village after a Boko Haram attack because they mistook us for them," said one 53-year-old woman, her face hollowed by hunger.

"Little by little, other ethnic tribes and the army understood that we were also victims as they picked up Budumas' bodies in the bush," said 60-year-old Mboh, also a member of the tribe.

Civilians are gradually feeling it is safe to return as Chad's army patrols the lake

Faced with increasing jihadist attacks, the Chadian government closed its western border with Nigeria and evacuated its islands -- those that were not already empty.

Chad's army, one of the most battle-hardened in the region, continues to patrol the lake's freshwaters and its northern banks, aided by vigilante civilian groups -- giving residents a measure of safety and reason to return.

"We came back to the village of Bouguirmi seven months ago, because we received news that Boko Haram is no longer there, that the villages are protected by the army," said Mboh.

"But every day we hear rumours that there are Boko Haram members hidden in places."

Mboh, whose village numbers about 500 residents, said he now lives "in peace", though he heard gunshots last month. He could not tell, however, whether or not they came from a battle with jihadists.

- Destroyed crops and canoes -

"About a year ago, I came back to see what I had planted before the Boko Haram attack, but unfortunately hippos had destroyed everything," farmer Mal Kalo said.

The 41-year-old fled Bouguirmi two years ago, spending many hours in a canoe, on foot and in a car to get to Iga, another small island closer to the mainland.

In spite of the continuing threat, he feels that this life, independent and out in the open air, is better than being packed into a refugee camp, where malnutrition distorted children's bellies.

Still, life here remains difficult. The harvests have been destroyed, the canoes are shredded and the livestock emaciated.

The border closure with Nigeria has halted commercial activity, blocking trade with the region's main economic hub.

"Before, we were able to do a small amount of business with Nigeria," Kalo said. "But now we cannot because the border was closed a few years ago by the authorities to fight against Boko Haram attacks."

In spite of the Boko Haram threat, farmer Mal Kalo believes a life in the open air is better than being packed into a refugee camp

Many islands remain inaccessible as jihadists continue to launch sporadic attacks from their hideouts dotting the lake, where thick foliage provides cover against military operations.

Earlier this month, Boko Haram attacked fishermen on the Nigerian islands of Duguri and Dabar Wanzam, shooting and hacking their victims, leaving 31 dead.

The fishermen had returned to Nigeria's fishing hub of Baga on the lake's shores days earlier and paddled out to the islands looking for fish, according to witnesses.

The eight-year conflict has left at least 20,000 people dead and displaced 2.6 million, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian catastrophes.
Philippine Marines taking cover from sniper fire while on patrol at the frontline in Marawi on the southern island of Mindanao

Australia Tuesday offered to help train the Philippines military to tackle Islamic militants terrorising parts of the country, calling the threat "deeply concerning".

Philippine forces have been besieging militants in the southern city of Marawi for almost 100 days. But the gunmen, flying the Islamic State group's black flag, have defied military assaults including airstrikes and artillery barrages.

Australia, which has an extensive defence cooperation program with Manila, has already deployed two high-tech AP-3C Orion aircraft for surveillance, and is keen to provide further help.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she recently spoke to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte who wanted to bolster resources for his armed forces.

"We would be ready to support the Philippines in the same way we are supporting Iraq in advising, assisting and training," she said.

"We indicated what we have been doing in Iraq. I went through with the president in some detail the support we have given in Iraq, that does not include troops on the ground. That is advising and assisting."

Australia is part of the coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, with 780 defence personnel based in the Middle East.

Bishop said it was "deeply concerning" for the entire Asian region that Islamic State had a presence in the southern Philippines, with the United States, Malaysia and Indonesia also offering support.

Duterte declared martial law across Mindanao island, home to 20 million people, on May 23 immediately after fighters flying the IS flag rampaged through Marawi.

Their assault on the city ignited an unprecedented urban war, which Duterte has warned is part of an IS campaign to establish a base in Mindanao.
A Yemeni soldier stands on the debris of a house, hit in an air strike on a residential district, in the capital Sanaa on August 26, 2017

Fifty-seven rights groups from around the world on Tuesday demanded a UN enquiry into abuses in Yemen, where a proxy war has killed thousands and fuelled a humanitarian crisis.

Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, has been wracked by violence since Arab Spring protests in 2011 led to war in 2014, when Iran-backed Huthi rebels and their allies seized Sanaa and vast tracts of other territory.

The conflict escalated when a Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015, exacerbating the crisis that has left millions on the brink of famine and hundreds of thousands suffering from cholera.

In a letter to members of the UN Human Rights Council, the 57 signatories called for the creation of an independent body to look into violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian laws.

"Serious violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of international human rights law by parties to the conflict have continued to be committed with impunity," said Human Rights Watch, one of the signatories.

HRW said in a statement that the Saudi-led coalition had conducted scores of "unlawful air strikes, some of which may amount to war crimes, that have killed thousands of civilians and hit schools, hospitals, markets and homes".

It added that Huthi rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh "have fired weapons indiscriminately... killing and maiming scores in attacks that may amount to war crimes".

Since 2015, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had been calling for investigations into alleged violations and abuses in Yemen, it noted.

"The victims of abuses in Yemen cannot afford to wait longer for credible investigations into ongoing grave violations and abuses to be undertaken," said the letter.

More than 8,300 people have been killed and 44,000 wounded since the Saudi-led coalition intervened in the Yemen war to support the internationally recognised government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

Close to 2,000 Yemenis have also died of cholera since April and another 600,000 are expected to contract the infection this year.

The United Nations has called Yemen the "largest humanitarian crisis in the world".
A Yemeni child suspected of having cholera is checked at a makeshift hospital operated by Doctors Without Borders in Hajjah province on July 16, 2017

The cholera epidemic that has ravaged war-torn Yemen has been declining for the past two months because of an unprecedented response by "unsung local heroes", the United Nations said Tuesday.

A UNICEF statement said that because of the efforts of thousands of local volunteers backed up by UN agencies, the weekly number of suspected new cases of cholera had fallen by a third since the end of June.

The United Nations has called Yemen the "largest humanitarian crisis in the world".

The collapse of Yemen's infrastructure after more than two years of war between the Saudi-backed government and Iran-backed Shiite rebels who control the capital Sanaa has allowed the country's cholera epidemic to swell to the largest in the world.

On August 14, the World Health Organization said that cholera is believed to have affected more than 500,000 people and killed nearly 2,000 in Yemen since late April.

According to UNICEF, more than half of suspected cases were children.

"Amid the suffering, ordinary Yemenis are leading a heroic daily fight against acute watery diarrhoea and cholera which is now paying off," the UNICEF statement said.

"Massive collective efforts to treat the sick and improve water and sanitation systems have helped slow the spread of the disease," it said.

An estimated 8,400 people have been killed and 48,000 wounded since a Saudi-led coalition intervened in the Yemen conflict to support the internationally recognised government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.
The residence of former Thai premier Yingluck Shinawatra in Bangkok

Fugitive former premier Yingluck Shinawatra discarded her mobile phones and stopped travelling in her usual vehicles in the days before last week's dramatic escape, Thailand's army chief said Tuesday, as her party vowed to fight on.

Yingluck, whose government was toppled by the military in 2014, staged a disappearing act before a scheduled court judgement last Friday in a criminal negligence trial.

She faced up to ten years in prison and a lifetime ban from politics if convicted. But instead she was a no-show, with junta and party sources saying she had fled abroad.

Thailand's junta has come under fire from some conservative allies over Yingluck's disappearance, with many questioning how the authoritarian regime could have let her flee given that she was heavily monitored.

Army chief General Chalermchai Sitthisad gave a lengthy defence on Tuesday, which offered insights into how military intelligence kept track of Yingluck and how she might have slipped the net.

"As of now we learnt that she abandoned all of her phones and changed her cars so it was hard to trace her using the same methods we did before," he told reporters, confirming military intelligence had previously used electronic and physical surveillance.

But Chalermchai said officers had recently been withdrawn from guarding the front of her Bangkok house.

"The public alleged that it was violating her personal rights and intimidating her so we withdrew the force," he said.

Yingluck frequently complained of being constantly followed by military intelligence since she was ousted from office.

In its first statement since her disappearance, Yingluck's Pheu Thai Party vowed to stay together and push for a democratic Thailand despite losing its figurehead.

"The party believes the former prime minister will explain to the public (her decision to flee) at the proper time," the statement said.

Thai media has been full of speculation about how she might have escaped, with most suggesting she went to Cambodia either by land or sea in the days before the court verdict and then on to Singapore.

A senior junta source told AFP they believed she had fled to Dubai, the base of Shinawatra family patriarch Thaksin, a billionaire who is Yingluck's older brother.

Chalermchai said he thought it was unlikely Yingluck would have been able to fly directly out of Thailand given security procedures at airports, even for private flights. Instead, he said, a land or sea exit was more likely.

But he added that once outside Thailand she likely took a private flight organised by Thaksin.

"I believe that former prime minister Thaksin prepared a plan for her, for example a private aircraft which regular people cannot find," he said.

The Shinawatra political dynasty began under Thaksin in 2001 with a series of groundbreaking welfare schemes that won them votes and the loyalty of the rural poor.

But their popularity rattled the royalist and army-aligned elite, who assailed successive governments linked to the clan with coups, court cases and protests.

Thaksin himself was toppled in a 2006 coup and fled overseas two years later to avoid jail for a corruption conviction.

The period since then -- dubbed the "Lost Decade" -- has seen frequent deadly street protests, short-lived governments and the return of military rule in 2014.
Far right Israeli rabbi and parliament member Yehuda Glick walks barefoot, escorted by police and supporters, inside the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, also known as the Temple Mount complex in Jerusalem's Old City on August 29, 2017

Israeli lawmaker Yehuda Glick, shot in 2014 over his campaign for Jewish prayer at an ultra-sensitive Jerusalem holy site, visited there on Tuesday during a one-day break in a government ban.

No incidents occurred as Glick, of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, toured the Haram al-Sharif mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.

Some Muslim worshippers yelled "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) as he left and he waved to them.

Jews are not allowed to publicly pray at the compound to avoid provoking tensions, but Glick admitted praying to himself as he walked the grounds in his bare feet.

He said he prayed for his wife, who he said was in a coma, as well as his family and Israel.

Asked afterwards whether such visits are provocations that risk more bloodshed, Glick told journalists: "Those who are responsible for terror are the terrorists and those who incite them, not the victims."

At least one other Jewish lawmaker, Shuli Moalem-Refaeli of the far-right Jewish Home party, also visited on Tuesday morning, according to the Waqf, a Muslim organisation that administers the site.

Jewish lawmakers were allowed to visit in the morning, while Muslim lawmakers were permitted to do so in the afternoon -- although they said they did not intend to do so.

Masud Ganaim, of the mostly Arab Joint List alliance, said allowing right-wing politicians into the compound had "the goal of provoking Arab and Muslim sentiment and inflaming the situation".

Jordan, the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, condemned the visits as "unacceptable".

Mohammad al-Momani, minister of state for media affairs, said allowing the visits was an "irresponsible decision that will increase tension and escalation at a place holy to all Muslims".

He called on Israel "as the occupying power to take measures to prevent provocations by extremists against the Al-Aqsa mosque".

Netanyahu instructed police in October 2015 to bar lawmakers from visiting the site in the Old City of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, which houses the Al-Aqsa mosque complex and the Dome of the Rock.

It was meant to help calm unrest that erupted in part over Palestinian fears that Israel was planning to assert further control over the compound.

Netanyahu has said repeatedly that he is committed to the status quo there.

Plans to allow a temporary lifting of the ban in July were put off after violence again erupted in and around the site.

Tuesday's one-day lifting of the ban is intended as a test to see if calm can be maintained.

The site is the holiest in Judaism as the location of the two ancient Jewish temples and the third-holiest in Islam after Mecca and Medina.

It is central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Glick, a US-born rabbi, survived a 2014 assassination attempt by a Palestinian over his campaign for Jewish prayer rights at the site before he joined parliament.
Lee Jae-Yong, the de-facto head of Samsung Electronics, was found guilty last week of bribery, perjury and other charges related to payments made by Samsung made to ousted president Park Gueun-Hye's secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil

Prosecutors on Tuesday demanded a harsher punishment for the heir to the Samsung empire, appealing against a court ruling that sentenced him to five years in prison for bribery.

Lee Jae-Yong, the de-facto head of Samsung Electronics, was found guilty last week of bribery, perjury and other charges related to payments made by Samsung to ousted president Park Geun-Hye's secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil.

Four other top Samsung executives were also convicted, with two jailed for up to four years, and the other pair given suspended terms.

The prosecutors appealed part of the verdict that found Lee innocent of some of the bribery charges and said the punishment meted out to the five accused was too mild, Yonhap news agency said.

"In light of the roles the five accused played in the crime, which was the most outstanding among all wrongdoings committed by Park and Choi... the lower court ruling was too lenient", the prosecutors were quoted as saying in the appeal.

A day earlier, lawyers for Lee filed their own appeal against the conviction, claiming he is innocent of all charges.

In total 8.9 billion won ($7.9 million) was paid in bribes in return for favours including government support for Lee's hereditary succession at the group after his father was left bedridden by a heart attack in 2014, the court found.

Samsung is by far the biggest of the chaebols, as the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate Asia's fourth-largest economy are known, with its revenues equivalent to around a fifth of the country's GDP.

But while the economy is still growing, frustrations have mounted over inequality and the demonstrators who mounted giant candlelit protests against Park last year also targeted Lee and other chaebol chiefs.
Afghan security personnel inspect the site of the suicide attack outside a bank in Kabul

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a bank in the Afghan capital Kabul Tuesday, days ahead of the Eid holiday, killing five people and injuring several others in an attack claimed by the Taliban.

It was the latest in a series of deadly attacks to hit the city and comes three months after a massive truck bomb ripped through the same area, killing about 150 people.

The bomb went off outside the Kabul Bank, which usually pays the salaries of security forces personnel and government employees.

"The latest report shows five, including a guard, were killed and eight civilians were wounded in today's terrorist attack," said interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish.

The Taliban later claimed responsibility on social media for the bombing.

The blast happened Tuesday morning at a time when many officials were expected to be collecting their salaries ahead of this week's Eid al-Adha holiday.

It shattered the bank's exterior, mangling metal beams and covering the street outside with shattered glass and splattered blood.

"I was driving when I heard a big boom. The blast was so strong that it broke the windows of my car. I saw people shouting and crying near the bank," a witness told AFP.

The blast occurred on a street lined with shops and banks leading to Massoud Square, near the United States embassy and Kabul's diplomatic area.

Taliban insurgents are currently at the peak of their summer fighting season, and have launched several deadly assaults around the country in recent weeks.

The blast resembled a Taliban attack in June during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, when a car bomb targeted civilians and government employees queueing outside a Kabul Bank branch to collect their salaries in Lashkar Gah in Helmand province.

That blast killed 29 people and wounded over 60.

Since NATO forces ended their combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, Afghan troops and police have struggled to beat back the resurgent Taliban, while facing the growing threat of the Islamic State group.

Also on Tuesday, an Afghan official said the country's air force had killed up to 13 civilians including women and children in airstrikes targeting a Taliban base in the western province of Herat.

Jilani Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said the airstrikes in volatile Shindand district had also killed 16 Taliban militants.

An Afghan defence ministry spokesman confirmed the air strikes and added that authorities would investigate reports of civilian casualties.

- Deadly assaults -

Tuesday's attack was the latest explosion to rock the war-weary Afghan capital, and comes a week after US President Donald Trump committed American troops to the country indefinitely.

On May 3 a powerful blast targeting a foreign forces convoy near the US embassy and NATO headquarters killed at least eight people and wounded 28 during morning rush hour.

Later in the month a massive truck bomb tore through Kabul's diplomatic quarter, home to the presidential palace and a host of foreign embassies, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians.

And on June 3 seven people died when suicide bombers attacked the funeral of a protester who was killed the day before during a demonstration against insecurity in Kabul.

After Trump paved the way for more US forces to be sent to Afghanistan the Taliban, which ruled the war-torn country from 1996-2001, vowed to turn it into a "graveyard" for foreign forces.

Afghan authorities welcomed Trump's decision, while in neighbouring Pakistan officials batted away his claims that Islamabad continued to harbour militant sanctuaries.

Earlier this week Pakistan postponed a visit by a US diplomat who had been due to arrive Monday.

An Afghan shopkeeper looks at broken glass after the suicide attack

It later announced talks with China's special envoy on Afghan affairs at which the Chinese official "lauded Pakistan's contribution and sacrifices made in the fight against terrorism", according to a statement.

IS insurgents have also carried out a number of deadly attacks in Kabul recently.

On Friday they claimed a suicide bomb and gun attack on a Shiite mosque that killed 28 worshippers.

They also killed two in an attack on the Iraqi embassy earlier this month.
Opinion / Columnist

Children of Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana and King Lobengula Khumalo can you hear the new Zimbabwe echo from rock to rock and shrub to shrub in the wet and weathered hills and ridges and slippery slopes that form the mysterious and otherworldly Mount Nyangani? Children of Musengezi and Wedza can you dance and scream like traditional African men and women and shake loose from the wild and malicious spirits that poison the crystal clear water and sparkling fresh air in Chipinge and Chimanimani? The water no longer has the semblance of clean and bubbly taste and the fresh mountain air has no real ambiance breathing life in it.Children of Mvurwi can you hear our smile less children bellow in indescribable agony and whisper random revelations of hurt-soaked admissions and colossal remorse in the relentless anti-climax Zimbabwe has become? Children of an unreal and fantastical land where sweet honey flows in the cream-filled milk and fresh drops of bountiful wealth lie in every sun scorched savannah in Esigodini and Plumtree: can you hear the fiery and restless cries from countless ancestral spirits that roam haphazardly in these bewildered and rudderless times we live in?Children of King Mzilikazi will you extradite the foreign cries of three million exiled souls and box them in a silent cell of undecorated authoritarianism and unparalleled animosity for no plausible reason? Children of Gwanda and Gwai do cry out aloud when hunger pangs fracture your rib cages and large blisters crack the soles of your harassed feet wide open. Do run hard and unendingly from legislated dilemmas until you can see a new epoch of honest richness for all. Do not be flat defeated when baton-wielding militias of mythical champions and self-declared heroes remodel the shapes and colours of your battered bones and distressed heads with disorderly dogma and boorish power. Do run hard and fearlessly until you the cross the line that disconnects the underfed here and now from new and plentiful tomorrows.Listen closely and pay careful heed to the pulsating sounds in the distance. Can you hear the hopeful and colourful hum of African drums call on lifeless limbs and exhausted minds and shattered souls to escape the dark and dirty dungeons that assault and molest the land of bankrupted wealth? Children of the land north of the Limpopo River where time has stood still in enforced silence and paused for our wasted pasts and fuzzy futures to become clearer visions all can hold high and believe in: can you see and hear the slow rush of shallow minds drown the healthful smiles of earthly angels who crave brighter halos and lesser harassment from we-know-it-all types?Can you feel the embers of ashen denial and unsophisticated annihilation lash mild and passionate acquiescence upon old and dilapidated rows of hushed masses that stand ready to crumble like African dominoes? Can you hear the boisterous silence catapult unsuspecting children into famished neediness and deplorable adolescence and crushed growth? Can you see the multicolour flag flapping to the stale winds of a long and habitual African salsa of heedless abundance within the secure boundaries of thoughtful desolation? The flag has done the Kenyan and Egyptian dances very well and kept classlessness docked in an orchestrated paramilitary sick bay. The flag has shilly-shallied in the windswept shadows of Gambian and Ghanaian warriors and dabbled with enlightenment beyond the daily darkness that asphyxiates harmless humanity.Children of Josiah can you bleed and bleed until the bleeding bleeds dry of fresh wounds and fresh sacrifices? Carry your souls high on the wounded wings of prayer and sprinkle that palpable and laudable spirit on the rich remains of fresh aspirations. Men and women of Gweru and Karoi can you see the children who play pada all day long and hop, skip and jump to the nefarious sounds of the coldblooded river nearby? Oh Bulawayo and Mutare, will you protect the chirpy and wonderful children from the unsympathetic appetite of the predatory crocodile in the sin-infested river of Amazonian aspirations? Where the crocodile prowls in the dark and daylight: disaster will strike. Where the crocodile rules: beastly hunters will prey on innocent intentions.Oh children of Sekuru Kaguvi: can you see the tireless and enraged spirit of a son of Mount Darwin and Lupane spread Ubuntu and happiness and wealth in Harare and Nairobi and Gaborone? Oh Children of Joshua: can you fly high and carry him beyond the claws of rabid chancers and all the way through to our communal exhilaration everywhere?
Rohingya refugees head back to Myanmar as Bangladeshi border guards drive them away from Bangladeshi territory

At least 6,000 Rohingya civilians fleeing renewed violence in Myanmar are stranded near the border with Bangladesh which is blocking their entry, a senior Bangladeshi official said Tuesday, as the United Nations urged Dhaka to assist them.

Bangladesh has blocked thousands of civilians from the stateless Muslim minority from entering the country since Friday, when fresh fighting broke out between Myanmar's security forces and Rohingya militants in neighbouring Rakhine state.

The UN refugee agency says 3,000 have managed to cross into Bangladesh in the past three days, but the vast majority have been stopped at the border despite heavy fighting in nearby villages.

"Around 6,000 Myanmar nationals have gathered on the border and are trying to enter Bangladesh," a senior Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) official told AFP, referring to the Rohingya.

The official said the situation across the border, which is demarcated in parts by narrow stretches of the Naf River, was "still volatile".

"Last night we heard heavy gunfire by automatic weapons in phases and saw smoke billowing from burnt villages across the border," he said.

Another BGB official estimated the number of Rohingya in limbo could exceed 10,000, as many were believed to be hiding in the hills and forests to escape nearby violence.

"We've been ordered not to allow Rohingya to enter Bangladesh," said one border guard, who asked to remain anonymous as he was not permitted to speak to media.

"But how can I deny shelter to this newborn who is dying from cold?"

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on Bangladesh to step up assistance to civilians escaping the violence, noting "many of those fleeing are women and children, some of whom are wounded".

But there are already 400,000 Rohingya living in squalid camps in Bangladesh and the government has instructed its border guards to prevent another influx at all costs.

Bangladesh on Monday proposed joint military operations with Myanmar against Rohingya militants fighting in Rakhine state, hoping to stem the flow of refugees.

Soldiers had detained and returned nearly 500 Rohingya trying to cross the border since Monday, Shariful Islam Jamaddar, a deputy commander of BGB, told AFP.

Mohammad Ismail had taken shelter from the rains under a plastic sheet erected by border guards just inside Bangladeshi territory, but the shelter has since been torn down.

"The border guards let us take shelter here, but I don't know now what I will do with my son," he told AFP, gesturing to the shivering boy.

Army convoys have been driving Rohingya who have managed to cross into Bangladesh back across the border several times a day, an AFP correspondent at the scene said.

Amid the turbulence and monsoon downpours, an 11-year-old Rohingya girl named Marium was separated from her parents.

"I went to the toilet when the (border) guards drove away my parents. Where shall I find them now?" the young girl told AFP in tears.
Uber's suspension had prompted a social media firestorm in the Philippines with commuters criticising the government for taking away a trusted and reliable app, particularly in Manila which has notoriously bad traffic and public transportation

Ride-sharing app Uber said Tuesday it had paid nearly $10 million in fines and drivers' compensation to return to the Philippines' roads, after it was suspended for defying the government.

The nation's transportation agency suspended Uber on August 14 for a month, saying the US-based company had ignored its order against accepting new driver applications.

However the agency agreed to lift the order on Tuesday after Uber paid a fine of 190 million pesos ($3.7 million), plus another 300 million pesos ($5.8 million) to its drivers to compensate them for lost income during the duration of the suspension.

Uber resumed its operations soon after the announcement.

"We have complied with the requirements outlined by the (regulators), and are grateful for the opportunity to serve the Philippines again," Uber Philippines spokeswoman Catherine Avelino told AFP.

The transportation agency last year banned new applications for ride-sharing services, such as Uber and Southeast Asian rival Grab, as it studied how to regulate a growing industry.

Regulators said while Grab eventually followed the directive, Uber "openly defied" it.

Uber's suspension had prompted a social media firestorm in the Philippines with commuters criticising the government for taking away a trusted and reliable app, particularly in Manila which has notoriously bad traffic and public transportation.

Uber secured a franchise to operate in the Philippines in 2015 and now has about 66,000 drivers.

The transportation agency acknowledged on Tuesday the public backlash it received but insisted it was ensuring commuter safety.

"This is a painful decision. This is not a popular decision but as the regulatory body we will take the brunt. It is part of our job," transportation agency spokeswoman Aileen Lizada told reporters.

The head of a congressional public services committee called the fine "hefty and mind-boggling", criticising the transportation agency for failing to adapt to new technology.

"It seems that it flexes its discretion as a whimsical regulator just for the sake of imposing regulations," Senator Grace Poe said in a statement on Tuesday.

Commuters took to social media to celebrate Uber's return.

"Uber is back! Yeah! Uber is Life!," said Twitter user @Ang_Javi_javi.
Naji Salim Hussain Al-Ali, a political cartoonist for the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas, was fatally shot in 1987

British police relaunched an investigation Tuesday into the murder of a Palestinian cartoonist 30 years to the day after he was shot dead in a London street.

Naji Salim Hussain Al-Ali, a political cartoonist for the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas, was shot in the back of the neck as he walked to his office on July 22, 1987.

The 51-year-old died in a coma in hospital on August 29 that year.

Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) is reopening the case, appealing for information about the gunman and a second man later seen driving away from the scene.

They feel allegiances may have shifted over time and people with information who did not come forward in 1987 may now feel able to speak.

"The brutal murder of Mr Al-Ali devastated his family and 30 years on they continue to feel the loss," CTC commander Dean Haydon said.

"A lot can change in 30 years: allegiances shift and people who were not willing to speak at the time of the murder may now be prepared to come forward with crucial information.

"We remain open-minded about the motive for Mr Al-Ali's murder and we believe there are people somewhere who have information that could help us bring those responsible for his murder to justice."

Al-Ali's cartoons were sometimes perceived as critical of the Palestinian authorities and he had received several death threats.

Al-Ali was shot in the plush Knightsbridge district.

The suspected gunman was described as being of Middle Eastern appearance and aged about 25.

He followed Al-Ali for about 40 seconds before shooting him, Haydon said.

The black automatic handgun, a 7.62 Tokarev pistol, was found on open ground in London in 1989. Test firings showed markings on the bullets that matched those on the cartridge case recovered from the murder scene.

A second man, described as being in his 50s and of Middle Eastern appearance, was seen running with his left hand inside the right side of his jacket, as if he was concealing something, and getting into a silver-grey Mercedes car shortly afterwards.

"We believe that this driver was seen hiding the weapon in his coat, intending to dispose of it," said Haydon.

The new Metropolitan Police appeal is called Operation Amazon.
UN Security Council has imposed tough new sanctions on North Korea to force Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear missile programme

North Korea on Tuesday defended its use of "tough counter-measures" against what it described as US aggression, hours after the nuclear-armed nation fired a ballistic missile over Japan.

Addressing the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, North Korean ambassador Han Tae-Song avoided any direct mention of the rocket that flew over Japan and triggered global alarm.

"Now that the US has openly declared its hostile intention towards DPR Korea by raising joint aggressive military exercises despite repeated warnings... my country has every reason to respond with tough counter-measures as an exercise of its rights to self-defence," Han said.

He said Washington would be responsible for "the catastrophic consequences" that may result from heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Tuesday's missile launch came during the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian South Korean-US joint military exercise, which the North always condemns as rehearsals for invasion.

At the UN conference, multiple envoys including from the United States, European Union, Japan and Australia took the floor to blast North Korea over the latest rocket firing.

"My hope is that North Korea ends this provocative behaviour," US ambassador Robert Wood said.

Responding to the barrage of criticism, Han said Pyongyang "will continue to strengthen its defence capability with nuclear force as long at the US maintains (its) nuclear threat and non-stop military drills".

Pyongyang last month carried out two overt missile tests that appeared to bring much of the US mainland within reach for the first time and heightened strains in the region.

US President Donald Trump vowed after those launches that Washington would rain "fire and fury" on the North Korea.
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President Emmanuel Macron named fighting "Islamist terrorism" as his top foreign policy priority on Tuesday, vowing to make France a leading power in an unstable, increasingly polarised world.

In a key speech designed to burnish his foreign policy credentials after a difficult first three months in office, Macron said guaranteeing the security of the French was the "raison d'etre" of the country's diplomacy.

"Providing security for our citizens means that the fight against Islamist terrorism is our first priority," he told some 200 French diplomats gathered in Paris.

"There's no place for naivety, nor for fear of Islam that confuses Islamism and Islamic," the 39-year-old centrist added.

France has suffered a series of terror attacks since 2015 that have claimed more than 230 lives, making it the country worst affected in western Europe.

Its armed forces are in action as part of the US-led international coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, while French soldiers are also fighting jihadists in west Africa.

Macron, who took power in May on a promise to boost France's international standing, said he would work with the various powerbrokers in the Middle East -- including arch-rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia -- to try to eradicate the jihadist threat.

"Some have chosen (their camp). It's a mistake. The strength of our diplomacy is to speak to all sides," he said.

- 'No alternative' -

Macron also insisted there was no alternative to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which saw sanctions eased on the Islamic republic in exchange for curbs to its nuclear programme.

It has been fiercely opposed by US President Donald Trump who has called it a "terrible" deal.

Since the start of 2015, France has suffered a series of terror attacks that have claimed more than 230 lives

"There is no alternative to the non-proliferation agenda. It enables a constructive and demanding relationship with Iran," Macron said, underlining one of many policy disagreements between Trump and himself.

Macron, whose approval ratings have dived in recent weeks, had won kudos for making a bold start on the international stage.

He used frank language with both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin within his first weeks in office, raising human rights with Moscow and speaking out against Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the Paris accord on fighting climate change.

Macron announced that Paris will host a summit to review progress on the historic 2015 climate deal on December 12.

- Venezuela 'dictatorship' -

On Tuesday, Macron singled out Venezuela for condemnation in far stronger terms than his European allies, accusing President Nicolas Maduro of creating a "dictatorship" in the crisis-hit South American country.

"A dictatorship is trying to survive at an unprecedented humanitarian cost," he said, echoing the tough US position on the country.

Last week the White House piled financial pressure on Caracas, restricting access to vital US capital markets.

Macron also fleshed out his plans for deepening the integration of the European Union, which he placed at the heart of his successful election campaign.

"We should imagine a Europe of several formats: going further with those who want to advance, while not being held back by states which want... to progress slower or not as far," he said.

The approach won swift backing from Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel and his Luxembourg counterpart Xavier Bettel at a joint press conference.

"I'd prefer to have a two-speed Europe than a Europe on the point of death, a Europe that doesn't move forward," Bettel said.

Macron's proposals include creating a budget for the 19-member eurozone which would be overseen by a finance minister and new parliament -- a major institutional change.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave tentative backing to the idea of a finance minister and budget on Tuesday in comments ahead of elections in Germany next month.

Macron's speech came a day after he hosted a mini-summit with African and European leaders aimed at reducing the flow of migrants and refugees into the EU.

He said he would soon travel to Burkina Faso to continue building a new relationship with Africa, "a continent of the future" which "we cannot abandon".
The Schengen area comprises 22 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday called for an extension of EU border controls in the passport-free Schengen area beyond a planned end in November.

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and non-EU Norway introduced the ID checks in 2015 and have been allowed to repeatedly prolong them at set intervals in response to a massive migrant influx.

Asked about the European Commission's plan announced in May not to continue the controls beyond November, Merkel said she would call for their extension during talks with its chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday.

"Given what the situation is at the moment, I believe we need these border controls," she told reporters.

The five countries first introduced the checks as a record wave of refugees and migrants from Syria and other Middle East countries and from Africa streamed across Europe.

Brussels initially set a goal of scrapping the checks by the end of 2016 but that proved politically untenable.

The Schengen area comprises 22 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Germany has allowed in more than one million asylum seekers since 2015, which put Merkel under massive political pressure from hard-right opponents and within her own conservative bloc.

The influx has slowed dramatically due to the closure of the so-called Balkan route and a deal with Turkey to stem the flow of people fleeing war-ravaged Syria in particular.

But a rising wave of migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa has created a fresh sense of urgency.

The issue of migration has played an only moderate role in the German election campaign and Merkel is widely expected to win a fourth term in next month's vote.
The ballistic missile test launch by North Korea was seen as a major escalation that triggered global alarm and an angry response from the Japanese government

Nuclear-armed North Korea said Wednesday that it had fired a missile over Japan the previous day, the first time it has ever acknowledged doing so.

The launch represented a major escalation by Pyongyang in the face of tensions over its weapons programmes, which have seen it threaten to send a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam and prompted President Donald Trump to warn of "fire and fury".

Shortly before the North Korean statement, Trump said that "all options" were on the table, reviving his implied threat of pre-emptive US military action just days after congratulating himself that North Korea's Kim Jong-Un appeared to be "starting to respect" him by holding off on missile firings.

The launch of the Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile was supervised by leader Kim Jong-Un, the official Korean Central News Agency reported.

It "crossed the sky above Oshima peninsula of Hokkaido and Cape Erimo of Japan along the preset flight track and accurately hit the preset target waters in northern Pacific", it said.

South Korea's military said Tuesday that it had travelled around 2,700 kilometres (1,700 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of 550 kilometres.

North Korea has twice previously sent rockets over the main islands of Japan, in 1998 and 2009, but on both occasions claimed they were space launch vehicles.

"The drill had no impact on the security of the neighbouring countries," KCNA insisted, adding that Kim expressed "great satisfaction" over the launch.

With the launch, KCNA said, Kim Jung-Un "gave vent to the long-pent grudge of the Korean people" with "a bold plan to make the cruel Japanese islanders insensible on bloody August 29"

There would be "more ballistic rocket launching drills with the Pacific as a target in the future", it cited him as saying.

The launch, it added, was timed to mark the 107th anniversary of the "disgraceful" Japan-Korea treaty of 1910, under which Tokyo colonised the Korean peninsula.

It ushered in a period of oppressive ruled that only ended with Japan's defeat in the Second World War and is resented by Koreans on both sides of the divided peninsula, complicating the relationship between Tokyo and Seoul, both of them US allies threatened by Pyongyang.

With the launch, KCNA said, Kim "gave vent to the long-pent grudge of the Korean people" with "a bold plan to make the cruel Japanese islanders insensible on bloody August 29".

- 'Enough is enough' -

Tuesday's missile overflight triggered consternation in world capitals and on the ground, with sirens blaring out and text message alerts being sent in Japan warning people to take cover.

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," Trump said in a White House statement. "All options are on the table."

US President Donald Trump previously vowed "fire and fury" if North Korea continued to threaten the United States with nuclear weapons

At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York -- which has already imposed seven sets of sanctions on Pyongyang over its weapons programmes -- Washington's Ambassador Nikki Haley warned that "enough is enough" and that tough action had to be taken.

"It's unacceptable," Haley said. "They have violated every single UN Security Council resolution that we've had, and so I think something serious has to happen."

New sanctions on North Korea could be discussed, she said.

The North last month carried out its first two successful tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), apparently bringing much of the US mainland into range, but the Pentagon said Tuesday's launch was judged not to have represented a threat.

Despite Trump's rhetoric, officials in Washington speaking privately echo the warning by Trump's now former chief strategist Steve Bannon that it is too late for a pre-emptive strike.

"There's no military solution, forget it," Bannon told the American Prospect in an August 16 interview, his last before losing his job.

North Korea's latest long-range ballistic missile launch tooks a trajectory that carried the projectile high over US ally Japan and into the Pacific

"Until somebody solves the part of the equation that shows me 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, they got us."

Pyongyang says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against a possible invasion by the US, and KCNA said Tuesday's launch was a response to the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint exercises currently being mounted by Seoul and Washington, which it views as rehearsals for an attack.

Any missile fired by the North at Guam would have to pass over Japan, and analysts told AFP that Pyongyang appeared to have chosen the trajectory of the latest test as a "half-way house" option to send a message without crossing a red line.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was nevertheless visibly unsettled, dubbing the launch an "unprecedented, serious and grave threat."

Abe called the overflight an "outrageous act" and, after a 40-minute call with Trump, he said the allies had agreed to "further strengthen pressure against North Korea."

But China, the North's key ally and main trading partner, urged restraint, saying the US-South Korean military drills were partly to blame for tensions and warned that all sides should pull back from a "tipping point".
Blocks of ice destined for front-line fighters are loaded and offloaded in Tal Abta south of Tal Afar in Iraq on August 25, 2017

Fighting in 50-degree desert heat is bad enough, but add choking exhaust fumes amid the confines of armoured vehicles, and no wonder the soldiers await their daily ice deliveries.

In Tal Abta south of Tal Afar, where Iraqi forces have been engaged in mopping up operations against diehard jihadists of the Islamic State group, a key force is engaged in a vital mission.

Men in T-shirts or military camouflage busy themselves around a special truck amid the constant drone of generators.

At the back of the truck, hosepipe in hand, one member of the team fills eight huge rectangular moulds that are then lowered into an enormous cistern for refrigeration.

The cistern itself holds water that has been salted to accelerate the freezing process as it circulates at high speed.

Salt helps absorb the heat of the water in the moulds which slowly solidifies into ice in an endothermic reaction over five to six hours.

Blocks of ice in Tal Abta in the Iraqi desert south of Tal Afar, destined for front-line fighters

The huge blocks of ice are then trucked to the front line and the thirsty fighters.

Hamid Sallal set up his mobile plant to supply ice to the men of the Hashed al-Shaabi's Ali al-Akbar brigade.

The Hashed is a military coalition of mainly Shiite fighters that was created to help in the Iraqi forces' offensive aimed at eradicating the extremist Sunni IS from the country.

It was established in 2014 following a call by Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani -- the highest Shiite authority in Iraq -- to counter a sweeping jihadist breakthrough.

- The water boiled -

Everywhere it has fought, the Hashed has been supplied daily by hundreds of vehicles loaded with equipment and food prepared by families in southern Iraq's Shiite holy cities.

"We built this plant by ourselves, with our own hands," says Sallal, dressed in impeccable military fatigues.

He and his men began by taking drinking water to fighters engaged in the long and murderous anti-IS campaign to retake Iraq's second city Mosul, which fell in early July.

But that was before the full searing heat of summer descended on the desert.

When the drinking water began to boil, it was time for a rethink.

"We really needed ice, but it's very expensive," Sallal tells AFP.

New men joined the team and they started making their own.

Every day they supply 288 blocks of ice to the front to cover the brigade's potable water needs.

And every day that means they require 13,000 litres (3,450 gallons) of water to make the ice. It is brought in both by tanker and in bottles.

One member of Sallal's team is a 33-year-old ministry civil servant who took time off to fight as a member of the Hashed.

Ziad Abdel Wahid was wounded, but later rejoined the fight in a different role as an ice-maker.

"By doing this, on the logistics side, I can stay near the front," he says.

Twice a day, at dawn and sunset, he loads pick-up trucks with ice for the trip north to Al-Ayadiah, the last remaining active front line near Tal Afar.

It's exhausting work supplying the brigade.

"They need water and ice if they're to fight and advance," chips in his comrade Aref Ahmed, camouflage cap screwed firmly on to his head.
Rohingya refugees head back to Myanmar as Bangladeshi border guards drive them away from Bangladeshi territory

At least 6,000 Rohingya civilians fleeing renewed violence in Myanmar are stranded near the border with Bangladesh which is blocking their entry, a senior Bangladeshi official said Tuesday, as the United Nations urged Dhaka to let them in.

Bangladesh has barred thousands of members of the stateless Muslim minority from entering the country since Friday, when fresh fighting broke out between Myanmar's security forces and Rohingya militants in neighbouring Rakhine state leaving at least 110 people dead.

The UN refugee agency has said some 5,200 people have managed to cross into Bangladesh in the past three days.

But the majority have been stopped at the border despite heavy fighting in nearby villages, even coming under fire on Saturday as they huddled along the "zero line" which marks the northernmost part of the border.

Myanmar's Rohingya

"Around 6,000 Myanmar nationals have gathered on the border and are trying to enter Bangladesh," a senior Border Guard Bangladesh official told AFP, referring to the Rohingya.

The official said the situation across the border, which is demarcated in parts by narrow stretches of the Naf River, was "still volatile".

"Last night we heard heavy gunfire by automatic weapons in phases and saw smoke billowing from burnt villages across the border," he said.

Another border guard official estimated the number of Rohingya in limbo could exceed 10,000, as many were believed to be hiding in hills and forests to escape nearby violence.

But border guards have been ordered not to let them cross.

"How can I deny shelter to (a) newborn who is dying from cold?" said the border guard, who asked to remain anonymous.

With around 400,000 Rohingya already living in squalid camps in Bangladesh, the government has instructed its border guards to prevent another influx at all costs.

- 'Very grave risk' -

The UN rights chief said decades of "systematic" abuses against the Rohingya, who are reviled in Myanmar with most refused citizenship, were largely to blame for the spiralling violence and insisted authorities could have prevented the bloodshed.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement the "deplorable" violence "was predicted and could have been prevented".

"Decades of persistent and systematic human rights violations... have almost certainly contributed to the nurturing of violent extremism, with everyone ultimately losing," Zeid said.

In a separate statement the UN's refugee agency said barring entry to the fleeing Rohingya posed a "very grave risk" to their lives, reinforcing a message from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who called on Bangladesh to step up assistance to escaping civilians, in particular the wounded.

Instead nearly 500 Rohingya have been detained and returned trying to cross the border since Monday, according to Shariful Islam Jamaddar, a deputy border guard commander.

Border guards have been driving Rohingya who have managed to cross into Bangladesh back across the border several times a day, an AFP correspondent said.

Some Rohingya have made it just inside Bangladeshi territory, momentarily safe from violence but unable to move onwards to shelter.

Mohammad Ismail had taken shelter from the rain under a plastic sheet erected by border guards, but the shelter has since been torn down.

"The border guards let us take shelter here but I don't know now what I will do with my son," he told AFP, gesturing to the shivering boy.

Amid the turbulence and monsoon downpours, an 11-year-old Rohingya girl named Marium was separated from her parents.

"I went to the toilet when the (border) guards drove away my parents. Where shall I find them now?" the young girl told AFP in tears.

On Monday Bangladeshi authorities proposed joint military operations with Myanmar against Rohingya militants fighting in Rakhine, hoping to stem the flow of displaced.

The militants say they are fighting to protect the persecuted roughly one million-strong Rohingya and accuse the state and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists of trying to force them from Myanmar.

The Rohingya are not recognised as an ethnic group, which would be protected by law, but are instead branded 'Bengalis' -- code for illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Their ability to move, work and receive basic services is tightly controlled.

Speaking to ambassadors in Yangon, Myanmar's Home Affairs Minister Kyaw Swe, repeated the official line: "There are no Rohingya."

The recent attacks by militants are because "Bengali people... tried to occupy lands" in Rakhine.

Last week a commission headed by former UN chief Kofi Annan called for Myanmar to find a pathway to citizenship for the Rohingya and ease suffocating controls, or risk inflaming religious hatreds.

burs-apj/jta/amu/sm
Opinion / Columnist

Growing up in the Mahombekombe area living in our cottages constructed in the 1950's for dam wall workers who were only allowed to stay in them as bachelors now big families of five to eight occupy single rooms. These houses lie beneath the high voltage 330Kv power line transmitting power from Kariba South Power Station and they have never been a staid subject but a trump card for politicians who would express that they would consider our conditions for safety and health to move us since we are under danger. Three generations have now experienced life in this area with lots of theories and at one time flats were built in Nyamhunga for us in 1994 but they were not enough to take us all despite the skeptical behavior some of us had towards them. Life has not been rosy because the Mahombekombe area is slowly becoming a white elephant regards businesses. To imagine we used to have one of the busiest Spar shops, the Jaggers, Delta, Mica Hardware where Zambians could even flock for basic commodities with some even traveling from Nyamhunga is now a fallacy.Promises that an investor was once found to take up the Mandebvu Island which had a deal that would lead an Investor to construct houses for us again came as sweet news few years ago, but hey. Committees and teams have been formed with some of us parting with some few dollars as we would be told by certain community leaders that discussions were at advanced levels regards dealing with our safety and traveling, communication and representative fees had to be paid. Yes, God takes care of his people and that He has beautifully done and all our prayers go to him. Nothing visible regards how the high voltage has affected the past generations but with the current Kariba South Power station expansion that is to increase the flow within the 330Kv power line, obviously some dangers are imaginable.Just these few days, we have witnessed two parties who saw it desirable to join together to form an Unincorporated Project Vehicle (PV) to be called Kariba Housing Development Project for the sole purposes of carrying out the development and construction of offsite and onsite infrastructure on approximately 1,557 (one thousand five hundred and fifty seven) high, medium and low density residential stands at Baobab Ridge Extension; Batonga; Kasese Main and Kasese Extension. The sweetest clause I liked is "The Project will also facilitate the evacuation and relocation of 391 (three hundred and ninety one) households currently residing at Mahombekombe Suburb, situated under a high voltage 330Kv power line transmitting power from Kariba South Power Station and settle them at the new housing development site at Kasese Extension".Our own Municipality of Kariba shall be the off taker for the 391 stands at Kasese Extension that are intended to accommodate beneficiaries to be relocated from Mahombekombe suburb and, as consideration for these stands, MOK shall cede and transfer to IDBZ land of equivalent value (whose valuation shall be determined as at the date of transfer) in Mahombekombe to offset the costs incurred in developing and servicing the stands. The projects have estimate costs of US$14 829 839 based on BOQs provided by Project consultants. The actual costs will be obtained after Project tender.The funds are allocated as follows: Baobab Ridge extension around five million, Batonga few dollars to a million, Kasese Main takes around seven million with Kasese extension where we shall benefit will take almost two million.Probably with this arrangement we are likely to be moved and become owners of our own houses that are far away from whatever radiation our bodies have experienced all these years since the 1950s.Definitely I will be visiting Municipality to congratulate my brother who seems to have facilitated and worked so solidly to negotiate and write up this pact and I will then be able to unpack what would be the conditions set for us and what guarantee is there that we will afford what is needed. I am sure my colleagues and I are worried about the switching of the fully fledged power station coming at the end of the year.
Lebanese soldiers stand on armoured vehicles on a hill they took from the Islamic State (IS) group in Jurud Ras Baalbek on the Syrian-Lebanese border, on August 28, 2017

The dust-covered soldiers, armoured vehicles and tents may not look very official, but they mark the first time Lebanese troops have deployed in this sliver of land along the Syrian border.

After a week-long campaign against the Islamic State group, Lebanese troops have established an unprecedented presence in the northeastern area of Jurud Ras Baalbek, a belt of territory that has been a longstanding source of contention with Syria.

An evacuation deal led to the jihadists' withdrawal into eastern Syria on Monday, as the Lebanese army organised a press tour of the area.

Dozens of Lebanese troops are manning newly erected outposts on a string of barren hilltops near Syrian territory.

"Before Daesh was here, there was no Lebanese army presence," a member of the special forces' airborne division told AFP, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

"When we advanced, we pulled out the Daesh flag and stuck in a Lebanese flag for the first time," the soldier said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Lebanon and Syria share a 330 kilometre (205 mile) border, with no official demarcation at several points, including in the northeast.

For years, the mountainous territory now held by the army was expertly navigated by smugglers bringing state-subsidised diesel from Syria into Lebanon.

Syrian troops had also maintained a presence on Lebanese land there, according to Beirut-based geographer Issam Khalifeh, sometimes preventing farmers in the area from tending to their crops.

- 'Closest' to real border -

Damascus and Beirut signed an agreement in 2008 to more clearly demarcate the border, but progress has been slow and the northeastern frontier remained largely uncontrolled -- until now.

"This is the closest that the Lebanese army and state have gotten to completely controlling the border with Syria," said Aram Nerguizian of the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

He said many of the new army positions lay inside territory historically contested by the two countries, closer to where Lebanon says the real border lies.

Many of the soldiers who spoke to AFP on Monday described it as the closest they had ever been to this sector of the border.

Lebanese soldiers drive a buggy bearing the Lebanese flag in an area they recently took from the Islamic State (IS) group in Jurud Ras Baalbek on the Syrian-Lebanese border, on August 28, 2017

"These roads weren't here before. We opened them so that our vehicles could come through," said the special forces member, gesturing to white gravel roads criss-crossing the hilly terrain.

"This is the first time the Lebanese army has an established presence in this area," one heavyset fighter from the 6th Brigades told AFP.

The positions did not appear reinforced yet.

Most soldiers relaxed near armoured cars or in the shade of tents, but some manned vehicle-mounted heavy machineguns pointed at arid valleys below.

After Syria's conflict erupted in 2011, the northeastern border areas were regularly hit by stray shells.

- Battle over 'narrative' -

In 2014, jihadist militants overran both sides of the frontier, including Jurud Ras Baalbek and the Lebanese border town of Arsal further south.

The army launched its operation against jihadists in the area on August 19, coinciding with a simultaneous assault waged from the Syrian side by Lebanese militant movement Hezbollah and the Syrian army.

Lebanese troops had cornered IS into 20 square kilometres of territory (seven square miles) in the border region when a ceasefire deal was announced on Sunday morning.

The agreement was reportedly negotiated between Hezbollah and IS and has seen hundreds of fighters leave the border area for eastern Syria.

Lebanon's army has insisted that there was no coordination with Hezbollah on the offensive.

Hezbollah, which has intervened in Syria's conflict on behalf of the Damascus regime, is the only faction that did not hand over its weapons after the 1975-1990 Lebanese civil war.

Its arsenal is a highly controversial issue in Lebanon.

Late Monday, the group's head Hassan Nasrallah said IS's withdrawal was a "great achievement," calling for celebrations later in the week.

Nerguizian said the Shiite movement was "trying to take credit retroactively" for the success of the Lebanese Armed Forces, which is seen in the country as a rare symbol of national unity, though its military force is rivalled by the powerful Hezbollah.

"The LAF's swiftly executed and successful campaign is not something many Lebanese let alone Hezbollah expected," he told AFP.

Lebanese army commandos stand on a hill they recently took from the Islamic State (IS) group in Jurud Ras Baalbek on the Lebanese-Syrian border, on August 28, 2017

With a reinforced troop presence along the border, "the LAF's own national security credentials could challenge Hezbollah's," Nerguizian said.

"In short, the battle against IS in Lebanon may be over, but the war over Lebanon's national security narrative has only just begun."
Australian batsman David Warner plays a shot during the third day of the first Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, on August 29, 2017

David Warner scored an unbeaten half-century to steady Australia as they chased a challenging victory target in the first Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Warner, who remained unbeaten on 75, scored the bulk of the runs as the visitors advanced to 109-2 at stumps on the third day, still needing another 156 for victory.

Nathan Lyon earlier claimed 6-82 to dismiss Bangladesh for a modest 221 in their second innings and give Australia a scent of victory.

Bangladesh looked confident when spinner Mehedi Hasan trapped Matt Renshaw leg-before for five and Usman Khawaja hoisted a catch to Taijul Islam at square leg off Shakib al Hasan in the next over.

Australia, teetering on 28-2, nearly lost another wicket when skipper Steve Smith appeared to have been stumped off Mehedi and walked.

But he was called back after replays showed his feet had dragged slightly behind the crease as wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim broke the stumps.

Smith was dropped again by Imrul Kayes off Mehedi on three. He went on to score 25 not out and put on an undefeated 81 with Warner for the third wicket.

Warner, who faced 96 balls and hit 11 fours and a six, also had his share of luck when he was dropped by Soumya Sarkar on 14 off Shakib.

Paceman Pat Cummins said Warner's strong showing would inspire the remaining batsmen.

"He was so focused," said Cummins.

"He got his 50 rapidly and I think it just changes the whole momentum, but also the mindset for the other batsmen who are to come in."

Earlier, Lyon took full advantage of a spinning track at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium to halt Bangladesh's progress.

Tamim led the charge with his 155-ball innings but his dismissal off Cummins for 78 triggered a collapse.

The left-hander fell to a short ball that whistled past him. Umpire Aleem Dar turned down a muted appeal from the bowler but Smith decided to review.

Replays suggested the ball had brushed Tamim's gloves, ending a fine innings which included eight fours to follow his 71 in the first innings.

Shakib was next out for five, hoisting a catch to Cummins at extra cover off Lyon. But Mushfiqur Rahim stayed calm until an unfortunate run out for 41 at the non-striker's end.

Lyon removed Nasir Hossain (0) and Ashton Agar sent back Sabbir Rahman (22), dragging the hosts down further.

But Tamim was still confident the hosts could secure victory.

"The wicket is unpredictable, anything can happen. We have to be patient because one wicket has brought two or three in a cluster. We can bowl better than we did today," he said.

Bangladesh, ranked a lowly ninth in Tests, are seeking their first-ever win over fourth-placed Australia in what is only the fifth Test meeting between the two teams.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres (R) is welcomed to Ramallah by Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remained the only viable option as he made his first visit to the West Bank since taking office.

Guterres spoke after meeting Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah following talks with Israeli leaders the previous day.

"I want to express very strongly the total commitment of the United Nations but my personal total commitment to do everything for a two-state solution to materialise," he said.

"I have said several times there is no Plan B to a two-state solution."

A two-state solution to the conflict has been the basis of international diplomacy since at least the early 1990s, but it has recently come under threat.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in his country's history, and has signalled he has no intention of evacuating settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli settlements are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state.

Prominent members of Netanyahu's government advocate annexing most of the West Bank, which would make an independent Palestinian state impossible.

US President Donald Trump has said he wants to reach the "ultimate deal", but he himself has cast doubt on the two-state solution, saying he could support a single state if this meant peace.

Such statements deeply concern Palestinian leaders.

Guterres spoke Tuesday of Israeli settlements as a "major obstacle" to peace, while also noting that they are "illegal under international law".

On Monday after meeting Netanyahu, he criticised settlements but also said Palestinians must condemn "terrorism".

He said on Tuesday that "it is important to create conditions for leaders of all sides to appeal for calm, to avoid forms of incitement, for violence to settle down".

Israeli leaders say Palestinian "incitement" against the Jewish state is a key reason why peace efforts have not advanced.

Peace efforts have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in 2014.

- 'Scouting and listening' -

Hamdallah called on Guterres to pressure Israel to comply with UN Security Council resolutions, including one in December condemning settlement activity that Netanyahu's government has ignored.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas is currently visiting Turkey and was not expected to meet Guterres.

Guterres's visit follows a US delegation's talks with both Netanyahu and Abbas last week. The delegation was led by Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Trump aides have held a series of meetings with both sides, portraying them as hearing out concerns before deciding on a way forward.

The US president himself visited Israel and the Palestinian territories in May.

But Palestinian leaders have grown frustrated with the White House, after initially holding out hope that Trump could bring a fresh approach to peace efforts despite his pledges of staunch support for Israel.

They note the White House has not even clearly committed to a two-state solution to the conflict, in contrast to longstanding US policy.

Hamdallah on Tuesday said the Palestinian leadership was waiting for US officials to formulate a clear approach.

"What the US administration is saying is that they are still scouting and listening," he said.

"But during the last round, (Abbas) brought up settlements and the two-state solution. What is the position of the US administration regarding these two topics?

"So far, the US administration has not responded to these two questions, and promised they will be back in the next few weeks with clarifications and a work plan for the next phase."

Netanyahu on Monday night, after meeting Guterres earlier in the day, again spoke of not removing settlements.

"No uprooting of settlements," he said.

"It's been proven that it doesn't help peace. We uprooted settlements and what did we get? We got rockets," he added, referring to the 2005 Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and subsequent conflicts.
Two more days of heavy rainfall are expected over parts of Texas and Louisiana as Tropical Storm Harvey churns offshore, preparing to make landfall again on Wednesday

Two more days of heavy rainfall are expected over parts of Texas and Louisiana as Tropical Storm Harvey churns offshore, preparing to make landfall again on Wednesday.

"The single greatest threat continues to be the rainfall," Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman for the Miami-based National Hurricane Center, told AFP, describing the situation as "catastrophic."

"This is not over," he said.

Already, some 50 inches (127 centimeters) of rain have fallen over Houston since Harvey hit Friday as a Category Four hurricane, sparking massive floods across the metro area that is home to 2.3 million people.

Harvey is edging away from Houston and is currently in the Gulf of Mexico.

With neighboring Louisiana squarely in the storm's path, Harvey, now a tropical storm, is pressing eastward and is expected to make landfall again late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Residents of New Orleans are bracing for heavy rain and flash floods over the next two days.

As of Tuesday morning, two inches of rain had already fallen over New Orleans.

"Flash flooding is expected to begin shortly," said the National Weather Service in New Orleans.

The city famous for its jazz music and cuisine is particularly vulnerable because it lies below sea level, and is fresh off another major flood earlier this month that was exacerbating by problems with the city pumping system.

"It is really sort of a wild card right now," meteorologist Eric Holthaus told AFP.

"There are some forecasts for up to 10 inches of rain over the next 36 hours or so for New Orleans. I would definitely not be surprised if it became more than that."

Houston can expect two to four more inches of rain as the storm moves away, but flooded conditions will likely linger through the end of the week as the rainfall drains off, Holthaus said.

Forecasters say Harvey will likely dissipate after it hits land again, and the rains should be all but over by Thursday.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump depart the White House for Texas to view the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey

First Lady Melania Trump is making waves... for her flood fashion.

The former model is always elegantly turned out and perfectly coiffed, and Tuesday was no exception as she left the White House with her president husband for storm-ravaged Texas.

Trump was photographed walking across the White House lawn in sky-high stiletto pumps, part of an outfit that included tailored capri pants, an army green bomber jacket with ruched sleeves and aviator sunglasses.

A close-up look at First Lady Melania Trump's stiletto heels

"Melania over here looking like Flood Watch Barbie," writer Maria Del Russo tweeted.

Television writer-producer Brad Wollack quipped: "Help is on the way, Texas! Don't worry, Melania has her special storm stilettos."

Added comedian Jessica Kirson: "Brilliant idea @FLOTUS. You can pick up debris with your heels."

President Donald Trump's outfit was more in line with what politicians normally wear to visit weary survivors of deadly natural disasters: a black hooded rain jacket, khaki trousers and brown boots.

A wide swath of Texas is reeling from monster storm Harvey, which has devastated coastal communities and left large parts of Houston -- America's fourth largest city -- underwater.

Tens of thousands of people are packed into overcrowded shelters as authorities continue to pluck victims from rooftops.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive in Corpus Christi, Texas

The first lady changed into something a bit more disaster-appropriate on the flight to the hard-hit coastal city of Corpus Christi -- the Trumps' first stop in Texas.

She stepped off Air Force One wearing black trousers and a white button up shirt, trading the stilettos for white tennis shoes.

She also wore a black baseball cap that read "FLOTUS," or the abbreviation for First Lady of the United States, setting off another round of Melania-bashing on Twitter.

At day's end, the first lady issued a statement hailing the "strength and resilience" of Texans.

"I want to be able to offer my help and support in the most productive way possible, not through just words, but also action," she said.

"My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the people of Texas and Louisiana."
Moroccan Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit (R) meets his Spanish counterpart Juan Ignacio Zoido Alvarez in Rabat on August 29, 2017

Spain's Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido, visiting his Moroccan counterpart Tuesday, said Rabat had arrested two men linked to deadly twin attacks in Catalonia.

"Thanks to permanent contact and collaboration between the two countries, Moroccan security services have carried out two arrests here in Morocco linked to the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils," he said.

He declined to give further details because the men were still under investigation.

Zoido was in Rabat to meet Moroccan Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit for talks on the investigation into the attacks on August 17 and 18 which left 16 people dead.

The main suspects in the attacks, claimed by the Islamic State group, were of Moroccan origin, but most had lived in Spain for several years.

The two ministers said Morocco was working closely with Spanish security forces.

Laftit warned of the potential influence of "uncontrolled mosques" and "extremist imams" on members of Europe's Moroccan diaspora.

"The children of second and third generation Moroccan immigrants who were born in European countries need particular attention (if they are to) escape the clutches of terrorism," he said.
Nearly four years of civil war have left South Sudan with few sources of revenue as money from oil fields has dried up

South Sudan's parliament has passed a $300 million (250 million euro) budget despite the war-torn country's government conceding it lacked the funds to pay for it.

Nearly four years of civil war, as well as inadequate and decrepit infrastructure, have left the country with few sources of revenue, with oil fields that used to account for 90 percent of government income producing at very low levels and other businesses struggling.

Wani Buyu Dyori, undersecretary for economic planning at the finance ministry, said the government can raise around two-thirds of the 46 billion South Sudanese pounds needed for the budget, which was passed on Monday.

"The funding comes from oil revenues and non-oil revenues and the development partners -- they always give us some resources for our people," he said.

But Buyu admitted there would be "challenges" in raising sufficient money.

"The business community are not going to get goods in and whom do we tax if they are not coming?" Buyu said, adding that the world's youngest country is also losing the support of traditional donors.

Despite South Sudan being cash-strapped, the 2017/18 budget is 50 percent more than the previous year's budget of 30 billion South Sudanese pounds, although it is less in dollar terms as the national currency has continued to collapse.

Around 40 percent of the new budget is earmarked for security.

Fuel and food shortages are routine while civil servants, nurses and teachers can go for months without being paid.

Corruption and mismanagement are rife in South Sudan but lawmakers, in passing the budget, called for transparency and accountability.

Marial Awou, head of economic studies at Juba University, said the government must "maintain discipline" if it is to emerge from the current conflict-induced economic crisis.

But, he added, an end to the war and the restoration of "peace and stability" is the primary solution.

The civil war has killed tens of thousands of people and forced more than three million from their homes since December 2013.
In another blow to its image, German car maker Volkswagen announced a recall of 281,000 vehicles in the US due to a faulty fuel pump that could shut off and cause an accident, but replacement parts are not available

The US branch of embattled German carmaker Volkswagen announced Tuesday it was recalling 281,000 vehicles to fix a faulty fuel pump in another blow to the company's image.

While the number is far smaller than the 11 million cars worldwide recalled in the "dieselgate" emissions cheating scandal, including about 600,000 vehicles in the United States, news of another problem comes as the company is trying to restore its image with customers.

The company informed US regulators that it is recalling 2009-2016 CC luxury sedans, and 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagons due to problems with the fuel pump.

"Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail... If the fuel pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash," the company said in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

A VW spokesman told AFP there were "no injuries or accidents that we know of" as a result of the defective part. The company does not have an estimate of the cost of replacing them.

The company said it will replace the defective fuel pumps at no cost. However, the new parts -- from a different supplier than the original -- are "currently unavailable."

The carmaker apparently became aware of the latest defect after an investigation by Chinese authorities launched in April 2016 prompted a recall in that country earlier this month.

VW is still trying to recover from the controversy after it admitted in 2015 to equipping its diesel cars with defeat devices to evade emissions tests.

The vehicles were marketed as clean but in fact spewed as much as 30 times the permissible limits of nitrogen oxide, an air pollutant, during normal driving.

The company pleaded guilty in March to charges stemming from "dieselgate" and agreed to pay $4.3 billion in penalties -- on top of $17.5 billion in civil settlements.

Volkswagen still faces legal challenges in Germany and worldwide, and has so far set aside more than 22 billion euros ($24.4 billion) to cover costs. Experts estimate the final bill from the scandal could be even higher.
Pilgrims circumambulate the holy Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on August 27, 2017 before the start of the hajj pilgrimage

The Saudi authorities said Tuesday that they were ready to welcome more than two million Muslims from around the globe for this week's hajj pilgrimage to Islam's holiest sites.

"Our plans have been drawn up on the basis of more than two million pilgrims, including 1.73 million from abroad," interior ministry spokesman General Mansour al-Turki told a news conference.

That would mark an increase compared with last year when 1.86 million pilgrims joined the hajj, which Muslims are required to perform at least once in their life if able to do so.

A security perimeter has been established around Mecca and its surroundings for the event.

Turki said that 400,000 people from inside Saudi Arabia had been refused access to the holy sites for the hajj because they did not have the necessary permits.

Representatives of the hajj and health ministries, the Saudi Red Crescent and the civil defence laid out their plans at the news conference to ensure a smooth pilgrimage.

According to Turki, pilgrims were to begin gathering from Tuesday evening in Mina Valley, near Mecca, to prepare to climb Mount Arafat, considered the climax of the hajj, on Thursday.

"We have taken measures to organise the movement of the crowds in several places where the influx is large," he said.

Turki said that tens of thousands of cameras would help the control crowd.

Two years ago, a huge stampede at the hajj left nearly 2,300 people dead -- the worst catastrophe in the history of the pilgrimage.

Saudi authorities downplayed recent concerns voiced by the World Health Organization about the risk of cholera spreading at the hajj, following the deaths of around 2,000 people in neighbouring Yemen since April.

"We have not recorded any cases of cholera among the pilgrims and, if a case arises, the pilgrim would be isolated from others to avoid it spreading," said a health ministry official.
Opinion / Columnist

THE fundamental precondition for understanding Zimbabwe in the 1980s - and beyond - is to recognise the supremacist mentality that has underwritten Zimbabwean nationalism since its development in the 1950s and 1960s.When Zanu was created in 1963, splitting from Joshua Nkomo's Zapu, its members immediately came under physical attack from their former colleagues. Rhodesia's townships became battlegrounds for the rival nationalist parties, which fought each other and sought to compel black compatriots to join their cause."Life in the townships has now become a Hell to us," wrote one township resident in 1964. "One does not know who is the next man to be attacked  Church buildings, people's houses - and the people themselves - are set alight."Zanu and Zapu did not fight because they were different, but because they were the same. The nationalist mindset, already well established by the time of the schism, was that there could be only one liberation party, one authentic representative of the people.Those who formed or joined different organisations were - with their supporters - "sell-outs", "stooges" and "agents of imperialism". Violence was the inevitable offspring of this zero-sum ideology, as those in the opposing camp were regarded not simply as competitors or misguided fellow travellers but as traitors.There was also a personal dimension that intensified hatreds far beyond normal bounds. Party leaders targeted those they knew intimately - and it was usually Zanu that was on the receiving end in the early days.None of these attacks had been forgotten by Zanu politicians when they emerged victorious from the independence elections of 1980, holding the whip hand.And there was, by then, a great deal of extra baggage that had accumulated over the years - among it, many incidents when soldiers of the parties' armed wings had killed each other in the Rhodesian bush during the war against white rule.The most visible political manifestation of the supremacist mentality was an attachment - more precisely, an obsession - with the establishment of a one-party state led by an all-powerful executive president.These constitutional arrangements were de rigueur for the newly independent states of sub-Saharan Africa, and Zanu had no desire to be different. (Nor did Zapu, though it was never to be in a position to bring about its own one-party state.)As Mugabe put it, "We have had the philosophy of a one-party state for a very long time. It's an African philosophy". Likewise, an acolyte of Mugabe's, explaining Zanu's aversion to the multiparty system, told an inquirer that "in African society, the Chief or King was above criticism and people could not  tolerate open criticism of Mugabe, who had taken on the role of Chief".The one-party state was effectively Zanu's central aim during the war, one that necessitated both the overthrow of the white regime and the subjugation of Zapu. By 1979, Mugabe and the Zanu leadership were confident that they were headed towards the outright military victory that would allow them to achieve these objectives without hindrance. They were, therefore, outraged when they were compelled by their sponsors, Mozambique and Tanzania, to participate in a negotiated settlement of the war.Mugabe failed to secure a single major concession during the talks, and the peace agreement entailed a raft of constitutional, political and military outcomes that were the antithesis of Zanu's aspirations - not least, a multiparty system, a ceremonial presidency and the absence of a plan to disband the Rhodesian security forces.Zapu's army, Zipra, also continued to be formidable and Nkomo clearly hoped to manoeuvre himself into power, even if it meant cutting a deal with the Rhodesians. Smouldering over the Mozambican and Tanzanian "sell-out" at the start of the negotiations, Mugabe exited the peace conference seething over its results.And yet he and his colleagues remained determined to achieve their original objectives - indeed, more so than before. They hedged their bets during elections under British auspices, seeking to win the vote through a combination of intimidation and popular support, while positioning themselves to restart the war if necessary.Contrary to the predictions of most white "experts", Mugabe fully expected Zanu to secure the most seats, given its military domination of the majority Shona-speaking rural areas.But he was surprised when he was able to form Zimbabwe's first government with broad international support and without provoking a Rhodesian coup. Until then thoroughly convinced that the party's objectives would only be met through military conquest, he now began to recognise that a more incremental approach could achieve the same purposes.Many observers mistook this tactical approach for the moderate rhetoric in which it was cloaked, but it was the eagerness to impose a one-party state - ruthlessly, if need be - that defined Zanu's conduct in Zimbabwe's early years.There were many occasions when improvisations proved necessary, yet Mugabe's actions were never haphazard. The end goal remained in view at all times. So, too, did the general strategy, which, in essence, involved the sequential removal of obstacles over a projected period of five to seven years.This strategy was no better illustrated than in the approach taken to the Zapu problem. To be sure, the early evaporation of the Rhodesian threat and the weakness of black opposition parties except for Zapu meant that Nkomo and his supporters were the primary impediments to the one-party state.The plan of Zanu's central committee on this question was that Zapu would be eliminated or neutered by the time of Zimbabwe's first post-independence elections.In June 1980, for example, only two months after Zanu had taken power, minister of finance Enos Nkala declared, "We will call another election after five years and I doubt if the other so-called parties will be in existence by then  We should have a one-party state in this country."This goal was an open secret within Zanu, as demonstrated by the statements of other party leaders who, like the obtuse Nkala, were unable to contain their exuberance. As one Zanu parliamentarian put it, "I am aware, and so is every thinking person, that  Zanu-PF will, at the next election, capture all the seats."Mugabe's public position on the one-party state was more nuanced, couched as it was in the language of democratic change.Speaking in December 1981, he said that a one-party state could be introduced in the manner chosen by the Rhodesians - in "the dishonest way by banning every other party that was a threat" - but Zanu did not "want to do it that way  We want to do it the honest way by ensuring that it comes as a result of the expression of the people's will".Pro-Mugabe diplomats in Harare were comforted by these assurances, yet failed to recognise that there was no substantive difference between Mugabe's approach and Nkala's frequent calls for Zapu's "liquidation".Mugabe's basic tactic was to create situations in which Zapu was presented with a choice between absorption by Zanu and severe repressive measures. This method was evident in a distinct pattern of escalating threats and punishments between 1980 and 1983.Allegations of subversion, often made publicly, were invariably tied to private demands for a political merger - followed by a crackdown when Nkomo refused to buckle.In late 1980, at a time when South African intelligence shows that Mugabe was seeking to provoke a war with Zipra, Nkomo was presented with one of the first of these Hobson's choices.Addressing a meeting between the central committees of Zanu and Zapu, Mugabe began with a conciliatory-sounding opening statement, but then bared his teeth, telling Nkomo that he had "information that [Zapu] plans a coup".Nkala's response to Zapu's denials and counter-allegations was that "the solution to the problems lie[s] in the establishment of a one-party state".A few weeks later, after Zapu had failed to show any sign of heeding this advice, Mugabe used former Rhodesian forces to hammer Zipra at Entumbane. The disarmament process that followed left Zapu bereft of its military shield.By late 1981, Zanu's central committee was ready to tighten the screws yet further.In its end-of-year review - a fixture on the calendar that often preceded violent action - the committee decided to "increase the tempo of the discussion of the formation of a one-party state and at the same time continue the negotiations with Zapu on the unification of the two parties".At a rally shortly afterwards, Mugabe said that Zanu would "rule in Zimbabwe forever" and that it would use "all the power at its disposal and smash those who want to destroy the government".He added that the one-party state was to be discussed "with our friends in Zapu", reiterating his none-too-subtle warning as he did so: Zanu "saw no reason why parties that were bent on destroying the country  should continue to exist". It was "no good to perpetuate a division of our people. There is no such thing as Ndebele or Shona".Behind the scenes, Mugabe sent his ceremonial president, Canaan Banana, to speak to Nkomo about "unity". But he was again rebuffed by the Zapu leader, who told the press of the approach and remarked that he would not "move for empty unity". He repeated the message at a meeting with Mugabe in February 1982.Mugabe had "so soured the atmosphere with his most recent speeches that there could be no question of continuing talks about unity".A day later, an enraged Mugabe enacted a pre-existing plan to frame Zapu for a coup plot. The government announced the "discovery" of dozens of arms caches on Zapu properties in Matabeleland, dismissed Nkomo from cabinet and arrested senior members of Zipra.Discussing the reason for this purported national security crisis with the British foreign secretary, Mugabe was candid about the true cause, commenting bluntly that "the last straw  had come when he mentioned his ideas regarding a one-party state to Nkomo, who refused even to talk about them".An almost identical sequence was repeated in late 1982. At a time when the security forces were engaging in increasingly harsh "anti-dissident" operations in Matabeleland North, Mugabe despatched Banana and Nkala to discuss the terms of a merger with Nkomo.Although Nkomo was not aware of it, this was to be his final chance; the choice was now an apocalyptic one between surrender and obliteration. Nkomo responded more positively than before, feeling that he had "made progress" with the pair.But when he met Mugabe in January 1983 - shortly after the latter had warned in a speech that subversives "would be pursued and annihilated" - the initiative instantly collapsed. Nkomo wrote later that Mugabe was "averse" to the ideas which had been transmitted to Banana and Nkala. Nkomo was soon to find out what that meant.Only a week later, in what was another premeditated move, Mugabe unleashed the army's "Gukurahundi" unit, which proceeded to massacre thousands of civilians in Matabeleland North.Then, as the killings were reaching new levels of intensity, an attempt was made to eliminate Nkomo himself. This was a period in which dark, unrestrained forces were let loose; the ruthless logic of Zanu's political objectives appeared to become subsumed by more visceral instincts. Men, women and children, the old and the young, were cut down and cut apart in what was an orgy of slaughter.It was only after international exposure and a subsequent decision by Mugabe to decelerate the Gukurahundis' activities that the political agenda again became visible.Vigorous efforts were made to replace Zapu branches with those of the ruling party in a crude attempt to "convert" Nkomo's support base ahead of elections in 1985.A similar attempt was made in 1984 to bludgeon loyalty from other areas in which backing for Zapu was strong. The security forces and Zanu militia moved systematically through Matabeleland South in the first half of the year and then shifted their attention to urban areas of the Midlands in the second half.When, in 1987, Zapu finally capitulated and was swallowed by Zanu, Mugabe delivered an empty speech at "unity" celebrations that was more notable for what could not be said.He skimmed across the entire tumultuous post-independence period in a few words, claiming that Zanu and Zapu had "continued to discuss the need to merge into one party [in the years since 1980], and various proposals were debated and often discarded, but each time we recognised the need to continue negotiations".Yet on the last day of the year, during a ceremony at which he was sworn in as executive president and "Grand Master of the Zimbabwe Order of Merit", he put his finger on the idol that had driven the party's extremism over the previous eight years."We fought [the] war  so we could become masters of our own destiny," he remarked. "When, at the 1979 [Peace] Conference, our protracted negotiations yielded the present constitution, which created the Republic of Zimbabwe, some people might have felt that the battle for our political sovereignty as a nation had been fully won. I am afraid political victory at that stage was not that total." But it was now, he implied. Zanu had finally brought about the changes that reflected the "true wishes of our people".It was not long before that grandiose fallacy was laid bare. Opposition to the regime quickly re-emerged in the early 1990s, culminating in the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change at the end of the decade. And yet Mugabe and Zanu-PF have clung tenaciously to the fantasy of perpetual, total domination. It is for this reason, more than any other, that Zimbabwe remains trapped in a sterile cycle of conflict and subjugation. DMStuart Doran is an independent historian and author.
Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema says he harbours no grudge against authorities despite his brutal arrest and detention

Zambia's main opposition leader on Tuesday vowed to forgive his political opponents and not seek revenge following four months in jail for allegedly failing to give way to the presidential motorcade.

Hakainde Hichilema addressed a prayer meeting two weeks after his release from prison telling thousands of worshippers he did not harbour hatred against the authorities after he was brutally arrested in April.

"Despite the injustices that we went through, we harbour no hatred and we do hereby forgive... all," he said.

"And there are many who were involved in our brutal arrest and subsequent detention," the leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND) told jubilant crowds at the capital city's Anglican cathedral.

"We are Christians and it is therefore imperative that we love one another. We should not be paying evil for evil. We should strive to live at peace with all men," he said.

Hichilema had claimed in April that he was assaulted by police during his arrest when more than 100 armed police surrounded his house outside Lusaka, firing tear gas before taking him into custody.

Nicknamed "HH", he had been charged with treason for allegedly blocking President Edgar Lungu's motorcade.

He was released on August 16 after the charges were dropped.

A planned appearance at the capital's Anglican cathedral was blocked by heavily armed police on August 24.

Hichilema, who disputes the results of last year's election, which he narrowly lost, and refuses to recognise Lungu as the president, also complained of the inhumane conditions in Zambian prisons.
Aerial view of Port Harcourt in River State, the commercial capital Niger Delta

Gunmen abducted 11 people from a bus as they travelled close to Nigeria's southern oil hub Port Harcourt late on Monday, a passenger who escaped from the attack told AFP.

The region near Port Harcourt is a known hotspot for kidnappings by groups looking to receive ransom pay-offs and was the scene of an abduction that saw 16 people snatched earlier this month.

"They ambushed us at about 9.00 pm... and after asking us to come out from the bus, they tried to take us inside the bush. But five of us escaped before police and military personnel arrived," said Amiekro Princewill.

Security forces searched the area following the attack, according to another passenger who managed to escape the gunmen.

"They had gone far into the forest with the victims before the security operatives arrived," said the escapee, Bright Belekwe.

"Hoodlums ambushed us and tried to take us inside the bush. I and four others escaped before police personnel arrived at the scene."

The kidnapping is the third such incident in just two months.

Regional police commissioner Ahmed Zaki confirmed the kidnapping at a press conference at force headquarters in Port Harcourt, adding that efforts to locate the victims were ongoing.

"The incident is quite unfortunate and the police is on top of the situation in ensuring that the hoodlums are arrested and brought to book," he said.

Kidnapping for ransom used to be confined to Nigeria's oil-rich south, where criminal gangs would typically target expatriate workers.

But the practice has spread across the country as the economy has faltered with Control Risks consultancy warning that the phenomenon has become "entrenched" nationwide.

Nnamdi Obasi, senior Nigeria researcher at the International Crisis Group, said poverty had made "anybody" a target and had led to a rise in "spontaneous" kidnappings.

Most victims are usually released unhurt after ransom money is paid.
United Technologies has an annual turnover of around $58 billion and employs more than 200,000 people

US industrial conglomerate United Technologies is nearing a deal to buy a firm in a move that would form one of the world's largest aircraft equipment manufacturers, according to a report.

The company is working on a $20 billion purchase of Rockwell Collins, at a price of about $140 a share, and could finalize the agreement later this week, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The news pushed up share prices for both companies, with Rockwell Collins up nearly two percent, and United Technologies up 1.5 percent in midday trading.

A Rockwell Collins spokeswoman said the firm had no comment on the report. United Technologies did not respond to requests for comment.

United Technologies already owns Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines but sold the Sikorsky helicopters to Lockheed-Martin in 2015.

Rockwell Collins, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, manufactures electronic equipment for cockpits and cabins. Last year it acquired American group B/E Aerospace for $6.4 billion.

United Technologies has an annual turnover of around $58 billion and employs more than 200,000 people. Rockwell Collins has a turnover of $6 billion and employs 19,000 people.
Switzerland's Roger Federer hits a return to Frances Tiafoe of the US during their 2017 US Open first round match, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, on August 29, 2017

Roger Federer survived a five-set battle to defeat American teenager Frances Tiafoe and reach the US Open second round on Tuesday, keeping his bid for a record sixth New York title alive.

The 36-year-old Swiss, chasing his third major of the year and 20th of his career, prevailed 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 to avoid losing in the first round of a Slam for the first time since the 2003 French Open.

The fast and furious duel under the roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium was one of only nine matches to be completed as torrential rain swept 55 matches off Tuesday's schedule.

At times, Federer also looked as if he was about to disappear with the deluge, struggling with a back injury as well as the all-out assault of Tiafoe, the big-hearted 19-year-old son of immigrants from Sierra Leone.

Spain's Rafael Nadal serves to Serbia's Dusan Lajovic during their 2017 US Open first round match, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, on August 29, 2017

But the veteran survived to register his 79th win in New York and set-up a second round match-up with either Russia's Mikhail Youzhny or Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia.

"It was more than a test. We enjoyed it out there, we kept fighting, trying and it was exciting," said Federer, who finished with 17 aces, 41 winners and 56 unforced errors.

"I had a slow start. I was worried about the back injury. In the fifth set, it was a coin toss and it went my way tonight so I am very happy."

"I am feeling extremely well. This will give me great confidence," added Federer, who missed the 2016 tournament with injury and was playing under the $150 million Ashe roof for the first time.

The back problem, which Federer suffered in losing the Montreal final to Alexander Zverev and ruled him out of the Cincinnati tournament, restricted his movement in the opening set.

Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates defeating Angelique Kerber of Germany in their 2017 US Open first round match, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, on August 29, 2017

World number 70 Tiafoe claimed it on the back of an uncharacteristic 18 unforced errors by the Australian Open and Wimbledon champion.

Federer swept through the next two sets before Tiafoe leveled by storming through a 24-minute fourth set.

In the decider, Federer broke for 3-1 but wasted a match point as he served at 5-3 and was broken by the American.

But Tiafoe's nerve failed him in the 10th game and the match was over when he dumped an off-balance forehand into the net.

The win took Federer's first-round record in New York to 17-0 while world number one Rafael Nadal, a two-time champion in New York, went to 13-0 after the French Open winner claimed a 7-6 (8/6), 6-2, 6-2 win over Serbia's Dusan Lajovic.

- Nadal, Osaka through -

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia hits a return during her 2017 US Open first round match against Lara Arruabarrena of Spain, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, on August 29, 2017

The 31-year-old Spaniard was critical of the noise inside the Ashe stadium, which was amplified to distracting levels by the roof, which was closed for virtually the whole day.

"I understand it's a show, but under the roof we need to be a little bit more strict about the noise. All the noise stays inside, and this is difficult," said Nadal.

With play on the outside courts trimmed to a mere 90 minutes, it means 87 singles matches will be staged on Wednesday.

Japan's Naomi Osaka was one of just seven women to get through to the second round, aided by playing under the roof.

The world number 46, born in Japan to a Haitian father and Japanese mother, clinched a 6-3, 6-1 win over sixth seed Angelique Kerber, who became the first women's defending champion to lose in the first round since Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2005.

Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova celebrates after defeating Poland's Magda Linette during their 2017 US Open Women's Singles match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on August 29, 2107

Osaka, who surrendered a 5-1 final-set lead on the same court in losing to Madison Keys in the third round 12 months ago, fired 22 winners as Kerber went tumbling out of the world's top 10 as well as the tournament.

"At 4-1, I was hoping I don't do what I did last year," said the 19-year-old Osaka, who admitted suffering a brief flashback to her tearful loss to Keys.

Kerber is the third top seed to go out in the first round after number two Simona Halep and seventh-seeded Johanna Konta lost on Monday.

- Pliskova, Ostapenko advance -

World number one Karolina Pliskova, the runner-up in 2016, eased past Poland's Magda Linette 6-2, 6-1 on the back of eight aces and 29 winners.

French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko downed Spain's Lara Arruaberrena 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 in a match relocated from Court 17 to Ashe.
Residents in the Clodine area of Houston are helped to safety by volunteers after Harvey flooded their neighborhood

With remnants of Hurricane Harvey still pounding Texas, US lawmakers have begun contemplating the massive rebuilding costs, leaving some Republicans in a tricky spot after they opposed federal aid when a storm devastated eastern states in 2012.

Record rainfall has left vast swaths of coastal Texas and the country's fourth-largest city of Houston underwater.

Flooding has damaged or destroyed thousands of homes, crippled infrastructure, washed away businesses and left the economic future of the region under a cloud.

Just how heavy a financial toll the storm will take on the southern US economy was unclear Tuesday, as the focus remained on rescue operations, many of them being carried out in the hard-hit Houston area.

But the storm, which on Tuesday was tilting toward neighboring Louisiana, has the potential to be one of the costliest natural disasters in US history, and lawmakers have already broached the subject of recovery funding.

"I believe we need to put an aid package together for $150 billion" for emergency relief and recovery from Harvey, House Democrat Sheila Jackson-Lee, whose Houston district remained largely underwater, told CNN.

That staggering amount is 2.5 times the funding approved by Congress and allocated by the federal government following superstorm Sandy, which caused widespread devastation in eastern states including New York, New Jersey and Maryland when it struck in October 2012.

Despite the clear need for federal government intervention after that storm, 179 Republican lawmakers -- including 23 of Texas's 24 House members -- opposed the Sandy Relief Act.

The snub appalled New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who at the time savaged his fellow Republicans as "absolutely disgraceful."

Their votes are suddenly back in the spotlight, as lawmakers still on their summer recess sniped across social media.

Republican Congressman Peter King of New York called out Senator Ted Cruz of Texas by name Monday in a stinging rebuke, saying he would vote for post-Harvey aid despite fellow Republicans opposing Sandy relief.

"NY wont abandon Texas," King tweeted. "1 bad turn doesnt deserve another."

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, pictured in this file photo from August 3, had opposed a funding bill for recovery from superstorm Sandy that devastated eastern states in 2012

A New Jersey Democrat offered similar thoughts.

"Despite my TX colleagues refusal to support aid in #SouthJersey time of need, I will support emergency disaster $$ for those impacted," Congressman Frank LoBiondo said Monday on Twitter.

- Trump demands 'rapid action' -

Cruz, a Tea Party hero and defender of fiscal austerity, insisted he opposed the Sandy bill because it contained excessive "pork" -- targeted government spending that benefits a lawmaker's constituents -- unrelated to storm recovery.

"Of course, the federal government has a critical role in disaster relief," Cruz said on CNN.

"But you should not have members of Congress that are exploiting disasters to fund their pet projects, and so there will be time for all of those debates in Washington."

One estimate, by Enki Research, already puts the Harvey damage at $42 billion. But with the storm forecast to churn along the Gulf coast for at least two more days, that estimate could surge.

President Donald Trump, who was visiting storm-ravaged Texas Tuesday, sought to squash whatever bickering might emerge over rebuilding costs, as he predicted a "bipartisan" effort despite intense feuding among Republicans and Democrats in recent months.

"You're going to see very rapid action from Congress -- certainly from the president," Trump said Monday.

"We're going to get your funding," he added, addressing Texans.

But the Harvey recovery effort will be added to the already long list of priorities Congress must address when it returns to Washington next week.

That includes funding the government in fiscal year 2018, which begins October 1.

Trump has signaled he is prepared for a fight over the funding should it not include seed money for the wall that he wants built on the US border with Mexico.

People walk along a flooded road's median amid the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on Tuesday in Houston

That fight could force the government into a potentially crippling shutdown, further complicating recovery and emergency efforts in states affected by Harvey.
Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, pictured in June 2017, criticised a controversial settlement law that would legalise dozens of Jewish settlements built on private Palestinian land

Israel's Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman denounced unauthorised Jewish outposts in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, a day after the prime minister vowed not to uproot settlements in the territory.

International law sees all Israel's West Bank settlements as illegal, but Israel distinguishes between those it sanctions and those it does not.

Such outposts "have caused considerable damage to settlement", army radio quoted Lieberman as telling journalists.

His comments came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that settlements would not be removed, drawing no distinction between outposts and settlements authorised by the authorities.

"It is our land. We have come back here to stay here for good," he said.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres, visiting the West Bank Tuesday, called Israeli settlements a "major obstacle" to peace with Palestinians, noting that they are "illegal under international law".

Lieberman also criticised a controversial settlement law that would legalise dozens of Jewish settlements built on private Palestinian land.

The Supreme Court froze the law's implementation on August 18.

Lieberman said the law would retroactively legalise 2,000 homes and buildings built on Palestinian land.

But, he said, it would also legalise "10,000 homes" built by Palestinians without permission from the Israeli authorities.

Lieberman also lashed out at Israeli extremists who carry out attacks on Palestinians, describing them as "anarchists" and "idiots" who are damaging the settlement enterprise.

Israel has seen a wave of "price tag" attacks -- a euphemism for Jewish nationalist-motivated hate crimes targeting Palestinians, Arab Israelis, their property and Muslim and Christian holy sites.
Kenya's Supreme Court is weighing an opposition challenge to the outcome of the August 8 presidential poll

Kenya's Supreme Court judges completed on Tuesday their hearing of an opposition challenge to the August 8 poll and said a ruling will be delivered on Friday.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga argued the presidential poll was rigged and took his case to the court, challenging the election commission's declaration of President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election with 54 percent of the vote.

After hearing closing arguments from lawyers representing the National Super Alliance (NASA) opposition coalition, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and Kenyatta, Chief Justice David Maraga said, "That brings us to the end of the hearing. We will deliver judgement on Friday."

Odinga alleges that hacking and fraud delivered victory to Kenyatta and believes it is the third time in a row that he has been cheated of a rightful win.

The disputed election in 2007 led to politically-motivated ethnic violence in which over 1,100 people died. In 2013 Odinga took his dispute to the courts, and lost.

On Tuesday the court was handed reports from its own registrar and a panel of court appointed experts assessing allegations of errors and malpractice that the opposition say mean the election result should be annulled and the poll re-run.

In his final submission James Orengo, a NASA official and lawyer, said the reports told "a very, very sad story" of irregularities, pointing to a number of unsigned tally forms and others lacking security features, that he said could affect as many as five million votes.

Orengo described the pair of reports as "two smoking guns" and called on the Supreme Court to declare Kenyatta's election invalid.

However, lawyers for the IEBC and Kenyatta told the court the reports in fact validated their argument that the vote was free and fair.

"All they have been talking about is this technicality or that technicality," said IEBC lawyer Paul Muite of the NASA case. "The results announced captured and represented the will of the Kenyan people."

Fred Ngatia, acting for Kenyatta, said that discrepancies were nothing more than "a clerical error".

"This was a fair election in which the integrity of the vote was protected as far as is humanly possible," he said.

The seven Supreme Court judges will now consider the evidence and deliberate before giving their ruling on Friday after which Kenyatta will either be sworn in or the election re-run.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir issued a presidential decree pardoning Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and five other activists

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Tuesday pardoned a leading human rights activist who was facing trial on charges of spying for foreign embassies, state media reported.

Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, an engineering professor at the University of Khartoum, was arrested by security forces in December as part of a crackdown against opposition leaders and activists.

Under Sudanese law, the charges against him were punishable by death.

Prosecutors had accused Ibrahim Adam of being among activists who were running a criminal organisation and engaged in spying and intelligence activities for foreign embassies.

Ibrahim Adam and others were also accused of "publishing lies about (government forces) using chemical weapons" during fighting with rebels in the country's conflict zones.

But on Tuesday, Bashir issued a presidential decree pardoning Ibrahim Adam and five other activists.

"I am issuing a decision to pardon... Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam," Bashir said in a decree signed on Tuesday and quoted by the official SUNA news agency.

Ibrahim Adam was released from detention later on Tuesday.

"He has just arrived home and is in good health," his wife Sabah Adam told AFP.

Bashir also pardoned five other activists, SUNA said.

Several opposition leaders and activists were detained in December in a bid to crush widespread protests against a government decision to raise fuel prices.

Ibrahim Adam, who has worked extensively on human rights issues in Sudan, has been arrested several times for his work. The government shut down a development organisation he headed in 2009.

Global rights groups condemned Sudanese authorities over his arrest.

Ibrahim Adam's "arbitrary arrest underscores the government's desperate attempts to extinguish the last embers of dissent in the country", Amnesty International said soon after he was detained.
Honduran alleged drug trafficker Arnulfo Fagot Maximo, aka "El Tio," wanted in the United States, is escorted by members of the elite police unit Tigres, in Tegucigalpa on August 29, 2017

US and Honduran anti-narcotics agents chased and caught a suspected drug trafficker in the wilderness of Honduras' Mosquito Coast, officials said Tuesday.

Arnulfo Fagoth Maximo, nicknamed "El Tio", or the Uncle, was arrested near the Nicaraguan border by a team including US Drug Enforcement Administration officers, the Honduran police said in a statement. It did not say when exactly his capture occurred.

The 38-year-old Honduran was wanted under a warrant issued in September in response to a US extradition request for allegedly conspiring to have cocaine smuggled into the United States.

His capture followed the arrest on August 21 of Sergio Neptali Mejia, a 40-year-old also wanted on drug trafficking charges and facing an extradition order.

More than a dozen Hondurans have been extradited to the United States since 2010 as part of a cooperation deal to fight drug-trafficking.
A member of the Syrian government stands guard as buses carrying members of the Islamic State group and their families drive in the Qara area in Syria's Qalamoun region on August 28, 2017

Iraqis on Tuesday denounced a deal allowing Islamic State group fighters to evacuate a Syrian-Lebanese frontier region towards the Iraqi border.

Hundreds of jihadists started leaving the area on Monday, heading by bus for Syria's eastern province of Deir Ezzor, which borders Iraq and is the only Syrian province still under IS control.

Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Tuesday the deal was "unacceptable" and an "insult to the Iraqi people".

He said Iraq was fighting the jihadists, not sending them to Syria.

Iraqi forces, who reseized second city Mosul from IS in July after a nine-month battle, are fighting the last pocket of jihadists in the northern province of Nineveh.

Abadi has said Iraqi forces expect to announce victory in the city of Tal Afar within days.

That would see it dislodged from all but a few scattered Iraqi towns -- including several close to the border with Syria's Deir Ezzor.

Iraqi social media users expressed outrage at the evacuation deal, which came a week into a Lebanese army offensive against IS and a joint Syrian army and Hezbollah operation against the group on Syrian territory.

In a video posted on Facebook, activist Stephen Nabil called it an "injustice".

He said it would allow hundreds of jihadists to deploy along an "insecure" border, close to three Iraqi desert towns still under IS control.

"These are not normal people, and we know what a single car (bomb) or one suicide bomber can do in Baghdad," he wrote.

On Monday, an IS-claimed bombing in the Iraqi capital killed 11 people.

Iraqi analyst Hisham al-Hashimi called the evacuation deal "unjust".

"The selfish ally is throwing Daesh from Lebanon into Iraq," he said, using an Arabic acronym for the group.

"They know that Iraqis destroyed their second biggest city (Mosul) so that Daesh fighters would not escape and Iraq's neighbours would not be harmed," he wrote in a Facebook post.

Journalist Salma al-Khafaji said the evacuation could allow a "restructuring and reorganisation of Daesh, throwing them into a new battle against Iraq".
Workers preparing to bury the Freetown mudslide victims on August 17

Authorities in Guinea said Tuesday that they had found at least 19 bodies believed to have washed up from neighbouring Sierra Leone following catastrophic flooding and mudslides there.

Some 500 people died and more than 800 were reported missing after the disaster that struck Sierra Leone's capital Freetown on August 13-14, when heavy rains swept away everything in their path.

Two weeks later, officials in Guinea said bodies had washed up as far away as the capital Conakry, some 250 kilometres (155 miles) from Freetown, as well as further down the coast at the ports of Koba and Kakossa and off the island of Kabak.

"Since the catastrophe in Freetown we have recovered a total of 19 bodies off our coasts, only one of which bore ID," maritime chief Seinkou Keita told reporters in Conakry.

Authorities believe they must have been carried by the currents from Sierra Leone due to the grim state of the bodies. One was missing its limbs, as were the bodies of many of victims swept away by the torrent in Freetown.

Sierra Leone, one of the poorest countries in the world, is struggling to recover from the disaster that hit its capital just three years after its last catastrophe, Ebola.

Authorities say heavy rains on August 13 saturated the hilly ground in some neighbourhoods of the densely-populated city of 1.2 million, causing landslides that carried away hundreds of ramshackle homes.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a joint press conference with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Ottawa, Ontario on August 29, 2017

Visiting King Abdullah II of Jordan said Tuesday he hopes that a recent ceasefire in southern Syria will spread to other parts of the country to lead to a negotiated peace.

The kingdom shares a border of more than 370 kilometers (230 miles) with Syria, where over 330,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since its conflict broke out in 2011.

A ceasefire brokered by Jordan, Russia and the United States in the southern Syrian provinces of Daraa, Quneitra and Suweida has largely held since it entered into force July 9.

"In Syria, we hope that the ceasefire in the southwest will be replicated elsewhere in the country, easing the way for a political solution that guarantees the country's territorial integrity and ends the bloodshed," King Abdullah II told a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

At the end of the monarch's two-day state visit to Canada, Trudeau announced Can$45.3 million ($36.2 million US) to help support Syrian refugees in Jordan, as well as economic development and the empowerment of women in the kingdom.

The United Nations says Jordan is hosting more than 650,000 Syrian refugees, while the kingdom puts their actual number at 1.4 million.

Since the end of 2015, Canada has taken in about 40,000 Syrian refugees.

"Canada has warmly welcomed Syrian refugees and we hope that it continues its humanitarian policy to give new homes to Syrians," King Abdullah II said.

The two leaders also called on entrepreneurs and companies in both Canada and Jordan to take advantage of a 2012 free trade agreement to boost bilateral trade.

Current bilateral trade is modest (less than Can$200 million) despite more than doubling over the past decade.
FARGO, N.D. (AP) - The Latest on a missing pregnant Fargo woman whose body was found in a river three days after authorities found a newborn they believe to be hers (all times local)

2:45 p.m.

Prosecutors in North Dakota say a woman charged in the disappearance of a pregnant woman admitted taking advantage of the woman in an attempt to get her baby.

A makeshift memorial to Savanna Greywind featuring a painting, flowers, candle and a stuffed animal is seen on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Fargo, N.D., outside the apartment where Greywind lived with her parents. Police say the body of Greywind was discovered Sunday night in the Red River north of Moorhead, Minn. Greywind was eight months pregnant when she went missing. (AP Photo/Dave Kolpack)

But charges filed Monday against Brooke Lynn Crews and her boyfriend, William Hoehn, don't shed any light on how 22-year-old Savanna Greywind died. Her body was found Sunday night in the Red River near Fargo.

A criminal complaint says Brooke Lynn Crews told police she arranged to have 22-year-old Savanna Greywind come to her apartment on Aug. 19 and told her how to induce labor.

Crews told police that Greywind came back two days later to give her the newborn baby.

But Crews' boyfriend, William Hoehn (HANE), told police that he came home Aug. 19 to find Crews cleaning up blood in their bathroom. Hoehn says Crews presented him with an infant baby girl and said: "This is our baby."

Crews and Hoehn are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and other counts. They didn't enter pleas during a court hearing Monday.

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11:20 a.m.

Two suspects in the death of a pregnant woman in North Dakota will face three charges including conspiracy to commit murder.

That charge carries a potential punishment of life in prison without parole.

Cass County State's Attorney Birch Burdick says 38-year-old Brooke Crews and 32-year-old William Hoehn are scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon to be formally charged with conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and giving false information. They will have bond set but won't enter pleas. There are no other suspects.

The two were neighbors of 22-year-old Savanna Greywind, who went missing Aug. 19. Authorities recovered her body from the Red River in Fargo Sunday night, three days after finding a newborn they believe to be hers. The baby was with Crews when she was arrested.

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5 a.m.

Authorities in Fargo, North Dakota, say they've found the body of a missing woman, who was eight months pregnant when she disappeared.

Fargo Police Chief David Todd told a news conference the body of 22-year-old Savanna Greywind was found in a river Sunday evening.

Todd says the body, which was wrapped in plastic, was first spotted by kayakers who notified authorities. At the same time, Todd says a farmstead was being searched. Todd says suspicious items were found at the farmstead that led authorities to believe it may be a crime scene.

Greywind was last seen at her apartment Aug. 19. The quest to find her intensified when police found a newborn baby Thursday and arrested two suspects for kidnapping. The suspects indicated to police that the infant was Greywind's, but would not answer questions about her whereabouts.
NEW YORK (AP) - British actor Ed Skrein has withdrawn from the upcoming "Hellboy" reboot a week after his casting sparked outcries of whitewashing.

In a lengthy post on his social media channels Monday, Skrein said he accepted the role of Ben Daimio unaware of its Asian heritage. The character Skrein was to play, Ben Daimio, is Japanese-American in the "Hellboy" comics the films are based on. Critics said Skrein's casting was just the latest instance of an Asian or Asian-American role being handed to a white actor.

"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," wrote Skrein. "I feel it is important to honor and respect that. Therefore I have decided to step down so the role can be cast appropriately."

FILE - In this April 9, 2016 file photo, Ed Skrein arrives at the MTV Movie Awards in Burbank, Calif. A week after his casting in the upcoming "Hellboy" reboot sparked outcries of whitewashing, Skrein has withdrawn from the film. He was cast as Ben Daimio in the "Hellboy" reboot "Rise of the Blood Queen." Many objected to the role not going to an Asian-American actor. The character is Japanese-American in Mike Mignola's "Hellboy" comics. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

The backlash followed previous controversies including the castings of Emma Stone as a half-Hawaiian, half-Chinese Air Force pilot in Cameron Crowe's "Aloha" and Scarlett Johansson as the cyborg protagonist in the Japanese anime remake "Ghost in the Shell." Last week's Netflix release, the Japanese manga adaptation "Death Note" also drew criticism for transferring a Japanese story to Seattle without any Asian actors.

Producers of "Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen" said they fully supported Skrein's "unselfish decision."

"It was not our intent to be insensitive to issues of authenticity and ethnicity, and we will look to recast the part with an actor more consistent with the character in the source material," said Larry Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Lionsgate and Millennium Films in a joint statement.
WHITE CLOUD, Mich. (AP) - A Michigan woman has been sentenced to life in prison for the shooting death of her husband in a crime apparently witnessed by the man's pet parrot.

Forty-nine-year-old Glenna Duram of Sand Lake learned her sentence Monday after a jury found her guilty of first-degree murder and a felony firearm charge last month.

Forty-six-year-old Martin Duram was shot five times in May 2015. Glenna Duram suffered a head wound in what prosecutors said was a suicide attempt, but survived.

Martin Duram's ex-wife, Christina Keller, has said that after the slaying, the pet parrot, Bud, repeated "don't (expletive) shoot" in Martin Duram's voice. Keller took ownership of the bird after Martin Duram's death.

Glenna Duram's attorney plans to appeal.
YORK, Pa. (AP) - A Pennsylvania state senator seeking next year's Republican nomination for governor says he doesn't plan to apologize for calling billionaire Democratic donor George Soros "a Hungarian Jew" with "a hatred for America."

Sen. Scott Wagner told the York Daily Record on Monday that "everybody's getting their knickers around their ankles over this and there's no reason for that."

Wagner's comments were recorded by an opposition tracker at a tomato festival in Pittston last week.

He says if Soros was Catholic, he'd have called him a Hungarian Catholic, and meant no offense by it. He says his comments weren't meant to be disrespectful or racist.

On Monday, the state Democratic Party described Wagner's comments as anti-Semitic.

Wagner says he has a long record of donating to the York Jewish Community Center.
Crippled Houston watches dams, levees; forecast offers hope

HOUSTON (AP) - With its flood defenses strained, the crippled city of Houston anxiously watched dams and levees Tuesday to see if they would hold until the rain stops, and meteorologists offered the first reason for hope - a forecast with less than an inch of rain and even a chance for sunshine.

The human toll continued to mount, both in deaths and in the ever-swelling number of scared people made homeless by the catastrophic storm that is now the heaviest tropical downpour in U.S. history.

The city's largest shelter was overflowing when the mayor announced plans to create space for thousands of extra people by opening two and possibly three more mega-shelters.

"We are not turning anyone away. But it does mean we need to expand our capabilities and our capacity," Mayor Sylvester Turner said. "Relief is coming."

Louisiana's governor offered to take in Harvey victims from Texas, and televangelist Joel Osteen opened his Houston megachurch, a 16,000-seat former arena, after critics blasted him on social media for not acting to help families displaced by the storm.

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Waiting the worst with Harvey, the storm that won't go away

HOUSTON (AP) - Michael Bedner saw disasters come and go during his 33 years with the Houston Police Department. Harvey, however, just won't go away.

Bedner rides out every storm in his creekside community between Houston and Galveston Bay, and never gets more than a few feet of water on the edge of his property before the sun comes out again. With the water creeping up to his door Friday, he knew this time was different. A neighbor whisked him and his fiance to dry land on a jet ski.

Bedner is grateful to be safe, but "we have been trying to get back to the house every day, and we can't," he said Tuesday. "Not even the house, just our street. We just want to feel like we're home. But we can't.

"We're staying at the hotel, and everyone is just walking around like zombies. It's a helpless feeling."

The hunkering down part of a hurricane usually doesn't last this long. The wind calms, the clouds clear, the recovery begins.

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NKorea leader urges more missile launches targeting Pacific

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for more weapons tests targeting the Pacific Ocean, Pyongyang announced Wednesday, a day after his nation for the first time flew a ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload over Japan.

Tuesday's aggressive missile launch - likely the longest ever from North Korea - over the territory of a close U.S. ally sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.

Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said it was a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile that the North first successfully tested in May and threatened to fire into waters near Guam earlier this month.

Kim expressed "great satisfaction" over the launch that he called a "meaningful prelude" to containing Guam, which is home to key U.S. military bases that North Korea finds threatening, the agency said. He also said the country will continue to watch "U.S. demeanors" before it decides on future actions.

Kim also said it's "necessary to positively push forward the work for putting the strategic force on a modern basis by conducting more ballistic rocket launching drills with the Pacific as a target in the future."

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Trump offers flag-waving optimism in visit to Harvey's path

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) - With flag-waving optimism, President Donald Trump answered Harvey's wrath Tuesday by offering in-person assurances to those in the storm zone that his administration will work tirelessly to help the region recover from the massive flooding and storm-inflicted destruction.

"We are going to get you back and operating immediately," Trump told an impromptu crowd that gathered outside a Corpus Christi fire station about 30 miles from where the storm made landfall Friday.

For all of his eagerness to get the federal disaster response right, though, Trump missed clear opportunities to strike a sympathetic note for multitudes who are suffering. The president did not mention those who died in the storm or those forced from their homes by its floodwaters. And he basked in the attention of cheering supporters outside the fire station where officials briefed him on the recovery.

"What a crowd, what a turnout," Trump declared before waving a Texas flag from atop a step ladder positioned between two fire trucks. "This is historic. It's epic what happened, but you know what, it happened in Texas, and Texas can handle anything."

Trump is clearly determined to seize the moment and show a forceful response to Harvey, mindful of the political opportunities and risks that natural disasters pose for any president. Trump has been suffering from low approval ratings and self-created crises, and the White House is eager to show him as a forceful leader in a time of trouble.

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Police ID teen suspect in fatal New Mexico library shooting

CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) - Authorities on Tuesday identified the gunman accused of opening fire inside a New Mexico public library as a 16-year-old high school student who they say killed a youth librarian and a second employee while wounding four people, including a 10-year-old boy. Witnesses said the teen seemed to fire randomly during the rampage.

Nathaniel Jouett will face two counts of first-degree murder, four counts of assault with intent to commit a violent felony, four counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of child abuse, said Clovis Police Chief Douglas Ward. Investigators had not uncovered evidence that Jouett knew the victims, he said.

The Associated Press generally does not identify juveniles accused of crimes but is identifying Jouett because of the seriousness of the crime and because authorities said they plan to file a motion requesting the case's transfer from the juvenile system to adult court.

Ford said it was not immediately clear how Jouett obtained the weapons. The chief also said it is still unclear what prompted the violence Monday afternoon at the Clovis-Carver Public Library, saying investigators are still gathering evidence and conducting interviews to piece together what happened.

"Right now there are of course a lot of questions that we want answers to," Gov. Susana Martinez told reporters at a news conference with Clovis officials.

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Chicago changes course, wants police reforms with court role

CHICAGO (AP) - The city of Chicago changed course Tuesday and said it now wants to carry out far-reaching reforms of its police under strict federal court supervision, abandoning a draft deal on reforms with the Trump administration that envisioned no court role.

The new approach led to the unusual sight of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan at a joint news conference to announce that Madigan - with the mayor's full support - had just sued the city seeking court oversight of the beleaguered police force.

The 35-page lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago requests extensive judicial oversight, including an independent court-appointed monitor who would report regularly to a judge about whether the city was meeting reform benchmarks.

The legal action kills the draft plan negotiated over months between Chicago and the U.S. Justice Department. That agreement drew sharp criticism from community activists, who said transforming city's 12,000-officer force couldn't possibly succeed without court scrutiny.

Activists also blasted Emanuel for cutting a deal with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has expressed reservations about taking police-reform plans to judges to make them legally binding in the form of a consent decree. He has said they can unfairly malign good officers.

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Experts say decision on Houston evacuations was complicated

Houston's mayor kept facing questions Tuesday about his decision not to order an evacuation of the notoriously flood-prone city ahead of Harvey's arrival, even as overflowing reservoirs led several suburbs to move people out.

Instead, Mayor Sylvester Turner remained resolute in his advice to residents since the storm made landfall on Friday: hunker down at home.

Massive flooding from Harvey forced thousands of rescues that overwhelmed emergency responders. The George R. Brown Convention Center nearly doubled its expected capacity of 5,000, with people seeking refuge from the waist-deep waters that had neighborhoods resembling lakes.

"I want to say this again, because I guess it's been missed, but you cannot evacuate 6.5 million people within two days," Turner said Tuesday, referring to both the city and its surrounding areas. "That would be chaotic. We would be putting people in more harm's way."

The situation is reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco both drew criticism for not ordering an evacuation sooner. Nagin did so one day before landfall, and levee failures led to disastrous flooding that plunged the city into chaos for days.

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Afghan officials said to talk nearly every day with Taliban

ISLAMABAD (AP) - Despite seemingly stalled peace talks between Afghanistan's government and the Taliban, officials say the intelligence chief speaks by telephone with militant leaders nearly every day about the country's constitution and political future.

In addition, Afghanistan's national security adviser has conversations with the Taliban every other month, officials familiar with the efforts said.

The Associated Press has seen documents describing the conversations between the Afghan officials and the Taliban leadership in both Pakistan and the Gulf state of Qatar, where they maintain an office.

While Afghan officials said neither side was ready to agree to public peace talks, the documents revealed details of the issues discussed, including the Taliban's apparent willingness to accept Afghanistan's constitution and future elections.

A senior Afghan security official, who had taken notes on the details of talks, rifled through a black leather-bound book until he came to a list he called "Taliban talking points."

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Houston drainage grid 'so obsolete it's just unbelievable'

HOUSTON (AP) - Houston's system of bayous and reservoirs was built to drain a tabletop-flat city prone to heavy rains. But its Depression-era design is no match for the stresses brought by explosive development and ever-wetter storms.

Nearly any city would be overwhelmed by the more than 4 feet of rain that Hurricane Harvey has dumped since Friday, but Houston is unique in its regular massive floods and inability to cope with them. This is the third 100-year-or-more type of flood in three years.

Experts blame too many people, too much concrete, insufficient upstream storage, not enough green space for water drainage and, especially, too little regulation.

"Houston is the most flood-prone city in the United States," said Rice University environmental engineering professor Phil Bedient. "No one is even a close second - not even New Orleans, because at least they have pumps there."

The entire system is designed to clear out only 12 to 13 inches of rain per 24-hour period, said Jim Blackburn, an environmental law professor at Rice University: "That's so obsolete it's just unbelievable."

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Joel Osteen's Houston megachurch opens doors as shelter

HOUSTON (AP) - Joel Osteen opened his Houston megachurch to those seeking shelter from floodwaters Tuesday after social media critics slammed the televangelist for not offering to house people in need while Harvey swamps the city.

Among those who came to Lakewood Church - a 16,000-seat former arena that was the longtime home of the NBA's Houston Rockets - was Jack Bullman. The 56-year-old Long Pine resident sat with a baby blue towel hanging around his neck, trying to dry off and get warm.

"Usually a hurricane comes by and you get hit with the surge and the rain, but here it's lingered so long there's no doubt that it will be catastrophic," Bullman said, adding that he had just rebuilt last year after another flood. "All that hard work, right down the tubes."

Bullman was evacuated from West Houston Medical Center, where his mother was in intensive care after having a stroke. With floodwaters coming, the hospital spent two hours finding a place for him to stay, then gave him a ride to the church.

The church had announced on Twitter late Tuesday morning that it was receiving people who need shelter. Osteen announced the move himself shortly after, adding in a tweet that he and wife Victoria Osteen "care deeply about our fellow Houstonians."
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia is allowing Freeport-McMoRan to continue operating a giant gold and copper mine after the U.S. company agreed Tuesday to relinquish majority ownership of it.

Indonesian Energy and Minerals Minister Ignasius Jonan told a news conference that Phoenix, Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. could operate the mine in easternmost Papua until 2041 under a new arrangement with the government.

Details are still to be worked out, but it paves the way to end a lengthy dispute between Freeport and Indonesia that reduced the Grasberg mine's production in recent months.

Richard Adkerson, left, CEO of Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., speaks with Indonesian Energy and Minerals Minister Ignasius Jonan, second right, and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, right, after a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Indonesia is allowing Freeport-McMoRan to continue operating a giant gold and copper mine after the U.S. company agreed Tuesday to relinquish majority ownership of it to the government. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Freeport-McMoRan CEO Richard Adkerson told the news conference in Jakarta that Freeport had made a "major concession" to the Indonesian government.

The two sides have been on a collision course since a presidential regulation in 2012 imposed a limit of 49 percent on foreign ownership of companies issued new mining licenses. Foreign investors with ownership greater than 49 percent were required to sell shares to state-owned enterprises or privately owned Indonesian companies.

"Negotiation efforts have been made to the maximum," Jonan said.

Freeport-McMoRan currently owns about 90 percent of the Grasberg mine and the rest is owned by the Indonesian government.

The mine in Papua, where a separatist movement simmers, has been the target of protests by Papuans who resent the region's mineral wealth being exploited by the U.S. and Indonesia.

Apart from reduced ownership, Jonan said Freeport agreed to convert its original agreement signed with the government of former dictator Suharto in 1991 to a new mining license. The original agreement expires in 2021.

Freeport will also increase its investment in smelting in Indonesia, fulfilling a key demand of the government, which wants the country to get greater value from its mineral resources.

Adkerson said the original 1991 contract with the Indonesian government remains in force until all details are settled.

From left to right, Richard Adkerson, CEO of Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.; Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati; and Energy and Minerals Minister Ignasius Jonan speak prior to the start of a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Indonesia is allowing Freeport-McMoRan to continue operating a giant gold and copper mine after the U.S. company agreed Tuesday to relinquish majority ownership of it to the government. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Richard Adkerson, left, CEO of Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., talks to the media as Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, center, and Energy and Minerals Minister Ignasius Jonan, right, listen during a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Indonesia is allowing Freeport-McMoRan to continue operating a giant gold and copper mine after the U.S. company agreed Tuesday to relinquish majority ownership of it to the government. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Some seek their distance, delicately taking issue with President Donald Trump's most controversial remarks. Others decide it's safer to stand by him. Most would rather say nothing at all.

Under intense pressure, members of Trump's Cabinet are struggling to walk the line between rebuking their notoriously thin-skinned boss and defending comments that struck even many loyal Republicans as offensive. Though the friction has been building for months, Trump's polarizing response to white nationalism in Charlottesville was a catalyst, with fallout that has continued to dog his administration more than two weeks later.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was the latest administration member forced to take a position on Trump's handling of Charlottesville, in which he described people at a neo-Nazi rally as "very fine people." The unenviable list also includes Trump's treasury secretary, chief of the National Economic Council and defense secretary.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson leaves the set following a television interview with Chris Wallace, the anchor of FOX News Sunday, in Washington, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

"They're getting pressure from friends, colleagues, Capitol Hill, journalists," said Matt Mackowiak, a Republican political strategist. "I think we're at a point where Republicans are feeling more freedom and perhaps responsibility to speak out when Trump crosses the line. But there's no handbook for this."

Tillerson, questioned in a TV interview, tried to avoid a direct response. He pivoted and emphasized the values of equality that he said he's been pushing at the State Department.

But asked directly whether Trump represented those values, Tillerson demurred.

"The president speaks for himself, Chris," he told "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace. "I've spoken. I've made my own comments as to our values, as well, in a speech I gave."

Tillerson's non-answer spread virally on social media, coming just as a growing number of Republicans have deemed the Charlottesville controversy the last straw. By the next morning, there were dramatic reports suggesting Tillerson's job was on the line - some speculating he was on thin ice with Trump, others suggesting Tillerson was ready to quit.

But Tillerson had actually been trying to do the opposite: avoid causing a stir one way or another, according to individuals familiar with his preparations for the interview. After all, the adage that the president's comments or tweets "speak for themselves" has been regularly deployed across Trump's administration, including from the White House press secretary, as a standard dodge when faced with comments that can't be easily defended.

"The secretary hasn't been looking to re-litigate anything that's been going on," said R.C. Hammond, a senior Tillerson adviser.

And despite murmurings from Trump associates that the president was irked by the exchange, the White House defended Tillerson late Monday, calling him "a trusted and highly valued member" of Trump's team.

"Rumors to the contrary are absolutely false," said Michael Anton, the White House National Security Council spokesman. "We look forward to the secretary continuing to make vital contributions to the Trump administration and to American foreign policy long into the future."

Within Trump's team, other top officials have navigated the delicate situation differently, and with varying outcomes.

Gary Cohn, Trump's top economic adviser and leader of his tax reform effort, sharply criticized the administration's response to the racial violence in Charlottesville, saying in a Financial Times interview that they "can and must do better."

Yet the former Goldman Sachs executive had voiced his discomfort to Trump beforehand and made clear he felt compelled to say so publicly, sparing the White House any surprise. Still, the public rebuke from a top aide frustrated Trump, said a person close to the White House, who, along others interviewed on the subject, demanded anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss private conversations. Cohn, who is Jewish, also considered stepping down.

And Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was captured on video, apparently in Jordan, telling U.S. troops they were a "great example" for a country he said has "got some problems."

"You know it and I know it. It's got problems that we don't have in the military," Mattis said in apparently unscripted remarks. Though it was unclear whether Mattis was directly referencing Charlottesville, the posting of the video on social media in the aftermath of Trump's comments ensured it was widely viewed through that prism.

In contrast, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin chose an approach that emphasized fealty to Trump.

Implored to speak out by his former Yale classmates, Mnuchin issued an extraordinary statement saying Trump "in no way, shape or form believes that neo-Nazi and other hate groups who endorse violence are equivalent to groups that demonstrate in peaceful and lawful ways." He added that he was proud to serve.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson likewise came to Trump's staunch defense, arguing the president had "overtly disavowed any relationship with white supremacists." In a series of Facebook posts, Carson, who is black, echoed Trump's comments that there is hatred and bigotry "on all sides" and that it was "sad" that pundits were arguing about whether Trump had gone far enough.

Despite demanding loyalty from top aides, so far it's not clear Trump is looking to make any immediate changes to his staff. The chaotic administration has seen significant turnover recently, with the departures of his first press secretary, chief of staff and chief strategist.

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AP National Security Writer Robert Burns contributed to this report.

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Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP and Catherine Lucey at http://twitter.com/catherine_lucey
LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) - Twelve years to the day after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, another deadly storm forced the rescue of hundreds of people from floodwaters in southwestern Louisiana and prompted New Orleans to shut down its schools and other key institutions as a precaution.

Tropical Storm Harvey flooded neighborhoods overnight with chest-deep water in the Lake Charles area, near the Texas line, although water abated in some places Tuesday as rain slackened.

In New Orleans, Mayor Mitch Landrieu urged residents to stay home Tuesday because of the threat of potential flooding. Many appeared to be heeding his call.

A displaced man sits in the stands off the basketball court at the Purple Heart Memorial Recreation Center in Lake Charles, La., Many guests at the center were renters or homeowners driven from their property by flooding due to Tropical Storm Harvey. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Meanwhile, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Louisiana is offering to shelter storm victims from Texas.

"We have offered to stand up shelters specifically for individuals who would be transported out of Texas, so that they could be housed in shelters in Louisiana, particularly in north Louisiana, in the Shreveport area," he said at a news conference in Baton Rouge. Edwards said he expects Texas officials to decide within 48 hours whether to accept the offer.

Later, in Lake Charles, Edwards urged people to remain alert but said the state is responding well to less severe conditions in its own borders.

"You never know what Mother Nature is going to throw at us, but with the people in this room, I'm confident we can handle it," he told local and state officials.

Some New Orleans neighborhoods flooded earlier this month during a deluge that exposed problems with the city's pump and drainage system. On Tuesday, rains flooded a few of the city's streets.

The city's public schools were closed, along with six universities and a medical school. A ceremony and march in New Orleans to commemorate the deadly 2005 storm was postponed until Sunday.

For many others, it was largely business as usual.

"I can't afford not to open," said Jerry Roppolo, 65, owner of a popular coffee house where water often creeps over the sidewalk and up to the threshold during heavy rains.

The shop in the Carrollton neighborhood is usually bustling but was slow Tuesday. Roppolo attributed that to the school closures. "A lot of the parents come in on the way to school, on the way from school," he said.

About 500 people were evacuated in southwest Louisiana's most populous parish overnight, as a heavy band of rain pushed waterways out of their banks, Calcasieu Parish spokesman Tom Hoefer said. He said as many as 5,000 parish residents are affected by the flooding, but not all of those people have flooded homes. Some are just cut off by flooded roads.

A lull in the heavy rains allowed water to recede Tuesday morning, enabling some who fled their homes to return, survey damage and remove possessions.

"I wanted to get my mother's Bible out of the house and there were some things we needed - our medicine, we're both on medications," said David Wells, 65. "I got a feeling it's going to get worse before it gets any better."

Evacuations continued Tuesday in some rural areas outside Lake Charles, with authorities working to empty a flood-prone subdivision near the town of Iowa. Officials in Acadia Parish advised residents near the Mermentau River and Bayou Nezpique to leave.

Family members and authorities in Texas have reported at least 18 deaths. No Harvey-related deaths were immediately reported in Louisiana, according to a spokesman for Edwards.

The high water in Calcasieu Parish surprised residents of some neighborhoods not known for flooding. The Kayouche Coulee spilled over when heavy rain hit the area after sunset, and people began calling for rescue.

Residents rode out of neighborhoods in National Guard trucks, wildlife agents' boats, jacked-up pickups and clinging to the cab of a semi-truck. They carried belongings in suitcases, trash bags or even soggy cardboard boxes.

"We all got stuck back there," said Andrea Boutte, who rode out on the big rig. "Those boats took forever."

National Weather Service meteorologists said Tuesday that officials expect Harvey will make another landfall in Cameron Parish early Wednesday, after hitting Texas and meandering back into the Gulf of Mexico.

As much as 6 to 12 more inches of rain (15 to 30 centimeters) could fall in western Louisiana.

"We are starting to get down to the end of the tunnel of all this rain," National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Erickson said.

Harvey is projected to bring gusts up to 50 mph (80 kph) in coastal areas and gusts of up to 40 mph (65 kph) in Lake Charles and along the Interstate 10 corridor.

Erickson warned that some coastal rivers won't be able to drain rains effectively because Harvey's winds are pushing storm surge into coastal waters, aggravating flooding of areas that have already received more than 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain.

Images of flood devastation in Houston revived painful memories for survivors of Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005.

"It really evoked a lot of emotions and heartbreak for the people who are going through that now in Houston," Ray Gratia said Monday as he collected sandbags for his New Orleans home, which flooded from the massive hurricane that left much of the city underwater for weeks.

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Kunzelman reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Stacey Plaisance, Kevin McGill and Janet McConnaughey contributed from New Orleans; and Jeff Martin contributed from Atlanta.

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For complete Harvey coverage, visit https://apnews.com/tag/HurricaneHarvey

Nancy Gunn adjusts sandbags at a doorway into the Auld Sweet Olive Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Gunn, the owner, says part a ground floor room took on water during an early August flash flood and she was hoping to avoid the same fate as bands of rain from Tropical Storm Harvey moved over the city. (AP Photo/Kevin McGill)

Le-Asia Groothoff, one-and a-half years old, runs at the Purple Heart Memorial Recreation Center in Lake Charles, La., Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Le-Asia and her family were driven to the shelter by Tropical Storm Harvey's rains that flooded their home. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Residents ride in the bed of an emergency vehicle carrying them to safety following flooding to their homes late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017 in Lake Charles, La. Almost constant rain over the last two days from Harvey, overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Lake Charles rescue personnel help lower this wheelchair bound resident from the back of a vehicle late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017, in Lake Charles, La., after flooding from Harvey's almost constant rain over the last two days overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Residents cling to a commercial truck as it carries them to safety following flooding to their homes, late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017, in Lake Charles, La. Almost constant rain over the last two days from Harvey, overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

National Guard help brace a rescuer as he lowers a resident from a rescue vehicle late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017 in Lake Charles, La., after flooding from Harvey's almost constant rain over the last two days overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Rescue personnel help lower an elderly woman from the back of a vehicle late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017, in Lake Charles, La., after flooding from Harvey's almost constant rain over the last two days overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Lake Charles rescue personnel help residents exit from the back of a vehicle late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017, in Lake Charles, La., after flooding from Harvey's almost constant rain over the last two days overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Jimmie Bradley speaks about the flooding in his neighborhood in Moss Bluff, a Lake Charles, La., suburb in Calcasieu Parish, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Bradley, 78, and his wife Brenda, had stacked sandbags at their doors, but the rising water was lapping at the steps to their back porch and had overtaken their front yard. Virtually every neighbor on Crawford Drive has at least a foot of water in their yards. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Flood waters creep towards Brenda Bradley's home in her neighborhood in Moss Bluff, a Lake Charles, La., suburb in Calcasieu Parish, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Bradley and her husband Jimmie have stacked sandbags at the front and back doors to their home and have moved their sofa and love seat, on top of a sawhorse but the fast rising water was lapping at the steps to their back porch and had overtaken their front yard. Virtually every neighbor on Crawford Drive has at least a foot of water in their yards. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Brenda Bradley speaks about the flooding in her neighborhood in Moss Bluff, a Lake Charles, La., suburb in Calcasieu Parish, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, and her plan to save her sofa and love seat, by setting them on a sawhorse that her husband Jimmie had placed in the living room. Bradley, 72, and her husband had also stacked sandbags at their doors, but the rising water was lapping at the steps to their back porch and had overtaken their front yard. Virtually every neighbor on Crawford Drive had at least a foot of water in their yards. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Brenda Bradley speaks about the flooding in her neighborhood in Moss Bluff, a Lake Charles, La., suburb in Calcasieu Parish, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Bradley, 72, and her husband, Jimmie, right, had stacked sandbags at their doors, but the rising water was lapping at the steps to their back porch and had overtaken their front yard. Virtually every neighbor on Crawford Drive has at least a foot of water in their yards. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Brenda Bradley stands along her sand bagged back porch doorway as she speaks about the flooding in her neighborhood in Moss Bluff, a Lake Charles, La., suburb in Calcasieu Parish, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Bradley and her husband Jimmie, not seen, had stacked sandbags at their doors. The rising water was lapping at the steps to their back porch Monday morning. "We've got to try to save what we can," Bradley said. "We're in our 70s and there's no way we can lift all (our) furniture up." (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Rising waters threaten homes along North Perkins Ferry Road in Moss Bluff, La., near Lake Charles, La., as a constant rain from Tropical Storm Harvey falls, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

A resident replaces the closed road barrier along North Perkins Ferry Road in Moss Bluff, La., near Lake Charles, while rain from Tropical Storm Harvey continues to fall, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Authorities cautioned people from removing the barriers because accumulated high waters along those streets could swamp the vehicles and the wave action of passing vehicles might flood homes. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

A volunteer loads sand bags on a pallet as others fill them for resident distribution, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, at the Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles, La. Each pallet was loaded with 20 sand bags. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Bill Willis, right, and his son, Kyle, join other volunteers to fill sandbags for resident distributions, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, at the Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles, La. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Sade Harmon, 19, friend of Hannah Goodly, not seen, prepares to close the front door as she helps Goodly remove clean clothes and some personal possessions from the floodwater damaged house in Lake Charles, La., Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Harvey's severe rains cause the streets around Goodly's house to flood. The family attempted to stem the tide by placing clothes at the doors, but the water came in nevertheless. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Hannah Goodly, 18, looks at her kitten as she prepares to leave her Lake Charles, La., home, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, following being flooded Monday night from Harvey's rains. Goodly salvaged some clothes and personal possessions but was unable to take her kitten, Faith, with her to her temporary house. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Hannah Goodly, 18, recalls seeing several inches of standing water in the house she shares with her mother from the flooding of Harvey's rains in Lake Charles, La., Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Goodly salvaged some clothes and personal possessions but was unable to take her kitten with her to her temporary house. She and her family will have to remove all the carpeting in their house and may have to replace all the boards and electrical wiring as well. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Clarence Johnson cleans up outside of his Lake Charles, La., home Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Johnson was at home when the flood waters on Legion Street crept into his home, ruining a stereo system, television, and clothes he had stored on the floor of his closets. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Hannah Goodly, 18, recalls seeing several inches of standing water in the house she shares with her mother from the flooding of Harvey's rains in Lake Charles, La., Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Goodly salvaged some clothes and personal possessions but was unable to take her kitten with her to her temporary house. She and her family will have to remove all the carpeting in their house and may have to replace all the boards and electrical wiring as well. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Latest on developments in Afghanistan (all times local):

3:10 p.m.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for a suicide attack just outside a bank in the Afghan capital of Kabul, killing at least five people.

An Afghan security guard stand in front of Kabul Bank after suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. The area where the explosion took place, in the center of the Afghan capital, is home to many businesses. The U.S. Embassy and the NATO headquarters are about 500 meters (yards) away. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, posted the claim on his twitter account, saying that a Taliban suicide bomber targeted military personnel who had gathered on Tuesday at the Kabul Bank to collect their salaries ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

According to Afghan officials, along with the five killed, nine people were also wounded in the attack which happened in a busy commercial area in central Kabul, not far from the U.S. Embassy.

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1:05 p.m.

An Afghan official says at least 13 civilians, including women and children, were killed in an overnight airstrike by the Afghan security forces that targeted the Taliban in western Herat province.

Gelani Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor, said on Tuesday that the airstrike in Shindand district also wounded seven other civilians.

He says the target of Monday night's strike was a Taliban base and a prison run by the insurgents. The prison was destroyed and 19 prisoners - both military and civilians escaped.

Farhad also said that the civilians who were killed died in their homes just next to the Taliban base.

According to the spokesman, the airstrikes also killed 16 Taliban militants. The Taliban have not commented on the attack in Herat province and Farhad's information could not be independently verified.

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11:20 a.m.

Afghan officials say a suicide bombing has killed at least five people in a busy commercial area in central Kabul, not far from the U.S. Embassy.

Basir Mujahid, spokesman for the Kabul police chief, says Tuesday's explosion likely targeted a branch of the privately owned Kabul Bank. The U.S. Embassy compound is located about 500 meters (yards) down the road from the Kabul Bank.

Mohammad Salim Rasouli, chief of Kabul hospitals at the Health Ministry, confirmed that the attack also wounded nine people, according to initial reports.

No one claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the Taliban often target banks, especially at the end of the month when civil servants and military personnel line up to receive their salaries, or ahead of major Muslim holidays.

Afghan security guard stands inside a bank after suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. A suicide bombing on Tuesday in a busy commercial area in Kabul, near a string of banks and not far from the U.S. Embassy, killed several people, Afghan officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An Afghan security guard stands in front of a bank after suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. A suicide bombing on Tuesday in a busy commercial area in Kabul, near a string of banks and not far from the U.S. Embassy, killed several people, Afghan officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghan security guard walks in front of Kabul Bank after suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. The area where the explosion took place, in the center of the Afghan capital, is home to many businesses. The U.S. Embassy and the NATO headquarters are about 500 meters (yards) away. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An Afghan security guard stand inside a bank after suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. A suicide bombing on Tuesday in a busy commercial area in Kabul, near a string of banks and not far from the U.S. Embassy, killed several people, Afghan officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghan security guard stand in front of Kabul Bank after suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. The area where the explosion took place, in the center of the Afghan capital, is home to many businesses. The U.S. Embassy and the NATO headquarters are about 500 meters (yards) away. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghan security guard stands inside a bank after suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. A suicide bombing on Tuesday in a busy commercial area in Kabul, near a string of banks and not far from the U.S. Embassy, killed several people, Afghan officials said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghan security guard stand in front of Kabul Bank after suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. The area where the explosion took place, in the center of the Afghan capital, is home to many businesses. The U.S. Embassy and the NATO headquarters are about 500 meters (yards) away. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - More than 1.7 million Muslims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the start of the annual hajj pilgrimage this week. Once in Mecca - the site of Islam's holiest place of worship- they will be reminded that the ruling Al Saud family is the only custodian of this place.

Large portraits of the king and the country's founder hang in hotel lobbies across the city. A massive clock tower bearing the name of King Salman's predecessor flashes fluorescent green lights at worshippers below. A large new wing of the Grand Mosque in Mecca is named after a former Saudi king, and one of the mosque's entrances is named after another.

It's just one of the many ways that Saudi Arabia uses its oversight of the hajj to bolster its standing in the Muslim world - and to spite its foes, from Iran and Syria to Qatar. Its archrival, the Shiite power Iran, has in turn tried to utilize the hajj to undermine the kingdom.

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, early Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

The hajj has long been a part of Saudi Arabia's politics.

For nearly 100 years, the ruling Al Saud family has decided who gets in and out of Mecca, setting quotas for pilgrims from various countries, facilitating visas through Saudi embassies abroad and providing accommodation for hundreds of thousands of people in and around Mecca.

The kingdom has received credit for its management of the massive crowds that descend upon Mecca each year - and blame when things go wrong at the hajj. All able-bodied Muslims are required to perform the pilgrimage once in a lifetime.

Saudi kings, and the Ottoman rulers of the Hijaz region before them, all adopted the honorary title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a reference to sites in Mecca and Medina.

"Whoever controls Mecca and Medina has tremendous soft power," said Ali Shihabi, executive director of the Arabia Foundation, a pro-Saudi center in Washington. "Saudi Arabia has been extremely careful from day one not to restrict any Muslim's access to hajj so they never get accused of using hajj for political purposes."

The Syrian government, however, says Saudi authorities continue to place restrictions on Syrian citizens looking to take part in the hajj. Saudi Arabia has no diplomatic ties with President Bashar Assad's government and since 2012, requires all Syrians seeking to make the hajj to obtain visas in third countries through the "Syrian High Hajj Committee," which is controlled by the Syrian National Coalition, an opposition political group.

The hajj became further entangled in politics following the fallout between Saudi Arabia and Qatar when the kingdom and three other Arab countries cut all diplomatic and transport links with the small Gulf state this year. In a surprise this month, Saudi Arabia announced it would open its border for Qatari pilgrims seeking to perform the hajj and that King Salman would provide flights and accommodation to Qataris during the hajj.

The Saudis, however, announced the goodwill measures unilaterally and did so after meeting with Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, a Qatari royal family member who resides outside Qatar and whose branch of the family was ousted in a coup more than four decades ago.

"Bringing out a senior member of the Qatari royal family member was a political coup really," Shihabi said.

Others have gone further, saying that by promoting Sheikh Abdullah, the Saudis were attempting to delegitimize Qatar's current emir.

Gerd Nonneman, a professor of International Relations and Gulf Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar, says the Saudi move was "a transparent propaganda stunt".

"Given that Qatar's hajj attendance has inevitably been affected by the boycott, the hajj was de facto politicized - there's no way around it," he said.

Qatar's government publicly welcomed the move to facilitate the pilgrimage, but also called on Saudi Arabia to "stay away from exploiting (the hajj) as a tool for political manipulation".

Qatar's human rights committee had previously filed a complaint with the U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of belief and religion over restrictions placed on its nationals who wanted to attend the hajj this year. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Qatar's complaint amounted to a "declaration of war" against the kingdom's management of the holy sites, and the kingdom accused Qatar of trying to politicize the hajj.

While the hajj is a main pillar of Islam, the custodianship of its holy sites is a pillar of the Al Saud family's legitimacy and power. Iran has consistently tried to call that into question.

Two years ago, a stampede and crush of pilgrims killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count. Iran, which lost 464 pilgrims in the stampede, immediately used the disaster to call for an independent body to take over administering the hajj. Those calls were vehemently rejected by Saudi Arabia, which accused Iran of politicizing the hajj.

The hajj took place last year under the shadow of the two countries' rivalry. Saudi Arabia and Iran severed ties in 2016, and as a result, no Iranians were at the pilgrimage last year.

It wasn't the first time Iran and Saudi Arabia sparred over the hajj. In 1987, Saudi police opened fire on Iranian pilgrims protesting during the hajj, killing more than 400 people. For two years after that, Iran did not send pilgrims to the hajj.

Ahead of this year's hajj, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei essentially called on pilgrims to hold protests again, saying the pilgrimage offers "Muslims with a great opportunity to express their beliefs".

"Where else, better than Mecca, Medina ... can Muslims go to express their concerns regarding Al-Aqsa and Palestine?" Khamenei said, referring to one of Islam's holiest and most contentious sites in Jerusalem.

Senior Saudi clerics were quick to respond, saying the pilgrimage should not be exploited and reminding worshippers that the ultimate goal of the hajj is "to spend all their time and effort in worshipping Almighty Allah."

Muslim pilgrims perform the ritual walk back and forth between the two small hills of Safa and Marwah, at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

A Muslim pilgrim prays in front of the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Muslim pilgrims touch the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, early Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Muslim pilgrims touch the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, early Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
BERLIN (AP) - The Latest on comments by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her annual summer press conference (all times local):

11:50 a.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she could imagine the eurozone having an economy and finance minister, but Berlin still needs to discuss with France what such an official would actually do.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for her annual press conference at the Federal Press Conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

The eurozone is made up of 19 of 28 European Union members who use the shared euro currency.

French President Emmanuel Macron took office in May calling for deep reform of the eurozone and the installation of a eurozone finance minister. Merkel has given the idea a cautious welcome but warned that details still need to be determined.

On Tuesday, Merkel said: "I could imagine an economy and finance minister ... so that we get a higher degree of united competitiveness."

She welcomed her finance minister's suggestion that the existing eurozone rescue fund be turned into a "European Monetary Fund," making Europe more able to solve its own problems in the future.

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11:35 a.m.

Chancellor Angela Merkel is condemning as "racist" a remark by a leader of a German nationalist party that her government's integration commissioner could be "disposed of in Anatolia."

One of Alternative for Germany's leaders, Alexander Gauland, made the comment about commissioner Aydan Ozoguz, who has Turkish roots.

Ozoguz had said that "a specifically German culture is, beyond the language, simply not identifiable."

Merkel said Tuesday that "this comment about the commissioner Ozoguz is racist and absolutely to be condemned."

Gauland has backed away from his use of the word "disposed" but otherwise has stood by his remarks.

Merkel says this is a typical strategy for the party known by its German initials AfD : "first a provocation and then a small backpedal."

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11:30 a.m.

Chancellor Angela Merkel says lifting sanctions on Russia imposed over its aggression in Ukraine would benefit both Russia and Germany, but that they must remain in place until Moscow fulfills the conditions for their removal.

The sanctions were placed by the European Union against Russia for backing separatists in eastern Ukraine and Merkel told reporters Tuesday there's still a situation there where "Ukraine does not have full sovereignty."

She urged continued dialogue between all sides to that eventually there could be a solution that would lead to the lifting of the sanctions.

She says "that would be good for the Russian economy as well as good for the German economy."

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11:30 a.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she can't keep quiet "for the sake of peace" on concerns about the rule of law in Poland.

Asked about the issue at a news conference Tuesday, Merkel said that she takes issues raised by the European Commission "very seriously."

She says "however much I want to have very good relations with Poland ... we cannot simply hold our mouths and say nothing for the sake of peace."

She said that the spat between Warsaw and Brussels touches on "the basis of cooperation inside the European Union."

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11:20 a.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that Europe still "hasn't done its homework" on long-term solutions to the flow of migrants to the continent.

Merkel said Tuesday that it was "important and right" that Germany took in refugees and other migrants in an "exceptional situation" two years ago but it's also important to have "long-term sustainable structures."

But she says "Europe itself still hasn't done its homework to this day," with some countries refusing to accept a share of the refugees arriving in Europe.

She says: "It cannot be that Europe only shows solidarity when it helps some."

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11 a.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is calling on Turkey to release German citizens swept up in the aftermath of a failed coup attempt, calling their imprisonment "unjustified."

Turkey has arrested about 10 Germans in recent months on charges the German government considers dubious.

Mentioning German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel and several others by name, Merkel told reporters Tuesday, "our demand is very clear: those people who are in prison should be freed."

The arrests have contributed to worsening relations between Berlin and Ankara, which have also been strained by other issues.

Merkel says "this is a very complicated phase of our relationship" with Turkey.

She says "we would like better relations, but that has something to do with the fulfillment of the principles of the rule of law."
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - Liverpool has reached an agreement to sign Naby Keita from German club Leipzig for next season.

Liverpool announced the transfer of the 22-year-old Guinea midfielder on Tuesday without disclosing a fee. British media reported Liverpool has activated a release clause of 48 million pounds ($62 million), which would be a club record.

Keita, a dynamic central midfielder, scored eight goals in 31 Bundesliga games last season and helped Leipzig finish in second place. The team will play in the Champions League this season for the first time.

FILE - In this Aug. 19, 2017 file photo Leipzig's Naby Keita, right, and Schalke's Daniel Caligiuri, left, vie for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and RB Leipzig at the Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Liverpool has reached an agreement to sign Naby Keita from German club Leipzig, with the Guinea midfielder moving to Anfield at the end of this season. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Keita says his "commitment to RBL remains absolute" and that "until I join my new club next summer, I will remain an interested supporter from a distance."
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

1. TEXAS TO HAVE A RESPITE AMID HARVEY MISERY

With flood defenses strained and the death toll feared to rise, the forecast for Texas shows less than an inch of rain on Wednesday.

Members of the Texas Border Patrol bring their boat back to the launch site near Deerbrook Mall, on FM 1960, after currents were too rough to transport an elderly woman, needing rescue from behind the mall, as heavy rains continued falling from Tropical Storm Harvey, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Humble, Texas. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via AP)

2. WHY HOUSTON'S DRAINAGE GRID IS UNABLE TO COPE WITH RAINS

Experts blame too much concrete, a lack of regulation for developers, insufficient upstream storage and not enough green space for water to filter out.

3. NORTH KOREA'S KIM JONG UN CALLS FOR MORE MISSILE TESTS IN PACIFIC

Kim reportedly was present at the latest launch of a missile that flew over Japan, seemingly intended to show the North's capability to target Guam.

4. HOW CHICAGO IS CHANGING COURSE ON POLICE REFORMS

The city now wants to carry out reforms under the strict supervision of the federal court, abandoning a Trump administration proposal that envisioned no court oversight.

5. JOEL OSTEEN OPENS HOUSTON MEGACHURCH TO SERVE AS SHELTER

The televangelist had faced criticism on social media for not offering to house flood-displaced people earlier.

6. TWELVE YEARS AFTER KATRINA, LOUISIANA OFFERS HELP AMID HARVEY AND ITS OWN FLOODS

Louisiana is offering to shelter Texas evacuees in the north, away from the Harvey-related flooding in the southwest.

7. WHAT TALIBAN IS DEMANDING DURING REGULAR TALKS WITH AFGHAN OFFICIALS

The group's leaders reportedly accept education for both boys and girls, but want it segregated by gender, and they want guarantees that a woman could not serve as president.

8. FIRST DOCTOR TO TREAT PRINCESS DIANA AFTER ACCIDENT RECOUNTS THE SCENE

Frederic Mailliez says he gave first aid without knowing who he was treating, and only learned the next day that it was Princess Diana.

9. GEORGE CLOONEY'S TAKE ON FATHERHOOD, TRUMP

In his latest interview, he says being responsible for two babies is "terrifying" but he is enjoying the ride, and describes President Donald Trump as being "in over his head."

10. ANGELIQUE KERBER LOSES IN FIRST ROUND OF U.S. OPEN

She is only the second defending U.S. Open champion in the professional era to do so - in one of the only matches that wasn't rained out.

Armando Bustsamante walks along the street over Buffalo Bayou as flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey flow toward downtown Houston Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. More than 17,000 people are seeking refuge in Texas shelters, the American Red Cross said. With rescues continuing, that number seemed certain to grow. (Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle via AP)
STOKE, England (AP) - Tottenham sold Kevin Wimmer to Premier League rival Stoke for 18 million pounds ($23.3 million) on Tuesday, dispensing with the Austria center back after reinforcing its defense last week by signing Davinson Sanchez.

Wimmer, who signed a five-year deal, is Stoke's third new central defender after Kurt Zouma and Bruno Martins Indi.

"We put a real emphasis on trying to enhance the defensive areas of the squad this summer," Stoke manager Mark Hughes said, "and we feel that we have been able to do that."

Wimmer was a back-up defender at Tottenham, playing only 31 games after joining from Cologne in 2015, although he was handed a new five-year deal in the 2016 offseason. With Sanchez joining Tottenham for a club-record fee, Wimmer's prospects of getting in the team were further reduced.

Stoke, which has four points from its first three league games, has signed seven players in the transfer window.
BEIRUT (AP) - Buses carrying hundreds of Islamic State militants and their families from the border area between Lebanon and Syria have arrived in eastern Syria as part of a negotiated deal to end the extremist group's presence there, Syria's state-run news agency said.

Some 600 militants were allowed to leave as part of a deal, negotiated by Lebanon's Hezbollah, in exchange for identifying the location of the remains of Lebanese soldiers captured by IS in 2014, and later killed. The deal has provoked controversy in Lebanon, as some have voiced opposition to negotiations with the militants.

It has also angered Iraqis who expressed resentment at the deal that effectively puts the militants on their border. Baghdad accused Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Syrian government of preferring to strengthen IS near the Iraqi border, rather than eliminating the militant group.

Lebanese national flags are set on the top of cannons inside a base during a media trip organized by the Lebanese army, on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek, northeast Lebanon, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Lebanon's Hezbollah TV is reporting that Islamic State militants started leaving the border area with Syria on Monday as part of a negotiated deal to end the extremist group's presence there. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

"Any deals or understandings between the warring parties inside Syria or in the region must take into consideration the security of Iraq and not to lead to anything that poses any threat to our national security," the Iraqi government spokesman, Saad al-Hadithi, told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Al-Hadithi said the Iraqi government "will firmly face any threat to Iraqi territories."

Some Iraqis also expressed resentment on social media.

"Who's going to pay for the delivery sent by Hassan Nasrallah to us?" wrote well-known writer Saleh al-Hamdani on his Facebook page, referring to Hezbollah's leader. "Will Hashed (Shiite militias) or Federal Police or Counter Terrorism Forces pay for it?"

Baghdad-based analyst Hisham al-Hashimi also wrote on Facebook that Iraq's "selfish ally preferred to throw Daesh danger from Lebanon to Iraq, while Iraqis demolished the second-largest city (Mosul) in order not to enable Daesh militants to flee (to Syria) and damage the neighbor."

Daesh is the Arabic acronym for IS.

The Lebanese government and Hezbollah have both defended the deal that allowed IS safe passage to the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, an IS stronghold, saying it was the only way Lebanon could uncover the fate of its kidnapped soldiers and recover their remains.

IS' departure leaves the border between Syria and Lebanon free of Sunni militant extremists for the first time in years.

Syrian state-run news agency SANA said the buses carrying the militants arrived Tuesday to a handover point in the town of Hamimiyah in the eastern Deir el-Zour province. They are expected to continue from there to the town of Boukamal, near the Iraqi border.

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Salaheddin reported from Baghdad.
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - A recently completed $6 million mansion was meant to serve as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' official residence and guest house.

Instead, the 4,700-square-meter (50,600-square-foot) "presidential palace" on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Ramallah will stand empty for now.

Abbas, 82, decided to stay in his long-time Ramallah home, fearing public backlash if he moves into the sprawling compound at a time of economic hardship among Palestinians, an official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss Abbas' deliberations with reporters.

This photo taken Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, shows a newly built mansion for the Palestinian Authority, on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Ramallah. Palestinian officials say the $6 million West Bank mansion won't serve as President Mahmoud Abbas' official residence and guesthouse, as originally planned. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Palestinian officials are now trying to find a new purpose for the mansion and justify the expenditure by the chronically cash-strapped Palestinian self-rule government, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Culture Minister Ehab Bseiso said a national library is to be built on the grounds, but that it will require additional funds. In the future, some rooms in the mansion could be used by the library, he said. A heliport on the grounds could be used for outdoor book fairs.

The zig-zag on the presidential palace drew mixed reviews from ordinary Palestinians on Tuesday.

Tayseer Salaimeh, 50, who owns a nearby furniture store, said the mansion, under construction for five years, is a sign of public funds being squandered. "They have been building the palace for years and now they don't know what to do with it," he said.

Yasser Salameh, 47, another shop owner, said the palace symbolizes national pride. "We are building a state and it's good to have a nice place for our guests," he said.

Abbas has served as president since 2005, overstaying his original term by seven years, in part because a bitter rivalry with the Islamic militant group Hamas has prevented new elections.

Abbas, who has ruled by decree for the past decade, is widely seen as aloof. Critics say he has been restricting freedoms in the areas under his rule, including freedom of expression.
LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) - The Latest on Harvey in Louisiana (all times local):

1:05 p.m.

Gov. John Bel Edwards says Louisiana is offering to shelter storm victims from Texas while the state also helps its own residents who were rescued from Harvey's floodwaters overnight.

National Guard help brace a rescuer as he lowers a resident from a rescue vehicle late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017 in Lake Charles, La., after flooding from Harvey's almost constant rain over the last two days overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Edwards said at a news conference Tuesday in Baton Rouge that he expects Texas officials to decide within 48 hours whether to accept the offer and transport flood victims to Louisiana shelters.

Approximately 500 people were evacuated Monday night and early Tuesday from flooded neighborhoods in southwest Louisiana. Edwards says about 200 of them spent the night in area shelters.

Edwards says more than 600 members of the Louisiana National Guard are on storm-related duty. Many are assisting with rescue efforts.

Edwards says Tropical Storm Harvey was strengthening slightly after moving back into the Gulf of Mexico but wasn't expected to become a hurricane again before its predicted Wednesday landfall in Louisiana.

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1 p.m.

The Louisiana SPCA says it has moved about 70 animals to shelters in Georgia and Alabama to make room for animals rescued in Texas from Tropical Storm Harvey.

CEO Ana Zorilla says the New Orleans shelter moved animals from its shelter and one about 125 miles away to the Atlanta and Greater Birmingham humane societies.

She says in a news release that she's working with The Humane Society of the United States on a flight Thursday for about 100 animals from Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and suburban St. Bernard and Plaquemines (PLAK-uh-minz) parishes. Spokeswoman Alicia Haefele (HAY-fuh-lee) says that destination's not yet set.

Zorilla says the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals also will pick up and house pets owned by homeless people who enter a New Orleans shelter during flooding from Harvey.

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12:25 p.m.

There was no escaping Harvey for members of a southeast Texas family who are now awaiting possible floods in New Orleans while their neighborhood back home is swamped with water.

The Auld Sweet Olive Bed and Breakfast is the new, temporary home for Joe Aldape (ahl-DAH'-pey), his sister Cynthia, his son Joseph and other family members. Sandbags are in place there to guard against possible Harvey-related floods.

The family from the League City, Texas, area had forged ahead with New Orleans vacation plans as Harvey developed. As of Tuesday they had no way to return to their flooded homes. Meanwhile, bands of rain from Harvey prompted flash flood watches in New Orleans.

Bed-and-breakfast owner Nancy Gunn said her business took on water during flash floods Aug. 5 but has not flooded so far during Harvey's rains.

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Noon

Weather forecasters expect Tropical Storm Harvey to come ashore Wednesday somewhere near Louisiana's southwestern corner, following its trip through Texas and return to the Gulf.

National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Erickson said Tuesday that officials prjoect a landfall in Cameron Parish around midday. Erickson says another 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) of rain is likely across southwest Louisiana.

Forecasters also project heavy rain running east from New Orleans to Pensacola along the Gulf Coast.

Harvey is expected to bring gusts up to 45 mph (70 kph) in coastal areas and gusts of up to 35 mph (55 kph) in Lake Charles and along the Interstate 10 corridor.

Erickson warns that some coastal rivers won't be able to drain rains effectively because Harvey's winds are pushing storm surge into coastal waters, aggravating flooding in places that have already received more than 20 inches of rain.

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11:45 a.m.

With a gap in Tropical Storm Harvey's rain on Tuesday in Lake Charles, some residents who fled their homes overnight are returning to survey damage and remove possessions.

David Walls, 65, says he came back to get his mother's Bible and other keepsakes. He says water rose rapidly around sunset Monday, but he and his mother, who uses a walker, left before they needed assistance. About a foot of water flooded his family's house.

Reginald Nash, 25, came to look at damage with his father. Nash says he doesn't have flood insurance, but plans to fix damage.

Most residents aren't returning to their homes because they fear water will rise again with further rainfall.

Calcasieu (KAL'-kuh-shoo) Parish authorities say about 500 people were evacuated in southwest Louisiana's most populous parish overnight, as a heavy band of rain pushed waterways out of their banks.

9:55 a.m.

Many New Orleans residents appear to be heeding Mayor Mitch Landrieu's call to stay home due to potential flooding from Harvey's heavy rains.

Traffic on the bridge from New Orleans' west bank to the main part of the city was light during what normally would be rush hour Tuesday.

City Hall was closed. Classes were canceled at six universities and a medical school located in New Orleans, a community college and public and parochial schools.

A flash flood warning was called for the area.

Many neighborhoods in New Orleans flooded earlier this month during a deluge that exposed problems with the city's pump and drainage system.

Landrieu said Monday that the city has distributed more than 35,800 sandbags since Aug. 14.

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9:30 a.m.

A lull in Harvey's heavy rains is allowing water to recede in southwest Louisiana communities where hundreds of people were rescued from floodwaters overnight.

Calcasieu Parish spokesman Tom Hoefer says about 500 people were rescued Monday night and Tuesday morning across the parish, including many in Lake Charles. He says as many as 5,000 parish residents are affected by the flooding, but not all of those people have flooded homes. Some are just cut off by flooded roads.

Lake Charles wasn't the only Louisiana community where residents had to be rescued.

Lt. Mark Thrower of the Iowa (EYE-oh-WAY) Fire Department in Calcasieu Parish says emergency workers used a high-water vehicle and boat to evacuate approximately 25 people from waist-deep water in two sections of the town Monday night. Thrower says at least 45 homes in Iowa were flooded, but no injuries were reported.

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6:40 a.m.

A large cluster of heavy rain was moving in from the Gulf of Mexico, seeming to take aim at New Orleans.

The foreboding images of the incoming storm bands from Harvey were lighting up weather radar screens early Tuesday - the 12th anniversary of the day Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Plaquemines Parish on Aug. 29, 2005.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for all of southeast Louisiana, southwest Mississippi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast through Thursday. Forecasters say up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain will be possible through Thursday, with higher amounts possible.

Forecasters also warn of isolated tornadoes in Louisiana, especially in areas near the coast.

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4:35 a.m.

Tropical Storm Harvey is threatening to inundate southwestern Louisiana with potentially disastrous flooding.

Emergency personnel continued to rescue people from flooded homes early Tuesday morning in Lake Charles, as rainfall after sunset Monday sent water into homes in neighborhoods unaccustomed to flooding.

Flash flood warnings and watches were in effect for much of the region overnight and forecasters said 10 inches (25 centimeters) or more of rain could fall this week.

Few homes flooded earlier Monday, but a heavy band of rain on the east side of Lake Charles tipped the scales for some neighborhoods.

Although Louisiana doesn't appear to be facing a threat equal to Harvey's catastrophic toll in Texas, images of devastation revived painful memories for survivors of Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 29, 2005.

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Residents ride in the bed of an emergency vehicle carrying them to safety following flooding to their homes late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017 in Lake Charles, La. Almost constant rain over the last two days from Harvey, overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Lake Charles rescue personnel help lower this wheelchair bound resident from the back of a vehicle late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017, in Lake Charles, La., after flooding from Harvey's almost constant rain over the last two days overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Residents cling to a commercial truck as it carries them to safety following flooding to their homes, late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017, in Lake Charles, La. Almost constant rain over the last two days from Harvey, overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Rescue personnel help lower an elderly woman from the back of a vehicle late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017, in Lake Charles, La., after flooding from Harvey's almost constant rain over the last two days overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Lake Charles rescue personnel help residents exit from the back of a vehicle late Monday night, Aug. 28, 2017, in Lake Charles, La., after flooding from Harvey's almost constant rain over the last two days overcame the city's drainage system, flooding several subdivisions and necessitating home rescues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Jimmie Bradley speaks about the flooding in his neighborhood in Moss Bluff, a Lake Charles, La., suburb in Calcasieu Parish, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Bradley, 78, and his wife Brenda, had stacked sandbags at their doors, but the rising water was lapping at the steps to their back porch and had overtaken their front yard. Virtually every neighbor on Crawford Drive has at least a foot of water in their yards. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Flood waters creep towards Brenda Bradley's home in her neighborhood in Moss Bluff, a Lake Charles, La., suburb in Calcasieu Parish, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Bradley and her husband Jimmie have stacked sandbags at the front and back doors to their home and have moved their sofa and love seat, on top of a sawhorse but the fast rising water was lapping at the steps to their back porch and had overtaken their front yard. Virtually every neighbor on Crawford Drive has at least a foot of water in their yards. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Brenda Bradley speaks about the flooding in her neighborhood in Moss Bluff, a Lake Charles, La., suburb in Calcasieu Parish, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, and her plan to save her sofa and love seat, by setting them on a sawhorse that her husband Jimmie had placed in the living room. Bradley, 72, and her husband had also stacked sandbags at their doors, but the rising water was lapping at the steps to their back porch and had overtaken their front yard. Virtually every neighbor on Crawford Drive had at least a foot of water in their yards. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Brenda Bradley speaks about the flooding in her neighborhood in Moss Bluff, a Lake Charles, La., suburb in Calcasieu Parish, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Bradley, 72, and her husband, Jimmie, right, had stacked sandbags at their doors, but the rising water was lapping at the steps to their back porch and had overtaken their front yard. Virtually every neighbor on Crawford Drive has at least a foot of water in their yards. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Brenda Bradley stands along her sand bagged back porch doorway as she speaks about the flooding in her neighborhood in Moss Bluff, a Lake Charles, La., suburb in Calcasieu Parish, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Bradley and her husband Jimmie, not seen, had stacked sandbags at their doors. The rising water was lapping at the steps to their back porch Monday morning. "We've got to try to save what we can," Bradley said. "We're in our 70s and there's no way we can lift all (our) furniture up." (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Rising waters threaten homes along North Perkins Ferry Road in Moss Bluff, La., near Lake Charles, La., as a constant rain from Tropical Storm Harvey falls, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Danish police on Tuesday scanned a home-made submarine where Swedish journalist Kim Wall was last seen alive, saying they are looking for any possible concealed cavities.

The 40-ton, nearly 18 meter-long (60 foot-long) submarine, which sank earlier this month, now stands on land in a remote corner of Copenhagen's harbor where a mobile cargo scanner has been deployed.

In Tuesday's statement, police said Swedish colleagues with dogs specially trained to search for corpses in the water were combing the Copenhagen coast looking for clothing and more missing body parts from Swedish journalist Kim Wall. Her naked, headless torso was found Aug. 21. That search is expected to last two days, police said.

On Monday, a search with a plane over the coastline produced no results, police said.

Inventor Peter Madsen is being held in the death of the 30-year-old Wall, who was last seen alive Aug. 10 aboard the submarine. Madsen, who faces preliminary manslaughter and indecent handling of a corpse charges, has denied wrongdoing. He says Walls died in an accident and he buried her at sea.

Police said earlier that Wall's head, arms and legs had been deliberately cut off and a piece of metal had been attached to the torso "likely with the purpose to make it sink." Police also said marks on the torso indicated that someone had tried to press air out of the body so it wouldn't float.

Madsen was detained after being rescued Aug. 11 from the sinking submarine. Police believe that Madsen deliberately scuttled the vessel.
DENNIS, Mass. (AP) - A college class ring lost in the surf at a Massachusetts beach nearly half a century ago is back on the finger of its owner.

The Cape Cod Times (http://bit.ly/2wl24so ) reports that Patrick O'Hagan lost the Class of 1969 Manhattan College ring while on his honeymoon in Dennis in 1970.

James Wirth was in ankle-deep water at low tide on a Dennis beach last month scanning with his metal detector when he found the corroded ring.

Tracking down the owner was easy, because O'Hagan's full name was inscribed on the ring, along with an "E'' indicating he had studied engineering. Wirth returned the ring to O'Hagan at his Long Island, New York, home earlier this month.

O'Hagan's wife, Christine Kehl O'Hagan, says they were "thrilled" to get it back.

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Information from: Cape Cod (Mass.) Times, http://www.capecodtimes.com
BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq's ethnically-mixed Kirkuk province, long claimed by both the Arab-led central government and the autonomous Kurdish region, voted Tuesday to take part in a vote on Kurdish independence slated for next month.

Iraq's Kurds plan to hold the referendum on Sept. 25 in three governorates that make up their region as well as disputed areas that are controlled by Kurdish forces but claimed by Baghdad.

Iraq's central government is opposed to the referendum. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday said Kirkuk's decision to take part in the vote was "unconstitutional" and "illegal," and that the referendum would "lead to more conflicts."

Kirkuk's provincial council said the proposal to vote in the referendum won a "majority," without providing further details, according to a statement released after Tuesday's session. Arab and Turkmen councilmen boycotted the meeting, according to local councilman Burhan Mizhir Assi.

Oil-rich Kirkuk is home to a mix of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and Christians. Kurdish forces took control of the province and other disputed areas in the summer of 2014, when the Islamic State group swept across northern and central Iraq and the Iraqi armed forces crumbled.

Turkey and Iran are also opposed to the referendum, fearing it could inspire Kurdish separatists within their own borders. The U.N. mission to Iraq has said it will not be "engaged in any way or form" in the vote.

Turkey said the Kirkuk vote was "unacceptable," calling it "another link in the chain of mistakes" and a violation of the Iraqi constitution.

"Insisting on pursuing this dangerous course will not serve the interest of (the autonomous Kurdish region) or of Iraq, it will not be accepted by the international community, and will not contribute to regional peace and stability," The Turkish Foreign ministry said in a statement.

The vote has even faced criticism inside Iraq's Kurdish region, from those who say it should be postponed until new parliamentary and presidential elections have been held. Kurdish regional President Masoud Barzani's term expired in 2015.

Iraq's Kurdish region has enjoyed a high degree of autonomy since the U.S. imposed a no-fly zone over northern Iraq after the 1990 Gulf War. It has its own parliament and armed forces, flies its own flag, and has been a close U.S. ally against IS and other militant groups. But relations with Baghdad have grown strained in recent years over oil and disputed territory.

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Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey contributed.
CAIRO (AP) - Israel's ambassador to Egypt has returned to his post, eight months after he and his small staff returned home because of unspecified security threats.

Cairo airport officials say the ambassador, David Govrin, flew back to Cairo on Tuesday with eight staff members. The ambassador and his staff are expected to resume work from the envoy's suburban Cairo home.

The Israeli Embassy in central Cairo has been closed since protesters stormed it in 2011.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment. The airport officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Prior to their departure in mid-December, the ambassador and his staff routinely flew home on Thursday and returned to their post on Sunday.
BERLIN (AP) - A German state legislature has lifted a prominent nationalist leader's immunity from prosecution, paving the way for a possible indictment over allegations she lied under oath.

The investigation of Frauke Petry, a national co-leader of Alternative for Germany, centers on different accounts that she and another party official gave to a parliamentary committee about a candidate list for a 2014 regional election.

Ivo Klatte, a spokesman for Saxony's regional parliament, told news agency dpa Tuesday no objections were raised against lifting Petry's immunity after a panel recommended the move - backed by Petry herself, who says she wants to clear her name.

FILE- In this April 22, 2017 file photo Frauke Petry looks thoughtful at the party convention of Germany's nationalist party AfD (Alternative for Germany) in Cologne, Germany. A German state legislature has lifted the prominent nationalist leader's immunity from prosecution, paving the way for a possible indictment over allegations she lied under oath. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, file)

The party hopes to enter Germany's national parliament in an election Sept. 24. Petry is one of its best-known figures but her influence has declined in recent months.
BERLIN (AP) - German officials expect to bring new charges against a nurse already serving a life sentence for two murders after determining that he might have killed another 84 patients, if not more, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

Oldenburg state prosecutor Martin Koziolek said he expected his office would be bringing more charges by early 2018 at the latest against inmate Niels Hoegel. Additional convictions could affect Hoegel's possibility of parole, but there are no consecutive sentences in Germany.

More than that, bringing additional cases to trial would help determine exactly what happened in those killings and provide some closure for families, Koziolek said.

FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2014 file photo former nurse Niels Hoegel accused of multiple murder and attempted murder of patients, stands in the court room wearing handcuffs and covering his face with a file at the district court in Oldenburg, Germany. Niels Hoegel., accused of multiple murder and attempted murder of patients, covering his face with a file at the district court in Oldenburg, Germany. German authorities say Monday Aug. 28, 2017 they now believe that a nurse who was convicted of killing patients with overdoses of heart medication killed at least 84 people. Niels Hoegel was convicted in 2015 of two murders and two attempted murders at a clinic in the northwestern town of Delmenhorst. Oldenburg police chief Johann Kuehme said Monday authorities have now unearthed evidence of 84 killings. (Ingo Wagner/dpa via AP)

"These were not all terminally ill people," he said. "Many were on their way to recovery."

He declined to give the ages of the victims or any other details about them, citing German privacy regulations.

Hoegel, now 40, was convicted in 2015 of two murders and two attempted murders at a hospital in the northwestern town of Delmenhorst and was sentenced to life in prison.

During his trial, Hoegel had said he intentionally brought about cardiac crises in some 90 patients in Delmenhorst by giving them overdoses of heart medication and other drugs because he enjoyed the feeling of being able to resuscitate them. He later told investigators that he also killed patients in a hospital in nearby Oldenburg.

Hoegel worked at the Oldenburg hospital from 1999 to 2002 and in Delmenhorst from 2003 to 2005.

As part of a wider investigation involving both hospitals, police and prosecutors reviewed more than 500 patient files and hundreds more hospital records. They also exhumed 134 bodies from 67 cemeteries.

They questioned Hoegel six times. They said he had been willing to talk about the other cases and "confessed to a large number" of them, but that "in most cases, he couldn't concretely remember manipulating treatment, but he also didn't rule it out."

Authorities said Monday as a result of the new probe, they'd unearthed evidence of 84 additional suspected murders, and were awaiting toxicology results on 41 other fatalities.

Oldenburg police chief Johann Kuehme on Monday said there could have been even more killings linked to Hoegel, but further investigation was not possible because the bodies had been cremated.

He also faulted local health authorities for being slow to act, saying if they hadn't hesitated in alerting authorities, Hoegel could have been stopped earlier.

Authorities are already pursuing criminal cases against former staff at the two medical facilities.

FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2015 file photo former nurse Niels Hoegel, accused of multiple murder and attempted murder of patients, covers his face with a file at the district court in Oldenburg, Germany. German authorities say Monday Aug. 28, 2017 they now believe that a nurse who was convicted of killing patients with overdoses of heart medication killed at least 84 people. Niels Hoegel was convicted in 2015 of two murders and two attempted murders at a clinic in the northwestern town of Delmenhorst. Oldenburg police chief Johann Kuehme said Monday authorities have now unearthed evidence of 84 killings. (Carmen Jaspersen/dpa via AP,file)
PARIS (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed concern over the "dictatorship" in Venezuela under President Nicolas Maduro.

In a speech to diplomats in Paris Tuesday, Macron described Venezuela as "a dictatorship" that is "trying to survive at the cost of an unprecedented humanitarian distress".

He said he was ready to work with regional partners to prevent further escalations in the instability.

French President Emmanuel Macron addresses French Ambassadors at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Tuesday, Aug. 29 2017. Macron said the fight against "Islamist terrorism" especially in Syria and Iraq is the first priority of his foreign policy. (Yoan Valat, Pool via AP)

Maduro has been criticized by U.S. and European leaders after the recent installation of an all-powerful constitutional assembly that has targeted political opponents.

The Trump administration has imposed financial sanctions in efforts to isolate him for taking the country down an increasingly authoritarian path.

France is hoping for a negotiated solution to the political crisis around Maduro's leadership.

French President Emmanuel Macron addresses French Ambassadors at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Tuesday, Aug. 29 2017. Macron said the fight against "Islamist terrorism" especially in Syria and Iraq is the first priority of his foreign policy. (Yoan Valat, Pool via AP)
FOUNTAIN, Fla. (AP) - A 76-year-old woman was killed by a pit bull after agreeing to watch her daughter and son-in-law's dogs while they were out of town.

WJHG TV reports that Alicia Malagon was found unresponsive in a large pool of blood on Saturday in the kitchen of her daughter's home in Fountain, in Florida's panhandle.

Calhoun County Sheriff's officials said Malagon had brought her small Dachshund with her to the home, and one of her daughter's dogs - a pit bull - started attacking the smaller dog. When Malagon tried to separate the two, the bigger dog bit her in several places, opening a large gash in her leg.

A family member found her. First responders took her to a hospital where she died. The pit bull is being quarantined.
BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union and Germany criticized the Polish government Tuesday for threatening the rule of law in the country, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying its disrespect for democratic norms could undermine cooperation in the 28-nation bloc.

Merkel said the worsening dispute between Warsaw and Brussels over changes in Poland's judicial system touches on "the basis of cooperation inside the European Union." And the EU's executive branch dismissed Poland's position that it should stay out of the country's legislative affairs if it feels democratic standards are threatened.

The EU Commission has been taking on Poland for perceived flaws in the rule of law after the Law and Justice party of Jaroslaw Kaczynski came to power two years ago. A primary point of contention is legislation the government aggressively pushed through to put the court system under the ruling party's control.

FILE - In this Friday, April 7, 2017 file photo, Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo delivers a speech in parliament, in Warsaw, Poland. The European Union and Germany criticized the Polish government Tuesday, Aug. 29 for threatening the rule of law in the country, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying its disrespect for democratic norms could undermine cooperation in the 28-nation bloc. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, file)

The Commission, echoing the concerns of Polish government critics and some other nations, has said the moves threaten to reduce the independence of judges and increase government interference.

Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo described the criticism as "unjust" in a video statement posted Tuesday on Twitter.

Szydlo insisted that Poland "respects the rule of law and is a democratic nation," as well as a pro-EU nation "guided by solidarity" and ready to defend the 28-member bloc's values.

The Law and Justice party has criticized the EU as overly bureaucratic and meddlesome in national affairs, reserving special scorn for EU Council President Donald Tusk, a longtime political opponent of Kaczynski.

The tension edged up another notch on Monday, when Warsaw sent the EU a letter stating that its criticism of the judicial changes "go beyond the Commission's authority."

Commission spokeswoman Vanessa Mock fired back on Tuesday. "It is something we would actually quite powerfully refute," Mock said.

Seeking to deflect the dispute with EU leaders, Poland's Szydlo said Europe should not be divided in face of ensuring the continent's security.

Merkel, meanwhile, said that there is not much choice but to raise concerns. "It's not about the rule of law or sticking together. Sticking together in the EU while abandoning the rule of law wouldn't be the European Union anymore," she said.

In some of her most pointed comments to date on Germany's neighbor, Merkel said, "However much I want to have very good relations with Poland ... we cannot simply hold our mouths and say nothing for the sake of peace."

However, Hungary came to Poland's defense. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the EU needed to deal with more important issues.

"While we live under the most serious terror threat in Europe, the continuous singling out of some member states, Poland, for example, needs to be abandoned," Szijjarto told reporters Tuesday. "Naturally, if someone would want to introduce EU sanctions against the Poles, we will veto it."

Merkel is scheduled to meet with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Berlin on Wednesday, when Poland is expected to be one of the main points of discussion.

___

Moulson reported from Berlin. Monika Scislowska contributed from Warsaw, Pablo Gorondi from Budapest.
PITTSBURGH (AP) - A Pennsylvania businessman who won a new trial because his first lawyer fell asleep during proceedings has pleaded guilty to fraud charges.

James Nassida pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Pittsburgh to wire and bank fraud. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/2x0Nusj ) his family and new lawyer declined to comment on the plea.

Federal agents say Nassida and his sister led a scheme to inflate borrower income and assets to obtain millions in fraudulent loans through their mortgage brokerage firm. The scheme was among the largest investigated by the local mortgage fraud task force.

Nassida's sister killed herself after the two were convicted last year.

However, a judge ruled Nassida was denied a fair trial because attorney Stan Levenson dozed off during the October trial in which he was convicted.

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Information from: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, http://www.post-gazette.com
BOSTON (AP) - Federal prosecutors have charged a retired U.S. Army colonel with conspiring to bribe Haitian government officials in connection with an $84 million port development project in the impoverished island nation.

The U.S. attorney's office in Boston said Tuesday that 64-year-old Joseph Baptiste, of Fulton, Maryland, was charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and to commit money laundering.

Baptiste is a dentist. He is scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court in Maryland later Tuesday.

His lawyer did not immediately respond to a telephone message.

Prosecutors allege Baptiste solicited bribes from undercover FBI agents in Boston who posed as potential investors in Haitian infrastructure projects. Prosecutors say he received $50,000 from undercover agents and used it for personal purposes.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - A notorious Mexican human smuggler who hit a U.S. Border Patrol agent in the face with a rock two years ago after a foiled smuggling attempt in Southern California was sentenced Monday to more than eight years in prison.

Agents spotted Martel Valencia-Cortez as he smuggled 14 people through rocky terrain in the mountains of eastern San Diego County in November 2015.

As agents moved in, Valencia-Cortez ran to higher ground. He hurled a softball-sized rock, striking an agent in the face, the U.S. Border Patrol said.

FILE - This undated file photo released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows suspect Martel Valencia-Cortez, 39. Valencia-Cortez, a notorious human smuggler who struck a U.S. Border Patrol agent in the face with a rock after a foiled smuggling attempt in California, was sentenced Monday, Aug. 28, 2017 to more than eight years in prison. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection via AP, file)

Valencia-Cortez ran back across the U.S.-Mexico border and escaped but turned himself in to authorities six months later at the San Ysidro border crossing that connects San Diego to Tijuana.

The agent was disoriented and thought he would pass out. He received treatment for cuts and bruises, according to court documents and trial testimony.

Valencia-Cortez, 39, was convicted in May of assault on a federal officer and three counts of human smuggling for financial gain.

A federal judge handed down a sentence Monday of eight years and three months in prison, the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper reported (http://bit.ly/2vGiI3K ).

During his time as a fugitive, Border Patrol officials called Valencia-Cortez one of San Diego's most dangerous human smugglers.

He was known for assaulting agents, threatening and intimidating people he smuggled, and driving the wrong way on streets and freeways to evade arrest, officials said.

Less than two months before the rock assault, Valencia-Cortez was deported to Mexico after serving a sentence of nearly three years in prison for human smuggling.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - A former Sri Lankan general accused of war crimes by human rights groups has left Brazil, where until recently he was his country's ambassador to six nations in South America, an embassy official said Tuesday.

Jagath Jayasuriya left Brazil on Sunday to return to Sri Lanka after completing his two-year tour of service, acting head of mission Premaphilake Jayakody told The Associated Press.

"He is no longer ambassador," Jayakody said.

The Sri Lanka embassy stands in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Human rights groups in South America are alleging war crimes violations in lawsuits filed against a former Sri Lankan general who is now his Asian nation's ambassador to Brazil and five other countries in Latin America. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

He declined to comment on allegations in criminal suits that rights groups began filing the previous day in the six countries where Jayasuriya represented Sri Lanka.

The suits are based on Jayasuriya's role as a commander in the final phase of Sri Lanka's civil war in 2009. They allege he oversaw military units that attacked hospitals and killed, disappeared and tortured thousands of people.

Jayasuriya had diplomatic immunity in the countries where he was ambassador, and the groups pursuing the suits had hoped to compel governments to expel him. With the apparent end of his ambassadorship, he would no longer enjoy that diplomatic protection if he were to return.

On Monday, Carlos Castresana Fernandez, the lawyer coordinating the effort, said suits had been filed in Brazil and Colombia and more were coming soon for Argentina, Chile and Peru. He said Suriname had refused to accept the petition.

"This is one genocide that has been forgotten, but this will force democratic countries to do something," Fernandez said. "This is just the beginning of the fight."

The criminal suits, reviewed by the AP, were spearheaded by the human rights group International Truth and Justice Project, an evidence-gathering organization based in South Africa. They had three central aims: push local authorities to open investigations of Jayasuriya, remove his diplomatic immunity and expel him.

With Jayasuriya out of the country, the petitions can be amended to ask for arrest warrants in the case he returns, Fernandez said.

Speaking to reporters in London, Yasmin Sooka, executive director of the International Truth and Justice Project, said they believed that Jayasuriya had been tipped off about plans for the suits and fled.

"We discovered by tracking him that in fact by 10:00 last night he had reached Dubai," said Sooka. "That means that he took a direct flight from Brazil to Dubai and he made sure that he didn't cross any of the other countries like the U.S., the U.K. or Europe where he could potentially have been picked up."

The nations where Jayasuriya was ambassador have their own dark histories of violence, including military dictatorships, torture and the killing or disappearance of thousands.

Fernandez, the coordinating lawyer, was one of the attorneys who worked on international cases against former dictators Gen. Jorge Rafael Videla of Argentina and Gen. Augusto Pinochet of Chile. He has also helped win indictments in war crimes and organized crime cases in Guatemala, including one against ex-President Alfonso Portillo.

The civil war in Sri Lanka, an island off the southern tip of India, raged intermittently between 1983 and 2009. Fueled in part by ethnic tensions between Sinhalese and Tamil citizens, an insurgency against the government was led by a group called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. They fought to establish a separate Tamil state in the northeastern part of the island.

The suits say Jayasuriya was commander of the Vanni Security Force from 2007 to 2009, one of the bloodiest periods in a war estimated to have killed more than 100,000 people. The U.N. estimates between 40,000 and 70,000 died in the final phase alone.

According to the suits, Jayasuriya oversaw an offensive from Joseph Camp, also known as Vanni, which the papers claim was a notorious torture site.

The International Truth and Justice Project said it interviewed 14 survivors of torture or sexual violence at the camp. According to the group, victims described hearing the howls of detainees at night, which the suits contend Jayasuriya would have been able to hear.

A few years after the war ended, Jayasuriya retired from the military. He was appointed ambassador to Brazil in 2015, and the other countries were added to his purview over the following two years.

Human rights groups have long been after Jayasuriya, but the Sri Lankan government has refused to try him or others allegedly involved in war crimes.

___

Associated Press video journalist Kevin Scott in London contributed to this report.

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Peter Prengaman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/peterprengaman
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - A former United Auto Workers associate director has pleaded guilty to misusing money from Fiat Chrysler that was intended to train blue-collar workers.

Sixty-five-year-old Virdell King pleaded guilty Tuesday to one felony count of conspiracy to violate the Labor Management Relations Act. Under a plea agreement, she faces up to 16 months in prison and restitution payments of up to $15,000. A judge set her sentencing for Jan. 3, 2018.

King is the second person to plead guilty in the case. The government says former Fiat Chrysler labor executive Al Iacobelli provided UAW officials with credit cards linked to the company-sponsored training center. Iacobelli has pleaded not guilty.

The Detroit News reports King and her attorney declined to comment after her appearance in U.S. District Court in Ann Arbor.
NEW YORK (AP) - A federal judge on Tuesday tossed out a defamation lawsuit by Sarah Palin against The New York Times, saying the former Alaska governor failed to show the newspaper knew it was publishing false statements in an editorial before quickly correcting them.

The written ruling by Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan said the lawsuit seeking unspecified damages "fails on its face to adequately allege actual malice."

"What we have here is an editorial, written and rewritten rapidly in order to voice an opinion on an immediate event of importance, in which are included a few factual inaccuracies somewhat pertaining to Mrs. Palin that are very rapidly corrected," the judge said. "Negligence this may be; but defamation of a public figure it plainly is not."

FILE- In this Dec. 15, 2016, file photo, Sarah Palin, political commentator and former Governor of Alaska, walks on the sideline before an NFL football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams in Seattle. A federal judge on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, tossed out a defamation lawsuit by Palin against The New York Times, saying the former Alaska governor failed to show the newspaper knew it was publishing false statements in an editorial before quickly correcting them. (AP Photo/Scott Eklund, File)

The decision came weeks after the onetime Republican vice presidential nominee sued over an editorial titled "America's Lethal Politics." The editorial was published in June after a gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers in Virginia, wounding U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise.

The Times' editorial was corrected twice when readers complained that it appeared to blame a political action committee belonging to Palin for "political incitement" after it distributed a map depicting Democratic lawmakers beneath crosshairs before the 2011 shooting of Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords in Arizona.

The editorial originally was published online late in the evening. The newspaper issued corrections online the next morning and in print editions the day after that to remove those references and note the map showed electoral districts, not people, in crosshairs.

The judge, known for philosophical asides, wrote: "Nowhere is political journalism so free, so robust, or perhaps so rowdy as in the United States. In the exercise of that freedom, mistakes will be made, some of which will be hurtful to others."

He said if political journalism is to achieve its constitutionally endorsed role of challenging the powerful, lawsuits by public figures must be limited to when there is a "plausible factual basis for complaining that the mistake was made maliciously."

Lawyers for Palin did not immediately comment.

In a statement, the Times said it was delighted with the ruling and regretted the errors.

"Judge Rakoff's opinion is an important reminder of the country's deep commitment to a free press and the important role that journalism plays in our democracy," the newspaper said.

The judge had previously heard testimony from James Bennet, the Times' editorial page editor, saying he thought the editorial was accurate when he approved its publication but later learned otherwise.

The judge dismissed an argument by Palin's lawyers that the newspaper might have been trying to boost sales by attacking Palin.

"As to the alleged 'hostility,' it goes without saying that the Times editorial board is not a fan of Mrs. Palin," he wrote. "But neither the fact of that opposition, nor the supposition that a sharp attack on a disfavored political figure will increase a publication's readership, has ever been enough to prove actual malice."

He added: "There is not a shred of factual support, either in the complaint or in the evidentiary hearing, for the supposition that considerations of attracting readership ever entered Mr. Bennet's mind when he was drafting this particular editorial. Indeed, if that were his goal, one would have expected him to mention Mrs. Palin's name more than once in the editorial or use her name in the social media promoting the editorial, neither of which was done."

___

Associated Press writer Tom Hays contributed to this report.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - A United States senator has expressed hope that Serbia won't grant diplomatic status to the Russian staff of a controversial facility that some believe is a spy base but that Moscow insists is a disaster relief center.

Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson, who chairs the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, said Tuesday that such a move by Serbia would not be in the Balkan country's interest and would send a "very bad signal."

Johnson spoke in Serbia's capital, Belgrade, after talks with Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic. Serbia is seeking European Union membership, but also has close ties with Russia.

Moscow has denied speculation that the Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center opened in 2011 is really a station for eavesdropping on Western interests in the Balkans.
SIMSBORO, La. (AP) - Louisiana authorities say a sheriff's deputy shot and killed a man who had just shot him after a short chase.

The Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office tells media that the deputy's bullet-proof vest stopped the bullet. State police spokesman Louisiana State Trooper Michael Reichardt (RIKE-hart) says the deputy was injured, but it's not life-threatening.

The chase began with an attempted traffic stop on Interstate 20 and ended in front of Simsboro High School, where the shootings occurred Tuesday.

Louisiana State Police are investigating the shooting.

Reichardt said the dead man's car had out-of-state tags, but he does not know where the man is from. He says he cannot release the name because his family has not been notified.

Simsboro is off I-20 about 55 miles (88 kilometers) east of Shreveport.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - An American Indian tribe whose reservation accounts for a fifth of North Dakota's oil production has imposed a higher tax rate for drillers, a move the governor and the state tax commissioner believes is improper and industry officials fear may slash production.

The Three Affiliated Tribes this month notified the more than 30 companies drilling on the Fort Berthold Reservation that it is seeking the tax rate that tribal Chairman Mark Fox says it needs to pay for additional law enforcement, road repairs and other consequences of oil development on the reservation. It's home to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribes.

Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger responded with a letter to the companies saying the state has nothing to do with the increase, which he said is "inconsistent with current state law."

Gov. Doug Burgum also called the move "inconsistent" with a tax accord between the state and the tribes. He said the dispute creates regulatory uncertainty that has the potential t "quell or squash investment" in the state.

Burgum is schedule to meet with legislative and tribal leaders Thursday at the Capitol to discuss the matter, along with others that face tribes across the state under a newly formed Tribal Taxation Issues Committee.

The Three Affiliated Tribes and the state have long been at odds over shared tax revenue from drilling on the oil-rich reservation in western North Dakota. It accounts for about 20 percent of the state's 1 million barrel-per-day oil production.

The agreement between the tribes and the state was authorized by the 2007 Legislature after oil companies said it would help promote reservation investment by setting up stable tax rates and rules. Before the agreement, only one well was drilled on the reservation, state and tribal data show. That's grown to more than 1,600 wells since the agreement was signed.

Tax Department data show that since the agreement was adopted, the state has collected more than $1 billion in oil revenue, with the tribe getting $934 million. The state's share of oil taxes from reservation land is divided among counties, cities, school districts and several state funds and programs.

Two years ago, the Legislature passed a measure that abolishes some price-based incentives in exchange for lowering the overall tax rate from 11.5 percent to 10 percent, including from wells on the reservation.

Fox said it never agreed to the change and the tribe still wants its share, which is half of the 1.5 percent rate that was forgiven by lawmakers. He estimated the sum to be about $17 million.

"Our expectation is for them to pay what is due under the mutual tax agreement with the state," Fox told The Associated Press.

North Dakota Petroleum Council President Ron Ness said an increased tax rate on the reservation creates uncertainty, increases costs and discourages investment - all of which hampers drilling.

"We certainly do not want dual taxation," Ness said.

Denver-based Whiting Petroleum Corp., which historically has been North Dakota's top oil producer, announced this month that it is selling all its holdings within the reservation for $500 million, and will use the profits from the deal to repay bank debt.

Neither Ness nor the company would comment on whether the tribe's desire to collect more taxes had anything to do with the sale.

Fox, who is an attorney and a former Marine, said the tribes would work with companies on the additional tax collections.

"We just want to get paid what is owed the tribe," Fox said.

He doesn't expect companies to leave the reservation, which is considered one of the hottest drilling spots in North Dakota's oil patch.

"If they leave, that's going to be their choice," Fox said. "If they do, the oil is still in the ground."
PEMBROKE, Ga. (AP) - A federal investigator says a pilot reported engine trouble to air-traffic controllers before his single-engine plane crashed in dense Georgia woods, killing all three people aboard.

John Brannen of the National Transportation Safety Board said during a news conference Tuesday that pilot Randy Hunter was trying to return to the Savannah airport just minutes after taking off when his plane crashed in neighboring Bryan County.

The NTSB is investigating the crash that killed Hunter of Tyrone, Georgia, and passengers William Byron Cocke and Catherine Cocke of Savannah. Authorities say the couple hired the pilot to fly them to the Atlanta area Monday.

WTOC-TV reports Byron Cocke worked as a co-chief executive of CF Real Estate Services and Catherine Cocke ran an interior design business.
United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. PETR BOCEK, MD, PHD, Plaintiff - Appellant, v. JGA ASSOCIATES, LLC; JOSEPH P. AMATO, Defendants - Appellees, ALLERGY CARE CENTERS, VIRGINIA, INC.; A2 MEDICAL GROUP, INC., Defendants. No. 16-1455 Decided: August 28, 2017

Before WILKINSON, NIEMEYER, and TRAXLER, Circuit Judges. Dennis Chong, S. Micah Salb, LIPPMAN, SEMSKER & SALB, PLLC, Bethesda, Maryland, for Appellant. Joseph P. Amato, Appellee Pro Se.

Petr Bocek appeals the district court's order granting him $156,000 in compensatory damages and postjudgment interest. This court previously vacated the district court's decision and remanded for further proceedings on two occasions. See Bocek v. JGA Assocs., LLC, 537 F. App'x 169 (4th Cir. 2013) (Bocek I) (affirming in part and reversing and remanding for trial on the breach of fiduciary duties claim); Bocek v. JGA Assocs., LLC, 616 F. App'x 567, 578 (4th Cir. 2015) (Bocek II) (reversing and remanding for entry of judgment for Bocek on issue of liability and for a new trial on the issue of what, if any, remedies Bocek is entitled to in light of defendants' breach of their fiduciary obligations to him).

On remand following Bocek II, the district court held a bench trial and awarded Bocek $156,000 in compensatory damages plus postjudgment interest and costs, for the reasons discussed in its posttrial memorandum opinion. Bocek appeals, alleging that the district court erred by declining to impose a constructive trust for the sale of Allergy Care Centers (ACC) to Defendants. Bocek also alleges that the district court erred by rejecting his expert's opinion regarding the value of ACC at the time of the acquisition, the amount of Bocek's lost income, and the valuation of Bocek's monetary damages. Finally, Bocek contends that the district court should have granted his request for emotional distress and punitive damages.

We review the district court's factual findings following a bench trial for clear error and its legal conclusions de novo, see Universal Furniture Int'l, Inc. v. Collezione Europa USA, Inc., 618 F.3d 417, 427 (4th Cir. 2010), and will find a factual finding is clearly erroneous when although there is evidence to support it, we are left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed. United States v. United States Gypsum Co., 333 U.S. 364, 395 (1948). When a district court's factual findings in a bench trial are based upon assessments of witness credibility, such findings are entitled to great deference. Padilla v. Troxell, 850 F.3d 168, 175 (4th Cir. 2017). We have reviewed the record and find no reversible error. Accordingly, we affirm for the reasons stated by the district court in its thorough memorandum opinion.* Bocek v. JGA Assocs., LLC, 1:11-cv-00546-JCC-JFA (E.D. Va. Mar. 23, 2016). We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

AFFIRMED

FOOTNOTES

. We note that Appellees seek on appeal to reverse the award of $150,000, of the $156,000 total awarded in compensatory damages by the district court. Because Appellees failed to file a cross-appeal on this matter, however, we cannot grant the requested relief. See Jennings v. Stephens, 135 S. Ct. 793, 798 (2015) (noting that absent a cross-appeal an appellee may not attack a decree with a view either to enlarging his own rights  or of lessening the rights of his adversary) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted)).

PER CURIAM:
NEW YORK (AP) - Republicans from New York and New Jersey are pledging unconditional support for those devastated by Hurricane Harvey. But their resentment lingers.

As historic floods wreaked havoc across the Gulf Coast, Northeastern Republicans recalled with painful detail the days after Superstorm Sandy ravaged their region in 2012. At the time, Texas' Republican lawmakers, led by Sen. Ted Cruz, overwhelmingly opposed a disaster relief package they argued was packed with wasteful spending.

The debate delayed the passage of the Sandy relief package by several weeks. And five years later, another powerful natural disaster has exposed lingering resentment that underscores regional divisions in a deeply divided Republican Party grappling with crisis.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas in Corpus Christi, Texas, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. The Republicans of New York and New Jersey are pledging unconditional support for those devastated by Hurricane Harvey in Texas. But their resentment lingers. As historic floods wreaked havoc across the Southwest on Tuesday, Northeastern Republicans recalled with painful detail the days after Superstorm Sandy ravaged their region in 2012. At the time, the Texas congressional delegation, led by Cruz, overwhelmingly opposed a disaster relief package they said was packed with wasteful spending. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

"It was cruel, it was vicious, and something that I'll never forget," Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., told The Associated Press on Tuesday. He said Texas Republicans held up the 2012 bill as part of "a political ploy against the Northeast."

"Having said that," King added, "I don't want the people of Texas to suffer."

King's comments were representative of several New York and New Jersey Republicans interviewed by the AP who said they were still angry, but would not employ the tactics of their Texas colleagues as Congress awaits an expected Trump administration request for billions of dollars of assistance. It may take weeks or months to survey the damage, but early estimates suggest Harvey could be one of the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history.

"We're not going to hold it against those poor Texans who need our help what their representatives tried to do to us back five years ago," said Rep. Dan Donovan, R-N.Y. "This is an American crisis and we come to the aid of our fellow Americans."

It's still unclear how the conservative Texas delegation will approach disaster funding when it affects their region. Natural disasters back home typically transform Congress' fiscal conservatives railing about the deficit into fans of federal spending.

Several Texas Republicans did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. Cruz's office said it was too soon to say whether he could pledge unconditional support to a massive disaster assistance package. In recent days, he has defended his opposition to a $51 billion Sandy relief bill he said was filled with "pork."

The current disaster highlights stark differences between two wings of the Republican Party: more moderate Northeastern Republicans, a group from which President Donald Trump hails, and those across the South and Southwest, who often adhere to a rigid conservative ideology even, apparently, in times of crisis.

"When regions face serious disasters causing extensive damage, the federal government has an obligation to assist with assets to address the emergency," Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said. "Sen. Cruz strongly supports this role of government, but emergency bills should not be used for non-emergency spending and that unfortunately is what made up nearly 70 percent" of the Sandy relief bill.

The Congressional Budget Office found that the $51 billion Sandy relief package was distributed relatively slowly, but virtually all of the funding was related to the storm or to prevent future disasters.

"I don't want to revisit who did or didn't vote for the legislation then," said Rep. Leonard Lance, R-N.J. "I think it's needed now, and I'll be voting for it when we return to Washington."

Lance, like other Northeastern Republicans interviewed, disagreed with the Texas delegation's insistence five years ago that federal spending for disasters should include corresponding budget cuts elsewhere.

"The overarching lesson is that we have the responsibility nationally to be involved in these situations. And that one never knows where the next natural disaster will occur," he said.

Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., was a state senator back in 2012 when Sandy hit.

"People's lives were hanging in the balance," he recalled, turning his attention to Texas. "I am fully, completely committed to do whatever I can ... to assist."

Zeldin added, "Regardless of whether you're a fellow New Yorker or a Texan, we want to be as helpful as possible."

Congress stepped forward with enormous aid packages in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Sandy, though some GOP conservatives - including then-Indiana Rep. Mike Pence - chafed at the price tag. White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, who will be responsible for preparing any disaster request for Trump, opposed the Sandy aid package as a South Carolina congressman, offering a plan to cut elsewhere in the budget to pay for it.

Lawmakers provided $110 billion to rebuild the Gulf Coast after Katrina. The George W. Bush administration, politically scalded by criticism over its botched response, signed off on the aid.

But New York and New Jersey lawmakers seeking help over Sandy encountered stiffer resistance.

King said he was speaking out now to "put down a marker" for Cruz and others who stood in the way of Sandy relief five years ago.

"If there was another natural disaster," King said, "we're not going to tolerate what he did the last time."
NEW YORK (AP) - A federal judge on Tuesday threw out a lawsuit filed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin against The New York Times. In the lawsuit, Palin, a Republican, had complained about an editorial linking campaign rhetoric to violent acts, including the 2011 shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, a Democrat from Arizona. An initial version of the editorial mistakenly accused a Palin political action committee of distributing a map depicting Democratic lawmakers beneath crosshairs, when the map actually showed electoral districts, not people, in crosshairs. Here is an excerpt from the court ruling.

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"Nowhere is political journalism so free, so robust, or perhaps so rowdy as in the United States.

In the exercise of that freedom, mistakes will be made, some of which will be hurtful to others.

Responsible journals will promptly correct their errors; others will not.

But if political journalism is to achieve its constitutionally endorsed role of challenging the powerful, legal redress by a public figure must be limited to those cases where the public figure has a plausible factual basis for complaining that the mistake was made maliciously, that is, with knowledge it was false or with reckless disregard of its falsity.

Here, plaintiff's complaint, even when supplemented by facts developed at an evidentiary hearing convened by the Court, fails to make that showing.

Accordingly, the complaint must be dismissed."

- U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
He was arrested in Montenegro on Tuesday

The 58-year-old man identified only as 'V.U.' is from the capital of Podgorica

A suspected drug lord accused of smuggling narcotics to Australia was arrested

Police in Montenegro say they have arrested a suspected drug lord accused of smuggling narcotics to Australia.

A statement says the 58-year-old man identified only as 'V.U.' is from the capital of Podgorica and was arrested on Tuesday as the result of a joint investigation with Australian authorities.

Montenegrin police say the suspect is accused of being the leader of a criminal organization who has organized smuggling of large quantities of drugs to Australia from other countries.

Montenegrin media identified the suspect as Vaso Ulic, 58, (pictured) who was arrested as the result of a joint investigation with Australian authorities

They say the investigation has also resulted in the arrest of four other gang members who already were convicted and sentenced to prison terms in Australia.

Montenegrin media have identified the suspect as Vaso Ulic.

Police say he will be handed over to the state prosecutor Wednesday.

He was formerly a big player in the Kings Cross 'Golden Mile'.

A suspected drug lord accused of smuggling narcotics to Australia was arrested in Montenegro (pictured) on Tuesday

Its alleged the work was centered around giant shipments of cocaine and other illicit substances.

He was apparently a small time 'bag man' in 1979.

Later that year NSW Police began studying Ulic when it opened up an intelligence file on him.
A teenage boy has died at Reading Festival.

The 17-year-olds death is being treated as unexplained, Thames Valley Police said.

Police are investigating the unexplained death of a 17-year-old boy at the festival. Please see full statement here: https://t.co/lragRtG9IG  Reading Fest Police (@TVP_ReadingFest) August 28, 2017

He was pronounced dead after emergency services were called to a tent in the campsite at the popular music festival shortly before 2am on Monday.

Thames Valley Police said the 17-year-old's death is being treated as unexplained

The teenager has not been formally identified but his next of kin have been informed.

Superintendent Rory Freeman, the festivals police commander, reassured others attending the event that there is no cause for concern.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the young man, whom we will continue to provide support to at this difficult time.  Reading Fest Police (@TVP_ReadingFest) August 28, 2017

He added: We will continue to provide support to the boys family at this difficult time.
It is a disgrace that police officers were attacked with blood and bottles at Notting Hill Carnival, a rank-and-file group leader has said.

The Bank Holiday weekend event in west London saw 28 police officers injured, with bottles and other objects thrown at them, blood spat at them and a potentially acidic substance thrown at them.

It has led Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh to ask: What other event would be allowed to carry on regardless with so many police colleagues under attack?

He said he suspected the true figure of officers injured on duty during the two-day carnival will end up being more than 28  the number released by the Metropolitan Police on Monday night.

In a statement released on Tuesday, he said: The Met have put out a statement saying 28 of our colleagues were injured over the weekend at the Notting Hill Carnival. As almost a matter of fact. As if this is the norm. As if this is acceptable.

It is none of the above. It is a disgrace. Twenty-eight brave colleagues went to work this weekend and were attacked for just doing their job. This is not normal. This is not acceptable.

There are now so many officers being injured every year at the carnival  with more than 40 last year and lets not forget that an officer was stabbed in 2015. What other event would be allowed to carry on regardless with so many police colleagues under attack?

Latest: Officers have made 313 arrests at #NottingHillCarnival over two days https://t.co/3JMF3JQvD4 pic.twitter.com/FM31LSTEQP  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) August 28, 2017

The Metropolitan Police Federation represents 32,000 officers in London.

Mr Marsh, who spent Monday at the carnival, said the Metropolitan Police has a responsibility to look after its officers.

A huge number of officers are getting attacked every year at this event, he added.

The service knows this is going to happen and send officers to this event knowing this is going to happen.

Unacceptable. 28 Met #Police officers injured at Notting Hill Carnival. How can we allow this to happen every year? https://t.co/ksGaJA2Ejc pic.twitter.com/6JdmwKzeKH  Metropolitan Police Federation (@MPFed) August 29, 2017

Something needs to be done. We cant carry on like this.

Mr Marsh said he would be taking the issue up with every level of the Met and the London Mayors Office.

Enough is enough, he went on.

Politicians and commanding officers are quick with their platitudes and praise for our members but what we want to see are tangible measures to reduce the number of officers under attack.

People observe a minute's silence in memory of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire

Some 313 arrests were carried out as of 10pm on Monday, the Metropolitan Police said, many relating to drugs and offensive weapons.

More than a third of the arrests  112  were for drugs offences, while there were 58 arrests for possession of an offensive weapon or knife/blade, 37 public order arrests and 17 common assault arrests.

Some 14 arrests for sexual offences were also carried out, while 17 arrests were made for assaults on police officers.

Police seized a number of knives and batons, CS spray and a hammer.

People wearing T-shirts and holding flags honouring the memory of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire during the final day of the Notting Hill Carnival (Jonathan Brady/PA)

In another incident, three people reported skin irritation not thought to be serious, while two more were hurt in a subsequent stampede, when a mild acidic liquid was thrown over a number of people near Ladbroke Grove on Sunday evening.

No arrests have yet been made in connection with it.

The number of arrests is so far lower than last year, when more than 450 people were arrested across the two days of festivities.

This years carnival had a more sombre tone as respects were paid to those who died in the Grenfell Tower fire.

Dozens of white doves were released in an emotional opening ceremony on Sunday, while the colourful parade of floats and revellers halted for a minutes silence at 3pm on both days to remember those killed in Junes deadly fire just a short distance away.

The Lancaster West estate, where the blackened shell of the tower stands, was fenced off from the main carnival procession out of respect for local residents and mourners.
Cold case detectives believe changes in allegiances may hold the key to solving the murder of a political cartoonist.

Naji Salim Hussain Al-Ali was fatally shot as he walked to his office in Knightsbridge, west London, on July 22 1987.

The 51-year-old, whose provocative cartoons were deemed critical of the Palestinian regime when they appeared in Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas, died on August 29 that year in hospital from his injuries.

An artist's impression of the man who shot Naji Salim Hussain Al-Ali (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Witnesses at the time said Mr Al-Ali was pursued for around 40 seconds by the suspected gunman before he was shot in the back of his neck.

Detectives said the decision to re-investigate the case was partly down to a possible shift in allegiances from those who may have known the identity of Mr Al-Alis killer, as well as a second suspect who was later seen driving away from the scene.

Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Polices counter terrorism command, said: The brutal murder of Mr Al-Ali devastated his family and 30 years on they continue to feel the loss.

Appeal following the murder of cartoonist in 1987 https://t.co/HI39MF1Wx2 pic.twitter.com/YpMAUPqHUr  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) August 28, 2017

We have previously reviewed this case and followed a number of lines of inquiry which have not resulted in us identifying these two men. However, a lot can change in 30 years - allegiances shift and people who were not willing to speak at the time of the murder may now be prepared to come forward with crucial information.

We remain open-minded about the motive for Mr Al-Alis murder and we believe there are people somewhere who have information that could help us bring those responsible for his murder to justice.

In the moments leading up to Mr Al-Alis murder, he parked his car on Ixworth Place, walked down into Draycott Avenue and onto Ives Street.

Witnesses reported seeing him being followed by the suspected gunman, who they described as being of Middle-Eastern appearance and aged about 25, with collar-length thick black hair that was wavy at the back. He was wearing a stonewashed denim jacket and dark trousers, police said.

The gun used to kill Naji Salim Hussain Al-Ali was found almost two years later (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Witnesses described seeing the suspect close to Mr Al-Ali, holding a black automatic handgun.

A witness reported seeing another man  also of Middle-Eastern appearance  crossing Fulham Road into Lucan Place and getting into the drivers seat of a silver-grey left-hand drive Mercedes shortly after the incident.

He was seen running with his left hand inside the right side of his jacket as if he was concealing something. The gun - a 7.62 Tokarev pistol  was found on the Hallfield Estate in Paddington almost two years after the murder.

The cartoonists son, Osama Al-Ali, said his family wanted to know what happened to him to provide them with closure.

In a statement released through police, he said: My father was a very dedicated family man who wanted to spend as much time with his kids as possible. On top of that, he was also very dedicated to his passion of his artwork, and the political implications of that, and his people.

Lots of questions are unanswered and we would like to have that closure, so we are encouraged by the fact that the investigation is being reopened and we have some path towards resolution, so we know what happened.
At least 13 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in an air strike by Afghan security forces targeting the Taliban in western Herat province, officials said.

Gelani Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor, said the attack in Shindand district also injured seven other civilians, while 16 Taliban militants were killed.

It came as a suicide bomber killed at least five people in a busy commercial area of central Kabul, not far from the US embassy.

Afghan blast wreckage

Mr Farhad said Monday nights air strike targeted a Taliban base and a prison run by the insurgents. The jail was destroyed and 19 inmates  military and civilian  escaped.

He added that the civilians who were killed died in their homes near the Taliban base.

Afghan security guards stand in front of Kabul Bank after a suicide attack

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide attack in the capital.

Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said a suicide bomber targeted military personnel who had gathered on Tuesday at Kabul Bank to collect their salaries ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Mohammad Salim Rasouli, chief of Kabul hospitals at the Health Ministry, confirmed that nine other people were injured in the attack, according to reports.
A petition to keep a straight-A student with a place at Oxford University in the UK has smashed 70,000 signatures.

Friends of 21-year-old genius Brian White are campaigning for a change to his immigration status which will allow him to legally stay in the country, where he has lived for six years.

However, he and his supporters are up against the clock as his place studying chemistry at Lady Margaret Hall is due to expire.

Please could you sign this petition on behalf of one of my constituents Brian White. #GetBrianToOxford

Help him... https://t.co/Q3X2JAharP  Eleanor Smith (@Eleanor_Smith55) August 27, 2017

Mr White, from Wolverhampton, has already had to battle plenty of adversity, growing up in a Zimbabwean orphanage until he was six.

He was later adopted from Botswana by the White family, who are from the West Midlands, and came to the UK aged 15.

Mr Whites supporters, including old school friends, have claimed that it was at that stage he should have been given indefinite leave to remain. But he was instead given limited leave to remain.

His plight has earned backing from award-winning columnist and writer Caitlin Moran, who called him a maths genius, and best-selling author Philip Pullman.

The local MP Eleanor Smith has also added her voice to the campaign.

It was when Mr White tried to take up his place at Oxford that he found he was ineligible to receive student finance because of his immigration status.

While he was able to defer his spot for a year, the deadline is now looming ahead of the start of the academic year. If unsuccessful with his new application to the Home Office, he believes he could face deportation back to Zimbabwe if the matter is not settled.

Mr White said: I havent been there in seven or eight years, I dont know anybody there. I dont have any connections.

home office: Help Brian White remain in the UK to take his place at Oxford University! https://t.co/l9k367QNr1 via @UKChange  Philip Pullman (@PhilipPullman) August 25, 2017

The problem first reared its head when a naturalisation application by his foster parents to become a British citizen was rejected. At the time, and given his age, he thought nothing of it, he said.

It was only after studying for his A-levels, where he got three A*s and an A in triple science and maths, he found he had no legal right to settle permanently.

He said: Its had a massive impact and put a big question mark over my future.

It was his school friend, 19-year-old Luke Wilcox, who launched the petition at change.org last week to publicise his friends plight.

A view of All Souls' College from the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford University. In the background to the right is New College. To the left is the Old Quadrangle of Hertford College

Mr Wilcox, who is studying law at Bristol University, said: Its common sense to allow him to stay. So many people have said the situation is crazy.

Hes a great friend and is going to be a big asset to this country, studying and working. We want the Home Office to show some heart and compassion, and make the right decision.

Mr White described his friends petition and the support it has garnered as wonderful, adding its crazy how much support Ive got.

A Home Office spokesman said: We understand the urgency of Mr Whites case and have contacted him to reassure him that we are looking to resolve his application as soon as possible.
Theresa May has full confidence in Boris Johnson, Downing Street said as the Foreign Secretary came under fire from critics at home and abroad.

Number 10 said the Prime Minister had a good relationship with the Foreign Secretary, in response to anonymous briefings saying he was viewed as a clown and a joke in capitals around the world.

Meanwhile, a senior German politician described Mr Johnsons approach to European politics as not very clever but said the Foreign Secretary was beginning to recognise that big words dont help.

Boris Johnson

A scathing column in The Times claimed that diplomatic sources believe that officials at Donald Trumps White House dont want to go anywhere near Boris because they think hes a joke.

An unnamed minister told the newspaper: Its worse in Europe. There is not a single foreign minister there who takes him seriously. They think hes a clown who can never resist a gag.

Asked about a claim in The Times that the intelligence agencies were nervous about giving Mr Johnson sensitive material, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: Im not going to comment on a column in a newspaper.

But the Prime Minister meets the Foreign Secretary regularly and they have a good relationship.

Boris Johnson

Asked if the Prime Minister had full confidence in Mr Johnson and thought he was doing a good job, the spokeswoman simply stated: Yes.

Pressed on whether she believed he had the confidence of his European counterparts, the spokeswoman said: The Prime Minister has a good relationship with Boris Johnson, has full confidence in him and and hes doing a good job.

Michael Fuchs, an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, suggested that Mr Johnson had calmed down in recent weeks.

Dr Fuchs, the deputy parliamentary leader of Mrs Merkels CDU Party, told BBC Radio 4s World At One: It was not very clever from him, the way he handled Europe or European negotiators at the beginning, but I have a feeling that in the last couple of weeks he was rather calm, we didnt hear much from him, so maybe he thought it over and he has to come back to the negotiating table, because its a very difficult process and big words dont help.
Eden Hazards younger brother Kylian has joined Chelsea from Hungarian club Ujpest.

Kylian, an attacking midfielder, will be added to the Premier league champions development squad and could make his debut in their fixture against Sunderland on Saturday week.

We have today signed Kylian Hazard, who joins up with our development squad...



 https://t.co/n5RHUiYUKu pic.twitter.com/rijuXW0aqm  Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 29, 2017

The 22-year-old began his professional career in his native Belgium, where he played for White Star Brussels and Zulte-Waregem.

Chelsea have signed Eden hazard's brother Kylian

He moved to the OTP Bank Liga in 2015 and made 42 appearances for Ujpest.

Kylian is the third Hazard brother to join Chelsea after Thorgan - the middle of the three - spent 2012 to 2015 at Stamford Bridge, although for virtually all of that time he was loaned out.
Nous accueillons, nos adorables, Jenny et Amy ^^

 4 kiffs
Twelve years to the day after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, another deadly storm has seen hundreds of people rescued from floodwaters in south-western Louisiana.

Tropical Storm Harvey also prompted New Orleans to shut down its schools and other key institutions as a precaution.

Harvey flooded neighbourhoods overnight with chest-deep water in the Lake Charles area, near the Texas border.

Lake Charles rescue personnel help lower this wheelchair bound resident from the back of a vehicle

#NOLAReady alert: Strong storm moving through area. Potential of winds over 30 MPH with this storm.  NOLA Ready (@nolaready) August 29, 2017

In New Orleans, mayor Mitch Landrieu urged residents to stay at home on Tuesday due to the threat of potential flooding. Many appeared to be heeding his call.

Meanwhile, Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards said Louisiana is offering to shelter storm victims from Texas. He said at a news conference in Baton Rouge that he expects Texas officials to decide within 48 hours whether to accept the offer.

Some New Orleans neighbourhoods flooded earlier this month during a deluge that exposed problems with the citys pump and drainage system. On Tuesday, heavy rains were starting to flood some New Orleans streets.

Traffic on the bridge from New Orleans west bank to the main part of the city was lighter than usual during the mornings rush hour.

We have reactivated the NOLA Pay It Forward Fund to support those affected by #Harvey. To donate, visit https://t.co/WAU4PsNDqs. pic.twitter.com/fom0PRfWNX  Mitch Landrieu (@MitchLandrieu) August 29, 2017

The citys public schools were closed, along with six universities and a medical school. A ceremony and march in New Orleans to commemorate the deadly 2005 storm was postponed until Sunday.

For many others, it was largely business as usual.

I cant afford not to open, said Jerry Roppolo, 65, owner of a popular coffee house where water often creeps over the pavement and up to the threshold during heavy rains.

The shop in the Carrollton neighbourhood is usually bustling but was slow on Tuesday. Mr Roppolo attributed that to the school closures.

On Katrina 12, we remember the nearly 100 unidentified & unclaimed New Orleanians who lost their lives. Your are unclaimed but not forgotten pic.twitter.com/x2nHUJk3o8  Mitch Landrieu (@MitchLandrieu) August 29, 2017

A lot of the parents come in on the way to school, on the way from school, he said.

About 500 people were evacuated in south-west Louisianas most populous parish overnight, as a heavy band of rain pushed waterways out of their banks, said Calcasieu Parish spokesman Tom Hoefer.

He said as many as 5,000 parish residents are affected by the flooding, but not all of those people have flooded homes. Some are just cut off by flooded roads.

A lull in the heavy rains allowed water to recede on Tuesday morning, enabling some who fled their homes to return, survey damage and remove possessions.

No city welcomed more New Orleanians following Katrina than Houston, and our heart breaks for them right now. #HoustonStrong  Mitch Landrieu (@MitchLandrieu) August 29, 2017

I wanted to get my mothers Bible out of the house and there were some things we needed  our medicine, were both on medications, said David Wells, 65. I got a feeling its going to get worse before it gets any better.

The high water in Calcasieu Parish surprised residents of some neighbourhoods not known for flooding. The Kayouche Coulee spilled over when heavy rain hit the area after sunset, and people began calling for rescue.

Ive seen some floods, Ive seen water come up, but nothing like this, said Lake Charles fire department division chief Lennie LaFleur.

Discussion from @NWSWPC on heavy rain potential through this afternoon. https://t.co/Z2FEcfSxaS pic.twitter.com/NurrocXhXW  NWS New Orleans (@NWSNewOrleans) August 29, 2017

Lt Mark Thrower, of the Iowa fire department in Calcasieu Parish, said emergency workers used a high-water vehicle and boat to evacuate approximately 25 people from waist-deep water on Monday night. He said at least 45 homes in Iowa were flooded.

National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Erickson said officials expect Harvey will make another landfall in Cameron Parish around midday on Wednesday, after hitting Texas and meandering back into the Gulf of Mexico.

Harvey is projected to bring gusts up to 45mph in coastal areas and gusts of up to 35mph in Lake Charles.

Mr Erickson warned that some coastal rivers will not be able to drain rain effectively because Harveys winds are pushing storm surge into coastal waters, aggravating flooding of areas that have already received more than 20 inches of rain.
Defending champion Angelique Kerbers woeful season continued with a first-round loss to 19-year-old Naomi Osaka at the US Open.

The Germans 6-3 6-1 defeat makes her only the second defending womens champion to lose her first match after Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2005.

Kerber rose to the top of rankings after winning in both Australia and New York last season but has not claimed a title since nor made a grand slam quarter-final.

Naomi Osakabeat Angelique Kerber in the first round of the US Open

Fourth-round appearances at the Australian Open and Wimbledon sandwiched an opening-round defeat at the French Open and her misery was complete here.

It was a very tough draw for Kerber against a player regarded as one of the future stars of the womens game, and Osaka rose to the challenge under the roof on Arthur Ashe.

The Japanese-American is a fearless ball-striker and Kerber had no answer, netting a final forehand to succumb meekly after just 65 minutes.

If defending #USOpen champion Kerber loses to Osaka, she'll drop out of the Top 10 after the tournament. https://t.co/ouLflW52Ap pic.twitter.com/vwTTUXYjTF  US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2017

Kerber, who despite her poor form held the number one spot until Wimbledon, will now fall outside the top 10.

There was better news for world number one Karolina Pliskova, who has headed in the opposite direction to Kerber after losing to the German in the final here last year.

The Czech defeated Polands Magda Linette 6-2 6-1, while players on the outside courts were made to wait by wet weather at Flushing Meadows.
MILAN, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Czech Republic forward Patrik Schick is close to signing for AS Roma, the club said on Monday, a move which would complete a remarkable rise for a player who was playing with a midtable team in his homeland two seasons ago.

Roma said in a statement that the 21-year-old Sampdoria striker, seen by many as potentially the best Czech player to have emerged for several years, arrived at Rome airport where around 200 fans were waiting for him, according to Italian media.

Roma said Schick would "undergo a medical... on Tuesday, as the terms of his transfer from Sampdoria are finalised."

Schick was raised at Sparta Prague where he made his professional debut in May 2015. He was then loaned to Bohemians, generally regarded as the third most popular Prague team, and helped them to a modest ninth place in 2015/16.

He was given his full international debut against Malta in May 2016, scoring in a 6-0 win, although he missed out on the Czech Republic's Euro 2016 squad.

Sampdoria then signed him and after initially struggling to settle in, he finished with 11 goals in 32 league appearances.

The highlight was against Crotone where he cheekily flicked the ball over his marker's head, ran on with two defenders in pursuit and sidefooted the ball into the net.

Schick had a medical with Serie A champions Juventus in June but the Turin side subsequently pulled out of the deal. The two clubs said the decision was "by mutual agreement" and did not give any further details. (Writing by Brian Homewood, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
By Henning Gloystein

SINGAPORE, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Australian asset manager Qado and commodity merchant RCMA plan to jointly develop and market natural gas assets in the state of Queensland to sell the fuel in the country's struggling power market.

Australia is rich in fossil fuels such as natural gas, but much of it is exported overseas, leading to a shortfall in domestic supplies. Several Australian states have suffered from electricity shortages, including a blackout in Adelaide in February.

The two companies hope to fill this supply gap and profit from high and volatile local power and gas prices.

"RCMA will support approved Eastern Australia Qado operated upstream projects with gas trading and marketing services, and direct investment to enable competitive gas supply to the Queensland domestic gas market," the two companies said in a joint statement published late on Monday.

"Some of the assets are prospective gas acreage that the Queensland government has released," said Andrew Koscharsky, Director for Energy at RCMA in Singapore.

RCMA and Qado did not provide details about the natural gas assets, citing commercial sensitivity during the negotiation process, but said the joint venture planned to "bring on stream a number of gas and liquids projects in the coming years."

RCMA already trades natural gas and power in Australia's wholesale market, and Koscharsky said the company was applying for a retail electricity licence through its subsidiary iSwitch.

"QADO and RCMA will work together with the aim of bringing more competitive gas to the Queensland domestic market through the iSwitch retail energy arm of RCMA," he said.

(Reporting by Henning Gloystein; Editing by Sunil Nair)
Aug 29 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Tuesday.

DEBT TENDER

Romania sold a planned 500 million lei ($129.88 million) worth of Feb. 2019 treasury bonds on Monday, with the average accepted yield at 1.27 percent, central bank data showed.

EURO

Romania, one of the fastest growing European Union members, may join the euro zone in 2022, once the incomes of its poorest citizens rise, foreign minister Teodor Melescanu said.

WHEAT

Egypt will issue a decision on a Romanian wheat shipment after the Eid al-Adha holiday, which ends on Sept. 4, judicial sources told Reuters on Monday. Egypt's agriculture quarantine service rejected a 63,000 tonne Romanian wheat shipment due to the presence of poppy seeds last week and transferred the case to the public prosecutor.

CEE MARKETS

The forint firmed slightly on Monday in a cautious reaction to a surprise move by rating agency Standard & Poor's late on Friday to raise the outlook on Hungary's sovereign rating to "positive".

For the long-term Romanian diary, click on

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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 ---------------------------------------------------------------
Aug 29 (Reuters) - Hong Kong stocks, along with those on major global markets, fell on Tuesday after North Korea fired a missile over Japan, escalating geo-political tensions.

The benchmark Hang Seng index slid 0.4 percent, to 27,765.01, while the China Enterprises Index also lost 0.4 percent, to 11,296.08 points.

North Korea fired a missile early on Tuesday that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific about 1,180 km (735 miles) off Hokkaido. The test was seen as one of the most provocative ever from the reclusive state.

Most Asian share markets dropped on Tuesday after the missile launch, though the Shanghai benchmark inched up.

In Hong Kong, most sectors fell, with IT and financial shares leading the decline.

However, Hong Kong-listed Chinese real estate shares bucked the trend, with property giant China Evergrande Group jumping over 12 percent after it pledged to slash debt by 2020. (Reporting by the Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Richard Borsuk)
By Wilda Asmarini and Hidayat Setiaji

JAKARTA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Indonesia on Tuesday agreed to let Freeport-McMoRan Inc keep operating its giant Grasberg copper mine, after the U.S. company said it would cede control of its Indonesian unit, ending years of wrangling.

Freeport has been in talks with Indonesia since late 2009 to work out how to shift to a new permit for Grasberg, the world's second-biggest copper mine, as mandated in a mining law passed that year.

The company said on Tuesday it had made a "major concession and compromise" in selling a 51 percent stake in PT Freeport Indonesia (PT-FI).

The world's biggest publicly listed copper miner said the deal would be structured such that it would retain control over operations and governance of PT-FI.

Shares of Freeport were down 5.6 percent at $14.64 on Tuesday.

The miner will also build a second smelter in Indonesia and plans to invest between $17 billion and $20 billion in Grasberg through 2031.

"It is a short-term positive in that, it allows FCX to export for the foreseeable future," Clarksons Platou Securities analyst Jeremy Sussman said.

"With that said, the up to $20 (billion) spend was more than we were anticipating, and material uncertainty still exists over 'fair market value'."

Top-quality copper mines remain rare and the agreement underlines the mine's importance to Freeport, which produces a quarter of its copper from Grasberg.

It also marks the return of a more muscular stance from a host government, a trend that was common during the commodities boom.

Freeport can "immediately apply" for a 10-year permit extension to mine at Grasberg beyond 2021, said Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan, and a second extension could be proposed before 2031.

"The mandate of the president, which has been agreed to by Freeport, is that the divestment should reach 51 percent," Jonan told a joint news conference, alongside Freeport Chief Executive Richard Adkerson. "All that is left is to discuss the timing. The price will be negotiated later."

"We are committed to completing the documentation as soon as possible during 2017," Adkerson said in a statement.

Freeport will need to divest a 41.64 percent of its Indonesian unit to a local entity to comply with new local ownership rules introduced in January, on top of the 9.36 percent stake it has already divested to the government.

Freeport has insisted on a "fair market value" for the stake, while the government is seeking a much lower figure and said it should not include unmined copper reserves.

Last year, Freeport offered a 10.64 percent stake in Grasberg for $1.7 billion, valuing the mine at about $16.2 billion. The government counter-offered at $630 million.

"The mechanics, valuation and timing of the 51 percent divestiture are all absolutely critical issues which must be resolved before the dispute can be regarded as finally settled," Jakarta-based foreign legal counsel Bill Sullivan told Reuters.

"BETTER THAN NOTHING"

The agreement also reduces the risk of another stoppage to copper concentrate exports from Grasberg. Global prices for the metal jumped earlier this year when negotiations soured and exports were halted.

"If it wasn't copper, this may have played out differently. But given copper's long-term positive outlook and the billions of dollars already invested by Freeport in Grasberg, they must realize that 49 percent is better than nothing," said James Wilson, mining analyst for Argonaut Stockbroking in Perth.

During Freeport's five decades of operating Grasberg, in Indonesia's eastern province of Papua, there has been frequent friction between the government and the company over revenue sharing and the mine's social and environmental impact.

Labour unrest emerged at Grasberg after Freeport put about 3,000 workers on indefinite leave earlier this year, as a result of the dispute over mining rights.

"We hope that this (agreement) also brings to an end the worker strike," Tri Puspital, a leader at one of the Freeport workers' unions, said on Tuesday.

As part of the latest deal, PT-FI will convert its work contract to a special license, which will give it operating rights through 2041.

Talks between Freeport and the government on Grasberg became more urgent this year as the company's existing 30-year contract is due to expire in 2021 and the government demanded the miner accept the new permit or copper concentrate exports would be stopped.

The new permit would also require Freeport to relinquish arbitration rights and pay new taxes and royalties, among other terms.

Energy Minister Jonan said last week this transition would be a "test case" for Indonesia's mining sector.

NEW RULES

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati told the news conference the government was in the process of drafting new rules on taxes and royalties for miners.

Under these rules, the government expects to increase its revenues from Freeport, and the miner could maintain tax rates for "the duration of its operations," Mulyani said. (Additonal reporting by James Regan in Sydney and Yashaswini Swamynathan in Bengaluru; Writing by Fergus Jensen and Ed Davies; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Susan Fenton and Maju Samuel)
QUITO, Aug 29 (Reuters) - An Ecuadorean judge has jailed 20 Chinese fishermen for up to four years for illegally fishing off the Galapagos Islands, where they were caught with 6,600 sharks.

The Chinese-flagged ship Fu Yuan Yu Leng 999 was apprehended in mid-August with some 300 tonnes of near-extinct or endangered species, including hammerhead sharks.

The crew received jail time of between one and four years, the judge said late on Sunday. They were also fined a total of $5.9 million.

Ecuador's foreign ministry said it had sent a formal protest to China over the presence of ships near the Galapagos, which inspired British naturalist Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

It reported earlier this month that China's ambassador in Quito, Wang Yulin, said his country wanted to take all measures necessary to "put an end to these illicit practices."

The islands are about 1,000 km (620 miles) west of Ecuador's Pacific coast.

The Environment Ministry said the Chinese vessel was fishing in the Galapagos' marine reserve.

The boat will be taken over by Ecuador and the dead animals thrown out to sea, the government said on Monday.

Shark fin is a status symbol for many Chinese, prized as nourishment and consumed in a shredded jelly-like soup. Restaurants across China serve it at traditional banquets, despite a 2014 crackdown by President Xi Jinping on extravagance and a ban on serving the delicacy at official functions.

Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Tuesday China opposed any form of illegal fishing, and was paying great attention to the case.

However, she said there was no evidence the ship was fishing in Ecuadorian waters but that the ship had transited through the Galapagos protected zone without permission as it did not understand Ecuadorian rules.

China hopes Ecuador can fairly handle the case and protect the legitimate rights of the Chinese nationals, Hua added.

Centenarian tortoises and blue-footed boobies inhabit the Galapagos alongside some 18,000 islanders who earn a living from fishing and the tourism industry. (Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by W Simon and Nick Macfie)
PARIS, Aug 29 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a contact group on Syria will meet at the United Nations in New York in September, as he called the fight against Islamist terrorism the priority of his foreign policy.

In an opening speech to the annual gathering of French ambassadors at the Elysee palace, Macron said the "main players" of the Syrian crisis would be involved, without elaborating. It remained unclear what the purpose of the new group would be and how it differed to previous contact groups.

Macron said cooperation with Russia had yielded "concrete results" on curtailing the use of chemical weapons in Syria. He gave no details. (Reporting by John Irish; writing by Michel Rose)
BANGKOK, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Thailand is preparing to receive people fleeing fighting in Myanmar and send them back "when they are ready", the prime minister said on Tuesday, following a series of attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents on Myanmar security forces last week.

Thailand was once a popular transit route for Rohingya escaping troubled Rakhine state in northwest Myanmar across the Andaman Sea. Others came by land.

But a 2015 Thai police crackdown on human trafficking syndicates led to ships with migrants aboard being abandoned at sea. It also disrupted the networks that brought migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh to Thailand and Malaysia.

"Thailand's defence ministry and security are preparing to receive various displaced people," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters.

"We will provide them with shelter like in the past ... and send them back when they are ready."

Prayuth did not say whether any displaced people had arrived in Thailand. He did not specifically mention the Rohingya.

Thai immigration police told Reuters in May that people-smuggling across the border from Myanmar to Thailand was rising despite the crackdown.

At least 109 people were killed in the recent violence in Rakhine, most of them militants, but also members of the security forces and civilians.

A previous round of insurgent attacks in October prompted a ferocious military response that displaced 87,000 Rohingya and was dogged by allegations of atrocities.

Many observers fear a repeat of 2012, when clashes between the Rakhine Buddhist majority and Rohingya minority killed nearly 200 people and displaced 140,000 - most of them Rohingya.

The treatment of about 1.1 million Rohingya in Myanmar has become the biggest challenge for national leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out on behalf of the long-persecuted minority.

Thailand does not recognize the status of refugees and it does not recognize the Rohingya as legitimate migrant workers.

Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia Division, said Thailand should re-evaluate its policy towards fleeing Rohingya.

"If the prime minister is serious, he should instruct that there be a long overdue re-evaluation of Thai policy towards fleeing Rohingya that recognizes these people are not seeking to resettle in Thailand, but rather just trying to land somewhere safe where they can reside temporarily in dignity before continuing their journey," Robertson told Reuters.

Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh from escalating fighting in Myanmar face the growing danger of sickness and attempts by the Bangladesh authorities to send them home despite a U.N. plea that they be allowed to stay.

(Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Aukkarapon Niyomyat; Editing by Andrew R.C. Marshall and Nick Macfie)
ASTANA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. global nuclear watchdog, opened a uranium bank in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, a $150-million facility designed to discourage new nations from enriching the nuclear fuel.

The Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) Bank in the city of Oskemen, in eastern Kazakhstan, will store up to 90 tonnes of the fuel, enough to power a large city for three years, and sell it to IAEA members if they are unable to procure it elsewhere.

"The LEU Bank will serve as a last-resort mechanism to provide confidence to countries that they will be able to obtain LEU for the manufacture of fuel for nuclear power plants in the event of an unforseen, non-commercial disruption to their supplies," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said in a statement on Monday.

Countries such as Iran have said they need enrichment facilities to ensure a steady supply of fuel for nuclear power plants, and the idea behind the bank is to make such supply available without domestic enrichment.

Russia has operated a similar bank since 2010 but the one in Kazakhstan will be the first one fully owned and operated by the global nuclear watchdog.

"By hosting the IAEA LEU bank, Kazakhstan has made another contribution to strengthening the global non-proliferation regime," Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said as he handed Amano a symbolical key to the facility at a ceremony in the Kazakh capital, Astana.

"I am confident that the IAEA LEU Bank will make a valuable contribution to international efforts to ensure the availability of fuel for nuclear power plants," Amano said.

The IAEA said in a statement it would begin buying uranium soon, with the aim to ship it to the bank next year. The project was funded by donors, including the United States, the European Union, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Norway and the Nuclear Threat Initiative. (Reporting by Raushan Nurshayeva; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
By Ahmad Ghaddar and Libby George

LONDON, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Benchmark European gasoline refining margins spiked nearly 9 percent on Tuesday to their highest since April after more than 2 million barrels per day (bpd) of U.S. refining capacity was knocked offline by Hurricane Harvey.

Margins, a measure of the profit that can be made from refining crude into gasoline, hit $15.45 a barrel in morning trade.

Harvey knocked out 13 percent of refining capacity in the United States, the world's largest oil consumer, while the ongoing rain and flooding threatened other units, including the country's largest refinery.

The shutdowns are expected to prompt a late-year spike in gasoline bookings from Europe to compensate for the production losses. Buyers in the United States and in Latin America, which has been reliant on U.S. exports, could turn to Europe, traders said.

"Owners are being asked to provide transatlantic options on cargoes being shipped out of the Med or NWE with the view to diverting cargoes to the United States or Latin America," said Andrew Wilson, head of energy research with shipping firm BRS Brokers.

U.S. gasoline prices surged to two-year highs on Monday at $1.7799 per gallon. They traded at $1.7014 a gallon at 1039 GMT.

Between Friday and Tuesday, at least eight vessels were booked to sail from Europe to the United States, trade sources told Reuters, a slightly higher figure than normal and above the muted level seen in recent weeks, as buyers slowed their imports towards the end of the summer driving season.

(Reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar and Libby George; Editing by Mark Potter)
DUBAI, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Leaders of the Houthi group and loyalists of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, allies in Yemen's civil war, said on Tuesday they had had agreed to ease tensions between them after three people were killed in a clash.

The violence late on Saturday between members of the Iran-aligned Houthis and Saleh loyalists marked a breakdown within the main political coalition fighting the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in the 2 1/2-year-old conflict.

Aref al-Zouka, head of Saleh's General People's Congress (GPC), and the Houthi Ansarullah group's official spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam led delegations at a meeting in the Yemeni capital Sanaa late on Monday.

The meeting decided to "remove all causes of the tensions that occurred in the capital Sanaa and to return the security situation to what it was before the activities last week," the two sides said in a statement.

The two fighting groups together rule northern Yemen and have maintained an uneasy alliance throughout a conflict that has killed at least 10,000 people and unleashed hunger and disease.

Saleh ran Yemen for three decades. A mass rally to commemorate his party's founding anniversary last week aroused the ire of the Houthis, who viewed it as a show of force meant to undermine them.

Tensions boiled over on Saturday night when Houthi fighters set up a security checkpoint near the home of Saleh's son and his media office.

Two Houthi fighters were killed and Yemeni media reported that an army colonel who served as a senior official in Saleh's GPC party also died.

Both sides agreed at the meeting to close ranks and to "unify efforts to confront the aggression", the statement said, referring to the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in the war in 2015 in an effort to restore Hadi's government to power in Sanaa after the Houthis seized the capital and entered into alliance with Saleh. (Writing by Sami Aboudi; editing by Andrew Roche)
By Jan Strupczewski

BRUSSELS/BERLIN, Aug 29 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday threw her weight behind the European Commission in its row with Warsaw over freedom of Poland's court system.

The previously reticent Merkel, speaking in Berlin, said she took the issue "very seriously" and would talk about it with Commission President Jean-Claude Junker on Wednesday.

In July, the Commission, the European Union's executive, gave Warsaw a month to address its concerns about ongoing reforms it sees as interfering with an independent judiciary.

Warsaw's reply on signalled that the ruling nationalist and eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party had no intention of backing down and even doubted the Commission's right to intervene.

While two of the new Polish laws questioned by the Commission have been sent back for re-working by an unexpected presidential veto and after a week of mass street protests, a third one, giving the justice minister powers to fire judges, has become law. The Commission says it undermines the independence of the courts and therefore EU rules. "This is a serious issue because the requirements for cooperation within the European Union are the principles of the rule of law. I take what the Commission says on this very seriously," Merkel told a news conference.

"We cannot simply hold our tongues and not say anything for the sake of peace and quiet," she said.

Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said Merkel's remarks showed the criticism was political, rather than factual.

"I'm convinced that Polish government will be executing its targets despite political emotions that appear in politicians' statements," Ziobro told a news conference in Warsaw.

"Every country which is independent within the EU has its own laws and should settle its problems within democratic mechanisms," he said in remarks broadcast on state TV.

In its reply to the Commission on Monday, the Polish foreign ministry said the legislative process of overhauling its judiciary was in line with European standards.

It called the Commission's concerns groundless and noted that judiciary was the competence of national governments, not the Commission.

"We have received the reply from the Polish government. Regarding the point that we have no competence in this sphere, this is something that we would actually quite powerfully refute," a Commission spokeswoman said.

"The rule of law framework sets out how the Commission should react should clear indications of a threat to the rule of law emerge in a member state. The Commission believes that there is such a threat to the rule of law in Poland," she said.

The Commission said in July that it would launch legal action against Poland over the judicial reforms. It also said that if the government started firing Supreme Court judges, the Commission would move to suspend Poland's voting rights in the EU -- an unprecedented punishment which would, however, require the unlikely unanimous support of all other EU governments.

Merkel's remarks on Tuesday follow openly critical statements from French President Emmanuel Macron, who said last Friday that Poland was isolating itself within the EU and Polish citizens "deserved better" than a government at odds with the bloc's democratic values and economic reform plans.

LOGGING

In another unprecedented sign of defiance against the EU, the Polish government of the Law and Justice party has also ignored an order by the EU's highest court to cease logging in the Bialowieza forest.

The court will convene on Sept. 11 to decide how to react to Warsaw's failure to honour the injunction, the first in EU history.

As the EU's spats with the PiS government get increasingly tense, the bloc's member states are due to discuss again this autumn whether the situation in their largest ex-communist peer merits launching an unprecedented Article 7 punitive procedure.

The maximum, however unlikely, punishment under the procedure would be stripping Poland of its voting rights in the EU over not respecting democratic principles on which the bloc is built. (Additional reporting by Paul Carrel, Michelle Martin and Michael Nienaber in Berlin, Pawel Florkiewicz in Warsaw, Writing by Jan Strupczewski,; Editing by Phil Blenkinsop/Jeremy Gaunt)
WASHINGTON, Aug 29 (Reuters) - The United States and Iraq have banished a senior Islamic State finance official from their financial systems, the U.S. Treasury Department said on Tuesday.

The U.S. Treasury named Salim Mustafa Muhammad al-Mansur, a finance official for the Islamic militant group, as a "specially designated global terrorist," a move that freezes any property he might have in the United States and bars Americans from dealing with him.

Iraq's government also barred Mansur from its financial system and froze any assets under its jurisdiction, Treasury said. Islamic State, also called ISIS, seized large swathes of Iraq in 2014 in a bid to establish an Islamic "caliphate," but has since lost territory in a U.S.-backed campaign against the group.

"Treasury continues to work in close collaboration with the Government of Iraq to dismantle ISIS financial networks both inside and outside of ISIS-controlled territory," said John E. Smith, director of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which enforces sanctions.

In 2014, Mansur helped transfer hundreds of thousands of Iraqi dinars to Islamic State in Mosul, and then helped launder and transfer money for the group and sold oil it extracted from Iraq and Syria, Treasury said.

As of early this year, Mansur had moved to Turkey but was still serving as an Islamic State finance official for Mosul, Iraq, Treasury said. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati)
SAO PAULO, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Brazil is engaged in World Trade Organization committee talks aimed at eliminating potential barriers to poultry and pork exports, with an upcoming summit in December the next opportunity to advance agreements benefiting its farm exports, the head of the WTO said.

Brazil has proposed the adoption of strict scientific criteria related to sanitary standards in the food trade in one committee, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo told a conference on Tuesday.

Sanitary barriers based on "scientifically questionable" claims are among factors restricting free trade and should be reviewed, he said.

"More than 900 such barriers were discussed at our committees," he said, adding Brazil and other nations are presently discussing "a point of convergence" regarding the matter.

At the same time Brazil and the European Union have an interest in advancing talks to reduce subsidies distorting trade, although no agreement is in sight yet, he added.

The EU, Brazil and three other Latin American countries introduced a WTO proposal in July aimed at reducing farm subsidies.

"For it to be possible to reduce subsidies it is necessary that all countries change. Otherwise it is like unilateral disarmament," Azevedo said.

The WTO will hold a ministerial conference in Buenos Aires in early December.

Azevedo's comments underscored the importance of eliminating protectionist barriers at a time when global trade growth remains weak.

The WTO predicts 2017 will be the sixth consecutive year of growth in global trade below 3 percent, making for the slowest pace of growth since World War Two, he said. (Reporting by Ana Mano; Writing by Jake Spring; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Chizu Nomiyama)
By Zelie Pollon

SANTA FE, N.M., Aug 29 (Reuters) - A teenager who killed two people and wounded four others in a shooting at a small-town New Mexico library had a troubled past but appeared to have turned his life around after joining a local church, his pastor said Tuesday.

Sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Jouett had been baptized this summer and was helping the church raise money to send teen members to youth camp just days before he opened fire Monday afternoon at the Clovis-Carver Public Library, Pastor David Stevens said in a telephone interview.

"Before Christ came into his heart, he was just crying, broken," said Stevens of the Living Word Church of God in Clovis. "He said, 'Now I got something to smile about.' We had no indication of anything wrong with him."

Two library employees, Krissie Carter, 48, and Wanda Walters, 61, were killed in the shooting, in which Jouett used two handguns, Clovis police Chief Douglas Ford said Tuesday.

Among the wounded was at least one child, a 10-year-old boy, Noah Molina, who was airlifted along with three other people to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas and was in satisfactory condition on Tuesday, said Eric Finley, spokesman for University Medical Center in Lubbock.

Also wounded were Noah's sister, Alexis Molina, 21, and Howard Jones, 53. Alexis Molina and Jones were in serious condition Tuesday, Finley said. The fourth surviving victim was identified by Ford as Jessica Thron, 30. All are expected to recover, Ford said in a news release.

Authorities plan to initially charge Jouett as a juvenile with two counts of first degree murder, four counts of assault, four counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of child abuse, the news release said. Prosecutors would then seek to try Jouett as an adult, Ford said.

Stevens said Jouett was being held in seclusion since his arrest at the library on Monday. He said his daughter, who had been dating the teen for the past three-and-a-half months, received a text message from friends Monday saying there had been a shooting and that Nathan, as he was called by friends, was there.

Jouett was on suspension from Clovis high school for fighting at the time of the shooting, Stevens said.

"My daughter thought Nathan had been shot," Stevens said. "So my wife and daughter went downtown to the library, and he had been arrested. He was the shooter."

Clovis, with a population of about 40,000, is around 190 miles (300 km) east of Albuquerque. (Reporting by Zelie Pollon in Santa Fe, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Keith Coffman in Denver, Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Jonathan Allen in New York; Writing by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Andrew Hay)
By Sebastien Malo

NEW YORK, Aug 29 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Forests in the northeastern United States and southern Canada could be ravaged by tree-killing beetles in coming decades as a warming climate expands the pest's habitat, a study has found.

Over the next 60 years, southern pine beetles could infest forests in new areas of the United States and Canada, disrupting industries and ecosystems alike, it said.

The red-brown insects, the size of a grain of rice, known to feast on pine-tree bark, has typically only thrived in the hotter climate of Central America and the southeastern United States.

But in recent years warmer than usual winter nights have allowed it to survive the cold months and spread as far north as the U.S. state of New York. The coldest winter night has warmed by 6 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to 4 degrees Celsius) over the past 50 years in various parts of the United States, the study's authors said.

Using computer-based climate models, they predicted the beetles should gradually march north along the Atlantic coast, infesting forests including in the U.S. states of Maine and Ohio all the way to Canada's Nova Scotia.

By 2080, the pest should proliferate to red- and jack-pine forests in a 270,000 square miles (700,000 square km) area of the United States and Canada - roughly the size of Afghanistan, the researchers wrote in Nature Climate Change.

That would not only upend ecosystems, but also disrupt several key industries "in already struggling rural areas," said lead author Corey Lesk, a researcher at Columbia University in New York.

"Residents of these regions could see a direct hit to their pocketbooks," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on Tuesday in a phone interview.

Where the southern pine beetle has struck in the past, timber industries have been hard hit.

Infestations of pine beetles have cost an estimated $100 million a year in timber losses from 1990 to 2004 in the southeastern United States, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Thousands of adult beetles can kill a tree in two to four months as the insects carve S-shaped tunnels under the bark, depriving their host of needed nutrients.

The tourism industry would also likely suffer, said Lesk, with the potential destruction of iconic forests including the Pine Barrens of New Jersey and Long Island.

In Europe, previous research has shown that bark beetles have similarly been chewing through pine and spruce trees in forests from the Swiss Alps to Belarus alongside temperature increases.

Land managers have found the best way to fight off bark beetles has been thinning high-density forests and cutting out infested trees, though with limited success, the researchers said.

"The key question is whether those strategies would be able to keep up with rapid advance of the pest into regions with little or no experience managing it," Lesk said. (Reporting by Sebastien Malo @sebastienmalo, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org)
By Angus Berwick

MADRID, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Moroccan authorities have arrested a man suspected of supplying gas canisters to a jihadist cell that carried out a double attack in Catalonia earlier this month that killed 16 people, a source from the Spanish investigation said.

The cell accumulated around 120 canisters of butane gas at a house in a town south of Barcelona with which, police say, it planned to carry out a larger bomb attack.

Police believe the cell accidentally ignited the explosives on Aug. 16, the eve of the Barcelona attack, triggering a blast that destroyed the house in the town of Alcanar.

The remaining attackers then decided to use hired vans to mow down crowds along Barcelona's most famous avenue and later mount an assault in the resort town of Cambrils.

Moroccan police arrested the man in the city of Casablanca, the source said, without giving further details.

Spain's interior minister, Juan Ignacio Zoido, said on Tuesday that Moroccan authorities had arrested two people linked to the attacks but declined to give details about them.

Spanish news agency EFE said the second man was arrested in the city of Oujda and was a relative of one of the members of the Barcelona cell. The source did not confirm that.

Zoido, speaking after a meeting with the Moroccan interior minister in Morocco's capital Rabat, said Spanish and Moroccan authorities were working closely together in the investigation.

Most of the suspected attackers were Moroccan and an imam suspected of radicalising the cell travelled there shortly before the attack took place.

Six of the attackers were shot dead by police and two died in the explosion at the house in Alcanar. Four other people were arrested over the assaults, two of whom have now been released under certain conditions.

(Reporting by Angus Berwick; Editing by Jesus Aguado and Alison Williams)
Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake today said only the corrupted law enforcement officers start panicking when one talks about corruption in the judiciary.

Mr. Ramanayake told a media briefing that lawyers who have not done any wrong should not get alarmed about his recent statement that legal personnel are amongst the worst corrupted people in this country.

Bar Association of Sri Lanka Chairman U R De Silva has threatened me by saying they will file legal action against me for contempt of court. I respect the judiciary, the judicial officers and the law. I clearly state that I have not made any statement which could be subjected to contempt of court. What has taken place is nothing but misunderstanding. I only referred to what Upul Jayasuriya, J C Weliamuna and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and what President Sirisena had said before. Late Prime Minister John Kotelawala said he would apply tar on the heads of corrupted monks. He said all monks should not panic about this statement. Likewise only corrupted judges and lawyers should panic about my statement. There are judges whom we could worship including the Jaffna High Court Judge. We can do the same to late Sarath Ambeypitiya, he said.

We saw how those who held the Chief Justice post in the past behaved. Buddha preached that when a king gets corrupted his ministers suffer the same fate so will the others including the citizens of the country. Chief Justice is the king of judges. Judges will have to obey the Chief Justice. A former Chief Justice has assured the head of state that he will deliver any judgement according to whims and fancies of the latter if his term is extended. This is a perfect example of corruption. Former Chief Justice and his wife were hovering around the President and Prime minister at the airport during the day the Pope visited Sri Lanka. They did it so that he could remain as the Chief Justice, I saw this with my own eyes, he added.

Mr. Ramanayake said he believes that these cases filed against him will do some good to him. This he said because he represents the people. My statements are based on what people come and tell me about lawyers.

People suffer as a result of shortcomings in the judiciary. There are instances where wrong verdicts are given. There are instances where sexual bribes are given. A judge had been accused of raring a servant. People talk about them. A former Chief Justice admitted that he gave a wrong judgement during his tenure. What did the BASL chief do about these judicial officers and lawyers. Arent we going to penalize these judicial officers? There are instances where people threw excreta at judges. Some Sri Lankan lawyers have been identified as ones who hold black money by Panama papers. I am going to be penalized when I talk about them. Wrong doers are spared, he also said.

Mr. Ramanayake called for an institution where people could go when they are subjected to harassment from the judicial officers and lawyers. He said lawyers should not defend anyone who is charged with gang rape and this practice should be enforced in Sri Lanka as well. (Yohan Perera)

Video by Indika Sri Aravinda
I am a proud Chattanoogan. I was born in 1940, and as early as I can remember, I engaged in the culture of the South, waving the Confederate flag and singing Dixieloudly. (What other way does a Southerner sing Dixie?) As a white male, raised on the site of the battle for Missionary Ridge, I fought the grand (and horrible) Civil War almost every day. I was always Robert E. Lee or Stonewall Jackson, and I always won. When my father told me at eight years of age that the South lost the battle for Missionary Ridge and the entire the Civil War, I was heart-broken.





I was racist until the age of 20. In 1961, I experienced a life change when a black college student described the unequal treatment toward his uncles when they returned from WWII. They had fought a brutal war against Hitler, the murderer of millions, whose regime is still symbolized by the Nazi swastika. As I began to understand what these black American soldiers faced coming home in the American South, every lying vision I had believed of separate but equal was destroyed.





I am now 77 years old. I am aware of the cost of lives from WWII and of the hate Americans felt when they witnessed Japans flag of the rising sun and Hitlers swastika. My loathing, especially for all things Nazi, is enormous. Yet today, groups of young white Americans wave the hated swastika, symbol of the most diabolical dictator ever to threaten the world, and they act as if that flag represents our country.





I pity them for their lack of knowledge of the suffering and deaths the swastika caused millions of human beings, including tens of thousands of American soldiers. I pity the young white men who call themselves KKK or who use the Confederate flag as a rallying cry. My hope for these young neo-Nazis, KKK, and other white supremacists is that they will throw off their feelings of powerlessness and their hate for those whom they have made their scapegoats, and grasp the dream that America offers all people.





I know some of what they feel, because, in my youthful ignorance, I experienced similar feelings of Southern inferiority. I felt the lack of power of the South versus the North, the Confederate versus the Union. Being defeated, we spewed hate because it made us feel more powerful. But I was a child. These are grown men waving the Confederate flag and Nazi swastika. As a recovering racist, I have a duty to reach out to other young racists to say to them that they do not have to hide their sense of inferiority by violence. I urge them to do as a young black man helped me do: to recognize goodness and humanity in persons who do not look like themselves. I know white supremacists who have had this total change of heart.





We must also help these young men to understand that they are being encouraged by one elected to the White House whose extreme need to be all powerful makes him afraid to admit any weakness. He lies with every word he speaks in order to grasp power. Winning at all costs is the base of his lying. Truth or no truth does not matter; only reaching his own selfish goal matters. His despicable behavior towards anyone who does not bow and scrape before him ruins all opportunity to lead our country as a revered American president.





Hitler surrounded himself with maniacal sycophants and deviants, and he and they led Germany to a landscape of rubble and destruction. At first, rational persons did not have the courage to stand before Hitler and tell the truth. Toward the end, they did not have the power. Now is the time for all American patriots to say to Trump: Enough! We do not accept your lies, your abuse, your tyranny. Because you cannot change, you must leave this position to which you have been unfortunately and mistakenly elevated. We will notwe must not allow this hate, this violence, this assault on our country.

Franklin McCallie

* * *

I wonder what news stations Mr. McCallie watches.

I see exactly the opposite of what he says about Trump.

Michael Mansfield

* * *

Mr. Mansfield,



I don't see, after reading Mr. McCallie's very thoughtful opinion piece, that it had anything to do with what news stations Mr. McCallie watches. It had everything to do with his 77 years of life experiences and lessons learned. Something that the 71 year old man in the White House has definitely not learned. I agree with everything Mr. McCallie had to say about President Trump. He was right on, as a matter of fact.



Your response, however, said everything about what news station you watch.



Rebecca Gentry

* * *

I agree with much - but not all - of what Franklin McCallie had to say. However, I respect his life experience and his right to express his opinions. Mutual respect can work wonders with debate.



Carl Mark Barker

* * *

Mr. Mansfield, this man lived it . He didn't see only what the news wanted him to.

Rusty Chastain

* * * Mr. McCallie, sounds like a an objective man who can see reality. I too am a proud 76-year-old born and raised Chattanoogan.

I agree with everything he says except the part about President Trump. This country was going in the wrong direction for the last eight years under the Obama administration. I wish I could express myself better on what I could see happening to this country, and it's not good. I think millions of Americans must feel the same way I do to elect President Trump. He is our salvation to bring this country back to greatness in this crucial point in time. I'm baffled that Mr. McCallie doesn't grasp the importance of someone like President Trump to lead our country. Jim Rosenbloom * * * We absolutely do have a responsibility to stand up for people who have been abused  whether by the KKK, overzealous immigration officials or neo-nazis. My parents were of the Greatest Generation. I wonder how my generation will be defined. Is this our defining moment? If so, count me among those who say, Enough! We do not accept your lies. Thank you, Mr. McCallie. Verneda Carrier

* * * Mr. McCallies comments reflect my own views regarding racism. In addition I would add that right now I am more concerned about the rise of civil unrest at the hands of white supremacists and neo-Nazis than I ever was of a nuclear attack during the Cold War. During Obamas two terms, I felt a steady hand at the helm with an absence of saber rattling, steered by a leader who knew and revered the Constitution. Randy Carrier * * * We are the children of the Greatest Generation. Is what is happening now in the Age of Trump what our fathers, uncles, friends fought for in WWII? No! Mr. McCallies last paragraph is on point. Enough! We do not accept your lies, your abuse, your tyrannywe must not allow this hate, this violence, this assault on our country. Mary Hicks * * * Franklins article should be titled Ability to See Truth. I have heard the oral version of his conversion from racist to enlightened and the oral version had more of a Damascus Road quality. What set of facts one person accepts as truth may be very different from what another person sees as truth from the same set of facts. The person in the White House certainly is not helping the racial problem and is most likely aggravating it. While the white supremacists are encouraged by POTUS; unfortunately, even without him, they will not simply disappear. It seems to me that it will take a great deal more effort than help these men understand, in order to make disappearance happen. Jim Hicks * * * I, too, am a recovering racist. It's hard not to be when one has grown up celebrating Confederate Memorial Day. We were marched from our elementary school, in Concord, N.C., to the Confederate Memorial monument in front of the courthouse. We probably sang "Dixie". Unfortunately, President Trump is not recovering. Anne Curtis

Chattanooga








Sri Lankas pioneering infrastructure and multi sector general contractor International Construction Consortium (ICC) has announced that it has successfully sold out the total 688 modern, walk-up apartments of the Mount Clifford Range project in just two months since its launch.

This success reflects well on the companys 35 year reputation for delivering quality construction in the country. ICC owned premier housing development company Nivasie Developers together with ICC has decades of proven experience in property development with successful large scale housing development projects.

The Mount Clifford Range, affiliated with the National Housing and Development Authority (NHDA) under its SamataSevana initiative, is most likely to be the most successful project that has been carried out to date. Its strategic location, fully equipped facilities, spacious and user-friendliness attracted many buyers among various other projects.

The Mount Clifford Range was proposed to contribute to the middle-income transition and uplift their standards of housing requirement. It is located in a serene greenery locality in Homagama and includes 43 buildings comprising 16 apartment units each totaling to 688 individual units. Additional facilities such as a swimming pool, gymnasium, playground, multi-purpose jogging track and a mini market is also includedwith a 24-hour secured environment.

The first phase of the project is scheduled to complete in the 2nd Quarter (Q2) of 2019 with the second phase in Q2 of 2020. Nivasie and ICC together has successfully completed various projects, creating milestones in large-scale housing development projects in Sri Lanka. With a rich and diverse experience of over 35 years, ICC has proved to be the countrys pioneering construction company renowned for maintaining quality standards and timely delivery.
Who is the fool on the hill? Thats a question that never came up in any A/L English Literature exam paper in all the years that the Beatles song, The fool on the hill was on the syllabus. Its a question I realized should have been discussed and that realization came when I saw a ceramic sculpture with the song-title about a month ago.

I knew of Kuveni but I never thought of her as a feeling or more precisely an effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling or as an epic poem.

Ophelia was tragic, but I had never seen her. Nor Kuveni. Ive seen artistic depictions of Theri Sangamitta carrying a sampling of the Sacred Bo Tree in a begging bowl, but somehow they all seem embellished or distorted now. An added dimension, strangely and unexpectedly, had shelled the Arahat Sangamitta and yet given her in more wholesome form. I saw them all the same day I discovered the question regarding the fool on the hill.

Pandora was about a box, about curiosity, flight and the horrors of life and the world. It wasnt about escape, it wasnt about embracing reality and dealing with it. Now it is.

There was a conqueror and he came with a note: The ascetic Siddhartha Gauthama conquering the three temptations: greed, anger and lust. The necessary struggle that preceded enlightenment could not have been easy.

Torment was written on the face.

How can one capture anything of the notion called anitya or impermanence? To cast it would divest it of meaning. But then again, if approximation (of capture) is useful for reflection, then I found something useful that day.

The full moon is for those in the northern hemisphere a man and for us in the south, a rabbit. The full moon is also a moment historically designated for reflection of the eternal verities for Buddhists. The full moon can be depicted as the Buddha, this I hadnt known.

- Asela Oshadhi Gunasekara

Unfortunately the teacher wasnt too encouraging, but I used to look at stuff, like pictures, and draw. I was always a solitary person, so I had a lot of time. When I was not studying it was all about reading and drawing



The true worth of this artist is best assessed by those who have a deep understanding of art and especially sculpture and within that field, the medium, ceramic. But something about the works mentioned above made the images remain within or, put another way, held me within them.

The exhibition, held at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery about a month ago was titled, simply, i. The full title: i: imperfect, impermanent, incomplete. As titles go it could have been an easy excuse for sloth and lack of skill. Untrained though I am in art and art appreciation, I realized quickly that there was nothing trivial, flippant or mischievous about i.

The above is context relevant to what follows, which is not a review but a sketch of one of the artists featured in that exhibition, Asela Oshadhi Gunasekara. The other, Akshana Abeywardene, her son, whose photographs were on display is a talent in his own right and deserves a separate feature. Later. Now, Asela Oshadhi Gunasekara.

Asela was born in 1973, and had been left-handed, but taught to eat and write with the right hand. She had, as a child, struggled with writing.

The Sinhala characters had come out as mirror images. She laughs about it. Apparently her husband believes that this forced switch from left to right is why she is confused.

It hadnt been funny back when she was a child. She was chided at school for poor handwriting. She got a B for Art and a C for Handwork when she was in the second grade. She was told to try to draw colorful pictures and to practice folding paper. Today she says Art should never be a graded subject in school, for reasons that obviously have nothing to do with those silly grades.

Asela had always been interested in art. I used to draw everywhere. And I also appreciated. I was fascinated by the pictures on the back of Readers Digest magazines. I loved Sybil Wettasinghes books. That was art and those were stories.

I remember my grandmother showing me birds sitting on a wire. I must have been two or three then. This was in Malabe, which was at the time a place where there was enough and more wildlife. The natural world fascinated me. I collected things like feathers and seashells My father bought me books. He also had a decent collection of books. I tried to read everything, including the adult books, which my parents had to hide from me!

By the time she was around 14, Asela remembers, she had become very passionate about art. She had taken the subject in Grade 6 when she moved from Musaeus College to Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya.

Unfortunately the teacher wasnt too encouraging, but I used to look at stuff, like pictures, and draw. I was always a solitary person, so I had a lot of time. When I was not studying it was all about reading and drawing. I did write poetry, first in Sinhala and later in English, but art was what interested me most.

Asela got 5 Distinctions and a single Credit at the O/L exam, which meant she could pick the stream of her choice for the A/L. It had been another left-hand and right-hand moment in her life. Like most of her friends, she had wanted to study arts and languages,but had been pushed into biology.

I was disoriented. I remember the first term; I knew it wasnt my thing. I convinced my mother to talk to the teachers so I could switch to the arts stream. The teachers were not willing.

So they robbed two years of your life? I asked.

No, they robbed my whole life. Things could have been drastically different.

She hadnt done too well. She had wanted to switch and do arts the following year, but her father had suggested she join a bank. So she joined Standard Chartered Bank, Colombo (1992-97) and in Dubai from 1997 to 1999. She quit when Akshana was born and it was only after he started preschool that Asela began to think of a different career. She enrolled in a two-year degree program in liberal arts at the American College of Dubai, affiliated to the Southern New Hampshire University.

My professors were good. I discovered different subjects like psychology, sociology, philosophy and literature, which opened my eyes to different spheres and helped me see things deeper even though they were just introductory courses.

The tsunami brought her back to Sri Lanka in 2004. She had gone to Sumitrayo, the well-known program on drug demand reduction, in search of work. Ms Nalini Ellawala had taken her in, first as an intern and later as an administrative director.

I wanted to study, so I got into an online MSc program in HRD at the University of Leicester. I worked with a HRD consultant for a while and later in the UNs VOICE Project as a Project Coordinator. Then I decided that working for someone was not going to work for me.

Art was always my refuge. At the time I didnt know what conceptual art was. I had no formal training. So I decided that I should study art seriously. At a creative writing workshop conducted by Ashok Ferry in 2010, I happened to sit next to a foreign lady who gave me the number of Prof Chandrajeewa when I told her I am interested in art.

He knew how to teach technique. He taught me to think like an artist and encouraged me to express myself. When we returned to Dubai in 2011, I enrolled in a painting class at the Dubai International Art Centre, but after studying under Prof Chandrajeewa, it was a disappointment. It was too rigid and boring. So I decided to do something else. Ceramics.

I had two Ceramic teachers, Michael Rice from Northern Ireland who taught me pottery on the wheel and Katerina Smoldyreva from Russia who taught sculpture. It was from Michael that I learnt the conceptual element related to pottery on the wheel. I worked with Katerina for about two years. She taught technique as well as the relevance of learning art history. These two teachers helped me discover that ceramics was my medium. I set up my studio. and in 2014 started classes for kids.

Aselas first exhibition was Dream Catchers, held at the Lionel Wendt in July 2012. It was a group exhibition featuring two painters and a sculptor, all students of Prof Chandrajeewa. In 2016 October, she was one of several online artists (from Art Space Sri Lanka) featured at another group exhibition, this time at the Saskia Fernando Gallery.

Asela Gunasekara has wandered along paths cut and ordered for her and when the way ahead although clear seemed meaningless she left it. Thereafter, by a mix of choice and chance, she discovered a happy creative space, a medium that she feels belonged to and one she moulds even as it moulds her. Now she searches for herself through her work and i is exactly what it claims to be. It is imperfect because perfection is a brag thats more often than not a lie. The Zen masters of Japan, Asela points out, were master ceramicists and they would often pick out the most imperfect work as the masterpiece.



Her work is impermanent and thats a concept that comes from Buddhism, which she claims has inspired her.

I come from a very traditional Buddhist background. Something of what I heard must have registered into my head. Some of it I questioned and some I discarded. When I studied Buddhism for the O/L it made sense, it was logical. So its there in me as a foundational philosophy. Both my teachers in Dubai were very receptive to Buddhism. We had good conversations about Zen Buddhism. Michael introduced me to traditional Japanese aesthetics, Wabi-sabi, which is a world view about accepting imperfection, impermanence and the incomplete.

Some of the titles for her sculptures are drawn from stories and this is not surprising. Apart from the natural world, the stories shes read and heard and even those which she makes in her own mind inspire Asela, she explained.

I gave up my banking exams even though I had just two more subjects to complete. I went to Aquinas and found out about an external arts degrees at Kelaniya. Fr Herman Fernando taught me literature. He introduced me to contemporary poets and the ballads of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Paul Simon. It was a wonderful experience.

She went on to explain why her exhibits came with titles and explanatory captions. The exhibition in 2012 didnt have any titles or descriptions. Of course art is a language but maybe it is a language for the artists and not for everyone. People were intrigued, they had lots of questions. It made me realize that when you are catering to a general audience it helps to guide them a little. I do take away their right to independent appreciation of the work itself, but I felt that for this audience, I should offer some basic guideline. Her work is incomplete, naturally. Theres exploration ahead of her.

People ask if I have a style and I say no because I dont want to be in a box, be captured by a label. For now, I am a ceramicist, but I want to experiment with glass, mixing the two mediums and using them for sculpture. Conceptually, however, I am a bit lost. I need to find my way again. I am not sure where I would go. I will take it as it comes.

Asela Gunasekara is an artist who will immediately say not yet given her philosophical predilections or even say never will be as per the three dimensions of i (imperfect, impermanent, incomplete). She layers her work with herself and the work and the artist do intrigue. Thats another i and not paradoxically. It all flows from the left hand, now. And it is all about the exploration of i. Simple i. Simply, i.
Following are excerpts of an interview our sister paper Sunday Lankadeepa did with President Maithripala Sirisena. Here the president aired his views on the controversial treasury bond issue, the 66th Anniversary of the SLFP and criticisms levelled against the Unity Government by the opposition.

The 66th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is to be held on September 3 under your leadership. How is the party preparing for the event?

The SLFP will celebrate its 66th anniversary on September 3 at Campbell Park, Borella. After I took over the leadership of the party in January 2015 my first public rally was held on May Day of the same year at the Hyde Park ground. We celebrated the 44th Anniversary in Polonnaruwa. People from all parts of the country attended the anniversary meting.

There were about 15,000 people. Even Mahinda Rajapaksa participated at the anniversary meeting held under my leadership. We were all on the same stage on this occasion. Next we held the May Day rally last year (2016) in Galle. At the May Day rally held at Hyde Park there were about 10,000 participants. I dont think this May Day rally was a success. At that time some party leaders had a wrong impression of me.

But the 64th anniversary held in Polonnaruwa was a success and the 2016 May Day rally in Galle was also very successful as there were about 60,000 people at the rally. For the first time in the history of the SLFPA there were also a large number of Tamil and Muslim people from North and East at such a rally. The 65th anniversary held in Kurunegala was also a successful rally.

Our May Day rally this year was held in Kandy. People flocked to Gatambe in a procession and emerged from four main roads in Kandy despite the rain prevailed at the time.

Arrangements are now being made for the 66th anniversary to be held. Several committees were formed to make arrangements for the convenience of the large crowds that are expected.

We hope to introduce the future Political Programme of the party at the event. We invite all parties to participate at this occasion. With all these arrangements our 66th anniversary will be very successful.



What is the theme for this years anniversary?

A pure and clean national political campaign for the future of the country is the theme of the 66th anniversary of the SLFP. Posters, banners and all other items on display will carry this theme. What we mean by the theme is to have a programme that covers many areas. At present people are displeased with the activities of political parties and politicians.

Government power changes from one party to anther, but corruption, fraud and irregularities continue to be associated with all Governments. These bad practices have taken deep root especially during the last ten years. There are politicians and officials involved in these malpractices, only some of them arent. Most Government officials are good, but the number of corrupt officials in the political field is

very high.

At present, politicians, from the Local Government level up to the parliament, are driven by personal objectives. There is a tendency among them to deviate from the political vision. The lust for money and posts and the involvement in wrong deeds have contributed to the loss of their credibility. On January 08 (2015) people brought me to power defeating the corrupt and dictatorial rule then existed. However, the peoples allegations and criticisms levelled against the present Government indicate that their perceptions regarding corrupt politicians havent changed.

These circumstances have led us to think of a pure and clean national political campaign. I quit from where I was and formed a new Government with the hope of not only consolidating democracy, but also with the vision of establishing a country devoid of corruption and fraud. But people are still suspicious of our Government and seem to have lost confidence in us.

At this juncture we in the SLFP call upon everybody to join us and get involved in a pure political campaign.

There are no arguments about freedom and a democratic environment prevails in the country. But the people still remain displeased with matters relating to corruption, frauds, waste and inefficiency. They believe the promises made regarding these issues havent been fulfilled yet.

The prevailing unsatisfactory situation stresses the need for a pure and clean political campaign. A programme initiated through such a campaign must have a correct vision, so that people dont have to merely depend on political parties and the individuals in them. The SLFP has planned to initiate such a national campaign. It invites all political parties and individuals interested to join the SLFP and travel on a new path where its vision is accepted by all people.

"I never got separated from the party. Nor did I cause separation. After the party was handed over to me, I wanted to organize it and take this defeated party forward. "



Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says after two and half years he is still the Chairman of the SLFP.Who is the real leader of SLFP?

I was invited to accept the leadership of the SLFP. Mahinda Rajapaksa asked me directly whether I would accept the party leadership at the official residence of then Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa. There were 50-60 SLFP parliamentarians present at the time. Then I expressed my willingness to accept the post. I was also asked whether I wanted to appoint new office bearers. I said I wanted new office bearers. Its only after this discussion that the Central Committee invited me to accept the leadership of the SLFP.

Later after I had arrived at the Foundation Institute from the official residence at the Wijerama Road, both the Executive Committee and the Central Committee of the party had met and adopted a move to elect me as the Chairman of the party.

After I became the Chairman of the party, we convened the central All island Executive Committee. We convened the Central Committee and we also amended the Constitution of the party making provisions to appoint all the former Presidents and Prime Ministers- Mahinda Rajapaksa, Chandrika Bandaranaike, D.M. Jayarathna and Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka- as patrons of the party. Before that the party didnt have patrons. Amid all these activities we held the 64th anniversary of the SLFP in Polonnaruwa. Mahinda Rajapaksa also participated at this occasion giving the impression that there werent any issues. I dont understand why he is speaking in a different way today.

The post of Chairman and Secretary cant be acquired forcibly. Not only in major parties like UNP and SLFP, even in parties where there is less representation it isnt possible to use force regarding such matters.



Dont you think that you are the one who has faced the biggest challenges as the party Chairman during the history of the SLFP?

The late Prime minister Bandaranaike had to face stronger challenges during his time. The challenges he faced were bigger when he was in power when compared to when he wasnt in power.To my knowledge there is no other party leader in the present Government who has faced the kind of mental pressure Bandaranaike faced.There were incidents of boycott by cabinet ministers.

During the two and half year period of this Government there were numerous protests and strikes. The opposition parties created all the trouble possible to stifle this Government. It wasnt the UNP, the LTTE or any other political force which was responsible for his killing. A faction of the SLFP was behind his killing.I think that I am the party Leader who has faced the biggest challenges after Bandaranaike. I am not so surprised about it.

There are people who attack me through websites and face books. These attacks are based on my poverty and family background. If I went to Oxford or Cambridge Universities and belonged to an elite family, I wouldnt have been attacked like this. When we look at politics, class is associated with it. When we observe politics, nationally or internationally, there is a struggle between those who have and those who dont have. My presence is a problem or a challenge to the elite class in this country.

We hope to introduce the future Political Programme of the party at the event

A pure and clean national political campaign for the future of the country is the theme of the 66th anniversary of the SLFP

Fraud and irregularities continue to be associated with all Governments

There are no arguments about freedom and democratic environment prevailing in the country

To my knowledge there is no other party leader in the present Government who has faced the kind of mental pressure Bandaranaike faced

This group is associated with nepotism, a thing which the public rejected in the past

Mahinda Rajapaksa asked me directly whether I would accept the party leadership at the official residence of then Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa



A section of the SLFP has joined the former President. You are making an attempt to establish democracy while being in the party. The SLFP supporters think that they should get together and move forward. Wasnt there a discussion regarding a programme that would be launched within the party after the 66th Anniversary?

I never got separated from the party. Nor did I cause separation. After the party was handed over to me, I wanted to organize it and take this defeated party forward. Then for whose need was a new party formed? The new party wasnt formed for the benefit of SLFP supporters. This new party wasnt formed for the benefit of the supporters of Mahinda Rajapaksa who have clean track records. This party was formed by a group of people who dont know the history of the SLFP and havent worked with the SLFP. This group also hasnt identified the principles of the SLFP.

This is the background these people have. What is the guarantee this group can give regarding the programme it has for the development of the country? This group is associated with nepotism, a thing which the public rejected in the past. Mahinda Rajapaksa attends all meetings of this party. He is seen on the stages where banners display the vision of this party. He also expresses views to the media. He says that he is still the Chairman of the SLRP after doing so. This goes to prove that how complicated their programme is.



Those who belong to this group are still in the SLFP. They havent left the party. Are you not prepared to get them to join you?

I have told them all the time to join together. I havent rejected anybody. I havent asked anybody to leave.



Their argument is that they should go on this journey with

Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Have we chased Mahinda Rajapaksa out of SLFP? Not at all. We havent separated them and sent out of the party. They have formed a separate party and separate meetings are being held. Separate May Day rallies are held. Have we asked them not to attend our rallies? There is no such problem.



It seems that you wish to establish a Government without corruption and fraud. But that hasnt been done. What is the stumbling block in the way?



The party hasnt encountered a barrier. Barriers have been encountered by the people. The society has become corrupt. Corruption has taken place because people want to make money through politics. The political system became impure due to the preferential system.

I repeat this everyday. Political characters became impure due to the preferential system. With the introduction of the preferential system, the political image of this country was shattered. When politicians worked with the people in an honest manner they were held in very high esteem. But with the use of the preferential voting system, they have got used to collecting votes from somewhere and entering Parliament. Now they enter the Pradeshiya Saba and the Provincial Council.

This is what has happened during the past 30 years. There has been a decline in the field of politics. The reason for that decline isnt the political parties, but politicians tarnishing their images. I am of the opinion that it isnt the party that is important. What matters is whether a group that loves the public exists. If such a group can be found we should go forward with a collective programme on behalf of the country. The SLFP is going to work with that objective in mind.

"Have we chased Mahinda Rajapaksa out of SLFP? Not at all. They have formed a separate party and separate meetings are being held. Separate May Day rallies are held. Have we asked them not to attend our rallies?"



A group of SLFP supporters say that they should leave the Government after the first two years of the agreement between the SLFP and the UNP come to an end. What is your opinion?

Well. I have to work during my tenure as the President of the country on behalf of the people. I have to carry out my responsibilities. That is why I say that we should go with a clear and pure programme. If we move on with a clear and pure programme regarding work, then the people will support us. If people are going to leave, we have a problem as to where they are going and what they are going to do after that.

As members of the SLFP we can obtain the support of the people if we have a pure and clear programme. I have that belief. If we do this properly then there is no way that the identity of the party or the programme will be destroyed. We should think of the country during all times. Many people are only thinking about their political agendas.

That is why there are differences of opinion. If we have a problem when we work like this as a Government, what is the role of the Opposition? If we want to sort out these political complexities we should move forward with an honest group, whose members are true to their conscience. Then the party wont encounter a problem regardless of whether its members remain within the party or leave. There are a lot of questions regarding the behavior pattern of many individuals.



The SLFP supporters in the villagers are thinking of when a SLFP Government will be formed. Will you be able to give party supporters the hope that a SLFP Government can be formed by 2020, at the party Anniversary?

That is why I say that everybody should join hands to strengthen the party. If SLFP members are going to form new parties, regardless of what is said and done by others, these new parties havent gained an advantage. Its very clear. An advantage is gained by some other section when it comes to forming new parties. If the others as well as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party are thinking of achieving our objective, they will know what stand they must take.



Do you accept the fact that there are members in both parties who havent accepted the concept of a national government?

Yes . People who think like that exist in both parties. This new concept isnt in the context of a Government, but in the context of the country. Its a new experience for everybody. Its essential to have a suitable mentality to realize a difficult goal. If such a mentality isnt formed, then it is difficult to reach that destination. When a unity Government is formed, it becomes a new experience for politicians, government officers and the citizens of the country.

This experience is very complex. Why did the people defeat the former Rajapaksa Government? From where should they start correcting the factors that led to their defeat? After forming a new party have they corrected those faults? Have they given a guarantee that those mistakes would not be repeated? There is no such guarantee. We should think honestly how to move forward without having narrow political ideas. We dont need a Government for the sake of politicians, but we need one for the sake of the country. Many people involved in politics want a Government for their benefit.



Some people say the agreement signed between the SLFP and the UNP will end within a few days. Will the agreement end or will it be extended?

Such matters are decided by the Central Committee of the party. The Central Committee has decided that the SLFP should remain with the Government from August 2015 until December 2017. By December the Central Committee will decide what action will be taken by its members. But that decision will be taken by the group of parliamentarians.

There may be various systems that can be followed: e.g. Whether they are in the Government, support the government or whether they remain as independent parliamentarians etc.That doesnt mean that they are against this Government. This doesnt mean that all what they do is against the Government. That will be decided according to the existing political situation.



There are many discussions taking place regarding the Attorney Generals Department these days. Some parliamentarians allege that this department is partial. They also level allegations against the manner in which questions were raised from some ministers at the Bond commission sessions. One such allegation is the delay in taking action against the Rajapaksas. The peoples confidence in the Government will be breached when statements are being made by the parliamentarians in the Government itself regarding the judiciary and the Attorney Generals department.

I dont like it if somebody is blaming the Attorney Generals Department. I see nothing wrong in this department. It should be allowed to perform its duties freely.



Wijayadasa Rajapakshe who has been sacked from the Government says that the reason for removing him of his portfolio is to sweep the bond scam under the carpet. He says that the Hambantota Harbour agreement is a mere document. What are your views

on these?

These are opinions of individuals.



What will you do if the Central Committee informs you to contest the next Presidential Elections?

I think anybody who is talking about the next Presidential Elections isnt talking about the country. They talk about the common candidate and the next Presidential Elections. The problem today isnt that. The problem today is getting everyone together and trying to solve problems. This is not the time to talk about the next Presidential Elections, but the time to get together and solve of countrys problems.



There was a scene in the social media websites relating to the IGP attacking a general worker. What are the actions taken by you regarding

the IGP?

There are mistakes in the Police Department. These issues should be looked after by the Police Commission. That is why a Police Commission is established.



Ravi Karunanayake resigned from his post due to the bond scam transaction. What is the present situation of the commission and the situation after receiving that statement?

Recommendations have to be provided by the Commission because its activities are over. We take steps to get the things done through the Attorney General after receiving the report. The Opposition said that they were useless when it was formed. They said that the problem would be swept under the carpet by appointing commissions. Almost all opposition members said that this commission was useless. But when it was functioning the people saw a difference in this commission compared to what existed. Due to this commission the suspicion associated with the commissions disappeared. Therefore, they would act accordingly. I believe that we shouldnt view everything pessimistically. We should look at them optimistically. We have to reach the goal that we bargained for. There is criticism and this is natural.
Human rights groups led by the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), in South America have filed war crimes lawsuits against former General Jagath Jayasuriya who is now Sri Lankan ambassador to Brazil, Al Jazeera reported today.

The lawsuits against Jayasuriya alleged that he oversaw military units that attacked hospitals and killed, disappeared and tortured thousands of people in the final phase of the war in 2009.

Jayasuriya has diplomatic immunity in Brazil and five other countries where he is ambassador - Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Suriname.

But the groups pursuing the suits hope they will compel regional governments to open investigations of Jayasuriya, remove his immunity and expel him, the article said.

Carlos Castresana Fernandez, the lawyer who is coordinating the effort, has told a foreign news agency that suits have been filed on Monday in Brazil and Colombia.

Petitions will be filed in Argentina, Chile and Peru in the coming days, he said, adding that authorities in Suriname had refused to accept the petition.

"This is one genocide that has been forgotten, but this will force democratic countries to do something. This is just the beginning of the fight," Fernandez said.

Al Jazeera said calls to the Sri Lankan embassy in Brazil went unanswered Monday evening as did an email seeking comment.

The suits say Jayasuriya was the commander of the Vanni Security Force from 2007 to 2009.

According to the suits, Jayasuriya oversaw an offensive from Joseph Camp in the northern town of Vavuniya.

The ITJP said it interviewed 14 people who survived torture or sexual violence at the camp.

"There is no way General Jayasuriya can claim not to have known that torture routinely occurred in his camp; there were purpose built underground torture chambers, equipped with manacles, chains and pulleys for hoisting victims upside down. If the detainees could hear each other screaming at night from adjacent buildings, so could he," ITJP's Executive Director Yasmin Sooka said in March.
From left: National Conference Technical Committee Chairperson Anoji De Silva, CA Sri Lanka Vice President Jagath Perera, CA Sri Lanka President Lasantha Wickremasinghe, National Conference Committee Chairman Tishan Subasinghe and CA Sri Lanka Chief Executive Officer Aruna Alwis

Pic by Damith Wickramasinghe

By Harshana Sellahewa

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) has decided to promote the need for corporate leaders to embrace dynamism and agility at the 38th National Conference of Chartered Accountants.



This years conference is intended to revolve around the theme Dynamism  Agility in Leadership. Both local and international speakers will steer over 1500 delegates to think out of the box and understand why it is increasingly important to incorporate dynamism within the corporate culture in Sri Lanka and also look at developing more agile leaders, who understand the importance of changing with time, to ensure sustainable and successful corporates. The conference is set to be held from October 25 to 27, 2017, at the BMICH, Colombo.



Addressing the press conference held in Colombo, CA Sri Lanka President Lasantha Wickremasinghe said that as a country that belongs to the fastest growing region, Sri Lanka too can take great advantage of this exponential growth.



Although we are a small nation, we have the potential to become a global player due to our strategic location on the world map. But, to reach this goal, we need leadership with proper vision. We cannot only expect governments and policymakers to drive our country forward. As professionals, we too have responsibilities to support this forward journey, he said.



Wickremasinghe explained that there is an increasing need to encourage agility across the broader spectrum, be it at a national level or corporate level because agility has been identified as an important factor that will drive a leadership to help achieve success, despite increasing volatility, uncertainty and complexity, he stated.



Wickremasinghe also said that the technological revolution is another reason why more and more businesses as well as professionals and corporate leadership need to understand the need to adapt with time and stay relevant by being more agile and dynamic in manoeuvring businesses.

The 38th National Conference theme was unveiled by Wickremasinghe in the presence of CA Sri Lanka Vice President Jagath Perera, National Conference Committee Chairman Tishan Subasinghe, National Conference Technical Committee Chairperson Anoji De Silva and CA Sri Lanka Chief Executive Officer Aruna Alwis.



Subasinghe said that there is an increasing need to see more agility and dynamism among business leaders, who also comprise of chartered accountants.



Therefore, this years national conference will shed important insights into why its important to create agile leaders, who know when to adapt and change with times and more importantly be flexible and move away from archaic mindsets. The national conference is the perfect platform to help influence senior executives and business leaders to understand the importance of an agile culture in an organisation as well as the need to groom agile and dynamic leaders, who not only would enjoy individual professional success but also would help their organisations progress, he said.



Subasinghe said that last year the conference recorded the highest participation with a total of 1658 delegates taking part in it, which also included top business leaders. An important factor at last years conference was the demand by non-members of the institute to participate in the conference, but due to limited seating capacity, we could not accommodate the ever increasing demand and so we also offer the option of transmitting the conference live via webcast, he added.



De Silva pointed out that as organisations grow, they become increasingly difficult to change faster as managers tend to confine themselves in their comfort zones, while delivering the rationale for the theme of this years conference: To break these barriers and constantly challenge the status quo, organisations will require visionary leaders and agile leadership is the most critical because without an agile leader it is unlikely that an organisation can develop and inculcate an agile culture, she said.

De Silva further noted that the agility of few leaders in an organisation would be of no value if most of the other decision makers are dinosaurs and hence this is where the culture of agility becomes so important to ensure the momentum of change continues. To survive in this highly volatile and complex world, firms must demonstrate agility in fulfilling customer expectations, product design and enhancement, collaborative innovation and organisational structures. Leaders need to develop a level of organisational agility that matches the increasing level of change and complexity in their business environment, she further said.



Towards the end of the press conference, the members of the press and other delegates were given the opportunity to take part in a Q&A session, where they were able to question the heads of the table and they were answered then and there.
147th Birth anniversary of Dr. Maria Montessori

The 147th birth anniversary of Dr. Maria Montessori- one of the greatest educators of the 19th century--will be celebrated tomorrow by the Good Shepherd Maria Montessori Training Centre in Colombo.

To mark the event, a holy mass will be held at St. Bridgets Convent Chapel at 2 pm. The celebrant will be Rev. Fr. K. D. Anthony Lakshman, staff member of St. Sebastians College Moratuwa.

Born on August 31, 1870 in the town of Chiaravalle in Italy, Maria Montessoris father, Alessandro, was an accountant in the civil service, and her mother, Renilde Stoppani, was well educated and had a passion for reading.

The Montessori family moved to Rome in 1870 and in 1871 the young Montessori girl enrolled in the local state school. Breaking conventional barriers from the beginning of her education, Maria initially had aspirations to become an engineer.

When Maria Montessori graduated secondary school, she became determined to enter medical school and become a doctor. Despite her parents encouragement to enter teaching, Maria wanted to enter the male-dominated sphere of medicine. After initially being refused entry, Maria was eventually given entry to the University of Rome in 1890, becoming the first woman to enter medical school in Italy. Despite facing many obstacles due to her gender, Montessori qualified as a doctor in July 1896.

Soon after her medical career began, Dr. Montessori became involved in the Womens Rights movement. She became known for her high levels of competency in treating patients, but also for the respect she showed to patients from all social classes. In 1897, Dr Montessori joined a research programme at the psychiatric clinic of the University of Rome, as a volunteer. This work initiated a deep interest in the needs of children with learning disabilities.

At the age of twenty-eight Montessori began advocating her controversial theory that the lack of support for mentally and developmentally disabled children was the cause of their delinquency. The notion of social reform became a strong theme throughout Marias life, whether it was for gender roles, or advocacy for children.

In 1901 Montessori began her own studies of education philosophy and anthropology, lecturing and teaching students. In this period, the development of Rome meant that children were left at home as their parents worked. The number of children needing a guide and role model presented Maria with an opportunity to work with children with normal development and push her ideas into the mainstream. Dr Montessori opening her Casa dei Bambini in Rome, in1907 bringing some of the educational materials she had developed at the Orthophrenic School.

Dr. Montessori put many different activities and other materials into the childrens environment but kept only those that engaged them. What she came to realise was that children who were placed in an environment where activities were designed to support their natural development had the power to educate themselves. By 1909 Dr Montessori gave her first training course in her new approach to around 100 students. Her notes from this period provided the material for her first book published that same year in Italy, appearing in translation in the United States in 1912 as The Montessori Method, and later translated into 20 languages.

A period of great expansion in the Montessori approach now followed. Montessori societies, training programmes and schools sprang to life all over the world, and a period of travel with public speaking and lecturing occupied Dr Montessori, much of it in America, but also in the UK and throughout Europe.

"To mark the 147th birth anniversary of Dr. Maria Montessori, a holy mass will be held at St. Bridgets Convent Chapel at 2 pm. on August 31."



Having long held the ambition to create her own permanent, long-standing centre for research and development. Montessori was held back by the rise of fascism in Europe. Montessori schools were closed by Nazis and both books and effigies were burned. In 1939, Maria and her son Mario moved to India to lecture, initially intending to travel for only three months, the trip lasted seven years, as the outbreak of war, saw Mario was interned and Maria put under house arrest, as Italian citizens. In India, Maria trained over a thousand Indian Teachers. Returning to Europe, Maria addressed UNESCO in 1947 with the theme of Education and Peace and ultimately receiving her nomination for Nobel Peace Prize in 1949.

Dr. Montessoris visit to India was important to Sri Lanka as well as she visited Sri Lanka in 1944 to introduce her method of early childhood education, the AMI method of educating children.

Having completed a Training Course in India, on the invitation of the Ceylon Teachers Association Dr. Maria and her son arrived here to conduct the first ever training course in Sri Lanka. The training was conducted at Good Shepherd Convent, Kotahena, Colombo 13 and there were more than 300 participants including principals of schools, teachers, university lecturers and training colleges, young students from schools, mothers interested in helping their children and many Good Shepherd Sisters, who later opened childrens houses in the convents in different parts of the island.

With the vision to communicate an understanding of education as a help to life, nurtured by love, compassion, patience, care and commitment to the needs of little children the world over, practicing the principles of Dr. Maria Montessoris method of Education, today the congregation of Good Shepherd religious nuns runs the Good Shepherd Maria Montessori Training Centre at St. Bridgets Convent, 85, C.W.W. Kannangara Mawatha, Colombo 07.
Afghanistan, (REUTERS), 28 August, 2017 - As many as 13 people, including both Afghan army soldiers and civilians, were killed and 18 wounded by a car bomb in the southern province of Helmand on Sunday, officials said.



Omar Zwak, the Helmand governors spokesman who gave the casualty figures, said the attack occurred in a market in Nawa, a district in the center of the province, which has seen heavy fighting in recent weeks as government forces have battled for control with Taliban insurgents.



Afghan forces said they had retaken Nawa district in July but there has been continued fighting in the area since.



There was no claim of responsibility and no immediate comment from the Taliban, which has carried out regular suicide attacks in Helmand, where it controls much of the area outside the provincial capital Lashkar Gah.
The first of three articles exploring the trinity of our film industry.



The last few years seem to indicate that our stars can never truly transcend their power, their sense of glamour and fame. Hemal Ranasinghe in Pravegaya is really no different to the Hemal Ranasinghe in Adaraneeya Kathawak.

You see the same photogenic and potent features  his face, his drawl, even his strut  and you see him act out variations on the calm-and-quiet-hero-now-challenged. The same can be said of Uddika Premaratne, whose best performances (which are also the ones we remember, clearly) have him as a defeatist, the man at breaking point who needs someone to console him. (Part of the reason why the first half of Aloka Udapadi works so well in comparison to the second is that in there, the man acts out this defeatist, while throughout the rest of the movie hes a stereotypical resurrected hero.)

When we grow used to such actors and the kind of performances we think theyre suited for, we are always put off when they veer off. That doesnt happen very often in our movies (as often as it should) but when it does we are excited. Who wants to see the same hero again and again, anyway? We are tired. We want more.

I believe its true everywhere that as a film industry matures, actors find themselves being diversified and moved on to more complex roles. The only reason why Douglas Fairbanks or Buster Keaton or even Charlie Chaplin is remembered for the cranks and adventurers they were is that they were born to the early days of film-making.

Roughly the same can be said of our own stars -- Rukmani Devi, Eddie Jayamanne and D.R. Nanayakkara. Even Joe Abeywickremas early work was limiting, and often denied him the range that he discovered in later years.

"Gamini could never resist the camera, even when he was off-camera"



But these people had one excuse: they were there at a time when the producers demanded that they stick to one role. When a film industry matured and an actor persisted in being the hero or villain, in contrast, the excuse he had was that audiences were nostalgic and hence tired of the complexity that actors were subject to in this more mature era, and wanted a virile performer to remain virile. To a considerable extent, this explains the rise and the maturing of Gamini Fonseka.

Critics and commentators are ever so quick to compare Fonseka with Marlon Brando and Paul Muni. To me though, such comparisons are facile, hollow, and evasive, symptomatic of how facile, hollow, and evasive the critics themselves are. Its as though these writers were not bothered about moving into what shapes and breathes life into a performance, a performer. Brando represented the Wests post-war rebellion against security and stability, while Muni, as Hawkeye Pierce from M*A*S*H* so succinctly put it, was the guy who played everybody when Franklin Roosevelt was president and Joe Louis [the boxer] was always the champ.

Fonseka never really rebelled against stability, nor did he get to play everybody. What he borrowed from these two was their flair for researching and preparing for their roles. But what he borrowed was not what he gave out. He didnt symbolise rebellion: his box-office records would have been enough to convince him not to. Brando didnt care how big he was because he was prone to emotional breakdowns, crying out to us about his personal inadequacies. Fonseka was never that kind of hero.

To compare the one with the other would be to make two irreconcilable film cultures look similar. Hollywood likes to glamorize petty criminals, outlaws, and cranks. The Sinhala film industry of the fifties, sixties, and seventies (its richest periods) didnt want to legitimise such outsiders. Rather, it wanted a hero. Not because it didnt have any, but because every star it had, from Eddie to Rukmani to Joe (whose rise would predate Gaminis), was content to play either the second-rate jester or the first-rate lover. We were laughing or crying too much. We needed to be thrilled, to be excited. Gamini saw this void, and like all shrewd, calculating stars, he filled the gap.

Gamini could never resist the camera, even when he was off-camera. Theres a sequence in Nidhanaya the morning after he and Irene marry, where Irene comes across a caged peacock and her husband slowly creeps up to her and disturbingly reflects on how the bird can, in a sudden fit of rage, kill its own mate. Douglas Ranasinghe (who had been in Lester James Peries earlier film produced by Ceylon Theatres, Akkara Paha) told me that when he was in location at the mansion and near that cage, Fonseka crept up to him in that exact same manner and began his meditation.

I was so enchanted if not disturbed by his worldly knowledge, his serious tones, until a few days later, when I found out that he had merely been rehearsing for his part. That was Fonseka: the hero who needed to be a hero.

"Critics and commentators are ever so quick to compare Fonseka with Marlon Brando and Paul Muni"



In an otherwise politically neutral review of Sarungale, Regi Siriwardena made the following extraordinary claim: When the time comes to draw up a balance-sheet of Mr. Gamini Fonsekas career, his role in this film as well as his part in conceiving its story and theme will have to be set strongly on the credit side against all the bad films in which he has played and his right-wing politics.

Right-wing politics: what exactly did Siriwardena mean there? Was it the right-wing politics that adorns a film like, say, Sagarayak Meda, with its barely concealed attack on Felix Bandaranaike and socialism? Or was it the right-wing politics which pops up in his later performances as arbiters of law and order, even as the mellowed but potent antihero in Demodara Palama, the sequel to Titus Thotawattes Chandiya? Perhaps, but that marginalises another more important point: the populist strains of Gaminis early career had by this time congealed to a rigidly conservative and right-wing ethic.

Fonsekas depictions of police officers, army commanders, and law abiding citizens were the consequence of, and not a diversion from, his earlier depictions of thugs (the good sort), prisoners (the well intentioned sort), and outlaws (the Robin Hood, Yakadaya sort). In the sixties and seventies he was the man who broke every rule in the book if that meant standing up for the wretched who were unable to stand for themselves.

In the eighties and nineties he achieved a kind of transubstantiation: he found out that outlaws, when ageing, didnt necessary have to resort to outlawing to achieve that kind of justice: they could be purveyors of the law, conservative, and still be heroes. For that, obviously, he needed to be his own star, his own director, which is what producers were only too willing to let him be in the eighties. In the end Gamini Fonseka became what hed always been wanted to become. Gamini Fonseka.

It is said that our greatest and most accomplished actors have a fatal weakness: they cant help being great and accomplished. I firmly disagree, but I wonder whether that point holds true for an actor like Fonseka. When you see Joe Abeywickrema as Silindu and Tony Ranasinghe as Fernando you know thats Silindu and thats Fernando. But when you see Fonseka as Simon Kabilana, smoking cigarettes in that suave fashion and dextrously jumping from Sinhala to English and back to Sinhala, what do you really see in him?

In the opening sequence of Welikathara you come across a star who was as able to hold a cigarette that way and dabble in both languages confidently. Its the kind of confidence that never goes away unless one consciously wills it away. Perhaps that is why a prominent actor, no longer with us, once observed that when Fonseka asked for his opinion of his performance in Yuganthaya, he had only one answer to give: That in being Kabilana, he was being himself.

Of the many performances the man gave after Yuganthaya, his role as Kabilana being his comeback (he had vowed at that point to leave the cinema; the truth was that the cinema was trying to leave him, but couldnt), only one really registers in my mind: the mudalali in Sumitra Peries Loku Duwa, easily the most self-parodying role he got in his career. We sarong-wearing folk are better than those dogs who wear trousers, remember that! he thunders to Geetha Kumarasinghe as she laments the fact that he just beat up her brother (Kamal Addararachchi). We are taken aback by his voice, but we arent intimidated; if we are, we are only intimidated to grin.

Fonseka was channelling a real-life mudalali (the sort who was never educated but prospered through his gut instincts) he had studied for his role but eventually we realised that he was channelling himself, only this time he wasnt reinforcing his tough image, but making fun of it. Yuganthaya was directed by Sumitras husband Lester: these two were the only filmmakers who could depict Fonseka like that and get away with it.

"When you see Joe Abeywickrema as Silindu and Tony Ranasinghe as Fernando you know thats Silindu and thats Fernando"

Hes so vile in Loku Duwa that you know you have to detest him, but you dont, not because of the actors identity but because of how he forces the plot to take a detour in its second half. In the end you dont hate him, you laugh for him, that ridiculously rough accent, and that ridiculously slimy leer and grin.

The man could have played everybody but he didnt. He wasnt being typecast against his will there, though. He wilfully submitted to what he surely knew was the only way he could sustain his life, his career, and with it his movies. By sustaining that, he might have known he was sustaining us too. He was all our idealised conceptions and imaginings of him, if not more.

And in becoming that idealisation of him wed treasured for so long, he became supremely confident that all he had to do in front of the camera was be the only person he could be. Himself. That was Gamini Fonseka at his best and (I daresay) his worst: the man who could only be what hed got us, the people, to believe he could be. I could have had class. I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, Marlon Brando lamented to Rod Steiger in On the Waterfront. Roughly the opposite, almost word to word, was true of Gamini. How could he have been a Brando in Sri Lanka, then?
In its quest to become Sri Lankas largest shipping and maritime company, the Hayleys group subsidiary, Hayleys Advantis Limited, yesterday announced the 95 percent equity acquisition of Sri Lanka Shipping Company Limited for a mammoth Rs.4.9 billion.



This acquisition is in line with the groups strategy on expanding its maritime operations and paving the way for the establishment of the largest marine and shipping company in Sri Lanka, Hayleys PLC said in a stock market filing.



Sri Lanka Shipping Company Limited was incorporated in 1956, according to its official website, to charter, own and operate small cargo vessels on short sea routes to the Indian subcontinent and Middle East.



Today it offers the local and international shipping community the full range of maritime services such as liner and tramp ship agency, joint venture investment in ship agency companies, stevedoring, customs house agents, clearing and forwarding, heavy lift haulage, towage and salvage, bagging of bulk fertilizer, warehousing and warehouse management and tea blending and other related services to export of tea.



The current board of directors of the company comprises of Capt. Lester Weinman (Chairman), Sonia Weinman, Mohamed Reza (Managing Director) and Feroza Delpechitrea.



The shipping industry stakeholders opine that this acquisition by Hayleys will have a lot of implications to the local shipping and maritime sector at a time when the global shipping industry is also seeing consolidation with several large shipping lines forming alliances with counterparts.

This consolidation is expected to benefit the industry, as it will contribute towards a gradual uptick in rates over the medium to long term.



The two giants in Sri Lankas shipping scene are Hayleys and McLarens Group. They together are said to be controlling over 70 percent of Sri Lankas shipping and maritime services market. Sources at Hayleys said the group is eying more shipping sector acquisition in the near future to gain more market share.



Currently a debate is ongoing whether Sri Lanka should liberalize the shipping and maritime sector in order to prevent cartelization, anti-competitive behaviour and monopoly happening within the trade.

Sri Lanka does not have anti-trust laws and currently the government is formulating a national trade policy, through which many believe such laws should also be introduced among others.



Business tycoon Dhammika Perera owns a little over 50 percent stake in Hayleys PLC and functions as Co-Chairman of the group.



His Royal Ceramics PLC, through its subsidiaries, which were acquired in 2013, enjoys over 80 percent share of Sri Lankas floor tile market. Companies controlled by Perera also have a monopoly in the countrys aluminium industry.
A former powerful political leader attended a ceremony at a place of religious worship during a visit to the periphery the other day.



A certain deputy purohita in yahapalanaya quietly met the former political heavyweight at this ceremony. The former political boss who was elated over the deputys friendly gesture in attending the ceremony, immediately announced: Heres yet another yahapalanaya big gun set to join us!



The former political leader who expected the large crowd present to break into cheers and applause was visibly taken back when they greeted this announcement with boos and catcalls. Let him come. We will take proper care of him, some of them shouted.



The deputy who cut a sorry figure later left the place as quietly as he came, they say.
The Last Five Years, a contemporary Drama Desk winning musical is an emotionally powerful and intimate theatre experience about two New Yorkers in their 20s who fall in, and out, of love. It explores a five-year relationship between Jamie Wellerstein, a rising novelist, and Cathy Hiatt, a struggling actress. The show uses a form of storytelling in which Cathy's story is told in reverse chronological order (beginning the show at the end of the marriage), and Jamie's is told in chronological order (starting just after the couple have first met). The characters do not directly interact except for a wedding song in the middle as their timelines intersect. The story is told almost entirely in song.

Written and composed by Jason Robert Brown and produced by special arrangement with Music Theatre International, the production is directed by Jeri Dunn with musical director David K Smith. The show is double-cast with Lindsey Chambers and Jacob Faile (both of Rome, Ga.) appearing on Sept. 15, 21, and 23, and Abby Wright (Calhoun, Ga.) and Josh Lance (Calhoun and Canton, Ga.) appearing on Sept. 16 and 22.



The show premiered at Chicagos Northlight Theatre in 2001 and was then produced Off-Broadway in 2002. That production won the 2002 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics. It was named one of TIME magazines ten best shows of 2001. Since then it has had numerous productions both in the United States and internationally. A film adaptation, starring Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick, was released in February 2015.



Performances: Sept. 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23, 2017 at 7 p.m. Due to the mature subject matter and language of the play, this show is rated PG-13. This production is made possible by the sponsor of this production, Leggett Law, and 2017-18 Season Sponsor Cathy Camp Bomar.

Tickets and more information are available online (http://www.harrisartscenter.com/events) or by calling 706 629.2599.


DAILY MAIL, 28 August, 2017- Iraqi forces engaged in heavy fighting Monday near Tal Afar with the last pocket of Islamic State group jihadists in the northern province of Nineveh.



An AFP journalist saw fierce clashes pitting Iraqi government forces and allied militia against IS fighters in the town of Al-Ayadieh 15 kilometres (10 miles) north of Tal Afar. Iraqi troops, police and special forces, allied with the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary coalition, took control of all districts inside Tal Afar on Sunday, a week after launching their latest offensive against an IS stronghold. Clearing operations were continuing and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was expected to soon arrive in the city to announce its liberation from IS. The jihadists launched three suicide car bomb attacks at Iraqi forces on Monday morning and smoke could be seen rising above the town from air strikes carried out in support of ground troops.
A delegation of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple will make an inaugural visit to Sri Lanka from September 1 to 8, 2017.



The delegation will comprise of Inner Temple Treasurer David Pittaway QC accompanied by his wife, Jill Pittaway and Inner Temple Senior Bencher Julia Dias QC.



As part of this maiden visit, the delegation of the Inner Temple will address the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) on several topical issues.



This event will be hosted by the BASL in partnership with the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA). The address will be held on September 4, 2017, at the Dr. H.W. Jayewardene QC Auditorium (BASL Auditorium), from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.



The address will broadly seek to cover the following areas:



The anatomy of a case: A study of a clinical negligence action.



Challenges to respectively the appointment of arbitrators and enforcement of arbitration awards

Comparative insight into the concept and purpose of pre-trial hearings in England and Wales, in view of the fact that pre-trial hearings were recently given legislative effect in Sri Lanka by the Civil Procedure Code (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 2017.



Inner Temple

The Inner Temple is one of the four Inns of Court. These are associations that have existed since the 14th century and play a significant role in training law graduates to qualify as court advocates, known throughout the Commonwealth as barristers. The Inns of Court have the power to call would-be barristers to the Bar.



The Inner Temple has over 9,500 qualified members. Each year approximately 350 students apply to join, including those from the Commonwealth and other international countries, with the intention of training for the Bar in England and Wales. Graduates of the Inner Temple go on to practice at the Bar, take judicial office, enter the political arena, become distinguished law academics and excel in their chosen fields wherever they live.



The Inner Temple has always welcomed members from around the world. Notable alumni from the Commonwealth include: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, first Prime Minister of Pakistan Mohammed Ali Jinnah, prominent Sri Lankan philanthropist Sir Ernest C. De Silva, Sri Lankan lawyer and statesman Sri Lankabhimanya Lakshman Kadirgamar, who was made an Honorary Bencher in 1995, founding father and first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman and Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Singapore Yong Pung How.



Delegates visiting Sri Lanka

Pittaway QC was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1977 and appointed Queens Counsel (QC) in 2000. He is Head of Hailsham Chambers, London, a Deputy High Court Judge and Treasurer of the Inner Temple in 2017.



His principal practice areas are medical law, public inquiries, regulatory and disciplinary, product liability, personal injury and insurance law.



He has an outstanding practice for healthcare and other regulators on the regulatory and disciplinary process. He is frequently instructed in cases defending high-profile clients in these sectors against reputational damage.



As a leading authority on public inquiries and inquests, he has substantial experience of large-scale inquiries, including The Shipman Inquiry and The Hillsborough Inquest.



He is a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and an Accredited Mediator. He is instructed as an arbitrator in professional negligence claims and has appeared in mediations involving clinical negligence claims. He is a past Chairman of the Professional Negligence Bar Association.



Dias QC is a Senior Bencher of the Inner Temple and practices as a barrister at 7 Kings Bench Walk (7KBW) chambers.



Dias QC specialises in the fields of arbitration, shipping, insurance and reinsurance and professional negligence, including associated jurisdictional disputes and injunctions. Dias QC also has wide practice in commercial disputes and over the years has built up considerable expertise in many other areas such as international trade and sale of goods, shipbuilding, conflicts of laws, guarantees and letters of credit and agency.



Purpose of Sri Lanka visit

The purpose of this visit is to foster and develop strong links and associations in Sri Lanka. The Inner Temple undertakes this inaugural visit with the encouragement of the Royal Commonwealth Society for the following key purposes:
SEOUL, South Korea  North Korea carried out one of its most provocative missile tests in recent years early Tuesday morning, hurling a ballistic missile directly over Japan that prompted the government in Tokyo to warn residents in its path to take cover.

The missile flew over the northern island of Hokkaido and landed harmlessly in the sea, after a flight of nearly 1,700 miles. But the propaganda value for the North Koreans was considerable.

Public television programs in Japan were interrupted with a rare warning screen announcing the missiles flight over the country. Several bullet train lines were temporarily halted, and the government spoke of the missile  only the third North Korean projectile to fly over the country since 1998  in unusually dire terms.

North Koreas reckless action of launching a missile that passed over Japan is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat, said Japans prime minister, Shinzo Abe. He later told reporters that he had spoken by telephone with President Trump. Japan and the U.S. stances are completely matched, he said, adding that they discussed ways to tighten pressure on North Korea.

The test was a direct challenge to Mr. Trump. Just last week, at a political rally in Arizona, Mr. Trump suggested that his threat to rain down fire and fury on North Korea if it endangered the United States was beginning to bear fruit. Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, was starting to respect us, Mr. Trump said.

Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson had also cited a pause in testing by the North, saying he was pleased to see that the regime in Pyongyang has certainly demonstrated some level of restraint that we have not seen in the past. Mr. Tillerson suggested that it could be a pathway to dialogue.

Only days later, that optimism seemed premature when the North Koreans launched three short-range missiles on Saturday. Two of them traveled about 155 miles before splashing down, far enough to reach major South Korean and American military bases, including those about 60 miles south of Seoul.

And while North Korea has not carried out its threat to fire four of its ballistic missiles toward the coast of Guam  and near an American air base  the missile it fired over Japan on Tuesday appeared to be of the same type: an intermediate-range missile that could target American, South Korean and Japanese bases in northeast Asia.

Only twice before has the North fired projectiles over Japanese territory: once in 1998, prompting a minor diplomatic crisis in Asia, and once again at the beginning of the Obama administration in 2009. In both those cases, the North said the rockets were carrying satellites into orbit. In this case, it made no such claim.

As in the case of the 2009 launch, which was paired with a nuclear weapons test, North Korea appears to be testing a new American president.

Notably, the missile fired on Tuesday took off from near Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. Early reports, which are often later corrected, indicated that it was launched from a site near Pyongyangs international airport, not the usual launch site in the countrys northeast, according to the South Korean military. They said they were still trying to determine what type of missile was launched.

American officials noted that if it was in fact launched from the outskirts of the capital, it may have been meant to complicate recent American threats to hit the North with pre-emptive strikes. That possibility was explicitly raised this month by several Trump administration officials, as a way of seeking to deter the North Koreans.

While the Norths usual launch sites are in remote areas, where there would be little concern about civilian casualties, any strike near Pyongyang would risk many civilian deaths and would suggest the real goal was to strike at the regime.

An attack near Pyongyang would also be far more likely to result in North Korean retaliation against Seoul.

Lt. Gen. Hiroaki Maehara, commander of Japans Air Self Defense Force, said that Japan did not try to shoot down the missile from North Korea on Tuesday because the government did not detect a threat to Japanese territory.

But when its surveillance first detected the launch and followed the path of the missile, Japan warned citizens in its path to take cover  just in case any parts fell on Japanese territory.

The North Korean missile tests on Saturday and again on Tuesday came during joint military drills that the United States and South Korea started a week ago. For the United States and South Korea, these drills  mostly conducted on computer screens  are normal exercises. But the North calls such annual drills a rehearsal for invasion and often lashes out with weapons trials and military exercises of its own.

But in this case, it was Japan  not part of this exercise  that seemed most directly affected.

In a statement, Mr. Abe said his government was prepared to take all the measures to protect peoples lives.

We have lodged a firm protest to North Korea. We have requested an urgent meeting of the U.N. Security Council, he added. Diplomats said the meeting would most likely be held Tuesday afternoon.

The Japanese government sent a text alert to citizens about the launch and advised them to take protective cover. In a post on Mr. Abes Twitter account, the government confirmed that the missile was fired at 5:58 a.m. local time, before breaking into three pieces and landing about 730 miles off the coast of Cape Erimo on Hokkaido, around 6:12 a.m.

Takaaki Uesugi, a security guard at the town hall of Erimo, on the southern tip of Hokkaido, said he first heard about the launch from an alert on his phone and worried that debris would fall in his town.

Im really worried about how America will react, he said. Its possible that Japan could be dragged into a dangerous situation depending on how President Trump responds to this.

A woman in Tokyo, Kaoru Kuroko, also said she had heard an alarm on her telephone soon after the missile was launched. It was scary, she said. I wondered, where will the missile go to?

South Korea said it was ready to defend itself from the North Korean threat. North Korea must come to the negotiating table, realizing that denuclearization is its only way to ensure its security and economic development, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

With China to the west and Russia to the north, North Korea can flight-test its mid- or intermediate-range missiles only to the south or to the east, analysts said.

In a way, this was a hard choice to make for the North because it meant to fire the missile over Japan or toward Guam, said Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University in Seoul. In the end, it chose to fire over Japan, demonstrating its capability to launch a missile to Guam but without actually launching one in that direction, which would have been a huge provocation to the United States.

North Korea has conducted more than 80 missile tests since Mr. Kim came to power in late 2011, after the death of his father, but it has not sent any of those missiles over Japan.

Even when it flight-tested an intercontinental ballistic missile on July 28, it was launched at a highly lofted angle so that the missile reached an altitude of 2,300 miles. But it flew only 998 horizontal miles, falling in waters between the North and Japan. The North said at the time that it did so in order not to send its missile over a neighbor. Thus, the missile test on Tuesday was considered an especially bold move.

Along with South Korea, Japan and Guam would most likely be the first targets of a North Korean attack should war break out on the Korean Peninsula, analysts said. Both are home to major American military bases, which will become key launching pads for American forces in the event of war in Korea. (nytimes)
By Chandeepa Wettasinghe

The central bank of Norway, Norges Bank, which manages the worlds largest sovereign wealth fund, has been active in the Colombo Stock Exchange over the quarter ended June 30, 2017.



Norges investments in TeeJay PLC fell marginally to 2.97 percent of TeeJays shares, while the banks shareholding in Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC fell 0.66 percent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to reach one percent of shares.



These were two of Norges initial investments when the fund entered Sri Lanka in the third quarter of 2015.



Norges appetite for more finance stocks in its portfolio seemed apparent, as it marginally increased its ownership of shares in the countrys second largest private bank, Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB) QoQ to hold 1.13 percent of HNB shares, as well as purchasing 0.85 percent of Sampath Bank PLC shares to reach a total of 2.32 percent QoQ.

\Of the diversified firms, which Norges had interests in, it fell off the top 20 shareholders list of the countrys largest conglomerate, John Keells Holdings PLC, in which Norges held one percent of shares at the end of March.



Norges also sold a minute number of shares in Melstacorp PLC QoQ, with shares held in the conglomerate falling down to 1.01 percent.



Meanwhile, the institutional investors shareholding in Hemas Holdings PLC increased to 2.36 percent from 1.57 percent QoQ.



Norges holdings in Access Engineering PLC, Piramal Glass (Ceylon) PLC, Dialog Axiata PLC and Peoples Leasing and Finance PLC remained unchanged QoQ.



Norges has invested approximately US $ 65 million in Sri Lankan equities through the sovereign fund Government Pension Fund Global by end-2016. The sovereign fund is worth approximately US $ 1 trillion.



The funds total returns were 2.6 percent in the second quarter of 2017, with returns from equity investments reaching up to 3.4 percent.
Paramount Event Spaces are elegant venues with helpful and knowledgeable staff, ready to assist you in making the memories of a lifetime. Their contemporary design and customization options make them a premier venue for trainings, business events, and other celebrations. The venue is chic and charming, with flexible policies and state of the art technology and amenities

With the launch of their brand-new spaces in the heart of Nawala, Paramount Event Spaces has been getting numerous bookings including advance bookings for the year end events. The company is all about value for money when it comes to providing unparalleled customer service and a versatile and beautiful venue for events.

"The Melomanic sessions utilizes unique spaces around Colombo and its suburbs to create the best ambience for local musicians to present their music at. The roof top of the Paramount Tower hence was ideal for the 29th Melomanic Sessions as it is located very centrally in Nawala with ample parking, but with enough seclusion to feel one is not really in an urban area. The event manager from Paramount Event Spaces was supportive and had a firm grasp of our requirements. All in all, Melo was a success, and the audience was pleased with the experience. We definitely will be back." Said C C de Silva, Co - Founder, Melomanic Sessions.

commenting on their training programme which took place at the indoor space of Paramount Event Spaces, Upendra Arjeewani, RECP Expert & Consultant at the National Cleaner Production Centre said "It was a nice experience to have our programme at the new event venue of Paramount Realty. I highly appreciate the support and service they provided us throughout the programme to make it a success."

Featuring a banquet hall with a seating capacity of 120-150 and a rooftop which can accommodate 200-250 people, Paramount Event Spaces works together with top industry players who to provide the service that goes beyond customer expectations.

Yesith Thomas, President of Rotaract Club of Edulink International Campus commenting on their recent event held at our indoor space, said A really classy and elegant venue and is worth 100% the price you pay for it. The staff is helpful and cooperative and helps any event to run smoothly. #HighlyRecommended"

The Paramount team demonstrates an absolute passion for detail, creativity and freshness along with the ability to work with clients through tailored menus and curating capabilities that set industry benchmarks. Their creativity and personal touches will ensure that the event is highly successful through meticulous planning and the relentless pursuit service excellence.

For those of you planning an event with colleagues, friends and family, at a venue you can make your own, Paramount Event Spaces may just be the place for you. Conveniently located at No 192/10, 9th Lane, Nawala Road, Nawala with ample parking facilities, Paramount Event Spaces is ready to host your next event. For reservations and RSVP please contact Gokul on 0777480267 or email events@paramountrealty.lk.
China is a sleeping giant. Let her sleep, for when she wakes she will move the world

 Napoleon Bonaparte

When President Barack Obama left office after two terms on a high note with a national approval rating of 57%, in the military it stood at just 36%.

Interestingly 36% is also the current approval rating of both French President Emmanuel Macron and Obamas successor Donald Trump in their respective countries, nation-wide, with meddling with military being cited as the key if not one of the core contributors, to the plummeting of their ranking. 39-year-old centrist Macron, who polled 67% at the May election against Marine Le Pen, is the first French President to assume office without military experience. With mandatory military service being scrapped in 1990 this was not seen as a major handicap.



Within three months into office his nosedive in popularity from 67%- 36% is the steepest plummet any French President has recorded in modern France.



Two months into office, in July, he ran into trouble with the Army when it was revealed that the President was planning a 850m cut in military finances despite his election pledge to increase defence funding.



The row that followed saw young Macron, who is also the Commander-In-Chief telling the Generals I am the boss and Military Chief Gen Pierre de Villiers tendering his resignation. The sequence of events in the run up to de Villiers resignation shook the establishment and saw Generals observing that it spoke of Juvenile Authoritarianism by the President, hinting at Macrons lack of experience in military affairs and immaturity being a young President.



The French watched Macrons breach of promise for the Army and the way he handled the whole episode with disdain, disgust and shock.



Though the President has now promised to increase the defence budget by 2025 it did very little to undo the damage. This, coupled with his move to give a Constitutional role to his wife, plans to liberalise the Employment Code, his USD 31,000 makeup bill, sense of arrogance that has alienated him from the public and blunders by deputies of his party, Republique En Marche, saw an unprecedented dip in approval ratings in France.



On the other hand Donald Trump who came into power criticising war veterans and acknowledging Human Rights violations by the US military is today embroiled in another scuffle with the Army.

Despite strong protests from the military, Democrats and a section of his own party, on Friday Trump signed a directive reinstating a ban on transgender individuals from serving US military. Polls conducted after Trump first announced his move for this ban on twitter, have indicated that 68% of the US citizens too are against the ban.



Meanwhile, despite successful military operations against Al Qaeda and Libyas Gadaffi under his regime, President Barack Obama too had soured ties with the military by the time he left White House. Obamas moves to downsize the military, withdrawal of troops from Iraq and undermining the military warnings on potential threats from China were among the key causes that contributed to this scenario.

One can expect discrepancies in popularity ratings between the general public and those of the military in a multi-ethnic and a more right conscious nation like the United States.



However, in a more homogeneous land like France where nearly 85% of the population is formed by citizens of European origin, the military and the public think more or less on the same lines.



Any move to down-size the Army, reduce military funding, ridicule or clash with Military by the executive or the legislature even for the best of reasons, only goes to make the leaders unpopular among the majority.



However much they score internationally by the measures to weaken the military, the leaders are finally answerable to their citizens and for the majority of the public that military is their pride.
As per the World Trade Report 2015, implementation of the TFA could add up to 2.7 percent a year to world export growth amounting to US$750 to 1000 billion, and more than half a percent a year to world GDP growth

The World Trade Organization (WTO), made their ultimate achievement at the 9th WTO Conference conducted in Bali, by finalizing the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in the year 2013 which came into effect 22 February 2017 with 2/3 of the members ratifying the agreement.It is paying more attention to customs procedures through effective cooperation between and other relevant authorities who become part and parcel of cross border activities.



Further, it caters to technical assistance and capacity building of leased developed countries and developing nations. Presently, 121 states have ratified the WTO agreement. In other words, these states have agreed to abide by conditions therein.



This agreement contains three sections and section one covers 12 different articles namely: publication and availability of information, opportunity to comment and consultation before information entry into force, advance rulings, procedures for appeal or review, enhance impartiality non-discrimination and transparency, fees and charges, clearance of goods, border agency cooperation, formalities connected with importation, exportation and transit, freedom of transit and customs cooperation.



Section two of the agreement covers, Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) provisions paving the path for preferential treatment for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and developing countries. Section three containsprovision for formation of a permanent committee on trade facilitation at the WTO and membercountries establish national committees to facilitate domestic coordination and implementation of the agreement conditions.



What is trade facilitation?

Many definitions of trade facilitation can be found in recently done studies. Trade facilitation contains five essential features namely (as per study of ZAKI); simplification of trade procedures and documentation, harmonization of the trade practices and rules, transparent information and procedures of international flows, recourse to new technologies to promote international trade and more secured means of payment for international commerce. In another study done by Portugal Perez says, Trade facilitation measures defined under two dimensions, tangible infrastructure such as roads, ports, highways, telecommunications etc. and intangible aspects such as transparency, customs management, the business environment.



Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) outlines trade facilitation as simplification and rationalization of customs and other administrative procedures that hinder, delay or increase the cost of moving goods across international borders. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) articulates it as a transparent and predictable environment for cross-border trade transactions based on simple, standardized customs procedures and practices, documentation requirements, cargo and transit operations, and trade and transport arrangements.



In simple terms, it can be recognized as, making it simpler and efficient for traders to move their goods across borders. Doing Business Index compiled by World Bank is also taking Trading Across Borders as a significant evaluation criterion in ranking countries.



Under this category, time to export with regard to documentation and border compliance, cost of exports in compliance with documentation and border procedures, importation time and cost related to border procedures and documentation are taken for detailed evaluation. This confirms the importance of cross border trading at every level.



Cost reductions and increasing revenues through trade facilitation

It is a known fact in the world, that the Trade Facilitation is reducing the cost of trade by considerable level in any economy. OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) has developed many indicators to this effect which help governments improve their border processors, decrease trade expenses and reach the best benefits through international trade.



TFIs (Trade Facilitation Indicators) provide paths to governments to lineup and prioritize activities related to trade facilitation in a more targeted manner. Some of these indicators can be listed asinformation availability, involvement of the trade community, advance rulings, appeal procedures, fees and charges, formalities related to documents and automation, internal cooperation, external cooperation and governance impartiality. It is vital for any economy to monitor the progress of their trade facilitation processes.



It is significant to understand that countries decide to implement WTO TFA in two ways; full implementation, which means taking the commitment to implement all the conditions in the agreement including best practices and the other method is to implement only the mandatory conditions of the agreement. The benefits reaped by any economy is also varied depending on the level of implementation of the agreement. In other words, some conditions will have a greater impact in reducing the cost of trade. To be more specific full implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement will reduce the total costs of trade by 16.5 percent in low income countries and it will be 17.4 percent and 14.6 percent in lower middle income and upper middle-income countries respectively. In a situation where only mandatory provisions are implemented the total cost reduction will be around 12 to 13 percent only. (Source: WTO World Trade Report 2015)



Positive impact on exports

Further, TFA implementation will lead to increase of diversification of exported products in the range of 36 percent in Least Developed Countries (LCD) and approx. 20 percent in other developing countries andincrease of export destinations by 59 percent in LDCs and 33 percent in other developed countries. Further, as per the World Trade Report 2015, implementation of the TFA could add up to 2.7 percent a year to world export growth amounting to US$750 to 1000 billion, and more than half a percent a year to world GDP growth. (Source: WTO World Trade Report 2015)



Poor implementation leads to revenue losses

Inadequate border operations such as weak detection mechanisms and insufficient sanctions may lead to revenue losses. As a matter of fact, in Cambodia for example, only 25 percent of the goods are declared to customs showing greater loss of customs revenue.Due to complication of procedures it becomes monetarily rewarding to avoid customs.This may lead to various mal practices among the corrupt officials. All in all, studies have revealed that insufficient border procedures may lead to revenue losses equals to 5 percent of GDP.



Increase of government revenue

It is evident that implementation of TFA may lead to increase of government revenue in many ways. Namely, through the escalation of trade flows tax base and revenue collection may also increase. When the processes are simplified, the possibilities are high for traders to reduce informal activities and start paying duties, further, fraud detection in customs also will have a positive impact on revenues.



The case study on Bulgaria confirmed that, improvement of customs legislations and practices, training customs officials, improving customs controls resulted an increase of revenue by 158 percent. In the same manner, Ethiopia experienced over 51 percent increase of revenues whereas Peru made positive changes in their system by introducing best practices and system automation to reap over 105 percent revenue.



TFA benefits for SMEs

It is a known fact that, SMEs represent 90 percent of the global enterprises and provide over 70 percent of the employment of the private sector and recognized as growth and innovation engine. In developing countries, SMEs are playing a vital role in bridging the development gap through poverty reduction, women empowerment and income distribution.



They are facing many difficulties and challenges in accessing international markets. It is an internationally-accepted norm that policy level corrections are needed to ensure SMEs enter and continue to be in international trade. SMEs find it difficult to deal with regulatory processes associated with trading goods across borders. Recent studies have confirmed that reduction of complex border procedures will encourage SMEs to partake in more and more export/import activities.



With this background, WTO TFA gives a worthy policy outline for most of the countries including LDCs and developing nations, to address draw backs of SMEs. Many of the policies already in place in Asia Pacific and Europe, happens to be drafted with the existing importers and exporters in mind but not merely for SME community. Hence, SMEs contribution to the export revenue remains as low as 30 percent.



It is a known fact that in Sri Lanka, SMEs contribute more than 65 percent to the GDP of the country and increase of cross border efficiencies will bring many benefits for the SMEs such as their products getting diversified, reach many destinations faster than before. Even Multinational Corporations are making key decisions in relocating global value chain investments, following transport costs and capacity and customs efficiencies.



Importance of national trade facilitation committee

As per the WTO TFA, each member is expected to establish and maintaina national committee on trade facilitation in order to facilitate both domestic & international coordination and implementation of provisions of the Agreement. The role of this committee is much wider than documented, ensuring public and private sector dialoguethroughout the implementation process.



The National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) is expected to follow a sequence of steps to comply with deliverables; define the mandate, identify a champion and ensure strong leadership, define the governance and legal structure, ensure the right balance between public and private stakeholders, establish clear terms of reference including the extent of the bodys independence, choose appropriate accommodation that reflects the bodys independence, establish a clear business or work plan of activities, ensure that the body is adequately and sustainably funded and monitor the progress of TFA implementation.



National trade facilitation efforts of Sri Lanka progressing

Sri Lankan government authorities have taken many positive steps towards implementing TFA conditions and requirements. A national need assessment was conducted in 2014 with the participation of government stakeholders inclusive of all the border agencies and private sector representatives.



The governmentof Sri Lanka has been effectively engaged in communication with WTO on the said aspects. By 2015 April, a team of experts from World Bank Group was engaged with Sri Lankan counterparts on Sri Lankas self-assessments and categorization aspects.



On 31 May 2016 Sri Lankan government ratified the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement where it came to effect in February 2017. In April 2016, Cabinet nod was given to establish the National Trade Facilitation Committee which is chaired by Director General of Sri Lanka Customs and Director General of Department of Commerce as the co-chair, the government sector and the private sector is well represented in this committee ensuring well bonded Public Private Partnership, in achieving the ultimate goal of implementing TFA in Sri Lanka.



Taking the activities further, the World Bank Group, conducted another workshop for National Trade Facilitation Committee members, where category level tasks were assigned to border agencies on priority basis.



Additionally, Sri Lankan government requested, the support of World Bank Group for the development and implementation of web-based trade information portal, to develop the blueprint of the national single window operation, and to set up the Secretariat for National Trade Facilitation Committee under the leadership of Additional Director General Customs, and 2 consultants from the World Bank Group together with officers from Sri Lanka Customs and Department of Commerce.



The World Bank Group in principal has agreed to extend said assistance to Sri Lanka. Above activities confirm the right path that Sri Lanka is taking to Implement TFA successfully.



(The writer is the Secretary General / CEO of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka)
To know nothing of what happened before you were born, is to forever remain as a child~ Cicero



Good Governance, however much it looks easy to shout about on platform and introduce, is incredibly hard to sustain even for a short period of time.

The present government is proving it. With each passing week and month, the level of trust and confidence and the enormous expectations the people placed on the incoming government are evaporating. And they are evaporating fast, albeit the forced resignation of former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and firing of former Justice and Buddha Sasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe. The people are opening their eyes. They thought they displaced a regime of corruption and nepotism and it does not seem to be so. At the beginning itself, the incoming government made many strategic blunders:



A) Not holding the general elections immediately after the presidential election.

B) Making a Cabinet of Ministers look like an inflated body of massive and unworkable committee. The present Cabinet consists of 48!

C) Absence of a macro-economic plan.

D) Continuance of the Presidential System. Instead of an overhaul of the Constitution, the passage of the 19th Amendment has paved the way for a confusing state of governance.

Lets take these one by one.



A) Not holding general elections immediately after the presidential election

The government of Maithripala Sirisena lost all its sheen and sense of urgency with which the Rajapaksas were rejected at the elections when much-awaited general elections were not held immediately after the presidential election.

The electoral advantage that the incoming new administration would have had was given away by this imprudent decision. It was certainly a political one. Whether it was taken by new President Sirisena alone or a combined one arrived at with the consent of Ranil Wickremesinghe, the then opposition leader, soon to become the Prime Minister of the new government, is not publicly known.

Yet that decision cost a great deal of lead time and the political momentum the new government would have gathered was lost. But one reality was known to everyone interested in politics. That was the fate of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and that of Maithripala Sirisena as its de jure leader.

New President, Maithripala Sirisena must have calculated that, had the general elections been held immediately after the presidential election, the SLFP would have suffered an immense loss. Had that happened, Maithripala Sirisena would not have liked to be the person under whose watch the SLFP disintegrated. From the point of view of the SLFP and Sirisena personally, the calculus was right; but in the long-term interest of the country, it was a terrible decision. He could have reached an agreement with the UNP leader, even if the SLFP were to lose badly at the general elections, a coalition government between the two parties, UNP and SLFP, was possible.

"The current rulers must, even late in the day, devise a well-thought out and researched economic plan that would indicate a strategic slant to the countrys economic welfare"



The advantage Mahinda Rajapaksa obtained as a result of the postponement of general elections paved the way for the emergence of a formidable joint opposition made up of some senior SLFPers who were no longer ministers and deputy ministers.

A coalition need not be between two strong parties. In the 1965 Dudley Senanayake coalition, the then Federal Party which had only about 14 parliamentary seats was an integral partner of the coalition. Demosthenes, a Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens, once said thus: Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises. Both Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe missed that opportunity owing to their own shortsightedness. This was a self-inflicted wound and the country is now paying the price. And that was a tremendous strategic blunder of the current coalition.

India, a country that has a 1.2 billion population, has only twenty ministers, including the Prime Minister. Sri Lanka, which has 22 million people, has 48

Government entangled in retail politics

Ouster of the Rajapaksas from power was a tremendous leap

Government seems to be bogged down in a constant crisis-management mode



B) Size of the Cabinet

The size of the current Cabinet of Ministers, 48 in number, is beyond sustenance. Mahinda Rajapaksa had a Cabinet even larger than this and within the main Cabinet, he governed the country through an inner Cabinet that consisted of himself, his two brothers Basil Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary (although not in parliament, Gotabaya had more powers than a Cabinet Minister) and his Finance Secretary (once again, not in parliament but as powerful as a Cabinet member).

The current Cabinet comprises of 48 ministers; an unbelievable number for a small country such as ours. And it is unwieldy, to say the least. Being a coalition government and having to please everyone is no excuse. Follow the various compositions of Sri Lankas Cabinet since 1947:

Mahinda Rajapaksa made a mockery of both the Cabinet size and its composition. Collective Responsibility, a lofty ideal of the traditional parliamentary system, was thrown out of the window. Scant respect was paid to routine matters such as meeting on one particular day of each week at one particular time. The usual Wednesday morning Cabinet meeting changed at the whims and fancies of the president. Cabinet secrets were available in the open marketplace for sale. The nations highest decision-making body became a mass meeting! All these historical facts may be boring to the curious reader, but it is vital that they are placed on record so that future governments are made aware of these unpalatable facts and figures. India, a country that has a 1.2 billion population, has only twenty ministers including the Prime Minister.

Sri Lanka which has 22 million people has Forty Eight (48).

That is not including those so-called State Ministers. It is the height of absurdity! All credibility is gone. Those in power never realise how much the masses hate to see these bigwig politicians roam about the country in Mercedes and BMW cars. Hate and jealousy are extremely destructive emotions.

D.S. Senanayakes Cabinet in 1947  Fourteen

Dudley Senanayakes Cabinet in 1952  Fourteen

Sir Johns Cabinet in 53  Fourteen

S.W.R.D.s Cabinet in 56  Eighteen

Mrs. Sirimavos Cabinet in 60  Sixteen

Dudley Senanayakes Cabinet in 65  Eighteen

Sirimavos Cabinet in 70  Twenty Two

J.R.s Cabinet in 77 Eighteen to Twenty One



C) Lack of macro-economic plan

Apart from the One Hundred Day Programme unfurled at the presidential election campaign, the government did not spell out a macro-economic plan for the country, nor did they look to have one the way in which they got about.

A lot of tactical political moves were made just to satisfy some unhealthy elements in the SLFP. Other than the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry, which of course does not seem to be having any accelerated tone into the work of the outfit, no scheme, programme or visible development is taking place in the country in any sector.

Expansion or development of highways as was done during the Rajapaksa regime is no new development.

The advantage any government would have in developing highways is that it is one part that is visible to the public. Mahinda Rajapaksa realised it and chose to invest heavily in that type of economic development. Our highway infrastructure was developed but hardly any townships emerged along these highways which aspect of development that might have been able to sustain those highways in the future. Mahinda Chinthana was a load of crap filled with political slogans and pseudo-patriotic rhetoric. It was not a strategic approach to economic development. The current rulers must, even late in the day, devise a well-thought out and researched economic plan that would indicate a strategic slant to the countrys economic welfare.

"The usual Wednesday morning Cabinet meeting changed at the whims and fancies of the president. Cabinet secrets were available in the open marketplace for sale"



D) Constitutional Reforms

Abrogation of the Presidential System of government was one of the key components of the One Hundred Day Programme the current rulers promulgated at the Hustings.

Yet, they seem to be quite comfortable with a mere 19th Amendment and its somewhat easy passage in parliament. This is a very complicated issue especially in the context of the very diverse and convoluted minds inside the coalition, particularly those who identify with the SLFP. It would have been not so complicated, nor mind-gruelling to have proposed an amendment to the constitution with the current president being named as the succeeding Prime Minister that had a total annulment of the Executive Presidency. We do have constitutional and legal luminaries among our judicial ranks who could have helped the government had they so chosen to seek them out.

Instead of adopting a strategic approach to the countrys burning problems and issues the government became entangled in retail politics

That is a sure way to lackadaisical governing style. The government seems to be bogged down in a constant crisis-management mode. On the positive side, the very ouster of the Rajapaksas from power was a tremendous leap for a nation that was increasingly becoming accustomed to a grossly warped and corrupt culture. We have not got over it and signs of getting over it are not on the horizon either, yet a consistent clamouring from outside forces should not stop. Forced resignations of two leading ministers would not be enough.




When people think about United Way usually the first thing that comes to mind is fundraising, said United Way of Greater Chattanooga President and CEO, Lesley Scearce. "But we are more than that, we are mobilizers, working to spark people to take action to help solve our communities most significant problems.Problems are something the United Way has been talking a lot about in recent weeks, something Mr. Scearce says is markely different for them, "Chattanooga has made so much progress to improve our urban core, improve community spaces, and transform ourselves into a hub for innovation.However, we have to make sure we dont leave any group of people behind. For example, 1 in 4 Chattanoogans will live in poverty for their entire lives. Thats significant and something we can take lying down. We have families who are in the fight of their lives and we have to join them in that."Joining the fight is exactly what United Way will ask people to do at their Kickoff Luncheon on Thursday from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Chattanooga Trade and Convention Center. "I am so excited about this event, said Campaign Chair Edna Varner. "I have been so impressed with what the United Way is doing. In my role as campaign chair I really want us to focus on the impact those individual investments are having on our community. When people ask me what the goal is, I tell them its for us all to live united against our biggest problems by joining the fight for education, stability, and support.The United Way of Greater Chattanooga is expecting over 800 attendees for the kickoff luncheon and is open to the public. To find out more about the Chattanooga Kickoff or how to join the fight, visit their website at www.unitedwaycha.org , or contact United Way of Greater Chattanoogas Director of Impact Engagement Donna L. Harrison at 423-752-0300.
Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deubas five-day visit to India last week assumed greater significance especially in the backdrop of the two-month-old Doklam standoff, which just got resolved yesterday (August 28). Wooed by both New Delhi and Beijing, the Nepali government made it clear that it wanted a peaceful resolution of the Sino-Indian military standoff. Nepal does not want to be dragged into the boundary dispute between India and China, Nepali foreign minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara said.

Diplomacy

Mahara underlined Chinas policy of maintaining equidistance by suggesting that both of our big neighbours should maintain cordial relations through peaceful diplomacy and dialogue. He was categorical, We do not support any of our neighbours in this case.

Not only Beijing and New Delhi stepped up their diplomacy to engage Kathmandu at this crucial time, the Nepali government too was concerned by Chinas attempts to bring other disputes such as Kalapani into the equation in order to justify its actions at the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction.

Wang Wenli, deputy director general of the Boundary and Ocean Affairs of Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, suggested, The Indian side has also many tri-junctions. What if we (the Chinese) use the same excuse and enter the Kalapani region between China, India and Nepal or even into the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj was in Kathmandu recently, ostensibly to attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) ministerial meeting. But her engagements with the Nepali government became the focus of her visit.

Nepal has benefited tremendously from its "historic" ties with India and it seeks to further strengthen its bilateral relations with New Delhi, Prime Minister Deuba said even as Swaraj underlined that India attached the highest priority to its relationship with Nepal.

Meanwhile, China is also reaching out in a big way. Chinese vice-premier Wang Yang was in Kathmandu recently with a big delegation to get a sense about the Deuba governments inclinations. Beijing has pledged $8.3 billion (Rs 53,000 crore) to build roads and hydropower plants in Nepal even as Indian commitments remain in the realm of $317 million (Rs 2,000 crore).

As part of its ambitious "One Belt, One Road" initiative, Beijing is looking into the possibility of connecting Kathmandu to Lhasa in Tibet via railways at an estimated cost of $8 billion (Rs 52,000 crore). Chinas activities have been steadily expanding in Nepal after Kathmandus support for OBOR materialised. This happened despite Indias stiff resistance to OBOR.

Blockade

The blockade along the India-Nepal border due to the Madhesi crisis has angered a large part of the Nepali population, allowing China to step in as an alternative to India by providing not only the internet but also alternative trade routes. Nepals economy is ailing since the earthquake of 2015 and its reliance on aid and remittances remains at an all time high. Chinas attraction under such circumstances is quite natural.

Deubas visit to India last week was another opportunity to bring Indo-Nepali relations on an even keel. The Modi government has started off in 2014 by investing significantly in this vital relationship. But it has struggled to revitalise bilateral ties with Nepal. Deubas visit also focused on issues like the execution of the decade-old Mahakali Treaty, a memorandum of understanding on reconstruction projects in Nepal, enhancing cross-border connectivity and expeditious completion of India-funded projects.

Indias inability to execute projects it has taken up in its neighbourhood has become a big problem for its allies as well as for its own ambitions to emerge as economic guarantor in the region. It dents New Delhis credibility and China, by often implementing projects on time and schedule, presents itself as a more credible partner. It should, therefore, be no surprise that Indias smaller neighbours often seek out Chinas support despite Indias discomfiture.

Obsession

Indias obsession with Pakistan has also meant that policymakers in New Delhi often take their eyes off the ball. Pakistan is a problem and has always been one but increasingly it is a problem of managing negative externalities emerging out of Pakistans domestic dysfunctionalities.

But Chinas growing role in the region means that India cannot be ad hoc and episodic in its dealings with its smaller neighbours. After all, they are Indias first line of defence against a Chinese onslaught. With Nepal in particular, Indias cultural and social connect has at times resulted in New Delhi taking the country for granted.

Nepal, like most regional states in South Asia, has tried to use to both India and China to pursue its interests. There is nothing new or controversial in this. What should be of concern to India is that despite New Delhis best of intentions, it has been unable to assuage Nepali concerns about Indias attitudes and has not been able to implement its long-promised projects in the country. And this has resulted in China expanding its footprint in the Himalayan nation. The Doklam standoff may be over, but it has made this reality clear for New Delhi.
Only a strangely myopic government can try bypass formulating law to check serial sexual abuse in order to ensure theres no misuse of the yet-to-be proposed law. Centre submission to the Delhi High Court citing misuse of Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code to stop the court from criminalizing marital rape is exactly that kind of myopia.

Centre has argued that the institution of marriage will be destabilised if marital rape is criminalised. Much like in the case for diluting the impact of the domestic violence act by the SC by asking the government to form family welfare committees to first look at cases of Section 498A before an FIR can be filed by a battered woman, this time too, the institutions of marriage and family have come in the way of ensuring justice to women.

Centre has proclaimed that marital rape cannot be criminalised in India because there are problems due to illiteracy, unequal financial power between men and women, mindset diversity, etc, to the extent that India mustnt emulate the West. In its written submission, the Centre has held:

If all sexual acts by a man with his own wife will qualify to be marital rape, then the judgment as to whether it is a marital rape or not will singularly rest with the wife. The question is what evidences the Courts will rely upon in such circumstances as there can be no lasting evidence in case of sexual acts between a man and his own wife.

According to Live Law, the legal jurisprudence portal, the Centres submissions to the court involve defence of exception 2 to Section 375 and Section 376B of the IPA, wherein marital rape is excluded as a crime.

Photo: Reuters

In the writ petitions filed before the Delhi High Court, the substantive challenge has been laid to Exception 2 to Section 375 as well as Section 376B of the IPC on the ground that it excludes marital rape as a criminal offence. It is contended that this exception is unconstitutional and violates the right of married women under Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India. In one of these petitions, challenge is laid to statutory provisions of Section 198B of the Code of Civil Procedure read with Section 376 the IPC on the ground that differential procedure as well as the differential punishment is prescribed which is arbitrary and unconstitutional.

Unfortunately, the Centre is in sync with a bench of the Supreme Court that held that its not a crime if husbands force sex upon their minor wives, because marital rape cannot be applied in an Indian context.

As we have written before, the apex court was responding to a petition by the NGO Independent Thought, drafted by lawyers including the noted Supreme Court advocate Gopal Subramaniam, who was a co-panellist on the Justice Verma Committee report that firmed up the anti-rape legislation in the wake of the December 16, 2012 gangrape and murder of Jyoti Singh in Delhi.

The petition wanted the court to intervene and read down Section 375 (2) of the Indian Penal Code, which is the clause in the rape law that makes the exception for a man to have sex with a girl aged 15-17 if shes married to him.

That was an opportunity lost. Now the Centres written submissions have fallen back on the very same fears that women and their bodily integrity are dispensable to an imagined stability of the institution of marriage, despite it rotting within.

Just like in the case of SCs order in the domestic abuse cases, family, marriage and other patriarchal setups take precedence over the womans own right to sexual autonomy, equality before law and right to life and liberty under Article 21.

Moreover, this viewing of marriage as a sacrament is in conflict with several constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and rights, most recently the right to privacy judgement that ensures sexual autonomy. How can sexual abuse by husbands of wives be then legalised under the garb of the institution of marriage?

Its an abomination that the Union minister of women and child development, Maneka Gandhi, herself, who once held stellar views on how marital rape should be criminalised, had to do a complete volte-face, as part of Indias rightwing ruling regime.

The fait accompli approach to marriage and marital rape is truly a pox on the face of India 2017, because it essentially gives the right to rape and sexually abuse to 50 per cent of the population because they happen to be men. Data from the National Family Health Survey  fourth edition  has shown four out of ten women experienced spousal violence even in educated and wealthy states like Tamil Nadu.
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Region 3 has awarded Scott Shelby the Region 3 wildlife technician of the year. Region 3 has 16 technicians scattered throughout seven of its wildlife management areas and refuges in the region. Mr. Shelby has worked for the agency for over ten years on Yuchi Refuge located in Rhea County. Mr. Shelbys duties vary on the refuge from planting, controlled burns, working with the public and equipment maintenance, to name a few. However, the two guiding roles of any technician are biological data collection and habitat development.

Wildlife Management Area Manager Greg Atchley said, One of the most impressive qualities of Shelbys work for TWRA is his ability to understand the overall mission of TWRA at Yuchi Refuge, formulate a working plan to accomplish our management objectives using equipment we currently have on the area, stay within manpower and budget constraints and offer ideas to improve current processes.

Mr. Shelby currently holds a Class A CDL and is responsible for moving heavy equipment around to different management units. He has completed the U.S. Forest Service Wildfire School and holds a red card allowing him to burn on any federal properties. His depth knowledge with equipment, seed cultivars, fertilization rates and farming techniques insures that the WMA produces the maximum amount of food for migrating waterfowl in the most efficient, cost effective manner possible. Mr. Shelbys knowledge coupled with his eye for detail regarding equipment maintenance and an unequalled work ethic makes him an irreplaceable asset for TWRA. Mr. Shelby is the epitome of professionalism in his approach to his job as a wildlife technician on Yuchi Refuge.

For more information on the TWRA mission statement visit: tnwildlfie.org.
Three key community leaders have been asked to speak and lead a workshop on how Chattanoogas working together works attitude activates our Innovation District in an international placemaking conference this fall in Amsterdam. Stephanie Hays  manager at the Tomorrow Building, Mary Stargel  program manager at The Edney, and Meagan Shinn  program director at River City Company will be presenting on the elements of live, work and play respectively of animating an Innovation District.

Over 400 proposals for this conference were submitted from 65 countries and an interdisciplinary team from the U.S.

This conference is sponsored by Project for Public Spaces (PPS), and it defines placemaking as both an overarching idea and a hands-on approach for improving a neighborhood, city or region that inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community.

Chattanooga has a long history of placemaking from our over 30 year revitalization story which is now being effectively translated to our growing Innovation District, said Kim White, president of River City Company. This collection of Chattanooga talent has been rightfully selected from their counterparts around the globe because of the incredible work they are doing right here in the Scenic City.

Im unbelievably thrilled and honored to be able to represent Chattanooga with my colleagues at Placemaking Week in Amsterdam, said Ms. Hays. In addition to sharing our Innovation District with others, I am so excited to learn from a diverse group of placemaking experts from across the world so that I can return to Chattanooga and use what Ive learned to continue our work to make my hometown a better place.

The Placemaking Week Conference will take place Oct. 10-14 in Amsterdam. Praised for its focus on biking as a primary mode of transportation, Amsterdam is seen as having one of the most exemplary, people-centric transportation systems in Europe. The city also is a global leader in sustainability, not only because of its focus on walking and biking but also because of its smart urban design and unique community initiatives, and the fact that it is seen as one of the most socially inclusive cities in Europe.
For the record, Trump Winery in Virginia is not "one of the biggest wineries in the country," as the president recently claimed. At about 42,000 cases produced each year, it is squarely in the "small" category of wineries producing under 50,000, according to Wines & Vines magazine.

That places Trump Winery in the top 21 percent. There are 65 "large" wineries producing more than 500,000 cases a year, 263 in the "medium" category of 50,000 to 499,999, and about 1,600 in the small category of 5,000 to 49,999 cases. Nearly 7,300 wineries produce less than 5,000 cases.

With 210 acres planted to vines, Trump Winery can say it is Virginia's largest vineyard. Barboursville is a close second, at 185 acres. But Chateau Morrisette and Williamsburg Winery each produce about 60,000 cases a year, according to the Virginia Wine Marketing Office, making them the largest in the Old Dominion.

Also for the record: The wines are pretty good. Since Donald Trump purchased the former Kluge Estate winery in a bankruptcy auction in 2011 and installed his son Eric as president, the Trump regime has invested in refurbishing the vineyards, purchasing new farm equipment and constructing a new facility for sparkling wine production. It has paid off. Sparkling wines were good under Kluge Estate, but the table wines were uneven. The current releases of Trump wines show improvement.

Quality may be overshadowed by politics, however. I visited the winery Aug. 11 to meet with general manager Kerry Woolard and winemaker Jonathan Wheeler. It was a typical sunny Friday at a Virginia winery, as a small but steady stream of visitors came and went through the modest tasting room. That evening, white supremacists and neo-Nazis held their torchlight parade on the University of Virginia campus, and the next day's demonstrations over a Confederate statue turned deadly. By Tuesday afternoon, the furor over the president's response to the violence engulfed the winery after Trump boasted, "I know Charlottesville very well. ... I own one of the largest wineries in the United States, in Charlottesville."

There was an immediate flurry of reactions debunking Trump's boast of the winery's size. Even Patricia Kluge, who founded the winery and then lost it in bankruptcy, chimed in to tell Town & Country, "The wine is not good anymore."

Despite its name, Trump Winery typically tries to distance itself from politics. (Though Woolard, the Virginia wine veteran hired as general manager in 2012, gave a speech at last year's Republican convention.) There is no political merchandise for sale at the vineyard, no Make America Great Again hats, no photos of the president - just some framed magazine articles featuring Eric Trump and his stewardship of the winery. With the change of ownership in 2011, there was even a disclaimer on the winery website that the company belonged to "Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing" and was unaffiliated with the Trump Organization. The winery has dropped that pretense now, though recent news reports found the disclaimer archived on the website. The winery's "terms of service" page is clear that you are doing business with the Trump Organization, and there's a link to Trump Winery on the website for Mar-a-Lago, the Trump resort in Florida. Winery emails are run through Trump Organization servers.

While sales have increased in recent years, Woolard would like to attribute success to the winery's improvements rather than a Trump political bounce.

"I think we deserve the credit," she says, noting that the reinvestment in the vineyards was paying off at about the same time Donald Trump declared his candidacy. The wines have done well in contests, where judges don't know which wines they are tasting. Trump sparkling wines won the Monticello Cup for best Charlottesville-area wine in 2014 and 2015, and the 2016 sauvignon blanc recently won a double gold medal in the San Francisco International Wine Competition.

The sparkling wines were good under Kluge Estate, and the Trumps benefited from purchasing three vintages (2008-2010) that aged on their lees during the bankruptcy. Longer aging makes for richer, more complex sparkling wine. Trump Winery was able to sell those vintages under its own label while its own production benefited from longer aging. The wines I tasted on my recent visit were a 2010 Blanc de Blancs, rich and opulent from an unusually ripe vintage, a 2012 rose and a 2009 reserve. All were made by Wheeler, who was hired by Patricia Kluge in 2006 to oversee the sparkling wine program.

Wheeler took over the still wine production in 2013. His current releases include a delicious 2016 rose made from merlot and pinot noir, that medal-winning sauvignon blanc (made richer by blending in some semillon), a modestly oaky chardonnay and a fleshy viognier.

Trump Winery is taking a big risk, however. It still had 30 acres of grapes hanging on the vines in 2015 when heavy rains hit in early October. To make up for lost product, it will be introducing wines labeled as "American," made from out-of-state grapes. This is a quandary many wineries face when Mother Nature doesn't cooperate, but it might foster a reputation for using out-of-state grapes even in better years. Such a well-capitalized winery could have chosen to take the financial hit to protect its reputation.

And when your reputation  like it or not  is filtered through politics and your critics focus on your name rather than your product, even good wine can taste a little sour.
I, too, stand for Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Looked down upon by other Confederate officers, this unlikely candidate for fame, having only a sixth-grade education and no formal military training, did more with less than any other Confederate commander. An example is the way he celebrated his 41st birthday on July 13, 1862 by snatching the important railroad town of Murfreesboro, Tn. from the grasp of Union troops. Using a combination of bold aggression and subterfuge, he divided and conquered his opponents, ending the battle with more captives than he had troops. He also seized all the equipment, weapons and supplies the Unionists had. In the course of fighting the Union troops, he freed from the local jail several citizens who were slated for execution later that day.

No racist, Forrest had no qualms about using black soldiers in his cavalry; all he asked was for them to fight alongside the others. In Memphis after the war, he was revered by the black community as he encouraged them to become actively involved in business and professions. After being named the leader of the KKK without his presence or knowledge, he called for that group's disbanding. He was truly a champion of former slaves.

The misplaced condemnation of him today is unfounded and despicable. This man deserves to be remembered and respected.

Carl Mark Barker
I have always liked brunch, whether prepared at home or a leisurely meal in a restaurant. Many eateries have special brunch menus that are available only on Saturdays on Sundays.

Although an American-sounding word to describe an American style of meal, the word brunch actually first appeared in London in 1896. An article in Punch magazine is reported to have stated, To be fashionable nowadays, we must brunch, ...[a term] introduced last year by Mr. Guy Beranger, in the now defunct Hunters Weekly, and indicating a combined breakfast and lunch. The term did not appear in this country until 1941, when a New York hotel advertised a Sunday strollers brunch, $1 per person, served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It since has become a popular form of home entertaining on Sundays and holidays, as well as restaurant fare.

A meal that is neither breakfast nor lunch, brunch is an informal meal, eaten in leisure and frequently accompanied by champagne. The food, too, is casual  more elaborate than food served at breakfast, but lighter than luncheon food. Many dishes may be prepared ahead or at the last minute, while guests watch and join the conversation in the kitchen.

Brunch dishes usually feature eggs or egg-related dishes, definitely more elegant than plain bacon and eggs. Eggs are transformed into quiches and souffles. Vegetables, salads and soups are typically not included, but appetizers and light desserts frequently are offered. Depending on the entree, a wide variety of breads may be served, including popovers, croissants, English muffins and homemade bread.

As Im cooking for one, I prefer going out for brunch and usually order something I do not make often at home. Thus, I frequently order waffles. When I made them at home, I often added pecans to the batter. I also added fresh blueberries and sour cream to the batter to make a light, fluffy waffle. After using the usual round waffle iron for years, I finally got a new Dutch-type one that made two waffles with larger indentations. Just perfect for my light, fluffy blueberry waffles.

No one knows where waffles first came into existence. Holland and Germany have made them for centuries, as has France. Waffles are mentioned in 12th-century French ballads. The original French word for waffle iron, fer a gaufres, first appeared in print in 1433. However, the gaufres probably were much closer to the thin waffled cookies we know today than to the thick waffles, which are served for breakfast and, sometimes, topped with fruit and whipped cream for dessert.

One theory of the origin of the pancake dates back to the time of the Crusaders. Upon returning from one of the Holy Wars, a crusader is supposed to have entered his house still wearing his cross-meshed foil and armor. He greeted his wife and family, and, being tired, he sat down on the nearest stool. Unfortunately, the stool contained a stack of freshly made pancakes. The waffled pattern of the gentlemens armor supposedly gave the s the pattern of waffling.

Waffles were known in England, and therefore to the Pilgrims, who learned of them either there or in Holland. In any event, the Pilgrims brought recipes and waffle irons, which could be used in a fireplace, with them to the Massachusetts colony. Shortly thereafter, the Dutch settled in the New Amsterdam colony, and they, too, had recipes and equipment for waffles.

However, Thomas Jefferson is given credit for bringing the waffle iron back from Holland when he was ambassador to France in the late 1700s. He was the first to serve waffles at a formal party. Waffle parties became popular in Virginia in the late 1700s as a result of Jeffersons enthusiasm for this pastry.

By the early 1800s, vendors on city streets were selling waffles covered with butter and molasses or maple syrup. At about the same time, waffles became a breakfast item in the South. They were served topped with a fried piece of country ham and maple syrup or molasses.

The original recipe for waffles, which the Dutch settlers brought to New Amsterdam, was made with wheat flour. They used yeast made from stale beer for a leavening agent. The batter was very similar to plain pancakes, also a Dutch innovation. In America, settlers made waffles from sweet potatoes, buckwheat and cornmeal, as well as wheat flour. In the South, a small amount of boiled white rice was added to the waffle batter. (A good way to use leftover rice.)

The early settlers heated their waffle irons in the fireplace. After the kitchen stove was invented, housewives heated their waffle irons on top of the stove. When electric waffle irons were invented, early in the 1900s, waffles became very popular  not only for breakfast, but also as a Sunday night supper dish. In the summer, fresh strawberries and whipped cream topped the waffles. In Baltimore, kidney stew served on waffles was a traditional Sunday evening specialty.

Today, we think of breakfast as a very simple meal, often eaten on the run. This was not the case a hundred years ago, particularly on farms, where a hearty breakfast started the day. At that time, a typical farm breakfast consisted of grapes, oatmeal, fried black bass, fried potatoes, sliced cucumbers, rolls and coffee. Other breakfasts included fried cucumbers, stewed potatoes, beef hash, broiled chops, boiled sheeps kidneys and fried eggplant. The eggs, bacon, ham, omelets and muffins that we associate with breakfast today also have been popular for more than 200 years.

It was not until the late 1800s that Americans began to think of some foods as specifically intended for the morning meal. By that time, oatmeal porridge or cornmeal mush with molasses and cream had become a popular side dish to eat with breakfast. For many, it was the only thing they ate for breakfast.

While an everyday breakfast of chops, griddle cakes, eggs, sausages, fried potatoes and vegetables was fine for farmers and others engaged in heavy work, those engaged in lighter tasks were eating the same way. In a search for more healthy and digestible breakfast foods, Harvey Kellogg of Battle Creek, Michigan, invented the first corn flakes and wheat flakes in the late 1800s. This was the beginning of the myriad cold breakfast cereals we have today.

Although we liked cereal for breakfast, on the weekends Allan and I preferred more substantial fare. The following waffle recipe became a standard, particularly made in the Dutch-type waffle iron. In the winter, I used chopped pecans in the batter, and in the summer, I added blueberries. When in a hurry, many of us simply use Aunt Jemimas pancake mix and add pecans or blueberries to the batter.

PECAN WAFFLES

 1 cups flour

 2 teaspoons baking powder

  teaspoon baking soda

 1 tablespoon sugar

 3 eggs, separated

  cup sour cream

  cup milk

  cup butter, melted, cooled to room temperature

  cup very small pieces of pecans or  cup blueberries

 2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Sift the dry ingredients together. Beat the egg yolks, sour cream and milk. Add to the dry ingredients, alternating with the cooled butter. Stir until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Fold in the pecans or blueberries. Then fold in the egg whites. According to the directions of your waffle iron, pour the appropriate amount of batter onto the heated waffle iron. Makes 4 waffles.
A man wanted by Charlottesville police in connection with the assault of a black man on the day of a white nationalist rally turned himself in on Monday night to Georgia authorities, and he will be extradited to Virginia.

Alex Michael Ramos, 33, of Marrietta, Georgia, is charged with malicious wounding in relation to the assault of local resident DeAndre Harris, according to Charlottesville police. Ramos surrendered to the Monroe County Sheriffs Office, where FBI agents and U.S. Marshals also were present, according to Monroe County Sgt. Lawson Bittick.

Harris assault was caught on video and has since been widely shared across social media.

The video shows 20-year-old Harris cornered in the parking garage, being beaten by six men who had attended the rally in Emancipation Park. Harris suffered a broken wrist and a head injury that required 10 staples, according to his attorney, S. Lee Merritt.

On Monday, Merritt said Harris also intends to file a lawsuit.

Ramos agreed to be extradited to Virginia during a hearing in Monroe County Magistrate Court Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.

In an interview with Atlanta TV station WGCL, Ramos said he hit Harris once and that others beat him with sticks and shields. He said he went into the incident in defensive mode.

Ramos also denies being part of a white nationalist group. He said he went to the event as a conservative in the interest of free speech.

Harris, a special education instructional assistant, attended the rally with friends to show his opposition to the white nationalist groups, his attorney said. When a member of Harris group got into an argument with a white supremacist, Harris stepped in to help, and thats when the assault started, according to Merritt.

Also on Tuesday, 18-year-old Daniel Borden, of Cincinnati, Ohio  who is also accused in the beating  appeared by video in Hamilton County Magistrate Court and declined to waive extradition to Virginia, according to the AP.

Borden faces a charge of malicious wounding out of Charlottesville. His bond was set at $100,000 and he is expected to appear in court on Sept. 29.

Both Ramos and Borden were identified after journalist and activist Shaun King posted photos and videos of the assault on social media and offered a reward.

A Ku Klux Klan member charged with firing a gun during the rally in Charlottesville remains in Baltimore County, Maryland, pending extradition.

Richard Wilson Preston Jr. has been charged but not convicted of violent crimes in the past. In Charlottesville, he currently faces a count of discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school during the rally.

His criminal history in Maryland includes several assault charges that did not lead to convictions.

The ACLU of Virginia released a video of a man firing a gun toward protesters before Preston was arrested Saturday. No one was hit.

A Charlottesville police spokesman on Tuesday would not confirm Preston is the man seen in the video.
TOWSON, Md.  A man who police say fired a handgun during the Aug. 12 white nationalist rally is a KKK member whos been charged but not convicted of violent crimes in the past.

Richard Wilson Preston Jr. on Monday said he wouldnt fight extradition from his home city of Baltimore to Charlottesville. He faces a count of discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school during the rally.

The ACLU of Virginia released a video of a man firing a gun toward protesters before Preston was arrested Saturday. No one was hit.

A 2013 article and video from the News Journal in Wilmington, Delaware, shows Preston in Ku Klux Klan garb calling for the impeachment of then-President Barack Obama.

His criminal history in Maryland includes several assault charges that did not lead to convictions.
The staff at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military will commemorate the 154th Anniversary of the Battle of Chickamauga with a series of ranger-guided tours, hikes, lectures, and living history demonstrations. Programs are scheduled to begin Friday, Sept. 15, and to conclude Wednesday, Sept. 20.

Beginning on Sept. 18, 1863, Union and Confederate forces clashed along the banks of West Chickamauga Creek. At stake was the industrial hub of Chattanooga, and with it the fortunes of the fledgling Confederacy and the future of the United States and its citizens. For three days the armies struggled through the woods and fields here, leaving behind the broken dreams and lives of thousands of young men cut down in the prime of life. Despite the Confederate victory at Chickamauga, the Union Army was able to regroup in Chattanooga, where Union victory in that city marked the Death Knell of the Confederacy.

A complete program schedule, including times and descriptions, is available here.




RICHMOND  Two men have been charged, with one arrested, in the brutal Aug. 12 beating of a man in Charlottesvilles Market Street Parking Garage. But at least four other men were involved in the attack, and the victims lawyer said hes disappointed the police havent identified and arrested more of them.

Outside of the one arrest, no other person involved in the attack has been brought into custody and law enforcement has failed to identify any suspect not independently identified by journalist Shaun King two weeks prior, according to a news release from Philadelphia attorney S. Lee Merritt, who is representing DeAndre Harris, 20.

With information including affiliated organizations, clear photographs and recordings, it is disappointing that the combined efforts of federal and local agencies have failed to lead to either the identification or arrest of additional suspects.

Harris, an instructional assistant at Venable Elementary School, attended the Unite the Right rally as an anti-racist counter-protester, according to his attorneys release.

After a white supremacist fired a gun toward anti-racist protesters and law enforcement declared an unlawful assembly, police redirected a crowd of white supremacists toward anti-racist protesters, including Harris, the release said.

As the groups continued to jeer at each other, a member of Mr. Harris group, Cory Long, began feuding with a supremacist over a Confederate flag, the release said. DeAndre intervened just as the white supremacist attempted to spear Long with the flags pole and several militant supremacists began to charge in their direction.

Harris retreated into the parking garage near the Charlottesville Police Department and was knocked to the ground by a man with a shield bearing the logo of the white supremacist group American Vanguard, the same group associated with a fatal motorist attack of anti-protesters a few hours later, the release said.

The group of white men then beat Harris, who is black, with blunt objects. He needed staples for a head wound and suffered a concussion, a wrist fracture, a tooth fracture and other injuries, according to the release.

Charlottesville police have charged Daniel Patrick Borden, 18, with malicious wounding, a felony. He was arrested in Ohio and was being held at the Hamilton County Justice Center in Cincinnati, according to a release from Charlottesville police.

Police also charged Alex Michael Ramos, 33, with malicious wounding. His last known residence was Marietta, Georgia.

King, the New York-based journalist who has been publishing video and photos of the assault on social media in hopes of identifying the suspects, tweeted on Sunday: Strange as it sounds, police have openly told [Merritt] and I both that they are basically waiting on me to identify the remaining suspects.

Lt. Thomas McKean of the Charlottesville police declined to comment.

The release from Merritt also says a lawsuit is planned.

In an interview, Merritt addressed questions on social media over a video clip of Harris swinging an object at another man. That was the situation in which Harris friend was about to be speared with the flag pole, Merritt said.

It appears to me that he missed, Merritt said of Harris. Either way its defensive at best. ... It in no way represents an assault.

A spokesman for Gov. Terry McAuliffe said last week that the governor had seen the video of the beating and wanted arrests and prosecutions in the case.
STUART  The Patrick County Board of Supervisors on Monday night approved a resolution in support of maintaining, protecting and not removing the Confederate monument in front of the Patrick County Courthouse.

The resolution, introduced by Supervisor Karl Weiss, was approved in a 4-1 vote, with Vice Chairman Lock Boyce dissenting.

Supervisor Rickie Fulcher said he would never support the statue coming down.

Yes, the main topic of this war was slavery, but 95 percent or more that died in this war never owned a slave, he said. They went to war because their state called them. For us or any group to say that we should not honor the sacrifice that these men made, in my opinion, is just ridiculous, and maybe, they need to find another country to go to.

Fulchers statement was met with applause from the audience.

Boyce, who added the monument discussion to the agenda, argued that the resolution was not needed, in his view, as he feels state law protects the monument and others like it.

Unless theres an act of the Virginia legislature, which is not likely to happen, nobodys going to take down that memorial, Boyce said. It also means to me that someone in that erudite city of Charlottesville, Virginia, should have checked this law out before they started taking down [their] statue. They could have saved three lives, and they could have stopped a lot of bad blood and a very unfortunate and unpleasant chapter in the history of this otherwise beautiful commonwealth, Boyce said. Theres no controversy here. If you want to take the thing down, you cant.

Obviously, there is state law, Boyce said, referring to Section 15.2-1812 of the Virginia Code, which states that localities are not authorized to deface, disturb or replace war monuments once they have been erected.

Attorney General Mark R. Herring wrote last week in an advisory opinion that the law does not apply to any monument erected within an independent city before 1997.

The vote came at the end of a nearly two-hour debate between members of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors and several members of the public. About 50 members of the public attended the meeting, and seven chose to address the board during the public comment period.

The resolution simply acknowledges that the Patrick County Board of Supervisors is not in favor of and does not plan to take down the monument, which was dedicated on Jan. 1, 1936, by the Junior Stuart Book Club and then turned over to the county.

During Mondays meeting, the Patrick County board members argued that tearing down monuments wouldnt bring about any positive results.

Tearing down memorial monuments of Civil War veterans is not building unity, but dividing our country, Supervisor Roger Hayden said. Destruction of monuments is a terrorist tool used in communist and socialist countries to undermine democracy, rights, privileges, freedoms, culture and Christian values. The same thing is happening in the U.S.A.

Hayden said that Confederate monuments are American icons that have stood proudly for decades to honor our Civil War veterans, who are Americans, and chastised the coward politicians [who] are ordering these monuments taken down under the cover of darkness so there is no opposition.

Where will it stop? he asked. No one knows. We do know that it will take a toll on our rights, freedoms, history, Southern heritage, culture and tourism. We must take a stand against the socialist ideals that promote and sponsor those that are terrorizing our citizenry.

Fulcher said that, as he saw it, people on the extreme left and extreme right in America are forcing those in the middle into a battle over the monuments.

I agree with Mr. Boyce that as of right now, were under this statute, and this statute fully declares that that statue is to be protected here, Fulcher said.

Fulcher added that he thought it was absurd that a J.E.B. Stuart statue in Richmond was defaced with pine tar.

If you dont like something, then make a plausible argument against it, he said. Dont go and deface it or try to destroy it to get it out of the way.
Back in May, the increasingly bustling Port of Virginia marked a milestone when the COSCO Development pulled in, then the largest container ship to ever call the port and the East Coast.

Since then, vessels even larger than the Development, which can carry the equivalent of 13,092 twenty-foot containers, have been a regular feature at the port. And on Monday, the CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt set a new bar for big ships, docking its 1,200-foot-long bulk at the Virginia International Gateway in Portsmouth.

The ship, which can carry the equivalent of 14,400 twenty-foot containers, is the biggest ship to ever call on the East Coast and made its way to Virginia from the Panama Canal. France-based CMA CGM is part of the Ocean Alliance, a group of ocean carriers that agree to contribute ships and share space. The Theodore Roosevelt is part of the alliances South Atlantic Express Service, a weekly service between Asia and the U.S. East Coast. The Port of Virginia is the first stop on the service.

This is a notable step-up in size. In Virginia, the big-ship era started in May and we continue to see larger and larger vessels, said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority in a statement. Its ships like this and those to follow that are driving our expansion, he said.

The port is spending $670 million to expand the Virginia International Gateway and Norfolk International Terminals to handle the ever-bigger ships and cargo loads.

Last week, the port ordered four new ship-to-shore cranes, which will be the largest ever delivered to the East Coast, Reinhart said. The cranes, which can reach across a vessel that is 26 containers wide, are expected in April 2019.

We anticipated needing this capacity for the ships that will be coming to Virginia 10 years from now. When that day comes, the Port of Virginia will be ready, said Virginia Port Authority Board Chairman John G. Milliken.

Last month, the port set a record for its busiest July to date, with cargo volume up 7.5 percent compared to the same month last year. For the calendar year so far, volumes are up 8.2 percent compared to this time last year.
The fourth annual Cleveland Geekster returns to Cleveland on Sept. 16, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in the gymnasium at Cleveland State Community College, 3535 Adkisson Dr.

Now in its fourth year, the show will feature more than 40 vendors with more than 70 tables worth of comic books, vintage toys, art, collectibles, memorabilia and fun for the family.

"I guess the nerds have spoken, said Rob Alderman, who founded Geekster with his partners, Ryan Faricelli and Ashley Raburn. When we first started Geekster, we were just trying to create something we knew we would enjoy. Turns out there are a lot of people out there just like us."

More than 700 people attended last years Geekster, making the event the largest so far, and solidifying the show as a destination gathering in the Southeast, said officials.

"Each year we have a line out the door before we even open, said Mr. Faricelli. People are traveling from all over the place, and having a great time. At this point, we know we are doing something right.

The D&D Adventurers League, an official organized play group with experience in developing new players will be returning after the session sold out all day last year. Participating in Dungeons & Dragons will require a small, additional fee of $1 per hour of play.



The founders have a dedication to keep things family friendly. From the beginning, Geekster was designed to be fun for people of all ages, and to give families something fun to do on a Saturday afternoon.

I grew up loving all this stuff, said Ms. Raburn. I loved comics and vintage toys, and I still do. We believe in family fun, and we are dedicated to keeping the event family friendly for as long as it lasts.

"If it's true that Geek is chic," said Mr. Alderman, "then we must be the coolest folks in town."

Admission to Cleveland Geekster is $5 for adults. Children 12 and under are free. Find out more online at www.clevelandgeekster.com or at facebook.com/ClevelandGeekster.
Lets take the opportunity to tackle some of the many allegations flying around since Aug. 12. In no particular order:

 In rebutting criticisms revealed last week in a leaked memo regarding the types of questions being asked of city staff by Charlottesville City Council, City Manager Maurice Jones said that Mayor Mike Signer threatened my job and that of the police chief because of our concerns about allowing him to be part of the command center [on Aug. 12]. He said, You work for me, and I replied that I worked for the City Council.

In a public press release prior to the memo, Mr. Signer cited his concern that he was not allowed access to the police command center. His statement alleged that Chief Thomas asked him to stay out of [his] way on Aug. 12.

Later, the memo shows an account of several text messages Mr. Signer sent on the morning of Aug. 12 seeking access to the command center.

In his rebuttal, Mr. Jones points out that the command center was a physically small space; that was one reason for the denial of access.

But we can also readily understand why the police chief would not want the mayor hovering over his shoulder as he tried to deal with what Mr. Jones described as a hyper fluid situation. Thats a distraction he didnt need.

However, Mr. Signer does have a point. Elected officials like me cant be barred from necessary information and how to talk about it. Thats disorganized, he said.

A national news story was breaking all around us. The mayor was being asked for information; in front of the television cameras, he had to admit he didnt have the information. At one point, his expression revealed his frustration, although his statements to the press continued to be measured and cogent.

When a crisis of this magnitude is unfolding, its understandable that all available law enforcement personnel should be employed in the first-line defense of the citizenry.

However, the need to get accurate information out to the public is also of importance. (Perhaps that could have helped squash some of the rumors before they got started.) God forbid that there be a next time  but if there is, police should assign a spokesperson to the command center and establish a hotline to the mayor or other need-to-know officials.

 There is no credible reason to assume that somebody, somewhere gave police the order to stand down on that fateful day. Stand down implies an order to do nothing at all.

However, the rumor persists. In part, its fueled by speculation either from people who werent there, didnt see, and who made irrational leaps to judgment based on a few television news clips; or by people who have a vested interest in portraying themselves as victims instead of victimizers.

Plus, its easy for critics to reduce these complicated issues into quick judgments and sound-bite pronouncements. Its hard to ask tough questions and follow the truth wherever it might lead. People will generally pick easy over hard, even when its not in our best long-term interests.

The truth doubtless will turn out to be less theatrical. We should be looking at more likely questions  such as whether enough police or guardsmen were available, whether they were deployed adequately, and whether police could have been quicker to respond to the first hints of violence.

Mr. Jones says police are looking into allegations that some officers were slow to respond. But the term stand down is exaggerated.
A woman who was at the scene of a slaying at the Circle K in Hixson on July 21 testified Tuesday that the woman charged is the person she saw with victim Eric Burchfield just prior to the shooting.

The witness picked out Emily Leanne Brooks (also known as Ember Lee Cash Elm).

General Sessions Court Judge Clarence Shattuck bound charges of criminal homicide and unlawful possession of a weapon to the Grand Jury.

Coty Wamp of the public defender's office noted that the witness picked out "the wrong person" in a photo lineup. The witness said she had chosen someone "with cold eyes," but then realized that was not the woman she saw outside the convenience store.

The woman said she was upset, "I've never come on a dead man before in a puddle of blood." But she said she is now 100 percent certain that the defendant was the female with the murder victim.

The witness said when she arrived she saw a young man at the rear of his car near the air pump. She said a woman was nearby on the phone and was "hollering" and that caught her attention. She said the woman mentioned something about a boyfriend and about drugs.

The woman said she went on in the store, then two girls came in and told the clerk, "There's a drunk guy lying in your parking lot."

The witness said she went out with the clerk, who was nervous about the situation. They found the 28-year-old victim dead.

Detective Phillip McClain said the victim was shot once on the left side of the lower back. He said a 380 Winchester shell casing was found at the scene.

He said the defendant became a suspect when an officer went to the home of the victim's mother and she told him, "Ember killed him."

The detective said she gave a description of the suspect that closely matched that of the witness at the gas station. It was of a woman with shoulder-length hair. Ms. Brooks has since cut off most of her hair.

Detective McClain said he obtained cell phone data for Ms. Brooks in order to be able to track her. He then worked with the manager of the trailer park where she was staying on Tall Pine Trail to get her to come to the office on a "ruse."

He said a number of officers were at the scene, and she was put in handcuffs. The witness said Ms. Brooks later slipped the handcuffs and began running toward a nearby duffel bag. He said he kicked it out of the way before she could reach it. He said he then saw that it had a handgun inside.

He said the bag contained a 380 Smith and Wesson handgun and an extra magazine

He said Ms. Brooks asked to speak with an attorney after being taken to the police station. He said when officers left the room that she apparently tried to commit suicide on several occasions. There is a video of her seated alone in the interview room.

He said she tore off a piece of a wall receptacle to use to cut herself, and she also tried to tie a cord around her neck. He said another time when he was out of the room she turned a table upside down and was apparently looking for something to use to harm herself. He said police finally removed all the furniture from the room.

He said she had cut marks on her that were not fresh.

Her bond is $1 million on the murder and $5,000 on the gun charge.



The victim was a graduate of Red Bank High School and Chattanooga State Community College. He was a member of the Ministry Center.
Serrated hinge-back tortoises were bred successfully at Dalton State, one of the first times that has happened in captivity with this species, officials said.

This is rarely done with this species, said Chris Manis, a part-time instructor in natural sciences and research associate at the college. I only know of one or two successes prior to this.

The hatchlings are Serrated hinge-back tortoises, Kinixys erosa. The parents have been part of Dalton States Turtle Assurance Colony for approximately two years.

The colony is part of the Turtle Survival Alliance, an organization dedicated to the conservation of turtle species worldwide.

Dalton State has already successfully bred Homes hingeback tortoises, Kinixys homeana, numerous times since the colony formed three years ago.

We are very excited about these new hatchlings, said Dr. Randall Griffus, dean of the School of Science, Technology, and Mathematics. We are proud of our students who work with the turtles, as well as Chris Manis, and Dr. John Lugthart, who assists with the colony. These turtles are a testament to their knowledge and dedication.

The Serrated hinge-backs eggs were incubated for nearly five months. Since these are rarely successfully bred, Manis says a lot about their ecology, breeding habits, or incubation period is unknown.

The parent turtles were originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo so theyre a rainforest species that prefers a dim canopy cover, Manis said. We are among the first to successfully breed these.

Dalton States colony is home to dozens of species of endangered turtles. Dr. Griffus is hoping to expand facilities for these efforts in the near future. Currently, several of the species are in the Colleges greenhouse, which is being shared with botanists.

The colony has provided research opportunities for professors and students. Experience caring for the turtles has helped many of Dalton States graduates land jobs and graduate assistantships in related fields.
Soldiers and Airmen of the Tenn. National Guard stand ready to assist the citizens of Texas, if called upon, with their relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. However, to date there have been no official requests for such assistance.

Weve conducted the necessary planning to ready our forces on what we think we could best provide by way of support to our brothers and sisters in Texas but must wait patiently for the call, said Maj. Gen. Max Haston, Tennessees Adjutant General. I have been in constant contact with the national command authority and have kept Governor Haslam and his staff informed on possible deployments.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency is the link between the Guard and Texas on the facilitation of state controlled resources dedicated for disaster relief response, especially when those resources cross borders. TEMA is the lead agency for the Emergency Management Assistance Compact process which allows any state to request needed disaster support.

TEMA Director, Patrick Sheehan, said, "We are in constant communication with local, state, and federal entities and are ready to coordinate and deploy resources to Texas if and when they are requested.



The Tennessee National Guard is the sixth largest Guard state among the 54 states and territories with a wide range of Army and Air capability. This capability is properly balanced to accomplish both aspects of the Guards dual mission at home and abroad.
A dozen mobile handset companies, including HTC, Xiaomi and Lenovo, have replied to the government on data security procedures adopted by them. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: A dozen mobile handset companies, including HTC, Xiaomi and Lenovo, have replied to the government on data security procedures adopted by them, while some other manufacturers have sought more time to respond, an IT ministry source said.

The government had, earlier this month, sent notices to 30 companies in two tranches, seeking information on their data security procedures in a bid to ensure privacy and protection of consumer data.

According to an IT and Electronics Ministry official, as many as 12 firms, including HTC, Xiaomi, Vivo, Lenovo and Huawei, have sent in their responses.

Some companies have acknowledged and requested more time, the official said, adding the government is likely to extend the deadline for receiving comments.

iPhone maker Apple, in an e-mail, confirmed it has submitted its response to the government, while an official from Vivo said the company had replied to the notice.

The Electronics and IT Ministry, on August 12, wrote to 21 companies, majority of them Chinese, asking them to outline the procedures and processes adopted by them to ensure security and privacy of users data.

Subsequently, nine more companies, including Motorola, Honor, Asus, OnePlus, InFocus, were added to that list, taking the total number of such companies to 30. The IT ministry had said it will write to all smartphone makers in this regard.

The objective of the entire exercise is to ensure that required data security measures are being taken with regard to hardware and software in mobile phones.

The IT ministry had cited international and domestic reports about data leaks from mobile phones, and said devices and preloaded software and apps will be under scrutiny in the first phase. Based on the response of the companies, the ministry will initiate verification and audit of devices where required.

It had also warned of penalties under provisions of IT Act 43 (A) in case stipulated processes are not being followed.
E-commerce players like Flipkart and Amazon will not be allowed to market more than 25 per cent of its annual sales coming from one vendor. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: E-commerce players like Flipkart and Amazon will not be allowed to market more than 25 per cent of its annual sales coming from one vendor, the government on Monday clarified.

The government had earlier mandated 25 per cent maximum sales from a single vendor but had not specified the period for computation of sales.

"An e-commerce entity will not permit more than 25 per cent of the sales value on financial year basis affected through its marketplace from one vendor or their group companies," the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) said in its consolidated FDI policy circular, released here.

An official, who did not wish to be named, said that this provision encourage e-market players to sell goods from different vendors.

The DIPP in a tweet stated that restriction of 25 per cent on sales of one vendor through a marketplace are to be computed on financial year basis.

In the foreign direct investment (FDI) circular, the DIPP has also included the definition of 'competent authority' to grant government approval for foreign investment. It said the authority means the concerned administrative ministry/ department empowered to grant government approval for foreign investment under the extant FDI policy and FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) Regulations.

As the foreign investment promotion board has been abolished, the respective ministries have been authorised to approve foreign investment proposals.

Further, the government clarifies that conversion of an LLP (limited liability partnership firms) into a company and vice-versa is permitted under automatic route for sectors where 100 per cent FDI is allowed.

FDI circular 2017 incorporates all foreign investment policy amendments carried out since June 7 last year. The consolidated policy is a compilation of the various decisions taken by the government in the past one year.

The DIPP, which deals with FDI related matters, compiles all policies related to foreign investment regime into a single document to make it simple and easy for investors to understand.

Investors will otherwise have to go through various press notes issued by the department, and the RBI regulations to understand the policy. The government updates the policy every year.

The whole exercise is aimed at providing an investor friendly climate to foreign players and, in turn, attract more FDI to boost economic growth and create jobs.
New Delhi: Gold prices soared sharply by Rs 550 to trade at Rs 30,450 per ten gram at the bullion market on Tuesday after North Korea fired a missile over Japan, deepening the tension between Pyongyang and the US.

Silver followed suit to recapture the Rs 41,000-mark by climbing Rs 900 to Rs 41,100 per kg on increased offtake by industrial units and coin makers.

Bullion traders said a firm trend overseas where gold rallied to the highest level this year after North Korea fired a missile over Japan, boosting demand for havens amid escalating tensions between Pyongyang and the US and its allies, mainly led to rally in gold prices.

Fresh buying by local jewellers also helped the uptrend. Globally, gold rose 0.90 per cent to USD 1,322.41 an ounce, the highest intra-day since November 9 last year and silver by 0.66 per cent to USD 17.54 an ounce in Singapore.

In the national capital, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity surged by Rs 550 each to Rs 30,450 and Rs 30,300 per 10 gram respectively. The precious metals had lost Rs 50 in yesterday's trade.

Sovereign also moved up by Rs 100 at Rs 24,600 per piece of eight gram.

Following gold, silver ready flared up by Rs 900 to Rs 41,100 per kg and weekly-based delivery by Rs 675 to Rs 39,900 per kg.

Silver coins too spurted by Rs 1,000 to end at Rs 74,000 for buying and Rs 75,000 for selling of 100 pieces.


I know I cannot be the first parent of a UTC student to complain about the parking situation there but I want to put my two cents in. I have had at least one child as a student there for the past three years and every year they have purchased a general parking permit because when trying to purchase reserved permits, they are sold out months in advance to students who are already holding those spaces. It is really frustrating for myself and my children that they have to drive around for 1-2 hours before their classes and still sometimes cannot find a space in a general lot, so they end up parking either illegally or at a parking meter where they have to pay more money, and just pray that they get back to the meter in enough time between their classes before the meter runs out so that they dont get a city of Chattanooga parking ticket.

I just dont understand how they can continue to build more and more dorms but cant seem to come up with the money to build more parking lots or even garages. Shouldnt your commuting students be just as important as your residents? Apparently UTC doesnt think so because they have nowhere to park.

I assume the 300+ general parking permits they have oversold for Fall 2017/Spring and Summer 2018 semesters are supposed to help pay for the new dorms with their permit fees and the $25 tickets UTC parking police give them when they are illegally parked, while they are trying to further their education.

Julie Chambers
Mumbai: It seems that fans have suddenly got the audacity to come too close to actresses comfort of late.

Ileana DCruz had recently opened on an incident where six men harassed her when she was in her car by banging on the window and even climbing on top of it.

Few months ago, Vidya Balan had also revealed how a fan tried to come too close to her on the pretext of a selfie. And now Jacqueline Fernandez has also faced a similar situation recently.

The incident took place a day before the trailer launch of her film Judwaa 2 on 21 August.

50 pairs of twins, after winning a contest, were invited for the event with Varun Dhawans dual avatars playing a crucial part of the plot. As part of their prize, all of them were also promised that they would get to spend time with the leads Varun Dhawan, Jacqueline and Taapsee Paanu.

However, all plans went kaput when a pair of twins tried to misbehave with Jacqueline, according to a report in mid-day.

The plan was amended after a few male contestants from the group crossed the line of decency. An over-enthusiastic pair barged past the security, nudging aside the bodyguards, and got to Jacqueline. They wanted to click selfies with her and tried to get uncomfortably close. She tried to oblige, but, their aggression must have put her off," one of the contestants told the tabloid.

Varun was not too pleased with the goings-on and swung into action.

"The two were asked to leave and our original plan of activity, cancelled. The rest of us were disappointed, but we understood that the call that was taken was an essential one," the contestant further added.

The trio, however, didnt want to disappoint the others who had arrived from all over the country and post minor changes to the plans, interacted with them and entertained them.

"They didnt want the others to feel dejected and thus, all the activity scheduled at a theatre and was shifted to a hotel, where the winners were put up. The actors spent quality time with fans while shooting for digital promos."

With this whole craze for selfies, security and even celebrities need to be more alert.

'Judwaa 2' is gearing up for release on September 29.
Arjun Kapoor would be hoping that 'Namastey Canada' also becomes a hit like Akshay Kumar's 'Namastey London'.

Mumbai: Arjun Kapoor will be stepping into the shoes of Akshay Kumar for the sequel of 'Namastey London' and the actor says he admires the superstar for his film choices.

It was rumoured that Akshay is upset with producer Vipul Shah and the actor for going ahead with the sequel.

In an interview with PTI, Arjun says, "I shot a video for his film 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha' and it negates the speculation. Vipul sir and Akshay were to do a film together, but due to time constraints and scheduling problems (it did not happen). Vipul sir offered (the project to) me and I got excited about it."

The actor is confident that Shah must have discussed the matter with Akshay before approaching him with the project.

"Akshay sir and I get along well and I respect him for what he has achieved and the work he is doing now."

Arjun, who will feature in 'Namastey Canada', is pumped up about working in the film.

"I think the kind of love 'Namastey London' got was immense... Stepping into a franchise is always great as one has to go in with a strong mindset."

The actor recalls watching 'Namastey London' along with the leading lady, Katrina Kaif, during one of its screenings.

"I had told her (Katrina), it was her best performance so far. I remember the scene where Akshay sir spoke about India in that scene on the ship. (I believe) The simplicity worked well for the film."
Not just Rajkummar Rao, Amitabh Bachchan has written letters of appreciation to several other actors.

Mumbai: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan sent a handwritten note to Rajkummar Rao praising the actor's performance in his latest release 'Bareilly Ki Barfi'.

Rajkummar took to Twitter to share the picture of the note and a bouquet Bachchan sent him after watching the film on Sunday.

"When the legend sends you this handwritten note.. Thank you my dearest @SrBachchan sir. You've made my day. Much regards & charan sparsh," he captioned the photo.

When the legend sends you this handwritten note.. Thank you my dearest @SrBachchan sir. You've made my day. Much regards & charan sparsh  pic.twitter.com/G7vSfv9nfU  Rajkummar Rao (@RajkummarRao) August 28, 2017

The handwritten not read, "I saw your film 'Bareilly Ki Barfi'...It is amazing! I have been an admirer of your work for a long time, but you performance in this film is really beautiful. My best wishes always. Love, Amitabh Bachchan."

The 74-year-old star also praised the film's team for their effort.

"Saw 'Bareilly ki Barfi' last night...A delightful film and such competent and excellent performances!!" he tweeted.

T 2530 - Saw 'Bareilly ki Barfi' last night .. a delightful film and such competent and excellent performances .. !! pic.twitter.com/BKHqSIhgjy  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) August 28, 2017

Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, the movie also features Kriti Sanon and Ayushmann Khurrana.
Mumbai: A petition has been moved before the Hyderabad High Court seeking to direct the Election Commission to initiate action against actor and TD legislator N. Balakrishna for distributing money to voters during the campaign for the August 23 Nandyal Assembly by-election.

YSRC general secretary K. Shiva Kumar, moved the petition alleging that the MLA had distributed money to voters on August 16 during his road show at Nandyal.

He told the court though they have filed a complaint with the Election Commission with photographs showing the MLA distributing money, the commission had not taken action against the MLA. He urged the court to direct the EC to take action against Mr Balakrishna.

Asking what was wrong if a playground was converted into a park, the Hyderabad High Court refused to stay the GHMCs work in Bharathnagar Colony here on Tuesday.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice J. Uma Devi was dealing with a PIL filed by one P. Nagi Reddy seeking a direction to the GHMC to stop all further activity on the playground.

Counsel for the petitioner said that students of nearby private schools were using the ground, and they would be deprived for space if the park were to come up.

The bench expressed displeasure at a private school management using the GHMC playground as its own. The bench said the citizens were crying for lung space and there was a dire need of having more parks.

The judges said construction of parks was the duty of the government and asked the petitioner law which allowed the courts to interfere in the construction of the parks.

The bench said it was the duty of the school management to provide a play ground to their students when they are collecting huge fees.

The bench cited an example of a management that had obtained permission to run a school, stating that it had a a play ground. It turned out that the playground was located in Ghatkesar. How can the students go and play in Ghatkesar, the bench asked.

The bench said the playground was meant for the children of local residents. If the government decided to construct the park, the court would not interfere.
New Delhi: A pageant like none other celebrated beauty like never before as divas scorched the ramp in the first ever pageant for transwomen in India. Meanwhile it was a dream come true for Nitasha Biswas from Kolkata as she was crowned the first ever Miss Trans Queen of the country.

Nitasha was one among 16 other transwomen from across India who walked the ramp in an event which is a step forward on the path to changing the attitude towards the transgender community in India. Loiloi Haorongbam from Manipur was the first runner up and Tami Nadus Ragasiya was the second runner up.

The event was judged by a panel comprising of actors, beauty experts and activists as it was meant to break the stereotype of seeing beauty in binary terms of male and female. The mind behind the event was Reena Rai who faced a lot of flak for doing it as her sexuality and gender also came under scrutiny according to a leading daily.

The contestants came from diverse backgrounds including students, lawyer and a former sex worker. While most were in their 20s the oldest contestant was Bunty Mehra in her 50s.

Nitasha Biswas will represent India at the Miss International TransQueen pageant in Thailand and wants to work for education of transwomen. She believes society needs to come together and pitch in for the community.
Chennai: Dengue cases in the State have reached the 7,000 mark after 404 cases were recorded last week as per National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme records. In spite of such large numbers, public remains unaware of its prevalence.

State Health Department along with Greater Chennai Corporation claimed to have undertaken many measures towards dengue prevention including awareness campaigns, mass cleanliness drive, domestic breeding inspection, and source reduction in case of positive dengue cases, but patients say that hygiene is a major issue even at government hospitals in the city.

Health department officials have asked to get treatment for dengue at government hospitals, but how can we expect to get treated in places with mosquitoes even in fever intensive ward? Drinking water is not available on all floors even after repeated complaints, said Usman Khan, a patient from Tambaram at government hospital.

In order to strengthen dengue control and prevention, public health director has been inspecting domestic mosquito breeding in public places. Public Health director claimed that 4,000 legal notices were issued to buildings that were found to be breeding ground for mosquitoes, but public remains uninformed of regulations on dengue breeding and control measures.

We have not received any directions to check open water stagnation or mosquito breeding by any government authority. No officials have ever come for inspection in our locality. Though we have mosquito menace prevailing, fogging is not a practice in Ekkatuthangal, said V Ramani, a resident of Ambal Nagar, Ekkatuthangal.

When contacted public health director, K Kolandaisamy, admitted that many people are unaware of dengue prevalence, breeding sources and its consequences.

Domestic breeding inspection will help to inform people on dengue and its prevention. We are identifying the locations and carrying out inspection in districts with higher number of cases. We are also involving field workers and health education department officials to create awareness, he said.
Sindoor powder sold in the United States and India could have unsafe levels of lead, researchers warn.

Sindoor, also called vermilion, is a brilliant scarlet powder used during Hindu religious and cultural ceremonies. Sindoor is often used by women who wear a bindi, or red dot, on their foreheads for cosmetic purposes. Married women may also put it in their hair, and men and children may wear it for religious purposes. Some manufacturers use lead tetroxide to give it a distinctive red color.

Of the 118 sindoor samples tested in the study, 95 were from South Asian stores in New Jersey. Another 23 came from stores in Mumbai and New Delhi, in India. Overall, about 80 percent of the samples had at least some lead, and about a third contained levels above the limit set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

We are diverse here with a lot of individuals who emigrate or travel from many parts of the world through airports on a weekly basis, said study author Dr. Derek Shendell of Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey. If there is a product that could be contaminated with lead, its of public health interest. Theres possibility of spread through ingestion or inhalation.

Shendells team found that 83 percent of the U.S. samples and 78 percent of the samples from India had at least 1 microgram of lead per gram of powder.

There is no safe level of lead, Shendell said. It shouldnt be in our bodies, especially for children under age 6.

Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to affect IQ, ability to pay attention, and academic achievement, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns. And effects of lead exposure cannot be corrected. The most important step . . . is to prevent lead exposure before it occurs.

The FDAs limit for lead in cosmetics is 20 micrograms per gram. Nineteen percent of the U.S. samples and 43 percent of the India samples exceeded that limit. Five samples - three from the U.S. and two from India - contained more than 10,000 micrograms.

The FDA issued general warnings about sindoor after a 2007 test by the Illinois Department of Health detected high lead content in one brand, which led to a recall by the company. Other cosmetics such as kajal and tiro have been banned due to lead content.

Researchers should continue to monitor sindoor lead levels and make the public aware of potential hazards, the study authors wrote in the American Journal of Public Health.

Just as we screen kids who live in houses built prior to 1978 with lead-based paint, we should screen children who use sindoor cosmetically, study author Dr. Bill Halperin of the Rutgers University campus in Newark told Reuters Health by phone.

Since the researchers saw variable lead levels in different samples from the same brand, they say it may be tough to determine which sindoor products have lead.

That puts the burden on the consumer, Halperin said. For parents who want to make decisions to benefit their children, it could be a gamble.

Pediatricians and parents should talk about cultural and cosmetic practices at home, especially during routine child checkups, said Dr. Cristiana Lin of Pediatrix Medical Group in Scottsdale, Arizona, who has studied lead exposure from imported Indian spices and cultural powders.

Its disappointing that were still finding products with so much lead, Lin, who wasnt involved in the current study, told Reuters Health by phone. But we can spend time with our patients and ask questions.

At the end of the day, you cant assume peoples country of origin or practices, so you open up the conversation, she said. We have to respect families and encourage them to stay in their belief systems but also support them.

Also, she said, We need companies to be cognizant of this issue and become partners in creating lead-free products. Consumers should be able to make informed choices for themselves and protect their families.
Bengaluru: It is a given that smokers are in danger of contracting cancer or cardiovascular complications, but they also seem to be suffering from psychological issues, including low self-confidence. A study, To Choose Life, conducted across major metros, to assess differences in health, mindsets and emotional levels of smokers and non-smokers and also to document the efforts undertaken by smokers to quit smoking and their outcome, reveals that smokers show hypersensitive behaviour which is 200% higher than non-smokers.

Smoking starts as a choice, but eventually becomes a compulsion. The dependency on the habit is so high that even after several attempts to quit, smokers struggle to succeed. Stress and increasing workload are often considered triggers to smoke. Ironically, while it gives you a temporary relief, the long-term impact on mental and physical is serious. Every smoker must consider this while going out for smoke breaks," said Dr Vasunethra Kasargod, a leading Consultant Pulmonologist at Vikram Hospital.

The study also revealed that smokers are 178% more mentally stressed than non-smokers. It further increases with broken and insufficient sleep, lack of motivation, overeating or undereating and anger outbursts against family or at work.

The finding, however, points to the larger challenge of counselling, which can help smokers quit. 75% of the respondents believed that it was extremely difficult to quit, while 93% had already been asked by their physicians to quit. A majority of them had also tried to quit at least 2-3 times, but failed.

This is not just an individual challenge, but also an organisational on and every HR department should take note of this. I also feel that by using scientifically proven interventions, the process to quit can become easier and work productivity can improve significantly," adds Dr Partha Pritam Bose, a leading Chest Physician, National Heart Institute, Founder SAANS  SAKSHAM.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Romy and Bijili, a three-year-old hyena pair, have landed safely at the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo from Kanpur Zoological Park on Monday evening, in exchange for a pair of white and brown rhea, which are flightless birds. The hyena pair will be exhibited before the public in a few days after it gets acclimatised with the new environs. The female hyena, Bijili, has been infested with maggots which the authorities believe must have happened during the transportation from its enclosure at the Kanpur Zoological Park.

A top zoo official told Deccan Chronicle that fortunately the wounds had been healed by the time the two animals had landed here. The wound is nothing serious. During the inbound journey by train, we gave medicines, and it healed. But we will keep the two under observation for the next few days before exhibited, he said. The to and fro Thiruvananthapuram  Kanpur trip has been hassle free with the railway authorities giving wholehearted support."

Bijili

K. Gangadharan, museum and zoo director, told DC that everything happened as per the plan. The contingent comprising T. V. Anil Kumar, zoo superintendent, and Dr Binoy C. Babu, a veterinary surgeon at Thrissur Zoo, ensured that there were live chickens procured from Kanpur Zoo as feed for them. As and when they required food, the keepers killed the chicken and fed them, said Dr Binoy. Just before the festive season on the anvil, the pair will be transferred to the open enclosure where visitors would get an opportunity to see them in a natural environment. Until then, they will remain at the veterinary hospital in the zoo and from there to the animal enclosure adjacent to the open one.
Last year in October, the Supreme Court reduced Vikas Yadavs jail term to 25 years. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear the review petition filed by Vikas Yadav, convicted for the abduction and murder of 25-year-old Nitish Katara in 2002.

Last year in October, the Supreme Court modified the sentences of Nitish Katara murder case convicts Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal Yadav and reduced their jail terms to 25 years.

The apex court sentenced another accused Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehelwan to 20 years in prison.

An apex court division bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra passed the order after hearing a detailed argument from both sides  the prosecution as well as the defence.

The apex court had on August 17, 2015, upheld the conviction of Vikas, Vishal and Sukhdev, saying 'only criminals are crying for justice' in this country.

The three convicts were serving a life-term awarded by the lower court in May 2008 for abducting and killing Katara, a business executive and the son of a railway officer, on the night of February 16-17, 2002, as they opposed the victim's relationship with Bharti, Vikas' sister and the daughter of Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav.

The Delhi High Court had on April 2, 2014, upheld the verdict of the lower court in the case and described the offence as "honour killing" stemming from a "deeply-entrenched belief" in the caste system.
In a story seemingly lost over the summer, Commissioner Candice McQueen went to bat for federal funding on behalf of Tennessees 146 school districts, 70,000 educators and 1,000,000 public school students in Tennessee over federal funding. The federal government has proposed funding reductions and eliminations of key education programs in the FY2018 budget proposal.

McQueen, like our organization, has substantial fears concerning the proposed elimination of the Title II, Part A program. The program, which is officially called the Supporting Effective Instruction State Grant, is the only funding source that is explicitly reserved for educators. Specifically, these funds provide federal dollars to recruit, retain, and train high-quality teachers, principals, and school leaders. These funds were cut by $294 million in the FY 2017 budget and proposed for elimination in President Trumps FY 2018 budget. This funding elimination will also impact non-public schools in Tennessee, and perhaps other states.

Over the past decade, Tennessee has utilized its Title II funds to align with state priorities and support educators across the state. As a specific example, Tennessee has worked to empower districts by providing key human capital data to address equity and shine a spotlight on students access to highly effective teachers. This data has also helped to strengthen and expand the teacher pipeline for our rural communities, which account for about two-thirds of our districts. These kinds of initiatives must continue to be supported, according to Commissioner McQueen.

Criticism of this program is that it is inadequately structured to support activities that have a measurable impact on improving student outcomes. That argument could be made of many federal education programs. And even though that may be the case nationally, we believe that Tennessee has strategically aligned its support of effective instruction by tying it to our state priorities. Tennessee supports its educators more effectively than many other states and deserves this funding.

We share Commissioner McQueens concern. We understand the importance of supporting our teachers and leaders with Title II, Part A across the education continuum. This funding helps improve educator preparation programs, establishing leadership pipelines in rural and urban communities, developing collaborative learning communities, ensuring effective classroom instruction, and also supporting students attending non-public schools by serving teachers through their participation in this vital grant program. In Tennessee, 98 percent of participating non-public schools participate in Title II, Part A. Based on current student data, the enrollment in these participating schools across the state exceeds 42,000.

Effective teachers are the major in-school factor in improving student achievement. Supporting our teachers and leaders from educator preparation programs, to the classroom, and through their careers is the only way to achieve success for all students. Title II funds have contributed to our states success in becoming the fastest improving state over the past four years. We appreciate Commissioner McQueens leadership on this issue, and shared commitment and concern on this issue. We hope the federal government will reconsider and continue to fund the Supporting Effective Instruction State Grant.

Bethany Bowman

Director of Professional Learning at Professional Educators of Tennessee, a non-partisan teacher association headquartered in Nashville
The bulletin said 17 positive cases of swine flu were found among the 84 samples tested on Monday. (Representational Image)

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Tuesday said 165 positive cases of swine flu have been reported in the state since the beginning of this month.

It said in a bulletin that 945 samples were tested since August 1 (and till August 28). Of these, 165 samples were found to be positive for the H1N1 virus.

No death had been reported during the period, it said.

The bulletin said 17 positive cases of swine flu were found among the 84 samples tested on Monday.

Medicines and testing kits are available in sufficient stocks in hospitals at different levels in the state, the bulletin added.
When the monsoon sets in, stepping out onto Bengaluru's roads is nothing short of an act of daring. Potholes filled with murky waters that belie their depth are a bane to pedestrians and for motorists. The BBMP Commissioner began his nightly inspections on Sunday and residents will know by the end of the week whether potholes have been filled. Civic officials should look at rainfall patterns over the last 150 years, say experts, if they are to make headway. And why is that when roads laid with plastic are rain-proof, Bengaluru fails to step up? Or do contractors make money as the city suffers, asks Aknisree Karthik

Its that time of the year again when motorists and bikers have to guard against their spines being shaken up and pedestrians need to do quite some searching before finding a safe patch of road to walk on. With rain lashing the city for the last few days, not only is there waterlogging in many parts, but the roads have developed crater-like potholes too in several areas, making the lives of both commuters and pedestrians miserable.

While BBMP Commissioner, Manjunath Prasad went out inspecting the roads Sunday night, the people have no faith in his ability to fix the problem, which crops up regularly with every monsoon despite many such inspections and promises of pothole-filling made in the past.

Lamenting the continued damage to city roads in heavy rain, managing trustee and CEO of BPAC, Revathy Ashok says civic officials need to base their plans on data of the rainfall pattern of the city over the past 150 to 200 years, Bengaluru's population explosion and other factors to break this cycle. "We have been insisting that the civic body take up white topping of all major roads as this is a great alternative to tarring of roads, which gets washed away in heavy rain. White topped roads are more durable compared to the regular ones" she points out. Suggesting that the BBMP make provision for rain water to run off the roads, she notes that flooding is a complex problem that has to be addressed with both short and long term measures like cleaning and desilting of drains, rainwater harvesting, and creation of percolation pits.

Primrose Road

Also, experts and citizens should be roped in to assess the quality of the road works done before clearing the bills of contractors," she advises. Agreeing with her, founder member of Citizens' Action Forum, N.S. Mukunda, points out that in Kerala and New Delhi citizens do monitor road laying. They are given certain guidelines to help them verify the work done and they need to tick 'yes' or 'no' against them. If 'no' gets more ticks then the bill is not passed.We really need such citizen monitoring with the help of ward committee members, he stresses, noting that contractors are expected to follow procedures for road asphalting taking into account the temperature of the bitumen, compaction, gravel constituency, road thickness and so on to make sure it sustains in all conditions.

On the second day too, BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad inspected rain-affected areas and potholes in West zone on Monday night. At Kino theatre and Anand Rao Circle in Seshadripuram, he directed engineers and contractors to fill the potholes within 48 hours to ensure safety of citizens.

Kino Theatre is a water-logging area. Now, an underground pipe has been laid and the water is allowed to go into the drain at Mantri Mall. Unauthorised OFC cables will be removed and criminal cases will be filed against them. Night inspection will be taken up at Dasarahalli and Yelahanka on Tuesday. Again second round of inspection will be carried out at East and West zones to check if the potholes are covered. Failing which, action will be initiated against engineers and contractors concerned, he said.

Solutions suggested by civic activists

Let citizens and experts keep a tab on road relaying

Clear bills of contractors only after such assessment. If the work done doesn't match the standard norms laid down for road thickness, temperature of bitumen, composition, required slope and so on , the bills should not be settled.

White top major roads in the city as the durability of white topped roads is much higher than that of regular ones.

Take steps like clearing the shoulder drains and stormwater drains,creating percolation pits, and rainwater harvesting to prevent waterlogging of roads .

Number of potholes in the city several times more than BBMP data

The BBMP is at it again, reeling off a random figure to quantify the innumerable potholes in the city. This time it says there are around 5,000 potholes in Bengaluru and that you will find most of them in the east zone. Even more astonishingly, it claims to have filled over 3,000 potholes already. To add to the impression that it is a concerned civic body, BBMP commissioner, Manjunath Prasad went on an inspection Sunday night to see for himself the ongoing work on filling of potholes.

But not surprisingly, people are no longer willing to buy the civic bodys posturing, arguing that if it was as concerned as it claims to be, the citys roads would not suffer so much damage in every spell of heavy rain to begin with.

We have potholes that reduce the average speed of vehicles and the big crater-like ones result in traffic pile -ups. The BBMP's claims are merely a sham, says Mr Lokesh Naidu, a resident of Kurubarahalli.

"Of the 12,000 kms of roads in the city not even a 100 kms are likely to be free of potholes in my opinion. Even if we assume that a kilometer of road has just 20 potholes, the number of potholes in the city would be over two lakh, reasons Mr N S Mukunda, founder member of Citizens' Action Forum.

Ms Revathy Ashok of BPAC too believes that the number of potholes in the city is several times the figure quoted by the BBMP. Efforts to contact BBMP Commissioner for his response to the peoples criticism went in vain.

Laying roads with plastic is the ideal solution: Mr Rasool Khan, director of K K Plastic Waste Management, whose company was roped in by BBMP to lay roads with Bitumen mixed with plastic

Lalbagh Road and Richmond Road were the first in the city to be re-laid using bitumen mixed with recycled plastic. We began laying roads using plastic in 2002 and covered over 3,000 kms of road in the city till 2014.

The durability and lifespan of roads laid using plastic is almost double that of the regular ones. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has encouraged the use of plastics for laying of roads and guidelines have been issued by the Indian Road Congress on the use of the technology for the country's roads, but for reasons best known to the BBMP, laying of such roads has been stopped in the city.

It's hard to understand why as these roads are the ultimate solution given the weather conditions in Bengaluru. It's no secret that its roads are constantly damaged in heavy rain. This can be prevented by use of recycled plastic in road laying as it will not allow rain water to seep in and will stop them from being damaged. Also, plastic acts as a strong binding agent for the tar and makes the road stronger.

There is no dearth of plastic in the city, which generates over 200 tonnes of it. But sadly, all of it goes to the landfills, harming the environment.

To sum up, there are two major advantages of using plastic to lay roads. It allows proper disposal of plastic waste and also provides better roads. Our company holds a patent for the technology required.
Additional police force were been rushed to Kotkhai to tackle the law and order situation when it feared that the public would rage over the rape incident. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested eight people including Inspector General of Police and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in connection with custodial death of a Shimla gang rape accused.

The gang rape accused was arrested along with five others for allegedly raping and killing a 16-year-old girl in Kotkhai area of Himachal Pradesh's Shimla.

All the six accused were arrested after the father of the minor girl lodged a complaint with the Kotkhai Police Station.

The accused gang raped and murdered the girl when she was returning home from school on July 5.

Her body was reportedly found a day after she went missing from nearby forest area.

The CBI is investigating the case.
The judge directed the government and the authorities concerned to file their counter affidavits within a week. (Photo: File)

Telangana: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday granted interim stay on all further proceedings for the appointment of the chairperson of the Telangana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Justice Challa Kodandaram granted the stay while hearing a petition by P.P. Achyuta Rao, honorary chairman of Balala Hakkula Sangham.

The petitioner had alleged that the government was trying to appoint TRS secretary and advocate Gudimalla Ravi Kumar as chairperson.

C. Damodar Reddy, counsel for the petitioner, said the commission was a statutory body and quasi-judicial authority. The government was trying to appoint Kumar, an active political leader who did not have the requisite eligibility, to the post.

He told the court that the petitioner had the required qualifications but the authorities were ignoring him. The judge directed the government and the authorities concerned to file their counter affidavits within a week.
The Ganesh idol installed by Sri Marwadi Ganesh Utsav Samithi in the backdrop of Manasarovar epic ta-les at Hasmathgunj in Hyderabad on Monday (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad police which faces a tough time during the immersion of thousands of Ganesha idols in Hussainsagar lake, with each big idol taking around eight minutes, could get permission to use a mechanical device which can complete the process in less than a minute.

The Quick Release Device (QRD) developed by a private firm was successfully tested on Sunday night. The device can handle idols weighing 20 tonnes. It is awaiting approval from the irrigation department that oversees the immersion process.

DCP, Central Zone, Joel Davis said, "From the moment the idol touches the water surface, the process gets completed in less than 20 seconds. Since the immersion time is reduced, other factors like traffic jams and the deployment of the force for long durations can be minimied.

The QRD, designed by a mechanical engineer, Mr T Muralidhar, works on mechanical action completely based on the centre of gravity. He took 48 hours to complete the prototype. "Many designs were prepared before the final draft was approved. Our main aim was to reduce time to immerse the idols," he said.

For the immersion of idols on nimajjanam day, as many as 25 cranes will be deployed around Hussainsagar. This device could support the iron base, metal base and bamboo base frames but for the flat base idols, the hook-type cranes would be used.

With the conventional method of using cranes with hooks, the immersion of over 13,000 big idols took two days last year. The city police is hopeful that the irrigation department would give its nod to this innovative invention.
Bengaluru: They were not just any other guests, but received top notch treatment. And the mood was both homely and festive as state BJP chief, B S Yeddyurappa sat down to a meal at his dining table alongside 33 Dalit families at his Dollars Colony home here on Monday.

Not only did the Lingayat strongmans daughter, Padmavathi, take charge of the kitchen along with six cooks and servants, but his sons, Raghavendra and Vijayendra too supervised other arrangements, including transport to bring the Dalit families from 31 districts to Bengaluru.

Far from being discouraged by accusations of finding a new love for Dalits with the 2018 state Assembly elections nearing, the state BJP chief did everything but lay out a red carpet to welcome the 102 Dalits to his home.

It was his thank you gesture to these families, which had hosted him for breakfast during his tour of the state in May-June this year.

The lunch was a sumptuous spread of puri - sagu, rice, rasam, sambar, two kinds of laya, pulav, two kinds of kosambri, papad, curd, pickle, rice bath, jilebi, payasam, holige, coconut milk and fruit salad

Besides his daughter, Mr Yeddurappas diehard supporter and Udupi-Chikamgaluru MP, Shobha Karandlaje, too served the Dalit families along with the partys women wing president, Bharathi Shetty.

The guests at the lunch included Chitradurga Madara Chennaiah Mutt pontiff, Madara Chennaiah and other BJP leaders. At the end of it the star guests were presented two pairs of dhoti shalya, shirt pieces , two sarees, fruit and sweets each and taken on a bus tour of Bengaluru.

Speaking to the Deccan Chronicle, Ms Padmavathi said she had herself helped cook the food.

We were lucky to serve food to the Dalit families. It was a festival atmosphere here. We prepared the kind of food that is served during festivals and made enough for 500 guests, including party workers and others, she revealed.

As for Mr Yeddyurappa, he was at his caustic best, hitting out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president, Dr. G.Parameshwar for their criticism of his lunch date with the Dalit families. If Congress leaders have any real love for Dalits, let them have invite them to their residence and host lunch for them, he challenged, adding that he would continue to visit Dalit mohallas.

From November I intend to embark on a state tour and visit more Dalit families to hear their grievances, he declared.

The BJP chief received much praise from Madara Chennaiah swamiji, who advised Dalits not to bother about the comments of Congress leaders against him.

BJPs Parivarthan rally in November

Former Chief Minister and state BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa said that party will launch the Parivarthan rally against the state government in the first week of November.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Mr Yeddyurappa said the party is yet to decide on inviting national president Amit Shah for the inauguration of the rally. The modalities and the duration of the rally will be finalized after a discussion with party leaders. The former CM also announced that the party has decided to organise Mangaluru Chalo rally against the Congress government during which it will demand the resignation of forest minister Ramanath Rai, for failing to handle the law and order situation in Mangaluru city. Besides, the party will organize a series of agitations against the state government with Mr Yeddyurappa set to tour the state in November and December.
The proposal was discussed by senior officials in the health and family welfare department as there are hardly any doctors in remote areas.

Hyderabad: On the lines of AP the TS government is also thinking of providing certificate courses to RMPs and PMPs and this has been strongly opposed by the Telangana unit of the Indian Medical Association and the Junior Doctors Association. The proposal was discussed by senior officials in the health and family welfare department as there are hardly any doctors in remote areas. The government is considering training RMPs to provide medical care.

The IMA has strongly opposed the proposal to operate community paramedics and first aid centres in rural areas with RMPs and PMPs. Dr Narsinga Reddy, president of IMA said, The IMA strongly opposes this. Giving certificates to unqualified people will harm the patient. We need a scientific system which only qualified doctors can provide. We cant have an unqualified doctor treating a patient as specialists have to correct their mistakes.

According to a study carried out by Centre for Economic and Social Studies, in Telangna there are 12 RMPs per 10,000 population in rural areas and urban slums. The socio-economic study found that most of them have only 12 years of education. They are the first contact in medical emergencies for people in rural areas and slums. Another senior doctor said, The RMPs are treating patients illegally but there is no action against them. There are innumerable cases of wrong diagnosis and medication. Instead of recruiting qualified doctors training RMPs will create havoc.

Senior IMA doctors said that it has been wrongly made out that doctors are not willing to work in rural areas. The public health centres, area and district hospitals and teaching hospitals in semi-urban areas have qualified doctors.
People stand stranded during heavy rain at a waterlogged street near Dadar in Mumbai on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Taking stock of the heavy rainfall in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday assured full assistance to the state government in mitigating the situation.

In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said that he also spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain.

"Centre assures all possible support to Maharashtra govt in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state," Prime Minister Modi said in a tweet.

Centre assures all possible support to the Government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

The Prime Minister also urged people of Mumbai to take precautions to stay safe.

"Urge people of Mumbai &surrounding areas to stay safe& take all essential precautions in the wake of heavy rain," he tweeted.

Urge the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe & take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

President Ram Nath Kovind also tweeted in support of Mumbaikars and said he was glad to know that citizens and groups were voluntarily coming together to help.

Thoughts with families, especially children, in Mumbai and western parts of the country hit by heavy downpour.

Thoughts with families, especially children, in Mumbai & western parts of the country hit by heavy downpour 1/2 #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 29, 2017

He assured the citizens that the government and public agencies are taking all steps amid heavy rains.

Govt & public agencies taking all steps amid heavy rains. Glad to note voluntary groups & citizens too coming together 2/2 #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 29, 2017

Earlier on Tuesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also appealed to people to step out of their homes only if necessary.

Fadnavis also visited the State Disaster Management Control room to oversee the present scenario.

Talking to ANI, Fadnavis said, "I have talked to BMC disaster management cell and the Mumbai police over the hotline. Ministry staffs have also been told to leave early due to heavy rain."

Requesting the people to follow traffic advisories issued by the government, Fadnavis said people can also tweet or call to the Mumbai Police for any kind of assistance. "The police will come to your rescue," he added.

As various regions of Maharashtra are receiving incessant downpour since Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that there would no relief for the state in the coming hours and heavy showers are expected to continue.

The traffic in Mumbai has come to a standstill owing to the heavy downpour. Subsequently, train services are suspended temporarily between Elphinstone Rd-Dadar on all lines w.e.f 1.30 pm.

Meanwhile, operations at Mumbai airport suspended for some time due to low visibility.
Guntur: Started in the year 1848 in 11 acres, GGH needs modernisation desperately. Barring Podila Prasad Millennium Block, all the buildings of GGH are very old and in dilapidated condition.

Till some time back, drinking water and toilets were not provided to the attendants of the patients and they were forced to go out. Even drinking water was an issue. Guntur East MLA Md Mustafa installed a water kiosk at the entrance gate of GGH.

The GGH is the main hospital for the coastal districts with 1,500 beds and nearly 4,200 patients visit the hospital as out patients every day.

GGH is equipped with four surgical and four medical wings, but these departments are facing severe shortage of speciality doctors. Only 186 nurses are employed in the hospital while the requirement is of at least 400. Another 100 posts of class IV employees are lying vacant in the hospital. Besides this, 24 professor posts, 61 assistant professor posts, 5 associate professor posts and 50 paramedical posts are lying vacant in the GGH.

GGH is the only state hospital in AP offering open heart surgeries and transplantations, pediatric heart surgeries, kidney/liver transplantations, knee surgeries, dialysis and other services. The people rendering their services as volunteers under Manava Seva programme in the GGH are seeking the modernisation of the oldest GGH and urging the government to upgrade it like NIMS.

GGH superintendent Dr D.S. Raju Naidu said that GGH Development Committee meeting has decided to construct burns and septic ward, public toilets, another laboratory and a sewage treatment plant with the cooperation of Guntur Municipal Corporation.

He said that facilities would be improved for patients and house surgeons, CCTV cameras would be installed in OP wards and signboards would be erected to help the public. Meanwhile, Minister for medicine and health K. Srinivas has assured the hospital about working for the re-sanction of `4 crore funds for GGH modernisation.
The prices of sacrificial sheep and rams have gone up by up to 25 per cent over last year due to an increase in transportation costs, high mortality rates and the impact of implementation of GST.

HYDERABAD: The prices of sacrificial sheep and rams have gone up by up to 25 per cent over last year due to an increase in transportation costs, high mortality rates and the impact of implementation of GST. They said that there was a shortage of sheep in the state, that could have been caused by the state government programme to provide sheep to certain communities. Live sheep weighing around 20 kg each are priced between Rs 300 and Rs 350 per kg in the general market. A few entrepreneurs sell them for between Rs 220 and Rs 250 per kg.

Maulana Mohammed Rizwan Qureshi, the Khateeb of Macca Masjid, said, A sacrificial sheep, ram or goat has to be above the age of one year, a sacrificial cow, bull, ox or buffalo has to be above the age of two years, and a sacrificial camel has to be above the age of five years. The animal should be free from obvious defects. According to sheep farmers, around eight lakh sheep are sold in the state every year during Bakrid. Traders bring in the animals from AP, Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and some north Indian states.

Mr Mohammed Riyaz, chairman of Mahboobia Agro Farms in Toopran, said, Generally, a one-year-old sheep weighs around 20 kg. People buy sheep weighing up to 60 kg for sacrifice during Bakrid. He said sheep farmers had sustained losses due to the high mortality of sheep caused by diseases such as blue tongue and ecthyma. Dr M.S. Rahman, assistant director of the department of animal husbandry, said blue tongue and ecthyma were viral diseases. Affected animals cannot eat or chew anything due to the formation of ulcers on their tongues. If they are not given treatment in time, they die, he says. He said these diseases are not transmitted to humans. Last year, sheep weighing 20 kg were sold for Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 each. This year, the prices may increase by Rs 2,000.

Traders blame losses on Animal Act, cow vigilantes:

Cattle traders are trying to make up for the losses incurred by them due to strict implementation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and attacks by cow vigilantes. A single share of a bull or an ox is priced between Rs 3,200 and Rs 3,400 against Rs 2,500 and Rs 2,700 last year. Seven persons collectively purchase an animal for sacrifice. Mr Hashim Qureshi, vice-president of the Jamiat-ul-Quresh of Secunderabad, said several traders had been losing business over the past two years due to unnecessary harassment during the transportation of animals. Our animals are being seized and shifted to private gaushalas. We have to pay Rs 250 per animal per day for the duration of their stay at the gaushalas. We cannot bear the losses and hence the prices have been hiked, he said.

In Greater Hyderabad, there is a demand for the sacrifice of one lakh cattle; in slum areas, the demand is higher as the population is primarily made up of working-class families. Mr Qureshi said there were guidelines and standards governing the health of sacrificial animals.
Hyderabad: The state government has procured machinery from Belgium to count and record the exact number of fingerlings that are to be released into water bodies from August 30.

Last year, the government had released 27 crore fingerlings and the target had been increased to 70 crore this year.

There were complaints that contractors had fudged the number of fingerlings last year but claimed full bills, causing loss to state exchequer. The equipment has been purchased to avoid similar allegations. The government has also ordered videography of release of fingerlings to ensure transparency.

Explaining why the machinery had been purchased, fisheries mi-nister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said, It is not possible to manually calculate such a large number of fingerlings.

He said the project will be launched this year at Singur. The 70 crore fingerlings, worth Rs 52 crore, will be released in 77 reservoirs, 4,647 government tanks and 20,391 gram panchayat tanks, he said.
Hyderabad: At a high-level meeting held here on Monday, the state government has directed the Singur Dam authorities not to use its water for agricultural purposes and to keep it in reserve to meet the drinking water needs of the capital city in the event of an emergency due to scanty inflows in Krishna River basin projects. Singur chief engineer K. Madhusudana Reddy confirmed this, In view of the precarious water situation at the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, the principal source for the citys drinking water, we have been told to keep the water for emergencies.

Before Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Raos decision two years ago not to use Manjeera (Singur) water for Hyderabad city and to make it available for agriculture in Singur, Ghanpur and Nizam Sagar command areas, the three pipelines from Manjeera barrage and Singur Dam used to supply 120 MGD (million gallons a day) to the city for several years. In lieu of Manjeera supplies the government has put in operation the Godavari drinking water supply scheme under which 172 MGD of water is being taken from the Yellampally Reservoir on the Godavari River. However, the main source for the citys drinking water needs continues to be the Three Pipeline Scheme from the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam which supplies 270 MGD.

However, due to no inflows into the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam this year, the water level touched 500 ft on Monday which is 10 feet below the Minimum Drawdown Level of 510 Ft. But the Metro Water Board had completed dredging on the reservoirs foreshore and it can draw water of up to 480 ft and even below. So far supplies for drinking water schemes have not been affected and authorities are able to pump 540 cusecs from the reservoir to Puttamgandi off take point so that they can draw 270 MGD for all the three phase pipeline scheme.
TD leaders led by NUDA Chairman K. Srinivasulu Reddy and mayor S.K. Abdul Aziz celebrate TDs victory in Nandyal by distributing sweets after offering floral tributes to NTRs statue in Nellore. (Photo: DC)

KAKINADA: Telugu Desam ministers, MLAs, MLCs and cadre celebrated Nandyal byelection victory by the party with fervour. Deputy Chief Minister Nimmakayala China Rajappa, energy department minister Kala Venkata Rao, civil supplies department minister Prathipati Pulla Rao and gathered at finance department minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu's guest house at Thimmapuram in Kakinada Rural Mandal for celebrations.

Mr Ramakrishnudu said that Nandyal people gave us victory for development and good governance in the state. He said that the people have rejected YSRC. "People are vexed with YSRC chief's attitude and adamant behaviour. Nandyal Voters gave fitting lesson to YSRC. It will be repeated in KMC polls also," he said.

Mr Rajappa said that the Nandyal results proved that the people don't believe YSRC or its leaders. Minister Prathipati Pulla Rao expressed that YSRC leaders trusted an outsider like Prashant Kishore. "YSRC leaders neither have faith in people nor respect for democratic politics. The writing is on the wall from the beginning of bypoll campaign that TD will win.

Prohibition and excise department minister K. Jawahar said that with the Nandyal result, YSRC leaders should change their behaviour and learn to respect elders. Mr Jawahar along with MLC Ch Ramachandra Rao and district party president Namana Rambabu garlanded party founder-president late N. T. Ramarao's statue.
Zohra, daughter of deceased police officer Abdul Rasheed, who was killed in a shootout with suspected rebels, during the funeral at the police headquarters in Srinagar on Monday. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbai: A picture is worth a thousand words, and that is what an image of a girl weeping at her father's wreath-laying ceremony has done to scores of people across the country.

The image of Zohra breaking down in tears during the wreath-laying ceremony of her father Abdul Rashid, a Kashmiri policeman, has taken the social media by storm. Many poured their hearts out to the little one, offering heartfelt condolences.

Rashid was shot dead by militants while on duty at Mehandi Kadal of Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police South Kashmir, on behalf of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, expressed solidarity in the pain of the deceased policeman's daughter, Zohra, through a Facebook post.

The DIG posted a heartbreaking message saying, "Your tears have shaken many hearts...You are too young to understand as to why this happened".

Consoling Zohra, he said the J&K Police will never forget the sacrifice of his father.

"Each drop of your tear sears our heart," he said in the post.

The DIG went on to praise all those soldiers who had laid down their lives for the country. He on behalf of all the officers of J&K Police, also promised to cherish the memory of Rashid as a true policeman, who sacrificed his life in the line of duty.

Many also took to Twitter to express their grief over the loss, sharing the heart-breaking picture of the girl.
Chennai: Abuse found a new low as the TTV Dhinakaran camp stepped up its offensive against the EPS Government on Monday slamming the Chief Minister for captaining the meeting of AIADMK legislators and headquarters office-bearers where resolutions were passed for ejecting Sasikala and TTV from the party.

Heading the vitriolic brigade was Nanjil Sampath, a prominent TTV spokesperson, who went berserk before the TV cameras calling the CM a "420" (fraud) and terming him "utterly incompetent". How could the government dare contemplate taking over Jaya TV and the newspaper Namadhu MGR when in truth both are privately owned? "Does the government have the power?" fumed Sampath.

What goes above is a heavily bowdlerized version of Sampath, who had started with the DMK decades ago, went with Vaiko into his MDMK in 1993, joined the AIADMK in 2012, quit in protest against Sasikala's crowning as interim general secretary on January 3, 2017 - 'If Sasikala alone is qualified to become the leader, I do not have the qualification to accept her as my leader' - only to rejoin her four days later and finding "the heights of democratic spirit in her".

But then, Sampath missed the point that the decision to take over Jaya TV and Namadhu MGR was from the AIADMK party and not from the EPS government.

Andipatti legislator Thanga Tamizhselvan, who is heading the TTV campers at the Puducherry resort, was more composed even while being incisive in his attack on the CM. Amid his beach-walk, he told journalists that the meeting at the AIADMK headquarters had no authority to pass resolutions on convening the general council and expelling the general secretary (Sasikala) and deputy general secretary (TTV). "The general secretary alone has the authority to convene the general council. In case there is a demand for it, it must come as a request signed by at least one-fourth of the general council members", he said.

Questioning why the TTV group of MLAs was not invited for the headquarters meeting, Tamizhselvan said, "That meeting is invalid. Had we been invited, we would have prevented these resolutions from being passed. They are taking wrong decisions misusing position in government. People and the party cadres will give them a fitting reply". Insisting that the party "is with us", he said, "AIADMK is with us. We will run the party, the government. We want the CM to be changed".

Another TTV lieutenant, Perambur MLA Vetrivel, waved a bunch of papers before TV cameras which he said were 'evidence' of land deals involving commercial taxes minister K.C. Veeramani.

The intense attacks from the TTV loyalists appear to be going almost unchallenged by the EPS-OPS camp, despite their apparently libelous content.

"If there is some strategy to neutralise their offensive, we are not aware of that. We can only see that we are taking a lot of beating and there is no fitting response from our top leadership. The public may get the wrong signal that we are losing ground", said a senior member of the ruling camp, requesting anonymity.

"TTV and others with him have repeatedly used the term 'sleeper cells'. This term refers to terrorist assassins and saboteurs lying low till the leader's signal to strike. The police should take note of such statements and the clear defamation in Nanjil Sampath's lambasting the CM today", said another senior AIADMK member.
The malware allows spies to upload and download files, carry out processes, log keystrokes, identify the targets location, steal personal data, and take screenshots, Symantec said.

Symantec Corp, a digital security company, says it has identified a sustained cyber spying campaign, likely state-sponsored, against Indian and Pakistani entities involved in regional security issues.

In a threat intelligence report that was sent to clients in July, Symantec said the online espionage effort dated back to October 2016.

The campaign appeared to be the work of several groups, but tactics and techniques used suggest that the groups were operating with similar goals or under the same sponsor, probably a nation state, according to the threat report, which was reviewed by Reuters. It did not name a state.

The detailed report on the cyber spying comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region.

Indias military has raised operational readiness along its border with China following a face-off in Bhutan near their disputed frontier, while Indo-Pakistan tensions are also simmering over the disputed Kashmir region.

A spokesman for Symantec said the company does not comment publicly on the malware analysis, investigations and incident response services it provides clients.

Symantec did not identify the likely sponsor of the attack. But it said that governments and militaries with operations in South Asia and interests in regional security issues would likely be at risk from the malware. The malware utilizes the so-called Ehdoor backdoor to access files on computers.

There was a similar campaign that targeted Qatar using programs called Spynote and Revokery, said a security expert, who requested anonymity. They were backdoors just like Ehdoor, which is a targeted effort for South Asia.

CLICKBAIT

To install the malware, Symantec found, the attackers used decoy documents related to security issues in South Asia. The documents included reports from Reuters, Zee News, and the Hindu, and were related to military issues, Kashmir, and an Indian secessionist movement.

The malware allows spies to upload and download files, carry out processes, log keystrokes, identify the targets location, steal personal data, and take screenshots, Symantec said, adding that the malware was also being used to target Android devices.

In response to frequent cyber-security incidents, India in February established a center to help companies and individuals detect and remove malware. The center is operated by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).

Gulshan Rai, the director general of CERT-In, declined to comment specifically on the attack cited in the Symantec report, but added: We took prompt action when we discovered a backdoor last October after a group in Singapore alerted us. He did not elaborate.

Symantecs report said an investigation into the backdoor showed that it was constantly being modified to provide additional capabilities for spying operations.

A senior official with Pakistans Federal Investigation Agency said it had not received any reports of malware incidents from government information technology departments. He asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.

A spokesman for FireEye, another cybersecurity company, said that based on an initial review of the malware, it had concluded that an internet protocol address in Pakistan had submitted the malware to a testing service. The spokesman requested anonymity, citing company policy.

Another FireEye official said the attack reported by Symantec was not surprising.

"South Asia is a hotbed of geopolitical tensions, and wherever we find heightened tensions we expect to see elevated levels of cyber espionage activity," said Tim Wellsmore, FireEye's director of threat intelligence for the Asia Pacific region.

The Symantec report said the 'Ehdoor' backdoor was initially used in late 2016 to target government, military and military-affiliated targets in the Middle East and elsewhere.

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KOZHIKODE: Twenty-year-old Hariprasad T, from Nalloor, near Feroke, here entered the Google Hall of Fame after he found fault with the sub-domain of Google. A third year computer engineering diploma student at Government Polytechnic College, West Hill, Kozhikode, Mr Hariprasad was featured on the 49th page of 89- page of Hall of Fame list.

Google usually honours people for finding mistakes in its main domain and devices. This is called Google Vulnerability reward programme. Describing himself as self-taught, Mr Hariprasad said that he spends the time on inernet after the college hours to learn more about the technical aspects.

Along with his studies, he works part time to support his family and fund his studies. He claimed that his interest in technology pushes him to learn it by himself. The youngster said that he has received the email communication from Google about the his entry into Hall of Fame on Thursday. The reward would be announced in two weeks.

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The firm accounted for 38.3 per cent of global NAND flash memory chip revenue in April-June, the latest data from researcher IHS showed.

Seoul: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd expects to invest $7 billion over the next three years to expand its NAND memory chip production in Chinas northwestern city of Xian, the South Korean tech giant said on August 28.

In a regulatory filing Samsung said it approved $2.3 billion of the expected investment of $7 billion on August 28. In early July, when Samsung announced an investment of $18.6 billion in South Korea, it said it would add a production line at its NAND plant in Xian, but did not set an investment amount.

A Samsung Electronics spokesman declined to comment on the amount of capacity to be added by the approved or planned investment. The firm accounted for 38.3 per cent of global NAND flash memory chip revenue in April-June, the latest data from researcher IHS showed.

China is trying to develop its own memory chip producers but it is likely to be several years before they can compete with existing makers, analysts said. Samsung Electronics said a memory chip boom that propelled it to record profit in the second quarter was likely to continue in the July-to-September quarter.

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Supporters of the Pakistan Defense Council, an alliance of hardline Islamist religious leaders and politicians, gather during an anti-US protest in Islamabad on Sunday. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse protesters in Karachi.  AFP

Washington: Seven members of Donald Trumps cybersecurity team, including an Indian origin data scientist, have resigned, accusing the US President of ignoring the pressing national security matters.

In a group resignation letter, the members of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC), whose purview includes national cybersecurity, cited both specific shortfalls in the administrations approach to cybersecurity, and broader concerns that have undermined the moral infrastructure of the US, Fortune reported.

You have given insufficient attention to the growing threats to the cybersecurity of the critical systems upon which all Americans depend, including those impacting the systems supporting our democratic election process, the letter reads.

They also cited his failure to denounce intolerance and violence of hate groups when asked about the horrific violences in Charlottesville as one of the reasons why they left.

The resignation also faulted Mr Trumps decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord, Fortune reported.

Unite the Right march was organised on August 12 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.

Mr Trump had blamed both sides including the alt-left for the deadly violence.

The members, who were appointed under the previous administration, resigned just before the panel was supposed to hold its quarterly business meeting.

They include Obama-era officials: the first ever White House Chief Data Scientist D.J. Patil, Office of Science and Technology Policy Chief of Staff Cristin Dorgelo and White House Council on Environmental Quality Managing Director Christy Goldfuss.

Mr Trump recently lost two other panels before the NIAC members resigned. His administration dissolved the Manufacturing Council and the Strategic and Policy Forum, but not before a good number of their members already left.

In a report issued just after the mass resignations, the NIAC issued a report saying dramatic steps were required to prevent a possible 9/11-level cyberattack.
Washington: President Donald Trump said Tuesday that "all options are on the table" in terms of a US response to North Korea's launch of a missile over Japan.

In a terse, written statement Tuesday, Trump said that with the missile launch North Korea has "signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior."

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," Trump said. "All options are on the table."

In a first, North Korea on Tuesday fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload that flew over US ally Japan and splashed into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said. The aggressive launch over the territory of a close US ally sent a clear message of defiance as Washington and South Korea conduct war games nearby.

Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan conferred by telephone over the latest missile test and how to response.

The White House said Tuesday that the leaders agreed that North Korea poses "a grave and growing direct threat" to the United States, Japan, South Korea and countries around the world.

"President Trump and Prime Minister Abe committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the international community to do the same," the White House said.

Abe said in a statement that "Japan's and the US positions are totally at one."

The prime minister added that both nations were in "total agreement" that an emergency meeting was needed at the UN Security Council to step up pressure on North Korea after what he called an unprecedented threat. He also said Trump expressed his "strong commitment" to defending Japan.

North Korea's latest test came weeks after the UN Security Council voted unanimously to impose tough new sanctions against the government in Pyongyang.

It also followed a series of missile launches late Friday, and came after a period in which the US and North Korea had traded heated rhetoric over Pyongyang's continued missile tests, which violate UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting them.

Trump last week praised North Korea's decision to back down from its earlier threats to attack the US territory of Guan.

"But, Kim Jong Un, I respect the fact that I believe he is starting to respect us," Trump said at a campaign rally last week in Phoenix. "I respect that fact very much. Respect that fact. And maybe, probably not, but maybe something positive can come about."

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had also complimented North Korea for its restraint in recent weeks.
Tremendous drugs are pouring into the United States at levels that nobody has ever seen before, Said Trump. (Photo: File)

Washington: Donald Trump has suggested that he could soon begin the process of terminating NAFTA and insisted Mexico will pay for a wall on America's southern US border.

Dialing up the rhetoric against America's southern neighbor, Trump said Mexico was "being difficult" in talks to rework the decades-old US-Mexico-Canada free trade deal and further action may be needed.

"NAFTA is one of the worst trade deals ever signed at any time anywhere in the world, and I can understand why Mexico is being difficult, because why wouldn't they be? They've had it their way," Trump said on Monday.

"I believe that you will probably have to at least start the termination process before a fair deal can be arrived at," he added, previewing hardball negotiating tactics to come. Trump also doubled down on his insistence that "one way or another, Mexico will pay for the wall," a key campaign pledge the president is struggling to finance.

"It may be through reimbursement," he said. "We may fund it through the United States, but ultimately Mexico will pay for the wall." Trump is struggling to convince Congress to stump up the money needed to pay for the controversial project, and has threatened to shut down the government if they do not.

Mexico has repeatedly said it will not pay for the wall. Trump said the construction was needed because "Mexico has a tremendous crime problem, tremendous."

"Tremendous drugs are pouring into the United States at levels that nobody has ever seen before," he added.
Seoul: North Korea fired a ballistic missile from its capital Pyongyang that flew over Japan before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said Tuesday, an aggressive test-flight over the territory of a close US ally that sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) and reached a maximum height of 550 kilometers (341 miles) as it flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The launch appeared to be the first of a North Korean missile to cross over Japan, though some rockets it said were used to put satellites into space have done so. It also appeared to be the North's longest-ever missile test, but South Korean officials couldn't immediately confirm.

Each new test puts the North a step closer toward its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States. The North has launched at an unusually fast pace this year, and some analysts believe the North could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of President Donald Trump's first term in early 2021.

The South Korean military said it is analyzing the launch with the United States and has strengthened its monitoring and preparation in case of further actions from North Korea. Analysts speculate the North may have tested a new intermediate-range missile that Pyongyang recently threatened to fire toward the US territory of Guam, which hosts a major military base. This missile landed nowhere near Guam, which is about 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) south of Tokyo, but the length of its flight path may have been designed for the North to show it could follow through on its threat. Seoul says the missile was launched from Sunan, which is where Pyongyang's international airport is, opening the possibility that North Korea launched a road-mobile missile from an airport runway.

It was North Korea's 13th launch of ballistic missiles this year, said Roh Jae-cheon, spokesman of Seoul's JCS. The JCS said it was the first time North Korea fired a ballistic missile from Sunan.

North Korea will no doubt be watching the world's reaction to see if it can use Tuesday's flight over Japan as a precedent for future launches. Japanese officials said there was no damage to ships or anything else reported. Japan's NHK TV said the missile separated into three parts. "We will do our utmost to protect people's lives," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters. "This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat."

Tuesday's launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the US mainland when perfected.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry warned that the North will face a "strong response" from the US-South Korean alliance if what it called nuclear and missile provocations continue. The ministry also urged Pyongyang to accept talks over its nuclear program and acknowledge that abandoning its nuclear ambitions is the only way to guarantee its security and economic development.

In a rare move, South Korea's military released footage of its own missile tests it says were conducted last week. The videos showed two types of new missiles with ranges of 800 kilometers (497 miles) and 500 kilometers (310 miles) being fired from truck-mounted launchers during three tests conducted on Aug. 24.

South Korea's Agency for Defense Development said the launches represented the last flight test for the longer-range missile before it is operationally deployed. Such missiles, which would be latest additions to South Korea's Hyumoo family of missiles, are considered key components to the so-called "kill chain" pre-emptive strike capability the South is pursuing to cope with the North's growing nuclear and missile threat.

South Korea also said its air force also conducted a live-fire drill involving four F-15 fighters dropping eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field near the country's eastern coast. Park Su-hyun, spokesman of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said the exercise was conducted after Moon directed the military to "display a strong capability to punish" the North.

Park said Moon's national security director Chung Eui-yong and Seoul's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa called Trump's national security adviser H.R. McMaster and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, respectively, to discuss the launch.

The launch over Japan isn't a total surprise. Earlier this month, when threatening to lob four Hwasong-12s, which are new intermediate-range missiles, into the waters near Guam, North Korea specifically said they would fly over Japanese territory. North Korea in June also angrily reacted to the launch of a Japanese satellite it said was aimed at spying on the North and said Tokyo was no longer entitled to fault Pyongyang "no matter what it launches or whether that crosses the sky above Japan."

North Korea typically reacts with anger to US-South Korean military drills, which are happening now, often testing weapons and threatening Seoul and Washington in its state-controlled media. But animosity is higher than usual following threats by Trump to unleash "fire and fury" on the North, and Pyongyang's stated plan to consider firing some of its missiles near Guam.

Kim Dong-yub, a former South Korean military official who is now an analyst at Seoul's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said the early flight data suggests the North Korean missile was likely a Hwasong-12. Other possibilities, he said, include a midrange Musudan, a missile with a potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range that puts much of the Asia-Pacific region within reach, or a Pukguksong-2, a solid-fuel missile that can be fired faster and more secretly than weapons using liquid fuel.

South Korea's military didn't immediately confirm whether the North Korean missile was fired from Pyongyang's airport. Moon Seong Mook, a former South Korean military official and current analyst for the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, said the airport's runways could provide the ideal space to launch a road-mobile missile like the Hwasong-12. By launching from its capital, the North might have been trying to demonstrate the ability to launch its missiles from anywhere, Moon said.

"The launch doubled as a threat to Washington, not only because of the US military bases in Japan, but also that the North showed it has the real capability to fire missiles to waters near Guam if it chose to shoot them in that direction," Moon said.

North Korea first fired a rocket over Japanese territory in August of 1998 when a multistage rocket that outside experts called "Taepodong-1" flew about 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) before landing in the Pacific Ocean. The North later said it launched a satellite.

North Korea flew another rocket over Japan again in April 2009 and said that, too, was carrying a satellite. The North claimed success, but the US North American Aerospace Defense Command says no satellite reached orbit. The United Nations has repeatedly condemned North Korean satellite launches as covers meant to test banned long-range missile technology. Some parts of a space launch vehicle reportedly flew over Okinawa last year after separating from the rocket.

Pyongyang regularly claims the US-South Korean military exercises are an invasion rehearsal, although analysts say the North's anger is partly because the impoverished country must react with its own expensive drills and weapons tests. The allies say the war games are defensive and meant to counter North Korean aggression.

North Korea's U.N. ambassador, Ja Song Nam, wrote recently that the exercises are "provocative and aggressive" at a time when the Korean Peninsula is "like a time bomb."
This aerial photo shows a view of damage in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Harvey hit the coast as a Category 4 hurricane. (Photo: AP)

Houston: Two Indian students are in a critical condition after they nearly drowned in Lake Bryan in the US state of Texas, which is battling "catastrophic"

flooding and torrential rains after Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc, claiming at least five lives.

The Indians, studying at the Texas A&M University, are in a critical condition. They were rescued from the lake, where they had gone swimming, by a police officer on Saturday. According to the Bryan police, an officer patrolling the lake was flagged down by a person who said two people swimming in the lake were in distress.

The person who alerted the officer was with the two students, both in their 20s. He had managed to rescue one of them, while the police officer rescued the other one and treated both of them with CPR until medical help arrived, the police said.

The students were identified as Shalini, and Nikhil Bhatia. They were taken to the CHI St. Joseph Hospital, where their condition is stated to be critical. It was not immediately clear as to why they were swimming in the severe weather.

India's Consul-General in Houston has been monitoring the two students' medical needs and the situation closely. According to the consulate office, Nikhil Bhatia is yet to show signs of improvement, while Shalini showed some improvement today for the first time since her arrival at the hospital.

Nikhil's mother, Dr. Suman Bhatia, has arrived from India and was assisted by the consulate office amidst the devastating flood situations here after being received at the Dallas airport. Whereas, Shalini's brother will be arriving tomorrow, the consulate said.

Around 13 million people were battling "catastrophic" flooding and torrential rains in the storm-ravaged Texas where Hurricane Harvey has wreaked havoc, turning streets into raging rivers and claiming at least five lives.

Meteorologists have forecast that the historic rainfall will dump up to 50 inches by Wednesday. Heavy rain bands were expected to move in over the Houston area overnight, which will continue the catastrophic and life-threatening flash-flood emergency in the area.

At least 200 Indian students are stranded at the University of Houston due to "catastrophic" flooding after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas were being evacuated to safer places, authorities have said.

The students were being provided food and other supplies by the Indian-American community in the area. India's Consul-General in Houston Anupam Ray has been in touch with the students and monitoring the evacuation process.
The sanctions are aimed at disrupting the flow of cash funding North Korean weapons programmes, which are in violation of United Nations resolutions. (Photo: File)

Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday said that he and US President Donald Trump agreed to hike pressure on North Korea after it launched a ballistic missile over Japan, in Pyongyang's most serious provocation in years.

"We must immediately hold an emergency meeting at the United Nations, and further strengthen pressure against North Korea," Abe told reporters after a 40-minute phone call with Trump.

"Increasing pressure Japan and the United States are in complete agreement about this," Abe added, without elaborating on proposed measures. He added that Trump who has been embroiled in an escalating war of words with Pyongyang over its weapons development said Washington would stand by its ally Japan.

"President Trump made a very strong commitment that the United States is with Japan 100 percent," Abe quoted Trump as saying."We will cooperate among Japan, the US and South Korea.

We will also reach out to China, Russia and the international community and apply strong pressure on North Korea to change their policy." Last week, Japan said it would impose fresh sanctions on North Korea by freezing the assets of Chinese and Namibian firms doing business with the nuclear-armed state.

The move against a half dozen organisations and a couple of individuals comes days after Washington expanded its own punitive measures against Chinese and Russian firms, as well as people linked to Pyongyang over its weapons development.

The sanctions are aimed at disrupting the flow of cash funding North Korean weapons programmes, which are in violation of United Nations resolutions.

Japan's top government spokesman said the missile flew over the country's northernmost island Hokkaido and then fell into the Pacific, some 1,180 kilometres (733 miles) east of the coast.

"So far no fallen objects have been confirmed to have fallen inside Japanese territory," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told an emergency press briefing. "There is no report of damage to aircrafts and vessels" in the area, he added.
The pilgrimage now seems to be acting as an icebreaker between the two powers. (File Photo)

Tehran: In a diplomatic icebreaker between political foes, tens of thousands of Muslim faithful from Iran have flocked to Saudi Arabia for the annual hajj pilgrimage to Islam's holiest sites.

This week's hajj marks Iran's return after their absence last year following a massive stampede in 2015 that killed around 2,300 people, including 464 Iranians.

The tragedy sparked bitter recrimination from Tehran over the kingdom's custodianship of the sites in Mecca and Medina, western Saudi Arabia.

For the first time in nearly three decades, Iranian pilgrims were barred from the hajj last year, after several rounds of negotiations between the two Gulf heavyweights failed to overcome political and procedural differences.

Adding a further obstacle, the Sunni kingdom cut all ties with Shiite Iran in January 2016 after its diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad were torched by protesters angered by Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shiite figure.

But under a deal struck in March, about 86,000 Iranians have now arrived in Saudi Arabia for the hajj, joining two million Muslims from across the globe in converging on Mecca.

"I'm happy to see so many Iranians here... Political issues shouldn't interfere in a religious duty, especially the hajj," Abbas Ali, a 54-year-old Iranian, said Monday at Jeddah airport that is the main entry point for pilgrims.

"It's very difficult to describe my feelings. We shouldn't stop coming here because all of us are Muslims," the newly-arrived "haji" from Zahedan in eastern Iran said.

The breakthrough came after several months of negotiations during which the two countries traded accusations of obstructing an agreement.

- Diplomats to inspect empty embassies -

Tehran and Riyadh stand on opposing sides in several regional disputes, including the conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, as well as this year's Gulf diplomatic crisis between Qatar and a Saudi-led Arab bloc.

The pilgrimage now seems to be acting as an icebreaker between the two powers.

In the absence of diplomatic relations and with its missions in Iran closed, Saudi Arabia agreed to issue electronic visas for Iranian pilgrims.

Saudi Arabia has also allowed Iran's national carrier Iran Air to fly in most of the Islamic republic's pilgrims, while some were transported by the kingdom's carrier.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said last week that visas have been issued for diplomats from the two countries to visit and inspect each other's empty embassies and consulates.

"We are waiting for final measures to be taken so diplomats from both countries can visit," he said. "This will probably happen after the hajj."

Iran has set up temporary consulates in the kingdom to assist its pilgrims, and it has instructed them to avoid "arguments" with Saudi staff at airports and pilgrimage sites.

"We have tried to separate the bilateral relations between the two countries from the pilgrimage," a former Iranian culture minister, Seyed-Reza Salehi Amiri, said last month.

In another key gesture, Tehran is to hold Shiite prayers, normally accompanied by chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel", inside hotels rather than outdoors, to avoid "security problems", according to Ali Ghazi Askar, an aide to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

In 1987, more than 400 people, most of them Iranian pilgrims, were killed in clashes with Saudi security forces at an anti-Western rally in Mecca.

The hajj, which starts this year on Wednesday, is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith, which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in a lifetime if he or she has the means to do so.
More than 100 people, including around 80 militants, have been confirmed killed in the fightback, which has seen thousands of Rohingya villagers fleeing for Bangladesh. (Photo: File/ AP)

Dhaka: Bangladesh has proposed joint military operations with Myanmar against Rohingya militants fighting in Rakhine state, as the UN raised fears over reports of civilians killed during fresh violence in recent days.

An upsurge in fighting in Rakhine, an impoverished state neighbouring Bangladesh, has been raging since Friday when Rohingya militants staged coordinated ambushes against Myanmar's security forces.

More than 100 people, including around 80 militants, have been confirmed killed in the fightback, which has seen thousands of Rohingya villagers fleeing for Bangladesh.

The United Nation's Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "is deeply concerned at the reports of civilians being killed during security operations in Myanmar's Rakhine State," according to a statement from spokesman Stephane Dujarric. He called on Bangladesh to step up assistance to civilians escaping the violence, noting "many of those fleeing are women and children, some of whom are wounded".

More than 3,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar, where the stateless Muslim minority faces persecution, in the past three days, the UN refugee agency said Monday.

Bangladesh has said there are thousands more Rohingya massed on its border with Myanmar, where it has stepped up patrols and pushed back hundreds of civilians who have tried to enter.

Their flight comes as Human Rights Watch said it has satellite data "consistent with widespread burnings" in 10 populated areas of the violence-wracked wedge of Rakhine State near Bangladesh. Those include Rohingya villages as well as Rakhine-majority settlements attacked by the militants.

In a meeting with Myanmar's charge d'affaires in Dhaka, a top Bangladeshi foreign ministry official proposed joint military efforts against the militants along the border.

"If Myanmar wished, the security forces of the two countries could conduct joint operations against the militants, any non-state actors or the Arakan Army along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border," a foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity, as he was not permitted to speak to the media.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) is a militant group that says it is fighting to protect the Muslim minority from abuses by Myanmar security forces and the majority-Buddhist Rakhine community. There was no comment from the Myanmar diplomat.

At the weekend, as violence in Rakhine worsened, Bangladesh's foreign minister summoned Myanmar's charge'd affaires in Dhaka to express "serious concern" at the possibility of a fresh refugee influx.

There are already some 400,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh in squalid camps near its border with Myanmar. Bangladesh is waging a bloody crackdown on homegrown Islamist militancy and has vowed 'zero tolerance' towards violent extremism, domestic or otherwise, on its soil.

Dhaka has repeatedly asked Myanmar to take back the Rohingya refugees and address the root causes of problem. Despite decades of persecution, the Rohingya in Myanmar's western Rakhine state largely eschewed violence. But in October ARSA, a small and previously unknown militant group, staged a series of well coordinated and deadly attacks on security forces.

Myanmar's military responded with a massive security crackdown. Some 87,000 new refugees flooded into Bangladesh bringing with them harrowing stories of murder, rape and burned villages.

The UN believes the army's response many amount to ethnic cleansing, allegations denied by the government of Aung San Suu Kyi and the army.

In recent months the day-to-day fighting died down, but civilians described being trapped between army "clearance operations" and an assassination campaign by the militants, who are murdering anyone suspected of collaboration.
The ongoing Doklam standoff between India and China has to be seen in the larger context.

New Delhi/Thimphu: Bhutan on Tuesday welcomed moves by India and China to withdraw troops from a strategic area which it claims as its territory, ending a months-long military stand-off between its giant neighbours.

The tiny Himalayan country of fewer than a million people had been caught in the middle of what some analysts called the worst crisis in India-China relations in decades.

The row centred on the Doklam plateau, an area high in the Himalayas that is claimed by both China and Bhutan.

India itself does not claim the territory but has a military presence in Bhutan, a close ally.

It stepped in to prevent Chinese border guards from building a road there, prompting Beijing to accuse it of trespassing on Chinese soil.

"Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area," its foreign ministry said.

"We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquility and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India, in keeping with existing agreements between the respective countries."

The Doklam plateau is strategically significant as it gives China access to the so-called "chicken's neck" -- a thin strip of land connecting India's northeastern states with the rest of the country.

India and China have a long history of mistrust and went to war in 1962 over the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

The latest episode has fed into a broader competition for regional influence between the two Asian powers.
President Trump also left the door open to an eventual political deal with the Taliban. (Photo: AP)

Islamabad: Pakistan has reportedly blocked all talks with the United States and visits to the country in protest against President Donald Trumps dig at Islamabad for harbouring terrorists on its soil.

According to Pakistan media, The Nation, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said that the decision to suspend talks with the US was taken by Senate committee of Pakistan.

Committee has also proposed that Pakistan should chalk out a verifiable mechanism to authenticate the allegations about cross-border terrorism, the article quoted Asif as saying.

Asif also alleged that India was involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan by using Afghanistan.

Pakistan was yet to finalise its response to Trumps warning during his new Afghan and South Asia Policy on Terrorism. Asif is to embark on a three-nation tour to China, Russia and Turkey to seek consultations over Trumps new South Asia policy.

Last week, Trump announced that the US would send more troops to Afghanistan to control the situation in the war-torn country and held Pakistan responsible for the terror activities on the soil of Afghanistan.

Trump sent strong warning to Pakistan against giving shelter to terror outfits in the country. He also urged India to take actively participate in helping US to fight against Taliban.
Kabul: An explosion occurred on a busy shopping street near the heavily-fortified US embassy in central Kabul Tuesday, officials said, killing at least 5 and injuring eight.

"An explosion has happened near Massoud Square in Kabul. We have no more details yet," Najib Danish, a spokesman for Afghanistan's interior ministry said.

An official in the ministry added that the blast happened outside a bank at a time when many security forces personnel were expected to be collecting their salaries ahead of this week's Eid holiday.

"One dead and eight wounded people have been brought to Kabul hospitals so far," Waheed Majroh, health ministry spokesman, told AFP.

The blast occurred around 10:00 am (0530 GMT) on a street lined with banks and shops leading to Massoud Square near the United States embassy, close to Kabul's diplomatic area.

It was the latest explosion to rock the war-weary Afghan capital and comes a week after United States President Donald Trump committed American soldiers to Afghanistan indefinitely.

In May a massive truck bomb ripped through Kabul's diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians.
Cop Who Shot At Car 16 Times Found Guilty Of Excessive Force In Momentous Ruling

By Stephen Gossett in News on Aug 28, 2017 10:49PM

The first Chicago cop to face federal charges for an on-duty shooting in more than 15 years was found guilty of excessive force on Monday afternoon. Officer Marco Proanowho fired 16 shots into a car filled with unarmed black teenagers in 2013is scheduled to be sentenced in November.

In daschcam video obtained and published by the Chicago Reporter, Proano is seen firing into a car in which six black teenagers were riding in December of 2013. Proano appears to continue shooting as the car quickly backs up. Two teenagers were wounded in the shooting. One teen was later charged with driving a stolen car, but a judge ruled that prosecutors didn't prove he knew the car was stolen.

Proano's attorney, Daniel Herbert (who is also defending Jason Van Dyke on murder charges in the Laquan McDonald case), had argued that Proano feared for his life and that of anotherthe person seen partially hanging outside the car in the video. But the federal jury determined that the cop acted with excessive force in the shooting, which left nine bullet holes riddled in the vehicle.

"Marco Proano drew first, shot next and then he tried to justify it later," said Assistant US Attorney Erika Csicsila on Monday at trial, according to the Tribune.

Prior to the shooting, Proano faced at least 26 formal complaints, according to WBEZ. He was also named in four separate misconduct lawsuits in which the city paid out $384,500.

Proano faces a maximum sentence of 20 yearsa max 10 years for both charges of which he was convicted, according to the Department of Justice.

The weeklong trial came at a time when the Chicago Police Department faces ratcheted-up scrutiny in the wake of the killing of Laquan McDonald, and January's scathing Department of Justice report, which determined that the department exhibited a pattern constitutional violations.
Thimphu on Tuesday once again asked China to adhere to the agreements it had with both Bhutan and India, and maintain status quo along the borders.



A day after the standoff between the Indian Army and Chinese Peoples Liberation Army at the Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan ended, Thimphu broke its silence and welcomed the disengagement by the two sides.

Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Bhutanese government stated in a press release.

Even after New Delhi and Beijing officially confirmed end of the 72-day long face-off at Doklam, Thimphu kept mum on Monday. It came out with a statement on Tuesday.

We hope this (the end of the face-off in Doklam) contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries, the Bhutanese government said.

Thimphu has always been claiming the Doklam Plateau as an integral part of Bhutan. Beijing, however, has been contesting the claim of Thimphu.

Bhutan has been claiming that the Chinese PLAs move to build a road in Doklam Plateau has been in violation of the written agreements it had with China in 1988 and 1998, stating that the two sides agree to maintain peace and tranquillity in their border areas pending a final settlement on the boundary question, and to maintain status quo on the boundary as before March 1959.

Thimphu claimed that the 1988 and 1998 agreements had also stated that the two sides would refrain from taking unilateral action, or use of force, to change the status quo as long as the dispute over China-Bhutan boundary was not settled.
Chicagoans Could Be Facing Another Steep Property Tax Hike, Tied To The Education Funding Bill

By Stephen Gossett in News on Aug 28, 2017 9:51PM



Getty Images / Photo: Tim Boyle

Chicagoans could see yet another property-tax hike in their future, this potential one tied to the education funding bill that lawmakers are voting on in Springfield. According to Crain's, the House bill contains a property-tax increase of up to $130 million annually.

Greg Hinz reports that the an amendment in the funding bill allows for the current levy, of nearly .4 percent, could climb to .567 percent. There had been some speculation reported on Friday that the bill would lay the groundwork for a property-tax jump of up to $150 million.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel's press secretary last week was quick to push back against the characterization that the mayor on Thursday admitted that some manner of property tax increase related to the education-funding compromise was likely in the offing.

Will Chicago get a property tax increase? Read this thread w/MRE flack. https://t.co/gPKu2I5yA0  Mike Fourcher (@vouchey) August 25, 2017

The Civic Federation's Sarah Wetmore told Crain's that a homeowner with a home market value of $300,000 would see a roughly $150 payment increase per year.

Legislators in the House were still considering the measure on Monday late afternoon. (A vote could be close.) The Senate is slated to vote on Tuesday should the bill pass the first chamber.

While that unfolds in Springfield, some aldermen in Chicago were calling on Chicago Public Schools to resist a major tax hike of their own, which the district could potentially levy to shore up teacher pension costs.

An $838 million property tax increase, levied over four years, went into effect last year.

Read the full Crain's rundown here.
Non-performing or "hollowed" government schools should be handed over to private players under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, the government think tank Niti Aayog has recommended.



The Aayog, in its recently released "Three-year action agenda", has recommended that the idea, where the private sector adopts government schools while being publicly funded on a per child basis, can be explored.



According to the report, while the number of government schools increased over the years, the enrollment numbers in them have been falling drastically while the number of students enrolling in private schools has been on rising leading to "hollowing" of state-run schools.



The high rate of teacher absenteeism, limited time spent on teaching when the teacher is in class and generally poor quality of education are among important reasons for this emptying out. Outcomes are worse in government schools than in private schools, it said.



"A working group should be set up with states participation to explore and pilot other bolder experiments by interested states. These could include education vouchers and local government led purchasing of schooling services.



"PPP models could also be explored where the private sector adopts government schools while being publicly funded on a per child basis. This may provide a solution to the problems of schools that have hollowed and are incurring massive expenditures," the Niti Aayog recommended.



During 2010-2014, public schools increased by around 13,500 in number but total enrollment in them fell by 1.13 crore. In parallel, private school enrolment rose by 1.85 crores. This shift has been accompanied by hollowing of an alarmingly large number of public schools, the report said.



As per statistics cited in the report, there were about 3.7 lakh state-run schools with less than 50 students in 2014 -15, which is around 36 percent of a total number of public schools.
Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar has asked all fresh entrants to the Government-run higher educational institutions to develop "a sense of social obligation because people of this country have subsidised their education by paying taxes.



In his message to all students who have just been enrolled in various undergraduate programmes at universities and colleges across the country, he described them as the Millenniums new voters and exhorted them to focus both on their studies and their over all development, saying they would decide the fate of this country "in ways more than one."



Calling the students as his friends, Javadekar asked them to keep in touch with him through his accounts on various social media sites like Facebook and Twitter or by e-mail to keep him abreast with any information which is important for public discourse.



The Minister has conveyed his message to the freshers in two separate lettersone for the students enrolled at the centrally funded higher educational institutions and the other for those admitted to the rest of the universities and colleges operating in different parts of the country.



We have kept the fee in higher educational institutions, especially the ones managed by the Government, at the minimum. You should realise that the people of this country, especially the poor, are subsidising your education with their sweat and toil, and by the taxes that they pay, the HRD Minister said in his message to the newly admitted undergraduate students of the centrally funded institutions.



While you continue your study at least cost, please remember those who have actually paid for your education and your responsibility for their well-being when you come out of the institution. I am expecting you to develop a sense of social obligation to the society at large, who have great hopes for you as you study here, he added.



The Minister noted the higher educational institutions are meant to create knowledge and disseminate them so that the larger society would gain from it.



Civilisations are built over the knowledge gained from the higher education. Therefore, while entering the higher education arena, you would realise that this phase of your life would determine the course of this country in the years to come. I earnestly urge you to focus on the work for which you came here so that when you leave this institution, you will go with knowledge and satisfaction, he said in his message to all students.










China today remained non-committal on the issue of stopping road construction in Dokalam, a day after Indian and Chinese troops ended 73-day standoff that was triggered by China's move to build a road in the border area.



"In order to meet the needs of defending the borders, improving the living conditions, China has long engaged in infrastructure development including the road construction," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.



India and China yesterday ended their standoff in Doklam by withdrawing their troops from the area, just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China to attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit.



When asked if China will continue with building the road in the area, Hua said, "we will take into consideration all relevant factors, including the weather, to make relevant construction plan in accordance with the situation on the ground."



Hua reiterated that Chinese border troops "will continue to station and p

atrol the Doklam area. We will continue to exercise our sovereignty with historic conventions."



She also parried a question whether China is in consultation with Bhutan, which has protested the Chinese troops' road building in Doklam.



"So far we have resolved the issue of illegal trespass of the Indian troops," she said.

When asked whether China halted the work on a road in Doklam to end the standoff so that the BRICS summit could be held, Hua said, "Peaceful resolution of the issue through the diplomatic channels serves the common interests of all relevant parties."



"It shows the sincerity and responsible attitude of China as a major country," Hua added.

Welcoming the end of the standoff, senior Chinese scholars said major lesson out of border tensions is that China and India should be sensitive towards each others concerns to avert future conflicts.



"I am very glad to hear that finally the two governments demonstrated their maturity and far reaching and farsighted decision to peacefully end the conflict," Hu Shisheng, Director of the official China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told PTI.

Hu said China and India should be sensitive to each other's concerns.



Rong Ying, Vice President and Senior Research Fellow of the China Institute of the International Relations, which is affiliated to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said the resolution of Dokalam standoff showed maturity and resilience of India-China bilateral relations.



"This is by far the most the serious incident between the two countries on the boundary. Ten weeks of very serious and grave situation. So the fact that both sides through the diplomatic means solved it in a peaceful (way), I think it should be definitely welcomed," said Rong, who served as a diplomat in the Chinese embassy in New Delhi.
More than a fortnight after 30 children died owing to alleged shortage of oxygen at the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, the suspended former principal of the college Dr Rajiv Mishra and his wife Dr Purnima were arrested by the UP police on Tuesday.



The couple was arrested by the special task force (STF) of the police from Kanpur while they were planning to ''flee'' to Allahabad, police sources here said.



Mishra and his wife, whose names also figured in the FIRs registered against nine persons in connection with the tragedy, had visited a lawyer in Kanpur for seeking ''legal advice'', sources said.



Mishra, who was accused of deliberately delaying payment to the Oxygen supplying company as a result of which it stopped the supply, had rejected the allegations of laxity against him and claimed that he had resigned before being suspended owing moral responsibility for the death of the children.



The STF sleuths also raided the residence of Dr Kafeel Khan, suspended former in-charge of the Encephalitis ward at the Medical College, in Gorakhpur late on Monday night but he was not found there. Kafeel had also been booked in the case.



The other accused in the matter had been absconding.



Thirty children, mostly new born, had died allegedly owing to shortage of oxygen at the hospital in a period of 36-hours between August 10 and 11.



The deaths triggered a nationwide outcry and chief minister Yogi Adityanath, found himself on the back foot, especially since Gorakhpur happened to be his Lok Sabha constituency.



Contradictory versions on the deaths emerged from the two official probe reports into the tragedy. While the Gorakhpur district magistrate's probe report admitted disruption in Oxygen supply, another official report held the hospital administration responsible for the tragedy. Both reports claimed that shortage of oxygen was not behind the deaths.


The Supreme Court on Tuesday exempted Union Minister Kalraj Mishra from appearing in person as a witness in a 1996 case relating to the murder of Samajwadi Party MLA Jawahar Pandit in Allahabad.



A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, however, said the trial in the case involving former BSP MP Kapil Muni Karwariya, his brother and former BJP MLA Udaybhan and ex-MLC Surajbhan as prime accused would continue.



The trial may proceed, but the petitioner shall not be compelled to be called as a witness, for we find there is some ground that he can be examined as a witness through video conferencing, the bench, also comprising Justices Prafulla C Pant and Justice D Y Chandrachud, said.



Mishra, a BJP MP from Deoria and Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, challenged an order by the Allahabad High Court of August 11, declining to stay the summons issued against by the trial judge for Wednesday. The accused had pressed for an examination of Mishra as a witness for his statement was recorded by the CB-CID during the investigation.



Then SP MLA from Jhunsi assembly constituency Jawahar Pandit was murdered in Allahabad's Civil Lines area on August 13, 1996.




The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to examine a plea contending desecration and destruction of 'Gurdwara Gurudongma' at Sikkim under the garb of renovation.



A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra asked petitioners by Amritpal Singh Khalsa, a law student, and Ajmer Singh Randhawa to provide a copy of his petition to Sikkim government's counsel and put the matter for consideration on Wednesday.



The petitioners claimed imminent threat of demolition under the garb of the renovation of 'Gurdwara Gurudongma'. They claimed 'Sri Guru Granth Sahib' and other religious items have been shifted out of site without a notice, an order, or due process of law. They contended that the authorities must be restrained from carrying out their actions as those were against fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.



They further claimed that they have sufficient historic books and documents as evidence which indicated that Guru Nanak Ji, the first Guru of Sikhs, went to 'Gurdwara Gurudongma' in its current place.



If the respondents (Sikkim government authorities) wish to carry out any renovation work a prior notice of one month should be given to Sikh priest/Sikh people staying in Sikkim/ SGPC, Amritsar so that appropriate action for shifting of Sri Guru Granth Sahib as per Sikh Rehat Maryada/ Code of Conduct can be taken, they said.






The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a review petition filed by Vikas Yadav, son of controversial Uttar Pradesh politician D P Yadav, against 25 years jail term without remission awarded to him for killing Nitish Katara, a young MBA, over an affair with his sister.



A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and S A Bobde found no ground to interfere with the apex court's judgement of October 3, 2016.



We have carefully gone through the review petition and the connected papers, but we see no reason to interfere with the order impugned. The review petitions are, accordingly, dismissed, the bench said.



The apex court had then dismissed the appeal by Vikas and Sukhdev against their jail term for a fixed period.



Concurring with the Delhi HC's conclusion, the court had then noted that the honour killing was a facet of medieval obsessive assertions that had resulted in the murder of Nitish in February 2012 after his abduction from a marriage function in UP's Ghaziabad district.



The court maintained that a woman's individual choice is her self-respect and creating a dent in it is destroying her honour. The freedom, independence, constitutional identity, individual choice and thought of a woman could not be allowed to be curtailed by physical force or threat or mental cruelty, it added.



The court also held that Vikas's jail terms under charges of murder and for the destruction of evidence shall run concurrently.



The HC had sentenced Vikas to life imprisonment with a fixed term of 25 years without remission, and another five years for destroying evidence. It had ordered the jail terms shall run consecutively.



The apex court, however, said that a person could not be first sentenced to life imprisonment and then be given additional punishment since life term would ordinarily mean until the natural end of life. Therefore, the bench said, that the High Court order had to be modified to the extent that the sentences shall run concurrently.



Vikas was also directed to pay a fine of Rs 50 lakh, out of which Rs 25 lakh and Rs 5 lakh would be disbursed to the governments in Delhi and UP respectively towards investigation and prosecution in this case. A sum of Rs 20 lakh would be given to Neelam Katara, Nitish's mother, as costs incurred by her in relentless pursuing the matter.



Vikas's first cousin Vishal Yadav, the third convict, had not appealed against his conviction and sentence. Vishal would hence remain incarcerated for at least 30 years unless he gets a similar order from the apex court.




Inspector General of Himachal Pradesh Police Zahur Haidar Zaidi and seven other policemen were arrested by the CBI today in connection with the custodial death of a Nepalese labourer, who was a suspect in the rape-and-murder of a minor school girl in Kotkhai area of Shimla, agency officials said here.



During the probe of the July 4 rape-and-murder case, the state police had taken custody of six suspects who were lodged at the local police station.



Suraj Singh, a 29-year-old labourer from Nepal, was allegedly killed by a co-accused at the Kotkhai police station last month, triggering a massive public outrage.



The CBI, which was later handed over the probe into the case by the Himachal Pradesh High Court, questioned several people before arresting 1994-batch IPS officer Zaidi, the then IGP (South), Manoj Joshi, the then Deputy Superintendent of Police, and six other police officials, the agency officials said.



The arrested would be produced before a court tomorrow, they said.

The agency has registered two separate FIRs on the rape- and-murder of the minor girl and the custodial death of the suspect.



"The CBI has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by a Superintendent of Police and an Additional SP and a Deputy SP, and taken over the investigation of both the cases," a CBI spokesperson had said.



The rape-and-murder of the Class X student in Kotkhai area of Shimla district had sparked an outrage. Her body was recovered from a nearby forest two days later.
Anheuser-Busch Halts Some Beer Production To Send Emergency Water to Houston

By Anthony Todd in Food on Aug 29, 2017 2:55PM



Photo courtesy of Anheuser-Busch.

Beer snobs, say what you want about macro-brewssometimes, they can be pretty darn awesome. One Anheuser-Busch brewery, which normally turns out beers like Budweiser, has shifted their entire production line temporarily to making canned water for victims of Hurricane Harvey.

Apparently, this is a regular program for Anheuser-Buschthey've also assisted with other natural disasters in the past. A rep told the Today Show that Anheuser-Busch has donated more than 88 million cans of water to various disaster sites. They've helped out in hurricanes, tornados and floods.

The Cartersville, Georgia brewery stopped beer production this week to produce cans of clean drinking water. Right now, according to WXYZ in St. Louis, the company is sending 155,000 cans of water to Texas and Louisiana.

Anheuser-Busch also says that all of its employees in Houston are safe.

We don't normally say this, but tonight, maybe grab a Budweiser!




A delegation of AIADMK leaders, belonging to the recently merged faction, today met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and sought release of pending funds to Tamil Nadu.



They, however, denied discussion with Jaitley on the political developments taking place in the state.



Led by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, the delegation include Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan, state ministers P Thangamani, D Jayakumar and C V Shanmugam.



"There are funds pending up to Rs 17,000 crore for the state and we have come to ask for it," he said.



Thambidurai, who was a supporter of Sasikala camp before the two factions merged, also said there was no crisis in the ruling party and the confidence motion which the DMK was pushing for was unnecessary.



"There is no division and all the groups in the party are united. In this case, there is no necessity for this confidence vote now as sought by DMK," he said, adding that DMK had all the rights to meet the President of India.



A delegation of DMK leaders are seeking appointment to meet the President Ram Nath Kovind to apprise him about the political developments and seek a confidence vote in TN Assembly as they allege the state governor C Vidyasagar Rao was sitting on it.



Earlier, the AIADMK leaders met Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Congress' bid to bring peace to its Himachal Pradesh unit has come to a cropper with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh announcing that he would not contest the upcoming November assembly elections.



Congress insiders view Virbhadra Singh's surprise declaration at a meeting of the legislature party meeting is seen as part of tactics to force the party high command to accede to his demand for the ouster of bete noire and state unit chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.



A shocked CLP passed a resolution hailing Virbhadra Singh as the tallest leader in the state and urging the high command to intervene in the matter. Every passing minute is fatal to the party and this uncertainty is causing huge damage, it said.



The 83-year-old chief minister, who is into his sixth term, has also shot off a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi expressing displeasure over the manner in which the party was being run by Sukhu in the state.



We are not aware of any such letter, Congress spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters at the AICC briefing.



Sukhu is considered close to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, which a section of the Himachal unit believes is the reason for AICC leadership reluctance to act against him.



Newly appointed AICC General Secretary Sushilkumar Shinde had made attempts to broker peace between the two factions by getting them to the discussion table, but the efforts have come to a cropper with the chief minister holding out a threat of pulling out of the elections.



It is a repeat of 2012, a senior Congress leader said recalling Virbhadra Singh's successful coup against the then state unit chief Kaul Singh Thakur. Virbhadra had succeeded in forcing the party high command to appoint him as the state unit chief and subsequently the chief minister.



The leader pointed out to similar tough talking by Amarinder Singh ahead of the Punjab assembly elections and forcing the AICC to accept his leadership.




Pakistan's former envoy to India Abdul Basit has slammed former top diplomat and the country's ambassador to the US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry as the "worst foreign secretary ever" and blamed him for several foreign policy disasters including the Ufa joint statement with India.



Basit, who was twice overlooked for the post of foreign secretary, made the harsh remarks in a letter - widely circulated on social media - dated July 5, 2017 and printed on his official letterhead while he still served as Pakistan's high commissioner in New Delhi.



The Foreign Office has not confirmed the authenticity of the letter. However, the Dawn news, which published the letter on its website, quoted its sources in the Foreign Office as saying that the letter is authentic.



"The more I think the more I am convinced that you have been the worst Foreign Secretary ever," Basit wrote in response to a farewell letter by Chaudhry which he sent to Basit on March 12 after his appointment as the ambassador of Pakistan to Washington.



Instead of wishing him good luck on his new assignment, Basit had an ominous warning in the letter: "My concern is that you would also end up being the worst Pakistan Ambassador in Washington D.C."



He asserted that Chaudhry was not made for the "delicate profession of diplomacy" and cited the Ufa joint statement with India and Pakistan's failure to get re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council as leading examples of his failures.



The joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif's meeting in Ufa in 2015 on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation mentioned terrorism and the need to expedite the Mumbai trial but Kashmir was conspicuously missing in it.



Leaders and media in Pakistan had criticised the Sharif government over the absence of any mention of the vexed Kashmir issue in the joint statement.



Basit said Chaudhry's "heart was not in the right place" and argued that it was in Pakistan's interests that he should be immediately removed from his post as ambassador to the US.



He further said that if Chaudhry was not removed then he should not be at least given any extension beyond February 27, 2018, the date of his retirement.



"May Allah help Pakistan when people like you with weak and dubious credentials are at such important positions," Basit ended the letter with these grim words.



Basit opted for an early retirement earlier this month and was replaced by Sohail Mahmood as the high commissioner.



It is pertinent to mention that Chaudhry was appointed as the foreign secretary by ignoring Basit.



Basit was again ignored this year when his junior Tehmina Janjua was appointed foreign secretary, replacing Chaudhry who was sent to the US as Pakistan's ambassador.
The government Tuesday said it may announce country's new Industrial Policy in October. The policy will subsume the existing National Manufacturing Policy.



The Commerce Ministry also invited comments, feedback, suggestions from the public regarding the framing of the new Policy latest by September 25.



"Since the last Industrial Policy announced in 1991, India has transformed into one of the fastest growing economies in the world. With strong macro-economic fundamentals and several path-breaking reforms in the last three years, India is equipped to deploy a different set of ideas and strategies to build a globally competitive Indian industry. The new Industrial Policy will subsume the National Manufacturing Policy," a commerce ministry statement said.



A consultative approach has been taken for industrial policy formulation wherein six thematic focus groups and an online survey on DIPP website have been used to obtain inputs, it said.



The six thematic areas are Manufacturing and MSME; Technology and Innovation; Ease of Doing Business; Infrastructure, Investment, Trade and Fiscal policy; and Skills and employability for the future.



A Task Force on artificial intelligence for Indias economic transformation has also been constituted which will provide inputs for the policy.



"It is proposed that the new Industrial Policy will aim at making India a manufacturing hub by promoting Make in India. It will also suitably incorporate the use of modern smart technologies such as IOT, artificial intelligence and robotics for advanced manufacturing," the statement said.



Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman will hold consultations with stakeholders, including industry captains, think tanks and State governments in Chennai, Guwahati and Mumbai.
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and five of the 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) will soon get financial assistance from the Centre for the establishment of state-of-art research parks.



The Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) under the Finance Ministry has cleared the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry's proposal to set up a total of six new research parks with one at the IISc and other five at the IIT-Hyderabad, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Gandhinagar, IIT-Kanpur and IIT-Guwahati.



The proposal has been cleared by the EFC, official sources told DH.

As per the HRD Ministry's proposal, each of the six premier science and technology institutes will get Rs 75 crore for establishment of the research park. The proposed research park will facilitate the undertaking of research and development projects in association with the industry.



These research park will provide an eco-system for undertaking R&D projects by industry. They will provide them with all facilities for R&D projects on demand. These research parks will also play the role of incubators for innovative start up projects, official sources added.



The EFC approval to the establishment of six new research parks at country's premier science and technology institutes have come following the Centre's special focus on giving a boost to research and innovation in the country.



Proposal for establishment of these research parks does not require the Cabinet's clearance. It can be executed by the Ministry, sources said when asked if the Ministry's proposal require the approval of the Union Cabinet as well.
A 25-year-old labourer was buried alive when a mud wall collapsed on him on a site dug by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSS) to lay sanitary pipelines. Another labourer was lucky to be rescued just in time.

Two labourers and an earthmover operator were at the work site in North Bengalurus Amruthnagar Sector-B when the incident occurred between 5.30 pm and 6 pm on Tuesday.

Veeresh and Mahesh (25), both from Raichur, were in the pit, laying the pipelines. All of a sudden, the mud wall collapsed. The earthmover operator raised an alarm, drawing local residents. They all rushed to rescue the labourers. They quickly pulled Mahesh out but by the time Veeresh was lifted up, he had passed out. He was taken to a private hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

Police also rushed to the spot. They later shifted Veereshs body to the MS Ramaiah Hospital for the post-mortem.

The Amruthahalli police have booked the BWSSB contractor, Bhaskaran, for causing death due to negligence. The labourers worked without any safety harness. We have booked the contractor under IPC section 304A, a senior police officer told DH.
Kerry James Marshall's Solution For Chicago's Fascist Balbo Monument? Add Depiction Of 'Mutilated' Mussolini

By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 29, 2017 6:40PM



Kerry James Marshall at MOCA, March 2017 / Getty Images / Photo: Rachel Murray

More and more Chicagoans have been calling for the removal or recontextualization of the Balbo monument, which was gifted to the city in 1933 by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and honors Air Force Marshal and Fascist organizer Italo Balbo. But what exactly does that process look like? One of Chicago's foremost visual artists, Kerry James Marshall floated an intriguing addendum idea on Monday nightone that aims squarely at the dictator himself, according to the Tribune.

"A friend and former teacher of mine did a painting of the mutilated body of Mussolini and his girlfriend hanging upside down after they were killed by a mob at the end of the war," Marshall said on Monday evening while speaking at the annual Fifth Star Honors at Steppenwolf Theatre. "You could add that if you really wanted to make it an anti-fascist thing ... there are places on the memorial, like the column, where you could make an addition."

(We might insert a parenthetical here noting that the column to which Marshall refers actually predates the monument itself: it's a 2,000-year-old Roman antiquity that was fashioned atop a stone base to create the gift.)

Marshallwho, as Kim Janssen of the Trib points out, has put forth the idea of adding contextual supplements to other existing historical monumentsalso reportedly said he'd prefer to see the Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville similarly supplemented, but added that he generally steers clear of public-art work in general.

Protestors last week demonstrated in front of the monument (which stands near Soldier Field), calling for its removal and urging that Balbo Drive be renamed. Several aldermen have signaled their support for the removal, and a renaming of the drive. Mayor Rahm Emanuel last week said he was open to the idea, according to the Sun-Times. Although no word yet as to his thoughts on a mutilated-Mussolini attachment.

[H/T Tribune]
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara has said that the Congress will not involve itself in the issue of creation of separate Lingayat religion.



Speaking to reporters here on Monday night, he said, We are a political party; establishing religious entities is not our job. It is the responsibility of religious leaders and community heads. The Congress will not involve itself in the ongoing tug of war for granting religion status to Lingayat community.



To a question, Parameshwara said that even the state governments stand on the issue is clear. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has assured that the government would take a call only in accordance with law and not make any extra efforts in this regard.



He claimed the issue would not politically benefit the party.



He said the Congress has drawn up plans to counter the BJP in 2018 Assembly elections. We have approximately 210 days left the for Assembly elections. The party has chalked out plans for all the 224 constituencies he said.



The party and government has so far conducted three internal surveys. Based on the survey reports and ground reports from our observers we will select winnable candidates, he said. Majority of the 122 sitting MLAs would be given a chance to contest again. Those who had lost by narrow margins previously will also get a chance, he added.
The government on Tuesday decided to release water from Tungabhadra dam to help farmers in Ballari, Koppal and Raichur districts so that they can take up agricultural activities.



The farmers in these districts were facing acute drought conditions due to failure of monsoon. Water will be released for the next three months. A decision to this effect was taken as per the recommendation of the Tungabhadra Irrigation Consultative Committee (ICC).



Labour Minister and chairman of the committee, Santhosh Lad, who chaired the meeting in Bengaluru on Tuesday, told reporters that water will be released to the Left Bank Main Canal (LBMC) and Right Bank Low Level Canal (RBLLC) from Wednesday.Farmers depending on the Right Bank High Level Canal (RBHLC) will receive water from September 5, while water will be released to the Raya-Basava canals from September 10. About 24 tmcft of water will be released into LBMC (2,800 cusecs from September 1 to 30) and 3,800 cusecs up to November 20. Water will be released into the other canals in a staggered manner between September and November. Lad said RBLLC has got an allocation of 3.110 tmcft, while 6 tmcft has been allocated to RBHLC.



Earlier this month, Lad had appealed to the farmers growing water intensive crops to shift to less water intensive crops during the kharif months, owing to reduced inflow into the Tungabhadra reservoir and the river itself drying up.
The annual feast of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary was inaugurated at the St Marys Basilica in Shivajinagar on Tuesday evening.

Thousands of devotees from all over the state attended the ceremony. Archbishop Reverend Dr Bernard Moras inaugurated the nine-day Novena which will lead to the St Marys Feast on September 8.

Lakhs of people come here, irrespective of their caste, creed and religion to take the blessings of Mother Mary. People even come here on foot because here they will be touched and healed by Mother Mary, the Archbishop said while addressing the gathering.

Devotees, old and young, even sick and disabled, attended the prayers and waited expectantly for the flag hoisting.

The archbishop conducted prayers before the statue of Mother Mary, who was draped in a blue saree and Baby Jesus in her arms was also dressed in blue. During the feast, the attire is changed several times a day since many devotees bring clothes as gifts. The archbishop addressed the gathering in Tamil, Kannada and English after which sermons were delivered in these languages.

Bengaluru Development Minister K J George was the chief guest on the occasion.We cannot do anything without the blessings of God. We have the responsibility to take care of people who are in need. Let us pray for the Lords blessings. The Anna Bhagya scheme has helped many people, George said.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into the assassination of Kannada writer Prof M M Kalburgi seems to have hit a dead-end.



It has been two years since Prof Kalburgi was shot dead at his Kalyananagar house in Dharwad on August 30, 2015.



The lone satisfaction for the CID in the last two years is the conclusion that the two assailants who shot dead rationalists Narendra Dabholkar (65) and Govind Pansare (84) in Maharashtra were involved in Prof Kalburgis killing too.



Despite Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs statement that the investigation is in final stage, the CID top brass is tight-lipped about the case.



We are doing our best and will do our best to solve the case, Director General of Police (CID), H C Kishore Chandra told DH.



He maintained that there was no delay in solving the case. Neither there are any challenges nor is there any delay. He was quick to add, In fact, we were the first agency to establish the involvement of same men in the assassinations of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi.



Though the police suspect involvement of the same gang in all the three murders, officers lack evidences to establish their suspicion.



Our biggest problem is lack of strong leads. We can only suspect, but cant establish our suspicion with evidences, pointed out a senior officer involved in the investigation.



Kalburgi was killed over ideological, historical and religious issues. Unfortunately, there are no conclusive evidences to establish this, he said.



The investigation carried out so far points fingers at two sects of Hinduism---one in Karnataka and the other in Maharashtra. Prof Kalburgi was opposed to a sect in Karnataka and exposed certain religious preachers.



He openly condemned preachers of Hinduism.

The two sects plotted the murder and executed the plan through contract killers, the police said.



Property dispute ruled out



Two other possible causes, property dispute and domestic issues, have been disproved by the police.



Even Prof Kalburgis close associates express similar views. They criticised the CIDs delay in questioning Dr Virendra Tawde and Samir Vishnu Gaikwad arrested by the CBI and the Special Investigation Team in Dabholkar and Pansare murder cases respectively. They allege that the state government is under pressure from religious leaders and hence Dr Tawde and Gaikwad have not been questioned so far despite the information that the they were involved in all the three murders.



Religious leaders are involved in Prof Kalburgis killing. We are much worried about the delay in arresting the culprits, Prof Chandrashekhar Patil, writer and Kalburgis close friend said.



Writer and former minister B T Lalitha Naik said, Highly influential religious leaders seems to have plotted the assassination. The government is delaying the probe due to pressure. A CBI probe can alone take the case to logical end.




Someone Has Started Using Dibs Markers At A Divvy Station In Ravenswood

By Stephen Gossett in News on Aug 29, 2017 4:15PM



Photo: Joey Manso

We've witnessed the odd summertime dibs in our daya random bucket plopped in the street despite any chance of snow being a meteorological impossibility. But this is a first. Someone on the North Side has apparently taken to using dibs markers at a Divvy station.

The photo above was snapped last Wednesday at around 10:45 p.m. by Ravenswood resident Joey Manso, who said it documents the recent scene at the Divvy docking station located at Ravenswood and Montrose Avenues, in West Ravenswood. "It was there for at least a couple of days, I think (might still be there)," Manso told Chicagoist by email.

"It seems a bit ridiculous that someone would try to claim 'dibs' on dock," Manso added. "I have a Divvy subscription and I've never had a problem finding a slot somewhere near my intended destination. It might be a joke, but I'm hoping there's a silent feud between Divvy users for a coveted location shielded by Metra tracks."

While we admit there's also something a bit charming about watching a longstanding tradition like dibs graduate into the modern daylike seeing a kid playing old-school Atari games on his iPhoneand, as one Redditor noted, the color coordination on the lawn chair is an inspired touch, we gotta say no. The word "share" is right there in the concept "bike share," and even if one subscribes to the (foolhardy, we'd say) notion of dibs in wintertime for cars, it simply doesn't apply in an instance like this.

When reached for comment, Divvy highlighted the fact that the service offers a number of steps by which riders can find a station. You can find available docks via the Divvy app; the company continues to work on station expansion; and the service also offers sure-bet docks at select hotspots through its valet service, Divvy noted.

This post has been updated.
The department of Higher Education has written a letter to the Vice-Chancellor of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), asking him to take appropriate action against its affiliate Bangalore Institute of Technology (BIT) in a 2015 case of collecting excess fee from a student.

The letter dated August 23 from the Principal Secretary (Higher Education) asks VTU to take action based on a report submitted to the government by the chairman of the Admission Overseeing Committee, which has the authority to recommend action against institutions which violate admission procedures.

The case is from the 2015 admission year when a student who had got admission through Common Entrance Test in BIT wanted to surrender her seat, but was forced to pay the entire course fee of Rs 68,580.

The student got admission in a medical college. So, she wanted to give up her engineering seat. The college, however, refused to return her original documents till she paid the fee for the remaining three years, a source in the committee said. As the student was surrendering after the last date, the college was not required to refund the amount paid for the first year. However, they were not entitled to collect fee for the remaining three years.

Out of desperation to retrieve the documents, the parents paid the amount demanded by the college. Later, they made a complaint with the committee. The then chairman issued a notice to the college, but the case was forgotten when his term ended.

Present chairman, retired judge Justice Anand Byrareddy took up the case again. I issued a notice to the college, asking them to refund the fee with interest. There was no response from them. Later, they said the person delegated to respond had not done so. They tried to justify charging extra fee despite regulations against it, he said.

Regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC) say colleges are not allowed to withhold original documents of students or force them to pay the entire course fee.

Earlier this month, Justice Byrareddy submitted a report to the government, recommending that the college be asked to pay double the collected fee, along with an interest of 18% per annum.



The letter to VTU, a copy of which DH has obtained, asks the university to implement the recommendations of the committee. It has also asked for a report on the action taken, to be sent to the committee and the higher education department.
A team from AlphaMERS is experimenting with various models to improve the condition of Bellandur lake.



Captain D C Sekhar, executive director, AlphaMERS, said they have obtained permission from Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to try out various models and then submit a final report for implementation.

On Tuesday, we tried floating barriers to clear the floating algae and sweep it one side. We recently tried out a model where a floating machine removes grass and hyacinth. This is cheaper than sending a floating machine into the lake. We are trying various models, he said. The company has set a deadline of another 15 to 20 days for completing all their tests, after which BDA officials will be called to the site for demonstration to finalise the model could be adopted, he said.

He added that they have been working with other states including Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab on addressing the problems in their water bodies.

Based on the condition and requirement, indigenous models are prepared and then tested for some time before they are fully implemented. We have been successful in Chennai and now hope to work on improving Bellandur lake, he said.
By Ben Walker

25 August 2017

SANTIAGO K, Bolivia (InsideClimate News)  Someones nearly always lived in Santiago K.

Cupped in the Bolivian highlands that border Chile, the small village is littered by centuries of conquest and expansion: from the pre-Incas, who ringed the surrounding hills with protective fortresses, to the gold-hungry Spanish conquistadors drawn to the regions mineral wealth.

But after centuries of settlement, Santiago K has become a ghost town. Drought, debt, and climate change have squeezed roughly 80 percent of Santiagos residents from their homes in search of work and a better life.

Justino Calcina, 58, is one of the few who stayed behind. As mayor of Santiago, he stayed because he had to. Only community leaders and the very old remain.

Life in the community isnt guaranteed, Calcina says. Yellowed newspaper pages block the windows of abandoned houses. Herds of roaming llamas tramp through the streets. Most of Santiagos younger families, Calcina says, have fled to Chile. There, men scavenge for jobs in construction, mining and seasonal farmwork. Women find work as domestic employees, cooking, cleaning and washing the clothes of better-off Chileans.About 125 families lived in Santiago before the 2015-2016 drought. An estimated 25 remain. []In 2012, a staggering uptick in demand for quinoafrom the United States especiallypushed Santiagos farmers to expand production. Flush with bank credit, farmers purchased tractors and encroached on land normally left to wild shrubs. The idea was to harvest more, faster. And for a while, business was good. From 2000 to 2014, the price of quinoa tripled.Then the rain stopped. For two seasons, from 2015 to 2016, as the El Nino weather cycle combined with rising global temperatures, crops shriveled. Production dropped to nothing. The river that jags through Santiago slowed to a trickle, then dried to sand. []Nearly to the man, Santiagos farmers remarked on the unusual shifting of weather patterns closely observed. Calcina says hes noticed Bolivias climate sharpen to extremes over the past half century: bitter cold and terrible heat, beating rain and punishing drought. Before it was much stabler. Rain arrived in the rainy season. There was a time for wind, when the wind came. But now its not like that, he says. [more]
By Alex Kasprak

25 August 2017

(Snopes)  On 24 August 2017, Jennifer Bowen, an Ecology professor at Northeastern University, claimed that the Department of Energy wrote to ask her to remove the term climate change from her already-approved grant proposal. Bowen posted an email that appeared to be from the DOE asking her to remove the language so that the grant proposal, which is to be funded through the DOEs Joint Genome Institute, could be posted on the departments web site.Posting a screenshot of the email to Facebook, Bowen stated: This just happened. Im just going to leave this here for people to ponder. The text of the email reads, in part:

I have been asked to contact you to update the wording in your proposal abstract to remove words such as global warming or climate change. This is being asked as we have to meet the presidents budget language restrictions and dont want to make any changes without your knowledge or consent. Below is the current wording for your abstractat your next convenience, will you kindly revise the wording and send back to me as soon as you can? That way we can update our website.

We have reached out to the Department of Energys Science Office, as well as a representative from the Joint Genome Institute, asking for confirmation of the requests authenticity but have received no response from either office. [more]
A Chinese court Tuesday rejected the case of a Chinese semiconductor company which accused U.S.-based Qualcomm Incorporated of infringing on its trademark rights.

The Higher People's Court of Shanghai defended Qualcomm's right to use the Chinese phrase "Gaotong" in its Chinese company name and product brand, saying the accusations of Shanghai-based Genitop lacked factual and legal bases.

The court turned down Genitop's demand for 100 million yuan (15 million U.S. dollars) in compensation from Qualcomm and its two Chinese subsidiaries and for a ban on the use of the phrase Gaotong.

The court ruled that Qualcomm's products and services, including mobile phone chips, which were accused of trademark infringement, are not similar to those using the name Gaotong produced by Genitop.

The Shanghai-based company lodged the lawsuit in April 2014.

According to the complaint submitted by the plaintiff, the Gaotong trademark in Chinese characters was registered in 1992, the year the semiconductor company was established.

The company complained that Qualcomm, which produces communication technology and semiconductors, used exactly the same Chinese characters for Gaotong as its trademark in advertising after entering the Chinese market.
A new book on Japanese Army Unit 731 was published in Chinese Monday in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Nishisato Fuyuko (left), the author of the book, meets readers in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, August 28, 2017. [Photo: Chinanews.com]

The book "Behind Bayonets and Barbed Wire: the Secrets of Japanese Army Unit 731" is by Japanese writer Nishisato Fuyuko, who published another book on Unit 731 in 2002.

Since her first book, Fuyuko has visited Shenyang almost every year and talked to victims and Japanese soldiers that served in the unit.

The book contains many photographs and inside stories on how the unit conducted its experiments on live human beings and traded data with the United States so as to be exempted from prosecution after surrender.

Fuyuko said humans must reflect on their crimes. She wanted the book to describe history rather than to spread hatred. "We should never make the same mistake as our predecessors," she said.

Unit 731 was a secret biological and chemical warfare research base established in Harbin in 1935 and the center of Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during World War II.

The unit conducted experiments on live humans to test germ and chemical bombs, among other atrocities. Many civilians and prisoners of war from China, the Soviet Union, the Korean Peninsula and Mongolia perished. Some of them were children.

After Japan's surrender in 1945, the unit hastily pulled out of China, with 3,000 Japanese children and some experimental equipment left behind. Many of those children were raised by Chinese families.
A type 2 diabetes drug could be used to help treat conditions which are related to the brain, researchers say.

Scientists from the University of Birmingham team have discovered that the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist exendin-4 can help relieve brain pressure, which can sometimes develop during a traumatic brain injury.

A trial looking at the effects of the drug on animals also found the treatment can ease a condition caused by brain pressure called Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH).

Our findings show that exendin-4 reduces brain pressure within 10 minutes of dosing and by 44 per cent, which is a greater extent than anything else weve tested before, and the treatment effects last at least 24 hours, said corresponding author Dr Alexandra Sinclair.

Sinclair and colleagues found that exendin-4, a type 2 diabetes drug which helps to lower blood glucose levels, reduced intracranial pressure in an animal model both rapidly and dramatically.

GLP-1 receptor agonists work by stimulating insulin in response to meals, reducing the release of glucagon, the hormone that raises blood sugar, and slowing down digestion.

Obesity can very often be the cause of IIH and because GLP-1 agonists trigger weight loss in people, this new treatment method could be extremely beneficial.

Sinclair added: These findings are rapidly translatable into a new novel treatment strategy for IIH as GLP-1 agonists are safe and widely-used drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity. They are also potentially game-changing for other conditions featuring raised brain pressure, including stroke, hydrocephalus and traumatic brain injury.

We are very excited that this novel treatment strategy could make a landmark change for future patient care.

There are now plans afoot for the team to move forward rapidly in testing the drug in more clinical trials.

The findings will be unveiled next month in Vancouver at the International Headache Society Meeting. They will also present the research at the British Endocrine Society meeting in the UK in November.
A WikiLeaks report points out that the CIA uses a covert information collection tool called ExpressLane to spy on India's Aadhaar data. The Indian government has reportedly denied any such data leaks and breach of privacy.

A new report from GGI News cites a recent WikiLeaks expose, saying that the US intelligence agency, CIA, may have access to the biometric data of Indias 1.17 billion Aadhaar card users.

As per the WikiLeaks report, the CIA uses a covert information collection tool to snoop on other US-based intelligence organisations like the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In its report WikiLeaks writes, The OTS (Office of Technical Services), a branch within the CIA, has a biometric collection system that is provided to liaison services around the world -- with the expectation for sharing of the biometric takes collected on the systems. But this 'voluntary sharing' obviously does not work or is considered insufficient by the CIA, because ExpressLane is a covert information collection tool that is used by the CIA to secretly exfiltrate data collections from such systems provided to liaison services.

The ExpressLane tool is then installed and run under the guise of upgrading the biometric software by OTS agents. Liaison officers overseeing this procedure will remain unsuspicious, as the data exfiltration disguises behind a Windows installation splash screen, writes WikiLeaks.

Now, the core components of the OTS system are based on products by Cross Match Technologies, a US based biometrics company that is certified by the Aadhaar statutory body - Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Cross Match provides the fingerprint capture and Iris scanning device for Aadhaar registrations and verifications, and the same are used by most UIDAI certified Aadhaar enrollment agencies. It is alleged that the CIA may have access to all of Indias Aadhaar data through the biometrics company and its products. A big slap in the face for the recently passed right to privacy verdict.

Responding to the allegations, government sources told Times of India that the leak of Aadhaar data to any third party is impossible as the data is received in an encrypted form by vendors, after which it is passed onto the Aadhaar servers. "The reports do not have any basis in fact. Aadhaar data is safely encrypted and is not accessible to any other agency, the report said quoting official government sources. Cross Match has not responded to several media queries as of yet.
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A Communist Party of China (CPC) senior official has called for the use of new technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence to fight terrorism in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Meng Jianzhu, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during a five-day inspection in Xinjiang, which concluded Sunday.

He highlighted the role of political and legal organs in safeguarding stability of Xinjiang and national security, calling on police officers to improve their political quality and abilities to better fight crime and protect the people.

Meng met with CPC members and cadres, police officers and common people of different ethnic groups that have been on the front line of the battle against terrorism.

Xinjiang must continue to give top priority to fighting secessionists and focus on the crackdown on terrorist activities, he said.
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SAN DIEGO (AP)  A U.S. government watchdog agency on Friday dismissed a company's objections to the bidding process to build a prototype for a proposed border wall.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office found that Fort Worth, Texas-based PennaGroup did not file comments in time to protest the bid.





. . .
Seattle eyes ban on plastic straws, utensils

SEATTLE (AP)  Seattle officials are considering a ban on plastic straws and other plastic to-go ware, such as utensils.

KING-TV reported that the ban is part of a 2010 ordinance that phases out various plastic products. Each year the city revisits the list of plastic items they want to phase out. The potential plastic straws and plastic to-go ware ban would start July 2018.

Seattle spokeswoman Becca Fong says plastic straws and plastic utensils can be replaced with compostable options.

Many restaurants like Juicy Cafe in Columbia Tower have already swapped out plastic straws for compostable ones as well as a few other items, such as forks, spoons, and lids. Other restaurants like Kidd Valley are phasing out plastics.




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BOISE, Idaho (AP)  The state has auctioned off 59 residential cabin sites in northern Idaho, bringing in $29.1 million.

A majority of the 59 Priest Lake properties auctioned Aug. 18-19 went to buyers that already owned cabins on the land, the Spokesman-Review reported. The cabin sites were sold at their appraised values which ranged from $313,000 to $707,000.





. . .
Xiangyanghong 01, China's elite science ship, began its journey around the world Monday on the country's first maritime research that integrates oceanic and polar research.

Xiangyanghong 01, China's elite science ship, began its journey around the world Monday on the country's first maritime research that integrates oceanic and polar research. [Photo: Chinanews.com]

Under the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), the research will focus on resources, the environment and climate in its six segments, and will mainly be conducted in the southern hemisphere, according to Li Tiegang, major researcher at the SOA.

In the fourth segment, the ship will join Xuelong, China's ice breaker, in the country's 34th Antarctic mission, Li said.

The voyage is significant for China to discover new growth points in a number of sciences, as well as to increase the influence of the country in terms of oceanographic research, said Lin Shanqing, deputy director of the SOA.

Starting in east China's Qingdao, Xiangyanghong 01 will cover around 35,000 sea miles in its 260-day mission, and is scheduled to return to Qingdao on May 15, 2018.
A Sebi-registered foreign venture capital investor (FVCI) may contribute up to 100 per cent of the capital of an Indian company engaged in any activity as prescribed in the FDI Policy, including startups irrespective of the sector in which it is engaged, under the automatic route. A Sebi-registered FVCI can invest in a domestic venture capital fund registered under the Sebi (Venture Capital Fund) Regulations, 1996 or a Category- I alternative investment fund registered under the Sebi (Alternative Investment Fund) Regulations, 2012. Such investments are also subject to the extant FEMA regulations and extant FDI policy, including sectoral caps etc. The investment can be made in equities or equity-linked instruments or debt instruments issued by the company (including start-ups and if a startup is organised as a partnership firm or an LLP, the investment can be made in the capital or through any profit-sharing arrangement) or units issued by a VCF or by a Category-I AIF either through purchase by private arrangement either from the issuer of the security or from any other person holding the security or on a recognised stock exchange. It may also set up a domestic asset management company to manage its investments. Sebi-registered FVCIs are also allowed to invest under the FDI scheme, as non-resident entities, in other companies, subject to FDI Policy and FEMA regulations. Start-ups can issue equity or equity linked instruments or debt instruments to FVCI against receipt of foreign remittance, as per the FEMA Regulation. In addition, startups can issue convertible notes to person resident outside India subject to conditions. A person resident outside India (other than an individual who is citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh or an entity which is registered / incorporated in Pakistan or Bangladesh), may purchase convertible notes issued by an Indian startup company for an amount of Rs25,00,000 or more in a single tranche. The FDI policy defines a 'startup company' as a private company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 or Companies Act, 1956 and recognised as such in accordance with notification number GSR 180(E) dated 17 February 2016 issued by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, and as amended from time to time.) FDI is not permitted in trusts other than in 'VCF' registered and regulated by Sebi and 'Investment vehicle'. FDI is permitted under the automatic route in limited liability partnership (LLPs) operating in sectors/activities where 100 per cent FDI is allowed through the automatic route and there are no FDI-linked performance conditions. An Indian company or an LLP, having foreign investment, is also permitted to make downstream investment in another company or LLP in sectors in which 100 per cent FDI is allowed under the automatic route and there are no FDI-linked performance conditions. Conversion of an LLP having foreign investment and operating in sectors/activities where 100 per cent FDI is allowed through the automatic route and there are no FDI-linked performance conditions. Similarly, conversion of a company having foreign investment and operating in sectors/activities where 100 per cent FDI is allowed through the automatic route and there are no FDI-linked performance conditions, into an LLP is permitted under automatic route. FDI in LLP is subject to the compliance of the conditions of LLP Act, 2008.








A non-resident Indian (NRI) or a person of Indian origin (PIO) resident outside India can invest in the capital of a firm or a proprietary concern in India on non-repatriation basis provided the amount is invested by inward remittance or out of NRE/FCNR(B)/NRO account maintained with authorised dealers / authorised banks. However, such investors should ensure that such a firm or proprietary concern is not engaged in any agricultural/plantation or real estate business or print media sector. The amount invested will not be eligible for repatriation outside India. NRIs / PIOs should seek prior permission of the Reserve Bank for investment in sole proprietorship concerns / partnership firms with repatriation option. Such applications will be decided in consultation with the Government of India. A person resident outside India other than NRIs / PIO may make an application and seek prior approval of the Reserve Bank for making investment in the capital of a firm or a proprietorship concern or any association of persons in India. The application will be decided in consultation with the Government of India. A startup company engaged in a sector where foreign investment requires government approval may issue convertible notes to a non-resident only with approval of the government. The issue of shares against such convertible notes should be in accordance with FEMA regulations. A startup company issuing convertible notes to a person resident outside India should receive the amount of consideration by inward remittance through banking channels or by debit to the NRE / FCNR (B) / escrow account maintained by the person concerned in accordance with the Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2016, as amended from time to time. Such escrow account for the above purpose should be closed immediately after the requirements are completed or within six months, whichever is earlier. However, in no case continuance of such escrow account will be permitted beyond six months. NRIs may acquire convertible notes on non-repatriation basis in accordance with Schedule 4 of the Notification No.FEMA.20/2000-RB dated 3 May 2000. A person resident outside India may acquire or transfer, by way of sale, convertible notes, from or to, a person resident in or outside India, provided the transfer takes place in accordance with the pricing guidelines as prescribed by RBI. Prior approval from the government should be obtained for such transfers in case the startup company is engaged in a sector which requires government approval. The startup company issuing convertible notes shall be required to furnish reports as prescribed by Reserve Bank of India. FDI in resident entities other than those mentioned above is not permitted. Investments can be made by non-residents in the equity shares/fully, compulsorily and mandatorily convertible debentures/fully, compulsorily and mandatorily convertible preference shares of an Indian company, through the automatic route or the government route. Under the automatic route, the non-resident investor or the Indian company does not require any approval from Government of India for the investment. Under the government route, prior approval of the Government of India is required. Proposals for foreign investment under government route, are considered by respective ministries/departments. Foreign investment in sectors/activities under government approval route will be subject to government approval where: An Indian company is being established with foreign investment and is not owned by a resident entity; or

An Indian company is being established with foreign investment and is not controlled by a resident entity; or

The control of an existing Indian company, currently owned or controlled by resident Indian citizens and Indian companies, which are owned or controlled by resident Indian citizens, will be/is being transferred/passed on to a non-resident entity as a consequence of transfer of shares and/or fresh issue of shares to nonresident entities through amalgamation, merger/demerger, acquisition etc; or

The ownership of an existing Indian company, currently owned or controlled by resident Indian citizens and Indian companies, which are owned or controlled by resident Indian citizens, will be/is being transferred/passed on to a non-resident entity as a consequence of transfer of shares and/or fresh issue of shares to nonresident entities through amalgamation, merger/demerger, acquisition etc. Foreign investment will include all types of foreign investments, direct and indirect, regardless of whether the said investments have been made under FDI, FII, FPI, NRI, FVCI, LLPs, DRs and Investment Vehicles of FEMA (Transfer or Issue of Security by Persons Resident Outside India) Regulations. FCCBs and DRs having underlying of instruments which can be issued under Schedule 5, being in the nature of debt, will not be treated as foreign investment. However, any equity holding by a person resident outside India resulting from conversion of any debt instrument under any arrangement shall be reckoned as foreign investment. Investment by NRIs under Schedule 4 of FEMA (Transfer or Issue of Security by Persons Resident Outside India) Regulations will be deemed to be domestic investment at par with the investment made by residents. A company, trust and partnership firm incorporated outside India and owned and controlled by non-resident Indians will be eligible for investments under Schedule 4 of FEMA (Transfer or issue of Security by Persons Resident Outside India) Regulations and such investment will also be deemed domestic investment at par with the investment made by residents. Caps on Investments Investments can be made by non-residents in the capital of a resident entity only to the extent of the percentage of the total capital as specified in the FDI policy. Investments by non-residents can be permitted in the capital of a resident entity in certain sectors/activity with entry conditions. Such conditions may include norms for minimum capitalisation, lock-in period, etc. Besides the entry conditions on foreign investment, the investment/investors are required to comply with all relevant sectoral laws, regulations, rules, security conditions, and state/local laws/regulations. For establishment of branch office, liaison office or project office or any other place of business in India if the principal business of the applicant is defence, telecom, private security or information and broadcasting, approval of the Reserve Bank of India is not required in cases where government approval or licence/permission by the concerned ministry/regulator has already been granted. The guidelines for calculation of total foreign investment, both direct and indirect in an Indian company/LLP, at every stage of investment, including downstream investment, have been detailed in an annexure. For the purpose of FDI policy, 'downstream investment' means indirect foreign investment, by an eligible Indian entity, into another Indian company/LLP, by way of subscription or acquisition. Annexure-5 provides the guidelines for calculation of indirect foreign investment, with conditions specified.








Foreign investment into an Indian company engaged only in the activity of investing in the capital of other Indian companies will require prior government approval, regardless of the amount or extent of foreign investment. Those companies, which are core investment companies (CICs), will have to additionally follow RBI's Regulatory Framework for CICs. For undertaking activities which are under automatic route and without foreign Investment-linked performance conditions, Indian company which does not have any operations and also does not have any downstream investments, will be permitted to have infusion of foreign investment under automatic route. However approval of the government will be required for such companies for infusion of foreign investment for undertaking activities which are under government route, regardless of the amount or extent of foreign investment. Further, as and when such a company commences business(s) or makes downstream investment, it will have to comply with the relevant sectoral conditions on entry route, conditionalities and caps. Foreign investment into other Indian companies/LLPs would be in accordance/compliance with the relevant sectoral conditions on entry route, conditionalities and caps. Downstream investment by an eligible Indian entity, which is not owned and/or controlled by resident entity, into another Indian company, would be in accordance with the relevant sectoral conditions on entry route, conditionalities and caps, with regard to the sectors in which the latter Indian company is operating. Downstream investment/s made by a banking company incorporated in India, which is owned and/or controlled by non-residents/a non-resident entity/non-resident entities, under corporate debt restructuring (CDR), or other loan restructuring mechanism, or in trading books, or for acquisition of shares due to defaults in loans, shall not count towards indirect foreign investment. However, their 'strategic downstream investment' will count towards indirect foreign investment. For this purpose, 'strategic downstream investments' would mean investment by these banking companies in their subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates. For downstream investments by an eligible Indian entity/LLP, such an entity should notify RBI and Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal of its downstream investment within 30 days of such investment, even if capital instruments have not been allotted along with the modality of investment in new/existing ventures (with/without expansion programme). Downstream investment by way of induction of foreign investment in an existing Indian company should be duly supported by a resolution of the board of directors as also a share-holders agreement, if any. Issue/transfer/pricing/valuation of capital should be in accordance with applicable Sebi/RBI guidelines. For the purpose of downstream investment, the eligible Indian entities making the downstream investments would have to bring in requisite funds from abroad and not leverage funds from the domestic market. This would, however, not preclude downstream companies/LLPs, with operations, from raising debt in the domestic market. Downstream investments through internal accruals are permissible, subject to various provisions.








The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths:

- Annie travers, Laghey

- Seamus McGroary, Owenboy, Donegal town

- Cora Heraghty, Inver Village, Inver

- Sadie Moran, Munagh, Linsfort, Buncrana

- Paul Trayers, Sessiaghoneill, Ballybofey

- Jim Price, Binnion Avenue,Letterkenny

- Peggy Rodgers, Meenacrieve, Annagry

- Ned Coyle, Downings/Glasgow



Annie travers, Laghey

The death has occurred at Aras Mhic Shuibhne Nursing Home of Annie Travers, nee Gallagher, late of Greagh Barr, Laghey.

Her remains will be reposing at the home from 6pm on Wednesday evening with removal at 7pm to arrive at St. Bridgets Church, Ballintra at 7.30pm.

Funeral Mass on Thursday at 11am with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.

Family flowers only. Donations in lieu if desired to Aras Mhic Shuibhne Patients Comfort Fund, c/o any family member or Martin Gallagher funeral director, Laghey, 086 354 7875

Peggy Rodgers, Meenacrieve, Annagry

The death has occurred in Dungloe District Hospital in her 100th year of Peggy Rodgers, Peggy Briney Sheain, late of Meenacrieve, Annagry.

Her remains will repose in Mc Glynns Funeral home from 4pm, today Tuesday August 29th, until rosary at 9pm, and again from 3pm on Wednesday August 30th.

Removal from Mc Glynns Funeral Home at 6.30pm on Wednesday evening, August 30th going to the Star of the Sea Church, Annagry for 7pm, to repose overnight.

Funeral mass on Thursday morning, at 11am with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.



Ned Coyle, Downings/Glasgow

The death has taken place in Glasgow of Ned Coyle, formerly of Rapplagh, Downings.

His remains will arrive from Scotland to his brother Michaels residence thisafternoon, Tuesday, August 29th at 4pm.

Funeral on Thursday morning August 31st, going to the Church of St John the Baptist, Carrigart for Requiem Mass at 11am, followed by interment in Meevagh cemetery.

Family time from 11pm to 11am.



Seamus McGroary, Owenboy, Donegal town

The death has taken place peacefully, at Donegal Hospice, of Seamus McGroary, Owenboy, Donegal town.

Reposing at his home.

Removal on Wednesday for 1pm funeral Mass to St. Marys Church, Killymard, Donegal town, with interment in the local cemetery.

Family flowers only. Donations in lieu to Donegal Hospice c/o any family member or John McGowan Funeral Directors. House private please. Family and close friends welcome.



Cora Heraghty, Inver Village, Inver

The death has taken place of Cora Heraghty, late of Inver Village, Inver.

Reposing at her late residence.

Removal on Wednesday morning to St. Nauls Church, Ardaghey, for 11am funeral Mass, followed by burial afterwards in the local cemetery.



Sadie Moran, Munagh, Linsfort, Buncrana

The death has taken place at Beach Hill Manor Nursing Home, Lisfannon, of Sadie Moran, late of Munagh, Linsfort, Buncrana.

Reposing at her late residence.

Funeral on Wednesday, 30th August, leaving her home at 10.30am and going to Star of the Sea Church, Desertegney, for Requiem Mass at 11am. Interment immediately afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.



Paul Trayers, Sessiaghoneill, Ballybofey

The death has taken place of retired Garda sergeant, Paul Trayers, Sessiaghoneill, Ballybofey and formerly Curragh, Cloonminda, Glenamaddy, Co. Galway.

Remains reposing at his home on Tuesday, Aug. 29th, from 5pm. Funeral leaving his home at 10.40am on Thursday, August 31st, for requiem Mass at 11am in St. Mary's Church, Sessiaghoneill, with interment afterwards in the adjoining churchyard.

Family time from 11pm to 10am and on the morning of the funeral.

Jim Price, Binnion Avenue,Letterkenny

The death has taken place at the Donegal Hospice of Jim Price, late of 10 Binnion Avenue, Circular Road, Letterkenny.

Remains will be reposing at his late residence from 6pm this evening, Tuesday August 29th.

Funeral from there on Thursday, August 31st, at 12.15pm, going to St Eunans Cathedral for 1pm funeral mass, followed by interment in New Leck cemetery.

Family time from 11pm to 11am and on the morning of the Funeral. Family flowers only, donations in lieu if desired to the Donegal Hospice c/o any family member.



If you wish to have a death notice included here, email us at editorial@donegaldemocrat.com. Please include a telephone number for verification.
The Coffee County Commission on Monday heard a request for some additional funding for upkeep of equipment connected to firefighting.

Greg Piland of the Alabama Forestry Commission went before the County Commission to discuss a proposal for more subsidy money for smaller local issues.

Right now, the state is more into fixing our fire equipment, which is our main purpose, and we have some little nuisance issues on pickup trucks that we have are not considered that important to the state right now, he said after Mondays meeting.

The state Forestry Commission used a lot of money allotted for other items when it fought the outbreak of drought-related fires last fall, especially in the northern part of the state. Piland said after Mondays meeting that the amount being proposed is about $2,500.

During the meeting, Piland praised the areas volunteer firefighters response times as well as the landowners who work to keep the fire danger down on their properties.

The County Commission did not take action on the proposal.

Also Monday, incoming Enterprise State Community College President Matt Rodgers addressed the Commission on the synergy between the colleges mission and strengthening the areas economy.

Rodgers, currently the Enterprise High School principal who officially takes over as ESCC president on Friday, said the college can play an important role in drawing new business to the county.

I dont know of any business or Industry thats going to locate in coffee county if theres not a well-trained, well-skilled workforce and I think that Enterprise State Community College, our institution can play a major role in helping provide that, he said.

Rodgers also stressed Monday that ESCC is a school that represents the region, not just one city.

We want to be our communities college, and when I say communities, I mean more than just Enterprise, he said.

While wrapping up the meeting, Commission Chairman Dean Smith reminded residents that a section of the Elba bypass was set to open on Monday and to be careful when driving amidst any new flow of traffic.
A smiling pig has become China's newest online celebrity after a photograph showing it being saved from flooding in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region went viral online recently.

The photo shows a smiling pig being saved from flooding in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Photo: Weibo.com]

The pig was raised by a farmer in Danliao Village in the city of Qinzhou, according to authorities with China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park, which is close to the village.

Qinzhou was recently battered by heavy downpours, causing the water in local rivers to exceed warning levels leading to severe flooding, said Wu Fengyou, with the park.

"The village is located on low-lying land, so it was badly affected by flooding. Houses and animals were submerged in the water," Wu said. "We sent rescuers to help with the evacuation."

In the photograph that went viral, two rescuers in green uniforms can be seen lifting the pig out of water by its ears and legs, while the animal appears to be smiling from ear to ear.

According to one of the rescuers, the picture was taken on Aug. 17 at a pig farm. Photographs provided by the rescuers showed that water levels in the area had risen to knee high, submerging parts of the farm. Two other pigs were also saved.

"I'm blown away by the pig's facial expression!" the rescuer wrote on his personal Sina Weibo microblog account with the photographs attached.

The photograph struck a chord with many Chinese. A post containing memes of the pig had been forwarded more than 4,000 times and drawn about 3,000 comments as of 12:30 p.m. Monday.

"I hope it will not be turned into sausages after the rescue," wrote Weibo user Bianzedaren, making reference to reports that 18 piglets and two adult pigs saved from a fire in England were reportedly made into sausages for the firefighters that saved them.

"Maybe our 'Second Brother' was trying to encourage us to accept life's difficulties with a smile," wrote another user with the screen name Pinggai. "Second Brother" is the nickname of Zhu Bajie, one of the three helpers of Monk Xuanzang in Chinese epic "Journey into the West." He takes the form of a pig in the novel, and his name is often used in Chinese culture to indicate pigs.

However, the story was twisted when various media outlets reported that photographs of the pig were taken on Friday in Hengjiang Township, southwest China's Sichuan Province, which was also hit by heavy rainfalls recently.

The rescuer set the record straight by confirming on his WeChat social media account that he had not gone to Sichuan to battle that flood, and the picture had been taken in Qinzhou.

"One of my colleagues was one of the two rescuers holding the pig," said Wu.

The picture has captured the hearts of many people and led to the creation of many memes featuring the pig.

Humorous captions such as "Stop pulling my ears!" "Smiling like a 100-kg child" and "It's over, I'm going to be made into braised pork!" have been circulating on Weibo.

Large areas of Guangxi, including Qinzhou, received heavy rainstorms this month. The rainfall continued over the past few days as Typhoon Hato swept south China. Qinzhou is forecast to have more downpours in the coming days, according to local meteorological authorities.
Tammy Luther knows the difference that Red Cross can make after a disaster.

About 20 years ago, storms generated by Hurricane Opal tore the roof from Luthers home in Zion Chapel and destroyed a mobile home her family also owned. Luther and her family were without electricity for several days when Red Cross workers showed up with food and supplies.

It meant a lot, she said.

The memory of the Red Cross help stuck with Luther, and years later she and her mother, Elizabeth Dean Luther, began volunteering with the organization a few years ago after Elba flooded. Luther quickly became hooked on helping, and now travels regularly to volunteer when Red Cross responds to natural disasters. Luther is now headed to Texas to help with disaster relief efforts there.

We love people, and they appreciate this so much, she said. This is what we always wanted to do.

Luther and her mother have travelled to Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee to help with disaster relief efforts. The two women typically help with Red Cross emergency response vehicles, travelling to affected areas and distributing food and water. Luther said she is touched by the gratitude locals express for the aid and by the assistance that members of communities impacted by disasters provide to one another.

They bless us more than we bless them, she said.

Luthers efforts are not without personal cost. She is currently pursuing an associates degree in business at Enterprise State Community College, and has had to delay her education to participate in disaster relief efforts.

Volunteering doesnt always have to involve traveling long distances or making huge financial sacrifices, Luther said. The Red Cross offers many ways for people to volunteer at home, including doing bureaucratic tasks for the organization online.
Tammy Luther knows the difference that Red Cross can make after a disaster.

About 20 years ago, storms generated by Hurricane Opal tore the roof from Luthers home in Zion Chapel and destroyed a mobile home her family also owned. Luther and her family were without electricity for several days when Red Cross workers showed up with food and supplies.

It meant a lot, she said.

The memory of the Red Cross help stuck with Luther, and years later she and her mother, Elizabeth Dean Luther, began volunteering with the organization a few years ago after Elba flooded. Luther quickly became hooked on helping, and now travels regularly to volunteer when Red Cross responds to natural disasters. Luther is now headed to Texas to help with disaster relief efforts there.

We love people, and they appreciate this so much, she said. This is what we always wanted to do.

Luther and her mother have travelled to Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee to help with disaster relief efforts.

Luther and her mother typically help with Red Cross emergency response vehicles, travelling to affected areas and distributing food and water. Luther said she is touched by the gratitude locals express for the aid and by the assistance that members of communities impacted by disasters provide to one another.

They bless us more than we bless them, she said.

Luthers efforts are not without personal cost. Luther, who is currently pursuing an associates degree in business at Enterprise State Community College, had to delay her education to participate in disaster relief efforts.

Luther said volunteering doesnt always have to involve traveling long distances or making huge financial sacrifices. Luther said the Red Cross offers many ways for people to volunteer at home, including doing bureaucratic tasks for the organization online.
Drones relay RFID signals for inventory control

Researchers developed a system that enables small, safe, aerial drones to read RFID tags from tens of metres away while identifying the tags' locations.





MIT researchers have developed a system that enables small, safe, aerial drones to read RFID tags in large warehouses (Credit: MIT Media Lab/YouTube)

Radio frequency ID tags were supposed to revolutionise supply chain management. The dirt-cheap, battery-free tags, which receive power wirelessly from scanners and then broadcast identifying numbers, enable warehouse managers to log inventory much more efficiently than they could by reading box numbers and recording them manually.

But the scale of modern retail operations makes even radio frequency ID (RFID) scanning inefficient. Walmart, for instance, reported that in 2013 it lost $3 billion in revenue because of mismatches between its inventory records and its stock. Even with RFID technology, it can take a single large retail store three months to perform a complete inventory review, which means that mismatches often go undiscovered until exposed by a customer request.

MIT researchers have now developed a system that enables small, safe, aerial drones to read RFID tags from tens of metres away while identifying the tags' locations with an average error of about 19 centimetres. The researchers envision that the system could be used in large warehouses for both continuous monitoring, to prevent inventory mismatches, and location of individual items, so that employees can rapidly and reliably meet customer requests.

The central challenge in designing the system was that, with the current state of autonomous navigation, the only drones safe enough to fly within close range of humans are small, lightweight drones with plastic rotors, which wouldn't cause injuries in the event of a collision. But those drones are too small to carry RFID readers with a range of more than a few centimetres.

The researchers met this challenge by using the drones to relay signals emitted by a standard RFID reader. This not only solves the safety problem but also means that drones could be deployed in conjunction with existing RFID inventory systems, without the need for new tags, readers, or reader software.

"Between 2003 and 2011, the U.S. Army lost track of $5.8 billion of supplies among its warehouses," says Fadel Adib, the Sony Corporation Career Development Assistant Professor of Media Arts and Sciences, whose group at the MIT Media Lab developed the new system. "In 2016, the U.S. National Retail Federation reported that shrinkage - loss of items in retail stores - averaged around $45.2 billion annually. By enabling drones to find and localise items and equipment, this research will provide a fundamental technological advancement for solving these problems."

The MIT researchers describe their system, dubbed RFly, in a paper they presented at the annual conference of the Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Data Communications. Adib is the senior author on the paper, and he's joined by Yunfei Ma, a postdoc in the Media Lab, and Nicholas Selby, an MIT graduate student in mechanical engineering.

Phase shift

Relaying RFID signals and using them to determine tags' locations poses some thorny signal-processing problems. One is that, because the RFID tag is powered wirelessly by the reader, the reader and the tag transmit simultaneously at the same frequency. A relay system adds another pair of simultaneous transmissions: two between the relay and the tag and two between the relay and the reader. That's four simultaneous transmissions at the same frequency, all interfering with each other.

This problem is compounded by the requirement that the system determines the location of the RFID tag. The location-detection - or "localisation" - system uses a variation on a device called an antenna array. If several antennas are clustered together, a signal broadcast toward them at an angle will reach each antenna at a slightly different time. That means that the signals detected by the antennas will be slightly out of phase: The troughs and crests of their electromagnetic waves won't coincide perfectly. From those phase differences, software can deduce the angle of transmission and thus the location of the transmitter.

The drone is too small to carry an array of antennas, but it is continuously moving, so readings it takes at different times are also taken at different locations, simulating the multiple antenna elements of an array.

Ordinarily, to combat interference, the drone would digitally decode the transmission it receives from the tag and re-encode it for transmission to the reader. But in this case, the delays imposed by the decoding-encoding process would change the signals' relative phases, making it impossible to accurately gauge location.

All radio systems encode information by modulating a base transmission frequency, usually by shifting it slightly up and down. But because an RFID tag has no independent power source, its modulations are detectably smaller than those of the reader. So the MIT researchers devised an analogue filter that would subtract the base transmission frequency from the signals that reach the reader and then separate the low-frequency and high-frequency components. The low-frequency component - the signal from the tag - is then added back onto the base frequency.

Frame of reference

At this point, however, another problem still remains. Because the drone is moving, the phase shift of the signals that reach the reader result from not only the drone's position relative to the RFID tag but also its position relative to the reader. On the basis of the received signal alone, the reader has no way to tell how much each of those two factors contributed to the total phase shift.

So the MIT researchers also equip each of their drones with its own RFID tag. A drone alternates between relaying the reader's signal to a tagged item and simply letting its own tag reflect the signal back, so that the reader can estimate the drone's contribution to the total phase shift and remove it.

In experiments in the Media Lab that involved tagged objects, many of which were intentionally hidden to approximate the condition of merchandise heaped in piles on warehouse shelves, the system was able to localise the tags with 19cm accuracy while extending the range of the reader tenfold in all directions, or one hundredfold cumulatively. The researchers are currently conducting a second set of experiments in the warehouse of a major Massachusetts retailer.

Materials provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Source: ScienceDaily
Fiats seemingly ageless city car is turning 60.

The Italian brand refers to the 500 as being forever young. And like any spritely young thing celebrating a major birthday milestone, Fiat has decided to let its hair down with a retro-themed party.

Styling for the 500 hasn't changed much since its inception in Turin, Italy on 4 July 1957, but customers can step-up the old school charm even more with the limited edition Fiat 500 Anniversario.

Based on the 500 Lounge, the Anniversario brings vintage logos, chrome plating and 16-inch rims.

Fiat is also offering three exclusive paint finishes; Riviera Green, Sicilia Orange and Gelato White.

Inside, theres new seat fabric, coloured dash inserts, Anniversario floor mats and a five-inch infotainment screen with Bluetooth connectivity and navigation.

Power comes from a 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine which produces 51kW and 102Nm.

The Fiat 500 Anniversario Edition offers a glimpse into the iconic heritage of the Fiat brand and pays tribute to the vehicle which launched 60 years ago, Fiat Australia boss Fulvio Antonelli said.

The Anniversario is a modern Italian-made hatchback that represents a reworking of the vehicles unmistakable design signature.

The 2017 Fiat 500 Anniversario is on sale locally from October, with only 60 examples to be offered in Australia.

Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.

For all the latest Fiat information, visit our showroom.
The renewal of the Porsche line-up continues apace with the unveiling of the new third-generation Cayenne at a media presentation held at the companys Zuffenhausen headquarters on the outskirts of Stuttgart in Germany.

Set to make its public premiere at the upcoming 2017 Frankfurt motor show prior to a planned start to Australian deliveries by the middle of next year, the upmarket SUV has been thoroughly redesigned and re-engineered in a program aimed at improving its competitiveness against a long list of luxury class rivals, including the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Jaguar F-Pace, Land Rover Sport and Mercedes-Benz GLE.

As well as adopting an altered appearance, the latest Cayenne receives a lighter and more contemporary platform, aluminium body structure, 48-volt electrical system and a revised interior with added connectivity options among a raft of other developments.

At its unveiling, Porsche chairman Oliver Blume confirmed the 2018-model-year Cayenne line-up will initially consist of just two models, the Cayenne and Cayenne S. Both run newly developed V6 petrol engines already introduced to the Panamera in combination with a new eight-speed automatic gearbox from German specialist ZF and a standard four-wheel drive system.

The third incarnation of the Porsche off-roader is based around sister company Audis latest MLB (Modularen Langsbau  modular longitudinal) architecture, as used by the latest Q7 and Bentley Bentayga and also set to be adopted by the upcoming third-generation Volkswagen Touareg and Lamborghini Urus.

With a heavily redesigned floorpan that uses a greater amount of aluminium in combination with hot-formed high-strength steel together with an exterior manufactured entirely of aluminium and a lithium-ion starter battery which alone accounts for a weight saving of 10kg over the lead acid battery used by its predecessor, it is claimed to have shed up to 65kg in its most basic form at 1985kg, despite what Porsche describes a significantly extended standard equipment levels.

Stylistically, the new Cayenne continues the lineage established with its predecessor introduced in 2010 and subsequently facelifted in 2014, albeit with cues that help link it to the smaller Macan. The updated look is among the more conservative design proposals put to board members, according to Porsche insiders, who suggest strong sales of the outgoing model, most notably in China, were behind the decision to retain the familiar exterior lines.

The front-end styling is particularly reminiscent of the second-generation Cayenne. It receives a wider and more horizontal grille, lower leading edge for improved aerodynamic efficiency and similarly shaped headlamps as its predecessor. The Porsche design team, headed by Michael Mauer, has also eschewed the clamshell style bonnet of the Macan for a more conventional approach with shut lines along the top of the rounded front fenders instead of along the flanks.

As with the Panamera, the sides feature smooth surfacing with fuller forms. The wheel arches and hunches over the rear wheels have been made more prominent than in previous Cayenne models, though the new model continues without any significant swage or features lines. The roof also appears to fall away at the greater angle towards the rear, where it is extended visually by a large tailgate mounted spoiler element above the rear window.

The rear is completely new in look, and does away with the large oval shaped tail lamps for more heavily structured slim line units similar in shape to those used by the Panamera. They are connected by a full width light bar, which is designed to emphasise the width of the new SUV. The initial models retain the dual rectangular tail pipes of previous Cayenne models, though more powerful versions are expected to adopt a quad setup.

The new Porsche has grown, albeit only slightly. At 4918mm, it is 63mm longer than the outgoing second-generation Cayenne. Width is also up by 44mm at 1983mm, though height has been reduced by 9mm to 1694mm. Despite the increase in length, the wheelbase remains at 2895mm, endowing the new model with longer front and rear overhangs.

While its exterior represents a clear evolution of the outgoing model, the interior of the new Cayenne has been completely revamped with a newly styled dashboard with a combination of traditional analogue and digital instruments as well as a centre console featuring the same touch sensitive controls as the Panamera helping to provide it with a much more luxurious look than before.

The centrepiece of the new interior is a 12.3-inch touch screen  as used by the Panamera. It controls the latest generation of the Porsche Communication Management system. Although Porsche is not making any solid claims about interior accommodation, it confirms luggage space has been increased by an impressive 100 litres over the old Cayenne at a generous 770 litres.

As part of an extensive list of connectivity options, the new models comes with an optional LTE telephone module, including a WiFi hotspot. There is also a new range of driver assistance systems, including Night Vision Assist with a thermal imaging camera, Lane Change Assist, Lane Keeping Assist including traffic sign recognition, Traffic Jam Assist, Park Assist with Surround View and Porsches new InnoDrive system with adaptive radar controlled cruise control.

The new Cayenne will eventually be offered with a wide number of models and drivelines. The launch line-up, however, supports just two V6 models: the Cayenne and Cayenne S. Both receive a new eight-speed torque converter equipped automatic gearbox with steering wheel mounted shift paddles that Porsche claims offers improved response in combination with a reworked permanent four-wheel drive system offering five different driving modes: on-road, Mud, Gravel, Sand and Rocks.

The Cayenne runs the same turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 introduced to the new Panamera earlier this year. With 250kW and 450Nm of torque, it delivers 30kW and 50Nm more than the previous Cayennes old naturally aspired 3.6-litre V6, providing the new pricing leading model with 0-100km/h acceleration in 6.2sec (5.9sec in combination with an optional Sport Chrono Package) and 245km/h top speed for improvements of 1.4sec and 15km/h over the old model.

The Cayenne S receives a more powerful turbocharged 2.9-litre V6. With 324kW and 550Nm, Porsche claims 0-100km/h in 5.2sec (4.9sec with the Sport Chrono Package) and a top speed of 265km/h, figures which represent a respective 0.3sec and 5km/h on its predecessor.

Further models, including a pair of zero-emission compatible plug in hybrids running the same plug-in petrol-electric driveline combinations introduced to the 340kW Panamera E-Hybrid and 500kW Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid as well as a range topping Cayenne Turbo sporting a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 with 404kW, are planned to reach showrooms by the end of 2018.

Owing to regulatory problems in its home market, Porsche is yet to confirm any diesel engines for its latest Cayenne. But with existing diesels models accounting for a large percentage of sales in many key markets it is expected there will be will be successors to the outgoing Cayenne Diesel and Cayenne Diesel S  the latter running the 310kW turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine used by the Panamera Diesel S.

Porsche is already talking up the dynamic properties of its new model. Together with the reduction in weight, the 2018 Cayenne adopts a newly developed aluminium intensive chassis with a double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension coupled with revised elastokinematic properties all round. It comes with a so-called Porsche 4D Chassis Control system and, on the Cayenne S model, Porsche Active Suspension Management with variable rate dampers.

Theres also a new wheel and tyre package with those at the rear now wider than those up front for the first time  a development, Zuffenhausen sources suggest, has enabled Porsche to tune its four-wheel drive system to deliver greater drive to the rear wheels due to added levels of grip.

As with all Porsche models, there is an optional sport Chrono Package. It is activated by a rotary button on the new Cayennes redesign steering wheel, offering four driving modes: normal, sport and sport plus as well as an individually configurable setting. A Sport Response function instantly sets the mapping for the engine and transmission into their most performance orientated settings.

Buyers can option the new SUV with a new air suspension featuring three chamber plungers, as available on the Panamera. Porsche says the new set-up provides a greater spread between comfort and sport modes as well as greater adjustment and faster reaction times in ground clearance when running in off-road mode.

In a further development, the optional Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), which provides roll stabilisation by acting on the roll bars to counteract body lean in corners, dispenses with hydraulic control for a new electrically operated system thats claimed to provide faster response times. In a move aimed at improving its manoeuvrability around town as well as its overall agility out on the open road, the new Cayenne also receives optional rear-wheel steering  a development already offered on the various 911 and Panamera models.

Continuing a long tradition of brake innovations, the third-generation Cayenne pioneers the Porsche Surface Coated Brake (PSCB). Available in combination with optional 21-inch wheels, it consists of a cast iron disc featuring a tungsten-carbide coating. The new combination is claimed to increase friction values for improved stopping ability. At the same time, Porsche says wear and brake dust are reduced over more conventional cast iron discs. The new brakes are recognisable due to their white coloured callipers. As before, buyers can also specify Porsche Carbon Ceramic brakes.

Porsche Australia has yet to confirm pricing for the new Cayenne.

- For more information visit our Porsche showroom
Containers are seen at Yiwu West Railway Station in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 28, 2016. The China-Europe container trains have become a major transportation channel of the international logistics industry, and also powerful support for the development of the Belt and Road initiative. [Xinhua]

As the world tries to make sense of the USA's increasingly unpredictable international policies under Donald Trump's presidency, it is quite natural for China to be reviewing her options for active partnerships in the newly constituted world which now faces us.

Broadly speaking, it appears that the U.S. has moved away from the idea of multilateral structures in the Asia-Pacific region, with the decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This might have been welcomed as a positive step away from U.S. attempts to isolate China  but there is as yet no sign of a corresponding Sino-U.S. rapprochement on trade issues.

Nor does it appear to involve a closing of ranks between the U.S. and Europe: Views have continued to diverge on trade and climate change, and the whole issue of preserving an open, multilateral global trading system is no less in doubt across the Atlantic than across the Pacific. Trump appears still to be bound in the chains of his campaigning rhetoric: He still needs to be seen to be putting America first, not a good sign for the building of international partnerships.

So, with the U.S. proving difficult to deal with, what are the alternatives for China? The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a very wide-ranging project to lay the foundations for increased global trade in the long term; but who are the most obvious partners in the short term? The East Asian region is racked by dissensions of all kinds; Russia and Central Asia are important partners in the security field and for gas supplies, but trade volumes there remain at a low level. So what about Europe?

A deepening partnership between China and the EU makes sense on many levels. Many of the Belt and Road projects have European countries as their ultimate destinations.

The EU, as such, is in no sense a geopolitical or military competitor of China. Until now Europe has been perfectly happy to go along with Chinese-led global development projects such as the AIIB, despite the geopolitical concerns voiced by the U.S. The EU and China constitute a quarter of the world's population and a third of its GDP.

And, on global governance issues like trade, development aid and climate change, there is much more common ground than there is with the current U.S. administration. A move towards a bilateral EU-China framework could bring great benefits to China, in terms of better market access to what is already China's largest trading partner, and could also pave the way for European recognition of China's market economy status, which would probably be a step towards ultimate U.S. recognition.

But, it can be argued, China and the EU have already established a comprehensive strategic partnership, in 2003. However, it is difficult to point out any specific major advances made under that partnership; if a new strategic axis is to become a reality, work will have to be stepped up. It was no doubt with what intention Premier Li Keqiang visited Brussels in June. However, progress was limited by continuing disagreements on the perennial problem of steel exports, as well as by the EU's refusal to recognize China's market economy status. That would be quite normal in itself; it is rare to reach agreement on complex problems during one visit. But the failure to agree on a joint communique was rather disturbing for observers of the bilateral process.

The problem here is that it is not really a bilateral process; while the EU claims to speak with one voice, this claim does not really stand up to scrutiny. The 28 nations  soon to be 27  still see one another as competitors rather than as partners. More than once Chinese dialogue partner has been surprised by the difficulty of getting their European counterparts to agree among themselves.

Furthermore, the lack of unity at the heart of the EU was demonstrated spectacularly last year by the British decision to leave the union, which was not just a question of one member state defying the rest. The handling of the Greek economic crisis and the sometimes overbearing roles played by France and Germany, have also given rise to unresolved internal tensions.

But it is the British issue which shows up the most serious difficulties. Britain was always in the lead on the free trade agenda within the EU, and will continue that policy outside it. It was Britain who led the way by being the first European country to sign up to the AIIB, with the other Europeans following. The remaining EU members will do their best to exclude Britain from future benefits; it might be a good idea for China to develop strong relations with the U.K. to balance out these efforts.

Tim Collard is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/timcollard.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
Australias ecommerce landscape is continuing to transform at a rapid rate. The entry of new marketplaces, the proliferation of pay-later services, and a growing range of delivery options are fundamentally conditioning and changing consumer behaviour with the expectation that online transactions of goods and services be quick and easy.

Aussies are continuing to embrace these changes, with research suggesting Australias total online sales are predicted to exceed $32 billion AUD in 2017. Combine this with the fact that 4 out of 10 Australians buy products online at least once a month, and its clear that there is enormous appetite for ecommerce.

SMB and mid-market Australian retailers now have an unprecedented opportunity to capture market share online. However, the digital economy has forced businesses to adopt new paradigms to attract and retain customers, which have created a customer-centric shopping model where businesses must go above and beyond consumer expectations to break through and provide a differentiated shopping experience. To do this, retailers must embrace new and modern technologies or risk getting left behind in a rapidly changing and progressive landscape in which innovators are awarded.

This might seem daunting, but it doesnt need to be. There are a number of simple measures e-tailers can take to optimise sales, delight customers, and increase profitability.

Make great first (and last) impressions

A landing page is your first engagement with a potential customer. Its where consumers will form their initial impressions of your business and potentially decide if theyre going to spend money with you. Its your chance to share your brand and convince visitors that they should invest in your product.

But its no longer sufficient to simply focus on an inviting homepage. Today, almost every page on your site has the potential to be a customers first interaction with your brand. This means every corner should make a great first impression, while also demonstrating a clear purpose.

One page often ignored is the checkout. Despite being the most valuable page for any business selling online, brands often fail to optimise the checkout experience, essentially undermining their hard work generating traffic. When buying online, todays customers expect a streamlined process  one that avoids unnecessary fields and makes them feel safe and secure throughout. Unfortunately, too many brands ignore this, which is part of the reason 7 in 10 online shopping carts are ultimately abandoned. Whats more, research shows cart abandonment is higher in Australia than anywhere else in the world.

Embracing a sell everywhere strategy

Many consumers dont care about where they purchase their goods, focusing instead on the value and convenience of what theyre buying. In their mind, there is little difference between purchasing a new jacket on eBay or on your site  as long as it is priced competitively, arrives quickly and safely, and is in the condition they expect. This isnt a bad thing, but it does mean your branded site shouldnt be your only channel of engagement.

Diversifying is absolutely key to adapting in this ever-evolving ecommerce landscape. Lets take Amazon as an example. The upcoming entry of the retail giant into the Australian market presents other online retailers enormous opportunity to introduce their brands to a bigger audience, and Amazons recent partnership with Nike is a great example of this. Making your products available to purchase on Amazon, as well as other marketplaces such as Facebook, Google, and eBay, will help increase sales and market presence. This all said, a solid home base remains critical in developing and maintaining credibility as a trusted retailer  seeing an established presence outside a marketplace helps mitigate any concerns.

Make life easier for your customers with a variety of payment options

An increasing number of big retail players are offering new pay options like payment after delivery, credit, and split payments. Consumers are quickly moving from viewing these choices as a novelty, to expecting them in the online shopping experience.

Adopting alternative payment options through platforms such as AfterPay, PayPal Credit or Klarna Payments means you can offer added benefits such as rapid checkout, credit, and pay-later options to your sales channel without much hassle. Digital wallets like Apple Pay and Amazon Pay also tend to be a preferred payment method on mobile devices where manually entering credit card and shipping details is cumbersome, and making it easier to purchase using stored billing and shipping presets.

Sign, seal, and deliver

Big retail marketplaces are setting the bar high when it comes to shipping and delivery by offering lower costs, free returns, and same day or two-hour delivery. Every day merchants stand to lose millions in sales due to shipping-related abandoned carts if they dont rise to this new standard. In order to compete on exceptional customer experience, online retailers need to strike a balance between offering the lowest shipping rates in even shorter time frames, while still covering costs and making a profit.

The good news is this isnt as hard as it seems. In the last two years alone, a number of post and delivery startups have burst onto the scene, disrupting the way product distribution takes place. You should consider free, same-day, on-demand and express shipping, flat rate and table rate shipping, and live rates from carriers  or a mix implemented on a case-by-case basis to effectively balance your revenue needs with promotional opportunities.

Theres no doubt that the ecommerce landscape is changing, and will continue to do so as technology advances. If weve learned anything from the rise of businesses like Amazon, its that customer-centricity defines those who succeed and fail. In other words, those who confidently embrace change, rather than run from it, are the ones who will thrive.

About the author

Jordan Sim is a Group Product Manager at BigCommerce. He enjoys taking merchants along the product design journey and delivering features that are simple to use and meaningful. Jordan also focuses on enabling integrations between BigCommerce and other partner products, to equip merchants with the tools and services they need to operate their entire business within the BigCommerce ecosystem. Jordan is based out of Sydney and has a strong passion for product leadership, and health and fitness.
Brisbane will soon boast a new co-working space with the launch of The Cove in Newstead at the end of September. According to owner and director Courtney Norris, the experience has been designed to encourage creatives to be brave in business while eliminating their Monday blues.

Norris told Dynamic Business that Brisbane has always boasted creative, innovative and business-minded individuals but that previously, many have had to move abroad or head interstate to nurture their ideas and successfully grow their businesses. Fortunately, she explained, times have changed: Brisbanes business landscape has evolved, with more capital available to local talent to encourage them to keep their roots firmly here, including initiatives run through the Brisbane City Council to assist startups with funding.

Nevertheless, Norris said Brisbanes co-working offerings havent been geared towards startup founders and other business owners who dont want a standard corporate space and who not only have an eye for functionality and design but want a cool space where they can be surrounded by their peers and host clients for after-work functions. She added, I could see there was a need in Brisbane for a more boutique, premium co-working space with the services of a great hotel  and thats how the idea for The Cove was hatched!

Since the launch of its website and social media presence, Norris said The Cove, which can accommodate 55 individuals, has enjoyed healthy interest especially from within the creative industries due to the design of the environment, which has a professional-space-meets-private-club feel. She points out, however, that no industry is favoured over another.

I dont want to be pigeonholed, she explained. We want entrepreneurs from different industries to join our community because they can see the genuine business benefits of our co-working offering. Were in discussions with a number of people in Finance, Accounting, Law, Medicine and other service orientated industries, and were taking Letters of Intent from interested parties who wish to have first option for a specific office or desk, so it is first in best dressed! From my experience, the diversity of fields that will be represented amongst our members will add to our success and provide opportunities for members to work together organically.

Norris said The Cove will offer its members a range of services, including access to accounting and legal advice as well as IT support, business concierge (e.g. office services, travel arrangements and event planning) and a mentorship program featuring a curated group of successful business leaders who will be revealed at the official opening of The Cove.

Members will also be able to participate in a wellness program, which Norris said is vital to the overall offering at The Cove. She explained, I have attended numerous leadership conferences and it is evident that finding the right balance between work and well-being is a struggle for any individual  but particularly startups and small business operators. We are mindful of the important role that wellness practices can play in the success of a business when theyre incorporated into an entrepreneurs everyday life. Sleep deprivation, poor eating, high stress levels can defeat the smartest and brightest. Our wellness program will encompass, mediation, exercise, nutrition and beyond! Our first weekly wellness events will be COVE X ELEVEN ROOFTOP, where we have teamed together with this leading Brisbanes open-air venue and local fitness providers for wellness activities at sunrise.

Asked what sort of culture she is hoping to nurture at The Cove, Norris replied: One that stimulates our members to be brave in their business decisions and to seek out opportunities to work together. I want this space to inspire our members and eliminate Monday blues!
On Tuesday, August 29, North Korea fired a midrange ballistic missile which flew over Japan. The move reportedly prompted the US President, Donald Trump, to say that there are options on the table.

The missile test came as South Korea and US forces conduct their annual military exercises on the Korean peninsula.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying highlighted China's call for peace talks, saying "pressure and sanctions" against North Korea "cannot fundamentally solve the issue", and she added that the country needed to exercise restraint.

"The UN Security Council has put through several resolutions and sanctions have all along been put in place but everyone can see whether they've had actual results," she added.

"On the one hand, sanctions have continued to be put in place via resolutions and on the other hand North Korea's nuclear and missile launch process is still continuing," she further said.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump also expressed his own point regarding the move of North Korea.

"The world has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: this regime has signalled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," he said.



"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world.

"All options are on the table," he added.

Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed that "North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the US, Japan and Republic of Korea, as well as to the other countries of the world."

The White House also added that the two nation leaders are committed to increase the pressure on North Korea and encourage the international community to do the same.
A potentially key piece of evidence against Brady W. Wolfe, who is charged with homicide by vehicle use-control substance, was allowed to stand by Judge Steven Cray on Monday.

Cray ruled the results of a blood test taken of Wolfe while Wolfe was in a medically-induced coma can be admitted during a trial scheduled to start on Tuesday, Jan. 16.

There was not time to obtain a (search) warrant (for a blood draw), Cray said, adding there was a genuine risk if there was an intoxicating substance in Wolfes blood system that it could dissipate by the time Wolfe came out of a coma.

Wolfe, 26, is also charged with intentional abuse of a hazardous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia in the Aug. 16, 2013 death of 19-year-old Caston Arnold.

Arnold was a passenger in silver 2011 Kia Forte that Wolfe was driving on Business 53 (also called North Hastings Way) and Melby Street in the part of the city of Eau Claire that is in Chippewa County. Wolfe drove the car under a semi-trailer as it was turning eastbound onto Melby Street. The roof of the two-door car was sheared off in the crash.

The case had been on hold for years for a similar case to be decided by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The court found that, under some circumstances, law enforcement agents may take blood samples from an unconscious driver without obtaining a warrant.

Wolfes attorney argued the blood draw was performed in violation of Wolfes rights.

In his decision, Cray recounted the events of the early morning crash.

He said John McIntrye, who retired as an Eau Claire police officer in 2015, was called to the scene around 2:30 a.m. Mr. Wolfe was screaming for help and was hospitalized, Cray said.

At 2:45 a.m., an EMT told McIntrye that Wolfe would be taken to an Eau Claire hospital. McIntrye saw a can of Dust Off on the passenger floorboard of Wolfes vehicle. The product, which is used to clean computer keyboards, can also be used in a practice called huffing, producing an intoxicated state. Its active ingredient filters through a persons blood system at a rapid rate.

At 3:36 a.m. McIntrye went inside HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital where Wolfe was being treated. He was told Wolfe was in a coma.

Cray said Wolfe had a CT scan which took 30 to 40 minutes. A blood draw was conducted at 4:31 a.m., two hours after the crash.

There was cause to believe Mr. Wolfe had been huffing before the accident, Cray said. No officers were available to help McIntrye get a search warrant for a blood draw.

Cray continued a $10,000 signature bond for Wolfe, who did not speak during Mondays court hearing.

Another motions hearing for the case is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 16 and a final court proceeding before the trial is set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14.
Excellent results across the board under new marking system

Seoan Webb and Siobhan Woodley with the Elthorne Park Headteacher Participate Ealing Schools Celebrate A Level Results Sign up for our weekly Ealing newsletter Comment on this story on the

Ealing schools seem to have adapted well to the new more demanding marking system for GCSEs with a good set of results across the borad Elthorne Elthorne Park High School saw their best ever results with 75% of students achieving 5 A*-C including English and Maths and 77% of students gained the government recognised good pass in English and Maths under the new, much more challenging 9-1 graded GCSEs. The school say that this is likely to position them as one of the top 100 non-selective schools nationally.



The number of students achieving 5 A*-C overall was 80%. 30% of grades were at A* or A with 34 top grade 9s in English and Maths. Throughout the year group a total of 12 students gained 10 straight A*/A grades and the cohort as a whole obtained 485 grades at A*- A (30%).



The top achievers are Seoan Webb and Siobhan Woodley, who each attained 10 A* grades in all of their subjects.



Headteacher Eliot Wong said, I am prouder than ever to be the Headteacher of Elthorne Park High School. These incredible results are a testament to both our amazing students and dedicated, expert staff. We continue to improve year on year and I look forward to welcoming all of our outstanding students back to our sixth form. All of our students should be absolutely thrilled with their outcomes. This year has seen a significant improvement in GCSE results at St Benedicts with an increase in the number of A /A* grades to 57.6% - up 6.4% from last year. Performance in the new style GCSEs in English Language, English Literature and Mathematics has also been strong: in the new 9-1 grading system, pupils achieved 9-7 grades in 43.3% of papers. This equates approximately to A*/A grades in the old system and represents an 8.1% improvement on last years results in these subjects.

Perfect marks for Cerys Edwards of St. Benedict's A number of pupils achieved particularly impressive results: Cerys Edwards and Max Lubowiecki achieved straight A* grades with 9 in English and Maths, and 14 achieved straight A*/A grades, including 9-7 in Maths and English. The Headmaster Andrew Johnson, said: I am delighted to be able to congratulate our pupils warmly on these very strong results, and thank their teachers for all their hard work in support of our GCSE candidates. Notting Hill & Ealing High School achieved another record year of GCSE results. 66% of entries were graded at A*, equalling their all-time high, with 89% graded A*/A and 100% A*-C. 12 girls gained A*s in all their subjects and 47 girls (over half the year) gained 7 or more A*s. Head, Matthew Shoults said, These are excellent results, reflecting the energy and effort which the girls have put into their studies, and the staff have put into supporting them. Every single girl has worked with great determination to achieve her best and should rightly be proud of herself. Our heartfelt congratulations go to them all.

Notting Hill and Ealing girls celebrate great results The West London Free Schools second set of GCSE results are also very strong. In particular, pupil achievement in English, Mathematics, Science, Latin, Music and Religious Education are exceptional. 36% of all the GCSEs were graded A*/A (including 7-9 in English and Mathematics, which is equivalent to A*/A in the old system). 80% of pupils achieved a 4 or above in English and Mathematics (equivalent to a C or above). 10 pupils achieved the very highest grade. 100% of pupils who took Religious Education achieved A*-C, with 74% of these getting A*/A.



Hywel Jones, the Headteacher of the West London Free School, said: I am very proud of our pupils. This year group has worked very hard and successfully met the challenge of the more rigorous GCSEs in Mathematics and English. The results are a testament to those efforts, our exceptional teaching staff and the support from parents and carers. They are particularly impressive, given that all our pupils have taken the most rigorous, academic GCSEs, with none doing BTECs or any other equivalents. At Latymer Upper School over half of the year group achieving at least 8 A* grades and over 70% of grades were at A* with 90% of grades at A*/A Fencing champion and member of Team GB Josh Willcox who, having spent a busy year competing on the prestigious European Cadet Fencing Circuit now adds 10A*s to his sporting achievements. Maddie Lloyd, 10A*s, and Georgina Seal, 9A*s and 1A, have reason to celebrate in a year that has seen them both chosen for the GB rowing squad. Twins Felix and Cecile Ramin celebrate their joint success, gaining 20A*s between them  10A*s and 1A each.

Twins at Latymer enjoy joint success Latymer Upper Head, David Goodhew commented, "Congratulations to all our GCSE pupils who have had such fantastic results today - their hard work has really paid off. They bear the Latymer hallmark of being well-rounded individuals who, as well as achieving academically, pursue many of the co-curricular options on offer at Latymer. Having joined the School on the same day in 2012 as this talented Y11 cohort, I very much look forward to following their progress in the sixth form. At St Augustines Priory, Ealing Catholic independent day school for girls, 82% of grades were A* - B or equivalent (9  6). There was a clean sweep of A*s in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, 100% passes in English Literature and Mathematics and 83% of Modern Language grades at A* or A. Over half of all pupils obtained at least 5 A* or A grades or equivalent (new grades 9/8/7) between them. 54% of the grades achieved in Mathematics, English and English Literature combined were 9, 8 or 7 (A* - A). 95% of all pupils achieved at least 1 grade A*/A or equivalent. This follows last weeks news that 100% of the Year 11 Additional Mathematics students achieved the top grade, A.

Smiles all round at St Augustine's Priory Interim Headteacher, Mrs Marie-Helene Collins, commented, Across the full range of our curriculum, our girls have performed brilliantly and we congratulate them on their outstanding results today. Among many highlights, our excellent separate science performance and fantastic results in the new English and Mathematics courses are a particular source of confidence. Another strong year of results yet again confirms our expertise in teaching girls in our wonderful setting, supported by our dedicated staff and with a Catholic ethos. Pupils at La Petite Ecole dEaling, a French language school based at St Augustines Priory achieved a clean sweep of A*s and As in their French GCSEs. St Augustines Priory works with La Petite Ecole as part of a bilingual hub promoting and supporting the teaching of French in Ealing. Acton High School is celebrating the very strong individual achievements of Year 11 students who have performed well in what is a turbulent period of change for GCSE content and grading. Rahim Feddag and Waris Wasay got the highest grade 9 in English Literature and English Language GCSEs respectively. Rahim also achieved 3A* and 8 A or A grade equivalent (new grades 7 and 8). Amir Saeidi and Piotr Prokocki are also celebrating a strong set of GCSE grades achieving A* and A in 10 subjects. Amongst the girls Leanne Vidal attained grade 8 in both English Language and Literature, grade 7 in maths and A and B grades in her other subjects. 58% of the year group achieved what the government is calling a good grade in English and 60% of students achieved this grade in maths with exactly 50% of students securing passes in both. In addition in spite of the increased challenges of the new content in English and maths 20 students attained the top grades (grades 7-9) in English and 27 students attained these grades in maths The majority of the year group are continuing their studies at AHSs sixth form which last week saw its A Level students attain outstanding grades and which has placed the sixth form in the top 4% of nationally. Enrolment today was extremely busy with students accepting places to study a range of A Levels in sciences, Maths, Computing, English Literature, Politics, Art and MFL. Head Teacher, Ken Mackenzie said: We are very proud of the achievements of all our year 11 students and are delighted so many of them are continuing their studies in our sixth-form. For this group of students to have done so well in the core subjects of English and mathematics in the year when new, much more rigorous exams were introduced is testament to their hard work as well as the dedication and professionalism of their teachers. Acton High School is changing and these students will lead the change as they continue with their success in our sixth-form. 88% of Twyford CofE High School students gained a 4 and above in the new English and Maths exam which the school says places them in the top 5%. 14 students gaining a grade 9 in both English and Maths with 35 students (19%) gaining at least one grade 9. Grades in other subjects were also strong  exceptionally so in Science where the result of 91% A*-C in Additional Science topped the schools previous personal best - which they say had placed it within the top 2% of schools nationally. 14% of the year group achieved the equivalent of 9A/A* or above and 44% 3A/A* and above. Top scoring girl within the school was Joanna Reid who achieved a triple 9 as well as 7A*s with Sipan Petrosyan the highest scoring boy with 9/8/8 & 7A*s Associate Headteacher, Karen Barrie said Twyford is hugely proud that 8% of the exam cohort achieved this new top of the top grade which compares very favourably with the national figures of 2%/3% in English and Maths. Executive Headteacher, Dame Alice Hudson commented I am delighted with the outcomes of all students who have worked so very hard to meet the demands of these new courses. I am also pleased that the school has used this opportunity to help students recognise their gifts and target pathways post-16 that will give them the best possible future aspirations.

August 29, 2017


In July, the legislative committee of Dunn County approved a referendum question that is unprecedented in rural America. The question asked Congress and the U.S. president to nationalize health care.

Its chances of success looked good ahead of the Nov. 8 referendum. Results of this referendum could make waves in Wisconsin.
A relatively new form of cybercrime recently has been plaguing American consumers. Thieves have been hijacking mobile phone account numbers and then transferring services to a different device, The New York Times reported last week.

Further, hackers have begun using mobile numbers to raid digital wallets and similar accounts, according to the paper.

This type of theft has been successful even against the most sophisticated of consumers. Accounts belonging to the chief technologist of the Federal Trade Commission, Lorrie Cranor, are among those that reportedly have been breached.

A simple identity theft scam targeted two of her phones, Cranor wrote in an online post earlier this year, resulting in her eventually losing control of her devices and her account information, not to mention the intrusion into her personal life and loss of privacy.

Identity thieves simply walked into a store, claimed to be her, and asked for a mobile phone upgrade. They walked out with two new iPhones assigned to her number. The SIM cards on her account were deactivated.

The FTC declined to comment on whether it was pursuing an investigation related to the incident.

Cyberthefts involving a mobile phone account hijacking or opening of a new mobile account in a victims name have jumped from 1,038 reported to the FTC in January of 2013, or 3.2 of all identity thefts reported to the commission in that month, to 2,638 in January 2016, or 6.3 percent.

Because only about 1 percent of identity thefts are reported to the FTC, regulators have only a small slice of examples to evaluate when trying to get ahead of data scams.

Vulnerable Systems

The incidents that have been reported showcase a vulnerability in todays security protocols, said Mark Nunnikhoven, senior vice president for cloud research at Trend Micro.

A lot of multifactor identifications systems use text messages as a tool to verify identity, because the goal of many attacks is to take control over the phone number and not the physical handset, he told the E-Commerce Times.

These attacks use social engineering techniques to abuse a mobile phone providers business processes, Nunnikhoven said. The attacker calls up the mobile phone provider and uses just enough information about you, plus a few social engineering techniques, to get the provider to transfer the number to new accounts.

Its a lot easier to have a legit number ported than it is to hack an entire phone network, he noted.

However, hacking numbers has been a feature of SS7 attacks in the past, Nunnikhoven recalled. The System Signaling 7 system, which is used by mobile phone networks to communicate with each other, is vulnerable to a type of hack that transfers phone and text messages to another device. An SS7 attack was demonstrated in the U.S. most famously in a 2016 60 Minutes segment.

Adding layers of security to authenticate a legitimate customer creates additional problems for mobile phone companies that have to deal with millions of calls and need to create an efficient workflow while making sure customer data is secure, Nunnikhoven pointed out.

Every mitigation that you can use to avoid this kind of account hijacking makes that customer service workflow more difficult, he said, which is exactly what the carrier is trying to avoid.

Easy Come, Easy Go

Password resets are only as secure as the destination of the reset, said Kevin Epstein, vice president of the threat operations center at Proofpoint.

Persuading phone companies to transfer numbers to a new device is like [filing] a mail forwarding order with the post office and then asking for a credit card company to mail a new PIN to a cardholders address, he told the E-Commerce Times.

US Security Lagging

Cybertheft of mobile phone numbers is a U.S. problem to the best of my knowledge, said Sean Sullivan, security advisor at F-Secure.

European and certainly Finnish operators have stronger controls in place to prevent transferring accounts to new SIMs, he told the E-Commerce Times.

So why hijack the phone number? The point of hijacking the phone number is because it guards the Gmail account, for example, Sullivan said.

The Gmail account is used to provide access to financial accounts. So, you gain control of the phone number, you go to Gmail and use the I forgot my password and Google sends a code to your phone number that is used in the password reset process. And then the thief can use the Gmail account to reset bank passwords, etc. And services such as PayPal may use SMS messages as a second factor of authentication, he explained.

Basically, in order to protect what were originally Web-based services, companies extended security to phones  using them as a second factor. So, the phone is now a target, Sullivan remarked.

Two measures that Sullivan takes to protect his accounts:

I have email addresses for Google / Windows / Apple accounts that are used only for administrating my accounts. The associated email addresses are not used in connection with my online services. I try to avoid providing my phone number to my online services. I use an authenticator app for MFA/2FA . Hijacking my phone number will not provide access to my authenticator app.

So, what to do? Sullivan asked.

U.S. operators need to improve security controls  thieves have reportedly been successful in getting numbers transferred by repeatedly calling customer support, until they reached an agent willing to make the change even without all the proper information, he noted.

Further, online services should do more to encourage and provide options for authenticator apps  and to move away from phone/SMS-based solutions, Sullivan recommended, at least for tech-savvy customers with something more to lose.
A grand jury in the Northern District of California indicted a Russian man for running a massive money laundering operation through the BTC-e bitcoin exchange, a group of federal officials announced Wednesday.

The exchange allegedly received up to US$4 billion in proceeds from various criminal activities, including the 2014 hack of the Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange.

The suspect, 37-year-old Alexander Vinnik, was arrested Tuesday by Greek authorities, and charges in an unsealed indictment were released the following day.

Vinnik was visiting Greece, and U.S. officials were working with Greek authorities on the case, a source familiar with the case told the E-Commerce Times.

Vinnik was charged with operating an unlicensed money service business, conspiracy to commit money laundering, 17 counts of money laundering, and two counts of unlawful monetary transactions.

He faces 20 years in prison and $500,000 in fines on each of the money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering charges; 10 years in prison and $500,000 in fines on the monetary transactions charges; and five years on the money service charges.

The company, BTC-e, was assessed a $110 million fine, and Vinnik personally was fined $12 million by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a Treasury Department branch that investigates money laundering and other financial crimes.

Cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin provide people around the world with new and innovative ways of engaging in legitimate commerce, said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Bryan Stretch. As this case demonstrates, however, just as new computer technologies continue to change the way we engage each other and experience the world, so too will criminals subvert these new technologies for their own nefarious purposes.

Birth of an Empire

BTC-e, founded in 2011, grew into one of the worlds largest digital currency exchanges, with more than 700,000 users worldwide. It relied heavily on criminal money laundering for much of its business, according to the indictment.

Vinnik owned and operated various bitcoin accounts and was the owner of Canton Business Corp., the shell company that operated BTC-e, federal officials said.

There were numerous accounts based in the U.S. and specifically in northern California, according to court documents, but they did not indicate who the account holders were or whether the transactions were of a criminal nature or legitimate.

The company received billions in proceeds from numerous criminal activities, based on the indictment, including the hack of Mt. Gox, a Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange that collapsed in 2014 after intruders stole $460 million from it. The former head of that firm, Mark Karpeles, is on trial in Japan.

Vinnik failed to register the BTC-e exchange with the Treasury Department, officials said.

He allegedly used it, along with his now defunct San Francisco-based bitcoin exchange Tradehill, to launder funds from the Mt. Gox incident and other operations.

The BTC-e website states that the company is registered in Bulgaria but organized according to the laws of Cyprus, officials said.

The firm maintained a base of operations in the Seychelles, and had registered Web domains in Singapore, the British Virgin Islands, France and New Zealand.

The grand jury named Vinnik as one of numerous known and unknown people who facilitated the illegal money laundering, according to the indictment.

Solve the Riddle?

The arrest of Vinnik adds a new twist to the case against Karpeles, the former head of Mt. Gox, said Mark Nunnikhoven, vice president of cloud research at Trend Micro.

Anyone can see money move from point A to point B  but unless A and B say who they are, they remain anonymous, he told the E-Commerce Times. In this case, law enforcement is trying to decode a chain that starts with Mt. Gox (A) and ends somewhere (Z). The DoJ is hinting that Mr. Vinnik is in that chain somewhere, which may be a key piece of the puzzle.

The repercussions may extend far beyond Mt. Gox and Karpeles, however.

Stories like these dont help the bitcoin or blockchain market in terms of reputation, said Jessica Groopman, principal analyst at Tractica.

Bitcoin was born of individuals intending to securely conduct transactions while circumventing centralized authorities, she told the E-Commerce Times.

However, the market has bifurcated significantly since early days  now financial services firms and governments are leading in, or at least heavily influencing research, development, and design of blockchain structures, Groopman pointed out.

There have been reputation problems since the early days, as bitcoin has been associated with Silk Road, cybercrime, and the dark Web. The arrest of Alexander Vinnik only resurfaces and reinforces these negative associations, she observed.

This is only exacerbated in light of broader American media coverage of alleged political investigations around money laundering and Russia, noted Groopman. Whether or not this specific case indicates insecurity in bitcoin or the market is less a matter of how it will be perceived, and surely this does not help bitcoins public image.
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(Photo: Francesco Sforza / Vatican Photographic Service)Pope Francis meets top leadership of the World Council of Churches at the Vatican on Aug. 24 2017.

Pope Francis and the leadership of the World Council of Churches have met in the Vatican and discussed how Christian unity is vital in bringing a true sense of justice to issues the world is facing today.

The Aug. 24 meeting attended by WCC moderator Dr. Agnes Abuom and WCC general secretary Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit also focused on how to deepen relations in the one ecumenical movement, the WCC reported.

Tveit, who is a Norwegian Lutheran said in remarks, "We are very grateful for the very constructive and fruitful meeting with Pope Francis today.

"We are living in a time when the purpose and the objectives of the ecumenical movement are highly relevant. Based on these realities, there is a need for a new search for unity."

"Through the many dimensions of its work, the WCC contributes to the unity of the church, and the unity that the WCC is able to express, in turn, contributes to the unity of humankind," Tveit noted.

He added: "There is a willingness in the WCC constituencies and beyond, in the Roman Catholic Church, to seek a united witness and a common service for those who need us to unite our agendas and resources for those who need our attention the most."

The WCC leader said that "we have a common view of the role of the ecumenical movement and the needs of the churches in a divided and fragile world."

Dr. Abuom, a Kenyan Anglican, underlined: "The unity of the church and the unity of humankind are interconnected."

She said that ecumenical endeavors cannot succeed without a deep understanding of what it means to live together "in the body of Christ, in the love of Christ. We are working, walking and praying together."

She also reflected that "The many expressions of polarization, greater gaps between rich and poor, extremism and violence, worries about the future of the planet Earth and withdrawal of accountability for our common home and future create a constant call upon what we stand for."

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE

Along with emphasizing the important role of faith leaders in seeking solutions to conflicts in the world, Abuom and Tveit also spoke about issues of climate change and economic justice as major concerns in the pilgrimage of justice and peace.

"The future of humanity is threatened; the poorest among us are already feeling the worst consequences of them. We encourage you and the Roman Catholic Church to be with us in mobilizing a real change of mind, heart and priorities," Tveit said.

The meeting with Pope Francis included common prayer for unity, peace and reconciliation. The audience concluded with a collective wish to explore opportunities to meet in 2018.

The visit to Rome was hosted by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity of the Roman Catholic Church. A special meeting took place with Cardinal Kurt Koch on the joint working group with the Catholic Church and the WCC.

Tveit gave Cardinal Koch the WCC document "Growth in Agreement IV: International Dialogue Texts and Agreed Statements, 2004  2014," which summarizes the textual fruits of ecumenical dialogue over the last decade.

The WCC delegation met with Dr Flaminia Giovanelli, under-secretary at the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the main focus of the discussion was on climate justice and COP23 in Bonn, nuclear weapons, an upcoming consultation on migration and xenophobia in December, and peacebuilding initiatives.

On Aug. 23 Abuom and Tveit also visited the Community of Sant'Egidio.

Tveit said: "We met with four young men in Rome who have come to Italy as refugees through a dangerous journey at the Mediterranean Sea. Two Christians, two Muslims."

He added, "Through participation in the programs of Sant' Egidio they have learnt Italian, been involved in voluntary work, and now have jobs."

Tveit expressed his concern that "many in Europe today see people like them as four problems - even risks. They are four human beings. Four lovely, strong young men who contribute to Europe doing work needed."

The WCC is a grouping of mainly Anglican, Orthodox and Protestant churches made up of some 560 million Christians with which the Catholic Church cooperates on many issues, without belonging to it as a member.
The Legislatures budget-writing committee has unanimously endorsed a $1 billion plan to build and maintain state facilities, including more than $60 million for the UW-Madison campus.

With a 16-0 vote Monday, the committee added the plan to the broader budget on which the full Legislature is expected to vote later this month.

The plan includes Gov. Scott Walkers $792 million in recommendations for buildings and facilities projects for colleges and universities and agencies throughout state government  both new construction and remodeling and maintenance of existing buildings.

It adds $223 million for building and facilities projects, most of it at the University of Wisconsins Madison, Eau Claire, Platteville, Parkside and River Falls campuses.

Some Dane County projects are included in the plan:

$32.7 million to overhaul utility infrastructure on the UW-Madison campus, including work on thermal, electrical, water and sewer facilities in two areas of campus: along Lathrop Drive and in the Bascom Hill area.

$23.7 million to remodel living units and replace a boiler at Mendota Mental Health Institute.

$23.6 million to build a parking ramp on the site of Parking Lot 62 on the UW-Madison campus.

$4.8 million to build a chronic wasting disease processing center for the state Department of Natural Resources  replacing an existing facility in Black Earth. The plan calls for the state to buy the building housing the DNR Science Operations Center in Monona, then build, as an addition, a 4,700-square-foot chronic wasting disease processing center.

$4 million for renovations to UW-Extensions Lowell Hall, 610 Langdon St.
Americans support for public schools has risen in the last yearacross the country and across the political spectrumbut the public also wants schools to go beyond academics to provide more career and student health supports, according to the 49th annual education poll by Phi Delta Kappa International.

The percentage of Americans rating K-12 education qualityat both the national and local levelsat an A or B is the highest its been since the 1980s.

That echoes the results of a Gallup opinion poll released last week, which found 47 percent of Americans completely or somewhat satisfied with the quality of K-12 education, up 4 percentage points from last year. More Democrats reported being satisfied than Republicans, but conservative participants showed the biggest jump in support, from 32 percent in 2016 to 43 percent this year.

I do think some of this is a Trump effect, said Nat Malkus, a resident scholar and deputy director of education policy programs at the free-market-oriented American Enterprise Institute, who was not involved in the survey. President Donald Trumps and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos high-profile and unsuccessful push to cut education funding and launch a large-scale private school voucher program may have engendered a backlash resulting in increasing defense of traditional public schools, he said. The national story has definitely been pro-private, so the traditional public school advocates have girded their loins in support, so to speak, and may have made conservatives more vocally supportive of their public schools.

Fifty-two percent of Americans polled by PDK this May opposed publicly funding vouchers for private schools, and opposition significantly increases for religious school vouchers. Thats a slight increase in support from 2014, however, when two-thirds of respondents opposed publicly funded vouchers. PDK has asked about support for publicly funded vouchers 20 times since 1972, said Joshua Starr, the chief executive officer of PDK International, and there has never been a majority in favor of paying for them. Forty-six percent of public school parents said they would move their child if their tuition would be paid at a private or parochial schoolthough only 28 percent would leave public school if they only got half of private school tuition paid.

Growing Support for Public K-12

Americans seemed to be pushing for less focus on standardized tests as a measure of school quality, and more analysis of how well schools prepare students to be successful adults after graduation, Starr said.

Sixty-five percent or more believed that public schools should get more money to provide after-school programs and mental, physical, and dental health care for students who would not have it otherwise.

Theres something missing from both the policy conversation on education and also the classroom; people just want to see schools doing more than they are currently doing, he said. A lot of people who want their kids going to college want them to have interpersonal skills and career skills as well.

The poll found that more than 80 percent of Americans believe schools should offer career skills and industry certificates or licensing courses in schools. More than half of those polled favored more career-oriented courses even if it meant students spent less time in purely academic courses.

However, both career-education and college-expectation questions revealed big gender gaps among parents of public school students. Sixty-four percent of parents whose oldest child is a boy wanted more career-skills courses, compared to only 49 percent of parents of girls. And while 55 percent of girls parents expected them to go to a four-year college, only 39 percent of boys parents expected their sons to earn at least a bachelors degree. In fact, 45 percent of the parents didnt expect their sons to attend college at all.

We in the field have been talking about four-year college or bust, and what parents are saying is yeah, four-year college is important, but a lot of parents are saying my kid may not be going to college or may be going to college and be working, Starr said.

Malkus said the gender gap in college expectations greatly surprised him. Nine out of 20 parents dont expect their boy to go to college. Thats nuts, he said.

Mixed Interest in Diversity

For the first time, PDK also asked how important it was for schools in a community to have racially and economically diverse student populationsand Americans response was somewhat lukewarm.

More than half of those polled said racial and ethnic diversity was very important and improves the school learning environment for black, white, and Hispanic students alike. But most of that support came from black and Hispanic respondents and from liberals; only 48 percent of white Americans and 43 percent of Republicans polled thought racial diversity was highly important. And while 70 percent of parents said theyd prefer to send their child to a racially diverse school if all else was equal, only 25 percent said they would do the same if it lengthened their childs commute to school.

Its pretty difficult for people to say diversity is bad, Malkus said, but added: Whats interesting about that is when theres a cost associated with it there is that huge difference in support. It goes directly at the heart of why school segregation is such a stubborn problem.

There was even less support for economic diversitythe primary method of integrating schools since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007 ruled against race-targeted, school-assignment systems. Only 48 percent of those polled thought economic integration improved learning for poor students, and 10 percent thought going to a school with more poor students would lead to worse education for wealthier students.

Diversity for its own sake may be a value folks have, but any effort to organize a school and school system for diversity must be a value proposition, Starr said. Folks prefer diversity, but they really dont want to work for it. Thats pretty much what it comes down to.

The PDK poll was based on a random, representative sample of 1,588 adults across all 50 states, who were interviewed in May by mobile or land telephone in English or Spanish. The Gallup poll was based on August telephone interviews with a random, nationally representative sample of 1,017 adults.




Fonterra hailed as New Zealand's top co-op



Fonterra has been judged as New Zealand's top co-operative business of the year, and praised for a "stunning financial turnaround, generous social responsibility programmes and a high profile campaign proudly proclaiming its Kiwi farmer-owned, co-operative status."



The sector's peak body Cooperative Business New Zealand (CBNZ) made the award at a function in Auckland, New Zealand, in August.



Shareholders' Council Chair Duncan Coull, who collected the award, said Fonterra's farmers should take pride in the special recognition for their co-op.



"Our farmer shareholders set themselves high standards, and it's their daily hard work and commitment that drives the success of the co-op. I also want to recognise the energy and contribution of our staff in helping build a co-op that returns such value to shareholders, local communities and the New Zealand economy," Coull commented.



In making the award, CBNZ CEO Craig Presland said Fonterra had achieved a stunning financial turnaround over the past 12 to 18 months.



"With its 2016/17 payout forecast to be at least 50% up on the year before, this injects an additional $3.6 billion into the (New Zealand) economy and will benefit many fellow co-operatives significantly," Presland remarked.



He also added that Fonterra has completed a comprehensive co-operative governance review and raised its profile with the public so that it is now better understood as a member-owned co-operative "and not a corporate."



"(Fonterra) has also continued to generously support New Zealanders within the spirit of Concern for Community, a key co-operative principle. Its Milk for Schools programme, which is now in its fifth year, is the largest social responsibility programme ever driven by a Kiwi commercial business. The more than $10 million a year initiative currently benefits more than 140,000 kiwi kids each school day," Presland said.



CBNZ represents the growing business sector of co-operatives, mutuals and societies, which employ more than 48,000 New Zealanders and generates over NZ$43 billion (US$31 billion) a year in revenues for the country's economy. The amount is almost 20% of New Zealand's GDP while almost one-in-three locals is currently served by a co-operative, mutual or society as a member.



- Fonterra






South Korea's NOFI acquires corn, soymeal in tender



Nonghyup Feed Inc. (NOFI), the biggest feed producer in South Korea, has acquired about 207,000 tonnes of corn and about 60,000 tonnes of soymeal, which will be sourced from optional origins in an international tender, according to a Reuters report.



The yellow corn was bought in three consignments, amounting to 69,000 tonnes each. The first consignment was bought at around US$183.30/tonne, cost and freight (c&f), and will arrive on December 10 this year, European traders said.

All three consignments carry an additional US$1.25/tonne surcharge for additional port unloading.

The soymeal was purchased in a single consignment at US$349.71 a tonne, c&f, for arrival around Feburary 5, 2018.



- Reuters
To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020.
WASHINGTON  Lyndon Johnson, deciding whether to fire FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, famously reasoned that its probably better to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in.

President Trump has made a different choice, opting to fire Stephen Bannon, the nationalist envoy of the alt-right in the White House. And now Bannon, who only last week was boasting that his rivals within the administration were wetting themselves, is on the outside, fly unzipped.

Bannon has returned to Breitbart News, his former haunt and the voice of the white right, and on Tuesday night, when Trump addressed the nation about Afghanistan, Bannons Breitbart hit Trump with three unfriendly headlines:

Trump defends flip-flop in somber speech

His McMasters voice: Is Trump Afghanistan policy that different from Obamas?

Donald Trump echoes Obamas Blank Check rhetoric in Afghanistan speech

Which way the flow goes now in these early days of the post-Bannon White House could well be determinative  not just for the Trump presidency but for the country as it grapples with a re-emergence of white supremacists. Can Trump control the wave of racism he has released?

Monday night brought an encouraging sign. Trump announced a responsible Afghanistan policy that was essentially a continuation of existing strategy  that is, not the pullout Trump had wanted nor Bannons cockamamie idea of turning the war over to the scandal-prone company formerly known as Blackwater. Just as important was the way he announced it, with an appeal to unity that had none of Bannons American carnage influence.

We cannot remain a force for peace in the world if we are not at peace with each other, he said. As we send our bravest to defeat our enemies overseas  and we will always win  let us find the courage to heal our divisions within.

But is that what Trump really wants? Or was Bannon right when he told The Weekly Standard after his dismissal that Trumps natural tendency  and I think you saw it this week on Charlottesville  his default position is the position of his base, the position that got him elected. But Bannons cause for despair  I think theyre going to try to moderate him ... I think itll be much more conventional  is my cause for hope.

The consequences could hardly be greater, because there are signs the country is on the cusp of a new wave of racial violence. Arie Perliger, who wrote an authoritative report on rising violence by right-wing extremists while teaching at West Point and who now is director of security studies at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, says the recent violence in Charlottesville and elsewhere is just the tip of the iceberg.

There have been a few hundred such incidents of domestic terrorism annually in recent years by far-right-affiliated perpetrators, but the previously gradual increase in violence is accelerating under Trump, for three reasons. They feel the election validated their worldview and indicated popular support for their views; they believe the Trump administration will be more tolerant of their actions; they are frustrated that, so far, Trumps agenda has been largely thwarted.

And now, Charlottesville. Here, for the first time ever, they were able really to penetrate the American political system. Suddenly their views are less marginalized, and the president himself says there are fine people there, Perliger tells me. For 100 years, nobody could imagine an American president saying that. That hes willing to endorse the leaders of the Confederate side of the Civil War, for them thats an indication that their agenda has some seeds of support.

Trump has much say over whether these seeds take root. The new Washington Post/ABC News poll finds that 9 percent of Americans believe its acceptable to hold Nazi or white-supremacist views. But because Americans make so many judgments through a partisan lens, any position Trump takes drives most Republicans to embrace the same position. In a SurveyMonkey poll, when respondents were told that Trump had said people on both sides in Charlottesville were responsible for the violence, Republicans reflexively agreed, 87 percent to 11 percent.

Bannon was all about exploiting this, using the campaign and presidency to stoke racial grievances, to convince people that immigrants and globalists were to blame for their troubles.

But now Bannon is outside the tent, doing what LBJ talked about. Trump is the one who matters. He can do what George W. Bush did, honorably, after 9/11, preaching tolerance. Or he can prove beyond any doubt that his natural tendency is as base as Bannon believes it to be.
Let them march in Charlottesville. Let them speak.

Hate-propagating neo-Nazis and bottom-dwelling white supremacists  the dregs of our open society  have and should have First Amendment rights to speak and march in public.

We need to see them for what they are: a disappointing collection of the disaffected; some parading around in silly costumes, often ignorant of the real meaning and history of the symbols they display, carrying torches meant as much to intimidate as to illuminate.

We need to hear them for what they say: advocacy of discredited ideas involving racial purity and intolerance, couched in misrepresentations of U.S. history and the American experience.

We need to understand them for what they are: betrayers of what President Lincoln called our better angels, of the principles of equality, justice and the rule of law  painfully worked out over time and sometimes imperfectly at the outset, through the self-correcting processes of speaking and writing freely, of assembling and petitioning peaceably for change.

Granted, it is tempting after events like those of last weekend to take another view. While there is only a small fraction of our fellow citizens who hold such repellent views on white supremacy and racial hatred, there is the very real danger that a few more, and then a few more than that, will be seduced by false pretentions and misleading presentations of patriotism, economic security and personal safety.

History tells us of the rise at various times in our nation of groups preaching hate and bigotry and violence, using their rights of speech, press and assembly to inflame rather than inform, incite rather than inspire, and indoctrinate rather than educate. Nativists, the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and others at various times have used fear, prejudice and ignorance to flourish and gain public accommodation or support  sometimes for decades  before crawling back under the social rocks from whence they came.

Its tempting to believe that if only such domestic terrorists were silenced by government, their views would dissipate; that out of sight truly would mean out of mind. But such censoring, suppressing and silencing is a betrayal of our core principles  along with being ineffective and often counterproductive. If it ever was possible, never mind desirable, to counter such anti-American sentiments by silencing its proponents, it is now a lost cause in the Age of the Internet and social media. A few provocative tweets or a viral video can reach a global audience that dwarfs anything possible in earlier human history.

But, the desire to do something when we witness demonstrations of hate and regressive ideologies can tempt us to take actions that ultimately erode our freedoms.

More than a decade ago, when the hatemongering Westboro Baptist Church group began appearing at the funerals of U.S. military personnel who died in combat, the tiny assembly gained far more visibility than it could have purchased otherwise through its well-publicized fights with municipal authorities seeking to shut down or shunt to remote locations its offensive messages about gays and others.

Defenders of free expression sometimes are the target of those who espouse what the late First Amendment advocate Nat Hentoff described as Free Speech for Me, but not for Thee. The ACLU of Virginia is being vehemently attacked online for representing in court the white supremacist group that successfully challenged the Charlottesville governments initial decision to ban the group from gathering in a centrally located city park, in favor of a more isolated park about a mile away. What other stand should the ACLU, which has been protecting the free speech rights of opposing groups for nearly a century, have taken?

The First Amendment protects us all from government actions based solely on our views or the content of our expression. There is no national authority on whats right or acceptable  no national nanny to rap knuckles over offensive, disgusting or repugnant views. U.S. District Judge Glen Conrad, in rejecting the government ban on the alt-right rally in Charlottesville, was not validating the views of those who gathered. Rather, Conrad was upholding the nations commitment to free speech, and the view of the nations founders that their descendants would arrive at the best solution for the greatest number of people.

Hate speech, racial prejudice and policies rooted in white supremacy beliefs were accepted in much of the nation for decades, until confronted by a modern civil rights movement that finally touched a nations conscience  and altered its law books  by using all five of the First Amendment freedoms. And the right of free expression stood strong to counter public officials of that era who also cited public safety as justification to oppose or arrest those calling for racial justice.

We dont want to hand our government, at any level, the authority to restrain free expression on the mere supposition that it may provoke violence  or worse, because many or even most in a locale oppose it. Over time, we have developed and been well-served by legal doctrines narrowly defining when officials can act to suppress speeches, rallies or marches. From schools to sidewalks, those laws focus applying restrictions on conduct rather than suppressing the ideas behind those actions.

Lets concede that this system is not neat and tidy. It requires great effort and great restraint on the part of police and elected officials charged with public safety.

We are debating the limits of free expression in other areas of life today.

On college campuses, some argue that their right to be free from exposure to some views is greater than the freedom for others to express those views.

In the wake of the tragedy in Charlottesville, we must remain committed to our core belief that were better off  and ultimately, more secure  when we may freely discuss, debate and decide.

For those who repudiate hate groups and the ugly messages they work to spread, lets keep in mind another adage of the First Amendment community: Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
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A Springfield man has warned parents and dog owners to be on the lookout after several snakes were seen slithering around a Chelmsford park.

Richard Martin, 49, has on two occasions spotted what he believes to be adders in several different places throughout Arun Park in the past month.

He has even managed to snap photographs of two serpents before they slipped away, the most recent one being as he walked back home from the city centre on Saturday afternoon (August 26).

"As I got closer, it slithered away into the grass," said Richard, describing one of his encounters.

"You could tell it was an adder from the zigzags on its back - an adder is quite distinctive.

"You can't mistake an adder at all, it wasn't a grass snake. It seems they're a bit of a common occurrence this year - I must have seen about four in the past month.

"The one I saw on Saturday must have been about two-feet long."

After realising the adders, which are the only venomous snake native to Britain, had become a common feature of the park, Richard posted a warning on Facebook.

"I posted because there are kids in that park and it is the school holidays," he said.

"I wouldn't want anyone to be bitten by an adder."

From the conversations he's had with other users of the park, it seems he's not the only person to have noticed the scaly specimens.

Despite sending out a cautionary message, Richard is not at all bothered the snakes have taken up residence in the park.

He said: "To be honest, I think it's quite nice we have got this sort of wildlife in our local green spaces.

"But I can understand people's fears and I know people like snakes.

"It's something a bit different to have in Chelmsford ."

Richard has also contacted Chelmsford City Council to ask whether they would consider putting up warning signs along the park's pathway.

"I remember reading somewhere that someone's dog had been bitten by an adder in the Lake District and it had died and so warning signs were put up," he added.

"I don't think anybody has died from an adder bite in the UK for more than 20 years. They're more likely to disappear than to confront you."

Chelmsford City Council have been approached for comment.
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Inmates at Chelmsford Prison will soon be given access to phones and laptops in their cells in a bid to tackle the rise of violent incidents at the institution.

The new scheme, which is set to be implemented from September, is being supported by the city's new MP, Vicky Ford, who met with the prison's governor Steve Rodford OBE this week.

The meeting was designed to allow Mrs Ford to build a relationship between herself and prison staff and to understand how the measures being put in place will fight the influx of drugs and prevent an escalation in violence among inmates at the Category B prison.

Mrs Ford, 49, said: "There have been problems in our prisons and Chelmsford was one of the 10 prisons in the whole of the country that was marked as in need of extra support.

"We have seen a rise in the number of incidents happening and attacks happening.

"That's why a report that came out in the summer saw Chelmsford given a ranking of two, which means there are areas of concern."

One of the reasons the prison has seen a rise in violence has been attributed to a fall in staff recruitment and overcrowding, something which is being rectified by a recent recruitment drive to hire more staff, including mental health nurses.

Another major cause of concern has been the level of drugs in circulation throughout the prison, made worse by the fact that people have been able to throw packages over the walls of the Springfield Road site.

"It is difficult when you have a prison right in the middle of the city," said Mrs Ford, who was formerly the Member of European Parliament for the East of England.

"If an inmate is able to get a hold of a mobile phone they can get in contact with someone on the outside.

"The prison have invested quite a considerable amount of money putting in netting, which prevents the throwing of objects and I know the governor has done a lot of work about the risk of throwing packages over the prison walls.

"There's also been an investment in detection equipment and in dogs too."

Changes to the law on when defendants are granted bail has led to an increase in inmates at the already crowded institution, something which Mrs Ford believes will already add to the tensions within the prison.

With all these factors in mind, a number of prisons across the UK have trialed giving inmates controlled access to laptops and phones within their cells, which has led to the number of violent incidents being cut in half.

This scheme will see prisoners in Chelmsford be able to make phone calls in private after hours as well as being able to use the laptops to book appointments.

Delving deeper into the concept, Mrs Ford said: "The example I was given would be where someone hasn't been able to see their family, so they would be able to access the digital facilities so that they could see if there were any spaces left to arrange a visit.

"Prisoners would also be able to log a request for a phone call from the family later on. There's a bit more control over managing their prison life.

"One of the issues they have is that they want to be able to stay in contact with their families on the outside.

"Mobile phones are extremely difficult for the prison staff because they can't monitor what's being said over the phone.

"It wouldn't be like our phones at home - the calls are still monitored  but the prisoners would be able to make the calls from their cells.

"If someone's wife was doing shift work and he can't speak to her because she gets home late, he would be able to speak to her later on.

"It's a recognition that not everyone lives a nine-to-five life."

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that all in-cell phones will be limited to a number of pre-approved phone numbers with robust restrictions in place.

Each number will have to be approved by the prison's security department and there will be strict controls in place to ensure that offenders cannot contact their victim.

While Mrs Ford has conceded the decision to give convicted criminals access to digital platforms was not likely to be popular with her constituents, she strongly believes it is the right move.

"It's not the most popular move but this is not giving them access to Facebook or social media, this is us seeing how we can try to calm down what is a significantly crowded prison," she said.

"They aren't going to be able to buy goods on Amazon.

"We now have lots of staff, a lot of whom are young and I want to make sure they are protected and this idea of giving prisoners access to digital technology, in a controlled manner, has been shown to reduce the number of violent incidents."

Mrs Ford also expressed how impressed she was that the prison had taken steps to improve the treatment received by prisoners with mental health issues and how digital technology could also be used to improve inmates' well-being.

"There are more prisoners there than it was ever designed to take," she said.

"This is a real issue because you have more prisoners with mental health issues in Chelmsford then we have had historically and that puts a lot extra responsibility on the prison staff.

"They now won't have to go with the officers to book an appointment or speak to family members.

"There's still more to do, there needs to be an investment in mental health facilities across the whole country and more mental health units."

Mrs Ford is scheduled to return to Chelmsford Prison in September where she will be given a guided tour to see how improvements are working in action.

A prison service spokesman said: "Digital technology will allow prison officers to focus their time on the important task of reforming offenders and making prisons safer.



"We will utilise technology so offenders can complete a range of activities for themselves, such as booking onto training courses without the need for officers to manage the paperwork.



"This means prison officers can spend more of their time on the frontline working towards making prisons more secure."
Written by ACM

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- The interesting Strategy agreed Today on how to handle the Challenge of Mass Migration from Africa at EU's "Big 4" Summit in Paris, which brought Together French, German, Italian and Spanish Heads of State/Government, (Macron, Merkel, Gentilone and Rajoy) with several directly concerned African Countries, focused mainly on establishing UNHCR "Hotspots" to Verify Real Refugees at the Other Side of the Mediterranean Sea, in order to Stop Irregular Migrants' often Deadly Maritime Crossings and Smugglers' Trafficking, avoid Infiltration of Terrorists and Protect European Societies' cohesion, while also Opening a Crystal-clear, Legal Access to Europe for seriously Threatened Persons who legitimately seek Safety.



The obvious Question inevitably Raised by that European Move naturaly is : - Why EU doesn't do the Same also vis a vis Turkey ?



Indeed, Ankara has notoriously let More than 1,5 Million Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants suddenly tresspass EU's External Borders (most often via Systematicaly Organized Turkish Smugglers) mainly via the Greek Islands, already in 2015-2016, and Still Threatens to do more or less alike nowadays, while, in the meantime, the most Recent UNHCR and IMO Figures reveal that such a Risk has anew Started to Emerge also on 2017 (See relevant Facts Infra)...



EU has reportedly Promised to African Nations some 1,8 Billions  earlier, (largely Loans), while, on the Contrary, Turkey asked and was attributed almost the Double + : 3 Billions  Each Year, (all in Full Grants). But the Huge African Continent has, comparatively, a much Bigger potential for Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants, including through Poverty, Violent Conflicts and Islamist Terrorists, even ISIS-related, from Nigeria and Mali, etc., up to Libya and even Morocco, etc, as, inter alia, the Recent Attack which Targetted innocent Civilian People in Barcelona (Spain), reminded just a few Days ago, (Comp. f.ex. : ... ).



As for some's Claims that Turkey might have considerably Reduced itself the 2015-2016 unprecedented Huge "Tsunami" of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants just Because of a Controversial EU - Turkey Deal, they are simply Wrong, as "Eurofora" has already Proved, in a Publication made on May 2016, Based mainly on the Analysis of irrefutable Data from Competent International Organisations, such as UNHCR, IMO, etc., (See : ...) :



- In Fact, the Number of Irregular Mass Tresspassings of EU's External Borders through Turkey had already Started to Sharply Fall, and indeed Fell Down very Rapidly, Months Before that Cntroversial EU - Turkey Deal was Concluded, Signed, and Entered into Force : Because this was Achieved much Earlier, precisely when cartain European (EU and Not EU) Countries, mainly located through the so-called "Western Balkans Route", from Hungary and Austria up to FYROM, etc, progressively Started to Close their own Borders, and Urgently Protect them with Police, Army, Fences, etc., so that the Message was Strongly given that whoever might Enter Greece through Turkey, from Now on, would be Trapped there, withOut any Chance to Reach Germany and other desired EU Countries.



Recently, even Italy reportedly Started to react in a Similar manner, f.ex. by Threatening to Close all its SeaPorts to African Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants - importing Vessels, and by trying to Directly Deal with Libyan and other Entities, etc., until it Started to Produce some First concrete Results : Indeed, the Numbers of such Massive Influx towards Italy Fell Down on July and August 2017, after having Risen considerably during the Previous Months :



- F.ex. the Average number of Daily Arrivals in Italy has just Fallen, from 370 during July 2017, Down to just 112 during August, according to UNHCR. And this Downward Trend is Now Accelerating even Further : Thus, the Latest Daily Figures, between 23 - 27 August 2017 are Only : 0, 0, 73, 53 and 64 per Day. Meanwhile, Total Arrivals to Italy, which had Risen almost Every Month at a Higher Level from the Previous Year (2016) between February and June (Up to More than 23 Thousands per Month), suddenly Started to Fall Down to the Half of where they were the Previous Month, on July and August 2017, (Down to about 3 Thousand).



Nevertheless, the overall Number of Total Arrivals in Italy during 2017 remained almost as High as Back on 2016, until Today (August 28) : i.e. About 98.000 compared to 105.000, respectively.



--------------------

Influx from Turkey grows

-------------------------



But, the most Recent Trend is, on the Contrary, to Grow Upwards, as far as the Arrivals from Turkey to Greece are concerned in 2017, which Augment, these Days, quite Sharply, pointing anew at the Shaky Limits of that Controversial EU - Turkey Deal :



- F.ex., for the 1st Time in 2017, More than 200 Arrivals per Day from Turkey reached Greece a Day of April (205), May (203), July (251), and August (247), when the Daily Influx Grew up to 341 (July) and 328 (August), Reaching even ... 512 another Day of this Month ! Meanwhile, the Average Daily Arrivals in Greece almost DOUBLED between July and August 2017, Growing from 73 per Each Day, to More than 122. During Five Recent Days (19-23 August) Greece saw Daily Numbers of ...341, 512, 125 and 221 !

Thus, for the Last 2 Weeks (14 - 27 August 2017) Arrivals in Greece from Turkey ..."Exploded", becoming almost the DOUBLE of those in Italy : approximatively 2 Thousands, instead of just 1 Thousand, (1.960 instead of 989), respectively, according to the Latest Figures published by the International Organisation of Migration. ..



This Growing Trend might be, in Fact, much Longer and Frequent : F.ex., according to IOM's Mediterranean Statistics, at least from January up to June 2017 (included) , Greece, Italy (where Turkey's influx grew), and Spain, saw More Arrivals than during the Same Months in the Year 2015. In Addition, on April, May and June 2017, they saw More Arrivals than during the Same Months in the Year 2016. (See relevant IOM's Graphics).



+ Security aspects appear also Worsening :



F.ex., on July 2017 the Number of Fatal Incidents (Deaths) among People Trying to Tresspass into Greece (EU) via Turkey, for the First Time, Grew Bigger than that of the Last Year, 2016 : Almost 550 (instead of about 390)...



And the Number of Arrivals to Greece from Syria, (while ISIS and other Deadly Islamist Terrorists Targetting even innocent Civilian People are notoriously Losing Ground recently, Both around Aleppo, Palmyra and Raqqa, as well as elsewhere), became Much Bigger in 2017, than what it was Last Year, Back on 2016 (almost Double)...



=> In Consequence, a notorious Risk for More and More Former Violent "Djihadists" to Infiltrate the Influx of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants Arriving inside Europe (as it already happened since 2015, f.ex. in Paris, etc) becomes Greater, Augmenting the current Threats of Terrorist Attacks against European People.



-----------------------------------------



++ In Parallel, the continuing Blockade of the Westen Balkans' Route (Comp. Supra), inevitably Augments the Number of Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants "Trapped" in Greece, making the Situation more and more Difficult for All, particularly at the Islands, (as various Recent Incidents reveal).



+++ At the Time, the Total Influx in Europe via Turkey becomes even Wider, as Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants pushed by mainly Turkish Smugglers Recently Started, for the 1st Time, to Arrive not only in Greece, but also in Italy (where the Turkish-Origin Flows Augmented notably on 2017), and even up to Romania, through the Black Sea !



---------------------------------------



=> Therefore, for all those Reasons, there is No More any Excuse for the Turkish Government to eventualy Refuse the Establishment of EU and UNHCR-monitored "Hotspots" inside Turkey itself, with EU AId, when several Key African Countries Agree to do so, Today !



This could Save Human Lives of Refugees/Migrants (Comp. Supra), Help Prevent Deadly Terrorist Attacks in Europe, preserve European Society's Socio-Cultural Cohesion and Peace, be More Logical also from a Cultural/Religious point of view, and even more Proportional and Fair :



- Indeed, Only ... 3 % of Turkey's Population are Immigrants, while, on the Contrary, in Italy Migrants represent More than 9%, in Greece more than 11%, in France 12% and more in Spain, in the UK 13%, and in Germany almost 15%, according to the International Organisation for Migration's official Data !



+ After all, it's particularly through Turkey, and its "porous" Borders that various Armed Groups started and continued a Bloody War against the Syrian Government, (whose Removal Ankara stubornly demands for Years in vain), but also in Iraq (f.ex. around Mosul, the Christian valey of Nivine and towards the Kurdish areas, etc), at the same time that Brutal Islamist Terrorists (as ISIS, various Al Quaida-like Gangs, etc) found ways to Recruit "Jihadists" from Abroad, Logistical Support, various Lucrative illegal Traffics, bring Weapons, etc., as it's Notoriously known, and the Russian Authorities clearly Documented a few Years earlier, even several mainstream but Dissident Turkish Journalists Denounced themselves, with Original Press Investigations' Findings, etc...



Therefore, Ankara's controversial Regime clearly Bears a great part of Responsibility for that Tragic Mess in Syria, etc., undeniably.



And even More for that UnPrecedented, sudden Giant "Tsunami" of more than 1,5 Millions of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants that mainly Turkish Smugglers threw against Europe since 2015-2016, with manifold Dangerous or Negative Consequences, often Tragic Sufferings, that still Provoke Serious Concerns to all European People until Today, as Many Polls attest until Nowadays.



---------------------------------------------

And Morocco ?

----------------------------------------------



Last, but not least, various converging Recent Developments obviously Raise Questions about the probable Need for Morocco also eventually Participate in the present Agreements and Negotiations between leading EU and key African Countries, concerning that Interestig Deal highlighted at Today's Conference in Paris :



Indeed, in Addition to the Fact that Morocco is the Only African Country which has Almost continuous Territorial Links with Europe, and well Beyond its famous Bilateral Deal with Spain on Mass Migration Monitoring, which notoriously worked quite Efficiently until now, it became Recently Obvious that it canNot be Neglected by the EU, if it really wants to Face the Growing Challenged of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants :



- Already, UNHCR and IOM Official Data reveal that the Numbers of such Massive Influx towards Europe became in 2017 much Bigger than before : F.ex., they almost ... DOUBLED on 2017, compared to 2016, the Arrivals of People from Africa Reaching the European Continent, from almost 5.000 to about 10.000 during just the first six Months of the Year.



+ To this were Added More than 700 African Migrants, equiped with Clubs, Sticks, Stones, etc. and Violently Attacking the Spanish Guards at the Borders between the two Countries, in a Brutal Attempt to Break through the Barriers and Enter inside Europe. About 600 More, were reportedly Rescued by a Spanish Government's Ship, while also "several Dozens" of others managed to Arrive by a makeshift Vessel which reportedly crashed at Andalousia Southern Region's SeaCoast in August, just a few Days ago.



Followed, Shorty afterwards, even a series of Deadly Islamist Terrorist Attacks inside Europe, Targetting innocent Civilian People, (f.ex. in Spain, Finland, etc), the Perpetrators of which, mostly originated from Morocco, for the first time so numerous, (Comp., f.ex.; : ....).



=> It has, thus, become obvious that Morocco should Not be Ignored in the case of a Wide, Collectively Agreed Joint Mechanism, for Europe and Africa, due to Help Organise and Monitor Mass Migration issues, as it was decided at Today's Paris' Summit, between EU's "Big 4" Countries and Libya, Chad, Mali and Niger from Africa, as well as EU's High Representative for External Action.



Even is Spain was actively included in Today's Summit, Morocco's absence should better be overcome in the foreseable Future, in one way or another, for more Efficiency.



In other words, French President Macron's alleged main Idea, (already supported recently by experienced former President Sarkozy, who met twice Macron earlier), agreed Together with Geman Chancellor Merkel and Italian and Spanish Prime Ministers Gentilone and Rajoy Today, to create EU/UNHCR-backed "Hotspots" in the Countries of Origin and/or Transit, in order to Screen Real Refugees needing EU's Help, while also Stopping Irregular Migration as such, naturaly looks Good, but should, normaly, be applied accross a Wider area, mutatis-mutandis :



- I.e. also on Turkey and probably on Morocco, etc.

A similar generalized move had, indeed, been already advised by ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party's Heads of State/Government Summit in Madrid, Spain, organized by EPP's President, exprienced former Top EU Parliament's MEP from Strasbourg, Joseph Daul, where both Merkel and Rajoy had participated, as well as by a PanEuropean CoE's Parliamentary Assembly's Resolution, debated and voted in Strasbourg.

Meanwhile, Macron is expected to make an Official Visit to Greece on September 7-8, and fixed Yesterday a RDV with Turkish President Erdogan for a bilateral meeting in the sidelines of UNO's General Assembly in New York, later-on that Same Month, where almost All Heads of State/Government are usually present each year. Elysee's Press Services noted that he spoke also about Syria, but didn't say whether he evoked, already, the above mentioned main Draft Plan Agreed Today in Paris among the Leaders of the 4 Biggest EU27 Member States and concerned African Nations, (Comp. Supra).

Macron did so, while also urging Erdogan to Free a Student Journalist from France, currently Jailed in Turkey. I.e. by pursuing, in parallel, Both a Human Rights and a Geo-Political Agenda, precisely as he's expected to do also in his forthcoming Meeting in Paris, on August 31, with PanEuropean CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland, where Migration, Security and Human Rights issues will probably be associated, inter alia, with Ukraine and other Topical Developments.



(../..)

----------------------

***

("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora" Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version might be published asap).
The foundations of the Euro-Atlantic security order are eroding. The years since the 2001 withdrawal by the United States from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABMT) have seen a host of such agreements, so painstakingly negotiated in order to bring a semblance of predictability and stability to the region, cancelled or undermined.

The list of the damage is a long one. For example, Russia suspended its participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE) in 2007 and officially halted all cooperation in 2015, whilst railing against NATO deployments to the territory of new members in the east. Western states accuse Russia of violating the spirit, if not the letter, of the OSCE Vienna Document on confidence and security building measures in order to avoid international observation and pre-notification of its largest military exercises. Through its 2014 annexation of Crimea, Russia has overturned the principles sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Helsinki Final Act, whilst disregarding its own assurances of Ukrainian territorial integrity, through the Budapest Memorandum, which set the conditions for the withdrawal of Soviet nuclear weapons from that country. All NATO-Russia Council cooperative projects remain suspended, whilst Russia and the United States trade accusations over the other sides perceived violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).

Alongside this long list, one agreement has persevered: the Open Skies Treaty (OST). The OST was initially conceived as a bilateral US-USSR initiative in 1989, [1] but was swiftly multilateralised to a current total of 35 signatories, entering into force in 2002. The Treaty permits member states to conduct observation flights over the territory of other members (in the presence of representatives of the state being observed), allowing the collection of photographs and other pre-agreed sensor data relating to militarily significant facilities. This data is then made available to all other signatory states through a pooled repository hosted by the OSCE.

The OST works as a stand-alone confidence and security building measure (CSBM) as well as a facilitator for arms control agreements (most prominently for New START [2]) by increasing the transparency of national force postures throughout the Euro-Atlantic space. The aerial imaging collected by OST flights is a valuable resource to those states without access to advanced satellite systems. It allows them to verify, to some degree at least, that any change of force posture by their neighbours does not signify aggressive intent. This collectively pooled intelligence serves to lessen regional security dilemmas, whereby a military build-up perceived as defensive by the initiating state triggers a similar build-up by neighbouring states that fear aggression, thus triggering an unintended downward spiral of mistrust and suspicion. The Treaty is regularly lauded by many of its signatories. [3]

However, even the OST has not proven immune from the deterioration of relations between Russia and its neighbours. Some in the United States, for example, have raised concerns about Russian overflights of American territory following an upgrade to the observation equipment in Russian aircraft, ultimately threatening effective US participation in the Treaty. [4] Russia for its part has restricted access by outside observers to sensitive areas such as the Kaliningrad exclave. [5] Tensions between Greece and Turkey over potential Cypriot accession to the Treaty have also at times led to a partial suspension of the Treatys provisions.

Arguably of even greater concern is the total suspension of the Treatys mechanisms between Russia and Georgia, in relation to the contested nature of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Paragraph 2 Section 2 of the Treaty allows for the legitimate refusal of access to an area bordering a non-signatory state. [6] It is on this basis that Russia, having formally recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states in August 2008, began in May 2010 to deny the right of overflight to OST observers (a joint US-Romania flight in the first instance) over the Russian territory contiguous with these two breakaway regions. This has remained a consistent policy, and ultimately no such request was made in 2016. [7] It is in response to this Russian policy that Georgia, in 2012, formally suspended Russias right to observe its territory. [8]

The role of disputed territories as spoilers for arms control agreements and confidence and security building measures is not new. But in the context of increased Russia-West confrontation and eroding security agreements, it is particularly important that all possible options for addressing misperception and reducing risk should be carefully considered. During the present period of increased military activity throughout the wider region, the reduction of mutual observation between Russia and Georgia leads to uncertainties over military intent and to exaggerated risk perceptions.

It is important to note that efforts to resolve the absence of OST overflights in no way undermine Georgias rightful claim to its territorial integrity. Such efforts merely seek to improve trust on a military-political level between Tbilisi and Moscow, thus reducing the risk of unintended military confrontation and facilitating more stable conflict resolution.

A Status-Neutral Approach

In short, it would be desirable to find a mechanism by which OST flights could resume between Russia and Georgia in a way that did not impinge on the issue of the international status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

There are two principal options for such a mechanism. The first would be a Georgia-Russia process mediated by a third party, with the exclusion of the Sukhumi and Tskhinvali authorities. The second would be a process with the involvement of Sukhumi and Tskhinvali on a status-neutral basis.

Russia and Georgia have at times adopted a distinctly pragmatic approach to the contested regions when the end-goal was clearly in the mutual interest of both Moscow and Tbilisi. Indeed, Russia and Georgia, with the participation of the UK, conducted reciprocal OST flights over each others territory in October 2009, more than a year after Russias recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. [9] Such an action is a clear indication that, should political will be forthcoming, practical measures to limit tensions are possible in the most trying of circumstances.

A further example is the negotiation preceding Russias accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in August 2012. These negotiations excluded the separatist authorities completely, despite their eventual encompassing of Sukhumi-controlled territory. The agreement reached confers on Abkhazia the status of trade corridor, an area through which goods can be moved in accordance with a neutral monitoring regime. [10] This monitoring regime entails the administration of customs affairs at either end of the corridor by a private Swiss company (SGS) that in turn coordinates with the WTO. [11] Crucially, Abkhazia is not mentioned by name in this agreement, thus avoiding irreconcilable Russian-Georgian stances on status. Instead, the territory comprising the trade corridor is delineated purely through geographical coordinates. This approach successfully circumvented the contested status of Abkhazia and permitted the functional application of a multilateral regime.

Were Moscow and Tbilisi to accept that it was in their mutual interest to restart OST flights over each others territory the WTO agreement provides a sensible model for facilitation, with the OSCE as a natural arbiter.

Provisions on the implementation of status neutral CSBMs are included in the 1993 OSCE document on Stabilising Measures for Localised Crisis Situations. [12] Whilst this document has never been used in practice, it does contain a number of principles that directly lend themselves to facilitating OST flights in contested areas. [13]

The document consists of an initial Concept and Principles of Application and a Catalogue of possible areas of implementation.

Paragraph 9 of the Concept emphasises that:

The parties involved in a particular crisis situation will be identified in each case in accordance with the relevant norms of international law and CSCE provisions. When such parties are not States, their identification and subsequent participation in a crisis prevention, management and/or settlement process does not affect their status.

Paragraph 10 goes on to offer the OSCE as a third party mediator in such cases. Most pertinently, paragraph 6 of the Catalogues section D on Measures for Monitoring of Compliance and Evaluation, in support of its principles, outlines a potential Aerial Observation Regime, possibly using procedures and measures agreed within the framework of [the] Open Skies regime.

This potential Aerial Observation Regime offers Conduct by a third party of overflights, with possible participation of representatives of the parties involved, aimed at checking compliance with agreed stabilising measures and building confidence (augmented by [O]SCE-arranged flights).

In principle, these points provide a framework through which the OSCE and the Open Skies Consultative Commission (OSCC) could, in OSCE-operated aircraft, [14] facilitate overflight of Russian and Georgian territory without altering any national position on the status of Abkhazia or South Ossetia. It is even plausible that such flights could cover the territory of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, delineated purely through geographical coordinates as in the Russia-Georgia WTO deal. Indeed, Annex L to the OST (Section III) stipulates that the OSCC shall consider requests from the OSCE and other relevant international bodies for facilitating extraordinary observation flights over the territory of a State Party with its consent for purposes of conflict prevention and crisis management. [15] This annex was first used to facilitate overflights of the Russia-Ukraine border area in early 2014, highlighting its relevance in contested areas.

Should the lack of Sukhumis and Tskhinvalis participation threaten to render the above proposal unworkable it may be plausible to frame status-neutral OST flights as part of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRMs) agreed by the conflict parties [16] in February 2009 and resumed in March 2016 after a four year suspension. These mechanisms are designed to facilitate the exchange of security-related information, but lack a system of verification. OST flights over Abkhazia and South Ossetia might, in part, fulfil that role. Despite the fact that the Georgian IPRMs are currently chaired by the UN, OSCE-operated OST flights would adhere to the IPRMs status-neutral remit.

A Mechanism in the National Interest

An increasing NATO presence in Georgia (a NATO training centre opened in Tbilisi-controlled territory in August 2015 and major Allies regularly exercise in the country [17]) makes a resumption of Russian OST flights over Georgia of clear interest to Moscow. Similarly, the exclusion of naval forces from major arms control treaties leaves the OST as the only multilateral method for Russia to monitor Georgian modifications to the port of Poti, [18] a basing area that has been offered by Tbilisi to NATO. [19] Despite the continued overflight of Georgia by other OST signatories, [20] Russia has continued to lodge requests of its own, a clear indication that OST flights still have utility in Russian planning. [21]

An added incentive is the short-term obsolescence of Russian satellite reconnaissance capability. Whilst the deterioration of Russias existing array is scheduled to be addressed from 2019 onwards, [22] the under-funding of Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, and a series of consequential rocket failures, puts this timeframe in doubt. [23] As was noted by former US Secretary of State George Shultz in 2012, for states without sophisticated satellite systems, Open Skies represents their only legitimate means of alleviating security concerns through the collection of timely overhead imagery. [24] The Russian focus on upgrading its OST aircraft camera arrays, first in Europe and then North America, is an added indication that aerial photography retains an important supplementary role to satellite imagery. Even if Russia is only temporarily in such a position, a return to OST cooperation with Georgia at present has clear value for Moscow.

Insight into the Russian force posture in the North Caucasus would be a clear gain for Georgia. Whilst Georgia retains access to the data resulting from OST flights elsewhere over Russian territory through the central repository, this is unlikely to provide the level of reassurance that would be necessary for Tbilisi to alter its own posture. Bilateral intelligence sharing agreements between Georgia and the US may help to make up for the loss of OST data, [25] however OST flights would help to validate this intelligence and provide a safety net in case in case bilateral agreements are revoked in the future. Similarly, the use of status-neutral OST flights as a verification mechanism for the Georgian IPRMs, themselves an underlying factor in the Georgian commitment to the non-use of force against Abkhazia and South Ossetia, would be a net security gain for Georgia.

That the OST overflight process involves direct coordination, and indeed co-participation, between the personnel of both the observer and the observed, adds additional value as a confidence building measure. This interaction builds familiarity that would be of benefit in the operation of other CSBMs, such as the OSCE Vienna Document.

A Model for Crimea?

It remains an open question whether Moscow and Tbilisi will judge their national interests to be affected to such an extent that they would consider the approach outlined here. But broad trends in Euro-Atlantic security suggest that they might indeed do so. The increase in tensions between Russia and its western neighbours has led to a significant adjustment in force postures, whilst the information exchange measures included in the Vienna Document have come under strain. The need for reassurance is greater than it has been for decades.

Should a status-neutral approach to the OST prove to be workable in the Georgia-Russia case, it is possible that this could provide a basis for a similar approach in other conflicts, the primary candidate being Crimea. [26] Whilst OST flights have taken place between Ukraine and Russia (and by third parties along their common border) since the Russian intervention, these flights have thus far not covered the Crimean Peninsula. In May 2014 Russia did invite OST flights by signatory states over Crimea as a part of missions over Russia, but this was declined because it would imply recognition of the Russian annexation. [27] Lack of information relating to Russian deployments to Crimea is a major driver of regional insecurity.

There are, however, some negative trends that would make a return to OST cooperation between Russia and Georgia harder. The rapid development of UAV technology may lead Russia to opt for illicit aerial observation using drones in preference to renewed cooperation on the OST. And there is a more structural Russian grievance. NATO signatories of the OST do not use their respective quotas to overfly each others territory, thus significantly reducing the repository of images of NATO countries held by the OSCE. It can be argued that this consequently requires Russia to utilise its flight quota more heavily than it would otherwise over NATO member states, leaving less capacity to devote to any potential overflight of Georgia. [28]

The opinions articulated above represent the views of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Leadership Network or any of its members. The ELNs aim is to encourage debates that will help develop Europes capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security challenges of our time.

Endnotes

[1] The concept of mutual aerial observation was first suggested by President Eisenhower in 1955, however this was rejected by the Soviet leadership.

[2] Hartwig Spitzer, Open Skies: transparency in stormy times, Trust and Verify (VERTIC), July-September 2014, Issue No. 146, p.6 http://www.vertic.org/media/assets/TV/TV146.pdf

[3] Open Skies Treaty is important for building trust and promoting transparency, Open Skies Consultative Commission, 8 June 2015 http://www.osce.org/oscc/162771

[4] Thomas Graham Jr, Dont Enshrine A Russian Advantage In Surveillance Flights Over the US, Defense One, 17 July 2017 http://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2017/07/dont-enshrine-russian-advantage-surveillance-flights-over-us/139492/?oref=d-river

[5] 2017 Report on Adherence to and Compliance With Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments, U.S. Department of State, 14 April 2017 https://www.state.gov/t/avc/rls/rpt/2016/255651.html

[6] The flight path of an observation aircraft shall not be closer than, but shall be allowed up to, ten kilometres from the border with an adjacent State that is not a State Party. Treaty on Open Skies http://www.nti.org/media/pdfs/aptoskies.pdf?_=1316557070

[7] 2017 Report on Adherence to and Compliance With Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments, U.S. Department of State, 14 April 2017 https://www.state.gov/t/avc/rls/rpt/2016/255651.html

[8] Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia on a decision to cease performing its obligations vis-a-vis the Russian Federation under the Open Skies Treaty, 5 April 2012, http://italy.mfa.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=193&info_id=14626

[9] Georgia-UK-Russia Joint Surveillance Flights, Civil.ge, 9 October 2009, http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=21554

[10] WTO regulations do not apply to goods traded within the trade corridor, only to those that transit it.

[11] Lavrov: 2011 Georgia-Russia WTO Deal Does Not Cover Abkhazia, S.Ossetia, Civil.ge, 11 March 2015, http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=28119

[12] Stabilising Measures for Localised Crisis Situations, OSCE, 25 November 1993, http://www.osce.org/fsc/42314?download=true

[13] For a full study of potential uses for the document on Stabilising Measures see Sergi Kapanadze, Ulrich Kuhn, Wolfgang Richter and Wolfgang Zellner, Status-Neutral Security, Confidence Building and Arms Control Measures in the Georgian Context, CORE Working Paper 28, January 2017, https://ifsh.de/file-CORE/documents/Working_Papers/CORE_WP28_en_.pdf

[14] An OSCE-operated aircraft could be interpreted as an aircraft piloted by contractors identified by the OSCC, with photographic equipment operated in a similar manner. The aircraft itself could be contracted from another OST signatory state. It is reasonable to assume that Moscow and Tbilisi would fund such a flight in accordance with a conventional OST flight.

[15] Loic Simonet, Open Skies: successes and uncertainties of an iconic post-Cold War instrument, OSCE, 7 March 2012, http://www.osce.org/oscc/104038

[16] Tbilisi, Moscow, Sukhumi, and Tskhinvali

[17] Margarita Antidze, Georgia begins U.S.-led military exercise, angering Russia, Reuters, 11 May 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-georgia-exercises-idUSKCN0Y21RP

[18] Poti is the headquarters of the Georgian Coast Guard (since 2009 the successor to the Georgian Navy)

[19] Joshua Kucera, Georgia Offers NATO to Build a Black Sea Base at Poti, Eurasianet.org, 9 March 2017, http://www.eurasianet.org/node/82736

[20] In 2016 Georgia was overflown by a joint German-Turkish delegation, a joint Canadian-French-Italian delegation, and a Ukrainian delegation.

[21] Russia requested flights over Georgia in 2015 and 2016, withdrawing the latter after a Georgian veto.

[22] Russia Developing Reconnaissance Satellite System, defence-aerospace.com, 30 December 2016, http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/179951/russia-developing-new-5_satellite-reconnaissance-system.html

[23] Asif Siddiqi, Russias Space Program Is Struggling Mightily, Slate, 21 March 2017, http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2017/03/russia_s_space_program_is_in_trouble.html

[24] George P. Shultz, Sidney D. Drell, & Christopher Stubbs, Modernize Open Skies, New York Times, 25 March 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/26/opinion/26iht-edshultz26.html

[25] United States and Georgia Sign General Security of Information Agreement, U.S. Department of State, 9 May 2017, https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/05/270754.htm

[26] Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Moldova are not signatories to the OST, so it is premature to consider such an application to Nagorno-Karabakh and Transnistria respectively.

[27] Hartwig Spitzer, Open Skies: transparency in stormy times, Trust and Verify (VERTIC), July-September 2014, Issue No. 146, p.4 http://www.vertic.org/media/assets/TV/TV146.pdf

[28] Russia, jointly with Belarus, has an annual allotment of 42 observation missions for use over other OST signatories (known as the active quota), whilst being obliged to receive up to 42 observations of its own, and Belarusian, territory (known as the passive quota).
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The rain has not relented, and the ultimate, enormous damage from Hurricane Harvey  and its impact on to the Texas economy  wont be known for months after the water drains away.

The storm came ashore near Rockport on Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane before wreaking havoc across hundreds of miles of the Texas Gulf Coast. It continues to dump rain across Houston, and Gov. Greg Abbott called out the entire Texas National Guard on Monday to help with rescue efforts there as much of the metropolitan area turned into a lake.

The human and economic toll is still unfolding.

Whats clear is that the economic impact is large  spiraling out across Texas and the U.S., as the nations fourth-largest city remains at an economic standstill and much of the nations refining capacity goes offline. The impacts are small and personal, too, as people tally up their losses from flooded and wrecked homes, cars and other property.

At Texas A&M Universitys Real Estate Center, economist Jim Gaines is already getting calls and emails from people who want to know how the flooding affects their homes value.

I dont know what to tell them, Gaines said.

Neither does he know yet how to estimate the overall damage to property or the effects on the states $1.6 trillion economy  the second-largest in the U.S. after California.

I have no earthly idea, Gaines said. Its going to be significant in terms of dollars and in terms of the impact on people. Its in the billions. The question is, is it hundreds of billions?

It will likely affect the South Texas economy for months. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moodys Analytics, predicted that the regions economic output will be cut by about 1 percent, or $7 billion to $8 billion. It will recover, he said, helped by money from insurance payments and government aid to rebuild.

Business activity is halted in Houston for at least several more days, and much of Harris Countys housing stock is flooded. Everything from business deals to home sales has been halted and will be suspended while people go into damage-assessment and repair mode, Gaines said. From Port Aransas to Houston, communities will face a serious housing shortage as many homes and apartments will be uninhabitable until rebuilt or repaired.

I have no idea if Im talking tens of thousands or what that are no longer marketable, Gaines said.

The immediate thing is that all the real estate transactions in the pipeline or nearly in the pipeline are off the table, Gaines said. You cant get a property inspector out to look at it because theyre going to be swamped. You cant get an insurance adjustor out. Theyre going to be swamped. It will take weeks, maybe a month or two, to get any semblance of organized response. Its going to be people doing the best they can, but theyre going to be overwhelmed.

Although business losses are centered on the coast and the Houston area, the rest of Texas isnt off the hook, specifically San Antonio, warned Victor Lai, owner of a San Antonio business brokerage, Murphy Business.

Small companies have trouble recovering from repair costs and lost revenue while closed for repairs, and clients may move to other companies before a damaged firm can reopen, Lai said.

Nearly 40 percent of small businesses dont survive natural disasters of this magnitude, he said.

San Antonios economy is closely tied to Houstons, and while Houstons business climate was riding an upswing ahead of the storm, that may now be put on hold as funds are shifted toward cleanup, slowing down business buying and selling, Lai added. However, opportunities do present themselves for well-funded businesses to buy up struggling ones to increase their market share, or to open up shops in areas where they had no presence previously.

The economic impact of Hurricane Harvey wont be enough of a shock to cause a regional recession, said Keith Phillips, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas senior economist in the San Antonio branch office.

There will be a lot of personal impact on peoples lives. There will be a lot of rebuilding activity. Houston is an important part of the state, but its a big state, Phillips said Monday as he and other Dallas Fed economists worked to prepare a report on Harvey for the media and to brief Dallas Fed CEO and President Robert Kaplan.

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.

With all the houses that have been wiped out, if they are rebuilt, it will look like theres a bounce back, but that doesnt account for the loss of capital, Phillips said.

There will be a slowdown. People cant go to work, so that output will be lost, Phillips said. People who dont have insurance will have to rely on savings, or federal or state help. We dont know what thats going to be like. Theres a lot of uncertainty right now. We are looking at the broader (gross domestic product) in Houston, the maximum output per day. Some losses will be temporary. Some will be permanent. If people are not shopping, they may make up for it later to replace lost things.

According to the National Flood Insurance Program, only 15 percent of Harris County houses have flood insurance. In Nueces County, which includes Corpus Christi, 20 percent of the houses have flood insurance.

For the first month, retail jobs likely will go down in Texas, especially in the storm-damaged areas, and construction jobs will rise. Construction will dominate, Phillips said.

The energy industry, which is centered in Houston, will also have to go into recovery mode, Gaines said.

Roughly 2.2 million barrels per day of Texas refining capacity remained down, according to S&P Global Platts. The ports in Houston and Corpus Christi were closed.

The question is, how fast does it come back and does it come back completely? It probably will, Gaines said. Im guessing in a matter of months theyll be back up and running in whatever capacity they want to. Theyve got the money and the know-how. Its too important. Theres too many dollars involved.

jhiller@express-news.net

Twitter: @Jennifer_Hiller

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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In what is being dubbed not a storm of the century but a storm for the millennium, catastrophic flooding continued across the Houston area late Monday, as weary residents battled continued rains, rising waterways and warnings of more to come.

With large areas of Houston underwater for a third straight day, emergency crews rescued thousands of people with boats and helicopters as suburban leaders ordered massive evacuations over fears that levees would give way under the force of flooded waterways.

After a respite Monday morning, Tropical Storm Harvey broke more records, putting its rainfall over the past few days for much of the metro area in the realm of a 500-to-1,000-year flooding event.

This is a landmark event, said Brock Long, Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, after making a plea for help from the public. We have not seen an event like this. You could not dream this forecast up.

Long estimated that up to 30,000 people may need shelter and some 450,000 could be eligible for federal flood victim assistance. Other numbers were equally stunning: 4,000 rescues so far, 12,000 National Guardsmen deployed.

According to the Washington Post, at least nine people are believed to have died in Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath. A Houston family of six was reported missing after driving into floodwaters near Greens Bayou.

The days of turmoil took their toll on Houston.

Im angry. Im stressed. Im outraged, said Luis Morales, who waded through water almost up to his neck pulling a boat carrying his wife and two young sons. Everything.

Much of Fort Bend and Brazoria counties were evacuated as the rain-swollen Brazos River was expected to approach historic flood levels today, and two subdivisions in northern Harris County were evacuated late Monday amid similar concerns over aging levees.

Rains, sometimes heavy, are expected to continue throughout the area perhaps into next week, reaching up to 50 inches over the upper Texas coast, including the Houston-Galveston area.

Thousands poured into shelters as rescuers continued to pull people off rooftops and out of the second floors of their flooded homes. The emergency response continued amid a continuing string of flash flood and tornado warnings across the area.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Monday evening that police had rescued 1,000 people in about an eight-hour period, bringing the total number of people rescued to 3,052 since Tropical Storm Harvey inundated many parts of Houston.

The Coast Guard said that on Monday it had rescued more than 3,000 people by boat and air and that it is getting over 1,000 calls per hour.

Officials said that in Houston, more than 100,000 customers remain without power and that number remained steady Monday as work crews have had difficulty getting into areas because of flooding.

As the San Jacinto River overflowed into homes and the Brazos River rose, officials from as far north as Humble and south to Dickinson cleared out neighborhoods, warning that those who did not heed orders might be on their own as floodwaters deepen in coming days.

Predictions for the rising Brazos were dire, but no one could say just when they expected it to spill over  most likely Wednesday afternoon.

Evacuation orders went out in waves, often before the planned releases of waters from reservoirs and lakes. Humble police went door to door in one subdivision urging stunned residents to get out before the gates at Lake Conroe cracked, sending water downstream. Conroe cleared out one neighborhood and recommended evacuations for a half-dozen more.

By Monday afternoon, Brazoria County officials were warning that imminent, widespread flooding expected Wednesday likely would be significantly worse than in 2016, when the Brazos River spilled over and left swaths of the region under water. Voluntary evacuations announced for the Sienna Plantation neighborhood were made mandatory Monday morning.

By 3:30 a.m. Monday, officials already were sounding the alarms.

If people need to get out, now is definitely the time, said Alan Spears, deputy emergency management coordinator of Fort Bend County. Granted, it is dark. We prefer people to try and evacuate during the daytime, but if the water is down, take that opportunity and leave.

People tried to leave Houston on its vast network of highways, but many ran into floodwaters lingering from days of torrential rains. Some ultimately made it out, but others turned back to the homes they abandoned hours earlier, planning to wait out the storm.

Thousands crowded into shelters while emergency workers and volunteers tried to reach those in the most desperate need of help with helicopters and boats.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo urged patience, saying police were hoping to reach everyone before nightfall because most of the rescue boats dont have lights. The 9-1-1 system still was slammed, and rescuers were trying to reach people stranded on rooftops and in feet of murky floodwaters.

Please dont give up on us, Acevedo said. None of us will give up.

Houstons emergency response network remained strapped to the point that officials asked for anyone with a boat to help people stranded in high water.

Catastrophic flooding continued Monday despite an early morning lull in the rain.

Were in a lull right now, Louis Uccellini, director of the National Weather Service, said Monday morning, but will get back into moderate to heavy rains today and into tomorrow.

The worst flooding for the Houston area, he predicted, was yet to come.

The peak flow and depth of this flood will max out in the Wednesday-Thursday time frame, he said.

Federal officials let water out of reservoirs that protect downtown, feeding the already swollen Buffalo Bayou.

Leo Malveaux and Rachel Ross had been between paychecks when Harvey hit.

They couldnt afford cases of pop tarts and bottled water. When floodwaters started seeping into their first-floor apartment on the north bank of Braes Bayou, they broke into a vacant apartment on the second floor.

We were fearing for our lives at that point, said Malveaux, 41, an electrician who moved the family from Arkansas two months ago for a job.

They stayed there overnight, with three young children and no food or furniture, as neighbors were rescued in baskets from helicopters.

Finally, Ross found information about a Facebook group run by a group of guys from Louisiana who call themselves the Cajun Navy. On Monday, the family called for help and were rescued within 30 minutes.

Upon arriving at a transitional shelter at Crosspoint Church, they fell upon the stacks of pizza and snacks, more hungry than theyd ever been.

I almost choked on this pizza, Ross said.

Having dried off and grabbed some extra clothes from the piles stacked in an auditorium, they waited for their next ride, this time to the citys mega-shelter.

Their car is flooded, but they still have their jobs. Malveauxs employer gave him 40 hours paid time off, to get him though the week.

That took some pressure off, he said.

Reporters Emily Foxhall, Lomi Kriel, Mike Morris, Jacob Carpenter, St. John Barned-Smith, Lydia DePillis, Mike Glenn, Lindsay Ellis and Mike Tolson contributed to this report.
AUSTIN  A new state law banning a common second-trimester abortion procedure may not take effect next month as planned, in the face of an ongoing legal challenge from health care providers who argue it will hurt women.

The Center for Reproductive Rights will be in court today seeking to temporarily block the law, which restricts dilation and evacuation abortions, from taking effect Sept. 1.

Women deserve to have access to the procedure the doctor thinks is best, said Amy Hagstrom Miller, founder, CEO and president of Whole Womans Health, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Texas women shouldnt be blocked to access for good health care just because they live in Texas.

Health care providers say the procedure, in which physicians use medical instruments to remove fetal tissue, is the safest and most common method of abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. But critics contend it amounts to dismemberment and say the law ensures the procedure can be used only when the fetus is deceased.

While the pro-life movement does care deeply about the mother, this bill is about the violent and inhumane act of a dismemberment abortion and what that does to the child, said John Seago, Legislative Director for Texas Right to Life.

Violating the ban could result in a state jail felony.

The Center for Reproductive Rights filed the lawsuit in July on behalf of womens health providers statewide and is seeking a temporary restraining order to block the laws implementation until litigation concludes. A trial is likely to begin later in September.

Two states have similar bans, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Others, in Louisiana, Kansas and Oklahoma, havent taken effect because of court challenges brought by the Center for Reproductive Rights, according to the organization.

Anti-abortion politicians are attempting to tie the hands of doctors, said Molly Duane, staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights. This would have really serious and devastating effects on the women of Texas.

The ban is one of several provisions in Senate Bill 8, signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott this year. Another, requiring abortion providers to cremate or bury fetal remains, is the subject of a separate lawsuit. The bills sponsor, Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, did not return a request for comment.

Abortion laws passed in Texas are often the subject to legal action. In one of the most high-profile cases, the U.S. Supreme Court last year overturned state regulations that had led to the closure of abortion clinics across the state.

amorris@express-news.net
Godofredo A. Vasquez/Staff

AUSTIN  Plaintiff's attorneys and a consumer watchdog group are urging victims of Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey to file written notice of insurance claims before a new law takes effect Friday that they say will make it more difficult to sue insurers.

"If it is safe to return to your property and inspect damage, file written notice of your claim with your insurance company before September 1st to try to preserve at least some of your legal rights," said Ware Wendell, executive director of Texas Watch, a nonprofit consumer group with ties to the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.
The Facebook posts from people hoping relatives survived the rising flood waters in Houston caused by Tropical Storm Harvey was just too much for San Antonio Realtor Aaron Montano-Teague to take.

He enlisted several friends to seek anyone in San Antonio with a flat-bottom boat willing to go to Houston and transport people to dry land in the city thats left an imprint upon his soul. He said theres a soft spot in his heart for the city because its where his little girl has received vital health care treatments.

I dont know if Id have my daughter today without the resources the city provided, Montano-Teague, 30, said. As neighbors, we have to pull together and help each other out when we can.

Montano-Teague and his crew plan to head to Rockport today, towing generators and backhoes, to join the clean-up efforts there.

The San Antonio native is just one of the thousands of residents moved to donate money and volunteer their time to help those displaced and affected by Harvey, that was a category 4 hurricane when it came ashore Friday and is still a tropical storm.

San Antonio restaurateur Andrew Weissman spent the weekend coordinating relief efforts of his own.

On Sunday, Weissman and a small group of friends and family members trucked a load of bacon and eggs into Victoria to feed emergency personnel and evacuees.

We went down and cooked breakfast. These first responders said they havent had a hot meal in three days, Weissman said. We were really happy to be able to provide that. We fed probably 150 to 175 people, but the need is just so great.

Weissman is collecting water, nonperishable food items, new clothing and toiletries such as baby wipes and diapers at his Olmos Park restaurant, Moshes Golden Falafel, through Wednesday and will head back to Victoria on Thursday morning to deliver the donated supplies. To help, residents can drop off goods 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at 3910 McCullough Ave.

When San Antonians Sean Wen and Andrew Ho  both Houston natives  learned of the devastation in their hometown, the two turned to their new San Antonio restaurant project as a way to help. Theyre still a few weeks from opening Pinch Boil House and Bia Bar at 124 N. Main St., but have joined forces with Estate Coffee Co. owner and fellow Houston native Brian Labarbera to host a benefit seafood boil from noon to 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the future restaurant space.

A $30 charge purchases a shellfish platter for two with shrimp, mussels, sausage, corn, potatoes in a garlic butter sauce with proceeds going to The American Red Cross relief efforts along the Gulf coast. Free validated parking for up to two hours will be available in the Rand Garage.

Donate food

And theres a growing number of people who have offered their services at the San Antonio Food Bank, the official hub thats coordinating donations of materials and money.

Food bank spokeswoman Susan Filyk said their immediate need is for more volunteers to help prepare hot meals for the current evacuees and the hundreds expected at city shelters through the week.

The nonprofit needs water, nonperishable food, baby food, diapers, hygiene products, batteries, flashlights, cleaning supplies and new or packaged clothes.

To make monetary donations, go to https://safoodbank.org/donate/. Tangible donations can be dropped off at the food bank warehouse, 5200 Enrique M. Barrera Parkway, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Items can also can be taken to city council district offices, but residents should first call the offices for drop-off times.

The Texas Diaper Bank needs diapers, baby wipes and other items for families from along the storm-stricken coast. Residents can take diapers to 5415 Bandera Road, Suite 504 or make a donation at www.TexasDiaperBank.org. The organization has also joined with Pinots Pallete to collect items; the drop-off site is 7959 Broadway St. For more information about the Texas Diaper Bank call 210-731-8118.

Donate your time

American Red Cross spokeswoman Libby Castillo said the agency is always in need of volunteers, who provide 90 percent of the work during disasters.

Were really asking for monetary donations, she said. The funds allow the Red Cross to help the people in shelters. As little as $5 can help buy a blanket.

Monetary donations can be made at https://www.redcross.org/donate/hurricane-harvey?donamt=.

At Metro Health, the need is for nurses, physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners to volunteer at hospitals, evacuation centers and shelters. As of Monday afternoon, there were 694 evacuated patients in the city and 44 more pending.

Donate blood

The University Health System is asking residents to help by donating blood at the hospital at 4502 Medical Drive or several South Texas Blood & Tissue Center locations. Donors of all blood types are needed, but theres a greater need for Type O negative and O positive blood.

For more information about the University Health System, call 210-358-2812. For more information about the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center locations, call 210-731-5590.

Giving money, prayers

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Antonio is collecting monetary donations and supplies for hurricane victims this week, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at its headquarters, 202 W. French Place. The agency is taking in blankets, bottled water, cleaning supplies, clothing, diapers, gift cards, hygiene products, nonperishable food and unused pillows, for delivery to the Diocese of Corpus Christi this week.

Online donations can be made at https://ccaosa.ejoinme.org/HHRelief.

And theres help, of the divine nature, too.

The Notre Dame Alumni Association offers the public an opportunity to submit a spiritual request for the displaced and victims through prayer.

Requests may be submitted at http://faith.nd.edu/s/1210/faith/interior.aspx?sid=1210&gid=609&pgid=11164. Known as one of the most sacred places to pray on the Notre Dame campus, the grotto has long been a site where many have gone for prayer and silent reflection. The association will light a candle and pray the prayer for each request.

Donate for animals

There are numerous entities that are helping to care for animals displaced by Harvey. Animal Care Services is accepting old newspapers, blankets and food as well as monetary donations. Go to www.sanantonio.gov/Animal-Care/How-You-Can-Help/Donate-Give-Back.

Express-News reporters Elaine Ayala, Rene Guzman, Richard Marini, Sarah Ravani and Paul J. Stephen contributed to this report.
AUSTIN  Less than a week after a judge tossed Texas voter identification law, the state is asking permission to keep the requirements in place for a handful of upcoming elections in which early voting had already been underway.

Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has already pledged to appeal the courts ruling, said changes at this stage could create voter confusion.

Denton Independent School District and the city of Southlake were in the middle of early voting for Sept. 9 elections when U.S. District Court Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos of Corpus Christi struck down the law Wednesday. In roughly a dozen more cities and school districts, early voting for an Aug. 26 election had ended before the ruling came out.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit over the law, including the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said they would agree to a stay but only for the Aug. 26 and Sept. 9 elections, not the upcoming statewide election Nov. 7, when Texans will vote on several constitutional amendments.

For now, it remains unclear which voter ID requirements will be in place for that election.

Were sort of in a holding pattern right now, said Jacquelyn Callanen, elections administrator for Bexar County. We are just waiting.

In tossing the law, considered among the strictest in the nation, Ramos ruled that it still discriminates against black and Latino voters. Ramos said Senate Bill 5, approved in the regular session this year, didnt resolve the discriminatory aspects of Senate Bill 14, which passed in 2011 and has been tied up in the courts ever since.

SB 5 still requires voters to present one of seven acceptable forms of photo ID to cast a ballot. But it let people without such identification vote, so long as they signed an affidavit and brought paperwork, such as a utility bill or paycheck, showing their name and address.

The state agreed to put the diluted policy in place for the 2016 presidential election under the terms of a deal between Texas and minority groups suing over the law. Still, confusion over the law led to delays at the polls, and some voters were nearly turned away, according to a recent report from the Texas Civil Rights Project.

Callanen hasnt yet heard from the secretary of states office regarding any changes or guidance. The state office didnt immediately return a request for comment Thursday.

amorris@express-news.net
Hurricane Harvey is a brutal reminder that disasters dont play identity politics.

Wreaking devastation across the state, swirling and stalling, dumping 9 trillion gallons and counting of rainwater on coastal residents, the slow-moving storm isnt concerned with the boundaries of congressional districts or the numbers of minorities who reside therein.

Gender identity, country of origin, color of skin: Harvey doesnt care. Meting out misery, the storm does not discriminate, and its indifference is a rude awakening for a state gripped for months by exclusionary politics.

On Monday, downgraded to a tropical storm, Harvey continued to hover over the most racially and ethnically diverse metropolis in the country, pummeling the Houston region with rain and leaving thousands of its residents stranded, some on their rooftops, as the waters continued to rise. In its wake, towns such as Rockport and Port Aransas lay in ruins, their residents adrift.

For those rushing to their aid, whether by search and rescue or with food and shelter, the question was not, How can we keep you out?

The question now is: How can we bring you in?

Disasters tend to dissolve distinctions. In the suffering of others, in the dislocations of those socked by trauma, we see ourselves. Suddenly, we are all equally small.

This dawned even on Gov. Greg Abbott, backer of legislation that will soon allow police to ask the immigration status of people they detain. Last week, Abbott said storm victims would not need to show proof of citizenship to access shelters.

That will not be an issue, he said. What everyone is focused on right now is doing all we can to protect life.

It seemed even to dawn on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, champion of failed legislation that would have forced transgender Texans to use bathrooms that match their birth certificates.

This is a Texas-sized storm and we are pulling together with a Texas-sized response: neighbor to neighbor, house to house, street to street, he tweeted on Monday.

Fear fuels xenophobia. Disaster transcends it by focusing our fear. And we all fear Harvey because we know, instinctively, without the aid of cable news, it could have been us.

It still could.

Turns out, our leaders have been afraid of the wrong things. Fearing immigrants, dreading the bathroom habits of transgender women, they forgot to look up.

Abbott, for instance, recently cut $1.5 million from the two-year budget of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Had CPS Energy not stepped in to provide funding, the veto would have shut down six air quality monitors collecting ozone data in the San Antonio region.

Its not surprising that Abbott, a climate change skeptic, is unconcerned about ozone, which increases as the planet grows warmer. If the governor is concerned about Harvey, however, he should care about climate change.

Warmer seas cause more rainfall and worse flooding. In the Gulf Coast region, a rise in sea surface temperatures by about a half-degree Celsius in recent decades has led to a 3 percent rise in atmospheric moisture content, according to Penn State scientist Michael Mann.

That large amount of moisture meant the potential for much greater rainfalls and greater flooding, Mann wrote.

Climate change didnt cause this storm. But climate change made its impact worse. And climate change will only increase the odds of catastrophe in future storms.

Unlike other issues, that affects everyone.

bchasnoff@express-news.net
San Antonio, like El Paso and Houston, evolved with a significant Chinese community, despite federal laws that banned them from the country for decades.

According to the Institute of Texan Cultures, the Chinese, the first of the Asian immigrants in Texas, arrived in 1870, came to America for the California gold rush and construction of railroads in the American West. The first wave of about 250 in Texas came to Calvert, a town with cotton production east of Waco, to help build a railroad in the Brazos River Valley.

Another 2,600 Chinese men came from California in the 1880s as the Southern Pacific rail line was being built to El Paso. The first child of Chinese descent in Texas is believed to have been born in 1885 to Sam Hing, a railroad labor contractor. By 1890, eight years after U.S. exclusionary laws took effect, the states Chinese population was 710, with nearly one-third in El Paso County.

By that time, San Antonio had about 50 Chinese residents. Many were farmers and laundry or restaurant operators. The next wave of Chinese were 527 who accompanied Maj. Gen. John J. Black Jack Pershing into Texas, along with some 2,500 Mexican civilians, after a nearly yearlong expedition in Mexico. They had helped Pershing and his force of some 10,000 troops responding to an attack on the town of Columbus, New Mexico, led by Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa.

The Chinese had worked in Mexico for centuries as shipbuilders and servants on Spanish trading ships. Many of those brought stateside by Pershing, who asked Congress to let them stay and avoid persecution under Villas regime, worked in or around Fort Sam Houston during the buildup for World War I and stayed in San Antonio. Bexar County then had the states largest Chinese population, well over 300.

This new wave of Chinese immigrants in San Antonio spoke more Spanish than English, with many living in the Laredito area in what now is the western part of downtown, expanding the citys Chinese population to 600 by the early 1940s. Repeal of the exclusionary law in 1943 made it possible for Chinese Texans to ask their family members overseas to join them.

The states Chinese population grew from 1,031 in 1940 to 25,461 in 1980. Houston surpassed San Antonio in the 1950s as having the states largest Chinese community.

Early Chinese immigrants in Texas, almost all men, tended to be from the Canton region of south China. They arrived as laborers, but adapted to small business operations as laundry, grocery or restaurant operators. Newer immigrants were from north and central China, spoke Mandarin, and tended to gravitate more toward careers in skilled professions.

Aside from successfully lobbying against an alien land law that critics said would have driven Chinese groceries out of business, Chinese Texans have largely maintained a close-knit, inwardly looking community, with a focus on a patriarchal family structure, often with three or more generations living together.

The Chinese community created its own school in the 1920s. One of its teachers, Theodore H. Wu, operated a grocery in the HemisFair area and became a co-founder of Boysville, a childrens home that opened in 1943 for troubled youth. He later opened the Tai Shan Restaurant in an art deco building on Broadway that now houses Fiesta Commission offices. Some San Antonians still recall the Wu family.

Another organizer of the school, Don Wong, arrived in San Antonio before Pershings group in 1912. He opened a bakery in todays Market Square area, and raised several children who became business owners or professionals.

San Antonios oldest Chinese restaurant, Hung Fong, was opened by Cantonese master chef K.A. (Kok An) Huey in the late 1930s on Broadway. It was a popular dining spot for U.S. Army troops at Fort Sam Houston and remains in operation today. Family members have said Huey came to America in 1916, hoping to open his own restaurant.

In the 1950s, when Huey was unable to bring his son, Kok Gon Jong, to join him because of immigration laws, he sought help from former Mayor and Congressman Maury Maverick Sr. Maverick took the case and won. In gratitude, the son changed his name to Maury Maverick Huey.

Mr. Maverick wanted so much for me to join my father here, and he had tried so hard for so long that when it happened, he threw his big arms around me and hugged me, and I could feel the tears from his eyes dropping on my head and down my neck, the son told Express-News columnist Claude Stanush in 1991.

In the 1960s, three of the sons children, also hindered from relocating because of immigration laws, were admitted and naturalized with help from Mavericks son, Maury Jr. The eldest of the three, whose name was Chui Kit Hui, changed his name to Maury Maverick Huey Jr.

The Huey family has passed on the restaurant business through at least four generations. It opened Ding How, a Chinese restaurant on the North Side, in 1983, and in 1991 opened the Maverick Cafe, which served a mix of Chinese, Texan and Mexican cuisine for more than a decade on San Pedro Avenue.

Howard Wong, an architect and retired Air Force colonel, worked with ONeil Ford and designed St. Andrew Presbyterian Church and buildings at Trinity University and Southwest Foundation for Biological Research. He died in 2001. One of his daughters, Dr. Lenora Berning, the first San Antonio woman accepted to the U.S. Air Force Academy, became a physician certified in emergency medicine and hospice and palliative care.

The First Chinese Baptist Church of San Antonio, formed downtown around 1919 and known as the Chinese Gospel Mission, now is on the North Side. According to the churchs website, the founding members initially relied on support from the local faith community and the city, which allowed the group to hold early meetings at the Spanish Governors Palace. They moved to an upper room along Commerce Street, then worshipped at 601 Avenue B from 1940 to 1994 before relocating to a more spacious campus to the north.

In 1992, after Valero Energy Corp. bought the Avenue B church campus, the citys Historic and Design Review Commission allowed the company to demolish the church structures to provide parking space. Noting that the buildings had lost much of its historic value because of 1950s alterations, commissioners ruled that the site retain its historic designation, allowing the city to retain review authority over future development, the Express-News reported at the time.

In 1964, Thomas Jefferson Lee of San Antonio, a Democrat, became the first Chinese Texan to be elected to the Texas House of Representatives, serving one term. His father, Fook Sune Lee, had come to San Antonio before Pershings followers and opened a restaurant.

Frank D. Wing, the longest-serving San Antonio city council member in recent times, representing the South Side from 1977-1993, was the son of Dan Wing, one of the Chinese workers who accompanied Pershing to Texas. His mother, Franscisa Cantu Rodriguez, was born in Mexico, according to research by historian Frank W. Jennings.

Wing, a close colleague of Henry Cisneros, who was mayor in the 1980s, then U.S. Housing Secretary, oversaw changes to the citys municipal court system. He died in 2012. The citys municipal court building bears his name.

shuddleston@express-news.net

Twitter: @shuddlestonSA

COMING WEDNESDAY: Casa Rios River Walk history.
Paul Neeb raises beef cattle and laying hens in New Hamburg

By Diego Flammini

Assistant Editor, North American Content

Farms.com

A farmer from New Hamburg, Ont., made the 979 km motorcycle ride to Arlington, Wis. to attend the 2017 North American Manure Expo.

The two-day event, which took place Aug. 22 and 23, included more than 50 machinery exhibitors and guest speakers.

But for Paul Neeb, a beef cattle and laying hen producer and owner of Neeb Haven Farms, the field demonstrations are what peaked his interest.

Theyre talking about the same things we talk about up here, he told Farms.com today. Winter spreading, phosphorus runoff, application rates, things like that.

The phosphorus runoff demonstration explored how manure application timing impacted phosphorous loss.

There were pits dug with controlled runoff to measure runoff, frost depth, temperature and other elements.

The demonstration [AG1] showed that shifting manure applications to low runoff seasons and fields can reduce dissolved phosphorus loss.

Neeb may consider a new equipment investment after witnessing a dry manure spreading demonstration, he said.

The equipment had different spread patterns, he said. I might include it in my farm (operation) but Im not too sure yet.

During his time at the show, Neeb also educated some attendees about manure from different livestock.

They were talking about what the best manure is, and (that) chicken manure would be on the higher end in terms of nutrient value, he said. I explained that its because the chicken uses whatever it eats more efficiently when compared to a cow or other animal, where not everything is totally digested.

The 2018 North American Manure Expo is scheduled for Aug. 15 and 16 in Brookings, S.D.

Does Neeb plan on attending that one, too?

Thats a nice motorcycle ride, isnt it?, he asked. For me, its more about the journey than the actual show.

Brookings would be a 16 hour and 1,660 km motorcycle ride for Paul.
Warrenton, VA (20186)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 29F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 29F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Abortion rights, inflation, crime, the radicalization of U.S. politicians and the survival of democracy itself were among the issues weighing heavily on the minds of some of the voters who c
David Bowie's music has been streamed over a billion times.

David Bowie in Japan 1977 by Sukita

The late 'Starman' hitmaker - who tragically passed away following a secret battle with cancer in January 2016 - reached the milestone last week with his 1977's 'Heroes' being his number one song played on Spotify.

The track is joined by the likes of 'Let's Dance', 'Changes' and 'Life On Mars' in Bowie's top 10 most-streamed singles from his career spanning more than five decades.

Other tracks making big waves on the streaming service are 'Fame', 'The Man Who Sold The World', 'China Girl', 'Oh! You Pretty Things', 'Sound & Vision', 'Where Are We Now?', 'This Is Not America', 'Ashes To Ashes' and 'Young Americans'.

The music legend - a man way before his time - predicted himself in 2002 that the music business and how we hear consume songs would change within the next decade and become like "running water".

At the time, he said: ''The absolute transformation of everything that we ever thought about music will take place within 10 years, and nothing is going to be able to stop it. Music itself is going to become like running water or electricity."

'Heroes' - which is a universal anthem having been recorded in English, French and German - celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and is part of a new boxset 'A New Career In A New Town 1977-1982', which will be released on Parlophone Records on September 29.

There will also be a limited edition picture disc for 'Heroes' available to purchase on September 22.

Bowie's top 10 most-streamed solo tracks of all time are as follows:

'Heroes'

'Let's Dance'

'Space Oddity'

'Life On Mars'

'Starman'

'Rebel Rebel'

'Moonage Daydream'

'Changes'

'Ziggy Stardust'

'Modern Love'
Author Jilly Cooper wants to take Prince Charles out for a meal to help him cope with Princess Diana's anniversary.

Prince Charles

Charles' ex-wife died in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997 and as the anniversary approaches, Jilly revealed she feels sorry for Charles and would like to offer him some support.

Speaking to the Daily Mail's Weekend magazine, about her perfect day, Jilly said: "Dinner would be at The Ivy with Lady Annabel Goldsmith and Paul O'Grady, who are as bats as me about dogs.

"I'd also invite Prince Charles because I think he's having a bad time over this Diana stuff. I'd have scallops and champagne. I'd end the day drinking on the terrace at home with friends and watching the Pegasus constellation gallop across the sky."

The 68-year-old royal has seen his popularity plummet in recent weeks as the anniversary of the death of Diana has brought up old footage of the late Princess discussing their strained relationship.

However, their youngest son Prince Harry, 32, has defended his father by saying he was there for both Harry and his brother Prince William at the time of their mother's tragic death.

Prince Harry said: "One of the hardest things for a parent to have to do is to tell your children that your other parent has died. How you deal with that, I don't know. But, you know, he was there for us.

"He was the one out of two left and he tried to do his best to make sure that we were protected and looked after. But you know, he was going through the same grieving process as well."
This week sees two Turkish national holidays fall within a few days of each other leading to the announcement of an extended ten-day public holiday.

Lets have a look at the significance of these holidays.

Zafer Bayram (Victory Day)

Turkey annually celebrates Victory Day on August 30, commemorating the Turkish victory over Greek forces in the Battle of Dumlupnar (August 26-30, 1922). The outcome of the battle, which took place in Kutahya province in western Turkey, determined the overall outcome of the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923).

Although foreign forces left the country for good in the autumn of 1922, Turkish people accept August 30 as the date of the Turkish troops overall victory. Victory Day was first celebrated in only a few cities in Turkey  such as Ankara, Izmir and Afyonkarahisar  on August 30, 1923. It became a national holiday in 1935.

What Do People Do?

Many people in Turkey celebrate Victory Day by attending military parades, which take place in many big cities throughout the country.

Residents and shop owners decorate their windows with Turkish flags and images of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. State officials attend a ceremony at Ataturks Mausoleum in Ankara. All promotions in the Turkish Armed Forces take place on this day, and military schools hold annual graduation ceremonies on August 30.

Kurban Bayram (Feast of Sacrifice)

Kurban bayram, which occurs 70 days after the end of Ramazan, is a spectacular day of slaughter and feasting throughout the Muslim world. This year it begins on the evening of Thursday 31st August and ends on the evening of Monday 4th September.

The Feast of Sacrifice is one of the oldest Islamic holidays in Turkey. It commemorates the story (which appears in both the Koran and the Bible) of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) who showed obedience to God by agreeing to sacrifice his son. Once God (Allah) saw his faith he spared the boy and sent him a ram to be sacrificed instead.

What do people do?

Traditionally, on the first day of the Feast, men of each family go to a mosque for a special morning prayer. Then the sacrifice ritual begins. Male, healthy, robust animals are preferred, not only because theyre bigger but also because it is considered great misfortune to kill a pregnant beast.

A halal prayer is recited before the animal is slaughtered and the atmosphere is solemn and respectful.

Families share about two-thirds of the animals meat with relatives and neighbours, and they traditionally give about one-third to the poor. This is one of the most important aspects of Kurban Bayram and many poor families rely upon Kurban charity.

The first meal with the Kurban meat is cooked quickly and simply and eaten reverently.

In recent years, some Turkish people started making donations to charitable organizations instead of sacrificing animals. Many people in Turkey take special care to help the poor during the Sacrifice Feast.

People usually wear their best clothes during the Sacrifice Feast. They welcome guests to their homes or visit relatives or friends during the holiday. Many people in Turkey reserve the first day of the feast for visiting their closest relatives. Young people greet their older relatives and neighbours by kissing their hand as a sign of respect.

If you find yourself in Turkey during Kurban Bayram, the chances are that you will not actually see the sacrifice of animals unless you head off to the rural areas.

How will it affect my holiday?

Banks will be closed during the holiday period but most shops and supermarkets will remain open.

Hotels and resorts will be busy with Turkish tourists taking advantage of the ten-day public holiday.

If you plan to travel during the lead-up or end of the holiday period, public transport will be very busy so book ahead if you want to guarantee a seat on long distance bus or internal flights.

How do I greet my Turkish friends?

The official greeting is Iyi Bayramlar

Sources  Time and Date/Wikipedia
There are very few people whose lives havent been touched by cancer in some way. Most of you will have heard of, taken part in or sponsored someone for Race For Life* in the UK.

Huge fundraising events are a new concept in Turkey so in 2015, George and Christine Rimmer and a group of expats brought the idea to Fethiye and organised the first Yasam Icin Yars (Race For Life*).

*The name Race for Life is copyright protected. In Turkey the event is called Yasam Icin Yars.

Background

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world.

Cancer doesnt discriminate, it affects everyone; the young and old, rich and poor, men, women and children. It represents a tremendous burden on patients, families and societies

1 in 6 people, globally, die from cancer every year and no-one knows where or when it will strike next.

70% of these deaths are in lower earning countries.

Race For Life UK

Cancer Research UKs Race for Life is a series of events raising money for research into all 200 types of cancer

Over the past 20 years, more than 8 million people have taken part in Cancer Research UKs Race for Life, raising over 547 million to fund the charitys life-saving work.

In 2016 Race for Life raised over 50 million to help Cancer Research UK keep on fighting until cures for all 200 types of cancer, affecting men, women and children, are found.

Race For Life in the UK is sponsored by Tesco, one of the countrys largest supermarkets.

Cancer in Turkey

Turkey has a population of 78.6 million citizens.

Every year 0.23% of the total population people will be diagnosed with cancer.

Approximately 350 of those people will live in Fethiye  these people may feel fit and healthy today but will have been diagnosed with one of the 200 types of cancer by this time next year.

Yasam Icin Yars Fethiye

A committee formed with people from FETAV and the local community (both Turkish and European), arrange Yasam Icin Yars each year.

Yasam Icin Yars covers a 5km route along Fethiye kordon (seafront) and entrants can run, jog or walk the course.

Where does the money go?

Fethiye has only one Oncology department at the Fethiye Devlet (State) Hospital. This department offers a limited range of services to a community of more than 140,000 people.

The money raised in the 2015 and 2016 Yasam Icin Yars provided screening/diagnostic equipment for the Devlet Oncology department.

In 2015 the money raised was used to buy an Endoscope  A medical instrument used for visual examination of the interior of a body cavity or a hollow organ such as the colon, bladder, or stomach.

In 2016 the money raised was used to buy a Bronchoscope  A thin, flexible instrument with a lighted viewing tube that is used to visualise the air passages to the lungs.

Yasam Icin Yars 2017

This year, Yasam Icin Yars will take place on Sunday 15 October. It will start at the Fethiye Culture Centre at 10 am. (Further details will be published nearer the time).

What do we want to achieve in 2017?

We will again raise money to support the Fethiye Devlet Hospital.

Our aim is to raise 100,000 TL to provide an area in the Radiology Department where Endoscopies and Bronchoscopies can be carried out (at the moment the machines are portable and moved around the hospital as needed). This will also include buying a power supply and monitor/screen for the Bronchoscope.

How can you help?

There are various ways you can help. The most important one is to take part in Yasam Icim Yars. You can run, jog or walk the 5km route that follows a circular, scenic path along the harbour. The route is flat and suitable for entrants of all ages.

There is also a route for wheelchair users.

Encourage as many of your family and friends to sponsor you to raise money for this great cause.

If you are unable to take part in the event you can sponsor others who are entering. You can also volunteer to help out at registration points in the area or on the day as there will be plenty to do!

Where can I register?

You can register at the following places:

Fethiye

FETAV office

Erasta AVM

Dalyan

Dalyan Turkuaz Homes

Details of further registration points will be brought to you as they are set up.

How much will it cost me to register?

Children up to 16 = 5TL

16+ = 15TL

Our brand new 2017 design t-shirts are 25TL each.

2017 Sponsors

Thank you to the businesses who have sponsored us so far.

Main sponsor

Sonmez Group

Other sponsors

Dalyan Turkuaz Homes

Spectrum Turkey (Yoga Dalyan)

Supporters

Erasta AVM

If you are interested in sponsoring Yasam Icin Yars and would like a sponsorship pack please email fethiyetimes2017@gmail.com

Please visit the Yasam Icin Yars website (currently being updated) for more information and updates.

Cancer Were Coming To Get You!
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced that readymade garment manufacturing and exporting units will be covered under the labour ministrys central fund from which a worker or his children can get BDT 3 lakhs in case of grave injuries or death at workplace. If the injury or death is outside the workplace, the compensation will be BDT 2 lakhs.The labour ministry welfare fund, created with 0.03% of the export volume of the industries under Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), is solely aimed at providing financial support to the workers families.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced that readymade garment manufacturing and exporting units will be covered under the labour ministry's central fund from which a worker or his children can get BDT 3 lakhs in case of grave injuries or death at workplace. If the injury or death is outside the workplace, the compensation will be BDT 2 lakhs.#

While addressing an event at her Dhaka office where she handed over compensation cheques to the families of 234 deceased and crippled garment workers from a fund created by the readymade garments (RMG) sector, she urged the industry bodies to prepare a database of workers to make the process of lending support from the fund easier, according to a news agency report.In the current fiscal, the advance tax for RGM industries was reduced to 0.70 per cent though 1 per cent was proposed in the budget, she added. (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The operating profit of Li & Fung Limited, the worlds leading supply chain solutions partner for brands and retailers, has climbed 12 per cent in the first half of fiscal 2017 on a like-for-like basis. For the six months ended June 30, 2017, there was double-digit growth in logistics driven by e-logistics, geographic expansion and new verticals.

For the first half, on a like-for-like basis when excluding the impact of the strategic divestment of the Asian consumer and healthcare distribution business, core operating profit increased by 11.9 per cent to $170 million and profit attributable to shareholders increased by 51.3 per cent to $101 million. Turnover stabilised with a slight decrease of 2.1 per cent to $7,264 million, and total margin as a percentage of turnover increased from 11.4 to 11.5 per cent. Ongoing measures to improve operating efficiency and productivity resulted in an operating cost decrease of 4.5 per cent to $665 million. Core operating profit as a percentage of turnover increased from 2.0 to 2.3 per cent.

The company reported positive first half 2017 results, highlighting continued business progress despite challenges in the retail industry and a volatile macroeconomic environment. Initiatives launched under the new three-year plan (2017-2019) to introduce greater speed, innovation and digitalisation for the benefit of the companys business and its customers are starting to gain traction.

The operating profit of Li & Fung Limited, the world's leading supply chain solutions partner for brands and retailers, has climbed 12 per cent in the first half of fiscal 2017 on a like-for-like basis. For the six months ended June 30, 2017, there was double-digit growth in logistics driven by e-logistics, geographic expansion and new verticals.#

"I am very pleased that our first half results reflect early success in our three-year plan initiatives. Our goal is to create the supply chain of the future to help our customers navigate the disruption the retail industry is facing. The new supply chain model we are creating is gaining traction and customers are reacting positively to new supply chain solutions such as our speed model and virtual design service. Meanwhile, our logistics business continues its multi-year, double-digit organic growth driven by e-logistics, geographic expansion and entry into new verticals such as electronics," Spencer Fung, Group CEO of Li & Fung said.

The company maintained a strong balance sheet and maximum flexibility in its capital structure, aided by recent efforts to strategically divest non-core assets, such as the Asian consumer and healthcare distribution business, as well as the issuance of perpetual securities, raising $1 billion to fund future growth. $150 million will be used to fund digitalisation efforts over the next three years.

"We are making substantial progress across many areas of the business. Our wide network of suppliers gives us the ability to quickly adjust supply chain solutions for our customers as new situations emerge. Adding to this core strength, we are singularly focused on greater speed, innovation and digitalisation. We will not only meet and exceed the expectations of our existing and new customers for a supply chain that meets changing consumer demands, but we will also employ new technologies to create an end-to-end digitalised supply chain of the future that will anticipate future requirements," said Group chairman William Fung. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The 41edition of Texworld Paris has met its target with the registration of 1,000 exhibitors from various parts of the world. The international trade show for fabrics, trimmings and accessories will witness participation of all the players from the fashion, accessories and denim sectors. It will be a platform to discover products for autumn/winter 18/19.

"This 41st show marks the start of Texworld Paris' 21st year. For 20 years, Texworld has attached great importance to being in tune with the global fashion market. Discovering new products from all over the world and thinking outside the box were factors that were instrumental in its creation In 1996, there was a demand from the clothing industry and 20 years later this is still the case: TEXWORLD forms an integral part of the textiles, clothing & accessories sector, not only for all European fashion brands but also for global brands. And we continue to stay in tune with the needs of these businesses, thanks to the support offered by our parent company Messe Frankfurt," Michael Scherpe, president of Messe Frankfurt France said.

At Texworld Paris this September, the Chinese exhibitors will make up around 60 per cent of the offer. Chinese companies are represented in all segments of the show's catalogue.

The 41st edition of Texworld Paris has met its target with the registration of 1,000 exhibitors from various parts of the world. The international trade show for fabrics, trimmings and accessories will witness participation of all the players from the fashion, accessories and denim sectors. It will be a platform to discover products for autumn/winter 18/19.#

"We are setting up a TexworldDenim area for our September 2017 show, which groups all the firms in the segment for fabrics for garment manufacture. I would also like to take advantage of this opportunity to give special recognition to our Chinese partners: they have always been convinced of Texworld Paris' dynamic force, where the ranges of products (almost 600 exhibitors this season) remain an important resource for our visitors, all the more so as it has grown increasingly mature and quality has improved," added Scherpe.

TexworldDenim revolves around a novel modular concept for stands using special metal

furnishings and a vibrant backdrop that is instantly recognisable. The show, with its very vivid colours, will have its own trends forum and a space conducive to making contacts, the 'social village', made even more interesting through numerous meetings and presentations.

The third season of Elite, a segment for services with added value, will assemble exhibitors listed in the Texworld Paris catalogue. They offer a variety of solutions, from integrated design studio to flexible, responsive manufacture for womens and mens ready-to-wear. In September 2017, Elites focus will shift from that of previous shows by exploring traditional skills. Bangladeshi, Chinese, Indian, Lebanese, Dutch, Pakistani, Taiwanese and Turkish weavers and producers will showcase their creations in this segment. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Scientists from the University of Texas at Dallas and the Hanyang University in South Korea have developed high-tech yarns that generate electricity when stretched or twisted. Researchers describe twistron yarns and their possible applications, such as harvesting energy from the motion of ocean waves or from temperature fluctuations in the journal Science.When sewn into a shirt, these yarns served as a self-powered breathing monitor.

Scientists from the University of Texas at Dallas and the Hanyang University in South Korea have developed high-tech yarns that generate electricity when stretched or twisted. Researchers describe twistron yarns and their possible applications, such as harvesting energy from the motion of ocean waves or from temperature fluctuations in the journal Science.#

The easiest way to think of twistron harvesters is, you have a piece of yarn, you stretch it, and out comes electricity, said Dr. Carter Haines, associate research professor in the Alan G MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute at UT Dallas and co-lead author of the article. The article also includes researchers from South Korea, Virginia Tech, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and China.The yarns are constructed from carbon nanotubes, which are hollow cylinders of carbon 10,000 times smaller in diameter than a human hair. The researchers first twist-spun the nanotubes into high-strength, lightweight yarns. To make the yarns highly elastic, they introduced so much twist that the yarns coiled like an over-twisted rubber band.In order to generate electricity, the yarns must be either submerged in or coated with an ionically conducting material, or electrolyte, which can be as simple as a mixture of ordinary table salt and water.Fundamentally, these yarns are supercapacitors, said Dr. Na Li, a research scientist at the NanoTech Institute and co-lead author of the study. In a normal capacitor, you use energy  like from a battery  to add charges to the capacitor. But in our case, when you insert the carbon nanotube yarn into an electrolyte bath, the yarns are charged by the electrolyte itself. No external battery, or voltage, is needed.When a harvester yarn is twisted or stretched, the volume of the carbon nanotube yarn decreases, bringing the electric charges on the yarn closer together and increasing their energy, Haines said. This increases the voltage associated with the charge stored in the yarn, enabling the harvesting of electricity.Stretching the coiled twistron yarns 30 times a second generated 250 watts per kilogram of peak electrical power when normalised to the harvesters weight, said Dr. Ray Baughman, director of the NanoTech Institute and a corresponding author of the study.Although numerous alternative harvesters have been investigated for many decades, no other reported harvester provides such high electrical power or energy output per cycle as ours for stretching rates between a few cycles per second and 600 cycles per second.In the lab, the researchers showed that a twistron yarn weighing less than a housefly could power a small LED, which lit up each time the yarn was stretched.To show that twistrons can harvest waste thermal energy from the environment, Li connected a twistron yarn to a polymer artificial muscle that contracts and expands when heated and cooled. The twistron harvester converted the mechanical energy generated by the polymer muscle to electrical energy.There is a lot of interest in using waste energy to power the Internet of Things, such as arrays of distributed sensors, Li said. Twistron technology might be exploited for such applications where changing batteries is impractical.The researchers also sewed twistron harvesters into a shirt. Normal breathing stretched the yarn and generated an electrical signal, demonstrating its potential as a self-powered respiration sensor.Electronic textiles are of major commercial interest, but how are you going to power them? Baughman said. Harvesting electrical energy from human motion is one strategy for eliminating the need for batteries. Our yarns produced over a hundred times higher electrical power per weight when stretched compared to other weavable fibres reported in the literature.In the lab we showed that our energy harvesters worked using a solution of table salt as the electrolyte, said Baughman, who holds the Robert A Welch Distinguished Chair in Chemistry in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. But we wanted to show that they would also work in ocean water, which is chemically more complex.In a proof-of-concept demonstration, co-lead author Dr Shi Hyeong Kim, a postdoctoral researcher at the NanoTech Institute, waded into the frigid surf off the east coast of South Korea to deploy a coiled twistron in the sea. He attached a 10 centimeter-long yarn, weighing only 1 milligram (about the weight of a mosquito), between a balloon and a sinker that rested on the seabed. Every time an ocean wave arrived, the balloon would rise, stretching the yarn up to 25 per cent, thereby generating measured electricity.Even though the investigators used very small amounts of twistron yarn in the current study, they have shown that harvester performance is scalable, both by increasing twistron diameter and by operating many yarns in parallel.If our twistron harvesters could be made less expensively, they might ultimately be able to harvest the enormous amount of energy available from ocean waves, Baughman said. However, at present these harvesters are most suitable for powering sensors and sensor communications. Based on demonstrated average power output, just 31 milligrams of carbon nanotube yarn harvester could provide the electrical energy needed to transmit a 2-kilobyte packet of data over a 100-meter radius every 10 seconds for the Internet of Things.Researchers from the UT Dallas Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science and Lintec of Americas Nano-Science and Technology Centre also participated in the study. The investigators have filed a patent on the technology. (SV)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
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.
EDMONTON, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/28/17 -- Radient Technologies Inc. (TSX VENTURE: RTI) (the "Company") announced today that it has released its first quarter financial results for the fiscal year 2018 ended June 30, 2017. The unaudited financial statements, Management's Discussion and Analysis, and the CEO & CFO certifications for the first quarter June 30, 2017 are available on www.SEDAR.com.

Key Highlights for Q1 2018 :

-- The Company continued the execution of commercial manufacturing activities with a series of contracts for manufacturing two ingredients for a multi-national ingredients company. -- The Company announced the successful completion of the Joint Venture Research Activity ("JV") with Aurora Cannabis (TSX: ACB) ("Aurora"), confirming the effectiveness of its proprietary MAP Technology and associated continuous flow design for extracting cannabinoids from dried cannabis validated by a third-party laboratory. The feasibility study included the establishment of parameters of extraction yields, recovery rates of available cannabinoids, purity of the extracts obtained, and the determination of cannabinoids and terpene profiles. The study also included an assessment of the potential processing throughput achievable using the Company's large-scale continuous-flow MAP extractor, based upon established extraction conditions -- The Company and Aurora announced that they are currently negotiating the terms of a definitive agreement for the exclusive use by Aurora of the Company's proprietary MAP technology. The purpose of the agreement will be to formalize the development and commercialization of standardized cannabis extracts for both the Canadian and export markets -- The cash and restricted cash balance as of June 30, 2017 was approximately $11.85 million due in large part to the private placements, exercise of warrants and convertible debenture placement to Aurora strengthening the balance sheet to execute on the business plan. -- Health Canada advised the Company's application for a Controlled Drugs and Substances Dealer's License had progressed to the Review stage. Health Canada advised that its 180 day (business days) service window ends in mid-December 2017.

Subsequent Events

-- The Company agreed to issue up to 9,424,330 common shares, at a price of $0.66 per share, to an arm's length third party creditor of the Company, AVAC Ltd. ("AVAC") in connection with the settlement an aggregate of $6,210,633 of debt (inclusive of interest) in a shares for debt settlement. AVAC had previously advanced the Company $4,685,000 in exchange for a royalty on the Company's future revenue. The settlement will result in the termination of AVAC's entitlement to any future royalty payments by the Company to AVAC. This conversion allows the Company to continue to strengthen its balance sheet. -- The convertible debenture issued to Aurora on February 13, 2017, was converted into 14,285,714 units of the Company pursuant to the acceleration provisions contained therein. Each unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant exercisable prior to February 13, 2019 for one additional common share of Radient at an exercise price of $0.33 per warrant. -- Health Canada has notified the Company that it has progressed to the Review and Security Clearance stage pursuant to the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ("ACMPR").

Denis Taschuk, President and CEO of Radient, stated - "We are delighted with the results of the JV activity with Aurora and are looking forward to finalizing our definitive agreement in the near future. We are also very pleased with the progress we have made in strengthening the Company's balance sheet, putting the Company on a stronger footing to achieve its growth plans."

Shares for Services

The Company intends to issue shares to an arm's length third party in exchange for the business development services. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, the Company may issue up to a maximum of $250,000 of common shares in any fiscal year in consideration for such services.

The number of shares to be issued for each quarter will be determined at the end of each quarter, after the services have been provided to the Company. The issue price of the shares will be the closing trading price of the Company's shares on the last trading day of such quarter. The Company will issue a press release after each issuance of shares under the terms of the Agreement.

The agreement shall automatically renew for successive two year terms, subject to the rights of termination of the parties.

The shares for services agreement is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange and will be subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval for each renewal term.

Option Grant

The Company also announces the grant of 700,000 incentive stock options to certain of its consultants and employees pursuant to the Company's Stock Option Plan. The options are exercisable for a period of five years at a price of $.50 per share.

About Radient

Radient extracts natural compounds from a range of biological materials using microwave assisted processing ("MAP"), a patented technology platform which provides superior customer outcomes in terms of ingredient purity, yield, and cost. From its 20,000 square foot manufacturing plant in Edmonton, Alberta, Radient serves market leaders in industries that include pharmaceutical, food, beverage, natural health, personal care and cannabis markets. Visit www.radientinc.com for more information.

Contacts:

Radient Technologies Inc.

Denis Taschuk

Chief Executive Officer

dtaschuk@radientinc.com

(780) 465-1318



Radient Technologies Inc.

Prakash Hariharan

Chief Financial Officer

phariharan@radientinc.com

(780) 465-1318

www.radientinc.com




TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - North Korea has fired a missile over Japan which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the 'most serious and grave' threat to the country, according to reports. The reports noted that the missile was fired just before 6 a.m. local time in Japan. The launch set off warnings in the northern part of the country urging people to seek shelter. It flew over Erimomisaki, on the northern island of Hokkaido, and broke into three pieces before falling into the Pacific Ocean, about 1,180 kilometers off the Japanese coast. 'There is no immediate report of the fallen objects and no damage to the ships and aircraft,' Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga reportedly said. 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.
HONG KONG, CHINA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/28/17 -- Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704) (TSE: 4704), a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, today announced its market-leading Trend Micro Deep Security server security product is available to customers of VMware Cloud on AWS. VMware Cloud on AWS brings together VMware's enterprise-class Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) software and the dedicated, elastic, bare-metal infrastructure of Amazon Web Services (AWS) to give organizations a consistent operating model and application mobility for private and public cloud. The addition of Deep Security provides seamless visibility and security for virtualized workloads across the SDDC, whether on-premises or in the new VMware Cloud on AWS environment.

Organizations undergoing cloud transformation projects can face a range of operational challenges and regulatory considerations that must be addressed. Trend Micro enables security tool consolidation and streamlined regulatory compliance with a single security product that can consistently secure workloads across the hybrid cloud, including physical,virtual, cloud, & container environments. Leveraging multiple security techniques and deep integration with VMware and AWS, workloads can be automatically secured as they are launched, including vulnerability scanning & policy application to ensure that attacks like WannaCry and Erebus won't be successful. With a consistent approach to securing all environments, operational costs can be reduced while taking advantage of the cost-benefits of the cloud.

"Trend Micro's long history of innovation with both VMware and AWS makes us well-suited to provide security for our mutual customers' data center and cloud workloads," said Steve Quane, executive vice president of network defense and hybrid cloud security for Trend Micro. "With millions of secured VMs and nearly 2.5 billion protection hours in the cloud, we have unparalleled experience and expertise to help our customers as they take advantage of the new VMware Cloud on AWS offering."

VMware Cloud on AWS technology partners enable customers to deploy the same proven solutions seamlessly in both the public and private cloud. VMware simplifies deployment and eliminates the need for partners to refactor solutions for VMware Cloud on AWS. If a partner solution works on-premises in a VMware vSphere environment, it will easily support VMware Cloud on AWS. VMware technology partners complement and enhance native VMware Cloud on AWS service and enable customers to realize new capabilities.

"VMware Cloud on AWS provides customers a seamlessly integrated hybrid cloud offering that gives them the SDDC experience from the leader in private cloud, running on the leading public cloud provider, AWS," said Mark Lohmeyer, vice president, products, Cloud Platforms Business Unit, VMware. "Solutions such as Trend Micro's Deep Security enable IT teams to reduce cost, increase efficiency, and create operational consistency across cloud environments. We're excited to work with partners such as Trend Micro to enhance native VMware Cloud on AWS capabilities and empower customers with flexibility and choice in solutions that can drive business value."

For more information about Trend Micro's protection for workloads on VMware Cloud on AWS, visit here: https://www.trendmicro.com/vmware/.

About VMware Cloud on AWS

Delivered, sold and supported by VMware as an on-demand service, and running on dedicated, elastic, bare-metal AWS infrastructure, VMware Cloud on AWS is powered by VMware Cloud Foundation, the unified SDDC platform that integrates vSphere, VMware vSAN and VMware NSX virtualization technologies. With the same architecture and operational experience on-premises and in the cloud, IT teams can quickly derive business value from use of the AWS and VMware hybrid cloud experience. For more information on the VMware Cloud on AWS partner ecosystem, visit: http://cloud.vmware.com

About Trend Micro

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cyber security solutions, helps to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Our innovative solutions for consumers, businesses, and governments provide layered security for data centers, cloud environments, networks, and endpoints. All our products work together to seamlessly share threat intelligence and provide a connected threat defense with centralized visibility and control, enabling better, faster protection. With more than 5,000 employees in over 50 countries and the world's most advanced global threat intelligence, Trend Micro enables users to enjoy their digital lives safely. For more information, visit www.trendmicro.com.hk.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Claudius Lam

Trend Micro

+ 852 2866 4362 (Office)

+ 852 9022 0876 (Mobile)

Email Contact




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Facebook Inc. (FB) said that it does not allow advertisers to run ads that link to stories that have been marked false by third-party fact-checking organizations. Now it is taking an additional step. If Pages repeatedly share stories marked as false, these repeat offenders will no longer be allowed to advertise on Facebook. The company noted that the update will help to reduce the distribution of false news which will keep Pages that spread false news from making money. It hasfound instances of Pages using Facebook ads to build their audiences in order to distribute false news more broadly. Now, if a Page repeatedly shares stories that have been marked as false by third-party fact-checkers, they will no longer be able to buy ads on Facebook. If Pages stop sharing false news, they may be eligible to start running ads again. At Facebook, it is working to fight the spread of false news in three key areas: Disrupting the economic incentives to create false news;Building new products to curb the spread of false news; and Helping people make more informed decisions when they encounter. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LONDON, August 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

AgDevCo, a social impact agribusiness investor, has invested $5.05m investment into Katito Farming Enterprises Limited (Katito). This is a key part of AgDevCo's Northern Zambia Agricultural Hub (NZAH), established to stimulate investment and development along the entire agricultural value chain in the Mbala area.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151215/295904LOGO )



(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/524261/UKAid.jpg )



The UK Government, through DFID, provides funding to AgDevCo, for investment in agricultural SMEs and new agribusiness ventures in Africa.This will benefit hundreds of thousands of people across the continent, including Zambia, with jobs and better incomes, linking farmers to markets and helping to increase food security.

Katito is AgDevCo's second investment in Northern Zambia; following Saise Farming Enterprises Limited, a project primarily focused on the production of seed potatoes. These large commercial farms will provide the critical mass to attract agricultural input suppliers, aggregators, off-takers, logistics providers and value-adders including processing companies.

The systemic impact will significantly benefit the 10,000 smallholder farmers in Northern Zambia. The farm is strategically located to take advantage of regional export opportunities, with potential for cost effective supply into the Great Lakes region using barges on Lake Tanganyika and road and rail via Tanzania. Planned cropping includes seed maize, soya beans, wheat, groundnuts, commercial maize and seed potatoes. Through this production, Katito will be able to contribute to food security in Northern Zambia as well in neighbouring countries, such as Burundi, Rwanda and (Eastern) DRC, while also earning export revenue for Zambia. As part of the investment, AgDevCo has ensured that there will be improved security of land tenure for the communities living on the southern boundary of Katito. The farm will offer formal employment in an area of Zambia with very little formal employment opportunities and future investment will include an in-grower scheme. Additionally, the investment in Katito provides an anchor from which extension services can be provided and where demonstration farming can take place.

Nigel Seabrook, AgDevCo Zambia Country Director, said "I am delighted with this additional investment in Northern Zambia and am optimistic of the impact it will have on the Province, both directly and indirectly by attracting other investors. Other players in the agricultural value chain should look at the regional food demand as a huge opportunity for Northern Province."

Mr Edward Simfukwe, the Katito Community Representative said: "We as the community are looking forward to the establishment of Katito Farming Enterprises Limited so that they can employ members of the community."

About AgDevCo

AgDevCo is a social impact investor and agribusiness project developer, incorporated as a not-for-profit distribution company in the United Kingdom. With support from the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) through UKAid, AgDevCo invests patient capital in the form of debt and equity into early-stage agribusinesses. AgDevCo's mission is to reduce poverty and improve food security, and it has invested over USD 100 million in 59 agribusinesses in sub-Saharan Africa to date, connecting over 240,000 farmers to markets and generating over 7,800 jobs. For more information, visit http://www.agdevco.com.

For more information:

Nigel Seabrook

Country Director

AgDevCo Zambia

+260-211-255-963

nseabrook@agdevco.com
Technology and governance will be key enablers for participants in the smart city ecosystem in Asia-Pacific, says Frost & Sullivan

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Asia-Pacific is a frontier of growth, development, and activity having quickly embraced disruptive trends in its journey to grow. Urbanization and demand for city services, ICT penetration, as well as the rising middle class and the need to improve quality of life has driven demand for smart cities in Asia-Pacific.

The Asia-Pacific region depicts an eclectic mix of cities. While markets such as Japan and South Korea already have fairly intelligent cities, others such as Thailand and Indonesia are slowly setting up smaller projects in governance and citizen services.

According to Hazmi Yusof, Managing Director, Malaysia and Senior Vice President at Frost & Sullivan, there are about 10 cities that are expected to become smart cities by 2025 in the Asia-Pacific region, of which, more than 50% will be in China.

"Several government agendas in this region are driving the building of smarter cities in Singapore, Japan, China, and South Korea. Investments are expected to grow from US$55.6 billion in 2013 to US$260 billion in 2020," he said. "Eight emerging cities also have standalone smart city projects, which when scaled-up, can achieve the smart city status by 2030 and beyond."

Key Parameters That Will Define a Smart City in 2025 and Beyond

Smart cities are cities built on "smart" and "intelligent" solutions and technology that focuses on managing and improving its citizen lives in a responsible and sustainable manner. The ever increasing importance of managing the pace of urbanization especially in the region has resulted in governments increasing its focus on making the "smart" journey.

In smart cities of Asia-Pacific, technology and governance will be key enablers for participants in this ecosystem. Smart cities will emerge as Big Data hubs with data from sensors and networks being collected, analyzed, and monitored in real-time by a central monitoring command center. This will be used to optimize and streamline city operations and resolve issues in real-time.

"Communication service providers and network service partners play a key role in forming the technological backbone to roll-out smart cities. Singtel in Singapore and Telstra in Australia have laid out US$500 million and US$100 million, respectively, to enable smart city technology platforms and infrastructure. Telekom Malaysia in Malaysia plans to build a data center and provide cloud computing and smart services in a technology park," said Hazmi.

He continued, "Connectivity will be a key enabler while designing an omni-channel experience platform across all touch points including online and mobile. Data from sensors will enable new technologies to integrate softer aspects, such as customer perception and citizen awareness."

Hazmi Yusof will present his insights on global smart cities and the opportunities they offer at the Invest Iskandar Malaysia 2017 Symposium to be held at Phoenix Hotel, Forest City, Johor, Malaysia on the 4th October 2017. For more information, please visit http://iskandarmalaysia.com.my.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?Contact us: Start the discussion

Contact:

Carrie Low

Corporate Communications - Asia-Pacific

P: +603 6204 5910

F: +603 6201 7402

E:carrie.low@frost.com

http://www.frost.com
Press-release

Krasnodar

August 29, 2017

PJSC "Magnit" Announces the 3rd Coupon Yield Payment

Krasnodar, Russia (August 29, 2017): Magnit PJSC, one of Russia's leading retailers (the "Company"; MOEX and LSE: MGNT), announces the 3rd coupon yield payment against bonds of the BO-001P-02 series.

Please be informed that today PJSC "Magnit" fulfilled its obligation of the third coupon redemption against bonds of the BO-001P-02 series in the amount of 558,500,000.00 rubles.

Parameters of the bond issue:

Type of securities: Non-convertible interest-bearing certified exchange-traded bonds of the BO-001P-02 series to the bearer with the obligatory centralized custody, International Securities Identification Number (ISIN) RU000A0JW662 Identification number of the securities issue and the date of its assignment: 4B02-02-60525-P-001P of 24.02.2016 Coupon period which the yield is paid for: The third coupon period (27.02.2017-28.08.2017)

The total amount of the interest to be paid against bonds:

558,500,000.00 rubles excluding tax and other deductions

The amount of the interest to be paid against one bond:

55.85 rubles The total number of bonds against which the yield is paid: 10,000,000 bonds The method of payment: Monetary funds in the currency of the Russian Federation by means of non-cash settlement

The record date:

August 25, 2017





The date of the obligation fulfillment:





August 28, 2017

The total amount of the interest paid against bonds following the reporting period:

Following the 3rd coupon period the amount of 558,500,000.00 rubles was paid excluding tax and other deductions. Obligation has been fulfilled.

For further information, please contact:

Timothy Post Head of Investor Relations

Email: post@magnit.ru

Office: +7-861-277-4554 x 17600 Dina Svishcheva Deputy Director, Investor Relations

Email: Chistyak@magnit.ru

Office: +7-861-277-4554 x 15101 Media Inquiries Media Relations Department

press@magnit.ru

Company description:

Public Joint Stock Company "Magnit" is one of Russia's leading retailers. Founded in 1994, the company is headquartered in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar. As of June 30, 2017, Magnit operated 35 distribution centers and 14,844 stores (11,114 convenience, 430 hypermarkets and 3,300 drogerie stores) in 2,567 cities and towns throughout 7 federal regions of the Russian Federation.

In accordance with the reviewed IFRS consolidated financial statements for 1H 2017, Magnit had revenues of RUB 555 billion and an EBITDA of RUB 49 billion. Magnit's local shares are traded on the Moscow Exchange (MOEX: MGNT) and its GDRs on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: MGNT) and it has a credit rating from Standard & Poor's of BB+. Measured by market capitalization, Magnit is one of the largest retailers in Europe.
Record Payment Volumes, Service Expansion, and Acquisition All Part of Strong Growth in 2017 BOSTON and LONDON, 2017-11-13 09:30 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flywire, a provider of international payment and receivables solutions for businesses, schools and healthcare providers, continues to expand its business in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the rest of Europe, highlighted by record cross-border payment volumes, new service offerings, and the acquisition of a London-based fintech startup earlier this year. The company is also hosting its second annual FlyForum UK event, on November 14th in London, part of a global thought leadership series. Flywire, provides businesses, educational institutions, and healthcare providers with the ability to offer their customers a highly-tailored, international payment experience - customised by country, currency and vertical. The company removes cost and complexity in the cross-border payment process for end-users while offering financial and operations teams easy receivable tracking and reconciliation. To date, the company has processed over $5 billion in international payments and established its platform as the preferred solution around the globe for cross-border payments and receivables processing. There were several highlights for the company in the UK, Ireland, and across Europe this year. FlyForum UK Flywire will host its second annual FlyForum UK Event in London on November 14. The thought leadership event is part of a global series designed to bring together education institutions doing business internationally to discuss some of the key issues surrounding international student recruitment, cross-border payment processing, security, and customer service. Discussion topics include compliance, money laundering prevention, and international recruitment support. The event will be held at Flywire's Canary Wharf offices in London. Increased Number of Payments Processed and Clients Served Flywire added over 100 new clients in the UK and Ireland over the last 12 months - part of a 200+% increase in the volume of payments processed in the last two years across Europe. The expansion includes the addition of many prestigious business schools across Europe. In the last six months alone, Flywire signed an average of more than two educational institutions every week across ten different European countries. Expanded International Coverage Flywire has also expanded its support for payments across the globe. The additions of Alipay in Asia, and PayPal worldwide give international students attending schools in the UK, Ireland, and Europe more payment options, and make those cross-border transactions more convenient. Addition of Trustly as a Preferred Payment Option Flywire is also integrating Trustly as a preferred payment option for businesses and students in Europe making cross-border payments. With new digital authentication methods, the bank account has grown in relevance across European markets for both domestic and international payments. Flywire clients can now offer their international customers a fast and easy way to pay directly from their local bank accounts while streamlining payment and receivable reconciliation for their administrators. New Service to Address Requirements for International Students in Ireland Flywire has tailored its platform specifically to meet recently added requirements for international students who require a visa to study in Ireland. Irish schools are required to set aside funds paid on behalf of some students until the student's visa application is approved or rejected. Flywire takes this burden off the schools with a new "delayed payment account" service. Flywire can now hold tuition payments until the Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service (INIS) decides on each application, transferring the funds to the school upon visa approval, or returning funds to the payer if denied. Acquisition of London-Based Startup, Pace Invoice In June, Flywire acquired PACE Invoice, a multi-currency invoicing platform. With it, Flywire enables its business, education and healthcare clients to more easily link invoices to cross-border receivables, saving time and costs in invoice preparation and payment reconciliation. The invoicing capability is available to Flywire clients as an option with its cross-border payments and receivables platform - providing end-to-end management from invoice delivery through to payment reconciliation. PACE is an alumnus of Startupbootcamp FinTech London, an accelerator program supporting early-stage tech companies. Integration with First Data In May, First Data and Flywire formed a reciprocal referral relationship, providing clients with seamless integration between Flywire's international payment and receivables platform, and First Data's vast client network and technology solutions. The partnership significantly expands card payment options for Flywire clients and enables First Data clients to leverage the Flywire platform to accept large sum international payments from their customers, while providing transparency and easy reconciliation. New Offering for Businesses In March, Flywire announced its entry into the $ trillion + business payment processing and receivables market, using its platform to connect all the entities involved in cross-border business transactions around the world. The company is targeting multiple business segments including travel, luxury goods, publishing, import/export, business/professional services, and technology to eliminate the obstacles to international expansion including slow payment processing times, a lack of transparency, unpredictable fees and FX costs, and country-specific regulations and infrastructure requirements. About Flywire Flywire is a leading provider of international payment solutions, connecting businesses and institutions with their customers on six continents. Introduced six years ago as a way for international students to pay their tuition for studies abroad, Flywire is now used by over 1,400 organizations across 19 countries around the world. The company processes billions in payments per year from 220 countries and territories, via bank transfer, credit card and e-wallet solutions, in over 120 different local currencies. Convenient, fast and secure, Flywire's scalable platform provides currency conversion at exchange rates that can offer significant savings when compared to home-market banks and credit card providers. The company also supports its clients with end-to-end customer support including multilingual servicing via phone, email, and chat, as well as 24/7 online payment tracking. Flywire is headquartered in Boston, MA with operations in London and Manchester, UK; Shanghai, China; Tokyo, Japan; Singapore; Sydney, Australia; and Valencia, Spain. For more information, visit www.Flywire.com. Media Contacts: for Flywire Tim Walsh +1 617.512.1641 timw@walshgroupmarketing.com
Fully-certified, complete solution features Inside Secure's new Mobile Payment Server solution

Inside Secure (Paris:INSD), at the heart of security solutions for mobile and connected devices, today announces that its complete mobile payment solution, Mobile Payment Server and Mobile Payment Client, has been selected by Banca Transilvania, a banking institution headquartered in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, for its new service, which is launching today. Banca Transilvania has also chosen Inside Secure's Code Protection Tool to protect its complete application, further evolving the companies' partnership to end-to-end software protection.

Inside Secure's fully-certified Mobile Payment Solution drastically cuts time-to-market for issuer banks who want to deploy their own-brand of mobile payment solutions. Issuer banks also have the flexibility to decide how to best serve their customers in mobile financial transactions.

Banca Transilvania is the first bank to go through the Visa Token Service (VTS) Token Requestor Token Service Providers (TR-TSP) program and Inside Secure is the first TR-TSP to have guided a bank through this process. VTS is a security technology that replaces cardholder information with a unique digital identifier (token) that can be used for payment without exposing a cardholder's more sensitive account information. Tokenization hides consumers' confidential account information during digital transactions, making digital payments more secure for everyone, everywhere. The phone becomes a digital wallet, changing the shopping and money sending experiences of BT customers who own a Visa or MasterCard debit or credit card.

Banca Transilvania will simultaneously launch MasterCard Mobile Payments, leveraging Secure's solution to rapidly deliver HCE payments for both schemes. The MasterCard implementation utilizes the MasterCard Digital Enablement Service (MDES) for tokenization.

Inside Secure is presently the only vendor to earn recertification for the full end-to-end solution with both Visa and MasterCard. The solution consists of its Mobile Payment Server to manage an Issuing bank's ecosystem for delivering mobile payments to its customers, and its Mobile Payment Client which provides an SDK, easily integrated into mobile banking and wallet applications or a white-label mobile payment application.

"Through BTPAY app we want to offer our customers new experiences when shopping, sending money or checking their card transactions. The appetite of our bank customers for contactless shopping is growing, the increase being over 350 percent in December 2017 compared to December 2016. Also, every second means five transactions are made with one of our 20 offered cards. Launching BT Pay is a big step for the bank in order to provide digital services to its customers," said Omer Tetik, chief executive officer of Banca Transilvania."

"We are excited to have worked with Banca Transilvania to complete the process of on-boarding Visa and MasterCard, and as our lead customer for the on-premise version of Mobile Payment Server," said Simon Wilson-Blake, chief operating officer of Inside Secure. "We see great traction with banks who want to easily get to market with a highly-secure complete mobile payment solution and we expect to see additional banks and institutions come on board in the coming months."

About Inside Secure

Inside Secure (Euronext Paris INSD) is at the heart of security solutions for mobile and connected devices, providing software, silicon IP, tools, services, and know-how needed to protect customers' transactions, ID, content, applications, and communications. With its deep security expertise and experience, the company delivers products having advanced and differentiated technical capabilities that span the entire range of security requirement levels to serve the demanding markets of network security, IoT and System-on-Chip security, video content and entertainment, mobile payment and banking, enterprise and telecom. Inside Secure's technology protects solutions for a broad range of customers including service providers, operators, content distributors, security system integrators, device makers and semiconductor manufacturers. For more information, visit www.insidesecure.com

About Banca Transilvania

Banca Transilvania is ranked 2nd amongst Romanian banks, in terms of assets and is a leader on Romanian cards market. The bank is channeling its activity on three business lines: Corporate, SME and Retail. BT has over 7.000 employees, 550 units and 2.2 million clients. The bank's strategy is supported by international shareholders, such as: the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (BERD) and IFC -World Bank.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180129005777/en/

Contacts:

Press

Inside Secure Corporate communications

Brigitte Foll, +33 (0) 4 42 905 905

Marcom Director

communication@insidesecure.com
SINGAPORE / ACCESSWIRE / August 29, 2017 / Jadestone Energy Inc. (TSXV:"JSE") ("Jadestone" or the "Company"), formerly Mitra Energy Inc., reported today its condensed consolidated interim unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2017.

Highlights include:

Total liquids production of 322,790 bbls for the quarter from the Stag Oilfield and from the Ogan Komering PSC, and natural gas production of 279,514 mmbtu from Ogan Komering, for a total average production of 4,059 boe/d (net working interest) for the quarter;

Revenue of US$18.1 million arising from one crude oil lifting of 227,486 bbls from Stag on May 25, plus ongoing sales from Ogan Komering;

Net cash flow used in operations of US$8.1 million for the quarter, versus US$3.7 million used in the same quarter a year ago;

Higher well workover costs of US$9.2 million arising from three well workovers in the quarter, compared to the planned estimate of six per annum, including work to address casing integrity issues found earlier at two of the three wells;

Other net non-recurring costs and capex of US$1.0 million as management continues to execute the turnaround and strategic reset, from an early stage exploration business to an emphasis on production and near-term development that leverages new management's deep experience as a second phase operator in the region; and

Solid financial liquidity including US$15.1 million cash at bank, free cashflow generating production at Stag and Ogan Komering even at low oil prices, and the US$28 million convertible bond of which US$13 million remains undrawn.

"The June quarter was the last full quarter with the Stag Oilfield under the transitional operatorship of the previous operator. During this period, in addition to Quadrant's time costs and charges while our team waited to take over operatorship, there were two major well workovers undertaken, as well as a third more straightforward well workover, and the completion of a significant amount of work required to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals with the Australian regulator, NOPSEMA, and title office, NOPTA", said Chairman and CEO Paul Blakeley.

"As a result, we have incurred significant non-recurring and re-structuring costs which have had an impact on financial results during an extended period of production downtime. Nevertheless, with Stag operatorship transferred on July 10, I'm excited by the opportunities for us to accelerate value creation with this asset, while constraining our spending, living within our means, working hard on new efficiencies by further reducing operating costs, and continuing our efforts to address general and administrative expenses".

Production at Stag averaged 2,570 barrels a day during the quarter. It has been negatively impacted in the quarter by downtime associated with the three well workover repairs on the 25H, 36H, and 37H wells. Wells 36H and 37H experienced extended shut-ins due to casing integrity issues. Stag has had five well workovers in the first seven-and-a-half months while under transitional operatorship of the previous operator, three in the current quarter.

Since operatorship transfer, from the period July 10 to August 28, production has averaged 3,200 bbls/day, up over 24% from the June quarter, delivered as a result of deploying our prior extensive operating experience and by a reinvigorated focus on the day-to-day operations by the offshore teams.

Ogan Komering PSC recently surpassed 2.5 million man-hours without a lost time incident. Additional value has been realized from the back-payment arising from the increase in the AAK gas price from US$5.94/mmbtu to US$8.27/mmbtu. Ongoing process modification of the Mandala gas development is projected to boost sales gas production by 8%, with further potential increases by re-perforating shallow reservoirs in existing wells.

Each of these elements illustrate how Jadestone continues to work alongside Pertamina in the Joint Operating Body to enhance production and revenue and optimise costs, without compromising HSE standards. In Q1 2018, production at Ogan Komering PSC averaged 1,489 boe/d (net working interest, to Jadestone).

Preparatory negotiations have begun with the aim of participating in the new Ogan Komering PSC, and good progress has been made. With regard to the new PSC terms, the Indonesian Government has elected to review the gross split policy to determine where improvements need to be made to the terms in order to ensure competitiveness, following feedback from the industry.

Jadestone continues to accelerate the development of Nam Du (block 46/07) and U Minh (block 51) fields as a standalone development. The revised overall development plan is being finalized and we plan to submit a new draft to PVN within the next month. The Company received notification this month that its latest application for a one-year extension on the block 46/07 PSC exploration phase two has been approved, effective to June 29, 2018.

As previously noted, the Company continues its efforts to relinquish long dated, high risk, non-carried exploration, with the withdrawal from the Bone PSC in May and the transfer of the Company's 60% working interest and operatorship to the partner in the block. In June 2017, PVN approved Jadestone's relinquishment of Vietnamese block MVHN/12KS, an exploration block that Mitra acquired as a shale gas PSC.

Closing of the Company's purchase of a 30% working interest in Vietnam Block 05-1b&c PSC from Inpex Corporation remains subject to the statutory pre-emption right held by PVN, along with Vietnamese government approvals. The Company remains engaged with Inpex to satisfy the outstanding conditions precedent under the purchase agreement, but there is no certainty the Company can close the transaction.

JSE reported an operating loss before interest, tax and other income for the quarter of US$13.3 million compared to an operating loss of US$5.3 million for the same three-month period to June 30, 2016. This result reflects a high level of abnormal and non-recurring costs at Stag, together with a significantly lower production, due to the three workovers in the quarter.

The Company incurred US$9.2 million of elevated workover costs during the quarter, or US$24.94/barrel, due to a more intensive level of activity in the period, as well as non-cash depletion costs of US$10.44/barrel.

The results reflect US$7.9 million of non-recurring charges including the higher than planned workover costs and the costs associated with having Quadrant as operator while Jadestone prepared to take over operatorship, and US$0.3 million of termination payments as efforts continue to right-size the organization and make the business fit-for-purpose.

Investing activities for the quarter amounted to a cash outflow of US$0.6 million, largely due to investment at Stag leading up to the transfer of operatorship. Exploration spend continues to contract, with less than US$0.05 million spent in the quarter. Financing activities for the quarter totaled US$9.5 million cash inflow arising from the US$10.0 million drawdown on the convertible bond.

The Company has US$15.1 million cash, plus the US$28 million convertible bond facility of which US$13 million remains undrawn.

Stag is expected to be operating free cashflow positive for the second half of 2017, along with Ogan Komering.

"The June quarter was the last full quarter where Stag remained in the hands of the previous operator. It has been a period of significant elevated costs while Jadestone has completed its regulatory approval applications in preparation to take operatorship, and while the field has undergone three workovers and experienced significant downtime. With this now behind us, and with production and costs at Stag moving into the range we always anticipated, we are set for a more sustainable future and one where we can start to focus on further growth, both organically as well as with select acquisitions, consistent with our strategic objectives. There is still more business efficiency and improved performance to derive from Stag and Ogan Komering, and moving our Vietnam discovered gas to development will also be a key area of focus, as we finally get to take charge of our destiny across the whole portfolio," said Paul Blakeley.

Selected Financial Information

The following table provides selected financial information of the Company, which was derived from, and should be read in conjunction with, the condensed consolidated interim unaudited financial statements for the quarter ended June 30, 2017:

Quarterly comparison Jun 2017 Qtr Jun 2016 Qtr Change (%) Production, mboe 369.4 - - Sales, mboe 363.0 - - Avg realized liquids price, US$/bbl 50.64 - - Sales revenue, US$ million 18.1 - - Capital expenditure1, US$ million 0.7 0.9 -19.9% Quarterly comparison Jun 2017 Qtr Jun 2016 Qtr Change (%) Production, mboe 369.4 260.1 42.0% Sales, mboe 363.0 307.4 18.1% Avg realized liquids price, US$/bbl 50.64 57.12 -11.3% Sales revenue, US$ million 18.1 17.2 5.4% Capital expenditure1, US$ million 0.7 2.7 -74.4% Yearly comparison Year to Jun 2017 Year to Jun 2016 Change (%) Production, mboe 369.4 - - Sales, mboe 363.0 - - Avg realized liquids price, US$/bbl 50.64 - - Sales revenue, US$ million 18.1 - - Capital expenditure1, US$ million 0.7 0.9 -19.9%

1 Payment for oil and gas property, plant and equipment and intangible exploration assets. Excludes acquisition related capital expenditure.

The management team will host an investor and analyst webcast at 10:00 p.m. (Singapore), 15.00 p.m. (London), and 10.00 a.m. (Toronto) on Tuesday August 29, 2017, including a question and answer session, at the below webcast link. Dial-in details are provided below. Please register approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the call. The quarterly results for the period ended June 30, 2017 will be available on the Company's website at:

http://www.jadestone-energy.com/investor-relations/

Webcast Link: https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/besx7r2r

Event conference title: Jadestone Energy Q1 2018 Results Briefing

Start time/date: 10:00am Toronto time, Tuesday August 29, 2017

Confirmation code: 1611690

Location Phone Type Phone Number Australia Tollfree/Freephone 1 800 573 793 Australia, Sydney Local +61 (0)2 9193 3706 Canada Tollfree/Freephone 866-222-0265 Canada, Toronto Local +1 416-640-5944 China National 4001 209101 France Tollfree/Freephone 0805 101 219 France, Paris Local +33 (0)1 76 77 22 74 Hong Kong Tollfree/Freephone 800 961 105 Hong Kong, Hong Kong Local +852 3008 1527 Japan Mobile Tollfree 0120 230 784 Japan Tollfree/Freephone 0120 001 836 Japan, Tokyo Local +81 (0)3 6897 0211 Korea, Republic of Tollfree/Freephone 007 9814 2032 546 Korea, Republic of, Seoul Local +82 (0)2 3483 5431 Malaysia Tollfree/Freephone 1800 806 802 Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Local +60 (0)3 7724 0453 New Zealand Tollfree/Freephone 0800 423 970 New Zealand, Auckland Local +64 (0) 9 9133 622 Singapore Tollfree/Freephone 800 186 5107 Singapore, Singapore Local +65 6320 9025 United Kingdom Tollfree/Freephone 0800 358 6377 United Kingdom, Local Local +44 (0)330 336 9105 United States/Canada Tollfree/Freephone 866-548-4713 United States, Colorado Springs Local +1 719-457-1036

Area access numbers are subject to carrier capacity and call volumes.

For further information, please contact:

Jadestone Energy:

Email: contact@jadestone-energy.com

Phone: +65 6324 0359

Website: www.jadestone-energy.com

FTI Consulting:

Freddie Barber

+65 8138 7944

freddie.barber@fticonsulting.com

About Jadestone Energy Inc.

Jadestone Energy Inc. is TSX-V listed oil and gas company headquartered in Singapore. The Company is currently engaged in production, development and exploration and appraisal activities in Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. Following a recent strategic review, the Company is focusing on acquiring assets with production in the near term, and where significant follow-on reinvestment opportunities exist to enhance value, as well as undeveloped discoveries which may be rapidly brought to production.

Cautionary Statements

A barrel of oil equivalent ("boe") is determined by converting a volume of natural gas to barrels using the ratios of six thousand cubic feet ("mcf") to one barrel. Boes may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion ratio of 6 mcf:1 boe is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. Given that the value ratio based on the current price of oil as compared to natural gas is significantly different from the energy equivalency of 6:1, utilizing a conversion on a 6:1 basis may be misleading as an indication of value



Certain statements in this press release are forward looking statements and information (collectively "forward looking statements"), within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, as well as other applicable international securities laws. The forward looking statements contained in this press release are forward-looking and not historical facts.

Some of the forward looking statements may be identified by statements that express, or involve discussions as to expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "will continue", "is anticipated", "is targeting", "estimated", "intend", "plan", "guidance", "objective", "projection", "aim", "goals", "target", "schedules", and "outlook").

In particular, forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to statements regarding the ODP revision for Nam Du/U Minh to reflect a standalone development; the acceleration of commercialization based on Jadestone's preferred path; the delay of the 46/07 commitment well to align with development drilling; the close engagement with Pertamina and high level Government officials on JSE's participation in the Ogan Komering PSC beyond expiry; the negotiation of improved Gross Split PSC terms in the new PSC; the Company's efforts to continue to exit non-strategic exploration; the Company's future exploration activities including no significant incremental exploration activity for the remainder of the year; and the resolution of PVN pre-emption of 05-1b&c.

Because actual results or outcomes could differ materially from those expressed in any forward looking statements, investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward looking statements. By their nature, forward looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Some of these risks, uncertainties and other factors are similar to those faced by other oil and gas companies and some are unique to Jadestone.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release speaks only as of the date hereof. The Company does not assume any obligation to publicly update the information, except as may be required pursuant to applicable laws.

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: Jadestone Energy Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 11, 2017) - Dan Blondal, CEO of Nano One Materials Corp. (TSXV: NNO) (FSE: LBMB) (OTC Pink: NNOMF), today announced the closing of its non-brokered private placement previously announced. Gross proceeds of $4,180,000 were raised.

"Nano One thanks its shareholders for their overwhelming and continuing support," said Mr. Blondal. "Strengthening our balance sheet enables us to accelerate the execution of critical business activities in the lithium supply chain and next generation batteries."

The Company has issued 4,180,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $1.00 per Unit to institutional and private investors. Each Unit consists of one common share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole such warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase an additional common share at a price of $1.25 until September 8, 2019.

In connection with the private placement, the Company paid finder's fee of $145,880 and issued 145,880 non-transferable share purchase warrants ("Finder's Warrants") to Leede Jones Gable, Raymond James Ltd., Canaccord Genuity Corp., PI Financial Corp., Mackie Research Capital, Foster & Associates Financial Services Inc. and Odlum Brown Limited. Each Finder's Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at a price of $1.25 expiring on September 8, 2019.

The Units are subject to a 4-month hold period expiring January 9, 2018.

The proceeds of this private placement will be used for technology and corporate development, and general working capital.

Nano One Materials Corp.

Dan Blondal, CEO

For information with respect to Nano One or the contents of this news release, please contact John Lando (President) at (604) 669-2701 or visit the website at www.nanoone.ca.

About Nano One:

Nano One Materials Corp ("Nano One" or "the Company") is developing patented technology for the low-cost production of high performance battery materials used in electric vehicles, energy storage, consumer electronics and next generation batteries. The processing technology addresses fundamental supply chain constraints by enabling wider raw materials specifications for use in lithium ion batteries. The process can be configured for a range of different nanostructured materials and has the flexibility to shift with emerging and future battery market trends and a diverse range of other growth opportunities. The novel three-stage process uses equipment common to industry and Nano One has built a pilot plant to demonstrate high volume production. Piloting is being funded with the assistance and support of the Government of Canada through Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) and the Automotive Supplier Innovation Program (ASIP). Nano One also receives financial support from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP). Nano One's mission is to establish its patented technology as a leading platform for the global production of a new generation of nanostructured composite materials. For more information, please visit www.nanoone.ca

Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes statements related to the use of proceeds of the private placement. Generally, forward looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'believe', 'expect', 'anticipate', 'plan', 'intend', 'continue', 'estimate', 'may', 'will', 'should', 'ongoing', or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including: the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that is incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

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 NEWS RELEASE

THIS NEWS RELEASE, REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE CANADIAN LAWS, IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL SECURITIES AND THE COMPANY IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN. THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS UNLESS REGISTERED OR EXEMPT THEREFROM.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES


DUBAI, UAE, August 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

InterSystems TrakCare, the world's most proven EMR solution, is set to transform care delivery and streamline clinical and operational processes at Mediclinic Middle East

InterSystems, a global leader in health information technology, has announced that Mediclinic Middle East (MCME), one of the largest private healthcare groups in the UAE, is implementing InterSystems TrakCare, a unified healthcare information system. The solution will provide all MCME hospitals and clinics in the UAE with an online, secure, electronic medical record (EMR). This will give the group's care providers the clinical and administrative information they require about each patient at any given time.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150423/740561 )



TrakCare will support the MCME medical staff in their decision-making, while creating more opportunities to offer patients an enhanced experience and seamless care journey. TrakCare will also help clinicians and administrators to manage costs and maintain efficiencies by streamlining care processes, eliminating duplicate tests, expediting billing, and maximizing the use of resources.

TrakCare's advanced interoperability will enable MCME to align with the UAE Health authorities' plans for a Health Information Exchange (HIE). The HIE platform will connect public and private systems, so patient records may be easily accessible across the Emirate by authorized individuals.

"At Mediclinic, we believe in putting science and innovation at the heart of our approach," said Donna Lunn, Chief Information Officer, Mediclinic Middle East. "Our goal is to provide outstanding facilities, with best in class solutions, reinforced by sound medical expertise. To enable a culture of excellence across all our facilities, we selected InterSystems TrakCare as it is best suited to help us achieve our goals. In doing so, our operations will be well-placed to achieve automation while strengthening our stance as the leading healthcare provider in the UAE."

"By selecting TrakCare, MCME will be the largest private healthcare provider group to deploy a unified international healthcare information system across all its hospitals and clinics in the UAE," said Michel Amous, InterSystems Managing Director for Middle East, Italy, and India. "Top private healthcare providers like Mediclinic have always been looking at ways to transform care delivery and enable a culture of excellence. They aim at utilizing advanced technology to automate and improve upon clinical and operational processes. By providing timely access to comprehensive data presented in a meaningful way, TrakCare will help MCME achieve their goals."

About Mediclinic

Mediclinic Middle East is part of Mediclinic International, a private hospital group founded in 1983 that today has three operating platforms: in Southern Africa (South Africa and Namibia); Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. The Group also has a 29.9% shareholding in Spire Healthcare, a UK-based healthcare group with 38 hospitals. The foundation of Mediclinic International lies in the application of rigorous science to improve the lives of patients, through the use of state-of-the-art treatments and technologies to care for patients in an evidence-based environment.

In 2016, Mediclinic Middle East, whose primary customer base is in Dubai, merged with Al Noor Hospitals Group, whose primary customer base is in Abu Dhabi. The combined Group operates six hospitals and more than 20 clinics with over 700 inpatient beds across the United Arab Emirates.

About InterSystems

InterSystems is the engine behind the world's most important applications. In healthcare, finance, government, and other sectors where lives and livelihoods are at stake, InterSystems is the power behind what matters'. Founded in 1978, InterSystems is a privately held company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts (USA), with offices worldwide, and its software products are used daily by millions of people in more than 80 countries. For more information, visit InterSystems.com.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- Rubicon Labs, a leader in secure identity services for IoT devices, will present "Secure IoT Identity and the Emergence of IoT Control" at the ST Developers Conference in Santa Clara, California, September 6, 2017. Rubicon Labs' Chief Product Officer Rod Schultz joins a select group of visionaries and cyber security thought leaders to present actionable perspectives on key technologies driving the product development of innovative IoT services and solutions.

"When you connect a device to a network, you must think like a service provider. How do you secure and defend your services, yet still grow revenue?" Schultz said. "How do you protect your corporate brand? The answer begins and ends with IoT services and security built upon trusted, highly secure and unique identity that is readily subscribe-able and manage-able down to the very low power device level."

Schultz will share strategies for how to generate revenue, sustain a profitable business model and protect a firm's market reputation by implementing a service that ensures secure identity and offers the opportunity to provide value-added subscription services. He will also provide the business underpinnings and technical details of Rubicon's secure identity service.

Schultz's ST Developer Conference presentation -- "Secure IoT Identity and the Emergence of IoT Control" -- will be held at 11 am, September 6, 2017, in the Mission City Ballroom of the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA.

Rubicon Labs will also showcase its Rubicon Identity Service, which provides secure identity from a cloud service down to very low-end microcontrollers that reside in IoT devices. The Identity Service is a foundation for innovation that supports the provisioning speed, scale, extremely low-power consumption and attractive economics essential to realize the true market potential of IoT.

At the ST Developers Conference, Rubicon Labs will demonstrate the secure provisioning of both identity and secure services built on top of this secure identity. The Company will cloud-provision highly manageable identity-driven services such as data signing/validation, data encryption/decryption, secure cloud data aggregation, and cloud managed IoT identities.

Together, the platform and cloud services provide a true plug-and-play IoT framework to allow developers to create a secure cloud controlled service for the emerging wave of IoT devices and market opportunities.

About Rubicon Labs:

Rubicon Labs provides trust, identity, and security for connected IoT devices. The Company believes secure identities are foundational to help the IoT market achieve its massive potential. Rubicon has created a unique platform to provide security and identity seamlessly from the cloud to gateway and even to the most resource-constrained IoT endpoints.

Rubicon Labs' Identity Platform is delivered as Software as a Service (SaaS), providing developers with a simple path to authenticate, secure and control their devices. Once identity is provisioned, data can be encrypted and signed, devices can be controlled with policies and over-the-air updates can be targeted to unique devices.

Rubicon Labs is based in San Francisco and has an R&D center in Austin, Texas. The company is venture-backed by Third Point Ventures, Pelion Venture Partners, and Akamai Technologies.

For more information, please visit: https://www.rubiconlabs.io/
Waialua High & Intermediate School receives safe, renewably-powered cooling for students

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Students at Hawaii's Waialua High and Intermediate on the island of O'ahu are returning to school this year to solar PV and energy storage-powered air conditioned classrooms from project partners SimpliPhi Power, Ameresco Solar and Haleakala Solar. As part of the statewide Heat Abatement Program, schools can receive hybrid solar air conditioning units and implement other cooling strategies to bring relief to students currently enduring sweltering educational environments that can reach up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and make learning a challenge. The solution of classroom AC powered by solar and energy storage helps to control energy costs for schools, which until now has been a major barrier to adding AC to classrooms.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/549773/SimpliPhi_Power___Outdoor_Cabinet.jpg

"Bringing sustainable cooling relief to students in Hawaii was a problem we knew required innovation on several levels, including how to manage the up front and long-term costs of these systems and how to work with the limited electrical infrastructure on these campuses," said Richard Dean, senior account executive for Ameresco Solar, a leading independent provider of comprehensive energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions. "We designed a modular cabinet and energy production system housing power generation and storage technologies to be located right next to the electrical load, with one to two classrooms running off one cabinet. This is a major cost advantage over a centralized system, as is the power system's ability to expand as future energy needs change. Using non-toxic SimpliPhi energy storage is essential as we can simply add more batteries in the system without duplicating other aspects, unlike with the other storage options available on the market."

Each cabinet is built to house seven or ten SimpliPhi PHI 3.4kWh batteries as part of a hybrid, solar powered off-grid system for two or four ton air conditioners, respectively. Ameresco designed the systems to hold up to 16 batteries to streamline future expansion.

"With solar saturation on Hawaii's electrical grid, integrating energy storage is essential to getting these systems online faster for these students in need," said Jim Whitcomb, founder of Haleakala Solar, a major solar integrator in Hawaii with over 14,000 solar systems installed on the Islands.

"Our decades of experience have shown us that not all batteries are created equal. Indoor real estate at these schools to house batteries is next-to-none, so we absolutely needed a battery that is proven to be reliable and safe from fire when installed outdoors in the full Hawaiian sun - without the hassle of adding separate AC or cooling mitigation. The SimpliPhi batteries surpass all these requirements and more."

SimpliPhi CEO Catherine Von Burg added, "Our batteries are deployed in some of the harshest environments on the planet, such as the rugged front lines with the Department of Defense, and we have a zero failure rate due to overheating, thermal runaway and fires. This is even more critical when we are talking about systems that are installed within five feet of the closest student. Safety is paramount and should not be negotiable for anyone; especially our children."

In addition to this first project to be installed in Waialua, the companies have another 1.4MWh of SimpliPhi storage lined up for school AC projects across Hawaii. To read more about the Waialua High and Intermediate School project, follow the link to the SimpliPhi case study here: http://simpliphipower.com/waialua-high-school-hybrid-off-grid-power-air-conditioning/.

SimpliPhi has over six years of experience creating non-toxic, safe energy storage solutions for schools needing critical power to create an environment that is conducive to learning. The company has announced a crowdfunding campaign to bring sustainable energy storage to students on remote Fiji Islands. In partnership with nonprofits The Last Kilometer and Its Time Foundation, SimpliPhi has committed $40,000 toward an $80,000 campaign goal to help accelerate adoption of sustainable energy solutions for 200 schoolchildren with a 1:1 matching campaign. Donations can be made at www.youcaring.com/fijischoolspower2017.

Visit SimpliPhi Power at Solar Power International in Las Vegas September 11-13 at booth #1829 to hear more about how SimpliPhi is creating a collective force to make a significant difference to all Fiji Island children.

About Haleakala Solar

Since 1977, Haleakala Solar has been installing quality solar systems on all islands in Hawaii. The company provides design, engineering, financing, installation, and service for all of its systems. With the large number of solar companies that have gone out of business, Haleakala now services any and all solar systems including those installed by other companies. After 40 years of quality service the company is one of the few who can back up a 25 year warranty. www.haleakalasolar.com.

About SimpliPhi Power

Founded in 2002 as LibertyPak/Optimized Energy Storage, SimpliPhi Power designs and manufactures efficient, non-toxic and enduring energy storage and management systems that utilize lithium ferro phosphate (LFP). Based in Ojai, California, SimpliPhi combines the non-hazardous LFP energy storage chemistry with its proprietary cell and battery architecture, power electronics, Battery Management System (BMS) and assembly methods to create safe, reliable, durable and highly scalable on-demand power solutions for the residential, commercial, military, emergency response and film industries. Integral to all SimpliPhi Power solutions is a proprietary management system that further optimizes the life-cycle, performance and durability of its batteries. SimpliPhi Power storage system components are UL certified and have been rigorously tested and passed requirements by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. For more information, please visit SimpliPhipower.com and follow us @SimpliPhiPower or Facebook and LinkedIn.
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. shares tumbled on Tuesday as traders returned to their desks following a long holiday weekend. Investor sentiment soured after North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan, reigniting geopolitical worries. The missile flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido at 6:06 am local Japanese time, according to Japan's state broadcaster NKH. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe described the missile launch as 'an unprecedented, serious and grave threat' to Asia's second-largest economy, adding that he and U.S. President Donald Trump are in complete agreement to hike pressure on North Korea. The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 95 points or 1.29 percent at 7,306 in late opening deals, with losses seen across the board. Advertising giant WPP Group fell 1.7 percent after its wholly-owned operating company AKQA acquired a majority stake in digital agency DIS/PLAY in Denmark. Gold miners rallied as the precious metal benefited from the risk aversion to trade at 9-1/2 month high. Randgold Resources climbed 3.8 percent and Fresnillo jumped 3 percent. In economic releases, U.K. house prices increased 2.1 percent year-on-year in August, slower than the 2.9 percent growth seen in July, data published by Nationwide Building Society showed. This was weaker than the expected growth of 2.5 percent. 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.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- Sphinx Resources Ltd. ("Sphinx" or the "Corporation") (TSX VENTURE: SFX) announces assay results from its spring drilling campaign on its 100% owned Green Palladium project ("GPd"), located in the Pontiac MRC in southwestern Quebec. Results from nine (9) of ten (10) drill holes support palladium-platinum mineralization (collectively "PGE") with associated gold and copper mineralization. This mineralization is hosted within, or proximal to, a distinct meta-pyroxenite layer (marker horizon) within the Obwondiag layered igneous complex that intrudes sulphide-bearing dolomitic marbles and meta-volcanic rocks. Table 1 summarizes results and attached Table 2 lists all drill hole information and assayed intervals.

Table 1: Drill hole information and results summary.

============================================================================ Hole Mineralized Name From To inter-cept Pd Pt Au Pd+Pt+Au Cu Ni Number (m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) % % ============================================================================ GPd-17-11 26.50 29.00 2.50 0.10 0.03 0.02 0.15 0.21 0.02 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inc. 27.50 28.00 0.50 0.22 0.06 0.04 0.32 0.43 0.04 ============================================================================ ============================================================================ GPd-17-12 28.20 31.33 3.13 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.04 0.08 Nil ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inc. 28.63 28.80 0.17 0.05 0.01 0.02 0.08 0.53 Nil ============================================================================ ============================================================================ GPd-17-13 46.80 47.40 0.60 0.07 0.02 0.02 0.11 0.11 0.02 ============================================================================ ============================================================================ GPd-17-14 35.00 38.47 3.47 0.03 0.01 0.01 0.05 0.04 Nil ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inc. 37.41 38.47 1.06 0.07 0.02 0.01 0.10 0.05 0.01 ============================================================================ ============================================================================ GPd-17-15 54.75 57.25 2.50 0.28 0.04 0.02 0.34 0.47 0.05 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inc. 55.58 56.43 0.85 0.61 0.06 0.04 0.71 1.20 0.13 ============================================================================ ============================================================================ GPd-17-16 53.95 54.47 0.52 0.30 0.03 0.05 0.38 0.52 0.05 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 59.11 60.70 1.59 0.22 0.04 0.01 0.27 0.17 0.05 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inc. 59.60 59.93 0.33 0.55 0.05 0.03 0.63 0.04 0.01 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 70.64 71.68 1.04 0.04 Nil Nil 0.04 0.20 0.01 ============================================================================ ============================================================================ GPd-17-17 66.20 74.13 7.93 0.29 0.03 0.03 0.35 0.45 0.07 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inc. 66.20 69.00 2.80 0.54 0.04 0.03 0.61 0.73 0.14 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inc. 73.75 74.13 0.38 0.60 0.02 0.14 0.76 1.51 0.60 ============================================================================

Pd+Pt+Au = Total PGE. See Table 2 for true widths.

The program was designed to test surface geochemical anomalies, new targets developed from the heliborne survey completed in 2016 and from geological interpretation of previous drill results. A total of ten (10) shallow drill holes were completed. Nine (9) holes were drilled along the mineralized PGE reef and all intersected pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite mineralization. The PGE values are characterized by thicker intervals of anomalous PGE and copper that contain local intervals of higher values. Mineralization is associated with disseminated pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite. In drill holes GPd-17-15, 16 and 17, disseminated sulphides were associated with semi-massive chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite forming an anastomosed stockwork ranging between 5% and 30 % sulphides in volume.

One drill hole was drilled outside of the Obwondiag complex and tested a target in the adjacent metavolcanic rocks that host mineralization in the former New Calumet zinc-lead-silver-gold mine located 2 km to the northwest.

Drill hole assay results from the 2015 and 2017 drilling campaigns (19 holes totaling 1,931 m) supported the extension of the stratabound PGE reef over a distance of 800 m. The reef remains open in all directions. Regional compilation suggests an interpreted surface expression of the target horizon over an estimated 11 kilometres. The mineralized reef, returned 3.44 g/t Pd+Pt+Au over 40 cm at the main showing area (press releases of August 6, 2015 and November 1, 2016) and was intersected in 12 of the 19 drill holes completed to date.

A ground InfiniTEM survey totaling 1.8 km in two (2) lines was completed over the main showing area and holes GPd-17-15, 16, 17 and 19 by Abitibi Geophysics based in Val d'Or, Quebec, following the completion of drilling. The results did not identify shallow, near surface conductors that would correlate well with the drilled area given the disseminated nature of the sulphides. Both lines showed longer wavelength anomalous responses toward the west side of the survey grid that warrant follow up.

A new volcanogenic massive sulphide horizon located within the metavolcanic sequences has been identified to the north of the Obwondiag complex. This horizon is located on a favorable felsic mafic contact that correlates with the mine horizon at the New Calumet Mine (produced 3.8 million tons of ore grading 5.8% Zn, 1.6% Pb, 65 g/t Ag and 0.4 g/t Au from 1943 to 1968) located 3 km west. An initial 160 sample soil program is underway to test the prospectivity of this horizon.

Sphinx's corporate objective for the region is to acquire a strong land position based on quality targets and to seek partnerships to rapidly advance projects by drilling.

Sphinx employed a quality assurance and quality control program for the drill program to ensure leading practice in the sampling and analysis of drill core. This included the insertion of certified standards and blanks in the sample stream. Assay samples are taken from NQ-size drill core sawn in half. One half is shipped for analysis to ALS ChemexLaboratory in Val d'Or, Quebec. The other half is kept for future reference. Analytical methods consisted of standard fire assay and ICP-AES finish for PGE and aqua regia digestion and ICP-AES for the determination of 34 elements.

The drilling program was performed by Forage G4 of Val d'Or, Quebec, under the supervision of Michel Gauthier, Ph.D. (geo, and a director of the Corporation) and Robin N. Adair, M.Sc. (P.Geol., geo, and member of the Consultative Committee of the Corporation).

The technical information presented in this press release has been approved by Normand Champigny, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sphinx, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

About Quebec and Sphinx

Quebec has established itself as one of the world's most attractive mining jurisdictions, ranking 6th globally (Fraser Institute press release, February 28 2017). The Quebec government has created market confidence by following a proactive approach to mining policy. Quebec's mining sector has also been encouraged by the clarity and certainty of the legal and regulatory framework adopted by its government. Sphinx is engaged in the generation and acquisition of exploration projects in Quebec.

For further information, please consult Sphinx's website.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and activities to vary materially from targeted results and planning. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Sphinx's periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Sphinx from time to time with securities regulatory authorities.

Contacts:

Normand Champigny

President and Chief Executive Officer

514.979.4746

info@sphinxresources.ca

www.sphinxresources.ca






BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The pound weakened against its most major opponents in early European deals on Tuesday, with the lack of progress in the Brexit discussions and intensifying geopolitical tensions over North Korean missile launch into Japan keeping investors nervous.



The missile flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido at 6:06 am local Japanese time, according to Japan's state broadcaster NKH.



Japanese PM Shinzo Abe condemned the launch, calling the action as 'an unprecedented, serious and grave threat' to Asia's second-largest economy, and said that he and U.S. President Donald Trump are in complete agreement to hike pressure on North Korea.



Investors also focused on the effects of Tropical Storm Harvey that struck Houston, Texas, and many oil refineries in the U.S. Gulf Coast.



European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker asserted that negotiations on the new economic and trade relationship between the UK and the EU would begin only after divorce issues were settled.



'I've read all the position papers produced by Her Majesty's government and none of them is satisfactory,'Juncker said.



Data from Nationwide Building Society showed that UK house prices increased at a slower pace in August.



House prices increased 2.1 percent year-on-year in August, slower than the 2.9 percent growth seen in July. This was also weaker than the expected growth of 2.5 percent.



The pound showed mixed performance in the Asian session. While the currency dropped against the yen and the franc, it rose against the greenback. Against the euro, it held steady.



Extending early slide, the pound slipped to more than a 5-month low of 1.2227 against the Swiss franc. This may be compared to a high of 1.2356 hit at 5:00 pm ET. On the downside, 1.19 is likely seen as the next support level for the pound-franc pair.



The pound retreated to 140.41 against the yen, from its early high of 141.29. This may be compared to a 5-day low of 140.01 set in Asian trading. If the pound-yen pair extends decline, it may locate support around the 138.00 region.



Data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed that Japan's jobless rate came in at a seasonally adjusted 2.8 percent in July - in line with expectations and unchanged from the June reading.



The number of employed persons in July was 65.63 million, an increase of 590,000 or 0.9 percent on year.



The pound hit near an 8-year low of 0.9306 against the euro, after having advanced to 0.9247 at 10:45 pm ET. The next possible support for the pound is seen around the 0.96 level.



Survey data from the market research group GfK showed that German consumer confidence is set to strengthen in September.



The forward-looking consumer sentiment index rose to 10.9 in September from 10.8 in August. The score was forecast to remain unchanged at 10.8.



On the flip side, the pound appreciated to a new 2-week high of 1.2979 against the greenback, compared to yesterday's closing value of 1.2931. The pound is poised to challenge resistance around the 1.32 area.



Looking ahead, Canada industrial product and raw material price indexes for July and U.S. S&P/Case-Shiller home price index for June and U.S. consumer confidence index for August are due to be released in the New York session.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
CADOGAN PETROLEUM PLC

Half Yearly Report for the Six Months ended 30 June 2017

(Unaudited and unreviewed)



Highlights

Cadogan Petroleum plc ("Cadogan" or the "Company"), an independent oil and gas exploration, development and production company with onshore gas, condensate and oil assets in Ukraine, announces its unaudited results for the six months ended 30 June 2017.

H1 2017 has been another semester without LTI and TRI, notwithstanding an increased number of manhours worked, and a further step in our reduction of normalized emissions.

Production operations have continued in the Debeslavetska, Cheremkhivska and Monastyretska licences and the average net production rate has increased by 24%, from 115 boepd in H1 2016 to 143 boepd in the current reporting period.

Two old, suspended oil wells drilled in Monastyretska licence have been successfully re-entered and were producing an aggregated amount of 49 boepd at 30 June 2017 ; the wells have been rented from Ukrnafta under a profit sharing agreements.

; the wells have been rented from Ukrnafta under a profit sharing agreements. The application to convert the Zagoryanska exploration licence into a production licence was not approved: it was a casualty of the stalemate in the award process created by a disagreement between Central and local authorities on the distribution of the royalties; the application to convert Pirkovska exploration licences has also been caught into the same stalemate, but as it was filed one year later there are still 17 months in which to secure approval.

Traded volumes of gas and trading margins shrank compared to H1 2016 due to increased competition. Both revenues and margins have been negatively impacted with the result that gas trading has not contributed to the company profit over the reporting period.

The service business has focused on internal projects (work-overs of the re-entered wells), while successfully participating in tenders for third party projects; one contract was won and the work is expected to be executed in the second half of the year

The active pursuit of opportunities to renew and diversify the portfolio has achieved its first milestone with the acquisition of 90% of the shares of Exploenergy, an Italian company which has filed the applications for two exploration licences located in the prolific Po Valley, in close proximity to existing gas fields. The sellers will receive a deferred cash consideration of 50,000 for each licence payable upon an award of the licences and will be carried for their 10% interest until first gas in each licence.

The group received $1 million of VAT refunds over the reporting period as a result of an application filed in March 2017 .

of VAT refunds over the reporting period as a result of an application filed in . The efforts to preserve cash through optimization of working capital has continued and as a result net cash, i.e. cash and cash equivalents less short term borrowings, slightly increased during the period to $40.3 million over the value at the end of 2016, of $39.7 million (1) .

over the value at the end of 2016, of . The Group has recorded a loss after tax of $2 million (H1 2016: restated loss of $3.2 million )(2)

(1) The cash refund of $ 1milion of VAT credit and the lack of short term borrowing at 30 June 2017, a situation which is not representative of the normal business conditions,had a major role in this result.

(2) The group changed the functional currency of UK subsidiaries from GBP to USD as at 1 January 2016. The H1 2016 results previously issued did not include this change in functional currency. The results of H1 2016 (loss of $3.2 million previously reported as a profit of $2.0 million) have been amended to reflect this restatement and provide comparability.

Key performance indicators

The Group has monitored its performance in conducting its business with reference to a number of key performance indicators ('KPIs'):

to increase oil, gas and condensate production measured on the barrels of oil equivalent produced per day ('boepd');

to decrease administrative expenses;

to increase the Group's basic earnings per share; and

to maintain an accident free working environment.

The Group's performance during the first six months of 2017 against these targets is set out in the table below, together with the prior year performance data. No changes have been made to the sources of data or calculations used in the period/year. The positive trend in the HSE performances continue with zero incidents and decrease of the emissions.

Unit 30 June 2017 30 June 2016 31 December 2016 Average production (working interest basis) (1) Boepd 143 115 116 Administrative expenses (2) $million 2.7 2.5 5.6 Basic loss per share (3) Cent (0.9) (1.4) (2.6) Lost time incidents (4)



Emissions to the atmosphere (5) Incidents



t/boe 0



23.89 1



31.06 1



27.44

(1) Average production is calculated as the average daily production during the period/year.

(2) 0.3 millions of one-off costs related to the streamlining of operating structure is included in H1 2017 cost

(3) Basic loss per Ordinary share is calculated by dividing the net loss for the year attributable to equity holders of the parent company by the weighted average number of Ordinary shares during the period.

(4) Lost time incidents relate to injuries where an employee/contractor is injured and has time off work (IOGP standard).

(5) For E&P activity. Normalised to tons of CO 2 per total wellhead production, ton/boe.







Enquiries:

Cadogan Petroleum Plc Guido Michelotti

Ben Harber Chief Executive Officer

Company Secretary +380 (44) 594 5870

+44 (0) 207 264 4366 Cantor Fitzgerald Europe David Porter

Sarah Wharry +44 (0) 207 894 7000





Summary

Introduction

The first semester of 2017 has been another challenging time for Ukraine. The political and military crisis related to the confrontation with Russia has remained unresolved and the overall economic situation has only marginally improved. Much needed reforms in the oil and gas industry have not yet been implemented and the areas of attention of the recent past have not been addressed: the licencing authority is still managed by an acting Chairman after two and half years, though a new acting Chairman has in the meantime been appointed, and the disagreement between Local and Central Authorites on the royalty distribution, which brought the licence award process to a halt, remained unresolved. In addition, Cadogan has remained subject to a punitive royalty regime on its marginal gas production(3).

In this challenging context the Group has continued to focus on safely and efficiently producing the existing fields, on controlling its costs in order to preserve cash while continuing to look at opportunities to grow and diversify its portfolio.

(3) As of January 1, 2016 the punitive 70% subsoil use tax for gas has remained in force only for licenses operated under Joint Activity Agreements, Debeslavetska and Cheremkhivsk production licences fall into this category.

Operations

The E&P activity has focused on using the assets in the Country as a platform for growth by increasing production from the existing fields within the Debeslavetska, Cheremkhivska and Monastyretska licences. At the end of the reporting period gross production rate increased to 155 boepd (143 boepd net), 24% higher than in the six months ended 30 June 2016 (123 boepd gross, 115 boepd net). Cadogan has shifted its focus of operations to the West of the country by closing its Operating base in Poltava and relocating the local warehouse to the East into one, wholly owned premise (vs the two of the past).

The activity has primarily consisted in the re-entry of two old, suspended oil wells drilled in the Monastyretska licence. The wells, which have been rented from Ukrnafta under profit sharing agreements, have been worked-over with the objective of putting them back in production. At the end of the reporting period the first work-over had been completed and the well was pumping 49 bpd of oil. The second work-overis being completed and once completed the wells will be tested in order to gather data on their performances which will be used to update the reservoir study.

In Italy activity has focused on securing the award of the two licences under application in the Po Valley. The timeline to award is difficult to predict, but Managament remains confident that the licences will be awarded.

Trading

H1 2017 has been another difficult semester for gas trading which has witnessed a further shrinking of both volumes and margins. The Group has lost the competitive advantage of being an early mover and it is now competing against the major European traders which have moved to Ukraine as they have seen an opportunity in the Country's decision to halt gas import from Russia.

Increasing competition is forcing margins down for all parties, for the benefit of Ukrainian consumers, and our margins are further squeezed as we cannot compete on a levelled field with the larger European traders on the cost of supply.

The Group has focused its efforts in significantly reducing its fixed costs by simplifying the organization of its Trading Group and on optimising working capital. The benefits of these actions will be felt in the second part of the year.

Financial position

At 30 June 2017 the Group had cash and cash equivalents of $40.3 million, including $5.8 million of pledged cash. Part of the cash and cash equivalents in the amount of $5 million related to security of borrowings and held at a European bank in the UK. Also as at 30 June 2017 cash and cash equivalents of $0.8 million were held in the Ukrainian subsidiary of the European bank as a financial covered guarantee in favour of PJSC Ukrtransgas to fulfill the requirement of the Ukrainian legislation on gas trading. Net cash, which included cash and cash equivalents less short-term borrowings, increased to $40.3 million at 30 June 2017 compared to $39.7 million at 31 December 2016, mostly due to working capital optimisation and recovery of VAT receivables. The Directors believe that the capital available at the date of this report is sufficient for the Company and the Group to continue operations for the foreseeable future.

Outlook

Cadogan remains well positioned to pursue and exploit the opportunities which will materialize in the E&P domain.

In Ukraine, Cadogan has completed its transformation from a geographically dispersed to a West focused Operator and will use its assets as a platform for growth. The short term focus will remain on increasing production and safeguarding the licences with a minimum capital deployment while looking for farm-in partners to conduct the riskier, but higher reward activities. Efforts to monetize non E&P assets such as accumulated VAT credits and inventory will also continue.

Outside of Ukraine, the Company will continue to actively pursue a reload and geographic diversification of its portfolio using its cash, lean organization and low cost structure as levers. The acquisition of Exploenergy s.r.l. has only been a first step of this strategy.

Operations Review

In H1 2017 the Group held working interests in four (2016: four) conventional gas, condensate and oil exploration and production licences in the West of Ukraine. All these assets are operated by the Group and are located in the prolific Carpathian basin, in close proximity to the Ukrainian gas distribution infrastructure. In the East, Cadogan has taken all necessary actions to convert the exploration Pirkovskoe licence which expired in 2015 into a production license and is awaiting approval. The Group's primary focus during the period continued to be on the cost optimisation and enhancement of current production.

The application to convert the Zagoryanska exploration licence into a production licence was not approved: it was a casualty of the stalemate in the award process created by a disagreement between Central and local authorities on the distribution of the royalties.

Summary of the Group's licences (as of 30 June 2017) Working

interest (%) Licence Expiry Licence type(1) 99.8 Bitlyanska December 2019 E&D 99.2

54.2 Debeslavetska(2)

Cheremkhivska(2) November 2026

May 2018 Production

Production 99.2 Monastyretska November 2019 E&D

(1) E&D = Exploration and Development.

(2) The Group has respectively 99.2% and 54.2% of economic benefit in conventional activities in Debeslavetska and Cheremkhivska licences through Joint Activity Agreements ("JAA").



In addition to the above licences, the Group has a 15%, carried-through-exploration interest in the ENI-led WGI(1), which holds the Cheremkhivsko-Strupkivska, Debeslavetska Production, Baulinska, Filimonivska, Kurinna, Sandugeyivska and Yakovlivska licences for unconventional activities.

(1) WGI is a Ukraine registered company in which Cadogan owns a 15% participating interest; the remaining participating interest is held by eni ukraine LLC (50.01 %) and Nadra Ukrayny (34.99 %)

Below we provide an update to the full Operations Review contained in the Annual Financial Report for 2016 published on 27 April 2017.

Bitlyanska licence

Borynya 3 well is routinely monitored as required by existing regulations for wells which are suspended. The re-evaluation of the licence is ongoing, focusing on shallow oil targets.

Monastyretska licence

Blazh 1 well continues its regular production of oil at a rate of 48 boepd. Blazh 3 well was re-entered and is currently producing at the same rate as Blazh 1. Blazh-Mon 3 well is under workover. Blazh 3 and Blazh-Mon 3 are the two wells rented from Ukrnafta.

Debeslavetska Production licence area

During the reporting period, the field produced 56 boepd gross (H1 2016: 60 boepd). Rigless activity is regularly run to mitigate the production decline.

Cheremkhivska Production licence area

Thanks to the successful debottlenecking and production optimization the field production during the reporting period increased by some 60 %, from 16 boepd of H1 2016 to 26 boepd of H1 2017.

Unconventional licences

The unfavourable market conditions brought the Operator to defer the drilling of the first well to 2018.

Service Company activities

Cadogan's 100% owned subsidiary, Astro Service LLC, has continued to pursue opportunities to build a larger portfolio of orders, while executing the re-entry and work-over of the two rented wells (for an estimated value of 143 KUSD of intra group gross revenues).





Financial Review

Overview

Income statement

Revenues have decreased to $5.0 million in the first half of 2017 (30 June 2016: $12.3 million, 31 December 2016: $19.7 million) due to a decrease in gas trading operations, which represent $3.9 million (30 June 2016: $10.5 million, 31 December 2016: $15.6 million) of the total revenues; revenues from production more than doubled to $1.1 million (30 June 2016: $0.5 million) due to the increase of both production volumes (+27% over H1 2016) and average realized price (+32% over H1 2016).

The service business in first half 2017 was focused on internal projects, in particular, on services to the Monastyretska licence.

Cost of sales consists of $3.8 million of purchases of gas for the trading operating segment, and $0.7 million of production royalties and taxes, depreciation and depletion of producing wells and direct staff costs for exploration and development.

Gross profit has decreased to $0.5 million (30 June 2016: $1.0 million, 31 December 2016: $1.1 million).

Other administrative expenses of $2.7 million (30 June 2016: $2.5 million, 31 December 2016: $5.6 million) comprise other staff costs, professional fees, Directors' remuneration and depreciation charges on non-producing property, plant and equipment.

Share of loss in joint ventures of $0.4 million (30 June 2016: loss $1.4 million, 31 December 2016: loss $0.2 million) represent recognition of Cadogan's share of losses of Westgasinvest LLC.

The reversal of impairment of other assets includes reversal of impairment of VAT provision of $0.4 million due to the received refund of VAT that was previously impaired and reversal of impairment of inventores of $0.1 million for the inventories that have been impaired in previous periods and which were sold at above cost.

Net finance costs have reduced by $0.15 million from H1 2016 mainly reflecting the reduction in gas trading.

Balance sheet

The cash position of $40.3 million as at 30 June 2017, including pledged cash of $5.8 million, has decreased from $43.3 million at 31 December 2016. Part of the cash and cash equivalents in the amount of $5 million related to security of borrowings and held at the European bank in the UK. Also as at 30 June 2017 cash and cash equivalents of $0.8 million were held in the Ukrainian subsidiary of the European bank as a financial covered guarantee in favour of PJSC Ukrtransgas to fulfill the requirement of the Ukrainian legislation on gas trading. Net cash, which included cash and cash equivalents less short-term borrowings, increased to $40.3 million at 30 June 2017 compared to $39.7 million at 31 December 2016 mainly due to optimisation of working capital, and also to the receipt of $1 million of VAT refunds.

Intangible Exploration and Evaluation ("E&E") assets of $2.8 million (30 June 2016: $2.6 million, 31 December 2016: $2.4 million) represent the carrying value of the Group's investment in E&E assets as at 30 June 2017, which increased due to workover at Monastyretska licence. The Property, Plant and Equipment ("PP&E") balance of $1.2 million at 30 June 2017 (30 June 2016: $1.5 million, 31 December 2016: $1.3 million) represented other PP&E of the Group. Investments in joint ventures of $1.9 million (30 June 2016: $1.2 million, 31 December 2016: $2.3 million) represent the carrying value of the Group's investments in Westgasinvest LLC.

Trade and other receivables of $2.9 million (30 June 2016: $7.1 million, 31 December 2016: $4.1 million) include $1.9 million trading prepayments and receivables, and VAT recoverable of $0.3 million (30 June 2016: $1.5 million, 31 December 2016: $0.8 million). VAT recoverable has significantly decreased due to received refund in cash of $1 million.

Short-term borrowings as at 30 June 2017 were nil (30 June 2016: $7.5 million, 31 December 2016: $3.6 million). Borrowings are represented by a credit line drawn in UAH at a Ukrainian bank, a 100% subsidiary of a European bank. The credit line is secured by $5.8 million of cash placed at a European bank in the UK. Proceeds from VAT refund were used for the prepayment of the gas held in inventory at the end of the reporting period, thus allowing short term borrowings to be reduced to zero(4). The $1.5 million of trade and other payables as of 30 June 2017 (30 June 2016: $1.3 million, 31 December 2016: $1.6 million) represent $0.8 million (30 June 2016: $0.9 million, 31 December 2016: $0.5 million) of other creditors and $0.7 million of accruals (30 June 2016: $0.4 million, 31 December 2016: $0.9 million).

(4) Short term borrowings are expected to increase as more gas is bought to be sold during the next winter season.

Cash flow statement

The Consolidated Cash Flow Statement shows operating cash outflow before movements in working capital of $2.1 million (30 June 2016: outflow $1.4 million, 31 December 2016: outflow $4.4 million). Cash inflows from movements in working capital in first half 2017 of $3.2 million represent a decrease in trade and other receivables of $2.1 million, decrease in inventories of $1.1 million, and a decrease in trade and other payables of $13 thousand.

The Group had capital expenditure of $0.4 million on intangible Exploration and Evaluation ("E&E") assets for the six months ended 30 June 2017 (30 June 2016: $46 thousand , 31 December 2016: $39 thousand ) related to workovers on Monasteretska licence and nil capital expenditure (30 June 2016: $28 thousand, 31 December 2016: $119 thousand) on Property, Plant and Equipment ("PP&E").

In 2017 the Group continued to finance its trading operations with short-term borrowings and for the six months ended 30 June 2017 proceeds were $0.7 million (30 June 2016: $1.8 million, 31 December 2016: $1.9 million) and repayments were $4.3 million (30 June 2016: $6.7 million, 31 December 2016: $10.2 million).

Commitments

There has not been any material change in the commitments and contingencies reported as at 31 December 2016 (refer to page 71 of the Annual Report).

Treasury

The Group continually monitors its exposure to currency risk. It maintains a portfolio of cash and cash equivalent balances mainly in US dollars ('USD') held primarily in the UK and holds these mostly in call deposits. Production revenues from the sale of hydrocarbons are received in the local currency in Ukraine ('UAH') and to date funds from such revenues have been held in Ukraine for further use in operations rather than being remitted to the UK. Funds are transferred to the Company's subsidiaries in USD to fund operations, at which time the funds are converted to UAH. Some payments are made on behalf of the affiliates from the UK.

Going concern

The Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company and the Group have adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the Interim Financial Statements. For further detail refer to the detailed discussion of the assumptions outlined in note 2(a) to the Interim Financial Statements.

Cautionary Statement

The business review and certain other sections of this Half Yearly Report contain forward looking statements that have been made by the Directors in good faith based on the information available to them up to the time of their approval of this report. However they should be treated with caution due to inherent uncertainties, including both economic and business risk factors, underlying any such forward-looking information and no statement should be construed as a profit forecast.



Risks and uncertainties

There are a number of potential risks and uncertainties inherent in the oil and gas sector which could have a material impact on the long-term performance of the Group and which could cause the actual results to differ materially from expected and historical results. The Company has taken reasonable steps to mitigate these where possible. Full details are disclosed on pages 11 to 12 of the 2016 Annual Financial Report. There have been no changes to the risk profile during the first half of the year. The risks and uncertainties are summarised below:

Operational risks

Health, safety, and environment

Drilling and work-over operations

Production and maintenance

Subsurface risks

Financial risks

Changes in economic environment risk

Counterparty risk

Commodity price risk

Country risk

Regulatory and licence issues

Emerging market risk

Other risks

Risk of losing key staff members

Risk of entry into new countries

Director's Responsibility Statement

We confirm that to the best of our knowledge:

(a) the Interim Financial Statements has been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 'Interim Financial Reporting';

(b) the interim management report includes a fair review of the information required by DTR 4.2.7R (indication of important events during the first six months and description of principal risks and uncertainties for the remaining six months of the year);

(c) the interim management report includes a fair review of the information required by DTR 4.2.8R (disclosure of related parties' transactions and changes therein); and

(d) the condensed set of financial statements, which has been prepared in accordance with the applicable set of accounting standards, gives a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the issuer, or the undertakings included in the consolidation as a whole as required by DTR 4.2.4R.

This Half Yearly Report consisting of pages 1 to 20 has been approved by the Board and signed on its behalf by:



Guido Michelotti

Chief Executive Officer

28 August 2017





Consolidated Income Statement

Six months ended 30 June 2017

Six months ended 30 June Year ended

31 December 2017

$'000 2016

$'000 2016

$'000 Notes (Unaudited) (Unaudited)

Restated (note 2d) (Audited) CONTINUING OPERATIONS Revenue 3 4,967 12,295 19,692 Cost of sales 3 (4,496) (11,262) (18,623) Gross profit 471 1,033 1,069 Administrative expenses (2,697) (2,523) (5,603) Impairment of oil and gas assets - - (90) Reversal of impairment/(Impairment) of other assets 503 (12) (82) Share of losses in joint ventures 6 (359) (1,360) (143) Net foreign exchange (losses)/gains (34) 42 38 Other operating income/(costs) 174 (76) (9) Operating loss (1,942) (2,896) (4,820) Gain on acquisition - - 99 Finance costs (51) (216) (1,087) Loss before tax (1,993) (3,112) (5,808) Tax charge - (113) (110) Loss for the period/year (1,993) (3,225) (5,918) Attributable to: Owners of the Company 4 (1,991) (3,223) (5,912) Non-controlling interest (2) (2) (6) Loss per Ordinary share Cents cents Cents Basic 4 (0.9) (1.4) (2.6)



Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

Six months ended 30 June 2017

Six months ended 30 June Year ended

31 December 2017

$'000 2016

$'000 2016

$'000 (Unaudited) (Unaudited)

Restated (note 2d) (Audited) Loss for the period/year (1,993) (3,225) (5,918) Other comprehensive loss Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss Unrealised currency translation differences 423 271 (987) Other comprehensive loss 423 271 (987) Total comprehensive loss for the period/year (1,570) (2,954) (6,905) Attributable to: Owners of the Company (1,568) (2,952) (6,899) Non-controlling interest (2) (2) (6) (1,570) (2,954) (6,905)



Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

Six months ended 30 June 2017

Six months ended 30 June Year ended

31 December 2017

$'000 2016

$'000 2016

$'000 Notes (Unaudited) (Unaudited)

Restated (note 2d) (Audited) ASSETS Non-current assets Intangible exploration and evaluation assets 5 2,819 2,568 2,354 Property, plant and equipment 1,169 1,485 1,312 Investments in joint ventures 6 1,964 1,221 2,323 5,952 5,274 5,989 Current assets Inventories 7 1,015 2,331 1,879 Trade and other receivables 8 2,861 7,143 4,146 Cash and cash equivalents 40,344 48,051 43,300 44,220 57,525 49,325 Total assets 50,172 62,799 55,314 LIABILITIES Non-current liabilities Deferred tax liabilities - - - Long-term provisions (705) (698) (670) (705) (698) (670) Current liabilities Short-term borrowings 9 - (7,483) (3,574) Trade and other payables 10 (1,520) (1,346) (1,640) Current provisions (1,393) (1,196) (1,306) (2,913) (10,025) (6,520) Total liabilities (3,618) (10,723) (7,190) Net assets 46,554 52,076 48,124 EQUITY Share capital 13,337 13,337 13,337 Retained earnings 192,436 197,117 194,427 Cumulative translation reserves (161,076) (160,241) (161,499) Other reserves 1,589 1,589 1,589 Equity attributable to equity holders of the parent 46,286 51,802 47,854 Non-controlling interest 268 274 270 Total equity 46,554 52,076 48,124



Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

Six months ended 30 June 2017

Six months ended 30 June Year ended

31 December 2017

$'000 2016

$'000 2016

$'000 (Unaudited) (Unaudited)

Restated (note 2d) (Audited) Operating loss (1,942) (2,896) (4,820) Adjustments for: Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 69 94 138 Impairment of oil and gas assets - - 90 Share of losses in joint ventures 359 1,360 143 Impairment of receivables 4 - 59 (Reversal of impairment) / impairment of inventories (152) 4 92 (Reversal of impairment) / impairment of VAT recoverable (389) 3 (69) Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment - - 13 Effect of foreign exchange rate changes (34) 55 (38) Operating cash flows before movements in working capital (2,085) (1,380) (4,391) Decrease in inventories 1,125 997 1,047 Decrease in receivables 2,077 8,591 9,321 (Decrease)/Increase in payables and provisions (13) (3,331) (2,014) Cash from operations 1,104 4,877 3,963 Interest paid (108) (1,158) (1,591) Interest on receivables received - - 230 Income taxes paid (109) - (8) Net cash inflow from operating activities 887 3,719 2,594 Investing activities Investments in joint ventures - (400) (2,337) Purchases of property, plant and equipment - (28) (119) Purchases of intangible exploration and evaluation assets (374) (46) (39) Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment - - 29 Net cash inflow from acquisition of subsidiaries - - 2,041 Interest received 79 300 156 Net cash used in investing activities (295) (174) (269) Financing activities Proceeds from short-term borrowings 699 1,839 1,908 Repayment of short-term borrowings (4,316) (6,684) (10,232) Net cash used in financing activities (3,617) (4,845) (8,324) Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents (3,025) (1,300) (5,999) Effect of foreign exchange rate changes 69 (56) (108) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period/year 43,300 49,407 49,407 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period/year 40,344 48,051 43,300



Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity

Six months ended 30 June 2017

Share

capital

$'000 Retained earnings

$'000 Cumulative

translation

reserves

$'000 Other reserves

Reorganisation

$'000 Equity attributable to owners of the Company

$'000 Non-controlling

interest

$'000 Total

$'000 As at 1 January 2016 13,337 200,339 (160,512) 1,589 54,753 276 55,029 Net loss for the period - (3,223) - - (3,223) (2) (3,225) Exchange translation differences on foreign operations - - 271 - 271 - 271 As at 30 June 2016 (as restated) 13,337 197,117 (160,241) 1,589 51,802 274 52,076 Net loss for the period - (2,690) - - (2,690) (4) (2,694) Exchange translation differences on foreign operations - - (1,258) - (1,258) - (1,258) As at 31 December 2016 13,337 194,427 (161,499) 1,589 47,854 270 48,124 Net loss for the period - (1,991) - - (1,991) (2) (1,993) Exchange translation differences on foreign operations - - 423 - 423 - 423 As at 30 June 2017 13,337 192,436 (161,076) 1,589 46,286 268 46,554



Notes to the Condensed Financial Statements

Six months ended 30 June 2017

1. General information

Cadogan Petroleum plc (the 'Company', together with its subsidiaries the 'Group'), is incorporated in England and Wales under the Companies Act. The address of the registered office is 6th Floor, 60 Gracechurch Street, London EC3V 0HR. The nature of the Group's operations and its principal activities are set out in the Operations Review on pages 5 to 6 and the Financial Review on pages 7 to 8.

This Half Yearly Report has not been audited or reviewed in accordance with the Auditing Practices Board guidance on 'Review of Interim Financial Information'.

A copy of this Half Yearly Report has been published and may be found on the Company's website at www.cadoganpetroleum.com.

2. Basis of preparation

The annual financial statements of the Group are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ('IFRS') as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ('IASB') and as adopted by the European Union ('EU'). These Condensed Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting, as issued by the IASB.

The same accounting policies and methods of computation are followed in the condensed financial statements as were followed in the most recent annual financial statements of the Group, which were included in the Annual Report issued on 27 April 2017.

The Group has not early adopted any amendment, standard or interpretation that has been issued but is not yet effective. It is expected that where applicable, these standards and amendments will be adopted on each respective effective date.

The Group has adopted the standards, amendments and interpretations effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2017. The adoption of these standards and amendments did not have a material effect on the financial statements of the Group.

(a) Going concern

The Directors have continued to use the going concern basis in preparing these condensed financial statements. The Group's business activities, together with the factors likely to affect future development, performance and position are set out in the Operations Review. The financial position of the Group, its cash flow and liquidity position are described in the Financial Review.

The Group's cash balance at 30 June 2017 was $40.3 million (31 December 2016: $43.3 million), including pledged cash of $5.8 million (2016: $10.9 million).

The Group's forecasts and projections, taking into account reasonably possible changes in operational performance, and the price of hydrocarbons sold to Ukrainian customers, show that there are reasonable expectations that the Group will be able to operate on funds currently held and those generated internally, for the foreseeable future.

The Group continues to pursue its farm-out strategy on Bitlyanska licence with the objective of managing risks and mitigating capital deployment.

After making enquiries and considering the uncertainties described above, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company and the Group have adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and consider the going concern basis of accounting to be appropriate and, thus, they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements. In making its statement the Directors have considered the recent political and economic uncertainty in Ukraine.

(b) Foreign currencies

The individual financial statements of each Group company are presented in the currency of the primary economic environment in which it operates (its functional currency). The functional currency of the Company is US dollar. For the purpose of the consolidated financial statements, the results and financial position of each Group company are expressed in US dollars, which is the presentation currency for the consolidated financial statements.

The relevant exchange rates used were as follows:

1 US$ =  Six months ended 30 June Year ended

31 Dec 2016 2017 2016 Closing rate 1.3004 1.3393 1.2346 Average rate 1.2589 1.4339 1.3557 1 US$ = UAH Six months ended 30 June Year ended

31 Dec 2016 2017 2016 Closing rate 26.1819 25.0649 27.4770 Average rate 26.9720 25.7136 25.8169

(c) Dividend

The Directors do not recommend the payment of a dividend for the period (30 June 2016: $nil; 31 December 2016: $nil).

(d) Restatement of period ended 30 June 2016

The Group changed the functional currency of its UK subsidiaries from GBP to USD as at 1 January 2016, as disclosed in the Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2016. The Group's H1 2016 results did not reflect this change in functional currency and have been restated accordingly in these H1 2017 results. The impact of the restatement related to unrealised foreign exchange was as follows:

As previously reported As restated $'000 $'000 Profit / (losses) after tax 1,975 (3,225) Retained earnings 202,317 197,117 Cumulative translation reserve (165,441) (160,241)

The change had no impact on net assets.

3. Segment information

Segment information is presented on the basis of management's perspective and relates to the parts of the Group that are defined as operating segments. Operating segments are identified on the basis of internal assessment provided to the Group's chief operating decision maker ("CODM"). The Group has identified its executive management team as its CODM and the internal assessment used by the top management team to oversee operations and make decisions on allocating resources serve as the basis of information presented.

Segment information is analysed on the basis of the type of activity, products sold or services provided.

The majority of the Group's operations are located within Ukraine.

Segment information is analysed on the basis of the types of goods supplied by the Group's operating divisions.

The Group's reportable segments under IFRS 8 are therefore as follows:

Exploration and Production

E&P activities on the production licences for natural gas, oil and condensate

Service

Drilling services to exploration and production companies

Construction services to exploration and production companies

Trading

Import of natural gas from European countries

Local purchase and sales of natural gas operations with physical delivery of natural gas

The accounting policies of the reportable segments are the same as the Group's accounting policies. Sales between segments are carried out at market prices. The segment result represents profit under IFRS before unallocated corporate expenses. Unallocated corporate expenses include management and Board remuneration and expenses incurred in respect of the maintenance of Kiev office premises. This is the measure reported to the CODM for the purposes of resource allocation and assessment of segment performance.

The Group does not present information on segment assets and liabilities as the CODM does not review such information for decision-making purposes.

As of 30 June 2017 and for the six months then ended the Group's segmental information was as follows:

Exploration and Production Service(1) Trading Consolidated $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000 Sales of hydrocarbons 832 - 4,135 4,967 Sales between segments 188 - (188) - Total revenue 1,020 3,947 4,967 Other cost of sales (704) - (3,774) (4,478) Depreciation (5) (13) - (18) Other administrative expenses (198) (13) (143) (354) Finance cost, net(2) - - (88) (88) Segment results 113 (26) (58) 29 Unallocated other administrative expenses - - - (2,360) Share of losses in joint ventures - - - (359) Net foreign exchange gains - - - (34) Other income, net - - - 731 Loss before tax (1,993)

(1) In first half 2017 the Service business was focused on internal projects, in particular, providing ervices to Monastyretska licence.

(2) Finance cost includes $108 thousand of interest on short-term borrowings and $20 thousand of interet on cash deposits used for trading.



As of 30 June 2016 and for the six months then ended the Group's segmental information was as follows:

Exploration and Production Service Trading Consolidated $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000 Sales of hydrocarbons 108 - 10,915 11,023 Other revenue - 1,272 - 1,272 Sales between segments 451 - (451) - Total revenue 559 1,272 10,464 12,295 Other cost of sales (427) (644) (10,097) (11,168) Depreciation (55) (39) - (94) Other administrative expenses (193) (22) (215) (430) Finance cost, net - - (290)(1) (290) Segment results (116) 567 (138) 313 Unallocated other administrative expenses (2,093) Share of losses in joint ventures (1,360) Net foreign exchange gain(2) 42 Other losses, net (14) Loss before tax (3,112)

(1) Finance cost includes $1,141 thousand of interest on short-term borrowings, $823 thousand of interest income on receivables and $28 thousand of interet on cash deposits used for trading.

(2) The group changed its functional currency from GBP to USD as at 1 January 2016. Results of H1 2016 (loss of $3.2 million) have been amended to reflect this change and make such a comparison correct.

4. Reversal of impairment of other assets

Reversal of impairment of other assets includes reversal of impairment of VAT provision of $0.4 million due to the received refund of VAT that was previously impaired and reversal of impairment of inventores of $0.1 million for the inventories that have been impaired in previous periods and were sold higher than the cost.

5. Finance cost, net

Six months ended 30 June Year ended

31 December 2017 2016 2016 $'000 $'000 $'000 Interest on short-term borrowings (108) (1 141) (1 414) Interest on tax provision (17) - (33) Total interest expenses on financial liabilities (125) (1 141) (1 447) interest income on receivbles - 823 230 Investment revenue 59 69 125 Interest income on cash deposit in Ukraine 20 28 31 Total interest income on ecommiss assets 79 920 386 Unwinding of discount on ecommissioning provision (note 24) (5) 5 (26) (51) (216) (1 087)

6. Loss per ordinary share

Profit per ordinary share is calculated by dividing the net loss for the period/year attributable to Ordinary equity holders of the parent by the weighted average number of Ordinary shares outstanding during the period/year. The calculation of the basic loss per share is based on the following data:

Six months ended 30 June Year ended

31 December Loss attributable to owners of the Company 2017

$'000 2016

$'000 2016

$'000

Loss for the purposes of basic loss per share being net loss attributable to owners of the Company (1,991) (3,223) (5,912) Number Number Number Number of shares '000 '000 '000 Weighted average number of Ordinary shares for the purposes of basic loss per share 231 092 231,092 231,092 Cent Cent Cent Loss per Ordinary share Basic (0.9) (1.4) (2.6)

7. Intangible exploration and evaluation assets

As of 30 June 2017 the intangible assets balance has increased in comparison to 31 December 2016 due to work overs on Monastyretska licence.

8. Investments in joint ventures

Share of losses in joint ventures represents the recognition of Cadogan share of losses of Westgasinvest LLC.

9. Inventories

The Group had significant volumes of natural gas as at 31 December 2016 which have been sold during the six months ended 30 June 2017 that resulted in a reduction of the natural gas balance from $0.9 million to $0.1 million. No other substantial changes in inventories balances occurred.

10. Trade and other receivables

Six months ended 30 June Year ended

31 December 2017

$'000 2016

$'000 2016

$'000 Trading receivables 1,405 2,662 2,163 Trading prepayments 445 53 777 VAT recoverable 277 1,466 829 Prepayments 269 148 1 Receivable from joint-ventures - 2,412 58 Other receivables 465 402 318 2,861 7,143 4,146

The Directors consider that the carrying amount of the other receivables approximates their fair value.

Management expects to realise VAT recoverable through the activities of the business segments.

11. Short-term borrowings

In 2017 the Group continued to use short-term borrowings as a financing facility for its trading activities. Borrowings are represented by a credit line drawn in UAH at a Ukrainian bank, a 100% subsidiary of a European bank. The credit line is secured by $5 million of cash balance placed at a European bank in the UK.

During the six months ended 30 June 2017 the Group repaid the credit line in full using the proceeds from VAT refund using proceeds from VAT refund and the outstanding amount as at 30 June 2017 was nil (30 June 2016: $7.5 million, 31 December 2016: $3.6 million). Interest is paid monthly and as at 30 June 2017 the accrued interest is nil (30 June 2016: $0.2 million, 31 December 2016: $0.04 million).

12. Trade and other payables

The $1.5 million of trade and other payables as of 30 June 2017 (30 June 2016: $1.3 million, 31 December 2016: $1,6 million) represent $0.8 million (30 June 2016: $0.9 million, 31 December 2016: $0.8 million) of other creditors and $0.7 million of accruals (30 June 2016: $0.4 million, 31 December 2015: $0.8 million).

13. Commitments and contingencies

There have been no significant changes to the commitments and contingencies reported on page 71 of the Annual Report.


OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Electronics retailer Best Buy Co., Inc. (BBY) on Tuesday said it has lifted forecast for fiscal 2018 after reporting higher results in its second quarter, above analysts' estimates, on higher-than-expected comparable sales. For the third quarter, the company projects earnings and revenues above market view.



In pre-market activity on the NYSE, Best Buy shares were gaining 4.8 percent to trade at $65.45.



Best Buy CFO Corie Barry said, 'This updated guidance reflects stronger-than-originally-expected second half revenue performance with profitability roughly in line with our previous expectations. The increased topline expectations are being driven by the anticipation of continued positive industry and consumer momentum, coupled with the impact of product launches.'



For the third quarter, the company expects adjusted earnings per share of $0.75 to $0.803 and enterprise revenue of $9.3 billion to $9.4 billion.



On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect earnings of $0.65 per share on revenues of $8.99 billion for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.



The company expects enterprise comparable sales growth of 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent for the quarter, reflecting Domestic comparable sales growth of 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent and International comparable sales change of flat to 3.0 percent.



For the 53-week fiscal 2018, the company now expects enterprise revenue growth of approximately 4 percent, and adjusted operating income growth rate of 4 percent to 9 percent.



Previously, the company expected full-year revenue growth of approximately 2.5 percent and adjusted operating income growth of 3.5 percent to 8.5 percent.



On a 52-week basis, Enterprise revenue growth is expected to be approximately 2.5 percent and adjusted operating income growth rate of 2 percent to 6 percent.



For the second quarter, net earnings increased to $209 million from last year's $198 million. Earnings per share were $0.67, compared to $0.61 a year ago. The prior year's earnings from continuing operations were $182 million or $0.56 per share.



Adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations were $0.69, compared to $0.57 last year. Operating margin improved to 3.6 percent from 3.4 percent last year.



Enterprise revenues for the quarter increased to $8.94 billion from prior year's $8.53 billion. Analysts expected earnings of $0.63 per share on revenues of $8.66 billion for the quarter.



Enterprise comparable sales grew 5.4 percent in the quarter on top of a 0.8 percent rise last year, driven by stronger consumer demand for technology products and by the strong execution of strategy.



Domestic revenue of $8.27 billion increased 4.9 percent from last year driven by comparable sales growth of 5.4 percent, partially offset by the loss of revenue from 11 large format and 42 Best Buy Mobile store closures. Comparable sales growth in computing, wearables, smart home, mobile phones and appliances was partially offset by declines in tablets.



Domestic online revenue increased 31.2 percent on a comparable basis primarily due to higher conversion rates and increased traffic.



International revenue increased 3.7 percent driven primarily by comparable sales growth of 4.7 percent due to growth in both Canada and Mexico.



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MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- TOMAGOLD CORPORATION (TSX VENTURE: LOT) ("TomaGold" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce the creation of a new advisory board consisting of Alain Bureau, B.Eng. (former CEO of Pershimco Resources), Jean Martineau (CEO of Dynacor Gold Mines) and Robin Phinney, P.Eng. (former CEO of Karnalyte Resources). The mandate of the advisory board will be to assist the Corporation in matters relating to acquisitions, exploration and development strategies.

"On behalf of the Board, I wish to thank Messrs. Bureau, Martineau and Phinney for agreeing to join our newly-created advisory board," said David Grondin, President and CEO of TomaGold. "Their broad mining knowledge, expertise and networks will be of great advantage to TomaGold as we seek to strengthen the depth of our management team. These CEOs possess strong mining backgrounds acquired through the creation and management of successful companies across the Americas. We intend to make full use of their solid technical expertise to optimize the development of our promising projects and maximize their value for the benefit of our shareholders."

Alain Bureau has Canadian Armed Forces officer training and an engineering degree from the Royal Military College of Canada. He has worked in the mining and construction industry in Canada and Latin America for over 20 years. He was involved in sizeable international projects in Chile, Peru, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, and acted as the plant construction manager during the acclaimed construction of the Pinos Altos mine for Agnico Eagle in Mexico. Mr. Bureau was President and CEO of Pershimco Resources until it successfully merged with Orla Mining Ltd. to create a new gold company in a transaction valued at over $200 million. Mr. Bureau is currently a resident of Panama, and remains highly involved in the mining industry in Latin America as a member of the Mining Chamber of Panama and Vice President of the Panama-Canada Chamber of Commerce.

Jean Martineau has worked in the Canadian mining industry for more than 25 years as a director of junior exploration companies and an investment broker, and has been the CEO and President of Dynacor Gold Mines since the company was listed on the TSX in 2007. Over the last 20 years, he has focused on South America and has acquired in-depth knowledge of the management of natural resource companies in South America. His Latin American expertise has been of prime importance in the development of Dynacor Gold Mines' operations in Peru. Prior to work in the mining industry, he worked in the Pulp and Paper industry for more than 12 years, where his last assignment was in Venezuela.

Robin L. Phinney, P.Eng., earned a chemical engineering degree at Lakehead University. Early in his career he acquired valuable experience in plant engineering, process development, product development and sales and marketing, namely from Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Kaolin Industries. In 2002, he co-founded Whitemud Resources, and then served as its vice president of engineering from 2005 to 2007. In 2007, he founded Karnalyte Resources, where he was President and CEO and a director until 2014 and then as its President and Chairman and a director until 2017.

The Corporation has also granted directors, officers and consultants an aggregate of 3,100,000 stock options to acquire the same number of common shares of the Corporation at $0.10 per share for a period of five years.

About TomaGold Corporation

TomaGold Corporation is a Canadian mineral exploration company engaged in the acquisition, assessment, exploration and development of gold mineral properties. To optimize its chances of discovery and minimize its exploration risk, TomaGold aims to develop high-grade gold properties with major mining companies. It currently has joint venture agreements with IAMGOLD Corporation for the Monster Lake project, with Goldcorp Inc. for the Sidace Lake property, and with Goldcorp Inc. and New Gold Inc. for the Baird property. TomaGold has interests in six gold properties in northern Quebec: Monster Lake, Winchester, Lac-a-l'Eau-Jaune, Monster Lake East, Obalski and Lac Cavan near the Chibougamau mining camp. It also holds a 39.5% interest in the Sidace Lake property and a 24.5% in the Baird property near the Red Lake mining camp in Ontario. Finally, it has an option to acquire a 70% interest in the Hazeur property, at the southern edge of the Monster Lake group of properties.

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 news release. The statements in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements". Readers are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and that actual developments or results may vary materially from those described in such "forward-looking" statements.

Contacts:

TomaGold Corporation

David Grondin

President and Chief Executive Officer

(514) 583-3490

www.tomagoldcorp.com




OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. ("Tetra" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: TBP)(OTCQB: TBPMF) today announced that it has strengthened its management team in preparation for the initiation of its commercial activities with the appointments of Dr. Anne-Sophie Courtois to the position of Vice President, Marketing effective immediately and Mr. Bernard Lessard to the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective September 18, 2017. Mr. Lessard will be replacing Mr. Sabino Di Paola as CFO of the corporation.

"I am very proud and pleased to be able to count on Dr. Courtois and Mr. Lessard as members of our executive team," said Bernard Fortier, CEO of Tetra Bio-Pharma. "They will be playing a key role as Tetra imminently initiates its commercial activities and generates revenues in 2017. These highly skilled and experienced individuals will further strengthen our organization as we execute our strategy and refine the tactics that will position Tetra as a biopharmaceutical leader in cannabinoid-based drug discovery, with a clinical program aimed at bringing novel drugs and treatments to patients and their healthcare providers."

About Anne-Sophie Courtois, DVM:

Dr. Courtois has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for over 10 years in Europe and North America. She held the role as Director of Marketing and Scientific Affairs at Jamp Pharma (generic division) and Orimed Pharma (medical division) for over 4 years where she successfully led the marketing team to a 150% growth in sales while preparing the strategic plans for the medical and generic divisions. She managed the marketing of the fastest growing Canadian generic company which launched over 120 products in that time. In addition, she managed the marketing of the medical division, successfully launching over 10 branded products, prescription and OTC under medical recommendation, in a wide diversity of therapeutic areas (osteoporosis, sexual dysfunction, pain management and vitamin deficiency). She has international experience managing product lines and scientific and commercial training of multiple sales teams across Canada, USA and Europe in retail with natural health products, generics and prescription brands. Dr. Courtois has been very effective in launching products faster and efficiently as a member of the operations go-to-market team. Her core expertise is building brands with a strong identity that have a credible scientific background while fulfilling an unmet need on the market for patients and health care professionals. Dr. Courtois is a veterinary doctor and holds a Specialized Masters in management and entrepreneurship from HEC Paris.

About Bernard Lessard, MBA, CPA, CMA:

Mr. Lessard has considerable experience as an executive in the life sciences sector serving as a member of the c-suite and as a trusted advisor to the board of directors in managing business strategy and research teams. He has been involved in numerous financings and the establishment of venture capital funds for start up companies in Quebec, dedicated to the life sciences sector. Mr. Lessard launched a new biotech start-up as CEO of the organization. Mr. Lessard has held the role of portfolio manager in helping companies finance their future growth and as a special project director to implement business turnarounds. He has considerable experience as a CFO in risk management and he has successfully managed the mergers and acquisitions process of various companies while enhancing the assets of these organizations. Mr. Lessard has considerable political connections with the Quebec government where he has served as a policy advisor with various Quebec government ministers with a specific mandate involving intellectual property and venture capital as a market strategy for the life sciences sector. He is actively involved in the business community with an extensive network both in the public and private sectors. Mr. Lessard is a member of the Quebec Order of Chartered Professional Accountants - CPA (Ordre des comptables agrees du Quebec) and is a Certified Management Accountant - CMA. He has a Masters in Business Administration and has a very strong interest in corporate governance.

Corporate Update:

The Corporation would like to thank Mr. Di Paola for all his efforts in working to grow Tetra where it is today and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

About Tetra Bio-Pharma:

Tetra Bio-Pharma (TSX VENTURE: TBP)(OTCQB: TBPMF) is a biopharmaceutical leader in cannabinoid-based drug discovery and development with a clinical program aimed at bringing novel drugs and treatments to patients and their healthcare providers. The Company has several subsidiaries that are engaged in the development of Bio Pharmaceuticals and Natural Health Products containing Cannabis and other medicinal plant based elements.

Tetra Bio-Pharma is focused on combining the traditional methods of medicinal cannabis use with the supporting scientific validation and safety data required for inclusion into the existing bio pharma industry by regulators, physicians and insurance companies. More information is available about the company at: www.tetrabiopharma.com.

Source: Tetra Bio-Pharma

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.

Forward-looking statements

Some statements in this release may contain forward-looking information. All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding potential acquisitions and financings) are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, the inability of the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, GrowPros MMP Inc., to obtain a licence for the production of medical marijuana; failure to obtain sufficient financing to execute the Company's business plan; competition; regulation and anticipated and unanticipated costs and delays, and other risks disclosed in the Company's public disclosure record on file with the relevant securities regulatory authorities. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results or events not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities legislation.

Contacts:

Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc.

Edward Miller

Vice President, IR & Corporate Communications

edward@tetrabiopharma.com

(514) 360-8040 Ext. 203




DENVER, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- American Cannabis Company, Inc. (OTCQB: AMMJ) ("American Cannabis Company," "ACC," or the "Company"), an international distributor of ancillary products and services to the cannabis industry and one of the largest cannabis consulting firms, released second quarter 2017 financial results for the three-month period ended June 30, 2017 and filed a Form 10-Q Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, August 21, 2017.

American Cannabis Company provides advisory and consulting services specific to the cannabis industry, designs industry-specific products and facilities, and distributes proprietary and tailored intellectual property, products, and services to cannabis operators and businesses. The Company operates in the regulated cannabis industry in states and countries where cannabis is regulated and/or has been de-criminalized for medical use and/or legalized for recreational use.

2017 Mid-Year Financial Update

American Cannabis Company is pleased to provide an overview of its second quarter financial results and an update on its progress year-to-date.

The Company's current ratio for the period ended June 30, 2017 was 13.40, which reflects the Company's liquidity and its ability to cover its current liabilities.

The Company's debt to equity ratio for the period ended June 30, 2017 was 0.08, which indicates the Company's solvency and its ability to satisfy its debt obligations.

The Company's quick ratio for the period ended June 30, 2017 was 13.23, which shows the Company's availability of liquid assets

Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Michael Tuohey, CPA, commented, "Over the course of the last 12 months the financial strength of the Company has continued to improve. We feel this positions the Company to have the flexibility to expand and take advantage of opportunities within the industry. Management is committed to improve its position in the industry and shareholder value."

Results of Operations (Unaudited) Three Months and Six Months as of June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016 For the three months For the six months ended ended June 30, June 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 ----------- ------------ ----------- ------------ Revenues Consulting services $ 841,762 $ 211,863 $ 1,415,059 $ 459,473 Product and equipment 111,018 231,785 154,879 524,579 ----------- ------------ ----------- ------------ Total Revenues 952,780 443,648 1,569,938 984,052 Cost of Revenues Cost of consulting services 87,251 51,278 149,076 99,800 Cost of products and equipment 46,146 145,848 131,205 380,857 ----------- ------------ ----------- ------------ Total Cost of Revenues 133,397 197,126 280,281 480,657 ----------- ------------ ----------- ------------ Gross Profit 819,383 246,522 1,289,657 503,395 Operating expenses General and administrative 439,021 307,953 1,080,026 531,440 Investor relations 11,795 893 16,990 18,068 Selling and marketing 39,069 19,662 77,304 40,477 Research and development 212 1,413 680 1,413 ----------- ------------ ----------- ------------ Total Operating expenses 490,097 329,921 1,175,000 591,398 ----------- ------------ ----------- ------------ Gain (Loss) from Operations 329,286 (83,399) 114,657 (88,003) Other Income (expense) Interest Income (expense) 540 (1,376) 9,169 (10,329) ----------- ------------ ----------- ------------ Total Other Income (expense) 540 (1,376) 9,169 (10,329) Net Income (Loss) before taxes 329,286 (84,775) 123,826 (98,332) Income Tax expense (benefit) - - - - ----------- ------------ ----------- ------------ NET INCOME (LOSS) $ 329,826 $ (84,775) $ 123,826 $ (98,332) =========== ============ =========== ============ Basic and diluted net income (loss) per common share* $ 0.01 $ (0.00*) $ 0.00* $ (0.00) =========== ============ =========== ============ Basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding 51,434,050 46,375,168 51,434,050 45,628,580 =========== ============ =========== ============ * denotes an income (loss) of less than $(0.01).

Total revenues for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 were $952,780 compared with $443,648 for the same period in 2016, which represents a 115% increase, or $509,132, over 12 months. The increase was primarily attributable to the industry and Company's expansion in the U.S. and international markets. The Company's execution of strategic plans and sales efforts greatly impacted increased revenues as well.

Revenues from consulting services for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 were $841,762 compared with $211,863 for the same period in 2016, which represents a 297% increase, or $629,899, over 12 months. The increase was primarily attributable to the Company having more consulting sales, new consulting clients, and recurring client revenue from ongoing engagements.

Revenues from product and equipment sales for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 were $111,018 compared to $231,785 for the same period in 2016, which represents a 52% decrease, or $120,767, over 12 months. The decrease was primarily attributable to fewer products and equipment sold, which is directly correlated to the Company's client revenue cycles. Client revenue typically includes a significant product and equipment purchase when the client is awarded a license, which can be inconsistent due to the variable timing in each state market and the nature of the Company's obligations and resources.

Total cost of revenues during the three months ended June 30, 2017 were $133,197, or 14.0% of total revenues. This compares to total costs of revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2016 of $197,126, or 44.4% of total revenues. This represents a 30.4% decrease in the total cost of revenues as a percentage of total revenues, or $63,929, over 12 months.

Gross profits for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 were $819,383 compared with $246,522 in the same period in 2016, which represents a 232% increase, or $572,861, over 12 months. The increase was mainly due to the addition of new clients in multiple states, which retained the Company for consulting services pertaining to marijuana licenses.

Operating expenses, including selling, general, and administrative costs, and all other operating expenses for the second quarter in 2017 were $490,097 compared with $329,921 for the second quarter in 2016, which represents a 33% increase, or $160,176, over 12 months. The increase can be attributed to the Company's investment in sales and marketing efforts, which also resulted in new clients and increased revenues. Additional staff hires contributed to the increase in administrative costs as well.

The Company realized an operating gain of $329,286 in the period ended June 30, 2017 compared to a loss of $83,399 in the period ended June 30, 2016. This represents a 494% increase, or $412,685, over 12 months.

The Company's net gain in the second quarter of 2017 was $329,826 or $0.0 per share compared with a net loss of $84,775 or $0.0. per share in the second quarter of 2016. This represents a 489% increase, or $414,601, over 12 months.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Six Months as of June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016 Six Months Six Months Ended June 30, Ended June 30, 2017 2016 -------------- -------------- Cash flows from operating activities: Net income (loss) $ 123,826 $ (98,332) Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: Bad debt expense 73,280 13,344 Depreciation 2,676 2,477 Amortization of discount on convertible note payable - 10,372 Stock-based compensation to employees 401,809 14,422 Stock-based compensation to service providers - 9,198 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable (102,367) (116,795) Deposits - 2,845 Inventory 16,974 (293) Prepaid expenses and other current assets (7,735) (18,646) Advances from Clients (210,024) (105,416) Accrued liabilities and other current liabilities 5,727 (31,214) Accounts payable 17,911 (146,491) -------------- -------------- Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 322,077 (464,529) -------------- -------------- Cash flows from investing activities: Purchases of property and equipment - (1,662) -------------- -------------- Net cash used in investing activities (1,662) -------------- -------------- Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes payable - 139,065 Proceeds from issuance of common stock 602,693 - -------------- -------------- Net cash provided by financing activities 602,693 139,065 -------------- -------------- Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 924,770 (327,126) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 751,038 555,780 -------------- -------------- Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 1,675,808 $ 228,654 ============== ============== Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Cash paid for interest $ - $ - ============== ============== Cash paid for income taxes $ - $ - Non-Cash Investing and financing activities: Conversion of note payable to common shares $ - $ 71,500 -------------- -------------- Common stock issued for debt converted in prior year 2 -

Net income from operating activities for the six-month period ended June 30, 2017 was $123,826 compared to a net loss of $98,332 for the six-month period ended June 30, 2016. This represents a 226% increase, or $222,158, over 12 months.

The Company issued 439,182 shares of common stock to employees during the six months ended June 30, 2017, which were valued at $401,809. This is significantly higher when compared to $14,422 in stock-based compensation for the six-month period ended June 30, 2016. The increase can be attributed to a one-time stock compensation expense for employment contracts and an increase in the stock price per share used to determine the dollar value of the cost for shares. The Company has not received any cash in exchange for the stock compensation granted to employees, which was recorded as an expense of $401,809.

In the first quarter of 2017, the Company eliminated stock grants from its compensation policy. The Company decided that it would issue warrants as an alternative method of compensation (if needed). One of the benefits of the Company offering warrants instead of stock compensation is the negligible cost due to the variability and indeterminable nature of the warrants' future exercise and corresponding share price(s).

Accounts receivable for the six-month period ended June 30, 2017 was $102,367 compared to $116,795 for the six-month period ended June 30, 2016. This represents a decrease of 12%, or $14,428, over 12 months. The improvement is attributable to increased efficiencies in operations and accounts receivable turnover.

Accounts payable for the six-month period ended June 30, 2017 was a credit balance of $17,911 compared to a debt of $146,491 for the six-month period ended June 30, 2016. This improvement represents a decrease of 112%, or $164,402, over 12 months. The decrease reflects that the Company paid down its previous accounts payable balance and has pre-paid some of its vendors for products and services received year-to-date.

Net cash from operating activities produced a gain of $322,077 for the six-month period ended June 30, 2017 compared to a loss of $464,529 for the six-month period ended June 30, 2016. The difference represents an increase of 169%, or $786,606, over 12 months. This can be largely attributed to improvements in accounts payable and cash advances (100% increase) from clients for goods and services provided by the Company.

Net cash from financing activities was $602,693 for the six-month period ended June 30, 2017 compared to $139,065 for the six-month period ended June 30, 2016. This improvement represents a 333% increase, or $463,628, over 12 months. The net cash from financing for the six-month period in 2017 was attributed to proceeds from the issuance of common stock, whereas the net cash from financing in 2016 was attributed to proceeds from the issuance of convertible notes payable.

The Company's cash and cash equivalents at the end of the six-month period ended June 30, 2017 were $1,675,808 compared to $228,654 at the end of the six-month ended June 30, 2016. This improvement represents an increase of 633%, or $1,447,154, over 12 months.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets As of June 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016 June 30, December 31, 2017 2016 ------------ -------------- ASSETS Current Assets Cash and equivalents $ 1,675,808 $ 751,038 Accounts receivable, net 193,538 164,451 Inventory 25,526 42,500 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 17,560 9,825 ------------ -------------- Total Current Assets 1,912,432 967,814 Property and equipment - net 8,963 11,639 Other Assets 4,500 4,500 ------------ -------------- TOTAL ASSETS 1,925,895 983,953 ============ ============== LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT Current Liabilities Accounts payable 73,693 55,782 Accounts payable, related party - 14,325 Advances from clients 12,164 222,188 Accrued and other current liabilities 56,776 36,724 ------------ -------------- Total Current Liabilities 142,633 329,019 ------------ -------------- Total Liabilities 142,633 329,019 ------------ -------------- Commitments and contingencies Shareholders' Deficit Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively - - Common stock, $0.00001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 51,434,050 and 49,847,593 issued and outstanding at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively 514 498 Additional paid-in capital 6,393,870 5,389,384 Accumulated deficit (4,611,122) (4,734,948) ------------ -------------- Total Shareholders' Deficit 1,783,262 654,934 ------------ -------------- TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT $ 1,925,895 $ 983,953 ============ ==============

The Company's total cash and equivalents for the period ended June 30, 2017 were $1,675,808 compared to $751,038 for the period ended December 31, 2016. This represents a 123% increase, or $924,770, over six months.

Total assets and liabilities for the period ended June 30, 2017 were $1,925,895, respectively, compared to $983,953 for the period ended December 31, 2016. This represents a 96% increase, or $941,942, over six months.

Total current liabilities (short-term debt) were $142,633 as of June 30, 2017 compared to $329,019 as of December 31, 2016, which represents a 57% decrease, or $186,386, over six months. Liabilities included $73,693 in accounts payable as of June 30, 2017 compared to $55,782 in accounts payable as of December 31, 2016. This represents a 32% increase, or $17,911, over six months.

The Company had no long-term debt as of June 30, 2017 or December 31, 2016.

Stockholders' equity in the Company was $1,783,262 for the second quarter of 2017 compared to $654,934 for the second quarter of 2016, which represents a 172% increase, or $1,128,328, over 12 months.

Corporate Update

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of American Cannabis Company, Terry Buffalo, commented on the second quarter 2017 results, "We are pleased with the rapid growth we have experienced this year and that we are delivering positive value for our shareholders. The second quarter financials are a dramatic improvement from our first quarter results. Since we filed the Form 10-Q [Statement] with our second quarter results, the new challenge for us will be to maintain our position as an industry leader as we continue to expand our business internationally and to increase brand awareness."

The Company's strong improvements in financial condition and performance metrics are expected to continue through the rest of the year, given its current position, client portfolio, and market opportunities. To date, the Company has completed over one million square feet of marijuana cultivation facility design work for clients in multiple legal marijuana states and countries.

Founder and Chief Development Officer (CDO) of American Cannabis Company, Ellis Smith, reinforces the Company's growth trajectory, "There has been an increase in demand for our products and services this year, and we're constantly entering new markets now. We have successfully enhanced and refined our model, and we can provide our clients with a more robust and full suite of vertically integrated solutions for marijuana business owners in any market, from the license application to the facility design to the business management."

Due to the Company's continued growth and an increase in demand for its products and services, the executive team increased the Company's resources and added new team members in 2017. These additions strengthened the consulting team's capabilities and knowledge base and improved operating efficiencies.

Buffalo commented on the consulting team expansion, "This year, we increased operating efficiencies and service quality by adding new team members with tangible skills and valuable experience, which also helped us refine our processes and procedures. As a result, we are providing a higher quality of service for our clients, which has proven to be successful for us so far. Improvements like this have a material impact on the Company's financial results, and we have just started to reap the benefits."

Smith opines on the Company's competition, stating "We have a unique advantage in our ability to apply the most advanced sustainability techniques and efficient technology available, such as LEED green building designs, ISO standards, GMP and GAP methods, and fully automated 'smart grows.' The market has shown us a need and appreciation for customized and cost-efficient solutions in marijuana business management, especially in cases where the clients are new market participants. We can add meaningful value for our clients by teaching them how to operate successful marijuana businesses and giving them the tools they need to be effective business owners and managers."

One of the Company's clients is breaking ground this week on a new cultivation facility in Aurora, Colorado, which includes a 22,500-square foot state-of-the-art greenhouse cultivation facility and 1,000-square foot showroom showcase designed by the Company. The greenhouse will be provided by a leading greenhouse supplier, which is one of the partners involved in the project. The showroom showcase will be open to the public for viewing.

Business Update

More Clients and New Markets

U.S. Market Expansion. In 2017, the Company expanded its national presence and was engaged by clients based in most of the U.S. states where marijuana is legal in some form, such as OH, MI, FL, AR, LA, CA, MD, NV, ND, CO, and PA. The Company's scope of work for projects initiated and completed in the second quarter includes state applications for cultivation, processing licenses; facility design and construction; vendor selection and equipment sourcing; real estate development and lease management; financial planning and oversight; recruiting and hiring; standard operating procedures (SOPs) development; regulatory liaison; OSHA training; compliance; and opportunity analysis.

Canadian Market Expansion. Currently, the Company is experiencing a high demand for products and services in Canada, and it has retainer clients in multiple provinces of Canada, which include license applications. The Company has established new distribution channels and co-packing arrangements throughout the country based on increased demand for the Company's proprietary cultivation product, SoHum Living Soils.

Introducing New Technologies. The Company is currently working on a highly innovative real estate development project in Canada with a leading greenhouse manufacturer to build a first and one-of-a-kind marijuana cultivation facility, which will be introduced to the marijuana industry via this project. The custom design features a 64,600-square foot indoor cultivation and processing facility with a 46,368-square foot greenhouse on top of the building for a total of 110,968 square feet dedicated to canopy and supporting functions. Additionally, the indoor cultivation utilizes American Cannabis Company's proprietary, vertical cultivation solution, the High Density Cultivation System ("HDCS"). HDCS applies the principles of lean manufacturing to maximize the amount of usable square feet and horticulture production yields in the facility.

International Expansion. While the Company has continued to increase its footprint and client engagements in the United States (U.S.) and Canada, it is currently exploring new opportunities and partnerships in international markets, including Europe, the Middle East, South America, the United Kingdom (U.K.), South Africa, and Jamaica.

New Products and Services

New Cultivation and Dispensary Management Services. In addition to the scope of work for services as indicated, American Cannabis Company has expanded its existing suite of services to include cultivation and dispensary management. The Company currently offers complete turnkey solutions for clients that require more hands-on assistance with business operations.

Discounted Services for Equity Model. The Company is actively seeking strategic partnerships with licensed (and aspiring) operators in emerging marijuana programs and new state markets. The executive team expects to receive enhanced returns on its stock performance and the Company's investments in client projects due to the evolved business model, in which the Company provides discounted services in exchange for equity in its clients' companies.

Intellectual Property Licensing. The Company is currently licensing intellectual property to clients for some of its products and services offered. This licensing service allows those clients to market and distribute the Company's brand and/or white-labeled products in the various state markets.

New Product SKUs. The Company will be releasing new product SKUs in the third quarter of 2017.

SoHum Living Soils

2017 High Times STASH Award Winner. In July 2017, American Cannabis Company's proprietary product, SoHum Living Soils ("SoHum"), won the 2017 High Times STASH award for "Best Potting Mix." High Times' STASH or "Significant Technological Achievements in Secretive Horticulture" (or STASH) Awards celebrate technological advances in the cannabis industry, specifically the most innovative and effective products used for cultivation.

SoHum is the Company's fully amended soil blend designed for marijuana cultivation. The "just add water" growing medium contains 100% natural ingredients and provides the cannabis plant with all the macro/micro nutrients needed to maximize the genetic potential and to optimize the cannabinoid profile. SoHum improves the plant's yield and quality and it decreases time, cost, and labor. www.SoHumSoils.com.

Addition of Co-Packers. The Company has signed agreements with new co-packing providers to produce SoHum Living Soils in multiple regions throughout the U.S. and Canada to meet the growing demand for soil from customers.

Additional Information

About the Company

Based in Denver, Colorado, American Cannabis Company, Inc. (OTCQB: AMMJ) ("American Cannabis Company," "ACC," or the "Company") is a business-to-business consulting firm that offers turnkey and end-to-end solutions to existing and aspiring participants in the cannabis industry.

Since 2013, American Cannabis Company has worked with dozens of companies that are now thriving in the cannabis industry, many of which were awarded legal marijuana licenses in multiple states with the assistance and support of the Company. Its team of industry veterans and subject matter experts leverages their hands-on experience and acquired knowledge to provide business planning and market assessment services, to assist with state licensing procurement, and to create business infrastructure and operational best practices.

In addition to these services, the Company owns a portfolio of proprietary, marijuana-focused, cultivation products, which include: The Satchel, Sohum Living Soils, The Cultivation Cube, and The High Density Cultivation System ("HDCS"). The development and growth of its brands and product suite are rooted in the Company's geoponics philosophy of "combining the art and science of agriculture in soil."

For information about American Cannabis Company, please visit the website:

www.americancannabisconsulting.com

www.americancannabiscompanyinc.com

www.sohumsoils.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as "anticipate", "seek", intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "project", "plan", or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs.

These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate.

Investors should review all the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov.

Contact Information



For more information, please contact the following Company representative:



Terry Buffalo

CEO

American Cannabis Company

Email: buffalo@americancannabisconsulting.com

Phone: (303) 974-4770



American Cannabis Company, Inc.

Email: ir@americancannabisconsulting.com




NEW YORK, August 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The predictions for the cannabis industry are staggering. Statista predicts the market may exceed $37.3 billion by 2024. Meanwhile, Forbes estimated the $6.5 billion market in 2016 could grow to $30 billion by 2021, and Bloomberg predicts an increase to $50 billion by 2026. The market is being fueled by demand and legalization, and it's not just about plants. Equipment, infrastructure, cannabidiol products, and investors are components of an industry that seems to have unlimited growth potential. For example, PotNetwork Holding, Inc. (OTC: POTN) (POTN Profile) delivers, through its Diamond CBD subsidiary, widely-distributed CBD hemp extracts used in an assortment of edible gummies available in various types and flavors, vapor liquids, vaping pens, shot packages, and capsules. Others contributing to a rapidly diversifying industry include Agritek Holdings, Inc. (OTC: AGTK), Marijuana Company of America (OTC: MCOA), Hemp, Inc. (OTC: HEMP), and mCig, Inc. (OTC: MCIG).

PotNetwork Holding (OTC: POTN) is focused on multiple verticals within the cannabis industry, and, by sourcing hemp outside the U.S., side-steps current federally-based legal problems involved in growing cannabis domestically. Through this strategy, the company can deliver its products to every state as well as internationally. Among its list of 15 brands is Diamond CBD Gummies, CBD Liquid Gold, Premium Hemp Liquid Pet, Relax Extreme CBD, and CBD Double Shot.

As the CBD industry heats up, PotNetwork subsidiary Diamond CBD continues to see demand for its products. During its exhibit at the ASD Market Week Event in Las Vegas earlier this month, Diamond CBD generated more than $320,000 in revenues (http://nnw.fm/mv9aQ). While the event was a financial win for the company, it also provided considerable brand exposure to an attending audience of more than 40,000 buyers from 88 countries.

In the first two quarters of 2017, PotNetwork reported $5.0 million in sales for its Diamond CBD products, $3.2 million of which were generated in the second quarter alone, representing an increase of 1,495 percent over prior-year second-quarter revenues. This achievement puts the company on track to exceed its fiscal year 2017 forecasts (http://nnw.fm/KxqP2).

"We remain steadfast in our efforts to build real value in our Company. The level of acceptance we are experiencing can only be surpassed by our short and long-term vision for growth. As we continue to accelerate in sales performance, we embrace the opportunity to create a real and tangible success which we expect would ultimately be reflected in shareholder value," PotNetwork CEO Gary Blum stated in the earnings release.

As PotNetwork grows its market reach, the company's Diamond CBD subsidiary is also pursuing medical applications of CBD. Mounting research industry-wide demonstrates CBD's potential to provide symptomatic relief for a wide range of ailments, including rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), epilepsy, antibiotic-resistant infections, neurological disorders, and muscular dystrophy, among many others. Recognizing considerable opportunity in this field, Diamond CBD is conducting its own research to develop premium hemp extracts that contain a broad range of cannabinoids and natural hemp derivatives to potentially address these key markets.

To assist with this endeavor, PotNetwork is assembling an advisory board of physicians and medical cannabis specialists to support management's plans to formulate, produce, and market a spectrum of exclusive and diversely targeted CBD blends. The first to join this new board is Dr. Mark G. Sabbota, who is board certified in internal medicine and cardiology. His experience includes a comprehensive understanding of cannabinoid attributes and corresponding knowledge based on research studies, along with Controlled Substance and DEA Licensure. He is joined by Dr. David M. Feldbaum, MD, FACS, who was named to the board earlier this month (http://nnw.fm/gq1QO). Certified in vascular surgery by the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Feldbaum brings to the table substantial knowledge of the intricacies of vascular health and an acquired understanding of how CBD components can contribute to the optimization of results in his area of expertise.



"This is an exciting time to be on the forefront of the CBD revolution. Being instrumental in the development of such cutting-edge developments, I believe we are enabled to make a difference in the quality of life for many. We stand at the threshold of great new discoveries," Dr. Feldbaum stated in the press release announcing his appointment.



Dr. Feldbaum isn't the only one who sees the potential of PotNetwork's broader business model. In June, SeeThruEquity initiated coverage of PotNetwork with a price target of $0.25. Among other highlights, the analyst noted strength in Diamond CBD's sales momentum and an aggressive marketing campaign. PotNetwork currently trades around $0.05 to $0.06. Among other key items, the analyst report (http://nnw.fm/fc27Ks) notes PotNetwork's year-over-year Q1 2017 revenue growth of 178% and forecasts an increase of 712% in revenues to $8.3 million based on new product launches, strong marketing, and extended international market reach.



A look at other players in the diversified cannabis industry are further evidence of increasing demand, application and momentum.



Year-to-date, real estate investment firm and branding consultant Agritek Holdings (OTCQB: AGTK) has doubled the size of its brand portfolio to include four lines, and, earlier this month, it received an additional $300,000 in backing to fund the development of its land projects in Puerto Rico, Colorado, Canada and Washington State (http://nnw.fm/tR1Mc). Agritek says it has started construction on a cultivation facility in Puerto Rico (http://nnw.fm/gAw0o), where it is funding a 25,000-square-foot facility near San Juan, along with the project's equipment and extraction systems. Per an operations and licensing agreement, the company will be able to take advantage of multiple revenue streams, equipment lease back fees, and monthly consulting fees. It will also have exclusivity for the sale of its oils, vape products, and edibles, products used in Puerto Rico by people with anxiety, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and cancer among 14 preapproved conditions for which medical marijuana is permitted.



Agritek also recently announced that it is receiving orders for its MicroDose Oral Strips brand, an alternative to traditional cannabis products in that they are dissolved under the tongue or between the gum and cheek in the mouth, allowing the ingredients to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream.

Marijuana Company of America (OTC: MCOA) has seen growth in its cannabis-related operations as well, in the form of a $5 million fixed funding commitment in August and a $250,000 investment in MoneyTrac Technology, Inc. The deal gives the company a 15% ownership interest in the firm and opens the door to electronic payment processing services, such as the use of mobile applications, E-Wallet services, and processing of prepaid, debit, and credit cards. It also patented its herbal brain health product, hempSMART' Brain, last month, which is intended to support neurological health and promote neurogenesis through its cannabidiol formulation.

Hemp, Inc. (OTC: HEMP) hasn't slowed the pace either. In January, the company announced plans to expand its presence in North Carolina, with a 3,000-acre hemp farm, following agreements to purchase 1,000 acres from Mullen View Farms and 500 acres from John Finch Farms. The company also has a 70,000-square-foot industrial processing facility in Spring Hope, North Carolina. Aside from its growing operations, it also recently launched a critical piece of equipment. The NuAxon Tech CO 2 Supercritical Extractor was purchased in a joint venture with Freedom Leaf, Inc. (OTCQB: FRLF). This system is expected to significantly boost revenue and facilitate growing, cultivation, and cloning processes for high cannabidiol plants.

Serving the cultivation, construction, and production packaging aspects of the marijuana industry, mCig, Inc. (OTCQB: MCIG) is no longer just a vaporizer manufacturer. It has also expanded into the merchant processing segment. The company offers secure payment solutions to participating dispensaries, at low rates for e-commerce and businesses that accept certain credit cards. With high uptime, fast-clearing funds, and secure transactions, the processing system is well-suited for businesses selling cannabidiol products via e-commerce websites. In addition, the company recently applauded the Senate for an amendment that would prevent the government from interfering with medical marijuana programs where they are legal. The legislation is a full amendment to the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill for 2018, prohibiting federal funds from being used to stop states from implementing laws regarding medical marijuana use, possession, distribution, and cultivation.

As discussed above, growth in the global cannabis industry is accelerating due to increased legislation, consumer demand, and the innovations of key market players. PotNetwork Holding is one example of the power of product diversity as it reaches across the industry in the U.S. and internationally. The company continues to execute its mission of making an impact on an industry that, while in its relative infancy, continues to surpass expectations and yield incredible opportunity for growth.

For more information on PotNetwork Holding please visit: PotNetwork Holding, Inc. (POTN)



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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced that some donations to two annual fund-raising appeals had been tampered with and 'manually mishandled' by a TD Bank employee. In a letter to donors, Monsignor Daniel Kutys stated that the donations were 'manually mishandled, misappropriated, or not processed.' The individual has been arrested and faces criminal charges, he wrote. The donations were meant for the annual Catholic Charities Appeal and the annual Seminary Appeal. These utilize separate and designated lock boxes through a TD Bank facility for processing. The thefts apparently took place between December 2016 and July 2017. The breach is said to affect both those who mailed donations or put money in baskets passed from pew to pew during Masses. Online donations are not believed to be affected. The letter noted that an individual, who is now a former employee of the bank, was manually tampering with donations mailed to the lock box, and that the issue could not have been prevented by the archdiocese. At present, the archdiocese is working to analyze the level of financial exposure in order to determine restitution for these campaigns. 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.
DENVER, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- Convercent, the leading global provider of SaaS enterprise ethics and compliance management software, today announced record results in the second quarter of 2017. Highlights include significant growth in customers worldwide as well as a rapidly expanding workforce.

"This past quarter's growth is proof Convercent is meeting a crucial need for today's biggest global brands. Across industries and countries, business leaders are recognizing the critical importance of corporate ethics, and our cloud software enables them to drive ethics into the center of their organizations," said Patrick Quinlan, co-founder and CEO of Convercent. "I believe the future will be built on companies that try to do the right thing. We have a massive opportunity to affect change at a global scale by giving leaders the solutions they need to put ethics and values at the forefront."

Highlights include:

High Customer Growth: Convercent added over 40 new customers in Q2 including leading furniture manufacturer Steelcase, New York University, and fast-casual restaurant chain Torchy's Tacos. The company's ACV in Q2 also grew more than 60 percent year-over-year.





Expanded EMEA Footprint: Convercent greatly expanded its EMEA customer base in Q2. New customers include Total Gas & Power, the largest industrial and commercial natural gas supplier in the UK, and global chemical company Venator. New regulatory developments in EMEA that require companies to implement whistleblowing and alert mechanisms have fueled Convercent's growth abroad.





Effective Customer Retention Rate Exceeds 100 Percent: In addition to growth in new customer acquisitions, existing customers continued to achieve success with Convercent. The company continued to post an effective retention rate exceeding 100 percent in Q2.





Expanded Employee Base: To meet market demand, Convercent continued to expand globally, adding key roles across the company in engineering, marketing, and sales. Convercent added 18 new hires in Q2, bringing total headcount to 125.





About Convercent

Convercent is the leading provider of the one cloud platform of ethics and compliance that helps global enterprises maximize performance by bringing ethics to the center of their business. Companies use Convercent's Ethics Cloud to hear the voice of their employees, understand organizational behavior, and make informed decisions to protect their culture. The Convercent Ethics Cloud applications include: Helpline and Case Manager, Learning Manager, Policy Manager, Disclosure Manager and Convercent Insights.

Convercent has more than 550 customers worldwide, including Microsoft, Tesla, The Four Seasons, Capgemini and Under Armour. The company's rapid success is fueled by product innovation and a unique culture. Convercent is backed by venture capital funding from Sapphire Ventures, Tola Capital and Azure.

Contact:

Emily Busse

Email Contact

(415) 625-8555




PASADENA, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- Wetzel's Pretzels, the innovator in the fresh-baked pretzel category, today announced it has signed an agreement to bring the company's made-from-scratch pretzels, Bitz and fresh lemonade across Canada through an agreement with franchisee, Cory Reddekopp. Reddekopp will focus on developing Wetzel's Pretzels locations across the Alberta and British Columbia provinces. Currently, Wetzel's has two existing Canadian locations in Alberta's West Edmonton Mall and Reddekopp expects to open two new stores in 2017.

"I believe the opportunity to grow the Wetzel's Pretzels brand in Canada is tremendous and far exceeds the initial eight stores I plan to open. I am actively seeking Operating Partners to help develop additional Wetzel's Pretzels stores across Canada," said Reddekopp. "Additionally, the brand's various build-out options provide us countless opportunities to expand regardless of square footage, while still being able to deliver the hot-and-fresh pretzels guests love."

Each of Wetzel's forthcoming Canadian locations will offer all of Wetzel's Pretzels' most popular items, including the company's full line of pretzels, Wetzel Dogs, Bitz and fresh and frozen lemonade. The pretzels will be baked from scratch throughout the day from simple ingredients such as flour, filtered water, yeast and a touch of salt; it's been the Wetzel's way since the company's first location opened 23 years ago.

With strong results in both core and outer markets, Wetzel's Pretzels continues to seek out qualified multi-unit franchise operators to become international partners. "We're continuing to partner with motivated, growth oriented franchisees both domestically and internationally. Wetzel's Pretzels is a fantastic portfolio concept for seasoned multi-unit franchisees with other brands," said Doug Flaig, VP Franchise Development at Wetzel's Pretzels.

About Wetzel's Pretzels

Armed with a vision and a tasty recipe for soft pretzel perfection, Bill Phelps and Rick Wetzel opened the first Wetzel's Pretzels bakery in Redondo Beach, Calif., in 1994. Long lines of hungry customers soon formed, attracted by mouth-watering soft pretzels that were hand-rolled, baked fresh and served hot from the oven. As word spread about these golden-on-the-outside pretzels, the company added additional offerings to its menu. Today, Wetzel's Pretzels has grown to more than 300 fresh bakeries across the United States and around the world, including premier locations at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. Every Wetzel's Pretzels bakery adheres to the original vision of its founders; that each super-premium pretzel will be crafted from fresh dough and baked in-store consistently throughout the day, to ensure a delicious offering for each consumer, regardless of when the craving for a pretzel strikes. For additional information on Wetzel's Pretzels or franchise opportunities, please visit the website, call (626) 432-6900, "Like" them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3165413



Media Contact:

Josh Levitt

Canvas Blue for Wetzel's Pretzels

949.215.1438

Email Contact




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- China Education Resources, Inc. ("CER") (TSX VENTURE: CHN)(OTCQX: CHNUF), an ed-tech company with leading technology of intelligent system and contents to provide online/offline learning, training courses and social media for teachers, students and education professionals, announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2017. All figures are expressed in U.S. dollars.

China Education Resources generated gross revenues of $ 5,389,330 in the second quarter of 2017. This is compared to gross revenue of $5,237,987 for the same period in 2016. It recorded a net income attributable to shareholders of $929,851 as compared to a net profit attributable to shareholders of $1,043,647 for the same period in 2016.

During the six months ended June 30, 2017, the Company generated revenue of $8,176,781 as compared with $7,941,178 for the same period in 2016. The net profit attributable to the shareholders of the Company for the period was $1,268,805 as compared to $1,042,048 net profit for the same period in 2016.

The Q2 of 2017 financial highlights are as summarized as follows:

2017 2016 Percentage (USD) (USD) change Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income Three months ended June 30 Book sales and distribution services 3,038,678 2,893,674 5.0% Online products 2,350,652 2,344,312 0.3% Total revenue 5,389,330 5,237,987 2.9% Net income attributable to shareholders of the Company for the three months 929,851 1,021,815 -9.0% Six months ended June 30 Total revenue 8,176,781 7,941,178 3.0% Net income attributable to shareholders of the Company for the six months 1,268,805 1,042,048 21.8%

"We are pleased with our continually increased in profit in the six-month period ended June 30, 2017," said Chengfeng Zhou, CEO, China Education Resources. "We expect the sales of the Company will continue to grow and our unique and comprehensive blend of education resources and services will provide CER with long-term revenue potential." For more information, please visit www.chinaeducationresources.com or Email: admin@chinaeducationresources.com.

In collaboration with China's education administrators and experts, China Education Resources has been helping to transform the curriculum of the world's largest educational system. Recognizing the need to address education reform changes, China Education Resources has created educational tools and curriculum for China's entire kindergarten through twelfth grade system. The Company is playing an integral part in transforming China's educational system through helping to convert the existing educational system from a memory-based learning system to a creative thinking and interactive approach. Presently, China Education Resources has over 1 million kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers registered through its Web portal.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements made herein, and other statements relating to matters that are not historical facts and statements of our beliefs, intentions and expectations about developments, results and events which will or may occur in the future, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information and statements are typically identified by words such as "anticipate", "could", "should", "expect", "seek", "may", "intend", "likely", "plan", "estimate", "will", "believe" and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. All such forward-looking information and statements are based on certain assumptions and analysis made by China Education Resources, Inc.'s management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information or statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" elsewhere in the Company's MD&A filed at www.sedar.com. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Except as required by law the Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update these forward looking statements after the date of this document or to revise them to reflect the occurrence of future, unanticipated events.

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed, and does not accept, responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this press release.

Contacts:

China Education Resources

(604) 331-2388

Email: admin@chinaeducationresources.com

Website: http://www.chinaeducationresources.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- -Monument Mining Limited (TSX VENTURE: MMY)(FRANKFRUT: D7Q1) "Monument" or the "Company" is pleased to announce that it has signed a Deed of Variation Agreement with Intec International Projects Pty Ltd ("Intec") to the Heads of Agreement ("HOA") dated in January 2015 to exploit the Intec Technology for their sulphide copper process (the Intec testwork).

While Intec has not been chosen as the most suitable treatment for Selinsing/Buffalo Reef sulphide ore due to their certain characteristics, the testwork going forward with Intec will be focused on production of very close to London Metal Exchange ("LME") grade copper metal at the Mengapur Project. Monument will review the Intec related technical information to design their testing programs.

The commercial objective of the testwork is to produce copper metal in-country at the Mengapur site. Malaysia is a net importer of copper metal to feed its copper metal products manufacturing and fabrication industries. This will entail confirmation test work programs using copper ore feed from the Mengapur site and pilot plant programs using Intec. The technology has successfully produced copper and other base metals for more than 7 years in Tasmania, Australia by treating waste dumps as a commercial project.

Pursuant to the Deed, the term of the interim Intec license granted to Monument has been extended to January 16, 2022 from January 17, 2017, during which, Monument at its discretion will decide when to commence the Intec testwork. The Intec testwork comprises three stages: pilot plant testing, pre-commercial testing and trial commercial plant testing. Both parties agree to enter into a formal license agreement before commencement of the pre-commercial testing stage.

By signing this agreement, Monument has released 7 million fully paid common shares from escrow to Intec. Upon completion of each of the above phases, Intec would earn 25%, 25% and 50% of the remaining 7 million escrow shares accordingly. The Earned escrow shares will be released to Intec 30 days after of the completion of each testing upon satisfactory results. Should Monument make an election not to proceed the test work, any Earned Shares will be released to Intec within 10 business days, and the remaining Escrow Shares will be returned to Monument for cancelation.

About Monument

Monument Mining Limited (TSX VENTURE: MMY)(FRANKFURT: D7Q1) is an established Canadian gold producer that owns and operates the Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia. Its experienced management team is committed to growth and is advancing several exploration and development projects including the Mengapur Polymetallic Project, in Pahang State of Malaysia, and the Murchison Gold Projects comprising Burnakura, Gabanintha and Tuckanarra in the Murchison area of Western Australia. The Company employs approximately 190 people in both regions and is committed to the highest standards of environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighboring communities.

Robert F. Baldock, President and CEO

Monument Mining Limited

Suite 1580 -1100 Melville Street

Vancouver, BC V6E 4A6

"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."

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes statements containing forward-looking information about Monument, its business and future plans ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are statements that involve expectations, plans, objectives or future events that are not historical facts and include the Company's plans with respect to its mineral projects and the timing and results of proposed programs and events referred to in this news release. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". The forward-looking statements in this news release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

These risks and certain other factors include, without limitation: risks related to general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; uncertainties regarding the results of current exploration activities; uncertainties in the progress and timing of development activities; foreign operations risks; other risks inherent in the mining industry and other risks described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Company's projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Material factors and assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements in this news release include: expectations regarding the estimated cash cost per ounce of gold production and the estimated cash flows which may be generated from the operations, general economic factors and other factors that may be beyond the control of Monument; assumptions and expectations regarding the results of exploration on the Company's projects; assumptions regarding the future price of gold of other minerals; the timing and amount of estimated future production; the expected timing and results of development and exploration activities; costs of future activities; capital and operating expenditures; success of exploration activities; mining or processing issues; exchange rates; and all of the factors and assumptions described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Company's projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Contacts:

Richard Cushing

MMY Vancouver

+1-604-638-1661 x102

rcushing@monumentmining.com



Wolfgang Seybold

Axino GmbH

+49 711-82-09-7211

wolfgang.seybold@axino.com

www.monumentmining.com




PLANTATION, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 --Atacama Resources International (OTCQB: ACRL) developers of a suite of mobile applications, announced today that the Company has released a test version of Good2Drive Fleet, a mobile application that allows corporate fleet owners and operators to test a commercial driver's cognitive alertness before getting behind the wheel of his or her vehicle. Good2Drive Fleet includes a 60-90 second image matching test using a patented algorithm that was created based on the scientific study of cognitive abilities at various West Coast hospitals and universities.

Good2Drive Fleet not only includes the Good2Drive test released in July but adds a critical 'Results Dashboard' for fleet operators that provides a powerful new safety tool to support realistic management of hundreds or even thousands of drivers in their fleet.

"We are pleased to announce the release of Good2Drive Fleet through Google Play and the iTunes store. We are convinced that this mobile application will promote safer driving habits by commercial drivers," stated Dan Finch, President of Good2Drive. "While drinking and driving is a major concern, the possible impairment to commercial fleet drivers caused by both drugs and fatigue is emerging as a significant factor in traffic crashes in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. Good2Drive Fleet's patented algorithm and test have been proven to accurately identify cognitive impairment whether it is due to drinking, drugs, medications or drowsiness."

Good2Drive Fleet features have been developed specifically to assist fleet managers in detecting possible impairment in their drivers. The logistics of keeping track of many drivers has been addressed by Good2Drive Fleet, and the results are presented in a 'Company Specific Driver Dashboard' that provides driver information requested by the company. Not only can many drivers be signed up at one time, overall information about the test history of each driver can be presented in pie shape or bar graph format to highlight driver performance. Details can include the list of all drivers, the ability to click on one driver to see individual results, average results and latest results. Trends can be noted on an individual driver basis, evaluated and action taken as required, to help the driver return to safe driving status.

Good2Drive Fleet will not add complexity to the start-up checklist at the beginning of a shift. That extra minute or so to take the test will confirm that the driver is fit to drive that day or, more importantly, will signal that the driver is NOT in a position to drive safely. If the use of Good2Drive Fleet flags even a 1% 'fail' result for a fleet driver, and the driver is prevented from driving under that condition, the chance of an accident for that fleet operation has been reduced.

Moving cargo is stressful enough without having to worry about driver fitness. Good2Drive Fleet gives fleet owners an additional tool to ensure that their cargo is in good hands. Obviously Good2Drive Fleet promotes safety, and the fact that lives may be saved and injuries may be reduced is the main reason that Good2Drive Fleet is such a compelling, value-adding product. With fewer accidents on the highway, an improved insurance claim record and more cargo reaching its destination, the economic benefits to the fleet owner will be substantial.

Several companies with significant fleet operations have agreed to roll out Good2Drive Fleet as part of a field trial to become familiar with the mobile app prior to implementing the product throughout their company. The test results will become part of the driver's score card and will provide a more detailed history of the company's drivers.

Future press releases will highlight the companies that install Good2Drive Fleet as part of their overall fleet management system.

More information about Good2Drive Fleet will be available shortly at www.Good2Drive.com.

About Good2Drive, Inc. (www.Good2Drive.com)

Good2Drive, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atacama Resources International. The company is committed to providing smartphone hosted applications based on our proprietary testing for cognitive awareness. Our suite of smartphone hosted app's will include cognitive tests for care givers, seniors with impairments, remote employees in potentially hazardous environments and other situations where it is necessary to be cognitively alert.

About Atacama Resources International (www.acrlintl.com)

Atacama Resources International is a publicly traded OTCQB company with significant mining claims in the greater Kirkland Lake area of Northern Ontario. Metals and minerals under potential exploration include gold, silver, diamonds, graphite and cobalt. Major deposits of copper and iron ore are included in the mining claims. Atacama's technology business includes a pioneering smartphone application called Good2Drive and follow on products that will be released later in 2017 and 2018.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain information set forth in this news announcement may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Atacama Resources International. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's industry, management beliefs and certain assumptions made by its management. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Information concerning factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those contained in these forward-looking statements can be found in the Company's periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, and in its Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise to reflect future events or circumstances or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contact:



Dan Finch

President

Good2Drive, Inc.

1-262-948-1868 Bus

1-214-755-0932 Cell

dfinch@acrlintl.com




SEATTLE, WA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- CFN Media Group ("CannabisFN"), the leading creative agency and digital media network dedicated to legal cannabis, announces the publication of an article and exclusive on-site video covering how Heliospectra AB's (OTCQB: HLSPY) new lighting solutions have helped accelerate harvest cycles and dramatically improve Green Mountain Harvest Hydroponics' crop quality and yields.

Dave Hartshorn, John Farr, and Ted Farr have been interested in hydroponics for decades, but the technology wasn't fully mature until a few years ago. In 2013, the team founded Green Mountain Harvest Hydroponics with a focus on growing spring mix, summer crisp lettuce, basil, and watercress. They began with a modest greenhouse that was previously used on a flower farm and eventually secured an account at Whole Foods that has enabled them to scale.

Cutting-Edge Technology

Green Mountain Harvest Hydroponics was using traditional HPS lights in its greenhouse before partnering with Heliospectra and Griffin -- the company's long-term partner -- to install 115 new LED lighting fixtures. Since these lights were a direct replacement of the HPS lights, the installation process was very straightforward and the benefits were quickly apparent to the management team.

"As soon as the new Heliospectra LEDs were installed, Green Mountain recognized immediate benefits from the optimized light spectrum," said John Farr. "We typically harvested our summer crisp lettuce at 55 days. With Heliospectra, we now harvest between 42 and 45 days. The opportunity to accelerate harvest and create additional revenue cycles significantly scales our business."

Using an optimized spectrum of red, blue, and white light, Green Mountain achieves better penetration and distribution of light down to the bottom of the plant canopy with the Heliospectra solutions. The new LED lighting also helped reduce light pollution that had been a big issue with the HPS lighting - in fact, the HPS lights had prompted calls from neighbors and even visits from the local fire department.

"The Heliospectra lights mimic the sun and enable Green Mountain to supplement natural daylight during the shorter winter days and adjust to changes in local weather," added Farr. "The ability to forecast production and predictable, repeatable harvest results has proved invaluable for our business."

Great, Consistent Results

The Heliospectra lighting solutions helped improve both crop quality and yields while lowering operational costs to bolster profitability.

The Griffin and Green Mountain teams note that the lettuce and basil plants are now sturdier and more compact plants with less tip burn and yellowing than those grown under HPS lighting. The increase in fresh weight improves the value of the product for both consumers and the business' bottom-line. Meanwhile, the Heliospectra lighting solution also enables faster turns and an accelerated production cycle, which will add at least one additional harvest per year and help boost revenue.

"I think the biggest benefits are one, the crop quality and two, the elimination of light pollution," says Farr. "That was huge for us. Through the Heliospectra lights, we actually grew the business by 25%. Same area, just different lights. Plus, no complaints from the neighbors."

"If you compare LEDs electricity consumption with that of HPS, there is a huge opportunity for savings which of course is going to be translated to the bottom-line growth for Green Mountain Harvest's business," said Mr. Ahmadian. "And there is even greater opportunity for the business to increase yields and improve crop quality with Heliospectra's solutions."

"John and many of our customers emphasize that the ability to control the consistency of production and forecasts enables them to take finished goods to market faster. Delivering high-quality produce to grocers and retailers on a consistent, reliable basis creates a significant impact on Green Mountain's business performance and profitability," Ahmadian explains.

Looking Ahead

Green Mountain Harvest just broke ground on two new greenhouses that will incorporate the Heliospectra LX intelligent lighting solutions and real-time software controls. With higher quality products, accelerated production, and lower operational costs, the company is well-positioned to succeed as it expands its products into Whole Foods and beyond.

Griffin and Heliospectra work with dedicated growers and growing environments across the globe focused on medicinal cannabis, commercial food crops and a wide variety of flowers and ornamentals.

For more information, download a case study recording or follow Green Mountain Harvest on Facebook.

Visit Griffin online to learn more about how their CEA and horticulture expertise can grow your business.

Visit Heliospectra online to learn more about the company's market-leading LED lighting solutions.

Please follow the link to read the full article: http://www.cannabisfn.com/heliospectra-leds-grew-green-mountain-harvests-business-25/

Learn how to become a CFN Media featured company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/become-featured-company/

Download the CFN Media iOS mobile app to access the world of cannabis from your smart phone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cannabisfn/id988009247?ls=1&mt=8

Or visit our homepage and enter your mobile number under the Apple App Store logo to receive a download link text on your iPhone: http://www.cannabisfn.com

About CFN Media

CFN Media (CannabisFN) is the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis. We help marijuana businesses attract investors, customers (B2B, B2C), capital, and media visibility. Private and public marijuana companies and brands in the US and Canada rely on CFN Media to grow and succeed.

Disclaimer:

Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CFN Media and CannabisFN.com, is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority, and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. Emerging Growth LLC may from time to time have a position in the securities mentioned herein and may increase or decrease such positions without notice. For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek their own advice. Emerging Growth LLC may be compensated for its services in the form of cash-based compensation or equity securities in the companies it writes about, or a combination of the two. For full disclosure please visit: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/.

CFN Media

Frank Lane

206-369-7050

flane@cannabisfn.com




MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- Aurvista Gold Corporation ("Aurvista" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: AVA)(OTCQB: ARVSF)(FRANKFURT: AV2) announces the grant of a total of 1.8 million stock options to six new members of the Board of Directors who were elected at the recent August 15 Annual and Special Meeting of the Shareholders. The options have a five year term, an exercise price of $0.30, the closing price of the Aurvista shares on the day of the grant, and vest one-quarter immediately, and one-quarter on each anniversary date of the grant.

As the current Stock Option Plan provides for a maximum of 16,740,000 options that may be granted under the Plan the Board also amended the Plan to become a Rolling Stock Option Plan that allows for the issuance of such number of options equal to 10% of the outstanding shares. The right of each holder to exercise the options and the amendment of the Stock Option Plan is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and the approval of the shareholders of Aurvista.

Douay Gold Project and Company Profile:

Aurvista Gold Corporation is a well-funded gold exploration and development company focused on advancing one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Quebec. The Company's district-scale 305 km2 Douay Gold Project is located along a 40km segment of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone within the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt in northern Quebec. The Project hosts a multi-million ounce gold deposit that remains open in several directions, with excellent infrastructure and several large scale operating mines within 150 km. The Douay Gold Project's high-grade zones have never been mined and the Project is virtually royalty-free. The Company has aggressive property-wide exploration and drilling plans, with the aim of building high-quality ounces in one of the best mining jurisdictions in the world.

ON BEHALF OF AURVISTA GOLD CORPORATION

B. Matthew Hornor, President & CEO

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. When used herein, words such as "anticipate", "will", "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Aurvista Gold Corporation's filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.com.

Contacts:

Mr. Joness Lang

VP, Corporate Development

+1 416.682.2674

jlang@aurvistagold.com

www.aurvistagold.com




People May Use the Arrest Records Data to Check on their Neighbors, a Potential New Employee, Family Member or Date

LA JOLLA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 29, 2017 / The founders of CheckThem are pleased to announce that they believe they now have the most comprehensive arrest records database in the United States. The arrest records that are available through CheckThem contain details regarding an individual's suspected criminal activity.

To learn more about the types of information people will find within an arrest record, please visit https://www.checkthem.com/criminal-records/arrest-records/.

As a company spokesperson noted, there are a variety of valid reasons why someone would like to learn if another person has an arrest record. From protecting themselves against criminals and investigating business associates to wanting to know more about a new date, a significant other or a family member, many people have turned to CheckThem to see what they can find out.

"There's no need to feel unsafe in one's neighborhood anymore; confidence can be had by checking to ensure that people are who they say they are," the spokesperson noted, adding that some people even use CheckThem to search their own criminal arrest record.

While CheckThem cannot guarantee 100 percent accuracy and the founders strongly encourage people to do their own additional research, they are proud to offer such a large and helpful database.

The website also includes in-depth and educational information about what is typically included in an arrest record. In addition to personal information, it will usually include details including the suspect's age, if the suspected crime was an infraction, misdemeanor or felony, and if the person was required to pay any fines or monetary restitution.

"Based on the availability of the information, you may be able to learn if the suspect was questioned, detained, arrested, taken into custody/detention, charged, indicted or tried for a crime," the spokesperson noted.

"Typically, you'll be able to find information if the suspected crime involved a vehicle, was considered violent, included theft or robbery and if it involved drugs or was related to business."

About CheckThem:

CheckThem gets people the information they are looking for with instant access to contact information, criminal records, arrest records, mugshots, phone number history, addresses, professional verifications, licenses, marriage/divorce records, property history, court filings, and much more. Thousands of Americans use CheckThem to find information on anyone. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq., ("FCRA"), It is unlawful to use CheckThem or the information provided for any purpose that would require FCRA compliance. For more information, please visit https://www.checkthem.com/.

Contact:

James Kaen

support@checkthem.com

(800) 410-3722

SOURCE: CheckThem
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 29, 2017) - Jaxon Minerals Inc. (TSXV: JAX) (FSE: 0U3) is pleased to announce the addition of Neil Moloney and Wenhong (Wilson) Jin to its technical advisory board.

Jason Cubitt, Jaxon's president and CEO, comments, "We're seeing a new wave of technical innovation in the extractive industries. Leaders will have a unique competitive advantage over the field, and the addition of Neil and Wilson adds a world-leading technical focus to our already talented team."

Neil Moloney is currently working as a senior consultant to Goldcorp Inc. in the development of their geological and operational deep data mining and automation efforts. He has twenty-years of broad, significant international extractive industry experience. Past responsibilities include senior corporate management, project management, engineering and operations management. Neil is a mineral exploration and mining geologist and holds an MBA from Georgetown University - The McDonough School of Business.

Wenhong (Wilson) Jin has twenty-five years of exploration and acquisitions experience in precious and non-ferrous metals in Asia, Africa and North America. He is president and CEO of C2 Mining International Corp. and sits on the technical advisory board of Zijin Midas Exploration Fund, a subsidiary of Zijin Mining. Wilson is Zijin's second appointee to Jaxon. He previously served as chief geologist, VP acquisition, and president of Huakan International Mining Inc. Mr. Jin obtained a Bachelor Degree in Geology from the Guilin University of Technology in 1992.

The Company also announces the resignation of Garry Stock from Jaxon's Board of Directors.

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
MEXICO CITY (dpa-AFX) - After a break, President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his commitment to build a wall along the border with Mexico to prevent the flow of drugs to the United States. In a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Ninisto Monday, Trump insisted that Mexico will have to pay for the wall, which is 'needed very badly'. 'It may be through reimbursement, but one way or the other, Mexico will pay for the wall,' he told reporters. The Republican-led House of Representatives last month had approved a bill that includes $1.6 billion fund for building Trump's long- promised wall along the US-Mexico border. But it is likely that Senate Democrats will block Trump's budget request when it moves to the upper chamber. Congressional funding for the border wall is not well taken by Democrats and a section among Republicans. Trump said tremendous amount of drugs are pouring into the United States at levels that nobody has ever seen before. This happened over the last three to four years in particular. 'The wall will stop much of the drugs from pouring into this country and poisoning our youth,' according to him. The President claimed that his administration has stopped drug traffic coming through the southern border by 78 percent. 'It's going to be 81 percent this quarter, which is a record,' he added. Responding to a reporter's question, Trump made it clear that the US Government will either terminate or renegotiate the NAFTA agreement with Mexico. He said that it's been a one-sided deal in favor of Mexico and Canada. And the United States workers, who have lost their jobs because of NAFTA, are not going to be suffering any longer, Trump said. 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.
Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR), a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, was recognized for the sixth consecutive year by Fortune Magazine as one of the World's Most Admired Companies.

Developed annually by FORTUNE Magazine and the Korn Ferry Hay Group, the World's Most Admired Companies list is the definitive report card on corporate reputation.

"We're pleased to again be recognized as one of the World's Most Admired Companies by Fortune Magazine," said Michael W. Lamach, chairman and chief executive officer of Ingersoll Rand. "Continued placement on this list affirms our strategy and approach to sustainability social, environmental and business is well balanced and benefits our employees, customers, shareholders and communities. This honor is made possible by the dedication of our team around the world, who continue to transform everyday life for the better through innovative and connected solutions."

To determine the best-regarded companies in 52 industries, Korn Ferry asked executives, directors, and analysts to rate enterprises in their own industry on nine criteria, from investment value and quality of management and products to social responsibility and ability to attract talent. A company's score must rank in the top half of its industry survey to be listed. The survey measures nine attributes related to financial performance and corporate reputation.

About Ingersoll Rand

Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) advances the quality of life by creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments. Our people and our family of brands including Club Car, Ingersoll Rand, Thermo King and Trane - work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings; transport and protect food and perishables; and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. We are a $14 billion global business committed to a world of sustainable progress and enduring results. For more information, visit www.ingersollrand.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180123005262/en/

Contacts:

Ingersoll Rand

Perri Richman, 732-652-6943

prichman@irco.com
CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwired) -- 09/19/17 -- During a press briefing today at PROCESS EXPO, David Seckman, President of the Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) provided insight into three important Global Forecast reports focused on Meat Processing Equipment, Poultry Processing Equipment and Pet Food Processing Equipment for the next five years. The luncheon was held at the PROCESS EXPO, the largest trade show dedicated to bringing the latest technology and integrated solutions to all segments of the food and beverage processing industry, taking place this week, September 19 - 22 at the McCormick Place Complex in Chicago, IL. For information, visit www.myprocessexpo.com.

"We have been working with Markets&Markets, a strategic analytic company who compiled the finding in these reports from surveys of key opinion leaders at processing companies in the three different sectors as well as through public and private databases," said David Seckman, President, FPSA. "Our goal was to define, segment and project the global market size for processing equipment through 2022, to analyze the opportunities in the market for the stakeholders, and provide a competitive landscape outlook. We are pleased to report that each of the segments is forecasting healthy growth within the next five years."

The Global Meat Processing Equipment Market, valued at USD 9,075.1 million in 2015, is projected to reach USD 14.5 billion by 2022, at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.03% during the forecast period. Factors responsible for driving growth of the industry are the increased consumption of processed food, government support for equipment use in developing countries, demand for food safety and safety of workers, presence of small and medium enterprises in developing countries, rising raw material costs, and international trade rules.

The Global Poultry Processing Equipment Market was valued at USD 2.95 billion in 2014, and is projected to reach USD 3.83 billion by 2020, at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period. The factors responsible for driving the growth of the industry are the increased consumption of processed food, the government support for the use of equipment in developing countries, the demand for food safety, safety of workers, the presence of small and medium enterprises in developing countries, rising raw material costs, and international trade rules.

The Pet Food Processing Equipment Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.5% in the next six years to reach a market of USD 4.27 billion by 2022. The growth of the pet food processing equipment market is attributed to the increase in the global demand for pet food supplies, especially in growing economies such as China, Brazil, Argentina, and India, owing to a growing urbanization that has stimulated a desire to keep pets and has resulted in the increasing usage of processed pet food products; and advancements in the manufacturing processes and technologies.

The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) is a global trade association serving suppliers in the food and beverage industries. The Association's programs and services support member's success by providing assistance in marketing their products and services, overall improvement in key business practices and many opportunities to network among industry colleagues. Programs and services to achieve these objectives include PROCESS EXPO (industry leading trade show), electronic media marketing, education, market intelligence, research, and advocation of critical industry issues such as food safety, sanitary design of equipment, and global trade. FPSA members are organized in vertical industry councils which focus on specific needs and concerns that are unique to each industry sector. FPSA councils currently represent the Bakery, Beverage, Dairy, Prepared Foods, and Meat sectors.

For further information, Contact:

Amy Riemer

Media Relations

978-475-4441 (office) or 978-502-4895 (cell)

amy@riemercommunications.com




TOKYO, August 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

China's People's Bank of China (PBOC) is trying to fight riskier financing and impose the use of longer-term loans by actively draining cash through its open-market operations reported Leiko Tokyo Securities.

On Wednesday, August 23, China's key short-term money rate reached a peak in almost five months. The People's Bank of China has drained funds for the third consecutive day, trying to keep consistent during a campaign against more speculative forms of financing. Thus, the liquidity is under pressure, as demand for cash seems to become more unbalanced against the supply.

Since the last month of 2014, there hasn't been observed a higher figure in this regard. This was the second auction in less than seven days, after the Friday auction on August 18, which operated with three-month treasury deposits as well. This week, PBOC has drawn 200 billion Yuan so far.

China's money markets will have to face more difficulties since the demand for cash is expected to increase next month due to its cyclical nature based on quarter-ends (September is the last month of this quarter). Also, there is a 2.3 trillion Yuan in maturities of negotiable certificates of deposit, which is a record.

Money liquidity has been under pressure for the whole week, as the Central Bank has been drained funds from Monday to Thursday. It seems that the bank wants to force the operations with longer-term financing.

The net drains have increased concerns of market participants, especially after similar tightening activities applied by the PBOC in June and July. Some traders commented about the tight cash conditions during these days.

Speaking about the situation in the China's money market, the head of research at Leiko Tokyo Securities, Koyasu Oda, commented: "We will keep an eye on how the People's Bank of China maneuver its activities in the open-market operations till the end of the quarter, which ends next month. I feel that liquidity will keep tight next week as well."

On Wednesday, the volume-weighted average rate of the benchmark 14-day repo traded in the interbank market increased two basis points to 4.4476%, the peak since the last day of March. On Friday, this indicator eased to 4.1625%. 14-day repo is the best indicator that shows overall liquidity in the country.

AboutLeiko Tokyo Securities (LTS)

Founded in 2007, Leiko Tokyo Securities is a leading wealth management firm based inTokyo, Japan. Today Leiko Tokyo Securities manage over 12.4 billion in assets under management.

Contact Leiko Tokyo Securities (LTS)

W:https://www.ltsmanagement.com| E:info@ltsmanagement.com| T: +81-(0)-345776391 | A: 27th Floor, Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower, 2 Chome-1-1 Nihonbashimuromachi, Chuo,Tokyo103-0022,Japan.

MediaRelations

For all media equiries please contact Togoshi Yutaka,togoshi.yutaka@ltsmanagement.com
SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/18 -- GESPEG COPPER RESOURCES INC. (TSX VENTURE: GCR) (the "Company" or "Gespeg") is pleased to provide the following update on the Company's gold properties:

President's Message - Gold Project Update

Lac Arsenault:

Gespeg is pleased to announce the approval from the authorities and the acquisition of a 100% undivided interest into 3 mineral claims on the Southern portion of the Gaspe Peninsula, near the Municipality of Port Daniel. The 3 claims will be part of the Lac Arsenault project, along with the 6 claims that are already owned by the Company.

Exploration results obtained from 1973 to 1978 on work completed by Esso Resources indicates that the original three veins on the property (the Baker, Mersereau and Line 4W) host historical estimates of 40,000 tonnes, grading 15.43 g/t Au, 197.00 g/t Ag, 6.6 % Pb and 3.5 % Zn (DV-85-08 page 7). This historical estimate is based on the surface expression of the three veins only. An evaluation of a four vein systems was performed by Peter Smith, Ph.D., in his report of Oct. 1995. This report indicated that these known vein systems contain a historical estimate of 135,510 tons of 0.35 oz/ton Au. Peter J. Hawley, who determined a 5-vein system on the property, re-evaluated those historical estimates in a report dated Feb. 7, 1996, stating that the Arsenault Prospect contains 220,042.52 short tons at 0.307 oz/ton Au.

For more details of the transaction (see the Company's news release dated December 14 2017, a copy of which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com).

Update on Montauban Project

At Montauban, the Company spent the last few months getting all of the required approvals from the relevant parties. These approvals are now in place and the Company is awaiting its certificate of authorization from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources to start the tailings evaluation and 43-101 resource calculation.

The Company remains committed to moving the Montauban Project forward in accordance with the terms of the agreement with the vendors.

About Gespeg Copper Resources Inc.: Gespeg is an exploration company with a focus in grossly underexplored regions "Gaspe and Montauban, Quebec". With a dedicated management team, the Company's goal is to create shareholder wealth through the discovery of new deposits.

Bernard-Olivier Martel, P. Geo, the Company's Director of Exploration, is a qualified person (as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and activities to vary materially from targeted results and planning. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Gespeg's periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Gespeg from time to time with securities regulatory authorities.

Contacts:

Sylvain Laberge

President and CEO

514-702-9841

slaberge@gespegcopper.com




Die kanadische Monarca Minerals (WKN A2DYWF / TSX-V MMN) verfugt uber mehrere vielversprechende Silberprojekte in Mexiko. Aus diesen sticht allerdings das Flaggschiffprojekt Tejamen deutlich hervor. Denn Tejamen verfugt bereits uber eine Ressource von 28,7 Mio. Unzen Silber. Monarca ist aus der ehemaligen Oremex Silver hervorgegangen, die sich bereits an der Entwicklung von Tejamen versuchte, aber ab einem bestimmten ...

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.
Regulatory News:

Gecina's (Paris:GFC) Board of Directors decided, during its meeting on February 21, 2018 based on Governance, Appointments and Compensation Committee's recommendation, to submit the following proposals at the Annual General Meeting to be held on April 18, 2018 which will approve the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017:

The renewal of the mandate of Mrs Meka Brunel and Mr Jacques-Yves Nicol as directors for four years;

The Board of Directors acknowledged Mrs Isabelle Courville's resignation from her position as a director with effect from the Annual General Meeting on April 18, 2018 and thanked her for all her contributions;

The appointment of Mrs Gabrielle Gauthey as a director for four years. Mrs Gauthey, an Ecole Polytechnique and Telecom ParisTech graduate and Mines ParisTech engineer, is currently Director of Local Development and Investment and a member of the management committee of the Caisse des Depots Group, a French public institution; The appointment of Mr Bernard Carayon as a director for four years, replacing Mr Bernard Michel, whose term of office has ended.

The Board of Directors will be proposing Mr Bernard Carayon's appointment as Chairman of the Board of Directors following the General Shareholders' Meeting, once he has been elected as a director by the General Meeting.

During its work, the Board of Directors warmly thanked Mr Bernard Michel for everything he has contributed to Gecina's results, positioning and reputation. Mr Bernard Michel, Chairman of the Board of Directors since February 2010 and also Chief Executive Officer from October 2011 to June 2013, has been a major contributor to Gecina's transformation. The Board wished him every success with his future activities.

Bernard Michel: "Gecina is a leading company in Europe today. My mission has been accomplished following my terms as Chairman of the Board of Directors, marked by Gecina's financial restructuring, the transformation of its shareholding structure and its development. Gecina has also become an exemplary company for Corporate Social Responsibility, Gender Equality and Innovation.

Following the General Meeting, I will be focusing on my role as Chairman of VIPARIS (exhibitions and entertainments) as the representative of the Paris and Paris Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and I will also be taking on new challenges, linked in particular to the digital revolution and practices for the real estate industry with the Real Estech association."

Gecina, living the city in a different way

Gecina owns, manages and develops property holdings worth 19.6 billion euros at end 2017, with nearly 93% located in the Paris Region. The Group is building its business around France's leading office portfolio and a diversification division with residential assets and student residences. Gecina has put sustainable innovation at the heart of its strategy to create value, anticipate its customers' expectations and invest while respecting the environment, thanks to the dedication and expertise of its staff.

Gecina is a French real estate investment trust (SIIC) listed on Euronext Paris, and is part of the SBF 120, Euronext 100, FTSE4Good, DJSI Europe and World, Stoxx Global ESG Leaders and Vigeo indices. In line with its community commitments, Gecina has created a company foundation, which is focused on protecting the environment and supporting all forms of disability.

www.gecina.fr

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180221006104/en/

Contacts:

GECINA

Financial communications

Samuel Henry-Diesbach, +33 (0)1 40 40 52 22

samuelhenry-diesbach@gecina.fr

or

Virginie Sterling, +33 (0)1 40 40 62 48

virginiesterling@gecina.fr

or

Press relations

Julien Landfried, +33 (0)1 40 40 65 74

julienlandfried@gecina.fr

or

Armelle Miclo, +33 (0)1 40 40 51 98

armellemiclo@gecina.fr
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- Colonial Coal International Corp. (TSX VENTURE: CAD) (the "Corporation" or "Colonial Coal") is pleased to announce that Gregory A. Waller has consented to putting his name forward, with the support our entire Board of Directors, for nomination for election as a director of Colonial Coal at the Corporation's upcoming annual general meeting materials to be held on September 13, 2017.

Mr. Waller has over 30 years of experience in the mining industry as a senior executive in the areas of investor relations, business and corporate development, marketing and finance.

Currently, Mr. Waller is Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Strategic Analysis, for Teck Resources Limited. He has been a key member of the senior management team at Teck and involved with numerous acquisitions, financings and other strategic initiatives. Mr. Waller holds an MBA from the University of Calgary and a B. Comm. from the University of British Columbia.

David Austin, President and CEO of Colonial Coal, stated: "We are very pleased to have Greg join our Board. His extensive experience in corporate development and finance, with deep knowledge of the metallurgical coal industry, will be an excellent complement to our existing Board."

About Colonial Coal International Corp.

Colonial Coal is a publicly traded coal corporation in British Columbia that focuses primarily on coking coal projects. The northeast Coal Block of British Columbia, within which our Corporation's projects are located, hosts a number of proven deposits and has been the subject of M&A activities by Xstrata, Walter Energy, Anglo-American and others.

Additional information can be found on the Corporation's website www.ccoal.ca or by viewing the Corporation's filings at www.sedar.com.

Forward-Looking Information

Information set forth in this news release involves forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the Corporation's potential sale of an interest in its Flatbed Property. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a Corporation's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with marketing and sale of securities; the need for additional financing; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors with certain other projects; and the volatility of common share price and volume. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and except as required by law, the Corporation undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE CORPORATION AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS 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 THE CORPORATION MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE SECURITIES LEGISLATION.

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 news release.

Contacts:

Colonial Coal International Corp.

David Austin

President and CEO

604.568.4962

daustin@ccoal.ca

www.ccoal.ca




LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - August 29, 2017) - Robert D. Weber has joined the Century City office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm's Business Trial practice group. Weber joins from DLA Piper.

Weber brings a broad securities litigation practice, representing clients in a diverse array of matters including securities class actions, shareholder derivative actions, proceedings initiated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities, internal corporate investigations, arbitrations and other complex commercial litigation. He also regularly advises public companies regarding corporate governance and disclosure issues. He represents companies, officers, directors, investment advisors, broker-dealers, placement agents and others in virtually every industry, including technology hardware and software, financial services, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and energy.

Weber's practice includes international work with a significant focus on Chinese and other Asian clients involved in US litigation, internal investigations and SEC enforcement actions. Weber's recent victories in securities matters include wins on motions to dismiss for AudioEye, Inc., MDB Capital Group, New Energy Systems Group and Miller Energy Resources.

"Rob is a strong securities litigator and excellent fit for our Business Trial practice group. He brings bench strength to our securities litigation capabilities and we enthusiastically welcome him to the firm in Los Angeles and firm wide," said Jon W. Newby, vice chairman of Sheppard Mullin.

"I am excited to join Sheppard Mullin, given its dominant footprint in Los Angeles and throughout the state that will be of great value in growing my practice. I have been very impressed with the firm's entrepreneurial spirit and collaborative culture, as well as a large and growing Corporate practice that dovetails well with my securities litigation specialty," commented Weber.

Weber received a J.D., with honors, in 1992 from Chicago-Kent College of Law and a B.A. in 1989 from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is deeply committed to his local community through pro bono and service work, and recently was recognized as Citizen of the Year in his hometown of Pacific Palisades, California.

Sheppard Mullin has 80 attorneys based in its Century City office. The firm's Business Trial group includes 250 attorneys firm wide.

About Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service Global 100 firm with 780 attorneys in 15 offices located in the United States, Europe and Asia. Since 1927, companies have turned to Sheppard Mullin to handle corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's clients include more than half of the Fortune 100. For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.

Jon Newby

(310) 228-3737



Rob Weber

(310) 228-3746



Ralph Richardson

(213) 617-5542
BizVibe, a smart B2B networking platform for global B2B buyers and suppliers, announced today the next generation of its B2B networking platform for the German chocolate industry. BizVibe creates thousands of opportunities for its users daily, and this latest venture is expected to further innovate for B2B networking platforms, making the process faster, simpler, and smarter. BizVibe is already home to more than 86,000 companies in the chocolate and confectionery industry, including many of Germany's top manufacturers and suppliers.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170913006079/en/

BizVibe Announces a New B2B Networking Platform for the German Chocolate Industry (Graphic: Business Wire)

Connect with Leading German Chocolate Companies

Why the German Chocolate Industry?

Germany is the world's largest exporter of chocolate, and its influence continues to grow. German chocolate exporters are quickly ushering in the newest in innovation and embracing the latest trends, including fat-free and sugar-free varieties of chocolate, as well as chocolate with new flavors, ingredients, and formats. Chocolate is the 124th most traded product in the world, and Germany is at the forefront of this thriving market.

In addition to German chocolate exporters and suppliers, BizVibe's networking platform also helps global trade professionals connect with over 7 million prospecting and sourcing candidates in over 700+ industries. BizVibe finds the top German chocolate suppliers, manufacturers, and brands, helping you to reduce time spent researching sourcing opportunities.

Let the clients come to you. Add your company to the BizVibe network and instantly match with the top German chocolate companies.

Connecting on BizVibe

With extensive feedback from communities across multiple industries, BizVibe was able to identify the core problems and uncertainties when finding potential trade partners. Using this feedback, BizVibe developed an efficient networking tool dedicated to buyers, sellers, importers, exporters, and suppliers, helping them to connect, engage, and make business deals.

BizVibe has been specifically designed to help industry professionals connect with like-minded businesses, providing them with a seamless, efficient, and easy-to-use platform. Using cutting-edge technology and advanced match-making algorithms, BizVibe has launched the smartest networking platform on the planet, something that can truly help companies find the right matches.

About BizVibe

BizVibe is home to millions of company profiles across 700+ categories. The single-minded focus of BizVibe's platform is to make networking easier. Over the years, we've searched far and wide to figure out how businesses connect and enable trade. That first interaction is usually fraught with the uncertainty of finding a potential partner vs. a potential nightmare. With this in mind, we've designed a robust set of tools to help companies generate leads, short list prospects, network with businesses from around the world, and trade seamlessly.

BizVibe is headquartered in Toronto and has offices in London, Bangalore, and Beijing. For more information on the BizVibe network, please contact us

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170913006079/en/

Contacts:

BizVibe

Sony Gomes

Media Marketing Executive

media@bizvibe.com

www.bizvibe.com
BASEL (dpa-AFX) - Novartis (NVS) announced results from a new analysis of the Phase III CANTOS study. The pre-planned secondary analysis of an exploratory endpoint showed that people with a prior heart attack who achieved hsCRP levels below 2mg/L at three months after the first dose of canakinumab had a 25% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) versus placebo (HR(adj)=0.75, 95% CI 0.66-0.85, p<0.0001). These patients also had a significant reduction of 31% in the rate of cardiovascular (CV) death (HR(adj)=0.69, 95% CI 0.56-0.85, p=0.0004) and all-cause death (HR(adj)=0.69, 95% CI 0.58-0.81, p<0.0001). There was no significant reduction in these endpoints observed among those treated with canakinumab who achieved hsCRP levels equal to or above 2mg/L. The analysis indicated that on-treatment hsCRP testing may offer a quick and reliable way to identify the patients most likely to achieve the greatest benefits from long-term canakinumab treatment. It also demonstrates that treating inflammation in addition to lowering cholesterol may significantly reduce the risk of recurrent CV events. Canakinumab has been shown to have major effects on inflammation, which is associated with atherothrombosis, the main cause of acute coronary syndromes and CV death. People with elevated inflammatory biomarkers, such as hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), are at an increased risk of CV events. The hsCRP test is a simple, inexpensive and widely available blood biomarker test that may also be used for residual inflammatory risk. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - October 06, 2017) - Peeks Social Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: PEEK) (OTCQB: PKSLF) ("Peeks Social" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the launch of the "Get Popular" service. The Get Popular service is a user focused self-promotion tool which will allow users to purchase advertising units for themselves or for their content to be featured in certain positions in the Peeks Social app's Popular Channel, Live Channels, and similar pages. The Get Popular feature provides another revenue stream for the Peeks Social platform in addition to the platform fees currently charged on user generated tipping. Certain broadcasters on the Peeks Social platform are now earning up to $250,000 per year and this new feature will assist content creators to become more easily discovered thereby further monetizing their social following.

As indicated in a press release dated September 14, 2017, the Get Popular service is one of three of the product's advertising and sales services that are core features of the revenue generation model on the Peeks Social platform. The Peeks Social Ad-share Network and the updated version of the OfferBox remain on schedule for release. Peeks Social's business development team is currently in the process of integrating multiple brands, products, and services that will be launching with the new OfferBox.

INVESTOR RELATIONS

"As the Peeks Social platform develops and matures, the Company is taking definitive steps to promote its value proposition and investment thesis to the investment community. Through partnership with leading industry service providers, Peeks Social will raise the profile of the application and the Company simultaneously," states Mark Itwaru, CEO of the Company.

Peeks Social is implementing an online marketing and awareness program through AGORACOM. AGORACOM will provide significant exposure through millions of content brand insertions on the AGORACOM network and extensive search engine marketing over the next 12 months. In addition, exclusive sponsorships of various different AGORACOM digital platforms will be included in the service offering to raise brand awareness of the Company among retail small cap investors. The Company intends to issue shares for services to AGORACOM in exchange for the online advertising marketing and branding services. The determination of the number of the shares to be issued at the end of each billing period will be determined by using the closing price of the shares of the Company on the TSX Venture Exchange on the first trading day following each period for which services were provided by AGORACOM. The term of the Agreement is for 12 months effective immediately. The Company will issue a press release after the issuance of shares under the terms of the agreement.

Sniper Capital Corp. has also been retained to perform investor relations for the Company for a term of three (3) months, with a renewal option, unless terminated by the Company upon thirty (30) days prior written notice. Sniper Capital Corp. will be paid a monthly fee of $6,000 (plus HST). The appointment of Sniper Capital Corp. is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release.

For further information, please contact:



Peeks Social Ltd.



Mark Itwaru

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

647-992-7727

mark@peeks.com



David Vinokurov

Investor Relations

416-716-9281

davidv@peeks.com
The global interventional radiology (IR) devices market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 4% during the forecast period, according to Technavio's latest market research.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170829005941/en/

Technavio has published a new report on the global interventional radiology devices market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire)

In this market research report, Technaviocovers the market outlook and growth prospects of the global interventional radiology devicesmarketfor 2017-2021. The market is further categorized into four product segments, including stents, catheters, IVC filters, and others. In 2016, others accounted for close to 46% of the market share followed by stents, which held a market share of more than 40%.

"The global IR devices market will witness significant growth during the forecast period. In 2016, the Americas was the leading contributor of revenue to the global IR devices market. The Americas was followed by EMEA and APAC. The Government of the US has started various initiatives and increased funding to improve the quality of healthcare in the country. The IR devices markets in EMEA and APAC will also witness significant growth during this period," says Neha Noopur, a leadmedical imaging research expert from Technavio.

Technavio's research analysts segment the global interventional radiology devices market into the following regions:

Americas

EMEA

APAC

Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

Americas

Due to the increasing number of patients in the region, the sales of IR devices will increase during the forecast period. The Americas is the leading contributor of revenue to the global IR devices market. In 2016, the US contributed most of the revenue to the market in the region. The growth of the aging population and the growing prevalence of chronic disease will drive the growth of the market in the region during the forecast period.

In Brazil, the Brazilian College of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging has 27 affiliated regional associations. It also has approximately 10,500 radiologists as members. The country has been focusing on improving the standards and procedures for diagnostic imaging and therapy.

This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing

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EMEA

The IR devices market in EMEA will grow during the forecast period as a few countries in the region are underserved. Countries such as the UK, France, and Germany hold major shares of the IR devices market in the region. Due to the growth of the aging population, the number of patients is expected to increase during the forecast period. Lifestyle changes will also increase the patient pool in the region. The sales of IR devices in EMEA have been moderate. Hence, vendors are expanding their distribution networks, and many new vendors are entering the market.

"Iran has approximately two radiologists for each person. It has been focusing on training radiologists through several education programs. With increasing specialization and expertise in radiology, hospitals in Tehran are becoming reference centers that treat patients from Central Asia and the Middle East," says Neha.

APAC

APAC is expected to register the highest growth during the forecast period. It is expected to be the fastest growing region in the global IR devices market. China and India are the world's most populous countries, which will contribute to the growth of the market in the region. Several countries in the region are developing and undergoing rapid urbanization.

The increasing health consciousness among people is also increasing the adoption of technologically advanced products. However, people are not aware of the preventive measures that need to be taken for certain diseases. The governments of several countries in APAC are taking initiatives to improve healthcare facilities. Such initiatives also aim to improve awareness among people.

The top vendors in the global interventional radiology devices market as highlighted in this market research analysis are:

Abbott

B. Braun

Boston Scientific

Cardinal Health

Medtronic

Browse Related Reports:

Global Advanced X-ray Vizualization Systems Market 2017-2021

Global Medical Imaging Reagents Market 2017-2021

Global Intraoperative Medical Imaging Market 2017-2021

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170829005941/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.technavio.com
MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- WSP Global Inc. (TSX: WSP) ("WSP" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has today waived the due diligence pre-condition contained in its lock-up agreement, dated August 14, 2017, with UEM Edgenta Berhad in relation to the takeover offer for Opus International Consultants Limited (NZX: OIC) ("OIC") (the "Offer"). Accordingly, WSP is now committed to procure that its wholly-owned New Zealand subsidiary makes the Offer, on the other terms previously announced.

WSP also filed its application for consent with the Overseas Investment Office on August 22, 2017. The Offer is conditional on WSP obtaining consent from the Overseas Investment Office.

WSP will send its Offer Document to OIC shareholders between August 30, 2017 and September 13, 2017. Once the Offer Document has been sent to OIC shareholders and the despatch notice has been released in accordance with the Takeovers Code, the final Offer Document will also be filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Offer will remain open for acceptance until 90 days after the Offer date, unless extended in accordance with the New Zealand Takeovers Code.

Rothschild and its New Zealand alliance partner, Cameron Partners Limited, are jointly acting as financial adviser to WSP in respect of the Offer. Chapman Tripp is acting as legal adviser to WSP in respect of the Offer.

ABOUT WSP

As one of the world's leading professional services firms, WSP provides technical expertise and strategic advice to clients in the Property & Buildings, Transportation & Infrastructure, Environment, Industry, Resources (including Mining and Oil & Gas) and Power & Energy sectors. We also offer highly specialized services in project delivery and strategic consulting. Our experts include engineers, advisors, technicians, scientists, architects, planners, surveyors and environmental specialists, as well as other design, program and construction management professionals. With approximately 37,000 talented people in more than 500 offices across 40 countries, we are uniquely positioned to deliver successful and sustainable projects, wherever our clients need us. www.wsp.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information regarding WSP contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although WSP believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and may be based on assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. WSP's forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The complete version of the cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements as well as a description of the relevant assumptions and risk factors likely to affect WSP's actual or projected results are included in the Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2016, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and WSP does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless expressly required by applicable securities laws.

Contacts:

Isabelle Adjahi

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Communications

WSP Global Inc.

514-340-0046, ext. 5648

isabelle.adjahi@wsp.com

www.wsp.com




ARNPRIOR, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 29, 2017 / Plaintree Systems Inc. (the 'Company') (OTC PINK: PTEEF) CSE: NPT), is pleased to report it has filed its audited consolidated financial statements and management discussion and analysis for the year ended March 31, 2017. Further, the Company has also filed its interim consolidated financial statements and management discussion and analysis for the three (3) months ended June 30, 2017.

As announced on July 28, 2017, the Company was delayed in issuing its annual financial statements and management discussion and analysis for the 2017 fiscal year which were due to be released on July 31, 2017. Pursuant to the wording of the management cease trade order issued by the Ontario Securities Commission on August 1, 2017, the order will be revoked two business days following the filing of the annual 2017 and Q1 2018 financial statements and corresponding management discussion and analysis, which date will be August 31, 2017. As of August 31, 2017 the prior restrictions on the trading of the Company's securities by the CEO and CFO as set out in the order will be removed.

Annual 2017

For the year ended March 31, 2017, the Company posted a loss of $2,639,634 on revenue of $12,844,110 as compared to a loss of $2,258,584 on revenue of $15,746,175 for the 2016 year.

Q1 2018

For the first three months of fiscal 2018, the Company posted net earnings of $352,763 on revenue of $3,616,516 and as compared to a loss of $149,253 on revenue of $3,432,531 for Q1 2017.

David Watson, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer stated, 'The biggest subsidiary in Plaintree is Triodetic and one of its main product lines is the engineering and manufacture of foundations for buildings installed on unstable soils such as permafrost, clay and also areas prone to flooding. With the global environmental instability the world now faces, sales of these foundations are experiencing strong growth. This increase in foundation orders combined with improved sales and margins on all of Plaintree's other product lines resulted in this profitable quarter. Also, the sale by the Company of the business of Arnprior Fire Trucks (announced on June 6, 2017) and the discontinuation of this business has also freed up much needed capital to help grow the Company's more productive divisions.'

About Plaintree Systems Inc.

Plaintree has two diversified product lines consisting of Specialty Structures and Electronics. The Specialty Structures Division includes the former Triodetic Group with over 40 years of experience, is a design/build manufacturer of steel, aluminum and stainless steel specialty structures such as commercial domes, free form structures, barrel vaults, space frames and industrial dome coverings, Spotton Corporation, a design and manufacturer of high end custom hydraulic and pneumatic valves and cylinders and the recently acquired Madawaska Doors, a design and manufacturer of premium solid wood doors. The Electronics Division includes the legacy Hypernetics, Summit Aerospace USA Inc. and Plaintree free space optics (FSO) businesses. Plaintree's FSO systems transmit data at high speeds using beams of light instead of traditional radio frequency which can suffer from congestion. Hypernetics was established in 1972 and is a manufacturer of avionic components for various applications including aircraft antiskid braking, aircraft instrument indicators, solenoids, high purity valves and permanent magnet alternators. Summit Aerospace USA Inc. provides high precision machining to the aerospace and defense markets. Our facility includes 5 axis CNC precision machining of complex castings and large ring parts such as turbine and assembly shrouds as well as assembly & pressure seals. Summit will support requirements from concept, prototype and throughout production.

Plaintree's shares are traded under the symbol 'NPT'. Shareholders and Investors can access Company information on CSE's website and receive full Company disclosure monthly. For more information on Plaintree or to receive stock quotes, complete with trading summaries, bid size and ask price, brokerage house participation, insider reports, news releases, disclosure information, and CSE and SEDAR filings, visit the CSE website at www.cnsx.ca or the Company's website at www.plaintree.com.

Plaintree is publicly traded in Canada on the CSE (NPT) with 12,925,253 common shares and 18,325 class A preferred shares outstanding.

This press release may include statements that are forward-looking and based on current expectations. The actual results of the company may differ materially from current expectations. The business of the company is subject to many risks and uncertainties, including changes in markets for the company's products, delays in product development and introduction to manufacturing and intense competition. For a more detailed discussion of the risks and uncertainties related to the Company's business, please refer to documents filed by the company with the Canadian regulatory authorities, including the annual report of the Company for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017 and related management discussion and analysis. Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

For further information: (613) 623-3434 x2261

SOURCE: Plaintree Systems Inc.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/29/17 -- Artificial Intelligence company, AnalytixInsight Inc. (the "Company" or "AnalytixInsight") (TSX VENTURE: ALY) today reported record financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017.

2017 Second Quarter Financial Highlights:

-- The Company's revenue for the quarter (excluding Marketwall) was the highest in the Company's history at $967,946, which is more than triple the revenue during the same period in the previous year of $302,235, and 289% over first quarter revenues of $334,418. -- The Company's revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2017 was $1,302,364 compared to $497,087 for the same period in the previous year. -- Profitability continued to improve, with losses significantly decreasing. Net Loss for the quarter reduced substantially to $(41,932) compared to $(426,589) for the same period in the previous year. -- Loss per share for Q2 2017 was $(0.00), compared to $(0.01) for Q2 2016. -- Marketwall's revenue for the quarter was the highest in Marketwall's history at $1,850,497, a six-fold increase when compared to $283,766 in the same period in the previous year. AnalytixInsight owns 49% of Marketwall which is considered an associated company as its financial results are not consolidated with the Company's financial results. The Company continues to advance its strategy of spinning out Marketwall following the completion of Marketwall's product integration within Intesa Sanpaolo's mobile platform. -- Marketwall's revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2017 was $2,628,389 compared to $579,231 for the same period in the previous year. -- Recently acquired Euclides Technologies Inc. ("Euclides") currently has an order backlog of approximately $3 million. -- The Company continues to develop its partnership with Euronext to provide its high quality financial research to Euronext, the leading pan-European exchange in the Eurozone. Selected Financial Information ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ Canadian (unaudited) Three months ended Six months ended June 30 June 30 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2017 2016 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AnalytixInsight Revenue 967,946 302,235 1,302,364 497,087 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marketwall Revenue (Associated company, 49% owned, non- consolidated) 1,850,497 283,766 2,628,389 579,231 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

CapitalCube

CapitalCube continued to average approximately 2 million user sessions per month through various distribution channels. CapitalCube has begun custom delivery and integration of its content under its licensing partnership with Euronext NV ("Euronext"). Under the terms of the partnership, the Company's CapitalCube portal will deliver value added financial analysis and content, including key ratios and charts, on Euronext listed companies to Euronext's website and mobile apps. Euronext will also market and sell CapitalCube's professional subscription licenses to various brokers, financial institutions and listed corporations in Europe.

Marketwall

Marketwall's revenue for Q2 2017 was $1,850,497 compared to $283,766 in the same period in the previous year. Marketwall recorded strong revenues after reaching an invoicing milestone on its contract with Intesa Sanpaolo's mobile banking division. AnalytixInsight owns 49% of Marketwall which is considered an associated company as its financial results are not consolidated with the Company's financial results. The Company and Intesa Sanpaolo expect to spin out Marketwall following the completion of Marketwall's product integration within Intesa Sanpaolo's mobile platform. The completion of this integration is expected during the second half of 2017, and is expected to result in the migration of over eight million retail banking customers of Intesa Sanpaolo to Marketwall.

Euclides

In Q1 2017, the Company completed the previously announced acquisition of certain assets of Euclides. Euclides is an expert Systems Integrator and consulting partner for field service management solutions and has touch points to over 100,000 field service personnel.

The order backlog continues to grow and currently stands at approximately $3 million, which is on track with expectations.

AnalytixInsight's machine learning platform and artificial intelligence capabilities are well suited to serve today's analytics and scheduling requirements within the Field Service Management ("FSM") industry. The FSM industry is being shaped by trends such as the Internet-of-Things, which generates data, and workflow-analytics tools which can deliver predictive analytics, enhanced auto-scheduling, improved work order management and skills-based dispatching.

Management Commentary

Prakash Hariharan, President & CEO, commented: "We are very pleased with the Company's progress during the second quarter as artificial intelligence and machine learning continue to drive our growth. We are also very pleased to see new worldwide partners contracting with us for our CapitalCube content and are delighted to integrate Euclides' workflow analytics solutions to our artificial intelligence platform."

ABOUT ANALYTIXINSIGHT INC. (www.analytixinsight.com)

AnalytixInsight Inc.'s artificial intelligence platform transforms data into narratives. AnalytixInsight's online portal CapitalCube (www.capitalcube.com) algorithmically analyzes market price data and regulatory filings to create insightful, actionable narratives and research on approximately 50,000 global companies and ETFs, providing high-quality financial research and content for investors, information providers, finance portals and media. AnalytixInsight holds a 49% interest in Marketwall, a mobile platform for banking and stock trading (www.marketwallcorporate.com). AnalytixInsight owns Euclides Technologies Inc. (www.euclidestech.com), a workflow analytics systems integrator.

Regulatory Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's ability to integrate the assets of Euclides; the Company's ability to apply its platform to different business verticals; the growth of the Company's business operations; the licensing revenue stream to be received by the Company; the use of the Company's content by various parties; Marketwall's ability to integrate with Intesa Sanpaolo, the ability to spin-out Marketwall, the impact of the deconsolidation of Marketwall, the licensing partnership with Euronext and the use by certain parties of CapitalCube and Marketwall App. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of AnalytixInsight Inc., as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the Company's technology and revenue generation; risks associated with operation in the technology sector; ability to successfully integrate new technology and employees; foreign operations risks; and other risks inherent in the technology industry. Although AnalytixInsight has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. AnalytixInsight does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Contacts:

AnalytixInsight Inc.

Scott Urquhart

VP Corporate Development

(416) 522-3975

Scott.Urquhart@analytixinsight.com

www.analytixinsight.com




NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 29, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Tahoe Resources Inc. ("Tahoe" or the "Company") (NYSE: TAHO) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and docketed under 17-cv-05155, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Tahoe securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you are a shareholder who purchased Tahoe securities between April 3, 2013 and July 5, 2017 both dates inclusive, you have until September 5, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Tahoe, together with its subsidiaries, explores, develops, and operates mines in the Americas. The Company primarily produces copper, gold, silver, lead/zinc, and natural gas and petroleum, as well as precious metals assets.

On April 3, 2013, Tahoe announced that Guatemala's Ministry of Energy and Mines ("MEM") had granted the Company an exploitation license for the Escobal mine, a large silver mine located in the department of Santa Rosa in Southern Guatemala.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Guatemala's MEM had granted the Escobal mining license to Tahoe's Minera San Rafael subsidiary without prior consultation with Guatemala's Xinca indigenous people; (ii) the foregoing constituted a violation of Guatemalan law and provided a basis for suspension of the Escobal license; (iii) consequently, the Company's revenues associated with the Escobal mining license were unlikely to be sustainable; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Tahoe's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On July 6, 2017, Tahoe disclosed that the Supreme Court of Guatemala had issued a provisional decision suspending the Escobal mining license of Minera San Rafael, a Tahoe subsidiary, in connection with a legal action brought by the human rights organization Centro de Accion Legal Ambiental y Social de Guatemala ("CALAS") against Guatemala's MEM. CALAS alleges that MEM violated the Xinca indigenous people's right of consultation prior to granting the Escobal mining license.

On this news, Tahoe's common share price fell $2.74, or 33.01%, to close at $5.56 on July 6, 2017.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Japan will on Wednesday release July figures for retail sales, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Retail sales are expected to add 0.3 percent on month and 1.0 percent on year after gaining 0.2 percent on month and 2.2 percent on year in June. Sales from large retailers are called lower by 0.2 percent on year following the 0.2 percent gain in the previous month. Australia will see July numbers for building approvals and Q2 data for construction work. Approvals are expected to sink 5.0 percent on month and 16.6 percent on year after advancing 10.9 percent on month and falling 2.3 percent on year in June. Construction work is tipped to add 1.0 percent after slipping 0.7 percent in Q1. New Zealand will provide July data for building permits; it June, permits were down 1.0 percent on month. Malaysia will see July figures for producer prices; in June, prices fell 1.1 percent on month but climbed 6.4 percent on year. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Premium dessert destination rolls out red carpet for qualified investors

DALLAS, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip is in the midst of a significant growth spurt - both domestically and overseas. To add to the momentum, the popular bakery cafe concept is extending a special welcome to E-2 visa holders looking for a delicious franchising investment.

Crest Foods, franchisor for the cafes, is actively seeking qualified candidates to become cafeI owners in most areas of the United States and Canada. Even those without previous franchising experience are encouraged to consider the benefits of owning their own business.

E-2 visas offer several meaningful advantages. An E-2 investor's spouse and children under 21 will be issued E-2 dependent visas. Dependent children under 21 may attend the school of their choice in the U.S., and E-2 visa holders may stay outside the U.S. for an undetermined amount of time and still re-enter the country with their valid visa.

Crest Foods offers a comprehensive franchise support program including:

Site selection and lease negotiation

Cafe layout and design

Classroom and in-store training

Marketing and promotional support

Limited rights to use the NestleI trademark and logo

Use of the Crest Foods confidential recipes

On-going operational and marketing support

The premium dessert destination concept is built around the world's most powerful food brand - Nestle. Most cafes serve freshly baked cookies, premium Nescafe Milano coffee, ice cream and a variety of delectable treats. Some cafes also offer muffins, cinnamon rolls and croissants; gourmet sandwiches, crepes and paninis as lunch and dinner options; and barista-quality espressos, cappuccinos and lattes.

For more information, visit NestleCafe.com.

Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chipis a premiere dessert and bakery cafe offering customers an unrivaled experience through the use of fine ingredients, indulgent creations, distinct flavor profiles, and the rich tradition of the very best Nestle brands. Crest Foods Inc., based in Richardson, Texas, is a premiere restaurant franchisor company. The company currently franchises more than 160 bakery cafes in the United States, Canada and the Middle East. The versatile concept has kiosk, in-line mall and street cafe locations. The operation has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine's "Franchise 500".

Nestle, Toll House, Nescafe, Milano and associated logos and designs, are trademarks of Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., and used by Crest Foods, Inc. with permission.
BillingPlatform, an Englewood, Colorado-based provider of cloud-based quote-to-cash solutions, raised $18m in funding.

The company has secured an initial $4m commitment from Columbia Capital with the firm planning to invest an additional $14m. In conjunction with the funding, Jason Booma, Partner at Columbia Capital, joined BillingPlatforms Board of Directors.

The money will be used on sales and marketing, product development and support for BillingPlatforms global customer base.

Led by newly named CEO Dennis Wall, who joined the company in January 2017 as its chief revenue officer, BillingPlatform provides a cloud-based platform that supports quote-to-cash and related processes, such as billing and revenue recognition. It offers a native metering and rating engine that enables complex business models, and integrates with CRM, ERP and other core systems.

Co-founders Nathan Shinn and Leonid Solomonik have been named Chief Strategy Officer and CTO, respectively.

FinSMEs

29/08/2017
LookingGlass Cyber Solutions, a Reston, MA-based provider of threat intelligence-driven security platform, raised $26.3m, comprised of mezzanine debt funding and incremental venture capital.

New investors Eastward Capital and Triangle Peak Partners joined existing investors Alsop Louie Partners, Neuberger Berman, and New Spring Capital.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate international sales and drive portfolio and Cyber Guardian Network partner program expansion.

Led by CEO Chris Coleman, LookingGlass Cyber Solutions delivers unified threat protection against sophisticated cyber attacks to global enterprises and government agencies by operationalizing threat intelligence across its end-to-end portfolio. Scalable threat intelligence platforms and network-based threat response products consume machine-readable data feeds to provide comprehensive threat-driven security. A worldwide team of security analysts continuously enrich data feeds and provide customers understanding and response capability into cyber, physical and 3rd party risks.

Prioritized, relevant and timely insights enable customers to take action on threat intelligence across the different stages of the attack life cycle.

LookingGlass Cyber Guardian Network partner program is currently comprised of over 40 companies and managed security service providers which routinely take advantage of the tools LookingGlass provides.

FinSMEs

29/08/2017
Bengaluru-based Infosys had announced Rs 13,000-crore share buyback on 19 August, 2017, offering Rs 1,150 per share to purchase around 4.92 percent of the stocks held by the shareholders. Incidentally, it coincided with the climax of Narayana Murthy-Vishal Sikka spat that culminated in the latter's resignation.

Buyback evokes strong emotions among the cognoscenti and the market watchers. Though it is extremely popular in the US as a form of rewarding the shareholders, questions have been raised in India about its desirability with often company promoters shaking in their boots at the imminent prospect of a hostile takeover using the buyback route to beef up their tenuous shareholding so as to halt the marauding acquirer in his tracks. Critics have given their thumbs down to such cynical misuse of the buyback regime to help the promoters stay in the saddle without incurring any financial burden as the depletion of reserves and cash is borne by the company.

Buyback is recommended when a company has no immediate growth prospects and therefore it should return the money to the shareholders. It is the preferred option vis-a-vis cash dividend because the latter exposes a company to dividend distribution tax (DDT) which stands at a hefty 20 percent including cess.

Moreover, individuals and HUF receiving Rs 10 lakh or more of dividend have to pay individually a 10 percent tax resulting in a 30 percent tax on dividend if DDT paid by the company and 10 percent tax paid by the shareholders are added. On the contrary, the profit made by a shareholder when his shares are bought back by a company is treated as capital gains. And in case of a listed company, which Infosys is, shares qualify as long-term capital assets if they have been held for more than just 12 months giving a complete reprieve from taxation. That is why the buyback route is supposed to be tax-friendlier. Small wonder Infosys promoters have made a pitch for it vis-a-vis a one-time or special dividend. Of course non-promoter shareholders too would benefit from the buyback but the truth is they would be riding piggyback on promoters.

It however takes a heavy toll on company finances. Take the case of Infosys. The company is paying a heavy price of Rs 13,000 crore to bring down the number of outstanding shares by 4.92 percent. The move may improve its future earnings per share (EPS) marginally even though admittedly the company has a formidable war chest of Rs 39,335 crore as on 30th June 2017.

The company has notified the Bombay Stock Exchange that some of its promoters would be taking part in the buyback program which means they would be returning some of their shares to the company for cancellation in return for the hefty payment of Rs 1,150 per share as against the current market quotation of around Rs 938 representing a premium of 22 percent over the market price. This sends the depressing signal that these promoters themselves are taking a bleak view of the companys future in terms of growth prospects.

There are company promoters who stay away from the buyback offer and instead buy shares from the market through the creeping acquisition route to send out a positive message -- I have faith in the company I have promoted. Be that as it may.

It is certain that the buyback program of Infosys would sail through as there is no imminent prospect of a sudden surge in the fortunes of the company that would be reflected in its quotations. A buyback fails when the market price catches up with or overtakes the buyback price. It is not likely that the Infosys quotation would catch up with Rs 1,150 during the period when the buyback is on.

It is worth mentioning in the end that Apple frequently resorts to buyback in the US and still finds money to finance its new products and versions. It seems to be an exception to the general rule that buyback signals end of the road insofar as future opportunities are concerned. It obviously makes profits hand over fist so as to be able to afford the luxury of both buying back its own shares as well as invest in new products and ventures.
The Bombay High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by the producers of Baadshaho, restraining the release of the film if it contains the rehashed version of the song 'Keh Doon Tumhe'. The song which is originally from the 1975 hit film Deewar, has become an obstacle in the film's release, as per Times of India.

The makers of Deewar had earlier approached the court alleging copyright infringement of the original, which was sung by Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar.

Trimurti Film owns the rights to the music and lyrics of the particular song in contention since 1974, as per The Hindu. The company alleges that although it had granted Universal Music Pvt. Ltd. to make and sell gramophone records of the song, the rights to use the sound recording including the lyrics and music, lie with them.

On 22 August, Justice K R Shriram, after hearing the original and the rehashed version, said that the makers of Baadshaho had no rights to use the song in their film. Unsatisfied, the makers then approached a different bench on 28 August, challenging the previous order. However, the new bench consisting of two judges, made it clear that there was no reason for them to obstruct the previous judgement, as per the same TOI report. Therefore, the future of the film remains uncertain.

The film stars Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'Cruz, Esha Gupta, Vidyut Jammwal and Emraan Hashmi.
Malayalam actor Dileep has been denied bail yet again by Kerala High Court in the Malayalam actress assault and abduction case.

According to television reports, his bail plea has been rejected by Kerala High Court for the second time. The Malayalam actor went through the same ordeal last month but his first bail plea was rejected by Kerala High Court on 24 July. However, he decided to seek bail for the second time and moved Kerala High Court on 11 August.

Now that his bail plea has been rejected for the second consecutive time, Dileep is likely to remain in custody for a long time. His remand period was extended till 2 September on 22 August as Kerala High Court was considering his bail plea. Prior to that, the Court had postponed the bail plea from 18 August to 22 August at the prosecution's request as its lawyers were out of town attending the funeral of former Advocate General MK Damodaran at Kannur.

Dileep, arrested on 10 July, 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.
Now that this season of Game of Thrones has concluded, its actors are looking forward to other projects before they reunite for the final season next year.

BBC One has released the teaser and stills of a three-part historical thriller Gunpowder, starring Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington in the lead role. Variety reports that he will play Robert Catesby, the mastermind of the "Gunpowder Plot", a conspiracy hatched to bomb the House of Lords in the 17th century in order to assassinate King James I.

Deadline reports that Harington will be joined by Liv Tyler, who will play Catesby's cousin Anne Vaux who finds herself in the midst of the conspiracy. The teaser shows that Downton Abbey actor Tom Cullen will play Guy Fawkes, a co-conspirator after whose name the United Kingdom observes 5 November as the Guy Fawkes Day every year. The series will also star Peter Mullan, Edward Holcroft, Shaun Dooley, Robert Emms, Derek Riddell and Mark Gatiss.

Gunpowder will be jointly produced by Harington's Thriker Films and Kudos Productions. It will air in a prime time slot on Saturdays this Fall.
British actor Ed Skrein who was the most recent addition to the cast of the Hellboy reboot, has officially backed out of the film after receiving backlash over what was being called yet another blatant example of Hollywood's 'whitewashing' of a non-white character.

The actor was all set to play the military man Major Ben Daimio  a character of Asian heritage  however Skrein claims that he did not know the race of the character when he accepted the part.

The actor took to Twitter to share the news in a heartfelt post, and his announcement seemed to be well received by Twitterati.

"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," said Skrein in a post that was shared on to his Twitter profile.

Skrein reportedly comes from a mixed heritage family himself and claims that "representation of ethnic diversity is important"  especially to him.

Over the past year, there have been several other instances where conversations over 'whitewashing' in Hollywood have come into the spotlight, especially after Doctor Strange and Ghost in the Shell cast white actors as characters of Asian origin. This is the first time that an actor has quit a high-profile commercial film after receiving widespread criticism from the public, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Directed by Neil Marshall, the film (newly titled Hellboy) stars David Harbour  famous for his Stranger Things character  in the titular role. Joining him will be actor Ian McShane who is all set to play the character of Professor Broom. Resident Evil star Milla Jovovich has also been roped in to play the devilish character of the Blood Queen.

Hellboy is produced by Lloyd Levi, Mike Richardson and Larry Gordon, backed by the companies Liongate and Millennium Films. Lati Grobman and Christa Campbell are also co-producers through Campbell Grobman Films.
Sushant Singh Rajput currently has a bevy of films in the pipeline. The shooting of his upcoming film Kedarnath with Sara Ali Khan has begun and he will also be seen in Chanda Mama Door Ke. The Raabta actor was supposed to star in a Robby Grewal directorial titled Romeo Akbar Walter. However, he recently informed Mid-Day that he will not be a part of the project anymore.

Rajput said that although he was looking forward to the project because of its story, he had to back out due to a change in his prior commitments.

He was, in fact, all geared up to play the role of a an agent of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the film was scheduled for a 2018 release, according to India Today.

According to a Mid-Day source, Rajput had asked Ajay Kapoor, the joint producer, for some time to figure out his choc-a-bloc schedule. He wanted to shoot for 15-day stretches, whereas, Kapoor wanted a 30-day schedule. The producer felt the discontinuity could affect the film negatively. Therefore, the two parties reportedly, mutually parted ways.

The actor was all geared up to play the role of a an agent of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for the film. The film was scheduled for a 2018 release, according to India Today.

Rajput has also reportedly, returned the signing amount of Rs 4 crore.
In a grisly incident in Bengaluru, a mother suffering from depression threw her seven-year-old daughter from a building, not once but twice. The only fault of the child, apparently, was that she was speech impaired, reported Bangalore Mirror.

The New Indian Express reported that on Sunday afternoon, the accused Sathi Sarkar, alias Swathi, threw her child, identified as Ishika alias Shreya, from her rented flat in Jaraganahalli in JP Nagar. On seeing her child breathing, she again took her to the terrace and repeated the inhuman act, leading to her death.

Eyewitnesses claimed that they initially thought that the girl had lost her balance and had an accidental fall. However, all the onlookers were left horrified after they saw Swathi taking her child upstairs to throw her down again, Zee News reported.

The New Indian Express quoted an eyewitness as saying, "While watching a film, I heard the sound of someone falling. I found Shreya bleeding from her ear. I poured water in her mouth as she was still breathing. Soon, her mother came down and took her back, only to be thrown off the building for the second time. It was then I realised that her mother was behind her death."

Horrified onlookers, who noticed Swathi trying to flee the scene, tied her to an electric pole and beat her up before calling the police, who arrested her, Hindustan times reported.

The report also quoted Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) D Sharanappa as saying, "It appears that the accused was frustrated with her child and hence took this drastic measure."

Police have registered a case and are expected to subject the accused to psychiatric evaluation as part of the investigation, News Nation reported.

According to the police, the deceased girl was suffering from a speech impediment and Swathi was desperately trying to make her speak. She told them that her daughter was restless and she decided to throw her down to calm her, reported Bangalore Mirror.

Swathi and her husband hail from West Bengal and moved to the city about 10 years ago. A few years ago, the couple got separated.

Police later summoned her husband Kan Chan, who gave a statement saying that Swathi would often quarrel with him, forcing him to live separately. He said that she would lose control during fights and would also assault her daughter, The Times of India reported.
A day after India and China released a statement saying that expeditious disengagement of border personnel at Doka La has been agreed to and is ongoing, the Ministry of External Affairs, in a response to questions surrounding the agreement between the two countries highlights India's insistence on a diplomatic solution.

Official Spokesperson's response to questions on the Doklam disengagement understanding pic.twitter.com/we1vFIIBfh  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) August 28, 2017

Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Monday said that the process of "disengagement" of troops at Doka La was almost complete.

Kumar added that India had always pitched for finding a diplomatic solution for disagreements with China.

"India has always maintained that it is only through diplomatic channels that differences on such matters can be addressed. Our principled position is that agreements and understandings reached on the boundary issue must be scrupulously respected," the official spokesperson"s note said.

Pitching for "peace and tranquility" on the border as a pre-requiste for strengthening ties between the two economic giants, the MEA added that both countries had agreed in Astana in June 2017 to not let differences on the border issue to be an obstacle in the booming ties between the two countries.

India and China were involved in a dispute at Doka La over PLA's efforts to build a road close to the Bhutan-Sikkim border.
New Delhi: A 46-year-old Delhi Police head constable allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service revolver at the Delhi Cantonment police station, the police said on Monday.

Pramod Kumar, who was posted in the malkhana (store room) of the police station, shot himself on Sunday at around 10.30 pm, said a senior police officer.

He left behind a suicide note in which he claimed personal problems as the reason behind the extreme step, the officer said.

The other police personnel present in the station rushed him to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries this evening, he added.

In the constable's suicide note, he said he was upset about not being able to keep his family happy.

Pramod is survived by his wife, who is also with the Delhi Police, and two children.
After a long-standing standoff at the Sikkim border, India and China finally decided to 'disengage' their troops at Doka La on Monday. The final resolution of the dispute, which began in June after India objected to China's road construction along Doka La, comes just a week before Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to China for the BRICS Summit.

The development is also significant as the Chinese foreign ministry on Thursday said that India had "slapped its own face" by deciding to build a road near Pangong Lake in Ladakh and that it would only worsen the Doka La dispute.

BRICS has always been a focal point in India-China ties. In the last few years, media has reported instance where China has allegedly tried to up the ante before the BRICS Summit.

On 29 September 2016, India conducted the surgical strike against militant launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. A fortnight later, India held the BRICS Summit at Goa. While issuing the joint declaration on security, however, media reports suggested that China objected to India's insistence on adding the names of Pakistan-based terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Around the time of the last BRICS Summit, China also blocked a tributary of the Brahmaputra river, which is a lifeline to India's North East region.

On 30 September, 2016, Xinhua reported that Tibet blocked a tributary of the Yarlung Zangbo (As the Brahmaputra is called in China) as part of its most 4.95-billion-yuan hydro project. And that was not the first time that China had indulged in dam building on the Brahmaputra. In 2013, India had complained to China about its hydroelectricity projects damaging India's basins.

2015

In the run up to the 2015 BRICS Summit in Russia, China, which has been looking to expand its influence in the Indian Ocean Region through the "string of pearls" strategy, criticised India and said that the Indian Ocean cannot be New Delhi's backyard.

Senior Captain Zhao Yi had said that India had a "special role to play in stabilising the Indian Ocean region", but it could not be treated as its backyard. Zhao also added that it is "not appropriate" to say that the ocean could be India's backyard, "otherwise how would you explain the right of navigation by the navies of Russia, American and Australia there," he said.

2014

A fortnight before Modi and Xi were to meet at Fortezela in Brazil, China, on 28 May 2014, came out with a map showing Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh as part of Chinese territory. This incident also assumes significance as the map was unveiled to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Panchasheel Agreement.

2013

A month before the BRICS Summit in Durban, South Africa, China had termed India's capital New Delhi as the "rape capital of the world". A Xinhua report had quoted a Chinese embassy advisory cautioning its citizens in India to shun "insecure locations" and report to police and the embassy in case of any emergency.

With inputs from agencies
New Delhi: China was "very shrill" in its media comments on Doka La standoff but India kept quiet and that has worked, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lamba said on Tuesday.

The navy chief was responding to a question from the press on the sidelines of a day-long session on 'social media and the Armed Forces'.

"They have been very shrill in their comments. We have used it in a different way, where we have kept quiet. And, that has worked for us," he said when asked about China's media campaign on Doka La issue.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had on Monday said that both the countries have agreed to an "expeditious disengagement" at the faceoff site in Doka La following diplomatic communications.

The development came a week before the BRICS summit in China which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, however, sought to highlight the withdrawal of Indian troops to dispel the impression of a climbdown by China.

The official, while stonewalling questions about India's announcement of the disengagement of troops, claimed its soldiers continued to patrol the area.

Lamba, when asked about the current situation, only said that the MEA has given the statement and "I have nothing more to add to that".

Senior officials from the three Armed Forces attended the session which was inaugurated by the navy chief. Experts from social media giants Facebook and Twitter and software bellwether IBM also delivered talks on harnessing the power of social media and using it for constructive engagement.
On Monday, the external affairs ministry released a statement saying that both India and China had agreed to an 'expeditious disengagement' at Doka La.

According to the statement: "In recent weeks, India and China have maintained diplomatic communication in respect of the incident at Doka La. During these communications, we were able to express our views and convey our concerns and interests. On this basis, expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the faceoff site at Doka La has been agreed to and is ongoing."

Some TV channels celebrated "victory" for the Narendra Modi regime, others compared it to a carefully staged face-saver.

China, for its part, remained cagey on its future Doka La plans. Including the bit about building a road, which had sparked off the entire standoff.

It merely stated it would "make adjustments" as per the situation on the ground.

The reaction in Indian newspapers was evenhanded.

An editorial in The Indian Express praised the decision from both sides, stating that wiser heads in Delhi and Beijing had prevailed and praised the officials who'd helped defuse the standoff.

"Forget the quibbling on the divergence between the statements issued on Monday by the two foreign offices announcing de-escalation. Ignore, too, the speculation on who won what in the crisis. It has always been clear that there would be no winners from the escalation in Doklam that would have made the 1962 border war between Delhi and Beijing appear to be a minor skirmish," the editorial stated.

"The massive growth in the military capabilities of the two nations over the last six decades should leave no one in doubt on the enormous costs of a military conflict between India and China."

The editorial also reminded readers about the massive military expansion of both India and China's armed forces and warned that war between India and China could lead to an enormous cost for all involved.

The Hindu welcomed the fact that diplomacy had ultimately prevailed over the past 10 weeks of harsh rhetoric.

"The measured tone of the statement from New Delhi, referring to the expeditious disengagement of border personnel as part of the understanding between the two countries, shows that the governments policy of pursuing diplomatic measures in the face of Chinas angry rhetoric was wise," an editorial stated.

The editorial also praised China's statement, saying it gives Beijing enough room to end the faceoff peacefully, noted that each side had taken into account the others' constraints and essentially, agreed to disagree. It also noted that both governments had taken into consideration the wishes of the Bhutanese government, which wished for an early end to the conflict before winter set in.

"One hopes the decision on Doka La, which comes a week before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to go to China, will guide the bilateral spirit beyond the 3-5 September BRICS summit to be held in Xiamen," the editorial stated.

Across the border, the tone of the Chinese media took just this side of smug and condescending.

Chinese news agency Xinhua, in an editorial, stated unequivocally that India had pulled back its personnel and equipment from Doka La on Monday and ended the military standoff between the two countries that was sparked by India's illegal incursion. It added that India had made the correct choice in choosing to abide by international law.

"Doka La area is undisputed Chinese territory with a clear history and legal basis. The Indian military trespass grossly encroached on China's territorial sovereignty, and trampled on the fundamental principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations," it stated.

It added that China had ably demonstrated its determination to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and legitimate rights and said Chinese troops had taken countermeasures.

"As India's gambit comes to an end, China will continue to patrol the Doka La area and safeguard territorial integrity, as approved by border agreements. It is expected that India will continue its correct attitude and to meet China halfway to put China-India ties on a healthy track," it added.

China's state-run Global Times struck a similar tone, saying that China confirmed that India had withdrawn its troops from Doka La and that China would continue to exercise its sovereignty in the area.

The Global Times said that China had used a series of actions, including diplomatic engagement and military drills, to pressure India and eventually gained the result with India's withdrawal.

"Without tough signals and diplomatic efforts for peace from China, the standoff would not have ended like this. We are glad to see India correct its mistake before the upcoming BRICS summit and safeguard the stability of the region with us," Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

"India's behaviour was absolutely illegal and excuses, like Bhutan's request and China's road construction, that it used to legitimise its behaviour have proven ineffective as well. That's why it chose to withdraw at this moment, and it was the only option for India," Ruan Zongze, executive vice president of the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times.

As the two countries prepare for the BRICS summit in September, it remains to be seen if this standoff is truly winding down.
When India stared down China early on Monday morning after a 70-day standoff at Doka La, Prime Minister Narendra Modi demonstrated what Defence Minister Arun Jaitley had verbalised in the early days of the conflict: India of 2017 is way different from India of 1962.

After India's humiliating defeat in 1962, Walter Crocker, then Australia's high commissioner to India, borrowed verses from the Victorian poet Robert Browning, to describe the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's position:

I am an old and solitary man

Mine eyes feel dimly out the setting sun

Which drops its great fruit of bitterness

Today as other days as every day

Within the patient water

In Crocker's biographical account of Nehru, an outstanding study of the personality of India's first prime minister, he sums up post-defeat Nehru starkly by writing that, "after the Chinese invasion, he never walked firmly again". He highlights Nehru's tragedy by pointing out that "the Chinese invasion had undermined his confidence in men, in Indian men as well as Chinese men; it had repeated the outrage on his sense of reason, but it had done more, it had betrayed a trust; a trust given so generously, and for great ends."

Nehru was broken, personally, but his state of mind had a huge bearing on the way India dealt with China thereafter, always tentative diplomatically and almost submissive militarily in dealing with border skirmishes. For more than five decades, China had gotten used to having its way.

That is why as the wordings of the draft resolution for simultaneous withdrawal of forces from Doka La was being finalised in the wee hours of Monday, between diplomats of India and China, it marked a drastic departure from the past. India effectively exorcised the ghost of 1962 and paved the way for redefining the power balance in Asia.

It would be naive to see the resolution of the Doka La crisis in a victory-defeat binary. It is neither for either party. But what is clear is that India has set new terms of engagement with China. And in so doing, Modi has shown that he will not hesitate to take risks and make audacious moves if it is required to protect the country's interests.

Contrast this situation with the past, when the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)  deployed along the international border with China  had raised red flags over the construction of infrastructure by China on the other side of the fence, to no effect or action from the government in Delhi.

Till 2000, the ITBP did not have any connectivity with the border beyond Mana. Road connectivity was so poor that satellite phones were procured for patrolling parties to keep them in contact with headquarters in the event of an emergency. ITBP and the army brought this up to the notice of North and South Blocks but they might as well have banged their heads against the wall.

There was an unstated fear of China among the political class and bureaucracy. And the successive governments, including that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, adopted an ostrich approach when it came to China. Apparently, the Indian political class could never get rid of the historical baggage in its relationship with China.

But the manner in which Modi dealt with China right from the beginning defied the conventional mode of diplomacy. He was cautioned by foreign affairs experts to be wary of China's intentions. He was advised to treat China with a certain amount of apathy. Modi not only defied these pearls of wisdom but crafted his own strategy in dealing with the Dragon. He called Chinese President Xi Jinping to Ahmedabad instead of Delhi and displayed his bonhomie with the guest publicly even though Xi Jinpings visit coincided with Chinese incursion in Ladakh and a subsequent stand-off.

He called Chinese president Xi Jinping to Ahmedabad instead of Delhi and displayed his bonhomie with the guest publicly even though Xi's visit coincided with the Chinese incursion in Ladakh and a subsequent standoff.

Insiders say that Modi remained unfazed with the development but tactically raised the issue of persistent Chinese incursions in a subtle manner with Xi. Those dealing with the issue said that Modi asked Xi gently as to why Chinese incursions at borders always coincided with high-profile visits of Chinese to India or Indians to China. Xi is learnt to have taken note of it and the standoff was resolved after the Chinese president returned to Beijing.

Notwithstanding this minor diplomatic win, Modi soon realised that the apparent bonhomie between the heads of states was hardly an insurance for good diplomatic ties. This became evident soon when China blocked India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) and blocked the United Nations move to declare Pakistan-based jihadists as "global terrorists".

So, Modi returned the favour. China was thrown off guard by India's boycott of the one belt on road (OBOR) conference and plan. The Chinese embassy in Delhi had almost convinced their bosses in Beijing that India would participate in OBOR. India's challenge to the project on the plea that it infringes on the country's sovereignty found resonance in the international community. China had gotten used to India falling in line.

The Chinese should have picked up the signals from the diplomatic reverse of OBOR but it didn't. Their mission here anticipated India would buckle under pressure and vacate its position at Doka La. When that did not happen, it forced the Chinese to use aggressive rhetoric in the hope that India would back off.

Why, media commentators, intellectuals and businessman had started questioning the wisdom of the government in looking China in the eye, willy nilly overplaying the Chinese military supremacy and undermining our forces. "While the person on the street was quite happy to see India standing up to China, it was the elite who was painting the grim picture of war, defeat and destruction," said a top government source, underscoring why India maintained a matured but firm stand, refusing to be provoked or worried by the tide of rhetoric unleashed by the Chinese side.

In India, people uncomfortable with giving any credit to Modi for any diplomatic scores have already started asking, 'Who blinked first, India or China?'. It doesn't matter who blinked when, because intrinsic to that query is an admission that India was staring China in the eye. And that is the big difference between India of 2017 from India of 1962.

This article first appeared on Governance Now
Washington: Top experts in the US have welcomed the disengagement of troops by both India and China at Doka La, but warned that the problem is not out of the woods yet as the status quo of the last three decades has been "disturbed irrevocably".

India and China on Tuesday agreed to "expeditious disengagement" of border personnel at the face-off site in Doka La following diplomatic communications.

"The announcement by the ministry of external affairs about the ongoing expeditious disengagement in the Doka La area of Bhutan by both Indian and Chinese troops is to be welcomed.

This marks an immediate defusing of the crisis that has complicated India-China relations since June," said Nirupama Rao, the former foreign secretary who served as India's top diplomat to the US and China.

Rao, currently a Public Policy Fellow at the prestigious Wilson Center, said that there are still unresolved questions between the two sides which should not be ignored.

"The last two months have demonstrated that there are serious fault lines in a relationship that is clearly seismic," she said.

Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Doka La since 16 June after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area.

"We need a well-deliberated, microscopic review of all that transpired during this recent crisis. A new, very complex chapter has opened in the India-China relationship. The region is involved too. This is a winding road. Self-congratulation on either side is best avoided. The status quo of the last three decades has been disturbed irrevocably," Rao said.

Tanvi Madan, from the Brookings Institute, said the most important fact is that the situation has de-escalated and has been resolved diplomatically.

"Despite China saying that Indian withdrawal was a pre-condition for dialogue, Beijing and Delhi have been engaging in discussions to get to this point. The resulting statements from both sides give some details, but are deliberately ambiguous enough that a lot is left to interpretation, and both sides can emphasise different aspects," Madan said.

Michael Kugelman, from the Woodrow Wilson International Center, said this resolution came a bit earlier than expected, but it was completely inevitable.

"Neither side could afford a conflict, no matter how small. China and India have a fairly robust economic partnership that plays out bilaterally as well as multilaterally. Neither side had an interest in having such cooperation squandered," he said.

"All this said, we're not out of the woods just yet. Tensions are still sharp and the next provocation likely isn't far off. Pakistan's ever deepening partnership with China and the growing progress of the Belt and Road initiative are cause for concern for Delhi. Geopolitical dynamics raise the prospects of additional border standoffs," Kugelman said.

Sourabh Gupta, from the Washington Dc-based Institute for China-America Studies, said the statements issued by both India and China suggests that both sides have decided to concertedly take remedial actions individually.

Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South

Africa) summit from 3-5 September in Xiamen, Gupta said it would have been very damaging if the standoff had continued while Chinese president Xi Jinping and Modi were at the same venue.
What really caused a sudden end to the Doka La standoff between India and China is as yet unclear. Until recently, the situation wasnt getting any better with the war of words escalating on both sides, reminders of the 1962 war and highly provocative, sometimes misleading reportage in the media.

But everything changed on Monday when both sides issued statements on an end to the impasse and withdrawal of troops. What worked between the two parties for such a quick resolution will, perhaps, remain a State secret. The decision also served as a face-saver for political leaderships on both sides.

The important takeaway from the decision is that it saves both sides from major economic consequences. More importantly, it averted an embarrassment for China in the BRICS Summit that begins on 3 September in Xiamen. While the exact reasons for the end of the standoff are not known, there are a few clear reasons why China could not have afforded a prolonged standoff at the Sikkim border and eventually turned India into an enemy.

First, India plays an important role in emerging economies off the world. Among the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) nations, undoubtedly India is seen as a major emerging economic power that has strong enough pillars to challenge the dominance of China in the decades to come. Even today, India plays a key role in the Asian economy, as the third largest in the region. In this backdrop, as the host, China could not have afforded facing India at the meet to discuss economic cooperation of BRICS countries when troops from both countries are positioned against each other in a high-tension scenario.

Besides, Indias emerging economic dominance in the region would make any country seek to befriend it, particularly China which wants to play the role of big brother in Asia. A recent Harvard study said that India has emerged as the economic pole of global growth by surpassing China and is expected to maintain its lead over the coming decade citing that it is particularly well-positioned to continue diversifying in new areas, given the capabilities accumulated to date. Further, according to Harvard Universitys Centre for International Development (CID) growth projections, India will feature on top of the list of fastest growing economies till 2025 with an average annual growth of 7.7 percent.

Second, India now has much better diplomatic relations with world powers, mainly the US, which China cannot ignore any longer. If China escalates tensions with India and makes an enemy of its neighbour, it would naturally put China in the opposite camp and will erode the gains it has been making as a peace-loving, mature country that aspires to become a world leader. Beijing wouldnt have wanted to gamble its hard-won image by prolonging the military standoff with India at a disputed territory.

Third, China will also suffer on the trade front if it cuts ties with India. It has more to lose than India as China traditionally has a trade surplus with India. Right now, India has a trade deficit of around $52 billion with China. In the past year alone, India exported around $9 billion worth of goods to China while China exported $60 billion to India. Thats a big trade opportunity for Chinese manufacturers. It wouldnt be wrong to say that the Chinese presence is evident in almost all sectors ranging from electronic items to pharmaceutical products. Here too, China would have taken a heavy hit if tensions escalated to a war-like situation.

Fourth and perhaps the biggest reason China wouldnt want to create an enemy of India would have been its One Belt, One Road initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic corridor, where significant investments have already been made, and both are critical to Chinas long-term plan to build its dominance in the Asian region. China has invested at least $50 billion so far in CPEC. India has a problem with CPEC as the corridor passes through the contentious part of Kashmir, which is occupied by Pakistan and claimed by India.

Some of its neighbours like Sri Lanka too have spoken in favour of India on this issue saying it is difficult for India to accept the CPEC since it passes through the 'heart of Indian interests'. China would have further risked the fate of CPEC and OBOR if it escalated tensions, as India can create hurdles in the path of OBOR.

As Dhruva Jaishankar, fellow of foreign policy with Brookings India in New Delhi writes in this NDTV article, "Dok(a La) shows that a military confrontation between two nuclear-armed powers can be resolved diplomatically, and without escalation. But for China's leadership there is perhaps a need for introspection about why it let relations with India deteriorate so sharply for no material gain."

To sum up, calling off the military standoff in Doka La was a big face-saving exercise for both India and China also due to major economic reasons. But, for China, Doka La offers a bigger lesson not to mess with India. And Beijing has learned it well.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Xiamen in China to attend the BRICS summit which will be held from 3-5 September, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday.

The announcement of Modi's visit comes a day after India and China ended their 73-day standoff in Doka La by withdrawing their troops from the area.

"At the invitation of the president of People's Republic of China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in China's Fujian province during 3-5 September, 2017 to attend the 9th BRICS Summit," MEA said.

From China, the prime minister will travel to Myanmar for a state visit from 5 to 7 September at the invitation of Myanmar president U Htin Kyaw.

It will be Modi's first bilateral state visit to Myanmar.

"During the visit, prime minister will hold discussions with state counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on president U Htin Kyaw. Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, he will visit Yangon and Bagan," MEA said.

Modi had visited Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw in November 2014 to attend the ASEAN summit.
Nearly 24 hours after the dice was rolled to end the Doka La standoff, media in India and China have reacted on predictable lines. The Chinese have focused on the aspect that Indian troops have ultimately pulled out of the disputed area over which it claims sovereignty, Indians have interpreted it as a loss of face for China after being forced to revert to status quo ante.

It is irrelevant beyond a point to consider who 'won' or 'lost' in Doka La, and that is how it should be. This was a negotiation between sovereign nations, not a T20 tie. Both nuclear nations deserve applause for not letting the prolonged military standoff from descending into a conflict that would have inevitably gone out of control, caused devastation in the region and heaped enormous costs on both peoples.

In a testament to the power of diplomacy, official statements from both sides remain open to multiple interpretations. Diplomatic resolutions usually achieve more than armed encounters ever do but unlike wars, they do not throw up unequivocal winners. That is a good thing, because the stability of a diplomatic resolution depends chiefly on it being sold domestically, and no country can walk away from a wrangle with its tail between legs.

The ambiguity that we see in the respective official statements is purposeful. For a clear assessment of the ground situation as it exists post 28 August, we must parse what has been said, take a look at how the information was released, decipher the subtext of the statements and also make reasonable calculations on what has been left unsaid.

To begin, the first Indian statement released around noon on Monday was scarce. It spoke only of an "expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam" and added that it "has been agreed to and is on-going."

This was immediately picked up and interpreted as an end of the impasse. But it wasn't clear at this stage whether this was a unilateral withdrawal. Chinese statements were equally unclear, stressing only that "India has agreed to withdraw its troops and equipment" and "Chinese side will continue to patrol Doklam region and exercise sovereignty".

On the face of it, there was an impression that India "has capitulated". Was that really the case? Let's look at the statements more carefully.

India's first media release talked of an agreement to disengage "border personnel at the face-off site". It could mean both a unilateral and a mutual disengagement. China highlighted India's "withdrawal" and stressed that it will continue to "patrol" the region. Point is, if Chinese troops had stayed put at the "face-off site", where was the question of "patrolling"? As for "exercising sovereignty", Beijing has been, for decades, claiming that small patch of land as its own and has held 24 rounds of inconclusive bilateral talks with Bhutan. India makes no territorial claims.

The bone of contention therefore wasn't Chinese patrolling or "claiming of sovereignty" over Doka La but widening of the road in the sensitive spot. It was reasonably clear that "both sides had withdrawn their troops" but this was communicated differently. A quiet complicity in language was missed by those unwilling to scratch the surface.

India's second statement, however, made it clear that the withdrawal was mutual. But this was released after a considerable time gap during which Chinese spin on the statement had been widely circulated. This time, India said quite clearly that "expeditious disengagement of border personnel of India and China at the face-off site at Doklam was ongoing. This process has since been almost completed under verification".

The term verification is important, given China's machinations over South China Sea littoral where it continued to alter topography even after claiming to desist.

However, the clarification left no space for doubt that both countries had withdrawn in troops but time gap leads one to believe that even though the disengagement was simultaneous, the Chinese were allowed the benefit of time (if only for a few hours) to claim that they withdrew PLA troops only after India has done so.

This is important because China had put itself into a spot of bother over its vituperative rhetoric and ultimatums to India about "unilateral withdrawal" as a precondition and nothing less than this choreography would have given it a political face-saver. India had less of a problem here because its goals were limited. 1. Stop China from building roads in Doklam. 2. Return to status quo. So as long as China resists from doing so, it doesn't matter whether Indian troops withdrew first and the Chinese followed suit.

So this brings us to the real bone of contention. Has China given a clear, official assurance about ceasing road building efforts? The answer is no. If that is the case, why did India suddenly withdraw its troops after staying put for 10 weeks?

A degree of speculation is necessary to understand this, but not unreasonably so. On Monday night, Chinese foreign ministry tied itself up in knots while briefing reporters on whether it will stop road-building efforts. It admitted that "in light of the changing landscape on the ground, China will make necessary adjustments and deployment," but repeated no less than four times in a single briefing that "China will continue fulfilling its sovereign rights to safeguard territorial sovereignty in compliance with the stipulations of the border-related historical treaty."

What are the takeaways from the laborious effort? China needed a face-saver, and this ambiguity was the only way it could politically sell the strategic setback of restoring status quo ante. Some commentators have asked why India has not called China's bluff? The answer is, India's aim from the beginning was not to publicly humiliate China but to find a solution for an impasse that appears reasonable for all parties.

India gains nothing by denying China its political space for maneuvering, and it could well be that a solution was incumbent on this allowance.

As for the facts on the ground, they are quite clear. Multiple sources have confirmed that Beijing has stopped all road-building efforts at Doka La and withdrawn all equipment from the face-off site, even the flag.

All road building equipment has been withdrawn by Chinese side including bulldozers, tents & construction equipment: Official sources to ANI  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2017

China obviously cannot confirm this, because its escape route is built on flimsy deception. However, Beijing should be applauded for dropping enough hints despite soaring political costs for Xi Jinping, just before the 19th Party Congress. On Tuesday, it stopped just short of affirming the development.

Asked if China has stopped and will continue road construction in Doklam, China's Foreign Ministry today leaves it somewhat ambiguous: pic.twitter.com/LFMjO5I5DW  Ananth Krishnan (@ananthkrishnan) August 29, 2017

While the impasse may have ended satisfactorily for India, there is no reason for New Delhi to count its laurels. It must remember that the avoidance of armed conflict owes as much to diplomatic, operation and strategic efforts as to some factors that were outside its control.

As Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, senior fellow at the at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies writes in Business Standard, "Sadly for Xi, even the stars conspired against him. It would have been particularly gut-wrenching for him to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BRICS summit on Sunday, with Indian troops squatting on allegedly Chinese soil  an ironic replay of when his troops were squatting on our soil while Xi was being feted in Ahmadabad. There was also no way to reschedule the 19th party Congress of the Chinese communist party At some point, Xi Jinping just decided to cut his losses and prevent this from spiralling into a bigger fiasco. It is to Indias credit that it avoided triumphalism and limited his public loss of face."

However, given China's recent history as a revanchist nation and a regional bully, it is only a matter of time before it tries to repeat Doka La elsewhere , may be at a more strategically suitable location. New Delhi can ill afford to be complacent. Media reports indicate that Union home minister Rajnath Singh wants to expedite construction of 23 roads along India's border with China. This is of paramount importance. Equally, India must increase its defence spending and speed up military modernization. A joint theatre command should also be actively considered.

A bully like China operates on threat perception and respects only the language of strength. On Doka La its revanchist game plan was laid bare. Try salami tactic, intimidation, media-driven psychological war, and retreat only when met with resolve but not before claiming victory through rhetoric. India may hope that this will lead to a resolution of border disputes through negotiations but must be prepared for more Chinese misadventures.
Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said Article 35A was a "non-negotiable article of faith" for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and that his party was ready to fight every battle to safeguard the state's special status.

"Article 35A is vital and non-negotiable for the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and those trying to divide us on regional and religious lines to further their agenda will have to be defeated."

"This is a battle for the interests, rights and dignity of every single citizen of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of his religion, region, language and caste," he said at a party convention in Kupwara district.

The Lok Sabha member from Srinagar said the assault on the state's special status was part of a "longstanding ideological mission of those quarters who have always opposed J&K's political rights and dignity".

The Opposition leader said certain forces powers were trying hard to dismantle the existing constitutional bridges between the state and rest of the country.

Article 35A, which was added to the constitution through a presidential order of 1954, empowers the Jammu and Kashmir state's legislature to define 'permanent residents' of the state and provides special rights and privileges to them.
Lucknow: Former principal of the government-run BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, Rajiv Mishra, and his wife were taken into custody on Tuesday by Uttar Pradesh's Special Task Force (STF) for questioning in connection with the death of 60 children within a span of 48 hours at the hospital.

According to SSP, Gorakhpur, Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj, a police team also went to the home of Dr Kafeel Khan on Monday night, the former nodal officer of 100-bed acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) ward in the hospital who was removed after the child deaths, to quiz him but he was not there.

Mishra and his medico wife Purnima Shukla, who are named in an FIR lodged by the UP government, were picked up from Kanpur, where they had reportedly gone to consult a lawyer.

"The STF team then left for Gorakhpur to carry out further interrogation there," Pankaj told PTI in Gorakhpur.

Mishra had been suspended as principal of the college on 12 August after the deaths were reported and the same day he resigned owning moral responsibility for the incident, which acquired a political hue with the government drawing flak from the Opposition.

As leaders from the Congress and the Samajwadi Party rushed there to make an "on-the-spot assessment", Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath retorted saying that Gorakhpur should not be made a "picnic spot". The state government also maintained that the deaths were not caused due to the shortage of oxygen but various diseases.

The doctor couple was named in the FIR lodged by the state government after a report by Chief Secretary Rajiv Kumar who had headed a probe team that went into the causes behind the deaths earlier this month. The STF official said they were being quizzed but declined to share further details. Asked whether the duo had been arrested or detained, he said legal formalities will be carried out by the Gorakhpur police.

On Dr Kafeel Khan, the SSP said, "Police reached his residence for questioning. However, he was not there. His family members have been told to support the police so that they do not face any legal action during the investigation." Recommendations were made by the probe team to initiate criminal action against Dr Khan for allegedly concealing facts and filing a false affidavit and working against the rules of the Indian Medical Council.

However, a group of doctors at AIIMS-Delhi had come out in his support, alleging that he was being made a scapegoat by the authorities. The FIR was lodged in the Hazratganj police station against nine persons, including the former principal, in connection with the deaths of children there due to alleged lack of oxygen supply.

The case was transferred to Gorakhpur. The proprietors of M/s Pushpa Sales, the company responsible for the supply of liquid oxygen, have also been named in the FIR lodged by the director general, Medical Education, KK Gupta. Cases were registered under various sections of the IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Medical Council Act against Dr Rajiv Mishra, Dr Purnima Shukla, Dr Kafeel Khan, Dr Satish, Chief Pharmacist Gajanan Jaiswal, Accountant Sudhir Pandey, Assistant Clerk, Uday Pratap Sharma of Pushpa Sales and Manish Bhandari. The IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.

The official report by the chief secretary, however, denied lack of oxygen as the cause of death. Adityanath had formed the committee on 12 August, a day after the deaths of children was reported at the hospital. The state government has also shunted out additional chief secretary medical education Anita Bhatnagar Jain.
Darjeeling (West Bengal): With the indefinite shutdown in the Darjeeling Hills entering its 76th day, all eyes are set on the crucial all-party meeting convened by the West Bengal government on Tuesday at the state secretariat.

Leaders of several parties from the Hills will join the talks, amid reports of cracks in the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee.

"We hope we will be able to find a solution to the Darjeeling crisis," GJM leader Binay Tamang, who is leading the party's five-member delegation, told reporters.

The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Jan Andolan Party (JAP) and the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL) will attend the meeting along with the GJM.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said on Monday that her government wanted to restore peace in the strife-hit region.

Banerjee had taken the initiative to call a meeting between the government and Hill parties after the GNLF wrote to her requesting for opening a dialogue to resolve the crisis caused by the shutdown in support of the demand for a separate

state of Gorkhaland.

According to secretariat sources, Banerjee would be accompanied by the state's chief secretary, home secretary, police chief and a couple of senior ministers at the meeting.

GJM chief Bimal Gurung has alleged that there is a conspiracy by some Hill leaders to frame him.

In an audio message on Sunday night, Gurung warned the leaders that if they discussed with the state government, any other issue other than 'Gorkhaland', then they would not be allowed to return to the Hills.

The indefinite shutdown in the Hills entered its 76th day on Tuesday. The unrest had begun on 8 June over the GJM's allegation that the state was trying to impose Bengali language in the Hills.

The GJM took out rallies in various parts of the Hills demanding restoration of the Internet services, which remain banned in the Hills since 18 June, and an immediate withdrawal of police forces from Darjeeling.

Members of some political party, dressed in traditional Nepali attire, also took out rallies and raised slogans in support of Gorkhaland.

GJM activists and NGOs were seen distributing food among locals as supply remains severely-hit due to the prolonged shutdown.
Kolkata: On the eve of crucial talks between the state government and major political parties from Darjeeling hills, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said her government wanted restoration of peace in the strife-hit region.

"We all want restoration of peace in the Darjeeling hills", Banerjee told reporters.

Banerjee had taken the initiative to call a meeting between the government and hill parties after the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) wrote to her requesting for opening a dialogue in order to resolve the crisis caused by an indefinite shutdown in support of the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

According to secretariat sources, Banerjee would be accompanied by the state's chief secretary, home secretary, police chief and a couple of senior ministers at the meeting, while the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee will be represented by leaders of the GNLF, GJM and other parties steering the agitation.
Kolkata: Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) joint secretary Binay Tamang on Tuesday rubbished reports of a rift between him and party chief Bimal Gurung.

The GJM leader, however, said, he and other members of the party delegation now in the city for the all-party meeting on the Darjeeling hills, felt a little insulted by some of Gurung's comments in a recently released voice clip.

"I have heard about the voice clip from the media. However, there is no division between me and Gurung.

"We are taking all the steps after consulting with the central committee. He is being apprised of all the developments that are happening.Even the delegation team for the all party meeting has been approved by the central committee," Tamang, who reached Kolkata on Monday with a five-member delegation from the party, claimed.

"Yes, felt a little insulted by some of his statements in the clip. But being the party president, he has the prerogative and powers to say things. I do not know whom he has referred to in the clip," he said.

A clipping of a telephonic conversation has been recently released in the media where a voice resembling that of the GJM chief alleged that some of the hill party leaders are conspiring to sideline him from the ongoing agitation in the Darjeeling hills and are willing to compromise with the state government on the issue of Gorkhaland.

The voice also claimed that the delegation that is going to hold talks with the state should settle for nothing less than a separate state of Gorkhaland, a long standing demand of the movement.

"They should focus on the one point agenda of Gorkhaland or else walk out of that meeting. Otherwise, they won't be allowed to come back to the hills," the voice in the clip said.

Responding to a letter from the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) last week requesting a dialogue to restore normalcy in the north Bengal hills, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called an all party meeting on August 29 at the state secretariat Nabanna.

The hills have been on the boil for over two and a half months after the GJM revived its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

Normal life has been paralysed since 12 June due to an indefinite shutdown called by the GJM, severely impacting the region's economy based on tea, tourism and timber.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhs case may have blown up in the news because of the ferocity of the reaction to the verdict, but its hardly the only case of its ilk. Over the years, godmen from all over the country  from Swami Nithyananda and Seer Raghavendra Bharati in Karnataka, to godman Mehdni Kasam in Maharashtra, to Asaram Bapu in Gujarat and many others  have all been accused of, and sometimes convicted for crimes against women, from rape to sexual harassment to criminal intimidation to even murder. The commonalities between these cases tell us something important about the way in which such godmen operate in India, and especially how they often interact with women.

Despite his show of supporters strength, godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has just been sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping two of his disciples. Ram Rahim's lawyers tried and failed to plead for a lighter sentence by citing his "philanthropic work"  but surely if anything, his organisations good work only make the horror of his own crimes much worse.

Godmen in India exist at the intersection of religious fervour, political power, public support and often, massive wealth. This puts them in positions of unimaginable and multi-dimensional power that they can wield in many ways, from the soft power that Gurmeet Ram Rahim tried with his hit film MSG to the MNC route preferred by Baba Ramdev. This immense non-State and non-corporate power also leads some godmen to believe that they can do anything, act against anyone with impunity and allows them to prey on the most vulnerable of women, often their own devotees, without fear of consequences.

Many such criminal godmen follow the same MO: they prey on their devotees and couch sexual assault in verbiage that makes it seem as if its part of their spiritual process. Ram Rahim called it pitaji ki maafi. Nithyananda told his victims that they were engaging Madhura bhava, or the relationship a lover has with god (like that of Radha and Krishna). In the child sex abuse allegations detailed against Sathya Sai Baba, alleged survivors claimed that Sai Baba referred to oral sex as a good luck chance.

Nithyananda took it even further, requiring his chosen few to sign a contract to make them eligible for a special Learning from the Master programme. This contract included a clause agreeing to take part in the learning and practice of ancient tantric secrets, which included physical contact and intimacy, the viewing of graphic physical depictions, and more. It also included a non-disclosure clause that gave unconditional acceptance of the actions committed by the foundation and its leader. Most women signed the document without reading or understanding it, placing blind faith in the leader. They did not reportedly know or consent to the sexual activities in the contract and were brainwashed or intimidated into signing it.

They say that rape is a crime of power, not sex. When you look at the way some godmen operate and interact with women, it becomes clear that whatever the crime is motivated by, its certainly power that facilitates it. A clear pattern of abuse emerges, in which a certain kind of godman uses his immense mental and spiritual power not only to rape and harass women but also to convince them that this is a good thing: that they are being gloriously singled out for preferential treatment from the leader due to their cosmic specialness. Its called grooming, and its what child sexual predators do to their victims too. These criminal godmen create situations where the power dynamic is completely out of whack, and eager-to-please devotees can be brainwashed.

Many of these devotees are enrolled in such ashrams and institutions by their staunchly devoted families, who see the leaders as gods on earth. This is a belief thats instilled in the women by their families and amplified when they live at the ashrams. In some instances, the women themselves are shocked at what their god has done to them, but they also realise that their families may not support or believe them, and in fact might even turn against them. This leaves many of them who do want to speak out helpless and alone, convinced that theyll have no support in their fight, and worried about ostracisation from the family and community. The victim in the Asaram Bapu case, for example, didnt tell her parents the truth for several days because she worried about how they might react to hearing that their daughter had been molested by a god while they were only a few rooms away.

Even when the family and community do come around to believing the survivors account, there is still a lot to go up against. Amrut Prajapti, one of the prosecutions main witnesses in the case against Asaram Bapu, was attacked many times, kidnapped and beaten, before finally being murdered. Another witness in that case, Akhil Gupta, was shot dead on his way home. The journalist who exposed the rapes in the Dera Sacha Sauda by Ram Rahim, by publishing an anonymous account of the rapes written by a sadhvi, was shot dead outside his house.

While many of us were shocked at the organised violence the Dera was able to unleash in Haryana and Punjab over the last few days, no devotee who had spent time in the community and witnessed their training would have taken their military might lightly. Similar to Ram Rahims followers, Santh Rampals supporters too descended in the hundreds to protest his arrest in a murder case in 2014 and disrupted court proceedings. The violence that these groups can unleash is another, deadly layer of influence that enables such godmen to act with impunity, and makes it that much harder for survivors of violence to speak out.

All of this is compounded, of course, by the huge political support that these godmen openly enjoy. One of Ram Rahims children, for example, is married to a Congress MLA, while Haryana BJP ministers like Anil Vij, Manish Grover and Ram Vilas Sharma frequently donate money to his organisations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has praised his work in the past. Swami Nithyananda openly said he had the support of the AIADMK, and when the child sexual abuse allegations against Sathya Sai Baba came up in 2001, then-prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as well as two former chief justices of India, among others, wrote an open letter rubbishing the allegations against Bhagwan Sathya Sai Baba.

Many women who become prey to such godmen have either been raised all their lives to be faithful devotees or have sought spiritual guidance because of the turbulences of their past lives. Being groomed to see the godmen as powerful gods on earth that they should be eager to please, the mental trauma of trying to reconcile sexual abuse with a god-like figure, combined with the fear of retribution from the family, community and godmen themselves, creates the perfect situation for gross, sustained and repeated abuse of women.

This mesh of crime and godliness does offer up one point of hilarity: godmen like Ram Rahim and Nithyananda, upon being caught, both tried to use their godliness as a weird kind of defense: by saying they couldnt possibly have raped anyone because their godman status makes them child-like, impotent and unable to have sex. Its kind of amazing that this is the corner theyve been forced to back themselves into, but it also shows how far theyre willing to extend their godliness for their own personal gain.

The Ladies Finger (TLF) is a leading online womens magazine delivering fresh and witty perspectives on politics, culture, health, sex, work and everything in between.
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was on Monday awarded a collective 20-year jail term in two rape cases. With this, all eyes have shifted to the select few who have emerged eligible to hold the top designation.

Dera has a huge fan following as the religious entity runs several institutions for the poor and is associated with over 110 humanitarian and social welfare activities. It runs schools, colleges, a technical institute of education, hospitals, market complexes, factories, a cinema hall, canteens and cultivates agricultural land measuring tens of thousands of acres across about a dozen states.

The Dera chief has two daughters, Charanpreet and Amanpreet, both of who are married, and a son, Jasmeet. While many might see this as a clear path for Jasmeet to head the religious sect, it is quite not. There are other contenders in the fray to take over as the successor of Ram Rahim:

Jasmeet Singh: After Ram Rahim was jailed on Monday, his mother Nasib Kaur nominated her grandson Jasmeet as the next Dera chief. Jasmeet, who was also anointed by Ram Rahim to succeed him in 2007, is the eldest of the Dera chief's children. He is married to a former Congress MLA Harminder Jassis daughter, Husanmeet Insan.

Within the Dera, Jasmeet is called shehzada and is known for his good conduct. But for his appointment as the sect's chief, Ram Rahim will have to break a convention which requires succession outside the family.

Honeypreet Insan: While his son and two daughters are his legal heirs, Ram Rahim's adopted daughter Honeypreet is someone who can stake claim on his throne. Born as Priyanka Taneja, Honeypreet was adopted by Ram Rahim in 2009 and has acted in the Dera chief's commercial films.

She was introduced to Ram Rahim through her husband Vishwas Gupta, a follower of the self-styled godman whom she married in 1999.

Gupta suspected Honeypreet of having illicit relation with Ram Rahim and even alleged this in Punjab and Haryana High Court while seeking her custody from Ram Rahim, failing which he wished to divorce his wife, India Today reported. Subsequently, the Dera chief and Gupta had an out-of-court settlement and the latter withdrew the court case. The couple later separated, and Honeypreet moved to live in Dera with Ram Rahim.

On her social media accounts, Honeypreet describes herself as "papa's angel, philanthropist, director, editor, actress." On her personal website, she is mentioned as "a great daughter of an amazing father."

Even before Honeypreet was spotted on Monday in the helicopter with Dera chief after he was convicted for rape of two sadhvis, she was a popular figure among the sect followers.

Honeypreet has over a million followers on Twitter, more than 5 lakh on her Facebook page and close to 2 lakh on Instagram.

Vipassana Insaan: A 35-year-old sadhvi of Dera and the chairperson of the organization, Vipassana is a serious contender for both Jasmeet and Honeypreet.

She has been authorised by Ram Rahim to take decisions on the behalf of Dera Sacha Sauda, which she is heading for the past seven years. For many in Dera, Vipassana is the natural successor of Ram Rahim, according to Zee News.

Vipassana came to the limelight after she appealed for peace from the Dera supporters after a massive violence broke out in Punjab and Haryana following the conviction of Ram Rahim in the rape case on Saturday.

Ram Kumar Bishnoi: Bishnoi told Firstpost that he spent close to two decades in the Dera and was part of the top management.

Bishnoi, who left the Dera after Ram Rahim's anointment in 1990s, might sniff a chance to get back into the Dera. He filed a petition in the court demanding investigation into disappearance of Faqir Chand, a manager at the Dera. The CBI investigated the matter and filed a closure report in the court citing lack of evidence. Bishnoi has challenged the closure report in Punjab and Haryana High Court and the next hearing is scheduled in September.
Ahmedabad: The police on Monday night detained Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel and his close aide Dinesh Bambhania in an "assault" case registered against them in Patan town of North Gujarat on Saturday.

One Narendra Patel had filed a complaint against Hardik, Bambhania and four others at Patan B Division police station on Saturday. On the basis of the complaint, the police had registered a case against them under IPC sections 395 (dacoity), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt).

"Hardik Patel was detained from Anand district on Monday by the police and he will be handed over the Patan police, who will then formally arrest him in a case registered on Saturday against six people, including him," police sources said.

Bambhania was detained from Rajkot by the crime branch of that city. "We detained Dinesh Bambhania from the Gita Mandir area of the city in connection with the case registered in Patan. We will hand him over to the Patan police," Rajkot city crime branch police inspector HM Gadhvi said.

In the complaint, Narendra, a former activist of Hardik-led Patidar Anamant Andolan Samiti (PAAS), had alleged that the quota stir spearhead and others roughed him up at Navjivan Hotel in Patan when he had gone to meet them on Saturday. Hardik had held a public meeting in Patan on that day and as per Narendra's complaint, he had gone to meet the PAAS leader before the rally.

During the rally, Hardik had indirectly urged the Patidar community to give a chance to the Congress in the upcoming state assembly elections. The Patidar community has been a loyal vote bank for the BJP in Gujarat. However, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Monday slammed Hardik over his appeal and dubbed him as an "agent of the Congress".

"These people (BJP) used us too much. It happened so because, I assume, we did not have any option. You may still think that we do not have any option as we still do not want to go with the Congress because they did nothing for us," Hardik had said. "At the same time, I believe that we should also do something which makes the Congress trust us... I want you to give me a promise to uproot this rule of fear and hooliganism," he had said.

Talking to reporters in Patan on Monday, the deputy CM said, "Hardik has now shown his true colours. I think he should join the Congress now. We have been saying for a long that he was a Congress agent. We now stand vindicated as Hardik himself spoke in support of the Congress. We are happy that the truth has finally come out."

Assembly polls are slated in Gujarat for later in 2017.
Kochi: The Indian Coast Guard has rescued eight fishermen on board a boat which was adrift about 16 nautical miles off the coast of Kochi, Defence sources said on Tuesday.

The Kerala Fisheries Department had informed the coast guard around 10.30 pm on Monday about the boat being adrift.

The Indian Coast Guard Headquarters engaged the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Abhinav to tow the boat at 10 am on Tuesday.

The fishing boat was incapacitated since yesterday due to engine breakdown with the eight fishermen on board, sources said.

The ship reached the boat around 1.30 pm and after ensuring the safety of all personnel and security of items on the boat, it was connected with strong ropes and towed back, sources said.

The ship reached the harbour around 4.30 pm on Tuesday and the fishing boat was handed over to Marine Enforcement Wing (MEW), Kochi.

All those on board are understood to be safe with no injuries, the sources added.
COLUMBUS  A 20-year-old Columbus man pleaded no contest to sexually assaulting a 19-year-old city woman several times in 2016.

Andrew McCarter entered his plea to attempted first-degree sexual assault after reaching an agreement with the prosecution. He will be sentenced Sept. 15 in Platte County District Court.

McCarter was initially charged with first-degree forcible sexual assault, a Class II felony punishable by up to 50 years imprisonment. The reduced assault charge is a Class IIA felony carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

McCarter has been free from jail after posting 10 percent of a $100,000 bond in June. He was in custody for about three months before posting bond.

Court documents describe a Columbus Police investigation that got underway last fall when the then-18-year-old city woman reported being assaulted by McCarter, who she had a protection order against, during a family event in Kansas.

The victim said she awoke the day after the event to find the defendant removing her clothes and forcibly holding her down, despite her objections, Sgt. Bret Strecker wrote in his probable cause statement supporting McCarters arrest.

The victim said McCarter later sent her a text message apologizing for raping her, Strecker wrote in his statement.

McCarter's accuser later described multiple occasions in which the defendant forcibly assaulted her in Columbus, Strecker wrote.

The teen reported receiving other text messages from McCarter in which he confessed to raping her several times and made references to other sexual assaults, the sergeant wrote.

One of the messages, Strecker wrote, included this statement: "Like honestly I'm going to go to counseling and hopefully he turns me in on asking him how to fix myself because I raped you."
Editor's note: This article is the first in a three-part series on the condition of farmers in Maharashtra after the state government announced its Rs 34,000-crore loan waiver.

Aurangabad: Maharashtra government's farm loan waiver looks good on the face of it, claiming to help 89 lakh farmers, but most of them are yet to be able to apply for it owing to niggling issues and the eligibility criteria.

Farmers across Maharashtra had launched an indefinite strike on 1 June, withholding the supply of fruits and vegetables. One of their demands was an unconditional waiver of all farm loans. Within days, the state government met the farmer-leaders and accepted "70% of the demands" and announced Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana.

Under this scheme, the government agreed to waive off farm loans to the tune of Rs 1.5 lakh. Those who owe banks more than this amount have been asked to repay the entire loan; they will receive Rs 1.5 lakh after the repayment.

The online submission of application for the waiver began on 24 July and the last date is 15 September. More than a month has passed but only a little more than a third of the 89 lakh farmers have been able to apply till 26 August, according to Maharashtra cooperative minister Subhash Deshmukh.

The deadline to submit the application might be only two weeks away but the challenges in submitting it persist in most parts of the state, leaving farmers baffled. While the government claims to have opened about 26,000 centres to enable farmers to apply for the waiver, infrastructure- and policy-related issues are hampering the process.

Long power cuts, poor internet, slow servers and Aadhaar-related rules are giving the applicants runaround.

To ensure that benefits are passed on to the right person, the government has mandated that farmers provide their Aadhaar number with their application. If one's mobile number is not linked with Aadhaar, their as well as their spouse's thumb impressions are required. Block development officer of Sillod tehsil, Aurangabad district, Suresh Malode said about 98 percent of the villagers don't have their mobile number linked with their Aadhaar and the gram panchayats are yet to get the device that registers thumb impression. In Sillod alone, application centres of nine villages were facing this problem.

Malode said Maha eSewa Kendras could procure the device swiftly as they are managed by a private company.

Wadodbazaar village in Aurangabad district's Phulambri tehsil is facing the same problem. There are long queues outside the eSewa Kendras and gram panchayat offices. The villagers said the requirement of having the mobile number linked with Aadhaar was responsible for the delay. Phulambri tehsildar Sangeeta Chavhan said they were coordinating with the authorities concerned to overcome the issues.

Further, she said eSewa Kendras have been lying shut in many villages, which is why farmers from those areas were visiting the centres in other villages to get the job done. Suresh Jadhav, 38, of Karanjkhed is one such farmer. He travelled 24 kilometres to get to the eSewa Kendra in the nearby village of Kannad, but was told he'd need to come again with his wife to register the thumb impression of both of them.

The load of load-shedding

In Aland village, 34 kilometres from Aurangabad, 14-hour-long power cuts have thrown a monkey wrench in the application process. Sadanand Tayde, 44, who owes a bank Rs 58,000, spent four days trying to apply for the waiver. He'd stand in the queue outside the gram panchayat for hours but then power cut would strike and he'd have to come again the next day. He could get the job done only after four visits as the panchayat office does not have a generator.

For the farmers of Ghatnandra village in Sillod tehsil, Aurangabad, going to their gram panchayat office is not an option at all as it doesn't offer the facility of applying for the waiver. The eSewa Kendra in the village has its own problem: Sluggish servers. Santosh Ahire, who works as the operator at this private centre, said the system takes an hour to process one application, which is why they are not able to submit more than 15-18 applications a day, at best.

In stark contrast is a general store in the village. Its owner Ramchandra Joshi owns a laptop, a printer, Reliance Jio's high-speed internet and a fingerprint reader, which he bought from Aurangabad for Rs 7,000. He is helping farmers fill the forms for Rs 100 and the farmers too are availing of his service as here, their work is getting done smoothly. Joshi said he could not comment on the server problem as he was not facing any such issue.

Meanwhile, the eSewa Kendra in Udangaon village in Bhokardan tehsil, Jalna district, is working after 8 pm to process the applications as it's during night that the servers work at a proper speed. The centre operator Krishna Dhanwai said doing this work during the day is problematic.

Farmers not happy

While the government has launched an app too to facilitate application for the waiver, it is not functioning. This correspondent was not even able to download the app from Google Play Store. Salil Daroga, a farmer from Jalna, said it was funny that the government thought an app could be helpful for this purpose. He said many farmers don't have a smartphone and those who do are not necessarily connected to the internet. He asked how, then, the government thought the farmers could use the app.

The problem of internet connectivity was reported from many areas. Farmers also have the option of submitting a hard copy of their application at the tehsil office, collector's office, assistant registrar office, gram panchayats, banks, primary agriculture credit societies etc.

(The above document is a copy of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana form.)

However, farmers' inclination to opt for the online mode of applying is evident by the fact that out of the 32 lakh forms submitted till 26 August, more than 81% were filled online.

The uneligible lot

Venkatesh Patil, founder of the NGO Maharashtra Sewabhavi Sanstha, said the eligibility criteria are complicated and only about five lakh farmers in the state would benefit from the waiver. Many farmers are piqued that they are not eligible owing to previous unpaid debt(s). Dr Dhananjay Dhanwate, one of the organisers of the farmers' protest in Puntamba, the epicentre of the protest, said that out of over 2,000 debt-ridden farmers in their village, only about 180 are eligible for the waiver. "What about the rest? When a drought or a natural calamity hits the farmers, everyone gets affected," he said.

(Aarteeshymal Joshi is a Aurangabad based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.)
It seems like farmers in Maharashtra are not only battling with crop failures and unpaid loans but are also struggling to find a life partner.

Udhav Jamdad, 39, a farmer from Murumba village from Parabhani district has been seeing girls the last 10 years, but every time he is rejected. The reason simply being that he is a farmer. I have four acres of farm in my village but I am not being able to get a match to marry," says Jamdad, one of the many young farmers from Maharashtra who are unable to get brides due to unpredictable income from farming.

"I have been seeing girls for the last 10 years, but all I hear is no from girls. Most of the girls' parents tell me that they are looking for a boy with a job. My two younger brothers who have jobs are married and have kids. Now, I dont have hopes of marriage. Nowadays I dont even see girls, he says.

Activists Heramb Kulkarni and Vithal Shevale, who conducted a survey in 45 villages in the two talukas Akole and Sangamner of Ahmednagar district found a majority of unmarried farmers in these areas in the age group of 25 and 30

We came across the shocking fact that 2,294 young farmers of the age between 25 and 30 are not married because they were not getting brides. And the number of farmers who are not married in the age group 31 and 40 are 774," says Kulkarni.

Most of these unmarried farmers, he adds, are those with small farm lands. "All of them are educated with a graduate degree. Four of them even had an MBA degree but decided to do farming. Most of them have no hopes of marriage now," Kulkarni added.

Shevale, another activist who was part of the team that conducted the survey, said, Two major villages have 250-300 farmers who are not married. Twelve villages have more than 100 bachelor farmers and eight villages have over 50 bachelor farmers. Many farmers have more than 5 acres of land, but are still not getting brides."

Chandrika Rajurkar, daughter of a farmer from Madha taluka of Solapur district, says, "I didn't want to marry a farmer and hence my parents married me to an auto driver in Pune. He earns enough and I support my family by working as a maid. I am living a good life as compared to my sister who is married to a farmer in Solapur. She has to work hard at her farm from morning till evening in all seasons."

Ashok Gite, a member of Swabhimani Shetakari Sanghatana, however, said that irregular rains and a shortage of irrigation water are not the only factors behind irregular incomes of farmers. He says no guarantee on minimum support price makes things even worse.

Even if there is sufficient rain and irrigation water is available, electricity is not available. If water and electricity are available then there is no guarantee that farmers will get the minimum support price for their produce. The agriculture business has become undependable," he says.

According to Gite, the condition has become worse in the last four years during which Maharashtra witnessed drought. The problem, however, is not restricted to a particular caste or religion, but all farmers in Maharashtra are facing this problem.

"The major reason for girls not marrying farmers is that there's no guarantee of minimum support price to produce. Other reasons are increased production costs and lack of assurance of certain income. In fact, even farmers themselves are not ready to marry their daughters to other farmers," adds Gite.

He added that education of girls and a gender imbalance due to falling number of females in sex ratio could also be behind this trend.

"Now girls find their opinions being considered in decisions like marriage. They compare their lives with the girls from the cities who have a good lifestyle and income. Hence, girls even from the families of farmers refuse to marry farmers, says Gite.

Kulkarni said that nowadays people having a shop of 10 ft by 10 ft get brides but farmers having land more than five acres also find it difficult to get matches. in fact, many youths with agricultural land at home try to find jobs at industrial areas so that they can get brides.

"There are many houses where the younger brother who has a job is married while the elder brother who does farming is waiting to get married. Many matchmakers told us that they used to match hundreds of marriages during the wedding season but nowadays they match hardly 3-5 marriages in a season."

Mahesh Gaikwad, 29, a farmer from Sangamner Taluka, said, My parents are worried that I am not getting a girl to marry. I am refused by girls because I am a farmer. We dont demand dowry and assure girls that they wont have to work at the farm. But nobody trusts us. I am ready to marry a girl even from outside the community.

Manisha Kale from Georai taluka of Beed district, says, Everyday I read or see farmers committing suicide, leaving their families to fend for themselves. I dont have to lead such life as I am good at tailoring. I can earn money and I deserve a better life. I have no problem to stay in one room in a city with my future husband. But I dont want to marry a farmer.
Mumbai: Torrential rain accompanied by strong winds pummelled Mumbai on Tuesday, disrupting rail, road and air services, uprooting trees, swamping homes, and bringing the megapolis and satellite towns to their knees.

People's woes were compounded by the high tide that prevented natural drainage of water into the sea. Meteorological department sources said Mumbai recorded copious rain of 65 mm in just three hours.

Thousands of vehicles were stranded on arterial roads in Lower Parel, Dadar, Kurla, Andheri, Khar West, Ghatkopar, Sion and Hindmata areas that were under knee to waist deep water for several hours, many having broken down.

Trains were running late or stopped on all three suburban railway lines  Central, North and Harbour lines  as tracks were submerged at several places.

Having waited for hours on end with water showing no signs of receding, fidgety passengers were seen jumping off

stationary trains and walking along the tracks to their destinations.

Commuters were seen standing under knee deep water on the steps of buses in low lying areas like Parel. Traffic crawled at snail's pace on important roads, including the Eastern and Western Express Highway, Sion-Panvel highway and LBS Marg.

"The metropolis has received heavy rainfall since last night. Between 8.30 am and 12 pm on Tuesday, the city received 85 mm rainfall," Sudhir Naik, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, told PTI.

According to the civic body's disaster management cell, at least 20 incidents of trees fall and one of wall collapse were reported from across the city but there were no casualties.

"Heavy waterlogging expected in coming hours due to heavy showers coupled with high tide. Pls chk ur route before

venturing out," the Mumbai police said in a tweet, advising people to remain indoors.Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the State Disaster Management Control (SDMC) room and took stock of the situation.

"I have asked employees at mantralaya, the state secretariat to leave for their homes. Employees in other offices have also been allowed to head to their homes. We have advised (private) offices to allow their employees to leave

for their homes early today," Fadnavis said.

He said the situation was being monitored closely and necessary advisories would be issued from time to time.

Aircraft have stopped landing at the city airport after 4 pm but were taking off, officials said.Flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport saw delay and disruptions since morning.Due to strong winds and downpour since morning, six to seven flights had to do go around while landing, while four to some were diverted to nearby airports, mainly Ahmedabad.

A Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport spokesperson said there was an average delay of 35 minutes. "Heavy rain and strong winds have drastically reduced visibility leading to diversions and go round even though the main runway is open," a Mumbai airport source told PTI.

Suburban rail services, the lifeline of the metropolis, were thrown out of gear. The Central Railway-run harbour line, which connects CSMT to Panvel, remained suspended since 11:30 am, railways officials said.

"Due to waterlogging on tracks & point failure at Bandra following very heavy rains, 3 lines except UP Fast line are affected. Efforts are on to start traffic on 3 lines (except UP fast line) at Bandra as soon as possible by attending the points," the Western Railway tweeted.

"Areas such as Mumbai, south Gujarat, Konkan, Goa and west Vidarbha will get extremely heavy rainfall in the next

24 to 48 hours. It is a serious situation. We have issued necessary warnings to the departments concerned, including airports," A K Srivastav, head of climate monitoring and analysis at IMD Pune, told PTI.

"The status of the weather system, which has brought heavy showers over the Mumbai region, has been upgraded from 'well marked low pressure' to 'depression'. It means it is set to bring more rains. Hence, we have predicted an extremely heavy rainfall," he said.

In the morning, commuters bound for offices were stranded at several suburban stations.

In absence of train services, major suburban stations were overcrowded. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus was chock-a-block with commuters anxiously waiting for trains to head home.

Charan Singh, Director, India Meteorological Department, said a 'Red' warning has been issued for the next 24 hours for the city and adjoining areas, indicating there could be very heavy rainfall. He said the city and surrounding areas would continue to receive heavy rainfall over the next two to three days.
As the Mumbai administration got overwhelmed under heavy downpour on Tuesday, the spirit of Mumbai came alive with common people and celebrities alike using social media to offer help to citizens got stuck in the heavy rains.

Within hours of the downpour, people from different parts of the city started offering help to those stuck in rain via Twitter and Facebook using #RainHosts as the trending hashtag. They offered their places to those trapped in the rains.

Those stranded near dadar,matunga,sion,parel can move to GSB Sarvajanik Ganeshotsava Samiti Pandal Ram Mandir wadala,Food/water available  Rannvijay singha (@RannvijaySingha) August 29, 2017

Those stranded near Bandra/Khar/ Santacruz/Mahim/ Sea link can move towards *Trupti Bandra @ link rd near Amarsons. Food+ Tea made available



High tide soon. Water level on roads likely to rise. Please stay put where you are & remain indoors. Keep food/water handy.#MumbaiRains  Gul Panag (@GulPanag) August 29, 2017

If you're stuck in Borivali west near station, please reach out. Can host 2 people #RainHosts #MumbaiRains  Nautanki Sali (@Poojaspillai) August 29, 2017

Not just for humans, help was offered for animals also. Social media users also informed the stranded people about facilities like gurudwaras and community halls where free food was available in the city.

Gurudwara Dashmesh Darbar has hot langar available for stranded people near GTB nagar, Sion Koliwada. #RainHosts  Kiran Manral (@KiranManral) August 29, 2017

Shagun Hall Laxmi Narayan Lane Matunga, shelter food and water for those stranded. Via #Whatsapp #RainHosts  Kiran Manral (@KiranManral) August 29, 2017

People also appealed to cab rental companies to lower the fare in order to help citizens.

Hey @Olacabs and @Uber_Mumbai can we reduce surcharge and help people in #MumbaiRains ppl are stuck. Can we show some humanity?  Roshan (@TekiRosh) August 29, 2017

Public buildings like schools, colleges, and churches were also offered by concerned Mumbai citizens to support the affected people.

Please tell anyone who needs shelter tonight to come over to St Peters Church Bandra - Fr. Frazer sj  Mini Mathur (@minimathur) August 29, 2017

St Stanislaus School, Hill Road, Near La Folie, bus 214, 211 from Bandra Station. Huge grounds, warm hearts. #RainHosts https://t.co/4bxdTteN8P  Anupam Gupta (@b50) August 29, 2017

#RainHosts A friend is stuck at Mehboob studios in Bandra. Anyone around to help? @RisheetaAgrawal  Aakriti (@mehta_aakriti) August 29, 2017

Those who were stranded in the city also used social media to ask for help.

#RainHosts we r stuck near matunga station in Latur express for more thn 6 hrs.. We have not taken anything from the whole day. Plz help us  Ayush Gupta (@Ayush_gupta824) August 29, 2017

People communicated with each other through social media while trying their best to help those stranded in the city.

If you have a place to offer, please tweet with #RainHosts https://t.co/Jc6dbvOWIK  Numbyaar (@NumbYaar) August 29, 2017
Incessant rainfall starting Monday evening has rendered parts of Mumbai inundated. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning saying that residents should expect heavy rainfall in Mumbai over the next three days.

IMD officials have attributed the rains to upper-air cyclonic circulation over south Rajasthan and a low-pressure area which is moving westward from Odisha, reports The Free Press Journal. An IMD official was quoted as saying, "There was widespread rainfall in the city and it will continue in a similar manner for next three days. The eastern suburbs of Mumbai received good rainfall as compared to other areas of the city."

According to CNN-News18, transport has been affected by the heavy rains as flights are experiencing a 20 minute delay on average. Further, the suburban railway is experiencing heavy delays with many trains being cancelled or delayed for long periods. The stations too have been affected as water-logging has been reported at Sion, Mahim and Bandra stations.

Further, the city is likely to experience a high tide measuring 3.32 metres in height at 4.35 pm on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in China in September for a BRICS summit paving the way for the Indian premier and President Xi Jinping's meet after the India-China tensions following the Doka La standoff, media reports said. The summit will be held from 3-5 September, NDTV said.

"At the invitation of the President of People's Republic of China, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in China's Fujian province during 3-5 September, 2017 to attend the ninth BRICS Summit," a statement from the foreign ministry read. The announcement comes at a time when India is focussing on no unilateral stance to change status quo.

According to IANS, India and China ended their over 70-day-long tense standoff in Doka La on Monday with both agreeing to withdraw troops from the disputed region ahead of the BRICS summit.

Modi will also pay a state visit to Myanmar from 5-7 September on the invitation of Myanmar president U Htin Kyaw. This will be Prime Minister Modi's first bilateral State visit to Myanmar.

During the visit, Modi will hold talks with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President Kyaw. Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, he will visit Yangon and Bagan.

On Tuesday, China remained non-committal on the issue of stopping road construction in Doka La, a day after Indian and Chinese troops ended a 73-day standoff that was triggered by China's move to build a road in the border area.

"In order to meet the needs of defending the borders, improving the living conditions, China has long engaged in infrastructure development including the road construction," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

With inputs from agencies
Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad after three civilians died in alleged "ceasefire violations" by Indian troops along the Line of Control.

Director General (South Asia and SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned JP Singh and "condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations" by Indian troops, the foreign office said.

He also urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations, and instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and maintain peace along the LoC.

He also called on the Indian side to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.
Sirsa: Authorities in Sirsa on Tuesday relaxed the curfew from 7 am to 7 pm after the sentencing of Dera Sach Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in two rape cases.

The decision was taken after no violent incident was reported in the area. This is the second time since Sunday the curfew has been relaxed, officials said. Sirsa town is home to the sprawling Dera headquarters where the sect's followers had gathered in large numbers ahead of Ram Rahim's conviction.

"Authorities should lift the curfew permanently in the area as the law and order situation is under control," Bobby Soni, a localite, said.

"During the relaxation of curfew people can buy their household items. Also, schools colleges and other educations institutions will also remain open during the period," Special Commissioner (Civil), V Umashankar said.

Inspector General (Hisar range) AS Dhillon on Monday said there has been no report of violence by Dera followers in the district.

A special CBI court sentenced Ram Rahim to 20 years in prison after his conviction in two rape cases.

CBI judge Jagdeep Singh pronounced two sentences of 10 years rigorous imprisonment in each of the two cases that date back to 2002, said defence lawyer SK Garg Narwana.

He said both sentences will run consecutively for a total of 20 years in jail for the flamboyant guru who has millions of followers and counts politicians as well as celebrities as his friends.

The conviction of the Dera head triggered arson and violence across Haryana that claimed 38 lives and injured over 250 people. In Sirsa, four people died and 58 were injured.
Hisar court acquitted self-styled godman Sant Rampal in two criminal cases on Tuesday. According to ANI, Rampal will remain in jail as other cases are still pending against him. The verdict in three more cases, including a murder case, however, is yet to come, reported NDTV.

"All allegations against Sant Rampal have been found to be baseless," Lawyer AP Singh told reporters and said the judgment was "a victory of truth". Judicial Magistrate Mukesh Kumar granted the relief to the 66-year-old head of Satlok Ashram in Barwala and his followers at a makeshift court set up inside Hisar central jail, citing lack of evidence.

He( self styled godman Rampal) has been acquitted in the two cases (426 and 427). Its a victory of truth: AP Singh ,Lawyer #Haryana pic.twitter.com/cuK3nTlSKN  ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

On 17 November, 2014, a case was registered against Rampal and his followers under IPC sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of his public function), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty).

Another case was registered against Rampal and his followers  Purshotam Dass, Raj Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Rajender Singh, Rahul and 30-40 other persons  on 18 November, 2014 on a complaint of Sukhdev Singh of Ratia (Fatehabad) under IPC sections 147 (Rioting), 149 (Unlawful assembly, every other member of such assembly shall be guilty of the offence), 188 (disobedient to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant) and 342 (Wrongfully confining any person).

The godman has been accused of conspiracy in an 11-year-old case in which his followers had allegedly opened fire on villagers in Rohtak, leading to the death of three people. On 24 August, the judge had deferred the date of hearing for Tuesday after the police cited tension in the wake of the Dera Sacha Sauda case.

Rampal had been arrested after a tense ten-day standoff between some of his followers and security forces at his sprawling premises led to the death of five women and a one-year-old child.

In November 2014, Rampal had holed himself up inside his ashram in Haryana and his armed followers had clashed with police and paramilitary personnel. The violent incident had left six people dead.

Rampal had even ignored the high court summons as he had failed to appear in the court in the 2006 murder case. Then a non-bailable warrant was issued by the high court in the contempt case.

It has been alleged that some of his followers had been held hostage at his ashram. During the standoff, Rampal's followers had used stones, acid and petrol bombs to attack security personnel.

The conflict began when the Punjab and Haryana High Court told the government to produce Rampal in a contempt of court case. After that, Rampal's supporters surrounded the Satlok Ashram and prevented the police from entering its premises, spread over 12 acres of land.

The sect leader had been avoiding arrest and had failed to appear before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, although non-bailable warrants were issued against him earlier in November that year.

With inputs from PTI
Thimphu: Bhutan on Tuesday welcomed the end of the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops on the Doka La plateau.

In a statement, the Bhutanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area."

It expressed hope that the development would "contribute to the maintenance of peace and tranquility and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries".

On Monday, India and China agreed to withdraw troops from Doka La after an over 70-day standoff, which began on 16 June after Indian troops stopped a People's Liberation Army contingent from constructing a road in the disputed area, which is on the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction.
This image from video aired by North Korea's KRT shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspecting soldiers during what Korean Central News Agency called a "target-striking contest" on Aug. 26. (KRT Video via AP)

North Korea launched a ballistic missile Tuesday morning that flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, the most brazen provocation of Kim Jong Uns five-year-long rule and one that will reignite tensions between Pyongyang and the outside world.

The launch poses a further challenge, in particular, to President Trump, who has made North Korea a favorite rhetorical target.

In Japan, the prime minister was visibly agitated by North Koreas actions. Launching a missile and flying it over our country was a reckless act, and it represents a serious threat without precedent to Japan, Shinzo Abe said after an emergency national security council meeting.

Japans upgraded missile response system swung into action, sending emergency alerts through cellphones and over loudspeakers shortly after 6 a.m. local time, warning people on the potential flight path of the threat and advising them to take cover.

The missile appears to have been a Hwasong-12, an intermediate-range ballistic missile technically capable of flying 3,000 miles, easily putting the U.S. territory of Guam within reach. However, the missile flew east, over Hokkaido and into the Pacific Ocean, rather than on a southward path toward Guam.

Play Video Abe responds after North Korea fires missile over Japan Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the Japanese government would take all possible measures to ensure the safety of his people after a North Korean missile was fired over Japan on Aug. 29. (NHK)

Still, this launch and others on Saturday, coming after North Korea last month launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles theoretically capable of reaching the mainland United States, underscore both Kims defiance of the international community and his determination to press ahead with his missile program.

The White House did not immediately respond to the latest provocation, but analysts said it marked a worrying escalation.

This is a much more dangerous style of test, said Abraham Denmark, director of the Asia program at the Wilson Center and a former top East Asia official at the Pentagon.

North Koreas recent missile tests had been carefully calibrated to go nearly straight up and land in the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, rather than overflying Japan.

North Korean missiles have a habit of breaking apart in flight, so if this happened and parts of it landed in Japan, even if it was not North Koreas intention, this would amount to a de facto attack on Japan, Denmark said.

This missile appeared to have broken into three during flight, but all of the parts landed in the sea.

The missile was launched at 5:58 a.m. Japan time from a site at Sunan, north of Pyongyang. Sunan is the location of the countrys main international airport and the arrival point for outside visitors to the country.

U.S. intelligence agencies were monitoring the site and had seen signs of the impending launch hours earlier, when they spotted Hwasong-12 missile equipment being moved into place.

The Hwasong-12, known to American agencies as the KN-17, is fired from a road-mobile launcher  usually a modified truck  making it easy to move around the country and launch on short notice.

North Korea has sent a missile over Japan before, in 1998. Part of a North Korean rocket also flew over Japan in 2009, although Pyongyang claimed that it was a satellite launch and that it gave Japan notice before the launch.

This time, there was no notice.

The missile flew over Hokkaido at 6:06 a.m., traveling 733 miles to land in the Pacific Ocean east of the islands Cape Erimo at about 6:12 a.m.

The Japanese broadcaster NHK showed Patriot missiles lined up in Japan, ready to shoot down any incoming missiles. However, Japan, a staunch U.S. ally, did not use any of its missile defenses, apparently because the projectiles were not heading to Japanese territory.

We will make every possible effort to protect citizens lives and property, Abe told reporters before heading into the national security council meeting.

South Koreas joint chiefs of staff also confirmed that the missile had passed over Japan.

Tuesdays launch, on the heels of three short-range missiles fired Saturday, comes amid ongoing joint exercises between the United States and South Korean militaries, exercises that North Korea always strongly protests because it considers them preparation for an invasion.

The exercises, which mainly involve computer simulations rather than battlefield maneuvers, are due to end Thursday.

We should expect a kinetic reaction from North Korea during the exercises, but this pushes the boundaries of an ordinary response, said Daryl Kimball, the director of the Arms Control Association.

However, Kimball said that talks still remain the best course of action for dealing with North Korea.

The U.S. and Japan have so few options to respond to these ballistic missile tests short of negotiations that would have North Korea agree to halt these launches in return for a modification of future military exercises, he said. This is why North Korea is such a problem  there are no good options.

The launches mark a dangerous new escalation from Kims regime.

Kim  who has ordered the launch of 18 missiles this year alone, compared with the 16 missiles his father, Kim Jong Il, fired during 17 years in power  has defied international calls to stop his provocations.

Missile launches and nuclear tests are banned by the U.N. Security Council. But Kim has pressed ahead unrelentingly.

His government had been threatening to fire a missile to pass over Japan and land near Guam , the American territory in the Pacific Ocean that is home to two huge U.S. military bases, by the middle of this month. North Korea listed prefectures including Hiroshima, Ehime and Kochi as on the flight path. However, Kim later said that after reviewing the plans, he would watch the Yankees a little longer before making a decision about whether to launch.

Tuesdays missile went in the other direction, north over Hokkaido and away from Guam.

After the Guam threat, Trump warned North Korea that things will happen to them like they never thought possible should the isolated country attack the United States or its allies.

With no missile launches during the first three weeks of August, the Trump administration had suggested that its tough talk was working, with Trump saying last week at a rally in Phoenix that Kim had come to respect him. This echoed an earlier assessment by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Asked Sunday, after three launches the previous day, if he still stood by his and Trumps assessments, Tillerson said it would take some time to tell.

Clearly, they are still messaging us as well, that they are not prepared to completely back away from their position, Tillerson said during an appearance on Fox News Sunday.

Having said that, we are going to continue our peaceful pressure campaign as I have described that working with allies, working with China as well, to see if we can bring the regime in Pyongyang to the negotiating table, with a view to begin a dialogue on the different future for Korean Peninsula and for North Korea.




Beijing: Downplaying India's announcement of a mutual agreement to disengage in Doka La, China claimed its soldiers continued to patrol the area and said India had withdrawn its troops on Monday.

China also remained silent on its plans to build a road, which sparked the prolonged standoff in the Doka La area near Sikkim, and said it would "make adjustments" with the situation on the ground.

As the Indian statement on mutual "expeditious disengagement went viral on social media and among Chinese journalists, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying sought to highlight the withdrawal of Indian troops to dispel impressions of a climbdown by Beijing.

On the afternoon on 28th August, India has pulled back all the trespassing personnel, equipment to the Indian side of the boundary, she said.

Chinese personnel on the ground have verified this. The Chinese side will continue to exercise its sovereignty, uphold territorial integrity in accordance with the historical conventions," she said, stonewalling questions about Indias announcement of mutual disengagement of troops.

The Chinese side, Hua added, continues to patrol the Doka La area.

She also declined to go into questions on whether there was any mutual understanding between the two countries to resolve the standoff.

However, after repeated questions, she said, I can tell you that China will make adjustments with the situation on the ground. She did not elaborate.

Hua was also conspicuously silent about whether China would proceed with the building of the road in Doka La, which was the prime reason for the standoff.

India wanted the status quo to be restored to withdraw its troops.

Bhutan, which claimed sovereignty over the area, had lodged a diplomatic protest to China on 28 June.

Troops of the two countries have been locked in a standoff in Doka La since 16 June after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the disputed area.

India wanted the status quo to be restored to withdraw its troops.

Indian troops intervened to stop Chinese troops from building the road close to the strategic Chicken Neck, the narrow corridor connecting Indias mainland with its North East.

India said Chinas road building also violated the 2012 agreement between the Special Representatives of India and China to resolve the boundary issue. The agreement referred to the strategic tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan.

Developments in Doka La come days of ahead of the 3-5 September BRICS, (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in the Chinese city of Xiamen.

So far, none of the leaders of the five-member bloc, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, have announced their visits.


The Supreme Court of India in Justice KS Puttaswamy (RETD) vs Union of India and Ors WP (C) 494/2012 has declared that Article 21 of the Indian Constitution includes within it a Right to Privacy.

This nine-judge unanimous decision came after the question was referred to it by a three-judge bench hearing the AADHAR matter. The Union Government had taken the stance that Right to Privacy was a common law right protected by statute, and, earlier judgments of the court hadn't recognised it as a Fundamental Right.

But this judgment now clearly settles that position of law and clarifies that the Right to Privacy can only be infringed where there is a compelling state interest to do so: Just as is the case with other fundamental rights. But some background may be helpful in understanding how this came amount.

Article 21 of India's Constitution says: No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.

The original debate begins with the word "procedure according to law". In the first major Article 21 case AK Gopalan vs The State Of Madras (AIR 1950 SC 27), Gopalan was detained under a preventive detention law.

He moved the court saying that his detention was unlawful as it violated his right to personal liberty. The court held that the word used in Article 21 just meant procedural due process and since the preventive detention law under which Gopalan was detained was a valid law, Gopalan's detention was lawful even though that law may have violated some of his other Fundamental Rights such has his Right to Freedom of Movement under Article 19, or, the detention was arbitrary under Article 14.

The reasoning that came out of the case was that Fundamental Rights were silos in themselves and were not interconnected, and constituted independent articles. This doctrine is commonly known as "procedural due process".

This was the doctrine that was in vogue when the famous case of Additional District Magistrate, Jabalpur vs SS Shukla (1976 AIR SC 1,207) was decided as well. That case will be discussed in detail further below. However, in 1977 Maneka Gandhi had her passport impounded.

She wrote to the regional passport officer (RPO) asking for reasons why her passport was impounded and the RPO declined to give her those reasons citing public interest. She filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court saying this breached her Fundamental Rights.

In Maneka Gandhi vs the Union of India (1978 AIR SC 597), the apex court held that the "procedure" under Article 21 had to be fair, just and reasonable, and would have to be also tested with Article 14 (equality) and 19 (the freedoms) thereby ushering in the era of "substantive due process".

With substantive due process, Article 21 began expanding and by incorporation, the term "personal liberty" began to include a wide variety of things such as the right to health, the right to compensation, the right to a hearing, the right to a speedy trial and other such rights having been pronounced by Indian courts over the years.

Last weeks' privacy decision finally allowed for a nine-judge bench to have a clear discussion on how the law has evolved over the years concerning the interpretation of Article 21 especially, and, in doing so, allowed the Supreme Court to finally formally overrule a gross stain on the history of the court. The case of Additional District Magistrate, Jabalpur vs SS Shukla (1976 AIR SC 1,207).

The Emergency in India had resulted in not a suspension of Fundamental Rights. At least as far as the law was concerned, the Constitution doesn't allow for a suspension of Fundamental Rights. Only for a suspension of the right to move the court for their enforcement.

The President of India, during the Emergency, made such a proclamation and many people were detained under various laws. Some of them moved high courts seeking a writ of habeas corpus. The Government said, since the right to move courts for the enforcement of Article 21 is suspended, the petitions were not maintainable.

Three high courts upheld the preliminary objection. A few others did not. They said that while that was the case, it was still open to the petitioners to challenge the validity of the order suspending their right to move court and admitted the petitions. These cases went on appeal before the Supreme Court in Additional District Magistrate, Jabalpur. The petitioners in this case also made one important contention.

They said that while the enforcement of Article 21 rights may be suspended, their right to personal liberty, didn't just flow from Article 21, they had it anyway by virtue of being human beings and even if Article 21 didn't exist, the State couldn't just take it away.

The court reasoned that there could be no review of the presidential orders without reviewing the detention as that was the nature of a writ of habeas corpus. It also reasoned that when the Constitution was enacted, there was an implicit surrender, whereby all pre-existing rights had been surrendered and incorporated into the Constitution, and apart from the Fundamental Rights, there weren't any other rights. Since the petitioners couldn't review their detention without the enforcement of these Fundamental Rights, they remained locked up.

Justice Khanna famously dissented and since, as a result, he was passed over for Chief Justice of India, the judgment has been viewed as a stain on the legacy of the court for many years. The ratio discendi (rationale behind the judgment) that all rights under our Constitution are a positive creation of law rather than merely recognised greatly increases the power of the State to do what it likes with them.

After the Emergency, thanks to Maneka Gandhi's case, the ratio in Additional District Magistrate, Jabalpur was one that was weaker over the years, at least with respect to the main issue of the right to move court during an Emergency-like situation. But in last weeks Right to Privacy case, the judgment of Additional District Magistrate, Jabalpur was finally overruled on doctrinal grounds so far as it concerns rights. The court holding at Paragraph 119 (majority opinion), said:

"The judgments rendered by all the four judges constituting the majority in Additional District Magistrate, Jabalpur are seriously flawed. Life and personal liberty are inalienable to human existence. These rights are, as recognised in Kesavananda Bharati, primordial rights. They constitute rights under natural law.

The human element in the life of the individual is integrally founded on the sanctity of life. Dignity is associated with liberty and freedom. No civilised state can contemplate an encroachment upon life and personal liberty without the authority of law.

"Neither life nor liberty are bounties conferred by the State nor does the Constitution create these rights.

"The right to life has existed even before the advent of the Constitution. In recognising the right, the Constitution does not become the sole repository of the right. It would be preposterous to suggest that a democratic Constitution without a Bill of Rights would leave individuals governed by the State without either the existence of the right to live or the means of enforcement of the right. The right to life being inalienable to each individual, it existed prior to the Constitution and continued in force under Article of the Constitution.

"Justice Khanna was clearly right in holding that the recognition of the right to life and personal liberty under the Constitution does not denude the existence of that right, apart from it nor can there be a fatuous assumption that in adopting the Constitution the people of India surrendered the most precious aspect of the human persona, namely, life, liberty and freedom to the State on whose mercy these rights would depend. Such a construct is contrary to the basic foundation of the rule of law which imposes restraints upon the powers vested in the modern state when it deals with the liberties of the individual.

"The power of the Court to issue a writ of habeas corpus is a precious and undeniable feature of the rule of law."

Going on to hold at Paragraph 122 (Majority Opinion), the court added:

"In IR Coelho vs State of Tamil Nadu (214), this court took the view that Additional District Magistrate, Jabalpur has been impliedly overruled by various subsequent decisions:

During Emergency, the Fundamental Rights were read even more restrictively as interpreted by the majority in Additional District Magistrate, Jabalpur vs Shivakant Shukla [(1976) 2 SCC 521]. The decision in Additional District Magistrate, Jabalpur [(1976) 2 SCC 521] about the restrictive reading of right to life and liberty stood impliedly overruled by various subsequent decisions."

"We now expressly do so."

Thus, finally wiping the stain from the otherwise liberal history of the court. In the same breath, the nine-judge bench proceeded to load the detergent to wash away another major stain on the history of the Supreme Court, the decision in Koushal vs Naz Foundation [(2014) 1 SCC 1] which upheld the constitutional validity of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code of 1860. The court in Kaushal had reasoned that the reliance on the fact that LGBT persons constituted a "minuscule minority" and the reliance on "foreign judgments by the Delhi High Court" as reasons for setting aside the Delhi High Court's judgment was not sound. Going on to hold at Paragraph 126 (Majority Opinion), the nine-judge bench said:

"Sexual orientation is an essential attribute of privacy. Discrimination against an individual on the basis of sexual orientation is deeply offensive to the dignity and self-worth of the individual. Equality demands that the sexual orientation of each individual in society must be protected on an even platform. The right to privacy and the protection of sexual orientation lie at the core of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution"

And at 127 (Majority Opinion), it said:

"The view in Koushal (case) that the high court had erroneously relied upon international precedents 'in its anxiety to protect the so-called rights of LGBT persons' is similarly, in our view, unsustainable. The rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population cannot be construed to be 'so-called rights'. The expression 'so-called' seems to suggest the exercise of a liberty in the garb of a right which is illusory. This is an inappropriate construction of the privacy-based claims of the LGBT population. Their rights are not 'so-called' but are real rights founded on sound constitutional doctrine. They inhere in the right to life. They dwell in privacy and dignity. They constitute the essence of liberty and freedom. Sexual orientation is an essential component of identity. Equal protection demands protection of the identity of every individual without discrimination."

However, since Koushal is currently pending a challenge before a larger bench of the Supreme Court, the court left the Constitutionality to be decided by them, therefore Section 377 is still a good law in India till that bench formally delivers its verdict.

The biggest highlight of last week's judgment, however, would be the refutation of the government's reasoning that the Right to Privacy was an elitist right that would be used to destroy the welfare schemes for a majority of the population. The court has dealt with it and in the opinion of the author, showed the government the writing on the constitutional wall.

This is a nation that is about the individual and that individual includes the poor. The poor person, as well as the rich, have as much at stake when it comes to their constitutional rights. In the words of the Supreme Court at Paragraph 154 (Majority Opinion), it read:

"The Attorney-General argued before us that the Right to Privacy must be forsaken in the interest of welfare entitlements provided by the State. In our view, the submission that the Right to Privacy is an elitist construct which stands apart from the needs and aspirations of the large majority constituting the rest of society is unsustainable. This submission betrays a misunderstanding of the constitutional position. Our Constitution places the individual at the forefront of its focus, guaranteeing civil and political rights in Part III and embodying an aspiration for achieving socio- economic rights in Part IV. The refrain that the poor need no civil and political rights and are concerned only with economic well-being has been utilised through history to wreak the most egregious violations of human rights. Above all, it must be realised that it is the right to question, the right to scrutinise and the right to dissent which enables an informed citizenry to scrutinise the actions of government. Those who are governed are entitled to question those who govern, about the discharge of their constitutional duties including in the provision of socio-economic welfare benefits. The power to scrutinise and to reason enables the citizens of a democratic polity to make informed decisions on basic issues which govern their rights. The theory that civil and political rights are subservient to socio-economic rights has been urged in the past and has been categorically rejected in the course of constitutional adjudication by this court."

Also at 157 (Majority Opinion), it said:

"We need also emphasise the lack of substance in the submission that privacy is a privilege for the few. Every individual in society irrespective of social class or economic status is entitled to the intimacy and autonomy which privacy protects. It is privacy as an intrinsic and core feature of life and personal liberty which enables an individual to stand up against a programme of forced sterilisation. Then again, it is privacy which is a powerful guarantee if the State were to introduce compulsory drug trials of non-consenting men or women. The sanctity of marriage, the liberty of procreation, the choice of a family life and the dignity of being are matters which concern every individual irrespective of social strata or economic well-being. The pursuit of happiness is founded upon autonomy and dignity. Both are essential attributes of privacy which makes no distinction between the birth marks of individuals. "

Overall, last week's decision was a great leap forward in clarifying what has been India's constitutional jurisprudence for over the last few decades, its restatement by a nine-judge bench will allow for a well-guided disposal of other cases. It is a restatement of the liberties and values outlined in the Preamble. The Supreme Court by this decision has also unwritten some past judicial wrongs and has also set in motion the wheels to unwritten some future ones.
After being awarded a combined 20 years sentence for raping two women followers, jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh gawks at more troubles as the murder trials against him near conclusion. According to Economic Times, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will submit its final arguments in both the murder cases against the Dera chief on 16 September.

CBI is investigating the three cases pending against the Dera head, two of which pertain to conspiring murders. The third case is over the alleged castration of 400 Dera followers at the sects Sirsa headquarters. Ram Rahim is accused of plotting the killing of a Sirsa-based journalist, Ram Chander Chhatrapati, and one of his followers for trying to expose his wrongdoings and "sexual exploitations."

Chhatrapati was allegedly killed by suspected Dera followers in 2002 for reporting unlawful activities within the Dera premises, including sexual exploition of women by the sect's head.

Chhatrapati's case is being heard by the same CBI court in Panchkula which convicted the Dera chief on 25 August in the rape case.

The verdict in the two murder trials is expected to be pronounced soon after final arguments of CBI and Ram Rahims lawyers, Economic Times reported. The Punjab and Haryana High Court in July had set a deadline of three months for the special CBI court to conclude the trial in Chhatrapati's murder.

"Arguments are in final stages in both the cases and trial could be over by year end," a lawyer associated with the cases was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times. Ram Rahim had filed a total of over 60 petitions in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. All these were dismissed by the high court after strong opposition by the CBI.

Following Dera chief's conviction, the family of Chhatrapati pinned hope on getting justice. "Notwithstanding the pressure, the CBI judge by his verdict on Dera head has sent a clear and loud message that fraud seers cannot walk scot-free. The common man has now reposed his faith in the judiciary," said Chhatrapatis son Anshul, who has been spearheading the legal battle.

On Monday, a special CBI court pronounced two sentences of 10 years rigorous imprisonment in each of the two rape cases against Ram Rahim. He also faced a fine of Rs 15 lakh in each of the cases, of which Rs 14 lakh each would go to the two victims.
The verdict in two cases against yet another godman, Sant Rampal, will be announced by a Hisar court on Tuesday.

Rampal, 67, had been accused of conspiracy in an 11-year-old case after his followers had allegedly opened fire on villagers in Rohtak, killing one person, according to NDTV.

PTI reported that two cases were registered against the self-styled godman Rampal, the head of Satlok Ashram in Barwala in Hisar, in November 2014.

One was registered against him and some of his followers under IPC Sections 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of his public function), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (Assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty).

The other was registered against Rampal and his followers  Purshotam Dass, Raj Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Rajender Singh, Rahul and 30-40 other persons  on a complaint under IPC Sections 147 (Rioting), 149 (Unlawful assembly, every other member of such assembly shall be guilty of the offence), 188 (disobedient to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant) and 342 (Wrongfully confining any person).

The 2014 Haryana violence

Rampal came under media limelight in November 2014, when a tense ten-day standoff between some of his followers and security forces at his sprawling premises led to the death of five women and a one-year-old child. Some 15,000 of Rampal's followers were evacuated from the godman's premises after the standoff.

It has also been alleged that some of his followers had been held hostage in the ashram during the standoff. Rampal's followers, during the clash with security forces, had used stones, acid and petrol bombs in their attack against security personnel.

The conflict began when the Punjab and Haryana High Court told the government to produce Rampal in a contempt of court case. After that, Rampal's supporters surrounded the Satlok Ashram and prevented the police from entering its premises, spread over 12 acres of land.

The sect leader had been avoiding arrest and had failed to appear before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, although non-bailable warrants were issued against him earlier in November that year.

Rampal's supporters had reportedly vandalised a court in Hisar in July 2014 also when he was going there in connection with a 2006 murder conspiracy case.

His ashram complex had a 20-feet wall all around it for fortification.

The usual megalomania of the godman

Sant Rampal, whose followers call him 'Jagatguru Rampal ji', 'Sant Rampal ji' or 'Rampal Dasji', is the founder and head of a religious sect called Kabir Panth, according to News18.

Rampal had told his followers that he was a direct descendant of Kabir. According to this 2014 DNA report, Rampal had told his followers that instead of the holy trinity of Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh, Kabir needed to be worshipped as the supreme God in Hinduism.

The Satlok Ashram followers had claimed that Rampal had made provisions for being bathed in milk every time he meditated. As if that was not a large enough display of megalomania, his followers also claimed that the same milk was then used to prepare kheer, which was then served to his followers.

A 2014 India Today report also said that Rampal preferred 'hostesses'  whom he called sadhikayeen  inside his private mansion. Only a few of them were allowed to enter his bedroom as his alleged sexual partners.

"There are rumours that these women followers were sexually abused by Rampal's aides also," said the report.

During the 2014 standoff, authorities in the ashram allegedly forced women to partially take off their clothes so they could not leave the ashram.

The godman was born Rampal Singh Jatin on 8 September, 1951, in Sonepat. His father Nand Ram was a farmer, according to International Business Times.

When he was 16 years old, Rampal came under the influence of Saint Ramdevanand, a follower of Kabir. Rampal worked with the Haryana Irrigation Department until 2000, when he was reportedly forced to resign.

After establishing his sect, Rampal in 2006 triggered a row after criticising the central text of the Arya Samaj, which led to clashes between the two sects. Arya Samaj followers surrounded his ashram and one person was shot dead in the clash.

Rampal was charged with murder and spent 22 months in prison. He was released on bail in 2008 but did not attend court hearings regularly after that.

In fact, between 2010 and 2014, Rampal skipped court 42 times.

Rampal's ashram was so huge that ration stocks were found at the premises after the standoff which could have sustained hundreds of people for months. Up to 10,000 people could be fed at the same time in the ashram, which even had an in-house hospital.

A huge cache of arms and ammunition was found inside Rampal's Satlok ashram after the 2014 standoff. From two almirahs, police found .32 bore revolvers, .315 bore rifles and 12 bore guns. The officials also found some ammunition, including several rounds used in self-loading rifles (SLR) and 303 rifles.

Most of the weapons were kept in bags and almirahs in two secret rooms. In the centre of the ashram, Rampal had an elevated structure on which he had his seat. The ammunition was stored under the structure so that no one could find it.

A special room was set up within the ashram for Rampal's security personnel comprising private commandos. The sprawling complex was found to be under constant surveillance with CCTV cameras installed at several keypoints to keep a tab on the movements of devotees. Metal detectors had also been found.

In his prayer hall, Rampal used to sit in a hydraulic chair to deliver sermons from a bulletproof enclosure as his private militia stood guard. Rampal used to be elevated to the bulletproof cabin in the hall by means of a hydraulic lift. The hall had 3D projection facilities to screen Rampal's sermons.

The ashram ran a well-stocked kitchen that could cater to one lakh people a month. The complex could accommodate one lakh followers at a time. An electronic roti-making machine, having a capacity of preparing about 1,000 loafs of bread at a time, had also been found after the standoff.

Like many so-called godmen in the country, Rampal hardly lived a life of austerity. Rampal had access to bull-proof enclosures or SUVs, a swimming pool, gym equipment, flat screen TVs, split air-conditioners and even massage therapy beds.

Rampal was believed to have been living in a five-storey house in one part of the ashram complex, which was secured from the rest of the premises.

With inputs from agencies
Almost like cameos in films, Chief Justices of India (CJIs) appear and disappear rapidly from the very apex of the country's judicial system.

Justice Dipak Misra takes oath as the Chief Justice of India (CJI). pic.twitter.com/r4aeTlftsd  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2017

The latest in this quick procession is Justice Dipak Misra, who took over on Monday as the 45th Chief Justice of India (CJI). By virtue of being the senior-most judge after the retiring CJI, Justice JS Khehar, Justice Misra has become the automatic choice to succeed him. But he will stay in office only for 13 months, till he retires on 2 October 2018 on attaining the age of 65 years.

Yet Justice Misra is luckier. Justice Khehar, whom he succeeds, stayed in office for only seven and a half months. And Justice TS Thakur, who preceded Justice Khehar, lasted 11 months. And before Justice Thakur, Justice HL Dattu had been the CJI for, again, 13 months.

Besides causing ripples of instability in the administration of judicial system, the short tenures of CJIs leave them little time to execute any ideas they have to deal with the twin problems of filling judges' vacancies and clearing the mounting heaps of pending cases.

In the 67 years since 1950, when India's Constitution and the Supreme Court came into existence, we have had 45 CJIs, which works out to an average tenure of 18 months for the country's highest judicial post. The CJI who has had the longest term was Justice YV Chandrachud, who was in office for close to seven years and five months till July 1985. Justice Kamal Narain Singh, the 22nd CJI, had the dubious honour of having the shortest stint of 17 days in 1991.

In contrast, against the 45 Chief Justices, India has had 14 Presidents, 14 Prime Ministers and 16 Lok Sabha Speakers between 1950 and now.

How to ensure longer terms for chief justices?

In the first place, how did we get into the current mess of short-lived chief justices? That's because of the system of choosing the senior-most judge to replace the outgoing CJI. And how did that system come in? Blame Article 124(2) of the Constitution for it. It has flummoxed even the most hard-boiled Constitutional wizards. It states:

"Every Judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal after consultation with such of the Judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Courts in the States as the President may deem necessary for the purpose and shall hold office until he attains the age of sixty five years: Provided that in the case of appointment of a Judge other than the chief Justice, the chief Justice of India shall always be consulted. (a) a Judge may, by writing under his hand addressed to the President, resign his office; (b) a Judge may be removed from his office in the manner provided in clause (4)."

This leaves unsaid a lot more than it says. While the article lays down the process of appointing judges, and even removing them, it is disconcertingly silent on how to go about choosing the Chief Justice of India.

Not surprisingly, Article 124(2) has led to much hair-pulling, leading to at least two possible interpretations in legal circles.

1) The Constitution's authors perhaps wanted the post of the CJI to be considered no more than that of a judge and expected the government to follow the same process for filling the two posts.

2) Or was the government expected to invent an altogether new system beyond the purview of Article 124(2) to appoint the CJI, probably someone other than an SC judge, after consultation with the incumbent in office-or more likely without it?

This confusion led to the convenient "convention" of the outgoing Chief Justice recommending the name of the senior-most judge after him in the SC as his successor, and then the President, in effect the Prime Minister, accepting it.

In 1954, Jawaharlal Nehru tried to break the convention by appointing Justice BK Mukherjea as the CJI after the retirement of Justice Patanjali Sastri. However, Nehru relented and stuck to the seniority rule when all the judges of the court, including Mr Mukherjea, offered to resign.

But Indira Gandhi suffered no such qualms of conscience-she rarely did-when she broke the seniority convention with impunity twice. In 1973, she appointed Justice AN Ray as the CJI, bypassing three judges-Justices Manilal Shelat, AN Grover and KS Hegde-senior to him, throwing judiciary into a turmoil and leading to widespread protests across India. Indira outdid herself in 1977 when Justice Ray retired. She chose Justice MH Beg as his successor, bypassing his senior, Justice HR Khanna, who then resigned from the court.

Chief Justice Ray was one of the four judges of the five-judge bench that, in its infamous 28 April 1976 judgement during the emergency, upheld Indira Gandhi's right to throw anyone into prison at her whim, denying them the chance to even question their detention in a court. While Justice Ray repaid a debt for the services rendered a year ago, Justice Khanna, the lone dissenting judge in the 1976 verdict, was punished.

At least, twice in the past  once in 1993 (the case of judges' appointments) and again in 2015 (case related to the National Judicial Appointments Commission)  the Supreme Court backed the seniority convention, leaving the government with little choice in finding an alternative system.

Remedy worse than disease

In general, appointments made solely on the basis of seniority possibly carry an inherent bias against merit and so are questionable, especially if they mean very short terms for those appointed. But in the case of picking CJIs, breaking the seniority rule seems like the perfect case of a remedy being worse than the disease-if it's a disease.

Breaking this convention could lead to questionable appointments and flagrant misuse of power, like the Indira Gandhi regime's 1973 and 1977 examples. It could also end up in controversies of the kind that flare up over appointment of directors-general-of police (DGPs) in states.

With the ruse of picking meritorious officers who will have reasonably long terms, several chief ministers routinely hand-pick yes-men as state police chiefs, ignoring their seniors. Ironically, in this case, the Supreme Court came up with a solution in a landmark judgment on 22 September 2006. The remedy involved the chief minister making a choice from three senior-most officers, empanelled by the UPSC with the considerations of length of service and record, and then ensuring that the new police chief would have a minimum term of two years, irrespective of the date of his superannuation.

But no solution that could be even remotely interpreted as executive interference is workable in the case of selecting the Chief Justice of India. Nor is it acceptable to the Supreme Court for good reasons. A change of status quo could mean the judiciary making itself vulnerable to browbeating by the executive, whichever party is in power.

Allegations against Misra ignored

Some questioned the choice of Justice Misra in view of the allegations against him related to a 1979 land allotment in Odisha and the suicide note of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul. But both, the outgoing CJI and the Narendra Modi government, went ahead with the appointment and stuck to the seniority rule, perhaps in their respective best interests.

The Supreme Court has often been criticised for favouring what is ridiculed as the system of "judges appointing judges". In fact, the court, again for good reasons, also favours the present system of what effectively means the Chief Justice appointing the next Chief Justice. For the time being, or at least till a massive structural overhaul happens in future, that seems to be the best bet to ensure that India's judiciary stays robust and independent.

Till then, the country has to make do with short-lived chief justices.
Chennai: Jaya TV on Monday hit back at Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswamy's camp for what it alleged was a threat by the ruling faction to wrest control of it and a Tamil daily, backing AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran's camp.

The channel head's reaction comes in the wake of a party meet led by Chief Minister E Palaniswamy and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam wherein it was decided to initiate legal steps to ensure that party-backed media Namathu Dr MGR and Jaya TV "continued to hail" Jayalalithaa.

It is seen as an attempt to wrest control of the media outlets from the Dhinakaran camp

Chief Executive Officer of Jaya TV, Vivek Jayaraman said the move was strongly condemnable.

"Jaya TV and Namathu Dr MGR (Tamil daily) are private companies... these firms cannot be taken over by anybody just like that," he said in a statement.

If the ruling camp sought to do it despite knowing that these were private entities, "it is an open threat to the channel which has won the admiration of the people."

"How can the channel be acquired by a government or a political party?" he asked.

Claiming that the firm was facing indirect intimidation of "raids and cases," he said they had the courage and truth to back them to take on such threats.

"Since our function and accounts are honest we do not fear any pressure," he said and added that if "false cases are still foisted" on them, they would legally face it.

He said the company would oppose the "threat" with determination the way they had dealt with "indirect pressure."

"Nobody need dream that they can make a company to bow before them by escalating pressure."

Asserting that the founding of Jaya TV nearly two decades ago was a "baptism by fire," he quoted former chief minister Jayalalithaa as having said that "the channel was swimming against hostile currents like Central government's troubles, political rivals and conspiracies from within and outside enemies."

However, he did not mention when the late leader had made such remarks. "I would like to give this (Jayalalaithaa's remarks) as my reply to all those working against Jaya TV."

Elaborating on indirect challenges faced by Jaya TV, he alleged that in regions, including Salem and Erode in Tamil Nadu, some were "blacking out" the channel. This was being done through a government run entity, he alleged.

Earlier in the day, the Palaniswamy faction's meet had said "Jaya TV and the daily were launched following efforts of Jayalalithaa and the contribution of lakhs of party workers and therefore they are our party's assets."

Ever since the confrontation began between the Palaniswamy and Dhinakaran factions, the two media outlets have openly sided with the Sasikala camp.
New Delhi: Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Tuesday approached the Election Commission, saying the poll panel should hear him before taking any decision on the party's election symbol.

The nephew of jailed AIADMK leader Sasikala approached the poll watchdog days after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palanaswami joined hands with rival O Panneerselvam to end the bitter feud between the warring factions of the party.

While the two factions joined hands, they made it clear that Sasikala and Dhinakaran, who still maintains he is the party deputy general secretary, will have no role to play in party affairs.

AIADMK Karnataka unit chief Pugazhendhi, who supports Dhinakaran, said he submitted a memorandum to the EC on Tuesday morning, reminding it that Sasikala was the principal respondent in the case and her and Dhinakaran's view should be considered before the poll panel takes any decision.

He alleged that letter pad of the AIADMK was being "misused" by factions including the chief minister.

"There are chances of factions misguiding the EC. So we want to remind the EC that GS Sasikala Natarajan and TTV Dhinakaran are the main respondents," he said.

The EC had in March issued an interim order freezing the 'two leaves' election symbol of the AIADMK, saying both the rival camps cannot use the party symbol as well as its name for the prestigious RK Nagar Assembly bypoll.

While EPS and OPS factions have ended their differences, the symbol issue is likely to continue in the EC for some time as Sasikala camp is still opposed to the merger.
As 21 MLAs of AIADMK loyal to sidelined party deputy-chief TTV Dhinakaran continued their rebellion within the party, Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswamy called a meeting on Monday which decided to convene the party's general council. A decision to remove jailed party general-secretary VK Sasikala from the post is likely be taken at the general council meeting.

According to The Hindu, the general council and executive meeting will be convened on 12 September. Monday's meeting, which some of the party MLAs and MPs did not attend, also discussed the validity of the appointments made by Sasikala before going to jail in the Rs 66.6 crore disproportionate assets case, AIADMK sources told PTI.

Steps would be taken to consider removing Sasikala as the chief of the party at the meeting of the general council, the apex body of the AIADMK, sources added.

Convened by Palaniswamy and attended by senior party functionaries and ministers, Monday's meeting also discussed Dhinakaran's recent shuffling of the party ranks, the sources said. Dhinakaran had removed Palaniswamy as the party's Salem district secretary on Sunday, besides sacking many other ministers from party posts.

But unfazed by the attack from the chief minister's camp, Dhinakaran continued to reshuffle party ranks on Monday.

Among others, Dhinakaran sacked cabinet ministers P Thangamani and SP Velumani as district secretaries of Namakkal and Coimbatore, respectively. He also removed their colleague M Natarajan as the district secretary of Tiruchirapally City unit.

Dhinakaran sacked member of Parliament Tiruchirappally secretary T Rathinavel too. Thangamani and Velumani, besides former ministers V Murthy, TKM Chinnaiah, BV Ramana and Mukkur N Subramanian were also removed by Dhinakaran as AIADMK organisation secretaries. Apart from announcing the reshuffling of other party units, Dhinakaran has removed MPs KR Arjunan and SR Vijayakumar as secretaries of Nilgiris and students's wing secretaries.

The Palaniswamy camp has rejected these decisions, saying Dhinakaran had been removed as deputy general-secretary on 10 August, and hence sackings and appointments ordered by him were not valid.

All the changes were being made with the approval of party chief VK Sasikala, Dhinakaran said in a statement.

Sasikala was appointed the interim general-secretary of the party by the general council at a meeting held on 29 December 2016, days after the demise of late chief minister and party supremo J Jayalalithaa.

On 20 August, when the two factions of the AIADMK, led respectively by Palaniswamy and current Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam merged, party leader R Vaithilingam said steps would be taken to sack Sasikala from the party, a demand raised by the Panneerselvam faction for the unification.

The AIADMK has 134 MLAs in the 234-member state Assembly with one vacancy.

Currently, 21 AIADMK MLAs have sided with Dhinakaran and are camping at the neighbouring union territory of Puducherry after meeting Tamil Nadu governor Vidyasagar Rao, and expressing lack of confidence in the chief minister.

Meanwhile, sources in the unified AIADMK said a team of ministers might approach the Election Commission to withdraw the affidavits filed in favour of Sasikala by the Palaniswamy camp before the merger. They might leave for Delhi soon, accompanied by aides of Pannnerselvam, they added.

The erstwhile Panneerselvam faction had earlier approached the Election Commission against Sasikala's appointment as party chief last year.

Monday's meeting also dwelled upon "retrieving" AIADMK mouthpiece Namathu Dr MGR and news channel Jaya TV, both of which have been publishing and airing anti-state government reports, following the tussle between the two factions.

On Monday, Jaya TV hit back at Palaniswamy's camp for what it alleged was a threat by the ruling faction to wrest control of it and Namathu Dr MGR. The channel head's reaction comes in the wake of a party meet led by Palaniswamy and Panneerselvam wherein it was decided to initiate legal steps to ensure that the party-backed media houses continued to hail" Jayalalithaa.

With inputs from PTI
There is no other issue that has weighed down the Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala as much as nepotism. It has hardly been fifteen months since the Communist Party of India-Maxist (CPM) led LDF government took the reins in Kerala but yet another minister faces charges of nepotism.

KK Shailaja, Minister for Health & Social Welfare, could become the latest casualty as pressure mounts on her to quit over what even the Kerala High Court observed as blatant abuse of power and nepotism in appointing a CPM man with 12 criminal cases against him and others close to the ruling party as members at the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR), overlooking other eligible candidates.

As the minister refuses to budge, the Opposition led by the Congress had been stalling the proceedings of the house over the past week.

That Shailaja is the second minister in the present cabinet to face nepotism charges, after EP Jayarajan who resigned in October 2016, is indeed an unprecedented situation. Never in the history of any Left government in Kerala had such an unsavoury situation arisen where inside the first two years itself, ministers have been charged with nepotism and abuse of power.

A single bench of the Kerala High Court, while staying the appointment observed, ...it has come out that the additional third respondent who is appointed as a member of the Commission is an active worker of the political party which is in power in the state, the only inference possible is to hold that the enlargement of the time limit by the minister was intended to appoint the additional third respondent as member of the Commission and the same was not an excise of power in good faith for the purpose for which power was conferred on the minister."

The division bench of the high court later expunged the highly damaging remarks made against the minister by the single bench, citing the technicality that the minister was neither an official party to the case nor was she heard before the court made such remarks.

But the heat is on the minister since it is very clear that impropriety had certainly been committed. Legal experts feel it would not be a surprise if she gets impleaded too in due course of time.

The gravity of the situation could perhaps be understood in the desperation shown by the Additional Advocate General, who appeared on behalf of the state, when he pleaded first with the single bench and then the divisional bench to remove the adverse remarks, stating that the minister will have no option but to resign if the remarks stayed.

Just when it seemed Shailajas day had been saved by the removal of the comments from the judgment, matters took an uglier turn on Thursday with the Lok Ayukta registering a case against the minister following a complaint from the leader of the Opposition in the House Ramesh Chennithala.

The high court might have expunged the adverse comments as per the request of the government. But that in no way takes away the seriousness of the malpractice committed by the minister. The Congress will not rest till the minister resigns. There can be no compromise on this," Congress MLA and vice-president of the party VD Satheesan told Firstpost.

With the Lok Ayukta making it clear that prima facie the charges of nepotism and abuse of power against the minister look good enough for an investigation, there are tough days ahead for Shailaja.

Many activists are ready to give the benefit of doubt to the minister as far as corruption is concerned because Shailaja has the tag of an honest politician. But they say the ministers problem lies elsewhere.

It is very unlikely that Shailaja would have personally benefited from this. But rather, she would have just implemented what the party wanted her to do. Whenever the Left comes to powers, often ministers are found to be such puppets which work from with orders from the AKG Center (party HQ). But then too, there was some efficiency around it. Such blatant promotions of persons with criminal precedence because they happen to be party members have never been seen before," noted political commentator NM Pearson told Firstpost.

The CPM meanwhile is backing Shailaja to the hilt, not just inside the State Assembly but outside it too.

There are so many people who would love Shailaja to resign on this issue. I can only say that such people are only daydreaming. The minister will not resign on this matter come what may," CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told mediapersons on Thursday.

The case against Shailaja

It was on 8 November, 2016 that the government called for applications for appointment of members at the KSCPCR. The notification clearly said that 5 pm of 30 November would be the last chance to submit the forms and that no application would be entertained after that at any cost.

But on 12 January, 2017, the government issued another notification saying that the deadline had been extended to 20 January.

Jasmine Alex, working as teacher at the School of Indian Legal Thought at the Mahatma Gandhi University, who had put in her application, was a bit taken aback by this second notification because the intial government notification was based on the assumption of the number of vacancies that would arise at the Commission beginning 7 January. Hence, there was no logic in extending the deadline which meant getting more applications, which in turn would affect the entire selection process. So she decided to challenge it.

She approached the Kerala High Court, which found truth in her argument after closely scrutinising the whole process. The Court on 19 January asked the government not to finalise appointment as per the second notification and on 7 April asked the state for the detailed list.

But in spite of the stay, the government went ahead with the appointment on 2 May, much to the shock of the judiciary which later on found that the entire process was sabotaged at the behest of the minister to include a party man and a few others close to the party.

The court took no time in annulling the entire process and came down heavily on the minister who had pushed the application dates to accommodate and favour the new candidates. Nepotism was too obvious to be overlooked in this situation.

Many say that appointing someone with 12 criminal cases, of which 6 are still pending, in an area as delicate as child rights is not only a blatant violation of the International Convention of Rights of a Child (to which India is a signatory) but also against the rules of the Child Rights Act 2005.

It also showed that the minister was actually subverting the law at her will, though the AG argued that he had committed the error of not informing the minister of the stay from the court, an argument the court took with a pinch of salt.

See, it was very clear that date has been changed to include persons close to the ruling party but with no credentials and the court readily agreed to our claim. Also, the court found merit in our argument that a qualified person like Jasmine was left out because she had approached the court from the beginning. This is just outright nepotism," said Advocate Santosh Mathew, Alexs lawyer.

A tale of goof-ups

It is not just the present fiasco that has come to haunt Shailaja. Rather, Shailajas has been a tale of goof-ups.

The inability of the health department under her to foresee fever and vector-borne diseases taking control over the state in the last few months so much so that the deaths due to dengue and other fever-related cases had risen to unseen numbers, speaks of her total inefficiency.

Many feel that the health department caught completely off-guard with their preparedness in dealing with such crisis only reflects on the poor managerial skills of the minister.

Monsoon is usual annual phenomenon in Kerala and the vector-borne diseases have been a part and parcel of the changing climatic conditions in the state. But in spite of knowing what is likely to happen, the health department failed to kick off its preventive measures in close cooperation with other departments.

There is no surprise that Shailaja is caught in a nepotism issue. It reflects the terrible unprofessional attitude of the minister and the way she has conducted her office. How will you otherwise explain the appointment of a person with 12 criminal cases? Was the minister sleeping when the files came infront of her? People are dying of fever, but the state doesnt even care. Look at how the medical colleges admission has been in total shambles," noted activist advocate A Jayashankar told Firstpost.

This was perhaps the same question that the high court raised regarding the admissions to self-financing private medical colleges.

Here too, the Directorate of Medical Education, which had to facilitate the admission of students based on the National Eligibility & Entrance Test (NEET), sat on the procedures for months till the high court gave a rap on knuckles, asking if the government was dilly-dallying the whole process so as to derail the admissions and help the college managements sell seats at a higher rate to students after many remain empty.

The uniform fee structure for students on merit quota to self-financing colleges was fixed at Rs 5 lakh by the fee regulatory body which was then ratified by the Kerala High Court in July.

But the Association of Self-Financing Private Medical Colleges went to the Supreme Court and managed to get an order increasing the fees to Rs 11 lakh before the government could finish the admission process.

It is here that many, including the Opposition parties, allege that the government had colluded with the private colleges by giving them enough time to get an order from Supreme Court. The contention of the private colleges association was that the government had entered into an agreement with two colleges differently where fees were revised to Rs 11 lakh, making the Supreme Court ruling in favour of the association.

Here, the allegation against the government is that it had concealed information that those two colleges had a slab-based fee structure where the rest of the fees were as low as Rs 25 thousand, and Rs 2 lakh in the place of others which had a uniform 5 lakh fee structure.

With the government keeping quiet, the apex court had no idea about it.

Armed with the new orders, the association jeopardised the admission process, causing distress to a number of students and the government stood a silent spectator. See, we will have to concede without doubt that the health department has been a complete disaster and the minister a laughing stock for one error after another. Nepotism is just the tip of the iceberg. People have been dying everyday because of fever and this minister has not been able to do anything to arrest it. Its just gross inefficiency and most of us feel because the minister is caught somewhere in between protecting the interest of the party and governance of her department," veteran journalist Sunnykutty Abraham told Firstpost.
tech2 News Staff

At IFA Berlin, Microsoft plans to reveal more details about its upcoming mixed reality platform and the headsets that go with it.

While the likes of Facebook and Google focus on virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), Microsoft has been focussing on mixed reality (MR). MR can best be described as a cross between AR and VR, where the real and virtual worlds collide. Microsoft has demoed this reality using its HoloLens, first showcased in 2015. The demo was certainly exciting, but tempering that excitement was its price of $3,000. In comparison, the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are $499 and $799 respectively.

With the newly announced hardware, Microsoft is promising to democratise virtual reality this holiday. To that end, Microsoft and its partners are announcing affordable headsets that are easy to set up. The easy-to-setup part is courtesy of Microsofts inside-out tracking, wherein sensors mounted on the headset are used for motion tracking as well as 3D mapping, both of which are required for a great VR/AR/MR experience. VR kits like those from Oculus and HTC require tracking cameras and other such paraphernalia to ensure a good VR experience.

Reporters from The Verge, who tried one of the headsets for themselves, state that these new headsets are, unlike the HoloLens, cheap VR headsets, making us wonder why theyre called MR headsets in the first place.

The price of the hardware will now start at $399 and should be compatible with most PCs. HP, Lenovo, Dell and Acer will be building these headsets.

According to Microsofts blog, PCs with integrated graphics should be able to power an MR experience at 60 fps. PCs that are more powerful should be able to power MR at 90 fps and will be classified as Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs.

New controllers were also unveiled at the event, and while The Verge reports that they look like the Oculus Touch controllers, do note that the tracking mechanism is slightly different. Instead of external cameras, the headsets own camera will track the position of LED lights on the controllers.

Finally, Microsoft has left the most interesting bit for the last. The software giant has announced that the headsets will now support the Steam VR platform and that 343 Industries, the folk behind Halo, will be bringing the Halo experience to MR platforms soon.
tech2 News Staff

It's not the Z Play that we were expecting, but many will be happy that Motorola finally launched an update to the ageing Moto X Play called the Moto G Play at Rs 8,999. The smartphone will go on sale on Amazon on 6 September 2016, 10PM onwards and basically offers a quad-core chipset in a newer Moto G4 body with VoLTE that should hopefully find some buyers.

Why? Well, it is because the Moto G Play does not even qualify as an update with it's Snapdragon 410 SoC. So what has Motorola India just launched? Well it's basically a toned down Moto X Play, as the real successor to the X Play is technically the Z Play that should hopefully arrive with the Motorola's new Moto Z Force and the Moto Z (along with support for their modular bits).

At Rs 8,999 this budget Moto Play smartphone packs in a 5-inch HD display sporting a pixel density of 294ppi. Inside, we get a now ageing Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset paired with 2GB RAM. You get 16GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot that accepts cards of up to 128GB in capacity.

Coming to the imaging bits, the handset features an 8MP camera on the back and a 5MP unit up front. The handset features the usual radios including 4G bands (with support for VoLTE), Bluetooth 4.1 LE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz) A-GPS and a microUSB connector at the bottom.

The handset is powered by Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, weighs in at 136gms and features a 2,800mAh battery that along with a 10W quick charger delivers a 5 hours of battery life with 15 minutes of charge.

The handset will be available in black and white and features a dual sims (micro+ nano) setup.
IANS

Researchers at the University of Washington have developed an app that could allow people to easily screen for pancreatic cancer simply by snapping a smartphone selfie.

The app named 'BiliScreen' uses a smartphone camera, computer vision algorithms and machine learning tools to detect increased bilirubin levels in a person's sclera, or the white part of the eye.

One of the earliest symptoms of pancreatic cancer, as well as other diseases, is jaundice, a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes caused by a buildup of bilirubin in the blood.

In adults, the whites of the eyes are more sensitive than skin to changes in bilirubin levels, which can be an early warning sign for pancreatic cancer or hepatitis.

The ability to detect signs of jaundice when bilirubin levels are minimally elevated could enable an entirely new screening programme for at-risk individuals.

"The problem with pancreatic cancer is that by the time you're symptomatic, it's frequently too late," said lead author Alex Mariakakis.

"The hope is that if people can do this simple test once a month  in the privacy of their own homes  some might catch the disease early enough to undergo treatment that could save their lives," Mariakakis said in a statement released by the university.

In an initial clinical study of 70 people, the app  used in conjunction with a 3D printed box that controls the eye's exposure to light  correctly identified cases of concern 89.7 percent of the time, compared to the blood test currently used.

The new app has been described in a paper to be presented at Ubicomp 2017, the Association for Computing Machinery's international joint conference on pervasive and ubiquitous computing to be held at Maui, Hawaii from 11-15 September.

The blood test that doctors currently use to measure bilirubin levels  which is typically not administered to adults unless there is reason for concern  requires access to a health care professional and is inconvenient for frequent screening.

BiliScreen is designed to be an easy-to-use, non-invasive tool that could help determine whether someone ought to consult a doctor for further testing.

The researchers believe that beyond diagnosis, BiliScreen could also potentially ease the burden on patients with pancreatic cancer who require frequent bilirubin monitoring.
IANS

Cloud infrastructure and business mobility leader VMware on Monday announced a partnership with HP Inc that will add VMware Workspace ONE to HP's Device as a Service (DaaS) technology platform.

'Workspace ONE' is an integrated digital workspace platform, powered by the VMware 'AirWatch Unified Endpoint Management' (UEM) technology, that simply and securely delivers and manages any app on any device.

It provides a user-centric approach to managing all endpoints in an organisation  from mobile and desktop to Internet of Things (IoT).

"'VMware Workspace ONE' enables our customers to manage the complete lifecycle of the end points and applications over-the-air and in real-time," said Sumit Dhawan, senior vice president and general manager, End-User Computing, VMware.

The announcement came as the company kicked off VMworld 2017 conference in the presence of over 20,000 participants from across the world.

HP DaaS offers a modern consumption model for computing in which hardware and lifecycle services are combined to improve the user experience and free up IT resources to drive growth.

"We are excited to partner with VMware and incorporate their unified endpoint management solution into HP DaaS, and believe the strength of our combined platforms creates the next generation of device consumption for mutual customers," added Ron Coughlin, President, Personal Systems, HP Inc.

Unified endpoint management in Workspace ONE enables IT to deploy security patches and OS updates faster, install software more reliably and consolidate operational processes across all devices  on or off the domain in real-time.

VMware also announced new releases of VMware Integrated OpenStack and VMware vRealize Network Insight to help customers modernise their data centres.

Additionally, VMware is unveiling a new VMware vSAN offering to accelerate the adoption of distributed IT by reducing the cost and complexity of expanding enterprise IT features beyond the data centre.

VMware, that reported a revenue of $7.09 billion in 2016, has over 500,000 customers and 75,000 partners worldwide.
Dhaka: Bangladesh has proposed joint military operations with Myanmar against Rohingya militants fighting in Rakhine state, as the UN raised fears over reports of civilians killed during fresh violence in recent days.

An upsurge in fighting in Rakhine, an impoverished state neighbouring Bangladesh, has been raging since Friday when Rohingya militants staged coordinated ambushes against Myanmar's security forces.

More than 100 people, including around 80 militants, have been confirmed killed in the fightback, which has seen thousands of Rohingya villagers fleeing for Bangladesh.

The United Nation's Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "is deeply concerned at the reports of civilians being killed during security operations in Myanmar's Rakhine State," according to a statement from spokesman Stephane Dujarric. He called on Bangladesh to step up assistance to civilians escaping the violence, noting "many of those fleeing are women and children, some of whom are wounded".

More than 3,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar, where the stateless Muslim minority faces persecution, in the past three days, the UN refugee agency said on Tuesday.

Bangladesh has said there are thousands more Rohingya massed on its border with Myanmar, where it has stepped up patrols and pushed back hundreds of civilians who have tried to enter. Their flight comes as Human Rights Watch said it has satellite data "consistent with widespread burnings" in 10 populated areas of the violence-wracked wedge of Rakhine State near Bangladesh. Those include Rohingya villages as well as Rakhine-majority settlements attacked by the militants.

In a meeting with Myanmar's charge d'affaires in Dhaka, a top Bangladeshi foreign ministry official proposed joint military efforts against the militants along the border. "If Myanmar wished, the security forces of the two countries could conduct joint operations against the militants, any non-state actors or the Arakan Army along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border," a foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity, as he was not permitted to speak to the media.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) is a militant group that says it is fighting to protect the Muslim minority from abuses by Myanmar security forces and the majority-Buddhist Rakhine community. There was no comment from the Myanmar diplomat.

At the weekend, as violence in Rakhine worsened, Bangladesh's foreign minister summoned Myanmar's charge'd affaires in Dhaka to express "serious concern" at the possibility of a fresh refugee influx. There are already some 400,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh in squalid camps near its border with Myanmar. Bangladesh is waging a bloody crackdown on homegrown Islamist militancy and has vowed 'zero tolerance' towards violent extremism, domestic or otherwise, on its soil.

Dhaka has repeatedly asked Myanmar to take back the Rohingya refugees and address the root causes of problem.

Despite decades of persecution, the Rohingya in Myanmar's western Rakhine state largely eschewed violence. But in October ARSA, a small and previously unknown militant group, staged a series of well coordinated and deadly attacks on security forces.
Washington: President Donald Trump on Monday defended his decision to pardon Joe Arpaio, calling the former Arizona sheriff a "patriot" who loves his country.

Asked about his controversial pardon during a joint press conference with the president of Finland on Monday, Trump insisted that "a lot of people" believe he made the right call. He said Arpaio had done a "great job for the people of Arizona" and argued that he'd been treated "unbelievable unfairly" by the Obama administration.

"He's done a great job for the people of Arizona. He is very strong on borders, very strong on illegal immigration. He is loved in Arizona," Trump said.

Trump's decision drew criticism from both sides of the aisle, and renewed allegations that he has little respect for an independent judiciary.

Arpaio shot to national fame by aggressively targeting immigrants living in the US illegally using tactics that Latino and immigrants' rights advocates likened to racial profiling. He faced a possible jail sentence on a federal conviction stemming from his refusal to halt certain immigration patrols.

"Sheriff Joe is a patriot. Sheriff Joe loves our country. Sheriff Joe protected our borders and Sheriff Joe was very unfairly treated by the Obama administration, especially right before an election, an election that he would have won," Trump said during the event on Monday. "So I stand by my pardon of Sheriff Joe and I think the people of Arizona who really know him best would agree with me."

The White House's Friday announcement came as Hurricane Harvey threatened to batter Texas with heavy winds and severe flooding and shortly after the administration outlined long-awaited details of Trump's plan to ban transgender individuals from serving in the military. But Trump pushed back on the assumption the timing was intended to bury the news, claiming instead that he'd announced the pardon then because he knew people would be watching.

"In the middle of a hurricane, even though it was Friday evening, I assumed the ratings would be far higher than they would be normally," he said.

Trump on Monday also continued to insist that Mexico will pay for his long-promised Southern border wall. "One way or the other Mexico will pay for the wall," Trump said, arguing that, while the project may initially be funded by United States taxpayers, "ultimately" Mexico will pay.

Trump recently threatened to force a federal government shutdown unless Congress provides funding for his wall, but said Monday that he hopes such had drastic measure is "not necessary."

Still, he added: "if it's necessary, we'll have to see."
Kabul: A suicide bombing in a busy commercial area in Kabul near a string of banks and not far from the US Embassy killed at least five people on Tuesday, Afghan officials said. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Elsewhere, at least 13 civilians were killed in an overnight airstrike by the Afghan air force that targeted the Taliban in western Herat province.

In the Kabul attack, the explosion likely targeted a branch of the privately owned Kabul Bank, according to Basir Mujahid, spokesman for the Kabul police chief. The US Embassy compound is located about 500 meters (yards) down the road from the bank.

At the site of the blast, debris and twisted metal lay scattered on the pavement. The front side of the bank was completely shattered and there was much damage to the fronts of several adjacent businesses. A charred motorcycle with its parts mangled lay on the street.

Along with the five killed, the attack also wounded nine, said Mohammad Salim Rasouli, chief of Kabul hospitals at the health ministry. He warned that those were only initial reports and that the casualty toll could rise further.

The bomber had walked up to the bank and was about to go through the security check and enter the bank, an Afghan official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. Apparently realising he would not pass the body check, he detonated his explosives vest just outside the door, the official said.

Sayed Jan, a government employee who was waiting in line with colleagues to get his salary said he didn't realise immediately what was happening.

"When I came out (of the bank), I suddenly saw police opening fire, I was confused about what was happening," he said. "I saw my friends running away."

Two of his friends were among the nine wounded in the attack, he said.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, posted the insurgents' claim of responsibility on his twitter account, saying that a Taliban suicide bomber targeted military personnel who had gathered at the Kabul Bank to collect their salaries ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

The Taliban often target banks, especially at the end of the month when civil servants and military personnel line up to receive their salaries, or ahead of major Muslim holidays.

This week, the Kabul banks have been especially crowded as Muslims prepare for Eid al-Adha or "feast of the sacrifice". It's the most important Islamic holiday that commemorates the willingness of the Prophet Ibrahim  also known as Abraham to Christians and Jews  to sacrifice his son before God stayed his hand.

During the holiday, Muslims slaughter livestock, distributing part of the meat to the poor. The holiday begins on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijja, during the hajj pilgrimage.

Two months ago, ahead of the Eid al-Fitr Muslim holiday, a Taliban suicide bomber targeted a Kabul Bank branch in southern Helmand province, killing at least 29 people, mostly civilians. At the time, the Taliban claimed there were no civilian deaths and said they had only targeted members of the Afghan security forces who had gone to the bank to collect their salaries.

Kabul has also seen a sharp increase in attacks lately.

Last week, 28 people, including women and children, were killed when Islamic State militants attacked a Shiite mosque during Friday prayers. In that attack, which went on for hours, more than 50 people were also wounded after two assailants blew themselves up. Another two attackers were shot dead by Afghan security forces.

In the Herat airstrike, at least 13 civilians, including women and children, were killed as Afghan security forces targeted the Taliban in western province, according to Gelani Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor.

Farhad told The Associated Press that the Monday night strike in Shindand district also wounded seven civilians. A Taliban base and a prison run by the insurgents were targeted, he said. The prison was destroyed and 19 prisoners  both military and civilians escaped. The civilians who were killed died in their homes just next to the Taliban base, he added.

According to the spokesman, the airstrikes also killed 16 Taliban militants. The Taliban have not commented on the Herat attack and Farhad's information could not be independently verified.
Flood waters reached the roof lines of single-storey homes on Monday and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as Harvey poured rain on the Houston area for a fourth consecutive day after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues.

The nation's fourth-largest city was still mostly paralysed by one of the largest downpours in US history. And there was no relief in sight from the storm that spun into Texas as a Category 4 hurricane, then parked over the Gulf Coast. With nearly 2 more feet (61 centimetres) of rain expected on top of the 30-plus inches (76 centimetres) in some places, authorities worried that the worst might be yet to come.

Reuters reported Tricia Bentley, a spokeswoman for the county coroners office as saying that the flood waters from Harvey have killed at least seven people, including a man who died in a house fire on Friday night and an elderly woman driving through flooded streets on the citys west side the next day. A 60-year-old woman died in neighbouring Montgomery County when a tree fell on her trailer home while she slept, the local medical examiner said on Twitter.

A Houston television station reported Monday that six family members were believed to have drowned when their van was swept away by flood waters. The KHOU report was attributed to three family members the station did not identify. No bodies have been recovered. Police chief Art Acevedo told AP that he had no information about the report but said that he's "really worried about how many bodies we're going to find."

According to the station, four children and their grandparents were feared dead after the van hit high water Sunday when crossing a bridge in the Greens Bayou area. The driver of the vehicle, the children's great-uncle, reportedly escaped before the van sank by grabbing a tree limb. He told the children to try to escape through the back door, but they were unable to get out.

The disaster unfolded on an epic scale in one of America's most sprawling metropolitan centers. The Houston metro area covers about 10,000 square miles (roughly 26,000 square kilometres), an area slightly bigger than New Jersey. It's criss-crossed by about 1,700 miles (2,736 kilometres) of channels, creeks and bayous that drain into the Gulf of Mexico, about 50 miles to the southeast from downtown.

The storm is generating rains that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years, said Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, which was concerned that flood water would spill around a pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston.

The flooding was so widespread that the levels of city waterways have equalled or surpassed those of Tropical Storm Allison from 2001, and no major highway has been spared some overflow. The city's normally bustling business district was virtually deserted Monday, with emergency vehicles making up most of the traffic.

Rescuers continued plucking people from the flood waters. Mayor Sylvester Turner put the number rescued by police at more than 3,000. The Coast Guard said it had also rescued more than 3,000 by boat and air and was taking more than 1,000 calls her hour.

Chris Thorn was among the many volunteers still helping with the mass evacuation that began Sunday. He drove with a buddy from the Dallas area with their flat-bottom hunting boat to pull strangers out of the water. "I couldn't sit at home and watch it on TV and do nothing since I have a boat and all the tools to help," he said.

They got to Spring, Texas, where Cypress Creek had breached Interstate 45 and went to work, helping people out of a gated community near the creek. "It's never flooded here," Lane Cross said from the front of Thorn's boat, holding his brown dog, Max. "I don't even have flood insurance."

A mandatory evacuation was ordered for the low-lying Houston suburb of Dickinson, home to 20,000. Police cited the city's fragile infrastructure in the floods, limited working utilities and concern about the weather forecast.

In Houston, questions continued to swirl about why the mayor did not issue a similar evacuation order. Turner has repeatedly defended the decision and did so again Monday, insisting that a mass evacuation of millions of people by car was a greater risk than enduring the storm. "Both the county judge and I sat down together and decided that we were not in direct path of the storm, of the hurricane, and the safest thing to do was for people to stay put, make the necessary preparations. I have no doubt that the decision we made was the right decision."

He added, "Can you imagine if millions of people had left the city of Houston and then tried to come back in right now?"

The Red Cross quickly set up the George R Brown Convention Centre and other venues as shelters. The centre, which was also used to house Hurricane Katrina refugees from New Orleans in 2005, can accommodate roughly 5,000 people. By Monday evening, it was nearly full.

At the Addicks and Barker reservoirs, the Army Corps started releasing water Monday because water levels were climbing at a rate of more than 6 inches (15 centimetres) per hour, Corps spokesman Jay Townsend said. The move was supposed to help shield the business district from flood waters, but it also risked flooding thousands more homes in nearby subdivisions. Built after devastating floods in 1929 and 1935, the reservoirs were designed to hold water until it can be released downstream at a controlled rate.

In the Cypress Forest Estates neighbourhood in northern Harris County, people called for help from inside homes as water from a nearby creek rose to their eaves. A steady procession of rescue boats floated into the area.

Harvey increased slightly in strength Monday as it drifted back over the warm Gulf, according to the National Hurricane Centre. Forecasters expect the system to stay over water with 45 mph (72 kph) winds for 36 hours and then head back inland east of Houston sometime Wednesday. The system will then head north and lose its tropical strength.

Before then, up to 20 more inches (51 centimetres) of rain could fall, National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini said Monday. That means the flooding will get worse in the days ahead and the flood waters will be slow to recede once Harvey finally moves on, the weather service said.

Sometime Tuesday or early Wednesday, parts of the Houston region will probably break the nearly 40-year-old US record for the biggest rainfall from a tropical system  48 inches, set by Tropical Storm Amelia in 1978 in Texas, meteorologists said. The amount of water in Houston was so unprecedented that the weather service on Wednesday had to update the colour charts on its official rainfall maps to indicate the heavier totals.

In Louisiana, the images of the devastation in Houston stirred up painful memories for many Hurricane Katrina survivors. "It really evoked a lot of emotions and heartbreak for the people who are going through that now in Houston," Ray Gratia said as he picked up sandbags for his New Orleans home, which flooded during the 2005 hurricane.

In Washington, President Donald Trump's administration assured Congress that the $3 billion balance in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster fund was enough to handle immediate needs, such as debris removal and temporary shelter for displaced residents. Trump planned to visit Texas on Tuesday.

Harvey was the fiercest hurricane to hit the US in 13 years and the strongest to strike Texas since 1961's Hurricane Carla, the most powerful Texas hurricane on record.

With inputs from agencies
Baghdad: A car bomb killed at least eight people in a crowded vegetable market in a Shiite Muslim district of Baghdad on Monday, police and medics said, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State.

The car detonated in the eastern district of Jamila, police said, as Iraqi government forces were preparing to declare victory over the Sunni Muslim militants of Islamic State more than 400 km further north in the city of Tal Afar.

Medics and police sources said eight people died and 25 were wounded.

Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Saad Maan said four people were killed and 12 wounded, including two policemen.

Islamic States Amaq news agency said the bombing had been meant to target Shiite Muslims, but reported it took place in the neighbouring Sadr City district.

It was not immediately clear if a suicide bomber had driven the vehicle to the target or if it was a parked car bomb, police sources said.
Tokyo: Japanese finance minister Taro Aso said on Tuesday that he would visit the United States from 4 September to hold informal talks with Vice-President Mike Pence ahead of a second round of bilateral economic talks later this year.

Aso, who doubles as deputy prime minister, also plans to meet top economic officials of United States president Donald Trumps administration, government sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Asked if the two sides would discuss North Korea, Aso said Pence was not the person directly in charge of the matter so he did not know how the issue would be discussed.

North Korea fired a missile that flew over Japan and landed in waters off the northern region of Hokkaido early on Tuesday, marking a sharp escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Aso has earlier expressed hope that the second round of economic talks would be held in October.

There are some areas that need to be adjusted, so we are going to adjust them in order to hold (the next round of talks) by the end of this year, Aso told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

Japan-United States trade talks "have dealt with frictions in the past, starting from the negotiations on textile in the 1960s, but this time we approached (the United States), calling for cooperation but not frictions, Aso said.

He and Pence would likely discuss issues such as trade, investment and economic policies in accordance with the first round of economic talks launched in April, Aso added.

Aso will also hold informal talks with Gary Cohn, Trumps top economic adviser, and United States Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and United States Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin during his visit scheduled for 4 to 6 September, the sources said.

Aso and Pence have led the United States-Japan economic dialogue.

However, some analysts worry that Trump's administration, which is facing growing domestic turmoil, could pile pressure on the country's trading partners for concessions that would boost United States exports under his "America First" policy.

The upcoming talks could also include the issue of safeguard tariffs Japan has imposed on frozen beef from the United States and some other countries.
Kabul: An explosion occurred on a busy shopping street near the heavily-fortified United States embassy in central Kabul on Tuesday, officials said, killing at least one and injuring eight.

"An explosion has happened near Massoud Square in Kabul. We have no more details yet," Najib Danish, a spokesman for Afghanistan's interior ministry, told AFP.

An official in the ministry added that the blast happened outside a bank at a time when many security forces personnel were expected to be collecting their salaries ahead of this week's Eid holiday.

"One dead and eight wounded people have been brought to Kabul hospitals so far," Waheed Majroh, health ministry spokesman, told AFP.

The blast occurred around 10 am (0530 GMT) on a street lined with banks and shops leading to Massoud Square near the United States embassy, close to Kabul's diplomatic area.

It was the latest explosion to rock the war-weary Afghan capital and comes a week after United States president Donald Trump committed American soldiers to Afghanistan indefinitely.

In May a massive truck bomb ripped through Kabul's diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians.
Mexico: Two people were killed and four hospitalized on Monday after a young man opened fire at a public library in the small city of Clovis, New Mexico, local officials said.

The man began shooting at the library at around 4.00 pm and was arrested after police surrounded the building.

The killings at such a public place was a tragic blow for the farm town close to the Texas border, said Clovis Mayor David Lansford.

"This is a big blow to our community", Lansford said at a news conference. "Two individuals have lost their lives. Their families will not see them come home."

The names and ages of the victims were not released, but a spokesman for University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas, said three people were being treated there Monday evening and a fourth was en route.

Spokesman Eric Finley said that two of the patients already at the facility about 100 miles (161 kms) southeast of Clovis were in critical condition.

Police chief Douglas Ford said at the news conference that the man was the suspect. He would not release the alleged shooter's name or age, but said that he gave himself up to police when they arrived on the scene.

Ford would not release details about the victims, other than to say the two people who died were both female. Those injured included two female victims and two male victims, Ford said. He did not say how old they were.

Interim City Manager Tom Phelps told the Eastern New Mexico News that the person arrested was the shooter.

Clovis, with a population of about 40,000, is around 190 miles (306 km) east of Albuquerque. It is home to Cannon Air Force Base.

The base, about eight miles west of the town, is the location of the 27th Special Operations Wing of the Air Force. Officials at the base did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Nuclear-armed North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, multiple governments said, in a major escalation by Pyongyang amid tensions over its weapons ambitions.

No North Korean missile had overflown Japan for years, and the launch came after a strained period on the peninsula following Pyongyang's testing of two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in July that appeared to bring much of the US mainland within reach.

It threatened to fire a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam, while US President Donald Trump issued an apocalyptic warning of raining "fire and fury" on the North, saying Washington's weapons were "locked and loaded".

The United Nations Security Council imposed a seventh set of sanctions on the Pyongyang, tightening restrictions on its exports, and investments into the North.

Tensions had eased more recently, but the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that Tuesday's missile was launched at around 2057 GMT Monday from Sunan, near Pyongyang, travelling east "and over Japan".

It flew around 2,700 kilometres (1,700 miles) at a maximum altitude of around 550 kilometres, it said, adding South Korea and the US were "closely analysing for more details".

Guam is around 3,500 kilometres from North Korea  although the missile appeared to have been fired in a westerly direction and not towards the US outpost, home to about 160,000 people and host to major military facilities.

Tokyo also said the missile overflew the country's northernmost island Hokkaido, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saying the government would take "full steps" to ensure the safety of the Japanese people.

"Their outrageous act of firing a missile over our country is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat and greatly damages regional peace and security," he told reporters.

The US confirmed the launch and the overflight of Japan, with Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning saying the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined it "did not pose a threat to North America".

The firing comes days after Pyongyang launched three short-range missiles in what analysts said was seen as a minimal provocation after the start of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian South Korean-US joint military exercise.

The North, which says it needs nuclear weapons to protect itself, sees the drills as rehearsals for invasion.

But Tuesday's flight path represents a significant escalation by Pyongyang.

'Horrible day'

When it carried out its ICBM tests in July  which leader Kim Jong-Un described as a "gift" to "American bastards"  it fired them on lofted trajectories that avoided travelling over Japan.

But any launch towards Guam would have to pass over the Asian island nation.

The last time a North Korean rocket did so was in 2009, when Pyongyang said it was launching a telecommunications satellite, but Washington, Seoul and Tokyo believed it was a clandestine ICBM test.

When the North sent a missile into Japan's exclusive economic zone  waters extending 200 nautical miles from its coast  in 2016 it only triggered protests and anger.

It has carried out several similar launches since then.

"Today is really quite a horrible day for Japan," security commentator Ankit Panda said on Twitter following Tuesday's overflight.

"If North Korea assesses the costs of overflying Japan to be *anything* but intolerable, we'll see more of these kinds of tests."

Japan has in the past vowed to shoot down North Korean missiles or rockets that threaten to hit its territory, and deployed its Patriot missile defence system in response to the Guam threat, reports and officials said, with an Aegis destroyer also stationed in the Sea of Japan (East Sea).

In Seoul, President Moon Jae-In was to attend an emergency meeting of the National Security Council, the presidential office said.

"Our military has bolstered deterrence against additional provocations by the North Korean military and is closely monitoring related movements with full military readiness," the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
A war of words has erupted between Islamabad and Washington over US' strategy for Afghanistan, which squarely put the onus on Pakistan to end its unrelenting support to a variety of terrorists. Twitter saw several angry Pakistanis condemning US president Donald Trumps speech, particularly at the praise he heaped on India. The fact that India was also asked to "do more" was ignored by most. The fury was apparent as also the fear.

Pakistan government is, however, reacting with caution. Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif postponed his projected visit to the US in a gesture that was presented in by media as an act of defiance. A similar vein of reporting was apparent in the earlier postponing of the visit of Alice Wells, the acting special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan. The reality, however, it seemed was different.

The Pakistan foreign office needed time to get its act together, before going to Washington to meet obviously the irate officials at the US State Department and Pentagon. Time was also needed to answer Trumps point person for the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. Moreover, the government is being run by an interim Prime Minister, who while seen as competent, would have to look over both shoulders before framing policy.

The US' harsh comments on Pakistan, however, are not a surprise. In the last several months, the Washington media has been agog with rumours of a rift within the US establishment on how to handle Pakistan. That Washington was unhappy with Pakistan was clear. What was unclear though was the extent of arm twisting that was in the wind.

Both the Pakistan foreign office and the deep state, who usually walk in tandem, would have been prepared (to an extent) for trouble ahead.

The tone of defiance was, therefore, set at the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting on 24 August when Pakistan officially rejected US strategy, aid, and unsurprisingly also brought in language on Kashmir.

The Pakistan prime minister chaired the meeting, but the NSC is heavily dominated by top army brass including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff committee, services chiefs, as well as Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar and National Security Adviser Lieutenant General (retired) Nasser Janjua. This is the second NSC meeting called since Abbasi took over on 1 August indicating the fact that he has wisely chosen to accept the realities of governing Pakistan.

A strategy of defiance was also apparent in the media, where retired generals and brigadiers shook fists and declared that Pakistan would stand up to the US. Conspiracy theories were at large in linking the US threat to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Such far-fetched stories are the stuff of Pakistani (and Indian) media.

A few sensible voices, however, cautioned that antagonising the US was against Pakistani interests since it was the West which had a hand on the tiller of international aid during a time of severe economic stress. Another lone voice also advised that Pakistan should stop viewing everything through the prism of India-Pakistan relations and instead deal with Afghanistan in its own right.

The Pakistan militarys usual second line of defense was soon heavily apparent on the streets. The Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), a conglomerate of some 40 extremist and religious groups, staged protests in Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and even in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir.

The name of the speakers at the meetings alone would be sufficient to rile the US since it included Abdul Rehman Makki, designated terrorist, (and now acting head of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa). Unsurprisingly, his speech virtually mirrored the NSC statement calling for an end to US' "fake" loans and calling for the cancellation of the foreign minister's visit to the US. Makki also threatened that every Pakistani would fight against any threat to the integrity of the country.

Also present at the meeting was Saifullah Khalid, head of Milli Muslim League, the political front recently launched by Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Interestingly, the protests in Karachi were also launched by the Imamia Students Organisation, a Shiite body usually known to be active in Iran. It seems that Iran is on Pakistans side in showing the US a clenched fist.

Next came the strategists. Writers like Najam Sethi pleaded that pressuring Pakistan would let loose a reign of terror attacks in the US. This feeds into the Jehadi diatribe. There were also repeated references to the folly of annoying "nuclear-armed Pakistan", the oldest trick in the Pakistani book of defending itself by threatening a break out of nuclear war.

Pakistans nuclear strategy is closely tied to its terrorism strategy. Both threaten the very irrationality of Pakistan as a reason not to annoy it, or risk conflict or a conventional war.

This myth needs to be exploded. There is nothing at all irrational about Pakistan's war and terror machine. They are both controlled by a highly professional Army, with a very sophisticated media and public relations strategy.

The carefully stitched together approach seems to also use the China card to bolster the Pakistani position.

At present, China and Russia are making all the right noises. Apart from a strong message on "respecting Pakistans sovereignty" from China's State Councillor Yang Jiechi to the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, media made much of the fact that Chinese Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs, Ambassador Deng Xijun was in Islamabad on the same day the US representative was expected to arrive.

While the Chinese representative seemed to have made all the right noises, a rise in tensions between Pakistan and the US is not in Beijings interest. China sees a continuing threat from the presence of more than twenty terrorist groups in Afghanistan. Apart from this is the fact that a severe instability will threaten its already committed investments in Pakistan which run to the tune of several millions of dollars. Here, the Pakistan militarys careful calculations may come unstuck. China would much prefer that the whole Haqqani clan and other related blood brothers retire to the mountains and tend their goats. But thats not going to happen since these groups have moved from goats to Humvees while China was busy defending Pakistans terrorist credentials.

There is no doubt that the Pakistan Army is preparing to dig in and prepare for the worst. There is also a possibility that Nawaz Sharif was got rid of  on what even his worst detractors will admit was a mere technicality  so that the Pakistan Army could have the run of policy, rather than rely on a prime minister with weak knees. The linchpin of its 'strategy of defiance, however, is China. Russia has little to give, and Iran even less. Chinese wisdom was tested and found wanting at Doka La.

Its anyones guess whether Beijing will keep its own interests first in advising Pakistan to give up its Afghanistan adventure or indulge in expensive zero sum games.
Days after Donald Trump criticised Pakistan for nurturing terrorism, Pakistan on Tuesday suspended bilateral talks and visits with the United States, media reports said.

According to The Nation, Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif informed a Senate committee that the government had to take such a decision as a protest against Donald Trump"s comments against Pakistan, during his speech on US' Afghanistan-Pakistan policy.

According to the report, Khawaja told the committee that Donald Trump was not willing to accept Pakistan's stance that India is harbouring terror havens in Afghanistan to destabilise the country.

Khawaja's statement is significant as he was supposed to visit the US last week but backed out, CNN-News18 reported.

A top US official's visit to Islamabad was also postponed at the request of the Pakistan government amid anti-American protests in Karachi.

Pakistan's Dawn on Sunday quoted US Embassy spokesman Rick Sinelsine as saying that the trip by Alice Wells, the Acting Assistant Secretary of State in-charge of South and Central Asia, was "postponed until a mutually convenient time" at the request of the Pakistani government.

On 22 August, President Donald Trump hit out at Pakistan for providing safe havens to "agents of chaos" that kill Americans in Afghanistan and warned Islamabad that it has "much to lose" by harbouring terrorists.

"For its part, Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror. The threat is worse because Pakistan and India are two nuclear armed states whose tense relations threaten to spiral into conflict. And that could happen," Trump said.

He said after a "comprehensive review", it was decided that the American strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia will change dramatically.

Trump said a pillar of his new strategy was a change in America's approach to Pakistan.

"We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond," Trump said.

"Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbour terrorists," he said, in a warning to Pakistan.

The US president also reached out to India, seeking an enhanced role for New Delhi, especially in the economic field, to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan.

"We appreciate India's important contributions to stability in Afghanistan, but India makes billions of dollars in trade with the United States, and we want them to help us more with Afghanistan, especially in the area of economic assistance and development," Trump said.

Pakistan's military brushed off speculation on Monday that a new US strategy for neighbouring Afghanistan could include taking a stronger line against Islamabad, insisting the country has done all it can to tackle militancy.

A Pakistani military spokesman said no group had been spared in ongoing offensives against militants, telling a press conference in the garrison city of Rawalpindi "there is no organised infrastructure of any terrorist organisation in Pakistan".

"Let it come," army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told reporters, referring to Trump's decision. "Even if it comes... Pakistan shall do whatever is best in the national interest."

Reacting to Trump's criticism, Khawaja said that Afghan Taliban is a problem of Afghanistan and the US, and not Pakistan's.

If the US doesnt trust us, it should repatriate Afghan immigrants in Pakistan itself, The Express Tribune quoted him as saying.

Pakistan has been a partner of the US in the war against terrorism and such statements undermine our efforts, the report further quoted Khawaja.

With inputs from agencies
Washington: The Pentagon has confirmed that North Korea has launched a missile over Japan, in a major escalation by Pyongyang amid tensions over its weapons ambitions.

The missile was launched "within the last 90 minutes," Colonel Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, said on Tuesday.

"We assess North Korea conducted a missile launch within the last 90 minutes. We can confirm that the missile launched by North Korea flew over Japan," Manning added, cautioning that the United States was still assessing the launch.

However, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) "determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America," Manning said.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was launched around from Sunan, near Pyongyang, and traveled east "and over Japan."

It travelled around 1,700 miles (2,700 kilometers) at a maximum altitude of around 350 miles, it said, adding that South Korea and the United States were "closely analysing for more details."
Vodafone has launched a new combo pack for its prepaid customers in Delhi-NCR region that offers 1GB data daily with unlimited voice calls (Local, National and Roaming) for 28 days at Rs. 392. Another combo pack of Rs. 198 offers unlimited voice calls (Local, National and Roaming) across Vodafone network for 28 days.

The new Vodafone 392 and 198 Prepaid Recharge packs are available at all the leading Vodafone Stores, Mini stores and multi brand retail outlets across the state and is also available through MyVodafone App.

Commenting on the new packs, Alok Verma, Business Head  Delhi-NCR, Vodafone India, said:

A large part of Vodafones pre-paid subscribers from Delhi & NCR go on roaming during the festive season. We found an existing need for these subscribers to have a pocket friendly pack that enables them to stay connected with their world even while they are travelling or out of station. Vodafone Delhi has designed the pack precisely to bridge that need. So before proceeding on your holiday, remember to get a recharge Pack of Rs 392 or 198 to enjoy long, worry free conversations, and internet browsing regardless of location.
Several dealerships in Texas have been flooded and likely hundreds more have suffered damage to buildings and inventory, as the automobile industry continues to assess the destruction from Hurricane Harvey.

The storm has brought record amounts of rainfall and massive flooding to the Houston area since Friday. Economists say Harvey will leave billions of dollars in damage behind. In addition to being a major energy hub, Texas is among the top U.S. markets for auto sales, particularly pickup trucks and SUVs. Early reports indicate significant damage to automobile dealerships in the southeastern portion of the state.

Aransas Autoplex in the coastal town of Port Aransas was demolished, according to Bill Wolters, president of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association. General Motors (NYSE:GM), Ford (NYSE:F) and Kia dealers in Dickinson and Cleveland, Texas, were completely flooded. Wolters estimates that Harvey affected 400 dealerships in some way. With the storm still hovering over the area and new evacuation orders issued Monday, it remains a await and see situation,a he said.

Dealers who reported no damage to their stores or inventory still canat open their business because most employees and customers canat travel. About 30,000 employees work in those 400 dealerships.

aWe are getting very preliminary reports, and it will be some time [before] the final damage is assessed,a Wolters wrote in an email to FOX Business. aNo human casualties in the dealership community have been reported, so that is a major blessing.a

Ford said it knows afor certaina that many of its dealers in southeast Texas asustained significant damage.a

aOn behalf of Ford Motor Company, our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those impacted by this devastating storm,a the company said. aWe are gathering information from local authorities and dealers so we can offer our assistance in the most effective way possible.a

AutoNation (NYSE:AN), the nation's largest dealership chain, closed 18 stores and seven collision centers Monday. Its Houston locations will remain closed Tuesday.

aAt this point we continue to assess the situation and continue to focus on our employeesa safety,a an AutoNation spokesperson said.

Dealers across the region that rely on import shipments could see delays. The ports of Houston and Galveston were closed as Harvey made its way toward the coastline late last week, and they will remain closed Tuesday. Automakers such as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (NYSE:FCAU) ship thousands of vehicles through the Port of Houston each year.

Railroads that carry vehicles from Mexican plants to the U.S. also reported disruptions. Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) operations along the Gulf Coast from Brownsville, Texas, to Lake Charles, La., remained suspended late Monday. Kansas City Southern (NYSE:KCS), which stopped trains from running between Kendleton and Laredo, Texas, said there had been little opportunity to assess the status of its rail network, according to a status alert on its website.

Harvey isn't expected to create any production issues. GM, which operates a plant in Arlington where it builds large SUVs like the Chevrolet Tahoe, said it hasn't experienced any impact to production as a result of the storm. All GM employees in southern Texas are accounted for and safe.

aWe are closely monitoring the storm and its continued impact on our Texas employees and their families, facilities, dealers, suppliers and customers,a GM said.
There are fewer healthcare stocks with high yields than you might think. At least that's the case depending on your definition of "healthcare stocks" and "high yields." If you think a high-yield stock should boast a minimum 3% yield and that healthcare stocks should exclude real estate investment trusts (REITs) that specialize in healthcare, you could count all of the stocks that meet the criteria on your fingers and toes with some to spare.

But of the relatively few stocks that do meet that criteria, there are several that look like smart picks right now. Here's why AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), and Sanofi (NYSE: SNY) are three healthcare stocks with dividends yielding more than 3% that appear especially attractive.

AbbVie

AbbVie ranks as one of my favorite stocks for several reasons. Its dividend is definitely one of them. The big biotech's yield currently stands north of 3.5%. Even better, AbbVie has a long track record of increasing its dividend. The company uses less than 60% to fund the dividend, so it's in a good position to hike the dividend more in the future.

Investors wanting growth along with income should find AbbVie quite appealing. Wall Street analysts project the biotech will grow earnings by around 14% annually over the next five years. AbbVie not only claims the top-selling drug in the world with Humira, but it also has one of the best pipelines in the biopharmaceutical industry. Several of AbbVie's candidates could be blockbusters if approved, including endometriosis and uterine fibroids drug elagolix and cancer drug Rova-T.

Even with its strong dividend and growth potential, AbbVie stock isn't priced expensively. Shares currently trade at only 11 times expected earnings.

The biggest downside for AbbVie is the potential threat of biosimilar competition for Humira. However, the company's executives think that they will be able to fend off U.S. rivals through 2022 by defending an extensive array of patents still in effect for the drug. If AbbVie is successful in this effort, it should give the company plenty of time for its promising pipeline to produce new winners.

Pfizer

Pfizer's dividend yield of 3.83% looks even more attractive than AbbVie's. Although the big pharma company only has a seven-year streak of dividend increases, there's no doubt that Pfizer prioritizes its dividend as a key component of its appeal to investors. Pfizer's strong cash flow should allow the dividends to keep on flowing in the years to come.

Cancer drug Ibrance and blood thinner Eliquis continue to stand out as Pfizer's top blockbusters with strong sales growth. The company could have several others step up to the plate in the future. It received approval for atopic dermatitis drug Eucrisa in December 2016. The drug could reach peak annual sales of $2 billion. In addition, Pfizer expects 25 to 30 approvals over the next five years, of which up to 15 could be blockbuster drugs. The company thinks that as much as half of those potential blockbusters could receive approval by 2020.

Pfizer stock isn't quite as inexpensive as AbbVie, but its valuation still appears attractive. The drugmaker's shares trade at 12 times expected earnings.

Loss of exclusivity for legacy drugs remains the most significant challenge for Pfizer. Declining sales from these drugs will continue to weigh down its growth. Still, though, Wall Street projects Pfizer to grow earnings by close to 6% annually over the next few years -- significantly higher than the company's performance in recent years.

Sanofi

Sanofi's dividend yields 3.37% right now. While that's a little lower than both AbbVie's and Pfizer's yields, it's still enticing. The French drugmaker has a spotty record of dividend increases, but Sanofi seems to now be in solid shape to raise its dividend in the future.

One key reason why Sanofi is in a good position now is the success of long-acting insulin product Toujeo. Sales for Toujeo soared nearly 65% in the first half of 2017 over the prior-year period. Sanofi's multiple sclerosis drugs Aubagio and Lemtrada are also performing very well, with combined sales up more than 32% year over year in the first half of 2017. Its pipeline includes 47 clinical programs, with 13 either awaiting approval or in late-stage development.

Thanks largely to the solid results from its diabetes and multiple sclerosis franchises, Sanofi claims the best-performing stock of the three on our list, with shares rising more than 20% year to date. As a result, Sanofi stock isn't valued quite as attractively as AbbVie or Pfizer, with shares trading at 14 times expected earnings.

Like Pfizer, Sanofi faces headwinds from biosimilar and generic competition for some of its older drugs. The company's generics business segment has also struggled in the U.S. and Europe. Despite these concerns, Sanofi looks to be a good pick for long-term investors seeking a solid dividend.

10 stocks we like better than PfizerWhen 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 Pfizer wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.

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*Stock Advisor returns as of August 1, 2017

Keith Speights owns shares of AbbVie and Pfizer. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Your fresh but not-so-healthy meal at Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) is apparently about to get more decadent. The out-of-favor burrito chain has been testing queso -- the gooey cheese that's a staple at table-service Mexican chains as well as many of the Chipotle's fast-casual rivals -- in recent weeks, and it could go nationwide in two weeks.

Credit Suisse analyst Jason West's store checks indicate that queso will go national on Sept. 12. It is currently being tested at hundreds of locations in California and Colorado as well as its Chipotle NEXT Kitchen test concept store in New York City. West feels that queso could help spark an uptick in sales, but it's not enough to sway him from his neutral position. He is sticking to his $320 price target.

However, let's give queso the benefit of the doubt for a company that can surely use a break. The new menu addition can be a game changer for a company hungry for a catalyst after seeing its stock lose more than half of its value since peaking two years ago. Let's go over the reasons why Chipotle's next move could be its biggest move.

1. Queso goes with everything

New products haven't been catalysts for sustainable growth in the past. The last major menu addition -- chorizo in late 2016 -- wasn't enough to turn negative comps around. Comps were already soaring at a double-digit clip when its Sofritas chili-braised tofu was introduced in early 2014, but the heady growth at the time would go on to decelerate sharply in subsequent periods.

Queso is different. It's not another protein choice as we saw with chorizo and Sofritas. Queso is an ingredient that goes with anything on the menu, and the last time we saw that -- brown rice added in 2011 -- it was done more subtly than the noise that Chipotle will be making with the availability of the popular melty cheese. Just as the nutty consistency of brown rice opened up the flavor profiles available, queso fans will probably want to try the new ingredient across various items in future visits.

2. Queso costs extra

The only topping currently on the national menu that comes with an additional charge is guacamole, something that Chipotle is currently grappling with as avocado costs skyrocket. Queso is the assembly line's second upcharge item.

Queso doesn't cost much. The Chipotle NEXT Kitchen in New York City charges $1.25 for queso as a topping or $2.05 for a 4-ounce dipping cup. The key here is that it will be incremental, pushing average checks higher. At a time when comps are starting to recover but are still far away from the store-level sales of 2015, this is the kind of boost that can help push comps higher without a meaningful uptick in traffic.

3. Chip sales should spike

The attach rate of tortilla chips to a Chipotle order doesn't seem very high, but that's because dipping sauces are currently limited to the slate of available salsas. Queso naturally changes things. Queso turns chips into nachos, and while it's a delicacy that some of its rivals will bake up with protein and other toppings to create a big-ticket meal, even in the primitive form that Chipotle's currently testing it -- as a 4- or 8-ounce cup to dip or cover the chips -- will be a savory new option.

Chipotle's had trial runs of premium margaritas, frozen margaritas, and desserts, but the number of people looking to get their drink on during a lunch break or sweet-tooth indulgences is limited. Chips with queso is a logical addition to most meals outside of allergy or caloric related considerations.

Nicole Miller Regan at Piper Jaffray was encouraged after a recent visit to Chipotle's NEXT Kitchen, noticing that most customers were opting for queso. It's a small sample size, sure, but in two weeks all of Chipotle may be offering queso.

The turnaround at Chipotle won't be easy, but if a messy recovery means that the chain will have to get its hands gooey with queso, roughed-up shareholders will be the first to ask for the burrito roller to pour it on.

10 stocks we like better than Chipotle Mexican GrillWhen 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 Chipotle Mexican Grill wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.

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*Stock Advisor returns as of August 1, 2017

Rick Munarriz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Bass Pro Shops is providing more than 80 boats to support rescue and relief operations in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

Rescue crews are relying on boats to navigate the city of Houston and other areas in southeastern Texas experiencing massive flooding. Officials say more than 3,000 people have been rescued, and local agencies have asked residents who own boats to assist the rescue effort.

The fishing and outdoors retailer said it will send the Tracker boats to government agencies and rescue organizations. Bass Pro is also donating $40,000 in supplies, including protein-rich foods like beef jerky and peanuts for those in the field. The truckloads of supplies will support the American Red Cross and Convoy of Hope, a group based in Bass Pros hometown of Springfield, Missouri.

Bass Pro said its in close contact with Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts office, as well as first responders and store associates, to assess ongoing needs.

Bass Pro has seven stores and seven boating centers in Texas, including three in the greater Houston area. The companys Bass Pro Cares Fund is providing financial support for associates in the region.

Tracker is one of several brands owned by White River Marine Group, a Bass Pro subsidiary. White River Marine Group is the worlds largest maker of fishing and recreational boats by volume, according to Bass Pros website.
As the gulf coast of Texas and parts of Louisiana reeled from the escalating damage brought on by Harvey on Tuesday, millions of commercial and residential damage has been done by not only flooding, but also high winds that slammed the area over the past few days.

FEMA estimates that the cost of damage from just one inch of water can exceed $20,000. In the coastal areas of Texas, rainfall was expected to reach up to 50 inches before the storm completely cleared out of the region.

Still, a natural disaster does not guarantee mortgage or other financial relief, which is often taken on a case by case basis.

Mortgage

In the wake of a declared natural disaster, the Federal Housing Administration may issue a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures. The agency announced on Tuesday it would make mortgage insurance available to its 200,000 insured homeowners.

Additionally, a mortgage servicer may temporarily suspend or reduce a homeowneras dues for up to 90 days if the servicer believes the value of the property has been affected or the disaster has impeded the owneras ability to make payments. Other relief efforts are generally specific to the servicer.

Specific relief options

A Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) representative said the bank a one of the largest banks by asset value in the region a has aimmediately suspended all negative credit bureau reporting, late fees, collection calls, and foreclosure referrals and sales for all home loan customers with homes in the counties that were under hurricane warnings when Harvey made landfall.a The suspension will remain in place through at least the end of September.

Wells Fargo home loan customers can contact the bank regarding 60-day relief, with 90-day relief available for customers whose homes reside in FEMA-designated disaster areas. In some cases, customers can have their payments postponed for up to 90 days without a negative effect on their credit.

aAfter the initial disaster relief period (60 or 90 days) expires, home loan customers who are still unable to make payments will be evaluated for further assistance options based on their situation,a the Wells Fargo representative added.

JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) said it would waive late fees on mortgage, credit card, business banking and auto loans through Sept. 10 for acustomers in the Houston metro area and other areas severely affected by the hurricane.a The bank also pledged to donate $1 million to relief efforts by the American Red Cross and other organizations, and to match further donations by its employees.

Fannie Mae, which guarantees more than 36,000 homes in the affected area with about $5.1 billion in unpaid balances, said on Tuesday it will implement a 90-day foreclosure sale suspension and eviction suspension for borrowers in the affected areas. Borrowers could also qualify for a temporary suspension or reduction of their mortgage payments for up to six months.

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), one of the other large banks in the area, said it will automatically refund fees for customers and business owners in areas affected by Harvey, including late fees on credit cards and mortgage and home equity payments. In addition, the bank has pledged $1 million toward recovery efforts and manages an emergency relief fund for its employees who live in the storm zone.

Once the grace periods are over, individuals who still need help can turn to their lenders for customized assistance, but it is important for borrowers to contact their loan servicers in order to notify them of their situations.

Insurance

Another big issue for Harvey victims could be insurance claims. Fifty-two percent of Houstonas residential and commercial properties are located outside of FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas, according to global property analytics firm CoreLogic. Only individuals with properties located within flood hazard areas are required to purchase flood insurance. This could leave many people in the area with serious financial challenges after the storm clears out.

aIf you donat have flood insurance, good luck,a Burl Daniel, an insurance expert witness from Texas, told FOX Business. Since extreme winds also caused damage, Daniel says property owners may try to argue either wind or rain was principally responsible for the damage, depending on their coverage. State law in Texas stipulates that a loss triggered by a combination of covered and excluded causes will not be covered a known as anti-concurrent causation a which could make things difficult for people who suffered complete storm damage.

Nevertheless, Daniel said it is important for people to notify their insurance carriers, noting that it should not be expected that everything will be covered.

This story has been updated.
Volkswagen said Tuesday it will recall 281,000 vehicles in the U.S. due to a fuel-pump computer glitch that can cause cars to stall.

The recall covers the CC from the 2009 through 2016 model years, as well as the Passat sedan and wagon from 2006 through 2010. All have four-cylinder gasoline engines.

VW says in government documents that the fuel pump control computer can lose electrical power. That can stop gas from flowing and cause the engine to stop. That problem also can make the fuel pump continue running after the car is shut off.

VW will notify owners about the problem in October and send a second letter when replacement computers are available. Dealers will swap out the computers and move them so they are less susceptible to mechanical stress and heat.

VW says it has no reports of crashes or injuries in the U.S. caused by the problem.

An investigation by Chinese authorities started last year brought a recall in that country, and that touched off the U.S. recall, according to documents filed by VW with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A VW spokesman in the U.S. did not know how many cars were recalled in China or if the recall had been done elsewhere.

The recall comes at a time when Volkswagen continues to deal with the fallout of a diesel emissions scandal. The German automaker admitted to using defeat devices in 11 million vehicles worldwide. Last month, Volkswagen and U.S. environmental regulators agreed on a fix for most of the affected diesel-powered cars.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Warren Buffett has made it clear that he isn't abandoning Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) despite all of the trouble the bank has gotten into of late. But that shouldn't be interpreted as a signal for other investors to buy its stock.

I'd even go so far as to argue that Buffett wouldn't think about making as substantial of an investment (based on ownership percentage) in Wells Fargo today as he did in the early 1990s, when he accumulated Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B) stake in the bank.

This isn't solely because of the scandals that have come to light at Wells Fargo over the past year.

The first was its fake-account scandal, revealed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau last September, in which thousands of its employees opened millions of accounts for customers without those customers' permission.

The second major scandal at Wells Fargo that came out more recently was similar in nature, but instead of opening new checking or credit card accounts for customers, the bank illicitly signed up nearly a half million of them for car insurance they didn't need.

Buffett has dealt with scandals at Berkshire Hathaway's investments in the past, and he isn't a fan of them. Here's an excerpt from his opening testimony before Congress in 1991 when he discussed a bond-market scandal at Salomon Brothers:

Yet, even though Wells Fargo hasn't lived up to this test over the past decade or so, this still isn't the primary reason Buffett would likely steer away from buying a large stake in it today.

The most important reason is instead that Wells Fargo is a lot more expensive today than it was in 1989 and 1990, the years Berkshire Hathaway amassed its 10% stake in the California-based bank.

As Buffett explained in his 1990 shareholder letter:

It's the final sentence that's so important because it allows you to compare what Berkshire paid for Wells Fargo in 1990 versus what it would have to pay today. And as you can see in the table below, the bank is a much less attractive proposition at today's price.

All this aside, despite Wells Fargo's recent problems -- which will undoubtedly impact its rate of growth over the long run -- investors in the bank can continue to rest easy in the fact that Buffett still has confidence in the bank and has said publicly that Berkshire will carry on as one of its loyal investors.

10 stocks we like better than Berkshire Hathaway (A shares)When 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.*

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As responders across the country move into areas of Texas inundated by Tropical Storm Harvey, one federal flood insurance program is sinking further into debt.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the singular source of flood insurance for most Americans, is already $23 billion in debt after servicing prior natural disasters, including Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina. Costs from Harvey are expected to increase that debt by billions of dollars. The NFIP, which is overseen by FEMA, has borrowed money from the U.S. Treasury, and thus from taxpayers, in order to keep itself running. That debt is due next month, when the program is also up for reauthorization in Congress.

The government has already said it would be impossible for the flood program to repay such a staggering amount of dues, causing some to believe the program needs a major overhaul to prevent structural debt accumulations every time there is a disaster situation.

The Government Accountability Office has included the program on its High-Risk List since 2006, finding flaws with its fundamental structure.

[The] lack of sufficient [NFIP] revenue highlights what have been structural weaknesses in how the program is funded, a recent GAO report said. Since the program offers rates that do not fully reflect the risk of flooding, NFIPs overall rate-setting structure was not designed to be actuarially sound in the aggregate, nor was it intended to generate sufficient funds to fully cover all losses.

However, the urgency and gravity of the situations in Texas and Louisiana could pressure lawmakers into pushing through a quick reauthorization before the program before its September 30 expiration. Others are hopeful lawmakers may pass a temporary reauthorization while working on longer-term reforms, including potentially updating zoning maps and expanding coverage options to private insurance companies.

FEMA estimates that the damage from just one inch of water can exceed $20,000. In the coastal areas of Texas, rainfall was expected to reach up to 50 inches before the storm completely cleared out of the region.

Fifty-two percent of Houstons residential and commercial properties are located outside of FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas, according to global property analytics firm CoreLogic. Only individuals with properties located within flood hazard areas are required to purchase flood insurance. This could leave many people in the area with serious financial challenges after the storm clears out.

Overall, 20% of flood claims tend to come from properties outside the high risk flood zone, according to FEMA.
Mexico's foreign minister Luis Videgaray will travel to Washington on Tuesday after threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement, although a foreign ministry source said the trip was pre-planned.

More on this... Mexico prepares NAFTA Plan B as Trump renews US withdrawal threats

A source in the foreign ministry briefed on the trip said it was organized before Trump's latest warnings that he would prefer to scrap NAFTA than negotiate.

A second round of talks to re-negotiate the 23-year-old agreement are due to start in Mexico on Sept. 1.
There is a serious risk that the United States could withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement, and Mexico must have a "plan B" for that eventuality, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday renewed his long-standing threat to abandon NAFTA, saying he believed the United States would probably have to start the process of exiting the trade accord to reach a fair deal for his country. .

In an interview with the Mexican business daily El Economista, Guajardo said "there is a risk, and it's high" that the Trump administration abandons NAFTA.

"We have to be more than ready for a plan B," he told the newspaper.

Talks on renegotiating the accord between the United States, Canada and Mexico began earlier this month, and the next round of discussions are due to begin on Friday in Mexico City.

"The best thing Mexico can do given the atypical nature of the negotiation is to have an alternative plan, clear and pragmatic, to face something that is not our objective, but which may be the result of a process that does not move forward," Guajardo told El Economista.

He did not provide details of what the plan could include.

(Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by W Simon)
John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., says the United States may have to consider using military options in order to strip North Korea of its nuclear capabilities.

On Tuesday, the Hermit Kingdom launched a ballistic missile over the territory of Japan and into the Pacific Ocean.

This should be the end of Secretary Tillerson and the State Department saying lets negotiate with North Korea. I think we have limited diplomatic options left and therefore I think we have to look hard at the military option to take away North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missile capability, he told FOX Business Trish Regan on The Intelligence Report.

North Korea also threatened to attack the U.S. territory of Guam in recent weeks, which prompted President Trump to respond, saying the United States military was locked and loaded if the communist regime acted unwisely.

This missiles range was roughly long enough to hit Guam, U.S. territory, which they were warned against. I think in fact they pointed the missile in the other direction so as to avoid the Guam problem, Bolton said.

Bolton also said President Trump needs to do whatever it takes to protect the U.S. population from nuclear threats.

Whats the job of the president? Its to protect American citizens from nuclear blackmail by rogue regimes and that is the prospect we face perhaps in a year from now, perhaps less but whenever that point is forever.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is trimming State Department staff, with an eye on positions added under former President Barack Obama.

Of the 38 positions created under the former administration, 23 will be either removed or reassigned, a senior Trump administration official told Fox News on Tuesday. The staffers whose positions will be eliminated are those who worked on projects such as closing Guantanamo Bay, implementing the Iran Deal and the transparency coordinator position created in response to Hillary Clintons use of a private email server.

The reorganization is broader than just those 38 staffers. A senior State Department official said Tillerson informed Congress on Monday of his plans to eliminate and reorganize his staff of special envoys and special representatives. Of the 66 titles discussed with lawmakers, only 30 envoys and representatives with title will remain on board. Twenty-one other staffers will be integrated into other bureaus, while nine will be eliminated entirely. The remaining spots will be folded into existing positions or transferred to USAID.

The move to eliminate special envoys is widely supported by bureaucrats in the building, a former State Department official who served in the Bush administration told FOX Business. Democratic administrations tend to expand the amount of special envoys while Republican leaders trim them down, the official said.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell made similar cuts in 2001, eliminating nearly half of all special envoys, representative and advisor positions carried over from the Clinton administration.

Integration is intended to streamline processes within Foggy Bottom, in order to clear the way for the agency to deliver on its main priorities, the official said.

As previously reported by FOX Business, rumors of a restructuring within the State Department have caused speculation among staffers in the building, though civil service jobs are not typically easy to eliminate. Shortly after Tillerson began in his role as Secretary of State, he was struck by the enormous amount of waste in the building. Experts told FOX Business theres a lot of duplication and offices that perform tasks dating back to the Cold War.

The Trump administration has not shied away from attacking bloated federal agencies and, like President Donald Trump, Tillerson is a businessman, having led oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) for 10 years after a lifelong career with the company. During that tenure, he gained a reputation for being a savvy negotiator when it came to dealing with difficult foreign leaders, including the Russians, as detailed by The Wall Street Journal.
Bobbi Kristina Brown's biopic promises to tell a deeper story about Whitney Houston's daughter, beyond her high-profile life and untimely death.

The trailer for the movie, titled "Bobbi Kristina," was released on Monday ahead of its premiere on Oct. 8 on TV One.

"You heard the news. You never heard her story. Until now," the video states.

The trailer focused on Bobbi Kristina's relationship with her mom and her boyfriend Nick Gordon, before she died in July 2015. "Stuck in the Middle" actress Joy Rovaris takes on the role of Brown and "Grown Ups" actor Nadji Jeter will portray Gordon.

Demetria McKinney will play Houston, who died in 2012.

"Bobbi Kristina's high-profile life  and untimely death  may have been shrouded in mystery, but this film will reveal her humor, quirks, deepest fears and longings," the network said in a statement when the movie was first announced, E! News reported.

Brown's tumultuous life was highly publicized following her mother's death. Brown was found unresponsive in a bathtub of her Atlanta home three years after the music legend's death and spent six months in a medically-induced coma before she died.

Brown's relationship with Gordon was also surrounded by controversy.

"He's the single best thing that's happened to me since my mom," Brown's character said to her aunt Pat Houston, portrayed by Vivica A. Fox, in the trailer.

Gordon was found legally responsible for Brown's death in 2016 and a Georgia judge ordered him to pay $36 million to Brown's estate.
The wife of late "Gone With the Wind" actor Fred Crane is outraged over a Memphis theater's decision to ban the film for its racially "insensitive" content.

Terry Lynn Crane told Fox News she was "very, very disturbed" when she heard the historic Orpheum Theatre decided to stop showing "Gone With the Wind" after hosting the classic 1939 film for 34 years.

"By making a statement, they are trying to make a problem," Crane told us. "They are inciting racial division and it's only escalating."

Crane, whose late husband Fred Crane played Brent Tarleton in the film, said her husband would be "saddened" by the theater's decision if he were alive today. Fred Crane died in 2008 and was once invited by the Orpheum to speak ahead of a "Gone With the Wind" screening in 1999.

"I think he would be very saddened by all of this," she said before adding with a laugh, "But I haven't talked to him the last few days."

Vivien Leigh's 'Gone With The Wind' Dress Sold at Auction for $137,000

The Memphis native, who penned a book about the film in 2015, said it's important not to simply ban films about slavery.

"We should keep our history, we should keep things that are historic so we can learn from them," she explained. "We're running down a slippery slope. What's going to be next? Total censorship?"

Crane also noted that Hattie McDaniel, who played "Mammy," was the first African-American actress to win an Academy Award.

"Hattie McDaniel's Mammy was such a milestone for black performers because she opened up the door right there for people to recognize black performers and all that they contribute to art."

Crane said she felt the need to speak out about the theater's decision after hearing from many fans of the film.

"They love 'Gone With the Wind,'" she explained. "[To them] while sad, it's a love story...that happens to be set during the war between the states."

The Orpheum said in a statement, "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."
Kathy Griffin, the comedian that made headlines in June after she was featured in a photo holding a bloodied mask that resembled President Trump, said in an interview that she is no longer friends with her former New Years Eve co-host, Anderson Cooper.

Griffin told The Cut that when Cooper eventually reached out to her, she informed him that their friendship was over.

Griffin was apparently upset about Coopers initial response to the photo controversy. The CNN anchor said, For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate.

Griffin told the magazine that she was upset that Cooper did not reach out to her before commenting publicly.

Griffin, meanwhile, is attempting to relaunch her career after being marred by the photo controversy. She came out hours later acknowledging she "went too far" and apologizing for the disturbing image, but the damage was done.

Several theaters canceled performances with Griffin citing the controversy. CNN announced it would be ending its relationship with the star, who hosts its New Year's Eve program. Her co-host, Anderson Cooper, also said he was "appalled" by the photoshoot.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump also released statements condemning the attack on their family. Trump added the picture took a toll on his 11-year-old son Barron as the first lady questioned Griffin's mental health.

Griffin later accused the Trump family of systematically "mobilizing their armies" against her.

"I don't think I'll have a career after this. I'm going to be honest, he broke me," Griffin said in a news conference.
Kathy Griffin can't get her "sorry" straight.

The comedian who tearfully apologized twice after a photo shoot of her holding a blooded Trump mask in May caused an uproar is not sorry now.

"I am no longer sorry, the whole outrage was B.S., the whole thing got so blown out of proportion and I lost everybody," Griffin told Australia's "Sunrise."

Griffin noted her friends like Debra Messing and Chelsea Cliton didn't stand by her at the time.

"These Trump fans, they're hardcore," the 56-year-old said blaming President Trump supporters for the fall out.

When "Sunrise" co-host Samantha Armytage brought up to Griffin that many of Trump's critics, not just supporters, denounced the photo at the time, Griffin angrily spat back.

"No, youre full of crap," Griffin screeched at Armytage. "Stop acting like my little picture is more important than talking about the actual atrocities that the president of the United States is committing."

Griffin initially gave an emotional apology in a video posted on Twitter hours after the photos leaked. In it she tearfully admitted, "I went too far and I was wrong."

Days later she held a press conference in which she said she made a "horrible call" with the images that caused a firestorm.

"I'm going to be honest," she said through tears. "He broke me, he broke me, he broke me.
With all eyes on the growing tragedy in Houston, one reporter was being taken to task for his prioritizing of events. After noticing what he called "looters," ABCs Tom Llamas was being criticized by many on social media for his response.

Llamas is an anchor for the networks World News Tonight and is on the ground in Houston covering the effects of Hurricane Harvey. While there, he spotted something that he felt compelled to not only tweet to his followers, but report to police as well.

His tweet read: "#Breaking We're witnessing looting right now at a large supermarket in the NE part of Houston & police have just discovered a body nearby."

Many Twitter users took issue with the fact that he Tweeted about the looters before the body. Others were upset at the idea of characterizing people getting food during a disaster as looters.

In a second tweet, thats since been removed, Llamas explained that he and his team informed police of the looting and that the Coast Guard was now flying overhead to prevent further action.

The storm of negative responses eventually prompted Llamas to send a follow-up tweet explaining the one he deleted. In it, he claimed that he was already with police when they discovered the body and that he merely mentioned the looters after the fact.

Still, it did not seem to quell his critics on Twitter.
While fellow UFC champion Conor McGregor was battling Floyd Mayweather in the ring, Ronda Rousey was having a big moment of her own. The movie star and fighter married her longtime boyfriend in a private ceremony in Hawaii.

Rousey married Travis Browne on Saturday night. Browne posted the first real picture of the wedding showing the two wide-eyed and smiling as they walk hand-in-hand together.

What an amazing day!! She is so perfect in every way! She makes me so happy! She is my other half! I love you @rondarousey #browsey2017, he wrote on Instagram.

As E! Online notes, Rousey tends to stay relatively quiet when it comes to her personal life, only really making her engagement public with a fun post on her own Instagram. Browne reportedly popped the question in New Zealand while on a hike.

People notes that another image of Rousey on her wedding day comes from the account of her friend Michael Mardones who shared a snap of he and her beaming with big smiles.

Congrats to Ronda and Travis. Incredible wedding. Blessed and thankful to have been there for it.

As TMZ notes, UFC president Dana White says he was invited to the ceremony, but couldn't attend due to the McGregor vs. Mayweather fight.
If any millennials out there are interested in half-priced apps, they might wanna get em before theyre gone.

Despite earnest attempts to keep pace with millennial consumers, casual dining chain Applebees recently announced that they are done trying to appeal to the food-trend-obsessed group, and will instead be refocusing marketing efforts on appealing to its "routine traditionalists."

CHUCK E. CHEESE BIDS FAREWELL TO ANIMATRONIC BAND AMID RENOVATIONS

Dine Equity, Applebee's parent company and also the owner of IHOP, said the closures are rooted in failed attempts by Applebee's to attract millennial diners.

"Over the past few years, the brand [has] set out to reposition or reinvent Applebee's as a modern bar and grill in overt pursuit of a more youthful and affluent demographic with a more independent or even sophisticated dining mindset, including a clear pendulum swing towards millennials," said John Cywinski, Applebee's brand president, in a recent statement.

"In my perspective, this pursuit led to decisions that created confusion among core guests, as Applebee's intentionally drifted from its what Ill call its Middle America roots and its abundant value position," he added. "While we certainly hope to extend our reach, we cant alienate Boomers or Gen-Xers in the process."

CHICK-FIL-A FAN AND PREGNANT WIFE STOP AT DRIVE-THROUGH WHILE SHE'S IN LABOR

Last year, the chain spent $40 million installing fire grills in all of its 2,000-plus locations across the country in hopes of drawing in a younger crowd, but apparently will little luck.

The "Neighborhood Grill + Bar" wasn't alone in its efforts to attract younger crowds. Fellow casual dining chains including TGI Fridays, Chilis, Ruby Tuesday and Buffalo Wild Wings have all seen sales slip through the last year.

"Millennial consumers are more attracted than their elders to cooking at home, ordering delivery from restaurants, and eating quickly, in fast-casual or quick-serve restaurants," said Buffalo Wild Wings CEO Sally Smith in a letter to investors back in May, according to Business Insider.

Such statements point to a bigger elephant in the room: Casual-dining might not be as cool as it used to be.

"When you look at the alternatives out there in the marketplace today and who's creating buzz and creating excitement, it's gone away from chain casual dining," John Antioco, the former CEO of TGI Friday's, told Business Insider.

In the race for millennial dining dollars, casual dining restaurants are now forced to complete with wildly popular fast casual eateries like Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread, as well as the rising popularity of meal-delivery kits.

Over the last few year, studies have also shown that millennials value experiences over material goods. Consequentially, their meals outside the home reflect the desire to capture the most Instagrammable moments the restaurant industry has to offer.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Executives from Dine Equity announced earlier this month that they plan to shutter between 105 and 135 Applebee's locations before the end of 2017. The chain also closed 46 locations in 2016 alone, reports Business Insider.
Portland, Oregon, had scheduled a two-day festival billed as the citys largest celebration of the beloved taco, according to the events website.

The organizers said they were expecting several thousand people to turn out for a weekend-long festival of fun, music and tacos.

However, the promised fun had to be cut short when the food trucks ran out of tacos within the first 90 minutes on the first day, leading to anger and chaos to erupt among the paying patrons.

APPLEBEES GIVES UP ON APPEALING TO MILLENNIALS

One couple, Tom and Caroline Spangler, told KATU News they paid more than $200 to enter the festival and that extended family had traveled in from central Washington.

"I understand that it is their first time, the first year of it, but it was not handled in a very good way," Spangler told KATU News. "I felt like we really got ripped off."

They werent the only ones upset by how the event was handled. The Portland police had to be called in to help deal with the unruly crowd. Organizers began turning people away at the gates.

Those that remained at the festival circled around the on-site organizer, according to a report from KATU News, and demanded a refund  each ticket cost $17.50.

The organizers took to their website to issue a statement apologizing for the inconvenience and to take full responsibility for everything. According to the post, there were technical issues that compromised the food vendors ability to prep the food before the event started, which led to long wait times and frustrated customers.

More than just waiting in long lines, attendees were upset by the lack of options. On Facebook, many complained that there werent enough taco possibilities at the food trucks.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

There were maybe 3 or 4 taco trucks, an attendee said, The rest of the trucks were bbq, Asian, Greek or desserts.

The organizers defended their food options, though, stating: All vendors offered a taco option no food vendor was booked for the taco fest unless they were serving tacos.

Because of the commotion caused on the first day of the festival, Sundays event was canceled.
Next time you step into Starbucks, your baristas uniform might look a little different. The Seattle-based coffeehouse chain has recently provided 50 of its deaf employees with a rendition of the chains traditional green apron that features Starbucks spelled out in American Sign Language (ASL). According to a statement, the special aprons serve as both a visual cue for customers and a point of Deaf cultural pride.

The idea comes from Katie Giles, a hearing-impaired barista in Washington, D.C. My manager would give me instructions when my back was turned, so I couldnt read her lips. she told the Starbucks Newsroom. She would write me up for not getting my job done. Additionally, customers who didnt know she was deaf would become upset with her if she didnt respond or if she misinterpreted their drinks.

Giles met with representatives at the Starbucks Seattle headquarters to brainstorm a solution. The company currently provides its employees with other symbolic uniforms, such as an American flag-embroidered apron for veterans and military spouses. Giles thought that creating something similar could address her needs and those of other hearing-impaired Starbucks employees. A few months later, the company discovered a Malaysian Starbucks that had already implemented the ASL embroidery.

New aprons were then recreated by Angie Foster, a deaf woman who operates an embroidery shop in Maryland. We were intent on finding a Deaf supplier, the first for Starbucks, said Starbucks representative Marthalee Galeota. Angies work is stellar and we hope this visibility will bring more business her way.
Move over, Trader Joe's Two Buck Chuck  theres a new bottle in town.

Beginning September 3, Targets brand new line of inexpensive wine, at just $5 a bottle, can be found on shelves of over 1,100 national locations, according to a press release.

While the retail superstore already sells beer and wine, the debut of its California Roots label marks Targets first exclusive alcohol line. Featuring three whites and two reds  Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Moscato, Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blend  Target is apparently hoping its wine-drinking customers will be impressed with not only the "incredible quality and amazing value," but also the selection.

WINE GADGET CLAIMS TO FILTER OUT HANGOVERS

Were out to give our guests even more reasons to love Target  including exclusive products they cant find anywhere else, said Jeff Burt, senior vice president of food and beverage. And we think theyre going to love California Roots  these wines are just the right blend of incredible quality and amazing value that guests can only get at Target.

TRUMP WINERY NOT OWNED BY PRESIDENT, NOT ONE OF NATION'S LARGEST WINERIES

And just when you thought the news couldnt get any more delicious for savvy wine shoppers, it apparently does: Unlike Target's other seasonal food offerings, California Roots is not a limited edition release.

"The wine is a permanent offering," a Target spokesperson confrimed to BuzzFeed Food.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

With an attractive price point and a label touting how each wine is "carefully crafted with premium, California-grown grapes," California Roots is seemingly positioning itself as an alternative to other low-cost offerings, such as Yellow Tail or the aforementioned Two Buck Chuck from Trader Joe's.

Only time will tell if Target's new vinos pass the taste test, but if they do, shopping excursions at the nation's second-largest discount store could get much, much sweeter.
My expressionless, phlegmatic stare toward the back of the room must have become obvious to the veterinarian at the animal hospital. She subtly nodded to her assistant on the right who extended a tissue box in my direction. I had a feeling this wasnt the first time they had this conversation with a patient.

In situations with lily poisoning, once we start to see abnormalities in the cats kidney levels, oftentimes the most humane option is euthanasia, she explained to me in a soft, tentative voice. The alternative would be to keep him here for 72 hours on fluids to see if we can flush out the poison. But to be fully transparent, even if he lives, we are talking about a dramatically reduced quality of life. Overall, his chances arent good.

NYC HIKES PRICE OF CIGARETTES TO $13, HIGHEST IN US

I tried to recall how I got to this sterile, fluorescent-lit room in the first place. No more than 45 minutes earlier, I was sprawled on my bed while I cuddled with my five-year-old black-and-white longhair cat, Jeeves, on the bed. His kneading and purring kicked off a common post-work ritual for the two of us, one we had been doing consistently since I adopted him four years ago. Hed shower me with affection, Id give him a treat or extra dollop of wet food, and then hed proceed to inspect every square-inch of the apartmentyou know, because things definitely changed since yesterday.

But this time, however, there definitely was something new and exciting to inspecta bushy, pungent bouquet of Easter lilies, roses and hydrangeas perched prettily on my nightstand. It was a thoughtful gift from a boy I had been on a handful of dates with, and Jeeves took as much pleasure in inhaling their scent as I did. I have always been especially enamored with liliesI even have the flower tattooed on my body. Aside from their obvious beauty, I loved how much longer it took for them to bloom than other flowers in a bouquet. And when they did, they outlasted every other rose or tulip in the bunch.

However, when Jeeves went in for a long whiff of the all-white lily and emerged with mustard pollen smeared on his face that afternoon, something just didnt look right. It wasnt that he was sneezing or in visible pain, but the way he looked at me made me feel uneasy, almost like he knew the powdery substance shouldnt be on him. And after Googling lilies and cats on my phoneonly to find out how poisonous they wereI scrambled to move Jeeves into his carrier and into a yellow cab to Midtown straight away.

"Im just gonna go outside for a sec, I responded back in the vet's office. They both nodded caringly, understanding that opting to kill your cat on the spot, as opposed to trying to defy the odds and hand over your emergency savings, wasnt a decision you could make in a matter of minutes. It wasnt until a friend of mine showed up to the hospital who, unlike me, was wearing a horrified, somber expression on her face and ran into my arms to hug me the second she spotted me, did the reality start to sink inand the tears start to flow.

This is all my fault. I killed him. I killed my cat.

THE SELDOM DISCUSSED CAT-KILLER

After 72 hours of intravenous therapy, Jeeves made a full recovery from the lily poisoning. Although the vet explained that each case is different (including how much of the plant the cat ingests and how long it has been in their system), they believed the continuous flushing of his system via the I.V. helped clear the kidneys of poison.

Despite the good prognosis, the guilt I felt remained heavy. But after talking with several cat-owning friends, a different tale started to emerge. Not one of those friends I spoke with knew that lilies were poisonous, including ones who have been caring for felines for decades. I posted my story to social media and received a slew of horrified responses in the comment section. To top it all off, the boy who bought me the bouquet with lilies in the first place owns a cat named Lily, which was, shockingly, the name the ASPCA gave her when he adopted.

The ASPCA does spotlight feline toxins on their website, with plants (not just lilies) accounting for 5.2 percent of all cases of poisoning. The ASPCA encourages animal adopters to understand the toxicity of plants before putting them in or around your house, one of their representatives said in an email interview in regards to initial adoption procedures. The small mom and pop organization I adopted Jeeves from, however, gave me no information on plant toxicity or poisons related to cats, and whoever named the cat Lily at the local ASPCA certainly didn't know.

WHY ARE THE FLOWER SHOPS SO SILENT?

A perfect fit for our dorm-sized apartments, cats are often as much associated with New York City as the flower-selling bodega shops that line nearly every street corner. Not once, however, have I seen any kind of warning or sign posted at these places highlighting their toxicity. Maybe not surprising since they are small shops, but for large-scale corporation like ProFlowers.com or 1-800-FLOWERS, outlining a potentially poisonous flower to buyers would seem like a no-brainer from a legal perspective, and pet owners would be grateful, too.

Despite a single post on 199 poisonous plants wedged into ProFlowers' blog, there are no other instances on either site that I could find that discuss toxicity associated with particular plants. And felines aside, dogs (and humans) are susceptible to flower poisoning, too. Since the big sellers arent highlighting it, should we be expected to have an encyclopedia-like knowledge of all these flowers before bringing them into our homes?

The floral industry really frustrates me, explained Dr. Andrea Trafny, a staff doctor at NYCs Animal Medical Center - Emergency and Critical Care Service (AMC), where Jeeves was treated. Upon purchase, more often than not, buyers arent being made aware of a flowers potential toxicityespecially in regard to pets. Naturally, part of this is because not all plants called lilies are toxic, and unfortunately, most just assume all are benign. The Peruvian lily, for example, does not cause kidney injury to cats. Easter lilies (what Jeeves was exposed to) and tiger lilies, however, are some of the most toxic. Stargazer and day lilies are also poisonous.

According to Trafny, AMC sees roughly one case of lily poisoning per day. Of course, this is a single animal hospital in a city with over 8.5 million inhabitants and 30+ veterinarians in the five boroughs. If each of those 30 vets see the same kind of traffic from lily exposure that the AMC does, some 6,450 cats could have been affected per year. And thats just for the cat owners with means to take their sick cat to the vet immediatelyand to shell out nearly $4,000 in hospital bills to treat them.

Trafny explained to me that the AMC does their best to spread the word about lily toxicity in felines, including distributing pamphlets to owners and outlining poisons clearly on their website. Of course, once a cat owner comes to Trafny after their feline has been exposed to lilies, the time for preventative measures has probably passed.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO KEEP YOUR CAT SAFE

As Trafny told me, my speed in getting Jeeves into the hospital likely saved his life. And while youd think that actually gnawing on a petal or leaf would be the ultimate hazard, as Trafny explains, the real poison is in the pollen. "If you see pollen on the whiskers, wipe it away as much as you can, on the way to the vet. she says. Even if a cat rubs up against a lily, they become contaminated and can cause renal and kidney failure, she explained. Unfortunately, when the kidneys are injured, they dont regenerate. You just have to hope that the damage isnt too bad. Past a certain point, total kidney failure is certain.

HARVEY HEALTH RISKS: OFFICIALS ON ALERT AMID MASSIVE FLOODING

While removing lilies from the home is the only surefire way to prevent exposure, decontamination can be helpful in the immediate hours following contact, including induced vomiting and a charcoal rub to absorb the toxin (executed by the vet). If those measures dont work, full-on kidney dialysis is required, but thats only if the owner is willing to pay upwards of $10,000. Although seeing your cat come into contact with a lily is a surefire sign of exposure, Trafny lists other initial symptoms of poisoning, including increased thirst and urination in the beginning stages and vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and decreased appetite in the later stages. In the final stage, the cat will go into renal failure and will stop producing urine.

WATCH FOR OTHER POTENTIAL FELINE DANGERS

As for making a cat-safe home, Trafny recommends accounting for their curious nature. Set up a space where where you can confine them when youre not home, she stresses. You cant hide things from cats, especially pungent, interesting things like flowers that will intrigue them. Keep them out of the bathroom, even when you are home. Human pills like antidepressants and cleaning supplies are poisonous, while dental floss could cause gastrointestinal obstruction. Its the most dangerous room for felines in the house.

In addition to those dangers Trafny mentions, other common household hazards for indoor cats include human medicines, various foods and beverages (alcohol, caffeine, chocolate), other types of plants (marijuana, mistletoe, poinsettia, tulips) and insecticides and chemicals (detergents, rodent bait and antifreeze). Most surprisingly, onions are also poisonous to cats. They're also a close relative of lilies.

In my post-lily exposure life with Jeeves, however, I continue to be angry: particularly with the floral industry for refusing to spotlight the dangers of lily toxicity, and at myself for exposing my innocent pet to something that nearly killed him. What I can do (and you can do, too), however, is to share the information with other pet owners and florists. Tell your friends about lily toxicity in cats. If you're a real pet activist, you can download these awareness campaign posters and offer them to your local shops, or tape them to street lights and message boards around your town. You can also find other ways to get involved on the International Cat Care website.

This article first appeard on Rodale's Organic Life.
This year, thousands of people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. While it might not be the most common cancer out there, it is one of the most deadly, and cancer patients will need courage and a sound medical team to help them through it.

Thankfully, experts are still committed to furthering their research on this tough cancer.

Last year, a medical team from the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust decided to analyze the most common treatment for pancreatic cancer: surgery. Their goal was simple.

BEWARE OF DRINKING ALCOHOL

Lead researcher Keith Roberts and his team worked with several UK hospitals to speed up the time between the cancers diagnosis and its necessary surgery. Because pancreatic cancer is so dangerous, the researchers hope to improve survival rates by acting quickly.

During the trial, the researchers focused on speeding up the process for 32 patients, whittling down the waiting period from two months to two weeks. In doing so, they bypassed a procedure for jaundiced patients that supposedly reduces the risk of post-surgery complications, according to BBC News.

Despite overlooking this precaution, doctors were able to successfully remove the tumors from 31 out of the 32 patients. While the researchers are encouraged by these results, they will have to wait several years to see if their quick action will have any long-term effects.

Recognizing Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer happens when cells in your pancreas cause DNA mutations. While normal cells might die from natural body defenses or common treatment, these mutations can cause the cells to keep living and growing. Eventually, a tumor will form, often causing complications to the bowels and digestive system.

HARVEY HEALTH RISKS: OFFICIALS ON HIGH ALERT AMID MASSIVE FLOODING

According to the American Cancer Society, over 50,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017. Of these, a little over 40,000 will die from it.

Why arent more people surviving this cancer? In many cases, patients are diagnosed at a late stage when the cancer has already spread. For this reason, its especially important to identify any changes in your body early on and talk them over with your doctor.

Here are a few signs to watch for:

Unexplained weight loss

Loss of appetite

Depression

Persistent fatigue

Pain in the upper abdomen that radiates to the back

New case of diabetes

Blood clots

Jaundice (yellowing of the skin)

Unfortunately, obvious symptoms dont always occur in the beginning stages of the cancer. Overall, pancreatic cancer has a rare incidence rate, but you may have an increased risk with certain factors.

These risk factors include a family history of pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis, diabetes, smoking, obesity and old age. In any of these cases, you may want to consider screening as a precaution.

Getting Treatment

If youve been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you will need to talk through your options with your doctor. Based on the new research, you may improve your condition by opting for surgery as quickly as possible. However, treatment will vary based on your age, overall health, and the progression of the cancer.

Surgery

If youre opting for surgery, you should understand the road ahead. Depending on how big the cancer is, your doctor may only need to remove the tumor itself.

NEW BREAKTHROUGH IN UNDERSTANDING CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

If the cancer has grown significantly or spread, you may need a bypass surgery or partial removal of the pancreas. While these procedures are invasive, surgery may give you the best chance of curing the cancer.

2. The Whipple Procedure

This procedure is actually another surgery used on eligible patients. In this treatment, the surgeon will actually remove the head of the pancreas and may also remove other affected areas nearby. Then, the surgeon will re-attach the remaining portions to allow for normal digestion.

3. Chemotherapy/Radiation

Again, the type of chemotherapy used will depend on the location and size of the cancer. Often, doctors will use this treatment to shrink the tumor before surgery. If the cancer has only spread to one or two surrounding organs, he may use radiation or a combination of the treatments.

While pancreatic cancer does prove difficult to cure, medical experts are actively researching new treatments. At best, you should talk with your doctor about speeding up the time between your diagnosis and your treatment. Then, stay dedicated to your treatment and health, taking care of yourself both mentally and physically along the way.

This article first appeared on AskDrManny.com.
A principal of a South Carolina high school has apologized after she was recorded saying female students looked fat in leggings unless they were a size zero or two.

Stratford High School principal Heather Taylor apologized Thursday stating that her intention was not to hurt or offend any of my students in any way, according to People.

Taylor was recorded Wednesday telling female students that leggings show everything and should only be worn by thinner women.

PREGNANT FOX NEWS ANCHOR SLAMS PEOPLE OFFENDED BY HER MATERNITY CLOTHES

(Leggings are) meant to wear underneath a long shirt that covers your heinie, or a long sweater of some type, or a dress. It is not meant to be your actual pants, and if you have a shirt that comes to here, then you are showing everything. Yes, everything, Taylor said.

The sad thing is with that, ladies  if someone has not told you this before, I'm going to tell you this now  unless you are a size zero or a two, and you wear something like that, even though you are not fat, you look fat, Taylor said.

Taylor told People that she spoke to students about the incident to explain her comments.

Yesterday and this morning, I met with each class of the Stratford High School student body. I addressed a comment made during a 10th grade assembly and shared from my heart that my intention was not to hurt or offend any of my students in any way. I assured them all that I am one of their biggest fans and invested in their success, Taylor said.

H&M SLAMMED FOR DRAMATIC SIZING DISCREPANCIES

Allison Veazy, a student at the school, told WCBD that the principals comments were hurtful.

It was really hurtful, cause I felt like my size made me look disgusting towards someone in the clothes that I wear, Veazy said. I wear leggings outside of school and I wear leggings when I go and hang out with my friends, and to think that someone would think that I look like a stuffed sausage  that was kind of hurtful.

On Friday, some members of the schools senior class penned a letter of support for Taylor and posted a video of their statement on Facebook.

On behalf of some students at Stratford High, we would like to extend our support and appreciation to your administration and Berkeley County for the past 24 years. We understand that you, like us, are human and make mistakes, a student said in the video. We completely realize that your intentions were not to harm us or the students at the assembly.

Taylor said she was confident that the school can move forward following the controversial comments.

After speaking with our students and receiving their support, I am confident that, together, we are ready to move forward and have a wonderful year, Taylor said.

Stratford High is a very caring community, and I want to thank all of our parents and students who have offered their support to me and provided me with an opportunity to directly address their concern. I am very proud to be a Stratford Knight.
Editors Note: To support the Humane Society of the United States disaster response efforts, go to www.humanesociety.org.

The struggles and despair in Houston and in dozens of surrounding counties remind us of how fundamentally, how poignantly, our lives are linked with animals. When it comes to grabbing what they can, Texans are hoisting their dogs on their shoulders and putting their cats in carriers and pulling themselves from flooded homes and streets, leaving behind the ephemera of material possessions and holding on to what really counts.

If you have spent your life as a champion of the human-animal bond, as I have, these hours have been as moving as anything Ive ever imagined.

There is more to do. Much more, as we all know.

For every high-water rescue that brings forth cheers, we must also recognize the certainty of unseen tragedies ahead, or unfolding out of sight in these destructive and perilous moments. America should know that The Humane Society of the United States has moved into help. Out to save our pets, to help animal shelters and wildlife rehabilitation centers in the path of the storm, and to keep our communities whole.

Well rejoice at every success story, and we wont stop  first-responders, animal welfare organizations, neighbors and Americans everywhere. Animals bind people together. They are at the center of the human story, and they should also be at the center of our thinking as we respond to this crisis.

A merciless, long-running weather event stretching over 50 counties is enough to overwhelm any single organization, or any established network of organizations. So to build our ranks and rise to the occasion, were partnering with local and national groups, with other first-responders, and with state and local disaster agencies, to make sure that the animals remain a priority concern. And thats just the beginning.

On Monday alone, we brought resources to evacuate 200 animals from one shelter to make room for others who are being displaced. Well be transporting animals, with partners like Wings of Rescue to states as far off as Washington and New Jersey. And well rely on like-minded sheltering organizations in nearby states, especially in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee.

I mention these specifics because they illustrate something significant. The larger disaster-response community is showing us that it understands the essential, unbreakable human-animal bond must be considered from the get-go. Animals are not being overlooked even in the early going.

This is a big change, and a valuable one, since 2005 and Hurricane Katrina. This time, we see Good Samaritans out reminding people to be on the lookout for animals as they go house to house. We see private rescue boats loaded with people and with dogs  families weathering this storm, together and intact, in terms of what really matters.

We see local news stories celebrating the fortitude of Texans and Texas animals too. Indeed in advance of landfall, local news media emphasized over and over again that pets must be considered in family emergency plans.

Hopefully, well prove that animal welfare organizations have learned the lessons of the recent past too. There is no time now for back-patting or self-congratulations, but were oriented properly and the masses of the American public are behind us  having learned the lessons of Katrina a dozen years ago.

Even before the storm hit, we were evacuating animals from the impact area, working with the SPCA of Texas in Dallas to handle large shipments of animals to keep them out of harms way. Support for animals in emergency shelters is underway.

Well keep after it. Well rejoice at every success story, and we wont stop. And when I say we, I mean all of us  first-responders, animal welfare organizations, neighbors and Americans everywhere. Animals bind people together. They are at the center of the human story, and they should also be at the center of our thinking as we respond to this crisis.
The jihadist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils in mid-August, which killed a dozen people and injured 120 more, might have been prevented, except for the dysfunctional relationship between Spains central government in Madrid and the leaders of the separatist movement in Catalonia, the autonomous region of which Barcelona is the capital.

Indeed, the attack highlights the dangers of the politicization of security policy and can serve as a warning to the U.S., home to an estimated 300 sanctuary cities, counties and states that are potential safe havens for violent extremists from abroad.

How so? The investigation into the Spanish attacks has highlighted a breakdown in communication and coordination between the National Police and the Civil Guard, which are controlled by Madrid, and the Catalan autonomous police, known as the Mossos dEsquadra.

The central government has been accused of withholding actionable information about members of the Barcelona terror cell. The Mossos have been accused of seeking to showcase Catalonias self-sufficiency in security matters ahead of an October 1 vote for independence from Spain, and as a result failing to take adequate measures to keep track of the jihadist threat.

In an effort to promote Catalan nationalism and the Catalan language, Catalonian pro-independence parties have deliberately encouraged immigration from Muslim countries in the belief that these immigrants (unlike those from Latin America) would learn the Catalan language rather than Spanish.

This may explain how a 12-member terror cell was able to prepare the attack for more than half a year without detection by Spanish authorities at the central, regional and local levels.

Only now is Spain slowly waking up to that possibility. The total absence of police collaboration between the Mossos dEsquadra, which is the police force deployed on the ground, and the National Police and the Civil Guard translates into huge security deficiencies, warned El Periodico de Catalunya, a newspaper based in Barcelona.

The relationship between police forces  influenced by the political situation  is terrible and, in the case of the Mossos and the National Police, it is open war, the newspaper added.

The result is that the information services of the Mossos, on the one hand, and those of the National Police and the Civil Guard, on the other, do not exchange information. The cooperation is reduced to the personal relationships of individual agents who, without the knowledge of their superiors, exchange information to put safety first.

Much of the inter-agency discord revolves around the failure of Catalan police to monitor Abdelbaki Es-Satti, the now-deceased mastermind of the Barcelona plot. Es-Satti was a Moroccan national who served a four-year sentence in a Spanish prison on a conviction for drug trafficking.

While in prison, Es-Satti is believed to have met Rachid Aglif, one of the main plotters of the 2004 Madrid bomb attacks that killed 192 people and wounded 2,000. Es-Satti should have been deported at the end of his sentence in April 2014, but a Spanish judge ruled that sending him back to Morocco would be a violation of his human rights.

After prison, Es-Satti served as an imam at a mosque in the Catalan town of Ripoll, where he is suspected of organizing the Barcelona terror cell and radicalizing its members.

More than a year before the attack, the director of the Ripoll mosque reported Es-Satti to local police as part of a security protocol to monitor Muslim preachers. Catalan authorities said they did not place Es-Satti on a watch list because the central government in Madrid withheld information about his jihadist background.

Es-Satti was killed the night before the Barcelona attack when a bomb accidentally detonated in a house where he was preparing explosives. Investigators later found more than a hundred large orange gas canisters, as well as traces of triacetone triperoxide (TATP), an explosive substance frequently used by members of the Islamic State in Europe.

Catalan police have been accused of botching the initial investigation by failing to link the house explosion to the terror cell. That mistake allowed the jihadists to roam free for an entire day before they carried out their attacks in Las Ramblas and Cambrils. It also remains unclear why neighbors failed to report suspicious activity at the house, which had been foreclosed by a bank and which the 12-member terror cell had illegally occupied for more than six months.

The information gaps hardly ended there. Spanish media have reported that two months before the attack, the CIA had warned Catalan police that Barcelona  specifically the area of Las Ramblas, the citys main tourist thoroughfare  was being targeted by jihadists.

Catalan officials, however, failed to install bollards or to take other preventive security measures which would have prevented the jihadists from plowing a vehicle through dense crowds on a busy pedestrian-only street.

Barcelonas left-wing mayor, Ada Colau, has defended her refusal to fill Barcelona with barriers by insisting that it must remain a city of liberty.

Then there is the broader political dimension. In an effort to promote Catalan nationalism and the Catalan language, Catalonian pro-independence parties have deliberately encouraged immigration from Muslim countries in the belief that these immigrants (unlike those from Latin America) would learn the Catalan language rather than Spanish.

Today Catalonia not only has the highest Muslim population in Spain, it is also one of the most Islamized regions of the country. Its 7.5 million inhabitants include an estimated 510,000 Muslims, who account for around seven percent of the total Catalan population.

In some Catalan towns, however, the Muslim population is above 40 percent of the overall population.

A leaked U.S. diplomatic cable dating back to 2007 warned that the vast majority of Muslim migrants in Catalonia are unmarried males without legal documentation: They live on the edges of Spanish society, they do not speak the language, they are often unemployed.... Individually, these circumstances would provide fertile ground for terrorist recruitment; taken together, the threat is clear....

Even if that warning made an impression, the split between local and national institutions on the issue created a dangerous gap in security. The failure to heed intelligence warnings, enhance physical security and identify suspicious activity, combined with a slavish commitment to multiculturalism, political correctness and mass migration amid the idiosyncrasies of local politics, are all factors which enabled the Barcelona attackers.

Therein is the fundamental lesson for America: by refusing to cooperate with the federal government on law enforcement, sanctuary cities can undermine the war on terror at a time when local, state and federal agencies should be working together to protect the American homeland.
Programming note: Watch Varney & Co. weekdays on the Fox Business Channel from 9  12pm ET.

A presidency is often defined by the challenges it has to face.

The biblical Houston flood is President Trump's first great challenge. It is not of his making, and the presidency cant make the waters recede. But a president can lead. He can bring the country together and focus the nation on the task. Thats what President Trump is trying to do right now.

He will get no help from the media, they loath him. They are looking for the slightest fault. Any fault. Look at this headline in the Trump-hating Washington Post: Trump abuses his power to help the cause of bigotry. Thats a reference to last week's pardoning of sheriff Joe. The elites have no time, at all, for Texas.

How much help will he get from the Left? The president has asked for a bi-partisan approach to funding Houstons recovery. He wants Democrats on board with supplying the money. He will have to overcome the deep-seated hostility that coastal liberals have for the brash, successful and Republican Texans.

It is this divided country that President Trump is trying to unite. When you see the biblical scale of the Houston flood, you would think all of us would rally around him. As we should. A flood knows no ideology.

That is the president's challenge. To lead. To rally in times of trouble.

Adapted from Stuart Varneys My Take on Thursday August 29, 2017.
Well, it looks as if North Korea is once again up to its usual tricksfiring missiles and scaring the world half to death.

But this time, Kim Jong Un, the devilish dictator of the so-called hermit kingdom, decided to take it a step further, shooting a missile over Japan.

Just when I thought I had a few days off to relax, and a little time to catch up on some much-needed rest from the last North Korea crisisas in last weekend.

To be fair, I should have known better.

Practice they say makes perfect, or in this case, ensures you can kill millions of people at a moment notice. What makes these tests dangerous is the possibility of a failure, the chance that one of these tests goes wrongand starts a war that wont be easy to stop.

You see, the nature of North Koreas nuclear and missile programs is the same as every other nation who has gone down this road. To build atomic weapons and the missiles to carry them to a target you need to test themover and over and over again. Pyongyang will need to test the range, guidance and tracking, telemetry and heatshield technology of its missiles. And every time the world will hold its breathe.

Practice they say makes perfect, or in this case, ensures you can kill millions of people at a moment notice. And know this: North Korea wont stop until they feel that have perfected their nuclear arsenal and can hit most points in Asia and the U.S. homeland. Kim wants to make sure that in case we ever get any ideas of invading his communist paradise he can take millions to the grave with him.

Pyongyang will also likely test in the coming weeks another nuclear weapon. In fact, if I was a betting man, mark your calendars for September 9th, North Koreas founding date, as the day Kim Jong Un might just rattle Asia with a nuclear earthquake. He did last year, and very well could do it again.

Indeed, the world seems fated to endure what I would call mini Sputnik moments, or demonstrations that show North Korea has the power to attack not only our allies but our homeland as well. What makes these dangerous is the possibility of a failure, the chance that one of these tests goes wrongand starts a war that wont be easy to stop.

For example, lets say North Koreas test over Japan did not splash down in the Pacific Ocean, but instead landed in a populated area. The images of carnage and death, especially if the missile came down on a major city would be horrific. Tokyo would be hard pressed to do nothing, and would likely strike back in some sort of kinetic manner. Japan could even evoke the U.S.-Japan defense treaty, asking for U.S. aide and assistance.

This is where things would get dangerous.

After Japan strikes back, dont believe for one second that North Korea would not respond in kind. Such a dangerous and escalatory spiral is how wars start, and keep in mind, some of the most horrid wars in human history have started in August. And with the amount of weapons currently in Northeast Asia, all it would take is a relatively minor incident to start a conflict that could easily kill millions of people.

The good news, if any in such a situation, is that we know how to deal with rogue nations like North Koreawe just need to reopen our history books.

We know how to deal with states that are rising nuclear powers, developing missiles and atomic weapons to place on them. The Soviet Union at one point had almost 40,000 nuclear warheads and the ability to destroy the world several times over. Moscows missiles could have wiped out the planet several times over and turned America into an atomic ash heap.

We successfully contained the USSR and won the Cold Warwe need not give North Korea the power to make us afraid or guide our actions or the actions of our allies.

Sure, we went through moments of panic and fear, feeling a sense of uneasiness knowing the Americas geostrategic safety blanketthe Atlantic and Pacific Oceanscould not save us from nuclear war. But we do know how to push back against those who would hurt us or our allies.

Our policy when it comes to North Korea should be clearwe must ensure they are contained and isolated.

Now, to be fair, the containment we will need to seek when it comes to Pyongyang will be different for a different age.

We must do all we can to limit the amount of money that can flow into North Korea, ensuring the price for Kims nukes and missiles rises exponentially. Since Kims economy is the size of Laostiny compared to his brethren in the southtaking away every dollar available to him could force him to slow dramatically his nuclear and missile programs growth and advances, maybe even halting future expansion. That would really be progress.

The key will be China and to a lesser extent Russia. Both nations must continue to implement UN Security Council resolutions and agree to even tougher sanctions.

There is only one way to rein in North Koreato make it as painful as possible for Kim to build the weapons he seeks. But if the world continues to stick its head in the sand, or if we continue to think we have more time when it comes to Pyongyangs intentions to develop the most powerful of weapons, we will wake up to a world where North Korea will have not only a nuclear weapon but Hydrogen Bombs, missiles that can hit all of America and submarines armed with long-range nuclear missiles.

We must do all we can to ensure that day never comes.
In a scathing August 24 New York Times op-ed, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born feminist, author, scholar and former Dutch parliament member, lamented that the far-left Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has hit the jackpot in huge donations in the aftermath of the violence in Charlottesville. Hirsi Ali noted that Apple pledged $1 million to the SPLC; JP Morgan Chase & Co. half a million; George and Amal Clooney $1 million.

While Hirsi Ali condemned Nazism, white supremacy and racial bigotry as having no place in a civilized society, she made it clear that contributing to the SPLC is the wrong way to combat this poison.

As I explained in a 2016 Fox News Opinion article, the Southern Poverty Law Center is a left wing smear machine that tries to denigrate conservative individuals and organizations by lumping them together with white nationalists, KKK members and neo-Nazis on so-called hate lists. In a recent Frontpage Magazine article, Daniel Greenfield described the SPLC as one of the longest running malicious jokes on the internet. Conservatives targeted by the SPLC include American Enterprise Institute scholar Charles Murray, Accuracy in Media President Cliff Kinkaid (who SPLC has singled out for challenging global warming), the Family Research Council, and WorldNetDaily founder Joseph Farah.

Smearing anyone who speaks out against radical Islam is one of the SPLCs priorities. Accordingly, it has placed on its hate lists Jihad Watch and its Director Robert Spencer; American Freedom Defense Initiative and its director Pamela Geller; and Maajid Nawaz a Muslim reformer who runs Quilliam, a London-based organization that aims to counter jihadism and extremism. My organization, the Center for Security Policy and our president Frank Gaffney, also are on the SPLCs hate lists due to our principled stand against the Global Jihad Movement.

Despite how transparently political the SPLCs hate lists are, the main stream media regularly cites them as authoritative sources.

Last October, the SPLC added Ayaan Hirsi Ali to its hate list, an appalling act that ignored the decades of intimidation, hatred and fear Ms. Hirsi Ali has endured from radical Islamists. This decision also reflected the SPLCs disgraceful practice of turning a blind eye to the violent hatred and extremism of radical Islam, which Hirsi Ali noted in her op-ed includes weekly killing sprees around the world, justifying wife-beating, enslavement of female unbelievers, murdering gay people and virulent anti-Semitism.

The violence, hatred and intimidation radical Islamists have inflicted on Ayaan Hirsi Ali have been extreme. She was subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) at the age of five when she lived in Somalia. She fled to the Netherlands to escape an arranged marriage. After becoming a Dutch citizen, Hirsi Ali was elected to the Dutch Parliament and began working on a film with filmmaker Theo van Gogh titled Submission on the oppression of women under Islam. Van Gogh was assassinated by a radical Islamist for making this film. After other radical Islamists threatened to kill Hirsi Ali for her work on the film, she was forced to live in a secret location in the Netherlands under high security.

Hirsi Ali moved to the United States in 2006 and is now a fellow at Harvard Universitys JFK School of Government and a Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution. She has written two best-selling books, "Infidel" (which chronicles her life) and "Heretic: Why Islam Needs Reformation Now." Because of continuing threats against her life by radical Islamists, Hirsi Ali lives with round-the-clock security and does not travel without an armed security detail.

Despite how transparently political the SPLCs hate lists are, the main stream media regularly cites them as authoritative sources. CNN recently ran a story about hate groups in the U.S. citing these hate lists which it was forced to partially retract after a backlash by conservatives. Because of this CNN article and other recent misleading press stories driven by the SPLC, PayPal suspended the accounts of Robert Spencer, Pamela Geller and their organizations. Fortunately, another backlash forced PayPal to quickly reverse this decision.

Targeting conservatives as haters has been very profitable for the SPLC. It uses its hate lists to generate huge donations, in part through a sophisticated direct mail fundraising operation. Based on its 2010 tax return, the liberal website Daily Kos criticized the SPLC in 2012 for its enormous wealth, offshore bank account in the Cayman Islands, and ownership in several foreign corporations.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali concluded her op-ed by cheering efforts to stand up to neo-Nazi displays like what happened in Charlottesville. But she urged Apple, JP Morgan and the Hollywood A-list to find more trustworthy and deserving partners to work with other than the odious SPLC to counter this and all other forms of political violence and intolerance.

Lets hope Apple and George Clooney haven't mailed in their checks yet.
A Dickinson Township man is in Cumberland County Prison after police say he fired a gun at a woman inside his home while intoxicated.

Ricky Eugene Bupp Jr., 38, is charged with felony discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, terroristic threats, misdemeanor simple assault and reckless endangerment, and was taken to Cumberland County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to court records.

Around 8:40 p.m. Saturday, Bupp arrived at his home in the first block of Brandywine Lane in Dickinson Township intoxicated and began arguing with his girlfriend, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by State Police at Carlisle. During the argument, Bupp brandished what police later identified as a 9 mm handgun and fired a shot near the feet of the woman, police said.

An 8-year-old boy was in a rear bedroom at the time of the incident, according to police.

The woman fled and called police from a neighbors home, according to the affidavit.

When police arrived, they found Bupp unconscious in his vehicle with a 9 mm handgun on his lap, police said. According to police, Bupp refused to exit the vehicle, saying he was sleeping and telling police to go away.

Bupp grabbed the steering wheel to prevent police from removing him before he was arrested and placed in the police cruiser, according to the affidavit.

The victim said this was not the first time Bupp had fired his gun at her, saying this always happens, according to the affidavit. She said that on at least two other occasions Bupp had fired his gun at her, and multiple bullet holes were seen by police in the floor of the home, police said.

A 9 mm shell casing was found inside the home near where the woman said Bupp had fired at her, according to police.

When asked, Bupp said police had no proof and that he already had a shell casing on his foot when he walked into the home, which he said was the shell casing police found, according to the affidavit.

A preliminary hearing for Bupp is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sept. 6 in front of Magisterial District Judge Elizabeth Beckley.
Editor's note: The following column originally appeared in The Hill newspaper and on TheHill.com.

President Trumps base among Republican voters is showing its first signs of erosion, according to opinion polls. His overall numbers are also at an historic low for a new president.

But what happens if Trump goes into total disruption mode and invites a government shutdown? Recent shutdowns have upset voters and damaged the Republican brand.

Now the question is whether the Trump brand is stronger than the GOP brand?

Even after the violence in Charlottesville, Trump can still look at polls and see that he is far more popular than any other Republican.

At the moment, more than three-quarters of Republicans remain Trump fans.

Even after the violence in Charlottesville, Va.  and the presidents failure to immediately damn the racist and anti-Jewish marchers  Trump can still look at polls and see that he is far more popular than any other Republican.

Trump is betting he can leverage his populist appeal among the rank-and-file to blame the GOP majority in Congress for forcing him to shut the government.

Believe me, if we have to close down our government, were building that wall, the president told his supporters at a rally in Phoenix last week, as anti-wall, pro-immigrant protesters picketed the venue.

Later, he specifically targeted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) for failing to do his bidding. They should have raised the debt ceiling as part of a recent Veterans benefits bill, as he requested, Trump tweeted.

Could have been so easy  now a mess, was the presidents damning conclusion.

Trump Divorces the GOP Congress, was the headline on an editorial in the Wall Street Journal last Friday.

They physical wall is Mr. Trumps personal preoccupation, the Journals conservative editorial page editors wrote. He can veto a bill without it but then hed be responsible for the shutdown.

Trump appears happy to do just that.

He can tell his supporters that enough-is-enough with do-nothing Republicans and obstruction from Democrats. He can portray himself as a hero, daring to take the risk of a shutdown to drain the swamp.

But how will that heroic image hold up if federal workers are told to stay home and benefit checks dont go out?

The presidents men are trying to stop him from playing Russian roulette with a government shutdown  especially if it is being done to build a wall.

Polls show a large, clear majority of Americans oppose building the wall. Most Americans also oppose shutting down the government.

But the odds of a shutdown are increasing.

"Presidential approval continues to decline, and is the lowest for any first-term president in his first year in office," top Goldman Sachs economist Alec Phillips wrote in a memo to clients earlier this month. "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."

The presidents team is not as confident as Trump that any good will come of a shutdown.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, a former Goldman executive, appeared alongside McConnell last week and gave little attention to the presidents call for a wall. Instead, he assured Republicans there would be no government shutdown brought on by a failure to raise the debt ceiling.

Were going to get the debt ceiling passed, Mnuchin predicted confidently. Everybody understands, this is not a Republican issue, this is not a Democrat issue. We need to be able to pay our debts.

McConnell agreed: America is not going to default, and well get the job done in conjunction with the secretary of the Treasury, he said.

Ryan shares McConnells view: I dont think a government shutdown is necessary, and I dont think most people want to see a government shutdown, ourselves included, he said at a news conference in Oregon last week.

That leaves open the question of whether Republican voters agree.

Already some House Republicans seem reluctant to push back against Trump.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) is predicting that as part of a debt ceiling resolution, Congress will find at least a billion or so dollars to make sure that we start the wall.

Meanwhile, Democrats see political gold in a bloody intramural GOP fight over the debt ceiling this fall.

Democrats have made clear we will not support funding for President Trumps misguided, ineffective border wall, Rep. Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, told The Hill last week. If President Trump and Republicans insist on wasting taxpayers money, they will be to blame for any government shutdown.

For all his bravado, Trump knows he has not delivered the winning that he promised his base. That is why he held the Phoenix rally so quickly after Charlottesville. The latest polls show Trump losing swing votes in key states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan.

So, now we find out if Republican voters will abandon Congressional Republicans in order to stand by a man who sees himself as bigger than the GOP: Trump.

Let the fall games begin.
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is back at the populist Breitbart News and the administration's former chief of staff Reince Priebus is back at his old law firm.

Bannon and Priebus arent alone in needing to brush off their resumes after working briefly for the Trump administration; in the months after Donald Trump became president, more than one dozen high-level officials have been fired or resigned from the administration.

Read on for a look at what some former Trump administration officials are up to now.

Steve Bannon

Steve Bannon, a hardcore populist, was removed as the presidents chief strategist on Aug. 18, 2017. And it wasnt long before the former Breitbart News chief was back at his old conservative publication.

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 Bloomberg following his departure.

Bannon returned to Breitbart as its executive chairman on the same day his ouster from the White House was announced and led its evening editorial meeting, the site said.

And he immediately began to bump heads with his old boss.

Bannon and Trump first clashed during the Alabama special election as both men initially backed different candidates. Bannon backed the beleaguered former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, and Trump campaigned for incumbent Sen. Luther Strange. Moore won.

Bannon had an even greater falling out with Trump and his cohorts when unflattering comments were attributed to him in a recent White House tell-all book, Fire and Fury. In the highly controversial book, Bannon is quoted as calling a meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer as treasonous and unpatriotic.

Trump said Sloppy Steve has lost his mind, and Bannon attempted to backtrack from his comments. He said they were directed at Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign chairman.

My support is also unwavering for the president and his agenda, Bannon said in a statement.

James Comey

In less than a year, James Comey went from FBI director to college faculty.

Comey, who was unceremoniously fired by Trump in May 2017, joined Howard University as part-time lecturer.

The King Chair is part of the Washington, D.C., colleges push to provide students access to experienced, senior public service executives who developed and advanced public policy initiatives, according to a university press release.

Comey, who was sacked from his job at the FBI just two months after he announced the agency was looking into ties between the Trump campaign and Russias meddling in the presidential election, said he was honored to be at Howard.

Howard has a longstanding history of being a vibrant academic community and the perfect place to have a rich dialogue on many of the most pressing issues we face today, Comey said in a statement.

Comeys time at Howard got off to a rough start after his convocation address was overtaken by raucous protestors.

Anthony Scaramucci

Anthony Scaramucci was the White House communications director for only 10 days, but he caused quite the shake-up in less than two weeks.

During his tenure, the Goldman Sachs alumnus ranted about his coworkers in an infamous and crude interview with the New Yorker  specifically slamming former chief of staff Reince Priebus as a paranoid schizophrenic and former chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Since hes left the White House, Scaramucci has been quite active on social media  including tweeting some vaguely self-deprecating images.

In August, Scaramucci tweeted a cartoon depicting a cartoonist banging his head against the wall in frustration as Trump seems to fire White House misfits at a rapid pace. A computer screen in the cartoon reads, New flash! Mooch out!!  invoking Scaramuccis common nick name, The Mooch.

He also tweeted an image of a t-shirt that read, I was communications director for 10 days and all I got was this lousy shirt.

Scaramucci has also appeared on a variety of talk shows, including The View and Stephen Colberts Late Show.

Michael Flynn

Trumps former national security adviser is no longer part of the White House, but he still remains under multiple investigations for his dealings with foreign governments, particularly Russia, during the presidential campaign.

The embattled former Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn resigned under harsh scrutiny in February 2017 after it was revealed that he misled the administration when it came to his ties to and conversations with Russian officials.

Since his firing, Flynn registered as a foreign agent with the Justice Department in March.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether Flynn was involved in the push to obtain former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons emails from Russian hackers during the presidential campaign.

Several of Flynns allies and appointees in the White House have been slowly pushed out as well.

Sean Spicer

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer could have been a star  a dancing star, that is.

After Spicer resigned as Anthony Scaramucci was hired as the White Houses short-lived communications director, he reportedly turned down an opportunity to be a contestant on ABCs Dancing with the Stars.

Sources told TMZ that Spicer turned down the gig because he has an overwhelming number of commitments in the fall and because hes not a good dancer.

Since he announced he was leaving the Trump administration, Spicer has been photographed with fans at Fenway Park and is angling to appear on Saturday Night Live. Spicer was also able to finally meet the pope. The former press secretary was infamously denied the opportunity to meet Pope Francis during Trump's trip to the Vatican in May.

Spicer joined the Worldwide Speakers Group as a paid speaker.

Melissa McCarthys depiction of his press briefing performances earned him a spot in Saturday Night Live lore, but it was his role as the architect of the Republican National Committees PR strategy that earned him a reputation as one of the partys most effective and hardest-charging strategists and communicators, his bio states.

His speaking topics include: navigating crises, a conservative viewpoint, an objective look at the philosophies, people and policies making the news and the Trump administration.

Spicer has continued to consistently share Trumps tweets and messages of support for the administration on Twitter.

Spicer also made a surprise appearance at the Emmy Awards in September, seemingly poking fun at his own claim about the size of the inauguration audience.

Reince Priebus

The former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus has rejoined his old law firm, he announced on Twitter.

Priebus said he has joined the Michael Best & Friedrich, a Milwaukee-based firm, as its president and will work from Washington, D.C. Priebus worked for the firm for about 13 years before he was the Republican National Committee chairman, according to the Associated Press.

Priebus also announced that he has joined the Washington Speakers Bureau.

Trump tweeted his congratulations to his former chief of staff and called him a really good and talented man.

Were proud of you, Reince! Trump said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The same Democrats who criticized President Trump for his response to the Charlottesville violence and warned for days of potential chaos at a right-wing rally planned for last weekend have been virtually silent on the attacks committed Sunday by apparent Antifa members in Berkeley, Calif.

Thirteen people were arrested, and five were injured after more than 100 black-clad, hooded protesters with masks and weapons attacked conservative demonstrators in Berkeley. They allegedly were associated with the far-left Antifa.

They came with black masks, they carried weapons, they were pounding people down with their fists and feet, Berkeley College Republican Ashton Whitty told Fox News' The Story with Martha MacCallum on Monday night. I knew I had to get out of there.

Whitty added: Everything was great until Antifa showed up.

But in the wake of the violence, many Democrats including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi have yet to condemn Antifa by name.

Leader Pelosi has always emphasized the importance of peaceful in the right to peaceful protest, a spokesperson for Pelosi, D-Calif., told Fox News when asked Tuesday about the Antifa violence.

Pelosi was not so reserved when she was warning about the potential for chaos in the run-up to a planned Patriot Prayer rally on Saturday. She had repeatedly slammed the National Park Service as misguided for allowing the rally, saying she had grave concerns about the public safety hazard NPS would create by permitting a white supremacist rally in the middle of Crissy Field in San Francisco.

The group effectively called off the event over security concerns.

Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson, who denies allegations his group represents white supremacist views, blamed Pelosi and the left over what he called a "huge setup."

The rhetoric from Nancy Pelosi, Mayor Lee, the media, all these people are saying that were white supremacists and its bringing in tons of extremists, Gibson said last Friday.

In an interview on "Tucker Carlson Tonight," Gibson questioned how much longer the "moderate left" will "stay silent on Antifa."

How long are you going to stay silent on Antifa? Because in their silence, its almost like theyre using Antifa to their benefitto attack free speech, he said, calling out Pelosi and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

BERKELEY CONSERVATIVES SPEAK OUT AGAINST ANTIFA FOLLOWING VIOLENT PROTESTS

Other Democrats also had warned about the potential for chaos at the Patriot Prayer event. On Friday, state Sen. Scott Wiener accused the group of fueling a "volatile, chaotic, violent tinderbox."

But come Sunday, that kind of violence played out in Berkeley, as so-called anti-fascist protesters showed up at a demonstration and beat Trump supporters.

Democratic officials, though, remain reluctant to specifically speak out against Antifa.

Trump faced similar allegations after the violence in Charlottesville, Va., where a counter-protester at a white supremacist rally was killed in a car attack. Trump was hammered by members of both parties for initially blaming "many sides," and not specifically calling out white supremacists.

We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one! Trump tweeted in the midst of the Charlottesville protests.

Faced with a backlash, Trump then condemned neo-Nazis and white supremacists -- only to invite more criticism the following day by again blaming "both sides" and claiming some "fine people" attended that Virginia rally.

Amid the furor over his response, the president stressed that the "alt-left" was stoking violence as well.

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, Trump said on Aug. 15.

Take Virginias Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who likewise was reluctant to denounce Antifa.

As Ive said after Charlottesville, anyone who came to our state, anyone who committed violence, on any side, will be arrested, McAuliffe told the Independent Journal Review on Monday, when asked about Berkeley.

Asked for comment, a Democratic National Committee spokesman said the party has "been clear in its condemnation of violence, bigotry, and hate," before turning the focus back to Republicans who don't condemn Trump's response to Charlottesville and accusing them of being "complicit."

The official said: "Democrats will continue to rise up and organize in a peaceful manner against the hate promoted by the Trump administration."

The only major Democrat to publicly come out against Antifa was Berkeleys Mayor Jesse Arreguin, who said he thought they should classify Antifa as a gang.

They come dressed in uniforms, Arreguin said. They have weapons, almost like a militia and I think we need to think about that in terms of our law enforcement approach.
A coalition of 21 state attorneys general filed a brief on Friday urging the Supreme Court to hear a case against Maryland's assault weapons ban.

The attorneys general for Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming jointly filed a friend of the court brief supporting the plaintiffs in Kolbe v. Hogan. The group believes Maryland's ban on certain semi-automatic rifles and magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition is unconstitutional, and are asking the Supreme Court to step in and strike the law down.

"Banning certain types of firearms steps on the Second Amendment," said West Virginia attorney general Patrick Morrisey in a statement about the group's brief. "Law abiding gun owners routinely use these firearms for self-defense or sporting. Such an unconstitutional act cannot stand."

Attorney General Morrissey said the outcome of the Maryland case will have repercussions for the entire country.

"This coalition's effort is really important because we have to protect Second Amendment rights," he said. "I hope that the Supreme Court hears this case so there are not undue restrictions on peoples' right to enjoy the Second Amendment. This matters not only for West Virginia, it matters for the entire country."

Click for more from The Washington Free Beacon.
Two-time failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will be back in the spotlight this fall for a big-ticket tour to promote her upcoming book What Happened.

Clinton, who lost the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump, announced Monday that she will go on a "Hillary Clinton Live" tour through 15 cities, including stops through many states she lost last November, the Daily Mail reported.

Promotional materials for her first stop, at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., promises Clinton plans to "let loose" and tell her audience a "personal, raw, detailed, and surprisingly funny story" of her election loss and recovery.

The website promoting the tour, HillaryClintonBookTour.com, features a quote from Clinton too.

"In the past, for reasons I try to explain, I've often felt I had to be careful in public, like I was up on a wire without a net," Clinton said. "Now I'm letting my guard down," she pledged.

The tour will kick off on Sept. 18, six days after the book is set to be released, and will continue through mid-December, reaching states that helped lead to her election loss like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, according to the Daily Mail.

Click for more from The Washington Free Beacon.
What will it take for Donald Trump to pass the test?

With the president and first lady arriving in Texas today, will the journalists who questioned whether Trump could handle Hurricane Harvey at least give him credit for showing compassion?

He is, at the very least, avoiding the symbolic mistake of George W. Bush in flying over New Orleans after Katrina. (Bush later admitted this was a huge mistake that made him look detached and uncaring.)

While Harveys catastrophic flooding is overwhelming authorities in Houston, Trump hasnt made any significant missteps so far. He held video conferences with senior officials from Camp David--with the White House sending out pictures to create an image of control.

Virtually every mainstream media outlet has been touting the hurricane as the first natural disaster test for Trump, often rooted in an assumption that a guy with no government experience has no idea how to deal with this. And its early in the process. If FEMA screws up, the president will rightly be criticized. But lets not jump the gun.

The real test, in my view, for a president whos been at war with both parties, is for him to pull together a Texas aid package on the Hill, because staggering amounts of money are going to be needed to rebuild these areas in the coming months and years. And in past battles over Katrina and Sandy, some Republicans have argued against federal disaster aid without offsetting spending cuts.

But as the hurricane drama plays out, the media are pursuing a parallel story line about Trump becoming more isolated within his administration.

(Interesting aside: The press is free to cover political controversies as the hurricane damage mounts, but if Trump, amid a series of Harvey messages, tweets about having won Missouri before visiting the state, some critics say aha, he doesnt care!)

Axios reports that the president is getting fed up with Rex Tillerson, a narrative that was fueled when the secretary of State spoke about the American peoples values on Fox News Sunday.

When Chris Wallace said, And the presidents values?, Tillerson replied: The president speaks for himself.

Pundits are coupling this with the fallout from chief economic adviser Gary Cohn speaking out against Trumps handling of Charlottesville.

At the same time, the media are increasingly focused on what the Wall Street Journal editorial page calls Trumps divorce from the GOP Congress. For example, Trump took a Twitter shot at Bob Corker after the Tennessee senator said he hadnt yet demonstrated the stability or competence to be successful.

And Republicans such as Paul Ryan and John McCain are criticizing Trumps during-the-hurricane pardon of former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio.

One thing is clear: Trump, as always, puts himself in the eye of the storm. And that may be his real test, long after the Houston floodwaters have receded.
A Republican state senator from Pennsylvania refused to apologize for calling billionaire Democratic megadonor George Soros a Hungarian Jew with a hatred for America following the accusations of anti-Semitism.

Sen. Scott Wagner, whos seeking next years Republican nomination for governor, spoke with The York Daily Record on Monday and suggested people are overreacting over his comments.

Everybody's getting their knickers around their ankles over this and there's no reason for that, he said.

The senators comments were recorded by someone from an opposition tracker during a tomato festival in Pittston, Pennsylvania last week.

The Democratic Party in the state denounced Wagner and his comments, saying they were anti-Semitic.

Wagner, however, insisted that if Soros had been Catholic he would have called him a Hungarian Catholic  meaning no offense.

He added that his comments should not be interpreted as racist, also noting his long history of donating to the local Jewish Community Center.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A federal judge on Tuesday tossed out a defamation lawsuit by Sarah Palin against The New York Times, saying the former Alaska governor failed to show the newspaper knew it was publishing false statements in an editorial before quickly correcting them.

The written ruling by Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan said the lawsuit seeking unspecified damages "fails on its face to adequately allege actual malice."

The decision came weeks after the onetime Republican vice presidential nominee sued over an editorial titled "America's Lethal Politics." It was published in June after a gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers in Virginia, wounding U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise.

The Times' editorial was corrected twice when readers complained that it appeared to blame a political action committee belonging to Palin, a former Republican vice presidential candidate, for "political incitement" after it distributed a map depicting Democratic lawmakers beneath crosshairs before the 2011 shooting of Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords in Arizona. The newspaper issued corrections the next morning to remove those references and note the map showed electoral districts, not people, in crosshairs.

"What we have here is an editorial, written and rewritten rapidly in order to voice an opinion on an immediate event of importance, in which are included a few factual inaccuracies somewhat pertaining to Mrs. Palin that are very rapidly corrected. Negligence this may be; but defamation of a public figure it plainly is not," Rakoff said.

Rakoff, known for philosophical asides, wrote: "Nowhere is political journalism so free, so robust, or perhaps so rowdy as in the United States. In the exercise of that freedom, mistakes will be made, some of which will be hurtful to others."

He said if political journalism is to achieve its constitutionally endorsed role of challenging the powerful, lawsuits by public figures must be limited to when there is a "plausible factual basis for complaining that the mistake was made maliciously."

Lawyers for Palin did not immediately comment.

In a statement, the Times said it was delighted with the ruling and regretted the errors.

"Judge Rakoff's opinion is an important reminder of the country's deep commitment to a free press and the important role that journalism plays in our democracy," the newspaper said.

Rakoff had previously heard testimony from James Bennet, the Times' editorial page editor, saying he thought the editorial was accurate when he approved its publication but later learned otherwise.

The judge dismissed an argument by Palin's lawyers that the newspaper might have been trying to boost sales by attacking Palin.

"As to the alleged 'hostility,' it goes without saying that the Times editorial board is not a fan of Mrs. Palin. But neither the fact of that opposition, nor the supposition that a sharp attack on a disfavored political figure will increase a publication's readership, has ever been enough to prove actual malice," he wrote.

Rakoff added: "There is not a shred of factual support, either in the complaint or in the evidentiary hearing, for the supposition that considerations of attracting readership ever entered Mr. Bennet's mind when he was drafting this particular editorial. Indeed, if that were his goal, one would have expected him to mention Mrs. Palin's name more than once in the editorial or use her name in the social media promoting the editorial, neither of which was done."


Melania Trump's office is firing back at the social media snickering that broke out Tuesday over the first lady's choice of footwear for her visit to Texas, calling the attention to her outfit "sad."

While residents in Houston and beyond are grappling with catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Harvey, media outlets and celebrity comedians spent Tuesday morning mocking the first lady over the high heels she was seen wearing while leaving Washington with President Trump.

It's sad that we have an active and ongoing natural disaster in Texas, and people are worried about her shoes, the first ladys Communications Director Stephanie Grisham told Fox News via email.

The first lady was seen in the outfit while heading to Air Force One Tuesday morning. The White House pool report described the first lady as wearing black cigarette pants, an Army green bomber jacket, aviator sunglasses, and high pumps.

Twitter soon exploded with mockery.

Comedian Chelsea Handler tweeted Melania taking off for Houston on AF1in stilettos.

Actor Zach Braff tweeted, "Melania headed to a disaster zone in stilettos is my Halloween costume."

The Daily Beast ran the headline, Melania Trump heads to Houston Hurricane Zone in Sky-High Stilettos.

The heels didn't last anyway.

When the president and first lady landed in Corpus Christi later Tuesday, Mrs. Trump was wearing a new outfit -- and sneakers.
YORK  A Pennsylvania state senator seeking next year's Republican nomination for governor says he doesn't plan to apologize for calling billionaire Democratic donor George Soros "a Hungarian Jew" with "a hatred for America."

Sen. Scott Wagner told the York Daily Record on Monday that "everybody's getting their knickers around their ankles over this and there's no reason for that."

Wagner's comments were recorded by an opposition tracker at a tomato festival in Pittston last week.

He says if Soros was Catholic, he'd have called him a Hungarian Catholic, and meant no offense by it. He says his comments weren't meant to be disrespectful or racist.

On Monday, the state Democratic Party described Wagner's comments as anti-Semitic.

Wagner says he has a long record of donating to the York Jewish Community Center.
President Trump and his allies have clamored for months that Senate Democrats are stonewalling top-level appointees -- but the president indicated Tuesday that hundreds of vacancies might just go unfilled.

The president cast the decision as part of an effort to shrink the government. On a similar track, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson a day earlier told Congress that most of his agency's special envoy positions -- including dozens from the Obama administration -- will be eliminated and their responsibilities reassigned.

Among the positions on the chopping block are envoys dedicated to climate change and the Iran nuclear deal.

"Today, nearly 70 such positions exist within the State Department, even after many of the underlying policy challenges these positions were created to address have been resolved," Tillerson wrote in a letter to Congress.

Trump underscored the administration's approach in a tweet Tuesday morning, after a discussion on Fox & Friends about 366 positions that still have no nominees.

We are not looking to fill all of those positions. Don't need many of them - reduce size of government, Trump tweeted.

That Trump and Tillerson plan to cut positions and leave vacancies unfilled is not a complete surprise, considering Trump's "drain the swamp" mantra. Tillerson also indicated from essentially his first day on the job, in February, that he would lead a top-to-bottom audit of the agency.

As for other positions, Trump has repeatedly blamed Senate Democrats for slowing the confirmation process for his appointees.

Dems are taking forever to approve my people, including Ambassadors, he tweeted earlier this summer. They are nothing but OBSTRUCTIONISTS! Want approvals.

And several weeks ago, before Congress adjourned for the August recess, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell accused Democrats of playing games, particularly by forcing procedural votes on nominees they ultimately intend to confirm.

It doesnt really matter whether a nominee has been nominated to serve in the judiciary or work as an ambassador  Democrats have time and time again been willing to force needless, needless procedural votes on nominees they actually support, McConnell said on the Senate floor.

Democrats in the GOP-controlled chamber have repeatedly dismissed the argument, arguing that Trump has been slow getting nominees to Capitol Hill.

Your lack of nominations is the problem, Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which conducts confirmation hearings for ambassadors, tweeted in response to Trumps finger-pointing.

However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., made clear early this summer that he intended to disrupt the chambers daily business as Republican leaders began efforts to repeal and replace ObamaCare.

McConnell delayed the start of the Senates August recess by a week to confirm more appointees. But the roughly six-dozen confirmations over that period represent only a fraction of the positions Trump has been expected to fill.

There are more than 1,100 positions that require Senate confirmation. Excluding judiciary and non-civilian positions, Trump has sent 277 nominations to Capitol Hill, and just 124 have been confirmed, according to the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service.

Among the Cabinet-level agencies still without numerous Senate-confirmed officials are the Labor and State departments.

Trump has submitted names for just three of the 14 Labor posts. And the names of just 46 nominees have been submitted for 141 State posts.

Concerns about vacancies re-emerged on Friday, when then-Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas Gulf Coast and forced a massive federal response -- with the Department of Homeland Security under an acting secretary, the FEMA director in his post for two months and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration still without a leader.

Max Stier, the partnerships president and chief executive, has been critical about the process, particularly the small number of nominees submitted. Hes raised particular concern about Tillerson conducting the audit of such a vital agency as one administration hands off to another.

You cannot re-engineer the plane and fly it at the same time, Stier said last week.

Tillerson in April purportedly considered eliminating 2,300 jobs and consolidating the State Department with the U.S. Agency for International Development, in response to the Office of Management and Budget's call to slash the both budgets by 31 percent.

However, numerous members of Congress opposed such deep cuts to the diplomatic budget, which accounts for just over 1 percent of the total federal budget.

In his letter to Congress on Monday, Tillerson detailed his plan to eliminate special envoys, including for Afghanistan-Pakistan, disability rights and the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention center. However, Trump plans to keep envoys for religious freedom, fighting anti-Semitism and LGBT rights.

Under the plan, of the 66 current envoys or representatives, 30 will remain. Nine positions will be abolished outright. Twenty-one will be "integrated" into other offices, five will merge with other positions, and one will be transferred to USAID.

Tillerson, in the letter, said he believed the State Department could "better execute its mission" by integrating some positions. Sources told Fox News on Tuesday that a final plan could come as early as next month.

Tillerson's letter responded to legislation passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in July that took aim at the proliferation of special envoys and directed Tillerson to tell Congress which positions he wanted to keep.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the committee's chairman, praised Tillerson for working to "to responsibly review the organizational structure of special envoys."

Fox News Rich Edson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
As President Trump rolled into Corpus Christi Tuesday to survey the storm damage and meet with rescue workers, he was greeted by over 100 supporters along with a handful of protesters.

Local residents interviewed by Fox News, even those who were there to protest his policies, agreed that they were grateful he was willing to come to Texas and help bring resources for recovery.

I think President Trump coming to Corpus Christi is reassuring to America and Texas that we are stronger together and we will rebuild, said Kirk Jorgensen, an independent.

A large majority of those who waited outside the gates at Corpus Christi International Airport were Trump supporters. They chanted Trump, cheered on Governor Greg Abbott when he made an appearance, and one had a full-sized cardboard cutout of the president with dozens of autographs from politicians on the back.

Im so grateful that we have a president that supports all those organizations and gets things rolling before we even have the storm, said Cory Mcfall, a Trump supporter.

I think its very appropriate. I know he has a lot of things to be doing but I know it means a lot to a lot of people who are in distress to feel comfort for their president, said Brenda Schultz, who voted for the president but said she doesnt agree with everything hes done in office.

There were also three protesters who had signs that read resist racism and resist fascist liars.

I feel like the divisiveness in our country has become poisonous, said Jeanne Leonard, a protester. I feel like bigotry and hatred, xenophobia, homophobia are causing a divide in our country that is not going to be healed easily. And I think that Trump is not capable of making rational decisions.

She said she was grateful for the federal support for Harvey victims, but wanted him to know while he was in Corpus Christi that she didnt support him.
Waving the Texas flag, President Trump vowed Tuesday to help storm-stricken residents get back on their feet as he surveyed the damage on the ground from Hurricane Harvey and predicted a recovery effort "better than ever before."

The president's trip to Texas Tuesday was mostly dedicated to meetings with local officials and emergency responders.

But, stepping outside a Corpus Christi fire station, he paused from the formal briefings to try and boost the spirits of Texans who have spent days salvaging their belongings, searching for loved ones and getting to dry land while they wait out the flood.

Standing between two fire trucks, Trump told a crowd that had gathered outside, "We are here to take care of you."

"We're going to get you back and operating immediately," Trump said, before holding up a large Texas state flag.

At that same fire station, Trump was briefed moments earlier on relief efforts alongside Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and FEMA Administrator Brock Long.

We want to do it better than ever before, Trump said of the recovery. We want to be looked at in five years or ten years from now as this is the way to do it.

Speaking of the storm, the president said: This was of epic proportion. Nobody has ever seen anything like this.

The president, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, arrived at Corpus Christi International Airport shortly before noon local time. He was greeted by Abbott.

We want him to see and understand the enormous challenges that Texans have faced and the need for the aid that hes providing," Abbott told reporters as the president's plane landed.

On Tuesday afternoon, the president left Corpus Christi and flew to Austin, where he visited the Texas Department of Safety Emergency Operations Center and praised the work of its employees.

"The world is watching and the world is really impressed with what you are doing," Trump said.

Speaking with state officials, the president said hed be working with Congress on relief funds but acknowledged it would be a costly proposition."

"There's probably never been something so expensive in our country's history," Trump said.

The president was also joined by Texas Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn.

Abbott, a Republican, commended Trump for his response to the storm.

"Behind the scenes, the president has shown character and compassion," Abbott said. "He helped get Texas prepared."



Speaking to reporters on Air Force One during the flight to Texas, Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, said the intention of Tuesdays trip was to "lay the foundation for what we know will be a long recovery effort.

Corpus Christi is more than three hours away from Houston, where parts of the city are still under water, but Sanders said the president is keeping his distance from the devastation at this time so he doesnt interrupt local recovery efforts.

"The president wants to be very cautious about making sure that any activity doesn't disrupt the recovery efforts that are still ongoing," she said.

Some Cabinet members joined the president for the trip, including Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon.

The Cabinet officials met separately with their counterparts in state government during the visit, Sanders said.

The president returns to Washington on Tuesday evening but is expected to travel again to Texas this weekend, Sanders said.

During a press conference at the White House on Monday, the president promised very rapid action from Congress, certainly from the president on approving disaster funding for Texas.

TRUMP VOWS '100 PERCENT' SUPPORT, RAPID FEDERAL AID TO HARVEY VICTIMS

We expect to have requests on our desk fairly soon, and we think that Congress will feel very much the way I feel, Trump said. In a very bipartisan way. That will be nice. But we think you're going to have what you need and it's going to go fast.

Trump dismissed the notion that emergency funding for Texas could complicate efforts as a spending bill is negotiated with Congress.

I think it has nothing to do with it, really, he said. I think this is separate.

Meanwhile, Trumps campaign committee on Tuesday asked Americans to donate to relief funds, including the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the United Way, the SPCA and the Humane Society.

This is a time to come together as a nation to support those in need in the wake of this disaster and the unprecedented flooding they are experiencing in the greater Houston and coastal Texas region, Lara Trump, the presidents daughter-in-law and a senior advisor to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., said in a news release.

Vice President Mike Pence said during an interview on a Corpus Christi radio program Tuesday that he also plans to take a trip to Texas this week.

My wife and I will be in southeast Texas later this week, and we're going to continue to provide all of the resources necessary to advance the efforts to rescue people that are enduring this storm, he said.

Fox News Jenny Bucholz contributed to this report.
President Trump said Tuesday that "all options are on the table" after North Korea launched a missile over Japan, an act that instantly renewed tensions in the region just days after the regime appeared to be backing down from threats against the U.S. and its allies.

"The world has received North Koreas latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," Trump said, in a written statement released by the White House.

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regimes isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table," the statement continued.

In a first, North Korea on Tuesday fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload that flew over U.S. ally Japan and splashed into the northern Pacific Ocean.

The distance and type of missile test seemed designed to show that North Korea can back up a threat to target the U.S. territory of Guam, if it chooses to do so, while also establishing a potentially dangerous precedent that could see future missiles flying over Japan.

The White House said that Trump spoke Monday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about the grave North Korean threat. President Trump and Prime Minister Abe committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the international community to do the same, the statement said.

Any new test worries Washington and its allies because it presumably puts the North a step closer toward its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States. Tuesday's test, however, looks especially aggressive to Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.

The Pentagon told reporters that it was investigating the launch over Japan, adding: "North American Aerospace Defense Command determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America." U.S. officials said the Japanese military did not attempt to intercept the missile.

South Korea's air force effectively fired back at North Korea's missile launch over Japan by conducting a live-fire drill involving powerful bombs, officials said early Tuesday.

Four F-15 fighters dropped eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field near South Korea's eastern coast, Seoul's presidential spokesman Park Su-hyun said. Each bomb has an explosive yield of a ton, according to the country's air force.

Tuesday's launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

Trump responded earlier this month by threatening Kim Jong Un's regime with "fire and fury," touching off an escalating war of words. Kim eventually walked back threats to attack the U.S. territory of Guam, temporarily easing tensions -- until the latest round of provocations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A top executive with Donald Trumps real estate company emailed Vladimir Putins press secretary in 2016 asking for help expediting a project to develop a "Trump Tower" in Moscow, documents show.

Fox News obtained the email sent on Jan. 14, 2016 by Michael Cohen, the company's executive vice president and Trump's special counsel at the time. Cohens email was directed to Dmitry Peskov, the Russian president's press secretary, though the email was addressed to the general press inquiries inbox.

Over the past few months, I have been working with a company based in Russia regarding the development of a Trump Tower-Moscow project in Moscow City, Cohen wrote. Without getting into lengthy specifics, the communication between our two sides has stalled. As this project is too important, I am hereby requesting your assistance.

The email, first reported by The Washington Post on Monday, concluded with Cohen respectfully requesting someone, preferably you contact him to discuss the specifics as well as arranging meetings with appropriate individuals.

Cohen is the latest of Trumps associates to have had known contact with a Russian official during the 2016 presidential campaign, fueling questions about Russian meddling and potential collusion with Trump campaign officials during the election.

But in a letter sent to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence this month obtained by Fox News, Cohen sought to explain that the proposal for Trump Tower Moscow was similar to other ideas for real estate projects that were contemplated years before any campaign.

Cohen explained that he primarily communicated with a Moscow-based development company through a U.S. citizen third party intermediary named Felix Sater.

Mr. Sater claimed to have appropriate relationships within the business community in Russia in order to obtain the real estate, financing, government permits, and other items necessary for such a development, Cohen wrote, noting that he has known Sater for several decades, but that the Trump Organization did not employ or compensate him in the Moscow proposal.

Cohen wrote that Sater was the one to suggest sending an email to Peskov since the proposal would require approvals within the Russian government that had not been issued. Cohen subsequently abandoned the proposals.

Cohen wrote that he did not recall any response to the email, nor any other contacts by me with Mr. Peskov or other Russian government officials about the proposal.

The Trump Tower Moscow proposal was not related in any way to Mr. Trumps presidential campaign, Cohen wrote. The proposal had nothing to do with any alleged collusion with Russia regarding the U.S. presidential election.

Cohen stressed that he, the Trump Organization, and others were evaluating the proposal from solely a business standpoint.

The House Intelligence Committee told Fox News they had no comment on Cohens letter, or whether the committee will invite him to testify.

An attorney close to Cohen called the 2016 message to Peskov an "anti-collusion email," noting that it shows Cohen didn't even have Peskov's direct email address.

Fox News John Roberts and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
A series of tombs dating back about 2,000 years, to the time when the Romans controlled Egypt, has been discovered, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced Aug. 23.

Excavations at Bir esh-Shaghala in the Dakhla Oasis have uncovered tombs made of mudbrick and some are quite large containing multiple burial chambers. Some of the tombs have vaulted roofs and one tomb has a roof built in the shape of a pyramid. [See Photos of the Newly Discovered Tombs]

Five of the tombs were recently discovered while eight more were found within the past six excavation seasons, ministry officials said in a statement.

Artifacts were found in the tombs, including mummy masks and pieces of inscribed pottery known as ostraca. Giant containers were also found that may have held wine or olive oil, although chemical tests will need to be done to confirm this. The discovery of the tombs was made by a team of archaeologists from Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities. The excavations at Bir esh-Shaghala are scheduled to continue.

The Romans took over Egypt in 30 B.C., following Cleopatra VII's suicide after her navy was destroyed by the Roman Emperor Octavian at the Battle of Actium. While the Roman emperors ruled Egypt from Rome, the Egyptians revered the emperors as pharaohs. Their traditional Egyptian funerary customs (including mummification) and religious practices continued until the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as its official religion during the fourth century A.D.

Located in the Western Desert, about 217 miles (350 kilometers) west of Luxor, the Dakhla Oasis contains a vast amount of archaeological remains that date from prehistoric to modern times. A number of settlements from the Roman era flourished in the Dakhla Oasis. In 2014, Live Science reported that one of the Roman era settlements in the oasis had yielded the remains of an ancient school covered with writing that included references to drug use.

Original article on Live Science.
The Ichthyosaurus or sea dragon fossil was found in the mid-1990s but remained unstudied until recently when experts made a startling discovery.

According to a press release on the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) website, after closer examination of the fossil, scientists learned that the beast was pregnant. This makes it the third-known example on record of an Ichthyosaurus with an embryo.

PEOPLE ARE NOW GETTING THEIR IVORY FIX FROM WOOLLY MAMMOTHS

The AAAS added that the beast was the largest on record, measuring between 3 and 3.5 meters in length and it was discovered on the Somerset Coast. It was part of the collections of the Lower Saxony State Museum in Hannover, Germany and remained unstudied until earlier this year. In 2016, Sven Sachs, a paleontologist at Germanys Bielefeld Natural History Museum spotted the specimen on a routine visit and collaborated with Dean Lomax, a University of Manchester palaeontologist and ichthyosaur expert, to examine the specimen.

The embryo was incomplete and still developing, according to the AAAS. It also contained a portion of its backbone, a forefin, ribs and a few other bones. The vertebrae measured 7 cm. Also surprising is the specimens tail, which was found not to belong to the remains of the skeleton, but from a separate Ichthyosaurus and added to make the skeleton appear more intact.

Sachs told the AAAS: "It was not 'put together' to represent a fake, but simply for a better display specimen. But, if 'fake' portions remain undetected then scientists can fall foul to this, which results in false information presented in the published record.

DESERT FOSSILS REVEAL 540-MILLION-YEAR-OLD JELLYFISH GRAVEYARD

The species is one of the most common fossil reptiles in the UK, according to the AAAS. Thousands of its specimens are known and range from isolated bones to complete skeletons.

The team estimated that the female specimen hails from the early Jurassic period and is roughly 200 million years old.

The new study was published Monday in the journal, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.
The storied blue sash worn by George Washington during the Revolutionary War has gone on display at Philadelphias Museum of the American Revolution.

The sash, on loan from Harvards Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, was rediscovered several years ago by Dr. Philip Mead, chief historian and director of curatorial affairs at the Museum of the American Revolution. Mead found the artifact at the Peabody Museum, where it had essentially been hidden in plain sight for decades. Although the sash was suspected to have belonged to Washington, it had never been confirmed, according to the Museum of the American Revolution.

"I was amazed. I thought, could this really be the sash that Washington wore on the early battlefields of the Revolutionary War? Mead told Fox News, via email. Where has it been all these years? The truth was even more exciting than I dared to hope.

FROM ROYAL STATUE TO REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLE: THE AMAZING JOURNEY OF 'MELTED MAJESTY' MUSKET BALL

Mead spent years studying the sash before concluding that it was indeed the one worn by Washington.

The sash, which is on display until Oct. 9, is featured with a 1776 portrait of Washington by Philadelphia artist Charles Willson Peale, which depicts him wearing the sash. The portrait is on loan from the Brooklyn Museum.

The Museum of the American Revolution notes that when Washington first took command of the Continental Army in 1775 there was no standard uniform or insignia for officers. The new Commander-in-Chief needed something to distinguish himself from his fellow officers so he chose a blue silk sash, or ribbon, that he wore across his chest.

SOLDIERS FAITH: RARE BIBLE CARRIED AT THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL HAS MOVING INSCRIPTIONS

In a statement, Mead noted that very few uniforms from the American Revolutionary War have survived, let alone pieces of Washingtons own military clothing. Being in the presence of this sash that Washington wore during the heavy fighting of 1775-1779 is astounding, he added.

The expert said that the sash literally disappears from later paintings of Washington after the general decided that it too closely resembled monarchical symbols of power. Notably, in Peales painting George Washington at the battle of Princeton,' which is in the collection of the Yale University Art Gallery, the outline of the painted-out sash can clearly be seen. The 1781 painting is one of a number of replicas produced by Peale of a portrait he painted of Washington in 1779 to commemorate the Continental Army's victories in Trenton and Princeton, New Jersey.

After the sash is removed from the Museum of the American Revolution's display in October, it will be replaced with a sword that belonged to Washington, on loan from a private lender. The sword, which was made in Philadelphia and used during the early years of the Revolutionary War, will go on display Oct. 10 alongside a 1778 hand-painted copy of the portrait currently on display at the museum.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH HISTORICAL TREASURE TROVE FROM 300-YEAR-OLD PHILADELPHIA TOILETS

The discovery of Revolutionary War era artifacts offers a fascinating glimpse into the events that shaped America. A storied Revolutionary War musket ball that was melted from a famously toppled statue of King George III, for example, recently went on display at the Museum of the American Revolution.

Earlier this month, a Revolutionary War-era knife was unearthed during an archaeological dig at Colonial Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City, Michigan, the latest in a series of amazing finds at the site.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
Eruptions from one of the most active volcanic regions in the world sent plumes of ash and steam into the sky this week, as captured in a spectacular image by an Earth-monitoring satellite.

Shiveluch, a massive stratovolcano made up of ash and hardened lava, is located in the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula, near the Pacific Ocean. The volcano rises 10,771 feet (3,282 meters) above sea level, according to NASA, and behaves similarly to the volcanoes located in the nearby islands of Alaska. The Aleutian Islands, which sit in the Bering Sea and extend toward this Russian peninsula, are part of Alaska. According to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the 49th state has produced 70 percent of all historical eruptions in the United States, and a "vast majority" of those have occurred in this region in particular.

In the image, Shiveluch is seen releasing a stream of ash that moves west, and the slightly smaller Bezymianny volcano is also seen jettisoning an eruption  of steam rather than ash  to the south, NASA officials said in a statement. The ASTER satellite captured the phenomena on Aug. 20, and the image covers an area of 12 miles by 14 miles (19.5 by 22.7 kilometers). [Astronaut in Space Sees Mount Etna Volcano Eruption (Photo)]

ASTER, which stands for Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, is a dual-nation project: it is operated by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Japan Space Systems. ASTER observes changes to Earth's surface and provides scientists from various disciplines with useful data, NASA officials said in the statement. The satellite monitors glacial movement, potentially active volcanoes, the physical properties of clouds, the degradation of coral reefs, the surface temperature of soils and crop stress, and thermal pollution.

The volcanoes themselves have also helped scientists to understand ancient vegetation. Millions of years ago, volcanic ash settled on sequoia and metasequoia trees after a volcanic eruption, which created the petrified forests that paleontologists can study today in places such as Unga Island in Alaska.

Follow Doris Elin Salazar on Twitter @salazar_elin . Follow us @Spacedotcom , Facebook and Google+ . Original article on Space.com .
Even hurricanes have a silver lining: The downpour washes away a lot of bull.

Dont get me wrong. This is a tragedy for untold thousands of people. And no upside could possibly balance the scale against the downside. The full human toll of Harvey, now a tropical storm, remains to be determined, but its already steep. As of this writing, the official count of fatalities was up to 14, and that number will probably rise. The economic cost will take a long time to calculate. And the emotional price  lost homes, heirlooms, pictures, worry, stress  can never be calculated.

And yet, I couldnt help but notice that there is a feel good aspect to the whole catastrophe. The best example is the hyper-viral story of two men loading up their boat and driving into the storm. CNNs Ed Lavandera found them under a highway overpass readying the vessel.

You guys just jumping in to help out? Lavandera asked.

Yes, sir, says one of the men.

What are you going to do? Lavandera asks him.

Go try to save some lives.

That man was African-American. His partner appeared to be Caucasian or maybe Latino. But it doesnt matter at all. We dont know if theyre Republican or Democrat, pro-Trump or anti-Trump, NRA members or fans of gun control. (Though lets be honest: This is Texas, so we can guess on that one.) All they wanted to do was help. While it was a journalistic faux pas not to get the mens names, it almost made the story more endearing that we didnt get them, because it reinforced the idea that they were just normal Americans.

All weekend, TV and social media highlighted stories like this. Granted, there were plenty of attempts to politicize the storm. Some had superficial legitimacy. Did Texas officials  particularly the Democratic mayor of Houston and the Republican governor of Texas  drop the ball in not ordering a mandatory evacuation? But even these debates lacked the bitter vitriol that marked coverage of Hurricane Katrina or even Hurricane Sandy.

Other attempts to bend an apolitical event to a preferred political narrative were more desperate and despicable. The Twitter account for an outfit called Charitable Humans unleashed a Cat-5 gale of schadenfreude at Houstons woes. Over a satellite image of Harvey: Texas has been bitten by Karma, but they still have a huge debt to the bank of Karma. I just cant bring myself to even consider providing aid to any red state, let them clean up their own mess.

To its credit, the organization later deleted its account and released an apologetic statement saying its leaders were horrified by their social media coordinators actions.

But the point was already made. We live in an ugly, tribal moment in American history. Indeed, the more representative story of the weekend came out of Berkeley, where antifa goons beat up nonviolent protesters they unilaterally deemed to be fascist.

By comparison, despite the terrible plight of its victims, Harvey was the happy story, at least in one narrow respect. Politics is becoming a substitute for identity, even religion, for millions of Americans. How you vote, what team you root for on the cable shout shows, is becoming a signifier of who you are. The media fuel this attitude, in large ways and small, by turning the news into narratives of good people and bad people. This is an unhealthy development, regardless of which ideological uniform you wear.

But politics and ideology are, or should be, downstream from all of the most important things in life, at least in America. (Its a different matter in places like Venezuela or North Korea.) Under normal circumstances this can be hard to see, never mind appreciate, because we are lucky to live in a fabulously rich and free society where people can afford to make politics into a sport or fashion statement.

Most of us can see this within our own networks of friends and family, where political differences rarely trump more meaningful bonds. But on a mass scale, it becomes apparent only in dire circumstances, like when floodwaters wash away the nonsense and reveal the decency of the American people.
Rescue efforts in natural disasters have traditionally started with a 911 call. But now as the state of Texas deals with the devastation of Tropical Storm Harvey, live-saving situations are often being handled in 140 characters or less.



Houston-area residents have turned to social media, specifically Twitter, to often post that they are in need of help.

Tagging the posts with #HoustonRescue or #HoustonSOS, a large number of users tweeted that they need help to escape the life-threatening dangers from the flooding.

Several users have have tweeted they are stranded, posting their addresses in the message.

GIRL MISSING FOR 33 YEARS TWEETS THROUGH SHERIFF'S ACCOUNT

A recent report from Weather.com indicates that Harvey could drop as much as 50 inches of rain in Texas, with Louisiana also sufferiing damage from the rainfall.

Others have taken to Facebook as well, organizing rescue missions on Facebook Groups, while posting pictures to show the damage. But it's been the openness of Twitter, where anyone can see a tweet or search through hashtags, that has attracted much of the attention.

Helping with Harvey

Twitter has acted as a conduit for Houston's 911 service, which has been inundated with calls. Officials in the city said that they had received more than 50,000 calls between Saturday and Sunday night, or more than six times the average daily volume for that time span. Many of the calls were for high-water rescues.

A Twitter account, Harvey Flood Rescue, has been set up to detail logging requests for rescues seen on social media. The account, which has over 600 followers, has created a Google Doc, detailing information about people who need help or which Twitter accounts to follow for updates, including the City of Houston Office of Emergency Management (@HoustonOEM), as well as local ABC and Fox affiliates.

HARVEY TO PUT DAMPER ON REGION'S ECONOMY

Help coming from both sides

But it's not just users taking to the service asking for help  authorities are using it to get the message out.

The Houston Police Depmartment has been active, asking anyone who has a boat if they can help.

In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina ravaged the state of Louisiana and in particular New Orleans, social media was in its infancy. Facebook was still only available to college kids and Twitter would not be created until March 2006.

U.S. Coast Guard officials warned that social media should not be a 911 replacement. "Do not report your information on social media sites," the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement on Sunday. However, it's helped aid in recovery, due in part to the functioning cell phone networks in the area.

The nation's largest carriers by subscribers, both AT&T and Verizon issued statements that their networks were ready to handle the storm.

"As Hurricane Harvey continues its path toward the Texas coast, Verizon Wireless is well-prepared to serve customers in Corpus Christi and across the region with the nation's largest and most reliable 4G LTE network," Verizon wrote in a Aug. 25 statement.

In addition to providing disaster response equipment and personnel, AT&T said it had "improved the network redundancy in storm-prone areas," adding, "It has installed more generators at critical cell towers and switching facilities, and moved electronics essential to network operations above expected flood levels," in a similarly-worded statement.

TWITTER IS TRYING TO BOOST ITS BUSINESS, BUT IS IT TOO LITTLE TOO LATE?

Other instances

This is not the first time that Twitter hashtags have been used as emergency tools.

Residents of Paris used the hashtag #PorteOuverte or Open Door, to offer support and shelter to people affected by the terror attacks in the city in November 2015.

Earlier this year, people in Manchester used the hashtag #RoomforManchester to provide shelter to people stranded after the terror attack on the citys Manchester Arena.

Follow Chris Ciaccia on Twitter @chris_ciaccia. Fox News' James Rogers contributed to this report.
An Aeromexico flight from Mexico City to San Francisco was forced to make an emergency landing in Guadalajara last Tuesday, all thanks to one drunken, disruptive passenger.

The passenger  who was described as being well-dressed by the Mercury News  reportedly began causing a disturbance only 30 minutes into the flight, according to a witness.

PASSENGER ASSAULTS FLIGHT ATTENDANT EN ROUTE TO BEIJING

The crew asked him first to be quiet, but the passenger was harassing people on the plane, said Laura Aceves, a fellow passenger who spoke to the Mercury News.

Upon landing in Guadalajara, Aceves told the site she could see airport authorities surround the plane. The disruptive passenger, however, reportedly grew even more enraged and refused to budge until security officials forcibly dragged him from the aircraft.

It took them 30 to 40 minutes to get him out of his seat and off the plane, said Aceves. He was hitting and punching other passengers as they were trying to drag him out. He was under the influence, and you could smell the alcohol on him.

WHY THE VENT ABOVE YOUR AIRLINE SEAT SHOULD ALWAYS REMAIN ON

Indeed, footage captured by Aceves shows the man screaming and yelling as several security members tried to remove him from the aircraft. At one point, he can even be seen trying to bite the hand of an official as they slowly dragged him down the aisle. (Viewers be advised: Footage below contains harsh language.)

After ditching the disruptive passenger, the flight continued on its journey to San Francisco, landing about 1 hour and 20 minutes later than scheduled.

It is unclear what originally caused the mans outburst, or if he was arrested upon deplaning the aircraft in Guadalajara. Regardless, Aceves told the Mercury News she plans to avoid flying with Aeromexico in the future.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

A representative for the airline was not immediately available for comment.
More than 30 cities across the United States have removed or relocated Confederate statues and monuments amid an intense nationwide debate about race and history.

After a Unite the Right rally in Virginia in August to protest against the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee resulted in the death of a woman who was demonstrating against white supremacy, other cities have decided to remove Confederate statues.

Many of the controversial monuments were dedicated in the early twentieth century or during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Discussions are under way about the removal of monuments in Houston, Atlanta, Nashville, Pensacola, Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, Richmond, Virginia, Birmingham, Alabama, and Charlottesville, Virginia.

Here is a running list of all the monuments and statues that have been removed and the cities that have taken them down:

Annapolis, Md.

Under cover of darkness, city workers removed a statue in August 2017 of former Supreme Court Justice Roger Taney that had been on the State Houses front lawn for 145 years. Taney authored the Supreme Courts 1857 Dred Scott decision, which held that African-Americans could not be U.S. citizens. The citys Republican mayor said through a spokesman that it was removed as a matter of public safety.

Austin, Texas

The statues of four people with ties to the Confederacy  Robert E. Lee, Albert Sidney Johnson, John H. Reagan and former Texas Gov. James Stephen Hogg  were removed from pedestals on the University of Texas campus on Aug. 17, 2017. UTs president said in a written statement the deadly clashes in Charlottesville made it clear Confederate monuments have become symbols of modern white supremacy and neo-Nazism. Separately, a 1,200-pound bronze statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis that was removed from UTs campus in 2015 has now returned to the campus, at the Briscoe Center for American History.

The Austin school board voted to strip Confederate names from five district schools, though they havent been renamed yet. The board had previously renamed Robert E. Lee Elementary School in 2016.

The Austin City Council approved renaming Robert E. Lee Road and Jeff Davis Avenue.

Baltimore, Md.

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh told reporters she wanted to move quickly and quietly to take down four Confederate statues or monuments  statues of Lee and Thomas, J. Stonewall Jackson and monuments for Confederate Soldiers and Sailors and Confederate Women  from the citys public spaces. Although the plan had been in the works since June 2017, the Baltimore City Council approved it only two days after the deadly events in Charlottesville. On March 10, 2018, the space where the Confederate statues had stood was rededicated to abolitionist and civil rights pioneer Harriet Tubman.

Bradenton, Fla.

Mantee County removed a Confederate soldiers memorial obelisk on Aug. 24 after the city commission voted 4-3 to take it down and place it in storage. The monument, which had stood there for more than 90 years, was accidentally broken into two pieces when city workers removed it. The removal came after days of protests from residents and activists, most of whom were in favor of taking it down, and it cost $12,700 to remove.

Brooklyn, N.Y.

Plaques honoring Lee were removed from an episcopal churchs property on Aug. 16, 2017 and the governor called on the Army to remove the names of Lee and another Confederate general from the streets around a nearby fort. It was very easy for us to say, OK, we'll take the plaques down,' said Bishop Lawrence Provenzano, of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, who called them offensive to the community. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has called for a review of all the citys public art to identify symbols of hate for possible removal.

Dallas, Texas

A bronze statue of Robert E. Lee, formally called the Robert Edward Lee Sculpture, was removed in mid-September 2017 from Robert E. Lee Park, which was also named in honor of the Confederate general. The Dallas City Council voted 13-1 to remove the statue, which has stood in Lee Park for 81 years.

The park was dedicated to Lee by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1936 during a renaming ceremony of the park.

Daytona Beach, Fla.

Three Confederate monuments were removed from a city park Friday morning. A city spokesperson said the plaques were going to be cleaned up and taken to a nearby museum. The decision to remove them did not require public input, the spokes-person told FOX35, because they were donated and not purchased with taxpayer funds.

Chapel Hill, N.C.

Protesters toppled the "Silent Sam" statue that has stood on the University of North Carolina's Chapel Hill campus since 1913 on Aug. 20. More than 200 people had gathered and were chanting "hey, hey, ho, ho, this racist statue has got to go." In a statement, UNC Chancellor Carol Folt called the act "unlawful and dangerous," adding that law enforcement were investigating the incident. The statue had been a source of controversy, with school officials claiming that state law prevented them from removing it.



Durham, N.C.

A nearly-century old statue of a Confederate soldier was toppled not long after Charlottesville by protesters associated with the Workers World party. North Carolina Central University student Takiyah Thompson, along with three others, were arrested and charged with felonies in the days following. As the bronze statue lay crumpled on the ground, protesters could be seen kicking it on social media. A Worthington assistant city manager said the community seeks to be one that promotes tolerance, respect and inclusion.

A statute of Lee was removed from the entrance to Duke University Chapel on Aug. 19, 2017 and is set to be preserved in some way to study the university's "complex past."

"I took this course of action to protect Duke Chapel, to ensure the vital safety of students and community members who worship there, and above all to express the deep and abiding values of our university," university President Vincent Price wrote in statement to the school.

Franklin, Ohio

A monument to Lee was removed in August 2017 by Franklin workers.

Gainesville, Fla.

A chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy paid for the removal of a monument to Confederate soldiers known locally as Old Joe that stood in front a building in downtown Gainesville for 113 years. It was moved to a private cemetery outside the city in August 2017.

Helena, Mont.

The state's capital city on Aug. 18, 2017 removed a memorial to Confederate soldiers that had been in a public park since 1916. the granite fountain, which was dismantled, had been donated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. City Parks and Recreation Director Amy Teegarden told the Spokesman-Review that the fountain initially will be stored in a city warehouse -- but it could be reassembled at a future date.

Kansas City, Mo.

A Confederate monument was boxed up in summer 2017 and is slated to be removed. The Missouri division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy had asked Kansas City Parks and Recreation to find a new home for it.

Lexington, Ky.

Two 130-year-old Confederate statues were removed from downtown Lexington on October 18 after the state's attorney general issued an opinion giving the city permission to take them down and move them to a private cemetery. Lexington used private funds to take the statues, of Confederate General John Hunt Morgan and John Breckinridge, a former U.S. Vice President and the last Confederate Secretary of War. Private funds will cover the cost of their upkeep in the cemetery.

Los Angeles, Calif.

A large stone monument commemorating Confederate veterans was taken down Aug. 16 from the Hollywood Forever Cemetery after hundreds of people demanded its removal. The 6-foot granite marker was loaded into a pickup truck and taken to a storage facility. A petition calling for it to be taken down had garnered 1,300 signatures.

Louisville, Ky.

A statue of a Confederate soldier was removed from the University of Louisville campus after a legal battle between the city residents, the mayor and the Sons of Confederate Veterans. It was relocated to Brandenburg, Kentucky, which hosts Civil War reenactments.

Madison, Wis.

A plaque honoring Confederate soldiers was removed Aug. 17 from a cemetery not long after residents and city leaders began calling for it to be taken down. The Civil War was an act of insurrection and treason and a defense of the deplorable practice of slavery, said Mayor Paul Soglin in a statement. The monuments in question were connected to that action and we do not need them on city property.

Memphis, Tenn.

Crews removed two Confederate statues from Memphis parks on Dec. 20 after the city sold them to a private entity. The City Council voted unanimously earlier in the day to sell both Health Sciences and Fourth Bluff Parks where the Confederate statues, of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest and Confederate President Jefferson Davis, were located.

Nashville, Tenn.

The legendary Ryman Auditorium, where stars like Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn made their Grand Ole Opry debuts, quietly moved a sign on Sept. 21 hanging from the venue's upper level that read "1897 Confederate Gallery." Honoring an 1897 reunion of Confederate veterans at the Ryman, the sign had been shrouded over the years but has now been permanently removed from the main auditorium and added to a museum exhibit that explains the history of the 125-year-old music hall.

New Orleans, La.

New Orleans city workers removed four monuments in April dedicated to the Confederacy and opponents of Reconstruction. The city council had declared the monuments a public nuisance. The monuments removed were of Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard, Davis and Lee. Also removed was the Liberty Place Monument, which commemorated a Reconstruction Era white supremacist attack on the citys integrated police force. The mayor plans to replace them with new fountains and an American flag.

New York, N.Y.

Busts of Lee and Jackson were removed overnight on Aug. 17 from the Hall of Fame for Great Americans at Bronx Community College. Prior to its removal, Bronx Borough president Ruben Diaz Jr. had said "there is nothing great about two men who committed treason against the United States to fight to keep the institution of slavery in tact.

Orlando, Fla.

A Confederate statue known as "Johnny Reb" was moved in June 2017 by officials from Lake Eola Park to Greenwood Cemetery in response to public outcry about it being symbolic of hate and white supremacy. A spokesperson for Orlandos mayor told Fox News that city officials are working with historians on a new inscription to put the monument in proper historical perspective.

Richmond, Va.

The Richmond school board voted 6-1 on June 18, 2018 to rename J.E.B. Stuart Elementary School to Barack Obama Elementary School. The process began several months prior and involved input from students, teachers, administrators and local stakeholders. Virginia is home to the largest number of Confederate monuments and symbols in the country.

Rockville, Md.

A 13-ton bronze Confederate statue that had stood for decades next to Rockvilles Red Brick Courthouse was relocated in July next to a privately run Potomac River ferry named for a Confederate general. The relocation cost about $100,000, according to the Washington Post.

San Diego, Calif.

A plaque honoring Davis was quietly removed Aug. 16, 2017 from a downtown park. This morning I ordered the immediate removal of a plaque honoring the Confederacy at Horton Plaza Park, Mayor Kevin Faulconer told the Los Angeles Times. San Diegans stand together against Confederate symbols of division.

San Antonio, Texas

A Confederate statue was removed from Travis Park overnight Sept. 1, 2017 after the City Council voted 10-1 in favor of taking it down the previous day. There were no protesters during or after the removal, according to local media reports. "This is, without context, a monument that glorifies the causes of the Confederacy, and that's not something that a modern city needs to have in a public square," said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg following the council vote.

San Antonio, Texas

A Jefferson Davis highway marker was removed in 2016.

St. Louis, Mo.

The Missouri Civil War Museum oversaw the removal in late June 2017 of a 32-foot granite and bronze monument from Forest Park, where it had stood for 103 years. It shouldered the costs of removal and will hold the monument in storage until a new home can be found for it. The agreement stipulates the monument can be re-displayed at a Civil War museum, battlefield or cemetery. In Boone County, a rock with a plaque honoring Confederate soldiers that had been removed from the University of Missouri campus was relocated a second time after the Charleston AEM church massacre to a historic site commemorating a nearby Civil War battle.

St. Petersburg, Fla.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman ordered city workers to remove a bronze Confederate marker at noon on Aug. 15, 2017 after determining that it was on city property. Its being held in storage until a new home can be found for it. "The plaque recognizing a highway named after Stonewall Jackson has been removed and we will attempt to locate its owner, Kriseman said in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times.

Washington, D.C.

The stewards of the National Mall announced this week that the exhibit alongside the Thomas Jefferson Memorial will be updated to showcase his status as both one of the country's founders and a slaveholder. "We can reflect the momentous contributions of someone like Thomas Jefferson, but also consider carefully the complexity of who he was," an official with the Trust told the Washington Examiner. "And that's not reflected right now in the exhibits."

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker introduced a bill in Sept. 2017 to remove Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol Building.

The National Cathedral voted that same month to take down two stained-glass windows of Confederate generals. The removal could take a few days and workers seen putting up scaffolding around the windows to start the process.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, signed a bill to replace a statue of a Confederate general at the U.S. Capitol with one of Mary McLeod Bethune, a black woman who founded a school that became Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. She'll become the first black female to be honored in Statuary Hall.

Worthington, Ohio

Worthington removed a historic marker Aug. 18 outside the former home of a Confederate general.

Email christopher.carbone@foxnews.com if you learn new information about the removal of Confederate monuments.

Fox News' Nicole Darrah contributed to this report.
More than 3,000 people have been rescued by police in Houston since Harvey hit the city -- and that included 1,000 people rescued in eight hours on Monday alone, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

But as that number rises, finding enough shelter for everyone has become a challenge. More buses were showing up at the Houston Convention Center, which already was housing about 5,500 people Monday -- and officials are accepting anyone who arrives.

But capacity for the center, located on the east side of downtown Houston, is 5,000.

Not everyone at the shelter has cots, with some being relegated to sleeping in chairs. The onus from making the location as close as home to possible, a Red Cross official said, has shifted to getting people out of danger.

HARVEY FLOOD FEARS EXPAND TO LOUISIANA AS TEXAS BRACES FOR MORE FEET OF RAIN

Harvey has been blamed for at least three confirmed deaths, including a woman killed Monday in the town of Porter, northeast of Houston, when a large oak tree dislodged by heavy rains toppled onto her trailer home.

The storm is generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years, said Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, which was concerned that floodwater would spill around a pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston.

The flooding was so widespread that the levels of city waterways have equaled or surpassed those of Tropical Storm Allison from 2001, and no major highway has been spared some overflow.

The city's normally bustling business district was virtually deserted Monday, with emergency vehicles making up most of the traffic.

And the rain has yet to end: sometime Tuesday or early Wednesday, parts of the Houston region will probably break the nearly 40-year-old U.S. record for the biggest rainfall from a tropical system -- 48 inches, set by Tropical Storm Amelia in 1978 in Texas, meteorologists said.

Harvey increased slightly in strength Monday as it drifted back over the warm Gulf, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters expect the system to stay over water with 45 mph winds for 36 hours and then head back inland east of Houston sometime Wednesday. The system will then head north and lose its tropical strength.

Before then, up to 20 more inches of rain could fall, National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini said Monday.

Theres probably never been anything like this, President Donald Trump said on Monday, before vowing to rebuild. Youre going to get your funding, Trump told a Texas reporter. I think youll be up and running very, very quickly.

But first - more rainfall.

Fox News Caroline Shively and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More than a dozen people were arrested in Berkeley, California, after members of the Antifa movement allegedly attacked peaceful protesters over the weekend -- and one of those protesters opened up to Fox News on Monday about the violent threats she heard.

They came with black masks, they carried weapons, they were pounding people down with their fists and their feet, Berkeley College Republican Ashton Whitty said on The Story with Martha MacCallum.

I knew I had to get out of there so I contacted someone I knew who came to the rally, she said. I got out of there by car. We drove down to safety. They asked me what happened. They filmed me and I look over and theres a woman on her phone and shes texting and shes staring us down. Two minutes later these guys show up, they start threatening us, they hit the car with some lead pipes, theyre cussing at us, telling us were dead men, that theres more of them. I find out then that Antifa actually had several people posted around Berkeley tracking us and telling people our location by social media.

More than 100 hooded protesters, with shields sporting the words no hate and waving a flag identifying themselves as anarchists, broke through security lines to reach the conservative protesters.

I was willing to discuss anything, Whitty said. I held up a poster that said lets just have a conversation. I had conversations with many interesting people both Republican and Democrat. And, everything was great until Antifa showed up.

5 ASSAULTED AT BERKELEY PROTESTS AS BLACK-CLAD ANARCHIST STORM RIGHTWING RALLY

Troy Worden, UC Berkeley student and a correspondent for CampusReform.org, said that the issue of silencing voices on the right via violent means has become a real problem in the U.S.

I think its unfortunate that so many news publications have refused to cover this growing and pressing issue, Worden said. If we look at who are doing these attacks, who are stomping conservatives on the ground and bloodying them, they are mostly non-students. There are actually violent gangs coming up from Oakland, conscripted by Antifa, to hunt Republicans in the streets, he alleged.

We know exactly who is doing this, Worden continued. These antifascist organizations are conscripting violent criminals to basically make it impossible to be a conservative on a liberal campus. Its a sad day when students  just to stand up for what they believe in  have to face the very real possibility of severe injury or even death. And I just want to call out the mayor of Berkeley and the chancellor of the university. I want to tell them that you should stop telling the police to stand down and protect all Americans regardless of their political ideology.

Police officers ultimately arrested 13 people, mainly for having prohibited items, Berkeley police chief Andrew Greenwood said.

Watch the full interview above.
Border Patrol agents and law enforcement officers arrested 25 illegal immigrants, including 14 Colombian citizens, during a three-day checkpoint operation in central New Hampshire over the weekend.

Law enforcement officials set up a checkpoint on Interstate 93 in Lincoln, N.H., from Aug. 25-27 and arrested more than two dozen people without valid immigration documents.

They also seized narcotics and drug paraphernalia, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Monday.

"Checkpoints are just one of the tools we utilize to enforce the immigration and other federal laws of our nation," Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent John C. Pfeifer said. "In addition to technology, manpower and intelligence, checkpoints help to deny access to major routes of egress away from the border and into our communities in the interior of the U.S."

More than half of the immigrants taken into custody were from Colombia, but others were citizens of Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico.

Click for more from the Washington Examiner.
A restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina was caught on camera committing a critical violation of health safety standards after footage appeared to showing employees preparing food on the filthy ground resurfaced.

Employees of Tokyo Grill & Buffet were caught on camera in May peeling onions outside the restaurant onto the ground next to a dumpster and garbage cans, according to FOX46 that acquired the video.

The Mecklenburg County Health Department described the footage as a critical violations of health safety standards. The department quickly sent out a health inspector to the restaurant, following the media outlets inquiries.

The general manager of Tokyo Grill & Buffet admitted the food was previously prepared on the ground but noted that one employee from the video is no longer working in the restaurant.

He claimed nobody could have stopped rogue employees from violating hygiene standards. No manager was present that day they prepared food next to filth, he said.

The health department said having no manager on duty is itself a violation.

The department also said that the restaurant manager admitted to preparing more food on the ground as late as in August. It forced the venue to throw away the food.

So far, the restaurant had three health inspections this year.

Preparing food on the ground is considered to be a serious violations of standards and drastically lowers the score, the health department said.
A visiting University of Tampa professor of sociology was fired Tuesday after he suggested in a tweet Sunday that Texans deserved Hurricane Harvey because of their support for President Donald Trump in the 2016 election.

University spokesman Eric Cardenas said in a statement that Kenneth Storey was fired after the school weathered an outpouring of online outrage over the comments.

Officials said other faculty in the sociology department would take over Storeys classes.

We condemn the comments and the sentiment behind them, and understand the pain this irresponsible act has caused, the school said in a statement to The University of Tampa community. As Floridians, we are well aware of the destruction and suffering associated with tropical weather. Our thoughts and prayers are with all impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

Storey tweeted Sunday: I dont believe in instant Karma but this kinda feels like it for Texas, according to Campus Reform. Hopefully this will help them realize the GOP doesnt care about them.

Responding to a commenter who pushed back on the tweet, Storey reportedly wrote: Well, the good people there need to do more to stop the evil their state pushes. Im only blaming those who support the GOP there.

The commenter asked Storey if Trump supporters in Florida deserved a similar fate.

Yep, those who voted for him here deserve it as well.

After the tweet started to make waves on social media, the professor tweeted Monday afternoon: I deeply regret a statement I posted yesterday. I never meant to wish ill will upon any group. I hope all affected by Harvey recover quickly.

He ultimately deleted the original tweet, according to Campus Reform.

Harvey has been blamed for as many as 15 deaths including six family members who were believed to have drowned when their van was swept away by floodwaters.

The storm has dumped more than 30 inches of rain in parts of Texas and crews have rescued thousands of people left stranded by the storm.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Riding on a rescue boat through a neighborhood in Houston flooded after a nearby reservoir released water from Hurricane Harvey, Fox Business Networks Jeff Flock got a first-hand perspective Monday of the challenges that came with trying to save lives.

As the boat, provided by a local resident, rode through a western Houston neighborhood, a Harris County constable explained that rescue crews have passed through the area several times, shouting for anyone who might be in need of help.

Just making sure that if anybody wants to get out, were gonna get them out, the constable said.

Some residents in the neighborhood  which has been engulfed by water that was released from the nearby Barker Reservoir, in addition to rain pouring down from the storm  decided to stay put and ride out the storm as it passed.

HARVEY FLOODING FORCES NEW EVACUATIONS, AS HOUSTON BRACES FOR MORE RAIN

Residents in one newly renovated home gave a thumbs up when rescuers had previously passed, which meant they wanted to stay in their home.

Everybodys alike, Flock said of flooded homes  some in wealthy areas, some in poor areas. Everybodys got the same problem.

Some of the people who decided to stay put during the storm, found a small patch of grass where they walked their dog while holding an umbrella.

This is what Houston has been doing, Flock said, describing the rescue efforts. Flock said many residents have donated their time and gear to help, because its been difficult for emergency crews to reach some of the flood-stricken areas in time.

FAMILY OF 6 FEARED DROWNED WHILE TRYING TO ESCAPE HARVEY, REPORTS SAY

Most hurricanes  wed be done with it by now. Wed be cleaning up and wed be thinking about heading home, and saying good luck on the rebuild, but right now, I mean were still right in the throes of this, Flock said.

Water from the reservoir, which was built to prevent flooding in downtown Houston, was part of a controlled release, which triggered additional flooding in nearby neighborhoods.

The releases began before 2 a.m. Monday because water levels were increasing dramatically at a rate of more than six inches per hour, according to an Army Corps of Engineers spokesman.

Houston fire officials told Fox News that over 5,000 rescue runs were made on Sunday alone.
At least three staff members at Pastor Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, had to be rescued from their homes while several others experienced flooding due to the impact of Hurricane Harvey.

"I know of about three staff members that have needed to be rescued. There may be more but I happen to know of about three of them that literally had to be pulled out of high water," Lakewood spokesperson Don Iloff, Osteen's brother-in-law, told The Christian Post on Monday.

While many flood rescue crews have traveled to southeast Texas from other states to aid in saving victims from a storm that has turned roads into rivers and already claimed lives, Iloff told CP that in many cases, neighbors are rescuing neighbors.

"You know what is interesting is that a lot of the rescuing that is going on in this city is not just rescue crews, it's just people rescuing other people," he stated. "Everybody that has got a boat has put a boat in the water in this city."

As for Osteen and his wife, Victoria, Iloff told CP that the Osteen family is safe but without power.

"I haven't talked to them in two days. I know someone made it over there and said everybody is OK. They are on pretty high ground," Iloff explained. "If you are not flooded, you are surrounded by water in this city. If you are not flooded, you now have waterfront property. "

Some on social media have criticized Osteen and Lakewood for announcing that they had canceled Sunday's services because of the hurricane, suggesting that the church is closed to those who need to access the massive arena for shelter.

However, Iloff told CP that there are currently about eight maintenance personnel inside the church who have been instructed to let anyone into the church who needs shelter. But to Iloff's knowledge, no one has come to the church seeking shelter.

"They would have to swim to get there," he explained, adding that there is a flood shelter set up a couple miles from the church at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Click to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com
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Two people are dead and at least four others were rushed to a hospital after a shooting at a public library in New Mexico Monday afternoon, investigators said.

Clovis Fire Chief Michael Nolen told Fox News that the male suspect was captured fairly quickly, and he now is in state policy custody.

Clovis City Commissioner Juan F. Garza said the investigation was ongoing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced it was responding and supporting local police.

Garza said theres no indication of a motive for the shooting. He called it a tragedy, saying he and other city officials are asking people to pray for the families that have been affected. He said the city will offer whatever support it can as the community looks to recover.

Vanessa Aguirre told The Eastern New Mexico News she was in the Clovis-Carver Public Library with her son when a man came in and started to shoot into the air.

It all happened so fast, she said. We took off fast. My purse is still in there.

Aguirre said she thought the shooter had a handgun.

Clovis, with an estimated population of about 40,000, is about 200 miles east of Albuquerque, near the Texas state line. It's home to Cannon Air Force Base and the nearby community of Portales is home to Eastern New Mexico University.

Fox News' Shira Bush and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
People in Rockport, Texas, still reeling from Hurricane Harveys destruction, were greeted by Gov. Greg Abbott Monday afternoon. Abbott surveyed the damage in some of the towns hardest hit areas along with Sen. John Cornyn, Rep. Blake Farenthold and FEMA Administrator Brock Long.

What this is, is like a series of one or two hundred tornadoes ripping through section after section, Abbott said as he surveyed the damage.

Abbott pointed out that while many buildings were crushed, others were spared. He said the winds, which topped 100 mph, caused major damage.

Describing the houses and businesses that crumbled, Abbott said the wind just mows it down like tinker toys.

Cornyn met with a man whose roof was torn straight off his house.

We have to help them out by providing the essential services food, water, sewage, electricity. And in the long run theres going to be a lot of rebuilding thats going to take some time, said Cornyn.

He also said he was grateful for first responders from states all over the country who volunteered to come to Texas and help them out.

Abbott was presented with an American flag by a veteran who salvaged it during a lull in the storm. The flag was flying at City Hall, and despite one hole, was in pretty good shape.

Thats the American resilience. We can be knocked down but well always get right back up and theres no greater symbol of that than our American flag, said Abbott, speaking about the many American flags that have been flown in the area.

Rockport is a beach and boat town with a marina, surf shop and palm trees. But as a result of Harvey, the community will now lose one of the most important and lucrative weekends of the year for a tourist destination, the Labor Day weekend.

Its a tragedy for especially our small businesses. Especially in regions like this, money from tourists and people coming down here, visiting them and patronizing them. We just got to help them rebuild and reopen as soon as possible, said Abbott.

My hope is that once the roads are clear and the power is restored that people will come back to the coast for Labor Day and enjoy these wonderful Texas beaches, said Cornyn. But for right now, until local law enforcement and local government gives that go ahead, I think people are well advised to stay away.

But Cornyn added spending money on a vacation at the Gulf Coast may be one of the best things people can do to help them in the long run, but once the time is right.
Florida police arrested a man following a traffic stop when they found he was carrying an assortment of drugs and a large amount of money. But the biggest surprise came when they got back to the station and found the cash had disappeared but $20 bills were falling from his rectum.

A Marion County deputy pulled over Pattreon Stokes, 26, for speeding in the early hours of the morning Saturday, cops said in a Facebook post. During the stop, the officer smelled marijuana and upon searching the car, he found methamphetamine, rock cocaine and heroin. A scale was also recovered from the vehicle.

Police said he was carrying a small amount of marijuana and a large amount of currency on his person. They arrested Stokes and brought him to Marion County Jail.

PASSENGER HELD AT INDIAN AIRPORT WITH MULTIPLE GOLD BARS STUCK IN HIS RECTUM

But when they got there, cops said the money they found earlier was gone. Stokes claimed that deputies had already collected it, but this was certainly not true, police wrote in the post.

Detention deputies then noticed something quite unusual... the post reads. They observed $20.00 bills falling from Stokes buttocks area.

In a process cops called necessary but undesirable for everyone involved, they found $1,090.00 in U.S. currency hidden in Stokes rectum.

Judging from Stokes mug shot, he looks pretty bummed about the whole situation, police joked.

The Facebook post went on to apologize to the wonderful cashiers in Marion County, writing that theyd would understand if cash handlers chose to use gloves.

Police added that there was a 7-month-old child in the front passenger seat of Stokes car when he was arrested. Stokes has been charged with a series of offenses including possession of marijuana, possession of drug equipment, smuggling contraband into a detention facility, trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking heroin and possession of cocaine with the intent to sell, manufacture or deliver.
The Air Forces first female enlisted pilot in its history is ready to take command of the controls.

I was shocked, but its a huge honor and humbling  excited to learn about our mission here at Beale (Air Force Base), Tech Sgt. Courtney said of her trailblazing accomplishment.

The Air Force does not release pilots full names for security reasons.

Courtney, a Vacaville, Calif., native who enlisted in 2005, graduated this month from the Enlisted Pilot Initial Class program alongside three others to become a RQ-4 Global Hawk drone pilot  without ever actually stepping foot inside one.

Courtney is part of the Air Forces expanded remote pilot aircraft (RPA) program that trains enlisted airmen to operate the unarmed high-altitude reconnaissance drone.

From this station Im in full control of the aircraft, constantly know what the aircraft is doing, where its heading, she said from the Beale Air Force Base.

Throughout her 11-year career, Courtney has worked a number of roles in the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance fields and this will be her biggest task yet.

Tech Sgt. Courtney doesnt do this because shes a girl. She just gets up every day and puts her uniform on and comes to work and kicks butt because thats what she does, Maj. Natalie, an instructor with Air Education and Training Commands 558th Flying Training Squadron, said in a statement released this month. Thats who she is. Shes not a woman pilot; shes a pilot.

With just the click of a mouse and a keyboard, Courtney is not only flying the aircraft, but commanding intelligence-gathering missions from around the world. She must know every rule and regulation from the United States and around the world, officials said.

Courtney said she is proud of breaking down the gender barrier when it comes to flying planes in the Air Force.

It's an equal playing field, not about gender anymore, [it's] about qualifications and that's exciting looking forward, she said.
A family of six trying to escape the floodwaters produced by Harvey has been counted among the 14 victims who died in the historic storm, authorities said.

The four children and their great-grandparents died Sunday afternoon when Samuel Saldivar, the driver of the van, attempted to pick them up amid the flooding, his sister-in-law Virginia Saldivar told the Associated Press. At one point, a strong current swept the van away and into the Greens Bayou.

"Sam calls my husband and tells him, 'they're gone,'" Saldivar said. "That's when my husband dropped the phone and started screaming."

The driver  the childrens great-uncle  managed to escape. He told everyone to get out of the van using the back door, but the van quickly sank, KHOU reported.

The victims include Manuel Saldivar, 84, and his wife Belia, 81; Daisy Saldivar, 6; Xavier Saldivar, 8; Dominic Saldivar, 14; Devy Saldivar, 16.

Witnesses said first responders were in the area, but they were too late to conduct a rescue operation, FOX26 reported.

"I'm just hoping we find the bodies," Saldivar said.

Their bodies were not recovered as of Monday night, but Harris County sheriffs officials said "the 14 reported dead include a family of six who were lost when their van sunk after crossing a bridge and hitting high water." Saldivar said the Coast Guard told her family they couldn't search for the bodies until the water recedes. She added she has not yet told the children's father, her son, who she says is in prison for violating parole.

Pasadena ISD's heart is heavy as we have learned that four Pasadena ISD students and two of their great-grand parents were swept away by the floodwaters of Greens Bayou while trying to escape the floodwaters of Harvey," the Pasadena Independent School District's statement read.

Texas officials said Monday that so far at least 14 people have died, but feared that the death toll likely to increase once the water level recedes and further search will be conducted, My Statesman reported.

Houston city officials said around 6,200 people are currently staying in shelters  with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner claiming the city is after another facility to act as a major shelter.

The need is tremendous, Turner said, according to My Stateman. No one would be here if they didnt have to be here, Turner said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, in the meantime, mobilized Texas National Guard to respond to Harvey  calling up all 12,000 members to aid in search and rescue missions and other disaster relief efforts.

In a stunning show of Texas grit, volunteers are helping rescue Houstonians stuck in Harvey's path. Thirty to 40 people at a time are being loaded into dump trucks, trailers, boats and other large vehicles.

Flood victims are using their phone lights to signal volunteer rescue workers. Evacuees say 100 or more people are standing in the road, soaked to the bone, waiting for help.

Tens of thousands of people are still stuck as night falls and conditions on the ground worsen.

Harvey, which since has been downgraded to a tropical storm and is the most powerful hurricane to strike Texas in 50 years, reportedly moved into the Gulf of Mexico on Monday. Houston remains paralyzed and floodwaters reached many single-story houses in the city.

Further floods and torrential rains are expected, Reuters reports.

Louisiana, meanwhile, is bracing for its own flooding as the storm is likely to strike the state. Gov. John Bel Edwards alerted the people, saying the worst is likely to come for us here during a press conference Monday.

He added that Harvey does remain a tropical storm and its going to drop an awful lot of rain on the state of Louisiana, noting that We do have a long way to go with this particular storm.

Southwestern areas of Louisiana could see up to 20 inches of rain from the storm. The authorities have issued flood warnings last Thursday.

Fox News' Lukas Mikelionis, Barnini Chakraborty and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Police are investigating the "suspicious" death of a Florida woman whose daughter received a letter stating her mother was dead.

Millisi Wells sent police to check on her 62-year-old mother, Debra Jean Place, after she got a letter from her mothers partner saying Place was dead and she would be soon, The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.

According to a police report, an officer responded Saturday morning to Places trailer at the Ridgecrest Mobile Home Park in Ormond Beach, Fla.

Cops found a door to the mobile home partially opened and Places decomposed body on the trailers living room floor, the report said.

GUNMAN WANTED IN KILLINGS OF 3 PEOPLE AT ALABAMA MOBILE HOME PARK COMMITS SUICIDE IN FLORIDA, OFFICIALS SAY

Wells told police she tried to get in touch with Places partner but was unable to reach him. The couples car, a Mercury station wagon, was missing from the mobile home park, too. A neighbor told investigators he had seen the Mercury being driven Saturday but didnt see the driver.

Police tracked the phone of Place's partners, finding him in Ulster County. He was later placed into custody for a mental evaluation. Authorities continue to investigate Places death, which they consider suspicious.

A person of interest has been located and interviewed, said police spokesman Keith Walker. The Ormond Beach police believe this is an isolated incident and there is no danger to the public.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A wrecker driver named Fernando took it upon himself to rescue dozens of people in Houston trapped in flooded homes because "it's the right thing to do," according to KRIV, the Houston Fox affiliate.

A man named Aaron arrived in his boat at a section where people were trapped and helped them out, giving them bottles of water he had brought along, the station also reported.

Richard Robinson, a 62-year-old worker for Southwest Airlines, felt fortunate not to have been adversely affected. But he felt compelled to come to the aid of others who had been hard hit.

"I was high and dry, and I saw that everybody else had a way worse situation than me," he told the Houston Chronicle. "I felt like I could contribute."

Robinson spent much of Monday riding around the deluged suburbs of Houston in a small, gray dinghy in search of people to aid after an overwhelmed police department put out a call for rescue help.

The very worst can bring out the very best in people, and Houston is demonstrating that as it struggles with the destruction left by Hurricane Harvey and the rain deluge that pounded the city and other parts of Texas.

Countless reports have poured in since the historic storm hit southeastern Texas late Friday night of a flotilla of boaters using everything from air boats to air mattresses to rescue stranded strangers from their flooded homes.

Houses of worship not inundated by flooding have opened their doors to people of all creeds fleeing the rising waters. Americans from as far away as Minnesota and California have made their way to the Lone Star state to lend a hand as the remnants of Harvey continue to dump rain on the region.

The owners of Kings BierHaus and Kings Biergarten were planning a fundraiser on Labor Day and say they are giving 100 percent of the proceeds to their employees and families who suffered losses because of Harvey.

On Monday, Kings BierHaus opened its doors from 6 to 8 p.m., inviting anyone who could make it in safety to have a beer on the house. The owners said it was planned as a chance for some respite and to talk to others who were reeling from the disaster and the rains that were expected to continue. On Wednesday, first responders are invited for a free meal.

This is just a way to give back to the community for two hours tonight only, said the business Facebook page.

"We have over 200 employees," said Hans Sitter, referring to both restaurants, to the Houston Press. "Many are completely flooded. They lost vehicles, got stranded. I have one employee that took four feet of water in his apartment."

"They can't buy a new car. If they don't have a car, they're losing their ability to get back to work, he added. "This is not a time to take profits. This is a time for all of us to come together in the restaurant industry. This is going to be a very big time for us to work together.

Among the numerous touching gestures to emerge from the disaster was a note that two children left for their father, an off-duty police officer from Waco who was heading to flood-ravaged area to help rescue people.

Dear Daddy: I hope you dont get hurt, but I hope you help other people that need it more than you do. I hope no one gets hurt more. I hope everyone gets away [from] the hurricane. I love you! Scott and MaKenna.

One group that answered the call was the Cajun Navy  a ragtag group of boatmen from Louisiana who came to fame in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina by plucking stranded residents in New Orleans from their rooftops and homes.

In one of the volunteer groups most dramatic rescues this week, three Cajun Navy members rescued a 73-year-old woman who was floating face down in the flood waters and resuscitated her.

"The lady must have been crossing in some current. She floated right to the boat, Joshua Lincoln, a Cajun Navy member told the Times-Picayune. We jumped out and got her and gave her compressions right there in the water. We were holding her from behind."
An already-swollen reservoir west of downtown Houston overtopped its spillway Tuesday, sending an "uncontrolled release" of Harvey's floodwaters into nearby neighborhoods that may be underwater for "weeks," as a separate levee breach south of the city prompted an urgent warning for residents to leave immediately.

Floodwaters in the the Addicks Reservoir, located about 19 miles west of downtown, went over the top of the 108-foot spillway for the first time in history, threatening immediate surrounding subdivisions.

Jeff Lindner, a meteorologist with the Harris County (Texas) Flood Control District, said it was "something we've never seen before at a news conference.

"This is not going to happen fast, this is a slow rise," Lindner told reporters, adding the flow of water going over the reservoir into neighborhoods will increase as the levels in the reservoir behind continue to rise.

Hours after the Addicks Reservoir was overtopped, officials in Brazoria County, located south of Houston, warned that a levee at Columbia Lakes had been breached by floodwaters and urged any residents who had not already evacuated the area to leave immediately, writing "GET OUT NOW!!"

The new strains on infrastructure come as the National Weather Service announced a new record for total rainfall from a tropical system in Texas, with 49.32 inches of rain observed at a location southeast of Houston. Lindner said bridges, roadways and other structures are beginning to fail Tuesday afternoon in some parts of Houston due to excess water.

The level of water in Addicks Reservoir and neighboring Barker reservoir in Houston is so high the flood gages are broken or almost broke, according to Lindner, who added the flood control agency is working quickly to repair them and has law enforcement on scene to provide readings.

Edmond Russo with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said spillways on both reservoirs are designed and maintained for overflows and "can withstand them," and will not be further compromised.

The spillway for the Barker Reservoir is expected to overflow by Friday, according to Russo.

The subdivisions surrounding Addicks and Barker reservoirs will experience flooding for the next "four to five weeks" and last "until October," according to Lindner.

"The biggest challenge we face right now is to determine how the flow interacts with the system, and how the water will go as it comes out of the spillway," he said.

Lindner said the agency believes the additional water will flow towards the Sam Houston Tollway, then south to the area around Interstate 10, known as the Katy Freeway and, eventually, Buffalo Bayou, which leads to downtown Houston.

County officials said they are monitoring six neighborhoods around the reservoirs, and encouraged residents in those areas to evacuate before the water levels rise.

"Once the water comes into the street you aren't going to be able to leave," Lindner said.

Lindner earlier told Fox News the spillover will cause "serious flooding in immediate areas," starting as a trickle, then becoming an uncontrolled release of water. Second-story homes also will be at risk, he added.

Lindner said this does not mean that downtown Houston will necessarily be greatly impacted, but officials don't fully know what will happen because they've never faced this situation before.

The meteorologist described the situation to Fox News as "uncharted territory" for the city.

FAMILY OF SIX COUNTED AMONG THE DEAD AS HARVEY DEATH TOLL RISES TO 14

The Army Corps started releasing water Monday at the Addicks and Barker reservoirs because water levels were climbing at a rate of more than 6 inches per hour, Corps spokesman Jay Townsend said. The water being released by officials is not keeping up with the water that is coming into the reservoirs, according to Lindner.

The move was supposed to help shield the business district from floodwaters, but it also risked flooding thousands more homes in nearby subdivisions.

The two resevoirs were built after devastating floods in 1929 and 1935, and were designed to hold water until it can be released downstream at a controlled rate.

In Houston's southwestern suburbs, officials in Fort Bend County, Texas, warned Tuesday the Brazos River is projected to crest at 59 feet, FOX 26 Houston reported.

The Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management issued a new advisory Tuesday warning subdivisions where residents should prepare to be affected by the floodwaters.

With nearly two more feet of rain expected on top of the 30-plus inches in some places, authorities worried the worst might be yet to come from Harvey. As of Tuesday, at least 14 people have died in the historic storm, including a family of six trying to escape the floodwaters, authorities said.

"We know in these kind of events that, sadly, the death toll goes up historically," Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo told the AP. "I'm really worried about how many bodies we're going to find."

HOUSTON COMBATING HARVEY LOOTERS WITH MANDATORY JAIL TIME

The storm is generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years, said Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers.

Fox News' Griff Jenkins and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
A local winery has earned national recognition for the quality of its restaurant, named as one of the top 10 in the United States.

Readers of USA Today and 10Best chose from 20 initial nominees selected by a panel of experts from around the country. Chaumette Vineyard and Winerys Grapevine Grill was voted number seven in the nation.

Owner Hank Johnson said hes not surprised by the distinction, as hes been aware of the great quality of food produced by Executive Chef Rob Beasley for almost two years now.

About two months ago, we got an email from USA Today, Johnson said. We thought it was junk mail or some solicitation. We read it more closely and it said, Our representatives have nominated Chaumette to be part of the competition for the 10 best winery restaurants in the United States.

And then the two months went by and last Friday, we were notified that we placed number seven in the nation. Six of the top ten were from California. One was from the East Coast, one up North and one down South, but nobody in the Midwest except us. So we were really, really pleased with that.

Johnson said Beasley has been a perfect fit with the spirit of Chaumette, in providing a consistently high quality dining experience for every guest at the winery.

Hes been cooking since he was a child and hes been a chef for many years. Hes managed kitchens of several very highly-regarded restaurants in St. Louis. Hes in his second year now with and he is fabulous. I get raves about the food by knowledgeable foodie people. So weve come to the conclusion, and I humbly say, that this is the best place to dine between St. Louis and Memphis.

Beasley said his approach is to obtain only the best ingredients and to let them speak for themselves.

My basic mindset is to try to take things that are in season and utilize them the best that we can, he said. It makes my life and jobs as a chef much easier. If you start with great ingredients, you have to do less to them.

Part of this mindset is to offer a few fantastic dishes that can be consistently offered rather than a wide array of generic dishes.

We cant have a four-page menu, Beasley said. The less that we do, the more focus we can put on it. I would rather do a good job on 10 things than a mediocre job at 20. So weve tried to hone in and make sure we control what were doing so that we can execute it consistently.

A large factor in the realm of ingredients comes from Beasleys connection with the Honolulu Fish Company in Hawaii, Johnson said.

Every Thursday, he gets a call from the Honolulu Fish guy, and he says, Heres what has come in today, Johnson said. And our chef says, Well, send me 20 pounds of this or that. It goes into a special container and off it goes. Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours later, that container comes here.

Beasley said hes experienced the corporate side of the culinary world before, recalling strict limitations on what a chef could or could not do. At Chaumette he said, that couldnt be farther from the truth.

Hank is great about empowering you to run your part of the operation, Beasley said. For a lot of chefs, they walk in and get told the menu and the recipes, and told not to deviate. Here, its the opposite. He tells me to cook  to do my thing and make people happy.

Johnson said a large factor in putting Chaumette and Grapevine Grill onto the national (and international) map is the amount of times in a year the winery is used as a wedding venue, bringing in people who might otherwise have never come to the winery.

Were in the wedding business here, Johnson said. We have 71 weddings this year. We like that kind of business because it brings new people here that otherwise wouldnt come. Well probably have 8,000 people come, and maybe 75 percent of them have never been here before. And they like it!

He said the wedding venue aspect of the business is growing, with closer to 100 weddings anticipated for 2018.

Johnson said he is constantly hearing great things about the food after weddings, because the quality of food served for weddings is the same as is served any other day at Chaumette. Beasley said the volume of guests provides a challenge, but its a challenge he and the rest of the staff are ready and able to accommodate.

We can really pump out some food, Beasley said. Theres times where well have a wedding or something going on at the barn, something going on downstairs, maybe something at the pool and 150 people for lunch. Then you turn around and do another 100 for dinner  its a lot to pull together and coordinate.

At the end of the day, though, Chaumette is known for its wine. Beasley said apart from the gorgeous grounds, the wine was the first thing about the place that struck a chord with him.

The biggest shock was the wine, honestly, he said. Because its easy to stereotype Midwest wines. I was in Iowa for a long time, and there were a lot of ultra-sweet wines  but I was used to better wines than that. When we tasted the wines here, we knew that somebody was doing something right.

Johnson said Chaumette grows five varieties of grapes, which are used to craft 14 distinct wines. He described the many reasons that Chaumette wines have won gold medals over California wines  but he said it boils down to growing a quality crop and the care made after harvest.

I read somewhere that from the time the grape comes off the vine, the winemaker has 3,000 decisions to make, he said. And most of them affect the ultimate flavor.

Of the Chaumette wines, Johnson said it stands out because sugar isnt used as a crutch to cover up faults or imperfections.

This is not like some other Missouri wines, he said. This is dry wine. This is real wine. This is not soda pop wine. This is the kind of wine you buy in a fine wine store.

Chaumettes story begins in 1990 when the Johnsons acquired the property as a getaway from city life. That soon grew into a successful winery, which soon necessitated the addition of a restaurant, which is how the operation arrives where it is today.

When we built this building, I said, Well never go into the restaurant business, Johnson said. Because wed heard all of these terrible stories. Well, of course people came, and they started saying, Were hungry! So of course, we had to get into the restaurant business.

For Beasley, having the opportunity to live his passion is reward enough. Although, being able to do it at Chaumette makes it even better.

Im truly blessed, he said. And I know that phrase is way overused, but Ive known that for a long time  that Im very blessed to be able to do what I do every day, to make a living at it and to have fun with it.

For more information about Chaumette Vineyards and Winery, visit www.chaumette.com or call 573-747-1000.
Louisiana residents braced for the worst of Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday as heavy rainfall threatened to bring disastrous flooding, prompting flashbacks to Hurricane Katrina that made landfall in the state 12 years ago.

Rain from Harvey, which caused "catastrophic" flooding in Houston after making landfall in Texas last Friday, moved toward New Orleans Tuesday morning. Three inches of rain fell in the city by the morning, with flooding reported in some spots, NOLA.com reported.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for all of southeast Louisiana, southwest Mississippi and Mississippi Gulf Coast through Thursday.

FAMILY OF SIX COUNTED AMONG THE DEAD AS HARVEY DEATH TOLL RISES TO 14

"I just felt like I needed to take all precautions this time," resident Rhonda Wylie told the Associated Press in preparation for Harvey.

The region could see eight inches of rain or more by Thursday, forecasters warned. Although Louisiana is not expected to see as much flooding as Texas, the images of the aftermath revived painful memories for survivors of Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 29, 2005.

New Orleans has already been plagued with flooding from storms earlier this month. The city scrambled to repair its malfunctioning pump system before Tuesday. Mayor Mitch Landrieu said most pumps were working, and the city is continuing with efforts to improve the pumping system.

Landrieu urged residents to stay home on Tuesday, and many residents appeared to be heeding the mayor's warning. Schools and City Hall were closed in anticipation of the flooding. More than 35,800 sandbags were distributed.

PHOTOS: HARVEY FLOODWATERS OVERWHELM TEXAS

Landrieu also released a statement on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which claimed 1,200 lives.

"But in the wake of that tragedy, we witnessed unbelievable acts of heroism and compassion from across this great country and the world. No city welcomed more New Orleanians following Katrina than Houston, and our hearts break for them as Hurricane Harvey displaces so many of their citizens," Landrieu said.

"As they and others around the world were our refuge in a time of trouble, we will observe this somber anniversary by praying for our fellow Americans who are in need, and we will do all we can to help them stand back up," he continued.

Harvey generated an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years, Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, said. The storm has claimed at least 14 people, including a family of six.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Donation sites in Dallas are so overwhelmed with items provided by the public for Hurricane Harvey relief that they need to quickly find a warehouse to store the overflow.

Trusted World, a donation management group that has set up shop on Dallas Parkway has seen cars line up along the road, waiting up to 30 minutes to drop off items for relief efforts in south Texas according to WFAA.com.

"I know what it's like to lose everything, Sanja Bogdanovic, a former refugee from Bosnia, who was waiting to donate, told the news station. We asked what they needed, they said diapers and formula, so we came out.

The collection site has been operating like a well-oiled machine. Dozens of volunteers have been working at the location since Saturday, carefully separating items into their respective piles for transport to Houston and other areas hit by Harvey.

"We're just gonna keep sending stuff to the shelters but only what they need," said Trusted World CEO Michael Garrett.

Garrett has added that the items are quickly piling up and that the modest volunteer organization needs a larger facility to store the donations. Despite the lack of storage, Trusted World is still accepting any and all donations.

Even those from the area hit hardest have come to volunteer with Trusted World.

"It's heartbreaking even seeing that on TV not knowing what to come home to. It's tough, it's really tough. I'm trying to keep it all in," Dominque Furuta, a Houston resident who fled for Dallas on Friday and was volunteering at the donation center, told WFAA.

You cannot know a single person down south and still feel compelled to be at a donation site because what hurts one of us...hurts all of us.

Click here for more from WFAA 8
Bass Pro Shops is pitching in with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Texas, providing dozens of boats to rescue and relief efforts.

The outdoor retail giant is coordinating with local, state and federal agencies, which includes police, fire and rescue teams on the ground, according to a news release. They will be providing over 80 Tracker boats to area government agencies and rescue organizations in Houston and surrounding communities that were impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

The company is supporting the efforts through its Bass Pro Cares Fund and are supporting disaster response organizations by donating relief supplies totaling $40,000.

The contributions support Convoy of Hope, a Springfield, Missouri-based humanitarian organization, and the American Red Cross.

Donated supplies include protein-rich foods like Uncle Bucks Premium Jerky and peanuts for those in the field.

Bass Pro Shops has also suggested to their customers that they donate if they can.

The company remains in close contact with the governors office, first responders and associates on the ground to monitor response efforts and assess ongoing needs, reads the release. Bass Pro Shops encourages all customers and community members who want to support relief efforts to donate directly to the American Red Cross.
The City of Houston and surrounding counties are not playing around with looters taking advantage of the massive floods caused by Harvey.

People displaced or harmed in this storm are not going to be easy prey, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said, noting that burglarizing a home in a disaster area could carry a life sentence under Texas law. Prosecutors said at least 14 suspected looters were arrested, and Brazoria County announced a curfew in mandatory-evacuation areas for Tuesday night.

Anyone who tries to take advantage of this storm to break into homes or businesses should know that they are going to feel the full weight of the law, Ogg said. Offenders will be processed around the clock without delay.

The Montgomery County District Attorneys office posted a warning on Monday that any looters, thieves or burglars caught victimizing area residents would be arrested and served up mandatory jail time, according to the Houston Chronicle.

(District Attorney Brett) Ligon announced today that his office will seek prison or jail time in each and every forthcoming case where the defendant stands charged with theft (looting), burglary, robbery, or any similar crime committed during Hurricane Harvey, the DAs office posted on Facebook. Leniency and probation will be off the table for these offenses committed during this time.

According to Montgomery County officials, state law allows for enhanced punishment ranges for certain offenses committed during a declared natural disaster event.

Ligon also commented on the need to enforce the law.

[L]aw-enforcement and first responder efforts have been tremendous in our County these last few days and they must remain focused, Ligon said in a released statement. We stand behind all our law-enforcement agencies and will support their decisions to shut down and immediately arrest suspected criminals during this difficult time for our community.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said during a news conference Tuesday that armed robbers were apprehended overnight and a handful of looters also were taken into custody. He didnt say just how many have been arrested on charges related to looting.

Acevedo says hes spoken with the Harris County district attorneys office to ensure anyone suspected of looting is prosecuted. He also says hell lobby judges and prosecutors to secure the most severe punishment Texas law allows.

State law allows for penalty enhancements for crimes like burglary and robbery that occur during a state of disaster.

Clyde Cain of the Louisiana Cajun Navys described a chaotic scene out on the floodwaters. The Cajun Navy is a group of volunteers that formed in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. They have dispatched people to help during Harvey.

Cain says some people are posing as rescuers and are robbing people. He says the Cajun Navy is being very careful when they approach stores that may be the target of looters.

The sherriff for Harris County also issued a caveat for looters on Twitter.

To crooks out there, be warned! No looting & burglaries. We will not have it. My jail is open and you will be arrested & charged, Gonzalez posted on Monday morning.

Click here for more from the Houston Chronicle.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has promised the citys nearly 600,000 illegal immigrants that they wont be turned over to immigration authorities if they go to a shelter or ask for help during Harvey.

Turner, a lawyer, even went a step further, saying he would personally represent any illegal immigrant who faces deportation for seeking shelter during the storm.

I dont care who you are, I dont care what your status is, Turner said Monday. I do not want you to run the risk of losing your life or [that of] a family member because youre concerned about (Senate Bill) 4 or anything else."

Texas Senate Bill 4 outlaws sanctuary cities in the state and allows state and local law enforcement officers to check immigration status. It takes effect Sept. 1.

Turner said with everyone trying to deal with Harvey, now was the time to put the [immigration] law on the shelf.

I dont care who you are, I dont care what your status is. I do not want you to run the risk of losing your life or [that of] a family member because youre concerned about (Senate Bill) 4 or anything else.  Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner in message to illegal immigrants.

Harvey is the strongest hurricane to hit the nation in 13 years, and the worst to strike Texas since Carla in 1961.

Theres absolutely no reason why anyone should not call [for help], Turner said. And I and others will be the first ones to stand up with you."

He added, If someone comes and they require help and then for some reason [someone] tries to deport them, I will represent them myself.

Houston and several other Texas cities and counties have filed a lawsuit challenging Senate Bill 4s constitutionality.

Immigrant rights groups hailed Turners outreach efforts.

Its not the time for anyone to ask anyone about immigration status. Its a time to help people.  Ira Mehlman, spokesman, Federation for American Immigration Reform

Its very important for him to deliver that message, said Mary Moreno, communications director for the Houston-based Texas Organizing Project. People were already afraid not only because of what [President] Trump is doing [about illegal immigration], but also because of SB-4, which ties the hands of police chiefs who prohibited their officers from asking immigration status.

SB-4 allows a police officer to take it upon himself to be an immigration agent, and thats created a lot of fear, even though police were already assuring people that they should come forward for help during the hurricane, she said.

Even proponents of Senate Bill 4 commended Turners efforts, saying that saving lives supercedes everything else.

We dont have any problem with his message when dealing with disaster thats life and death, and where people are in a dire situation, said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for Federation for American Immigration Reform, or FAIR. Its not the time for anyone to ask anyone about immigration status. Its a time to help people.
President Donald Trump on Monday ensured federal aid for Texas in the wake of Harveys devastation throughout the state.

Trump said Congress will act very quickly on a multi-billion dollar recovery package as the government signaled that current funds could be exhausted soon.

The Federal Emergency Management Agencys disaster fund currently contains more than $3 billion  a sum that Trump said is sufficient for now  but the government agency stressed Monday that it is quickly depleting the balance as it responds to Harveys damage.

We have not seen an event like this. You could not draw this forecast up, FEMA chief Brock Long said Monday as flood damage is predicted to reach into the tens of billions of dollars.

FEMA, tasked with providing support in the wake of disasters, has already deployed nearly 2,000 personnel and more than one million meals to Texas to help with relief efforts in the wake of the massive hurricane-turned-tropical storm. And it's expected to do even more.

Heres a look at what the government agency does and how it is helping Texas recover from Harvey.

What does FEMA do?

FEMA, a federal agency under the Department of Homeland Security, is supposed to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards, according to its website.

HOUSTON TO GET RESCUE BOATS FROM BASS PRO SHOP

"I'm scared about what we will discover in the coming days, but I hope we'll be ready to help."  FEMA official

Due to the amendment of the Disaster Relief Act in 1988, FEMA also has the responsibility of coordinating government-wide relief responses.

Why was it created?

FEMA was created through an executive order by former President Jimmy Carter in 1979 at the behest of multiple governors.

As it wasnt immediately popular or expediently helpful, the Clinton administration set about reforming the agency with the help of James Lee Witt as FEMAs director.

HARVEY RELIEF DONATIONS OVERWHELM AT DALLAS DROP-OFF SITE

FEMA was pulled under the umbrella of the newly created DHS in 2003 under former President George W. Bushs administration. Then, the agency was tasked with a new mission, according to its website  homeland security. FEMA then was given responsibility for preparing personnel for the event of an attack with weapons of mass destruction, national preparedness and homeland security.

How is it helping Texas in the wake of Harvey?

As Harvey continues to wreak havoc on Texas for the fourth day, FEMA has already deployed more than 1,800 staff members to Texas and Louisiana. It has supplied more than one million meals and one million liters of water to those affected by the storm, as well.

FEMA also has more than 400 Urban Search and Rescue personnel to save those stranded in south Texas, the agency said in a press release Sunday.

HOUSTON COMBATS HARVEY LOOTERS WITH MANDATORY JAIL TIME

A FEMA official told Fox News that since the full extent of the damage and human loss from Harvey won't be truly known for some time yet, the agency is preparing to send even more resources to the area.

"I'm scared about what we will discover in the coming days, but I hope we'll be ready to help," the official said.

In addition to financial and human aid, FEMA is keeping its Twitter accounts up-to-date with information, a spokeswoman told Fox News. It also has an app available for download  available in English and Spanish  which gives weather alerts, safety tips and directions to shelters, among other information, the spokeswoman said.

Does FEMA help dispel false information pertaining to the storm?

On its website, FEMA is also attempting to dispel rumors that could endanger those in the path of the storm  including one fear that undocumented immigrants cannot go to a shelter without risking deportation.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection have stated that they are not conducting immigration enforcement at relief sites such as shelters or food banks, FEMA states on its website, adding that federal agents will only take certain measures in the rare instance when a serious criminal alien poses a public safety threat.

FAMILY OF SIX COUNTED AMONG DEAD AS HARVEY DEATH TOLL CLIMBS TO 14

FEMA also notes that many shelters are manned by volunteer agencies and the Red Cross, which do not ask for identification from those wishing to receive assistance.

Additionally, FEMA warns that scam artists can pretend to be government officials, aid workers or insurance company employees in order to trick those who have been impacted by Harvey.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Michigan woman was sentenced to life in prison Monday for the 2015 shooting death of her husband -- and the mans pet parrot may have been the only witness to the murder.



A jury found Glenna Duram, 49, guilty of fatally shooting 46-year-old Martin Duram five times, including once in the head, before turning the gun on herself in a failed suicide attempt. She suffered a head wound but survived.

Christina Keller, Martin Durams ex-wife, said Duram's pet parrot, Bud, mimicked some of his last words from the night of the murder.

Following the shooting, Bud repeated, Dont f---ing shoot, in Martin Durams voice, Keller said. She said she believes the bird was replaying an exchange from the couples final argument.

Bud was mine and Martys parrot when we were married, Keller told FOX17. ""He ended up keeping bud for the 15 years we have been not married, I got bud back after this situation had happened."

MICHIGAN WOMAN CONVICTED OF HUSBAND'S MURDER; PET PARROT APPARENTLY WITNESSED SLAYING

Two weeks after the incident, Bud started going into rants I couldnt explain. Screaming, yelling and always ending with dont f---ing shoot, Keller said. I believe with all my heart those are pretty close to the last words of Marty.

Durams parents also believe Bud witnessed the shooting.

That bird picks up everything and anything, and its got the filthiest mouth around, Martin's mother, Lillian, told the BBC.

Keller took custody of the bird after Durams death. A Michigan prosecutor initially considered using the parrots squawking as evidence in the murder trial, but a judge dismissed it because the parrot could not testify as a witness.

Glenna Duram's attorney plans to appeal the life sentence.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Canadian police officers on bicycles chased down and caught a Laotian-born alleged drug smuggler who is on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's list of 10 most wanted suspects, authorities said Tuesday.

Montreal police Commander Miguel Alston said Katay-Khaophone Sychanta, 35, was on a park bench preparing to smoke a marijuana joint with another man when police approached and questioned him last week.

Alston said the officers were not satisfied with his answers after he produced identification that turned out to be a fake driver's license from Maryland.

Alston said Sychanta tried to flee on foot along a bike path, but officers caught him and arrested him for suspected drug possession. Fingerprint checks revealed his identity.

Sychanta was arraigned Thursday on charges of drug possession, obstructing the work of police and possessing false documents. It was not immediately clear who might be representing the suspect, and police did not immediately respond to a request for the name of his lawyer.

Sychanta faces drug charges in Ontario in addition to those in the United States.

He was first indicted in 2005 in Michigan. According to ICE, he evaded capture on drug charges in the United States and continued to supervise a drug-smuggling organization based near Windsor, Ontario.

ICE said he has a history of violence and has allegedly made threats against Homeland Security Investigations unit agents and other law enforcement officials. They had been offering a $25,000 reward for his capture.

"The officers did a great job in pushing the investigation," Alston said. "They had a feeling he was not who he said he was."
WATCH FOX NEWS CHANNEL FOR LIVE COVERAGE OF PRESIDENT TRUMPS VISIT TO TEXAS: Air Force One departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Corpus Christi International Airport at 8:50 AM ET. President Trump and the first lady will be briefed by local officials on the relief efforts. At 2:30 PM ET, Air Force One departs Corpus Christi International for Austin, where he will be briefed on the storms latest updates from state officials.

FAMILY FEARED DEAD

A family of six trying to escape the floodwaters produced by Harvey has been counted among the 14 victims who died in the historic storm, authorities said.

The four children and their great-grandparents likely died Sunday afternoon while attempting to escape floodwaters in a van, authorities said.

OVERNIGHT STORM UPDATES: Donations overwhelm drop-off center | Looters are warned | Hotel worker missing | Shelters overcrowded | Bass Pro Shops donates boats

HOW TO HELP | TRACK THE STORM

FOX BUSINESS: Key flood insurance underwriter sinks further into debt as Harvey slams Texas

NORTH KOREA SENDS BALLISTIC MISSILE OVER JAPAN

North Korea on Tuesday-- in an act of defiance-- fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload over Japan for the first time, sending a clear message to Washington and Seoul.

The distance and type of missile test seemed designed to show that North Korea can back up a threat to target the U.S. territory of Guam, if it chooses to do so, while also establishing a potentially dangerous precedent that could see future missiles flying over Japan.

'THE STORY'

More than a dozen people were arrested in Berkeley, California, after members of the Antifa movement allegedly attacked peaceful protesters over the weekend -- and one of those protesters opened up to Fox News on Monday about the violent threats she heard.

They came with black masks, they carried weapons, they were pounding people down with their fists and their feet, Berkeley College Republican Ashton Whitty said on The Story with Martha MacCallum.

TRUMP LOOKS TO MNUCHIN, COHN

President Trump has reportedly tapped two former Goldman Sachs bankers to sell his tax plan to lawmakers in what many see as an important political win for an administration that has unsuccessfully grappled with Congress in the past.

Trump set an ambitious tax agenda in April. The White House said it wanted to cut the corporate tax rate to 15 percent from the current 35 percent, eliminate the estate tax, also known as the death tax, close loopholes for state and local deductions as well as simplify the overall tax code.

FOX BUSINESS: Debt ceiling showdown, conservatives at odds on conditions for deal

COMING UP ON FOX BUSINESS

7 AM ET: John Hofmeister, former Shell Oil president, will be on Mornings with Maria

9 AM ET: Rep. Mike Johnson will appear on Varney & Company

10:30 AM ET - Rep. Brian Babin will be a guest on Varney & Company

NOON: Joe Allbaugh, former FEMA director, will be on Cavuto: Coast to Coast

2 PM ET: Rep Kevin Brady will be a guest on The Intelligence Report

5 PM ET: Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney general, will be a guest on Risk & Reward
An Oregon woman was arrested Saturday after her 11-year-old son called 911 while sitting in a car and told police his mom was driving drunk, police said.

Officers received a call about 9:30 p.m. from the boy, saying he was in the car with his mother who was driving drunk, FOX12 reported. Two other calls about the woman, identified as Nicole Norris, were also made.

Deputies caught up with the vehicle a short time later and had Norris submit to a sobriety test. She failed the test, was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence, police said.

The boy was placed with his relatives.

Click here for more from FOX12.
The St. Francois County Ambulance District is on alert for deployment to help with the Hurricane Harvey recovery effort.

FEMA has begun to activate its second wave of aid, which includes a request for 100 ambulances.

We respond under American Medical Responses FEMA contract for ambulance services to be deployed to disasters, said St. Francois County Ambulance District Administrator David Tetrault.

If and when given the green light to proceed, the district will be sending two ambulances, the medical director's SUV, and six paramedics to the Dallas area. Two of the six will be supervisors and would be team leaders while working in Texas.

Tetrault said they could be gone from three days to two weeks, or until they are told they're no longer needed to assist.

Weve always helped when we can, said Tetrault.

Many of the paramedics were quick to volunteer for the mission.

Tetrault said this wouldn't be the first time the ambulance district has assisted in big disasters. They also responded to relief calls for Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Gustav, Hurricane Katrina and the Joplin tornado.


The worst of the flooding from Harvey will continue for days as bayous and rivers rise following overwhelming rainfall.

Rainfall totals have already surpassed 40 inches in several locations in southeastern Texas, with over 50 inches reported at Cedar Bayou in eastern Harris County.

Harvey is being blamed for at least eight fatalities with thousands of water rescues already executed by first responders. Hundreds of thousands are expected to be in need of disaster assistance.

1:34 p.m. CDT Tuesday: The Lake Forest Utility District has issued a boil water notice for Houston. Residents are being urged to boil water for at least two minutes prior to consumption due to water pressure loss in the city's water distribution system.



1:15 p.m. CDT Tuesday: According to FEMA, around 30,000 people will need some sort of housing due to Harvey. For help, contact one of the numbers below. If it is an emergency, call 911 first.





The Houston SPCA activated its Animal Emergency Response Hotline, where a team of designated operators will be taking hurricane-related lost and found animals, rescue reports and questions related to the disaster.

1:06 p.m. CDT Tuesday: Rising floodwaters in Houston have loosened a concrete barrier along Highway 59, carrying it horizontally across the highway.





Rescuers saved two people near the San Jacinto Bridge on Tuesday morning as they stood atop a vehicle nearly submerged in floodwaters.



12:42 p.m. CDT Tuesday: President Donald Trump arrived in Texas on Tuesday to meet with local leaders and discuss recovery efforts.

"Working with the governor and his entire team has been an honor for us," President Trump said at a relief center in Corpus Christi.



12:15 p.m. CDT Tuesday: The United States Army Corps of Engineers has estimated that Houston's Barker Reservoir will crest at 104.4 feet.

"This will put several feet of water into homes between Farm to Market Road 1093 and Westheimer Parkway, east of Texas State Highway 99," said Emily Hodges from the Office of Commissioner Andy Meyers.

Fort Bend County is sending boats to assist evacuees and is asking that people place white cloths or flags outside of their homes to signal the need to evacuate.



11:45 a.m. CDT Tuesday: More than 17,000 people are seeking refuge in Texas shelters, the American Red Cross said.

Houston Mayor announced officials have "identified other mega-shelter locations" and will set up more shelters. Houston megachurch led by Joel Osteen opened its doors to people seeking shelter.

They will not ask for immigration status or papers from anyone at any shelter.



11:27 a.m. CDT Tuesday: The Harris County Sheriff's Office is reporting that a bridge over Greens Bayou has collapsed. This area is located in northeastern Houston.



10:39 a.m. CDT Tuesday: A new Texas tropical cyclone rainfall record has been set at Mary's Creek at Winding Road located southeast of Houston. The total of 49.32 inches breaks the previous record of 48 inches set during Tropical Cyclone Amelia in 1978 at Median, Texas.


Animal rescue groups and public officials throughout the U.S. are working to save pets and other animals as they continue to be displaced in the wake of Harvey.

Homeless animals living in Texas shelters are being transported to rescue groups throughout the country as Harveys floodwaters continue to rise in affected areas of the state.

The Texas Department of Transportation tweeted a video of a group of cattle being herded through floodwaters and pouring rain on State Highway 124 in Beaumont to higher ground.

New Jerseys St. Huberts Animal Welfare Center  just one of many groups looking to help displaced animals  flew in at least 100 dogs from Texas, and coordinated their placement through a network of other shelters, NJ.com reported.

Relocating those homeless dogs from Texas gives them the opportunity to be adopted in other states  and allows non-homeless pets from flooded areas room to stay in the shelters, so they can stay close to home.

"We want to be able to connect them back to their families after the hurricane," Debra Miller, of St. Huberts, said. "We want to empty the shelters to make space for those pets."

A number of animals at the Tall Tails Kennel in Hankamer, Texas were rescued by Chambers County law enforcement, according to a Facebook post by the Sheriffs Office. Video shows the animals being evacuated in cages via boat.

In addition to animals being rescued, fire ants are adapting to the floodwaters by forming into clumps." The species join together  in groups ranging from thousands to millions of the insects  by using their jaws and legs to grab hold of each other, according to Popular Science.

Some 250,000 animals of all kinds were displaced or died in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina.

"Unlike during Katrina, first responders understand the power of the human-animal bond, and know that saving the animals is part of their responsibility now, too," wrote Wayne Pacelle, the CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, in a blog post.

Those who want to help animals displaced by Hurricane Harvey can do so by donating to The Humane Society.
So much for North Korea's restraint. So much for President Donald Trump's threats of "fire and fury."

After Pyongyang's highly provocative missile test over close American ally Japan, Trump offered a surprisingly subdued response Tuesday, pulling back from his administration's recent suggestions of a dialogue with the communist country but also avoiding a repeat of his bombastic warnings earlier this month of a potential military confrontation.

Instead, Trump's terse, written statement reiterating that all U.S. options are being considered pointed to an administration cautiously searching for an effective policy, even as the North's test risked endangering Japanese civilians. Washington and its allies called an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting for later Tuesday, but looked short on new ideas for stopping the nuclear and missile advances that are increasingly putting the U.S. mainland within range.

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," Trump said after the North's missile soared almost 1,700 miles (2,700 kilometers) into the Pacific Ocean, triggering alert warnings in northern Japan and shudders throughout Northeast Asia. "All options are on the table."

The tone was far more moderate than Trump's colorful language earlier this month, when he spoke of unleashing "fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before" if North Korea kept threatening the U.S. There were no indications Trump had any imminent intention to make good on his threat to strike North Korea.

But such has been the speed of the Trump administration's zigs and zags on North Korea policy. If Tuesday's statement seemed unusually restrained for Trump, it actually marked a toughening of his administration's most recent tone.

A senior U.S. official said the restrained nature of the administration's recent responses was intentional, reflecting an effort by new White House chief of staff John Kelly to prevent a repeat of the rhetorical escalation that occurred earlier this month. But with Trump's focus diverted to flood-ravaged Texas, it was unclear whether he might ultimately speak or tweet about the launch in greater detail.

Later Tuesday, the United Nations Security Council strongly condemned North Korea's actions, calling them "outrageous." The council's statement doesn't discuss any potential new sanctions but calls for strict implementation of existing ones.

Three weeks ago, when North Korea responded to Trump's "fire and fury" warning by threatening to launch multiple missiles near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, Trump tweeted that an American military solution to the standoff was "locked and loaded." Experts warned that the rapid-fire escalation had raised the danger of a miscalculation among the nuclear-armed powers.

The administration's more cautious approach in recent days reflects an effort to preserve modest signs of progress with North Korea that had led Trump and his top diplomat to hint at the possibility of direct talks, said the official, who wasn't authorized to discuss the deliberations publicly and requested anonymity.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is "starting to respect us," Trump said at a campaign rally in Phoenix last week, adding that "maybe, probably not, but maybe something positive can come about." Secretary of State Rex Tillerson credited Kim's government with demonstrating "some level of restraint that we have not seen" by not conducting a missile test for almost a month, expressing hope it might be the "signal that we have been looking for," leading to a dialogue.

Even that suggestion was a surprising one for the Trump administration. On his first trip to Asia, Tillerson said North Korea must first abandon its "weapons of mass destruction" for talks to occur. But he later floated the idea that the North merely had to halt its nuclear and missile tests. The North has completely rejected both demands, saying negotiations hinge on the U.S. dropping its "hostile policy."

In any case, the optimism generated by North Korea's temporary lull in missile activity ended last Friday, when it fired three short-range projectiles into the sea. It then raised the ante three days later by firing directly over Japan's territory, breaking with its usual practice of launching over open seas where there's no risk that a misfire would land in another country or send debris falling on populated areas.

Kim on Tuesday expressed great satisfaction with the launch and called for more ballistic missile launches into the Pacific, the Korean Central News Agency reported. Kim called it a "meaningful prelude" to containing Guam.

The agency said the missile the North fired Tuesday was the Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile it recently threatened to fire toward Guam.

But for Trump's earlier bombast, his Tuesday statement wouldn't have been particularly surprising. Democrat and Republican presidents have routinely offered the "all options on the table" terminology, even though a pre-emptive U.S. military strike is highly unlikely.

North Korea has the world's largest standing army and a massive conventional weapons arsenal that can easily target the capital of South Korea and its metropolitan area of about 25 million people. American officials have long assessed that mass casualties would likely result.

But while U.S. officials had been inclined to overlook Friday's launches, the launch early Tuesday in North Korea was harder to ignore.

Friday's rocket tests represented a typical North Korean response to annual, U.S.-South Korean military drills that Pyongyang claims are rehearsals for invasion. This year's war games started last week and end Thursday.

Tuesday's launch was altogether more provocative. It was only the third time North Korea has fired a missile over Japan. The previous occasions in 1998 and 2009 used rockets purportedly for space exploration. This time, the North unambiguously tested a ballistic missile designed for military strikes and believed capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

Within minutes, cellphones alerted residents on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, and loud alarms and emails instructed them to stay indoors. Speakers broadcast an alert saying "missile is passing, missile is passing."

Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan conferred by telephone, agreeing that North Korea poses "a grave and growing direct threat," the White House said. They vowed to increase pressure on the North.

"Japan's and the U.S. positions are totally at one," Abe added in a statement, saying Trump expressed his "strong commitment" to defend Japan.

During a closed-door Security Council session later Tuesday, Nikki Haley, Trump's U.N. envoy, was hoping veto-wielding members China and Russia would cooperate. But Haley didn't specify what action the U.S. its allies sought.

"No country should have missiles flying over them like those 130 million people in Japan. It's unacceptable," Haley told reporters. She added, "Something serious has to happen."

___

Associated Press writers Josh Lederman and Bradley Klapper in Washington and Jennifer Peltz at the United Nations contributed to this report.
An American pastor imprisoned in Turkey for nearly a year on what he says are trumped-up terrorism charges is facing new charges, including espionage.

Pastor Andrew Brunson, 48, was detained in October and then accused two months later of membership in an armed terroristic organization."

Last week, the government filed four new charges against Brunson, including acquiring secret political and military information and attempting to destroy constitutional order and overthrow the Turkish Parliament, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Brunson has denied all the charges.

The pastor, who has lived and worked in Turkey as a missionary for 23 years, was pastoring a small Presbyterian congregation in Izmir, a coastal community city in western Turkey, when he was detained Oct. 6.

Initially, he and his wife were charged with immigration violations. A short time later, Norine Brunson was released.

Both President Trump and Vice President Pence have personally asked Turkish officials to release Brunson.

The charges that are leveled against him are absolutely false, Jay Sekulow, an attorney representing Brunson and one of Trumps private lawyers, told the Journal.

Sekulow also said Turkey is keeping records of charges and judicial proceedings against Brunson sealed, making a defense of his client extremely difficult.

Turkish officials say Brunson was associated with U.S.-based Muslim cleric, Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has asked Washington to extradite. Turkey accuses the cleric of orchestrating the failed July 2016 attempt to overthrow the Erdogan regime.

These are absurd charges, Andrew is not a spy, Ihsan Ozbek, a Turkish pastor who has known Brunson for years and who heads the Protestant Churches Foundation in Izmir, said.

Its a political case, he said, adding that it would be unusual for a Christian pastor to find common cause with Gulens Muslim group.

Brunson is from Black Mountain, N.C., and he and his wife raised three children while living in Turkey since 1993.

The U.S. State Department says it has regular contact with Brunson.

Pastor Brunson has not been forgotten, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.
The United States is imposing sanctions on an Islamic State group official the U.S. says has served as a top financing chief for the extremist group.

The Treasury Department says Salim Mustafa Muhammad al-Mansur has raised money for the cause since 2009, when he was a commander for the al-Qaida affiliate in Iraq that evolved into IS. The U.S. accuses him of funneling Iraqi dinars into the northern city of Mosul in 2014 and laundering money in 2015.

The U.S. says in 2016, Mansur sold crude oil for IS and that he's been active in 2017 as a "finance emir" despite having moved to Turkey.

The Treasury Department is deeming Mansur a specially designated global terrorist. The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets and block Americans from dealing with him.
A Utah woman was sentenced to prison Monday for locking her then 12-year-old son in a feces-coated bathroom and starving him for more than a year.

Brandy K. Jaynes, 36, of Toquerville received three consecutive sentences of one to 15 years in prison for child abuse, according to The Spectrum.

Jaynes could serve up to 45 years in a Utah state prison. The mother pleaded guilty to causing her sons malnutrition. The young boy also was found to suffer from a protracted loss of use of limbs, and extensive emotional and mental delays" earlier this month after officials found what they described as a "torture chamber"inside Jaynes home, according to The Spectrum. Officials said the boy weighed 33 pounds when they discovered him.

Judge Eric Ludlow said he had never seen anything like this in his 30-year career and described Jaynes actions as deplorable.

"I've been doing this for 30 years, (and) I've never seen anything like this," Ludlow said.

"I've handled murder cases, rape cases, and I've never seen anything like this. It's unbelievable, quite frankly."

Deputy County Attorney Angie Reddish-Day read a letter from Jaynes son in court. The young boy explained the conditions he lived in while he was locked away in Jaynes home.

"Instead of eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, I would only get one meal of a couple of hot dogs every other day for months," the statement said. "I felt frozen when I was drenched with ice cold water in the winter."

Ludlow said he found the victims letter particularly heart-wrenching especially when the young boy said he would like to talk and see his mother again at some point.

"She did horrible things to me, but she's still my mom," the statement said. "I feel safe now. I started feeling safe when I got away from her."

The young victim was discovered bolted in a bathroom that was coated in feces, the court statement read. The victim was found locked in a space that was set up for confinement specifically, according to Reddish-Day.

The evidence and the boys testimony suggests he was kept in isolation for years. Jaynes also monitored the inside of the bathroom by using a surveillance camera.

Its just sickening  theres no other word for it, Reddish-Day said.

The victim, who is now 13-years-old, had elevated liver enzymes, peeling skin, low vitamin levels and sores when he was initially hospitalized, according to Kerri Smith, the doctor who treated the boy. He could barely walk.

He was in a lot of pain, Smith stated.

Defense attorney Edward Flint said Jaynes did not abuse the victim intentionally but did it as a way to deal with the stress in her life, and that the mother was using drugs before the boy was discovered by his father, Russell Jaynes.

"It's impossible to put a shine on this case," Flint said. "It's baffling that the family members didn't do anything."

"This is not the story of a witch that needs to be burned at the stake. That's the popular sentiment. This is the story of a woman who began to fail in her duties to her family, in particular to one son who needed help in a different matter, and she failed in that regard and things got worse," Flint said. "Instead of admitting she couldn't do it anymore and getting help, she compounded things and made them worse."

Reddish-Day said she was not sure what Jaynes motive was but said Jaynes had a relationship with her two other children and was a master manipulator with her other family members.

"Frankly, I don't understand the motive for why this child was treated the way he was," Ludlow stated. "The state of living and accommodations for this young man were disgusting and unsafe. No child should be subjected to live in the conditions he had to live in."

Smith said the victim was in better health and had gained weight as well as grown taller but he may never have a normal gait.

"It's extraordinary this victim survived this," Reddish-Day said.

Russell Jaynes was slated to appear in court on Sept. 19 after being charged with third-degree felony reckless child abuse. He was accused of not getting involved with his sons abuse but Reddish-Day said the father was lied to and banned from visiting his son for more than a year.

The other children are in the custody of the state.
A 61-year-old veteran was found dead and his wheelchair found floating in the floodwaters that ravaged Florida over the weekend.

Manatee County Sheriffs deputies said a woman called around 8:45 p.m. on Sunday to say that she had found the man facedown in about 6 inches of water due to recent heavy rains. The mans wheelchair was not far away.

I would hate to hear one of my family members passes away that way, Angela Spencer told Fox 13 Tampa.

She said she was investigating the rising floodwaters and at first didnt realize that what she saw in the water was a wheelchair.

I thought that my neighbor had a garbage can out there, and I thought that is kind of silly. It was in the water, was going to float away. I looked a little harder and I realized it looked like a wheelchair.

Spencer, a 20-year-old medical student, called 911 then tried to help the man.

I kept telling him, Youre not gonna do this, youre not gonna die on me! but it was already too late, she told the Bradenton Herald.

She recognized him as a homeless veteran that she had seen by a local McDonalds.

I started chest compressions, but he was cold. His eyes were open, I knew he was gone. But I had to try, Spencer told Fox 13 Tampa.

Manatee County deputies said they are investigating the cause of death, adding that there were no signs of foul play. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

It could have been just a simple medical episode, or it could be that he fell out of his wheelchair and drowned, Manatee County Sheriffs Office spokesperson David Bristow told Fox 13 Tampa.

The mans identity has not been released pending notification to his next of kin.
North Korea fired a missile over Japan for the first time in eight years, the Pentagon confirmed on Monday, as the rogue nation sent a message of defiance to the U.S. and its allies in the region.

"We are still in the process of assessing this launch. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America. We are working closely with Pacific Command, Strategic Command and NORAD and will provide an update as soon as possible," the Pentagon said.

A senior U.S. official said that there had been some movement suggesting an intermediate missile was being prepped.

The South Korean military said the missile flew about 1,700 miles with a height of 341 miles. That's lower than the 2,300 miles into space an intercontinental ballistic missile traveled in late July. North Koreas July 4 ICBM traveled some 1,700 miles into space.

The missile was fired from the area of Sunan in Pyongyang shortly before 6 a.m. and flew east, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, according to Yonhap News Agency. It traveled over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and appeared to be the first to soar over the country since 2009, South Korean officials added.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga labeled it an "unprecedented grave threat."

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency said that the Japanese government alerted the public to take cover in northern areas of Japan but that the Japanese military did not attempt to intercept it.

South Korea's presidential office convened a National Security Council (NSC) session quickly after the missile was fired.

The move came after North Korea fired three short-range missiles on Saturday -- all deemed successful despite initial reports suggesting failure, according to the U.S. military.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectiles fired during the weekend from North Korea's eastern coast flew about 155 miles. North Korean missile launches have been happening at an unusually fast pace this year, and some analysts have said the North could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of President Donald Trump's first term in early 2021.

U.S. and South Korean forces began annual military exercises last week, an effort that Pyongyang claimed was a rehearsal for war.

Japan's military has been practicing deploying anti-missile batteries at three U.S. bases in Japan. The U.S. military says the drills will test the ability of Japanese and U.S. forces to work together and assess firing locations at the bases. They will also allow Japan to practice rapid deployment of its PAC-3 anti-missile system.

Earlier this month, Trump claimed that the North would be met with "fire and fury like the world has never seen" if threats from the rogue regime continued.

North Korea has conducted a series of test launches to develop its missile capability and recently threatened to send missiles over western Japan and into waters near the U.S. territory of Guam.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had recently said that he was "pleased to see that the regime in Pyongyang has certainly demonstrated some level of restraint that we've not seen in the past."

Asked to address those comments on Fox News Sunday, Tillerson said he wanted to continue a "peaceful pressure campaign."

The missile was the 18th to be launched this year by North Korea. This is the third time North Korea has fired a missile over Japan. The last time was in 2009.

A missile was also fired over Japan in the 1990s.

Japan will deploy Patriot missile systems to several U.S. military installations in the next few days, the U.S. military said.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin, Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
North Korea wants to take its complaints about U.S. and South Korean military exercises to the U.N. Security Council, saying the annual maneuvers are recklessly provocative at a time of tension.

The letter, dated Friday, asks Egypt as Security Council president to schedule a discussion urgently.

The Egyptian, U.S. and South Korean missions didn't have any immediate comment Monday.

Pyongyang regularly argues that the U.S.-South Korean military exercises are an invasion rehearsal. This year, they come after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump traded warlike threats.

North Korea's U.N. ambassador, Ja Song Nam, writes that the exercises are "provocative and aggressive" when the Korean peninsula is "like a time bomb."

Amid the exercises, North Korea fired several rockets into the sea Saturday.
The woman ousted as chief prosecutor by Venezuela's government charges that the socialist administration in her homeland has tried to hire people to kill her.

Luisa Ortega Diaz is in Costa Rica to file a complaint with the Inter-American Human Rights Commission against the government of President Nicolas Maduro. She said Monday that she has "information that the persecution against me continues, and that the government has hired assassins to kill me."

Ortega broke with Maduro earlier this year, and the constitutional assembly removed her from her post shortly after it convened in early August. She went to Colombia, where she has been offered political asylum.

Ortega has promised to deliver evidence showing that Maduro and top administration officials are involved in corruption.

Venezuelan officials have denied the corruption accusations.
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South Korea's military says North Korea fired a ballistic from its capital Pyongyang toward the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Tuesday said the South Korean and U.S. militaries were analyzing the launch and didn't immediately confirm how far the projectile traveled and where it landed.

The launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

The North has also threatened to lob some of its missiles toward Guam and expressed anger over the ongoing annual war games between the United States and South Korea.
South Korea's air force effectively fired back at North Korea's missile launch over Japan by conducting a live-fire drill involving powerful bombs, officials said early Tuesday.

Four F-15 fighters dropped eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field near South Korea's eastern coast, Seoul's presidential spokesman Park Su-hyun said. Each bomb has an explosive yield of a ton, according to the country's air force.

Park also said South Korean national security director Chung Eui-yong called President Donald Trump's national security adviser H.R. McMaster to discuss the North's launch.

North Korea typically reacts with anger to U.S.-South Korean military drills, which are happening now, often testing weapons and threatening Seoul and Washington in its state-controlled media. But animosity is higher than usual following threats by Trump to unleash "fire and fury" on the North, and Pyongyang's stated plan to consider firing some of its missiles near Guam.

The Pentagon told reporters it was investigating the launch over Japan, adding: "North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America." The U.S. Missile Defense Agency said the Japanese military did not attempt to intercept the missile.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 1,677 miles and reached a maximum height of 341 miles as it flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The launch appeared to be the first to cross over Japan since 2009.

The South Korean military said it was analyzing the launch with the United States and strengthened its monitoring and preparation in case of further actions from North Korea.

North Korea will no doubt be watching the world's reaction to see if it can use Tuesday's flight over Japan as a precedent for future launches. Japanese officials said there was no damage to ships or anything else reported. Japan's NHK TV said the missile separated into three parts. "We will do our utmost to protect people's lives," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters. "This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat."

Tuesday's launch came days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts said could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry warned that the North would face a "strong response" from the U.S.-South Korean alliance if what it called nuclear and missile provocations continue. The ministry also urged Pyongyang to accept talks over its nuclear program and acknowledge that abandoning its nuclear ambitions is the only way to guarantee its security and economic development.

Earlier this month, when threatening to lob four Hwasong-12s, which are new intermediate-range missiles, into the waters near Guam, North Korea specifically said they would fly over Japanese territory. North Korea in June also angrily reacted to the launch of a Japanese satellite it said was aimed at spying on the North and said Tokyo was no longer entitled to fault Pyongyang "no matter what it launches or whether that crosses the sky above Japan."

Pyongyang regularly claims the U.S.-South Korean military exercises are an invasion rehearsal, although analysts say the North's anger is partly because the impoverished country must react with its own expensive drills and weapons tests. The allies say the war games are defensive and meant to counter North Korean aggression.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin, Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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More than 1.7 million Muslims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the start of the annual hajj pilgrimage this week. Once in Mecca  the site of Islam's holiest place of worship they will be reminded that the ruling Al Saud family is the only custodian of this place.

Large portraits of the king and the country's founder hang in hotel lobbies across the city. A massive clock tower bearing the name of King Salman's predecessor flashes fluorescent green lights at worshippers below. A large new wing of the Grand Mosque in Mecca is named after a former Saudi king, and one of the mosque's entrances is named after another.

It's just one of the many ways that Saudi Arabia uses its oversight of the hajj to bolster its standing in the Muslim world  and to spite its foes, from Iran and Syria to Qatar. Its archrival, the Shiite power Iran, has in turn tried to utilize the hajj to undermine the kingdom.

The hajj has long been a part of Saudi Arabia's politics.

For nearly 100 years, the ruling Al Saud family has decided who gets in and out of Mecca, setting quotas for pilgrims from various countries, facilitating visas through Saudi embassies abroad and providing accommodation for hundreds of thousands of people in and around Mecca.

The kingdom has received credit for its management of the massive crowds that descend upon Mecca each year  and blame when things go wrong at the hajj. All able-bodied Muslims are required to perform the pilgrimage once in a lifetime.

Saudi kings, and the Ottoman rulers of the Hijaz region before them, all adopted the honorary title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a reference to sites in Mecca and Medina.

"Whoever controls Mecca and Medina has tremendous soft power," said Ali Shibahi, executive director of the pro-Saudi Arabia Foundation. "Saudi Arabia has been extremely careful from day one not to restrict any Muslim's access to hajj so they never get accused of using hajj for political purposes."

The Syrian government, however, says Saudi authorities continue to place restrictions on Syrian citizens looking to take part in the hajj. Saudi Arabia has no diplomatic ties with President Bashar Assad's government and since 2012, requires all Syrians seeking to make the hajj to obtain visas in third countries through the "Syrian High Hajj Committee," which is controlled by the Syrian National Coalition, an opposition political group.

The hajj became further entangled in politics following the fallout between Saudi Arabia and Qatar when the kingdom and three other Arab countries cut all diplomatic and transport links with the small Gulf state this year. In a surprise move last month, Saudi Arabia announced it would open its border for Qatari pilgrims seeking to perform the hajj and that King Salman would provide flights and accommodation to Qataris during the hajj.

The Saudis, however, announced the goodwill measures unilaterally and did so after meeting with Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, a Qatari royal family member who resides outside Qatar and whose branch of the family was ousted in a coup more than four decades ago.

"Bringing out a senior member of the Qatari royal family member was a political coup really," said Shihabi.

Experts say that by promoting Sheikh Abdullah, the Saudis were attempting to delegitimize Qatar's current emir.

Gerd Nonneman, a professor of International Relations and Gulf Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar, says the Saudi move was "a transparent propaganda stunt".

"Given that, Qatar's hajj attendance has inevitably been affected by the boycott, the hajj was de facto politicized  there's no way around it," he said.

Qatar's government publicly welcomed the move to facilitate the pilgrimage, but also called on Saudi Arabia to "stay away from exploiting (the hajj) as a tool for political manipulation".

Qatar's human rights committee had previously filed a complaint with the U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of belief and religion over restrictions placed on its nationals who wanted to attend the hajj this year. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Qatar's complaint amounted to a "declaration of war" against the kingdom's management of the holy sites, and the kingdom accused Qatar of trying to politicize the hajj.

While the hajj is a main pillar of Islam, the custodianship of its holy sites is a pillar of the ruling Al Saud family's legitimacy and power. Iran has consistently tried to call that into question.

Two years ago, a stampede and crush of pilgrims killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count. Iran, which lost 464 pilgrims in the stampede, immediately used the disaster to call for an independent body to take over administering the hajj. Those calls were vehemently rejected by Saudi Arabia, which accused Iran of politicizing the hajj.

The hajj became further entangled in the two countries' rivalry after Saudi Arabia and Iran severed ties last year. As a result, no Iranians were at the pilgrimage last year.

It wasn't the first time Iran and Saudi Arabia sparred over the hajj. In 1987, Saudi police opened fire on Iranian pilgrims protesting during the hajj, killing more than 400 people. For two years after that, Iran did not send pilgrims to the hajj.

Ahead of this year's hajj, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei essentially called on pilgrims to hold protests again, saying the pilgrimage offers "Muslims with a great opportunity to express their beliefs".

"Where else, better than Mecca, Medina ... can Muslims go to express their concerns regarding Al-Aqsa and Palestine?" Khamenei said, referring to one of Islam's holiest and most contentious sites in Jerusalem.

Senior Saudi clerics were quick to respond, saying the pilgrimage should not be exploited and reminding worshippers that the ultimate goal of the hajj is "to spend all their time and effort in worshipping Almighty Allah."
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Officials say North Korea for the first time has fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload that flew over Japan and splashed into the northern Pacific Ocean.

The aggressive missile launch  likely the longest ever from the North  over a close U.S. ally sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles). The length and type of the missile test seemed designed to show that North Korea can back up a threat to target the U.S. territory of Guam, if it chooses to do so, while also establishing a potentially dangerous precedent of sending future missile tests over Japan.
Israeli Cabinet ministers are lashing out at a Supreme Court decision placing limitations on the expulsion of African migrants and the terms of their incarceration for infiltrating into the country.

Yariv Levin of the ruling Likud Party called the judges' considerations "post-Zionist" on Tuesday. Other ministers vowed to draft legislation that would bypass the decision.

The court ruled migrants could be expelled to third countries if they face danger in their country of origin. But it also said the state could not incarcerate them for more than 60 days in a bid to pressure them to leave.

Tens of thousands flooded into Israel from Africa, most from Eritrea and Sudan, before Israel erected a fence along its border with Egypt's lawless Sinai Peninsula that has largely stopped the influx.
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The Latest on developments in Afghanistan (all times local):

1:05 p.m.

An Afghan official says at least 13 civilians, including women and children, were killed in an overnight airstrike by the Afghan security forces that targeted the Taliban in western Herat province.

Gelani Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor, said on Tuesday that the airstrike in Shindand district also wounded seven other civilians.

He says the target of Monday night's strike was a Taliban base and a prison run by the insurgents. The prison was destroyed and 19 prisoners  both military and civilians escaped.

Farhad also said that the civilians who were killed died in their homes just next to the Taliban base.

According to the spokesman, the airstrikes also killed 16 Taliban militants. The Taliban have not commented on the attack in Herat province and Farhad's information could not be independently verified.

___

11:20 a.m.

Afghan officials say a suicide bombing has killed at least five people in a busy commercial area in central Kabul, not far from the U.S. Embassy.

Basir Mujahid, spokesman for the Kabul police chief, says Tuesday's explosion likely targeted a branch of the privately owned Kabul Bank. The U.S. Embassy compound is located about 500 meters (yards) down the road from the Kabul Bank.

Mohammad Salim Rasouli, chief of Kabul hospitals at the Health Ministry, confirmed that the attack also wounded nine people, according to initial reports.

No one claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the Taliban often target banks, especially at the end of the month when civil servants and military personnel line up to receive their salaries, or ahead of major Muslim holidays.
Ay, ay, ay, ay!

As Mexicos security situation continues to deteriorate -- along with public trust in law enforcement -- some police officers in the country are trading in their guns for guitarrones in an effort to help improve the image of the force.

A group of 21 federal police officers, who also just happen to be professional musicians, have formed a mariachi band in order to show the human side of law enforcement and break down widespread mistrust in the force -- a chronic issue in a country plagued by the underreporting of crimes.

Playing one of the countrys most famous and popular styles of folk music is meant to show that cops are present in some regions of Mexico -- Michoacan, Tamaulipas and Sinaloa, for example  that have been hotspots for a drug war that has raged for more than a decade, Federal Police Mariachi Musical Director Juan Ramon Soto said to El Universal.

"Citizens have an erroneous perception of the Federal Police," Soto said. "We're providing crime prevention through music and trust."

Mexicos drug war, which began in 2006 when then-President Felipe Calderon declared an all-out military offensive on the countrys narcotraffickers, has left at least 200,000 dead. While current President Enrique Pena Nieto came into office in 2012, a time when violence was on the decline, the bloodshed continues and in June the country saw a record number of killings: 2,566 homicide victims being the most in a month since the Mexican government started releasing that data in 2014.

While never particularly high, public trust in the police, at both a federal and local level, has plummeted in recent years amid widespread reports of corruption, extrajudicial killings and collusion with drug traffickers.

Mexicos human rights agency last year found that federal police executed at least 22 people during a 2015 confrontation with suspected cartel criminals last year and then rearranged the scene by moving bodies and planting guns to support the official version of the bloodshed. One police officer was killed in the confrontation and the government said the dead were drug cartel suspects who were hiding out on a ranch in Tanhuato near the border with Jalisco state.

An opinion poll taken in Mexico earlier this year found that the municipal police and federal police were the lowest-rated security institutions in the country, with two-thirds of those surveyed saying they believe the police are "controlled by organized crime" and more than one-fifth claiming that only a total revamping of the law enforcement organizations would improve federal trust.

Those sentiments were echoed by experts, who said that while the mariachi unit may be a creative attempt to address a lack of public trust, it will not be enough.

[President] Pena Nieto needs to deal with police reform, Christopher Wilson, deputy director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center, told Fox News. Its happened already to some extent with the federal police, but state and local police make up the vast majority of the law enforcement in the country.
Amid escalating tensions with the United States, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un tested out a seemingly laughable, but key part of his arsenal.

Footage recently emerged of North Korea paratroopers jumping out of what seems to be two 70-year-old Antonov An-2 transport aircrafts.

While the concept of Pyongyang using these Stalin-era planes seems far-fetched considering the nuclear weapons at its disposal, the aircrafts could be North Koreas most deadly weapon.

The dated aircraft raisesthe concern that they could be used to transport a nuclear bomb to be dropped quite easily without triggering any radar at any specific target.

According to several reports, the North Korean army has a fleet of 200 Antonov An-2 aircrafts. They were first introduced in 2015, but disregarded as obsolete by many.

However, what makes them so dangerous is that they have an incredibly low radar profile, meaning they are difficult to track using conventional aircraft.

The Drive reported the aircraft fly at such a slow speed and low altitude that modern surface-to-air missile systems would have a very hard time detecting and engaging them.

The aircraft, initially designed as a crop duster and utility transport, can land on short sections of a road that would make disembarking soldiers quite easy and sneaky.

According to the BBC, the Antonov An-2 first flew in 1947 as the Soviet Union was rebuilding after the end of World War II. Aside from its remarkable short take-off and landing, it can basically fly backwards.

The reason the An-2 still flies is that there is really no other aircraft like it, aviation writer Bernie Leighton, who has flown in an An-2 in Belarus, told the BCC. If you need an aircraft that can carry 10 soldiers, people or goats, that can take off from anywhere and land anywhere  it is either that or a helicopter.

The Soviet Union built more than 10,000 airplanes before it fell in 1991.
North Korea on Tuesday-- in an act of defiance-- fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload over Japan for the first time, sending a clear message to Washington and Seoul.

The distance and type of missile test seemed designed to show that North Korea can back up a threat to target the U.S. territory of Guam, if it chooses to do so, while also establishing a potentially dangerous precedent that could see future missiles flying over Japan.

Any new test worries Washington and its allies because it presumably puts the North a step closer toward its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States. Tuesday's test, however, looks especially aggressive to Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.

North Korea will no doubt be watching the world's reaction to see if it can use Tuesday's flight over Japan as a precedent for future launches. Japanese officials made the usual strongly worded condemnations of the launch. There were no immediate tweets from Trump.

"We will do our utmost to protect people's lives," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. "This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat."

A U.S. congressman visiting Seoul said Washington is now pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions by shutting down the impoverished country's access to hard currency, the lifeblood of its expensive weapons program.

The Pentagon told reporters that it was investigating the launch over Japan, adding: "North American Aerospace Defense Command determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America." The U.S. Missile Defense Agency said the Japanese military did not attempt to intercept the missile.

South Korea's air force effectively fired back at North Korea's missile launch over Japan by conducting a live-fire drill involving powerful bombs, officials said early Tuesday.

Four F-15 fighters dropped eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field near South Korea's eastern coast, Seoul's presidential spokesman Park Su-hyun said. Each bomb has an explosive yield of a ton, according to the country's air force.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 1,677 miles and reached a maximum height of 341 miles as it traveled over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

The North has conducted launches at an unusually fast pace this year -- 13 times, Seoul says -- and some analysts believe Pyongyang could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of Trump's first term in early 2021.

Seoul says that while the North has twice before fired rockets it said were carrying satellites over Japan -- in 1998 and 2009 -- it has never before used a ballistic missile, which is unambiguously designed for military strikes.

Tuesday's missile landed nowhere near Guam, but firing a Hwasong-12 (Hwasong is Korean for Mars, or Fire Star) so soon after the Guam threat may be a way for the North to show it could follow through if it chose to do so. Guam is 2,200 miles away from North Korea, but South Korea's military said the North may have fired the most recent missile at a shorter range.

Another interesting aspect of this launch is that it was the first-ever reported from Sunan, which is home to Pyongyang's international airport. Some outside observers wondered if North Korea had launched a road-mobile missile from an airport runway -- something South Korea's military couldn't immediately determine.

Tuesday's launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week, said he welcomed the restraint Pyongyang showed by not firing any missiles in July.

(North Korea) think that by exhibiting their capability, the path to dialogue will open, Masao Okonogi, professor emeritus at Japans Keio University, told Reuters. That logic, however, is not understood by the rest of the world, so its not easy, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
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The foreign ministers of Russia and the United Arab Emirates urged North Korea on Tuesday to stop its provocations and obey United Nations resolutions, after Pyongyang's launch of a ballistic missile over Japan.

Speaking in Abu Dhabi, the two ministers offered a forceful warning for Pyongyang, with Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan particularly calling for North Korea to stop its "provocations."

But what was left unsaid between the two ministers was their own diplomatic and commercial ties to North Korea, with the UAE in particular home to thousands of its workers whose wages help Pyongyang avoid international sanctions.

Early Tuesday, North Korea fired a ballistic missile from its capital that flew over Japan before crashing into the northern Pacific Ocean.

The missile, which traveled some 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) on its trip over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, appeared to be the first to cross over Japan. It sparked new fears about a confrontation between Pyongyang and America's Asian allies in the region, especially as U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a hard line against the country.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is visiting the UAE as part of a three Gulf Arab nation tour over the ongoing diplomatic crisis involving Qatar, avoided discussing that dispute. He instead focused in part on North Korea.

"Regarding North Korea and the missile tests it is conducting, we stick to the resolutions of the U.N. Security Council and we insist on the fact that our North Korean neighbors should fully respect those resolutions," Lavrov said. "We base our position on these statements during discussions in the Security Council and will do the same in the session, which as far as we understand is being planned now and which will be dedicated to discussing the last missile launches from North Korea."

Sheikh Abdullah went further.

"The situation cannot continue to escalate between North Korea on one side and Japan and South Korea on the other," he said. "North Korea cannot continue to disregard the U.N. Security Council resolutions and the U.N.'s call to stop its provocations."

The remarks by the two, however, did not mention their countries' commercial ties to Pyongyang.

A 2015 U.N. report suggested that the more than 50,000 North Koreans working overseas earned Pyongyang between $1.2 billion and $2.3 billion a year. Other estimates put earnings in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The major markets for North Korean workers are China and Russia, but the Gulf also hosts thousands. In the UAE, Pyongyang also has at three restaurants it uses to earn hard currency while some 1,500 North Koreans work in the country, according to two officials who told The Associated Press that more may be coming.

___

Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap . His work can be found at http://apne.ws/2galNpz .
Devastating seasonal monsoon rains, flooding and landslides in South Asia have killed more than 1,200 and affected nearly 41 million across northern India, southern Nepal and northern Bangladesh.

The flooding is typical for the June-September monsoon season in the region, but international rescue and aid organizations said the flooding is the worst it's been in decades.

Hundreds of thousands of people are displaced from their homes, and the torrential rains have leveled tens of thousands of buildings, including houses, schools and hospitals, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

INDIA WILDLIFE PRESERVE PARK DEVASTATED BY MONSOON FLOODS

Beyond property destruction, victims in affected areas are also threatened with food shortages and water-borne diseases as waters recede. Health workers have begun sending supplies of mosquito repellent, bleaching powder and water purification tablets to the worst-hit areas, said health official Badri Vishal.

Crops on more than 10,000 hectares (24,710 acres) of land have been washed away while another 600,000 hectares (1,482,600 acres) have been damaged, posing a serious threat to food production, according to Bangladeshs Disaster Management Ministry.

7 COACHES OF PASSENGER TRAIN DERAIL IN WESTERN INDIA

Army troops have been helping to evacuate people marooned on rooftops or trees, while air force helicopters dropped packets of food, drinking water and medicines to those camping on higher ground, mostly along highways.

The U.N. World Food Program said that Bangladesh was at risk of "devastating hunger" after major floods that destroyed crops, homes and livelihoods of people across many impoverished areas in a delta nation of 160 million people.

"Many flood survivors have lost everything: their homes, their possessions, their crops," Christa Rader, WFP's Bangladesh country director, said in a statement. "People need food right now, and the full impact on longer-term food security threatens to be devastating."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone.
Back in May, the increasingly bustling Port of Virginia marked a milestone when the COSCO Development pulled in, then the largest container ship to ever call the port and the East Coast.

Since then, vessels even larger than the Development, which can carry the equivalent of 13,092 twenty-foot containers, have been a regular feature at the port. And on Monday, the CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt set a new bar for big ships, docking its 1,200-foot-long bulk at the Virginia International Gateway in Norfolk.

The ship, which can carry the equivalent of 14,400 twenty-foot containers, is the biggest ship to ever call on the East Coast and made its way to Virginia from the Panama Canal. France-based CMA CGM is part of the Ocean Alliance, a group of ocean carriers that agree to contribute ships and share space. The Theodore Roosevelt is part of the alliances South Atlantic Express Service, a weekly service between Asia and the U.S. East Coast. The Port of Virginia is the first stop on the service.

This is a notable step-up in size. In Virginia, the big-ship era started in May and we continue to see larger and larger vessels, said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority in a statement. Its ships like this and those to follow that are driving our expansion, he said.

The port is spending $670 million to expand the Virginia International Gateway and Norfolk International Terminals to handle the ever-bigger ships and cargo loads.

Last week, the port ordered four new ship-to-shore cranes, which will be the largest ever delivered to the East Coast, Reinhart said. The cranes, which can reach across a vessel that is 26 containers wide, are expected in April 2019.

We anticipated needing this capacity for the ships that will be coming to Virginia 10 years from now. When that day comes, the Port of Virginia will be ready, said Virginia Port Authority Board Chairman John G. Milliken.

Last month, the port set a record for its busiest July to date, with cargo volume up 7.5 percent compared to the same month last year. For the calendar year so far, volumes are up 8.2 percent compared to this time last year.
Nearly 80 years have passed since the last steamboat operated on the Rappahannock River between Fredericksburg and the Chesapeake Bay, but for two area residents, the memories of that earlier time when steamboats were the queens of the waterways remain strong.

When I was young, said Vivian Farish Motley of Port Royal, The steamboats were still coming. They went from Fredericksburg to Baltimore. We use to hear the boats coming. It was regular, several a day.

Port Royal was the only stop at a town in Caroline County, according to Motley, who still lives on the same street where she grew up in the 1930s. With her father as mayor, as well as the express agent for packages delivered by steamboats, she had a front row seat to how steamboats impacted this and other rural communities along the river.

Port Royal had all kinds of taverns, many, many, not just two or three Motley said. In addition, there were canning factories, one for tomatoes and the other for cucumbers.

One of Motleys most vivid memories from that time occurred when she was younger than 10, about 1935. The James Adams Floating Theater, better known as the Showboat, arrived at the towns dock for one of the many performances it regularly gave for residents around the Chesapeake region.

Although she was too young to attend the theater, Motley said her father took her to meet the boats captain who gave her a personal tour.

I knew my parents went they went every night, Motley said, But, I didnt get to go. [The captain] said he was sorry he wouldnt see me, but he took me all over the ship. I had a nice afternoon.

Someone who also remembers the Showboat is Tappahannock resident Henry DeShields Fisher.

When the Showboat arrived, the cast dressed in costume and marched up Prince Street to the courthouse, Fisher said. The children would follow them. They would do a skit on the courthouse as a promotion.

Although only 5 at the time, Fisher, unlike Motley, got to attend a play on the Showboat. The cost of a ticket: 25 cents. Showboat could seat 700 people.

If the name sounds familiar, Show Boat became a popular play in 1927 and later a movie. The books author, Edna Ferber, spent four weeks on board Showboat, performing odd jobs like taking tickets to absorb the atmosphere for her novel, Fisher said.

What was not fiction was Fishers childhood, much of it spent in Tappahannock with his grandparents whose home overlooked the towns steamboat wharf.

We lived in front of the wharf, so wed see them all the time, Fisher said. When I was young, someone asked me what I wanted to do and I said be an admiral, so I could run a steamboat.

Fisher did not become an admiral, but he did go into acting, becoming a Broadway director as well as part of the off-Broadway movement, which saw young people producing plays on a shoestring, in Fishers words. Among plays Fisher directed were Inherit the Wind and Andorra.

One of Fishers strongest memories of steamboats was a ride he took from Washington to Norfolk in 1945 when he was 16 on board the District of Columbia. He had his own cabin, complete with a sink and commode. A gong was rung to summon passengers to dinner, he said. More than 70 years later, Fisher still recalls what was served: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and apple pie.

Now in his 80s, Fisher lives in the house his grandparents built in Tappahannock in 1910 overlooking the steamboat landing. The stateliness and quality of craftsmanship of the house date it to a bygone era.

From its screened porch, one can look down where the steamboat landing was at the foot of the familys backyard. Only pilings remain today, overshadowed by the adjacent highway bridge that spans the river.

Fisher points to parts of the house brought in from Baltimore by steamboatfull-length glass plate doors, mantels and chandeliers. Steamboats transported not only passengers, but everything from household items to livestock. People used steamboats to go shopping in the big cities and many newlyweds took excursions to Baltimore for their honeymoons.

Today, we consider them romantic, Fisher said, But, they werent. It was a necessity. Steamboats were the lifeblood of the people around here. ... Lots of little towns that are small villages were thriving towns, because of steamboats.

At one time, many different steamboat lines operated on the Chesapeake and surrounding rivers, counting between 200 and 300 stops among them. Steamboats were even converted to gunboats and saw military service in the Civil War, as well as World Wars I and II.

The last steamboat on the Rappahannock ran from Fredericksburg to Norfolk on Sept. 24, 1937. Other lines like the one Fisher took in 1945 ceased operation later, but all had ended by the 1962, victims of automobiles and high-speed highways.

With the end of the era, steamboats often had inglorious ends, being stripped and turned into barges, according to Fisher, or simply left to rot at docks. None that operated on the Chesapeake remain today, not even as floating museums.

Even Showboat was not preserved. Towed to Savannah, Ga. in 1941, it was destroyed in a fire.

The largest intact piece of a steamboat still around is the pilothouse of the Potomac, according to Barbara D. Brecher, executive director of the Steamboat Era Museum in Irvington. It will go on display next year.

In the meantime, most of what remains of steamboats are the memories.

It was very sad to see these grand old ladies cast aside, Fisher said. It was a whole different era. Life was much more gentle then.

To learn more, start at the Steamboat Era Museum. It features several exhibits about steamboats and the people who operated them and rode on them. Go in September to enjoy an ice cream social and a low-country boil. Check its website for details.

Smaller local museums at Kinsale and Reedsville in the Northern Neck and at the Port Royal Museum of American History in Port Royal and the Essex County Museum in Tappahannock also have displays about steamboats, as well as docents who are eager to share these and many other stories about the towns that once knew the regular whistle of the steamboat.

Maryland, too, offers opportunities for learning about steamboats at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels and the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomans.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Authorities in Georgia say a man charged in connection with the beating of a black man during violent clashes in Charlottesville the day of a white nationalist rally has been arrested.

A spokesman for the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday 33-year-old Alex Michael Ramos turned himself in Monday evening.

Ramos faces one count of malicious wounding in the attack on DeAndre Harris, which was captured in photos and video that went viral. The attack by a group of men left him with a broken wrist and head wound.

Spokesman Sgt. Lawson Bittick says Ramos will have an extradition hearing Tuesday. He didn't know if Ramos, an unemployed construction worker, has an attorney.

In an interview with WGCL, Ramos said he's not a white nationalist. He called the incident "a defensive attack."

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Two men have been charged, with one arrested, in the brutal Aug. 12 beating of a black man in a Charlottesville parking deck. But at least four other men were involved in the attack and the victims lawyer said hes disappointed the police havent identified and arrested more of them.

Outside of the one arrest, no other person involved in the attack has been brought into custody and law enforcement has failed to identify any suspect not independently identified by journalist Shaun King two weeks prior, according to a Sunday news release from Philadelphia attorney S. Lee Merritt, representing DeAndre Harris, 20.

With information including affiliated organizations, clear photographs and recordings, it is disappointing that the combined efforts of federal and local agencies have failed to lead to either the identification or arrest of additional suspects.

Harris, an instructional assistant at an elementary school in Charlottesville, attended the Unite the Right rally as an anti-racist protester, according to his attorneys news release.

After a white supremacist fired a gun toward anti-racist protesters and law enforcement declared an unlawful assembly, police redirected a crowd of white supremacists toward anti-racist protesters, including Harris, the release said.

As the groups continued to jeer at each other, a member of Mr. Harris group, Cory Long, began feuding with a supremacist over a Confederate flag, the release said. DeAndre intervened just as the white supremacist attempted to spear Long with the flags pole and several militant supremacists began to charge in their direction.

Harris retreated into the parking garage near a Charlottesville police precinct and was knocked to the ground by a man with a shield bearing the logo of the white supremacist group American Vanguard, the same group associated with a fatal motorist attack of anti-protesters a few hours later, the news release said.

The group of white men then beat Harris with blunt objects. He needed staples for a head wound and suffered a concussion, a wrist fracture, a tooth fracture and other injuries, according to the release.

Charlottesville police on Thursday charged Daniel Patrick Borden, 18, with malicious wounding, a felony. He was arrested Friday in Ohio and was being held at the Hamilton County Justice Center in Cincinnati, according to a news release from Charlottesville police.(tncms-asset)7dd215fc-8c23-11e7-9d25-00163ec2aa770 (/tncms-asset)

Police also charged Alex Michael Ramos, 33, with malicious wounding. His last known residence was Marietta, Ga., according to the Associated Press.

King, the New York-based journalist who has been publishing video and photos of the assault on social media in hopes of identifying the suspects, tweeted on Sunday: Strange as it sounds, police have openly told (Merritt) and I both that they are basically waiting on me to identify the remaining suspects.

Lt. Thomas McKean of the Charlottesville police declined to comment.

The release from Merritt also says a lawsuit is planned.

In an interview, Merritt addressed questions on social media over a video clip of Harris swinging a flashlight at another man. That was the situation in which Harris friend was about to be speared with the flag pole, Merritt said.

It appears to me that he missed, Merritt said of Harris. Either way its defensive at best. ...It in no way represents an assault.

A spokesman for Gov. Terry McAuliffe said last week that the governor had seen the video of the beating and wanted arrests and prosecutions in the case.
Virginia is getting more urban and suburban. Consequently, the natural world and the man-made one are increasingly in conflict. Nature often comes out on the losing end when this happens.

Consider the Canada goose. When the U.S. Department of Agriculture rounded up 100 or so Canada geese recently in a Virginia Beach neighborhood, then euthanized them and donated their remains to a wildlife rehab center for animal food, there was a public outcry.

Not too long ago, the Canada goose was a welcome visitor, stopping over in Virginia on its annual migration along the Atlantic flyway. Then the beautiful, elegant birds decided they liked the Old Dominion year-round.

This might not have been a problem, except for one thing. According to the Center for Human-Wildlife Conflict Resolution, a healthy Canada goose can produce up to 1.5 pounds of fecal material per day.

Dont blame the geese. Theyre doing what theyve always done, but theyre doing it in neighborhood ponds and on suburban yards.

As with deer, who elicit an awww response until you hit one with your car or they eat your shrubbery, Canada geese arent so cute any more. Its more like an ewww response these days.

Hunters and occasional actions such as the one in Virginia Beach seem to have thinned the flocks. According to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, there were 158,000 resident Canada geese here in 2016, compared with 264,000 in 1998.

Still, for the resident who must step cautiously when strolling around the neighborhood lake, there still may seem to be too many. Ironically, humans who feed Canada geese encourage them to stay until humans decide there are too many and they need to be killed.

By the way, dont blame the resident geese for the Miracle on the Hudson, where tragedy was averted when a commercial airliner hit a flock of migrating birds and was forced to do an unscheduled and much-heralded landing in the river. If those geese had stayed put instead of migrating, it never would have happened.

Of course, as was the case with those Virginia Beach geese, staying put can have its disadvantages, too.
Samples reveal patterns to tailor treatment

Because of this, it is critical that researchers collect and preserve as many samples from children as possible. The Hutchs vast collection of pediatric AML samples enables scientists to pick out important molecular patterns and gain a clear understanding of the genetic makeup of different AML subtypes, said Meshinchi. More samples lead to clearer patterns and confirm which molecular characteristics could have potential as treatment targets. With this knowledge, precision medicine becomes possible for children with AML.

Once parents give permission, oncologists take several million to a few billion AML cells for research every time they check a childs blood or bone marrow for cancer, from diagnosis through treatment. Each sample is carefully processed to remove red blood cells and slowly lower its temperature so that the AML cells can be frozen in liquid nitrogen  still living  long term. In this condition, samples can be shipped internationally and stored, ready for study, at Fred Hutch. The COG AML committee reviews research proposals from scientists around the globe who want to use the samples for their studies, approving only those of highest scientific merit.

The process began in the 1970s, when Hutch researchers and COG members Drs. Irwin Bernstein and Bill Woods began putting together a repository of samples collected across the U.S from children treated in COG trials. Since then the repository has supported more than 20 clinical trials, and it continues to grow thanks to the parents who give permission for a portion of their childrens tissue samples to be preserved.

Bernstein and Woods had the foresight to say, Lets start collecting diagnostic samples and study them, said Meshinchi  even though the scientific tools of the 1970s lagged behind the questions researchers hoped to answer. As technology has advanced, however, the samples have begun to give up their secrets and lead to lifesaving discoveries.

When Haviannas doctors looked closely at the molecular characteristics of her AML, they spotted a mutation with big implications for her treatment. In her tumor cells, a section of a gene known as FLT3 had duplicated. This AML subtype is known as FLT3-ITD for FLT3-internal tandem duplication. In the 1990s researchers recognized this subtype by profiling the molecular characteristics of samples from the Hutch pediatric AML tissue bank. Havianna was one of about 15 percent of children with AML who have this mutation in their tumor cells.

This is actually our first target [found using the tissue bank] to change peoples treatment, which significantly impacted peoples survival, said Meshinchi. The discovery of FLT3-ITD enabled us to ID these patients very early on, at the time of diagnosis.

Treated with a standard chemotherapy-only regimen, these children had a survival rate of about 10 to 15 percent; but when oncologists also treated their AML with bone marrow transplantation, the kids overall survival jumped to more than 60 percent. Their outcome really improved dramatically, said Meshinchi.

Preparing for transplant

One course of chemotherapy didnt subdue Haviannas AML, so based on her FLT3-ITD mutation, her doctors recommended a second course  followed by a bone marrow transplant. After the second course of chemo put her AML into remission, Havianna underwent preparatory radiation therapy. The procedure requires that patients remain motionless. Usually, children are sedated to keep them from fidgeting, but Suzanne helped prepare Havianna by turning stillness into a game.

In Laguna Beach theres something called the Pageant of the Masters, where they recreate an actual painting and people have to stand very still. We had taken Havianna several years in a row, said Suzanne. I told Havianna, You have to pretend that youre in the Pageant of the Masters. So we practiced beforehand how she would have to stand still. She thought it was fun.

With Suzannes training, Havianna, sometimes dressed in a fluffy pink skirt, was able to stay fully awake as she underwent full-body radiation treatments deep below the University of Washington Medical Center. Though Suzanne and Tom were unable to accompany her into the radiation room, Havianna brought along her Thumbelina doll, who still sits by the now-teenagers bed.

After several rounds of radiation, she received her new bone marrow cells a few days before Christmas, around 1 oclock in the morning.

Right on the cusp of a brand new day, Tom said.

Matching patient to treatment

The ability to pinpoint which children would benefit most from a bone marrow transplant was an incredible advance, but it wasnt the only lifesaving treatment change to come from the discovery of FLT3-ITD among the banked tissue samples. Hutch investigators found that AML cells with this mutation were susceptible to a drug called sorafenib.

We were able to show that sorafenib, a drug approved for kidney cancer, actually hits [FTL3-ITD], so we added this drug to the treatment for children with FLT3-ITD and the response has been incredible, said Meshinchi. Havianna was the first child to receive sorafenib.

After her transplant, doctors had removed a sample of her bone marrow to check for lingering AML cells and found that her disease had not been completely eradicated. One of her doctors warned Tom and Suzanne that Haviannas chances of survival were probably less than 50 percent.

Tom recalled Meshinchi calling a few days later. Meshinchi told the Hornishes about a new, off-label use of sorafenib, the kidney cancer drug.

He gave me an example where hed seen [post-transplant AML cells] with another patient and started the sorafenib. He said, Weve never seen it again [after the sorafenib]. Would you want to do that? said Tom. He and Suzanne considered their options, then agreed to give sorafenib a try. And weve never seen it again either.

At the time, the use of sorafenib for AML was so new that only nine other AML patients in the U.S.  all adults  were on it. Eight years after Havianna and her family helped pioneer its new use, sorafenib or a similar drug is now standard-of-care for kids with the FLT3-ITD mutation.

Sorafenib is just one of the success stories coming out of the COG pediatric AML tissue bank here at the Hutch. Another recent Hutch discovery made possible by the repository is the fact that in certain children, AML cells make a protein called mesothelin thats rare in healthy tissue. Similar to the case of FLT3-ITD and sorafenib, mesothelin is also the target of an already available drug. Once again, the tissue bank pointed oncologists toward a new possibility for a tailored and potentially more effective treatment for these kids. Hutch researchers are currently putting together a clinical trial to test the drugs effectiveness when a patients AML is high in mesothelin.

Uncovering mesothelins association with AML also opens up the possibility of discovering new drugs. Meshinchi and his colleagues are among those currently working to create cutting-edge new therapies for children with this marker.

The gift of hope

Its just a box on a form  where parents can elect to reserve a portion of their childs tumor cells for research  but it opens a door. Every donation is a gift of hope, a step forward for patients to come.

These are live cells from thousands of patients with AML who were treated in the past, many of whom are no longer here, said Meshinchi. But their samples hold the key to better treating our AML patients in the future.

The Hornishes also hope they can support research that makes lifesaving advances possible for other children and other parents.

We believe the science and we were open to learning, said Tom. We figure even if things didnt work out for Havianna, its good for people to learn and have that scientific knowledge.

Thanks in no small part to the collected gifts of the many families who had already faced AML, things did work out for Havianna.

Once the Hornishes returned to San Diego, she was able to attend second grade on schedule. Havianna continued on sorafenib for two years. Her cancer has not returned.

Shes just a normal 14-year-old, said Tom.
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The UK government must seize the opportunity afforded by Brexit to reduce the amount of red tape faced by farmers, says the NFU.

Government ministers should create a regulatory environment for farming that is streamlined, grounded in science and respects realistic farm practices, argued the union.

NFU president Meurig Raymond said new rules could work better after the UK left the EU  while maintaining the same high standards.

See also: Public backs support for farmers after Brexit, reveals poll

Farmers recognise that regulation is a part of farming like any other business but they are often left frustrated with rules that do not always make practical sense on farm, he said.

Better regulation

Leaving the EU provides a unique opportunity to develop a regulatory environment that is better designed and effectively implemented, Mr Raymond added.

Mr Raymond said this would allow British farmers to do what they do best  provide a safe and affordable supply of British food.

The call for a light touch approach to regulation came in the final report of the NFUs Vision for the Future of Farming series looking at life after Brexit.

Previous documents have examined the post-Brexit prospects for UK agricultural policy, farm labour and international trade.

Publication of the latest and final report was timed to coincide with the return of MPs to Westminster following the summer recess.

Widespread benefits

The document laid out the NFUs vision for a regulatory environment that it believes can support farmers, the public and the environment.

It calls for a science-based and evidence-led approach to regulation.

Such an approach should take account of good farming practice  rewarding farmers who are members of farm assurance schemes with fewer on-farm assessments.

Mr Raymond said the government should better recognise the impact of rules on farm business costs and include a more balanced application of the precautionary principle.

It should also take into account the size of farm businesses, he said.

Scientific approach

The NFU has long maintained that any regulation should be scientifically evidenced, it should be implemented with minimal bureaucracy, and its impact on business should be fully assessed.

A more positive approach would help to improve the competitiveness of British agriculture while ensuring continued access for British produce into overseas markets.

But it was crucial that the governments EU Withdrawal Bill provided certainty to farmers about the rules and regulation they would be subject to in the short and medium term.

This would ensure that farmers could thrive without considerable disruption post Brexit.

Mr Raymond said: A system that offers farmers the best business environment to farm not only benefits food production but the countryside and rural economy as a whole.
Story Highlights Migrant acceptance related to daily emotions, experiences

People who rate their lives positively are more accepting of migrants

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- People's acceptance of migrants depends not only on where they live and their socioeconomic situations, but also on the way they live their lives. For example, the more social people are, the higher their scores are on Gallup's new Migrant Acceptance Index. At the global level, the index score for people who interact with their friends more than 10 times in a typical week is 5.82 (out of a possible 9), while the score for those who interact with their friends once or not at all is 4.82.

Migrant Acceptance Index Increases With Social Interaction Number of interactions with friends in a typical week World EU countries Index score Index score 0-1 interactions 4.82 3.66 2-5 interactions 4.99 5.33 6-10 interactions 5.41 6.33 11+ interactions 5.82 6.72 Based on surveys conducted in 138 countries in 2016; question about social interaction not asked in U.S. Gallup World Poll

Gallup created the Migrant Acceptance Index to gauge people's acceptance of migrants based on increasing degrees of personal proximity. The index is based on three questions that Gallup asked in 138 countries in 2016 and in the U.S. in 2017. The questions ask whether people think immigrants living in their country, becoming a neighbor and marrying into their families are good things or bad things. The higher the score, the more accepting the population is of migrants.

The tendency for more social people to be more accepting of migrants holds in all regions of the world where Gallup asks these questions, but in some regions, the gap is even wider than it is at the global level. In the European Union, for example, the index score for those who typically interact with friends more than 10 times in a given week is 6.72, while it is 3.66 among those who interact once or not at all.

At the global level, younger generations are the most accepting of migrants, while older people are less accepting. But within each age group, index scores typically rise with the number of social interactions people have. In fact, among the oldest group (traditionalists), the number of social interactions has even more of a positive effect than it does among younger cohorts.

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Accepting Migrants Is an Emotional Issue

Similarly, people's Migrant Acceptance Index scores are related to their positive -- as well as negative -- daily experiences. Gallup asks people if they felt a lot of enjoyment, smiled or laughed a lot, felt well-rested, felt treated with respect, or learned or did something interesting the day before the survey. The more positive daily experiences people have, the more accepting they are of migrants.

Migrant Acceptance Index, by Daily Experiences Positive and negative daily experiences World EU countries Index score Index score Number of positive daily experiences 0 4.02 3.49 1 4.31 4.46 2 4.65 5.33 3 4.94 5.53 4 5.38 6.13 5 5.75 6.67 Number of negative daily experiences 0 5.27 6.11 1 5.38 6.40 2 5.13 5.74 3 4.90 5.30 4 4.91 4.83 5 4.94 4.66 Based on surveys conducted in 138 countries in 2016; questions about experiences not asked in U.S. Gallup World Poll

Negative experiences have the opposite effect. Migrant Acceptance Index scores decrease with each negative experience -- worry, stress, anger, physical pain, sadness -- that people say they felt the previous day. However, the differences are less dramatic than they are with positive experiences.

These relationships hold in nearly every part of the world, but the emotional gaps vary by region. Gaps between those experiencing no positive emotions and five positive emotions are widest in regions that have been most affected during the recent migrant crisis (including the European Union), in other regions grappling with migration-related issues (such as the Gulf Cooperation Council countries) and in Oceania.

How People See Migrants Relates to How They See Their Lives

People's acceptance of migrants also depends on how they see their own lives in general. People's life evaluations are highly related to income, which is also related to Migrant Acceptance Index scores, so it is not that surprising that those who see their lives at the top -- thriving -- are more likely to accept migrants.

For the past decade, Gallup has asked adults worldwide to evaluate their lives on the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale, where "0" represents the worst possible life and "10" represents the best possible life. Gallup classifies people as "thriving" if they rate their current lives a 7 or higher and their lives in five years an 8 or higher, and "suffering" if they rate both their current and future life situations a 4 or lower. Those in the middle are "struggling."

Globally, the Migrant Acceptance Index score for those who rate their current and future lives positively enough to be considered "thriving" is 5.78. The score for those who rate their current and future lives poorly enough to be considered "suffering" is 4.67. However, the gap in the scores between those who are thriving and suffering varies from region to region. The biggest gaps, coincidently, are in many of the regions that have been most affected by the recent migrant crisis.

Migrant Acceptance Index, by Life Evaluation World EU countries Index score Index score Thriving 5.78 6.74 Struggling 5.23 5.83 Suffering 4.67 3.98 Based on surveys conducted in 138 countries in 2016; questions about life evaluations not asked in U.S. Gallup World Poll

For example, in the Commonwealth of Independent States, the region with the lowest Migrant Acceptance Index scores in the world, people's acceptance of migrants does not change regardless of education or income -- bucking the global trend. However, in the CIS, the relationship between people's life evaluations and migrant acceptance follows the same pattern as elsewhere in the world.

Bottom Line

The reasons why people accept or reject migrants in their societies are complex, but these data illustrate that they clearly have emotional and social underpinnings. In all areas of the world, people's daily experiences and emotions play a role in whether they accept migrants, and their views are particularly emotionally charged in some countries where people are grappling with migration-related issues.

If countries want to maximize the positive contributions that migrants can make to sustainable development, and foster inclusive societies, they need to understand the emotional component as well as the economic one.

John Fleming contributed to the analysis in this article.
LOL... you're wrong, better check the traffic laws where you live.

Why are you acting like such a nasty little ****?[/QUOTE



If they cross not at a crossing it is jaywalking, now lets get serious they are not jaywalking or crossing the are impeding my right of way. If they are stupid enough to try and stop a moving vehicle that is that much bigger than them then maybe we will say they are proving Darwin right. They have NO right to impede my progress on the road. Again I have witnessed what they do to the cars that stop, not happening to me. You want to stop feel free.
A Pinch of Salt: The election is over, I think, so what now?
Clara007 said: AND...Barack Obama was president #43 and #44. Did you whine and stomp your feet and finally say "HE is president"? Or did you keep objecting? Whining? Stomping? Complaining? Belittling? HUH???



Did you object, ridicule, obsess about Obama's vacations, golf games, speeches, foreign policy, budgets, immigration policy, environmental regulations.......HUH??



Did you comment unfavorably on the first lady? Her trips abroad? Her projects? Clothing? Speeches? Staff?



Let's hear from YOU about the 8 years of the Obamas. Click to expand...





Without our Fifth Column Media, Loretta Lynch and a corrupted FBI, Hillary Clinton and Barack Hussein Obama, would be making license tags in a federal penitentiary





Do you know what the word "was" means? It means Obama is no longer president.As for my comments when Obama was president, my primary objections were when he blatantly violated our Constitution and tried to exercise powers not granted. Aside from that, I am no longer interested in Obama except for his behind the scene operations causing violent protests and obstructionism.JWK
May 31, 1947  Aug. 25, 2017

Mac McConnell passed away, at the age of 70, on August 25 in a motor vehicle accident on Highway 20.

He is survived by wife of 45 years, Cindy McConnell; son, Thomas and family (Karin, Katlyn, Jacob, and Carson); daughter Rachel and family (Charles, Michaela, Rebecca, and Spencer); son Shiloh and family (Monica, Melia, Ellie, Cameron, and Cahli); son, Shane and family (Jessica, Hamish and Tessa); and sisters Anna, Kim, and Georgia and their families.

He was born in Ogden, Utah on May 31, 1947 to Charles and Roberta. He was raised in Sacramento, California and went to college in New York, Utah, and Oregon where he received several degrees in English, Literature, and Biology. From there he went on to teach at an international school in Iran. Upon returning stateside he continued teaching in Oregon.

Mac was an owner and founder of businesses for almost 40 years culminating in the establishment of American Home and Stone in Philomath. His business reached from the Coast to the Cascades.

Other entrepreneurial ventures included a feed store, chainsaw/lawn mower repair, furniture manufacture, lumber yard, builder and contractor, home center store, hot tub and spa sales, environmental investigator (toxic mold assessment and indoor air quality specialist), ranching, and property management.

He was also the previous Commodore of the Newport Yacht Club and the President of the Western Belted Galloway Association. Mac always volunteered; willing to lend his heart and a helping hand all the time. He was an avid traveler, entrepreneur, rancher, aviator, diver, sailor, reader, writer, and the most dedicated father and grandfather.

Mac was so well traveled to the point of his family not knowing everywhere he had been or even where he was. Some of his destinations included Ireland, Mexico, Belize, several European countries, the Middle East, and most of the states.

Mac was enormous not only in stature but in his presence and his love for family and friends. His deep laugh, big strong hands, kind voice, and contagious smile were always the foundation for the strong family bond that we all share. He was a kind father and great role model, spending the last year of his life building houses for his grandkids. He was known as the grandpa taxi because between the swim meets, the taekwondo practice, recitals, and various other activities he was always their Number One Fan!

He gave and gave without ever expecting anything in return. He was always available to give his time and invaluable knowledge and wisdom to anyone who was willing to receive it.

A great storyteller would be an understatement. He could take you all over the world without even taking you out of town. His snuggles and his bear hugs warmed you to the core, and his eggs benedict never left you unfulfilled. He was a lover of great food and Celtic music and was a connoisseur of many ales!

In lieu of flowers or donations give a hug to your family, send good thoughts to a friend, or help somebody in need.

A celebration of life will be at 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 2 at the McConnell residence at 1348 Nashville Road. Please bring your favorite dish to share and camping gear if you would like to stay for the night.
Something unusual happened last week with the Trump administration, and you might have missed it, because it involved the U.S. Forest Service, a federal agency that makes big news around these parts but rarely is in the spotlight in Washington, D.C.

Here's the headline: The administration has appointed a new chief for the Forest Service who is, by all accounts, qualified to run the agency.

Tony Tooke, who has worked on or for national forests since he was 18, is the new head of the agency. He becomes the 18th chief of the Forest Service. Tooke replaces Tom Tidwell, who has been head of the agency since 2009.

At the time of his appointment, Tooke was serving as the Southern regional forester for the Forest Service, based out of Atlanta.

Tooke's resume includes stints as associate deputy chief for the National Forest System, along with a variety of other postings at national forests, mostly in the South. Ideally, we would have liked to have seen a little more experience in the West, but that's just a quibble.

Here's the surprising thing about the Tooke appointment: Organizations that haven't had one good thing to say about the Trump administration, including some environmental groups, are praising it.

Consider, for example, this statement from Susan Jane Brown of the Western Environmental Law Center, a group that (how to phrase this gently?) has not been thrilled with some of the administration's other appointments:

Brown notes that she has worked with Tooke for years on a variety of issues and has been impressed with his ability to "listen to diverse voices and bring them together for collective action," and she adds that he has "put that approach into action as an extremely effective regional forester."

Similar statements of support for Tooke's appointment came from The Wilderness Society and other organizations  again, groups that haven't spent much time praising the administration.

Of course, it isn't as if running the Forest Service these days is a cakewalk: The agency faces a variety of challenges on a number of fronts, and some recurring issues have become annual frustrations: For example, the agency has been pushing for years for a common-sense solution in how it pays for firefighting costs, but Congress has been unable to resolve the issue. In the meantime, the agency often must borrow from other budget areas to fully fund firefighting efforts.

And the agency faces continued challenges in finding the right balance to manage our national forests. It's an issue of vital importance to rural Western communities that have long relied on these federal lands for their livelihoods, but now find their access limited or completely cut off.

Tooke's appointment brings to the chief's chair a person who understands all those issues and has an intimate understanding of how the agency operates. And it's a little surprising coming from a Trump administration that seemingly has put a priority on finding outsiders to run important agencies. It could be that the president has little interest in the sorts of land-management issues that the Forest Service deals with. (Trump's rally last week in Phoenix was just his second trip west of the Mississippi River since his inauguration.)

Or it could be that the president and his Cabinet heads have reached the point where they have a newfound appreciation for people with valuable experience.

Whatever the reason, it's a good thing that Trump and Sonny Perdue, the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, didn't hand over the keys of the Forest Service to someone with no experience in the agency. To turn to that well-worn cliche, Tooke should be able to hit the ground running  and he's got a lot of ground to cover. (mm)
Road closures and evacuation in Bonn : Danger of explosion after gas leak in Duisdorf

Bonn After gas was detected in Bonn-Duisdorf on Monday morning, Bahnhofstrae was blocked until late afternoon because of the risk of explosion and residents were evacuated.

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A leak in a gas pipe brought the centre of Duisdorf to a standstill on Monday. There was a risk of explosion for hours and around a hundred residents and business people had to be evacuated from their buildings. The police and fire brigade were on standby and buses were temporarily halted because of the size of the area closed off. The main gas pipe on Am Burgweiher was damaged during works to drainage pipes and was difficult to repair.

We smelled gas while out walking, and after that everything happened quite quickly, said Hilde Kolb. The caregiver at the Caritas day-care centre, which is situated directly on the junction next to the gas pipe, was one of the first to be evacuated at around 11am along with around 20 others. For one woman, who was being treated at the centre for the mentally ill, it was all too much and she collapsed and was taken to hospital by ambulance. The rest of the group were also severely inconvenienced by the evacuation as buses could temporarily not reach the station and they were trapped in Duisdorf until the afternoon. They only learned bit by bit what was happening.

The gas pipe was damaged during works on Am Burgweiher at the corner of Bahnhofstrae. Continual measurements showed there was a risk of explosion. The fire brigade therefore used the Nina warning app to alert residents. A doctors practice, the Sparkasse bank and a student residence were evacuated.

The all clear could first be given at 4.45pm as there was no gate valve in the immediate vicinity of the trench with which this section of the main pipeline could be sealed off. Specialists from Stadtwerke Bonn therefore had to dig up the thick asphalt on the street in the middle of the junction, several metres from the site to expose the defective pipe. During this time, the fire brigade used high -powered fans around the trench to distribute the explosive gas and to make it harmless by thinning it with air.

When we have uncovered such pipes, we seal them with balloons, explained Stefan Behr from Stadtwerke Bonn. These particularly robust plastic balloons are placed in the pipe through a hole made with a special machine. Then we fill the balloons with compressed air until they stop the gas supply and flow completely.

One house will be supplied with gas from a temporary connection during the repair works. Traffic could use the junction again by the evening but it is not known how long it will take before the gas pipe is functioning again.
When the Panamanian land bridge formed around 3 million years ago, Southern Mexico was in the middle of a great biotic interchange of large animals from North and South America that crossed the continents in both directions. However, fossil animals from this time have been rare for the in-between environments of Central America and southern Mexico. Recently, a team technical cave divers are helping fill in this gap by discovering remains of large animals that once roamed the Yucatan Peninsula, during the end of the last Ice Age (around 13,000 years ago). Lead author, Dr. Blaine Schubert will present the teams findings at this years annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology held this year in Calgary, Alberta (Canada) on Saturday, Aug. 26th at 9:00am.

The team of divers descended into the flooded passageways to an underground pit known as Hoyo Negro (Spanish for Black Hole), reaching down 180 ft (55 m) into the darkness. During the last Ice Age, sea level was much lower, and the prehistoric animals were able to walk to Hoyo Negro through horizontal passageways, only to fall into the inescapable pit within the cave. Divers have been photo-documenting the material before extraction, using re-breathing SCUBA equipment to prevent bubbles from disturbing the site. Dr. Blaine Schubert of East Tennessee State University, one of the lead researchers on the project says, preservation of the fossil material is extraordinary, and will allow us to reconstruct various aspects of anatomy, evolutionary relationships, and behavior. The diversity of the fauna gives us an exciting new picture of this region in the midst of rapid climatic and environmental change.

Thus far the crew has recovered remains of three different giant ground sloths (including an entirely new species), short-faced bears, mountain lions, sabertooth cats, a bizarre relative of elephants called a gomphothere, tapirs, and even a human. This represents the oldest and most complete early human skeleton in the Americas, and she co-existed with a variety of megafauna says Schubert. The remains of the short-faced bear Arctotherium are particularly significant, representing not only the most complete and abundant material from one location, but also the first evidence that they crossed from South America into North America. This fossil fauna is fleshing out a larger ecosystem for southern North America, which has typically been thought of as more of a bridge between landmasses than its own thriving community of local inhabitants. As the international collaboration of U.S. and Mexican researchers continues its work, the scientists hope to better understand the nature of this bridge and its own ecological complexities.

Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.
You're so stupid you don't even understand whats going on !!! Build up under Obama ???? What tRump wants to do is REMOVE THE LIMITATIONS Obama placed on the program.



But PAAAALLLLLLEEEEEEZZZZEEEEEEEE explain WHY a build up under Obama is bad, but a build up under Trump is good !!!!! EITHER WAY THE POLICE WIND UP WITH MILITARY WEAPONS !!!! Are you SOOO stupid as to think there will never be another democrat president ??



As for antifa they're basically just a bunch of pissed off thugs. I certainly do NOT agree with their actions. However, it was the several hundred NAZIS and KKK that showed up in Charlottesville WITH GUNS !!!!! OPEN CARRYING NO LESS !!!
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clarajancita at 29-08-2017 02:25 PM (5 years ago) (f)

Following a sudden attack launched by North Korea against Japan, South Korea has responded by firing 8 bombs against the North. South Korea's air force has staged a live-fire drill simulating the destruction of North Korea's leadership, hours after Pyongyang launched a missile over Japan. Just before 6 a.m. South Korea time Tuesday, North Korea fired an unidentified missile from near the capital Pyongyang, towards the northeast. It flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, making it the first North Korean projectile to successfully pass over Japanese territory since 1998. It subsequently broke up and fell into the Pacific Ocean.

Following a sudden attack launched by North Korea against Japan, South Korea has responded by firing 8 bombs against the North. South Korea's air force has staged a live-fire drill simulating the destruction of North Korea's leadership, hours after Pyongyang launched a missile over Japan. Just before 6 a.m. South Korea time Tuesday, North Korea fired an unidentified missile from near the capital Pyongyang, towards the northeast. It flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, making it the first North Korean projectile to successfully pass over Japanese territory since 1998. It subsequently broke up and fell into the Pacific Ocean.

Just hours after the launch, South Korea's Presidential Office announced four F-15K jetfighters had dropped eight MK 84 bombs on a simulated target at the Taebaek Pilsung Firing Range in the country's northeastern Gangwon province, about five hours drive from Seoul.

The MK 84 is a 2,000 pound bomb designed to penetrate hardened targets, according to the US Air Force. Robert Kelly, associate professor at Pusan National University's Department of Political Science, told CNN South Korea's response was a carefully considered escalation.

Just hours after the launch, South Korea's Presidential Office announced four F-15K jetfighters had dropped eight MK 84 bombs on a simulated target at the Taebaek Pilsung Firing Range in the country's northeastern Gangwon province, about five hours drive from Seoul.The MK 84 is a 2,000 pound bomb designed to penetrate hardened targets, according to the US Air Force. Robert Kelly, associate professor at Pusan National University's Department of Political Science, told CNN South Korea's response was a carefully considered escalation. Quote "North Koreans can't just shoot missiles over people's countries, there has to be some response," Kelly said.

"(It) looks somewhat escalatory, it's got to be tough, to send a signal, but they don't want to be too tough because no one wants to get into a war."

In a press conference, presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan said South Korean leader Moon Jae-in had wanted "to showcase a strong punishment capability against the North."



An official with the South Korean Defense Ministry told CNN the bombs had all landed on target.

In a press conference, presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan said South Korean leader Moon Jae-in had wantedAn official with the South Korean Defense Ministry told CNN the bombs had all landed on target. Quote "The drill reconfirmed South Korea Air Force capability to destroy the enemy's leadership in cases of emergency," the official said.

'Most serious and grave ever'



International reaction to North Korea's missile launch was swift. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was the "most serious and grave" threat to his country. South Korea joined with the United States and Japan Wednesday in calling for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the North Korea launch, Japan's UN ambassador Koro Bessho told us.

It will be held on Tuesday afternoon, two UN diplomats told us International reaction to North Korea's missile launch was swift. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was the "most serious and grave" threat to his country. South Korea joined with the United States and Japan Wednesday in calling for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the North Korea launch, Japan's UN ambassador Koro Bessho told us.It will be held on Tuesday afternoon, two UN diplomats told us Quote "Our goal is to stop North Korea from going down this road. The international community has to put more pressure on North Korea," Ambassador Bessho said.



US President Donald Trump spoke to Abe following the launch, where he reiterated the US stood behind Japan "100 per cent," Abe told reporters.

Despite the controversial path of North Korea's latest missile launch, experts said the launch probably had very little to do with Japan.

Ambassador Bessho said.US President Donald Trump spoke to Abe following the launch, where he reiterated the US stood behind Japan "100 per cent," Abe told reporters.Despite the controversial path of North Korea's latest missile launch, experts said the launch probably had very little to do with Japan. Quote "It definitely expresses contempt for Japan but it's not a threat to them," Josh Pollack, senior research associate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterrey.

"(North Korea) are really confined by their geography. If they're going to launch to a distance they've got to go over somebody. At a bare minimum they've got to go over some small, populated island if you want to test... an ICBM."



With North Korea unwilling to offend its northern neighbor Russia, the logical place for them to fire missiles over is the US-aligned Japan.

"There's nothing to lose," John Delury, associate professor at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies.

Japan maintains a pacifist constitution that limits the country's forces to defensive purposes only.

With North Korea unwilling to offend its northern neighbor Russia, the logical place for them to fire missiles over is the US-aligned Japan.John Delury, associate professor at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies.Japan maintains a pacifist constitution that limits the country's forces to defensive purposes only. Quote "They don't have a good relationship with Japan, there's nothing developing in their relationship with Japan which should cause them to show restraint."

Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 29-08-2017 02:25 PM (5 years ago) | Hero
Boko Haram: US Sells N181bn Warplanes And Weapons To Nigeria

clarajancita at 29-08-2017 03:36 PM (5 years ago) (f)

Recall a Nigerian Shiite group, Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, wrote to the United States government urging it not to sell weapons or any military hardware to the Nigerian government? Well the US seems to have ignored them and just sold weapons worth N181bn to Nigeria.

Recall a Nigerian Shiite group, Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, wrote to the United States government urging it not to sell weapons or any military hardware to the Nigerian government? Well the US seems to have ignored them and just sold weapons worth N181bn to Nigeria.

According to Reuters, the Headquarters of the United States Department of Defence, the Pentagon, has informed the US Congress of the sale of 12 Super Tucano A-29 ground attack aircraft and weapons to Nigeria to fight Boko Haram insurgency.



According to them, the Pentagon communicated the sale of the 12 ground attack aircraft valued at $593m (N181bn) to the US Congress on Monday. The report quoted Pentagons Defence Security Cooperation Agency as having made the announcement to the US legislature. According to Reuters, the Headquarters of the United States Department of Defence, the Pentagon, has informed the US Congress of the sale of 12 Super Tucano A-29 ground attack aircraft and weapons to Nigeria to fight Boko Haram insurgency.According to them, the Pentagon communicated the sale of the 12 ground attack aircraft valued at $593m (N181bn) to the US Congress on Monday. The report quoted Pentagons Defence Security Cooperation Agency as having made the announcement to the US legislature.

Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 29-08-2017 03:36 PM (5 years ago) | Hero

Mykie010 at 29-08-2017 04:06 PM (5 years ago)

(m) This one wey dem go crash finish Posted: at 29-08-2017 04:06 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac This one wey dem go crash finish Reply

ruthie at 29-08-2017 04:09 PM (5 years ago)

(f) GOOD NEWS..FINALLY,OUR ARTILLERY WILL BE ON FIRE TO CRUSH TERRORISTS! Posted: at 29-08-2017 04:09 PM (5 years ago) | Hero GOOD NEWS..FINALLY,OUR ARTILLERY WILL BE ON FIRE TO CRUSH TERRORISTS! Reply

Otikadinje at 29-08-2017 07:14 PM (5 years ago)

(m) Hoodlums take note please Oscardeejay Posted: at 29-08-2017 07:14 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Hoodlums take note please Reply

DonrichBlizy at 29-08-2017 08:50 PM (5 years ago)

(m) People are crying n dying of hunger inda nation is warplanes n weapons da govt. will spend billions on to promote their falsy security by means of killing da innocents always, they've stated to fight da boko-haram with dem but dont be surprised they're preparing 4 civil war against biafra, deceive urselves hypocrite leaderz nat me or any learned person, u know laws to pass into da constitution that can better da nation but u wont, 2day if ur father is nat politician u stand to suffer lunatics will be receiving N29m every month while well educated personel will receive just N600k da souls of those unjustly departed shall hunt evil leaderz nansense set of bunkums!!! Posted: at 29-08-2017 08:50 PM (5 years ago) | Newbie People are crying n dying of hunger inda nation is warplanes n weapons da govt. will spend billions on to promote their falsy security by means of killing da innocents always, they've stated to fight da boko-haram with dem but dont be surprised they're preparing 4 civil war against biafra, deceive urselves hypocrite leaderz nat me or any learned person, u know laws to pass into da constitution that can better da nation but u wont, 2day if ur father is nat politician u stand to suffer lunatics will be receiving N29m every month while well educated personel will receive just N600k da souls of those unjustly departed shall hunt evil leaderz nansense set of bunkums!!! Reply

warribimboye at 29-08-2017 08:52 PM (5 years ago)

(m) Warplanes for ipob, we know una plans Posted: at 29-08-2017 08:52 PM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Warplanes for ipob, we know una plans Reply

gogoman at 29-08-2017 08:55 PM (5 years ago)

(m) first money wey JONATHAN, DANZUKI AND HIS COHORTS CHOP.. BUHARI WILL FINISH UNA Posted: at 29-08-2017 08:55 PM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero first money wey JONATHAN, DANZUKI AND HIS COHORTS CHOP.. BUHARI WILL FINISH UNA Reply

ejikeiyo at 29-08-2017 10:46 PM (5 years ago)

(m) WASTED GENERATION Posted: at 29-08-2017 10:46 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac WASTED GENERATION Reply

tegonwa at 30-08-2017 03:41 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Haaa Just The Same Weapon They Refused To Sell To Oga Jona?So The Leahy Law Is No Longer A Restraint?So Hopeless.Nawaa O! Posted: at 30-08-2017 03:41 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Haaa Just The Same Weapon They Refused To Sell To Oga Jona?So The Leahy Law Is No Longer A Restraint?So Hopeless.Nawaa O! Reply
Overall, dont let the bhoot mislead you, nothing bhootiya about this story. Had the makers tried to push the envelope, the idea could have been outstanding for a bhootiya comedy.
The Albany Mega Foods, 2000 Queen Ave. SE, is closing after 18 years, and its last day of business will be Sept. 8, said Stephen Ellis, vice president of the company.

Its a very difficult situation that, obviously, no one wants to have happen, he added.

The Ellis family made the decision last week and notified employees on Monday.

Ellis said that with new retailers coming into the Albany area, sales have declined at the store. With the WinCo expansion, they definitely put a hurt on us, he said. WinCo opened up its Albany store in early July.

Larger chains were making it harder and harder for independent grocers to survive, Ellis added.

A letter to customers posted at the store said that Mega Foods took drastic measures to compete and stay open.

But as relentless as we were, it just wasnt enough to maintain growth and stability in the Albany area, the letter states.

The letter thanks customers, and asks them to continue to support local independent businesses, as they give back to the community.

Forty workers are at the Albany Mega Foods, and most will be transferred to the companys three other stores, Ellis said.

We have Lebanon, which isnt very far away from Albany, and were going to be keeping that open, he said.

Both the Albany and Lebanon locations were previously branded as Shop N Kart stores.

Starting Sept. 3, the Albany Mega Foods store will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Until then, the store is open from 6 a.m. until midnight.
May 27, 1948  Aug. 24, 2017

Charles W. (Charlie) Upton, age 69, died Thursday, August 24, 2017 at Oregon Veterans Home - Lebanon after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer.

Mr. Upton was born in Paris, Texas on May 27, 1948 to Wesley and Willie Upton, of Idabel Oklahoma.

Mr. Upton is survived by his wife of 50 years, Isabel; two daughters, Donna Hempel of Eatonville, Washington and Anna (Christian) Aten of Orting, Washington; four grandchildren, Harley Morden of Haines, Alaska and Rian, Dylan, and Evan Aten of Orting, Washington; sister, Mary Sloan of Albany; and brother, William Bill Upton of Sarasota, Florida.

He was preceded in death by brother Van Curtis Upton of Albany; and sister Mona Conley of Turner.

Charlie spent twelve distinguished years in the U.S. Army. Hes a combat-wounded veteran of the Vietnam War, where he earned several medals, including the Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal and Vietnam Service Medal. He was wounded by flying shrapnel when enemy fire hit the supply boat. He recuperated in a Tokyo hospital before being shipped back to the states.

Charlie grew up in Albany where he attended several schools including Albany Union High School. After the Army, he attended Linn Benton Community College where he earned an Associate of Arts Degree.

He was a member of Pastor Terry Gleasons Albany Foursquare Church.

He retired from Corvallis Rental Service in 2005 where he had worked with his brother Bill.

After retiring, Charlie became a community volunteer. He often acted as Santa Claus at Christmas Storybook Land and other community events.

However, he found his calling when he joined the National Military Order of the Purple Heart. He worked hard to build up the local chapter, serving in various leadership capacities including as Commander. Because of his hard work and dedication, Charlie was elected to the esteemed office of Department Commander, State of Oregon, Military Order of the Purple Heart. During his three years in that office he oversaw the naming of I-5 as a Purple Heart Trail and helped to name several Oregon cities, including Albany as a Purple Heart City.

He was also a member of the Albany American Legion, Post 10, and served on their Honor Guard and other committees. His volunteer resume is long and distinguished.

Charlie had many interests during his 69 years, but he lived mostly for his wife, Isabel, his daughters and his grandchildren.

There will be no memorial service.

He will be buried with honors at 10:30 a.m. on September 6, 2017 at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. All are invited to attend.

Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to American Legion, Post 10 Albany, 1215 Pacific Blvd. S.E, Albany 97321 or Honor Flight, Inc., a charity that flies aging or terminal veterans to Washington D.C. to see memorials relating to their military service. Tax deductible donations may be mailed to: South Willamette Valley Honor Flight, Inc., 2217 40th Ave., Albany 97322.
Netanyahu: Iran building missile sites in Syria

Israeli PM makes claims Tehran is setting up sites to produce missiles with the aim of deploying them against Israel.

28 August 2017 Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Iran of building sites in Syria and Lebanon to manufacture precision-guided missiles, with the goal of deploying them against Israel.

His allegations on Monday came at the start of a meeting with Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, who is on his first official visit to the region since taking office at the beginning of the year.

"Iran is busy turning Syria into a base of military entrenchment, and it wants to use Syria and Lebanon as warfronts against its declared goal to eradicate Israel," Netanyahu said in Tel Aviv, without offering any specifs to support his allegations.

"[Iran] is also building sites to produce precision-guided missiles towards that end in both Syria and in Lebanon," he said, without offering specifics. "This is something Israel cannot accept. This is something the UN should not accept."

There was no immediate comment from Tehran.

Both Iran and Lebanese movement Hezbollah have backed Syrian President Bashar Assad's government forces in the civil war that has ravaged Syria.

Netanyahu pressed Guterres on the UN peacekeeping force in neighbouring Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, with Israeli officials having accused it of "blindness" to what they call an arms build-up by Hezbollah.

Guterres vowed that he will "do everything in my capacity" to ensure UNIFIL fulfills its obligations.

The UN Security Council is debating a renewal of the force's mandate for a year, with a vote expected on Wednesday.

UNESCO tensions

Guterres arrived on Sunday for a three-day visit to the region at a tense time between Israel and the UN.

Earlier in May, UNESCO, the body's cultural agency, passed a resolution that criticised Israel's actions in occupied Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

In July, UNESCO listed the Old City of Hebron in West Bank as an endangered Palestinian world heritage site. The move prompted anger in Israel and led to Netanyahu slashing the UN membership that his country contributes by $10m.

At a joint press conference with Guterres, Netanyahu said his country has been treated unfairly and urged Guterres to address the issue.

"There is no question that we've had a troubled relationship with the UN," Netanyahu said.

"I think it has an absurd obsession with Israel, flagrantly discriminatory tactics - you don't have to be the Israeli prime minister to understand that."

Two-state solution

For his part, Guterres made a forceful argument for a two-state solution with the Palestinians and spoke of what he called obstacles to peace, including Israeli settlement building.

"I dream that I will have the chance to see in the Holy Land two states able to live together in mutual recognition, but also in peace and security," Guterres said in remarks at Netanyahu's office, calling for an improvement of economic and social conditions for Palestinians.

He also vowed to use his positon to combat all forms of racism and bigotry and said that those who call for Israel's destruction peddle in a "form of modern anti-Semitism" - though he added that he does not always agree with the country's policies.

"Guterres wishes to be both impartial and a messenger of peace," Al Jazeera's Harry Fawcett, reporting from West Jerusalem, said.

"He is in favour of a two-state solution and one in which the Palestinians would see an improvement in their economic and social well-being, so that they would have a stake in peace going forward."

Guterres is due in Ramallah on Tuesday for talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is visiting Turkey and is not expected to meet Guterres during the trip.

Guterres will then travel to the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, where the issue of a crippling electricity crisis will be on the agenda.

Al Jazeera's Fawcett said the issue of Gaza's power crisis will be on the agenda.

Palestinians have been calling on Guterres to keep the pressure on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Yet, senior Palestinian officials are expressing concerns "that Guterres may not be the vociferous proponent of changing Israel's policy", Al Jazeera's Fawcett said..

Hanan Ashrawi, member of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, echoed those fears.

"Guterres whom we've known for years and we had hoped would signal a new will on the part of the UN leadership to stand up to Israel, were beginning to see not just a regression, a sense of intimidation and reticence when it comes to Israel," she said.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

By

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OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media urges US administration to refrain from attacking media

VIENNA, 28 August 2017  United States (US) President Donald Trumps recent remarks on media are cause for deep concern, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir stated in a letter to Secretary of State H.E. Rex W. Tillerson.

During a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, on 22 August 2017, the President accused the media of being truly dishonest, fake, bad and crooked, of mak[ing] up stories and deepening the divisions within the country.

I urge the United States administration to refrain from delivering such attacks on the media. The US Presidents statements are deeply problematic in that they degrade the essential role the media plays in every democratic society, holding governments to account and offering a platform for a diversity of voices, Desir said.

In addition to undermining the credibility of the media, such statements, especially those identifying the media as the enemy of the people, could also make journalists more vulnerable to being targeted with violence and abuse, he added. Desir further stressed that the statements are particularly worrying given the United States long-standing position as one of the global leaders in defending free speech and press freedom.

The Representative, who acts as a media freedom watchdog in the OSCE region and regularly addresses issues of concern in his dialogue with governments, emphasized that such statements might have a broader international impact, given the increasing threats to media freedom throughout the OSCE region and beyond.

Desir also noted that the Presidents statements conflict with the United States international commitments on media freedom, as well as with the protections under the US Constitutions First Amendment.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

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Officials Provide Details of Latest Strikes Against ISIS

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Aug. 28, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 35 strikes consisting of 42 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 34 strikes consisting of 41 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed seven ISIS oil stills.

-- Near Hawl , four strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed a vehicle, a mortar system and a fighting position.

-- Near Raqqa, 29 strikes engaged 13 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 19 fighting positions, five logistics nodes, three vehicles, three ISIS headquarters, two vehicle bombs and two command-and-control nodes.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted a strike near Tal Afar that engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed three fighting positions.

Additional Strikes

Additionally, 39 strikes consisting of 46 engagements were conducted in Syria and Iraq on May 26, June 11, June 17, July 24, Aug. 22 and Aug. 25-26 that closed within the last 24 hours:

-- On May 26, near Raqqa, Syria, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

-- On June 11, near Raqqa, Syria, a strike destroyed two fighting positions.

-- On June 17, near Raqqa, Syria, four strikes destroyed nine fighting positions and an explosives facility.

-- On July 24, near Raqqa, Syria, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions.

-- On Aug. 22, near Raqqa, Syria, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position.

-- On Aug. 25, near Raqqa, Syria, four strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed a command-and-control node and two fighting positions.

-- On Aug. 26, near Huwayjah, Iraq, a strike destroyed eight ISIS oil stills.

-- On Aug. 26, near Shadaddi, Syria, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two fighting positions.

-- On Aug. 26, near Raqqa, Syria, 22 strikes engaged 15 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 21 fighting positions.

-- On Aug. 26, near Tal Afar, Iraq, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two medium machine guns, two vehicle bombs, two command-and control-nodes, a weapons cache and a fighting position.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted.

Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect.

For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.

The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.

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Kenyas Supreme Court Opens Hearings on Presidential Election

August 28, 2017 12:06 PM Jill Craig

Following pre-trial discussions over the weekend, Kenya's Supreme Court has begun hearing arguments on the opposition partys petition contesting results of the August 8th presidential election.

The official results showed President Uhuru Kenyatta defeating Raila Odinga by about 1.4 million votes. But since election day, the National Super Alliance, or NASA, opposition coalition has argued that the voting system was hacked, leading to what they call a "stolen election."



The Supreme Courts first order of business Monday was the oppositions request for access to the electoral commissions servers, which NASA says will provide the necessary evidence to support their argument.



It is our order that the petitioners [Odingas representatives] as well as the third respondents [Kenyattas representatives] shall be granted a read-only access, which includes copying if necessary, of the following information, said Justice Isaac Lenaola.



Some of the information that Lenaola listed included firewalls, password policy, system user types and levels of access and GPS locations from each electoral kit.



Lenaola also said the parties would be given access to the official tally forms from the polling stations and constituencies. The court registrar will supervise these exercises, in which each party is permitted two agents to observe. Three court-appointed information and communication technology, or ICT, experts will also be present.



A report about these exercises is due by 5 p.m. local time on Tuesday.



The rest of Mondays hearing was scheduled for Odinga and Kenyattas lawyers to argue their sides of the case, as well as the electoral commission to defend the integrity of its voting systems.



The Supreme Court has until Friday to give its final ruling.





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China Reopens Hotly Disputed Fishing Spot to Philippine Boats

August 28, 2017 5:06 AM Ralph Jennings

Beijing is letting Philippine-registered fishing vessels access to a disputed South China Sea shoal, once the centerpiece of a bitter bilateral dispute, in an apparent goodwill gesture that would help otherwise strained Chinese relations with Manila as well as much of Southeast Asia.

China has been allowing the boats since April into Scarborough Shoal, a 150-square-kilometer (93 mile) feature with a lagoon west of the Philippine island of Luzon, official and academic sources say. It's considered a prime fishing site.

What's happened around Scarborough Shoal has been not widely reported, but that you have Filipino fishing vessels accessing the shoal. China allowing that suggests that China in some sense is actually starting to accommodate, said Euan Graham, international security director at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney.

The Chinese coast guard effectively controls access to Scarborough Shoal, though both countries claim it. That control has angered a large, struggling fishing population in the Philippines, just 220 kilometers (137 miles) from the shoal, closer to the fishing grounds than the nearest part of China.

The shoal lies within the Philippines' 370-kilometer (230 miles) exclusive economic zone, but China is militarily stronger than the Philippines, deterring any push back.

Chinese coast guard vessels had barred Philippine boats from the shoal since a tense two-month standoff in 2012. After Philippine vessels withdrew that year, China fortified its patrols.

That move touched off years of trouble in Sino-Philippine relations. In 2013 Manila filed for a ruling from the world arbitration court in The Hague, which found in July 2016 that Beijing lacked a legal basis to much of its claim to the broader 3.5 million-square-kilometer South China Sea.

Remarks from an official in Beijing in April indicated that China was relaxing its guard against vessels from the Philippines.

China is making appropriate plans for Philippine fishermen who approach Scarborough Shoal or the related areas in the nearby sea for trawling business, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a media briefing April 10.

That move came after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte set aside his government's maritime dispute with China late last year. China pledged $24 billion in aid and investment to the Philippines, which wants outside help with a $167 billion, 5-year infrastructure development plan.

Beijing, the strongest claimant among six with interests in the South China Sea, hopes upbeat Philippine ties show other countries that it can manage maritime disputes without unwelcome third-party intervention, scholars say. The world court was one such party. The United States has previously asked China to work together with Southeast Asian countries.

Even the most minimal gestures of goodwill toward other countries, such as allowing Philippine fishermen into Scarborough Shoal, are enough to appease critics or at least defer criticism for the time being, said Jonathan Spangler, director of the South China Sea Think Tank in Taipei.

China's consent to let Philippine vessels into the shoal now shows tacit implementation of the (arbitration) award, Graham said.

China claims about 90 percent of the sea, extending south from its coastline over to the Philippines and into the claims of Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan. It cites historic records as a license to use those waters.

Beijing has alarmed other countries by letting coast guard vessels operate in disputed waters and by building artificial islands, some for deployments of radar systems and combat aircraft.

But since the world court ruling, China has tried to get along with other rival maritime claimants as well as the Philippines  without accepting the verdict itself.

China agreed earlier this month with 10 Southeast Asian nations to a maritime code of conduct framework aimed at preventing accidents in the disputed sea. It has separately steered tourists toward Vietnam to ease a long-festering South China Sea dispute with Hanoi by helping its economy.

In the Philippines last week, Beijing took a low profile after a legislator and chief justice accused it of occupying the Sandy Cay sandbar in part of the South China Sea's contested Spratly Islands. It also kept quiet in April when Duterte pledged to beef up Philippine holdings in the Spratlys.

Fishing boat operators from Masinloc, the Philippine coastal town closest to Scarborough Shoal, had held demonstrations and complained to mass media that China was blocking them. Lack of shoal access forces some boats to travel further for catches, adding to their costs.

If China's control over Scarborough Shoal had escalated to harassment of fishermen, it would risk angering masses of Filipinos and turning voters against Duterte's pro-China policies, analysts in the Philippines say.

Some people already think China should do more than letting Philippine vessels into the shoal as it sees fit, said Maria Ela Atienza, political science professor at University of the Philippines Diliman.

They've said that the Chinese authorities allow them, but there are people who say why would they say allow them? Atienza said. These are areas that are supposed to be, if not Philippine territory, it should be shared openly."

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North Korea Fires 3 Missiles Over Japan

August 28, 2017 5:57 PM Steve Herman

North Korea fired three missiles that flew over Japan early Tuesday morning and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, according to Japanese government officials.

There was no immediate information about the type of rockets that were fired. South Korean officials said the launch point was near Pyongyang, the North Korean capital.

Authorities in Japan sounded an alert for the northern part of the country when the missiles were detected, warning people in the Tohoku region to prepare for a possible impact. However, military officials in Tokyo later said the rockets passed over Japanese territory and fell into the Pacific, about 1,180 kilometers from their launch pads.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe immediately called an emergency meeting. Entering his office, he said: "We will make utmost efforts to firmly protect the lives of the people."

Japanese government officials said no attempt was made to shoot down the missiles. Tuesday's incident recalled the last time a North Korean missile is believed to have overflown Japan, in 1998.

An official at the U.S. National Security Council said authorities in Washington were aware of the incident and awaiting specific information from the U.S. Pacific Command on the trajectory and other data about the North Korean missiles.

Officials at the Pentagon had no immediate comment on the situation.

The missiles were fired from North Korea toward the Sea of Japan (the East Sea, as it is known in Japan), at about 5:58 a.m. Tuesday (2058 UTC Monday / 1658 EDT), according to officials in Tokyo and Seoul.

Jeff Seldin, National Security Correspondent, and Brian Padden contributed to this report.

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Jan. 2, 1939  Aug. 25, 2017

Sam Crocker, a lifelong farmer in the Irish Bend Community, passed away peacefully on August 25, 2017.

Encircled by the love and support of his family, Sam faced his last days with patience and dignity.

He was born in Corvallis on January 2, 1939 to Keith and Florence Elliott Crocker, the second of their six children. He was a lively little boy, jumping about, so full of energy and making faces in just about every photo ever taken of him in his youth.

He, along with his brother, Lanny, became vested in the family farm while still youngsters, working the fields, changing pipe, and rustling up the turkeys, a Crocker venture at the time.

He was an active student at Monroe High School, where he served as student body president and met his future wife, Flora Bates. They had four children, all of whom live in the area and most continue to farm, as do their children, a tradition passed down from his namesake and great grandfather, Samuel Crocker, all told six generations of farmers.

Sam was a man of many talents, a self-styled architect who designed the family's seed cleaning buildings and offices, he had his hand in numerous projects and relished collecting everything from rusty tractors to antique scales.

He was a terror on water skis and enjoyed summer days with his family on the Willamette River.

Sam cherished his time with the grandkids, and was devoted to teaching them the fine art of sorting nails, mechanical repairs, pruning, or just hanging out together and going to Cowboy Church.

In every aspect of his life, Sam lived a life devoted to Christianity and served as witness to the Lord Jesus, a modest man with deeply held principles. He studied the bible and was generous to those less fortunate than himself, and was an active member of Christ's Center in Junction City.

In 2013, Sam married Sandy Berschneider, whose cheerful and kind nature served to strengthen the family. Her devotion and comfort to Sam is deeply appreciated and she is loved by all.

Sam was preceded in death by his parents, Keith and Florence; and brother-in-law, Bill Volker.

He is survived by his wife, Sandy; brother, Lanny (Nancy); sisters; Arita Volker, Mary Fisher (Harold), Tamara Crocker (Randy Sell), Gretchen Humphry (Derek); sons; Matthew (Linda), and Mark; daughters; Elizabeth Brooks (Tom), Rebecca Crocker Turman (John); stepdaughter, Lauri Wright; grandchildren; Andrew, Taylor, and Carmen Crocker, John Brooks (Kelsey), Juli Larsen (Nathan), Lilllian and Maxwell Turman, and Ryland; great-grandchildren; Tommy, Henry, Kaden, Carson, Casen, Jolynn, and Justin.

Graveside services will be held at 9:30 a.m. on September 5 at Bellfountain Cemetery, 2566 Dawson Road, followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. at Christ's Center, 530 W. 7th Ave., in Junction City. A reception will follow at Christ's Center.

Please consider a donation in Sam's name to one of the following:

Benton Hospice Service, 2350 N.W. Professional Dr., Corvallis 97330

Christ's Center, 530 W. 7th Ave., Junction City 97448

Cowboy Church of Oregon, 530 W. 7th Ave., Junction City 97448

Monroe Methodist Church, 648 Orchard St., Monroe 97456

Please leave your online condolences at www.mchenryfuneralhome.com.
VANCOUVER, Aug 28, 2017 - Viscount Mining Corp. (TSX VENTURE:VML) (OTCQB:VLMGF) ("Viscount" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of a Non Brokered Private Placement raising gross proceeds of $1,250,000 from the issuance and sale of 5,000,000 Units at a price of $0.250 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one (1) common share ("Common Share") of the Company and one (1) share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). No new insiders were created, nor any change of control occurred, as a result of this Private Placement.

Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one additional common share of the Issuer (a "Warrant Share") for a period of 1 year from the Closing Date at an exercise price of $0.35 per Warrant Share. The Issuer has the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants in the event that the Shares trade on a recognized exchange at more than $0.50 for a 15 day period, which can include days where no Shares trade.

Finder fees were paid totaling $29,575.00 cash and 84,500 broker warrants which will have the same terms and conditions as unit warrants.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Private Placement for a Phase 2 Drill Program to further advance its 100%-owned Silver Cliff property in Colorado as well as for general working capital. This follows the successful Phase 1 Drill Program from last fall, 2016. Since then Viscount has acquired significant additional historical records from various sources that aided recently-completed surface sampling, geologic mapping, geophysics, geochemistry work. Viscount's primary goal is to confirm the historical geological work and resource estimates to substantiate the value of Silver Cliff.

Kaare Foy, Chairman commented, "We are very pleased with the confidence of key investors and their support of the Company as we continue to develop our two key projects at Silver Cliff, Colorado and Cherry Creek, Nevada."

The table below displays summary data for Viscount's 2016 "K" series of 2.5-inch diameter holes (HQ core) along with available data for the historic holes which were twinned. Although rock units dip or slope at 2 to 5 toward the east-southeast as noted under the heading "Silver Cliff Geology", the present interpretation is that silver-bearing mineralization and silica have replaced portions of a porous limestone reef unit. Such replacement is typically uneven rather than uniformly tabular. Because of this true widths are not estimated.

Phase 1 Drilling Assay Results

2016 DDH Results Compared With Holes Twinned Hole # From (ft.) To (ft.) Dip

() Length (ft.) oz/t g/t Easting (m) Northing (m) 73-2-CC 54 98 -60 44 67.70 2105.7 460455 4221740 88-1 65 95 -60 30 16.30 507.0 K16-01 55 105 -60 50 26.92 837.4 460455 4221739 including 60 92 32 40.87 1271.1 including 60 80 20 57.18 1778.5 89-27 80 140 -90 60 7.00 217.7 460605 4221831 K16-03 57 112 -90 55 4.55 141.5 460604 4221829 including 82 112 30 7.49 233.0 89-26 50 120 -90 70 5.90 183.5 460575 4221830 K16-04 51 121 -90 70 5.74 178.5 460578 4221827 including 61 121 60 6.54 203.4 including 76 121 45 8.06 250.7 89-53 70 115 -60 45 8.30 258.2 460420 4221650 K16-05 65 110 -60 45 12.57 390.9 460420 4221654 88-2 90 120 -60 30 7.90 245.7 460483 4221830 K16-06 65 130 -60 65 1.05 32.8 460484 4221744 including 100 120 20 1.72 53.6 88-59 75 115 -60 40 4.20 130.6 460451 4221650 K16-07 47 152 -60 105 2.56 79.7 460452 4221650 including 72 137 65 3.94 122.6 including 77 137 60 4.21 131.1 including 92 117 25 8.13 252.8 88-36 115 170 -60 55 4.32 134.4 460513 4221711 K16-08 105 173 -60 68 7.35 228.6 460512 4221710 including 115 173 58 8.55 265.9 88-40 110 135 -60 25 2.99 93.0 460543 4221801 K16-09 85 135 -60 50 4.39 136.5 460542 4221799 including 110 135 25 7.11 221.0

Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") Measures, Chain of Custody

The Company has implemented a QA/QC program using best industry practices at the Silver Cliff Property. Drill core samples are sawn in half lengthwise and one half transported in securely-sealed bags to the ALS Canada Ltd. laboratory in Reno, Nevada and Vancouver, BC, for analysis. Prior to transport, individual samples are labeled, placed in plastic sample bags and sealed. Groups of samples are then placed into durable rice bags that are then shipped. The sample pulps and rejects will be retrieved from ALS. All samples were analyzed for Ag and 50 other elements by ALS method "Ultra Trace Aqua Regia ICP-MS" with code ME-MS41. In the case of Ag determined by this method to be in excess of 100 ppm, a further analysis for Ag was done utilizing method "Ore Grade Aqua Regia ICP-AES" with ALS code Ag-OG46. For the three 5-ft interval samples from K16-01 containing more than 1,500 ppm Ag, the ALS method "Ag 30g FA - GRAV finish WST-SIM" with code Ag- GRA21 was utilized.

About the Silver Cliff Property

The Silver Cliff property lies within the historic Hardscrabble Silver District in Colorado. The Property consists of 96 lode claims where high grade silver, gold and base metal production came from numerous mines during the period 1878 to the early 1900s. It is located 44 miles WSW of Pueblo, Colorado, and has year-around access by paved road. The property underwent substantial exploration between 1967 and 1984. The major explorers were Freeport, Hecla, Homestake, Moly Corp, Coca Mines and Tenneco Minerals.

The property is interpreted to encompass a portion of a large caldera and highly altered sequence of Tertiary rhyolitic flows and fragmental units which offers potential to host deposits with both precious and base metals. This has been demonstrated in the mineralization historically extracted from the numerous underground and surface mining operations. Drilling in the 1980s by Tenneco resulted in a historical pre-feasibility study which formed the company's decision to put the property into production. Plans were halted due to the restructuring of Tenneco after it was sold.

Qualified Persons

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed by Dallas W. Davis, P. Eng., FEC., an independent consulting geologist who is a "Qualified Person" as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101").

About Viscount Mining (TSX VENTURE:VML) (OTCQB:VLMGF)

Viscount Mining is a project generator and an exploration company with a portfolio of silver and gold properties in the Western United States, including Silver Cliff in Colorado and Cherry Creek in Nevada.

The Silver Cliff property in Colorado lies within the historic Hardscrabble Silver District in the Wet Mountain Valley, Custer County, south-central Colorado. It is located 44 miles WSW of Pueblo, Colorado, and has year-around access by paved road. The property consists of 2,029 acres where high grade silver, gold and base metal production came from numerous mines during the period 1878 to the early 1900's. The property underwent substantial exploration between 1967 and 1984.

The property is interpreted to encompass a portion of a large caldera and highly altered sequence of Tertiary rhyolitic flows and fragmental units which offers potential to host deposits with both precious and base metals. This has been demonstrated in the mineralization historically extracted from the numerous underground and surface mining operations. Drilling in the 1980s by Tenneco resulted in a historical pre-feasibility study which formed the company's decision to put the property into production. Plans were halted due to the restructuring of Tenneco after it was sold. Other companies exploring here besides Tenneco Minerals have included: Freeport, Hecla, Homestake, Moly Corp, Coca Mines and Tenneco Minerals. In January 2017, Viscount Mining reported additional high grade silver intersections from the drill program completed in December 2016.

The Cherry Creek Property is focused on exploration in the immediate vicinity of an area commonly known as the Cherry Creek Mining District, located approximately 30 miles north of the town of Ely, in White Pine County, Nevada. Cherry Creek consists of over 400 unpatented and patented claims as well as mill rights, and is comprised of more than 8,000 acres. Cherry Creek includes more than 20 past producing mines including Blue Bird, Chance Mine, Filmore, Last Chance, Exchequer/ New Century Mine, Ticup and Motherlode mines.

For additional information regarding the above noted property and other corporate information, please visit the Company's website at www.viscountmining.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jim MacKenzie President, CEO and Director

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.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking" statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Viscount Mining Corp. 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 may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Viscount Mining Corp. management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Viscount Mining Corp. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.







Contact



Viscount Investor Relations

1 844 863 3622

info@viscountmining.com


TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug 29, 2017) - Euro Sun Mining Inc. (TSX:ESM) ("Euro Sun" or the "Company"), reports that Mr. Eugen Popitiu, former advisor to the President of the Romanian National Agency for Mineral Resources ("NAMR") since January 2016, has agreed to join the Company as Manager of Public Relations effective September 1, 2017.

Mr. Popitiu is a graduate of the University of Bologna, with a degree in Political Science and International relations. Prior to acting as advisor to the past two presidents of NAMR, he was advisor to the Minister of Energy, small and medium enterprise and business environment.

A passionate professional about both public and business sectors, he brings strong experience with business development, brand communication, sales strategy and leadership in the oil & gas and mineral resource industry.

Scott Moore, President and CEO of Euro Sun Mining, stated, "We are very pleased to have Eugen join our team at Euro Sun Mining. His experience within NAMR and the Romanian Government is ideally suited for the Company as we seek to raise the profile of Euro Sun Mining and the Rovina Valley Project. As the first non-state-owned entity to have been issued a Mining Licence, we are committed to developing the Rovina Valley Project as an example of responsible mining to the highest environmental standards, and in the process, provide meaningful economic impact to our local community partners and to the Romanian State."

About Euro Sun Mining Inc.

Euro Sun is a Toronto Stock Exchange listed mining company focused on the exploration and development of its 100%-owned Rovina Valley gold and copper project located in west-central Romania. The property hosts 10.84 million gold equivalent ounces (7.19 million ounces of gold grading 0.55 g/t and 1,420 million pounds of copper grading 0.16%), making it the second largest gold deposit in Europe.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information pertaining to the metallurgical studies presented in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Joseph C. Milbourne, Vice President Technical Services for Euro Sun, who is a Qualified Persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

Caution regarding forward-looking information:

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the election of directors. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks inherent in the mining industry and risks described in the public disclosure of the Company which is available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.eurosunmining.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The TSX does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
TORONTO, Aug. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE:MUX) (TSX:MUX) (McEwen) is pleased to announce that it has signed the binding definitive agreement with Primero Mining Corp. for the purchase of its Black Fox Complex in the world-famous gold mining region of Timmins, Canada. The agreed purchase price is $35 million, subject to closing adjustments. Closing of the transaction is anticipated in late-September.



Key benefits of this transaction to McEwen Mining shareowners:

Production and Resource Growth

Strategically increases our gold production by 50,000 ounces in 2018 and significantly increases our gold resources in the Timmins region. Furthermore, excess mill and tailings capacity provide the capability to increase future production.

Management and Operational Readiness

Establishes a base of operations with an experienced and skilled site management and workforce who will operate and advance development of these assets and the Timmins properties recently acquired from Lexam VG Gold. Combined these properties include seven development and exploration stage projects.

Exploration Potential

The property is located along a prime 4.5 mile (7 km) section of the Destor-Porcupine Fault, which is host to many world-class gold deposits. It is already well-endowed with the Black Fox Mine, and the Grey Fox and Froome deposits; and has geologic traits that make it prospective to grow the existing deposits and for additional discoveries.

About McEwen Mining (www.mcewenmining.com)

McEwen Mining has the goal to qualify for inclusion in the S&P 500 Index by creating a high growth gold and silver producer focused in the Americas. McEwen Mining's principal assets consist of the San Jose mine in Santa Cruz, Argentina (49% interest), the El Gallo Gold mine and El Gallo Silver project in Mexico, the Gold Bar project in Nevada, the Timmins projects in Canada and the Los Azules copper project in Argentina.

McEwen Mining has a total of 312 million shares outstanding. Rob McEwen, Chairman and Chief Owner, owns 25% of the Company.

QUALIFIED PERSON

Technical information pertaining to production guidance for the Black Fox Complex contained in this news release has been prepared under the supervision of Mr. Nathan Stubina. Technical information pertaining to geology and exploration contained in this news release has been prepared under the supervision of Mr. Sylvain Guerard. Both Mr. Stubina and Mr. Guerard, are officers of the Company who are a "qualified person" within the meaning of NI 43-101.

CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and information, including "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements and information expressed, as at the date of this news release, McEwen Mining Inc.'s (the "Company") estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations or beliefs as to future events and results. Forward-looking statements and information are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies, and there can be no assurance that such statements and information will prove to be accurate. Therefore, actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and information. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results or future events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, factors associated with fluctuations in the market price of precious metals, mining industry risks, political, economic, social and security risks associated with foreign operations, the ability of the corporation to receive or receive in a timely manner permits or other approvals required in connection with operations, risks related to fluctuations in mine production rates, risks associated with the construction of mining operations and commencement of production and the projected costs thereof, risks related to litigation, the state of the capital markets, environmental risks and hazards, uncertainty as to calculation of mineral resources and reserves, and other risks. The Companys dividend policy will be reviewed periodically by the Board of Directors and is subject to change based on certain factors such as the capital needs of the Company and its future operating results. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information included herein, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to reissue or update forward-looking statements or information as a result of new information or events after the date hereof except as may be required by law. See McEwen Mining's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the caption "Risk Factors", for additional information on risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to the forward-looking statements and information regarding the Company. All forward-looking statements and information made in this news release are qualified by this cautionary statement.

The NYSE and TSX have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release, which has been prepared by management of McEwen Mining Inc.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Aug 29, 2017) - Aurvista Gold Corp. ("Aurvista" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:AVA)(OTCQB:ARVSF)(FRANKFURT:AV2) announces the grant of a total of 1.8 million stock options to six new members of the Board of Directors who were elected at the recent August 15 Annual and Special Meeting of the Shareholders. The options have a five year term, an exercise price of $0.30, the closing price of the Aurvista shares on the day of the grant, and vest one-quarter immediately, and one-quarter on each anniversary date of the grant.

As the current Stock Option Plan provides for a maximum of 16,740,000 options that may be granted under the Plan the Board also amended the Plan to become a Rolling Stock Option Plan that allows for the issuance of such number of options equal to 10% of the outstanding shares. The right of each holder to exercise the options and the amendment of the Stock Option Plan is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and the approval of the shareholders of Aurvista.

Douay Gold Project and Company Profile:

Aurvista Gold Corp. is a well-funded gold exploration and development company focused on advancing one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Quebec. The Company's district-scale 305 km Douay Gold Project is located along a 40km segment of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone within the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt in northern Quebec. The Project hosts a multi-million ounce gold deposit that remains open in several directions, with excellent infrastructure and several large scale operating mines within 150 km. The Douay Gold Project's high-grade zones have never been mined and the Project is virtually royalty-free. The Company has aggressive property-wide exploration and drilling plans, with the aim of building high-quality ounces in one of the best mining jurisdictions in the world.

ON BEHALF OF Aurvista Gold Corp.

B. Matthew Hornor, President & CEO

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. When used herein, words such as "anticipate", "will", "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Aurvista Gold Corp.'s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.com.
CALGARY, Aug. 29, 2017 - Connacher Oil and Gas Ltd. ("Connacher" or the "Company") announces its financial and operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 ("Q2 2017") (all amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted). Connacher has posted four consecutive quarters with positive netbacks and two quarters with positive adjusted EBITDA for the first time since 2014. Improved pricing, major cost structure reductions while maintaining high operational reliability have all contributed to this success.

Financial

Q2 2017 and YTD 2017 revenue, net of royalties, increased 137% to $54.0 million (Q2 2016 - $22.8 million) and 192% to $100.9 (YTD 2016 - $34.6 million), respectively, due to higher sales volumes and higher crude oil benchmark pricing. In 2017, the Company entered into fixed price sales agreements, which added incremental revenue for Q2 2017 and YTD 2017 totaling $4.4 million and $4.7 million, respectively





Q2 2017 and YTD 2017 adjusted EBITDA increased to $6.8 million (Q2 2016 - deficit of $14.8 million) and $8.7 million (YTD 2016  deficit of $41.5 million), respectively, primarily due to higher revenue, net of royalties, partially offset by higher input costs associated with increased production





Q2 2017 and YTD 2017 funds used were $5.5 million (Q2 2016 - funds used of $23.2 million) and $15.0 million (YTD 2016 - funds used of $57.7 million), respectively, primarily due to an improved adjusted EBITDA, partially offset by higher interest costs





In Q2 2017 and YTD 2017, the Company generated net losses of $15.5 million (Q2 2016 - net loss of $369.8 million) and $40.1 million (YTD 2016 - net loss of $412.8 million), respectively. For both periods, the decrease in net loss is primarily due to an improved adjusted EBITDA. In Q2 2016, the Company recorded an impairment of $332.0 million related to its property, plant, and equipment ("PP&E") assets





YTD 2017 capital expenditures totaled $2.7 million (YTD 2016 - $1.8 million) and focused primarily on well servicing. In Q2 2017, the Company completed its well restart program. At June 30, 2017, all 41 well pairs were on production





Connacher closed Q2 2017 with a cash balance of $19.9 million (including restricted cash of $7.1 million) (Q4 2016 - $17.8 million)



Operational

Q2 2017 and YTD 2017 production increased 43% to 12,060 bbl/d (Q2 2016  8,416 bbl/d) and 68% to 12,056 bbl/d (YTD 2016  7,160 bbl/d), respectively, due to the completion of the Company's restart program





Q2 2017 and YTD 2017 blending costs increased 63% to $13.6 million (Q2 2016 - $8.3 million) and 94% to $27.7 million (YTD 2016 - $14.3 million), respectively, primarily due to higher total diluent volumes associated with increased bitumen production and higher diluent pricing





Q2 2017 transportation and handling costs increased 25% to $8.9 million (Q2 2016 - $7.1 million) due to the increase in dilbit sales volumes. YTD 2017 transportation and handling costs decreased 12% to $16.2 million (YTD 2016 - $18.3 million) as the additional transportation and handling costs associated with increased dilbit sales did not exceed the substantial penalties for non-delivery in 2016





Q2 2017 and YTD 2017 production and operating expense increased 46% to $21.6 million (Q2 2016 - $14.8 million) and 29% to $41.5 million (YTD 2016 - $32.2 million), respectively, primarily due to higher natural gas costs associated with increased bitumen production



Q2 2017 Financial Highlights











FINANCIAL (1) Q2 2017 Q2 2016 YTD 2017 YTD 2016 Revenue, net of royalties $53,986 $22,757 $100,886 $34,581 Adjusted EBITDA (2) 6,753 (14,795) 8,654 (41,478) Net earnings (loss) (15,464) (369,777) (40,072) (412,792)

Basic per share (0.55) (13.05) (1.41) (14.57)

Diluted per share (0.55) (13.05) (1.41) (14.57) Funds used (3) (5,485) (23,233) (14,985) (57,657) Capital expenditures 947 453 2,655 1,834 Cash on hand (4) 19,861 18,520



Working capital surplus (deficiency) (297,000) (254,607)



Long-term debt - -



Shareholders' equity 438,112 111,505









(1) ($ 000) except per share amounts (2) Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure and is defined in the "Advisory Section" of the Q2 2017 MD&A and is reconciled to net loss under "Reconciliations of Net Loss to EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and Bitumen Netback" (3) Funds used is a non-GAAP measure and is defined in the "Advisory Section" of the Q2 2017 MD&A and is reconciled to cash flow from operating activities under "Reconciliations of Cash Flow From (Used in) Operating Activities to Funds Used" (4) Balance includes restricted cash of $7.1 million, pursuant to the terms of the Initial Order granted in the Company's CCAA proceeding before the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta, Judicial Centre of Calgary

Q2 2017 Operational Highlights











OPERATIONAL Q2 2017 Q2 2016 YTD 2017 YTD 2016 Average benchmark prices







WTI (US$/bbl) $48.29 $45.59 $50.10 $39.52 WTI ($/bbl) 64.62 58.75 66.59 52.19 Heavy oil differential (US$/bbl) (11.13) (13.30) (12.85) (13.77) WCS ($/bbl) 49.73 41.61 49.51 34.01 $/US$ exchange rate 1.34 1.29 1.33 1.32 Production and sales volumes (1)







Daily bitumen production (bbl/d) 12,060 8,416 12,056 7,160 Daily bitumen sales (bbl/d) 12,000 8,346 12,026 7,499 Bitumen netback ($/bbl) (2)(3)







Dilbit sales $42.85 $25.43 $40.14 $21.44 Blending of products sold (5.07) (6.30) (5.79) (6.48) Realized bitumen sales price 37.78 19.13 34.35 14.96 Transportation and handling costs (8.13) (9.37) (7.43) (13.41) Net realized bitumen sales price 29.65 9.76 26.92 1.55 Royalties (0.77) (0.15) (0.72) (0.08) Net bitumen revenue price 28.88 9.61 26.20 1.47 Production and operating expenses (19.79) (19.49) (19.06) (23.58) Bitumen netback $9.09 $(9.88) $7.14 $(22.11)





(1) The Company's bitumen sales and production volumes differ due to changes in inventory and product losses (2) A non-GAAP measure which is defined in the "Advisory Section" of the Q2 2017 MD&A. Bitumen netback is reconciled to net loss under "Reconciliations of Net Loss to EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and Bitumen Netback". Bitumen netbacks per barrel amounts are calculated by dividing the total amounts presented in the "Bitumen Netback" table on page 8 by bitumen sold volumes as presented in the "Production and Sales Volumes" table on page 7, with the exception of dilbit sales (presented as dilbit sales divided by dilbit sales volume) and diluent costs (presented as the cost of diluent in excess of the dilbit selling price) (3) Before risk management contract gains or losses

Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act ("CCAA") Proceeding and Status

On March 31, 2016, the Company entered into a forbearance agreement (the "Forbearance Agreement") with Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch, as administrative agent, and certain lenders constituting the "Required Lenders" in respect of US$153.8 million of loans made by the lenders (the "Lenders") under the credit agreement dated as of May 23, 2014 (as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, including as amended pursuant to Amendment No. 1 dated May 8, 2015) (the "Amended Term Loan Facility"). Under the terms of the Forbearance Agreement, the Lenders agreed to, among other things, forbear from exercising enforcement rights and remedies arising from the Company's failure to pay the cash interest and principal payments due on March 31, 2016 until the earlier of April 30, 2016; the occurrence of an event of default under the Amended Term Loan Facility, unrelated to the failure to pay principal and interest due on March 31, 2016; or the occurrence of a default or breach of representation by the Company under the Forbearance Agreement.

On April 30, 2016, the Company entered into a second forbearance agreement (the "Second Forbearance Agreement") which extended the forbearance period until May 16, 2016.

On May 17, 2016, the Company sought and obtained creditor protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act ("CCAA") pursuant to an order (the "Initial Order") granted by the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta, Judicial Centre of Calgary (the "Court"). The Court granted CCAA protection for an initial period expiring on June 16, 2016. Since the Initial Order, six Court-ordered extensions have been obtained, with the most recent extending the stay of proceedings until and including January 31, 2018 (the "CCAA Stay Period").

Under the Initial Order, Ernst & Young Inc. was appointed by the Court as the monitor (the "Monitor").

The CCAA is a federal insolvency statute that allows an insolvent company which owes creditors in excess of $5 million to restructure its business and financial affairs and stays creditors and others from enforcing rights against the insolvent company.

The Initial Order also approved and authorized the Company and the Monitor to conduct a sale and investment solicitation process (the "SISP"), as set out in Schedule "A" to the Initial Order, to identify one or more purchasers and/or investors in the Company's business and/or property.

As authorized and approved by the Initial Order, the Company secured interim financing in the form of a senior secured debtor-in-possession credit facility (the "DIP") from certain existing lenders (certain of which are also significant shareholders of the Company) (the "Interim Lenders") for up to US$20 million (collectively, the "Total DIP Commitments"), with initial commitments of up to US$11.5 million (the "Initial Commitments").

On October 26, 2016, the Company entered into a Waiver, Approval, and Modification Agreement (the "First DIP Amendment Agreement") with its Interim Lenders related to the DIP. Pursuant to the First DIP Amendment Agreement, the Interim Lenders agreed to waive certain limited defaults under the DIP related to the CCAA SISP timelines and advanced to the Company an additional amount of approximately US$5.0 million of the Total DIP Commitments initially authorized by the Court to support the Company's continuing operations. At June 30, 2017, the Company had drawn approximately US$16.5 million of the DIP.

On December 16, 2016, the Company entered into a further Approval and Modification Agreement (the "Second DIP Amendment Agreement") with the Interim Lenders related to the DIP. The Second DIP Amendment Agreement extended the maturity date under the DIP from May 17, 2017 to December 31, 2017 and amended certain provisions of the DIP in order to provide the Company with greater flexibility to enter into hedging agreements and other long-term contracts.

On June 27, 2017, the Company entered into Approval and Modification Agreement #3 (the "Third DIP Amendment Agreement") with its Lenders with respect to the DIP. The Third DIP Amendment Agreement extended the maturity date of the DIP from December 31, 2017 to January 31, 2018 to correspond with the recent extension of the Company's CCAA proceeding.

As at June 30, 2017, in connection with the CCAA proceeding, the Company identified the following obligations subject to potential compromise:



(Canadian dollars in thousands) Current and long-term portions of Amended Term Loan Facility

$206,312 Interest payable on Amended Term Loan Facility



34,891 Convertible Notes



44,000 Interest payable on Convertible Notes



14,391 Trade and accrued liabilities



17,490 Total liabilities subject to compromise



$317,084

The aforementioned obligations, subject to potential compromise, represent the amounts expected to be resolved through the CCAA proceeding and remain subject to future, potentially material, adjustments. The liabilities that are not subject to the CCAA proceeding are excluded from the liabilities subject to potential compromise and include certain non-restructuring liabilities incurred subsequent to May 17, 2016.

The Company continues to investigate, evaluate, and consider possible sale and restructuring alternatives.

Operations

Based on field estimates, July 2017 production was approximately 12,800 bbl/d.

About Connacher

Connacher is a Calgary-based in situ oil sands developer, producer, and marketer of bitumen. The Company holds a 100 per cent interest in approximately 447 million barrels of proved and probable bitumen reserves and operates two steam-assisted gravity drainage facilities located on the Company's Great Divide oil sands leases near Fort McMurray, Alberta.

Forward Looking Information

This press release contains forward looking information including but not limited to the implementation and status of the CCAA proceeding and the SISP, the Company's ability to manage its liquidity position and deploy the capital required to maintain existing reserve and production bases, fund maintenance capital, fund working capital requirements and meet contractual and other commitments; expectations regarding future commodity prices, foreign exchange rates, diluent blend ratio, transportation costs, rail costs, rail usage, and production and operating costs in future periods; expectations regarding sales and production, bitumen netback, general and administrative expenses, and capital expenditures in future periods; the Company's reserves; and general operational and financial performance in future periods.

Forward looking information is based on management's expectations regarding the Company's future financial position; the Company's future growth, results of operations and production, future commodity prices and foreign exchange rates; future capital and other expenditures (including the amount, nature, and sources of funding thereof), plans for and results of drilling activity; environmental matters; business prospects and opportunities; and future economic conditions. Forward looking information involves significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to: the risk that the SISP process may not result in a sale of the Company or its assets or a restructuring of the Company's debt obligations, the risk that the CCAA Stay Period will not be extended past January 31, 2018 and that as a result creditors will be entitled to exercise their various rights and remedies against the Company, the level of indebtedness of the Company, the implementation and impact of any reorganization or restructuring on the assets, business and financial affairs of the Company, future co-operation of the creditors of the Company, the Company's ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or to obtain adequate financing to fund capital expenditures and working capital needs and to maintain the Company's ongoing obligations during the CCAA process and thereafter, the ability to maintain relationships with suppliers, customers, employees, shareholders and other third parties in light of the Company's current liquidity situation and the CCAA proceeding, as well as the risks associated with the oil and gas industry (e.g., operational risks in development, exploration and production; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of reserve and resource estimates; the uncertainty of geological interpretations; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, costs and expenses; and health, safety and environmental risks), risk of commodity price and foreign exchange rate fluctuations, risks associated with the impact of general economic conditions, risks and uncertainties associated with maintaining the necessary regulatory approvals and securing the financing to continue operations and increase production to levels previously achieved.

Reported average production levels may not be reflective of sustainable production rates and future production rates may differ materially from the production rates reflected in this press release due to, among other factors, difficulties or interruptions encountered during the production of bitumen.

Although Connacher believes that the expectations in such forward looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations shall prove to be correct. Any forward looking information included in this press release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Any forward looking information included herein is made as of the date of this press release and Connacher assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

SOURCE Connacher Oil and Gas Ltd.







Contact

Merle Johnson, Chief Executive Officer; Jeff Beeston, Vice President of Finance and Interim Chief Financial Officer; Connacher Oil and Gas Ltd., Phone: (403) 538-6201, Fax: (403) 538-6225, Suite 1040, 640 - 5th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 3G4, inquiries@connacheroil.com, www.connacheroil.com


Principal Brent Belveal doesn't yet have the answer about whether it's time to change South Albany High School's "Rebel" identity  but he said it's time to ask the question.

Belveal is working with Superintendent Jim Golden on a plan for exploring whether to keep the Rebel nickname. He said he wants to bring that plan to the Albany School Board for approval in September, and ideally have a recommendation one way or the other before the end of the school year.

The plan will include research; travel to and communication with other high schools; and input from students, alumni and the community, Belveal said.

"We need to understand the perception of people outside our school," he said.

Outsiders have already made the issue a hot topic. Racial violence that turned deadly in Charlottesville, West Virginia, earlier this month prompted warring petitions from alumni wanting to both keep and dump South's 46-year-old team moniker.

Golden and Belveal told the board on Monday they've been deluged with calls and emails both for and against the name, plus copies of the various petitions. "For a while, I was probably getting 10 to 15 a day, mostly emails," Belveal said.

Established in 1971, South Albany was the school to have "broken away" from what was then the only high school in town, Albany Union. Students at the time said it made sense to run with a Civil War theme, calling themselves "Rebels," wearing red and gray and hanging a giant "Stars and Bars" Confederate flag in the gym.

The school has worked hard in recent years to distance itself from its Confederate-themed roots, eliminating the flag and most of the Rebel soldier imagery.

Belveal said he has been working with graphic designers and researching "positive Rebels" in history to reshape the school's identity.

However, he told the board in a letter issued Monday, "In light of recent national tragedies, I believe it is time to look past rebranding.  I believe it's time to implement a thoughtful and inclusive process to consider a different mascot name that more closely aligns with the many great things going on at South Albany High School."

Belveal said his plan, once finished, will include discussion about what the school's mascot name could be if it changes. However, he said, any rebranding probably will be a different process.

And, he agreed, it's possible the "Rebel" name won't change at all  although he said he wants to leave the final decision to the board.

"If that's what comes out of the process we run, that's what comes out of the process," he said. "There's no predetermined answer."
Just like that, the 2020 retail campaigning for president began right here in a strip-mall campaign headquarters Monday, when Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti showed up for what he called the most important race in the country.He was talking about the Manchester mayors election. Joyce Craig, the Democratic candidate, invited him to join her for an afternoon that also included a speech to the Manchester Young Democrats and a fundraiser. Garcetti worked the crowds, introduced himself as Eric, and took a bumper sticker and put it on the back of the black SUV he was driving around in.Pay no attention to the Virginia plates, he said. Its a rental.On Tuesday, Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), the only one to have already officially announced, will be here for a two-day trip, trying to get attention for his long-shot bid. On Labor Day, both Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Jason Kander, the Democrat who narrowly lost his U.S. Senate bid in Missouri last year, will be back.And on Thursday, Sanders  who was in Indiana and Michigan last week  will be in Iowa, along with Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon will be there in October. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who made his own teasing stop here in Manchester at the end of April, is headed to South Carolina in September.
Gov. Bruce Rauner Monday signed into law one bill that would protect immigrants who are in the country illegally from being detained solely because of their immigration status and another that would automatically register many Illinoisans to vote.The Republican governor's approval of the controversial immigration legislation marks a victory for immigrant advocates and a defeat for the more conservative members of his party, who had lobbied against it.Known as the Trust Act, the new law 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."This was not an easy bill to pass, let's be clear," Rauner said, praising the bill as "a very reasonable, decent outcome."He said he had sought out the opinion of law enforcement as he was contemplating whether to sign or veto the bill."I asked them, 'Should I sign this bill, should I not sign this bill?'" Rauner said. "They all said to me: 'Governor, this is a reasonable compromise. It will help us do our jobs better; it will help us keep our communities safer.'"Rauner entered a bill signing ceremony at Mi Tierra restaurant in Little Village to cheers from at least 200 supporters of the measure. Outside, an opponent carried a sign that said, "Illinois victim families say no sanctuary state."The governor's approach to the the immigration bill signing was an indication of his efforts to walk the line between his conservative base and the more moderate constituencies he'll need in order to win reelection in 2018.Rauner faced an intense lobbying campaign over the bill and warnings last week that he might lose support from conservatives if he were to sign it into law. State Sen. Kyle McCarter, a Republican from Lebanon outside St. Louis, said "this could be the last straw" for Downstate voters who have backed the governor if Rauner failed to veto the bill.So before the governor inked his signature to the legislation, an array of supporters, including members of the law enforcement community and business advocates, appeared on stage to demonstrate broad support."Contrary to popular belief, this bill does not turn Illinois into a sanctuary state," said Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti, a fluent Spanish speaker who kicked off a slate of more than a dozen speakers with remarks in both English and Spanish.Illinois State Police Director Leo Schmitz said the legislation "reinforces local, county, state ability to work with the federal government and our federal partners to protect the neighborhood." He and others said that the legislation will allow immigrants to reach out to local law enforcement without fear of being punished for their immigration status.Earlier Monday, Rauner signed the voter registration bill, which would add Illinoisans to the voting rolls when they get or renew a driver's license. He vetoed a similar plan last year, but this time Democrats made changes to try to assuage some of the governor's concerns.Democratic state Sen. Andy Manar, of Decatur, a chief sponsor, noted that the legislation had been in the works for more than two years. He thanked Rauner "for keeping his promise to sign this legislation," but gave credit for the bill's success to the advocates who'd pushed for it over the years."The legislative process that's been undertaken by grassroots organizations throughout the state of Illinois has been a true exercise in democracy when it comes to this legislation," said Manar, who added that "we would not be here in this position to present this bill from the legislature to the governor without their work."Rauner cast the legislation as a product of negotiations between lawmakers and the governor's office, which had raised concerns last year about the measure conflicting with federal law, and about the potential for errors and fraud. Rauner said he had used his amendatory veto powers to rewrite the measure last year to address those concerns. In fact, he had vetoed it outright but spelled out his reasons in a lengthy veto statement."The General Assembly came together, worked with us, made the changes that we were recommending, and now I think we have a good, strong piece of legislation that makes it easier for everyone who's eligible to vote to be able to vote," Rauner said Monday.
A Centralized Approach

East New York sits well beyond the cluster of Brooklyn neighborhoods where gentrification has turned once working-class communities into wealthy enclaves.It was, and still is, a place that is plagued by high levels of poverty: More than one in four residents live at or below the poverty line, and the median household income of $35,099 is well below local and national averages.As in other communities across the country, rampant poverty in East New York has in the past been the backdrop for violence. In 1993, the 75th precinct of the New York Police Department, which includes East New York and neighboring Cypress Hill, logged 126 homicides, almost one-fifth of all the homicides in Brooklyn. East New York was considered the worst precinct assignment in the city The unfortunate stigma that has been attached to East New York was based on the many years of neglect and despair, says Andre Mitchell, founder and executive director of Man Up! Inc., a nonprofit community organization that works in the neighborhood. East New York of the past was not a place where people felt safe to visit and work."Times have changed. Violent crime is down in Brooklyn and throughout the city (and much of the rest of the country).Part of that shift, say police leaders and Mayor Bill de Blasio, is thanks to a program the city modeled on the long-standing Cure Violence initiative in Chicago.I think the Cure Violence movement, which is the -- theyre often called gang interrupters and the folks who work at the community level of, and by, and for the community to address violence, and stop it before it starts, and get young people away from gangs -- thats been a big piece of the equation too. And it doesnt get a lot of attention, but those grassroots efforts had really helped, de Blasio told a radio interviewer earlier this month.The Cure Violence program was launched in Chicago nearly two decades ago to curb homicides and violent crime. At its core is the interruption of violence by street-level workers who intervene in disputes. Man Up! Inc. and other organizations in New York City, including the Harlem-based Street Corner Resources, follow the Chicago model with a few modifications.Man Up has been employing the Cure Violence model for more than a decade. Now the programs and a network of dozens of Cure Violence-styled programs across New York City are receiving $22.5 million of funding, coordination with the mayor's office and support from law enforcement in reducing crime.The injection of both cash and human capital appears to be paying off.In the section of East New York where Man Up is active, it's been more than 1,000 days since someone was killed by a firearm, according to NYPD data.Here's how the Cure Violence approach works: Young men and women who have previously been immersed in street violence and crime are recruited to act as the street-level violence interrupters. Their own backgrounds give them the credibility to smooth tensions between potential combatants.We hire community people from the area, we train them and we deploy them back in the neighborhood to talk to those people most likely to pull a trigger, Mitchell says. They know the community, they know where the shooters live, know who to talk to.But the New York City iteration of Cure Violence is multi-pronged. In addition to the violence interrupters, other hospital-based workers connect with victims of violence who have had to seek medical care. In coordination with the violence interrupters, these hospital-based workers seek to dissuade young men and women from seeking revenge for attacks. Additionally, school-based counselors in 36 schools across the city work with teenagers to help them develop conflict resolution skills. The program also includes a job-training component to move teenagers and young adults away from street crime and into the workforce.The overarching goal is to change the behavioral norms of teens and young adults in neighborhoods where conflict resolution too often involves violence, whether in the home or on the street.All we can do is change the mindset of these people who have access to illegal guns, Mitchell says.New York has more than 60 violence reduction programs operating in what it calls its Crisis Management System, which targets 18 neighborhoods across five boroughs. Those 18 areas account for half of violent crime committed in the city.Earlier this year, de Blasio announced the creation of the Mayors Office to Prevent Gun Violence , which will oversee the programs in the Crisis Management System, as well as the Cure Violence program and other initiatives. The city committed $22.5 million to the new effort in its first year.It's part of an effort to rethink the way New York tries to reduce violent crime, says Eric Cumberbatch, the executive director of the new office.We dont feel that targeting gun violence is the best to way to cure gun violence, he says.Early results suggest the centralized approach has been a success. As of the most recent data, there have been six murders in the 75th precinct, the one that includes East New York, in 2017. For all of 2016, the precinct recorded 23 murders.The move toward coordinating with groups like Man Up comes after decades of aggressive tough-on-crime policing. The city has begun moving away from those tactics, which were popular under former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. And the controversial method of stop-and-frisk under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, which targeted black and Latino residents and caused many citizens to distrust police, is a thing of the past, having been deemed unconstitutional in court . (It's worth noting that NYPD still struggles with public mistrust and accusations of improper conduct and use of arrest quotas.)So as Cure Violence begins to show results, Cumberbatch says officers have become more willing to work with the program. After all, he says, police and the program have the same goals.The last thing NYPD wants to do is put cuffs on someone," Cumberbatch says. "If we can get to them before there is an incident, its beneficial to everyone -- including NYPD.Getting reliable data on the effectiveness of Cure Violence programs, however, can be a challenge. The decrease in violence in East New York has come as crime overall in Brooklyn and the rest of the city has fallen to record lows. Across Brooklyn there were 128 murders in 2016, down from more than 600 in 1993. That trend seems to be continuing this year as well: As of August 13, there have been 67 murders boroughwide.It's hard to measure just how much of the falling violent crime rate is attributable to programs like Man Up.In Chicago, the Cure Violence program recorded a 38 percent reduction and a 15 percent reduction in shootings in the areas where violence interrupters were active, according to a report by the McCormick Foundation. However, the 2013 study of the program only included one year of data.Violence in Chicago still grabs national attention for the sheer volume of homicides. In 2016, Chicago recorded 751 homicides and has recorded 451 as of Aug. 22. In the face of violence and homicide rates that stubbornly remain well above the national average, Cure Violence is reporting reductions in both shooting and retaliations to incidents of violence in the Chicago neighborhoods were the program is active, as compared to the places it does not have an active presence.John Jay College this fall will release a detailed analysis of New York's Cure Violence program, which should provide a more concrete sense of the impact the program is having there. In the meantime, city officials are hopeful that the program -- in conjunction with other anti-violence efforts under the umbrella of the mayor's new office -- will continue to push crime rates lower.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Monday morning sent a clear message to members of Houstons immigrant community who might fear seeking help during Hurricane Harvey because of their legal status.There is absolutely no reason why anyone should not call [for help]. And I and others will be the first ones to stand up with you, Turner, an attorney, said to reporters. If someone comes and they require help and then for some reason [someone] tries to deport them, I will represent them myself.Turner responded directly to a question about Senate Bill 4, the states immigration-enforcement law that seeks to outlaw sanctuary jurisdictions. Gov. Greg Abbott signed the law in May and it is scheduled to go into effect Friday. But the law could be postponed if a federal judge approves an injunction this week in response to a suit from several cities and counties challenging its constitutionality.The law would forbid police chiefs, sheriffs and others from preventing an officer from asking about a persons immigration status during an arrest or lawful detention. It would also require that jail administrators honor all requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to hold an inmate for possible deportation.The law has stoked fears within the immigrant community, with some dreading the possibility of being asked for their status when they come into any contact with law enforcement. But Republicans who back the bill have pushed back and said the law only targets immigrants who have committed serious crimes.During his news conference Monday, Turner said Texans should put the law on the shelf as rescue efforts in Houston continue.I dont care who you are, I dont care what your status is. I do not want you to run the risk of losing your life or [that of] a family member because youre concerned about SB 4 or anything else, he said.Shannon Edmonds, the director of governmental relations for the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, said even if SB 4 goes into effect during the rescue operations, undocumented immigrants should not fear law enforcement. But he also conceded that immigrant communities also have their own interpretation of what the law could mean.Technically the law is directed at detentions related to the commission of a crime, he said. The problem is the inference that people in those communities may draw: that it wont be limited to those kinds of circumstances. And thats always been one of the objections to it."Turners comments came after some Houston-area lawmakers took to social media on Sunday to try to soothe concerns.Its urgent that if you have an opportunity to leave, that you do so, state Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, tweeted in Spanish. Your immigration status has nothing to do with it.
Description

GIS  29 August 2017: Diplomacy in Mauritius is entering into a deep transformation phase, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, pending Governments approval, will be coming forward with an e-Diplomacy project - an interactive platform - to enable online exchanges with all Embassies and Consulates.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, made this announcement this morning during an Exequatur presentation ceremony in Port Louis. On that occasion, Exequatur was presented to Mr Francis Chang Leng, Honorary Consul of Mauritius in Seychelles, and to Mr Ashley Ruhee, Honorary Consul of Lithuania.

In his address the Minister outlined that the e-Diplomacy project will ensure that the Ministry goes paperless in the coming three to four years with most working documents passing through the platform. This will also enable the Ministry to move towards a direction focused on the economy and investment promotion, with the Ministry gradually becoming a strong link for Governments economic strategy and promoting economic development. The Minister pointed out that seven economic advisors have been recruited to be based at the level of key Embassies and will be entrusted the responsibility to promote investment opportunities.

According to Mr Lutchmeenaraidoo, the Ministry is getting more involved in economic matters rather than focusing solely on diplomacy. However, now economic diplomacy is being given a structure and we are roping in Honorary Consuls in this process, he said. He also spoke about Mauritius growing importance in the region and becoming more active on the African continent thus creating a symbiosis and leading to new developments. We are opening an Embassy in Kenya and one in Ghana which will become the expression of our ambition on the African continent, he added.

For his part, the Honorary Consul of Lithuania, Mr Ruhee, recalled that Lithuania is a Baltic State and member of the European Union and has developed areas of expertise and centres of excellence focusing on biotechnology, renewable energy, agriculture and new technologies. Therefore, he said, consolidating links between both countries is important, adding that Lithuania is interested in using Mauritius as a financial hub to extend its activities in Africa.

In his statement the Honorary Consul of Mauritius to Seychelles, Mr Francis Chang Leng, said that the fisheries sector is a priority area of cooperation that will be explored adding that discussions are already underway as regards the recruitment of Mauritian educators.

The Exequatur presentation ceremony was followed by a working session between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade and the Commissioner for Africa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr Georg Schmidt.
Description

GIS - 29 August, 2017: Mauritius will sign the Agreement establishing a Tripartite Free Trade Area among the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the East African Community, and the Southern African Development Community.

The objectives of the Tripartite Free Trade Area are, among others, to: promote economic and social development of the Region; create a large single market with free movement of goods and services to promote intra-regional trade; and enhance the regional and continental integration processes.

The Tripartite Free Trade Area represents an integrated market of 26 countries, with a combined population of 632 million people, that is 57% of the Africas population, and a total Gross Domestic Product of USD 1.3 trillion in 2014.
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(TNS) -- PROVIDENCE, R.I.  The state has selected 224 college graduates to receive personal income tax credits under the state's Wavemaker Fellowship program, which would defray their student loan debts totaling about $868,000 while the recipients work in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and design jobs in Rhode Island.Gov. Gina Raimondo and the R.I. Commerce Corporation on Monday announced the selection of Wavemaker recipients after the state received more than 325 applications. Last year, the state awarded tax credits totaling about $800,000 to 215 graduates after reviewing more than 300 applications.This year's average annual tax credit is approximately $3,875 per student, but recipients earn varying amounts based on their education levels. Those with associate's degrees are eligible for up to $1,000 of credit each year, while those with postgraduate degrees are eligible for up to $6,000.Graduates from Rhode Island institutions of higher learning who stay in-state for jobs in the selected fields or Rhode Islanders who have gone out of state for college but return to jobs in the Ocean State are eligible for the tax credits. This year, about 54 percent of Wavemaker recipients graduated from a Rhode Island institution, and 89 percent of them are Rhode Island residents who have taken jobs here after graduating, Commerce spokesman Brian Hodge said.In 2015, the General Assembly appropriated $1.75 million to launch the program, which the Raimondo administration announced in her first proposed state budget. Last year, lawmakers added $3.5 million, and this year, they added another $800,000 to the program  less in each of the last two years than Raimondo had requested.Recipients can get tax credits for a second year, but they must re-certify and prove they're still working in the Rhode Island jobs that qualified them for the credits, Commerce spokesman Matt Sheaff said. If this year's and last year's cohorts all re-certify, their tax credits in the second year would equal about the same as in the first year, Sheaff said.The Commerce Corporation offered details about this year's winners: More than half hold a bachelor's degree; 45 percent have a master's degree or higher; and 2 percent have an associate's degree. They're working in the following fields: 26 percent in design, food and custom manufacturing industries; 19 percent in defense, shipbuilding and maritime; and 15 percent in information technology, cyber and data analytics.
(TNS) - Tropical Storm Harvey continued to deluge southeast Texas with rain and surging floodwater Tuesday, breaking the record for the most extreme rainfall on the U.S. mainland.Since Harvey made landfall Friday night as a hurricane, some areas of Houston have seen up to 50 inches of rain  more than they usually receive in a year.On Tuesday afternoon, the Mont Belvieu industrial suburb east of Houston recorded 51.12 inches of water, breaking the highest previous record of 48 inches from 1978s tropical storm Amelia in Medina, Texas.Its the heaviest storm on record anywhere in the U.S. outside Hawaii, said John Nielsen-Gammon, Texas state climatologist and professor at Texas A&M University. And its still raining.With muddy brown water engulfing huge swaths of the nations fourth-largest city and much of the Gulf Coast, at least 10 people are dead and thousands are in shelters. Federal officials have estimated that as many as 30,000 displaced residents may seek temporary shelter and more than 450,000 people are likely to seek federal aid.In four days, weve seen a trillion gallons of water in Harris County  enough water to run Niagara Falls for 15 days, said Jeff Lindner, a meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District, who estimated that as many as 100,000 homes in the 1,777-square-mile area had flooded. Its beyond anything weve ever seen and will probably ever see.As a light rain continued to drizzle, a reservoir west of downtown Houston spilled over for the first time in its history, leaving yet more residents desperately scrambling to safety.In a Tuesday morning press briefing, Police Chief Art Acevedo said officers had rescued 3,500 people across the city and were launching more boats in the water every hour. They had also arrested a crew of armed robbers who were hijacking vehicles.Were still trying to get to folks, Acevedo said. Dont give up on us. Seek the higher ground. We will get to you.Overnight, the number of people sheltering at the George R. Brown convention center swelled to 9,000 people. Its capacity is supposed to be 5,000. Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city had asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for cots and food for an additional 10,000 people, and officials are planning to open other mega shelters.We are not turning anyone away, Turner said.Houston highways remained mostly empty and blocked by police early Tuesday. A few cars and trucks navigated wet streets downtown.Families were still arriving at the massive convention center, some with sleeping pads and rain boots, others with their belongings in garbage bags. Some feared for relatives left behind, and others worried they might soon face shortages of food and other supplies.By Tuesday, the death toll had risen to 10 after a man in Montgomery County, north of Houston, drowned Monday night while trying to swim across a flooded road.Officials in Harris County, which includes Houston, have reported at least six potentially storm-related fatalities. A 60-year-old woman died Monday in Porter, a small community north of Houston, when a large oak tree fell on her mobile home. Another person died in the small coastal town of Rockport, near where Harvey made landfall. A 52-year-old homeless man was found dead in La Marque, a small city near Galveston.Early Tuesday, a major dam outside Houston began to overflow, threatening some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods to the west of the city. Engineers had tried to prevent Addicks Reservoir from overspilling by releasing some of its water Monday, but flood control officials reported Tuesday morning that water was beginning to seep over the top of a spillway, the first time water had breached the dam.In some areas, the water in the Houston area was so deep that rain sensors no longer were working. The Harris County Flood Control District, a government agency that works to reduce the effects of flooding in the area that includes Houston, announced that multiple water level and rain sensors were out of service due to flooding.In Brazoria County, south of Houston, the Brazos River was beginning to overflow its banks. On Tuesday morning, a levee breached in the Columbia Lakes neighborhood.We are asking residents to please get out, said Sharon Trower, a spokeswoman for the county, which already has rescued hundreds of residents after severe flooding from heavy rainfall. The additional river flooding is just going to be catastrophic.Major roads throughout the county already were closed because of flooding.While catastrophic flooding continues across southeast Texas, flash flood watches dropped for western portions of the Houston area as light to moderate rain fell Monday night. The National Weather Service said the threat of flooding is gradually shifting east.Expect improving conditions this afternoon and evening across the area as Harvey pushes northeast, the National Weather Services Houston/Galveston office said in an update.After assuring Texas on Monday that Congress would deliver swift federal aid, President Donald Trump visited the storm-ravaged state Tuesday.As Harvey moved closer to neighboring Louisiana on the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu urged residents to stay home and shelter in place.A few inches of rain could cause serious problems in New Orleans, which is still recovering from flooding after thunderstorms this month overwhelmed the citys drainage system.More than 5 inches of rain fell in some parts of the city Monday, causing localized floods. Flash flood watches were in effect as meteorologists forecast 4 more inches of rain Tuesday.Today, we are a resilient city with greater resolve, but we remain vigilant in the face of another threatening storm, Landrieu said in a statement. While this is a somber day for New Orleanians, the determination and spirit of our people gives us great hope for the future.(Special correspondent Jarvie reported from Atlanta and Times staff writer Hennessy-Fiske from Houston. Times staff writer Hailey Branson-Potts in Corpus Christi contributed to this report.)2017 Los Angeles TimesVisit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS) -- ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Devon Energy Corp. manages all its oil operations in southeast New Mexico directly from a command-control center on the 44th floor of its Oklahoma City headquarters.Teams of engineers continuously monitor everything happening in the field and deep underground from the companys 24-hour Well Construction Center, a state-of-the-art, computer-based work station where operators track and guide activity through fiber sensors embedded alongside the drill bits that bore into hard shale-rock formations.Through cyber-steering, the team troubleshoots everything from Oklahoma, guiding drills in real time as they bore into the earth.WellCon operates 24/7 to monitor all the information being pulled by fiber sensors from the holes, said Devon spokesman Tim Hartley. Those technology tools tell us where drill bits are at any given time to adjust and steer them up, down and sideways.It also allows engineers to manage a myriad of problems that can plague operations, such as screen outs caused by cuttings clogging up the drill hole.That happens when you go too fast, and it mucks up the works, Hartley said. The system senses it before it happens and automatically slows things down for protection.Technology like WellCon, combined with a broad array of other high-tech innovations directly in the oil fields, is helping producers like Devon streamline operations and cut costs to a minimum. That, in turn, is fueling a new surge in activity in the Permian Basin in southeast New Mexico and West Texas.Longtime energy analyst Daniel Fine says its the next wave in the technological revolution that began about 10 years ago, when hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling helped crack open hard shale-rock deposits that operators couldnt reach before.That first wave of technology gave new life to aging basins like the Permian, while opening up vast new oil fields in places like North Dakota. This next stage is now radically lowering the costs for those operations, allowing producers to continue drilling and producing despite todays low oil prices.This new wave of innovation is all about doing more for less, Fine said. Its a revolution in service operations thats allowing drilling rigs to do a lot more at much lower cost than before prices crashed in 2014.That includes multi-well pads where drilling rigs now typically dig up to eight, or even 10, horizontal holes, rather than the two or three they dug before. And lateral wells are being extended much farther, boring up to two miles or more through different layers of shale rock to extract oil from hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.Companies use 3-D seismic imaging to pinpoint precise locations in the most productive zones before drilling. They co-locate multiple well pads in a single area to rapidly move rigs around, significantly cutting the number of days and rigs needed to pull crude from the ground.A few years ago, it took about 40 days at a cost of $50,000 a day to drill a well, Fine said. But with all the new technologies and operational efficiencies, thats been cut to two or three days.Most companies now hedge their operations with long-term contracts that lock in sales at above-market prices. They also negotiate lower drilling and operational costs with service companies.Devon, for example, now pays different companies for individual services and often brings its own supplies to operations, such as sand for fracking. Thats cheaper than paying for bundled work and supplies from one service company.Given all the innovation, many companies say they can break even, or even operate profitably, with oil prices at $50 per barrel or less. Thats especially true in the Delaware Basin in New Mexicos side of the Permian, where extremely productive shale-rock reservoirs bring immediate returns on investment.Devon expects to grow its oil output there by 20 percent this year.Were going to thrive in the $45 to $50 world, and were not counting on higher prices, Devon President and CEO David Hager told investors this month.Still, hundreds of small, independent producers dont have the capital to deploy the cutting-edge technologies used by bigger players like Devon. Most need $60 or more per barrel to invest in new production.But given todays innovations and New Mexicos lucrative reservoirs, the oil patch could come roaring back when prices climb again.Many producers are still struggling in this low-price environment, said New Mexico Oil and Gas Association Executive Director Ryan Flynn. But we take the long view. When prices eventually do come back up, the state will be in a great position.
(TNS) -- An Erie connected by a sophisticated fiber-optic network, one that provides an ever-growing number of homes and businesses faster internet at prices competing with the likes of Comcast and CenturyLink, could be realized in the near future.Trustees on Tuesday night approved a $65,000 contract with South Dakota-based Vantage Point Solutions for a feasibility study to see how  granted that there is a desire for such a system among residents  an alternative broadband structure could be best implemented.A faster internet structure could manifest itself in a number of ways, officials say; such options could include an ordinance encouraging broadband providers to set up shop in town, to implementing something in the same vein as Longmont.In 2014, Longmont rounded out a two-decades-long journey to connect customers to NextLight, its city-operated "fiber-to-the-home" service. Today, almost 350 miles of fiber serves residents within city limits."We have about a minimum of seven scenarios that our consultant will be looking at," Erie spokesman Fred Diehl said Tuesday. "Everything from passive involvement from the town in terms of legislative support to help boost broadband opportunity for a variety of reasons in Erie, all the way to looking at a municipal broadband scenario similar to the city of Longmont  that's a wide range."Passive involvement could consist of offering up existing assets  such as right-of-way and existing infrastructure  to potential providers in lieu of direct funding, according to broadband advocates."It's a long distance between saying we want to assist the current incumbent providers and others who may be interested in providing service in Erie to wanting to get into the business itself," Diehl said.Erie would first need its voters to say "yes" to opt out of Senate Bill 152, the law passed in 2005 restricting local governments from using taxpayer dollars to build an expensive broadband networks. A ballot measure wouldn't arrive in front of voters until April 2018, at the earliest.It's an increasingly popular choice among Colorado cities  at least 65 to date have opted out of the statute via voter-sanctioned ballot measures, according to Community Broadband Networks  as they eschew what advocates call the confines of traditional, costly internet options."When we're going into a study," Lori Sherwood, of Vantage, said Tuesday, "the one thing that we recommend is you throw away any preconceived conclusions out of your mind and start from scratch; every community is different."Demand among Colorado residents for broadband options has typically been high. Fervor is tapered back somewhat among local leaders, however, who worry that lofty expectations from citizens often spur municipalities into rushed promises  often with disastrous results."We don't necessarily know that this is the wave of the future for long term," Trustee Dan Woog, who offered the board's lone "no" vote, said Tuesday.Erie last year decided to forgo placing a broadband-focused question onto the ballot, opting instead for further study.While specific options for how Erie could best provide broadband will come to light over the next several weeks, there are some constants that should exist, says Jeff Gavlinski, a co-owner and co-chairman of Mountain Connect , a Colorado-based broadband development conference."When towns own the infrastructure, it allows for two really important things," he said. "First, they don't have to ask for permission when they need to do something; most communities need to call a provider to ask permission."The second is controlling the quality of the network itself."Not every community is suited to be a last-mile provider," he added. "If you're focused on an open-access, community-based network where you control the assets, it allows for flexibility but it also means that you don't need to worry about issues with local providers in terms of competing against them."However Erie approaches a community-wide broadband network, a model for the region's interests has long lied in Longmont's successful effort, advocates argue  though they say specific circumstances are required. Longmont is consistently credited as having one of the fastest internet speeds in the nation, and it will most likely inform how surrounding governments approach the issue for years to come.The future of connectivity lies with fiber, according to NextLight spokesman Scott Rochat, who says the system is infinitely scalable; one capable of supporting connectivity far into the future, even as technology transforms."People still haven't found the limits of what fiber optics can do yet," he said last month. "If you want to scale it up, it's just a matter of changing the electronics up at either end of the fiber you already have in the ground."For NextLight customers, prices for regular one gig connections are around $100 a month  a price typically cheaper than most competitors, and one that reflects lightning-quick connectability."When you turn on your hall lights in your house, your television doesn't immediately turn off. That's because you have a system in place that's well designed; we believe broadband should be the same way," Rochat said.
(TNS) -- PLEASANTON, Calif.  At the IntegenX Inc. headquarters on Stoneridge Drive, employees are hard at work developing upgrades to their product: a small machine that can unravel DNA code in less than two hours.The company is a leader in the market for what is known as rapid DNA technology, which has shortened the time it takes to process DNA testing from weeks to about 90 minutes. It could get a boost from recently passed legislation that sets new federal rules for how law enforcement processes DNA, something the companys leaders have been lobbying for in the past few years.IntegenX CEO Robert Schueren called the passage of the bill  the Rapid DNA Act of 2017  a landmark day in fighting crime. The bill will allow law enforcement agencies to perform real-time DNA testing at the time of arrest at their own booking stations, comparing samples to profiles in the FBIs Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) under guidelines set by the FBI.Using the technology, investigators can find out whether an arrestees DNA matches the DNA in the FBI database while suspects are still being processed. But the prospect raises privacy concerns for some.Before the legislation, law enforcement agencies had to send DNA samples to government labs and wait for it to get tested, which could take days or even weeks. The bill allows law enforcement agencies, under FBI guidelines, to use rapid DNA technology  made by companies like IntegenX or Ande  to automate the process and test DNA much faster to find database matches. The FBI is the only agency allowed to have a national DNA database, which holds information on nearly 13 million people suspected of or convicted of crimes.But the technology  and the bill that allows for its expanded use  has privacy and civil liberties advocates worried because it means the expansion of a national database that includes DNA samples of those who are arrested but never convicted of a crime.Our position is that DNA should not be taken at arrest, said Michael Risher, senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, adding that the same information that leads to an arrest should be used to get a warrant for a DNA sample if its deemed appropriate for a criminal investigation.Currently, California allows law enforcement to collect and test the DNA of anyone arrested on suspicion of a felony. Some states limit the testing of DNA samples, depending on the type of crime or unless a warrant is obtained. The California Supreme Court is considering a case that could potentially change the states practice.The problem, argues Risher, is that many people are arrested but not ultimately convicted of a crime and have their DNA nevertheless put into the database. In California, the DNA entry is not automatically expunged from the database for innocent people.Its dangerous to have massive DNA databases with the scope of collection expanding rapidly, when we are far behind on proper policies governing its use, said Lee Tien, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Should we draw the line at arrest? Should I be able to erase my DNA records if the arrest was wrongful or I wasnt convicted? Should we draw the line at conviction? Why not put everybodys DNA in the FBIs database?Law enforcement organizations have rallied around the Rapid DNA Act, which was introduced by Senators Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Dianne Feinstein, D-California, and by Representatives Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin, and Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wisconsin.I understand that DNA collection necessarily involves privacy concerns, and Im committed to ensuring that this law and the guidelines to be developed under it will protect Americans rights, said Rep. Swalwell in an emailed statement. But as a former prosecutor who was raised in a law enforcement family, I believe Rapid DNA technology is a new and better tool that lets law enforcement be more efficient in what it already does.Proponents argue that the technology performs a social good by shortening the testing process. Those who are truly innocent, they say, have nothing to hide and will be exonerated quickly, while law enforcement officers can quickly match the DNA evidence for those who are the likely suspects of a crime, without having to release arrestees while they wait for the DNA results.On a recent afternoon just days after the bill was signed into law, Schueren demonstrated his companys technology at the headquarters by taking a cotton swab  which a law enforcement official would likely use to take a DNA sample by wiping it against the inside of a persons cheek  and putting it into a plastic cartridge that he then dropped into a machine that is about the size of a home printer. He pressed the start button, and 90 minutes later, he said, the RapidHit machine would provide a genetic profile and check it against a database to see whether it finds a match.The technology is not only used for identifying potential criminals, although that is the most widespread usage, Schueren said. Forensics teams used it in identifying people after the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, for example, and federal agencies have reportedly used it to identify familial connections for refugees seeking asylum in the United States.Schueren explained that the profiles identified by the technology do not include any information about diseases or a persons health. In fact, Schueren prints his genetic code right on his business card, which simply looks like a collection of numbers and letters. To untrained eyes, the profiles look mostly like a collection of random numbers and letters.Handing it out, he said, I have nothing to hide.
WASHINGTON  Arguably the most successful element of Donald Trump's presidency involves a campaign promise that hasn't been enacted or funded by Congress. The mere threat of a wall  a "big, beautiful" wall  along the Mexican border has transformed the immigration equation, as fewer undocumented immigrants cross the border into the United States.

The number of illegal border crossings was down 47 percent in July compared with the same period last year, and the number is down 22 percent for the 2017 fiscal year, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Meanwhile, the number of total orders for voluntary departures or removal of undocumented immigrants between Feb. 1 and July 31 is up 31 percent.

In other words, the policy is working even if no bill has made it to the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office desk favored by many presidents.

At Thursday's White House press briefing, reporters questioned press secretary Sarah Sanders about the wisdom of Trump threatening to shut down the federal government if Congress does not fund his plans for the wall. After all, Trump promised Mexico would pay for it.

Reporters also frequently ask whether building a wall is a smart use of taxpayer dollars given that illegal immigration crossings are down. Ditto for Trump's plan to hire 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers as well as 5,000 Border Patrol agents.

Those are questions even people who want to boost enforcement against illegal immigration have been asking.

The spurt in unauthorized immigration reached a high of 12.2 million in 2007, according to the Pew Research Center. During President Barack Obama's tenure, the number sagged from 11.3 million in 2009 to 11 million in 2015.

That is, the number of unauthorized immigrants fell even as the president argued for laws that set a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants and signed executive orders that authorized undocumented immigrants to live and work in the United States.

Trump did not roll out the welcome mat when he announced his candidacy in 2015. He said Mexico was not sending its best residents to the United States, but rather, drug dealers, criminals and rapists. Trump promised a wall and tough immigration enforcement.

After winning election, Trump wavered on his campaign pledge to revoke Obama's executive order that shielded some individuals brought into the U.S. as the minor children of undocumented immigrants. But Trump never stopped pushing for his "big, beautiful" wall or his plans to boost enforcement.

It's no wonder then that the Border Patrol has apprehended markedly fewer individuals trying to cross the border illegally. By focusing on enforcement beyond the border, the Trump plan reduces the incentive for immigrants to come to the United States without authorization.

"Individuals who once thought that if they could get by the Border Patrol or get smuggled in and not apprehended they were home free, that is no longer the case," an administration official said. "An individual who crosses the border illegally and gets past the Border Patrol should no longer feel secure that they're immune from any future enforcement."

So does that mean Trump should abandon his pricey plan to hire more staff for ICE and the Border Patrol?

Don't expect knee-jerk support for the Trump hires from Mark Krikorian, executive director of the pro-enforcement Center for Immigration Studies. When governments decide to hire too many cops too quickly, they sometimes drop their standards, Krikorian warned.

What Krikorian calls "the Trump effect" could argue for the hiring of fewer extra Border Patrol agents, he said, but perhaps more ICE officers responsible for enforcing immigration laws beyond the border. Krikorian also wonders whether the Trump effect might wear off, which could result in a surge of illegal border crossings.

An administration official who spoke on background during a Tuesday press call argued that immigration enforcement has been historically understaffed for its oversize job, so the new positions should be filled. Krikorian also sees the value in using new employees to bury a backlog of nearly 1 million cases that developed during years of chronic understaffing.

And the wall itself? When Trump visited Yuma, Arizona, last week, officials noted that authorities expanded the border fence in 2006 from 5.2 miles to 63 miles and border apprehensions fell by 83 percent.

Krikorian never was a big enthusiast of the fence promise.

"I'm not averse in principle to additional barriers along the border," Krikorian said. "I just don't necessarily think it's job one."

"There are places where we have a decent fence but we need a second layer. There are places where we have just a joke fence and it's falling apart," Krikorian added. And there are places where nature takes away the need for a fence or other barrier.

Of course, Krikorian warned, the Trump effect can discourage illegal immigration only as long as the rest of the world believes Trump will ride enforcement hard. Words alone cannot do the trick.
(TNS) -- Bobby Lopez first tried calling 911 at about 3 a.m. Sunday.The floodwaters that had gushed into his parents' Houston garage were rising. The table where his mother, a partially blind and diabetic 60-year-old, sat with Lopez's father and their 3-year-old grandchild would soon be engulfed.He'd tried driving to them in his truck, but the roads were impassable.Lopez said he tried calling again, and each time, he was told that dozens of people were ahead in line for help. His parents, too, had dialed 911.So Lopez did what countless others have done in the wake of a storm that has devastated a region and overwhelmed emergency dispatchers: He took to social media in hopes that someone -- anyone -- would see the plea and come to his family's rescue."My mom is stuck in Songwood!" he tweeted, tagging, among others, an unofficial Houston Fire Department rescue account and the Houston Police Department. "Mom elderly and disabled and have my nephew."As Harvey ripped through the Houston area Saturday night into Sunday, leaving much of the nation's fourth-most populous city under feet of water, scores of residents who had been told to shelter in place were left stranded.That's when frantic tweets, Facebook messages and videos with captions imploring readers to pass them along began to flood the internet in a kind of improvised emergency dispatch system.The flooding comes as public agencies around the state grapple with tight budgets and overworked staff. In Dallas, high-profile problems with the city's 911 dispatch system have eroded trust.Officials like Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez spent the day retweeting messages with the locations of a cancer patient and a pregnant woman in need of transport.In Dickinson, a photo of nursing home residents waist-deep in murky water was retweeted 207 times. Not much later, 15 seniors were evacuated from the home, according to the Galveston County Daily News.Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, whose office oversees emergency management, said emergency response agencies have a growing array of tools to help them harness social media during a major event."We can use word cloud technology to follow what's happening," he said. "A few years ago, we were testing a Salvation Army system [to track tornado damage] and they knew it before the weather stations did."If residents lose power, they may not have access to the news, but their phones may have battery and cell service.Of course, Jenkins said, there's always the potential for rumors to find extra life online.But, ultimately, "I think it's a net positive on helping people."Still, the catastrophic flooding in Houston may test social media's limits as a way of pinpointing those in most need.By midday Sunday, the Houston Police Department had put out its own message on various social media channels: Stop using those channels to make formal rescue requests. And don't call 911 asking about flooded roads or power outages.Lt. Craig Cummings, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety stationed at the Houston emergency center, said that early on, emergency dispatchers tried to keep track of the requests for help"For a while, we were doing our best," he said. "We just couldn't do it all."Instead, he said, the alphabet soup of agencies responding to emergencies were asking residents to call 911 and just wait."We have several hundred calls backed up -- they think they're not going to get answered," he said. "If someone has an emergency, they need to call 911 and just know that ... it may take a while to get an answer, but the call takers are working through those calls."For Lopez, a lifelong Houston resident, "Wait your turn," wasn't good enough when his parents' safety was on the line."They took care of you; you're supposed to take care of them," he said.Eventually, a neighbor with a boat ferried the family to safety.Lopez's brother contacted another "kid" who was online offering people rides to relatives' homes -- a kid who Lopez described as a "damn angel."With his parents, brother, nephew now asleep at his house near Lake Houston, the father of three said he hopes to help out however he can. If he comes across any pleas for help online, he said, he'll be sure to retweet.
Fernando Alonso has issued a 'Honda or me' ultimatum to McLaren, according to Germany's authoritative Auto Motor und Sport.

It appears that the fiery Spaniard's three years of patience are finally up, amid rumours he faked a Honda engine failure to retire from last Sunday's race at Spa.

"He had a funny feeling with the car," said team boss Eric Boullier, defending Alonso.

But Honda's Yusuke Hasegawa said: "We could not find anything wrong in the data."

It is a complex situation.

Auto Motor und Sport explained that if McLaren dumps Honda, it would be a simple breach of contract but with no consequences.

But if McLaren nudges Honda into quitting the deal, that would involve millions in compensation for the British team.

"In what world do they live?" Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko wondered. "If you get rid of someone, you don't also get money."

So at the moment it appears to be a situation of stalemate, with McLaren waiting for Honda to make a decision -- and vice versa.

Alonso is now making clear what he thinks should happen, particularly as his best alternative for 2018 appears to be a move to Williams-Mercedes.

Boullier said: "With a Mercedes engine, we would be two seconds faster than Williams."

Alonso said of the McLaren situation: "There has to be a change.

"I think there are answers out there but we have to find them -- and they won't come from looking at the sky," he is quoted by Spain's El Mundo Deportivo.

"We have to sit down and work and hope to find the best solution for next year."

(GMM)
The odor and noise that have resulted from asphalt on Clemens Mill Road between Corvallis and Philomath will not prevent two major institutions from using a nearby meeting room.

The Corvallis School District has set a learning department retreat for today at the Philomath Scout Lodge, which is just a short distance down Clemens Mill from an asphalt mixing site that has led to odor and noise complaints since the end of July.

Oregon State, meanwhile, is holding an information services retreat Wednesday at the lodge.

Officials with both entities indicated that they are going forward with their plans and Heidi Ranney, the reservations manager for the Philomath Scout Lodge told the Gazette-Times that we have not received any complaints (or) comments from renters of our facility since the mixing plant opened.

Rollie Baxter, meanwhile, who lives northeast of the plant in the Grand Oaks area of Corvallis, continues to report odor and noise problems from the site, which is providing asphalt for a nearby Highway 20 paving project. The paving project is scheduled to be concluded sometime next month.

The answer to why Baxter, who is farther from the plant than the lodge, is complaining and the lodge isnt, likely is a function of when the plant is operating. The paving work is being done from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights to limit the impact on travelers to and from the coast. Thats when Houck Construction of Salem is mixing the asphalt and its the midnight to 6 a.m. time frame that has produced the bulk of the complaints.

State Department of Environmental Quality inspectors visited the plant Aug. 16 and Aug. 24, but Katherine Benenati, public affairs specialist for the DEQs Eugene office, said there is no timeline yet on a report based on the inspections.

The property is under Benton County jurisdiction, and the temporary asphalt work is outright permitted under the county code. The property is zoned urban industrial. Baxter, who has met with county officials, contends that the code needs to change.

Greg Verret, county community development director, said he will be reviewing our priorities for code amendment projects with the Board of Commissioners in October and that it remains unclear what changes might be made.
Israel-based Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd., a developer of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, has signed an agreement for a pilot project to test its Eyes-On advanced driver assistance system with one of Chinas top three largest car manufacturers. This is the third pilot agreement the company has entered into with leading Chinese car manufacturers in recent months.

The objectives of the pilot project are to demonstrate the performance of Foresights 3D multi-camera-based accident prevention systems, and to study further the Chinese drivers requirements for driver assistance systems, taking into consideration local weather, infrastructure and common driving conduct.

The pilot project will be financed by the manufacturer, except for production, shipping and system installation costs of Foresights Eyes-On system. Moreover, the manufacturer will provide the company the resources required for conducting the pilot project. The agreement defines the test procedure, its requirements and the criteria for its success in a quantitative manner. Eyes-On will be tested in controlled and uncontrolled environments, in varying speeds and against both predefined and incidental targets.

The parties will consider entering into a future commercial agreement based on the results of the pilot project.

The manufacturer is owned by the Chinese government and has a production capacity of millions of vehicles annually, including commercial vehicles, military vehicles and replacement parts for the automotive industry. Furthermore, the manufacturer has an investment arm specializing in locating technologies for the vehicle market.

Foresight, founded in 2015, is a technology company engaged in the design, development and commercialization of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) based on 3D video analysis, advanced algorithms for image processing and artificial intelligence. The company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, develops advanced systems for accident prevention, which are designed to provide real-time information about the vehicles surroundings while in motion.

The systems are designed to alert drivers to threats that might cause accidents, resulting from traffic violations, driver fatigue or lack of concentration, etc., and to enable highly accurate and reliable threat detection while ensuring the lowest rates of false alerts.
eGT will design a new EV with intelligent interconnectivity, that will be in line with the expectations of Chinese customers. It will be built on an A-segment SUV platform jointly developed by the Alliance. It will draw on the global leadership on EV technologies and cost-effective car design experience from the Alliance, and the competitive manufacturing costs from Dongfeng.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd. (Dongfeng) have formed a new joint venture to co-develop and sell electric vehicles (EV) in China. The new joint venture, eGT New Energy Automotive Co., Ltd. (eGT), will focus on the core competencies of each partner and will harness the full potential of the Renault-Nissan Alliance electric vehicle leadership, as well as the resources of Dongfeng in the new energy industry, to meet the expectations of the Chinese market.

Renault, Dongfeng and Nissan (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (Nissan) have signed an agreement to set up the new joint venture. Renault will hold 25% of eGT, Nissan will hold 25% and Dongfeng the remaining 50%.

The newly formed eGT is planned to be based in the City of Shiyan, Hubei Province in central China. The electric vehicle will be produced at the Dongfeng plant of Shiyan which has a production and sales capacity of 120,000 vehicles a year. Start of production of the new EV is forecast in the year 2019.

The establishment of the new joint venture with Dongfeng confirms our common commitment to develop competitive electric vehicles for the Chinese market. We are confident to meet the expectations of the Chinese customers and to strengthen our global electric vehicle leadership position. Carlos Ghosn, chairman and CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance

This project is the result of a joint effort to develop electric vehicles for the Chinese market, by the Golden Triangle formed by Dongfeng, Renault and Nissan, with an innovative business model. We expect to meet the transformation trend of the market in China; where cars are becoming light, electric, intelligent, interconnected and shared. This is also testimony of a deepened and strengthened strategic cooperation between the three parties. Zhu Yanfeng, Chairman of Dongfeng

According to the China Association of automobile manufacturers, China is the worlds largest BEV market. In 2016, 256,879 BEV were sold in China, up 121% from the previous year. In the first seven months of 2017, production of BEVs reached 223,000 units and sales 204,000 units, representing an increase of 37.8% and 33.6% respectively. The new move aims to tap the potential of the fast-growing Chinese segment of the market.
CLOVIS, N.M.  A shooting inside a public library that killed two people and wounded four has deeply shaken an eastern New Mexico community.

The gunman surrendered after the shooting Monday and was taken into custody without incident after police entered the downtown building, authorities and elected officials with the city of Clovis said during a news conference. Warrants for his arrest were being prepared, but it's wasn't immediately clear what charges he would face.

Clovis Mayor David Lansford said things could have been much worse had it not been for the quick response, training and courage of police. He called the shooting tragic and senseless.

"This is a big blow to our community," he said. "Our community is a community that places a high value on life and the sanctity of life. And each life that lives in this community is precious. So we're all hurting right now as a result of what took place this afternoon."

Clovis, a city of about 40,000, is about 200 miles east of Albuquerque, near the Texas state line. The area is home to Cannon Air Force Base. The nearby community of Portales is home to Eastern New Mexico University.

The injured included two men and two women, authorities said. Some were taken to a hospital across the state line in Lubbock, Texas. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.

One woman was seen being helped into an ambulance while a call for air ambulances could be heard over police radio traffic.

The names of the victims and the gunman were not released.

Police said they were still working to process the crime scene and piece together what happened. Police Chief Douglas Ford could not immediately say what kind of gun was used in the attack.

Top elected officials from across New Mexico issued their condolences for the victims and their support for the community. Gov. Susana Martinez called it a "horrific attack."

"In the coming hours and days we will learn more information about this despicable act, but for now I ask all New Mexicans to pray for the victims and their families, and for the entire Clovis community," said Martinez, a former prosecutor.

Attorney General Hector Balderas said his office has reached out to the local district attorney to offer its help.

Sojung Her, a 26-year-old cashier at the Shogun Japanese Steakhouse within view of the library lawn, said the shooting left behind a sense of fear and vulnerability.

"It's kind of a freak thing," she said. "What if he just walked into our restaurant and started shooting?"

Police cars and tactical officers crowded the streets outside as she arrived to work at the restaurant late Monday afternoon.

"This kind of thing never happens here," she said.

Vanessa Aguirre told The Eastern New Mexico News that she was in the library with her son when a man came in and started to shoot into the air.

"It all happened so fast," she said. "We took off fast."
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GREENWICH  Last week, Greenwich resident Carl Higbie began his new job as chief of external affairs at the Corporation for National and Community Service  the federal agency that oversees millions of Americans doing volunteer service through programs like AmeriCorps.

Before his business cards arrived, he found himself helping to plan the response to Hurricane Harvey and its deadly aftermath.

Thousands of people have been rescued from flooded areas of Houston, with heavy rain continuing to fall.

AmeriCorps has been part of the emergency response in the Gulf Coast and is expected to see an increased role as focus turns from rescue toward recovery.

Potential volunteers from all over the country eager to help out, Higbie said Tuesday afternoon.

Right now we are telling people to hold in place, he said. We are going to need people but right now we dont yet know how bad the damage is when we can get started.

AmeriCorps already has a presence on the perimeter of what is being called the disaster zone in Texas, which stretches from Corpus Christi to Houston and is growing as the storm heads toward Louisiana. Higbie said about 300 agency volunteers are deployed in the area working at emergency shelters and making sure displaced people have housing, with 700 more volunteers on standby.

We didnt anticipate the water still being at this high a level for this long, Higbie said. What we dont want to do is get out there now and be in the way of the ongoing rescue effort. We will be out there soon once the water has receded.

More Information How to help The Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Department will hold a fundraiser Wednesday to benefit the relief effort in the Gulf Coast. Firefighters and supporters will be outside the station at 207 Sound Beach Avenue collecting with Red Cross cans, boots and helmets from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. People can also donate donate to the department's efforts at http://www.sbvfd.com/support/. Proceeds will go to the American Red Cross. See More Collapse

Higbie, a former Navy SEAL who served two tours in Afghanistan, is still in Washington D.C. at the CNCS central office. The intention had been to send him and others out earlier, but the storms severity and longevity changed plans. Higbie said he will be going to the affected area as soon as possible.

They agency will rely on local authorities to determine when it is safe for volunteers to arrive in a way that is safe and will not interfere with ongoing rescue operations of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he said.

There are no egos here, Higbie said. We are going to be there to support their efforts and to do the best we can to help people.

Though it could be weeks until more volunteers are on the ground, AmeriCorps will likely be deployed to the Gulf Coast for the next several years, Higbie said.

When AmeriCorps responded to Hurricane Katrina there was heavy lifting for six to eight years and were still there 12 years later, he said. We will need volunteers and we will need funding for the long term after this has dropped out of the headlines of the news.

Once AmeriCorps volunteers are fully deployed in the areas hit hardest by the storm and flooding, one of the first goals will be to clear the debris, and then gut homes and buildings that are damaged beyond repair. Only then can the rebuilding begin.

The devastation from the storm has been incredibly tragic, Higbie said. After starting on the job only last week, he had not expected such a major crisis so soon but said everyone at AmeriCorps is ready to get to work.

Im glad that President Trump has faith in us, Higbie said. AmeriCorps is an incredible department. I have joined a heck of a group of people and they have done so much to make sure I hit the ground running and we havent missed a beat.

More information on volunteering and donating to the relief effort is available at www.nationalservice.gov/focus-areas/disaster-services/hurricane-harvey. The website also has links to resources available through FEMA.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy issued a statement Tuesday urging residents to donate to organizations including the Red Cross (http://redcross.org), Americares (www.americares.org) and the Houston United Way (www.unitedwayhouston.org/flood). Malloy advised people to go https://txvoad.communityos.org/cms/node/104 for a list of organizations that have been vetted by FEMA to make sure their donations go to the right place.

Past experience has taught us that the best way we can help survivors in a disaster, particularly in the first days, is to donate funds to trusted charitable organizations that are often on the front lines working in close partnership with first responders, Malloy said. These funds will help those in need as the Houston region begins to recover. We are grateful to these organizations and to the first responders for all the direct assistance they are providing to the people impacted by this storm.

The IRS issued a warning on Tuesday telling people to be aware of fake charity scams after Hurricane Harvey and to only seek recognized charitable groups.

While there has been an enormous wave of support across the country for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, people should be aware of criminals who look to take advantage of this generosity by impersonating charities to get money or private information from well-meaning taxpayers, the statement said. Such fraudulent schemes may involve contact by telephone, social media, email or in-person solicitations.

The agency said people should never send cash or give out personal information to anyone soliciting a contribution.

A disaster relief page has been set up at www.IRS.gov.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
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GREENWICH  Naquan Ferguson was given two weeks to get his affairs in order before going to prison for a 2011 Greenwich jewelry store robbery.

He never came back to court in 2014, and went on the lam.

Now Ferguson, 31, described as the mastermind of a robbery of Rolex watches from Greenwichs Lux Bond & Green jewelry store, is back in custody.

Ferguson had been hiding out in Asia, where he was recently picked up by the U.S. Marshals Service. Superior Court officials in Stamford confirmed that the wanted felon was back in custody, behind bars in New York.

The South China Morning Post, an English-language daily newspaper based in Hong Kong, carried news of Fergusons arrest late last week, citing a report by the state-run news agency Xinhua. The Hong Kong newspaper ran a photo of Ferguson in handcuffs accompanied by a U.S. Marshal.

In 2014, Ferguson made a deal with state prosecutors, pleading guilty to armed robbery with the threat of a weapon, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and first-degree larceny charges. He was given a sentence of eight-and-one-half years in jail, followed by nine-and-one-half years of special parole.

Ferguson, freed after posting a $200,000 bond, took off before he was due to report for prison in 2014. He now faces a 60-year maximum sentence for the crimes he pleaded guilty to, as well as additional penalties for his escape from custody.

The robbery took place just before 3:15 p.m. on Sept. 23, 2011, when a man, later identified as Raymond Nunes, walked into the Greenwich Avenue store and passed a note saying, I'm holding. Give me your watches. He left with five watches valued at $60,000.

Greenwich police stopped the getaway car and arrested Nunes and another accomplice, Steven Carballo. Four of the five watches were recovered.

Ferguson, originally from Brooklyn, was eventually collared in Texas and brought back to Connecticut. State prosecutors said he was the originator of the robbery.

Greenwich police Lt. David Nemecek said town police would be working with state and federal agencies in coming weeks to close the case against Ferguson. Theres a process, the state works with the Justice Department, he said.

Ferguson was turned over at the Guangzhou International Airport in China on Friday.

It was unclear what Ferguson was doing while he was in Asia. The U.S. Justice Department had asked for help from the Chinese police in tracking the fugitive down, the China News Service reported.

He is due in Superior Court Sept. 6.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
Oaxacan-inspired food and drink at Claro. Photo: Melissa Hom

T.J. Steele first dreamed of opening a farm-to-table Mexican restaurant over a decade ago, when he was executive sous-chef at Union Square Cafe, and you could probably count all the ensuing years spent traveling, eating, and cooking around Mexico as research. (Along the way, he co-founded a mezcal brand, El Buho.) This Friday, dream becomes reality in the form of Claro, Steeles paean to the foods and people of Oaxaca, where he still lives part-time. His partners include co-chef (and fellow Union Square alum) Chad Shaner and designer J.T. Stewart, who also co-own Freeks Mill nearby. But the collaborative spirit extends to Steeles network of friends in Mexico, including the craftsmen who equipped the former Pines space with bar tiles and ceramic dinnerware, and the neighboring mothers and grandmothers who taught Steele their techniques. He developed Claros recipes by asking himself, If she came to the market here, what would she cook?

At the heart of the menu is barbacoa, which is made by rubbing goat with spices, chile, and salt, then steaming it with avocado leaves over a grill in Claros backyard. The steaming liquid becomes a consomme to eat with the meat, which gets crisped for service in hot duck fat. And the tortillas that accompany it are just as labor-intensive: Steele imports heirloom corn from Mexico and nixtamalizes it in-house, then cooks the tortillas on a wood-fired clay comal.

As a professional chef who grew up in an Italian-American family in New Jersey, he found the process of making various masa-based antojitos  memelas, tetelas, tlayudas, garnachas, and quesadillas  reassuringly familiar. Its like different shapes of pasta, he says, describing how form relates to function. How do you want to get this sauce in your mouth? And it was hard not to notice other parallels: how making fresh queso Oaxaca resembled pulling mozzarella, and the overlaps between ricotta and queso fresco, especially when paired with ingredients like squash blossoms and a tomato-based salsa. As you might have suspected, the bar will focus on mezcal  Steeles own and others, in cocktails and straight. Heres a look at the space and some of the food.

Shrimp aguachile. Photo: Melissa Hom

Lobster tostada with corn and husk cherries. Photo: Melissa Hom

Tlayuda with rabbit salpicon. Photo: Melissa Hom

The barbacoa service: goat and all the fixings. Photo: Melissa Hom

Elsas mole with turkey. Photo: Melissa Hom

The wood-fired comal. Photo: Melissa Hom

The back patio. Photo: Melissa Hom

Outdoor-kitchen counter. Photo: Melissa Hom

Mezcal central. Photo: Melissa Hom

Chica Mi Tipo with tequila, Aperol, and grapefruit. Photo: Melissa Hom

Casa Famosa, a mezcal cocktail with chamomile syrup and pimento dram. Photo: Melissa Hom

284 Third Ave., nr. Carroll St., Gowanus; 347-721-3126
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Shortly after its live images and hands-on video leaked, pricing and availability information for the Samsung Galaxy J7+ has leaked as well. The device is said to carry a tag of THB 12,900 (around $390).

As for availability, pre-orders will go live this week (September 1 onwards) and the window will close on September 17. The handset will go on sale September 22 onwards. Those pre-ordering will get free Samsung U Flex wireless headset worth $75. And if you order through Samsung Brand Shop, there's another freebie worth $10.

Thailand will be the first country to get the device. There's currently no information on if and when other key markets will be getting the phone.

Source
Theres no doubt that Samsung can make some of the best display panels on the market. After all, Samsung makes its own TVs and even supplies panels to other TV manufacturers.

With that much display experience and research under its belt, Samsung is well equipped to push the limits of its own smartphone displays so much so that Samsung keeps outdoing its other smartphones on DisplayMates tests.

For reference, the Samsung Galaxy S8 also scored an A+ on DisplayMates tests (the Galaxy S7 and S7edge have won the same title in the past),and the Galaxy Note8 has beat the S8s excellent score. For starters, the Note8 gets 22% higher peak brightness than the Galaxy S8, reaching past 1,200 nits, which is very impressive. Of course, the Note8 gets the same HDR certifications that the S8 got.

Other highlights include: Full 100% color gamut used on 4K TVs certified by the UHD alliance. Larger native color gamut with deeper reds. 112% DCI-P3 and 141% of sRGB. Samsung offers an extensive choice of color calibrations and fine-tuning of the displays color balance.

If youd like to dig into the Galaxy S8s full display test results from DisplayMate, check out the Source link below. With these results, were excited to put the Galaxy Note8s display through our testing process for the full review. Stay tuned for that!

Source | Via
IFA is taking place later this week in Berlin, and as usual there will be plenty of mobile-related events. Samsung's is scheduled for August 30 at 6 PM local time, and today the Korean company took to Twitter to release its first teaser for the grand unveiling of its next wearable.

What's new in wearables? You're about to find out. Watch live on 08.30.2017 at https://t.co/D1o7wTsE5H pic.twitter.com/7z0qMrkIQK  Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) August 28, 2017

As you can see, the tweet clearly acknowledges that the event will be focused on showing the world what's new in that particular space, and intriguingly enough it will apparently reveal "your new normal", whatever that may mean.

The upcoming Gear Sport smartwatch was leaked a few days ago, and this is the prime candidate for becoming official this Wednesday. It should arrive with 50m water resistance (so you'll be able to swim with it worry-free), a round touchscreen, a heart rate monitor, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Tizen 3.0 as the OS of choice.
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[Last night Valley Girl outlined, in Parts I (here) and II (here) , some of the corrupt business practices that have long been at the center of the Trump Organization's dealings with the former Soviet Union. This evening's segment is about Trump's shenanigans in Moscow itself... and in the midst of the 2016 presidential campaign.]

-by Valley Girl





Washington Post breaking news is: While Donald Trump was running for president in late 2015 and early 2016, his company was pursuing a plan to develop a massive Trump Tower in Moscow, according to several people familiar with the proposal and new records reviewed by Trump Organization lawyers. The article goes on to mention Scanning the news this morning, I found this WaPo article . Thebreaking news is: While Donald Trump was running for president in late 2015 and early 2016, his company was pursuing a plan to develop a massive Trump Tower in Moscow, according to several people familiar with the proposal and new records reviewed by Trump Organization lawyers. The article goes on to mention Felix Sater and the Bayrock Group, among other principals. (remember that these names are just a Google search away.) OK, the fact that Trump was pursuing the idea of a Trump Tower in Moscow is news.









In court, Trump, lying with impunity, pretended to not know Sater





A ZEMBLA investigation suggests that the American real estate company Bayrock, through which Donald Trump constructed hotels and apartment complexes, siphoned off $1.5 million by setting up a corporate structure in the Netherlands in 2007. ZEMBLA discovered that the corporate construction was established on the advice of an external legal counsel, namely Bracewell & Giuliani, also known for Rudi Giuliani, former mayor of New York and Trump confidante. The ultimate beneficiary owners of the Dutch business construction: the director of Bayrock and the Khrapunov family from Kazakhstan. Head of the family is Viktor Khrapunov, a former mayor and governor from Kazakhstan, who has been accused of embezzling hundreds of millions of state assets. In 2013 the Khrapunov family bought three apartments in Trump SoHo: Bayrock and Donald Trump are owners of that hotel-condominium.



One of the Bayrock owners is the Russian born Felix Sater, Trumps former business partner. Though Sater spent years trying to line up deals with Donald Trumps real estate organization all over the world, Trump has denied knowing Sater. The two met in 2003 when Trump was looking to expand his business globally. Because Sater failed to divulge his criminal history to Trump, he became a liability, putting the presidents financial interest at substantial risk. Should civil or criminal misconduct be proven in the care of Bayrock, Trump could be found complicit, possibly costing him millions of dollars in fines and/or penalties. The president has announced he will get to the bottom of the matter, but documents from the Bayrock corporation show otherwise: Trump actually tried to benefit from the situation, even risking leverage from anyone who knew of his jeopardy.

Russian Mafia figure Felix Sater with shady business associate





And from Salon:

Nearly every newsworthy story about the White House this week (May 2017) has contained one common thread: Russia. Whether it involves President Donald Trump facing backlash for sharing highly classified information with Russian diplomats or encountering fallout from the firing of FBI Director James Comey amid the bureaus investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election with possible ties to Trump, his relationship with Russia is proving to be ever relevant.



In examining Trumps business partners, the filmmakers encounter the Russian mafia, including business and personal connections to oligarchs in Russia. The documentary takes a close look at Trumps connections to the country, starting with his first trip to Russia in the 1980s.



The Zembla filmmakers interview some of Trumps controversial friends, a former CIA agent, fraud investigators and attorneys, as well as U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat representing Rhode Island.



In the film, Malcolm Nance, a former U.S. intelligence officer, discusses Trumps tendency to shy away from negative assessments of Russians: If youre a gambling addict and you owe someone a lot of money, you will never insult your bookie, Nance says.

Dutch Documentary Part II: Blood on Trump and Kushner's Hands from Deals with Africa War Zone Diamond Mines Lev Leviev's diamond empire stretches from Angola to Moscow, London and Amsterdam.



The Trump familys business partners have blood on their hands owing to deals with notorious diamond brokers who operate mines in war torn Africa and own jewelry stores in London, Moscow and Amsterdam.



That's the premise in Part Two of a documentary series by the Dutch TV network Zembla, The Dubious Friends of Donald Trump: King of Diamonds. It shows how the U.S. president and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, have apparent partnerships with an Israeli billionaire who is tied to trading in blood diamonds, as the film's description notes, and how this relationship overlaps with power circles in Russia reaching President Vladimir Putin and Russian oligarchs.



In the second part of our program about Donald Trumps controversial friends, we will set our sights on the Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev, who is controversial because he is suspected of trading in blood diamonds, says the documentary's YouTube summary. He is one of the worlds biggest diamond traders and owns prestigious stores in New York and Moscow, but he is also the owner of Siebel, the Netherlands biggest jewelry chain. Leviev has ties with Russian president Putin, U.S. president Trump and his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner. Trump, however, claims he hardly knows this King of Diamonds. Zembla investigates Lev Levievs business empire.



The first part of the documentary series focused on Trumps ties to Russian mobsters and oligarchs. That eye-opening report showed how Trump nurtured deals with oligarchs seeking to get their riches out of Russia and revealed how Trump signed off on international money-laundering schemes, including one set up by the law firm of ex-New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. In the second part, we see how Trump is willing to make deals with anyone who can offer him a return, regardless of the suffering involved. The documentary also shines a light on Kushners relationships, which blend business, politics and religion.



There are a half-dozen takeaways from Part II, said James S. Henry, a corporate lawyer-turned-financial investigative reporter who has written lengthy exposes of Trumps Russian connections and is featured in the film.







I think the real news and interest in Part Two involves the exposure of apparent Trump partner Leviev's reported deep involvement in (a) trafficking in Angolan blood diamonds by way of his special arrangement with Eduardo dos Santos and family, the country's long-time dictator and chief kleptocrat; (b) Leviev's close ties to Putin; (c) Leviev's extensive business dealings with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner; (d) the extensive financial support that both Leviev and Kushner have given to extremist Israel settlerssupport that appears to be inconsistent with the role that Kushner has apparently been given by the Trump administration with respect to the peace process; and (e) Leviev's alleged extensive use of non-transparent Dutch and other offshore holding companies to facilitate all these dodgy practices, Henry wrote in an email to AlterNet.



Sander Rietveld, the documentarys lead reporter, said Part Two is relevant for American audiences and lawmakers because it raises questions about Trumps business relationships that can only be answered by examining his tax returns. Congressional Democrats have said Trumps returns must be fully released before any consideration of federal tax reform.







I think this is an excellent example of why President Trump needs to disclose his tax returns, Rietveld said in an email. Only when he does so, we'll know if and how he was engaged in a business deal with Lev Leviev [beyond the public relations materials shown in the film]. Given the extensive business empire of Leviev, Trump and he could have been together in real estate in the U.S., in Russia or in Eastern Europe. Or in some kind of diamond operation. According to well-established experts and investigators these kinds of operations in Africa and specifically in Angola are related to severe human rights abuses committed by security firms hired by mining companies.



The film also examines the business circles Kushner travels in, showing overlapping ties between conservative Jewish groups and clerics and politically powerful Russians and Israelis, including Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu.



The overlap of business and ideology and politics is another takeaway from this story, Rietveld said. Jared Kushner, the president's man for the Middle East, and Leviev's company AFI USA not only made a multimillion-dollar deal; they also seem to share a political view on Israel and the Palestinian territories. Both of them have been active in supporting settlements on the West Bank, which according to international law are illegal. And both of them have a very good relationship with the current, very right-wing Israeli government, and more personally with Bibi Netanyahu.

For my money (thats an idiom) part 2 of the documentary is by far the most explosive, and provides damning information about Jared Kushner and his circle of friends

New York Times today. Heres another twist from thetoday.

A business associate of President Trump promised in 2015 to engineer a real estate deal with the aid of the president of Russia, Vladimir V. Putin, that he said would help Mr. Trump win the presidency.



The associate, Felix Sater, wrote a series of emails to Mr. Trumps lawyer, Michael Cohen, in which he boasted about his ties to Mr. Putin and predicted that building a Trump Tower in Moscow would highlight Mr. Trumps savvy negotiating skills and be a political boon to his candidacy.



Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it, Mr. Sater wrote in an email. I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this, I will manage this process.



The emails show that, from the earliest months of Mr. Trumps campaign, some of his associates viewed close ties with Moscow as a political advantage. Those ties are now under investigation by the Justice Department and multiple congressional committees.



American intelligence agencies have concluded that the Russian government interfered with the 2016 presidential election to try to help Mr. Trump. Investigators want to know whether anyone on Mr. Trumps team was part of that process.



Mr. Sater, a Russian immigrant, said he had lined up financing for the Trump Tower deal with VTB Bank, a Russian bank that was under American sanctions for involvement in Moscows efforts to undermine democracy in Ukraine. In another email, Mr. Sater envisioned a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Moscow.



I will get Putin on this program and we will get Donald elected, Mr. Sater wrote.



To be clear, the Trump Organization has never had any real estate holdings or interests in Russia, the Trump Organization said Monday in a statement.



The Trump Organization on Monday turned over emails to the House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russian meddling in the presidential election and whether anyone in Mr. Trumps campaign was involved. Some of the emails were obtained by The Times.



None of the emails obtained by The Times include any responses from Mr. Cohen to Mr. Saters messages.



In a statement on Monday, Mr. Cohen suggested that he viewed Mr. Saters comments as puffery. He has sometimes used colorful language and has been prone to salesmanship, the statement said. I ultimately determined that the proposal was not feasible and never agreed to make a trip to Russia.



Mr. Sater was a broker for the Trump Organization at the time of his messages to Mr. Cohen, which means he was paid to deliver real estate deals and had an incentive to overstate his business-making acumen. He presents himself in his emails as so influential in Russia that he helped arrange a 2006 trip that Mr. Trumps daughter, Ivanka, took to Moscow.



I arranged for Ivanka to sit in Putins private chair at his desk and office in the Kremlin, he said.



Ms. Trump said she had no involvement in the discussions about the Moscow deal. In a statement, she said that during the 2006 trip, she took a brief tour of Red Square and the Kremlin as a tourist. She said it is possible she sat in Mr. Putins chair during that tour but she did not recall it. I have never met President Vladimir Putin, she said.

The story is worthy, but really doesnt give away much about Felix Sater. In fact, Sater is/ was a Russian Syndicate Crime Boss, and is part of a Moscow-organized crime family. Sater becomes an FBI informant. The American government covers up his fraud, and Saters trial transcripts are closed. In Congressional hearings, the then FBI Director James Comey has no comment to questions about Sater.





Watch part 1 of ZEMBLAs investigative report below. But skip ahead to 16:03 and listen until 24:05. The information above is in this part.





I'd like to know exactly when Felix Sater became an FBI informant. That may be unknowable. But, the question is: were his emails sent before or after that. Over and out!




Haiti - FLASH : 20 bullet impacts on the American shot down in Petion-ville





Following the murder Saturday evening in Petion-ville of a US citizen https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21934-haiti-flash-an-american-shot-dead-in-petion-ville.html , the Deputy Spokesperson of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), inspector Gary Desrosiers has brought some clarification.



He revealed the identified victim who would be a certain Benjamin R. Craft, an American of Haitian origin, who was shot while leaving a high-end restaurant in Petion-ville.



According to Gary Desrosiers, this murder has all the appearances of an execution.



He also indicated that the person who was injured was a security guard. He confirmed that so far no arrests had taken place and that the motive for the murder was unknown until now.



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Security : New Special Border Police Unit





Michel-Ange Gedeon, Director General of the Haitian National Police (PNH) announced the creation of a new specialized police unit whose mission is to monitor and control the land border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, in cooperation with the Customs and Immigration Department.



This new special border police unit that will have at term in 2018, 600 men to be deployed along the border, currently has a staff of 100 officers to be deployed in the Northeast. Their mission is to combat, inter alia, transnational crime, human trafficking and trafficking in arms and narcotics.



Another specialized unit will be exclusively responsible for combating smuggling between the two countries.



At the same time, the capacities of the Coast Guard, the Swat and the Drug Trafficking Brigade (BLTS) have been strengthened to combat trafficking in narcotics on national territory.



In addition to this unit, a coordination unit was set up to facilitate communication between departmental divisions and to plan joint interventiosn and operations.



TB/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - FLASH : Minister of MHAVE denies rumor of diaspora tax





Monday, in the second part of the "Monday of the Press", Stephanie Auguste, Minister of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE) in the presence of the Minister of the Economy and Finance, Jude Alix Patrick wanted to calm the tension and to deny the false information circulating in the diaspora concerning the payment by all Haitians abroad of 186 US dollars and to clarify the question of the flat-rate income tax of 10,000 gourdes included in the draft budget for 2017-2018.



"There is no question of paying 186 dollars on arrival in Haiti, neither to the Consulates nor to the Embassies of Haiti for the request of a public service," declared firmly the Minister "The question of the income tax does not refer particularly to the diaspora, it concerns all Haitian Or any national of other countries undertaking transactions in Haiti that involve income (importing goods, selling land, buying / selling a vehicle, or claiming the issuance of a passport, etc...) the Minister continued before to invite his colleague from the Ministry of the Economy to intervene.



Minister Solomon clarified the issue of 10,000 gourdes and provided general information on income tax. According to the Minister, citizens whose annual income is less than 60,000 gourdes are not subject to the payment of this tax. However, it is necessary to present the certificate of filing of final declaration to conclude certain transactions. Any citizen not in a position to present it, at the time of a transaction or a public service which requires this document, will have to pay the lump sum of 10,000 gourdes, as provided for in the draft budget for 2017-2018. It would therefore be in the interest of citizens to make their final tax return annually at the prescribed time, advises the Minister, a practice designed to encourage tax compliance.



HL/ HaiLibre


















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Prior to the special screening that followed the press conference, a short program was held where the actor generously gave out hugs and even did "aegyo' when requested. He also sang a few lines of "I Will Love You" from the soundtrack of "Monstar", much to the delight of the fans. Kang Ha-neul and director Kim took a group photo with the attendees right before the movie commenced.

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Published on 2017/08/29 | Source

Added episodes 31 and 32 captures for the Korean drama "Bad Thief, Good Thief" (2017)

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Directed by Jang Joon-ho, Oh Kyeong-hoon

Written by Cha I-yeong, Son Yeong-mok

Network : MBC

With Ji Hyun-woo, Seohyun, Kim Ji-hoon-I, Lim Ju-eun, Ahn Kil-kang, Jung Kyung-soon,...

50 episodes - Sat, Sun 22:00

Synopsis

A story of thieves who affect the authorities that manipulate Korea. It serves to bring satisfaction to those who are frustrated at the reality of the world.

Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2017/05/13

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By Lily Lee | Published on 2017/08/28 | Source

Yoona was featured on the cover of the fashion magazine Allure Korea. She is keeping herself busy this season with her appearance in the drama "The King Loves" and her activity as the member of the popular K-pop girl group Girl's Generation. Because this is Girl's Generation's tenth anniversary, they've released two songs and have appeared in lots of different variety shows. On top of her busy schedule, she was able to stun us with her beauty on the cover Allure Korea!

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For the photoshoot, Yoona dressed in mature yet feminine fall look and she is as gorgeous as ever. In the interview that followed the photoshoot, she shared her honest feelings towards her latest drama, "The King Loves".

"For my character, Eun-san,I thought that a character with such a wide variety of emotions and proactive personality would be a great acting experience. I was able to discuss a lot of things with the scriptwriter. Since the script is so good, I stayed true to the script".

As for the teamwork of the cast, she shared, "Since everyone has gotten so close to one another, we have a group chat with nearly twenty people in it. In the chat, we talked about going to visit Im Si-wan oppa, who is serving in the military".

Regarding her very first movie, "Confidential Assignment", she expressed her love for it. "Confidential Assignment" has given me so many things. I was able to develop an even larger passion for acting".



By Lily Lee
. . .
VIRGINIA CITY  As the Nevada Department of Transportation celebrated the completion of the new Infinity Highway, formerly U.S.A. Parkway, on Monday, Comstock Mining Inc. announced that the infrastructure improvements will help the company sell its nonmining-related assets in the area.

Three months ahead of schedule, NDOT completed the $75.9 million project and a large multilane roundabout at the intersection of the Infinity Highway, or State Route 439, and U.S. Route 50. The roadway improvements are in the vicinity of Comstock Minings certified, shovel-ready, 98-acre Comstock Industrial Site and senior water rights in Silver Springs.

Comstock Mining Inc. also announced Tuesday that it has escrowed the sale of 54 acre-feet of water rights in two transactions that should generate more than $550,000 upon closing the first week in September, according to a press release. The funds will be used to pay down long-term debt. The company has more than 203 acre-feet of additional water rights available for use in this development area.

The sale of water rights and value of remaining water rights mark these properties at a much higher market value than originally anticipated for the entire industrial complex, said Corrado De Gasperis, president and CEO of Comstock Mining. We see the early opening of the Infinity Highway as a catalyst for both the speed and value of the properties we are monetizing.

The Comstock Industrial Site is between the Silver Springs Airport and the rezoned downtown Silver Springs parcels, and the recently completed Infinity Highway. The property is in immediate proximity to where the Infinity Highway connects with U.S. Route 50 from Interstate 80, through the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center.

Local officials also announced four new transactions resulting in more than 5,000 acres of additional purchases in progress, including multiple high-tech companies, accelerating development in the TRI Center, especially southward toward Comstock properties. The company plans to monetize certain nonmining related lands, buildings and water rights, including this certified site, for expected net cash proceeds of more than $14 million over the next year.
Family Ties Take Center Stage as Justice Department Defends Scope of Travel Ban

by Matthew Renda, Court House News, August 28, 2017

President Donald Trumps travel ban was back in court on Monday afternoon, as attorneys for the Justice Department and the state of Hawaii squared off in Ninth Circuit to settle the question of what the U.S. Supreme Court meant by bona fide relationship.

This past June, the Supreme Court agreed to decide whether Trumps executive order banning travel by citizens of six Muslim-majority nations violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

The countries include Libya, Somalia, Iran, Syria, Yemen and Sudan.

In so doing, the high courts justices also stayed the injunctions that prevented the government from implementing the executive order in the short-term unless people had a bona fide relationship with the United States, typically interpreted to mean close family members.

However, Hawaii  where the injunction on the executive order originated  said the interpretation by the federal government, which would only allow immediate family members and not grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, was too narrow.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson agreed with the state last month, finding the Trump administrations interpretation was too narrow. The Justice Department appealed, and both sides took their places before a three-judge appellate panel on Monday.

Judging by the content and tenor of the questions asked by the judges of Justice Department attorney Hashim Mooppan, the government faces an uphill battle.

In what universe is a grandmother not a close family member? Circuit Judge Ronald Gould, a President Bill Clinton appointee, asked.

The Supreme Court has made this entire issue clear when they use a mother-in-law as an example of a close family member, Senior Circuit Judge Michael Daly Hawkins said.

Mooppan fielded tough questions all day, but continued to assert that the Supreme Court nodded to the definition of close family relationships in the original executive order.

Attorney for Hawaii Colleen Sinzdak said such an interpretation is not supported by the Immigration and Nationality Act, which draws a distinction between close and immediate family.

The Supreme Court held that when a foreign national has a relationship with an individual or an entity, the harm inflicted by her exclusion outweighs the alleged harms the government asserted, Sinzdak said, arguing the governments position stems from a fundamental misreading of the Supreme Courts limited stay on the injunction.

Circuit Judge Richard Paez rounded out the Ninth Circuit panel, which took the matter under submission and is expected to rule within three months.

Whatever the Ninth Circuits ruling, it will have a limited shelf life as the Supreme Court will take up the travel bans constitutionality on Oct. 10.

---30---
Grassroot Institute Testifies on Jones Act in Washington, DC

President Keli'i Akina Discusses Acts Economic Impact, Reform at SBA Hearing

News Release from Grassroot Institute

WASHINGTON, DC  Aug. 28, 2018  Today, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii defended Hawaiis small businesses against the economic unfairness of the Jones Act. In a special hearing before the Small Business Administration, Grassroot President Kelii Akina, Ph.D. spoke about the economic harm caused by the cabotage provisions of federal law and advocated for reform.

More than 20 federal regulatory agencies were represented at the hearing, which was held by the SBA Regulatory Fairness Board. Dr. Akina told the Board how the Jones Act (which requires that goods shipped between U.S. ports be carried on ships built and flagged in the U.S., with predominantly American crews) affects Hawaiis economy.

What that means for business owners and consumers is that they often must pay more to ship or buy goods, because the Jones Act requires shippers between U.S. ports to use higher-cost ships and higher-cost crews, said Dr. Akina. In a state like Hawaii, which is highly dependent on shipping, the costs imposed by the Jones Act can be a huge barrier to small businesses.

Dr. Akina continued: Efforts to quantify the economic effect of the Jones Act put its cost to Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii at about $5 billion to $15 billion annually. But these arent the only places where business is held hostage by the Jones Act. It affects all states and territories that rely upon shipping to send or receive goods on ships traveling between U.S. ports, including Guam.

Dr. Akina urged the Board to support Jones Act reform that would eliminate the U.S.-build and U.S.-ownership requirements in federal law. He stressed that this would eliminate a law that protects the shipping industry at the expense of American consumers and businesses.

Dr. Akina concluded: It is time we brought this almost century-old body of legislation up to date with tailored changes that would lessen the damage it for too long has imposed on our economy.

* * * * *

Taking Jones Act Message to Washington

by Dr Kelii Akina PhD, Grassroot Institute September 1, 2017

This week, I had the honor of speaking on behalf of Hawaii's small businesses at a hearing in Washington, DC.

It was an interesting scene. I was there with representatives from more than 20 regulatory agencies (and many different small business interests) to talk about the regulatory burden on small business and what government can (and must) do to ease it.

I had been invited specifically to address an issue on which the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is rapidly becoming recognized as a national expert: the economic impact of the Jones Act.

In front of the Regulatory Fairness Board of the Small Business Administration, I testified about how the Jones Act forces entrepreneurs and small businesses in Hawaii to compete on an unfair playing field.

We've spoken at length about how the Jones Act affects consumers, both in Hawaii and around the nation, but we should not ignore how difficult the cabotage provisions can be for Hawaii businesses -- especially the ones that hope to expand.

One example I provided was of The French Gourmet, a 1997 SBA Exporter of the Year that was forced to close its doors in 2012. The owner pointed to the fact that its shipping costs had nearly tripled in three years, forcing the company out of business. Because the Jones Act limited the companys shipping options, there was no way for it to continue.

By hamstringing Hawaii's small businesses, the Jones Act does continual damage to our economy. It's ironic that every year the Hawaii Legislature considers different credits and incentives to grow new industries in our state. Yet, one of the most promising avenues to foster growth would be nothing more than for it request that Congress consider modernizing the Jones Act.

That's why the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is carrying this message to Washington. If our state Congressional delegation won't represent the interests of small in business in our state, then we will.

E hana kakou (Lets work together!),

Keli'i Akina, Ph.D.

President/CEO

* * * * *

August 28, 2017

Testimony of Kelii Akina, Ph.D.

President, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

WHEN IT COMES to federal barriers facing small businesses in Hawaii, there is one body of legislation that guarantees they are competing on an uneven playing field: the so-called Jones Act.

When we refer to the Jones Act, we really are talking about the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, which includes cabotage provisions affecting commerce in U.S. waters and between U.S. ports.

Most egregiously, these provisions require that goods shipped between U.S. ports be carried on vessels built and flagged in the U.S., with predominantly American crews.

What that means for business owners and consumers is that they often must pay more to ship or buy goods, because the Jones Act requires shippers between U.S. ports to use higher-cost ships and higher-cost crews.

In a state like Hawaii, which is highly dependent on shipping, the costs imposed by the Jones Act can be a huge barrier to small businesses. Larger businesses usually can absorb such costs; smaller companies cannot.

Stories of Jones Act difficulties for Hawaii businesses abound  like The French Gourmet, a 1997 SBA Exporter of the Year that was forced to close its doors in 2012. The owner pointed to the fact that shipping costs had nearly tripled in three years, forcing the company out of business. Because the Jones Act limited the companys shipping options, there was no way for it to continue.

Efforts to quantify the economic effect of the Jones Act put its cost to Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii at about $5 billion to $15 billion annually. But these arent the only places where business is held hostage by the Jones Act. It affects all states and territories that rely upon shipping to send or receive goods on ships traveling between U.S. ports, including Guam.

Because of the Jones Act, it is cheaper for American livestock farmers to buy grain overseas than from U.S. suppliers. Companies on the East Coast cannot afford to get lumber from the Pacific Northwest. And transporting oil from Texas to New England is approximately three times more expensive than shipping it to Europe.

What we seek is to bring the Jones Act in line with the 21st century, and thereby eliminate a burden on small business and the economy.

Toward that end, we propose repealing the U.S.-build requirement of the almost century-old Merchant Marine Act of 1920 under Section 46 USC 12112, and the U.S.-owned requirement under Section 46 USC 12103.

Doing this would eliminate the need for the existing exemptions to the build requirement for vessels captured in war, forfeited for a breach of U.S. law, and wrecked on a U.S. coast, under section 46 USC 12107.

This change would require a few minor conforming amendments, which we would be happy to provide for you, if needed.

Though an act of Congress is required to take decisive action on the Jones Act, there are several federal agencies that should be involved, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Coast Guard, which handle documentation and authorization of the vessels in question; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which has a special office to deal with Jones Act issues: the Jones Act Division of Enforcement.

Many studies have conclusively shown that the Jones Act has outlived its usefulness in promoting national defense, and now operates primarily as a protectionist scheme for a few in the shipping industry at the expense of the many American consumers and businesses who rely on shipping to prosper and survive.

It is time we brought this almost century-old body of legislation up to date with tailored changes that would lessen the damage it for too long has imposed on our economy.

* * * * *
Employers are estimated to owe staff $2.85bn in superannuation guarantee entitlements from the 2014/15 financial year, according to an analysis by the Australian Taxation Office.



Moreover, the audit shows employers have been robbing about $17bn from Australian workers since 2009 by avoiding their obligation to pay the compulsory superannuation guarantee.



The ATO estimates the compulsory super gap to be 5.2%, or $2.85bn, of the total estimated $54.78bn that employers were required to pay in 2014-15.



ATO deputy commissioner James OHalloran said that while this analysis shows that 95% of the estimated superannuation guarantee is paid to employees, the gap exists because some employers appear not to be paying enough or not paying it at all.



Superannuation has a vital role in providing for peoples retirement, and any non-payment is of concern, he said.



The ATO has a range of strategies and activities in place to educate, support, monitor and enforce compliance by employers. We encourage people to report instances of non-payment to us and we respond to every one of the approximately 20,000 reports of possible non-payment of SG from employees or former employees we receive each year.



The Turnbull Government has announced today it will provide the ATO with additional funding for a Superannuation Guarantee Taskforce to crackdown on employer non-compliance.



The package builds on legislation already announced to close a legal loophole used by unscrupulous employers to short-change employees who make salary-sacrifice contributions to their superannuation.



The Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, Kelly ODwyer, said employers failure to meet their SG obligations to their employees has been a problem ever since it was introduced in 1992.



Employers who deliberately do not pay their workers superannuation entitlements are robbing their workers of their wages. This is illegal and wont be tolerated, said ODwyer.



The Turnbull Government is taking action to safeguard and modernise the SG so employers cant hide from their legal duty. We will give all Australians confidence that the superannuation system is working in their best interests.



The Federal Government is also aiming to make employers make monthly contributions so the ATO can better identify non-compliance.




Aug. 27

Miguel Aboytes, 38, of Spring Creek was arrested on Lamoille Highway for DUI and failure to maintain lane or improper lane change. Bail: $ 1,255

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Jake W. Beasly, 44, of Fort Hall, Idaho was arrested at 4420 Idaho St. for fugitive felon from other state and failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor. Bail : $500

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Victor J. Carves, 20, of Elko was arrested at Stockmens Casino for minor purchasing or consuming alcoholic beverage and minor in possession of alcoholic beverage. Bail: $1,065

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Francisco J. Haro, 23, of West Wendover was arrested at 101 Wendover Blvd. for commit or attempt fraudulent act in a gaming establishment. Bail: $10,000

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Keoni K. Miles, 23, of Spring Creek was arrested on Lamoille Highway for DUI and failure to keep right passing vehicle on opposite direction.

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Joshua B. Nelson, 26, of Logan, Utah was arrested on Interstate 80 for driving with a suspended license. Bail: $355

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Jose Quintero, 28, of Salt Lake City was arrested on Interstate 80 for failure to appear after bail on a felony. No bail listed.
Security was the underlying theme of the long-anticipated meeting between President Sauli Niinisto and President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC, the United States, on Monday.

We discussed the importance of the transatlantic bond between the European Union and the United States, he revealed, identifying the growing presence of Nato and the United States in the Baltic Sea Region and Europe as an important contributor to stability.

Related posts: Presidents Niinisto and Trump to meet in White House in late August (18 August, 2017)

Finland will also do its part, asserted Niinisto.

We promote dialogue. To reduce risks, Finland has proposed steps to improve flight safety in the Baltic Sea. They are small but positive steps in re-opening dialogue between Nato and Russia. We remain committed to supporting Afghanistan, and were a dedicated member of the global coalition against Isis, he said.

Niinisto also pointed out that bilateral relations between Finland and the United States are currently more expansive than ever, ranging from security and defence co-operation all the way to trade and innovation.

Trump, meanwhile, called particular attention to cyber security.

Finland is a leading expert in cyber security, he estimated. The United States is a very proud partner of Finlands European centre of excellence for countering modern threats, including cyber attacks.

The United States is also looking forward to the leadership of Finland as the chairman of the Arctic Council, according to Trump. The Arctic, he highlighted, is of great economic and strategic importance to both Finland and the United States.

Also Niinisto drew attention to the significance of the region and, especially, to the efforts to preserve it: We can't afford to lose the pristine Arctic nature. Finland firmly believes that business and environment can both be winners in the Arctic. A good example is reducing black carbon.

Finlands commitment to the joint efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan were also acknowledged by the US President. Finland is currently participating in Natos Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan with a contingent of roughly 30 military personnel and has deployed troops to provide military training to local troops in Northern Iraq.

Americans are grateful for your steadfast support as an ally in the fight against terrorism, said Trump.

He also delivered a message to the people of Finland following the suspected terror attack that took place in Turku, South-west Finland, on 18 August: We stand in solidarity with you against the terrorist threat. We must all work together to deny terrorists safe havens, cut off their finances and defeat their very wicked ideology.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto  Lehtikuva
More than a sixth (17.5%) of respondents to the poll revealed that they would cast their vote for the opposition party if the parliamentary elections were held today, signalling an increase of 3.2 percentage points from the previous poll in May.

The Green League has held on to its status as the second most popular political party in Finland, finds a poll by Helsingin Sanomat .

The increase would be equivalent to roughly 80,000 new supporters if the number of people who turn up to ballot boxes is presumed to have stayed unchanged at 2.9 million, the newspaper highlights.

The National Coalition remains the most common choice among voters although its share of the hypothetical vote slipped by half a percentage point to 20.7 per cent.

Both the Centre and Social Democrats trail the Green League by only 0.2 percentage points after the former halted its over six-month slide by recording a 0.9 percentage point increase in voter support and the latter saw its popularity plummet by 2.3 percentage points from the previous poll by Helsingin Sanomat.

The newspaper also points out that support for the ruling three-party coalition has slumped to a historic low of 39.7 per cent, with no more than 1.7 per cent of respondents indicating their willingness to vote for the third member of the ruling coalition, the New Alternative, which yesterday officially changed its name to Blue Reform Parliamentary Group.

Over 2,600 people were interviewed for the poll between 17 July and 18 August by TNS Gallup.

The increase in voter support for the Green League has coincided with a decrease in support for the Social Democratic Party. Sakari Nurmela, a director at TNS Gallup, is nevertheless unconvinced that the increase is solely attributable to voters re-considering their political allegiances.

The Green League is seen in a very positive light both on the right and on the left, he states to Helsingin Sanomat.

The Green League, he adds, has benefited not only from a decrease in class-conscious voting but also from the fact that it is not burdened by ties to powerful interest groups or a fixed position in the political left-to-right axis.

The left-to-right axis is not as important for this group of voters. What theyre looking for are matching values as well as actions, solutions and good ideas. I believe this is the kind of group thats behind the support for the Greens, analyses Nurmela.

The Green League emerged as the second most popular party in the country also in a poll by YLE between July and August.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto  Lehtikuva
ELKO  The school year is off to a smooth start around the county except for the students at Grammar No. 2, who are being kept out of classrooms because of a rabid bat.

Last week, a teacher heard a noise coming from the ceiling tiles and called the maintenance staff to see what it was. Staff discovered a bat caught in the ceiling, and its behavior created suspicion that it may be infected with rabies.

The test for rabies came back positive, and now the school district will have to decide whats next after officially canceling the first week of classes at Grammar No. 2.

Elko County School District Superintendent Jeff Zander said bats at the school are nothing new, but the presence of rabies has created concern from the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services.

For years, there have been bats at Grammar No. 2, and they caught a live bat on Friday and the test came back positive, he said. The health department told us there cant be any students in that building until all the bats are eradicated.

Because the bats are migratory, they are protected from being trapped and killed. The school district might have to put a new roof on the building, a project that would keep students out of the school until after Christmas break.

Zander said the district had a similar problem at Owyhee Combined School about 10 years ago.

We had to build bat motels on the telephone poles out there so that when we displaced them, they had a place to go, he said. It was a long process. It took about four or five months to get all the bats out of the attic area so they could seal it up. That being said I think the bats are back in there today.

If addressing the bat issue keeps students out of Grammar No. 2 on a long-term basis, the district would move students to Mountain View, Adobe or Northside.

There are 23 bats species native to Nevada, and theyre generally harmless to humans. Only 11 reported rabies cases occurred in the county between 1989 and 2005, according to the Nevada Department of Wildlife. Nine of those cases involved bats.

NDOW conservation Educator Joe Doucette said people should exercise caution when approaching a bat that is behaving in any way that is out of the ordinary. Being a vector species, bats can transfer diseases to other species, including humans.

If an animal is acting abnormally, they should obviously just stay away from it, he said, explaining that anyone who sees a suspicious bat should contact NDOW. Well make arrangements to try to come remove the animal and have it tested.

Doucette continued by saying that rabies often disables a bat and its ability to fly before it has a chance to spread it to another bat or human.

When a case of rabies is discovered in an animal, it is reported to NDOW and to the Nevada Department of Agriculture, which keeps track of the data.

Zander said the district is not rushing to make any permanent decision. A specialist is scheduled to visit the elementary school and assess the situation before the end of the week.

If [the health department] is saying we cant have kids in there, we have to get the insurance carrier and the authorities together to put together a remediation plan, he said. If its going to tie that building up for a couple of weeks, were going to have to set up some classrooms on some other campuses to facilitate the education of those kids. Its going to take us a couple of days to do that. Its not something we can do overnight. We cant have rabid bats in our schools, so we have to get this figured out.
A partygoer found drunk on a street told a garda "I will f**k you up" then spat while inside a patrol car and in a cell after he was arrested.

Dovydas Baltrusaitis (27) damaged the car and cell in a "wanton act of thuggery", a judge said.

Judge David McHugh said he would order the defendant to carry out 200 hours of community service instead of a jail sentence if he is found suitable.

Baltrusaitis, of Phibblestown House, Clonee, admitted breach of the peace and criminal damage.

Sgt Maria Callaghan told Blanchardstown District Court that gardai were on patrol last April 27 when they received a complaint that a number of men were trying to stop cars at River Road, Finglas.

When they arrived, the acc-used and another man were in the middle of the road.

Scumbags

Baltrusaitis was clearly intoxicated and a garda said he was going to search him.

He became irate and said: "I will f**k you up." The garda decided to arrest him for his own safety, and Baltrusaitis said: "F**k you, scumbags."

There was a brief struggle, he was handcuffed, and continued to be abusive in the patrol car.

He began spitting in the interior of the car and was taken to Finglas Garda Station where he spat on the cell walls. The car and the cell had to be cleaned.

The accused went to the garda station with a written letter of apology the day before the court hearing.

He was from Lithuania and had been in Ireland since 2005.

On the night, he had drunk a "significant amount of alcohol" at a house party, his lawyer said.

"Alcohol, he says, simply doesn't agree with him," the lawyer said, adding that he had 200 to offer the court.

"This was complete, wanton thuggery," said Judge McHugh, adjourning the case for a community service suitability report.
ELKO  U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto encouraged Democrats to keep Nevada blue in the 2018 election and touched on several party platforms including healthcare and the environment during the keynote address to her constituents at a fundraising dinner.

Masto, D-Nev., spoke to more than 250 on Saturday at the Roosevelt/Kennedy Dinner hosted by the Elko County Democrats, which followed a meeting of the Nevada State Democratic Central Committee.

In her speech, Masto told local and state Democrat leaders the key to winning seats in the 2018 midterm election was to reach out to rural Nevada for votes.

There is no doubt our party has to make greater effort to engage and listen to the concerns of rural communities, Masto said. We have to do a better job of understanding their unique needs and prioritizing their vote in every election.

Masto criticized President Donald Trump and the Republican Senate for harming rural families in repealing the American Healthcare Act, and praised Gov. Brian Sandoval for bringing Centene Corp. to provide insurance to 17 Nevada counties including Elko.

Telling the crowd she felt energized and ready for 2018, Masto encouraged the crowd to carry the Democrats message of fighting for those who are struggling  the most vulnerable in the community.

We are all fighting for a stronger economy and fairer society that works for everyone, not just the rich and powerful, Masto said. Whether you are an immigrant casino worker in Las Vegas or West Wendover, or whether you are a teacher in Reno, or a rancher or miner right here in Elko, those values should resonate, and we must share that message all over the state.

The dinner concluded Mastos visit to Elko, part of a tour of rural Nevada that Masto said gave her the opportunity to meet with rural community government officials, ranchers, miners, individuals and business owners.

Ive really had the opportunity to talk about how I can address the issues through the committees I sit on, Masto said. Ive had some great conversations.

Masto serves on committees including banking; housing and urban affairs; energy and natural resources; commerce, science and transportation; Indian Affairs; Special Committee on Aging; and Senate Special Rules.

Speaking before Masto, Assemblyman and State Party Chair William McCurdy II, D-Las Vegas, and West Wendover Mayor Daniel Corona reinforced the theme of the evening: Keep Nevada blue in the next election and include rural Nevada in the campaigns.

Results of the 2016 general election show that most voters in two out of 17 counties, Washoe and Clark, voted for the Democratic presidential candidate. The remaining more rural counties voted Republican.

Its really important that the rural counties arent looked over anymore, Corona said, explaining that the party needs Democrats who are willing to travel to rural areas.

McCurdy said it was important for Democrat candidates running for a state office to not take rural counties for granted and to make a stop or two and lend an ear to folks they are depending on to elect them in office in rural towns.

Tom Cordoza, committee chair for the Lander County Democrat Party, said Masto said everything Ive been thinking.

I like what I see, but she has to have more support by the state Democrat Party as a whole by putting others in Congress, Cordoza said, otherwise she stands alone.

Mike Smith, a 30-year member of the Elko Democrat Party, said he liked Mastos speech and thought she was doing a great job in Washington, D.C., adding that she keeps her phone line open . She pays attention to the people.

Smith said the party was building all the time. Were getting more energized, were having more people willing to come out and say, Im a Democrat.

Elko Democratic Chair Steve Anderson said there was a really good turnout for the dinner and credited Corona and McCurdys speeches as a good lead in to Mastos keynote address.

Anderson said he has been following Masto in the capital and said she is doing a great job for Nevada and the people.

The fundraiser included the Elko Arinak Basque Dancers and a cake auction.
Mnuchin, Heller host business meeting in Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP)  U.S Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Sen. Dean Heller say a meeting with a group of Nevada business leaders in Las Vegas focused on ways to encourage growth in the regional and national economies.

Tax reform and efforts to relax regulations were among issues that Mnuchin and the Republican senator talked about Monday after an hour-long conference with local executives and entrepreneurs. They termed that meeting a listening session.

Heller is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, but is also considered one of the most vulnerable Republicans facing re-election in the Senate.

Heller was criticized for being slow to back President Donald Trumps failed effort to repeal and replace the health care law passed under President Barack Obama.

Heller noted that Mnuchins visit to Nevada was one of several recent appearances in the state by top Trump administration officials.

Utah school tests find lead in water

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Tests show nine Utah schools have drinking water with amounts of lead higher than U.S. government guidelines and about 90 percent of schools that have voluntarily tested their water found at least some amount of lead.

Only 25 of 249 Utah schools that tested their drinking water found it was lead free, but most of the schools that tested positive for lead had low levels of the metal, according to the Utah Division of Drinking Water.

The tests are voluntary and only about a quarter of Utahs schools have been tested thus far, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Six of the nine schools with lead levels above federal guidelines are in the Salt Lake areas Granite School District. The others three schools were in the Box Elder School District and North Summit School District.

Marie Owens, director of the Utah Division of Drinking Water, said most of the samples were taken after buildings were empty and lead was able to accumulate in stagnant water. She says officials dont think the results show what lead levels are like when school is in session.

Fire at substation affects 15,000

STATELINE (AP)  A small fire at an NV Energy substation on Monday triggered a power outage affecting thousands customers around Lake Tahoe for several hours before all power was restored.

More than 15,000 residential and business customers served by NV Energy and Liberty Utilities were without power at one point after the outage was reported shortly after 8 a.m. Monday at the substation near Markleeville, California.

Power was restored to most areas within a couple of hours. But nearly 6,000 remained without power into Monday afternoon, including 4,300 near Stateline on Lake Tahoes southeast shore and about 1,000 in the Glenbrook-area on Tahoes east shore.

NV Energy reported that all power was restored to the affected area by 1:30 p.m.

July busiest month in Vegas airport history

LAS VEGAS (AP)  Aviation officials in Las Vegas say July was McCarran International Airports busiest month ever.

Data released Monday by the Clark County Department of Aviation show more than 4.3 million people flew in and out of Sin Citys airport last month. Thats 3.8 percent more than in July 2016.

Of the passengers that walked through McCarran in July, more than 3.9 million traveled with domestic carriers, while almost 319,000 traveled with international ones.

The Department of Aviation has tallied more than 28.1 million passengers through July. Thats 2.4 percent more than during the same period last year.

Of the top five airlines serving McCarran, only American Airlines saw a decrease in passengers over the year.

McCarran saw 47.4 million passengers in 2016. The annual record of nearly 48 million was set in 2007.
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Rachel Carson's expose shocked the world. And we're better for it
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Only two pairs of Lesser Florican birds, or Kharmors as they are known locally, have been spotted in Madhya Pradesh this year, sending both forest department and bird lovers in a tizzy. The count in by far the lowest in the past 35 years, when two grassland sanctuaries were set up in the state at Sadarpur, Dhar and Sailana in Ratlam in Western Madhya Pradesh exclusively for the Lesser Florican. These migratory birds come to the grasslands to breed during the monsoon season

According to bird lovers and ornithologists, if this trend continues, these shy endangered bird species would vanish from the state, like the Great Indian Bustard.

Indore based ornithologist Ajay Gadikar, who has been studying Kharmors for the last 15 years said the fall is drastic from 20 birds last year to only four this year. It has been hovering between 20-35 marks during the past decade, and has never fallen so low.

The situation is unfortunate, says CCF Ujjain, B S Annigeri. Only one pair has been seen in Sailana and one pair in Jeeran beat it Neemuch, which is not a sanctuary. The reason could be delayed monsoon coupled with less rainfall in Western Madhya Pradesh, he said adding that the only positive was spotting of the bird in Neemuch, where it was last seen in 2009. These birds might be finding new pastures.

Former director of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), A R Rahmani talking to HT over phone termed the situation as alarming. The reason for their decline is well known  loss of grassland which is their natural habitat, use of pesticide which kills the insects which these birds feed on among other things. Rahmani also pointed out that it is very difficult to protect these birds since they are visible in the grassland only during their mating season, after which they migrate to other places where they are not protected. We have to make a proper study of these birds and involve the people living near these bird sanctuaries and make it profitable for them to protect the bird, Rahmani added.

At present in a last ditch effort to save the bird, a comprehensive survey cum census is being done jointly by the WII, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), The Corbett Foundation (TCF) with State Forest Departments across states to better understand the habitat, spread and density to devise a comprehensive conservation strategy. The survey is now going on in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat simultaneously.

IN BOX

The naturally shy Lesser Florican mate during monsoon. To attract the female, the male may jump over 500 times a day from a spot with a short croaking sound to show its vitality.

Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Yale University have included the Lesser Florican among the 15 Indian species in their list of 100 Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species worldwide.

IN BOX

2014  19

2015- 34

2016  20

2017 - 4
With an ensemble cast and a storyline to intrigue fans till the very end, the 2008 rock musical drama Rock On!! was indeed one-of-its-kind. As the film completes nine years of its release today, actor Arjun Rampal recalls how it proved to be a turning point in his acting career.

The film gave me confidence and instilled a lot of faith in me about my abilities. This conviction was later reflected in characters that I played in films that followed, such as Om Shanti Om (2007), Rajneeti (2010), D-Day (2013) and even Last Lear (2007) . When I look back at these films, I feel satisfied and complete, says Arjun, who made memories and great friends while shooting them.

The actor, who bagged a National Award for his portrayal of the lead guitarist (Joe) in the film, says, I could identify with that character and as an artist, I feel its one of the nicest ones that Ive ever essayed. However, Arjun is quick to add that winning the National Award was a complete surprise but a pleasant one.

Actors Arjun Rampal and Farhan Akhtar in a still from Rock On!! (2008).

It was really strange. I was sitting on the terrace and sipping coffee, when I got a message from a friend saying, Congrats, you have won national award. I replied, Dont be funny. He wrote back, Idiot, youve won the award; its on TV. I still felt that he was goofing around. I put my TV on, saw my name on the ticker, and was like Oh God.

Joking that such things are a bit dangerous also and not very good for your health, Arjun adds, The whole industry was in his house that evening to celebrate and the party went on for a full year.

Ask him to share an anecdote from the shooting and he recollects how his director, Abhishek Kapoor, would always tell him to behave like a Bandra guy  keep moustache, wear Bermuda and T-shirt and have a guitar on his back. So I would do these things and when Abhishek would come home, I would try to please him. One day he told me with a serious expression, Yaar, you are too good looking to play Joe. I almost wrapped that guitar around his neck and told him to get lost. Later, however, when the shooting started, after one of the scenes, Abhishek hugged him and said, You are my Joe.

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After being in coma for almost 10 months, actor and filmmaker Neeraj Vora is on the road to recovery. Neeraj, known for films such as Welcome Back, Rangeela, Daud and many more, had suffered a massive heart attack and a brain stroke in October last year. He was rushed to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi where he had slipped into coma. However, reports now say that the actor is showing signs of recovery.

From AIIMS, he was shifted to friend Sajid Nadiadwalas house in Mumbai where a room was converted into an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for his speedy recovery. Mumbai Mirror said in a report, A room in filmmaker Firoz Nadiadwalas Juhu home, Barkat Villa, has been converted into a fully-functional Intensive Care Unit (ICU). A physiotherapist, neurosurgeon, acupuncture therapist and general physician pay him weekly visits. This room has been home to writer-director-actor Neeraj Vora since March 11, with a 24-hour nurse, ward boy and cook.

Sajid, who has produced films such as Welcome Back that also stars Neeraj, has also ensured that the actor is in a conducive environment. The same report said, On the walls of the room in Sajids house are throwback stills from Rangeela, Virasat, Hera Pheri, Phir Hera Pheri, Golmaal, Daud and Khiladi 420 and in a corner, a stack of DVDs with a flat screen TV plays him blockbusters from down the years round-the-clock.

Sajid had revealed in a recent interview that Neeraj was showing progress, Hes been responding to audio therapy, particularly when we play his fathers (Pandit Vinayak Rai Nanalal Vora) music. He has yet to recover his speech but there are no infections or bed sores and the doctors have assured us that his life is out of danger.

Due to Neerajs ill-health, his forthcoming film Hera Pheri 3 had to be postponed. Suniel Shetty, one of the actors in the film, had told Mid-Day, We must make it (part 3) for fans... I believe he (Neeraj) is doing better now. Once he is fit, we will roll out the film.

Neeraj has acted in films such as Daud, Welcome Back, Company, Pukar, Rangeela, Satya, Baadshah and Mann. He has also directed Phir Hera Pheri and Chachi 420. Neeraj had also written the screenplays of films like Hera Pheri, Rangeela, Akele Hum Akele Tum and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke.

The actors wife died a few years ago. He has no children.
The big news this week has been Kapil Sharma cancelling the shoot of his show, The Kapil Sharma Show, yet again. Caught unawares by this cancellation was Baadshaho team, led by Ajay Devgn. As soon as the news came out this week, reports claimed Ajay Devgn walked off the sets in a huff. However, Ajay said during an interaction with media that the reports of him leaving Kapils show were highly exaggerated.

In fact, the actor has denied that he walked off from the sets of The Kapil Sharma Show and says that while he is not sure why Kapil cancelled the shoot, he will definitely ask him about this when they meet next. Ajay, along with Ileana DCruz, Esha Gupta and Emraan Hashmi, was supposed to promote Milan Luthria-directed Baadshaho on the show. This is the seventh cancellation of Kapils shoot in the last few months.

Shows have been cancelled quite a number of times. I really dont know what happened exactly. But reports said that we left the sets in anger. We did not leave in anger. We left as he had not reached the sets till then. Hes a friend. When Ill talk to him next, well get to know what was wrong. Kapil must have had some problem. But I really dont know. So, if there is anger or not, I cant really answer your question, Devgn said when asked about the reports.

The actor was in the capital to promote the Milan Luthria-directed film. When a reporter said even Shah Rukh Khan was miffed with Kapil, Devgn dismissed the claim. There is nothing like what you are making it out to be. Nobody has boycotted going to his (Kapils) show. Shah Rukh has not issued any statement. There is nothing like that. We are colleagues. All of us want to do a better job. Theres good faith whenever we meet, he said.

Ever since Kapils much-publicised mid-air tussle with co-star Sunil Grover in March, his show has been in free fall. TRPs have taken a hit and other programmes like Dance Plus 3, Khatron Ke Khiladi and Amul Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs have overtaken Kapils show. Sunil later departed the show, and has publicly refused to return.

Other than Ajay and Shah Rukh Khan leaving the shows sets without shooting, Anil Kapoor, Paresh Rawal and Arjun Rampal also left without canning their episodes. Kapil has been hospitalised due to low blood pressure in the past.

Baadshaho is slated to release this Friday.
Saurabh Shukla is someone who has shown his acting prowess with every role he essays. Many argue that the actor, who received the National Award for Jolly LLB (2013), should have won one years ago. But Shukla, whose career spans three decades, doesnt think about these things.

Who am I to think like that? A human being is never satisfied with his or her achievement ... Sky is the limit. [So] Its better to work hard. I dont think about anything else, though appreciation here and there does make me happy, says the actor, who enjoys balancing his work in films and theatre. His latest play Barff was recently staged in Delhi.

Shukla looks for work that satisfies his creative soul. And when it doesnt, it must help me run my kitchen smoothly, says the actor, who won praise for his role of an investigating officer in Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Jagga Jasoos (2017). Im happy Im getting good offers unlike what was coming my way some six-seven years back, says Shukla, who is writing for Kamal Haasans Shabhash Kundu. He also plays an important character in the film.

Recently, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui claimed that good looks are important in Bollywood, after he was at the receiving end of distasteful comments about his complexion. Asked for his views on the issue, Shukla says that the debate is subjective. Such things have never been my point of concern. I just believe in working. He (Nawazuddin) has his own ideology and I understand that. To each his own. But I know one thing, talent will always find its place, adds the actor.

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Actor Sidharth Malhotra was severely trolled for his ungentlemanly behaviour, when he plugged his film in a tweet, in which he also spoke about the violence that broke out in Haryana after the arrest of godman Ram Rahim Insaan. To all the people of Haryana, please stay safe. Hope you can see our film soon #Agentleman #PeaceAndLove, he tweeted.

However, this is not the first time that a Bollywood celebrity has made an insensitive remark. Earlier this year, actor Priyanka Chopra was trolled for posting selfies from Holocaust memorial (Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin). A year ago, Aamir Khan was slammed for his comment that when Salman Khan enters a room, its like a star has entered, but when I enter, I feel like a waiter. And talking about Salman Khan, who is controversys favourite child, ran into trouble when he made a statement, while promoting his film Sultan last year, that while training for the role, he felt like a raped woman.

To all the people of Haryana , please stay safe. Hope you can see our film soon #Agentleman #PeaceAndLove  Sidharth Malhotra (@S1dharthM) 25 August 2017

If theres one thing that these incidents suggest is that Bollywood has a problem of putting their foot in the mouth. Psychologists believe that the rise of social media culture has made people increasingly insensitive and narcissistic, especially celebrities. Social media has reduced the gap between celebrities and the public. These actors dont know how to use this medium. Most of them have hired professionals, who take care of their social media. Either way, their aim is to use the media for quick publicity and they dont care if its bad or good. What Sidharth tweeted was insensitive and stupid. These celebrities live in their own world and its time that they are taught a lesson on being sensitive, says psychologist Dr Anil Sethi.

Psychologists also suggest that since actors are public influencers, they ought to exercise caution while interacting with the public. These actors are influencers. They live privileged lives. They ought to be careful with their words. Sidharths tweet indicates a lack of empathy. People who idolise these actors are the ones that get influenced and behave similarly in situations like these, adds Dr Manish Jain, a psychiatrist.

However, its not all black and white as it seems. According to celebrity publicists, sometimes its not the actors who tweet, but their social media teams and at times, celebrities tweet because they are obliged to do so. When it comes to social media promotion of a film, its a complex process as various people are involved in it. In most of the cases, when an actor tweets, its done with the advice of the social media team. When an actor signs a project, he or she is, at times, is obliged to tweet as a part of the contract, so they cant help it. In this case, I definitely agree that Sidharths tweet was insensitive, says a publicist, not wanting to be named.

However, if celebrities have landed themselves in a soup, there is always a way to control the damage by taking responsibility and apologising. I think an apology goes a long way. A lot of celebrities own up their mistake, which is the right thing to do. Because not all publicity is good publicity, says another publicist.

Sometimes its the marketing call or extreme need to garner attention for an upcoming project that prompts actors to tweet such things. However, actors should not hurt the sentiments of people and its always advisable to stay away from commenting on controversial issues, says a celebrity publicist, not wishing to be named.

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Social networking sites on Tuesday were abuzz with jokes and messages on jailed Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim as mobile internet service resumed in the state five days after it was suspended in the wake of the volatile situation over the self-styled godmans conviction last week.

There were jokes, SMSes and videos on Ram Rahim, Asaram Bapu and Rampal.

Dhan dhan satguru, internet ho gya shuru, (Thank God, internet got restored) was one of the messages.

In a WhatsApp message, the user took a dig at the government saying, India is the only country in the world, where a patient does not get ambulance, but rapist Ram Rahim gets helicopter to reach jail.

Other jokes read, Rahiman lathi rakhiye, sarson tel pilaye, na jane kis mod par Ram Rahim Bhakt mil jaye, and Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, jail ke andar karo aaram.

There were others slamming Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar for his failure to contain violence by angry dera followers in Panchkula after a CBI court held him guilty on August 25.

A message read, Khattar asked Modi, should I resign over the death of 38 people in Haryana. Modi replied Why should you resign when CM Yogi didnt resign after the death of 60 children in Uttar Pradesh.

Then there were messages mocking at the blind faith of dera followers. A science graduate and a dera follower, who was booked for sedition for allegedly making anti-national comments in Panipat a day before he was held guilty, saying, You can teach an illiterate, but it is difficult to educate the literate.

Other messages doing the rounds praised CBI court judge Jagdeep Singh for the historic judgement against the influential dera chief Ram Rahim, with a tagline Satyamev Jayate besides praising the courage of the rape victims, who fought a long battle for justice.

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Two days after the University of Mumbai (MU) announced the results of BCom - its biggest exams, students are struggling to access the results online.

Around 65,000 students had appeared for the exams which were held in April and though the university has to announce results of the assessments in 45 days, results of most exams have been delayed. The BCom results were announced on Sunday evening, but most students still havent managed to check their individual scores. Not only is the university website, which faced technical problems on Monday, still down, but colleges too havent yet received a consolidated list of results from the university, leaving students with no scope to check their results anytime soon. Similarly, Third-year Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM) students whose results were announced on Monday evening have still not managed to access their individual scores.

The university went ahead and announced TYBMM results on Monday and according to the overall results close to 35% students have failed the exam. We are anxiously waiting to find out our individual scores and status, said Pinali Mehta, 20, a student. She added that with no clarity coming from the university, even colleges are feeling helpless. Our professors are asking us to check results on the university website every hour, and that is just adding to our stress, she added.

MU had released a statement on Monday evening blaming the problem of students not being able to check their individual results online on a technical glitch that led to problems with internet connectivity. Despite having data of the results ready, the university has not managed to upload individual scores of students on the website, leading to more panic in the student community.

To override the technical error, MU had also decided to send marks of students in a consolidated list to individual colleges, so that students could at least check scores in colleges. However, as of now, not a single college has received this list. Usually we receive this list within 24 hours of result announcement but in this case, we are also still waiting and at the same time answering calls of hundreds of students asking questions about the same thing. Its a never ending process, said Nupur Mehrotra, vice principal, Mithibai College in Vile Parle.

Whats worse is that the weather is not very cooperative either. Most colleges were busy answering calls of anxious students on Tuesday morning because incessant rains has made it difficult for students to reach their college or the university. Even if we do receive the list from MU today, I doubt students will manage to get to the institute today due to all the water logging and disrupted train services. Hopefully the MU website is up and running soon, said Ashok Wadia, principal, Jai Hind College, Churchgate.

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When Samar Pal started on an over-400 km journey in search of his younger brother who had been missing since Saturday, he didnt have a single paisa in his pocket. The journey took 12 hours. His search ended on Monday at the mortuary of Civil Hospital, Panchkula.

Samars bother Chander Pals was the 27th body of a Dera Sacha Sauda follower to be identified and handed over to the family by the Haryana Police Monday.

Six bodies are still lying unclaimed and will be cremated by the authorities if no one comes forward to claim them by Tuesday night.

One more dera follower, Jagdish, breathed his last at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, on Monday, taking the toll in the Panchkula violence to 33.

TRACING THE FAMILY

Chander hailed from Dhimari block in Uttarakhands Udham Singh Nagar districts Dinsehpur area. He came from a village with a population of 2000, of which 15-20 are followers of the dera.

He had become a follower eight years ago. It was following announcements that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh will be reaching Panchkula that Pal left for Chandigarh alongwith several other villagers. Before leaving, he only informed his wife.

The family started panicking when he did not return along with other villagers.

I work as a daily wage labourer at a factory. I returned home late on Friday night so did not enquire about him. The next day, my children told me that chachu had not returned, said Samar. Had I known that he was leaving for such a gathering, I would have taken away his money and not allowed him to come here.

While he was beginning to fret about his brother, the local police got a call from the Chandigarh informing that two youth from Dhimari were admitted to Panchkula hospitals.

Police contacted village head Makhan Lal, who traced the two families. I made announcements in the village and gathered the families whose members had been to Panchkula, says Makhan Lal, who accompanied Samar on his journey.

While one of the families refused to visit Panchkula fearing arrest, Samar decided to accompany the police team led by SubInspector Girish Chandola of Dineshpur Police station to look for his brother.

Their 12-hour journey started at 3pm on Sunday and they reached Panchkula at 3am on Monday. While I was on my way, police called me up asking what my brother was wearing. I understood that something was amiss, says Samar, who hasnt eaten a morsel for the past one day.

His worst fears came true when he was taken to the mortuary. He identified the body with number 300 written on its head as that of his younger brother.

A police official said he died of a bullet injury in the chest. However, the hospital employee wrote, Bhagdarh mein chot lagne se maut (death in stampede) as the reason in the medical report.

Samar couldnt notice the bullet injury. Mere se dekha nahi gaya use, main bahar aa gaya (I couldnt seem him like that. I came out), he told one of his elders, who called from Uttarakhand.

NO MONEY FOR CREMATION

He was like my child. I left studies so that he could study further. Who will look after his wife and two children? he said.

Chander is survived by his wife Sunita, 26, and two children Upkar, 6, and Deepak, 4.

Both brothers worked on contract in private factories and earned Rs 6,000 a month. Together, they took care of eight members of the family. But now the burden will fall on Samar, who will also have to arrange Rs 35,000 for the cremation. I will borrow from villagers and relatives for it, he said.

In Uttarakhand, Dineshpur police station in-charge Inspector DR Verma confirmed that Chanders body was brought to his village on Tuesday and cremated. Another person from the area, Lekhraj, who had also received bullet wounds, would be back in a few days, he said.

Another youth Rakshit who belongs to Bajpur area of the Udham Singh Nagar district and had gone to the dera at Sirsa is missing since August 26.

With inputs from Abhinav Madhwal

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A day after her paternal uncle allegedly murdered her 31-year-old mother and chopped off her head and hands, 17-year-old Sanjana went with police to identify her mothers disfigured body that was found in an abandoned park in Rohini Sector 24.

Sanjana identified Kalawatis body with the help of a flower-shaped tattoo on the bodys right wrist.

Sanjanas uncle Rama Shankar (35) had called the police and confessed to the murder on Saturday afternoon. He allegedly committed the crime on Friday night.

Police said Shankar was angry with Kalawati as he believed her liberal outlook towards life was hurting the familys honour. He murdered Kalawati and chopped off her head and hands, police said. He then wrapped the severed head and hands, and the knife used to commit the crime, in the womans saree before throwing the bundle in a tempo that was passing by. The body parts are yet to be recovered.

Kalawatis family comprised her husband Fugi Lal (33), daughters Sanjana (17), Mannu (15), Sarita (12) and son Armaan (10).

The family had shifted to Delhi two years ago from Chitrakoot at Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, in search of a better livelihood. They live in a rented room at Shyam Colony in outer Delhis Budh Vihar phase-2.

Kalawati and Lal had a love marriage. Kalawati opened a cosmetics shop in the village. In Delhi, she worked in a manufacturing unit close to her house. She was financially independent and worked hard to meet the expenses of her childrens education, said her family. Her husband works as an e-rickshaw driver.

Things were going on smoothly for the family, but the elder brother-in-law, Rama Shankar, was creating problems by unnecessarily interfering in their lives, said Sanjana.

Bade papa was jealous of us. Our family was earning more than him. He did not like it. He had even demanded Rs 1 lakh from my mother. He threatened her when she refused. My mother was extremely scared and used to cry. But she bravely went to work every day and did not tell my father anything. She did not want dad to come in harms way, Sanjana said.

Shankar lived in a separate house with his family at Pehladpur in outer Delhis Begumpur. A scrap dealer by profession, Shankar, used to object to Kalawati coming home late from work or whenever he spotted her talking to her colleagues out on the streets, Sanjana said.

My mother was scared that he might harm her physically. She shared her worries with me. I had told her that uncle wouldnt dare to harm her with us being around, recalls Sanjana.

On Friday, Kalawati had woken up early as usual to get ready for work. She made breakfast and lunch for the family, packed some food for herself and left for work at 10am. Her work usually used to get over by 10.30 pm. When she did not return till late in the night, the family panicked.

I must have called her 100 times through the night. Her phone was not reachable. I and my father went to the police station in the morning. A missing report was filed by afternoon and we returned home. A couple of hours later, police informed us about her death, said Sanjana.

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Security personnel at Delhi airport will be trained to be friendly to autistic passengers, who often dont respond well to frisking or touch by strangers. The decision comes after a 15-year-old boy turned violent and scratched security personnel at Mumbai airport recently.

We had a discussion with an NGO and they will train our frisking staff in dealing with an autistic passenger. People with autism can get agitated when touched by strangers. Security is of prime importance but at the same time, a passengers special needs should also be taken care of, a CISF official said.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) provides security to airports across the country and has to often deal with autistic passengers at different airports. The training will start from Delhi airport and trained personnel will in turn sensitise others posted at different airports.

CISF director general OP Singh confirmed the move and said their objective is to provide security without any inconvenience.

The NGO will help us with designing a training module and tell us how an autistic passenger reacts to different situations. We train our personnel in soft skills but after the Mumbai incident, we felt the need to train airport security staff in dealing with passengers with special needs too, the official added.

On July 7, a boy tried to cross the security check at Mumbai airport. When security personnel tried to stop him, the boy turned violent and had to be lifted out of security area. In the process he scratched the security personnel, who were taking him out. His parents informed us later that he is autistic and has extreme aversion to being touched by strangers. They also showed medical certificate and were apologetic. But, we felt our staff should be trained in dealing with such a situation. However, we need cooperation of passengers also as they will have to tell us in advance, the official added.

CISF may set up a separate frisking booth for autistic passengers as they need more time to cooperate with security staff.

CISF often faces flak in dealing passengers with prosthetic limbs as procedures require such passengers to remove the prosthetic part for security checks. However, a committee constituted by Bureau for Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has suggested alternative ways of checking and the civil aviation ministry has invited suggestions to prepare an SOP for frisking of such passengers.

The committee has suggested that if x-ray screening of the prosthetic limb is required, such passengers should be taken to a private screening point and made to sit comfortably before taking off the prosthetic limb.

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The health crisis in Delhi may worsen in coming days as around 3,500 Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBC) with the three corporations of Delhi south, east and north  have gone on an indefinite strike from Tuesday.

Hundreds of workers gathered at the civic bodys headquarter Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civic Centre to demand better salary, regularisation of job, leaves and health insurance. The DBC workers get around Rs14,000 per month.

President of Anti Malaria Union of Workers Budhram said, We gathered today (on Tuesday) expecting that the authorities will listen to us and accept our demands. We met a senior health officer who gave us assurance that our demands would be looked into. But we have been listening to such assurances for a decade now. We will only relent when we are given something in written or some action is taken.

He said that some of the workers will also go on a hunger strike from Wednesday.

We have been given assurances since past 10 years but no one cares, he said.

DBC workers entering into strike during this time of the year may trigger a health crisis as vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya had seen a sharp rise in September last year.

This year too dengue is on the rise in the city following monsoon showers. Around 300 cases of the vector-borne disease were reported by city hospitals in the week ending on August 28, taking the total number of cases to 945.

This is higher than the 644 cases recorded during the same period last year. In 2015, Delhi had its worst ever dengue crisis that affected nearly 16,000 and killed 60. By this time of the year, 831 cases were reported in 2015.

Another DBC worker and member of the union, Madan Pal, said, There have been several cases where DBC workers have been injured while climbing the terrace, while checking breeding in water tanks or coolers. We want that the wife of a DBC worker to be given employment in such cases, he said.

There are around 3,500 DBC workers in the three corporations of Delhi whose job is to check breeding in the houses.

A senior official of North Corporation said, DBCs were recruited in 1996 as there was major dengue outbreak. They were hired for nine months but their employment was later extended. With times, we have even increased their salary as per the Minimum Wage Act.

Secondly, it is legally not possible for us to regularise the jobs as this is a seasonal work for nine months. Also, the jobs in corporations are regularised by Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB). In this case, even DSSSB cannot regularise it, and only court has the power to do it because no such posts exists, he added.
Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts

Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum

Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights

Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh

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Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

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Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

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I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

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There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

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The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

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This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments
Tihar Jail hardly needs any introduction. It is, after all, the largest prison complex in Asia, tending to thousands of inmates in various stages of correction.

Behind its concrete walls in west Delhi you find the grim gamut of the incarcerated  from murderers and rapists to perhaps a few unhappy souls who shouldnt be there at all.

The huge prison has only been around since 1958. Meantime, were checking out something far older, wandering the rutty lanes of Tihar Village  from which the prison derives its name.

Its like any of the other 247 villages in Delhi. The lanes are lined with tiny grocery shops while the barber at the salon is fast asleep. And yet, it is a thrilling experience to be in the heart of a place named, well, Tihar.

Midafternoon in Tihar (village) is best described as ho-hum. Scarcely a soul stirs, except for a lone bull slowly rumbling past. Languid locals are chatting outside their homes: The Valmiki Temple wont reopen until evening.

Further along, members of a wedding band are getting their act together, minus any dhols (drums). Theres a sweatshop where shoemaker Muhammed Nafees is sewing a sole onto a well-trod shoe. Behind him, the blue wall is decked with dozens of leather footwear awaiting his ministrations.

His radio doles out old Hindi film songs which somehow seems perfectly natural. We pause to take in a Kishore Kumar number while reflecting upon this village: A far gentler version of the other Tihar.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT)s journey since its inception in 2010-11 has been far from easy: Despite being a body constituted by an Act of Parliament, the Supreme Court in the initial years had to intervene to ensure necessary administrative arrangements were made by the government for the tribunal to become fully functional. The NGT, however, has emerged as a critical player in environmental regulation, passing strict orders on issues ranging from pollution to deforestation to waste management. These issues more often than not come in conflict with what is known as the development agenda of successive governments, which tend to be extremely short-sighted. Unsurprisingly, they are not really supportive of the tribunal and always look for opportunities to clip its wings.

That the NGTs problems are for real became evident when the Delhi High Court aimed a barb at the Centre last week. Would you like to wind up the National Green Tribunal? the Delhi High Court asked the Centre, while hearing a plea seeking directions to authorities to fill the vacant posts of judicial and expert members in the tribunal. It is perhaps because of red-tapism in the bureaucracy that the NGT is headed towards a premature death, said the plea, adding the court could issue directions to fill vacant posts. The matter has now been listed for September 14.

That the government has been targeting the NGT was clear in July when the Centre modified the process of appointments to the Tribunal, bringing in clauses that experts said will considerably weaken the countrys environmental watchdog. The new rules do away with a condition that the NGT can only be headed by a former Supreme Court judge or the chief justice of a high court, and takes away the judiciarys control on the process to appoint the Tribunals members. Opposition parties and constitutional experts said such a move chips away at the independence of these institutions.

This desire to control autonomous bodies such as the NGT will be a great disservice to the nation; we need an independent body that can control the executive, which does not seem to think that long-term sustainability of a country is as important as short term economic gains.
Lucknow: For Lucknow girl Saania Munawar (19) attending the 20th session of the Youth Assembly at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters, New York, has been a dream.

I have been living this dream of working for the United Nations since I was in class 9. And when I stepped in the General Assembly, I felt overjoyed just being there, she said. The assembly was held from August 9 to 12.

Munawar was overwhelmed to be at a place where world leaders have walked and where important decisions impacting the world have been taken. It was a journey I had been dreaming about since a long time, to a building that was only seen in history and political science books - the United Nations Headquarters.

How she managed to get there is an interesting story. I happened to chance upon the application form for the Assembly, while randomly searching for Oxford certificate courses that I could pursue along with my graduation studies at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan, she said.

Delegates from 110 countries got together to discuss the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations for the Youth Assembly.

There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN some of which are: Reduced inequalities, no poverty, life on land, peace and justice, no hunger and so on that the UN aims to fulfil by 2030.

It was a four-day assembly that required participants to have a deep knowledge and understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals they chose, said Munawar.

The sessions were well planned with prominent people who have made a change in their respective fields talking to the youth, understanding their perspective of the world and making them understand our responsibilities towards the world today and in the years to come.

I also had the privilege of attending a workshop by Microsoft which taught us coding and how we could reach out to the remote or untouched corners of the country, she added.

An alumna of La Martiniere Girls College, Saania claimed, On the last day, I was given the Outstanding Youth Delegate Award by Ignite India. I have to head a team of 10 people and travel to seven different cities of India and reach out to poor and unprivileged people.

Munawar says she believes it is very important for the youth of India and the globe to be involved and act in politics and not to cry about what is happening but to showcase their capabilities and make people believe in what can happen.

On Monday, she met UP governor Ram Naik at Raj Bhawan and shared her experiences with him. He presented her with a copy of his book, Charaiveti, Charaiveti.
Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) on Tuesday declared the result of SSC (Class 10) supplementary examination. The exams were held in July for students who could not pass the Class 10 main examination.

Candidates can check their results by clicking here.

Steps to check the results:

1) Go to the Maharashtra board result website by clicking on the link above

2) Click on the link for SSC Examination Result July 2017

3) Key in your roll number and mothers first name as given on the admit card/form

4) Enter XXX if mothers name not mentioned in form

5) Click on view result

6) The result will be displayed on the screen

7) Take a printout and save it on your computer

The results of Class 10 main examination 2017 were declared in June. More than 17 lakh students, including 3.8 lakh from Mumbai division, from 21,433 schools across Maharashtra, appeared for the main Class 10 exam held in March.

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Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University has warned seven dental colleges that their affiliations would be cancelled if they failed to submit documents related to admission of students in master of dental science (MDS) courses. Vice chancellor RS Sharma told HT that the Dental Council of India (DCI) would be urged to take action against the institutes if they failed to heed the warning.

The documents will be scrutinised as the colleges (seven private and one government) have reportedly admitted 96 candidates without National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET - PG) qualifications. The test is mandatory for admission to medical and dental colleges.

University authorities said despite an earlier request on August 25 to submit the documents, none except for the Government College of Dentistry, Indore, complied. A private dental college from Gwalior had provided documents, but these did not include allotment letters for college seats. Two private colleges in Indore had sought more time.

Notices have been reissued to the eight colleges (seven private and one dental) with the warning that failure to comply would be conveyed to a probe committee looking into the MDS admissions, which would then apprise the DCI of the matter and recommend de-affiliation of such colleges.

The probe committee has to submit its report to the university by September 2, university authorities said.

After the discrepancy in admissions was revealed, the committee set up by the Jabalpur based MP Medical Science University found that the colleges had admitted 96 non-NEET candidates. It then decided to scrutinise the admission of all state colleges.

Of 113 candidates who had applied online for the MDS course , only 17 candidates produced the allotment letter issued by the Department of Medical Education (DME), MP Medical Science University officer on special duty Tripti Gupta said

According to the medical university authorities, these candidates sought admission to the MDS course under management quota, without giving the NEET. This prompted them to institute an inquiry and constitute a three-member committee, headed by Vikram University vice chancellor SS Pandey. Barkatullah university vice chancellor PK Verma and MP Medical Science Universitys executive council member CK Shukla are the two other members.

Those seeking admission to the MDS course have to provide details online. The aspirant has to open an account on the university portal and upload the scans of the required documents. After this the dean of the college concerned verifies the documents. Admissions are given on the basis of the allotment letter issued by the DME, documents related to NEET, mark sheets and migration certificate.
The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has released the admit card for candidates appearing in the Stenographer (Grade C and D) examination 2017.

Candidates can download the admit card for the Stenographer examination from SSCs official website. Click on the link for admit card on the top nav bar of the home page. Click on the link for the region from which you have applied. This will take you to the regional websites of SSC from where you can download your admit card. Key in the required details and your admit card will be displayed on the screen. Take a printout and keep the admit card safely.

Or

Click on the links given below to go to the login page of the regional websites for downloading the admit card:

Northern region: Admit card

Eastern Region (Kolkata): Admit card

Karnataka Kerala region: Admit card

Southern region Chennai: Admit card

North Eastern region: Admit card

Western region (Mumbai): Admit card

Madhya Pradesh Region: Admit card

Central Region: Admit card

Karnataka Kerala region: Admit card

North Western region Chandigarh: Admit card

The examination will be held from September 11 to September 14, 2017.

Exam pattern

The exam will of two hours duration carrying 200 marks. There will be 50 questions on General Intelligence and Reasoning carrying 50 marks, 50 questions on General Awareness carrying 50 marks and 100 questions on English Language and Comprehension carrying 100 marks. There will be negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer.

Note: Visit the official website of SSC regularly for latest updates.

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Love it or hate it, there is no doubt that the colour pink is having a moment  and celebrities are embracing it, particularly when it comes to jazzing up their hair. Whether you prefer soft millennial shades or a bright neon hue, here are five ways to channel the trend:

grls rm @lilmami_lani  A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid) on Jan 27, 2017 at 4:35am PST

Ponytail

In July, supermodel Gigi Hadid unveiled a fun ponytail featuring bright pink, punk-like streaks breaking up her signature blonde locks. If you dont want to hit the dye, then use clip-in hair extensions.

Silver-pink

Cara Delevingne has been playing with hair colour all summer, thanks to her versatile new pixie crop, but this dusty rose shade was a real hit. For the Mexico City premiere of her movie Valerian earlier this month, the stars hairdresser Mara Roszak gave her a pink and silver rinse for a softly glittering, metallic look.

Fresh faced with a bit of glitter  A post shared by BELLA (@bellathorne) on Aug 28, 2017 at 12:19pm PDT

Hot flashes

Bella Thorne has been rocking a hot pink do all summer, but this week she overhauled her look with a fiery red shade featuring a few shots of fuchsia colour as a nod to the trend. Incorporating pink into a warmer autumnal colour is a great way to wear the look.

@crfashionbook September Issue shot by @petrafcollins features a 90's story! I was on set seeing so many transformations. Can't wait to see how everyone's turned out. We channeled  beauty @lilkimthequeenbee for one of the shots. Check my twitter for all of the official pics A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Aug 25, 2017 at 1:54pm PDT

90s pink

The September issue of CR Fashion Book features Kim Kardashian channelling Lil Kims signature Nineties look, right down to her cascading candy-pink waves. The Nineties are undergoing a huge revival at the moment, but if you remain unsure about committing to the look then make like a Kardashian and opt for a wig.

Barbie #nickiminaj #VMAs A post shared by Nicki Minaj (@onlyminaj) on Aug 27, 2017 at 5:03pm PDT

Half-and-half

Still undecided about embracing pink hair? Take a leaf out of Nicki Minajs book and go half-and-half. The star hit the red carpet at the 2017 MTV VMAs on Sunday with sleek locks that were platinum on one side and bubblegum pink on the other.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more
Bhondsi jail will get 17 new jammers to curb use of mobile phones inside the premises. A sum of

64 lakhs has been sanctioned by the state government for beefing up the security inside the jail.

Seventeen mobile phone jammers will be installed over the next couple of months that will be able to intercept 4G signals, said a prisons department spokesperson. The move to install jammers comes in the wake of large scale seizures of mobile phones from jail inmates.

Officials said some inmates were taking advantage of the fact that the jail premises did not have adequate jamming devices and the ones installed are technically not able to jam 4G signals.

A number of complaints were received by the crime branch regarding threat calls being made by gangsters from Bhondsi jail. Manjeet Mahal, a prominent gangster from Delhi, was booked by the Gurgaon police along with nine other persons after a plot owner in Sector 53 complained that a call had been made to him from inside the Bhondsi jail, asking him to settle the dispute amicably or face dire consequences.

It was because of the lack of technical skills that Gurgaon police has been resorting to repeated raids and physical checking inside the jail.

The move to install new jammers is timely and was needed because it is difficult to practically check every nook and corner of the jail for these handsets. In the last raid in June, the crime branch team had recovered 21 mobile phones, 10 sim cards and chargers in a day long sweep, Sumit Kuhar, DCP, crime, said.

Read I Gurgaon: Jammers inadequate at Bhondsi jail, 21 handsets recovered during day-long search

Sources in the police department said that it was very difficult to seize mobile phones and SIM cards, as inmates were using new and innovative ways to hide the devices. An official said that they found mobiles from commodes, septic tanks, washrooms and every nook and cranny where the phones could be hid.

The most difficult recovery was a small Chinese mobile, which a prisoner had hidden inside his anus and it took hours to retrieve it, a police officer said.

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British actor Ed Skrein has withdrawn from the upcoming Hellboy reboot a week after his casting sparked outcries of whitewashing.

In a lengthy post on his social media channels Monday, Skrein said he accepted the role of Ben Daimio unaware of its Asian heritage. The character Skrein was to play, Ben Daimio, is Japanese-American in the Hellboy comics the films are based on. Critics said Skreins casting was just the latest instance of an Asian or Asian-American role being handed to a white actor.

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, wrote Skrein. I feel it is important to honor and respect that. Therefore I have decided to step down so the role can be cast appropriately.

The backlash followed previous controversies including the castings of Emma Stone as a half-Hawaiian, half-Chinese Air Force pilot in Cameron Crowes Aloha and Scarlett Johansson as the cyborg protagonist in the Japanese anime remake Ghost in the Shell. Last weeks Netflix release, the Japanese manga adaptation Death Note also drew criticism for transferring a Japanese story to Seattle without any Asian actors.

Excited to join the #Hellboy cast as Ben Daimio. All praise due to the creator @artofmmignola  #BPRD pic.twitter.com/Ev0JDS03H5  Ed Skrein (@edskrein) August 21, 2017

Producers of Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen said they fully supported Skreins unselfish decision.

It was not our intent to be insensitive to issues of authenticity and ethnicity, and we will look to recast the part with an actor more consistent with the character in the source material, said Larry Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Lionsgate and Millennium Films in a joint statement.

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A Hisar court is likely to deliver the verdict in connection with the two cases against self-styled godman Rampal Dass, the head of Satlok Ashram in Barwala, and his followers on Tuesday.

The verdict will be pronounced by Judicial Magistrate Hisar Mukesh Kumar.

A case was registered against Rampal and his followers three years back under IPC sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of his public function), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty).

Another case was registered against Rampal and his followers -- Purshotam Dass, Raj Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Rajender Singh, Rahul and 30-40 other persons -- on a complaint of Sukhdev Singh of Ratia (Fatehabad) under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly, every other member of such assembly shall be guilty of the offence), 188 (disobedient to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant) and 342 (wrongfully confining any person).

In November 2014, Rampal Dass holed up inside his sprawling, 12-acre ashram in Haryana and tens of thousands of his followers  armed with stones and clubs  fought off an army of police and paramilitary personnel from arresting him. After a week-long stand-off and the deaths of six people at the Satlok Ashram, police nabbed Rampal on an arrest warrant issued for repeatedly ignoring court summons.

The episode triggered new cases against the so-called godman, including for murder, attempted murder, sedition, rioting and illegal detention.

Rampal considers himself an incarnation of the 15th-century poet Kabir.

The ashram was guarded by hundreds of followers for several days. Police fired water canon and lathi-charged the supporters who were armed with stones, petrol bombs among other weapons.

Some followers later came out of the ashram, saying they had been held at the ashram against their will.

The verdict comes a day after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20 years in jail and fined Rs 30 lakh for raping two women disciples. At least 36 died in clashes that erupted in Haryana and Punjab after a CBI court convicted him of rape.

(With PTI inputs)
Number and Armament of the Armed Forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan - Union of Informed Citizens

As it is known, Armenian state authorities are reluctant to pulish figures related to the personnel and the technical resources of the RA Armed Forces. For that reason, Union of Informed Citizens NGO has decided to publish some not classified information related to the number of the armed forces of Armenia, Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and Azerbaijan, which the RA Ministry of Defense refuses to publish. CFE Armenia has been member of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe since 1990s. The treaty regulates issues related to arms control. Within the framework of the treaty, foreign military inspectorates have visited Armenia numerous times, and Armenian specialists have carried out inspections in a number of other countries (Turkey, Greece, Great Britain, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and etc.). Under the treaty, states are obliged to submit reports related to the number and distribution of conventional arms (both personnel and technical resources). Based on the proposal by the Armenian Ministry of Defense, we have examined the 2017 report prepared based on the CFE member countries reports, which we have used to compile the information below (all data as of the beginning of 2017). We will also try to highlight the data that have changed compared to 2016. The changed data are in italics. Armenia and Artsakh Number: According to the report, the overall number of Armenian servicemen is 44.800, 41.850 out of which are ground forces (the rest serve in the air force and air defense). The total number of recruits in the ground forces is 18.950. In the report on Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the numbers are not completely unambiguous since NKR is not a member of CFE and, hence, is not accountable to it. Nevertheless, according to the report, the number of the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh is between 18 and 20 thousand. However, the report assumes and we do not rule out that part of the armed forces personnel and equipment may be included in the numbers presented for the Armenian armed forces. This is also confirmed by the circumstance that during the 2017 parliamentary elections, there were only around 21.000 people in part of the lists of voters doing the compulsory military service and the contractual servicemen. Meanwhile, that list should have included around 19 thousand voters doing compulsory military service and about 5 thousand contractual servicemen. Hence, we can conclude that part of the 42 thousand servicemen mentioned in the report were in Nagorno Karabakh or served there (Armed Forces of NKR). Thus, the total number of Armenias and Nagorno Karabakhs ground forces probably amounts to 50-55 thousand servicemen. Another 4300 servicemen serve in the RA Police and in the border troops. Structure: The Armed Forces of Armenia are composed of:

5 army corps (one intelligence, tank, artillery battalions, 2-4 motorized infantry regiments in each of them, sometimes also signal, self-propelled artillery, logistics battalions, and other forces). Only the 5 th Army Corps including Yerevan and Gyumri is different in that it has a more modest composition of troops.

Army Corps including Yerevan and Gyumri is different in that it has a more modest composition of troops. 5 separate brigades (special, artillery, motorized infantry, and air defense).

6 separate regiments (2 air defense and radio-tech each, 1 anti-tank and engineer each). Compared to last year, one radio-tech regiment has been added.

Air force.

101 T-72 tanks (additional 8 older tanks), and about 200-300 similar tanks are possessed by the Armed Forces of Nagorno Karabakh (verification of data on Artsakh is very difficult). Armenia also possesses 1 T-90.

86 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), 12 reconnaissance combat vehicles, and 130 armored personnel carriers. 75 of IFVs are BMP-1. Majority of armored personnel carriers are BTR 60 and BTR 70. And there are about 250-350 IFVs and armored personnel carriers in the armaments of Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

232 artillery units with a diameter of more than 120 mm, including 38 self-propelled, 131 towed units, 51 multiple launch rocket systems and 12 large-caliber mortars.

The anti-tank units mainly possess Fagot, Shturm, and Konkurs systems. The anti-tank units also have -12 antitank guns.

Air defense armaments of Armenias and Artsakhs Armed Forces include S-75, S-125, Krug, Osa and Kub There are also Igla and Igla-1 portable air defense systems in the possession of Armenia and NKR. Armenia also has two divisions of S-300PS missile systems. It is worth noting that though not mentioned in the report, the 2016 military parade makes it clear that Armenias air defense also possesses Buk missile systems.

The military aviation is composed of 15 Su-25 Frogfoot jet aircrafts, 14 training airplanes, and 2 IL-76 During the recent year, the air force has obtained only one non-combat A-319 Airbus.

Armenia also possesses Krunk unmanned aerial vehicles of local production, which, however, were not included in this years report.

The Air Force also possesses 11 Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters, as well as 2 Mi-9 helicopters (mainly for commanders).

From tactical ballistic missiles, Armenia possesses 8 Elbrus and 4 Tochka missiles.

439 tanks, 95 out of which are T-55, 244 are T-72 and 100 are T-90s. These tanks were designed in 50s to 90s respectively.

191 infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), 15 reconnaissance combat vehicles, and 568 armored personnel carriers. The production of 88 of the IFVs dates back to the late 1980s, and these are BMP-3. 90 of the armored personnel carriers are of Azerbaijani production.

554 artillery units with a diameter of more than 120 mm, including 123 self-propelled, 207 towed units, and 112 multiple launch rocket systems. At the beginning of last year, Azerbaijan had 6 Solntsepyok heavy flamethrower systems. This year their number has grown to 18.

The anti-tank units mainly possess Fagot, Metis, Konkurs, Skif, Malyutka, Spike-LR and self-propelled Khrizantema systems.

The Air Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan is composed of Krug, S-125, Osa, Strela-10, S-200, Buk-1M, and Kub systems, as well as 2 divisions of S-300PM2 Favorit The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan also possess Igla-1 and Igla-C portable air defense systems.

The Azerbaijani air force possesses 21 attack aircrafts (most of them are SU-25 Frogfoot), 14 MIG-29 Fulcrum fighter jets, 12 training and 4 military transport planes.

The report contains contradictory information about Azerbaijans unmanned aerial vehicles. But according to other sources, their number fluctuates between 50 and 120, part of which is produced in Azerbaijan.

The air force is also equipped with 26 Mi-24, 13 Mi-8, 2 Mi-2 and 20 Mi-17

From tactical missiles, Azerbaijan possesses 4 Tochka missiles from 1960s.

Azerbaijans naval forces are mainly equipped with 4 combat, 8 patrol, 6 amphibian and other (with smaller capacity and logistics-type) ships.

According to the report, the Armed Forces of Armenia have:It is noteworthy that the report does not include the two Smerch multiple rocket launchers shown during the military parade in Yerevan in September 2016. There are additional 250-300 artillery systems in possessed by the Armed Forces of Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Among them, 40-50 are BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers.During the recent year, 4 Iskander type missile systems were added.According to the report, the total number of servicemen in the armed forces of Azerbaijan is 66.950, 56.850 out of which are ground forces, 7.900 are the air force and air defense forces and 2.200 serve in the navy. There are 5.000 servicemen in the border troops (including coastal troops) of Azerbaijan. Furthermore, the police forces have about 10.000 personnel.The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan (ground forces) are composed of 5 army corps commands, which include 23 motorized infantry brigades. Besides, there are 2 artillery, 1 rocket-artillery, 1 anti-tank, 1 engineer, 1 security, 1 signal and 1 logistics brigades. The air force and the navy of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan are separated. The navy has one reconnaissance brigade of marine troops.According to the report, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan have:In the artillery armament, there are also 148 mortars of 120 mm diameter, 36 out of which are self-propelled armored Nona-C and Vena systems.It is worth noting once again that all the data are as of beginning of 2017 and are considered open (not classified) information. Union of Informed Citizens
Bhutan welcomed on Tuesday the end of the 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Dokalam and hoped it would help in ensuring peace and tranquillity at the tri-junction.

Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area, the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

In a major diplomatic breakthrough to end the prolonged standoff between their troops, India and China on Monday disengaged their border personnel at Dokalam.

We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries, the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Dokalam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area. India had deployed about 350 Army personnel in the area.

Bhutan and China have a dispute over Dokalam, a strategically key area at the Bhutan-India-China trijunction in the Sikkim sector.
The countrys senior-most commander on Tuesday termed as shrill the Chinese medias commentary on the Doklam standoff while India kept quiet, which helped keep the simmering issue under control.

A day after the tense border standoff ended, Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, who is also the chairman of chiefs of staff committee, said, They (China) have used a media campaign in which they have been shrill in their comments. We have used it in a different way, where we have kept quiet. That worked for us.

Lanba was responding to a question on the standoff on the sidelines of a seminar on Social Media and the Armed Forces.

India said on Monday it had agreed with China to pull back troops to end a months-long face-off along a disputed Himalayan region, with reports from Doklam suggesting Beijing has halted work on a road that triggered the row.

The decision put a lid on one of the most serious disputes between the nuclear-armed neighbours who share a 3,500-km mountain frontier that remains undemarcated in most places. It came days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to China to attend a summit of BRICS, a grouping that also includes Brazil, Russia and South Africa.
The Centre on Tuesday told the Delhi high court that criminalising marital rape may destabilise the institution of marriage and would become an easy tool for harassing husbands, a position slammed as retrograde by rights activists.

Responding to a bunch of petitions seeking criminalisation of marital rape, the government said in an affidavit that the Supreme Court and high courts had already pointed to the misuse of Section 498A of Indian Penal Code (IPC) that prescribes punishment for husband for subjecting his wife to cruelty.

As to what constitutes marital rape and what would constitute marital non-rape needs to be defined precisely before a view on its criminalisation is taken, it said.

In India, marital rape is not defined in any statute or law. Rights activists want it to be made a criminal offence, saying it forces women to suffer the worst form of sexual violence in their homes.

Petitioners NGO RIT Foundation, All India Democratic Womens Association and a marital rape victim have challenged as unconstitutional an exception to Section 375 of IPC and Section 376B.

Section 375 that defines rape also says sexual intercourse by a man with his wife aged 15 years or above is not rape even if it is without her consent. Section 376B deals with sexual intercourse by man with his wife during separation.

If all sexual acts by a man with his own wife qualify to be marital rape, then the judgment as to whether it is a marital rape or not will singularly rest with the wife, it said, adding there could be no lasting evidence of such acts between a man and his own wife.

Defining marital rape would need a broad-based consensus and a change in the attitude of prosecutors, police officers and society in generally, the Centre said.

It has to be ensured adequately that marital rape does not become a phenomenon which may destabilise the institution of marriage apart from being an easy tool for harassing the husbands, it said.

What could appear to be marital rape to one, might not appear the same to others, it said, warning against aping the West blindly.

Appearing for a petitioner, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves said marriage licence shouldnt be viewed as a licence for a husband to rape his wife with impunity.

Marital rape remains a divisive issue.

Supreme Court lawyer Swaraj Kaushal, who is the husband of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, stirred a row on social media when he tweeted, There is nothing like marital rape. Our homes should not become police stations. He was reacting to the governments affidavit.

The Centre was, however, hammered by rights activists.

Peoples Union for Civil Liberties national secretary Kavita Srivastava called it stand retrograde. Rape is rape, whether on marital bed or elsewhere, whether by husband or a stranger, and its time the governments understood this, she said.

The government should criminalise marital rape to stop violence against women, Lad Kumari Jain, former chairperson of the Rajasthan State Commission for Women, said.

A mens rights group on Monday told the court that existing laws were very much capable of dealing with the cases of sexual abuse of women.

The court will continue hearing the case on Wednesday.

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Unidentified criminals looted Rs 45 lakh from the cash van of a nationalised bank after injuring at the security guard in rural Patna on Tuesday.

Police said six criminals, who came on three motorcycles, intercepted the van near Neema village in Dhanarua police station area, 33 km south of Patna, shot at the security guard, snatched his rifle and forced the two other occupants of the bank vehicle to part with the cash at gunpoint.

While decamping with the looted cash, the criminals also threatened the bystanders, the police added.

The incident took place at around 12 noon when the van was carrying the cash from Allahabad Banks Masaurhi branch, 31 km south of Patna, to its Dhanarua branch, the police said.

The injured security guard had been referred to Patna Medical College Hospital, where he had been operated upon, the police added.

Meanwhile, police teams from Patna and adjoining areas have launched joint operations to nab the culprits.

We are trying to ascertain whether an insider had tipped-off the criminals. We are also scanning the details of all present and former employees of the company that has been hired by the bank to replenish cash at ATMs or carry the money to its branches, the police said.

We are also keeping a watch on criminals who are out on bail, apart from gangs operating in adjoining districts. Footage of CCTV is also being scanned for clues, they added.

Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj, who reached the spot with reinforcement, said a case had been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at the Dhanarua police station. Special teams have been constituted for investigation, Maharaaj said,

Earlier on August 25, motorcycle-borne criminals had looted Rs 5 lakh from the Katoria Bazar branch of State Bank of India in Banka district in southeast Bihar.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China in the first week of September to attend a summit of BRICS nations, the ministry of external affairs said on Tuesday, a day after the Asian neighbours agreed to pull back troops to end a months-long face-off in the disputed Himalayan region of Doklam.

At the invitation of the President of Peoples Republic of China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in Chinas Fujian province during September 3-5, 2017 to attend the 9th BRICS Summit, the MEA said.

China said on Tuesday it hoped all BRICS nations -- Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa - -will play a role in the success of the groupings upcoming summit. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the summit is the common cause of all the BRICS countries and ensuring its success serves their interests.

We hope to get the support and coordination from all relevant parties, she said.

The decision to pull back troops put a lid on one of the most serious disputes between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who share a 3,500-km mountain frontier that remains un-demarcated in most places.

Peaceful resolution of the issue through the diplomatic channels serves the common interests of all relevant parties, Hua said when asked whether China halted the work on a road in Doklam to end the standoff so that the BRICS summit could be held.

It shows the sincerity and responsible attitude of China as a major country, Hua said.

When asked about the road construction in Doklam, Hua said China will take into consideration all relevant factors, including the weather, while building it.

In order to meet the needs of defending the borders, improving the living conditions, China has long engaged in infrastructure development including the road construction, she said.

Hua reiterated Chinese border troops will continue to station and patrol the Doklam area. We will continue to exercise our sovereignty with historic conventions.

She also parried a question whether China was in consultation with Bhutan, which protested the Chinese troops road building in Doklam. So far, we have resolved the issue of illegal trespass of the Indian troops, she said.

The BRICS countries are home to 42% of the worlds population. Their total share in the global economy has risen from 12% to 23% in the past decade while contributing more than half of global growth.
It takes only one picture to see the pain.

An image showing the five-year-old daughter of a slain Kashmiri cop weeping at his wreath-laying ceremony in Srinagar on Monday has moved social media, with many posting heartfelt messages and offering condolences.

Assistant sub-inspector Abdul Rashid was shot at by suspected militants in south Kashmirs Anantnag district on Monday and died of his injuries at the hospital.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police reached out , posting a message for Zohra, Rashids daughter.

The DIG of Police South Kashmir posted on Facebook: You are too young to understand as to why this happened... Your father like all of us represented Jammu Kashmir police force -- a hallmark of valour and sacrifice.

Remember we all are one family at this critical phase. Every drop of your tear sears our heart, it read, adding that the force will always cherish the memory of Rashid as a true policeman.

Many on Twitter shared Zohras heartbreaking image, with one user lamenting, She doesnt deserve this pain.

Heartbreaking. Daughter of martyr J&K Police officer Abdul Rashid, weeps during wreath laying ceremony at District Police Lines in Srinagar. pic.twitter.com/grUzegwvAk  Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 28, 2017

Sorry, very sad. very sad. wished this was not shown. it was very very personal moment of grief. Not for anybody else to see and comment.  Tarun Vijay (@Tarunvijay) August 28, 2017

How do you write about pain & suffering of our children, here daughter of slain police officer Abdul Rashid during his wreath laying cer. pic.twitter.com/O25hamoYPW  Sameer Yasir (@sameeryasir) August 28, 2017

Heart wrenching!Daughter of martyr J&KPolice officer AbdulRashid,weeps during wreath laying ceremony in Srinagar.She don't deserve this pain pic.twitter.com/K5f1m1P9hB  JammuKashmir5 (@JammuKashmir5) August 28, 2017

Heart wrenching images.

Children of a Martyr ASI Abdul Rashid, weeps during his wreath laying ceremony at DPL in #Srinagar.#RIP #Kashmir pic.twitter.com/vLaNevGHyb  Mauseen Khan (@mauseen_khan) August 29, 2017

Heart wrenching picture.Daughter of slain JK police officer Abdul Rashid . May God give her strength to bear this loss. RIP#Kashmir pic.twitter.com/gxa7XybAwQ  Tahir Syeed (@TahirsyeedK) August 28, 2017

SP Vaid, director general of J-K Police, also paid his tributes to Rashid during the wreath-laying ceremony held at the police headquarters in Srinagar.
The UP Special Task Force on Tuesday arrested the former principal of a government-run medical college in Gorakhpur and his wife in connection with the deaths of 60 children at its hospital.

These are the first arrests in the case that had shaken the country.

Dr Rajiv Mishra and his wife, Dr Purnima Shukla, who are named in an FIR lodged by the UP government, were arrested from Kanpur. They are being taken to Gorakphur, IG, Public Grievances, Vijay Singh Meena said here.

Mishra was suspended as principal of BRD Medical College on August 12 after the deaths, which occurred over a span of five days, were reported. He resigned the same day.

According to SSP, Gorakhpur, Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj, a police team last night also went to the home of Dr Kafeel Khan, the former nodal officer of the acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) ward in the hospital who was removed after the deaths, to quiz him but he was not there.

Mishra and his wife, as well as Khan, were among those named in the FIR lodged by the state government following a report by the state chief secretary Rajive Kumar, who headed a probe that went into the causes behind the child deaths.

An STF official said Mishra and his wife were being quizzed but declined to share further details.

The couple were picked up from Kanpur where they had reportedly gone to consult a lawyer.

The STF team then left for Gorakhpur to carry out further interrogation there, Pankaj told PTI in Gorakhpur.

The FIR was lodged in the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow against nine persons, including Mishra, in connection with the deaths of children at the hospital attached to the college due to alleged lack of oxygen supply. The case was transferred to Gorakhpur.

The proprietors of M/s Pushpa Sales, the company responsible for the supply of liquid oxygen, have also been named in the FIR.

On Dr Kafeel Khan, the SSP said, Police reached his residence for questioning. However, he was not there. His family members have been told to support the police, so that they do not face any legal action during investigations.

Recommendations were made by the probe team to initiate criminal action against Dr Khan for allegedly concealing facts and filing false affidavit and working against the rules of the Indian Medical Council.

However, a group of doctors at AIMS-Delhi had come out in his support, alleging that he was being made a scapegoat by the authorities.

Cases were registered under various sections of the IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Medical Council Act against Dr Rajiv Mishra, Dr Purnima Shukla, Dr Kafeel Khan, Dr Satish, Chief Pharmacist Gajanan Jaiswal, Accountant Sudhir Pandey, Assistant Clerk, Uday Pratap Sharma of Pushpa Sales and Manish Bhandari.

The IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.

The official report by the chief secretary, however, denied lack of oxygen as the cause of death.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had formed the committee on August 12, a day after the deaths of children were reported at the hospital. The state government had also shunted out additional chief secretary medical education Anita Bhatnagar Jain.

The issue had acquired a political hue with the BJP government drawing flak from the opposition over the deaths in Gorakhpur, which Adityanath had represented five times in the Lok Sabha.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside a Gujarat high court order asking the state government to pay for repair and reconstruction of religious structures damaged during the 2002 post-Godhra riots.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and justice PC Pant, however, said the state governments scheme of paying ex gratia of Rs 50,000 for damaged residential and commercial properties would apply to religious properties a well.

According to official estimates, nearly 800 Muslims and more than 250 Hindus were killed in the violence in February-March, 2002, and is considered one of the worst communal riots in the country since Independence. Activists, however, say the toll was much higher.

The violence was sparked by the death of 57 Hindu pilgrims, burnt alive in a train compartment at a station in Godhra.

The top court was hearing a petition filed by the Gujarat government challenging the high court order directing it to pay compensation to repair and rebuild more than 500 shrines damaged during the riots.

Our plea has been allowed, additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who represented the state government, told HT.

The state government had told the court it was willing to pay ex gratia amount for repair and reconstruction works of various structures, shops and houses which were damaged.

In an earlier hearing, the top court had wondered if it would be proper in a secular State to order compensation for rebuilding places of worship.

Money is required for economic growthindividual injury is a different thing where compensation is granted under Article 21 (right to life and liberty) of the Constitution. Can it happen in a diversified country that a state is distributing public money to build religious places? it said.

Citing Article 27 in the Constitution, Mehta had argued that there was a specific prohibition against compelling people to pay any taxes, the proceeds of which are specifically appropriated in payment of expenses for the promotion or maintenance of any particular religion or religious denomination.

He reasoned that a judicial order will be against the secular fabric of the country even if it orders use of public money for construction of places of worship for all religions.

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Gurmeet Ram Rahim breaks down, pleads for mercy as judge sends him to 20 years in jail

A CBI court on Monday sentenced self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 20 years in jail and fined him Rs 30 lakh for raping two disciples. CBI court judge Jagdeep Singh, who was flown to the district jail in Haryanas Rohtak where the Dera Sacha Sauda chief is lodged to pronounce the punishment, said the sect leader did not deserve leniency as he had sexually exploited and intimidated his disciples. The convict did not even spare his own pious disciples and acted like a wild beast, the judge said. Both the victims put the accused on the pedestal of God and revered him like that only. However, the convict committed breach of gravest nature by sexually assaulting such gullible and blind followers. The flamboyant dera leader was in tears and pleaded with folded hands for mercy as the judge read out the verdict. Read the story here.

Jailed Dera chief Ram Rahim stares at more troubles as murder-plot trials near end

Two 10-year prison terms given to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by a special CBI court on Monday in a rape case could just be the beginning of a trail of troubles for the self-styled godman. There are three more cases pending against the 50-year-old head of the quasi-religious sect. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the three cases. Two of the cases pertain to conspiring murders, while the third is over alleged castration of 400 Dera followers at the sects headquarters in Haryanas Sirsa. In the two murder cases, which are in the final stages of trial before a special CBI court in Panchkula, Singh could be awarded life sentence. The castration case is still under investigation. Read the story here.

Doklam standoff ends: India pulls troops, no word on Beijings road along border

India said on Monday it had agreed with China to pull back troops to end a months-long face-off along a disputed Himalayan region, with reports from Doklam suggesting Beijing has halted work on a road that triggered the row. The decision came days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to China to attend a summit of BRICS, a grouping that also includes Brazil, Russia and South Africa. A brief statement issued by external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Monday evening said the expeditious disengagement of border personnel that both sides had agreed on had been almost completed under verification. Without giving details of the disengagement, New Delhi said the two sides had diplomatic exchanges in recent weeks over the situation on Doklam plateau in the eastern Himalayas that allowed them to express our views and convey our concerns and interests. Read the story here.

Chinese experts welcome Doklam resolution but cautious about future face-offs

Chinese academics have cautiously welcomed the resolution of the two-month-long military standoff with India in the Donglang (Doklam) region near the Sikkim border, with one expert warning that the pullback of troops is just a temporary solution. It may be just a pause. I dont think it is over, a South Asian authority with a leading Chinese think-tank told Hindustan Times on Monday. There continues to be a big gap between the two countries on the issue, the academic said, referring to the differences in perception of the strategic China-India-Bhutan tri-junction, close to where the standoff began in mid-June. I dont think China would have stopped building the road, the academic said, indicating potential conflicts of similar nature in the future. Read the story here.

Doklam showed India can dig in its heels, stand up for an ally

Chinese diplomacys favourite phrase win-win situation is likely to be much in use following the resolution of the two-month-long standoff between troops of the two countries at Donglang or Doklam near the Sikkim border. India could now say it supported a friend, Bhutan, when it needed help but decided to resolve the impasse with its most powerful neighbour, China, through diplomatic channels despite much talk of escalation. With the announcement from Indias external affairs ministry and Chinas foreign ministry, the aggressive posturing by the Chinese state media is likely to be toned down. Read the story here.

8 Indians killed in UK road accident, three were Wipro employees

Three Wipro employees were among eight Indians and British Indians killed in a deadly accident on a highway in southern England in which a mini bus got crushed between two trucks. Three passengers, including a five-year-old girl, are fighting for their lives. Three of the six men and two women who lost their lives in the pile-up have now been named as Indian nationals who were working for Nottingham firm Capital One. It is with deep regret and sadness that we confirm the passing away of three of our colleagues, Karthikeyan Ramasubramaniyam Pugalur, Rishi Rajeev Kumar, and Vivek Bhaskaran in a tragic road accident in the UK, said a spokesman for Wipro. Read the story here.

Indian-American helps with life-saving medication during Hurricane Harvey

When a Texas hospital called to request a rare disease medication, an Indian-American CEO of a pharmacy firm got it shipped to Houston from Orlando by sending one of his employees to pick it up as all logistics companies were unable to deliver it overnight due to Hurricane Harvey. Harish Katharani, founder and CEO of Southside Group of Companies, said Impavido -- the only oral treatment drug used for critically ill patients with Leishmaniasis -- costs about $49,000 and hence is not readily stocked by pharmacies. Kathrani sent one of his employees to get the drug shipped to Texas Childrens Hospital in the midst of Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to hit the US mainland in 13 years. Read the story here.

Get to know India first before learning about world: Prakash Javadekar

Union human resources development minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday underlined the need to discover the history of India before setting out to learn the history of the rest of the world. Forgetting about India is not a prerequisite to learn about other countriesOur education system had so become that Indian history is shrinking from the textbooks, he said. The ministers statement, echoing the view of the RSS on bringing the spotlight on ancient Indian history was made at a lecture organised by a Sangh offshoot  Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal  and the government-run IGNOU. The RSS and its affiliates have repeatedly flagged the issue of Indian history being taught through a colonial prism and have advocated rewriting history to bring to light Indias contribution to sciences such as metallurgy. Read the story here.

Did nothing wrong during India visit: Nepal PM Deuba

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Monday rejected criticism of his remarks in New Delhi about amending Nepals Constitution by saying he had done nothing wrong during his state visit to India. Deuba facing a backlash in Nepal after he said during a joint news conference with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday that he would continue to push for amending the Constitution. The main opposition CPN-UML and even the ruling CPN-Maoist Center opposed the statement by Deuba, saying that amending the new Constitution is no longer an issue as a move in this regard had been rejected by Nepals Parliament. Read the story here.

Welcome to the world! Zuckerberg announces birth of August, their second daughter in FB post

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday announced that his wife Priscilla Chan has given birth to their second daughter and posted a photo of his family saying that he and his wife are optimists about your generation and the future. Priscilla and I are so happy to welcome our daughter August! We wrote her a letter about the world we hope she grows up in, and also hoping she doesnt grow up too fast, he posted on his Facebook page. Read the story here.

England take control of Headingley Test as West Indies need 317 more to win

England wrested control of the second test away from the West Indies late on the fourth day on Monday, declaring its second innings on 490/8 after being 94/3 and setting the tourists a target of 322 to win. West Indies batted for six overs in their second innings and were 5/0 at stumps on Day 4, needing 317 runs more. England earned its supremacy through half-centuries by captain Joe Root (72), Dawid Malan (61), Ben Stokes (58), Moeen Ali (84) and Chris Woakes (61 not out). Read the story here.
Handing out a 20-year rigorous imprisonment to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, convicted for raping his two sadhvis (female followers), a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Monday said the convict does not deserve leniency as he did not spare his pious disciples and acted like a wild beast.

In other words, hes a man who neither has concern for humanity nor has any mercy in his nature, said CBI special judge Jagdeep Singh, pronouncing the quantum of sentence from the makeshift court in Rohtaks Sunaria jail.

Making scathing remarks on Ram Rahim, the judge said if the acts of convict in sexually exploiting his female disciples and threatening them with dire consequences were taken note of, then such kind of person do not deserve any sympathy of the court.

Both the victims had put Ram Rahim on the pedestal of God and revered him like that. However, he committed breach of gravest nature by sexually assaulting such gullible and blind followers. Such criminal acts of convict, who is stated to be heading a religious organisation  Dera Sacha Sauda at Sirsa  are bound to shatter image of pious sacred spiritual, social, cultural and religious institutions existing in the country since time immemorial. This, in turn, reflects irreparable damages caused by the acts of convict to the heritage of ancient land, the judge said in his order.

Reasons for jail term

Justifying the quantum of punishment, the judge referred to the Supreme Court judgments. He said the fundamental purpose of imposition of sentence is based on the principal that the convict must realise that the crime committed by him has not created only a dent on the life of victims, but a concavity in the social fabric. The purpose of just punishment is designed so that the individuals in the society, which ultimately constitute the collective, do not suffer time and again for such crimes. It serves as a deterrent, the court said.

Quoting another apex court order of 2014, the CBI court said it is the duty of the court to impose adequate sentence, for one of the purposes of imposition of requisite sentence is protection of the society and legitimate response to the collective conscious. In a way, it is an obligation to the society, which has reposed faith in the court of law to curtail evil.

While imposing the sentence, its the courts accountability to remind itself about its role and reverence for the rule of law. It must evince the rationalised judicial discretion and not an individual perception and moral propensity.

Courts view on mercy

It has also been observed by the apex court that old saying law can hunt ones past cannot be allowed to be buried in an indecent manner and the rainbow of mercy, for no fathomable reason, should be allowed to rule. The conception of mercy has its own space but it cannot occupy the whole accommodation. Further, it has also been observed that though punishment is designed to protect the society by deterring potential offenders as also by preventing the guilty party from repeating the offence, it is also designed to reform the offender and reclaim his as law abiding citizen for the good of the society, said the court

Reformatory, deterrent, and the punitive aspect of punishment thus play their due part in judicial thinking while determining the question of awarding appropriate sentence, the judge said in his order.

To call a woman the weaker sex is a libel; it is mans injustice to woman. If by strength is meant brute strength, then, indeed, is woman less brute than man. If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably mans superior. Has she not greater intuition, is she not more self-sacrificing, has she not greater courage? Without her, a man could not be. If non-violence is the law of our being, the future is with woman Who can make a more effective appeal to the heart than woman? -- CBI judge says, quoting Mahatma Gandhi

Baba cites ailments, welfare works in his defence

Earlier, the dera chief had pleaded for a lesser sentence on the grounds that he has completed 50 years and is suffering from hypertension, acute diabetes and spinal disc problem leading to severe backache for the past eight years. His long incarceration hence would adversely affect his health. He also placed on record medical treatment documents. Gurmeet also pleaded that he has an elderly mother who is suffering from various age-related diseases.

Citing his welfare works, the dera head said he has motivated thousands of people to do social works, such as plantation drives. The convict is carrying out social works in Haryana, when the state government has failed to do so, his counsel claimed before court.

He also argued that the convict motivated people to marry prostitutes, played commendable role in drug de-addiction and 133 welfare works were in progress under his guidance. He also brought on record a booklet of social works undertaken by the dera and made a reference to various commendation certificates received for good deeds.

No dearth of wealth, made frequent visits abroad

Quoting yet another apex court judgment, the CBI court said that after order of conviction, it is mandatory duty of the court to consider the question of award of compensation to victim of crime. However, it is the discretion of the court to award or not to award the compensation. It has been further held that Section 357 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) confers a duty on the court to apply its mind to the question of compensation in every criminal case.

Disclosure of application of mind is best demonstrated by recording reason in support of the order or conclusion. The SC has also held that Section 357 of the CrPC does not impose any limitation on power of the court to award compensation, but such jurisdiction cannot be exercised at the whims and caprice of a judge. Before issuing a direction to pay compensation, the capacity of the accused to pay the same must be judged.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim is stated to be head of the Dera Sacha Sauda, which runs a number of institutions, and where more than 78,000 people are working, the convict moved several application during the course of the trial seeking permission to visit abroad for the purpose of promotion of films directed and produced by him. While moving the application, the convict himself pleaded that millions were spent in producing such films for the promotion of which he had sought permission to visit abroad and has also visited many times. All these facts clearly establish that the convict has no dearth of wealth and has enough financial resources to pay to compensate victims of his criminal acts, the judge said.

Thus, besides rigorous imprisonment, he is also directed to pay a fine of 15 lakh each for committing offence under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code. It is further directed that of the fine of 15 lakh each, an amount of 14 lakh each shall be paid to both the victims for their rehabilitation.
PATNA

The income-tax department on Tuesday quizzed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasads wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in connection with its alleged benami assets probe against them in land deals worth Rs 1,000 crore in Patna and New Delhi through shell companies floated in the last few years.

Unconfirmed sources said Prasads daughter and Rajya Sabha member Misa Bharti was also questioned, but RJD legislator Bhola Yadav said she only accompanied her mother to the I-T departments office in Patna.

I-T officials said Rabri and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav were summoned by the department and the investigating officer (IO) of the case recorded their statements after they appeared at the I-T office in Patna.

The questioning by I-T department comes two days after the RJD held a massive rally against the BJP and gave a call for opposition unity to oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The officials said a special I-T team, flown in to assist the investigating officer from New Delhi, quizzed Tejaswhi Yadav from 10.30 am to 1 pm. Rabri Devi arrived at the I-T office in the afternoon and was quizzed for over four hours from 2 pm.

Tejaswhi Yadav did not speak to reporters after coming out of the I-T office at around 6 pm.

But I-T officials, on the condition of anonymity, said both Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri Devi were questioned about the land acquired by Delight Marketing Limited and A K Infosystem, the firms owned by them.

The Delight Marketing Limited had been taken over by Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri in 2014 along with the assets in the possession of the firm, a two-acre plot at Saguna Mor, on the outskirts of Patna, where a big shopping mall is being constructed. The firm was later rechristened as LARA by floating a limited liability partnership (LLP) firm. The A K Infosystem also has plots at Jalalpur and Danapur, near Patna, worth several crores of rupees.

The I-T department had in June served notices on Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri Devi under the Benami Transaction Act. The department had served notices on Prasads daughters Misa, Chanda, Ragini and son-in-law Shailesh Kumar. It had provisionally attached the plots in Patna, including the plot at Saguna Mor, and a farm house and a plot at Palam Vihar area and a residential building in the upmarket New Friends Colony in south Delhi.

The I-T department has said these alleged benami assets bear a deed value of about Rs 9.32 crore but the taxman has estimated their current market value at Rs 170-180 crore.

Trouble had started for Prasads family after senior BJP leader and deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi made a series of exposes as how the RJD chiefs immediate family had amassed property worth Rs 1000 crore by taking over companies at throwaway prices and floating shell companies to indulge in money laundering and dodge tax agencies. Modi had alleged that the upcoming shopping mall was worth Rs 750 crore with the valuation of the land estimated at 200 crore, a charge Prasad had rubbished as a sheer exaggeration and claimed all the deals were done as per law.

Misa and her husband Shailesh Kumar were earlier quizzed a number of times by the enforcement directorate on the alleged charges of money laundering and possessing prime properties in New Delhi, including farm houses. Misas chartered accountant was also arrested in connection with the money laundering case involving two persons, Surendra Kumar Jain and Virendra Jain, who were accused of converting black money white by promoting shell companies only on paper.

BLURB

The questioning by I-T department comes two days after RJD held a massive rally against BJP and gave a call for opposition unity to oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power in 2019 Lok Sabha elections

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Officers of the coveted Indian Administrative Services (IAS) will take up the role of models at an event in the national capital next week to showcase the works of designers from the northeast.

The event is part of the ministry of development of north eastern region (DoNER)s attempts to build bridges between northeastern states and the rest of the country.

The IAS officers who will participate in the programme at the India Gate on September 9-10 belong to the 2015 batch and are currently posted as assistant secretaries in different ministries at the Centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the northeastern region as a gateway to South Asia, and said the government at the Centre is keen on reducing the distance between them and the rest of the country through its ambitious act-east policy.

The DoNER ministrys initiative is in line with the PMs call; and comes in the wake of a spate of racially motivated attacks against the people of the region in metropolitan cities such as New Delhi and Bengaluru.

It will be about joining hearts as we encourage the nation to embrace every aspect of what makes each one of us unique, said an official involved in the programme, insisting on not being identified.

The event, which coincides with the 16th anniversary of DoNER, will include programmes for the promotion of business and entrepreneurial activities in the NE region and for the promotion of products, artists, designers and entrepreneurs.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched projects worth more than Rs 15,000 crore in Rajasthan and promised to change the face of the state during his second visit here after becoming PM.

We are here to do work and not make empty election promises. Today, we have inaugurated road projects worth more than Rs 5,600 crore and committed to build road projects worth Rs 9,000 crore in Rajasthan alone, Modi, who began his speech in the local dialect, said.

Rajasthan goes to polls in December 2018.

In a dig at Congress, he said that the previous government in Rajasthan could not complete even a Rs 300 crore bridge over Chambal river in 11 years while the BJP government has done the same in three years.

Modi had earlier inaugurated a six-lane cable-stayed bridge across Chambal river in Kota, along with inaugurating 11 completed national highways totalling 873 km and laying the foundation for 556 km road projects  all at a total outlay of more than Rs 15,000 crore.

He then visited Pratap Gaurav Kendra, a tourist spot dedicated to former king of erstwhile Mewar kingdom, Maharana Pratap.

Roads will boost tourism in Rajasthan: PM

Modi also said that modern infrastructure will play a big role in the development of the country and his government had the will to take up long-term projects to build the infrastructure such as rail, road, electricity and optical fibre connectivity.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Union Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari at the inauguration and foundation stone laying of various highway projects, in Udaipur on Tuesday. (PTI)

Targeting the Opposition, he said when projects get stuck, then the country faces huge loss in terms of cost and the public suffers because of poor infrastructure.

These road projects will give a big boost to tourism in Rajasthan and will also benefit the farmers who will be able to take their produce to the mandis (markets). It will also save lives as pregnant women in remote rural area will be able to reach hospital in less time. The optical fibre network will ensure that benefits of education reach remote villages through digital network, he said.

The Prime Minister said that GST has been a game-changer for the transport sector, saving a lot of time for truckers as chungi nakas (toll plazas) have gone. Now, the government will soon bring new transport laws, he said.

Before Modi spoke, transport minister Nitin Gadkari gave a detailed account of roads built and projects that will be taken up in Rajasthan while chief minister Vasundhara Raje thanked the Centre for building national highways in the state.

An impatient crowd chanted Modi, Modi during the latter part of her speech as they were eager to listen to Modi.

Governor Kalyan Singh also shared the dais.

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A 27-year-old woman in Jharkhand has alleged that she was divorced through instant triple talaq last week, a day after the controversial practice was banned by the Supreme Court.

Fatma Suraiya, a resident of Hazaribagh, alleged that her husband, Faiqi Alam, suddenly divorced her last Wednesday after spending an uneventful morning with the family, eating breakfast.

Out of the blue, he uttered talaq, talaq, talaq in the evening and forced me and my daughter out of the house, Fatma said.

The alleged instant divorce came a day after the top court held that practice violated womens right to equality and was against the tenets of Islam.

After the instant divorce was pronounced, Fatma approached a group of local clerics but was told that any decision was possible only after 20 days.

On Saturday, she lodged a police complaint against her husband and four in-laws, accusing them of issuing instant triple talaq and demanding dowry of Rs 10 lakh.

Officer in-charge of Barkagaon Police Station, Akil Ahmad, said that Faiqi was absconding and that his parents were willing to settle the matter out of court. The mans family now fears legal actions and are requesting to settle the matter outside court. But the woman and her family have refused to compromise, Ahmad said.

Hazaribagh superintendent of police Anup Birtharey said that no arrests were made in connection with the case but a chargesheet was filed. Earlier, the police were expected to immediately arrest people accused of dowry or domestic violence. A recent SC judgement doesnt allow us to make immediate arrests in such cases, he said.

The Supreme Court verdict was seen as a watershed moment for millions of Muslim women in India, who often suffered at the hands of their husbands calling off a marriage on a whim, even over WhatsApp, Skype or text message.

But the verdict has sparked some adverse reactions from within the community with one of the original petitioners claiming that she was facing social boycott and abuse from local residents in Kolkata. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board, a group that lobbies to implement Islamic personal laws, is scheduled to meet next month to deliberate on the judgment.

Senior Islamic clerics in the state said local clerics should have ideally intervened and solved the matter. The maulanas need to be more aware. They should enlighten people about the fact that there is no mention of instant talaq in Quran, and Allah dislikes talaq, said Shahid Akhtar, national convener of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch and former chairperson of the Jharkhand Minority Commission.

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The Kerala High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of Malayalam superstar Dileep who is in custody for more than 50 days for alleged conspiracy in connection with the attack and sexual assault on a popular woman actor..

Rejecting the bail plea, the court said it was a serious case and his release at this juncture would cripple the ongoing investigation. The court agreed with the prosecution that if he was released, he could influence some of the witnesses and weaken the case. This is the second time the high court is rejecting his plea.

The actors lawyer said he will move the Supreme Court soon.

The 31-year-old actress was returning from a film shoot on February 17 when she was allegedly abducted by a gang of criminals and sexually assaulted in a moving car in Kochi . The assailants allegedly recorded the assault on their mobile phones and threatened to release the clip if she dared to approach the police. During the attack, the main accused  Pulsar Suni  allegedly hinted they were committing the crime at somebody elses behest.

The actress lodged a complaint and police arrested all accused allegedly involved in the crime.

The special investigation team says Suni was allegedly involved in at least 20 criminal cases who reportedly admitted that many actors used his service to settle scores. The SIT is now looking into two similar attacks. Another woman actor had said there was a similar attempt to abduct her by the same gang but it was foiled after her husband intervened.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of BRICS Summit early next month following the end of a 73-day standoff between the two countries along the border in Doklam.

The two leaders are expected to discuss a whole gamut of matters relating to bilateral relations, including maintaining peace along the 3,500 km border between the two countries.

The ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Tuesday said Modi will visit Xiamen in Chinas Fujian province during September 3-5 to attend the 9th BRICS Summit, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The announcement comes a day after the two Asian nuclear powers withdrew troops from and ended the standoff in the tri-junction region of India, China and Bhutan.

Bhutan had welcomed the end of the standoff and hoped it would help ensure peace and tranquillity at the tri-junction.

Modi will also be meeting other leaders of the grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) during the summit.

From China, the Prime Minister will leave for Myanmar on a two-day visit from September 5 at the invitation of its President U Htin Kyaw.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will also hold discussions with state counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President U Htin Kyaw.

Apart from his engagements in Myanmar capital, Nay Pyi Taw, Modi will visit Yangon and Bagan, an ancient city located in the Mandalay region of the country.

It will be Modis first bilateral visit to Myanmar. He had visited Nay Pyi Taw in November 2014 to attend the summit of association of South East Asian countries.
Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad is planning more attacks on security forces in Kashmir, police said on Tuesday and asked security forces to remain vigilant, days after a fidayeen attack in Pulwama killed eight security personnel.

Director general of police SP Vaid said movement of militants has been noticed in many places. We have inputs that they are planning strikes on security forces, he told HT.

Vaid noted that with most local militant commanders killed, foreign ultras were being pushed through the border to attack security installations, but said there was no high alert in the Valley.

The Jammu and Kashmir police, Army and CRPF is likely to work out a joint strategy to tackle the situation.

The inputs come in the wake of a fidayeen attack by Jaish on Pulwama district police lines on Saturday which left four CRPF jawans and four policemen, and three foreign militants dead.

A graffiti claiming that the attack was carried out by Jaishs Afzal Guru squad was found near the encounter site. The militants had called the attack revenge for Afzal Guru.

An ASI of Kashmir police was also killed in another attack in Anantnag town on Monday.

More than 110 militants have been killed between January and July this year. Abu Dujana and Bashir Lashkari of LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen commander Yasin Itoo were among top militant commanders killed in different encounters with security forces in the last two months.

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The success of the Narendra Modi governments promise of doubling farmers income by 2022 rests on introducing crop diversification, including genetically modified (GM) varieties, for higher yield and value, having fewer people employed in agriculture and modifying the existing support price mechanism, Arvind Panagariya, vice-chairperson of the government think tank NITI Aayog has said.

Panagariyas to-do list for the government comes in the backdrop of the voluminous Three-year Action Agenda document unveiled by the Aayog last week, which also backs GM crops. The measures listed by Panagariya make ending the agrarian crisis contingent upon sweeping and controversial changes in the sector.

Batting for GM crops  currently BT cotton is the only GM variety allowed in India and GM mustard is one-step away from being introduced pending approval of the government  Panagariya said the Aayog firmed up its position after listening to arguments in favour and against them.

We brought in both sides and found the scientists more compelling, Panagriya told the Hindustan Times.

Diversification into high-value crops, animal husbandry, fisheries, and crops that hook up into the food chain is essential and we need agricultural marketing to ensure a fair price to the farmer, Panagriya said, listing other measures to increase farmers income.

Moving agricultural labour into other sectors is essential for reducing the number of people depending on agriculture and increasing the average income in the sector.

As an alternative to the MSP regime, we should think of deficiency payments in a WTO compatible fashion, he said. Famers can be given cash transfers directly into their accounts if the market price of their crops falls below the minimum support price (MSP), he suggested.

Remunerative prices for produce have been one of the key demands of farmers protests that broke out earlier this year. Five farmers were killed in police firing in Madhya Pradeshs Mandsaur district where they protested for better prices for their produce.

Farmers in Maharashtra, another BJP-ruled state, also agitated over similar demands, mounting pressure on Prime Minister Modi.

The agenda document also talks about replacing MSP with a Price Benefit System.

MSP has distorted cropping patterns, with an excessive focus on the cultivation of wheat, rice and sugarcane in the procurement states and neglect of other crops such as pulses, oilseed and coarse grains. The MSP has led to depletion of water resources, soil degradation and deterioration in water quality in some states, especially in the north-western region. It has discriminated against eastern states where procurement at the MSP is minimal or non-existent, it says.

The government think-tank is already at loggerheads with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sanghs (RSS) affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch over GM crops. The SJM wrote to PM Modi last month slamming the Union agriculture ministry over GM crops.

Two other Sangh affiliates  the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh  attacked the government think tank in June for what they called its anti-farmer and anti-labour suggestions.

The BKS has backed expanding the existing MSP regime.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party made an entry to the Meghalaya assembly on Monday with two Independent legislators joining the saffron outfit ahead of next years election.

The party had no presence in the 60-member assembly of the northeastern state and the development is expected to boost its prospects ahead of polls in early 2018. A Congress-led coalition is in power in Meghalaya.

Justine Dkhar from Khliehriat constituency and Robinus Syngkon from Mowkaiaw formally joined the party in New Delhi in the presence of president Amit Shah and other senior leaders.

This is just the beginning. Several other sitting MLAs, including those from the ruling party, are in talks with us and we expect few of them to join us within the next two months, party in-charge for Meghalaya Nalin Kohli told the Hindustan Times.

Despite some state leaders leaving the party this year over differences on the beef-ban issue, the BJP is aiming to form the next government in Meghalaya, a Christian majority state.

No proper development has taken place in Meghalaya under Congress rule. Support for the BJP is growing among voters and we hope the party will form the government next year, Dkhar told HT over the phone from New Delhi.

Mondays development is similar to the strategy the BJP adopted ahead of the assembly election in Assam last year and in Manipur earlier this year. The party is in power in both the states.

In Assam, senior Congress leader and a minister in the Tarun Gogoi government Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the saffron party ahead of polls. Nine other Congress MLAs followed his move.

Sarma now holds several important portfolios in the Sarbananda Sonowal-led coalition in Assam. He is also the convenor of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), a regional alliance of parties opposed to Congress.

In Manipur, the BJP weaned away six MLAs from the ruling Congress government ahead of the polls. Three of them, including present chief minister N Biren Singh, won their seats while the others lost.

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In India, there is one government allopathic doctor for every 10,189 people, one government hospital bed for every 2,046 people and one state-run hospital for every 90,343 people.

You dont need an epidemic, however predictable, for the public health system to collapse. It is a matter of routine that patients share beds and doctors are overworked.

India has a little over one million modern medicine (allopathy) doctors to treat its population of 1.3 billion people. Of these, only around 10% work in the public health sector, shows data from the National Health Profile 2017.

The shortage of health providers and infrastructure is the most acute in rural areas, where catastrophic health expenses push populations the size of United Kingdom into poverty each year.

Add apathy and you have bodies of the dead being mutilated by dogs in hospital morgues, people carrying home the their dead children because the hospital refused them a hearse, and tragedies like the hundreds of infant deaths in Gorakhpurs Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College every year.

BRD Medical College Hospitals failure to save lives points to a systemic rot in public healthcare delivery, which is saddled with problems of mismanagement and inadequate resources  infrastructure and human.

Despite being routinely flagged, these shortages are seldom corrected. Learning from failure is rare, and course correction after mistakes is rarer.

Read Part 1 of series | Gorakhpur deaths: Why Indias poor public health delivery system is a killer

This brings us to critical questions: Can such deaths be prevented? How can Indias public health system deliver quality care? Will public hospitals just end up being places where the sick go to die?

Where are the doctors?

India doesnt have enough hospitals, doctors, nurses and health workers, and since health is a state subject, disparities and inequities in the quality of care and access to health varies widely not just between states but also between urban and rural areas.

For example, Maharashtra has 1,53,513 registered doctors, the most in the country, compared to 792 registered with the Arunachal Pradesh Medical Council.

In the absence of doctors, the sick make do with whoever is available, irrespective of their qualifications.

Only one in five doctors in rural India are qualified to practice medicine, found a World Health Organization (WHO) report on Indias healthcare workforce, highlighting the widespread problem of quackery. The WHO report, published in 2016, said 31.4% of those calling themselves allopathic doctors were educated only up to Class 12 and 57.3% doctors did not have a medical qualification.

In India, self-styled doctors without formal training provide up to 75% of primary care visits. We get very sick babies because most parents seek local remedies and treatment from quacks before they bring their children to hospital. We cant turn anyone away so youll often find two to three babies on one bed or two babies in one incubator. We provide the best of care possible under the given circumstances, which is not enough at times, said the new principal of BRD Medical College, Dr PK Singh.

There are no large-scale surveys on quackery by national statistical agencies such as the Census of India or National Sample survey Office, which could form the basis for policy making in this area. The World Health Organization is the first comprehensive report on the health workforce in India and though it has been derived by decoding the 2001 Census data, the methodology and conclusions are sound, said Shailaja Chandra, former chief secretary Delhi, who has worked in the Union health ministry and authored the report, Unqualified Medical Practitioners this year.

The lack of medical qualifications was particularly high in rural areas. The report brought out that whereas 58% of the doctors in urban areas had a medical degree, only 19% of those in rural areas had such a qualification, said Chandra.

The way ahead

Strengthening primary healthcare hasnt got the priority it needs and the sick reach hospitals after faith-healers, quacks and other unqualified practitioners fail to cure them, said Sujatha Rao, former health secretary, Union Ministry of Health and author of Do we care? Indias health system. With early diagnosis and timely referrals, many lives can be saved, she said.

Training informal healthcare workers who had little-to-no training for nine months increased their ability to correctly manage cases, found a J-PAL 2016 study on The Impact of Training Informal Healthcare Providers in India. Trained informal workers provided correct case management in 60% cases compared to 52% of the comparison group, and 67% doctors at public health centres. The training, however, did not reduce the use of unnecessary medicines, found the study.

In the absence of doctors, quacks provide a service and cannot be wished away, says Chandra. What we need is an updated assessment of quackery by state and district, better enforcement to ensure they dont indulge in high-risk practices such as use of injections and IV fluids, and selective training so they cause least harm while improving access to first-line health care, said Chandra.

Trained quacks, however, cannot replace doctors, and India is just not training enough. There are 462 medical colleges that teach 56,748 doctors and 3,123 institutions that prepare 1,25,764 nurses each year, but with Indias population increasing annually by 26 million, the numbers are too little.

India keeps announcing new AIIMS-like institutes in states, but where is the faculty to train these doctors? Setting up a building and buying equipment is not enough, you need trained doctors to provide care, said Rao.

Even the equipment bought is often not used. A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report in June revealed a 27.21% shortage for clinical equipment and 56.33% for non-clinical equipment, of which oxygen supply is a part. The report found critical medical equipment had not been used for more than five years because there was no annual maintenance contract.

Instead of training Ayush practitioners and quacks  every hospital compounder and ward boy becomes a self-proclaimed doctor after retirement  to prescribe allopathy medicine, we need to strengthen traditional systems of medicine to offer first line of treatment and care, said Dr KK Aggarwal, president, Indian Medical Association.

This is Part 2 of a series on what ails Indias public health systems. In Part 1, we looked at Indias public health expenditure and why its not enough.

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Three Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants who carried out a fidayeen attack in Kashmirs Pulwama had in-depth knowledge of the heavily fortified police facility, indicating a thorough recce of the area before the attack, a preliminary probe has found.

At least eight security personnel were killed in the pre-dawn attack at the police headquarters in southern Pulwama on Saturday. The attackers were also killed.

A CRPF official who has seen the findings of the probe said the precision strike indicated that the militants had prior information provided to them either through specific coordinates by their handlers in Pakistan or by someone who had comprehensive details about the premises.

The eight security personnel killed included four CRPF men.

Though authorities are yet to identify the slain militants, sources in CRPF said foreigners of Pakistani-origin and are suspected to have infiltrated through the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. JeM has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The preliminary report gives details of how the attack unfolded with the heavily-armed suicide squad storming the premises at around 4.40 am on Saturday.

Once inside, the militants separated and moved to three separate residential blocks.

The area has four such blocks, each of which has 12 staff quarters, which means almost 36 families were present in the area, an official told HT. They knew exactly where to go, the official added.

Initial probe showed the militants fired at and injured CRPF personnel on their way to the reasidential blocks. According to a CRPF official, the plan might have been to attack the CRPF battalion headquarters adjacent to the police lines but retaliatory fire by security forces restricted the movement of the militants.

Even as the militants moved into the residential blocks, security forces started evacuating the families including women and children.

Though the militants failed to take any hostage, they shot dead two CRPF officials and one JK police official when they were helping with the evacuation.

Once the evacuation was complete, the entire area was cordoned off. Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF managed to eliminate one of the terrorists in the morning . CRPF then took responsibility of clearing out one block while the other block was managed by RR , the official said.

The 17-hour gun fight ended at 10.30 pm.

A source said three AK 47 rifles and two under barrel grenade launchers (UBGLs) were recovered from the site. However, security forces have not found find any maps or GPS devices which are usually carried by Pakistan-based militant for such attacks.

Investigators said other items used by the militants might be buried in the rubble of a building where one of the militants was killed.

The report suggests that Mohammad Yaseen Teli, who was among the slain security personnel, was shot dead when he attempted to plant an IED in one of the buildings.

The militant was in the third floor and when Yaseen went in to plant the IED, he was shot before he could reach the designated spot. He died on the way to the hospital, a CRPF official said.

Teli, a resident of Baramullas Pattan area was recently nominated for the Presidents Police medial for his role in gunning down three Lashkar-e-Toiba militants in south Kashmirs Bijbehara area in December.

Teli was part of CRPFs quick action team which carried out the Hassanpora encounter in which Majid Zargar, the divisional commander of LeT was killed along with two other militants. Zargar was a close aide of top LeT commanders including Abu Dujana and Abu Qasim who was killed in 2015, a source said.

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A top Himachal Pradesh police officer was among eight personnel arrested on Tuesday by the CBI which is investigating the custodial death of a Nepali labourer, a suspect in the rape and murder of a minor schoolgirl in Shimla.

Inspector general Zahur Haidar Zaidi was leading the special investigation team looking into the rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in the Kotkhai area of Shimla in early July before the CBI took over the probe into the crime that shook the hill state and saw massive protests.

The accused were produced before the court on Tuesday and they have been remanded to police custody till September 4, CBI spokesman Abhishek Dayal said.

Timeline of events July 4: Gudiya (name changed) is missing July 6: Her body is found in a forested area July 7: Protests in Shimla and Kotkhai over rape and murder July 9: Police constitutes SIT under IG (south) July 12: Six youth detained for questioning July 13: Police claims breakthrough, arrests six July 14: Mob vandalise police station in Theog July 15 massive protest in Shimla July 19: Suraj dies in police custody; mob set on Kotkhai police station on fire July 22: CBI takes over investigation July 25: CBI re-examines Surajs body August 5: CBI files status report August 17: CBI given two week, cops arrayed as party August 18: SIT members asked to file individual affidavits August 24: SIT members filed affidavits in the Court, CBI will file status report on September 6

The others who were arrested are deputy superintendent of police Manoj Joshi and five personnel of the Kotkhai police station, including in-charge Rajinder Singh, where Suraj Singh was killed allegedly by a co-accused.

All the six suspects in the rape case were lodged in the Kotkhai police station, which was set on fire by angry locals after Singhs murder. Locals said the probe was botched up and police had not arrested the real accused.

The CBI, which has questioned more than 100 people, has not said anything about the role of the policemen in the death of the 29-year-old labourer, whose wife accused the police of framing her husband.

The Himachal Pradesh government and police faced severe criticism for their handling of the case, as people blocked roads and held candlelight vigils demanding justice for the Class 10 student who was found dead in the woods of Halaila village on July 4.

A close relative of a Himachal Pradesh law officer was a suspect in the rape case, CBI sources said, adding he had been questioned by the agency.

The CBI took over the probe into the rape-and-murder case and the custodial death on July 22 on the orders of the Himachal Pradesh high court.

The court on August 17 expressed dissatisfaction with the probe in both cases and gave the CBI two more weeks to complete the investigation.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi threw open to traffic Rajasthans first six-lane cable stayed (CS) bridge in Kota via video conferencing from Udaipur on Tuesday.

While dedicating the cable-stayed bridge to the nation, Modi said, The project has been pending for 11 years. It should have been completed within one to one-and-a-half years. After the formation of our government in 2014, we restarted work and now the cable-stayed bridge is being dedicated to the nation today.

The bridge, over Chambal River, has the longest main span of 350 metre in the country and will also act as a bypass to Kota City.

Meanwhile, large LED screens had been put at the bridge to broadcast the PMs speech from Udaipur and a large number of people arrived at the bridge to witness the ceremony.

Kota MP Om Birla, Kota south MLA Sandeep Sharma, MLA from Ramganjmandi Chandrakanta Meghwal and others attended the ceremony at the bridge in Kota.

Birla said that the bridge will prove a bypass to commuters and will help in making Kota an accident-free city. With its longest main span of 350 metre, among the five cable stayed bridges in the country, this bridge today became an iconic structure like the BandraWorli Sea Link in Mumbai and the Howrah Bridge in Kolkata, he said.

Regional officer, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Rajasthan, MK Jain said that the completion of the 1.4 km-long bridge also completes the East-West Corridor, which is the second longest national highway project in the country linking seven states from Silchar in Assam to Porbandar in Gujarat.

This bridge will reduce commuting time by 60 minutes through National Highway no 27 (Kota-Chittor National Highway) and National Highway no 12 (Kota-Jhalawar NH). Earlier, commuters had to pass through traffic in Kota City but now they can bypass Kota City within 15 minutes, Jain said.

Central span of Naini Brij in Allahabad is 260 meters, the Sea Link in Mumbai is 240 meters, Vidyasagar Setu in Kolkata and Second Vivekanand Bridge in Kolkata is 200 meters and 110 meters respectively so Kotas CS Bridge has the longest main span of 350 meters, he added.
It was a cold and sunny February morning in 1994 when Mohammad Mustafa in Ajmers Gulab Bari opened the door to two visitors from Kerala  his wifes brother and her distant cousin.

The duo had come for a pilgrimage to the Sufi shrine at Ajmer and camped at Mustafas house, Haripal Singh, the SHO of Alwar Gate police station, told HT.

A day or two later, the cousin, Abdul Hamid, who was 17 then, fled with a television set and Rs 7,800 from the house. The police went to Kerala and came back with the television set recovered from Hamids home. But Hamid was not found, the SHO said.

He was found 23 years later, with a changed name and address, by a team of Ajmer police.

Spurred by the new superintendents drive to nab fugitives in old cases, the team of three policemen from Alwar Gate police station left for Keralas Kasaragod on August 18 in pursuit of Hamid.

It seemed to be a wild goose chase as the police didnt have a photograph of the man who had changed his name, and they could not understand the local language. They did not seek help from Mustafas brother-in-law as he had earlier expressed ignorance about Hamids whereabouts and the police suspected that he might alert Hamid.

Two days later, we reached his old address in (Kasaragod) districts Hosdurg area, described as near Khopra Cottage Polytechnic College, but found no trace of him, said constable Shyam Singh Shekhawat.

The team then sought help from a local constable, Shrijeet, who had once gone to Ajmer chasing a criminal. Shrijeet, a bilingual, started assisting the Ajmer team. He also put the policemen up at an acquaintances place. With the language hurdle overcome with Shrijeet at their side, the team enquired people about the man.

After a day of groping in the dark, they found some clue, Shekhawat said. They were told that the man had sold his house in Hosdurg and was working at some hotel in Parappa area, 30 kms away. The police enquired at two-dozen hotels for their next clue.

We were told that Hamid had made his own house and was running a small tea-hotel at the same place. We went to the described address and Hamid opened the door, said Shekhawat.

He had changed his name from Abdul Hamid to Sahul Hamid. Shekhawat said Hamid had not mentioned his fathers name in his Aadhaar card, and instead, written care of Jamila Bi, using his mothers name.

Hamid confessed that he had stolen the money and the television set 23 years ago. He was arrested on August 23, and presented in a court in Ajmer on August 26; he is now in judicial custody.

The superintendent of police announced that the team members who brought the thief to book would be felicitated.

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The CPI(M) and 18 other parties are setting up a social platform comprising 126 mass organisations and intellectuals from all states to counter the saffron campaign which harps on aggressive nationalism. The platform, named Sanjha Virasat Bachao Morcha, will be formally launched next month.

Read: Kerala political violence: BJP to step up heat on CPI(M), Jaitley to meet family of killed RSS man

Interestingly, Trinamool Congress sent its representative when the Morcha held its first meeting in Delhi recently, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Tuesday. The first rally will be held in Indore on Wednesday.

Our virasat or heritage has to be saved from the BJPs communal offensive. This platform will perform like the Narmada Bachao Andolan and similar movements. But it is not to be confused with the grand alliance of 18 political parties although these parties are also part of the Morcha, he said.

Read: Sangh goondagardi wont silence us, says Yechury after Hindu Sena disrupt meet

The CPI(M), said Yechury, is not part of the political alliance and will take decisions on offering support to any government or alliance when elections are held. Right now we have to set up an alternative (to the BJP), he said.

In Kolkata to attend a meeting of the Bengal state committee of the CPI(M), Yechury strongly criticized the Trinamool government for putting restriction on Durga Puja immersions during Muharram on October 1. This is one form of appeasement. The Trinamool is supporting the minority community and the BJP is using this opportunity to fan majority communalism. We are witnessing competitive communalism in Bengal. It is the outcome of the understanding between Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee, said Yechury.

Read: Sitaram Yechury heckling by RSS workers triggers fresh clashes in Kerala

This is no way to maintain communal harmony. The segregation (between Hindus and Muslims) will cement differences, said Yechury, referring to the restriction of idol immersion.

The Centre has failed to perform and deliver, said Yechury. The agrarian distress is acute. Youths didnt get 2 crore jobs every year. In the information technology sector, big companies are going for large scale retrenchment and the government is ready to privatise the railways and defence sector. India needs an alternative political narrative, said the CPI(M) general secretary.

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An hour-long meeting on Tuesday between three most significant political parties of Darjeeling that are demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee failed to decide on a date for withdrawing the indefinite shutdown that has been continuing in the hills since June 15.

Though the parties raised their demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland, the chief minister said the government made it clear that it was beyond their jurisdiction.

They raised the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland. Everyone has the democratic right to place a demand. But we made it clear that it was beyond our jurisdiction, Mamata said after the meeting.

Gorkhaland is their issue, and also their sentiment. But we also have our compulsions, the chief minister said at a press conference.

In an audio statement issued from an undisclosed location, GJM president Bimal Gurung said, The indefinite shutdown will continue. It will be lifted only after talks begin on the creation of the state of Gorkhaland. If anybody lifts the bandh, he will do so at his own risk.

Gurung went into hiding after cases were filed against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Meanwhile, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) coordinator Binay Tamang said, Gorkhaland is a century old issue that we raised. The state government has given its views. Now we will go back, discuss and decide the future course of action.

In short, Mamatas remarks indicate that the agitators cant have much hope for Gorkhaland. On August 13, Union home minister Rajnath Singh told the agitators in Delhi that they should approach the Bengal chief minister for talks. The message was clear -- the Centre was not interested in carving out a separate state.

Tamang also said the issue of lifting the bandh will be a part of matters to be discussed among the hill parties.

The GJM, Gorkha National Liberation Front and Jan Andolan Party representatives were present at the meeting. The chief secretary, home secretary and ministers Partha Chatterjee, Aroop Biswas and Indranil Sen were also present.

The meeting was positive and the atmosphere was cordial. The dialogue for restoring normalcy has begun. The next meeting will be held in Uttarkanya (in Siliguri) on September 12, said the chief minister.

All the parties agreed to restoring normalcy. Let them take time, Mamata said.

So far, nine persons have lost their lives in the agitation that became violent intermittently since June 8 when violence began in Darjeeling in presence of the chief minister.

We have requested the hill parties to lift the bandh. But they have to decide. We can only appeal to them, the chief minister said.

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The Allahabad High Court on Monday asked the UP government to ensure that incident like Dera Sacha Sauda was not repeated while removing illegal encroachers from a park land occupied by the followers of Jai Gurudev in Mathura.

The court directed the state government to deploy adequate force to maintain law and order during the whole exercise.

It directed the chief secretary to issue show-cause notices to the encroachers within one week. And if their possession was found illegal, then they may be dispossed from the land and an action taken report may be filed in this regard within one week thereafter, it said.

It is alleged that thousands of followers of Jai Gurudev under the banner of Jai Gurudev Dharmprachar Santana have illegally encroached the land given to UPSIDC to develop a park.

The bench comprising justice Arun Tandon and justice Sangeeta Chandra passed the order on a PIL petition filed by Rajendra Singh of Mathura. During the course of hearing, the court was informed that the land was acquired for UPSIDC to develop parks, which was illegally encroached by the followers of Jai Gurudev.

The court has fixed September 18 as next date of hearing.

Two policemen and scores of squatters belonging to an armed group led by one Ram Vriksh Yadav, once a supporter of Jai Gurudev, were killed in a police operation to free the Jawahar Bagh park in Mathura in June 2016.
The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), a body of 13 prominent akharas of the country, has decided to submit a list of fake saints to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath on September 10. The move comes in the wake of courts judgment pronouncing Dera Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh guilty of rape and sentencing him 20 years in jail.

The parishad has strongly objected to the anointing of Swami Achyutanand Teerth as the Shankaracharya of Dwarka-Sharda Peeth that already has Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati as its Shankaracharya. The ceremony was held at Bhuma Niketan in Haridwar on Maha Shivratri this year in February.

According to ABAP president Swami Narendra Giri, who is also the head of Mutt Baghambari Gaddi in Allahabad, the saints associated with different Akharas have been asked to identify such people who do not belong to any Guru-Shishya or Vedic traditions and are misleading innocent people with false claims and cheap magic tricks. The list of such people is being prepared in different states and after compiling it we will hand it over to UP CM and the chief ministers of respective states so that action could be taken against them. We are trying to submit the list to UP CM on September 10, he added.

Swami Narendragiri said they welcome the courts verdict on Gurmeet Singh although they want that stricter punishment should be given to him for his misdeeds. He was not a saint but as so many people had blind faith in him, he not only had hurt their religious sentiments but also brought bad name to the religious community in India, he added.

Swami Narendragiri said they had already issued a strict warning to such fake babas. We have again decided to request the state government and the authorities concerned to provide land to only four genuine Shankaracharyas during the Ardh Kumbh in 2019 in Allahabad. The issue of fake seers and Shankaracharyas, who arrive in every Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh fairs in large numbers, was especially taken up at the meeting of the Parishad in Haridwar on November 7, 2016.

He said that according to scriptures, Adi Shankaracharya established only four peeths (chairs) of Shankaracharyas. These are Joshimath at Chamoli in Uttarakhand; Govardhan Mutt at Puri, Odisha; Sringeri Peeth in Karnataka and Dwaraka Peeth in Gujarat. People claiming to be saint or Shankaracharyas other than these four peeths are fake, he added.
Ninety-year-old sewadar Gulab Kaur broke into tears after hearing the 20-year jail term to her guru Ram Raheem on Monday.

Kaur has been living in the Barnawa centre of Dera Saccha Sauda in Baghpat district for over a decade and takes care of daily activities there.

There were more than a dozen women inside the Dera, who apparently were grief-stricken and refused to speak to anyone.

Heavy police and of para military forces have been deployed in and outside the Dera after the arrest of the godman. Security was further beefed up on Monday after the court sentence.

Most followers of the godman had gone to Panchkula and Sirsa and only 30 or 35 sewadars were staying in the Dera, which is built on hundreds of acres.

Read more| Gurmeet Ram Rahim was revered like god...acted like beast: CBI judge

Sewadars Anirudh Tyagi(Barnawa), Suraj Bhagatji( Noida), Yogesh Kumar( Amroha) and Vijendta Kashyap (Baraut) said they still had trust and faith on their Guru and believed that he had been implicated in a fake case. We would appeal against the verdict to seek justice for our Guru who has given meaning to our lives, they said.
The new citizen-centric website of Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) was launched on Monday.

The new website will serve as an efficient channel of interaction between LMRC and the citizens of Lucknow, said MD, Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) ,Kumar Keshav while launching the website. This will help create a bond that will make Lucknow Metro peoples own Metro, he added.

Just ahead of its priority section launch, the new website will serve as an interface for citizens and likely commuters to be acquainted with the metro system and get requisite information related to travelling via metro. It will also provide the public with latest updates about metro service and information about LMRC as an organisation.

The site will also educate prospective commuters about hassle-free metro travel, safety guidelines, security features and also disseminate other useful information. It will also inform the citizens about features of the metro, facilities available at metro stations and how to use them. In addition, features and benefits of the GoSmart card are listed on the website, which is aimed at providing a smooth travel experience to the commuters.

Kumar Keshav said,  Special focus has been laid on Prime Ministers Swachh Bharat Mission, appealing to citizens to keep the Metro and station premises clean.

A dedicated section titled Your Metro tells citizens why they should pick Metro as a mode of transport. Metro also has some unique facilities available for differently abled people..

FARE STRUCTURE

The actual fare structure has now been introduced on the website through a dynamic fare calculator that shows the fare between two selected stations and even displays the intermediate stations.

An interactive route map is available on the website that highlights major landmarks like railway stations, bus stops, markets, hospitals and educational institutions along the metro route . Other map indicators are also displayed to help citizens understand the current functional network, work under process and the proposed east-west corridor.

FREE WI-FI

Citizens can recharge their metro travel GoSmart cards online through the website using credit card, debit card or net banking for top-up.

Lucknow metro will offer free Wi-Fi access to GoSmart cardholders. Free Wi-Fi service can be activated by registering the card on website with the mobile number. To use free Wi-Fi, users will have to tap the card at the card reader available in the paid area of the metro stations upon which a password will be received on the registered mobile number which can be used to connect to the free Wi-Fi available across all metro stations.

A few of the main tourist attractions of Lucknow are also highlighted to provide brief historical information and tour guide for the travellers and tourists alike.

Read more: Lucknowites can ride the metro from September 6

LOST AND FOUND ITEMS INFORMATION

A dedicated section for lost and found items has been provided on the website, which will help commuters in reporting and inquiring about any lost or found item inside the metro trains and on station premises. List of found items will be displayed online to help commuters in reclaiming their goods . Besides, the website includes important information related to the metro project, RTI and vigilance contacts of the LMRC along with a web form through which user can get in touch with Lucknow Metro.

A dedicated section is there to give all the information related to the tenders floated by Lucknow Metro. All the information related to recruitment also available in the section Recruitments.

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Come September 6 and Lucknowites will be able to travel on a metro in their own city.

While the much-awaited Lucknow Metro flag-off will be done on September 5 by union home minister Rajnath Singh, in the presence of chief minister Yogi Adityanath and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, the public will be able to travel on it between Transport Nagar and Charbagh from September 6.

LMRC managing director Kumar Keshav said, Proud to say that the dream of people of Lucknow to have their own world class metro will come true from September 6. Initially, the services will be available from 6 am to 10 pm every day. Later the timing would be increased as per demand and load on the route.

The day will be written in golden letters as Lucknow Metro will be the first metro project to be executed and made operational for the public in less than three years, said Keshav.

The first trail were of the metro was conducted on December 1, 2016 in presence of the then CM Akhilesh Yadav. The commissioner, Metro Rail Safety, gave it clearance on July 30 this year. The Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation has achieved a speed certificate of maximum 80 kmph for the train.

The train has also cleared all safety tests during its high speed trial. Its load test was unique as artificial load -- sand bags -- equal to 8 passengers per square metre was used during the trial.

Experts from France, Italy and Austria regularly monitored the systems and trains and ensured best technical support to the LMRC technical team.

The 8.5 km long Priority Corridor from Transport Nagar to Charbagh was completed in record time of 14 months.

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A 15-year-old girl, who was arrested in connection with the alleged dowry death of his brothers wife on August 15, was illegally kept in police lock-up for 12 days in gross violation of law and human rights norms. On Monday, she was produced before the court and sent to jail as police claimed she was a major.

As per the law, minor delinquents must be kept at juvenile homes. If they are girls, they should be sent to a Nari Niketan. Also, no offender could be kept in a lock-up for more than 24 hours.

The case of that girl is not registered in women police station but in Gangeri police station which had kept her in our lock-up. Now she has been sent to jail on the orders of the SSP, SO, women police station, Sunita Mishra told HT.

The girl is mature and so she has been sent to jail. If the accused girl is minor and her family proves it in the court, then she will get the benefit of being minor, said Ram Vallabh Sharma, the station officer of Gangeri police station.

When the wife of the minor girls brother died of burn injuries, the family of the deceased named her also in their complaint. Subsequently, police arrested the husband of the deceased. His minor sister was also arrested that very day. After arresting her, Gangeri police gave her custody to women police station. On Sunday evening, she was found weeping in the lock-up when some media persons noticed her.

When the illegal custody of minor girl came to light, SSP Rajesh Pande took a tough stand and so Gangeri police and investigating officer (IO) in the case sent the girl to the Aligarh district jail.

Meanwhile, RTI activist and advocate Pratik Chaudhry has complained to the National Human Rights Commission, demanding action against the IO and Gangeri police station officer.

The Smart Village Foundation has tagged the news appeared in newspapers on twitter accounts of the director general of police and the chief minister, demanding action against guilty cops.

--Pradeep Saxena
The Congress workers on Monday demanded removal of sacred word Ram Rahim from the name of Gurmeet Singh, the controversial godman who was sentenced to 20 year imprisonment after being convicted in a rape case, on Monday.

Read more| Gurmeet Ram Rahim was revered like god...acted like beast: CBI judge

Holding placards and shouting slogans against the Dera Sacha Sauda head, the Congress workers in Gorakhpur took to streets and sought death penalty for Gurmeet Singh.

Read more: Why religious cults such as Dera Sacha Sauda are so popular

Such rapist babas do not deserve to use the sacred word Ram Rahim in their name. If they are allowed to do so then both Hindus and Muslims will be hurt. They should be hanged without any mercy, said Anwar Hussain, district Congress general secretary who led the protest in which both Hindu and Muslim community members participated.
Eighteen deras, run by rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahims Dera Sacha Sauda across Uttar Pradesh, are on the radar of the state police. Fearing violence by Gurmeets supporters after his incarceration in the rape case, the police have increased vigil on all these deras.

Addressing a press conference IG, Public Grievances, Vijay Singh Meena said, Extra police force has been deployed at all the deras in the state to maintain law and order. The district police officers have been told to remain vigilant. The Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) will assist the district police in maintaining calm.

The 18 deras are located in Amethi, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Amroha, Agra, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Baghpat, Hapur and Meerut districts.

The police have set up barriers around these deras and are conducting round-the-clock patrolling in the districts.

Read more: Did Gurmeet Ram Rahims Dera use law to silence Honeypreet Insaans husband?

While local intelligence units have been directed to monitor the activities of Gurmeet supporters, the anti-riot machinery in these districts has been also activated. If required the district administration will implement prohibitory orders in the districts. The districts that share their border with Haryana have been directed to remain extra vigilant. The movement of dera supporters from Harayana will be monitored regularly, the IG said.

Meena said, PAC has been deployed in Meerut, Ghaziabad, Bulandhshahar, Baghpat, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Sharanpur, Shamli and Muzaffarnagar districts.
The Sunni Ulema Council, a key Muslim body, has written to the union law ministry, demanding jail term for those giving or validating instant talaq, which the Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional.

The Councils position is at odds with the Jamiat-e-Ulema Hinds hardline view of the Supreme Court verdict. The Jamiat members dominate the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).

The councils demand The Sunni Ulema Councils first demand is that if a man gives his wife instant talaq, he should be made liable to fork out 10 times the Mehr, an essential payment the groom agrees to make at the time of nikah (marriage) to the woman. The amount is mentioned in the nikahnama (marriage contract). The two parties, along with their witnesses, sign it. At the same time, the talaq giver should face two years imprisonment and be liable to pay a fine of Rs 2 lakh. Another demand is that any cleric who validates triple talaq should face imprisonment of a year and a fine of Rs 1 lakh, which should be paid to the divorced woman.

Jamiats regional president Matinul Haq Osama Qasimi has been on record that no interference will be tolerated in the shariyat (codified Islamic laws) and the body was studying the order before it goes for a review. The Jamiat is studying the apex court order before it seeks a review.

The Sunni Ulema Councils first demand is that if a man gives his wife instant talaq, he should be made liable to fork out 10 times the Mehr, an essential payment the groom agrees to make at the time of nikah (marriage) to the woman.

The amount is mentioned in the nikahnama (marriage contract). The two parties, along with their witnesses, sign it.

At the same time, the talaq giver should face two years imprisonment and be liable to pay a fine of Rs 2 lakh.

Another demand is that any cleric who validates triple talaq should face imprisonment of a year and a fine of Rs 1 lakh, which should be paid to the divorced woman.

Haji Mohammad Salees, general secretary of the Ulema council, said:

We have told the law minister that without tough laws, the decision of the Supreme Court will be lost and this practice (instant talaq) will continue.

This practice has darkened the innumerable lives of women and children. It is time to weed it out through law and awareness within the Muslim community, he said.

In August 2015, the council and many other bodies representing Muslim women had taken up the issue of instant talaq with the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), asking it to initiate proactive measures for its complete abolition.

This form of talaq has no sanction from the Quran or the Hadith whatsoever. Sadly, the board didnt act nor did it care to respond to us, Salees said.

The practice flourished because of the self-centred clergy which has ensnared people. The Supreme Court decision is heart-warming but still a lot has to be done, he said.

Read more: Noida woman given triple talaq before SC decision, files complaint

The council has suggested that the government should constitute a committee of Muslim clerics and intellectuals with a mandate for abolition of this practice and complete adoption of the process of divorce as explained in the Quran, the holy book of Muslims.

If our demands are met, these will deter Muslim men from divorcing women.Even if they do go for divorce, the financial part at least will help them (the women), he said.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday that taxpayers money, used to develop medical institutions and educate doctors, should benefit the society.

Swine flu being projected as a scare: CM Chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday that undue panic was being created around Swine flu. It is being turned into a scare. If a person sneezes, it is said he must have swine flu, he said. Our focus should be on prevention of swine flu and all water and vector-borne diseases. There is a need to generate awareness. But if we create panic or fear, it will appear as if a chotikatwa (braids cutter) was around. Chotikatwa is a non-issue, he added. The CM said that all water and vector-borne diseases can be controlled through cleanliness. The Prime Minister has launched the Swachh Bharat Mission, he said, pointing out that media could play a key role in creating awareness on the subject.

It is the money of 22 crore taxpayers that is used to build government medical institutions in UP and educate doctors. But when it comes to giving back to society, the doctors vanish, said the CM while addressing a gathering at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences.

Earlier, the chief minister unveiled the statue of late Dr SC Rai, a surgeon and former mayor of Lucknow.

Doctors avoid government service for private practice. But if you leave for cities outside UP, or leave the country to settle in Europe, our money goes waste, said the CM referring to medical students who after completing studies in government colleges at subsidised fees, leave for greener pastures.

No CM, no medical education minister, no director brings money from their own pockets. This is taxpayers money. Will need to think about our population of 22 crore. Being sensitive, for which doctors are known, will be beneficial for the people, he said.

He added that each day there were media reports highlighting anomalies in health services. There must be some reasons (behind it). These need to be solved. There was a time when there was a high regard for doctors, he said.

MAKE AN UMBRELLA INSTITUTION

The chief minister said that Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, and the Women and Child Hospital in Gomti Nagar can be merged to make an umbrella institution.

The institute has 350 beds for patients, the hospital has 400, and the women and child hospital has 200. They can be merged to make an umbrella institution, he said.

The Lohia institute has started MBBS course and has taken 150 admissions. But as per MCI norms, it needs more bed and departments to run the MBBS course. Hence, merger with the hospital is in pipeline.

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Contract farming is back on the state governments agenda after previous regimes preferred to sweep the matter under the carpet in view of its potential to spark a controversy.

Now, the Yogi Adityanath government is all set to adopt contract farming as one of the most important tools of its multipronged strategy to enhance farmers income in Uttar Pradesh.

Under contract farming, farmers grow crops as part of an agreement with private companies that purchase their produce on the basis of mutually agreed terms and conditions.

This arrangement is said to promise an assured market and good price to farmers and relatively low-price goods to consumers.

Agricultural production commissioner RP Singh told HT: We are working on different fronts to enhance farmers income in the state.

Contract farming is an important item on our agenda for this purpose, he said.

The government was going to make sweeping changes in its Agricultural Produce Marketing Commodities (APMC) Act to pave the way for introduction of contract farming, entry of private players, opening of private mandis, beginning of e-trading, among other things all aimed at increasing farmers income, he said.

He said expert bodies like the Giri Institute of Development Studies had also been roped in to suggest ways to enhance farm household income.

The state governments move is a corollary to the Centres announcement to double farmers income in the country by 2022-23. The Centre has already asked the states to amend their APMC Acts on the lines of the Model Act sent to them to facilitate marketing reforms, including contract farming, in the agriculture sector, giving special treatment to fruits and vegetables.

Uttar Pradesh is among the states where farmers income is quite low. As per the national sample survey office (NSSO) data quoted by the Niti Aayog in one of its recent policy papers, 23.2% of the total farm households in UP had income even below the poverty line in 2011-12. This was the fifth lowest after Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh and only a little above the national average of 22.5%.

The Akhilesh Yadav government too tried to introduce contract farming, albeit under a new name, agreement farming after a group of ministers recommended the same and also made some amendments to the APMC Act under the Centres pressure but left the idea midway for fear of a controversy.

Besides, the Mulayam Singh Yadav government had in 2005 sought to introduce contract farming in UP but had to drop the idea after a lot of criticism by political parties and others who claimed that the move will harm farmers interests in the long run to the extent that they may might have to lose their land to private companies.

Singh, however, said there were unnecessary misconceptions about contract farming. We will educate farmers and dispel their apprehensions, if any, he said.

Sources said the government, while opening the gates to contract farming in the state, will ensure through a legal framework that private companies entering into a contract with farmers are not able to get the cultivators land transferred to their (companies) for any reason.

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Ever wondered why sometimes it becomes hard for us to concentrate on work during the working hours? While some of us have a short attention span, and tend to get distracted by distractions such as a dictator like boss, love interest at work, chatter boxes in your cubicle and others. These are only one side of the coin, the Internet and social media combine for the other side. The moment we sit in front of our systems, most of us are prone to checking- Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. By the time you are done surfing and checking who posted what on social media, half the day has already passed.

According to Google,this counterproductive behaviour at the work, where an employee engages in non-work online activities while being on the clock, is defined as cyberloafing. Cyberloafing is detrimental to an organisation because by being distracted, the employees ends up stealing companys time. An employee may be not purposefully engaging in cyberloafing but none the less it is detrimental.

According to psychologist Pulkit Sharma and Dr. Anil Sethi, psychologist and counselor, cyberloafing is not easy to decode as it sounds. In fact, its a complex issue, which is both productive and counterproductive, depending on the situation. So, read on as they explain cyberloafing for us.

Why an employee cyberloafs

One of the main reasons why employees cyberloaf is lack of interest in ones work. Also, to successfully integrate in the work culture of a place, employees interpersonal relationships at work play an important role. Earlier, people used to bond over tea or coffee at work but nowadays  in this age and time  people are more interested in virtual world of social media rather than bonding over tea. Mostly, work shirkers are found guilty of cyberloafing. While, a few employees cyberloaf because they know that the company is too lax to do anything about it. However, at times employees cant help but cyberloaf as they have already finished their work before time.

However, employees also cyberloaf, after they have finished their work and have nothing else to do. And at times, they cant help browse social media because its a part of their job.

In moderation, it can be helpful as well

Employees arent machines, and its unjust to expect them to work like one. They need breaks to refresh themselves and thats where social media comes into play. According to various studies, browsing in moderation can help relieve stress. So, a short break taken by an employee to cyberloaf can prove productive as well.

So, how do you deal with it?

If you think that blocking websites or monitoring employees usage of social media is the answer then think again! By doing this, employees might feel that their privacy is being invaded; they feel restrictive at work place. This can lead to an unpleasant environment at work.

Its usually the de-motivated employees who slack. Rather than restricting the use of social media websites, the employer needs to spend one-on-one time with them and figure out what motivates them. Also, rather than restricting them through constant supervision, one ought to give freedom to the employees to work the way they want to. One of the solutions is to give employees access to social media only when they are not on their workstations or are in cafeteria. Another useful tactic that managers can use is that they can devise their subordinates schedule in such a manner that employees can pace their work well during the day. This way employees can maintain balance between underworking and overworking employees.

Heres what the working netizens have to say about cyberloafing

As longs its done on the employees personal device and not on companys servers, its totally acceptable and somewhat important for de-stressing the work environment. Reading a joke or watching a funny video or just a chat with your friends decompresses the pressure and enhance a persons mood and one can start afresh after that its similar to what a smoking break does to a nicotine addict as social media today is akin to an addiction. And its inhumane to deny people there fix.

Shashwat Gupta, 28, Mekatronic solutions

I am an engineer, I spend my entire time in front of a system [at work] and I think cyberloafing depends on the situation. You need to give yourself a mental break while working in front a system. Since, most peoples interpersonal relationships are through their phones and internet, therefore it also helps to release stress. Yes, its true people who are not motivated and uninterested, tend to cyberloaf as a way to kill time. But banning websites or surveilling their social media usage is not the correct way to go about it. Best way to deal with them is to motivate them.

Rahul Jaiswal, 32, Engineer

In my organisation, using social media websites is banned. I think its important to give employees a certain level of freedom. Using social media or Google in a limited capacity can definitely help employees de-stress, it also helps them bonding with others. However, as a manager, if I find my employee wasting time on social media then definitely I will pull them up for it. I think it all depends on an individual, if one is motivated then one would not indulge in cyberloaf. The best way to deal with this for companies is hiring people who are motivated and have a high conscientiousness and are emotionally stable, rather than curbing the employees freedom at work.

Silky Gandhi, 28, Assistant Manager

Few of us work for 10-12 hours straight and accessing social media sporadically while working ensures that we are stress free. Since we dont even get time to socialise, cyberloafing can help us stay in touch with friends and family. However, this doesnt mean that people should be cyberloafing all the time. Managers need to be smart while creating a working schedule for their employees. They need to ensure that their employees are given a certain degree of freedom and breaks in the middle. But they must also make sure that employees are pacing their work in such a manner that they are not finishing their work before the day ends.

Sakshi Shokeen, 27, Tax Consultant

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The Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra appears divided on the issue of inducting senior Congress leader Narayan Rane into its ranks.

A meeting of senior BJP leaders was held on Sunday night with the party president Amit Shah, but there are conflicting reports of what transpired. One section of the state brass said the formula for inducting Rane was finalised, while others refuted this.

The deal the BJP is likely to offer to Rane, according to a senior leader, is a Rajya Sabha seat for himself, a junior ministers post for his second son, Nitesh, and membership of the legislative council for his elder son, Nilesh. However, a BJP minister dismissed the possibility saying such a deal was too extravagantly in favour of the Ranes  as it accommodated the senior leader and both his sons.

Sources in the BJP told HT that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is not keen on a cabinet reshuffle immediately and would prefer to induct Rane into the party by the end of 2017 or early in 2018, closer to the polls in 2019.

Political observers also said that this talk of differences in the BJP could well be a strategy to drive a hard bargain with Rane.

Earlier, speculation was rife that Rane would be inducted over the weekend in the presence of Shah, who was on a visit to the city on Sunday. The BJP has been wooing Rane with Fadnavis paying a visit to his home on Ganesh Chaturthi last week and state party president Raosaheb Danve following it up with a visit late on Sunday, but so far there has been no official word on Rane joining the party.

The partys top brass in Delhi is looking at Rane to increase the party base and seats in Konkan, where the Shiv Sena is stronger. There is a view that Rane can keep the Sena as well as the Congress in check with his aggressive posturing. But, he can prove to be a nuisance too for the CM given his outspokenness, seniority and ambition, said a senior BJP minister.

He added that sending Rane to the Rajya Sabha would be a much better option than having him occupy a plum portfolio in the state cabinet and that the `formula was one way of sending a signal to the senior Congress leader that a cabinet portfolio was not on offer. At the end of the day, the BJP president will take the call on Rane.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and former minister Eknath Khadse expressed his discontent over Ranes induction comparing his own role to that of former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani.

Now, we have to welcome outsiders into the party and the role of old timers like myself is to advise them, said Khadse, former number 2 in the Fandavis cabinet, while speaking to media in his home town in Jalgaon. Khadse was asked to resign following allegations of impropriety and graft in a land deal.

Also, putting all the speculations over them joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at rest; the Nationalist Congress Party on Monday denied any such move. Senior NCP leader Praful Patel on Monday said the speculation had no basis.

NCP MP and party chief Sharad Pawars daughter also rubbished the speculation.

There is no basis for speculation that NCP is joining government in Delhi, Patel tweeted after speculations was on rife that NCP is joining NDA fold following Nitish Kumar, Janata Dal (United) chief and Bihar chief minister.

Sule told HT that there was no question of her joining the NDA government as a minister and she had been hearing such rumours for the past three years. She denied Pawar would join the NDA.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar is known for his cordial relations with the BJP top brass, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The NCP that had also extended unsolicited support to the BJP to stabilise its government in the state after the party failed to get majority in the assembly elections in 2014.
A technical team from the Government Railway Police (GRP) is visiting the spot near Asangaon, where the Mumbai-Nagpur Duronto Express derailed early on Tuesday morning, to check if there were any indications of a possible sabotage. Though prima facie it appears to be a landslide, sabotage cannot be ruled out, said source in the Government Railway Police and the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

If there was a landslide, why didnt the gangmen  men who monitor the tracks  alert the station master of the nearest station? This is considering a high speed train was to pass through the area, said an officer, requesting anonymity.

The theory of sabotage is being explored considering the number of instances where loco drivers have found metal bars and iron rods ripped off from railways electrical equipment and found on railway tracks since the beginning of this year.

Niket Kaushik, commissioner of GRP said that a technical team has been sent to the spot. The team will make a detailed analysis, question all men who were on duty and were responsible for the aversion of such an incident, and a report will be submitted. If the technical team suggests foul play, we will investigate the matter, said Kaushik.

The year had started with a major tragedy being averted after the motor man of Madgaon-Dadar Jan Shatabdi Express spotted a seven metre long piece of railway track placed diagonally over the railway track, and applied brakes to save the 700 odd passengers travelling.

This had seen the central agencies along with the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad and the GRP investigate the case, which hinted at possible members of the proscribed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) being behind the incident.
MES lies about the smoke and its danger - Sut.am (video)

As it is known, the lacquer-ethynol storages of Nairit chemical factory have been incessantly burning since yesterday, Sut.am reports. The RA Ministry of Emergency Situations has stated that the material most probably self-ignited and that the burning products (water and carbon dioxide) do not pose a danger to the people. The material really can have self-ignited (in case of breaking maintenance rules) but the information about the burning products is not true, to say the least. It Affects the Central Nervous System First of all, let us try to understand what material lacquer-ethynol is and what properties it has. In professional literature (paints, varnishes, protective coatings), it is possible to find some information about the composition of the material called lacquer-ethynol. Lacquer-ethynol does not have a stable composition and according to the technical specifications ( 1267-54), it can contain 42-50% dry material (diphenyl acetylene polymer), 1.5-2.5% antioxidants (phenols, amines, other), and the rest are solvents (xylene, white spirit, naphtha, or other). The most common solvent in the composition of lacquer, namely, the xylene, is considered a toxic substance, and this is explicitly mentioned in the literature. According to the World Health Organization, in case of acute poisoning with it, it affects especially the central nervous system. Currently, it is not known how much xylene was emitted to the atmosphere due to the Nairit fire. But taking into account the comparatively high boiling temperature of the xylenes (138  144C), the scale of the fire and the large amount of smoke, it can be claimed that a certain amount has surely passed to the atmosphere. Nevertheless, the Ministries of Nature Protection and Health evade the issue of their content in the atmosphere. Besides the Water and Carbon Dioxide Let us address the part of the statement that said that only carbon dioxide and water are burning products due to the fire. Everybody has seen that the black smoke of the fire has covered the whole surrounding areas and can be seen from faraway parts of Yerevan. Black smoke clouds have been formed. The black color of the smoke is due to the presence of very small soot particles in the air, as a result of which it becomes visible. Any schoolchild knows that the soot is one of the types of carbon, amorphous carbon, which is generated due to incomplete combustion of organic compounds. In contrast, in case of complete combustion, soot is not generated. Rather, carbon dioxide and water vapor are generated. Every time the gas of the cooker burns, it burns completely. No smoke or soot are generated, and, thus. It is completely safe. But in case of malfunctioning of the cooker, incomplete combustion takes place. Thus, not only soot but also carbon monoxide is generated, which, as it is known, is a deadly poison. Soot is a confirmed carcinogen (cancerous substance), and carbon monoxide is poisonous. Considering the presence of visible smoke and the amounts of burning materials, we can assert that at least these two materials have been emitted to the atmosphere as a result of the fire. But again neither the Ministry of Nature Protection, nor the Ministry of Health has addressed this issue.
Traffic snarls were reported across all major city roads owing to the heavy downpour on Tuesday morning, affecting the morning commute to work for lakhs of motorists. (Live Updates)

Incessant rains in Mumbai continued though the noon, making traffic conditions miserable for commuters as waterlogging was reported at multiple places. Mumbai police issued diversions at select places as traffic policemen tried to ease congestion at various points on the ground. But the traffic department of Mumbai police is yet to issue any advisory or diversions.

South bound #traffic towards Matunga diverted to Wadala due to water logging on EEH (Amar Mahal) SG Barve Rd & VN Purav Rd, tweeted the official handle of Mumbai police.

South bound #traffic towards Matunga diverted to Wadala due to water logging on EEH (Amar Mahal) SG Barve Rd & VN Purav Rd #MumbaiRains  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

There are reports of waterlogging at Byculla railway station in the east near Palace cinema towards the Byculla zoo. Mumbai police have also urged commuters and motorists to dial 100 to apprise the police of the situation if they are stuck somewhere. You can also contact Mumbai police on Twitter by tagging @MumbaiPolice.

The solution appears to be working as the Twitter response is helping commuters. When one commuter, Ravi Kalle, asked for the best route to travel from Worli to Sion Hospital, the police directed him to take the Eastern Freeway. The situation at the Eastern Freeway is normalised as the traffic is moving again.

Meanwhile, the traffic police helpline 8454999999 is also getting calls from motorists.

Areas including MIDC, Military Road in Marol, Cama Lane in Ghatkopar (East), Kurla bus depot have slow moving traffic due to tree falls, said Amitesh Kumar, joint commissioner of police, traffic. There is also report of a tree fall near Bhaudaji Lad museum on the northbound stretch which is further affecting traffic.

Officials of the Mumbai traffic police and personnel including wardens are at congested locations to assist motorists in getting to their destinations.
Mumbai witnessed a heavy downpour on early Tuesday morning. The incessant rains since Monday night and has led to water logging in several areas of city, slowing down traffic movement and delaying citys life line, the suburban railway system. (Live Updates)

With high tide likely in the evening at 4.30pm, the situation could take a turn for the worse if the rains continue.

While the officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that they have received only two complaints of water logging at Sion and Andheri subway, citizens complained of water logging in areas like Sion, Matunga, parts of Dadar, Hindmata, Wadala, Ghatkopar, Andheri and Mulund. Many took to twitter to register complaints and warn others of the water logged areas.

The weather bureaus forecast had alerted citizens of heavy to very heavy rainfall through the day.

The city has witnessed incessant rainfall over the last four days since Saturday and heavy rains over the past three days has left several areas water logged and led to slow moving traffic.

An outstation train derailment near Mumbai has also led to suburban trains running late on the central line. The total delay on central line services is now 30 minutes, while on the Harbour line trains are running 10 to 15 minutes slow and on the Western Line, trains are delayed by 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, among the chaos, the seven lakes supplying water to the city are nearing the 100% mark. In the last 24 hours from 8.30am on Monday, the Colaba Observatory in Mumbai recorded 152 mm of rainfall.
Heavy rains in Mumbai since morning has forced schools to leave classes early. Many schools are allowing parents to take children home as there is waterlogging in most parts of the city.

Most schools are shut today on account of Ganpati festival. But those that were working today observed low attendance.

Bandras Anjuman-i-Islam MIJ School was working, but saw low student turnout. We continued school as usual but only 30 students attended, said Saba Patel, principal.

Another school, Activity High School, Peddar Road, allowed parents to take students home. We had classes, but as the intensity of rain increased and the BMC sounded the flood alert, we received panic calls from parents, said Perin Bagli, principal.

Utpal Shanghvi School, Juhu announced a holiday for its primary section, which starts at 1 pm, on account of the rains. Our secondary school was working in the morning but around 11.30 am we took a call to cancel afternoon classes, said Rakhi Mukherjee, principal of the school.

The School Bus Owners Association, which works with 200 schools in Mumbai, said that schools in western suburbs stayed shut due to waterlogging especially near Juhu, Kandivali and Borivli.

All schools are shut and many have cancelled their afternoon shifts, said Anil Garg, president of the association.

Education officials said they have asked schools to allow parents to pick up children early, if they want.  We dont want schools to send students home on their own. We have asked them to allow parents take them home, said BB Chavan, deputy director of education, Mumbai region.

Adding that schools are requested not to send children unsupervised, Chavan added,  In many cases, parents are working and so there might not be anyone to pick up the children. Such children should be kept in school only.

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All educational institutions in Mumbai will remain closed on Wednesday and officials have asked people to stay at home, in the wake of warnings from the weather department that heavy rains will continue till Wednesday afternoon.

The weather bureau said the low pressure area, which caused Tuesdays deluge, will shift towards Gujarat by Wednesday afternoon and subsequently move to the Arabian Sea.

The state government announced a holiday for all educational institutions in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis asked people to stay at home unless there is an emergency.

Following instructions from state education minister Vinod Tawde calling for all school and college students to stay indoors, the University of Mumbai announced a holiday on August 30.

Since the weather forecast says it will rain continuously over the next 24 hours, the university will remain shut on Wednesday and we request all affiliated colleges to remain shut, said a circular released by the university on Tuesday evening.

People walk through a flooded street at Hindamata in Mumbai on Tuesday. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

An ANI report said the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) will remain open on Wednesday.

Fadnavis said that only those government employees, who handled critical departments and essential services, would be on duty on Wednesday.

Between 8.30am and 8.30pm on Tuesday, the Santacruz weather station recorded 315.8mm rain, categorised as extremely heavy, while Colaba recorded 101.8mm.

On July 26, 2005, when a cloudburst inundated the city, killing over 1,000 people, 688mm rain fell over a span of 12 hours and 944mm over 24 hours -- the highest all-time rainfall recorded in Mumbai.

The amount of rain is expected to surpass the all-time high 24-hour August day record of 346.2mm received between 8.30 am of August 22 and 8.30 am of August 23, 1997.

At Mumbai airport, where poor visibility led to 10 flights being cancelled, seven diversions and 13 go-arounds, the situation in Wednesday will depend on the rains, airport officials said.

If the rains continue to pour non-stop (on Wednesday) then there might be an issue but it should not be as bad as today (Tuesday), said an official.

Many Ganeshotsav mandals delayed their fifth-day idol immersions  scheduled on Tuesday  to Wednesday because of the flooded roads that made processions impossible.

However, essential services and critical staff in the state government will be on duty on Wednesday, while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has cancelled leave for all staff.

The toll collection on the Bandra-Worli sea link and at all city entry points has been suspended until things get back to normal.
In a bid to spread the message of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay, the state government bought 10,000 copies of his philosophical works, each work spread into 15 separate volumes, for Rs4 crore.

These copies will now be distributed across nearly 12,000 libraries in the state, free of cost.

Collated from various sources, the works contain Upadhyays speeches, letters, other writings and intellectual discourses. It covers works published from 1940 until 1968, when Upadhyaya was elected president of Bhartiya Jana Sangh , the political arm of the RSS.

The state bought copies of his collated works edited by Mahesh Chandra Sharma and published by Prabhat Publications.

The state has already published and distributed speeches, writings, and other works of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Mahatma Phule and Balgangadhar Tilak.

For the first time, works of an RSS ideologue are being distributed given that the government in power in RSS-aligned, a senior official said, requesting anonymity.

Sitaram Kunte, additional chief secretary, higher and technical education department, confirmed the purchase and

told Hindustan Times the decision to buy Upadhyays writings and works is part of the programme undertaken by the government during his birth centenary year.

The state has bought 10,000 copies of his literary works, which will be distributed across all government-run and government-recognised libraries at no cost, Kunte told HT.

The state will soon publish the literature of Sayajirao Gaekwad, Maharaja of Baroda, who had helped the socialist stalwarts from Maharashtra, such as Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, for higher studies, informed Kunte.

The books were bought from Prabhat Publications, New Delhi, at 30% concessional rates than the catalogue price following the states policy for such cases, the official said.

The state government had recently moved congratulatory motion in both Houses of the state legislature hailing the work done by Upadhyay. It has also started a tribal welfare scheme on his name, which provides a cash amount for facilities such as hostel accommodation and food to tribal students.

The current government has found itself in a controversy over interference in academic issues and syllabi . It was recently in a controversy for mentioning the names of former Congress Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in state board history textbooks in reference to the Emergency and Bofors scam. The Maharashtra Education Board has also revised history textbooks for classes VII and IX and erased large portions related to Mughal rule and monuments built by them.

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Heavy rains accompanied by strong winds badly affected flight operations at the Mumbai airport on Tuesday.

Though the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) said there was an average delay of 35 minutes, passengers said some flights were delayed for over two hours. (Live updates)

The landing of an aircraft when it was on its final approach to the runway was aborted and some flights were diverted to other airports, officials said.

The Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) said there were not many flight delays. There were seven go-arounds, three diversions and 35 minutes delay in flight operations till now, said a MIAL spokesperson.

Officials from the Airport Authority of India (AAI) said the situation in the afternoon was better than in the morning.

An airport official said that some flights were asked to land in the closest airports, either in Ahmedabad or Vadodara.

The heavy rains also forced the Juhu aerodrome to stop all operations of fixed-wing aircraft.

AAI officials said that though there was waterlogging in parts of the aerodrome, the main runway was clear. Helicopter operations were not officially shut.

The Juhu airport that has two runways is used by private charters and by ONGC Ltd to ferry personnel by helicopters to the offshore oil rigs at Bombay High.
Three aces of the Mumbai airports dog squad, whose last big job was checking out a bomb scare on a flight to Kuala Lumpur in January, on Sunday moved to their retirement home, a farm house in Virar, after 10 years of dedicated service.

The three Labradors, Taison, Linovo, and Deena, the last named a female, retired in March but the search for a suitable retirement home took time. They authorities finally zeroed in on Fiza farms, which has a good record of looking after dogs that had served security forces.

Shahs Fizza farms at Virar has been home to four 26/11 sniffer dogs  Max, Sultan, Tiger and Caesar  who have now passed away. They were all part of Mumbai polices Goregaon bomb squad.

The six-acre farm at Virar is home to around 300 animals, of which 60 are dogs.

Apart from CISF dogs, the farm has also housed Railway Protection Force and Mumbai police dogs. Shah said timely health check-ups ensure these dogs remain fit even after retirement.

The three dogs, who in 2014 had sniffed their way through the vast Terminal 2 complex before the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) moved in, will spend the rest of their lives at Fiza farms.

Labradors can live up to 14 years of age. Born in 2007, the dogs were bought by the CISF when they were two months old. They were then sent for six months of training to the National Training Centre for dogs in Tekanpur, Gwalior. Dogs with the security forces retire after 10 years of service.

After the three retired, the Mumbai unit of the CISF currently has 14 dogs  13 labradors and one Cocker Spaniel.

We prefer handing over the retired dogs to their handlers so that proper care is taken of them. However, since the handlers are on duty with other dogs, they may not be able to dedicate much time to the retired canines.

Other options were then explored and Fiza Farms was chosen, explained a CISF official. On Sunday, the reactions of the three dogs was very different  Deena refused to leave her handler, Lenovo sat quietly in a corner, while Taison settled right in once he realized he was going to stay.

The dogs are remembered as the most active in the unit, said, KN Tripathy, deputy inspector general of CISF, Mumbai airport.
Under pressure from the Opposition, the Maharashtra government on Monday set up a one-man committee under retired bureaucrat KP Bakshi to inquire into graft allegations against state industries minister Subhash Desai in the denotification of industrial land at Nashik.

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government also brought the erstwhile Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) government under the net of the inquiry by expanding its scope to look into the denotification of industrial land in estates across Maharashtra over the past 15 years. Significantly, this will also include the tenure of Congress leader Narayan Rane as industries minister between 2010 and 2014 during Congress-NCP regime. The buzz in political circles is that Ranes move to the BJP is imminent.

The Bakshi panel will inquire whether the land was denotified as per the rules, regulations and guidelines of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation. The inquiry will probe any conflict of interest by the minister in the decision. Moreover, the inquiry will also focus on whether the MIDC has taken similar decisions to denotify land in the industrial area concerned, as well as any other industrial area in the past 15 years, a senior state government official said.

Legislators from the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party were pushing for Desais resignation, alleging corruption in the denotification of industrial land at Gondedumala and Vadivare villages in Igatpuri taluka of Nashik. They alleged that Desai deliberately took the decisions to favour developers.

Desai, a senior Shiv Sena minister, denied any graft or conflict of interest, saying it was the erstwhile Congress-NCP government that had started the process of denotifying the land parcel when Rajendra Darda and Narayan Rane held the industries portfolio. He added, by the time he took over as minister, the land left with the industries department was fragmented and difficult to put to industrial use due to which his department decided to denotify it and restore it to original owners.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis too defended Desai in the house, but promised to conduct an independent inquiry into the allegations. He, however, did not accept the oppositions demand for Desais resignation.

Bakshi, a 1982 batch IAS officer, retired as additional chief secretary from the home department in November 2016. The state government has granted Bakshi access to any records of the industries department that he may require during the course of the inquiry, as well as the right to summon any officials or employees for questioning.

Opposition leaders, however, slammed the inquiry as eyewash and an attempt to shelter the minister.

The NCPs Dhananjay Munde, leader of opposition in the state legislative council, said, There cannot be an independent inquiry while the minister is still in office. The government should conduct a judicial inquiry after asking the minister to resign. He also added that the BJP-led government is simply evading the issue at hand by extending the inquiry to the past 15 years.
Heavy rains have lashed Mumbai for the past four days with no hope yet of a let-up, as the Meteorological department on Tuesday forecast very heavy showers over the next 24 hours. (LIVE updates)

The downpour has led to traffic snarls across the city besides affecting local train services and flight operations.

Heres 10 things to know as Mumbai comes to a standstill:

1. More rains expected, stay home

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued an advisory asking citizens not venture out unless absolutely necessary. The civic body has warned of very heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours. On Tuesday afternoon, more than four areas in Mumbai have recorded more than 150 mm of rainfall. The Maharashtra government has decided to shut all its offices early and allowe employees to leave.

2. Helpline numbers

WhatsApp for traffic updates: 8454999999

Central Railway control room: 022-22620173

Western Railway control room: 022-23094064

BMC helpline: 1916

3. Mumbais lifeline goes under

All three suburban railway networks -- Central, Harbour and Western lines -- are suspended with tracks at several places, including Parel, Sion and Kurla, going under water. While officially, Central railway authorities have said trains are suspended on the main line between Parel and Kurla and on the Harbour line between Vadala Road and Kurla, commuters have confirmed that no trains are operating on these lines at all, and those that are are very slow. On the Western line, train were terminated at Andheri with services towards the city aborted in the afternoon. By 4 pm, Western railway had resumed.

A local train stranded at Curry Road railway station on the Central line at 4pm on Tuesday. (Santosh Harhare/HT)

4. Roads to avoid

Traffic has been diverted at 25 places across the city while several flyovers and roads were shut, including Sion flyover, Milan and Andheri subway. Traffic on several arterial roads -- including Eastern Expressway, Santacruz-Chembur link, Western Expressway, SV Road between Bandra to Santacruz and DN Nagar and BMW junction stretch between Worli to Haji Ali -- are too slow or stuck.

5. Bandra-Worli sea link closed

For the first time since the sea link opened in 2009, authorities have decided to close it for traffic moving towards the city.

6. Water logging

Chronic flood spots in the city have fared worse than usual, such as Dadar, Hindmata, Parel, King Circle, Chembur, Sion and Andheri. The BMC has pressed 217 dewatering pumps into service.

A bus moves through a water-logged road in Mumbai on Tuesday. (REUTERS)

7. High tide alert

With a high tide up to 3.29 m expected at 4.30 pm, the flooding in the city will only add to the chaos as authorities struggle to evacuate people from low-lying areas. A combination of high tide and heavy rainfall can push water into these areas, clogging the stormwater drains leading to more inundation.

8. Why the high rainfall

The heavy rainfall that Mumbai has been experiencing over the past few days has been caused by the movement of a low pressure area from Odisha to the west and central parts of the country. The weather bureau expects very heavy rain through Tuesday and Wednesday. The 152mm rain recorded at Colaba weather bureau, which covers south Mumbai, between 8.30am Monday and 8.30am Tuesday, is the highest 24-hour rainfall for the island city this year. There is no official statement yet on whether this is record rainfall for Mumbai since the 2005 deluge.

9. Flights delayed, diverted

Mumbai airport operations were affected by strong gusts of wind leading to flights delays by an average of 35 minutes. There has been seven go-around (an aborted landing of aircraft when it is on final approach to the runway) and three diversions to Gujarat.

People walk along a flooded street in Mumbai during a heavy downpour on Tuesday. (AFP)

10. Schools shut for Ganeshotsav

Most schools were shut because of Ganeshotsav. Those that were open had low attendance and some others were working for half a day. Parents were asked to pick up kids early.
In a last minute decision, the Uttar Pradesh government decided to change the site meant for construction of its first Kailash Mansarovar pilgrim centre from Arthala in Ghaziabad to Indirapuram.

On late Tuesday night, CM office, government of UP @CMOfficeUP, tweeted, a decision has been taken to construct Kailash Mansarovar building on land belonging to GDA under Indirapuram scheme.

                      CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP) August 29, 2017

The decision was taken on Tuesday, two days before UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the ambitious project at Arthala; and a day after Hindustan Times reported that environmentalists have challenged the government over allocation of land of a water body for the construction of the project.

The project courted controversy after a major land chunk assigned to it was found to be registered as jheel (lake) in Fasli 1360 (Roman Calendar year 1953) revenue records. Rules mandate that the land use of water bodies cannot be changed for any other purpose. The Ghaziabad municipal corporation had maintained that the land for developing the Kailash Mansarovar centre was banjar (barren) and could be used for the purpose of construction.

In a detailed report published on Tuesday, in the Hindustan Times highlighted the issue about the contrasting land uses of Khasra number 1330  a major land chunk proposed under the pilgrim centre construction plan.

Hindustan Times approached the district administration on Monday with documents which were filed in their complaint by environmentalists Sushil Raghav and Akash Vashishtha. Both had been instrumental in taking up environment issues and contesting several cases against UP authorities at the National Green Tribunal.

After the Fasli 1360 records found the land chunk as jheel, the officials tried to search the base record of Fasli 1359 in order to know the exact nature of the land involved.

There is no mala fide intention by anybody. From 1994, the property register of the corporation shows the land as banjar. Our officials checked up prior records and the land chunk was shown as Jheel. It was sometimes later during 1953 to 1956 that the land was shown as converted to banjar. Under what circumstances it was changed, is yet to be known. But, we are very clear about the directions by Supreme Court regarding the water bodies, said Ministhy S, district magistrate, Ghaziabad.

Now, the pilgrim centre will not be constructed at Arthala due to issues which have come to light in connection with the land. Since the pilgrim centre was proposed on several land chunks and the land parcel in question forms the majority area, the DM said.

Thus, we have decided not to go ahead with proposed centre at the land as we could not tweak the proposed construction plan. Even though it was a municipal corporation property, we decided not to go ahead, she said.

Immediately, the top officials of the UP government were informed about the issue and a direction was received to scout for land which is free from encumbrances.

The Ghaziabad development authority was pitched in for making the land available and they proposed two sites at Indirapuram and Madhubhan Bapudham for the proposed centre. Final directions from the state officials were awaited till Tuesday evening.

It is likely that the state government will finalise the land at Indirapuram as its land use is already meant for community purposes. The proposed Kailash Mansarovar centre was to come up on nearly 8,125 square metre of land in Arthala village.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath was scheduled to reach there on August 31 for laying the foundation stone. Days after he was sworn in as CM, Yogi had expressed willingness to get the facility constructed at Lucknow, Ghaziabad or Noida. A site at Arthala, near the Haj House, had been proposed to the CM by Ghaziabad Mayor Ashu Verma and several MLAs.

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On Tuesday, the state officials directed the Ghaziabad administration that the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrim centre will not come up at the proposed site in Arthala near GT Road.

The land was proposed to construct the complex days after UP chief minister assumed office in March and said a pilgrim centre will come up in Lucknow, Ghaziabad or Noida.

All deliberations were finalised for the proposed site  a 8,125 square metre plot belonging to Arthala village.

The major issue cropped up after Hindustan Times on Monday reported on the complaints lodged by environmentalist Sushil Raghav and Akash Vashishtha who said that the a major chunk of the plot, Khasra number 1330, was a water body and its land use cannot be altered.

The municipal corporation, on the other hand, claimed that the land was banjar (barren), as per its property records, and could be used for construction of the pilgrim centre.

Since Monday morning, a team of district officials were trying to trace the base title record. We checked the Fasli 1360 record and found the land chunk as jheel (waterbody). We could not access 1359 record as it is under the custody of the court. We also checked 1358 Fasli record and the land was listed as jheel in that too. It is from the 1365 Fasli that the land is shown as banjar. Later, it was also given under lease for different purposes. This has to be inquired, said Prem Ranjan Singh, joint magistrate.

The environmentalists had claimed that the land was as water body as per the Fasli 1360 records. On Monday night, an urgent meeting of all top district administration officials was called to discuss the issue, he added.

Some officials put forward the proposal to go ahead with the site at Arthala while others objected to it, saying that the decision might put the UP officials, particularly the chief minister, in an embarrassing situation if any legal issue cropped up.

The matter was conveyed to Avnish Awasthi, principal secretary (information), and Mrityunjaya Narayan, secretary to the CM. A direction later arrived to scout for new land on war footing.

We took a decision to apprise state officials because the land chunk could have posed legal issues and going ahead with the construction would have also violated the Supreme Court directions. Going ahead with the laying of the foundation stone would have also created a controversy for the CM, said Ministhy S, district magistrate, Ghaziabad.

Late night, the officials from Ghaziabad development authority came up with proposals for a new site at Indirapuram or at Madhuban Bapudham.

According to authority sources, the site in Indirapuram is a 11,000 square metre plot valued at around Rs 55 crore. The other proposed site in Madhuban Bapudham is a 10,000 square metre plot valued at Rs 22 crore.

On Tuesday, the officials cancelled the original site in Arthala and all arrangements at the site for laying the foundation stone was dismantled. CM Yogi is scheduled to arrive in Ghaziabad on August 31 and was supposed to lay the stone that day.

The foundation stone laying ceremony will now be held at Kavi Nagar where the CM will also address a gathering, Ministhy said.

Already, the Ala Hazrat Haj House in Arthala is not operational and stands locked in the wake of a pending case before the National Green Tribunal. Environmentalists Sushil, Akash and others had moved against the Haj House construction claiming that it was constructed on the floodplains of river Hindon.

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A Bachelor of Arts student of a government college has stopped attending classes, as she was allegedly being harassed and molested by some anti-social elements on her way to college. The issue came to light when the victim approached Noidas Phase-3 police for help.

The 20-year-old student, a resident of Chhajarsi in Noida, told police that the men followed her wherever she went, harassed her and passed lewd remarks. Harassed and humiliated, she stopped going to college since Raksha Bandhan day, which fell earlier this month.

The 20-year-old is pursuing her undergraduate studies at Shambhu Dayal Inter College in Ghaziabad.

On Monday, the victim told police that four men from her locality shadowed her wherever she went and such was the extent of the harassment that she hadnt stepped out of her house for the last twenty days.

They always wander around our house and I am too scared to step out and walk about. Even my studies are being affected, the 20-year-old wrote in her complaint.

She alleged that the one of the teasers wants to marry her and has threatened to eliminate her family if she refuses to give in to his demand. She said the men also misbehaved with her father and thrashed him when he tried to intervene.

After a month-long ordeal, the victim arrived at the police station along with her father and relatives on Monday and filed a complaint against the accused.

She even named the accused as Atul, Parvesh, Sushil and Dharmendra in her complaint.

Acting on her complaint, the police on Tuesday nabbed all four of them.

Avnish Dixit, station house officer of Phase  3 police station, said, The accused have been booked and an investigation is on.

The police said the accused live in the same neighbourhood as the victim and all are aged between 20 and 23.

We are extending every possible help to the victim, so that she can continue with her studies and live without any fear, Dixit said.
A Kabul-based student, who was the victim of a terror attack in his country two years ago, received a helping hand from a Noida hospital, which undertook a transplant surgery to reconstruct his right thumb using his toe.

Irfaan-ul-lah (22) was one of the victims of a bomb blast two years ago in Kabul. He ended up losing his thumb and three fingers on the right hand. Life became difficult for Irfaan post the terror attack as he failed to perform his day-to-day activities as he had only an index finger on his right hand.

Irfaan was taken to hospitals in neighbouring Pakistan but he found no relief there.

He then arrived in Noida on July 31 for a surgery at Jaypee Hospital, Sector 128, with the hope that he might regain use of his right hand.

The doctors did not disappoint him as they used the second toe of his left foot and transplanted it on his right hand as a thumb structure, thereby providing a makeshift thumb for him to lead a normal life.

In the first week of August, a team of doctors from the plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgery department of Jaypee Hospital performed a successful transplant of the toe to reconstruct the thumb.

The complicated and exhaustive surgery took seven hours, doctors said.

First, the patients hand was assessed to find out the extent of loss to structures such as bones, joints, tendons, arteries and veins. Then, the team of doctors decided to implant the second toe of his left foot to his right hand and give it the structure of a thumb. We measured the length of the patients thumb and, according to its size and the damage incurred, we cut the second toe of his left foot and implanted it in the place of his lost thumb, said Dr Ashish Rai, senior consultant, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Jaypee Hospital.

We had to be really careful while removing the toe and had to ensure that all other structures such as joints, ligaments and the arteries were functional even after the surgery, he said.

Doctors believe that Irfaan will now be able to regain use of his right hand.

After the surgery, Irfaan is now capable of holding objects with his right hand and performing routine activities. In the next stage, one more finger will be implanted in the same hand so that the patient is able to perform all tasks with his three fingers and lead a normal life, said Dr Saurabh Gupta, consultant, plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, Jaypee Hospital.

After surgery, Irfaan was kept under observation at the hospital till the second week of August and he left for Kabul on August 27.

An ecstatic Irfaan was happy at the prospect of him being able to use his right hand again.

The last two years were terrible for me. I used to feel helpless as I was not able to do any work on my own. I am thankful to the doctors for their efforts and now I can at least perform my regular activities and am no longer dependent on others all the time, Irfaan said.

A similar surgery was conducted in Navi Mumbai on August 25 when a team of doctors successfully replaced a factory workers thumb with his toe.

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The announcement in Beijing and New Delhi on August 28, 2017, of a simultaneous disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops  who had faced-off on the high altitude Doklum Plateau for three months  is a welcome first step. It came after China continuously insisted for three months that the disputed 89 sq km Doklam Plateau is Chinese territory and made a variety of threats against India of the kind not seen in the past forty years. After a disingenuous initial statement implying that Indian troops alone had withdrawn, China later, in reply to a specific question, clarified that troops from both sides had pulled back. India separately announced that the bulldozers and earthmoving equipment brought by the Chinese had been removed, making it apparent that China has undertaken to cease building the road to Gyemochen through the Doklam Plateau, which was the main reason for Indias objection.

While China and pro-Chinese analysts will now talk of looking ahead and continuing relations as before, the fact remains that Chinas unrelenting propaganda over the past three months has damaged the relationship. It has dissipated what little trust existed in the Sino-Indian relationship, rebuilding which will require a long time. More important is the need for a change in Chinas attitude towards India  a point made by Prime Minister Modi in his talk at Chinas prestigious Peking University during his visit to Beijing in April 2015.

Chinas track record in abiding by agreements has, however, been dodgy. Ready recent examples are its reneging within three years in 2008 on the agreement by which it accepted Sikkim as a state of the Indian Union; backing off from the agreement on not disturbing settled populations which pertained to Arunachal Pradesh; and, most recently, violating the 2012 agreement not to alter the status quo and cease building the road through the Doklam Plateau. China has not hesitated to go back on agreements with other countries either.

The Doklam stand-off has far reaching implications. It differed markedly from previous stand-offs including others that actually lasted considerably longer. During the Doklam stand-off, Chinas state-owned propaganda apparatus mounted an unprecedented offensive not seen in over forty years and which revealed that the Chinese Communist leadership cared little about improving Sino-Indian ties and had scant regard for Indian sensitivities. Memories of the threats are unlikely to recede for a very long while. It ensured world attention on the stand-off at Doklam. The stand-off also triggered adverse reaction in India which, already upset at the US$ 52 billion trade deficit, has begun scrutinising Chinese commercial activity in India.

Countries in Indias immediate neighbourhood, like Pakistan and Nepal, have closely monitored developments surrounding Doklam with both, pointedly, staying silent. Both can be expected to reassess their policies towards India, while Pakistan will additionally re-evaluate Chinas reliability. Islamabad will have noted Chinas assessment that US President Trumps recent announcement on Afghanistan and terrorism increases pressure on Pakistan and heralds a realignment in geopolitics of the region.

In the wider Indo-Pacific region too India will be seen as the only power to have stood up to Chinas aggressive policies. Recognition is Japans, and later US endorsement, of Indias stand. In effect, India challenged China at Doklam and paused the seeming momentum Beijing had created to aggressively expand strategic space and territory, thereby denting Beijings image.

Military and political considerations have been important. Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) was in an untenable position at Doklam. Indias swift and robust response was unexpected and caught the Chinese unprepared. In the ten days prior to Beijing going public with news of the stand-off, there were undoubtedly deliberations in the PLA and Chinese Communist Party (CCP)s top leadership echelons leading to the decision to try and browbeat India into submission and, if necessary, use military force. Indias refusal to yield ground, or seek to compromise its way out as anticipated by China on the basis of past record, would have prompted the rethink to opt for de-escalation.

Finally, the important 19th Party Congress scheduled to be held in October-November 2017, makes Xi Jinping politically vulnerable. Xi Jinping has used ideology and nationalism as his main instruments to strengthen the CCPs monopoly on power and boost his personal authority. He is also in the midst of implementing the most extensive reform the PLA has seen in its 90 years of existence, and could not afford to take the chance that in case he orders the PLA to teach India a lesson it is unable to secure a decisive victory or suffers a bloody nose. Smarting at the setback, the PLA and Xi Jinping will in all probability look for a way to retrieve hurt pride.

Jayadeva Ranade is a former additional secretary in the cabinet secretariat, Government of India and is presently president of the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy

The views expressed are personal
Around 100 people, including 35 women and 20 children, fell ill after consuming prasad (offering to God) at a village under Forbesganj police station of Bihars Araria district on Monday.

The villagers partook prasad after attending a religious procession of Sri Mahavir Jhanda Shobha Yatra on Sunday.

Around 66 people of ward number 12 at Dholbajja panchayat were initially admitted to the Forbesganj referral hospital, about 300 km northeast of Patna, on Monday morning. They were, however, discharged later in the evening.

The district administration had rushed two medical teams with life saving drugs and kits to the Dholbajja village, where 30-35 people were still recuperating.

Medical officer at the Forbesganj referral hospital, Dr Ajay Kumar, said: All those who were admitted on Monday complained of acute stomach pain, vomiting and loose motion.

He said the villagers partook prasad on Sunday and immediately fell ill. All those who were admitted due to food poisoning are out of danger and have been discharged, Dr Kumar added.

Araria accounted for around 100 deaths due to the recent floods. With floodwater receding, the district was facing acute shortage of potable water. Medical experts feared that this could lead to a spurt in cases of diarrhoea.
From positioning himself as a messenger of God (MSG) to bestowing the surname Insan on his followers, and playing on the word sach (truth), the dera chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, can give an ad guru lessons in branding.

It (insan) gave a new identity and dignity to many, especially the Dalits, that no religion gave them, and he was the sole proprietor of this identity.

It was Shah Satnam Singh, the former head of Dera Sacha Sauda, who unwittingly gave him his first lesson in branding when he renamed him as Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, omitting the Jat Sikh surname Sidhu from his name to give him a more secular identity.

A quick learner, hes burnished his identity over time, using internet to bestow upon himself miraculous powers.

Hailing him as a reincarnation, his website narrates how Triveni Das, a village soothsayer or prophet as the site says, told his parents that they must not take HIM (Gurmeet) to any reverential place for prayers. For, HE is a manifestation of Supreme Creator Himself.

Dr Ashutosh Kumar, a political scientist at Panjab University, who has studied the deras in Punjab, says this larger-than-life image resonates with people who want a medium that will help them attain salvation. Ordinary people want to connect with godliness in person. The dera chief used his films to fashion himself as the messenger of God (MSG). Back in his 50-odd deras around the world, he was Pita ji (father) who could do no wrong. The mass hysteria that accompanied the verdict against him showed how his followers actually believed it.

The Jat politicians dont want to share power, so they deal with the deras for votes.

Ten years ago, he gave his followers a new surname Insan or human being. It was neutral and caste-free in a region where caste still determines a persons pecking order in society. It gave a new identity and dignity to many, especially the Dalits, that no religion gave them, and he was the sole proprietor of this identity, says Dr Parmod Kumar of the Institute for Development and Communication. In a ritual reminiscent of the amrit ceremony of the Sikhs, his followers are given this title after taking a rather long-winded 47-point pledge, called Nectar of Humanitarianism, in which they vow to stay off liquor and meat among other vices.

The dera is magnet for a large number of Dalits, and a darling of politicians keen to grab their votes. Dr Ashutosh Kumar attributes it to the lack of parity in politics of the region. Political power in the region is concentrated in the hands of the landed community. Even temples and gurdwaras have failed to create a sense of equality. The deras fill up this vacuum.

The dera was a big hit in Sirsa, the district with the second highest concentration of Dalits in Haryana  there are 26.6% Dalits here as compared to the state average of 19%. It also has a sizeable following in the Malwa region of Punjab, which has a large number of Dalits. The Jat politicians dont want to share power, so they deal with the deras for votes, says Ashutosh. The dera chief, he says, was most open about his political affiliations, which he changed with every election. Finally, this may have also proved to be his undoing, says Dr Kumar.

Sweet luck to Gurapple

The dera chief has a penchant for giving new-fangled names to his followers. So Priyanka Taneja became Honeypreet Insan when he adopted her in 2009. His daughter Charanpreet may have a rather prosaic name but her sons have been named Sweetluck Singh and Subah-e-Dil, presumably by MSG. He rechristened a sadhvi as Gurapple, while two sisters were renamed Nazam and Tasleem.
The Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) will go to the polls on September 7.

Amid speculations of postponement, the UT administration has written to the Chandigarh director general of police (DGP)  responsible for the peaceful conduct of polls  to schedule the elections on September 7.

A senior UT officer confirmed the date late on Monday evening.

The DGP has further written to the PU vice-chancellor (V-C) to conduct the elections on September 7, instead of September 8. HT has its copy. However, the university officials said they will announce the date after receiving the letter, likely on Tuesday.

The students elections were held on September 7 last year too. The Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) had swept the polls in 2016, in alliance with the National Students Union of India Students Front (NSUISF).

Along with the varsity, all 11 private and government colleges affiliated to it will also hold the elections the same day.

As soon as we get the administrations letter in our hand, we will inform all colleges about it and announce the schedule with regards to the nominations and election guidelines, said PU dean, students welfare (DSW), Emanual Nahar. We will impose the code of conduct on the campus after the official announcement.

The DSW said nominations are likely to take place on August 31 or September 1, if the elections are announced on Tuesday, as there is holiday on September 2.

Nahar said as admissions are still on, around 14,000 students have been enrolled in various departments on the campus so far, and they will be eligible to vote.

Those students who dont get their identity cards by the day of election will be allowed to vote after showing their fee receipt or letter from their respective department, he said.

Will ensure peaceful elections

PU chief security officer Ashwani Koul said his team is already prepared as the election date could have been announced any day.

We expect the student parties to maintain law and order and follow the Lyngdoh panel recommendations, he said. If they dont, we will act as per rules. We will take the UT polices help, not to hinder the students activities, but to ensure peace is maintained.

Koul said only those who have to cast their vote and are involved in electioneering will be allowed to enter the campus.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Nilambari Jagadale, who recently joined office, said: We were quite occupied with dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim case. Security arrangements in place will remain in the coming week too, but we will also keep an eye on developments at PU.

The SSP said her department will try its best to ensure the elections take place in a peaceful and cordial atmosphere.

Our aim will be to make sure that everything goes smoothly and nothing harms the sanctity of the educational institute, she said.

The colleges that will go the polls along with PU are MCM DAV College, Sector 36; DAV College, Sector 10; SD College, Sector 32; Dev Samaj College, Sector 45; Post Graduate Government College for Girls (PGGCG), Sector 11; PGGC, Sector 11; PGGCG, Sector 42; PGGC, Sector 46; Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26; Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26; and Government College of Commerce and Business Administration, Sector 50.

SOI wants date to be moved ahead

While most of student bodies expressed satisfaction over the election date, the Students Organisation of India (SOI) submitted a memorandum to the DSW, requesting the authorities to postpone the date.

For the past four days, students have not returned to the campus, said SOI state president. Vicky Middhukhera said poor attendance was witnessed on Monday too even as the university reopened after being shut owing to the dera chief verdict.

Students are likely to return tomorrow, but we dont have much time to campaign, he said.

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Actor Ajith Kumars latest Tamil outing Vivegam, an international spy thriller, has managed to open big with over Rs 100 crore gross from the four-day opening weekend worldwide at the box office. The stars fans are jubilant about the movie joining the prestigious Rs 100 crore club, but little do they know that the film is yet to break even and has a long way to go before it can enter the profit zone which, unfortunately, at the moment looks difficult as the numbers have started to drop from Monday, according to reliable sources.

Industry tracker Ramesh Bala tweeted about the Rs 100 crore figure : #Vivegam 1st Weekend (Aug 24th - 27th) WW BO: #India - Rs 69.50 Cr Overseas - Rs 36.50 Cr Total - Rs 106 Cr A Non-Rajini/Shankar Record!

The Siva-directed film has collected Rs 88.16 lakh in the United Kingdom and Rs 93.77 lakh in Australia, continuing the newly discovered trend of overseas territories emerging as a gold mine for Indian films.

#Vivegam 1st Weekend (Aug 24th - 27th) WW BO:#India -  69.50 Cr



Overseas -  36.50 Cr



Total -  106 Cr



A Non-Rajini/Shankar Record!  Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) August 28, 2017

Thanks to the Ganesh puja holiday weekend and terrific pre-release buzz, Vivegam ran to packed houses across centres in the country for the first four days. However, mixed response and thumbs down from the critics didnt help draw audiences from Monday and this means the film, despite great opening, is yet to be called a successful venture. The film has reportedly grossed around Rs 60 crore from first five days in Tamil Nadu where it has to make another Rs 20 crore to enter a safe zone. In the US, the film is struggling to draw audiences as it has lost out to low-budget Telugu film Arjun Reddy, which has already joined $1 million (Rs 63,957,500) club and looks unstoppable at the ticket window.

#ArjunReddy has officially crossed 1 Million mark on Monday, Aug 28th at the #USA Box office..  Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) August 29, 2017

In Kerala, too, the film managed to have good opening with over Rs 2 crore gross on release day. The numbers fell drastically over the weekend and the film is doubtful of recovering its cost. Its just a matter of days before the fate of Vivegam at the box-office will be judged based on the final numbers. The film marks the third time collaboration of director Siva and Ajith, who played a spy and was paired with Kajal Aggarwal.

The film cashed in on its massive screen count. It opened on 800 screens in Tamil Nadu, 300 in Kerala, 200 in Karnataka and 450 in the Telangana-Hyderabad belt.

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After the phenomenal success of Thani Oruvan, actors Jayam Ravi and Arvind Swami joined hands again for action-thriller Bogan, and their work was widely appreciated. Based on the concept of soul-swapping, Bogan which released earlier this year received lukewarm response at the box-office. However, the performances of Ravi and Arvind are still etched fresh in our memories even months after the release of the film.

Jayam Ravi and Arvind Swami play characters who swap souls in Bogan.

The project is all set to be remade in Telugu with Ravi Teja, and itll be helmed by Lakshman, who directed the original as well. Interestingly, the remake wont feature Arvind Swami who apparently wasnt interested in the idea from the beginning. Even though Arvinds role in Dhruva, the Telugu remake of Thani Oruvan, was extremely well received, he wasnt too keen on doing Bogan remake. Hes already shooting for the Tamil remake of Bhaskar The Rascal. He feels hes been doing too many remakes. Hence, he turned down Bogan offer as he doesnt want to do anymore remake at least for the time being, a source told HT.

Bogan Telugu remake will roll from November. Catherine Tresa has been finalised to play the leading lady and she will be seen in the role originally played by Hansika. The rest of the cast and crew are yet to be finalised.

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This year, actor Ashvini Bhave (above right) is celebrating Ganeshotsav in the US to make a difference. To start with, she purchased an eco-friendly idol of Lord Ganesha. My daughter, Sachi (above left) suggested that we paint the idol. So, we took a day to complete the idol, which included painting the clothes, crown and jewellery. My daughter led the activity, and taught me about shading, highlights and other colour related nuances while painting the idol. It was a great experience. She paints very well so she did make it seem like an easy thing to do, says the actor, who received great reviews for her recently released film Manjha.

Ashvini replicates most of the rituals and ceremonies of Ganeshotsav in her US home. I make sure I make modaks at home. I love making modaks, but not so much eating them. We have a typical Maharashtrian spread for lunch with potato sabji, matki usal and puri.

Ganeshotsav holds a special place in Ashvinis life as it means the beginning of new things. She adds that Bappa signals the start of new avenues and ventures in ones life. As a child, I would visit my grandfathers home in Bhiwandi during Ganeshotsav, and we would stay there for two to three days. We would make one modak with salt in it and watch peoples faces for reactions when they ate the salted modak. The one who would eat the salted modak would be given a penalty, which would be to clean up the place. Every evening, we would visit the pandals and go to our relatives places. It was a treat to watch peoples creativity in the decorations.

Ashvini adds that people now have to make changes according to the situation one is in. For example, she states that protecting our environment and getting rid of unwanted elements from society is the need of the hour. I have grown up watching my neighbour make his own Ganesh idol out of mud and clay. It was a natural thing for me to turn to an ecofriendly idol too. Now, we need make this change, starting with individuals, and eventually mandals should take the lead too.

The Henna (1991) actor looks at the idol painting process as an exercise to create memories of togetherness. I want my kids to have some association and good memories of the festival. I enjoy the process every year, and want them to remember this as a fun-bonding time.

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Preetika Rao looks thrilled at the very mention of Pune and Ganeshotsav. The Beintehaa actor reveals how the festival and Pune have played an important role in her life. I have seen Pune grow from a quiet town to a bustling city. When I started modelling, I would visit Pune often for shoots and ads, and I once happened to visit the mandap of Dhole Patil Ganesh temple. I feel a sense of calm and a positive vibe here, says Preetika.

The actor says Ganeshotsav has always been a special time for her. I would rehearse and practice for the annual shows during Ganeshotsav three months in advance. I would participate in dances and skits.Preetika shares that she makes it a point to visit Pune at least twice a year. My hectic shooting schedules dont allow me to come down often. But I absolutely love the city for its food, weather and the fact that my entire maternal family holidays here during Diwali and the New Year.

Preetika says she misses her sister, actor Amrita Rao, who got married last year. I dont get time to meet her everyday, but we make it a point to celebrate festivals together. This year, I visited her place for Ganeshotsav. I miss spending time with her.
One of Americas richest pastors has come under criticism on social media for not welcoming those seeking shelter from Hurricane Harvey into his Lakewood megachurch in Houston, Texas.

Joel Osteen, a televangelist, best-selling author and pastor, whose net worth is estimated to be $40 million, has been tweeting comforting messages of prayer and faith to his 6.17 million followers on Twitter.

Victoria & I are praying for everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey. Please join us as we pray for the safety of our Texas friends & family.  Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 26, 2017

But many social media users, among them Houstonians, have been sharply critical of Osteen for not offering flood-hit, stranded residents shelter at his sprawling Lakewood Church.

The nondenominational Lakewood Church has a seating capacity of 16,800 and hosts 52,000 attendees on a weekly basis, and looks more like an amphitheatre and stadium rolled into one. Here is a glimpse of the church from one of Osteens recent podcasts:

Download Joels PODCAST today and listen to "The God Who Goes Before You" Click here! https://t.co/eeXK2KQPk8 pic.twitter.com/h1vz4VCYTM  Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 25, 2017

In a Facebook post on Sunday, the Church stated that it was inaccessible due to flooding and pointed relief-seekers to other shelters. But many Houstonians took to Twitter to post pictures of the Church from outside, while others questioned Osteens decision to keep the church doors closed and not use his vast network to actively organise relief efforts. Many people seemed to feel that merely offering prayers was not good enough at a time when people needed help.

You and Victoria need to helping by opening your church and providing that money that gets donated to you for those in need .  Monica.dlsm (@Mbabyyyy) August 28, 2017

How are you guys helping the storm victims in Texas right now?  Ken Reid (@KennethWReid) August 28, 2017

Houston's Joel Osteen has a net worth over $50m and a church that holds 16,800 but this is all he's offering. pic.twitter.com/rmhdWK6ZAO  Mark Elliott (@markmobility) August 28, 2017

If only you had a big building in Houston that could serve as a shelter for ... I don't know, just spitballing here ... 16,800 people. https://t.co/CGdw1m7EpD  shauna (@goldengateblond) August 28, 2017

Joel Osteen won't open his church that holds 16,000 to hurricane victims because it only provides shelter from taxes. #HoustonStrong  Alan Spencer (@MrAlanSpencer) August 28, 2017

@cmclymer Looking pretty passable to me from this side, stay tuned for further exploration pic.twitter.com/dlrYGeLgBj  Allie (@AlleyCat_Allie) August 28, 2017

I'm hard on Joel Osteen specifically because I am a Christian. That is my "agenda". Christ would not close His doors to the needy. Ever.  Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) August 28, 2017

After being roundly slammed on social media, the Church issued a statement on Monday evening, saying they have never closed their doors. They also released photos of flooding in and around the Church.

We have never closed our doors. We will continue to be a distribution center for those in need, reads the statement. Lakewood will be a value to the community in the aftermath of this storm in helping our fellow citizens rebuild their lives.
India is among the top countries whose millionaires have used a golden visa to migrate to Britain with their dependents - the latest figures show 72 Indian millionaires with 84 dependents were granted the Tier 1 Investors Visa introduced in 2008.

Other countries whose millionaires have used the visa the most include China, Russia and the United States, contributing billions of pounds to the British economy. Except for nationality, no other details of such migrants are available.

Until November 2014, the minimum investment required under the category was 1 million, which was increased to 2 million after a Home Office committee found in February 2015 that the threshold was not bringing enough benefits to the economy.

The earlier investments thresholds were 1 million, 5 million or 10 million, which led to permanent residence to the visa holders and their dependents in five, three or two years respectively, and eventual citizenship. The first threshold was raised to 2 million.

Campaign group Transparency International (TI) has expressed concerns about the possibility of money being laundered through the visa route. It called for more checks on applicants and their investment plans in a recent report.

In the report titled Paradise Lost, TI made recommendations to ensure Britain does not become a prime destination for corrupt individuals looking to invest or launder the proceeds of their illicit wealth, enjoy a luxury lifestyle and cleanse their reputations.

TI said: Corrupt individuals can use the UKs Tier 1 (Investor) visa system  otherwise known as Golden Visas  to secure residency in the UK, thereby receiving an implicit endorsement of their moneys legitimacy from the UK state.

Home Office figures showed that from a peak in 2014 (when the threshold was raised to 2 million), the number of those granted the golden visas has been declining, possibly due to tighter checks on applicants.

However, Britains investment threshold is considered attractive compared to similar visa schemes offered by Portugal, the US or Australia.

Britain continues to be an attractive destination and a safe haven for global millionaires because of its historical links, the benefits of a stable, liquid economy, political stability and being largely free from government interference in private individual assets.

Indian millionaires using UK's Tier 1 Investors Visa

2008: 0

2009: 3

2010: 4

2011: 11

2012: 12

2013: 16

2014: 12

2015: 4

2016: 5

2017: 5

Total no of millionaires: 72

Total no of dependents: 84

(Source: Home Office)

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Pakistans former ambassador to India, Abdul Basit, has described the countrys envoy to the US, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, as the worst foreign secretary ever in a scathing letter that has been widely shared on social media.

The letter listed several reasons why Chaudhry was not made for the delicate profession of diplomacy, including the joint statement issued by India and Pakistan after a 2015 meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then premier Nawaz Sharif at Ufa, Russia, that referred to an agreement on the national security advisers of the two sides discussing all issues connected to terrorism but contained no reference to the Kashmir issue.

Basit, who opted for early retirement and was replaced in New Delhi by Sohail Mahmood, has been silent on the letter since it began circulating on social media on Monday. The influential Dawn newspaper quoted its sources in the Foreign Office as saying that the letter is genuine.

Basit and Chaudhry share some history  in December 2013, Basit was widely tipped to become the foreign secretary when the government chose Chaudhry for the post at the last minute. At the time, Basit was the envoy to Germany and had even returned to Pakistan in anticipation of being appointed to the post.

In February this year, the government picked Basits junior Tehmina Janjua as the countrys first woman foreign secretary even though Basit had again been tipped for the post. At the same time, Chaudhry was named Pakistans envoy to the US.

File photo of foreign secretary S Jaishankar with Pakistans former foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry and former high commissioner Abdul Basit emerging from a meeting at the external affairs ministry in New Delhi on April 26, 2016. (HT Photo)

In the letter purportedly written from New Delhi on July 5 this year, Basit was reacting to a farewell letter sent by Chaudhry in March.

The more I think the more I am convinced that you have been the worst Foreign Secretary ever. My concern is that you would also end up being the worst Pakistan Ambassador in Washington DC, Basit wrote.

Screengrab of the letter purportedly written by Pakistans former envoy to India, Abdul Basit, criticising the countrys former foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. (Twitter)

Basit wrote he could cite many examples to back up his contention that Chaudhry was not made for the delicate profession of diplomacy, though the Ufa Joint Statement and Pakistans humilating defeat at the Human Rights Council are sufficient to prove my point.

Second and it is more worrisome, your heart is not in the right place. In this regard, the less said the better, the letter added.

The letter called for Chaudhry to be immediately removed as the ambassador to the US in Pakistans interest. It added, If not so, you should not be given extension beyond your superannuation on 27 February 2018. May Allah help Pakistan when people like you with weak and dubious credentials are at such important positions.

The Ufa joint statement was widely criticised within Pakistan for containing no reference to the Kashmir issue. In 2015, Pakistans Foreign Office faced criticism after losing a bid to be re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council.
A suicide bomber blew himself up on a busy shopping street near the US embassy in central Kabul Tuesday, killing four people and injuring several others, officials said.

It was the latest in a series of deadly attacks to hit the Afghan capital, and comes three months after a massive truck bomb ripped through the same area, killing about 150 people.

Najib Danish, a spokesman for Afghanistans interior ministry, told AFP the explosion happened outside a private bank.

The blast happened Tuesday morning at a time when many officials were expected to be collecting their salaries ahead of this weeks Eid holiday.

Kabul Bank, the private institution hit by the blast, usually pays the salaries of security forces personnel and government employees.

Images broadcast on Afghan television showed the banks mangled exterior.

Waheed Majroh, a health ministry spokesman, said one dead body and eight wounded people had been brought to Kabul hospitals so far.

The blast occurred on a street lined with shops and banks leading to Massoud Square, near the United States embassy and Kabuls diplomatic area.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Taliban insurgents are currently at the peak of their summer fighting season, and have launched several deadly assaults around the country in recent weeks.

Since NATO forces ended their more than a decade-long combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, Afghan troops and police have struggled to beat back the resurgent Taliban, while facing the growing menace of the Islamic State group.

- Deadly assaults -

It was the latest explosion to rock the war-weary Afghan capital, and comes a week after United States President Donald Trump committed American soldiers to Afghanistan indefinitely.

On May 3, a powerful blast targeting a foreign forces convoy near the US embassy and NATO headquarters killed at least eight people and wounded 28 during morning rush hour.

Later in the month a massive truck bomb tore through Kabuls diplomatic quarter, home to the presidential palace and a host of foreign embassies, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians.

And on June 3 seven people were killed after suicide bombers attacked the funeral of a protester who was killed the day before during a demonstration against insecurity in Kabul.

After Trump paved the way for more US forces to be sent to Afghanistan the Taliban, which ruled the war-torn country from 1996-2001, vowed to turn it into a graveyard for foreign forces.

Afghan authorities welcomed Trumps decision, while in neighbouring Pakistan officials batted away claims from the US president that Islamabad continued to harbour militant sanctuaries.

Earlier this week Pakistan postponed a visit by a US diplomat who had been due to arrive Monday. The delegation led by Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Alice Wells was set to be the first major visit by an American official since Trumps comments.

Pakistan later announced talks with Chinas special envoy on Afghan affairs, where the Chinese official lauded Pakistans contribution and sacrifices made in the fight against terrorism, according to a statement.

IS insurgents have also carried out a number of deadly attacks in Kabul recently.

On Friday they claimed a suicide bomb and gun attack on a Shiite mosque that killed 28 worshippers.

They also killed two in an attack on the Iraq embassy earlier this month.
The disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam evoked mixed responses from Chinese social media users, with many expressing surprise and shock that New Delhi had been let off without having to apologise for what Beijing had described as an illegal trespass near the Sikkim border.

Some users said the withdrawal of Indian troops without an apology meant that New Delhi won the standoff that began more than two months ago.

Users of Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter and Facebook, questioned why their government allowed Indian troops to go back after staying on Chinese territory for so long.

On Monday, the Chinese governments first statement on the resolution of the standoff - that it had made on-site checks to verify the withdrawal of Indian personnel and equipment from Doklam, or Donglang as it is known in China - was shared by many on Weibo and WeChat, the popular mobile phone app.

Though the end of the face-off wasnt among the top topics on social media, thousands commented on it and shared related reports.

India has been in China for two months without an apology and punishment. How can we be proud of this? I waited for the common people to love peace and (be) against war, but the result made us lose face, said one user whose comment was widely shared.

The Chinese people are demanding an apology from India! This (the standoff) must go on until India apologises, was another users demand.

Yet another said: No apology before the withdrawal is Indias win and everyone will feel it.

The standoff began in mid-June when Indian troops acted in coordination with the Bhutan government to block the construction of a road by Chinese soldiers in Doklam, an area controlled by Beijing but claimed by Thimphu. The two sides agreed on disengagement on Monday and pulled out their troops from the area. Reports from Doklam suggested China would not go ahead with the construction of a road, the event which triggered the row.

For some Chinese social media users, the resolution showed India how easy it was to enter into Chinese territory.

India: See, the invasion of Chinese territory is so simple and it has little consequence, complained an angry Chinese netizen.

Where is the lesson? Indian soldiers have been in the country illegally for more than two months without any loss, asked another Chinese Weibo user.

Was the withdrawal unconditional? It is a national concern if we have given up the right to repair the road. The focus should be on whether the withdrawal was unconditional, said another user.

Such reactions from Chinese social media users isnt surprising in view of the massive anti-India media campaign launched by Chinas state media since the end of June.

The government and the official media flooded Chinas social media  besides mainstream newspapers and news websites  with news of the standoff from the third week of June.

Government statements on the illegal trespass were widely publicised on social media, and the warnings issued by the government for Indian troops to withdraw or face the consequences were highlighted in a planned manner.

Official statements on the standoff were accompanied by new reports and videos of military exercises by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), close to the border with India. The videos showed PLA soldiers carrying out live fire drills and demonstrated how combat ready they were to take on invading armies.

The official Xinhua news agency even put out a video with strong racist overtones to push forward the anti-India tirade.

After this calculated tirade, it was not surprising that Chinese netizens were feeling just a little let down.

However, not all reactions to the end of the impasse were angry and annoyed. Some were happy that any kind of escalation had been avoided.

I dont want to be strong with the war. The only thing I can do is to believe in the country. At least now, I am happier than the people who are experiencing war, said one user.

Its good that there isnt a war which will hurt the common people, whether us or the Indians. Peace is a blessing, said another Chinese netizen.
The condition of two Indian students of Texas A&M university remained critical on Monday but the 200 others marooned 100 miles away in Houston were safe and supplied with fresh food supplies, as heavy rains continued to pound the state of Texas for the fourth day and the death toll went up to nine.

Indian officials were helping families and relatives of the A&M students reach them as urgently as they could, and also reached the students in Houston bringing them truckloads of food supplied by the Muslim Association of Greater Houston, who made the first drop, and the Swaminarayan Temple.

For now the they are staying where they were as the water level had receded there and power supply had resumed, said Indian consul general Anupam Ray, who reached them at their apartments where they had found themselves marooned earlier by rapidly rising water and spent hours reassuring them.

Nine people have died so far because of the storm that hit the Gulf Coast in Texas on Friday as category 4 Hurricane Harvey. It had since been downgraded to a tropical storm, which has pummeled the state with unprecedented rainfall, flooding hundreds of thousands homes and businesses.

President Donald Trump, who is expected to tour some of the affected areas on Tuesday, told reporters, I look very much forward to it. Things are being handled really well. The spirit is incredible, of the people. He warned that the adjoining state of Louisiana could be impacted as well.

Louisiana was the worst hit of the seven states by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which caught the administration of then president George W Bush utterly unprepared for the devastation it caused, killing upwards of 1,800 people, and then failing to respond to it adequately. Bush never recovered from it.
Floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey, which has already killed at least seven people in Texas and was expected to drive tens of thousands from their homes, will likely rise in the coming days, officials warned on Monday as heavy rains continued to pound the U.S. Gulf Coast.

National Guard troops, police officers, rescue workers and civilians raced in helicopters, boats and special high-water trucks to rescue the hundreds of people still stranded in and around Houston, the nations fourth-largest city.

The storm was the most powerful hurricane to strike Texas in more than 50 years when it came ashore on Friday near Corpus Christi, 220 miles (354 km) south of Houston and the worst was far from over as the National Weather Service issued numerous flood warnings across the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to go to Texas on Tuesday to survey the damage and may in the future visit Louisiana where the storm is now dumping rain.

Trump, facing the biggest U.S. natural disaster since he took office in January, has signed disaster proclamations for Texas and Louisiana, triggering federal relief efforts.

Harvey has killed at least six people in Harris County, where Houston is located, said Tricia Bentley, a spokeswoman for the county coroners office, including a man who died in a house fire on Friday night and an elderly woman driving through flooded streets on the citys west side the next day.

A 60-year-old woman died in neighbouring Montgomery County when a tree fell on her trailer home while she slept, the local medical examiner said on Twitter.

Both of Houstons major airports were shut down, along with most major highways, rail lines and a hospital, where patients were evacuated over the weekend. As of Monday evening 267,000 Texans were left without power in the southeast corner of the state.

The Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management issued a shelter in place warning to residents of La Porte and Shoreacres, about 25 miles (40 km) east of Houston, after a chemical leak was caused by a ruptured pipeline.

As stunned families surveyed the wreckage of destroyed homes and roads flooded or clogged with debris, Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned Houstonians to brace for a long recovery.

We need to recognise this is going to be a new and different normal for this entire region, Abbott said.

Harvey was expected to linger over Texas Gulf Coast for the next few days, dropping another 10 to 20 inches (25 to 51 cm) of rain, with threats of flooding extending into Louisiana.

In scenes evoking the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, police and Coast Guard teams have rescued at least 2,000 people so far, plucking many from rooftops by helicopter, as they urged the hundreds more believed to be marooned in flooded houses to hang towels or sheets outside to alert rescuers.

Harveys centre was about 100 miles (160 km) south of Houston and forecast to arc slowly towards the city through Wednesday, with the worst floods expected later that day and on Thursday.

Schools and office buildings were closed throughout the metropolitan area, home to 6.8 million people, as chest-high water filled some neighbourhoods in the low-lying city.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday that it was releasing water from the nearby Addicks and Barker reservoirs into Buffalo Bayou, the primary body of water running through Houston.

The more they release it could go up and it could create even additional problems, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner warned. But the release was said to be necessary to prevent an uncontrolled surge of water, which Turner said would be exponentially worse.

Torrential rain also hit areas more than 150 miles (240 km) away, swelling rivers and causing a surge that was heading towards the Houston area, where numerous rivers and streams already have been breached.

About 5,500 people were in shelters as of Monday morning, city officials said, with Federal Emergency Management Agency director Brock Long forecasting that 30,000 would eventually be housed temporarily in shelters.

Regina Costilla, 48, said she and her 16-year-old son had been rescued from their home by a good Samaritan with a boat. She worried until she was reunited with her husband and large dog, who had been left behind because they did not fit into the boat.

Im not complaining; were alive, said Costilla. When I saw the forecast of the storm I said Ill be happy if we get out with our lives.

Houston did not order an evacuation due to concerns about people being stranded on city highways now consumed by floods, Turner said.

Abbott, who had suggested on Friday that people leave the area, declined to second-guess the mayor on Monday, telling reporters, Decisions about evacuations are something that are behind us.

Gasoline futures hit their highest in two years as Harvey shut down multiple refiners, knocking out about 13 percent of total U.S. refining capacity, based on company reports and Reuters estimates.

Almost half of the U.S. refining capacity is in the Gulf region.

The nations second-largest refinery was shutdown in Baytown, and the nations largest refinery in Port Arthur was weighing shutting down with a final decision expected Tuesday, sources told Reuters.

The floods path of destruction could destroy as much as $20 billion in insured property, making it one of the costliest storms in history for U.S. insurers, according to Wall Street analysts.
Pakistan has suspended talks and bilateral visits with the US to protest against President Donald Trumps speech in which he censured Islamabad for providing safe havens to terror groups, foreign minister Khawaja Asif reportedly said during an in-camera session of the Senate.

The upper house of Parliament was converted into a committee on Monday for a private discussion on proposals being framed by a Senate panel to help the government finalise its response to the Trump administrations new policy for Afghanistan.

Local media quoted sources as saying that Asif told the Senate that Pakistan had taken Trumps remarks seriously and suspended talks and bilateral visits. As an immediate reaction, Asif postponed his first trip to Washington after becoming foreign minister and a visit to Pakistan by the US acting assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, Alice Wells, had also been postponed, he said.

Though Pakistans Foreign Office has not officially commented on the suspension of bilateral visits and talks, the postponement of the two high-profile visits is being seen as a significant development.

Asif also told the Senate that the new US policy for South Asia did not envisage a military role for India in Afghanistan, the sources said. Indias role was limited to economic development and New Delhi would not be allowed to use Afghan soil to destabilise Islamabad, he added.

Foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua told the Senate that a three-day meeting of Pakistans envoys had been convened from September 5 to forge a strategy to respond to the new US policy on South Asia.

In a related development, Pakistan and China joined hands on Monday to oppose the new US strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia, saying there should be a political solution to the long-running conflict.

The statement came as Chinas special envoy on Afghan affairs, Deng Xijun, visited Islamabad at Pakistans invitation and held talks with foreign secretary Janjua on regional and international efforts for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office.

Deng reaffirmed Chinas continuing and firm support to Pakistans commitment and efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan and emphasised that there could be no military solution to the conflict. He underlined the need for a politically negotiated settlement through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

His remarks clearly suggested China, like Pakistan, is not enthused by the new US plan for Afghanistan.

In another sign of Chinas support for Pakistan, Deng lauded the countrys contributions in the fight against terrorism. He said: Pakistans efforts towards eliminating the scourge of terrorism should be fully recognised by the international community.

Janjua underlined the importance of the Pakistan-China strategic partnership and emphasised the need for close cooperation and coordination to promote the shared objective of peace and stability in the region. She also expressed satisfaction at the productive deliberations held between the two sides during her visit to Beijing last week.

They agreed to strengthen cooperation to facilitate peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan as well as meaningful engagements between the three neighbouring countries.

Foreign minister Asif is expected to go on a tour of regional countries, starting with China, to garner support in the face of renewed strains in the ties with the US.
Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh from fighting in Myanmar face the growing danger of sickness and attempts by the Bangladesh authorities to send them home despite a U.N. appeal that they be allowed to stay.

A series of coordinated attacks by Rohingya insurgents on Myanmar security forces on Friday, in the north of Myanmars Rakhine State, has triggered a crackdown by Myanmar forces that has sent a stream of Rohingya villagers fleeing to Bangladesh.

It also sparked a mass evacuation of thousands of Buddhist residents of the area.

At least 109 people have been killed in the clashes in Myanmar, most of them militants but including members of the security forces and civilians.

Bangladesh, which is already host to more than 400,000 Rohingya who have fled persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar since the early 1990s, has said it will not accept any more.

Bangladeshs border guards are trying to block the Rohingyas from crossing in, and aim to round up and send back those who do.

Border guard officials told Reuters they had sent back about 550 Rohingya since Monday, via the Naf river that separates the two countries, despite an appeal by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for Dhaka to allow Rohingya to seek safety.

An estimated 5,000 Rohingya have been able to cross into Bangladesh over the past few days, most slipping in at night over the land border near the Bangladeshi village of Gumdhum.

Many are sick and at least six have died after crossing in, an aid worker said, adding that fear of being caught and sent back meant some refused to seek help.

What were seeing is that many Rohingya people are sick, said the worker with an international agency in Bangladesh who declined to be identified or have his agency identified.

This is because they got stuck in the border before they could enter. Its mostly women and children.

Were making all out efforts but a rapid response is needed, the aid worker said. Some are refraining from getting treatment to avoid arrest.

Thousands of Rohingya are stranded in the no mans land between the two countries, trying to get into Bangladesh, aid workers and fellow Rohingya say.

AMBUSH

The Rohingya are denied citizenship in Myanmar and classified as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots there that go back centuries. They are marginalized and their communities occasionally subjected to communal violence.

A Rohingya militant group called the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which Myanmar has declared a terrorist organisation, claimed responsibility for the Friday attacks. It was also behind a similar though smaller series of attacks in October, which also triggered a tough Myanmar army response.

In a video posted online on Monday, ARSA leader Ata Ullah warned Myanmar against oppressing Rohingya and vowed to keep fighting to protect the community.

The treatment of about 1.1 million Muslim Rohingya in Myanmar has become the biggest challenge for national leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out on behalf of the long-persecuted minority.

Myanmar said late on Monday that a total of 45 insurgent bombs went off on Sunday and Monday. It also blamed the insurgents for torching seven villages, one outpost, and two parts of Maungdaw town.

Attackers ambushed security forces with small arms and machetes on Monday, and one policeman and one civilian were wounded, the government said in a statement.

Satellite imagery analysed by New York-based Human Rights Watch showed widespread burnings in at least 10 areas in northern Rakhine State since the Aug. 25 militant raids, the group said in a statement.

This new satellite data should cause concern and prompt action by donors and UN agencies to urge the Burmese government to reveal the extent of ongoing destruction in Rakhine State, said Phil Robertson, the groups deputy Asia director.

Shuffling all the blame on insurgents doesnt spare the Burmese government from its international obligations to stop abuses and investigate alleged violations.
Human rights groups in South America have alleged war crimes violations in lawsuits filed against a former Sri Lankan general, currently the ambassador to Brazil and five other countries in Latin America.

The suits against Jagath Jayasuriya are based on his role as a commander in the final phase of Sri Lankas civil war in 2009. The rights groups allege Jayasuriya oversaw military units that attacked hospitals and killed, disappeared and tortured thousands of people.

Jayasuriya has diplomatic immunity in the countries where he is ambassador: Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Suriname. But the groups pursuing the suits hope they will compel regional governments to expel him.

The criminal suits, reviewed by the AP, were spearheaded by the human rights group International Truth and Justice Project, an evidence-gathering organization based in South Africa. The suits have three central aims: push local authorities to open investigations of Jayasuriya, remove his diplomatic immunity and expel him.

According to the suits, Jayasuriya oversaw an offensive from Joseph Camp, also known as Vanni, which the papers claim was a notorious torture site. The International Truth and Justice Project said it interviewed 14 survivors of torture or sexual violence at the camp. According to the group, victims described hearing the howls of detainees at night, which the suits contend Jayasuriya would have been able to hear.

Carlos Castresana Fernandez, the lawyer coordinating the effort, told The Associated Press on Monday night that suits were filed Monday in Brazil and Colombia. Petitions also will be filed in Argentina, Chile and Peru in the coming days, he said, adding that authorities in Suriname refused to accept the suit.

This is one genocide that has been forgotten, but this will force democratic countries to do something, Fernandez said. This is just the beginning of the fight.

Calls to the Sri Lankan embassy in Brazils capital went unanswered Monday evening, as did an email seeking comment.

Jayasuriyas whereabouts were not immediately known. Fernandez said Brazilian justice officials told him Jayasuriya had left Brazil on Sunday. That couldnt be independently confirmed.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has said that Islamabad had suspended talks and bilateral visits with Washington as a protest over US President Donald Trumps remarks condemning the South Asian nation, the media reported.

The Minister told the Senate on Monday that Pakistan had taken Trumps remarks seriously, reports Dawn news.

Asifs statement comes amid tense relations between the two countries following Trumps announcement of his new South Asia policy which was critical of Pakistan.

Last week, Trump, in his first address as the commander-in-chief, called for more troop deployment and Indias role in Afghanistan while lambasting Pakistan for offering safe havens to agents of chaos.

Pakistan on Sunday postponed a visit by a US acting Assistant Secretary of State, officials said, as protests broke out against Trumps accusations.

About the Trumps South Asia policy, Asif said it envisaged no military role for India in Afghanistan.

According to the sources, the Minister said it was rather a role of economic development.

He claimed that India would not be allowed to use Afghan soil to destabilise Pakistan.

Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua informed the Senate that a meeting of Pakistans envoys had been convened from September 5 to 7 to chalk out a strategy over the new US policy on South Asia, reports Dawn news.

It was decided that the Senate will meet again Tuesday to finetune policy guidelines in the light of emerging realities and the role of the US, developed by a six-member committee of the house.

The policy guidelines will be given shape of a resolution which is most likely to be passed on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Pakistans newly-appointed Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is set to visit the US in the third week of September.

The visit will be Abbasis maiden visit to the US as Prime Minister and he is expected to meet American officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.
The death toll from tropical storm Harvey, which battered the US for a fifth day, rose to 10 on Tuesday, with two Indian students from Texas A&M University still in critical condition.

However, 200 other Indian students  marooned at the University of Houston  were now safe and well supplied with fresh food, thanks to efforts by the by the Muslim Association of Greater Houston and the local Swaminarayan temple.

For now, they are staying where they were as the water level had receded there and power supply had resumed, consul general at Houston Anupam Ray, who reached the students at their apartments, said.

The Indian consulate is surrounded by water but the building, which stands on stilts, is safe and a group of officials are working from there, manning the station. It can still be accessed but only via a circuitous route, which may not last long.

Some officials are working from home, and some have moved in with friends and acquaintances. But no one is leaving town. We will not leave, said Ray. This is our station, our duty.

We are getting, understandably, a number of communications from worried friends and relatives in India seeking details about family and friends in distress in Houston due to flooding or informing us about whereabouts of friends/family who might require rescue, Ray earlier posted on Facebook.

The consulate has shared numbers for queries about specific individuals (+18322311988) and the emergency line (+17136262149) for those needing help.

The Indian-American community in Houston, which has a substantial presence, is also helping in relief and rescue work, reaching food and sleeping bags to those at private and public shelters. We helped rescue an American family that a had a five-year-old child on ventilator with no power backup, said Jiten Aggarwal, who runs an IT business.

President Donald Trump, who is visiting some of the affected areas on Tuesday, told reporters: I look very much forward to it. Things are being handled really well. The spirit is incredible, of the people. He warned that the adjoining state of Louisiana could be impacted as well.

Meanwhile, two 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston from flooding began overflowing on Tuesday, adding to the rising floodwaters from Harvey. Engineers began releasing water from the reservoirs on Monday to ease the strain on the dams. But the releases were not enough to relieve the pressure  both reservoirs are at record highs.

The release of the water means that more homes and streets will flood, and some homes will be inundated for up to a month, said Jeff Lindner of the Harris County flood control district.

(With inputs from agencies)
The US President has added yet another feather in his cap. His cap of gaffes, that is.

During a joint press conference at the White House with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, Donald Trump mistook two journalists, who both had blonde hair, to be the same person.

That awkward moment Trump thinks two blonde Finnish female reporters are the same person! pic.twitter.com/wvzwwD92FM  Luke Martin (@LukeMartin_DL) August 28, 2017

Niinisto had called on a member of his travelling press corps during the bilateral news conference to ask a question.

Again? Trump asked Niinisto, perhaps thinking the Finnish president had chosen the same reporter to ask a question the second time. Youre going to give her the same one?

Clearly embarrassed, Niinisto said, No, she is not the same lady, while the crowd laughed, the two blonde reporters included. They are sitting side by side.

Maria Annala, the Finnish Boston-based journalist had the perfect repartee: We have a lot of blonde women in Finland she said.

THIS. The Finnish journalists @potus had trouble telling apart. They are def. 2 diff. people. So glad I met @maria_annala + @vilenpaula. pic.twitter.com/gthZWwiiJa  Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) August 28, 2017

Twitterati responded to the incident, some apologizing to the journalist on Trumps behalf, while others wondered why he does not get confused when dealing with male reporters.

PLEASE apologize to them for a weary country. We'll get him out soon, we promise!  Maggie #resists (@sparkychick3233) August 28, 2017

Well. . . that's what he gets for staring into an eclipse. He probably can't read anymore either. . .but won't discover that for months.  Thirdsyphon (@Thirdsyphon) August 29, 2017

Different attire as well, but that's never what @realDonaldTrump sees. Most male journalists wear darker suits and a tie-why no mixup then?  Jim (@CommentOnTWLB) August 28, 2017

All blonde women look alike to @potus!   Liz Nutting (@liznutting84) August 28, 2017

At least he didn't ask them the walk forward so he could get a better look. Like with Irish journalist with the "nice smile."  Henry Dunbar (@HenryTDunbar) August 29, 2017

At least he didn't ask them the walk forward so he could get a better look. Like with Irish journalist with the "nice smile."  Henry Dunbar (@HenryTDunbar) August 29, 2017

At least he didn't ask them the walk forward so he could get a better look. Like with Irish journalist with the "nice smile."  Henry Dunbar (@HenryTDunbar) August 29, 2017

@LisaDNews Trump is suffering from dementia. He's so use to attacking press Guess he thought she magically changed clothes w/ nobody looking pic.twitter.com/ID9wuxiJaN  CATALY$T (@CatalystWasHere) August 29, 2017
A Houston residents videos of her father trying to catch a fish with his bare hands is going viral on social media. But this isnt at a lake or a pond. It is in the familys front room.

Hurricane Harvey that made landfall on Friday evening over parts of Texas and Louisiana continues to devastate the United States, forcing many to wade through chest-deep water as rivers and channels overflow while many seek shelter on their roofs or in their attics.

But even in such difficult times, the Saldana family has managed to keep their humour intact.

Why go out looking for food when the food is coming to our living room? posted Viviana Saldana on Facebook and Twitter, sharing the videos of her father, shirtless and nearly knee-deep in water.

Viviana can be heard laughing and cheering as her father dives around the water-logged room trying to catch the fish.

My dad wants yall to recognize his fishing skills. He already has a fish mounted on the wall, theres another one getting done. He needs more! a report on Independent quoted Viviana.

Many appreciated the familys sense of making the best of a difficult time.

Hurricane Harvey is touted to be one of the worst flooding disasters in recent US history. Though the precise toll is still unknown, it has already claimed at least nine lives besides submerging highways, houses and neighbourhoods in brown murky water. Police and Coast Guard teams have rescued hundreds, plucking many from rooftops by helicopter.
A film with Calcutta in the title but shot in Varanasi, an early documentary by Bimal Roy and amateur footage of Mahatma Gandhis march after the Noakhali riots are among rare films digitised and released by the British Film Institute (BFI) for the UK-India year of Culture.

Produced and presented in partnership with the British Council, the India on Film: 1899-1947 collection includes the earliest known surviving film of India from 1899, Panorama Of Calcutta. Although the films title states Calcutta, the footage shows the ghats of Varanasi.

BFI head curator Robin Baker said: Cumulatively, these films offer an extraordinary social and political story of Indian history, seen through the eyes of the filmmakers, and putting flesh on the bones of book facts with real people and very tangible places.

The potency of the films is remarkable and undeniable. They are as close as any of us are going to get to time travel.

One of the films recently unearthed and made available on BFIs YouTube channel is Indian Durbar (1940), a travelogue shot in Technicolor at Alwar by Oscar-winning cinematographer Jack Cardiff.

Screengrab of a scene from Indian Durbar (1940), a travelogue shot in Technicolor at Alwar by Oscar-winning cinematographer Jack Cardiff. (Courtesy BFI)

Also digitised is the poetic Tins For India (1941), an early documentary by acclaimed film director Bimal Roy. Unseen for decades, it reveals Roys expertise and is considered an early indicator of the humanistic concerns that would become evident in his later work.

The films and footage were donated to the BFI National Archive from a variety of sources. They include travelogues, newsreels, educational films, ethnographic documentaries, missionary films and a wealth of home movies, many of which have never been seen before.

Screengrab of a scene from Tins For India (1941), an early documentary by acclaimed director Bimal Roy. (Courtesy BFI)

From everyday scenes of domestic life to celebratory festivals, religious processions, and traditional ritual, these films span Indian society from the ordinary person on the street, rural labourers in the field and the families of the British ruling elite who made India their home, to the very top of Indian society, the BFI said.

Prakash Magdum, director of the National Film Archive of India, said, These films are like a kaleidoscope of life in pre-Independence India, shedding light on day-to-day life as well as exotic aspects of Indian society.

They also take us back to the time when the freedom struggle movement gained momentum. Be it dance, sports, the bazaar, royal weddings, cuisine, festivities, this is a wonderful glimpse into the Indian ways of life.

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On July 1, 1863, Brig. Gen. John Bufords cavalry division at Gettysburg desperately holds back hordes of Confederates, as both sides sustain terrible losses. That is the popular image, but it is largely myth. Buford did fight a successful delaying action that morning, but there was no wreckage strewn across the landscape or mounds of bodies associated with it. Bufords men and his opponents, the Confederates of Maj. Gen. Henry Heths Division, actually suffered very few casualties during the engagement. That, however, in no way diminishes the importance of what Buford accomplished.

Bufords division reached Gettysburg the day before about 11 a.m. His mission was to screen the advance of the Union Army of the Potomac as it moved north, while also gathering intelligence about the whereabouts of the Army of Northern Virginia. He found the town in a terrible state of excitement because of the approach of a Confederate force on the Chambersburg Pike. That was Brig. Gen. James J. Pettigrews Brigade of Heths Division, which had been ordered to reconnoiter to Gettysburg and seize supplies there. When Pettigrew learned of Bufords approach, he halted his march and turned back to Cashtown, eight miles to the west. Buford, meanwhile, dispatched troopers to shadow and observe Pettigrew and had pickets and scouts cover all of the roads that converged on Gettysburg.

Bufords orders did not include defending Gettysburg, but to his eternal credit he sensed the towns strategic importance. The road network made it an ideal point for either army to concentrate and Buford did not fail to note the commanding terrain south of the town. Whoever controlled that ground would control the road network. Through the afternoon and evening of June 30 his scouts gathered intelligence. By 10:30 p.m., Buford had assembled a remarkably clear picture of Confederate positions: Lt. Gen. A.P. Hills Third Corps was massed just back of Cashtown; Longstreets First Corps was behind Hill; and Ewells Second Corps was north of Gettysburg, although its precise location was not yet fixed.

Picket posts connected by vedettes gave Buford eyes on every possible approach from the west, north, and east. Buford expected the enemy would be back on July 1. When Colonel Thomas Devin, one of his brigade commanders, expressed doubt about this, Buford replied that the enemy would come booming the next morning and you will have to fight like the devil to hold your own until supports arrive. Supports were expected. Buford knew that Maj. Gen. John Reynolds and his 1st Corps were marching to Gettysburg the next day. The question was whether he could hold the road network and key terrain until Reynolds arrived.

Shortly after 8 a.m. on the 1st, Buford learned that Confederates on Chambersburg Pike were approaching in force. Buford planned a defense in depth to slow them. His primary objective was not to inflict damage on the enemy but to deceive them about his strength; to make them cautious and force them to deploy from column to line, buying time. He formed the bulk of Colonel William Gambles brigade along McPhersons Ridge, about a mile west of town, and sent about 250300 men forward to Herr Ridge, a mile west, as a first line of defense. He spread his one battery of horse artillery across a broad front on McPhersons Ridge, with two sections astride the Chambersburg Pike, and a third section several hundred yards south, hoping the Confederates would imagine his force to be larger than it was.

Gambles brigade numbered 1,600 men. One of every four men held the horses so the others could fight dismounted with their single-shot breech-loading carbines. The carbines could fire faster than the muzzle-loading Confederate infantry rifles, but the latter greatly outranged the carbines. Heth also had about 7,500 men at his disposal.

The odds were daunting, but Bufords tactics worked beautifully. Heth proceeded cautiously. He threw out a strong skirmish line that easily pushed back Union cavalry pickets; but the main column could not move any faster than the skirmishers, who had to climb numerous fences and traverse fields and thick meadows while trading fire with Bufords troopers.

Bufords pickets proved more nuisance than obstacle to Heths skirmishers. Colonel Birkett Fry, commanding the 13th Alabama, in Brig. Gen. James J. Archers Brigade, remembered the resistance from the Federal cavalry to be inconsiderable, and that our advance was not retarded, and that the cavalry did us no damage. This was true, but it took Heth until nearly 9:30 a.m. to reach Herr Ridge.

It was after 10 a.m. before Heths two brigades, preceded by their skirmish lines, advanced from Herr Ridge toward McPhersons Ridge. Confident that two brigades could handle the light force he thought barred his way to Gettysburg, Heth left his other two brigades back behind Herr Ridge. It proved his undoing. Although his leading brigades easily pressed Bufords skirmish line back, the cavalryman had purchased enough time for Reynolds to reach the field and decide to engage the enemy. Brigadier General James S. Wadsworths 1st Division of the 1st Corps reached the field about 10:30 a.m. and in about an hour-long battle surprised and smashed Heths two brigades, driving them back to Herr Ridge.

Bufords division suffered 131 casualties on July 1. Most were sustained during the late-afternoon fighting along Seminary Ridge when part of Gambles brigade supported the remnants of the 1st Corps in its last stand before retreating to Cemetery Hill. Very few men were lost in the engagement with Heth.

We often mistakenly believe actions with high casualties were the most important. Bufords skillful management of his division that morning kept his losses to a minimum while achieving a critical tactical and strategic success for the Union army. He afforded Reynolds the crucial time to decide whether to fight at Gettysburg and kept the road network open for the 1st Corps and 11th Corps to reach the field to fight the delaying action Reynolds chose to make. It is important not to exaggerate Bufords accomplishments. He did not win the Battle of Gettysburg for the Union, but his intelligent assessment of the general situation, his appreciation of the importance of the Gettysburg position, and masterful management of his division to delay the Confederate advance helped shape the conditions that made a Union victory more likely.

Scott Hartwig writes from the crossroads of Gettysburg.
When small Balkan nations took on Ottoman Turkey, they lit the fuze of world war.

On Nov. 17, 1912, a 22-year-old American adventurer and would-be war correspondent named Henry Weston Farnsworth stood atop a low hill some 20 miles west of Istanbul and watched as Ottoman artillery and machine guns destroyed the cream of the Bulgarian army. We all held our breath, he later wrote, while the storm of lead swept away more and more of the advancing lines.

It was not the way the Battle of Catalca (Chataldja) was supposed to have gone, of course. The First Balkan War was barely a month old, and with strategic help from their Greek and Serbian allies the Bulgarians had decisively defeated the Turks at the battles of Kirk Kilisse and Lule Burgas in eastern Thrace (presentday Kirklareli Province, Turkey). A Bulgarian victory at Catalca was to have dramatically shifted the power balance in Europe. Bulgarian confidence was high, and Tsar Ferdinand I, who had long dreamed of capturing Istanbul, envisioned marching triumphantly into the city and restoring to it the Christian-era name of Constantinople.

But instead of driving the final nail into the coffin of Ottoman Turkeyfor decades ridiculed as the Sick Man of Europe the Battle of Catalca claimed some 17,000 casualties, Turk and Bulgar, and helped fan the Balkan flame that within two years would engulf all of Europe.

Istanbul dominates the narrow Bosporus Strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara (and, ultimately, the Mediterranean), thus control of the city can bestow tremendous power on whoever occupies it. For that reason the two wars that broke out in the Balkans in 1912 and 1913 captured the attention of diplomats and generals across Europe and the Middle East who knew that the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and/or Russian control of the waterway would likely usher in a new era of history. The dangerous brew of politics, nationalism, religion and ethnicity made the region unstable, and its geography ensured that events there were of interest to the entire world.

Although still a great power as 1912 began, the Ottoman Empire faced enormous challenges from both within and without. Its military was desperately trying to modernize on German and British models but was distracted by operations in its far-flung dominions as it sought to hold the fractured empire together. In 1911 it had fought large-scale rebellions in its Yemeni, Macedonian, Armenian and Kurdish provinces. The conflict in Yemen alone had been ongoing since 1905 and occupied more than 100,000 Ottoman troops. The empire also had some 50,000 men suppressing an uprising in Albania and thousands more fighting a losing war against Italy for control of Libya. At war almost continuously since 1891, the Ottoman high command had not had the time to study modern methods, train soldiers in their use or fully integrate its ethnic minorities into the system.

The Ottoman Empire was also grappling with the Young Turk Movement. Opposed to the absolute monarchical system favored by Sultan Mehmed V and supported by many senior army leaders, the Young Turks wanted a modern constitution and reform of the military. Many Young Turks also wanted to redefine the empire to privilege ethnic Turkish and Muslim central Asian groups over the empires Christians, Jews, Arabs and other ethnic groups.

The Young Turks won sweeping electoral victories in 1908 and began to implement deep and fundamental reforms. Their success, and their nationalist rhetoric, frightened the nonTurkish peoples of the empire, especially Balkan Christians, who looked to the emerging states of that region for support. The Balkans were then, even more than today, a rich mixture of peoples, ethnicities and religions. In the nationalistic days of the early 20th century, this ethnic diversity was becoming unsustainable.

In the face of these challenges, the leaders of the Christian states of the Balkan peninsulaGreece, Serbia, Bulgaria and Montenegrosaw the Ottoman Empire as ripe for the picking. Gripped by nationalist fervor and anxious to profit from Ottoman weakness, they invested heavily in new weapons and large armies. Although they often harbored territorial ambitions against one another, the nations all saw the Ottoman Empire as a common enemy. They sought to chase the Ottomans out of the parts of Europe still under their control, namely Macedonia and Thrace. By 1912 Bulgaria had built an army of 350,000 men; Serbia an army of 230,000 men; Greece an army of 125,000 men and a navy strong enough to threaten Ottoman control of the Aegean Sea. Even tiny Montenegro could field some 40,000 men. All of them except Montenegro had also created modern general staff systems based on the French and German models.

Opposing them the Ottomans had 340,000 soldiers, experienced at fighting insurgencies butexcept for the men tied down in Libyanot the standing armies of other states. The Ottomans also had to guard against the possibility of Russia swooping in to seize Istanbul or the Caucasus while the Ottomans were defending their Balkan territories. Russian encouragement of the Balkan states was a dangerous sign, as was the tremendous enthusiasm in the Balkan countries for a war. The Turkish people, by contrast, were tired of conflict and anxious to focus on internal problems.

Knowing they lacked the power individually to defeat the Ottomans, the Balkan nations threw in together despite their clear mistrust of one another. As early as 1910 the states began to work out the details of joint mobilization plans and defensive alliances with obvious anti-Ottoman dimensions. In February 1912 Serbia and Bulgaria agreed to mobilize 150,000 and 200,000 men, respectively, in the event of war. Bulgaria and Greece signed a mutual defensive alliance shortly thereafter. The formation of a loose Balkan League, with the Russians playing the role of offstage impresario, came that summer as Greece concluded unsigned gentlemens agreements with Serbia and Montenegro.

Tensions built inside the empire, as Ottoman subjects began to fear the potential disloyalty of their non-Turkish neighbors. A massacre of 150 Christians in July 1912 at Kochan (in present-day Bulgaria) nearly led to war. The Serbs and Montenegrins responded by smuggling arms to anti-Ottoman rebels in Albania while Bulgaria and Greece dispatched more troops to the border. Bulgarian nationalists began to stage border incidents in the hopes of sparking an Ottoman response that could justify starting a war. As tensions rose, the Ottomans seized Greek ships they claimed had entered their territorial waters and dispatched more troops to Macedonia and Thrace. The great powers, notably France and Britain, sought to reduce the tensions and open negotiations, but the Balkan states, itching for a fight, showed little interest in diplomacy. In late September 1912 Montenegro and Bulgaria signed a mutual-defense pact, uniting the Balkan states through bilateral and multilateral agreements.

The Ottomans then agreed to the demands of the rebels in Albania in order to focus on the growing threat from the Balkan states. The members of the Balkan League saw the Ottoman action as a sign of weakness and issued an ultimatum demanding major reforms to Ottoman governance in Macedonia. Sensing that war was imminent, the great powers tried once more to avert hostilities but were too late. The Russians, too, realized they had overplayed their hand. They had strengthened the Balkan League but did not want those states to attack the Ottomans and upset the balance of power (Russia was still rebuilding from its massive defeat by the Japanese in 1905). They had hoped that a pro-Russian Balkan League would be an effective anti-Ottoman and anti-Austrian instrument, but they did not want to risk war before they had rebuilt their shattered army. With the Balkan League so determined for war, however, the great powers could only declare their neutrality (although most Western Europeans had pro-Balkan and pro-Christian sympathies) and naively ask the warring parties not to seek any territorial changes.

Bulgaria, anxious both to grab Ottoman territory and to keep Greek gains to a minimum, invaded Thrace in October. At the same time Serbia and Montenegro invaded Albania and Novibazar (Novi Pazar), a finger of land along the southern border of Serbia. Greece claimed Crete and sent an army into Macedonia. The Ottomans, still at war in Libya and stretched dangerously thin, decided to make their main defensive effort in eastern Thrace around the city of Adrianople (present-day Edirne), a place that changed hands repeatedly over the next few months. The Ottomans also urged their diplomats to end the war in Libya, even on terms favorable to Italy. The resulting 1912 Treaty of Lausanne meant the end of Ottoman presence in Libya, but it also freed up combat-hardened troops to defend Turkey.

In October and November of 1912 the Balkan states scored a number of swift and punishing victories over beleaguered Ottoman forces. Serbian troops, for example, crushed the Ottomans at the Battle of Monastir, effectively ending the Ottoman presence in Macedonia. But the strategic rivalries within the Balkan League threatened to expose its perilous fault lines. The real possibility that Austria-Hungary might declare war on Serbia in order to limit Serbian gains also raised the danger that a regional war in the Balkans might drag in the great powers. Events were getting out of hand as each of the regional states fought for as big a slice of the Balkan pie as they could get.

Greece had its own goals in Macedonia, most notably the port of Thessaloniki (Salonika), the largest and most cosmopolitan city in the region. Thessaloniki held strategic and symbolic value for all sides. The Greeks were as determined to seize it from the Ottomans as they were to deny it to their nominal Bulgarian allies. A race was soon under way to see who would be the first to force the surrender of the citys demoralized Ottoman garrison. The Greeks won that race in November, capturing 26,000 prisoners by using their navy to deny the Ottomans the ability to resupply or evacuate the garrison. The next day a Bulgarian army of 24,000 men arrived, having missed their goal by just a few hours. The Bulgarians urged the Ottoman commander to sign a mostly symbolic surrender to them as well as the Greeks, but he replied, I have only one Thessaloniki, which I have surrendered. The furious Bulgarians nevertheless claimed the city as theirs and told Tsar Ferdinand they had taken it themselves.

The brewing battle at Catalca not only pitted the Bulgarians against the Ottomans, it also held out the possibility of Bulgaria emerging as the leading power in the Balkans at Greeces expense. The signs pointed to a Bulgarian victory. Their armies had won victory after victory in Thrace and with Serbian help were besieging the Ottoman garrison in Adrianople. The old fortress complex at Catalca seemed unlikely to resist modern artillery for very long. Once past the ridge, the Bulgarian First and Third armies would face no serious obstacles on the way to Istanbul. Back in his palace Tsar Ferdinand was already planning his triumphal entry into Istanbul.

Still, Bulgarian officers saw serious problems, not least of which was possible Russian intervention to prevent Istanbuls fall. Having long coveted a warm-water port, the Russians were unlikely to stand by and allow the Bulgarians to take it. The other great powers might also intervene to prevent the Ottoman Empires complete collapse. There were military challenges in the Bulgarian campaign against Catalca as well, including poor roads, mountainous terrain and already-exhausted troops. A cholera outbreak had killed more than 4,000 Bulgarians and sent thousands more into rudimentary field hospitals that only spread the disease more quickly. The stubborn resistance of the Ottoman garrison in Adrianople, moreover, meant the Bulgarians could not use the main rail lines to Catalca, as they ran within range of Adrianoples guns. The Bulgarians had not anticipated such rapid early gains and knew little about the strengths and weaknesses of the Catalca fortresses they would need to attack. Most units even lacked basic maps.

The Ottomans, for their part, had no intention of giving up Catalca without a serious fight. Operating close to their capital and on short, secure supply lines that led back to the ample resources of Istanbul, Ottoman troops also had the advantages of the fortifications themselves and the high ground on which they were built. They rushed reinforcements to the area until they had 100,000 men and 280 artillery pieces. Still, hoping to avoid such a high-stakes battle, the Ottomans offered a ceasefire that might have ended the war on terms favorable to the Bulgarians. Ferdinand not only rejected the offer, he prevented his diplomats from informing Bulgarias allies of its existence. For him there would be no negotiations as long as the prize of Istanbul lay so tantalizingly close to his grasp.

In the first two weeks of November, Bulgarian forces approached Catalca under observation by Ottoman troops in the fortresses on the ridgelines. The Bulgarians opened up a savage 400-gun artillery bombardment on November 17, although a thick fog prevented accurate observation of its effects. More than 140,000 Bulgarian infantrymen then advanced across the dead space, soon to be known as no-mans-land, between their lines and those of the Ottomans. The Turks then opened up a furious fire of artillery, machine guns and rifles.

As the fog lifted, Ottoman commanders on the ridgeline were able to direct reinforcements to critical points where the Bulgarians had experienced local success. Ottoman generals could see the carnage below them as thousands of men lay dead and wounded. They could also see they had repulsed the attack and kept Istanbul safely in Ottoman hands. A second Bulgarian attack the next day also failed. After weeks of failure, the Ottoman army had a critical success. It had bent, but it had not broken.

The Bulgarians lost 12,000 men at Catalca; the Turks some 5,000. As they would three years later at Gallipoli, Turkish soldiers proved that when well led and fighting on the defensive close to home, they could win great victories. Nevertheless, both sides needed to recover from the battles and from cholera. The Bulgarians had fought a successful campaign, but after the setback at Catalca, Istanbul was out of their reach, leaving their once highly confident troops badly demoralized.

The Battle of Catalca and the campaign that preceded it exhausted both sides. Out of necessity the Bulgarians and the Ottomans agreed to an armistice and opened a peace conference in London with the full support of the great powers. Montenegro and Serbia were willing to discuss peace as well, but the Greeks, unhappy with the proposed division of Macedonia, were not. They continued to press on in Macedonia, undermining the Balkan Leagues unity and laying the seeds for future conflict with their erstwhile allies, the Bulgarians.

Senior leaders of the Young Turks were appalled at the mismanagement and incompetence of the Ottoman armies in the Thracian campaign. They were also furious at Sultan Mehmed Vs willingness to cede Adrianople to Bulgaria and the Aegean islands to Greece as the price of peace. Fearing they would soon lose Istanbul if they did nothing, three Young Turk leaders, led by X Corps chief of staff Colonel Ismail Enver, organized a coup. He and his closest colleagues burst into a cabinet meeting on Jan. 23, 1913, just minutes before the Ottoman government was to sign away Adrianople. At gunpoint they forced the resignation of the grand vizier, and shooting later broke out in the sultans palace. The minister of war was one of the casualties; Enver may have been the one who killed him. The Young Turks then forced the sultan to place them in charge of the army and key ministries. The new government rejected the armistice terms and the Young Turks began to plan for a new campaign around Adrianople.

Fighting resumed in February 1913 and continued until the great powers brokered another peace in May. As a result Albania gained its independence, and the Ottoman Empire lost Crete, the Aegean islands and most of its European possessions west of the Catalca line. The question of control over Macedonia remained, however, with Bulgaria still unwilling to see it fall into Greek hands. The Bulgarians began to move forces out of Thrace toward Macedonia. Greece and Serbia concluded an anti-Bulgarian alliance, thus setting the stage for the Second Balkan War. The Ottomans used the confusion in Macedonia to recover some of the territory they had lost, including Adrianople.

The armistice that ended the Second Balkan War in July 1913 might have brought some peace to the region, but the Balkanswith its inflammatory mixture of political loyalties, religions and ethnicitiesreturned to the center stage of Europe in the summer of 1914. This time the great powers were unable to stop the Third Balkan War from becoming World War I. Nor were they able to prevent a bloody conflict between Greece and Turkey from 1919 to 1922. The Balkans remained at war for nearly the entire period from 1912 to 1922, fulfilling Otto von Bismarcks reputed 19th-century prophecy that some damn fool thing in the Balkans would one day lead to a global war.

For further reading Michael Neiberg recommends Defeat in Detail: The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 19121913, by Edward J. Erickson, and The Balkan Wars, 19121913: Prelude to the First World War, by Richard C. Hall.

Originally published in the September 2012 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here.
I had read accounts of the October 1854 Battle of Balaklava the most famous combat action of the Crimean Warsince my childhood. I knew the theory of how Britains Light Brigade had galloped to its destruction because of muddled orders, squabbles between boneheaded noblemen and plain incompetence, but I couldnt understand how such a thing could have happened. It became clear that if I were ever to unravel the whole vainglorious business, I would have to stand on the ground where it occurred. So I did.

In February 1945, just after the Yalta Conference, Winston Churchill had visited the Valley of Death where his old regiment, the 4th Light Dragoons, had charged to glory, and I was one of the first British subjects to go there after he did. Soviet paranoia had long forbidden visitors to the site, but in 1993 a friend and I stowed away on a train in Kiev and emerged many hours later in the closed military port of Sevastopoland were quickly arrested. Our time in Ukrainian cells is another story, but we managed to get out and begin an adventure Ive repeated almost every year since. When I first visited, it was still possible to find human remains on the battlefields along the Alma River and at Balaklava and Inkerman, even around Sevastopol itself. That is now only the case at Inkerman, but the landscape otherwise remains remarkably untouched.

Above Balaklava the view of the North and South Valleys is breathtaking, and if you stand where Britains Field Marshal FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan, did just after dawn on Oct. 25, 1854, the battlefield spreads out below like a checkerboard. Although you can see every detail, the valleys and the Causeway Heights that bisect them look fatally flat from above. Its all too easy to imagine that a man on horseback could see clearly from one dale to the next, but he cant. You need to get down into the valleys to understand that.

Its still possible to follow Captain Louis Nolans helter-skelter ride down the side of the Sapoune Heights into North Valley and imagine him passing Lord Raglans fateful attack order to George Bingham, 3rd Earl of Lucan, and James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, commander of the Light Brigade. Before I did that, I went to revisit the two earlier phases of the battle. The stand of the 93rd Highlanders the Thin Red Lineon the hillock at the approaches to the port of Balaklava is readily visible. But the charge of the Heavy Cavalry Brigade is much harder to visualize. How five depleted dragoon regiments charged uphill and tumbled a force many times their size to ruin is difficult to understand. Its one of the most neglected cavalry charges of all times, the perfect spoiling attack, and it shows how courage, initiative and daring count for so much in war.

If those qualities were present in the South Valley, they were woefully short a couple of hours later in the North Valley. Im now certain Raglan only ordered a cavalry attack out of frustration at the inertia of the 4th Infantry Division. He had ordered its commander, General Sir George Cathcart, to recapture the redoubts on the Causeway Heights and eject the Russians who had overrun them early in the battle. But Cathcart stalled.

His delay left Raglan with no alternative but to use the only troops still uncommittedthe Light Brigade. Employing cavalry against infantry protected by earthworks is desperate stuff, and the only way it might have made sense would be for Raglan to have ordered the assault from the South Valley, which was entirely in British hands. But the imprecision of the orders given to a brigade that couldnt see its objective only becomes obvious when you stand where Lucan and Cardigan did.

We can debate the rights and wrongs of what then happened. The fact that a brigade was ordered into a narrow valley dominated on both flanks and to the front by field artillery seems like lunacy, but it happened. Youve got to tread the ground to appreciate what a target the noble six hundredas poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, dubbed the men of the Light Brigademust have made to the Russian guns and riflemen. You must also marvel at the bravery and discipline that made that famous, doomed charge possible.

I stood on the battlefield on the 150th anniversary of the charge. When a friend rooted among the vines with the toe of his boot and produced a rusted, twisted British spur, I knew I stood on hallowed ground.

Originally published in the September 2012 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here.
At 0715 on Feb. 21, 1916, German artillery started a nine-hour preparatory bombardment of the French fortress city of Verdun. When the shelling ended, lead elements of the VII Reserve Corps and the XVIII Army Corps quickly reached the forwardmost French positions in the Bois dHaumont to the west, the Bois des Caures in the center and the Bois de lHerbebois to the east. The mission of the attacking troops was to roll over the French forward lines within hours and press on to the ring of major fortifications guarding Verdun, anchored by Fort Douaumont. But the Germans hadnt figured on the stubborn, brilliant defense put up by Lt. Col. Emile Augustin Cyprien Driant, commander of the 56th and 59th Bataillons de chasseuers a pied, which held the Bois des Caures.

Sixty-year-old Driant was a most unusual soldier. A deep thinker who had written several books on military matters, Driant left the French army after having been repeatedly passed over for promotion, likely for political reasons. Driant then won election to the Chamber of Deputies, where he gained a reputation as both a leading expert on national defense and a strong critic of French prewar military leadership and preparedness.

When the war started, Driant rejoined the army as a reserve officer but retained his status as a deputy. By 1915 he was commanding the two chasseurs battalions, which secured the primary northern approaches to Verdun on the right bank of the Marne River. But Driant repeatedly protested to his commanders that he had neither the troops nor the resources to stop any determined German attack.

In August 1915 Driant, using his political connections, wrote a letter to the president of the Chamber of Deputies about the terrible state of the Verdun defenses. A subsequent parliamentary investigation confirmed everything Driant claimed, earning him the permanent enmity of General Joseph Joffre, the French commander in chief. But the resulting uproar gave Driant the time to establish an innovative and deep defensive system in his sector that made optimal use of the terrain and the troops available.

Driant was in Redoubt 2 (R2), his forward command post in the Bois des Caures, when the first shells fell. When the German infantry attacked at 1700, they used flamethrowers for the first time in the war. Driants troops put up a fierce resistance from their forward strongpoints along the support line (S line) forcing the advancing Germans to deploy prematurely into attack formations. By the end of that first day almost half of Driants 1,300 men were dead or wounded, but his battalions had stopped the German XVIII Corps in its tracks.

On February 22 the Germans designated XVIII Army Corps attack into the Bois des Caures as the main effort, ordering VII Reserve Corps on the right flank and III Army Corps on the left to support XVIII Corps in pinching out the stubborn French position. By 1300 the Germans had overrun the S line and Redoubt 1 to Driants right. The German troops then massed to rush R2. From an exposed position on the roof of the redoubt Driant coolly directed artillery fire on the Germans, inflicting huge casualties on the attackers. Finally, the Germans managed to infiltrate around Redoubt 3 on Driants left and attacked R2 from the rear.

Though surrounded, Driant and about 80 survivors fended off two more large-scale attacks. Finally, late in the afternoon the Germans maneuvered two field guns behind R2 and engaged it with direct fire. With his position now untenable, Driant had no choice but to withdraw. The chasseurs tried to evade in three groups, with Driant personally leading the second. Amid the intense small-arms fire, Driant stopped in a shell hole to render aid to one of his wounded troops. Just then one of his sergeants saw him throw up his arms and fall over. Driant was dead before he hit the ground, shot through the temple.

Driants tenacious defense of the Bois des Caures disrupted the entire German attack timetable and held up the advance for more than one day. He became the first hero of Verdun, as well as its first senior officer casualty. People on either side of the Rhine acclaimed Driants gallantry and leadership. The German officer who recovered Driants personal effects had them returned to his widow through Switzerland.

The Bois des Caures today is on the northern edge of the national battlefield park at Verdun [eng.verdun.fr]. The woods and open areas look very much as they did in 1916, making it possible to walk the ground and retrace the flow of the battle in some detail. The ground remains heavily pocked with shell craters. The S line strongpoints are little more than piles of rubble, but their positions are identifiable. Driants R2 command post is well preserved and easy to find. Several hundred yards behind R2 Driant himself lies buried beneath a monument to the soldiers of the 56th and 59th Bataillons de chasseuers a pied. Its exactly where he would want to be.

Originally published in the July 2012 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here.
Students are inspired to think deeply about history when they visit historic ground

Civil War Battlefields bring the past vividly to life. Walking these sites enables us to make a connection with earlier Americans that cannot be duplicated in a classroom or anywhere else. I have taken students to Antietam, Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, Bull Run, Petersburg, Cedar Creek, and other sites for more than 30 years, and the experience has proved singularly effective in helping illuminate 19th-century attitudes and motivations.

I want to focus on Antietam to illustrate how battlefields resonate with students. Readers of Civil War Times, unlike many undergraduates when they begin my classes, know that Antietam, fought on September 17, 1862, closed Robert E. Lees first invasion of the United States and produced approximately 23,000 casualties. My students and I follow the battle chronologically during a six-hour walking tour. Traversing the field enables them to understand the tactical ebb and flow. I take them to the hill east of the National Park Service visitor center to set up the campaign, then proceed around the battlefield with stops at the Dunker Church, the Joseph Poffenberger farm near the North Woods, the southern edge of D.R. Millers cornfield, the West Woods, the Sunken Road, Burnside Bridge, and the National Cemetery. While examining the tactical action, I point out other landmarks such as Nicodemus Heights and the ridge where the Pry House sits above Antietam Creek.

Because the battlefield offers a tangible link to a watershed event in our history, students easily move from specifics concerning leadership and combat to larger questions. Did the founding generation envision a true nation or a collection of semi-autonomous states? Why was emancipation added to restoration of the Union as a goal for U.S. armies? How did events on the battlefield influence morale behind the lines? Were the soldiers in the two armies more alike than different? How did women such as Clara Barton, who made her first major appearance at Antietam (though not where her monument stands), overcome obstacles to play a significant role in a conflict too often seen as overwhelmingly the province of men?

Antietam is especially useful to explore how the military and nonmilitary spheres intersected. For example, I talk about the battles importance in giving Abraham Lincoln the opportunity to announce his Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. I examine the nature of the proclamation, its relationship to congressional actions such as the Second Confiscation Act, and the shift in historical analysis regarding emancipation from a preoccupation with political events in Washington to a more complex interpretation that considers actions by African Americansboth enslaved and freeas well as the essential role of Union military forces.

Antietam also provides a good place to discuss the diplomatic implications of military eventshow England and France backed away from some type of mediation in the American war following Lees retreat. I point out that as the armies maneuvered and fought in Maryland, British Prime Minister Palmerston and Foreign Secretary John Russell agreed to try to broker a cessation of hostilities if Lee added a third victory to those at the Seven Days and Second Manassas.

Although no student has prodded me to talk at greater length about diplomacy, many have asked about burial practices. I address that question at the 15th Massachusetts Infantrys monument at the western fringe of the West Woods. I show Henry W. Ainsworths name on the monument, listed with eight others in Company H killed on September 17, and read what a comrade wrote to Henrys father. I went down to the front of the wood, andfound a burying party from the 15th.But I was too late, he was buried. Henrys body was in a trench 25 feet long, 6 feet wide and about 3 feet deep. The trench contained two layers of dead soldiers: The bottom tier was laid in, then straw laid over the head and feet, then the top tier laid on them and covered with dirt about 18 inches deep. Henry is the 3rd corpse from the upper end on the top tier next to the woods. After this precise description, Henrys friend added, Mr. Ainsworth, this is not the way we bury folks at home. As I read this letter and point to Alfred Poffenbergers cabin, near where Union soldiers dug the trench, students invariably grow very quiet.

[quote style=boxed float=left]I have seen hundreds of students benefit from walking battlefields[/quote]

Other monuments also have great interpretive value. At the Maryland monument, near the junction of the Hagerstown Pike and Smoketown Road, I discuss factors that led four slaveholding states to remain in the Union while 11 others seceded. At the 132nd Pennsylvanias monument beside the Sunken Road, I talk about that outfit as typical of the green 9-month regiments raised in the summer of 1862 that composed a significant percentage of the Army of the Potomac at Antietam. Students especially like William McKinleys monument, not far from Burnside Bridge, where I discuss how memorial landscapes develop. Erected two years after the presidents assassination, it features a bas-relief bronze sculpture showing Sergeant McKinley serving coffee to men of the 23rd Ohio Infantry. The monuments inscription informs observers that the martyred president had come under fire on September 17 and acted personally and without orders.

One last theme I develop is how the war affected civilians who faced catastrophic loss of property, helped care for thousands of wounded men, and cleaned up untold wreckage. I emphasize that civilians in the vicinity of Sharpsburg were among the very few residents of the Union who experienced the war so directly. Few Confederates, white or black, could claim as much.

I thoroughly enjoy visiting Civil War battlefields with my students. I have seen hundreds of them benefit from walking historic fields and woods, and I believe it is our obligation to make certain that future generations will have this same opportunity. 
Mobile Advisory Teams were an unconventional approach to an unconventional war.

Even before French soldiers left Vietnam in 1956 as Frances colonial rule came to an end, U.S. Army advisers were already working in the country. Small numbers of American advisers had been there since 1950. Then in 1962 the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, was activated and put in charge of all U.S. troops in South Vietnam. Soon thousands of MACV Army advisers were assisting the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. They were in every major ARVN unit, down to the battalion level.

U.S. advisers from the Navy, Air Force and Marines were also posted to relevant South Vietnamese units, but Army troops assigned to ARVN units were the most heavily involved in advisory activities. Beginning in late 1967, other Army advisers were formed into five-man teams with a special mission. Rather than being sent to units of the ARVNthe conventional, national military force responsible for the overall defense of the countrythese Mobile Advisory Teams, or MATs, were dispatched to territorial forces, essentially local militias fighting in villages and hamlets against the Viet Cong guerrillas engaged in an insurgency to overthrow the South Vietnamese government. More than 300 MATs operated in South Vietnam and were the American agents of counterinsurgency in the Vietnamese countryside.

One of those teams, MAT IV-32 in Kien Phong province in the Mekong Delta was led by the author. The Roman numeral in the MAT designation refers to the geographical region, the Corps Tactical Zone, where the team operated: I Corps in the northern part of South Vietnam; II Corps in the central region; III Corps in the Saigon area; and IV Corps in the Mekong Delta. The other numeral is the teams number within its corps area.

Early in the war, U.S. military leaders knew little about the territorial militias, which were organized into two categories: Regional Forces, responsible for the defense of their home districts (a governmental unit below the province level, similar to U.S. counties); and Popular Forces, responsible for the defense of villages or hamlets. Neither had the pay, equipment or training of ARVN troops. They were generally poorly led and poorly motivated.



American interest in the territorial forces greatly increased with the creation of the Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support program in 1967. CORDS was a new type of counterinsurgency program, the brainchild of Robert Komer, a former member of the National Security Council and a special assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson. Like previous counterinsurgencyor pacificationprograms, it combined military measures to improve village security with economic development, social services and political reforms.

But CORDs recognized the failings of the earlier programs. Those efforts had run up against political turmoil and endemic corruption within the South Vietnamese government. They also were hampered by the division of the American leadership between the civilian and military aspects of pacification programs, which sometimes led to coordination problems and competing goals.

For too long we didnt pay enough attention to the needs of the Vietnamese population and the local forces that could protect them, observed former 1st Lt. George Gandenberger, team leader of MAT IV-29 in Go Cong province in 1969. We concentrated on the military conflict through main force, attrition warfare, and didnt see that the drivers of the conflict might be a need for clean water, improved agriculture, functioning markets and even an improved self-image.

Komer suggested to Johnson that a counterinsurgency program could succeed if it included greater resource commitments and a unified command structure. Civilian and military programs would be combined and headed by one person. The program would address the three main points: 1) securityvillage populations must feel safe; 2) developmentvillage life must be enhanced; and 3) aggression against the enemyinsurgents infrastructure in the villages must be destroyed. Dealing with all three issues at the same time would require coordination among the military, police forces and intelligence operations. Additionally, civic action would have to be backed by a vigorous public information, i.e., propaganda, campaign.

Johnson accepted Komers program. So did the MACV commander, Gen. William Westmoreland. A combined military-civilian counterinsurgency effort was established under a unified command within MACV, which activated CORDS in May 1967. Komer was appointed deputy to the commander for CORDS. He was a civilian on the MACV staff with a position equivalent to four-star Gen. Creighton Abrams, who was Westmorelands deputy for U.S. Army Vietnam, the conventional Army units in-country. Komer had authority over both the military and civilian sides of CORDS and reported directly to Westmoreland. That relationship with the MACV commander continued after Westmoreland left in June 1968 and Abrams took over.

CORDS unified civilian-military structure was replicated at the provincial level. Province teams, already existing in all 44 provinces of South Vietnam, were headed by a senior adviser, typically a U. S. Army colonel, whose counterpart was the Vietnamese province chief. The province team had a deputy senior adviser, typically a civilian from the U.S. Agency for International Development or State Department. Team activities, such as civilian affairs (education, health, etc.), combat operations (advising the territorial forces) and intelligence collection (by military intelligence and the CIA) were coordinated under the CORDS umbrella. These activities at the district level were carried out by much smaller, all-Army teams led by a district senior adviser whose counterpart was the Vietnamese district chief.



At the bottom of the CORDS organization and typically serving under the district teams were the Mobile Advisory Teams. Originally, 354 MATs were authorized to assist the territorial forces in hundreds of hamlets and villages across all regions of South Vietnam. They were the co vans, trusted advisers, who wore the MACV patch on their shoulder and often the blue beret of the territorial forces on their heads. MATs advised not only the Popular Forces and Regional Forces but also units of ethnic groups such as the Montagnards of the Central Highlands and the Hoa Hoa Buddhist sect in the Mekong Delta.

The teams were frequently in remote locations, out of sight to all but the Vietnamese soldiers and villagers they served and the enemy around them. The advisers knew they would have to work outside conventional military channels to succeed in their counterinsurgency campaign. Former 1st Lt. William Treadway, team leader of MAT II-36 in Kanh Hoa province in 1969, remarked, Counterinsurgency warfare is unconventional warfare, and unconventional warfare requires unconventional means. The limits of those means were a discovery every MAT member had to learn every day.

Most teams had two U. S. Army combat arms officers, three noncommissioned officers and a Vietnamese interpreter. The two officers were supposed to be a captain as team leader and a first lieutenant as assistant team leader. In practice, the team leaders were often first lieutenants. The NCOs were to be sergeants first class or master sergeants serving as light weapons specialist, heavy weapons specialist and medic. As with officers, the NCO ranks sometimes were less senior than authorized.

In late 1967 and early 1968 the first MATs were staffed with officers and sergeants who were already in Vietnam and had at least six months remaining on their tours. They were sent to Di An, a town near Saigon, for a two-week adviser school. That wasnt enough time for thorough training, and beginning in 1969 most of the officers assigned to CORDS had completed a six-week military adviser course at the Special Warfare School in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The course covered weapons and explosives training, counterinsurgency techniques, intelligence and counterintelligence operations, field-expedient engineering, the CORDS program, and Vietnamese language and culture. Some future advisers completed an additional 12-week language course run by the Defense Language Institute. Also starting in 1969, most MAT officers and sergeants arrived in Vietnam already assigned to CORDS.

Once the MAT advisers were stationed with their Regional Forces or Popular Forces units, they instructed those units on topics such as individual and crew-served weapons (mortars and machine guns), small-unit tactics and first aid. The advisers accompanied their units in the field, teaching on the spot to improve daylight operations, night ambushes, intelligence operations and other aspects of district, village or hamlet security. The patrolling and ambush techniques had to be adapted to the terrain and people involved, which called for flexibility and ingenuity on the part of the advisers, as well a willingness to acknowledge that their Vietnamese counterparts had a better understanding of the local environment.

Under the original concept of MATs, the advisers would work with a unit for six to nine months, then move to another one; thus, the mobile in Mobile Advisory Team. In practice, some advisers spent their entire tour with a MAT that never moved, likely because of the needs of the area where they were working. MAT officers did not command the units they were advising, but the Vietnamese commanders were instructed to follow their advisers directions. Persuading the local commanders to take a MATs advice was part of the challenge for the Americans. At the same time, however, the advisers were trying to teach the leaders of the Regional Forces and Popular Forces to be commanders themselves and not dependent on the Americans.

The advisers lived and worked in the villages or hamlets that were home to their assigned Vietnamese units. Most often, the teams base was an earthen-walled or otherwise bunkered fort, which also housed the headquarters of the unit they advised. The forts varied in size and quality, but were usually triangular with hardened, packed-mud walls surrounded by a moat filled with punji stakes, tangle-foot barbed wire and concertina wire. The teams quarters within a fort might be a brick-and-mortar house, a palm-thatch hooch or a one-room, plywood team-house designed by the Army for easy assembly and disassembly.

Besides providing combat assistance for local forces, the advisers often supported the civilian aspects of CORDS as much as they could. MAT soldiers helped village officials develop schools, clinics and other projects that improved life in the area. It is not uncommon to hear former MAT leaders say that aspect of their assignment was like being in the Peace Corps, but with guns. The advisers might have been the only Americans for miles around and among the few a villager would ever see. Their role as a representative of the United States in those civil affairs interactions was often as important as their combat advice to the success of the counterinsurgency.

The CORDS strategy included an aggressive program to root out the Viet Congs clandestine political arm, which tried to put its operatives in control of village, district and province governments. The Phoenix Program, a joint effort of the U.S. military and CIA, worked with Vietnamese intelligence officials and province reconnaissance units (Vietnamese units with Phoenix advisers) to identify Viet Cong operatives who were then subject to being captured or killed. MATs sometimes aided the Phoenix Program to further weaken the threat to their villages.

Each of the many responsibilities of MATstraining, combat operations, civil affairs, intelligence gathering and a miscellany of others that defy categorizationmade an unending demand on time, attention and energy. Any respite from activity would soon prove to be nothing but a quiet before the storm. If an adviser serving on a MAT thought he had all his problems covered, it was time to redouble your efforts, says former 1st Lt. Dan Reimer, team leader of MAT II-26 in Tuey Duc province in 1971, who described MAT service as a varsity assignment.

The author once parodied the push-and-pull between competing duties in a 1969 photograph of him standing in front of a Popular Forces barracks being constructed with local material. He is holding a weapon in one hand and a stethoscope hangs on his chest. The thatch construction represents his teams work in field-expedient engineering, the weapon its combat operations and the stethoscope its civic action support. In the pocket of his cargo pants is a bottle of bourbon, a tongue-in-cheek comment on what a MAT adviser often felt was needed after dealing with his jobs demands. It was a need largely left unsatisfied by the prudent co van.

Although CORDS was designed to have its civilian and military sides working in concert, each side sometimes felt stymied or undercut by the other, and a MATs relationship with civilian personnel could go off-track. Gandenberger, the team leader of a Mekong Delta MAT in 1969, concluded that U.S. civilians in a foreign combat zone are not to be trusted. After a bad experience with civilians, some MATs would do only their military advising job and leave the village development programs to others. CORDS oversight at the province level should have resolved those conflicts, but sometimes more attention was given to other fires. Nevertheless, the imperfect union of military and civilian outlooks could complicate efforts to reach a consensus.



MATs had problems not just with CORDS civilians but also with various aspects of the broader American military operation. MATs advisers often felt they were the poor cousins of the U.S. military in Vietnam. When MAT members arrived in-country, they were issued a weapon, a basic load of ammunition, jungle fatigues, boots, a backpack and other personal field gear. From then on, advisers were to get their supplies through the Vietnamese logistics system, which supposedly would ensure that they paid attention to the needs of the local units and in the process improve a Vietnamese supply system noted for its corruption. In reality, the advisers and their units were at the bottom of the Vietnamese supply chain and in a poor position to have significant influence.

MATs were usually forced to become proficient scroungers from whatever American units they could reach. Sandbags and ammunition, which could be difficult to obtain through sources supplying the territorial forces, were often giveaways at American camps. Sometimes MATs traded captured Viet Cong weapons and flags to U.S. units in exchange for ammunition for the crew-served weapons and accessory items like generators or field ovens. Self-authorized supply expeditions directed at friendly American units could be as important to a MATs survival as its combat operations directed at the enemy.

Former Capt. Bob Blair, team leader of MAT IV-44 in Kien Giang province in 1971, remembers: Most of the materials for our construction projects came through the [Vietnamese] side, but they were liberally supplemented by MAT NCO-scrounged stuff from the U. S. Seabees. A VC flag or an AK[-47 rifle] was a potent trading tool.

Because MATs were often in isolated locations that could be easily reached only by air, their food, laundry or other services had to be purchased locally and paid out of the teams own pockets. A country store of American-style canned goods, flour, frozen meats and so forth was maintained in most province team compounds, but the remote MATs rarely knew what was available there. MAT members largely ate local foods and adopted local customs. If an adviser could not learn to enjoy nuoc mam (a sauce made from fish), eat rice with chopsticks, pick apart a fish steamed in a banana leaf or munch on cooked rat as if it were barbecued chicken, he likely was shipped to the rear because of malnutrition, culture shock or an intractable attitude problem.



Considering the internal and external problems facing MATs, one might reasonably ask: Were they worthwhile? General Abrams thought so. Speaking at a staff briefing at MACV headquarters in Saigon on Jan. 22, 1969, he said the Mobile Advisory Teams had been eminently successful and had done a hell of a lot for the Regional Forces and Popular Forces, adding: They live with them, fight with them, patrol with them, ambush with them, and so on. Then you get communication, then you get reaction [emphases his].

Former MAT advisers say they saw improvements in their units performance during the time they were with them but often attribute much of that progress to the U.S. air support and artillery support advisers brought with them. American firepower was understandably important to a units confidence and willingness to fight.

In the final struggle between conventional armies, the North Vietnamese Army beat the ARVN in 1975 and won the war, which would seem to make the effectiveness of the MAT counterinsurgency irrelevant. But it is not. The Vietnam experience offers insights for today, in light of the U.S. counterinsurgency experienced over nearly two

decades in Afghanistan and Iraq.

MATs were in the villages primarily to assist militia units in local security but also had the secondary task of assisting with civil affairs and intelligence operationsall important parts of the overall counterinsurgency strategy. Their effectiveness should be judged in the context of the CORDS strategy to push the enemy from the countryside.

Any analysis of CORDS/MAT effectiveness must acknowledge the possible manipulation, misinterpretation and overlooked subtleties in counterinsurgency statistics, such as the number of hamlets or villages in an area said to be secure, the number of insurgents killed or captured, the progress of various development programs and so forth. Nevertheless, the available data indicates that CORDS made significant inroads against the Communist insurgency, a conclusion corroborated by numerous U. S. and North Vietnamese sources that have emphasized the impact of CORDS initiatives, including the MAT advisory work with the territorial forces and the Phoenix Programs successes against the Viet Congs secret leadership.

Some experts believe that North Vietnam launched a major military offensive across the South in 1972 because the insurgency there was failing. What the Communists could not gain by a popular uprising in South Vietnam they would take by force with the conventional troops of the NVA. The NVAs final success in 1975 trumped any successes that CORDS and its MATs had achieved by the time they were inactivated in 1973, the year the last American forces were withdrawn from the country. That ultimate North Vietnamese victory has led historian Richard Hunt to conclude in his book, Pacification: the American Struggle for Vietnams Hearts and Minds, that CORDS overall achievement was ambiguous, at best.

That ambiguity is, no doubt, a lasting characteristic of the American effort in Vietnam, but what should be clear are the lessons of the Mobile Advisory Teams who operated at the leading edge of counterinsurgency. What they learned in Vietnam remains relevant because of this central truth: Conventional wars must be won on the battlefield, but insurgencies must be defeated in the village, where the fight is for the security and loyalty of the people.

In Vietnam, it was the U. S. Army MATs that went to help win that fight in the village. They performed their tasks under difficult, often dangerous circumstances, and helped push back an insurgency that the enemy ultimately had to abandon in favor of a direct invasion with a conventional army. MATs operated outside the Armys mainstream and were unknown to many, but given the current emphasis on counterinsurgency in national affairs, it is timely that they be remembered, not only for their presence in Vietnam, but for the challenges they faced and the lessons they learned about war in the village.

Terry T. Turner, a biomedical scientist and professor emeritus at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, served in Vietnam 1969-70 as an Army first lieutenant and Mobile Advisory Team commander. He thanks Counterparts, an organization of former advisers and advisees in Indochina, for its assistance in communicating with former MAT members.

Published in the October 2017 issue of Vietnam magazine.
Vauban, Frances master engineer of the 17th Century, designed nearly 100 fortress for Louis XIVand defined the form for the ages.

Sebastien Le Prestre, who would earn renown as seigneur de Vauban and a marshal of France, was born in 1633 in a small village in Burgundy. Vauban (as he is generally known) was of minor provincial nobility with few influential family connections. He spent his early military career in the service of Louis de Bourbon, prince of Conde, during the civil war known as the Second Fronde (165053), as a rebel fighting against young King Louis XIV. Though royalists captured Vauban early on, the reputation the young soldier had already established stood him in good stead, for rather than being hanged as a rebel, he was interviewed by Cardinal Jules Mazarin, the kings Italian-born adviser. Mazarin was sufficiently impressed to offer Vauban a place in Louis army, and the young man prudently changed sides.

Gifted with an inquiring and open mind, prodigious energy and a capacity for long hours and hard work, Vauban soon established a reputation as a gifted military engineer. He was a student of such eminent predecessors as Blaise-Francois, comte de Pagan (1604 65), and blessed with a good measure of practical common sense, he developed a particular interest in both the design and construction of fortresses to modern pattern, and in the most effective ways to capture those same places at the least cost.

By the late 17th century, fortress design was based on the simple plan of the trace italienne, or star fort. The high stone walls of medieval castles had given way to low, sharply sloped, artillery-resistant embankments. This system employed geometric patterns superimposed one on another, enabling fortresses largely to withstand the devastating effects of modern gunpowder artillery and mining. The design also met the timeless demands of effective defenseestablishing clear lines of fire and ensuring concealment, depth and protection. Of course, topographical variations and complexities in any location meant that a successful fortress designer had to bring his ingenuity and imagination to the basic plan, and in that regard Vauban proved a master of his craft. Any force seeking to capture one of his fortresses would pay a significant price in time, effort and blood. With his complementary keen interest in the best way to seize fortresses, Vauban also drew up a model timetable for a besieging commander, setting out in detail how his force might employ the suggested 48 days to good effect.

With the civil wars settled, Louis XIV embarked on a series of aggressive campaigns against his neighbors. In May 1667 French armies under the command of such remarkable soldiers as Marshals Henri de la Tour dAuvergne, vicomte de Turenne, and Francois-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Luxembourg, marched into the Spanish Netherlands (present-day Belgium and Luxembourg) and soon placed large parts of Artois, Picardy and Flanders under French control. Having pushed his northern border outward, Louis XIV naturally wanted to strengthen the existing obsolete defenses there. His chief engineer, Louis Nicolas de Clerville, was unwell, so the king gave young Vauban the task of redesigning and strength ening the defenses of Lille, an undoubted honor for a man still junior in rank.

The remodeling and rebuilding of Lille was an enormous undertaking, the massive new citadel alone requiring some 60 million bricks. Laborers completed the work in 1674, and this set the pattern for future years, as Vauban continually hurried across France on instructions from Louis XIV and his minister for war, Francois-Michel le Tellier, marquis de Louvois, to survey existing defenses, devise and recommend improvements, and oversee the construction of strong new fortifications. The king could for the time being foot the vast expense, and between 1668 and 1698 Vauban designed a strong double belt of modern fortresses to shield Frances northern border, where no really strong natural obstacles existed. This system of defense was known as the pre carre (square field), or Fence of Iron. Among its key attributes was mutual support; Vaubans declared intention was that no French fortress on the northern border should be out of hearing of cannon-shot from another fortress.

Renewed war, whether in search of glory or as a defensive measure against encroaching neighbors, was a regular theme of Louis XIVs reign. The Netherlands, Spain, Austria, England (Great Britain from 1707 onward) and the German princely states all felt the power of French armies between 1672, when Louis and allies attacked the Dutch Republic, and the close of the Nine Years War (War of the League of Augsburg) in 1697. Armies had maneuvered, fought battles, and besieged, bombarded and stormed fortresses, but none of the warring parties had achieved anything of real value, other than Louis success at securing territorial gains, while firmly establishing the suspicions and enmity of his neighbors.

With the nations of Western Europe exhausted by war, fresh conflict was unwelcome. But when childless King Charles II died in Madrid in November 1700, he left the throne of Spain to Philip, duc dAnjou, the youngest grandson of Louis XIV. If refused, the throne would immediately be offered to Archduke Charles, the second son of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I of Austriathus setting the stage for the War of the Spanish Succession.

Accordingly, Louis XIV allowed his grandson to accept the Spanish throne. Diplomacy failed, conflict could not be avoided, and in the spring of 1702 a Grand Alliance of Austria, England and the Dutch Republic declared war on France and Spain. John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, took field command of the Anglo-Dutch army, and two years later he took his army to Bavaria, where, with Austrian commander Prince Eugene of Savoy, he defeated the French and Bavarian armies at the Battle of Blenheim.

This defeat seriously weakened Louis XIVs war-making capacity. Just 18 months later, on May 23, 1706, Marlboroughs utter destruction of Marshal Francois de Neufville de Villerois French army at Ramillies laid bare the whole of the Spanish Netherlands. In the space of few short weeks such important places as Brussels, Leuven, Antwerp, Ostend, Dendermonde and Ath had fallen to Marlborough. The victorious allied army stood at the borders of northern France, and only the Fence of Iron, the fortress belt constructed under Vaubans direction over the previous 35 years, remained to support the threadbare forces left to defend France from invasion.

At this time of peril 73-year-old Vauban, now a marshal of France and addressed by Louis XIV as mon cousin (my cousin), was unwell and in semiretirement. The king nonetheless summoned him to active service and gave him command of the troops that could be spared to defend the English Channel coastline from Gravelines to Dunkirk. This was a sideshow but not unimportant, and Vauban found time to construct a stout fortified camp at Dunkirk that proved so good in its simple layout that French troops put it to use 80 years later during the French Revolution. The Grand Alliance failed to follow up on the victory at Ramillies, and French field commander Louis Joseph, duc de Vendome, was able to stabilize the situation along the northern border and maneuvered around Vaubans fortresses to foil Marlborough. This changed in July 1708, when Marlborough forced a sudden battle on Vendome beside the Scheldt River at Oudenarde and inflicted a severe defeat on the French army.

Vauban knew nothing of it, for he had died at his Paris home in March 1707. The passing of this great man, a giant of his age who would prove the model for all military engineers from then onward, went almost unnoticed, with just a simple family funeral at his home. France was embroiled in a war it could neither afford nor win, so official minds were busily engaged elsewhere. Also, Vauban was in royal disfavor for publishing without authority a treatise on ways to rationalize French taxation. Still, this official neglect was astonishing, for the greatest result of Vaubans efforts, the construction of a formal defense system for France, was in place, and Louis XIV would find that his deceased engineer now engaged in absentia with Frances opponents in a prolonged passage of arms. French field armies were in tatters, the treasury empty, the wealth of the nation squandered in almost continuous warfare, but if Vaubans Fence of Iron, his lifes handiwork, held firm, then so too would France.

In the aftermath of the victory at Oudenarde, Marlborough and Prince Eugene laid siege to Lille, the cherished prize of Louis XIVs early wars. The massive new citadel was a tough obstacle, but the French had to submit in December 1708. Louis XIV regretted the loss of the fortress, but he had gained breathing room, and the prolonged defense had halted the allied campaign. The classic role of the fortressto tie down an opponent, force him to fight on ground of the defenders own choosing and eat away at valuable and irreplaceable campaign timehad clearly been realized.

The following September saw Marlboroughs capture of the Vauban-designed fortress of Tournai. Once again the task was formidable, as the citadel was of particularly powerful design and construction. Within a week of that capitulation the allies battled to a Pyrrhic victory in the murderous clash in the woods at Malplaquet, then seized the fortress of Mons. Louis XIVs commanders would no longer face Marlborough and Eugene in open battle, and campaigning in 1710 saw sieges at Douai, Bethune, Saint-Venant and Aire-surla-Lys, all fortresses that had received Vaubans attention. Each one fell to Marlborough and his generals, but at a slowly measured pace, the allies heavy casualties gradually blunting their effectiveness as a fighting machine.

Meanwhile, Marlboroughs influence in London, established and sustained by success in open battle, was fading. The year 1711 saw the fall of Vaubans fortress of Bouchain, an achievement calling for great skill and judgment on Marlboroughs part, but it was not enough to save the duke, whom Queen Anne dismissed from service at years end. Following renewed French successes in 1712, Louis XIVs representatives negotiated a generally advantageous peace settlement for their king at the April 1713 Treaty of Utrecht: Philip V remained on the throne in Madrid, but other provisions divided the huge Spanish empire and significantly restricted French power and influence for generations to come.

Between 1708 and 1711, were it not for Vaubans Fence of Iron, Marlborough and Eugene would have sacked much of France. The War of the Spanish Succession had amply demonstrated the latent power of well-planned fortifications, even when only supported by weakened field armies. But it was not the last time those fortifications would serve France so well.

Maneuver warfare, which frees commanders from the need to shield and protect fixed fortresses, was commonplace in the 18th century. Armies certainly waged desperate battles at such places such as Fontenoy, in 1745, when an allied army challenged the French siege of Tournai, but these tended to be the exception. Still, were it not for the valiant defense of such Vauban fortresses as Tournai, Valenciennes and Cambrai, the French armies of the 1790s and the revolution itself would have failed. Fortress construction proceeded on a lesser scale than before, partly due to the forbidding cost of these structures. But a glance at the defensive plans of such places as Fort Ticonderoga and Fort William Henry in New York, Fort Monroe in Virginia and the citadel of Hue in Vietnam will show that the influence of classic military engineers educated in the Vauban tradition lasted long, and went deep and wide.

Emperor Napoleon I stands as the instantly recognizable military figure of the early 19th century. His campaigns, among the most astonishing in history, demonstrated how little siege warfare had changed, although Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, certainly put his subordinates to the test in Spain, Portugal and southern France, at such places as Cuidad Rodrigo, Badajoz and Bayonne. Wellingtons impatience to get on with things, and his tendency to incur heavy casualties as a result, would likely not have impressed the rational Vauban, who disdained needless loss of life. Surprisingly, Paris remained unprotected by formal defenses until the work of Baron Francois-NicolasBenoit Haxo, a devotee of Vauban and his methods, came to fruition in the 1830s. During the 187071 FrancoPrussian War ill-prepared French armies gave way to their more dynamic German opponents, and Paris came under bombardment and siege, eventually having to submit. Still, the defenses of the city played their part, as did those of Vauban design in Peronne, Belfort and Verdun, all of which defied German assaults longer than thought likely when facing modern rifled artillery.

In the wake of that sobering defeat the French employed engineer General Raymond Adolphe Sere de Rivieres to establish a new, more formidable and Vauban-inspired fortified line of defenses for northern France. In 1914 fastmoving German armies pushed through neutral Belgium and outflanked the main French fortifications, though the Belgian armys defense of Liege and Namur impeded the Germans progress and denied them an early victory. The Vauban-designed fortresses of Maubeuge, Longwy and Montmedy also slowed the German advance, allowing the French and British forces to regroup on the river Marne. In November 1918 New Zealanders of General Julian Byngs British Third Army stormed the Vauban fortress of Le Quesnoy; the Kiwis used scaling ladders in the old fashioned way to oust the German garrison.

Wearied by their losses in World War I, in the 1920s and 1930s the French sought to reconstruct Vaubans Fence of Iron under the direction of Minister of War Andre Maginot. His resulting line of fortifications did not prove much of an obstacle, however, when the Germans unleashed their blitzkrieg in May 1940. The Vauban citadel of Lille, on the other hand, put up a stubborn defense. Troops of the French First Army held out in the citadel for four days, defying German attempts to dislodge them using artillery, infantry assault and Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers. The delay provided the French and British armies valuable time to prepare both the defense of the Vauban citadel in Calais and the subsequent evacuation at Dunkirk. In the absence of such fortifications, it is likely Dunkirk would have been an outright defeat for the Allies, rather than bittersweet salvation, with incalculable consequences for the course of the World War II and subsequent European history.

Vauban is rightly regarded as a French hero, with more than 180 forts, citadels and fortresses of his design constructed, improved or planned. He also turned his attention to such civil engineering projects as canals and aqueducts. Vaubans handiwork is apparent throughout modern-day France, sometimes in fine condition, sometimes rather neglected, although some are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Vauban stressed the necessity to conserve soldiers lives, whether in defense or attack. He remains one of historys pre-eminent military engineers, a man who understood that while no fortress could hold out indefinitely, a well-designed one could buy time for others and, therefore, would be worth the cost of its construction. In more recent times, despite the introduction of rifled artillery and offensive airpower, the value of formal defenses as both a deterrent to a potential aggressor and as a means to delay an invaders progress remains absolute. Above all, France would have been ruined during the desperate years 170811 but for the Fence of Iron, and whenever soldiers and historians think of military engineers, it is likely the name of the provincial nobody who became Marshal Vauban first comes to mind.

For further reading James Falkner recommends his own Marshal Vauban and the Defence of Louis XIVs France, as well as Vaubans Fortifications in France, by Paddy Griffith and Peter Dennis, and Soldier of France, by John Hebbert and George A. Rothrock.

Originally published in the September 2012 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here.
In World War II Yugoslavia the Axis invasion unleashed age-old hatreds and sparked brutal internecine strife.

In January 1943 the German army launched a major offensive, codenamed Fall Weiss (Case White), to encircle an area in western Bosnia where the main force of Josip Broz Titos Yugoslav Partisans had taken refuge. It was the fourth of seven attempts the Germans made during World War II to stamp out Titos troublesome communist resistance group. The guerrillas were heading toward the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina, formed by the tumultuous Neretva River. Tito had ordered the destruction of all but one of the bridges in that sector; once his army had crossed, it would also destroy that span.

But a small German force racing west from Sarajevo captured the village where the last intact bridge stood, seemingly trapping the Partisans. The Germans had committed five of their own divisions and three divisions of their Italian allies more than 100,000 mento Fall Weiss. They were pursuing some 20,000 bandits, as the Germans called them, 3,500 of whom were sick or wounded. Marching with the Partisan column were some 40,000 refugees, most of them women and children, many of them ill, starving and shoeless in the dead of winter.

The Partisans were tough fighters and knew well the terrain through which they traveled, but their effort to reach and cross the Neretva looked hopeless. Harried by German aircraft during the day, the Partisan column traveled largely at night, but the weather was deadly, the Germans were pressing from behind, and the Neretva was now seemingly impassable. Tito had to improvise. He diverted the column to a demolished railroad bridge at Jablanica, 15 miles east of the German-held span, and by laying planks across the ruined girders constructed a narrow walkway that would support his oxcarts, troops and light artillery. Troops he sent back to fight a delaying action managed to drive the Germans back a few miles, and in early March the Partisans and refugees began crossing the river, all the while under attack by German aircraft. The operation took a week, and in the end some 25,000 Partisans and refugees reached relative safety on the other side of the Neretva. They had again broken out of a German trap.

But it was not just Axis troops with whom the Partisans had to contend. Waiting in ambush on the far bank of the Neretva were 12,000 Chetniks, members of a Serbian guerrilla army also dedicated to driving the Germans out of Yugoslavia, but dedicated even more passionately to killing Partisans. A commando unit Tito ordered across the river held off the Serbs long enough for the Partisan main force to cross, and then the outnumbered Chetniks themselves became the hunted. The Partisans chased the Chetniks back toward their homeland, Serbia, and few of them survived the pursuit. In Yugoslavia, then as now, few waited for the dish to turn cold before serving up revenge.

Yugoslavia in the early 1940s was fighting two wars at onceone against the Axis, the other a bitter civil war that pitted the communist Partisans against the royalist Chetniks, and Croatias fascist Ustase against both. It was the embodiment of English philosopher Thomas Hobbes state of war of all against all, and it was a far more vicious fight than the campaign against the invading Axis forces.

But Balkan conflicts have always been savage, and convolutedSerbs vs. Croats; Eastern Orthodox Christians vs. Catholics, and both against Muslims; Slovenes, Montenegrins, Albanians and Macedonians all at each others throats. The region that became Yugoslavia (Land of the South Slavs) was the main battleground of the long-running clash between the Ottoman Empire and the Christian West and has an ancient and well-earned reputation for instability and internecine violence.

That penchant for violence stems largely from religion. Serbs are predominantly Eastern Orthodox, their cultural identity reinforced by their historic struggle against Islam and the unanimity of their orthodoxy. Croats and Slovenes are predominantly Roman Catholic; their ties are to the Vatican and to the Hapsburg rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, who protected parts of Slovenia and Croatia from the invading Ottomans. During World War I the Croats fought alongside the Austrians against the Serbs who were fighting for the Allies, adding to the bitterness and hatred between the two peopleboth of whom speak variants of Serbo-Croatian. In Bosnia much of the original Christian population converted to Islam during the Ottoman period. This laid the foundation for intense hatred within Bosnia between remaining Christian Serbs and Muslim Bosniaks, who became especially vulnerable when the Balkan League drove the Ottomans out of the region in the years immediately before World War I. These same Christian-Muslim tensions have long bedeviled relations between Serbia and Kosovo, whose people are ethnically Albanian and overwhelmingly Muslim.

That these disparate and often violently opposed peoples became members of a single polyglot nation was the result of the 1919 Versailles Treaty. Though mindful that the June 1914 assassination in Sarajevo of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by the Bosnian Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip had sparked World War I, in a mood of irrational optimism about nation-building the Great Powers cobbled Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia together into Yugoslavia and gave the new nation a kingAlexander Ichosen from the ranks of Serb nobility. Montenegro joined the others in 1921, the same year a terrorist gunned down the new countrys interior minister. In 1928 another fanatic shot five members of parliament, whereupon Alexander closed parliament and assumed dictatorial powers. A Croatian terrorist shot and killed the monarch on a street in Marseilles at the beginning of a trip to France in 1934. In Europe between World Wars I and II, Rebecca West noted in her book on Yugoslavia, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, the word Balkan came to be a slur applied to brutal people everywhere.

Nazi Germany would have been wise to stay clear of the Yugoslav snake pit, but Adolf Hitler needed the Balkans. Germany already got much of its oil from the Romanian fields at Ploesti, and other resources from elsewhere in the Balkans. But what the Germans didnt need was to divert military forces from their long-planned invasion of Russia. In 1940 Hitler tried to ensure the safety of his right flank by persuading Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Romania to join the Tripartite Pact among Germany, Italy and Japan. The first to sign was Romania, while the others held back. Meanwhile, Italys Benito Mussolini, all ego and bluster, decided on his own to invade Greece. He used Albania as his staging area, sending 100,000 Italian troops across the Greek border in late October 1940. The invasion quickly stalled, however, because the Greeks knew their own mountains and how to use them to advantage: Sure-footed mules carried their light artillery along the ridge lines, and the Greek command ran well-coordinated surprise attacks by small units on the Italian columns threading through the valleys. Within two months the outnumbered, poorly equipped Greeks not only regained all the ground initially lost to the Italians, but also penetrated 20 miles into Albania. So much for ego and bluster.

The Greek defense was heroic and encouraging, but it was no use. The Italians and their incompetent leaders were one thing, the Wehrmacht quite another. In March 1941 Bulgaria joined the Axis pact. That put contingents of German troops into both Romania and Bulgaria, surrounding Yugoslavia and opening Greece to the Nazi attack. Within days the regent of Yugoslavia, Prince Paul, gave in and also signed the Tripartite Pact. Britain was pouring as many troops as it could spare from North Africa into Greece, hoping to preserve its bases in the eastern Mediterranean, but it was clear from the beginning they could do little more than slow the German advance. Then, two days after Prince Paul had signed the pact, a group of military officers in Belgrade threw out the regent, put his 17-year-old cousin Peter on the throne and repudiated the signing. Yugoslavia would not cave in to Germany.

Within hours the coup leaders were having second thoughts. Germany was a highly effective military machine. Yugoslavia was weak, deeply divided, with obsolete arms and little that could be called an air force. Who could help them? Britain was fighting for its life at home and in the North African desert. Greece was about to be invaded by a German army gathering in Bulgaria. Yugoslavia assured the Nazis it would continue to provide Germany with the natural resources it needed and had no aggressive aims. But it was too late. The Yugoslavs had annoyed Hitler; they would have to be punished. On April 6, 1941, Germanys Operation Punishment began with the destruction of Belgrade from the air. That same day German, Italian and Hungarian armies crossed the border from all directions. Within days the young King Peter and what remained of his government had fled into exile, and Yugoslavia was in German hands. Estimates of Yugoslav deaths during the first day of the invasion run as high as 20,000. The Germans lost just 151 killed in the 11 days of fighting that followed.

The Germans, confident there would be little more opposition with which to contend, left behind four of their weaker divisions to occupy the country. They seem not to have noticed the small bands of Yugoslav officers and men that had melted into the mountains.

Among those officers was Colonel Dragoljub Draza Mihailovich, a Serb, a highly decorated World War I veteran and a dedicated royalist. In May 1941 Mihailovich established a base in the Serbian mountains and formed a resistance group known as the Chetniks, which began training the various ad hoc guerrilla bands that had sprung up following the German invasion. The Nazi assault had also prompted the Yugoslav Communist Party to call for popular action against the invaders, and longtime party organizer and decorated World War I veteran Josip Broz Tito, a Croat, was appointed commander of the partys military force, the Partisans.

Mihailovich was initially under orders from the government-in-exile in London not to fight the Germans, if possible, so as not to provoke further retaliatory massacres of Yugoslav civilians. Tito had no such orders, and the Soviets were urging him to create as much trouble as possible in Yugoslavia in order to tie up German divisions that would otherwise be tearing across the Russian steppes. When Titos overtures to Mihailovich regarding joint operations against the Germans went nowhere, the two went their separate ways. Soon enough their mutual distrust turned to outright warfare, with Chetniks and Partisans firing on each other whenever they met.

But there was another side to this burgeoning civil war. Following the German invasion, the Nazis transformed the former province of Croatia into a puppet state under the control of the Croatian fascist party Ustasa. Fanatically Roman Catholic and rabidly anti-Serb and anti-Semitic, the Ustase, as its members were known, made genocide their official policy and, under the cover of the Nazi occupation, slaughtered some 300,000 to 750,000 Serbs (estimates vary widely), as well as thousands of Jews and Gypsies. To call it slaughter understates the Croats violence. They buried people alive, threw them into fires, gouged out eyes and cut off limbs, noses, breasts, ears and heads. The Serbs committed similar atrocities upon Muslims in the Sandzak regionthe border between Bosnia and Serbiawhile many Bosnian Muslims in Germanys Handschar Waffen SS division butchered Serbs, Jews and Partisans. Nor were the Partisans innocent: They summarily executed scores of captured Germans, Chetniks and others they deemed fascists or counterrevolutionaries.

Accounts of this multifaceted civil war read like Jacobean revenge tragedy, but writ on a national scale. Children were forced to watch as parents were tortured and killedand vice versa. Beheadings were common. Ancient remorseless hatreds, clearly, seethe beneath the surface of Balkan life. Add to this explosive mix the warring political ideologies of the 20th centurycommunism, fascism, the nostalgic remains of monarchismand it isnt hard to see why World War II sparked more than a predictable resistance conflict between Germans and Yugoslavs. In this land of blood feuds it opened the gates of hell.

While the fighting among Yugoslavias ethnic and political factions was genocidal, it was also a military conflictone in which the Partisans were ultimately victorious. And the reasons for that victory are not difficult to discern.

The Chetniks lost their cachet and their effectiveness as they did less and less, forever waiting for the moment to strike, while Tito gained in popularity and in manpower. The Chetniks not only failed to vigorously attack the Germans but also collaborated with them and concentrated wholly on waging war against the Partisans. Every German reprisal against civilians, meanwhile, brought more recruits to the Partisans, and Tito accepted them from any ethnic group, any political persuasion, either gender, as long as they were willing to fight.

Both Chetniks and Partisans came to control large areas of countryside, while the Germans occupied the cities and larger towns. The Balkans are mountainous, the winters bitter and snowy; so the Germans brought in crack mountain divisions in an attempt to gain an advantage in the rugged countryside the locals knew so well. They made many attempts to surround Partisan forces, and succeeded, only to watch in frustration as the Partisans focused their entire power on the weakest point in the German line and broke out. The Partisans took weapons and uniformsstripping off the insignia from dead Germans and Italians.

As the war went on the Allies grew more interested in Yugoslavias various guerrilla groups. The British took an interest firstthe Yugoslav government-in-exile was passing intelligence provided by Mihailovich and promoting the Chetniks. The Chetniks were also rescuing Allied airmen downed over Yugoslavia. An enthusiastic Winston Churchill parachuted a few Serbo-Croatianspeaking officers into the Yugoslav interior to assess the situation and arrange airdrops of food and equipment. Around 1943 the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS), predecessor organization to the CIA, became active in the Balkan situation and began sending its own people into Yugoslavia thereby exacerbating the turf war between British and American intelligence services that was already complicating the Allied war effort. Both agencies found out soon enough that Mihailovich was far more interested in killing Partisans than Germans, and the Partisans found that the Americans were far more effective at delivering supplies than the British. In 1943 the British delivered some 125 tons of food and supplies to the Partisans by air. In the same period the OSS, using a flotilla of fishing boats, tramp steamers and the like sailing from the Italian coast, delivered some 6,000 tons of supplies.

In the end what convinced the Allies to back Tito rather than Mihailovich was the simple fact that the Partisans were far more effective militarily than the Chetniks. That Tito was a Soviet-trained doctrinaire communist and a member in good standing of the Comintern mattered far less than the fact that he was an excellent tactician. His steadily growing armywhich by the spring of 1944 numbered 300,000 was tying down huge numbers of German troops. Indeed, so effective was Tito that the Germans put a large bounty on his head 100,000 marks. They pursued him relentlessly and once came within an ace of capturing him; his train was leaving a station while German bullets whistled through the surrounding woods, whereupon the Allies spirited him out of the country for three months so he could plan the end game of the war in safety. Tito had become the indispensable man in the Balkans.

The Germans began to retreat from Greece through Yugoslavia in September 1944. The Russians by that time were advancing across the Danube, Titos Partisans had grown in strength to nearly 800,000, and the conflict in Yugoslavia was no longer a guerrilla war but a war of pitched battles. Most of the country was in Partisan hands, with the Chetniks controlling only the Serbian countryside. Because they remained inactive against the Germans, the Allies refused Mihailovich and his followers any more support. When the Russians crossed the Yugoslav border and encountered Chetnik troops, they disarmed them and turned them over to the Partisans. The next target was Belgrade, capital of the country and key to the rail lines north out of Yugoslavia. In October 1944 Partisan and Soviet troops fought a house-to-house battle through the city that lasted a week and killed 16,000 Germans.

The war had made Tito an international hero and the de facto ruler of Yugoslavia, prime minister of what soon became the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The kingdom was gone for good. But it would be a mistake to say Tito had won the war. The Germans were beaten, but the fighting in Yugoslavia wasnt over. In mid-May 1945, a week after Germany surrendered to the Allies, the Partisans engaged the remnants of the Croatian Ustase and the Chetniks as they retreated toward the Austrian border in an attempt to surrender to the British. But the British promptly turned them back over to the Yugoslav, i.e. Partisan, authorities. What happened next has been the subject of argument ever since. By some it is known as the Bleiburg massacre, and estimates of the Ustase and Chetniks summarily executed by the Partisans run as high as 80,000. Others argue that no massacre really happened or, if it did, the numbers were much smaller. Among Croats, Bleiburg has become a pilgrimage site. To them it represents a balance to the Ustasa concentration camps, in which many thousands of Serbs, Gypsies and Jews died. Bleiburg, they insist, demonstrates that Croats, too, were victims who suffered in the war. The Partisans and their ideological heirs insist that Croat casualties were minor. Draza Mihailovich escaped the Bleiburg trap, but not Titos vengeance. Captured by Partisan forces, the Chetnik leader was tried for treason and war crimes and executed in July 1946.

The argument persists about whether Mihailovich, among others, was a Serb patriot or a war criminal. It is one more sign that the war is not over, indeed, that in the Balkans war is never over, that losses suffered in the 1300s still sting, and nothing is forgiven. In Zagreb, a Croatian city, Rebecca West wrote in 1937:

Were I to go down into the marketplace, armed with the powers of witchcraft, and take a peasant by the shoulders and whisper to him, In your lifetime have you known peace? wait for his answer, shake his shoulders and transform him into his father, and ask him the same question, and transform him in his turn to his father, I would never hear the word Yes, if I carried my questioning of the dead back for a thousand years.

While Yugoslavia knew relative peace in the decades following World War II, Titos death in 1980and the end of the Cold Warhelped bring about the disintegration of the federal state the wartime Partisan leader had almost single-handedly created. In the 1990s civil war again broke out in the Balkans, again with its characteristic viciousness: rape, torture, murder on a massive scale, with women and children not exempted.

Will it ever end? Not bloody likely.

For further reading Anthony Brandt recommends Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, by Rebecca West; Partisans and Guerrillas, by Ronald H. Bailey; and Shadows on the Mountain, by Marcia Kurapovna.

Originally published in the May 2012 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here.
Tough, tenacious and a master of combined-arms warfare, he was also adept at politics and publicity.

What made Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov a great general? Simply put, he was the greatest Soviet commander of World War II because he mastered the concept and practice of combined-arms warfare well before the war with Germany began.

Zhukov was born to Russian peasant parents in 1896, and his military education was both formal and informal. As he advanced in promotion, he attended several military schools, including the prestigious Frunze Military Academy. He also taught himself by reading and thoroughly digesting the cutting-edge theoretical work of the leading Soviet military thinkers of the interwar periodMikhail Tukhachevsky, Vladimir Triandafillov and Aleksandr Svechinon the use of armor, aircraft and massed infantry. Their influence is clearly recognizable in Zhukovs conduct of operations in World War II.

The most obvious mark of greatness in a commander is success against great odds over a formidable enemyin Zhukovs case the forces of imperial Japan and Nazi Germany. His success in battle both on the defensive and offensive where others failed also marks him as a great general. His first victory came in the MaySeptember 1939 Battle of Khalkhin Gol against the Japanese, who had invaded the Mongolian Peoples Republic. The Soviet General Staff had assigned him to replace the ineffective Maj. Gen. Nikolai Feklenko. By reorganizing the existing forces, acquiring reinforcements, surveying the battlefield and repositioning his forces relative to the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy, Zhukov was able to plan and launch a counteroffensive that drove the Japanese army from Mongolia.

In a similar way he succeeded in stemming the 1941 German advance against Leningrad when Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin called him in to replace the grossly incompetent Marshal Kliment Voroshilov to save the city. As at Khalkhin Gol, Zhukov reorganized and repositioned the existing forces, but he could not obtain reinforcements. He stiffened the resolve of the more competent commanders and left them with a workable plan of defense, which stood them in good stead for more than two years.

His third major success and arguably his most dramatic and important was the defense of Moscow. Here again brought in to salvage a deteriorating situation, Zhukov amassed reinforcements and maneuvered them to the critical parts of the battle field, where they were able to stem the German advance. Simultaneously he planned and then, once his forces had stopped the attack, launched a counteroffensive that drove the Germans from the capital.

Zhukovs first purely offensive success came in early September 1941 when he organized a short-lived advance that forced the Germans to retreat from the Yelnya salient southeast of Smolensk. His greatest offensive success in the war was the counteroffensive he planned and orchestrated to win the Battle of Stalingrad. Effecting a double envelopment by breaking through the flanks of the German Sixth Army and attacking deep into the German rear, Zhukov surrounded the Germans in Stalingrad and repelled all efforts to relieve them. The destruction of the Sixth Army and subsequent Soviet advance westward across the Don region forced the Germans to evacuate the Caucasus, bolstered Soviet morale and cemented Stalins faith in Zhukov.

From August 1942 on Zhukov was deputy commander in chief of the armed forces, serving directly under Stalin. In that post Zhukov was the military head of the Stavka, the supreme high command, and frequently served temporarily as a front (army group) commander, overseeing several key offensives, especially the drive on Berlin in the spring of 1945.

Zhukovs greatness shone especially bright in his conduct of battle, notably his superb ability to see the battlefield. After careful study of the terrain through map analysis, aerial photography and onsite visitsand digesting intelligence and information on enemy actionhe usually could figure out where best to position his men to stop an advance, to counterattack or to break through. Prime examples include the Yelnya Offensive, the defense of Leningrad, the defense of Moscow and the Stalingrad counteroffensive, all of which occurred before the Red Army had built up its overwhelming superiority in armor, artillery and manpower.

Like Britains Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, Zhukov appreciated the importance of the materiel factor and always amassed copious amounts of firepowertanks, tactical aircraft and artilleryin preparation for of fensive operations. More important, he understood how to use these assets in combined-arms warfare. Indeed, he often criticized peers and subordinates for playing at war rather than mastering modern warfare. Other generals would use their infantry and tanks separately, often failing to coordinate with their artillery and seldom calling on tactical airpower. Zhukov carefully orchestrated all of these arms to complement and support each other and overwhelm the enemys defenses.

Apart from Zhukovs great success in battle, what enabled him to succeed was a unique combination of personal attributes. First of all, he did not panic when things were going badlyand things were very bad for the Red Army in 1941, when many Soviet generals let defeatism and despair cloud their judgment. Moreover, Zhukov was a perfectionist in all he did and expected the same from others. This created a penchant to be dismissive and intolerant of incompetence by both subordinates and peers, especially those of high rank and responsibility. At the level of senior officer he punished failure without hesitation. Generals disciplining other generals is a difficult proposition in any army, but Zhukov ruthlessly relieved, demoted, reassigned or had arrested any general (except Stalins cronies, of course) who showed incompetence, cowardice or negligence, even in the midst of battle.

Zhukov was definitely not a people person. Unlike a great many of his peers, he never drank to excess and was not known to have any close personal friends. He was often impatient and caustic in his relations with subordinates. As a battalion and then a regimental commander Zhukov sought to lead or inspire direct subordinates by example, but he was also ready to resort to formal command authority and fear. The higher Zhukov rose in rank, the more likely he was to simply transfer an incompetent subordinate rather than work with him to improve his abilities. On the other hand he exhibited far more confidence in the common soldier than did many other generals.

As Stalins deputy, Zhukov successfully leveraged the state-run and military media to promote his image and inspire confidence in his generalship among the soldiers. After he had saved Moscow, he became a nationally renowned figure whose reputation preceded him. Where Zhukov is, there is victory, became a common catchphrase from 1943 onward. Thus it was really his success rather than his persona that inspired troops. Having his name associated with victory gave the soldiers under his command greater confidence and raised their morale, which may have contributed to their success and his. Zhukov was certainly not infallible, but he succeeded in suppressing publicity associated with his failures. Nor was he prone to admit mistakes.

Often overlooked by the men under his command was another factor that enabled Zhukov to succeedhis willingness to accept large numbers of casualties. This was certainly not a rare attribute in the Red Army, but Zhukovs success made the excessive casualties seem less brutal, compared to generals who wasted men for no gain. This trait first surfaced at Khalkhin Gol. Zhukov recalled that the front commander, Grigori Shtern, advised him to slow the tempo of the offensive and take a break of two or three days to regroup before resuming the encirclement operation in order to reduce casualties. According to Zhukov:

I said that war is war, and that losses are inevitable, that these losses could also be heavy, especially when we are up against a serious and fierce enemy like the Japanese. But if we postponed our original plan for two or three days because of these losses and complications, one of two things could happen: either we would not carry out the plan at all or would do it with great delay, and because of our indecisiveness our losses would be 10 times greater than we are suffering now when we are acting decisively.

Another of Zhukovs attributes was his skill at assembling competent operational planning staffs. Marshal Aleksandr Vasilevsky often helped Zhukov plan battles and offensives, bringing his valuable talent, experience and insights to the process. An exacting taskmaster, Zhukov required painstaking thoroughness of his subordinates as they gathered and processed the information necessary for proper planning. He replaced those who fell short of his expectations and seldom gave second chances.

Great generals are also often fortunate generals. One ought not discount the role of luck in success and its affect on a generals reputation. It is said soldiers are attracted to lucky leaders and shun the unlucky. Zhukov experienced several beneficial runs of good fortune. First, his competition for generalship was not all that in tense. In the inter war period the Red Army simply did not produce massive numbers of competent leaders, so the best moved up easily. Second, the Red Army expanded rapidly in the 1930s, requiring a large number of generals and offering many opportunities for advancement. Third, Zhukov was not arrested or killed during Stalins Great Purge.

For the most part there was little rhyme or reason as to who was purged, making luck an operative element, but it seems Zhukov chose his patrons wisely. He associated with superiors who in turn were friends with Stalins cronies. These men and their circle largely escaped repression in 193739, while those in the Tukhachevsky circle were decimated. It was Zhukovs association with the future Marshal Semyon Timoshenko, a friend of Stalin crony Marshal Semyon Budyonny, that got him his first combat command at Khalkhin Gol.

Fortunately, Zhukov did not take part in the 193940 Winter War with Finland, which ruined the careers of many of the generals involved. Finally, luck placed him in charge of operations to stop or throw back the enemy when they essentially had run out of steam, such as at Khalkhin Gol, Leningrad, Moscow and Stalingrad. Only at Yelnya did Zhukov have to confront the Germans in full stride, and that turned out to be one of his limited successes.

Above all else, his relationship with Stalin enabled Zhukov to rise to the pinnacle of the Red Army high command and prove his ability as a great general. Learning how to work with Stalin and remain in his good graces was a great feat in itself. It was without doubt a hostile work environment, considering the dictators unpredictable personality, unlimited power and ruthlessness. Dealing with commanders in chief is an important task for senior commanders and takes talent, which Zhukov clearly possessed. Among his more obvious traits, one that often goes unspoken when discussing generals, was his loyalty to superiors. Zhukov was faithful and obedient to his orders, but he was not a yes man. He felt professionally obliged to give contrary feedback to his superiorsincluding Stalinwhen militarily necessary. Zhukovs competence and high native intelligence, coupled with persuasiveness and reinforced by his success, seem the keys to his relationship with Stalin. Once he had proved himself, Zhukov was usually able to stand his ground against Stalins misguided interference.

For further reading Roger Reese recommends Zhukov, by Otto Preston Chaney, and Marshal Zhukov, by Albert Axell.

Originally published in the September 2012 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here.
With damage assessments from Hurricane Harvey likely to grow into the tens of billions of dollars, the talk in Congress has already turned to federal relief efforts.

One problem is that politicians have long memories.

To wit: Hurricane or "Superstorm" Sandy, which battered New York and New Jersey in 2012.

Some regional leaders, notably New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, are reminding their colleagues in Texas that almost all of their Republican representatives in Congress voted against a $51 billion aid package for Sandy.

Now the heat is coming down on Texas Republicans John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, who were among 36 senators who voted against the relief package.

"Congressional members in Texas are hypocrites and I said back in 2012 they'd be proven to be hypocrites," Christie, a Republican Trump ally, told reporters Monday.

Christie's comments followed a tweet over the weekend from New York U.S. Rep. Peter King, also a Republican: "Ted Cruz & Texas cohorts voted vs NY/NJ aid after Sandy but I'll vote 4 Harvey aid. NY wont abandon Texas. 1 bad turn doesnt deserve another"

Both Cruz and Cornyn have defended their votes on Sandy, saying that they were trying to stop efforts by the Obama administration and Democrats to add unrelated spending to the legislation.

"Hurricane funding is a very important responsibility, and I would have eagerly supported funding for that," Cruz told CNBC Monday. "But I didn't think it was appropriate to engage in pork barrel spending, where two-thirds of that bill was unrelated spending that had nothing to do with Sandy and was simply politicians wasting money."

Cornyn also has explained his "no" vote on the Sandy relief bill as opposition to extraneous spending.

Among the items funded in the final spending package were appropriations for the Smithsonian, Head Start and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, programs that some argued were either affected by Sandy, or which could help mitigate future disasters.

Cornyn did vote for a stripped-down amendment that provided about half of the requested aid. That vote came before Cruz had taken office in January, 2013. His predecessor, Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, also supported the smaller amount.

A Cornyn aide said Monday that he also voted for emergency relief bills funding recovery efforts in response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike, and Wilma at different points over the last 10-plus years. "The Sandy relief bill that ended up passing unfortunately contained provisions unrelated to the storm and 'emergency' money that wasn't requested by local officials there," he said. "He voted for a Sandy aid package without this unrelated spending, which funded things like repairing fisheries in the Pacific."

Congressional Republicans at the time also were demanding that dollars spent on Sandy be offset by cuts elsewhere in the federal budget. It remains to be seen whether that also becomes part of the Harvey debate.

Of the Texas members in the House, only Houston Republican John Culberson joined Democrats in voting for the final 2013 Sandy aid package.

With the recovery from Harvey still in the early stages, Cruz said the funding battle for Harvey can wait.

"There will be plenty of time for politics and I'm not going to worry about political sniping," he said. "My focus here is on the tragedy that's unfolding, people who's lives are in jeopardy, and the people who need help."
Hearst Corp. is donating $1 million to the Greater Houston Red Cross to help with relief efforts across the region.

The New York-based owner of the Houston Chronicle and many other media properties also said it would match every dollar its employs donate up to another $1 million.
Donald Trump was in a bad mood before he emerged for a confrontational speech in Arizona last week.

TV and social media coverage showed that the rally site, the Phoenix Convention Center, was less than full. Backstage, waiting in a room with a television monitor, Trump was displeased, one person familiar with the incident said: TV optics and crowd sizes are extremely important to the president.

As his surrogates warmed up the audience, the expanse of shiny concrete eventually filled in with cheering Trump fans. But it was too late for a longtime Trump aide, George Gigicos, the former White House director of advance who had organized the event as a contractor to the Republican National Committee. Trump later had his top security aide, Keith Schiller, inform Gigicos that he'd never manage a Trump rally again, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Gigicos, one of the four longest-serving political aides to the president, declined to comment.

Even by his standards, Trump was remarkably strident in Phoenix. After introductory speakers, including Vice President Mike Pence, lauded him for his commitment to racial harmony, the president came on stage and lambasted the media for what he called inaccurate reporting on his remarks about violence between hate groups and counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Virginia.

He threatened to shut down the federal government unless Congress funds construction of the Mexican border wall he promised in his campaign. He telegraphed that he'd pardon former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, convicted of defying a court order to stop racial profiling by his deputies. And in their home state, he assailed Arizona Senas. John McCain for the failure of Obamacare repeal and Jeff Flake for being "weak" on illegal immigration, without mentioning their names. Both are fellow Republicans.

Gigicos had staged the event in a large multipurpose room. The main floor space was bisected by a dividing wall, leaving part of the space empty. There were some bleachers off to the side, but otherwise the audience was standing -- and the scene appeared flat, lacking the energy and enthusiasm of other rallies.

Although the crowd looked thin when Trump arrived at about 6:30 p.m., rallygoers filled in the space while Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, former Georgia state Rep. Alveda King, evangelist Franklin Graham and Pence delivered introductory speeches. A city of Phoenix spokeswoman told the Arizona Republic newspaper that about 10,000 people were inside the room when Trump took the stage.

Trump's first words when he stepped to the microphone: "Wow, what a crowd, what a crowd."

A week later, Trump was still reminiscing about the event.

"You saw the massive crowd we had," he said at a White House news conference on Monday with Finland President Sauli Niinisto. "The people went crazy when I said, 'What do you think of sheriff Joe?' Or something to that effect."

Gigicos organized all of Trump's signature campaign events and his occasional rallies since entering office. He left his White House job as director of advance on July 31 to return to his consulting business. But he continued to work for Trump's re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee.

Over the past two years, Trump had often assigned the blame -- rightly or wrongly -- to Gigicos when his rally logistics weren't perfect. But his irritation usually blew over quickly. When his microphone had problems at a January 2016 rally in Pensacola, Florida, Trump bellowed: "The stupid mic keeps popping! Do you hear that, George? Don't pay them! Don't pay them!"

Gigicos is the latest high-profile departure from Trump's inner circle. Since July 21, press secretary Sean Spicer, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Stephen Bannon, and national security aide Sebastian Gorka have all resigned or been fired. Former Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci's tenure lasted less than two weeks.

Two outside advisory councils comprised of corporate CEOs dissolved after Trump's Charlottesville remarks, and the White House severed ties with billionaire Carl Icahn, a semiformal Trump adviser.

--With assistance from Jennifer Epstein and Justin Sink
ISLAMABAD - A wave of anti-American anger has swept Pakistan this past week, triggered both by President Donald Trump's threat to punish the country for harboring insurgents and by his invitation to India, Pakistan's longtime rival, to become more involved in Afghanistan's future.

Tribal and religious leaders have held protests at border crossings, and banners urging "Say no to America!" have appeared across the capital. Officials have canceled trips to Washington and asked a State Department official to postpone her planned visit here this week. Across the country's fractious political spectrum, leaders have raised a collective fist at Trump.

In a stern speech Aug. 21, the U.S. president laid out a new militarized policy for the region, saying he would send more American troops to Afghanistan and insisting that Pakistan must "do more" to rein in Islamist militants or face possible sanctions, such as cutting aid or revoking its status as a major non-NATO ally.

Afghan officials welcomed Trump's message, but Pakistanis accused him of "bullying" their country despite its history of cooperating with the United States in foreign conflicts. They said he had betrayed them by reaching out to India, which Pakistan views as a persistent threat to its existence.

"President Trump wants to portray us as a villain despite the huge losses we have suffered in the so-called anti-terrorism war," said Hafiz Hamdullah, a conservative Muslim cleric and legislator. "Both India and the U.S. want to use Afghanistan against us. These charges of terrorist hideouts are just to destabilize Pakistan."

Mian Raza Rabbani, the left-leaning chairman of Pakistan's Senate, denounced Trump in similar terms. "No country in the world has done more than Pakistan to counter the menace of terrorism," he declared. Invoking the "legacy of Vietnam," he said that if Trump "wants Pakistan to become a graveyard for U.S. troops, let him do so."

In tribal regions along the border, where U.S. drone strikes have killed hundreds of suspected militants and civilians, one crowd of tribesmen chanted, "Long live Pakistan." In another spot, religious activists held up placards saying, "India, America and Afghanistan are conspiring against Pakistan."

Pakistan's National Security Committee, which comprises top military and civilian officials, sharply rejected Trump's charges of sheltering insurgents and demanded that the U.S. military "eliminate sanctuaries for terrorists" on the Afghan side. "The Afghan war cannot be fought in Pakistan," the group declared.

Pakistani officials took other steps to show their unhappiness. They requested that a planned visit by Alice Wells, the senior State Department official dealing with the region, be indefinitely postponed. Pakistan's foreign minister, who had been planning a trip to Washington, instead announced he would travel to China, Russia and Turkey.

Despite the hostile rhetoric, there were signs that U.S.-Pakistan relations are far from collapsing. Over the past few weeks, several low-profile meetings were held between current and former officials from both governments to discuss how to keep relations on an even keel.

Pakistani newspapers ran headlines that blasted Trump as a hectoring bully but also published nuanced commentaries calling for pragmatism and patience. The editors of Dawn, the country's most influential daily paper, counseled that "there is still space and time for constructive dialog. A strategic rupture is in neither the U.S. nor Pakistan's interest."

For Pakistan, the issue of militant sanctuaries is a familiar one; both of Trump's immediate predecessors pressed Pakistan to crack down on them but did not take harsh measures, especially because Pakistan was cooperating in the broader anti-terrorism war. This time, though, Pakistani officials are said to be far more worried that Trump, an unpredictable leader, may follow through.

"Trump's threats are real . . . Madness on our doorstep has already arrived," commentator Syed Talat Hussain wrote in The News International on Monday. He suggested that if Trump, "an ignoramus addicted to creating sensation," ordered a drone strike in Pakistani territory - as opposed to the border tribal areas - it could "get us embroiled in a war with the U.S. This is deadly serious business."

Pakistanis have been even more deeply rattled by Trump's warm embrace of India, where the current prime minister is an ardent Hindu nationalist and Indian army troops have been waging an aggressive, months-long campaign against Muslim protesters in the disputed Kashmir region.

Pakistan has long pursued influence in Afghanistan largely as a foil to India, a larger and more powerful rival, only to see New Delhi become a major benefactor of the American-backed government in Kabul.

"Trump's comments about India were more unsettling for Pakistanis than his threats to Pakistan," said Michael Kugelman, a Pakistan expert at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. "The U.S. calling for a deeper Indian footprint in Afghanistan sets off alarm bells across Pakistan. It will cause very real fear."

A few Pakistani voices here have called for a rethinking of Pakistan's efforts to influence Afghanistan, noting this has created a burden on its resources and a spillover of Islamist radicalization. But virtually no one questions the notion that India, the world's largest democracy, is their mortal enemy - a premise that has long kept Pakistan's army in a position of extraordinary power but has left the country increasingly isolated.

Today, the dominant sentiment here is one of betrayal by an old friend that owes a large debt to Pakistan.

"We have sacrificed for so many years to help the United States, and this Afghan war has destroyed us," said Rehman Malik, a Pakistani senator and former interior minister. "We don't want anything but their respect. We are a victim of terrorism, not a cause of it. We want peace in Afghanistan, not war. Now America is befriending India at the expense of Pakistan. And that really hurts."

---

The Washington Post's Shaiq Hussain in Islamabad and Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar contributed to this story.
Twelve years ago this week, the city of Houston responded with heroic life-saving actions to the near drowning of New Orleans. This as-big-as-Texas effort earned Houston this newspaper's Texan of the Year designation for 2005.

In the days after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29 of that year, more than 1,800 residents died and millions were left homeless.

For the sake of those traumatized survivors, Houston met the challenge with the largest shelter operation in the nation's history. More than 150,000 of the approximately 250,000 evacuees would eventually make Harris County their permanent home.

Perhaps Houston's director of building services in 2005, Issa Dadoush, said it best as evacuees stumbled off buses and into the mega-shelter created within the Astrodome: "These are Americans. They're our neighbors. If not Houston, who else?"

Not only did Houston provide emergency aid to the survivors, the city got them into permanent quarters as quickly as possible so they could resume some semblance of a normal life. School assignments for the children and job placements for the adults.

To get the work done right, "we" became far more than government. The extraordinary effort depended on churches, companies, nonprofits and tens of thousands of ordinary people waiting for that first convoy of fearful survivors who had huddled for days in the New Orleans Superdome.

In response, Houston became the heart of Texas. From those who served the first hot meals to those who made return trips to New Orleans to pluck even more survivors from nursing homes and deserted streets.

Now it's the rescuer in need of rescue: Houston, its suburbs and the many smaller southeast Texas towns and surrounding counties lay devastated by Hurricane Harvey.

While the catastrophic causes are different, the similarity between images out of hurricanes Harvey and Katrina are chilling. With southeast Texas rainfall measured in feet, not inches, and a grim landscape of homes seeming to sink into a quicksand of floodwaters, it's no small miracle that the death toll thus far is small.

When Houston opened its arms to Katrina's victims, its leaders noted that the county, local cities and other key agencies and corporations had worked together for years to brace for catastrophe. That planning is proving to be no less vital now that it's Houston that's at risk of drowning.

Any sense of normalcy in southeast Texas is months, if not years, away as a hurricane that first blew through the small coastal tourist town of Rockport has grown into a multi-billion-dollar state disaster.

What's most immediately needed is a few of our state's trademark August days: hot, dry and sunny.

But no rain totals will drown out the resilience, resourcefulness and good old Texas neighborliness that earned Houston the 2005 Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year designation.

As former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels said when his city welcomed the Katrina survivors: "We will rebuild, one life at a time."

As Houston begins that task again, this time on behalf of its own residents, our thoughts and prayers remain with our big-city neighbor to the south.
Neighbors

Regarding "Swamped by Harvey" (Page A1, Monday), Barbara and I are in Maine, but our hearts are in Houston. We are praying for all of our fellow Houstonians and Texans affected by Harvey, and truly inspired by the flotilla of volunteers - Points of Light all - who are answering the call to help their neighbors. We salute them, the first responders, and the local elected officials for their grit and determination in the face of this extraordinary storm. This we know: Houston, and Texas, will come together and rebuild."

Former President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush, Houston

Perspective

Regarding "Harvey's a menace" (Page A1, Friday), Mother Nature has a way of stopping human squabbles in their tracks, and putting things into perspective. Whether Republican or Democrat, black or white, here legally or not, South Texans are hunkering down to weather hurricane Harvey.

Now is a good time to remember that our similarities far outnumber our differences. We all wait in prayer, hoping our loved ones, friends, communities, pets and possessions will survive this storm. While spending the next few days indoors, it's a good time to do some spring cleaning: Those old clothes may truly help someone whose house flooded, and those extra towels and blankets will be gratefully accepted by a local animal shelter. Your time and resources will likely be a blessing to a local wildlife center, who will undoubtedly be overflowing with injured/orphaned wildlife.

It's also a time to remember our patience and kindness. Your neighborhood might not end up flooded, but your newspaper delivery person may live in an area that's underwater. The same goes for your Amazon Prime package that's late in arriving, your garbage that isn't picked up, your mail that isn't delivered.

Mother Nature has given us a "pause," stopping our ridiculously overloaded schedules and cancelling all the appointments we once thought were an absolute must.

Let's take this time and use it well.

Susan Ellis Brittain, Houston

Heroic citizens

The national TV news showed Houstonians responding in mass to Harris County Judge Ed Emmett's request for "boats and high-water vehicles, that can be used in neighborhoods, that help move people out of harm's way."

My countrymen's response to the crisis with anything that would float reminded me of the Dunkirk evacuation across the English Channel during World War II. The civilian people of the United Kingdom responded in a similar manner and helped with the rescue of over 300,000 Allied soldiers in France from being killed or captured by the German army. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called it the miracle of Dunkirk.

Cole Herndon, Oklahoma City
The following are excerpts from reports generated by the Houston Police Department:

Kody D. Carter, 22, of 1026 W. Highway 17, Apt. B, in Houston, was issued a citation for driving while revoked after a traffic stop Aug. 26 on U.S. 63.

An officer made the stop after observing Carter driving a blue Chevrolet Cavalier, and being aware he had an active Houston municipal warrant for failure to appear on a driving while suspended charge. A routine computer check revealed that Carters license was revoked. He was taken to jail.

Cody L. Winfrey, 30, of 1435 Thomasville Road in Houston, was issued citations for driving while intoxicated (drugs), failure to drive on the right half of the roadway and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child after a traffic stop on U.S. 63 at about 6:55 p.m. July 31.

An officer made the stop after observing a blue Chevrolet Cavalier swerve onto the shoulder of the road for an extended period. After making contact with the driver, the officer observed that her speech was slurred and her eyes were glassy and that she swayed from side to side while standing outside the vehicle. Field sobriety tests were conducted and investigation revealed that Winfrey had taken Xanax about an hour earlier.

She was taken to the Texas County Jail. A 12-year-old girl and 2-year-old boy who were in the car were taken from the scene by a family member. The incident was reported to the child abuse and neglect hotline.

James E. Burris III, 23, of 16375 Forrest Drive in Houston, was arrested Aug. 23 for having an active Texas County warrant for resisting/interfering with arrest.

An officer who was aware of the warrant made the arrest after observing Burris at about 9:15 a.m. standing in the driveway of a Highway 17 residence. He was taken to the Texas County Jail where he was unable to post $50,000 bond.

Candice N. Walser, 25, of 108 Acorn St. in Houston, was arrested Aug. 18 for having an active Greene County warrant for failure to appear on a driving while intoxicated charge.

An officer made the arrest after arriving at Walsers residence to investigate a reported domestic disturbance. A computer identification check revealed the warrant.

Walser was taken to the Texas County Jail and held without bond for extradition to Greene County.

Andrew L. ODaniel, 27, of 3691 Morgan Road at Elk Creek, was arrested Aug. 18 for having an active Texas County warrant for damaging jail property.

An officer made the arrest after making contact with ODaniel at Millers Grill while investigating a separate incident, and being aware he had the warrant. ODaniel was taken to jail where he was unable to post $50,000 bond.

Jennifer M. Moebius, 35, of 112 W. Spruce St., No. 2, in Houston, was issued a citation for driving while intoxicated after a traffic stop at about 10:15 p.m. on Grand Avenue.

An officer made the stop after observing a vehicle fail to yield right-of-way to his patrol car at Grand Avenue and Walnut Street. After Moebius was taken to jail, a computer check revealed she had an active Texas County warrant for a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance. She was unable to post $75,000 bond.

Stanley Cornman, 40, of 822 Bryan Street in Houston, was arrested Aug. 16 for having an active Texas County warrant for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway.

An officer who was aware of the warrant made the arrest at about 9:30 p.m. after observing Cornman walking south on Hawthorne Street. He was taken to the Texas County Jail where he was unable to post $75,000 bond.

Jordan S. Clinton, 27, of 8931 Hayes Drive in Houston, was arrested Aug. 24 for having an active Texas County warrant for stealing.

An officer made the arrest at the probation and parole office in Houston after being advised Clinton was there. He was taken to jail and was unable to post $5,000 bond.

Carolyn J. Cross, 59, of 713 W. Chestnut St. in Houston, was issued citations for leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident and no insurance on Aug. 11.

An officer responded to OReilly Auto Parts at about 2 p.m. and made contact with an employee of Dollar Tree who reported someone had struck the rear of his 2004 Ford F-250 and left the scene. The man said a fellow employee had witnessed the incident and given him the name of a woman who was allegedly driving.

The officer went to Cross home and during questioning she admitted being the driver. She was taken to jail, fingerprinted and released.

Kolton C. Morgan, 21, of 14898 Sand Hollow Road in Bucyrus, was issued citations for driving while intoxicated, driving while revoked and speeding after a traffic stop at Lilly Avenue and Highway 17 at about 8 p.m. Aug. 17.

An officer made the stop after observing a black SUV traveling at a high rate of speed on Lilly Avenue. After making contact with the driver, the officer smelled alcohol and field sobriety tests were conducted.

Morgan was taken to the Texas County Jail for a 6-hour hold period.

A passenger in the vehicle was arrested for having an active Phelps County warrant for driving while suspended: Jasper D. Robbins, 28, of 18712 Robertson Drive in Licking. He was taken to jail where he posted $2,500 bond and was released.

Bonnie Barton, 30, of 17753 Sleepy Hollow in Houston, was cited for stealing under $750 after allegedly shoplifting at Walmart on Aug. 17.
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Next week, Singapore will be host to the 21st World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, the worlds largest event for occupational safety and health experts.



Often swept to the sidelines on the global forum, occupational safety is one of the most under-addressed issues in the working world today.



"The quality of occupational health and safety has tremendous impact on people's lives, said Joachim Breuer, president of the International Social Security Association (ISSA), in an interview with the Straits Times.



Prevention contributes to society, as occupational safety and health are basic human rights," he said.



According to Breuer, this isnt an issue for workers alone, but for corporations as well. On the part of the firm, it also affects businesses because fatal accidents mean a disruption of the whole company and a loss of workforce".



"From an economic standpoint, it makes sense to invest in prevention and return to work... (and) allow people to go back to work instead of depending on financial compensation," he said.



Held every three years, the ISSA-organized congress will see roughly 3,000 delegates from over 100 countries in attendance this year, with the aim of bringing together global experts to create knowledge and strategies that can be implemented in firms worldwide.



Nancy Leppink, chief of the Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Branch of the ILO, said that the problems surrounding workplace safety are primarily a leadership issue.



"There is general agreement that further sustained and coordinated action is needed at the international and national levels, she said. Workplace safety and health has suffered from sporadic political support, and inadequate public and private resources."



According to Leppink, the ILO estimates occupational accidents and work-related diseases cause over 2.7 million work-related fatalities a year.



"The economic impact of the failure to adequately invest in occupational safety and health is currently estimated to be 3.7 per cent of the global GDP per year, not to mention the human suffering caused," she said.



The Asean region is projected to become the fourth-largest economy by 2050, and has about 630 million people, with more than half under the age of 30  the Straits Times reported.



Leppink shared that next weeks congress will feature extensive activities around the vulnerabiliy of these young workers.



According to her, around 150 young workers and employers from around the world "have been invited to share their ideas and enthusiasm for reducing workplace harm to young people, who suffer the highest incidence rate of workplace injuries".



The 21st World Congress on Safety and Health at Work will be held at the Marina Bay Sands, from Sept 3 to 6, 2017.




e-calling, forced resignation, and unfair treatment are only the tip of the iceberg, according to one union protesting against alleged discrimination against workers with disabilities at Hong Kongs postal authority.Ten workers, accompanied by represtentatives of the Rights Association of Hongkong Post Contract Staff, staged a demonstration outside the General Post Office on Aug 17. They cited escalating instances of discrimination starting in March, after former postmaster general Jessie Ting Yip Yin-mei was replaced by new head Gordon Leung Chung-Tai.Earlier in June, a senior postal inspector was reported for calling a union representative broken mouth. According to the inspector, this was just a harmless nickname they had for the representative, who suffers from a cleft palate.In a separate case in March, a partially-deaf worker was asked by their superintendant to go back to school and learn sign language. The worker resigned from his position later in May, citing emotional distress over his discrimination.Union chairman, Tse Tin-wing said there are still many staff members who continue to suffer abuse or discrimination at work, choosing to remain silent for fear of losing their jobs.Following current postmaster general Leungs refusal to meet with the union, Tse plans to bring this issue up to the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Obmudsman.In an official statement, Hongkong Post stated they will not accept or condone discriminatory behaviour, as it is against organisational regulations. The group insisted that equal opportunities and anti-discrimination policies were already set up, with union negotiations soon to be underway.Any workers suffering disability discrimination were actively encouraged to file complaints, which would be handled in a fair and confidential manner.
Humane Society International welcomes the announcement from major Mexican food company Taco Holding that it will transition to a cage-free egg supply chain by 2025. The new policy will improve the welfare standards for tens of thousands of egg laying hens throughout the companys production line by replacing eggs from hens kept in battery cages to those from hens housed in higher welfare systems.

This policy follows discussions with HSI and other animal protection organizations. Taco Holding operates more than 550 restaurants in Mexico including the leading brands Krispy Kreme, Carls Jr., Taco Inn, Sbarro and El Farolito.

Sabina Garcia, corporate policy and program director of HSI Farm Animals in Mexico, said: We applaud Taco Holding for improving animal welfare in its supply chain by switching to exclusively cage-free eggs. Taco Holding is the latest major Mexican food company to move away from battery cages and their commitment further reinforces the leadership of the Mexican food industry on animal welfare issues in Latin America.

Become a Farm Animal Defender.

In its policy statement, Taco Holdings said: Taco holding is convinced of the importance of promoting animal welfare and protection This commitment requires the participation of business partners in our supply chain and main egg producers in MexicoTaco Holding is convinced that, through these types of actions, well be able to contribute to creating change towards a practice that has a positive impact on the environment and animal welfare.

Battery cages are tiny wire enclosures used to confine egg-laying hens in industrial farming facilities. Despite progress on animal welfare made over the years by food companies, coupled with consumer demand to move away from battery cages, most industrial farms in Mexico still raise hens in such enclosures. Battery cages are inherently cruel  hens often spend their entire lives in these cages, and are unable to move freely or express important natural behaviors. Higher welfare commercial-scale cage-free production systems that provide hens with more space and freedom to express their natural behaviors are available in Mexico and throughout Latin America.

Media Contact: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, +1 301-721-6440
Though English is my native language, I speak and read some Swedish every day to my young daughter.

I do this not just because I have a passion for Swedish language and literature, but also because I know how useful language skills are.

So I was shocked and disappointed last week to read a ridiculous article by Simon Jenkins in the Guardian, claiming that there is no reason to learn languages. He wrote, among other ignorant things, "Like the current zombie cult of maths, languages are beloved of reactionary educators for one reason: they are easy to test, quantify and regiment."

Of course, there's the obvious point that languages are in fact not easy to test, but besides that, languages are important to learn for many reasons.

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For example:

--languages are fascinating in and of themselves, and studying them is fun, and why shouldn't pupils have a chance to study interesting subjects?

--learning languages is good for your brain, and evidence suggests that people who are bi- or multilingual are less likely to get dementia.

--learning other languages helps you understand, write, and speak your native tongue better; communication is a key skill in most careers. I've been surprised how often I have to teach native English-speakers to write a sentence that actually makes sense, but then not surprised to learn that they can't even have a simple conversation in another tongue.

--learning other languages helps you understand other people/cultures/histories, and in this time of increased nationalism and historical myopia, we need all the bridge-building we can get. We want future generations to turn outward, not ever further inward. Jenkins writes that good teachers need to expose students to the "glories and horrors of Europe's history", and languages are in fact a part of that (and not just Europe, but all of the world).

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--learning languages is respectful; Jenkins' piece smacks of Anglocentrism, and the way many native English-speakers travel the world, assuming everyone does and should speak English, without bothering to learn even a few key phrases in the language of their host nation. Let's try to lose that arrogance.

--speaking another language allows you access to other literatures, ideas, and selves. I love the way I'm subtly different depending on which language I'm speaking, and I feel this gives me a different insight into the world.

--languages can help you with a future career (and no, translation isn't simply computerised, despite what Jenkins writes; it is a highly skilled craft, and computer tools can only help with some parts of some types of texts. Also, there are many other jobs that require knowledge of a language.).

Students should definitely learn languages, for these and other reasons. When Jenkins says students "are not stupid" and only want to learn "relevant" subjects, he is assuming languages aren't relevant, when they so clearly are. Also, frankly, young people don't always understand what is best for them and what knowledge they might need in the future, so even if they did think languages aren't relevant, they aren't necessarily the best-placed folks to make that decision.

The one thing I agree with Jenkins about is when he writes about the danger of exams: "It is the greatest of political fallacies, to make what is measurable important, not what is important measurable." (Though I don't agree that everything important needs to be measurable.) Indeed, what should not happen in schools is the constant testing. Research shows that testing is pretty useless, doesn't accurately reflect people's skills or knowledge, can't predict their futures, and just causes stress as well as making education less creative. Exams are what should change, not the study of languages!

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Jenkins says to "ignore the panic"; well, this would be easier without all the pressure placed on young people by exams. Teach students languages along with all the other important and interesting subjects (including the arts), and allow them to be guided by curiosity and compassion, not by stress and panic.
Family life with children is hectic and time is always at a premium. Everyone - young and old - has their own busy schedules, and this means that there may only be a few moments available every day for activities which involve both parents and children. You're certainly not alone if you feel you and your children are spending less and less time together, and more and more time doing lone activities. For many UK families, family life has becomes more about 'doing' than about 'being' and shared quality time takes second place to other priorities. This is a problem, but it is solvable.

The challenge for many of today's families, not unsurprisingly, is that they find themselves increasingly 'cash rich' but 'time poor.' In other words, though the standard of living in general has grown due to a rise in parental disposable income (relative to previous generations), time has become a scarce commodity due to a combination of factors such as children's increasingly busy out-of-school schedules, parents spending more time working than ever before, and the upsurge in social media usage by both parents and children. You know what it's like - your phone never stops ringing or pinging, your inbox constantly reminds you that something's waiting to be read, and your children always seem to need to be driven somewhere (if they are not already absorbed in their own solitary digital worlds.)

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Our struggle to make time for shared plans is something that stood out in the Bassetts Vitamins Family Life Survey, a study of 2,000 UK families. Indeed, almost half of parents with children under 18 said they were truly 'desperate' to spend more time together and 1 in 10 explained that their lives are so busy they don't spend any time together at all. A fifth of survey respondents admitted that they regularly go a full week without getting together as a family, and homework, technology and work are among the biggest barriers to achieving a better work-life balance. But, and as many of you will have experienced first-hand, the benefits of quality family time are both broad and meaningful. Parents observed that their children were happier (68%), they wanted to spend more time together (50%), were more loving (42%), sleep better (29%) and even have better appetites (15%).

So, how do we solve the problem? The good news is that 'family time' is an umbrella concept that covers a vast range of possible opportunities - what they all have in common is that the child and their parents are engaged together in a shared activity. There really is no one 'family time' activity that is right for every family; and these shared experiences can take place during the week or at the weekend, during the day, or in the evening after school, when work, chores and homework are finished - all that matters is that the child, or children, and parents participate fully with each other. Sometimes, just walking silently together through the park, holding hands, smiling occasionally at each other, can be very powerful emotionally for you both, even though you don't actually say a word to each other. Family time is about connecting with each other, about being in-tune with each other, about listening to each other, and about sharing with each other. You might achieve that while walking your child to school in the morning, while your friend might not achieve that connection until the whole family is on a holiday together.

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The struggle to make family time is a solvable problem and you'll find the planning, effort and commitment required is well worth it. I've recently authored an expert report in partnership with Bassetts Vitamins - a Purple Paper - into the challenges to contemporary family life when trying to find shared time together; in addition to assessing the positive impact of shared family time on all members, it offers suggestions to help you to make the most of precious childhood years.
hansslegers via Getty Images

A missile that flew before plunging into the sea is a sight the world has become accustomed to regarding North Korea's ongoing nuclear and missile tests. Yet yesterday's threat to Hokkaido was both "more of the same" and yet "different": notched up one level, it acted as a catalyst to reignite tensions between two enemies of old, and further fragmented the division between the North Korea-China and US-Japan-ROK alliances. (We must remember that North Korea-Japan tensions continue to be plagued by the issue of abduction of Japanese citizens into North Korea during the late 1970s and early 1980s, which remains, as of yet, unresolved.)

The recent missile launch has been described by President Abe as posing an "unprecedented" threat, and an emergency UN Meeting is being held to discuss how best to 'resolve' the issue of North Korea, after its recent implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2371 on August 5, which outlined increasingly targeted sanctions on North Korea, particularly its export industry. The pointed response of South Korea following Tuesday's missile launch was to hold almost immediate live-fire drills of eight MK84 bombs, at the Taebaek Pilsung Firing Range, a move that I am sure has not gone unnoticed within Pyongyang: South Korea 'bombing itself', as described by a prominent scholar of Korean politics.

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What can we learn from this? It is not just that South Korea remains evermore determined to make Kim Jong-un aware that any provocation will not go unnoticed, or fall on deaf ears. More importantly, the idea of nuclear deterrence and posturing has been clearly witnessed: threaten the Korean Peninsula and its allies, and South Korea, the USA, and its allies will have the capacity to respond much more forcefully. Is this enough to deter North Korea, or will it simply continue to perpetuate the back-and-forth of provocation and response?

The recent test deserves full marks for creating chaos and sentiments of "Korean War 2.0" on the Peninsula, yet to move forward in this ongoing debate about what to do about North Korea, the world needs to admit that if the UN decides to implement more sanctions, it is highly likely that North Korea will continue its well-trodden path of evading them: it is an expert in this act after all. This is not to say that sanctions are futile, but we need to think about North Korea in realistic terms. Nuclear posturing and rhetoric will continue, hence Trump - despite being an alleged master of "the art of the deal" - needs to calculate how best to make a "deal" with North Korea, a country that continues its status quo survival strategy not just of perpetuating the ruling Kim family regime, but the constant creation and manifestation of its external enemy of the USA, embedded deeply in both its political decision-making, and society.

So how will Trump respond? Whilst any direct military or nuclear response seems unlikely, the ongoing commitment of Trump and Tillerson towards 'peaceful resolutions' to conflict initiation from North Korea seems likely to continue. Alliances will strengthen as a result of this recent launch, yet how China will respond, beyond its all too-common response of warning and calling for de-escalation of tensions and nuclear development of North Korea, will form a crucial element of whether North Korea can continue to remain close to its age-old ally, as North Korea's ongoing actions continue to push Washington and its allies in opposite directions to the North Korea-China alliance. The response of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday was the statement that "[we are] now at a tipping point approaching a crisis. At the same time there is an opportunity to reopen peace talks". What this will mean in practice remains to be seen.

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For now, it is vital that the US recognises that at some point, they may have to pursue some bitter-tasting and highly unsavory options in order to address the North Korean 'problem' in as appropriate a way as possible, to ensure that its allies south of the 38th Parallel do not have to suffer the consequences of a possible military confrontation. Moreover, we need to start thinking about how best to combine ongoing pressure with, albeit reluctantly, putting something on the table that could ebb North Korea's constant provocative threats to international order and security. It may be in the form of economic or humanitarian assistance, or, more importantly for Kim, perhaps some concession on the North's desire for a freeze in US-ROK military exercises. At present, President Moon's strategy of so far trying to enter into conversation with North Korea through military dialogue and reunions of divided families is not enough to start a long and tumultuous process for reconciling a better future for the Korean Peninsula, and East Asian regional stability. North Korea is not going to give up its nuclear and missile development anytime soon. To try and 'talk' to them with this aim in mind is unlikely to bear much fruit, if any. Any concessions on nuclear and missile development should be a result of any talks, not the tool by which one enters them.
The world is currently facing the worst refugee crisis in recorded history. A long-term solution is desperately needed, with The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimating that in 2016 only 189,300 of the 22.5 million people seeking refuge were resettled. Following on from World Humanitarian Day and in light of the current global situation, I am urging businesses to step up their support for the millions of displaced refugees around the world to give them the opportunity for a better life, and together take action.

Is it only the job of governments and NGOs to intervene? With the scale of the crisis on an unprecedented level, how can businesses support?

Donating money to refugee agencies such as the UNHCR is often an effective way for businesses to support the crisis. The UNHCR provides vital support to refugees across the world, with money received contributing to providing shelter, access to education, livelihood opportunities and renewable energies. As part of the IKEA Foundation's Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign, the UNHCR received funds to construct a solar plant in Jordan's Azraq refugee camp, which has brought renewable power to a population that had previously lived for two and a half years with only sporadic access to electricity.

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However, businesses have the opportunity to contribute to this crisis in far more ways than just aid. With 119,000 refugees currently living in the UK, I believe that big companies all stand to benefit from playing an active role in offering long-term employment opportunities. Welcoming refugees into a business is a sustainable, win win contribution towards a better everyday life for refugees. And it's not simply a case of being charitable or 'doing favours'. It can positively impact businesses, bringing in new skills and ideas and the possibility to nurture and empower, providing people with a secure future, whilst fostering pride in a workplace.

Hiring refugees also contributes to the diversity of a workforce, which should be viewed as a positive step for any business. We know that recognising our co-workers' differences contributes to creativity and supports our growth.

Companies should also utilise their unique expertise to help solve humanitarian problems creatively. This can range from innovative product ideas - such as the flat pack shelters produced by Better Shelter, an IKEA Foundation initiative and used for long lasting infrastructures for refugee villages - to creative ways to deliver important services, such as MasterCard's prepaid debit cards which give refugees immediate access to the emergency funds they so desperately need.

Partnering with registered refugee charities such as Breaking Barriers is another way for companies to find a sustainable solution for those who have been displaced and now face barriers to employment. Breaking Barriers works in the UK to integrate refugees through employment, ideally in careers that offer the chance to utilise people's skills, experience and qualifications from their countries of origin. For example, the Bank of America sponsored an initial 12-month pilot with the charity to support 18 to 24-year old refugees into further education and employment - through a programme called BB Futures. By working together they have already supported 18 refugees, 14 of which are in permanent employment or further education. Ashurst, a law firm, is another organisation supporting refugees by sponsoring a new employment delivery centre near Old Street (London) which will be opening later this year. The centre will offer employment support, English classes and a creche.

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Through our partnership with Breaking Barriers, IKEA will be supporting 80 refugees by the end of 2017, by giving them access to customer service training and English lessons. All of these 80 people will get an assessment day with IKEA at the end of the process with the aim of being offered a job in one of the London stores.

Mooud, a refugee from Iran, was studying for a masters in 2011 when he had to leave his home country abruptly. He is now working full-time at our Tottenham store as a kitchen designer, which has helped him to live a fulfilled, self-sufficient and different way of life. Mouud believes that working in full time employment has "given [him] an opportunity to uncover [his] ability" and has allowed him to "build on [his] self-confidence again." In 2018, we will be rolling out this scheme to other stores across the country.
So thrilled about the response to my first blog last week, thank you. I guess I've got quite a bit to live up to now but I'll give it a shot with telling you about my next favourite hotel from my travels so far.

The Ritz Carlton in Moscow is the definition of extreme luxury in a city which boasts being home to the 3rd largest amount of billionaires in the world (and not fake millionaires either as the press like to call me!).

So you can imagine that a hotel chain such as Ritz Carlton has a massive order to fill in its Moscow venue.

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Moscow itself is renowned for its unrivalled magnificence throughout the world, and when in central Moscow you can really feel that aura of wealth and opulence - not to mention feeling the cold.

The Ritz Carlton is placed on Tverskaya street, one of Moscow's most famous streets as it leads directly up to the red square and the Kremlin. The Ritz is easily recognisable by the row of jet black Mercedes, Maybachs and other luxury cars, which always seem to be on display at the entrance. I literally gawped in envy when I saw them - this really is how the other half live - and I was just getting a taste of it.

As you pass through the entrance door, after being screened by heavy security, you'll be greeted by striking lush gold decor, regal furniture and decoration and huge sweeping staircases that you would expect to see in a fairytale royal palace.

As well as having one of the cast of Love Island as a guest (ahem), The Ritz is no stranger to high profile guests; from political leaders from around the world to movie stars such a Leonardo DiCaprio and Steven Segal staying there from time to time.

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The suite was in check with the theme from the rest of the hotel and imperial Russia. It had a slightly dated theme, which you would expect from a hotel with this kind of character, but that was forgiven due to the level of technology accompanying it.

Despite living in Moscow for many months, when I first visited the Ritz, I was actually just on holiday meeting a girl I had met whilst travelling in Asia and who was trying to convince me to come to Moscow for a visit.

Being unable to say no to a pretty face, like ever, I eventually caved in and got my visa. I extensively researched what hotel to choose as I always do and was more than intrigued (rightly so) by the Ritz's flashy image.

She had picked me up from the airport with her friend and escorted me to the hotel for check in, despite reception speaking flawless English I think my Russian companion was eager to assist me as she dealt with all the check in arrangements and I believe tried to take some credit for the upgrade of my room to a suite, although I'm pretty sure it was just a coincidence to be honest.

With it being my first trip to Moscow I was slightly apprehensive travelling alone as I had swiftly learnt that not many Russians speak English, but with a hotel car, as long as he knew where I was going, I was sure there wouldn't be too much confusion.

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I know this blog is about hotels, but I'd be mad if I didn't mention the outstanding Turandot restaurant which we ate at. Its architectural beauty and overwhelming lavishness is something I have not experienced before. We had a quick dinner there and then moved onto a bar called 66, getting its name from being on the 66th floor of the skyscraper.

Now I'll be honest, I was pretty nervous about seeing this girl again as I hadn't seen her since my holiday in Asia a few months before, so I did partake in some airport drinking before I left, followed by some aeroplane drinking, followed also by some hotel drinking once I arrived. This unfortunately didn't bode too well for me as once I started drinking more I became somewhat of a liability. The details of my adventure are a little hazy to me even now but I do still remember flashbacks of leaving the bar alone, using the Moscow underground for the first time completely shit faced and eventually making it back to the hotel, one watch and one wallet light. Story of my life!

Waking up the next morning I was surprised to see my Russian friend actually in bed next to me, turns out she had managed to convince the hotel receptionist, who we had met earlier, to give her a spare key.

I could only assume that my companion would be somewhat pissed off by my actions the night before but somehow she seemed unscathed and not that bothered. Turns out I had given her a typical of drunk Jonny 'no idea what I'm doing' session the night before (which I had absolutely no recollection of), which somehow always seems to be better than my regular sober performance. So as it seemed we had worked out whatever issues we may have had from the night before.

Once we had nursed our hangovers a bit more, instead of hitting the breakfast we decided to opt for a room service breakfast. As per usual I ordered the eggs Benedict and she ordered the continental. The food, despite usually being sub normal standard with room service, was delivered so promptly it was almost as if they had cooked it in front of us, not quite the best I've ever had but it was still delicious.

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After breakfast, as is fast becoming a tradition for me and my hangovers, I decided to book some spa treatments in. Prior to this I went for a swim in the state of the art underground swimming pool, it is a sight to be reckoned with. With its beautiful black and gold mosaic lapped pool, which is lit by fibre-optic Swarovski crystals and which gives it a constant twilight sparkle, it really creates the feeling of a tranquil safe haven away from the hustle and bustle of busy Tverskaya street just metres above.

I feel like the Ritz Carlton Moscow really is a massive milestone for my own personal journey, as I rarely visit new countries any more and it signifies the beginning of a new chapter of exploration. Russia is a fascinating country with such an interesting culture.

And of course very, very beautiful women. I won't lie, I've still got a weakness for cool Russian beauties. Erm, did someone say babushka?
A controversial three-day online auction of rhino horn kicked off in South Africa on 23rd August 2017, following a convoluted legal battle between profit-hungry rhino owners and an ill-prepared Government Department.

The consequences for beleaguered rhinos across their range could be absolutely disastrous.

Rhino horn is highly sought-after in parts of Asia for its perceived medicinal properties and increasingly as a status symbol, high-end gift, and investment opportunity.

As a consequence, more than 6,000 rhinos have been killed by poachers in South Africa, home to more than 70% of the world's remaining rhinos, over the past 8 years. Rhino poaching is also rising alarmingly in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

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International commercial trade in rhino horn has been banned since 1995, and domestic trade in the major markets in China and Vietnam is illegal under national laws. However, two private rhino owners recently persuaded the South African courts to overturn a national moratorium on horn trade, enabling them to sell their stockpiles of horn domestically. Around a third of South Africa's 20,000-odd rhinos are privately owned.

Weak efforts by South Africa's Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) to challenge the court decision were finally dismissed by the Constitutional Court in April 2017. Almost before the judge's signature was dry, John Hume, owner of some 1500 rhinos, announced his intention to sell around 500kg of his estimated six tonne horn stockpile through an online auction. In a blatant attempt to attract buyers from key, albeit illegal, Asian markets, his auction site was made available in Chinese and Vietnamese.

Last ditch efforts to delay the auction were thrown out on 20th August when a judge gave the DEA 12 hours to hand over the necessary permits to Mr Hume. The permits do not allow purchasers to export their rhino horns for commercial purposes, although foreign buyers with an interest in benefiting from the high prices being paid for illegal rhino horn in parts of Asia are likely to be the prime targets.

The ultimate stated intention of Mr Hume and other rhino owners is to legalise international trade in rhino horn, to enable them to access key Asian markets and maximise their profits. They argue that opening up legal trade will enable South Africa to satisfy demand and control international markets. Rhino horn can, after all, be 'harvested' periodically without unduly harming the animal. This, they say, will dis-incentivise poaching, and generate money to help them protect their rhinos.

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But quite how South Africa's authorities will prevent legally purchased horn at the auction from entering illegal international trade, let alone manage to control markets in Asia in the longer term, is a mystery. After all, South Africa is already the source of most of the illegal rhino horn entering markets in Vietnam, China and elsewhere. Criminal syndicates, the very people who have the biggest interest in hoovering up rhino horns from legal sales and using them as a means of laundering horn from poached rhinos, are already way ahead of the authorities.

Legitimising the sale of rhino horn within South Africa will also send a confusing message to potential Asian consumers, and undermine the considerable ongoing public education efforts aimed at reducing demand. As a result, demand could increase dramatically, new markets could emerge, and the incentives to poach wild rhino for their horns will most likely rise dramatically.

So while private rhino owners in South Africa stand to profit handsomely from legal sales, wild rhinos are set to suffer not just in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe where poaching is already a big problem, but also potentially in Kenya, India, Nepal, and other countries that have thus far managed to restrict this heinous activity.

Previous attempts to deal with wildlife poaching crises by opening up legal trade have failed miserably. The most recent one-off sales of elephant ivory sanctioned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) were followed by some of the worst declines in elephant populations ever seen, with more than 150,000 African elephants killed by poachers since 2012. There is no reason to think that rhinos will fare any better if trade is legitimised.
(author's own)

When you think about the most exciting industries in the world, what initially comes to mind? Tech? Aerospace? Or maybe the media industry if you're a reader of the HuffPost...

Well for me, it's a combination of energy and technology. And more specifically, renewable energy and technology. It's such a topical area at the moment too and not a day seems to go by without something concerning our energy future grabbing the headlines - whether it's the ban of all petrol and diesel cars from 2040 or the Government's new Faraday Challenge for battery technology.

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What's truly exciting is that the UK is leading the world in renewable technology and so I'm delighted to be at a company that's right at the forefront of this shift to a new, smarter energy system. DONG Energy is the world leader in offshore wind and is playing its part in putting the UK at the heart of the global energy transition.

I feel very fortunate to be following in the footsteps of my predecessor, Brent Cheshire, who left a healthy and thriving UK business. Not only this, I'm joining at a fascinating moment for both DONG Energy and the offshore wind industry, with new technology being developed and costs falling rapidly.

There have already been some standout moments in my short time with the company, and one of those was the installation of the first ever wind turbine blades to be manufactured at the Siemens factory in Hull at our Race Bank wind farm. The milestone at Race Bank is important not just for that project, but for the whole industry. We're seeing a world leading supply chain for offshore wind thrive in the UK, with businesses that can not only supply projects here but are also ready to export around the globe.

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(author's own)

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Greg Clark recently said the Humber was the Government's Industrial Strategy in action and he's absolutely right. We have a major presence in this area and we're seeing offshore wind, alongside other renewable technologies, contribute to the regeneration of the region - creating highly skilled jobs, training the next generation of young people and providing the certainty for businesses to invest in new facilities.

On the other side of the UK, construction has just finished on our brand new operations base on the banks of the Mersey. This is an amazing new facility which will serve both of our Burbo Bank wind farms.

These projects, happening across of the North of the UK, are only a snapshot of what we're delivering but they already make me feel hugely encouraged about what awaits over the coming months and years. I believe we're only scratching the surface of what's possible too.

Look at the staggering progress in offshore wind over the past 10 years alone. In 2007, we opened our first Burbo Bank project which featured record breaking 3.6 megawatt turbines. At the time, these turbines were - quite rightly - considered huge but now, this year, our Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm has opened with 8 megawatt turbines. Each one is taller than the Gherkin building in London. That's big on anyone's scale!

Staying on the theme of progress and Burbo Bank, two months ago we announced that we'll integrate a first of its kind battery system into that project to help keep the grid frequency stable. We know the need for flexibility is likely to grow as more renewable energy comes onto the system and we want to be part of the solution.

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As offshore wind continues to thrive, DONG Energy is playing a leading role in the creation of an offshore wind sector deal with the Government to help map out the future of the industry. With the right support, offshore wind can be the backbone of a smarter energy system.

While I've extolled the virtues of offshore wind, we also expect to be celebrating the opening of our world first REnescience bioenergy plant in Northwich this year too. This is an important milestone for our business and, once up and running, the facility will treat 120,000 tonnes of household waste every year, turning it into renewable power as well as clean recyclable material.

Alongside bioenergy and offshore wind, our UK sales business is providing our commercial and industrial customers with flexible solutions for their energy demands and green energy without the premium. This all adds up to a very healthy UK business and, crucially, one that has a central role to play in the future of our country.
We're a nation pushed to the limit when it comes to time and having enough of it, and recent research has shown that the average Brit is going to extreme measures to combat their time-poor life.

A survey conducted last month by webuyanycar.com revealed over half of the population said they are constantly rushing around, with over a quarter failing to make their bed because they are just too short for time.

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CREDIT: WEBUYANYCAR.COM

Though a third of those polled admitted to waking up feeling stressed because they just have too much on their plate, the average Joe Bloggs is still amazingly finding time to scroll through their Facebook and Instagram feeds while their personal life simultaneously dwindles.

It appears we're prioritising Facebook over family. But why?

Be honest. How often do you find yourself watching (yet another) Unicorn cake Instagram story? And how many times a week are you indulging in a Snapchat selfie binge? Yes, yes, I know that new filter just gives you a gorgeous glow, but is it a good use of time? Could you count all your social media apps on your fingers and more importantly, could you guess how many notifications you get from them each day? For most of us it's more than we like to admit and for a few of us, social media has already become a serious problem, that's bordering addiction.

Sounding all too familiar? Then be assured you're one of millions in the same boat.

CREDIT: WEBUYANYCAR.COM

If you're wasting precious time swiping, liking and reposting, here's how to join the anti-social media movement and begin to find time for yourself again.

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1. NO-tifications

With social media, you're really dealing with two different issues. The first is the constant comments, shares and likes persistently disrupting you with a ping or vibrate. But this can be easily fixed. Simply say "NO!" to notifications and switch push messages off. This will help you deal with what's happening on your own time, rather than being tempted to stray to social.

2. Check out

A more harmful way that social media distracts us from what we're doing is the constant need to check in. We use checking social media as an excuse or escape but once we're there, it sucks us in and before we know it, the quick 60 second check turns into 20 minutes of mindless scrolling and before lunch time you'll be up to date with every single one of Donald Trump's offensive tweets and White House sackings. Breaking this habit can be a little tricky, but it's well worth it.

Start by putting social media on a schedule. Instead of checking in all day long, set certain times of the day when you allow yourself to go to it. Give yourself 10 minutes during your lunch break and 20 minutes in the evening. If you use social media for work, put it on your work schedule as well. Set a timer if you have to. Just get out of the habit of checking in anytime you need a little mental break and discipline yourself to only access channels at your allotted times. I promise you, Kim Kardashian's Instagram story will be there waiting for you after work.

In extreme cases you can download software such as anti-Social, which you can set to block access to social sites for a period of time specified by you. This may be particularly useful for those who can't resist a Daily Mail Showbiz fix.

3. Switch off

I'm going to say something audacious here, so prepare to be blown away. Your phone can be switched off. Yes, you heard me correctly.... if you look closely at your mobile you'll discover that the button you push to switch your phone back on after you've completely drained the battery, can also be used to voluntarily switch it off when it still has charge. Amazing stuff, right?

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Sacrasm aside, you must realise that it's perfectly fine to turn off your phone, and any tech device for that matter, or silence it and set it aside at times. You don't have to be reachable 24 hours a day. Make your phone and social media work for you and use it as a tool to increase productivity instead of letting it distract you from what's truly important.

4. Social ME-dia

The fourth and easiest way to free up time for yourself is to be a little more structured and self-disciplined. If you truly want some 'me-time' book it in to your phone diary and honour that appointment in the same way you would an important hospital appointment.

The same rule applies for your family; you MUST make it a priority and schedule this in as well. This may sound clinical but you need to realise that it's the time you spend with your family or partner that they will remember. Bingeing on LadBible videos may be entertaining in the short-term, but it doesn't make memories. Being in the present, interacting and initiating activities is what really matters.

Now go and have a great weekend.... I just don't want to read about it on Facebook.
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One of the challenges that Resisting Hate encounters more frequently than any other is the perceived concern that minority groups have the right to take pride in their heritage, culture and communities but that other groups do not. This issue has been raised many times with complaints from white, straight (often Christian) individuals stating that when they express pride in their own views and history they are accused of prejudice and racism.

Historically the communities who now enjoy high profile awareness events are the communities who have experienced the highest levels of intolerance and discrimination over the years. Gay Pride London 2017 attracted over a million attendees but it is important to reflect upon that figure in the context that only as recently as fifty years ago being homosexual was a criminal act. Black History Month is celebrated every year to the predictable outcry of "What about White History Month?" but when we remember slavery was only outlawed in Britain in 1833 we realise that the people celebrating today may have had great great grandparents born into black slavery. In the context of the prejudice these groups have endured we start to get a feel for why these events -in recognition of freedom and equality - are so very important.

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Events like Pride are a stepping stone from discrimination to equality. When our society has evolved to the extent where homophobia and racism are no longer an issue then it is unlikely community groups will need to celebrate these events. But in a world where people do continue to suffer abuse for being gay, black, Muslim, Jewish etc. then celebrations of these community groups are needed. They are needed because they contribute to the education of the public at large which helps to eliminate prejudice. They are needed because they provide a support network and friendship base for those who do experience discrimination. And they are needed politically as a statement that prejudice is not acceptable in our society.

I do agree that everybody has a right to celebrate their culture and though white people are not a minority group and have not faced the oppression that many others have, it would only act as a catalyst to further prejudice if they were not permitted the same degree of cultural pride that is freely expressed by minority groups.

But pride should be expressed on the same terms. Black History Month is about celebrating culture and heritage. It is about remembering heroes and ancestors and honouring those who fought and worked for the freedom of the oppressed. Gay Pride celebrates the right of individuals to love where they will without fear of sanctions or censure. These are positive themes that celebrate the very best of humanity. If white people want to celebrate their culture then this should be supported but only if they also do it in a way that also celebrates the best of humanity.

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Too often white pride turns into the very prejudice that the minority groups have been subjected to for many years. Instead of celebrating their own culture there is a danger straight white pride can turn into the denigration and abuse of other cultures. "Keep Britain white" and comments of this ilk are not celebrations, they are calls for hate. The gay community does not deride the straight community and the black community honours their own achievements rather than belittling others. It is important that anyone wishing to celebrate their own culture follows these same principles, namely to look for what is good about their own community rather than looking to find fault with others.

The reason that those wanting to celebrate their white English heritage are so often called racist is because they have allowed their cultural symbols to be usurped by those who do have a racist agenda. It is not racist to fly the English flag but, because so many racists do, it has discouraged those with a genuine pride in their country from flying it. White pride has become synonymous with thugs, skinheads, racists, bigots and haters. Many patriots may not fit this description but, because so many do, the stigma has stuck.

We have heard the phrase "Taking our country back" rather a lot over the last two years but this is precisely the advice I would like to offer to white English patriots. You need to take your country back. You need to reclaim it from the prejudiced haters who have linked English pride with racism and hate. You need to reject the bigots who try to use your history and your culture as a stick to beat others with. You need to speak out against hate groups like Britain First or single policy political parties like UKIP who tell you that in order to be proud of who you are, you must resent everybody else.

You need to understand that the thing that makes Britain great is the ability to share a space with other races, faiths and cultures in harmony and that sharing the country with people who think or look differently to you is not about diluting your culture but about taking the strengths of all cultures to build stronger communities.

You need to take your flag back from those who use it as a symbol of white supremacy and who fly it to show threat instead of unity. You need to honour your war dead and remember that they died defending this country from fascism and the racial and religious abuse of others.

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India's 70th anniversary celebrations have a special resonance for me - I was born in Delhi just after partition, so India's story has also been my story.

Growing up in this new country, I remember a real sense of hope. We had just gained our independence and, despite all the problems with Partition, the violence and people losing their livelihoods, we trusted in destiny; the Hindu religion is based on Karma.

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Looking back 70 years later, it's amazing what India has achieved since those early days of independence. I'm very optimistic about the country's future - I think it will be a 21st century powerhouse, not only the world's biggest democracy but also a thriving economic force.

India's first prime minister, Jawaharial Nehru, built strong foundations for the new state. He was a great visionary who made education one of his biggest priorities and built up the country's heavy industry. We are seeing the benefits of that approach today; India has a strong engineering heritage and its legacy is apparent in the success of the car manufacturing industry. It was an early adopter when the software revolution changed the face of business and call centres became a growth industry.

Today, India is a country of start-ups. Crowdfunding has become a huge source of capital and funds are closing within days of being launched. It has a very young population, in contrast to China, and with a growth rate of 7-9%, young people feel they can fulfil their ambitions.

It has not always been a smooth journey over the country's first seven decades and I remember the huge foreign exchange crisis in 1991 when the government had to airlift gold reserves to the Treasury in London to borrow money and secure an emergency loan from the International Monetary Fund. But the economy recovered and you could say modern India was born in the 1990s; the bureaucracy, which had been very strong in the 1960s and 1970s was brought under control, allowing enterprise to flourish.

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With its huge consumer market, India has always offered huge potential for leading international brands, but some made the mistake of under-estimating the Indian consumer. I brought adidas to India for the first time, but to start with they didn't get their strategy right. They didn't want to sell their shoes above a certain price because they didn't think customers would be able to afford them. But Indian consumers are aspirational and want the best, not to be sold something cheaper and inferior. They would rather buy one top-of-the-range pair of trainers than four pairs of poorer quality.

These days, every leading international brand is available and if you go into the Alpha One Mall in Ahmedabad, which my company developed, you could easily mistake it for Westfield or another similar shopping centre in the UK.

People often talk about India and China battling for supremacy in the years ahead as the world's two biggest economies, but India has two big advantages over China: a younger population and the rule of law. In India, even the most powerful leader can be overthrown; that's vital for the economic and political health of a nation.

Prime Minister Modi is a very progressive, honest politician who has taken the country to a different level. His Make In India programme, encouraging companies to manufacture products in the country, taking advantage of its low cost base, has been a huge success. I believe this is the start of a golden period for India and for the next 20 years you will see huge progress.

I hope we will also see closer ties between the UK and India. I first visited England in 1962, as a boy, and it has been my home for some years now. There has always been a sense of friendship and partnership between our two countries - even in the days immediately after independence - and there's no reason that should change. Most Indians speak English, it's the language of business, and when they play Monopoly they're still buying London properties!

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The NSW city of Newcastle has adopted a smart city strategy, describing it as a roadmap for creating a smarter and more innovative Newcastle and Hunter Region to maximise opportunities in technology, advanced manufacturing, the digital economy and the creative industries.

The Newcastle City Council Smart City Strategy 2017-2021 was formerly adopted by the City of Newcastle Council in August following a consultation process that included release of a draft strategy in May. It produced more than 70 submissions, the overwhelming majority of which were positive, according to the council.

The council says the strategy will leverage the smart city movement to improve liveability, sustainability and economic diversity, develop local innovation, build international profile and attract talent and inward investment to Newcastle. It will also help ensure our future city has effective and integrated public transport, nurtures a creative and vibrant community and features best-practice energy and water efficiency.

The councils smart city coordinator Nathaniel Bavinton said the four-year strategy was one element of the broader Newcastle 2030 Community Strategic Plan that aims to create a smart, liveable and sustainable city.

[The smart city plan] outlines the key priorities and actions to be delivered by council in its commitment to leading Newcastles transition to a smart and innovative city, Bavinton said.

Like the long-term strategy, the smart city strategy draws on input from  and the cooperation of  all levels of government, the community, educational and research providers and business and industry sectors.

The strategy says its successful implementation will: improve operational efficiency; achieve higher levels of sustainability; better service local community needs; stimulate economic development activity; increase community inclusion and participation; and position Newcastle as a smart city internationally.

The strategy is structured around six major focus areas, depicted as what it calls the Smart City Mandala. The six focus areas are smart governance, smart environment, smart living, smart mobility, smart people and smart economy. For each of these, the strategy document lists specific initiatives and timeframes to achievement within the four-year timeframe of the overall strategy.

The strategy document says each focus area within the Mandala is underpinned by a number of supporting sub-strategies that have been developed through internal and external stakeholder engagement and according to international best practice.

The document says the plan is based on the framework of Boyd Cohen, the international urban strategist helping communities, cities and companies adopt smart, innovative and low carbon economies. He is the co-author of Climate Capitalism: Capitalism in the Age of Climate Change, published in 2011, and director of innovation and professor of entrepreneurship, sustainability and smart cities at the Universidad del Desarrollo in Santiago, Chile.

Source: https://www.iothub.com.au/news/newcastles-four-year-smart-city-plan-unveiled-471960
Members of the Berkshire County Education Task Force chat during a breakout session at Saturday's meeting.

Berkshire Education Task Force Sets Strategy for Outreach



Nathan Levenson and Karla Brooks Baehr of District Management Group facilitate Saturday's meeting at Nessacus Middle School. DALTON, Mass.  The Berkshire County Education Task Force has settled on a strategy for reporting its findings and getting feedback from town and school officials and the general public.

At a meeting on Saturday facilitated by the task force's consultants from Boston's District Management Group, the panel hammered out the language it will use to guide task force members as they make presentations to select boards, city councils and school committees throughout the county this fall.

The first presentation will come in the form of a webinar for school superintendents, principals and teachers union representatives on Sept. 19.

The task force will use the opportunity to run through the data compiled and analyzed in Phase 2 of its multiyear study and explain how the group arrived at a recommendation that the county should aspire to the goal of a unified school district to serve all 30 towns and the cities of Pittsfield and North Adams.

Task force members also provided DMG with feedback on a draft frequently asked questions document that will be added to the task force's website , where visitors also can read the full report.

The committee spent considerable time discussing language around what likely will be one of the first questions residents ask: Does a single school district for the county mean closure for schools?

As drafted, the FAQ reads, "The Phase II Study does not assume school closings or busing children long distances. If and how any given school is closed or merged is not a decision of the Task Force. Instead, it will be negotiated and worked out by the local communities as they work through the details of regional agreements. It is far more likely that schools will be reconfigured to assure optimal class sizes to enhance student learning. For example, a regional district may decide to turn two K-6 elementary schools into one prek-2 school and one school serving Grades 3-6. A countywide district is better able to support small local schools than the current configuration."

At least one member of the task force suggested that language went too far.

"There could be a context where school closings might make sense, and several communities have gone through the turmoil of school closings," Berkshire Hills Regional School District Superintendent Peter Dillon said. "To imply a pass to other communities seems problematic."

To be clear, no one on the task force -- including Dillon -- is advocating for school consolidation or implying that it is an inevitable outcome of a unified district. On the other hand, the task force members do not want to make promises about what such a district could look like.

In fact, at nearly every turn on Saturday, task force members emphasized that it is the body's role to study the county's education system and make recommendations to the elected officials and, ultimately, voters who would need to implement any changes.

"In the second sentence [of the draft FAQ], I think to say, 'not a decision of the task force,' implies there are decisions for the task force to make," Mount Greylock Regional School Committee member Carolyn Greene said. "We don't make any decisions."

Nevertheless, the possibility of closing schools in a time of declining population and rising costs remains a potentially explosive issue, DMG President Nathan Levenson noted, and he advocated for language in the FAQ that keeps the unified school district conversation from getting bogged down in talk of closed schools.

"We know that school closure -- and this is true in every community in the United States -- is the third rail," Levenson said. "We don't have a strong enough metaphor for how anxious it makes people. In a thousand years, I would not have thought anyone would read the report and think it will mean one elementary school, one middle school or one high school for the whole county.

"My sense is if we can't put people at ease very quickly on the school closing and school choice issues, it will be hard for people to hear us, and it will generate a lot of vocal opposition. We have to address it."

And the task force can point to a Phase 2 report that makes no mention of school closures as it attempts to put people at ease, Levenson said.

"I agree it's definitely not this committee's purview to say we will or we won't," he said. "But at least in our report all the baseline assumptions  did not require schools to close. Every educational benefit was possible to some degree without closing schools."

North Adams School Superintendent Barbara Malkas agreed.

"That would be my recommendation -- to make it more specific to the study," she said. "The Phase 2 study did not call for closings. If schools are merged, it will be worked out by the local communities."

A former superintendent of the Pittsfield Public Schools and current dean at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts noted that the kind of cost sharing promoted by the task force's recommendations will help make local schools more sustainable.

"I wonder if we can frame the issue of school closings differently," Howard "Jake" Eberwein said. "Does the movement to a collaborative help us to slow or eliminate school closings?"

Levenson picked up on his point.

"There's a lot of financial benefit to be had from the consolidation of leadership," he said. "There are lots of benefits both academic -- in offering of services -- and financial, without having to close a school.

"My sense from having talked to people  is there was an assumption that the primary lever of improvement was, 'We're going to have to close a lot of schools.' The message the report delivered was that, short of closing schools, there are tons of things we can do and tons of benefits."

Before adjourning on Saturday, the task force doled out assignments for members to organize the public outreach campaign and get the task force members on the agendas of school committees and select boards throughout the county.

It also touched on a topic that likely will loom larger in its next meeting, tentatively scheduled for Sept. 16: the role of the task force going forward.

"Once this information is rolled out, there has to be something driving this forward and bringing towns together and school districts together," said acting Chairman William Cameron, the retired superintendent of the Central Berkshire Regional School District. "But what role we have in that, we need to understand."
Renowned architect Frank Gehry has been hired to design the planned the high-tech model railroad museum that will be sited near Heritage Park.

Architect Gehry, Weld to Tour North Adams; 11 Projects to Be Unveiled

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Internationally known architect Frank Gehry and architects from his office will join former Gov. William Weld, Mayor Richard Alcombright and former Guggenheim Director Thomas Krens on Friday to tour the 10-acre site for the new Extreme Model Railroad and Contemporary Architecture Museum.

The Gehry tour will also include Western Gateway Heritage State Park, downtown North Adams, the Mohawk Theater (which Gehry has also been invited to redesign), and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

Krens, one of the movers behind Mass MoCA, plans to redevelop the park and adjacent parcel of land by the Hoosic River into a high-tech model railroad and architecture museum.

Gehry was the first architect commissioned by Krens to create the first proposals for Mass MoCA in 1987; and he received an honorary degree from Williams College in 2002. He also worked with Krens when he created the award-winning design of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain

Earlier this summer, Gehry Partners and EMRCA Inc. signed an agreement for Gehry to design the 83,000 square-foot museum. The EMRCA is part of an 11-component cultural development master plan for the city of North Adams developed by Krens and his team over the past 20 months. In addition to Gehry, four components of the project are being designed by Richard Gluckman, and four by French architect Jean Nouvel.

A press conference will be held immediately after the site and city tour at 4 a.m.l, September 1, at the EMRCA offices in Western Gateway Heritage State Park in North Adams.

The North Adams Cultural Development Master Plan builds on the foundation of the major cultural institutions already in place in Northern Berkshire County  the Clark Art Institute, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Mass MoCA, and the Williams College Museum of Art  and is specifically focused on generating a significant and immediate economic impact and public health benefit for the Northern Berkshires.

Dr. Gray Ellrodt, chief of medicine for Berkshire Health Systems, and Williams economics professor Stephen Sheppard will join the group for a press conference at 4 p.m. at the EMRCA offices in the park. Sheppard produced the economic impact analysis outlining the transformational scope of the undertaking; Ellrodt has helped developed insights into the anticipated public health benefits. They will comment on their findings.

Krens, director emeritus of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, will briefly outline current plans for the creation of five new, world-class museums in North Adams; the revitalization of downtown with a luxury hotel, spa and wellness center; the creation of a central park or commons on Main Street; and the renovation of the Mohawk Theater. Planning information and program models of the 11 projects will be on view at the EMRCA offices at the reception after the press conferences.
Email IC Arizona at azpoliticalintel-at-yahoo.comIC Arizona is a subsidiary of IntellectualConservative.com
Project Spotlight: Summer Camp for Ukraines Disadvantaged Families

The Fellowship | August 29, 2017 Project Spotlight: Summer Camp for Ukraine's Disadvantaged Families

The Fellowship-supported Alumim childrens home is an organization that helps children from dysfunctional or disadvantaged homes in Ukraine. Their staff of teachers and mental health professionals help ensure all the children that visit their facility are taken care of emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

This summer, the Fellowship-supported Alumim childrens home in Zhytomyr, Ukraine hosted a day camp for mothers and their children from disadvantaged families. They scheduled activities and classes that explained IT and cyber security, which was especially relevant to the older children. The camp was completely free of cost and allowed mothers to have quality time with their children.

This quality and relaxation time is very important, especially for those from low income backgrounds. We feel so proud to support this organization that does amazing work to help children and their families in the former Soviet Union!
Imperial Valley News Center

Extra Dose of Cuteness

Escondido, California - A confiscated male tiger cub, currently residing at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, has become a star attraction overnight - unbeknownst to him. Since his arrival this past Wednesday, the cub has been doing well and is thriving in his new surroundings under the watchful eyes of the dedicated animal care team who are caring for him.

News of the tiger cubs arrival has quickly spread and when keepers opened the screen covering the nursery window this morning, a huge crowd had already gathered outside waiting for a chance to see him.

Because hes doing so well, beginning today, the cub will be on display between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., every day, and if the lights are out in the window that might mean hes taking a cat nap, said Lissa McCaffree, lead keeper at the animal care center.

The cub is being bottle fed six times a day a special carnivore formula made for exotic carnivores. He is steadily gaining weight and this morning weighed in at 6.8 pounds. His teeth are coming in and hes chewing on everything in sight  stuffed toys, blankets, even his paws.

Guests watching the cub through the nursery window this morning were able to watch Eileen Neff, senior keeper for the animal care team, as she used a wet cotton ball to give the cub a bath. This procedure mimics how wild mother tigers bath their cubs after feedings.

San Diego Zoo Global will continue to provide care and sanctuary for the cub until U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials determine his permanent home.

Bringing species back from the brink of extinction is the goal of San Diego Zoo Global. As a leader in conservation, the work of San Diego Zoo Global includes on-site wildlife conservation efforts (representing both plants and animals) at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, as well as international field programs on six continents. The work of these entities is inspiring children through the San Diego Zoo Kids network, reaching out through the internet and in childrens hospitals nationwide. The work of San Diego Zoo Global is made possible by the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy and is supported in part by the Foundation of San Diego Zoo Global.
Imperial Valley News Center

FTC Charges Debt Collection Operation Took Consumers Money for Phantom Debts

Washington, DC - The Federal Trade Commission has charged a North Carolina debt collection operation with using intimidation and deception to take money from consumers for debts they did not owe, or that the defendants had no right to collect. A federal court temporarily halted the scheme and froze its assets at the request of the FTC, which seeks to end the practices.

According to the FTC, the defendants used a variety of trade names that sound like law firms, such as Lombardo, Daniels & Moss; Barron, Gibson & Phillips; and Cohen, Daniels & Moss, to attempt to collect debts that consumers did not owe. The FTCs complaint alleges that the defendants collectors claimed that consumers were delinquent on payday loans or other debts, and threatened them with arrest or other formal legal action if they did not pay. Their collectors also allegedly called consumers repeatedly and regularly used profanity. Many people paid  more than $2.1 million in total  because they believed the defendants false claims or just to stop the harassment.

The FTC also alleges that the defendants illegally disclosed purported debts to third parties, failed to disclose that they were debt collectors calling to collect a debt and that any information consumers provided could be used for that purpose, and failed to send consumers legally required written notices with the debt amount and the creditors name, giving consumers an opportunity to dispute the debt.

Lombardo, Daniels & Moss LLC, Dion Barron, and Charles R. Montgomery III are charged with violating the FTC Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

The FTC appreciates the assistance provided in this case by the Better Business Bureau of Southern Piedmont and Western North Carolina.

The Commission vote approving the complaint was 2-0. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, Charlotte Division, entered a temporary restraining order against the defendants on August 24, 2017.
USS America Concludes Support to USS John S. McCain

Changi Naval Base, Republic Of Singapore (NNS) -- The amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) and 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit departed Singapore after supporting the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) August 27. America will continue on its maiden deployment.

While in Singapore, Sailors and Marines aboard America provided initial support for the McCain crew to include berthing for 155 Sailors, daily supplies, counseling, medical/dental services and communications network support. Additionally, America's Sailors assisted with damage control efforts by providing watchstanders and additional equipment.



"I was glad to help out our fellow shipmates," said Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuel) (Select) Brad Cooper. "We jumped on it immediately to make McCain Sailors feel as comfortable as possible."



With America's departure McCain Sailors will continue to receive all necessary support from the American military community in Singapore. This support includes: lodging, meals, new uniforms, transportation, counseling services, Wi-Fi access; and a call center for Sailors to continue communicating with their families.



Upon notification of the collision Aug. 21, America immediately deployed MV-22B Ospreys and MH-60S Sea Hawks for search and rescue (SAR) operations with embarked Amphibious Squadron (CPR) 3 leading the efforts as the on-scene commander. Through coordination with Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia, the search continued for more than more than 80 hours and spanned an approximately 2,100-square mile area.



"It was impressive to see these nations come together and provide their unrelenting support," said Cmdr. Michael "Farva" Margolius, officer in charge of embarked Tactical Air Control Squadron 11 Detachment 1. "The around-the-clock coordination showed the true resolve of our partnership with these countries."



The 15th MEU's Marine Aviation Combat Element and America's embarked helicopter squadron, Helicopter Combat Squadron 23 flew 17 sorties for a combined 68.5 hours in support of SAR operations.



"This is what we train for; this is what we do," said Capt. Ramon Bernd, a pilot assigned to the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 (Reinforced), who assisted in the search-and-rescue operations. "Even in tragic situations such as those that have happened to the John S. McCain, we will do everything in our scope to assist."



Additionally, the 15th MEU's Force Reconnaissance Detachment assisted diving operations with eight Marines and three Sailors working both topside and in the water. Some of those divers will stay behind to continue helping with search and recovery efforts.



"I'm grateful that America Sailors and Marines of the 15th MEU were able to assist the crew of USS John S. McCain," said Capt. Joseph Olson, America's commanding officer. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the crew and their families during this challenging time."



McCain was involved in a collision with the Liberian-flagged merchant vessel Alnic MC in an area east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, Aug. 21.



America is the flagship of the America ARG, and with the embarked 15th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 3, is currently conducting maritime security operations and supporting theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.
Hug-a-cop girl continues her mission

Washington, DC - The hug-a-cop girl is still at it. The Association of Mature American Citizens says seven-year-old Rosalyn Baldwin of Hammond, LA is continuing her coast-to-coast mission to show police officers in all the 50 states that she cares. She was spotted recently in New Jersey where Jersey City police got in line to accept Rosalyn's heartfelt thanks for the job they do.

Jersey City police captain Ilias Voutsas was particularly moved, telling reporters that "when I see this, it gives us a reminder of why we do what we do." The youngster began her mission last year, shortly after five Dallas, TX police officers were gunned down during a protest.
President Morales' Decision to Expel CICIG Commissioner Ivan Velasquez From Guatemala

Washington, DC - "We are deeply concerned by Guatemalan President Morales' announcement of his decision to bar the United Nation's International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) Commissioner Ivan Velasquez from the country. Mr. Velasquez has been an effective leader of CICIG in its fight against corruption in Guatemala. CICIG has played and should continue to play an important role in strengthening Guatemalan institutions and tackling the corruption that undermines security and prosperity in Guatemala.

"It remains crucial that CICIG be permitted to work free from interference by the Guatemalan government. We stress the importance of peace and non-violence in light of these developments, as well as the need to allow Guatemala's democratic institutions to function effectively.

"We will continue to monitor the situation closely." ~ Heather Nauert




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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British actor Ed Skrien has dropped out of the upcoming Hellboy reboot following a backlash over his role.

Skrien was cast as Major Ben Daimio, a character described as Japanese-American in the source material.

The Deadpool star said he did not know the race of the character when he accepted the part, and was stepping down so "the role can be cast appropriately".

News of his casting prompted accusations of "whitewashing" in Hollywood after similar rows over films such as The Ghost in the Shell and Marvel/Netflix show Iron Fist.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Skrien said that there had been "intense conversation and understandable upset" over his role.

"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," he wrote. "I feel it is important to honour and respect that. Therefore I have decided to step down so the role can be cast appropriately.

"Representation of ethnic diversity is important, especially to me as I have a mixed heritage family. It is our responsibility to make moral decisions in difficult times and to give voice to inclusivity. It is my hope that one days these discussions will become less necessary and that we can help make equal representation in the Arts a reality."

Skrien has received widespread praise for his decision, including from fellow actor Riz Ahmed, who is a vocal campaigner for better diversity in the arts.

"Respect to [Ed Skrein] for setting the example and reminding us that progress requires sacrifice and representation is collective responsibility," he tweeted.

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Mike Mignola, who created the Hellboy universe, also tweeted his thanks.

The film's producers Larry Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Millennium and Lionsgate, have said they support him.

"Ed cam to us and felt very strongly about this. We fully support his unselfish decision," they told the Hollywood Reporter.

"It was not our intent to be insensitive to issues of authenticity and ethnicity, and we are looking to recast the past with an actor more consistent with the character in the source material.

Hellboy is set for release next year.
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Glorious weather iced the cake of an excellent weekend at Reading Festival.

While its often dubbed the ultimate post-GCSE blowout, in headline acts Muse and Eminem there was an appeal to an - ahem - more mature generation of punters.

A sea of hungover faces  peppered with glitter and flashy sunglasses  were happily treated to a pumping start to their Saturday from Honeyblood on the Main Stage.

South London rapper Loyle Carner and Brighton indie group Fickle Friends both offered stellar performances; along with pop-rockers HAIM, the NME stage was kept notably busy throughout, despite a tough fight for attention.

Recommended The Veils frontman Finn Andrews talks Total Depravity and Twin Peaks

Politics is hard to escape at a music festival where most artists have a lot to say  and given this years general election and the constant state of turmoil in the US, some acts were more than happy to give their two pence worth while they spoke to the next generation of voters.

Saturday headliner Eminem, who asked the BBC not to televise coverage of his Saturday appearance, donned a t-shirt reading FACK TRUMP.

Reading, Im not about to stand up here and use this f***ing stage as a platform to get all political and s***, but this motherf***er Donald Trump. I cant stand him, he announced, to a cheering audience, before launching into performances of Lose Yourself, Sing For The Moment and Rap God.

Those watching Giggs on Sunday were stunned when he brought Drake onto the main stage - if energy levels had dipped at all in the afternoon heat, they were sky-high from then on.

Liam Gallagher treated fans to a host of Oasis classics before festival regulars Muse then closed the Main Stage on Sunday evening.

Often touted as one of the greatest live acts of all time, they certainly lived up to their reputation, with each part of their set from the heavy use of effects down to the switch of pace carefully choreographed and exhilarating throughout.

Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

Matt Bellamy of Muse performs on the main stage at this year's Reading Festival (Rex)

In full rock-and-roll style there were guitars thrown, amps booted over, and even a hat-tip to Led Zeppelin when the band played a short section of their classic Heartbreaker.

All this was topped off by a surprise guest appearance from Brian Johnson, who joined Muse on stage to play Back in Black.

Given many had feared that the AC/DC legend had put his voice to rest for good, seeing him back on stage and in form was clearly a joy to Muse frontman Matt Bellamy, who looked lost for words.
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It turns out that Donald Trump wasn't the only one sneaking a peek at last week's eclipse without proper protection

While millions of Americans were warned to don special protective sunglasses to safely view the celestial spectacle, some people tried to use sunscreen. Seriously.

Since the event, health professionals have reported treating people complaining of irritation after putting sun cream in their eyes.

Recommended When and where to see the next eclipse

One of my colleagues at moonlight here stated yesterday that they had patients presenting at their clinic that put sunscreen on their eyeball," Trish Patterson, a nurse at Prestige Urgent Care in Redding, California, told KRCTV.

"They presented that they were having pain and they were referred to an ophthalmologist.

Prior to the anticipated astronomical event, experts urged eclipse watchers to invest in NASA-approved spectacles, or to view the eclipse indirectly by projecting an image of the sun onto a screen.

Solar eclipse 2017 Show all 12 1 /12 Solar eclipse 2017 Solar eclipse 2017 A handout photo made available by NASA shows the Moon as it starts passing in front of the Sun during a solar eclipse from Ross Lake, Northern Cascades National Park, Washington, USA, 21 August 2017. The 21 August 2017 total solar eclipse will last a maximum of 2 minutes 43 seconds and the thin path of totality will pass through portions of 14 US states, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) EPA Solar eclipse 2017 The sun is projected on the ground glass (bottom) as photographer C.D. Olsen adjusts his replica of the Kew Photo Heliograph camera, which he will use to make a glass plate photograph of the total solar eclipse, outside the football stadium at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, U.S REUTERS Solar eclipse 2017 The sun emerges through clouds and fog cover before the solar eclipse in Depoe Bay, Oregon REUTERS Solar eclipse 2017 A boy uses solar viewing glasses as the sun emerges through fog cover before the solar eclipse in Depoe Bay, Oregon REUTERS Solar eclipse 2017 First responders and city officials man the emergency operations center in Charleston, South Carolina, on the day of the total solar eclipse AFP/Getty Images Solar eclipse 2017 A man looks through his solar viewing glasses after purchasing them to watch the total solar eclipse in New York City REUTERS Solar eclipse 2017 People are seen lining up outside the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum as a sign indicates there are no more eclipse glasses on the National Mall before an eclipse August 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. The Sun started to vanish behind the Moon as the partial phase of the so-called Great American Eclipse began Monday, with millions of eager sky-gazers soon to witness "totality" across the nation for the first time in nearly a century AFP/Getty Images Solar eclipse 2017 Solar Eclipse in Depoe Bay, Oregon, U. REUTERS Solar eclipse 2017 People watch the start of the solar eclipse and raise their hands in prayer in an eclipse viewing event led by Native American elders, at Big Summit Prairie ranch in Oregon's Ochoco National Forest near the city of Mitchell on August 21, 2017. The Sun started to vanish behind the Moon as the partial phase of the so-called Great American Eclipse began Monday, with millions of eager sky-gazers soon to witness "totality" across the nation for the first time in nearly a century AFP/Getty Images Solar eclipse 2017 People line up on a bridge as the sun emerges through fog cover before the solar eclipse in Depoe Bay, Oregon, U.S REUTERS Solar eclipse 2017 The Sun rises behind Jack Mountain ahead of the solar eclipse in Ross Lake, Northern Cascades National Park, Washington, U.S REUTERS Solar eclipse 2017 The sun rises over Grand Teton National Park on August 21, 2017 outside Jackson, Wyoming. Thousands of people have flocked to the Jackson and Teton National Park area for the 2017 solar eclipse which will be one of the areas that will experience a 100% eclipse Getty Images

Unsurprisingly, sunscreen was not listed among the recommended methods to take as applying to the eyes can cause blurriness, pain or irritation.

Patterson also warned that it only takes seconds of staring directly at the sun to cause lasting damage with other signs including dark spots in the centre of vision and cloudiness.
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When it comes to Middle Eastern spreads, the nations favourite chickpea-based dip, hummus, gets all the glory - but lovers of the beige paste are having their heads turned by a new contender: Muhammara.

A red-hot concoction that originates from Aleppo, Syria, its often found in Levantine and Turkish cuisines but thanks to its dynamic flavour and versatility, its also been making waves in the UK of late too. It's popping up more and more on London brunch menus, and that usually means it'll dominate the rest of the UK very soon.

At the most basic level, muhammara is a combination of roasted red peppers, walnuts, and olive oil while some recipes call upon the addition of Aleppo pepper, garlic, toasted nuts and pomegranate molasses.

The fiery dip, which takes just five minutes to make, has quickly become a favourite of London restaurants including Eastern Mediterranean joint Aphrodites in Forest Gate.

Its this completely delicious dip, its vegan and its so easy, chef Dixie Innes told Munchies.

Its quite an intense, sweet and sour flavour and then youve got this really lovely nuttiness which gives it body.

A versatile spread that can be served with almost anything muhamarra super-fan Rachel Hosie says she enjoys hers with everything from crudites to scooped up with flatbread.

I love muhammara! I'm excited to see it popping up on more menus such as Lantana in London, where one of their brilliant brunch dishes is bubble and squeak with cumberland sausage, poached egg, black pudding, muhammara and sauteed spinach, she told The Independent.

I don't know if it's better than hummus but it's definitely up there and should be more popular in my opinion!

The lesser-known sibling of baba ganoush and hummus, the spicy, vegan dip has also gained momentum on social media as users take to Instagram to share their own creations.

When real dips with serious taste come to life  smoked bell peppers with a ton of walnuts and spices, but pomegranate molasses is the key behind the exquisite taste, one user wrote.

Another added, I used ground walnuts because the slightly bitter flavour contrasts perfectly with the peppers. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and you've got a lovely dish for the mezze table.
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An expectant mother was forced to make the tough decision not to have chemotherapy in order to save her unborn babys life.

33-year-old Tasha Trafford was 16 weeks pregnant when she found out the cancer she thought shed beaten had returned.

But A&E nurse Trafford made the brave decision to continue with the pregnancy: Doing anything that might harm my unborn baby would be unthinkable, she said at the time.

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Her baby boy, Cooper, was born on December 12 2015, but Trafford sadly died 11 months later.

Four years earlier, just after getting married in Thailand, Trafford was first diagnosed with an incurable and rare bone cancer, Ewings Sarcoma.

Shed been suffering back pain and regularly visiting her doctor, but it wasnt until the family paid for an MRI scan that the cancer was diagnosed.

Trafford underwent chemo and radiotherapy at Swanseas Singleton Hospital and was given the all-clear two years later. Doctors couldnt tell her the cancer wouldnt return, but she was encouraged to try and live her life as normally as possible.

In the hope of having children, Trafford had previously frozen three embryos and she wasted no time implanting one, which took on the first try.

16 weeks into the pregnancy, Trafford received the heartbreaking news that her cancer had returned.

Baby names facing extinction Show all 10 1 /10 Baby names facing extinction Baby names facing extinction Clarence Getty Images/iStockphoto Baby names facing extinction Neville Getty Images/iStockphoto Baby names facing extinction Geoffrey Getty Images/iStockphoto Baby names facing extinction Leonard Getty Images/iStockphoto Baby names facing extinction Malcolm Getty Images/iStockphoto Baby names facing extinction Yvonne Getty Images/iStockphoto Baby names facing extinction Sharon Getty Images/iStockphoto Baby names facing extinction Elaine Getty Images/iStockphoto Baby names facing extinction Doris Getty Images/iStockphoto Baby names facing extinction Joanne Getty Images/iStockphoto

She was desperate to see her son turn one but tragically died after 11 months with him.

She had him for 11 months, her dad Dai Gallivan, from Clydach, Swansea, said. She knew what was happening but we didnt speak about it much. It was a really long illness and was incredibly hard for Tasha.

The day she died, her dad had been planning on flying out to complete a charity climb of Mount Kilimanjaro for Tenovus Cancer Care.

But having seen his daughters health deteriorating a month earlier, he decided to give his place in the climb to Traffords brother, David.

I knew I couldnt go. I knew in my heart of hearts if I was away then Tasha wouldnt be here when I got back.

David found out his sister had died two hours before his flight was due to take off, and he continued the trek in Traffords memory - Dai plans to do it himself this year too.

Its going to be a good event and my son wants me to do it because he wants me to share the same experience as him.

Im not worried about the climbing itself, I am pretty sure Ill be OK with that, but I know a lot of people have problems with the altitude.

Dai says he doesnt think his daughter would be surprised that he was still planning on doing the climb.

I think shed think its just what I do. Shed think its just another thing that Dad does.

To sponsor Dai visit his JustGiving page.
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Top EU academics are already being poached from UK universities ahead of Brexit, the head of one of the countrys leading universities for research has claimed.

Industry leaders have expressed fears of a Brexit brain-drain as increasing numbers of staff are said to be leaving, or thinking of leaving British universities as a result of the referendum vote.

Speaking to the Guardian, University College London provost Michael Arthur said the vast majority of UCLs senior researchers from EU countries outside the UK had been approached by foreign institutions.

Recommended Home Office mistakenly gives British history expert month to leave UK

Prof Arthur said: People are restless. About 95 per cent of senior EU researchers here have had calls from European universities. Not many are actually going but its early days.

Losing people is the bit that is going to be slow and pernicious, he added.

In a decades time when UK universities slip from being second in the world to a much lower number were going to kick ourselves and say: How did that happen?

Like many of the top-ranking institutions, a high proportion  nearly a third - of UCL staff are from elsewhere in the EU and depend upon EU clauses such as freedom of movement for their work.

What experts have said about Brexit Show all 11 1 /11 What experts have said about Brexit What experts have said about Brexit Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond The Chancellor claims London can still be a world financial hub despite Brexit One of Britains great strengths is the ability to offer and aggregate all of the services the global financial services industry needs This has not changed as a result of the EU referendum and I will do everything I can to ensure the City of London retains its position as the worlds leading international financial centre. Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Yanis Varoufakis Greece's former finance minister compared the UK relations with the EU bloc with a well-known song by the Eagles: You can check out any time you like, as the Hotel California song says, but you can't really leave. The proof is Theresa May has not even dared to trigger Article 50. It's like Harrison Ford going into Indiana Jones' castle and the path behind him fragmenting. You can get in, but getting out is not at all clear Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Michael OLeary Ryanair boss says UK will be screwed by EU in Brexit trade deals: I have no faith in the politicians in London going on about how the world will want to trade with us. The world will want to screw you  that's what happens in trade talks, he said. They have no interest in giving the UK a deal on trade Getty What experts have said about Brexit Tim Martin JD Wetherspoon's chairman has said claims that the UK would see serious economic consequences from a Brexit vote were "lurid" and wrong: We were told it would be Armageddon from the OECD, from the IMF, David Cameron, the chancellor and President Obama who were predicting locusts in the fields and tidal waves in the North Sea" PA What experts have said about Brexit Mark Carney Governor of Bank of England is 'serene' about Bank of England's Brexit stance: I am absolutely serene about the  judgments made both by the MPC and the FPC Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Christine Lagarde IMF chief urges quick Brexit to reduce economic uncertainty: We want to see clarity sooner rather than later because we think that a lack of clarity feeds uncertainty, which itself undermines investment appetites and decision making Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Inga Beale Lloyds chief executive says Brexit is a major issue: "Clearly the UK's referendum on its EU membership is a major issue for us to deal with and we are now focusing our attention on having in place the plans that will ensure Lloyd's continues trading across Europe EPA What experts have said about Brexit Colm Kelleher President of US bank Morgan Stanley says City of London will suffer as result of the EU referendum: I do believe, and I said prior to the referendum, that the City of London will suffer as result of Brexit. The issue is how much What experts have said about Brexit Richard Branson Virgin founder believes we've lost a THIRD of our value because of Brexit and cancelled a deal worth 3,000 jobs: We're not any worse than anybody else, but I suspect we've lost a third of our value which is dreadful for people in the workplace.' He continued: "We were about to do a very big deal, we cancelled that deal, that would have involved 3,000 jobs, and thats happening all over the country" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Barack Obama US President believes Britain was wrong to vote to leave the EU: "It is absolutely true that I believed pre-Brexit vote and continue to believe post-Brexit vote that the world benefited enormously from the United Kingdom's participation in the EU. We are fully supportive of a process that is as little disruptive as possible so that people around the world can continue to benefit from economic growth" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Kristin Forbes American economist and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England argues that the economy had been less stormy than many expected following the shock referendum result: For nowthe economy is experiencing some chop, but no tsunami. The adverse winds could quickly pick up  and merit a stronger policy response. But recently they have shifted to a more favourable direction Getty

Earlier this month, The Independent revealed a set of 10 demands given by the influential Russell Group universities - increasing pressure on Theresa May to ensure EU citizens rights are met following months of uncertainty.

The hard-hitting document warned the Prime Ministers approach is damaging the reputation of UK higher education, hurting a sector which generates 73bn a year for the economy.

They urged Ms May to scrap her plan to make every single EU citizen apply for a new settled status and instead to grant an automatic right to remain to thousands of people already permanently resident here.

Vice-chancellors have argued for months that the government are not doing enough to reassure the 34,000 EU academics currently residing in the UK that they will be able to continue working as before.

Speaking to the Commons education committee board earlier this year, top academics warned a hard Brexit could cause the biggest disaster in higher education for many years, pushing the reputation of prestigious institutions off a cliff edge.

Others reported losing staff at an alarming rate, with many academics said to be pulling out of research bids as a consequence.

More than 1,300 EU academics have left British universities in the past year, fuelling fears that the Brexit brain drain has already begun.

The University of Cambridge is among those most badly affected, losing 84 staff in the 12 months leading up to June this year; and Edinburgh, which lost 96 EU staff in the same period of time.

A Government spokesperson said: We have been clear about our commitment to the UKs world-class higher education sector.

The Government wants to reach a reciprocal agreement for EU citizens in Britain and UK nationals in Europe as quickly as possible. We are developing a new application process and will ensure that it is as light-touch, streamlined and user-friendly as possible.

We recognise that there are a wide range of individual circumstances to consider and we will continue to engage with the sector as this work develops.
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A prominent Yemeni activist and Indy Voices contributor has been detained without access to a lawyer for 15 days.

Hisham al-Omeisy was pulled from the street by 15 armed guards in the nations capital of Sanaa on 14th August and has not been heard from since, according to Amnesty International.

The right's group reported that the 38-year old social media activists detention is in breach of Yemens constitution  which requires those arrested be presented in court within 24 hours.

Mr al-Omeisy rose to fame during the Arab Spring and has used Twitter to criticise and document events, such as airstrikes, to his 25,000 twitter followers in real time.

The political analyst is one of the most prominent Yemeni activists and tweets in both English and Arabic, often multiple times a day.

The father-of-two has been praised by human rights charities for his compelling honesty about both how the war his affected both his family and the country as a whole which has raised the profile of the conflict in Yemen.

Mr al-Omeisy last tweeted that armed goons had shown up at his door, just two days before his arrest.

He has had no access to his lawyer or family since being detained and both Amnesty and Human Rights Watch are calling for his immediate release.

The organisation's Yemen researcher told The Independent: The conflict in Yemen already gets very little coverage, despite the gravity of the rights violations ongoing and the scale of the humanitarian crisis.

Yemen needs its activists more than ever, like Hisham, to highlight the impact of the is war on civilians, yet all sides are increasingly harassing, threatening, detaining and disappearing them.

Samah Hadid, Amnestys head of Middle East campaigns, added: "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.

 Yemen crisis: More than one million children suffering from malnutrition

"This detention illustrates the lengths to which local Houthi-Saleh authorities are willing to go to silence peaceful activists.

His followers immediately noticed his absence and thousands are using the hashtag #FreeHisham to raise awareness.

One Twitter user said: A truly lovely person, it terrifies me to think what is happening to him. Another: His family worldwide is waiting

In the last year Yemen has witnessed a surge in arrests, detentions and forced disappearances of activists. With political opponents, journalists and minorities among those targeted.

Human Rights Watch has documented 66 cases in which rebel Houthi forces have arbitrarily detained or forcibly disappeared people.

These include two deaths in custody and 11 cases of alleged torture and ill-treatment, including the abuse of a child.

The situation in Yemen Show all 14 1 /14 The situation in Yemen The situation in Yemen Houthi supporters trample on a US flag during a gathering mobilizing more fighters into several Yemeni battlefronts, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen People carry the coffins of men, who were killed in the recent Saudi-led airstrikes during their funeral, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen AP The situation in Yemen Pro-government fighters give food to Yemeni children on the road leading to the southwestern port city of Mokha. Yemeni rebels are putting up fierce resistance in a key Red Sea port city where they are encircled by pro-government force Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni stands in front of a graffiti protesting US military operations in war-affected Yemen, in Sana'a, Yemen. According to reports, US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen A Yemeni female fighter supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, takes part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen Yemeni female fighters supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, take part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A boy shouts slogans next to pro-Houthi fighters, who have been injured during recent fighting, during a rally held to honour those injured or maimed while fighting in Houthi ranks in Sanaa, Yemen Reuters The situation in Yemen Balls of fire and smoke rise from a Houthi-held military camp following alleged Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy looks on as Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy sits amidst the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa AFP/Getty The situation in Yemen Marine One with US President Donald Trump flies with a decoy and support helicopters to Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, for the dignified transfer of Navy Seal Chief Petty Officer William 'Ryan' Owens who was killed in Yemen Getty Images The situation in Yemen US President Donald Trump aboard the Marine One to greet the remains of a US military commando killed during a raid on the al Qaeda militant group in southern Yemen on Sunday, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, US Reuters

The Yemeni Civil War began in March 2015 and as a result is currently experiencing the worlds worst cholera outbreak.

Over 10,000 people have been killed in fighting between those allied to the Houthi rebel movement and President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, who is backed by a Saudi-led coalition yet the country still receives little coverage by international media.
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Angry residents reportedly stormed a medical centre after it turned away a homeless 17-year-old girl, who was then forced to give birth on the street outside.

The teenager had been begging in the town of Chandil, in the Indian state of Jharkand, for several months.

The Pioneer newspaper said the panchayat  self-governing council  of her village had ordered her widowed mother to throw her out of the family home after learning of her pregnancy.

Local resident Om Prakesh Sharma found the girl distressed and bereft of strength at the side of the road immediately after giving birth, according to the Hindustan Times.

She was in a miserable state, he told the paper. She was shivering and unable to lift and cuddle her infant. Heavy vehicles were crossing by but she didnt have strength to move aside.

A group of bystanders tried to alert the nearby health centre, but staff reportedly refused to help, saying they needed permission from their supervisors and the girls family.

They became angry, after which police were called and the group ended up taking her into the centre on a motorised rickshaw in the absence of an ambulance.

Even so, it took more than two hours for her to be admitted.

The Hindustan Times reported that angry residents then stormed the office of surgeon Dr AP Singha in response to the delayed treatment.

The girl's mother went to the centre to visit her, only to be admitted herself with an unknown ailment.

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

Dr Singha claimed the girl refused her mothers request to return home.

Instead, a place has been found for the teenager at the Mahila Suraksha Griha, a womans shelter in the town of Chaibasa, some 60km from Chandil.

Jharkand is one of Indias poorest states, with almost 40 per cent of the population living below the poverty line.

A 2014 study also found that womens participation in government rural employment programmes there, was 22 per cent below the national average.
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Sky will stop broadcasting Rupert Murdoch's right-wing US channel Fox News in the UK after 15 years because it is no longer seen as commercially viable.

His US media group, 21st Century Fox, announced it would withdrawn the controversial news channel from Sky packages on Tuesday but insisted that the decision has nothing to do with a potential investigation into the firm's bid to takeover the remaining shares of Sky plc  Sky's parent company.

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley is to due announce her decision on whether to ask the competition regulator to launch an investigation into whether Mr Murdoch's channels had adhered to the UK's strict broadcasting standards as part of a wider probe into the 11.7bn takeover bid.

A spokeswoman for 21st Century Fox told the Guardian: [Fox] has decided to cease providing a feed of Fox News Channel in the UK.

Fox News is focused on the US market and designed for a US audience and, accordingly, it averages only a few thousand viewers across the day in the UK. We have concluded that it is not in our commercial interest to continue providing Fox News in the UK.

But the channel has landed its parent company in hot water on several occasions in the past year when the broadcasters' regulator, Ofcom, made a series of rulings against it.

Unlike newspapers, broadcasters are expected to maintain strict impartiality and can be fined if they knowingly disseminate misleading information.

In the 10 years Fox has fallen foul of the regulator 22 times for breaches of its licence and the Ofcom code, seven of those were for breaches by Fox News.

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

Mostly notable it was heavily criticised by Ofcom for an interview with a US guest in January 2015 where he claimed Birmingham was a city "where non-Muslims just simply don't go".

Ofcom said the broadcast was "materially misleading and had the potential to cause harm and offence to viewers" at a time of heightened tensions  the interview took place days after the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris.

Ofcom has already ruled that it has "no broadcasting standards concerns" about the Fox takeover of Sky but did say there could be grounds to refer it to the Competition and Markets Authority.

Sky is currently 39 per cent controlled by Fox. A previous takeover bid was scuppered in 2011 following the revelations that the Murdoch-owned newspaper News of the World had hacked the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.
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A 23-year-old mother of two spoke of wanting a happy life just days before she was found dead at her home in West Yorkshire.

The woman, named locally as Jessica King, was discovered at 3.15pm on Sunday in Halifax.

Ms King, who has two young daughters, has been described by neighbours as a nice normal mum and her death has rocked her local community.

Her neighbour Rita Martin, 58, told the Mail Online: I saw the police van and wondered what was going on and then I saw a woman who must have been Jess' mother and she was just beside herself It was heart breaking to watch. That's when I knew something really bad had happened.

The young mum was an active Facebook user and had recently shared an image with the words: I don't want a perfect life I want a happy one along with a clapping emoji.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA

In her last ever post Ms King complained of the false nature of the social media site. She wrote: How putting pictures and status on here can hide a lot!! All happy my a***! Can't stand those people that make out their all perfect!!

Two men, aged 26 and 27 have since been arrested on suspicion of murder in Leeds in connection with her death.

Ms Martin said: 'It's devastating to think about. She had two little girls that are now without their mother. She was just a normal 23-year-old, it's too sad to think about.

Detective Chief Inspector Jaz Khan who is leading the investigation, said: Officers have made two arrests in connection with the investigation and those men remain in custody for questioning. I am still very much appealing for anyone who may have information or have seen suspicious behavior outside the address to come forwards."
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Police have launched a hate crime investigation after a man threw a glass bottle at two Jewish girls while praising Hitler and the Holocaust.

The attacker shouted "Hitler is a good man" and said it was "good he killed the Jews" after approaching the teenagers, aged 15 and 16, outside a house in Hackney, north-east London.

The bottle "narrowly missed" one of the girls before they ran inside to escape, the Metropolitan Police said.

The teenagers were unhurt but "badly shaken", a spokeswoman added.

Other Jewish children as young as eight were also playing nearby when the attack took place in Heron Drive at 6.50pm on Sunday.

"This was a terrifying experience for the young victims who were targeted in this unprovoked anti-Semitic attack," said Chaim Hochhauser, a supervisor for north-east London's Shomrim, a Jewish neighbourhood watch group.

He added: "There have been many anti-Semitic incidents in this area recently, and it just seems to be getting worse."

There were 47 reported anti-Semitic hate crimes in Hackney, home to Europe's largest Orthodox Jewish community, in the first six months of this year.

Recommended Man brandishes meat cleaver and threatens to kill Jews in kosher deli

The figure was the highest in the last five years and more than seven times the number reported in the first half of 2013, according to data compiled by the Community Security Trust.

Last month the charity warned of an "unprecedented" rise in reports of anti-Semitic attacks, abuse and harassment, with a record high 767 incidents across the UK between January and June this year.

Police appealed for witnesses to Sunday's attack.

They described the suspect as a slim, light-skinned man in his early 20s, who wore a black T-shirt, black trousers and a black cross-body bag.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA

A Met spokeswoman said: "At approximately 7pm on Sunday, August 27, a man approached the victims - aged 16 and 15 - on Heron Drive, N4, and began shouting anti-Semitic abuse at them before throwing a glass bottle that narrowly missed one of the teenagers.

"The incident has left the victims badly shaken.

"Officers would like to hear from anyone who might have witnessed this incident."

Anyone with information can call police on 111, tweet @MetCC, or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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Muslim residents in Bradford have been sent letters including threats to launch acid attacks and kill scum Muslims.

Police have launched a hate crime investigation into the campaign, which follows a series of malicious letters sent to mosques elsewhere in the UK.

Letters seen by the Guardian included an image of a sword and the St Georges flag with the slogan kill scum Muslims, followed by a threat on women who wear full-face veils reading: We are now going to do acid attacks on anyone who wears the funny black masks around your square & Bradford & other places.

Another threatened to kill men of grooming white girls, in the wake of intense public debate over the sexual exploitation and abuse in Newcastle, Rotherham, Rochdale and Oxford.

The anonymous letters were received in Hanover Square, Bradford, after being delivered by second-class post with a Lancashire postmark.

Their arrival came days before a planned demonstration by the far-right English Defence League (EDL), which also coincides with celebrations for the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha.

Organisers said Saturdays march, through Keighley and Bradford, will protest against militant Islam, with the group calling itself a non-racist organisation.

 After acid attacks on Muslims, Islamophobes are terrifying people by throwing water on them

West Yorkshire Police said an investigation had opened into the letters received in Hanover Square.

The incident is being treated as a hate crime and being taken extremely seriously, a spokesperson added.

A thorough investigation has been launched and officers are working with the local community and partners to identify and prosecute those responsible for this despicable crime.

We understand the impact hate crime and hate incidents can have on our communities and on individuals, and crimes of this nature will not be tolerated.

Additional patrols have been deployed to the area following this report and police are working with local leaders to reassure residents, and to trace those responsible.

Counter-terror police are hunting a suspected far-right extremist behind a separate campaign of hate mail and suspicious packages sent to mosques and political targets in the UK and US.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters

Three mosques in London were the latest to receive malicious letters bearing a Sheffield postmark as part of a structured transatlantic campaign.

One letter seen by The Independent threatened to bomb Forest Gate mosque very soonwhen there are plenty of Muslims present for maximum effect, while the sender told another mosque in east London they were coming to make you vermin pay and a third letter received in Hackney called for the capital to be cleansed.

Community organisations have reported spiking levels of Islamophobic incidents in the wake of the terror attacks in Westminster, Manchester and London Bridge, as part of a rise in hate crime since last years EU referendum.

Another incident is being investigated in Liverpool, where a house purchased by a Sri Lankan family was daubed with racist and anti-Muslim graffiti.

The home, which was empty at the time, was scrawled with messages in black paint including the racial slur P*** and Allar Akbar [sic].

Residents believed the perpetrators mistook the Hindu Sri Lankan family for Pakistani Muslims and told the Liverpool Echo they have since been taking around gifts and offering to help with renovations.
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Cold case detectives believe changes in allegiances may hold the key to solving the murder of a political cartoonist.

Naji Salim Hussain Al-Ali was fatally shot as he walked to his office in Knightsbridge, west London, on 22 July 1987.

The 51-year-old, whose provocative cartoons were deemed critical of the Palestinian regime when they appeared in Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas, died on 29 August that year in hospital from his injuries.

Recommended Prosecutors seeking to charge inventor with murder of journalist

Witnesses at the time said Mr Al-Ali was pursued for around 40 seconds by the suspected gunman before he was shot in the back of his neck.

Detectives said the decision to re-investigate the case was partly down to a possible shift in allegiances from those who may have known the identity of Mr Al-Ali's killer, as well as a second suspect who was later seen driving away from the scene.

Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Police's counter terrorism command, said: The brutal murder of Mr Al-Ali devastated his family and 30 years on they continue to feel the loss.

We have previously reviewed this case and followed a number of lines of inquiry which have not resulted in us identifying these two men.

However, a lot can change in 30 years - allegiances shift and people who were not willing to speak at the time of the murder may now be prepared to come forward with crucial information.

We remain open-minded about the motive for Mr Al-Ali's murder and we believe there are people somewhere who have information that could help us bring those responsible for his murder to justice.

In the moments leading up to Mr Al-Ali's murder, he parked his car on Ixworth Place, walked down into Draycott Avenue and onto Ives Street.

Witnesses reported seeing him being followed by the suspected gunman, who they described as being of Middle-Eastern appearance and aged about 25, with collar-length thick black hair that was wavy at the back. He was wearing a stonewashed denim jacket and dark trousers, police said.

Witnesses described seeing the suspect close to Mr Al-Ali, holding a black automatic handgun.

A witness reported seeing another man - also of Middle-Eastern appearance - crossing Fulham Road into Lucan Place and getting into the driver's seat of a silver-grey left-hand drive Mercedes shortly after the incident.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA

He was seen running with his left hand inside the right side of his jacket as if he was concealing something.

The gun - a 7.62 Tokarev pistol - was found on the Hallfield Estate in Paddington almost two years after the murder.

PA
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A UK-born man has been ordered to leave the country by immigration officials who say he is not British, despite having lived here his entire life.

Shane Ridge, from Colne in Lancashire, was threatened with a 5,000 fine or potential prison sentence if he does not leave the UK because his Australian-born mother and British father were never married.

The 21-year-old, who says he is as British as they come, said he received a letter from the Home Office last week telling him that he must leave because he had no lawful basis to be in the UK.

 Boris Johnson dodges question on student migration figures

He believes this is because his mother was born in Australia when his grandparents were visiting the country  but she subsequently became a British citizen.

Under UK law, if a child is born before July 2006, the fathers British nationality will only automatically pass to them if his parents are married at the time of his birth.

As Mr Ridges parents were never married, he is not considered a British citizen and will now be required to apply for right of abode, The Guardian reported.

But he said he had lived in the UK all his life, having attended school, paid tax and voted assuming he was a British citizen.

He said: Its surreal. This is the only letter I have ever received in relation to me having to leave the country. It just came through my letterbox out of the blue.

The last bit scared me the most  leave the UK voluntarily. Im speechless  I dont know what I can say. I received the letter from Immigration Enforcement saying they were going to revoke my driving licence and I should leave the UK voluntarily or face a 5,000 fine.

Mr Ridge said he had never doubt that he was a British citizen until he received the letter (Getty)

Im confused and worried that Ill have to leave my entire family behind and move to a country that I dont know. I dont understand it because I was born in the UK. I did my GCSEs here, Ive worked for six years, I pay tax and national insurance. Me and my girlfriend rented a house, I vote, I use the NHS and opened a bank account without any problems, ever.

He said the first time he got an inkling that there was a problem was when he tried to apply for a passport to go on holiday with his girlfriend last year and it was rejected without explanation.

He later successfully applied for an Australian passport but the Passport Office told him it would be safe to travel and return to the UK after the holiday.

Mr Ridge had no further problems until he received the letter through the door last week.

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He said he will now have to begin the process of applying for British citizenship or at the very least a visa which would allow him to remain in the UK.

Mr Ridge said he is angry that his life as a law-abiding citizen is now in doubt.

The apprentice joiner had to surrender his driving licence and has been ordered to stop driving immediately.

He said: Its terrifying. My parents keep telling me everything will be fine but Im really scared.

Recommended Theresa May is driving British citizens out of their own country

My girlfriend, Jodie, isnt happy. Everyone is in shock and wondering how this can possibly happen. Ive lived by the book  never had a criminal record.

I have brothers and sisters. They have dual citizenship because my mum married their dad but my youngest sister, who is five, is also technically in the same position as me as my mum didnt marry her dad.

The letter even says they will stop me accessing the NHS or banks. Ive always been to the doctors with no problems and me and my girlfriend have a joint bank account.

The Home Office declined to comment when contacted by The Independent but did say they were in contact with Mr Ridge to help him apply to remain in the UK.
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Katie Hopkins latest attempt to publicly shame someone on Twitter has backfired after the barrister she attacked for having an Etonian father explained he was adopted and described how he has known poverty, and what it means.

Jolyon Maugham QC, a barrister and director of the Good Law Project, wrote a tweet discussing the significance of the European single market and the customs union in relation to the UKs economy on Monday, which Ms Hopkins responded to by commenting on his name and his family history.

Lets be clear. Staying in the Single Market and Customs Union are key steps in avoiding an economic breakdown that could deliver fascism, Mr Maugham wrote on Twitter.

Recommended LBC sees audience numbers rise after Katie Hopkins departure

Ms Hopkins, who was dropped as a presenter on LBC for a Twitter comment following the Manchester terrorist attack, replied: Lets be clear. You are called Jolyon, son of Eton-educated Benedictus. You could not be further from the will of 17 million people, love.

Mr Maugham, who writes for a number of British publications about tax and policy, has been open about his adoption and estrangement from his father, the author David Benedictus.

The QC explains on his website that he was born in the UK before moving to New Zealand with his single mother at the age of one, where he was adopted. He was forced to start supporting himself at the age of 16 as a cleaner and a year later travelled to England, initially living with an old family friend in a pit village in the North East where my grandfathers family lived.

Mr Maugham states he feels keenly the need for more voices in public debate who have experienced poverty, who do not come from privileged backgrounds, and who view public policy as it impacts on peoples real lives.

Responding to Ms Hopkins tweet over several posts, the barrister explained that he did not know his fathers identity for several years due to his adoption, and claims the author denied paternity.

 Katie Hopkins sacked by LBC

David Benedictus is my biological father, and did go to Eton. Theres no mystery about this: its in his Whos Who entry, he wrote on Twitter.

I did not meet him  or even know if his existence  until I was 17. I was raised not knowing I was adopted.

I was brought up by my mother, the daughter of an electrician, and her husband, the son of a plumber, in New Zealand.

David met my mother when she was 19 and studying  the first in my family to be educated beyond school  at North London Polytechnic.

They Knew but barely knew each other. As was then the Etonian way he, through his lawyers, denied paternity and paid my mother 5 per week.

My mother and her later husband met at Teachers College in New Zealand and brought me up until I was 16 then kicked me out.

I worked as a cleaner of the girls secondary school whilst still at the co-ed secondary school to support myself.

I struggled for money. I could afford only to board with older men, two in succession. Neithers interest in me was purely financial.

So I have known poverty, and what it means. Katie Hopkins ill-informed attack on me is what I would expect from her and the Far Right.

Ms Hopkins responded to Mr Maugham's comments by saying "Your life is of no consequence to me, son. Nor your thoughts. I stand with the 17 million".
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A young girl who was left unconscious after the terror attack on Manchester Arena has been reunited with the police officer who rescued her.

Lily Harrison suffered a shrapnel wounds and a bruised lung after the blast threw her to the ground.

The eight-year-old hugged PC Cath Daley when she saw her for the first time since the incident on 22 May.

Her mum, Lauren Thorpe, said without PC Daleys help the outcome could have been completely different.

Ms Thorpe, who was also injured in the attack and had to undergo three operations in seven days, said that at one stage she thought her daughter was dead as she fell in and out of consciousness and appeared to stop breathing.

But amid the flurry of concert goers desperately trying to escape the venue, PC Daley and her colleague spotted Lilys parents crouched around their unconscious daughter.

Lily and pC Daley had an emotion reunion when they met three months after the Manchester attack (screengrab)

Realising they couldnt wait for an ambulance, PC Daley decided to get the family into her police van and drive them to the hospital. They arrived so quickly the medical staff werent yet aware of what had happened and had to be warned to expect an influx of casualties from the scene.

PC Daley then returned to the arena and helped ferry more injured victims away from the bomb site.

She told ITV that they were required to use crash barriers as make shift stretchers to get the injured out. They ripped up cardboard boxes to use as padding against the metal, she said.

Manchester explosion in pictures Show all 37 1 /37 Manchester explosion in pictures Manchester explosion in pictures People running down stairs as they attempt to exit the Manchester Arena after a blast, where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester Twitter/@ZACH_BRUCE/ via REUTERS Manchester explosion in pictures Helpers attend to people inside the Manchester Arena after a suspected suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at the end of an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people PA wire Manchester explosion in pictures Armed officers guard outside a hotel near the Manchester Arena following reports of an explosion, in Manchester, Britain EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Police officers are seen outside the Manchester Arena, where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester, northern England Reuters Manchester explosion in pictures Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police and fans close to the Manchester Arena, after reports of an explosion Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures There have been reports of explosions at Manchester Arena where Ariana Grande had performed Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police deploy at scene of explosion in Manchester, England, at a concert in Manchester Arena AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police stand by a cordoned off street close to the Manchester Arena Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police deploy at scene of explosion in Manchester, England AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police deploy at scene of a reported explosion during a concert in Manchester, England, on May 23, 2017. British police said early May 23 there were "a number of confirmed fatalities" after reports of at least one explosion during a pop concert by US singer Ariana Grande. Ambulances were seen rushing to the Manchester Arena venue and police added in a statement that people should avoid the area AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures An ambulance drives away from the Manchester Arena, where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester Reuters Manchester explosion in pictures Police escort members of the public from the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A woman sits in the street in a blanket near the Manchester Arena as police guard the area following reports of an explosion, in Manchester, Britain EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Two women wrapped in thermal blankets stand near the Manchester Arena, where US singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester Reuters Manchester explosion in pictures A Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) bomb disposal robot is unloaded outside the Manchester Arena following reports of an explosion, in Manchester. At least 19 people have been confirmed dead and others 50 were injured, authorities said. It is being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise EPA Manchester explosion in pictures A Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) bomb disposal robot is unloaded outside the Manchester Arena following reports of an explosion, in Manchester EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Members of the public receive treatment from emergency service staff at Victoria Railway Station close to the Manchester Arena on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. There have been reports of explosions at Manchester Arena where Ariana Grande had performed this evening. Greater Manchester Police have have confirmed there are fatalities and warned people to stay away from the area Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Armed police after a suspected terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena at the end of a concert by US star Ariana Grande left 19 dead PA wire Manchester explosion in pictures Emergency services arrive close to the Manchester Arena in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures An amoured police vehicle patrols near Manchester Arena in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A man carries a young girl on his shoulders near Victoria station in Manchester AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police officers stand at the Miller Street and Corporation Street Crossroads, in front of the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police block a road near to the Manchester Arena in central Manchester, England AP Manchester explosion in pictures Armed police patrol near Victoria station in Manchester, northwest England. Twenty two people have been killed and dozens injured after a suspected suicide bomber targeted fans leaving a concert of US singer Ariana Grande in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police forensic officers leave the Manchester Arena as they investigate the scene of an explosion in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A forensic officer collects evidence on a walkway between Victoria station and Manchester Arena following a deadly terror attack in Manchester, Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A woman and a young girl wearing a t-shirt of US singer Ariana Grande talks to police near Manchester Arena following a deadly terror attack in Manchester, Getty Manchester explosion in pictures EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Manchester City Council Leader Sir Richard Leese speak to the media outside Manchester Town Hall after a suicide bomber killed 22 people, including children, as an explosion tore through fans leaving a pop concert in Manchester Dave Higgens/PA Wire Manchester explosion in pictures The media gather behind a police cordon in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Flowers left close to the Manchester Arena, the morning after a suicide bomber killed 22 people, including children, as an explosion tore through fans leaving a pop concert in Manchester Danny Lawson/PA Wire Manchester explosion in pictures Ariana Grande concert attendees Karen Moore and her daughter Molly Steed, aged 14, from Derby, leave the Park Inn where they were given refuge after last night's explosion at Manchester Arena Getty Manchester explosion in pictures Signs saying 'We love Manchester' are displayed in a window in Manchester, England Getty Images

During the emotional reunion, Ms Thorpe told PC Daley: "We're just really grateful because without you... it could have been a completely different situation.

"I know you just say you were just doing your job but we just don't know how to say thank you enough."

Twenty-two people died and dozens were injured in the suicide bombing carried out by Salman Abedi as revellers left an Ariana Grande concert.

The reunion of PC Daley and Lily will be aired on ITV at 9pm tonight in a documentary called Manchester: 100 days after the attack.
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The deportation of a young Afghan man refused asylum by the Government has been dramatically stayed after the pilot of the plane he was supposed to be removed on refused to take off.

Samim Bigzads friends and family feared their efforts to prevent him being forced back to Kabul had failed when he was detained and booked on commercial flight to Afghanistan via Istanbul.

The 22-year-olds cousin previously told The Independent he feared he would be killed in the city he fled two years ago after being threatened with beheading by the Taliban.

Recommended UK set to deport Afghan man threatened with beheading by Taliban

More than 3,000 people had signed a petition appealing for the deportation to be delayed so Mr Bigzads asylum claim could be reviewed.

Campaigners travelled to Heathrow Airport to talk to unwitting passengers due to be on the same Turkish Airlines flight, in the hope they would raise objections to crew members.

Bridget Chapman, who organised the trip, said activists very quietly approached tourists at the check-in gate to explain their flight was being used to forcibly deport Mr Bigzad.

We asked people to do whatever they were comfortable with raising it with airline staff, she told The Independent.

Airport security asked us to stop after a while, but by that point most people had boarded.

Campaigners alerted passengers at Heathrow Airport that Mr Bigzad was due to be forced back to Afghanistan on their flight (Getty Images)

Another campaigner who travelled to Heathrow, who did not want to be named, said they hoped to alert the planes pilot to the deportation because of their power to refuse passengers.

Pilots have a duty of care towards their passengers, so if they feel theres a passenger at risk or who will disrupt the flight, they are obliged to ensure they dont fly on the plane, he added.

Ms Chapman, who is chair of the Kent Anti-Racism Network, said campaigners genuinely thought they had failed when the flight eventually took off 45 minutes late.

But later that evening she received a message from a British woman who had been hosting Mr Bigzad in Margate saying he was back in a UK detention centre.

Kavel Rafferty said she had given up all hope for the asylum seeker, who has been staying with her for four months, when she received a phone call from the Brook House immigration removal centre near Gatwick.

The last message Id had from him was so sad  it just said theyve come to take me and then the phone was switched off, she added.

But then he rang that night and told me the pilot said no. He was happy and relieved and shocked  it was a lot to go through in one day.

We dont know the name of the pilot but there are so many people who would like to thank him.

A Turkish Airlines pilot refused to fly Mr Bigzad to Istanbul, where he was to be put on a connecting flight to Kabul (AFP/Getty Images)

Mr Bigzads cousin, a British citizen who also lives in Margate, said his family hopes to use the delay to gather more evidence for a new asylum claim.

There were three guards who tried to force him onto the planemy cousin was crying and shouting Im going to get killed in Afghanistan, Arash told The Independent.

Samim said they were in the tunnel by the door when the pilot came out and said: Youre not going to take him, Im not flying. Someones life is at risk.

The guards took him back to Brook House  I really dont know what will happen next.

Turkish Airlines, which also operated a connecting flight planned to take Mr Bigzad from Istanbul to Kabul, has not yet responded to a request for comment on the incident.

Regulations issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency state that a pilot is responsible for the safety of the aircraft and of all crew members, passengers and cargo on board, giving them power over who boards the plane and when or if it takes off.

With another deportation attempt expected, Arash is attempting to have the Afghan interior ministry send a letter to the British Government confirming they cannot guarantee Mr Bigzads welfare.

He accused the Home Office of using impossible requests for original documents from Kabul and other bureaucratic obstacles as excuses not to offer his cousin protection.

Samim Bigzad, 22, has been living in Kent while caring for his father (Supplied)

When you leave a warzone you think you come here and youre going to be alright, you think people will understand your situation but then it goes against you, Arash added.

People who come from a safe country dont have issues when they come here for work, I dont understand it.

If Afghanistan was safe, I wouldnt be here myself.

Mr Bigzad was repeatedly threatened by the Taliban because of his work for a construction company that had contracts with the Afghan government and American firms  both regarded as enemies by the Islamist insurgents.

After receiving phone calls telling him he would be beheaded by militants who knew where he lived and worked, he risked his life to reach the UK via Turkey, Greece and France, almost suffocating in a lorry from Calais.

He arrived in Britain in November 2015, moving to Kent to join relatives and care for his father, a British citizen and former Afghan national who suffers from mental illness after being imprisoned and tortured by the Taliban in the 1990s.

But Mr Bigzad was refused asylum and denied permission to appeal. He was detained without warning during a routine appointment an immigration office in London in July.

Protesters demand better security in Kabul Show all 10 1 /10 Protesters demand better security in Kabul Protesters demand better security in Kabul A woman tries to stop police from firing on protesters during a demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, June 2, 2017. Hundreds of demonstrators demanded better security in the Afghan capital in the wake of a powerful truck bomb attack that killed scores of people. AP Protesters demand better security in Kabul Afghan security officials use a water cannon to disperse demonstrators as they protest against a suicide bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, 02 June 2017. At least 90 people were killed and more than 350 wounded in a suicide bomb attack near the foreign embassies in Kabul on 31 May. AP Protesters demand better security in Kabul A policeman rests during a demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, June 2, 2017. Hundreds of demonstrators demanded better security in the Afghan capital in the wake of a powerful truck bomb attack that killed scores of people. AP Protesters demand better security in Kabul Protesters shout anti government slogans during a demonstration to protest against the lack of security in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Jun 2, 2017. Some 500 people are demonstrating in Kabul for better security in the Afghan capital in the wake of a powerful truck bomb attack that killed 90 people. AP Protesters demand better security in Kabul Police forces run as protesters throw stones during a demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, June 2, 2017. Hundreds of demonstrators demanded better security in the Afghan capital in the wake of a powerful truck bomb attack that killed scores of people. AP Protesters demand better security in Kabul Protesters shout anti government slogans during a demonstration to protest against the lack of security in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Jun 2, 2017. Some 500 people are demonstrating in Kabul for better security in the Afghan capital in the wake of a powerful truck bomb attack that killed 90 people. AP Protesters demand better security in Kabul Protesters throw stones toward security forces during a demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, June 2, 2017. Hundreds of demonstrators demanded better security in the Afghan capital in the wake of a powerful truck bomb attack that killed scores of people. ( AP Protesters demand better security in Kabul Police forces run as protesters throw stones during a demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, June 2, 2017. Hundreds of demonstrators demanded better security in the Afghan capital in the wake of a powerful truck bomb attack that killed scores of people. AP Protesters demand better security in Kabul Protesters throw stones toward security forces during a demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, June 2, 2017. Hundreds of demonstrators demanded better security in the Afghan capital in the wake of a powerful truck bomb attack that killed scores of people. AP Protesters demand better security in Kabul A boy walks past protesters during a demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, June 2, 2017. Hundreds of demonstrators demanded better security in the Afghan capital in the wake of a powerful truck bomb attack that killed scores of people. AP

Arash said his cousin will be killed if he is forced back to Afghanistan, where the Taliban still controls huge swathes of the country and launches regular terror attacks and assassinations.

The group, which refers to itself as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, captured Kabul in 1996 and has brutally targeted anyone accused of colluding with the government or Western imperialists.

Charities have called on the British Government to halt deportations as the conflict between the government, Taliban and insurgent groups linked to Isis and al-Qaeda worsens.

Recent months have seen a spike in terror attacks in Kabul  where a suicide bombing killed at least five people on Tuesday  but deportations continue.

Flights resumed last year after the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Theresa May, then the Home Secretary, and declared the Afghan capital safe for returns  despite the Foreign Office advising against all but essential travel to the city for Brits.

A spokesperson for the Home Office said they could not comment on individual cases but insisted all asylum claims were carefully considered on their merits.

All country policy and information is based on a careful and objective assessment of available evidence from a range of sources including media outlets, local, national and international organisations, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, she added.

We continually review our country policy and information to ensure it is up-to-date, accurate and relevant, so that staff can make fair and considered decisions.

 Kabul suicide bombing kills at least 24 and leaves 40 injured

Home Office statistics show that only 34 per cent of asylum applications were granted in 2016, with the rate for Afghan applicants standing at 35 per cent, sparking criticism from humanitarian groups amid worsening violence in the country.

There has also been heavy criticism over the plight of Afghan military interpreters who have been refused asylum despite being targeted by the Taliban because of their collusion with British forces.

Ms Chapman said Mr Bigzad was clearly in danger, adding that his deportation followed a series of controversial asylum decisions on Afghans.

Theres a real push to deport people and specifically around Afghans, they seem to be particularly harsh, she added.

How can it be safe to return asylum seekers to Afghanistan despite the fact the advice for tourists is not to go?

Ms Chapman said campaigners would repeat their efforts if the Home Office seeks to put Mr Bigzad on another commercial flight.

We dont know what made the difference  the piece in The Independent, the social media campaign, if it was a passenger speaking to staffbut something somehow got through to that pilot and I would kiss him if I could, she added.

We will not let up, we will do everything we can do keep Samim safe.
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The position papers produced by the British government to set out of its stances on different Brexit issues are not satisfactory, the president of the European Commission has said.

Speaking at a conference of EU ambassadors on Tuesday morning Jean-Claude Juncker said there were still an enormous number of issues to be settled in negotiations, which have re-started this week.

His comments follow criticism of the UKs ambiguity in negotiations by EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday afternoon.

The UK Government has spent the August political lull publishing a series of position papers setting out the British sides stance on issues like the Northern Ireland border and how regulations will function after Brexit.

The papers, which have been criticised for containing gaps on subjects such as the so-called divorce bill Britain is said to owe, follow a series of EU papers laying out the blocs position.

But Mr Juncker told the ambassadors conference on Tuesday morning: I would like to be clear that I did read with the requisite attention all the papers produced by Her Majestys government and none of those is actually satisfactory.

So theres still an enormous amount of issues which remain to be settled. Not just on the border problems regarding Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is a very serious problem in respect of which weve had no definitive response, but we also have the status of European citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living on the continent.

We need to be crystal clear that we will commence no negotiations on the new relationship particularly the new economic and trade relationship between the UK and the EU before all these questions are resolved  that is to say the divorce between the EU and the UK.

Asked what about the papers had failed to satisfy Mr Juncker, a European Commission spokesperson told reporters in Brussels: I will not go beyond what president Juncker said this morning. When the president speaks we never interpret or go beyond that.

Mr Junckers criticism reflects a strengthening of rhetoric by the European Commission against Britain since the resumption of talks. Chief negotiator Mr Barnier said on Monday in a joint press conference with UK Brexit Secretary David Davis that he was concerned at the progress so far and that the UK needed to begin negotiating seriously. We need UK positions on all separation issues. This is necessary to make sufficient progress. We must start negotiating seriously, he said.

We need UK papers that are clear in order to have constructive negotiations and the sooner we remove the ambiguity, the sooner we will be in a position to discuss the future relationship and the transitional period.

Brexit Secretary David Davis says the papers are the product of detailed thinking (PA)

David Davis, the UKs Brexit Secretary, by contrast said he wanted to see flexibility and imagination on both sides  a line his Department for Exiting the European Union has previously used. Defending the UKs position papers, the minister said they were the product of hard work and detailed thinking that has been going on behind the scenes for the last year.

Speaking two weeks ago Mr Davis himself had described the inscrutable parts of the UK position as constructive ambiguity.

Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA

The European Union says it must judge there to be sufficient progress in three key separation areas by October for negotiations to move onto the subject of the future UK-EU relationship. The areas chosen by the EU are citizen rights, Northern Irelands border, and the divorce bill owed by the UK.

Mr Juncker is set to meet former Prime Minister Tony Blair in Brussels this week while Brexit talks are still ongoing.
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Ministers have spent almost 40m in an appalling attempt to stop sick and disabled people receiving the financial help they are entitled to, The Independent can reveal.

Freedom of Information requests have exposed how taxpayers money has been spent on futile legal battles to prevent vulnerable people receiving help.

The hit to the public purse could also be far higher than the new data suggests because it is still unclear how much more the state spends running courts where sanctions are challenged.

The vast majority of appeals were lost by the Government last year, making the expense appear unnecessary. Early indications now show the problem is becoming even worse in 2017, with a 77 per cent rise in money spent trying to stop people from getting Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) payments.

Critics claim the situation has arisen because fitness to work assessments are deeply flawed, leading to incorrect decisions which need to be fought.

Senior Labour MP Frank Field, who worked as David Camerons poverty tsar, said: Whats appalling is that the [Government] is prepared to spend 39m of taxpayers money against people who are desperately fighting off destitution.

New figures show that in 2016 the Government spent 22m processing claimants initial appeals against sanctions  a stage most people must pass through before they reach a tribunal.

It emerged earlier this year that government officials are given targets to reject four out of five initial appeals  known as mandatory reconsiderations  for some disability benefits.

Further data obtained by The Independent under Freedom of Information law shows the Government then spent a further 17m fighting cases in the courts that were not settled at the initial appeal stage, bringing the total appeals process cost to 39m last year.

The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned Show all 16 1 /16 The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "One case where the claimants wife went into premature labour and had to go to hospital. This caused the claimant to miss an appointment. No leeway given" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Its Christmas Day and you dont fill in your job search evidence form to show that youve looked for all the new jobs that are advertised on Christmas Day. You are sanctioned. Merry Christmas" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "You apply for three jobs one week and three jobs the following Sunday and Monday. Because the job centre week starts on a Tuesday it treats this as applying for six jobs in one week and none the following week. You are sanctioned for 13 weeks for failing to apply for three jobs each week" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A London man missed his Jobcentre appointments for two weeks because he was in hospital after being hit by a car. He was sanctioned" 2011 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Youve been unemployed for seven months and are forced onto a workfare scheme in a shop miles away, but cant afford to travel. You offer to work in a nearer branch but are refused and get sanctioned for not attending your placement" 2013 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "You are a mum of two, and are five minutes late for your job centre appointment. You show the advisor the clock on your phone, which is running late. You are sanctioned for a month" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man with heart problems who was on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) had a heart attack during a work capability assessment. He was then sanctioned for failing to complete the assessment" Rex The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man who had gotten a job that was scheduled to begin in two weeks time was sanctioned for not looking for work as he waited for the role to start" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Army veteran Stephen Taylor, 60, whose Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) was stopped after he sold poppies in memory of fallen soldiers" 2014 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man had to miss his regular appointment at the job centre to attend his fathers funeral. He was sanctioned even though he told DWP staff in advance" 2014 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Ceri Padley, 26, had her benefits sanctioned after she missed an appointment at the jobcentre - because she was at a job interview" Jason Doiy Photography The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man got sanctioned for missing his slot to sign on - as he was attending a work programme interview. He was then sanctioned as he could not afford to travel for his job search" 2012 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Mother-of-three Angie Godwin, 27, said her benefits were sanctioned after she applied for a role job centre staff said was beyond her" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Sofya Harrison was sanctioned for attending a job interview and moving her signing-on to another day" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Michael, 54, had his benefits sanctioned for four months for failing to undertake a weeks work experience at a charity shop. The charity shop had told him they didnt want him there" Getty The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Terry Eaton, 58, was sanctioned because he didnt have the bus fare he needed to attend an appointment with the job centre" Getty Images

In the same period the Government lost 62 per cent of the tribunal cases in which it was attempting to sanction a claimants ESA  which supports people when impairments prevent them working.

They also lost 65 per cent of the cases in the latter half of 2016, the most recent period for which figures are available, relating to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a longer-term benefit.

But the defeats suffered by government lawyers are not persuading ministers of the need to change tack, with the figures actually pointing to a more costly appeals process in 2017.

The Government spent 1,166,459 trying to take benefits from ESA claimants between January and March 2016, and 2,069,849 in the same period this year  a 77 per cent rise.

Meanwhile, the proportion of cases where judges found that claimants were too ill to work also increased. In the first three months of last year judges decided in favour of claimants in 58 per cent of cases.

That figure rose to 70 per cent in the same period this year, suggesting the Government is denying payments to more people who are genuinely unfit to work.

The costs that have been exposed so far only refer to those incurred by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and do not include money spent by the Courts and Tribunals Service, which carry out the appeals.

Three-stage appeal process 1. Assessment Both PIP and ESA claimants have to complete assessments after which the DWP determines whether an applicant will receive payments and what level of support they will get. 2. Mandatory reconsideration If an applicant wants to challenge the decision made at their assessment they have to complete a mandatory reconsideration, in which the DWP will re-examine a claim. 3. Appeal If the decision is not overturned at a mandatory reconsideration, a claimant can then take the DWP to an independent tribunal. There is usually both a doctor and a judge sitting on the panel who will reexamine the case.

Chair of the Commons Work and Pensions Committee Mr Field added: We clearly need a new compact between the [Government] and claimants, otherwise this injustice will continue to act as a recruiting agent for food banks.

Critics believe the Governments system for assessing if people are eligible for benefits like ESA and PIP are at the root of the problem.

Currently PIP assessments are contracted out to private firms Atos and Capita, which do not require employees performing the assessments to have relevant expertise in specific disabilities.

It has led to reports of cases where physiotherapists have assessed claimants with mental health problems.

One ex-civil servant who suffers from Parkinsons told The Independent how he won his case to receive financial help through the appeals system only to be informed he will have to be reassessed next year  despite his illness being degenerative.

Jeffrey Sturt, 59, said his assessor was hostile and spoke down to him. The former civil servant said he thought people would walk away from challenging decisions because they are aggressive.

Recommended Tory cuts cause 85 per cent fall in new homes for vulnerable people

Minimum overheads, maximum profits  thats what theyre going for, he added.

One woman who suffers up to 30 epileptic seizures a month, said the Government took her back to a tribunal twice after she won her appeal. Citizens Advice said it is seeing more cases such as this, where the DWP does not accept the judges decision.

During the period when she was waiting to hear the outcome, the 38-year-old womans illness became worse and the frequency of her fits increased due to stress. You start panicking about it, she said. You think, Have they forgotten about me?

She finally won her case after 18 months. She asked: What was the point in that? How much money did they waste on me?

In April it was reported that Atos and Capita had been paid 578m so far for assessing people for PIP since it launched in 2013. Their contracts were due to expire in December this year but have been extended to July 2019, according to the DWP.

 Corbyn tells Theresa May to watch I, Daniel Blake to understand benefits system

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive at the MS Society, said: These exorbitant costs point to a welfare system that clearly doesnt make sense.

"We know that many people with MS arent getting accurate decisions the first time around.

"Being forced to go through the lengthy and stressful appeals process is a waste of time and money, and also harms peoples health.

Ken Butler, who leads on benefits policy at Disability Rights UK, said inaccurate assessments too often denied disabled people justice until their independent tribunals.

I think the problem is that things go wrong at the very start and then theyre hard to put right, he said.

If the assessments were better then you wouldnt have the need for mandatory reconsiderations. The system now only functions really to put people off going any further  the whole process is quite lengthy and stressful.

Recommended Government fails to deliver savings after cutting disability benefits

Chief executive of Citizens Advice Gillian Guy said: Last year Citizens Advice helped people with almost 400,000 PIP issues, up 37 per cent on the previous 12 months.

Many come to us concerned that the outcome of their PIP assessment doesnt accurately reflect the support needs they have because of their health issues.

The next steps can be time-consuming, distressing and even costly if people have to pay to gather additional evidence.

Margaret Greenwood, shadow minister for employment and inequalities, said: These figures are a clear demonstration that the current assessment process, which causes significant stress to ill and disabled people, is not fit for purpose.

"The flawed Tory assessments are a damning indictment of this Governments cruel social security reforms and seven wasted years of austerity.

"In addition to putting unnecessary pressure on people who need support, these assessments have created waste and expense with thousands overturned in the courts.

A DWP spokesperson responded to the new findings by highlighting the low number of overturns as a proportion of all decisions made since 2013.

They said just 3 per cent of PIP decisions and 4 per cent of ESA decisions made at initial assessment had been overturned in that period.

Yet changes to the system make comparisons difficult.

In the majority of successful appeals, decisions are overturned because people have submitted more oral or written evidence, they said.
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Critics rounded on the Government today as it published the full detail of new laws aimed at cracking down on excessive boardroom pay.

Theresa May promised strong policies to tackle fat cats whom she branded the unacceptable face of capitalism, but her opponents claimed the measures announced had been severely watered down.

Confirming the Governments plans, Business Secretary Greg Clark said: Todays reforms will build on our strong reputation and ensure our largest companies are more transparent and accountable to their employees and shareholders.

Recommended Theresa May opts for weaker package of measures on boardroom pay

Proposals include making all listed companies reveal the pay ratio between bosses and workers and justify the difference.

Listed firms with significant shareholder opposition to executive pay packages will also have their names included on a public register and employees will be given a voice in the boardroom.

It will be delivered via a non-executive director to represent employees, an employee advisory council or a director nominated from the workforce.

But plans to legislate that employees have direct representation on boards and shareholders a greater say over executive pay were ditched.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red 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Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA

Liberal Democrat leader and former business secretary Sir Vince Cable dismissed the Governments approach as strong on rhetoric, weak on action.

TUC general secretary Frances OGrady said: This is a far cry from Theresa Mays promise to crackdown on corporate excess.

Its a feeble proposal, spelling business as usual for board rooms across Britain.

The Prime Ministers pledge to put workers on company boards has been watered down beyond all recognition.

Leader of the Unite union, Len McCluskey, added: Once again the big business lobby has brought the Tory party to heel.

CBI president Paul Drechsler said that unacceptable behaviour of a few firms does not reflect the high standards and responsible behaviour of the vast majority of companies, as he backed the thrust of Ms Mays moves.

Director general of the Institute of Directors, Stephen Martin, added: Pay ratios will sharpen the awareness of boards on the issue of remuneration, but they can be a crude measure.

Companies will have to prepare themselves to explain how pay as a whole in their business operates, and why executives are worth their packages.
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The first sign of a potential rebellion ahead of this years budget has emerged after a former cabinet minister demanded the Government protect family counselling from cuts.

Ex-pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith accused officials of planning a raid on the funding, which he said would be a retrograde step that risked increasing poverty in the UK.

Mr Duncan Smith claimed counselling is a service not much understood, or even cared about by people forming opinion and taking decisions.

Writing for the grassroots ConHome website, he said it had been successful at keeping families together, adding that the consequences of failing to do so are enormous in terms of its effect on the wellbeing of the nation.

He went on: Yet as we run towards the budget, I am told that the Government is reviewing this commitment, with civil servants tasked with drawing up plans to cut the existing funding going to marriage guidance and other relationship counselling.

I strongly believe this would be a retrograde step as the already damaging effects of family breakdown would only get worse without such support.

Since early 2016, the former Tory leaders views have been at the forefront of other rows between the Tory leadership and Conservative backbenchers, including those over cuts to disability benefits and the Universal Credit  though as a minister since 2010 he oversaw deep cuts to welfare himself.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA

Mr Duncan Smith said that following reports of officials planning cuts to the funding, he is worried that we may be about to head in the wrong direction.

This is why I urge my colleagues that instead of looking to reduce such investment in this budget, we should look to increase the reach of such services, for the wellbeing not just of those families directly affected but of the whole country.

A Government spokesperson said: Mounting evidence shows the damaging effect parental conflict has on children, which is why we remain committed to supporting parents, whether separated or not, to work together.

His intervention comes ahead of Chancellor Philip Hammonds budget later this year in which he will set out how he will continue his drive to reduce the deficit, despite a number of new constraints.

Mr Hammond must reduce spending despite being forced to find money extra money for Northern Ireland to ensure the unionist DUP party keep its promise to vote with the Government, which lacks a majority in the House of Commons since the election.

He has also dropped plans for changes to the National Insurance Contributions system and to scrap the pensions triple lock and other items of welfare spending, which could have freed up money for him to play with.
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Theresa May has been forced to insist she has full confidence in Boris Johnson amid claims the Foreign Secretary is viewed as a joke on the world stage.

Number 10 said the Prime Minister had a good relationship with her Cabinet colleague in response to reports that he had lost the respect of allies at home and abroad.

A highly critical column in The Times cited concerns from diplomatic sources that White House officials dont want to go anywhere near Boris because they think hes a joke.

Intelligence chiefs were also said to be wary of sharing sensitive information with the Foreign Secretary, while civil servants were horrified by his lack of discipline and prefer to deal with junior Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan.

Responding to the claims, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: "I'm not going to comment on a column in a newspaper.

"But the Prime Minister meets the Foreign Secretary regularly and they have a good relationship."

Asked if Mr Johnson had the confidence of his European counterparts, she said: "The Prime Minister has a good relationship with Boris Johnson, has full confidence in him and he's doing a good job."

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA

Mr Johnson was described as the Wheres Wally of international diplomacy in the piece by journalist Rachel Sylvester, where she suggested he was condemning the UK to irrelevance by proxy.

Political strategists and leading business figures in the US had approached her to ask Why has your prime minister appointed a fool as foreign secretary?, the newspaper said.

An unnamed minister also said: "It's worse in Europe. There is not a single foreign minister there who takes him seriously. They think he's a clown who can never resist a gag."

The criticism comes says after a senior diplomat accused Mr Johnson of being a Trump apologist, condemning his failure to speak out on global issues such as conflict in Venezuela and the nuclear threat in North Korea.

Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, the former head of the diplomatic service and the architect of Article 50, wrote in the London Evening Standard: Keeping our heads down isnt always wrong.

But a policy of always doing so risks seeming ignominious. And it devalues the prospect of continued foreign policy cooperation which should be a card in our Brexit hand.

I dont believe the Foreign Office has lost all the necessary expertise. I do wonder if the Foreign Secretary has a taste for the necessary application.
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Theresa May has said she is outraged by after North Korea fired a missile over a Japanese Island, sending panicked residents running for shelter.

The Prime Minister, who is heading for Japan on an official visit tomorrow, branded the latest act of aggression from the pariah state as a reckless provocation.

The rocket flew over the Island of Hokkaido at around 6am local time on Tuesday before crashing into the sea.

A statement from Downing Street said: The Prime Minister is outraged by North Koreas reckless provocation and she strongly condemns these illegal tests.

Number 10 has said that none of her travel plans have changed in the wake of the missile test after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also expressed his outrage.

Japanese officials said the missile flew over northern Japan, separated into three parts and landed in the Pacific Ocean, causing no damage to ships or anything else .

The launch comes amid heightened tension in East Asia after North Korea threatened to fire missiles towards the American territory of Guam. Pyongyang has also expressed anger at joint US-South Korea military exercises.

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

Residents found out about the emergency when loudspeakers and sirens went off, with the Japanese government warning: A missile was fired from North Korea. Please evacuate to a sturdy building or basement.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said: North Koreas reckless action is an unprecedented, serious and a grave threat to our nation.

South Korea later dropped bombs near the border with its neighbour and threatened to target North Koreas leadership if its citizens are threatened.
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The man suspected of firing a gun into a crowd of counter-protestors at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia has been arrested, Charlottesville police confirmed.

The man, identified as Maryland resident Richard Wilson Preston, has been charged with discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school  a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. He is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Centre, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Police believe Mr Preston is the man who was caught on video shooting at counter-protesters at the rally.

Recommended Charlottesville white supremacist surrenders to police

A video tweeted by the ACLU of Virginia shows a white-haired man descending the steps of Emancipation Park, where the rally was held. He passes by a group of counter-protestors, some of whom yell at the rally attendees to go home". One counter-protestor appears to throw an object at them.

The man identified by police as Mr Preston turns to the crowd and draws his weapon, yelling, Hey n*****! Someone in the crowd warns others to get down.

The man lowers his weapon, then raises it again and appears to fire one shot into the crowd. As he walks away, someone in the crowd cries: That was a gunshot!

The video also shows Virginia State Police troopers standing about 50 feet away. The officers do not appear to react to the gunshot.

Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller told CNN the officers did not witness the incident or hear the gunshot.

"Had any one of our troopers witnessed that incident, they would have immediately acted just as they did for the other four arrests made during the weekend," she said.

The ACLU told the Baltimore Sun they had discovered the footage while reviewing photos and videos from the rally. The group said it gave the video to the FBI on 17 August, and to local police several days later.

Mr Preston was arrested on 28 August  two days after the ACLU released the footage on Twitter. The tweet received more than 12,500 retweets.

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.

Mr Preston, 52, has been identified in news reports as an imperial wizard of the Ku Klux Klan chapter in Maryland.

In 2013, a man who identified himself as Richard Preston attended a community meeting in Cecil County, Maryland, as part of an attempt by the group repair their image.

At the meeting, Mr Preston said that the KKK was not a hate group, and had been falsely labelled as such. He said that the group only wanted to take back their country, which they felt was on the wrong path. He promised to continue speaking out about the Klan at community meetings.

"We're going to do this all over America nonstop," Mr Preston said. "We're not going to stop. We need to save America."

Charlottesville police said two more people had been arrested in connection with the rally: Daniel Patrick Borden and Alex Michael Ramos. Both were charged with malicious wounding.

One prominent rally participant, Christopher Cantwell, was arrested earlier this month on charges of malicious bodily injury and illegal use of tear gas. He was denied bail last week.

James Alex Fields Jr, the man accused of hitting and killing a counter-protester with his car, remains in jail on charges including second-degree murder.
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Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has introduced a bill to legalise gay marriage, the latest in a series of recent reforms in a country long regarded as one of Latin Americas most socially conservative.

Bachelet signed the proposal, which will be sent to lawmakers, at a ceremony in the presidential palace. She said the measure seeks to expand the definition of marriage between a man and a woman and would also expand rights for gay couples, allowing them to adopt children.

We cant let old prejudices be stronger than love, Bachelet said.

Chile approved civil unions for same-sex couples in 2015 and decriminalised gay sex in 1999. The bill comes a week after Chiles Constitutional Court upheld a measure that would end the countrys absolute ban on abortions.

Civil unions have been recognised in several South American countries, though only Argentina and Uruguay have codified same-sex marriage. Gay marriage has also been legalised in Brazil and Colombia under court rulings.

Its unlikely Bachelet will be able to push the measure through Congress before she ends her term in March 2018. But gay right advocates celebrated the decision as an important step toward full rights.

Its the beginning of the end of discrimination based on sexual orientation to access marriage, said Luis Larrain, founder of the Iguales Foundation.

LGBT+ rights around the globe Show all 9 1 /9 LGBT+ rights around the globe LGBT+ rights around the globe Russia Russias antipathy towards homosexuality has been well established following the efforts of human rights campaigners. However, while it is legal to be homosexual, LGBT couples are offered no protections from discrimination. They are also actively discriminated against by a 2013 law criminalising LGBT propaganda allowing the arrest of numerous Russian LGBT activists. AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Brunei Brunei recently introduced a law to make sodomy punishable by stoning to death. It was already illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Mauritania Men who are found having sex with other men face stoning, while lesbians can be imprisoned, under Sharia law. However, the state has reportedly not executed anyone for this crime since 1987 Alamy LGBT+ rights around the globe Sudan Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Sudanese law. Men can be executed on their third offence, women on their fourth Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Saudi Arabia Homosexuality and gender realignment is illegal and punishable by death, imprisonment, whipping and chemical castration Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Yemen The official position within the country is that there are no gays. LGBT inviduals, if discovered by the government, are likely to face intense pressure. Punishments range from flogging to the death penalty Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Nigeria Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal and in some northern states punishable with death by stoning. This is not a policy enacted across the entire country, although there is a prevalent anti-LGBT agenda pushed by the government. In 2007 a Pew survey established that 97% of the population felt that homosexuality should not be accepted. It is punishable by 14 years in prison Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Somalia Homosexuality was established as a crime in 1888 and under new Somali Penal Code established in 1973 homosexual sex can be punishable by three years in prison. A person can be put to death for being a homosexual Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Iraq Although same-sex relationships have been decriminalised, much of the population still suffer from intense discrimination. Additionally, in some of the country over-run by the extremist organisation Isis, LGBT individuals can face death by stoning Getty

This day will be remembered as much as the day when women were granted the right to vote, slaves were freed or children born out of wedlock were granted the same rights.

AP
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President Donald Trump has offered a fiery defence of his decision to pardon Joe Arpaio, the former Arizona sheriff, as Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas last week  and claimed he timed it to attract maximum attention as television viewers were glued to storm coverage.

Trump, who said his action was no worse than late-term pardons issued under the last two Democratic Presidents, also suggested that the Justice Department had political motives during the Obama administration for charging the former Maricopa County sheriff in a case concerning his illegal profiling of Hispanics. Arpaio was convicted last month of criminal contempt for his tactics in hunting down and jailing immigrants living in the country illegally, but he was pardoned before his sentencing.

I thought he was treated unbelievably unfairly, Trump said during a joint news conference with President Sauli Niinisto of Finland in the East Room of the White House. The President and Arpaio share a hard line on illegal immigration and unapologetic support of the police, and the former sheriff was an ardent backer of Trumps campaign last year.

A lot of people think it was the right thing to do, Trump said Monday of the pardon. Actually, in the middle of a hurricane, even though it was a Friday evening, I assumed the ratings would be far higher than they were normally.

He rattled off a prepared list of people who were pardoned by previous Presidents, homing in on Bill Clintons pardoning of Democratic donor Marc Rich and Barack Obamas commutation of Chelsea Mannings sentence, which cut short a 35-year term she received for leaking secret government documents while serving as a low-level Army intelligence analyst. Manning ultimately served seven years of her sentence before she was released in May.

I stand by my pardon of Sheriff Joe, Trump said.

Trump has been criticised for bypassing the typical Justice Department review process before granting the pardon to Arpaio. Months ago, the president asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Donald F. McGahn II, the White House counsel, if Arpaios case could be dropped. He was told that it could not be, but that Trump was well within his presidential authority to pardon Arpaio.

Arpaio, 85, served for 24 years as sheriff of Maricopa County. He built a national reputation for harsh conditions in his county jail, and for cracking down against unauthorised immigrants. He lost a re-election bid for a seventh term last year, promptly blaming the Obama administration for the criminal contempt charges that were filed against him on 26 October for persisting with profiling Latinos.

He would have won the election, but they just hammered him just before the election, Trump said. I thought this was a very, very unfair thing to do.

During the news conference, Trump also pledged the federal governments full support to residents of Texas and Louisiana who are being battered by Harvey, which has since been downgraded to a tropical storm. Promising quick delivery of a multibillion-dollar aid package to the storms victims, the President said, We are 100 percent with you.

He spoke as rains from Harvey continued to pound the Houston area, stranding thousands of residents in waters that were expected to keep rising. Trump plans to travel Tuesday to Corpus Christi, Texas, to survey the damage and storm response. He promised rapid action on securing emergency funding to address the damage, saying he planned to move quickly  and he expected Congress to do so, as well.

You see such incredible work and love and teamwork, said Trump, summoning a message of unity after a period in which his response to racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, had been called divisive. We are one American family. We hurt together, we struggle together and, believe me, we endure together.

Trump offered his condolences to Niinisto for an 18 August attack by a knife-wielding man that killed two people in the town of Turku in western Finland. Trump sidestepped a question about whether he considers Russia  which held military exercises last month in the Baltic Sea  a threat.

Trump said that many countries are a threat, and that I hope that we do have good relations with Russia.

The New York Times reported Monday that one of the presidents business associates promised in 2015 to engineer a real estate deal  which would help Trump win the election  with the aid of President Vladimir Putin of Russia.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

I say it loud and clear, Ive been saying it for years: I think its a good thing if we have great relationships or at least good relationships with Russia, Trump said. Thats very important.

Niinisto skirted a question about whether he had advised Trump on security threats Russia may pose. We are not feeling ourselves as advisers, but we are feeling ourselves as doing all what is possible to maintain peace, Niinisto said.

The New York Times
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A seven-year-old girl is recovering after being choked and thrown off a bridge into a lake in Massachusetts, police have said.

The girl was at a family party at her grandparents house in Worcester when she was taken at around 2.30am on Sunday without permission from her parents.

She was then put into a car, choked and thrown off a bridge into the 85ft-deep Lake Quinsigamond, but the child survived the drop and was able to swim to shore.

The girl was found by the lake in the town of Shrewsbury with visible but not life-threatening injuries.

A 35-year-old man, Joshua Hubert, reportedly a friend of the family, has been arrested and charged with kidnapping. He denies the allegations.

He was arraigned Monday in Worcester District Court and ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing.

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

Worcester county district attorney Joseph Early told WCVB: Fortunately, a greater tragedy was averted.

The young victim had the strength to make it to shore and get help. I want to thank the resident who answered the door and helped the girl."
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A toddler fatally injured herself while her mother took drugs in the front seat, prosecutors in New Jersey have alleged.

Deanna Joseph, 39, was in the front of the vehicle as her two-year-old daughter sat in a car seat in the back.

"It appeared the child was confined in a car seat for an extended period of time while the mother was under the influence of drugs, and may have injured herself in the car seat," Salem County Prosecutor John T Lenahan said.

After noticing her daughter was unresponsive, she called for an ambulance.

Officers found the child in the car with the engine still running, Mr Lenahan said.

The exact cause of death is yet to be determined.

Ms Joseph has been charged with second-degree child endangerment and will stand trial at Superior court in Salem.

She could face a 10-year prison sentence if convicted.

Ms Joseph was arrested in 2014 after being found unresponsive in an apartment while her infant son bathed in water nearby. She was sentenced to a year in prison.

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

She was also arrested in 2008 after her children aged two and 11 were found alone at home, according to a Burlington County Times report at the time.

The children were found in the house after police discovered Ms Joseph on drugs in a car park.

She was convicted of cruelty and child neglect and sentenced to five years probation. The children were taken into temporary state custody.
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Thousands in Houston are still stranded or displaced by the rain and wrath of tropical storm Harvey, but a floating menace may add to that despair.

People are reporting large colonies of fire ants floating on the rising waters that have destroyed homes and property, swept cars and people away, and pushed flood levels to record levels. And, just like those floodwaters, its a good idea to stay away from the ants, which are known for their painful bites.

They use the wax together on their bodies to keep the queen and other members of the colony in the middle of the ball dry so they dont suffocate, Mike Merchant, an entomology specialist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, told Wired.

Recommended Florida professor fired for suggesting Texas deserved Harvey

As it turns out, individual fire ants have a slight resistance to water already, but when they band together they can create a terrifying red mass on the surface of water. Once in formation, the ants will move around to prevent individual drownings.

At least 14 people have died in the wake of Harvey, including a family of six who drowned trying to seek safety in the storm. They died after a van being used to conduct a rescue was swept away by strong currents. The bodies werent immediately recovered, since the Coast Guard had determined they wouldnt search for bodies until the water recedes. The father of the four minors who died then wasnt immediately notified of the deaths by surviving family, and he is currently in prison for violating parole.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

Rain is still threatening much of the city, and has forced the Army Corps of Engineers to engage in planned releases of water from the citys major reservoirs. Those reservoirs have reached record water levels as a result of Harvey, and the planned releases is sending water, potentially, into residential areas.
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As tropical storm Harvey hit Texas with devastating floods, a group of young Muslim men hit the streets to help their neighbours.

More than 100 members of Muslim Youth USA, and 40 members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, passed out food, water, and other supplies in Houston, according to organisers. Both groups expect to gain more volunteers from surrounding cities when the roadways open up.

Madeel Abdullah, director of humanitarian affairs for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, said more than 700 members of his organisation have been affected by the storm. But the volunteers, he said, are "helping anybody else thats in distress".

"Weve already provided basic supplies such as food items and water bottles," Mr Abdullah told The Independent, "and we have a few members who have boats who are going around making sure everyone is safe."

Both youth groups were assisted by Humanity First, an Ahmadiyya Muslim charity dedicated to disaster relief. First founded in England, the charity has expanded to more than 40 countries in the last 25 years.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community spokesman Qasim Rashid told The Independent the groups had mobilised both their local and national chapters before hurricane Harvey even began. They started sending volunteers into Houston neighbourhoods as early as Sunday  just two days after the storm first hit.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

All three groups identify as Ahmadiyya Muslim  an embattled branch of Islam that originated in India in the 19th century.

According to Mr Rashid, the groups follow the teachings of Caliph Mirza Masroor Ahmad, who preaches empathy for their fellow Americans.

Your faith as Muslims and your identity as Americans needs to hold you accountable, Mr Rashid said the Caliph told them. Whenever your fellow Americans are in need, you need to be the first ones on the ground to help them.

Volunteers pass out supplies in Houston during tropical storm Harvey (Courtesy Muslim Youth USA)

To that end, Humanity First USA has aided recovery efforts in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina, in New York after hurricane Sandy, and in Texas after hurricane Rita. So far, they have raised more than $18,000 to benefit the victims of hurricane Harvey.

It's a notable feat for a Muslim charity, in a year in which anti-Muslim hate crimes have spiked 91 per cent and the President has proposed a so-called "Muslim travel ban". But Mr Rashid said hes seen no drop-off in enthusiasm.

If anything, it has had the opposite effect that people might think, he said of the current political climate. If anything its emboldened our youth to work even harder to exemplify what Islam means.
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A Houston Police officer has drowned in the flood waters from tropical storm Harvey, officials confirmed.

Sergeant Steve Perez was driving to work in downtown Houston early Sunday morning when he made a wrong turn and became trapped in floodwaters covering the road, Police Chief Art Acevedo said. He attempted to get out of his car and escape, but failed.

Mr Perez had worked for the department for more than 30 years, and was just two days shy of his 60th birthday when he died. Mr Acevedo said the officers wife and father-in-law had tried to stop him from going to work, but he persisted.

Recommended Major Houston dam is overspilling as Storm Harvey fills reservoir

Ive got work to do, he reportedly told them.

Officials said Mr Perez drove around for more than two hours trying to find a path to his work station. When he couldnt find one, he called his command centre and asked to report to the closest station instead. But the officer never reported for duty.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

Officers began searching for Mr Perez on Monday, after his wife confirmed that she had not heard from him either. A dive team found his body under a highway overpass on Tuesday morning.

He laid down his life, a visibly emotional Mr Acevedo said. He was a sweet, gentle public servant.

Funeral arrangements will be delayed until the crisis in Houston has ended.

Houston's streets have been flooded with record-breaking rainfall due to Harvey, which touched down on the eastern Texas coastline on Friday. More than two feet of rain fell over the weekend  half of the total expected rainfall for the entire year.

The flooding has driven tens of thousands of people from their homes.

Houston police officers have rescued at least 3,400 people since the storm started, Police Chief Art Acevedo said on Monday. He added that more than 160 police officers' families had been affected by the storm. Many of the officers remain on the job.

The US Coast Guard had rescued an additional 3,000 people, according to Coast Guard Lieutenant Mike Hart. Mr Hart said the Guard is receiving upwards of 1,000 calls per hour.

The Harris County Sheriff's department has reported 14 people killed in the storm thus far. The police officer's death would bring that total to 15.
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New Jersey and New York City have dispatched search and rescue teams to Texas who have experience with Superstorm Sandy.

Hurricane Harvey, which made landfall on the Gulf of Mexico coast on 25 August, has dumped up to 40 in (102 cm) of rain in some areas and flooded several parts of the Houston metropolitan area.

In 2012, the Atlantic coast of New Jersey and southern New York were slammed with Sandy and received aid and rescue help from several states and the federal government.

Recommended Seven ways to help victims of Hurricane Harvey

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was particularly appreciative of the help and announced that NJ Task Force 1, comprised of police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel - are in Katy, Texas, a suburb approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) west of Houston.

"As Americans, we come together during times of crisis and today New Jerseys heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the people of Texas at this very difficult time...During superstorm Sandy, emergency and law enforcement response contingents from around the country came to our aid," Mr Christie said in a statement.

The team - part of the National Urban Search & Rescue Response System - were originally supposed to go to San Antonio, Texas but have been re-routed due to road closures.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is also sending 120 emergency personnel to Texas from the Fire Department's Incident Management Team and the Urban Search and Rescue Rapid Response Team.

We are set up for all types of rescues, including swiftwater rescues. We have a compilation of tools that include boats, motors, dry suits, rescue equipment for collapsed structures, rope equipment for confined spaces, and a large compilation of Haz-Mat equipment and tools," said the Fire Department's Jack Flatley who leads the team.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also deployed the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York National Guard to Texas and Louisiana with boats, helicopters, and personnel.

Members of the so-called Cajun Navy, a group of Louisiana civilians with experience during the deadly 2005 Hurricane Katrina, made the journey to Texas with their small boats and watercraft and have made several rescues to assist overwhelmed local authorities.

 'I didn't think I was going to make it': The Independent speaks to Harvey survivours

After Sandy, 20 Republican members of Congress and both Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz were against the 2013 Congressional relief package for victims of the disaster in the New York and New Jersey area.

Much of the devastation of Harvey will have to wait to be assessed until unrelenting rainfall stops, but it is expected to be the costliest natural disaster in American history. Much of the damage has ocurred outside of a flood insurance zone, prompting the need for another relief package vote when Congress comes back into session in early September.
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The death toll from Hurricane Harvey has risen to 15, as a family of six are believed to have been killed as they tried to escape unprecedented flooding in the Texan city of Houston.

Relatives said four children and their two great-grandparents are presumed dead after the van they were trying to flee in was swept into a river and sank.

Samuel Saldivar, the childrens great-uncle who was driving the van, managed to escape but Manuel Saldivar, 84, his wife Belia, 81, Devy Saldivar, 16, Dominic Saldivar, 14, Xavier Saldivar, 8, Daisy Saldivar, 6, are all believed to have died.

The drivers sister-in-law, Virginia Saldivar, said Samuel had phoned her husband to tell them the van had been swept away by the flood waters while crossing a bridge.

"Sam calls my husband and tells him: 'They're gone," she said. "That's when my husband dropped the phone and started screaming.

"I'm just hoping we find the bodies."

Samuel is believed to have told the children to open the back door of the van in order to escape but they were unable to do so before it sank.

The Pasadena Independent School District paid tribute to the children on its Facebook page.

It said: "Pasadena ISD's heart is heavy as we have learned that four Pasadena ISD students and two of their great-grand parents were swept away by the floodwaters of Greens Bayou while trying to escape the floodwaters of Harvey.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, the Pasadena High School and Williams Elementary Communities during this most difficult time. Our deepest sympathy for the family.

A Houston police officer also drowned in his patrol car after becoming trapped.

Officials expect the number to rise once waters recede and further searches are conducted.

Around 6,200 people are currently staying in shelters, having been evacuated from their homes as floods devastated the area and it is thought that a further 30,000 people could need to be given emergency accommodation.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

Rescue shelters are reportedly overflowing and officials are desperately seeking alternative venues to house people who have been displaced.

The region received 30 inches of rain in just two days and had a years worth of precipitation dumped on it in the space of one week.

Harvey is the most powerful storm to hit Texas in 50 years. Officials warned the extreme weather is set to continue, although the worst is expected to move eastwards towards the state of Louisiana.

Donald Trump is due to visit Texas to survey the damage.

The US President has promised the area will be given the money it needs to recover, but he was criticised for scrapping flood defence measures just says before the hurricane hit.
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With many ways to help the tens of thousands of people estimated to be temporarily displaced by surging floodwaters brought by Hurricane Harvey, some are asking people to donate - but to be choosy about where they spend the money.

As former President Barack Obama - as well as celebrities and local leaders - encourage donations to the American Red Cross, others on social media are telling donors to give elsewhere, criticising the leading disaster-relief organisation for its response to recent natural disasters, particularly the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

That sentiment has been shared in the past - following investigations by NPR and ProPublica, which revealed how the Red Cross bungled its response in Haiti.

Recommended Muslim youth group helps Houston residents during Harvey

It's heartbreaking because I know how seriously the Red Cross takes its responsibility, Red Cross spokeswoman Bristel Minsker told The Washington Post about the continued backlash.

Minsker said on Monday that when people donate to the Red Cross, the humanitarian organisation absolutely honours the intent of their donations and makes sure the donations are spent wisely to provide people in need with safe shelter, hot meals and health care.

But not everyone agrees with that.

People were urging donors Monday to seek out churches and local organisations, saying, Please don't donate money to the Red Cross! Houston will never see it.

For the umpteenth time, one person wrote, don't give red cross your money. Find grassroots efforts so people can actually get helped.

They don't help and pocket majority of your money, another said. Very little if any goes to those that need it.

Any recs for where to donate to Harvey relief? another person asked. Red Cross is out but I don't know which local charities are on the ground & doing good work.

Over the weekend, Dan Gillmor, author and professor at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, also advised people on Twitter not to give money to the organisation.

The Red Cross said on Sunday that it had set up 34 shelters in Texas, where the hurricane hit the Texas coast on Friday, sending wind, rain and roaring floodwaters across parts of the state.

Minsker, the Red Cross spokeswoman in Austin, said some 6,000 people stayed in shelters on Sunday night and that the organisation is prepared to house up to 30,000 estimated to be displaced by the storm because many people aren't going to have a home to go back to when the floodwaters subside.

Asked how much money the Red Cross had raised so far for Harvey relief efforts, she said those figures are not yet available.

The size of this disaster is so huge, we've been focused on providing immediate needs to people, especially shelters, she said.

Brad Kieserman, who is coordinating disaster relief efforts in Texas for the Red Cross, said the destruction is overwhelming.

The situation feels, I think, as well managed as any situation like this could be, he told NPR on Monday. I mean, the very definition of catastrophe is when the very capability and capacity you need to respond has been destroyed or deeply affected by the thing you're responding to, and that's what's happened here. Everyone who is involved in this response is coordinating and cooperating, but it is overwhelming.

Kieserman said Harvey has turned Southeast Texas into an inland lake the size of Lake Michigan, and the greatest challenge right now is that workers can't get around because of the floodwaters.

This is, in my career, the most catastrophic event I have seen, he said. The hurricane came in. It brought all of these winds and storm surge and rain and now we're going to deal with 50 inches of flooding, basically turning the entire southeast portion of the state into an inland lake. We're going to deal with rivers out of their banks for weeks, massive destruction, structural damage to homes, and I think we're going to have an incredible long-term housing challenge.

As The Washington Post's Peter Holley reported last year, a 2015 NPR and ProPublica investigation revealed that the Red Cross had only built six permanent homes in Haiti even though it had collected almost a half-billion dollars in donations. The year before, the news organisations published a report about Red Cross's response to hurricanes Isaac and Sandy.

They reported:

After both storms, the charity's problems left some victims in dire circumstances or vulnerable to harm, the organisation's internal assessments acknowledge. Handicapped victims 'slept in their wheelchairs for days' because the charity had not secured proper cots. In one shelter, sex offenders were 'all over including playing in children's area' because Red Cross staff 'didn't know/follow procedures.'

According to interviews and documents, the Red Cross lacked basic supplies like food, blankets and batteries to distribute to victims in the days just after the storms. Sometimes, even when supplies were plentiful, they went to waste. In one case, the Red Cross had to throw out tens of thousands of meals because it couldn't find the people who needed them.

The Red Cross marshalled an army of volunteers, but many were misdirected by the charity's managers. Some were ordered to stay in Tampa long after it became clear that Isaac would bypass the city. After Sandy, volunteers wandered the streets of New York in search of stricken neighbourhoods, lost because they had not been given GPS equipment to guide them.

The scepticism was shared again in 2016 as Hurricane Matthew hurled toward Haiti.

American Red Cross President and chief executive Gail McGovern responded in a blog post on HuffPost at the time, acknowledging the persistent myths circulating online about the Red Cross response in Haiti.

The most persistent myth is that the American Red Cross 'raised half a billion dollars for Haiti and built six homes.' This was the misleading headline of a story written by ProPublica and NPR in 2015, she wrote.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

It creates the false impression that the only thing the American Red Cross did with $488m in donor money was to build six homes - when, in fact, we have funded 100 different humanitarian aid projects in Haiti, she continued, adding: It would be a shame if myths circulated online by people who want to help Haiti, actually end up hurting relief efforts.

On Monday, Minsker, with the Red Cross, further criticised the claims, arguing that all of the donations had either been spent or were committed to be spent there.

The Washington Post
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Almost as soon as the water began seeping into the assisted-living centre in Dickinson, Texas, Susan Bobrick knew about it.

Bobrick, of Houston, has a sister who lives there, and an employee of the centre, La Vita Bella, called residents relatives to alert them that water was reaching into the single-storey building.

That was a couple of hours before dawn on Sunday, when the water inside was less than one inch deep. Bobrick, 68, said she was told that emergency responders had instructed staff members and residents to stay put. But as the day went on, the water continued to rise.

Bobrick said she wanted to help but felt trapped in her home in Houston. A storm was surging around her, and anyway, she couldnt get to Dickinson  a city in the southern reaches of the Houston metropolitan area  even if she tried.

Because the roads are flooded, theyre like lakes, she said. So it was just, literally, sit here and worry and worry: How high is this water?

Recommended Professor says Texans deserve Hurricane Harvey for voting for Trump

Bobrick got a glimpse inside La Vita Bella after an image was posted on social media.

The photo offered a disconcerting tableau that at first glance was hard to believe: It appeared to show a room inside the centre, with an old popcorn machine, a black-and-white cat, a lamp and a table with bottles of water. Several residents appeared calm in their wheelchairs and armchairs.

But all of them were waist-high in murky water.

A Twitter user, Timothy J. McIntosh, posted the image on Sunday morning. Other Twitter users expressed shock, and some said the image was fake.

McIntosh insisted it was real.

He wrote on Twitter that he was in Florida and that the image involved his family. He did not respond to requests for comment Sunday, but he told The Daily News, a Galveston County newspaper, that his wifes mother owned La Vita Bella and had taken the picture.

The image gained widespread attention on social media, where thousands of people shared it, and many sought help from emergency responders and local news outlets.

Bobrick first saw it in a text message from her daughter. There in the background, she recognised her sister, Ruth, whose family declined to share her last name to protect her privacy.

Bobrick said Ruth, 64, had a blanket draped over her shoulder.

That is my sister, she said. And she has a long-term head injury from a drunk driver, who hit her when she was 19-years-old.

Bobrick said she had no doubts about the photos authenticity; she recognised the centre and the level of flooding matched what she had already learned.

They did look sort of calm in that photo, she said. But at this point in time they had been in that water for several hours. When you get people that are in wheelchairs, or cannot get around, or they have walkers, if the water kept coming up, what were they going to do?

On Sunday afternoon, Bobrick said, a centre employee called with good news: An evacuation was underway and the residents  more than a dozen  were being relocated.

Ken Clark, a Galveston County commissioner, confirmed Sunday that the residents had been rescued, although he could not say for sure how many.

He said the furore over the photo was not what brought emergency responders to the scene.

We knew about it before it hit social media, he said. We were working on a solution for the nursing home, and it was in progress, so social media can sometimes leave one with the wrong impression.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

Bobrick said she was glad that the photo was posted online because it might have prompted a quicker response. She added that she was saddened by the other desperate situations she had seen on social media  photographs of people trapped on roofs or struggling with small children.

Its tough here right now, she said.

The New York Times
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Better known as a major producer of Budweiser, the Anheuser-Buschs brewery in Cartersville, Georgia, has begun delivering drinking water in response to the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Harvey.

More than 155,000 thousand cans have been produced by the international supplier, with a truckload arriving in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, yesterday. Two more are scheduled to arrive in Arlington, Texas, in the coming days.

The Cartersville brewery occasionally halts production to stockpile emergency drinking water; this supply was ready to ship when the American Red Cross issued an urgent request for assistance for those affected by the hurricane.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

With logistics and distribution systems in place for more conventional situations, the brewer required little notice to put the plan into action. Putting our production and logistics strengths to work by providing safe, clean drinking water is the best way we can help in these situations said Bill Bradley, Anheuser-Buschs Vice President for Community Affairs.

After the storm hit Texas on Saturday, with widespread flooding winds of more than 100 mph, more than 6000 people are reported to have sought refuge in shelters over the weekend, with that figure thought to be a serious underestimate. The Red Cross has supplies for 34,000 people on the ground, with provisions for 18,000 more en route - although there has been controversy over the NGO's suitability for donations.

Anheuser-Busch has three facilities in the Houston area, with 1100 employees. All are thought to be safe.
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A professor at the University of Tampa has apologised for posting a tweet suggesting Texas victims of Hurricane Harvey deserved the storm because the state supported Donald Trump in the presidential election.

Ken Storey, a professor of sociology, wrote on Twitter: I dont believe in instant karma but this kinda feels like it for Texas. Hopefully this will help them realise the GOP doesnt care about them.

The tweet was later removed, according to Campus Reform.

Mr Storey issued an apology on Monday afternoon, tweeting he "never meant to wish ill will upon any group".

Eric Cardenas, director of public information at the University of Tampa, issued a statement to Fox News about the incident.

The University of Tampa stands in solidarity with the people impacted by Hurricane Harvey, and our thoughts and prayers are with all involved.

The comments made by Kenneth Storey were made via his private social media account. They were not made within his capacity as a faculty member, and they dont represent the Universitys views.

The University of Tampa condemns these comments and the sentiment behind them. Storey has publicly apologised for his comments.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

At least nine people are reported to have died as a result of Hurricane Harvey, the worst storm to strike the US in 12 years.

More than 3,000 people have been rescued in Houston and the surrounding area since the storm hit, with thousands still waiting to be picked up.
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A megachurch in Houston closed its doors in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, which has caused catastrophic flooding and forced thousands to leave their homes.

An announcement on Facebook said Pastor Joel Osteens Lakewood Church had shut due to the storm and asked people to pray for those affected.

Lakewood Church is inaccessible due to severe flooding! We want to help make sure you are safe, the post read.

It included a list of resources for those affected by the storm, including the addresses for temporary shelters.

But some responded sceptically to the Facebook post, questioning why one of the largest churches in the US - including a 16,000-seat arena - was not able to take in victims of Harvey.

Emily Timbol, an author who has written critically about homophobic views among conservative Christians, tweeted: It doesn't make sense why you're not opening up your mega church to house Houston citizens, help me understand that. Jesus.

Others criticised televangelist Mr Osteen for not opening up his $10 million home in the upscale area of River Oaks to those desperately seeking shelter.

Shame on Joel Osteen, one person tweeted. Jesus would open the doors and care for the needy.

Mr Osteen responded to the criticism in a statement quoted by ABC and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

We have never closed our doors. We will continue to be a distribution center to those in need. We are prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity. Lakewood will be a value to the community in the aftermath of this storm.

Others pointed out that mosques in the region are still open and offering people shelter, including the Islamic Society of Greater Houstons 21 centres.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

If you went to @JoelOsteen's church for shelter & found it closed, don't worry, the Islamic Society of Greater Houston's 21 mosques are open, the @altNOAA account posted on Twitter.

More than 3,000 people have been rescued in Houston and the surrounding area since the storm hit, with many still waiting to be picked up.

At least nine people are reported to have died as a result of Hurricane Harvey, the worst storm to strike the US in 12 years.
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Amid demands to remove Confederate statues across the country, cries have grown louder to dismantle monuments to J. Marion Sims, the "father of gynecology," a white 19th-century doctor who performed surgical experiments on enslaved black women without anesthesia.

Over the weekend, a Sims statue in New York City, where he established the first hospital for women in 1855, was vandalized. "RACIST" was spray-painted on the Central Park monument, and splotches of red paint were used to deface the statue's eyes and neck.

The city is considering whether to remove the statue, the site of an Aug. 19th protest, as part of a 90-day review of "symbols of hate" on city property, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last week. The memorial was denounced by New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, who described Sims's work as "repugnant and reprehensible" and a "stain on our nation's history." The New York Academy of Medicine reissued its statement calling for the statue's removal.

Sims, who practiced medicine in Alabama from 1835 to 1849 before moving to New York, invented the speculum and other instruments still in use today. He pioneered surgery for fistula, a condition that left women incontinent after giving birth; historians say the treatment revolutionized the field of gynecology. He also performed the first successful gallbladder surgery and the first successful artificial insemination.

But to make those advances, Sims performed experimental surgeries on enslaved women, raising disturbing ethical questions. His legacy has long been questioned by those who believe he used black women as medical guinea pigs without their consent.

Protesters have demanded removal of a monument to Sims on the capitol grounds in Columbia, South Carolina, the state where Sims was born. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin (D), the city's first African American leader, told Chris Matthews during an interview on MSNBC that he is more offended by the statue of Sims on the capitol grounds than any Confederate memorial. The state health department building is also named in his honor.

A statue of Sims also stands on the capitol grounds in Montgomery, Alabama. In 2005, a painting entitled "Medical Giants of Alabama" that depicted Sims and other white men standing over a partially clothed black patient was removed from the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Center for Advanced Medical Studies because of complaints from people offended by it.

According to a 2006 Washington Post article: "Anarcha Wescott, Sims's patient in the painting, endured 30 surgeries as Sims worked to perfect the technique. She was among about a dozen slaves on whom Sims operated repeatedly without anesthesia, which was just being developed and not widely used at the time. Some scholars have questioned whether the slaves gave or were capable of giving informed consent to the surgery, despite Sims's claim they eagerly sought his cures."

Sims, who was born in 1813 in Lancaster County, South Carolina, graduated in 1835 from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama. Sims opened a medical practice in Lancaster, but his practice "failed within the year after two infants under his treatment died." Sims moved to Alabama and settled in Macon County, where he began working as a doctor treating enslaved people on local plantations.

He built a hospital, Sims wrote in his autobiography, "The Story of My Life," "in the corner of my yard for taking care of my negro patients and for negro surgical cases."

The hospital, he wrote, had 16 beds - four for servants and 12 for patients. He began trying to treat fistula, a catastrophic injury from childbirth that at the time was considered incurable.

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.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, "First reports of successful repairs emerged in the literature around the mid-19th century when James Marion Sims described his technique of a transvaginal approach with the use of silver sutures and bladder drainage postoperatively."

In his autobiography, Sims described surgeries performed on enslaved patients, including Anarcha, Lucy and Betsey.

Sims wrote that he made a "proposition to owners of negroes: If you will give me Anarcha and Betsey for experiment, I agree to perform no experiment or operation on either of them to endanger their lives and will not charge a cent for keeping them, but you must pay their taxes and clothe them. I will keep them at my own expense."

He wrote that he "was very enthusiastic" and expected to cure them within six months. Anarcha was described as "a mulatto girl" about 14 years old; Lucy was described as about 18 years old and had given birth to a child "two months ago, and that since that time she had been unable to hold any water."

Lucy's bladder was destroyed, "leaving an opening between the vagina and the bladder, at least two inches in diameter or more," Sims wrote.

"That was before the days of anaesthetics, and the poor girl, on her knees, bore the operations with great heroism and bravery. I had about a dozen doctors there to witness the series of experiments that I expected to perform. All the doctors had seen my notes often and examined them, and agreed that I was on the eve of a great discovery, and every one of them was interested in seeing me operate."

 Donald Trump challenges, and cherry-picks, coverage of his Charlottesville statements at rally

Sims wrote that the operations were tedious and difficult. It took Lucy two or three months to recover. Soon after, Sims operated on Betsey. "I repeated the operation in the same way and manner as performed on Lucy with the exception of placing in the bladder a self-retaining catheter instead of the sponge. I started out very hopefully and of course, I waited anxiously for the result of the operation."

The Sims monument in New York, which is located on 5th Avenue at 103rd Street, was sculpted by Ferdinand von Miller II and dedicated Oct. 29, 1894, according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

The Black Youth Project 100, a group of social justice activists ages 18 to 35, staged the protests at the statute in New York. The activists wore hospital gowns splashed with red paint dripping down their legs.

In a Facebook post, they explained that Sims had "purchased Black women slaves and used them as guinea pigs for his untested surgical experiments. He repeatedly performed genital surgery on Black women WITHOUT ANESTHESIA because according to him, 'Black women don't feel pain.' Despite his inhumane tests on Black women, Sims was named 'the father of modern gynecology', and his statue currently stands right outside of the New York Academy of Medicine. #FightSupremacy."

Washington Post
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A man who claimed he was stabbed by a stranger because of his "neo-Nazi" haircut made up the story after accidentally cutting himself with a knife, police said.

Joshua Witt, 26, has now been arrested on false reporting charges after he admitted he lied to officers in Sheridan, Colorado, by alleging a black man had attacked him for having a haircut associated with white supremacists.

In a now-deleted Facebook post, Witt said: Soooooooo apparently I look like a neo-Nazi and got stabbed for it.

Luckily I put my hands up to stop it so he only stabbed my hand... please keep in mind there was no conversation between me and this dude I was literally just getting out of my car.

 Nazi shouts "Hey n****" and fires gunshot at counter-protester in Charlottesville

He told officers the man had approached him as he got out of his car near a burger restaurant and asked him "Are you [one] of them neo-Nazi?" before attacking him.

Witt told police his attacker was a black man in his mid 20s, who was wearing a green shirt and blue trousers and ran towards a bike path that runs along a nearby river.

However, when officers located a man who matched the description, who was homeless and lived nearby, Witt could not identify him in a line-up and he was cleared by police.

Surveillance footage taken near where Witt said he was attacked also failed to show anybody running from the scene.

But it did show Witt buying a knife at a nearby shop minutes before he was allegedly attacked.

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.

When he was re-interviewed by police, Witt admitted to accidentally cutting himself while in his car. He also admitted to making up the story about being attacked.

He was arrested and could face a fine of $2,650 (2,050) and up to one year in jail if convicted of false reporting.

Police also said there was no evidence Witt had links to any neo-Nazi or white supremacist groups.
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US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has urged for "something serious has to happen" to punish the North Korean regime for violating UN sanctions after Pyongyang launch of a missile over Japan, .

The Security Council was expected to meet late on Tuesday to discuss actions after Donald Trump announced "all options are on the table" for the US following the launch of what is believed to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) - either a KN-17 or Hwasong-12 - over the northern part of Hokkaido.

It is Pyongyang's 13th missile test this year, but the first one over a populated area in Japan - such tests are rare.

Mr Trump, who has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States, said the world had received North Korea's latest message "loud and clear".

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table," Mr Trump said in a statement.

Mr Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke and agreed that North Korea "poses a grave and growing direct threat" to the United States, Japan and South Korea, the White House said.

Ms Haley said the launch was absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible and that "enough is enough".

Ms Haley said she hoped China and Russia would continue to work with the rest of the Security Council to discuss what more can be done about North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. China and Russia typically only view a test of a long-range missile or a nuclear weapon as a trigger for further possible UN sanctions.

In pictures: North Korea military drill Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: North Korea military drill In pictures: North Korea military drill North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un watches a military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video

The Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea earlier this month after it staged two long-range missile launches in July.

Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia - responding to Mr Trump's statement - said: It's troubling, because tensions are high and whose nerves are stronger, we don't know.

China's Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the crisis was approaching a critical juncture, but it might also be a turning point to open the door to peace talks.

It was reported recently that US Intelligence officials had deduced that the isolated regime of North korean leader Kim Jong-un has developed the ability to place a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Rhetoric has been steadily escalating since. In the wake of that news, Mr Trump said Pyongyang would face fire and fury if it threatened the United States, with North Korea then threatening to fire four missiles into the sea near the US Pacific territory of Guam.

Shortly after the latest launch, South Korea - the capital of Seoul is only 193 miles (312 km) from North Korea - tested a bomb at one of its border installations. South Korea and the United States had also discussed deploying additional strategic assets on the Korean peninsula, South Korea's presidential Blue House said in a statement, without giving more details.

The latest missile fell into the sea 1,180 km (735 miles) east of Hokkaido, the Japanese government said. In many northern Japanese towns, sirens wailed and loudspeakers urged residents to take cover.

The launch was North Korea's second since US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appeared to make a peace overture last week, by welcoming what he called the restraint Pyongyang had shown by not conducting tests for several weeks. Mr Trump also expressed optimism last week about a possible improvement in relations, saying of that he was full of "respect the fact that [Mr Kim] is starting to respect us.

Having to rely on the UN to help with future action may not be entirely to Mr Trump's liking, despite repeatedly saying a diplomatic solution to the threat from North Korea was best. In the past, Mr Trump has been a fierce critic of the UN and particularly the Security Council.

This infographic, created for The Independent by statistics agency Statista, shows the types of missile North Korea possesses (Statista/The Independent)

During the 2016 campaign, Mr Trump repeatedly called the UN a "a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time".

In April he hosted the 15 member council for a rare lunch at the White House and told them he was disappointed because the UN doesnt like to take on problems" and has remained blindfolded for decades to taking action on threats like North Korea.

Richard Gowan, a UN expert with the European Council on Foreign Relations, told The Independent in April that Mr Trumps comments could actually be useful blather.

He may just scare a few Council members into being a bit more constructive in future, said Mr Gowan.

Ms Haley described August's UN sanctions to CNN as a "gut punch" to Mr Kim.

"The ball is in North Korea's court. They now have to decide where they want to go from here. We hope that they will go the route of peace and security," she said at the time.

Agencies contributed to this report.
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A missing pregnant woman who was found dead without her baby after a cruel and vicious act of depravity may have had it cut out before she was killed, police said.

Savanna Greywind was discovered hanging from a log in North Dakota's Red River by kayakers. The nursing assistant's body was wrapped in plastic.

It followed an eight day search for the 22-year-old, who disappeared afer she left the home she shared with her parents in Fargo, North Dakota to visit a neighbour and work on a sewing project.

Five days after she went missing, a two-day-old baby girl was found in her neighbour's flat and a DNA test concluded it was Ms Greywinds daughter.

Investigators suspect the labour may have been induced, or that the infant was removed from the mothers womb while she was eight-months pregnant.

Her neighbours  Brooke Crews, 38, and William Hoehn, 32  were later taken into custody and charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

It followed a huge three-day search by up to 400 people for Ms Greywind, which included groups of native Americans bussed into the area from their settlement near the border with Canada.

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

Investigators later found suspicious material at a nearby farm near the discovery and are working on the theory that Ms Greywind was killed there.

Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist said the farm where the womans body was found has an abandoned home with barns, but had not had an official address for some time.

The team that was searching, when they went to that house, they found some things that were very, very suspicious, he said. Thats what brought us here.

The discovery of the pregnant nursing assistant without her baby, triggered rumours locally in Moorhead that she may have been a victim of so-called "womb raiders".

"Nothing surprises me anymore," one resident, Bill Larson, told The StarTribune.

Recommended Rand Paul denounces Trump arming police with military gear

Fargo Police Chief David Todd gave an update on his forces investigation in an announcement on Facebook. He called the death, a cruel and vicious act of depravity.

He wrote: Brooke Crews was home during the execution of the search warrant. A newborn infant was also present in the apartment. The infant was alive and was immediately taken to a medical facility. Our investigation thus far indicates the possibility that this is Savanna Greywinds child.

The baby was found in good health and is now at a hospital under the custody of social services.

Forensics officials who performed an autopsy on Ms Greywind's remains are expected to release a preliminary report later today.
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For Jon Lubecky, the scars on his wrists are a reminder of the years he spent in mental purgatory.

He returned from an Army deployment in Iraq a broken man. He heard mortar shells and helicopters where there were none. He couldn't sleep and drank until he passed out. He got every treatment offered by Veterans Affairs for post-traumatic stress disorder. But they didn't stop him from trying to kill himself - five times.

Finally, he signed up for an experimental therapy and was given a little green capsule. The anguish stopped.

Inside that pill was a compound named MDMA, better known by dealers and rave party-goers as ecstasy. That street drug is emerging as the most promising tool to come along in years for the military's escalating PTSD epidemic.

The MDMA programme was created by a small group of psychedelic researchers who had toiled for years in the face of ridicule, funding shortages and scepticism. But the results have been so positive that this month the Food and Drug Administration deemed it a "breakthrough therapy" - setting it on a fast track for review and potential approval.

The prospect of a government-sanctioned psychedelic drug has generated both excitement and concern. And it has opened the door to scientists studying new uses for other illegal psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin (commonly known as magic mushrooms).

"We're in this odd situation where one of the most promising therapies also happens to be a Schedule 1 substance banned by the [Drug Enforcement Administration]," said retired Brigadier General Loree Sutton, who until 2010 was the highest-ranking psychiatrist in the US Army.

Because of the stigma attached to psychedelics since the trippy 1960s, many military and government leaders still hesitate to embrace them. Some scientists are also wary of the nonprofit spearheading ecstasy therapy, a group with the stated goal of making the banned drugs part of mainstream culture.

But the scope and severity of PTSD makes it all irrelevant, said Sutton, who now works as New York City's commissioner of veteran services. "If this is something that could really save lives, we need to run and not walk toward it. We need to follow the data."

PTSD has been a problem for the military for decades, but America's recent wars have pushed it to epidemic-level heights. Experts estimate between 11 and 20 percent of soldiers who served in Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from PTSD.

The affliction is typically triggered after experiencing or witnessing violence, including assault and abuse. It has ravaged lives and broken up marriages. It often leaves its victims in sudden panic and prevents them from dealing with the original trauma.

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And that last symptom is what makes PTSD particularly hard to overcome with traditional talk therapy. Because patients can't talk about and process the trauma, experts say, it lingers like a poison in their mind.

Only two drugs are approved for treating PTSD: Zoloft and Paxil. Both have proved largely ineffective when it comes to veterans, whose cases are especially difficult to resolve because of their prolonged or repeated exposure to combat.

"If you're a combat veteran with multiple tours of duty, the chance of a good response to these drugs is one in three, maybe lower," said John Krystal, chairman of psychiatry at Yale University and a director at the VA's National Center for PTSD. "That's why there's so much frustration and interest in finding something that works better."

Ecstasy has long been a favourite at trance parties and raves because of its unique ability to flood users with intense feelings of euphoria. But as a byproduct, it also reduces fear and imbues users with a deep sense of love and acceptance of themselves and others - the perfect conditions for trauma therapy.

By giving doses of MDMA at the beginning of three, eight-hour therapy sessions, researchers say they have helped chronic PTSD patients process and move past their traumas.

In clinical trials with 107 patients closely monitored by the FDA, 61 percent reported major reductions in symptoms - to the point where they no longer fit the criteria for PTSD. Follow-up studies a year later found 67 percent no longer had PTSD.

"If you were to design the perfect drug to treat PTSD, MDMA would be it," said Rick Doblin, who three decades ago founded the California nonprofit behind the clinical trials.

It is no accident that the group - the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) - chose PTSD as its argument for ending the government's ban on psychedelics.

"We wanted to help a population that would automatically win public sympathy," he said. "No one's going to argue against the need to help them."

Doblin, now 63, talks openly about his own history with drugs. He began tripping on LSD as a rebellious, long-haired college freshman in the 1970s. He says it helped him see the world and himself in new ways. He wanted to become a therapist and use psychedelics to help others achieve similar insights, but he couldn't because LSD was already banned.

"The flaw of the early psychedelic movement was that they made it counter-cultural, a revolution," he said. "Culture is dominant. Culture is always going to win."

For a decade, he worked in construction until he came across MDMA for the first time. When the DEA moved to criminalise it in 1984, Doblin created MAPS and sued the agency. The lawsuit failed, and Doblin realised that psychedelics were perceived as too fringe to win public support.

To succeed, he decided, both he and the issue had to go mainstream.

Doblin talked his way into the public policy PhD programme at Harvard University and learned to navigate the federal bureaucracy. He shaved off his moustache, cut his shaggy hair and learned to dress up.

"I used to laugh about how simple it was," he said. "You put on a suit, and suddenly everyone thinks you're fine."

The external switch reflected an internal one as well. Instead of fighting government officials, he began plotting to win them over, especially those at the FDA.

And the key, he realised, was science.

Before the FDA would even talk about clinical trials for MDMA, the agency needed proof it wasn't dangerous. Previous studies suggesting its neurotoxicity had been limited to rats. So in 1986, Doblin scraped together money to buy monkeys for those same researchers, who found the risks to be much less at human-equivalent doses than previously thought.

The next step was investigating MDMA's effects on people. Doblin again raised money to fly psychedelic users he had befriended to Stanford University and Johns Hopkins University for spinal taps. The studies were approved by review boards at both institutions. Doblin also participated, undergoing two spinal taps.

In the two decades that followed, Doblin and MAPS inched toward progress.

The nonprofit grew from a one-man band to a staff of 25 with headquarters in Santa Cruz. It tapped into the scene in Silicon Valley - where many tech entrepreneurs have used psychedelics to spark creativity. (Steve Jobs famously praised LSD as "one of the two or three most important things I have done in my life.")

MAPS received a $5.5 million bequest from the founder of a software company. The hipster soap company Dr Bronner's pledged $5 million. A professional poker player who attributed his wins to microdosing on LSD gave $25,000. Recently, an anonymous $21,000 bitcoin donation came in.

Much of that money funded small-scale clinical trials, which laid the groundwork for the last remaining hurdle: Large-scale "phase 3" trials that will begin next year, involving 200 to 300 patients in 14 locations.

If those future trials yield similar results, the FDA could approve the MDMA treatment for PTSD as soon as 2021, according to Doblin.

Yet his dream extends beyond that. He envisions a future where psychedelic treatment centres are in every city - places people can visit for enhanced couples therapy, spiritual experiences and personal growth. He believes psychedelics can help address the country's biggest problems, from homelessness and war to global warming.

"These drugs are a tool that can make people more compassionate, tolerant, more connected with other humans and the planet itself," he said.

That kind of talk makes many in the medical community nervous.

It's hard to measure the exact dangers of ecstasy. Because it is not used as widely as marijuana or cocaine, for example, fewer statistics are available on overdoses or injuries. In 2011, a public health monitoring system identified 22,498 emergency department visits nationwide related to ecstasy.

MDMA researchers point out that one key difference between MDMA and street ecstasy (along with another variant called "molly") is the street versions often contain other harmful drugs, experts say. Sometimes the pills don't even contain MDMA.

But even in its purest clinical form, MDMA can pose risks. At high doses, it can cause the body to overheat. It can cause anxiety and increase the stress hormone cortisol. Chronic use can also cause memory impairment.

"I think it's a dangerous substance," said Andrew Parrott, a psychology professor at Swansea University in Wales who spent years researching the drug's harmful effects. He worries FDA approval for the treatment of PTSD could lead many in the public to believe ecstasy is safe for recreational use.

Other experts, however, have become increasingly intrigued by its promising results.

"Anytime you have an organisation that is advocating for drugs that are illegal, it marginalises them in the research field. MAPS still isn't seen as mainstream. But it's possible they have a point here," said Krystal, the Yale psychiatrist, who has not been involved with the group's research. "I can't think of a single medication that doesn't carry some side effect. The question here is whether the benefits outweigh the risk."

For Lubecky, the drug can't be approved fast enough.

The Marine Corps and Army veteran recalls coming home from Iraq in 2006 to discover his wife had left him, sold his motorcycle and taken his dog. That, coupled with the trauma of what he had saw at war, sent him over the edge.

On Christmas Eve, he put the muzzle of his Beretta to his temple and pulled the trigger. The gun malfunctioned, he said, "but that microsecond after the hammer fell is when I finally felt at peace because I knew the pain would finally be over."

One incident in Iraq in particular tormented him - a shot he took while protecting his unit. "It was a situation where the right thing to do was the immoral thing," he said, declining to describe it in detail. "You're looking through a scope at another human being and you do one thing and suddenly they don't exist anymore."

For years he told no one about it. He would panic even thinking about it.

After he was accepted into the MDMA clinical trial in South Carolina, he found himself on a futon with two counselors on either side as the effects of the drug sank in.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

"I was in such a comfortable place," recalled Lubecky, 40, who now works in Charleston, South Carolina, as a political consultant. "I didn't even realise I was finally talking about it, admitting it for the first time to anybody."

Since then, he said, he has learned to accept what happened in Iraq. And the guilt he now struggles with is the fact he got chosen over others for the clinical trial.

"I was the 26th veteran chosen for a 26-person study," he said. "I have friends who are suffering every day like I was. But they can't do it because it's illegal. This could save their lives."

The Washington Post
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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has submitted a letter to Congress to eliminate key advisory roles on climate change and Syria in an agency shake-up.

In total, he plans to get rid of at least 36 Special Envoy positions, some of which are mandated by law, according to Foreign Policy.

Mr Tillerson has written a letter to Senator Bob Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in which he states that some of the 70 special envoy positions "have accomplished or outlived their original purpose".

He argued that in many cases, established State Department offices could handle all the duties of eliminated envoy posts.

Some of these include, but are not limited to: international labour affairs, cyber issues, disabled rights, the Iran nuclear deal, global youth issues, the Northern Ireland conflict, and the closing of Guantanamo Bay prison.

For some positions, titles will be stripped but duties will be taken on by a current employee holding another position. He referred to this as "dual-hatting".

In other cases, Mr Tillerson wrote the number of positions and total cost that will have to be "realigned" into other departments.

The State Department has not responded as yet to a request for clarification as to what exactly "realigned" means - an elimination of the duties because that particular issue is not a priority of the Trump administration, a scaling back of scope of duties and functions, or some other combination.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The Special Envoy for Climate Change, a position that is currently vacant as Donald Trump has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, will have its title eliminated and duties folded into the Bureau of Oceans and International and Scientific Affairs. The same goes for the Arctic representative.

For the Syria adviser position, the title will be stripped but "a deputy secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs" will take on performing the duties outlined, according to Mr Tillerson's proposal. That Bureau currently has an "acting" chief, Stuart Jones, because Mr Trump and Mr Tillerson have not appointed a person to the role.

The Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues position will "will continue to be an ambassador-level position confirmed by the US Senate" but will involve "realigning 28 positions" and approximately $5.3 million in operation costs within another State Department larger office, Mr Tillerson wrote.

Mr Tillerson's letter outlined the administration's priorities fairly clearly through the positions that "will be retained and continue to be organised" through its current bureau or office -advisers for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations, North Korea Policy, building the anti-Islamic State military coalition, and the Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs.

Though Mr Trump's planned 30 per cent budget cuts for the State Department were met with heavy criticism in the foreign policy community, some think the number and scope of special envoy positions has grown to the point of being duplicative or even "undermining existing regional bureaus and divisions" that do similar work, according to Politico.

Mr Corker said in a statement that he is eager to look through Mr Tillerson's proposal for Senate approval once the new session begins the first week of September.
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A federal judge has tossed out a defamation lawsuit by Sarah Palin against The New York Times, saying the former Alaska governor failed to show the newspaper knew it was publishing false statements in an editorial before quickly correcting them.

The written ruling by Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan said the lawsuit seeking unspecified damages fails on its face to adequately allege actual malice.

The decision came weeks after the onetime Republican vice presidential nominee sued over an editorial titled America's Lethal Politics. It was published in June after a gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers in Virginia, wounding US Representative Steve Scalise.

The Times' editorial was corrected twice when readers complained that it appeared to blame a political action committee belonging to Ms Palin, a former Republican vice presidential candidate, for political incitement after it distributed a map depicting Democratic legislators beneath crosshairs before the 2011 shooting of Democratic US Representative Gabby Giffords in Arizona. The newspaper issued corrections the next morning to remove those references and note the map showed electoral districts, not people, in crosshairs.

What we have here is an editorial, written and rewritten rapidly in order to voice an opinion on an immediate event of importance, in which are included a few factual inaccuracies somewhat pertaining to Mrs. Palin that are very rapidly corrected. Negligence this may be; but defamation of a public figure it plainly is not, Judge Rakoff said.

Judge Rakoff, known for philosophical asides, wrote: Nowhere is political journalism so free, so robust, or perhaps so rowdy as in the United States. In the exercise of that freedom, mistakes will be made, some of which will be hurtful to others.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

He said if political journalism is to achieve its constitutionally endorsed role of challenging the powerful, lawsuits by public figures must be limited to when there is a plausible factual basis for complaining that the mistake was made maliciously.

Lawyers for Ms Palin did not immediately comment.

In a statement, the Times said it was delighted with the ruling and regretted the errors.

Judge Rakoff's opinion is an important reminder of the country's deep commitment to a free press and the important role that journalism plays in our democracy, the newspaper said.

Judge Rakoff had previously heard testimony from James Bennet, the Times' editorial page editor, saying he thought the editorial was accurate when he approved its publication but later learned otherwise.

The judge dismissed an argument by Ms Palin's lawyers that the newspaper might have been trying to boost sales by attacking Ms Palin.

As to the alleged 'hostility,' it goes without saying that the Times editorial board is not a fan of Mrs Palin. But neither the fact of that opposition, nor the supposition that a sharp attack on a disfavoured political figure will increase a publication's readership, has ever been enough to prove actual malice, he wrote.

Judge Rakoff added: There is not a shred of factual support, either in the complaint or in the evidentiary hearing, for the supposition that considerations of attracting readership ever entered Mr. Bennet's mind when he was drafting this particular editorial. Indeed, if that were his goal, one would have expected him to mention Mrs Palin's name more than once in the editorial or use her name in the social media promoting the editorial, neither of which was done.

Associated Press
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A Brazilian teenager stabbed one of his classmates to death because he like the idea of killing, a court heard.

The 13-year-old is accused of murdering his classmate Tamires Paula de Almeida as she waited for a lift in the apartment building where the both lived in the eastern city of Goiana.

The 14-year-old knew her attacker, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as they attended the same school and some of the same classes.

Police said the boy told them that he had deliberately planned the attack and bought the knife because he liked the idea of killing.

They wanted to see how the rest of the class would react when they mourned [her] death.

Captain Leonidio Alves de Moraes told Brazilian news website G1L: (The boy) told us he seized Tamires just as she got into the elevator and dragged her out to the fire escape. He tried to kill her by hitting her head against the wall. But she did not die. When he saw she was still alive, he stabbed her with the knife.

The crime was so brutal, so cruel and so full of rage that the knife twisted in her body. The victim was hit by about ten stab wounds spread between the arms, neck and chest.

The teenager had reportedly wanted to kill two other female classmates and become a serial killer but allegedly got cold feet and ran to his school where he confessed what happened to a teacher.

Czar Sabino, the teacher at the Jardim America State College, said the boy had come to him and asked to speak to him privately.

He said: He was trembling, very red in the face and his hands were shaking. He said to me: 'Call the ambulance I've stabbed a person in my building.'

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The 57-year-old said the teen then handed him the knife which was wrapped in a black, bloody cloth.

The girls body was discovered shortly after a neighbour heard screams in the hallway.

She cried for help and knocked on the first door she came to which, unbeknownst to her, was the victims mothers.

The girl's mother came out to help and was shocked to find the body of her daughter. It was a very traumatic event, Captain de Morales said.

The 50-year-old neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: I didn't realise that it was Tamires at the time. I was so frightened I screamed for help and her mum ran out. She collapsed when she saw it was her daughter and had to be taken to hospital.

The school has now been closed for the rest of the week to allow pupils time to grieve.

Tamires fellow students have paid tribute to her, calling her super-intelligent and studious.

She was very loving and would never do anything to hurt anyone. Every was her friend, one said.

It is unclear whether the boy will face criminal prosecution over Tamires death.

The age of criminal responsibility in 18 in Brazil but a law passed in 2015 meant that young people could be tried as adults for violent crimes.
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The mayor of Berkeley is urging the cancellation of an event bringing right-wing speakers to the University of California, extending a debate about the border between speech and violence.

With a student group working to host right-wing provocateurs Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulos in Berkeley, the liberal haven is contemplating a repeat of violent counter protests that greeted a right-wing rally this past weekend.

I dont want Berkeley being used as a punching bag, Mayor Jesse Arreguin told the San Francisco Chronicle, warning about the risk of groups using large protests to create mayhem.

A spokesman for the group putting on the event, the Berkeley Patriot, blasted the mayor's call to halt the event as absolutely abysmal.

We feel the mayor shouldnt be giving in based on the threats of violence, Bryce Kasamoto told The Independent.

In a statement, a spokesman for UC Berkeley said that the university did not invite the speakers and had no authority to halt the planned event.

We have neither the legal right or ability to interfere with or cancel their invitations based on the perspectives and beliefs of the speakers, Dan Mogulof said, adding that the safety of our communities, and the well-being of those who may feel threatened or harmed by what some of these speakers may espousealong with our commitment to Free Speech, remain at the center of our planning and priorities.

Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Show all 13 1 /13 Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley Toni Martin, front centre, cries out as she talks to the police at the scene where she says her son was fatally shot David Carson/AP Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley Police try to control a crowd Wednesday on the lot of a gas station David Carson/AP Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley Police try to control a crowd on the lot of a gas station David Carson/AP Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley Police try to control the crowd on the lot of a gas station following the shooting David Carson/AP Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley Police photograph a gun on the ground Wednesday following a shooting Tuesday at a gas station in Berkeley, Missouri David Carson/AP Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley A surveillance video reportedly shows a police officer talking with two men outside a gas station moments before Antonio Martin was shot and killed EPA Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley Police officers forming a line as they cordon off the site where a policeman allegedly shot a teenager at a gas station in Berkeley, St. Louis, Missouri EPA Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley Locals stand near the site where a policeman allegedly shot a teenager at a gas station EPA Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley Locals argue with police officers as they cordon off the site EPA Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley Police officers forming a line as they cordon off the site EPA Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley Police stand guard following the shooting David Carson/AP Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley Police hold back a crowd at the perimeter of a scene following a shooting at a gas station in Berkeley David Carson/AP Clashes in Berkeley as Antonio Martin is shot dead by police Clashes in Berkeley A police officer with a fire extinguisher stands in the broken out entry to a QuikTrip convenience store following the shooting David Carson/AP

An open letter from Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ encouraged tolerating a range of viewpoints, even those that most of us would find hateful, abhorrent and odious.

The right response is not the hecklers veto, or what some call platform denial Ms Christ wrote. Call toxic speech out for what it is, dont shout it down, for in shouting it down, you collude in the narrative that universities are not open to all speech.

 Berkeley High School Walkout in protest against Donald Trumps election

But in advocating for the speeches to the canceled, Mr Arreguin has taken the opposite approach. His plea marks the latest effort by Bay Area officials to balance free speech against public safety - with the latter recently winning out.

Ms. Coulter was scheduled to speak at Berkeley earlier this year but the university canceled the talk, with then-chancellor Nicholas Dirks writing of threats of violence and warning that this is a university, not a battlefield. Students who supported Ms Coulter's speech have since sued the university. Months earlier, the university nixed a scheduled appearance by Mr Yiannopoulos after demonstrators smashed windows and ignited fires.

Prominent San Francisco elected officials mounted a concerted effort to block a right-wing rally last weekend from Crissy Field. The federal Park Service rebuffed their request, saying an organizations political stance or beliefs was not grounds to deny a permit, but the events organizer canceled the event at the last minute after blaming politicians for vilifying him.

A No Marxism in America event the next day in Berkeley proceeded and spiraled into street brawls as contingents of left-wing protesters, some of them aligned with antifascist organizations that advocate confronting white supremacists with violence, pummeled their perceived opponents.

Assessing the aftermath, Mr Arreguin on Monday told a local CBS affiliate that violent leftist factions should be classified as gangs. That prompted a derisive response from a Berkeley antifascist group.

Prior to the event, the mayor had urged counterprotestors to stay away and warned of groups that come eager for a fight. Referring to a neo-Nazi March in Charlottesville, he argued that this is not freedom of speech - This is bigotry. This is racism. This is xenophobia.

Protesters who arrive dressed as a soldier, are not interested in freedom of speech - youre interested in violent provocation, the mayor said, rebuking both antifascist and alt-right agitators.
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Donald Trump managed to mix up two female reporters at a press conference on Monday, forcing the Finnish president Sauli Niinisto to explain that the women were not actually the same person.

As the leaders took questions from the press pool, Mr Niinisto called on a reporter.

Again? Mr Trump asked the Finnish president, mistakenly believing he had called on a reporter who had already asked a question. Youre going to give her the same one?

No, she is not the same lady, Mr Niinisto replied, to the amusement of the two journalists.

We have a lot of blonde women in Finland, one of the reporters added, as Mr Trump laughed.

A PBS reporter pointed out on Twitter that the two reporters do not look alike, despite both having blonde hair.

This is not the first awkward situation Mr Trump has been involved in when dealing with the international media.

In June, the president interrupted a call with the new prime minister of Ireland Leo Varadkar to compliment a member of the Irish press, who was in the room at the time.

Well, we have a lot of your Irish press watching us, he said to Mr Varadkar, in front of reporters.

Mr Trump then pointed to journalist Caitriona Perry and called her over to speak to him.

Where are you from? We have all of this beautiful Irish press, he said.

She had a nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well, the President then told Mr Varadkar.
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Donald Trump's administration has not yet decided whether it will accept assistance from Mexico to help the victims of a hurricane in Texas.

The Mexican government expressed its "full solidarity" with the people and government of the US and said it had "offered to provide help and cooperation" in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

Mexico previously provided help in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, with soldiers from the Mexican army serving meals, distributing supplies and conducting medical consultations.

But while Texas and Louisiana suffered Harvey's destruction, Mr Trump tweeted to assert Mexico would pay for his promised border wall, before going onto attack the NAFTA trade deal.

 Footage shows dramatic rescues in Houston after Hurricane Harvey flooding

Responding to the US President's tweets in a statement, Mexico's ministry of foreign affairs reiterated it would "not pay, under any circumstances, for a wall or physical barrier built on US territory along the Mexican border."

The statement went on to say: "The Mexican government takes this opportunity to express its full solidarity with the people and government of the United States as a result of the damages caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas, and expresses that it has offered to provide help and cooperation to the US government in order to deal with the impact of this natural disaster as good neighbours should always do in trying times."

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

In a statement to The Washington Post, a spokesman for the US State Department said: It is common during hurricanes and other significant weather events for the US Government to be in close contact with our neighbours and partners in the region to share data and cooperate as needed and appropriate.

"If a need for assistance does arise, we will work with our partners, including Mexico, to determine the best way forward.

It is unclear whether the Trump administration would accept the offer, but the offer leaves Mr Trump in an awkward position.

If he were to accept aid, he could be accused of hypocrisy over his stance on Mexico. But should he refuse, he could be seen as acting callously while Texans suffer.

Mr Trump plans to visit Texas to see the storm-hit areas.
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President Donald Trump has defended his decision to pardon former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio by listing past controversial presidential pardons or commutations  and in the process mislabeled Chelsea Manning as a he.

Ms Manning, who was convicted on criminal charges for leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents, has undergone a public transition in recent years to become a transgender woman. She saw her sentence commuted earlier this year by former President Barack Obama, who reasoned that her original 35-year sentence was disproportionate relative to sentences other leakers have received.

Mr Trump brought her up at a press conference alongside Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, and named several other controversial presidential commutations or pardons signed by his predecessors as proof that letting Mr Arpaio off the hook was an acceptable thing to do. In addition to Ms Manning, Mr Trump referenced Marc Rich  an investor who received a pardon from former President Bill Clinton on his last day in office  and Oscar Lopez Rivera  a Puerto Rican activist and militant whose sentence was commuted by Mr Obama.

Mr Arpaio received his presidential pardon last week, after being convicted for defying a judges order to tell his sheriff deputies not to target immigrants, or people who they believed were immigrants. He was initially convicted on a misdemeanour charge related to that order, but later saw criminal charges once he refused to honor the order.

The former sheriff is well known for his tough stance on immigrants, and has been a controversial enforcer of the law during his career. One of the many things that have attracted criticism to Mr Arpaio was his decision to build tent city, which was an outdoor jail in the hot desert near Phoenix, where he would keep inmates in Korean War-era canvas tents. Those inmates would also be forced to wear pink underwear during their time in the jail.
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Donald Trump has defended his controversial pardon of former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio by arguing a contempt of court charge "unfairly" cost Mr Arpaio his re-election bid.

Critics of the pardon, including leading congressional Republicans, have argued that the president was undermining the rule of law by overriding a court decision that found Mr Arpaio ignored federal orders to stop profiling Latinos. In explaining the decision, Mr Trump affirmed that his motive for clearing an early campaign ally was political.

Sheriff Joe is a patriot, Sheriff Joe loves our country, Sheriff Joe protected our borders and Sheriff Joe was very unfairly treated by the Obama administration, especially right before an election, an election he would have won, Mr Trump said during a press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.

A federal judge authorized the Department of Justice bringing a criminal contempt of court charge against Mr Arpaio in late October 2016. Two weeks later voters decisively rejected Mr Arpaio's bid for a seventh term, concluding a polarizing, decadeslong tenure for a man alternately hailed as a champion of law and order and despised for aggressively pursuing immigrants and paying out millions to settle lawsuits over profiling and jailhouse deaths.

Arizona boycotted over 'Nazi' purge of migrants Show all 3 1 /3 Arizona boycotted over 'Nazi' purge of migrants Arizona boycotted over 'Nazi' purge of migrants 373003.bin AP Arizona boycotted over 'Nazi' purge of migrants 373005.bin AP Arizona boycotted over 'Nazi' purge of migrants 373004.bin GETTY IMAGES

Despite being repudiated by voters Mr Arpaio retains a steadfast ally in Mr Trump, who praised Mr Arpaio on Monday as "very strong on borders, very strong on illegal immigration". The former sheriff was an early proponent of Mr Trump's candidacy, which mirrored Mr Arpaio's focus on illegal immigration, and Mr Trump noted that pardoning Mr Arpaio energized his own base.

The place went absolutely crazy when I was in Arizona last week, Mr Trump said in reference to the roaring approval when he floated pardoning Mr Arpaio during a campaign-style rally in Phoenix last week.

 Donald Trump attacks critics as rambling Phoenix rally speech descends into public meltdown

Mr Trump has also been rebuked for announcing his pardon of Mr Arpaio on Friday night, just as a powerful storm was descending on Texas. The president suggested that the timing ensured more people were paying attention.

I assumed the ratings would be far higher than they would be normally, Mr Trump said.
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Senator Rand Paul said Donald Trump's reversal of a ban on local and state police using military equipment means Americans are "sacrificing their liberty".

The Kentucky Republican slammed Mr Trump's reversal of Barack Obama's ban in a string of tweets.

He wrote that Mr Trump was forcing people to trade freedoms for an "illusive and dangerous, or false, security".

The programme, referred to as the 1033 programme, had originally started in 1990 as a way for local authorities to combat drug crime, which evolved to using it against terrorism.

Mr Obama halted the flow of certain surplus military equipment - grenade launchers, bayonets, tracked armoured vehicles, weaponised aircraft and vehicles, and firearms and ammunition of .50-caliber or greater - to local law enforcement agencies in 2015 after the police response to the August 2014 protests in Ferguson, Missouri.

He said then: "We've seen how militarized gear can sometimes give people a feeling like there's an occupying force, as opposed to a force that's part of the community that's protecting them and serving them. It can alienate and intimidate local residents and send the wrong message."

The community had been angered by the police shooting death of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man, by white police officer Darren Wilson. Mr Brown allegedly robbed a convenience store and Mr Wilson shot 12 bullets in his pursuit of the unarmed Mr Brown.

Local police issued curfews and the governor forced them to turn over control of the crowds to state police.

 Protestor run down and shots fired in Ferguson

"The police involved were equipped as if they were going to war, even though they were supposedly there only to protect the community and help maintain peace," Newsweek reported.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions addressed the Fraternal Order of Police just ahead of the announcement and said Mr Trump is "he is rescinding restrictions from the prior administration that limited your agencies' ability to get equipment through federal programmes, including life-saving gear like Kevlar vests and helmets and first responder and rescue equipment like what theyre using in Texas right now," referring to crews involved in rescue efforts during Hurricane Harvey.

No widespread looting or violence has been reported from the affected areas of Texas.

Those restrictions went too far, Mr Sessions said about Mr Trump's fulfilled campaign promise to police officers in the organisation.

Some police organisations have been putting pressure on Mr Trump to reverse the Obama order and cite the use of an armoured truck as an essential part of the response to the December 2015 mass shooting in San Bernardino, California.

The American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement: "tensions between law enforcement and communities remain high, yet the president and the attorney general are giving the police military-grade weaponry instead of practical, effective ways to protect and serve everyone."

Mr Paul opposed Mr Sessions view, however, and tweeted that the programme "still needs to be funded" by Congress.

His tweets seemed to indicate that Mr Paul would bring up the programme as part of debate on the National Defence Authorisation Act, the legislation governing it.

The Senate's next session is set to open the first week of September.
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One of Donald Trumps former business partners has claimed he arranged for the President's oldest daughter to sit in Vladimir Putins private chair during a 2006 trip to Russia.

The claim comes from Felix Sater, a one-time broker for the Trump Organisation, who pushed heavily for Mr Trump to open a Trump Tower Moscow in 2015.

In an email to Mr Trumps lawyer about the project, Mr Sater brags about his influence in Moscow, writing: "I arranged for Ivanka to sit in Putins private chair at his desk and office in the Kremlin.

Recommended Ivanka Trump shows off her fan mail and many Americans ask why

Ms Trump told the New York Times it is possible she sat in the Russian Presidents chair, though she said she did not recall it. She added that she had never met Mr Putin, and had no involvement in the Moscow tower discussions other than to recommend possible architects.

The emails, however, point to a larger area of concern: Mr Trumps business dealings with Russia during the presidential campaign. Though the Trump Tower project never got off the ground, Mr Trump did sign a non-binding letter of intent for pursuing it.

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

More concerningly, Mr Slater bragged in his emails  some of which were obtained by the Times  that he could get Putin on this program and we will get Donald elected.

Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it, he wrote. I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this, I will manage this process.

Mr Sater, a Russian immigrant and former FBI informant, also claimed he had secured financing for the project via VTB Bank  a Russian bank that was under American sanctions at the time.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin gives a press conference (Reuters)

It is plausible that Mr Sater overstated his influence in Russia in order to improve the projects prospects. In one instance, the Times reports, Mr Trumps lawyer emailed Mr. Putins spokesman about the project, but used a general inquiries mailbox. The incident suggests the Trump team did not have a personal line to the Kremlin, as Mr Sater seemed to boast.

Mr Trumps possible ties to Russia are currently being investigated by committees in both the House and Senate, and by the Department of Justice. The emails in question were turned over to the House Intelligence Committee by the Trump Organisation on Monday.

To be clear, the Trump Organization has never had any real estate holdings or interests in Russia, the Trump Organization said Monday in a statement.
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Donald Trump has issued his first statement in response to an unprecedented North Korea missile test over one of Japan's main islands, warning it that "all options are on the table" for a US response.

"The world has received North Koreas latest message loud and clear. This regime has signalled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour," Mr Trump said, in a statement issued by the White House.

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regimes isolation in the region and among all nations of the world."

North Korea fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan's northern Hokkaido region on Tuesday, prompting air-raid sirens and mobile phone alerts for citizens. The projectile, thought to be a Hwasong-12, is designed to carry a nuclear payload and is shown below in an infographic, created for The Independent by statistics agency Statista.

Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, called it an "unprecedented, serious and grave threat" to the region. He and Mr Trump spoke by phone for some 40 minutes on Tuesday morning, and were in "total agreement" they would push the UN Security Council to exert more pressure on Pyongyang, he added.

Han Tae-song, the North's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, defended his country's right to test missiles and warned the US of "catastrophic consequences" should it continue the war of words that has simmered in recent months.

Washington was driving the Korean peninsula "towards an extreme level of explosion" by deploying its strategic assets there, he added.

The US has been holding joint war games with South Korea, which also tested its own missiles last week. Hours after Pyongyang's launch, its 13th so far this year, the South Korean military carried out a test bombing at a firing range near its border with North Korea.

This infographic, created for The Independent by statistics agency Statista, shows the types of missile North Korea possesses (Statista/The Independent)

Mr Trump has previously warned North Korea it faces "fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it continues to menace the US and allied countries. The American military is "locked and loaded," he said earlier this month.

He and Kim Jong-un have slung fierce rhetoric back and forth for several months, with Mr Kim recently threatening a strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam. The island is home to 160,000 people and a substantial military base.

On Tuesday morning China, North Korea's sole major ally, urged restraint on all sides and called for diplomatic talks. Beijing said sanctions and other pressure could not solve the problem of North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Mr Trump, his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have all previously signalled their desire for talks with the North.

Russia said it wanted the North to show restraint and avoid any new provocative actions, while calling on the US and its allies to refrain from any military escalation.

Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, condemned North Korea's actions. He said: "The launch undermines regional security and stability and efforts to create space for dialogue."

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

Last week Mr Trump appeared to suggest his tough stance against North Korea's provocations was paying off.

He told supporters at a campaign style rally in Phoenix, Arizona: "I respect the fact that [Mr Kim] is starting to respect us. And maybeprobably not, but maybesomething positive can come about."

But just days later, Pyongyang launched three short-range missiles into the Sea of Japan.

Mr Tillerson called that launch a "provocative act" but said the US would "continue our peaceful pressure campaign ... working with allies, working with China as well to see if we can bring the regime in Pyongyang to the negotiating table".

 What are the ranges of North Korea's missiles?

A US congressman visiting Seoul said Washington was now pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions by shutting down the impoverished country's access to hard currency, the lifeblood of its expensive weapons program.

The goal is to offer international banks that do business with Pyongyang a choice between bankruptcy and freezing North Korean accounts, Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said.

Bruce Klingner, a former CIA deputy division chief for Korea, told CNN there was still room for a tougher use of sanctions.

He said: "Recently we've had the UN imposing stronger sanctions against North Korea, moving from really targeted financial measures directed at specific violators, towards broader economic sanctions, such as we saw with Iran that led to the Iran nuclear deal.

"The UN recently banned the export of many of North Korea's key resources, including coal. The next step may be banning the export of oil to North Korea."

John Nilsson-Wright, a senior research fellow at Chatham House's Asia programme, told The Independent diplomatic talks would "probably not" take place in the short term, and added: "I think it is in Pyongyang's interest to keep testing."

Continued tests signalled the regime's "autonomy" as well as providing propaganda and technical benefits, he said, while finally gaining a credible long-range arsenal would provide Mr Kim leverage to focus on economic growthpotentially using it as a bargaining chip to weaken sanctions.

A sixth nuclear test is "a question of 'when', rather than 'whether'", he said. "Kim seems to have taken the measure of Trump and decided his bluster is thatbluster."

 In 90 seconds: North Korea and Kim Jong-Un

But he added: "I don't think it's ever too late to lay out to North Korea what they would stand to gain politically, diplomatically and economically if they started to behave like a more reasonable international actor.

"There will need to be talks. Trump should find ways, I think, of trying to expand the options for that sort of dialogue, while at the same time being careful not to overpromise what he can do in the military field."

It may mean "talks about talks", discussion, alongside the US' regional allies, of a peace treaty, and an eventual reduction in the number of US conventional armed forces stationed in the area.

The potential for a liaison mission and the dispatch of a high-level envoy like former President Bill Clinton to Pyongyang should also be explored, Dr Nilsson-Wright said.
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At least 1,200 people have been killed and millions have been left homeless following devastating floods that have hit India, Bangladesh and Nepal, in one of the worst flooding disasters to have affected the region in years.

International aid agencies said thousands of villages have been cut off by flooding with people being deprived of food and clean water for days.

South Asia suffers from frequent flooding during the monsoon season, which lasts from June to September, but authorities have said this year's floods have been much worse.

In the eastern Indian state of Bihar, the death toll has risen to more than 500, the Straits Times reported, quoting disaster management officials.

The paper said the ongoing floods had so far affected 17 mllion people in India, with thousands sheltered in relief camps.

Anirudh Kumar, a disaster management official in Patna, the capital of Bihar, a poor state known for its mass migration from rural areas to cities, said this year's farming had collapsed because of the floods, which will lead to a further rise in unemployment in the region.

Children row a boat as they pass through damaged houses at a flood-affected village in Morigaon district in the northeastern state of Assam, India. (REUTERS/Anuwar Hazarika)

In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, reports said more than 100 people had died and 2.5 million have been affected.

In Mumbai, authorities struggled to evacuate people living in the financial capital's low-lying areas as transport links were paralysed and downpours led to water rising up to five feet in some parts of the city.

Weather officials are forecasting heavy rains to continue over the next 24 hours and have urged people to stay indoors.

Partially submerged houses are seen at a flood-affected village in Morigaon district in the northeastern state of Assam, India. (REUTERS/Anuwar Hazarika)

In neighbouring Bangladesh, at least 134 have died in monsoon flooding which is believed to have submerged at least a third of the country.

More than 600,000 hectares of farmland have been partially damaged and in excess of 10,000 hectares have been completely washed away, according to the disaster minister.

Bangladesh's economy is dependent on farming and the country lost around a million tonnes of rice in flash floods in April.

"Farmers are left with nothing, not event with clean drinking water," said Matthew Marek, the head of disaster response in Bangladesh for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent.

A flood victim takes refuge inside a temporary shelter after camping at a safe location in Saptari District, Nepal. (REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar)

In Nepal, 150 people have been killed and 90,000 homes have been destroyed in what the UN has called the worst flooding incident in the country in a decade.

According to the Red Cross, at least 7.1 million people have been affected in Bangladesh - more than the population of Scotland - and around 1.4 million people have been affected in Nepal.

Floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal kill 1,200 Show all 9 1 /9 Floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal kill 1,200 Floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal kill 1,200 Rohingya people run to enter into Bangladesh from a makeshift shelter near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, after a gunshot was heard on the Myanmar side, in CoxAos Bazar, Bangladesh August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain Reuters Floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal kill 1,200 A man holds an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, after it was immersed in the waters of the Sabarmati river during the ten-day long Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Ahmedabad, India Reuters Floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal kill 1,200 Rohingya people walk towards the makeshift shelter near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, after being restricted by the members of Border Guards Bangladesh, to enter further into the Bangladesh side, in CoxAos Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters Floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal kill 1,200 People help a woman to move her car through a water-logged road during rains in Mumbai Floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal kill 1,200 Rohingya people try to come to the Bangladesh side from No ManAos Land as smoke rises after a gunshot was heard on the Myanmar side, in CoxAos Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters Floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal kill 1,200 Commuters walk through water-logged roads after rains in Mumbai Reuters Floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal kill 1,200 Rohingya children cross the cannel to collect drinking water from Bangladesh side, who take shelter in No ManAos Land between Bangladesh-Myanmar border, in CoxAos Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters Floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal kill 1,200 A man rides his motorbike through a water-logged road during rains in Mumbai Reuters Floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal kill 1,200 Rohingya people make their way through water as they try to come to the Bangladesh side from No ManAos Land after a gunshot being heard on the Myanmar side, in CoxAos Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters

The disaster comes as headlines have focused on the floods in Houston, Texas, which authorities have described as "unprecedented".

Officials in Texas have said the death toll now stands at 15 in the wake of Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey, with thousands forced to flee their homes.

The rise in extreme weather events such as hurricanes and floods have been identified by climate scientists as the hallmark of man-made climate change.

The US has seen two of its worst storms ever, Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Katrina, in just over a decade.

India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has said climate change and new weather patterns are having "a big negative impact".

Additional reporting by agencies.
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The parents of a pregnant teenage rape victim are appealing to the Indian Supreme Court to allow her to have an abortion.

The 13-year-old is currently 30 weeks pregnant. She alleges that she was raped by her father's colleague, who police have arrested.

Currently Indian law only allows terminations after 20 weeks only if the mothers life is in danger.

The girls parents said they had first discovered she was pregnant when they took her to the doctor in their home city of Mumbai, because they were concerned about obesity.

The doctor, Dr Nikil Datar, told the BBC: She was brought to me by her parents on 9 August. They suspected she had a thyroid problem or some other medical condition because she was gaining weight. The scan showed that she was 27 weeks pregnant so I informed the police.

He said he recommended that she should have an abortion because her body was not developed enough to cope with the strain of childbirth.

Her pelvis is not fully developed to carry a baby to full term and she will go through physical and mental trauma if she's not allowed to abort, he added. There are definite risks to her health. It will be more troublesome for her the longer it's allowed to continue.

The case is one of a spate of abortion cases which have shocked the country in recent months.

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. 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Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. 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A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. 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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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

Just last week a 10-year-old rape victim gave birth to a baby girl in the northern city of Chandigarh after she was denied the right to abort by a court.

Another 10-year-old, who was allegedly raped by her stepfather, was given permission to abort after her case was brought before the court in the northern town of was allowed to abort.

None of these girls can be named for legal reasons.

Dr Datar said the 13-year-old in the Mumbai case knows she's pregnant and kind of understands what it means, but not fully.
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A Japanese bid to secure Unesco World Heritage status for 49 ancient tombs, could lead to embarrassing secrets about the country's imperial history being uncovered.

The government has nominated burial mounds in the southern Osaka prefecture for the distinction, which would boost the region's international prestige and attract tourists.

The application has been opposed by some archaeologists, who are banned from entering or excavating the sites. They say the tombs should be opened up for research before they are promoted to visitors.

The tombs, known as "Kofun", are thought to have been built between the late fourth and early sixth century. But there is a dispute about who exactly lies buried within some of them.

Japan's Imperial Household Agency, a branch of government which oversees the matters of its imperial family, has designated 188 mounds nationwide as imperial graves. It says they hold the remains of emperors and other senior members of the imperial family.

But according to The Times, historians believe some of the tombs are incorrectly attributed and may not contain emperors at all.

Considered to be largest grave in the world, the Daisen Kofun, a 486m moated tomb in the city of Sakai, is among those which form part of the Unseco application. It is commonly held to have been built for the late Emperor Nintoku, Japan's 16th ruler, but some archaeologists have questioned this.

The controversy has also raised sensitive questions about the ethnic origins of the imperial family.

Some academics believe early Japanese rulers intermarried with people from regions that now form Korea and China. This would contradict the official version of Japanese history, which draws an unbroken line of emperors back to the mythical Jimmu in 660BC.

The tombs being listed as World Heritage sites would likely raise international interest in their contents and increase calls for access for scientific studies, potentially leading to the lid being lifted on their secrets.

The sites are currently closed to archaeologists, as well as members of the public, to preserve their "serenity and dignity".

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

"Academic study is essential," said Noboru Toike, a history professor at Tokyo's Seijo University who opposed the Unesco bid. "It is wrong to present them to the world without knowing their value, such as when they were built, and for whom.

"If you want to use them as tourist sites you should do the research first. This is the wrong way round."

Japan will submit a provisional application to Unesco followed by a full, final bid in January.

The nominated tombs - known as the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group - will then be visited by the International Council on Monuments and Sites, which advises the World Heritage Committee, in 2018.

The panel will deliver a report in 2019 before Unesco makes a decision on whether to list them as World Heritage sites later that year.

The designation is estimated be worth 100 billion yen (711 million) a year for Osaka Prefecture, according to the Japan Times.
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A man died after setting himself on fire after police freed the man who had allegedly raped his wife.

Safdar Hussain, 23, was taken to hospital in Faisalabad, Pakistan, with burn injuries on 70 per cent of his body.

Mr Hussain set himself on fire after police released the man accused of robbing and gang-raping his wife in Jhang, The Express Tribune reports.

After his body was returned to his village, local residents gathered to protest, setting tyres on fire and suspending traffic for several hours.

Mr Hussain had claimed police released the suspect after taking a bribe from him.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

An anonymous police official told The Express Tribune Mr Hussain was thrown out of the police station after asking them to take action against the officer who had allegedly taken the bribe.

In sheer frustration, Safdar Hussain sprinkled petrol on his body and set himself on fire outside the office," he added.

An inquiry is being conducted against the officers on charges of negligence.

A relative of the victim told the paper the three accused barged into Mr Hussain's house and began stealing valuables at gunpoint before sexually assaulting his wife.
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An Indian man diagnosed with throat cancer allegedly shot dead the colleague who introduced him to cigarettes.

Mustakeem Ahmad is said to have been consumed with rage at his co-worker after a doctor attributed the disease to his smoking habit.

The pair, both 25, worked as chefs at a restaurant in west Delhi owned by the alleged killer's brother-in-law, according to the Hindistan Times.

Police said Ahmad also resented his colleague, named only as Inayat, because he was more successful at work.

He told detectives he purchased a pistol and practised firing it to ensure he killed the victim, who had been working at the restaurant for 18 months.

Though Ahmad and Inayat were friends at the workplace, Inayat was reportedly better at his job and well-behaved and soon became the favourite of the restaurant owner, said deputy police commissioner Sibesh Singh.

Ahmad was said to have taken up smoking cigarettes and marijuana under the influence of Inayat.

Mr Singh said: "In the course of time, Ahmad developed throat infection, forcing him to consult a doctor. Ahmad has claimed that the doctor told him he had developed throat cancer due to excessive smoking."

Ahmad blamed his colleague for his cancer and tried unsuccessfully to get him sacked from his job, he added.

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

After his work performance deteriorated Ahmad was fired and investigators said he returned to his native village of Amroha in Uttar Pradesh, where he bought a gun and some cartridges.

He first practised firing in his village, before returning to Delhi a few days ago, said Mr Singh. "He was carrying his loaded pistol to the restaurant and had planned to kill Inayat if he failed to get him fired from the job. That is what eventually happened. Ahmad ended up picking a fight with Inayat. He later shot at him in the middle of the argument,"

Inayat was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries.

Ahmad fled but was arrested in a police sting last week, as he visited a relative to borrow some money.
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China has warned the US and South Korea not to provoke North Korea and called for restraint from all sides after Pyongyang fired a missile that flew over Japan and landed in waters off the northern region of Hokkaido.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the comment at a daily news briefing.

North Korea's latest missile test came amid joint US-South Korea war games, and Seoul immediately followed it with a test bombing at a firing range near its border with the North.

North Korea typically reacts with anger to such drills, often testing weapons and threatening Seoul and Washington in its state-controlled media.

But animosity is higher than usual following threats by US President Donald Trump to unleash "fire and fury like the world has never seen", and Pyongyang's threat to bomb the American Pacific territory of Guam. South Korea has also released footage of its own missile tests, which it said were conducted last week.

Mr Trump has traded fierce rhetoric with North Korea's young dictator, Kim Jong-un, for months, as the pace of the regime's missile testing has increased. He declared earlier this month that "military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded".

China's foreign ministry said it opposed North Korea going against UN resolutions to launch missiles, but added that sanctions and pressure could not solve the issue. It called for the United States and North Korea to open talks.

Mr Trump has tried to pressure China, Pyongyang's sole major ally, into doing more to restrain the Kim regime.

And Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said: "China has to ratchet up the pressure. They have condemned these missiles tests like everyone else but with unique leverage comes unique responsibility."

China has said it will implement the latest economic sanctions voted for by the UN Security Council, however. The council is due to meet later on Tuesday in response to the latest launch.

Mr Trump, his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and South Korea's President, Moon Jae-in, have all signalled their willingness to hold diplomatic talks with the North to try to halt its nuclear weapons programme.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. 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A US congressman visiting Seoul said Washington is now pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions by shutting down the impoverished country's access to hard currency, the lifeblood of its expensive weapons program.

The goal is to offer international banks that do business with Pyongyang a choice between bankruptcy and freezing North Korean accounts, Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said.

Tuesday's launch came only days after Pyongyang test-fired three short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. It brought the total number of tests this year to 13, with analysts predicting the North could possess a viable long-range nuclear missile by the end of Mr Trump's first term as President.

Mr Trump had previously suggested his tough approach might be working.

He told supporters at a campaign style rally in Phoenix, Arizona, last week: "I respect the fact that [Mr Kim] is starting to respect us. And maybeprobably not, but maybesomething positive can come about."

Additional reporting by agencies
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North Korea has test fired a missile over Japan in an unprecedented act that is likely to further enflame tensions in the region, Japan's government has confirmed.

It is the latest act of provocation by the communist state since it fired missiles into the Sea of Japan three days ago, following comments from President Donald Trump that he would meet any threats from North Korea with "fire and fury".

If initial reports prove correct and a long-range missile has been flown over the Japanese mainland, this will be regarded as a far more provocative act than flying shorter-range weapons into the sea.

In pictures: North Korea military drill Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: North Korea military drill In pictures: North Korea military drill North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un watches a military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video

The Japanese government's J-Alert warning system advised people in the area to take precautions, but public broadcaster NHK said there was no sign of damage.

Japan's military did not attempt to shoot down the missile, which passed over the country's territory at around 6:06 am. local time (21:06 GMT), reportedly flying 2,700 km (1678 miles).

The country's state media reports the missile broke into three pieces off the coast of Hokkaido.

Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he would everything in his power to protect the public.

We will make utmost efforts to firmly protect the lives of the people, Mr Abe told reporters as he entered his office for emergency meetings on the missile firing.

South Korea also said the North had fired an unidentified projectile early on Tuesday from a region near its capital, Pyongyang, eastwards towards the sea.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the South Korean and US militaries were analysing the launch and did not immediately confirm how far the projectile travelled and where it landed.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said North Korea's latest missile launch was a threat that Tokyo would respond to decisively.

"This ballistic missile launch appeared to fly over our territory. It is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat to our nation," Mr Suga told reporters.

He added that Japan will work closely with the US, South Korea and other concerned nations to take a timely and appropriate response.

"It could endanger peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region. It is also very dangerous and problematic in terms of the traffic safety of planes and ships. The launch is an obvious violation of UN resolutions. We cannot tolerate these repeated provocations by the North. We condemn this in the strongest possible way."

The launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the US mainland when perfected.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened to fire missiles into the sea near the US Pacific territory of Guam and expressed anger over the ongoing annual war games between the United States and South Korea. A missile would need 3,500 km of range (2,175 miles) to hit Guam.

South Korean and US forces are in the middle of their annual joint exercises, with Pyongyang regularly complaining that these are an invasion rehearsal.

US and Japanese servicemen have just concluded joint exercises in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost major island.

The Pentagon said the missile test was carried out over the Tohoku region in the north.

"The missile launched by North Korea flew over Japan," Pentagon spokesman US Army Col Rob Manning said. "We are still in the process of assessing this launch."

A senior US intelligence official told NBC this would be the first missile test to pass over Japan on a high altitude trajectory. In 1998, North Korea fired a missile through Japanese airspace.

The UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said on Twitter he was "outraged'' by the "reckless provocation'' from the latest missile launch.

The Japanese government is expected to be prepared to ask the UN for assistance in dealing with the provocation from North Korea.
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Millions of Japanese people awoke to "terrifying" text messages urging them to "evacuate to a sturdy building or underground" after North Korea fired a missile over the country.

TV and radio stations also interrupted regular programming to broadcast the "J-Alert", while bullet trains were temporarily halted as warnings went out over loudspeakers in towns in the northern island of Hokkaido.

The ballistic missile, fired at 5.58am local time, fell into the sea 735 miles (1,180 km) east of Cape Erimo.

Recommended North Korea has launched a missile over Japan

Within three minutes of the launch, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had ordered officials to gather and analyse incoming information.

At 6.02am the government sent out an alert nationwide warning system telling northern residents of the missile threat.

"Missile launch. Missile launch. A missile was fired from North Korea. Please evacuate to a sturdy building or basement," the text said.

The J-Alert was issued in 12 prefectures, including Hokkaido, making it the most widespread warning issued since the system began operating in 2007.

Ai Onodera, 33, of Hokkaido's capital Sapparo, said she was jolted awake by the message and immediately called her husband, who was away on a business trip.

"I was terrified that I wouldn't see him again," she told Reuters.

Some recipients admitted they were confused about how to respond to the warning.

One, still living in temporary housing after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, said on social media: "What do they mean, solid buildings? We don't have any."

"I was woken by the missile alert on my cellphone," said Ayaka Nishijima, 41, an office worker from Morioka, the capital of Iwate prefecture, 300 km (180 miles) south of Cape Erimo.

"I didn't feel prepared at all. Even if we get these alerts there's nowhere to run. It's not like we have a basement or bomb shelter, all we can do is get away from the window," she said.

Four minutes after the first public warning, at 6.06 am, the missile entered the air space over Hokkaido, according to government bulletins.

By 6.07 am, the missile - travelling at close to 7,500 miles per hour (12,000 km an hour) and a maximum height of 340 miles (550km) - had hurtled across the island and out to sea.

An alert from the government's Fire and Disaster Management Agency saying the missile had passed over Hokkaido was sent two minutes later.

"If you find suspicious things, please never touch them," it added.

"We felt helpless knowing there was nothing we could do even while a missile was passing through the skies of Japan," said Hiroaki Kumasaka, 38, who works at a publishing company and was at Tokyo station for a business trip up north.

"I sent a message to my family saying that 'Japan is no longer safe,' and the stranger standing next to me shared the same sentiments with me," he added.

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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The J-Alert was the third issued about a North Korean missile launch since 2007, reported the Asahi Shimbun.

Pyongyang has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under leader Kim Jong-un, the most recent on Saturday, but firing projectiles over mainland Japan is rare.

"North Korea's reckless action is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat to our nation," Mr Abe said.

The United Nations Security Council would meet later on Tuesday to discuss the test, diplomats said.

Andrew Kaz, a 24-year-old American working as an assistant language teacher in the eastern Hokkaido city of Kushiro said he was worried about the potential response from Japan and the US.

"I know this happened before but I feel small and rudderless," he said. "Everything seems like business as usual, but you can tell people are shaken up."

Growing threats from Pyongyang have prompted several coastal towns on Japan's main island of Honshu to hold missile drills. Hokkaido, a island of 5.5 million known for its ski resorts, seafood, beer and potatoes, was planning what appeared to be its first such drill this Friday.

Earlier this month, the 15-member Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea in response to two long-range missile launches in July.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called the countrys latest missile test over Japan a meaningful prelude to containing Guam and said his country should conduct more missile tests into the Pacific Ocean, maintaining his country's defiant posture even as the United Nations convened an emergency meeting on containing the Korean threat.

Japan is on high alert after North Korea fired a missile over the island of Hokkaido, which prompted an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. The missile hurtled toward Japan as the United States and South Korea were conducting joint military exercises that North Korea has consistently denounced as an act of aggression.

Mr Kim was present to observe the test of the missile that flew over Japan, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The news service also said the projectile was a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile, the same type North Korea had threatened Guam with.

The Korean leader's remarkls remarks, conveyed via the Korean Central News Agency, a government mouthpiece, suggest that North Korea has no intention of changing the behavior guiding a recent spate of missile tests that have rattled east Asian countries and prompted tough talk from the United States. Donald Trump said North Korea had displayed contempt for its neighbors and that all options are on the table for a response.

Members of the United Nations Security Council released a statement calling the firing outrageous and pushing North Korea to discontinue further launches. The statement did not call for additional sanctions on North Korea, which saw the UN impose more financial restrictions earlier this month.

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, who had said prior to the meeting that something serious has to happen without providing additional details, said afterward that North Korea must recognize the danger they are putting themselves in.

An increasingly assertive North Korea has already prodded a response from the international community. The UN security council voted unanimously in early August to impose new sanctions that sought to inflict economic pain by banning coal and other exports.

North Korea's threat to Guam again thrust small Pacific island into a global struggle over North Korea's military ambitions. It was frequently invoked as the United States and North Korea traded belligerent rhetoric earlier this month, with Donald Trump's threat of punishing North Korea with fear and fire prompting North Korea's military to announce it was formulating plans to strike Guam.

North Korea subsequently signaled it was shelving the threat, drawing praise from Mr Trump. But a series of missile tests in recent days has again raised the temperature.
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North Koreas increasingly frequent missile tests have prompted calls for the US, Japan or South Korea to use the weaponry at their disposal to shoot the projectiles down.

In July, after a previous test, retired US Air Force general Chuck Wald struck a tough line. I would try to shoot one of their test missiles down instead of just firing missiles off the South Korean coast out there, he told the Washington Examiner. I dont know what that does. It shows we can fire missiles, I guess.

Reacting to yesterdays test, some Japanese social media users expressed dismay at their governments failure to shoot down the missile that overflew Hokkaido.

A missile shootdown may hold appeal as a third way between a full-scale attack and the continuation of a sanctions regime that is failing to restrain the DPRK's twin nuclear and missile programmes - but such a plan doesn't come without risks as serious as any other in the intractable dispute.

"There is a great deal of hardware already around the peninsula," said Douglas H Paal, former member of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H W Bush's National Security Council, and now vice president of the Carnegie Endowment for Peace. "I think it is a better than 50 per cent chance we'll see this added to, rather than a further escalation into something kinetic at this point."

Among this hardware is a range of missile defence systems that are all designed to counter just the kind of attack North Korea could mount.

South Korea and the US base on Guam both have THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) launchers, with another scheduled to be deployed in South Korea next month, despite Chinese objections.

America, South Korea and Japan all have AEGIS-enabled missile defence ships in the area, and Japan demonstrated its Patriot missile defence capability at an event coincidentally scheduled just hours after the North Korea test.

This arsenal sounds impressive, but experts counsel caution.

"We've been working on this technology for 30 years, and it's still not ironclad," said Mr Paal. "If we shoot and miss, it would hand Kim Jong-Un an incalculable propaganda victory. The only real-world situation where anything like this technology has proved reliable has been Israel's Iron Dome system, which is a completely different situation."

It is also impossible to know if Mr Kim's regime would see the destruction of a missile as a de-escalatory move: it could easily be taken as an act of war.

Even if that risk is discounted, there are additional benefits to not pulling the trigger.

"These tests are for North Korea to experiment with their capabilities," said Mr Paal, "but, less obviously, they help us learn about those capabilities. From telemetry data to the wreckage we can recover, there's a huge amount of information in every launch - not least the clues to their strategy that can be discerned from their decisions.

"The US and the rest of the world have a range of options at present, but it would be unwise to just start blowing missiles out of the sky."
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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has told his countrys police officers they should kill idiots who try to resist arrest.

The controversial leader was speaking in the Philippines capital, Manila, as he faces pressure over his tough approach to drugs. Thousands of people have been killed in a nation-wide crackdown on drug users since he took office in June 2016.

Going off-topic during a prepared speech at the Heroes Cemetery, Mr Duterte addressed Jovie Espenido, the police chief of a town whose mayor was killed in an anti-drugs raid.

"Your duty requires you to overcome the resistance of the person you are arresting... if he resists, and it is a violent one... you are free to kill the idiots, that is my order to you," he told the officer.

He added that murder and homicide and unlawful killings were not allowed, however.

It comes days after more than 1,000 people joined a protest opposing Mr Dutertes drugs policy.

The demonstration began as crowds including nuns, priests and hundreds of children joined the funeral procession of Kian Loyd delos Santos, a 17-year-old schoolboy who was shot dead by anti-drugs officers earlier in August.

Mr Duterte met the boys parents at the presidential palace on Monday to assure them there will be a thorough investigation into their sons death.

Delos Santos mother, Lorenza, later said the President had assured them he would not allow those who have committed wrong to go unpunished.

The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Show all 9 1 /9 The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On killing drug addicts These sons of whores are destroying our children. I warn you, dont go into that, even if youre a policeman, because I will really kill you. If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Message to China I will go there on my own with a Jet Ski, bringing along with me a [Phillipino] flag and a pole, and once I disembark, I will plant the flag on the runway and tell the Chinese authorities, Kill me  AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Christmas message to law-breakers If you do not want to stop, and just continue committing crimes, then this would be your last Merry Christmas AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On sex life I was separated from my wife. Im not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever? When I take Viagra, it stands up AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On the drugs trade None of my children are into illegal drugs. But my order is, even if it is a member of my family, kill him'" AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting the Pope We were affected by the traffic. It took us five hours. I asked why, they said it was closed. I asked who is coming. They answered, the pope. I wanted to call him: Pope, son of a wh**e, go home. Do not visit us again AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Joke about rape I saw her face and I thought, 'What a pity... they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first AFP/Getty The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting Barack Obama "Mr Obama should be respectful and refrain from throwing questions at me about the killings, or son of a bitch, I will swear at you in that forum" REUTERS The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants "If I have to face them, you know I can eat humans. I will really open up your body. Just give me vinegar and salt, and I will eat you. If you annoy me to the fullest... I will eat you alive. Raw" EPA

Witnesses say the 17-year-old was dragged into an alley in Manila by policeman and shot in the head before being dumped next to a pigsty. CCTV appears to corroborate their accounts.

Police say they acted in self-defence after the teenager opened fire on them.

The UNs special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, Agnes Callamard, described the killing as murder, prompting Mr Duterte to label her a son of a bitch and stupid.

She should not threaten me, he added.

Mr Dutertes hardline drug policy has been widely criticised by the international community but was part of a campaign promise to crack down on crime and drugs.

He dismissed the criticism earlier in the year, saying he did not give a sh*t.

I do not care about what the human rights guys say, he said. I have a duty to preserve the [next] generation. If it involves human rights, I dont give a sh*t.

Additional reporting by agencies.
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Activist groups have accused the Burmese army of burning down villages and shooting Rohingya Muslim civilians as part of a crackdown on insurgents in Rakhine state.

Violence has driven thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing towards Bangladesh for safety, along with a smaller exodus of ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, where they face growing danger of sickness and attempts by the Bangladesh authorities to send them home.

The Burmese government has blamed Rohingya insurgents for the violence, including the arson.

Laura Haigh, Amnesty International's Burma researcher, said reports of villages being burned were "deeply disturbing."

"While the Myanmar authorities have the duty to investigate criminal attacks on security force posts, they must refrain from violence, and ensure that they are making every effort to distinguish between suspected militants and ordinary people," she said, using an alternative name for Burma.

"This cannot lead to a repeat of last years vicious military reprisals responding to a similar attack, when security forces tortured, killed and raped Rohingya people and burned down whole villages."

Insurgents launched coordinated attacks last week against police patrols, with the government giving an official death toll of 96, although the actual number is likely to be higher.

Both the government, in official statements, and its critics, in posts on social media often accompanied by video clips, said there was widespread burning of buildings and even whole neighbourhoods in Maungdaw township in northern Rakhine.

"Extremist terrorists blew out improvised bombs, set fire the villages and attacked the police outposts in Region-2 of Maungtaw yesterday from the morning to afternoon," an English-language statement issued by the Information Ministry said.

Arakan Times, an online news website serving the Rohingya community, said Burmese troops and border guard police burned down 1,000 homes in actions beginning Saturday and continuing on Monday.

Both sides' claims are difficult to verify, because the government denies most journalists access to the area.

 Aung San Suu Kyi pushes back against criticism of handling of Rohingya abuses

New York-based Human Rights Watch said satellite photos appear to show widespread burning in 10 areas of northern Rakhine.

While the causes of the fires could not be ascertained, it noted that it "compared the locations of these fires with witness statements it has collected and media reports, and found a correlation with some reported incidents where residences have allegedly been deliberately burned."

The group urged the government to "grant access to independent monitors to determine the sources of fires and assess allegations of human rights violations."

A Rohingya insurgent group, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, or ARSA, took responsibility for Thursday night's attacks on more than 25 locations, saying they were in defence of Rohingya communities that had been brutalised by government forces. They vowed to continue to defend the communities.

Rohingya mothers face persecution Show all 10 1 /10 Rohingya mothers face persecution Rohingya mothers face persecution Ramida Begum holds her 10-day-old daughter in their shelter in Kutupalang, an unregistered refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. 'The military caught my husband and burnt our house down a week before I left Myanmar. Since then I don't know whether my husband is dead or alive' Reuters Rohingya mothers face persecution Minara Begum sits inside the shelter, cradling her one-month-old son Ayub. Minara fled to Bangladesh from Nasha Phuru village in Myanmar with her husband and mother-in-law. 'My child doesn't get enough breast milk as I don't eat enough nutritious food. I have to buy milk powder from local market though it's not very good for my son' Reuters Rohingya mothers face persecution Amina, pictured with her 16-day-old daughter Sumaiyin, is in a refugee camp Balukhali that neighbours Ramida and Minara's. 'One and a half months ago the military came to our village and kept firing their guns. I ran away with my neighbours to save our lives. You see us alive here only because the God was so kind. They caught my uncle and my younger brother and we don't know whether they are dead or alive' Reuters Rohingya mothers face persecution Fatema sits beside her one-day-old daughter Aasma in Kutupalang. Fatema fled to Bangladesh from Jambuinna village in Myanmar two months ago after her house was burnt down by the military. She crossed Naf River by boat during the night. 'Our situation is better than many other refugees as my husband Mohammad Alom works here as a day labourer. Many of the new refugees have no work here, so they have to rely on relief' Reuters Rohingya mothers face persecution Jamalida cradles her two-month-old daughter Shahida. Jamalida came to Bangladesh with her husband from Nasha Phuru village in Myanmar Reuters Rohingya mothers face persecution Rehana Begum lays her one-day-old daughter in front of her inside their tarpaulin shelter. Rehana fled her village of Jambuinna in Myanmar three months ago. 'We were in our home and suddenly the military came to our village and started shooting. When we heard the sound of gun shots we immediately went to our relatives. We walked for four hours without any food and water to reach the border at 1 a.m. We paid 25,000 Myanmar kyat (14) to a broker to cross.' Intercepted by Bangladesh border guards, Rehana's family narrowly escaped being sent home. 'They wanted to send us back, but then we heard gunshots from the Myanmar side and the guards released us, saying, "Stay in Bangladesh and save your lives"' Reuters Rohingya mothers face persecution Noor Begum sits next to her one-day-old daughter Sumaiya as she stares into the camera. Noor came to the camp one-and-a-half months ago from Nagpura village with her husband Jahangir Reuters Rohingya mothers face persecution Rajuma Begum observes her one-month-old son Raihan. 'I fled to Bangladesh because of fear, because I needed to save my children. I was pregnant and suffering from fever while crossing the border. I also have an 11-month-old boy, so it was very difficult to reach the border from our village Wabek in Myanmar. I had to rest frequently. After six hours of horrible walking we finally reached the border at 2am and crossed after paying a broker' Reuters Rohingya mothers face persecution Eighteen-year-old Asmot Ara rests her newly born daughter on her lap. Asmot said she came to the camp one month ago with neighbours from Nagpura village. In Myanmar her father-in-law was killed and their home burnt down by the Myanmar military Reuters Rohingya mothers face persecution As Marijaan holds her 25-day-old daughter Noor Habi, her son peers over her shoulder. Marijaan fled to Bangladesh from Khyeri Prang village in Myanmar one month ago after her house was burnt down by the Myanmar military. 'I reached the border at night and crossed by the boat. I paid the boatman to cross the Naf River' Reuters

The treatment of around 1.1 million Muslim Rohingya in Burma has become the biggest challenge for national leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out on behalf of the long-persecuted minority.

The Rohingya have faced severe discrimination and were the targets of violence in 2012 that killed hundreds and drove about 140,000 people  predominantly Rohingya  from their homes to camps for the internally displaced, where most remain.

The government refuses to recognise Rohingya as a legitimate native ethnic minority and most Rohingya are denied citizenship and its rights.

Additional reporting by agencies
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South Korea's military has dropped eight heavy bombs near its border with the North in a show of what local media called "overwhelming force" following Pyongyang's latest missile test.

President Moon Jae-in ordered the strike, by four F-15K fighter-bombers, at a firing range in the country's east to "display a strong capability to punish" North Korea if it were to attack.

The MK-84 multi-purpose bomb is a 2,000lb munition that can penetrate some 11m of earth and 11ft of concrete. South Korea said all eight hit their targets at a testing ground on the country's own soil.

The Yonhap news agency said government officials wanted to show Seoul's ability to overwhelm its belligerent neighbour in the case of all-out hostility.

Pyongyang's test of an intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan's northern Hokkaido island was condemned by Tokyo as an "unprecedented, serious and grave threat" to the region. "We will do our utmost to protect people's lives," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said.

It came amid joint US-South Korean war games.

The launch was the first-ever reported from Sunan, home to Pyongyang's international airport, prompting speculation the North had fired a road-mobile missile from an airport runway.

Runways could provide the ideal space to launch a road-mobile missile like the Hwasong-12, while also demonstrating that the North can launch its missiles from anywhere, according to Moon Seong Mook, a former South Korean military official and current analyst for the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy.

 What are the ranges of North Korea's missiles?

In an unusual move, South Korea's military released footage of its own missile tests it said were conducted last week. The videos showed two types of new missiles with ranges of 800km (497 miles) and 500km (310 miles) being fired from truck-mounted launchers during three tests conducted on 24 August.

South Korea's Agency for Defense Development said the launches represented the last flight test for the longer-range missile before it is operationally deployed.

Such projectiles, which would be the latest additions to South Korea's Hyumoo family of missiles, are considered key components of the so-called "kill chain" pre-emptive strike capability the South is pursuing to counter the North's nuclear and missile threat.

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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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Kim Jong-un's latest missile test will keep tensions high on the peninsula after months of angry rhetoric from both Pyongyang and Washington.

The despot has for months traded barbed remarks with US President Donald Trump, who earlier this summer threatened "fire and fury" if the North continued to threaten the US and its allies.

Mr Kim has warned he could bomb the US Pacific territory of Guam, and Mr Trump declared on Twitter that Washington's "military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely".

The North has conducted launches at an unusually fast pace this year13 times, Seoul saidand some analysts believe Pyongyang could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of Mr Trump's first term in early 2021.

South Korea, Japan and the US are desperately trying to bring Pyongyang to the negotiating table to forestall that possibility. Mr Trump has attempted to pressure China, the North's sole major ally, into using its influence to help in the cause.

Additional reporting by agencies
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The US would have been forced to immediately attack North Korea had the missile Pyongyang fired over Japan hit its territory rather than landing in the sea off its coast, experts say.

Japan is a long-standing Nato partner which means a strike by a foreign power on its soil is deemed as an attack on all the countries in the alliance, meaning member nations are obliged to react.

Tokyo would have declared war against Pyongyang regardless of whether the "reckless act" by Kim Jong-un had not intended to directly target the island nation, analysts say.

The United States, which has the biggest military presence of the member states in Asia, would have launched a counter-attack either with a nuclear missile or other strike.

And that would have plunged the world into all-out war, with fears that China could wade into the conflict and defend North Korea.

The threat of global warfare came when Pyongyang fired a missile, thought to be a new Hwasong-12, which torpedoed into waters off Japans northern island of Hokkaido.

Kim Jong-un fired the intermediate-range weapon despite the threat by US president Donald Trump that North Korea would feel the fire and fury if it launched further missiles towards Japan.

Its extremely serious. Most wars happen by accident, not by design, and if these missiles had landed on Japan there would have undoubtedly been war this morning, Professor Anthony Glees, a security expert with the University of Buckingham, told The Independent.

I think Japan would have been forced to declare war on North Korea. It would have been seen as an attack on Japan.

Japan is a Nato partner. Retaliation is obligatory, it is not a choice. We know the US is a guarantor of Japans security. Even if they retaliated with conventional weapons against North Korea, it would then escalate straight away.

It was a totally, reckless, dangerous act by North Korea. The whole world is lucky that these weapons did not kill anybody in Japan.

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

Adam Mount, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for American Progress, told CNN that North Korea launched the missile to reinforce the message that Pyongyang can deter any US-led regime change.

They cross line after line in an effort to say this is the new reality and you should accept it and go easy on us, Mr Mount said. I think that's a pretty unambiguous signal that they're no longer going to be restrained by the United States.

The Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe denounced the launch as an unprecedented and grave threat to the countrys security. In a 40-minute phone call with Mr Trump, the pair agreed to call for an emergency meeting of the UN security council to discuss the situation.

Mr Trump said the US was 100% with Japan and repeated his strong commitment to the defence of Japan, Mr Abe said shortly after the call.

The outrageous act of firing a missile over our country is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat and greatly damages regional peace and security, Mr Abe told reporters in Tokyo, adding that his government had protested to Pyongyang through the Japanese embassy in Beijing.

The missile was the third fired by North Korea to have passed over Japanese territory. The first was in 1998 and the second in 2009, although Pyongyang claims they were satellites.
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North Korea's latest long-range missiles tests caused alarm in neighbouring Japan overnight, as Kim Jong-un's rockets soared over the northern island of Hokkaido.

Yoshihide Suga, Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary, branded the situation "a grave, unprecedented threat" while Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on the UN to convene an emergency meeting of member states.

China has since cautioned US President Donald Trump not to risk further inflaming a volatile situation as he did with his recent pledge to meet Pyongyang sabre-rattling with "fire and fury".

The threat of nuclear warfare erupting in East Asia remains very real and North Korea's latest exploits over the Sea of Japan indicate a further advance in the rogue state's ballistic capabilities as it seeks to develop an intercontinental missile capable of carrying a warhead.

But how real is the threat to Japan and to Hokkaido in particular? Where is the island and what is life like there?

Hokkaido is Japan's northernmost island, lying just 27 miles from Russian soil and east of the disputed Kuril Islands.

It covers 32,221 square miles and is separated from Japan's largest landmass, Honshu, by the Tsugaru Strait and connected by an undersea railway line via the Seikan Tunnel. Its terrain is mountainous, particularly at the heart of the island, causing it to be less developed than much of the rest of the country. The capital city, Sapporo, is its biggest conurbation.

The island is seismically active and was badly damaged by a tsunami in 1993, when 202 people were killed when a wave triggered by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake lashed Okushiri.

Hokkiado is generally well known for its inhospitable climate, comprising harsh snowy winters, sub-zero temperatures and frozen seas.

During the Second World War, Hokkaido was largely spared from allied bombing but did come under attack from the US Navy, seeking to disable its shipping and military capabilities. Its southern ports were severely damaged by US aircraft in raids on 14 and 15 July 1945 as war in the Pacific ended in defeat for Imperial Japan.

Modern day Hokkaido has a population of approximately 5.4 million people. Its economy is dominated by the service sector, with agriculture and tourism also playing a key role.

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

A quiet and largely peaceful locale, Hokkaido's people have long lived with the threat posed to their way of life by the natural world.

Today, they find themselves looking nervously across the strait as their neighbour's nuclear ambitions gather pace at an ever-more-alarming rate.
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Laws prohibiting blasphemy are astonishingly widespread worldwide, with many laying down disproportionate punishments ranging from prison sentences to lashings or the death penalty, the lead author of a report on blasphemy said.

Iran, Pakistan and Yemen score worst, topping a list of 71 countries with laws criminalising views deemed blasphemous, found in all regions, according to a comprehensive report issued this month by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.

The bipartisan US federal commission called for repeal of blasphemy statutes, saying they invited abuse and failed to protect freedoms of religion and expression.

We found key patterns. All deviate from freedom of speech principles in some way, all have a vague formulation, with different interpretations, Joelle Fiss, the Swiss-based lead author of the report told Reuters.

The ranking is based on how a states ban on blasphemy or criminalising of it contravenes international law principles.

Ireland and Spain had the best scores, as their laws order a fine, according to the report, which said many European states have blasphemy laws that are rarely invoked.

Some 86 percent of states with blasphemy laws prescribe imprisonment for convicted offenders, it said.

Proportionality of punishment was a key criteria for the researchers.

That is why Iran and Pakistan are the two highest countries because they explicitly have the death penalty in their law, Fiss said, referring to their laws that enforce the death penalty for insulting the Prophet Mohammad.

Blasphemy laws can be misused by authorities to repress minorities, the report said, citing Pakistan and Egypt, and can serve as a pretext for religious extremists to foment hate.

Recent high-profile blasphemy cases include Jakartas former Christian governor being sentenced to two years in jail in May for insulting Islam, a ruling which activists and UN experts condemned as unfair and politicised. Critics fear the ruling will embolden hardline Islamist forces to challenge secularism in Indonesia.

A Pakistani court sentenced a man to death last month who allegedly committed blasphemy on Facebook, the first time the penalty was given for that crime on social media in Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Each of the top five countries with the highest scoring laws has an official state religion, the report said, referring to Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Qatar. All have Islam as their state religion.

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

Saudi Arabia, where flogging and amputations have been reported for alleged blasphemy, is not among the top highest-risk countries, but only 12th, as punishment is not defined in the blasphemy law itself.

They don't have a written penal law, but rely on judges' interpretation of the Sharia. The score was disproportionately low, Fiss said. If a law is very vague, it means prosecutors and judges have a lot of discretion to interpret.

Reuters
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Eid al-Adha, or the feast of the sacrifice, is the second Eid festival of the calendar year, which honours Ibrahims commitment to God when ordered to offer up his only son - not named in the Quran as Ismail but widely accepted in Islamic literature as so - as a sacrifice.

As he prepared to carry out the act, Satan appeared to Ibrahim attempting to deter him from his task, but the devout man threw stones to repel the devil.

At the last second, God sent the angel Jibra'il to replace the boy with a ram. In other versions of the story, the knife is flipped out of Ibrahims hand or copper appears over the boys throat, preventing the sacrifice.

Hajj 2017 Show all 16 1 /16 Hajj 2017 Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim partakes in the symbolic stoning of the devil at the Jamarat Bridge in Mina, near Mecca, which marks the final major rite of the hajj Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims take part in the symbolic stoning of the devil at the Jamarat Bridge in Mina, near Mecca, which marks the final major rite of the hajj Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim partakes in the symbolic stoning of the devil at the Jamarat Bridge in Mina Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim has his head shaven after throwing pebbles at pillars during the symbolic stoning of the devil Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim's head is shaved, after throwing pebbles at pillars during the symbolic stoning of the devil Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Saudi policeman spays Muslim pilgrims with water to cool them off near the Grand Mosque Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat, southeast of the Saudi holy city of Mecca Bandar Aldandani/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims at the Grand Mosque Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Iranian Muslim pilgrims wait at Jeddah airport in Saudi Arabia prior to the start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers perform prayers around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 An Iranian Muslim pilgrim reads the Koran as she waits at Jeddah airport in Saudi Arabia, prior to the start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Saudi Red Crescent paramedics show the press their emergency equipment Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers perform prayers around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers perform prayers around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers walk around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims sit around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP

Ibrahim, astonished to see his son unharmed, was praised for his devotion and willingness to surrender himself to Allah.

Eid al-Adha is one of the holiest celebrations in Islam and marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia which must be undetaken once in a lifetime all physically and financially capable Muslims.

Eid al-Fitr, which this year fell in June, is held to celebrate the end of the month-long fasting period of Ramadan.

When does Eid al-Adha begin?

Like other Islamic celebrations, Eid al-Adha by the lunar calendar, and always begins on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah - known as Arafat Day, or the climax of the annual Hajj pilgrimage period. In the Gregorian system, the date can vary over a period of 11 days.

In 2017 the celebration begins on Friday 1 September, although in Muslim majority countries the public holiday often starts the day before. In Pakistan, the festival will start on Saturday 2 September. The date is set when the closest new moon is seen.

 Iran: Thousands mourn victims of Hajj stampede

How long does it last?

Eid al-Adha is marked by a four or five day public holiday in most Muslim countries - although in Turkey and Qatar celebrations last for 10 days and in Saudi Arabia a whole fortnight.

A three day holiday is being held in Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda.

How is it celebrated?

Muslims put on smart clothes for morning prayers both before and after sunrise, which are followed by family meals and the exchanging of gifts.

In remembrance of the Ibrahim story, a goat or sheep is often slaughtered. One third of the meat is consumed by the family, another for friends and relatives and the last part for those in need.

The period is seen as an important time for charity work.
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Angela Merkel has said she has no qualms about her decision to open Germanys doors to refugees in 2015, arguing that the policy was humane and a reaction to an emergency situation.

German Chancellor said she was convinced that she had made the right decision to allow safe passage  for which she took a political hit in Germany and which appears to have driven the rise of the right-wing populist AfD party.

All important decisions of the year 2015 I would make again, she told German publication Welt, referring to the decision to allow refugees free passage into Germany.

Recommended Angela Merkel set to extend her premiership of Germany to 16 years

She said the policy was justified in that year because of the emergency situation during that particular period.

At that time, Germany had acted in a very difficult and humane manner, she added.

I am convinced of this, and at the same time I say that the year 2015 should not be repeated, it was an emergency situation that we should never experience again, even the refugees.

She said that any mistakes in her handling of the refugee crisis came before 2015 when Germany opened its doors, arguing that policy had placed too much on the Dublin system in the past, which has overburdened countries such as Italy and Greece.

Germany took around 890,000 asylum applications in 2015, though the figure dropped significantly by in the following year to 280,000.

An analysis of figures from the latest full year show that Syrians made up the largest group of arrivals, followed by Afghans, Iraqis, Iranians, Eritreans and Albanians.

Angela Merkel, German chancellor (REUTERS)

The sheer scare of refugees accepted by Ms Merkels government led to a large backlog of asylum applications.

By contrast, the UK took significantly fewer refugees. David Cameron pledged to take 20,000 Syrians by 2020, just 4,000 a year when he made the pledge in 2015.

Refugee dinners in Berlin - In pictures Show all 5 1 /5 Refugee dinners in Berlin - In pictures Refugee dinners in Berlin - In pictures Refugee dinners in Berlin - In pictures Refugee dinners in Berlin - In pictures Refugee dinners in Berlin - In pictures Refugee dinners in Berlin - In pictures

Additionally, a further commitment to resettle as many as 3,000 Syrian child refugees by the UK was abandoned by Theresa May after just 350 children were resettled. The Government claims it never put a numerical figure on the number it would accept through the Dubs scheme  which was championed by Labour peer Lord Dubs, himself a Jewish refugee to the UK from Nazi-occupied Europe during WWII.

The Chancellor was speaking a month ahead of the German federal election, which will take place on 24 September. She is expected to be comfortably returned as the countrys leader, though the right-wing populist AfD is also expected to have MPs elected to the Bundestag for the first time.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that his country will never give up its settlements on Palestinian land, saying in a speech to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Six Day War that we are here to stay forever.

There will be no more uprooting of settlements in the land of Israel. It has been proven that it does not help peace, he said. We've uprooted settlements. What did we get? We received missiles. It will not happen anymore, he said in a speech on Monday in Barkan, a settlement near Tel Aviv.

We are here to stay, forever.

Israel annexed East Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank in the 1967 war, a move which has never been recognised by the international community.

 Man dies as Israeli forces attempt to seize him from hospital

The accelerating pace of Israeli settlement building over the 1967 Green Line is one of the major sticking points in any workable Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

We are guarding Samaria [the Israeli name for the West Bank] against those who want to uproot us. We will deepen our roots, build, strengthen and settle, the premier added.

Mr Netanyahu has made many similar statements on other occasions. The Barkan outing marked his third visit to the West Bank so far this year.

It is believed around 500,000 Israelis now live in settlements.

Israel: From independence to intifada Show all 7 1 /7 Israel: From independence to intifada Israel: From independence to intifada 26973.bin Israel: From independence to intifada 26974.bin Israel: From independence to intifada 26975.bin Israel: From independence to intifada 26976.bin Israel: From independence to intifada 26977.bin Israel: From independence to intifada 26985.bin Robert Capa/Magnum Israel: From independence to intifada 26986.bin Robert Capa/Magnum

His government recently announced more than 11,000 new settler homes in the West Bank, as well as the retroactive legalisation of 4,000 outpostJewish homes built on private Palestinian land - bold moves believed to have been encouraged by US President Donald Trump's unexpected election victory.

Mr Trump is widely viewed in Israel, and the wider Middle East, as far more sympathetic to Israeli interests, including the contentious issue of settlement building, than his predecessor Barack Obama.

During his campaign, Mr Trump had said the Israeli government should keep going with the construction of new settlements. He walked back some of that language during a February visit to Washington by Mr Netanyahu, when he told the visiting prime minister in front of reporters that I would like to see you hold back on settlements for a little bit.

The new stance, together with White House equivocation over whether the US embassy will move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as promised, has caught some Israeli hard-liners off guard.

The Trump administration has also suggested several times that the president is open to the idea of a one-state, rather than two-state, solution to the intractable conflict.

 Trump: Israelis and Palestinians are 'reaching for peace'

Such a move would be a marked change from US policy since Bill Clintons tenure which, alongside the UN, EU, Arab League and others, has been to promote the idea of a peace deal involving a Palestinian state.

Palestinian Authority (PA) representatives have been keen to stress they want US commitment to a two-state deal which would recognise an independent Palestine.

Presidential advisor and Mr Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner has just completed a multi-stop tour of the Middle East aimed at restarting peace talks, which last broke down in 2014.
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The battle to drive out Isis from its self-proclaimed caliphate and stronghold in the Syrian city of Raqqa looks set to end within two months, a top-ranking Kurdish commander has said  but she expects the fighting to intensify as the endgame approaches.

Nowruz Ahmed sits on the military council of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and as one of a small number of members of its Raqqa general command is one of the most senior commanders in the offensive against the jihadists.

Isis has lost swathes of territory since 2015 in both Syria and Iraq, including the Iraqi city of Mosul, which was eventually wrestled from the terrorists in July this year.

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Under separate attacks from a US-led coalition and from the Russian-backed Syrian army, Isis rebels are gradually retreating from Raqqa into their other strongholds along the Euphrates valley east of the city, the de facto capital of the caliphate it declared in 2014.

Speaking to Reuters in her first media interview, Ms Ahmed said: We cannot determine the time period in which the battle of Raqqa will end precisely because war has its conditions.

But we do not expect it to last long, and according to our plans the battle will not take longer than two months from now."

Having pushed into the city in June after months of encircling it, the SDF alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias is fighting in the heart of Raqqa, assisted by air strikes and special forces from the US-led coalition.

Isis has between 700 and 1,000 fighters remaining in Raqqa, mainly in the centre of the city, according to Ms Ahmeds estimate. She said the SDF has surrounded the militants and captured around 60 per cent of the city, using a core of about 15,000 fighters in the Raqqa offensive.

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

Before the fighting began late last year, it had over 50,000 forces and has continuously enrolled new ones, she added.

The presence of an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 civilians besieged in Raqqa, including families of Isis fighters from outside the city, has hampered the advance, she added.

Ms Ahmed said the SDF remains focused on the Raqqa battle for now and has no firm plans to launch an assault in Deir al-Zor province, which is further down the Euphrates towards the Iraqi frontier and remains almost entirely under IS control.

The commander was a womens rights activist before Syrias civil war began in 2011 and heads the female counterpart to the Kurdish YPG militia. The YPG is the most powerful component of the SDF, and the female unit has played a leading frontline role on the battlefield during the bloody Raqqa campaign.

Reuters contributed to this report
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The Japanese are used to official warnings over earthquakes and tsunamis, but the ones which started at 6.02am this morning were about altogether another type of danger: a North Korean missile was on its way overhead. The alert, which started at Sapporo, a city in the north, was repeated in Tokyo and other parts of country until the Hwasong 12 plunged into the sea off Hokkaido island.

The flight of 1,700 miles ended just over 20 minutes over Japan. But it caused the expected ructions with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemning the unprecedented threat and Donald Trump declaring that all options are on the table.

The United Nations Security Council is to hold an emergency meeting. In Moscow, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov stressed that North Korea must respect UN resolutions, in Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying talked about the crisis reaching a tipping point. Theresa May, for what its worth, was outraged.

But, in reality, the international community does not have that many options, short of military action, and Kim Jong-un, sitting in Pyongyang, knows that. North Korea has faced sanctions for the past 11 years and has still found ways to continue with its nuclear programme. The latest punitive measures came just this month in a series of sweeping measures at the United Nations, banning exports of North Korean goods ranging from coal to seafood, adding individuals and organisations to a blacklist and blocking new joint-venture projects with North Korea.

Why did Kim Jong-un decide on the launch, the most provocative one so far over Japanese airspace, the first with a military missile, and one capable of carrying a nuclear payload? North Koreas ambassador to the UN, Han Tae-song, held that it was in response to the US and its allies carrying out military drills in the area. Now that the US has openly declared its hostile intention towards DPR [Democratic People's Republic of] Korea by raising aggressive military exerciseMy country has every reason to respond with tough counter-measures as an exercise of its right to self-defence.

But the military drills by the US and South Korea are mainly carried out on computer screens, annual exercises which have been going on for a long time. The Americans have also been carrying out joint manoeuvres with the Japanese for the last two weeks, but these are seen primarily as a warning to Beijing, which has been engaged in confrontation with its neighbours in the South China Sea.

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. 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The escalation may have been in response to the rhetoric of Mr Trump, which started with a threat to annihilate North Korea with fire and fury likes of which the world has never seen. It was far more aggressive language than has been used by any US President in difficult dealings with Pyongyang and startled Washingtons Asian allies, as well as Defence Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Kim Jong-un responded in similar florid tones and the threat to launch missiles towards the American island of Guam. At the end he did not do so and also appeared to have desisted from a sixth round of nuclear tests. Mr Tillerson said this was an indication of restraint by Pyongyang. Mr Trump also praised restraint, but then boasted that his tough stance made North Korea back down.

 World reacts to North Korea's latest missile launch

The confrontation is contributing to the militarisation in the region. Mr Abe is a strong advocate of changing the mindset of pacifism enshrined in the Japanese constitution since the Second World War. His government pushed through security legislation which allows the military to be deployed on overseas combat missions. The defence budget has increased for the sixth year running. South Korea is also expanding its military capability and the opposition in parliament is now for US nuclear missiles being deployed in the country.

North Korea wants bilateral talks with the US, something Washington and its allies are adamant will not happen now because it will seem to be rewarding Kim Jong-uns behaviour. But talks, in a wider forum, with China, Pyongyangs one remaining ally, playing a key role, needs to take place. No one in their right mind wants a war - as Defence Secretary Mattis pointed out the effect of that would be tragic on an unbelievable scale. But the risk remains that the rhetoric of Mr Trump and Kim Jong-un may lead to sabre-rattling that goes too far and could trigger the law of unintended consequences.
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Chile had one of the most restrictive abortion policies in the entire world. After years of campaigning, Chiles president, Michelle Bachelet, has finally pushed through a bill that will allow the termination of a pregnancy in three cases  when the womans life is in danger, when a foetus is unviable, or in cases of rape.

Judges in the constitutional court ruled in favour by six to four in a vote that reflected the wider mood on the matter. Among the general public, 70 per cent supported the bill.

Debate has been heated. A viral video campaign showed women how to induce an accidental abortion by walking into moving traffic. The point here was that a terrible accident of this kind is the only way to legally end an unwanted pregnancy.

Certain key cases have been used to show the injustice of restrictive abortion policies. The most famous has been the 11-year-old girl raped by her stepfather who was forced to carry to term.

Chile was once a leader in abortion liberalisation. Procedures had been legal in some circumstances since 1931. However, in 1989, the infamous dictator Augusto Pinochet imposed draconian abortion laws, making the practice illegal in every circumstance.

This did not stop the practice, but it did make abortions much more dangerous. According to Human Rights Watch, around 35 per cent of pregnancies in Chile end in abortions. Thats around 160,000 abortions per year  64,000 of them by girls under 18. In Latin America and the Caribbean the unsafe abortion mortality ratio is 10 times higher than in Europe. So, regardless of moral arguments, the fact is that women have been dying and will continue to die from unsafe abortions.

In my research, I have found that wealthier women do have a few options when they need an abortion. They can pay a doctor in Chile within an elite network of clandestine providers or they can travel abroad for a legal abortion.

Chiles president, Michelle Bachelet, argues for reproductive choice on International Womens Day (EPA)

Poorer women are not so lucky. They can seek a cheaper illegal provider within the country or obtain medication from the internet. Chiles geography, long and narrow, with the Andes separating it from Argentina, makes leaving the country on a budget very difficult. There is only one place where women can leave for another country quickly and cheaply  the northern border with Peru.

There are no statistics for how many women travel from Chile to Peru for abortions but during my fieldwork there I spoke to healthcare practitioners who all believed it to be common. I managed to speak to one young woman who travelled across the border when she accidentally fell pregnant. She saw Peru as an opportunity to find the future she wanted but was frightened all the same, knowing that she could face up to five years in prison if she was caught.

The problem is that clinics in Peru can be run either by licensed physicians who specialise in abortions or by people without medical training. Women cant be sure whether the procedure will be undertaken by a professional or a charlatan.

The relaxation of the law in Chile will undoubtedly change the lives of women who previously had no right to an abortion. However, the vast majority of women who fall pregnant but do not want a baby remain unaffected. As my interviewee who had an abortion in Peru told me: There is no right to an abortion. Her situation would not fall under the three cases and so she did not have and still would not have the right to legally choose what happened to her body. Chileans still have not achieved full reproductive justice.

Campaigners have been celebrating the bill, claiming it as a human rights milestone, but opposition is fierce. As a socially conservative, largely Catholic country, religious and pro-life groups have been opposing the bill at every stage. Bachelet may have made history but the fight for full reproductive rights is far from finished.

Cordelia Freeman is a teaching associate in human geography, University of Nottingham. This article first appeared on The Conversation (theconversation.com)
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Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron have thrown their weight behind the creation of a new powerful eurozone finance minister post that would oversee economic policy across the bloc.

Speaking in Paris on Tuesday French president Mr Macron said that a revamp creating the new economy chief and a eurozone-wide budget were key to helping the bloc weather future crises.

The German Chancellor Ms Merkel, who is up for re-election next month, also separately backed deeper integration at her annual press conference in Berlin.

Recommended Angela Merkel set to extend her premiership of Germany to 16 years

Ms Merkel said the new economics and finance minister role could provide greater coherence to economic policy across the bloc.

She also backed a plan for a European Monetary Fund that would redistribute money within the bloc to where it was needed.

It could make us even more stable and allow us to show the world that we have all the mechanisms in our own portfolio of the euro zone to be able to react well to unexpected situations, the Chancellor said.

She added: I could also imagine an economy and finance minister.

Back in July at a joint press conference in Paris the pair of world leaders said they agreed that the eurozone must be stabilised and further developed.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Ms Merkel has previously said that any major reforms would have to wait until after the German federal elections, which are taking place on 24 September, however.

The details of such plans are yet to be hammered out; Mr Macron has suggested the budget to be overseen by a eurozone parliament.

The Chancellor is expected to be comfortably returned to office, according to the latest opinion polls.
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Germanys right-wing populist party Alternative fur Deutschland has launched a racist attack against one of the ministers in Angela Merkels government.

AfD deputy leader Alexander Gauland prompted criticism from across the political spectrum after he said the minister, who is a German of Turkish descent, should be disposed of in Turkey.

Aydan Ozoguz, the minister for integration, who was born in Hamburg, had written an article about German culture for national newspaper Der Tagesspiegel.

Mr Gauland took issue with a claim in the article, and told an audience while out campaigning in the town of Eichsfeld: Thats what a German-Turk says. Invite her to Eichsfeld and tell her then what specifically German culture is.

Aferwards, shell never come back here and we will be able to dispose of her in Anatolia, thank God.

Condemnation of Mr Gaulands comments was quick from across the political spectrum.

Peter Tauber, chair of Ms Merkels CDU party, said: Gauland wants a German of Turkish descent, who is a member of the Federal Government, disposed of. Its called racism.

Martin Schulz, the leader of the centre-left SPD party, said: Gaulands derailment against Ozoguz is disgusting. We must do everything to ensure that such racists dont enter the Bundestag!

Asked later by the ARD public broadcaster whether he would apologise, the AfDs Mr Gauland said: No, I dont have to apologise to Ms Ozoguz.

Aydan Ozoguz, Angela Merkels integration minister (Getty) (Getty Images)

Mr Gauland however said he would not use the same wording in future because sensible people had advised against it.

The outburst by Mr Gauland is the latest in a string of scandals and race rows that have dogged the party.

Elena Roon, AfDs regional chair and parliamentary candidate in Nuremberg, was earlier this year put under investigation after allegations that she shared a picture on social media asking for Hitler to come back.

Bjorn Hocke, one of the partys branch leaders, also previously rejected the idea Hitler was absolutely evil, arguing that the issue was not black and white.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The AfD party is hoping to enter the German parliament, the Bundestag, for the first time in elections set to be held on 24 September.

The right-wingers are currently polling at between 8 and 10 per cent of the national vote share, according to different pollsters  a figure that would put them over the 5 per cent threshold needed to win any seat under Germanys proportional electoral system.

Mr Gauland himself would almost certainly be one of those elected if AfD wins seats.
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Mona Lisa posed with a dark smile because she was married off to a slave trader at just 15, a new book which investigated her family background suggests.

Lisa Gherardini, the real-life model who posed for Leonardo da Vincis iconic painting, was pushed into a wedding with wealthy Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondo.

He regularly bought slave girls and shipped them over from North Africa before he converted them to Christianity, with many working as maids in the del Giocondo household in Florence.

Recommended Leonardo DiCaprio to play Leonardo Da Vinci in upcoming biopic

But authors Martin Kemp and Giuseppe Pallanti, who researched Ms Gherardini in their book, Mona Lisa: The People and The Painting, believe del Giocondo transported more Moorish women than was needed for this work.

They could not have all remained in his household, the authors wrote. Three were too many and one or all of them would have been sold on.

They suggest he was likely involved in trading the excess number of women he shipped into Florence before and after he married Ms Gherardini in 1495.

Her marriage to the wealthy merchant spawned a life of riches that was also chequered with scandal.

A story circulated that two men from the wealthy Medici family, of whom del Giocondo was a prominent supporter, made overtures to tempt the honour of Ms Gherardini  but she rejected their advances.

Her husband feared for his business and standing in Florence and bolstered his support for the pair. They assured him their relationship sound  but they secretly mocked him for his show of weakness.

Ms Gherardinis sister Camilla, a nun, also stirred up another scandal when she and another sister were accused of allowing four men to touch them indecently, according to Mr Pallanti and Mr Kemps research.

The book states: On 20 April 1512, four men, armed and carrying a ladder, went to the convent of San Domenico, and having climbed the wall, reached certain small windows, where two nuns were waiting for them...they touched the breasts of said nuns and fondled other parts of their bodies, not to mention other indecencies.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

It adds that two other nuns were supposedly watching with rapt attention, their eyes filled with similar desire.

The case went to trial. The men involved were found guilty, but all four nuns were absolved.

After falling ill in her 60s, Ms Gherardini spent her later years in the same convent. She died in obscurity on 14 July 1542. The unfinished masterpiece, "Mona Lisa" - or Madame Lisa - did not turn her into an icon until centuries after she died.

As the years passed, word about the beauty of the painting spread. In 1857, the legendary novelist, poet and critic Theophile Gautier sang its praises in an essay, stating: You discover that your melancholy arises from the fact that [Mona Lisa], three hundred years ago, greeted your avowal of love with the same mocking smile which she retains even today on her lips.

Her famous portrait, which is the most valuable painting in the world, hangs behind bullet-proof glass in the Louvre in Paris. Millions of visitors are lured from around the world to see the painting.

Eighty per cent of the people only want to see the Mona Lisa, former Louvre director Henri Loyrette told The New York Times. The painting is believed to be worth nearly $800m (620m).
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More gusto, bigger strides, stronger arms. If you want to articulate, try a short, sharp yah just to make him look at you, but dont shout at him.

All five foot nothing and eight stone of me is standing in a pen in Jamaica. Im on a personal empowerment course and my trainers are Trina DeLisser, founder of the Half Moon Equestrian Centre, Montego Bay, whos outside the ring giving encouragement, and Razzmo, a panting, snorting thoroughbred whos in there with me. Even when viewed from the 200m-distance between us, he looks big very big.

The theory behind DeLissers equine empowerment programme is that by persuading Razzmo to trust me, to acknowledge me as the boss, and ultimately to follow me as I walk around the paddock, I will gain self-confidence and become more assertive. DeLisser, who teaches the course at corporate team-building events as well as to individuals, uses a tried-and-tested horse-whispering technique that involves little or no vocalisation, no reins and certainly no violence. Learning to use communication and body language to command the respect of another being is what this is about, she says. Once you have gained control of an animal in this way, you can practise the technique anywhere  even in tricky meetings.

DeLisser believes that horses have the power to help many human conditions, from lack of self-confidence to mental illness and autism, and at her equestrian centre  in the grounds of one of Jamaicas most idyllic resorts  she puts former racehorses that might otherwise be destroyed, to good use: I take throwaways and give them a job as wellness instructors, she says.

Trina DeLisser is founder of the Half Moon Equestrian Centre (Xenia Taliotis)

She first became aware of the healing abilities of horses  hippotherapy  when she opened a riding school 31 years ago, using her fathers retired polo ponies. Some of the children in the district had special needs and shed have them at the school whenever she could. She saw an enormous change in their state of mind and behaviour when she put them on the horses. Children with muscular, mental or multiple problems would sometimes arrive juddering and shouting and would calm down once they started riding. Their bodies would relax and they would connect with the animal in a way they couldnt with a human being, says DeLisser. It was transformative  being on a horse gave them ease of movement and power. We even had children who had never spoken before find their voice and begin to utter a word or two.

From this, it wasnt too big a step to realise that horses could help with other human frailties, including lack of self-esteem, and so she developed her empowerment programme, basing it on horse-trainer Monty Roberts non-violent round-pen, join-up method. The complete antithesis of breaking in a horse, the technique teaches horses to accept and respect their owners as the herd leaders and to follow their instruction willingly.

Xenia builds up a level of trust  eventually  with her horse Razzmo (Xenia Taliotis)

So back to the pen, where Razzmo is looking down his long and elegant nose at me. And who can blame him  I know I cut an extraordinary figure as I march towards him, flinging my arms out.

DeLisser tells me that my movements are too small and easy to ignore so advises me to pick up the whip  not to frighten him, but merely to elongate my reach. I stride forward, Razzmo gallops. I chase him, he gallops faster and for longer, literally running rings around me.

Undeterred, and with DeLissers voice spurring me on, I alter my posture. I stand taller, I open up my chest, my arm movements become stronger and more assured, and I vocalise: yah. Razzmo stops racing and starts looking at me with interest. I put down the whip, stop the arm flinging and walk towards him, approaching him sideways on as instructed, and avoiding eye contact. Im within three feet of him, almost close enough to touch him, when he bolts. I repeat the process  the arm thrusting, the striding, the vocalisation  perhaps twice more before Razzmo decides to join-up with me.

At Half Moon, trainers believe horse workshops can boost confidence (Xenia Taliotis)

The moment, when it comes, is remarkable  and it happens just as DeLisser said it would, only after I fully believe in myself and my authority. Once I trust myself, winning his trust is a natural progression. This time when I approach him, Razzmo drops his head to take in my smell, allowing me to lean into him and to reach up to touch him. He relaxes against me and then, what joy, starts to follow me around the pen and back to his stable.

It took perhaps 20 minutes to command his respect, but the memory of the elation I felt at that moment will, I hope, stay with me forever. And will I be taken my horse-whispering skills into meeting? You bet

Travel essentials

Getting there

Virgin Atlantic (virginatlantic.com) flies direct from London Gatwick to Sangster airport, Montego Bay, three times a week. Flight time 9 hours; return flights from around 680.

Staying there

The Half Moon Hotel, Montego Bay (001 876 953 2211; halfmoon.com)  a luxurious resort hotel on a stretch of pristine beach  provides every water sport you can think of, and a range of spa treatments. The cuisine is top-notch, too. Doubles from $232 (180) per night, room only.

More information

Half Moon Equestrian Centre (halfmoon.com) offers workshops from $80 (62).
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The Israeli Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) is in discussions with Indian travel agents on anti-terrorism or defence tourism, an Israeli official has said.

Hasan Madah, director of IMOT India, said: "It's a niche concept. There are many tourists from the US and Europe who are interested to learn how people defend themselves and things about warfare because the reputation of Israeli security is very high.

Madah said some entrepreneurs were exploring the concept, after tourists displayed an interest in training in defensive tactics.

He said: They want to know how to shoot, how to die, how to tackle. Its similar to paintball.

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Some people like to relax and some people like to get things done, so why not? We are exploring all (tourism) angles with travel agents in India. We are interested in promoting anything that brings in all tourists.

The Ministry officials were on a six-city roadshow, starting in Mumbai on 21 August and taking in Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, before finishing in Chennai on 30 August.

The Israeli delegation was led by Mahad, along with Judah Samuel, director of marketing at IMOT India, and included representative partners from the tourism industry of Israel.

Over 100 travel agents have participated in the roadshow in each city.

Madah said Prime Minister Narendra Modis historic visit to Israel earlier last month has led to a surge in interest among people living in India, and that the country wants to expand on this.

Madah said: We have seen many enquiries coming in. The indication from the market is that it [visit of Modi] has really helped. We expect the growth to be significant in the next few months.

First of all, it is the awareness that it is good to do business with each other, secondly business travellers' influx will automatically grow. Overall the positive atmosphere is helping us to grow.

Madah also pointed out that proposed Air India flights from New Delhi to Israel would strengthen tourism between the two countries.

He said: If it commences, then the tourist traffic is likely to surge from India and vice-versa.

On the link between the popularity of Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who plays Diana Prince in DC Comics' superhero film Wonder Woman, and the renewed interest in Israel as a tourist destination, Madah said: "She is kind of an ambassador. She is promoting and also helping us through that."

Over 34,000 Indian tourists have visited Israel between January and July 2017, a 34 per cent increase from the previous year.
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Kenya has announced plans significantly to increase the number of specialist prosecutors its wildlife service can call on to go after poachers in court.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) currently has two prosecutors covering the whole country, where poaching and trafficking of elephant ivory and rhino horn has increased with rising Asian demand.

That number could jump to as many as 14, after conservation organisation Space for Giants worked with Kenyas national prosecution service to identify potential new recruits, and train them up. Space for Giants patron is Evgeny Lebedev, the owner of The Independent.

KWSs acting director general, Julius Kimani, and Max Graham, CEO of Space for Giants, have signed an agreement in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, to widen cooperation including further training and mentoring of these new prosecutors.

KWS cannot on its own win this war, rather, our collective effort is the surest way to deal with perpetrators of wildlife crime, Mr Kimani said. In the fight against wildlife crime, you start with intelligence gathering, and then investigations. Its a process.

Weve done very well where intelligence and investigations are concerned, but we realise that there was a gap in the courts, and were very grateful that Space for Giants have come in to offer as much training as possible to strengthen the unit of prosecution, such that now the law enforcement will be a complete circle.

The collaboration includes induction and ongoing training and mentoring for the recruits, support for policies that ensure the KWS prosecutors operate under the same high standards as Kenyas regular prosecutors, training for KWS's criminal investigators and scenes-of-crime specialists, and support to develop a frontline human rights protection policy. The work is partly paid for by the British governments Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)s Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund.

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Shamini Jayanathan, Space for Giants' Director of Wildlife Law and Justice, will support KWS to ensure world-class legal expertise is brought to bear upon Kenya's fight against poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.

Not only can KWS catch wildlife criminals but now they have the capacity to ensure those criminals are convicted under Kenya's robust laws, said Max Graham of Space for Giants.

A ranger in the field should not have to experience the frustration of confronting a wildlife criminal they arrested a week earlier walking free again because of an acquittal. This is a critical step up in the battle against the illegal wildlife trade and I am honoured that Space for Giants is able, in some small way, to support Kenya in this battle under the Giants Club initiative.

Kenya's wildlife laws are now among the strictest in the world, with heavy minimum fines meted out to traffickers of elephant tusks, rhino horns, and other illegal wildlife parts. Prison terms for convicted wildlife criminals are also now among the world's longest.

Until now, cases against suspected wildlife criminals have been carried out by prosecutors from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). Its officials have been instrumental in fighting wildlife crime in the courts, but have also had to carry the weight of prosecuting all other crimes in Kenya, too.

By transferring significant caseload to the wildlife service's new prosecutors, it is hoped the ODPP will have more time and resources to dedicate to other crimes affecting Kenyans. In turn, KWS can help to make sure that cases it cannot cover itself, which still need the ODPP, are nonetheless trial ready from the start of their first hearings.

The new prosecutors are expected soon to be approved by the Director of Public Prosecutions, under whose authority they will bring cases and whose office remains the ultimate prosecution institution in Kenya. Space for Giants will ensure that the new KWS prosecutors operate under the ODPP's national standards, and will work with the national prosecuting authority consistently to support and mentor them.

Space for Giants' work to enhance Kenya's legal capacity against wildlife crime includes a series of guidance documents for the judiciary, including a Code of Conduct for prosecutors, suggestions on drafting wildlife crime laws, and model sentences for such offences.

The organisation's in-house legal expertise includes Ms Jayanathan, a British criminal barrister specialising in building legislative, prosecutorial and judicial capacity in relation to wildlife crime. Her work has included initiating and leading the development of a Rapid Reference Guide for wildlife crime investigators and prosecutors that was initially trialled in Kenya and has since been replicated in countries across Africa under programmes carried out under the Giants Club, a Space for Giants initiative.

For more information about Space for Giants visit www.spaceforgiants.org
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Kim Jong-un, the still youthful ruler of North Korea, is usually dismissed as dangerous and a madman. The latest missile strike into the waters of Japan, passing as it did over populated areas of Hokkaido and triggering sirens and some alarm, shows that, whatever a psychiatrist might make of him, Mr Kim has the capacity to fashion his interventions with impressive skill and judgement. In that respect, at least, he stands firmly in the tradition of historys worst despots, who combined genocidal instincts with tactical gifts. Dangerous, in other words, but maybe not mad.

In pulling back from a direct threat to US sovereign territory in Guam, for example, Mr Kim showed that he has some sense. To have fired a missile at Guam would have been too direct a hit on the United States, and, moreover, to Donald Trumps pride. Some kind of military retaliation, in other words, from the White House was a risk too far. On this occasion it was preferable to go for a proxy, and to menace the Japanese, hamstrung as they are by historic treaty obligations to run a pacifist foreign policy, although one backed with one of the planets more substantial self-defence forces. For reasons that remain obscure, the Japanese chose not to shoot down the missile as it passed through their airspace. If Mr Kim was testing the resolve of his nervous neighbours he found them, satisfyingly for him, weak.

History, too, means that the strike towards their former imperial occupier Japan, still hugely resented, is even more popular in North Korea than one against the hated Yankees. The fact that another major power is involved also complicated the response of the White House, which is in any case preoccupied with the crisis in Texas and Louisiana. Mr Kims timing and choice of target was judged correctly; there will be no immediate response from his enemies. South Korea and Japan have asked for nothing more than words and economic action against Mr Kim, and cautioned the US against precipitating another war.

 World reacts to North Korea's latest missile launch

Hence the routine referral to the United Nations Security Council, yet again the worlds major powers will condemn the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea and discuss tightening still further the sanctions on the regime. Theresa May, visiting Tokyo, will be able to remind Japan that not only is the UK an important economic partner that asks for cooperation and support during Brexit; but the UK is also a firm ally and friend on the Security Council. In their different ways, both Ms May and her counterpart Shinzo Abe need to rally friends around the world right now.

Britain, though, is not going to tip the balance of power in East Asia. As in all the many previous versions of these diplomatic rituals, the real influence, if not power, over Pyongyang isnt going to be derived from Washington, currently banning the last US package tourists from visiting the country (who might well themselves qualify for the term mad). It is going to be wielded by China, which takes 90 per cent of North Koreas exports. This time China has issued an unhelpfully even-handed response to the latest DPRK stunt, condemning the US and South Korean pressure on North Korea, and calling for dialogue, something that has never yielded much reciprocity from three generations of the Kims.

China, to be sure, looks aghast at its wayward and wilful neighbour, and would probably want nothing more than for Mr Kim and his regime to follow the Chinese route to reform and semi-capitalism. Fear of being pushed down that road by his superpower friend, or being deposed in favour of a more docile and China-friendly figurehead, was the alleged motive for Mr Kim having his half-brother assassinated at Kuala Lumpur airport earlier this year. His fun-loving sibling had been living under Chinese protection in the casino province of Macau, and could conceivably have been installed in a coup. That too might have been a favoured Chinese solution to the Kim problem. Paranoid or not, Mr Kim has now closed off that particular option.

However, worried about Mr Kim as they are, Chinas rulers also fear war on the peninsula, millions of Korean refugees and, still, more, the presence of American troops on the Chinese border. Brutal and unstable as Mr Kim is, Beijing prefers him to any realistic alternative. They may glance to Libya and Syria to see what chaos can happen when a strongman falls from power. Beijing no doubt would like to help Mr Trump, but not at the expense of its own security, and the Presidents fulminations about Chinese economic policies havent helped relations.

South Korea, after the recent elections, has also a government that favours a softer approach to Mr Kim, and, with Seoul only 35 miles from the fourth largest army in the world, has more to lose than anyone from a military escalation. The last player in this great game, Russia, is also presently disinclined to do Mr Trump any favours.

So President Trump has less reliable friends than he would wish for in trying to tame Mr Kim. Like his North Korean counterpart, he will need to be tactically cunning as he contemplates his next move. The chances are that he will follow the unfortunate policy set by presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama  to speak harshly and carry a small stick. It didnt work for them, as Mr Trump has rightly said; but he will find it the only practical option left on the table. He has been outfoxed by a madman.
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As a British Muslim, my childhood was full of doubt, tensions and a desperation to balance my place in a Western world with a semi-strict Eastern home life. Now, many years on, as a campaigner for single parents, and watching the chaos of terror unfold across Europe, I know that for young people of my faith compassionate, tolerant parenting is everything.

In Europe, weve had a brutal few months. The atrocious bombing in Manchester, the savage attacks of London Bridge, and now Barcelona. As the death toll rises, I find myself looking, with increasing glumness, at my religion. Knowing, as someone who has been on such a journey, that the conflict between young and old, and the ever-shifting battle for Islam needs to urgently be resolved.

In the 1970s, my parents, who had recently migrated from Pakistan, moved my family to a predominantly white area in Kent. Here, myself, and the few Muslims I knew, struggled to balance a young Western lifestyle with the expectations of our Islamic parents, causing untold family conflict as ideologies clashed. My parents were typical of the approach Islamic families took towards parenting  using often potentially fabricated Islamic rules to control and resist a more integrated Western lifestyle for their children. Parents strove to keep us Eastern  even to the detriment of our mental health, family life and happiness.

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As a result, my Islamic peers and I formed strong bonds with the parents of our friends and girlfriends who provided the compassion, understanding and room to grow that was so lacking at home. In these Western homes we were accepted as fallible adolescents  as all young people are  slowly growing into adults and given the space to breathe. But at home we had no one to talk to who would understand, or empathise with the feelings and lives of young hearts and minds.

But luckily, through contact with the families of our Western friends, we learnt to question the world around us and to strive for harmony and adopt the positive aspects of both cultures. However, while we fought to resolve our own conflict, those raised in the dense urban ghettos sadly and dangerously lacked this wonderful chance to seek balance and belonging  and radicalisation came in.

And, indeed, this parental deficit extends across British mosques, where young British Muslims meet not love and understanding, but a band of older people, who cling to the old ways, and try to resist, by any means necessary, any attempt to breathe new life into the religion and make it relevant to the times. How many young modern Muslims do we see heading up a Muslim association, mosque or institution  without a beard? Or indeed, even a woman? None that Ive seen so far.

 Muslim mother says all women should wear hijab to experience Islamophobia

Worryingly, this combination of rigid parenting and outdated religious institutions creates a tension between young and old that plays dangerously into the hands of radicals.

With no sane sanctuary, and young people surrounded by parents who dont understand and are unwilling to listen, such youths are inevitably left hungry and desperate for belonging. And hence the rest of the blame falls on to the opportunistic extremist preacher/imam, whispering perverted interpretations of religion and playing a parental role that exploits the deficit in young peoples family lives. The religion is not to blame  but these factors are driving a minority of British Muslims increasingly further away from the positive, community lives so many others lead  and so we must act.

 Muslim Council of Britain: Newspapers are helping to spread Islamophobia

Faced with the bleak realities of terror in Europe  and with the wellbeing of so many young people at stake  we must continue to push for an inclusive, modern face of British Islam led by young men  and importantly, women, to soften its exterior and achieve representation. We need to spread our values to young people, ensuring the next generation will be proud, loving parents  capable of listening, capable of understanding. And we must end the ghettoisation of towns and cities that starve young people of the contact needed to make rational, informed choices that lead to harmony, integration and balance. Ultimately, we must ensure that no one is raised under a needlessly isolating doctrine when the benefits from all those who have happily integrated are so clear to see. As weve seen from this summer alone, an inability to do so can be devastating.

So as I look to my own role as an Islamic father, I know my son, as with any son, will do things that I will not approve of. But all I can do is provide the solid, loving foundation for him to learn, grow and find his own inner peace and belonging.

Because hes growing up in a country where it should always remain okay to get things wrong. A country where liberty, learning, freedom, choice and opportunity make us who we are.

Nav Mirza is the founder of the charity Dads Unlimited
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The second most significant thing that happened in politics last week was a report about the leader of Britains biggest union. (The most significant thing was Boris Johnsons subdued leadership bid on the Today programme on Friday, about which I have written already.) Paul Waugh of Huffington Post reported on Thursday that Len McCluskey, the general secretary of Unite, has told friends that he thinks Emily Thornberry is a unifying figure who can carry on Jeremy Corbyns work when he eventually decides to step aside.

Waugh quoted a senior source who said: Of course, there is no vacancy and there wont be for the foreseeable future. Len totally backs Jeremy and wants him to be Prime Minister. But the next Labour leader after Jeremy has to be a woman and Len believes Emily is a unifying figure.

Thornberry, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, raised her profile last month when she stood in for Corbyn at Prime Ministers Questions, and impressed her own side with her confidence and humour, quoting all the contradictory things that ministers had said about the prospect of not being able to agree a Brexit deal with the EU.

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But what on earth is McCluskey up to? The most plausible explanation is probably: nothing. He may have said to some people that he sees Thornberry, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, as a tough cookie who isnt afraid of taking big decisions, because that is what he thinks. He may not have expected it to be reported.

But even if that is merely his opinion rather than a deliberate attempt to throw his political weight behind her in public, it is deeply intriguing. It means that he is thinking about the succession at a time when Corbyn carries all before him and shows no sign of flagging. On the contrary, Corbyn looks years younger than 68 and could easily lead the party into an election in five years time.

It means that McCluskey is not so taken by Rebecca Long-Bailey, the Shadow Business Secretary, who was thought to be favoured by John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor. By saying the next leader has to be a woman, McCluskey also neatly rules out McDonnell himself, who, despite a heart attack in 2013, might still harbour ambitions for the top job. And it means that McCluskey has failed to tell friends that he thinks Angela Rayner, the Shadow Education Secretary, could be the next leader.

Thornberry is currently fourth favourite at the bookies, behind Keir Starmer, Yvette Cooper and Clive Lewis. But McCluskeys endorsement should put Thornberry out in front. Unite does not have the influence it once had in Labour leadership elections, now that the unions affiliated supporters have been so outnumbered by the members and supporters attracted by Corbyn, but it still has money, organisation and phone banks.

 Emily Thornberry takes down Tory frontbench in PMQs

Her name has also been mentioned as a possible deputy leader of the party if the rules are changed to require a second deputy leader who must be a woman. But would this be enough?

Her self-confidence is remarkable. From her sacking by Ed Miliband as Shadow Attorney General for posting a sneering photo on Twitter of a house bedecked in flags of St George in the Rochester by-election in 2014, she has risen to be Corbyns de facto deputy, given that Tom Watson, the titular deputy Labour leader, is not a Corbynite.

Thornberry's status as in effect Corbyn's deputy was confirmed recently by her promotion to Shadow First Secretary of State, in addition to her post as Shadow Foreign Secretary (she was up against Damian Green, the actual First Secretary of State, at Prime Ministers Questions on 12 July). The Labour Party website lists her on its Shadow Cabinet page only as Shadow Foreign Secretary, which is also how she is listed on the official Parliament website.

However, a Labour spokesperson told The Independent today: Emily Thornberry is Shadow First Secretary of State and Shadow Foreign Secretary.

I get the impression she thinks she is the leader in waiting. She was recently interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Westminster Hour and failed to mention any colleague by name, not even her leader. Now it seems that McCluskey, the leader of the most powerful union in Labour politics, thinks she is the leader in waiting too.
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North Koreas most recent weapons test, in which a Hwasong-12 missile was fired over Japan, marks the latest stage of an escalating crisis in East Asia. But the crisis is, to an extent, where it has always been: the regime of Kim Jong-un is pursuing the capacity to launch miniaturised nuclear weapons attached to intercontinental missiles with a range capable of hitting the continental United States.

This capability represents two aspects of strategy for Pyongyang. First, it legitimises the regimes authority domestically by presenting it as defending the country from an American and South Korean threat it has talked-up, vilified and defined itself against for decades.

Second, it helps to secure the regimes survival by making intervention by outside actors potentially catastrophic, having observed what happened to Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi.

 World reacts to North Korea's latest missile launch

The self-interested rationality of weapons-based freedom from interference has a specific logic, but the temperament of North Koreas leader appears questionable, and the mutually reinforced war of words with the US president raises worrying questions about miscalculation and over-reaction.

Bombast is stock in trade for North Korea and has been for decades. That President Trump has met firebrand rhetoric with more of the same, leading to a tit-for-tat dynamic of escalation, is deeply concerning. Beneath the war of words, North Korea appears on course to achieve its aims, and is widely expected to achieve its nuclear ambitions within the next two years.

The key question is whether the simmering conflict can be damped down, creating space for dialogue before a mistake is made, or the North passes the finishing line. Pragmatism and finesse appear at a premium.

There are several overlapping dynamics at work. On the Korean Peninsula, there is the North-South conflict  the armistice signed in 1953 ending the Korean War was a ceasefire rather than a peace agreement, so the North and South remain technically at war.

In wider terms, there is competition between China and the US. The United States has 30,000 troops stationed in the South and the two are military allies. In the North, China is both a key economic relationship for Pyongyang, and has a defence agreement in place.

Beijings support for the hermit kingdom is fundamentally strategic. In a scenario in which the regime in Pyongyang collapses or is removed, China is concerned about the flow of refugees across its borders, and is deeply opposed to a unified Korea run from Seoul as a US ally on its doorstep. It tacitly supports the North to prevent the latter scenario, but the prominence of Kim Jong-uns demonstrations of strength make that position increasingly costly for Chinas reputation.

Beyond this is Japan. Its proximity to Pyongyang makes the threat more pronounced than it may be for the residents of California, but this hasnt bred the public defiance through indifference sometimes seen in Seoul. Attitudes appear more openly jittery in Japan, as the sirens which announced the test indicate.

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

Public attitudes in Japan are heavily anti-nuclear, so Tokyo remains unlikely to pursue a weaponised nuclear capability in response. But where North Koreas actions have been actively linked by the Trump administration to a grand bargain with China, threats to Japans security have wider implications that feed already contentious relations between Beijing and Tokyo. Where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is seeking reform of Japans pacifist constitution, greater insecurity could conceivably strengthen his hand in doing so.

For President Trump, the policy review completed shortly after he came to office highlighted the severity of the situation in North Korea. If that pressing need for action has been seized on as a chance to look tough, the lesson is being forcibly taught that things are not that simple, will not stand still and require a considered approach that so far appears lacking.

James Hannah is Assistant Head of Chatham Houses Asia Programme
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has called on business people in the North to tell their MPs and politicians that continued membership of the single market and customs union  or something very like it - is the only way to go.

Ireland cannot stay quiet, he said, warning that "too much is at stake".

In a strongly-worded speech in Belfast, the minister said that with Labours shift towards a soft Brexit and the current make up of Westminster, Northern Ireland politicians have a "remarkable opportunity" to influence the UKs final position.

He also said that "history shouldnt be re-written" to pretend that UK voters backed leaving the single market and customs union when they voted for Brexit.

"Do not underestimate your influence here. You have real influence over the politicians that serve this community," Mr Coveney said.

"And with the current arithmetic in Westminster, and the stance now taken by the leading opposition party in the Commons, your politicians have a remarkable opportunity to influence the final approach the UK government takes."

Read more: British Labour Party makes dramatic shift on Brexit and single market

The minister told a breakfast briefing hosted by the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce that Ireland cannot stay quiet.

"Too much is at stake," he said. "And for Northern Ireland, the stakes are very high indeed.

"That is one of the reasons we urgently need a restored Northern Ireland Executive. But we also need louder voices from Northern Ireland businesses, and urgently. I'm keen to hear your views now, but I'm keener still that they resonate in Belfast, London and Brussels over the weeks to come."

The breakfast event was closed to the press at the request of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which later published the minister's speech.

Brexit negotiations are continuing in Brussels after the EU told the UK it needed to get serious about the withdrawal talks.

Day two of the latest round of attempts to try and hammer out a divorce deal opened after the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier accused Britain of ambiguity on key issues like its exit bill and demanded more clarity from London.

Mr Coveney told the early morning event that the UK needs to remain a member of the Single Market and Customs Union.

"Failing that, we need a solution which sees Northern Ireland retain the benefits of the Customs Union, and the associated responsibilities. As the Taoiseach said in Queens earlier this month, this has been done before for key partners and friends of the European Union," he said.

He dismissed the options put forward in the UKs recent position papers to deal with customs and the border post Brexit, saying highly streamlined arrangements are unlikely to be streamlined enough, while the proposed new customs partnership, in which the UK would mirror EU tariffs for imports, could be a logistical nightmare to operate.

"The customs partnership idea will only prove viable if the UK is prepared to not negotiate separate trade deals with third countries and instead is prepared to take advantage of new EU free trade agreements with countries like Japan or Canada.

"Simply put, EU Member States will not countenance a partnership which allows the UK to benefit from full EU access while cutting separate deals with countries that don't share our standards or systems.

"And that has obvious implications on this island. For example, how can the UK expect to maintain an open border, an objective we all share, while asking Ireland and other EU Member States to accept that beef that doesn't meet European standards can be easily brought into Ireland from Northern Ireland without the necessary controls?"

The minister said the Irish Government was "distraught" at the UK vote to leave the EU, but that it has accepted it. But he said it wont accept the claim that people voted explicitly to leave a Customs Union or Single Market.

"They didn't, and history shouldn't be re-written to pretend that they did," the minister said.

He told businesses that continued membership of the Customs Union and Single Market was the answer.

"And you have to tell your elected representatives that that is the case," he said.
There are no figures for the amount of Irish exports that travel through the UK on their way to other countries. Stock photo: Bloomberg

There are no figures for the amount of Irish exports that travel through the UK on their way to other countries.

Despite warnings from Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney that companies using Britain as a bridge to other locations could be badly affected by Brexit, no Government department has established the level of trade at risk.

The revelation will cast doubts over the preparedness in official circles as the UK tries to move the Brexit negotiations onto the issue of customs.

Fianna Fail's Kevin O'Keeffe said he finds it "simply inconceivable" that the Government does not know the level or amount of goods and services exported to Europe overland through the UK.

Depending on the final Brexit deal between the EU and UK, such goods could be subject to custom tariffs.

In response to queries from the Fianna Fail TD, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: "The country of final destination is recorded as the country of export in the merchandise trade data. There is no data available on the route taken, or transit country of the goods."

Mr O'Keeffe said the statement "beggars belief".

"Brexit will place limitations on many Irish exporters, and increased bureaucracy as a result of potential customs checks will make using this route more cumbersome and potentially more expensive.

"One would have thought that the Taoiseach, or someone in Government, would have looked into this issue due to the potential implications of Brexit," the Cork East TD said.

He called for deeper analysis "of the myriad challenges posed by Brexit".

Mr Coveney recently warned that subjecting goods passing through the UK to customs tariffs would not work for Ireland. His department told the Irish Independent about 80pc of Ireland's exports are transported to the UK, either for direct use or for onward transit.

"The Government's extensive engagement with stakeholders, including through the All-Island Civic Dialogue, has also highlighted the land bridge with the UK and the status of goods in transit as a key priority issue for the transport sector and for businesses exporting from Ireland," a spokesperson said.
President Tran Dai Quang shakes hands with Yang Sung-tae, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea, in Hanoi on August 28th. (Photo: VNA)



Welcoming the Korean guest, the President lauded outcomes of his guests talks with Chief Justice of the Supreme Peoples Court of Vietnam (SPCV) Nguyen Hoa Binh.

He stated the Vietnamese State strongly supports court cooperation with the RoK, stressing the importance of the ties amid the current radical reform in Vietnam.

Quang encouraged the SPCV to boost cooperation with RoK partners, including the Supreme Court and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), to learn from their experiences in improving the judiciary.

He thanked the RoK Supreme Court for helping Vietnam train judges and court personnel, sharing judicial experience, and implementing the Vietnam Court Academy project.

The President said he expects a project between the SPCV and KOICA on boosting transparency and quality of judgment in Vietnam to soon begin, as it is significant to Vietnams judicial reform as well as to bilateral court cooperation.

For his part, Yang Sung-tae said based on growing Vietnam - RoK strategic partnership, his agency and the SPCV have been working closely together, particularly in exchanging high-ranking delegations and judicial experience.

Reporting to his host on the Vietnam Court Academy project, which began in 2009, the RoK Chief Justice said its two phases have been completed with encouraging outcomes.

He asked President Quang to support future projects between the two countries court sectors.

On the occasion, President Quang said the Vietnamese State welcomes RoK President Moon Jae-in to attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Week in Vietnam in November and pay an official visit to the country./.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has accused the British of providing no definitive response to the border issue post Brexit.

As day two of the latest round of Brexit negotiations got underway, Mr Juncker told a gathering of EU ambassadors in Brussels that the UKs Brexit position papers to date were not satisfactory, and that there were still enormous issues to be settled.

Just a day after EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier urged his British counterpart to start negotiating seriously, Mr Juncker echoed the blocs refusal to discuss the future free trade deal London wants before pencilling in terms for it leaving the EU.

I would like to be clear that I did read with the requisite attention all the papers produced by Her Majestys government, and none of those is actually satisfactory, Mr Juncker said.

So theres still an enormous amount of issues which remain to be settled.

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Talks resumed yesterday amid continued divisions over how much Britain must pay. Issues involving Ireland, including the Good Friday Agreement and the Common Travel Area, are expected to be discussed tomorrow.

Problems regarding Ireland and Northern Ireland, which are very serious problems, in respect of which weve had no definitive response, Mr Juncker said.

But we also have the status of European citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living in the Continent.

Read More

He said there was a need to be crystal clear that negotiations on the new post Brexit relationship, particularly the economic and trade relationship, would not be carried out before issues relating to financial obligations, citizens rights and Ireland are dealt with.

We cannot mix these issues up, he said.  know that there are some partial overlapping between issues, but the European Council following up on the Commissions proposal has been crystal clear. First of all we settle the past before we look forward to the future.

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Financial newswire Bloomberg reported that the UK has asked for more Brexit negotiating sessions, as the latest round of talks showed little sign of progress amid criticism on each side.

There are just two more rounds scheduled before a summit in October when EU leaders are due to assess whether enough progress has been made to allow the UK to start trade discussions.

A spokeswoman for UK Prime Minister Theresa May said that Britain feels it is in a good position in the talks and wants to agree to move on to discussions about its future relationship by October.
A third round of Brexit talks got off to a difficult start yesterday after the EU accused the UK of "ambiguity" in its positions, and warned London that the time needed to do a deal was running out.

The talks descended into open hostility after Britain responded by accusing the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier of making an "ill-judged and unhelpful" attack on the UK.

Mr Barnier told reporters in Brussels: "To be honest, I'm concerned. Time passes quickly, We need UK positions on all separation issues. This is necessary to make sufficient progress. We must start negotiating seriously."

The EU has said that "sufficient progress" has to be made on a divorce deal - particularly its top three priorities of citizens' rights, the Irish Border and the UK's budget obligations - before the talks can move on to trade, which negotiators had initially hoped to do by October.

But that deadline is now looking increasingly difficult to meet, given the widening gap between the two sides over money, the sequencing of trade talks and also the role of the European Court of Justice.

Ambiguity

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While it has released papers on citizens and Ireland, the UK has refused to publish a position paper on money.

It is sticking to a strategy of what officials have called "constructive ambiguity" in the hope that it will be able to gain some bargaining power in future trade talks and over a transition deal.

However, Mr Barnier rejected the approach yesterday.

His pointed comments augur badly for the next three days of the talks that are being held in Brussels.

A senior source on the British side attacked Mr Barnier's position as "inconsistent, ill-judged, ill-considered and unhelpful for the next round of negotiations".

Talks on Ireland are set to take place tomorrow between the EU and UK deputy chief negotiators. But no major breakthroughs are expected.

Ireland's EU ambassador Declan Kelleher met with the commission's Brexit task force yesterday, ahead of the opening of the talks.

Senior EU officials last week slammed the UK's recent position paper on Ireland.

They said that it smacked of "magical thinking", and they have accused London of using the Northern Irish peace process as a bargaining chip in the talks.

Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told RTE radio yesterday that the EU needed to put the British government "under pressure" in order to solve the Irish issues.

UK Brexit Secretary David Davis hit back at the criticism while in Brussels.

He insisted that the position papers were "the products of hard work and detailed thinking".

He has also called for "flexibility and imagination on both sides", mirroring language that some of the European Union leaders had earlier used in their negotiating guidelines on Ireland.

"We want to lock in the points where we agree, unpick the areas where we disagree, and make further progress on the whole range of issues," Mr Davis told reporters.

"But in order to do that we require flexibility and imagination from both sides, like the European Council asked for on some subjects."

He said that he hopes it will be possible to "agree a deal that works in the best interests of both the European Union and the United Kingdom, and people and businesses right across Europe".

There are no major breakthroughs expected during this round of the ongoing talks in Brussels.

Officials have insisted that the talks will be purely "technical" and a time for "clarification".
A High Court challenge has been brought against An Bord Pleanala's decision to give supermarket giant Lidl the go-ahead for a 15m commercial development in Castleknock in Co Dublin.

Last month the planning authority granted Lidl Ireland permission to construct a development that will include a supermarket, shop units, cafe, medical centre, and apartments in three separate blocks.

The challenge has been brought by company director Donal Daly, of London, England, who owns a property known as Glenmalure, Castleknock, which adjoins the site which Lidl wants to develop.

Mr Daly, represented by Eamon Galligan SC, is seeking an order quashing the decision to grant planning permission to Lidl to build the 5000 sq m mixed-use development.

Lidl had also secured permission to demolish existing buildings on the site.

Mr Daly also seeks a declaration from the court that the decision is invalid, null, void and of no effect.

Mr Galligan said the challenge is being brought on grounds that there was a failure to have regard for the contents of Castleknock Urban Centre Strategy plan adopted by Fingal County Council when the Bord made its decision in relation to the application. Counsel said that an inspector appointed by An Bord Pleanala in relation to the proposed development erred in law by concluding that the provisions of the 2008 plan no longer applied to the site at the centre of the proceedings. Permission to bring the challenge was granted on an ex parte basis by Ms Justice Mary Faherty at yesterday's vacation sitting of the High Court. Lidl Ireland GMBH, Fingal County Council, local TDs Jack Chambers and Joan Burton and the Castleknock Residents Action Group are notice parties to the proceedings.

The judge adjourned the matter to October, when the new legal term commences.
Planning permission for over 220 solar farms has been made since June 2015, as more and more companies look at establishing solar farms in Ireland.

Typically solar farms tend to be for a minimum of 25 acres although this size is growing to the hundreds and most of the planning applications have been in Cork, Wexford and Meath.

In most instances, solar farms are where land is leased by a Renewable Energy Developer from a land owner and the developer will install rows of ground-mounted solar panels in the field.

The panels tend to be 2.5m by 4m and the panels are laid out in rows and slanted south facing.

As they require maintenance there are gaps between the panels allowing grass to grow and allowing sheep grazing. Cosmetically the ground-mounted panels are not easily visible and can easily be disguised by growing a hedge around the perimeter of the field.

What size is a typical solar farm?

Initially, developers were seeking land parcels of between 25 to 30 acres which equate to 5 megawats of electrical energy.

However, according to IFA renewables chairman James Murphy, more recently the trend is for land owners to be asked to sign agreements for significantly larger plots of land  in some cases in excess of 150 acres.

Are they any current solar farms in Ireland?

There are no operational solar farms in Ireland currently although there are some 27,000 acres under contract and option agreements. There has been however planning permission granted for the first solar farms, including one based in Wexford.

Are communities involved?

Not as yet. There are submissions to the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment outlining possible guidelines on how to involve communities but these are not in place yet.

Minister Denis Naughten publicly stated at the Energy in Agriculture conference in Gorteen on August 22 that there were concerns that in the past developers were allowed to get away with not engaging with the local community. Naughten stressed that he wanted early and meaningful engagement by developers with the local community.

It was a stated goal of the Department that energy developers offer communities a buy-in option to renewable energy projects.

Does Ireland have solar targets?

Ireland has signed up to renewable energy targets for 2020 for electricity renewables, heating renewables and transport renewables.

According to David Maguire, founder and chairman of The Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA) we may reach the electricity renewables target but not the other two. Maguire reckons we will face a shortfall of 2.5pc in renewables, which could translate into penalties for Ireland in region of 300m and rising. So on the government side there is an urgency to put legislation in place. Maguire and his organisation are advocating for urgency to clarify incentives and price in order to minimise the penalties.

What kind of financial incentive will be in place?

This is not as yet known. Ireland is the only country in the EU without any state incentives currently. At the Gorteen conference Minister Naughten acknowledged the delay in confirming what REFIT tariff will be introduced.

Where is the best land for solar farms?

Contrary to popular opinion, solar farms do not need sunlight but just daylight. During the summer months Ireland has longer hours than other traditionally warmer climes.

Solar farms are currently in place as far north as Northern Ireland. In fact, the first licensed solar farm on this island is beside Belfast airport. The ISEA says that while the south east of Ireland is deemed ideal for solar farming, it is possible to implement solar farms across the whole island.

What else favours the position of solar farms?

Proximity to ESB sub stations is very popular as it reduces the cost of connection and distribution of energy into the grid. Developers prefer between one to two kilometres from the nearest ESB substation, according to the IFA.

How long are the contracts?

Typical contracts tend to last between 25 and 30 years. The length of the contract is important as it will impact future generations on the farm. The IFA advises engaging a solicitor experienced in renewables to oversee this negotiation.

James Murphy emphasises this is a decision that needs to be made within the family unit, with special consideration for children who might wish to farm in the future. Most contracts will have make good clauses which will return the land back to the prime condition in which it was first leased.

What are Option Agreements?

These are legally binding agreements. The option refers to the developer only. They are normally for between two to five years giving the developer exclusive rights to proceed with a solar farm or not. Again the IFA advises all farmers seek legal advice before signing any option agreement as firstly they are binding and secondly the formal leasing contract normally derives from the option agreement. It is vital that the terms are laid out as fairly as possible as retrofitting terms favourable to the farmer is extremely difficult.

What price can you expect per acre?

Most farmers are hesitant to disclose the amount per acre according to Murphy. As a rule of thumb however, he suggests that 1000 an acre per annum would appear to be the going rate.

What are the tax implications?

The IFA advises any farmer looking to lease their land to check with their accountant as additional income will have to be declared.

Whats this about solar farms being designated commercial?

Ireland, unlike other EU, countries has stated that solar farms are commercial. This differs from forestry or wind farms. There are submissions currently before Revenue to argue this case by Maguire and the ISEA. Maguire has frequently highlighted his concerns about this unique anomaly. If Revenue persists in this declamation, this could have serious implications for owners of solar farms who in the future might wish to leave the farm to their son or daughter and they might not be able to avail of Capital Acquisition Tax relief.

Can basic payments be collected on a solar farm?

The Department of Agriculture has yet to release confirmation as to whether land under solar farms will qualify for the BPS payment. Murphy is currently calling on the Department to fully clarify its ruling on this point.

Is there a regulating body/bodies?

For more information there is the Solar Energy Association of Ireland http://irishsolarenergy.org/ or you can contact James Murphy in the IFA who is the renewables and alternative landuse chairman.
The multi-million euro cost of the storm that wreaked havoc across the north-west is still being counted as farmers assess the level of damage to homes, fencing, roadways, grassland, crops and sheds.

Farmers on the Inishowen Peninsula in north Donegal are still reeling from last week's floods that saw stock swept away, winter fodder destroyed and low-lying pasture severely damaged.

"I never saw anything like it," said Inishowen farm consultant Henry O'Donnell.

He predicted that the real costs of the floods will not be quantified until the clean-up begins in earnest.

"Farmers are not saying much because the immediate focus is on the people whose homes have been destroyed."

Teagasc advisor Seamus Campbell said farmers were still assessing the full extent of stock losses.

In one incident, more than 20 fat lambs were swept away by floods from the Glentogher River near Carndonagh.

"The speed and ferocity of the flood water was unbelievable," said Mr Campbell.

He said that the river was over 20 feet deep at the height of the flood and added that the situation would have been much worse had the 10-hour deluge lasted another hour or two.

"If it rained for another hour the floods would have taken houses and people. It was half-way up my own back door," he said.

IFA president Joe Healy said some farmers were facing ruin because of the losses they had suffered.

"Farmers whose crops and livestock have been devastated by this freak event will have to be part of whatever aid package comes forward from the Government," he said, adding farmers around the country have offered to donate winter fodder.

"In some cases, stock has been lost and in other cases, land and crops are submerged under water. Farm families have been cut off because of damage to roads and bridges," Mr Healy said following a visit to north Donegal.

Agriculture Minister Michael Creed has confirmed that an assessment of losses incurred by farmers in Donegal will take place without delay. Farmers whose lands have been damaged will not be penalised in relation to farm schemes, said Minister Creed.

"I can assure farmers whose land has been flooded and who are concerned about possible consequences in terms of eligibility for payments that a practical approach will be taken in terms of dealing with people who have been victims of these events which were completely outside of their control," Minister Creed said.

"I wish to reaffirm my full support and that of my Department to farmers in the affected areas. We will continue to monitor closely, with input from Teagasc, the effects on agriculture in Donegal," he said.

In the meantime, farmers across the north-west are being forced to house or sell stock, says Teagasc advisor, Tom Coll.

"The ground conditions are atrocious - growth would also be well back. The performance of sheep and cattle is down due to the low dry matter content in the grass," he said.

"It is mainly in the last few days that it has really taken effect.

"Suckler farmers are finding it particularly hard as there is a lot of stock housed," Mr Coll added.

"It is a big worry when you have to dip into fodder stock this early - we've had years in the past where people have had to house stock this early and have never got them back out."

Marts across the north-west have seen a marked increase in the numbers of cattle being sold, with prices for plainer stores back 20-50/hd as a consequence.

Meanwhile, nationally close to half the main harvest remains to be cut.

Merchants estimated that just 40pc of the harvest had been cut by the end of last week. But better conditions since the weekend have given farmers an opportunity to make some sustained progress.

Even so, the IFA said more than half the cereal crop remained to be cut. The farm body claimed that up to 150,000ha (375,000ac) had still to be harvested.
Poor women given gifts (Photo: VNA)

This program aims to strengthen the solidarity between the people of Ho Chi Minh city and Phnom Penh in particular, as well as the two countries in general.

On behalf of overseas Vietnamese people, Ms. Hoang Hoa, Head of the Executive Board of the Vietnamese Women's Union in Cambodia, thanked the delegation. She said that these gifts not only ease the difficulties of OV and Cambodian people, but also express the tradition of mutual affection of the Vietnamese people.

On this occasion, the delegation also supported a number of OV women suffering from severe diseases in difficult circumstances.

Over the past years, the administration and people of Ho Chi Minh city have regularly organized charity activities in Cambodia such as medical examinations, granting free medicine, presenting gifts and scholarships, and building schools./.
Plans to regenerate the last Georgian mansion built in Dublin, Aldborough House, with an office development on the site have received a setback.

This follows the Department of Arts and Heritage and An Taisce telling Dublin City Council that they are opposed to the scale of development at Aldborough House planned by Reliance Investments Ltd.

The company is seeking to construct 100,000 sq ft of office space in two five-storey blocks on either side of the house.

The house, located on Portland Row, was the second biggest Georgian private residence in Dublin after Leinster House.

Consultants for Reliance Investments state that the development will facilitate the re-use and restoration of the house and upon completion the house could be used as a corporate headquarters.

Now, in an intervention, the Department of Arts and Heritage has told the City Council that "the height and location of the new office buildings surrounding Aldborough House would dominate the historic building and could compromise its architectural integrity".

The Department said that the photomontages submitted show that the house would be largely obscured from important views.

It added that it is recommending that a significant reduction in the potential impact in this development on the settings and visual amenity of Aldborough House is required.

Kevin Duff of the Dublin City Association of An Taisce has told the council that the current plan "would engulf and emasculate Aldborough House".

Mr Duff said that the quantum of development would destroy the relationship of the house to its surroundings.
A violent criminal jailed for stamping on a man and threatening to kill a garda has been given another two months in prison for using a mobile phone in his cell.

Leroy Dumbrell (30), who is serving a seven-year sentence for violent disorder, had the phone hidden behind a toilet in his cell at Mountjoy prison when it was searched.

Judge Alan Mitchell gave him a two-month consecutive sentence after hearing it was his third time being caught with a phone in jail.

Dublin District Court heard he had already been disciplined by being put in solitary confinement for 40 days and transferred to Cork.

Dumbrell, from Emmet Road, Inchicore, pleaded guilty to unlawfully having a mobile phone in the prison on June 6 last.

Gardai carried out a planned search of the single-occupancy cell at 10am and found the black phone down the back of the toilet.

Dumbrell, who is due for release in July 2019, had 71 previous convictions, the court heard.

Last year, Dumbrell pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of violent disorder on November 27, 2013. He also pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Detective Garda Ronan McMorrow on May 5, 2015.

The circuit court heard at the time that Det Gda McMorrow had phoned Dumbrell to advise him he was in danger of breaching his bail conditions after gardai called to his home and found he was not at home.

Dumbrell told the detective "You bring me back to court and you'll regret it. Mark my word, you c***, I'll come after you one way or another."
Free GP care to children under 12 has been delayed indefinitely, despite a promise to extend the scheme two years ago.

The extension of free GP visits to older children, as a follow-on to the scheme for under-sixes, was originally supposed to be in place at the end of last year.

However, Health Minister Simon Harris yesterday said he could not say when it would be introduced.

"I want to see the issue of free GP care addressed. It has to be done in a negotiated, agreed way," he said.

"GPs are telling me they are already under pressure.

"We have to look at what we can do to support and resource GPs."

Talks are under way on drawing up a new medical card contract and the first phase of this should be clear at the end of the year.

The increased fees paid to GPs for free visits by under-sixes has boosted the State earnings of many family doctors, despite the overall number of people with medical cards falling.

Figures obtained by the Irish Independent under the Freedom of Information Act showed 2,900 GPs in the medical card scheme shared about 543m in fees and practice supports last year.

Under the under-sixes deal, GPs are paid a fee of 125-a-year per child, as well as other financial top-ups for asthma care.

However, many doctors have warned that their surgeries and out-of-hours services are under severe stress as high numbers of children who are entitled to free visits are clogging up their lists with minor complaints.

Figures showed 36 GPs earned more than 500,000 in fees and allowances under the medical card and GP visit card scheme last year.

The top individual earners were Tallaght GPs Dr Andy Jordan, who received 952,185, and Dr Andrew Coady, who got 791,273. Dublin north inner city GP Dr Austin O'Carroll's practice generated an income of 789,115.

Dr Jordan is chair of the National Association of General Practitioners. The organisation said the payments were not to an individual doctor but were used to run a practice which can involve several GPs and other staff.

Dr O'Carroll employs nine GPs as well as support staff. He has had to take on extra doctors to service additional clinics catering for the homeless.

The payments show Fianna Fail senator Dr Keith Swanick, from Mayo, got payments of 472,010. Independent TD Dr Michael Harty, from Clare, who is also chair of the Oireachtas Health Committee, got 274,827. The current GP leader in the Irish Medical Organisation, Dr Padraig McGarry, had payments totalling 352,630.
Ibrahim Halawa said his four years in an Egyptian prison had been a "painful journey" and thanked his supporters for standing by him.

The family of an Irishman who has been imprisoned in an Egyptian jail for the last four years have expressed their heartbreak after the verdict in his trial was again postponed.

Ibrahim Halawa (21) has been held in a Cairo jail since 2013 after he was arrested along with hundreds of other individuals during protests against the ousting of former president Mohamed Morsi. He has endured more than 30 adjournments.

There was no reason given yesterday for the postponing of the trial verdict for three weeks, with a new date set for September 18.

His sister Somaia expressed how disappointed the family were when they heard the news about Ibrahim.

"It is truly upsetting and heartbreaking to constantly keep having our expectations and hopes shattered into a million pieces," she said.

"It is not just Ibrahim's life that is being played around with, but also the entire family's life. We would ask that our family are allowed some time to ourselves during this difficult period."

Read more: Taoiseach speaks to Egyptian president after verdict in trial of Irishman postponed for three weeks

The family solicitor, Darragh Mackin, added: "Today's news is truly devastating for our client and his family. Regrettably, this is not the first time the case has been due to conclude when a last minute, unexpected, and unjustified decision is taken to delay the case further. We are now four years on, with each day and each false dawn having a hugely significant mental and physical impact on our client's health.

"It is not known when this case will ever end. Such irrational and unpredictable decisions cannot be allowed to continue, and in particular when they operate in a vacuum of lawfulness depriving our client of his basic rights."

Yesterday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar spoke by phone with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

During the 25-minute phone call, the Taoiseach expressed his disappointment at the further adjournment of the trial.

He made clear to Mr Al-Sisi that his priority was to secure the return of Mr Halawa to Ireland as soon as possible.

Mr Al-Sisi emphasised that his government could not interfere in a judicial process but gave the Taoiseach his word that he would resolve the matter swiftly within the Egyptian constitutional and legal framework once the trial concludes and the verdict is known.
Christina Noble at her Lucan home, which she said had been violated. Photo: Steve Humphreys

Children's charity campaigner Christina Noble has said it took her time to come to terms with her home being broken into - but she has prayed for the attacker.

Ms Noble had a knife held to her throat during the ordeal in the early hours of last Tuesday.

Ultimately she said she prayed for the man and for God to help him change his ways.

The man broke into her Lucan house through the front door, somehow managing to slip the locks on the doors.

He then went to the kitchen and got a large knife with a crescent-shaped blade and woke the 72-year-old campaigner as she slept on the couch.

"He kept shouting 'give me the f**king money' and 'I'm going to kill you'.

"He was standing over me for around seven minutes, but I was trying to be calm," Ms Noble said.

The charity worker managed to trigger a panic alarm, causing the attacker to grab her keys and flee in her car.

There has been no sign of Ms Noble's silver-grey Opel Zafira, registration 08 MH 3565, since then.

Gardai have asked the public to report any sightings of it.

The campaigner admitted she has prayed for the man.

"I have prayed for him and asked the Lord to let him see the error of his ways," said Ms Noble.

"He hurts people and leaves a lot of pain behind, but only he can change that."

Read the full story in today's Herald
Campaigners are breathing a sigh of relief after Dublin City Council agreed to save dozens of mature trees lining Fairview Park that it planned to fell to make way for a seafront cycle path.

Some of the predominantly London plane trees date back to 1908  including six that were planted as part of Irelands first reforestation programme by the former British government on Arbor Day.

Independent city councillor Nial Ring said the trees are of national and international historical importance  signifying the start of a national reforestation programme at a time when only 1.5pc of the entire land mass of Ireland was tree-covered.

Without the trees, the popular northside park would fail to exist, he added.

"Dublin City Council has listened to the people and realised that no local councillor was going to support the destruction of such historically significant trees", he said.

Campaigner Edel Leahy, who lives in nearby Marino and who initiated the Save Fairview Trees campaign which

obtained close to 15,000 signatures of people opposed to the felling of the trees, said Dublin City Councils decision is a victory for all.

"I am delighted that our sole objective of saving the Fairview trees has been achieved. The residents of the local area and wider public who supported our campaign deserve great credit. It shows that "people power" can work when a serious wrong is being proposed. We also wish to thank the media who did so much to highlight our campaign, she added.

Local businessman Damian Duggan of Duggans Jewellers said local traders are delighted as well.

"Local businesses immediately came out against the destruction of the trees and the fact that Dublin City Council has backtracked on this is most welcome" he said.

Local Green Party representative Donna Cooney also welcomed the decision.

The campaign started when we tied yellow ribbons on our trees back in March and grew to have the support of the whole community. The 12,800 people who signed the online petition sent a clear message which today has been heeded. From East Wall to Clontarf, people wanted to save their trees. Cyclists had stated from the start that a cycleway could be provided without removing trees and we are glad the engineers now agree,  she said.

Dublin City Council said the revised scheme  which still has to be approved by council  will save 42 out of 46 trees lining the roadway along Fairview Park that were due to be felled in order to complete a 2.5km section of cycle path through Fairview.

The proposed cycle path is part of the 22km continuous seafront cycle path from Sandycove in south Dublin to Sutton in North County Dublin.

However, under the revised scheme, a 350 metre section of inbound traffic lane from Malahide Road to the south side of the Fairview footbridge will be removed to facilitate the path.

These amendments have now been made in order to avoid as much as possible the removal of mature kerbside trees. The concerns raised from the public consultation process and the resulting final proposals that will be submitted for council approval have been discussed and agreed with the National Transport Authority, Dublin City Council said in a statement today.

The footpath on the village side of Fairview from Poplar Row to Fairview Strand will be reduced to just 1.8 metres at one section in order to retain some of the kerbside trees in Fairview Park.

Dublin City Council acknowledged that the changes will result in some reduction in traffic capacity in the inbound direction; however this will facilitate retention of 42 of the 46 roadside trees. The number of traffic lanes from south of Fairview Footbridge will remain the same as present.
A FORMER mobster was beaten up after a young associate of his was blamed for "interfering" with a motorbike allegedly linked to the Kinahan cartel.

The attack on the ex-criminal nicknamed 'Fishy' is the second brutal assault linked to bikes controlled by the gangsters operating in the Finglas district in just four months.

The latest incident, in Berryfield, took place after the juvenile was accused of "trying to steal" a motorbike in the Hazelcroft Road area of north Dublin.

HIDING

"Fishy got a massive hiding even though he had nothing to do with what the gang claim happened with the bike," a source said last night.

"He was going around with two black eyes on him, he was battered very bad.

"He didn't make a complaint to gardai because he is in major fear of what would happen next."

The 26-year-old gangster suspected of the attack on the unfortunate Fishy is the main enforcer for the cartel in the Finglas area.

He is "back-up" to a flashy local drug dealer, who is embroiled in a number of separate feuds in the locality.

Fishy is believed to be terrified after the mob accused his young associate of trying to steal the bike.

The former criminal was previously threatened with decapitation by the same gang as part of a bizarre row in May last year over a horse belonging to a teenager. In 2014, he was kicked out of his own gang and given a severe beating.

At the time, sources revealed he had fallen out of favour with his own mob and was accused of being a "garda tout" after serious criminal charges against him were dropped.

He then became a target for younger gangsters who had once looked up to him.

THREAT

Meanwhile, the same mob who attacked him earlier this month are also believed to be behind another sinister threat.

It is understood a Finglas criminal was told he will be shot dead if he does not come up with 30,000. The warning came after a young associate was involved in the theft of a motorbike, in which a stash of cocaine had been hidden.

More than a kilogram of cocaine had been stashed in a secret compartment at the back of the bike, which went missing from the Fairlawn area of Finglas.
The 36-year-old gangster arrested at Dublin Airport for allegedly conspiring to murder James 'Mago' Gately is also suspected of being involved in the murder of innocent Dean Johnson in August 2013.

The tragic 21-year-old was killed as part of a dispute that the now-arrested gang boss was the centre of four years ago.

Mr Johnson was not involved in crime and it quickly emerged that the intended target of his murder was the now-jailed Clondalkin hood James 'Nellie' Walsh (31), who escaped unharmed in the shocking incident.

It can now be revealed that gardai suspect 'Nellie' planned to murder the man arrested at Dublin Airport in the months after the shooting of Mr Johnson in a diabolical revenge plot, in which four of his enemies were to be shot dead at the same time on the same night.

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'Nellie', who is serving 10 years for the botched murder of top gangland target Michael Frazer, became a player in the west Dublin crime scene more than four years ago and got involved in a bitter dispute with a Clondalkin mob with close links to the Kinahan cartel.

INTENSIFIED

The Clondalkin mob is led by the 36-year-old arrested on Sunday evening.

As the dispute intensified, his gang attempted to murder 'Nellie' in the early hours of August 24, 2013, at Harelawn Green in Clondalkin.

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However, instead of shooting the criminal, Mr Johnson - who had been socialising with the mobster earlier - was shot dead in a case of mistaken identity.

Sources revealed that this infuriated 'Nellie' and his gang, who decided to take revenge on the rival mob. Within five days, cartel-linked criminal Jason 'Jay' Carroll (39) was fatally shot at his home at Cherrywood Drive in Clondalkin.

It later emerged that gangsters close to Carroll, including the man arrested in the airport, had raised more than 100,000 to have 'Nellie' shot dead.

By this stage, 'Nellie' was forced to live in a network of safe houses in the midlands, Newry and Dublin, but the volatile gangster still regularly took to social media to abuse his criminal rivals in bizarre rants.

However, this ended with his arrest and imprisonment for the botched Frazer murder bid.

The Clondalkin criminal remained in garda custody last night at Irishtown Garda Station, where he was being quizzed about a conspiracy to murder Kinahan cartel target James 'Mago' Gately.

His arrest has provided confirmation that the ruthless west Dublin drugs gang that he is suspected of leading has been working hand-in-hand with the Kinahan cartel.

The Clondalkin gangster, who has barely any previous criminal convictions, is suspected of playing a major role in the sinister plot to murder Gately, which is separate to the attempted murder on 'Mago' in north Dublin in May.

The burly alleged gang boss was arrested by almost a dozen gardai at 7.15pm on Sunday, after entering the arrivals hall of the airport when he got off a flight from Malta.

It is understood the father-of-three was returning from a lavish holiday with his wife on the Mediterranean island when armed gardai pounced.
An Irish charity dedicated to helping women affected by prostitution provided help for 304 women from four different continents last year.

Ruhama, which supports sex workers, said two of the women were aged 18 when it began supporting them, after they had been smuggled into the country as children.

Trafficked women are most likely to come from Nigeria, with gangs targeting the Edo state in the African country, and traffickers are also routinely smuggling women from Brazil, Romania and Zimbabwe.

Ruhama said its records showed women from 12 other countries were victims of smuggling including Albania, Bulgaria, Bolivia, Portugal, Pakistan and six other African countries.

The charity said another 73 women from 18 countries were supported through its work last year, including from Ireland, Brazil, Romania, Nigeria, Spain, UK, Germany, Iraq, Lithuania, Russia, Bolivia, Hungary, Ukraine, Latvia, China, Portugal and Uganda.

In its 2016 annual report, Ruhama outlined how it helped 304 women from 37 different nationalities, including 92 victims of sex trafficking.

Sarah Benson, Ruhama chief executive, said: "The bulk of prostitution in Ireland is run by organised crime gangs who profit from the sexual exploitation of women and girls, particularly in off-street locations.

"These unscrupulous individuals make money from human misery - moving often vulnerable migrant women in a co-ordinated fashion from brothel to brothel across Ireland, with a view to satisfying local sex buyers' demands."

Since March this year it has been illegal for men to buy sex. A woman can legally work as a prostitute if she is indoors and working independently.
The seven sets of twins on their first day of secondary school

Teachers at a Wicklow school will be seeing double as seven sets of twins start first year.

The students attended their first day at Colaiste Bhride, Carnew, Co. Wicklow today.

Just two of the sets of twins are identical, making it somewhat easier on their teachers.

The twins, Brendan and Daniel Bolger, Aoife and Erin Callaghan, Ashleigh and Tasha Farrell, Brian and Sean Kenny, Jake and Rebecca Kenny, Emma and Jack Rodney and Padraic and Aoife Stafford, joined a class group of 155 first year students.

Deputy principal Anna Gahan told Independent.ie they realised in recent days that they would have an unusual number of twins starting school.

"At most youd have two sets in a year group. We were very shocked but theyre delighted that there was a bit of a fuss made of them on the first day," she said.

They mostly have opted to be in the same base class but some of them want a fresh start, she added.

We are looking forward to getting to know them as individuals.

The pupils are joining a student body of around 840 students in the rural school, with students attending from counties Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford.

First year students at the school had the school all to themselves to settle in today and will be matched with senior students who will help them settle in to life post-primary school.

Sadie Bolger, mum to twins Brendan and Daniel (12) from Aanagh, Gorey Co Wexford said the twins were happy to learn they would be attending school alongside so many sets of twins.

They used to be when they were younger but not anymore. Theyre brilliant now I have to say. Theyre in the same base class but in some subjects theyre separate, she said.

It probably is a good mix for them from the time they were babies they have never been apart.

Its good for them, she added.

The boys are identical and people struggle to tell them apart their mum said.

Theyre very alike nobody knows their grannies don't know them [apart], she said.

Despite this, she doesn't think the boys will cause any mischief for their teachers in their new school.
Irish Rail has earmarked four routes that may be axed if a serious shortfall in its funding is not met and warned that a pay rise sought for staff would push it to the brink of insolvency this year.

In a submission to the Labour Court, seen by the Irish Independent, it says it is in a "perilous financial state" and spells out the options that could land on Transport Minister Shane Ross's desk in the near future.

These include closing routes with the largest State subvention per journey.

The document also reveals that the subsidy for the Limerick to Ballybrophy route is a massive 761.60 per passenger journey, compared with just 70 cent per journey on the Dart.

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It said it could save 17.6m a year by shutting down Limerick to Ballybrophy, Limerick Junction to Waterford, Ennis to Athenry on the Limerick to Galway route and Gorey to Rosslare on the Dublin to Rosslare route.

It said the closure of the Limerick to Ballybrophy and Limerick Junction to Waterford lines would yield over 5m a year each.

The closure of the section of the Gorey to Rosslare route would bring in 4.4m, while shutting the Ennis to Athenry route would raise another 2.8m.

It said line closures are among the options mooted in a rail review by the company and the National Transport Authority if the Government does not produce the required funding.

The document also said that giving a 3.75pc a year pay rise sought by unions and making it retrospective to June 1 last year would "result in an immediate financial crisis".

Resists

It said if pay rises were not funded by extra productivity they would "have a catastrophic impact" on its financial situation.

Irish Rail said its accumulated losses since 2007 stand at 159m and it requires significant additional funding each year up to 2021, ranging from 90m to 158m a year.

The company's submission to the court is a supplementary one drawn up to give greater detail on its financial position as it resists a pay claim lodged by unions.

Unions initially lodged a claim for a 21pc wage increase over three years, although they later amended this to bring it into line with a 3.75pc pay hike that was awarded at Dublin Bus.

However, sources said that the final settlement for drivers might more closely mirror a cash boost of over 2pc a year on offer in the recent draft pay deal for the public sector that is currently being voted on.

This would bring the drivers' overall increase close to 3.75pc, as it would include a 1.15pc pay rise recently awarded by the court for past productivity measures.

The document says every route in the country needs State subvention.

"In relation to network reductions and line closures it should be noted that every rail service in the country requires subvention ranging from 70 cent per passenger journey on the Dart up to 761.60 on the Limerick to Ballybrophy line," it said.

In said in relation to the potential for line closures, it was listing the routes that have the largest subventions per journey.

The Rail Review said the earliest date for implementation of route closures would be the beginning of next year.

In a notice to members last week, unions for rail workers, Unite, TSSA, TEEU, Siptu and the NBRU told members they would pursue all avenues through State institutions to progress the pay claim.

"However, if we find that Iarnrod Eireann is not 'playing ball' then we will immediately seek a mandate for industrial action in order to force the company to 'do right by its own staff'," said the notice.
The lavish bash took place in Luttrellstown Castle near Dublin in 1999. Victoria wore a Vera Wang gown. The couple famously posed on thrones for their exclusive deal with 'OK!' magazine and their baby son Brooklyn was in attendance.

Pinkies raised! Luttrellstown Castle, where David and Victoria Beckham were married in 1999, is to open to the public for the first time.

The fabled castle, set on a 560-acre estate in Castleknock, Co. Dublin, is welcoming customers for its new 'Aileen Plunkett Afternoon Tea'.

The tea, named after a previous owner of the castle, is being served at two sittings every Sunday (2pm and 4.15pm), will open on Saturdays from October, and will roll out to weekdays during December.

It costs from 45pp (22.50pp for children), or you can push the boat out and add bubbles at 57pp (a Veuve Cliqout Champagne Afternoon Tea).

Expand Close Afternoon tea at Luttrellstown Castle / Facebook

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Luttrellstown, named for the Norman family who held it for more than 300 years, incorporates an array of architectural styles, from medieval to Gothic Revival.

Afternoon Tea will be served in the Van Stry ballroom.

Steeped in history, the ivy-clad castle was once owned by Ernest Guinness, and guests have ranged from Queen Victoria to Princess Grace of Monaco, Paul Newman and Ronald Reagan.

David and Victoria Beckham were married there on July 4, 1999, and it was purchased by businessmen JP McManus and John Magnier in 2006.

Expand Close The lavish bash took place in Luttrellstown Castle near Dublin in 1999. Victoria wore a Vera Wang gown. The couple famously posed on thrones for their exclusive deal with 'OK!' magazine and their baby son Brooklyn was in attendance. / Facebook

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Whatsapp The lavish bash took place in Luttrellstown Castle near Dublin in 1999. Victoria wore a Vera Wang gown. The couple famously posed on thrones for their exclusive deal with 'OK!' magazine and their baby son Brooklyn was in attendance.

What's on the menu? Well, dainty finger sandwiches and speciality teas of course - along with freshly baked scones and sweet treats including Hibiscus Macaroons and 'Aileens Treat', a parfait layered with fresh strawberries, peach and a splash of Grand Marnier.

For bookings, contact 01 860-9620 or luttrellstowncastle.com.

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A sentence near the end of a page pinned to Irish Rail noticeboards since last week could really mess up the plans of those who depend on trains to get around.

It says that unions who are trying to get a pay rise of 3.75pc a year for their members will, as a matter of courtesy to the Labour Court and the travelling public, use the State's industrial relations bodies as much as possible to progress their pay claim. That sounds good. But there's a sting in the tail.

"However, if we find that Iarnrod Eireann is not 'playing ball' then we will immediately seek a mandate for industrial action in order to force the company to 'do right by its own staff'."

What failing to play ball means is not defined - but presumably it means if what they are offered, after as many red-eye sessions as required at the Workplace Relations Commission, falls too far short of what they need to sell it to their members. And in order to sell it to their members, it must bear some resemblance to what has been achieved in the best deals won by transport workers in recent times - namely 3.75pc a year.

Many of us have been on the receiving end of that pay juggernaut, which began when the Luas drivers held a series of rolling strikes last year before it travelled through all the CIE companies one by one.

Dublin Bus workers got the same increase, but more recently the claim ground to a halt at Bus Eireann, but not without a bitter series of strikes that lasted for weeks.

In its latest summary of its woes, Irish Rail essentially claims it is the new Bus Eireann.

"In this regard, we have consistently contended that our financial position is worse than that of Bus Eireann," it said.

"This is evidenced by the level of accumulated losses in Iarnrod Eireann of 159.2m against the 22.4m in Bus Eireann."

But the unions' notice suggests it is no Bus Eireann when it comes to industrial relations. It says the interaction between it and Irish Rail management has "deteriorated alarmingly" over recent years.

In a cutting jibe at CEO David Franks, who previously headed up Stockholm Metro, it says it is no coincidence that a change in 2013 of the "so-called leadership" has coincided with "strained relationships".

The notice later refers to Mr Franks's "North Korean style". It accuses the company of portraying the "poor mouth" by claiming it is underfunded by the Exchequer when a review with the National Transport Authority recommended it should get 125m over the next three years. It claims passenger and revenue numbers have exceeded Celtic Tiger levels.

The pay juggernaut is on the move again.
Subscribe to The Ready Business show, in association with Vodafone via iTunes or SoundCloud.

On this week's show, Brian Purcell finds out what the exploding Internet of Things will mean for your business and your life with INMs Technology Editor, Adrian Weckler and Moocalls Emmet Savage.

From cows and cars to fridges and farms, our lives and our businesses are all being connected as Weckler takes listeners through just what this will mean.

Connecting people, processing, data and devices will see the digital transformation of cities and country while it's estimated that globally $19 trillion of value will be created through the internet of everything.

Plus, Moocall co-founder, Emmet Savage, describes how their calving sensor app has made farmers' lives more productive and why they're focusing on mobile technology for the agri-sector.

When people havent seen something before they can be sceptical, says Savage. But were solving a problem that is there for farmers.

The Ready Business show, in association with Vodafone , is available via iTunes , SoundCloud and Stitcher or subscribe to the RSS feed of the Ready Business Podcast using your favourite podcatcher.

You can check out the full Ready Business Podcast series here .

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Afghan security personnel arrive at the site of an explosion near a bank in Kabul (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghan security guards in front of the bank after the suicide bombing in Kabul (AP)

At least 13 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in an air strike by Afghan security forces targeting the Taliban in western Herat province, officials said.

Gelani Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor, said the attack in Shindand district also injured seven other civilians, while 16 Taliban militants were killed

It came as a suicide bomber killed at least five people in a busy commercial area of central Kabul, not far from the US embassy.

Mr Farhad said Monday night's air strike targeted a Taliban base and a prison run by the insurgents. The jail was destroyed and 19 inmates - military and civilian - escaped.

He added that the civilians who were killed died in their homes near the Taliban base.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide attack in the capital.

Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said a suicide bomber targeted military personnel who had gathered on Tuesday at Kabul Bank to collect their salaries ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Mohammad Salim Rasouli, chief of Kabul hospitals at the Health Ministry, confirmed that nine other people were injured in the attack, according to reports.

AP
A community have been left in shock after a young woman was murdered and decapitated.

Zanele Hlatshwayo (25) was missing since July and her family believe she fell victim to a cannibalism ring in South Africa.

According to the BBC, the young woman's decomposed body was found after a traditional healer handed himself into police and produced a hand and a foot.

He allegedly told police that he was tired of eating human flesh.

He led them to his rented home, where police found eight human ears in a cooking pot.

According to the BBC, he served human remains to customers as part of a healing process, where customers were told that the remains had magic properties and would convey money, power and protection.

Ms Hlatshwayo's bloodied and torn clothes were found among the human remains in the traditional healer's home.

Five men involved in the cannibalism ring, who were arraigned in court on Monday, amid public protests outside the courtroom, abandoned their bail request and will make another court appearance at the end of September.
Indian spiritual guru Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh  pictured, centre, as he arrived for a press conference ahead of the release of his movie MSG, The Warrior Lion Heart last year  has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping two female followers. Photo: Tsering Topgyal/AP

An Indian judge sentenced a self-styled "godman", whose followers went on a deadly rampage after he was convicted of rape last week, to 20 years' jail yesterday, but a shoot-to-kill order, curfew and heavy police presence kept protesters at bay.

A spokesman for the Central Bureau of Investigation, which investigated the case, said Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh would serve two consecutive 10-year-terms for the two rape convictions.

Tens of thousands of police enforced a lockdown in large parts of the northern states of Haryana and Punjab where Singh (50) has a mass following.

Police in Haryana issued orders to shoot protesters on sight ahead of the sentencing, and ordered the hearing to be carried out inside the prison where Singh was being held.

Hundreds of followers went on the rampage when he was convicted on Friday, attacking train stations, buses and television vans.

At least 38 people were killed and more than 200 injured, triggering criticism that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party, which also governs the state of Haryana, was either unable or unwilling to act against Singh's followers.

The case dates back to 2002 when two women followers accused Singh of rape at the headquarters of his Dera Sacha Sauda organisation in the town of Sirsa. Singh, also known as the 'Guru of Bling' for the bejewelled costumes he wears in self-produced films, faced a minimum of seven years under new tough rape laws.

Singh's lawyer, AK Panth, said his client was innocent and would appeal. Vipassana Insaan, a spokeswoman for the Dera Sacha Sauda, urged Singh's followers to respect the court's order.

"Our legal battle will not end here. Our client is absolutely innocent," said Mr Panth.

Indian TV channels reported that Singh broke down after the sentence was passed and refused to move out of the courtroom, saying he was innocent.

The prison in the town of Rohtak, 66km from New Delhi, was transformed into a fortress, with journalists banned from approaching within a mile, and roads were lined with barbed-wire barricades.

V Umashankar, a special commissioner in Haryana, said a curfew was in force in Sirsa and parts of Rohtak.

Nirmaljit Singh Kalsi, an official in Punjab, said paramilitary forces were patrolling public places to maintain order.

"We will not withdraw forces today...the situation can easily go out of hand even now," said Mr Kalsi.

Singh also faces charges of murder in two separate cases and is accused of castrating 400 men inside his ashram to help them get closer to God.
A German nurse jailed for murdering two patients is suspected of killing at least 84 other people, police said yesterday. Stock Image

A German nurse jailed for murdering two patients is suspected of killing at least 84 other people, police said yesterday.

If convicted, the man identified only as Niels H. under reporting rules, would be one of Germany's most prolific serial killers. In past hearings, he admitted deliberately injecting patients at two clinics in northern Germany with deadly drugs and then trying to revive them in order to play the hero, German broadcaster NDR said.

The man, now aged 40, was convicted in the northern city of Oldenburg of two charges of attempted murder and two counts of murder in 2015.

Investigators uncovered the additional murder cases after digging up the remains of 134 people with links to the man.

The number of victims could be even higher, as some of the deceased had been cremated.
Residents were rescued in boats by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (AP)

Twelve years to the day after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, another deadly storm has seen hundreds of people rescued from floodwaters in south-western Louisiana.

Tropical Storm Harvey also prompted New Orleans to shut down its schools and other key institutions as a precaution.

Harvey flooded neighbourhoods overnight with chest-deep water in the Lake Charles area, near the Texas border.

In New Orleans, mayor Mitch Landrieu urged residents to stay at home on Tuesday due to the threat of potential flooding. Many appeared to be heeding his call.

Meanwhile, Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards said Louisiana is offering to shelter storm victims from Texas. He said at a news conference in Baton Rouge that he expects Texas officials to decide within 48 hours whether to accept the offer.

Some New Orleans neighbourhoods flooded earlier this month during a deluge that exposed problems with the city's pump and drainage system. On Tuesday, heavy rains were starting to flood some New Orleans streets.

Traffic on the bridge from New Orleans' west bank to the main part of the city was lighter than usual during the morning's rush hour.

The city's public schools were closed, along with six universities and a medical school. A ceremony and march in New Orleans to commemorate the deadly 2005 storm was postponed until Sunday.

For many others, it was largely business as usual.

"I can't afford not to open," said Jerry Roppolo, 65, owner of a popular coffee house where water often creeps over the pavement and up to the threshold during heavy rains.

The shop in the Carrollton neighbourhood is usually bustling but was slow on Tuesday. Mr Roppolo attributed that to the school closures.

"A lot of the parents come in on the way to school, on the way from school," he said.

About 500 people were evacuated in south-west Louisiana's most populous parish overnight, as a heavy band of rain pushed waterways out of their banks, said Calcasieu Parish spokesman Tom Hoefer.

He said as many as 5,000 parish residents are affected by the flooding, but not all of those people have flooded homes. Some are just cut off by flooded roads.

A lull in the heavy rains allowed water to recede on Tuesday morning, enabling some who fled their homes to return, survey damage and remove possessions.

"I wanted to get my mother's Bible out of the house and there were some things we needed - our medicine, we're both on medications," said David Wells, 65. "I got a feeling it's going to get worse before it gets any better."

The high water in Calcasieu Parish surprised residents of some neighbourhoods not known for flooding. The Kayouche Coulee spilled over when heavy rain hit the area after sunset, and people began calling for rescue.

"I've seen some floods, I've seen water come up, but nothing like this," said Lake Charles fire department division chief Lennie LaFleur.

Lt Mark Thrower, of the Iowa fire department in Calcasieu Parish, said emergency workers used a high-water vehicle and boat to evacuate approximately 25 people from waist-deep water on Monday night. He said at least 45 homes in Iowa were flooded.

National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Erickson said officials expect Harvey will make another landfall in Cameron Parish around midday on Wednesday, after hitting Texas and meandering back into the Gulf of Mexico.

Harvey is projected to bring gusts up to 45mph in coastal areas and gusts of up to 35mph in Lake Charles.

Mr Erickson warned that some coastal rivers will not be able to drain rain effectively because Harvey's winds are pushing storm surge into coastal waters, aggravating flooding of areas that have already received more than 20 inches of rain.

AP
Rodrigo Duterte said he is considering designating three people to negotiate with the Marcoses over the return of the assets (AP)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said the family of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos has indicated a willingness to return an unspecified amount of money and "a few gold bars" to help ease the government's expected budget deficit.

Mr Duterte said he was considering designating three people, including a former Supreme Court chief justice, to negotiate with the Marcoses over the return of the assets.

The president said the Marcoses' intention was relayed by a family spokesman, and indicated the Marcoses say the assets to be returned had not been stolen as alleged by political opponents.

"I will accept the explanation, whether or not it is true," Mr Duterte said in a speech to newly appointed officials.

The Marcoses are "ready to open and bring back (assets) including a few gold bars", Mr Duterte quoted the family spokesman as saying. "It's not that big, it's not Fort Knox, it's just a few but they said they'll return."

There was no immediate reaction from the family, including Marcos's wife Imelda, who is a member of the House of Representatives.

Marcos was ousted in a 1986 "people power" revolt and died in exile in Hawaii three years later without admitting any wrongdoing, including accusations that he and his family amassed billions while he was in power.

Marcos placed the Philippines under martial rule in 1972, a year before his term was to expire. He padlocked Congress, ordered the arrest of political rivals and left-wing activists and ruled by decree.

A Hawaii court found Marcos liable for human rights violations and awarded 2 billion dollars from his estate to compensate more than 9,000 Filipinos who filed a lawsuit against him for torture, incarceration, extrajudicial killings and disappearances.

Although he rose to power last year on a promise to combat widespread crime and corruption, Mr Duterte has acknowledged that one of Marcos's daughters, a provincial governor, backed his presidential candidacy.

The president has noted that his late father, a local politician, was a trusted cabinet member for Marcos.

In November last year, Mr Duterte approved the burial of the long-dead Marcos at the country's Heroes' Cemetery in a secrecy-shrouded ceremony, sparking protests and shocking many democracy advocates and human rights victims.

Burying someone accused of massive rights violations and plunder at the cemetery, which is reserved for former presidents, soldiers and national artists, has long been an emotional and divisive issue.

Mr Duterte argued that it was Marcos's right as a president and soldier to be buried at the cemetery, taking a political risk in a country where democracy advocates still celebrate Marcos's removal each year.

AP
U.S. President Donald Trump is seated in the Oval Office during a meeting with Finland President Sauli Niinisto at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 28, 2017.

US President Donald Trump confused two blonde reporters for the same person in a press conference at the White House.

While taking questions from the media, Trump questioned Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, believing he called on the same reporter.

"Again? Youre going to give her the same one?" Trump asked Mr Niinisto, according to the New York Post.

No, she is not the same lady, Mr Niinisto replied during the conference at the White House.

We have a lot of blonde women in Finland, the reporter joked as she took the microphone, prompting the president to laugh.
Two woman disguised themselves as nuns while attempting to rob a Pennsylvania bank. Photo: Fox 29 Philadelphia

The FBI are seeking information into an armed bank robbery, where two women disguised themselves as nuns.

The two women, armed with guns, demanded money from the bank teller, but fled empty handed.

The incident occurred at a Pennsylvania bank on Monday.

According Pocono Township Police Department to suspects are described as two Hispanic females, both approximately 5' to 52 tall and of medium build.

Each woman was wearing a black nuns habit and veil, with a white wimple covering her hair and part of her face. One woman also had on dark sunglasses.

Police say the two women are "armed and dangerous" and a reward has been offered for anyone with information on the two suspects.
Washington vs New York - the resentful bewilderment continues on both sides.

Cats and dogs, Hatfields and McCoys, India and Pakistan, coyote and roadrunner, Cowboys and Redskins: We're seeing it now in the White House, where New Yorker Donald Trump has taken up his awkward Washington residence.

Trump gets it backward, to Washington ears. He boasts of his riches and calls the media "the enemy of the American people". But as veteran columnist Walter Shapiro has said of Washington: "It's a city where being rich counts for less than anywhere else, and being a journalist counts for more."

The medium of exchange in New York is money brokered by Wall Street. In Washington, it's power brokered by the media.

You can buy the Empire State Building, which has no particular power, but you can't buy the Supreme Court, which does.

Money gets you somewhere in Congress, but it has its limits.

How do you buy Senator John McCain's, vote on the health care bill? Or consider the recent scrap between Senator Lisa Murkowski and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who called her to complain about her no vote on debating the repeal of Obamacare. Trump had already tweeted his disappointment. Zinke and Trump didn't understand how power works here.

The odd thing was the US's Interior Department has nothing to do with the health care plan, but it has a lot to do with ongoing public works projects in Alaska. Zinke, the career Seal, and Trump, the career New Yorker, were trying to wield power.

They seem to have forgotten that Murkowski oversees the confirmation process for Interior Department nominees - a process she announced would be delayed after the Zinke phone call (while denying the call had anything to do with it). Had they noted that Murkowski doesn't face re-election until 2022? She has power over them - them over her, not so much.

Washington understands New York better than New York understands Washington, much as the south understands the north better than the north understands the south. In the same way, out in flyover country, America's working class understands dinner-party liberals better than the liberals understand the working class, if they even know it exists.

"Deplorables," Hillary Clinton called them - with their regrettable guns and religion, as Barack Obama said.

Clinton and Obama thought they had the power to dismiss the biggest piece of the electorate. Democrats had been doing it for decades, after all. Finally, the blue collars spotted a messiah in Trump, thinking he had the power to save them. So far it hasn't happened, but he's a New Yorker, and New Yorkers have a tough time doing things for people in Washington.

The difference can come down to trivial details. Washingtonians noticed when Ivanka Trump wore an off-the-shoulder dress with what looked like a black bra strap to her father's speech to Congress. Dear Ivanka, Washington is not a black-bra-strap kind of town.

Jared Kushner, Ivanka's immensely rich New York husband, seems to regard filling out security clearance forms the way the late Leona Helmsley, New York's Queen of Mean, regarded taxes: "Only the little people pay taxes."

Kushner didn't bother including a lot of the required information on his forms, thereby attracting the attention of Washington's intelligence community and various departments and committees of law enforcement and investigation.

But why would a New Yorker worry about these people? Trump had dismissed them as incompetent leakers, never seeming to realise the intelligence community has no money but does have immense power. It has something on everyone. Didn't he ever wonder how J. Edgar Hoover held power as FBI director for all those decades?

For half-a-century since I came down from New York myself, I've watched New Yorkers arrive. They think they have all the answers (I thought I did, too, for a while). After a while, they begin to sense they don't have the power they thought they'd have.

When Trump tweeted his surprise ban on transgender people serving in the military, he must have thought he was on safe ground (Trump voters don't have Ivy League liberals' sympathy for the LGBT world). But Trump voters don't run Washington, and that tweet provoked wrath even from conservative Republicans in Congress.

Trump didn't and couldn't understand that in Washington, you have to clear things with the right people. The rule is: No surprises.

It didn't start with Trump. New Yorkers have been this way for a long time. They so often fail to fit in, here in Washington.

Henry Allen is a former 'Washington Post' editor and reporter
North Korea accused the United States on Tuesday of driving the Korean peninsula towards "an extreme level of explosion" and declared that it was justified in responding with "tough counter-measures".

The combative statement came hours North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan's northern Hokkaido island into the sea, drawing a sharp reaction from Japan, the United States, South Korea and other states.

Han Tae Song, North Korea's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, did not explicitly refer to his country's latest test. But he said U.S. "pressure and provocative acts" would only give his country grounds to take unspecified measures.

"It is an undeniable fact that the U.S. is driving the situation of the Korean peninsula towards an extreme level of explosion by deploying huge strategic assets around the peninsula, by conducting a series of nuclear war drills and maintaining nuclear freeze and blackmail for over half a century," Han told the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

Fears have grown over North Korea's development of missiles and nuclear weapons since Pyongyang test-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in July. Those fears worsened after Trump warned that North Korea would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States.

Joint U.S.-South Korea military drills, currently taking place on the peninsula, are part of "long-standing U.S. hostile policy" towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Han said.

Expand Close Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters about North Korea's missile launch in Tokyo, Japan in this photo taken by Kyodo on August 29, 2017. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY / Facebook

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Whatsapp Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters about North Korea's missile launch in Tokyo, Japan in this photo taken by Kyodo on August 29, 2017. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

"Now that the U.S. has openly declared its hostile intention towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, by waging aggressive joint military exercises despite repeated warnings... my country has every reason to respond with tough counter-measures as an exercise of its right to self defence," Han said.

"And the U.S. should be wholly responsible for the catastrophic consequences it will entail."

U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood, speaking to reporters, said that North Korea's test was "another provocation" and "big concern" to be discussed by the U.N. Security Council later in the day.

"My country and I know a number of other countries are going to continue to demand that North Korea ends these provocative acts and take a different path," Wood told the forum.

Expand Close In this undated photo distributed Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017, by the North Korean government, leader Kim Jong Un, left, visits the Chemical Material Institute of Academy of Defense Science at an undisclosed location in North Korea. North Korea's state media released photos that appear to show concept diagrams of the missiles hanging on a wall behind leader Kim Jong Un, one showing a diagram for a missile called "Pukguksong-3." Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this photo. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp In this undated photo distributed Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017, by the North Korean government, leader Kim Jong Un, left, visits the Chemical Material Institute of Academy of Defense Science at an undisclosed location in North Korea. North Korea's state media released photos that appear to show concept diagrams of the missiles hanging on a wall behind leader Kim Jong Un, one showing a diagram for a missile called "Pukguksong-3." Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this photo. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

The United States has "an iron-clad commitment to its allies", he added.

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Both Wood and South Korea's envoy Kim Inchul called for Pyongyang to resume talks on giving up its nuclear arsenal.

"Denuclearisation is the only way forward to guarantee security and economic viability instead of continuing with provocations which are unacceptable," Kim said.

Japan's envoy Nobushige Takamizawa condemned the missile test noting it also posed a danger to aviation and navigation.

Meanwhile the European Union's top diplomat condemned on Tuesday North Korea's missile launch over Japan, offering the bloc's support for any future talks but also warning of possible steps following meetings at the United Nations Security Council.

"We fully support calls for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council today," the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement, saying the European Union will look at an "appropriate response in close consultation with key partners and in line with UN Security Council deliberations."

The European Union last toughened its economic sanctions on North Korea on Aug. 10.

Russia weighed in saying it insists North Korea abide by U.N. Security Council resolutions regarding its missile programme.

"Regarding the launching of the missiles from North Korea, we stick to the resolutions of the United Nations and we insist on the fact that the North Koreans must respect those resolutions from the United Nations," Lavrov told a news conference on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, according to a simultaneous translation of his remarks.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is outraged by North Korea's "reckless provocation" in carrying out missile tests, her spokeswoman said.

"The prime minister is outraged by North Korea's reckless provocation and she strongly condemns these illegal tests. From our perspective we will need to continue to work with our international partners to keep the pressure on North Korea," the spokeswoman told reporters.

May is travelling to Japan later on Tuesday and will have talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
By A&A LAW

Businesses in India have to contend with multiple sources of wage and employment regulation.

These include the constitution, labor statutes, judicial precedents, and collective and individual agreements.

Further, Indian labor law comes under the jurisdiction of both federal and state governments, complicating matters such as the computation of minimum wage.

This article intends to throw light on some of the most frequently asked questions on the application and calculation of minimum wages in India.

RELATED: International Payroll & HR Solutions from Dezan Shira & Associates

Minimum wage and Indian law

The Minimum Wage Act of 1948, passed by the Indian parliament, fixes the minimum wage for certain scheduled employment categories  which is applicable to the whole of India. The minimum wages given under this Act apply to both skilled as well as unskilled laborers.

Under the 1948 Act, a Tripartite Committee of Fair Wage was appointed that defined the minimum wage in India as a wage that must guarantee bare livelihood.

The term scheduled employment means an employment specified in the list appended to the Minimum Wages Act or any process or branch of work forming part of such employment.

In India, minimum wages are not fixed for an industry in a state, if there are less than 1,000 employees working in that industry in that state.

Minimum wage and the Indian constitution

The Indian constitution defines the living wage for a worker. The term living wage ensures a basic standard of living, which includes good health, dignity, comfort, and education. It also provides for contingencies.

However, Indias constitution also defines what a fair wage is. Fair wage is that level of wage that maintains a certain level of employment, while also seeking to increase it  keeping in mind the industrys capacity to pay.

This would translate to a gradual increase across a period of time, based on growth of industry and other considerations such as cost of living etc.

RELATED: Introduction to the Social Security System in India

Minimum wage and the Supreme Court

Indias Supreme Court provides precedents in cases such as PUDR v. Union of India and Sanjit Roy v. State of Rajasthan, where it has stated that any wage below the prescribed rate breaches Article 23 of the Indian constitution. This means that a worker cannot be forced to work for a wage that is less than the minimum rate. If anyone forces him to work at such a low wage, it may be considered forced labor under Article 23.

Who fixes the minimum wage in India?

Labor law in India is a concurrent subject, meaning that it comes under the jurisdiction of both federal and state governments. As such, the appropriate government fixes and revises the minimum wage.

For some specified types of employment, the federal or central government is responsible (for instance, under categories mentioned in the Minimum Wage Act of 1948).

In all other areas of employment, it is the respective state government that establishes the minimum wage.

The wage rate may be fixed daily, hourly, or even monthly. In India, there are two methods for the fixation and revision of the minimum wage rate  the Committee Method and the Notification Method.

Committee Method

The appropriate government sets up committees and sub-committees. These committees hold enquiries and make recommendations for the fixation and revision of minimum wages.

There are five Regional Minimum Wages Advisory Committees in India. Their aim is to bring uniformity in minimum wages of different scheduled employments.

Notification Method

The appropriate government publishes proposals in the official gazette to inform the persons who may be affected.

The notification specifies a date that is at least two months away from the date of the notification. This is the date on which the proposals will be due for consideration. Before publishing these notifications, the government consults various committees and sub-committees.

RELATED: Outsource Payroll Processing and Optimize your Business Operations in India

Calculation of the minimum wage rate in India

The determination of minimum wage depends on many factors. These include:

Level of income;

Paying capacity;

Prices of essential commodities;

Productivity; and

Local conditions.

Since these factors vary from state to state, across India, the rates of minimum wage differ as well.

Further, the Indian Labour Conference of 1957 fixed certain parameters for the fixation of minimum wage.

At least 20 percent of wages must provide for:

Minimum food requirement: 2700 calories per adult (approximately);

Clothing requirements: 72 yards per year per family;

Rent: According to the minimum area provided by Governments Industrial Housing Scheme; and

Miscellaneous expenditure: Fuel, lighting, etc.

Other parameters that must form 25 percent of the total minimum wage are:

Childrens education;

Medical needs;

Minimum recreation, that is, festivals or ceremonies;

Provision for old age; and

Provision for marriage.

Consequently, there are multiple rates of the minimum wage according to the respective type of scheduled employment and the class of work within that schedule or sector, the age category (adults or teenagers or children), the skill and occupational position, and the location of the business.

Rohit Kapur of Dezan Shira & Associates comments: Although the regulations are somewhat ambiguous, on a practical note, the average monthly wage for a semi-skilled worker in urban areas of India would be about Rs 15,000 (US$236), while in rural areas, it would be roughly between Rs 6,000 (US$94) to Rs 11,000 (US$173), depending on the minimum wage determination in the respective state. Foreign investors should take professional advise when costing out business operational issues throughout India.

About Us A&A LAW is a full service law firm, offering comprehensive legal services in all major areas of law. The firm offers contentious and non-contentious legal services to clients. The non-contentious services include strategic planning, providing legal opinions, preparing documents, and conducting negotiations. The contentious services include arbitration, representation of clients in court hearings at all levels, and enforcement of court judgments and arbitral awards. In addition, they provide services for commercial & non-commercial litigation and corporate governance. The combined experience of the firms professionals is over sixty two (62) years, spanning across the world. A&A LAW have worked with industry leaders in the field and have delivered as per their requirements. India Briefing is published by Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. We produce material for foreign investors throughout Eurasia, including ASEAN, China, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road, & Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here. Dezan Shira & Associates provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout India and the Asian region. We maintain offices in Delhi and Mumbai and throughout China, South-East Asia, India, and Russia. For assistance with India investment issues or into Asia overall, please contact us at india@dezshira.com or visit us at www.dezshira.com.

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Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

The third edition of Tax, Accounting and Audit in India is updated for 2017, and provides an overview of the fundamentals of Indias tax, accounting, and audit regime. The guide also includes a detailed introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) that was launched on July 1, 2017, representing the complete transformation of Indias indirect taxation structure.

In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we discuss payroll processing and reporting in India, and the various regulations and tax norms that impact salary and wage computation. Further, we explain Indias complex social security system and gratuity law, and how it applies to companies. Finally, we describe the importance of IT infrastructure, compliance, and confidentiality when processing payroll in India.
Supreme Court rules individual privacy as fundamental right

On August 24, the nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court (SC) of India upheld the right to individual privacy as a fundamental right under the Constitution.

The landmark verdict came on an array of petitions challenging the federal governments move to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing benefits of various government schemes, and extending its provisions for several other essential activities, such as opening bank accounts, making financial transactions above US$780 (RS 50,000), securing loans, and filing tax returns.

Though the SC ruling does not overturn the constitutional validity of Aadhaar Act, it will play an important role in a separate court hearing that will examine the validity of Aadhaar on the principles of the right to privacy. Separately, the judgment does not have a direct or immediate effect on data sharing as India does not have a data privacy law. However, the decision does provide solid grounding for any future data privacy policies in India.

The impact of the SC ruling is evolving. Businesses should monitor the issue closely to understand how it impacts Aadhaar-related transactions, as well as data privacy rules.

RELATED: Business Strategy & Operation Advisory

India bans gold exports above 22 carats

The government announced a ban on gold exports above 22-carat purity level in a bid to check illegal trade practices, such as round-tripping. Round -tripping allows a trader to import gold products at a lower import tax from countries that have trade agreements with India, and re-export the same without any value addition. The announcement came in form of an amendment to 2015-2020 foreign trade policy.

The notification states that export of gold jewelry, plain or studded, and articles containing gold of eight carats and above, up to a maximum limit of 22 carats, would be allowed only from certain areas. These areas include domestic tariff areas and export-oriented units, electronics hardware technology parks, software technology parks and bio-technology parks. The ban will affect prices of gold products, including partly processed jewelry, coins, and medals in India.

RELATED: Establishing a Business in India: Offices, Partnerships, and Companies

India tightens FDI rules for power, telecom

The Indian government has announced stricter provisions for businesses invested in power and telecommunications.

According to new provisions, companies must detail their source of raw materials for transmission systems in the power sector. If the material sourced to India is found to contain any form of malware, the government can restrict its operations in the country. 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.

Similar steps have been taken on the telecom sector, demanding high-security standards in areas that are dominated by Chinese makers of equipment and smartphones. Last week, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology asked 21 smartphone makers, mostly Chinese, to provide details about the safety and security practices, guidelines, and standards followed in their product or services sold in India.

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Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2017 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in India. As such, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Indian market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to stay up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes.

In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we discuss payroll processing and reporting in India, and the various regulations and tax norms that impact salary and wage computation. Further, we explain Indias complex social security system and gratuity law, and how it applies to companies. Finally, we describe the importance of IT infrastructure, compliance, and confidentiality when processing payroll in India.
A day heavy in green Indian equity markets saw a day, heavy in green, today. Nifty 50 ended, up by 321.5 points. Sensex ended, up by 1181.34 points. Top Gainers today were HDFC, HDFC Bank, Infosys. Top Losers ... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 3:43 pm

In early trade, Rupee rises 71 paise to 80.69 / $ Early on Friday, the rupee strengthened 71 paise to 80.69 against the dollar as investors' attitudes were bolstered by easing US CPI data and a decline in the dollar index. Forex traders claime... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 2:24 pm

Sensex zooms over 1,100 pts; Nifty above 18,300; IT index top contributor Domestic benchmark indices in the fast lane today led by IT and Metal stocks outperforming. Both the Sensex and Nifty benchmarks were nearly 2% higher amid positive global cues. On the se... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 2:00 pm

NIBE receives order of Rs11.88 crore from Goa Shipyard; Stock slips 1% Nibe Limited stocks in focus as the company announced the receipt of purchase orders. As per the regulatory filing, it has received two purchase orders dated November 08, 2022 from G... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 12:53 pm

Ashoka Buildcon receives provisional certificate for NHAI road project; Stock up 2% Ashoka Buildcon Limited has informed the declaration of October 26, 2021 as the Commercial Operation Date (CoD) for its Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) Project of National Highways Authority of ... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 12:26 pm
MP from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc parliamentary faction Serhiy Leshchenko has said that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is pressing of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) traders, and thanks to this the LPG market in Ukraine has been monopolized.

The lawmakers said at a briefing on Tuesday that due to the demands of the SBU to impose sanctions on LPG traders at the end of 2016 and at the start of 2017 have resulted in the fact that this business was halted for three months and a half and the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine and the Economic Development and Trade Ministry did not interfere in the situation.

"This was the systemic attack on traders by the security service This has resulted in the redistribution of the market in favor of one player. He is Viktor Medvedchuk and his company Proton Energy," he said at the briefing.

He said that Proton Energy Group S.A. (Switzerland) imports around 40% of LPG to Ukraine. Leshchenko said that the company managed to reach the market share in two stages.

"First the market was cleaned by the SBU hands at the end of last year and early this year. The second stage is the creation of the exclusive conditions for Proton Energy when Rosneft issued the rights to import LPG to Ukraine only to this company," he said.

Leshchenko recalled that over corrupted collusion most traders left the LPG market and in the past week the price of LPG grew from UAH 11 to UAH 17.

He also said that the decrease in the prices of LPG would not reach the pre-crisis level.

Public activists and representatives of democratic parties demand from Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to dismiss First Deputy SBU Chief Pavlo Demchyna, First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv and Head of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine Yuriy Terentiev for pressing on business and artificial monopolization of the LPG market.
A heartbreaking picture showing elderly people trapped inside an assisted living facility, sitting waist- and shoulder-deep in flood waters caused by Hurricane Harvey, has prompted an Indianapolis nursing community to raise funds that will be sent to help them.

Forest Creek Village, a senior community operated by American Senior Communities, is holding a fundraiser with all proceeds going to nursing communities in the Galveston County, Texas, area, where thousands of people have been affected by the hurricane and unprecedented catastrophic flooding.

Lunches will be sold for $5 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 31, at Forest Creek Village, which is located at 525 E. Thompson Road, Indianapolis. The catered lunch consists of pulled pork, green beans, chips and cookies. The public is encouraged to support the fundraiser.

Forest Creek Village staff and residents were moved to action after seeing the devastation caused by the hurricane.

My team was pretty moved by the photo circulating of the residents in water up to their waists, and we are sure there are many situations like it that need help, said Colette Campbell, director of marketing and admissions at Forest Creek Village.

For more information about Forest Creek Village and other ASC locations, visit ASCSeniorCare.com.
Throughout the month of September, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett will host the Move with the Mayor challenge. Hogsett and members of the administration will lead residents on walks in areas across the city to promote the health benefits of walking 30 minutes per day.

Walks will take place on Saturdays throughout the month of September, culminating with a lunchtime walk with Hogsett on World Heart Day, Sept. 29. The walks are designed to highlight the cultural and neighborhood diversity of Indianapolis, as well as the many community assets our city has to offer.

The first walk will take place Saturday, Sept. 2. Led by Deputy Mayor Jeff Bennett, participants will join members of IMPD and IFD for a March to the Match, walking from Indianapolis City Market to Michael Carroll Stadium to watch the Indy Eleven take on the San Francisco Deltas. Immediately following the match, participants will be treated to the IMPD-IFD rivalry game. Those who participate in the walk are eligible for discounted tickets to the match. More information can be found here.

The Move with the Mayor initiative was developed in partnership with the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. Research has shown that daily 30-minute walks can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease, a leading cause of death in Indiana.
The Freetown Village Making a Difference Awards dinner will be presented on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 6 p.m. at the Hine Hall Ballroom, IUPUI campus, 875 W. North St. Freetown Village proudly takes time to highlight those who have been making a difference within the Indianapolis community.

For the past 35 years, Freetown Village has educated and impacted the lives of over a million people within the state of Indiana and throughout the Midwest. The organization consistently reaches approximately 20,000 people annually through its programming, including its summer camp, which directly empowers 100 young children and their families each year. Campers are given exposure to leaders and role models who represent and reflect their communities.

This years distinguished honorees include: Elizabeth Gore, a community activist and member of the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) board; Vop Osili, a City-County councilor representing District 11, who made history as the first African-American nominee for Indiana Secretary of State; Dr. Karen Dace, IUPUIs Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and author of Unlikely Allies in the Academy; and Rodney Reid, the owner of RLR Associates, a brand design firm that specializes in experiential graphics, and cofounder of Nexgeneracers Youth Motorsports.

At Freetown Village we recognize that every community has citizens who contribute to and help with its development and success. Since 2003, we have shared with our summer camp scholars, profiles of local (along with national) people, who have accomplished great things in the areas of Education, Business, Philanthropy, Community Leadership and Public Service, explains Ophelia Wellington, executive director of Freetown Village. Their stories have become a permanent part of our Legacy Series, helping our campers to learn, grow and connect with their community.

Freetown Village has partnered with Storytelling Arts of Indiana to record the life stories and reflections of this years honorees. These recordings are permanently archived with the Indiana Historical Society as a part of the organizations efforts to help preserve the stories of the people of Indiana.

Tickets for the Making a Difference Awards dinner are $40. For more ticket information and to RSVP, please visit freetownvillage.eventbrite.com. Your support helps to educate youth and adults with the history and culture of African-Americans in Indiana.
Pivdenmash preparing new batch of engines for European Vega LV to ship them to partners

State-owned Ukrainian rocket maker Pivdenmash (also known as Yuzhmash) Machine Building Plant is preparing a new batch of engines for the European launch vehicle (LV) Vega to ship to the European partners, the press service of the enterprise has reported.

According to the report, in Q2 2017 Pivdenmash produced two liquid fuel rocket engines RD-843 and prepared them for shipment to the customer.

The Vega was designed by the European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) for carrying satellites with a weight up to 1,200 kilos to a 1,200-kilometer Sun-synchronous orbit and satellites with a weight of 1,500 kilograms to a 700-kilometer polar orbit.

The contract to design and supply of the cruise engine of the fourth stage of Vega LV between Pivdenne (Yuzhnoye) Design Bureau and Pivdenmash and Italy's Avio SpA was signed in February 2004.

In April 2012, the partners signed a three-year contract with Avio SpA to supply first batch production engines. The contract can be extended. In July 2017 the parties extended the contract until 2020.

The Ukrainian government and the ESA signed an agreement on cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space in 2008. The ESA unites 17 European countries.
Neeraj Vora 's wife died a few years ago. He is currently being taken care of at his friend's house.

Its sad how fame vanishes in no time, especially in Bollywood. Until the time one is riding high on success, his/her name is all over the place with talks about their lifestyle also making headlines. But soon they fade away into oblivion with no one noticing at all.

It was disheartening to know how Inder Kumar, who after having suffered a heart attack died and only after that, people discussed how he was allegedly under depression. Also, Peepli Live actor Sitaram Panchal was suffering from cancer and didnt have money for his treatment, but his health condition only came to peoples notice about a fortnight before he lost his battle to the deadly disease.

Case in pointNeeraj Vora, the actor-filmmaker who has directed films such as Phir Hera Pheri and Chachi 420 and has acted in movies including Mann, Rangeela, Satya and Pukar among others. The filmmaker is in coma since past 10 months, and hence, his film Hera Pheri 3 is on hold.

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He suffered a heart stroke on October 19, following which he was admitted to All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), where he was referred to as patient who has been in coma for a long time.

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His wife had passed away a few years ago, and he had no children. He was shifted to his friend Feroz Nadiadwalas residence some time agowhere one of the rooms was converted into Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

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The walls of the room, according to a report in Mumbai Mirror, have his pictures from Rangeela, Virasat, Hera Pheri, Phir Hera Pheri, Golmaal, Daud and Khiladi 420. A stack of DVDs with a flat screen TV plays him blockbusters from down the years round-the-clock. This room has been home to writer-director-actor Neeraj Vora since March 11, with a 24-hour nurse, ward boy and cook. A physiotherapist, neurosurgeon, acupuncture therapist and general physician pay him weekly visits, states the report.

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It is being said that he is recovering and has also shown signs of improvement in the recent past. His close friends Paresh Rawal and Aamir Khan had visited him while he was at the hospital, they also inquire about his health every now and then.

We pray for a speedy recovery for Neeraj Vora.
For any average Indian convict, the life inside a prison can't be called hunky dory. Neither can it be called a party or a walk-through-the-breeze. But for VVIPs, more often than not, the scenario takes a 180-degree turn.

Special treatment exposes the vast discrimination between the infamous and the 'regular' convicts. For the VVIPs, the prison is not a cage with closed doors but a freedom to choose preferential treatment. While the not-so-famous criminals rot away in jail, these moguls of crime continue to command respect.

1. Gurmeet Ram Rahim

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After being convicted of rape, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim was lodged in an air-conditioned room in the prison near Rohtak town, police sources said. They further added that the disgraced baba continued to receive special treatment from Haryana's Manohar Lal Khattar government, who arranged for a helicopter and helped Rahim in availing amenities meant for police officials.

Rahim's daughter, Honeypreet, being a woman was allowed to accompany him with suitcases and bags after he was taken into custody in Panchkula. Even after being convicted, he was shown full respect by a section of officers.

2. Sasikala Natarajan

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Sasikala was provided with a special kitchen within the jail premises along with several other amenities. In a report, DIG Roopa - who was the then deputy inspector general (Prisons) alleged that Sasikala had paid Rs 2 crore in bribe to avail perks such as five rooms, beds, a cot, and a television.

Sasikala is currently lodged in Parappana Agrahara central jail, Bengaluru since her conviction in February in a disproportionate assets case alongside two of her relatives, VN Sudhakaran and Elavarasi. She is serving a four-year prison term.

3. Abdul Karim Telgi

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In the same report that mentions Sasikala, DIG Roopa alleged that Abdul Karim Telgi also received special treatment in the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru. Telgi, who was convicted in the counterfeit stamp paper scam, was believed to have enjoyed body massages from three to four convicts who were 'allotted' to him inside the jail.

Telgi was convicted in 2007 and was handed 30 years of rigorous imprisonment.

4. Dileep

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Actor Dileep, who was arrested in a Malayalam actress' abduction case and was sent to 14 days of judicial custody at Aluva sub-jail in Kerala, was also found enjoying special treatment in the prison. The actor allegedly enjoyed VIP treatment and was given an aide by the jail authorities who would serve to his every need.

It was believed that Dileep was served same meals that were prepared for the jail officials post other inmates' meal time.

5. Subrata Roy

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Subrata Roy, Sahara India Pariwar chief, who was imprisoned in Tihar Jail, had paid Rs 1.3 crore to prison authorities to avail special privileges for a year. These perks included an air-conditioned room, mobile phone, Wi-Fi, and video conferencing amenities.

A senior official, however, had said that this came as a result of a Supreme Court order because he had to sell some of his properties to raise Rs 10,000 crore for his bail.

6. Lalu Prasad Yadav

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Yadav, who was imprisoned in the multi-fodder scam, enjoyed an array of special perks during his time in Birsa Munda Central Jail, Jharkhand. These amenities included a television set, two cooks who made his favourite meals, visitor meetings that lasted for hours, and extra time to stroll within the premises after other prisoners returned to their cells.

Yadav enjoyed five-star comforts in jail, as opposed to several other politicians who often cited health reasons to escape the rigours of prison life.

7. Amar Singh

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Amar Singh was convicted in the cash-for-votes scam and was housed in Tihar Jail. He had cited a kidney problem and urinary tract infection to escape the harsh realities of prison. He was given a personal ward instead of a barrack where other inmates were housed.

He was allowed to eat home-cooked food, mineral water, and a western-style toilet. Two inmates kept his ward clean by scrubbing the floor four to five times a day with disinfectant. They even sprayed insecticides to kill the mosquitoes.

8. Bibi Jagir Kaur

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Bibi Jagir Kaur, a former Shiromani Akali Dal minister, was convicted of kidnapping and killing her own daughter. The charges were, however, later dropped by the court. But during her time in Kapurthala Central Jail, Kaur was given special treatment.

She had a 32-inch television in her cell and it was believed that officials ran to touch her feet as soon as she arrived in the prison. She even had free access to a mobile phone.

9. Manu Sharma

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Convicted of Jessica Lal's murder, Manu Sharma was a resident of Tihar Jail. In 2009, he made a request for parole to visit his ailing mother. However, Sharma was spotted partying not long after he was out of the jail.

While attending a discotheque in Delhi, he found himself in the middle of a brawl with a Delhi cop's son who corroborated Sharma's presence in the bar. His parole was cut short and he was back to prison.

10. Vikas Yadav

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Vikas Yadav was convicted of Nitish Katara's murder alongside his brother Vishal Yadav. During the first two years of his incarceration, he was out on bail 66 times and often got involved in criminal brawls, including Jessica Lal's murder case.

He spent most of his prison time in hospitals citing health issues even when he had none. He even managed to step out on a Diwali night with the help of two policemen who were later suspended.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will soon release new Rs 1,000 notes with enhanced security features. According to a report in DNA, the new currency notes could be released as early as December.

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The report claims that the government would shortly start printing the new Rs 1,000 note. "The printing presses at Mysore and Salboni are getting ready to print the brand-new Rs 1,000 notes which will have enhanced security features," an unnamed source was quoted as saying in the report.

The Rs 1,000 note, the highest denomination Indian currency note till then was pulled of circulation in November 2016 as part of the denomination. It was replaced by a new higher denomination, ie Rs 2,000.

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While the Rs 500 note which was also withdrawn from circulation was replaced by a new note, there was no clarity on the Rs 1000 denomination. The RBI and finance ministry had repeatedly claimed that there were no immediate plans to bring back the Rs 1,000 note.
With torrential rains bringing life to a grinding halt across Mumbai, thousands are stranded on roads, railway platforms, and offices across the city. With little warning received from the civic authorities or meteorological department, Mumbaikars seem pretty shaken with the rain assault the city is under.

Amid the chaos of people stranded everywhere, there are many rumours doing the rounds on social media platforms like Whatsapp and Facebook that may spread panic and fear among the citizens.

People are leaving the safety of their offices and leaving as there is much confusion about the railway services resuming. However, the Western and Central railways twitter profiles are giving regular updates about the situation. So far, the services between Churchgate and Andheri have been suspended for the second time in the day. Western Railway has hinted that services may resume from 8:30 pm onwards.

BMC is requesting citizens to not leave their offices in case they are stuck there. With the city experiencing flooding, people out of offices are reporting being stranded for hours at railway stations, and cab services aren't being of much help.

Rumours have been doing rounds that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has declared a state of emergency in the city. However, this seems to be only a rumour as the civic body claims to have the situation under control.

There are also messages circulating on Whatsapp that if the rain does not stop, the electricity in major parts of the city will be cut off, which is untrue.

Some local TV channels have reported that BMC has declared emergency, but the civic authorities have claimed that it is not so. Reports also suggest that the BMC has brought out boats in order to rescue people in low-lying flooded areas.
Hurricane Harvey is wreaking havoc on southeastern Texas with more rain predicted in the coming days. Rising floodwaters have forced tens of thousands to flee, filling shelters and keeping emergency services on the toes.

So far, at least five people have lost their lives in the storm.

Take a look at these photos from ground zero:

1. Hurricane Harvey is pictured off the coast of Texas

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3. Interstate highway 45 is submerged from the effects of Hurricane Harvey seen during widespread flooding in Houston

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4. A woman carries a young child as they wade through flood waters

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5. A man uses a trash bag as cover from the rain

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6. Isiah Courtney carries his dog Bruce through flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey

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7. Residents wade through flood waters

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8. A Texas National Guard soldier carries a woman on his back as they conduct rescue operations in flooded areas

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9. Residents use a truck to navigate through flood waters

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10. Jesus Rodriguez rescues Gloria Garcia after rain

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11. An emergency crew removes a fallen tree blocking a roadway in Corpus Christi

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12. A man walks through water and onto the main road after surveying his property in Rockport

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13. Dead cows killed in Hurricane Harvey lie on highway 35 near Fulton

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14. Housing surrounded by flood waters caused by Hurricane Harvey is seen from a US Coast Guard helicopter

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16. Residents wade through flood waters in Houston

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17. Traffic lights lie on a street after being knocked down in Corpus Christi

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18. The Duong family, with children, parents and dog in tow, walks along Interstate 45 while escaping flood waters

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Last week, nearly half of Japan lost access to the Internet for a few minutes. This time it wasnt because of a DDoS attack, government shutdown, or telecom service provider fault. It was instead because Google made a teensy tiny error.

On Friday, a mistake on Googles end made it seem as though a large chunk of IP addresses were available to route traffic through Google. Those IP addresses, however, belonged to Japanese telcos, so it resulted in a massive amount of Internet traffic meant for Japan being sent to Google. However, Google isnt an internet service provider, meaning all that traffic was then stranded, making it seem to users they had slow or no connectivity at all.

The issue was so bad that Japans Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry actually began investigating the matter. Thankfully, Google was able to realise their mistake and rectify it within eight minutes, though people were already panicking by that point. In addition, the goof up seriously affected online stock trading, Japans railway network, and other industries.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said the liquefied natural gas (LNG) price hike in Ukraine is a plot and diversion against the country and tasked the requisite ministries, Ukraine's anti-monopoly committee, the State Fiscal Service and law-enforcement agencies to investigate the reason for the price hikes.

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers said the PM held an inter-governmental meeting on the issue.

Groysman said order must restore to the nation's LNG market.

"I want the responsible agencies to sort out the LNG situation for the automotive transportation market. Such a sharp price hike has all the hallmarks of corruption. The market is suffering. This is a diversion against Ukraine. We must defend Ukrainian users, ordinary citizens," he said.

The PM's statement says despite the steady growth of the market there is a lack of infrastructure for creating reserves and, simultaneously, during last year, the number of LNG traders supplying Russian LNG has diminished, leading to the latest price increases.

"This is the result of a monopoly. I demand Ukraine's Anti-Monopoly Committee take more decisive action and report on the number of traders who work on this market, the sources of supply, etc. I will present this information to Ukraine's president. But now it is necessary to reach consensus among market players. They must reduce prices in the coming weeks," Groysman said, adding that the Fiscal Service and National Police should carefully study market players, especially unscrupulous traders.

Groysman also said he would meet with deputy PMs within a week and propose steps to rectify the situation.
No fewer than 400 persons belonging to the Jehovahs Witness denomination have been reported to have fainted during a convention which held in Angola.

According to report, the Jehovahs Witness all fainted during the convention due to a toxic gas attack.

A local news source reported the incident to have occurred on Friday following which three young men were arrested in connection with the attack.

Portal de Angola reported that more than 7,000 worshipers were at the venue of the convention when the attack occurred.

No fewer than 400 persons belonging to the Jehovahs Witness denomination have been reported to have fainted during a convention which held in Angola.

According to report, the Jehovahs Witness all fainted during the convention due to a toxic gas attack.

A local news source reported the incident to have occurred on Friday following which three young men were arrested in connection with the attack.

Portal de Angola reported that more than 7,000 worshipers were at the venue of the convention when the attack occurred.

The weekend-long convention which held in the outskirts of Luanda, Angola saw forty-three victims and members of the Jehovahs Witness rushed to the hospital.

Following their hospitalization, no details has surfaced regarding the health state of the members who fainted.

A witness identified as Abraham Kituxi told the local news source that his sister-in-law was one of the first persons to collapse.

He disclosed that she told him something foul was smelling before she passed out.

Following this, the eyewitness reported that several more people began to pass out after his sister-in-law, a development which created panic.

Some persons in the congregation were reported to have called the Police and firefighters who assisted with evacuating the victims and transporting them to the Cazenga Municipal Hospital and Cajueiros Hospital.

Police after arresting the three suspects revealed that one more member of the group might be on the run.

The toxic substance released which caused the fainting is yet to be identified.

(Herald)
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has reported about 23 killed SBU officers during the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) period.

"The SBU has lost 23 best officers since the start of the ATO," the press center of the SBU reported last week.

Referring to SBU Chief Vasyl Hrytsak, the press center said that first cadets of the SBU Academy took part in the parade devoted to the 26th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence.

"Academy cadets and all our officers should remember that the right to take part in the parade and represent the SBU before the Ukrainian people has been won at the expense of the lives of our sworn brothers," Hrytsak said.
Charles Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy, led a protest to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Abuja on Monday to demand the extradition of former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, from the UK to Nigeria.

Mrs. Madueke is currently standing trial in Nigeria and the UK for alleged misappropriation of the nations funds while she held sway as minister during the immediate past administration.

Two weeks ago, Charly Boy led a series of protests to demand that President Muhammadu Buhari either resume office or resign.

The protests which led to chaos at the popular Wuse market in Abuja perhaps made Mr. Oputa to suspend further rallies.

The EFCC, while receiving the protesters, said it would follow the rule of law to the letter in treating the case against Mrs. Madueke.

In a statement issued by the Secretary to the Commission, Emmanuel Aremo, the anti-graft agency said it remained committed to the rule of law, as this was paramount in the fight against corruption.

Let us be patient and let us follow due process. We on our part will ensure that no stone is left unturned as we intensify the war against corruption, he said. Mr Aremo urged the group, which also had an activist , Deji Adeyanju, present, not to relent in their support for the EFCCs fight against corruption.

Source: ( Premium Times )
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, has seized goods worth N783m between August 9 and 25, 2017, this was made known by the Controller of the zone, Mohammed Garba, who disclosed this while conducting journalists round the commands warehouses where the seized items were kept.

According to him, some of the items seized include 27 different brands of vehicles, ranging from 2007 to 2013 models, all valued at N228.2m

In addition to frozen poultry, he listed other confiscated items such foreign parboiled rice, Indian hemp, pharmaceutical drugs, used tyres and general merchandise.Garba said that the unit also impounded three containers with items worth N303.2m, due to what he called false declaration.

He added that the unit recovered N252.1m from duty payments and demand notices on general goods from importers who allegedly tried to outsmart officers at seaports, airports and border stations through wrong classification, transfer of value and short-change in duty payments meant for the Federal Government.

These seizures made it a cumulative amount of N783.6m within the three weeks under review, he stated.

Garba added that 15 persons had been arrested in connection with the seizures while the pharmaceutical drugs and Indian hemp had been handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, respectively.

The command had on August 11 alone impounded 37 assorted cars smuggled into Nigeria through the bush.

The NCS FOUs spokesman, Jerry Attah, said the seizures were not related.

Against the backdrop of the approaching ember months, Garba reminded Nigerians that the governments policy concerning importation of rice and vehicles through the land borders remained unchanged.

He said, For the avoidance of doubt, the Federal Governments policies banning the importation of rice and vehicles through the land borders are still in force.

As we enter the ember months this weekend when economic activities strive to boom, let me use this opportunity to send this warning message to smugglers within the South-West zone to desist from such illegal trade as we are well equipped to cripple smugglers and send them out of their illegitimate business.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
A farmer, identified as Azeez Kelani,has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly hacking his colleague, David Adima, to death after stealing his crop.

It was gathered that the suspect had gone to Adimas farm at Sojuolu village, Ibogun, in the Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state to steal some tubers of cassava.

It was gathered that Adima, who hailed from Benue State, caught the suspect in the act and raised the alarm

The suspect, who was armed with a machete, reportedly resorted to force and eventually slit the mans throat with the cutlass, which led to the victim bleeding to death.

The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, who paraded the suspect on Monday at the state police command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, said the incident happened on August 13, 2017.

Kelani was among 43 suspects paraded for offences ranging from child trafficking, armed robbery to kidnapping and murder.

The suspect hacked the farmer to death to cover up his crime, the CP said.

However, Kelani denied killing Adima, saying the deceased had wanted to attack him with the machete and two of them started struggling.

He said, The machete slit Adimas throat during the struggle.

Also paraded was a suspected human trafficker, Paul Aganla, who was arrested on August 26 at Isiu, in the Owode-Egba area of the state.

The CP said the native of Ogoja, Cross River State, was caught with six children whose ages ranged between seven and 13.

Aganla was said to have brought the children from Cross River to Abeokuta, to allegedly use the for child labour.

The children are Promise Augustine, Elijah Emmanuel, Moses Kariel, Victor Daniel, Glory Emmanuel and Felicia Owu.

Three suspected armed robbers, who specialised in robbing filling stations across the South-West states, were also paraded by the command.

The leader of the gang, Ganiyu Oladeji, confessed that the gang had robbed three filling stations in Ogun, Oyo and Kwara states, adding that they got a lot of cash from the operations.

He said, We normally carry out our operations on weekends when many of the filling stations management will not take their money to banks.

We burgle their strongrooms and take whatever money we find there. There was a time we got N220,000 from one of the filling stations in Abeokuta.

Thirty nine hoodlums, who were said to be terrorising residents of Wawa, Kara and motorists on the Long Bridge end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, were also paraded.

One Zubairu Umaru was said to be the leader of the gang on the expressway.

Umaru also reportedly supplied hard drugs to his gang members to influence them to carry out the nefarious activities.

Items seized from them included tramadol tablets, bottles of codeine, codrux, vega 100, jack knives, cutlasses among others.

The command said it rescued two herdsmen, who were abducted by kidnappers on August 25, in a forest in the Alamala area of Abeokuta.

Iliyasu said during the rescue effort, some of the kidnappers escaped with gunshot wounds.
Jehovahs Witness convention in Angola was attacked with toxic gas on Friday, causing over 400 people to faint.

A local news source, Portal de Angola, reported on Saturday that three young men were detained after the attack.

According to the report, some 7,000 worshippers were at a venue on the outskirts of Luanda for the weekend-long convention.

Forty-three victims were rushed to the hospital, but no deaths have been reported.

A witness, Abraham Kituxi, told Portal de Angola that his sister-in-law was one of the first to collapse. She told him that she had smelled something foul before passing out.

Shortly thereafter, more people began collapsing, creating panic throughout the venue. Some witnesses called the police and firefighters, who assisted with evacuating the victims to Cazenga Municipal Hospital and Cajueiros Hospital.

Police arrested three suspects, and four are believed to be on the run. They could not identify the toxic substance, but noted that it was in containers of 750 thousand liters spread throughout the venue.
Two men were arrested by authorities in Central Vietnam for allegedly shooting dead four rare monkeys in a protected national park, an official said on Tuesday.

Hoang Duc Ai, 43, and an alleged accomplice, identified simply as Minh, were arrested in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, after they were spotted carrying two sacks out of the forest, Le Thanh Tinh, director of the park, said.

A forest ranger detained one at the site, while one who escaped was later detained by police, Tinh said.

The police discovered four dead monkeys, 17 kilogrammes of animal bones and one AK-style assault rifle, a report posted on the parks website said.

The monkeys were later identified as Ha Tinh Langurs, an endangered monkey from central Vietnam and Laos.

They were found shaved and dried over a fire, their brains and abdomens removed.

We have sent these monkeys and the gun for examination so we have evidence to deal with these men.

The men were accused of using illegal military weapons and violating regulations protecting endangered wildlife, Tinh said.

If they are found guilty, the two men could face as much as 20 years imprisonment.

Source: (NAN)
A young Nigerian woman has shared a sad experience in the hands of Nigeria Police officers in Rivers state after they attacked her for having tattoo on her body.

A Nigerian woman has shared a sad experience she had in the hands of Nigeria policemen in Rivers who brutalized her for having tattoos on her body. The woman identified as Chioma Pius said she was assaulted while travelling from Bayelsa to Port Harcourt. She is now demanding for Justice.

She wrote:

Today was a horrible day. I experienced the worst day in my life. Today I was brutalized by police officers. This happened at emohua axis of river state. At the highway leading to bayelsa. My crime was that I tattooed my body. In this modern age. A police officer asked me to step down from the taxi I was traveling with from bayelsa to portharcourt. I asked to know why and he asked again so I got out of the car and then he asked to know who I was and what I did.

I gladly introduced myself after which i had a big smile on my face and my phone rang but I couldnt answer and then he said I should I identify myself to his superior which i found funny and I was just looking at the guy when he said I should get detained. That I dont have manners and that am a cultist, prostitute, armrobber, there is no D!sgust!ng name this men didnt call me and all this time I was just laughing and telling them am not entering their mobile cell. They seized my phones so I couldnt record them.

They searched my purse And when they couldnt find any money they got more angry And said that I dont even have money And am showing myself And before I know if one of the officers grabbed me by my trousers and pushed me to the van and the other guy slapped me and punched me repeatedly. I was asking why they are beating me up and their boss used his gun to hit me on my thighs, went away came back with cane And was flogging me And calling me names. And pushed me into their cell. During the struggle I lost my ring and while this was happening they were collecting money from highway drivers and letting them through without searching them. This guys are animals. They touched the wrong one.They will not go unpunished. They sent away my taxi driver. Passer by were watching it couldnt do anything.



I will not be humiliated for no reason. This police officers are not here to protect us but only to hurt innocent ones but its enough whats wrong with one tattooing their body. Please share and repost.
The Federal Government has declared Friday, September 1 and Monday, September 4, 2017 as public holidays to mark the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

This was made public in a press statement by the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.) on Monday in a statement released by the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Rufai Attahiru.

Dambazau congratulated Muslims and urged all Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of democracy.

He admonished the citizens to join hands with the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in its avowed determination to build a peaceful and harmonious country, where the rights of every citizen are protected and guaranteed, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The minister assured Nigerians of their safety in all parts of the country, emphasising that security agencies have been directed to maintain the peace and protect lives and property.

He condemned in strong terms the prevalence of hate speeches in the country and warned that the government would henceforth deal with perpetrators according to the law, while emphasising that the government would continue to foster peaceful coexistence, national cohesion and stability in its march towards actualizing the full potential of Nigeria, the statement said.

Dambazau wished all Nigerians a rewarding and happy celebration.
A university student in Sudan was convicted of the murder of a policeman during protests in the capital last year, a defence lawyer told AFP.

Asim Omer, who was studying at Khartoum University, was arrested in December and charged with killing the policeman after hundreds of students clashed with security forces at the campus on the banks of the Blue Nile in April 2016.

The court found Asim guilty under Sudans penal code, and he will be sentenced on September 24, his defence lawyer Mohamed Arabi said.

Under Sudanese law, Omer could suffer the death penalty for killing the policeman, the students at Khartoum University demonstrated several times last year against what they said was a plan to sell off buildings belonging to the institution.

The government denied the charge, and police often resorted to firing tear gas to disperse the protesters.

Demonstrations against local grievances occur frequently in Sudan but are often suppressed by police and state security agencies.

In late 2016, sporadic anti-government rallies were staged in Khartoum after the government raised fuel price.The demonstrations were swiftly broken up by security forces, and dozens of opposition leaders and activists were arrested.

The biggest crackdown on protesters was in September 2013, when dozens of demonstrators were killed during anti-austerity rallies.

Thousands of people took to the streets of Khartoum and in some other regions calling for the downfall of President Omar al-Bashirs regime, also after the authorities slashed fuel subsidies.

Rights group Amnesty International said at the time that about 200 people were killed, hundreds were wounded and more than 800 arrested.

The government gave a death toll of fewer than 100.

Source: ( AFP )
A teenage prostitute in the financial hub of Nigeria has reportedly met her demise after an encounter with an alleged ritualist in the line of duty.

An 18-year-old girl, Chiamaka Ndubu, has been found dead in a brothel in Moshalashi Alhaja, Agege, Lagos.

Her body was found on Thursday with three used condoms hours after a man, who was said to be with her for the night, left. She was believed to be a commercial s*x worker

There were no marks on her nor were any of her body parts missing. According to sources, the man, who came in a car, approached Ndubus friend, Joy, where the young women stood by the roadside.

Joy insisted he alighted from his car before negotiating with him, but he refused. So she turned him down.

He then approached Ndubu, who it was gathered, immediately hopped into his car and they left for her room at a place called Happy Hour.

Her body was found few hours later by other residents, who suspected she had been used for ritual. The police were invited and they arrested Joy, who was the last person seen with the deceased before she left with the customer.

A source told The Nation that Joy was taken to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba.

The commands spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said the police were investigating a case of Sudden and Unnatural Death (SUD).
A traditional healer has confessed after the dismembered body of a pretty 25-year-old woman was found in his house.

Fear has gripped the village of Shayamoya in South Africas KwaZulu-Natal province after the discovery of a decapitated body. The family of Zanele Hlatshwayo, 25, who has been missing since July, believe she was a victim of a cannibalism ring that has so far led to the arrest of five men.

Her decomposing body was found after a man who claimed to be a traditional healer handed himself over to police last week and confessed that he was tired of eating human flesh. Police officers had initially dismissed his statement, according to reports.

It is only after he produced a bloodied hand and foot as proof that he was immediately arrested. He led them to his rented home, where police found eight human ears in a cooking pot. It is believed they were to be served to his customers, who were told they had magic properties and would convey money, power and protection.

Several other body parts were found stuffed in a suitcase. Ms Hlatshwayos bloodied and torn clothes were found among the human remains in the traditional healers home. The clothes were identified by her family.

However, police are still waiting for DNA test results to confirm if the remains belong to the mother of a two-year-old boy. Ms Hlatshwayos family is yet to bury her. As I entered the Hlatshwayo homestead, I was greeted by a solemn hymn and the cries by the grieving family.

We can only imagine how she begged for her life, she died an extremely painful death, said her elder sister Nozipho Ntelele as she wiped away tears.

Her clothes were covered in grass and dust, which is a clear indication that she had been in a struggle to save her life, said Ms Ntelele.

Foul smell

The traditional healer lived in a rented hut in Rensburgdrift near Estcourt. He is nicknamed Mkhonyovu which loosely translated means the corrupt one or corruption in the local Zulu language. He rented the hut from Philani Magubane, whose brother was also arrested for being the traditional healers alleged accomplice.

I was shocked to find out that my younger brother fell for the traditional healers fairytales  he promised them wealth when he was just as poor as I am, Mr Magubane told me.

He said that one his tenants had been complaining about the smell of rotting meat that was coming from his next door neighbour.

Mkhonyovu only moved into the house two months ago  I had no idea that he kept human remains here because I dont live in the same yard, said Mr Magubane.

Mr Magubane said he believes that his brother, along with three other young men, were lured by the traditional healer to work for him as they had been struggling to find jobs.

It is alleged that he sent the young men to dig graves in the middle of the night so he could make magic charms known locally as muti.

Residents confess to eating human flesh

Mthembeni Majola, a local politician, convened a community meeting shortly after the cannibalism suspects made their first court appearance last week.

Most residents were shocked by this and now live in fear, but Mr Majola says others were not surprised.

A few confessed to have consulted with the traditional healer and knowingly ate human flesh, he said.

But what has angered most of us here is how gullible our people have become, saying that Mkhonyovus customers were livestock thieves who were told he could make them invincible, even bulletproof, so that the police could not shoot them, said Mr Majola.

Phepsile Maseko, from South Africas Traditional Healers Organisation, has condemned the alleged cannibalism practices. She said Mkhonyovu that was a fake healer who wanted to enrich himself and had brought our sacred practices into disrepute.

Ritual killings and the use of human tissue are not part of traditional healing this angers us as traditional healers because we have to constantly defend our honest work, said Ms Maseko.

The five men, who were arraigned in court on Monday, amid public protests outside the courtroom, abandoned their bail request and will make another court appearance at the end of September.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are observing ceasefire in Donbas announced in view of the start of the academic year and are helping to work to observers of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), the General Staff of the Armed Forces has reported.

"In order to unconditionally observe the agreements reached during the Normandy format phone conversations, and create conditions for the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donbas, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to observe the announced ceasefire in connection with the start of the academic year," the General Staff said in a statement published on its Facebook page on Tuesday.

"At the same time, the ceasefire agreements in connection with the beginning of the academic year should also be observed by the Russian occupation troops," the General Staff said.

In addition, the report says that in the area of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) in Donetsk and Lugansk regions Ukrainian servicemen "comprehensively contribute to the work of OSCE observers."

As reported, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron called on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to fulfill their Donbas ceasefire commitments in their joint statement on Monday.
A former Senator representing, Katsina north senatorial district between 2003-2007 and 2007-2011, Kanti Bello is dead. He died at the age of 72.

He died in the early hours of Tuesday, in Abuja. Kabir Faskari, a younger brother to former Katsina State Deputy Governor, Abdullahi Faskari, confirmed the death in a statement.

I am directed to inform everybody that we lost Senator Kanti Bello early hours of this mourning (Tuesday) at Abuja. Burial arrangement will be announced later, he said.

Mr. Bello had reportedly been battling with an ailment before his death.
Asari Dokunbo who used to be a warlord in the Niger Delta region before being granted amnesty by the Federal Government showed his soft side recently.

Asari Dokubo, formerly Melford Dokubo Goodhead Jr. was pictured kissing one of his wives in new photos making rounds on social media.

He also flaunted his beautiful family as his kids who seemed full of life could be seen taking pictures with their plum size father who has remained vocal about political issues in Nigeria. As the public view of him of being military in nature, Asari appears to be a romantic man with soft touches.

Asari, 53 is a major political figure of the Ijaw ethnic group in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. He once threatened that no oil would leave the Niger Delta region if former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan lost the 2015 election.

See more photos:
A member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Adamu Kamale, has allegedly accused the Nigerian military for giving President Muhammadu Buhari wrong information on the capacity of Boko Haram insurgent.

Kamale, a member of the All Progressives Congress, represents Michika/Madagali Federal Constituency of Adamawa State.

The two local governments, particularly Madagali, have had a fair share of attacks and abductions by the dreaded sect.

Communities in the local governments are a stones throw from the boundary with Sambisa Forest, the insurgents safe haven from where they launch attacks on their victims.

Kamale, who spoke exclusively with The PUNCH, noted that while the militarys position of decimating the insurgents sounded laudable, the truth remains that the group was still very active.

He disclosed that the situation in Madagali had been grossly under-reported in a series of security reports filed by the military to Buhari.

According to the lawmaker, no week passes without one ugly incident or another taking place in the border communities.

He added, I am from this place (Madagali) and I can authoritatively tell you that my people are not safe. The military are always feeding Mr. President with the wrong information that things are normalising; its not true.

We are happy that Mr. President made a reference to the Boko Haram issue in his broadcast to the nation when he returned from his medical vacation to the United Kingdom. He spoke of stepping up the war against Boko Haram and other forms of insecurity.

However, we advise Mr. President to match the broadcast with actions because the insurgents are truly killing more people than he is even aware of, particularly in Michika/Madagali Local Government Areas of Adamawa State.

In the past few days, over 10 lives and over 200 houses have been lost again. The security reports he gets on these two local governments are not detailed.

The situation here is worse than the reports he gets from the military.

Kamale had in December 2016 opposed a plan by the military to pull out troops from the North-East this year on the grounds that the insurgents had been weakened.

He had warned, The situation today is such that government should deploy more troops in Madagali; nothing has changed much.

Insurgents are still very active, kidnapping women and children and raping them.

If the government contemplates withdrawing troops, it means insurgents will simply take over Madagali as a permanent territory.

As we speak, insurgents live and operate just within two kilometres to the Sambisa Forest from Madagali.

Thinking of withdrawing troops does not tally with the reality on ground.

In December 2016, a twin bomb attack killed at least 60 people in Madagali market and left 77 others injured.

The local government was hit twice earlier in December 2015, while a popular motor back was also bombed by the insurgents.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Former Senator, Mr. Kanti Bello, who represented Daura Senatorial Zone between 2003-2007 and 2007-2011,who was the pioneer Managing Director of Katsina Steel Rolling Mill was confirmed dead on Tuesday in Abuja.

Kabir Faskari, a younger brother to former Katsina State Deputy Governor, Abdullahi Faskari, confirmed the death in a statement.

I am directed to inform everybody that we lost Senator Kanti Bello early hours of this mourning (Tuesday) at Abuja. Burial arrangement will be announced later, he said.

The death was also confirmed by a former Chairman of Ingawa Local Government, Sabiu Tukur.

Mr. Bello had reportedly been battling with an ailment before his death.
The Kardashian/Jenner sisters and their mother Kris have announced om scoail media that they will be donating $500,000 to the Hurricane Harvey relief effort. This comes after Kevin Hart called out fellow celebrities to join him in assisting the thousands of people displaced after the Hurricane.

Source: Linda Ikejis blog
300 Katsina State pilgrims have rejected the accommodation that was given to them by the state Pilgrims Welfare Board in Makka, Saudi Arabia due to lack of basic facilities for human habitation.

Some of the pilgrims refused to go into the rooms allotted to them at the Dar al Saadatu wal Khair hotel, and instead camped at the Katsina state office in Makkah, where they passed the night.

The pilgrims claimed that most of the rooms had no air conditions and adequate toilets, with as many as 15 people expected to share one toilet facility.

However, the Chairman, Katsina State House of Assembly Committee on Hajj Monitoring, Alhaji Abdullahi Mahuta, urged the pilgrims to exercise patience, saying they had discussed with the hotel management to rectify the anomaly.

He also advised them to remain calm so as not to vitiate their Hajj by certain actions that may run counter to rules governing hajj obligations.

Mahuta urged the pilgrims to accept the accommodation as efforts were on to address areas of concern.

The State team Leader, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, who is also the state Deputy Governor, had also visited the hotel and pleaded with the pilgrims to accept the accommodation.

He promised that all facilities lacking in the hotel would be provided within a short time.

In spite of the plea, some of the pilgrims said they would remain at the state office throughout their stay in Makka unless their grievances were fully addressed.

Source: ( PM News )
Kemi Olunloyo spoke lovingly about her mother online in new post on Instagram Today Sunday, August 27, The social media enthusiast and daughter of a former governor of Old Oyo State, Omololu Olunloyo posted online gushing about her mother.

She wrote below:

MY MOM ON THE WAY TO CHURCH TODAY 8/27/17

My mom will be 77yo on November 16th 2017.

She has sacrificed a lot for us.

She was the second executive First Lady of #oyo state #Nigeria

She was the shortest First Lady in #Oyo state next to her friend Muti Ladoja. Im following her footsteps in celebrating motherless children, orphans and the disabled in the state. In her 90 days she even commisioned a section of LUTH in #Lagos, outside her state.



My mom is the daughter of Nigerias first Deputy IG of police and Chief Whip of the Western region house of assembly now the Oyo state house of assembly. She is the mom of former special adviser to the governor on education, architect Funke Olunloyo. Current Attorney General and commissioner for justice of Oyo state Hon Seun Abimbola is her nephew. Seuns late mom and my mom are sisters.

My mom is also aunt to Hon Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo former NASS member in the House of reps Oyo South. Some people laugh at these 3 month governorships before #Buhari killed #democracy in 1983. My mom is a matriach of a political clan. She was the one typing the letters on the morning of January 15th 1966 as my dad was rushing to Samuel Ladoke Akintolas house before the soldiers arrived there and killed him. Dad was a 29yo commissioner in Akintola and Fani-Kayodes government.

My mom was also there when Ahmadu Bello arrived in #Ibadan and demanded Kingsway department stores be open for him 9pm after closing at 6pm boasting that he was the Saudana of #Sokoto, a man who said yorubas were slaves to Hausas. Finally her brother in law our uncle Adekunle Fajuyi, aunty Oduns husband was told by my dad not to host the head of state that night and that he heard a tip. Uncle Kunle did not take that advise. He and General Aguyi Ironsi were both SHOT and killed right here across the street at the same government house I plan to live in 2019 and lived 3 mos in 1983.

MOMMY U ARE PART OF NIGERIAN HISTORY. I WANT MY MOM ON A NAIRA NOTE WHEN SHE DIES. THAT IS WHY I AM TELLING YOU THE STORY OF THE SILENT POLITICAL WIFE. My dad served 51 appointments in 57 years. Mom will live with me in the govt house AGAIN

See IG Post below :

Source: Naijaloaded
The Lagos State Government has urged the Supreme Court to re-visit the judgment of the Court of Appeal which acquitted Hamza al-Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan of the murder of Kudirat Abiola.

The Lagos government wants the apex court to uphold the death sentence passed on Messrs. al-Mustapha and Shofolahan by Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State High Court on January 30, 2012.

The state governments appeal was contained in a 10-ground notice of appeal filed against the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

The state government filed the notice of appeal following an earlier order of the Supreme Court on January 12, granting the appellant leave to file the notice of appeal outside the time frame stipulated by law.

The appellant told the apex court in its notice of appeal that the testimonies of its star witnesses, Barnabas Jabila, also known as Sergeant Rogers, and Mohammed Abdul, who had confessed to their roles in the murder, were detailed and consistent.

It claimed that the contradictions in the witnesses testimonies were not material enough to warrant the decision of the Court of Appeal to disregard their entire evidence.

It therefore contended that the Court of Appeal erred in discharging and acquitting Messrs. al-Mustapha and Shofolahan.

Kudirat, wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola, popularly known as MKO, was gunned down in Lagos on June 4, 1996.

Both Mr. al-Mustapha, a former chief security officer to then Head of State, Sani Abacha; and Mr. Shofolahan, were on January 30, 2012 sentenced to death by a Lagos State High Court for the murder of the deceased.

But the Court of Appeal in Lagos on July 12, 2013 discharged and acquitted both men on the grounds of lack of credible evidence.

In its judgment delivered on July 12, 2013 by its bench of three justices led by Amina Augie (now a Justice of the Supreme Court), the Court of Appeal held that the testimonies of Ore Falomo, as first prosecution witness, and Ahmed Yusuf, the fourth prosecution witness, were irrelevant and unreliable.

It added that the oral evidence and statements of Messrs. Jabila and Abdul had been discredited under cross-examination and were therefore unreliable.

But the 10 grounds notice of appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal signed by the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Adeniji Kazeem, sought an order of the Supreme Court allowing the appeal, and another setting aside the judgment of the court below.

The Lagos State Government argued that the appeal court erred when it determined that there were material contradictions that rendered the testimony of PW2 (Barnabas Jabila) inconsistent and unreliable.

It insisted that Mr. Jabila, in his testimony before the Lagos State High Court, was consistent and that the details supplied by him were not materially controverted.

The Lagos State Government also faulted the Court of Appeals rejection of the testimony of Mr. Abdul. It argued that the Court of Appeal erred in law when it held that there were material contradictions that rendered the testimony of PW3 unreliable.

It said, PW3 gave graphic and detailed evidence of the conspiracy to and murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

Source: ( Premium Times )
A 15 year old Nigerian student, Ikeoluwa Abioye has made her loved ones proud of her after scoring 9 A1s in the 2017 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Abioye scored A1 in all the 9 subjects she wrote.

The subjects include Maths, English, Further Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Civic, Catering, Biology and ICT.

The brilliant lad did not stop there as she scored an amazing 305 in the last Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The 15 year old was recently celebrated and honoured by her alma mater, Starfield Schools, Iju, Lagos.

She said, if sponsored, she would love to go to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) or Harvard University to study Computer Engineering.
Another Nigerian student has made her parents super proud and broken the records yet again after scoring 9 A1s in the 2017 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

15-year-old Ikeoluwa Abioye scored A1 in all the 9 subjects she wrote. The subjects include Maths, English, Further Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Civic, Catering, Biology and ICT.

Abioye didnt stop there! She also scored an amazing 305 in the last Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Abioye, an indigene of Irepodun Local Council of Osun State, was recently celebrated and honoured by her alma mater, Starfield Schools, Iju, Lagos. She said, if sponsored, she would love to go to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) or Harvard University to study Computer Engineering.

Big, big congrats to her.
The Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has sent the indictment against former prosecutor in Crimea in the case of Deputy Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Ilmi Umerov. He is accused of high treason, Prosecutor General's Office Spokeswoman Larysa Sarhan has said.

"The Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea after the special pretrial investigation sent the indictment against former prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Oleh Sarhinov who is accused of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason)," she wrote on her Facebook page on Monday.

She said that irrefutable evidence have been received proving that the former prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, who joined the illegally created body of the Prosecutor's Office of the so-called Republic of Crimea, provided representatives of the occupation authorities with assistance in conducting subversive activities against Ukraine, including by falsifying the criminal case materials concerning Ilmi Umerov.

Sarhan recalled that according to the Criminal Code of Ukraine, this person could be imprisoned for the period from 12 to 15 years.

As reported, investigators of the Russian FSB in Crimea in May 2016 opened a criminal case against Umerov under Article 280.1 of the Russian Criminal Code on suspicion of incitement to violation of territorial integrity of the Russian Federation.

FSB officers imposed travel restrictions on Umerov. On August 11, a court in Simferopol granted the petition of the FSB investigator on Umerov's forced forensic psychiatric examination. On September 7, Umerov was released from a mental hospital.

On March 21, Umerov was handed an indictment in the criminal case opened against him. The case materials will be forwarded to the Bakhchysaray court.

On August 22, 2017, Head of the Supervision Department over Criminal Investigations of the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Oleksandr Darakchi said that the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea prepared a suspicion against the prosecutor in the Umerov case. He said, a number of witnesses have already been questioned and suspicions will be soon issued not only to the prosecutor, but also to the judges who participated in Umerov's illegal trial.
The European Union in Nigeria has promised to intervene in the visa procurement challenges faced by some Nigerian students on `Erasmus Plus Scholarship to some European countries.

Minister Deputy Head of Delegation EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Richard Young, said this on Monday in Abuja at the pre-departure orientation for 17 awardees of the 2017 edition of the scholarship.

The students are scheduled to leave Nigeria in September for seven different countries -UK, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and France for two years academic programme.

Young explained that Erasmus plus was an initiative funded by the EU with international focus offering different higher education opportunities for individuals and institutions in partner countries.

According to him, it builds on the experience of more than 25 years of EU programmes in higher education and supports the exchange of students, academics, ideas and good practices between institutions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the awardees lamented the delay and inability to secure visa for the two years programme from Spain, Netherlands, Italy and Portugal

Seven of the awardees had also expressed concern that they might miss the academic session because of the difficulties being encountered in securing visas from those countries.

Four of them said that they were having difficulties to secure Spanish visa while one each was having difficulties in securing visas from Italy, Netherlands and Portugal.

The envoy, however, pledged to wade into the issue and ensure that they travel as and when due for their programme.

He promised to write note verbals to the embassies of the affected countries to look into the visa procurement for those having issues in securing visa.

Young said that 17 students from Nigeria would join more than four million young people to acquire skill and experiences by studying, training or volunteering abroad through Erasmus plus.

The programme supports over 125,000 institutions and organisations to work in peers in other countries to innovate, modernise teaching practice and youth work, he said

The 17 students are from various Nigerian institutions among which are Federal University of Technology Akure, University of Abuja, Kwara State University, University of Lagos and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

Others are University of Ibadan, Yaba Technology, Lagos Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, University of Benin.
An evil German nurse who admitted he deliberately murdered over 80 people out of boredom has been dragged to court.

A German nurse jailed for murdering two patients is suspected of killing at least 84 other people, police said on Monday.

The man, identified only as Niels H. under reporting rules, has confessed in many of those cases, a police statement said, but could not remember all the details of his actions. If confirmed, the death toll would be among the worst ever compiled by a German serial killer.

In past hearings, Niels H. admitted deliberately injecting patients at two clinics in northern Germany with deadly drugs and then trying to revive them in order to play the hero, German broadcaster NDR said.

He was convicted of two charges of attempted murder and two counts of murder by an Oldenburg court in 2015.

Police said on Monday that they had investigated additional deaths at hospitals in the northern German cities of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst after exhuming the remains of 134 people with links to Niels H.

They said he had used five different drugs on the patients, including alkaloid ajmaline and arrhythmia drug sotalol, between 1999 and 2005.

Toxicological reports for 41 people have not been completed, which means the number of victims could rise, police said.

Prosecutors have also charged six people who worked with Niels H. at the Delmenhorst hospital on suspicion of failing to stop the killing even though they were aware of it.

Ten years ago, a German nurse was convicted of killing 28 elderly patients. He said he gave them lethal injections because he felt sorry for them. He was sentenced to life in prison.

In Britain, Dr. Harold Shipman was believed to have killed as many as 250 people, most of them elderly and middle-aged women who were his patients. Known as Dr. Death, Shipman was sentenced to 15 life terms in 2000; he died prison in 2004, apparently a suicide.
The leaders of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party have both been hailed by the Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu with President Muhammadu Buhari, describing it as a bridge-building meeting.

This was released in a statement on Monday, Shuaibu said the move would boost the efforts of the President to create a political atmosphere devoid of hostility.

He said, There is no reason why political parties, irrespective of their ideologies and status, could not give necessary support to the incumbent government.

I think the meeting will help to open a new era in our search for democratic experience. I see the new leadership of the PDP admitting that the President, as the leader of the country, deserves the respect, understanding and prayers of everybody, regardless of political affiliations, a situation which is very critical to national harmony and security.

This is a heart-warming departure from campaigns of hate and unnecessary heating up of the polity.

Shuaibu stated that the meeting had given President Buhari a fresh opportunity to renew his call for national unity, as well as urge the parties to help build a peaceful and economically viable Nigeria.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
One of the Peoples Democratic Partys (PDP) governorship aspirants in Anambra, Sen. Stella Oduah, has said explained why she withdrew from the partys primary election on Monday.

This was made known by the Senator in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

She described the development as unacceptable, particularly for a party that was just trying to get its footing after undergoing a major leadership crisis.

She said party members that were not part of the struggle during the crisis period were suddenly imposed on the party members.

There must be an incentive for loyalty. Party loyalists must have a say.

When you deny their participation, you deny them that incentive they get from being the torchbearers of the party. So, I think its morally wrong for this to happen.

Secondly, we are just coming out from `godfatherism that pervades the politics of Anambra PDP.

Thank God for court judgment but with what is happening, they are bringing us back to that era where we will be subjected to one man imposing a candidate on us.

The fundamental process that led to the three-man delegates was so chaotic and the default was so fundamental.

My people were disenfranchised and I dont want to be part of that process because it is injustice.

When you have imposition, you have blocked that hope for them.

You have made it difficult and impossible for them to aspire to be anything within the party because you are telling them that you can bring somebody from anywhere to impose on them.

Also, bringing somebody from outside the party and who has not stayed for long, it means that you are saying that you lack capacity within party members.

But I dont think we lack capacity, I think PDP has enough capacity to run for that election, she said.

The lawmaker said she was concerned that the development could lead to the partys defeat in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Oduah, representing Anambra North, had threatened to withdraw from Mondays PDP governorship primaries on grounds that the partys ward congresses was fraught with irregularities and sabotage.

She disclosed that she had petitioned the Chairman, PDP National Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Makarfi, for a review of the delegates list, failure of which would make her withdraw from the exercise.

Source: ( PM News )
Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has been honoured with a Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

The award was presented to her at the universitys St Cecilias Hall, which happens to be Scotlands oldest concert hall, by the universitys Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor Sir Timothy OShea, in recognition of Ms Adichies achievements as an author and public intellectual.

After the presentation, she sat down for an interview at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, an event organized in association with the universitys College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences where she said,It is lovely to be in this place, which is hallowed. I feel very fortunate to be included among the people who have been honoured with a degree from this University.

Source: Linda Ikejis blog
The Cross River State Police Command on Tuesday, paraded a suspected fake pastor alongside six others for allegedly killing a one year and six months old baby for ritual purposes.

A church pastor identified as Tony Obo-Ekpeyong, who allegedly broke a home alongside six others and abducted a womans 18-month old baby girl who he allegedly used for rituals, has been apprehended and arraigned by the Nigerian Police.

While speaking to correspondents at the headquarters of the Cross River State Command in Calabar on Tuesday, the 20-year-old mother of the baby, Faith Inyang, on Tuesday, said her baby was stolen at about 3am on August 24 by masked men whom she said she was able to identify.

She said she was able to identify the pastor who oversees the Royal Gods Commandment Ministry, because he and the other alleged assailants lived in the same neighbourhood as her.

She said, When they broke into our house, we pleaded with them not to hurt us. They came in with machetes and they used it on me and my cousin before taking my child away. I recognised one of the men because of his stature; he lived around our area and he normally passed through our house.

When they left, we came out and started shouting for help and some men in the area came out and trailed them to the church. Everything became clear in the morning and the Police came in and arrested them. Up till now, I have not seen the body of my daughter, apart from the heart that was found there.

The state Police Command spokesperson, ASP Irene Ugbo, who spoke while parading the pastor and six others for allegedly killing the little baby and also for allegedly being in possession of what was suspected to be her heart, said the pastor was arrested alongside six others on Thursday, August 24, by men of the command.

Ugbo explained that the suspects were arrested when the parents of the child raised the alarm that their child had been abducted by masked men who broke into their house.

According to the ASP, the Police immediately swung into action, searched the church surroundings and found some incriminating items and thereafter arrested the pastor and six others.
These cultists were gunned down yesterday with their charms tied to their waist and legs by Joint Task Force in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA of Rivers State.

The most dreaded leader of GREENLANDERS CULT GANG also known as ASAWANA, Vincent, Chyfoo Chijioke and Ejebide finally met their Waterloo, despite being fortified with Charms.

Their charms could not save them this time from the superior fire power of the gallant Nigerian soldiers.

According to reports, the Cult members and leader were responsible for many criminal activities such as Kidnapping, armed robbery in the state.

However, they met their waterloo after a fierce gun battle with the soldiers.
Real estate developer Creekmore Group LLC has withdrawn a rezoning application in Goochland, Va., effectively shelving plans for a mixed-use project that would have included a self-storage facility and a pair of 5,000-square-foot office buildings on Patterson Ave., near Virginia State Route 288. The move came after the planning commission voted 4-0 on Aug. 3 to recommend against the rezoning request, according to the source.

Planners objected to the size of the project and didnt believe it was the right fit for the property, which is in Goochland Countys Designated Growth Area and Tuckahoe Creek Service District. The parcel adjoins three of 36 residential sites within the Creekmore Park subdivision, which Creekmore Group developed in 2002, the source reported.

More than a dozen residents spoke against the project during the Aug. 3 meeting, citing concerns about its impact on noise and property values. The commission was also presented with a petition against the rezoning that was signed by 121 county residents.

Commissioner John Shelhorse recused himself from the discussion and vote because hes managing partner for Creekmore Group.

The developer maintained its plan was consistent with the countys Comprehensive Plan and in accordance with the requirements of the Entrance Corridor Overlay District, according to a statement submitted to the source. Creekmore Group also argued the project was less intrusive than its original plan to build five office buildings on the Patterson Avenue property. Though the initial plan received county approval, it was never constructed.

Creekmore Group is based in Richmond, Va.
Real estate developer Ticon Properties is converting the former home of The Herald-Sun newspaper in Durham, N.C., into a mixed-use project that will include self-storage as well as office and retail space. The printing-press and warehouse space at 2828 Pickett Road will be redeveloped into 70,000 square feet of self-storage, whereas the two floors that comprised administrative offices and the newsroom will become 60,000 square feet of office space. The loading docks will be transformed into 10,000 square feet of retail. The project is expected to be complete next year, according to the source.

Where they actually made the paper and ink ... that is what is going to be converted into storage units, Brent Powell, the broker in charge of leasing the building for Ticon, told the source. The front part of the warehouse, where the loading docks were, [Ticon] is turning that into retail. They are taking the garage doors out and putting storefront glass in.

Brassfield Self Storage, which operates four facilities in Durham, including a converted Pepsi building also owned by Ticon, will manage the Pickett Road storage operation. Though no tenants have been signed to occupy the non-storage space, Powell indicated he envisions accountants, attorneys or other professionals occupying the offices, while the retail area could attract a mattress store.

Ticon acquired the Herald-Sun building last July for $3.25 million from Paxton Media Group, which used to own the newspaper. The media operation moved into the building in 1990 before relocating in 2015 to an office building near Northgate Mall, the source reported.

Based in Durham and founded in 1972, Ticon specializes in the development and management of commercial and residential properties. The company focuses primarily on apartment and office real estate and owns 96 percent of its operating portfolio, according to its website.
The police have detained one of the top managers of Ukrainian bank Finance and Credit Oleh Shapkin wanted by Interpol on suspicion of misappropriation and embezzlement in St. Petersburg.

"At 18:00 on August 24, 2017 during a raid by the Interpol officers of the Main Department of the Interior Ministry of Russia in St. Petersburg and Leningrad region a 53-year-old citizen of one of the neighbor states was detained near building 58 on the Moika River embankment. It was established that he was put on a wanted list by law enforcement agencies of his country on suspicion of misappropriation and embezzlement," the press service of the regional main department of the Interior Ministry last week.

The man was delivered to the police station. The initiator of putting this man on the wanted list was notified about his detention.

A source told Interfax-Ukraine that the detained person is Deputy Board Chairman of Kyiv's bank Finance and Credit Oleh Shapkin.
(London, ON) August 28th, 2017  It was a podium filled day for the Pete Shepherd Motorsports Team at Jukasa Motor Speedway. The capacity crowd was treated to three action filled events and Pete Shepherd was at the forefront of all of them. People started to fill the grandstands prior to the 11am autograph session and all of them stayed for the 3 course meal of racing at its finest!

Race #1 Rankin Construction, APC Late Model Summer Shootout;

Shepherd III had the 4th fastest Qualifying lap and pulled the number 5 in the inversion draw, positioning himself 5th on the grid for 1st race at the new Jukasa Motor Speedway. Shepherd was able to settle in line 4th in the early laps of the race. The 21 of Matt Pritiko made a move to the inside of the 83 and Shepherds National Exhaust, McColl Late Model dug in behind and filled the gap. On a restart the 21 car took the lead from the 9 of Brandon Watson. Watson was able to get back by Pritiko later in the race and Pete Shepherd III followed in behind and took over the 2nd position. With tire wear becoming a huge factor the # 3H of Jason Hathaway muscled his way by Shepherd, and worked to the inside of the number 9 on a restart to claim race one of the APC double header. Brandon Watson finished second, followed by Pete Shepherd III claiming third in just his second APC series start.

The car was exceptional on short runs, and really good on medium length runs. On the long haul we lost rear bite and were too free. We will make this car even better in race number two. I expect our National Exhaust Chev will be a serious contender in the next 75 lapper, stated Shepherd.

Right after his post-race interview he was preparing to strap into his McColl Outlaw Super late Model and set record speeds at Jukasa Motor Speedway.

Rankin Construction, Outlaw Super Late Model Summer Shootout;

Pete Shepherd was one of only three cars able to break the 17 second barrier at Jukasa Motor Speedway. His lap time of 16.9 seconds put him third on the grid and second after the inversion.

With speeds reaching over 160 MPH tire management was crucial, and Shepherd was in it for the long run.

The number 16 of Tyler Roahrig took the lead from Shepherd on the initial start and Brandon Watson followed in second place. Roahrig set a blistering pace while Shepherd paced himself and slid back by Watson in traffic to move in second once again. Shepherd, while running in tire management mode, lost second to Phil Bozell before the competition caution at the midway point of the race. Shepherds plan was to conserve tires until about lap 60, but with the two leaders opening up a gap, Shepherd decided to press at lap 55.

He was able to close the gap within a few car lengths but at the end it wasnt enough as he crossed the line in third position.

I believe that I had enough car to put up a better fight at the end of the race. That being said, I am satisfied with our third place finish. This McColl Super Late Model was the best SLM Ive ever driven, and I really wanted a win to solidify the amount of time that the guys at the shop put in over the past few weeks. Our AP Engine made all kinds of power too! I hope I get another shot at it, claimed the veteran racer Shepherd.

Race #2 Rankin Construction, APC Late Model Summer Shootout;

With a lucky draw, Pete Shepherd III pulled number one out of the hat thanks to his top five race speed in the first 75 lap race.

When the green flag dropped Brandon Watson took an early lead, however on restart number two Shepherd battled on the outside to reclaim the top spot. Pete III opened up the gap to nearly a straightaway lead over the second place car, but a caution just before midway erased that lead, and Shepherd was tasked with defending his position once again.

The challenger Jason Hathaway was able to get out in front on the restart, and he never looked back as he crossed the line in first at the end of the 75 lap event, Shepherd came in second, and Andrew Gressel rounded out the top three.

Shepherd had this to say about his third and final race of the afternoon. It was another really good finish in our National Exhaust, McColl Late Model. Before this event I told our team to tighten the car up more than they thought they should, and they did. I ended up being too tight at the end, stated Shepherd. We did not get a win but I would still say this weekend was a successful one for us. I couldnt have asked for a better group of people helping me out, we keep getting better and better. I think we will be in victory lane sooner rather than later, but three top threes, I cant complain!

Our 2017 racing season wouldnt be possible without the support from National Exhaust, Echo Power Equipment Canada, Shelby Roofing and Sheet Metal, The Grill Paddle, The Whole Pig, BioX Performance Nutrition, Thrustmaster, Fierce Wraps, Cipra Designs, Schultz Manufacturing, Fairway Transport, Load of Rubbish, COJO Sport Collectables, driven4 Apparel, Insta360, Oxford Learning  Byron, Fendrihan, Bridge Force Financial, Epic Race Wear, Mokuyobi, and driven4communications.

To keep up to date with Pete Shepherd III racing events this summer please visit: www.peteshepherdmotorsports.com

For PR inquires please contact info@driven4communications.com (www.driven4communications.com)
FREELTON, ON (August 29, 2017)  Another great night of racing at Bennett Chevrolet Flamboro Speedway Saturday night. Six different divisions were on hand and we had three features from the July 22nd rain out as well.

Racing got underway at 6:30pm with the first of the three rained out features with the Pro Four Modifieds running the first of their two extra features. Dan Nanticoke lined up beside Linc Erison for the green. Nanticoke picked up where he left off and was unchallenged picking up the checkers in the first fifteen lap feature.

GALLERY COURTESY OF PETER ANDERSON AND DEREK SMITH (WWW.RACEPULSE.COM)

Super Stocks were next with Bobby Mercer and Shawn Arnott on the pole. Mercer had is brand new car out, looks really good. He led lap one. But points leader Nick Troback would lead next time by as he got past Mercer out of two. Troback would lead the rest of the way followed closely by Arnott. Those two waged a fierce battle all night.

Pure Stocks hit the track with Doug Moir and Steve Deleeuw leading the field to green. Moir led lap one and would hold the lead until lap seven when Wayde Thorne would take the lead heading into turn three. Gary Slama would move to second and he would be on Thornes bumper and challenged him throughout. At the finish it was Thorne by a car length.

Mini Stocks hit the track with Rich Schwartzenberg and Erik Dalla Riva were on the pole and Schwartzenberg led lap one. An early caution as Allie Ditner was around in turn two on lap one. The cars were back to even and Schwartzenberg led once again. Dalla Riva and Schwartzenberg would battle and a caution on lap five as Michael Kenny was around. On the restart, the two front runners had a new threat, points leader Russ Aicken was running close. Aicken would take the lead briefly until a caution heading through three and four as Schwartzenberg got loose and Kyle Istead made contact and Schwartzenbergs bumper came loose and he hit the pits to check it out. On the restart, Aicken would be challenged by Dalla Riva and he would eventually take the lead and hold on for the checkered flag.

The OSCAAR Pro Midgets were on hand Charles Priestley and Jordan Hanna led the field to green. Hanna led lap one and started to build a huge lead and was beginning to lap the field until about half way through he was around out of two heading down the back stretch. He was unable to continue and the second place car of Daniel Hawn was the new leader. He led the rest of the way for the victory. Great to see a nice salute and moment of silence for the Hawn family after the passing of a great racer, their dad Don Hawn passed away Friday. So fitting for Hawn to win it for his dad.

Super Stocks were next for their first regular feature of the night. Chris Howse and Shawn Arnott were out front and Howse led early. Howse would go high into four just about half way and Jaeger McMaster took advantage and got by on the bottom to take the lead. He led the rest of the way and picked up his first SS win.

In the second Pro Four feature from the July 22nd rain out, Mark Lucas and Linc Erison were pole. Lucas shot out to a lead after a false start and a caution soon after as Dan Nanticoke slid through the grass and couldnt stop as he slid back onto the track and collided with the 21 of Larry Westwood sending him into the turn two wall. Gillian Hils and Dan Petit checked up to avoid Nanticoke and came into contact with each other. A red flag as the mess was cleaned up and the race was cut back to ten laps due to just five cars remaining. Lucas would be the leader on the re-start and cruise to the victory.

The Can Am Midgets were next for the first of their two twenty five lap features. They saluted the fans going four abreast down the front stretch. Luc Munsie and Steve Murdock were out front. Murdock led lap one. Adrian Stahle started eighth in the filed and by lap five was to second and he would be the new leader through 1-2. Adam Racine would get past Murdock for second. On lap thirteen, Cory Whittam tagged the wall in turn one and he and Ryan Fraser got mixed up and both would end up on their side and tops bringing the red. On the restart Stahle would resume the lead and hold on the rest of the way for the win.

Intermission was up and it was the final King of the Hill for the year. Not a lot of cars this tie but still as exciting as ever.

Pure Stocks were the first to hit the track after the break. Mark Dennis and John Ditner were pole. Dennis led the first few laps but he 10 of Courtney Scott was the new leader through 3-4 on lap four and started to put some room between herself and the rest of the pack. Scott would come across first for her third career feature win.

The Pro Fours were up for their first regular feature of the night. Linc Erison and Shannon Morris were pole but Mark Lucas who was inside of row two was the leader first time past. Nine cars took green but we were down to six cars a quarter way through. Lucas built a big lead and won handily.

Mini Stocks were up and Kaitlyn Wallace and Mike Hooper led twelve cars to green. Wallace led lap one. Rich Schwartzenberg took the lead down the back stretch on lap six. He would lead until lap 17 when he bobbled out of four allowing Shawn Taylor to get past and pick up the win. Nice to see Taylor back in victory lane and great run on the night by Schwartzenberg.

Super Stocks were next with Nick Troback and Carson Nagy on the pole. Troback led lap one but he was around in two the next time by. Didnt see what happened but Troback was hot after the race. Brandon McFerran was the new leader and he would lead the rest of the way to pick up the win.

The OSCAAR Pro Midgets were up for their second feature. Jordan Hanna who was the class at the start of the last race wasnt able to make the start. Brody Rickwood and Rob Summers were pole and before long race one winner Daniel Hawn was out front and would make a clean sweep on the night. Congratulations to Daniel and and great tribute to dad Don.

Can Am Midgets were next. Dominique Smith and Luc Munsie were on the hot seat. Adam Racine was the leader and Smith and Steve Murdock were battling for second and third. Racine soon had almost a half track lead and the field was back to even as the caution flew on lap fifteen. Racine led on the restart and he and Murdock took off from the rest of the pack and as the checkers flew they finished one/two.

The final race of the night was the fourth and final feature for the Pro Four Modifieds. Linc Erison and Brian Nanticoke were out front but Mark Lucas was the leader first time past. A caution as Dave Hodgkinson was around in four on lap six. The field was back to even but Lucas was still the leader on the restart. He would break away but the Nanticoke brothers werent too far out of sight. But as the checkers flew, Lucas made it three for four on the night.

Please make plans to join us next Saturday night, September 2 for Fan Appreciation Night & Corn Roast!

The Grisdale Late Models return and are joined by Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Pure Stocks, Pro Four Modifieds and the Canadian Vintage Modifieds. Pits open at 3pm, front gates at 5pm with racing at 6pm. The corn roast takes place in the pits after racing.

And then on Monday, join us for the Labour Day Enduro 400, 400 laps of racing with $12,000 going to the winner. Pits open at 9am, front gates at 1pm with racing at 2pm. Check the website for all the details, stories, rosters, points and more, www.flamborospeedway.ca

Congratulations to our Souvenir guru and former flagman and hobby car racer Ding Deleeuw. He and Barb got married this past week!!
Wellesley College has hired away the deputy chief investment officer from Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management, which runs the state retirement system, MassPRIM confirmed late Monday.

Sarah Samuels is set join Wellesleys investment office as a managing director in September, according to an internal MassPRIM memo obtained by II. A spokesperson for the college did not have comment by time of press; Samuels declined to remark on the move.

MassPRIM Chief Investment Officer Michael Trotsky named the funds COO and CFO David Gurtz as Samuels replacement. A MassPRIM veteran of nearly a decade, Gurtz was a leader in developing the public pension funds risk management program before taking over finance and operations in 2015. The organization will search for a permanent CFO/COO replacement, the memo stated, and Gurtz will continue to cover the roles in the interim.

[II Deep Dive: Sarah Samuels, 2017 Hedge Fund Rising Star]

Samuels rose rapidly through the ranks at MassPRIM, with three promotions over six years taking her from an investment officer to deputy CIO of the $67 billion portfolio. Trotsky described her contribution as truly exceptional, noting that her hard work and talents were quickly recognized both internally and externally.

With the move to Wellesley College, Samuels takes a senior position on a much smaller team and portfolio, while remaining in the Boston area. The private womens school relied on its $1.8 billion endowment for roughly 40 percent of its operating revenue in the 2016 fiscal year (ending June 30), according to its annual report.

Former Wellesley managing director Kathleen Browne departed in June to become CIO of Denison University. Browne earned $852,301 in total compensation in her final year at the college, Wellesleys financial filings show.

Trotsky restructured MassPRIMs staff compensation in 2013 after a swath of departures from the investment team, and has secured further raises since then. US public pensions as a whole tend to pay far less than other institutions, including endowments, foundations, and Canadian public pension funds. Trotsky, for example, earned $539,625 in the 2015 fiscal year, according to the Boston Globe. He serves as both CIO and executive director.
Two insurance competitors have urged the Queensland Government to reform the state's compulsory third-party insurance scheme to stamp out rampant rorting, driven by profiteering NSW lawyers.A legal advocacy group has slammed the proposal, however, as an attempt to increase the insurers' profit margins. Suncorp and RACQ Insurance are advocating for reforms in the Queensland CTP insurance scheme in the face of a surge in exaggerated and suspicious claims for minor injuries as well as claims farming, Australian Associated Press reported."Despite a steady decline in the number of car accidents, we are seeing a growth in dodgy CTP insurance claims due to people exploiting the system to get cash payouts," John Myler, RACQ Insurance chief executive, said in a statement.According to The Sunday Mail, CTP claims in Queensland have risen 20% over the past two years, while the number of car crashes plateaued. Anthony Day , Suncorp Insurance chief executive, said the state's existing legislation included incentives that allow profiteering lawyers to abuse the CTP scheme."The CTP scheme allows sizeable lump sums to be paid for minor injuries from low-impact collisions, with legal representatives then able to take 50% of these payouts," he said. "Someone who is nudged from behind in a car park or at the traffic lights is able to claim they now have a sore shoulder and walk away with tens of thousands of dollars. At the end of the day its Queensland motorists who pay for these dodgy claims in higher CTP premiums.The two insurance heads agreed that the only way to crack down on rort and save motorists from premium spikes was to introduce defined benefits that prioritise rehabilitation over lump-sum payments, the reports said.The only way to fix this and make the system fairer is to remove the incentives that drive this behaviour, Myler said. Its time for the state government to introduce defined benefits for low-severity claims."Defined benefits will mean that people with minor injuries get all necessary medical treatment and have their lost wages paid, but there is no longer an incentive for claimants to exaggerate their injuries so they can get a large cash payout," Day said. "By putting a stop to these dodgy claims, more of every dollar in premium can go to the seriously injured who need it most."Rod Hodgson, a director at Australian Lawyers Alliance Queensland, slammed the defined-benefits proposal, however, as driven by a desire for greater profits. He also said it failed to recognise the state's CTP insurance offering as the best in the country."Premiums in Queensland are the second-lowest in the country and the Queensland CTP scheme provides good access to benefits for those who are injured," Hodgson told AAP. "From time to time we see insurers running the argument that the sky will fall in and there is a crisis in the CTP scheme  the problem for the insurers is that is simply not true."
iA Financial Group has announced that president and CEO Yvon Charest has been appointed as an Officer to the Order of Canada.A release said that Charest was invested into the Order by His Excellency, the Right Honorable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada. The ceremony was held at Rideau Hall on August 25.To coincide with the appointment, the Governor General issued a release that highlighted iAs remarkable growth under Charests leadership and how it helped contribute to the countrys economy. The release also discusses Charests philanthropic activities and how he involved himself with numerous charitable organizations and encouraged fellows in the business community to follow suit.Charest is not the only insurance executive to join the order as of late  last year, former president and CEO of Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Gregory Hanson was chosen as one of the Orders newest Members. Hanson was recognized for his support of non-profit groups and his current role as chairman of two such organizations.Gregory S. Belton, the executive chairman of HUB International Toronto, was also appointed a member in 2016.
A Colorado police officer has been arrested on multiple felony counts for allegedly lying about his home and car being burglarized in order to scam his insurance company.



Michael Taylor has been charged with theft, insurance fraud and forgery after allegedly collecting nearly $60,000 in fraudulent claims. Taylor is a corporal in the Silt, Colo., Police Department  and the departments third-highest ranking member.



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Authorities said that Taylor filed phony reports regarding what he said were burglaries of his home and the value of jewelry he claimed had been stolen, according to a report by the Aspen Daily News.



According to the grand jury indictment, Taylor reported in June of 2010 that his home had been burglarized while he was away. Taylor reported that a Sentry safe, a Rolex watch, a KitchenAid blender, his passport and other items were stolen. His insurer paid him just over $4,000 for the Rolex and $100 for his passport, the indictment said.



Later investigation revealed that Taylors passport was never stolen, and he turned it in to the Department of State to obtain a new passport, wrote Jason Slothouber, a Colorado assistant attorney general. In a later interview with investigators Taylor admitted the Rolex was a knockoff he had purchased for only $2,000 years before in Pennsylvania.



In 2012, Taylor told police that his home had been robbed while he was at a movie and his wife was out of town, the Aspen Daily News reported. This time he claimed, again, that the thieves had stolen his Sentry safe and his passport, along with four valuable pieces of jewelry, including a diamond ring Taylor said had been professionally appraised with a value of $7,500.



Taylor was paid more than $50,000 for this claim, according to the Aspen Daily News.



Later investigation revealed that Taylor had taken (the ring) to a jeweler shortly before he made his claim, and the ring now had a cubic zirconium stone in it rather than the diamond ring shown in the appraisal Slothouber wrote. Investigations revealed that Taylors passport was never stolen because he used it to travel to Mexico after he made this insurance claim.



Then, in 2015, Taylor allegedly made a false police report claiming that thousands of dollars in jewelry had been stolen from his wifes car.



Insurance fraud is a crime that affects everyone in Colorado by driving up premiums and creating red tape for our hardworking and honest citizens, Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman said in a statement. The fact that this alleged criminal behavior was perpetrated by someone who was a sworn police officer, who was supposed to protect Coloradans, makes this even more grievous.








A Pennsylvania local has filed a lawsuit against health insurer Aetna for violating the law  specifically, by revealing the HIV information of approximately 12,000 customers in at least 23 states.The lawsuit was filed Monday in the US District Court in Philadelphia, and it is seeking class-action status.The 52-year-old claimant said that his sister learned he was taking HIV drugs after the company sent him an envelope with a large, clear window that showed information on where to purchase the corresponding medication. The claimant, however, maintained that he does not have the virus, but was taking the medication preventatively.Chicago Tribune reached out to the insurance company for a comment on the matter, but a spokesman declined to make a statement.Aetna last week said that it was reviewing its processes to make sure that it does not commit the same mistakes again.
Yet another Florida insurer is on the chopping block, as insurance regulators order Fort Lauderdale -based Guarantee Insurance to stop writing new business after an audit reportedly revealed the insurers financial difficulties.According to an August 18 consent order issued by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, the insurer has been placed under administrative supervision. State insurance regulators did not offer further documentation on the identified weaknesses in the order, or any of the outstanding findings Guarantee has been ordered to rectify in a re-audit of its year-end financial statement for 2016.However, a report by SNL.com has revealed that the state order came two weeks after an independent financial audit stated that it had substantial doubt about the companys ability to operate. The audit, conducted by BDO USA LLP, revealed that Guarantee overstated its year-end financial health for 2016.Patriot National general counsel Gex Jay Richardson told Sun-Sentinel that Guarantee disagrees with the auditors statement.Thats why [Guarantee] voluntarily agreed with the state supervision, Richardson explained. You can come in and see whats going on and well re-audit. That will be a more accurate reflection of the financials.A state spokeswoman explained to Sun-Sentinel via email that Guarantee agreed to the administrative supervision to implement a plan of reorganization for Guarantee and its affiliates, including Patriot National.The state supervision order sent to Guarantee came just days after another Florida insurance company  Sawgrass Mutual Insurance  agreed to an orderly wind-down of its operations and to transfer its policies to another company.
Boston federal prosecutors are seeking more than $13 million from a Massachusetts pharmacy co-founder who was sentenced to prison in a nationwide meningitis outbreak that killed 76 people and sickened hundreds more.

The Boston Globe reports that the U.S. Attorneys office filed a motion Friday for the personal money judgment in Barry Caddens case.

Cadden was charged in a 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak that was traced to contaminated injections of medical steroids made by the New England Compounding Center in Framingham. He was acquitted of second-degree murder charges under federal racketeering law but was convicted of conspiracy and fraud charges.

Cadden was sentenced to nine years in prison in June. He apologized to the victims.

Prosecutors have until Sept. 26 to request restitution for the victims.

Information from: The Boston Globe

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Massachusetts
A judge is holding a final case review for the last of four defendants charged in the murder-for-hire killings of a Delaware couple.

Mondays court proceeding comes as a trial looms for Dominique Benson in the 2013 deaths of Joseph and Olga Connell.

Authorities say Christopher Rivers, who is serving life in prison, planned the killings to collect on an insurance policy he and Joseph Connell took out on their auto repair business.

Benson was convicted last year of conspiracy, but jurors couldnt agree on murder and gun charges, prompting a retrial on those charges.

Co-defendant Aaron Thompson was convicted of murder in June and faces life in prison at his September sentencing.

A fourth man, Joshua Bey, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius has said he supports setting up a Specialized Anti-Corruption Court in Ukraine as soon as possible.

"We welcome the efforts of the special anti-corruption agencies of Ukraine in the fight against corruption and hope that they will continue to be able to work efficiently and independently. It is equally important that the cases that they investigate should go to court, concrete results should be achieved and convictions issued. It is important to create a specialized anti-corruption court as soon as possible," the foreign minister said at a meeting with the leadership of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office during their visit to Lithuania.

On August 28-29, representatives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, with the support of the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative, studied the experience of Lithuanian law enforcement agencies in investigating corruption crimes, the NABU press service reported.

Representatives of NABU and SAPO met with the officers of the Prosecutor General's Office, the Special Investigation Service, the Financial Crimes Investigation Service, the Anti-Corruption and Legal Committees of the Lithuanian Parliament, the Department of Criminal Cases of the Supreme Court of Lithuania and the Constitutional Court of Lithuania.
The animatronic head of actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger mounted on tank tracks urges consumers to make a decision, in a campaign launched on Tuesday to raise awareness of Britains costliest consumer mis-selling scandal.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Britains financial services regulator, has set a deadline of Aug. 29, 2019 for people in Britain to complain about Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) they may have been mis-sold.

Banks including Lloyds and RBS have paid out more than 27 billion pounds ($35 billion) in redress since 2007 to customers who were mis-sold the debt repayment insurance policies.

But the regulator estimates there are around 30 million policies that have not yet been claimed against. So far, around 80 percent of complaints made about PPI policies have been upheld, with compensation payouts averaging between 2,000 and 3,000 pounds, according to the FCA.

The campaign launched on Tuesday is aimed at helping people decide whether to make a claim or not, and could lead to a sharp rise in complaints and further compensation payouts by the banks, the FCA said.

There were 64 million of these policies sold, this is industrialized mis-selling, said Megan Butler, director of supervision at the FCA.

As far as we can tell there are likely to be millions of people who may be owed thousands of pounds, Butler told Reuters.

The campaign will run in cinemas, on television and online and will cost 42 million pounds, to be paid for by the 18 firms which had the most PPI complaints.

Butler said she would not speculate on what the upper number would be for the remaining compensation bill, but it will be material.

Some 12 million people have received compensation, which equates to 24 million policies, with complaints on another 4 million policies turned down.

Following the Supreme Courts Plevin ruling, consumers can also claim for excessive commission paid on a policy, even if their mis-selling complaint on the policy itself was turned down.

Butler estimated that a million people could make such claims, but the amount owed is likely to be lower than cash being paid out for actual mis-selling.

Regulatory reforms put in place in recent years would stop such large scale mis-selling, which took place in the 1990s and early 2000s before the FCA was launched, from happening again.

An awful lot of this dates back to an earlier period of regulation, and indeed no regulation, Butler said.

New accountability rules which make people personally responsible for the design and distribution of financial products are already triggering changes in behavior, she said.

Regulators have also turned their gaze to other areas such as car finance and peoples new ability to cash in pension pots.

(Reporting by Lawrence White and Huw Jones; Editing by Adrian Croft)

Topics Legislation
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has vetoed another workers compensation reform bill that was strongly opposed by the insurance industry.

He has nixed HB2525, which would have required pre-approval of workers comp insurance rates.

The legislative analysis of the bill stated that under HB2525, a workers comp premium rate is excessive if it is likely to produce a long run profit that is unreasonably high for the insurance provided or if expenses are unreasonably high in relation to the services rendered.

Rauner previously vetoed HB 2622, which would have created the Illinois Employers Mutual Insurance Co. by allowing the director of the Illinois Workers Compensation Commission Operations Fund to make a loan of $10,000,000 for the initial capitalization of the company as a nonprofit, independent public corporation, according the legislative synopsis of the bill.

According the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), the two bills would have had profound negative consequences for injured workers, the business community and the states economic competitiveness.

PCI said HB 2525 would have established a burdensome regulatory price and profit control scheme.

Related:

Topics Workers' Compensation Illinois
American International Group Inc.s new Chief Executive Brian Duperreault has pledged to revive the insurers glory days of top talent, underwriting discipline and fat profit margins.

One thing he has already brought back: big pay packages.

As he rejoined AIG in May, the 70-year-old insurance industry veteran received bigger awards than any of his predecessors since Maurice Hank Greenberg, the man who built the company into a behemoth and left under a cloud in 2005.

Duperreault quickly hired as his deputy Peter Zaffino, a former colleague at broker Marsh & McLennan Cos Inc., with a lucrative sign-on bonus, as well as a senior executive to head technology initiatives.

Shareholders are banking that these costly personnel moves will pay off, after watching AIG stock underperform rivals and the broader market for nearly a decade.

He (Duperreault) comes with a visible long-term track record in terms of inspiring the operations and leading the personnel, said Mac Sykes, an analyst at investment firm Gabelli & Co, which owned about $58 million worth of AIG shares as of June 30. Its what AIG needs at this point.

Sykes and others said they have no issue with Duperreaults handsome pay package, as long as he performs.

We didnt react in a negative way, especially because theyre going to make a lot more money if they execute, said a portfolio manager whose fund owns a large AIG stake, but was not authorized to speak about it publicly.

Flawed Incentives?

In addition to a $16 million annual package for 2017, Duperreault received $12 million in cash for shares he forfeited from Hamilton Insurance Group Ltd, an insurance company he co-founded and led in his native Bermuda. On top of that he got options to buy up to 1.5 million AIG shares dependent on the share price hitting certain targets over the next seven years.

AIG also agreed to pay Hamilton $40 million to get Duperreault out of a noncompete agreement and bought the companys U.S. unit for $110 million.

Excluding the sign-on award, Duperreaults annual package is similar in size and structure to what CEOs of major rivals Prudential Financial Inc and MetLife Inc received for 2016.

AIG spokeswoman Cindy Leggett-Flynn declined to comment on Duperreaults compensation or the other payments required to bring him on board.

But there can be risks to big pay packages if they do not properly incentivize executives, pay consultants said.

AIG learned that the hard way when it nearly collapsed in 2008 due to massive exposure to derivatives based on plunging property prices, and needed a $182 billion taxpayer-funded bailout by the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury.

After that, AIG withheld awards from some executives for inappropriate risk-taking, and paid its new CEO a nominal $1 salary in 2008. The company kept a lid on CEO pay throughout the period it was supported by the U.S. government, which ended in 2013.

Longer-Term Stock Options

Corporate governance experts said they were most concerned about the structure of Duperreaults longer-term stock option awards.

To cash in the maximum number of his stock options, he must raise AIGs stock price by $30, or about 50 percent of its current value, within the next seven years and it must stay at that level for 20 consecutive trading days. The earliest he could exercise all his options, if the share price hits certain levels, would be three years.

That could encourage aggressive risk-taking for short-term profits that ultimately harm the company, some experts said.

Duperreaults options could vest more quickly than it may take for long-term risks he takes on to become apparent, said Adam Kolasinski, an executive compensation expert who teaches finance at Texas A&M University.

If I were a board member, I would be very happy to grant a pay package even more generous than this one, provided it created good incentives, said Kolasinski. I am afraid this one does not.

SMALL FORTUNE

Recruiters, consultants and industry sources said AIG had little choice but to spend a small fortune to get Duperreault to leave a firm where he was comfortable and well paid, to take a difficult job that few wanted. His predecessor, Peter Hancock, left under pressure from activist investor Carl Icahn, who was unhappy at dismal results and a static share price.

Revamping AIG will require all Duperreaults leadership skills and insurance know-how. He spent more than 20 years at AIG at the start of his career before transforming ACE Ltd into a global insurance powerhouse, revamping a troubled Marsh & McLennan and co-founding Hamilton before returning to AIG as CEO.

How many people can step into that job? asked David Larcker, director of the Corporate Governance Research Initiative at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Its a pretty small set.

Duperreault is the first AIG CEO in a decade to focus on growth and investment rather than divestitures and cost-cutting in the wake of the 2007-2009 financial crisis. Investors are hoping this is the right approach, given AIGs sluggish share price growth since the crisis.

AIGs stock closed at $60.78 on Friday, down 7 percent this year, compared to a 9 percent rise in the S&P 500 index. The stock must hit $90.99 for Duperreault to exercise the maximum number of his stock options over the next seven years, a challenge Wall Street is ready to see him take on.

Id rather see a package like this on the entry than a golden parachute on the exit, said Jeff Wilson, an equity analyst at Scharf Investments LLC, which owned about $186 million in AIG stock as of June 30.

(Reporting by Suzanne Barlyn in New York; Additional reporting by Ross Kerber in Boston; Editing by Lauren Tara LaCapra and Bill Rigby)

Topics USA
A key Republican said Hurricane Harvey will spur Congress to reach a deal to fund the nations flood insurance program before it expires next month, even though divisions persist over how much the federal government should be on the hook for future disasters.

Im just hopeful this will provide the urgency and onus to get this bill on the floor, Jeb Hensarling, a Republican from Texas and chairman of the House Financial Services said in a phone interview Monday. We need to make sure we dont compound a physical tragedy today with a fiscal tragedy tomorrow.

The devastating storm in Texas has put a spotlight on the National Flood Insurance Program, which requires the government to foot the bill for most of the water damage done to residential properties. Its already running a deficit of more than $25 billion and Harveys costs are expected to exceed tens of billions of dollars.

While Congress has until Sept. 30 to reauthorize the program, lawmakers have been at loggerheads over how to make the program economically sustainable without increasing costs for homeowners.

Hensarlings committee has approved measures that call on private insurers to play a bigger role in the market, which critics have argued will make coverage more expensive and less available. The Texas lawmaker said that most disagreements have been worked out and that he is not in favor of Congress passing a temporary extension of the current flood insurance program because doing so would hurt taxpayers.

Bad Plan

I just dont think a short-term re-authorization bill gets the job done, he said.

In the Senate, several lawmakers from coastal states are teaming up to craft a bipartisan bill. Senators John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, and Robert Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, have proposed a measure that would reauthorize federal flood insurance for six years, while freezing interest payments on accrued debt from the program thats owed to the U.S. Treasury. Freezing the interest payments would free up funds to help mitigate costs from future disasters, according to the senators.

The Senate Banking Committee, which oversees funding for the flood insurance program, hasnt taken up its own bill on the issue. Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, the top Democrat on the panel, said a short-term extension is likely if a deal cant be reached.

It is too early to determine how hurricane Harvey will impact the timeline, Brown said in an emailed statement. But it is likely that Congress will pass a short-term extension to ensure the program doesnt lapse.

Whacking People

In the near term, Browns prediction is the most likely outcome because disagreements on how to proceed on a broader bill are probably too severe to be resolved quickly, said R.J. Lehmann, a senior fellow at the conservative R Street Institute.

Harvey should make it clearer that the way weve been doing things has not been sustainable and changes need to be made, Lehmann said. But lawmakers are not going to want to whack people who are already suffering from the hurricane with more costs.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Legislation Texas Flood
More than 1 in 4 cases of possible sexual and physical abuse against nursing home patients apparently went unreported to police, says a government audit that faults Medicare for failing to enforce a federal law requiring immediate notification.

The Health and Human Services inspector generals office issued an early alert on its findings from a large sampling of cases in 33 states. Investigators say Medicare needs to take corrective action right away.

We hope that we can stop this from happening to anybody else, said Curtis Roy, an audit manager with the inspector generals office, which investigates fraud, waste and abuse in the health care system. The audit is part of a larger ongoing probe, and additional findings are expected, he said.

With some 1.4 million people living in U.S. nursing homes, quality is an ongoing concern. Despite greater awareness, egregious incidents still occur.

Using investigative data analysis techniques, auditors from the inspector generals office identified 134 cases in which hospital emergency room records indicated possible sexual or physical abuse, or neglect, of nursing home residents. The incidents spanned a two-year period from 2015-2016.

Illinois had the largest number of incidents overall, with 17. It was followed by Michigan (13), Texas (9), and California (8).

In 38 of the total cases (28 percent), investigators could find no evidence in hospital records that the incident had been reported to local law enforcement, despite a federal law requiring prompt reporting by nursing homes, as well as similar state and local requirements.

Based on the records we had available to us, we could not determine that they had been reported to law enforcement, said Roy.

The federal statute has been on the books more than five years, but investigators found that Medicare has not enforced its requirement to report incidents to police and other agencies, or risk fines of up to $300,000.

Nursing home personnel must immediately report incidents that involve a suspected crime, within a two-hour window if theres serious bodily injury. Otherwise, authorities must be notified within 24 hours.

Medicare has inadequate procedures to ensure that incidents of potential abuse or neglect of Medicare beneficiaries residing in (nursing homes) are identified and reported, the inspector generals report said.

In a statement, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said nursing home resident safety is our priority and primary focus, and it is committed to ensure these vulnerable people are properly cared for, and that all viable or alleged instances involving abuse or neglect are fully investigated and resolved.

The agency said it has long required nursing homes to immediately report abuse and neglect to state officials, and it will have a formal response to the inspector generals findings once the audit is complete.

The inspector general is urging Medicare to start systematically scouring computerized billing records for tell-tale signs of possible abuse of nursing home residents. Investigators used that approach to find the cases, matching emergency room and nursing home records.

Of the 38 unreported cases, 31 involved alleged or suspected rape or sexual abuse, or about 4 out of 5.

But even among the 96 cases that were ultimately reported to police, investigators were unable to tell if the federal requirement for immediate notification was followed.

In one case classified as reported to law enforcement, an elderly woman with verbal and mobility limitations was taken to the emergency room after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by a male resident of the same nursing home. The report said two silver-dollar-sized bruises were noted on her right breast.

Nursing home staff had helped the woman bathe and change clothes after the incident. These actions could have destroyed any evidence that may have been detected using the rape kit, said the report.

Nursing home employees did not immediately report the incident to police, although the federal reporting requirement was in effect. The nursing home should have reported the incident to law enforcement within two hours of witnessing the incident, the report said.

Instead, the following day the nursing home contacted the womans family, who called the police, triggering an investigation.

Citing a separate probe by state officials, the inspector generals report said the nursing home contacted local law enforcement in an attempt to keep law enforcement from investigating the incident.

The states own report found that the nursing home told police we were required to report it but that we were doing our own internal investigation and did not need (police) to make a site visitno one was interested in pressing charges. The police continued their investigation.

The state later cited the nursing home for failing to immediately notify the patients doctor and family, as well as other violations of federal regulations. But state officials classified the incident as resulting in minimum harm or potential for actual harm.

No other details were provided in the federal report. The inspector generals office reported all 134 cases to local police.

The number of nursing home residents is expected to grow in coming years as more people live into their 80s and 90s. Medicaid is the main payer for long-term care, while Medicare covers doctors services and hospital care for elderly people and the disabled.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Law Enforcement
Irvine, Calif.-based CoreLogic has conducted an analysis for the flooding occurring as a result of Hurricane Harvey. This analysis shows that 52 percent of residential and commercial properties in the Houston metro are at High or Moderate risk of flooding, but are not in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Properties within SFHA zones, categorized as Extreme or Very High Risk, require flood insurance if the property has a federally insured mortgage. Properties outside SFHA zones are not required to carry flood insurance. Table 1 shows the levels of flood risk* according to CoreLogic data for properties in seven metro areas likely to get severe rain and flooding as a result of Hurricane Harvey. Table 2 shows only the total and percent of properties in the High and Moderate risk categories that are not in an SFHA and therefore not required to carry flood insurance. Table 1: Total Properties at Risk by Flood Risk Level Inside Special Flood Hazard Area Outside Special Flood Hazard Area Metro Area Total Properties Extreme Risk Very High Risk High Risk Moderate Risk Low Risk Very Low Risk Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos 701,325 7,233 15,628 52,622 74,451 66,110 485,281 Bay City 23,459 722 5,727 7,374 5,904 1,104 2,628 Beaumont-Port Arthur 194,610 1,990 19,774 39,096 67,090 19,531 47,129 College Station-Bryan 91,106 836 2,983 6,865 13,070 13,496 53,856 Corpus Christi 34,330 186 4,199 5,924 6,175 3,379 14,467 Houston-Sugarland-Baytown 2,340,343 57,077 211,851 494,983 715,202 287,098 574,132 Victoria 42,419 646 1,847 7,064 7,751 4,198 20,913 Source: CoreLogic August 2017 Table 2: Total Properties in the High/Moderate Risk Level Outside Special Flood Hazard Area Metro Area Total Properties Total Properties in High/Moderate Risk Percentage of Properties in High/Moderate Risk Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos 701,325 127,073 18% Bay City 23,459 13,278 57% Beaumont-Port Arthur 194,610 106,186 55% College Station-Bryan 91,106 19,935 22% Corpus Christi 34,330 12,099 35% Houston-Sugarland-Baytown 2,340,343 1,210,185 52% Victoria 42,419 14,815 35% *This current analysis does not include risk from storm surge or flash flooding. Source: CoreLogic August 2017
Flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey, which has already killed at least seven people in Texas and was expected to drive tens of thousands from their homes, are likely to rise, officials warned on Monday, as heavy rain continued to pound the U.S. Gulf Coast.

National Guard troops, police officers, rescue workers and civilians raced in helicopters, boats and special high-water trucks to rescue the hundreds still stranded in and around Houston, the nations fourth-largest city.

The storm was the most powerful hurricane to strike Texas in more than 50 years when it hit land on Friday near Corpus Christi, 220 miles (354 km) south of Houston, and the worst is far from over, as the National Weather Service issued numerous regional flood warnings.

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to go to Texas on Tuesday to survey the damage and may, in the future, visit Louisiana, where the storm is now dumping rain.

Trump, facing the biggest U.S. natural disaster since he took office in January, has signed disaster proclamations for Texas and Louisiana, triggering federal relief efforts.

Harris County

Harvey has killed at least six people in Harris County, where Houston is located, said Tricia Bentley, a spokeswoman for the county coroners office, including a man who died in a house fire on Friday night and an elderly woman driving through flooded streets on the citys west side the next day.

A 60-year-old woman died in neighboring Montgomery County when a tree fell on her trailer home while she slept, the medical examiner said on Twitter. With others missing, the toll could rise.

Both of Houstons major airports were shut, along with most major highways, rail lines and a hospital, where patients were evacuated over the weekend. By Monday evening, 267,000 Texans had been left without power in the states southeast corner.

One of three main rivers crossing Houston, the Brazos, was expected to crest sometime on Tuesday at 59 feet (18 meters), the National Weather Service said. The San Jacinto River was expected to crest over Interstate 10, the citys major east-west artery.

Rising river and reservoir levels forced the order of additional evacuations in the counties of Brazoria, Galveston and Fort Bend.

As stunned families surveyed the wreckage of destroyed homes and roads flooded or clogged with debris, Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned Houstonians to brace for a long recovery.

We need to recognize this is going to be a new and different normal for this entire region, Abbott said. Harvey was expected to linger over Texas Gulf Coast for the next few days, dropping another 10 to 20 inches (25 to 51 cm) of rain, with threats of flooding extending into Louisiana.

Coast Guard

In scenes evoking the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, police and Coast Guard teams have each rescued more than 3,000 people, plucking many from rooftops by helicopter, as they urged the hundreds more believed to be marooned in flooded houses to hang towels or sheets outside to alert rescuers.

Harveys center was about 100 miles (160 km) south of Houston and forecast to arc slowly toward the city through Wednesday, when the worst floods are expected, as well as on Thursday.

Schools and office buildings were closed throughout the metropolitan area, home to 6.8 million people, as chest-high water filled some neighborhoods in the low-lying city.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said on Monday it was releasing water from the nearby Addicks and Barker reservoirs into Buffalo Bayou, Houstons primary body of water.

The more they release it could go up and it could create even additional problems, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner warned. But the release was said to be necessary to prevent an uncontrolled surge of water, which Turner said would be exponentially worse.

Torrential rain also hit areas more than 150 miles (240 km) away, swelling rivers and causing a surge that was heading toward Houston, where numerous rivers and streams already have been breached.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency director Brock Long estimated that 30,000 people would eventually be housed temporarily in shelters.

Regina Costilla, 48, said she and her 16-year-old son had been rescued from their home by a good Samaritan with a boat. She worried until she was reunited with her husband and dog, who had been left behind because they did not fit into the boat.

Im not complaining; were alive, she said.

In Rockport, National Guard troops distributed water to residents as utility crews worked to restore power, amid reports of sporadic looting.

Resident Savannah White, 20, welcomed the presidents visit because the city needs help. Im glad to see him coming down here because its in such bad condition, White said. Pretty much destroyed, theres nothing left standing.

Houston did not order an evacuation due to concerns about people being stranded on city highways now consumed by floods, Turner said.

Abbott, who had suggested on Friday that people leave the area, declined to second-guess the mayor on Monday, telling reporters, Decisions about evacuations are something that are behind us.

Gasoline futures hit their highest in two years as Harvey knocked out about 13 percent of total U.S. refining capacity, based on company reports and Reuters estimates.

The United States second-largest refinery, in Baytown, was shut down, and the largest refinery, in Port Arthur, was expected to make a final decision on shutdown on Tuesday.

The floods could destroy as much as $20 billion in insured property, making the storm one of the costliest in history for U.S. insurers, Wall Street analysts say.

(Additional reporting by Peter Henderson, Mica Rosenberg, Erwin Seba, Nick Oxford and Ruthy Munoz in Houston, Andy Sullivan in Rockport, Texas and Steve Holland in Washington; Writing by Scott Malone and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Tom Brown and Clarence Fernandez)

Topics USA Texas Louisiana Flood
Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia (IIAG) announced that John Barbour, currently vice president of Governmental Affairs, will serve as its new chief executive officer. Barbour will lead the association beginning Sept. 1, 2017.

Barbour joined Big I Georgia in August 2017 with more than 15 years of experience in legislative work at the Atlanta State Capitol.

Barbour will continue to head IIAGs governmental affairs work with members.

Barbour worked previously as a lobbyist and Director of Governmental Affairs for the Georgia Association of REALTORS and for the Georgia State Senate. He currently lives in Atlanta.

IIAGs most recent CEO, Betsy Olson, will continue on the associations leadership team in the role of executive vice president along with Christy Minardi, who assumes the role of chief operating officer.

IIAG is the advocate for Trusted Choice Independent Insurance Agents in the state of Georgia, representing over 460 member agencies.

Topics Agencies Georgia
A rash of sexual harassment scandals this summer involving venture capitalists has laid bare a major weakness in laws meant to protect workers from unwelcome advances. While legislation is clear on many workplace interactions, theres next to nothing on the books concerning the investor-entrepreneur relationships accounting for billions of dollars in startup funding.

California legislators want to address that shortcoming, creating the prospect of a wave of lawsuits against VCs. Changes to California law would also provide a template for other states.

One of the first bills the California legislature will consider when it returns from recess in January would prohibit investors from sexually harassing founders. The proposal is simple: Add one word, investor, to a list of professionals who can be held liable for harassment. The state has carved out similar provisions to cover landlords, teachers and real-estate agents.

Venture investors somehow escaped scrutiny previously, despite their outsized roles as technology kingmakers. The industry is about 90 percent male, and women are similarly outnumbered when it comes to raising venture capital. Female founders represented 7 percent of venture-backed companies in an analysis by Bloomberg last year.

The industry recently began to grapple with harassment issues after more than a dozen women told stories of mistreatment when they sought funding, pushing at least four men to leave their VC firms in recent months. The initial response was to create a decency pledge, in which investors promised not to be predators and report bad behavior. There is a cultural zeitgeist on harassment issues, said Noreen Farrell, executive director of Equal Rights Advocates, which supports the proposed bill. Weve heard from the mouth of industry that some clarification is needed, and we will enlist them to make the case.

State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson outlined a proposed bill last week. Changing the law in California will create clear consequences by forcing investors to behave professionally or risk being sued. Jackson, a Democrat who authored 2015s landmark fair-pay reform that cracked down on employers ability to discriminate against women, said the power dynamic between venture capitalists and entrepreneurs pursuing their dreams can create inequity that requires legal protection. There is clearly an imbalance of power between those with financial wherewithal and those with ideas trying to get a foothold, she said.

The laws proponents plan to cultivate support during the state legislatures recess, which starts next month. Democrats control both chambers of the California legislature and the governors office. The bill needs a simple majority to pass. The National Venture Capital Association, the industrys trade group, said it welcomed the effort and would work with Jackson but hasnt yet taken a formal position on the proposal.

California is pivotal in the fight for gender equality in technology. Its the epicenter for the industrys companies and the investors who fund them. Last year, VC firms in California raised $27.6 billion, more than the next two dozen states combined, according to the industrys trade association. California is also a pioneer in employment and civil rights law, setting agendas that other states frequently follow. California is a catalyst, and then the rest of the country catches on, said Pamela Mason, vice president of Mason & Mason, a Massachusetts-based corporate insurance firm with clients from roughly 100 VC and other investment firms.

The number of harassment claims against investment firms had been increasing during the past year or two, Mason said. Alleged victims have relied on civil statutes to build their cases in the absence of clear language in the law. VCs almost always settle to avoid risking their reputations, she said. Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers faced one of the rare gender discrimination lawsuit against a VC firm to go to trial in recent years. Kleiner Perkins won the suit against former employee Ellen Pao, though it inflicted damage on the firms reputation. The wounds are poised to reopen with the publication of Paos book, expected next month. We are a relatively litigious society, said Mason. This bill adds more fuel to the fire.

Women have been more apt to come forward recently after high-profile cases involving Bill Cosby and executives at Fox News, according to Kelly Armstrong, a San Francisco employment rights attorney. As a result of the added scrutiny, VCs have been working to improve internal policies, said Dan Berry, a partner at Woodruff Sawyer & Co. which counts 250 venture capital and private equity firms among its clients. He said firms have bolstered sexual harassment training for employees, with some going from zero or one session a year to two or three.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics California
Colorados legal marijuana industry is working  and can work better with federal collaboration, the states governor and Republican attorney general told U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a letter.

Gov. John Hickenlooper and Attorney General Cynthia Coffman urged Sessions to collaborate with recreational pot states on law enforcement and on providing the industry access to the federal banking system.

The pot industry relies on cash because the federal government considers the drug illegal.

They told Sessions, who has floated the idea of a crackdown on marijuana legalization, that Colorados first-in-the-nation recreational industry is robust. The state has taken steps to crack down on black market sales, diversion to other states, and youth use, they said.

Colorados system has become a model for other states and nations, Hickenlooper and Coffman wrote. Voter-approved sales began in 2014.

Sessions recently sent letters to the governors of Colorado, Alaska, Oregon and Washington  the first four states to legalize recreational marijuana  detailing his concerns with how effective state regulatory efforts are. All have defended their efforts.

Hickenlooper and Coffman addressed several of Sessions concerns:

Diversion: They noted that Colorado has sophisticated seed-to-sale tracking, has capped individual plant cultivation, banned pot growing cooperatives and provided $6 million this year for local police actions targeting the black market.

Minors: They insisted that several surveys suggest marijuana consumption by youth has not increased since legalization _ and that one federal report, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, suggests it has declined. Colorado has spent more than $22 million on education, they said.

Motor vehicle fatalities: Hickenlooper and Coffman reported the number of drivers considered by the states highway patrol to be pot-impaired dropped by 21 percent over the first six months of 2017, compared to the same period last year.

We stand ready to work with our federal partners to fortify what we have built, they wrote.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Cannabis Colorado
On Wednesday, August 30, at 09.30, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference "Capital City's Developer SBS-Nadiya LLC to Build Adaptation Center for ATO Veterans." The participants will include SBS-Nadiya LLC Director, Anti-Terrorist Operation Veteran Dmytro Syniuka, co-founder of the general developer Stone Engineering Hanna Skuratova, lawyer Valeriya Zarubina, and psychologist Tetiana Nazarenko (8/5a Reitarska Street). Accreditation is required by phone: (067) 803 6452.
Atlanta, GA, August 29, 2017  Breckenridge Insurance Services welcomes commercial property and casualty broker David Stamatis, ASLI as vice president. Stamatis will further the geographic office expansion of the team to Austin, Texas while supporting clients throughout the country. Prior to Breckenridge, he was an E&S commercial underwriter for Admiral Insurance Group, a W.R. Berkley Corporation, for several years. He previously held brokerage sales positions for two other managing general agencies.

I had the opportunity to work with David in the past. He is knowledgeable on the underwriting side of the business as well as sales driven. His proven ability to quickly understand and navigate

markets to benefit his clients is consistent with our service excellence commitment, stated Trevor Pierce, regional vice president of Breckenridge. We are happy to have him join us as part of our team now.

Stamatis also was an instructor and guest speaker for Project InVEST, an educational program allied with the Association of Independent Insurance Agents that is focused on bringing insurance curricula into high schools. He also served as a zone co-coordinator for the associations Young Agents Council. Stamatis is currently a member of the Texas Surplus Lines Association and in process of completing his CPCU designation. He holds a degree from The University of Mississippi School of Business Administration and studied Italian language and culture at The Umbra Institute in Perugia, Italy.

Its good to be back on the brokerage side, and to be part of Breckenridge. It was an easy decision as Ive known the team and their professionalism for some time. I am excited to join a hungry team of professionals, and be a part of the long-term growth of Breckenridge. There is great opportunity to make a positive impact here, commented Stamatis.

He can be reached at dstamatis@breckis.com or 512.522.1534.

About Breckenridge Insurance Services:

Breckenridge Insurance Services is a national wholesale commercial insurance brokerage firm with more than three decades of experience in supporting agents and their clients. Focused on building long-term partnerships, the experienced brokerage group and its Breckenridge Elevation Authorities contract binding team offers competitive coverage and consultation for a variety of standard and hard-to-place specialty risks. Breckenridge Insurance Services has eleven offices across the United States and continues to strategically expand its team and presence with more than 100 top-rated domestic and international carrier partners.

About Breckenridge Insurance Group:

Breckenridge Insurance Group, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is an international specialty wholesale insurance broker, program manager, managing general agent (MGA) and insurance services provider. The company offers access to diverse range of commercial insurance and financial services products to businesses and professional services firms in a variety of industries. The company serves independent insurance agents, brokers, and financial institutions throughout North America by way of Blue River Underwriters, OSC, Breckenridge Insurance Services, Breckenridge Elevation Authorities contract binding group and InSpecialty innovative insurance solutions. For more information, please visit www.breckgrp.com or call 855.728.8822. CA Insurance License #0G13592

Media Contact

Jeff Randol

Director of Marketing

jrandol@breckgrp.com

215.416.9700

Topics Agencies Insurance Wholesale
Two men have been arrested after a taxi was hijacked in Dublin early this morning.

In a statement, Gardai said they received the report of a taxi hijacking on Ballboggan Road at 2.30am.
The Government has been urged to send a strong signal to Egyptian authorities that patience has run out in the case of an Irishman jailed four years ago for taking part in protests in Cairo, writes Juno McEnroe and Fiachra O Cionnaith

A verdict had been expected yesterday in the case of Ibrahim Halawa in a mass trial of those involved in Muslim Brotherhood protests in August 2013, following the removal of president Mohamed Morsi.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney insisted the Government was expecting an outcome from Cairo on the case.

There are major developments in that case that are going to happen today, he told RTE.

However, the only development was the further adjournment of the trial until September 18.

The Halawa family solicitor said it was time for the Government to lay down the law and for the gloves to come off.

Darragh Mackin of Belfast-based human rights legal firm KRW Law said the delay was truly devastating for Mr Halawa and his family.

It is not known when this case will ever end, he said. Such irrational and unpredictable decisions cannot be allowed to continue, and in particular when they operate in a vacuum of lawfulness depriving our client of his basic rights.

Mr Halawa is facing the threat of a death sentence if found guilty.

MEP Lynn Boylan called for action, saying that the Government had been led on a song and dance.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said the Government needed to say our patience has run out.

The Government should use the precedent of getting a presidential pardon, as had been the case with an Australian national who was then set free from Egypts jails, he said.

Mr Varadkar last night spoke by phone with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi for 25 minutes.

His department said that he made clear to President Al-Sisi that his priority was to secure the return of Ibrahim Halawa to Ireland as soon as possible.

President Al-Sisi emphasised that his government could not interfere in a judicial process but gave the Taoiseach his word that he would resolve the matter swiftly within the Egyptian constitutional and legal framework once the trial concludes and the verdict is known,  a statement said.

This story first appeared in theIrish Examiner
Exploration & Production Consulting in general partnership with PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia will hold the International Oil&Gas Conference "Odesa Offshore Conference 2017" (OOC2017) at Bristol Hotel Odessa (15 Pushkinska Street, Odesa, Ukraine) on October 5-6, 2017.

For the first time Ukraine will host an international event of this kind to focus on resumption of exploration and production of hydrocarbons on the Black Sea shelf. The Odesa Offshore Conference 2017 is aimed at becoming a venue for oil and gas exploration and production companies, financial institutions, service businesses to discuss prospective cooperation, and to liaise with legislative and executive governmental bodies in this field.

The exploration of the Black Sea shelf and introduction of modern technologies for onshore exploration and production of hydrocarbons will prospect into increase in oil and gas production in Ukraine, thus contributing to energy security and economy development of the nation.

The OOC2017 will initiate discussions between international and local exploration, production and service companies, equipment manufacturers and suppliers of expendables, engineering and consulting companies, financial institutions, investment pools, multilateral development banks, national governmental bodies, foreign diplomatic agencies and organizations.

Detailed information about the OOC2017 is available on the Exploration & Production Consulting webpage www.expro.com.ua

Interfax-Ukraine is the general media partner of the event.
Two of these papers relating to future customs arrangements with the EU and the North, and its border, are of major importance to Ireland.

That the UK says it will leave the Customs Union, when it exits the EU in March, 2019, is greatly complicating the Brexit process.

The UK government has proposed limiting the negative impact of this on trade.

Somewhat ironically, the UK has indicated that it wants to form a new UK-EU Customs Union for a limited time, following Brexit.

Beyond that, the UK has suggested that it could operate a customs regime that aligns precisely with the EUs regime for goods entering the UK that are destined for the EU.

It would, in effect, collect customs duties on behalf of the EU on these goods, while applying its own tariffs on imports for the UK market.

This sounds fine, in theory, but would prove difficult, in practice, as many UK imports are components used in further manufacturing.

It would be hard to tell which are destined for the UK market and which for the EU.

The UK suggests there could be a tracking mechanism for imported goods in supply chains, but this sounds both cumbersome and costly.

The UK has also made some suggestions on how to avoid a hard border and customs posts between the North and the Republic, should customs controls be introduced between the UK and EU.

It argues that small traders, which account for over 80% of all cross-border trade, should be exempted from any customs controls, as this is local trade and cannot be properly categorised as international trade.

Larger traders would be classified as trusted traders, who would be allowed to avail of simplified customs procedures.

However, it is hard to see why other EU countries with land borders and local trade with non-member states would agree to this. Indeed, they may seek similar derogations for trade with neighbouring, non-EU states.

It would offer a back-door entry for goods into the EU without paying customs duties.

This is particularly true of trade in agricultural products, which tend to attract a high level of EU tariffs and also have to meet stringent EU quality standards.

Customs arrangements have emerged as likely to be the most difficult issue to

resolve, if a hard Brexit is to be avoided and free trade can continue between the UK and EU.

However, by leaving the EU Customs Union, the UK is making this very difficult to achieve.

The UK wants to retain all the benefits of free trade with the EU after its departure, but be able to follow its own rules and to negotiate free trade deals with non-EU countries  the so-called having your cake and eating it approach.

Politically, it is difficult to see how this would be acceptable to the EU.

Michel Barnier, the EUs chief negotiator on Brexit, has clearly stated that by making the choice to leave the EU and the Customs Union, the UK will naturally find itself in a less-favourable position than that of a member state.

He also warned that the post-Brexit trade arrangements cannot be the equivalent of what exists today.

The EU will also not allow the integrity of the Single Market to be compromised by a lack of border controls.

This is why some commentators have characterised the British approach to the EU talks as delusional, while also saying their proposals are both unrealistic and unworkable.

Oliver Mangan is chief economist at AIB
The deal comes as Gilead, with around 250 people employed in Carrigtwohill in Cork as well as thousands around the world, looks to replace flagging sales from hepatitis C drugs with an emerging and expensive class of cancer immunotherapies that are expected to generate billions of dollars in revenue.

Santa Monica, California-based Kite is developing chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, known as a CAR T, which harnesses the bodys own immune cells to recognize and attack malignant cells.

Gilead will pay $180 per share in an all-cash deal, representing a 29% premium over Kites Friday close. Kites shares rose 28% while Gileads shares rose almost 3% on foot of the deal.

Recent breakthroughs convinced Gileads management that they needed to buy a company developing CAR T treatments.

Gileads growth has been fuelled by its pricey but revolutionary hepatitis C drugs but with fewer eligible patients and rising competition, sales have begun to fall.

Second-quarter sales of its hepatitis C drugs  Sovaldi, Harvoni and Epclusa  totalled $2.9bn, down from $4bn a year earlier.

Kite is one of the leading players in the emerging field of CAR T, and is competing with rivals Novartis AG, Juno Therapeutics Inc and Bluebird Bio Inc in a race to get the first approved therapy. If approved, these drugs are expected to cost up to $500,000 and generate billions of dollars in sales. Success would also help advance a cancer-fighting technique that scientists have been trying to perfect for decades.

The US Food and Drug Administration is expected to decide by the end of November whether to approve Kites CAR T, axi-cel, for treatment of adults with advanced lymphoma.

Wall Street and Gilead shareholders have long been expecting Gilead to use its cash pile for a big-ticket acquisition. Gilead is hoping the deal, expected to close in the fourth quarter, repeats the success of its 2011 purchase of Pharmasset.

That deal allowed Gilead, then the worlds largest maker of HIV drugs, to move into hepatitis C treatments. Last year, just under half of Gileads $30bn in sales came from hepatitis C treatments.

Reuters and Irish Examiner staff
The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and An Taisce have told Dublin City Council they are opposed to the scale of the development planned by Reliance Investments. The firm is seeking to build 100,000sq ft of office space in two five-storey blocks on either side of the house.

Aldborough House, on Dublins Portland Row, was the second biggest Georgian private residence in Dublin after Leinster House.
While no decision has been made on the location of the IPO, industry sources suggest the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) would be the most likely option, given the companys investor base and presence in Canada. It is believed, however, that would not necessarily rule out a secondary listing on this side of the Atlantic.

One51 entered the North American market through the majority purchase of Canadian packaging company IPL in 2015 and has used that as a springboard into the US market, most recently buying bulk packaging company Macro Plastics, via IPL, in a 135m deal earlier this year.

Canadian fund manager Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) is now the Dublin groups largest shareholder, having acquired financier Dermot Desmonds 25% stake earlier this summer.

One51 pulled initial plans to float early last year  incurring 2.7m in related transaction costs in the process  after opposition from part of its investor base. The resurrected float plan, however, has the full backing of CDPQ. The purchase of Mr Desmonds stake had been viewed, by some, as a paving of the way for an IPO.

A stock market listing would provide shareholders with a liquid market for their shares [which currently trade via the so-called grey market] and would also facilitate the group in raising further equity capital if necessary to support its growth plans into the future, One51 said yesterday.

Chief executive Alan Walsh said the groups board has recommenced exploring a possible IPO on the back of the significant progress in the business.

That statement coincided with the publication of the groups financial results for the first half of this year. They showed group revenue rising by 32.4%, year-on-year, to 225.8m and earnings  on an EBITDA basis  increasing by just over 31% to 32.4m.

Profit before tax and exceptional items was up by 36.5% on the same period last year at 14.8m.

We are excited by the prospects for the group following the recent acquisition of Macro, which provides three new locations as well as access to the US west coast. The group is currently investing heavily in expanding its production facilities in both the US and Canada in response to the very strong organic growth in those locations, Mr Walsh said.

He added that trading in the second half of the year has started satisfactorily and we remain confident of delivering full-year results in line with market forecasts.
The man, from Clondalkin, west Dublin, was met by detectives from the Drugs and Organised Crime (DOCB) Bureau in the arrivals hall after flying in with his family from Malta.

He was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and can be held under gangland legislation for a maximum period of seven days, on application to the courts.

The 36-year-old is suspected by the DOCB of being part of a Kinahan hit team that was plotting to murder a senior member of the rival Hutch group.

This attempt was thwarted by gardai who also arrested a number of other men.

The suspected target, James Mago Gately, was subsequently shot in a separate attack last May, but survived.

The Kinahan-Hutch feud has claimed up to 12 lives since September 2015, 10 of them thought to be at the hands of Kinahan associates.

Gardai estimate they have prevented 30 murders so far this year.

Assistant Commissioner John ODriscoll said this month that in some cases a suspect was caught with a gun in his hand and wearing a balaclava. He said the DOCB has seized three assault rifles and two submachine guns in 2017, along with six semi-automatic pistols and two shotguns.

The man arrested at Dublin Airport on Sunday night was with family members when he entered the arrival hall. The DOCB had received information about his travel plans and were ready for him. He was taken to Irishtown Garda Station and questioned under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.

This allows for up to seven days detention, firstly based on the authorisation of senior officers and then on application to the courts.

Detectives will be in contact with the Director of Public Prosecutions as to whether or not he should be charged or released pending a file to the DPP.

The arrest is the latest in a series of successes against the Kinahan cartel.
Retailers Against Smuggling (RAS), representing small and medium-sized retailers nationwide, says the Government should not increase excise on tobacco products in the forthcoming budget, as it would only lead to further smuggling.

RAS spokesman Benny Gilsenan, who runs a shop in Dublin, also urged the Government to support a Fianna Fail-proposed Sale of Illicit Goods Bill which provides for on-the-spot fines for purchasers of illicit products.

He said that, with Brexit looming, the Government has to provide increasing resources to the Revenue Commissioners to tackle the potential for even more cross-border alcohol, tobacco, and solid fuel smuggling.

It is estimated, by Grant Thornton, the illicit trade in tobacco products cost the Irish exchequer 2.4bn in lost revenue between 2010 and 2015.

A standard pack of cigarettes in a legitimate shop costs around 11.50, whereas a smuggled pack costs approximately 5 to the buyer.

Ireland is 189% more expensive for tobacco products than the average European price, and 175% higher for alcohol.

Legitimate cigarettes in some parts of Europe can be bought for as little 3 a pack, even with excise duty in the country of origin paid.

However, major smugglers have been turning to fake cigarettes, known as illegal whites, which are made in sweatshops in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the United Arab Emirates.

The packets come with fictional brand names such as Excellence, Palace, President, CK, Gin, Ling, and M&G and cost as little as 20c a packet to manufacture.

They have been found to contain asbestos, lead, arsenic, traces of rat poison, and human excrement.

The Revenue Commissioners stated in the recent Tax Strategy Group papers that we must remain vigilant that reductions [of seizures] may be due to changes in smuggling activity, said Mr Gilsenan.

This is a great concern to retailers, especially as Minister [Simon] Coveney recently warned of the increased danger of smuggling with an unresolved border situation.

He pointed out that the legitimate trade of alcohol, tobacco, and solid fuel accounts for up to 50% of a retailers business turnover.

The ever-increasing excise applied to tobacco products is undermining our ability to do business whilst making life considerably easier for criminal engaged in smuggling, he added.

The Sale of Illicit Goods Bill proposed by Deputy Declan Breathnach provides for on-the-spot fines.
More than 10,000 patients took part in a trial using the anti-inflammatory canakinumab, the results of which were presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Barcelona, Spain recently.

The patients, all of whom had previously had a heart attack but had not been diagnosed with cancer, were treated with the drug once every three months, and monitored for up to four years.

The canakinumab anti-inflammatory thrombosis outcomes study showed a 15% reduction in the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and cancer deaths cut in half, said the hospital where one of the lead authors is based. Paul Ridker of Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston said the study represents a milestone in a long journey, adding that the findings usher in a new era of therapeutics.

He said: For the first time, weve been able to definitively show that lowering inflammation independent of cholesterol reduces cardiovascular risk.

This has far-reaching implications. It tells us that by leveraging an entirely new way to treat patients  targeting inflammation  we may be able to significantly improve outcomes for certain very high-risk populations.

The hospital said the reductions in risk were above and beyond those seen in patients who only took statins.

Dr Ridker said the study showed another way to prevent repeated heart attacks, through the use of anti-inflammatories. He said: In my lifetime, Ive gotten to see three broad eras of preventative cardiology.

In the first, we recognised the importance of diet, exercise and smoking cessation. In the second, we saw the tremendous value of lipid-lowering drugs such as statins. Now, were cracking the door open on the third era. This is very exciting.

Gary Gibbons, director of the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, said the results provided a platform on which to carry out further trials and research.

He said: Although this trial provides compelling evidence that targeting inflammation has efficacy in preventing recurrent cardiovascular events, we look forward to findings from additional trials, such as the NHLBI-funded Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial, to further refine the best therapeutic strategies for preventing cardiovascular disease.

In looking at the effects of the drug on cancer, Dr Ridker said the findings indicate the possibility of slowing the progression of certain cancers but said further research is required.

The study was funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals.

Canakinumab is already approved as Ilaris for rare autoimmune conditions.

Vas Narasimhan, Novartiss head of global drug development, said the drugmaker plans to go to regulators in the fourth quarter to seek approval for canakinumab to treat heart-attack victims with high levels of inflammation.

He denied critics who said the benefit was small, saying one large subgroup in the so-called Cantos trial had shown a 27% reduction in cardiovascular risk. Novartis also plans to underscore canakinumabs potential cancer-fighting properties with the European Medicines Agency and US Food and Drug Administration.
The concepts unveiled include a crewed mothership shaped like a manta ray, unmanned eel-like vessels equipped with sensor pods which dissolve on demand to avoid enemy detection, and fish-shaped torpedoes sent to swarm against enemy targets.

Young scientists and engineers from UKnest, a not-for-profit organisation which promotes science, engineering and technology for UK naval design, took part in the design challenge.

A spokesman said: The brightest and most talented young engineers and scientists came up with the designs after being challenged by the British navy to imagine what a future submarine would look like.

Peter Pipkin, fleet robotics officer, added: With more than 70% of the planets surface covered by water, the oceans remain one of the worlds great mysteries and untapped resources.

Its predicted that in 50 years time there will be more competition between nations to live and work at sea or under it. If only 10% of these ideas become reality, it will put us at the cutting edge of future warfare and defence operations.

The project, named Nautilus 100, was set up to mark the 100th anniversary of the launch of the USS Nautilus, the worlds first nuclear-powered submarine.

Describing the designs, the spokesman said: The whale shark/manta ray-shaped mothership would be built from super-strong alloys and acrylics, with surfaces which can morph in shape.

With hybrid algae-electric cruising power and propulsion technologies including tunnel drives which work similarly to a Dyson bladeless fan, the submarine could travel at unprecedented speeds of up to 150 knots.

This mothership would be capable of launching unmanned underwater vehicles shaped like eels, which carry pods packed with sensors for different missions.
GP Maha Al-Adheem, aged 42, was due to face her fourth scheduled appearance at Dublin District Court having been remanded in custody at her first hearing on July 13. She was too sick to be brought to court on two later dates.

Judge Alan Mitchell noted yesterday the case had been adjourned four weeks and he had been furnished with a certificate explaining why she could not be brought to court.

Her solicitor, Richard Young, said there was consent to the case being adjourned for another four weeks. Judge Mitchell said the case can be put back for four weeks on illness grounds.

He further remanded her in custody in her absence to appear again on September 25 and said the case will be listed for mention on that date.

It will be a matter for the State to organise for the accused to be brought before the court unless there are medical reasons, he said.

The body of Omar Omran, who was stabbed to death, was found when gardai and an ambulance crew were called to his home at Riverside Apartments, Kimmage, at about 7pm on July 10.

Entry was forced and the child was found in his bedroom. Days later, the toddler was buried at the Islamic section of Newcastle Cemetery, in Co Dublin, following prayers at Clonskeagh Mosque.

Following the discovery of her sons body, Dr Al-Adheem, a doctor from Iraq who had been living in Ireland since 2010, was detained at Crumlin Garda Station under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

At her first hearing, Det Sergeant OHalloran had told the court Dr Al-Adheem was arrested at 12.30am on July 13 for the offence of murder contrary to common law. She made no reply.

Det Sergeant Brendan OHalloran had said he cautioned her about 45 minutes later and charged her. H

e had told the court she was given a true copy of the charge and in reply to the charge, she said: Yes it was my knife, yes it was my hand, it was not me, it was the power.
The Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) warned that international fraudsters are taking advantage of the countrys high compensation payouts.

The body set up to compensate victims of road crashes caused by uninsured and unidentified drivers has described the development as alarming.

It is now adopting a zero tolerance approach to fraud to stamp it out.

In a report on fighting fraud, the MIBI instanced a case where four claimants flew in from the UK and were travelling as passengers in a rented vehicle. The vehicle was then allegedly involved in a crash caused by another untraced vehicle.

Initially, the incident was reported as material damage only but, when they returned to the UK, the claimants sought damages for personal injuries.

The MIBI said the claim for personal injuries was made in the absence of any medical assistance at the time of the incident.

Investigators were able to establish clear discrepancies in the claim, and when the MIBI warned that the claim would be entirely contested, all four claims were withdrawn.

MIBI chief executive David Fitzgerald said more people were making fraudulent claims  one out of eight claims handled by the MIBI is considered suspicious.

In its strategy document, published yesterday, the MIBI states it is committed to ensuring that anyone engaged in insurance fraud will be prosecuted.

It says during the first six months of this year, the MIBI generated claims fraud savings of more than 1.8m.

We will make it as difficult as possible for fraudulent claimants to succeed, said Mr Fitzgerald.

Also, during the first half of 2017, a further 158 new cases have been flagged as suspicious and are being thoroughly investigated.

Insurance Ireland has estimated that the value of insurance claims fraud in Ireland at 200m each year.

The MIBI says that about 50 on every motor insurance policy goes towards covering the cost of fraudulent claims every year.

It also estimates that motor policy holders also contribute about 30 on every policy towards the cost of claims made by the victims of uninsured and untraced drivers.

The MIBI estimated that it receives hundreds of claims every year where the evidence does not support the case being made.

It is committed to flagging any claim that does not have enough information or includes unsupported assertions or inconsistencies.

Any flagged claims would be thoroughly investigated and fought in court, if necessary.

It said that a new system was being developed to provide more information about uninsured drivers on Irish roads, which will include the capacity for automatic number-plate recognition.

Mr Fitzgerald said they would welcome the law being strengthened to make the offence of perjury a statutory offence.

Currently, perjury is a common law offence, and while those found guilty face up to 10 years in jail or a 100,000 fine, it is hard to prosecute.

It has been reported that the Department of Justice is examining the case made by the business representative group ISME, for a statutory offence of perjury.

ISME presented a submission to the department in a bid to tackle false and exaggerated injury claims that were pushing up premium costs.

Expert warns over different price offers in insuring home

It can cost 290 more to protect your home through a bank rather than a broker, an insurance expert has claimed.

Anecdotal evidence from industry experts suggests shopping for home insurance is something most people prefer to avoid.

The house insurance website www.insuremyhouse.ie is advising homeowners, particularly those who purchased the insurance through a bank, to beware of high pricing structures and to shop around.

The Ireland-based online home insurance broker ran

a cost comparison against some of the leading banks, sampling some house prices and location.

It found that the variation in price was significant, with banks being, in the main, more expensive than brokers.

Managing director of insuremyhouse.ie Jonathan Hehir, said the cost analysis looked at five regular sample customers and contrasted the premiums from a typical online broker and the five main banks.

Our analysis found that, on a sample 250,000 terraced property in Co Louth, a customer, would be paying almost three times more for home insurance through Ulster Bank (447) than if they went through a broker (157). This is a huge difference of 290 or 184%, said Mr Hehir.

In another example, insurance for a 300,000 detached property in Tallaght came in at 503 with Bank of Ireland and 324 with a broker  a whopping difference of 264. The sample costings showed the huge price differentials in the market.

Were making it a priority

to make people aware of this and to save people money highlighting the benefits of shopping around.

One way to get cheaper insurance is to secure your home. Most insurers offer discounts to people who have installed alarms in their house.

Another way is to check policy add-ons and see if they if they are necessary. There is little point in specifying valuable items, such as iPads and bicycles, if you opted for a higher excess of 500.

Insuremyhoue.ie is a trade name of City Financial Marketing Group.
When told Leroy Dumberell had already been transferred from Mountjoy to Cork Prison as a punishment, Judge Alan Mitchell said: Some people would like to move to Cork, but Dubs tend not to.

Dumbrell, aged 30, from Emmett Rd, Inchicore, Dublin, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a mobile phone at his single-occupancy cell, in Mountjoy Prison, on June 6 last.

It was the second time during his current, seven-year sentence that he was caught possessing a contraband mobile phone.

Judge Mitchell heard that Dumbrell had already been subject to internal disciplinary proceedings; he was placed in solitary confinement for 40 days and he was moved to Cork Prison.

Dublin District Court heard that prison officers carried out a planned search of Dumbrells cell and found a small black phone down the back of a toilet.

The offence, contrary to Section 36 of the Prisons Act, can result in a jail term of up to one year and 5,000 fine.

The judge heard that Dumbrell has 71 prior criminal convictions and, in January this year, he was given a 99 fine, at Dublin District Court, for committing the same offence in October last year.

He was handed jail sentences in April 2016 for threats to kill or cause serious harm and violent disorder. His previous offences included another incident of unlawfully having a phone in prison, during an earlier sentence.

Previously, he was also given an eight-year sentence, with three years suspended, for assault causing harm.

Defence solicitor, Kate McGhee, said her client was pleading guilty at the first opportunity and there was no need for an order for disclosure of evidence. She said Dumbrell had bought the phone to keep in contact with his partner and children.

He knew it was in breach of the prison rules, she said.

He has been moved to Cork Prison, but was brought back to Dublin for the hearing.

Dressed in a tracksuit, Dumbrell spoke to say he would be going back to Cork Prison after the case, and to confirm that he was from Dublin.

Judge Mitchell noted Dumbrells earlier convictions for the same offence and said the problem was that he has not learned a lesson. He also said prisoners were also allowed a certain number of calls in a week to their families.

The two months will run consecutively to Dumbrells current sentence.
Ruhama said organised crime ran the bulk of prostitution in Ireland and that the charity worked with 92 victims of trafficking in 2016.

It said the women were from 23 different nationalities, with 60 coming from Africa  43 from Nigeria alone.

The scale of trafficking involving Nigeria women was highlighted last week by the EU police agency Europol.

It released details of a major operation which saw 24 members of an organised criminal group, involved in trafficking young Nigerian women for sexual exploitation, arrested in Spain while the networks ring leader was apprehended in Finland.

Europol said the network had a big infrastructure in Nigeria, as well as links in other countries, and it controlled the whole trafficking process: from recruiting the victims in Nigeria, to smuggling them into Europe and forcing them into prostitution.

In Spain, the victims were instructed to request international protection and asylum, so they could work for the criminal organisation without problems in the event of being identified by the police.

Europol said the gang provided the victims with fraudulent documents to request asylum.

In its annual report for 2016, Ruhama said there was a growing demand for its services.

Whilst prostitution has largely moved off the streets into anonymous apartments, massage parlours and suburban housing estates, it seems to have become quite pervasive in Ireland over the past few years, said Ruhama chairman Colm ODwyer.

It is worth reiterating Ruhamas view that prostitution and trafficking are inextricably linked. Women (and girls) are frequently brought to Ireland into brothels under false pretences, by blackmail and by coercion.

Ruhama CEO Sarah Benson said the bulk of prostitution in Ireland was run by organised crime gangs, who profited from the sexual exploitation of women and girls, particularly in off-street locations.

These unscrupulous individuals make money from human misery  moving often vulnerable migrant women in a co-ordinated fashion from brothel to brothel across Ireland, with a view to satisfying local sex buyers demands, said Ms Benson.

The report said that, in total, it dealt with 304 women from 37 different countries in 2016.

Some women fled economic crises, conflict and terrible poverty in the hopes of a better opportunity, only to find themselves on this small island on the other side of the world from their homes  in Irelands brothels.

Of the 304 women, 99 were new victims.

The report said that 222 women required intensive support from Ruhamas casework service.

Ruhama said that the experiences of these women were deeply harrowing and included rape, assault and other forms of psychological, physical and sexual violence.

Ms Benson said important new legal measures had been brought in this year under the Sexual Offences Act 2017, including the criminalisation of the purchase of sex and heavier penalties for those organising or profiting from prostitution.

She said the legislation needed to be properly enforced and called for the Garda Protective Services Bureau to be fully resourced.
The annual risk report, examining everything from Brexit to cyber-attacks, also warns that as Ireland returns to full employment, that sectors may experience skills shortage and economic growth may stall.

It also highlights international concerns such as changes to tax policies in the US as well as growing tensions with North Korea and wider threats to global peace.

The national risk assessment report for 2017 involved discussions between government departments and agencies and public consultation. Representatives from a wide range of public bodies, universities, think-tanks, NGOs, and other civil society groups also contributed to it.

The main threat to Ireland is Brexit. The report says the withdrawal of Britain from the EU will likely have serious political and economic consequences.

Brexit is acknowledged as the most immediate and potentially serious risk for Ireland, said the report.

It brings the potential to affect nearly all parts of national life, including a large number of the risks and areas addressed in this National Risk Assessment, such as economic growth, trade and competitiveness; relations with Britain, Northern Ireland and the EU, as well as stability within the EU itself; and justice and legal regulations.

There would be serious damage to the economy or significant sectors as a result of the UK leaving the EU, especially if the exit were to take place in a disorderly manner, the report says.

Following the election of Donald Trump, it also warned about changes to the US administrations tax and trade policies which may pose challenges, especially when it comes to large firms based here.

It added: It is worth noting that Irish corporation tax remains highly concentrated, with the top 10 payers contributing close to 40% of this tax.

However, the report honed in on housing as a continued threat to a stable economy as well as society. It said the lack of housing could impact Irelands ability to benefit from Brexit by attracting foreign investment.

Ireland is also facing a continuing housing supply constraint centred on the main urban areas, giving rise to environmental, economic and social challenges.

The rising cost of housing risks upward pressure on wages and creates social consequences, not least for children and homeless families, while absence of supply could weigh on our capacity to attract labour, skills and inward investment, including in the context of Brexit.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Coveney said that while he welcomed the greater ambition from the UK in its recent discussion papers, tough decisions must be made to deliver.

Michel Barnier is spot on, he said. Those hard choices are not for the EU to make, but for Britain. The EU has been consistant and clear in what it has called for and there is now a need to Britain to deliver.

Ambiguity still exists and that needs to be addressed and while I dont want to be dismissive of the British paper but certainly we need to see substantive progress before October.

Mr Barnier issued the blunt warning to the UK yesterday that there must be progress on the so-called separation issues before the negotiations can move towards the future trade relationship.

He said: To be honest, I am concerned. Time passes quickly. I welcome the UK governments paper[s]. We have read them very carefully. But we need UK positions on all separation issues.

This is necessary to make sufficient progress. We must start negotiating seriously. We need UK papers that are clear in order to have constructive negotiations.

Mr Barnier was standing next to Britains Brexit secretary, David Davis, at the start of the third series of talks in Brussels when he issued his rebuke.

The EU wants clear commitments from Britain on the financial settlement on exit, on EU citizens rights, and on Ireland, before it will move towards the future trading relationship between the EU and UK.

The UK has been attempting to increase pressure on the EU to accelerate the move towards the future relationship ahead of the EUs own timetable. This pressure was rejected by Mr Barnier, who levelled a thinly veiled accusation that the UKs position was still ambiguous on the issues of concern to the EU.

The sooner we remove the ambiguity, said Mr Barnier, as the two arrived with officials at European Commission headquarters, the sooner we will be in a position to discuss the future relationship and a transitional period.

Mr Barnier said: The European Council guidelines are clear. That what is expected on separation, on transition, on conditions for a future relationship. The EU27 and the European Parliament stand united. They will not accept that separation issues are not addressed properly.

Im ready to intensify negotiations over the coming weeks in order to advance.

In response, Mr Davis said the UK had published a large number of papers covering a range of important issues and our vision for a deep and special partnership that we want with the EU in the future.

He said: They are the products of hard work and detailed thinking thats been going on behind the scenes, not just in the last few weeks but in the last 12 months, and should for the basis of what I hope will be a constructive week of talks between the European Commission and the United Kingdom.

Mr Davis said the week was about driving forward technical discussions on all the issues.
Isabel Terry, 41, from Cork, who has been on a transplant list for 14 years, last night flew from Cork Airport with her partner, Philip, on the private aircraft bound for Newcastle after the HSE failed to arrange air ambulance transport.

The HSE declined to answer questions about its role in Ms Terrys transport, stating that it is policy not to comment on individual cases.

Ms Terry, who is under the care of a medical team at Newcastles Freeman Hospital, will spend the next two days undergoing tests to determine whether she is well enough to stay on the transplant list. She said she was grateful to the person who arranged the jet  they wish to remain anonymous  and for the generosity of countless others who offered help.

Obviously Im worried about the next few days, she said. But in my mind Im ready for this battle. I hope this feeling and energy comes across when I meet the transplant team. It is just as important to show the team that I am ready to deal with all of the complexities of a transplant.

Ms Terry, from Bishopstown, suffers from pulmonary atresia, a birth defect of the pulmonary valve in the heart, and has to use bottled oxygen 24 hours a day.

She was called to Newcastle for assessment but could not arrange travel in time on a commercial flight due to the red tape associated with her oxygen bottles, and the risk of infection, so she faced an arduous trip by car and ferry. The HSE offered to cover the cost of the journeys under the Treatment Abroad Scheme, but said it would cover no other expenses.

David Hall, who runs Lifeline Ambulance and who organises organ transplant logistics between Ireland the UK, stepped in to arrange an ambulance, ferry transfer, and accommodation. It emerged yesterday she had been offered a private jet transfer.

Mr Hall, who encouraged Ms Terry to avail of the offer, accused the HSE of treating her despicably.

If you cant provide services for patients in this country, it is not unreasonable for those patients to expect you to cover the cost of availing of those services in another country, he said.

This is the only health service in the world where we have to fight for patients like this, and where people like me, and the individual who offered the use of the jet, have to circumvent the system to help her attend a potentially life-changing appointment, he said.

Ms Terry was first assessed as needing a heart transplant in 2003 while in the care of the Mater in Dublin. She suffered the heartbreak of five unsuccessful transplant calls between 2003 and 2009.

By 2009, her condition worsened to the point where she required a heart and double lung transplant. Her care was transferred to the Freeman Hospital and she has had one unsuccessful transplant call in that time.
Her need to defend Mr Johnson comes just after the EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier delivered a stinging rebuke of Britains lack of progress on three major issues, including Ireland, in relation to its exit from the EU.

There is a growing frustration in Dublin and Europe at the failure of London to deliver sufficient details on its plans for how it will operate once outside the EU.

Yesterday, Number 10 Downing Street said Ms May has full confidence in Boris Johnson and has a good relationship with the foreign secretary.

This was in response to anonymous briefings saying he was viewed as a clown and a joke in capitals around the world.

A German politician described Mr Johnsons approach to European politics as not very clever but said the foreign secretary was beginning to recognise that big words dont help.

A scathing column in The Times said diplomatic sources believe that officials at Donald Trumps White House dont want to go anywhere near Boris because they think hes a joke.

An unnamed minister told the newspaper: Its worse in Europe. There is not a single foreign minister there who takes him seriously. They think hes a clown who can never resist a gag.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland should retain the benefits of the European customs union after Brexit, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has said.

Mr Coveney said this could be achieved through a soft Brexit whereby the UK remains in the single market or the customs union.

He made the remarks in Belfast, where he addressed local business leaders and urged them to lobby for the UK to stay in the single market and protect the cross-border movement of 118,000 vehicles a day.

He said: There is one clear way in which we can preserve these arrangements  and that is for the UK to remain a member of a customs union, and of the single market.

Failing that, we need a solution which sees Northern Ireland retain the benefits of the customs union, and the associated responsibilities.

How can the UK expect to maintain an open border, an objective we all share, while asking Ireland and other EU member states to accept that beef that doesnt meet European standards can be easily brought into Ireland from Northern Ireland without the necessary controls?

This simply doesnt tally with the UKs other stated objective of not wishing to undermine the integrity of the single market and customs union and doing nothing that damages Ireland and our political, social and economic interests. Continued membership of this customs union and single market  or something very like it  is the answer.

The number of UK tourists visiting the Republic of Ireland has declined as weaker sterling currency has resulted in increased holiday costs for British travellers, new figures suggest.
IN A rare presidential address last week at Fort Myer, Virginia, Donald Trump outlined his administrations strategy for the United States future engagement in Afghanistan.

Trump avoided admitting outright he was authorising an increase in the number of US troops in that troubled country, saying instead that military leaders would make such decisions.

Yet the reality is Trumps plan will deepen American involvement in a military mission that has already lasted for 16 years.

Trump, who campaigned on the promise to extricate the US from foreign conflicts, reiterated in his speech that he shared the American peoples frustration about a foreign policy that has already cost too much time, energy, and money, and too many lives.

His new strategy, he said, is the result of deep reflection by him and his national security team, about how to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes the source of a terrorist attack on the US like that of September 11, 2001.

US presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush sought the same goal. In fact, though Trump attempted to portray his strategy as a stark break from those of his immediate predecessors, many of the steps he announced have been tried already.

Still, there are key differences in Trumps approach, which will have serious long-term consequences for Afghanistan.

For starters, Trump has dropped the nation-building element of Americas Afghan strategy. Criticising previous efforts to rebuild countries in Americas own image, rather than putting US security interests first, Trump asserted that the US will no longer engage in explicit state-building, aimed at helping Afghanistan to become a relatively modern political and economic entity.

It will, however, demand that the Afghan government deal effectively with corruption, improve governance, and make better use of the resources it receives from the international community.

Second, Trump brought Pakistan much more explicitly into his Afghan policy than Bush or Obama did, arguing that the country will face significantly increased US pressure to crack down on the terrorist sanctuaries along its border, from which insurgents launch attacks on Afghan and Nato forces. If Pakistan fails to do so, Trump declared, it will have much to lose.

Already, Trump has determined that Pakistan should no longer be paid for providing valuable services to American, Nato, and Afghan forces, and has even blocked a large payment to the country that was already due.

Finally, Trump has invited India to play a larger role in Afghanistan, despite the risks India faces in a country that Pakistan views as a second front in its historic struggle with its southern neighbour.

Trump appreciates what India has already done, but is urging it to do even more, using its vast earnings from exports to the US to help rebuild Afghanistans economy.

He also suggested the US will work with India to create an Indo-Pacific security zone. In any case, it seems that the potential for US-India security co-operation in the region, while only hinted at in Trumps speech, has already been discussed by the two governments.

The implications of Trumps speech extend beyond Americas policy in Afghanistan. The address also sharpened the contours  already limned during his May visit to Saudi Arabia and his July visit to Poland  of what might be called the Trump doctrine.

Trump, it seems, sees a world split between the West and the rest, with conflict all but inevitable. In Saudi Arabia, Trump invited Muslim-majority countries to join the West in eliminating adherents of Islamic radicalism.

In Poland, he challenged the West to demonstrate its will to resist the impact  physical and philosophical  of its adversaries.

Trump is not targeting only the Muslim world. His speech on Afghanistan also pointed to his efforts to contain China.

While Trump seemed briefly to be more interested in securing the Chinese governments help in reining in North Korea, he seems eager, now that the North Korean nuclear crisis has apparently been returned to the back burner, to resume his administrations focus on constraining the Asian giant.

But the Trump doctrine seems no more capable of limiting China than it does of eliminating the terrorist threat to the West. In fact, in the long term, the strategy Trump laid out at Fort Myer will probably have the opposite impact.

If military force has not succeeded in stabilising Afghanistan in the last 16 years, it is difficult to imagine how Trump thinks it will work now.

What is needed is precisely what Trump rejects: a serious and sustained effort to build the Afghan state and economy, in order to give hope to Afghanistans young population (the median age is only 18.6). Young men will lay down their weapons only if they have confidence in the future.

Moreover, cornering Pakistan will serve only to force its government to align itself more openly with actors like the Haqqani network, a guerrilla group that has been fighting Nato and Afghan forces.

This would strengthen insurgent groups control over border areas, effectively creating a buffer state between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

As funding from the US declines, Pakistan probably will also deepen its ties with China. It has already sent its foreign secretary to Beijing to meet with her Chinese counterpart. In the statement issued after the meeting, China pledged total and unconditional support to Pakistan.

If the goal of the Trump doctrine is to create a stable global backdrop against which America can pursue its own interests, it is doomed to fail.

In fact, it is likely to have the opposite effect, unleashing a destabilising genie that will be almost impossible to put back in its bottle.

Shahid Javed Burki, former finance minister of Pakistan and vice president of the World Bank, is currently chairman of the Shahid Javed Burki Institute of Public Policy in Lahore.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017.
The movement of business from brick and mortar to online has been the overwhelming trend during the past 15 years. While this has transformed much of the way in which people shop, it remains true that a good percentage of folks simply like to get in their cars or on their bikes and head for the store. Indeed, brick and mortar stores are making a comeback.

A milestone in the countermove from online to brick and mortar was reached with the closing of Amazons $13.76 billion acquisition of Whole Foods. eWeeks Wayne Rash takes an interesting look at how this may play out. For instance, once the supply chains are integrated, people would be able to buy food and traditional Amazon items simultaneously. The distribution points likely will be the stores for the food, however, since obviously time is more of the essence in delivery of bananas and salads than T-shirts and books.

The transition Rash describes is great and puts Amazon on a collision course with brick and mortar heavyweights such as Walmart. The bottom line is that the commercial world is on the point of learning some very important lessons:

What were seeing here is whether an e-commerce company can integrate physical stores effectively or whether it works better when a company with physical stores integrates e-commerce. While Amazon gets all of the attention, it would be a mistake to discount Walmarts ability to compete in this arena, especially when it has Google as its partner.

Amazon is no stranger to retail. It has opened 10 bookstores during the past two years. Nat Levy of Geekwire takes a look at its newest, which is in the Bellevue Square Mall in city of the same name in Washington. The story doesnt describe how lessons that are being learned at the stores can be applied to the Whole Foods acquisition, which the writer says take[s] its retail footprint to a new level. It seems likely, of course, that a significant amount of insight was gained. Amazon plans to open bookstores in New York City, Los Angeles and Walnut Creek, California, this year.

Pink Lily is a womens clothing retailer that started online, grew to the $30 million revenue level and, this year, opened its first physical store. Forbes invited Pink Lily Co-founder, President and COO Chris Gerbig to share his thoughts. He counsels nascent businesses to start online. While existing as an online business only, he writes, the company should learn as much as possible about its customer base and build revenue as it prepares to enter the more expensive world of brick and mortar:

While many customers are switching to the convenient method of online shopping, some still like the experience of shopping at a physical store and trying on clothes. At Pink Lily, we are happy to be able to serve both types of customers. According to Forrester Research, U.S. cross-channel retail sales (influenced by the web, but made in stores) will reach $1.8 trillion this year. If you want a piece of that pie, you need to think carefully about how you choose to cut your slice. Depending on your business, that may just mean going digital first.

The move of web companies into brick and mortar seems to be more than a trickle and less than a wave. For instance, the Chinese giant Alibaba is moving aggressively into the real world. It is, as described by First Insight, using a decidedly different strategy than Amazon. The bottom line, however, is that both companies see the value of real-world stores. Thats great news for the mall and the village square.

Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at [email protected] and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk.
The enterprise quite naturally wants to get the most performance out of available infrastructure. But in addition to deploying the appropriate hardware and layering it with advanced architectures, it also must implement the correct data management strategy for high-speed digital environments.

Data, after all, is the single most valuable asset these days, so carelessness in the way it is processed and distributed across the IT landscape can make or break the business model.

According to Ashish Gupta, vice president of engineering and head of India R&D at Rubrik Inc., most organizations are sitting on a data mismanagement time bomb because the tools they are using for data management in legacy infrastructure are nowhere near capable of handling the load in a digital service-based environment. With multiple data frameworks existing between, and sometimes within, disparate data centers, the need is growing for an integrated, end-to-end management solution similar to the way early search engines were able to unite the fragmented data silos on the internet.

An effective data management strategy should focus on four key objectives, says 451 Researchs Henry Baltazar. In a recent interview with Network World, he pointed out that increased visibility, broad asset integration, cloud and/or object-based storage, and intelligent automation will simplify the management burden and allow it to scale to meet modern demands. With these four components working in tandem, IT staff will be able to focus on strategic objectives rather than serve as data traffic cops.

A major consumer of data going forward will be the analytics engines that guide IoT operations, which is why we are seeing increased synergy between analytics platforms and data management. Syncsort, a New York developer of data integrity and integration solutions, recently acquired Metron Technologies, a specialist in capacity management software and services. The plan is to incorporate Metrons athene forecasting and modeling platform to improve Syncsorts resource optimization capabilities for both Big Data and Big Iron solutions.

Yet another challenge is the need to manage data across hybrid infrastructure. As Actian CTO Mike Hoskins recently explained to IT Pro Portal, enterprises risk obsolescence in an increasingly data-driven economy if they cannot marshal the information spread across disparate infrastructure. This is leading to the creation of hybrid data, which Hoskins describes as data with multi dimensions allowing it to span multiple data types and formats, usage requirements, connectivity patterns and infrastructure models. In this way, the enterprise gains a single view of its data assets, allowing them to be managed, integrated and analyzed across the entire data ecosystem. This will likely involve a multi-stage conversion process, but in the end will put the enterprise on a more solid footing for the emerging digital economy.

Improving infrastructure while neglecting data management is like widening city streets but taking out all the traffic lights. You spend a lot of money and everything looks nice and new, but you are still left with poor results.

Data management is likely to be an ongoing challenge, but it is a necessary burden as the enterprise makes the transition to a new digital entity.

Arthur Cole writes about infrastructure for IT Business Edge. Cole has been covering the high-tech media and computing industries for more than 20 years, having served as editor of TV Technology, Video Technology News, Internet News and Multimedia Weekly. His contributions have appeared in Communications Today and Enterprise Networking Planet and as web content for numerous high-tech clients like TwinStrata and Carpathia. Follow Art on Twitter @acole602.
Google is reportedly preparing itself to launch the next set of Pixel smartphones, tentatively called Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2. The next generation of Google handsets is expected to release on October 5, according to well-known and reliable leaker Evan Blass.

If Evan's claim is proven to be true then the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will be introduced almost exactly a year after the original Pixels. The two new smartphone will reportedly manufacture by HTC and LG. The devices will share most specifications, including their processor, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 836, as reported by Android Authority.

The Google Pixel 2 was recently spotted on the US FCC website that suggested that the smartphone will be manufactured by HTC. The documentation also revealed that the Pixel 2 will boast a squeezable frame similar to the HTC U11. The website wrote that the Google Pixel 2 will come running on Android 8.0.1 Oreo, which is expected since the Pixels are among the first to receive the latest Android version, as reported by NDTV.

On the specifications side, the Google Pixel 2 is said to come with 64GB and 128GB of built-in storage variants and will support NFC, Bluetooth, and 802.11ac Wi-Fi. The flagship from Google will boast 4GB of RAM and it is also been tipped to sport an 'Always On' display mode.

The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2, both the smartphones are expected to feature a 4.95-inch full-HD and 5.99-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) displays, which all will be manufactured by LG. Moreover, the upcoming Google Pixel flagships are also expected to drop the 3.5mm headphone jack just like the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

According to rumors, Google might make the upcoming Pixel flagship water-resistant. However, a cheaper model of Pixel 2 with lower specs is also rumored to make an appearance.
This week saw the launch of Galaxy Note 8, Redmi Note 5A and Android Oreo. Samsung has unveiled the much awaited Galaxy Note 8. Similarly, Xiaomi has also launched its latest smartphone Redmi Note 5A.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A comes with a 5.5 inch HD display and will come equipped with Snapdragon 435 processor. The device features a 2GB RAM and 16GB onboard memory, which is further expandable up to 128GB, as reported by, ZeeBiz.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A is coming in three colors variants which are Champagne Gold, Rose Gold, and Platinum Silver Gray. The device also has three RAM configurations. The base model has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, which costs CNY 699. The fingerprint-enabled 3GB+32GB variant is priced at CNY 899, while the 4GB+64GB top model cost CNY 1,199, as reported by GSM Arena.

On the other hand, Samsung has also unveiled the next iteration of its Galaxy Note-series device, the Galaxy Note 8.The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is bigger than ever - literally - sporting a 6.3-inch QuadHD+ AMOLED Infinity Display of resolution 1440x2960. The device is powered by Snapdragon 835 SoC (with some markets getting the Samsung Exynos octa-core variant as well).

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 packs 64GB of onboard storage, 6GB of RAM, and support for microSD card slot for the expansion of memory. The Galaxy Note 8 also offers Bluetooth 5.0 and LTE Cat 16 connectivity features. Samsung's newly launched Galaxy Note 8 also has the dual camera set up at the backside.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8, which is coming in Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Grey, and Deep Sea Blue colors, is already available for pre-orders in selected markets. The device is expected to ship on September 15. In the US, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 base variant cost between $930 on AT&T and $960 on Verizon.
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The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s next Mars mission known as InSight, which is on track for a 2018 liftoff, will focus on examining the deep interior of Mars, the agency announced on Monday.

The long form of InSight's name is Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport. The mission is expected to launch sometime in the five weeks following May 8, 2018 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, central California, with a Mars landing scheduled after Thanksgiving in 2018. It supposed to be the first interplanetary launch in history from America's West Coast, according to the agency.

Information gathered by the NASA's next spacecraft will boost understanding of how all rocky planets formed, including Earth.

"Because the interior of Mars has churned much less than Earth's in the past three billion years, Mars likely preserves evidence about rocky planets' infancy better than our home planet does," Bruce Banerdt, InSight principal investigator of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of NASA, said in a statement.

InSight is the first mission of NASA to investigate the deep interior of Mars and is part of a legacy of robotic exploration that is helping to lay the groundwork for sending humans to Mars in the 2030s.

The mission will place a stationary lander near Mars' equator. With two solar panels that unfold like paper fans, the lander spans about 6 meters, according to NASA.

Within weeks after the landing, always a dramatic challenge on Mars, InSight will use a robotic arm to place its two main instruments directly and permanently onto the Martian ground, an unprecedented set of activities on Mars.

The two main instruments are a seismometer and a heat probe. Shielded from wind and with sensitivity fine enough to detect ground movements half the diameter of a hydrogen atom, the seismometer will record seismic waves from "marsquakes" or meteor impacts that reveal information about the planet's interior layers. And the heat probe is designed to hammer itself to a depth of 3 meters or more and measure the amount of energy coming from the planet's deep interior.

Another experiment will use radio transmissions between Mars and Earth to assess perturbations in how Mars rotates on its axis, which are clues about the size of the planet's core.

The mission was originally scheduled to launch in March 2016, but NASA suspended launch preparations in December due to a vacuum leak in the lander's prime science instrument. A redesigned vacuum vessel for the instrument has been built and tested, then combined with the instrument's other components and tested again.

The instrument redesign and two-year delay add 153.8 million U.S. dollars to its previous budget of 675 million dollars for the mission, according to the agency.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems is assembling and testing the InSight spacecraft in a clean room facility near Denver, Colorado. The Mars lander's science payload also is on track for next year's launch.

"The lander is completed and instruments have been integrated onto it so that we can complete the final spacecraft testing including acoustics, instrument deployments and thermal balance tests," Stu Spath, spacecraft program manager at Lockheed Martin, said in a press release.
HOME-Start Isle of Wight has been awarded 1,000 from the Vodafone community connection awards.

The family support service offers a helping hand to struggling families across the Isle of Wight and was chosen by staff at Vodafone's Newport store as the winner.

The charity has five staff who work closely with a network of around 30 trained volunteers who provide everything from emotional and practical support to helping families get out and about.

Thanks to the 1,000 award, the charity can continue to provide extensive support for families.

Alison Griffiths, fundraiser at Home Start IW, said: "The award will help us to support vulnerable children and families on the Isle of Wight.

"The work we do focusses on supporting parents with the difficulties they are facing to help them improve the lives of their young children."

Simon Jackson, Vodafone store manager in Newport, said: "It was a really hard decision to make with so many charities being nominated for this award, and all so worthy as well.

"The work that they do is absolutely vital to helping and supporting families with young children who face very difficult and challenging circumstances.

"Having spoken with Alison at Home Start IW, it really opened my eyes to see the work that is put in across the Isle of Wight and it is an absolute pleasure and a privilege to be able to help such an amazing charity, especially as this year is also their 20th anniversary."


Chinese scientific results accounted for one third of the exhibits at the 26th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) held from Aug. 19 to Aug. 25 in Melbourne, Australia, exceeding the total of the U.S. and Europe.

The conferences chairman said that it signifies Chinas progress in AI in recent years and the countrys ambition to play a leading role in AI industry in the future.

The chairman noted that a total of 2,540 papers were received at the conference, among which only 26 percent were accepted, and China accounted for a third of the total accepted papers.

In addition, Professor Yang Qiang from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology was appointed to be the elected president of the conference, which is a milestone that signifies that China has started to play a leading role in the research and development of AI in the world, and its voice in the field has been greatly raised, said Song Zheng, an AI expert from RMIT University.

Apart from scientific institutions, Chinese leading enterprises in AI, including Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent also participated in the conference.

We should value and grasp this opportunity, as we are competing with the worlds top technology companies at the same starting line, said Yu Dong, vice director of the AI laboratory at Tencent.

Yu introduced that although their lab has been established for only a year, many of their papers have been recorded by the worlds top AI meetings, and that they are mainly focused on strengthening technical capacities, including machine learning, computer vision, phonetic recognition, and natural language processing.

Australia also showed its willingness to cooperate with China in AI research in terms of agricultural automation, medicine, and health.
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The deadly collision of the guided-missile destroyer USS McCain with a slow-moving merchant vessel near Singapore was the fourth major accident in the US Pacific fleet this year. After the USS McCain collision, the US Navy relieved the commander of the Seventh Fleet "due to loss of confidence in his ability to command," according to the US Navy, but the damage was already done.

While it is unfortunate that the recent collisions involving US Navy vessels at sea have killed more American service members than the war in Afghanistan this year so far, the US Navy only has itself to blame for the string of tragedies. From the sex-for-secrets scandal to a pair of deadly collisions involving two warships, the US Navy is facing a range of problems. In addition to being a force stretched too thin, the US Navy is suffering with fraud and corruption, lax discipline, and bad training. With four serious accidents in less than a year, it should be no surprise that the world is starting to see the US Navy more as a threat to than a protector of maritime security.

Like the collision of the guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald with a merchant vessel in June, the accident involving the USS McCain was almost certainly caused by human error. Not long before the state-of-the-art warship collided with the massive oil tanker, photos posted on the USS McCains Facebook page showed the crew fishing and playing cards on the deck. For some, the photos are proof that discipline within the US Navy is far too lax, and point to the real cause of the tragedy.

"US soldiers are really laid back," one Chinese netizen commented. This shows that no matter how powerful the technology, "the will of the soldier is equally important," another pointed out. "How can the [US Navy] maintain stability and security in the Asia Pacific if it cannot guarantee its own security?" a different netizen asked.

Despite evidence of US military overreach and incompetence, some have tried to hijack the tragedy to paint China as a malicious actor and further their anti-China agenda. "When you are going through the Strait of Malacca, you cant tell me that a Navy destroyer doesnt have a full navigation team going with full lookouts on every wing and extra people on radar," said Jeff Stutzman, a former US Navy information warfare specialist. Todd Humphreys, a professor at the University of Texas, echoed a similar concern: "Statistically, it looks very suspicious," he said. "I dont believe in coincidence," said Itay Glick, a cybersecurity expert. "China has capabilities, maybe they are trying things," he added, suggesting that China may have interfered with encrypted navigation systems or launched a cyberattack with destructive malware to cause the collisions.

That would make a great Hollywood movie, but the reality is much different.

It is ridiculous that some media fabricated a baseless China threat conspiracy theory. Wild speculation that China is a malicious actor bent on attacking the US Navy is unhelpful and wildly off the mark. Not only is there zero evidence that China hacked the US warships or manipulated GPS signals, as confirmed by Admiral John Richardson, the US Navys top officer, the possibility of a cyberattack was considered unlikely. But for the sake of argument, even if these accidents were caused by Chinas growing cyber sophistication, US warships should have been able to avoid a collision. Furthermore, China would gain nothing in the long run from using such a powerful cyberweapon to damage a couple of warships in peacetime. Such baseless claims are a sideshow that distracts people from understanding the truth behind the recent string of deadly accidents.

The problem is not Chinas growing sea power and cyber sophistication, but the US desire to maintain its military dominance in all corners of the world. But the major incidents involving advanced warships have left many wondering how the US can project god-like military power when the US Navy steams around in the Pacific like a headless chicken, crashing into commercial ships?

Not long after the USS McCain tragedy, the commander of the US Pacific Air Forces said in a statement that the recent US naval accidents will not interrupt US "freedom of navigation" exercises in the South China Sea. While this might be the case, it is obvious that the US Navy has reached its breaking point. Blaming China rather than the US Navy and treating China as the enemy of the West makes for a good story. But the collisions should be seen as warning signs that US power is limited, and be a lesson for the US Navy that its ships must play by same "rules of the road" at sea as everyone else.
NEW YORK  Amazon completed its $13.7 billion takeover of organic grocer Whole Foods on Monday, taking quick aim at the chain's "Whole Paycheck" image and bringing it in line with Amazon's practice of keeping prices low to lock in customer loyalty. Beyond lowering prices on organic avocados, eggs and kale, it also means Whole Foods brands will be available on Amazon's site. The company aims to make Amazon Prime the rewards program for Whole Foods customers, and offer members special discounts.

The deal could also spur big changes in how people shop for groceries. Here's what you need to know:



WHAT AMAZON WANTS FROM WHOLE FOODS

It gives Amazon more than 465 physical stores in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Before the acquisition, Amazon had a small brick-and-mortar presence with less than a dozen bookstores, a prototype convenience store in Seattle and pickup locations in some cities near college campuses. The tie-up may also give the Seattle-based company valuable data on how people shop in stores, where the vast majority of retail sales still take place. Amazon is an expert in using data on past purchases and browsing to offer suggestions that might make people buy more, and could start applying that in stores as well as online.

Whole Foods, meanwhile, gets to exhale. Before the deal, the chain was under intense pressure from shareholders to improve its financial results and figure out how to stop customers from going to lower-priced supermarkets to buy natural foods. Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, who will stay in that role, said Amazon's history of innovation could transform Whole Foods from "the class dunce" to "valedictorian."



WHAT WILL CHANGE FOR SHOPPERS

Amazon already lowered prices at Whole Foods Monday on a range of kitchen staples, including ground beef and rotisserie chicken.

Whole Foods was just starting to test a loyalty program. But soon, shoppers at all stores will be able to tap Amazon's $99-a-year Prime loyalty program to get discounts at stores. And they will eventually be able to buy some Whole Foods products from Amazon.com. Lockers will be added in some locations so Amazon shoppers can pick up e-commerce orders or return items they don't want.

Amazon said more changes are coming, but didn't give details. Those that watch the industry expect it to push further into grocery deliveries, among other things. Whole Foods stores can serve as new distribution points for the AmazonFresh delivery service, allowing Amazon to expand where it offers home deliveries. That could include an expansion of ready-to-cook meal packages it's been testing in selected markets, including Seattle.



WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE COMPETITION

Shares of supermarkets took a hit when the deal was announced in June, and again when Amazon said last week that it planned to cut prices at Whole Foods. Rivals are scrambling to keep up: Kroger is testing online grocery delivery in several cities. And Walmart, the nation's largest grocer, is expanding its online grocery ordering and store-curb pickup to more stores. Last week, Walmart said it is joining forces with Google to let customers order goods with their voice on Google-run smartphones and other devices.



HOW THE DEAL WENT THROUGH

Despite Amazon's dominance online, Walmart remains the leading retailer overall, with more than three times Amazon's retail revenue. A union that represents food-industry workers had asked the Federal Trade Commission to examine the deal carefully, saying it could hurt competition, but the U.S. regulator didn't see it that way. The FTC said last week that it conducted an investigation to see if the acquisition lessened competition and "decided not to pursue" the matter. Typically, deals that bring two direct competitors together raise flags with regulators, but Amazon  despite its online dominance  doesn't currently have a big groceries business.
What is good sex and bad sex?

If such a question was raised to a group of underage students elsewhere, it would be easily treated as an alarming signal of a potential pedophilia. But at Chinese sexologist Fang Gangs sex education camp, sex is not a taboo topic.

(File photo)

Innocent yet knowing

To let a child, especially a Chinese child, off his or her guard on sex-related topics is never an easy task. It is almost a mission impossible if the child is put right under the watch of parents sitting in the very same room.

Of the 29 children aged 11 to 17 who attended the first day of the latest summer camp in Beijing on August 19, only two raised their hands when they were asked if they knew the process of intercourse. Nor did anyone budge when the group was asked to raise their hands if you do not know it.

The child who could answer the question stopped at being intimate together, arguing that his father would kill him if he heard such talk.

Fang, the lecturer at and founder of the camp, and a renowned sexology professor from Beijing Forestry University, smiled at the awkward response and began openly explaining the unspeakable process through the exhibition of How a Baby is Made by Danish writer Per Holm Knudsen.

(File photo)

Sexual organs are no different than any other parts of your body. There is no reason to avoid knowledge about our bodies and sexual functions, Fang stressed.

Fang then chose a more obscure way to encourage his students to discuss the good sex-bad sex question, asking them to team up and write down their answers on a large sheet of paper.

The results stunned many parents and visitors.

The seemingly-not-knowing-sex-at-all children turned out to know a lot. Apart from understanding such things as one-night stand, masturbation, and oral sex, which saw divided opinions in terms of their good or bad qualities, other words, such as sadomasochism, threesome, sex toys, and Viagra were also on the paper posted in the front of the room.

(Students' answers on the good-bad sex question are posted in the front of the room. Photo by Jiang Jie/People's Daily Online)

Parents further dropped their jaws when the students gave presentations on vagina and breasts with self-drawn illustrations, and when Fang openly lectured on masturbation, tampons, and condoms. Whats more, all students, including some 11-year-old girls, were asked to put a condom on a cucumber in class, while all female students were asked to look at their vagina in the mirror as homework.

(Photo/Courtesy of Fang Gang)

Specifically, more than half raised their hands to show they had tried masturbation, while one-third admitted that they have watched pornographic films, including several girls, which was a very good sign, Fang said.

More than knowledge-sharing

Fangs education camp was first launched in 2013 in Huainan City, eastern Chinas Anhui province. The camp that ended on August 21 in Beijing was the largest ever.

Children always know way more than what parents think they know about sex. This has always been the case ever since we started the camp four years ago, Fang told Peoples Daily Online. We also consult the parents beforehand on certain sensitive topics, including masturbation. Most parents follow along, but very few give their consent in the end.

When approached by Peoples Daily Online, several parents said they felt Fangs course was acceptable and helpful and that they willingly spent over 3,000 yuan on the three-day camp to help their children with their sex education and become more responsible in life.

(Parents sit behind the students at the summer camp in Beijing. Photo/Courtesy of Fang Gang)

On the one hand, there is the part of Chinese culture that makes sex taboo, which gives many parents a false idea, Fang said. Many parents were shocked about tampons, let alone more shocking topics like gender equity.

A mother of a teenage girl revealed her concerns over LGBT-related topics before the class began. As an art student, she has contact with and shown interest in homosexuality. Could you address this topic during the camp? asked the concerned mother.

While being interviewed with Peoples Daily Online, the unnamed mother insisted that she wants her daughter receive correct education, and that she is not opposed to LGBT. The mothers concerns could still be clearly felt throughout the program.

The mothers teenage daughter was one of the staunchest supporters of LGBT rights in a heated debate on the first day of the camp, which saw a 23-6 support rate.

Judging from my questionnaire at the camp, most parents felt it necessary to sign their children up because their children are about to or have already become adolescents. Some said their children were already in a relationship or have watched porn. Deep down inside, many of the parents do not want to help their children learn about the birds and bees. They simply want their children to focus on their studies, camp visitor Yan Tingzhen, also a postgraduate student at the Sichuan-based China West Normal University, told People's Daily Online.

While all parents carry good wishes, not all come home with the correct idea of sex and of life. Yan recalled a parent at a sex education camp in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, who blatantly read out her childs school grades in front of the whole camp, as an example of how relationships could affect ones study. The sudden outburst, ironically, came on the very last day of the camp, when the students were debating over puppy love and its impact on school grades.

Veil over sex education

We offer more than just sex education. We teach students how to grow up. We want to teach them how to think independently. We train them to respect one another, always develop their own qualities, and never give up on their dreams, Fang told Peoples Daily Online.

According to Fang, real sex education is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Less than one percent of Chinese schools offer sex education, but almost none dare take it seriously. Most lessons still stress gender traits and ban love from blooming on campus.

That is not sex education in my eyes. That is sex submission, he noted. It all shows how hard it is for Chinese society to open up to varied cultures and especially to juvenile rights.

Luckily, students on the camps are like sparks of fire. Yan remembered a teenage boy who said he wanted to help spread what he learned from the camp. Its encouraging to see childrens mindsets are not rigidly traditional. I think we can expect to see a more inclusive society in the future when they grow up. One that shows more respect to minority groups and focuses more on individual rights, rather than the majority.
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MIKE PARKER, Pfafftown

Conceivable

Is it conceivable that there might yet be some obscure facet of our recorded history that has not been deemed offensive by the social justice warriors and sensitivity auditors who have been spawned, nurtured and educated by no less an authoritative source than social media?

******

HARRY PRICE, Winston-Salem

Bothered by King

The writer of the Aug. 20 letter Symbols of the Confederacy argues that perhaps, along with Confederate monuments, we should remove the statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King from the capitol, since it bothers some people as well.

It is an insult to the intellect to suggest that some want to remove statues of Confederate soldiers simply because they are bothered. These statues should be removed because they represent slavery, oppression and racism. They should be removed because they represent a traitorous war fought against the United States.

Id like to know specifically what it is about Kings statue that bothers some people. Is it that King preached racial equality? Is it that he is held up as a symbol of progress for our nation? Is it that a black man was honored in the nations capitol?

Anyone who can equate the positive achievements of King with the destructive beliefs and actions of Confederates needs to do some soul searching and get an education.

******

RONDIE HICKMAN, Winston-Salem

Trumps pardon

President Trumps pardon of former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio is a travesty of justice.

Generally, presidents receive pardon recommendations from the Department of Justice for candidates who are nonviolent, who have served their time and who express remorse for their crimes.

None of that is true of Arpaio.

Arpaio spent decades targeting and persecuting Hispanics. His jail was a nightmare of humiliating and violent treatment so horrendous that it led to thousands of lawsuits and millions of taxpayer dollars being spent on legal settlements. Death and suicide rates in his jail skyrocketed above typical figures.

Between 2004 and 2007, more than 400 sex crimes reported in Arpaios county were inadequately investigated, leading to more lawsuits and multi-million dollar settlements. Arpaio was too busy persecuting Hispanics to concentrate on his real job.

In 2013, a federal judge ordered Arpaio to stop his racial profiling. Arpaio refused  and bragged about refusing. He was then convicted of intentionally violated the court order. Yet Trump praises him as a hero.

Theres no way to see Arpaios pardon as anything but a political act, another dog-whistle to please Trumps racist supporters.

Trump can claim to be for law and order or he can pardon Arpaio, but he cant do both.

Oh, I forgot  he actually can. Because Trump is a liar.

***

THE REV. JONATHAN GASKA, Winston-Salem

Honoring our history

Honoring our history is important. We do so by commemorating holidays and supporting historical museums.

Honoring our future is also important.

And while pro-Confederates have joined forces with neo-Nazis and the KKK, these glorified monuments are symbolic of far more than just objects of remembrance. They are symbols of an oppressive ideology that threatens to further gnaw at the fabric of our societys future. Those who have questions about this should read about when and why these icons were erected in the first place.

Lets honor our history by choosing not to repeat its mistakes.

******

JOHNNY LANCASTER, Lexington

Running America

Our federal government, Silicon Valley, Wall Street and major industries in America are all run primarily by people of the same gender of the same race. So when groups of individuals comprised primarily of that same gender and same race carry Confederate and Swastika flags with their mission to Take America Back, my question is take America back from whom?

If those who deem themselves superior dont have all of the benefits and material things to which they believe they are entitled because of their perceived superiority, believe me, the people they hate so much had nothing to do with it.

***

MEL H. HENDERSON, Winston-Salem

Embarrassing comments

How embarrassing for residents of Alamance County (Alamance official refers to slaves as workers, Aug. 23).

When Alamance County Commissioner Tim Sutton said,  you can call them slaves if you want to, but I would just call them workers  the only proper response would be, You can call them workers if you want, but they were slaves. If they werent allowed to quit, they were slaves.

The people who deny that slavery existed, or deny that it was cruel, or deny that the South went to war over it, seem to be the very same people who complain about our heritage, our history being stolen from them. Whats really being stolen is their false mythology.

I can understand shame and denial, but its been well over 100 years. Its long past time these apologists got a grip and faced reality. Not doing so harms their children and harms the country.

Please submit letters online to Letters@wsjournal.com or mail letters to: The Readers Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Letters are subject to editing and are limited to 250 words. For more guidelines and advice on writing letters, go to journalnow.com/opinion/submit_a_letter.
(Xinhua) 15:59, August 29, 2017

(file photo)

BEIJING, Aug. 28 -- "Major-Country Diplomacy," a six-episode political documentary series, will hit Chinese screens starting Monday.

The series, jointly produced by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television (CCTV), can be watched on CCTV, as well as on new media platforms.

China has made active efforts and broken new ground in diplomacy under the central leadership with a series of new thoughts, ideas and strategies, according to the producers.

The documentary includes an extensive range of interviews and stories, which show the country's diplomatic efforts to help realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation and build a community of shared future for mankind.

The documentary also demonstrates that China will play a more active role in contributing to world peace and stability as well as prosperity and progress of mankind.
This year's Nov. 8 election didn't present any unforeseen outcomes, at least as it pertains to Dorchester County Council races. However, the competition between Republican Rita May Ranck and Democrat Carlisle Harrison was one of the more thrilling ones in the State, as the latter temporarily Read moreNewly elected Councilmember Rita May Ranck ready to 'work' and 'listen'
One of the greatest challenges of the peace process in Myanmar will be to decide what kind of national army ("Tatmadaw") will be most compatible with the peoples aspirations for a future democratic federal Union.

During the second 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference that ended on May 29, delegates discussed 45 topics under four headings dealing with politics, the economy, the social sector and land and the environment. Agreement was reached on 37 topics and in an official statement, the six-day event was described as a success.

Frankly speaking, the statement was not complete because it omitted to mention the failure of the conference to reach agreement on a fifth heading on national security that was limited to one topic: to have a one and only Tatmadaw, or armed forces. Due to the lack of agreement on this topic, it was decided to defer discussion to future conferences. However, as the topic was discussed, it should have been included in the final conference statement. Why was this topic omitted? Why was the conference unable to agree on this issue? What kind of Tatmadaw should there be in a future democratic federal Union?

It seems that organisers omitted to mention the national security topic from the final statement because they wanted to give the impression that the conference was successful.

According to delegates who participated in the discussion on national security, there was broad agreement that there should be only one Tatmadaw. However, the delegates differed over what kind of Tatmadaw it should be and the characteristics it should have.

The discussion covered three proposals. They were the Tatmadaws proposal that there must be only one Tatmadaw, the NLD governments proposal for the Tatmadaw to be under the control of an elected government, and the proposal by ethnic armed groups for a Union Tatmadaw that guarantees democracy and a federal system.

The proposals by the NLD government and the ethnic armed groups are an indication of their concern about the role of the Tatmadaw in a future democratic federal Union. One of their main concerns is that the Tatmadaw might intend to remain independent of the government, which would be incompatible with a democratic federal system. Other concerns were about what a future Tatmadaw would look like and how a Union Tatmadaw would absorb tens of thousands of troops from the ethnic armed groups into a single Tatmadaw.

It is clear that the main objective of delegates at the Union peace conferences from the government, Tatmadaw and ethnic armed groups is to create a future democratic federal Union. It is also beyond doubt that achieving that objective will require the reform of the Tatmadaw to ensure it is compatible with, and in agreement with, the norms and standards of a democratic federal Union.

One of the basic principles listed in Chapter 1 of the 2008 Constitution, drafted under the terms of the previous military dictatorship, guarantees the right of the Defence Services to participate in the national political leadership. It is one among many facets of the Tatmadaw that make it incompatible with democracy. It is essential that the Tatmadaw be reformed into a professional armed service if it is to be compatible with a future democratic federal Union. If this is to happen, the Tatmadaw must reflect the essence of our multi-ethnic Union.

Since the time of junta leader Senior General Than Shwe, the Tatmadaw has been intentionally transformed from a Union Tatmadaw to a Bamar-dominated Tatmadaw. The poor excuse that the dictators gave for justifying such a transformation was the disintegration of the multi-ethnic Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The dictators ensured that members of ethnic minorities were unable to rise to senior positions in the Tatmadaw.

After the peace process was initiated under President U Thein Sein, a former general revealed that the policy of excluding members of ethnic minorities from the senior ranks of the Tatmadaw was no longer being followed and it was trying to become a true Union Tatmadaw. It is time for the Tatmadaw to actually begin implementing this change of policy to demonstrate to ethnic minorities that it is genuine in its desire for Myanmar to become a federal Union.

A major challenge will be to bring the members of ethnic armed groups into a single Union Tatmadaw. If both sides are genuine in wanting to create a federal Union, nothing is impossible. There are many examples throughout the world in which armed groups have been united into a single defence force. Myanmar needs only to choose the example that is most suitable for its needs.

This is not to underestimate the difficulties ahead: the creation of a single Tatmadaw is one of the greatest challenges to the successful conclusion of the peace process.

This article was first published on Frontier Myanmar.
Veteran former war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte, who is on a UN commission probing rights abuses in Syria, has said she intends to resign because the body "does absolutely nothing".

"I am frustrated, I give up," she told the Swiss newspaper Blick in an interview published on Sunday. "I have written my letter of resignation and will send it in the next few days".

Del Ponte, a 70-year-old Swiss national who came to prominence investigating war crimes in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, has been part of the four-member UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria since September 2012.

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

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

Although the commission has released at least 12 reports on war crimes in Syria, investigators have never gained access to Syria itself.

They have instead relied on nearly 4,600 interviews in the region and from Geneva, as well as pictures, medical records and other documents for their findings.

"I cannot remain on this commission that does absolutely nothing," Del Ponte told Blick, accusing members of the UN Security Council "of not wanting to establish justice".

"At first there was good and bad -- the opposition on the side of good and the government in the bad role," she said.

Today, "everyone in Syria is on the bad side. The (Bashar al) Assad government had perpetrated horrible crimes against humanity and used chemical weapons. And the opposition is now made up of extremists and terrorists".

She added that she had never seen such crimes committed elsewhere, not in the former Yugoslavia or Rwanda.

Del Ponte, known for her frankness, has repeatedly voiced frustration at the lack of accountability for the horrendous crimes committed in Syria and has slammed the UN Security Council for "doing nothing".

She and the commission have also repeatedly urged the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.
Bring General Rios Montt and other high-ranking members of the military to trial in the Guatemalan courts for genocide? In 1999 it was a noble dream for justice for the thousands of Mayan victims of the countrys civil war, and for the entire country, but one with little apparent possibility of ever coming true.

The UN-backed Guatemalan truth commission where I worked, the Historical Clarification Commission (CEH), had just released its findings that state forces had committed genocide in at least three regions of the country. The report vindicated human rights defenders and hundreds of Mayan communities who had for years denounced the wholesale slaughter of indigenous peoples and the razing of their villages during the early 1980s at the height of the war. It sent shock waves through the military and the elites who had supported the genocidal counterinsurgency effort.

But a trial? In the severely weakened and compromised Guatemalan justice system, which had tried only one case of an extrajudicial killing related to the conflict in over 30 years?

I was among the doubters on that front. By then I had spent some 20 years living and working in or on Guatemala, first on land issues and later with a stronger focus on human rights and redress for the victims of the war. In the 1990s, through my work with the CEH and REMHI, the Catholic Churchs project for the Recovery of Historical Memory, I heard testimony from hundreds of victims. Their vivid stories of atrocity, suffering, and the enormous efforts to rebuild their lives, told with great dignity and often with a certain sense of disbelief at their own survival, are still very present with me. They wanted the truth to be known and affirmed about the injustice and indignities that they had experienced. The right to truth for them was a clear form of justice.

At the same time, others began to build the case. The CEH's finding of genocide helped catalyze these efforts further. Over the next 14 years, dozens of people, mostly Guatemalan, worked diligently, taking tiny steps forward and overcoming many setbacks to bring the genocide case to trial in the most unlikely of settings. That determination combined with the growing skills of Guatemalan lawyers and human rights defenders; the emergence of a small and very courageous group of judges and prosecutors in a justice system slowly developing some degrees of independence; and above all the insistent demand for justice from the victims themselves led to the day in March 2013 when two generals  one a former head of state, the other the former head of military intelligence  came face-to-face with the court, and their victims, to stand trial for genocide.

The trial allowed the victims to be heard in public as they never had been before, and for a society to confront the truth about horrible events that they may have ignored or denied. It also brought to the fore Guatemalas very deep and persistent structural divides: fault lines that divide along axes of wealth, ethnicity, and power. In the end, in order to force the overturn of the conviction, the countrys elites laid themselves bare, in their exercise of their raw, unchecked power.

But perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself. In the in-depth narrative that follows, ICTJ's Marta Martinez tells this compelling story through the words and reflections of some of the main protagonists. The struggle for justice never comes down to one person. Its the result of a constellation of known and unknown people, whose relentless efforts and commitment over a long period of time finally align and make something extraordinary happen. This is a story of some of the stars that made up that constellation in Guatemala. On this International Justice Day, I hope you will find it as insightful and inspiring as I have!

This article was first published by ICTJ
Human Rights Watch said Tuesday Israel had stripped nearly 15,000 Palestinians from Jerusalem of their right to live in the city since 1967 and warned that it could be a "war crime."

"Israel claims to treat Jerusalem as a unified city, but the reality is effectively one set of rules for Jews and another for Palestinians," Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's Middle East director, said in a report.

Israel occupied east Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War in a move never recognised by the international community.

The more than 300,000 Palestinians there have permanent residency status but are not Israeli nationals.

While east Jerusalem residents are allowed to apply for citizenship, most do not as they view it as recognition of Israeli sovereignty.

Since 1967, 14,595 Palestinians have had their residence status revoked, effectively barring them from remaining in the city of their birth, the HRW report said citing interior ministry figures.

The majority of these revocations were due to spending periods of time out of the city, with Israel arguing their "centre of life" was not in Jerusalem.

"Residency revocations often effectively force Palestinians from east Jerusalem, who are protected by virtue of Israel's occupation under the Fourth Geneva Convention, to leave the territory they live in," the Human Rights Watch report said.

"Deportation or forced transfers of any part of the population of an occupied territory could amount to war crimes."

The Israeli interior ministry spokeswoman could not immediately be reached for comment.

The report comes two days after an Israeli court decided to strip an Israeli Arab, Alla Zayud, of his citizenship after he carried out an attack.

Zayud was convicted on four counts of attempted murder after driving a car into Israeli soldiers and stabbing civilians in October 2015. He was sentenced to 25 years in jail.

Israeli Arabs are full citizens of Israel and the Adalah rights group said it was the first ruling of its kind.

Omar Shakir, HRW's director for Israel and the Palestinian territories, told AFP the decision to revoke Zayud's nationality "would render him stateless, in violation of Israel's obligations under international human rights law."
Renewed clashes in the Central African Republic are early warning signs of genocide, the UN aid chief said Monday, calling for more troops and police to beef up the UN peacekeeping mission in the strife-torn country.

Some 180,000 people have been driven from their homes this year, bringing the total number of displaced in the Central African Republic to well over half a million, said Stephen O'Brien.

"The early warning signs of genocide are there," O'Brien told a UN meeting following his recent trip to the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"We must act now, not pare down the UN's effort, and pray we don't live to regret it."

O'Brien said it was time to authorize an increase in troops and police serving in the MINUSCA force to enable the mission to "deliver on its critical protection mandate."

UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix last week said he was considering sending a request to the UN Security Council for more troops for MINUSCA.

One of the world's poorest nations, CAR was pitched into a war between Muslim and Christian militias in 2013. It was unleashed when President Francois Bozize was overthrown by a coalition of Muslim-majority rebel groups called the Seleka.

They in turn were ousted by a military intervention led by former colonial ruler France. Those events sparked some of the bloodiest sectarian violence in the country's history as mainly Christian militias sought revenge.

Christians, who account for about 80 percent of the population, organized vigilante units dubbed "anti-balaka", a reference to the machetes used by the Muslim rebels.

The United Nations has 12,350 troops and police on the ground to help protect civilians and support the government of President Faustin-Archange Touadera, who was elected last year.

While Touadera's government remains in control in Bangui, its authority is weak outside of the capital where former Seleka groups and anti-balaka fighters have clashed.

Thirteen MINUSCA peacekeepers have been killed this year-- nine in the southern town of Bangassou alone -- raising alarm that the country is sliding back to the bloodletting that exploded in 2013 following the overthrow of Bozize.

O'Brien said he was horrified by a visit he made to a Catholic church in Bangassou where 2,000 Muslims took refuge three months ago, surrounded by anti-Balaka Christian fighters who are threatening to kill them.

"The risks are extremely high and we must focus properly on whether to relocate them to another site or not," he said.

Half of the country's population, or 2.4 million people, are in need of food aid to survive, the largest population in need per capita, he said.

The country is also home to half a million refugees.

"The risk of a relapse into another large-scale humanitarian crisis is imminent," said O'Brien.

The United Nations has received only 24 percent of the $497 million it has requested in a humanitarian appeal for the Central African Republic.
Witness reports of killings in the Central African Republic, some targeting aid workers, piled up Tuesday as the UN said it saw "early signs of a genocide" in the conflict-wracked nation.

At least 60 people have been killed in recent weeks in fighting between armed groups in Ngaoundaye and Batangafo in the north, Kaga-Bandoro in the centre and Alindao and Gambo to the south, witnesses have told AFP.

The fighting is largely between groups on opposing sides of the brutal conflict between Muslim and Christian militias that broke out in CAR in 2013 after President Francois Bozize was overthrown by a coalition of Muslim-majority rebel groups called the Seleka.

Groups on both sides are now fighting for control of natural resources -- including gold and diamonds -- and regional influence after a conflict that saw half a million people flee the country of 4.5 million.

At least three aid workers from the local branch of the Red Cross were among "several dozen" slaughtered at a health centre in Gambo in recent days, the humanitarian group's chief Antoine Mbao Bogo told AFP.

"Normally it's the Red Cross that gives the toll, because we bury the dead. But when you kill the Red Cross people, there's no one left to do it," he said.

The circumstances of the attack were still unclear, and it is difficult to confirm the nature of the casualties in a country where the state and army are virtually absent outside the capital Bangui.

Several sources said there had been clashes in Gambo between "self-defence" militias and the UPC, an armed Seleka faction.

Gambo lies 70 kilometres from the town of Bangassou, where nine peacekeepers have been killed since early May.

Twenty-four people including 14 civilians have meanwhile died in northwestern Batangafo in clashes from July 29 to August 2, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

Residences used by humanitarian organisations in Batangafo were plundered after the fighting, medical charity Doctors without Borders (MSF) told AFP.

The other deaths occurred in a southern village near Alindao where fighting on August 4 claimed about 10 lives and left seven others wounded, OCHA said.

Fighting in Ngaoundaye, near the borders with Cameroon and Chad, killed at least 10 others and forced around 7,000 people to flee the area, several sources told AFP.

- Genocide warning -

Alexandre Sarr, head of the UN refugees agency UNHCR in Meiganga across the border in Cameroon, said more than 6,800 people had arrived from CAR since July 10.

"Many are in poor health and many are malnourished children," he told AFP.

At a UN meeting in New York on Monday, OCHA chief Stephen O'Brien urged immediate action to contain the crisis in CAR before it's too late.

"The early warning signs of a genocide are there. We must act now, not pare down the UN's effort and pray we don't live to regret it," he said.

"It is all too clear to those on the ground: it is time to authorise an increase in troops and police personnel to enable MINUSCA to deliver on its critical protection mandate," he added, referring to the UN's peacekeeping force.

UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix last week said he was considering sending a request to the UN Security Council for more troops for MINUSCA, currently some 12,500 strong.

The Seleka were ousted following their overthrow of the president by a military intervention led by former colonial ruler France. Those events sparked some of the bloodiest sectarian violence in the country's history as mainly Christian vigilante groups sought revenge.

The government of President Faustin-Archange Touadera, who was elected last year, remains in control of Bangui but its authority is weak outside the capital, where deadly clashes continue between former Seleka rebels and Christian fighters.
This week was marked by the resignation of Swiss war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte from the UN commission investigating crimes in Syria.

This commission does absolutely nothing," explained Del Ponte, accusing UN Security Council members of not wanting to establish justice. Russia, ally of Damascus has ever since the commissions creation six years ago vetoed referring Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC), and Damascus has never authorized the Commission, which has produced numerous reports, to go to Syria. Believe me, I have never seen such horrible crimes as are being committed in Syria, added Del Ponte, who has also worked on Rwanda and former Yugoslavia.

Her resignation, announced by Swiss media on the margins of the film festival in Locarno in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland from which she hails, has been confirmed by the UN. It vowed at the same time that the work would continue as an important and integral part of the accountability process".

This spectacular resignation, in character for Del Ponte, shows the limits of this type of investigation commission, writes JusticeInfos editorial advisor Pierre Hazan. It is clear that the Commissions work documenting the Syrian peoples suffering has not provoked any reaction from the warring parties or from world powers to stop this endless tragedy, he says.

This commission nevertheless continues to document the crimes committed in Syria, and even if its work appears vain today, it could one day help bring those suspected of war crimes to justice.

Justice also appears to have failed in the Central African Republic (CAR), which is the subject of alarmist warnings. According to American NGO Enough Project, which has produced a report mapping 14 militia groups and four politico-military groups in the country, these groups have flourished, imposing a de facto partition and engaging in economic predation as part of their central strategy. A senior UN official meanwhile warned of possible genocide in the CAR. "The early warning signs of genocide are there," said UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O'Brien. "We must act now, not pare down the UN's effort, and pray we don't live to regret it."

It is true that recent clashes in the CAR have been increasingly marked by violence between Christian and Muslim communities, but genocide is a legal concept to be used with caution. Genocide is a precise concept, explains Didier Niewiadowski, jurist and former advisor to the French embassy in Bangui, in an interview with JusticeInfo. Is there currently a plan to systematically eliminate an ethnic or religious group, regardless of age or gender? The answer is no. On the other hand, we should be concerned about rising numbers of massacres of civilians in the extreme east and northwest of the country, which often have an inter-communal character. He nevertheless agrees with the UN that the risk of a national explosion has never been so high. But is the international community ready to listen to these warnings, take strong action against the armed groups and neighbouring countries supporting them, and pressure President Touaderas weak, corrupt government, to fulfil its role? For this to happen, Didier Niewadowski lists three things that are needed as a priority: real political will on the part of Central Africans to end the crisis, coordination between UN peacekeeping missions in central Africa, and an end to the impunity which is driving the crisis. This shows once again that for national reconciliation to work, a work of justice is required.
War crimes judges will Thursday hand down a landmark ruling on reparations for the razing of Timbuktu's fabled shrines, but the victims' fund which is to implement the order warned it will not be easy.

Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi was jailed for nine years in 2016 after he pleaded guilty to directing attacks on the UNESCO world heritage site during the jihadist takeover of northern Mali in 2012.

Judges ruled last September that Mahdi "supervised the destruction and gave instructions to the attackers" who used pickaxes and bulldozers to hack apart some of the city's most ancient landmarks.

Last month the judges announced they will hand down a decision on compensation for victims who suffered from the destruction of the ancient city's centuries-old shrines and mausoleums.

Mahdi's case was the first to focus on cultural destruction as a war crime before the Hague-based tribunal and the verdict was seen as a warning that destroying mankind's heritage will not go unpunished.

Whereas the judgement sent a strong message, an order for reparations "aims to alleviate the lasting imprints of these crimes," said Alina Balta, a researcher at Tilburg University's International Victimology Institute.

The International Criminal Court's order also "has the potential to bring hope to the victims of similar crimes committed in other parts of the world" including the destruction of Palmyra in Syria by the Islamic State group, Balta told AFP.

- 'Challenging security' -

According to the court's founding Rome Statute, judges can decide that victims are entitled to reparations including "restitution, compensation and rehabilitation."

The court can also hand out an order directly against a convicted person, demanding similar reparations.

It was not clear however what type of compensation the judges will decide on at Thursday's hearing.

But the Trust Fund for Victims which will implement the judges' order has warned that doing so will be difficult and may still take a considerable amount of time.

In a recent court filing the TFV asked judges to set a deadline for a draft implementation plan "at a minimum of six months."

The security situation in northern Mali "poses serious challenges not only to the implementation of any awards, but also the amount of time that the Trust Fund may need to consult with all the relevant stakeholders," the fund said in a submission to the judges.

Furthermore, it was hampered by the fact that many of Timbuktu's victims had been displaced and were currently not living in the ancient city.

The TFV also warned that victims' hopes for compensation should be "carefully managed" in order to avoid expectations that are "raised to an unrealistic level, which can lead to confusion, anger and resentment when they were not met.

The fund also noted concerns that "if financial compensation is made a central component of these reparations, it risks creating -- in the face of poverty -- an incentive for people in other towns to attack cultural heritage sites".

- Landmark award -

The reparations will only be the second such award in the history of the court since it began work in 2002.

In March, the ICC awarded symbolic damages of $250 to each of the 297 victims of former Congolese warlord Germain Katanga, who is serving 12 years for a 2003 attack on a village in the troubled Ituri province.

The court estimated the damage caused in the attack at $3.7 million, and found Katanga liable for $1 million of that total, while recognising he was penniless.

Founded between the fifth and 12th centuries by Tuareg tribes, Timbuktu has been dubbed "the city of 333 saints" for the number of Muslim sages buried there.

Revered as a centre of Islamic learning during its golden age in the 15th and 16th centuries, it was however considered idolatrous by the jihadists who swept across Mali's remote north in early 2012.

September's landmark verdict by the ICC was also the first arising out of the conflict in Mali, and the first time a jihadist had sat in the dock.
On July 26, Tunisias parliament adopted a law to fight violence against women, becoming the first Arab country to do so. This was the culmination of a long struggle by feminists, lasting more than 20 years.

MPs present in parliament that evening unanimously approved the new Organic Law on Elimination of Violence against Women. The laws adoption stirred emotions among most women MPs (72 out of a total 217), who launched cries of joy in parliament. Tunisia thus becomes the first Arab country and the 19th in the world to adopt legislation on fighting violence against women. The new law is in application of the Constitution, whose Article 46 says that the State must take all necessary measures to eradicate violence against women.

According to several lawyers, this law is important firstly because it incorporates international criteria and instruments to fight violence against women. It also draws on four pillars: prevention, protection of victims, providing care and punishing perpetrators.

This date will go down in history for Tunisian women, declared historian Dalenda Largueche, director general of CREDIF, a Tunisian centre for research and documentation on issues affecting women.

A special judge on violence against women

But it was a long struggle for this law to fight all forms of violence against women -- physical, sexual, psychological, economic and political. The law sanctions aggressors, aims to protect and provide reparations to victims, and gives the State responsibility to take care of them (housing, medical care, legal and psychological support). It also scraps Article 227 Bis of the Penal Code, dubbed the Article of shame, which provided for charges against suspected perpetrators of non-violent sexual acts with under -15s to be dropped if they married their victim. The law increases sanctions for various forms of domestic violence. It also sanctions sexual harassment in public places, the use of girls as domestic employees, and provides for sanctions against employers who deliberately discriminate against women on salaries. It say that special units should be created within the police, as well as a special judge to deal with cases of violence against women. Courts are to set up special areas to receive victims.

The resistance in parliament was strong, says Yosra Fraws, womens activist and representative of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) in Tunisia. Up to the last moment, we didnt know if the law would be passed. Yosra Fraws is one of the experts that helped push for this law, from its drafting by Tunisian lawyers three years ago to its parliamentary committee discussion in June and adoption by parliament.

Age of consent raised

One of the issues that provoked heated debate in parliament was violence based on gender. Some MPs from the Islamist party Ennahda, which has a majority in parliament, argued that including provisions on this would threaten family unity and legitimize homosexual marriage. Also, it was not easy to get the age of informed sexual consent raised from 13 to 16. But an incident last December caused a lot of reaction in Tunisia and may have pushed MPs to raise the age of consent: a young girl was married to her rapist, who got her pregnant when she was 13. The perpetrator of the rape claimed she had consented, and she did not deny it.

Thanks to lobbying from feminists and human rights organizations, who formed a civil Coalition against violence towards women, parliamentarians were finally convinced of the need for the new law. CREDIF also put in place a media strategy to the same end, targeting the media, political parties and opinion leaders in Tunisian society.

A 20-year struggle

During a conference at CREDIF on August 4, jurist and womens activist Hafida Chekir recalled the long battle that civil society has led these past 20 years in order to get this legislation.

It started in the early 1990s.The Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD) had just been founded, and many left-wing women joined. One of the first things it started working on was violence against women, which was rife in society.

We met a lot of resistance from the Interior Ministry and the various State structures under Ben Alis regime, Hafida Chekir recalled, especially when we tried to affix our posters in public places. The authorities kept saying: `These are isolated cases, you are exaggerating. Do not bother yourselves with this`.

The ATFD nevertheless opened a centre for women victims of violence, in 1993 it organized a seminar on the problem and the same year produced a book, which remained censored until 2008.

It is important to remember all these stages, so as not to forget the role played by civil society, says Hafida Chekir.

Continuing the push for equality between men and women which is written into the Constitution, President Beji Caied Essebsi on August 13 (Womens Day in Tunisia) launched a debate on equal inheritance rights. Despite all the progress made by Tunisian women, their inheritance rights are still only half those of men.
On Tuesday August 15, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a new arrest warrant for crimes committed in Libya. Mahmoud al- Werfalli, an ally of Libyan strongman General Khalifa Haftar, is suspected of war crimes for murders committed in 2016 and 2017 in Benghazi region, northeast Libya.

The alleged crimes were committed between 2016 and July 2017. Al-Werfalli is said to have murdered and ordered the murders of 33 prisoners who were civilians and disarmed combatants. ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda deemed that he should be brought to justice for his direct participation in seven separate rounds of executions, in which a total of 33 people were murdered in cold blood. The arrest warrant cites several videos, filmed and posted on Internet by troops of Major Al-Werfalli, which show him executing prisoners with a bullet to the head or giving the order to shoot. ICC judges said there was no information in the evidence which shows that they have been afforded a trial by a legitimate court".

After the death of Muammar Gaddafi in October 2011, Al-Werfalli decided to join the Al-Saiqa brigade, a former elite unit of the Gaddafi regime which broke ranks at the beginning of the rebellion in February 2011. Since 2014, these special forces have been allied to the Libyan National Army (LNA) of General Khalifa Haftar, a leading combatant against Islamist and Jihadist groups. After three years of fighting, General Haftars forces took back Benghazi in July, allowing him to confirm his domination over the east of the country. Haftar, who is supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, is considered a key player in the Wests attempts to solve the Libyan crisis, and this new victory puts him in a position of strength in negotiations with Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj. On July 25, 2017, France organized an inter-Libyan conference at the chateau de La Celle, in the presence of President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. The meeting ended with a ceasefire agreement between Fayez el-Sarraj and General Haftar.

Al-Werfalli promoted

In mid-July the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) complained to Haftar about abuses committed by Al-Werfalli, urging his suspension and the opening of an investigation. According to the online newspaper Libya Herald, Al-Werfalli had wanted to resign in May but was on promoted to Major by the commander of the Al Saiqa brigade, Wanis Bukhmada. Shortly after the UN denunciations in July, Al-Werfalli ordered the execution of 18 more prisoners. Kneeling in orange jumpsuits and black hoods with their hands tied behind their backs, the men were lined up in four rows and then executed on Major Al-Werfallis orders. Two other prisoners were executed the same day, as he gave orders. As he does so, two hooded men in camouflage, carrying firearms, walk forward, raise their weapons and shoot at the two kneeling persons, who fall on the ground, says the arrest warrant, describing the video. Another one shows Al-Werfalli shooting a victim, and saying: You have been misled by Satan. The Prosecutor has not yet identified all the victims, but two men imprisoned in a cage before their execution are said to be members of the Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries and of Ansar Al-Charia, which is close to Al-Qaeda. The Court deemed these crimes exceptionally cruel, dehumanizing and degrading". According to the judges, these acts rise above the level of isolated and sporadic acts of violence".

Prevention

Shortly after the arrest warrant was announced, Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda called for the immediate arrest of Mahmoud al-Werfalli, who, according to the judges, "is likely to continue to carry out crimes of similar gravity in the near future". Bensouda urged the Libyan authorities to arrest him immediately so that the judges of the Court can independently and impartially assess the evidence to determine his guilt or innocence. In the past, Libya has refused to transfer suspects to The Hague, saying that its own courts are able to try them. At the time, the Prosecutors office supported this position in the case of Abdullah El Senoussi. This former intelligence chief of Gaddafi was sentenced to death by Tripoli, after a trial fraught with irregularities and denounced by UN observers.

Fatou Bensouda also called on the international community to cooperate and assist Libya, as needed, to ensure the arrest and surrender of Mr al-Werfalli to the ICC without delay. Her message is also addressed to the UN Security Council, which referred crimes committed in Libya to the ICC in February 2011. In confirming the Prosecutors request for an arrest warrant against Mahmoud al-Werfalli, ICC judges stressed that the crimes committed in Benghazi in 2016 and 2017 are linked to the conflict that was referred to the Court by the UN Security Council. According to them, the Al-Saiqa brigade has been involved from the start in the revolution against Gaddafi. This can be seen as a signal to the Prosecutor that her investigations must remain linked to crimes at the root of the Libyan crisis, whereas in May this year Bensouda evoked the possibility of prosecuting perpetrators of crimes against migrants in Libya.
Officials insist that good governance is AIIB's hallmark. (Photo/AIIB)

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, AIIB, which officially opened on January 16, 2016, has in 18 months approved funding for 17 projects in Asia and Southeast Asia worth 2.8 billion US dollars. Amongst the 56 founding member nations were two from Africa - Egypt and South Africa. One of the bank's 12 members of the board of directors is Egyptian. Ethiopia, Madagascar and Sudan have since joined AIIB membership as the bank looks forward to receive more applications from African nations.

Receiving 27 African journalists on August 29 in the bank's headquarters in Beijing, China, the vice president, corporate secretary, Sir Danny Alexander, said member countries of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, ADB, were eligible to join AIIB. He said the new bank insists on three main criteria for financing projects such as compliance with good governance, environmental and social protection standards.

"AIIB will soon carry out its first investments in Africa with 11 solar power projects in Egypt," Sir Alexander noted. He added that apart from insisting that the projects it finances be submitted to transparent international tenders or procurement procedures, AIIB also monitors their implementation to ensure that they abide by its standards. Officials explained that only AIIB member nations are eligible for financing of projects, except otherwise decided by the board of directors.

"It is because of our high standards that we recently received Triple-A credit ratings from the three main agencies. As a result, we find it easy to co-finance projects with the World Bank and other multilateral finance agencies," Sir Alexander explained. "As an investment bank, we seek connectivity between countries and the wider world by mobilizing capital for infrastructure development," said Laurel Ostfield, AIIB head of communications and development.

Sir Danny Alexander said that though membership of AIIB was limited to member nations of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, recruitment of staff is open to nationals from every country. Meanwhile, the bank plans to launch its first bond issuance soon.

The AIIB is a new multilateral financial institution founded to bring countries together to address the daunting infrastructure needs across Asia. "By furthering interconnectivity and economic development in the region through advancements in infrastructure and other productive sectors, we can help stimulate growth and improve access to basic services," says the introductory statement on AIIB's website.

Officials insisted that as a bank that is eager to protect its image and high governance standards, AIIB has zero tolerance for corruption. The 56 countries that founded AIIB have since been joined by 24 others, bringing the total membership to 80. China is the largest shareholder, followed by India. U.K., France and Canada are also members. Asian countries retain 75 percent of the 100 billion US dollars AIIB subscribed capital while other non-Asian members keep the remaining 25 percent of shares.

Kimeng Hilton Ndukong, a contributor to People's Daily Online, is Sub-Editor for World News with Cameroon Tribune bilingual daily newspaper in Cameroon. He is currently a 2017 China-Africa Press Centre, CAPC fellow.
Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) handed down on Thursday August 17 their reparations order for the victims of Ahmed Al Mahdi. Al Mahdi, who has been convicted by the Court, pleaded guilty to war crimes for the destruction of nine mausoleums and the main gate of the Sidi Yahia mosque in Timbuktu during the occupation of northern Mali in 2012 by Jihadists of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI) and Ansar Eddine.

As well as telling of the crimes committed in Timbuktu in 2012, Al-Mahdis case before the ICC was especially about punishing those who destroy cultural heritage. During his trial a year ago, he admitted to supervising attacks on mausoleums in the city of 333 saints and the main gate of the Sidi Yahia mosque which, according to legend, would not be opened until the end of the world. Their destruction thus carries a message of terror and helplessness, declared the judges as they delivered the reparations order. It destroys part of humanitys shared memory and collective consciousness, and renders humanity unable to transmit its values and knowledge to future generations.

Ahmed Al Mahdi was ordered to pay 2.7 million Euros to his victims, but there is little chance that he will actually pay it. When he arrived in The Hague in September 2015 he was declared indigent and so his defence costs were covered by the Court. His situation is unlikely to improve in the coming years, his lawyers stressed during the procedures. Ahmed Al Mahdi has another seven years to serve in prison. So it is the ICCs Trust Fund for Victims that must fund the reparations. The judges nevertheless rejected a request from Al Mahdis lawyers that his debt be limited in time and he one day be freed from it.

Timbuktu, Mali and the international community

For the ICC, the victims are the inhabitants of Timbuktu, the people of Mali as a whole and the international community. The judges ordered that a symbolic Euro be paid to UNESCO, which, shortly following Jihadist occupation of the town in April 2012, declared the monuments  of which several are listed as world heritage -- protected heritage sites. After the Jihadists were chased out by French forces in 2013, UNESCO supervised identical reconstruction of the mausoleums. But for lawyer Mayombo Kassongo, representing the 137 victims, the spirits never returned to the mausoleums after their destruction, and so now the miracle no longer works. Thus the damage is irreparable, he deemed during the hearings.

The Trial Court listed three forms of damage: that related to the historic and religious edifices that were attacked; economic damage; and psychological damage. The Court admitted 137 victims and two organizations linked to the cultural heritage of Timbuktu, but judges also called for other victims to be identified, since the 137 did not reflect all the suffering experienced by this town of 7,000 inhabitants at the time of the crimes. The ICC ordered that collective reparations be made in the form of memorials and commemoration ceremonies. The judges also deemed that funds should be allocated to security and maintenances of the mausoleums. As a symbolic gesture, they ordered that the video of Al-Mahdis apologies to victims during his guilty plea at trial  considered genuine, categorical and empathetic  be posted on the ICC website. Following expert advice, the judges nevertheless rejected any reparations in the form of traditional justice, saying that while some saw this as a mechanism for reconciliation, others saw it as discriminating against women.

Some individual reparations

Individual reparations are to be made to victims who suffered economic damage. The exact nature of these reparations has not yet been decided, but they could take the form of support to economic activities or to the return of those still in exile. The Trust Fund for Victims is to present a report by February 2018. Individual reparations are also to be made to the descendants of people resting in the mausoleums, even if their tombs were not attacked, as Al-Mahdi affirmed during his trial before the Court. Only the buildings around them were destroyed, he said, because they represented for the Jihadists an idolatrous practice according to their reading of Islam. Al-Mahdi pleaded guilty because, he said, he thought the destruction of the mausoleums would be source of despair for the population and therefore unnecessary and risky, but he remained at heart in agreement with the decision of his boss Iyad Ag Ghaly, a Touareg from northern Mali and head of Ansar Eddine.

Limited charges

The Courts order has been hailed, but the Al-Mahdi case and justice for Timbuktu continue to draw criticism. In a statement, Moctar Mariko, president of the Malian Human Rights Association (AMDH), expressed regret that "the trial of Al-Mahdi before the ICC was limited to prosecuting the destruction of the cultural heritage of Timbuktu, failing to hold him to account for the other crimes against humanity which he and his men have nevertheless committed". The Association, which is a member of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), had filed a complaint against him in Bamako for crimes against humanity, for murders and rapes committed in 2012. The FIDH also draws attention to the trial of Aliou Mahamane Toure, former commissioner of the Islamic police of Gao, which is due to open on August 18 before the Criminal Court of Bamako, but says the charges of aggravated assaults brought against him do not reflect the war crimes that were committed. In The Hague, ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda is continuing investigations launched in January 2013 into crimes committed in Mali. Bensouda is to go to Bamako in September.
The week in transitional justice was marked by the International Criminal Courts decision on reparations to be paid following the 2012 destruction of mausoleums in Timbuktu, Mali.

The sum awarded ( 2.7 million Euros) is symbolic and the convict Ahmed Al Mahdi is indigent. But the International Criminal Court (ICC) intends to stress through this decision how serious is destruction of cultural and religious monuments, for victims and for the whole international community.

During his trial a year ago, Al Mahdi was found guilty of supervising attacks on nine mausoleums in the city of 333 saints during the occupation of northern Mali by Jihadists, as well as on the main gate of the Sidi Yahia mosque, which according to legend would not be opened until the end of the world. He was sentenced last September to nine years in prison. Judges delivering the reparations order said the destruction of these sites destroys part of humanitys shared memory and collective consciousness, and renders humanity unable to transmit its values and knowledge to future generations.

These mausoleums, which the inhabitants believe protect the town, have now been reconstructed by UNESCO. But according to victims lawyer Mayombo Kassongo, the spirits never returned to the mausoleums after their destruction, and so now the miracle no longer works.

Another criticism levelled at the Court is that it is making (too) much of cultural heritage whilst Jihadist war crimes against human beings have not been brought to trial and remain unpunished. Mali, which is still in a difficult and fragile transition, is trying to hold trials for these crimes. Thus the trial has opened in Bamako of Aliou Mahamar Toure, former commissioner of the Islamic police of Gao, but victims associations say transitional justice in Mali is too slow and too limited.

Libya and Tunisia

In another decision this week, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Mahmoud al Werfalli, an ally of Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar, for murders as war crimes committed in Benghazi region, northeast Libya, in 2016 and 2017. Libya is a priority for ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, who told the UN last November she would step up procedures against suspects involved in that countrys crisis, including one of Gaddafis sons, Saif Al Islam. But such action depends on cooperation from the many factions that hold power in Libya, which see the Court in terms of their own political interests. And it seems unlikely that Bensouda will open investigations into crimes against migrants as she had mooted.

Also this week, JusticeInfo looked at the recent law passed by Tunisias parliament to fight violence against women. This law, unique in the Arab world, is the culmination of a nearly 20-year battle by Tunisian feminists. But their fight is not over: Tunisian womens inheritance rights are still only half those of men. In his August 13 speech for Womens Day in Tunisia, President Beji Caied Essebsi launched a debate on equal inheritance rights for men and women in the country.
United Nations aid chief Stephen O'Brien told the Security Council Tuesday there are early signs of genocide in the violence-plagued Central African Republic, according to diplomats.

O'Brien made his remarks in a closed-door meeting -- which was not on the official council agenda and was called for by France -- following his recent visit to the country, one of the diplomats told AFP.

The aid chief's warning echoed what he said earlier this month, when he told a UN meeting "the early warning signs of genocide are there" and urged more troops and police to bolster the UN peacekeeping mission in the strife-torn country.

The United Nations maintains some 12,500 troops and police on the ground to help protect civilians and support the government of President Faustin-Archange Touadera, who was elected last year.

The number of displaced in CAR -- a country of 4.5 million people -- has soared to 600,000, O'Brien said according to the diplomat, who added the tally was 40 percent higher than last year.

The UN official also warned the council of violence targeting humanitarian actors on the ground, forcing them to drop many of their duties. Violence is spreading in the country, including in the region of Bangassou in the southeast, the same diplomatic source said.

One of the world's poorest nations, Central African Republic was pitched into a war between Muslim and Christian militias in 2013, unleashed when President Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by a coalition of Muslim-majority rebel groups called the Seleka.

They in turn were ousted by a military intervention led by France, which was followed by bloody reprisals by the mainly Christian anti-Balaka militia.

Groups on both sides are now fighting for control of natural resources, including gold and diamonds, as well as regional influence.

According to another diplomatic source, during Tuesday's exchanges some members of the council proposed a visit to gain better understanding of the situation.

At the beginning of August O'Brien told the UN "we must act now, not pare down the UN's effort, and pray we don't live to regret it."

On Tuesday, according to diplomats, he reaffirmed that the UN's request for $497 million to finance humanitarian aid this year to the country was far from being fulfilled.
Myanmar must scrap restrictions on movement and citizenship for its Rohingya minority if it wants to avoid fuelling extremism and bring peace to Rakhine state, a commission led by former UN chief Kofi Annan said Thursday.

Rights groups hailed the report as a milestone for the persecuted Rohingya community because the government of Aung San Suu Kyi has previously vowed to abide by its findings.

The western state, one of the country's poorest, has long been a sectarian tinderbox and mainly Buddhist Myanmar has faced growing international condemnation for its treatment of the Muslim Rohingya there.

Annan was appointed by Suu Kyi to head a year-long commission tasked with healing long-simmering divisions between the Rohingya and local Buddhists.

On Thursday it released a landmark report, warning that failure to implement its recommendations could lead to more extremism and violence.

"Unless current challenges are addressed promptly, further radicalisation within both communities is a real risk," the report said, describing the Rohingya as "the single biggest stateless community in the world".

"If the legitimate grievances of local populations are ignored, they will become more vulnerable to recruitment by extremists."

Among the key recommendations was ending all restrictions on movement imposed on the Rohingya and other communities in Rakhine, and shutting down refugee camps -- which hold more than hold more than 120,000 people in often miserable conditions.

It also called on Myanmar to review a controversial 1982 law that effectively bars some one million Rohingya from becoming citizens, to invest heavily in the region and to allow the media unfettered access there.

The commission's task became increasingly urgent after the army launched a bloody crackdown in the north of Rakhine following deadly October attacks on police border posts by a previously unknown Rohingya militant group.

More than 87,000 Rohingya have since fled to Bangladesh bringing with them stories of murder, mass rape and burned villages in what the UN says could constitute crimes against humanity.

The Annan commission's findings will put pressure on Suu Kyi's government to implement its calls for sweeping changes in Rakhine.

But she faces stiff opposition from Buddhist nationalists, who loathe the Rohingya and want them expelled.

Suu Kyi also has little control over Myanmar's powerful and notoriously abusive military.

Many in Myanmar view the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even though many can trace their lineage back generations.

Until October's attacks the Rohingya had largely avoided jihadist militancy or violence.

Rights groups welcomed the report, saying its recommendations tallied with what they had long argued for.

"These apartheid-like restrictions drive communities apart rather than together, eroding security and heightening the risk of mass killing," said Matthew Smith, from Fortify Rights.

Phil Robertson, from Human Rights Watch, said Suu Kyi's government faced a "key test".

"Myanmar needs to throw its full weight behind these recommendations, and especially not blink in dealing with the harder stuff," he said.
For more than three years, eastern Ukraine has suffered conflict. Amid the worlds many other humanitarian crises, in Syria, or in Yemen for example, it can be easy to forget Ukraine. But the UN estimates that 10,000 people have lost their lives here since 2014. Thousands of families are grieving, and many, like Yuliia and Olha, have been condemned to wait for years to find out exactly what happened to their loved ones.

These are our fathers, says Yuliia, taking a framed photograph off the shelf. This one is Olhas father, Serhii Uzakov, and this one here is my father, Volodymyr Bondarenko.

The two men disappeared almost three years ago.

It was November 27th 2014, remembers Yuliia. A group of armed men broke into our fathers farm. People who saw what happened told us they wore camouflage, and balaclavas. And they knew our fathers names.

In another village, close to the contact line, Elena waits desperately for any news of her daughter Yana.

On September 17th 2014 my daughter went missing, Elena explains. We do not know the circumstances. We have had no news of her since that day.

Elena and her parents are caught in an unbearable limbo of uncertainty, waiting to hear from their beloved daughter and granddaughter Yana. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, over one thousand five hundred people are still believed to be missing in Ukraine, although the exact number cannot be established with certainty. Until the missing are found, their families suffer.

The main need of the families is to know what happened to their loved ones, based on the right to know that they have, also enshrined in International Humanitarian Law, explains Mariana Chacon Lozano, who is Coordinator for the Missing File with the ICRC in Ukraine.

Then they also have emotional, psychosocial needs, she continues. Because of the heavy burden that the uncertainty represents. Just not knowing often isolates them from their community: they are not very willing to talk about these issues, so that is also something that we need to take into consideration. And they also have financial needs; often it is the case that the person who goes missing is the breadwinner.

The ICRC is a neutral and impartial intermediary, and it is working with all parties to the conflict to try to trace missing persons, and bring some certainty to their relatives. Tragically for many families, the long waiting often ends with news of the worst kind.

After almost three years of looking, Yuliia and Olha now know for sure that their fathers are dead, and they have at least been able to bury them. The end of uncertainty, and having a grave to visit, has brought them some relief.

I come here, says Olha. I imagine that I am talking to him. I ask him for guidance. Its as if we were talking on the phone: I call him and we just talk. And he answers, there is a sign of some kind; a bird sings, or the wind blows.

The ICRC continues its support for families of the missing even after the fate of a relative becomes known. As ICRC psychologist Victor Blinov explains, being able to talk about their feelings can help families to regain a purpose in life.

It helps them to start a normal life again, to continue, to move on in their own lives.

But, Victor adds, We are not talking about the healing of this trauma, healing of this loss  it's impossible.

Yanas mother and grandparents are still waiting. The familys grief and stress are compounded by the fact that it is not the first time they have had to mourn a missing loved one. Grandfather Aleksandrs father disappeared in Germany in the second world war.

We waited for our father, remembers Aleksandr. Our mother had three children. But our father never came back. Its as if he vanished into thin air; he has not returned to this day.

Aleksandr knows his father will now never come back. But Svetlana clings desperately to the hope that she will see her granddaughter again.

Please, if possible, help us find our child she says. Even the smallest piece of information about her.

Far from the front line, life in Ukraine may look normal at first glance, but for the families of the missing, it is anything but. Even if the conflict were to end, they will know no peace until they learn what has happened to their loved ones.

Facts and Figures

The ICRC has 640 open cases of people registered as missing in Ukraine. Work is ongoing trying to trace the missing, and to raise awareness with the authorities and the general public to ensure that information about the missing, and about unidentified remains, are shared.

The ICRC is providing psychosocial support to families of the missing in the Severodonetsk region of Ukraine.

Typical symptoms suffered by relatives of the missing are insomnia, nightmares, anxiety, and depression.

The ICRC has set up a cash assistance programme for 80 families of the missing in Ukraine: many suffer financial problems, because the missing relative was the chief income producer.
Below are key dates since post-election violence in Kenya in 2007-2008 left more than 1,100 people dead, the worst violence in the east African country since independence in 1963:

- 2007-2008: post election violence -

On December 27, 2007, outgoing president Mwai Kibaki is proclaimed winner again but his challenger Raila Odinga says the vote was rigged.

Clashes in the following weeks kill more than 1,100 people and force 600,000 from their homes, in a country that had previously been renowned for its stability.

The epicentre of the violence is the Rift Valley, pitting members of the Kalenjin and Luo ethnic communities, who mainly back Odinga, against the Kikuyu, to which Kibaki belongs.

On February 28, 2008 an internationally-brokered power-sharing agreement is signed under which Kibaki keeps his job and Odinga becomes prime minister.

In March 2010 the International Criminal Court (ICC) authorises the opening of a probe for crimes against humanity over the 2007-2008 violence.

In 2012 its judges confirm accusations against four Kenyans, including Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto.

- 2013: Uhuru Kenyatta in power -

On March 4, 2013, Kenyatta, the son of Kenya's first post-colonial leader Jomo Kenyatta, narrowly wins the first round of the presidential vote with Ruto as his running-mate.

On April 9, Kenyatta is sworn in in the presence of several African heads of state, but in the absence of western leaders. Ruto becomes vice president.

- 2014: First sitting president before the ICC -

On October 8, Kenyatta becomes the first sitting head of state to appear before the ICC. But on December 5, the Court drops its case against him, while denouncing intimidation of witnesses.

The ICC's proceedings against Ruto, also for crimes against humanity for the 2007-2008 violence, are dropped in April 2016 due to lack of evidence.

- 2015: Massacre at Garissa -

Kenya has been targeted by a spate of attacks since its military intervened in neighbouring Somalia in October 2011 to fight Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab militants.

On September 21, 2013, gunmen storm Nairobi's Westgate mall killing at least 67 people.

And on April 2, 2015 commandos attack the university at Garissa in eastern Kenya. They separate out Muslims and non-Muslims, killing the latter. In all, 148 people are killed, including 142 students. Shabaab claims responsibility.

- 2017: Violence mounts -

On July 22, 2017, a parliamentarian is arrested for inciting violence at a meeting attended by Odinga. He had already been charged in March for encouraging the invasion of land.

The region of Laikipia, which he represents, has seen periodic invasions of farms by herders seeking pasture for their livestock, against a background of drought.

On July 30, an attack takes place at the country home of Ruto, who is away. An attacker and a police officer die during a 20-hour siege. A day later a top official overseeing Kenya's electronic voting system is found dead, his body showing signs of torture.

Many observers express concerns over violence in the districts of Laikipia and Baringo, in the Rift Valley, which forces inhabitants to flee their homes.
Dallas, Texas, 08/29/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

Statutes of limitations put a limit on how long a person can be prosecuted for a crime. These time limits also exist in civil law. For example, the statute of limitations for suing someone over a breach of contract is generally 10 years. This ensures that people dont have to spend their lives constantly looking over the shoulder, anticipating a lawsuit over something that happened decades ago.

In the criminal context, statutes of limitations work the same way. In most cases, the clock starts running when the person commits a crime, however, there are some instances in which the clock is delayed.

If youre facing prosecution for a crime that happened a long time ago, its important to remember that statutes of limitations vary from state to state. There are also different statutes of limitations depending on whether youve been charged at the state or the federal level. If youve been charged with multiple crimes arising from the same incident, its even possible that the statute of limitations has expired for some crimes but not others.

What If the Statute of Limitations Has Run on My Crime?

If the statute of limitations has expired for the offense youre charged with, you have an affirmative defense against the charges. Under Texas law, the statute of limitations for misdemeanors is two years. For felonies, which are more serious crimes punishable by jail time, the statute of limitations varies, with many felonies carrying a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

If the statute of limitations has definitely passed, the prosecution cant pursue a case against you. However, there is a chance you may still face a civil lawsuit. This occurred in the sexual assault obligations brought against Bill Cosby. Although the statute of limitations for sexual assault had passed in the various states in which he was accused, some victims still pursued money damages against him in civil court. Media reports also state that some states have started to extend or even eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual assault in the wake of the Cosby case.

Crimes Without a Statute of Limitations

In certain cases, society considers some crimes so terrible that there is no time limit on prosecuting them. In Texas, for example, there is no statute of limitations for murder or manslaughter. Texas has also eliminated time limits for specific types of sexual assault.

The rules are different in other states. In Arizona and Colorado, for example, state law puts no time limits on crimes involving public funds or public records. In Colorado, there is no statute of limitations for the crime of treason. Other states have done away with statutes of limitations for crimes like kidnapping, arson, and violent offenses.

Contact a Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer About Your Case

If youre facing any type of criminal prosecution in Texas courts or federal court, its important to contact a Dallas criminal defense lawyer about your case.

Sources:

Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyer

http://www.brodenmickelsen.com/

Broden & Mickelsen, LLP

2600 State St Dallas, Texas 75204

Main Phone: (214) 720-9552

source: http://www.brodenmickelsen.com/blog/every-crime-statute-limitations/

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Photo Credit: Bahia Principe

There arent a lot of places on Earth like Jamaica. The island country is celebrated globally for its easy-going lifestyle, rich history and exceptional rumtheir national spirit of choice. As one of the Caribbeans most popular destinations for luxury travelers, resort living can be glorious when you can anchor your vacay at properties such as the all-inclusive Luxury Bahia Principe Runaway Bay. Located right outside of Ocho Rios and about 90 minutes from Montego Bay, the resort offers an adults-only atmosphere, loads of restaurants and bars, plus attentive butler service within their Don Pablo Collection. Their luxury services also include 24-hour room service, an evening turndown service, a lavender aroma oil that aids in relaxation and pillow menus to comfort even the most fastidious of sleepers. The property offers multiple tours and excursions to various landmarks, that youll definitely want to take advantage of during your stay.

Photo Credit: Shea Peters

Located near the Southern part of Jamaica in Santa Cruz, youll want to tour the islands most popular rum distillery, the eco-friendly Appleton Estate. This rum has a unique taste due to the limestone filtered water located on the property. Appletons manufacturing process is emission-free, thus preserving the beautiful countryside that Jamaica is known for. During the tour, if youre lucky, youll get a chance to meet Joy Spence, a former chemist and the rum industrys first female Master Blender. The touring portion of the distillery is currently undergoing a well-needed renovation and will reopen in November 2017a perfect time to visit Jamaica.

Photo Credit: Shea Peters

Jamaica is one of the brightest jewels in the Caribbean, with some of the most pristine beaches youll ever place your toes on. But what many dont take the time to discover about Jamaica is their mythical mountains. The Blue Mountains are the longest range in the country and they dominate the Eastern portion of the island. Spread over four parishes, this portion of the country produces what many consider the worlds best coffee. Blue Mountain Coffee is cultivated as high as 5,000 feet and is one of the highest priced coffees on the market. Jamaican government officials are attempting to legislate to have this region named as specific to their coffee as the Champagne and Cognac regions in France. Besides coffee tasting, the activities in the Blue Mountain region range from climbing to ziplining to bird watching, making it an ideal destination for naturalists, yogis and adventure seekers.

Photo Credit: Shea Peters

If youre continuing to look for off-beat tours, never forget that one of the richest and most storied pirate histories belongs to Jamaica. Their lost city of Port Royal served as the buccaneer headquarters of the Caribbean and both specially guided dive tours and walking tours are available. Located near the current capital of Kingston, Port Royal was famously known for its wealth, high crime and prostitution. This combination led to Port Royal being dubbed the most wicked and sinful city in the world. In addition to pirates, the infamous settlement was also home to many privateers including Captain Henry Morgan, the namesake of the popular rum brand. But it all changed in 1692 when much of the city, which was located on Kingston Harbour, was devastated by an earthquake. The Sodom of the New World also suffered a series of hurricanes and a great fire.

Photo Credit: Shea Peters

Today, much of the pirate-popular port remains remarkably intact under the sea. To explore it youll need a special license that must be applied for and approved before your arrival. Not far from the ruins, youll find the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston. While not a hidden gem, per se, its difficult to be so close to the birthplace of a musical legend and not lay your eyes on this special landmark.

Including a few simple tours into your luxury Jamaican getaway can not only enhance the experience, itll ensure you return home with a sense of the pride and love that all Jamaicans have for their beloved homeland.
Demonstrators protest against the deployment of THAAD, in front of the Defense Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 29, 2017. (Xinhua/Lee Sang-ho)
(Xinhua) 19:47, August 29, 2017

BEIJING, Aug. 29 -- Chinese colleges and universities admitted 100,000 students from rural and underdeveloped areas in 2017, a 9.3 percent increase from those in 2016, according to the Ministry of Education.

China has implemented favorable college entrance policies, including enrollment programs at national, regional and university levels, to enable more students from rural and poor areas to go to university.

In the national program, the requirements to be accepted at key colleges and universities, those affiliated to central ministries and provincial governments, have been lowered for students from impoverished counties.

The regional program helps students receive higher quality education in their own provinces and regions, while outstanding high school graduates from rural areas can be admitted to top-level universities under the Ministry of Education through the university-level program.

In 2017, nearly 64,000 students from poverty-stricken counties were enrolled in universities thanks to assistance from the national program.

The regional program admitted 16.2 percent more rural students than those in 2016 and an additional 9,500 exceptional rural students were accepted through the university-level program, the ministry said.

"Going to university is the best way for children from poor families to lift themselves out of poverty," said the principal of a high school in an impoverished county in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

"We need to improve the enrollment rate for rural students," said Xie Huanzhong, an official with the Ministry of Education.

In 2016, Chinese higher education institutions admitted 7.48 million students for undergraduate study, according to the ministry.
Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi meets with Patricia Espinosa, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary.[Photo: gov.cn]

China's leadership in tackling climate change has encouraged many countries to address the issue, a United Nations (UN) climate official said Monday.

"We have seen an emerging and growing leadership of China in terms of clean technologies, and different initiatives they have taken nationally in order to accelerate the transformation of the Chinese society," said Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Espinosa is on a three-day visit to China, her first to the country as a UN climate official.

She called China "one of the most important leaders" in tackling global climate change, noting that the country has made positive efforts in line with its green development concept, which the UN very much welcomes.

"China has translated it into actions, which is no doubt a source of inspiration for other countries," she told Xinhua.

China has made headway in cutting emissions and fighting climate change in recent years. Last year, the country cut its carbon intensity, the measure of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP, by 6.6 percent, surpassing its goal of 3.9 percent.

The government has promised to reduce its carbon intensity by 18 percent, and to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to 15 percent, by 2020 from 2016.

China also signed the Paris Agreement in April 2016, giving a strong push to international efforts against global warming.

The 23rd UN Climate Change Conference is to be held in Bonn, Germany from Nov. 6 to 17, defining the guideline for the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Espinosa expressed regret over the U.S. intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, but said it is encouraging that other national authorities have ambitious climate goals.

She said she hopes to discuss China's successes and concerns in its climate action with the country's leaders during her visit.
Egypt's navy has foiled illegal emigration attempts by 230 individuals over the past two weeks, Egypt's military spokesman said in a statement on Tuesday.

Spokesman Tamer El-Refai said the navy was able to thwart multiple attempts during the period from 10 to 26 August.

The attempts were made by people of various nationalities, the statement said.

El-Refai also announced the seizure by Egypt's border guards of weapons and ammunition of various types, as well as 3,500 kg of narcotics.

Large numbers of people seek to migrate illegally from Egypt each year, often travelling first to Libya and then onward to Europe across the Mediterranean. Human-trafficking gangs operate from Libya, charging migrants large sums of money to make the perilous journey.

Those seeking to travel to Egypt include both refugees and economic migrants seeking work and better living conditions. Hundreds have been arrested in Egypt for attempting to migrate illegally.

Cairo has increasingly focused on the migration issue in recent years, working with European nations to tackle the problem.

Following a migrant boat disaster in September 2016 that killed hundreds of people, a law was passed criminalizing unauthorized migration and human trafficking.

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El-Kholy is accused of accepting bribes in return for protecting businessmen from having their illegally-constructed properties demolished and paying related fines

Egypts general prosecutor ordered on Tuesday the detention of Alexandrias Deputy Governor Soad El-Kholy and four businessmen for four days pending investigations into several corruption charges including bribery.

El-Khouly, the first woman to be appointed to such a position, was arrested on Sunday at the governorate headquarters and is accused of receiving over EGP 1 million in bribes from businessmen, who have also been arrested.

She is accused of accepting bribes in return for protecting businessmen from having their illegally-constructed properties demolished and paying related fines.

In 2015, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail appointed El-Kholy as the acting governor of Alexandria following the resignation of the former governor Hany El-Mesery, who stepped down after flooding in Alexandria caused by heavy rains.

El-Kholy became deputy governor after the appointment of Mohamed Sultan as governor to succeed El-Mesery.

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LEXINGTON  A Gretna man accused of driving drunk and causing the death of his passenger in an October accident on Interstate 80 at the Lexington interchange has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the incident.

According to court records, Elijah Helms, 20, pleaded guilty in Dawson County District Court Friday to motor vehicular homicide-driving under the influence of alcohol, a Class IIA felony; and one count of DUI-causing serious bodily injury, a Class IIIA felony.

Additional charges were dropped in a plea deal. Those charges included a second DUI-causing serious bodily injury charge; DUI-first offense, a Class W misdemeanor; and driving under suspension, a Class III misdemeanor.

The charges stem from an Oct. 29 motor vehicle accident that killed Helms passenger Lexa Douglas, 19, of Omaha. Court records say that at 4:50 p.m., Helms was driving west on I-80 when his vehicle left the road, crossed the median and entered the eastbound lanes. His vehicle struck an eastbound vehicle driven by Carol Collette, 67, of Grand Forks, N.D.

Douglas was pronounced dead at the scene, court record say. Helms; Collette; a passenger in Collettes vehicle, Norma Knapp; and two more passengers in Helms vehicle were transported to hospitals in Lexington, Kearney, Lincoln and Omaha.

The Nebraska State Patrol conducted a search of Helms vehicle a month after the accident, court records say, and collected data from the vehicles air bag control module, which indicated an alleged speed of 88 mph just before the collision.

The State Patrol also subpoenaed Helms medical records from Lexington Regional Health Center and CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney. Helms blood alcohol content was allegedly .138 at 5:21 p.m. at Lexington Regional Health Center and .09 at 6:38 p.m. at CHI Good Sam, court records say. The legal limit to drive in Nebraska is .08.

Helms sentencing is set for Oct. 16. If not placed on probation, Helms faces up to 20 years in prison on a Class IIA felony conviction and up to three years in prison on a Class IIIA felony conviction.

@erikadpritchard
KEARNEY  A Kearney woman accused of theft from Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska has pleaded no contest to a charge stemming from the crime.

According to court records, Bobbi Jo Tavenner, 44, pleaded no contest in Buffalo County District Court Monday to attempted felony, a Class IIIA felony. A person making a no-contest plea neither admits nor denies guilt, but the plea is treated the same as a guilty plea.

Tavenners charge was reduced in a plea deal from theft of more than $5,000, a Class IIA felony.

The charge stems from when Tavenner was the staff accountant at Mid-Nebraska. Its management alleges that since April 2011 there have been discrepancies between the amount of money received from rental properties and recorded at the front desk and the amount of money deposited in its bank account, court records say.

As staff accountant, Tavenner was allegedly responsible for logging the amount of money that comes into Community Action Partnership, court records say. When Tavenner is not the employee who prepares the deposits, court records say, money allegedly has not been missing.

There were no discrepancies found prior to Tavenners employment, which started in September 2010, court records say. The total discrepancies since April 2011 were $22,933.

As part of Tavenners plea deal, Buffalo County Deputy Attorney Melanie Young said Tavenner has agreed to pay back the full amount, though it is beyond the statute of limitations of three years.

Tavenners sentencing is set for Oct. 20.

If not placed on probation, she faces up to three years in prison.

However, Young said, If she (Tavenner) qualifies for probation, we wont object to that, but we will still be asking for some jail time as well.

@erikadpritchard
LOOMIS  While its the beginning of a new semester, its also the start of new opportunities for students at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The Kearney Law Opportunities Program will give students who are passionate about law a head start on a career.

UNK freshman Brooke Rademacher, 18, of Loomis was selected to participate in the first-year program.

Partnering with Nebraska College of Law in Lincoln, Kearney Law Opportunities Program pays for full tuition up to 125 hours and guarantees a spot in law school following graduation.

Im superexcited to be a participant of the KLOP because its fun being one of the first students that gets to experiment it, Rademacher said.

She will major in political science at UNK and then plans on going to Lincoln to receive her law degree. Rademacher has an interest in family law but is excited to explore all of the other pathways UNK has to offer.

I love helping people in any way I can. I believe through law I will be able to help defend others when they cant defend themselves, she said. Pursuing a career in law would give me the opportunity to apply all that I am passionate about.

To be selected into this program, students must be admitted to UNK, be a resident of rural Nebraska, have a minimum high school GPA of 3.5, have an ACT score of 27 or higher and had demonstrated a strong academic achievement in high school.

Rademacher and four others from rural communities were selected for the program.

I think that this program has already benefited me in many ways. I have been able to meet some really amazing people, including the other students that are in it, she said. I will get so many chances to learn about law school before I even get there, and I think that is super awesome.

With the number of attorneys in rural Nebraska decreasing each year, this new program at UNK recruits students as young as freshmen and gives students aspiring to become lawyers added opportunities.

Rademacher plans on returning to her supportive and encouraging rural community when she becomes an attorney.

I love the small-town feeling where no matter where you go, you will run into someone you know. My experiences with rural Nebraska has shaped me into the person I am today and I want to be able to work and live in or around the community I grew up in, she said. Its always been such a supportive and fun place to live and thats what makes me want to always come back.

While she has a support system through the community and the program, Rademacher, the youngest of four girls, also receives support through her family.

Being the youngest Ive been able to watch my sisters grow and learn. I have a support system who is always pushing me to be a better me, Rademacher said.

Rademacher is excited and nervous to begin her freshman year as a college student, but said she is excited to get involved In camps and learn with others in her subject area.

She is the daughter of Meredith Lindstrom and Shawn Rademacher.
LANCASTER, Pa.  Allen Dean Hough, 82, of Pennsylvania died Sunday, Aug. 26, 2017.

A memorial service will be after visitation, which is from 9-10 a.m. Friday at Grace Baptist Church in Lancaster.

DeBord Snyder Funeral Home & Crematory in Lancaster is in charge of arrangements.

He was born Oct. 19, 1934, in Lexington, Neb.



He is survived by his wife, Natalie; three children; 14 grandchildren; brother, Dale; and many nieces and nephews.

Dean was a loving husband of 51 years, a wonderful father and grandfather, and a kindred spirit with everyone he encountered. He was a world traveler, which led him to meeting his wife while in Japan.

Dean worked as a librarian at the West Point Military Academy for 19 years and in Heidelberg, Germany, for 10. He was happiest when he was spending time with his family, especially his grandkids.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Grace Baptist Church, 1899 Marietta Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603 or to Mennonite Home Communities.

Visit www.DeBordSnyder.com to leave an online condolence.
Public notice requirements are inscribed in Nebraska statutes. Good government is the reason why. Notices ensure Nebraskans an opportunity to track whats happening in the assorted governmental entities that serve them, including city hall and county courthouse.

Notices also are an invitation to participate in government by attending important public meetings.

It is essential that the people in charge of government are open and accountable because so many areas of our lives are touched by what they do  or dont do. Public notices  published in newspapers  are an integral part of good government.

Citizens responsibility and right to keep watch over government seems so undeniable, yet its not in some states.

Shrinking budgets in California prompted the governor to declare that no governing entities had to pay for their notices in newspapers.

In recent years, Indiana air quality officials decided to no longer publish meeting notices. In their rush to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, federal officials didnt publish notices calling for bids on emergency shelters. As a result, they bought units that were prohibitively expensive and, in some cases, built with toxic materials. Will similar public notice mistakes return to haunt recovery efforts for Hurricane Harvey? They could, if officials place a low priority on open government, believe that nobodys watching or cares, and that they can get away with being less careful, less honest, and less open.

Nebraskans have mostly been spared from attempts to remove public notices from newspapers. Thats because our officials understand that public notices invite participation. People want to know when theres a rezoning request pending on an empty lot down the street, or how government spending might affect taxes. These issues and many others have a direct effect on their lives.

Printed notices are a key tool for accountability and participation  despite some officials claims that, when budgets are tight, traditional notices are too expensive.
The Tunisian Marine Forces have detained a number of Egyptian fishermen off the coast of Sfax for illegal fishing in Tunisia's territorial waters, the Tunisian Ministry of National Defence said in a statement on Monday.

Ibrahim Said, the boat's mechanic, who is in detention along with the rest of the crew, told Ahram Online that 16 Egyptian fishermen from Rashid and Kafr El-Sheikh were on board.

The boat's captain, Youssef Mohamed Hassan El-Shazly, set sail 10 days ago from Egypt's Mediterranean city of Rashid, according to Said, who added that all the fishermen on board are unharmed.

In October 2016, the crew of another boat was detained for illegal fishing in Tunisian territorial waters.

The captain of that boat, Abdel-Salam Bahnasy, who is still in Tunisia, says he expects to return to Egypt along with another fisherman within one week, after paying a fine of $22,000.

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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.

Omaha World-Herald
The book "Pushing the Limits" is shown on a desk in a Toronto area school on Monday Aug. 28, 2017. The key to ensuring our kids are prepared for the unpredictable world that awaits is to make sure today's schools allow them to take risks, try new things and learn how to adapt to change, says educator Nancy Steinhauer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ives
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

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Egypt's Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Wali has announced that pensions will be available at ATMs starting 1 September for the six million citizens who hold pension credit cards, who represent 79 percent of pensioners in Egypt, state news agency MENA reported.

Many pensioners had asked that the payments be disbursed before the Eid holiday  which starts 31 September  though the ministry had said this would violate the law regulating pensions, which states that pension payments are not to be disbursed before the end of each month.

The Eid holiday falls on a different date each year as it is determined by the Islamic lunar calendar.

The pension payments will be available at all ATMs belonging national banks, which amount to over 8,000 ATMs nationwide, MENA added.

The minister added that direct cash payments will also be available at post and social insurance offices starting 3 September.

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The construction site of the hydroelectric facility at Muskrat Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador is seen on July 14, 2015. The former head of Newfoundland and Labrador's public utility board is warning British Columbia's utilities commission not to be distracted by sunk costs or potential jobs as it reviews whether the Site C hydroelectric project should go ahead.David Vardy has sent a list of 16 recommendations to B.C.'s rates regulator based on lessons learned through what he describes as the disastrous experience of Muskrat Falls, a multibillion-dollar hydroelectric dam being built in Labrador.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Former Quebec premier Pauline Marois speaks during an interview with The Canadian Press in Montreal, Thursday, August 24, 2017. As the fifth anniversary of Quebec's election shooting approaches, Marois says she has forgiven the man who murdered a lighting technician that night and who was also intent on killing her.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Sameh Shoukry met with his Romanian counterpart Teodor Melescanu in Bucharest on Tuesday for wide-ranging talks, marking the final stage of the Egyptian minister's European tour

Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry met with his Romanian counterpart Teodor Melescanu in the Romanian capital Bucharest on Tuesday, signing three memorandums of understanding between the two nations, ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said in a statement.

Among the agreements is a mutual exemption from entry-visa requirements for diplomatic and important missions. Another agreement established a mechanism of political consultation between the two countries, while the third established cooperation protocol between the ministries of tourism.

Shoukry is also set to deliver a letter from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to Romanias President Klaus Iohannis.

Shoukry and Melescanu engaged in wide-ranging discussions on Tuesday, said Abu Zeid.

Among the topics considered was means of boosting bilateral cooperation, especially regarding joint projects and programs within the framework of Egyptian-Romanian Committee for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

The fields cooperative activity include small- and medium-size enterprises, agriculture and water resources.

Shoukry and Melescanu also discussed the situation in the Middle East, with Shoukry explaining Egypt's views on Libya, Syria, Yemen and Iraq, as well as the Israel-Palestine peace process.

Discussion also covered Egyptian efforts on the issues of counter-terrorism and illegal migration into European Union.

Melescanu stressed on the significance of his country's relations with Egypt, which represents a priority for Romania.

He said Romania is keen to develop strong relations with Egypt as a significant economic partner in the region.

Shoukry's visit coincides with celebration of 110 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Romania. It is the first visit by an Egyptian foreign minister since 2010.

Bucharest is the third and last stop on Shoukry's European tour, which started on Sunday in Berlin, where he met German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel.

The second stop was in the Belarussian capital Minsk, where he delivered a letter from El-Sisi to President Alexander Lukashenka, and held meetings with both ministers of trade and foreign affairs on Monday.

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Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that a recently signed memorandum of understanding between Egypt and Germany on irregular migration will focus on targeting the "root of the problem."

The agreement will focus on providing job opportunities for the youth, with Germany to provide 28 million euros for education and technical training in Egypt.

Egypt has agreed to provide opportunities for the German private sector in the Egyptian market, especially in SMEs.

Germany will also increase grants and visas for Egyptian students and businessmen.

The agreement also states that Germany would forgive some of Egypt's debt to the European country in return for Egypt adopting programmes to improve technical education in the country.

The agreement also says that Egypt will make an effort to "re-integrate" Egyptian migrants who illegally migrated to Germany and choose to return to Egypt voluntarily.

Germany has agreed to provide support for improving infrastructure where refugees live in Egypt, as the country has no refugee camps within its borders.

Germany will also provide financial support to help Egypt secure its borders and fight irregular migration and human trafficking.

Egypt's north coast is often a departure point for migrants heading for Europe.

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The origins of Veterans Day Throughout the year, we have a few different observances for those who have served our country. We have Memorial Day to celebrate those who gave...

Spindle Items .. PLANNING YOUR TRIP  For those of you who are planning to visit Universal Studios this winter, you may want to know that Universal...

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A Giza criminal court has sentenced four defendants to death after they were convicted for murder after setting a fire at a restaurant in Gizas Agouza district that killed 17 people in 2015.

The verdict has been referred to Egypt's Grand Mufti for his non-binding opinion as per Egypts penal code.

In December 2015, the defendants hurled Molotov cocktails into the Al-Sayyad restaurant and bar over a dispute they had with employees.

Investigations revealed that the emergency exit door was chained shut, contributing to the high death toll, according to the prosecution.

Following their arrest, the suspects told police that they had been denied entry to the restaurant by security guards the night before the attack, and had launched the assault in retaliation.

All the victims were employees at the club.

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Egypt expressed on Tuesday its worry over the "escalation in the Korean Peninsula" hours after North Korea fired a ballistic missile that passed over northern Japans Hokkaido Island before landing in the sea.

Egypt's foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid stressed the importance of defusing the crisis in the Korean Peninsula, adding that the current situation represents a threat to the security and stability of the region.

"It is necessary to suspend all actions that aim to increase tensions and escalate the crisis," the statement said, stressing the importance of committing to the resolutions of the United Nation's (UN) Security Council.

The UN's Security Council will meet on Tuesday to discuss this latest action by North Korea, according to Reuters.

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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and his Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis exchanged invitations to visit their respective countries in an effort to bolster ties, Egypt's foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

The invitations were relayed through Egypt's foreign minister Sameh Shoukry, who concluded on Tuesday a visit to the Romanian capital Bucharest, where he spoke with President Iohannis.

Shoukry presented Iohannis with a letter from El-Sisi inviting him "to visit Egypt at the earliest opportunity."

During the talks, Shoukry asserted that Egypt looks forward to "boosting historic ties with Romania," and that Cairo relies on Romania's support as it pushes ahead with tough economic reforms, saying Bucharest is one of its key alleys in the European Union.

The Romanian president invited El-Sisi to attend a presidential gathering on protecting youths against terrorism, which Romania is holding in September on the sidelines of a United Nations General Assembly meeting.

Shoukry and Iohannis discussed regional issues including the crises in Syria and Libya and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, as well as Egypt's counterterrorism efforts.

Bucharest is the third and last stop on Shoukry's European tour, which started on Sunday in Berlin, where he met German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel.

The second stop was in the Belarussian capital Minsk, where Shoukry delivered a letter from El-Sisi to President Alexander Lukashenka, and met on Monday with the country's ministers of trade and foreign affairs.

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A local councillor who has been to the fore in challenging animal cruelty and the practice of sulky racing in Kilkenny has now collected over 17,000 signatures in his petition calling for the proper regulation of horse-drawn vehicles on our roads.

Cllr Andrew McGuinness has also finally received a response from one of two Government ministers he wrote to regarding the matter, inviting both to Kilkenny and calling for something to be done to prevent loss of life and injury to animals and road users.

Im very much encouraged by the overwhelming response to the online petition, said the Fianna Fail councillor.

It is my intention to keep this going until the Dail resumes at the end of September. At that stage, I will deliver the petition on behalf of all who signed it, by hand to both Ministers in Leinster House. The more signatures we have, the stronger the message.

Cllr McGuinness has also written to both Minister Michael Creed and Minister Shane Ross requesting they either visit Kilkenny to hear first hand the stories of animal abuse, or allow him to lead a delegation to meet them in Dublin. While one of them has written back, there has not been much talk on legislation.

So far, I have only received a response from Minister Creed and to be fair, it was a detailed response and he did agree to allow officials from his Department to meet with me, says Cllr McGuinness.

He also stated that if we had any proposals ourselves, that he would happily have them examined by the Department.

Cllr McGuinness has raised the issue of Department funding and funding committments to local authorities relating to education programmes and horse projects where there may be some initial surrender of animals.

"While I am disappointed that the Ministers response does not include a national plan to legislate horse drawn vehicles and ban sulky racing on our roads, I am happy the channels of communication are now open and at least one Minster seems to be listening, he said.

I do believe it will take a lot of public and political pressure to get the results we are striving for, but I am 100% committed to this campaign and I have no intentions of easing off until we see positive results. Lets keep the campaign going and have our message heard loud and clear."
In a diplomatic icebreaker between political foes, tens of thousands of Muslim faithful from Iran have flocked to Saudi Arabia for the annual hajj pilgrimage to Islam's holiest sites.

This week's hajj marks Iran's return after their absence last year following a massive stampede in 2015 that killed around 2,300 people, including 464 Iranians.

The tragedy sparked bitter recrimination from Tehran over the kingdom's custodianship of the sites in Mecca and Medina, western Saudi Arabia.

For the first time in nearly three decades, Iranian pilgrims were barred from the hajj last year, after several rounds of negotiations between the two Gulf heavyweights failed to overcome political and procedural differences.

Adding a further obstacle, the Sunni kingdom cut all ties with Shia Iran in January 2016 after its diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad were torched by protesters angered by Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shia figure.

But under a deal struck in March, about 86,000 Iranians have now arrived in Saudi Arabia for the hajj, joining two million Muslims from across the globe in converging on Mecca.

"I'm happy to see so many Iranians here... Political issues shouldn't interfere in a religious duty, especially the hajj," Abbas Ali, a 54-year-old Iranian, said Monday at Jeddah airport that is the main entry point for pilgrims.

"It's very difficult to describe my feelings. We shouldn't stop coming here because all of us are Muslims," the newly-arrived "haji" from Zahedan in eastern Iran told AFP.

The breakthrough came after several months of negotiations during which the two countries traded accusations of obstructing an agreement.

Tehran and Riyadh stand on opposing sides in several regional disputes, including the conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, as well as this year's Gulf diplomatic crisis between Qatar and a Saudi-led Arab bloc.

The pilgrimage now seems to be acting as an icebreaker between the two powers.

In the absence of diplomatic relations and with its missions in Iran closed, Saudi Arabia agreed to issue electronic visas for Iranian pilgrims.

Saudi Arabia has also allowed Iran's national carrier Iran Air to fly in most of the Islamic republic's pilgrims, while some were transported by the kingdom's carrier.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said last week that visas have been issued for diplomats from the two countries to visit and inspect each other's empty embassies and consulates.

"We are waiting for final measures to be taken so diplomats from both countries can visit," he said. "This will probably happen after the hajj."

Iran has set up temporary consulates in the kingdom to assist its pilgrims, and it has instructed them to avoid "arguments" with Saudi staff at airports and pilgrimage sites.

"We have tried to separate the bilateral relations between the two countries from the pilgrimage," a former Iranian culture minister, Seyed-Reza Salehi Amiri, said last month.

The hajj, which starts this year on Wednesday, is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith, which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in a lifetime if he or she has the means to do so.

*The story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Clear skies. Much cooler. Low around 35F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Much cooler. Low around 35F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
I dont think that the recent market rumblings are signaling the onset of a bear market. But stocks are richly priced, and were overdue for at least a 10% plunge in share prices, which typically occurs once or twice a year, shaking investors confidence.

Particularly if the eight-year bull market has pushed your allocation to stocks higher than you intended, this could be an ideal time to reduce risk. We suggest here three first-rate exchange-traded funds and one mutual fund that let you ratchet down risk without making the mistake of dumping all your stocks.

These low-volatility funds let you profit from the stock markets good times without getting creamed in the bad times. Make no mistake, when the market tumbles, theyll go down, too. But numerous academic studies have shown that stocks with lower volatility or standard deviationsmeaning they jump around less than the market does and dont stray too far from their average prices over timehave provided better risk-adjusted returns than more-volatile stocks.

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Low-volatility funds will almost certainly lag in bull markets, but theyre engineered to lose less than their benchmark indexes in bear markets. That means theyll probably trail riskier funds over the long term, says Alex Bryan, an ETF analyst at Morningstar.

Perhaps most important: Because these ETFs offer smoother rides, theyre a lot easier to hold on to during the markets inevitable meltdowns. If you define risk as underperforming the market, you dont want these strategies, Bryan says. But if you define risk as losing money, low volatility is better.

Low-volatility funds almost always load up on traditionally defensive sectors such as consumer staples, health care and utilities. In the current bull market, these sectors have been bid up above their historical average valuations, according to Research Affiliates, an investment firm in Newport Beach, Calif. Nevertheless, its hard to imagine a bear market in which they dont hold up better than more economically sensitive sectors. But to be on the safe side, Ive selected funds that limit sector overweights and underweights to no more than five percentage points above or below the allocation of the benchmark index.

The following are four favorites of Bryans and mine. All come from Blackrock, the giant firm that sponsors iShares, or Vanguard. While humans write and continually tweak the computer programs that select the stocks for the funds, these are all quasi-index strategies. (All returns are through August 25.)

iShares Edge MSCI Minimum Volatility USA ETF (symbol USMV (opens in new tab), $49.94) returned an annualized 13.6% over the past five years, trailing Standard & Poors 500-stock index by a mere 0.4 percentage point per year. It accomplished that with 10% less volatility than the benchmark. We havent had a bear market since the funds inception, but over the past five years, in months in which the broad market went down, the fund declined only 60% as much as the market. The ETF favors stocks with relatively stable cash flows. Expenses are 0.15% annually.

iShares Edge MSCI Minimum Volatility EAFE ETF (EFAV (opens in new tab), $70.65) applies the same approach to foreign developed stocks, charging 0.20% annually. The ETF was 20% less volatile than the MSCI All-Country World ex-USA index over the past five years. In months when the index fell, the ETF lost just half of what the index did. Because foreign stocks overall were in the doldrums during most of that five-year stretch, the ETF topped the index by an average of 1.9 percentage points annually. It returned an annualized 9.0% in the past five years.

iShares Edge MSCI Minimum Volatility Emerging Markets ETF (EEMV (opens in new tab), $58.05) invests in emerging markets and charges 0.25% annually. It was 20% less volatile than the MSCI Emerging Markets index over the past five years. In months when the index lost ground, the ETF fell 78% as much as the benchmark. It returned only an annualized 3.1% during the five-year period, an average of 1.8 percentage points per year less than the index. True to form, this low-volatility choice lagged the broader benchmark as emerging markets began to rally in 2016. Look for the ETF to do relatively better during sell-offs, as it did in 20132015.

Vanguard Global Minimum Fund (VMVFX (opens in new tab)) gives you the entire low-volatility world in one package. This mutual fund has been around only three-and-a-half years, but returns to date are impressive. Over the past three years, the fund returned an annualized 9.8%, an average of 1.9 percentage points per year better than its benchmark, the FTSE Global All Cap Total Return index. In months when the index declined, the fund lost just 31% of what the index did. Returns through most of that period were helped by the funds policy of hedging all foreign-currency exposure. The fund currently has just over half of its assets in the U.S.

Global Minimum has a couple of wrinkles. Its constructed primarily by studying how individual stocks interact with others to produce a low-volatility portfolio. Managers are allowed to delay buying or selling when there are changes in index holdings, which often translates into better prices for the fund. Like the iShares ETFs above, the fund limits overweights and underweights in sectors and countries to five percentage points above or below the levels in the index. It currently has a five-percentage-point overweight in health care. Expenses are 0.25% for the Investor shares and 0.17% for the Admiral shares, which require a $50,000 minimum.

I dont view these funds as core holdings for any but the most risk-averse investors. But taking 10% or 20% from one of your more aggressive stock funds and adding it to one or two of these funds could help your investments produce solid returns while cutting your risk.

Steven Goldberg (opens in new tab) is an investment adviser in the Washington, D.C., area.
CHICAGO, Aug 28 (Reuters) - The Chicago Board of Education approved on Monday a $5.75 billion fiscal 2018 budget, which assumes nearly $570 million in uncertain funding, and also a plan to issue up to $1.9 billion of debt.

The Chicago Public Schools' (CPS) budget for the fiscal year that began on July 1 counts on an additional $300 million from Illinois under a new statewide education funding formula that the House and Senate are scheduled to vote on this week. It also includes $269 million in new city dollars that have not been identified. "It's a difficult budget," Frank Clark, the board's president, said at the board meeting, adding that the cash-strapped district could receive as much as $450 million under the new formula.

Escalating pension payments have led to drained reserves, debt dependency and junk credit ratings for CPS, the nation's third-largest public school system.

Clark expressed optimism that a tentative funding formula deal announced by state legislative leaders last week will be approved. Illinois stopped the flow of $6.7 billion in state aid to its 852 school districts because a distribution mechanism is not in place. Payments to the CPS teachers' retirement system are expected to climb from $784 million in fiscal 2018 to $889 million in fiscal 2022, according to a CPS budget presentation.

The board approved $1.55 billion of tax anticipation notes CPS needs to fund operations between biannual property tax collections. Borrowing costs for the fiscal 2018 notes are expected to rise to about $79 million versus $35 million for the same amounts of notes borrowed in the previous fiscal year, according to the district's budget documents. A refunding of up to $385 million of high-interest, variable-rate general obligation bonds issued in 2011, 2013 and 2015 was also approved by the board.

Ahead of the budget vote, the spending plan received a failing grade from the Civic Federation, a Chicago-based government finance watchdog.

The group pointed to a reliance on uncertain revenue and costly short- and long-term borrowing as the main reasons for its opposition to the budget, which it said fails to divert CPS "from its dismal fiscal trajectory."

Moody's Investors Service put the district's B3 rating under review last month for a possible downgrade into the highly speculative Caa level, citing financial stress due to late or uncertain state funding.

(Reporting by Karen Pierog in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
(Corrects headline to Hong Kong tech startup instead of U.S. tech startup, adds "headquartered in Hong Kong" to first paragraph)

By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss

NEW YORK, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Veridium Labs, an environmental technology startup headquartered in Hong Kong, said on Monday it hopes to raise $150 million in October by selling two types of tokens backed by forest carbon offset credits and other credits used to fund environmental mitigation efforts.

Proceeds will be used to build a platform to enable trading of assets backed by natural capital, Todd Lemons, Veridium's chief executive officer, told Reuters in an interview last week. Natural capital, including air, water, forests, and minerals, is an untapped and undervalued asset class that academics from several U.S. universities have estimated is worth more than $120 trillion.

Environmental credits are already traded, but Lemons said Veridium Labs aims to make pricing more transparent. He said the lack of a standard way to measure the price of natural capital makes it hard for companies to account for those costs.

Veridium's planned token sale will use blockchain technology, a digital ledger of transactions that has underpinned the first digital currency bitcoin. The mechanism has grown popular in the financial technology sector, and Veridium Labs is one of many corporations using blockchain to track other types of assets across industries.

Veridium will issue two types of tokens. VERIDIUM membership tokens will grant access to the trading platform while TGR tokens represent actual environmental mitigation credits, Lemons said.

Currently, corporations planning to develop wilderness areas or other projects that might cause harm to the environment often purchase environmental mitigation credits from land banking companies such as Infinite Earth, a firm funded by EnVision Corp, the company behind Veridium Labs. The credits generate funds to help preserve endangered species and forests or reduce carbon emissions.

Some companies purchase the credits voluntarily. Other credits, such as wetland or stream credits, are required by regulators such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Lemons said pension funds and investment firms are the biggest drivers of environmental mitigation credits, as they try to ensure the companies they invest in are socially responsible.

"These environmental mitigation credits can be bought over the counter, but they're not liquid," said Lemons. "You cannot mark them to market like any other asset. So it's difficult to include them in the company's books."

He said that once a trading platform is provided, these environmental credits will create their own market value.

VERIDIUM membership tokens will be issued during the crowdsale, Lemons said. One hundred Veridium tokens will be given for every TGR token bought by an investor, he added.

There will be 15 million "TGR" tokens at the initial offering, backed by so-caled "REDD+" forest carbon offset credits. A carbon offset credit reduces carbon dioxide emissions and includes projects such as planting trees or preserving forests.

The forest carbon credits are issued by Infinite Earth and backed by natural assets from the Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve in Borneo, Indonesia. Infinite Earth currently holds a 60-year lease on the Indonesian biodiversity reserve.

(Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; Editing by David Gregorio)
TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired a missile early on Tuesday that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific waters off the northern region of Hokkaido, South Korea and Japan said, in a sharp escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula.

The last North Korean projectile to fly over Japan was in 2009. The United States, Japan and South Korea considered that launch to have been a ballistic missile test while North Korea said it was a rocket carrying a communications satellite into orbit.

South Koreas military said the latest missile was launched from the Sunan region near the North Korean capital Pyongyang just before 6 a.m. (2100 GMT Monday) and flew 2,700 km (1,678 miles), reaching the altitude of about 550 km.

Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the North Korean missile fell into the sea 1,180 km (733 miles) east of the Cape of Erimo on Hokkaido.

It is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat to our nation, Suga told a briefing, adding the government had protested the move in the strongest terms.

Suga said the launch was a clear violation of United Nations resolutions and Japan will work closely with the United States, South Korea and other concerned nations on a response, he said.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported the missile broke into three pieces and fell into the waters off Hokkaido.

The Japanese governments J-Alert warning system advised people in the area to take precautions.

The Japanese military did not attempt to shoot down the missile, which passed over Japanese territory around 6:06 a.m. time (2106 GMT).

The Pentagon confirmed the missile flew over Japan but did not pose a threat to North America and said it was gathering further information.

The launch marks a sharp escalation in tensions over Pyongyang's pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles in defiance of U.N. sanctions.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un earlier this month threatened to fire missiles into the sea near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam and U.S. President Donald Trump warned Pyongyang would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States.

Reporting by Jack Kim and Soyoung Kim in Seoul and William Mallard, Malcolm Foster and Linda Sieg in Tokyo, Idrees Ali and Matt Spetalnick in Washington; Editing by Lincoln Feast
(Adds details, quote)

By Jake Spring

BRASILIA, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Brazil's government will revise a decree that opened up a vast mineral reserve in the Amazon rainforest to mining, ministers told journalists on Monday, responding to overwhelming criticism from lawmakers and activists.

Mining and Energy Minister Fernando Coelho Filho said the government would rescind its prior decree and issue a new one that still abolishes the mineral reserve but specifies existing protections for parts of the area that will remain in place.

The changes, as described, will be largely superficial, spelling out protections that would have remained in place anyway, and Coelho Filho largely repeated remarks he made on from Friday defending the move to allow mining. The revision shows the government scrambling to respond to criticism, including threats of legal action and an effort to overturn the decree in Congress, with a stream of news conferences and statements since Renca was abolished last week.

The National Reserve of Copper and Associates (Renca) banned mining in roughly 17,800 square miles (46,000 square km) of Amazon rainforest, an area larger than Denmark. It was set up in 1984 by the then military government to reserve its mineral resources for future extraction rather to protect the forest.

Coelho Filho dismissed media reports that the decree was first discussed with foreign mining companies before it was announced in Brazil. He said the policy had been discussed well before he told a Canadian mining conference about it last year.

Environment Minister Jose Sarney Filho, speaking alongside Coelho Filho, said his ministry had not been involved in the initial decree because it was mainly a mining matter.

"We understood that this decree had to do with the mining sector. However, our big worry was that the mining reserve was confused with conservation units (nature reserves)," he said.

According to a 2010 government report, 69 percent of the Renca area in Amapa state, where roughly half the protected territory lies, is subject to other types of protections for conservation units or indigenous areas.

(Additional reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Editing by G Crosse and Alistair Bell)
(Updates to close)

Aug 29 (Reuters) - Australian shares lost ground for the third session on Tuesday, tracking falls in regional equity markets as tensions escalated on the Korean peninsula after North Korea fired a missile over northern Japan.

The losses were led by financials, pressuring the S&P/ASX 200 index down 0.7 percent, or 40.892 points, to 5669 at the close. The benchmark fell 0.6 percent on Monday.

The selloff was triggered by North Korea firing a ballistic missile over Japan's northern Hokkaido island into the sea earlier on Tuesday, sharply escalating tensions in the region. The latest act of provocation by North Korea comes only weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in a war of words with Pyongyang, which had threatened to fire missiles at Guam, a U.S. held Pacific island.

The financial index extended its fall, closing lower for a fifth consecutive session as the big four banks lost roughly between 1.2 percent and 1.3 percent.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia slumped to a nine-month low, extending losses after the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) on Monday said it would establish an inquiry into the bank, following its alleged breaches of money-laundering and counter-terrorism finance rules. Healthcare stocks also weighed on the market; the sector's index ended 0.9 percent lower with CSL Ltd down 1.1 percent.

The materials Index pared most of its losses on the back of a rise in base metal prices. Gold miner Newcrest Mining Ltd rose 2.2 percent, while Northern Star Resources Ltd gained 3 percent as gold prices rose for a third day. New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index fell 1.1 percent, or 88.53 points, to finish the session at a two week low of 7,738.34.

The telecommunication sector was the biggest drag on the index as Chorus Ltd lost 7.7 percent to end at a five-month low after it reported weak annual results on Monday that missed analysts' estimates. Index heavyweight Fletcher Building Ltd and Telecommunications service provider Spark New Zealand Ltd lost 2.6 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively.

(Reporting by Nicole Pinto in Bengaluru; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
TORONTO, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Canada sold C$750 million of its ultra-long bond, the first reopening since November 2014, at a median yield of 2.197 percent, the Bank of Canada said after an auction on Tuesday. The value of bids submitted by distributors of government securities for the 2.75 percent bond, which matures on Dec. 1, 2064, was C$2,039,240,000, while C$4.25 billion was outstanding after the auction. Details on Bank of Canada webpage: (Reporting by Fergal Smith)

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.
* TSX down 62.34 points, or 0.41 percent, to 14,989.69

* Eight of the TSX's 10 main groups were down

TORONTO, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell on Tuesday in tandem with global markets rattled by fresh tensions over North Korea after the reclusive state fired a ballistic missile over northern Japan into the sea.

The test is one of the most provocative ever from North Korea and came as U.S. and South Korean forces conduct annual military drills in the region. U.S. President Donald Trump warned that "all options are on the table" after the missile test. Canada's top banks had the biggest impact on the index's declines, with Bank of Montreal sliding 2.0 percent to C$90.56, and Bank of Nova Scotia declining 0.6 percent to C$76.73. The retreat came even as both banks reported third- quarter profit that beat forecasts. The overall financial services sector gave up 0.7 percent.

Energy stocks were also a big drag on the index, falling 0.8 percent, hurt by lower oil prices which extended Monday's declines on concerns over rising crude inventories due to the fallout from Harvey, a hurricane downgraded to a tropical storm.

Enbridge Inc was down 1.1 percent to C$49.33, while Encana Corp was down 1.3 percent to C$11.12.

Thirteen percent of U.S. refining capacity was shut down after Harvey tore through the heart of the country's petroleum industry.

U.S. crude prices fell 1.0 percent to $46.12 a barrel. At 10:29 a.m. ET (1429 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index fell 62.34 points, or 0.41 percent, to 14,989.69.

Of the index's 10 main groups, materials and healthcare were the only sectors that made gains.

The materials sector rose 0.7 percent, helped by gold mining stocks that benefited from investors fleeing riskier assets toward safe-haven bullion, which jumped to its highest level since November. Gold futures rose 1.1 percent to $1,323.8 an ounce.

Agnico Eagle Mines increased 2.5 percent to C$63.56, and Barrick Gold Corp was up 1.0 percent to C$22.26.

Prometic Life Sciences was another bright spot, soaring 23.3 percent to C$1.48 after it said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted the company a rare pediatric disease designation for its plasminogen replacement therapy. Overall, declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the TSX by 152 to 88, for a 1.73-to-1 ratio on the downside.

(Reporting by Solarina Ho; Editing by W Simon)
Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday said Germany could "not stay silent" on EU fears about the rule of law in neighbouring Poland, calling it a "serious issue".

Poland on Monday rejected EU concerns that the rightwing government's controversial court reforms, which have sparked street protests, will erode judicial independence in the former communist state.

Merkel said: "as much as I want good relations with Poland, our neighbour ... we cannot stay silent and say nothing just to keep the peace" while stressing that the rule of law was "the basis for cooperation within the EU".

Search Keywords:

Short link:


SHANGHAI, Aug 29 (Reuters) - China's Ministry of Finance said on Tuesday it sold 600 billion yuan ($90.90 billion) of special treasury bonds.

It sold 200 billion yuan of special sovereign bonds in 10-year tenor at 3.62 percent, and another 400 billion yuan of 7-year tenor at 3.6 percent, according to a statement published on its website.

The central bank is expected to buy all the bonds on the same day from the lender, as stated by People's Bank of China last week. The special bonds sold on Tuesday were a roll-over of 600 billion yuan worth of government bonds due on Aug. 29, which was used to help set up the country's sovereign wealth fund - China Investment Corp - about 10 years ago.

($1 = 6.6006 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Winni Zhou and John Ruwitch; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
PARIS, Aug 29 (Reuters) - The rouble exchange rate should be "pretty stable" at current levels for the rest of the year after temporary factors affecting it in the first half have worn off, Russia's economy minister Maxim Oreshkin said on Tuesday.

"Those levels we see currently are reasonable," said Oreshkin, who was speaking in Paris after a meeting at the French employers' federation.

Oreshkin also reiterated that Russia was still looking at the possible sale of a stake in state shipping company Sovcomflot this year. (Reporting by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)
COPENHAGEN, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Denmark's right-leaning government said it aimed to cut the world's highest rates of personal taxation to encourage people to work more and to prolong an economic upswing.

The government aims to lower taxes and levies on wages, cars, household services and pensions by 23 billion Danish crowns ($3.7 billion) per year gradually towards 2025, it said.

"With this proposal we address a number of challenges," finance minister Kristian Jensen said in a statement.

"We increase the benefit of getting into a job, we make it more attractive to spend more time in the job, and we ensure that it makes better sense to save up to retirement," Jensen said.

Danes pay the world's highest tax revenue as a percentage of GDP, 46.6 percent, according to the OECD's most recently updated figures from 2015.

Lars Lokke Rasmussen's tri-party government holds 53 seats in parliament and needs the support from powerful ally Danish People's Party (DF) and its 37 seats to secure the 90 seats needed to pass the proposals.

A robust performance from the Danish economy has highlighted the need for reforms to avoid labour shortages. ($1 = 6.1902 Danish crowns)

(Reporting by Teis Jensen and Erik Matzen; Editing by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen/Keith Weir)
By Nate Raymond

Aug 29 (Reuters) - An administrative judge on Tuesday ruled that a former Standard & Poor's executive should be censured but not barred from the industry for negligently failing to disclose to investors a change in how commercial mortgage-backed securities were rated.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had accused Barbara Duka, the former head of S&P's commercial mortgage-backed securities group, of committing fraud by not disclosing the 2011 change in order to help her employer generate business.

But SEC Administrative Law Judge James Grimes rejected claims by the agency's enforcement division that she engaged in fraud, saying the "devil is in the details."

"Although it is clear that Duka sought to, and did, change S&P's methodology, there is no evidence she did so for a commercial purpose or any reason other than the belief that the change was analytically justified," he wrote.

Grimes said she instead was merely negligent in failing to ensure that the methodological change was disclosed in reports distributed to investors.

Grimes declined to follow the enforcement division's request that he bar Duka from associating with a ratings organization and penalize her $150,000, instead imposing only a censure and a $7,500 penalty.

The SEC declined to comment.

Guy Petrillo, Duka's lawyer, said in a statement the SEC's fraud claim was one "that was never supported and that should never have been brought."

"Barbara always acted in the utmost good faith while employed by S&P," he said.

The SEC filed its administrative case against Duka in 2015 as the regulator and two state attorneys general announced a $77 million settlement with S&P, then a unit of McGraw-Hill Financial Inc and now part of S&P Global Inc . The case came after Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Citigroup Inc were forced in 2011 to pull a $1.5 billion commercial mortgage-backed securities offering after S&P informed them of an internal review of its ratings.

Before being charged, Duka filed a lawsuit against the SEC challenging its authority to pursue enforcement cases in-house, rather than in federal court.

The case was one of several where defendants objected to the SEC's use of in-house courts, saying the appointment of the presiding judges and hurdles that can make it impossible for the president to remove them are unconstitutional.

A federal judge in 2015 issued an order blocking the SEC from moving forward with its case. But a federal appeals court vacated that injunction in June 2016, allowing the case to go to trial later that year.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston, editing by G Crosse)
Aug 29 (Reuters) - July retail sales data (percent change from a year earlier):

2017

July June May April March Feb Jan Value 4.0 0.1 0.4 0.1 3.0 -5.8 -1.0 Volume 4.6 0.5^ 0.6 -0.1 2.6 -6.2 -1.4 ^ Revised

CONTEXT:

-- In the three months ended July, the volume of sales rose by 1.3 percent, seasonally adjusted, from the preceding three months.

COMMENTARY:

A government spokesman indicated that retail sales accelerated visibly in July, marking the fastest year-on-year growth since February 2015. The pick-up is sales was underpinned by robust local demand and further improvement in inbound tourism.

Local consumer sentiment is expected to remain positive, buoyed by favourable job and income conditions. Nonetheless, the near-term performance of retail sales would also depend on inbound tourism amid various external uncertainties. The government will monitor the situation closely.

LINK:

-- To view details of retail sales data, check the Hong Kong government website: (Reporting by Twinnie Siu in HONG KONG; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
Aug 29 (Reuters) - Hong Kong stocks, along with those on major global markets, fell on Tuesday after North Korea fired a missile over Japan, escalating geo-political tensions.

The benchmark Hang Seng index slid 0.4 percent, to 27,765.01, while the China Enterprises Index also lost 0.4 percent, to 11,296.08 points.

North Korea fired a missile early on Tuesday that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific about 1,180 km (735 miles) off Hokkaido. The test was seen as one of the most provocative ever from the reclusive state. Most Asian share markets dropped on Tuesday after the missile launch, though the Shanghai benchmark inched up.

In Hong Kong, most sectors fell, with IT and financial shares leading the decline.

However, Hong Kong-listed Chinese real estate shares bucked the trend, with property giant China Evergrande Group jumping over 12 percent after it pledged to slash debt by 2020. (Reporting by the Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Richard Borsuk)
* Both NSE, BSE indexes down about 0.7 pct

* N.Korea missile attack hurt investor sentiment - analyst

* Power producer NTPC top loser

By Krishna V Kurup

Aug 29 (Reuters) - Indian shares fell on Tuesday and were set to snap four consecutive sessions of gains as the firing of a missile over Japan by North Korea rattled investors, while the expiry of local derivatives contracts this week also hit sentiment.

In a sharp escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula, North Korea fired a missile early on Tuesday that flew over Japan and landed in Pacific waters about 1,180 kilometres (735 miles) off the northern region of Hokkaido. Asian share markets tumbled, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan down 0.6 percent. The missile firing added to the unease in Indian markets that were already cautious ahead of the monthly derivatives contracts expiry on Thursday.

"Early negativity from Asian markets over North Korea followed through to the domestic market," said Anand James, chief market strategist with Geojit Financial Services.

"Investors are also booking profits after Nifty tested 9,900 levels on Monday while there is some volatility ahead of the expiry," he added.

The broader NSE index was down 0.7 percent at 9,841.50 as of 0637 GMT, while the benchmark BSE index also eased 0.7 percent at 31,521.05.

Power producer NTPC Ltd was the biggest loser on both the indexes. The stock declined over 4 percent after the Indian government said it would sell a 5 percent stake in the company with an option to sell 5 percent more through a two-day stock market auction in a potential $2.2 billion deal. Meanwhile, shares in Infosys Ltd fell 1 percent on profit-booking after having risen nearly 8 percent in the last four sessions.

The stock had gained more than 3 percent in the previous session, with co-founder Nandan Nilekani returning as chairman after the shock resignation of chief executive Vishal Sikka last week. Shares in ACC Ltd , Bank of Baroda and Tata Power Co Ltd dropped after their exclusion from the NSE index. Meanwhile, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd surged 7.7 percent on reports that renewable energy firm Greenko is in talks to buy the company's electricity business in Mumbai. (Reporting by Krishna V Kurup in Bengaluru; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)
* Saudi, Kuwait likely to monitor any success of switch

* Iran likely to follow Saudi, Kuwait moves

* UAE seeks to reform retroactive pricing

By Rania El Gamal and Florence Tan

DUBAI/SINGAPORE, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Gulf OPEC members Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are unlikely to follow Iraq in a major shift in the way it prices its oil in Asia and will monitor Baghdad's attempts to squeeze more dollars from its reform, industry sources said.

Last week, Iraq's state-oil firm SOMO began consultations with traders on its plans to switch to the Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME) for its Asian oil pricing from Platts' quotes, which Baghdad and neighbouring Middle Eastern producers Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iran have used for decades. The move throws down the gauntlet on setting prices for more than 12 million barrels per day of Middle East crude in Asia, challenging the role of the world's top exporter Saudi Arabia. Smaller producers have traditionally followed its pricing.

The switch by OPEC's second-largest producer, aimed at boosting revenues from oil exports at a time of low prices, follows years of talks with the DME, which has also held consultations with Saudi oil giant Aramco, according to Gulf industry sources.

But Aramco is unlikely to switch from Platts any time soon.

"DME needs to show it's a reliable price discovery exchange," one industry source said. A second source said Aramco's move to the DME was not on the cards for now.

Aramco said it does not comment on rumour or speculation.

Iraq's move is pending consultations with its customers, industry sources said. It has asked customers for feedback on the plan by Aug. 31, and some refiners may push back against the proposal, the sources said.

If successful, the switch will take place in January 2018.

Platts, which dominates pricing of physical oil, is not expected sit idle.

"Our pricing is well understood and widely accepted. We are confident that we can fend off competition," said a Platts source who did not want to be named.

Traders who support the shift to DME - a joint-venture between the CME Group, and the governments of Oman and Dubai - say it is easier to register and trade on the exchange than Platts which has stricter criteria.

Industry sources said Gulf OPEC member Kuwait was unlikely to change its Asian pricing before Riyadh makes any move.

Middle East oil producers have for decades referenced Saudi Arabia's official crude prices (OSPs) when setting their own monthly crude selling prices. Saudi Arabia's OSPs set the trend for Iranian, Kuwaiti and Iraqi prices.

OPEC No. 3 producer Iran will also keep an eye on its peers' moves, an industry source familiar with Iranian thinking said.

"Any change in Iran's pricing system depends on a full study and also changes in pricing systems in major crude oil producers such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait," the source said.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) may consider a switch, industry sources said, although DME was not necessarily its only choice.

ADNOC uses a retroactive pricing mechanism and may need to shift to proactive pricing instead as it aims to become more competitive and commercially focused company.

(Editing by Susan Thomas)
ATHENS, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Mytilineos has won about $40 million in compensation from Serbia over a past deal with the country's copper miner RTB Bor, resolving a major dispute, the Greek industrial group said on Tuesday.

A Geneva-based international arbitral tribunal ruled that Serbia had breached its obligations to Greece and Mytilineos under an international treaty by taking a series of legislative measures from 2004 to 2012 which granted RTB Bor immunity from enforcement under the pretext of restructuring which never occurred, Mytilineos said.

The tribunal ruled that Serbia indirectly expropriated Mytilineos's investment without compensation and frustrated its legitimate and reasonable expectations as an investor to be afforded fair and equitable treatment by the Serbian state, it said.

Under a 1996 trading deal, RTB Bor, controlled by the Serbian state, made payments to Mytilineos in cash and metal but started to miss payments in 2004, while the Serbian government also prohibited the payments without its prior approval, Mytilineos said in a statement.

Mytilineos has had to write off millions of euros for RTB Bor's payment arrears, the statement said.

The ruling was issued last week, a spokesman for Mytilineos said.

Mytilineos raised 300 million euros ($361.86 million) through a five-year bond in June and concluded a merger of its metallurgical, energy construction, power and natural gas activities in July, two months ahead of schedule. ($1 = 0.8290 euros)

(Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou. Editing by Jane Merriman)
Editor's Note: Kitco readers, have your say! Check out our newest feature  KITCO CHAT!  where you can share your comments and ask questions directly to us.

(Kitco News) - Although gold prices rose on news that North Korea fired another missile, one analyst says its rally depends on what President Donald Trump does next.

The North Korean provocation this morning fits the bill for the sort of catalyst that can drive gold and silver prices higher. But even so, much depends on what follows, wrote Markos Kaminis, founder of the Wall Street Greek newsletter, in a post Tuesday morning.

Whether the U.S. engages North Korea directly or not will determine whether the U.S. dollar is perceived by the market to be in any sort of danger.

Gold prices have been closely following the U.S. dollar. Prior to the North Korea news, the metal rallied to multi-month highs as the greenback weakened. The latest geopolitical news helped push safe-haven gold even higher, hitting highs last seen following the U.S. election. December Comex gold last traded at $1,319.60 an ounce, up 0.33% on the day.

However, Kaminis highlighted that some safe-haven rallies tend to be short-lived in gold and to some extent, silver.

Why do some geopolitical events seem to matter more for gold and silver than other events then? he questioned.

The litmus test is whether the geopolitical event is perceived by the market to be a threat to America, to the U.S. economy or to the U.S. dollar, he explained.

On Tuesday, Trump made a statement suggesting all options are on the table when it comes to dealing with the North Korea situation.

The world has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," he said.

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table."

Kaminis noted that if the U.S. engages in some military provocation, gold and silver prices will break significantly higher in the short-term. However, if Trumps administration simply responds with further sanctions, the metals should cool off.

The problem is that the North Korea issue is not going away, and seems to be getting worse with this unprecedented provocation of its neighbor and our important ally and global economy cornerstone in Japan, Kaminis said.

Earlier this month, the former Standard & Poors equity analyst was tilted more on the bearish side when it came to gold, warning investors that prices would likely trend lower as the Federal Reserve looks to raise rates.

Dear gold speculators, be wary of misreading the Fed here. It is still tightening monetary policy, and possibly faster than you think, he wrote nearly two weeks ago.

As the economy grows at a more rapid rate, corporate earnings will likewise accelerate. Gold will lose its luster in that case as well, as it will no longer be seen as needed by many for its safe haven draw. Capital flows, in other words, will not serve it.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that there was "no alternative" to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal which has been repeatedly criticised by US President Donald Trump.

"I want to confirm France's commitment to the Vienna nuclear deal with Iran," he told French ambassadors in a major foreign policy speech. "There is no alternative to the non-proliferation agenda. It enables a constructive and demanding relationship with Iran," he said.

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LIMA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Peru's state-owned oil company Petroperu plans to sell $1 billion in bonds in 2019 to secure remaining financing for the expansion of its Talara refinery, the company's president said Tuesday.

Speaking on local broadcaster RPP, Luis Garcia also reiterated that the company expects $1.3 billion in financing for the $5.4 billion project to come from a syndicated loan from Spanish state-backed insurer Cesce.

In June, Petroperu sold $2 billion in bonds to finance work on Talara, which is now about 60 percent complete. (Reporting By Marco Aquino, Writing By Mitra Taj; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
LONDON, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Dollar bonds from Russia's Otkritie Bank leapt in price by as much as 20 cents on Tuesday after the central bank said it would rescue the troubled lender, one of the country's biggest.

Otkritie's $500 million bond maturing April 2019 rose to 65 cents, according to Tradeweb data , while the Noveber 2019 issue jumped 8.5 cents . The April 2018 bond rose 5 cents in price .

Otkritie was one of several banks to suffer a drop in liquidity after the central bank withdrew the licence of Yugra bank, causing market concerns about the stability of the Russian banking sector.

(Reporting by Sujata Rao; editing by Alexander Winning)
TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japans northern Hokkaido island into the sea on Tuesday, prompting a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump that all options are on the table as the United States considers its response.

The test, one of the most provocative ever from the reclusive state, came as U.S. and South Korean forces conduct annual military exercises on the peninsula, angering North Korea which sees them as a preparation for invasion.

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under young leader Kim Jong Un, the most recent on Saturday, in defiance of U.N. sanctions, but firing projectiles over mainland Japan is rare.

Trump said the world had received North Koreas latest message loud and clear.

This regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior, Trump said in a statement released by the White House.

Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regimes isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table.

Trump spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the two agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, as well as to countries around the world, the White House said.

The Republic of Korea is South Koreas official name.

President Trump and Prime Minister Abe committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the international community to do the same, the statement said.

The U.S. disarmament ambassador said Washington still needed to do further analysis of the launch, which would be the subject of a U.N. Security Council meeting later in the day.

Its another provocation by North Korea, they just seem to continue to happen, U.S. envoy Robert Wood told reporters in Geneva.

This is a big concern of course to my government and to a number of other governments, Wood said before a session of the U.N.-sponsored Conference on Disarmament.

North Korean Ambassador Han Tae Song told the session the United States was driving the Korean peninsula towards and extreme level of explosion by deploying strategic assets and conducting nuclear war drills.

In China, North Koreas lone major ally, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the crisis was approaching a critical juncture, but it was also maybe a turning point to open the door to peace talks.

Russia insisted North Korea abide by U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Regarding the launching of the missiles from North Korea, we stick to the resolutions of the United Nations and we insist on the fact that the North Koreans must respect those resolutions from the United Nations, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, according to a translation of his remarks.South Koreas military said the missile was launched from near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, just before 6 a.m. (2100 GMT Monday) and flew 2,700 km (1,680 miles), reaching an altitude of about 550 km (340 miles).

Four South Korean fighter jets bombed a military firing range on Tuesday after President Moon Jae-in asked the military to demonstrate capabilities to counter North Korea.

South Korea and the United States had discussed deploying additional strategic assets on the Korean peninsula, the presidential Blue House said in a statement, without giving more details.

North Korea remained defiant.

The U.S. should know that it can neither browbeat the DPRK with any economic sanctions and military threats and blackmail nor make the DPRK flinch from the road chosen by itself, North Koreas official Rodong Sinmun said, using the initials of the Norths official name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

LOUDSPEAKER WARNINGS

Global markets reacted to the escalation in tension, buying safe-haven assets such as gold, the Swiss franc and even the Japanese yen on expectation domestic investors would bring large amounts of currency home in times of uncertainty.

Stocks fell, with Japans Nikkei 225 index .N225 closing down half a percent, and South Koreas KOSPI index .KS11 0.25 percent lower.

Some experts said the test appeared to have been of a recently developed intermediate-range Hwasong-12 missile, but there was no clear consensus.

This month, North Korea threatened to fire four missiles into the sea near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam after Trump said it would face fire and fury if it threatened the United States.

North Korea fired what it said was a rocket carrying a communications satellite into orbit over Japan in 2009 after warning of its plan. The United States, Japan and South Korea considered it a ballistic missile test.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the latest missile fell into the sea 1,180 km (735 miles) east of Cape Erimo on Hokkaido.

Television and radio broadcasters broke into their regular programming with a J-Alert warning citizens of the missile launch. Bullet train services were temporarily halted and warnings went out over loudspeakers in towns in Hokkaido.

I was woken by the missile alert on my cellphone, said Ayaka Nishijima, 41, an office worker on Honshu island.

I didnt feel prepared at all. Even if we get these alerts theres nowhere to run. Its not like we have a basement or bomb shelter, she told Reuters by text message.

This month, the 15-member U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea in response to two long-range missile launches in July.

PATH TO DIALOGUE?

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appeared to make a peace overture to North Korea last week, welcoming what he called its restraint by not conducting any tests since July.

The United States has said before all options, including military, are on the table, although its preference is for a diplomatic solution.

Some experts said Kim was trying to pressure Washington to the negotiating table with the latest tests.

"(North Korea) thinks that by exhibiting their capability, the path to dialogue will open," Masao Okonogi, professor emeritus at Japan's Keio University, said by phone from Seoul.

"That logic, however, is not understood by the rest of the world, so it's not easy," he said.

The Japanese military did not attempt to shoot down the missile which may have broken into three pieces, said Minister of Defence Itsunori Onodera.

Experts say defenses in Japan and South Korea that are designed to hit incoming missiles would struggle to bring down a missile flying high overhead.

The United States is technically still at war with the North because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The North says it will never give up its weapons programs, saying they are necessary to counter hostility from the United States and its allies.

For an interactive on North Korea's missile capabilities, click: here

For a graphic on North Korean missile trajectories, ranges, click: here

For a graphic on Kim's new act of defiance, click: here
HOUSTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Texas on Tuesday and vowed the federal government would have a complete response to the devastating flooding of Tropical Storm Harvey, the biggest natural disaster of his White House tenure.

The slow-moving storm has brought record-breaking rains and catastrophic flooding to Texas, killed at least nine people, led to mass evacuations and paralyzed Houston, the fourth most-populous U.S. city. Some 30,000 people were expected to seek emergency shelter as the flooding entered its fourth day.

Officials in Harris County, where Houston is located, said reservoirs built to handle drainage water were beginning to overflow on Tuesday. They urged residents to evacuate as they released water to alleviate pressure on two dams, a move that would add to flooding along the Buffalo Bayou waterway that runs through the area.

Brazoria County, south of Houston, also called for immediate evacuations around a levee Columbia Lakes that had been breached by floodwaters from Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to strike Texas in more than 50 years. [L2N1LF0YU]

Trump, speaking in Corpus Christi near where Harvey first came ashore last week, said he wanted the relief effort to stand as an example of how to respond to a storm.

We want to do it better than ever before, he said. ... This was of epic proportion. Nobodys ever seen anything like this.

The storm has drawn comparisons with Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans 12 yeas ago, killing 1,800 people. Former President George W. Bush was widely criticized for his administrations handling of the response to that disaster, taking a heavy toll on public support of his administration.

Trump clearly was aiming to avoid a similar reaction.

THOUSANDS RESCUED

Some 3,500 people already have been rescued from high waters in the Houston area with police, firefighters and National Guard troops continuing to try to locate those marooned in high waters.

The storm broke Texas rainfall records at one measuring site south of Houston, which recorded 49.32 inches (1.25 m) of precipitation since the storms start. The rainfall is more than the region typically sees in a year and exceeds 48 inches (1.22 m) recorded in 1978.

Multiple looters were arrested overnight, police said.

Harvey has roiled energy markets and wrought damage estimated to be in the billions of dollars, with rebuilding likely to last beyond Trumps four-year term in office.

After Corpus Christi, was headed to Austin, the state capital, to meet with officials. Houston was not on his itinerary because much of it is impassable.

While much of the damage in Houston has been rain-related, the storms winds picked up overnight, bending street signs and tearing at metal fences in the downtown.

Much of the Houston metropolitan area, where 6.8 million people live, remained underwater on Tuesday. Dangerous rescues went on through the night.

About 9,000 evacuees were staying at Houstons George R. Brown Convention Center and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said his office had asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assets to allow the city to shelter another 10,000 people.

Im just trying to stay strong, said Julio Gamez, 35, who evacuated to the center on Saturday night with his wife after floodwaters rose to within a foot (30 cm) of his roof. Weve lost everything. But at least were safe.

Other shelters were set up in Dallas, about 250 miles (402 km) to the north, for about 8,000 people, and Austin, 160 miles (258 km) west, to take in 7,000 people.

Television pastor Joel Osteens sprawling Lakewood Church offered to accept flood-stranded residents a day after posting on its Facebook page that it was inaccessible due to severe flooding.

After a deluge of angry comments on social media, the church said on Twitter that it would take in people who need shelter.

LOUISIANA ALSO THREATENED

Harvey was expected to reach Louisiana early on Wednesday - one day after the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina hit the state and killed 1,800 people.

Among the most recent deaths from Harvey was a man who drowned on Monday night while trying to swim across flooded Houston-area roads, the Houston Chronicle quoted the Montgomery County Constables Office as saying.

The slow-moving storms center was in the Gulf of Mexico about 113 miles (183 km) southeast of Houston by midday Monday. It was likely to remain just off the coast of Texas through Tuesday night before moving inland over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Harvey was expected to produce another 6 to 12 inches (15-30 cm) of rain through Thursday over parts of the upper Texas coast into southwestern Louisiana, the National Weather Service said.

Schools and office buildings were closed throughout the area, with hundreds of roads blocked by high water and the city's two main airports shut.

The Gulf of Mexico is home to half of U.S. refining capacity. The reduction in supply led gasoline futures to hit their highest level in two years this week as Harvey knocked out about 13 percent of total U.S. refining capacity, based on company reports and Reuters estimates.

The floods could destroy as much as $20 billion in insured property, making the storm one of the costliest in history for U.S. insurers, according to Wall Street analysts.

For a graphic on storms in the North Atlantic, click: here
NEW YORK, Aug 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday sold $28 billion worth of seven-year government debt at a yield of 1.941 percent, the lowest since October, due to strong investor demand, Treasury data showed. Indirect bidders which include fund managers and foreign central banks purchased 68.80 percent of the latest seven-year note offering, which was their biggest share since the record high 81.69 percent in April. (Reporting by Richard Leong; Editing by Chris Reese)

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.
By Ceyda Caglayan

ISTANBUL, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Turkey's $1.1 billion of steel exports to the United States could be at risk if President Donald Trump further tightens import restrictions, the head of Turkey's steel exporter association told Reuters.

U.S. steel executives have appealed directly to Trump for immediate import restrictions to protect their businesses. Such restrictions would be a big knock to Turkey's steel exports to the United States, which totalled 2.3 million tonnes and were worth $1.1 billion last year, Namik Ekinci, chairman of the Turkish Steel Exporters Association, said in an interview.

"If the restrictions being mentioned are imposed, our entire steel exports to the United States may be at risk," he said.

The United States last year accounted for around 14 percent of Turkey's total steel exports of 16.5 million tonnes. Turkey, is the world's ninth-largest steel exporter and the eighth-largest producer.

Trump said in July a final decision on steel trade would be made after other issues were resolved. But concerns the United States could take a more protectionist stance have already weighed on steel exports in recent months, Ekinci said.

According to industry data, steel exports to the United States fell to 114,000 in July, down 56 percent from April, when Trump launched a probe to determine whether steel imports compromise national security. The U.S. Commerce Department had previously imposed taxes on some Turkish companies, after anti-dumping and compensatory investigations into rebar steel from Turkey.

In May, the final decision on Turkish rebar steel investigations concluded the goods had been dumped and were state-promoted. Turkish steel exporters have since appealed to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about the decision.

Turkey is also appealing to the WTO over Morocco's anti-dumping duties on Turkish hot-rolled steel.

Despite the headwinds, Turkey's steel exports showed a 15 percent increase in the first seven months of 2017, to 10.9 million tonnes, Ekinci said.

(Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by David Dolan and Mark Potter)
(Adds data, background)

OTTAWA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Canadian producer prices fell 1.5 percent in July from June, the biggest decline in 2-1/2 years, as a stronger Canadian dollar cut the cost of motorized and recreational vehicles, Statistics Canada said on Tuesday.

The drop was the largest month-on-month slump since the 1.5 percent retreat seen in December 2014. Of the 21 major commodity groups, 18 fell, one increased and two were unchanged.

Prices for motorized and recreational vehicles plunged by 3.3 percent, the largest fall in more than eight years, thanks largely to a 4.6 percent gain in the value of the Canadian dollar against the greenback in July.

Many vehicles are priced in U.S. dollars and become less expensive when the Canadian currency strengthens.

The producer price index would have decreased by just 0.4 percent in July had the exchange rate stayed constant.

Raw material prices slipped by 0.6 percent from June on lower prices for metal ores, concentrate and scrap.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Graphic - Canada producer prices Graphic - Canada economic snapshot ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by W Simon)
* Govt aims to cut taxes by 23 billion DKK per year

* People's Party says wealthy don't need tax breaks

(Adds comments from govt, People's Party)

By Teis Jensen and Erik Matzen

COPENHAGEN, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Denmark's government proposed tax cuts it said would remedy labour shortages, but the ally it relies on to stay in power said it saw no reason to tax wealthy citizens less, setting the scene for tense budget negotiations.

Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen's right-leaning three-party coalition said on Tuesday it planned to cut income taxes and levies on cars and household services by 23 billion Danish crowns ($3.7 billion) per year up to 2025.

It plans to say how it will finance the cuts when it presents its draft 2018 budget on Thursday.

The pro-welfare and anti-immigrant Danish People's Party (DF), whose 37 lawmakers Rasmussen relies on to pass legislation in the 179-seat parliament, said such cuts should not favour the better off.

"Why in the world give people that are making lots of money tax cuts at this time? If we can afford tax cuts it should be for those with low incomes," DF leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl said.

"I'm looking forward to see where they are going to find the money for all of this. Because we want to be sure that when we're done there's still enough money for our elderly, our hospitals and for more police officers."

Year-on-year growth in Denmark's economy rose to 2.6 percent in the first quarter, and many firms complained about a shortage of qualified workers. The government said that, to encourage more people to seek work, it would increase the income difference between Danes in jobs and the 750,000 aged 15 to 64 who are on welfare.

But it has also said it only expects the cuts to add 7,600 people to the workforce by 2023.

"In the worst case the tax cuts will increase the demand for labour more than the supply of it. That would be bad business policy right now," chief economist at Sydbank, Jacob Graven, said.

The Social Democrat-led opposition has criticised the cuts, saying they would increase inequality, while the government says Denmark would remain one of the most equal countries in the world.

Danes pay the world's highest taxes as a percentage of GDP, 46.6 percent, according to OECD figures from 2015.

($1 = 6.1902 Danish crowns)

(Reporting by Teis Jensen and Erik Matzen; Editing by Keith Weir and John Stonestreet)
* Merkel could imagine eurozone economy and finance minister

* Macron plans Europe reform proposals after German election

* Says EU reform drive must not to be sidetracked by Brexit

* Merkel is on track to win re-election in Sept. 24 vote

* She presses EU peers to "do homework" on migrant policy

(Recasts with Macron comments)

By Paul Carrel and Michel Rose

BERLIN/PARIS, Aug 29 (Reuters) - The leaders of Germany and France said on Tuesday they are ready to press ahead with deeper European integration, promising a tighter euro zone at the core of the European Union shaken by Britain's vote to leave.

French President Emmanuel Macron, elected in May on a pro-EU platform, said he wanted to strengthen Europe's single currency union in light of Brexit and pledged to announce proposals after Germany's election on Sept. 24.

"This is a revamp that we need," he told an annual assembly of French ambassadors in Paris, promising "concrete steps in around 10 areas" and adding that the EU could not afford to "get stuck in routine or technocratic quarrels".

"Brexit should not take up all our energy," he added as British and European Commission officials hold a third round of talks this week on Britain's departure from the EU. In Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel, who met Macron on Monday, endorsed the idea of a European Monetary Fund and said she could imagine creating a combined European finance and economy minister.

In power since 2005, the conservative chancellor, 63, is comfortably on course to win re-election, which would allow her to pursue deeper euro zone integration together with Macron.

Describing a European Monetary Fund as a "very good idea", Merkel told reporters: "It could make us even more stable and allow us to show the world that we have all the mechanisms in our own portfolio of the euro zone to be able to react well to unexpected situations."

Such a Fund would evolve out of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) - a rescue facility set up in 2012 to help defuse the euro zone crisis that threatened to tear apart the common-currency bloc at the heart of the EU.

Merkel, who wants to proof the currency union against future crises, said she did not rule out a French idea to have a common euro zone finance minister. "I could also imagine a (combined) economy and finance minister," she said, adding that this could allow for better coordination on budget and economic policies.

Speaking for more than 1-1/2 hours, Merkel addressed a wide range of issues in good humour two days after her main election challenger, Social Democrat Martin Schulz, accused her of being aloof and out of touch with voters. She also called for more European cooperation on migrant policy, pressed Turkey to release German citizens it has detained, and said she could not hold her tongue on the issue of the rule of law in Poland.

MERKEL REVIVED

Last year, Merkel suffered a drop in popularity after more than a million migrants fleeing war in the Middle East flooded into Germany. But with the influx since stemmed, she has bounced back with renewed conviction. An opinion poll released on Tuesday showed her conservatives 13 points ahead of Schulz's Social Democrats. A day after Europe's "big four" continental powers and three African states settled on a plan to tackle their migrant crisis, Merkel pressed her European peers to do still more. "Europe has not yet done its homework," she said. Turning to Turkey, Merkel ruled out an expansion of the EU's customs union with Ankara.

Ties between Ankara and Berlin have become increasingly strained in the aftermath of last year's failed military coup in Turkey as Turkish authorities sacked or suspended 150,000 people and detained more than 50,000, including other German nationals.

"I would like to have better ties with Turkey but we have to look at reality... This is a very complicated phase in our relations," she said.

Merkel further said she could not remain mum about what EU leaders, activists and opposition politicians in Poland say is a lurch towards authoritarianism in Warsaw under the nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS), which won election in 2015.

"...The rule of law in Poland - that's a serious issue because the requirements for cooperation within the European Union are the principles of the rule of law," she said.

"We cannot simply hold our tongues and not say anything for the sake of peace and quiet." Merkel added that she would address the issue "in detail" with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker when he visits Germany on Wednesday.

PiS says the criticism, which culminated last week with Macron saying the Polish people deserved a better government, is unacceptable foreign meddling. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Interactive German election graphic Decision Europe: Full election coverage cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?navid=72745

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Additional reporting by Michelle Martin, Caroline Copley and Michael Nienaber; writing by Paul Carrel; editing by Mark Heinrich)
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Iran has dismissed a U.S. demand for United Nations nuclear inspectors to visit its military bases as "merely a dream".

It also said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was unlikely to agree anyway.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, last week pressed the IAEA to seek access to Iranian military bases to ensure that they were not concealing activities banned by the 2015 nuclear deal reached between Iran and six major powers.

U.S. President Donald Trump has called the nuclear pact -- negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama -- "the worst deal ever". In April, he ordered a review of whether a suspension of nuclear sanctions on Iran was in the U.S. interest.

Iranian government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht responded at a weekly news conference broadcast on state television on Tuesday.

"Iran's military sites are off limits," he said. "All information about these sites are classified. Iran will never allow such visits. Don't pay attention to such remarks that are only a dream."

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani followed up later by saying the U.S. call was unlikely to be accepted by the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

"The International Atomic Energy Agency is very unlikely to accept America's demand to inspect our military sites," Rouhani said in a televised interview.

Rouhani gave no indication why he believed the IAEA would decline the request. Under the deal, the IAEA can request access to Iranian sites including military ones if it has concerns about activities there that violate the agreement, but it must show Iran the basis for those concerns.

That means new and credible information pointing to such a violation is required first, officials from the agency and major powers say. There is no indication that Washington has presented such information to back up its call for inspections of Iranian military sites.

"OFF LIMITS"

Under U.S. law, the State Department must notify Congress every 90 days of Irans compliance with the nuclear deal. The next deadline is October, and Trump has said he thinks by then the United States will declare Iran to be non-compliant.

So far, IAEA inspectors have certified that Iran is fully complying with the deal, under which it significantly reduced its enriched uranium stockpile and took steps to ensure no possible use of it for a nuclear weapon.

This was in return for an end to international sanctions that had helped cripple its oil-based economy.

During its decade-long stand-off with world powers over its nuclear programme, Iran repeatedly rejected visits by U.N. inspectors to its military sites, saying they had nothing to do with nuclear activity and so were beyond the IAEA's purview.

Shortly after the deal was reached, Iran allowed inspectors to check its Parchin military complex, where Western security services believe Tehran carried out tests relevant to nuclear bomb detonations more than a decade ago. Iran has denied this.

Under the 2015 accord, Iran could not get sanctions relief until the IAEA was satisfied Tehran had answered outstanding questions about the so-called "possible military dimensions" of its past nuclear research.

Iran has placed its military bases off limits also because of what it calls the risk that IAEA findings could find their way to the intelligence services of its U.S. or Israeli foes.

"The Americans will take their dream of visiting our military and sensitive sites to their graves ... It will never happen," Ali Akbar Velayati, a top adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's highest authority, told reporters.

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Labour has fired its biggest weapon of the campaign so far with a promise to deliver the first year of three years free post-secondary education a year earlier in 2018 and boost student allowances by $50 per week as part of a big jump in education spending. Leader Jacinda Ardern released the policy on Tuesday as finance spokesman Grant Robertson updated the partys fiscal plan that included the extra spending. The move sees extra education spending jump from $417m this year under Labours original plan to $781m and from $1.5b to $2b by 2022 as the fee free promise is fast-tracked. That policy, unveiled by former leader Andrew Little in his state of the nation speech in early 2016, promised three years free education for tertiary students and other post-school education.

Labour want to keep taxes higher on all New Zealanders, so that they may give massive dollops of cash to the most well off in society. It is the anti-Robin Hood.

Those who gain a degree earn $1.6 million more on average over their lifetime than those who do not. That is a huge personal benefit which is why we say that they should contribute something towards the cost of that degree. Not a huge amount  usually $20,000 or so. A great investment for a $1.6 million return.

Labours frontbench is dominated by former student politicians who think students should pay zero towards their education. They think a truck driver should pay more in taxes so the lawyer has no student debt.

A small business truck driver owns his own truck. He needs to borrow money to fund that truck to set him or herself up in business. But Labour are saying doctors, lawyers and accountants should have taxpayers provide 100% of the costs of their education.

Its an awful awful policy.

Not only is it a huge transfer of wealth to the richest in society, it will lead to a massive increase in worthless courses. If someone else is paying, people dont care as much about the quality. You will again see people signed up for courses in hamburger joints, so that tertiary providers can get more of the free money Labour is promising.

Thios policy will cost $1.2 billion a year. Imagine what you could do with that money if you spent it in areas of real need, rather than bribing students who are going to become very wealthy.

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Stuff reports:

Labour is being pressed for detail on its Fair Pay Agreement policy which business fears could lead to national industry-wide strikes. Labours industrial relations election policy says: Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs) will be agreed by businesses within an industry and the unions representing workers within that industry. FPAs will set basic standards for pay and other employment conditions within an industry, according to factors including job type and experience.

FPAs are an Owellian name for national awards. It will be a return to de facto compulsory unionism and will mean an employer in Gore and an in employer in Auckland may be treated the same.

But Business NZ and Nationals Steven Joyce called for Labour to explain to the electorate exactly how the policy would work, and whether it threatened the prospect of entire industries going on strike should FPA negotiations break down.

It would be like the 1970s again  entire industries on strike.

Kirk Hope from Business New Zealand said: Pan-industry awards have been part of Labour policy at least since 2011, so it is concerning that there is a lack of detail around how the policy might work in practice.

Who needs detail!

The Fair Pay Agreements policy would be the largest systemic change promoted by any party this election. Its important that it receives more scrutiny and debate in the run-up to the election. There would be grave concerns if one of the outcomes of Fair Pay Agreements was widespread frequent industrial action, Hope said.

The policy is designed to force more people to fund unions so that unions can provide more funding to Labour.

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A fire official says 11 people were rescued from fast-moving floodwaters in northwest Houston after a private rescue boat capsized.

Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department spokesman David Padovan said Tuesday that the people who fell from the boat clung to trees to avoid being carried away by the current.

A Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter provided a floodlight early Tuesday to guide rescuers to the people in the water.

Padovan says it appears the people were being evacuated from their homes in a flooded Houston subdivision and were being taken to dry ground when the boat capsized.

It's not clear what caused the craft to roll.

The rescued people were treated for cuts, abrasions and mild hypothermia.

Harvey has been dumping torrential rain on Texas since Sunday, causing catastrophic flooding across the state and in particular on Houston and the surrounding area.

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Buses carrying hundreds of IS group militants and their families arrived in eastern Syria on Tuesday following a negotiated evacuation from the Lebanon-Syria border, where the U.S.-backed Lebanese army deployed for the first time in years.

The evacuation agreement, the first such publicized deal concluded with the extremist group, angered many Iraqis, who accused Syria and Hezbollah of dumping the militants on the Iraqi border rather than eradicating them.

Some 600 militants were allowed to leave as part of a deal, negotiated by Hezbollah, in exchange for identifying the location of the remains of Lebanese soldiers captured by IS in 2014 and later killed. The deal also provoked controversy in Lebanon, as some have voiced opposition to negotiations with the militants.

"Any deals or understandings between the warring parties inside Syria or in the region must take into consideration the security of Iraq and not to lead to anything that poses any threat to our national security," the Iraqi government spokesman, Saad al-Hadithi, told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Al-Hadithi said the Iraqi government "will firmly face any threat to Iraqi territories."

Shiite-majority Iraq has been largely supportive of Syria and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in their battle against IS, a Sunni extremist group and shared enemy, but many Iraqis expressed anger on social media.

"Who's going to pay for the delivery sent by Hassan Nasrallah to us?" wrote well-known writer Saleh al-Hamdani on his Facebook page, referring to Hezbollah's leader. "Will (state-sanctioned militias) or the Federal Police or Counter Terrorism Forces pay for it?"

Baghdad-based analyst Hisham al-Hashimi wrote on Facebook that Iraq's "selfish ally preferred to throw Daesh danger from Lebanon to Iraq, while Iraqis demolished the second-largest city (Mosul) in order not to enable Daesh militants to flee (to Syria) and damage the neighbor."

Daesh is the Arabic acronym for IS.

The Lebanese government and Hezbollah have both defended the deal that allowed IS safe passage to the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, an IS stronghold, saying it was the only way Lebanon could uncover the fate of its captured soldiers and recover their remains.

But many in Lebanon were opposed to the deal, which they said allowed the killers of Lebanese soldiers to get off scot-free.

"Shame on a nation whose soldiers return in coffins, while the criminals leave in air-conditioned buses," many posted on social media.

The departure of IS marked the end of a militant presence along the Syrian-Lebanese border dating back to the early days of the Syrian uprising. The Lebanese army was able to assume full control of the border.

Syrian state-run news agency SANA said the buses carrying the militants arrived Tuesday to a handover point in the town of Hamimiyah in the eastern Deir el-Zour province. They are expected to continue from there to the town of Boukamal, near the Iraqi border.

Salaheddin reported from Baghdad. AP writer Sarah El-Deeb in Beirut contributed reporting.

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Clingmans Dome tower rehabilitation project continues through 2017 season







Deterioration to concrete column at Clingmans Dome Tower. Image courtesy of NPS.

GATLINBURG, TN  Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that the Clingmans Dome Observation Tower will be closed the remainder of the 2017 season to complete rehabilitation work. Restoration is funded by a Partners in Preservation (PIP) grant. The $250,000 grant was awarded last summer to the Friends of the Smokies on behalf of the park after being one of the top nine, most voted for parks in the Partners in Preservation: National Parks Campaign in 2016.



Clingmans Dome tower is a prominent landmark and destination as the highest point in the park. It lies between the North Carolina and Tennessee state line at 6,643 feet. The rehabilitation work will consist of repairing the worst deteriorated areas on the concrete columns and walls, stabilizing support walls at the base of the ramp, and repointing some stone masonry. To accomplish this work in a timely manner and for the safety of park visitors the tower will be closed for the duration of the project.



While visitors will not be able to climb the tower for views out over the surrounding tree tops, the Clingmans Dome parking overlook will be open and offers outstanding mountain top views. The visitor contact station and store, the trail to the tower, and all access to the trailheads in the vicinity will remain open. Visitors should expect some construction traffic in the vicinity of the contact station and along the trail.



The observation tower is a precedent-setting design of the National Park Services Mission 66 program, which transformed park planning, management, and architecture and fundamentally altered the visitor experience in national parks. Since 1959, millions of visitors have climbed the tower, where they can see distances of up to 100 miles over the surrounding mountains and valleys. Some minimal preservation work today on the tower will ensure that visitors continue to experience this unique structure spiraling up from the highest point in the park.



AbPartners in Preservation is a program in which American Express, in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, awards preservation grants to historic places across the country. Since 2006, Partners in Preservation, a community-based partnership, has committed $16 million in preservation funding to nearly 200 diverse sites in eight different cities across the country.



Through this partnership, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation seek to increase the public's awareness of the importance of historic preservation in the United States and to preserve America's historic and cultural places. The program also hopes to inspire long-term support from local citizens for the historic places at the heart of their communities.



Published August 28, 2017










The United States has raised the issue of religious freedom in talks about easing sanctions on Sudan, the new head of the U.S. Agency for International Development said in Sudan on Tuesday.

The head of the agency, Mark Green, held the talks with senior Sudanese officials as the U.S. government weighs whether to ease or extend the 20-year-old sanctions, a decision that must be made by Oct. 12.

"We have asked questions and ... have received assurances," Green told reporters after a meeting with Sudanese Prime Minister Bakri Hassan Saleh.

While human rights and religious freedom are not conditions for the permanent lifting of some Sudan sanctions, the U.S. government is increasingly raising them as a concern.

Religious leaders have complained that churches have been bulldozed by the government and priests arrested, stoking fears among Christians that they will not be able to practice their faith in majority-

Muslim Sudan.

During his three-day visit to Sudan - the first by a senior U.S. official since 2005 - Green met with various religious organizations, including churches and religious freedom lawyers.

In his meetings on Tuesday, Green said he had acknowledged "meaningful steps" by the government in complying with U.S. conditions for easing the sanctions. Among those conditions are improved

humanitarian access for aid workers, counter-terrorism cooperation and a resolution of internal conflicts.

"The government is continuing a gradual reversal of long-standing impediments," Green said, "and I urge the government to accelerate its work in this regard."

Earlier, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said his country was looking forward to normal ties being restored.

"On our side we look forward for a normalization of our relations with an important country ... the U.S.," said Ghandour, who has overseen dialogue with Washington on the sanctions.

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The lowest offer at Egypts GASC wheat tender on Tuesday was $186.05 a tonne free-on-board (FOB) for 60,000 tonnes of Russian wheat, traders said, with cheap Russian offers dominating due to that countrys bumper crop.

Egypt, the worlds largest wheat buyer, is seeking cargoes for shipment from Oct. 1-10. Results are due on Tuesday.

Traders said the tender highlighted how Russias potentially record-setting crop this season was pushing its export prices down, with eight of the nine lowest offers after accounting for shipping costs coming from the origin.

The price spread is now huge in the GASC offers, with Russia dominating, said one European based trader.

The tender also comes as Egypts public prosecutor is expected to make a decision on whether to reject and re-export a cargo of Romanian wheat purchased by GASC for containing poppy seeds.

It would be the first GASC cargo turned away since a French shipment was rejected in late 2015 for containing trace levels of the common grain fungus ergot, kicking off a nearly year-long row over import requirements.

Traders said the following offers were made in dollars per tonne on an FOB basis:

Russian *Daewoo: 60,000 tonnes at $186.05 *Aston: 60,000 tonnes at $190.50 *Alegrow: 60,000 tonnes at $190.20 *Garant Logistics: 60,000 tonnes at $190.90 *ADM: 60,000 tonnes at $195.00 and/or 55,000 tonnes at $192.30 *GTCS: Two 60,000 tonne cargoes at $188.00 each

55,000 tonnes at $187.00 *Olam: 60,000 tonnes at $189.95 *Friends: 60,000 tonnes at $195.19

Ukrainian *Louis Dreyfus: 60,000 tonnes at $187.00

French *Glencore: 60,000 tonnes at $195.69 *Casillo: 60,000 tonnes at $195.99

Romanian *Ameropa: 60,000 tonnes at $199.00 *ADM: 60,000 tonnes at $201.75

Traders said the best offers on a cost and freight basis (C&F) in dollars per tonne were as follows: *Daewoo: 60,000 tonnes of Russian at $186.05 and $14.40 freight equating to $200.45 C&F *Louis Dreyfus: 60,000 tonnes of Ukrainian at $187.00 and $14.96 freight equating to $201.96 C&F *GTCS: 55,000 tonnes of Russian at $187.00 and $15.26 freight equating to $202.26 C&F *GTCS: Two cargoes of 60,000 tonnes of Russian at $188.00 and $14.63 freight equating to $202.63 C&F each *Olam: 60,000 tonnes of Russian at $189.95 and $14.69 freight equating to $204.64 C&F *Alegrow: 60,000 tonnes of Russian at $190.20 and $14.75 freight equating to $204.95 C&F *Aston: 60,000 tonnes of Russian at $190.50 and $15.00 freight equating to $205.50 C&F *Garant Logistics: 60,000 tonnes of Russian at $190.90 and $15.47 freight equating to $206.37 C&F *ADM: 60,000 tonnes of Russian at $192.30 and $15.50 freight equating to $207.80 C&F

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Hong Kong architect Gary Chang's furniture installation "Learning from Hong Kong: Compact Living _ a Global Phenomenon" is displayed at the "Confluence 20+" exhibition held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza / Courtesy of Seoul Design Foundation





By Yun Suh-young

In the fashion publication world, "The September Issue" refers to the most important edition of the year for a fashion magazine.

September is meaningful in many ways for the industry. It is the month that signals the change of season from summer to fall, and when a new fashion season begins. It is also the start of a new school year for schools following the North American system. Not to mention autumn is when important cultural happenings take place.

Seoul is also bracing for its own "September Issue" next month, as it will be hosting several events all themed around design. September is when Seoul Design Week is held annually in the city, this time around from Sept. 21 through 27 at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul. Another parallel event on design and architecture will begin in September, the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism_ from Sept. 2 through Nov. 5. And last but not least, Seoul invited Hong Kong's Design Center to hold their 3rd "Confluence 20+" exhibition which will take place from Aug. 26 through Sept. 16 at the DDP in Seoul.

"Confluence 20+" is being held for the first time in Seoul and is the third stop after Milan and Hong Kong where the exhibition was held earlier this year. Following Seoul, the exhibition will head to Chicago. It is the third edition of an exhibition series aiming to present a holistic picture of Hong Kong's creative ecology. The first was held in 2007 and the second in 2010 as part of the Shanghai Expo.

"This time, I came up with the name 'confluence,'" said Amy Chow, curator of Confluence 20+, during a press tour of the exhibition in Seoul, Friday.

"Confluence means where rivers and streams merge. I tried to look for stories where inspirations merge between tradition and innovation. I selected 20 projects from 20 designers for the exhibition. With each story, there's an angle of 'confluence.'"

Chow visited the venue (DDP) five times just to understand the space.

When entering the "Design Museum" space starting from M2 of the building, the series of design works are exhibited along the pathway spiraling up to the fourth floor of the building. The space apparently fits well with the concept of the exhibition because the path is like a river flowing downwards. The exhibition can be enjoyed either from the fourth level down or from the second level up.

"This exhibition space is my concept of the river," said Chow. Moving from the second floor up, she explained every single piece of work by the 20 artists she selected.

James Law's works are miniatures of his mobile home concept in real-life size. A portable living unit called the "Alpod" was the concept Law had for the mobile home. It is a lightweight sturdy aluminum shell equipped with a power outlet, air conditioning, and a kitchen. Inside those miniature units, Law tried to depict a very local scene of Hong Kong for the exhibition.

Elaine Yan Ling Ng's The Fabric Lab exhibits a fascinating moving fabric called "Sensus" which responds to the proximity of humans by sensors. It is paving the way as a hybrid material to be weaved into clothing as smart fabric for the future.

Gary Chang built a typical Hong Kong "compact home" for his work titled "Learning from Hong Kong: Compact Living _ a Global Phenomenon." It is a wall constructed of assemblages of furniture, which is his experiment with the extreme conditions of limited space in high-density, hyper-urban environments.

"I've lived in my apartment for 40 years and I've never moved. Now I'm thinking it's too big. The most common apartment in Hong Kong is 18 square meters but it's getting smaller and smaller. Maybe one day, our home may become a wall," said Chang, speaking to reporters.

"I heard that Seoul's apartments are also getting smaller and smaller and one third of Seoul's households are single households. We're fighting a battle with space."

Lee Chi Wing created a mobile tea bar where people can stand up and have their tea while chatting with the person next to them, instead of the traditional sit-and-be-served tea rooms.

"While people consider coffee as hip and cool, tea isn't. I wondered why we can't make tea more hip and enjoyable? I wanted this bar to be a place where people can exchange ideas. This moving bar can be disassembled and reassembled."

While "Confluence 20+" touches upon the urbanism of Hong Kong, Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism expands the horizon to the world, including viewpoints of various global cities. The biennale is the first to be held in Seoul on urbanism and architecture and the theme for this year is "Imminent Commons." The biennale aims to share views and methodologies in solving various socio-cultural, architectural and urban ecology issues global cities are facing.

There are three tiers to the event _ theme exhibitions, city exhibitions, and on-scene projects. The theme exhibition will be held at Donuimun Museum Village near Gyeonghui Palace with programs including an exhibition called "Seoul on Air" which shows the augmented environment of Seoul's weather captured through sensors on public transportation. On the city exhibitions held at the DDP, various public projects in 50 cities across the world will be introduced, including London, New York, Vienna, Shanghai, and Pyongyang. For Pyongyang, a life-size model house of a Pyongyang apartment will be exhibited.

The third track involving on-scene projects will be experimental tours around Seoul to explore various themes from manufacturing, food scarcity to the walkable city.

The Seoul Design Week 2017 hasn't released a specific agenda yet on their event, but the theme will be "Design for Better Relationship." The annual event will include conferences and seminars, exhibitions, workshops for young designers, and outdoor markets and events.

For more information, visit confluence20.hk, www.seoulbiennale.org, and www.seouldesignweek.or.kr.
Korea International Trade Association CEO Kim In-ho, right, shakes hands with Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, during a reception at the Grand InterContinental Seoul, Tuesday. They announced a joint statement on the promotion of economic growth and prosperity between Korea and the U.S. / Yonhap



By Park Jae-hyuk

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are on a visit to Korea to meet businesspeople here.

The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) said Wednesday it invited Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and other representatives to a reception held Tuesday at the Grand InterContinental Seoul.

Including Rep. Shim Jae-kwon of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is also a chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, the reception was attended by 90 Korean executives from Korean Air, Hyundai Motor, POSCO, SK, SeAH and Hyosung.

The U.S. attendees included Co-chair of Congressional Caucus on Korea Ami Bera, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific Ted Yoho, Committee on Foreign Affairs member Brad Schneider and Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Jennifer Gonzalez.

The attendees at the reception discussed pending issues, including the amendment of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) and security on the Korean Peninsula.

The Korean executives were given a chance to introduce each of their companies' businesses in the United States and talked about their difficulties to those who are in charge of the superpower's domestic and foreign policies on politics and economics.

Rep. Royce and Rep. Bera especially showed keen interest in Korean companies investing in the U.S., visiting head offices of CJ and SPC, both of which invested in California, the congressional district of the two politicians.

During the reception, Rep. Royce and KITA CEO Kim In-ho announced a joint statement on the promotion of economic growth and prosperity between Korea and the U.S.

They vowed to hold friendly discussions on strengthening the two countries' bilateral relationship, the importance of foreign direct investment in the U.S. and the mutual benefits of the KORUS FTA, with the aim of fostering greater cooperation in business, trade and investment between the two.

"The economic ties between Korea and the U.S. have mutually benefited the two," Kim said. "The KORUS FTA is a symbol of the successful economic cooperation that has allowed practical benefits and faster growth for both countries over the past five years."

Rep. Royce also admitted that the two countries' alliance has continued to become stronger, as businesspeople in the two countries have spared no efforts for this.
By Park Hyong-ki



Analysts say North Korea's ballistic missile launched over Japan is not likely to greatly affect the local financial market.



The impact from yet another provocative move by Pyongyang will not be as big as the North's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests last month.



Also, investors have always taken into account geopolitical risks concerning North Korea when investing in South Korean stocks.



"The effect on the local market will not be as big as last time," said Lee Jong-woo, a head researcher at IBK Investment & Securities.



The benchmark KOSPI plunged by more than 1 percent on Friday morning to 2,332.85 points but it managed to regain to finish at 2,364.74 points, down merely 0.23 percent from a day ago.



The Korean won closed at 1,126.40 won against the U.S. dollar, down 6.3 won from the previous session's close.



In July, Pyongyang test fired ICBMs twice.



This was immediately followed by United Nations' sanctions and U.S. President Donald Trump's warning of "fire and fury" against the totalitarian state. North Korea responded by threatening to attack Guam.



With the two sides increasing their rhetoric, the local stock market saw continuous heavy sell-offs by foreign investors. They have been unloading their shares over the past couple of months.



Foreign investors increased 579 billion won worth of shares on the Seoul bourse last month, down from 1.76 trillion won in June, according to the Korea Exchange.



Still, their aggregate shareholdings are worth a record 605.7 trillion won, accounting for more than 30 percent of the stock market capitalization.



On Tuesday morning, North Korea fired its missile eastward over Japan. The missile flew over Japan's Hokkaido and fell into the Pacific Ocean.



This came after South Korea and the U.S. held a joint military drill last week in defiance of North Korea's hostility. The Air Forces of the U.S. and Japan also recently completed their joint exercise on Hokkaido.



The North fired the missile over Japan, a U.S. ally in the region, seemingly as a response to the allies' exercises.



Analysts say the impact on the market sentiment may not be big, but Pyongyang will continue to make unpredictable and provocative moves as it "fears" the U.S. military might.



North Korea seems to believe that its very own survival relies on missile and nuclear development through which it seeks to fend off what it is most afraid of  the U.S. and its stealth bombers, according to observers.



Pyongyang is about to celebrate its foundation on Sept. 9, and the anniversary of its Communist Party on Oct, 10.



"There is another possibility that North Korea could make provocations on those days," said Yoon Chang-yong, an analyst at Shinhan Investment.




The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss North Korea's ballistic missile launch at the request of South Korea, the United States and Japan, an official at the foreign ministry said.



"South Korea, the U.S. and Japan jointly requested the UNSC hold an emergency meeting to address an emergence of threats to the peace and security," the official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The meeting would be held on Tuesday (New York time), he said.



Earlier in the day, North Korea fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile from its capital Pyongyang, resuming a provocation despite warnings from South Korea, the U.S. and the international community.



The missile flew over Japan before landing in the North Pacific Ocean; it is unusual for North Korea to fire a missile past Japan.



U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had an emergency phone conversation earlier in the day and agreed to step up their joint pressure on North Korea, according to Kyodo News. (Yonhap)




A man watches a TV screen at Seoul Station showing file footage of a North Korean missile launch, Tuesday. North Korea fired a ballistic missile from its capital Pyongyang that flew over Japan before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean. / AP-Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye

North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan, Tuesday, which traveled about 2,700 kilometers before landing in the North Pacific Ocean, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

"The unidentified missile reached a maximum altitude of 550 kilometers and was presumed to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM)," a JCS official said,

He added that the North's latest provocation was apparently to protest Seoul and Washington's ongoing joint military exercise, and to show its ability to strike U.S. bases stationed in Japan and on Guam.

Seoul and Washington are currently conducting their annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise, which will run until Aug. 31.

The North's IRBM is believed to have a range of about 4,500 kilometers, though the analysis of the range varies slightly between agencies and institutes.

"The missile was fired at 5:57 a.m. from the vicinity of Sunan District in Pyongyang and passed through the skies over Japan," the JCS said.





Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters at his residence in Tokyo, Tuesday, after North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan. Abe said North Korea's launch of a missile over its territory was an "unprecedented, serious and grave threat." / AFP-Yonhap

This is the first missile launched from the Sunan area, where Pyongyang's main airport is located. This might be another sign the North has been diversifying its missile launch areas in an apparent effort to avoid surveillance, experts said.

The missile launch came after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un threatened earlier this month to strike waters around Guam with four Hwasong-12 IRBMs. Guam is located about 3,000 kilometers from Pyongyang.

The North Korean missile launched this time flew over Japan's Hokkaido and landed in the North Pacific Ocean about 1,180 kilometers east of the northern Japanese island, according to officials there.

It is the third North Korean missile to have been fired over Japan after a Taepodong-1 in 1998 and an Unha-2 in 2009.












North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects plans to fire missiles toward Guam at the Command of the Strategic Forces in Pyongyang in this photo released Aug. 15. / Yonhap



By Kim Rahn

North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile Tuesday showed that its threat to strike Guam was not a bluff, as the missile's range was within the reach of the U.S. territory.

Although the direction of the missile was not southward toward Guam, the test-firing proved Pyongyang's earlier threat for an "enveloping fire around Guam" is feasible.

The missile, which the South Korean authorities suspect to be a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), flew more than 2,700 kilometers at a maximum altitude of about 550 kilometers, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The range showed a missile fired from North Korea could reach Guam, about 3,000 kilometers away.

Earlier this month, Kim Rak-gyom, commander of North Korea's Strategic Forces, said that the military was considering firing four Hwasong-12 IRBM missiles toward Guam simultaneously.

Tuesday's missile was launched eastward over Japan, but both the government and the political pundits presume the test was not aimed at showing a possible attack on Japan but its capacity to hit Guam.
F-15K fighter jets drop MK84 multipurpose bombs at a live-fire range near the inter-Korean border in Taebaek in a show of overwhelming force after President Moon Jae-in ordered the military to display its capabilities that can sternly respond to North Korea's provocations.

/ Yonhap



By Yi Whan-woo

President Moon Jae-in ordered the military Tuesday to showcase its overwhelming ability to strike North Korea in response to Pyongyang's launch of a ballistic missile over Japan.

The Air Force conducted a live-fire bombing drill near the inter-Korean border on President Moon's orders. Four F-15k fighter jets carried out bombing runs, dropping eight MK84 multipurpose bombs on a firing range in Taebaek, Gangwon Province.

This is seen as a strong warning to the Kim Jong-un regime that the South Korean military is determined to take military action, if needed, to counter the North's growing missile provocations.

"The President ordered the military to show its powerful capability to hit North Korea after receiving a report from National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong," Moon's chief press secretary Yoon Young-chan said.

Chung presided over an emergency National Security Council (NSC) session at 7 a.m., shortly after the North launched the ballistic missile, thought to be the new intermediate-range Hwasong-12, over Japan.

"The NSC strongly condemned North Korea for launching a ballistic missile and violating U.N. Security Council resolutions again despite warnings from the international community," Yoon said. "We take North Korea's provocations very seriously and decided to maintain a readiness posture at an enhanced level against any additional provocations."

According to a Cheong Wa Dae official, the United States is considering deploying strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula, such as B-1B Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress bombers, stealth jets, Aegis destroyers and nuclear-powered submarines.

"We'll discuss the issue with the U.S. accordingly," the official said.












By Lee Kyung-min



Two egg farms in North Gyeongsang Province that were found to have eggs contaminated with the pesticide DDT also turned out to have the harmful substance in the soil, the government said Tuesday. It was not found in the water, fodder or other plants nearby.



Criticism is yet again mounting against safety authorities over their inadequate safety guidelines on the permissible amount of harmful substances farms can have, including DDT. The eggs found there were all recalled and destroyed, according to the Ministry of Drug and Food Safety.



The Rural Development Administration said its on-site inspection found the two farms in Gyeongsan and Yeongcheon had 0.163mg/kg of DDT in areas within 100 eters from them. Areas farther had between 0.046 and 0.539mg/kg.



The ministry said the amount found is six times that of what has been reported in the country using standards on persistent organic pollutants thus far, but is less than the legal limit in Canada which is 0.7 mg/kg.



The Ministry of Environment said it launched an on-site inspection into the two farms to see if the soil and water there were contaminated with insecticides.



The ministry will look into whether they contain more than permissible levels of harmful substances or that which is banned. The findings will be disclosed in October at the latest.



This came shortly after the country underwent massive egg-phobia after pesticide-tainted eggs were found in farms nationwide, including government-approved "organic" ones.



The government said it will strengthen regulations and enforcement of existing ones to have farmers code every egg to track the distribution process to help ensure consumers know where they came from. Farmers that distribute eggs themselves will be also subject to the regulation.




By Rachel Lee

The Embassy of Mexico said its navy's training ship "Cuauhtemoc" will visit Busan from Aug. 28 to Sept.1.

The "Cruise of Instruction 2017" celebrates the "Centennial of the Constitution" and 35 years of spreading friendship between Mexico and the world, the embassy said.

The fourth trip of circumnavigation, which began in February from Acapulco, lasts 289 days and includes visits to 15 ports in 12 countries, including Korea. The ship, known as "The Knight of the Seas," has so far visited countries including the U.S., Spain, Italy, Greece and China.

"The ship's visit to Korea is especially relevant due to the commemoration of the centenary of the political constitution of the United States of Mexico and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Korea," the embassy said.

The ship will go on to visit the ports of Tokyo, Honolulu and Los Angeles before returning to Acapulco.

The ship will be open to the public in Busan.
The Lodz region's Marshal Witold Stepien, fourth from left, at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office on Aug. 23. / Courtesy of Embassy of Poland





By Rachel Lee

The Lodz region, one of Poland's three fastest-growing areas, has sent a delegation of businesspeople to Seoul, led by the region's Marshal Witold Stepien.

The Embassy of Poland organized the seminar "Poland  "Business Opportunities" on Aug. 24 at the Millennium Seoul Hilton to present business and investment possibilities that Poland offers Koreans and networking opportunities.

Stepien told The Korea Times that the region's location made it an attractive investment destination for Koreans.

"Lodz is situated in the center of Poland, where motorways connect eastern and western parts of the country and also the southern and northern parts," he said.

Lodz is the fifth-biggest region among 16 in terms of gross domestic product and one of the three fastest-growing regions in Poland over the past 15 years.

Stepien stressed that Poland, with a population of about 40 million, has the advantage of being close to other European markets.

His visit was also part of Poland's efforts to gain support from Korea for Expo 2022.

Lodz is Poland's third-biggest city and one of three candidates to host Expo 2022, along with Minneapolis in the United States and Argentina's Buenos Aires.

"As Korea is a very important Asian country, we need Korea to support us in the election in Paris in October," Stepien said.

Lodz has been preparing for a bid with the theme "reinvention of the city." The city's mayor was in Korea last year to promote the event and seek more investment from Korean businesspeople.

In the 19th century, Lodz was one of the world's fastest-growing cities, along with Chicago in the U.S. But after World War II, followed by communism and the collapse of the textile industry, the city struggled for years.

But Lodz has revitalized itself, transforming old textile factories into buildings for leisure and business. The restoration has made the city an attractive travel destination.

Apart from investment and expo promotion, Stepien expressed hope that the two countries can boost people-to-people contact and cultural exchange.

"Lodz has over 20 universities, including some of the country's best," he said. "I hope we can plan a student exchange program with Korean universities some day."

Stepien also said the two countries could work on cooperation in arts fields, including opera, ballet and modern art.
International students hold up doves to promote peace during a summit held at Dokdo Island, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Education Ministry



By You Soo-sun

International students in Korea participated in a summit at the country's easternmost territory of Dokdo, Tuesday. At the event, organized by the education ministry, 163 students from 102 countries including the United States, China, Japan and Russia gathered to learn about the island and what it represents: world peace.

Ministry official Keum Yong-han explained the significance of the event: "Dokdo is a precious island preserving a breadth of Korean history. Promoting its history and peace to international students here is very meaningful." It is especially important for the government as Korea has long been involved in a territorial dispute over Dokdo with Japan.

The students will stay on both Dokdo and nearby Ulleung Island for two nights and three days.

On the first day, a keynote speech was delivered by Han Bi-ya, an international specialist renowned for her autobiography about traveling to remote parts of the world as a relief worker. In her talk, "Youth and Courage," she stressed that world citizens should help one another so as to form a true community.

This was followed by a special lecture by security expert Alexander Neil, in which he emphasized the role of young adults in achieving world peace. Neil formerly served for the U.S. Department of Defense on Asia-Pacific security issues.

Students had the opportunity to discuss the significance of world peace and the role they can play as international students. For one program, they came up with their version of a world peace declaration, which they are to read aloud later in the three-day event.

Participants also expressed firm determination to pursue world peace.

"I hope to devote my entire life to promoting world peace," Al Rammahi Rammahi Zaman from Iraq said. He currently attends Silla University in Busan.

Liu Hong bo, a Chinese student studying at Seoul National University, also looked forward to the event and said, "I was able to learn the proper history and culture of Ulleungdo and Dokdo through this event and I will continue to stay in touch with the people I have met here."
By Park Si-soo



The U.S. military is considering the deployment of strategic military equipment to South Korea to counter North Korea's increasing military provocations, a presidential office official said Tuesday.

The statement came shortly after North Korea fired a long-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan and traveled nearly 2,700 kilometers early on Tuesday.. The missile fell about 1,180 kilometers east of Japan's northern island of Hokkaido.

The equipment includes the B-52, B-2 and B-1B bombers; F-35 fighter jets; and aircraft carriers usually housed at U.S. bases in South Korea, Japan or Guam.

Presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan said South Korea had conducted bombing drills near the inter-Korean border shortly after the missile launch.

Four F-15K fighter jets staged a live-bombing drill against North Korea's leadership, the Air Force announced.

The aircraft dropped eight MK-84 bombs, each weighing about a ton, on a simulated target at the Pilseung Range in the eastern province of Gangwon.

The bombs hit the target accurately in an exercise aimed at sharpening the ability to destroy "the enemy's leadership" in an emergency.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-hwa agreed to consider tougher sanctions.
By Jun Ji-hye



South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) condemned North Korea's launch of what was presumed to be an intermediate ballistic missile, Tuesday, saying the North will face resolute retaliation if it continues its provocations.

"North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile is a clear violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution," said JCS spokesman Army Col. Roh Jae-cheon. "The [situation] poses a serious threat to the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia as well as the world.

"The North will face resolute retaliation from South Korea and the United States if it carries out further provocations."

Roh stressed that the South Korean military was closely monitoring the movements of North Korean soldiers and maintaining a firm defense posture.












By Jun Ji-hye

Defense Minister Song Young-moo left for the United States Tuesday for talks with U.S. officials on North Korean matters and other pending bilateral issues.





Defense Minister Song Young-moo U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis

Song's tour to the U.S. comes amid heightened military tension following the North's missile provocation earlier in the day in which it launched what was presumed to be an intermediate ballistic missile (IRBM) over Japan.

Song is scheduled to hold a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at the Pentagon, Wednesday, according to the Ministry of National Defense.

During his five-day visit, the South Korean official will also meet with National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and the Commander of the Pacific Command, Adm. Harry Harris, the ministry added.

"I strongly condemn North Korea's reckless provocation that raises tension on the Korean Peninsula," Song said at the Incheon International Airport. "I came to the airport after attending a National Security Council session at Cheong Wa Dae this morning. I will discuss relevant countermeasures with the U.S. defense chief and the national security adviser."

The ministry said the bilateral meeting between the defense chiefs of the two nations has been achieved at the request of South Korea amid evolving threats from the North's nuclear and missile programs.












By Woo Ji-won





Park Seong-jin, the minister-designate for the new Ministry of SMEs and Startups

The Korean presidential office has expressed support of the minister-designate for the new Ministry of SMEs and Startups, who has been a supporter of pseudoscience communities.

"One's faith and scientific belief can be different,"a government official said.

Park Seong-jin, 50, is a professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) and also CEO of POSTECH Holdings, a company owned by the school's Industrial-Academic Cooperation Group.

His nomination by Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday has sparked debate after his past position as director of well-known pseudoscience institute, "Korea Association for Creation Research," was revealed.

Park quit his position just a day before his nomination.

Creation science, which started in the U.S. in the 1960s, is regarded as a fundamentalist Christian movement.

It denies the theory of evolution and considers Biblical creationism to be a scientifically proven fact.

Many scientists view creation scientists as unscholarly.

Cheong Wa Dae clarified its view that religion and scientific conscience were separate, giving more weight to Park's expertise than his faith.

"Faith is not subject to qualification," a Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters on Friday. "If religious belief is a problem, I believe it is just to hear a candidate's explanation during the hearing preparation."

Amid the stir, Park postponed a media press conference that was scheduled for Saturday in Yeouido, central Seoul, to Monday, saying he needed time to prepare for the hearing.

If the National Assembly endorses Park's nomination, the Moon Jae-in administration will have finalized its full Cabinet  more than three months after Moon's inauguration.
South Korean F-15K fighter jets / Korea Times files



South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered his country's military Tuesday to display its capabilities that can overwhelm North Korea should the communist state decide to attack, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.



The order came hours after Pyongyang launched what appeared to be an intermediate range ballistic missile that flew over Japan, according to Cheong Wa Dae officials.



The show of overwhelming force involved the dropping of eight Mark 84 or MK84 multipurpose bombs by four F15K fighter jets at a shooting range near the inter-Korean border in Taebaek, Yoon Young-chan, Moon's chief press secretary, told reporters.

The National Security Council (NSC) convened an emergency meeting following the North Korean missile launch shortly before 6 a.m.



"The NSC standing committee denounced North Korea for violating the U.N. Security Council resolutions by again launching ballistic missiles despite stern warnings," Yoon told a press briefing.



In a telephone conversation that also took place shortly after the latest North Korean missile provocation, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her U.S. counterpart Rex Tillerson agreed to push for additional sanctions by the U.N. Security Council, according to Yoon.

Chung Eui-yong, Moon's top security adviser, also held a telephone conversation with the White House's National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster to discuss the allies' joint measures against the North's latest missile provocation.



"McMaster said President Donald Trump fully supported President Moon's North Korea policy and the South Korean government's measures against North Korean provocations," Yoon said.



Tuesday's missile launch by the North marked the 14th of its kind since the beginning of the year, and the ninth since the Moon Jae-in administration took office in May.



A Cheong Wa Dae official, while speaking on condition of anonymity, said the allies were also considering deploying "strategic" defense capabilities to South Korea without elaborating on what they might include. (Yonhap)
Inspectors from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Jongno Police Station check for hidden cameras in a public women's bathroom near an outdoor stage for performances in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Aug. 18. / Yonhap



By Chyung Eun-ju

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will expand financial support for sexual offense victims, starting next year.

The ministry will set up a 700 million won ($622,000) fund for the victims of hidden cameras, revenge porn and other forms of digital sexual harassment.

The money will go toward investigating, deleting and monitoring websites, according to minister Jung Hyun-baek on Tuesday.

The ministry will also establish a historical museum and research center for Korean victims of sex slavery for the Japanese military during World War II, who are known as "comfort women."

The ministry will also spend 41.5 billion won to help victims of gender abuse. Initiatives include building two more shelters for migrant women who have been physically abused and seven support centers for children and young adults who have been trafficked for sex..

The ministry's operating budget for next year is 768 billion won, up by 7.9 percent from last year.

The ministry will submit its 2018 Budget and Operation Plan to the National Assembly on Sept. 1, when the Moon Jae-in administration's first plenary meeting is held at the National Assembly.

On Tuesday, President Moon called for stronger efforts to prevent hidden camera crimes against women and provide support for victims of such crimes.

"President Moon again urged for government measures to completely remove concerns of females through strong legal actions against hidden camera crimes and strong measures to help minimize damage to the victims," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Soo-hyun said in a press release.

A total of 983 people were apprehended for offenses related to using hidden cameras between July 1 and Aug. 20, according to the National Police Agency.
By Kim Hyo-jin

Opposition parties called on the Moon Jae-in government to overhaul what they claim is its naive approach toward North Korea Tuesday, following the North's latest missile provocation.

They demanded that Moon scrap his two-track policy of seeking dialogue and sanctions, and instead strengthen defensive capabilities including full deployment of the U.S. anti-missile system.

"Moon should stop begging North Korea for dialogue and give up the fantasy that dialogue could lead to the North voluntarily giving up its nuclear program," Rep. Chung Woo-taik, floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) said during a party meeting.

"He should rather focus on installing a full-scale Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) unit immediately and strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance."

The minor Bareun Party also criticized Moon's peace overture, describing it as the leader's complacency.

"It has been proven that the North is taking another strategic step toward the advancement of its nuclear and missile program," Chairwoman Rep. Lee Hye-hoon said during a press conference. "I advise the government to stop taking a complacent and incompetent stance."












Latest test launch calls for unity of concerned nations



North Korea's latest test launch of a long-range missile is alarming but not surprising. What we need now is a cool head to assess the situation and plan what to do. It all comes down to a combination of more patience and a new approach, wrapped in strategic persistence.



The previous two tests, one each on July 4 and 28, had the projectiles flown at such high altitudes that they covered a short distance and crashed into the East Sea. The Tuesday test was to see whether it could actually fly the distance as intended. That was why the North sent it across Japanese airspace for 2,700 kilometers at the highest altitude of 550 kilometers. In short, it had been expected.



Japan's anxiety is understandable considering it was the first time the flight path of the North's missile crossed Japan, triggering the evacuation of some towns. In 1998, the projectile flew over the archipelago but the North insisted it was a satellite launch.



It remains to be seen whether the North has made improvements in the miniaturization of its nuclear payload and re-entry technology  both being critical to making functioning nuclear-tipped inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that are capable of hitting the U.S. and China as well as Russia. South Korea, as shown in its test-fired missiles Saturday, is under striking range of its short- and medium-range missiles.



The North's next step is likely to be the sixth nuclear test that is needed to finesse miniaturization knowhow. Reports have it that a test can be imminent.



Now, we need to renew our plan.



This should start with rhetorical restraint. U.S. President Trump talked about the shower of "fire and fury," moved to the U.S. military "locked and loaded" and finally complimented North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a brief lull that led to Tuesday's launch. President Moon Jae-in also put his peace initiative on ice for a while. We should replace words with action.



The leaders of the concerned nations  South Korea, the U.S., China and Japan  should get together for a summit in a show of unity and to decide how to lower the risk of the North's nuclear armament.



The leaders may get down to a new deal on the North, reviewing the current sanctions-centered approaches, the role of the U.S. and China as well as the views of Korea and Japan, which face a clear and present danger from the North's threats. They should set rules to deal with the North's disarmament and afterward. The chance is that the North will then start to take things seriously.




By Yoon Sung-won



Foreign shareholders of Samsung Electronics and other Samsung units are expected to press the world's top smartphone maker and other affiliates harder to gain short-term benefits, such as more dividends, amid a leadership vacuum, officials and analysts said Sunday.



Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong, also vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, was sentenced to five years in prison for bribery and other charges Friday.



Some analysts worry foreign vulture capitals might target Samsung, as U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management did last year.



"Those who run a business in Korea lack proper political protection on corporate control as politicians focus on putting limits on CEOs and business leaders instead of helping them establish a stable corporate control," said Lee Byung-tae, a business administration professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). "In such an environment, enterprises are more likely to be struck by foreign vulture capitals in times of crisis."



Samsung Life Insurance owns 8.13 percent of Samsung Electronics and Samsung C&T has 4.57 percent.



Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee holds a 3.82 percent stake in Samsung Electronics, his wife Hong Ra-hee 0.83 percent, and his convicted son Jae-yong 0.64 percent.



This means the owner family and Samsung units only have about a 20 percent share of Samsung Electronics. Vice Chairman Lee indirectly controls Samsung Electronics with his 17.08 percent stake in Samsung C&T.



With the chairman remaining hospitalized, Elliott demanded Samsung Electronics last year separate itself into two entities and make one of them a holding company to become more transparent.













The U.S. hedge fund also requested the company provide shareholders with about 30 trillion won in extra dividends.

At that time, Samsung Electronics was able to resist Elliott's demands by promising to retire its own shares worth 49.3 trillion won ($44 billion), aiming to improve shareholder value.



Alongside Elliott, KAIST professor Lee cites another past case regarding SK Group hedge fund Sovereign Asset Management in April 2003. At that time, Sovereign became the second-largest stakeholder of the group's holding company by acquiring a 14.99 percent stake and demanded the executives step down.



"As we could observe in cases regarding Sovereign and Elliott, foreign vulture capitals have been quite successful here in the past as they targeted Korean enterprises at a time when their largest stakeholders committed moral, legal faults," he said.



"Now that they have all the reason to attack Samsung Electronics, it is more likely for a foreign vulture capital to target the company."



Lee also said Samsung may not seal major acquisition deals in the near future without its chief in his post.

"Under Korea's unique business atmosphere, CEOs will hardly decide upon acquisition deals worth billions of dollars without the owner of the business," he said.



Analysts said foreign activist investors are likely to demand Lee be stripped of board membership at Samsung Electronics, taking issue with his bribery conviction.



Another economics professor in Seoul, who asked not to be named, concurred.



"There might be direct attacks from foreign shareholders including vulture capitals. But they can make bolder requests for dividends or governance restructuring," he said.



Upon growing demands from foreign investors, Samsung has steadily increased dividends and wrote off existing shares to boost shareholder value, which will in turn undermine its capabilities to expand investments for future growth.



"Without Lee, Samsung is also unlikely to make major investments and merger deals in the near future. Major acquisitions and investment deals are not just about paperwork and more about trust-building procedures between actual leaders of the businesses. The leaders should be there to persuade major stakeholders."



IBK Securities research head Lee Jong-woo, on the other hand, said the absence of the Samsung heir is unlikely to have a significant impact on the conglomerate's business administration.



"Korea's stock markets have highly nationalistic characteristics," he said. "If a foreign investor tries to interfere with Samsung's business management, all its local stakeholders, from the National Pension Service to smaller institutional investors, will do everything to stop the interference."
Science and ICT Minister Yoo Young-min speaks in a press conference at the Gwacheon Government Complex in Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. This is the first time he has held a press conference since taking office last month. / Courtesy of the Ministry of Science and ICT

By Lee Min-hyung

The government has pledged to adopt tough regulatory measures against overseas internet giants  such as Facebook and Google  amid growing calls to stop discrimination against their local counterparts in taxes and a series of regulations.

"We have so far been unprepared for the issue, so the ministry is coming up with countermeasures to stop the discrimination," Science and ICT Minister Yoo Young-min said in his first press conference, Tuesday.

"I advised working-level officials to benchmark policies pushed by our Chinese counterpart," he said without further elaboration.

The years-long dispute came as the local subsidiaries of the U.S.-based tech giants operate their business here as a limited liability company which is not obliged to share their earnings and tax-paying information with the Korean government.

For this reason, their counterparts  including the nation's top portal operator Naver  called for the government to implement the same regulations on them, so that Korean companies do not fall victim to what they call legal discrimination.

This is not the first time that Yoo has underlined the need to push ahead with the same local regulations on the overseas firms reaping profits here.

In a confirmation hearing last month, he said: "I think both Korean and overseas companies should comply with the legal systems here."

Kim Yong-soo, the second vice science minister, said the government would continue to garner efforts to implement proper sanctions on the overseas companies.

"Europe is also seeking to devise sanctions for a similar issue," he said. "There are a variety of factors that need to be considered  including taxes and ICT regulations. The ministry is still working on settling the issue, but has yet to come up with any satisfactory outcome."





Telecom fee reduction at deadlock

In the press conference, the science minister also said the government is seeking to come to terms with mobile carriers over the controversial telecom fee reduction drive.

The policy is outlined with raising the discount rate for people's telecom subscriptions from 20 percent to 25 percent.

But this has caused a controversy, as the government said only those who sign up for a subscription with a mobile carrier after Sept. 15 can benefit from the policy.

"We are in talks with the carriers to expand the benefits to existing users as well, but in reality, this is very tough," Yoo said.

"The ministry will continue to narrow the difference with mobile carriers for them to keep up with our policy drive," he said. "We do not want to change the current legal systems to mandate them to join the policy."

Earlier this year, President Moon Jae-in pledged to abolish the basic monthly fee of 11,000 won ($9.77) as part of his key campaign pledges. But this has invited fierce opposition from the carriers  SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus.

The government has since de facto given up realizing the pledge, and shifted the policy focus to raising the discount rate.

"The last thing we want is to bring the issue to court at a time when we need to resolve other pending issues to keep pace with the upcoming 5G telecom era," the minister added.
Samsung Electronics' semiconductor factory in Xian, China



By Kang Seung-woo

Samsung Electronics is seeking to solidify its lead in the NAND memory chip sector with a massive investment in China.

The world's largest semiconductor company said Tuesday it will inject $7 billion (7.87 trillion won) to beef up its NAND memory production in its Xian plant. Samsung opened the world's largest semiconductor plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, last month, seeking to meet surging demand for state-of-the-art 3D NAND flash chips.

To this end, management has approved $2.3 billion of the new investment over the next three years.

"The investment is aimed at meeting rising demand for NAND flash products in the mid-to-long term," said a Samsung official.

Samsung is currently the world's No. 1 chipmaker in both DRAM and NAND flash memory sectors _ the former used for computers and the latter for mobile devices.

The company will discuss the plan with the Chinese government, hoping to break ground within this year and start production in 2019.

The Xian facility, established in 2014, is fabricating 120,000 3D NAND flash chips per month.

The expansion plan is a countermeasure to fully supply the NAND flash memory to the Chinese market, where Samsung is expected to see a growing demand for the chip to be used for data centers, big data, artificial intelligence and in the automotive sector.

Recently, the global chip market is in short supply and Samsung is taking advantage of the memory chip "super cycle," which helped it reach a record profit in the second quarter of the year.

Last month, Samsung reported an operating profit of 14.07 trillion won in the cited period and its chip business was the key driver at 8.03 trillion won.

The global NAND memory market was worth $37 billion and Samsung notched a 36.1 percent market share over distant runner-up Toshiba's 17.4 percent.

Also, industry tracker IHS Markit forecast that this year's NAND flash market will advance 25 percent year-on-year to $46.5 billion and to $56.5 billion in 2021.

Last month, Samsung announced it would invest 37 trillion won in expanding manufacturing facilities for chips and display panels by 2021.
From the left Scott Jeun, president of KCYLA; Adrian Cheng, executive vice chairman of New World Group; Nelson Loh, chairman of Dorr Group; and Willy Chuang, CEO of Xingkeduo.



Members of KoreaChina Young Leaders Association convene in Seoul



Chinese CEOs recently visited Korea in order to attend Asian Leadership Conference (ALC). The chief of the KoreaChina Young Leaders Association, Scott Jeun, served as the group's representative during the conference. Jeun has many close ties with the Chinese government leadership.

The Asian Leadership Conference took place on July 3 at Seoul Walkerhill Hotel. More than 40 Chinese entrepreneurs attended this forum. Included in attendees are Adrian Cheng, executive vice chairman of New World Development and served as the leader of his group; Jing Ulrich, managing director and vice chairman of Asia Pacific at JPMorgan; Zhang Qiang, president of Beijing Qunar Software Technology; Nelson Loh, co-founder and managing director of DORR Group; Chen Dongmin, Professor and Dean at School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Peking University; Jeremy A. Huff, managing director and COO at Morgan Stanley China; Hao Yi, the Co-CEO of Great Wall Club; and Zheng Junye, president of the Federation of Sichuan Province.

Chinese entrepreneurs were well represented in the China section of Asian Leadership Conference. This section was organized by KoreaChina Young Leaders Association. Former U.S. President Barack Obama was also in attendance and was a highlighted speaker. ALC President Jeun was able to gather prominent American and Chinese figures despite the recent growing concern between two countries.

The China section of the conference consisted of four sessions. The first session was reviewing the Chinese economy, especially the effect of the economic policy of the Trump administration on China. U.S. led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and China led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are facing anew political situation as the Trump administration withdrew the U.S. from TPP.

Chinese entrepreneurs debated over how international trade system would change in the future. Anthony Kim, Deputy Chief of Staff and Editor of Index of Economic Freedom at The Heritage Foundation, participated in the debate as moderator, and Justin Yifu Lin, former chief economist and senior vice president at the World Bank, and Jing Ulrich, managing director and vice chairman of Asia Pacific at JPMorgan Chase, and Wu Yongping, Professor of School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University, participated as one of the panels.

The theme of the second session was "China's generation after the 80s redefining luxury goods".

Adrian Cheng, executive vice chairman of New World Development, "According to Ali Research, China's consumer market will grow to $6.5 trillion. Making them spend money is the key to success in the Chinese market."

Jeun, Cheng and Willy Chuang, CEO of Xingkeduo, and Nelson Loh, co-founder and managing director of DORR Group, participated as moderator.

The third session's theme was "China's manufacturing in 2025: From follower to first mover", covering China government's changeover of smart manufacturing. The main point was intensively fostering 10 main industries including advanced information technology and aerospace facility. Jeremy A. Huff, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer at Morgan Stanley China, said "China is now transforming from cheap labor led made in China' to created in China'", addressed paradigm conversion of China's manufacturing business.

Huffparticipated in this session as a moderator, and Li Haitao, Associate Dean for the MBA Program at CKGSB, Chen Dongmin, Professor and Dean at School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Peking University, Hao Yi, the Co-CEO of Great Wall Club, Jenhao Han, founder and CEO of KCA Capital Partners participated as one of the panels.

The theme of the last session was "Shoot for the dream: meeting with Chinese young entrepreneurs". In this session, eight of China's industry leading young entrepreneurs shared their success story. Xiao Dun, Yiqizuoyewnag's CEO, who participated as one of the panels, said "Young Chinese entrepreneurship is setting the trend of the world."

Wang Lei, President of Shanghai Happiness Nine Pension Investment Group, and Robin Si, CEO and Co-founder of GU CYCLE also shared their own success story and talked about the potential of the Chinese market.

Ro Jae Hun, Director of Korea China Culture Center, and Gabriel Wildau, Shanghai Bureau Chief for Financial Times hosted the session and Richard Tan, CEO of INNOSPACE+, and Zhang Qiang, CEO of Qunar, Sam Lau, Chairman of Qianhai Heungkong Finance Holding Group, and Lin Lin, President of the world biggest beauty Expo CIBE participated in the session.

Cheng said "Interaction between Chinese and Korean young people, the oncoming generation of leaders, is very important, especially when China and Korea's tie is soured. I felt the passion of Koreans by attending this forum."

Hao Yi, the co-CEO of Great Wall Club, said "This visit to Korea can initiate interaction between Korea and China again. I want to host Global Mobile Internet Conference event all over the world including Korea."


By Park Jae-hyuk

The deep-rooted dispute over creationism has arisen here again after Park Seong-jin, the designate for SMEs and startups minister, was found to have worked for an institute supporting what most scientists regard as pseudoscience.

Creationism is a fundamentalist Christian movement that denies the theory of evolution and considers Biblical creation stories as proven facts.

Although Park told reporters this week that he "respects" the theory of evolution despite his religious beliefs, controversy over the issue will highly likely go on, given that opposition parties are expected to mention it during the upcoming confirmation hearing.

"As a Christian, I have a faith in a religion based on creation, but I do not believe creation as a science," the minister nominee told reporters. "I've never individually studied creation science either."

In response to his remarks during a symposium at Yonsei University in 2007 that "People armed with belief in creation should be deployed in every fields of society," Park explained the remarks were just made for guests from the United States.

Saying that faith is not subject to qualification, Cheong Wa Dae has dismissed the controversy. Park quit his position as director at the Korea Association for Creation Research (KACR) just a day before his nomination.

In fact, it is not the first time that the government officials in Korea faced criticism over their support for creationism.

Chang Soon-heung, a former professor at KAIST and an incumbent president of Handong Global University, was also embroiled in dispute in 2013 when he took part in the presidential transition team for the Park Geun-hye administration.

As Chang was in charge of the transition team's education and science policies, he faced a strong backlash from opposition parties at that time.

Former Rep. Jang Ha-na of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, which is now the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, criticized him and the KACR.

The supporters for creationism were also suspicious of exerting their influence on the naming of the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, which includes the word "creation science" in Korean.

The previous administration dismissed the issue back then, saying that Chang does not deal with text books.

The Moon Jae-in government's explanation was similar to the Park Geun-hye administration's as both said the religious beliefs are irrelevant to the ministry.

Park and the government have stressed his previous careers as a startup founder and his research as a mechanical engineering professor of POSTECH.

The KACR also posted an explanation on its official website, Monday, which reads that creationism is not a pseudoscience as it does not deny science.

However, some come up with fears over possible setbacks in fostering startups specializing in the bio-industry.

Considering that the key factors for the Fourth Industrial Revolution are science and technology, critics raised question about the government's explanation.

On its official website, the startup ministry vows to train human resources for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

"Supporting creation science is not a religious choice. It is a denial of the scientific achievements of the humankind so far," Jeong Jae-seung, professor of KAIST, wrote on his Facebook. "I regard scientists supporting creation science as very dangerous scholars."

Given that KAIST and POSTECH, the two-largest incubators of the nation's scientific technologies, are known for being full of supporters of creationism, controversies over nominations of scientists will likely continue in the next administrations.

"I am really ashamed of the fact that KAIST is the root of Korea's creation science," Prof. Jeong said.
Andre Schmidtgall, country retail manager at IKEA Korea, announces a schedule for the opening of IKEA's Goyang store in Gyeonggi Province, during a press conference at IKEA's pop-up store in Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of IKEA Korea



IKEA Korea chief refutes Shinsegae CEO's remarks



By Park Jae-hyuk

IKEA Korea's chief has dismissed market observers' expectation that its Goyang store, which will open in northwest Seoul, Oct. 19, will enter into rivalry with Shinsegae's Starfield Goyang that began operation last week.

"Starfield has a completely different concept and format than IKEA," Andre Schmidtgall, country retail manager at IKEA Korea, said in a press conference at an IKEA pop-up store in Seoul, Tuesday.

"We are selling our own goods from our suppliers and I assume that Starfield has a different concept of a shopping mall. In general, I always welcome businesses creating more consumption and everyone who is interested in home furnishing."

Since Shinsegae Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin mentioned IKEA, observers have expected a fierce competition between the Korean retail giant and the Swedish home furnishing company.

"I think IKEA should also be subject to the government's regulation demanding large shopping malls close twice a month," Chung told reporters last week at the grand opening ceremony of Starfield Goyang.

For the sake of small local retailers, the left-leaning Moon Jae-in administration has pushed ahead with further regulations on conglomerates specializing in retail, such as Lotte and Shinsegae. IKEA has recently come under fire over its first store in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, being exempt from the regulation.

Schmidtgall avoided commenting on the regulation and public sentiments.

"We're following all rules and regulations, but it's really difficult to comment on an uncertain regulation," he said. "From a customer perspective, we want to be there when our customers want to be with us."

The local manager also emphasized IKEA Korea's attempts to coexist with nearby sellers, saying that sales of stores in a 10-kilometer radius of IKEA's Gwangmyeong store have increased in terms of the amount of credit card use.

Promising to become a "good neighbor," Schmidtgall said the Goyang store has already hired 550 workers at a job fair in April.

He also said IKEA Korea will cooperate with any Korean retailers sharing the same values.

Both its Gwangmyeong store and the upcoming Goyang store are located near Lotte outlets, and this has been regarded as the Swedish company's strategy to create synergy.

However, Schmidtgall denied the alleged strategic alliance with Lotte, although the retail giant has been helpful.

During the press conference, IKEA Korea also disclosed its business performance from September 2016 to August 2017. The Korean branch recorded 365 billion won ($324 million) in sales, up 6 percent from a year earlier. It refused to unveil the operating profit.

IKEA Korea plans to launch six stores here by the end of 2020, but the location and exact schedule for the third store has yet to be ascertained, according to the country manager.

Meanwhile, IKEA Korea also announced the new theme of this year, "Express yourself, My living room, My way."

"With the new theme, we hope to inspire Korean consumers to redefine their living rooms and be bold in expressing themselves in the living room," IKEA Korea marketing manager Nicolas Johnsson said.
Sanofi Pasteur's four-strain influenza vaccine, Vaxigrip Tetra

By Lee Hyo-sik

Sanofi Pasteur Korea has unveiled its latest four-strain influenza vaccine, which it says will provide broader protection against viruses in the coming winter season.

The vaccine-making arm of French pharmaceutical giant, Sanofi, said Tuesday it will begin selling Vaxigrip Tetra in September. It added the sales of its vaccine here will outpace ones manufactured by Glaxo Smith Kline and other multinational drug companies.

"Vaxigrip Tetra helps protect people aged 36 months or older from influenza, caused by two A strains and two B strains of influenza virus," said Baptiste de Clarens, general manager of Sanofi Pasteur Korea. "In June, we received a product license from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for this new vaccine."

Vaxigrip Tetra includes one additional B virus stain offering wider protection than the previous influenza vaccines, which contained only three strains; two A strains and a single B strain.

In four large global clinical studies in Europe, Asia, South America and Oceania involving over 4,000 people, Vaxigrip Tetra showed good immunogenicity and safety across all age groups 36 months and older, the company said.

"The results show the immunogenicity of the vaccine was superior to that of the previous Vaxigrip, a widely-used vaccine which sold 1.8 billion doses around the world," Clarens said. "The safety of Vaxigrip Tetra was comparable to that of Vaxigrip. In addition, the immune response generated by the vaccine was even as the uniformity of lots was maintained."

Vaxigrip Tetra is imported from France as a finished product built upon Sanofi Pasteur's supply expertise and know-how in influenza vaccines for more than 60 years, according to the general manger.

He also noted Sanofi Pasteur has a rigorous quality control and process system, and provides influenza vaccines to about 150 countries worldwide.

Pasteur Sanofi vaccines account for more than 40 percent of the world's influenza vaccine market, he said.

"Vaxigrip Tetra is an imported finished four-strain influenza vaccine, which demonstrates good immunogenicity and safety in four large global clinical trials across four continents," Clarens said. "Korea's influenza market will be dominated by four-strain vaccines this year. We, Sanofi Pasteur as a global leader in influenza vaccines, protect more people and enable them to enjoy a healthier lifestyle."
A farmer in Sunwu county, Heilongjiang province, harvests a crop of cannabis plants.



By Stephen Chen





Every year in April, Jiang Xingquan sets aside part of his farm in northern China to grow cannabis. The size of the plot varies with market demand but over the last few years it has been about 600 hectares.

Like every other hemp farmer in Hexin in Heilongjiang province near the Russian border, Jiang is growing the plant legally.

The growers sell the stems of the crop to textile factories to make high-quality fabric, the leaves to pharmaceutical companies for drugs, and the seeds to food companies to make snacks, kitchen oil and drinks.

For the farmers, the crop is green gold  hemp brings in more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,500) per hectare, compared to just a few thousand yuan for more common crops like corn. It also has few natural enemies so there's little need for expensive pesticides.

"That's pure profit," Jiang said.

Jiang's farm is in China's frosty north and is one of the country's major centres for the legal crop. Authorities in the province turned a blind eye to its production before legalising and regulating it last year. Another major growing area is in Yunnan province where the plant's production has been regulated since 2003.

Together, these areas account for about half of the world's legal commercial cropland under hemp cannabis cultivation, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Thanks to government support and a long tradition, China has quietly become a superpower in the plant's production and research.

There are no official figures for the amount of the plant China produces each year but plantations are flourishing  both for commercial and illicit drug use.

This growth has in part been made possible by government-funded scientists who study the plant's military uses, including as medication and fabric for uniforms.

Over the decades, researchers developed various hybrid species that not just survived but thrived in China's disparate environments, from the Arctic conditions in Heilongjiang, to Inner Mongolia's Gobi Desert to the subtropics of Yunnan.

In 2014, the Ministry of Public Security said it found a large number of unregistered hemp and marijuana plantations across the nation, particularly in Jilin and Inner Mongolia.

Hemp cannabis is one variety of the Cannabis sativa plant, which also includes types better known as marijuana. The difference between the two is the amount of the psychoactive component THC, with hemp varieties containing just trace amounts of it.

Both the hemp and marijuana strains of the plant also contain cannabidiol, or CBD, a compound that has been used to treat a wide range of conditions such as epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

Cannabis sativa has been cultivated in China for centuries, mainly for the plant's strong fibres which can be turned into rope, fabric and paper. Hemp fabric dating back more than 3,400 years has been found in Shang Dynasty tombs in Hebei, and the fibre is believed to have been the basis of the earliest forms of paper made in the country.

Other parts of the plant, such as seeds and leaves, have been used in Chinese traditional medicine  but with warnings of side effects.

The Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica, a pharmaceutical text complied in the first or second century AD, warns: "A person will see a ghost after an overdose, [and] run around like mad ... After moderate long-term intake, [he or she] will be able to communicate to God."

After the establishment of the People's Republic, the Communist Party-led government classified the plant as an illicit drug and introduced some of the world's toughest rules against its production, trade and consumption.

Anybody with more than 5kg of processed marijuana leaves, 10kg of resin, or 150kg of fresh leaves can face the death penalty, under Chinese criminal law.

Despite the tough laws, authorities have usually turned a blind eye to farmers growing their own low-THC varieties because they were an important source of income for some farmers. Farmers have largely been spared in drug crackdowns but in some areas such as Xinjiang bans on the crop  even the low-THC trypes  have been strictly enforced, due to concerns about drug abuse in the region.

Research into the plant really took off in China in the late 1970s when the country went to war with Vietnam, according to some scientists.

The military needed to develop a fabric that could keep soldiers clean and dry in Vietnam's humidity, and cannabis hemp offered the fibre that breathed and was antibacterial. Other studies explored the plant's use as a drug in field hospitals.

As a result of that research, more than half of the world's 600-plus patents related to the plant are now held in China, according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation. This has prompted concerns in the Western pharmaceutical industry that the Chinese government or Chinese firms might take advantage of the patent barriers.

On market analysis site InvestorIntel, Dr Luc Duchesne, an Ottawa-based businessman and biochemist, said: "Because cannabis in Western medicine is becoming accepted, the predominance of Chinese patents suggests that pharmaceutical sciences are evolving quickly in China, outpacing Western capabilities.

"[Chinese traditional medicine] is poised to take advantage of a growing trend. The writing is on the wall: westernised Chinese traditional medicine is coming to a dispensary near you."

Yang Ming, the head scientist of China's Cannabis sativa research programme at the Institute of Industrial Crops at the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said many farmers who used to grow flax in the province had quickly made the leap to hemp cannabis, thanks to the much higher returns.

But just how many farmers or how much land was devoted to the crop was a national secret.

"It's a big figure. It cannot be revealed to the public. Many farms are, strictly speaking, illegal under current law and regulations," he said.

To start growing the crop, farmers need a special licence and so far they're restricted to growers in Heilongjiang and Yunnan.

"In other provinces [hemp] farmers might plant varieties with THC levels higher than 0.3 per cent, an internationally accepted benchmark beyond which it is considered unsafe," Yang said.

The central government last year considered issuing regulations to outlaw these farms but dropped the idea because there were so many of them and the move could trigger massive protests by farmers, he said.

Yun Chunming, professor with the Institute of Bast Fibre Crops at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Hunan, said the legality issue would remain a major challenge to the Cannabis sativa boom in China.

"We have seen the growing enthusiasm of farmers, and they are indeed planting low-THC varieties. But cannabis is cannabis. However low the THC concentration, massive plantations can increase the risk of drug abuse and lead to many social problems," he said, suggesting that the THC could be concentrated if enough of the crop were grown.

Tan Xin, president of Beijing-based Hemp Investment Group, one of the largest Chinese companies advocating the commercial pharmaceutical use of the plant, said the company had partnered with the People's Liberation Army to take the Chinese technology and product to the world.

A drug to treat traumatic stress disorder jointly developed by the company and the Chinese military was nearing completion of clinical trials, and it was just one of the many products from the plant with global market potential, according to a statement on the company's website.

"We expect the sector will grow into a 100 billion yuan industry for China in five years' time," he said.

With offices in the United States and plans to branch out into Canada, Israel, Japan and Europe, Tang said the company was taking the plant to all member countries in China's "Belt and Road Initiative", an infrastructure scheme to link China with the rest of Asia and beyond.

Back in Heilongjiang, Jiang said he and family had tasted the vegetable oil made from hemp seeds.

"It has a very strong fragrance and tastes good, but we felt dizzy after dinner," he said.

"We dare not try it very often."


By Sarah Zheng





China hit back this week against fresh North Korea-related sanctions by the United States, which targeted six Chinese firms and one individual for supporting Pyongyang's weapons programme.

It called on Washington to "immediately correct its mistake" of enacting these sanctions, opening Beijing to renewed criticism that it has been reluctant to exert greater pressure on its authoritarian neighbour.

China has increasingly had to contend with its complicated relationship with the reclusive regime amid the growing international chorus for sanctions against North Korea.

The two nations are historical allies, with Mao Zedong famously likening their brotherly ties to being "as close as lips and teeth". But the ratcheting up of North Korean aggression  including its two recent tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and Saturday's launch of short-range missiles  poses a serious dilemma for China.

What is the relationship between China and North Korea?

The two nations are long-standing allies, sharing not only a border more than 1,400km long, but significant economic and diplomatic ties.

China and North Korea are still bound by a 1961 defence treaty for "mutual aid and cooperation" that is up for renewal in 2021. Additionally, China remains North Korea's largest trading partner  accounting for around 90 per cent of its foreign trade  and provides an essential economic lifeline for the hermit kingdom.

Beijing has been criticised for its reluctance to put economic pressure on Pyongyang, but has agreed to various United Nations resolutions to enact sanctions on the regime, including suspending trade in coal. Most recently, China voted with the UN Security Council to tighten pressure on North Korea by cutting off iron ore, iron, lead and coal.

How has China's relationship with North Korea changed over the past few decades?

Despite their shared communist roots and brothers-in-arms fighting during the Korean war, Sino-North Korean relations have fluctuated over the last few decades. For example, during the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese Red Guards would mockingly call Kim Il-sung a "fat revisionist".

But the relationship has been in a downswing in recent years. North Korea's leader today, Kim Jong-un, is the only head of the country who has not travelled abroad or met his Chinese counterpart since assuming power, in contrast to his father Kim Jong-il, who travelled to China multiple times during his rule.

Observers say their relationship has been further strained by Kim Jong-un's unpredictable and bellicose behaviour, highlighted by the 2013 execution of his uncle, followed by the apparent assassination of his half-brother Kim Jong-nam, who had been living in exile in Macau, an autonomous region in China.

What are the fears and worries of China regarding North Korea now?

China has many concerns about the situation on the Korean peninsula, and chief among them is the destabilisation of the North Korean regime. If Kim's regime collapses, Beijing would have to cope with the ensuing chaos from an influx of millions of North Korean refugees across its northern border, as well as the possibility of a reunified Korea friendly to the US, with an American military presence.

As a result, China has been cautious about cutting off aid or trade to North Korea to avoid heightening the risk of regime collapse.

Just as Beijing does not want war or chaos on its doorstep, it does not want Pyongyang to have access to nuclear weapons, given their proximity. A nuclear North Korea would also raise the stakes for regional powers, likely increasing the US' military presence in the region and giving both South Korea and Japan reason to pursue nuclear weapons.

Why has North Korea become a source of tension in Sino-US relations?

Under President Donald Trump, the US has become increasingly critical of what they see as China's limited actions in addressing North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons, particularly after the regime's ICBM test launches. There has been considerable alarm about Pyongyang's threats to launch missiles towards Guam, a US territory, as well as the possibility of future missiles that could hit the continental US. As a result, the US has pushed for more sanctions, including secondary measures targeting Chinese companies and individuals that help fund North Korea's arms and nuclear programmes.

On the other hand, China has been frustrated by what analysts describe as an erratic and insufficient US policy approach towards North Korea. Beijing has bristled at accusations  delivered verbally and via Twitter  that it has not done enough or should shoulder the responsibility to curb North Korean nuclear ambitions. It remains wary of US-South Korean ties, with their joint military exercises and the American-backed terminal high altitude area defence (THAAD) missile system near Seoul as particular flashpoints.

Analysts say the two nations have different priorities on the peninsula: China's primary concern is North Korean regime stability, whereas the US focus is on Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities.

What are the different approaches China and the US are advocating for on the peninsula?

China has argued for a "dual suspension" approach to the Korean peninsula, calling on the US and South Korea to end their joint military exercises  which are scheduled for next month  if North Korea suspends its nuclear programme. Beijing has also called periodically for multilateral diplomatic negotiations, hoping to resume the six-party talks with North Korea, Russia, the US, South Korea and Japan.

Meanwhile, the US has pushed for a stronger sanctions regime to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear programme. But observers say there has been a duplicity of voices from Washington with regards to North Korea, a centrepiece of the Trump administration's foreign policy. Trump has previously said he will keep "all options on the table", including military action. But US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently signalled an openness to dialogue with Pyongyang, and has praised Kim for not taking any provocative actions since the recent UN sanctions.
For the first time, The Shilla Duty Free and Changi Airport Group will present a one-night exclusive Shilla Beauty Concert featuring Korean pop sensations, SHINee and Red Velvet. To be held in the evening of 24 November 2017 at Suntec Convention Centre, this event will commemorate the upcoming launch of The Shilla Duty Free's new store at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4 (T4). Sponsored by Samsung, Global Tax Free, Korea Tourism Organization and The Embassy of the Republic of Korea; concert tickets are available to the public only through The Shilla Duty Free stores located at Changi Airport Terminals 1, 2 & 3 or online at iShopChangi.com.

From 15 September, customers who shop at any of The Shilla Duty Free stores at Changi Airport or online at iShopChangi.com will be able to redeem a pair of tickets to the Shilla Beauty Concert when they either:

Spend S$700 to be entitled to one pair of Tier 1 tickets; or

Spend S$500 to be entitled to one pair of Tier 2 tickets.

Terms and conditions apply for the redemption of concert tickets. More details of the promotion and redemption process can be found on concert.shilladutyfree.com.

"In appreciation of all our loyal customers who have shopped with us at Changi Airport, the concert will be an absolute treat and experience not to be missed. As we continue to expand our travel retail offerings with the upcoming opening of our newest outlet at the new Changi Airport Terminal 4, we hope that travellers flying through here will be wowed by the diversity of range and exclusive product experiences that our T4 store has to offer," says Ms Raelene Johnson, Vice President of Global Merchandise Division, The Shilla Duty Free.

The future of duty-free shopping at The Shilla Duty Free

For the first time at Changi Airport, The Shilla Duty Free store at T4 will feature a seamless walkthrough duty-free shopping experience for travellers. Once they have passed the centralised area for departure immigration, travellers will be greeted with their favourite brands of cosmetics and fragrances as well as wines and spirits, which they would be able to purchase in a single transaction in the integrated duty-free zone operated by Changi Airport's two core duty-free categories - Cosmetics and Perfumes and Liquor and Tobacco.

"The strong collaboration and shared vision between Changi Airport and The Shilla Duty Free has resulted in another innovative retail breakthrough - Changi's first integrated duty-free zone at Terminal 4. We look forward to wowing our first shoppers when the new terminal officially opens, and welcoming the Korean pop sensations to Changi Airport," says Ms Teo Chew Hoon, Group Senior Vice President of Airside Concessions, Changi Airport Group.

In line with its dedication to expand the travel retail assortment for travellers, The Shilla Duty Free will bring in new brands not currently offered at other terminals, such as Hera, Diptyque, Alexander McQueen, Bentley and Bath & Body Works.

Experience the future of duty-free shopping, coming soon at The Shilla Duty Free at Changi Airport T4.
PRESS RELEASE

China-India Troop Standoff in Doklam Region Comes to an End

Aug. 28, 2017 (EIRNS)Indias External Ministry issued a statement today indicating an end to the two-month-plus stand-off between Chinese and Indian troops in the Doklam region near the tri-junctionTibet (China), Sikkim (India) and Bhutanpointthat began on June 16. The statement said:

"In recent weeks, India and China maintained diplomatic communication in respect of the incident at Doklam...we were able to express our views and convey our concerns and interests. On this basis, expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to and is ongoing."

The standoff started when Bhutan resented China building a road that runs through the disputed Bhutan-Tibet (China) border and evoked its security arrangement with India. India sent troops to stop the road construction. The new agreement will ensure maintaining status quo prior to June 16 and immediate withdrawal of troops by both sides.

According to available reports, both sides agreed not to escalate the situation further following Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Dovals visit to China and meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, in Beijing on July 28. In the interim, details were worked out.

The timing of the agreement suggests it was reached in light of the upcoming BRICS Summit (Sept. 3-5) in Xiamen, where the heads of state of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are scheduled to meet to further the BRICS role in the world economy and security. Without the agreement, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have been under political pressure within his own country not to attend the Summit.
PRESS RELEASE

Trump Reiterates Wish To Improve U.S. Relationship with Russia

August 28, 2017 (EIRNS)In President Trumps press conference today with Finnish President Niinisto, a Finnish reporter appeared to be trying to get Trump to say something negative about Russian maneuvers in the Baltic. She first tried to put Niinisto on the spot with a similar question, asking what advice he had given Trump with regard to dealing with such an adversary." Niinisto replied that there were several maneuvers ongoing in the Baltic, by NATO as well as by Russia, but added that Finland was working above all to promote peace in the region.

"So we have to be very careful," he said,

"that this huge training, huge military trafficking over politics doesnt cause any accidental problems. Because we know that from accidents might grow whatever. And that is why I think its important that we continue to work with NATO to enhance, like I said, dialogue between Russia and NATO. And it is going forward."

The same reporter then asked Trump whether he considered Russia a security threat. Replying that he considered many countries security threats considering the conditions in the world today, and pointing to Vice President Pences trip to U.S. allies in the region, he then rather deftly replied,

"I would consider many countries threats, but these are all threats that well be able to handle if we have to. Hopefully, we wont have to handle them, but if we do, we will handle them."

When she went on with her badgering, asking him what he would do if the circumstances deteriorated, Trump said simply, "We are very protective of that region."

Later, in reply to a question from another Finnish reporter, who asked whether Finland could be of help in improving the U.S. relationship with Russia, Trump replied,

"Well, I hope that we do have good relations with Russia. I say it loud and clear, Ive been saying it for years: I think its a good thing if we have great relationships, or at least good relationships with Russia. Thats very important, and I believe someday that will happen. Its a big country, its a nuclear country, its a country that we should get along with, and I think we will eventually get along with Russia."

"Finland is respected by Russia," Trump continued.

"Finland has been free of Russia, reallyjust about one of the few countries in the region that has beenfor 100 years. And Russia has a lot of respect for Finland, so thats always good. But I think Finland is doing fine with Russia, and I hope that the United States will someday be able to have a very good relationship with Russia also. I think thats very good for world peace and for other things."

In reply to the same question, Niinisto said,
PRESS RELEASE

Kra Canal Conference To Bring Great Project Close to Realization

Aug. 28, 2017 (EIRNS)EIRs friend in Thailand Pakdee Tanapura, who has led the fight for the Kra Canal since his collaboration with Lyndon LaRouche to that purpose in the 1980s, has announced the agenda for a conference on Sep. 9 titled: International Conference On Technology For Sustainable Paths To Thailands Future Thai Canal: Comprehensive Study of Alternative Logistics Systems for the Maritime Silk Road." The conference will feature very-high-level speakers from Thailand, but also from around the world, indicating the very real potential that the project can finally move ahead.

It is Pakdees view that the departure from Thailand last week of deposed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (sister of similarly deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra), who fled rather than face sentencing in a politicized trial, may have been facilitated by the government to prevent any return to the polarization of the country, which existed before the coup in 2014 between the so-called Reds and the Yellows. This may also facilitate Prayuts agreement to proceed with the Kra Canal.

Speakers from Thailand include Thanin Kraivichien, former Prime Minister, former President of the Supreme Court, and former Member of the Privy Council, indicating possible Royal support from the new King (the head of the Privy Council, Prem Tinsulanonda, has shown support for the Canal).

Among the several leading retired generals speaking is Gen. Saiyud Kerdphol, former Supreme Commander, who also spoke at the 1984 conference in Bangkok, addressed by Lyndon LaRouche and others from EIR.

The closing speech will be delivered by Prof. Dr. Suchatvee Suwansawat, President of prestigious King Mongkuts Institute of Technology Ladkrabang.

Dr. Norio Yamamoto, President of Global Infrastructure Fund (GIF) Foundation in Japan, also attended the 1984 conference from the Mitsubishi GIF, and will speak in September.

There are speakers on the Panama Canal (from Panama), the Suez Canal (from Malaysia), and the Keil Canal (from Germany). Many western and Asian business representatives will speak, as well as a Chinese representative of the UN Industrial Development Organization.

Many other experts on canals, transportation, and other disciplines will speak. The conference itself should be a dramatic statement on the importance of this Great Project finally coming to reality.
PRESS RELEASE

Urgent Agenda for Rescuing and Rebuilding Texas

Aug. 28, 2017 (EIRNS)The epic storm poses the fundamental issue for the nation: the United States must restore a nation-serving credit system, for both immediate aid, for support and rebuilding, and for big infrastructure, and fast. Lyndon LaRouches Four Laws are the only emergency solution.

Houston is significantly paralyzed, as are locations all along parts of coastal Texas and Louisiana, and the upland areas hit by the storm. Multiple thousands are homeless. The post-storm prospects for necessities are dire, from sanitation to power. As utility experts point out, you cant put new electric poles down in mud.

A third of all U.S. chemical production has been disrupted. E.G. Bloomberg estimates that 37% of U.S. chlorine and 40% of ethylene output capacity are affected. Gas, oil, and other sectors, likewise.

In Congress, Houston Rep. John Culbertson (R) signalled his intent today, for getting an emergency supplemental funding bill together to be acted upon fast. He spoke on Bloomberg TV, which also reported that Minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) concurs. Texas Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee said she will tack a "robust" relief measure onto a spending bill on the House floor shortly.

Trump said at his news conference today, "Youre going to get your funding." He expects the formal request for emergency funding for Harvey victims to come soon. Meantime, FEMA spokeswoman Stephanie Moffett says, expenses from dealing with Harveys destruction are "quickly drawing down the remaining balance" in FEMAs disaster-relief fund, which earlier today stood at $3.3 billion. (See separate item, on FEMA, National Guard, and other mobilization).

Some of the Congressional dead-heads are still balking, even some from Texas. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.), Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, today reverted to his johnny-one-note venality, hinting that in order to help the Gulf Coast, Federal budget cuts can be found to offset it, "from lower-priority spending."

In dollar terms, the sensible range of costs to rebuild after the storm, start at $100 billion, considering the need for completely restoring transportation, housing, power, food distribution, safe water and sanitation, factories, and farming.

Plus, its long overdue to build the infrastructure to protect against the vulnerability of the entire Gulf Coast to hurricanes and fierce storms. What Rep. Culberson said of this today on Bloomberg is completely false, that, "No one could have ever predicted or expected a catastrophe of this magnitude to descend on the Houston area."

In reality, Texas, itself, is host to research specialists studying the mid-latitude storm patterns. Plus, only last year came the inundation of Houston in the huge "Tax Day Flood," which hit in mid-April, 2016. This was a foretaste for Harvey.

Take a quick look at the infrastructure history of the region, centered on the San Jacinto and Brazos river systems. This is the location of the greater Houston area, which is barely 50 feet above sea level, and prone to flooding. As of 1940, a flood-protection plan was devised for Houston, which involved a couple dams, and systems of drainage channels, levees, and other structures, to manage and divert flood run-off away from heavily settled areas. Right after World War II, the Barker Dam was built (1945) and the Addicks Dam (1948), whose reservoirs hold back high run-off, for calculated release, when flooding recedes. Following this initial construction, no radical updates were made over the decades in the Houston area, in the Harris County Flood Control District.

Fast forward to the present catastrophe, and the lack of protective structures and systems is clear. The problem is not the two dams as suchthey are 20 years over their engineering life span, but have been strengthened. At present, water is being released from their reservoirs, because they are overflowing with the epic rainfall and run-off.

The problem is that new, larger diversion and water-management systems were not put in place over the years. Doing so is a unique challenge, but there are examples of super-challenges that have been met in other parts of the world.

Look at Tokyo, another populous area, practically at sea level, and prone to epic flooding. From 1992 to 2006, gigantic underground silos were built outside Tokyo, to handle flood waters, in what is called the "Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel." This is the largest water diversion, and holding tank system in the world. It consists of five concrete containment chambers. Tokyo is prone to deluge from simultaneous rains, run-off from inland slopes, and sea surge. When safe, enormous pumps lift the water out of the underground storage complex.

The Harris County Flood Control District has even been short of minimal maintenance funds. Earlier this month, its Director of Operations, Matt Zeve, told the Houston Chronicle that the District had a $100 million maintenance backlog.
PRESS RELEASE

U.S. Ukraine Envoy Volker Issues New Threats Against Russia; Russian Senator Pushkov Responds

Aug. 28, 2017 (EIRNS)U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker took the occasion of an interview with Londons Financial Times to issue new threats against Russia, warning that U.S.-Russian relations will be "crippled," unless Russia decides to resolve the Ukrainian situation to Washingtons satisfaction. He appears to miss the point that relations are already quite crippled, as Russian officials frequently point out.

Volkers message is, of course, that the Ukraine crisis is entirely Russias fault, adding the threat that "very senior levels" of the Trump administration are "seriously considering" whether to send lethal weapons to Ukraine. These statements follow Defense Secretary Jim Mattiss visit to Kiev last week, in which he said he favored arming Ukraine.

"Russia is going to have to make some fundamental decisions" on "whether to comply with the Minsk accords," Volker warned, blaming Russia for lack of progress in implementing that agreement. In fact, he added, Russias involvement in Ukraine "isnt working out very well for them ... and frankly, the situation is going to get worse over time, not better." Then, reflecting the mindset of those stuck in the muck of the old paradigm, Volker warned that unless Russia bends to Western demands, it "is going to be frozen out of diplomatic relationships, of economic relationships, because of this."

Russian Senator Aleksey Pushkov, head of the Committee for Information Policy of the upper house of the Russian Parliament, the Federation Council, responded sharply to Volker, RT reported today.

"Volkers attempt to frighten us are in vain. Russia will never be ousted from the system of diplomatic and economic relations. Obamas experience has shown that the U.S. lacks the power to do this,"

Pushkov tweeted.
A gunman opened fire in a Clovis, N.M., public library on Monday, killing two library employees and injuring four others, the Eastern New Mexico News reports. The names of the victims have not been released.

Police say theyve apprehended the gunman, but no motive for the shooting has been identified. Authorities have not named the suspect.

However, friends who saw photographs of the suspect being led from the scene in handcuffs told the Eastern New Mexico News that he was a sophomore at Clovis High School.

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Lisa Baird, who was in the library at the time of the attack, told the newspaper that the young man shouted Why arent you running? Im shooting at you! Run! during the assault.

My initial thought was why would someone throw a cherry bomb or M-80 firecracker into the library? Baird said. Then I saw a young man aim his hand, which had a handgun in it, to the ground/carpet about six feet in front of him, and he fired like four or five shots into the carpet.

Baird said she was struck by the shooters calm after police arrived. When he was answering the cops questions, he was calm, she said. His voice held no negativity or shakiness ... no quavering at all.

Matt Southard, who witnessed the attack, also commented on the shooters demeanor, KOB-TV reports.

As they were walking him out he had a very smart look on his face and was flipping his hair back, he said.

Southard said he was taken aback by the shooting in his hometown, a city of about 40,000 people located about 10 miles from the Texas border.

I grew up born and raised in Clovis, and to see something like that in the town I grew up in, it was really shocking and devastating, Southard said. To see the man that supposedly had done all this was really just a blow to your heart, to know that something like that can happen so close to home.

Its not the only recent shooting at a public library. In June, a man was shot and wounded in a Columbus, Ohio, library in an altercation. In 2016, a shooting in the parking lot of a public library in Cleveland started with a perceived affront inside the library; one man was left blind by his injuries. And in 2015, police shot and killed Kevin Allen, 36, in a library in Lyndhurst, N.J., after he allegedly threatened them with a utility knife.

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez called the Clovis attack horrific.

I am directing the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, and other state agencies, to assist and support the Clovis Police Department, she said in a statement. In the coming hours and days we will learn more information about this despicable act, but for now I ask all New Mexicans to pray for the victims and their families, and for the entire Clovis community.
For anyone who feels powerless about controlling their personal information in a world of search engines and public databases, take heart. A recent court ruling suggests you might have more muscle than you thought.

The case involves a Pasadena company called Spokeo, which operates a people search website that instantaneously pulls together information from publicly available sources.

The company says it helps users know more about the people in their lives. It does this by providing access to social-media profiles, court records, criminal records, names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, marital status and more.

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Spokeo (rhymes with Tokyo) is one of dozens of such online services that have turned once difficult-to-obtain data into a readily available commodity, making it much harder for people to keep sensitive or embarrassing personal info under wraps.

A Virginia resident named Thomas Robins sued Spokeo in 2011, alleging that the information about him on the site was largely erroneous. According to the suit, Spokeo incorrectly stated that he was in his 50s, that he was married, that he was employed in a professional or technical field, and that he has children.

Robins alleges that Spokeo violated federal law by not making reasonable efforts to confirm the info before selling it to third parties. The lawsuit says Robins, who was unemployed at the time, may have lost job opportunities as a result of Spokeos inaccurate information.

This caused actual harm in the form of anxiety, stress, concern, and/or worry about his diminished employment prospects, it says.

Spokeos business model was predicated on putting up tons of information about people and wreaking havoc on peoples lives, Robins lawyer, Jay Edelson, told me.

For the last six years, the two sides have been wrangling over Robins standing to bring the lawsuit. The initial complaint was tossed out by a district judge on the grounds that Robins hadnt shown he experienced genuine harm.

After all, the allegedly inaccurate information about Robins doesnt seem that inflammatory, and he doesnt say for sure that he lost a job opportunity as a result of Spokeos site.

Nevertheless, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the lawsuit, saying the case had sufficient merit to move forward. Then, at Spokeos request, the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in.

In a 6-2 ruling, the high court ruled that Robins must show real harm for his lawsuit to go forward. It told the 9th Circuit to take another look.

And now it has. A three-judge panel of the appellate court ruled the other day that Robins had alleged injuries that were sufficiently concrete to merit a lawsuit.

Marc Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said the decision means consumers will now have their day in court.

There is no guarantee of success, he said. But at least courts will now be expected to hear consumer privacy cases. And if more of these cases are heard, companies will eventually develop better data-protection practices.

Edelson said his next step is to seek class-action status for Robins lawsuit, which potentially could open the case to thousands of people who believe their personal info was misused by Spokeo.

Companies like this touch a lot of people and theyre doing a lot of damage, he said.

Companies like this touch a lot of people and theyre doing a lot of damage.  Jay Edelson, lawyer for the plaintiff Thomas Robins

As it happens, one of my columns is cited in Robins lawsuit. The column was from June 2010, after Id sat down for a chat with the co-founder and chief executive of Spokeo, Harrison Tang.

The jaw-dropping takeaway from that conversation was how aggressively Tang, now 34, protected his own privacy even as he exposed others lives to scrutiny. He wouldnt even let me into Spokeos offices, choosing instead to meet at a Pasadena coffee shop.

More tellingly, Tang had removed his own personal information from the sites searches. I was getting a lot of e-mails and threats, he told me. It was decided by others at the company, and by lawyers, that it would be better if I opted out.

A Spokeo spokeswoman, Vanessa Waite, declined to make Tang available for another interview. Instead, she provided a statement saying that Spokeo is disappointed that the Ninth Circuit concluded that the alleged inaccuracies about Mr. Robins satisfied the Supreme Courts actual harm standard.

The company says it will vigorously defend its position when the case returns to the district court.

Ive had a love/hate relationship with people-search sites. As a reporter, its undeniably useful to have online services that can quickly comb through public records and make information available.

As a consumer, Im frustrated that personal information that once was largely out of reach to all but the most diligent seekers is now easily obtained. These services are a stalkers best friend.

I also resent that people-search companies are profiting from my info without my say-so. And Im especially troubled that so much of whats on these sites is flat-out wrong.

Spokeos fine print ducks responsibility for the accuracy of its information. Spokeo does not verify this public information, it declares, and makes no guarantees to Spokeo users about the accuracy, legitimacy or legality of any information or how recently any information was collected or updated.

In other words, it could be total garbage  not our problem.

But thats exactly what Robins is getting at in his lawsuit. He never gave permission for Spokeo to maintain a digital dossier on his life, nor did he authorize the company to sell his information for a fee of $13.95 a month, or $29.70 for six months membership.

In the Spokeo case, the company argued that people can only sue when they can identify, for example, a job interview lost because of Spokeos unreasonable record-keeping, said Lauren Willis, a Loyola Law School professor.

The 9th Circuit, she said, decided in its latest ruling that you can sue a company when it does not take sufficient care to ensure accuracy and produces false reports about you, even if you cannot identify a particular job opportunity you lost or car loan for which you were overcharged.

You can opt out from having your information listed on Spokeo, but I found the process needlessly complex and confusing. Also, the site says that even if you opt out, it will still display any court records that pertain to you unless you can prove the records have been expunged or sealed.

In 2012, Spokeo paid $800,000 to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it sold peoples information to companies in the human resources, background screening and recruiting industries without taking steps to comply with the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The site now stresses that the company isnt a credit reporting agency and thus isnt subject to the law, which requires that credit agencies follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy.

Willis said its debatable whether Spokeo can evade legal responsibilities by simply declaring that its not a credit reporting agency, particularly if its reports are available to employers and lenders. She cited the walks like a duck legal theory.

My solution is creation of a do-not-aggregate list, modeled on the do-not-call list. Consumers would be able, through the FTC, to opt out of having their personal information compiled for commercial purposes by people-search businesses that fail to meet the standards of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Any company that includes someones information after such an opt-out would be in violation of the law and subject to a penalty. The fine for violating the do-not-call list currently is as much as $40,654 per call.

Spokeos Tang didnt want his own info out there. Hes no different from the rest of us.

David Lazarus column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com.

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Two high-profile board members at the anonymous social media app Whisper have departed in recent months amid an unusual effort by the start-ups co-founders to take back control of the company.

Since becoming a hot attraction on Los Angeles start-up scene around 2014, Whisper has struggled to turn the attention of about 30 million monthly unnamed users into a significant revenue generator.

The company had drawn comparisons to Snapchat, Yik Yak and other fast-growing communications apps. It drew a $200-million valuation and more than $60 million in funding, including from prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firms Sequoia, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Shasta Ventures.

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But Sequoias Roelof Botha and Lightspeeds Jeremy Liew recently vacated their board positions. So did investor John Hadl and Shastas Sean Flynn, who was a board observer. Sequoias website lists the name of an investment partner alongside seemingly each company in its portfolio, except Whisper.

The investors or representatives for their firms declined to comment. Whisper also declined to comment.

Three sources familiar with the board upheaval, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal matters, say Whisper co-founders Michael Heyward and Brad Brooks have attempted to orchestrate a buyout of early investors. Whether the effort is ongoing is unclear. Heyward is Whispers chief executive. Brooks is CEO of TigerText, a Santa Monica start-up that sells a chat app aimed at healthcare workers.

Also unclear is whether the pair used their own funds or were joined by new investment firms to finance the buyout of venture capitalists. Whisper held talks last year with a potential acquirer, which decided not to move forward, a source said. Whisper also solicited investment last year from magazine publisher Time Inc. and the ad agency WPP.

Earlier this year, Whisper authorized the issuance of about $25.5 million worth of stock at a share price flat with its last fundraising in 2014, according to regulatory filings. Any buyers of those shares have the first crack at any proceeds from a sale, initial public offering or other form of liquidation.

Investors on the board and the co-founders are believed to have disagreed over the companys direction amid slowing user growth, sources said. Heyward, the chief executive, has described Whisper as a media company that gathers and distributes user-generated content  all of it unattached to real names  across the Web. Such a company may not become as large as investors were betting on initially.

In July, Whisper laid off 14 of its 71 employees, including its chief operating officer, in an effort to lower costs. With meager revenue, the company has said it hopes to turn a quarterly profit by the end of the year.

State documents show Whisper has liens against it because of more than $1,200 in unpaid tax penalties and interest. Its not unusual for start-ups to prioritize spending on product development over paying taxes when in a cash crunch, according to Burkland Associates, which provides financial services to start-ups. But liens are rare, and the issue emphasizes the apparent disarray at Whisper, said Burklands Walt Spevak.

Liew, a venture capitalist known for being the first to lead an investment in the disappearing-message app Snapchat, remarked in 2013 that Whisper evoked similar usage patterns. The potential drew investment from Chinese app giant Tencent, Thrive Capital and CAA Ventures.

Whisper also raised about $7.7 million in debt funding in 2013, according to PitchBook. Silicon Valley Bank  identified as the lender by a source familiar with the situation  declined to comment.

Former employees say Whisper remains popular among teenagers and young adults, just like Snap Inc.s Snapchat. But the appeal of anonymous posting hasnt reached as close to mainstream as the disappearing aspect of posting offered by Snap, whose offices surround Whispers designer house-turned-headquarters in Venice.

Whisper initially charged users to send direct messages to other users on the app. It later scrapped that offering and instead focused on generating revenue through selling ad slots on the app.

The company landed a partnership earlier this year with Tronc, the parent company of the Los Angeles Times, to funnel user posts onto newspaper websites. But a source familiar with the matter but not authorized to speak publicly said the relationship quickly fizzled. Tronc declined to comment.

paresh.dave@latimes.com / PGP

Twitter: @peard33
The call went out to dozens of artists around the country: Weigh in on the tumult and divisiveness of this political and cultural moment  using clay.

The result is "We the People: Serving Notice," a rousing show at the American Museum of Ceramic Art in Pomona. Following the invitation from AMOCA Director Beth Ann Gerstein, artists created functional objects reflecting the nation's present dysfunction and decorative pieces dealing with our indecorous realities.

Each work in the show is a conversation piece of the meatiest variety: a provocation, an act of resistance, a meditation on what is troubling its maker's soul. Many address broad issues through the lens of personal experience, and often, the wall labels offer a useful contextual bridge between public and private concerns.

Jesse Albrecht writes of being deprived of the requisite Small Arms Protective Insert when he served as a medic in Iraq. His SAPI Plate here mimics the shape of that chest-hugging ceramic shield, but it dismisses as a dark farce the idea that anything can protect against war's physical and psychic damage. Upon the black glazed surface appears the familiar image of the hooded torture victim at Abu Ghraib, enveloped within a larger, clownish ghost, whose speech bubble reads, "War is a racket."

Prevalent in the show are plates of one sort or another, a common-enough ceramic form that serves well as message-bearing surface, akin to a blank canvas or a demonstration-worthy sign. Justin Rothshank and Jeff Irwin both contribute affecting pieces that relate to environmental damage. "Breaking Trail Thru the Woods," with its embossed footprints, tire tracks and flowers, encapsulates the ongoing dilemma Rothshank faces as he intrudes upon and alters the very woods he enshrines as his family home. Irwin's porcelain and earthenware "Dusky Seaside Sparrow" borrows the manner of Italian majolica portrait plates to pay homage to a species forced into extinction when development destroyed its habitat and nesting grounds.

Justin Rothshanks Breaking Trail Thru the Woods, 2017. Wood-fired stoneware, decals. (American Museum of Ceramic Art)

Jeff Irwins Dusky Seaside Sparrow, 2016. Porcelain plate, glaze, earthenware. (American Museum of Ceramic Art)

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Vessels get reinvented as vehicles of protest and earnest appeal. Peter Olson sheathes a bowl's entire base and broad mouth with sepia-toned photographic portraits of 100 unarmed African Americans killed by police. The images encircle the object, flickering like film stills, in a powerful gesture of tribute and lamentation.

Peter Olsons One Hundred Unarmed, 2017. (American Museum of Ceramic Art)

Other works are organized around themes of political division, gender and sexuality, immigration and President Trump . Hypocrisies, absurdities and injustices of every stripe are met with fear, anger, dismay, disbelief and an invigorating degree of sardonic humor. "We the People" nestles right into the art history of social critique. It's an important show, even with contents splayed across the spectrum from exceedingly clever to ham-handedly obvious.

In its organization of the exhibition, AMOCA treats freedom of expression as both a right and a responsibility. The museum supplies visitors with postcards and the addresses of elected officials if you too want to serve notice.

American Museum of Ceramic Art, 399 N. Garey Ave., Pomona. Through Dec. 30. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. (909) 865-3146, www.amoca.org.

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Chinese actress Yang Mi, one of the countrys biggest stars, is the face of an exclusive Michael Kors capsule collection at DFS.

The travel retailer will launch the pink jungle-themed range of 14 products on Sept. 1 that includes a special edition of the Mercer bag, which Yang is seen modeling in the ad campaign, as well as accessories and clothing.

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Its the second time DFS and Michael Kors have worked on a capsule together. The first collaboration last April saw a line of travel-inspired bags, watches and jewelry.

Were proud to partner with Michael Kors to design a collection and an in-store experience that speaks to the excitement of travel and the thrill of discovery, said DFS group president merchandising and consumer marketing Sibylle Scherer. Were confident our customers will love this bright and energetic take on the jet-set lifestyle.

As part of this capsule, six T Galleria locations  in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Hawaii  will allow customers to compete in two virtual reality games to enter a lucky draw trip to New York.

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From a list of impressive visiting chefs to a new cocktail bar in Venice, heres whats happening in the L.A. food and drink world:

Ludo and friends: Ludo Lefebvre, the French chef behind Trois Mec, Petit Trois and Trois Familia, has invited six chefs from around the country to cook with him at Trois Mec. Its part of his second annual 2 Chefs, a Dialogue With Food dinner series, presented by S. Pellegrino and Grey Goose. Chefs participating are Hugo Ortega of Caracol and Xochi in Houston, John Shields of Smyth & the Loyalist in Chicago, Gavin Kaysen of Spoon & Stable and Bellecour in Minneapolis, Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer from Toro, Coppa and Little Donkey in Boston and Enrique Olvera of Cosme in New York City and Pujol in Mexico City. Each dinner will feature a six-course menu with three courses prepared by Lefebvre and three prepared by the guest chef. Tickets are $150 per person, not including an 18% service charge and tax. Dinner includes a custom-crafted Grey Goose cocktail and San Pellegrino. All other beverages are extra. Tickets are on sale now at www.troismec.com. 716 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 484-8588.

Hey neighbor: Neighbor, a new cocktail bar and restaurant on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, is now open. Chef Joshua Luce (formerly of Jean-Georges and the Ace Hotel in downtown L.A.) is helming the kitchen with a menu that includes diver scallops with sweet yellow corn; and cauliflower with tahini. Wine director James Endicott (formerly of Per Se in New York City) has collected bottles for the restaurant from around the world. Neighbor also has a resident music director, DJ Morse Code, who selects the music for the 3,000-square-foot space. The restaurant is open for happy hour and dinner, and plans on extending hours in the future. 1031 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, (310) 314-3625 , www.neighborla.com.

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The new kid: The American Gonzo Food Corp., the restaurant group behind Pitfire Pizza, Superba Food + Bread and Pie Society, has opened a new restaurant called Gesso on Fairfax Avenue in a space formerly occupied by a Pitfire Pizza. The all-day restaurant (open from 8 a.m. daily) is serving breakfast pastries and toast, housemade charcuterie and pizzas, weekend brunch and dinner from chef Doug Miriello. The bar program features cocktails by Jamie Boalbey. 801 N. Fairfax Ave., (323) 544-6240, www.gessoresto.com.

Ripe for the picking: One of our favorite L.A. fried chicken sandwiches has finally found a brick-and-mortar home. Items from the Peaches Smokehouse & Southern Kitchen food truck  home to an excellent fried chicken sandwich  will now be available at the Five0Four bar in Hollywood. Five0Four bar was replaced by Royal, a New Orleans-inspired restaurant in 2015, and is now switching back to its original name, with food from the Peaches food truck crew inside. Executive chef Juan Chestang will be making some of the trucks most popular items (that fried chicken sandwich) as well as some new dishes to go along with the patio bars punch bowls and frozen daiquiris. 6541 Hollywood Blvd., No. 102 Los Angeles, (323) 471-4882, five0fourhollywood.com.

Jenn.Harris@latimes.com

@Jenn_Harris_

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The concept sounds simple: take a good school, figure out whats happening to make students successful, and re-create those elements to spread the success somewhere else.

Replication, as this process is called, has become a buzzword with charter schools nationwide as they expand their networks on the promise of bringing high achievement at existing schools to new ones.

Could the idea work for public schools? The Los Angeles Unified School District has a chance to find out.

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In April, the district received two $750,000 grants to give such school cloning a try. The school board voted last week to approve the projects.

The grants are controversial because they come from Great Public Schools Now, a relatively new nonprofit thats closely associated with a push to rapidly expand the number of L.A. charter schools. The group has made a point so far of pledging money to expand good L.A. Unified programs, though some critics contend that these are token gestures to public schools while charter growth remains the groups real aim.

The district will use the grant money to help open a new magnet school thats based on King/Drew Medical Magnet High School of Medicine and Science in Willowbrook, and a themed traditional school modeled after Public Service Community High School in Florence-Firestone.

So what are the crucial elements of a school that need to be replicated? At the board meeting, the key features of one of the projects prompted some debate.

Is it the freedom?

Public Service Community High is a pilot school, which means that teachers have a greater say in school governance than they would at a traditional school  and though teachers are unionized, pilot schools have greater flexibility in budgeting, scheduling and hiring.

But the school to be created in its image with help from the grant money  on the site of Charles Drew Middle School in Florence-Firestone  will be a traditional school with a public service theme.

At last weeks school board meeting, new board member Kelly Gonez said it was worth examining whether the features particular to pilot schools are important to Public Service Community Highs success.

If were replicating what has worked  but were not doing that in the form of a pilot school, well, how does that work in practice? Gonez said in an interview. How do we make sure we still have that culture of  buy-in among teachers?

Nick Melvoin, her fellow new board member, expressed similar concerns at the meeting.

He said he hoped were really being thoughtful about what it is in each school that works.

Both Gonez and Melvoin ended up voting in favor of the projects. The two are part of the boards new charter-backed majority and won their seats with the help of major campaign funding from supporters of charter schools.

Most L.A. charter schools are not unionized, which makes firing teachers easier.

Antiquated rules about teacher hiring and firing can limit the ability of a school to innovate, Melvoin said in an interview.

The pilot model  is teacher-driven but has some more flexibilities about how teachers and principals can work together. .. I would be interested in seeing more of that in the district, he said.

Is it the theme?

District officials, meanwhile, have identified qualities to replicate outside a pilot schools freedoms. The districts report to the board mentioned Public Service Community Highs emphasis on writing and positive behavior as well as frequent evaluations to better attune teaching to students needs.

The school, which served around 540 students last year and is 96% Latino, performed much better than the district average in state English standardized testing, but worse in math, in which only 13% of students in 2016 met state standards. The class of 2016 achieved an 86.7% graduation rate, higher than the districts 77% rate.

The new campus, which will open in the 2018-19 school year, will keep students on track with its public service theme, internship opportunities and community college partnerships, said Christopher Downing, superintendent of L.A. Unifieds Local District South. Students will be able to intern at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and other workplaces, learn about advocacy through community service and attend classes with a public service focus.

Part of their success is aligned to their theme, Downing said. It leads to stronger engagement of students, its led to a stronger instructional program, and theyve had academic success.

Myrna Castrejon, executive director of Great Public Schools Now, said the organization doesnt care whether the new school is a pilot school or not.

To us the core question is a school design one, Castrejon said. Is there a specific and intentional model that has a very clear mission, and to which all of the resources and efforts of the school are intentionally aligned?

What does the research say?

There have been some efforts to use the idea of replication to import the best practices of one type of school into another. Harvard professor Roland Fryer looked at what happened when elements of high-achieving charter schools were incorporated into low-performing public schools in Houston. In a 2014 study, Fryer found that the imported techniques probably contributed to improved math achievement in Houston and two other districts.

In that study, in keeping with charter school best practices, the students spent more time at school and received more personalized attention, and school leaders relied on data and implemented a culture of high expectations. The schools also had an influx of new teachers and principals, suggesting that control over staffing was important.

The studys findings also suggested that continued teacher training and feedback could be vital to the success of these programs.

Theres no way to separate out which particular aspect of the reform  can account for any success that they saw, said Sarah Cohodes, an assistant professor of education and public policy at Columbia University who has studied replication.

L.A. Unified is trying to do something unlike the Houston effort and others by replicating elements of particular schools rather than relying on a large set of data and practices culled from many schools, Cohodes said.

L.A. Unifieds approach is more like an experiment, she said, and they seem to be saying:,`Here are some things that we think are successful. Lets replicate them and see what happens.

Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli.
The initial report by the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission told of a 212,000-gallon spill from Mexico into the Tijuana River channel.

But four days after the incident occurred, the group Monday issued a rare retraction.

The flow was the result of a U.S. discharge, Steve Smullen, San Diego operations manager for the commission, said in an email. The commission is the U.S. branch of a binational agency charged with monitoring and reporting any renegade flows into the Tijuana River channel.

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The great majority of such spills have come from Mexico, an issue that has caused concern in recent months in San Diego County. The incidents have led to closed beaches, as the water often carries sewage and other contaminants from Tijuana into San Diego and eventually the Pacific Ocean.

In an interview Monday, Smullen said: I kind of jumped the gun by sending out the initial report of the spill, which occurred during the early morning hours of Aug. 23.

The flow did not come from Mexico, but emanated from the San Ysidro Port of Entry, which is undergoing a massive reconstruction. The San Diego Regional Quality Control Board issued a permit to the U.S. General Services Administration to discharge water into the channel as they try to maintain ground water low enough to where they can do their excavation, Smullen said.

The GSA, which is overseeing the project, has been treating any water that is discharged into the river, as stipulated in its permit, Smullen said.

Smullen said that before issuing any reports of spills, he normally checks with the commissions Mexican branch. Although his staff was aware that the spill did not come from Mexico, Smullen said, I wasnt informed about it, so I made an assumption, and it was not a good thing to do in this case.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com

Dibble writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune
Of the dozens of organizations that turned out for Sundays mass protest against racism here, one group was impossible to miss.

Its members dressed head to toe in black, with masked faces and some bearing pastel-painted riot shields that read no hate. These 100 or so militants billed themselves as a security force for progressive counter-protesters, vowing to protect them from far-right agitators.

But as the protest got underway, some of those in masks would resort to mob violence, attacking a small showing of supporters of President Trump and others they accused, sometimes inaccurately, of being white supremacists or Nazis.

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The graphic videos of those attacks have spurred soul-searching within the leftist activist movement in the Bay Area and beyond. Emotions remain raw in the wake of this months white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., which left one woman dead and dozens injured.

Does violence help Trumps claims?

Trump received blistering criticism for equating the behavior of Klansmen and neo-Nazis to the actions of those who opposed them. Some fear that Sundays violence would only help advance the idea that the two sides are the same.

This is food for the adversary, said sociologist Todd Gitlin, a founder of Students for a Democratic Society, which organized the first national protests against the Vietnam War. He pointed out that violent acts committed by a few will almost always hijack the narrative of the entire protest, and that it is happening now should be no surprise.

Police watch demonstrators tackle a man Sunday at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park in Berkeley. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Gitlin also described what he sees as a push by the anti-fascist  also called antifa  movement to put themselves on the map of protest by using violence to intimidate both political opponents and those on the left who promote non-violence. One of the biggest banners at the Berkeley demonstration carried the message Avenge Charlottesville.

Militants who showed up Sunday were part of a multifaceted rally in which church leaders sang gospel and anti-fascists shouted profanities. Berkeley police estimated more than 4,000 people came out to take over a city park where far-right activists had called for an anti-Marxism rally. The organizer canceled the event Friday, citing security concerns, but a small number of far-right activists showed up anyway.

By the end of the day, 13 people had been arrested, one on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and three on battery charges.

Playing a defensive role

Jeff Conant, a member of an East Bay collective of anti-racist demonstrators known as Showing Up For Racial Justice, said march organizers asked allies in the antifa movement to play a defensive role in the rally  not to engage in or start violence.

Those in the black hoods fell in with the marchers, while the lead truck for the march carried stacks of pastel-painted riot shields that anti-fascist demonstrators later raised against police.

Participants further were told not to record the day on their cellphones, and urged to write a legal aid phone number on their arms in case of arrest.

The march reached a park, which police had already cleared of far-right figures. The demonstrators lined up behind their shields against a police barricade and officers armed with riot guns.

Elsewhere, the hooded group would mob, and in some cases kick and beat, a handful of far-right supporters. Several antifa members were seen using their shields to batter opponents, including one who was slammed into the back of a man running out of Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park. Berkeley police said they were aware of four such incidents during the day.

The images sparked criticism from both conservatives as well as some liberals who had hoped the march would be peaceful after several violent confrontations between left and right extremists in Berkeley earlier this year.

After the crowd began to disperse, Berkeley Police Chief Andrew Greenwood held a tense discussion with a church organizer concerned that peaceful protesters would be lumped in with the militants. Greenwood said his officers had seen antifa and black bloc forces preparing alongside the rest of the demonstrators, at a staging point some four blocks away.

They were practicing with weapons, Greenwood said.

Conant said the drills were defensive, justified by violence at other demonstrations in the past year.

Organizers defended the militant force, saying it was necessary because police do not wade into protest brawls themselves. Far-right activists also criticized police for not better protecting them.

Berkeley police said having officers jump into the crowd would have inflamed already an already volatile situation. However, on Sunday, police several times rescued people chased by the crowd or escorted them out.

Why silence opposition?

Among those appalled by the increasingly militant force are radicals from the 1960s peace movement.

Political scientist Jo Freeman, part of the radical student movement that forced UC Berkeley to permit political speech five decades ago, said she was dismayed at the effort that went into silencing opposition. She drew similarities between those who threatened her and other freedom marchers in the South in the 1960s, and those who bully the far right now.

It is not uncommon for societies to produce a hate squad, Freeman said. People who want to suppress the right to speak  they are everywhere.

Demonstrators clash Sunday at Civic Center Park in Berkeley. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Kitty Stryker, a Berkeley activist affiliated with groups like Struggalo Circus, which offer medical aid during protests, said she was heartbroken to see media coverage of Sundays demonstration focus on violence. She said she saw a Trump supporter pepper spray a black bloc member and said it was disingenuous to say anti-fascists alone incited violence.

I do think there was a lot of anger over Charlottesville, as there should be, Stryker said. But I also think there was a sudden realization that many of the instigators in Charlottesville had been coming to Berkeley for months to beat up anti-fascists.

UC Berkeley braces for more

UC Berkeley is reviewing the weekend demonstrations as it plans how to handle a series of conservative political speakers in late September. Campus spokesman Dan Mogulof said student safety is the first priority  there is nothing more important.

Anyone who was here [in February] had their eyes open to what happens when groups like this are willing to use violent tactics to disrupt events and attack those with whom they disagree, Mogulof said, referring to black bloc demonstrators who violently joined a campus demonstration to shut down a speech by Milo Yiannopoulos.

While this may be different in terms of numbers, it doesnt represent a substantial departure in tactics. Its deeply concerning, but we have confidence in our police department, Mogulof said.

Conant said he was more concerned with protecting demonstrators than how right-wing groups might capitalize on images of antifa violence.

There are moments where optics are important  I dont think this is that moment, he said.

paige.stjohn@latimes.com

Twitter: @paigestjohn

james.queally@latimes.com

Twitter: @jamesqueallyLAT

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A prolific human smuggler who struck a Border Patrol agent in the face with a rock during a failed smuggling attempt in the mountains in the southeastern edge of San Diego County was sentenced Monday to more than eight years in prison.

Martel Velencia-Cortez, 39, was convicted in May of assault on a federal officer and three counts of human smuggling for financial gain. U.S. District Judge Marilyn Huff handed down a sentence of eight years and three months in prison, the U.S. attorneys office said.

Border Patrol agents spotted the Mexican national guiding 15 people across mountainous, rocky terrain in Jacumba on a chilly night in Nov. 15, 2015. Valencia-Cortez ran from the group when agents intercepted them. As agents closed in on him, he hurled a softball-sized rock from about 30 feet away, hitting one of them in the face.

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Valencia-Cortez ran back across the U.S.-Mexico border and escaped, only to turn himself in to authorities at the San Ysidro Port of Entry six months later.

Border Patrol officials called the fugitive Valencia-Cortez one of San Diegos most dangerous human smugglers. They said he is known for assaulting agents, threatening and intimidating people hes smuggled, and driving the wrong way on streets and freeways to evade arrest.

Less than two months prior to the the assault with the rock, Valencia-Cortez had been deported to Mexico after serving a sentence of nearly three years in prison for human smuggling.

david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Hernandez writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune
In Los Angeles, you can fight City Hall  for a price.

Neighborhood activists, tenant advocates and others alarmed by city decisions about proposed developments can lodge appeals with the Planning Department for an $89 fee.

Now city leaders are weighing whether to increase that price: City planners initially suggested tripling the fee to $271.

Budget officials recommended hiking it to $13,538  an amount they say would completely recover city costs. Then city staffers offered up a range of options in between.

Financial analysts say higher fees would help the Planning Department cover the true cost of processing those appeals, freeing up money for other needed services. Beyond City Hall, some development advocates argue a hike is needed to discourage frivolous appeals.

But the idea spurred an outcry from neighborhood activists, who argued a higher fee would silence ordinary Angelenos fighting improper decisions.

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The fee increase is an attempt to prevent residents who are low income, those who cant afford to spend $13,000, or $6,000 or even $600 on an appeal from being heard by their democratically elected government, said Damien Goodmon, an activist who has battled the city over South L.A. projects that include a 30-story complex known as Cumulus.

The furor over the fees reflects a persistent tension for a massive city still under financial pressure: When should people have to pay their way for city services  and when should the city foot the bill?

L.A. has been reexamining many fees: City lawmakers have urged the Planning Department to charge enough to recoup its costs and avoid dipping deeper into the city general fund, which covers police patrols and other city services.

Real estate developers, business owners and others seeking permits or special approvals from the Planning Department can face fees totaling tens of thousands of dollars.

Last year, an outside firm calculated that the Planning Department had recovered nearly $22.2 million in revenue for almost $29.9 million in services related to reviewing projects. That $7.7-million difference had to be covered by the general fund, the report found.

City officials banked on recovering such costs when they crafted the budget this year and included more staffers to update community plans that spell out where new housing and businesses are allowed.

Planning officials are now seeking to hike dozens of fees for requests from developers and other applicants, as well as for filing an appeal. Many other fees will be reduced because the department can now perform those services more efficiently.

We just want to make sure from a budgetary perspective that were whole, said Planning Department chief management analyst Jason Killeen. If the department has to absorb such costs, he said, it wont be able to update community plans as quickly as city lawmakers want.

Fees were last hiked eight years ago. City officials say that since then, costs for city planners and clerks have surged more than 70%.

Earlier this month, a City Council committee backed many of the proposed hikes, but held off on deciding whether to boost the appeal fee for someone other than the project applicant.

Charging $271 would cover only 2% of the city costs tied to such challenges, according to the city. In the last budget year, the city had $3.8 million in unrecovered costs for appeals that came out of the general fund, Killeen said. And between 2013 and 2017, the number of appeals nearly doubled, from 155 to 296.

Budget officials said that to recover all of their costs, the city should charge more than $13,500. City Administrative Officer Rich Llewellyn said that under city policies, when theres an opportunity to seek cost recovery, youre supposed to seek it.

If the city does not do so, Llewellyn said, it has to make up for the subsidy. L.A. has already been subsidizing some fees tied to single-family homes or minor projects, as well as the appeal fee.

Attorney Daniel Wright challenged the city estimate for appeal costs as excessive and argued that trying to recover costs is unlawful if it blocks people from exercising their rights. In a letter to lawmakers, Wright pointed to an earlier case in which Kagel Canyon residents balked at putting a trucking school atop a landfill site.

If the fee had been more than $13,500, it is doubtful that Kagel Canyon community members could have fought off the dumb idea, Wright wrote.

Los Angeles already charges more than $13,000 to developers or their representatives who file appeals to challenge city decisions on their own proposed projects. Real estate developer Mott Smith argued that was unfair to charge developers so much more than their opponents.

We have basically handed a gun to anyone who wants to shoot a project, Smith said.

Lodging an appeal has slowed, reshaped or stopped proposed developments across L.A.

In South Los Angeles, the council rejected a residential facility for former inmates after a community organizer lodged an appeal arguing it would worsen neighborhood blight. In Venice, residents have successfully thwarted developers seeking coastal development permits for projects they argue are out-of-scale or clash with neighborhood character.

Earlier this month, a council committee backed an appeal against a Boyle Heights homeless housing project that would force it to get an environmental report, delaying the plan. And in June, the council granted part of an appeal against building an additional dwelling unit behind a Westwood apartment building, requiring it to prepare an environmental report amid concerns about traffic hazards in an alley.

Hiking the fee would discourage frivolous or extortionary appeals and would especially help smaller developers who cant handle the risk of those new costs, said Mark Vallianatos, director of the LAplus think tank and an advocate for rules that make development easier.

Tenant activist Sylvie Shain, seen in 2016, argues that sharply higher fees would limit regular people from filing appeals. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

But at a recent hearing, many community activists said the blame for the growing number of appeals  and their cost  lies with the city for routinely allowing developers to alter existing rules to permit projects that are bigger or denser than would otherwise be allowed.

If you want to really save money, dont approve illegal projects, George Abrahams, who fought the proposed Millennium Hollywood skyscrapers, told lawmakers.

Council members are weighing a range of options for boosting the fee, including charging half the total cost, providing discounted hardship fees, and charging more to people living outside the immediate area  a 500-foot-radius  where a project is proposed.

Councilman Mitch Englander said that he wants to protect communities, but has concerns about professional appeal filers who dont live nearby.

We should make sure that local stakeholders have a voice that is protected  but if there is abuse in the system, we should know, Englander said.

Tenant activist Sylvie Shain countered that many projects have effects beyond the immediate area, such as reducing the availability of rent-controlled apartments  a cause that spurred her to fight some planned developments farther from her home. If Englander is worried about outsiders abusing the system, Shain argued, theyll still do it for $13,000.

What it would limit is regular people, she said.

emily.alpert@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATimesEmily

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Police are looking for a man who fled in a black SUV after fatally shooting someone late Monday afternoon in the Fairfax neighborhood of Los Angeles, authorities said.

About 5:45 p.m., paramedics responded to Sierra Bonita and Melrose avenues, where they found a man wounded by gunfire, said LAPD Officer Mike Lopez.

Witnesses told police that the suspect and victim were in an argument before the suspect pulled out a handgun and fired numerous rounds at the victim, Lopez said.

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The victim, who was in his mid- to late-20s, was pronounced dead at the scene with multiple gunshot wounds.

A description of the shooter was not immediately available.

Authorities are investigating what motivated the attack.

Mondays incident is the first homicide within a one-mile radius during the last 12 months, according to the Homicide Report, The Times online database.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek

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A motorcyclist was killed early Tuesday when she ran into a bull that was standing in the middle of a dark, rural road in Shasta County, the California Highway Patrol said.

The woman, who was not identified, was riding southbound on Deschutes Road about 12:40 a.m. when she struck the large, black bull just south of Jade Lane in Anderson, the CHP said.

The bull was injured and found in a nearby field by CHP officers. Officials said they have not identified the animals owner.

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In March, three people were injured when a bull got loose and caused a six-car pileup on Highway 4 near Richmond in Northern California. The bull perished.

In 2015, drivers on U.S. Highway 101 narrowly avoided an aggressive, runaway bull in Buellton before a CHP officer shot it.

joseph.serna@latimes.com

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.

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An actor who appeared on the television show Pretty Little Liars was sentenced Monday to 180 days in jail for pointing a gun at a neighbor during a dispute last year, officials said.

Brandon William Jones, 29, pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of assault with a firearm, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office.

The North Hills resident was also sentenced to three years of probation, ordered to perform 30 days of community labor and take 26 anger management classes, officials said.

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The incident occurred in March 2016.

Pamela Tedeschi, an attorney representing Jones, told The Times late Tuesday that her client never pointed a gun at his neighbor.

The confrontation began, she said, when Jones and his girlfriend found a trash bag with marijuana dispensary wrappings in their trash bin. When the couple returned the trash, she said, they were threatened.

Jones retreated to his home while a neighbor chased after him. At that point, Tedeschi said, Jones retrieved his legally owned firearm and held it at his side, pointed at the ground, while remaining on his property.

The district attorneys office said that several months before the March incident, Jones had flashed a gun in his waistband during an argument with another neighbor. Tedeschi said that incident was fabricated.

Jones was initially charged with one felony county of assault with a firearm and one misdemeanor count each of exhibiting a deadly weapon and exhibiting a concealable firearm in public.

As part of his plea agreement, those charges were dropped.

Tedeschi said Jones was facing a felony charge and took a plea deal to avoid a possible prison sentence. She said he plans to work to eventually get the misdemeanor charge expunged from his record.

It was a hard decision, Tedeschi said. He felt it was better to take a misdemeanor and earn a dismissal than risk going to prison. He wants to get his career back on track.

Jones had a recurring role in the ABC Family teen drama, appearing in a dozen episodes from 2013 to 2015.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek

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Want to fight L.A. City Hall? It could get a lot more expensive

UPDATES:

Aug. 29, 11:05 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from the actors attorney.

This article was originally published on Aug. 28 at 9:40 p.m.
The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to end a long-standing ban on the sale of ultracompact firearms, rolling back the rule in the face of legal threats from gun rights groups.

The ban on selling the small guns was first imposed more than a decade and a half ago. It was championed by City Atty. Mike Feuer, who as a councilman at the time argued that these concealable, compact weapons are the weapons of choice for criminals.

Gun rights groups countered that women and disabled people needed smaller guns to protect themselves from attackers.

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More recently, they argued that the ban was preempted by California state law, which restricts the kind of handguns that can be sold by dealers across the state. The National Rifle Assn. and the California Rifle & Pistol Assn. had demanded that the city repeal it.

The council voted 12 to 0 without discussion Tuesday to eliminate the ban, with Council Members Joe Buscaino, Paul Krekorian and Nury Martinez absent. Mayor Eric Garcetti will sign off on the decision, according to his staff.

My clients are pleased that the city recognized that local governments cannot regulate in ways that conflict with or duplicate state laws, California Rifle & Pistol Assn. attorney Chuck Michel said in a written statement after the vote. We will continue to monitor local municipal codes throughout California and pursue the clean-up of these kinds of ineffective laws  which typically are never enforced once the initial press conferences are over.

His group declared that the repeal was a direct result of NRA and CRPA attorneys threatening legal action against the city.

Krekorian, who made the initial motion proposing the rollback, declined to comment on eliminating the ban. Feuer, who had declined to be interviewed earlier because of concerns about possible litigation, issued a brief statement after the vote.

I expect that state law  prohibiting a wide range of unsafe handguns  will protect Angelenos, he said.

Under the ban, L.A. dealers were barred from selling guns that measure up to 6.75 inches in length and 4.5 inches in height, as well as holsters to carry them. Dealers were also required to keep records of any sales of ultracompact guns to police officers and other buyers not covered by the ban.

No one had been prosecuted under those rules, according to the city attorneys office. However, gun rights groups complained publicly about one early case in which Michel said that a North Hollywood leathersmith had been threatened with prosecution for selling holsters that fit smaller guns.

Feuer spokesman Rob Wilcox said other California jurisdictions had also rolled back such bans. California law restricts which kinds of guns can be sold, based on testing and micro-stamping requirements. Fewer than 800 handgun models can currently be sold legally in the state.

City officials said they did not know exactly how many kinds of handguns would become legal for sale in L.A. once the ban was reversed. Michel said California law allows a few of those guns to be sold.

Eliminating the ban did not worry Women Against Gun Violence Executive Director Margot Bennett, whose group had backed the ban years ago. Bennett said that she was confident that L.A. residents would continue to be protected under state restrictions on handgun sales.

Were really confident in the city of Los Angeles and that they will continue to do the right thing when it comes to gun violence prevention . And we feel good that the state is covering us, Bennett said.

Michel said it was not the only victory that the gun rights advocates had notched recently in Los Angeles. His group sued the city after it banned the possession of firearm magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, arguing that the city ban was preempted by state law.

After California voters passed a ballot measure outlawing the possession of such ammunition magazines across the state, L.A. decided to allow its municipal law to expire.

City leaders voted to phase out the ordinance when the state law took effect in July, saying it would prevent anyone from claiming it was duplicative.

Since then, however, gun rights groups have succeeded in getting a federal judge to block the California rules from going into effect while they challenge them in court. Because the city ordinance has now expired, that means gun owners can now legally possess such ammunition magazines in L.A.

Krekorian, who pushed for the city ban on the ammunition magazines, said in a statement Tuesday that although the gun lobbyists eventually found a way to delay the statewide ban, Im confident that the 9th Circuit will ultimately reverse this anomalous decision and reinstate the ban to protect everyone in California.

emily.alpert@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATimesEmily

UPDATES:

5:05 p.m.: This article was updated with additional background, and details of the citys ban on large-capacity ammunition magazines being put on hold in the wake of a federal court ruling.

11:40 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from City Atty. Mike Feuers spokesman, Rob Wilcox, and from Women Against Gun Violence Executive Director Margot Bennett.

This article was originally published at 11:25 a.m.
After about an hour of deliberations, an Orange County jury on Monday found that Stanwood Elkus, a retired barber, was sane in 2013 when he fatally shot a 52-year-old urologist inside the doctors Newport Beach office.

Dr. Ronald Gilberts family, who was seated at the center of the courtroom, held hands and breathed a collective sigh of relief when the verdict was read.

Im just glad its over, Glenn Gilbert, Ronalds older brother, said as he filed out of the courtroom.

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The same 12-member jury found Elkus, 79, guilty last week of first-degree murder for making an appointment with Gilbert, using a fake name and shooting the physician 10 times when he walked into the exam room.

Because Elkus had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge by reason of insanity, jurors were asked to determine whether he was legally insane at the time of the killing or whether he was sane and understood the weight and consequences of his actions.

Elkus is facing a possible sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Had jurors determined he was insane during the shooting, he would likely have been sent to a mental health facility.

Elkus told Orange County Superior Court Judge Patrick Donahue on Monday that he wanted to fire his attorney, Colleen OHara, and have the court appoint a new lawyer so he can file a motion for a new trial.

However, Elkus changed his mind when Donahue explained that the process would take months. Elkus said hed rather go to prison.

Im not getting any younger and Im not getting healthier, he said.

He is expected to be sentenced Sept. 15.

Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Matt Murphy told jurors at the onset of the trial that Elkus was seething over a surgery performed in 1992 when he drove 55 miles to Gilberts office and shot him on Jan. 28, 2013.

Elkus blamed what he called a botched surgery for his incontinence, erectile dysfunction, diminished sex drive and, ultimately, the loss of his longtime girlfriend.

In 1992, Gilbert, a young medical resident at the time, worked with a team of doctors to diagnose Elkus with a urethral stricture  a narrowing of the urethra  at the veterans hospital in Long Beach after he complained of frequent urination, Murphy said.

Two other Veterans Affairs doctors performed the surgery  without Gilbert  to widen Elkus urethra, but Elkus continued to hold a grudge against Gilbert, Murphy said.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Fry writes for Times Community News.
Swollen with days of record rainfall from Tropical Storm Harvey, a 70-year-old dam overflowed and a levee leaked Tuesday, sending water coursing into nearby neighborhoods in Houston and a southwestern suburb.

Despite controlled releases by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the water level of Addicks Reservoir in northwest Houston rose past the dams gates for the first time in its history, rising more than 10 inches past the spillway. The neighboring Barker Reservoir also was at risk of overflow.

In Brazoria County, in the southwestern corner of greater Houston, rainwater began to ooze through a levee and into the Columbia Lakes subdivision, prompting county officials on Twitter to warn residents to Get out now!!

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The levee, which is maintained by the subdivision, was temporarily patched several hours later, County Judge Matt Sebesta said in an interview.

Were hoping that it will hold, said Sebesta, the countys top government official. But water will still be very high in that area, so there is a chance it will come over the top of the levee.

More than 100 subdivisions across the region are under voluntary evacuation orders due to flooding, and the number is expected to rise. Some neighborhoods are expected to receive 50 inches of rain during Harvey  as much as Houston sees in a typical year.

On Monday, the corps began releasing water from the Barker and Addicks facilities and into the Buffalo Bayou.

But by Tuesday, the Addicks Reservoir had filled, and water was pouring at an uncontrolled rate over an emergency spillway. Water was also flowing around the back of the wedge-shaped reservoir into the neighborhood.

That created the risk of eroding the sides of the reservoir, which would increase spillage, said Don Riley, the retired chief of civil works at the Army Corps of Engineers.

I would pray that rain stops, Riley said.

Despite the releases, the water line at the Barker Reservoir was rising faster than expected. The reservoir is still expected to overflow, corps officials said  though exactly when is unknown, because both reservoirs gauges flooded Monday night, said Jeff Lindner, Harris Countys flood control meteorologist.

The corps had assured the public before the storm that there was little chance that the dams would overflow.

There goes another prediction, said Robert Bea, an emeritus professor at UC Berkeleys civil engineering department who investigated the failure of levees during Hurricane Katrina. It is a very risky situation.

Tuesday afternoon, Dave Cervera, 45, stood on the Barker Reservoir dam and took a long look toward his neighborhood, which he had just evacuated.

In front of him was the bayou, which had risen out of its banks and flooded his neighborhood, Briarhills. Trees, machine shops and industrial buildings stood immersed in water, with homes barely visible beyond.

Im not expecting anything left after seeing this, Cervera said.

Im not expecting anything left after seeing this.  Dave Cervera, Harris County resident

Before the corps released the water, Col. Lars Zetterstrom, Galveston District commander, defended the action in a statement: If we dont begin releasing now, the volume of uncontrolled water around the dams will be higher and have a greater impact on the surrounding communities.

Some subdivisions would see flooding, Zetterstrom said, but Addicks and Barker should continue to perform as designed, preventing the flooding of downtown Houston.

Farther downstream from the dams release point, bystanders gathered at intersections to look at the water. The area mostly lacked the dramatic rescue scenes elsewhere in the Houston area. The releases of the reservoirs were not visible to them. It just looked like another flooded street.

Im not happy about it, Christina Kelley, 41, an Army veteran and a resident of a downstream neighborhood, said of the reservoir releases. But I trust the Corps of Engineers.... Theyre trained people that know what theyre doing and they have our safety at heart.

The Addicks and Barker dams were considered among the worlds longest when they were conceived after disastrous floods in 1929 and 1935.

When they were built, more than 70 years ago, Addicks and Barker occupied vacant fields far from the city center. But Houstons sprawl has long since enveloped both structures, surrounding them with suburban neighborhoods.

The twin reservoirs remain dry about 90% of the time and are designed to send runoff and rainwater coursing into the Buffalo Bayou  away from downtown Houston and the Houston Ship Channel.

Several years ago, the corps designated Addicks and Barker as extremely high risk, citing specific concerns about the water release structure and the ends of the dams.

Last year, corps officials assured residents that Houston was not in imminent danger of flooding from either dam.

A $75-million effort to replace the aging dam gates is less than 15% complete.

Authorities who oversee Lake Conroe, another reservoir, also had to decide whether to release water. The San Jacinto River Authority had opted not to release water from the lake in advance of Harvey because it could have caused flooding before the storm, spokeswoman Ronda Trow said.

But by Monday, the authority had no choice but to open the floodgates, sending 79,141 cubic feet of water into north Houston every second.

In Brazoria County, officials remained on edge. The rural and suburban county borders the Brazos and San Bernard rivers, which were swollen with rain. Parts of the county had been under a mandatory evacuation order since Sunday morning.

By Tuesday afternoon, the San Bernard had risen to more than 14 feet over flood stage, and the Brazos reached nearly 11 feet over flood stage.

Waters will rise faster, Sebesta said. They will accelerate through the flood plain faster. People need to be prepared to go.

laura.nelson@latimes.com

For more transportation news, follow @laura_nelson on Twitter.

Times staff writer Ralph Vartabedian contributed to this report.

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UPDATES:

6:45 p.m.: This article was updated to report that the Army Corps of Engineers designated the Addicks and Barker reservoirs extremely high risk several years ago.

5:20 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Dave Cervera and Christina Kelley.

This article was originally published at 2:40 p.m.
Singing spirituals and protest songs from the civil rights era, a group of clergy and activists from across the country began a 118-mile march to Washington on Monday to protest white supremacy and demand that President Trump be removed from office.

The long walk will last 10 days and take the marchers across the heart of Virginia  a road of solidly red counties  then straight to the seat of American power, where they plan to engage in protests and nonviolent civil disobedience.

We need the country to listen to us, if theres going to be change, if were going end all the racial hatred, said Joseph Scott, 23, who works in dining services at the University of Virginia.

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Scott was among the thousands of people who took to the streets of Charlottesville, Va., a scenic college town, earlier this month to counter far-right activists who staged a pair of rallies that ended in violence and death.

Dozens were injured in fights, and a counter-protester was killed when a car plowed into the swarm of people.

Since then, a video showing a rallygoer firing a handgun toward the counter-protesters in Charlottesville  and walking away  has surfaced online, further inflaming tensions in a city that has been on edge for weeks. A Baltimore man was arrested Sunday and charged with discharging a weapon into a crowd.

On Monday, under the waning light of an overcast summer evening, organizers of the March to Confront White Supremacy called for peace and unity in a series of impassioned speeches before beginning the first leg of their procession.

They also spoke out against the president, placing much of the blame for a rise in white nationalist fervor on his shoulders. They say Trumps rhetoric has emboldened the voices of racism that arrived in Charlottesville, a rapidly growing liberal enclave in rural central Virginia.

The president will issue an executive order to address voter fraud that doesnt exist, said Cornell William Brooks, the scholar, minister and former president of the NAACP. When is he going to issue an executive order condemning and confronting the white supremacy that most certainly does exist?

Brooks and other leaders spoke to about 200 hundred people gathered at Emancipation Park, recently renamed from Lee Park. The crowd stood in the shadow of a towering equestrian statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, now shrouded in a black tarp by order of Charlottesvilles City Council.

They prayed and sang together just feet from where far-right demonstrators and opponents came to blows Aug. 12 during the Unite the Right rally.

And then they began to walk, this time escorted by a police officer on a motorcycle stopping cars at intersections along the way. They left the park, turned west down Market Street and marched through the center of Charlottesville as commuters headed home from work. Some honked and gave a thumbs-up as the line of marchers, stretching a city block, kept mainly to the sidewalk.

Kristin Breen, who has lived in Charlottesville for 18 years, was out of town during the violence this month  on vacation in Los Angeles. When she heard about the march on Sunday night, she volunteered to serve as a marshal.

It was so hard watching those events unfold from so far away, and hearing about that car hitting all those people, she said. We were in shock. So when I heard about this march, I had to come out.

And this march carries special symbolic weight, she said. It is beginning exactly 54 years after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. led the 1963 March on Washington.

Its sad that we have to go back to those days for a model for what to do now, Breen said. But I think the visual  all these people marching peacefully  is pretty powerful.

In Washington, hundreds of clergy members marched to the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday to protest the words and actions of Trump.

Armengol is a special correspondent.
The parallels between Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Katrina are stark. Look no further than the severe and destructive flooding that both storms have left along the Gulf Coast and the sheer number of evacuations due in part to a respective lack of preparation.

Perhaps its because of those similarities that an ABC World News Tonight anchors use of the word looting on Twitter to describe a scene amid Houstons floodwaters reminded many of a debate that raged 12 years ago.

#Breaking We're witnessing looting right now at a large supermarket in the NE part of Houston & police have just discovered a body nearby  Tom Llamas (@TomLlamasABC) August 29, 2017

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As Katrina pummeled the Gulf Coast in 2005, two images surfaced that would fuel conversation around race and perception in the coming days, weeks and years.

The controversy centered on two photos and their respective captions. One from Associated Press photographer Dave Martin showed a young black man wading through water while holding a bag and a case of soda. The accompanying description stated that he was looting. A second photo from Chris Graythen for Getty Images showed a similar scene, but this time it was a white couple clutching bags of food. Their actions were labeled as finding.

Remember this after Katrina? The difference between "looting" and "finding" is often black and white pic.twitter.com/nZoaP0KJ2l  Steadman (@AsteadWesley) August 29, 2017

The photos quickly sparked criticism for what many believed to be race-fueled descriptions based on implicit bias. The conversation played out across the Internet, even taking the prime-time stage when Kanye West spoke on the matter during a telethon to benefit victims of Katrina. The outrage was so memorable that five years later, the Newseum in Washington featured the photos and backlash in its Katrina exhibit.

At the time, the Associated Press stood by its description, pointing to its guidelines for justification of using the word looting rather than carrying. An AP spokesman told Salon that the photographer saw the person go into the shop and take the goods, and thats why he wrote looting in the caption.

Getty also stuck by its description to use finding. In a blog post days later, Graythen further explained his reasoning.

These people were not ducking into a store and busting down windows to get electronics. They picked up bread and cokes that were floating in the water. They would have floated away anyhow.

Graythen wrote that his description had nothing to do with race, and added that when he later saw both white and black individuals actually looting a store, he did include that in his caption.

This time around in the wake of Harvey, there was no photo or mention of race. Anchor Tom Llamas simply described a situation in a tweet, later deleting the original and tweeting again, adding that the people he saw looting had covered their faces.

Let me clear this upwe were w/police who had discovered a dead body & mentioned we saw ppl w/faces covered going into a supermarket nearby pic.twitter.com/bfM5WCCO1e  Tom Llamas (@TomLlamasABC) August 29, 2017

Still, the added context and the absence of racially charged images did not preclude criticism. As Katrina demonstrated, the term has a loaded meaning for many people, regardless of the reality behind the situation.

colleen.shalby@latimes.com

Twitter: @cshalby

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Houston is built on what amounts to a massive flood plain, pitted against the tempestuous Gulf of Mexico and routinely hammered by the biggest rainstorms in the nation.

It is a combination of malicious climate and unforgiving geology, along with a deficit of zoning and land-use controls, that scientists and engineers say leaves the nations fourth most populous city vulnerable to devastating floods like the one caused this week by Hurricane Harvey.

Houston is very flat, said Robert Gilbert, a University of Texas at Austin civil engineer who helped investigate the flooding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. There is no way for the water to drain out.

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Indeed, the city has less slope than a shower floor.

Harvey poured as much as 374 billion gallons of water within the city limits, exceeding the capacity of rivers, bayous, lakes and reservoirs. Experts said the result was predictable.

The storm was unprecedented, but the city has been deceiving itself for decades about its vulnerability to flooding, said Robert Bea, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and UC Berkeley emeritus civil engineering professor who has studied hurricane risks along the Gulf Coast.

The citys flood system is supposed to protect the public from a 100-year storm, but Bea calls that a 100-year lie because it is based on a rainfall total of 13 inches in 24 hours.

That has happened more than eight times in the last 27 years, Bea said. It is wrong on two counts. It isnt accurate about the past risk and it doesnt reflect what will happen in the next 100 years.

In an average year, Houston gets 50 inches of rain  as much as Harvey will deliver to some parts of the city.

The muddy rivers  notably the San Jacinto and the Buffalo Bayou  that meander through Houston struggle to carry much water.

Dams along the rivers were built mainly for water storage, not flood control. Because Texas is so flat, the dams cant hold much water, unlike western dams that are built in deep gorges.

Lake Conroe, a reservoir 43 miles north of the city, is one example. Completed in 1973, it has a capacity of 430,000 acre-feet, about 12% of Oroville Dam in California.

The San Jacinto River Authority, which manages water supplies, knew that Harvey was probably headed its way. But a spokeswoman, Rhonda Trow, said the authority chose not to release water from Lake Conroe in advance because the amount it held wouldnt have made a difference and could have caused flooding even before the storm hit.

But by Monday, the authority had no choice but to open the flood gates to send 79,141 cubic feet of water to flooded Houston every second.

The situation was similar on two dams on the Buffalo Bayou controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers up river from the Houston Ship Channel.

The long-term risks facing Houston are growing, owing to warming water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, which will fuel more powerful hurricanes by increasing the moisture they carry.

Harvey caused a surge in the Gulf of Mexico that raised its level by as much as 15 feet along the Texas coast, Bea estimated. That meant that for some period of time, rivers were not flowing normally, leaving inland areas less than 15 feet above sea level with little drainage.

In Katrina, the level of the gulf surged by 28 feet, the largest ever recorded along the Gulf Coast, sending water pouring over levees and canal walls. But far less rain fell in that storm than in Harvey.

Beyond the climate change, Houston faces other growing risks for flooding.

Shuhab Khan, a geologist at the University of Houston, has documented that some areas of Houston are sinking at up to 2.2 inches per year, a rapid rate in geological terms.

While some of the subsidence is caused by natural movements of salt deposits, Khan said that most is the result of pumping oil and water from under the city.

So far, it appears some of the hardest-hit flooded areas, such as the Jersey Village nieghborhood, are also the ones affected by subsidence, he said.

In the 1930s, a new residential subdivision was built in the Brownwood neighborhood, which at the time was 10 feet above sea level. Forty years later, it was less than 2 feet above sea level, a subsidence blamed on ground water pumping along the Houston Ship Channel. The neighborhood was destroyed in Hurricane Alicia in 1983 and is now the Baytown Nature Center.

Another long-term problem is the citys rampant growth and urbanization. The city has 2.2 million residents and the metropolitan area has 6.5 million, all living in a state that eschews much of the zoning and land-use controls that help keep construction away from flood zones in states with more regulations.

It is naturally prone to flooding, said Don Riley, the former chief of the Army Corps of Engineers civil works division. People have built in this massive flood plain. They have to understand that.

The Corps and local officials have discussed ways to avert even greater risks by improving zoning, reducing the amount pavement to allow better drainage into the soil, building retention ponds in new housing developments and constructing new storm barriers. But when the Corps has tried to encourage land-use controls, the local reaction by politicians and developers has often been swift and furious, Riley said.

The problem is not decreasing, whatever the future of the weather is, he said. It will worsen in the sense that there will be more population. You have to be smart about where you put development.

The future defense of Houston is likely to be expensive, experts said. The Corps spent $14.2 billion to improve flood control in New Orleans after Katrina, which was aimed at building up levees and flood walls. But just this month, the city was again flooded when its decrepit pumping system was overwhelmed by rainfall.

In the aftermath of Katrina, the American Society of Civil Engineers said that New Orleans flood control was a system in name only.

Bea said that reflects the reality of Houston as well.

He estimated that it could cost hundreds of billions of dollars to build a system that would prevent future flooding, involving land-use restrictions, new flood barriers and other measures similar to those in the Netherlands. The Dutch system attempts to defend Amsterdam and Rotterdam from a 10,000-year storm event.

Exactly what Houston could do is far from certain. Gilbert, the University of Texas expert, said any big measures would take a lot of study. Chicago, for example, has massive tunnels hundreds of feet underground that can store 21 billions of gallons storm water and prevent sewage contamination of Lake Michigan, he noted.

Houston is excessively developed, he said. It has 6 million people with lots of concrete and lots of people in harms way.

ralph.vartabedian@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @rvartabedian

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As President Trump arrived in Texas on Tuesday to witness the damage from Tropical Storm Harvey, he was greeted in Corpus Christi by a microcosm of a divided nation: a mix of well-wishers and protesters, both thrilled and furious he was here.

Dozens of people stood along Agnes Street, a quiet stretch of road just across a cotton field from the citys airport . Some held up protest signs. Some held giant American flags. Some just held up their hands, waving hello.

It was a windy morning, with blue skies, sunshine and fat white clouds. Compared to other areas along the Gulf Coast, Corpus Christi survived with minimal damage. Palm fronds sat in roadways. Traffic lights were askew. Roofs were twisted. Sand bags blocked an entrance to City Hall.

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With the president in town, Corpus Christi police officers and Nueces County sheriffs deputies were parked on seemingly every overpass for miles.

"Golly, that's neat. That sends chills down my spine." Phillip Gonzalez, of Corpus Christi, photographs Air Force One landing. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/XW8tGmvQas  Hailey Branson-Potts (@haileybranson) August 29, 2017

Phillip Gonzalez, who was born and raised in Corpus Christi, sat in the back of his black Hummer on Agnes Street, wearing a camouflage hat with a neon orange USA embroidered on the front and TRUMP on the back. An American flag flapped from atop his vehicle.

This is pretty special to have the president fly in and show his support for the people who are hurting across Texas, he said.

Gonzalez, who retired after four decades in the oil industry, said he was lucky his house didnt sustain any damage when Harvey made landfall as a hurricane.

When Air Force One touched down at 11:18 a.m. CDT, Gonzalez stood beside the cotton field and clapped softly.

Golly, thats neat! he said, snapping photos with his cellphone. That sends chills down my spine.

Then he pulled out a pair of binoculars.

I consider myself a blessed man to have this opportunity, he said.

Ben Falcon, 17, another Corpus Christi native, had a different set of emotions as he stood along Agnes Street watching the presidents motorcade pass on the adjacent Highway 44. He held an orange poster that read, Love Trumps Hate!

This is a blatant politicization of the hurricane efforts and everything that just happened to this community, Falcon said.

Falcon was at home Friday night as the storm approached. As he watched television news for updates, he learned that Trump had pardoned Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County in Arizona who had been convicted of criminal contempt for defying a court order to end racial profiling of Latinos.

These women stood near airport as Trump landed. A lady in a big truck flipped them off with both hands. Another mouthed, "Stupid, stupid." pic.twitter.com/2157XBS7D3  Hailey Branson-Potts (@haileybranson) August 29, 2017

The timing infuriated Falcon, who noted that Corpus Christi has a large Latino population.

A group of women stood along the road with signs that read Climate Change Made Harvey Deadly and What are you going to do next? Pardon Harvey?

A woman riding in a big white truck passed them, flipping them off with both hands. Another woman drove by, mouthing, Stupid, stupid, stupid. Others just shook their heads and waved their flags.

Silvina Alarcon, 29, who led a group of immigrant rights protesters in a demonstration near the airport, held a sign with a message for Trump: Ill show you my papers if you show me your taxes.

Alarcon said she was motivated by the pardon of Arpaio and worries that Trump would rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that gives legal status to people brought to the U.S. as children.

Alarcon is an immigrant herself, having moved to the U.S. from Bolivia when she was 13. She said some of her relatives are in the country illegally.

This is very personal, she said. President Trump is using this visit as a photo op but also to mask his hateful, racist agenda. She said his trip was meant to get faux, cardboard images of him acting concerned for us.

Alarcon said she spent Friday night at her fiances parents house in Corpus Christi. The scariest moments came listening to storm warnings on a battery-powered radio. In the end, the weekend damage was limited to toppled fences, broken trees and electricity failures.

Trump, clad in a USA ball cap and a windbreaker with a presidential seal, promised on Tuesday that the long and expensive recovery would serve as a model.

We want to do it better than ever before, he said. We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as, this is the way to do it.

hailey.branson@latimes.com

Twitter: @haileybranson
They had less than 24 hours. By Tuesday morning, their neighborhood would be under water.

The Brazos River, less than 100 yards away, surged toward a record crest.

The river, gorged by rains from Hurricane Harvey, was coming for them.

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It was the kind of flood that authorities said happens only every 800 years. Roughly 100,000 people, or more than 20% of the population of Fort Bend County, were asked or ordered to leave their homes.

The Gonzalez family lift a refrigerator as they prepare to evacuate their home on the banks of the Brazos River. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Just behind Wyatt Sebestas house, the river rose silently as Sebesta, 34, gutted its interior to save whatever he could. He wore a cowboy hat and had a revolver strapped to his hip in case of looters.

He lives on the wrong side of the river, the side without a levy to protect it. Disgusted that the barrier might force more water into his neighborhood, he made a sarcastic proposal: Best thing we can do is break that levy.

Now Sebesta was trying to evacuate all his appliances  everything and the kitchen sink, he said, pointing to the sink on the kitchen floor. He had already removed the carpets.

He tossed out the frozen meats hed stored in his freezer, which were wrapped in butcher paper and marked with handwriting that said, shark fillet, leg roast deer 2016 and pig skin.

A sticker on his front window said, Here, kitty kitty, next to a decal of a catfish.

All his stuff was leaving, headed to a neighbors house. But Sebesta wasnt. Im gonna stick around the whole time with a boat in case people need help.

Just up the road, Javier Escamilla, 27, and Ruben Lozano, 47, worked quietly as they placed sandbags behind a relatives house. They had loaded sand they collected around town into trash bags that sometimes ripped open. They placed the surviving sand bags at the base of the back door facing the river.

Work crews take measurements of the Brazos River as flooding continues throughout the greater Houston area. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

They also ripped up the brick back patio to use the bricks as weights for a tarp they planned to nail to the back of the house to keep the water out.

Uno, dos, tres, Lozano said, counting sandbags. Were gonna be here all day  or at least until the waters come.

At a trailer park on the edge of the river, most residents had already cleared out, or were pulling out in trucks Monday morning after loading up the last of their belongings.

Theres no hotels or nothing around, said resident Victoria Sanchez, 41, before driving away.

Nearby, Antonio Garcia, 61, worked alone in his yard, as he made plans to evacuate his five dogs: Chore, Cash, Ears, King and Sarah. But he needed something to put the dogs in.

Wyatt Sebesta, 34, carries a revolver as he finishes moving most of the contents of his home to higher ground as the Brazos River surges nearby. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Im going to make a camper, Garcia said optimistically, as he set to work in the back of his pickup. With one of his arms amputated below the elbow, his progress was slow but steady.

First he lifted a large metal bar into the pickup bed to form a frame. Then he brought out a white tarp to form a tent and removed the tailgate. Finally, he set a cage in the bed and led over one of his dogs, who tried to jump up but fell.

She succeeded on the second try, then turned around to lick Garcias face.

And that was just the first step of a long journey.

Maybe I can find a shelter, Garcia said.

Down the river, in a flood plain outside Rosenberg, Sylvia Gonzalez, 45, had an army of help. In several hours, the waters would move toward her rural home from two sides, like pincers. Several of her neighbors homes were already under water.

But Gonzalez was not discouraged.

God is truly here, Gonzalez , a youth pastor, said as a group of family members and friends moved her refrigerator out of her home. Among the few things that remained inside was an inspirational poster on the living room wall with the words, Faith is a bridge.

It also helps to have married the right man. Im blessed that I do have a contractor in this family, she said.

Her husband, Rene, will have plenty to do in the months to come.

Ruben Lozano, 47, and Javier Escamilla, 27, create makeshift sandbags in an effort to ward off the surging Brazos River from their home in Reyes Trailer Park. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

matt.pearce@latimes.com

Matt Pearce is a national reporter for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @mattdpearce.

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President Trumps company sought to build a luxury hotel and condominium project in Moscow at the start of the U.S. presidential race and requested help from an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trumps personal attorney said Monday.

The attorney, Michael Cohen, said that he worked on the plan to build Trump Tower Moscow for five months after Trump declared his candidacy for president in 2015, partnering with Felix Sater, a Russian-born businessman in New York who had worked with Trumps company on previous deals.

Cohen abandoned the Moscow project in January 2016 after deciding it was not feasible, he said in the two-page statement to the House Intelligence Committee. He added that to the best of my knowledge, Trump was never in contact with anyone about this project other than me.

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The House Intelligence Committee is one of four congressional panels investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The proposed Moscow deal, details of which were first reported by the Washington Post, is likely to draw scrutiny from Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel who is leading an FBI investigation into the links between Trump associates and Moscow.

The Trump Organizations unsuccessful effort to build a hotel in Moscow is the latest in a series of interactions by Trump associates and family members that have raised questions about the campaigns dealings with Russia.

Trump has repeatedly cast doubt on U.S. intelligence conclusions that Russia meddled in the 2016 campaign, and he has denied having investments there, though he acknowledged in May that he had dealings over the years in Russia.

In his statement, Cohen denied any links between Trumps business ambitions in Moscow and his political ambitions. Trump had previously sought to build large projects in Moscow but never did.

The Trump Tower Moscow proposal was not related in any way to Mr. Trumps presidential campaign, Cohen said.

But Sater, a Manhattan real estate developer who kept an office in Trump Tower, exchanged emails with Cohen touting the proposed project and his ties to Putin, which he said could help get Trump elected.

Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it, Sater wrote in one of the emails, which were disclosed by the New York Times on Tuesday. I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this, I will manage this process.

Cohen played down Saters unusual claims in his statement to the Intelligence Committee.

Sater was prone to using colorful language  and salesmanship, said Cohen, who said he had known Sater for decades.

Cohen said he did not pass Saters emails to Trump or anyone else in the Trump Organization.

Mr. Sater, on occasion, made claims about aspects of the proposal, as well his ability to bring the proposal to fruition, he said. I did not feel that it was necessary to routinely apprise others within the Trump Organization of communications that Mr. Sater made only to me.

Sater acted as a deal broker for the Moscow project, serving as an intermediary between the Trump Organization and a Russian real estate development company that planned to license the Trump name, Cohen said.

Cohen said he performed some initial due diligence on the Moscow project and that Trump ultimately signed a nonbinding letter of intent with a Moscow-based developer, I.C. Expert Investment Co., last October.

Sater urged Cohen to have Trump come to Moscow to push forward the project, but Cohen said he declined the overtures.

The project was contingent upon the Russian developer finding an appropriate property and getting necessary permits. Sater claimed to have the connections to get the required approvals.

In January 2016, Cohen said that at Saters urging he sent an email to Dmitry Peskov, Putins press secretary, seeking Russian government approval for the project. Lacking Peskovs personal email, he sent the message to a general mailbox in the Kremlin press office, the New York Times reported.

Cohen said he did not recall Peskov or any other Russian official sending a reply.

I decided to abandon the proposal less than two weeks later for business reasons, and do not recall any response to my email, nor any other contacts by me with Mr. Peskov or other Russian government officials about the proposal, Cohen said.

A decade ago, Sater was an executive at Bayrock Group LLC, a development company that leased space in Trump Tower and partnered with him on Trump projects in Manhattan, Phoenix and elsewhere. Sater was convicted of assault in 1993 for stabbing a man in the face with a broken margarita glass.

Sater became an FBI informant after he was convicted years later in a $40-million stock fraud scheme.

After Trump took office in January, Cohen said that he met with Sater and a Ukrainian lawmaker who asked them to bring a pro-Russian peace deal for Ukraine to the White House. He denied delivering the document, and the White House said it had no record of receiving it.

david.cloud@latimes.com

Twitter: @davidcloudLAT

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City officials in Houston imposed an overnight curfew to guard against opportunistic crimes as Tropical Storm Harvey continued to deluge southeast Texas on Tuesday, breaking the record for the most extreme rainfall on the U.S. mainland.

Authorities announced the curfew  midnight to 5 a.m.  after police arrested a crew of armed robbers who were hijacking vehicles, and officials warned residents of people impersonating Homeland Security investigators. There also were fears of looting as thousands of houses lay partially submerged and abandoned.

Since Harvey made landfall Friday night as a hurricane, some areas around Houston have seen in excess of 50 inches of rain  more than what they usually receive in a year. Authorities said the death toll had risen to 18, including a Houston police officer who drowned in his car on the way to work.

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On Tuesday afternoon, the Mont Belvieu industrial suburb east of Houston recorded 51.12 inches of water since Harveys arrival, breaking the highest previous record of 48 inches for a single storm, from Tropical Storm Amelia in Medina, Texas, in 1978.

Its the heaviest storm on record anywhere in the U.S. outside Hawaii, said John Nielsen-Gammon, Texas state climatologist and professor at Texas A&M University. And its still raining.

With muddy brown water engulfing huge areas of the nations fourth-largest city and much of the Gulf Coast, thousands were forced to seek refuge in shelters. Federal officials have estimated that as many as 30,000 displaced residents may seek temporary shelter and more than 450,000 people are likely to apply for federal aid.

In four days, weve seen a trillion gallons of water in Harris County  enough water to run Niagara Falls for 15 days, said Jeff Lindner, a meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District, who estimated that up to 100,000 homes in the 1,777-square-mile area may have flooded. Its beyond anything weve ever seen and will probably ever see.

After moving slowly east Tuesday evening, Harvey was poised to turn northeast early Wednesday and make a second landfall, moving inland over southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.

After assuring Texas on Monday that Congress would deliver swift federal assistance, President Trump visited the storm-ravaged state Tuesday, saying he hoped the regions long road to recovery would be viewed as a model.

He did not venture to Houston, where rescuers continued to rove from neighborhood to neighborhood in motorboats and kayaks, desperately trying to pluck residents from waterlogged homes. As a light rain drizzled, a reservoir west of downtown Houston spilled over Tuesday morning for the first time in its history, pouring yet more water onto already sodden communities.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo broke down in tears Tuesday as he announced that Sgt. Steve Perez, 60, a 34-year veteran of his department, drowned during the weekend while trying to get to work through an underpass in the darkness.

He laid down his life, Acevedo said during a briefing, noting that before Perez left for work he told his wife, who urged him to stay home: Ive got work to do.

Later in the day, Acevedo said officers had rescued 4,100 people across the city and had more than 500 calls holding. The citys fire chief, Samuel Pena, said his department had performed nearly 700 rescues.

Were still trying to get to folks, Acevedo said. Dont give up on us. Seek the higher ground. We will get to you.

By the end of the day, the number of people sheltering at the George R. Brown Convention Center swelled to 10,000. Its capacity is supposed to be 5,000. Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city had asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for cots and food for an additional 10,000 people, and officials are set to open another mega shelter at the Toyota Center, the downtown home of the NBAs Houston Rockets.

We are not turning anyone away, Turner said.

 Here are nine organizations providing on-the-ground services and accepting donations: (Aug. 28, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here http://bit.ly/2n6VKPR)

Houston highways remained mostly empty and blocked by police early Tuesday. A few cars and trucks navigated wet streets downtown.

Families were still arriving at the massive convention center, some with sleeping pads and rain boots, others with their belongings in garbage bags. Some feared for relatives left behind, and others worried they might soon face shortages of food and other supplies.

And the death toll kept rising. On Tuesday, local authorities reported a man in Montgomery County, north of Houston, drowned Monday night while trying to swim across a flooded road. In Galveston County, Clear Creek Independent School District reported that a former track and football coach had died in the flooding.

Tuesday night, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences updated its storm-related deaths to include an 89-year-old woman, Agnes Stanley, who was found floating in 4 feet of floodwater in a home. Another woman, 76, was discovered floating in water near a vehicle. Her name was not released. A 45-year-old man, Travis Lynn Callihan, left his vehicle and fell into floodwater. He was taken to a hospital, where he died Monday.

Officials in Harris County, which includes Houston, had already reported at least six potentially storm-related fatalities. A 60-year-old woman died in Porter, a small community north of Houston, when a large oak tree fell on her mobile home. Another person died in the small coastal town of Rockport, near where Harvey made landfall. A 52-year-old homeless man was found dead in La Marque, a small city near Galveston.

Local officials were also looking into reports that a family of six  four children and their great-grandparents  drowned Sunday near Greens Bayou in east Houston. Virginia Saldivar, 59, said her brother-in-law, Sam, was driving her grandchildren and her husbands parents to higher ground when the current swept up the van.

Early Tuesday, a major dam outside Houston began to overflow, threatening some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods to the west of the city. Engineers had tried to prevent Addicks Reservoir from overspilling by releasing some of its water Monday, but flood control officials reported Tuesday morning that water was beginning to seep over the top of a spillway, the first time water had breached the dam.

In some areas in and around Houston, the water was so deep that rain sensors no longer were working. The Harris County Flood Control District, a government agency that works to reduce the effects of flooding in the area, announced that multiple water level and rain sensors were out of service because of flooding.

1 / 87 Samir Novruzov wades through water to get to a vehicle after spending the day clearing out his flooded home in Katy, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 87 Melissa Teague, right, instructs her children Andrew and Emily as they clear out their flooded home in Katy, Texas, on Monday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 87 People ride through floodwaters in Katy, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 87 People hop off Chris Ginters truck as he helps ferry residents around Katy, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 87 Two men collect a disposed mattress as residents in the Trinity/Houston Garden area of northeast Houston gut their flooded homes. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 87 Wayne Christopher, center, weeps as his wife, Helen, looks on during a Sunday service at First United Methodist Church in Dickinson, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 87 Hurricane Harvey severely damaged the First Baptist Church in Rockport, Texas. Worshipers on Sunday brought their own chairs to take part in an outdoor service. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 87 Ken Garrett, right, hugs Pastor Jordan Mims after they both delivered prayers on the grounds of the First Baptist Church in Rockport, Texas. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 87 University of Houston law professor Johnny Buckles props up an American flag on the debris pile from his flood-damaged home in the Kingwood area of north Houston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 87 Jose Esquivel flags down motorists to visit a parking lot full of donated clothes, supples, water and brisket in Refugio, Texas. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 87 Despite heavy damage and no electricity, a homeowner displays his patriotism while clean up and recovery efforts continue in his devastated neighborhood of Rockport. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 87 Volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, Yusuf Seager, from left, Rahib Ahmed, Rahman Nasir, and Khalil Nasir help tear out drywall damaged by floodwater in the Westbury neighborhood in Houston. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 87 Volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association help residents of the Westbury neighborhood in Houston clear debris from their homes. It is also the Islamic holiday of Eid-ul-Adha. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 87 Many roads and Interstates in Texas remain flooded, including this one in west Houston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 87 Jenna Fountain and her father Kevin carry a bucket down Regency Drive to try to recover items from their flooded home in Port Arthur, Texas on Thursday. (Emily Kask / AFP / Getty Images) 16 / 87 Lillie Roberts talks with family members as contractor Jerry Garza begins the process of repairing her Houston home on Friday. (Scott Olson / Getty Images) 17 / 87 Volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association to perform holy prayer as they help local residents in the Kashmere Gardens area of Houston clean out their flooded homes. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 87 Volunteers assist Cornell Beasley with repairs to his damaged home in Houston on Friday. (Scott Olson / Getty Images) 19 / 87 Katie Estridge organizes hundreds of soaked family photographs on the front lawn of her fathers home in northeast Houston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 87 Wes Higgins wipes sweat from his face after spending five days patrolling flooded Houston neighborhoods in his boat. Higgins, from Knott, Texas, organized a volunteer team of 10 boats to help Houston residents. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 87 Members of the California Air National Guard 129th Rescue Wing, Senior Airman George McKenzie, left, and Master Sgt. Adam Vanhaaster, right, help a man carry his infant, who has a serious medical condition, to a hospital in Orange, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 87 A search-and-rescue crew speeds along Maple Rock Drive in west Houston looking for flood victims. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 87 A woman and a child are among those rescued by California Air National Guardsmen in Lumberton, north of Beaumont. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 87 California Air National Guard 129th Rescue Wings Master Sgt. Adam Vanhaaster searches for people in need of help near Lumberton. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 87 A man prepares his dinner at home near Lumberton. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 87 Boys sit on a damaged railroad track near Lumberton. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 87 A woman waves to a California Air National Guard helicopter from her neighborhood near Lumberton. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 87 A drop-off point for boat rescues in Lumberton. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 87 Baseball fields in Lumberton are inundated. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 87 Coca-Cola delivery trucks are trapped by floodwater in Lumberton, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 87 A military search and rescue helicopter refuels mid-flight before resuming nighttime missions over areas flooded in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 87 Houston police search a flooded home after hearing that an elderly couple lived there. The house was empty. Police later learned the couple had safely evacuated. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 87 West Houston resident Pedro Albiso uses trash bags to protect his shoes and pants as he prepares to cross a flooded street. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 87 Patients are evacuated from Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas after the city of Beaumont lost its water supply. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 87 Fatima Flores, 12, gets her hair done by cousins Shelly Flores, 7, left, and Ashley Flores, 7, as their family takes shelter at Max Bowl, a bowling alley in Port Arthur, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 87 James Benoit, left, and George Clipton sought refuge at Max Bowl in Port Arthur, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 87 June Ayrow spent the night with his oxygen tanks underneath a table at Max Bowl in Port Arthur, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 87 Floodwaters surround homes Thursday in Port Arthur, Texas. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press) 39 / 87 Volunteers rescue patients from the Cypress Glen nursing home where floodwaters trapped dozens of elderly patients in Port Arthur, Texas on Wednesday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 87 Residents lie on sofas as they wait to be evacuated from the Cypress Glen senior care facility in Port Arthur, Texas, which was inundated with floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday. (Matt Pearce / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 87 Emergency crews help rescue elderly residents from the Golden Years Assisted Living home in Orange, Texas, on Wednesday. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press) 42 / 87 Rescuer workers help a woman from her flooded home n Port Arthur, Texas. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 43 / 87 Evacuees ride on a truck after they were driven from their homes by the flooding in Port Arthur, Texas. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 44 / 87 People wait in line to buy groceries at a Food Town during the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images) 45 / 87 Juan Figueroa removes damaged furniture from his mothers northeast Houston home where residents begin rebuilding from the devastating effects of the storm. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 87 Rafael Minor, left, and Miguel Ramirez remove the contents from a flooded home in northeast Houston on Wednesday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 87 A construction crew cleans out a home that was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey in Spring, Texas. (Brett Coomer / Associated Press) 48 / 87 A flooded residential neighborhood near Interstate 10 in Houston, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 87 A flooded residential neighborhood near Interstate 10 in Houston, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 87 People come out to view the flooded areas near their homes in Houston, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 87 CaroLine Kirkpatrick of Salt Lake City, Utah, is evacuated from the Omni Hotel by rescue worker Adam Caballero in Addicks, a suburb of Houston, Texas. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 87 People displaced by flooding fill the shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. (LM Otero / Associated Press) 53 / 87 Mark Ocosta and his baby, Aubrey, take shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 54 / 87 Frantzy Thenor receives an embrace from a fellow evacuee after he helped her leave from the flooded Omni Hotel, in the Addicks area of Houston, Texas. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 87 Storm clouds over Houston skyline. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 87 Recreational vehicles sit on their sides in flood water in Houston, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 87 A woman carries a dog above the rising floodwaters near Addicks Reservoir. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 87 Eduardo Retiz, 21, drives his elevated pickup truck through a flooded street near Addicks Reservoir. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 87 Mike Hoskovec, left, walks to a boat after helping friend Ben Berg, behind, move some photo albums to the second floor of his Nottingham Woods home. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 87 Matthew Koser looks for important papers and heirlooms inside his grandfathers house after it was flooded by heavy rains. (Erich Schlegel / Getty Images) 61 / 87 Residents wade through floodwaters as they evacuate their homes near the Addicks Reservoir Tuesday. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press) 62 / 87 Larry Koser Jr., left and his son Matthew look for important papers and heirlooms inside Larry Koser Sr.'s house after it was flooded by heavy rains. (Erich Schlegel / Getty Images) 63 / 87 Portions of Interstate 10 remain flooded in Houston, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 87 Rising flood waters stranded hundreds of residents of Twin Oaks Village in Clodine. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 87 Comfort Morgan is helped to dry land after being rescued from her flooded home in Twin Oaks Village in Clodine. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 87 Rising flood waters stranded hundreds of residents of Twin Oaks Village in Clodine, where a collection of small boat owners, including some with pool toys, coordinated to bring most to dry ground. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 87 Rising flood waters stranded hundreds of residents of Twin Oaks Village in Clodine, where an collection of small boat owners coordinated to bring most to dry ground. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 87 Hundreds of residents of Twin Oaks Village are evacuated in Clodine Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 87 Residents are stranded at Twin Oaks Village in Clodine due to rising flood water. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 87 Stranded residents of Twin Oaks Village in Clodine are evacuated from the rising flood water. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 87 Jan Tullos, 32, searches a flooded home for an injured woman who was reportedly stranded inside in Clodine, Texas. The home was empty. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 87 People walk down a flooded Houston street as they evacuate their homes after the area was inundated with rains from Tropical Storm Harvey. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 73 / 87 Dean Mize holds children as he and Jason Legnon use an airboat to rescue people from flooded homes in Houston on Monday. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 74 / 87 Dean Mize, left and Jason Legnon carry a person to an airboat as they rescue people in Houston. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 75 / 87 Evacuees walk down a flooded street after leaaving their homes Monday in Houston. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 76 / 87 Dean Mize holds a child as he helps evacuate people in Houston as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to drench southeastern Texas and Louisiana with heavy rains and surging floodwaters. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 77 / 87 People evacuate their flooded homes on Monday in Houston. By Monday morning, 911 operators had received 56,000 calls, city officials said. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 78 / 87 Adults use a kiddie pool to transport children as they evacuate on Monday. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 79 / 87 People catch a ride on a construction vehicle down a flooded Houston street. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 80 / 87 Alexendre Jorge evacuates Ethan Colman, 4, from a Houston neighborhood inundated by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey. (Charlie Riedel / AP) 81 / 87 People push a stalled pickup to through a flooded street in Houston on Sunday, as Tropical Storm Harvey dumped heavy rains. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press) 82 / 87 A Houston police officer helps Frank Andrews, 74, into his walking chair after rescuing him from his flooded home in the Braeswood Place neighborhood, southwest of Houston, on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 87 Wilford Martinez, right, is rescued from his flooded car by Harris County Sheriffs Department Richard Wagner along Interstate 610 in Houston, Texas. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press) 84 / 87 Daniel Gross, 15, is rescued by Houston police after he was stranded on top of his car in southwest Houston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 85 / 87 Andrew White, left, helps a neighbor down a street after rescuing her from her home in his boat in the upscale River Oaks neighborhood after it was inundated with flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey. (Scott Olson / Getty Images) 86 / 87 Volunteers and officers from the neighborhood security patrol help rescue residents in Houstons River Oaks neighborhood Sunday. (Scott Olson / Getty Images) 87 / 87 Jesus Nunez carries his daughter Genesis, 6, as he and numerous family members flee their flooded home, walking nearly four hours to the safety of a relatives house on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

In Brazoria County, south of Houston, the Brazos River was beginning to overflow its banks. On Tuesday morning, a levee breached in the Columbia Lakes neighborhood.

We are asking residents to please get out, said Sharon Trower, public information officer for the county, which already has rescued hundreds of residents after severe flooding from heavy rainfall. The additional river flooding is just going to be catastrophic.

Major roads throughout the county already were closed because of flooding.

At the Pentagon, Maj. Gen. James C. Witham, director of domestic operations for the National Guard, told reporters Tuesday that up to 30,000 Guardsmen as well as a U.S. naval amphibious assault ship could be called upon to help out in rescue efforts in Texas.

Already, 30 National Guard helicopters are supporting Hurricane Harvey relief, and 24 more are requested. Witham said that could increase to 100 helicopters in the days ahead.

Texas has been given everything that theyve asked for, Witham said, noting that the Pentagon expects more forces will be requested.

While catastrophic flooding continued across southeast Texas, there was at least some good news: Flash-flood watches were dropped for western portions of the Houston area as light to moderate rain fell Monday night. The National Weather Service said the threat of flooding is gradually shifting east.

Expect improving conditions this afternoon and evening across the area as Harvey pushes northeast, the National Weather Services Houston/Galveston office said in an update.

They say this too shall pass, Mayor Turner said during an early evening news briefing as the sun, finally, appeared in the sky. After the clouds pass, the sun will shine. In this city  regardless of the storm clouds, regardless of the rain  in this city the sun will shine.

And as the sun finally returned to Houston, so did the unmistakable sight of traffic. Cars and trucks piled up at stoplights on roads that had only recently been totally abandoned as Texans waited out the storm in their homes. In the suburb of Rosenberg, there was even a pedestrian: a pale teenager in dark clothing, with a bowl haircut and headphones, who was dancing  doing the Robot, actually  on a street corner as traffic passed.

As Harvey moved closer to neighboring Louisiana on the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrinas arrival there, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu urged residents to stay home and shelter in place.

A few inches of rain could cause serious problems in New Orleans, which is still recovering from flooding after thunderstorms this month overwhelmed the citys drainage system.

More than 5 inches of rain fell in some parts of the city Monday, causing localized floods. Flash-flood watches were in effect as meteorologists forecast 4 more inches of rain Tuesday.

Today, we are a resilient city with greater resolve, but we remain vigilant in the face of another threatening storm, Landrieu said in a statement. While this is a somber day for New Orleanians, the determination and spirit of our people gives us great hope for the future.

In Texas, many stranded Houston and coastal residents drove to cities such as Dallas and San Antonio to avoid overcrowded shelters near the Gulf Coast.

After sleeping in the Houston convention center after his house in Dickinson, about 30 miles south, flooded on Saturday, Jose Banda, a 38-year-old landscaper, piled his four young children  all under the age of 12  into his Chevy Silverado early Tuesday and made the four-hour drive to Dallas.

The family was among the first to check in at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, which can shelter nearly 5,000 evacuees of Tropical Storm Harvey.

This is at least far from the coast and not too many people are here yet, Banda said.

Back home, most of Bandas landscaping equipment  lawn mowers and weed whackers  that he had stored in his backyard were ruined.

I dont know how Ill afford to buy new ones. Itll be tough, said Banda as sweat beaded on his forehead.

Im just glad theyre all right, he said, nodding at his children who stood at his side wearing backpacks.

Special correspondent Jarvie reported from Atlanta and Times staff writer Hennessy-Fiske from Houston. Times staff writer Hailey Branson-Potts in Corpus Christi, W.J. Hennigan in Washington, Matt Pearce in Houston, Kurtis Lee in Dallas and Melissa Etehad in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

ALSO

Trump will deliver a promise of help to a coastal Texas city battered by Harvey

For years, engineers have warned that Houston was a flood disaster in the making. Why didnt somebody do something?

They were ordered not to evacuate. Now many families in Houston find themselves trapped in their homes

UPDATES:

9:55 p.m.: This article was updated with a new death toll.

6:15 p.m.: This article has been updated with curfew imposed, new figures for deaths, rescues; details on Trump visit, other details.

12:50 p.m.: This article was updated with information on the death of a Houston police officer.

12 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details on rainfall and flooding.

9:55 a.m.: This article was updated with more details on the flooding, the presidents arrival in Texas and information on New Orleans.

8:40 a.m.: This article was updated with more information on the latest conditions, including people seeking shelter.

7:55 a.m.: This article was updated with more information on the Addicks Reservoir.

This article was originally published at 6:55 a.m.
Roshanda Harris and her family had climbed to the roof of her two-story townhouse in east Houston, calling 911 for rescue and waiting for help. Then they saw the bodies.

A family had drowned, two adults and three children, and their corpses floated past in the brown floodwaters. Harris, 41, recognized them from her Wood Forrest Chase apartment complex, but didnt know their names.



For the record: An earlier version of this article misspelled the first name of Roshanda Harris as Roshana.

Her 10-year-old daughter, Forever Adams, also spotted the bodies and started asking questions. Harris had no words.

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I couldnt explain it to her, Harris said. I just started crying.

They could hear others calling for help. There was nothing they could do but huddle with 10 family members in the rain, including several children and Harris 2-month-old grandson, Jayden.

Harris and her family sheltered on the roof over two days and in time were joined by about 50 neighbors. The group had a few cellphones, but the 911 lines were busy, and they waited on hold. No one came. A cousin told Harris by phone that the Coast Guard advised them to wave for help. Monday afternoon, a helicopter finally spotted them.

Harris was able to leave with her family and their Shih Tzu, Passion, but in the rush she left her phone, purse and the rest of her belongings on the roof.

Harris recounted her familys ordeal Tuesday at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, where they had sought shelter with thousands of others. Her son and daughter-in-law work at the citys two airports, which are both closed. Harris had a job interview last week for food services at a hospital, but wasnt sure if they had called her phone left on the roof.

The convention center was getting crowded  officials said 9,000 people had sheltered there. More were arriving Tuesday, forming disgruntled, damp lines outside. Harris said there were plenty of baby supplies for Jayden, but she feared the center would soon run short of food and other necessities. Stir-crazy children and parents had already started quarreling.

Harris retreated outside to smoke under an overhang. She watched the rain, and thought again about the bodies.

Theres probably more, because more people stayed, she said.

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com

Twitter: @mollyhf

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A panel of U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals judges heard arguments Monday in Seattle over how broadly President Trumps travel ban can be enforced, and seemed inclined to uphold exemptions that let U.S. residents relatives continue to arrive from banned countries.

The judges, Michael Hawkins, Ronald Gould and Richard Paez, who will issue their opinion later, will not decide whether the ban is legal. That question, one the same judges considered this year in a decision that suspended the ban, is left to the U.S. Supreme Court to take on when it hears arguments over the issue in about six weeks.

Instead, the judges are looking at who falls under the ban. They prodded lawyers from the Trump administration and the state of Hawaii, which has sued, about how immigration law applies to Supreme Court orders on who is exempt from it.

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Trump originally signed the ban in January before it was blocked in federal courts. It was then modified and struck down again before the Supreme Court resurrected a limited version of it.

The ban, which went into effect on June 29, prevents travel to the U.S. by nationals of Somalia, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Iran for 90 days. Separately, it stops all refugee resettlement for 120 days. But the Supreme Court said that it cant apply to anyone who has a bona fide relationship to a person or entity in the U.S.

Deputy Assistant Atty. Gen. Hashim Mooppan argued that the court should strengthen the ban by removing exemptions for people with specific relatives, such as grandparents, in the U.S. Currently, banned nationals can still travel if they have a grandparent in the U.S.

Gould, who like the other judges is a President Clinton appointee, seemed skeptical of the idea.

How can the government take the position that a grandmother or a grandfather, or aunt or uncle, of a child in the U.S. does not have a close familial relationship? Like, what universe does that come from? he asked.

Paez also seemed to not buy what opponents have derided as the grandma ban. He asked why the government accepted in-law parents as legitimate U.S. connections but not grandparents.

Could you explain to me whats significantly different between a grandparent and a mother-in-law, father-in-law? Paez asked. What is so different about those two categories? One is in and one is out.

But the judges were less critical of the refugee ban, which has blocked most refugees from resettling in the country since the it went into place this summer. Refugees who have family members in the U.S. can resettle. They include about 900 who were allowed in since July.

But travel ban opponents say the ban still blocks 24,000 refugees who have been given formal assurance that the U.S. government would allow them to resettle under a 110,000-person refugee cap that President Obama put in place before he left office. Trumps ban slashed that number by more than half to 50,000. The cap runs through the fiscal year that ends in September.

Mooppan said in court that such formal assurances did not count as bona fide connections of refugees to the U.S. or to a resettlement agency.

The refugee assurance does not create any relationship between the resettlement agency and the refugee. Its a relationship between the resettlement agency and the government, which contracts out to the agencies to help immigrants settle in the U.S., Mooppan said.

In less than an hour of arguments, the judges also questioned Colleen Roh Sinzdak, an attorney from the law firm Hogan Lovells who represented the state of Hawaii. At one point, Sinzdak attempted to point out to the panel that courts had previously found the travel ban to be illegal, but Hawkins cut her off.

Were not here on the merits, he said. Were trying to shape a remedy that will satisfy the United States Supreme Court so when they hear the case in a couple of months on the merits, they can make an appropriate decision.

Aside from a handful of examples  such as people who have university admission and employment offers in the U.S. and those residing in the U.S. who have mother-in-laws abroad  the Supreme Court in June did not define what counts as a bona fide U.S. connection. The lack of clarity has led to a series of lawsuits.

After the Supreme Court decision, the Trump administration issued guidelines saying that family connections included only people with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, sibling, fiance or fiancee, or a parent-in-law in the U.S.

And while thousands of refugees had been approved for resettlement, the administration said a relationship to a resettlement agency by itself did not constitute a bona fide U.S. connection for those immigrants.

Then last month, a federal district judge in Hawaii ruled that exceptions had to be made for grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and brothers- and sisters-in-law. The judge, Derrick K. Watson, also disagreed with the Trump administration about refugees. He ordered that refugee agencies could count as bona fide connections and cleared the way for more refugee travel.

The Trump administration appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which placed a hold on the judges ruling on refugees until the 9th Circuit could consider the case. In the meantime, lawyers have started filing briefs on the travel bans constitutionality to the Supreme Court. Oral arguments are scheduled for Oct. 10.

jaweed.kaleem@latimes.com

Jaweed Kaleem is The Times national race and justice correspondent. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
There can be no justification for the violence perpetrated on Sunday by a group of leftist protesters who attacked supporters of President Trump and others Sunday during an otherwise peaceful rally against hate in Berkeley.

Whether they are described as black bloc or anarchists  the nomenclature isnt important  the masked, black-clad protesters are criminals, not the vanguard of a righteous resistance to fascism. They also are traitors to the thousands of peaceful demonstrators who gathered in Berkeleys Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Park to counter a No to Marxism in America rally  a non-event that drew a relatively small contingent of right-wingers after its organizer, fearing violence, had urged supporters to stay home.

The Associated Press reported that groups of hooded, black-clad protesters kicked and punched at least four men until police or other counter-protesters intervened. Some threatened to break the cameras of anyone who filmed them, including journalists.

The punches black bloc protesters are throwing are injuring their own side.

This is thuggery, not activism. And it has become too familiar a phenomenon in Berkeley, belying its reputation as a citadel of free speech. In February, for example, 150 black-clad agitators caused $100,000 worth of damage when they smashed through the city protesting a planned UC Berkeley speech by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. The speech was canceled.

The violent demonstrators hardly typified those who have turned out to protest white nationalism and other forms of intolerance in Berkeley and beyond. Nor should anyone think for a moment that the neo-Nazis and racists on the one hand and those who protest against them on the other are morally equivalent  an idea Trump seemed to endorse in his post-Charlottesville denunciation of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides. Racism and opposition to racism arent equally valid sides.

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An entirely different issue is whether it is ever acceptable to commit violence against someone who is peacefully expressing a point of view, however repugnant. The answer to that question is no. There is no hate speech exception to the 1st Amendment, and no anti-fascist dispensation from laws against assault and battery. (Notably, its not clear whether those who were set upon Sunday were attacked for their views or for simply showing up.)

Yet some would rationalize or explain away violence of the kind engaged in by the masked protesters in Berkeley. According to this view  summed up in the glib slogan Punch a Nazi!  right-wing extremism is such a threat to the body politic that preemptive violence isnt just permissible but necessary. Thats a seductive but sinister notion that, if acted on, empowers the very groups the protesters oppose. The punches theyre throwing are injuring their own side.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook

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Twenty years ago today, Skynet, the fictional artificial intelligence network and antagonist of the Terminator movie franchise, became self-aware.

In the films, a Silicon Valley tech company built the network of supercomputers for the U.S. military to replace the humans who control Americas nuclear arsenal. The idea was that the program would offer better reaction times and fewer mistakes than humans and engage in strategic warfare unencumbered by emotion, political incentives or ego. According to dates cited in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the network was activated on Aug. 4, 1997 and started thinking on its own on Aug. 29, 1997.

But Skynet had a problem. The data points it used to calculate risk didnt account for the vast nuances of human psychology, behavior and motivations. For an intelligent neural network, Skynet was really only capable of rudimentary, if-this-then-that thinking. It refused to listen to others and ran commands without factoring in the economic, social and geopolitical implications of its actions.

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Although Skynet was programmed to make decisions, it couldnt learn how to interpret new kinds of data. So it is with our president.

In the first Terminator movie, all of the computers suddenly behave erratically. Human engineers, realizing their grave miscalculation, panic and try to shut down the system. Perceiving that it is under attack, Skynet makes a decision to follow the mandate encoded within its system: Protect the world from humans who would do it harm. In service of this goal, the program launches nuclear missiles, ignites a global war, kills billions of people and devastates humanity.

The series is a classic sci-fi story: Humans create a monster, and it winds up killing us in order to save itself. Now a similar scenario appears to be playing out in real life, only the antagonist who keeps putting us in harms way to protect itself is President Trump.

Like Skynet, the Trump administration has a crude operating system with a deeply embedded mandate  in its case, to Make America Great Again. The system references narrow worldviews and outdated military ideology and prizes speed over sound judgment. Rather than taking in a broad range of unbiased information and methodically analyzing it, Trump seems programmed to execute commands as quickly as possible without considering the implications of his actions.

Take his decision a few months ago to send 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles into a Syrian airbase. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered the befuddling explanation that the strike didnt represent any change in our policy or posture, and said that the strike demonstrated that President Trump is willing to act. But Trumps impulsiveness had strategic and political consequences that appear not have been worked out in advance. All summer long, Syria has prevented international chemical weapons inspectors from entering Damascus, while North Korea has been fortifying Syria with supplies, according to a new U.N. report. Rather than weakening Syrias position, Trump strengthened the partnership between two of Americas adversaries.

Similarly, the presidents ad-libbed fire and fury remarks about North Korea might have seemed refreshingly direct and patriotic to some, but they created a situation in which Kim Jong Un could either respond with might and authority or else lose face with his people. If Trump were capable of taking in cultural data, he might have come to the more logical conclusion that saying nothing  and tweeting nothing  was the better tactical move. Instead, he set into motion an escalation that could have been avoided. North Korea has been launching missiles ever since  most recently into the airspace over Japan.

Although Skynet was programmed to make decisions, it couldnt learn how to interpret new kinds of data, especially if the information broke any of its established rules. So it is with our president, who operates with a retrograde understanding of modern warfare.

Trump reveres the late Gen. George S. Patton and speaks obsessively about past wars  about bright missiles and American boots on the ground. His preoccupation with the past has blurred his vision of contemporary and future warfare, which is less about hardware and humans and much more about software and algorithms.

We are in the throes of a radical departure from the last 100 years of industrial warfare. Today, for instance, the most advanced military planes in the world belong to the U.S., and what makes them so potent is the computer system powering the helmet worn by the pilot. The software runs a sophisticated augmented reality display that allows pilots to see through the fuselage of the aircraft. It automatically labels objects within view, zooms in and analyzes anything within a 360-degree radius, tracks nearby wingmen and continuously looks for external threats.

To maintain our military strength, the U.S. needs to fund basic research into artificial intelligence and champion long-term strategic planning between agencies. Instead, many in the Trump administration seem intent on dismissing technology. Trump himself doesnt even seem to understand it.

Trump may be human rather than machine, but he is without question a monster of our own making, and his command-line interface is the modern media. The head of CNN International, Tony Maddox, is only the latest media executive to point out that Trump is good for business, as Maddox put it at the recent Edinburgh International Television Festival. When we amplify Trumps tweets and put him on television, we ensure that the system keeps running.

But unfortunately, unlike in the Terminator movies, there are no time travelers coming to save us.

Amy Webb is the author of The Signals Are Talking: Why Todays Fringe Is Tomorrows Mainstream and an adjunct professor of strategic foresight at the New York University Stern School of Business.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
May you die in pain: California GOP congressman gets an earful at town hall

Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) kicks off his Monday morning town hall in Chico. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times)

May you die in pain.

That was the nastiest moment of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfas early morning town hall in the Northern California town of Chico on Monday.

The wish was uttered by an older man who criticized LaMalfa for voting for the House GOP plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. He was also holding a pink sign that read Lackey for the Rich!

ALSO: LaMalfa says the Russia investigation is a bunch of crap

The open hostility and intransigence inside the Chico Elks Lodge came as the political divide in the country has grown more inflamed, with Trumps election unleashing a wave of both liberal activism and conservative empowerment.

As a result, Washingtons deeply partisan fights over issues such as health care, immigration and environmental protections have followed members of Congress home, turning once sedate town halls into in-your-face venting sessions that in left-leaning California have Republican House members on the defensive.

LaMalfa stood his ground on stage as person after person ripped into him for his votes and positions on healthcare and climate change, as well as for his unyielding support for President Trump.

A few speakers asked LaMalfa to resign, including one dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West Coast.

Heather Calun dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West Coast in protest. She wants LaMalfa to resign over his vote to repeal Obamacare. pic.twitter.com/rBZXAnjd2l  Phil Willon (@philwillon) August 7, 2017

Most comments and questions during the hour-long town hall were fairly cordial, although they were laced with plenty of boos and catcalls.

Norma Wilcox, a retired nurse who lives in Chico, also questioned LaMalfas healthcare vote. Wilcox told LaMalfa the House plan would take away healthcare for millions of Americans while providing tax breaks to the rich.

I am open to new ideas, LaMalfa told her, describing the House GOP bill as a placeholder that everyone expected to be improved during negotiations with the Senate. (The Senates healthcare efforts now appear dead.)

But the Richvale congressman, who represents Californias massive 1st Congressional District in the northeast corner of the state, said he will support only a new healthcare program that provides affordable coverage to middle-class Americans.

LaMalfa said Obamacare is quickly become unaffordable and unsustainable, with premium costs rising and the number of insurance companies offering coverage declining.

People across the board are being hurt by this, LaMalfa said.

When shouts and boos rained down on him, he chastised the crowd saying, I have the mic folks. Yep, boo away.

Ann Sisney of Chico told LaMalfa that her son, William, died of an opioid overdose two years ago. She held up a picture of the 19-year-old, asked the congressman to take it, and told him more people will die if GOP leadership in Congress gets its way on healthcare.

These are life-and-death decisions that you are making, Sisney told him.

LaMalfa assured her that Congress was working to find funds to address the nationwide opioid epidemic.

The Republican congressman also raised the ire of the crowd when he was asked about climate change and the degraded air quality in this stretch of Northern California.

I dont buy the idea that man-made activity is responsible, LaMalfa said bluntly.

The crowd of several hundred did include some LaMalfa supporters, though most stayed silent.

Ron Jones, 67, of Paradise said hes been to a few of LaMalfas town halls and all have been dominated by his critics.

Most of the time people want to ... complain, said Jones, a self-described conservative, after the event ended. The people who support him are quietly in the background.

LaMalfa does indeed have a lot of support in the district that also overwhelmingly voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton in last years presidential election. LaMalfa won his last election by almost 15%, and though he has attracted a few Democratic challengers, the district is not considered a battleground for 2018.

Unlike many California Republican members of Congress, LaMalfa hasnt shied away from holding town halls, though its rarely a pleasant experience for him. He held one in Nevada City in March and another in April in Oroville. No other California Republicans are scheduled to hold town halls during their August recess.

Near the end of Mondays town hall, a woman criticized LaMalfa for inviting only Christian pastors to provide invocations at his town halls and other events, and urged him to include religious leaders of all faiths.

If you want to have your own town hall, you can invite whoever you like, LaMalfa told her.
The heat wave hitting Southern California isnt going away.

The National Weather Service says the Southland will continue to swelter well into next week, bringing triple digit temperatures to inland valleys along with elevated fire danger and the potential for power outages.

An excessive-heat warning will be in effect through Friday night, but the heat wave is likely to persist until the following Thursday, according to the weather service.

High temperatures predicted for Tuesday. (Angelica Quintero / @latimesgraphics)

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Palmdale, Lancaster and Woodland Hills are facing the brunt of the heat: All three locations are forecast to stay in the triple digits through Labor Day.

Woodland Hills reached 112 degrees Tuesday, tying a record for the date set in 1996. Temperatures broke records in Lancaster and Sandberg, where highs reached 109 and 103, respectively.

Lancasters previous record for the date was in 1998, when the temperature reached 107. In Sandberg, an earlier record of 97 degrees was set in 2007.

The heat is putting strain on the states electricity grid.

The California Independent System Operator issued a flex alert Tuesday morning, calling for voluntary electricity conservation from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Persistent hot temperatures and tight supply can strain the power grid, as air conditioner use increases, the grid operator said in a statement. The forecast peak use today, Aug. 29, is expected to exceed 48,000 megawatts, which if met will be the highest demand on the grid seen so far this year.

In Northridge on Tuesday night, roughly 10,500 customers were without power, according to Michael Ventre, a spokesman with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Other outages were scattered across the agencys service area.

In Boyle Heights earlier in the evening, 3,300 customers were temporarily without power. By 7:30 p.m., power was restored.

Typically thats what happens in temperatures like this, Ventre said.

Temperature outlook next week. #Heatwave likely to continue thru Sept 7. An 80 percent chance above normal temps for #DTLA. #LAHeat pic.twitter.com/WeptC4nWSt  NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) August 29, 2017

Daily records were also broken Monday when temperatures reached 111 in Woodland Hills, 109 in Lancaster, 108 in Palmdale and 104 in Sandberg, according to the weather service. Records in the latter three areas were last set in 2008, when temperatures reached 107 in Lancaster and Palmdale and 97 in Sandberg.

Temperatures got so high that traffic lights stopped working in Santa Clarita on Monday.

We are aware of several stoplight outages in the City due to heat. Remember: when the lights are flashing, treat it as a stop sign!  Santa Clarita City (@santaclarita) August 28, 2017

Air quality will suffer in a large stretch of the Southland as the heat wave continues.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District said readings of ground-level ozone are likely to reach unhealthy levels in the Santa Clarita Valley, the San Gabriel Mountains, portions of the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, the Inland Empire and the San Bernardino Mountains.

Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, Los Angeles Countys interim health officer, advised people in Pomona, the San Gabriel Valley and Santa Clarita Valley with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory diseases to minimize outdoor activities.

Here are today's forecast highs for #SoCal. It will be very hot across much of the area! Spend little-to-no time outdoors and stay cool! pic.twitter.com/qsIfTjYkFO  NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) August 29, 2017

Times staff writer Alene Tchekmedyian contributed to this report.

javier.panzar@latimes.com

Twitter: jpanzar

UPDATES:

10:15 p.m.: This article was updated with information about another power outage.

8:05 p.m.: This article was updated with information about record-breaking heat and a power outage in Boyle Heights.

This article was originally published at 11 a.m.
President Trump on Tuesday assured Texans slammed by Tropical Storm Harvey that we are here to take care of you and promised a better than ever before relief effort, as he visited the state while rescuers continued to pull people from submerged homes.

During visits first to Corpus Christi on the Gulf Coast, southwest of the worst-hit areas of Houston and its environs, and then to the state capital of Austin, Trump repeatedly praised federal, state and local officials. But he said little about victims who had lost their homes and loved ones to the historic storm.

The world is watching and the world is very impressed with what you are doing, Trump told officials at the Texas Department of Public Safety operations center in Austin who were coordinating rescue and shelter operations as rain continued to fall and water continued to swell in flood zones.

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Perhaps more welcome than praise was the presidents promise of unspecified federal aid. We are working with Congress on helping out the state of Texas; its going to be a costly proposition, Trump said, nodding at Texas two U.S. senators and several House members, all Republicans, who joined him.

Probably theres never been anything so expensive in our countrys history, he added.

Though aid is all but certain, getting significant relief through Congress will be complicated. Lawmakers not only have a packed and troublesome legislative agenda in September, but also members of both parties harbor resentments that Texas Republicans opposed past bills for disaster aid, notably after Hurricane Sandy tore up the East Coast five years ago.

Earlier in the day, the president anticipated success in the response effort even as rain and overflowing dams fed floodwaters to the east: We wont say congratulations. We dont want to do that, he said from a fire department in Annaville, near Corpus Christi, where he met with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other officials.

Well congratulate each other when its all finished, he said.

Trump seemed mindful of not repeating the famous mistake of President George W. Bush, who enthused, Brownie, youre doing a heckuva job to his Federal Emergency Management Agency director during Hurricane Katrina. Michael D. Brown led the botched response to that devastating storm that hit exactly 12 years ago.

Still, Trump, clad in a USA ball cap and a windbreaker with a presidential seal, did not shy from raising expectations for the response effort.

We want to do it better than ever before, he said. We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now, as this is the way to do it.

Although Trump was careful to remain outside the worst of the states flooding areas, the short ride from the airport in Corpus Christi to the firehouse along Interstate 37 gave him a glimpse of what the state is up against.

He passed broken trees, downed signs and fences that had been hurled about. Still, hundreds of residents made their way outside to greet the president, some hoisting Trump-Pence campaign signs and others protest placards.

Abbott, a Republican, praised Trump and his Cabinet members, several of whom accompanied him, saying the president and his advisors began preparing for the storm days before its arrival.

They all had one thing to say, Abbott said. Texas, what do you need? How can we help?

Trump spoke about the work of officials and the recovery efforts, leaving it to others to discuss the storms continuing risks and the loss of life  including the drowning death of veteran Houston Police Sgt. Steve Perez, who was to turn 61 this week.

When he left the firehouse, Trump mounted a ladder between two fire trucks to address the crowd outside.

We love you, you are special; we are here to take care of you, he said. Its going well.

What a crowd, what a turnout, he said, as if speaking at a political rally. Its historic, its epic, but I tell you, it happened in Texas, and Texas can handle anything.

The crowd cheered as Trump waved a Texas flag. But not everyone came to cheer.

This is a blatant politicization of the hurricane efforts and everything that just happened to this community, said Ben Falcon, 17, of Corpus Christi, holding an orange poster board reading Love Trumps Hate.

Others welcomed the president. Phillip Gonzalez sat in the open back of his black Humvee, an American flag propped on its roof, snapping pictures and watching Trumps arrival through binoculars.

This is pretty special to have the president fly in and show his support for the people who are hurting across Texas, said Gonzalez, a retired oil industry employee who wore a camouflage hat with a neon orange USA on the front and Trump on the back. The sight of the presidents plane, he added, sends chills down my spine.

Congress has not outlined a plan to tackle the needs of Texas and Louisiana, the two states taking the brunt of Harvey, a hurricane downgraded to a tropical storm but dropping rain greater than any time recorded in the continental United States.

State and local officials are still responding to the immediate safety threat and have not begun to fully assess the long-term costs of the epic, still-unfolding storm, which has turned large parts of Houston, the nations fourth-largest city, into a lake.

From along Highway 44, Phillip Gonzalez of Corpus Christi, Texas, photographs Air Force One landing. (Hailey Branson-Potts / Los Angeles Times )

Although Trump avoided the hardest-hit areas, his visit ran the risk of stretching already stressed resources, given the logistical and security requirements of a presidential visit. In Corpus Christi and Austin, dozens of officials were on hand to meet with him.

Sensitive to that risk, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during the flight from Washington, The president wants to be very cautious about making sure that any activity doesnt disrupt any of the recovery efforts that are still ongoing.

Abbott has mobilized the Texas National Guard to help with rescue and relief efforts.

All but one of the Texas Republican lawmakers serving at the time, led by Sen. Ted Cruz, opposed a federal aid package in early 2013, months after Sandy hit New Jersey and other Northeastern states. But some Northeastern lawmakers have said they will not resist helping Texans in their time of need.

Congress has failed to gather majorities on some major issues this year. It is under deadline pressure to act on several must-pass bills next month, including action to keep the government running and separate legislation to prevent the country from defaulting on its debts.

Guiding lawmakers to accomplish those goals, while approving aid to Texas and starting work on the more ambitious legislation on Trumps agenda, will require focus from the president.

Trump had intended to devote this week to pitching a complicated federal tax overhaul proposal that his administration has yet to draft.

He has a speech planned Wednesday in Missouri to begin that effort and has said he is likely to return to Texas and possibly Louisiana later in the week to provide more attention to Harvey recovery.

Sanders said the White House began focusing on Harvey early last week. Several Cabinet secretaries joined Trump on the trip to Texas, including Tom Price of Health and Human Services, Ben Carson of Housing and Urban Development and Elaine Duke, the acting Homeland Security secretary. Linda McMahon, chief of the Small Business Administration, and James Rivera, who manages its disaster assistance unit, also joined Trump on the trip.

Ben Falcon, 17, born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, protests President Trumps arrival at his hometown Tuesday. (Hailey Branson-Potts / Los Angeles Times )

Abbott and William Brock Long, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, greeted Air Force One as Trump arrived. The president did not meet with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, a Democrat who was dealing with the brunt of the storm.

Even as Trump contends with those domestic issues, he faced another provocation from North Korea, which launched a ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday morning.

Trump repeated his threat that all options are on the table in a statement Tuesday. He had a lengthy call with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and spoke with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore by telephone during the flight to Corpus Christi, the White House said.

Historic flooding is still ongoing across the area. If evacuated, please DO NOT return home until authorities indicate it is safe! #Harvey pic.twitter.com/URXowuKN5S  NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) August 29, 2017

Trump tweeted about the storm early Tuesday, including a retweet of a National Weather Service warning: Historic flooding is still ongoing across the area. If evacuated, please DO NOT return home until authorities indicate it is safe!

In addition, Trump sent out praise of himself, including a tweet from a Fox News host: Trump just won on law & order and now hes delivering the goods.

"Trump just won on law & order and now he's delivering the goods." -@jessebwatters #thefive  The Five (@TheFive) August 29, 2017

hailey.branson@latimes.com

noah.bierman@latimes.com

Branson-Potts reported from Corpus Christi. Bierman and Brian Bennett reported from Washington.

ALSO

Engineers warned about Houston flood risks for years. Why didnt anyone act?

Ordered not to evacuate, many families are now trapped in their homes

Armed with a boat, a dump truck and a school bus, this volunteer crew rescued 14 flood victims

UPDATES:

4:25 p.m.: The story was updated with Trumps activities and statements in Austin.

12 p.m.: The story was updated with Trumps activities and comments near Corpus Christi.

9:43 a.m.: The story was updated with Trumps arrival and comments by White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

The story was originally published at 6:35 a.m.
Californias highest court weighed in Monday on how voters raise revenue for local governments, deciding that tax increases proposed by city and county elected officials should be treated differently than those put on the ballot through citizen initiatives.

No consensus has emerged over how far-reaching the ruling might be, but some said the decision could make passage easier for local tax increases to finance school, road, transit or other specific repairs or expansions.

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State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) cheered the decision as undoing state tax restrictions that have tied the hands of local governments.

Its hard to overstate how important this ruling is, Wiener said in a statement. Communities will now have a much easier time funding schools, transportation and other critical needs.

But Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., warned of a spate of tax increases on their way to city and county ballots.

I dont think theres any way we can sugarcoat this, Coupal said. This is a significant decision that will lead to unbridled collusion between local governments and special interest groups.

At issue is nearly four decades of California tax policy that began after Proposition 13, the landmark 1978 initiative that said local governments couldnt increase taxes for specific purposes, such as road or school repairs, without the approval of two-thirds of local voters. California voters strengthened those rules to also apply to assessments and other fees in 1996 through Proposition 218.

Mondays decision, however, drew a clear line between measures put on the ballot by local elected officials and those sponsored by citizen initiatives.

Multiple provisions of the state Constitution explicitly constrain the power of local governments to raise taxes, Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuellar wrote in a 5-2 majority opinion. But we will not lightly apply such restrictions on local governments to voter initiatives, one of the most precious rights of our democratic process.

By that logic, under an initiative, which is placed on the ballot via outside groups through the signature-collection process, the two-thirds threshold may no longer apply, and a tax increase for a specific purpose could possibly pass with a simple-majority vote.

Coupal said his organization plans to urge state lawmakers to place a constitutional amendment on the statewide ballot to ensure that the higher standard remains in place in all cases.

Still, its unclear whether local tax increases now will have an easier road to passage. Mondays ruling involved a 2014 initiative in Upland in San Bernardino County to impose a $75,000 annual licensing and inspection charge on medical marijuana dispensaries.

The facts in the case are so unique that the state Supreme Court decision doesnt address the distinction between different thresholds as it relates to tax increases proposed via initiative, said Roger Jon Diamond, a Santa Monica attorney who argued the case on behalf of Uplands medical marijuana proponents.

I believe that this does not affect one way or the other whether you need a two-thirds vote or simple majority, Diamond said.

liam.dillon@latimes.com

@dillonliam

ALSO

L.A.'s traffic battle plan: More rail, but also Uber, bicycles, cars and a lot more dense development

Glendales water rates violate state law, judge rules

Updates on California politics
Harvey

Aug. 29, 2017, 11:43 a.m. Washington

Pentagon says up to 30,000 National Guard troops prepared to assist in response to Harvey

Pentagon officials said Tuesday that National Guard assets are at full readiness to assist in the unfolding disaster in Texas wrought by Tropical Storm Harvey.

Maj. Gen. James C. Witham, director of domestic operations for the National Guard, told Pentagon reporters that up to 30,000 guardsmen as well as a U.S. naval amphibious assault ship could be called upon to help out in rescue efforts on the ground.

There are 30 National Guard helicopters flying in Texas in support of relief efforts surrounding the hurricane and subsequent tropical storm, with 24 more requested, he said.

Witham said that could increase to 100 helicopters in the days ahead as the Guard prepares for a sustained, phased response -- a departure from what the Guard has done in the past.

This will be a long-term effort, Witham said. When the Guard responds to hurricane-type events, normally we talk about that first 72 to 96 hours for the lifesaving and life-sustainment that takes place. Then, were into the recovery effort.

Due to the nature of this storm as it spun across southwest Texas for days and dumped historic levels of rainfall, our response has been very different than what weve looked at before, he said. And the planning associated had to be different because of the nature of it.

The Guard has alerted thousands of forces across the nation for possible deployment. It has already sent elite special operations para-rescuers from California and New York to aid in the effort, he said.

We are leaning as far forward as we possibly can to ensure that military assets are postured to support the needs of Texas and potentially Louisiana, Witham said.

Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott has ordered the entire Texas National Guard, which numbers around 12,000 troops, to assist those affected by the storm. Only about 3,500 Texas guardsmen are now involved, which raised questions as to whether U.S. commanders in Washington had identified a bigger demand than Texas officials were willing to request.

Witham said, Texas has been given everything that theyve asked for and that the Pentagon expects more forces will be requested.

If you look at the magnitude and duration of this storm, we are just trying to anticipate additional needs on behalf of Texas, he said.

The California Air National Guard from the 129th Rescue Wing in Mountain View had deployed about 90 guardsmen on Monday night.

The wing sent a team of Guardian Angel para-rescuers, a U.S. special operations search-and-rescue unit. The wing also sent two HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters and an MC-130 transport aircraft.

This is their wheelhouse, said Capt. Will Martin, a California National Guard spokesman. They carry out over-water rescue throughout the year and they have been in Texas before.

The Bay Area wing was deployed to Texas in disaster response to Hurricane Rita in 2005, Hurricane Ike and Hurricane Gustav in 2008.
Abortion became legal in China after the government there enforced a one-child policy in 1971. Some 336 million abortions have taken place there since. One agent who arranges abortion trips to China told the Chosun Ilbo, "Abortions are legal in China and using aliases removes any records. Chinese doctors are more skilled in abortions, due to their ample experience."

Korean women travel to China to have abortions which are illegal in Korea, especially in summer when trips abroad attract less attention. But although abortions are legal in China, it is still illegal for Korean nationals to undergo those procedures there, and they have no legal redress if complications arise.

One broker claimed to know of a hospital in China where the abortions are performed by Korean doctors. A package covering the whole procedure including operation fees, transportation and lodging costs about W200 million for a four-day stay (US$1=W1,112). Discounts are available if visa application and air-ticket purchase through a certain travel agency are made.

Experts warn such trips entail huge risks. "It is very dangerous to make long trips while pregnant or after undergoing an abortion," said Cha Hee-jae at the conservative Association of Pro-life Physicians. "An abortion in facilities lacking proper sanitary conditions could result in infections or hemorrhage, leading to infertility or even death."

Police warn that Korean women who have an abortion in China could face punishment under Korean law.

A growing number of Korean women are making the trip to China after scores of obstetricians were busted in February 2010 for performing illegal abortions.

According to a study by the Ministry of Health and Welfare last year, the number of abortions was estimated at 290,000 in 2005 but fell to 160,000 in 2010, probably because more women now travel abroad.
With a new school year come new principals for many campuses in coastal Orange County school districts.

Here are the start dates and new leadership for local schools:

Huntington Beach Union High School District: First day of school is Wednesday

No new principals.

Newport-Mesa Unified School District: First day of school is Sept. 5

Newport Elementary  Amanda Estrada, formerly the assistant principal of College Park and Mariners elementary schools, is now heading the Newport Beach campus. She has been with Newport-Mesa Unified for 12 years, teaching several grades during that time. She has also served in various adjunct positions, including grade level chair, leadership team, school site council and GATE trainer.

Back Bay/Monte Vista High  Marc Trocchio was appointed to head the campus in August. He is formerly the assistant principal for Marina and Fountain Valley high schools in the Huntington Beach Union High School District. He has also has served as a guidance counselor, teacher and assistant principal of San Dieguito Academy and La Costa Canyon High School.

Costa Mesa Middle  Jennifer Padilla has 17 years of educational experience. She last served as interim principal of John Glenn High School in Norwalk. Padilla has also been dean of students at Norwalk High School and an assistant principal and English teacher at Silverado High School in Victorville.

Rea Elementary  Duane Cox, an educator for about 20 years, is heading the Costa Mesa campus. His experience includes serving as principal of Newport Coast Elementary, administrator of student programs for the Orange County Department of Education and a principal and classroom teacher in Huntington Beach City School District.

College Park Elementary  Rich Rodriguez comes to the Costa Mesa campus after serving at Newport Elementary. He has also been principal of TeWinkle Middle School and is a former teacher for Newport-Mesa Unified.

Newport Coast Elementary  Julie McCormick comes to the Newport Beach campus after serving as principal of College Park Elementary in Costa Mesa, where she spearheaded a Mandarin language immersion program. She has also been a teacher at Eastbluff Elementary, principal of Pomona Elementary and a principal in the Santa Ana Unified School District. Her departure from College Park earlier this year caused some frustration among parents, who praised her skills, particularly her ability to speak English, Spanish and some Mandarin.

Ocean View School District: First day of school is Sept. 6

No new principals.

Laguna Beach Unified School District: First day of school is Sept. 5

Laguna Beach High School  Jason Allemann comes to the campus after years as principal of Dana Hills High School. He has also worked as a principal, assistant principal and school counselor in the Anaheim Union High School District.

Fountain Valley School District: First day of school is Sept. 6

No new principals.

Huntington Beach City School District: First day of school is Sept. 7

Dwyer Middle School  Christa Glembocki begins her first full year at Dwyer, where she has served as principal since the spring. Glembocki is a veteran educator with more than 15 years of experience, including positions as an assistant principal at Tustin Unified School District middle school campuses.

Sowers Middle School  John Ashby also begins his first full school year as principal of Sowers, where he took the helm last spring. Ashby has also been an assistant principal in the Chino Valley Unified School District and a Spanish teacher in the Bonita Unified School District.

bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZint
The school year has started. Fall clothes: shorts, jeans, skirts, shirts, T-shirts, blouses and shoes. Done. School supplies: notebooks, mechanical pencils, protractor, colored pencils, notebook paper, and graph paper for math and science. Done. Back on a school schedule (start time is half an hour later, thank goodness). Done.

So, were all set to succeed? Well, maybe not.

Remember all those reading, writing and math challenges from last year, and the tears and anger and angst they generated? Those challenges might have gone on summer hiatus, or perhaps had some amount of remedial attention, but they havent gone away. Now is the time to think about preventive maintenance.

Your kids probably say they dont need any help. Mine did. Does any of this sound familiar?

Im really busy, and I wont have enough time.

Ive got this covered, Mom.

I wont let it slide like last year, promise!

Uh-huh. Then, about three weeks into the year, you look online and there are already missing assignments, the elementary teacher has called concerned about the performance level and youre right back to playing catch-up.

Summer break is great, but all good things must come to an end. Putting a tutoring plan in place now can help keep your student from digging a hole he or she cant easily get out of once the school year is rolling.

Where do you get help for your elementary, junior high or high school student?

There are a lot of options. If the only issue is subject matter deficiencies, ask other parents, for openers. Many have walked the road ahead of you, and they may point you toward capable, can-do tutors who will help improve your students attitude as well as his or her performance and grades.

In many cases, a tutor is just whats needed  someone other than the parent to provide equal parts monitoring, assistance, coercion and praise. Match your students needs to the tutor. More experienced tutors, especially former teachers, might be the choice for a student who is seriously lagging. They often have a combination of experience and special training that works well. For a student who is only a bit behind in a subject, a slightly older peer might be the best matchup.

In some cases, more firepower is required. Educational therapists have specialized training and are best able to deal with not only subject-matter deficiencies but also underlying issues that may be impeding learning such as dyslexia, auditory or visual processing problems and attention deficit disorder, as well as anxiety and other psychological issues. These experts are able to get below the surface of schoolwork to help children remediate and compensate certain skills used in each class. They teach thinking and management skills that go beyond specific subjects and can be used on a broader basis.

There are an army of companies, local to national, that offer subject-matter assistance as well as specialized programs to deal with learning disabilities. Names you might have heard include Kumon, Lindamood-Bell, Kahn Academy and many others. Most are for-profit organizations, though Kahn Academy is a free online service. The challenge with these organizations is identifying which (if any) are the right fit for your student. Most are expensive, and youll want to know that the service is likely to be helpful before taking the plunge.

In the next few columns, I will discuss some of the warning signs that your student needs help, and the best ways to identify the options most likely to work for you and your child.

ROBERT FRANK is the executive director of the Hillside School and Learning Center in La Canada. He holds a masters of science degree in special education and has more than 40 years of teaching experience. His column appears on the last Thursday of each month. He can be reached at frank@hillsideforsuccess.org.
A group of seven Nazis carrying racist signs outside a Westwood theater in 1967 were protesting the movie Guess Whos Coming to Dinner, which portrays an interracial romance.

An article in the next mornings Los Angeles Times reported:

Seven Nazi demonstrators were beaten and chased from the neighborhood Friday night as they attempted to picket a motion picture theater in West Los Angeles.

The uniformed members of the American Nazi Party began picketing the Village Theater at 961 Broxton Ave., West Los Angeles, shortly after the main feature began at 8 p.m. 

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A crowd of more than 50 people gathered within a few minutes and began jeering and taunting the khaki-clad self-proclaimed Nazis. A youth, about 20, made first physical contact with the demonstrators when he bumped into Nazi Lt. Lee Vincent.

Violence erupted moments later as the jeering crowd closed on the Nazis, forcing them into the street. The seven replied to taunts with anti-Semitic slogans and were attacked.

The mob appeared to have no specific organization, but was composed mostly of young men in their late teens or early 20s. They ganged up on the individual Nazis, knocking some to the street.

No clubs or weapons were in evidence, but several Nazis were bloodied by the large crowd as they attempted to take refuge at a gas station at the corner of Gayley and Weyburn avenues. At least one appeared to be seriously injured.

The running battle continued onto Gayley Avenue, where a red and white Volkswagen bus picked up six and roared away. A lone bedraggled Nazi sought sanctuary in a nearby supermarket, and slipped away.

Police did not arrive on the scene until the battle was over. No arrests were made.

The above photo, taken by staff photographer Harry Chase, appeared on the front page of the Dec. 23, 1967, edition of the Los Angeles Times.

This post was originally published Feb. 5, 2015.

See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday admonished some European countries for what she called their failure to accept a fair share of migrants and refugees during a crisis that has caused rifts across the continent.

Merkel, who has supported an open-door policy for migrants, said Germany, Italy and Greece were dealing with the bulk of the challenges associated with accommodating hundreds of thousands of people who have made their way on perilous voyages to Europe.

The 28-nation European Union has not done enough to balance the distribution of migrants or provide services for them, she said. Many migrants and refugees have fled poverty and fighting in their home countries, many coming from the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

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Europe hasnt been doing its homework, Merkel, who is expected to win a fourth term during a Sept. 24 election, told reporters. We still dont have a fair system of distribution [of migrants and refugees]. We still have a lot of work to do on that score. We have to fight the causes that people are fleeing.

Merkels comments came a day after a meeting in Paris in which France, Germany, Italy and Spain agreed to a plan intended to counter human traffickers by allowing vulnerable African migrants to apply for asylum in Europe while in Africa, rather than after they reach Europe. African countries through which migrants often pass on their way to Europe would get help to control their borders, the leaders said.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who hosted the summit, called the gathering the most effective and far-reaching migration meeting in months, though many details remained undetermined, the Associated Press reported.

Fayez Serraj, the prime minister of Libyas U.N.-backed government, Chadian President Idriss Deby and Nigers president, Mahamadou Issoufou, stressed that fighting poverty must be a central part of any migration strategy, the AP reported.

Merkel said it was important to more clearly differentiate between those fleeing poverty, who usually are not granted asylum, and those whose needs are humanitarian and usually do receive asylum protection. She said the goal was to put an end to illegal migration.

Germany has taken in more than a million migrants from Syria, Iraq and other troubled countries over the last two years. Sweden and Austria also took in larger numbers of migrants earlier in the crisis but Germany, the EUs richest country, has shouldered most of the burden with Greece and Italy over the last year.

To spread the migrants across the continent, the EU devised a plan in 2015 to relocate across the bloc about 160,000 asylum seekers who arrived in Italy and Greece, countries that serve as a gateway to Europe and have been overwhelmed by the crisis.

Although popular across much of Germany, Merkel has nevertheless faced withering heckling and jeers at some of her recent campaign rallies over her decision to allow in such large numbers of migrants for what she called humanitarian reasons.

A total of 123,644 people risked their lives to flee to Europe by sea this year through Aug. 29, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. It estimated that 2,421 people were feared drowned so far this year.

Kirschbaum is a special correspondent.
Days after meeting a White House delegation to discuss restarting peace negotiations with the Palestinians, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forcefully spoke out against a principal tenet of any likely agreement: the scaling back of Jewish settlements.

At an event celebrating 50 years of Israeli settlements in the northern West Bank, Netanyahu pledged Monday that his government will never evacuate a single settlement.

Addressing a large crowd, Netanyahu declared: We are here to stay forever. There will be no more uprooting of settlements in the land of Israel. This is the inheritance of our ancestors. This is our land.

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Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal by much of the international community, have been at the crux of peace talks for years. Successive U.S. presidents have considered the settlements an obstacle to peace and have called for, at the least, a stop to their expansion. Although President Trump has been less critical than his predecessors, even he has said that further construction would be unhelpful.

In his remarks, Netanyahu underscored the risk Israel would face if it withdrew from the West Bank  a central demand of the Palestinians, for whom the area represents a future independent state.

Samaria is a strategic asset for the state of Israel, the prime minister said, using the biblical name for the northern West Bank. It is the key to our future. Because from these high hills, the heights of Mt. Hatzor, we can see the entire country, from one side to the other.

The audience cheered.

There will be no more uprooting of settlements in the land of Israel. It has been proven that it does not help peace, he said. Weve uprooted settlements. What did we get? We received missiles. It will not happen again.

Netanyahu appeared to be referring to Israels 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip, and the dismantling of settlements there. The next year, the Islamist group Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections, eventually taking control of Gaza.

The Israeli government officially supports a two-state solution to its conflict with the Palestinians, which would entail relinquishing control of much of the West Bank for a Palestinian state. But many of Netanyahus right-wing Cabinet members have steered away from that commitment, and when addressing Israelis, the prime minister occasionally distances himself.

In 2014, he told a group of Israeli journalists covering his meetings with then-U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry in Davos, Switzerland, that I have no intention of evacuating any settlement or uprooting any Israeli.

Netanyahus comments Monday came late in the evening, and there was no immediate response from Palestinian officials.

Tarnopolsky is a special correspondent.
Abbott heaped praise on local leaders along the Texas Gulf coast, calling them "humane, courageous, and heroic." He said the way people got through the storm and that so many lives were saved is "remarkable."

Coast Guard Commandant Paul Zukunft said rescue workers are checking Google maps "to see where calls are coming from. We want to save lives." Texas Governor Greg Abbott told reporters he has deployed the entire Texas National Guard -- a total of 15,000 men and women.

Federal Emergency Management Administrator Brock Long told a Monday news conference that FEMA is going to be in Texas "for several years." "We're anticipating over 30,000 people being placed in shelters temporarily -- to basically stabilize the situation and provide for their care. Next -- we are ready -- and already deploying life-essential commodities." Long said FEMA is bracing for one of the longest periods of housing recovery ever seen.

"While the hurricane-force winds have diminished -- I want to stress that we are not out of the woods yet," said acting U.S. Homeland Security chief Elaine Duke. "Not by a long shot. Harvey is still a dangerous and historic storm." Duke said rivers in south Texas "won't crest until later this week."

Forecasters expected the storm that came ashore as Hurricane Harvey on Friday night to drop as much as 25 centimeters of new rainfall around Houston and that another 40 to 60 centimeters could fall through Wednesday. The region has already seen more than 60 centimeters of rain in some places.

City officials said they had rescued 2,000 people, but still had another 185 "critical rescue requests" to handle. "The goal is rescue," said Mayor Sylvester Turner. "Our focus is getting people out of the stressful situation they're in." He said 5,500 people have been moved to shelters.

Houston, Texas, the fourth-biggest American city, braced for more tropical storm rains Monday, with rescue workers struggling to reach thousands of people already stranded by raging floodwaters.

 Trump Plans Tuesday Visit

President Donald Trump plans to visit Texas Tuesday. He has already declared 18 Texas counties and parts of neighboring Louisiana a disaster area, making them eligible for federal help. Abbott declared 54 counties as disaster areas, making them eligible for state aid.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said, "The storm is more or less stationary, but to the extent that it's moving, it's actually moving towards the east in our direction and that makes this, obviously, a dangerous situation for our state."

U.S. Weather Prediction Center lead forecaster Patrick Burke told VOA, "The message we've been getting out today is that we've never seen a storm like this. We've never seen these rainfall amounts over such a large area, and so the damage is already catastrophic and unfortunately is going to continue to be catastrophic for days to come."

The National Weather Service said the center of the storm was drifting slowly to the southeast early Monday on a path that would take it back out into the Gulf of Mexico sometime Monday and allow for it to possibly strengthen slightly before making landfall again Tuesday.

With the storm bringing band after band of heavy rain over the region, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced early Monday it was beginning the controlled release of water from two reservoirs in order to help prevent them from failing and to reduce the risk of further flooding. The releases will continue for weeks.

 Rescue Operations

Hundreds of rescue operations have taken place throughout the area with crews in helicopters and boats, and wading through floodwaters on foot. Volunteers have joined police, fire and medical crews, as well as the National Guard.

Every major highway into and out of Houston has become a river, and the city's two airports are closed. So far, two deaths have been blamed on the storm. Since the storm's path was predicted in great detail well before it hit Texas, questions are beginning to be raised about why no mass evacuation was ordered.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said it was not possible to overcome logistical obstacles to a large-scale evacuation. He defended his actions at a news conference late Sunday, saying it would have been "crazy" to attempt a mass movement of millions of people on such short notice.

 Advice from Emergency Officials

Turner asked where the 6 million residents of Houston and its suburbs could have gone, since the city is by far the biggest population center in that part of Texas. The mayor said his decision not to order an evacuation was smart and in the best interest of Houstonians.

For those stranded in flooded parts of the city, emergency officials said no one should seek refuge in the attics of their homes, due to a risk that water rising to record levels would trap them in an enclosed area. The advice to all was simple: Climb onto the roof and try to attract attention by waving a white cloth.

Aircraft continue to be in the skies over Houston and surrounding areas, searching for people marooned atop their homes. Hundreds of boats are searching for flood victims. Some people managed to escape the flooded areas by kayak, canoe or inflatable rafts.

People who thought they might be able to walk to safely through water waist- or chest-deep in their neighborhoods were warned to resist the urge to test strong currents. Several Houston-area oil refineries shut down on Sunday as the storm continued. The closures take roughly 12 percent of U.S. fuel-making capacity offline, compounding concerns about fuel shortages and higher gasoline prices.

Harvey was the strongest hurricane to hit the United States mainland in more than a decade.
North Korea has finished preparations for a fresh nuclear test at the Punggye-ri test site, the National Intelligence Service here told lawmakers Monday.

It said the preparations are complete at the No. 2 and 3 tunnels, and excavation also appears to have resumed at the No. 4 tunnel in April after being suspended last year. The NIS was briefing lawmakers in the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee.

Committee members quoted the NIS as saying the North has been overhauling a Sinpo-class submarine at the Sinpo shipyard since late July, and there has been brisk vehicular traffic at ballistic missile facilities.

The spy agency did not rule out another ballistic missile test during the remainder of ongoing annual South Korea-U.S. joing drills, which end on Thursday, or around Sept. 9, the regime's founding anniversary, but added that no unusual activities have been spotted.

Hours later the North fired a missile over Japan that flew some 2,700 km on Tuesday morning. The NIS has frequently dropped the ball in its surveillance of North Korea in recent years, suggesting either incompetence or the North's growing ability to evade watchers.

According to the NIS, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made 14 public appearances in July and August, far fewer than last year. He disappeared from public view two weeks before the missile tests on July 4 and 28, which it said suggests Kim is busy supervising secret missile developments.

It said the regime is increasingly cracking down on malcontents amid tougher international sanctions and expelling ex-convicts and the jobless from Pyongyang. Since the latest UN Security Council resolution, the regime has been tightening controls, including stepping up indoctrination through the media, it added.
The Defense Ministry is drafting a new plan to thwart a full-fledged North Korean military offensive and occupy Pyongyang within weeks without waiting for U.S. troop reinforcements.

The ministry on Monday briefed President Moon Jae-in on its key objectives and vowed to formulate an "aggressive wartime action plan led by our military."

Cheong Wa Dae quoted Moon as saying, "Push for reform of the military structure to meet the requirements of modern warfare so that it can quickly switch to an offensive posture in case North Korea stages a provocation that crosses the line or attacks the capital region."

He also urged ministry officials "to further improve the military's mobility, landing abilities and air defense capabilities." A military source said the gist of the plan is "the mobilization of airborne troops and Marines to infiltrate Pyongyang to quickly bring down the North Korean regime."

Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk told reporters, "In the event of an invasion from the North, we will engage in an aggressive, deep-offensive operation" inside North Korea. The ultimate aim is to keep any war as brief as possible.
Advocates Thursday plan to rally for a more forceful response from state and federal officials against opioid addiction in Bethlehem.

The rally, organized by "Voices For Change," is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m. at Bethlehem City Hall. The event will be one of several protests scheduled in cities across the United States coordinated by FED UP!, a coalition of national organizations representing hundreds of thousands of families and individuals affected by opioid addiction and overdose deaths.

Linda Johnson of Forks Township, chairwoman for Lehigh Valley FED UP!, said advocates specifically want Congress to appropriate increased funding for addiction treatment. Current funding is woefully inadequate, and previously-enacted legislation remains underfunded, she said.

Johnson estimated a minimum of $60 billion over the next 10 years will be required to enable local communities to adequately provide access to much-needed addiction treatment.

"Advocates will applaud (President Donald Trump) statement in favor of designating the opioid crisis a national public health emergency," she said. "At the same time, they will express the need for clarification on how this will be committed and used."

Those protesting are expected to include folks who lost loved ones to heroin and prescription opioids. Johnson has a son who has battled drug addiction for seven years.

"Until effective treatment for opioid addiction is easier to access than pills, heroin or fentanyl, many more families will suffer the same devastating loss that has affected many families in the Lehigh Valley," she said.

Protesters also want the Food and Drug Administration to stop aggressive marketing tactics by opioid manufacturers. The influential National Academy of Sciences last month issued a report calling on the FDA to overhaul its opioid policies.

Demonstrators want FDA to immediately implement the report's recommendations, Johnson said.

Since 1997, advocates contend the rates of opioid addiction have increased more than 900 percent and the sharp increase in addiction has led to record high levels of overdose deaths.

More than 300,000 people in the United States have died from opioid overdoses throughout the past 16 years. In 2015, about 33,000 deaths were from prescription opioids, heroin and illicit fentanyl, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Johnson earlier this month took part in a dove release as part of Easton Addiction Awareness Day. The event at Scott Park drew about 200 people to bring support to drug addicts and their families.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Monday's first day of school at Easton's new charter school made for a frantic afternoon, as busing problems delayed some of the elementary-age children from arriving home on time.

Compounding the problem at the Easton Arts Academy Charter School, 30 N. Fourth St., was a lack of communication about the transportation issue, parents said.

Newly Molina's 8-year-old daughter and two goddaughters, ages 6 and 8, attend the school. The bus was supposed to arrive home at 3:15 p.m. He ended up going to the school and found his daughter and older goddaughter. It was past 5:30 p.m. before he learned the 6-year-old had made it home.

He said he was told buses did not travel the routes expected and that as a result drop-offs were delayed.

Guardians of students at the Easton Arts Academy Charter School prepare to leave the building after rushing there Aug. 28, 2017, to find out the return of some children home was delayed by transportation problems. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Joanna Hughes, CEO of the Easton Arts Academy, said that except for one bus that the school operates serving the Pocono Mountains, all of its buses are provided by the sending students' home school districts. Part of the problem Monday was some of those buses were running late due to start-of-the-school-year problems beyond the charter school's control.

"We were working off lists that we had that weren't very comprehensive and were difficult to understand," Hughes also said. "We are working very, very diligently to make sure that we correct any of the problems that we had."

In addition, there was some confusion as some parents who had signed up for bus transportation instead came to pick up their children, Hughes said.

At no time were any of the children unaccounted for, she said.

That message failed to get to some parents, however, they said.

Tom Grube, of Palmer Township, went to the school about 5:30 p.m., as well, after his granddaughter did not make it home to Forks Township on time from her first day of first grade. His daughter was in Allentown, and he said he was close enough to go to the school to find out where she was.

As of about 6 p.m., the school had not made any announcement on the issue on its Facebook page, where a post earlier in the afternoon announced the school's new phone number, 484-546-4230.

The new phone number for Easton Arts Academy is now 484-546-4230. Please use this number if you need to contact us, we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Posted by Easton Arts Academy Charter School on Monday, August 28, 2017

Nor was there any information on the problem on the school's website.

Hughes said going forward, the school will use a digital-call system to alert parents and guardians to any transportation delays, or to other schedule changes such as during inclement weather. Staff did not have a chance to employ the system Monday.

"We were trying to make sure that the children were safe at all times, so we had all hands on deck to make sure we were attending to the children," Hughes said.

She expects transportation to run smoother, once the first-day kinks are worked out.

"This is pretty typical for a first day of school," Hughes said.

Easton Arts Academy opened in the former home of The Express-Times and lehighvalleylive.com, which was gutted and renovated by Bethlehem-based Ashley Development Corp.

The $6.5 million school spans more than 41,000 square feet and has room for 400 children in grades kindergarten through fourth. For the 2017-18 year just underway, 325 children are enrolled, founder Thomas Lubben said last week.

The cost of running the school is paid with tax dollars from the sending school district of each child. Children don't pay tuition to attend the publicly funded school.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The owner of the Lehigh Valley Mall is suing Starbucks over the company's plan to close its Teavana stores, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Starbucks announced in July it was shuttering all 379 of its Teavana locations by spring 2018, including those at Lehigh Valley Mall and King of Prussia.

Simon Property Group, based in Indianapolis, operates more than 175 shopping malls.

Simon filed suit against Starbucks on Aug. 21 in Marion Superior Court in Indianapolis, alleging a breach of leases with the closing of the 78 Teavana stores in Simon-owned malls and shopping centers, the business journal reported.

In the suit, filed Aug. 21 in Marion Superior Court, Simon said it is seeking temporary and permanent injunctions to prevent Starbucks from closing the stores.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
An Allentown man upset over his girlfriend's pain threatened to bring gang members to a local hospital and shoot it up, Salisbury Township police said.

Osvaldo Acosta Jr. was with the mother of his child the afternoon of Aug. 20, in the neonatal unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, township police said.

The girlfriend was in pain and, when a doctor came to check on her, the 19-year-old Acosta reportedly told the doctor to help with her pain or he would have to deal with Acosta.

When Acosta persisted, the doctor left the room and security was called, according to police.

Acosta was being escorted out of the hospital when he began yelling and spit on the security guard, police said. At the hospital's main entrance, Acosta threatened to come back with his gang members and "shoot up the hospital," police said.

Acosta then fled in a car with another man.

Charges of making terroristic threats, disorderly conduct and harassment were filed the same day and a warrant was issued. Acosta, of the 600 block of North 16th Street in Allentown, was arrested on Tuesday and sent to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The FBI is seeking two women who were dressed as nuns on Monday when they allegedly tried to rob a bank in Monroe County.

The Hispanic women are between 5 feet and 5 feet 2 inches tall and one of them displayed a black handgun, the FBI said.

They entered the Citizens Bank about 12:20 p.m. on Route 611 in Pocono Township wearing habits and veils, according to WFMZ and the FBI.

"Something spooked the women" and they left without taking any money, a Pocono Township police detective told WFMZ.

If anyone has information or recognizes the women, they should call the FBI in Philadelphia at 215-418-4000.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
By Gary Olson

My take on Steve Bannon's recent firing is at odds with the celebratory tone I detect from others, especially those claiming it's a victory for decent people. It was nothing of the sort. Bannon wasn't banished for any of the reasons we've read about in mainstream media accounts.

Why was Bannon so objectionable, and to whom? Sure, he's a white nationalist, bigoted, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic, hate-mongering egomaniac. And like so many of his peers in the upper circles of the corporate, military and political world, he's probably a psychopath. No problem.

He's also a fervent disciple of capitalism, but, for his intra-elite enemies, the wrong kind. It was Bannon's anti-globalist, "America First," nationalistic and even isolationist positions that guaranteed his exit.

For example, he strongly opposed National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster's plea to deploy additional troops to Afghanistan and military intervention in Venezuela. He wanted to normalize relations with Russia while the corporate financial oligarchy salivated over a profitable new Cold War. Bannon favored a new trade war with China, something that's anathema to U.S. corporations dependent on low-wage, non-unionized Chinese labor. No wonder that when news of Bannon's departure appeared on screens at the New York Stock Exchange, "wild cheering" broke out.

What's going on is that we've just witnessed a re-consolidation of control by one element of the power structure over the other, a struggle in which neither side cares a whit about us. In the 2016 election, the hybrid network of structures where actual power resides -- sometimes termed the Deep State -- favored Hillary Clinton. She was the eminently reliable bride of Wall Street and a proven warmonger. They could have lived with Jeb Bush, but Clinton was a more known quantity.

After spectacularly underestimating Trump's appeal, the global capitalists began methodically forcing out all those around the president who shared Bannon's world views. They were replaced with Wall Street and military types so that we're now ruled by an unelected Goldman Sachs/military/national security state.

Having neutered Trump, it's unnecessary to carry out a soft coup, assuming he continues to be only a figurehead and isn't even more of a loose cannon. Because Trump has no real convictions other than self-promotion and only said what was needed to hoodwink voters, this shouldn't pose a problem.

Bannon, who was Trump's Svengali, has returned to his Breitbart News bunker to continue -- his term -- "the war." During the campaign, he sensed that millions of white Americans felt marginalized, treated unfairly, angry, and despairing about the future.

In short, many of these once-loyal Democratic voters felt, quite rightly, that they were being screwed over by the system. His "genius" was to promote and pander to the fears and insecurities that vexed so many of those who increasing self-identified as white voters. He also listed (often by coding) those responsible for their plight. Some were valid: condescending elites from both parties, trade pacts patently unfair to American workers, and Wall Street's influence. Others reasons were demonstrably untrue: people of color, immigrants and Muslims.

It's unarguable that Trump has gone back on all the changes he promised. But Bannon and his ilk are secure in the belief that Trump supporters, many of whom are former Democrats, are rubes who, being fed a potent mix of half-truths and scapegoating, will continue to behave against their own best interests in 2020.

On leaving the White House, Bannon disingenuously said, "The longer they talk about identity policy, I got 'em ... If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats."

Of course, the Democratic Party long ago abandoned the working class, economic justice, peace and environmental sustainability. They offer nothing but failed, endless wars, austerity at home, "Russiagate" fantasies, continued fealty to their corporate sponsors, and Hillary clones. Very few people reading this piece have a dog in this hunt. It behooves us to look elsewhere before our dire situation becomes terminal.

Gary Olson is professor emeritus of political science at Moravian College in Bethlehem. Contact: olsong@moravian.edu
The tents are going up, the signs are on Laois roads and excitement is growing for Electric Picnic 2017.

New this year is a wrecked Salty Dog stage, transformed to a grimy bustling port this year to celebrate its 10th birthday, with 'Shiver Me Timbers' red-light troupe mending their nets and swigging porter in the Stradbally woods.

Giving a pre-picnic performance today at the press day is Malibu Mermaid Mairead, back from a 20 year stint in L.A touring with the likes of Van Morrison and Bob Dylan, to launch a new album at a special midnight performance on the Hazel Wood Stage on Friday.

Picknickers can enjoy the world's first Listening Experience at Red Bull Soundome this weekend.

Integrated into the hubs of a steel geodesic dome are 42 speakers to deliver a perfect ambisonic environment.

Laois salvage company The Storeyard will get huge exposure this year as it has dressed an exciting new restaurant in Trailer Park.

The Hot House is a giant poly tunnel featuring 8 of Ireland's most exciting chefs and makers, with full service to diners looking to treat themselves.
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The governments own target for building social housing has entered the realm of make believe, with the admission today by the head of the States Housing Agency that a key deadline will not be met, according to Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy.

The Kildare TD made her comments following remarks by John OConnor in an interview with Pat Kenny on Newstalk radio today.

Mr Kenny put it to Mr OConnor, the chief executive of the Housing Agency, that the governments target in the Rebuilding Ireland plan to provide 47,000 social housing units by 2021 seems like pie in the sky based on progress so far.

READ MORE: More rent rises in Kildare

In reply, Mr OConnor said: It may take a number of additional years to achieve that. We went from a situation where the housing construction had stopped and local authorities and the voluntary housing organisations now are increasing but yes it will take time to just get up the level of supply that we need.

In response, Dep Murphy said: I welcome Mr OConnors candour on this topic  at least he is prepared to admit that the governments targets for social housing builds will not be met by its own deadline of 2021.

However, it is very troubling that the Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy continues with his message of keep calm and carry on in the face of the real-world evidence that the targets in the Rebuilding Ireland are in the realm of make-believe.

Today we learned from figures on the Department of Housings website that local authorities built just 161 social housing units in the first nine months of last year. That contrasts with more than 90,000 applicants officially recorded as waiting for accommodation on social authority housing waiting lists.

The homeless crisis is a national emergency and the only way to solve it is to build homes  if targets are to be met we need to scale up the rate of build significantly and that means moving to war-effort footing.

She said the reliance on the market to deliver homes does not work and the Minister for Housing needs to get real about this.

The Social Democrats want to see a dedicated Housing Delivery Agency to directly contract builders across different local authority areas  this kind of powerful agency could drive and oversee mass construction on the scale needed, she concluded.
With the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference approaching (16-19 September), and less than a week away from the deadline for amendments (4 September), this is my highly partisan tirade on the agenda, here to provoke you into sending your views, either to us at Liberal Democrat Voice or to the good people at the Federal Conference Committee.

The first party conference after a General Election is an opportunity for the party to reflect on the results, good and bad. While it is good to move forward, many of us expected more progress in the face of such a gulf in the centre. It is as if Corbyn and May fed off each others weakness, and we did not have the strength to stand out as an alternative.

Our conference, as usual, will make policy to demonstrate our values and soft virtues, to the neglect of other qualities: the toughness required to govern in coalition while under siege from all sides, and the fierce dedication to our communities that we show in local government.



Meanwhile the world keeps changing. That Corbyn might win an election and pursue a Venezuelan style calamity should terrify supporters of all parties. It is hard to understand how the country has responded with such stupor to this threat of socialism, starvation and tyranny. I guess somebody needs to show more leadership in offering a better and brighter alternative.

Its good that we are talking about the impact of Brexit on public services  why didnt we do that in the election? Beyond that we do seem to focus on important but small canvass issues, saying things that it is hard to believe wasnt kind of our policy already.

We have a debate on terrorism and civil liberties that doesnt mention Daesh, and mostly talks about things we arent going to do to combat terrorism. Its all fine, but it is missing the more difficult question of what you do do to defeat terrorism, and that isnt good enough. It gives a false impression of softness and comfort blankets.

We have a debate on housing standards in response to Grenfell, a terrible tragedy that rightly demands our attention. But we are somewhat caught out: we support the inquiry into the causes of the fire and to make recommendations to prevent it happening again. But at the same time we pronounce what we think are the causes and the solutions, I suspect wrongly. My money is on a failure of regulation, both in theory and in enforcement, not a failure to invest. Huge investment went into cladding, in the belief that it was a great thing.

And we have motions on the natural environment and corporate governance that seem to be inspired by a vague sense that there isnt enough regulation in these areas, rather than by specific problems and how specific regulations might fix them. This is precisely the sort of thing that liberals should be against: the costs of regulation without the benefits; making other people do things just because we believe they sound worthy; demanding that the boxes all be ticked, in greater numbers, by more people, as the answer to everything.

So lets try to think outside the conference bubble. To seek out new answers to new problems, recognising the changing world. To find a better way to earn the publics trust as the voice of the moderate, liberal, tolerant centre ground that is under siege from the other parties.

* Joe Otten was the candidate for Sheffield Heeley in June 2017 and Doncaster North in December 2019 and is a councillor in Sheffield.
HIGH-PROFILE Limerick businessman and philanthropist JP McManus has jetted in from Geneva to support residents opposed to Irish Cements plans for Mungret.

A public hearing into the firms proposals gets under way at the South Court Hotel this Tuesday at 10am, with residents staunchly opposing the 10m plans for a variety of environmental reasons.

Deputy Willie ODea said Mr McManus' presence will reflect the strength and support residents have.

While its unlikely he will address the An Bord Pleanala led oral hearing, it is expected Mr McManus may answer questions from the media prior to the start of the hearing, which will determine whether the national appeals body will give the green light to the controversial plans.

These will see Irish Cement switch away form using petroleum coke in favour of solid recovered waste and used tyres at its plant, in a move which it says is key to the survival of the factory here. The firm has also insisted its reforms will not see any increase in emissions from the factory.

Mr ODea confirmed Mr McManuss attendance, adding: Hes not resident here obviously, but he is based here, and is concerned about it, as any citizen would be. The only people I have met who have not objected are people who work there, which I can well understand. Theres widespread concern from the hundreds.

Mr McManuss support comes after members of Limerick Against Pollution (LAP), the group organised to oppose Irish Cements plans, sounded out the multi-millionaires daughter, Sue-Ann Foley.

Its understood this is because the family helped oppose plans for an incinerator near Coolmore Stud.

A source within LAP, who did not wish to be named, said: Its very reassuring to have his support. Hes entitled to be as concerned as any other resident. Even having a full audience at the hearing will weigh on the mind of the inspector, the real decision will be made back in Dublin at Marlborough Street [An Bord Pleanalas headquarters]. If they see JP McManus on our side, it will impact them.

Irish Cement declined to comment. The oral hearing will start at 10am in the South Court Hotel this Tuesday and is scheduled to last four days.
SINN Fein Senator Paul Gavan says any proposed closure to rail lines around Limerick must be resisted.

His comments come after it emerged that Irish Rail earmarked three routes in the region for closure.

In a submission to the Labour Court, reported by the Irish Independent, the state rail firm has proposed closing routes with the largest state subvention per journey.

These include the Limerick to Ballybrophy line which provides four return journeys per day between Colbert station and the village.

Also proposed for the chop is the Limerick Junction to Waterford line and the Ennis to Athenry route, which forms a part of the Limerick to Galway service.

But rather than cut these, Castleconnell Senator Mr Gavan believes there needs to be investment in Irelands rail network.

Referring specifically to the Limerick-Ballybrophy line, he said any closure would be short sighted.

The line has never received the investment it needs to work properly, he added, pointing out that the railtrack passes by Castletroy, the National Technology Park and the University of Limerick.

There is a growing campaign for a light rail system in Limerick. If we're serious about 21st century transport for our city, we need to make that investment .That line is crucial for that vision. This comes back to a complete lack of ambition for our city. what we need to see is investment in the railway line to make it more viable in terms of speed, times and having the ambition to build a network for the city, Mr Gavan said.

Irish Rail claims it could gave 17.6m a year by closing Limerick to Ballybrophy, Limerick Junction to Waterford, Ennis to Athenry as well as Gorey to Rosslare in the south-east of the country.

The closure of Limerick to Ballybrophy and Limerick Junction to Waterford would save over 5m each, the company argues.

The document presented to the Labour Court reveals that the subsidy for the Limerick to Ballybrophy route is 761.60 per passenger journey.
I'M concerned. Beginning and end, JP McManus said when he arrived at the South Court Hotel in Limerick this Tuesday morning, where the An Bord Pleanala oral hearing into Irish Cements plans to burn tyres and other waste for energy, was taking place.

Mr McManus had a number of people in his entourage including former county state solicitor John Power.

Fianna Fail TD Willie O'Dea arrived early for the hearing, where he is expected to speak later today or possibly tomorrow.

I have been asked to speak by Limerick against Pollution, he said.

We are here to give the public reaction to the whole thing. The public reaction has been pretty horrendous. This isnt just a question of replacing landfill with incineration. They have to import a whole lot of waste to keep the thing going. In other European countries, these things are in more rural areas, not in built-up areas smack bang on the edge of a very rapidly growing area of the city.

Fellow party TD Niall Collins and Cllr James Collins were also early to the hearing while Fine Gael senators Maria Byrne and Kieran O'Donnell were accompanied by Cllr Daniel Butler.

Labour was represented by Deputy Jan OSullivan and Cllr Joe Leddin while Sinn Fein had a large contingent, including Deputy Maurice Quinlivan and cllrs Malachy McCreesh, Seighin OCeallaigh and Seamus Browne.

Liadh Ni Riada, Sinn Fein MEP, said she was attending to represent the people who have huge concerns about the toxins, the human cost of it in terms of health.

Irish Cement have to be held accountable," she said.

Meanwhile, Tim Hourigan and others from Limerick against Pollution staged a mini-protest before the hearing.

After 18 months, we are ready, he told the Limerick Leader.

We have done our homework and are ready to bring all the arguments against this plan, its flaws, its risks, its dangers and put them before An Bord Pleanala and encourage them to refuse planning permission.

Limerick City and County Council were represented as were Irish Cement.

The hearing was opened at 10am by the inspector for An Bord Pleanala, Michael Dillon who outlined the reason for the hearing and asked people to keep their contributions brief and to the point and to avoid repetition.

The hearing will continue as long as is necessary, he said.

He also said he had inspected the Irish Cement site on Tuesday, August 8.

It is not a court of law, he stressed.

Limerick against Pollution asked that the hearing would sit late on one of the evenings to facilitate people who were not able to attend during the working day.
SIX witnesses will be called by Irish Cement this Tuesday to make their case to An Bord Pleanala at the oral hearing into their plan to use alternative fuels for energy at their plant at Mungret.

Their first witness, Brian Gilmore, pointed out that cement was the second most used substance on the planet after water. There are over 200 cement factories in Europe, he told the hearing, using over 10m tonnes of residual waste each year.

But he said, Limerick was now the only cement factory in Ireland that did not have permission to use alternative fuels.

Replacing fossil fuels at Mungret would not change the manufacturing process, he said.

The existing cement factory in Limerick is not being altered in any way to become an incinerator, Mr Gilmore said and he went on to outline the differences between a cement factory and an incinerator.

An incinerator needs to maximise the tonnage of waste accepted, he pointed out whereas cement production is linked to market demand.

There is a direct link between cement production and fuel usage, he said, stressing that this was key.

The operating temperture is significantly higher inside a cement kilm. This is a fundamental feature of the process to allow for the 'melting' of the raw materials. The manufacturing process and higher temperatures of the cement kilm result in no ash being produced.

Alternative fuels would be introduced gradually, one at a time, he said.

Regarding the burning of tyres, he said that in 2014, 12,688 tonnes of tyres were exported from Ireland. The Irish Cement proposal would mean that Ireland would become more self-sufficient for the treatment of end of life tyres, he pointed out and less dependent on imported fossil fuels.

He rejected the claim by Limerick against Pollution and others that 90,000 tonnes of tyres would be used each year.

The calculated heat value of this quantity of tyres, he said, would far exceed the required heat input at maximum cement production. In Germany, he explained, 221,000 tonnes of tyres were used by 54 different cement factories.

Tyres would be just one of the fuels that could be used to replace fossil fuels.

A direct benefit of their proposal, Mr Gilmore said, would be a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. He also addressed a concern over mercury emissions.

Jarleth Fitzsimons, BL, for Irish Cement, pointed out to the inspector Michael Dillon that, with reference to licences, it was important to note where Bord Pleanala's jurisdiction in relation to emissions stops and that of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) begins.

The main legislation, he argued, suggests that while a planning authority shall take emissions into account, control of emissions is a function of the EPA.

The Bord may not attach conditions which seek to control emissions, he said.

There is a clear division of labour between the Bord and the EPA.

The factory's emission licence was amended by the EPA in 2013, he said, to bring it into compliance with the EU Industrial Emissions Directive.

A second witness, Seamus Breen, said the EPA was now carrying out two separate reviews of the factorys licences. On the issue of emissions, he said, no derogation for NOx (Nitrogen oxide) was being sought or contemplated.

He also dealt with complaints of dust and blow outs.

There were two accidental dust emissions from Mungret in 2006 and 2015, he said, but explained that at the time a cleaning port should not have been opened.

Site procedures have since been updated to prevent recurrence, he said.

He also dealt with dust complaints received in April and May this year, saying that, following investigation, Irish Cement did not find any operational source of dust similar to that of 2006 and 2015.

The use of alternative raw materials will not increase the lieklihood of occurrence of dust emissions, which are regulated by the Industrial Emissions Licence, Mr Breen said.

On the issue of noise, raised by objector Kevin Feeney, he said the proposed development would not change the process. An annual noise survey is carried out, he continued, in according with their EPA licence at three noise sensitive locations and the surveys are in compliance with permitted night time noise levels.

It should be clearly stated, Mr Breen added, that neither the existing development nore the proposed development, has had, or will have, an impact on the Bunlicky Clayfield pond or the River Shannon.

Mr Breen rejected as unfounded the contention made by some objectors that EPA site inspections were notified in advance.

Finally and significantly, Mr Breen said, it should be noted that there is no link between the proposal to replace fossil fuels with alternative fuels and the incidents highlithed in relation to the existing development.

The company's third witness, Thomas Byrne, said the move to alternative fuels could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 40,000 tonnes a year and reliance on fossil fuels would be reduced from 130,000 tonnes a year to 75,000 tonnes.

All waste materials used would be sourced from licenced waste management contractors, he said, and would be stored on purpose-built silos on the site before being conveyed or pumped into the kiln for burning.

Only unpacking or debaling would take place on site.

The hearing continues.

- The Limerick Leader will have updates as the oral planning hearing continues, online and in print. Stay with the Limerick Leader on Facebook and on Twitter for breaking news
JUNIOR Minister for Finance Patrick ODonovan is refusing to apologise for his remarks in a interview, in which he referenced the Dublin-Monaghan bombings whilst noting attacks committed by the IRA.

The Limerick minister of state was addressing Sinn Feins suitability to govern in an interview with the Irish Independent, and urged that the party should first deal with issues of the past, referencing the Dublin-Monaghan bombings.

The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) claimed responsibility for the bombings in 1993, which claimed 34 lives between both Dublin and Monaghan, where the fourth bomb was detonated, in May 1974.

Speaking this Tuesday, following numerous calls for him to apologise, he said the essence of his remarks were being "distorted".

The article centred on the alarm felt by ordinary, decent Fianna Fail voters at recent manoeuvres within the party towards a coalition deal with Sinn Fein.

He warned of what he described as a rush within political circles to find Sinn Fein respectable.

Today, Minister ODonovan stood by his remarks, saying he did not differentiate between atrocities.

We will only move on as an island politically if we can deal with our collective pasts and that means dealing with all of our pasts and all incidents which have taken place on this island or on the island in Britain, in the name of either republicans, unionists, nationalists, loyalists, British or Irish, said the minister.

And to suggest that I would in any way be trying to demean the honour and memory of those people is besmirching the article and trying to deflect attention away from the article, which is very clear in relation to one partys suitability to govern, he said on Limericks Live 95FM radio.

A group representing survivors and families of the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings called on him to apologise for incredible comments he made.

Margaret Urwin, secretary of the group Justice for the Forgotten, said she could not believe his comments.

It is incredible that a government minister, in this day and age, after all of the publicity, would be so ill-informed as to where responsibility for the greatest loss of life in a single day of the Northern conflict lies, said Ms Urwin.

In the article, ODonovan said so many other people in Limerick will always remember where we were the day [Detective Garda] Jerry McCabe was murdered.

He continued: What about the innocent children blown to smithereens indiscriminately in the likes of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings? That was not done in my name or in the name of any right-minded person.

Sinn Fein Senator Paul Gavan described Minister ODonovans remarks as clueless, adding: He needs to apologise and he needs to really educate himself.

How does it look when a government minister comes out with a statement as wrong-headed and just as plain stupid as this?"

I couldnt believe it. I actually read the article three times to make sure that I was reading it right. It is worrying. Its a level of ignorance thats inexcusable and it frightens me, Senator Gavan said.
EMPLOYMENT cannot come at the cost of human health, the MEP for Ireland South, Liada Ni Riada has said at Tuesdays oral hearing into Irish Cement's plan to burn waste material at their plant at Mungret.

Having listened to witnesses from Irish Cement throughout the day, she said: I don't think the people's fears have been put to rest.

The oral hearing was called by An Bord Pleanala to examine the application by Irish Cement to develop handling and storage facitilies at its plant in Mungret to burn waste material and alternative fuels in their cement kiln there.

The kiln at the plant is old and not suitable for burning tyres or other material, Ms Ni Riada said, and she was concerned that the company did not have the staff or expertise to manage or maintain an incinerator, in light of the company's poor track record on blow outs.

You keep referring to the incinerator as a cement plant. All of us look at it as an incinerator, said the MEP. She was concerned, she added, about the risk of dioxin poisoning getting into the food chain.

But the medical expert witness called by Irish Cement to give evidence on their behalf, said he had no concerns regarding human health.

Dr Martin Hogan said that a full Human Health Risk Assessment had been carried out which showed that the intake of dioxins that could arise from potential emissions from the factory was within World Health Organisation guidelines. The highest possible intake, he said, was just 25% of the limit set.

In no cases will air quality standards be exceeded, he said. We can say with confidence that there will be no adverse effects on human health.

He was also confident there would be no adverse health effects from noise nor would there be any significant impact on water or ground water.

Dr Hogan dismissed concerns that mosquitos could develop in pools of water in tyres stored as fuel for burning at the plant.

Even though the Irish climate is not conducive to the breeeding of disease bearing moquitos, even if it were, there is no shortage of water sources for them to breed. They would certainly not be dependent on small amounts of water in old tyres as they might be in other countries, he said.

Earlier, other witnesses for Irish Cement, pointed out that replacing fossil fuels with waste material, including end of life tyres, could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 40,000 tonnes a year, reduce the company's reliance on imported fossil fuels and make Ireland more self-sufficient in dealing with end of life tyres.

Limerick was the only cement factory in the country with no permission to use alternative fuels, witness Brian Gilmore said.

But he rejected the contention by Limerick against Pollution that they planned to burn 90,000 tonnes of tyres each year, explaining that it would be excess to their requirement.

Alternative fuels and materials would be sourced from licenced waste management contractors, the hearing was told, and would be introduced on a gradual basis.

However, some of this altnerative material could be considered hazardous, witness Thomas Burns said.

However, all of these materials can be combusted effectively in the kilm because of the very high termperatures which ensures complete destruction and no increase in emissions from the site, he said.

Dermot Flanagan, senior counsel for Limerick City and County Council which granted planning permission to Irish Cement for it proposal, said the authority had considered the physical aspects of the application.

Many elements were properly the function of the Environmental Protection Agency, he explained.

Limerick doesn't need a toxic waste incinerator. Limerick doesn't want a toxic waste incinertor, Cllr James Collins FF, said, adding that councillors did not want project to go ahead.

For Irish Cement, it was a matter of profits, he argued, yet the people in the area would be carrying all the risks. It is a material change of use, he said.

It is a fundamental change in their business model. They are changing the purpose of the plant. They are denying that. It is no longer about making cement and making money from cement. It is about making money from incinerating waste.

This application was contrary to Limericks plans, he argued, where future jobs lie with clean industry.

The company can't keep to their own limits, by their own admission, he continued. How then could they keep to new limits?

Cllr Daniel Butler FG argued that the focus should be on people.

Let me make it clear that the people of this area do not support this application, he said.

I urge you to listen to those concerns and address them by supporting their calls to refuse this application. This is not in any way a suitable setting for the introduction of this heavy industrial process.

The hearing continues.
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Hero of Mollywood's first musical hit 'Thiramala' shares his Hollywood stint, directing Prem Nazir and more
Federal inspectors have disclosed that four laboratory animals at UCSF died in cases in which researchers failed to follow proper surgical procedures.

U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors visited a campus-run lab July 26 and noted the deaths of two pigs and two voles, a rodent similar to a mouse, according to inspection reports.

An animal rights group has asked the USDA to issue the maximum allowable fine  $10,000 per infraction, per animal. It cited other UCSF violations in animal research labs dating to at least 2001.

The research staff at UCSF has demonstrated a total lack of respect for federal law, Michael Budkie, executive director of lab animal rights group Stop Animal Exploitation Now, said Tuesday. And that should not be tolerated.

Representatives from UCSF said in a statement that the universitys own veterinarians had documented the incidents and taken corrective actions to address them prior to the USDA inspection.

The University takes very seriously the care and use of the animals it studies, and ensures that as few animals as possible are used in research, UCSFs statement said.

Budkie filed a complaint to the director of the USDAs Western region last week about the most recent inspections of UCSF.

If the maximum fine is issued, UCSF could be facing a penalty of $80,000, Budkie said.

Andre Bell, a USDA spokesman, said the university has an opportunity to try to correct the violations. After that, the agency will make a decision on any fines, he said.

The USDA inspection reports show that in one instance, a pig received 50 times the amount of steam allowed in an ablation procedure on its gallbladder. Steam ablation is a technique that is being explored around the country as an alternative to surgery. In the UCSF experiment, 200 puffs of steam were given to the pig, but only four are permitted in lab protocols created by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

After the gallbladder procedure, the pig stopped eating and was euthanized a few days later. A postmortem examination showed that the animals stomach had been perforated, according to the USDA inspection report.

In a separate incident, a pig was taken in for a CT scan, then died when it was taken back to its enclosure. The research staff disposed of the body before an examination could be done to determine the cause of death.

In April, a UCSF researcher performed cranial surgery on two voles before the procedure was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The small incisions on the heads of the voles did not heal as expected and the animals were euthanized, according to the USDA report.

In 2015 and 2016, UCSF researchers were cited for leaving animals unmonitored and not administering enough pain relievers after surgery, both of which could cause unnecessary pain and distress for the animals.

Alison Graham is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: agraham@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @alisonkgraham
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Texans may see prices at the pump may shoot up 35 cents in the next two weeks due to high Labor Day demand and Hurricane Harvey forcing refinery shutdowns along the Gulf Coast.

Prices have already risen 6 cents in Texas and 5 cents in San Antonio from a week ago, according to data from gas price tracking firm GasBuddy.

A combination of refinery outages and rising demand during the upcoming Labor Day weekend could push prices up between 15 and 35 cents in the next two weeks, said GasBuddys Patrick DeHaan.

Everythings really frozen right now, said DeHaan, GasBuddy's senior petroleum analyst. Houstons shipping channel, pipelines, refineries  its a cluster of logistic issues. Until things start to move youll see gas prices continue to be impacted and the longer things are frozen in terms of being able to get product in and out of the area youll continue to see prices reacting.

Harvey has taken at least eight refineries offline, a reduction of nearly 2.2 million barrels a day of crude oil processing, according to data from AAA. Energy industry publication S&P Global Platts reported Monday that Exxon Mobils 362,000 barrel per day refinery in Beaumont is working at a reduced rate. Bloomberg said Tuesday the 636,000 barrel per day Motiva Enterprise refinery in Port Arthur is operating at 60 percent capacity.

AAA Texas spokesman Daniel Armbruster said its too early to tell how severe Harvey has damaged refineries along the Gulf Coast, but that analysts are predicting an increase of 5 to 15 cents a gallon in the next week. He added the biggest impacts could stretch from Texas all the way through Virginia and Georgia.

Weve never seen a situation like this, Armbruster said of Harvey, which stalled for three days over Texas after making landfall Friday night. Weve seen hurricanes, but this is playing out to be something on a totally different level. Were in a little bit of uncharted territory.

He added that historically hurricanes have led to brief spikes in gas prices. But with not knowing the extent of the damage in the Houston refineries, its too early to predict how gas prices will be impacted in the future.

Were going to have to wait and see how this plays out, Armbruster said.

rdruzin@express-news.net

@druz_journo
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More than a dozen people took shelter inside a closed H-E-B store in Houston Sunday as Harvey pounded Southeast Texas, the company said Tuesday.

The storm, which reached landfall Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane, has dumped almost 50 inches of rain on Houston through Monday afternoon and displaced thousands of residents throughout Texas as it continues to pummel the state.

Seventeen people, including children and infants, sought refuge at one of the supermarket chains Houston stores at Braeswood Boulevard and Chimney Rock Road at around 10 a.m. Sunday, company spokeswoman Dya Campos said.

They got in because the flood was so strong, it broke through some windows and our front doors, said Tina James, H-E-Bs chief people officer.

H-E-Bs security team in San Antonio saw the group on the stores security cameras inside and immediately tried calling the stores main phone lines, James said.

The team also tried to directly reach the evacuees cell phones using geofencing technology that targets people in a specific location, but without any luck, James said.

The San Antonio security team managed to access the buildings intercom system to direct the group to the safest areas in the store, keeping them out of high water areas and instructing them how to get onto the stores roof should the water rise, Campos said.

By noon, emergency responders had rescued all 17 people from the store, Campos said.

The San Antonio supermarket chain, among other retailers, have fought to keep stores open in Houston. More than 60 H-E-B stores opened Tuesday in Houston. Harvey was downgraded to a tropical storm Saturday but continues to pour rain on Southeast Texas.

The company is also flying drivers from San Antonio to Houston via helicopter to deliver supplies to area stores.

Scott McClelland, president of the companys Houston division, said three of the San Antonio supermarket chains 83 stores in the Houston area, including the Braeswood location, would take months to reopen after sustaining flood damage.

H-E-B has deployed more than 15 disaster response vehicles including the companys two mobile kitchens, water and fuel tankers, trailers and direct response units  which include mobile pharmacies and business services that allow users to cash checks and pay bills.

The company was sending one of its mobile kitchens  which have served thousands of free meals in Rockport, Aransas Pass and Victoria  to Houston Tuesday, Campos said.

Houston Chronicle staff writer Katherine Blunt contributed to this report.

jfechter@express-news.net

Twitter: @JFreports
The Texas Attorney Generals Office in Austin said its received about 600 complaints as of Tuesday afternoon related to Hurricane Harvey, including charity scams, fraud and price gouging.

That number is rising, spokeswoman Kayleigh Lovvorn said in an email.

Most of the complaints involve price gouging for bottled water, fuel, groceries and shelter, the office said.

In a few specific cases, weve seen $3.50 for gas in Houston, $8.50 for bottles of water and $99 (for a) case of water. We also received a complaint (Monday afternoon) about one Houston convenience store changing $20/gallon of gas, according to the email.

More Information The FTC and BBB offered this advice: Donate to charities with a proven track record with dealing with disasters. Designate the disaster to ensure funds go to the disaster relief, not a general fund. Don't assume that charity messages on social media are legitimate. Before texting a donation, confirm the number with the source. Check to see if the charity has an on-ground presence in the disaster area. Find out if the charity is providing direct aid or raising money for other groups. If donating food, clothing or other non-monetary items, make sure the charity has the staff and distribution capability to deliver the items. See More Collapse

The attorney generals office said it has launched nine investigations stemming from the complaints so far. The office is preparing more, Lovvorn said.

Warnings about charity scams came quickly this week from the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau as the massive need for donations arose in Southeast Texas from widespread damage caused by Hurricane Harvey.

Charity scams have been a problem this year in San Antonio. The scams were reported to the Central Texas BBB offices after the deaths of a local policeman and a firefighter earlier this year, said Miguel Segura, regional director in San Antonio of the area bureau.

We saw crowdfunding efforts and (internet) sites established under their names. These sites have very little vetting. Its hard to verify that the money is going to the right people, Segura said. The scammers take photos off of Facebook and Google to make online requests for donors appear legitimate, he explained.

Any time there is a disaster or unfortunate event in the headlines, there are always scammers to take advantage of people who want to help. Anyone can seek funds, Segura warned.

Donors should especially be careful not to respond to unsolicited emails and text messages, Segura said. Donors should not click on links in unsolicited emails and instead should go directly to a charitys website to make their gift, he added.

The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team posted an alert Monday warning the public to be cautious when opening any Hurricane Harvey-related emails.

Cyber criminals may try to use the storm as an opportunity to ensnare people in a phishing scheme, or to direct them to a malware-infected website, warned US-CERT.

Emails requesting donations from duplicitous charitable organizations commonly appear after major natural disasters, the agency said.

Criminals take advantage of events like natural disasters, epidemics and health scares to conduct attacks, US-CERT says in its security tip on phishing. But their attacks, according to the tip, arent limited to the bad times  they also target people during the holidays.

Phishing attacks use email or malicious websites to solicit personal information by posing as a trustworthy organization. For example, an attacker may send email seemingly from a reputable credit card company or financial institution that requests account information, often suggesting that there is a problem. When users respond with the requested information, attackers can use it to gain access to the accounts, US-CERT said.

Other types of scammers will try to take advantage of people who have suffered property damage and loss, the FTC warned.

The agency said disaster victims should be skeptical of contractor scams promising immediate clean-up and debris removal by demanding up-front payment, sometimes with unreasonable prices. The scammers generally lack the proper licenses and insurance to legally do the work.

The FTC also warned that many disaster victims will be asked for personal information such as Social Security numbers and account data. Consumers should make sure first who they are dealing with, the agency said.

People who suffered property loss can ask creditors for help or to discuss options. Homeowners with a mortgage still must pay even if a house is uninhabitable, the agency said.

Disaster fraud is widespread, according to a 2012 report from the U.S. Department of Justice, which organized a task force after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The departments Disaster Task Force prosecuted 1,439 individuals in cases of fraud stemming from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma and from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The National Center for Disaster Fraud also was created by the task force, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The center works with 30 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and reported last year it had received 68,000 complaints from more than 40 different disasters, resulting in 50,000 referrals to law enforcement agencies. The number of complaints include those related to flooding in Baton Rouge last year.

Consumers can report suspected scams to the BBB Scam Tracker online at: bbb.org/scamtracker. Suspected scams also may be reported to the Texas Attorney Generals telephone hotline, 800-621-0508 or by email to: consumeremergency@oag.texas.gov. The National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline is: 866-720-5721.

Donors should try to to a little bit of research on what charities need, and they should remember that sometimes its takes months and years to build back after disasters, Segura said.

The FTC directed consumers looking to make donations to the BBBs Wise Giving Alliance, which maintains a list of accredited charities at

www.give.org.

dhendricks@express-news.net
A Legacy of Spies

By John le Carre

Penguin Random House. 264 pp. $28

---

In August of 1961, a 30-year-old British intelligence agent named David Cornwell looked on with "disgust and terror" as the Berlin Wall went up. Cornwell, who had published two previous, little-noticed novels, felt such rage at that moment in Berlin that he spent the next five weeks writing a novel that began and ended with good people being shot dead at the infamous concrete barrier. The book was written, as required by his agency's policy, under a pen name, John le Carre. Published in 1963, "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" became an international best-seller and, as le Carre, Cornwell would become the pre-eminent spy novelist of his time.

Le Carre is 85 now and has a new book, "A Legacy of Spies," his 24th novel. If "Legacy" isn't among Le Carre's very best, it's entirely readable and often ingenious, in part because it amounts to a sequel, more than 50 years later, to "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold."

The earlier book focused on an English operative named Alec Leamas who infiltrates the East German spy agency - he is accepted as a defector although in truth he's a double agent - but whose deception is finally found out. Several of Leamas' colleagues, minor figures in the first book, became major figures in later ones, notably spymaster George Smiley and a young agent named Peter Guillam.

In "A Legacy of Spies" Guillam is retired and living in France where he owns a farm and has taken his young housekeeper as his lover. Then he's abruptly summoned back to London, where trouble waits. Three people who died during the operation detailed in "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" left a surviving child; amazingly enough, all three, now well into middle age, are suing British intelligence, seeking damages for their parents' deaths. Le Carre clearly views with scorn the contrast between the courage of the parents and the greed of their offspring.

Because George Smiley can't be found, one of the survivors is suing Guillam, although he was far from being the architect of Leamas' failed operation. As Guillam searches his memory, pores over old intelligence reports and answers the questions of government lawyers, we learn much more about the deceptions at the heart of the 1963 novel.

"A Legacy of Spies" thus operates on two levels. It reconstructs Leamas' doomed operation even as it shows Guillam 50 years later trying to escape punishment for actions hailed as heroic at the time. The novel can be challenging as it often leaps between past and present, but le Carre's books usually repay our patience. This one does, as Guillam's troubles extend beyond the lawsuit to the murder of his friends, an attempt on his own life, corruption in high places, a search for Smiley and an unexpected life as a fugitive.

"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" (1974), often called le Carre's finest work, can at times be baffling but we push on to its brilliant ending - when Smiley unmasks a traitor near the top of British intelligence - because we know le Carre is taking us as deep inside the murky world of espionage as we're ever likely to venture. It's a world where no one can be trusted, little is what it seems to be and the good often suffer while the guilty thrive. Le Carre knows the spy game too well to glorify it.

Le Carre's work is often praised for its authenticity but perhaps not often enough for his lovely writing. Here are samples from the new novel:

"The voice is knife-thin like the man - nasal, monotonous, and irritable as a spoilt child's."

"The tortured are a class apart. You can imagine - just - where they've been, but never what they've brought back."

The elusive Smiley, found and asked what book he's reading: "Oh my dear boy, don't even ask. An old spy in dotage seeks the truth of ages."

Few writers publish first-rate novels for 50 years or more. Death claims some while others see their skills or their energy fade with the decades. In this country, Philip Roth, a contemporary and admirer of le Carre, is another member of that elite. The two men's subject matter could hardly be more different but since the 1960s both have combined literary excellence with tireless productivity. Roth recently retired from writing novels, and if le Carre should make "A Legacy of Spies" his last, it would be an honorable exit.

---

Anderson writes regularly about thrillers and mysteries for The Washington Post.
Paige Britt's "Why Am I Me?" (Scholastic, ages 3-7) invites very young listeners to consider something both astonishing and elegantly simple: What do I know about myself? What makes me different from everyone else? "If someone else were me," the book asks, "who would they be? Someone lighter, older, darker, bolder?" The illustrations, by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko, tell the story of the first moments of friendship - or love - as a boy and a girl, each with a parent, board an elevated train and travel across the city. The boy, carrying a skateboard, and the girl, with a musical instrument on her back, notice each other in the crowd. "Why are you, you ... and not me?" they wonder. The questions seem to rise from the glances they give each other, as the train travels past green parks, tall buildings, an outdoor concert. Qualls and Aiko make beautiful use of warm colors - reds and pinks of sunset, deep green-blue in the grasses - and capture a sea of smiling girls and boys, men and women of all ages and skin tones. A man in a jacket and tie, another with a beard and a high-crowned hat, and a girl with a headscarf are among the other travelers on the train. Each is different, but connected by the journey; separate yet sharing the same space. "Why am I me?" each might wonder. As the children arrive at their destination and emerge from the train, they exchange a first greeting, a simple "hi" under the starry sky - and it could almost be an answer to that question.

- Kathie Meizner
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The gems of Houston's vaunted arts district have been swamped by floods from nearby Buffalo Bayou and face significant repairs, threatening the fall performance season that would have begun next week.

The Alley Theatre, which completed a $46.5 million renovation just two years ago, appears to have suffered the most damage so far, although arts companies will not be able to fully assess the destruction for a week or more.

Venturing into the Alley with a flashlight on Monday, managing director Dean Gladden found water slapping at the ceiling of the downstairs Neuhaus Stage and its lobby. Those same spaces were submerged in 2001 during flooding from Tropical Storm Allison, forcing them to be gutted and renovated for $4 million.

"You can't drain it. You can only pump the water, but it's already up to the ceiling as high as it can go," Gladden said.

The basement level dressing rooms are also submerged - and, most importantly, the power supply for the whole building.

"We're completely out of commission," Gladden said.

He and artistic director Greg Boyd promptly canceled remaining performances of "The 39 Steps," and they are scrambling to find alternative venues for the next two shows.

Astonished at flooding

Houston Grand Opera managing director Perryn Leech, who is also board chair of the Houston Theater District, was astonished when he and district CEO Kathryn McNiel entered the dark Wortham Theater Center on Monday.

"The scene dock is a big swimming pool," Leech said.

Water breached the top of a metal barrier there that's 14 or 15 feet above the bayou, then was trapped and couldn't flow out.

Leech and McNiel also found a completely flooded basement. The dressing rooms, the HGO costume shop and storage areas are under water. HGO staff removed costumes for upcoming productions from those rooms on Friday, but not sewing machines, washing machines and other materials. It will all have to be renovated, Leech said.

He estimated that more than an inch of water had also soaked the venue's large Brown Theater stage, which will have to be resurfaced.

"Everything that was stored under the stage is now sitting in water."

The damage immediately drew comparisons to scenes from 2001's Tropical Storm Allison, whose $9 billion cost included significant damages to the venues and companies within the 17-block district, the nation's second-largest theater district.

Then, as now, a series of 15 floodgates failed to save the district's underground parking lot and the subterranean levels of buildings that house the city's major ballet, opera, symphony and theater companies as well as a few smaller performing arts organizations.

Carolyn Campbell, spokesperson for Houston First, which operates the city-owned Wortham Theater Center, Jones Hall and parking garage, said all of the flood gates had been deployed, "but this was catastrophic, so water breached. We haven't been able to assess what happened."

The resident companies are anchors of Houston's downtown. With combined budgets of more than $125 million, they also are major contributors to Houston's cultural tourism, which accounts for 9.2 million visitors to the city per year.

Closed until Labor Day

City-owned facilities in the district will remain closed through Labor Day. All of the area's arts organizations were still without power, phones and email servers late Monday.

In a statement for the district, Leech and McNiel said Jones Hall's basement rehearsal room also still had standing water, with significant damage. (During Allison, Houston Symphony's historic music library and many priceless instruments, which were stored there, were severely damaged or destroyed.)

Water also penetrated to the Hobby Center's Zilka Hall through its loading dock and foyer.

Houston Ballet's $48 million Center for Dance, which opened in 2011, was built without a basement level. Still, the first floor took on water. Executive director Jim Nelson said he had not yet assessed the damage. Nor was he ready to announce changes to the company's season, which was due to open Sept. 7 at the Wortham.

Even if companies could miraculously scramble to put on shows next week, their patrons would have nowhere to park. The district's parking garages are full of floodwater.

The massive task of pumping them dry will not begin until officials have assessed the situation with "the experts who will clean it up," said Houston First's Campbell.

Houston First will not allow tenants into the city's facilities until next week.

"Right now, people matter more," Campbell said, explaining that Houston's theater district operations staff has been deployed to help manage the command station for the George R. Brown Convention Center, which is operating as an evacuation center for flood victims.
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The Dallas estate dubbed "Casa Belle Vista,"  also known as "Casa Bellamini"  has come into national reality TV stardom. And it's not for its foyer pool or $200,000 chandeliers.

The house, known for its distinctive features and lengthy time on the market, was featured on a recent episode of Bravo's "Real Housewives of Dallas." Cameras took a tour of the property as cast member Stephanie Hollman and her husband mulled the idea of bidding on the property.

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They eventually did, and they won it for roughly $5 million at the October 2016 Concierge Auctions sale. It went to closing in November.

In the second episode of the second season, Hollman tells her husband, Travis, that she wants to discuss whether or not they should submit a bid on the house, which was previously listed at $8.9 million. She tells viewers that she's never been a part of the home-buying process with her husband, a businessman who dabbles in real estate investing. She also explains that the house is not a good fit for a family with young boys, among other concerns.

Travis Hollman nonetheless surprises his wife with the news that they're the new owners of the custom home. She, of course, isn't thrilled but toasts to the purchase. (They've since built a cover for the home pool that can be opened when they entertain.)

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Whether they sell it as a mere investment venture  Travis Hollman recently flipped a L.A. luxury house  or move into it has not yet been determined.

Although some Texans wouldn't consider letting go of the house, with its Moroccan-influenced facade and pricey custom finishes.

Built in 2008, the 8,631-square-foot home was designed by renowned Dallas architect Cole Smith, a partner at Smith, Ekblad & Associates. Smith designed a Mediterranean-style exterior that contrasts with the contemporary interior, with its clean lines and vibrant hues. The four-bedroom home has an in-house spa area with a jetted hot tub overlooking the grounds.

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Outside, there's a two-story loggia with a view of the infinity-edge swimming pool.

"It's the best of all worlds," Kelly Watson, Keller Williams Realty Urban Dallas said about the property."The interior designers are very well-known all around the world. They do homes in India, they do diplomats' homes."

Watson had the listing, and Hannah Schuessler was the Concierge Auctions project sales manager who handled this transaction.
The American Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle currently stationed in Albany was deployed Monday to support disaster relief efforts in response to now-Tropical Storm Harvey. Mark and Marianne Theophilis, both American Red Cross volunteers from Clifton Park, are driving the vehicle to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where it will be prepped for service in an area impacted by this devastating storm.

Already, nearly half of the Red Cross' emergency response fleet  more than 150 vehicles  have been mobilized, and hundreds of Red Cross volunteers from all over the country are on the ground in Texas and Louisiana. The vehicle and volunteers traveling out of Albany today will help to distribute food, water and relief supplies in the coming days in communities affected by Harvey.
Texas A&M International University will host a memorial event at 6 p.m. Sept. 8 in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts' Recital Hall for former colleague and employee Robert "Bob" Batey, who died last month.

Claudia San Miguel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the college organized the event to celebrate Batey's legacy at TAMIU and in the community at large.
Camila Sanmiguel has a way with words that are bound to take her far in life.

The 17-year-old Laredoan is one of five National Student Poets, a prestigious honor for wordsmiths. Each year, five students are selected for one year of service as literary ambassadors representing a different geographic region of the country.

An excerpt from one of Sanmiguel's poem reads, "I am afraid to ask if my ambition is selfish, and why the price for privilege/ is so high, and why people insist on claiming that Mexicans can waltz into a country/

and steal jobs, as if life is something you could pocket,/ as if a family, an entire ethnicity, is disposable./

I've never had to harvest in my life/ and yet, my hands still bleed."

READ MORE: 19 Laredo-area restaurants earn perfect health inspection scores for July

Sanmiguel, a junior at Alexander High School, will represent the Southwest region. To be considered for the National Student Poets Program, students, grades 10th-11th, must be a Gold and Silver National Medalist in the poetry category of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Thirty-five semifinalists are selected from the pool of national medalist and five are then chosen by a panel of judges.

Sanmiguel will officially be appointed Aug. 31 at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. by the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, who also appoints the U.S. Poet Laureate. For Sanmiguel, poetry is much more than words put together to convey meaning. Sanmiguel said poetry is a form of literary activism and has woven her words around immigration, heritage and privilege.

"Poetry is the most emotionally compelling and beautiful form of literary activism," Sanmiguel said. "It is fervent and raw, which is most significant now in a vastly apathetic society. It breathes humanity into us by using insight and mutual understanding to create a kinship and empathy with a truly diverse group of people, rather than the self concern that we often do not realize is so prevalent in our society and in ourselves as we are insulated from the impact of many problems that may affect other groups of people."

As a National Student Poet, Sanmiguel will use the year toward expressing the necessity of poetry and its ability to stir change and establish a common foundation among a diverse population. Sanmiguel expressed the power of poetry and said she wants to show the youth that poetry is accessible and can be used not only for literary activism but for healing as well.

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"I feel that poetry is inclusive and diverse, which is defining characteristic of American pride," she said. "It lives and breathes for empathy, calls for unity, exposes the gut wrenching things we often do not want to think about and forces us to face these things, uses prose to rip emotion from those who read it, and calls for action or even just thought. But I have learned that thought is enough to create a deep influence."

A self-taught poet, following her year of ambassadorial service, Sanmiguel plans to expand the power of poetry in areas lacking resources. Sanmiguel's ambassadorial year will consist of readings, workshops, master classes and discussions on literature and poetry in D.C., New York and the Southwestern United States.

To read more of Sanmiguel's poetry, http://www.artandwriting.org/national-student-poets-program/meet-the-poets/camila-sanmiguel/
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A murder trial slated to begin Monday in the 406th District Court was postponed due to evidentiary issues that need to be resolved before the case moves forward.

Alexis Guzman, 19, was granted a continuance Monday after his attorney, Fausto Sosa, addressed issues with transcripts and other pieces of evidence.

406th District Court Judge Oscar J. Hale Jr. swore in about 20 witnesses and instructed them to returned Oct. 26 for trial.

READ MORE: Jury selection to begin in trial of man accused of fatally shooting 53-year-old Laredoan

Guzman and his co-defendant, Rogelio Pena III, face charges of murder and burglary of a habitation. Pena has been on the run since January, when he tampered with his ankle monitor and absconded from his home.

The duo were arrested in January 2016 for the fatal shooting of 53-year-old Antonio Gonzalez.

An investigation began when police received a 911 call from a home in the 3500 block of South Texas reporting shots fired on Jan. 9, 2016. Gonzalez was found dead at the scene in what police described as a home invasion.

MORE FROM LMTonline: Man accused of fatally stabbing Laredo teen girl pleads not guilty to rape charge

Another case in which Guzman is accused of smuggling about 293 pounds of marijuana, with an estimated street value of $234,400, in West Laredo early this year was also reset to Oct. 26.

Guzman is scheduled to appear Friday in the 49th District Court to answer to new charges related to two incidents in 2015 when he allegedly attempted to evade arrest. A grand jury indicted him earlier this month on a third-degree felony charge of evading arrest or detention with a vehicle and a Class A misdemeanor charge of evading arrest or detention.
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The new comedy classic Tangerine (2015), directed by Sean Baker, plays as a Roxie Theater Staff Pick from Mx. Janitor on Thursday, Aug. 31.

On Christmas Eve in Los Angeles, trans sex worker Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) enlists her best friend, Alexandra (Mya Taylor), to help her hunt down her pimp boyfriend, Chester, who is sleeping with a cisgender white woman. Meanwhile, an Armenian cabdriver decides that tonight hed rather be with Sin-Dee and Alexandra, but his family begs to differ.
THIMPHU, Bhutan - During the long weeks soldiers from two of the world's largest armies camped on their doorstep, officials in the tiny Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan maintained a meditative silence.

Government leaders resolutely declined to comment and even the Bhutanese media largely refrained from covering the stand-off, which began in mid-June when Indian troops crossed into a remote plateau claimed by Bhutan and confronted Chinese soldiers prepping to build a road there.

When the respective armies began withdrawing from the Doklam area Monday, the Himalayan nation of just under 800,000 finally exhaled, and analysts said that its temperance had helped defuse tension between the two nuclear-armed powers.

For years, Bhutan -- a landlocked nation squeezed between the Tibet plateau to its north and India to its east, south and west -- has trod a delicate balancing act between China and its great patron, India, which trains its soldiers, buys its hydroelectric power and is now giving it $578 million a year in aid.

In the country's capital of Thimphu, India's influence can be seen everywhere -- from the army officers jogging on its streets to the laborers on Indian projects for mountain roads.

"Bhutan is really caught between two sides and the confrontation at Doklam has brought everything to the surface," said Nirupama Menon Rao, India's former foreign secretary and ambassador to China. "Bhutan has played this game of survival for a long, long time. Nobody does it better than them."

But the dispute caused many in Bhutan to call for the country to re-evaluate its close -- some say suffocating -- relationship with its southern neighbor.

"If India's border closed tomorrow we would run out of rice and a lot of other essentials in a few days, that is how vulnerable we are," said Needrup Zangpo, the executive director of the Journalists' Association of Bhutan. "Many Bhutanese resent this."

The country -- with stunning mountain passes, rippling Buddhist prayer flags and ancient temples -- was until recently a monarchy, its villages isolated from much of the world for most of the last century. Television arrived only in 1999, and even now only about 60,000 tourists from outside the region visit each year, paying a hefty $250-a-day visa fee in high season.

Its beloved and progressive fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuk, set the country on the path to democracy in 2008 and popularized the "Gross National Happiness" indicator, which rates quality of life, preservation of culture and environmental protection over economic output. In a 2015 study more than 90 percent of residents said they experienced some level of happiness.

Bhutan's long ties with India, by far its largest trading partner, were cemented in 1958, when India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, traveled through the mountains on a yak. The two countries had already agreed, in a 1949 treaty, that India would guide its foreign policy; the terms were softened and modified in 2007.

Bhutan has an ongoing border dispute and no official diplomatic ties with China, and India has frowned upon any change in this status quo. India cut off a cooking gas subsidy in 2013 because, some analysts charge, it feared Bhutan's then-government was growing closer to its northern neighbor. India has long seen Bhutan as an important ally against Chinese expansionism in the region.

Thimphu is a still-quiet valley town, dotted with traditionally painted homes and apartments, that has modernized rapidly in the last 10 years, and recently began having traffic jams.

Many of its younger, educated residents -- who followed the China-India conflict on their mobile phones, via social media -- said that the weeks-long standoff had raised questions about Bhutan's place in the world, and if the country was being well-served by maintaining such a close relationship with India while holding China at arm's length.

Many of the tenants of Thimphu TechPark, a government owned business park opened in 2011 as a symbol of the country's aspirations, took a pragmatic view of China -- seeing it as a potential marketplace for fledgling Bhutanese entrepreneurs. Bhutan has long looked inward, they said, and now needs to start looking outward.

"I think because we are in a global community now, we should have good relations with both China and India," said Jigme Tenzin, the young chief executive of Housing.bt, an online real estate portal. Unlike some of his peers, he cheerfully wears his gho, the robe-like garment that is the country's national dress, including to international conferences, saying it helps set him apart from other Asian entrepreneurs.

The TechPark itself opened in 2011, and initially did not do well. But today, it has more than 700 Bhutanese employees, offices for several foreign companies and an incubation center for start-ups. One of the companies is trying to create a children's cartoon in Bhutan's national language, Dzongkha, to compete with the Hindi cartoons broadcast from India.

Launching a real estate startup in a country where only about 37 percent of people are on the Internet has been a challenge, Jigme Tenzin says, as the needs of millennial generation apartment seekers don't always match up with the offerings of older property owners, most of whom are still not online. He and his small band of employees ended up having to go door to door with brochures trying to educate people.

"We're in the middle of one foot in the future and one foot in the past," he said with a laugh. "This transition is killing me."
Montgomery County officials say the FM 2978 Bridge over Spring Creek may have been damaged by flood waters.Officials noticed the damage Monday night and were on site of the still-submerged bridge Tuesday afternoon.

According to Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley, officials with the Texas Department of Transportation were headed to the bridge to determine the situation. He added the road remains closed.
The Japanese government responded severely Tuesday to North Korea's unannounced ballistic missile launch over Japan, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga calling it "an excessive provocation."

Japan opted not to intercept the missile Tuesday, on the grounds that there was no risk of it falling into the nation's territory or territorial waters. However, the government will continue its surveillance and remain on high alert to be ready for further provocations by North Korea.

"Japan has been fully aware of the movement of the missile since immediately after its launch," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said emphatically Tuesday morning at the Prime Minister's Office.

The Japanese government obtained data from a U.S. early-warning satellite immediately after the 5:58 a.m. launch and also confirmed the launch through the Defense Ministry's radar and other devices. Radar mounted on a Maritime Self-Defense Force Aegis vessel deployed to the Sea of Japan and high-performing radar in locations across the nation tracked the missile's trajectory.

The flight course was analyzed, and the J-Alert nationwide instant warning system and Em-Net dedicated mailing circuit for local governments were activated, warning local governments and encouraging residents in Hokkaido and other areas the missile was expected to fly over to take shelter.

In August last year, the Japanese government issued a standing order for the Self-Defense Forces to destroy missiles, and Aegis destroyers carrying the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) and the Air Self-Defense Force's Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) surface-to-air guided missiles have been deployed since then. But the government did not order the SDF to intercept the missile this time.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said, "The missile was deemed not to be flying toward Japan."

Paragraph 3 of Article 82 of the Self-Defense Forces Law stipulates that the SDF can destroy a ballistic missile "which is confirmed to fall on Japan's territory, in order to prevent damage to human life and property."

This is the fifth time a ballistic missile launched by North Korea has flown over Japan. The first was a medium-range ballistic missile that landed off the Sanriku coast in August 1998, followed by a long-range ballistic missile that flew over Akita and Iwate prefectures in April 2009, a long-range ballistic missile over Okinawa Prefecture in December 2012, and another long-range ballistic missile over Okinawa Prefecture in February last year.

North Korea gave advance notice of all these missile launches, except the first one in 1998, calling them "artificial satellite launches." However, no notice was given this time.

Suga sternly condemned North Korea during a press conference Tuesday morning, saying: "[North Korea] didn't inform us in advance at all. This action is extremely problematic from the standpoint of the safety of airplanes and ships."

Following North Korea's announcement of its plan to fire ballistic missiles into waters near the U.S. territory of Guam, the Defense Ministry has since Aug. 12 had PAC-3 deployed in four prefectures in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions. North Korean missiles would likely fly over these regions in the plan it described.

However, this missile actually flew over Hokkaido. Some Japanese government officials believe "Japan was outwitted," a Foreign Ministry official said.
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When the right wing comes to left-wing Berkeley, public safety is no guarantee, especially when black-clad anarchists get involved.

Sunday proved that no matter how well prepared they were, hundreds of police officers  many in riot gear  could not stop hundreds of anarchists from overtaking a place they were protecting.

For a few hours, police maintained order at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park in Berkeley. They used barriers and a single entry-checkpoint to control who and what got in. They confiscated sticks, water bottles and anything else from rally-goers that could be used as weapons. Inside the park, they broke up heated arguments between the left and the right before punches were thrown.

Yet, police stepped aside and allowed anarchists to bypass barriers to get into the park. Soon mobs chased and beat right-wing demonstrators who had arrived expecting to attend a conservative rally.

Conservatives accused police of abandoning them.

We were thrown into the belly of the beast, said Kris Wyrick, 39, of San Diego, one of a small group of conservatives still in Civic Center Park when it was overtaken.

Wyrick wore body armor when he showed up at the park with his wife and son, expecting a rally. He had to remove the protection when he and his family went through a security check. But when anarchists arrived, they came in, and the cops left, he said. It was almost like it was choreographed.

Police said they decided to stand down out of concern for safety.

They seemed to target police, said Officer Jennifer Coats, a police spokeswoman. They were up on the back of a flatbed truck. Officers heard them making announcements that peaceful protesters should leave if they didnt want to be part of a conflict. We had to weigh what to do.

Amid thousands of mostly peaceful protesters, police arrested just 13 people, including six on suspicion of violent behavior. Six others reported non-life-threatening injuries, and two of those people were taken to the hospital.

Yet the inability of police to stop the anarchists from seizing control of the park raises questions about their ability to protect public safety next month when Ben Shapiro, a former editor with the right-wing Breitbart News, is scheduled to speak at UC Berkeley on Sept. 14. Conservative student groups are also talking about bringing in other speakers, including Milo Yiannopoulos.

In February, Yiannopoulos, another former Breitbart News editor, had to be spirited to safety when a riot broke out on campus just before he had been scheduled to speak. Black-masked agitators swarmed onto campus and caused $100,000 in damage  breaking glass and setting fires  before taking the mayhem into city streets.

Fearing a repeat of the damage, UC officials then refused to accommodate conservative Ann Coulter for a spring speaking date she insisted on  and are now defending themselves in court against an accusation by Coulter and student Republicans that the university discriminates against conservatives.

Berkeley police also lost control of a right-wing rally on April 15 at Civic Center Park. A video shows neo-Nazi Nathan Damigo punching a young woman in the face during the ensuing confrontation when counterprotesters showed up.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ, who took over the top job in July, has said she is committed to ensuring that a variety of voices are heard on campus, and has declared a Year of Free Speech on campus. She recently said that shutting down antithetical views is un-American.

The hecklers veto strikes at the very heart of our democracy and the mission and principles of our society, Christ told students last week as they returned to campus. Any (such) attack is an attack on the right of free speech for us all.

Some members of the left who identify not as anarchists but as antifascists, or antifa, said that preventing right-wing activists from having their say on Sunday is exactly what they intended to do. They said they wanted to prevent anyone from spewing racist rhetoric, as white supremacists did in a Charlottesville, Va. rally this month, where an alleged neo-Nazi drove his car into a crowd of antihate demonstrators. A woman was killed and 19 people were injured.

John Cookenboo, 27, who says hes with antifa, acknowledged that some interactions Sunday between left and right became violent, and that unnecessary force can backfire and make his side look bad. But he said showing strength is important.

I cant condone that kind of violence personally, but I cant condemn it entirely, he said, noting that first-timers who get their information from the Internet might be itching to just go punch a Nazi.

Wyrick, the man who brought his family for what he thought would be a conservative rally on Sunday, denied being a racist or a bigot. He said he came to Berkeley to share his political views, which he said run to the right fiscally but not socially.

Wyrick said he tried to leave the rally when he and fellow protesters were overwhelmed by the masked anarchists and felt that their safety, if not their lives, was threatened. He said he pushed his way through the crowd  and was arrested on suspicion of public fighting.

Public officials and others generally gave police good marks for keeping people safe Sunday.

Mostly people were protected, said Henry Brady, dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. Were getting better at it. Its hard because some groups want to act in a vociferous manner. And both sides think that whats at stake is incredibly important.

Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin said Monday that its time to call out groups like the masked anarchists known as black bloc.

I think we should classify them as a gang, Arreguin said. They have weapons  almost like a militia  and I think we need to think about that in terms of our law enforcement approach.

On Sunday, police deployed about 400 officers, including police from Berkeley, Oakland, UC Berkeley and Alameda County.

While its not clear how many officers the city relied on for past protests, rioters at the aborted Yiannopoulos event at UC Berkeley encountered just 85, Christ said.

But even 400 wasnt enough to stop all violence. Video showed anarchists shoving a President Trump supporter to the ground and beating him, which prompted Al Letson, a radio host for Reveal, to jump in and shield the victim.

In another case, anarchists pepper-sprayed Joey Gibson, the head of the right-wing Patriot Prayer. They threw cans at him and chased him into a line of riot-clad police, who briefly handcuffed Gibson and a companion before determining they were no threat and letting them go.

Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle
KATY, Texas - The sprawling neighborhoods of brick homes, man-made lakes and walking paths in this area west of Houston always have been considered high ground. When the city has flooded, friends and family would flee here to escape, as many did in recent days during Houston's descent into disaster.

But that changed Tuesday, when dozens of rescue helicopters swooped in to airlift the elderly and children from rooftops in neighborhoods with lofty names like Grand Mission Estates and Cinco Ranch. Federal Emergency Management Agency officials from as far as California were zipping up their life jackets to perform search and rescue missions alongside volunteers on water scooters, urgently moving people out of a basin that was suddenly - and unexpectedly - filling with water.

Days of unprecedented rains from the remnants of Hurricane Harvey caused the Addicks Reservoir, one of two major flood-control reservoirs in the Houston area, to spill over its banks for the first time in history Tuesday morning - this, despite efforts to prevent such "uncontrolled" overflow the day before, officials said. The Barker Reservoir, to the south of Addicks, is expected to begin overflowing at some point Wednesday, similarly endangering residential areas that are not typically prone to inundation.

"We never thought this area would flood," said Jessica Wang, 34, whose family had given shelter to relatives and friends after their Houston homes were overcome by water earlier in the week. Drenched and standing in flip flops, Wang hugged a family friend, who was in tears. "It's just shock, a frozen panicked feeling. I feel a mix of fight and fear all at the same time."

The group of eight was again seeking higher ground when Wang saw on the news that the nearby Barker Reservoir was beginning controlled water releases amid hopes of staving off bigger threats of flooding neighborhoods near the dam. Officials here - acting on lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, when dams and levees collapsed - want to avoid a catastrophic dam failure that would send massive amounts of water into downstream communities.

On Tuesday, residents navigated water that came up to their chests, some holding pets and soggy wedding and birthday party photographs. The elderly were too afraid to move, Wang said. Others streamed into a makeshift shelter set up at a massive Kroger grocery store.

"It's hard to say what's gonna happen now with this storm," Wang said. "Every time I say, 'no it won't happen,' it happens."

Wang, whose eyes were red, said she hadn't slept Monday night, huddled with friends, snacking on old chips and glued to their phones, waiting for the water to seep in. They left their home as neighbors around them started to be airlifted out by helicopters.

A soldier with the Texas National Guard driving a high-water vehicle said that about 400 people and pets were rescued by his team of 14 soldiers and five trucks on Monday, with more piling in Tuesday.

"If they can fit on, we're carrying them out," he said.

Many families moved to these exurbs of Houston for a small piece of the American Dream, coming from nearby Louisiana and from as far away as Mexico and India to live in 4,000-square-foot homes with double garages and spacious back yards.

But making the flooding situation tougher is the fact that much of the development is new and built on former marshlands, rice farms and cow pastures. The pavement, roads and parking lots have left water with nowhere to go, said Jason Mckey, who lives in the flooded Canyon Gate neighborhood. He even started a business that works to restore wetlands.

The irony "wasn't lost on me," he said, putting on his duck-hunting waders as his friends got their boat ready again. He spent Tuesday morning rescuing neighbors who he said "had no preparation, no flood insurance, nothing. . . . It's mostly elderly people in just a horrible way."

Mckey said fatigue was starting to set in because he had been helping people until 3 a.m. and was back at it again at daybreak. He saw things "that would make any man cry," he said.

"Its just a lot of elderly in dire straits, caught in water, they can't get themselves out of in their kitchens or even bathrooms," he said. "It's not quitting time yet - not even close."

His own home was totally flooded and he wasn't sure where he would sleep.

Lori Roberson, 25, and her husband, Ryan, were just about to close on a new home - four bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths - in a new section of a nearby subdivision here called Seven Oaks. Now it's flooding with the rest of the neighborhood.

She said they will have to negotiate with the company they are buying it from to fix all the damage. Luckily, she said, the new house requires flood insurance because it's near a gully.

"Flood insurance sounds wise these days," she said. "It's just unbelievable."

Other residents peered with dismay at the neighborhood's man-made lakes, which still had columns of water spurting upward into the rain.

"And the fountains are still going," said Gloria Strayhorn, a retired interior designer who was out for a walk with her husband, Bill, who retired from the nuclear industry. They said the lakes were refurbished this spring, "and the subdivision spent so much money setting up these real cute benches," she said. "And now look."

---

Wang reported from Washington.
TOKYO --

North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile over Japan was unprecedented, but President Trump's response Tuesday was not - a renewal of his warning that "all options are on the table" and a reminder that the possibility of military action has not yet deterred North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The missile launch seemed designed to wreak just the right amount of havoc: enough for Kim to show that he would not be cowed but not so much as to invite the "fire and fury" that Trump warned could follow continued North Korean threats.

The launch early Tuesday was the first test of such a sophisticated weapon over the landmass of a U.S. ally and an obvious warning to the United States that North Korea could easily target U.S. military facilities on Guam or elsewhere in the Pacific region.

It came during annual joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea that have infuriated the nuclear-armed communist regime. It also came despite recent offers of talks from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

"The world has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," Trump said in an early morning statement.

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," he said. "All options are on the table."

The United States requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, which this month unanimously approved the strictest economic sanctions to date on a nation that already is one of the most heavily sanctioned in the world.

"No country should have missiles flying over them like those 130 million people in Japan. It's unacceptable," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said ahead of that session.

North Korea has "violated every single U.N. Security Council resolution that we've had, and so I think something serious has to happen," she added. "Enough is enough."

[North Korean missile flies over Japan, prompting an angry response from Tokyo]

Trump spoke by phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hours after the launch, and the two leaders "committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the international community to do the same," according to a White House statement.

That was a reference to stiff international sanctions that so far have failed to stop North Korea from developing working nuclear bombs and intercontinental ballistic missiles. The United States claims North Korea could not evade those sanctions if other countries including China enforced them more stringently.

Asked about the effectiveness of sanctions and international denunciation, given that North Korea does not seem to care about the moves, deputy British U.N. envoy Jonathan Allen insisted such actions have merit.

"They send that really important message of the entire world being united, and they do have an impact on North Korea," Allen told reporters at the United Nations.

The missile appeared to be a Hwasong-12, the intermediate-range ballistic missile that North Korea has been threatening to shoot into the waters near the U.S. territory of Guam.

But North Korea did not shoot it southeast toward Guam. Instead, it lobbed the missile in a northeasterly direction, over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean.

It was, as Stephan Haggard, a political scientist and Korea expert at the University of California at San Diego, described it, "perfectly calibrated to create political mischief."

"The launch shows how Kim Jong Un is weirdly conservative, calibrating tests so that they are difficult to counter, flying just beneath the radar of a required kinetic response," Haggard said.

Taro Kono, Japan's foreign minister, acknowledged as much. "If North Korea had launched the missile to the south, the U.S. might have viewed it as a considerable provocation and responded accordingly," Kono told reporters after the launch.

North Korea's action also seemed designed to drive a wedge between its neighbors.

In Japan, Abe called it "an unprecedented, grave and serious threat." Abe wants to beef up Japan's military capabilities, and missile launches like this provide ammunition for his controversial cause. South Korea's liberal president, Moon Jae-in, who has promoted engagement with Pyongyang, immediately denounced the launch and sent his fighter jets to drop bombs on a shooting range near the border with North Korea.

Both reactions appear to have rattled China, where officials called on all sides to take a step back. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying characterized the North Korea situation as "at a tipping point, approaching a crisis." She repeated China's call for talks between North Korea and the United States.

[North Korea launches three missiles into sea, heightening tensions ]

Tillerson had stressed Sunday that the offer of talks remained open, and he encouraged Kim to choose "a different path." For weeks, U.S. officials have sought to assure Kim that Washington does not want to topple him or invade his country, a message also meant to appeal to North Korea's protector, China.

Trump said last week that North Korea was finally "starting to respect us," although he added that his threat to answer the country's provocations with "fire and fury" might not have been strong enough.

Tillerson also had publicly praised North Korea last week for showing "restraint" since the U.N. Security Council vote and in the face of the annual military drills. Although North Korea had not test-launched any missiles for nearly a month at that point, it has done so twice since Tillerson spoke.

North Korea fired rockets over the Japanese mainland in 1998 and 2009 - but it described them as satellite launch vehicles and gave Japan advance warning in the second case. Tuesday's missile launch was purely military and "demonstrated a direct threat," said Narushige Michishita, an expert on Korean Peninsula security issues at the Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo.

"From a military point of view, they have demonstrated an ability to use a very mobile, agile missile against targets anywhere in Japan," he said.

[In a dangerous time, the Pentagon prepares for a war game on the Korean Peninsula]

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said that the United States would shoot down any missile North Korea fired at Guam or a U.S. ally.

U.S. Forces Japan declined to comment on why it did not attempt to shoot down this missile.

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Fifield reported from Tokyo. Yuki Oda in Tokyo contributed to this report.
Even as government officials vowed a powerful, forward-leaning response to the disaster that Hurricane Harvey has left in Texas, the situation on the ground remained chaotic and desperate on Monday, with millions of soaked residents resorting to their own resources and wits to survive.

Houston is notoriously flood-prone, but no one in the government had planned for a disaster quite like this. They had planned for calamities with elements of what has unfolded in the city and surrounding communities, but they didn't war-game the inundation of thousands of square miles, including a huge, sprawling metropolis, from a storm that sticks around for days.

"You could not draw this forecast up. You could not dream this forecast up," William "Brock" Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Monday.

Two of his predecessors and other former FEMA officials concurred. "I don't remember an exercise that says, 'Now we're going to drop historic amounts of rain on you for three days.' We never did anything like that," former FEMA chief of staff Jason McNamara said.

Harvey has exposed anew how vulnerable the nation's fourth-largest city is to the forces of nature and the failings of infrastructure - and how natural disasters have a way of revealing the fault lines in governmental operations.

Residents received mixed messages from the state capital and Houston's City Hall about whether to evacuate in advance of Harvey's landfall late Friday, when it was a Category 4 hurricane. Gov. Greg Abbott, R, urged people to leave voluntarily, but Houston's mayor said it was better to shelter in place - a decision influenced by the harsh memory of the evacuation in advance of Hurricane Rita in 2005, when scores of people died in overheated cars stuck in highway traffic jams.

When asked Monday whether the city should have been evacuated, the governor said there was no point in thinking about past decisions. "We are where we are now," he said.

Abbott announced that he had mobilized the entire Texas National Guard to assist with rescue-and-recovery efforts. Surrounded by local officials from the Corpus Christi area, he said Texans are united in their effort to recover from Harvey, and he rated the early federal response to the disaster as an "A plus."

FEMA said Monday that it already had made major deployments of personnel and resources to Texas, including about 900 people in search-and-rescue teams, a million liters of water, a million meals, 20,520 tarps and 70 generators. The FEMA-coordinated response includes 100 ambulances and 15 air ambulances from San Antonio.

U.S. Coast Guard helicopters buzzed the city for much of the day and plucked stranded residents from rooftops. National Guard troops drove massive trucks through high water, looking for people in desperate straits. But professional first responders could not meet all the demands of people immersed in floodwater.

"Please don't give up on us. None of us are going to give up," Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo implored residents during a news conference.

Texas state Rep. Armando Walle, D, who represents a district on the north side of the Houston metropolitan area, put out a call on his Facebook page: "If you know of any families still needing to get rescued please let me know." Within three hours, he had a legal pad with 25 houses listed.

"Government can't do it all alone," Walle said later. "We've had to have the county judge ask for boats from the public. The mayor has asked for boats. We've had people all over the state converge. The Cajun Navy is here from Louisiana in their airboats."

Social media has proved to be the crucial piece of infrastructure for rescue operations.

"We are actually seeing situations where Bob down the street has a flat-bottom boat and Mary up the street has a canoe, and you put those resources together, hitch them together, and get everybody on the block the hell out of there," said Matthew Seeger, a communications professor at Wayne State University in Detroit who advises government agencies.

"That may not sound significant, but when you think about where we were just 15 years ago when Katrina hit and we had to pass out fliers - in shelters, by boat, whatever we could do just to get some basic health and safety information out there. Not everyone has a transistor radio," Seeger noted, "but almost everyone has access to Twitter."

Retired Adm. Thad Allen, who played a key role in shoring up the initially weak federal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and served as national incident commander for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, said government agencies seem to be doing their best in a complex situation.

"I'm not sure how much more you can ask for," he said. "If you have more total fires than you have firemen, the scale, complexity and scope becomes a risk aggregator."

Allen also pointed out that every storm is different: "When you've seen one hurricane, you've seen one hurricane."

W. Craig Fugate, who led FEMA during Barack Obama's presidency, said the agency's previous advance planning had been more concerned with "no-notice" disasters such as earthquakes. He said he pushed FEMA staff members to think outside the box. "You have to prepare for the things that haven't happened, or you haven't thought of that will exceed the daily capabilities," he said.

Yet he acknowledged what is obvious in the wake of Harvey: "You can't anticipate every scenario that might happen."

Having learned lessons from Hurricane Katrina's aftermath, FEMA positioned many of its personnel in advance of Harvey, as did the Red Cross and other organizations. But when the floodwater rose, Houstonians were still largely on their own. Some rode to shelters or hospitals in the back of city dump trucks, while others waded through chest-deep water.

Leaders of the federal response to the Hurricane Harvey disaster had an early morning news conference Monday in Washington that was by turns a declaration of competence, an expression of grave concern and a plea for the public's help.

"Under the president's direction, we have made every resource available to respond to this historic storm," said Elaine Duke, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, who on Tuesday will accompany President Trump on a tour of storm-ravaged areas.

And that's before the actual cleanup begins - which FEMA chief Long is warning will be "one of the largest recovery housing missions that the state has ever seen."

McNamara, the former FEMA chief of staff, said Texas officials are overwhelmed by the task of saving lives.

"Very quickly, you're going to get behind the curve on what comes next week," he said. "The other thing? Schools. How do we get the schools open and kids back to school? If they can't go back to school, the parents can't go to work, and that creates another economic problem."

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Mary Lee Grant in Corpus Christi and Janell Ross in Washington contributed to this report.

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Video: A neighborhood in Friendswood, Texas, was so heavily flooded by Hurricane Harvey that some people are using boats to travel through it. (Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post)

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President Donald Trump's senior aides are increasingly airing their private disagreements publicly, exposing a widening rift between the president and key members of his administration over his handling of racial divisions exposed by white supremacist violence in Charlottesville.

Trump - who has fumed at the media's criticism of his response to Charlottesville, Virginia - is also annoyed at similar criticism coming from within his administration, especially National Economic Council adviser Gary Cohn and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, according to people in regular touch with the White House.

Over the weekend, Tillerson suggested that Trump "speaks for himself" rather than for the country's values in his reaction to Charlottesville. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis also counseled U.S. troops to "hold the line until our country gets back to respecting each other" and is able to "get the power of inspiration back."

And Cohn sharply criticized the president's handling of the situation in an interview with the Financial Times last week.

Among Trump's allies, the emerging voices of dissent are being likened to a "mutiny" by disloyal aides. But so far, Trump has not taken any action to dismiss anyone, to the disappointment of those same allies.

"You should not air the dirty laundry with the president in public," said Roger Stone, a longtime Trump adviser and political ally. "On a personal level, he should feel betrayed because he has been."

Cohn became the first administration official to publicly discuss his disagreement with the president over Charlottesville, telling the Financial Times that Trump "must do better in consistently and unequivocally" condemning hate groups. Trump was widely criticized for doubling down on his assessment that "many sides" were to blame for violence in Charlottesville after a rally organized by neo-Nazis, white supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan turned deadly.

Cohn, who is Jewish, said he had come under enormous pressure from friends and associates to speak out and that he aired his disagreement with Trump bluntly in private. But Trump was irritated that Cohn fueled the public controversy over Trump's comments.

"There's a lot of frustration," said one Republican in frequent touch with the White House who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly. "A lot of Trump's frustration with his staff is that no matter what he does, if he has a good day, it never lasts for more than 24 hours and it's always because he does something, but he blames others."

Tillerson's assertion on Sunday that Trump does not speak for the country's values produced particularly deep reverberations, coming from the nation's top diplomat.

Tillerson also said he and the State Department speak for American values of tolerance and equality, and he rejected criticism from a United Nations committee last week that the Trump administration had set a poor example for the rest of the world. Tillerson told Fox News host Chris Wallace that he does not think Trump's remarks leave other nations confused about what America stands for.

"We express America's values from the State Department - our commitment to freedom, our commitment to equal treatment of people the world over," Tillerson said in the "Fox News Sunday" interview, "and that message has never changed."

The comments have only added to long-simmering mutual frustration between Trump and his secretary of state, who has had policy, personnel and personality disagreements with the president and some of his aides in recent months. Tillerson reportedly toyed with resigning this summer over frustrations with the White House on policy and administrative matters, but quashed rumors of a "Rexit" by telling reporters, "I'm not going anywhere."

On Monday, a day after his comments on Fox, Tillerson dined with Trump and Vice President Pence at the White House, a meeting that State Department spokesman R.C. Hammond said was focused on planning for 2018 travel and the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York next month.

"This whole idea that he's considering anything - it just doesn't add up," Hammond said, referring to speculation that Tillerson might leave the administration.

Trump is also being influenced by some allies who have long been suspicious of aides in his orbit, including Tillerson, Mattis and Cohn, whom they believe represent establishment views and are, at best, only loosely tied to Trump's agenda.

Tillerson and a close circle of aides have clashed with White House officials over the many job vacancies and sense of torpor at the State Department, with each side blaming the other for failing to move nominees through the hiring and Senate confirmation process.

The former ExxonMobil chief executive has also been blunt about his policy disagreements with Trump and with other Trump advisers. Tillerson said he thought the United States would be better served by remaining in the Paris climate accord and trying to amend it than by quitting it entirely, as Trump announced he was doing.

And although Tillerson supported the approach to expansion of forces in Afghanistan that Trump announced last week, he has crossed some Trump allies who think he has influenced Trump to be softer on "radical Islamic terror," a term he once used regularly as a candidate but has since uttered far less often.

Cohn has also been at odds with some Trump supporters who count him among a clutch of White House aides who are more closely aligned with Democrats than Trump's agenda.

The prospect of disloyalty in Trump's Cabinet has only fueled suspicion among some of his allies, including those who have been pushed out of the White House under new Chief of Staff John Kelly but still maintain lines of communication with the president.

"We have a lot of people in the White House of Donald J. Trump who not only have been comfortable working for Hillary, but they probably would have had a Cabinet post as well," said Sebastian Gorka, a former White House aide who was ousted Friday, a week after his ally, chief strategist Stephen Bannon, was removed from his administration post. "That is not sound, that is not what the American people voted for.

"The president knows it," Gorka added.

Mattis has been far more circumspect in his views. The comments to troops caught on tape over the weekend showed the retired general delivering a pep talk to service members, urging them to maintain vigilant in defense of a divided country that he portrayed as having lost its way. Those comments were interpreted by some as a critique of Trump's leadership.

"They all agreed to serve for a number of different reasons - patriotism was certainly one of the primary motivations," said Eliot Cohen, a former State Department official in the George W. Bush administration, who has been a vocal critic of Trump. "Very few of them are there because they love him.

"Some of them are thinking, 'This is potentially a very dangerous time for the country. I will go in and do my best, in effect, to save the country,' " he added.

---

The Washington Post's Ashley Parker and Philip Rucker contributed to this report.

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VIDEO:

Three Cabinet secretaries have appeared to distance themselves from President Donald Trump in the wake of his response to the violence in Charlottesville. (Video: Bastien Inzaurralde/Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

--http://wapo.st/2gjHrbQ

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They wore clerical collars and vestments, their heads covered with kippahs and taqiyahs.

Religious leaders of multiple faiths said Monday in Washington that "the soul of the nation" is at stake and the country must confront its racist past and present. Their opposition to the new administration is not about politics, they said, but the moral corrosion of the country that they believe has become increasingly evident under President Trump's White House.

The "One Thousand Ministers March for Justice" rally, organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network, came on the 54th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famed "I Have a Dream" speech. Monday's march was intended to be a unified moral rebuke to the Trump presidency.

At the same time, evangelical Christians who largely support Trump convened nearby at the National Press Club to discuss how to confront racism in the country.

But the "One Thousand Ministers March" brought the day's biggest crowds, with clergy and congregants parading through the streets of downtown Washington.

They didn't steer far from politics, offering blistering condemnations of the Trump presidency.

"We will not be indifferent when transgender individuals are not allowed to serve in the military," said Rabbi Jonah Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. "We will not be indifferent when a sheriff is pardoned," a reference to Trump pardoning former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio on Friday.

One speaker criticized evangelical Christian leaders who continue to stand by Trump, saying they have chosen the path of "elitism," "silence" and "racism."

Vincent Herring, a 59-year-old Baptist from Maryland, said politics have turned into issues of morality, and people of faith and those with a moral conscience need to take the lead in challenging racism and moral failings that persist in the country.

"We haven't been in the forefront of trying to get things done," he said. "When you identify it as a moral issue, then that's what needs to be done."

After the rally, participants marched through Washington to the Department of Justice, shutting down portions of Constitution Avenue, 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Northwest Washington along the way. Martin Luther King Jr.'s son, Martin Luther King III, Sharpton and D.C. Council member Vincent C. Gray helped to lead the march.

Korey Wise, one of five young men wrongfully accused in the brutal 1989 beating of a woman jogging in Central Park, also attended. That year, Trump - never mentioning the teens by name - referenced the case in spending a reported $85,000 to place ads in New York newspapers demanding the restoration of the death penalty in New York state.

Sharpton said protesters were rallying as a unified front to show that issues like voting rights, health care, criminal justice reform and economic justice are core to American values and should not be caught up in partisan politics.

"It's time for religious leaders to get freed of their fears and their political laryngitis," he said. "We believe in a single issue, that is that morality is above political parties."

Meanwhile, the other group of clergy at the National Press Club also proclaimed that religious leaders should do more to confront racism. The group members, including many who serve on advisory boards convened by Trump's White House, include pastors with conservative political views that often don't align with the Sharpton-led protest.

Bishop Harry Jackson, who serves on Trump's informal evangelical advisory board, criticized the "hypocrisy" of the marchers, charging that they don't want to work with Trump on improving race relations.

"If I want to talk to you, I don't march down the street to 'talk' to you, if you really want access," he said.

Still, Jackson said he respected Sharpton and other marchers for acting on faith to confront racism.

Two pastors who were part of the conservative news conference, the Revs. Frank Amedia and Mark Gonzales, joined the marchers afterward. Amedia, who founded a group called POTUS Shield to pray for the president, said liberal and conservative members of the clergy share anti-racist goals.

"That's our meeting point, changing the nation," he said. "We may not agree on how we get there."

As the Minister March concluded in front of the Department of Justice, more religious leaders delivered short sermons on how society can rise above what they perceive as racial and moral problems.

"We are here for Trayvon Martin. This historical event has brought us here," said the Rev. Charles Williams, president of the National Action Network's Michigan chapter. "We are here for Michael Brown. We are here for Philando Castile. We are here to protect voting rights. We are here to tell our president we will not stand for racism and bigotry."
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump said that "all options are on the table" following North Korea's latest missile launch early Tuesday, this one fired over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean in the most brazen provocation of Kim Jong Un's five-year-long rule.

"The world has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: This regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," Trump said Tuesday morning in a statement. "Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table."

Despite the grave warning, Trump's statement was notably measured in contrast to his response to previous tests of ballistic missile launches by North Korea. After a recent spate, he promised "fire and fury" if the isolated nation continued to provoke the United States.

Trump also said earlier this month that he would make Kim "truly regret" harming the United States or its allies.

As he walked from the White House to Marine One, en route to survey hurricane damage in Texas, Trump paused briefly to answer a reporter's question about what he plans to do about North Korea.

"We'll see, we'll see," he said.

Trump's statement came more than 12 hours after White House aides had signaled a statement by the president was in the works.

The Japanese prime minister's office said Shinzo Abe and Trump talked by phone for 40 minutes after the launch, agreeing that they should increase pressure on North Korea.

The missile appears to have been a Hwasong-12, the intermediate-range ballistic missile technically capable of flying 3,000 miles that North Korea has been threatening to launch toward the U.S. territory of Guam. But North Korea launched Tuesday's missile to the east, over Hokkaido and into the Pacific rather than on a southward path toward Guam, apparently to test its flight on a normal trajectory without crossing a "red line" of aiming at the United States.

Still, this launch, coming after North Korea last month launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles theoretically capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, underscore both Kim's defiance of the international community and his determination to press ahead with his missile program. Kim has now ordered the launch of 18 missiles this year alone, compared with the 16 missiles his father, Kim Jong Il, fired during 17 years in power.

The U.N. Security Council confirmed that it would hold an emergency meeting in New York on Tuesday to discuss the latest provocation. Missile launches and nuclear tests are banned by the U.N. Security Council, but North Korea has paid no attention to its resolutions.

Kim's government had been threatening to fire a missile to land near Guam, which is home to two huge U.S. military bases, by the middle of this month. However, Kim later said that after reviewing the plans, he would "watch the Yankees a little longer" before making a decision about whether to launch.

After the Guam threat, Trump warned North Korea that "things will happen to them like they never thought possible" should the isolated country attack the United States or its allies.

With no missile launches during the first three weeks of August, the Trump administration had suggested that its tough talk was working. At a campaign-style rally in Phoenix last week, Trump alluded to his earlier rhetoric on North Korea, telling a boisterous crowd that Kim was "starting to respect" the United States.

"I respect the fact that I believe he is starting to respect us," Trump said at the rally. "I respect that fact very much. Respect that fact."

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made a similar argument at the time, saying that he was pleased "to see that the regime in Pyongyang has certainly demonstrated some level of restraint that we've not seen in the past."

Those comments came before North Korea's firing of three short-range missiles Friday.

Asked during an appearance on "Fox News Sunday" if he still stood by his and Trump's assessments, Tillerson said, "I don't know that we're wrong. I think it's going to take some time to tell."

---

Fifield reported from Tokyo.
The University of Tampa has fired a visiting professor who appeared to suggest on social media that Hurricane Harvey is karma for Texas for voting Republican.

Kenneth L. Storey, a sociology professor, was immediately slammed on social media after he tweeted this Sunday: "I dont believe in instant Karma but this kinda feels like it for Texas. Hopefully this will help them realize the GOP doesnt care about them." Two days later, he was out of a job.

In a statement Tuesday, the university denounced Storey's comments, saying they were made on his private Twitter account and do not reflect the school's views.

"We condemn the comments and the sentiment behind them, and understand the pain this irresponsible act has caused," the university said, adding that other faculty members will take over Storey's classes. "As Floridians, we are well aware of the destruction and suffering associated with tropical weather. Our thoughts and prayers are with all impacted by Hurricane Harvey."

Storey, who also hosts a podcast, appears to have since deleted his Twitter account. Earlier, he followed up his initial tweet with two responses before deleting the entire thread, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

On Monday, he tweeted an apology, according to the Times: "I deeply regret the statement I posted yesterday. I never meant to wish ill will upon any group. I hope all affected by Harvey recover quickly."

The Washington Post called a number registered to Storey, but a man who answered said, "No, thank you," and hung up after a reporter introduced herself.

But in a statement to ABC affiliate WFTS, Storey said he did not intend to offend anyone, and his tweets were taken out of context.

He said, in part:

"I was referring to the GOP denial of climate change science and push to decrease funds from agencies that can help in a time like this. I hope all affected by the storm are safe and recover quickly. I also hope this helps the GOP realize the need to support climate change research and put in place better funding for agencies like NOAA and FEMA.

"I've been clear with that through various tweets that followed the initial tweet. It is hard to express one's full thoughts in 140 characters and I realize that taken out of context some tweets may sound extremely off-putting. I never intended it to be that."

Texas officials have confirmed that at least 16 people have died in the wake of Harvey, which has been battering the state since Friday night. Forecasters say up to 20 more inches of rain could fall on Texas and Louisiana by Thursday. Thousands have been rescued from high waters, and officials warn that many more could be forced out of their homes.

Ari Cohn, an attorney for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which advocates for free-speech rights at American colleges and universities, said the organization is investigating Storey's firing.

Cohn was not immediately available for comment, but he told the Tampa Bay Times that Storey's firing is problematic.

"Many universities seem to decide, 'Well, it's not worth the trouble of sticking up for our faculty members' rights,' and that's troubling," Cohn said. "The University of Tampa's own policies say faculty members retain their rights to speak as private citizens, which is exactly what Ken Storey seems to have done."

Social media users who commented on the university's Facebook page have called for Storey's firing. Several University of Tampa students also have joined the chorus of criticism, saying that as a professor, Storey should have known what not to say in a public forum.

"That was really ignorant of him to say," Neisha Gamble, a 20-year-old entrepreneurship major told the Tampa Bay Times. "Yes, he has free speech, but there are some things you should just keep to yourself . . . There are drownings and killings happening . . . Don't wish that upon anyone, and then send a fake apology out."

Gamble, who is from Houston, said she's still trying to reach her family there.

"I thought it was pretty messed up," junior Patrick Holt told the Times. "Twitter's the area of free speech, and you can say what you want, but there's an ethical line."
The Pentagon's response to Hurricane Harvey came into clearer focus Wednesday, with a general saying that up to 30,000 additional National Guardsmen from multiple states could join a military effort that already includes thousands of Texas guardsmen, about 1,000 active-duty troops and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The additional guardsmen have not yet been told to deploy but were alerted that they could be needed as the federal government grapples with the scale of the historic flooding in Texas, said Air Force Maj. Gen. James Witham, the National Guard Bureau's director of domestic operations. Guardsmen also have begun to station equipment and supplies in Louisiana, which is bracing for serious flooding.
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Former San Antonio mayor and U.S. housing secretary Julian Castro will join the faculty at the University of Texas at Austins LBJ School of Public Affairs next month, the university announced Monday.

Castro will start Sept. 1 at the LBJ School, where he will work as a distinguished fellow and fellow for the Davila Chair in International Trade Policy.

The first position involves teaching a series of seminars on policy development in the context of housing, according to a university release.

In the Davila Chair, the former mayor will work with graduate students and faculty to organize student programming focused on solving social, economic and political problems in Latin America. Castro will explore those issues through additional seminars, forums and other events, said Victoria Yu, a university spokeswoman. She said Castro will be able to lend his expertise as a former elected official and policymaker.

Castro said he will delve into issues important to Texas, such as the status of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and is looking forward to interacting with students who are working toward careers in public service.

Theres a lot of cynicism, skepticism, among young people about the value of public service, he said. And I hope I can do my small part, based on my own experience, to help turn that around and inspire students to be policy makers or at least get into the arena of good policy-making.

Castros tenure as San Antonio mayor lasted from 2009 until 2014, when he left office to join President Barack Obamas cabinet. He led the Department of Housing and Urban Development until January.

lcaruba@express-news.net

jbaugh@express-news.net
If a horrific storm and thousands of rescue missions were not enough to occupy city officials, Houston was scrambling Monday to keep one of its three key drinking water plants online.

Rising levels in nearby Lake Houston submerged the city's Northeast Water Purification Plant about 6 p.m. Sunday, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

"What that means is that we're trying to pump it out  so that it doesn't cause the northeast water plant to go down," Turner said. "If we can't get it out, it will have an impact in our system."

Sources with knowledge of the situation expected the plant to go offline Monday, but Turner said city crews and contractors had worked through the day to stabilize the plant, with some success.

"They tell me they think they have a solution that, once implemented, will allow the plant to continue operating for the duration of the crisis," the mayor said. "The water remains safe."

If the plant is forced to shut down, residents in north Houston may receive orders to boil their water before using it.

That is because areas close to the northeast plant may have to pull water from distant sources, dropping the pressure in the lines and making it more likely that untreated groundwater or floodwaters could force its way into the pipes.

Shortly after 2 p.m., public works sent out an alert saying that "while (the northeast plant) remains operational, we are asking people to minimize water use at this time," though officials seemed to have no knowledge of that directive at the Monday evening newss conference.

Howard Hilliard, chief administrative officer for the Department of Public Works and Engineering, had said earlier Monday that a key challenge would be pumping the flood water far enough away from the facility that it does not simply flow back in.

"The plant is underwater and they can't get to the equipment, the filters, the pumps and such, to be able to do any adjustments or any maintenance on those pieces of equipment," he said. "We are continuing to come up with potential solutions to pump that water out."

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality spokeswoman Andrea Morrow said the plant was "functioning with good pressure and effective treatment" as of Monday afternoon and that city officials were communicating frequently with the TCEQ about the facility.

"The operators have taken protective measures against flooding and are working with the state for continued safe operation of the facility," she said.

Wayne Klotz, a Houston civil engineer, said it is not guaranteed that Houstonians will need to boil their water if the plant goes down. The plant has been shuttered before, he added, when floods upstream made the Lake Houston water cloudy with sediment and difficult to treat.

"They have plenty of capacity at their other two water plants, they have water wells across the city they can operate on for a period of time," he said. "The average citizen would never know it changed. They've got so many ways to feed that system, I'd be shocked if they had pressure issues at this point."

John D. Harden contributed to this story.
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From his makeshift bedroom under the Southwest Freeway, Garrett watched his new neighbors toss and turn in their yellowed mattresses.

For hours he had dozed in and out of sleep, curled up under a tattered green blanket and paying little mind to the torrential downpours that pounded the concrete above.

He arrived in Houston a week ago, having spent $160 for a one-way Greyhound ticket from Jacksonville, Fla. He hated the weather there. Even now, as Tropical Storm Harvey continued to drench Houston, flooding homes and forcing the evacuations and rescues of thousands across the area, he doesn't miss it.

Still, to be destitute amid disaster brings all the regular hurdles of poverty, but with new challenges sprinkled in. Public transportation has been suspended. Grocery stores are shuttered. No evening strollers cough up spare change. Rain floods shanties. Shelters are overwhelmed.

Garrett, 60, kept his head high, if not dry, finding comfort in the charity of Houstonians, homeless and not.

On Sunday he scarfed down free burgers at the Fiesta Mart on San Jacinto Boulevard, his first meal in a while.

Monday morning he ate pears and stood by his move to Texas, blissfully unaware of this storm's staying power, cut off from the forecasts, doom purveyors and social media.

No water to his name, two Pop Tarts in a plastic bag, bug-bitten, happy.

Had he ever seen a storm like this? "Nuh-uh."

Is he going to be OK? "Yuh-huh."

He is not alone in his optimism.

Optimistic outlook

On Sunday morning, a man who calls himself "Jamaica" leaned against the yellow brick of the former Delia's Lounge at the intersection of Emancipation Avenue and Holman Street, yelling at speeding cars and taking drags from a fast-dwindling cigarette.

"Aint a thing we can do to change what the man upstairs has in store for us," he said.

He has a bike to move around - he calls it his "baby" - and a palm-sized radio that plays Michael Jackson or, when he cares enough to check, updates him on chaos around the city.

He's not worried, though. After 24 years bouncing around southeastern Houston, he's "seen it all."

"All I need is this radio to tell me what's happening," he said.

Besides, it was cool that day - the man upstairs was looking out for him, he believed.

His concern was directed at the homes across the street - at the tall, new residences that have in recent years rapidly encroached the northernmost reaches of the Greater Third Ward.

"I call those pinboxes because you could throw a pin through 'em," he said, his tone spiteful but worried for the newcomers to his old neighborhood.

In his mind, they are the unlucky ones.

Farther south, where boarded windows outnumber "pinboxes" and a faded sign for Donny Hathaway's 1972 Astrodome concert juts into the tree line, the bus stops have become pop-up refuges.

A young man, maybe 25, was sprawled out across one of the glass-encased benches, elevated a few critical feet above the curbside flooding and napping on a damp Yellow Pages.

He barely moved when called. He didn't need to.

"We welcome everyone spiritually, and with open arms," said Scott Arthur, of the Star of Hope homeless shelter.

Mission over capacity

By Monday, Star of Hope's men's shelter was housing nearly 400 people - 100 more than their maximum capacity - with some of its 10 staff members staying overnight to help. The facility for women and children, meanwhile, has been running at capacity since last week.

In the prelude to the storm, city homeless organizations worked around the clock to get men indoors, an "all-hands-on-deck situation" that was made easier by a years-long decline in the number of unsheltered Houstonians, Marc Eichenbaum, special assistant to the mayor for homeless initiatives, said Friday.

But not all were willing to go.

"My mom always said not to worry about what you can't control," Austin Lee Stevens said Friday. "I'm leaving it up to God. So, why should I be worrying?"

Since then, Scott said, an increasing number of first-timers have arrived at Star of Hope.

"We're seeing more than we've ever seen," he said. "A good percentage of these guys have never been in a shelter before."

That, too, has its perks. Scott said he hopes some of the men who previously have stayed away from shelters finally will use the programs offered there.

For now, though, they're focusing on the storm, as are the residents.

"Everyone keeps looking out the window," he said.

Marialuisa Rincon contributed to this story.
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AUSTIN - Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday the Gulf Coast region will face a new normal in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, assuring residents that the state and federal officials will be there to help in the long process of recovery.

President Donald Trump had just telephoned Abbott to ask him to convey his gratitude to local leaders and tell them how impressed he was with their response, Abbott told reporters in Corpus Christi after a briefing.

We will be here until we can restore this region as back-to-normal as possible.  There is going to be a new normal, said Abbott. Were all going to be in this together.

RELATED: Gov. Abbott activates entire Texas National Guard to respond to Harvey

Abbott said he and his staff also have spoken with Mexican officials who offered assistance.

They said whatever we need, Abbott said.

Asked about questions over whether Houston should have evacuated its residents, Abbott declined to second-guess local officials. Abbott had suggested that people leave the area in advance of the storm, but Houston officials urged residents to shelter in place.

Decisions about evacuation are something that are behind us, he said.

Abbott deemed the federal response so far to be an A-plus, and he joined in praising the local response, calling coastal leaders efforts courageous and heroic.

READ MORE: 50 images that show Harvey's destructive trek into Texas

He said that Texas had been in contact with the federal government on a daily basis before the hurricane hit, and that he had spoken with the president on multiple occasions.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn also promised a unified approach to helping Texans devastated by the storm, saying that the federal, state and local officials would be lashed together in disaster response.

Were pulling together as one family, as Texans, Cornyn said. This is going to be a long haul.

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac
Juan Flores, general manager of Houstons Hotel Sorella, got less than four hours of sleep Sunday night after tending to the hotel with a skeleton staff all weekend. He hasnt seen his family for days.

Still, he considers himself lucky.

The hotel, on Houstons west side, made it through Hurricane Harvey relatively intact  just some damage to its roof and lots of leaks, Flores said. The surrounding neighborhood is a different story, with abandoned cars on the freeway and more than 8 feet of flooding in some areas.

With almost 450 evacuees renting rooms at deep discounts, Hotel Sorella is almost full, Flores said. But it could take weeks for business to return to normal, depending on how quickly the airport reopens and the city cleans up the storms mess, he said.

The storm is costing us financially, but what Im concerned for is the safety of our staff and guests at this point, he said. Financially, well rebound.

Not all hotels in Harveys path are in such good shape, but many of them are already recovering, said Scott Joslove, president and CEO of the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association. Most hotels in the Houston area seem to be open, and all major Texas cities still have rooms available, he said. Some Corpus Christi hotels were without water and electricity for a while, but most of them are up and running again.

I think its too early to say what the long-term damage will be, Joslove said. Houston is an incredibly resilient city, and theyll take care of their own.

Some Houston hotels have shut their doors, though, including the boutique La Colombe dOr Hotel in the Montrose neighborhood. The hotel closed Saturday and wont open until Wednesday  not because it has incurred any damage, but because guests cant get there due to flooded roads, employee Francisco De Leon said.

The Omni Houston hotel on the citys west side has been evacuated after flooding, according to Twitter posts by Omni and others. Other Twitter users complained about their hotels closing, raising their rates or refusing to sell food to nonguests.

Velia Gonzalez was headed home to San Antonio from a trip to Mexico City on Friday when her connecting flight at Houstons George Bush Intercontinental Airport was canceled, stranding her and her husband in Houston. The two sought refuge at the Four Points Sheraton, right off the Sam Houston Tollway and about 20 minutes from the airport.

They still havent been able to get out of Houston; the airport is closed until Thursday. And supplies at their hotel are running low, she said.

Theres a skeleton crew working at the hotel, according to Gonzalez, 46.

Travis Jackson, the hotels front office manager, said there are a total of six people working at the hotel, including the hotels owner and his wife. Jackson said he and a guest who offered to help are doing the cooking. And one of the employees helped fix leaks in the roof, Gonzalez said. Another worker, stranded at the hotel with her two children, is helping in the dining room.

People are working around the clock, Gonzalez said.

Ive seen peoples hearts come out and help out, Gonzalez said.

For his part, Jackson acknowledged the hotel is staffed around the clock and that theyre working a lot more hours than we typically would work but said staffers are taking breaks and getting some sleep.

Although the hotel is still relatively dry, flooding is a constant worry. Police boats are patrolling where cars used to drive along the tollway, across from the hotel, she said. It looks like a river, Gonzalez added.

Its pretty scary, she said. Its starting to feel like Third World.

Houston and San Antonio, where the ground is already dry and skies have cleared, are like night and day. San Antonio hotel managers say occupancy rates are unusually low this week and will likely remain so on Labor Day weekend, when residents of Houston and other Texas cities often visit the Alamo and take a stroll on the River Walk.

Executives at the Pearls Hotel Emma expected to be sold out this weekend, but the hotel is shaping up to be about 80 percent full, general manager Bill Petrella said.

The Texas Hotel & Lodging Association has been working 24 hours a day to help hotels cope with the storm, Joslove said. It is advising hotel managers to waive fees for pets or cancellations, and it is helping them comply with state laws against price gouging, encouraging them to lower their rates or keep them at normal levels.

There have been very few instances of hotels raising prices excessively during the storm, and in those cases the association has asked them to bring them back down, he said. On Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott suspended state and local hotel occupancy taxes to reduce the cost of hotel rooms.

If the guest is traveling and the price is too high, that could be the difference of food and water for the guest, Joslove said. So whatever we can do as an industry, we are doing.

The hotel and lodging association also has been working with the federal government to get power generators to hotels without electricity so they can host evacuees and rescue workers, Joslove said. But hotels arent a first priority for generators, ranking behind hospitals and nursing homes.

Houstons Hotel Sorella is functioning well, even though it has only about 25 staff members rather than the typical 75, Flores said. The hotel planned ahead, so there is plenty of food and other supplies.

Staff is also limited at Houstons Morty Rich Hostel, where many employees havent been able to get to work, employee Scott Lever said. He started work at 8 a.m. Monday and expected to be there until midnight.

Less than half the hostels 55 beds were occupied Monday, whereas about 40 normally would be, Lever said. Many guests were stuck in Houston because their flights were canceled, but they remained in good spirits, playing games and enjoying each others company around the kitchen table, he said.

Staff Writer Peggy OHare contributed to this report.

rwebner@express-news.net

@rwebner
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KATY  As the flotilla of volunteers in boats, kayaks, inner tubes and jet skis helped flood victims reach dry ground Tuesday, Joe Ochoa met one who just wanted to stay.

She said Go, leave me alone, Ochoa said. We had to talk her out of it.

Ochoa was one of several volunteers from San Antonio who unloaded their boats to ply the inundated streets in Katy, where the Army Corps of Engineers conducted a controlled release Tuesday of floodwaters from two overwhelmed flood-control reservoirs.

Tropical Storm Harveys epic rainfall, which has reached 50 inches in parts of Houston and paralyzed the countrys fourth-largest city, has sent thousands of residents into shelters and drawn volunteers from around the region to help rescue victims.

Now Playing: Lots of boats launching around Cypress. They're evacuating dogs from a kennel but the currents are very strong. Video: JW Player

So far, around 4,000 people have been rescued, Brock Long, the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, told the Houston Chronicle. Up to 30,000 people may need shelter and around 450,000 may be eligible for federal assistance.

Ochoa, a volunteer firefighter from St. Hedwig who drove from San Antonio Monday with a crew and a boat, said the woman he encountered was on the second floor or an apartment complex. She said she had a terminal illness and told him she just wanted to die.

Ochoa went from building to building in the three-story apartment complex in Kelliwood, a Katy neighborhood in the watershed of the Barker Reservoir. The releases from Barker and the nearby Addicks Reservoir, where water topped its spillway for the first time ever, aim to prevent a catastrophic breach. The releases also sent torrents of more floodwaters into the streets.

During the rescues, Ochoa carried one woman with a broken hip over his shoulder to a 10-foot johnboat piloted by T.J. Walsh, a paralegal from San Antonio.

Walsh then ferried survivors to an impromptu boat launch at Garland McMeans Junior High School, the gathering point for rescuers and their watercraft. The boats dodged debris and floating fire ant colonies, and there were rumors of crocodiles in the water. At one point, a National Guard truck tipped over in the muck.

Those rescued by boat had a common refrain: Everything looked good at first.

Until today it was fine, Richard Ward said. Then we lost power this morning.

Ward struggled as two volunteers lifted him out from a boat. A cancer survivor, he had been trapped in his home as floodwaters rose Tuesday. He often paused to rest as he walked from the boat to the truck bringing him to high ground.

Two local volunteers, Anthony Gibson and Bob Herrin, held his hand and kept him upright until Ward got to safety.

Jenny Woollen of Katy rode out the storm with her three dogs, Sasha, Lulu and Moose, each of whom were anxious as they sensed the storm. Woollen said she felt safe in her home until early Tuesday morning.

We watched the water, Woollen said. It kept coming up. Eventually we decided we needed to leave.

On Sunday, Katy Mayor Chuck Brawner had advised residents via Facebook to stay in their homes.

Robby Vosburg, a San Antonio firefighter who decided to come to Houston on Monday morning, said he met many who refused to leave their homes. One family told him that even though the water had risen a foot into their house, that it was just water.

They thought it was no big deal, Vosburg said.

Some families, due to a lack of space on boats, split up and had to wait to reunite with their loved ones. Some of the separations were more painful than others.

Diana Woo of Katy spent her last moments in her home looking for her five cats. Knowing a boat waited for her outside, she left one cat behind. I think shell be ok, an emotional Woo said as one of her neighbors patted her back.

Many of these volunteers were local residents who wanted to help their neighbors. This included Gibson, the volunteer who helped Ward walk three blocks to a waiting vehicle.

We just are grateful to be out of the house and helping out, Gibson said.

By late afternoon Tuesday, there were more volunteers and first responders than evacuees near McMeans Junior High. So many volunteers had brought boats that the Harris County Sheriffs Office, which had requested them on Twitter on Sunday, went back onto the social media site to say they no longer needed boats.

The influx of volunteers cheered Vosburg. The storm had brought together both a makeshift army and navy of do-gooders.

We always help each other out, Vosburg said. I feel we do really good with taking care of one of our own.

jlawrence@express-news.net
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The following is a running chronicle of President Donald Trump's visit to Hurricane Harvey's flood-ravaged Texas. It's an edited compilation of the press pool reports filed by journalists accompanying him on his trip. It is being updated as new dispatches arrive:

Back to Washington -

At 3:59 pm the motorcade headed back to the airport, past the same protest and onto the emptied freeway.

The motorcade arrived back at Austin Bergstrom International Airport at 4:32. By 4:38, Air Force One was rolling back to Andrews Air Force base outside Washington, D.C., wrapping up the president's first - but apparently not his last - trip to the storm-ravaged Gulf.

Texas Department of Public Safety Emergency Operations Center in Austin -

After a long and largely uneventful motorcade from the airport the motorcade pulled to a stop at the Texas Department of Public Safety at around 3:10 local time.

Outside the venue was a sizable anti-Trump demonstration, with signs saying "Nyet" and "Impeach little hands"

Reporters were led down several flights of stairs into the belly of the departments large op center, which featured multiple LCD screens showing maps, aerial footage from the flood zone and meteorological projections.

Dozens and dozens of disaster responders were sat at row after row of terminals. Large red, yellow and green triangle shaped signs above their heads indicated their agency or unit: logistics, finance, intake, operations, military, emergency services etc.

Trump -- still wearing the cap and raincoat -- entered the room a few moments later to polite applause.

He praised their tremendous love and coordination.

"I will tell you, the whole county and the whole world is really seeing and gaining such respect for everybody. The job you have done is incredible, what we have done is under circumstances, I said before, the word 'epic' and 'historic', these are words used to describe this monster known as Harvey, but the job you have done is special."

"I said, 'let's fly over let's see these great people', at the "nerve center".

"The world is watching and the world is very impressed with what you are doing."

"I just want to thank you on behalf of myself, of the First Lady."

"It's going to be long term, it's not going to be a quick one," he added.

He shook hands with a few people in the room as he made his way to the exit.

From there reporters were led into a smaller meeting room where Governor Abbott, cabinet members, the two US lawmakers and the president were already talking around a conference table.

Abbott made a few remarks, saying that during the AF1 flight from Corpus Christi they watched "videos" of what was going on in Houston.

"The president was heartbroken about what he saw" Abbott said.

Trump again went round the room saying thanks, saying the coordination has been great: "everybody is talking about it."

"The sad thing is that this is long term, nobody has ever seen anything this long and nobody has ever seen this much water."

Turning to lawmakers, Trump said "we are going to be working with Congress on helping out the state of Texas, it's going to be a costly proposition."

Mentioning Cruz, Cornyn and a handful on Congressmen, Trump said "we'll be working with these characters over there and think we'll come through with a really, you know the right solution."

"Probably there has never been anything so expensive in our country's history, we've never done anything so historic in terms of damage and in terms of ferocity as what we've witnessed with Harvey. It sounds like such an innocent name, Ben (Carson), right, but it's not innocent."

Arrival in Austin --

At 2:19 pm -- after a dogleg route that took Air Force One north west out of Corpus Christi then due east -- Trump touched down in Austin's Bergstrom international airport.

A few minutes after the plane came to a halt, the President and First Lady descended the stairs. He gave a quick salute before waving to the cameras and climbing into the motorcade.

At 2:35 pm he was rolling for the Texas Department of Public Safety's op center.

Trump departs Corpus Christi -

The motorcade ride back along I-37 to Corpus Christi International Airport was largely uneventful, retracing the same route by which Trump arrived.

On the way he passed a vast petrochemical facility, a reminder of the Gulf Coast's economic importance.

There was also a very large and, given the circumstances, perhaps unfortunately titled billboard featuring a popular beverage and emblazoned with the Spanish text "sigue subiendo" - keep rising.

At 13:11 the motorcade arrived to the foot of Air Force One. Trump and the first lady had already hopped out before the press pool unloaded.

Governor Abbott was seen entering by the front of the plane, Senators Cruz and Cornyn by the rear.

At 1:19 p.m. they are rolling. Next stop Austin.

Trump rallies crowd in Annaville (Corpus Christi) -

Impromptu, Trump came out of the Annaville Fire House and between two fire trucks. He got up on a ladder, his head and torso popping above a secret service SUV positioned between him and the sizable crowd about 100 feet away.

Using a mic and amp, his voice just about carried above the wind and cheers.

"Thank you" he said to applause, "we love you, you are special, we are here to take care of you," he said. "It's going well."

"What a crowd, what a turn out" he said to the throng of hundreds.

He thanked gov and the two US senators for Texas. "This has been a total cooperative effort"

"It's historic, its epic, but I tell tel you it happened in Texas and Texas can handle anything."

He then held up the Texan flag to loud cheers.

Most of the crowd were supporters, but not all.

One banner read "Liar, cheat, racist" another read "Latinas against Trump" and another "You pardoned Joe, what about Jose?"

At 12:54 the motorcade is rolling back to the airport.

Trump at Fire Station 5 Annaville-

Trump, with the first lady to his left, took the floor saying thanks, adding it was his "honor" to be there.

He then described Texas as a "very special place and a special state."

He turned to Senators Cruz and Cornyn, who were present and also to his left.

"Thank you very much. Senator Cornyn, we appreciate it. It's very hard to get here. You were trapped in various locations but we appreciate you both being here."

He praised many people around the table, particularly FEMA administrator Long, who he noted "really has become very famous on television in the last couple of days."

Trump noted he didn't want to congratulate anyone yet, but expressed hope that the response to Harvey would be seen as a textbook case.

"We want to do it better than ever before. We want to be looked at in five years, in ten years from now as, this is the way to do it. This was of epic proportion. Nobody's ever seen anything like this and i just want to say that working with the governor and his entire team has been an honor for us.

FEMA director Brock Long made brief remarks, talking about what was going on in Houston, noting the situation at the convention center, stopping in his thread to say "this is not the superdome" a reference to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Later, Trump was greeted outside by hundreds of fans, who lined the road with signs and chanting "TEXAS STRONG!" and "WE LOVE TRUMP!" Lots of Trump 2016 signs are lining the roads.

On the road in Corpus Christi-

The motorcade hurtled along a cleared Interstate 37 from the airport, passing broken trees, knocked down signs and fences askew.

Large tuffs of glass and small trees appeared to still be tilting away from the wind.

We arrived to Annaville fire house at 11:53.

In front of the fire house there were a couple of hundred onlookers, some with Trump-Pence campaign signs.

Already in the room are Senators Cruz and Cornyn and a dozen other officials.

A fire truck -- compartments opened to show internal plumbing and assorted fire axes and bolt cutters -- and a rescue fast boat form the backdrop.

Corpus Christi arrival-

At 11:17 local time Air Force One touched down at a rather sunny Corpus Christi International Airport, Texas.

Our roughly three-and-half hour flight took us over Roanoke, Memphis and Dallas.

As we approached the Gulf of Mexico, looking west -- away from the storm -- the weather appeared clear with only scattered clouds. But to the east, in the far distance, hung an ominous bank of argent grey.

On the ground in Corpus Christi the tarmac looked dry, the earth slightly sodden from previous days of rain.

En route, WH spokeswman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters the president's schedule was still in flux because of the continued poor weather in Texas.

"Due to the weather and all of the circumstances it's a little bit more fluid today than a normal travel day," she said.

"The president wants to be very cautious about making sure that any activity doesn't disrupt any of the recovery efforts that are still ongoing, which is the reason for the locations we are going here today."

She confirmed the intention is to go back on Saturday, this time "to a different part of the state."

Air Force One pulled to a halt at a quite steamy Corpus Christi, between two military C17s already parked on the tarmac.

The president came out of the belly of the plane, using the AF1's own steps (a la Obama in Hangzhou) rather than the usual staircase.

Trump was wearing a white USA baseball cap and the same clothes he boarded in, while Melania was wearing a black baseball cap that read "FLOTUS", a white shirt, black pants and white tennis shoes.

They were followed by Secretaries Price and Carson and chief of staff Kelly.

After a brief exchange with greeters, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Trump loaded into the SUV. At 11:35 the motorcade is rolling.

Andrews Air Force Base -

Despite the rain, there was no bad weather call and Trump arrived from the White House by air at around 8:51 am. (eastern)

After Marine One rolled to a stop on the apron, a marine in dress uniform opened the forward door.

Out stepped the President and First Lady. He was wearing kakis, a white shirt and rain jacket. She was wearing black capris, heels, and an army green jacket. They were handed umbrellas and made their way up the steps.

Schiller and Kelly were among the staff who followed.

Before that, spotted inside the terminal building, was Marc Short, the White House Director of Legislative Affairs.

At 9:00 (eastern) Air Force One is moving. Next stop Corpus Christi, Texas.

White House departure

President Trump and the First Lady departed the White House residence about 8:35 am (eastern) to head to Texas. POTUS, wearing a black rain coat and holding a white ball cap, stopped to take a question from the pool.

Q: What are you going to do about North Korea?

A: "We'll see, we'll see," Trump said.

He gave a thumbs up to the cameras.

Melania Trump was wearing black stilettos, sunglasses, black capri pants and a khaki color bomber-style coat.

They walked side by side to Marine One. She stepped up first, followed by the president. They didn't use an umbrella.

It's a rainy, gloomy and unseasonably cold morning for DC.

They were followed by John Kelly, Keith Schiller and Lindsay Reynolds, from the first lady's office.

Marine One lifted off the South Lawn at 8:39 am (eastern).
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Heading back to Houston's flooded areas didn't worry Brent Mire.

The Port Neches man, who was part of a contingent of Mid-County boat captains who left on Monday to aid in Houston water rescue efforts, got in and out of high-water areas along Interstate 45 on Sunday. Based on what he saw, he was eager to go back and help.

"It's what's everybody's seeing on TV, but it's worse when you're there in person," Mire said. "After assessing my own house, and seeing what good of shape I was in, I felt if I could go back, then I should go back. What's hindering things over there right now is a lack of organization, some people aren't necessarily on the same page. But I'm good to go."

Mire was part of a group led by Jared Trimble, who felt compelled to "do anything but sit back and watch" while much of Houston sat submerged from Harvey's rainfall.

"We're always helping people down here," said Trimble, who owns two businesses in Groves, including a towing company. "But it's Houston that's crying for help. Families and kids are sitting in their attic and sitting on top of roofs. We're high and dry here and everybody in Southeast Texas that has an aluminum boat is itching to get over there and help."

Trimble tried to lead a group of boats to Galveston on Sunday evening, but emergency management official there said they had enough help on the way. After contacting the City of Houston's Emergency Operations Center later in the evening, he was told to wait until Monday morning for officials to assess their needs after overnight rainfall.

About 10 a.m. Monday, he was cleared to deploy to Northwest Houston and posted a message on Facebook.

"It's funny, I didn't make a lot of phone calls," Trimble said. "When you put in all capitals, 'PLEASE SHARE,' that's like an automatic thing for everybody to do. People always say, 'Call me if you need anything,' and you can only think of one or two people and end up forgetting about 20 or 30 others. Social media really lets us open that horizon, reaching everybody out there."

As boaters began to congregate in a parking lot off FM 365, Jamie Mendoza of Nederland drove up with a car full of adult and children's life jackets.

"That'll work," Trimble said, accepting them from Mendoza. "You never know who can swim and who can't. These will be the difference in a parent riding in a boat or walking along with their kids inside."

Mendoza replied to Trimble's post as they prepared to leave and offered the life jackets and wading pants.

"They already had waders," Mendoza said. "This is just what I could do to help them."

By mid-Monday, officials reported Houston's 911 system had received and processed 75,000 calls since Harvey swamped many parts of the city.

That included nearly 20,000 calls since 10 p.m. Sunday.

Houston Emergency Center administration manager Joe Laud said 911 operators have been able to reduce the backlog of calls in their queues from between 120 and 250 to between 10 and 15.

He says that on average, the system receives 8,000 to 9,000 calls a day.

As Trimble and his crew prepared to leave Mid-County, he was fielding phone calls from others who planned to join them. Mire told him he would be stopping near Winnie to pick up another boat captain.

A former Groves firefighter who experienced hurricanes Rita and Ike, Trimble said he expects to see high water, with people in dire need of relocating to higher ground.

"Those guys in the military and police helping over there are already seeing it - people begging for help, with a look in their face that you can't help but to grab every kid and wife and husband and try to reassure them that everything is going to be OK," Trimble said. "Getting them to dry ground is what we're trying to do."

This article includes information from the Associated Press.

MTobias@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwiter.com/MikeTobiasPhoto
Harvey once again has underscored there are consequences for our public policy priorities.

While we might forgive our elected officials for not anticipating a storm of Harvey's epic proportions, it should surprise absolutely no one that Houston has suffered widespread flooding that has claimed lives yet again. Even a much smaller storm would have generated similar pictures of residents being plucked from the rooftops and wading through swamped streets because we continue to fail to prioritize flood projects.

A perfect example is Project Brays, a $550-million project designed to lower the Brays Bayou floodplain by 1 percent. Hardly an earth-shaking improvement, and by public works standards, not particularly costly. Believe or not, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers made the original finding of the need for the project in 1988. It was supposed to be completed by 2014, some 26 years later. But we could not even maintain that snail's pace. Supposedly the project will now be completed in 2021.

So why has Project Brays taken so long and why is it not finished? The answer can be summarized in one word: money. Or perhaps more accurately, it has languished because of inadequate and inconsistent funding. The City of Houston attempted to jump start the completion with an innovative loan from the Texas Water Resource Board earlier this year, but its application stalled in Austin. Part of the problem is that our state leaders dismiss infrastructure in favor of inconsequential wedge issues. Of course, the city is not without blame. It could have been come up with most of the needed money by devoting less than half of the drainage fee the it collects in ONE year. That, of course, would interfere with raiding that fund to balance its budget.

There is no silver bullet to mitigate flooding in a region built on a flat coastal plain. That said, had Project Brays been finished in 2014, many homes along that bayou would have been spared in the 2015 Memorial Day floods and in this storm. But not nearly all.

If we are ever to get a handle on flooding in Houston it is going to take a long-term commitment to a multi-faceted strategy. We will need more projects like Project Brays. We will need new, no tolerance development rules prohibit new building from making the situation worse while requiring some positive improvement. But most important, we need to build every cubic meter of runoff detention possible. These types of improvements will be expensive and they must be relentless pursued for decades to make a real difference.

The problem with keeping up this kind of discipline and focus on flood projects is that floods by their nature are episodic. We trudge through the waters. We dry out. We rebuild. And somehow the horror fades and we move on to other issues.

Perhaps Harvey will be the event that finally steels our resolve. It certainly feels like a tipping point. And one has to wonder how many corporations are going to think twice about relocating here after weeks of nonstop coverage of Harvey's wrath.

The real tragedy will be that if we don't act, there will be another and another and another generation of Houstonians rescued from their homes on some distant, rain-soaked night. I say - this one is enough.

Bill King is a Houston attorney who frequently writes about public policy.
Lets begin this conversation on climate change with the obligatory disclaimer: Climate change did not cause Hurricane Harvey.

Fierce hurricanes are expected in the Gulf of Mexico this time of year. Texans are well acquainted with hurricanes in August.

Climate scientists have long been clear that we should separate weather events from the broader trend of climate change. Long before humans started pumping heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, there were droughts, hurricanes, flooding, heat waves and blizzards.

That said, making the distinction between weather and climate change doesnt mean there isnt a connection between the two.

Climate change amplified the danger of Harvey. On this point, many climate scientists have been clear.

Texas officials  notably, Gov. Greg Abbott, Rep. Lamar Smith, Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn  need to accept the science and follow it with appropriate policy. Ignoring the science, perpetuating false doubt, is to court future disasters.

So how did climate change likely affect Harvey? Scientists point to three potential ways.

The first is higher sea levels. Climate change has raised sea levels in the Gulf of Mexico by about six inches in recent decades, scientists have measured. If the sea level is higher, the storm surge is higher.

The second is warm water. Warm air leads to warm water, and the Gulf of Mexico has been unusually warm this year. Warmer weather means more evaporation, which means more moisture in the atmosphere. Scientists have said Harvey fed off this warm water, which is why it so rapidly evolved from a tropical storm to a massive hurricane.

This is the main fuel for the storm, Kevin Trenberth, a senior scientist at the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research, told The Atlantic. Although these storms occur naturally, the storm is apt to be more intense, maybe a bit bigger, longer-lasting, and with much heavier rainfalls (because of that ocean heat).

The third way climate change likely influenced Harvey  and this is more tenuous than the first two points is how the storm stalled over the Houston region, dumping catastrophic amounts of rain. Acclaimed climate scientist Michael E. Mann, at Pennsylvania State University, has said the storm fell into a jet-stream pattern that fits climate change models. This can create stationary weather that stays in place for days at a time, he wrote on Facebook.

Put another way, if the models are accurate, expect more storms to stall over given areas.

Thanks to other studies, we know that even if human-caused greenhouse gas emissions suddenly came to a screeching halt, global temperatures would continue to rise 0.5 degrees Fahrenheit. We also know Texas coasts are vulnerable to consistent flooding as sea levels continue to rise, according to a recent Union of Concerned Scientists report.

The upshot is future generations will be living with the consequences of climate change and our collective inaction. That events like Harvey will be more common or made more powerful. This future will require adaptation  just as Houston will need to be rebuilt with better drainage and stronger storm barriers  but there is yet time for mitigation.

Thats where leadership matters. Gov. Abbott can be lauded for offering a calming and unifying voice during the still unfolding Hurricane Harvey tragedy. But mitigating how climate change amplifies extreme weather requires another more proactive kind of leadership. It requires leaders who accept the overwhelming science on climate change, realize the exposure for Texas, craft state policies and support federal actions to lessen the dangers.

For those who have doubted climate change or found it easier to ignore it, mitigation starts with accepting the science. But it also requires action.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump landed in Corpus Christi later this morning and will later head to Austin amid flooding in Houston and recovery on the Gulf Coast.

The Trumps arrived in Corpus Christi at about 11:25 a.m. Trump will receive a briefing on relief efforts in the area before leaving for Austin at 1:30 p.m.
By Long Island News & PR Published: August 29 2017

Family Has Resided in Bellport Community Since 1865.

Bellport, NY - August 29, 2017 - Sarah Smith was born in 1865 into one of the first black-native American families in Sarah Smith was born in 1865 into one of the first black-native American families in Bellport, NY . She married Charles Travalee and they had eight children together. One of them was Elga Travalee, who married Samuel Wells and had eleven children who all grew up in Bellport; Stanley, Dennis, Dorson, Loretta, Alberta, Shirley, Thomas, Charles, Bernard, Douglas and Joseph. Legislator Kate Browning (WF- Shirley ) and her Chief of Staff Josh Slaughter, attended the Wells-Cruz family reunion on Saturday, August 26, 2017, and presented a proclamation to the family recognizing their rich history and contributions to the Bellport community.

Shirley Wells Cruz has lived in Bellport for 85 years. She was an active resident and a dedicated nurse working at the Suffolk County Infirmary in Yaphank for over 30 years. Shirley raised two children; Rita and Charles, and she is the matriarch of the entire family including several generations with many grandchildren, great- grandchildren and great-great- grandchildren. The family is still active and very dedicated to the Bellport community.
Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 29 2017

A.G. Obtains Settlement With The High Life, Files Motion For Contempt And Secures Restraining Order Against Trip On The Wild Side II For Illegally Selling Designer Drugs.

New York, NY - August 29, 2017 - New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced a crackdown on the sale of designer drugs in the Watertown area, including a settlement with well-known headshop The High Life that requires it to permanently cease all sales of the drugs and pay a hefty fine, as well as a motion for civil and criminal contempt and a restraining order against headshop Trip on the Wild Side II.

"Designer drugs are dangerous and deadly  driving a public health crisis here in New York and across the country," said Attorney General Schneiderman. "My office will do what it takes to clean the shelves of these mislabeled and misbranded poisons. Designer drugs are only one aspect of the drug crisis confronting New York, and we'll continue to pursue a multi-pronged strategy to crack down on traffickers and fight the scourge of addiction."

These so-called "designer drugs" have psychoactive effects similar to those of more commonly known street drugs, but they are typically packaged with innocuous labels and graphics to give the misleading impression that they are harmless. Designer drugs have contributed to a growing public health crisis in New York State and across the nation. In Jefferson County, calls to poison control for synthetic drugs are up 250 percent since 2011, according to a 2016 report issued by the New York State Senate.

The Attorney General's settlement with The High Life, which is operated by Robert A. Flemming Enterprises, Inc., and Robert A. Flemming, requires the store to permanently cease the sales of designer drugs, remove all drugs from its shelves and pay a substantial fine. After Attorney General Schneiderman served The High Life with a notice of intention to commence litigation earlier this month, The High Life agreed to immediately discontinue advertising designer drugs, and entered into a binding agreement to comply with all applicable state, local and federal labeling requirements with respect to the sale, distribution and promotion of its products. As part of the settlement, The High Life also agreed to pay penalties of $35,000 to the state of New York.

The settlement follows an investigation commenced late last year, in which an Attorney General investigator made multiple drug purchases from The High Life. As alleged in the Attorney General's assurance of discontinuance, The High Life sold designer drugs directly to consumers, including multiple formats of kratom, salvia divinorum, a Soviet-era prescription drug called Limitless, nitrous oxide (whip its), and other drug products.

Simultaneous with The High Life action, the Attorney General brought Kenneth Wayne Hamm d/b/a Trip on the Wild Side II, back to court on a motion for criminal and civil contempt, alleging that the store is selling designer drugs in violation of a 2012 consent order and judgment, wherein Trip paid the state $27,000 in costs and penalties. On Friday, August 25, 2017, Attorney General Schneiderman secured a temporary restraining order against the store, prohibiting the sale of misbranded drugs while the Attorney General seeks jail time and monetary penalties.

Attorney General Schneiderman's lawsuit and TRO follows an investigation in which his office found that Trip on the Wild Side II was selling multiple formats of concentrated cannabinol (CBD), including Heady Harvest CBD gummy bears, Hemp Bomb pills, CBD crumbles, CBD cartridges for vaping, CBD Cherry Syrup, and Blissful Remedies kratom pills.

These types of designer drugs can pose serious health hazards, including addiction disorders, hallucinations, seizures, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), extreme paranoia, panic, vomiting, suicidal and homicidal thoughts, and even death. Yet despite serious health concerns, the product warning labels consistently failed to identify potential dangers and other basic information.

The crackdown announced today marks the most recent win in a host of designer drug cases brought by the Attorney Generals Office to fight designer drug sales across the state. The initiative, which began in 2012, successfully removed street drug alternatives and designer drugs from the shelves of numerous head shops across New York. The Attorney Generals office has filed dozens of lawsuits against head shops that sold designer drugs, which resulted in judges across the state issuing permanent injunctions barring 24 stores from selling these products. The rulings came after the office showed the products were illegal because their contents were not properly labeled, thus violating state and federal laws.
Local News, Community, Charity & Cause

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 29 2017

Works with City of Long Beach to Collect Items to Help Texas Families.

Huntington, NY - August 29, 2017 - Congressman Tom Suozzi, today announced that he will provide donation boxes in his two district offices as well as his political office so that his constituents can drop off items that will be sent to Texas to help the thousands of families that have been devastated by Hurricane Harvey.

South and Southeast Texas has been dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey after it made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Friday night in Rockport, Texas. Houston, the fourth-largest city in the US, and surrounding areas have faced catastrophic flooding, causing thousands of families to be displaced. On Monday night Harvey moved back into the Gulf of Mexico where it's gaining strength and is expected to make landfall again in the Houston area in the coming days.

Suozzi also announced that he will support any efforts by the federal government to provide federal aid to the people of Texas.

"New Yorkers know firsthand the devastation a natural disaster can bring. Our neighbors in Texas are dealing with aftermath and destruction of Hurricane Harvey and we will be there for them," said Suozzi. "This is what America and public service is all about. I will support the federal government doing whatever is needed to help our friends in Texas."

The City of Long Beach , which suffered similar devastation after Superstorm Sandy in 2012, has established a donation center for the next two weeks to collect items. Long Beach Councilman Scott J. Mandel launched the effort and the Long Beach Auxiliary Police Department & City of Long Beach Fire Department will be accepting donations for the victims of Hurricane Harvey.

"Here in Long Beach we know the devastation a storm can bring, and we know how critical it was for so many agencies and kind people from across the country to come to our aid and that's why we are again paying it forward," said Jack Schnirman, Long Beach City Manager.

Residents of the Third Congressional District can drop off items at Suozzi's Huntington and Queens offices and they will be delivered to Long Beach to be included in the packages that will be sent to Texas.

Huntington District Office

478A Park Ave

Queens District Office

250-02 Northern Blvd

Little Neck, NY

(Open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday)

Items in need of donation consist of:

Cleaning Supplies

Personal Hygiene Products

First Aid Supplies

Gift Cards (We will NOT accept Cash/Check)

Non-Perishable Food

Baby Products

Other: Flashlights / Batteries / Blankets / Toilet Paper, etc.
Local News, Crime, Health & Wellness, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 29 2017

$4.5 Million Request for Applications for the Development of New Open Access Centers Across New York.

Albany, NY - August 29, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced two new actions to expand addiction treatment and recovery services for people across New York. A Request for Applications makes up to $4.5 million in funding available to develop nine Open Access Centers across the state and a Request for Information has been released that seeks input on the development of two pilot recovery high schools. These actions were announced at the grand opening of a new $8.4 million outpatient addiction treatment center in Rochester, and are key elements of the Governor's State of the State address and 2018 FY State Budget.

"With these latest efforts and the opening of a new outpatient center in Rochester, New York continues to break down barriers for residents in need of treatment and recovery services," Governor Cuomo said. "We will continue the fight to break this vicious cycle of addiction and make critical funding available in order to support a stronger, healthier New York for all."

"As co-chair of the NYS Heroin and Opioid Task Force, I have heard from families all across New York who have felt the impact of this deadly addiction," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "This administration is taking aggressive actions to combat addiction, provide resources, and support the vital recovery of our families and communities. Open access centers will secure the supportive environments that our communities need and provide families with a place to turn in times of crisis."

Request for Applications: 24-7 Open Access Centers

The $4.5 million RFA seeks proposals for establishing Open Access Centers throughout New York State. The centers will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to deliver immediate engagement, assessment and referral services to people suffering from substance use disorders.

Creating at least one Open Access Center in each region of the state was one component of a plan the Governor put forward in his State of the State and budget message in January.

The RFA is open to local governments and non-profit organizations. Responses are due October 31 and the RFA can be viewed online here

Funding through the RFA will be awarded to develop Open Access Centers in nine of the state's 10 regions, with the exception of Central New York. There, Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare was selected to develop a 24-7 Open Access Center, through a locally issued, state-funded procurement.

Request for Information: Recovery High Schools

The RFI seeks input on the development and implementation of two pilot recovery high schools. A recovery high school offers an alternative, multi-service high school program in a safe, sober, and supportive environment, for students who are in grades nine through 12 and dealing with a substance use disorder. Treatment and recovery services and support are incorporated into the normal school environment as part of the educational programming, and also play a role in staffing.

The RFI seeks information from Boards of Cooperative Education Services and nonprofits partnering with one or more BOCES, that are interested in implementing recovery high schools in New York State. Responses are due October 31 and the RFI can be viewed online here

Restart Outpatient Clinic in Rochester

Restart Outpatient Clinic's new facility in Rochester's Central Business District also celebrated its grand opening today with a ribbon cutting by OASAS Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez and local officials. The facility is adjacent to the Regional Transit System Transit Center bus depot, at 79 North Clinton Avenue. It is operated by Catholic Family Center and offers an array of substance use disorder and mental health services, in both English and Spanish.

Restart, which has been operating in Rochester since 1977, moved to the North Clinton Avenue site from another location in the city. OASAS supported renovating the North Clinton building, with a capital grant of up to $8.4 million.

OASAS Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez said, "Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York State has been a consistent innovator, supporting a full continuum of addiction services, including prevention, treatment and recovery, for people of all ages. Recovery high schools and Open Access Centers are truly forward-thinking and offer an incredible opportunity to make a significant impact on the addiction epidemic sweeping our state."

Senator George Amedore, Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, said, "Open Access Centers are an integral component as we continue our efforts to increase access to support services for those who are battling addiction. I commend all of our state and local leaders for continuing to make the battle against addiction a top priority as New York continues to strengthen services for communities in need in every corner of the state."

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, said, "As the sponsor of legislation to establish recovery high schools in New York, I am pleased that the Governor is taking this important step to help support our courageous young women and men who are serious about proceeding with their education while battling substance use disorder. Coupled with critical funding for open access centers, these actions will help provide vital supports to those struggling with addiction statewide. I applaud the Governor, and look forward to working with the Administration to further increase resources to help combat opioid and heroin abuse statewide."

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state's toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the new and improved NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the Access Treatment page on the NYS OASAS website . Visit the #CombatAddiction website at oasas.ny.gov/CombatAddictio n to learn more about how you can help to #CombatAddiction in your community.
Nature & Weather, Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 29 2017

Second Rescue Plane and 16 More Personnel Dispatched to Support Rescue Missions in Texas.

Albany, NY - August 29, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the deployment of additional New York Air National Guard resources to assist in the Hurricane Harvey response in Texas. A HC-130 search and rescue aircraft carrying 15 more Airmen from the 106thRescue Wing is scheduled to leave Gabreski Air National Guard Base this morning and arrive at Fort Hood in Texas later in the day. Additionally, a Regional Medical Plans Officer will depart for Texas on Thursday to assist with the evacuation and transportation of patients from area hospitals.

"As our neighbors in the south continue to grapple with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, I am deploying additional personnel and equipment to assist in continued search and rescue operations," Governor Cuomo said. "New Yorkers are no strangers to the destruction that can come at the hands of Mother Nature, and we are prepared to continue to support these efforts in any way we can."

This additional deployment come days after the Governor pledged New York's support to Texas and Louisiana and dispatched 104 Airmen along with three HH-60 Pavehawk rescue helicopters, another HC-130 and several boats and watercraft. On Monday, rescue teams in the three helicopters and three boat rescue teams were responsible for rescuing 255 residents in the Houston and Katy, Texas areas.
Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 29 2017

Mohamed Samkabba, 37, was involved in a dispute with two other males who had all attended a family wedding in Far Rockaway, police say.

Baldwin, NY - August 29, 2017 - First Squad detectives report the arrest of a First Squad detectives report the arrest of a Hempstead man for an incident that occurred on Sunday, August, 27, 2017 at 3:10 am in Baldwin

According to detectives, Mohamed Samkabba, 37, was involved in an earlier dispute with two other males, ages 31 and 47, who had all attended a family wedding in Far Rockaway. Samkabba, while in his car, continually followed the brothers who had left the wedding in their vehicle until both cars pulled into a Municipal parking lot on Grand Avenue and Edward Street. Samkabba then confronted the 37 year old, pepper sprayed him in the eyes and proceeded to stab him in the ear with a screwdriver. The 41 year old, who attempted to render aid to his brother, was then pepper sprayed as well.

Samkabba then entered his car, drove northbound on Grand Avenue and abruptly stopped at the corner of N. William Street where a First Precinct officer on an unrelated assignment was stopped. Samkabba exited his vehicle and stated to the officer that he had been jumped. Moments later the injured 37 year old, who was bleeding from his ear, approached the officer on foot and advised him of what had just transpired. As Samkabba was being placed into custody the 41 year old victim, who was obviously suffering from the effects of pepper spray, arrived and confirmed the actions of Samkabba. Samkabba was then found to have a large canister of pepper spray in his possession.

Both brothers were then transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Samkabba is charged with Assault 1st Degree, two (2) counts of Assault 2nd Degree, two (2) counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon 4th Degree and Unlawfully Possessing or Selling a Noxious Material. He will be arraigned in First District Court, Hempstead on 8/28/2017.
Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 29 2017

"As we are witnessing in Texas with Hurricane Harvey, it is vitally important to be as prepared as possible in the case of a hurricane or tropical storm."

Farmingville, NY - August 29, 2017 - On Monday, August 28, 2017, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) hosted a Hurricane Preparedness Seminar at On Monday, August 28, 2017, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) hosted a Hurricane Preparedness Seminar at Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville , to provide residents with information regarding hurricane preparedness and recovery.

This year, forecasters predict an above-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic. Hurricanes and tropical storms have the potential to cause serious damage to Long Island coastal and inland areas, including storm surge, heavy rainfall, coastal and inland flooding, high winds, and tornadoes.

To help Long Islanders prepare for these types of storms, Congressman Zeldin hosted a seminar with representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), American Red Cross and Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services (FRES), who provided information to help residents prepare for, stay safe during, and recover from hurricane storm systems. Residents also learned more about how these organizations measure, track, and forecast hurricane activity.
A recent Taliban attack on a remote Afghan Uniform Police base highlighted the tactical difficulties that Afghan forces and the Coalition face. On multiple fronts throughout Afghanistan, the Taliban has proven capable of massing in broad daylight, overrunning Afghan outposts, bases, and district centers, often at night, and celebrating their victories, all without fear of being targeted by Afghan and Coalition air forces.

A video released by the Taliban, entitled Mansoor Goozar, underscored the Talibans ability to take the fight to Afghan forces, often with little to stand in their way. In the video, a large Taliban force traveled in a convoy to an assembly area during daylight. The convoy was clearly identifiable as Taliban; the trucks were flying the Talibans white flag and the fighters were well armed.

Once they reached their destination, the fighters stopped to pray. Again, this occurred in broad daylight. The Taliban then assembled for their assault of the Afghan Uniform Police base. During the attack, which began after dark, the Taliban coordinated their actions using radios and set up support by fire position to aid in the assault.

The Taliban force appeared to have easily overrun the Afghan police outpost. After entering the base, the Taliban fighters organized all of the weapons, ammunition, vehicles (including US supplied HUMVEEs and Ford Ranger pickup trucks) to flaunt on social media. The Taliban then pulled out of the base during daylight taking their spoils.

The entire operation  from assault, to filming the war loot, to withdrawal  took about a day. Afghan ground forces did not respond to the attack, nor did Coalition or Afghan air assets target the Taliban before, during, or after the raid, despite the fact that the Taliban convoy moving into and out of the outpost was easily identifiable and moving over desert terrain where civilian casualties would have been highly unlikely.

The results depicted in Mansoor Goozar are all too common. FDDs Long War Journal has documented numerous attacks like this one, and the outcomes are all similar.

If the Coalition and the Afghan government hope to halt the Talibans gains and chip away at territory under the jihadist groups control, attacks such as this one have to be stopped. The Taliban not only replenished its supply of war materials, but also demoralized Afghan forces while gaining massive propaganda footage and delegitimizing the Afghan government.

Ideally, a Taliban convoy assembling and operating in broad daylight would be hit by air power before reaching their target. However, if the Taliban succeeds in overrunning a base or district center, Afghan or Coalition aircraft should consider hitting them as they celebrate victory and raise the Taliban flag, or as they exit the base with their war bounty.

This would require increased communication between Afghan and Coalition forces. It oftentimes seems as if the Taliban, shown in the video using radios, communicate better with each other and are more well prepared than the Afghan forces.

While air strikes may be viewed as defensive or punitive, if the Afghan government wants to halt Taliban gains, the Taliban must be forced to pay a heavy price for massing and striking outposts, bases, and district centers. Hitting Taliban forces as they travel in convoys or after they overrun bases will force its military commanders to reconsider their tactics, which have proven successful in all areas of Afghanistan.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
Business / Finance

Aug 25, 2017 | By Jonathan Ho

Neighboured by Finland, Latvia and Russia, the Republic of Estonia is a highly developed high income economy ranked among the fastest growing in the European Union. Having shed the shackles of communist Russia in the 80s, the country in the Baltic region has clawed its way out of economic mismanagement and become one of the richer European states in the North.

As a member of the European Union, Estonia is considered a high-income economy with a 2017 GDP of $40.275 billion and per capita income of $30,764. Estonia also has the lowest ratio of government debt to GDP among EU countries at 6.7% at the end of 2010.

Since its independence from Soviet rule, Estonia has become one of the worlds most digitally advanced societies  in 2005, they held the worlds first elections over the internet and 3 years ago, they became the first nation to provide E-residency. On 24 August 2017, the Managing Director of Estonias e-Residency program Kaspar Korjus announced a proposal to make Estonia the first country in the world with its own cryptocurrency  their very own version of a bitcoin dubbed Estcoins through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO).

Rise of the Digital Economy: Estonia E-Residency

When you consider the bureaucratic red tape surrounding the incorporation of a business enterprise anywhere in the world, Estonias E-Residency program offers a stark example of a pioneering model where artificial barriers like national boundaries no longer matter. Estonia is the first country to offer e-Residency, a government-issued digital ID available to anyone in the world. Thats right, you dont even need to be a citizen of Estonia nor have an Estonia shareholder in your corporate business structure, Estonian E-Residency offers anyone the freedom to easily start and run a global business in a trusted EU environment  it must be said, if not already implied, that this is fundamentally game-changing program.

Estonias e-Residency is a game-changer. Anyone in the world can now apply for a rock-solid digital ID, giving them what Estonians have taken for granted for years: the ability to identify themselves online, to make binding agreements and to communicate securely. This turns the internet from a confusing Wild West into an environment where trustful interaction is frictionless and ubiquitous.  Edward Lucas, Senior Editor of The Economist and 1st e-resident

According to Korjus, Estonias e-Residency program was founded on the belief that no one should be held back from their entrepreneurial potential just because of where they live or where they choose to travel. As a result, Estonia e-Residency pioneers the age of the digital nation with a digital economy backed by a population e-Citizens ready to share the vision of a borderless digital world. As such, a sovereign backed crypto-token or cryptocurrency like Estcoin, is an enticing glimpse into the new market to come  a digital economy.

Even though there are only a little over a million of us, thanks to Estonias capabilities, we can make ten million payments, perform ten million requests and sign ten million contracts in just ten minutes. Even ten times larger states cannot beat us. But the good news is that it is possible to join our exclusive club of digitally empowered citizens.  Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Estonia

How has cryptocurrency and the digital economy been developing?

Writing for Seeking Alpha, Michael Atassi, an equity and tech specialist states that Bitcoin has grown 600% to date, valued at $4150 while Ethereum has grown 4700% to date albeit holding lower values to Bitcoin, the prevailing opinion is that cryptocurrencies should now be part of any balanced investment portfolio especially with the current political uncertainty affecting the markets.

Ethereum versus Bitcoin, the uncorrelated hedge

Where cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Bitcoin both use a platform of Blockchain technologies, Ethereum differs from Bitcoin as a decentralised smart-contract solution as opposed to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies or alt-coins like it. Essentially cryptocurrencies as an investment vehicle stand apart from traditional assets in that theyre not typically affected by world issues and geopolitics  therefore, they are an uncorrelated hedge where a typical market crash affects everything else. Thus, a cryptocurrency like Estcoin, Bitcoin, Jetcoin etc, can be argued to have better robustness than even gold in hard times where even mild currency manipulations are irrelevant. That said, a fundamental weakness in digital currencies are their volatility and over-dependence/reliance on technologies like the Internet.

Cryptocurrency Goes Mainstream: Estonia proposes Worlds First Government Bitcoin, the Estcoin

In a blog post on medium, Korjus lays out the fundamental rational for the Estcoin, the Estonia bitcoin: Estcoins managed by the Republic of Estonia, but accessed by anyone in the world through its e-Residency programme and launched through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) would revolutionise a small nation-state with just 1.3 million residents by offering them a digital economy and access to at least 10 million digital residents.

Estonia e-Residency offered huge value to entrepreneurs seeking trust, location-independence (its an online world, your business is, by its very digital nature, a global one as a result), minimal bureaucracy, low business costs and access to a wider range of fintech services.

Furthermore, partnered with the United Nations, Estonias e-Residency program provides eTrade For All, a digital fintech platform helping tackle the problem of financial exclusion in developing countries. When one considers the immense potential of untapped, underdeveloped economies and markets in the world, the financial upside outweighs the risks

Advised by cryptocurrency heavyweights like Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, Estcoin has the potential to snowball into a digital investment fund which not only benefits Estonia but also provides incentives to investors in the success of Estonia and its growing digital economy. Additionally, the Estcoins could be built on a blockchain platform giving it the flexibility of a bitcoin, making it easy and convenient to convert and use in smart contracts and a myriad of other applications.

As the digital investment fund grows through the initial coin offering (ICO), Estcoin can then be invested in public and private ventures mimicking other successful Nordic investment funds like the Norwegian oil fund. With Estonia e-Residency, the infrastructure, by way of government issued digital identities, is largely available for such a venture already.

Where bitcoin operates in a veil of anonymity, Estcoin, a national cryptocurrency uses the countrys platform already developed with secure digital identities and a safe, trusted and transparent digital economy, side-stepping the bitcoin downsides of potential for illegal activities.

Bonds may create financial instability if a country faces a difficult economic situation. Then, its ability to pay back debt would go down and its need for more debt would go up, leading to a vicious circle. Creating instruments where incentives between government and holders of these instruments are aligned seems to me to be a win-win.  Korjus speaking to The Next Web

According to The Next Web, their article postulates that a state run ICO is merely the 2017-version of government bonds however, Korjuss response is that while there are similarities, the Estcoin is imminently more flexible and tradeable than a typical Bond issue.

But the issue is now one of execution  so far, Korjus as reached out to captains of the startup industry in Estonia to submit ideas and proposals. The government is also looking out for hashtags #estcoin and #eResidency on social media to listen in on comments, opinions and ideas from netizens everywhere.
Jackson Owens follows up his hit single Cant Make It Right, with a new track from his debut EP, For The Better
Discounted Mortgages Make Better Deals for First Time Home Buyers

First-time buyers looking for a mortgage may instinctively opt for a fixed rate deal to give them the peace of mind of knowing their monthly repayments wont change even if base rate rises. However, research from moneyfacts.co.uk shows that first-time buyers may be significantly better off if they were to opt for a discounted variable rate deal instead, as the average fixed rate at 95% loan-to-value (LTV) is 0.82% more expensive than the current average discounted variable rate.

Charlotte Nelson, Finance Expert at moneyfacts.co.uk , said:

Despite the array of options available to first-time buyers (FTBs), many tend to stick to fixed rates not just as they are the simplest to understand but also because they are a great way for usually cash-strapped FTBs to manage their money. However, as fixed rates for those at 95% LTV are on the rise, ignoring other options can be a costly mistake.

Fixed rates for first-time buyers are going up, with the average two-year fixed rate at 95% LTV well above last years figure. In contrast, the average rate for discounted variable deals is still falling, and while the difference between the two rates was already clear to see in previous months, it has now risen to a whopping 0.82%.

The low rates offered on discounted deals are a great way for FTBs to minimise their monthly repayments. In fact, borrowers opting for the average two-year discounted variable rate at 95% LTV instead of the average two-year fixed rate will be 89.25* a month or 1,071 a year better off.

Discounted variable rates generally offer a discount on the lenders Standard Variable Rate and due to this link, there is the potential for rates to rise if base rate rises. However, given the current difference between the two averages, FTBs could still find themselves better off even if base rate were to increase by 0.50%.

It can be a difficult process, puzzling through the mortgage maze when you are new to the process, which is why any prospective first-time buyer unsure of what deal to opt for should seek advice from a financial adviser.

www.moneyfacts.co.uk - The Money Search Engine

Moneyfacts.co.uk is the UK's leading independent provider of personal finance information. For the last 20 years, Moneyfacts' information has been the key driver behind many personal finance decisions, from the Treasury to the high street.

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STUARTA North Carolina man who pleaded guilty to burglary and firearms charges saw most of his sentence suspended in Patrick County.

On Monday, 55-year-old Mark Allen Mitchell pleaded guilty to statutory burglary, larceny of a firearm and possession or transportation of a firearm by a felon. The Mount Airy resident was sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison, with a total of 22 years and nine months suspended on conditions including supervised probation and payment of $18,384.57 restitution and a $500 fine. Those charges stem from incidents on Sept. 19, 2016, and Aug. 30, 2016.

According to the prosecution, on Sept. 19, 2016, a man reported someone had broken into his stepfathers residence on Squirrel Spur Road. Missing from inside were a Sony television and gray gun safe with at least 10 guns inside, only one of which the alleged victimwas able to provide a serial number for. The value of the damage to the home was more than $1,000, as there was a large hole in the side of the house where it appeared the gun safe had been pulled through.

Around 3:30 to 4 that same morning, a neighbor was awakened by his barking dog. The neighbor saw a red Chevrolet truck in the road with its flashers on and went to check on the occupants and found a male who said his name was Craig Lawson. The neighbor later identified the male as Mark Allen Mitchell in a photo lineup. A gray gun safe was lying in the road, and Mitchell said he had bought it but it had fallen off his truck. The neighbor helped Mitchell load the gun safe on the truck.

On Sept. 22, 2016, Sgt. Brad Quesinberry with Mount Airy Police Department stopped Mitchell and found several firearms in the red GMC Envoy he was driving. One of the firearms (a Beretta handgun) had the same serial number the alleged victim had been able to provide. The other four firearms matched the make and caliber of other firearms stolen from the alleged victims residence and stored in his gun safe. Four Abu Garcia fishing reels also were inside the vehicle. The alleged victim identified all the firearms and fishing reels as belonging to him.

Mount Airy Police Department arrested Mitchell on multiple warrants. Investigator Tyler Wilson of the Patrick County Sheriffs Office traveled to the Mount Airy Police Department to interview Mitchell. After waiving his Miranda rights, Mitchell denied breaking into the alleged victims house and said he got the guns from someone at the gravel pile in Ararat, Virginia. Mitchell said he had been doing some odd jobs for another person in Mount Airy and had been staying in his mothers house in Fancy Gap since she was in the hospital.

Wilson traveled to Mitchells home on Sept. 23, 2016. In the back bedroom, he found six more firearms that matched the make and caliber of firearms stolen from the alleged victims residence and stored in his gun safe. The alleged victim identified all but one as belonging to him.

Mitchell wrote a letter to the alleged victim from jail dated Oct. 23, 2016. Mitchell wrote: I was on dope as you already know and that (woman) needed money. No this is not an excuse for my actions at all and I am only asking for your forgiveness in this whole situation. I truly am deeply from the bottom of my heart sorry for what Ive done to you and your family  If (persons name) gets me out, Ill try and get any or all the stuff back I can. Ill try my hardest to make this right.  Im very sorry.

PATRICK COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

Jonathan Tyler McHone of Stuart pleaded guilty to two charges of distributing schedule I or II controlled substance. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for Nov. 20. The offenses allegedly happened on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18, 2016.

Kelsie Deann Belcher of Claudville, who pleaded no contest to three charges of distributing schedule I or II controlled substance, was sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison, with 29 years and six months suspended on conditions including supervised probation and payment of a $750 fine and $325 restitution. The offenses allegedly happened on Sept. 21, Sept. 22 and Sept. 23, 2015.

Glenda Kaye George, who pleaded guilty to four charges of selling controlled substance-second offense, was sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison, with 34 years and six months suspended on conditions including supervised probation. The offenses allegedly happened Sept. 28, Sept. 29, Oct. 3 and Oct. 5, all in 2011. Online court records did not list Georges address.

The prosecution dropped but could reinstate one additional charge of selling controlled substance-second offense and one charge of conspiracy to sell schedule I or II controlled substance against Glenda Kaye George.

HENRY COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

The prosecution dropped but could reinstate a charge of credit card fraud against Terry Wayne Amos of Rocky Mount. The offense allegedly happened on April 12.

Charges of grand larceny and destruction of property against Joshua Coy Reed were dismissed. The offenses allegedly happened on April 15, 2016. Online court records list Reeds address as Stuart and Axton.

Charges of grand larceny and destruction of property against Michelle Lynn Spencer (also known as Michelle Lynn Reed and Michelle Spencer Reed) of Stuart were dismissed. The offenses allegedly happened on April 15, 2016.

Christopher Thomas Odell of Martinsville, who was charged with grand larceny, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of petit larceny and was sentenced to 12 months in jail, all suspended on conditions including payment of $800 restitution. The offense allegedly happened on Nov. 15, 2016.

MARTINSVILLE CIRCUIT COURT

Clarence Ponce Waller of Martinsville, who was charged with grand larceny of an auto, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for Sept. 14. The offense allegedly happened on April 22.

Carlton Levon Hodge of Martinsville, who was charged with felonious failure to stop at an accident, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor failure to stop an accident. He was sentenced to 12 months in jail, all suspended on conditions including one year of supervised probation and payment of a $50 fine. The offense allegedly happened on June 9, 2016.
On August 18th the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) organised its founding convention at Hill Top hall in Rawlakot, Kashmir. More than 450 students participated and the revolutionary spirit ran high. More than 100 students had come from cities across Pakistan to attend this historic beginning, while other participants were students from various educational institutes of Pakistani-occupied Kashmir.

The convention was named "Azaadi" so as to express solidarity with the ongoing mass movement of youth in Indian-occupied Kashmir. This movement has been going on since July 8th 2016 and it is continuing despite growing repression by the Indian State. So far more than 200 people have been killed, while nearly 20,000 have been injured. Thousands have been arrested and are facing torture in jails. Nearly 2000 people have lost their eyesight to pellet guns. But the movement is moving forward relentlessly, demanding freedom from the Indian State.

Hundreds of thousands of Kashmiri youth have taken up the demand of freedom. The presence of more than 600,000 Indian troops has failed to suppress the revolutionary mood of the youth. They throw stones at soldiers armed to the teeth with advanced weapons. They are willing to sacrifice their lives for the cause. Previously, it was said that the city boys in Kashmir Valley are fond of pelting stones while everyone else has no qualms about this oppression. But this time this movement has drawn people from all layers. Thousands of female students have participated and so have people from the most remote villages and towns of the Valley, including South Kashmir. Female students with their school bags on their shoulders can be seen throwing stones at the soldiers of the Indian Army with advanced weapons who stand only a few meters away. Such sights have sent shock waves throughout the imperialist powers of the region. Islamic Fundamentalist organisations have tried to penetrate these protests, but have so far failed to hijack the leadership of the movement.

The movement has also rejected all the established leaderships and organisations of the Valley. This has made it impossible for the Indian State to derail the movement by staging a farce of negotiations with these puppets, in order to offer some crumbs in the form of any special package. No political party or group genuinely represents this spontaneous movement, and still this movement is moving forward every day.

All pro-Indian political parties, including the ruling PDP, the former ruling NC, Congress, and others, have been discredited and failed to offer any programme for this movement. Pro-Pakistan parties, including various factions of the Hurriyat Conference, JKLF, and others, have also failed miserably. The revolutionary youth of the Valley have rejected their dubious and reactionary politics.

In the past the Pakistani ruling class has intervened in movements in the Valley, using the Islamic Fundamentalists to serve its own imperialist interests in Kashmir. The terrorist activities of these Fundamentalists helped the Indian State to increase its repression on the movement, while isolating it from the Indian working class through malicious propaganda. But this time the mass movement has rejected these vicious methods. According to some reports less than 250 youth have so far joined any fundamentalist organisation whereas hundreds of thousands are protesting on the streets and pelting stones at the Army.

Under the pressure of the movement the Police department has almost collapsed with hundreds having deserted their posts, while many more still terrified to face the youth. This movement has also found an echo among the revolutionary students and workers of India who are now supporting the movement. Many have also raised their voice in the Indian media, calling for it to rethink its strategy in Kashmir and move forward to grant it independence.

In this situation the Progressive Youth Alliance planned to organise its Azaadi convention in Rawlakot, the city of Pakistani-occupied Kashmir. One of the main motives was to extend solidarity with the movement in Indian-occupied Kashmir, while the other was to highlight the struggles faced by students and youth in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir and launch a movement on these issues.

The questions discussed by the convention included Azaadi, or freedom from national opression, unemployment, expensive education, and hunger and misery caused by capitalism. A leaflet was printed in big numbers to spread the message. The demands on the leaflet included free education for all, an end to the ban on the student union and immediate elections for unions in all educational institutes, an end to the class-based educational system, nationalisation of all private educational institutes, employment or unemployment allowance for all. The leaflet also put forwarded the programme of socialist revolution to end capitalism. During the preparations convention camps were organised outside educational institutes in many cities and towns. This programme received a huge response from the students and they participated in huge numbers to support these demands and protest against the policies of the ruling class.

From Kashmir students participated from Poonch University Rawlakot, Medical College Rawlakot, Degree College Rawlakot, Degree College Tarar Khal, Kotli University, Intermediate College Baloch, Higher Secondary School Khaigala, Degree College Palandri and Degree College Bagh. Many students from educational institutes across Pakistan also came to participate in this meeting, including students from the Federal Urdu University Karachi, Sindh University Jamshoro, Beeds Sukkur, Degree College Dadu, Islamia University Bahawalpur, BZ University Multan, Emerson College Multan, Peshawar University, Islamic International University Islamabad, Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad, Agriculture University Faisalabad, GC University Faisalabad, Gujrat University, GC for Women Gujranwala, University of Lahore, among others.

This convention was held at a time when the traditional student politics in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir is falling into an abyss of careerism and personality cults. Here student politics has revolutionary traditions and many left-wing nationalist student organisations have put up fierce resistance against the state in last fifty years. But during the last few years these student organisations have degenerated quite quickly and factional fights over careerism have divided them into small groups, the leaders of which abandoning their ideologies and moving away from the real issues facing the youth. They now rely on their connections with veteran Nationalist leaders, MPs and members of the ruling elite to preserve their leadership. In their public meetings they invite such "personalities" to attract students, but who have now tire of listening to rhetoric about the sacrifices of the past.

These "chief guests" include nationalist and right-wing MPs and other members of the ruling class. In fact these "personalities" are responsible for the degeneration and ideological betrayal of the movement. Their past is dotted with treachery to the movement. The finances for these meetings are also linked to these people as a form of a fee for their endorsement. The media also promotes such meetings where the guest list is long and the real issues faced by students are ignored.

These student organisations have a history of fierce struggle and debate around revolutionary ideas, but have now become a part of this rotten political culture promoted by all the political parties of the region. Their leaders excuse themselves with the difficult objective conditions and the period of reaction to justify their betrayals. In such a period it seemed impossible for the PYA to launch a platform challenging this rotten atmosphere prevailing among the students and politics in general. In the beginning it seemed difficult to organise such a meeting in which the students themselves would come on stage and speak for themselves, highlighting issues faced by them such asfee hikes and unemployment. Along with that, arranging the meeting and raising the finances without any renowned guests or speakers appeared a daunting task. But with revolutionary enthusiasm and determination the youth of the PYA made it possible. For many senior journalists and political pundits it was a miracle, while for those with a Marxist understanding it was a victory of correct perspectives, methods and tactics.

The invitations, leaflets and posters for the convention were printed in large numbers and pasted and distributed in many districts throughout Kashmir. Seeing the response to the programme and slogans of the PYA and the enthusiasm the students therefore had in participating in this convention, the reactionary forces moved to sabotage it.

Just two days prior to the convention the Islamic fundamentalist party Jamat-i-Islami (sister organisation of the Muslim Brotherhood), with the complete support of state authorities, announced its public meeting just opposite the hall where the convention of PYA was being organised. This is an unusual place to organise a meeting where, for the first time, the district administration had permitted the organisation of a meeting at this venue.

These fundamentalists installed full-blown speakers facing the hall in order to to harass and terrorise the youth attending this convention and spread their venomous propaganda against the revolutionary slogans. But these reactionary tactics did little to stop the success of this convention, rather it helped to galvanise the revolutionary youth even more. The students raised revolutionary slogans at a high pitch to drown the reactionary speeches of the fundamentalists.

The convention continued for more than five hours. During this time the atmosphere was fully charged. During the speeches students would start raising slogans, electrifying the whole audience. The speeches also showed the will and determination of the students to carry forward this struggle. Despite their young age the contributions from all speakers expressed their political maturity and ideological depth. This clearly shows that the revolutionary youth is far superior in all aspects than the corrupt and rotten politicians prevailing on the horizon, and has the capacity to rid this society of all the ills of capitalism.

Another remarkable feature of this convention was the participation of female students from Poonch University and Rawlakot Medical College. Despite the heroic struggles and resistance of student organisations in the past, the female students have mostly been ignored in all left-wing student organisations. In this convention female students not only came on stage to express their point of view on issues such as fee hikes, but were also elected to the executive body of the PYA. This is a huge step forward for the student movement of Kashmir.

Waheed Arif opened the convention and welcomed all the students, including those who had travelled from the different cities of Pakistan, underlining the fact that these students had travelled long distances in difficult economic conditions just to extend their solidarity with the students of Kashmir. The first speaker was Arbaz, who explained the situation faced by the youth around the world. He said that the financial crisis of 2008 has changed the situation throughout the whole world. The burden of this crisis has been shifted to the shoulders of the workers and youth in all countries, while the profits of the capitalists continue to rise. There are movements against this in all corners of the world. In most countries the old rotten political parties have been swept away with the events emanating from the crisis, and new parties emerging. He said that students here are also facing difficulties with the government spending less and less on education while at the same time being looted and plundered by private mafias. Due to the fee hike, youth from working class families cannot afford education. And those who do graduate after paying high fees are unable to find any jobs. All existing political parties have failed to address these issues and are part and parcel of this corrupt system. This is why we are founding the PYA in Kashmir, to not only fight for the rights of students, but also to unite the struggles of students in various universities across Kashmir and also with the students of Pakistan and the whole world.

After that Amna from the PYA came on stage to express her views. She talked about the recent movement of students against fee hikes in Poonch University and how to strengthen this movement. She also talked about the problems faced by female students and how to fight these issues. She said that the repression by both fundamentalists and liberals create hurdles for the female students to pursue their education. But the recent struggle shows that when there is a movement, female students are in the forefront and are ready to fight for their rights.

A large number of students from Poonch University participated in this convention. Shoaib, Waqas, Nishwa and Aqib from different departments of this university came on stage to express their views. They said that this university doesnt have its own campus and classes are being held in make-shift places including the shops in a market. Above all this, the management has raised the fee manifold times, adding to the misery of students. These students thanked the PYA for supporting them in their recent movement against fee hikes and said that this is the only platform which is organising students on real issues.

From Karachi, Attaullah, a student of Federal Urdu University, expressed his views and congratulated the PYA in Kashmir for holding such a marvelous meeting. He said that in Karachi all student organisations have become puppets of university management and are involved in criminal activities. In this situation the role of the PYA is commendable for bringing new life to the student movement across the country with its revolutionary ideas. Ali Barkat Baloch from Sindh University, Rawal Asad from Emerson College Multan, Asfandyar Shinwari from Peshawar University ,Rai Asad from Royal College Lahore and Salma from Gujranwala also spoke and highlighted the issues faced by students.

Shinwari from Peshawar University discussed the movement of students after the assassination of Mashal Khan in April this year. He said that all student organisations affiliated with various political parties are responsible for this crime and have become rotten and obsolete. He said that only the PYA is fighting for the rights of students and that it was at forefront in this struggle against the brutal killing of Mashal Khan.

Adil Badshah from Degree College Palandri spoke about the problems faced by students in his college. He said that the problems are so acute that even though they only received the invitation a few days prior to the event, nevertheless fifty students attended after travelling a long distance. He said that the programme of the PYA is getting a tremendous response from students. Abdul Rehman from Degree College Bagh and Attaullah and Zeeshan from Kotli University also spoke, announcing the affiliation of the recently formed student organisation of Kotli University with the PYA.

The students of Poonch University from Gilgit Baltistan presented their cultural dance on the stage, which was enthusiastically appreciated by the audience. Mujahid Pasha from Faisalabad recited a revolutionary poem by renowned poet Idris Babar, specially written for the PYA, which received a huge applause. Hamraz Sarwani from Gujrat University also presented his poetry.

The last speaker was Umer Riaz from Islamic International University Islamabad. He explained the ongoing movement of the Indian youth in occupied Kashmir and how both Indian and Pakistani imperialist states are trying to crush the movement. He said that the Kashmiri youth raise the green flag just to irritate the Indian Army, but that they have no illusions in the corrupt and rotten Pakistani State. He said that these youth want freedom from unemployment, price hikes, poverty and misery, along with freedom from national oppression. He said that we are also facing the same problems and that our struggle is the same struggle as those of the youth in the Valley. We should not only support this movement, but also wage a struggle against the ruling class of both India and Pakistan. The only way to end the national oppression and exploitation of the working class in the whole region is to end capitalism through a socialist revolution. Only a voluntary socialist federation of South Asia can guarantee the rights of oppressed nationalities and the working masses. He said that today the ruling class of Pakistan is presenting Chinese investment in the region as the panacea for all problems. But this is just a new imperialist power which is coming to loot and plunder this region. After the imperialist masters of Britain and America the ruling class of Pakistan is preparing itself to serve new masters, presenting the Chinese ruling class with the working class of the region. He said that the youth should not pin any hopes on this or that imperialist power, but arm itself with Marxist ideas in order to to wage a struggle against all imperialist powers.

At the end Rao Adil presented resolutions for free education, an end of the ban on student unions and against the recent ban on public sector worker unions. All these resolutions were passed unanimously. A resolution was passed to support the movement in Indian-occupied Kashmir which was also passed unanimously and with huge applause.

An executive body for the PYA in Kashmir was also elected, including Waheed Arif as President, Ubaid Zulfiqar as Senior vice-President, Sohaib Hanif as vice-President, Ubaid Zubair as General Secretary, Nishwa as Women Secretary, Adil as Chief Organiser, Zeeshan as Finance Secretary, Abul Rehman as Information Secretary and Aqib as Study Circle Secretary. An organising body for Poonch University and Medical College was also elected separately.

At the end Comrade Zain ul Abideen came on stage for the closing remarks of the convention. He congratulated the newly elected office bearers and said that they have huge responsibilities on their shoulders. He said that this is a historic day for Kashmir, when a new student organisation is being founded based on the revolutionary ideas of Marxism and linked with students and workers across the world. We support the movements of all oppressed nationalities across the world and are waging an irreconcilable struggle against all imperialist powers everywhere.

But to end imperialist plunder we need to end capitalism. Bhagat Singh explained many decades ago the real meaning of freedom. Bhagat Singh said we don't need freedom in which after the white ruling class we get a local brown ruling class. We need a freedom in which no human can exploit another and people can live free from all kind of oppression. Zain said that today, after seventy years of independence, these rulers have not solved a single basic issue faced by the masses. Poverty, misery, hunger and disease have made the lives of the people a living hell, and these miseries are only compounded by terrorism, corruption and the looting of the ruling class. Only a socialist revolution can end all this and lead the masses out of this burning inferno.

At the end of the convention a rally was held against state repression in Kashmir. The rally started from Hill Top Hall and after passing through the main roads of the city ended at Kutchery Chowk. The participants of the rally raised slogans against national oppression, imperialism, unemployment, fee hikes, poverty and price hikes including the slogan of Inqilab, Inqilab socialist Inqilab.

At the end the President of the PYA, Kashmir Waheed Arif, addressed the rally and condemned the policies of the ruling class. He said that the struggle of the Kashmiri youth will continue on both sides of the Line of Control. He appealed to the working class of India and Pakistan and the whole world to support their movement.

Preparations for the Convention

The campaign for this convention was spread over more than one month. To organise this convention many camps were organised in various educational institutes in different cities.

Poonch University

There are many campuses of this University in Rawlakot, while the hostels for students are also spread across the city. Comrades of the PYA organised camps at all the campuses and discussed the programme of the PYA with students in various hostels. During the campaign the comrades of the PYA also participated in the movement of the students of this university against fee hikes. Just a few days after the first camp of the PYA outside this university a movement erupted against the unjust fee hikes of the management. Hundreds of students came out to protest this injustice.

The participation of female students was remarkable, outnumbering the male students. The comrades of the PYA participated in this movement and supported the demands of the students. They also organised many meeting of the leading students in their office in Rawlakot to discuss the plans for this movement. In these meetings discussions on World and Pakistan Perspectives were held, and student expressed keen interest in the movements of students across the world. In response to this interest a separate meeting was organised in the PYA office to discuss World Perspectives. More than forty students participated in this meeting and expressed a keen interest in the ideas of Marxism. Comrade Umer Riaz gave a lead off on World Perspectives, while many students also participated in the discussion and expressed their views about politics in Pakistan.

Eighty students registered themselves at the camp outside Supply Campus, while more than ninety registered themselves at camps outside City and Main Campuses of this university. Students of the Pharmacy department also visited the camp and said that their degree had still not been accredited by the government despite paying heavy fees. The PYA organisers sagreed to join their protest for this demand.

Meetings in Ghazi Millat Hostel and others were also organised by the PYA in which students enthusiastically participated. Door-to-door campaigns were also held in many hostels to spread the message of the PYA, which received an overwhelming response from the students. Female comrades of the PYA also visited female hostels to discuss the programme of the PYA, again receiving huge support.

During the campaign discussions were also held around August 14th which is the Independence Day of Pakistan. On this day the PYA hold protests every year across Kashmir and Pakistan on the slogan of "till the people are hungry, this Independence is fake". This year protests were held in many cities which were reported to the students in Kashmir. Students discussed the crimes of the British imperialists and the ruling classes of the region at the time of partition, and how Kashmir has become a festering wound due to this, still bleeding even after seven decades.

Camps were also organised outside the Medical College and Degree Colleges of Rawlakot.

A camp was also organised in Ali Sojal in which a large number of students participated to show their interest in the programme of the PYA. Many unemployed youth also registered themselves with the PYA to join the struggle against the exploitation of the ruling class. Here twenty two youngsters registered themselves with the PYA.

Kotli

A delegation of comrades of the PYA visited Kolti university and organised a meeting with the students. Students expressed their anger against the management of the university, which is using all means at their disposal to suppress the students while banning any kind of political activity. They said that fee has been hiked many times in the last years, while the infrastructure and quality of education is deteriorating. They also supported the programme of the PYA and agreed to attend the founding convention in Ralwakot. Thirty three students signed the signature form to join the campaign of the PYA.

Palandri

Comrades of the PYA organised a camp outside Post Graduate College Palandri and other educational institutes which received a huge response by students. Students told the organisers of the camps that they are facing difficulties due to lack of transport for the students and they have to sit on the roof-tops or hang on the back of shabby vehicles to reach the college every day. Also, the management has raised the fee making it difficult for them to continue their studies. Due to the ban on student unions they cannot raise their voice against this injustice. Forty students signed up to join the campaign of the PYA.

A few days later a meeting was organised to discuss the issues faced by students in which more than fifty participated. In this meeting an organising body of the PYA Palandri was elected to organise the students in this district.

Camps were also organised in Trar Khal, Qilan, Baloch and other towns of this district which were greeted by a huge response from the students.

Bagh

During the campaign many meetings and camps were organized in this district to spread the message of PYA. Various student and youth groups of up to 200 members came in contact with the organizers of PYA. All of them appreciated the programme and supported the demands raised in the leaflet. Meetings with the leaderships of these groups were also organized in which World and Pakistan perspectives were discussed in detail. In the end more than 40 students and youth from this district participated in the convention including students from the degree college Bagh.

The newly elected executive body of PYA Kahsmir has vowed to continue this struggle and will organize public meetings in different towns and cities in the coming months. Camps will also be organized in the universities and colleges of Mirpur, Muzaffarabad and other cities in Kashmir. The struggle will continue till the overthrow of Capitalism through a Socialist revolution.
SPRINGFIELD -- Greyhound said Monday it plans to operate from Springfield's Union Station with its own Springfield-to-Boston bus service by the fall.

Both Greyhound and Peter Pan Bus Lines announced Monday that they are ending their 19-year partnership on Sept. 27.

Peter Pan and Greyhound used the agreement to coordinate routes and to sell tickets to each other's buses.

For the time being, Greyhound said it is still selling tickets on Peter Pan, but only for trips before Sept. 27.

Greyhound already services the nearby communities of Worcester, Northampton, Greenfield, Pittsfield, Amherst and Hartford, Connecticut, said Lanesha Gipson, senior communications specialist for Texas-based Greyhound Lines Inc., in an email Monday.

She said Greyhound has ordered 60 new buses that will operate in the Northeast.

Springfield-based Peter Pan plans to move into Union Station after Labor Day.

Both Greyhound and Peter Pan said the split allows them to offer paperless ticketing. Greyhound e-ticketing is coming soon.

Peter Pan offers paperless ticketing now at certain locations.

Click here to open Peter Pan's list of paperless ticketing locations in a new tab >>
SPRINGFIELD -- A guide to the city's cultural attractions -- from the historic H.H. Richardson Courthouse to a new pop-up art gallery -- is now as close as your phone or mobile device.

The Springfield Cultural District announced Tuesday that its Cultural Walking Tour Map is now available as a free app for devices running either Google's Android or Apple's iOS.

The map, created last summer, was previously only available as a paper handout or as a download from the website. It will still be available in those formats, and as a video map at springfieldculture.org.

The app can be found found by searching "Springfield Cultural Tour" in Apple's App Store or in Google Play, according to a statement released Tuesday by Morgan Drewniany, executive director of the district.

The app allows users to sort attractions by topic and highlight what they want to see.

Listed attractions include the Springfield Museums, the H.H. Richardson Courthouse -- now home to the juvenile court and the Western Division of the Massachusetts Housing Court -- and Duryea Way. It also lists new or temporary attractions such as the downtown painted utility boxes and pop-up Art Stop Galleries.

The navigation and display are based on Google Maps, according to the release.

The app allows users to see themselves move through the city in real time, with Cultural District highlights and points of interest showing up in the moment.

The project was funded by the Community Foundation of Western MA. Additional support came from the City of Springfield, Greater Springfield Convention and Visitor's Bureau, and the Springfield Business Improvement District, Drewniany said in the release.
A college class ring lost in the surf at a Massachusetts beach nearly half a century ago is back on the finger of its owner.

The Cape Cod Times reports that Patrick O'Hagan lost the Class of 1969 Manhattan College ring while on his honeymoon in Dennis in 1970.

James Wirth was in ankle-deep water at low tide on a Dennis beach last month scanning with his metal detector when he found the corroded ring.

Tracking down the owner was easy, because O'Hagan's full name was inscribed on the ring, along with an "E'' indicating he had studied engineering. Wirth returned the ring to O'Hagan at his Long Island, New York, home earlier this month.

O'Hagan's wife, Christine Kehl O'Hagan, says they were "thrilled" to get it back.
Fifty years ago this week, Thurgood Marshall won Senate confirmation on a roll call vote of 69 - 11. The first African American Supreme Court justice said after his confirmation, "Let me take this opportunity to reaffirm my deep faith in this nation and its people and to pledge that I shall be ever mindful of my obligation to the Constitution and to the goal of equal justice under the law." Prior to his nomination by President Johnson, Marshall was a civil rights lawyer and an Appeals Court judge.

Later in the week, police and firefighters helped search for five youngsters lost in Forest Park in Springfield after darkness and fog overtook them during an overextended trek in the woods. Starting their hike around 2:30 Saturday afternoon, they were finally located around 2:25 a.m. Sunday morning.

From the August 28, 1967 edition of The Springfield Union

Ten years later, Amtrak announced that eight of the nineteen trains that served Springfield would be dropped. The New Haven to Springfield, and return, run would loose four trains a day effective October 30th. City officials were surprised as they had been in discussions with Amtrak regarding the construction of a new passenger terminal in downtown Springfield.

These are some of the headlines you'll see from Page 1 of The Republican and its predecessors over the past fifty years for the week of August 27 - September 2. Each week I'll put together a slideshow of Page 1 images from selected years over the course of that week. We're starting with a look back at one, five, thirty, forty and fifty years ago, with Page 1s from each day of the week for those years.

The slideshow for August 27 - September 2 is embedded at the top of this article.

We'll also find some humor printed out on page one over the years. In 1967 'Dennis The Menace' could be found on the bottom of page one six days a week.

From the August 30, 1967 edition of The Springfield Union

Other newspaper comics from the archive can be found in the Featured Collection photo galleries on MassLive.

Thirty years ago this week the Calvin and Hobbs cartoon strip made its debuts in the Union~News.

From the August 31, 1987 edition of the Springfield Union~News

Last year a story on the ongoing drought in Massachusetts. Over 54 percent of the state was listed in a "severe" drought, with over 22 percent in an "extreme" drought. Western Mass. was seeing a mix of "severe" and "moderate" drought conditions.

And five years ago this week, former East Longmeadow selectman Enrico Villamaino III, was caught up in a voter fraud investigation regarding his candidacy for the 2nd Hampden District State Rep. An investigation was triggered when 445 applications for absentee poured in with the voter's political affiliations changed. The number of ballots was four times the normal amount of applications received during an election.

As you'll find with looking through the slideshow, that while many stories come and go, many of the issues and topics that affected lives in the past, continue to have an impact on our lives today.

Copies of these and other stories can be found in the online archives. The Historic Archive includes stories from 1824 to 1989, and the Newsbank Archive covers 1988 through the present day.
Mayor Martin Walsh announced that city officials will be accepting donations for diapers, toiletries, non-perishable foods and clothing to send them to those impacted by Tropical Storm Harvey in Texas.

The collections will take place at Boston City Hall, 1010 Massachusetts Ave., the Bolling Building, 26 Court Street, and all Boston Centers for Youth & Families Headquarters. Donations will be accepted Tuesday through Thursday this week.

The Texas coastline and surrounding communities have been slammed since Saturday morning, resulting in historic rainfall, devastating flooding and several deaths.

Walsh said the city of Boston will do everything in its power to assist the victims of Harvey.

"Our thoughts are with the people of Texas. So many are struggling during this challenging time. As we have done in other emergencies and which has been done for us, Boston will step up and help through the darkest hours," Walsh said. "I've made it clear to the Mayor of Houston that Boston is here for them. Let's come together as a city, contribute in any way we can, and show Houston that they have Boston's full support."

The city is directing those interested in make cash donations to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund site. The fund is being managed by the Greater Houston Community Foundation, and is accepting tax deductible donations of $10 or more.

The Better Business Bureau is advising donors to be wary of contributing to unfamiliar charities, as the organization is already seeing crowdfunding efforts of a "dubious nature." One way to help verify a charity's validity is to research the organization on Give.org.
Rachelle D. Bond served 665 days in jail after helping cover up her 2-year-old daughter's murder. A proposed crime bill inspired by her case seeks to ensure such a sentence never happens again.

The legislation, being pushed by state Rep. RoseLee Vincent, a Democrat from Revere, would increase sentences for those guilty of being an accessory to a child's murder to up to 20 years lockup, reports

.

"That case was horrific and I personally found it unconscionable that someone, especially a parent, could be so involved in a murder of a child," said Vincent, according to The Herald. "I think that punishment should fit the crime. In this case I don't think it did."



Bond pleaded guilty to the charge and was released on two years' probation.







Vincent consulted with a local child-abuse advocate to craft the proposal, according to The Herald.

Bond testified against her ex-boyfriend Michael Patrick McCarthy, who was on trial for the murder of 2-year-old Bella Bond. She was a key witness for prosecutors, describing the night her daughter died in gruesome detail.

A jury convicted McCarthy of second-degree murder. He is serving a life sentence, though his attorney has pledged to appeal and said Rachelle Bond was the murderer.

Bella Bond's body washed ashore on Deer Island in Winthrop in June 2015 and was not identified until September.
Prospective students to MSU-Bozeman in the 90s stopped by film location spots on campus as part of the tour to entice enrollment, a savvy Gallatin raft guide could guarantee a good tip when they intertwined movie lore into the float, maybe even eddying out above "Brad Pitt rock" and Livingston fly fishing guides are still asked about the movie today.

The impact of this single film is immeasurable when reflecting on the impact to Montanas visitor economy including fly fishing guiding, retail, restaurants, hotels, fishing lodges, real estate, construction and many more industries. The film introduced millions of non-resident visitors to Montana and it prompted a visit for many. Others even moved and invested in Montana after those visits.

Full Story: http://mailchi.mp/7359e2e70221/feyl2mm1pr-1315397?e=1cea16052c
The states largest provider of electricity has agreed to drop its bid to change the way customers with rooftop solar pay for their power  and will instead grandfather in existing net-metering customers until the year 2035.

In a settlement released Monday evening, Rocky Mountain Power, solar advocates and several state agencies outlined the details of the new agreement that includes a plan to decrease the value of credits customers receive from the utility in exchange for the excess power their panels generate.

By Emma Penrod

Full Story: http://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2017/08/29/rocky-mountain-power-solar-advocates-reach-a-deal-on-an-alternative-to-utilitys-net-metering-program/
Students in Missoula County Public Schools return to school Monday. This year, the Missoula Food Bank is helping feed students who dont have access to meals outside of the classroom.

The Missoula Food Bank opened their brand new building at the beginning of the summer. With the new building, comes expanded programs like "Kids Empower Pack." http://www.missoulafoodbank.org/get-help/kidsempowerpack/

Kids Empower Pack is a childhood nutrition program providing healthy meals to students who experience chronic hunger when away from school. Food is delivered in bags, which are placed in the backpacks of participating students on Fridays when students arent in the classroom.

By Jenna Heberden

Full Story: http://www.abcfoxmontana.com/story/36231195/missoula-food-bank-to-feed-hundreds-of-kids-with-weekend-program
University of Wyoming is looking to add a tourism bachelors degree program in an effort to help diversify the states economy.

The Laramie Boomerang reports (http://bit.ly/2wMe4Gg) the university hired someone this week to develop the curriculum and oversee the establishment of the program, which is awaiting approval from the Board of Trustees. Officials expect the program to be a partnership between the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and the College of Business and focus on natural resource recreation and tourism.

Full Story: http://www.kulr8.com/story/36235933/university-of-wyoming-looking-to-add-tourism-degree-program
Today, were launching a beer that weve been dreaming about from the beginning: GRIZ Montana Lager http://bigskybrew.com/ , an officially licensed beer for the University of Montana. The beer hits the shelves today, but in many ways this beer started 24 years ago in the halls of the UMs business school. It was there, in 1993, that two friends drafted a business plan, pitched it to their co-worker at a local ski shop, and started home brewing in a bathtub. It took 2 more years of recipe experimentation and knocking on doors to scrape together enough money to brew the first beer of Big Sky Brewing Company.

Since 1995, its been one heck of a ride. Weve brewed over 200 million beers, become Montanas largest brewer, distributed our product in 24 states, won a handful of awards and given over $500,000 back to the charities in the Montana communities that supported us from the beginning.

Were pleased with what the brewery has become, but honestly not much has changed since our humble beginning. Our original vision to brew world class beers, have as much fun as possible doing it, and to give back to the communities that support us still drives our companys culture.

This latest beer only strengthens our original dream as college students at the University of Montana. It allows us to celebrate the 125th anniversary of this great institution. It also allows us to give back to the place where it all began.

Heres to GRIZ Montana Lager, heres to 125 years of education.

Video: https://www.facebook.com/BigSkyBrewingCompany/videos/10155577132395270/?hc_ref=ARRGDXXQrZ_i4DupdIopzs3XjuSbuTOJDlsTYJg30B2taXbEnucw_h6SDXTtUf0YWkM
If youre reading this email, youve probably wondered what it would be like to have a career in web development. Here, weve broken it down into simple terms:

Web developers take static designs created by graphic designers or UX designers, and use code to turn them into fully functional websites and apps.

A full-stack web developer is someone who works on both the front-end and back-end portions of an application.

Full Story: http://mailchi.mp/bigskycodeacademy/start-your-career-in-web-development-in-12-weeks?e=a18c2207fa
A bite from a venomous snake, such as a rattlesnake, is an emergency. If a person gets bitten, it is critical that they receive medical help fast. Share on Pinterest herraez/Getty Images Snakes tend to avoid humans, but they may bite as a last resort when they feel threatened or surprised. When a venomous snake bites someone, it is essential to call 911 and get the person to an emergency room right away. Snakebites are treatable, however. According to the American Red Cross, of the around 7,000 people who get bitten by a snake in the United States every year, fewer than five people die as a result. Fast facts on rattlesnake bites Rattlesnakes are venomous.

Snakes avoid people. They only attack if they feel threatened or surprised.

A continuing reflex reaction means that a snake can still bite several hours after its death.

If a bite occurs, the area around the wound will swell up and change color.

Treatment involves immobilizing the injured body part, cleaning and wrapping the wound, and receiving antivenom medication at a hospital.

Without prompt treatment, or if someone has an allergic reaction to the venom, rattlesnake bites can be fatal.

Symptoms Rattlesnake bites are painful. Some immediate symptoms include: bleeding

difficulty breathing

blurry vision

eyelid drooping

low blood pressure

nausea and vomiting

numbness

paralysis

a rapid pulse

a change in skin color

swelling

tingling

tissue damage

thirst

fatigue

weakness

a weak pulse

Treatment If a person has been bitten by a rattlesnake, it is vital to get medical help immediately. The person must remain calm and receive reassurance that the bite is treatable. What to do While waiting for help to arrive, the American Red Cross advises people to wash the wound and apply a bandage to slow the spread of venom. People can take the following steps to do this: Check for feeling, warmth, and color of the limb and note any changes in skin color and temperature.

Place the end of the bandage against the skin and wrap, using overlapping turns. Start at the point farthest from the heart and cover a long body section, such as a whole arm or a whole calf. To wrap a joint, use figure of eight turns to support it.

Check above and below the bite for feeling, warmth, and color, particularly in the fingers and toes.

Check the tightness of the bandage so that a finger can still pass easily but not loosely underneath it.

Keep the injured area still and make sure that it is lower than the heart. The person who has been bitten should only walk if absolutely necessary. Someone else should carry them to safety if possible.

Remove any rings or watches in anticipation of swelling.

Mark the leading edge of tenderness or swelling on the skin and write the time alongside it. Once at the hospital, medical staff will administer antivenom medication. If the snake is already dead, take a picture of the snake from a safe distance to show the doctors. This is to help them identify the type of snake and its venom. What not to do When treating a rattlesnake bite, there are some actions not to take. These include: allowing the person who has been bitten to become overexerted

applying a tourniquet

applying a cold compress

cutting into the bite with a knife or razor

trying to suck out the venom

giving any stimulants or pain medication unless a doctor has instructed it

giving a person who has been bitten anything to eat or drink

raising the site of the bite above the persons heart Do not pick up the snake or try to trap it. Never handle a venomous snake, not even a dead one, as it can still bite from a reflex reaction for several hours after its death.

Possible complications Some people can have an allergic reaction to snake venom. This reaction is called anaphylaxis, or anaphylactic shock, and it can happen either immediately or several hours after a person gets bitten. Some symptoms of an allergic reaction include: itchy skin with hives and flushing

swollen face, lips, tongue, and throat, leading to difficulty breathing

a rapid heartbeat

nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea If the reaction leads to a drop in blood pressure, it can also cause: dizziness

confusion

faintness

cold and clammy skin

blindness Someone who has been bitten by a snake may also go into shock. This is a medical emergency in its own right and has similar symptoms to anaphylaxis. Symptoms of shock include: faintness and collapsing

pale, cold, and clammy skin

sweating

rapid, shallow breath

blindness

nausea and vomiting

drowsiness or loss of consciousness If the bitten person is showing symptoms of shock, lay them down and raise their legs. Use a coat or blanket to help keep them warm.

How to identify a rattlesnake Rattlesnakes have a rattle or partial rattle, which comprises interlocking rings. These rings are made of segments of keratin, which is the same material in human fingernails. When a snake vibrates the segments of keratin, it lets off a hissing sound as a warning. There are 30 recognized species of rattlesnake, ranging from 1 to 7 feet (ft) in length. Rattlesnakes have heavy bodies and diamond shaped heads with a characteristic pit on each side. They live across the U.S., Mexico, and South America. In the U.S., they live in the desert sand dunes of the southwest, the swamplands of the southeast, and the meadows of the northeast. They can live anywhere from sea level up to altitudes of 11,000 ft. In areas where temperatures drop to 40F (4.4C) or lower, rattlesnakes may hibernate in the winter. Being cold-blooded, they will sunbathe on flat surfaces in the open during the day to warm up. In places where daytime temperatures top 90F (32.2C), rattlesnakes tend to be more active at night. Rattlesnake venom The exact makeup and strength of the venom depend on the species of the rattlesnake and where it lives. Venom is produced in glands in the snakes upper jaw, and it passes through the venom duct before the snake delivers it through its large, hollow fangs. Snakes inject the poisonous liquid rapidly, and they can control the amount of venom they release.

Prevention People should try to avoid areas where snakes may be hiding, such as under rocks and logs. A person should never pick up or provoke a snake, as they will attack if they feel threatened. When entering an area where it is hard for a person to see their feet when walking, they should tap the ground or foliage ahead of them with a stick. Snakes will try to avoid a person if given enough warning. People should wear long pants and boots if hiking in an area where snakes may be living. If someone sees a rattlesnake while hiking, they can stay safe with these tips: Do not panic.

Stay at least 5 ft away from the snake.

Do not try to kill the snake, as this can increase the risk of it biting. Killing a snake is also illegal in some states.

Alert others to the snake and advise them to be cautious and to keep children and pets away from the area.
A review of published research reveals that melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, most often develops as new spots and not from existing moles. Skin doctors say that the finding underscores the need to regularly check the skin for new growths and changes. Share on Pinterest Researchers have found that most melanomas form as new spots, rather than from existing moles. Researchers from Italy and Greece describe their findings, gleaned from 38 melanoma studies published in recognized academic databases, in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Melanoma is a particularly aggressive skin cancer that starts as mutations in melanocytes  the cells that give skin its color. The mutated cells grow abnormally and form tumors. The most common cause of melanoma is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, such as from sunbathing or indoor tanning. UV rays can alter skin cells and damage their DNA. Melanoma is much easier to treat successfully if it is found early, while the growth is confined to the outer layer of the skin or epidermis. If not found early, it can invade deeper layers and spread to other parts of the body (metastasis). Once melanoma has spread, it is very hard to treat and the chances of survival are much diminished. In 2014, the most recent year for national statistics, 76,665 people in the United States received a diagnosis of melanoma of the skin. In that year, 9,324 people also died of the disease.

Existing mole or new growth? In their study paper, the researchers explain that the evidence about how melanoma starts  whether from an existing mole, or nevus, or from a new growth  is mixed. They note that since the late 1940s, studies of melanoma have stated a wide range of rates. Some have said that melanomas that start in existing moles account for only 4 percent of cases, while others have said that they account for 72 percent. Also, a recent analysis of 25 studies suggests that they account for 36 percent of cases. However, the authors argue that the main reason for this disparity is that the studies have looked at different aspects of the cancer and its origins, such as the thickness of the tumor and the underlying features of the mole or site. They note, for example, that features of any underlying mole or nevus are often hard to describe, as melanoma tumors can deform or even destroy the tissue of the site. Thus, it is extremely difficult or even impossible to determine if the lesion had originally been associated with a nevus or not, they write.

Most melanomas are new growth So, for their review, the team pooled and analyzed data from studies of patients with melanoma where the researchers had specified whether the melanomas were associated with moles (nevus-associated melanomas) or had arisen from new growths (de novo melanomas). Altogether, the team analyzed 38 observational and case-control studies accounting for a total of 20,126 melanomas. The main finding of the study was that the majority (70.9 percent) of melanomas develop from new growths, and only a minority (29.1 percent) arise from an existing mole or nevus. The authors write, This result provides further evidence that most melanomas do not originate from malignant transformation of nevus cells. They found no link between the rate of mole-associated melanomas and the presence of abnormal (dysplastic) tissue in the mole. The researchers also found that melanomas that arise from existing moles tend to be thinner than those that develop from new spots, suggesting that patients with this kind of tumor are likely to have a better prognosis.

Self-exams and sun protection The team suggests that this finding means that patients who regularly check their moles for signs of suspicious changes might stand a better chance of finding melanoma in its early stage, when treatment is more likely to succeed. The American Academy of Dermatology recommend that people regularly perform self-exams on their skin and get their partners to check their backs and any other hard-to-see areas. Because the disease [melanoma] is more likely to appear as a new growth, however, its important for everyone to familiarize themselves with all the moles on their skin and look for not only changes to those moles, but also any new spots that may appear. Dr. Caterina Longo, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy They also recommend that people shield themselves from harmful UV rays when outdoors by staying in the shade, wearing protective clothing and applying a water-resistant, broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 30. In 2011, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added the term broad-spectrum on sunscreen labeling. A broad-spectrum sunscreen protects against both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. SPF only indicates level of protection against UVB.
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BiliScreen is the new smartphone app. It uses a smartphone camera, computer vision algorithms and machine learning tools, which helps in detecting increased bilirubin levels in the sclera (the white part of the eye).The paper on new app is being presented on September 13th at Ubicomp 2017, the Association for Computing Machinery's International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing.and as well as for other diseases. Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes. It is caused by a buildup of bilirubin in the blood.The signs of jaundice when bilirubin levels are minimally elevated can be detected with an entirely new screening program that has been developed for at-risk individuals.In this clinical study, about 70 participants took part in the study and the BiliScreen app was used along with a 3-D printed box that controls the eye's exposure to light. The app had identified the cases 89.7 percent of the time correctly when compared to the blood test which is being currently used.Alex Mariakakis, lead author and a doctoral student at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering said that the problem with pancreatic cancer is that by the symptoms are noticed it is too late.The research team hopes that thiswhich helps in diagnosing the disease early and starting treatment immediately can save their lives.BiliScreen has been built on earlier work that is taken from the UW's Ubiquitous Computing Lab. Previously it was developed as BiliCam, which is a smartphone app that helps in screening newborns for jaundice by taking a picture of the baby's skin.In a recent study published in the journal, it showed that BiliCam estimated the levels of bilirubin in 530 infants accurately.The present research team collaborated with UW Medicine doctors, as the UbiComp lab specializes in using cameras, microphones and other common consumer devices like smartphones and tablets to screen for disease.Currently, the blood test that the doctors use to measure bilirubin levels is inconvenient for frequent screening and requires access to a health care professional. The blood test is not suggested to adults unless there is a reason for concern.This tool can also reduce the burden on patients with pancreatic cancer, especially those who require frequent bilirubin monitoring.In adults, the sclera or the white of the eye is more sensitive than skin to changes in bilirubin levels and can be an early warning sign for pancreatic cancer, hepatitis or Gilbert's syndrome.The changes that occur in the sclera are more consistent across all races and ethnicities, unlike the skin color. By the time the yellowish discoloration in the sclera is noticed, the bilirubin levels have already passed cause for concern.The UW research team wondered whether computer vision and machine learning tools could help detect these color changes that occur in the eye before humans could see them.Shwetak Patel, senior author, the Washington Research Foundation Entrepreneurship Endowed Professor in Computer Science & Engineering and Electrical Engineering said, "The eyes are an attractive gateway into the body. Tears can tell you how much glucose you have, sclera can tell you how much bilirubin is in your blood. Our question was: Could we capture some of these changes that might lead to earlier detection with a selfie?"The research team has developed a computer vision system which automatically and efficiently isolates the sclera or the white parts of the eye, that remains a valuable tool for medical diagnostics.The smartphone app then calculates the color information from the sclera or the white of the eye based on the wavelengths of light that are being reflected and absorbed and thereby correlates it with the levels of bilirubin using machine learning algorithms.The research team tested BiliScreen with two separate accessories to account for different lighting conditions; paper glasses were printed with colored squares, which can help calibrate the color and a 3-D printed box that blocks out ambient light.Using the smartphone app with the box accessory, which is reminiscent of a Google Cardboard headset has led to better results.Further, the research team needs to test the app on a wider range of people, who are at risk for jaundice and underlying conditions, and as well as to continually improve the usability like removing the need for accessories such as the box and glasses.Dr. Jim Taylor, co-author, a professor in the UW Medicine Department of Pediatrics whose father died of pancreatic cancer at age 70 said that this relatively small initial clinical study shows that the technology has a promising future.Taylor said that pancreatic cancer is a terrible disease that has no effective screening techniques right now."Our goal is to have more people who are unfortunate enough to get pancreatic cancer to be fortunate enough to catch it in time to have surgery that gives them a better chance of survival," said Taylor.Source: Medindia
There are good things happening around us. There is justice being served everywhere we see and positive changes happening everywhere. One such astounding change we see is the visibility of more transgender folks amidst us, thanks to the government and normal folks making efforts to work towards accommodating them in society.

 TRANSQUEENINDIA

On August 28th the first ever transgender beauty pageant was held in Gurgaon and it was won by Kolkata's Natasha Biswas. This 26-year-old transqueen is currently pursuing a masters in Business Management. Age was no bar at the pageant as the oldest contestant was in her early 50's. The runners up positions were held by Manipur's Loiloi Haorongbam and Ragasiya from Tamil Nadu. The highlight of this event was that the winner will represent India at the Miss International Trans Queen 2017, later this year.

 TRANSQUEENINDIA

Most transgenders in India are shunned from society and are not given equal opportunities because they are seemingly different'. Most of them are not accepted in their own homes or surroundings and are ostracized by their own people . The community, though, has recognised this and have been sticking together ever since. A lot of effort has been made by community workers to give them their rightful place in society and make them feel as much at home as possible.

 TRANSQUEENINDIA

Reena Rai, a homemaker and a worker for the community found a pool of talent amongst the transgender community and went ahead and organised India's first transgender beauty pageant. According to her, the transgender community have a lot of talent and beauty which is mostly sidelined, so she took it upon herself to do something special for the community. Most of the participants from the pageant share a similar vision on how the community should develop and grow. They believe in educating transwomen all across the country to make them aware of their rights and privileges. Most of them go through a world of torture with abandonment and shame and some of them turn out to be sex workers. To break this downward spiral, the pageant was organised to equalise all efforts made towards the community.

Here's hoping many such efforts gather more momentum and helps the transgender community break away from the shackles of judgment and inequality.
#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...
The Marine Corps has more than $50 billion in assets worldwide. And in theory, the service should be able to produce a paper trail and accounting entries for every armored vehicle and rifle round in its inventory.

The only catch? It's never been done before.

This year, the Marine Corps became the first military service within the Defense Department ever to undergo a full financial statement audit, a mammoth task involving the assessment of more than 4,300 sample items and 31,000 documents.

Before the end of 2017, service leadership will know if they have a historic clean result.

And in the meantime, Marine Corps officials are working behind the scenes to re-orient the culture of the Corps and make warfighters care about accounting.

"From a commander's perspective, from a Marine Corps perspective, what that really manifests in is opportunity," Ann-Cecile McDermott, assistant deputy commandant for Programs and Resources and fiscal director of the Marine Corps, told Military.com in an interview at the Pentagon. " ... All of those things that we buy and those things that we do, training, et cetera, that has that direct warfighter readiness impact. And so it's important to the commander, important to the Marine Corps as far as making sure we're ready."

To get a sense of what's at stake, consider the short-lived fanfare following the Defense Department Inspector General's announcement in late 2013 that the Corps had passed a limited financial audit.

Then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel reserved the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon for a ceremony in which he presented the assistant commandant with a massive framed display honoring the milestone.

"I know that it might seem a bit unusual to be in the Hall of Heroes to honor a bookkeeping accomplishment but, damn, this is an accomplishment," Hagel said, according to Reuters accounts.

And, had the clean report lasted, it would have been: The Defense Department is the only federal entity that has never complied with a 1992 directive to undergo regular audits, a fact that has stoked decades of outrage on Capitol Hill and led to numerous accounts of military waste, inefficiency and opacity in accounting.

The victory was short-lived, however. In early 2015, the IG revoked its clean audit opinion, citing Marine Corps suspense accounts within the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, or DFAS, that had not been properly assessed or accounted for.

McDermott called the decision a disappointment, but said it didn't evaluate the work of Marine Corps financial management officials who at that point were moving forward with preparation for future audits.

"At the end of the day, what I explained to our team was, the work that had been done for our audit, and all the reviews answering all the questions, and the sample items, all of that was still valid, and all of the improvements we were working, all of that was still valid," McDermott said. "The real question was, should there have been more sample items that were tested, and were they material?"

Starting Over

McDermott said she believes the problems that led to the audit about-face in 2015 have been resolved. The IG conducted a follow-on review of DFAS suspense accounts, and the agency has since enhanced its own accountability processes. McDermott said Marine officials now participate in a monthly accountability meeting with DFAS officials to ensure key issues are being discussed.

On top of that, the private accounting firm executing the audit is also new. Grant Thornton, which came under scrutiny for how it conducted the Corps' previous audit, has been replaced by Kearney and Company, P.C., which specializes in federal government accounting.

"The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General has been overseeing the work of the independent public accounting firm, and believe that their procedures are sufficient and appropriate," Bruce Anderson, a spokesman for the IG, told Military.com. "The audit is on schedule to be publicly released later this year."

But if the processes are better this time around, the task is larger as well. While the previous audit assessed Marine Corps dollars and accounts, this first full financial statement audit accounts for everything the Corps owns -- down to grenades and ballistic undergarments.

For this year's mammoth accounting project, Marine officials have been dispatched across the globe to review receipts and records, and sometimes count gear. The "samples" are pulled randomly by the accounting company, and could be anywhere in the world.

"In our '12 audit, we literally had to go to Afghanistan to get a receiving report for an asset that was delivered that just happened to pop on the sample," McDermott said.

To date, this audit has involved 13 site visits to various Marine Corps installations and sites that support service-related activities, and another 479 business process overviews and walkthroughs with accounting personnel.

While the scope of the project is daunting, the Marine Corps likely has key advantages over the other DoD services as it seeks a clean audit opinion.

For one thing, it uses a single networked accounting system, known as SABRS, while other services have struggled to reconcile accounts on multiple outdated systems that don't always communicate.

'Flushing the Quail'

For another, it's the smallest of the services by personnel, with roughly 185,000 troops, and has a comparatively modest budget as a result -- anywhere from $25 billion to $28 billion, including base budget and warfighting funding.

The Army's annual budget is roughly five times that size, and its financial scandals are larger too.

A report released last year by the DoD IG found Army accountants made $2.8 trillion in bad adjustments in a single quarter of 2015 in order to make the books balance, a common accounting technique within DoD.

Findings such as this raise grave questions as to whether the Army and the other services will even be able to meet a Sept. 30 deadline to declare audit readiness.

This year's process has also revealed gaps in the Marine Corps' processes. For example, McDermott said, it was discovered earlier this year that there was no general ledger account for ammunition that was purchased pre-assembled, then built before being delivered to appropriate units.

"When it takes a long time to assemble the ammunition for some certain classes, just the 'in progress' line, there was not an accounting of it," she said. "Because again, you paid for the ammo and then we make sure we get the ammo that we paid for. From the accounting perspective ... you should be recording where are you as they are progressing on making that."

McDermott noted she's aware that all eyes are on the Corps as it undergoes the full financial statement audit.

"Part of what we are doing as a Marine Corps, I call it 'flushing the quail' for everybody else," she said.

Long-Range Goals

The Corps' audit is set to be complete by mid-November, with a report and finding expected in late November or early December.

So, can the Marine Corps pull off a clean audit this year? McDermott is cautious to predict an outcome.

"As far as the clean opinion, it's going to take a while before anybody is routinely getting that," she said. "...The way we are looking at it is, success for us is identifying what are those improvement areas and keeping after them. Because every line in the general ledger before we make it through and all of that being clean, it's going to take a while."

But as the service has worked to complete its audit, McDermott and others are also laying the groundwork for better financial practices across the service. In conversations and informal training events with unit commanders, she said she has highlighted accounting best practices, such as having two people involved in any part of the process.

"That can be a challenge depending on what's the manning of an organization, what's going on," she said.

Topics related to the audit are also a recent addition at new commanders' courses, and McDermott said she has noticed an increase in interest from key leaders.

"From the commanders, four- and three-star level, [we get] questions about how's the audit going, what are we finding, what are we focusing on, different things," she said.

And that key insight connection, that good accounting aids warfighting, is making an impact.

"Our commanders, they are looking at the audit impact and going, 'OK, we can streamline, we can do this better.' And then they say, it's also going to help me with audit, so you know it's changing the way people are thinking about things," she said.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go.

Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune...
President Trump said Tuesday that "all options are on the table" after North Korea launched a missile over Japan, an act that instantly renewed tensions in the region just days after the regime appeared to be backing down from threats against the U.S. and its allies.

"The world has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: This regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," Trump said in a written statement released by the White House.

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table," the statement continued.

In a first, North Korea on Tuesday fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload that flew over U.S. ally Japan and splashed into the northern Pacific Ocean.

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The distance and type of missile test seemed designed to show that North Korea can back up a threat to target the U.S. territory of Guam, if it chooses to do so, while also establishing a potentially dangerous precedent that could see future missiles flying over Japan.

The White House said that Trump spoke Monday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about the "grave" North Korean threat.

"President Trump and Prime Minister Abe committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the international community to do the same," the statement said.

Any new test worries Washington and its allies because it presumably puts the North a step closer toward its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States. Tuesday's test, however, looks especially aggressive to Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.

The Pentagon told reporters that it was investigating the launch over Japan, adding: "North American Aerospace Defense Command determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America."

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency said the Japanese military did not attempt to intercept the missile.

South Korea's air force effectively fired back at North Korea's missile launch over Japan by conducting a live-fire drill involving powerful bombs, officials said early Tuesday.

Four F-15 fighters dropped eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field near South Korea's eastern coast, Seoul's presidential spokesman Park Su-hyun said. Each bomb has an explosive yield of a ton, according to the country's air force.

Tuesday's launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

Trump responded earlier this month by threatening Kim Jong-un's regime with "fire and fury," touching off an escalating war of words. Kim eventually walked back threats to attack the U.S. territory of Guam, temporarily easing tensions -- until the latest round of provocations.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More than 30,000 National Guard and active duty troops were on standby Tuesday to assist overwhelmed Texas authorities in coping with the "historic" national disaster caused by Hurricane Harvey and the torrential rains and flooding that came in its wake.

At least 10 persons are believed to have died in Harvey's aftermath, and Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo announced Tuesday the first death of an officer assigned to disaster relief. Acevedo said Officer Steve Perez, a 34-year veteran, drowned in a flooded-out underpass as he tried to reach his duty station.

Acevedo said Perez' wife told him that she pleaded with her husband not to go, but he told her

"We've got work to do" in rescuing thousands of city residents stranded by the floods and getting them to shelter.

Harvey, now downgraded from a Category 4 Hurricane to a tropical storm with sustained winds of 45 mph, was meandering off the Gulf Coast and was expected to take aim at southwest Louisiana as it came back ashore on a path to the vicinity of Shreveport, Louisiana, according to the National Weather Service.

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On Monday, President Donald Trump issued a federal emergency declaration for five parishes in southwest Louisiana: Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis and Vermillion.

The Weather Service warned of another storm surge along the coast, with "a possibility of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland."

Hard rains were still falling and rivers were still rising across wide swaths of Texas, and a broken levee and controlled releases from overflowing dams added to the flooding that has made escape routes impassable.

Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, called Harvey and its aftermath "one of the largest disasters America has ever faced."

Abbott was on hand under clear skies in Corpus Christi, Texas, on the Gulf Coast Tuesday morning to meet President Donald Trump, who arrived on Air Force One with First Lady Melania Trump to survey the damage and show support for first responders.

At the Annaville Fire Department, Trump heard reports from Coast Guard officers and Federal Emergency Management Administrator Brock Long. "All eyes are on Houston, and so are mine," Long said. "We've got a long time to go. We're still in a life-saving, life-sustaining mission."

Trump said the storms and flooding were "of epic proportion. No one has ever seen anything like this." He told Abbott: "You have been terrific and you have been effective."

Trump, wearing a windbreaker and a white "USA" ballcap, later stopped to address a crowd of several hundred supporters who had gathered nearby chanting "U.S.A! U.S.A.!" He said "This is epic, but you know what, this is Texas and Texas can handle anything."

"I love you, you are special. We're here to take care of you. It's going well," Trump said. "What a crowd, what a turnout," he said. "We are going to get you back and operating immediately."

Trump later went to Austin for more briefings on the response and the recovery efforts once the skies clear. He also made a reference to the long-term costs. "There's probably never been anything so expensive in our country's history," he said.

Trump arrived in Texas on the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and led to widespread criticism of then-President George W. Bush over the federal response. For Katrina, 50,000 National Guard and 20,000 active-duty forces were mobilized.

Abbott called up about 900 from the Texas Army and Air National Guard before Harvey hit on Friday, and on Sunday he said about 3,000 had been mobilized. On Monday, Abbott said that all 12,000 in the Texas National Guard had been activated.

At the Pentagon Tuesday, Maj. Gen. James Witham, the National Guard Bureau's Director of Domestic Operations, said there were actually 19,000 members of the Texas Guard, but 12,000 were currently available. He said the rest were either activated or other duties, were in training, or were unavailable.

Witham said that on Tuesday about 3,000 members of the Texas Guard were actively involved in rescue and recovery and he expected that number to grow to 4,000.

The Texas Guard had 200 high-ride vehicles in operation, with another 200 in reserve, Witham said. About 30 Texas Guard helicopters were active, and 24 more have been requested, Witham said. "We could grow up to 100 helicopters" before the storms subside, he said.

The Texas Guard alone thus far has rescued about 3,500 people stranded by the storms and flooding, including about 300 by helicopter hoist, Witham said.

The U.S. Coast Guard, which operates under Department of Homeland Security, had at least 20 helicopters operating Tuesday in the Houston area and reported that air and ground teams had rescued more than 1,450 people.

The National Guard was preparing to deploy 20,000-30,000 more troops to Texas in anticipation that Abbott makes a formal request for them, Witham said.

"I would like to emphasize that our response to this hurricane has been different to anything we've experienced before and we expect it to be much longer in terms of the response phase in terms of what we could normally see with a hurricane," Witham said.

In addition to the Guard troops, active-duty air, ground and naval assets were on standby to respond in Texas but were also awaiting Abbott's request, Witham said at a Pentagon briefing. "It depends on the governor and the state to ask for assistance," he said. "Texas just hasn't asked for them yet" but "we are leaning as far forward as we possibly can."

When asked if Abbott had been too slow to ask for additional Guard and active-duty help, Witham said "Well, that's debatable."

"In many cases, the request for assistance not only for the National Guard but federal forces may not have been anticipated quick enough but we are providing everything we can as quickly as the state asks for it," he said.

However, Witham said, "There are federal forces involved in the response now," possibly under the dual-status command for Guard and Reserve, and active-duty that can be designated by Defense Secretary James Mattis with a governor's permission.

Witham said that Abbott on Sunday signed a memo agreeing to have a dual status commander take charge of the Guard and active duty response. Mattis immediately named Brig. Gen. Patrick Hamilton of the Texas Army National Guard to be the dual-status commander, Witham said.

As the apparent result, Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicles began appearing in Galveston, Texas, on Tuesday.

2nd Lt. Stephanie Leguizamon, a spokeswoman for Marine Forces Reserve, said 56 Marines and sailors from Charlie Company, Assault Amphibian Battalion, were currently assisting the Galveston, Texas, Fire Department with search-and-rescue missions.

The amphibious assault ship Kearsarge also reportedly was preparing to leave Norfolk, Virginia, with more Navy and Marine assets to aid in the Harvey recovery.

At a briefing Monday, Army Col. Robert Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, said that Randolph-Seguin auxiliary airfield at Joint Base San Antonio has been designated as a forward staging area for the distribution of supplies and equipment in anticipation that active-duty troops would be headed to Texas.

The Pentagon also sent to Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth a search-and-rescue unit with nine rotary-wing aircraft, two fixed-wing aircraft, para-rescue teams and planners, Manning said.

The Defense Department was also pre-positioning troops, search and rescue units, aircraft, vehicles, equipment and supplies to staging areas near the worst of the flooding to await Abbott's request for assistance, Manning said.

"As of now, all Guard personnel providing assistance are on Title 32, or state orders. Active-duty units are enroute to the staging area in anticipation of a possible request," Manning said, but "here has been no formal tasking of Title 10 DoD units," meaning active-duty forces.

Late Friday, U.S. Northern Command said several actions underway in Texas at the request of Abbott for specific units and in support of FEMA.

In a statement, NorthCom said nine helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft, along with pararescue teams and associated command and control elements, were operating out of Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas.

NorthCom said those Navy and Air Force search-and-rescue (SAR) assets were flying missions that resulted in more than 225 rescues. In addition, five Zodiak rescue boat crews were assisting with rescues.

NorthCom also said that about 100 light and medium tactical vehicles were on the move from the Army post at Fort Hood, Texas, to Katy, Texas, to support the Red Cross in moving patients and residents out of flooded areas in Houston.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

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In 2004, in Al Anbar Province of Iraq, Marine Captain Brent Morel found his recon Marines in the center of a well-planned enemy ambush. A host of 40 to 60 insurgents rained fire down upon his column. Morel did what was obvious to him.

Charge into Enemy Fire Ordering the remaining vehicles to take up a flanking position, Captain Morel led the charge straight into the face of the enemy ambush. Shocked by the aggression of the Marines, some of the enemy attack was broken up and retreated. However, with his Marines still taking heavy fire from the significant number of enemy that remained, Morel knew he needed to act once again.

Leaving the relative safety of his new position, he set out again to lead his Marines through the ambush. It was during this final assault to relieve his Marines that Morel was struck by a withering burst of machine gun fire. For his actions that day, Captain Brent Morel was awarded the Navy Cross for selflessly sacrificing his life to lead his Marines.

Such leadership is needed not only in the streets of Iraq and the valleys of Afghanistan, but also once you return stateside in the boardroom.

Adapt, Improvise, Overcome In the military, we learned to adapt, improvise, and overcome to be successful on the battlefield. Transferring those skills to the business world is also a key to success. By outmaneuvering the competition you can put their business in your dust trail and continue on mission. Sometimes a straight assault is the best tactic, sometimes it is not. But it is always advantageous to protect your flanks.

Build Your Team To protect your flanks, veterans can support one another through mentoring, referrals, and networking with other veterans, like with Bunker Labs, a national non-profit that provides educational programming, access to resources, and a thriving local network to help military veterans and their spouses start and grow businesses.

Use your network as a recon team and know what adjustments your competition may be making so that you can continue to stay ahead. By expanding your network you will have the ability to see more of the battlefield and maintain your forward assault.

Business Is a Battlefield While it may seem easy to achieve these goals, if walk into the business world expecting it to treat you better because you are a veteran, you are in for a rude awakening. Business is a battlefield that will be as unforgiving to you as the enemy was overseas. The market will show you zero mercy. You have to fight for every deal and every dollar, each and every day.

The Bottom Line Captain Brent Morel died in combat doing one thingtaking care of his Marines.

Transitioning to the civilian workplace can seem daunting. But you have the skill set to thrive. To be a catalyst for change, you first have to believe that the skills you learned in the military make you well equipped to succeed in business, just dont go it alone.

Connect with other veteran entrepreneurs and industry leaders. If veterans work together to protect our flanks, we will all move forward and continue to be successful both in the boardroom and the sandbox.

About Andy Williams, Founder

Andy Williams has been passionate about real estate since his days in Iraq. He says Real Estate was my safe haven from the war. Mr. Williams most recent venture included an entrepreneurial position with B2R Finance, a Blackstone Tactical Opportunities venture launched in 2013 to create value add to residential real estate investors. Mr. Williams is a former U.S. Marine and passionate social entrepreneur. Williams seeks to create positive change within his ranks as he pursues his passion to add value to the real estate industry. God, Country, Family are his core values. After serving his country, he is beyond blessed to have a family, which drives him daily to add value within the communities he invests.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The 13 counties that make up West Michigan look good compared to other areas of the state, according to the latest "Talent Assessment and Outlook" report by Talent 2025, a study group formed by 100 of the region's leading executives.

West Michigan showed more population growth than the rest of Michigan and most other similar-sized regions in the U.S., according to the report released on Monday, Aug. 28.

The region's population added 10,000 new residents in the last year and is now estimated at 1.581 million. But the rest of the state outside of West Michigan lost population - in some cases to West Michigan. And, West Michigan is losing residents to southern state, the report said.

"The vibrant communities throughout West Michigan continue to be attractive destinations to residents in other parts of the state who may already be familiar with the region, but West Michigan still sees a strong outflow of migration to southern states such as Florida, North Carolina, and Mississippi," the report said.

Employment in the region grew up 25,000 jobs in the past year, a growth rate of 4.1 percent. Manufacturing jobs have growth by 33.3 percent - almost 38,000 jobs -- since the low point of the Great Recession in 2009.

Still, just 82 percent of the adults ages 25-54 in the region are employed or looking for work, according to an earlier task force report. "To raise this participation rate to a leading level among comparable regions, we need to move 22,000 individuals into our labor force."

West Michigan residents also are becoming more educated, with 58.3 percent of adults in West Michigan achieving some form of education beyond high school in 2015.

Still, more than 10 percent of the adult population does not have a high school diploma or GED, the report said.

"With a goal of 64.0 percent for this indicator, stakeholders throughout the region are working to ensure that the labor force is prepared for what skills and credentials will be needed in 2025," the report said.

Counties in the Talent 2025 region include: Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola and Ottawa.
ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan has opened its on-campus housing early to incoming students from Texas who have been impacted by flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.

The UM Housing Facebook page sent out an announcement to all incoming students from Texas on Aug. 25, letting them know that they would be welcome to come to campus early.

"If helpful, Texas residents (who are moving to one of our buildings on-campus) are welcome to come to campus early - we will house you until your contract starts," the message said.

UM Senior Associate Director of Housing Administration and Public Relations Amir Baghdadchi said 17 students impacted by the hurricane have arrived to move in early, while more than 100 residents of UM housing are residents of Texas.

"Especially for first-year students, moving to Ann Arbor isn't just changing your address, it's making a big transition in your life," Baghdadchi said. "We want to make that experience as smooth as possible, so if we can help a family navigate their travels in the wake of a major storm, we are happy to do it.

"Our university community is made of up people from all over the country, so when something happens in Texas, it affects our community too," he added.

Information for incoming students from Texas: Based on weather reports, we can see Texas has the potential for some... Posted by University of Michigan Housing on Friday, August 25, 2017

Students who are looking to move in ahead of the regular student move-in are asked to email housing@umich.edu with "Texas Early Move In" in the subject line.

More than three days after the storm ravaged the Texas coastline as a Category 4 hurricane, authorities had confirmed three deaths -- including a woman killed Monday when heavy rains dislodged a large oak tree onto her trailer home in the small town of Porter, according to The Associated Press.

The disaster is unfolding on an epic scale, with Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city, mostly paralyzed by the storm that has parked itself over the Gulf Coast. Early Tuesday, Harvey's relentless downpour continued to drench Houston and the surrounding area.

The full student move-in for UM residence halls runs Wednesday, Aug. 30, through Friday, Sept. 1. Baghdadchi said he expects around 6,000 first-year UM students to move in during that three-day period.

For more informaiton on move-in week at UM, visit the Student Life Housing website. The fall semester for UM begins on Sept. 5.
BAY CITY, MI -- A 45-year-old probation absconder is facing up to seven years in prison on allegations he mailed a drug to an inmate of the Bay County Jail.

In June 2016, a corrections officer in the jail was inspecting inmates' mail when she found a Suboxone strip hidden in an envelope. Suboxone is a Schedule III substance used to treat opiate addiction.

The orange envelope was addressed to 34-year-old Jamie Lee Jarvis, jailed on a retail fraud charge. The Suboxone strip itself was orange and affixed to the glued portion of the envelope's flap, court records show.

Police reports contained in court files state there "have been previous incidents documented by jail staff regarding smuggling Suboxone in for Jarvis."

A Bay County Sheriff's detective reviewed Jarvis' recorded phone conversations. In doing so, he identified the sender as Christopher B. Wells, on probation for a 2014 conviction of larceny in a building.

On the recordings, Jarvis asks Wells to send her something overnight, but he replies he doesn't want to draw attention to the package.

"Chris also indicated he was sacrificing his life for her and he wouldn't do this for anybody and wanted her to appreciate it," the detective wrote in his report.

Wells also mailed Jarvis several letters in which he wrote he planned or wanted to send her a "sub" or "orange card" if she would prove she cared for him.

The detective interviewed Wells in August 2016. Wells said he had been addicted to Vicodin and OxyContin but was prescribed Suboxone. He went on to say he was in love with Jarvis and admitted to sending her Suboxone.

"Wells advised he felt bad for Jamie and he sent her the Suboxone strip in the mail," police reports state. "He felt bad for her and was concerned about withdrawals and her getting sick."

The detective later interviewed Jarvis, who described Wells as "crazy," adding he stalks her and that she did not ask him to send her drugs.

Authorities issued a warrant for Wells on Dec. 8, 2016. He absconded from probation and did not appear for arraignment in Bay County District Court until Wednesday, Aug. 23.

Wells now faces a charge of second-offense attempted delivery or manufacture of a controlled substance. Normally punishable by up to three and a half years in prison, the second offense enhancement doubles the maximum potential penalty to seven years' incarceration.

The arraigning judge set Wells' bond at $15,000 cash-surety. Wells is to appear for a preliminary examination at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7.

Jarvis, meanwhile, is wanted on a bench warrant for failing to pay the $373 she owes in fines and restitution.
BAY CITY, MI -- A Harrison man has admitted in federal court that he tried to blackmail an underage girl from across the country to send him nude photos. As a result, he's facing a minimum 15 years in prison.

Shackled and wearing an orange jumpsuit, 22-year-old Derek C. Chapman appeared before U.S. District Magistrate Judge Patricia T. Morris in the federal courthouse in downtown Bay City on the afternoon of Tuesday, Aug. 29. Chapman pleaded guilty to one count attempted sexual exploitation of a child, which comes with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum 30-year stint.

Chapman's sentencing range is 188 to 235 months, or 15.6 to 19.6 years.

In making his plea, Chapman answered questions posed to him by defense attorney Joan Morgan. He said that in late December 2015 and into January 2016, he used Kik Interactive, a messenger app, to communicate with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl living in Washington state. While discussing depression, the girl sent him a photo of her thigh with a self-inflicted wound.

Chapman then told the girl he would contact Child Protective Services and the agency would remove her from her parents' care if she did not send him nude photos of herself.

In exchange for his plea, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Rawsthorne agreed to dismiss charges of receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Those counts stem from Chapman on two dates in spring of this year acquiring lewd images of at least one 17-year-old girl.

Chapman's sentencing date before U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington is pending.
UPDATE: On Nov. 29, Ovalle pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and felon in possession of a firearm. Three felony firearm charges were dismissed.

BAY CITY, MI -- A parolee has been charged with six new felonies after police searched his Bay City home and found drugs and a firearm.

The afternoon of Tuesday, Aug. 22, the Bay City Department of Public Safety's VIPER Unit and a parole officer conducted a search on 36-year-old Christopher M. Ovalle Sr.'s home at 1725 Green Ave. Ovalle was home at the time.

Inside the house, police found $261 in cash, marijuana, digital scales, items bearing suspected cocaine residue, a box of ammunition, six handgun magazines, and a loaded Ruger semiautomatic 9mm pistol concealed in a pillowcase, court records show.

Ovalle declined to give a statement to police, who arrested him and lodged him in the Bay County Jail. Later that day, Ovalle had a recorded phone conversation with an unknown woman. On the recording, Ovalle tells the woman he had only had the gun in his house for a short time and that "weed don't count."

Police determined the gun was owned by a Rhodes man, but that it had not been reported stolen, court records show.

Ovalle on Aug. 23 appeared in Bay County District Court for arraignment on three counts of felony firearm, two counts of second-offense possession of a controlled substance, and one count of felon in possession of firearm. Felony firearm comes with a mandatory minimum two-year prison stint, to be served consecutive to any other term.

The arraigning judge set Ovalle's bond at $25,000 and scheduled his case for a preliminary examination at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7.

The Michigan Department of Corrections had paroled Ovalle on Dec. 16, 2015. He was to remain on parole until Dec. 16, 2017.

Ovalle's criminal history includes convictions of assault with intent to cause great bodily harm and failing to register as a sex offender.
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The Board of Directors of the Company at their meeting held today i.e. August 29, 2017 has inter-alia considered and approved the following:1)Raising funds by way of issue of Equity Shares/ Global Depository Receipts/ American Depository Receipts/ Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds and/or such other securities.2)Change in designation of Mr. Shiva Kabra from Whole-time Director to Joint Managing Director of the Company w.e.f. August 30, 2017.3)To conduct Postal Ballot for obtaining the authority/approval of members of the Company for aforesaid purposes.The Board has also constituted 'Capital Raising Committee' of the Board of Directors to take a decision on type of offering and also for taking all necessary actions in connection with the offering.Source : BSE

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Sub: Notice of the 20th Annual General Meeting.The 20th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company will be held on Friday 29th September, 2017 at 10.00 a.m. at Bay Leaf Banquet Hall, Shop No 67, 68, 69, Saraf Choudhary Nagar, Thakur Complex, Opposite Sarodev Hospital, Kandivali (East), Mumbai - 400101. The Notice of AGM is attached herewith.You are requested to take the note of above.Thanking You,Yours faithfully,For E-Land Apparel LimitedSource : BSE

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1.The Annual General Meeting, 2017 is scheduled to be held on 29th September, 2017 from 9:30 am at PHD Chambers, Sector 31-A, Chandigarh. The notice of the same has been attached here with.2.Pursuant to section 108 of the Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 20 of the Companies (Management and Administration Rules), 2014, as amended by the Companies (Management and Administration) Amendment Rules, 2015, and Regulation 44 of Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, the company is providing e-voting facility, 26th September, 2017 from 09:00 a.m. and ends on 28th September, 2017 at 05:00 p.m. to the members to cast their votes on all resolutions set out in the notice of the 21st AGM. During this period shareholders' of the Company, holding shares either in physical form or in dematerialized form, as on the cutoff date (record date) of 22nd September, 2017 may cast their vote electronically.3.The register of members and share transfer books of the company will remain closed from 23rd September 2017 to 29th September 2017 for Annual Closing (both days inclusive).Kindly take on record and oblige.Source : BSE

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The 32nd Annual General Meeting of the Company is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 12.00 p.m. at the Registered Office of the Company at Welspun City, Village Versamedi, Taluka Anjar, District Kutch, Gujarat  370 110 to transact the businesses as per the attached notice of the meeting.Kindly take the same on records.Source : BSE

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Sudarshan Sukhani of s2analytics.com told CNBC-TV18, "Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone is a buying opportunity. It's a stock that was ignored yesterday because of Adani Enterprises but it has a much better chart for a long trade."

"The second trade is Vedanta. Metals is the only sector that is seeing a sustained upmove, almost all other sectors are in a correction of some kind or the other, so we ride that sector boom and go with Vedanta. These are two buying ideas for the day."

"There are three short sells - Fortis Healthcare which is doing nothing, making lower highs, lower lows. The intraday rallies are being sold into. It's an easy sell. Amara Raja Batteries has a similar pattern, so on a weak day weak stocks become much lower. So that is the logic behind these two," he said.
Ashwani Gujral of ashwanigujral.com told CNBC-TV18, "Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 435, target of Rs 460. Balrampur Chini is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 169, target of Rs 183. Dewan Housing Finance is also a buy with a stop loss of Rs 485, target of Rs 510."

"Tata Motors is a sell with a stop loss of Rs 385, target of Rs 368. DLF is a sell with a stop loss of Rs 185 for target of Rs 170," he said.

"Reliance Infra, Larsen and Toubro (L&T) and even Reliance Capital are showing signs of life. So try to buy into stocks which is green right now."
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

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Infosyss founder NR Narayana Murthy raised concerns of poor governance of the previous Board of the company, primarily the non-transparent manner in which it addressed issues surrounding the high severance pay of former Chief Financial Officer Rajiv Bansal.



Thank you, Mr. Murthy. I am looking forward to leading @Infosys with unanimous support of all stakeholders! https://t.co/Y4mdrPg1aS

 Nandan Nilekani (@NandanNilekani) August 29, 2017

He also said the Co-founder Nandan Nilekani coming back to lead the company as non-executive chairman of the Board would bring back Achhe Din to Infosys.

My main concern is the poor governance practised by the previous Board, Murthy said at an institutional investor conference organised by Investec.

He goes on to explain that the Board, led by Seshasayee, failed to explain the actual reason for the excessive sum as severance to the ex-CFO, Mr. Rajiv Bansal.

Murthy also questioned that manner in which the Board gave inconsistent replies to the issue of the high severance payout to Bansal. When Bansal left in 2015, Infosys agreed to pay him Rs 17.38 crore as severancewhich equalled about two years of his pay. However, the company paid only about Rs 5 crore before the payments were suspended.

On July 15, 2016 when I asked the board members, in the presence of Nandan (Nilekani) and (K) Dinesh , why they agreed to pay such a huge severance amount, Mr. Jeff Lehman (board member) said it was confidential and could not be disclosed to us! Ms. Roopa Kudva (board member) said that we had to sign an NDA if we wanted to know the reason! So much for shareholder transparency and democracy! On October 14, 2016, Mr. Seshasayee told us that the Board agreed to pay this sum because they felt generous!

Bansals severance pay has been one of the main contentions of the ongoing battle between Infosys founder, former Board and the ex-chief executive Vishal Sikka, who stepped down on August 18.

In his statement, Murthy quoted verbatim from a whistleblower complaint, which said that Seshasayee lied about the reason for payments made to the ex-CFO to protect the company from its secrets being compromised.

He also took issue with a company statement about an independent investigation which absolves the management from allegations regarding benefiting directly from the acquisition of Israeli software firm Panaya and other acquisitions, but again questioned the issue of high severance promised to Bansal.

However, this statement does not mention whether the investigation addressed the allegations of the whistle-blower regarding the serious governance deficits of the Board and the CEO in the matter of the severance agreement with the ex-CFO, said Murthy.

Murthy has consistently held that Infosys should release the full report of the investigation into the allegations made by the whistleblower.

He asked the management would rally behind Nilekani in his new role. I am confident Nandan will determine whether the members of the current Board who were involved in the events alleged by the whistle blower exercised their proper and expected role in governance; and that he will take appropriate corrective actions, he said.

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Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said India has entered into a pact with Germany to improve parameters for grid integration of renewable energies.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH India on behalf of Germany signed an agreement on technical cooperation under the "Indo-German Energy Programme  Green Energy Corridors (IGEN-GEC)" here.

This relationship between GIZ nad India will result in improved market mechanisms and regulations and help train manpower in India to ensure grid stability to ensure more and more integration of renewables in the country, Goyal said.

It "will lead to a safer grid, a more secured grid, a grid which can also take care of cyber challenges", he said. He was speaking at the signing of the agreement here. Goyal further said that Germany is a very reliable partner and has been supporting India in achieving its goal for sustainable development through bilateral cooperation for almost six decades now.

"India and Germany share a very active and dynamic engagement furthering the relations in variety of areas... Within this larger broader context of the Indo-German relationship, clean energy has a very important role to play," Goyal said.

GIZ and MNRE will work on improving market mechanisms and regulations for integration of renewable energies, advancing technical and institutional conditions in specified target states, regions and on a national level, adding human capacities to handle systemic (strategic, managerial, financial, technical) renewable energies integration in an efficient and effective manner. German Ambassador to India, H E Martin Ney, said, "When in July 2012, Power Grid Corporation of India submitted a comprehensive and well elaborated 'transmission plan for envisaged renewable capacity' to MNRE, it paved the way for India's ambitious goals to transform its power system by significantly increasing the share of renewable energies in the energy mix."

Both the countries have very constructive dialogue under the Indo-German Energy Forum (IGEF), Ney said. Based on the Indo-German consultations held in April 2013 in Berlin, both countries confirmed collaboration on the green energy corridors.

In the subsequent bilateral development cooperation negotiations, it was agreed that Germany will provide concessional loans of up to 1 billion euros through KfW (German Development Bank) and up to 10 million euros under technical assistance in forecasting, balancing, market design, network management and demand side energy efficiency, implemented by GIZ.

These contributions have been further increased in 2015 and 2016 by concessional loans up to 400 million euros for transmission infrastructure and up to 7 million euros for training activities in the photovoltaic solar rooftop sector and energy efficiency in residential buildings under technical assistance through GIZ. For over 60 years, the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been working jointly with partners in India for sustainable economic, ecological, and social development. Currently, GIZ has over 330 employees in India, of whom 85 per cent are national personnel.
Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives to cast his vote for the country's next President, at the Parliament House in New Delhi, India, July 17, 2017. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi - RTX3BQ8J

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a visit to Udaipur in Rajasthan tomorrow to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of several major projects whose total outlay is estimated to be over Rs 15,000 crore.

He will also visit the Pratap Gaurav Kendra which provides information, through various exhibits, about the life, valour and achievements of Maharana Pratap, the famous King of the erstwhile kingdom of Mewar.

"Today I will be visiting Rajasthan, the land of the brave, where I will inaugurate & lay the foundation of key National Highway projects," Modi tweeted.

"I will address a public meeting in Udaipur. I will also visit the Pratap Gaurav Kendra and pay my respects to the great Maharana Pratap," he said in another tweet.

The prime minister will inaugurate 11 completed National Highway projects, covering a total length of about 873 km, a Rajasthan government spokesman said in Jaipur.

Modi will also perform ground-breaking ceremony for six NH projects, covering a distance of about 556 km, said the spokesman in a release.

Among the projects being inaugurated are 6-lane cable stayed bridge across river Chambal at Kota; 4-laning of Gomati Chauraha-Udaipur section of NH-8; and 4-laning of Rajsamand- Bhilwara section of NH-758, the PMO spokesman said.

Among the important projects for which a foundation stone will be laid is the Jaipur Ring Road, he said.

Ahead of the prime minister's visit, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje reached Udaipur today to take stock of the arrangements.

She was accompanied by state Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria, PWD Minister Yunus Khan and DGP Ajit Singh during the inspection.
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The new Rs 200 notes will soon be available at the ATMs (automated teller machines) within a period of 15-20 days, which could be before the end of September.

After the massive recalibration at ATMs to insert the new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes during the demonetisation period (post November 8 last year), banks and ATMs see Rs 200 note dissemination to be a smooth and gradual exercise.

Since August 25, select counters of RBI offices and banks will issue these notes.

Neeraj Vyas, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Managing Director at State Bank of India, said, Right now, the Rs 200 notes are in limited supply so we cannot send it to the ATMs but we are testing it. We have given samples to the ATM operators to see if it works in the existing cassettes or will require to build a new one. If we have to recalibrate, it will be mostly done in the cassette for Rs 100 notes so that there is more capacity to load cash. Some places it could be Rs 500 notes cassettes.

Further, given the limited supply of Rs 2000 notes, banks may look at reconfiguring the cassettes of Rs 2000 notes as it is the least in demand due to its difficulty in usage for customers.

A banker also said that about 65 percent of the supply today is Rs 500 notes and Rs 2000 denomination cassettes have been largely converted into Rs 500 ones.

Cassettes are small removable boxes that hold cash inside an ATM. Each cassette has to be configured to dispense a particular note. Currently, ATMs can dispense Rs 100, new Rs 500 and new Rs 2,000 notes (some also dispense Rs 50 notes).

An ATM usually has four cassettes  one for Rs 100 notes, 2 cassettes of Rs 500 and 1 for Rs 2000 -- specially-designed to fit in ATMs to properly dispense cash. Each cassette in an ATM can hold up to Rs 2,500 notes.

Design, texture, size, thickness and supply or availability of the new 200 rupee notes will decide which cassettes will require recalibration at ATMs as it can be a massive exercise which was already done recently post demonetisation across about 2 lakh ATMs.

Navroz Dastur, Managing Director of NCR Corporation, managing nearly 50 percent of ATMs in the country, says by next month the Rs 200 currency notes should definitely be available at ATMs.

"Banks will definitely get these notes into the ATMs. We have got some notes and started testing the calibration and fitting of the notes which should be completed in the next 2-3 days. Some banks have already shown interest of injecting these notes into the ATMs and depending on how much calibration is required post testing; we will get going with the dispensing of the notes," he said.

For testing purpose, there will be some switch-level reconfiguration that will be required. Also, some cassettes of 500 could be used for the Rs 200 notes. It is up to the banks to decide which cassette needs to be calibrated. This will depend on the supply.

ATM operators or manufacturers will need to do a complete testing of the new Rs 200 denomination currency and provide the parameters which need to be configured at the ATM by an engineer.

The reconfiguration needs to be done because of the different dimensions of the notes.

#Note sizes

Rs 50: OLD notes  147 x 73 mm; NEW notes are 135 x 66 mm

Rs 100: 157 x 73 mm

Rs 200: 146  66 mm

Rs 500: OLD notes -- 167 x 73 mm; NEW notes are 150 x 66 mm

Rs 1,000: 177 x 73 mm (denomination does not exist now)

Rs 2000: 166 x 66 mm

"Only about 5-6 banks have got the new Rs 200 rupee notes. I think once all banks receive it, they will issue it to the ATMs. We are all prepared for it and by mid-September we should start getting it. Recalibration will not be a problem and it should be done in a smooth manner," said NSG Rao, Secretary General, Cash Logistics Association (CLA).

According to K Srinivas, CEO & Managing Director, BTI Payments, a white label ATM operator which manages over 4,000 ATMs under brand name India 1, "The Rs 200 denomination would benefit players like us hugely as our customer base is the tier-3, 4 and other smaller cities. It would take a couple of weeks for sure to get the notes but it has to be available in enough quantity which is not yet confirmed by banks."

A white label ATM is one which is owned and managed by a non-bank entity.

For us Rs 2000 denominations are not useful as our customers are the lower income groups. Currently, about 50 percent of the currency is in the form of Rs 2000 notes hence Rs 200 notes would be a big benefit. In rural areas there is a desperate need for smaller denomination notes and I would change all to Rs 50, Rs 100 and Rs 200 denomination currency notes, Srinivas added.
Infosys

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On the surface, the recent upheaval at IT major Infosys was all about former CEO Vishal Sikkas performance, a controversial acquisition and a founder not willing to go quietly into the sunset.

But theres also a strong cultural angle that underpinned the conflict: Kannadiga, middle-class and humble versus Silicon Valley, aspirational and in-your-face.

Infosys is no ordinary company. It represents a certain philosophy and value system in which hard work and frugality are seen as important virtues. Sikka was trying to change the companys philosophy hence it is natural that the founders had to intervene, said Narayan Bhat, a Bangalore-based chartered accountant who has watched the company grow from a small firm to multi-billion dollar enterprise.

Emotional undertones in a business conflict are not new to India Inc. The feud at the Tata Group last year, for example, was also seen as being against the core values espoused by the Parsi community, and resulted in the exit of Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry.

The Ratan Tata camp had to step in because Cyrus was steering the group away from its core philosophy. History is again repeating itself but this time in Infosys, said Uday Hegde, who runs a stock brokerage firm in Hubli, North Karnataka.

If anything, the unease at Infosys was more pronounced because unlike Mistry  a Parsi like all Tata Sons chairmen before him  Sikka was a northerner in a company that had decidedly southern Indian DNA.

The Infosys Board  since radically revamped -- had cited founder NR Narayana Murthys continuous assault on Sikka as the reason he decided to quit on August 18. However, once Co-founder Nandan Nilekani came back to head the company as non-executive chairman of the Board, sentiment improved.

Murthy & Sikka: A clash of cultures

Infosys is one of the few companies which have an emotional connect with middle class households, particularly in Bangalore and elsewhere in Karnataka.

Raviraj Kumar, a stock broker from Bangalore said, Infosys is the pride of Kannadigas. Several families have been transformed because their children joined Infosys soon after completing an engineering degree. In the world of technology a job with Infosys was once equivalent to securing a government job. Therefore, Narayana Murthy is seen as a hero for an entire generation and Vishal Sikka trying to undermine him is simply unacceptable.

Employees who have been with the company for decades also saw Sikka as an outsider, who went against the core principles that Murthy espouses.

Humility and simplicity are very integral to Kannadiga culture. Narayana Murthy might have been a billionaire but he led a very middle class lifestyle. And here comes Vishal Sikka who was using private jets and got himself a huge salary while cutting the salary of others, says an employee who joined Infosys over a decade ago.

Stories of Murthy standing in food queues like any other employee, being cognizant of the needs of employees and being extremely accessible are well known. His grounded approach has also been an inspiration for many.

Murthy sir taught us that we can become wealthy even if we didnt come from a rich family. Hard work is all that matters. He believes that Infosys is not only a profit making machine but an institution to give back to society. Thats why we are proud to be associated with this company. Sikka doesnt seem to fit into this idea, added another employee who has been with Infosys for about two decades.

For long, Infosys shares were seen as a safe investment by small and retail shareholders. The company had captured the imagination of the professional class who began to dabble in the stock markets post liberalisation.

The founders taking back control of the company will also assuage this section of investors, who see themselves as part of the Infosys family. With these changes, these investors will now remain committed to Infosys, feels brokerage owner Hegde.

Outside Karnataka, a different story

But non-Kannadiga employees - particularly the younger ones -- have a very different take, underscoring the divide within.

I have lot of respect for Vishal ji. He had a vision and was the person to change the company at time change was most needed, said an employee based in Infosys Chandigarh campus who joined the group two years back, and was amongst the first group of people that underwent Sikkas design thinking workshops.

A significant number of recent employees of Infosys  whom Moneycontrol got in touch with for this story- saw Sikka as a harbinger of change.

Narayana Murthy knew dhandha (business). But he is old and his ideas wont work. Vishal Sikka understands innovation and wants change, and this is his (Narayan Murthy) problem, said another employee who joined the company in 2013.

In his tenure of three years, Sikka minced no words on the need to reinvent the company.

In this Economist piece, the author mentions a letter Sikka wrote to the employees, warning them that automation will eventually destroy the company if changes are not made at the right time.

Sikka was attempting to change the companys fulcrum in a climate of falling growth and increasing protectionism in Donald Trumps America.

Vishal realised that if Infosys had to survive the next 20 years it had to move up the value chain. Low-end outsourcing work may have won the founders some loyal fans but it is not sufficient to make profits in the coming years, adds Seema Gupta, a Gurgaon-based stock broker.

In the end, it is not about corporate values or governance, the issue that has been at the centre of the controversy surrounding Infosys these past few months. It is all about shareholder value.

Bringing in Nandan is just a measure to catch share prices dropping further; it's more of an emotional decision than a practical, long-term one, said another Chandigarh-based employee.

As the tide turns, it is important to remember that in 2014, it was Vishal Sikka who was seen as the saviour, today, it is Nandan Nilekani.
Vodafone

The Income Tax Department has imposed Rs 7,900 crore penalty on the tax demand of the same amount on a unit of billionaire Li Ka-shing's CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd over its decade old sale of mobile phone business in India to Vodafone Group Plc.

In a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange, the company said its unit Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd had late last year received a tax demand notice of Rs 7,900 crore and on August 9 received a penalty order of a similar amount.

The CK Hutchison unit continues to dispute the validity of those taxes, it said.

Hutchison Telecom, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd, had received a draft assessment order from the Indian Tax Authorities dated November 24, 2016 on "the alleged gains" made in the 2007 deal with Vodafone.

The tax department on January 25 this year issued the final assessment seeking Rs 7,900 crore in taxes on capital gains made in the Rs 16,430 crore deal.

Now, the tax department has by an order dated July 3 imposed "a penalty of approximately Rs 7,900 crore".

The company said "taxes cannot be validly imposed" as the tax demand order was passed on "the basis of retrospective legislation seeking to overturn the judgement of the Supreme Court of India in January 2012, which ruled that the Acquisition was not taxable in India, are in violation of the principles of international law."

"Accordingly, the company continues to believe that the tax orders would not have any effect on the company's financial condition or the results of its operations for any period," it said.

Vodafone had in 2007 acquired 67 per cent stake in the mobile-phone business owned by Hutchison Whampoa, now part of CK Hutchison.
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Tata group hospitality firm Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) today said it has appointed Duetsche Hospitality Chief Executive Puneet Chhatwal as its Managing Director and CEO.

He will take over from incumbent Rakesh Sarna, who is stepping down on September 30.

The board of directors of the company at its meeting held today approved the appointment of Chhatwal, the company said in a BSE filing.

Chhatwal is currently Chief Executive and Member of Executive Board of Duetsche Hospitality/Steinberger Hotels AG, a large European hotel chain, it added.

He has over two decades of leadership experience in the global hospitality industry, having worked with some of the leading hotel groups in Europe and North America. He had started his career in India, it added.

In May this year, IHCL had announced that Sarna has resigned citing personal reasons.

Sarna was one of the high-profile recruitments from outside the Tata group made by ousted Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry.

With Mistry's departure from the group, there were speculations that Sarna was also likely to follow suit. He was considered to be a confidant of Mistry.

He had joined IHCL in September 2014 replacing the company's long-serving head Raymond Bickson. Before he joined IHCL, Sarna was the Group President - Americas of Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
Iron & Steel | Imports from China, 2019: 4 percent. (Image: Moneycontrol)

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Sajjan Jindal-owned JSW Steel is in talks with Algeria's Cevital Group to acquire its Aferpi steel mill in Italy for USD 100 million, a source said today.

The private steel maker had earlier tried to acquire the mill in 2014, when it was known as Lucchini. The Algerian conglomerate Cevital however acquired Lucchini and renamed the it Acciaierie e Ferriere di Piombino (Aferpi).

JSW Steel is in talks with Cevital Group to acquire Aferpi, an industry source confirmed.

JSW Steel may offer a financial consideration of USD 100 million (about Rs 639 crore) to Cevital Group to acquire the mill, the source said.

Emails sent to JSW Steel and Cevital Group in this regard remained unanswered while the JSW Group official did not respond to the calls.

JSW Steel is planning to increase its manufacturing capacity to 40-45 million tonne by 2030 from the present 18 million tonne.

"If the country builds 300 MT capacity by 2030, we would like to plan accordingly to maintain our 15 per cent share, which will be 40-45 MT," JSW Steel joint managing director & group CFO Seshagiri Rao had said earlier.

Aferpi's activity involves production of a wide range of quality and special steels, with different shapes and sizes for rails, wire rod and bars for railway, automotive, earthmoving vehicles, energy, fastening, springs and welding.
The National Stock Exchanges (NSE) benchmark index, Nifty 50, is set to witness some changes effective September 29, 2017.

ACC, Bank of Baroda, Tata Power and Tata Motors DVR will move out from the NSEs benchmark Nifty 50 index. These firms would be replaced by Bajaj Finance, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and UPL.

The changes were announced by India Index Services and Products (IISL), an arm of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), as part of its periodic review.

Besides Nifty 50, IISL has also decided the replacement of stock on various other indices including Nifty Next 50, Nifty 500, Nifty 100, Nifty Midcap 150, Nifty Smallcap 250, Nifty Midcap 50, Nifty 200, Nifty Smallcap 50 as well as sectoral indices like Nifty IT, Nifty Realty and Nifty PSU Banks.

The changes come in the backdrop of India Index Services and Products (IISL), a group firm of NSE, revising guidelines to rejig their indices, including the selection criteria.

So, how does this whole system of rejigging the Nifty index work? Moneycontrol tries to explain the process behind this.

What is the Nifty?

It is a diversified 50 stock index accounting for 12 sectors of the economy. This is owned and managed by India Index Services and Products. (IISL). IISL is India's specialised company focused upon the index as a core product.

How is the Nifty computed?

According to the NSEs website, the index is computed using free float market capitalization weighted method. Under this, the level of the index reflects the total market value of all the stocks in the index relative to a particular base period. The period in this case is the close of prices on November 3, 1995, which marks the completion of one year of operations of NSE's Capital Market Segment.

It must be noted that the method also considers constituent changes in the index and corporate actions such as stock splits, rights, etc without affecting the index value.

What is the criteria for selection of stocks?

Usually, it is based on the liquidity and other factors such as out of IPO period, replacement, among others.

NSE explains that For inclusion in the index, the security should have traded at an average impact cost of 0.50 percent or less during the last six months for 90 percent of the observations for a basket size of Rs 2 crore.

Other factors:

1. A stock could come under consideration once it has come out of an IPO, if it fulfils the parameters such as impact cost, market capitalisation and floating stock, for a 3- month period than 6-month period.

2. Availability for trading in the derivatives segment.

3. Replacement of stock

- Developments such as corporate actions, delisting, among others, could lead to a replacement of the stock. In this case, the stock with the largest free float market cap and satisfying other requirement related to liquidity, turnover and free float will be considered for inclusion, the portal added.

- When a better candidate is available in the replacement pool, which can replace the index stock i.e. the stock with the highest free float market capitalization in the replacement pool has at least twice the free float market capitalization of the index stock with the lowest free float market capitalization.

Does it mean bad news for the stock to be excluded?

Not necessarily. It could be a case where the parameters are changed for inclusion/exclusion in the Nifty and the stock could have performed steady. Having said that, in the news development from Monday, these companies were underperformers.

Can companies make a comeback on the index?

Yes. They can. If there is a sustained healthy performance in the stock along with increasing market capitalisation, then such stocks can make a comeback, subject to fulfilment of other criterion mentioned above.
Gold prices soared sharply by Rs 550 to trade at Rs 30,450 per ten gram at the bullion market today after North Korea fired a missile over Japan, deepening the tension between Pyongyang and the US.

Silver followed suit to recapture the Rs 41,000-mark by climbing Rs 900 to Rs 41,100 per kg on increased offtake by industrial units and coin makers.

Bullion traders said a firm trend overseas where gold rallied to the highest level this year after North Korea fired a missile over Japan, boosting demand for havens amid escalating tensions between Pyongyang and the US and its allies, mainly led to rally in gold prices. Fresh buying by local jewellers also helped the uptrend.

Globally, gold rose 0.90 per cent to USD 1,322.41 an ounce, the highest intra-day since November 9 last year and silver by 0.66 per cent to USD 17.54 an ounce in Singapore.

In the national capital, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity surged by Rs 550 each to Rs 30,450 and Rs 30,300 per 10 gram respectively. The precious metals had lost Rs 50 in yesterday's trade.

Sovereign also moved up by Rs 100 at Rs 24,600 per piece of eight gram.

Following gold, silver ready flared up by Rs 900 to Rs 41,100 per kg and weekly-based delivery by Rs 675 to Rs 39,900 per kg.

Silver coins too spurted by Rs 1,000 to end at Rs 74,000 for buying and Rs 75,000 for selling of 100 pieces.
A broker reacts while trading at his computer terminal at a stock brokerage firm in Mumbai, India, August 24, 2015. India's benchmark BSE index fell more than 5 percent on Monday to their lowest in a year, as a rout in Chinese equities sparked widespread unrest in global financial markets. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui - RTX1PEZT

The market snapped four-day winning streak on Tuesday, with the Sensex losing 390 points intraday as geopolitical tensions between the US and North Korea escalated after North Korea's fresh missile test over Japan.

Equity benchmarks wiped out 3/4 of gains seen in previous four consecutive sessions and saw their biggest intraday percentage fall in nearly nine months. The 30-share BSE Sensex cracked 362.43 points or 1.14 percent to 31,388.39.

The 50-share NSE Nifty closed a tad below the psychological 9,800-mark, falling 116.75 points or 1.18 percent to 9,796.05 ahead of expiry of August derivative contracts on Thursday.

Experts feel traders should refrain from creating aggressive fresh short as the Nifty closed just below its crucial support level of 50-days exponential moving average (DEMA) and is now stuck in the bear grip.

"The short term trend of Nifty is down and one may expect further weakness down to 9700 levels in the next few sessions," Nagaraj Shetti of HDFC securities said.

According to him, there is a possibility of a minor halt in downside momentum around the key support of 9700-9680 levels.

Dilip Bhat of Prabhudas Lilladher said this market correction due to global cues should be welcome by people who are looking for opportunity for buying.

North Korea fired a fresh ballistic missile early today that flew over Japan and landed in Pacific waters about 1,180 kilometres (735 miles) off the northern region of Hokkaido, northern Japan. This fuelled worries of fresh tension between the US and North Korea. Hence, the US as well as China, Russia and Japan are closely monitoring activity in the Korean peninsula.

Global markets fell sharply as European markets hit a six-month low. France's CAC, Germany's DAX and Britains FTSE were down 1-1.7 percent at the time of writing this article. Asian markets also ended mostly lower. However, investors turned their focus to safe-haven assets like gold that climed to 9-1/2 months high.

Back home, the selling by foreign institutional investors also continued due to geopolitical tensions. They sold more than Rs 15,000 crore worth of shares in August, the highest monthly selling since November 2016.

The fresh list of loan defaulters also dented sentiment. The Reserve Bank of India today has sent the second list of over 40 large corporate defaulters that include Videocon, Jaiprakash Associates, IVRCL and Visa Steel, among others, to be referred to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), according to sources of CNBC-TV18. Most of the companies on the list are said to be from infrastructure and power sectors.

The broader markets recovered in late morning to trade flat but extended losses again in afternoon session, especially after sharp fall in Europe. The BSE Midcap index was down 0.85 percent and the Smallcap lost 1.02 percent on weak market breadth.

More than two shares declined for every share rising on the BSE.

Meanwhile, the rupee also closed lower on correction in equity market and month-end demand for dollar from importers. It settled today's trade at 64.02 a dollar, down 12 paise from 63.90 on Monday.

All sectoral indices closed in the red, with the Nifty Bank, Metal and Pharma indices falling more than 1 percent, followed by Auto and IT (with 0.8 percent loss).

NTPC was the biggest loser among Sensex and Nifty stocks after the government announced divestment of upto 10 percent stake in the company through offer for sale issue that opened today for two days. The stock lost 2.8 percent.

Infosys was down 1.5 percent on profit booking after showing more than 8 percent rally in previous four consecutive sessions on returning of co-founder Nandan Nilekani to board.

Index heavyweights HDFC and Reliance Industries were leading contributors to Sensex' fall, down 2.2 percent each. HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ITC, L&T and ICICI Bank were down between 0.6 percent and 1 percent.

Only four Nifty stocks closed in the green; Tech Mahindra (up 0.94 percent) and M&M (0.28 percent) were top gainers followed by Zee Entertainment and Wipro.

HPCL & UPL saw moderate gains despite weak market conditions as both will be included in Nifty50 index effective from September 29. Bajaj Finance will also be included but the stock fell 2.75 percent. ACC, Bank Of Baroda, Tata Power and Tata Motors DVR fell up to 3 percent as these stocks will be excluded from Nifty50.

India Volatility Index surged over 7 percent as market extended selling pressure.
The Nifty50 opened with a gap on the lower side and broke below its crucial support level placed at 9900, 9880 and 9850 on Tuesday amid reports that North Korea fired a ballistic missile that flew over Japanese airspace, reigniting geopolitical tensions that had cooled between North Korea and US allies in the Pacific Rim.

Broadly speaking, Nifty is likely to consolidate in a range of 9,950 - 9,685 levels and only either way breakout or breakdown will dictate the near-term trend, suggest experts.

Indian markets continue to rise amid relentless selling by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) in the month of August, geopolitical concerns as well as muted earnings from India Inc. for the quarter ended June.

Also, the market regulator, SEBI, a crackdown on shell companies did not auger well for the domestic equity markets. But, chances are that Indian market should be able to ride through.

Indian markets are trading on a strong footing and any declines from current levels should be used by investors to invest in quality stocks which are available at fair valuations, suggest experts.

"This is a geopolitical risk and it is likely to be there for some but will soon fizzle out soon. Investors should use dips caused by any geopolitical tensions as a chance to buy into quality stocks," A.K.Prabhakar, Head -Research at IDBI Capital told Moneycontrol.

"But, it is important is to hold on to some cash as we don't know if this will go to the next level. There could be small correction till 9500, but that itself is doubtful," he said.

Asian markets sink further jolted by North Korean missile test over Japan which led to buying in safe havens assets such as gold, Japanese Yen as well as US Treasuries.

The North Korean situation is likely to continue being a short-term worry for global markets. I think going forward, markets would be volatile for a while. It would be sensible to take some risk off the table, Manulife AMC's Geoff Lewis said in an interview with CNBC-TV18.

Technically, the index slipped below its crucial support level of 9880 in intraday trade but as long as it holds above 9800 bulls might be able to make a comeback.

For the momentum to continue the index must hold above 9,880 and close above 9,948 which would open room for further upside towards Mount 10K, suggest experts.

On a directional basis, we continue to maintain our positive stance and expect the index to rally higher as the weekly Higher Top Higher Bottom formation is still intact. Also, the RSI (14) has started inching up after taking support near 60 levels, Aditya Agarwal, Head Technical Research, Way2Wealth Brokers Pvt. Ltd told Moneycontrol.

On the higher side, Nifty will face supply pressure around 9950-9980 and if indices manage to sustain above that than further short covering is expected that can take nifty towards it previous high level of 10,140, he said.

The Nifty50 made a Doji type of pattern on the daily candlestick charts on Monday which signifies indecision among bulls as well as the bears. It is a neutral pattern and if Nifty closes with a big down bar then chances of further consolidation cannot be ruled out.

On the options front, maximum Put OI was seen at strike process 9,800 followed by 9,500 while maximum Call OI was seen at strike prices 10,000 followed by 9,900. Hence, the range for expiry is between 9800 and 10,000.

The Nifty has to cross and hold above immediate hurdle of 9,928-9,950 zones to witness an up move towards 10020 and 10050 while a hold below 9880 could drag it towards 9,820 and then towards 9,775, Chandan Taparia, Derivatives and Technical Analyst at Motilal Oswal Securities told Moneycontrol.
The S&P BSE Sensex plunged nearly 400 points in intraday trade on Tuesday weighed down by geopolitical concerns emanating from North Korea, led down by heavyweights such as Sun Pharma, RIL, HDFC, Tata Motors (DVR), and Coal India.

The selling pressure pushed nearly 100 stocks on the BSE to their 52-week low and little over 30 stocks hit their fresh all-time low.

As much as 95 stocks hit their fresh 52-week lows on the BSE which include stocks like Dynamatic Technologies, GRP Ltd, S H Kelkar, Sri Adhikari, Camlin Fine, Religare Enterprises, ESS DEE Aluminium, United Bank of India, United Breweries etc. among others.

As much as 31 stocks hit their all-time low on the BSE which include names like Abhinav Leasing Finance, Alora Trading Company, Bharati Defence and Infrastructure Ltd, Nitin Fire, RCL Retail, Panafic Industrials Ltd, Magadh Sugar Energy Ltd etc. among others.

Markets across the globe drifted lower and safe-haven assets such as gold jumped after North Korea fired a missile over northern Japan, fuelling worries of fresh tension between Washington and Pyongyang.

Asian markets sink further jolted by North Korean missile test over Japan which led to buying in safe havens assets such as gold, Japanese Yen as well as US Treasuries.

"This is a geopolitical risk and it is likely to be there for some but will soon fizzle out soon. Investors should use dips caused by any geopolitical tensions as a chance to buy into quality stocks," A.K.Prabhakar, Head -Research at IDBI Capital told Moneycontrol.

"But, it is important is to hold on to some cash as we don't know if this will go to the next level. There could be small correction till 9500, but that itself is doubtful," he said.

The Nifty50 slipped below four crucial support levels placed at 9900, 9880, 9850 and 9800 as escalating geopolitical concerns take centre stage.

The Nifty slipped over 100 points led by losses in NTPC, Tata Power, Hindalco Industries, Bank of Baroda, Sun Pharma, HDFC, Coal India, and RIL.

However, 30 stocks on the NSE recorded fresh 52-week low which includes names like Laurus Labs Ltd, Page Industries, J B Chemicals, S H Kelkar, NDTV, ESS DEE Aluminium, Nitin Fire, Usher Agro etc. among others.

NTPC emerged as top loser down more than 4 percent on equity dilution by the government through offer for sale route.

The offer for sale issue of the country's largest power generation company has opened for subscription today and will remain open till Wednesday.
The S&P BSE Small and Midcap indices hogged limelight so far in the year 2017 with plenty of stocks registering gains of over 100 percent. However, stock selection under this theme remains the key for generation consistent wealth creation.

Mutual fund manager increased their exposure in some of the beaten down stocks while added more positions in stocks which have already given a stellar performance so far in the year 2017.

Mutual Fund managers added AU Small Finance bank, the recently listed IPO in their portfolio. The other stocks which grabbed fund managers attention were KPIT Technologies which negative returns so far in the year.

Other stocks which grabbed fund managers attention include names like Indiabulls Real Estate which rose 232 percent, followed by Escorts which gained 109 percent, and Reliance Capital rose 84 percent so far in the year 2017, according to data provided by Morningstar India.

A large number of mid and small cap stocks have seen stellar moves. But sustainable stock price appreciation has happened only for companies which have delivered profit growth and earnings visibility, Sahil Kapoor, Chief Market Strategist, Edelweiss Broking told Moneycontrol.

Over the last 3 years, we analysed a basket of 1600 stocks and found market cap gains of 55 percent on an average for stocks which have seen profitability growth of more than 50 percent over this period. This is in comparison to stocks which have seen an erosion of 20 percent in the cumulative market cap where profits have fallen more than 50 percent on average, he said.

The S&P BSE Smallcap index rose 31 percent followed by the S&P BSE Midcap index which rose 28 percent so far in the year 2017 compared to 19 percent return recorded by the S&P BSE Sensex.

One of the major contributors to the rally in the broader market is the steady flow of liquidity by mutual funds. Investments in MFs have seen a robust growth of 22-28 percent per annum.

According to industry leader AMFI, the Average Assets under Management (AAUM) in the country at the end of July 2017 was at Rs20.42 lakh crores while Assets under Management (AUM) were placed at Rs19.97 lakh crores.

However, if investors plan to invest in small and midcap stocks via direct equity they should avoid penny stocks and basic research is a must. Because most stocks which have given stellar returns which now appear attractive could be suffering from poor liquidity and fundamentals.

Small cap stops have poor liquidity and high promoters holding. Hence the same should be invested with caution. Further investment is on the case to case basis, Vijay Singhania, Founder-Director, Trade Smart Online told Moneycontrol.

In general the valuations of all Midcap and small stocks are very high and perhaps it is not the right time to invest in such stocks, he said.

Top stocks which fund managers sold during the month of July in the small and midcap space include names like Crompton Greaves, KEC International, Sundaram Fasteners, Bharat Financial, OBC, MindTree, Union bank of India, HUDCO, KEI Industries and PVR, according to data provided by Morningstar India.
mployees walk along a corridor in the Infosys campus in Bangalore (Image: Reuters)

By Major Sunil Shetty, SM (retd), CEO at AskMentor

A week can be a long time - especially if there is an ongoing crisis to handle. Be it a company, a startup or an individual, nobody can ever be fully prepared for the unexpected.

This month - the headlines were occupied by the bitter fight between Infosys board and its founders and its fallout since Vishal Sikka resigned from the post of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys.

In less than a week, the company lost thousands of crores in market cap, shook investors confidence and stunned its clients.

Disputes between founders, investors and or board members are nothing new, either for established MNCs or startups, be it in India or the world over.

Take the example of Tata group removing Cyrus Mistry as chairman of Tata Sons or the infamous sacking of Rahul Yadav by the directors of Housing.com for "objectionable behaviour towards investors and other stakeholders."

Big companies have both human and financial resources to overcome such crisis, and in most cases, they emerge without much impact.

However, the same may not be true for early-stage startups. Such incidents have the potential to wipe them out of their existence.

Startups and young entrepreneurs can learn four valuable lessons from the Infosys saga;

1. Create a Red-book: Disputes are a major distraction; be it for an established MNC or a startup.

Instead of building the business; a startup can lose precious time in saving the business.

The Indian IT industry is experiencing turbulence globally, and it needs to marshal all its resources to tide over tough times.

Similarly, the Indian startup ecosystem is in troubled waters with global investors losing confidence due to series of devaluations and failures of top notch start-ups.

So, what should start-ups do? It is important that startups create a 'Red-Book' with the help from management gurus.

The book should lay down standard operating procedures (SOPs) that can guide a start-up on dos' and don't when caught in similar crisis.

2. Build on Past performance: According to a media report "Infosys lost nearly Rs 34,000 crore in market capitalisation, and at least nine brokers downgraded their ratings on the stock" post resignation of CEO Vishal Sikka.

Given Infosys's past performance and resources, it may win back investor's and client's confidence in a couple of years.

However, startups can't afford to lose investors or consumers confidence as they have limited resources and little past performance.

Thus, startups should understand the importance of building on past performance, both with clients and investors, for it may come handy in troubled times.

3. Create a talent pool: Leading market analysts such as Nomura has cautioned that Infosys may lose senior leaders in times to come.

Given its resources, Infosys may be able to fill up various positions with required talent.

However, a startup may struggle to hire talent at short notice especially given limited resources.

In the recent times even the so-called unicorn Indian start-ups such as Flipkart, Ola and Snapdeal saw exits of senior managers citing various reasons.

Such untimely departure can have a long-term and short-term impact on a startups growth plan.

Thus, it is important for early stage startups to build talent pool continuously, and one way of doing this is by cross training staff on skills and expertise.

4. No public fight: Professor Vijay Govindarajan, Management guru while speaking to CNBC TV18 advised Infosys founders and board against a public spat.

Disagreements do happen - but it should be done within the four walls of the boardroom and not in public as this will not help anybody be it promoters, investors and or clients.

In-fighting can impact MNCs and startups alike- however, a dispute among stake holders can adversely affect a startup's journey and even threaten its survival.

Thus, it is important that as a founder(s) of early stage startup you avoid distraction and just focus on business.

However, do have a well drawn up a contingency plan to meet any eventuality.

(The author is founder-CEO of Hyderabad based AskMentor, a platform for startups. Views expressed are personal. Edited for Moneycontrol.)
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Moneycontrol research

Bodal Chemicals, the vertically integrated manufacturer of dyestuff, reported its Q1 FY18 earnings last week. While the companys reported earnings were below expectations, the insights provided on both forward and backward integration were positive.

The company is currently undergoing substantial capacity expansion and expect incremental revenue contribution from the new capacity from FY19. The management has evinced interest in foraying into specialty chemical products, which is something worth watching for. In view of the multiple long-term tailwinds, the current weakness could turn out to be an opportunity for long-term investors.

Quarterly Statement

Quarterly result impacted by plant shutdown and destocking

Bodals Q1 FY18 sales (Rs 277 crore) was flat YoY impacted by plant shutdown, moderation in product prices and destocking at end markets. The management mentioned that there was a 15-day plant shut-down in the main plant (Unit-7, Vadodara) on account of effluent treatment upgradation in the adjoining canal.

EBITDA margins contracted by 85 bps YoY on account of higher inventories and increase in employee costs partially offset by lower raw material costs. In addition, upfront fixed costs from the ongoing expansion projects led to lower net profit (-6 percent YoY).

Sales for dyes intermediates impacted by destocking

In the quarter gone by, the company faced some GST led destocking particularly from its SME clients. Consequently, sales for dyes intermediates and basic chemicals were down by 8-9 percent. However, now the GST related transition at end-clients are largely over.

Enhanced dyestuff capacity by FY18

Bodal had earlier guided to 24000 MT dyestuff capacity expansion in 3-4 years with first phase of 8000 MT by end of FY18. The company has now raised the expansion plan for first phase to 12000 MT citing product demand and GST related benefits.

Additional production on dye-intermediate Vinyl Sulphone to start by Q418

The company is in the final stages of the expansion of 4200 MT Vinyl Sulphone plant in SPS processors (acquired in March 2017). Currently, it is facing a difficulty in procuring ethylene oxide feedstock from a petrochemical major which is expected to get resolved by the next quarter. By Q4 2018, production of Vinyl Sulphone from the new plant is expected to commence.

With the new capacity, companys production of Vinyl Sulphone would increase to 16000 MT making it amongst the largest manufacturer of the key dye intermediate in India.

Backward integration for Vinyl sulphone

In an effort towards backward integration, company mentioned that it is setting up a plant for the production of Thionil Chloride (36000 MT) which is a raw material for the Vinyl Sulphone. This should help in improving margins in the dyes intermediate business. Around 30-35 percent of production is expected to be used for captive consumption.

Watch out for new product in specialty chemicals space

The management hinted that it is exploring opportunities in new specialty chemicals for which land has already been acquired in Dahej. While no detail was shared by the management, it did mention that the new product would not be related to dyestuff value chain.

Valuation and recommendation

Although the quarterly result was weak but part of it was already expected due to business disruption seen at end clients, particularly in the textile industry. Hence, this is transitory in nature and we expect sequentially higher production and end market demand.

However, we have tweaked our estimates and revised down our projected financials, based on companys guidance on capacity expansion and long term outlook (2020).

We expect a sales CAGR of 17 percent (2017-20E) and a margin upside of 30 bps (2017E-19E).

Bodal witnessed a solid performance particularly at the bottom line in FY17 on account of China opportunity. However, such a performance may not necessary repeat itself in the near-term. While we are going with a conservative earnings estimate (CAGR of 14 percent for FY17-20E), we do not rule out an upside to our estimates. This could be on account of ongoing vertical integration, improved product price outlook and the companys investment in the areas of efficiency enhancement.

Based on our revised estimates, Bodal trades at a multiple of 11.3x (2019E earnings) which is reasonable in our opinion. Companys effort on multiple fronts is positive, in our opinion. Hence, we suggest to accumulate stock on further weakness.
Bull's Eye, CNBC-TV18's popular game show, where market experts come together to dish out trading strategies for you to make your week more exciting and compete with each other to see whose portfolio is the strongest.

Remember these are midcap ideas not just for the day, but stocks that look attractive in the medium-term as well.

This week, Vishvesh Chauhan, Kunal Saraogi and Ruchit Jain battle it out for top honours.

Below their top stock picks and analysis:

Vishvesh Chauhan of Monarch Networth Capital

Buy Adani Power with a stoploss at Rs 29.75 and target of Rs 32

Buy Ujjivan Financial with a stoploss at Rs 315 and target of Rs 345

Buy Yes Bank with a stoploss at Rs 1700 and target of Rs 1850

Buy Kajaria Ceramics with a stoploss at Rs 680 and target of Rs 740

Kunal Saraogi of Equityrush

Buy L&T Finance with a stoploss at Rs 184 and target of Rs 193

Buy CESC with a stoploss at Rs 1000 and target of Rs 1060

Buy GIC Housing with a stoploss at Rs 529 and target of Rs 555

Buy Sun Pharma Advanced (SPARC) with a stoploss at Rs 380 and target of Rs 410

Ruchit Jain of Angel Broking

Buy Pidilite Industries with a stoploss at Rs 818 and target of Rs 855

Buy Balrampur Chini Mills with a stoploss at Rs 164 and target of Rs 187

Buy Yes Bank with a stoploss at Rs 1711 and target of Rs 1815

Sell NCC with a stoploss at Rs 89.50 and target of Rs 81
Shares of Thyrocare Technologies rose nearly 3 percent intraday Tuesday on the back of stake sale by Norwest Venture Partners.

On August 28, 2017 Norwest Venture Partners VIIA Mauritius sold 25,00,000 shares at Rs 670.88 and sold 25,00,000 shares at Rs 670 on the BSE.

Meanwhile, Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund A/C Birla Sun Life Ninety Five Fund bought 10,00,000 shares and Reliance Mutual Fund bought 10,00,000 shares of the company.

As on June 2017, Norwest Venture was holding 50,64,880 shares (9.43 percent) of the company.

In an interview with CNBC-TV18 A Velumani, CMD of Thyrocare said that the company is expecting overall 25 percent growth in this fiscal as thyroid testing is becoming very vital.

They have not seen any impact of GST on the healthcare sector and are likely to invest in the nuclear-imaging business, he added.

At 09:19 hrs Thyrocare Technologies was quoting at Rs 689.95, up Rs 17.40, or 2.59 percent on the BSE.

The share touched its 52-week high Rs 779.90 and 52-week low Rs 548.90 on 06 April, 2017 and 29 August, 2016, respectively.
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Shares of Pincon Spirit surged 9 percent intraday Tuesday as West Bengal government lifted ban on liquor outlets in the municipal limits near highways.

"Finance Department (Excise Branch), Government of West Bengal has allowed for lifting of restriction for operation related to liquor retail outlets which are situated within municipal limits, even if the sites are within 220 metres / 500 metres from any National / State highways," as per company release.

"This pragmatic notification by the State government shall have a much positive impact on the liquor business in the state and to the company also," it added.

The sales of the liquor companies were impacted due to ban of liquor near highways.

After the Supreme Courts liquor ban order in April, various state governments denotified state highways into municipal roads and allowed bars, restaurants and hotels to continue serving liquor.

The company's annual general meeting is scheduled to be held on September 5, 2017 at Kolkata.

In the quarter ended June 2017 the company has reported 31 percent jump in its net profit at Rs 11.9 crore.

At 11:00 hrs Pincon Spirit was quoting at Rs 56.50, up Rs 3.85, or 7.31 percent on the BSE.

Posted by Rakesh Patil
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Moneycontrol Research

The attractive price of the Infosys buyback at Rs 1,150 was a thin silver lining to the dark cloud that had enveloped the former IT industry bellwether. But now theres the possibility of more rain: Should investors worry about the companys prospects if the promoters are enthused enough to tender their shares?

With Sebi reserving 15 percent for the small shareholders (value of holding upto Rs 2 lakhs), it translates into a decent payback, especially since the valuation provides downside support to the stock.

While we do not deny that valuation comfort, we also feel that near-term upside may be also capped going by the recent sound bites from the company.

Promoters of Infosys now driving the business

Promoters hold close to 12.7 percent in Infosys. For a while, some of the promoters had expressed concerns about the falling corporate governance standards in the company and were unhappy with the state of affairs under the professional manager and the Board. As a pure shareholder, they wanted the Board to return some of the cash. But a lot has changed in the past one week.

The criticism degenerated into a nasty spat and the rest is history. The exit of Vishal Sikka and the old Board has now decisively shifted power to the promoters/founders under the able leadership of Nandan Nilekani.

Nilekani has charted out his priorities:

 Identify a new CEO. Infosys has kicked this off with the appointment of Egon Zehnder (executive search firm) and Kiran Muzumdar Shaw as Chairman of the Nominations committee.

 Create a truly independent, strong and well-balanced board.

 Review technology strategy and effectiveness of initiatives undertaken over the past three years and redefine strategic direction.

 Review findings of investigations pertaining to whistle-blower allegations and take appropriate action.

 Establish a structure to take inputs from all shareholders (including founders) and ensure harmonious alignment of all stakeholders.

The directional shift is evident. Going forward, the power centre is going to be based out of Bengaluru and the founders are going to be an integral part of major decision-making at Infosys.

Promoters want to participate in the buyback

While all this is truly reassuring for minority shareholders of the company, what is a bit perplexing is the companys notification to the stock exchanges yesterday stating that some of the members of the promoter and promoter group of the company have communicated their intention to participate in the proposed buyback.

Infosys is in the safe hands of the promoters; the company has built a solid franchisee and amid the recent doldrums there is no change in the strategic direction. While the buyback structure is attractive for small shareholders, it is not so for others. If every other shareholder tenders, the acceptance ratio is a minuscule 4.2 percent.

While we still do not know who all intends to tender in the buyback and in what quantity, of the five families, Murthys family has the largest stake followed by Gopalakrishnan.

How should investors read into this?

We had highlighted in our earlier note that while the long-term outlook of Infosys is contingent on the strategic direction that the company adopts under the new leadership, the short-term outlook might be more challenging.

(http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/moneycontrol-research/how-should-investors-play-the-return-of-nilekani-at-infosys-2369955.html)

Just when markets were believing that all is well at Infosys, the intention of the promoters to participate in the buyback might lead investors to re-think if the short-term headwinds are worth taking note of. If the savvy promoters of Infosys perceives Rs 1150 to be a great price when a minuscule proportion of their shareholding will get accepted, shouldnt investors read this with caution, at least in the short-term?
India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy poses for a picture after an interview with Reuters at his residence in New Delhi, India, December 15, 2015. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo - RTX2H6O7

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The Supreme Court today asked BJP leader Subramanian Swamy to file an amended plea, seeking to quash an alliance between Jet Airways and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, by also challenging the bilateral agreement between India and the UAE on increasing the number of flights.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra was informed by Additional Solicitor General P S Narsimha, representing the Centre, that Swamy was to specifically challenge the agreement between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on increasing the number of flights between India and the UAE.

Swamy told the bench, which also comprised Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud, that he has already filed an amended plea in the matter.

"You (Swamy) have to file an application for amendment which has to be first allowed by this court," the bench said, adding, "you have to file an amended application specifically challenging it."

Swamy then sought four weeks time to file an amended plea which was allowed by the court.

The court had in March last year asked Swamy to implead other airlines as parties to the list as they may also get affected if the court decided either in favour or against the Jet-Etihad deal.

Swamy had earlier questioned the government's decision to execute the agreement in favour of Abu Dhabi under the existing Air Services Agreement between the governments of India and UAE claiming that the lion's share of seats would go to Etihad and the Indian carriers would lose.

He had said the seat-sharing agreements between India and UAE would adversely impact Indian interests.

Swamy, in his plea, has sought quashing of the deal alleging it was against public interest as there has been squandering of natural resources, that is the sky and the airspace.

In 2014, the court had sought the Centre's response on Swamy's interim pleas seeking the Cabinet note concerning Jet-Etihad Airways deal and copy of the transcript of tapped telephonic conversation of former corporate lobbyist Niira Radia in which she had allegedly talked about the civil aviation sector. Swamy, in his plea, has also referred that a memo sent by the PMO to Ministry of Civil Aviation on May 22, 2013 had raised serious reservations in respect of the growth of the middle eastern carriers including Etihad, the development of middle eastern hubs for servicing traffic from India at the cost and expense of Indian carriers as well as domestic hubs.

He had submitted that even the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has found there has been "reckless allocation" of airspace to foreign airlines. In the first-ever investment by a foreign airline in an Indian carrier, Jet Airways had in November 2013 announced plans to sell 24 per cent equity to Etihad Airways for about Rs 2,058 crore, as part of a strategic alliance that would lead to a major expansion in their global network. Swamy had also sought a CBI probe against the government officials who had cleared the deal.
Allahabad: A rickshaw puller transports a passenger through a water logged road, after heavy rains in Allahabad on Tuesday. PTI Photo (PTI7_11_2017_000112B)

Heavy rainfall in Mumbai over the past 24 hours, particularly on Tuesday morning, brought the city's local train network to a halt.

All three lines  Central, Western and Harbour  were suspended because of waterlogging, thus affecting more than 70 lakh commuters use the services daily.

The Central and Harbour lines will remain shut till 3.30 pm, said officials, while services on the Western line had partially resumed.

Local Train services between Churchgate & Andheri have resumed on Fast Line.

 Western Railway (@WesternRly) August 29, 2017

CR suburban service update#HeavyRainsInMumbai @RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/Xg3lFS4v3l

 Central Railway (@Central_Railway) August 29, 2017

Several stations were waterlogged included the low-lying areas of Dadar, Kurla and Parel.

Due to unprecedented heavy water logging,trn services are suspended temporarily bet Elphinstone Rd-Dadar on all lines frm13.30 hrs @drmbct

 Western Railway (@WesternRly) August 29, 2017

Monsoon fury in Mumbai.

Severe deluge in Sion. #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/aZ9T0CGunf

 Ananth Shreyas (@ananthshreyas) August 29, 2017

The BMC is set to brief the media in the evening even as the city and the suburbs received more than 100mm between 8.30am and the afternoon.

The Met department has predicted that the heavy downpour will continue till Thursday.

Areas such as Mumbai, south Gujarat, Konkan, Goa and west Vidarbha will get extremely heavy rainfall in the next 24 to 48 hours. It is a serious situation. We have issued necessary warnings to departments concerned, including airports, AK Srivastav, head of climate monitoring and analysis at IMD Pune, said.

The Mumbai Police has also warned the citizens of the heavy showers coupled with high tide likely to be experienced around 4:48 pm, advising them to check traffic routes before stepping out.

#MumbaiRains Alert: Heavy tide around 4:48 PM. Heavy tide restricts drainage of water causing immense waterlogging during heavy rains.

 NDMA India (@ndmaindia) August 29, 2017

Amid such a situation, food and water is made available for commuters stuck at the station near Dadar and Matunga.

Those near Dadar, Matunga, Sion, Parel can go to GSB Ganesh Mandal at Wadala. Food and water has been made available there.

 MSaraswathy (@Maamitalks) August 29, 2017

In case of any issue, Mumbaikars can contact the control room. Here are the emergency numbers:

BMC - 1916Mumbai Police - 100CR Control Room: 022-22620173WR Control Room: 022-23094064, 20370564
Monsoon_rain

Heavy rains today lashed Mumbai and adjoining Navi Mumbai and Thane regions, delaying suburban train services and leaving vehicles crawling through water- logged roads in low-lying areas.

Traffic jams were reported on all major arterial roads, including the Eastern and Western Express Highway, Sion-Panvel highway and LBS Marg as the rains continued since last night.

Water-logging was reported in low-lying areas of Parel and Sion. A tree fell on the busy Saat Rasta road, affecting road traffic.

Suburban services were disrupted with trains on all the three lines - western, central and harbour - running late.

Water-logging on tracks was reported in Andheri and Bandra, civic officials said.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said the situation was well under control and advised the citizens to step out of their homes only if necessary.

"The metropolis has received heavy rainfall since last night. Between 8.30 am and 12 pm today, the city received 85 mm rainfall," Sudhir Naik, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, told PTI.

"Step out of homes only if it is too important because water-logging has been reported from several parts of the city," he said.

Naik, however, added things were well under control and senior civic officials were keeping a close watch on the situation.

"Due to water logging on tracks & point failure at Bandra following very heavy rains, 3 lines except UP Fast line are affected. Efforts are on to start traffic on 3 lines (except UP fast line) at Bandra as soon as possible by attending the points," the Western Railway tweeted.

According to an official from the BMC's Disaster Management Cell, "There have been reports of water-logging in Dadar, Andheri, Worli, Kurla and Sakinaka, among other areas. We have received 20 cases of tree falling and one of a wall collapse."

"Despite heavy downpour, no untoward incident has been reported so far," said the official.

Commuters were stranded at some places.

"Stuck in a local train between two stations #MumbaiRains no announcements if the train will go ahead. utter #chaos," Vidya Kumar, a passenger stranded at Bandra station for over an hour, tweeted by tagging @RailMinIndia @drmbct.

Actor-turned-entrepreneur Gul Panag tweeted, "Brace yourself Mumbai. Heavy rain coming.Plan ahead. Stay safe."
August 30, 2017 / 09:34 PM IST

20:50 Mumbaikars shared their experience with Moneycontrol about their trying 24-hours that saw a record rainfall reminiscing the July 2005 floods. Heres the full story.

20:28

alt="flood4" width="2667" height="1500" />

20:05 The Central Railway has confirmed that operations on the 'up' Harbour Line resumed at 17:48 today evening.



Long Distance Trains Update 1930 hrs on 30.8.2017 @RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/tcGdKehdLz

 Central Railway (@Central_Railway) August 30, 2017

19:57 Traffic in most parts of the city is moving smoothly.

Courtesy: Google Maps

19:20

18:54 BMC has managed to clear 7,000 tonnes of garbage and debris over night from beaches and streets, according to Shiv Sena's Aaditya Thackeray.

He also added that the BMC pumped out around 10,000 million litres of water in five hours using the pumping stations built after the 2005 floods.

18:35



The free health check up camps by Shiv Sena across Mumbai start tmrw and il put out the locations.  Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) August 30, 2017



18:21

18:09 In city's hour of need, Mumbai police made presence felt both online and offline. Read the full story here.

17:55 Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray addressed the press some time back. He lauded the BMC's efforts.

"Even if you spend crores, you can't bring Mumbai above sea level," he said, and added that he was answerable to Mumbaikars and not the Opposition.

Shiv Sena currently runs Mumbai's municipal corporation.

17:41



Five more teams of NDRF are enrout to Mumbai as a precautionary measure in addition to Five teams already deployed there.  NDRF (@NDRFHQ) August 29, 2017



17:25

17:07 A 32-year-old man who had drowned in Powai lake, was rushed to the Rajawadi Hospital. But was declared brought dead. Accidental death has been registered.

Tough time for all because of #MumbaiRains Our brave officers doing their best to assist people. 3 cheers to @MumbaiPolice @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/L4XfVWb3u9 IPS Association (@IPS_Association) August 30, 2017

16:51 BEST ran 109 extra buses on "important routes" yesterday and is also running them today, especially on the Colaba-Thane route, BEST spokesperson Manoj Varade told PTI.

16:39 The Western Railways have are saying that local trains are running on all four western lines with some delay as speed restrictions are being observed in some sections for safety.

16:30 While some offered a place to stay, others waived off charges on their services for a day.

Here's how startups opened their hearts out as it poured in Mumbai. Read the full story here.

16:13 As the situation worsened, social media was rife with the ire of distressed Mumbaikars who found themselves stranded in the rain as cab prices surged by at least three times their average.

Here's how Ola and Uber were a little too late to help Mumbaikars stuck in rain. Read the full story here.

16:00 Central railway have started the Harbour line services between Kurla and Panvel. Services on the Central line between CSMT and Kalyan also started at 13:30.

15:50



Proud to lead a force of dedicated officers & men, who delivered to the best of their abilities & lend Mumbaikars an assuring hand pic.twitter.com/J4S9bN3DaG  CP Mumbai Police (@CPMumbaiPolice) August 30, 2017



15:36 Summary:

> On Wednesday, Mumbai and surrounding areas witnessed heavy rainfall.

> The torrential rains resulted in massive water logging in many parts of the city.

> All three lines of Mumbais lifeline, the Suburban railway, were suspended for prolonged period of time.

> The BMC as well as the state government urged people to stay indoors and take necessary precautions.

> Several flights were delayed and diverted after operations at the Mumbai airport had to be suspended. They were resumed later.

> As many as 10 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed to rescue people.

> The government has warned that more rain is likely today.

> Water levels in most parts of the city has now subsided and railway operations have slowly resumed.

> At least three people lost their lives after a house collapsed and two others rain-related deaths were reported in in Thane.

15:10 Big Ganesh mandals leave no stone unturned in insuring idols against floods & theft.

14:50 BMC says 231 pumps functional now to put city back on its feet

14:20 Western Railway says trains are running on all 4 lines. But there is some delay as speed restrictions are being observed in some sections for safety purposes.

13:45 Some Mumbaikars shared their experiences with Moneycontrol about their trying 24-hours that saw a record rainfall reminiscing the July 2005 floods. In just three hours of downpour yesterday Mumbai saw nine times the average rainfall for August.

Read the first person accounts here: "Water started filling up the cab": People share stories from Mumbai rain mayhem

13:00 Gasping in waist-deep waters yesterday, memories flashed back in the mind of Mumbaikars of the last time the city that never sleeps was brought to an almost standstill: 26 July 2005. Weathermen, too, believe that this could be the worst floods since 2005. Most office goers waded the way back to home yesterday.

Read more here: Record-Breaking Mumbai rains grim reminder of 2005 Floods

12:45 Mumbai only witnessed 21 mm of moderate intensity rains from 08:30 pm yesterday till 5:30 am today. Rain intensity will reduce and heavy showers are not in forecast. Mainly moderate showers will occur over the city but heavy showers at a few places cannot be ruled out. Relief will be seen from afternoon onwards, Skymetweather said in its post at 8 am today on its website.

12:00 Mumbai Police comes to rescue, tweets helpline number for stranded vehicles

11:40 Under fire over the shoddy infrastructure in Mumbai, Shiv Sena, which heads the municipal corporation, on Wednesday sought to blame rain gods for the 'natural calamity' befalling Mumbaikars: PTI

For more, read here: Mumbai braces for another day of hardship after rain fury

11:15 Status update on some long-distance trains from Western Railways

12935 BandraT-Surat and 22949 BandraT- Delhi Sarai Rohilla of 30/8/17 are cancelled.

19218 Jamnagar-BandraT of 30.08.17 is restored bet Ahemdabad-Bandra and will remain partially cancelled bet Jamnagar-ADI

09010 Karmali  Bandra T of 30/08/17 is cancelled

22953 MumbaiCentral-Ahmedabad,19034 Ahmedabad-Valsad,59045/59040 BDTS - VAPI-VR of 30/08/17 are cancelled

22950 Delhi Sarai RohillBandraT of 31/08/17 is cancelled.

11:00 Mumbai's famed 'dabbawalas' today cancelled their delivery of over two lakh tiffins to office goers in the city in view of the disruption of suburban rail services. Dabbawalas, who had ventured out on their task yesterday, returned home only this morning after being stranded at railway stations: PTI

10:30 Train services resume on Harbour Line

10:00 Here are the few tips on what to do during such disasters:

Beware of sewer manholes and gutters: During heavy rains, the sewer system of the city fails and the water logging on the roads makes it hard to spot any open manholes. Avoid walking on that side of roads which you know are likely to have sewer pipes below.

Switch off gas cylinders and Electricals: Make sure that your gas cylinder or supply line is turned off and there are no gas leaks whatsoever. Also, switch off all the unnecessary electronic equipment, and if water has seeped inside your home then make sure water does not reach your electric switch boards. Water is a good conductor of electricity and there are chances you can get a shock.

For more tips: Dear Mumbaikars, please stay safe: Here are some safety tips

9:45 All educational institutions to remain shut today; many offices declare it a non-working day, some others advise employees to work from home

9:30 20 Navy teams distributing food and medical aid across Mumbai, including Colaba & Parel, reports CNN News 18

9:15 Harbour line remains suspended; BEST buses are plying, reports CNN News 18

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Mumbai rains.

Key highlights

* Torrential downpour throughout Tuesday causes waterlogging in several areas* Five areas have received more than 200mm ofrainfalll* Local train services badly hit with some lines suspended* Leave home only if necessary, says Maharashtra CM* Flights delayed but airport still operational* Schools and colleges to remain shut on Wednesday* Toll collection suspended at all entry points and at the Bandra Worli sea link

* Emergency numbers: BMC - 1916, Mumbai Police - 100, CR Control Room: 022-22620173 and WR Control Room: 022-23094064,20370564

11:15 PM: A 32 year-old woman and a teenage girl have died in rain-related incidents in Thane, according to PTI.

10:57 PM: Latest from Mumbai Police:

- Traffic is clear on Western Highway from Airport upto Dahisar

- Traffic from D'Mello road toward Eastern Freeway is moving now. Will be clear soon

- Traffic moving South Mumbai towards Navi Mumbai, through Eastern Freeway is clear

- Traffic from South towards Thane through Eastern Freeway and Eastern Expressway is clear

10:50 PM: For those still seeking shelter, please check out the #RainHosts hashtag on Twitter. Plenty of Mumbaikars offering a roof for the night.

10:40 PM: The Met department has told BloombergQuint that Mumbai and the surrounding areas may witness heavy rainfall tomorrow as well. However, the intensity of the rain may reduce as the day progresses.

10:36 PM: If you're still unable to get home, the Navy is providing shelter at Sagar Institute, Colaba; INS Trata, Worli; INS Hamla, Marve, and Material Orgn (MBI) in Ghatkopar

10:30 PM: Ola is providing free shuttle services at these locations:

Powai Hiranandani: Bhayander via Western Express Highway

Bandra Kurla Complex: Bhayandar via Western Express Highway

Domestic Airport: Thane side via JVLR & then Eastern Express

Lower Parel, Currey Road: Thane via Lalbaugh Parel Central Route

Goregaon Hub Mall: Vasai via Western Express Highway

9:50 PM: CNBC-TV18's Kritika Saxena reports that BSE and NSE will remain open tomorrow.

9:45 PM: The rain has lessened in several parts of the city but low-lying areas remain inundated.

9:35 PM: Local train services resume between Thane to Kalyan on fast line, reports ANI

9:30 PM: Central Railway says suburban train services are still suspended between CSMT and Thane

9:23 PM: Mumbai Police tweets that the Traffic from D'Mello road toward Eastern Feeway is moving and will be cleared soon.

9:13 PM: More good samaritans: Tempo drivers are ferrying people free of charge between Dadar and Mahim, reports Moneycontrol's Uttaresh Venkateshwaran

9:04 PM: Traffic on JVLR towards Eastern Expressway moving, though slowly: Mumbai Police

8:50 PM: Low-lying areas of South Mumbai including Lower Parel and Dadar continue to be marooned. Water hasn't receded and traffic remains at a crawl, say commuters.

8:25 PM: Maharashtra Cheif Minister Devendra Fadnavis has advised people living in and around Mumbai to stay back home unless an emergency situation crops up.

8:05 PM: The Mumbai police said that the traffic stuck on the Western Expressway has receded and is moving Northward.

7:42 PM: A message from Central Railway: We are trying our best. Remain where you are. Please do not panic.

7:35 PM: NDRF says five more teams are en route to Mumbai as a precautionary measure in addition to five teams already deployed in the city.

7:26 PM: A tube boat has been deployed for rescue operations in Dadar, where there is massive water-logging

7:05 PM: President Ram Nath Kovind has tweeted saying his thoughts are with families, especially children, in Mumbai and western parts of the country hit by the heavy downpour.

7:00 PM: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh says National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have already reached Mumbai for rescue & relief ops.

6:52 PM: Low pressure belt may slightly ease out but city to remain on high alert, says the Met department

6:51 PM: Air India has waived off the cancellation fee for today for flights to and fro Mumbai, according to CNN-News18.

6:45 PM: All schools and colleges in Mumbai to remain closed on Wednesday, says Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde

6:30 PM: The western railway says that while trains from Churchgate-Andheri are still stalled ,trains between Andheri-Virar-Dahanu Rd are being run every 10 minutes.

6:28 PM: Naik says six big pumping stations have been set up and 30,000 BMC staff are working on the ground

6:28 PM: BMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sudhir Naik says the heaviest rainfall has been recorded at Wadala, with 253mm.

The Met department says it is updating the BMC every three hours on the weather situation.

Urge the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe & take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017



Centre assures all possible support to the Government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017



On Twitter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe and take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain.

Water logging has been cleared and Traffic has started moving on Bandra Worli sea link both north and south bound. Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

6:03 PM: The Mumbai Police tweeted that Water logging has been cleared and Traffic has started moving on Bandra Worli sea link in both north and south bound directions.

6:00 PM: The BMC has said at a press briefing that the situation is expected to normalise around 10.30pm

5:41 PM: Step out of home only if necessary, says Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport have resumed, according to ANI.

5:24 PM: Jet Airways has cancelled the following flights because of the rains:

9W 455 Mumbai -Hyderabad

9W 455 Mumbai -Hyderabad

9W 456 Hyderabad - Mumbai

9W316 Mumbai  Bhuj

5:22 PM: A reminder that traffic has been closed on the Bandra Worli sea link due to water logging at the Worli end.

5:12 PM: An update on the air travel situation. Operations at Mumbai airport continue and there is no plan as of now to suspend operations, says an airport official. So far (till 5.05pm), four diversions and 13 go-arounds have happened owing to poor visibility.

5:03 PM: Mumbai Municipal said that some BEST bus route have been diverted. More buses have been pressed into service.

4.35 PM: Operations at Mumbai airport suspended for some time due to low visibility.

4:24 PM: BMC said the situation is under control. The authority said that 136 pumps and 6 pumping stations are fully functional, CNN-News18 reports.

4:07 PM: Train services between Andheri and Churchgate have been resumed on Fast Line, according to Western Railway.

4:00 PM: Water logging continues to worsen. There is no visibility on the Bandra Worli Sea Link. High tide expected at near 4:48 PM.

3:57 PM: Mumbaikars, please be safe if you are outside. Look for some shelter around you. Those at offices, it is advisable to stay in till high tide. In any emergency situation, please call Mumbai Police or BMC.

3:48 PM: Regional Meteorological Centre issues heavy rainfall warning for next three days in Maharashtra.

3:44 PM: The offices have been instructed to leave employees early today, Fadnavis said.

3:43 PM: Devendra Fadnavis has spoken to police and hotline services regarding traffic and branch/tree falling in Mumbai.

3:41 PM: National Disaster Management Authority said high tide is expected at 4:48 PM, which is likely to worsen water logging.

3:37 PM: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is at State Disaster Management Control to oversee present scenario.

3:30 PM: The western coast of Maharashtra may receive up to 250 mm rainfall during the next 24 to 48 hrs, IMD said.

3:27 PM: Water logged Milan Subway and Andheri Subway are closed. Traffic moving slowly at DN Nagar and BMW Junction, Mumbai Police said.

3:16 PM: Services suspended from Churchgate to Andheri due to heavy waterlogging. Long distance trains also held up at Mumbai Central, Western Railway said.

3:12 PM: Those who are stuck, don't fret. People come in to help stranded people. Those stranded near dadar, matunga, sion, parel can move towards G.S.B. Sarvajanik Ganeshotsava Samiti Pandal at Ram Mandir wadala. Food and water has been made available.

2:54 PM: Waterlogging is likely to worsen in next few hours. Mumbai Police advises Mumbaikars to check routes before venturing out.

2:53 PM: Traffic on Bandra-Worli Sea Link towards South Mumbai has been closed for some time, Mumbai Police said.

2:50 PM: Air India says most of its flights may be disrupted at Mumbai Airport.

2:20 PM: Mumbai & suburban areas received more than 70 mm rain in past 1 hour & more than 100 mm rain in Mumbai since 8:30 am today

2:09 PM: Train service between Dadar and Dahanu Road running. Trains are held up between Churchgate-Dadar due to water logging at Elphinstone Road-Dadar, ANI reports.

2:01 PM: Please contact Mumbai Police in case of any emergency. Dial 100 or contact them on Twitter.

1:50 PM: Lower level of KEM Hospital is flooded. Some patients have been moved to upper floors, CNBC-TV18 reports.

1:43 PM: South-bound traffic towards Matunga diverted to Wadala on EEH (AMar Mahal) SG Barve road and VN Purav Road

1:40 PM: Traffic jam on JJ Flyover.

1:33 PM: 3 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) stationed in Mumbai have been put on alert. Another 2 teams have been moved from Pune, according to ANI.

1:28 PM: In past 24 hrs, BMC has reported 3 incidents of wall collapse, 16 incidents of short circuit and 23 incidents of trees/branches falling.

1:25 PM: High tide expected at 4:35 PM today. Everyone is advised to reach home or office before that.

1:18 PM: Due to heavy rainfall, train service has been suspended on main line between Parel and Kurla from 1230 hrs and on harbour line between Vadala Road and Kurla from 1220 hrs, Central Railways said.

1:13 PM: Two aircraft coming to Mumbai have been diverted. Most flights are delayed by over 15-20 mins, CNN-News18 reports.

1:08 PM: Traffic at Bandra has been taken care of. Traffic to soon speed up, Western Railway said.

1:07 PM: All schools in Mumbai have been shut as precautionary measure, CNN-News18 reports.

12:53 PM: In case of any issue, Mumbaikars can contact the control room. Here are the numbers: CR Control Room: 022-22620173 WR Control Room: 022-23094064,20370564

12:41 PM: Traffic update  A tree has fallen at Saat Rasta near petrol pump affecting the traffic. Traffic is slow in Andheri near Akruti Mall. Traffic is slow at Churchgate junction because of tree fall. Dadar TT is water logged, according to Mumbai Police.

12:31 PM: Heavy rainfall warning has been issued for Maharashtra, KS Hosalikar, DDG IMD, Mumbai told ANI.

12:23 PM: Flight check: Multiple flights have been delayed by several minutes due to rains, according to CNN-News18.

12:21 PM: Several water logging in Andheri is been reported. Local trains on Western Railways have been cancelled, reported News18.

12:12 PM: Ola and Uber prices have been increased due to heavy demand

12:00 PM: Trains are stuck in both Western and Central line.

11:57 AM: Most of the parts in peninsular India to receive heavy showers; heavy rains will shift to Central India gradually, MET Dept told CNBC-TV18.

11:51 AM: No credence should be given to rumours about cloud burst around Mumbai, Ramesh said.

11:50 AM: Heavy rains in Mumbai will continue for the next week, Ramesh said. The state governments have been informed.

11:49 AM: Met department expect heavy rains to continue across west coast. There is no cloud burst around Mumbai, KJ Ramesh of IMD told CNBC-TV18.

11:41 AM: High tide is likely today at 4:35 PM of 3.32 meters height, according to ANI.

Mumbai has been witnessing heavy rainfall across all areas since last two days. The situation has worsened today with city experiencing heavy showers everywhere.
Tourist take pictures from a boat as people bath in the Ganges river in Varanasi, October 29, 2014. Picture taken October 29, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer (INDIA - Tags: SOCIETY RELIGION TRAVEL ENVIRONMENT) - RTR4CA9V

The Netherlands is looking at a 15 per cent rise in the number of Indian visitors this year, as it undertakes a slew of initiatives to promote the country as a preferred destination.

The country had 1,27,000 visitors from India in 2016, Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC) said.

"We are expecting a 15 per cent rise in number of visitors from India to 1,45,000 for the current year", NBTC Holland Marketing Global Travel Trade Manager Carola Muller - van Rijn told PTI.

India, last year was one of the fastest growing source markets for the Netherlands, she added. "We are trying to ensure that people visit many more places in the Netherlands throughout the year. We are planning to promote our country by means of different themes such as art theme, flower theme and water theme," Muller said. NBTC Holland Marketing in collaboration with its partners is also organising city sales missions in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore to educate travel trade partners here about the tourism offerings of the Netherlands, she added.

When asked which are the biggest source markets for the Netherlands, Muller said: "The top markets are Germany, Belgium, the UK, the US and France".

The tourism board is planning to link various themes to make people aware here that the Netherlands has more to offer than the popular destinations such as Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam, she added.

NBTC is responsible for branding and marketing the Netherlands nationally and internationally. Using the 'Holland' brand, NBTC promotes the country as an attractive destination for holidays, business meetings and conventions.
Monsoon_Rain_weather_monsoon_rain

Mumbaikars had a deja vu of the July 26, 2005 downpour as incessant rain brought the city to a standstill on Tuesday. Five areas of the city received more than 200mm of rainfall in less than 12 hours, and the Met department has issued warnings to state and BMC disaster management units to expect more rain in the next 24 hours

Schools and colleges are shut due to the heavy showers and people are heading home early from offices. However, returning home will not be easy as all three railway services, western, central and harbour, are facing disruptions.

Waterlogging at many places has worsened road travel too and the BMC has advised against venturing out of homes unless necessary.

But those who are already out need to keep handy numbers of all the emergency services. Mumbai Police has tweeted offering help to those who are stuck in the rains. People can dial or get in touch with them on Twitter.

Mumbai Helpline CR Control Room: 022-22620173WR Control Room: 022-23094064BMC Helpline: 1916Mumbai Police: 100

WhatsApp for traffic updates: 8454999999

As per a WhatsApp forward, Subhash Pai, Convenor (PRO) has offered help to all those who are stranded near Dadar, Matunga, Sion, and Parel. People can go to G.S.B Sarvajanik Ganeshotsava Samiti Pandal at Ram Mandir in Wadala for food and water.
Jonathan Sauder's AREE rover had a fully mechanical computer and logic system, allowing it to function in the harsh Venusian landscape. Image Credit: ESA/J. Whatmore/NASA/JPL-Caltech

Participants at NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Symposium have come up with pretty extraordinary ideas to explore celestial bodies like the planet Venus, asteroids and frozen moons, each posing different challenges. The ideas include using Origami techniques or going mechanical from electrical.

Each year, NASA funds a handful of futuristic concepts to push forward the boundaries of space exploration. These early-stage proposals are selected with the hope of developing new ideas into realistic proofs-of-concept. The symposium, an annual affair, displayed 28 such proposals.

Adrian Stoica of JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) proposed a new class of shape-changing robotic structuresTransFormers that unfold like Origami and reflect solar energy wherever you need it. This would be highly useful when a rover has to get into lunar crater surrounded by tall mountain peaks or to venture into a cave where sunlight cannot reach, the robot can then direct the sun rays to the rover. The proposal has successfully advanced to Phase II.

Adrian Stoica's concept, now in Phase II, would use folding mirrors to reflect sunlight into craters or caves, creating a "solar oasis." Image Credit: Adrian Stoica/NASA/JPL-Caltech

TransFormers are projected to be more affordable and easier to transport than radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) like the one that powers NASA's Mars Science Laboratory.

However, this may only work on surfaces like moon where the atmosphere is not as thick. The heavy atmosphere of Venus weakens the efficiency of solar power. Ratnakumar Bugga of JPL proposed using chemical batteries. The equipment on board could use electrolysis to generate hydrogen from the thick Venus atmosphere. It could then store that power as chemical hydride in its fuel cells.

Another problem which Venus represents is that electronics won't last longer than a few hours (except in a robust spacecraft) because of its temperature which reaches 450 degree Celsius, sulfuric acid clouds and crushing surface pressures.

Jonathan Sauder of JPL thinks the solution may be getting rid of the electronics altogether and using AREE or Automaton Rover for Extreme Environments.

Watch||Cheap & Clean  How Solar Power May Shape The Future of Modern India

AREE would be powered by wind turbines and controlled by a fully mechanical computer. Temperature, wind speed, and seismic measurements could be 'broadcast' by a rising and falling radar reflector 'piston': the piston's up or down position could be read as Morse code by a radar tracker orbiting the planet. The orbiter would then relay the readings to Earth, said JPL.

There are various other innovative ideas like this, one being gliding over asteroids rather than landing on them as it is very difficult due to their low gravity.

"The NIAC program is designed to let technologists stretch and create concepts that have never been considered by NASA before," said Jason Derleth, NIAC program executive for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate. "Each proposal is still required to be based on solid scientific and engineering principles and to advance NASA's mission objectives," he added.

You can read the original report by Jet Propulsion Laboratory, CalTech here
Moneycontrol News

Facebook has now prevented pages that repeatedly spread fake news from advertising on its website.

Under Facebooks rules, advertisers are not allowed to run ads that link to false stories, but this new update takes the ban a notch higher, by entirely banning such pages that sell fake content from advertising at all.

How will it be done?

The social media giant will be using third party fact-checking organisations to flag the stories that are false.

In a blog post Facebook said the move was done keeping in mind the problem of distribution of fake news, and now will curb those pages that keep sharing such content.

It also mentioned that in the past there have been instances where pages used Facebook ads to build their audience, after which they have started distributing false news all the more.

By changing the ad policy , Facebook makes it harder for such companies to attract that audience.

Easy access to online ad revenue, increased political polarization, and the popularity of social media, primarily the Facebook's news feed, have all been implicated in the spread of fake news (Pic Courtesy: Reuters)

Facebook isnt specifying the exact numbers of disputed links a Page can share before it gets blocked  as the company doesnt want people to try to game the system  but has said that a repeated pattern of misinformation will prompt the move.

However, if they stop sharing the fake content, these pages may be able to run ads again.

The update has been labelled by Facebook as a move to disrupt the economic incentives that motivate people to create, endorse and share, thus making fake news viral.

Previously, the social media giant had made updates so that people see fewer posts and ads in their News Feed that link to low-quality pages, and also took measures to reduce cloaking, so that links that have been clicked on open the related content only.

The social media giant is also employing those third party organisations that comply with Poynters Code of Principles and will be using reports from the community and other flagged posts, and send these posts to these organisations.

In recent update on August 3, they also gave out that they will be showing stories below the original post in Related Articles, in case there has been an update where a story has been reviewed by a fact-checker.

Facebook has broken up its fight against fake news into three buckets: disrupting economic incentives, building new products, and helping people make informed decisions.
Indians have more confidence in Donald Trumps abilities as a world leader than Russia's President Vladimir Putin, as per a Pew research survey.

The survey findings, collated by Statista, gauged the confidence levels of citizens from various countries for the two leaders. Indias vote of confidence levels was 29 percent in Putin as opposed to 40 percent in Trump's capabilities on the world stage.

On the contrary, the data observed that people from France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, and Brazil were more confident about Putins abilities compared to Trump.

Other countries from Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America expressed mixed views.

The survey is a reflection of the animosity that has brewed worldwide against the Russian government for allegedly influencing the United States elections by aiding Trumps campaign.

What followed was a probe into the matter by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). FBI Director James Comey, who was heading the investigation, was sacked by Trump.

Trump was elected in November last year amid widespread global criticism. Another study conducted by Pew reflected this sentiment, where his approval ratings across nations severely plummeted in comparison to Former US President Obamas ratings.

Only Israel and Russia have maintained their confidence in Trump who has seen seven White House aides leave their duties since assuming office.

Trumps election campaign centered around the America First rhetoric. This included curbing the inflow of immigrants which involved a travel ban on Syrian refugees and tightening the H1-B regulations that affected businesses of major Indian IT firms.
Representative image

With the famously fast-paced Mumbai brought to a halt by heavy rains this year, people have come forward to offer shelter to the others stranded in the showers.



If shit goes south and you are stranded you are welcome to my home. Got a bottle of whisky and some greens. #Mumbairains #Chembur

 Nikhil Udupa (@greyoceanblues) August 29, 2017

A few good Samaritans have offered their homes, office spaces, hot food and even a change of clothes for people to get a break from the heavy traffic and water-inundated roads.



If anyone of you or your friends are stuck near Kalina, CST Road or BKC please drop in. Good food awaits you! :) Please RT #mumbairains  Moresha (@moreshaa) August 29, 2017





Reaching out to people again if you need shelter, water and food at Lower Parel. Drop by my office @SuperFitAsia #mumbairains

 Zubin Nalawalla (@zubinnalawalla) August 29, 2017



Mumbaikars can go to any Gurudwara for food & shelter Contact 9323567555 MANPREET SINGH KHALSA/ 9022272252 HARNIT SINGH KHALSA #MumbaiRains August 29, 2017



Truly, difficult times get people to reach out to one another

Guys if anyone is stuck between Goregaon to Borivali, please feel free to come over & crash #mumbairains I have 2 cats & books! Vivek Tejuja (@vivekisms) August 29, 2017

The Mumbai Police also has an active presence on twitter with regular updates on the city conditions.

If you are stuck on the road , kindly dial 100 or contact us on Twitter. We will assist you #MumbaiRains Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017



When whatsapp groups don't just forward messages but also extend help exactly when needed the most #MumbaiRains #SaluteMumbai pic.twitter.com/F0trg5Rjzj

 Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

The Mumbai Police has also acknowledged the helping hands extended by the Mumbaikars.



The citizens who make us proud of policing this city! Always forthcoming to help the known & unknown in a crisis #MumbaiRains #SaluteMumbai pic.twitter.com/Ccq2m5aKKc  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

The rains are expected to continue for the next 24 hours. Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde said that all schools and colleges in Mumbai are to remain closed on Wednesday.Suburban train lines are partially working as of now.

The IMD has denied all allegations of the rains being due to a cloud burst and has warned people not to believe social media on the same. Reports suggest that this might be the fiercest spurt of rainfall since the fated 26 July 2005 rains.
The Delhi High Court has asked the city government to list out the benefits available to acid attack victims under its various schemes to ensure that the sufferers do not have to approach the courts for relief.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru also asked the Social Welfare Department of the government to examine the schemes and include feasible measures for rehabilitation of acid attack victims.

The court's order came on a plea filed by the father of a 14-year-old boy, who was a victim of an acid attack in 2014, seeking a compensation of Rs 50 lakh from Delhi government.

"Although Delhi government has issued several circulars for free medical treatment of acid attack victims and has also set up a Victims Compensation Fund, there is an urgent need for issuing a comprehensive paper that lists out all the benefits that are available to the victims of acid attacks.

"This would ensure that the acid attack victims are fully aware of the benefits available and do not have to approach the courts for relief," the court said.

The man also sought reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by him on his son's treatment.

He told the court that the incident took place in June 2014, when his son and a friend were returning home. He was accosted by his friend's elder brother who threw acid on him. The attack rendered the child blind and despite three rounds of surgery, he could not retrieve his eyesight.

Advocate Santosh Kumar Tripathi, Additional Standing Counsel of Delhi Government, apprised the court that the State has issued several circulars for free medical treatment of acid attack victims and has also set up a Victims Compensation Fund.

The court noted that the child would be required to be admitted to a specialised school meant for visually impaired persons for his rehabilitation and for this, additional efforts are required to be taken.

"The present petition is disposed of by directing the petitioner to approach the nodal officer appointed by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi for further medical treatment.

"Delhi State Legal Services Authority is also directed to consider the petitioner's claim for further compensation under the Delhi Victims Compensation Scheme, 2015," the court said.
Benaulim: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Michel Temer, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Jacob Zuma at the press statement during BRICS Summit in Benaulim, Goa on Sunday. PTI Photo / PIB (STORY DEL 61) (PTI10_16_2016_000190B) *** Local Caption ***

China today hoped that all BRICS nations will play a role for the success of the grouping's upcoming summit in Xiamen, a day after India and China agreed to disengage their soldiers to end the Doklam standoff.

India and China yesterday ended their 73-day standoff in Doklam by withdrawing their troops from the area, a diplomatic breakthrough that came just days before the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit hosted by China.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Xiamen to attend the summit from September 3-5.

When asked whether China halted the work on a road in Doklam to end the standoff so that the BRICS summit could be held, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, "Peaceful resolution of the issue through the diplomatic channels serves the common interests of all relevant parties."

"It shows the sincerity and responsible attitude of China as a major country," Hua said.

She said the summit is the common cause of all the BRICS countries and ensuring its success serves the interests of all relevant parties.

"We hope all relevant parties can play a role for the success of the summit. We hope to get the support and coordination from all relevant parties," she said.

When asked about the road construction in Doklam, Hua said China will take into consideration all relevant factors, including the weather, while building it. "In order to meet the needs of defending the borders, improving the living conditions, China has long engaged in infrastructure development including the road construction," she said.

Hua reiterated that "Chinese border troops will continue to station and patrol the Doklam area. We will continue to exercise our sovereignty with historic conventions."

She also parried a question whether China is in consultation with Bhutan, which has protested the Chinese troops' road building in Doklam.

"So far we have resolved the issue of illegal trespass of the Indian troops," she said.
Source: www.kremlin.ru

Responding to the North Korean launch of the missile which flew over Japan, China has said that the situation in the Korean peninsula has reached a tipping point and it was fast becoming a crisis.

According to a report by The Telegraph, China partly blamed the United States and South Korea for the crisis in the peninsula, reiterating the long-term stance of the Chinese government.

Earlier in the day, Nuclear-armed North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan which travelled around 2,700 kilometres (1,700 miles) at a maximum altitude of around 550 kilometres and crashed into the Pacific Ocean, 1,180km off the Japanese coast, according to South Korean and Japanese officials.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying remarked that amid the crisis, there is an opportunity to reopen peace talks.

"We hope relevant parties can consider how we can de-escalate the situation on the peninsula and realise peace and stability on the peninsula," Hua added in a regular briefing in Beijing.

She also pointed out that pressure and sanctions cannot fundamentally solve the issue" and insisted to resume the peace talks. Repeating the governments stance towards the US-South Korea military exercise near the Korean peninsula, she said North Korea should halt tests in exchange for a suspension in the military drills in the region as per The Telegraph report.

Since Kim Jong-un took over in 2011, the North Korean regime has conducted 87 missile tests.

In July, the Kim regime tested Hwasong-14, an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking parts of mainland US. In less than six years as the leader, Kim Jong-un has conducted nearly three times the number of tests conducted by the previous two leaders put together.
Donald Trump

President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his commitment to build a wall along the southern border of the US, saying it is badly needed and Mexico will eventually pay for it.

"We need the wall. It's imperative. We may fund it through the United States. But ultimately, Mexico will pay for the wall," he told reporters at the White House yesterday.

Referring to the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the president said it is one of the worst trade deals.

"...it's one of the great deals of all time for them (Mexico). One of the worst trade deals ever signed. NAFTA is one of the worst trade deals ever signed at anytime, anywhere in the world," Trump said.

"And I can understand why Mexico is being difficult because why wouldn't they be? they've had it their way," he added.

NAFTA is an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico and the US to create a trilateral trade bloc in North America.

Trump insisted that Mexico will pay for the wall, even though it is through a reimbursement.

"Mexico will pay for the wall. It may be through a reimbursement. We need the wall very badly. As you know, Mexico has a tremendous crime problem, tremendous, one of the number two or three in the world. And that's another reason we need it," he said.

"Just to add on, tremendous drugs are pouring into the United States at levels that nobody has ever seen before. This happened over the last three to four years in particular. The wall will stop much of the drugs from pouring into this country and poisoning our youth," he added.

"We're in the process of renegotiating the (NAFTA) deal. I believe that you will probably have to at least start the termination process before a fair deal could be arrived at because it's been a one-sided deal," Trump said.

This includes Canada also, he noted, saying American workers have lost their jobs due to the deal which has been one-sided for Canada and Mexico.

"The United States' workers, all of these incredible people who have lost their jobs because of NAFTA, they're not going to be suffering any longer. It's been unfair for too long," the US president said.

"So we will build the wall, and we will stop a lot of things, including the drugs are pouring in at levels like nobody has ever seen. We'll be able to stop them once the wall is up," he added.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attends an upper house committee session at the parliament in Tokyo February 2, 2015. The only way to fight terrorism is by working with the international community and boosting mechanisms to ensure the safety of Japanese people, Abe said on Monday. Abe made the comments a day after Islamic State militants said they had beheaded a second Japanese hostage, journalist Kenji Goto, after the failure of international efforts to secure his release through a prisoner swap. REUTERS/Yuya Shino (JAPAN - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTR4NTUM

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today said that he and US President Donald Trump agreed to hike pressure on North Korea after it launched a ballistic missile over Japan, in Pyongyang's most serious provocation in years.

"We must immediately hold an emergency meeting at the United Nations, and further strengthen pressure against North Korea," Abe told reporters after a 40-minute phone call with Trump.

"Increasing pressure -- Japan and the United States are in complete agreement about this," Abe added, without elaborating on proposed measures.

He added that Trump -- who has been embroiled in an escalating war of words with Pyongyang over its weapons development -- said Washington would stand by its ally Japan.

"President Trump made a very strong commitment that the United States is with Japan 100 percent," Abe quoted Trump as saying.

"We will cooperate among Japan, the US and South Korea. We will also reach out to China, Russia and the international community and apply strong pressure on North Korea to change their policy."

Last week, Japan said it would impose fresh sanctions on North Korea by freezing the assets of Chinese and Namibian firms doing business with the nuclear-armed state.

The move against a half dozen organisations and a couple of individuals comes days after Washington expanded its own punitive measures against Chinese and Russian firms, as well as people linked to Pyongyang over its weapons development.

The sanctions are aimed at disrupting the flow of cash funding North Korean weapons programmes, which are in violation of United Nations resolutions.

Japan's top government spokesman said the missile flew over the country's northernmost island Hokkaido and then fell into the Pacific, some 1,180 kilometres (733 miles) east of the coast.

"So far no fallen objects have been confirmed to have fallen inside Japanese territory," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told an emergency press briefing.

"There is no report of damage to aircrafts and vessels" in the area, he added.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches the test of a new-type anti-aircraft guided weapon system organised by the Academy of National Defence Science. Photo: Reuters

North Korea on Monday fired a missile that flew over Japan, amidst ongoing tension between the two nations.

The missile was launched from the Sunan Air Base near Pyongyang and it crashed into the Pacific Ocean, 1,180km off the Japanese coast.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called it the "most grave threat ever" and said that his country will "collect and analyse details and the government will take full steps to protect Japanese people's lives".

Recently, Japanese ally and the President of United States had warned North Korea of retaliating with "fire and fury" after Pyongyang tested the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Pyongyang replied by threatening to strike US territory of Guam.

Kim Jong-un's missile tests

Since Kim Jong-un took over in 2011, the regime has conducted 87 missile tests.

In July, the Kim regime tested Hwasong-14, an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking parts of mainland US.

In less than six years as the leader, Kim Jong-un has conducted nearly three times the number of tests conducted by the previous two leaders put together.
August 30, 2017 / 06:57 PM IST







09:05

A report Korean Central News Agency says that Kim Jong Un expressed great satisfaction over the successful launching.

21:57 Wall Street regains some footing as investors buy the initial fall. Major indices like Dow Jones and Nasdaq have erased earlier losses and were in green at time of reporting.

20:42 The Dollar index, which measures the dollar against six other major currencies, fell 0.4 percent to 91.8420, around its lowest since January 2015.



American markets also opened in red and key indices like S&P 500 and NASDAQ are down over 0.40 percent.





Read more: Dow futures fall 109 points as North Korea jitters return to haunt Wall Street 18:02 Post a phone call, Donald Trump and Shinzo Abe say that they are committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the international community to do the same.





Both the leaders have agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to countries around the world, as per a White House statement.



Global markets are struck with panic. European markets are at a six month low and major indices like DAX and FTSE are down by over 1.50 percent in todays trading session.U.S. stock index futures pointed to a sharply lower open on Tuesday, as geopolitical concerns surrounding North Korea and the West were amplified, following news that a missile had passed over Japan.

17:27 US President Donald Trump responds to North Korea's actions and says,''Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world."

He further adds that "all options are on the table" as per CNBC.

Japan and USA have called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council after Monday's North Korean missile launch.

The meeting will take place in New York on Tuesday in New York, according to CNN.

15:55 Public television programs in Japan was interrupted with a rare warning screen announcing the missile launch, according to The New York Times.

15:28 Here are the pictures of South Korean forces carrying out live-fire drill today morning at the Pilseung Firing Range. The drill was simulating the destruction of North Korea's leadership.

Handout photo by South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images

Handout photo by South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images

15:04 In less than six years as the leader, North Korea's young leader Kim Jong-un has conducted nearly three times the number of tests conducted by the previous two leaders put together. Read the full story here.

14:38 Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, "We hope relevant parties can consider how we can de-escalate the situation on the peninsula and realise peace and stability on the peninsula."

She also repeated Beijing's call for the North to suspend missile tests in return for a halt to US-South Korean military exercises.

14:13 Russia has said it was "extremely worried" about the situation in North Korea, hitting out at a "tendency towards an escalation" after Pyongyang fired a ballistic missile over Japan.

Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said, "We see a tendency towards an escalation... and we are extremely concerned by the general developments," according to the RIA Novosti state news agency.

14:00 Here's what we know so far:

> North Korea launched a missile late on Monday.> The missile flew over Japan's Hokkaido island.> The missile broke into three pieces before splashing into the Pacific Ocean.> It feel into the water, 1,180km off the Japanese coast.> Japanese PM Shinzo Abe called it the "most grave threat ever".> PM Abe and US President Trump spoke for nearly 40-minutes and decided to call for a special UN Security Council meeting.> South Korean defense forces staged a live-fire drill, simulating the destruction of North Korea's leadership, to demonstrate its capabilities.

> China, a close ally of North Korea has said that the tensions have reached a "tipping point".

13:51 China is saying that North Korea tensions have reached a "tipping point", according to media reports.

13:36 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said that his government will take "full steps" to ensure public safety. Here's the full story.

13:11 The hermit kingdoms posturing has already strained relationships with its neighbours and the United States and might require the UN Security Councils emergency response.

North Korean fireworks to keep investors edgy despite improving global fundamentals. Here's the full story.

12:39 According to Japan Today, some train services were temporarily halted in Tokyo, even though the capital city was nearly 700 kilometres away from the missiles's path.

12:18 The launch today was the first time a North Korean missile flew over Japan, since 1998.

However, reports state that "a portion of a fired North Korean rocket crossed Japan in 2009."

In 1998, Pyongyang had flown a satellite launch vehicle over the country.

The sanctions are among the latest international efforts to isolate the country and follow sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council earlier this month.



I woke up with a Siren and an announcement that North Korea launched a missile that would possibly hit cities within Hokkaido. pic.twitter.com/RGiflzTqJT

 Joe (@jtnarsico) August 28, 2017

Japan had on Friday announced that it will impose unilateral sanctions on individuals and eight foreign companies as punishment for their alleged deals with North Korea.

11:29 Interestingly, India is North Korea's second biggest trade partner after China. Here's the full story.

11:18 Here's what we know so far:

> North Korea launched a missile late on Monday.> The missile flew over Japan's Hokkaido island.> The missile broke into three pieces before splashing into the Pacific Ocean.> It feel into the water, 1,180km off the Japanese coast.> Japanese PM Shinzo Abe called it the "most grave threat ever".> PM Abe and US President Trump spoke for nearly 40-minutes and decided to call for a special UN Security Council meeting.

> South Korean defense forces staged a live-fire drill, simulating the destruction of North Korea's leadership, to demonstrate its capabilities.

11:11 In terms of nuclear arsenal, the US, India, China and North Korea are among the top 10 nations in the world. Here's the full story.

11:06 The US has confirmed that nuclear-armed North Korea fired a missile which flew over Japan today. Here's the full story.

11:00



Illustration animated GIF for North Korea missile launch over Hokkaido, Japan into Pacific oceanhttps://t.co/spPcDvaIgo pic.twitter.com/l2fOcqOd1M  Liveuamap (@Liveuamap) August 28, 2017



10:57 Earlier this month, US President Trump warned to retaliate with "fire and fury" before the North said it would strike the US territory of Guam. Here's all you need to know about the North Korea-US tension.

A 6am Emergency Alert that North Korea launched a missile over Japan (where I am) is a wake-up call to how lucky I am to usually feel secure pic.twitter.com/LiFifvjlTU Bobak Ferdowsi (@tweetsoutloud) August 29, 2017

10:40 As part of the drill, four F-15K jetfighters dropped eight MK84 bombs on a simulated target at the Taebaek Pilsung Firing Range in South Korea's northeastern Gangwon province, the Presidential Office announced.

10:36 In response, South Korea's air force has staged a live-fire drill at 6:00 am local time, simulating the destruction of North Korea's leadership.

10:35 Interestingly, North Korea launched the missile from the Sunan Air Base near capital Pyongyang in order to demonstrate their capability of launching such missiles places other than the launch pads.

10:33 As expected, stocks are among the first casualties from the North Korean missile launch. Overnight, Dow futures fell as much as 147 points before recovering somewhat. Asian markets are broadly lower in early trade -- Indian shares are off about 0.7 percent.

Interestingly, the Japanese yen, considered a safe haven, is up but gold is not. Bitcoin is marginally up too.

10:31 Japanese PM Abe and US President Donald Trump had a 40-minute phone call. They agreed to ask for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in order to discuss the situation.

10:30 Several citizens in the Hokkaido prefecture woke up to missile alerts and sirens.

10:27 Japanese Prime Minister strongly criticised the missile launch, calling it the "most grave threat ever".

"We will immediately collect and analyse details and the government will take full steps to protect Japanese people's lives," he added.

10:25 Japan's top government spokesman confirmed that the missile flew over the country's northernmost island Hokkaido and then fell into the Pacific, some 1,180 kilometres (733 miles) east of the coast.

10:20 North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan late on Monday evening local time.

South Korea's military and the Japanese government confirmed the missile launch. It is for the first time a missile has successfully been fired over Japan by North Korea since 1998. The missile launch comes at a time when relations between North Korea and US allies South Korea as well as Japan are already strained.

In July, the North had successfully tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches the test of a new-type anti-aircraft guided weapon system organised by the Academy of National Defence Science. Photo: Reuters

Russia today said it was "extremely worried" about the situation in North Korea, hitting out at a "tendency towards an escalation" after Pyongyang fired a ballistic missile over Japan.

"We see a tendency towards an escalation ... and we are extremely concerned by the general developments," Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti state news agency.
August 29, 2017

Houston - Bottling Companies Welcome Flooding

Some rain pours down on south Texas. Media panic ensues. Poor planing and building codes will take their toll.

More severe and more deadly flooding though is happening in Nepal, Bangladesh and India. People in those countries are the most affected by climate change.

But why not make a good business out of events in Houston and elsewhere. Sell the very same stuff that pours down, packed in a material which causes climate change, to the people fleeing its effects.

On offer at Best Buy on Highway 290 in Cypress, TX.



bigger - source

The use, waste and commodification of water is one of the biggest issues "western" societies need to tackle.

Posted by b on August 29, 2017 at 18:44 UTC | Permalink

Comments

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Emma Wall: Hello and welcome to the Morningstar Series "Why Should I Invest With You?" I'm Emma Wall and I'm joined today by Ian Heslop, Manager of the Old Mutual North American Fund.

Hello Ian.

Ian Heslop: Hi Emma.

Wall: So, U.S. sentiment, seems to fall into two very distinct camps at the moment. That is that these record highs are actually the new norm and because of various central bank policy, because of the underlying macro environment, actually valuations arent this high and they have further to go. Although is the complete counter argument that the U.S. rally has been great for those who have been in it, but this is the top get out now while you can, where do you fall on that spectrum.

Heslop: Well I think U.S. equities or North American equities have moved to reflect the growth that you can see in the economy. We've seen some good earnings growth from many companies, but I wouldnt sit here and argue that equities are cheap.

They are not aggressively expensive when you take into account the growth you can see in north America, but they arent cheap. I think one of the things that we do have to be aware of is as valuations rise obviously there is less of an ability to soak up any problematic information that might come out of either the economy or individual companies or indeed the White House, given that we have quite an unpredictable kind of political environment as well in the U.S.

Wall: Presumably there are stocks which are more sensitive to those issues that you just described, and those that are perhaps less so and indeed perhaps look better from evaluation point of view. Because we are looking at the market as a whole, well there are thousands of U.S. listed companies arent there.

Heslop: It's exactly right and when you look at the U.S. market and you look at what's being driving the U.S. market over the last sort of 12 months. And it's been very tightly held in a certain number of stocks. So, there is definitely pockets of valuation opportunities within North America in aggregate you could argue that the North American market is a little bit more expensive, than it certainly has been trading recently. What we look at, one of the interesting things we find is that when we think about where investors have been putting their money in North America. One of the ways they have been tapping North American markets is through ETFs. So, index type products.

Now that naturally leads to the stocks that are in those indices becoming somewhat more expensive than the stocks that arent in those indices. You do find that in North America the large cap stocks are trading very expensive relative to the small and mid-cap stocks. So thats one of the things I would point to that there are opportunities maybe in less well travelled stocks within North America to still find good value. But some of the kind of larger cap names and the fangs that I was alluding to just before there.

They are trading really quite expensively relative to where they have traded historically. Now that maybe for a good reason. They are showing strong earnings growth, they have a lock on a certain area of the economy. But we do have to be very aware that these valuations dont leave much if there is a problem with individual names.

Wall: So smaller and mid-size going down the cap scale. What about any particular thematic or sector picks that you think look like a good opportunity right now.

Heslop: So, I think one of the things we've all had to deal with within the North American market is that it has been highly rotational. And it's been highly rotational over and above any changes that we've seen at the economic level.

So, the economy is chugging along there is not too much difference between say the economy pre-Trump to the economy now. But what we are seeing is significant rotations in sentiment. So, investor sentiment is changing and that does impact and reflect on the types of stocks that you should be holding in my view in a portfolio. So, at the moment if we go back to the beginning of the year it was very, very risk on, everyone was very happy, investors were very confident about the outlook. So, investors were buying a lot of the riskier names within the U.S. market.

Now thats kind of come full circle and we are back to those types of stocks that investors were holding in 2015. So, to a degree the bond proxies but very much more kind of balance sheet strength companies. Companies that are stable enough to deal with an unstable macro environment, effectively investors are even though markets are moving somewhat more high to greater heights, investors are kind of voting with their feet.

They are definitively reducing the risks that they are taking within North American equities and certainly now, I think that has obviously to do with, you cant avoid the political noise that we have at the moment in North America it has not to do with the macro itself. The economy is chugging along as I said. But very much at the moment I think people are hunkering down a little bit within equities.

Wall: Ian, thank you very much.

Heslop: Thank you.

Wall: This is Emma Wall from Morningstar. Thank you for watching.
China remains the growth engine for the global economy. With the revival in full swing, Chinese economic growth is beating expectations once again, with GDP growth of 6.9% year-on-year to June 2017. This has helped lift the Chinese stock market by 28.4% year-to-date.

The question is whether this sentiment is warranted and what might happen in the future; We know that finding investment opportunities requires an investor to think beyond economic growth prospects. After all, the link between equity returns and GDP growth is notoriously weak.

Valuations therefore carry increased importance. Sizing of any emerging market positions are also important, as risk and reward must be considered, especially the way the exposure may act under stress relative to other core holdings in a portfolio.

Where's the Greater Opportunity?

While it is tempting to compare the greater growth opportunity in terms of economic metrics, an investor is better placed framing the discussion around the investment opportunity. From a growth story perspective, an investor should focus on the fundamental developments that matter to the investment universe in question. In this regard, China and Hong Kong are two very different markets.

Profit margins are a key fundamental input, but are likely to be misleading in Hong Kong as they have become very elevated following the property boom and the consequent gains in residential development, significant because approximately 60% of the Hong Kong market is invested in real estate and financials. In mainland China, diversification means that profit margins are less influenced by the property boom.

Therefore, investors need to take special care when attempting to compare the fundamentals of mainland China and Hong Kong. Ultimately, an investor should attempt to understand the sustainability of earnings and dividend growth, and while there are selected opportunities to invest in both Hong Kong and A-shares, we find that mainland China is slightly more attractive once adjusted for the price you pay. In fact, our asset class work shows South Korea and Taiwan as potentially better opportunities based on current pricing.

It is worth noting that mainland Chinas A-shares market potentially represents a greater opportunity for active managers. This is more structural than opportunistic, simply because this universe is so much larger than the number of Chinese companies listed in Hong Kong and the analyst coverage is far less advanced.

From a portfolio construction perspective, it is worth noting that the A-shares provides a better representation of the broader Chinese economy through access to a more diversified range of industries/sectors. While Hong Kong has been the typical access point for those that wanted access to the China story, exposures have typically been concentrated in financials, internet and real estate companies.

What are the Risks of Mainland China?

Perhaps the most frightening risk to an investor in Chinese equities is government intervention. We have seen Chinese authorities move on more than one occasion to distort prices, with trading halts and short-selling bans used to stem capital flows.

Moreover, there are hidden layers of government intervention from within private companies and capital allocation. The most notable has been the use of privately-owned banks to implement government policy.

To put this into context, the reality is that one cant be guaranteed as to whether the state-owned enterprises (SoEs) will receive preferential treatment. There are also well-documented concerns about Chinese debt levels and so-called shadow banking, and a bad debt cycle could potentially wreak havoc. This could all impact the exchange rate of the Chinese yuan, where an investor is required to consider the sensitivity of any currency moves to their portfolio outcome. Therefore, while market regulations have been improving, mainland China exposure carries many risks that warrant a margin of safety.

More broadly, one should also be cognizant of the risks that affect emerging markets more generally. China is not immune to these risks, with untested management, weak financials, poor ESG, liquidity concerns and geopolitical/policy risks well-known points to consider.

From an investment selection perspective, there is scope for active management to add value in mainland China if fees are contained. In this regard, passive holdings may be susceptible to weakness, especially with highly leveraged state-owned enterprises to consider.

Lastly, the choice between a standalone allocation or as part of a broader emerging market allocation must be contemplated seriously. Emerging markets are a very diverse opportunity set, with Asia, Latin America and emerging Europe all offering different things. In this regard, emerging Europe may offer a better long-term opportunity based on current valuations and thus requires an investor to think outside of the China growth story.
The FTSE All Share Basic Materials sector has been one of the poorest performers of recent years. Over the past decade it has produced an annualised return of just 1.6% and a total return of just 16.9%. But some experts are starting to feel more optimistic about the sector, which includes metals and soft commodities such as timber and coffee.

A glut of commodity supply, a fall in demand in China and the advent of fracking, along with a prolonged global financial crisis, have given companies in the sector an incredibly difficult time over the past few years. According to Morningstar data, a 10,000 investment a decade ago would be worth just 11,689 today, and investors would have had to endure a rollercoaster ride over that period as the index slumped 30% only to soar 31% the next.

Businesses have had to undergo a major overhaul in order to survive, cutting capital expenditure, paying off debt and strengthening their balance sheets. And after many years of pain, some investors think we could be entering a new commodity bull market. Over the past 12 months the index  which includes metal miners, speciality chemicals companies and building materials businesses  is up 40.6%.

Olivia Markham, co-manager of the BlackRock World Mining Trust (BRWM), said: What makes us optimistic is that firms have cut their costs by around 50%, sold off assets and brought in new management teams which are more disciplined and shareholder friendly.

Markham, whose fund has returned 32.2% over the past year, is focusing on the copper industry, where demand is being boosted by the use of the industrial metal in electric cars. The copper price has surged around 46% over the past year and fund holdings such as Peru-based miner Cerro Verde tap into this trend.

Meanwhile James Luke, metals fund manager at Schroders, thinks the gold price could be about to rise. The yellow metal has historically done well at times when there is uncertainty and, with growing tensions between the US and North Korea and the UK negotiating Brexit, nervous investors could flock to the asset as an insurance policy.

But investors interested in the sector need to look east. Ultimately, what is happening in China is driving commodity prices. Even if demand from the region is strong other concerns about a slowing economy or rising debt in the country could hit sentiment, Markham warned.

Those who are still cautious about the outlook for the sector might consider alternative parts of it. Soft commodities such as coffee and lumber are being driven by global trends such as population growth and the need to feed more people and provide more housing.

Christoph Butz, co-manager of the Pictet Timber fund, said: This is an area of continuous growth and unlike many commodities which are, ultimately, finite, as long as timber is managed sustainably it is renewable.

Butz, whose fund is up 22.5% over the past year, argues that commodities such as timber can be a useful diversifier for materials investors because it is not linked to other commodities, instead it is more closely tied to the housing and construction markets.

As well as building, demand for timber pulp is rapidly increasing because of internet retailers needing strong materials for packaging. Indeed, the price of lumber is up almost 19% over the past year.

But, just as with other materials, there are risks around demand in China and politics, with Trumps protectionist policies expected to hit the Canadian lumber industry. Yet the long-term trends which are driving commodities look set to continue: populations are growing, and metals and materials will be needed to build houses and cars and to supply energy. Markus Stadlmann, chief investment officer at Lloyds Bank, said: We are getting to the end of a supply glut problem in energy markets and, at some point over the next 12 months, I expect commodity prices to reflect this.

But investors need a long-time horizon to ride out the ups and downs this sector so often experiences; the fortunes of the materials industry tend to be incredibly cyclical.

For now, however, debt is under control and capital discipline has improved. Experts think shareholders will soon feel the benefits of that in the form of dividends and share buybacks. Sutton thinks that pressure from activist investors should ensure that management stick to their newfound strategies - for now at least.

Markham said: There has been a change of behaviour in this sector and thats important  it is staying disciplined, generating cash and, compared with other markets, is still trading at a discount.
Wells Fargo Sued Over Lock Fees

Another day, another Wells Fargo consumer lawsuit. This time the bank is confronting a class action suit accusing it of improperly charging mortgage customers for interest rate locks.

According to Reuters, the lawsuit, filed in a San Francisco federal court, maintains that the bank has improperly charged "thousands of customers nationwide" lock fees when their mortgage applications were delayed. The suit, filed by a homeowner, says that bank managers pressured employees to blame mortgage applicants for the delays so they could be charged extra fees. According to the suit, among the tactics used was to falsely claim the homeowners had failed to produce necessary paperwork.

The suit maintains that the rate lock charges violate numerous state and federal consumer protection laws, including the U.S. Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and the Truth in Lending Act.

In April Wells Fargo announced it was prepared to settle claims that arose after last year's disclosure that its employees had opened thousands of bank accounts for existing customers in order to meet sales quotas and without those customers' permission. The settlement amount was announced as $142 million for remediation, attorneys' fees and settlement administration. However, in May plaintiffs' attorneys said the number of accounts affected had been underestimated and put the total at 3.5 million.

Last month another suit accused the bank of charging several hundred thousand auto loan borrowers for car insurance they did not request.
The chairman of Colorados largest mortgage lender has resigned after the company began offering health benefits to same-sex couples.Late last week, Cherry Creek Mortgage announced that it would start offering health benefits to same-sex couples. The announcement came after a former employee and her wife sued the company for refusing to provide those benefits, according to a HousingWire report.The same day that Cherry Creek made the announcement, its chairman, Wil Armstrong, announced his resignation from the company with immediate effect. A statement from Armstrong made no specific mention of the companys policy change regarding health benefits for same-sex couples, but also gave no reason for the chairmans sudden departure, HousingWire reported.Effective yesterday, I resigned as chairman and a member of the board of directors at Cherry Creek Mortgage Company effective immediately, Armstrong said in the statement. I am grateful for the chance to have been a part of the team that helped thousands in achieving the dream of homeownership and in assisting them in managing the largest financial transaction of their lives.
North Carolina Housing Finance Agency: $107,578 for barbecues with Treasury employees, parties, celebrations, gift cards, gym memberships, employee bonuses and more.

$107,578 for barbecues with Treasury employees, parties, celebrations, gift cards, gym memberships, employee bonuses and more. Rhode Island Housing: $1,031,210 to build a new customer center with a new kitchen and new furniture, marketing ,systems and rent  including three years of backdated rent  and a monthly payment to employees to defray transportation costs.

$1,031,210 to build a new customer center with a new kitchen and new furniture, marketing ,systems and rent  including three years of backdated rent  and a monthly payment to employees to defray transportation costs. Nevada Housing Division: $43,497 for bonuses  nearly all of which went to a CEO who was eventually fired  and employee picnics.

$43,497 for bonuses  nearly all of which went to a CEO who was eventually fired  and employee picnics. Florida Housing Finance Corporation: $106,774 for bonuses, gift certificates and a barbecue.

$106,774 for bonuses, gift certificates and a barbecue. District of Columbias Housing Finance Agency: $258,333 to prepay for five years of avoidable online storage access.

$258,333 to prepay for five years of avoidable online storage access. Illinois Housing Development Authority: $98,305 in employee cash retention awards. HHF money was also spent for a lunch to celebrate getting new HHF funds and an employees upcoming wedding.

State housing agencies across the country have charged $3 million in unnecessary expenses to a fund meant to aid homeowners impacted by housing insecurity.Instead of helping struggling homeowners, money from the Troubled Asset Relief Programs (TARP) Hardest Hit Fund went to pay for employee bonuses, legal expenses, car allowances  and even barbecues, according to Christy Goldsmith Romero, special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP). In one case, a state agency spent more than a million dollars of HHF funds on a new customer center.Congress did not authorize TARP dollars for barbecues, steak-and-seafood dinners, gift cards, flowers, gym memberships, employee bonuses, litigation, celebrations, cars, and other unnecessary expenses of state housing agencies, but those are some of the charges SIGTARPs forensic analysis uncovered, Romero said.Romero said that SIGTARP had recently found scores of people who qualified for Hardest Hit Fund assistance but were turned down.Now we find that some state housing agencies are more willing to keep TARP dollars for themselves than distribute it to low-earning homeowners, a violation of TARP contracts and inconsistent with TARP law, Romero said. With more than $1 billion to be spent on HHF administrative expenses, the mindset must change at state agencies and Treasury. Otherwise taxpayers will continue to pay more for these services than is necessary.According to SIGTARP, unnecessary spending by state agencies included:SIGTARP is demanding that the state agencies that misused HHF funds pay the program back.TARP is not a source to fund state agencies general operations, boost state employees morale, or throw catered barbecues when Treasury visits, Romero said. TARP is not a windfall.
Ten Midland Police Department officers and nine Midland Fire Department personnel are traveling to Houston with fire department vehicles, boats and four-wheelers in-tow, according to MPD communications specialist Rachel Walker.

Midlands first responders often go above and beyond the call of duty to help citizens in need. Following the devastation along the Texas coast, Midlands police and fire personnel have stepped up to lend a hand to those affected by Hurricane Harvey, Walker said.
Hearst is donating $1 million to the Greater Houston Red Cross to help with relief efforts across the region.

The New York-based owner of the Houston Chronicle, Midland Reporter-Telegram and many other media properties, also said it would match every dollar its employees donate up to another $1 million.
As the budget season is underway, the Midland County Commissioners Court on Monday received input from residents, county department leaders and elected officials.

Two residents at the public tax rate hearing asked commissioners to consider a tax rate at the effective rate. The comments came after the court previously proposed leaving the tax rate at its current rate of 15.5992 cents per $100 valuation, which is more than 9 percent above the effective rate.

After 20-plus years in the oil business  more like 25  the economy has stabilized a bit, the Midland economy, said Lee Wallace, who also spoke at the first tax rate hearing on Thursday. It would be great if the court could lower the taxes.

County Judge Mike Bradford said the potential for decisions from the Texas Legislature played a role when proposing a tax rate. The proposed rate  15.5992 cents  is between the effective rate of 14.1823 cents and the rollback rate of 16.3145 cents.

The effective rate is very tough to consider right now, Bradford said.

Also at the meeting, Midland County department leaders and elected officials had the opportunity to speak about the 2017-18 filed budget. Highlights included:

-- Judge Robin Darr of the 385th District Court said fees have increased for court-appointed attorneys. Bradford said the state paid a portion of an estimated $2 million in expenses for indigent defense.

-- Three judges and the chief juvenile probation officer requested cost-of-living increases for members of the juvenile board.

-- Midland County Sheriff Gary Painter requested various budget items. One called for about $69,000 to add stainless steel in three Central Detention Center cellblocks. Painter said inmates can break off pieces of material in lavatory areas and use them as weapons.

-- Karen Hood, tax assessor-collector, wanted $28,000 for a queue system to allow her office to be more efficient and customer-friendly.

Bradford said commissioners are considering Mondays requests, and the budget could be between $66 million and $68 million. He said input from other commissioners and possible decisions by the Legislature could impact that estimate.

A public hearing on the county budget is scheduled for Sept. 11, when the county is scheduled to adopt the 2017-18 budget and a tax rate.






Several organizations have deployed resources to areas of Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey. Heres an update on their efforts.

 Salvation Army of Midland: Capt. Jeremy Walker is in San Antonio representing the local canteen to help with relief efforts, according to Capt. Michelle Walker.

The Salvation Army is helping hurricane victims by providing shelters and mobile kitchens but must wait for water to recede to help more people. Michelle Walker said the Salvation Army of Midland is not accepting in-kind donations right now because staff is waiting to learn which specific items victims need.

Monetary donations are always accepted. To learn about the various ways of donating the Salvation Army, visit www.salvationarmyusa.org.

Walker said the local organization needs volunteers, though admitted its hard to get people who can take between 10 and 14 days off. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, call 683-3614.

 Red Cross Permian Basin Area Chapter: Three local staff members have been deployed to southeast Texas, according to public information officer Edward McPherson. Executive Director Tracy Austin is helping with internal communications and the flow of information.

More for you Midland police, firefighters head out to help with Harvey

McPherson said the organization is continuing to stay engaged and aware as the situation evolves. The Red Cross is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state of Texas.

McPherson said volunteers are always needed. Relief efforts are expected to last for several months. To learn about volunteer opportunities, visit redcross.org/volunteer.

Financial assistance is also needed to help the Red Cross assist victims. A $10 donation can by made by texting Harvey to 90999; the payment will be added to your phone bill. Donations can also be made by visiting redcross.org.

 West Texas Food Bank/Senior Link Midland: The organizations have partnered to host a drop-off location at the Senior Link Midland office, 3301 Sinclair Ave. Bottled water and canned goods are being collected to help hurricane victims. Collections will take place 8 a.m.-5 p.m. through Thursday.

 Midland Humane Coalition is collecting supplies to be taken to Hurricane Harvey victims (4 legged and their owners). The organization is collected the donated goods at the Midland Humane Coalition's Adoption Center within Midland's PetSmart (a tax receipt can be provided). The first shipment of donated items will go out on Friday and we have more shipments being scheduled by our awesome volunteers. Here is some of the items needed by the Humane Coalition:

***Needed Items (for dogs & cats):

Crates (collapsible wire preferred as space is limited)

Food (dog & cat)

Bowls

Blankets

Towels

Leashes/collars

Beds

Cat litter

Gallon water

Kitten milk and Bottles

Cat Litter

***Needed Items (for horses):

Lead Ropes

Halters

Buckets

Hay Nets

Salt Blocks

Fly Spray

Peppermints

Medicine (ulcergard, betadine, fungal treatment)






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OneBlood, Central Florida's main not-for-profit blood center, pitched in with Harvey relief efforts, but now they need your help.

OneBlood sent nearly 300 units to Texas

Harvey has disrupted blood donations there

OneBlood urges donors to come in

The group has sent nearly 300 units of blood in two separate shipments to Texas. OneBlood said it will continue to send blood to Texas until further notice.

OneBlood says the units were urgently needed, because the flooding and destruction from Harvey has prevented blood centers from collecting donations.

OneBlood is working with the U.S. Dept. of Health, Blood Centers of America and America's Blood Centers to get donated blood to devastated areas.

Blood donations in Central Florida will help maintain the local supply, while also help people in Texas.

All blood types are needed, but there is an urgent call for O negative and O positive blood, along with platelets and plasma donations.

To find a OneBlood Center or Big Red Bus mobile donation center near you, head to the OneBlood website.
Leading by example, Bart Reagor kicked off the Plainview Area United Way campaign with a personal $10,000 donation.

The United Way is big for us, Reagor told a packed house at Waylands Laney Center for the campaign kickoff luncheon. Reagor is co-owner and CEO of Reagor-Dykes Auto Group. Locally, Reagor-Dykes operates two new-car dealerships  Reagor-Dykes Toyota and Reagor-Dykes Ford-Lincoln.

As keynote speaker, Reagor explained that he personally encourages each employee to give to the United Way in their respective communities. In the past five years, our employee giving has grown tremendously, and we strive to be 100 percent givers in each community.

During the past year, Reagor-Dykes Auto Group corporately contributed $127,000 to various United Way campaigns, and they plan to increase giving this year. I try to always be the first to write a check as an example for everyone in our dealerships. Whether through payroll deduction or writing a check, we encourage everyone to give to the United Way.

To show that he and his wife support the local effort, Reagor pledge to write a $10,000 personal check to the Plainview Area United Way. Thats double his $5,000 personal donation last year.

This year the Plainview Area United Way seeks to raise $275,000 to support 11 member agencies.

Its important to let everyone know that what they contribute to the United Way will stay in Plainview, said Ken Coughlin, campaign chair. And that is our pledge. All the money raised this year will go to the participating agencies. Less than 1 percent of our budget goes to the national organization, and the Executive Committee already decided to pay that from what we have set aside in previous years. Everything that comes in this year will be distributed to our agencies and stay here.

Those agencies include Crisis Center of the Plains, Eleanor Griffin Early Childhood Intervention, Hale County Literacy Council, Hale County Senior Citizens, High Plains Epilepsy, Plainview Boy Scouts, Plainview Education Partnership, Plainview Girl Scouts, Salvation Army, Wee Care Child Center and Plainview YMCA.

Matt Kelley, PAUW president, added that the United Way and the 11 agencies it supports, are critical to maintaining the high quality of life we have in Plainview, Texas.

A dozen corporate donors and 25 individual donors were recognized for their exceptional giving in last years campaign.

Businesses recognized for contributing $5,000 or more include: Atmos Energy, Azteca Milling, Centennial Bank, Central Plains Center, City of Plainview, Covenant Health Plainview, Lewis, Kaufman, Reid, Stukey, Gattis & Co., Plainview Independent School District, United/Amigos Supermarkets, Wal-Mart Distribution Center, Wayland Baptist University, Reagor-Dykes and Xcel Energy.

Individual donors recognized for contributing $1,000 or more include Eddie Ashburn, Carolyn Baker, Dr. T. Coe Branch, Kevin Carter, Ron Gammage, Dr. Bobby Hall, Walter Johnston, Randy Kaufman, Matt Kelley, Michael Krais, Kevin Malone, Willis McCutcheon, Vicky McKinney, Michael Murphy, Kate Phillips, Brian Pohlmeier, Michael Puckett, Riley Reagor, Dr. Charles Starnes, Enrique Trevino, Randy Vann, Clinton and Phyllis Wall, Aaron Weatherman, David Wilder and Rob Wilkinson.

Using a white board to stress such points as teamwork, stewardship, service and faith, Reagor said he believes, The more we bless others, the more we will be blessed. And money related to those blessings, he said, flow through the United Way and the agencies they support.

As an example, told about Joe Landin, director of marketing and facilities for Reagor-Dykes. Landin was born and raised in Lamesa, until his parents moved the family to Lubbock in 1970 when an older sister entered college. Not long after the family moved, their familys home was destroyed by the F-5 tornado that tore through the heart of Lubbock.

Their house was gone and they lost just about everything, Reagor said. But it was United Way agencies such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army that came through to help them. They made a big difference for Joe Landin and his family, and they continue to make a big difference for countless families today.

Saying he wanted everyone to be on the team, Reagor pointed out some of the local United Way agencies that are making a difference to local families, such as Wee Care Day Care Center, Salvation Army and the YMCA.

My favorite scripture is Mark 9:23, which says that all things are possible for those who believe. Its about faith. Whether a city or a team, youve got to believe that you are going to be great, and going to succeed. And youve got to believe that we are going to raise this money, because its the right thing to do. You cant be selfish or scared, because there are many people who are depending on you.

He recalled first meeting local car dealer Jack Morris when Reagor was in his early 20s. I had a lot of respect for him, and later, in 1994, I told him I would like to buy his dealership.

Sixteen years later, in September 2010, Reagor and partner Rick Dykes were able to purchase the local Ford-Lincoln-Mercury-Toyota dealership from Jack Morris. Since that time, the local dealerships have shown explosive growth. During the nine months before we purchased the dealership in 2010 they sold 22 Toyotas, Reagor noted. Last month alone we sold 101 Toyotas.

He urged United Way division chairs and campaign workers to be aggressive and push yourselves.

Reagor began a career in the car business in 1987, and in 2003 opened Reagor Auto Mall, selling high-end pre-owned vehicles. In 2006, he teamed with Rick Dykes to form the Reagor-Dykes Auto Group. Together, they have built one of the countrys fastest growing auto dealer groups.

Since opening, the company has grown from $10 million in sales in 2003 to more than $600 million in retail sales in 2016. Today, the company consists of 25 rooftops involving retail, leasing and service operations across West Texas and the Dallas area. The companys consistent year-over-year growth has put the Reagor-Dykes Auto Group on the Inc. Magazine 5,000 list of fastest growing privately-held companies in the nation the past three years.

Reagor and his wife, Annette, have three children: Rachel, Ryan, and Riley. Rachel is a graduate of the University of Texas and Duke Law School and is an attorney on the Reagor-Dykes Auto Group legal team. Ryan is a 2014 graduate of Hardin-Simmons University and has chosen a career in the car business, serving as Toyota sales manager at Reagor-Dykes Toyota in Plainview. Riley is a 2015 Texas Tech graduate and has also decided to work in the family business, joining his brother in Plainview and recently being promoted to internet sales manager at Reagor-Dykes Toyota

The Plainview Area United Way was formed in 1975. This will be its 41st campaign.

United Way division chairs include Rick Garcia, Nancy Stukey, Sherrie Wall and Shannon Thornton, Logan Pritchett, Carmen Ortega and Doris Washington. The campaign leadership includes Matt Kelley, president; Ken Coughlin, campaign chair; Brandon Ahrens, campaign vice chair; Kevin Carter, public relations; Janis Robertson, secretary; David Wilder, treasurer; Brent Richburg, past president, and Leigh Ann Bradley, executive director.
Police and rescue workers in Texas are working as much as possible to save lives, even the ones that walk on four legs.

In a video recorded by Rebekah Brand, police are seen escorting cattle on a wet road as gray, menacing clouds roll by.
Harris town hall: Sen. Kamala Harris hosts a town hall from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Beebe Memorial Cathedral, 3900 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland. Admission is free, but attendees must RSVP for tickets. Limit one per person. Information: http://bit.ly/2wN8DqI.

Climate change: Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, hosts a conversation on climate change with UC Berkeley Professor Daniel Kammen and Impossible Foods CEO Pat Brown. The event is from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the San Francisco Zoo, Sloat Boulevard and Great Highway. Tickets required; event will also be streamed on Speiers Facebook page. Information and tickets: http://bit.ly/2uZ9ELJ

Environmental authors: Litquake presents a panel of authors discussing Trump administration environmental policies. Panel members include Kenneth David Brower and Mary Ellen Hannibal. Free event is from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Koret Auditorium, Main Library, 100 Larkin St. in San Francisco. Information: http://bit.ly/2wcxkeo

More for you Texas couple finds ring lost in tornado, immediately gets engaged

Virginia candidate: The Sister District Project is raising funds for Kathy Tran, a candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates, by hosting a discussion with Rita Bosworth, the Sister District Project founder, and former California Assemblyman Ted Lempert. 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Half Moon Bay Brewing Co., 390 Capistrano Road, Half Moon Bay. Information: www.goo.gl/d2KVLu

Sexual minorities: Phillip Ayoub, assistant professor of politics at Drexel University, discusses the recent history of transnational movement in Europe and the reasons for states varying approaches to legal recognition for LGBT rights. His talk begins at 4:10 p.m. Thursday in Room 382 of the humanities building at San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave. at 19th Avenue. Admission is free. Information: https://lca.sfsu.edu/events/2017-08-31-231500/817163.

Town hall: Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, hosts a town hall meeting at the Crockett Community Center, 850 Pomona St., from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday. Information: www.facebook.com/events/336289353489096

Indivisible: General meeting of Indivisible to plan weekly actions. Meeting starts at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at 1661 15th St. in San Francisco. Information: http://bit.ly/2xrMHOK

Town hall: A forum for students in West Contra Costa middle and high schools and Contra Costa College. Speakers include members of the Richmond and El Cerrito city councils and other government panels. The event, hosted by Contra Costa Young Democrats, is at 5 p.m. Sept. 7 at John F. Kennedy High School, 4300 Cutting Blvd., Richmond. Information: www.youngdems.org

Voter registration: Volunteers will help new U.S. citizens register to vote after a swearing-in ceremony. Sponsored by Democracy Action, which works to advance Democratic candidates. 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 7 outside the Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. Information: https://demaction.us

Town hall: State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, and other community leaders discuss reforming Proposition 13s commercial property tax system. Hosted by Make It Fair, the event is from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at the First Congregational Church of Oakland, 2501 Harrison St. Information: http://bit.ly/mifbay17.

Picnic in the park: Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, hosts a picnic in Golden Gate Parks Marx Meadow picnic area Sept 10. RSVP: http://chiuassembly.ngpvanhost.com/form/-1081566039410473216

Prayers for peace: Multifaith prayers for peace and justice on the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Event is from 7 to 8 p.m. Sept. 11 at King Plaza, 250 Hamilton Ave. in Palo Alto. Information: http://bit.ly/2wQEUNz.

Climate action: Climate Action in the City, a panel discussion on adapting to climate change in San Francisco, sponsored by San Francisco Tomorrow. Event is from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Richmond District Police Station community room, 461 Sixth Ave., San Francisco. Information: http://www.sftomorrow.org/.

Town hall: Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, holds a town hall at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at Dance Palace, 503 B St., Point Reyes Station. Information: http://bit.ly/2vpinSI

Cap and trade forum: Oil industry experts and activists in the climate and environmental justice movement will explain Californias cap and trade law and its recently approved extension. Hosted by Sunflower Alliance and 350 Bay Area. The event runs from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 17 at 155 Grand Ave. in Oakland. Information: www.sunflower-alliance.org/the-cap-and-trade-scam-sept-17/

To list an event, email Trapper Byrne at tbyrne@sfchronicle.com.
The California Supreme Court handed down a ruling on Monday that could make it slightly easier for citizens to levy new local taxes through voter-sponsored ballot initiatives.

The ruling rested largely on how the court interpreted sections of the state Constitution impacted by Proposition 218. Passed by voters in 1996, Prop. 218 spells out how local governments may levy new taxes and fees, including the vote thresholds that have to be met to approve proposed taxes.

At the heart of the courts ruling is the notion that ballot initiatives generated by citizens arent subject to the same constraints as local governments.

The lawsuit in the case was brought by the California Cannabis Coalition against the city of Upland (San Bernardino County). In 2014, the Cannabis Coalition began circulating a ballot initiative that would have repealed an existing Upland ordinance banning medical marijuana dispensaries and also would have spelled out rules under which dispensaries could operate in the city, including paying a $75,000 annual fee.

The nonprofits initiative secured signatures from 15 percent of the citys residents, triggering a state law that required Upland officials to either adopt the initiative or put it up to a vote in a special election. After reviewing the proposal, however, the city said it would only require a $15,000 licensing fee from dispensaries. The excess as proposed by the coalition constituted a general tax, the city contended, and therefore could only be decided on in the next general election. The city refused to hold a special election for the proposal.

More for you Texas couple finds ring lost in tornado, immediately gets engaged

The group sued, insisting that it was entitled to put its proposal in front of voters during a special election, and that it shouldnt have to wait until the 2016 general election. At a special election, its easier to get voters out. We thought (the ballot initiative) would have more of a chance to win if its in a special election, said Roger Diamond, the attorney for the Cannabis Coalition.

Diamond successfully argued that regardless of whether the money paid by the dispensaries would be a tax or a fee, its being imposed by the initiative process, so were exempt from the requirement that the measure go on the general election. Only tax measures imposed by a government are required for a general election, under Prop. 218.

The court agreed. Writing for the majority and referencing Homers The Odyssey, Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuellar said that the law, as it stands, does not bind voters to the constraints placed on local governments by Prop. 218, which are intended to make it more difficult to create new taxes.

As Ulysses once tied himself to the mast so he could resist the Sirens tempting song , voters too can conceivably make the clear and important choice to bind themselves by making it more difficult to enact initiatives in the future. Cuellar said. The electorate made no such clear choice to tie itself to the mast here.

The city of Upland, the court ruled, violated state law when it tried to deny a vote on the coalitions ordinance in a special election. Local governments, by contrast, must always bring proposed general tax increases during a general election, a distinction  as the court clarified  that derives from the laws intent to give more power to citizens. In short, the court said it should be easier for citizens to propose new taxes, compared with proposals introduced by local governments.

The city of Upland could not immediately provide a representative to comment on the ruling.

The courts ruling did not touch on the question of whether voter tax initiatives would be subject to a simple majority vote or a two-thirds majority, the threshold governments are subject to when they want to raise a tax for a specific purpose, as opposed to one where the revenue gets put into the general fund.

Darien Shanske, a professor at UC Davis School of Law, said that vote-threshold question would likely have to be decided by a future court case. But he said Mondays ruling left open the possibility that tax increases proposed by voter initiatives would be a lot easier to pass during special elections.

That could be very helpful for groups capable of organizing and putting a tax increase on the ballot, Shanske said.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa
Local women work in a tapestry cooperative founded by Tenzin Chenglai (right) in Gyangze county in Xigaze city, Tibet autonomous region. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]

For people living in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, making carpets is regarded as a household task for women, because locals use different kinds of knitwear for home decoration.

But Tenzin Chenglai is a male who is now focusing on improving Tibetan tapestryknitting carpets with wool.

"I thought of finding a job with a stable income after college. I thought that was what I went to college for, but I find that what I am doing today is fascinating and brings benefit to more people," the 26-year-old artisan says.

He spends most of his days in a tapestry cooperative he established in 2014. It is array of single-story houses covering 800 square meters in Gyangze county in Tibet's Xigaze city.

Gyangze is home to Tibetan tapestry. The carpets can be found in almost every house to attract good fortune in this part of Tibet.

The knitting technique enjoys more than 600 years of history, and the tapestry is known abroad along with Persian silk rugs and Turkish carpets.

Tibetan women learn the knitting skill through years of practice as they grow up. But it is not easy for the artisans to sell their works outside, thereby limiting the potential for income. At the same time, fewer young Tibetans are willing to learn it due to the time required to master the skill.
Chevron Corp. has closed its Houston offices amid the widespread flooding triggered by Tropical Storm Harvey. Although based in San Ramon, Chevron has more employees and contractors in the Houston area  about 8,000  than in any other place. Chevron said its Houston offices remain functional, but they have been closed for business except for a skeleton staff of essential personnel. The oil company, Americas second-largest, did not offer an estimate for when the offices would reopen.

Chevrons offshore oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico remain operational, the company said.

Real estate

Home prices

soar in June

Home prices climbed higher in June with gains that are eclipsing income growth  creating affordability pressures for would-be buyers.

The Standard & Poors CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city home price index rose 5.7 percent in June, according to a Tuesday report. The separate national average rose as well, putting it 4.3 points above its housing bubble-era peak in July 2006.

The price increases are different from that period, when subprime mortgages led to a housing bust. There is a shortage of properties for sale, causing the prices to steadily rise at more than double the pace of average hourly earnings. Buyers are also relying on historically low mortgage rates to ease the affordability pressures.

The largest gain over the past year occurred in the Seattle metro area, with a 13.4 percent increase. Dallas and Portland, Ore., recorded sizable price growth.

Prices rose less than 4 percent in the more expensive cities of New York and Washington.

The National Association of Realtors said last week that the number of existing homes listed for sale has plummeted 9 percent over the past 12 months to 1.92 million. Because buyers are competing for fewer homes, the Realtors median sales price isup 6.2 percent to $258,300.

Automakers

281,000 VWs to be recalled

Volkswagen is recalling almost 281,000 CC and Passat sedans and wagons in the U.S. because the fuel pumps can fail and cause the cars to suddenly stall.

The recall covers the CC from the 2009 through 2016 model years, as well as the Passat sedan and wagon from 2006 through 2010. All have four-cylinder gasoline engines.

VW says in government documents that the fuel pump control computer can lose electrical power. That can stop gas from flowing and cause the engine to stop. It also can make the fuel pump continue running after the car is shut off.

VW will notify owners about the problem in October and send a second letter when replacement computers are available. Dealers will swap out the computers and move them so they are less susceptible to mechanical stress and heat.

VW says it has no reports of crashes or injuries in the U.S. caused by the problem.

Antitrust

Google bows to EU demands

Google will comply with Europes demands to change the way it runs its shopping search service, a rare instance of the Internet giant bowing to regulatory pressure to avoid more fines.

It faced a Tuesday deadline to tell the European Union how it plans to follow an order to stop discriminating against rival shopping search services. A Google spokeswoman said it is sharing that plan with regulators, but declined to comment further.

The EU fined Google a record $2.7 billion in late June for breaking antitrust rules by skewing its general search results to unfairly favor its own shopping service over rival sites. The company had 60 days to propose how it would stop its illegal content and 90 days to make changes to its display of shopping results when users search for a product. Those changes need to be put in place by Sept. 28 to stave off a risk that the EU could fine the company 5 percent of daily revenue for each day it fails to comply.

The obligation to comply is fully Googles responsibility, the European Commission said in an email, without elaborating on what the company must do. Google has the option of challenging the fine and the antitrust order to the EU courts, which can take years to reach a final decision.

The EU now has a month to check whether Googles planned changes are sufficient. Regulators are also expected to levy fines in separate investigations into Googles Android mobile-phone software and the AdSense advertising service. Margrethe Vestager, the EUs antitrust chief, has also threatened probes on travel or map services.

Chronicle News Services
Losses to Texas $100 billion agriculture industry had not even begun to be tallied Tuesday, with farmers and ranchers still unable to get out to find stranded livestock or survey how many acres of grain, rice and cotton was destroyed by Harveys once-in-a-millennium downpours.

Texas A&M University agricultural economist David Anderson said it was too soon to even ballpark the monetary extent of the damages.

I havent even tried, he said. Its going to be a big number.

Texas leads the nation in production of cattle, cotton, sheep and goats and hay, and it also produces a sizable amount of wheat and corn. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the 54 Texas counties declared a disaster area contain more than 1.2 million beef cows, or about 27 percent of the states herd. Anderson said that was a conservative census, as 14 of the counties only have estimates.

According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas rice producers had already harvested about 75 percent of the crop, but storage bins may have suffered extensive wind and water damage. Port closures interrupted exports of agricultural products from across the Midwest.

Wheat, soybean and corn exports all ground to a halt last week as Texas ports prepared for the oncoming hurricane, the TDA said in a statement. Texas is responsible for exporting almost one-fourth of the nations wheat and a significant portion of U.S. corn and soybeans.

USDA Meteorologist Eric Luebehusen said about 14 percent of the states cotton was ready for harvest, and much of it was in the storms track. Anticipated damages might already have affected futures prices, with cotton prices for December delivery rising some 3 percent to above 70 cents a pound.

Somebody told me they were out driving those cotton pickers like race cars, said Steve Kolle, a Victoria-area rancher who said hed been able to account for all of his 600 head of cattle, and so far on his ranch had only found one destroyed barn.

But with harvest time workers already working around the clock at the United Agriculture cotton gin in El Campo, some 70 miles southwest of Houston, there just wasnt capacity to process more, coop general manager Jimmy Roppolo said. That meant a lot of the cotton that was rushed to the mill still got soaked waiting out in the lot.

The gin so far has processed about 100,000 bales, he said, but he estimated there was still another 100,000 bales, or about half the crop, out soaking in submerged modules if not in the field. If none of that was salvageable, itd mean about $35 million in lost crop for that cooperatives region alone. What was able to be harvested would likely be stained and tangled with broken seed, significantly lowering its value, Roppolo said.

It put a definite damper on spirits that were running high just before the storm. U.S. Cotton growers in general have been struggling against foreign subsidies and a lack of farm bill supports available to other crops. Theyd hoped to come out ahead with bumper yields.

We were heading for a record crop, we were hoping this would have gotten them out of the hole, Roppolo said. If Mother Nature had just given us another week, wed have been in a heck of lot better shape.

It was unclear what relief would come from crop insurance or from separate insurance coverage that the gin had, he said.

Richard Thorpe, president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, in a statement said the association was working with state and local response agencies to coordinate relief and support efforts, and does have Special Rangers in the region to assist producers.

However, many areas are still experiencing flooding, making it difficult for ranchers and response teams to safely assess the impacts to cattle herds, he said. As the rain and flooding subside later this week, cattle raisers will be able to better assess their needs and TSCRA stands ready to assist.

Tom Andy Vestal, a professor and extension specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, said the states storm recovery resources included his agencys nearly 160 personnel activated across a 300-mile swath of Texas. Shelters and staging areas in 36 counties were taking in hundreds if not thousands of pets as well as cattle, horses, goats, sheep and hogs. Strike teams of agricultural agents were at the ready in Waco and the Rio Grande Valley, and other teams were readying to go to Brazoria County, where more than 500 animals were already under shelter, and the San Patricio County fairground, where they were staging an animal supply point.

As soon as they can get in there, thats what our problem is, he said. Our livestock industry organizations reported that the vast majority of their producers are unable to get out and do an observation. We know that there will be tens of thousands of water gaps, which are the fences that cross tributaries, streams and rivers. And those water gaps will be gone, so the fences will be gone. And many of those water gaps are along public highways and county roads.

That meant high danger of stray livestock meandering out on roads and creating hazards to motorists, especially at night.

And its a huge public safety issue, he said. We had this issue during Hurricane Ike and were going to have it again.

He said the priority now was moving cattle and other livestock into confined areas. Next would be soliciting donations of money, hay and feed to take care of animals while the ranchers were out repairing fences.

The good news was that ranchers that got donations after the wildfires that swept through the Panhandle in March were now eager to help out their inundated colleagues. So too were industry folk as far away as Australia.

As a matter of fact, about Friday of last week those folks up in Canadian, Texas, and Pampa, Texas; they called me right here in my office just saying, OK, were ready to return the favor to the rest of Texas. How can we get material down to support the livestock industry on the Gulf Coast? he said. Theyre ready to go. So are a lot of people across the country. Im getting calls from as far away as Australia.

lbrezosky@express-news.net
United Continental Holdings is likely to take at least a $265 million financial hit from Hurricane Harvey because of the carriers reliance on Houston as one of its biggest hubs, an airline analyst said.

Flights at the third-largest U.S. carrier will decline an estimated 1.5 percent in the current quarter because of the storm, with little opportunity to recoup lost sales, Helane Becker of Cowen & Co. said in a report Tuesday. Houstons George Bush Intercontinental Airport accounts for about 17 percent of Uniteds capacity.

The projected losses would more than double the $125 million blow Delta Air Lines Inc. suffered when it canceled about 4,000 flights after April storms in Atlanta. Harvey probably also will prove more troubling than Hurricane Ike in 2008, which cost Continental Airlines $50 million two years before it merged with United, Becker said.

Harvey seems more powerful and impactful, she wrote. Sandy, the storm that hit New York in 2012, is probably the best comp, given the impact lingered beyond just the initial airport closings. After the airports opened, there was rebuilding to be done, and people just didnt travel for a while.

United hasnt issued guidance to investors about the storms impact yet, according to the airline.

Our focus right now is on resuming operations out of Houston and helping our customers and employees, said United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy.

United fell less than 1 percent to $62.70 at 12:56 p.m. in New York after a similar drop Monday. The shares tumbled 13 percent this year through Monday, more than twice the decline of Delta and three times the slide of American Airlines Group Inc.

Southwest Airlines Co. will probably take a $77 million hit in the third quarter because of its major presence at Houstons William P. Hobby airport, Becker said. Discounter Spirit Airlines Inc. is in line for $11 million in storm-related losses, she said.

The total blow adds up to $353 million for the three airlines, assuming the airports reopen Aug. 31. Intercontinental is expected be reopen no sooner than the middle of that day, while Hobby may reopen Wednesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

A computer outage last year led to a $150 million hit for Delta.
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Dozens of H-E-B and Walmart stores remain closed in Houston and the Gulf Coast area as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to pound Texas with a torrent of rainfall.

At least 30 H-E-B stores  including 25 in Houston  and 87 Walmart locations and distribution centers, with 31 stores in Houston, had closed throughout the state as of Monday afternoon, the companies said.

Retailers have struggled to get emergency services and supplies into Houston, which has seen almost 33 inches of rainfall since Friday, according to the National Weather Service. But the companies have mobilized emergency response units and stock of emergency products to other areas affected by the storm.

H-E-B has deployed more than 15 disaster response vehicles including the companys two mobile kitchens, water and fuel tankers, trailers and direct response units  which include mobile pharmacies and business services that allow users to cash checks and pay bills.

The San Antonio supermarket chain has served meals to about 4,000 people through its mobile kitchen and filled 35 prescriptions using its mobile pharmacy when the companys emergency response unit arrived Sunday at the companys store at 1505 E. Rio Grande St. in Victoria, company spokeswoman Julie Bedingfield said. The company expected to serve a total of 6,000 meals by Monday evening.

H-E-B is waiting for road conditions to improve before sending a mobile kitchen to Houston, said Dya Campos, another H-E-B spokeswoman. The company said on Twitter that it was sending its mobile kitchens Tuesday to Rockport and Aransas Pass  areas along the Gulf Coast that were hit particularly hard. Sixty stores in the Houston area were operating, but were scheduled to close by 8 p.m. Monday, the company said.

More Information Store closures in Texas as of Monday afternoon H-E-B Greater Houston Area Central Market Joe V's Smart Shop Bay Town Joe V's Smart Shop U.S. 290/43rd Joe V's Smart Shop N./ Shepherd Mi Tienda 2 Bay Colony Blackhawk Braeswood & Chimney Rock OST & Scott TC Jester Memorial Dr. and Dairy Ashford Pasadena 3 Fry Road Gulfgate Woodlands 1 Woodlands Market Grand Parkway Buffalo Speedway Summerwood Market Pin Oak Woodlands 5 San Felipe Clear Lake Market Kingwood Aliana Market Beaumont area Beaumont 6 Orange Port Arthur East Texas Bay City West Columbia Gulf Coast area Aransas Pass Edna Ingleside Port Lavaca Refugio Rockport Mathis Walmart Aransas Pass (one Supercenter) Bay City (one Supercenter) Baytown (two Supercenters, one distribution center) Beaumont (Sam's Club) Cleveland (one Supercenter) Conroe (Sam's Club) Cypress (three Neighborhood Markets) Dayton (one distribution center) Edna (one store) Friendswood (one Supercenter, one Sam's Club location) Houston (four Neighborhood Markets, eight Sam's Club locations, 17 Supercenters, one Walmart location) Humble (three Supercenters, one Sam's Club, one Neighborhood Market) Katy (two Neighborhood Markets, one Sam's Club, one Supercenter) Kemah (Supercenter) Kingwood (Neighborhood Market) La Marque (Supercenter, Sam's Club) La Porte (Supercenter) League City (Neighborhood Market, Supercenter) Liberty (Supercenter) New Caney (Supercenter) Pasadena (Two Supercenters) Pearland (Three Supercenters, Sam's Club, Neighborhood Market) Port Lavaca (Supercenter) Porter (Supercenter) Portland (Supercenter) Richmond (two Supercenters, Sam's Club) Rockport (Supercenter) Sealy (distribution center) Spring (standalone pharmacy, Neighborhood Market, Supercenter) Stafford (Supercenter) Sugar Land (Neighborhood Market) Tomball (Supercenter) West Columbia (Walmart) The Woodlands (Supercenter) See More Collapse

H-E-Bs entire executive team along with employees at the companys headquarters in downtown San Antonio were dispatched to stores in the San Antonio area last week to bag groceries, stock shelves and collect shopping carts as shoppers prepared for the storm to potentially hit the Alamo City.

The companys executive team book-ended a meeting scheduled for Saturday with shifts at area stores weathering heavy crowds, said Tina James, H-E-Bs senior vice president of human resources. James bagged groceries at the San Antonio supermarket chains Lincoln Heights and Brook Hollow locations Friday and Saturday, she said.

While we didnt close any stores (in San Antonio), we were wiped out, James said. San Antonio customers got really excited.

Bill Anderson  vice president of H-E-Bs San Antonio food and drug retail division  headed to Corpus Christi Sunday to reopen the companys 10 stores there, which had closed Friday in anticipation of the hurricane but were up-and-running by Monday afternoon.

Walmart has shipped 795 trucks of emergency supplies to the companys stores in the South Texas region with 478 having already reached their destination, Walmart spokeswoman Anne Hatfield said Monday. So far, 927 of 1,700 truckloads of water scheduled to be sent to the companys stores there arrived, Hatfield said.

Walmart is focusing on stocking stores in cities along the evacuation route including Waco, Temple and College Station with goods, company spokesman Reagan Dickens said. The company is also trying set up supply distribution points for flood victims at George R. Brown Convention Center and throughout the city, Dickens said.

Theyre looking to see how they can get supplies to folks that are inside those flooded areas, Dickens said.

Keeping shelves full isnt the only hurdle grocers impacted by the storm are facing. Kroger Co. opened 60 of its 110 stores in the Houston area Monday with about 10 percent of the workforce typically needed to run those stores because many employees were unable to reach the stores at which they normally work, company spokeswoman Joy Partain said.

The storm hasnt just impacted brick-and-mortar retail. Amazon has temporarily shut down operations at its Houston-area facilities and told customers to expect shipping delays on their orders, spokeswoman Ashley Robinson said.

Retailers also are mounting donation drives to put toward Harvey relief efforts. H-E-B has pledged $100,000 to aid Harvey victims and has begun accepting donations from customers at H-E-B, Central Market and Joe Vs Smart Shop to benefit American Red Cross for Texas Flood and Hurricane Relief, The Salvation Army and Feeding Texas, the company said in a statement. The Kroger Co. Foundation pledged the same amount to the Houston Food Bank, the Cincinnati-based grocer announced Monday.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have pledged at least $1 million to the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Convoy of Hope and other organizations in connection with Harvey relief efforts, the company said in statement.

Amazon Inc. and Whole Foods Market, which completed a $13.7 billion merger, will match cash donations up to $1 million to benefit the American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, Whole Foods spokeswoman Betsy Harden said. Whole Foods customers will also be able to donate at the organic grocery chains registers starting Tuesday.

Amazons order fulfillment teams in North and Central Texas are delivering donated items  including phone chargers, power strips and sheets  from a wish list on the companys website to American Red Cross distribution centers, Robinson said.

And, The Home Depot Foundation is distributing $1 million in donations to American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Convoy of Hope, Operation Blessing and Team Rubicon to bolster Hurricane Harvey relief, the company said in a statement.

jfechter@express-news.net

Twitter: @JFreports
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If a family member or friend was among the patients evacuated we would like to hear from you.

Please contact Jenny Deam at jenny.deam@chron.com or 713-362-7584.

The story on Monday for Houston's massive medical infrastructure became one of frantic logistics as the rains continued to fall and hospital leaders scrambled to stay one step ahead of the rising waters.

At least a dozen hospitals across the region began the painstaking work of evacuation, methodically emptying floor after floor of patients, the sickest ones first, who were then shuffled into ambulances and taken to sister hospitals in the hope of higher ground.

"This is a phenomenal catastrophe impacting community hospitals, large and small," said Darrell Pile, chief executive of the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council, whose catastrophic medical operations center is coordinating the response to hospital crises.

"The number of people that may require care may exceed anything we've ever dealt with in the past."

As night began to fall, the steady stream of ambulances arrived at Ben Taub Hospital in Houston's storied Texas Medical Center to begin removing the first six of 60 patients hospital leaders had deemed most critical.

The evacuation came roughly 36 hours after flooding and a burst pipe in the basement could have put those inside the hospital at risk. Power was never lost.

Word began to spread Sunday afternoon that the city's largest public hospital might need to send its patients elsewhere. By that night, Ben Taub scaled down its original request for all 350 patients to be evacuated.

The hospital attempted a late-night transport of one pediatric patient but the ambulance was turned back because hard rain raised water levels around the facility to dangerous levels.

By Monday afternoon, the region's Catastrophic Medical Operations Center notified Ben Taub that it had found hospital beds in other cities - some in Conroe or Clear Lake, but others as far away as Lufkin and Livingston in East Texas - for each of the 60 patients. Officials had 48 hours.

Adding to the urgency, Ben Taub was scheduled to run out of food Tuesday night.

At the same time, hospital officials in Sugar Land were sorting their own crises.

"This is not an easy decision," said Greg Haralson, CEO of Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, as he oversaw the evacuation of his hospital not far from the swollen Brazos River.

Haralson had been in near-constant communication with Memorial Hermann Health System officials and regional emergency coordinators for the past 36 hours. He arrived for work at 7 a.m. Friday and had not been home since.

The Brazos was at 11 feet a few days ago. By Monday it was at 47 feet and expected to crest at 59, shattering previous records.

"And it's raining," the weary-sounding executive said midafternoon.

'Looked like refugees'

While hospitals drill for such things, it is different when it is real. Seventy patients, along with their families, were informed as gently as possible that they would have to be moved and the hospital closed. Some left on stretchers, others in wheelchairs.

All were loaded into the squadron of ambulances waiting by the emergency room door, sheltered from the downpour and wind, for the 16-mile trek to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital.

As the day wore on two more Houston institutions, Sugar Land Hospital and The Vintage Hospital, both part of the CHI St. Luke's network, began the delicate process of removing patients as the weather worsened and many surrounding neighborhoods got the call for mandatory evacuation.

Fifty patients were part of those evacuations.

Meanwhile in League City, giant camouflaged National Guard trucks continued to rumble up to the University of Texas Medical Branch, delivering patients who had to be rescued from the storm's wrath.

By Monday the number of emergency patients had climbed to two dozen. They included women in labor and others who had been trapped in attics, suffering from exposure. Some had broken bones or were covered with red ant bites after wading through water. A growing problem were the patients in need of dialysis as dialysis centers across the city have been shut down.

"They looked like refugees," said a clearly shaken Christine Wade, interim vice president of health system operations at the UTMB location. "They're wet. They're scared. They have nothing. It's heartbreaking."

Not far away, Bayshore Medical Center, in Pasadena, which had previously announced it was shutting down and evacuating all patients, said that a slight break in the storm's trajectory Monday allowed them to scale back such plans. Only those with the most critical needs were being moved.

The hospital cautioned it was not taking new patients until the power supply is fully stabilized and structural damage is repaired, hospital officials announced in a statement.

Helicopter transport

Other hospitals that have announced suspending services or evacuating patients since the start of the storm include East Houston Regional Medical Center, Memorial Hermann Colony First, Memorial Hermann Orthopedic & Spine Hospital, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital The Vintage. Dozens of urgent care clinics and 24-hour emergency centers have also closed.

While the streets around the Texas Medical Center were strangely quiet on Monday, the airways above were busy.

William McKeon, president of the Texas Medical Center, counted about 20 trips by helicopters, both LifeFlight and Coast Guard, transporting patients to the medical center.

It is not known when any of the shuttered medical facilities will reopen.

Harralson was trying to be optimistic as his Sugar Land evacuation was winding down.

"I think we will all bounce back," he said. "In Houston there is always a sense of resilience."
ABCs new American Idol, featuring judge Katy Perry and host Ryan Seacrest, has scrapped its planned Saturday and Monday visits to San Antonio and Houston in light of the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey.

Citing the storms destruction and flooding, ABC issued this statement today: The American Idol bus will be canceling the previously scheduled auditions in Houston on September 2 and San Antonio on September 4. The safety of the community is of the upmost importance, and our thoughts go out to all of those affected.
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Tobe Hooper, a 29-year-old Texan and film-school dropout, had wanted to make a work of art - a cinematic masterpiece in the mold of his Italian idols, directors Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni.

Walking through a bustling Montgomery Ward department store days before Christmas in 1972, he found inspiration for a grislier kind of movie in a display of gleaming chain saws.

"I thought, 'I know a way I could get through this crowd really quickly,' " he told Texas Monthly in 2004. "I went home, sat down, all the channels just tuned in, the zeitgeist blew through, and the whole damn story came to me in what seemed like about 30 seconds."

The resulting film - "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974) - was a low-budget, blood-soaked horrorfest made with college students, teachers, a menagerie of dead animals and two human skeletons, one of them real.

Most critics were disgusted, with one Harper's magazine reviewer calling it "a vile little piece of sick crap." But its reputation has improved ever since, winning praise as one of the greatest horror films of all time, credited with popularizing the slasher genre in the 1970s.

Hooper, who went on to direct the Steven Spielberg-produced"Poltergeist" in 1982, died Aug. 26 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 74.

The Los Angeles County medical examiner's office confirmed his death but did not provide a cause.

Hooper (his first name is pronounced Toby) directed nearly 20 films, numerous TV episodes and the zombie-populated music video for the Billy Idol song "Dancing With Myself." But he remains best known for "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," which he produced, directed and co-wrote.

He described it as an updated version of the Hansel and Gretel story and likened its villain, a 300-pound butcher known as Leatherface, to the 1950s cartoon duck Baby Huey. (Both characters were stuck in childhood, he said.)

But while Hooper's story retained the cannibalistic element of the Brothers Grimm fable, it was far more sinister, replacing a pair of sweet-toothed children with a group of five young hippies, and swapping the witch's oven for a butcher's hook and a sharp-toothed power tool.

Hooper and his co-writer, Kim Henkel, based their story in part on Ed Gein, a Wisconsin serial killer who made masks out of his victims' faces. But they filled in their own gruesome details for a plot that pit Leatherface, played by Gunnar Hansen, against a blonde-haired heroine played by Marilyn Burns.

The movie was "as violent and gruesome and blood-soaked as the title promises," Roger Ebert wrote in a two-star review. "It's also without any apparent purpose, unless the creation of disgust and fright is a purpose. And yet in its own way, the movie is some kind of weird, off-the-wall achievement."

Despite being banned in England and other countries, it went on to gross more than $30 million and became a mainstay at drive-in theaters and a favorite of horror directors such as John Carpenter.

The movie, Carpenter once said, "pacified my soul."

William Tobe Hooper was born in Austin, on Jan. 25, 1943. His mother reportedly went into labor while at a movie theater, and his father was a film buff who owned a hotel. His parents divorced when he was young, and his father died when he was a teenager.

Hooper began shooting movies at 3, using his father's 8-millimeter camera, and studied film at the University of Texas before dropping out after two years. For his first major work, he shot and directed a public-television documentary of the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary. He followed that with a more drug-infused film about the 1960s counterculture, "Eggshells," before turning to horror.

"I thought, 'The only way to get the kind of attention I wanted was through genre film, horror genre film,' " he told the Montreal Gazette in 2014. "I didn't need stars. All I needed for it to work was to scare people."

Hooper directed "Salem's Lot," a 1979 CBS miniseries based on a vampire novel by Stephen King, before making "Poltergeist," a hit about a family that moves into a haunted house where demons emerge from a TV set.

The movie was nominated for three Academy Awards, but credit for its success was given by many critics not to Hooper, but to Spielberg, who co-wrote the movie and was credited with developing its story and picking its cast.

Hooper directed a 1986 sequel to "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," with Dennis Hopper as a retired, revenge-seeking Texas Ranger, although the film proved less successful than its predecessor. A half-dozen sequels followed from different directors, while Hooper worked on horror films that included "Invaders From Mars" (1986), a remake of William Cameron Menzies's science-fiction classic, and "The Mangler" (1995), which adapted a King story about a murderous ironing machine.

A complete list of survivors was not immediately available.

Hooper insisted that "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" was not nearly as bloody as many critics said it was, pointing out that many of his quick cuts were designed to hide the movie's most violent moments. He told Texas Monthly that he frequently consulted the Motion Picture Association of America, Hollywood's rating agency, in an effort to ensure a PG rating.

" 'I have this scene where a girl gets hung on a meat hook.' Long silence. 'What could I do?' Long silence. 'I guess it would help me if there was no penetration shot.' 'That would be correct.' 'And no blood?' 'That would help.' "

Hooper decided to keep the blood, and his movie was rated R.
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Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling didnt think it was fair that wine enthusiasts got to have all the fun with their wine clubs, so it decided to launch a club of its own.

Members of the Whiskey Club on a quarterly basis are given access to limited-release whiskey and rare bottlings that may or may not be accessible to the general public at a later date. Unlike wine clubs, bottles cant be shipped by mail according to Texas law and have to be picked up at the distillery, so Ranger Creek hosts pickup parties.

And if you were one of the 120 members in the debut membership drive, you had access to one of the most Texas things to ever fill a 375 milliliter bottle: Brisket Whiskey.

Take a moment to allow that to soak in, because I sure did.

Like any whiskey, the 96-proof bite will open the eyes, but what follows is a definite liquid flavor of smoke, spice and well, brisket. Youll feel like chasing a shot with a slice of white bread slathered in barbecue sauce.

Its real savory, and it definitely tastes like you are drinking a piece of meat, Ranger Creek co-owner Mark McDavid said.

At the Aug. 19 pickup party, where Gin #1 also made its debut, Ranger Creek served the whiskey in bloody mary form with the glass coated in a salt, pepper and cayenne pepper dry rub. It worked.

The whiskey was the brainchild of head distiller Allan Hall. Hall experimented with a beef jerky infusion to Ranger Creeks white whiskey, and the final product came out better than he had hoped.

But he knew he had to go bigger for the club opener.

I figured, lets make this top shelf, Hall said.

With the help of local chef John Herdman, Hall took 60 pounds of prime brisket and dehydrated it, taking 20 pounds of water out of the meat before chopping it up. The brisket was then added to kegs, where it was mixed with roasted garlic and ancho chile peppers in the white whiskey base and left to sit in a cold room for two months before moving on to the barreling process.

When it was time to filter out the brisket into a clear whiskey, the challenges of dealing with a fatty cut of beef began to arise.

It turned out to be a little bit more of a hassle than we anticipated, Hall said. Even though the meat was dehydrated, there was just so much fat that had to be filtered out. And once you started to think it was ready, a bottle would cloud up and you had to filter it again.

Ninety bottles of the brisket whiskey were made available to club members, and if you have one, consider it a rare collectible. McDavid said the time required to make it put too much of a dent on the production of other Ranger Creek products to regularly offer it on store shelves.

The theory with the club is, if we get a good reception on something with the members, its something well consider for a full release, McDavid said. The brisket whiskey will probably never see that day.

The Ranger Creek Whiskey Club has two membership levels, a $55 per quarter two-bottle club, or the $100 per quarter four-bottle club.

Even though you may not be able to taste Ranger Creek Brisket Whiskey, there are other special bottles planned for members. This fall will be Halls take on coffee whiskey in November, then absinthe will be released in February, orange bitters in May, blanc vermouth in August 2018 and then a fall spiced whiskey will hit the bottling line.

Hall isnt quite as ready to rule out brisket whiskey as a future release.

Maybe next year, he said. I definitely learned some things during the process that would make it a little easier to pull off the next time around.

For more details, go to Ranger Creeks website, drinkrangercreek.com, or visit it on Facebook: RangerCreek.

cblount@express-news.net

Twitter: @chuck_blount
A tour in the Marines Corps has led to a new business for one Selma family with the opening of Cafezinho in late July.

Albert Salazar served six years at the U.S. embassy in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and in that time fell for the custom of breaking up the workday or smoothing tense business negotiations with a little coffee, or cafezinho in Portuguese. Hed bring that spirit back to Texas and partner with his mother, Yolanda Salazar, to open a coffee shop inspired by his time abroad.
Houston

Floodwaters reached the rooflines of single-story homes Monday and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as Harvey poured rain on the Houston area for a fourth consecutive day after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues.

The nation's fourth-largest city was still mostly paralyzed by one of the largest downpours in U.S. history. And there was no relief in sight from the storm that spun into Texas as a Category 4 hurricane, then parked over the Gulf Coast. With nearly 2 more feet of rain expected on top of the 30-plus inches in some places, authorities worried that the worst might be yet to come.

Harvey has been blamed for at least three confirmed deaths, including a woman killed Monday in the town of Porter, northeast of Houston, when a large oak tree dislodged by heavy rains toppled onto her trailer home.

A Houston television station reported Monday that six family members were believed to have drowned when their van was swept away by floodwaters. The KHOU report was attributed to three family members the station did not identify. No bodies have been recovered.

More for you Texas couple finds ring lost in tornado, immediately gets engaged

Police Chief Art Acevedo told The Associated Press that he had no information about the report but said that he's "really worried about how many bodies we're going to find."

According to the station, four children and their grandparents were feared dead after the van hit high water Sunday when crossing a bridge in the Greens Bayou area.

The driver of the vehicle, the children's great-uncle, reportedly escaped before the van sank by grabbing a tree limb. He told the children to try to escape through the back door, but they were unable to get out.

Metropolis struck

The disaster unfolded on an epic scale in one of America's most sprawling metropolitan centers. The Houston metro area covers about 10,000 square miles, an area slightly bigger than New Jersey. It's crisscrossed by about 1,700 miles of channels, creeks and bayous that drain into the Gulf of Mexico, about 50 miles to the southeast from downtown.

The storm is generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years, said Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, which was concerned that floodwater would spill around a pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston.

The flooding was so widespread that the levels of city waterways have equaled or surpassed those of Tropical Storm Allison from 2001, and no major highway has been spared from overflow.

The city's normally bustling business district was virtually deserted Monday, with emergency vehicles making up most of the traffic.

Rescuers continued plucking people from the floodwaters  more than 3,000 times by Monday evening, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

Chris Thorn was among the many volunteers still helping with the mass evacuation that began Sunday. He drove with a buddy from the Dallas area with their flat-bottom hunting boat to pull strangers out of the water.

"I couldn't sit at home and watch it on TV and do nothing since I have a boat and all the tools to help," he said.

They got to Spring, Texas, where Cypress Creek had breached Interstate 45 and went to work, helping people out of a gated community near the creek.

"It's never flooded here," Lane Cross said from the front of Thorn's boat, holding his brown dog, Max. "I don't even have flood insurance."

A mandatory evacuation was ordered for the low-lying Houston suburb of Dickinson, home to 20,000. Police cited the city's fragile infrastructure in the floods, limited working utilities and concern about the weather forecast.

In Houston, questions continued to swirl about why the mayor did not issue a similar evacuation order.

Turner has repeatedly defended the decision and did so again Monday, insisting that a mass evacuation of millions of people by car was a greater risk than enduring the storm.

"Both the county judge and I sat down together and decided that we were not in direct path of the storm, of the hurricane, and the safest thing to do was for people to stay put, make the necessary preparations. I have no doubt that the decision we made was the right decision."

He added, "Can you imagine if millions of people had left the city of Houston and then tried to come back in right now?"

The Red Cross quickly set up the George R. Brown Convention Center and other venues as shelters. The center, which was also used to house Hurricane Katrina refugees from New Orleans in 2005, can accommodate roughly 5,000 people. By Monday evening, it was nearly full.

Long-term recovery prospects daunting

Federal emergency officials, along with truckloads of supplies, streamed into Texas on Monday, the beginning of what is expected to be a years-long rebuilding effort up and down the Gulf Coast after Harvey is done inflicting damage.

A day ahead of President Donald Trump's visit to Texas on Air Force One, FEMA Administrator Brock Long flew into Corpus Christi to meet with state and local officials, presenting a unified front in what is likely to be a daunting logistical test for the new administration.

During a press conference in Washington Monday, Trump reassured the state, "we are 100 percent with you. We're praying for you."

"Every asset at my disposal is available to local officials," he said. "It's the biggest ever. They're saying it's the biggest ever. It's historic. It's like Texas. It's really like Texas, if you think about it."

Three days after Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast, the federal government was just beginning a complex and costly rehabilitation effort. Gulf Coast lawmakers who conferred with state and federal officials over the weekend said that damage from the storm could easily exceed $20 billion, rivaling the damage of Hurricane Ike in 2008, which left a tab of more than $29 billion.

While other storms caused bigger initial wallops, Harvey's slow, meandering trajectory along the coast left a trail of flooding and destruction more than 200 miles wide.

"It's going to take a long time to dig out of this thing," said Rep. Brian Babin, a Republican representing counties east of Houston. "It's going to take months and months, if not years to rebuild a lot of our infrastructure, especially in the Houston area."

Massive relief effort

So far, FEMA remains focused on assisting local authorities in rescue efforts and distributing emergency supplies. Almost 8,500 federal workers have been assigned to assisting authorities in Texas and Louisiana, Long said. Officials estimated Monday they had already shipped more than 2 million meals and 2 million liters of bottled water  along with truckloads of cots, blankets and generators.

For an agency that many still remember for its struggles to manage Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the bigger test will come in managing the rebuilding efforts, experts say. But so far, the agency is winning early praise.

Gov. Greg Abbott, echoing comments by local officials and Texas congressmen and women, commended FEMA's efforts Monday in "one of the largest disasters America has ever faced."

"We know were still early in the process. We need to maintain this," he said.

From wide-scale flooding in Houston to houses knocked from their foundations in Rockport, Harvey is likely to strain FEMA's recources. The agency had an emergency response fund balance of $3.8 billion as of July 31, meaning that Congress is almost certain to have to allocate more money for the region's long-term recovery.

"I think $3.8 billion is a pretty good down payment, but it's still early," said Houston U.S. Rep. Gene Green, a Democrat whose district includes the Houston Ship Channel. "We don't know what the cost will be."

Already Texas politicians were gearing up for getting back to Washington next month to get legislation moving for disaster relief. The hurricane comes as pressure is building on Trump and the Republican Congress to work out a budget deal, to avoid a government shutdown at the end of next month.

Press that he had no information about the report but said that he's "really worried about how many bodies we're going to find."

According to the station, four children and their grandparents were feared dead after the van hit high water Sunday when crossing a bridge in the Greens Bayou area.

The driver of the vehicle, the children's great-uncle, reportedly escaped before the van sank by grabbing a tree limb. He told the children to try to escape through the back door, but they were unable to get out.

Metropolis struck

The disaster unfolded on an epic scale in one of America's most sprawling metropolitan centers. The Houston metro area covers about 10,000 square miles, an area slightly bigger than New Jersey. It's crisscrossed by about 1,700 miles of channels, creeks and bayous that drain into the Gulf of Mexico, about 50 miles to the southeast from downtown.

The storm is generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years, said Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, which was concerned that floodwater would spill around a pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston.

The flooding was so widespread that the levels of city waterways have equaled or surpassed those of Tropical Storm Allison from 2001, and no major highway has been spared from overflow.

The city's normally bustling business district was virtually deserted Monday, with emergency vehicles making up most of the traffic.

Rescuers continued plucking people from the floodwaters  more than 3,000 times by Monday evening, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

Chris Thorn was among the many volunteers still helping with the mass evacuation that began Sunday. He drove with a buddy from the Dallas area with their flat-bottom hunting boat to pull strangers out of the water.

"I couldn't sit at home and watch it on TV and do nothing since I have a boat and all the tools to help," he said.

They got to Spring, Texas, where Cypress Creek had breached Interstate 45 and went to work, helping people out of a gated community near the creek.

"It's never flooded here," Lane Cross said from the front of Thorn's boat, holding his brown dog, Max. "I don't even have flood insurance."

A mandatory evacuation was ordered for the low-lying Houston suburb of Dickinson, home to 20,000. Police cited the city's fragile infrastructure in the floods, limited working utilities and concern about the weather forecast.

In Houston, questions continued to swirl about why the mayor did not issue a similar evacuation order.

Turner has repeatedly defended the decision and did so again Monday, insisting that a mass evacuation of millions of people by car was a greater risk than enduring the storm.

"Both the county judge and I sat down together and decided that we were not in direct path of the storm, of the hurricane, and the safest thing to do was for people to stay put, make the necessary preparations. I have no doubt that the decision we made was the right decision."

He added, "Can you imagine if millions of people had left the city of Houston and then tried to come back in right now?"

The Red Cross quickly set up the George R. Brown Convention Center and other venues as shelters. The center, which was also used to house Hurricane Katrina refugees from New Orleans in 2005, can accommodate roughly 5,000 people. By Monday evening, it was nearly full.

Long-term recovery prospects daunting

Federal emergency officials, along with truckloads of supplies, streamed into Texas on Monday, the beginning of what is expected to be a years-long rebuilding effort up and down the Gulf Coast after Harvey is done inflicting damage.

A day ahead of President Donald Trump's visit to Texas on Air Force One, FEMA Administrator Brock Long flew into Corpus Christi to meet with state and local officials, presenting a unified front in what is likely to be a daunting logistical test for the new administration.

During a press conference in Washington Monday, Trump reassured the state, "we are 100 percent with you. We're praying for you."

"Every asset at my disposal is available to local officials," he said. "It's the biggest ever. They're saying it's the biggest ever. It's historic. It's like Texas. It's really like Texas, if you think about it."

Three days after Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast, the federal government was just beginning a complex and costly rehabilitation effort. Gulf Coast lawmakers who conferred with state and federal officials over the weekend said that damage from the storm could easily exceed $20 billion, rivaling the damage of Hurricane Ike in 2008, which left a tab of more than $29 billion.

While other storms caused bigger initial wallops, Harvey's slow, meandering trajectory along the coast left a trail of flooding and destruction more than 200 miles wide.

"It's going to take a long time to dig out of this thing," said Rep. Brian Babin, a Republican representing counties east of Houston. "It's going to take months and months, if not years to rebuild a lot of our infrastructure, especially in the Houston area."

Massive relief effort

So far, FEMA remains focused on assisting local authorities in rescue efforts and distributing emergency supplies. Almost 8,500 federal workers have been assigned to assisting authorities in Texas and Louisiana, Long said. Officials estimated Monday they had already shipped more than 2 million meals and 2 million liters of bottled water  along with truckloads of cots, blankets and generators.

For an agency that many still remember for its struggles to manage Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the bigger test will come in managing the rebuilding efforts, experts say. But so far, the agency is winning early praise.

Gov. Greg Abbott, echoing comments by local officials and Texas congressmen and women, commended FEMA's efforts Monday in "one of the largest disasters America has ever faced."

"We know were still early in the process. We need to maintain this," he said.

From wide-scale flooding in Houston to houses knocked from their foundations in Rockport, Harvey is likely to strain FEMA's recources. The agency had an emergency response fund balance of $3.8 billion as of July 31, meaning that Congress is almost certain to have to allocate more money for the region's long-term recovery.

"I think $3.8 billion is a pretty good down payment, but it's still early," said Houston U.S. Rep. Gene Green, a Democrat whose district includes the Houston Ship Channel. "We don't know what the cost will be."

Already Texas politicians were gearing up for getting back to Washington next month to get legislation moving for disaster relief. The hurricane comes as pressure is building on Trump and the Republican Congress to work out a budget deal, to avoid a government shutdown at the end of next month.
Maryland Senate President Thomas 'Mike" Miller, under fire for opposing the removal of a statue of former Supreme Court chief justice Roger Taney from the State House grounds, said Monday that he did not intend to cause division by defending the author of the Dred Scott decision.

"As a student of history, I intended to respectfully state my preference for education about our flawed history and the greater historical context of Justice Taney," Miller, D-Calvert, said in a statement. "I do regret that sharing my historical perspective has distracted from the larger issue we must face together as a nation and from my role to bring unity and fight for a better Maryland."

Miller's comments came shortly after a dozen African-American ministers and community activists staged a protest against him in a section of Prince George's County, Maryland, that is part of the legislative district Miller has represented for more than 40 years.

Standing on the street in Clinton, Maryland, where Miller's family owns a liquor store and he operates a law firm, the demonstrators carried handwritten signs that read "No Bigotry, No Racism" and "Black Lives Matter," and chanted "Miller and Taney, both the same."

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They said Miller's support for Taney, known for his defense of slavery, was a show of disrespect to voters in his district and patrons who support his family's businesses.

"Our state senator, who we've supported overwhelming with black votes, with Democratic votes, chose to throw egg on the face of every one of his supporters by supporting Roger Taney," said the Rev. Bruce Branch, executive director of the Maryland Business Clergy Partnership and a candidate for Prince George's County Council in 2018. "The electorate has to wonder, whose side is our Senate president on?"

House Speaker Michael Busch, D-Anne Arundel, and Gov. Larry Hogan, R, called for the removal of the Taney statue this month, in the wake of the deadly violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, that followed a rally in support of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Miller, the longest-serving senate president in the country, then sent a letter to Hogan defending Taney's character and describing him as a man with a "complex" past and a long history of public service. 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."

In his statement Monday, Miller publicly addressed the violence in Charlottesville for the first time, calling it "horrific and reprehensible . . . the unspeakable acts of racists," and reiterated his past criticism of the "wrongheaded" Dred Scott ruling, which said black people could never be citizens, whether slaves or free.

The protesters said they supported calls by state Sen. Anthony Muse, D-Prince George's, to censure Miller, and are seeking to meet with the senator to discuss racial and social justice and an elimination of pre-formed Democratic slates in Prince George's County primaries.

Miller spokesman Jake Weissman declined to comment on the protesters' statements. He said Miller's office had not received a request for a meeting.
The Charlottesville City Council will take the unusual step Wednesday of holding a closed-door session to "discuss the performance and discipline of an elected official," a sign that the fallout from the way the city handled the Aug. 12 white supremacist rally continues to roil the city's leadership.

Charges and countercharges have flown about whether the city was prepared for the rally that eventually led to three deaths and who was to blame for a plan that left police officers either reluctant or unable to respond as violent clashes broke out between rallygoers and counterprotesters.

A leaked memo from the City Council to City Manager Maurice Jones last week questioned many aspects of how he and Police Chief Al Thomas, handled the rally. Jones' five-page pointed response provided an inside look at just how strained the relationship has become between all of those responsible for the city's operation and safety.

In typically sedate Charlottesville, Virginia, a college town of close to 50,000, the tense exchanges and accusations appear to have crossed a line.

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Council members contacted would not identify the elected official who will be the focus of their special meeting Wednesday. But there has been criticism leveled by community leaders and others about the way Mayor Michael Signer, a Democrat who was elected in 2016, dealt with the rally and its aftermath.

The five-member council, on which Signer also serves, has the power to punish one its own members "for disorderly conduct by a fine not exceeding three hundred dollars," according to the Charlottesville City Code. The council can also by a two-thirds vote "expel a member of its own body for malfeasance or misfeasance in office."

In the leaked memo to Jones, council members asked the city manager to explain why he wasn't more aggressive in pursuing an alternate location for the Unite the Right rally, why he took a vacation in the weeks immediately leading up to the rally, why more restrictions weren't placed on rallygoers to make the event safer and why there was "apparent unwillingness of officers to directly intervene during overt assaults captured in many videos."

Signer wrote on his Facebook page that when he had asked the police chief how he could help with the city's response to the rally, he was told by Thomas, "Stay out of my way."

But in his point-by-point response to the council's memo, Jones rebutted every charge that had been laid against him and Thomas. Jones said that he had pushed to move the rally to another location - which triggered a legal challenge by the organizers. "Despite the best efforts of our legal team and outside counsel," that effort failed in court, Jones wrote in his rebuttal. He also said that he had been in communication with the council in the weeks leading up to the rally and shared information the council requested.

On the question of why police did not seem to intervene in clashes, Jones said there was no "stand down" order and that "the city is concerned about reports of officers' unwillingness to intervene in particular situations."

According to Jones, Thomas has ordered police commanders to review body-camera video footage from every Charlottesville police officer assigned to the demonstration, approximately 8 to 10 hours of video for each officer.

The sharpest response Jones made in his rebuttal was to complaints by Signer that he had not been allowed in the city's command center to monitor events.

"On two separate occasions during the height of the crisis, the Mayor threatened my job and that of the police chief because of our concerns about allowing him to be part of the command center," Jones wrote. "He said, 'You work for me,' and I replied that 'I worked for the City Council.' "

The communication between the council, city manager, police chief and state officials is likely to be the focus of planned investigations and pending lawsuits. On Friday, the council announced that Timothy Heaphy, a former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, would lead an independent review of the events of Aug. 12.

But even that decision is coming under fire. On Tuesday, state Republicans criticized the choice of Heaphy to lead the investigation, saying that he had contributed $200 to Signer's campaign fund and given $2,750 this year to Democrats running in Virginia elections.

The Republican Party of Virginia issued a statement asking how Heaphy could provide "an unbiased review" of the city's or state's actions.

"After the tragic events in early August, the citizens of the Commonwealth deserve a review to deliver the truth, not a partisan white wash," the statement read.

Heaphy said on Tuesday that his political contributions have no bearing on the review he is leading of events in Charlottesville this summer.

"That work is not political and will be pursued without bias," he wrote in an email. "I do not believe we are in any way encumbered from objectively evaluating these events. I am looking forward to providing an accurate account of the protest events and constructive recommendations for improved practices going forward."
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While the rain has slowed in Montgomery County, officials are warning people to stay vigilant because more rain is forecast for the area over the next few days.

Despite the unfathomable flooding circumstances, County Judge Craig Doyal urged residents to hold on to hope during a press conference Monday afternoon.

"The storm is not over," said Doyal, noting another 20 inches of rain is expected in the area. "Not all our rivers and creeks have crested. Stay vigilant.

"We are almost there, folks. It's going to get better as this storm starts to move more to the east. We will prevail."

According to Doyal, the West Fork of the San Jacinto will crest Tuesday at 127 feet, a foot higher than during the storm of 1994 when it crested at 126 feet. Spring Creek also was expected to crest Monday night at 112 feet. The last time Spring Creek crested that high was in 1994 at 111.6 feet.

Peach Creek has crested at 25 feet, several feet over its last highest crest of 22.4 in 1949.

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According to the San Jacinto River Authority, Lake Conroe is above pool at 205.8 feet above mean sea level; normal pool for the lake is 201 feet. SJRA is currently releasing 79,141 cubic feet per second. That release rate is well above the record of 34,000 cubic feet per second set in 1994.

While the county had several shelters open, it has consolidated to just two. One is at Sts. Simon and Jude at 26777 Glen Loch Road in South Montgomery County and a second at the Lone Star Convention Center, 9055 Airport Road.

As the county continues to weather Tropical Storm Harvey, Doyal has asked Congressman Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, to work with other state legislators to ensure Montgomery County is added to the federal disaster declaration for individual and public assistance. Governor Greg Abbott added Montgomery County to his Texas disaster declaration late last week.

"I feel confident that we are going achieve this," Brady said. "I expect to hear very soon positive way, especially as President Trump heads our way.

"As soon as we get word, we will get that to Judge Doyal so folks in our area can begin applying for assistant."

Brady thanked the county for its response to the storm.

"We have seen the help they have given to get people to higher ground and into shelters," he said.

Sheriff Rand Henderson said emergency personnel have responded and will continue to respond to rescues countywide. He noted there have been about 60 deployments resulting in hundreds of people rescued.

He added it would not have been possible without the collaborative effort from local, state and federal agencies.

Henderson warned about fake social media accounts advising his office of stranded motorists and looting.

"Those have been deemed to be fake," he said. "Rest assured, investigations are underway."

SJRA General Manger Jace Houston said his staff is working to control the release of water from the Lake Conroe Dam. He noted while there has been some information about a breach of the Lake Conroe Dam and the Lake Houston Dam, he ensured the public both structures are secure.

"There have been rumors on social media that there was damage to both dams," he said. "Neither of those are true. There are no issues with either dam other than we are dealing with way too much water.

"It will take several weeks to release the water backed up in Lake Conroe."

Lake Conroe remains closed, Houston said, until the pool drops to 203 feet.

Entergy Texas also confirmed its reservoir and dam at Lewis Creek remain secure.

"I'm pleased to report that our reservoir remains stable and secure through Harvey's torrential rains," said Hisham Sidani, plant manager at the Lewis Creek Plant in a statement Monday. "Recent improvements we made strengthen and reinforce the dam and ensure its safety for the future."

In 2015, heavy rains saturated the dam causing it to slough off. In fact, the company requested that the county issue mandatory evacuations near the plant that year fearing a breach in the dam. However, the efforts of the crews resulted in no breach. Entergy soon began a project to repair the dam. The water is used to cool the turbines at the power plant.

According to Sidani, to ensure the integrity of the dam, the company has increased our active patrols and inspections of the dam, stabilized and hardened the dam walls by mixing lime into the soil, installed more than 5,400 H-piles, or large steel beams, installed large siphon tubes to help drain and manage the reservoir's water level.

"This is an historic time and we understand that you may have concerns about the Lewis Creek reservoir and dam," Sidani stated. "Be assured that the dam remains secure and we have no concerns at this time.

"We will inform local residents on the status through periodic updates."
Deaths in the fight against the Islamic State

- - -

Fatalties

46: (12 in hostile actions)

The latest deaths: Tech. Sgt. David Board, 49, of Barboursville, West Virginia; 130th Airlift Wing, based at McLaughlin Air National Guard Base, West Virginia. Died Aug. 2 in Kuwait of noncombat injuries.

Sgt. Roshain Brooks, 30, of Brooklyn, New York.

Spec. Allen Stigler Jr., 22, of Arlington, Texas.

The two soldiers were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. They died Aug. 13 in an artillery accident in Iraq.

Note: All troops were killed in action unless otherwise indicated. Total fatalities include two civilian employees of the Defense Department. They also include service members killed in other locations in the Middle East involved in Operation Inherent Resolve.

- - -

Source: Department of Defense
WARRENSBURG, Mo. - Only a handful of President Donald Trump's supporters showed up to Sen. Claire McCaskill's town hall here in rural Missouri, but they definitely made their presence known.

One arrived early so he could park his red Dodge pickup with its "Make America Great Again" and "Don't Tread on my Gun Rights" stickers directly in front of the American Legion hall's entrance, where nobody could miss it. Another, a squat man with a graying goatee, volunteered for the task of plucking written questions for McCaskill out of a basket; he screened out anything less than a zinger and gave the first series of questions to Debbie Phillips, a 65-year-old Republican in a cropped white denim jacket who wasn't afraid to stand up in a room full of Democrats to voice her displeasure.

"All I'm hearing on TV is that because I'm a white conservative woman, I'm a racist, a white supremacist and a neo-Nazi," she said. "Somebody besides me has to be sick of this."

The crowd booed, but McCaskill wasn't here to go head to head with Trump supporters. She was here to try to win them over.

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"First of all, let me say," McCaskill responded, her voice made tinny by the microphone, "I don't think anybody in this room thinks you're a racist. If you're being stereotyped that way that's just as unfair as stereotyping every black person as a terrorist for Black Lives Matter."

The senator swayed on the stage, her long cardigan coat flowing behind her, as she made direct eye contact with Phillips through tortoiseshell glasses. "I can assure you," she said, "there is stereotyping going on, on both sides."

Since joining the Senate a decade ago, McCaskill has been known as one of its most quotably outspoken Democrats, but in her conversations with voters this day, she doggedly rode the median: People who deface statues should be prosecuted. Single-payer health care is a bad idea, and so is trying to impeach Trump, even if he had recently suggested that protesters standing with Nazis and white supremacists were "very fine people."

"My job is not to fight the president," she has been saying at town halls all over the state this summer. "My job is to fight for Missourians."

---

This is what it's like being a moderate in immoderate times. After Trump's election, populists in McCaskill's party tried to grab the wheel and pull hard to the left. It was Bernie Sanders' party now, they said, and good riddance to the insiders and horse-traders. Prominent Democrats started cursing in speeches, trying to harness the fires of liberal outrage that the president has been all too glad to splash with gasoline.

And yet here was McCaskill, the most endangered Democrat in the Senate, for whom "resistance" politics are a liability. A Democrat in Trump Country, the Missourian represents the oft-forgotten flank of the party's two-year battle to reclaim Congress. To hold the line, she is running as an experienced politician who, she'll have you know, has been ranked as the least ideologically pure.

This approach makes her seem like a relic of a long-gone Washington, where flexibility and the art of reaching across the aisle were desirable traits in an elected official. Nowadays, seeking the middle can make a politician - even one introduced at all her town halls as "the most candid member of the Senate" - appear unwilling to take tough stands.

On this day, for example, hours after House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called for Confederate statues to be removed from the Capitol, McCaskill wouldn't say whether she agreed.

"I think Nancy Pelosi should decide who the statues are for California," she said when asked by a reporter. "That's a decision each state has to make."

So what about monuments in Missouri?

"I think it should be up to each local community," she said.

Is there a moral argument to keep them up or take them down?

"I understand why they cause pain," she said. "I also understand why we always have to be reminded of the ugliness of our history, because it keeps us from repeating it."

And if that sounds like a politician playing both sides - well, if McCaskill has any chance of pulling out a win in 2018, in a state that voted overwhelmingly for Trump, she'll need to rely on her razor-sharp political instincts about the place. And get a lot of help.

From both sides.

---

McCaskill was never supposed to survive this long. In 2012, she faced a tough re-election challenge from John Brunner, a Republican hand-sanitizer magnate positioning himself as an outsider. Instead of firing full blast on him, she engaged in a bit of political jujitsu with a move she liked to call "Operation Dog Whistle": She bought TV ads attacking Brunner's GOP opponent, Todd Akin, as "too conservative for Missouri." In a Republican primary contest, that amounted to an in-kind contribution.

McCaskill had reckoned Akin would be the easiest Republican to defeat, because of his hard-right stances and his propensity to say outlandish things.

She was right.

Shortly after Akin won his primary, he choked on his own foot, with an interview in which he maintained women who suffer a "legitimate rape" aren't likely to get pregnant. It was, McCaskill says, "the most exciting" day of her political career.

Surely there's a part of McCaskill - who's spent a good chunk of her career beclowning boorish men - that wishes she could use the president as a similar foil. While a member of the Missouri House of Representatives, the Senate majority leader called her a "whore." She used the opportunity to condemn "gutter speech," earning a standing ovation from the House and - perhaps more important - some statewide name recognition. In 2012, McCaskill was quietly thrilled when Rush Limbaugh called her a "commie babe liberal." The attack made her look moderate by comparison and generated a flood of campaign contributions.

Of course, in today's political circus, where the star of a scandalous "Access Hollywood" tape is now the president, McCaskill is not so sure that "legitimate rape" would even qualify as a legitimate controversy. "It certainly wouldn't be as noteworthy," she said.

And despite her attack-dog reputation, McCaskill has long seen value in picking her battles. Early in her career, "I made a decision to laugh on the outside at all the sexual harassment," she wrote in "Plenty Ladylike," her 2015 memoir, "while on the inside I used those moments to amp up my determination and focus to succeed."

Today, McCaskill may be making a similar calculation. The best way to fight Trump is to win. And the best way to win, she seems to have decided, is to not fight Trump.

---

"My dad taught me to drive on these country roads," McCaskill said from the passenger seat of a Chevrolet Suburban as she headed from one rural town hall to the next. "When there was a break in the yellow line, he would reach over with his foot and just step on the accelerator."

She pantomimed lifting her leg over the console. Her young driver widened his eyes with worry.

"I'd start shouting, 'Holy s---!" she cackled. "And he'd yell right back: 'Well, ya gotta learn how to pass in the country! That's how we do it out here!' "

She grew up in these parts and knows how much that matters. As her mother lay dying in a hospital during the 2012 election cycle, she would constantly needle her daughter: "Are you spending enough time in rural Missouri?"

When she talks law and order - maintaining, for example, that anyone who tears down a statue should be prosecuted - it's with the authority of a veteran prosecutor. ("A killer," she was called by a top defense attorney in a 1987 Kansas City Star profile headlined "Blonde Ambition.") And when reports surfaced on Twitter that violent left-wing "antifa" protesters had physically lashed out at journalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, McCaskill seized upon the news.

"Yep, I know some of those guys, I'm telling you," she said, holding up her phone to her staffers in the back of the car. "The skirmishes that broke out, I'm sure there was fault on both sides."

Both sides. There it was again, an unexpected echo of Trump, who cast blame on "many sides" for the violence that erupted in Charlottesville when white nationalists and neo-Nazis protested the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue. McCaskill was quick to say that Trump made the situation worse by not coming down hard on the Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan - but her condemnation of "both sides" had an intentional-sounding ring to it.

McCaskill's worry, of course, is not that Democrats will see her as too conservative; it's that moderates will see her as too liberal. A Republican super PAC, America Rising, already has a tracker attending all of her events in search of a sound bite to help paint her as just another progressive in the Elizabeth Warren mold. On Sunday morning, Trump interrupted his tweets about the Texas storm response to announce that "I will also be going to a wonderful state, Missouri, that I won by a lot in '16. Dem C.M. is opposed to big tax cuts."

So at her appearances across the state, McCaskill seems more interested in talking about the price of hearing aids, bipartisan efforts to fix health care, or a bill she's working on to provide aid to World War II veterans exposed to mustard gas, than she is in litigating the culture wars or talking about the president. It shouldn't be surprising: Missouri has had trouble choosing sides ever since its residents fought for both the North and the South in the Civil War. Today, it's the swingiest of swing states, and the land of both Ferguson and Limbaugh. McCaskill knows the importance of finding balance on terrain that's liable to shift, and shift again.

Recently, McCaskill co-hosted a Kansas City roundtable with Sen. Pat Roberts, a Republican from Kansas, on the risk of agro-terrorism. The two discussed their work to protect the nation's food supply from biological attacks, and Roberts praised McCaskill as the person to call when you need to get things done.

As the event came to a close, a news-media gaggle moved in, peppering the senators with questions about Trump's latest controversies, among other things. Fortunately for Roberts, a member of the opposing party had armed him with the perfect dodge.

"Well, you know, there was somebody, I think it was Senator McCaskill from Missouri, who said it was not her job to really criticize the president," he intoned. "It's not mine, either."

Standing by his side, McCaskill offered an exasperated smirk.

"It's not exactly what I said," she emphasized, then clarified: Her job was to fight for Missourians, but she reserved the right to criticize the president whenever she saw fit. She also reserved the right not to.

And so, she didn't.
Tang Xianzu's family cemetery is discovered in Fuzhou city of East China's Jiangxi province. [Photo/VCG]

The tomb of ancient playwright Tang Xianzu has been discovered in Fuzhou city of East China's Jiangxi province, archaeologists announced at a news conference on Monday.

A cluster of tombs was discovered in Fuzhou at the end of last year, after a plant built in the 1950s was leveled.

According to the press release, a total of 42 tombs were found, including 40 from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Archaeologists also discovered six epitaphs, including several believed to be written by Tang himself. They believe a tomb identified as "M4" contained Tang and his third wife Fu, while his second wife Zhao was buried in tomb "M3."

Tang, born in 1550, was a famous Chinese playwright best known for four plays dubbed the "Four Dreams." His masterpiece "Peony Pavilion" tells of a romance between an official's daughter and a poor scholar, as they pursued love and freedom. A play adapted from this story has been performed for international audiences.

Tang died the same year as British playwright William Shakespeare, and the coincidence has drawn comparisons between the two.

Shakespeare's hometown Stratford-upon-Avon has become a tourist destination in England. A Tudor-style two-story terrace where he was born was preserved, and welcomes groups of international visitors every day.

In April, the government of Fuzhou donated statues of Tang and Shakespeare to Stratford-upon-Avon, which showed the pair standing shoulder to shoulder.

In China, however, there was no specific place to commemorate Tang Xianzu. Prior to the discovery of his tomb, an empty tomb had been built in the People's Park in Fuzhou in the 1980s.

Thus, Fuzhou city government has planned to build a tourist area at the site.
The Edwardsville Police Department is looking to add up to two probationary police officers to its staffing.

As discussed at Mondays Public Safety Committee meeting, the department proposed an amendment to an ordinance that will allow for the addition of up to two probationary police officers to department staffing in preparation for upcoming retirements or resignations.

Edwardsville Police Chief Jay Keeven said with two retirements coming up in January of next year, its important to hire new officers given the extensive trainings that follow.

What we are running into now  its been this way for a while  it takes quite a while to hire and train a police officer. If they need the academy, these academies are usually scheduled every (four months). We can get through SWIC (Southwestern Illinois Police Academy) academy usually by January, April, September, Keeven said.

The state police academy is usually the same way, but theyve cut back  like this year, theyre not running local police academies. Next year, theyre going to run one in January and July for up to 40 cadets.

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Hiring and training a new police officer can take up to a year, which means any new hire to the department who is taking the place of an officer who is resigning or retiring cant do so for up to 12 months.

Keeven said the training program has also changed at the academies, which is another contributing factor for the ordinance modification.

Based on the timing of the hire and now the training, instead of being a 10-week training program, its a 14-week program, Keeven said.

We spend another five to six months, give or less, depending on how well the officer progresses in the training program. So in the time of hiring an individual, until theyre ready to take over their patrol, can be up to a years period of time, he added.

If the ordinance modification is approved by Council, the department will be able to hire up to two probationary police officers to their new positions as soon as a retirement or resignation is announced. This will also allow the EPD to get a head start on the training process for the new hire(s).

Keeven said there will be some vacant spots in the EPD coming up and its important to get those spots filled.

What we would like to do with this ordinance change is, budget allowing, be able to hire an individual when we know. Recently we had a sergeant who submitted a resignation for the next couple of weeks. Itd be nice, you know, that we could get somebody in that place, he said.

I do know I have two retiring in January and if we could hire, say, in October or November, we can get a jumpstart on that training process so it wouldnt be a year, he added.

The EPD has a staff of one director of police, a deputy director of police, three lieutenants, six sergeants, no more than 32 patrol officers and no more than two probationary police patrol officers  the new addition to the ordinance.

This will put the staff at a total of 45 officers instead of 43.

City Administrator Tim Harr said although the ordinance change allots for 45 officers, the department isnt required to have that many staff members.

One of the key things about this is not stating that we have to have this many police officers, Harr said. (It) allows up to 45.

Alderman SJ Morrison was in agreement with moving the ordinance modification forward.

It seems appropriate to have that kind of flexibility and that ability to kind of plan ahead. It makes sense to me, Morrison said.

As discussion came to a close, alderman Will Krause made the motion for approval, seconded by Morrison. Alderman Chris Farrar was excused from the meeting.

With none opposed, the motion passed unanimously. It will be reviewed at the Administrative and Community Services Committee meeting on Thursday and then move to next Tuesdays Council meeting for first reading.
It's been more than three days since Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, but the record-shattering deluge it unleashed still isn't over. Houston, America's fourth-largest city, and parts of southeastern Texas are being pounded by continuing rains, and the storm has triggered a new emergency in the neighboring state of Louisiana. At least nine deaths related to the storm have been reported, tens of thousands have been driven from their homes, and federal authorities estimate that close to half a million people will seek disaster assistance.

Various U.S. government officials described the impact of Hurricane Harvey with apocalyptic superlatives. "We are seeing catastrophic flooding," said Louis W. Uccellini, the director of the National Weather Service, who warned that the waters would be slow to recede. His agency's models showed the Brazos River, which runs southwest of Houston, rising some 59 feet by Tuesday.

"A flood of this magnitude is an 800-year event, and it exceeds the design specification of our levees," said Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert in a statement Monday. William "Brock" Long, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, had similar comments: "We have not seen an event like this," he said on Monday. "You could not draw this forecast up. You could not dream this forecast up."

Right now, the focus is on ongoing relief and recovery efforts, boosted in part by a heartwarming mobilization of civilian volunteers. But the specter of climate change can't be ignored. Climate change may not have "caused" Hurricane Harvey, but it seems likely that warming temperatures - the consequence of man-made greenhouse gases trapping heat in the atmosphere - exacerbated the storm conditions.

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My colleague Chris Mooney outlined a number of ways in which this happens: Warmer temperatures in the ocean created an increase in atmospheric moisture, leading to the massive rainfall currently hitting southeastern Texas; rising sea levels contributed to a stronger storm surge that flooded Houston; a warmer climate makes storms more intense before they make landfall.

University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann also pointed to the influence of human-caused climate change on the storm's unusual movement. Unlike most hurricanes, Harvey stalled near the coast instead of moving inland, meaning Houston was pounded by continuous downpours. Mann blamed that phenomenon on "weak prevailing winds, which are failing to steer the storm off to sea" - a consequence predicted by climate-change models.

According to climate scientists, such extreme weather events - the proverbial "once-in-a-century" hurricane - will become only more common as the planet warms. That forecast is all the more conspicuous when you consider President Donald Trump's pronounced climate skepticism and his administration's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris accord earlier this year.

Trump, as columnist Ryan Cooper noted for the Week, has indeed presided over something of a war on climate science within his administration. "Just days before Harvey hit, Trump announced that he was going to rescind an Obama executive order that would require buildings receiving federal funding to consider climate change and build above extreme flood levels," wrote Cooper. "Since there is a big federal program to provide flood insurance to many such buildings (that is incidentally nearly bankrupt due to massive claims of late), this amounts to a government subsidy to build in flood-prone areas."

The extent of the calamity also illustrates a more widespread global threat. Experts have warned for some time now about the perils facing Houston. But for every Houston or New Orleans, there are far more acute dangers facing teeming cities like Mumbai and Dhaka.

As is always the case, it's the poor who face the greatest brunt of the calamity. In Houston, many of those trapped amid rising floodwaters did not have the means or ability to evacuate. And, again, it's far worse elsewhere: In South Asia over the weekend, surging flood waters that followed monsoon rains killed more than 1,200 people, many of whom were rural farmers cut off from rescue teams. A recent study by the Asian Development Bank found that some 130 million people in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh could be at risk of being displaced by the end of the century as a result of climate change.

If governments have been slow to react to the complex economic and political challenges of climate change, insurance companies are not waiting any longer. "There are more thunderstorms in parts of Europe and the United States than in past decades," said Ernst Rauch, the head of Munich Re's Corporate Climate Centre, which monitors climate change risks, to Reuters. "They are more severe. We will not necessarily see an increase in frequency, but we can see an increase in intensity. If we see this, we would have to adjust our risk premium."

No matter the politics of the U.S. president, the reality of the moment is that climate change is going to be more and more the elephant in the room.

"Our climate has been in a rough temperature equilibrium for about 10,000 years, while we developed agriculture and advanced civilization and Netflix," explained Vox's David Roberts. "Now our climate is about to rocket out of that equilibrium, in what is, geologically speaking, the blink of an eye. We're not sure exactly what's going to happen, but we have a decent idea, and we know it's going to be weird. With more heat energy in the system, everything's going to get crazier - more heat waves, more giant rainstorms, more droughts, more floods."

And if the United States and others can't come to grips with how to handle that "crazy," the catastrophic scenes from Houston will almost certainly start to look more and more like the new normal.
Kim Jong Un might have done Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a little favor.

The North Korean leader's move to fire a ballistic missile over Japan's northern Hokkaido island on Tuesday put the spotlight on Abe, whose popularity has slumped after a series of scandals. Abe quickly adopted a hardline stance, calling the launch an "unprecedented, grave and serious threat" and requesting an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

"Generally these types of crises are good for the government," said Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies at Temple University's Japan campus. "It looks like he's doing something, and it's hard for the opposition to criticize."

It's unclear if Kim intended the launch to send a message to Abe, or whether he wanted to test out certain aspects of the missile's flight, which by necessity took it over Japan. He had threatened to launch a missile over southern Japan toward Guam earlier this month.

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Either way, it is likely to increase support for a stronger Japanese military, a key issue for Abe as he seeks to become the country's longest-serving leader. He has steadily boosted defense spending since taking office in 2012, and sought to change the pacifist constitution that has defined Japan's security policy since World War II.

The missile is also set to harden the mood in Japan for talks with North Korea. That could exacerbate differing approaches between Abe's conservative government in Tokyo and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who favors dialogue with North Korea.

After speaking with U.S. President Donald Trump for 40 minutes on Tuesday, Abe said the leaders agreed to increase pressure on North Korea, and reiterated that China and Russia needed to do more to rein in Kim's regime. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said now's the time to push Pyongyang.

In Tokyo on Tuesday the mood was relatively calm. Commuters on morning trains were checking the news on their smartphones, but services ran as normal and there was no sense of panic. Japan's benchmark Topix index closed 0.2 percent lower, but pared its initial fall.

Sirens sounded around 6 a.m. local time in Hokkaido, with alerts on loudspeakers warning residents that a missile had been fired. The projectile's sea splashdown was announced later to ease fears.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Tuesday that no order to shoot down the missile was issued because Japan determined that it wasn't aimed at its territory.

"A shoot-down must have a verifiable defensive purpose," said Michael Cucek, an adjunct fellow at Temple University. "When a missile is 500 kilometers above your territory on a trajectory to land in the ocean, an attempted shoot-down is a purely political act."

Still, the launch will increase calls for missile defense, he said. Any extra spending will likely be included in an additional budget next year.

Japan already has a two-phase ballistic-missile defense system, consisting of land-based PAC-3 interceptors and Aegis-equipped ships carrying SM-3 interceptors. Deployment of the U.S.'s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile shield appears off the table for the time being.

Japan's Defense Ministry will this week seek a 2.5 percent increase in its budget for the 2018 financial year, including an allocation for the Aegis Ashore missile defense system, local media reported. It will also set aside funds to upgrade its automatic alert control system because North Korea is increasingly firing missiles on a lofted trajectory, the reports said.

In a break with a long-running cautious defense stance, members of Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party have called for Japan to arm itself with long-range offensive weapons. The group, which included the now-defense minister, released a document in March that cited a "new level of threat" from North Korea.

Still, there are limits to the public's appetite to strengthen the military. While the needle has moved slightly in favor of a discussion on gaining counter-strike capabilities, the obstacles "remain salient," according to Tobias Harris, a Japan analyst at Teneo Intelligence in Washington.

"Preemptive strike capabilities would be too heavy a lift for Japan right now and counter-strike or retaliatory capabilities are more reasonable," he said. "But even they would be logistically difficult and time consuming."

For the time being, Japan has little choice but to remain reliant on the U.S. "nuclear umbrella" for protection against North Korea. That means that Trump's reaction may weigh on the public perception of Abe, according to Harris.

The president issued a statement early Tuesday U.S. time saying North Korea had signaled contempt for its neighbors. "Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," Trump said, reiterating that "all options are on the table."

"Voters may be even more interested in how Abe manages the U.S. in this situation than in how he manages North Korea," Harris said. "The reality is that for the short to medium term, Japan's best defense is ensuring that the U.S. extended deterrence remains intact."

--With assistance from Yuki Hagiwara and Kana Nishizawa
After a weekend of bruising winds and relentless rain, Houston's rising floodwaters reached the gates of Johnson Space Center on Sunday.

The NASA facility typically bustles with some 10,000 scientists, engineers, other staff and contractors, including flight controllers for the International Space Station. But it is now closed to all but mission essential personnel. The Twitter account for the center's emergency management office reported that water in the neighborhood was knee-deep in some streets and inundating many sidewalks. Security officers had to be evacuated from the campus gates.

"Call if you need access," one tweet read. "Highly recommend not traveling."

The Spaceflight Meteorology Group based at JSC reported Sunday that the center had received more than 20 inches of rain.

Only a skeleton "ride-out" crew remains as staffing. Flight director Royce Renfrew arrived Sunday to relieve one of his colleagues at Mission Control Center, where flight controllers are still supporting the six astronauts on board the ISS. The scene was "kind of surreal," he tweeted.

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As of Monday, mission control "remains operational and fully capable of supporting the International Space Station station," according to a statement on NASA's website.

JSC also houses the huge thermal vacuum chamber where the James Webb Space Telescope is currently undergoing tests. The nearly $9 billion successor to Hubble is slated to launch in October 2018 - years behind schedule. But the telescope is safe at the moment, as are the personnel who have stayed to protect it, a spokeswoman said.

The space center covers 1,700 acres southeast of Houston, almost within sight of flood-prone Clear Lake and about 30 miles from Galveston Bay. It's low ground - just 13 feet above sea level at its lowest point, 22 feet at its highest. And it's only getting more vulnerable as a result of climate change.

A 2012 NASA report identified storm surge and sea level rise as major threats to JSC: "The area has always been subject to hurricanes, and the associated high winds, storm surge and flooding. Rising sea level will increase the risk of catastrophic storm surge impacts on JSC and the surrounding high profile infrastructure assets, human capital and natural resources."

Even under the most conservative climate change scenarios, another study found, coastal flooding events that happened once every 10 years near the facility are expected to occur 50 percent more often by 2050.

During Hurricane Ike, which struck this same part of the Texas Gulf Coast in 2008, three-quarters of the buildings on JSC's campus sustained some sort of roof damage - including mission control. Flight control for the International Space Station was temporarily moved to backup facilities in Austin and Huntsville, Alabama. Power failures and piles of debris kept the center shut down for a week after the hurricane passed.

Crew on board the ISS were briefed about the hurricane on Friday, according to JSC news chief Kelly Humphries. From 250 miles above Earth, the six astronauts watched the corner of Texas where mission control sits become engulfed by a white whirlpool of cloud.

"Oh boy - looks like a ton of rain is about to unload," astronaut Jack Fischer tweeted Friday.

Later, the main ISS account shared photos Fischer had taken through the space station's six-sided observation dome. Harvey's fearsome white mass filled the panoramic view - a monstrosity of wind and rain.

JSC Director Ellen Ochoa, a former astronaut, retweeted the images, adding: "Wish I was up there and not down here."




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Even as government officials vowed a powerful, forward-leaning response to the disaster that Hurricane Harvey has left in Texas, the situation on the ground remained chaotic and desperate on Monday, with millions of soaked residents resorting to their own resources and wits to survive.

Houston is notoriously flood-prone, but no one in the government had planned for a disaster quite like this. They had planned for calamities with elements of what has unfolded in the city and surrounding communities, but they didn't war-game the inundation of thousands of square miles, including a huge, sprawling metropolis, from a storm that sticks around for days.

"You could not draw this forecast up. You could not dream this forecast up," William "Brock" Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Monday.

Two of his predecessors and other former FEMA officials concurred. "I don't remember an exercise that says, 'Now we're going to drop historic amounts of rain on you for three days.' We never did anything like that," former FEMA chief of staff Jason McNamara said.

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Harvey has exposed anew how vulnerable the nation's fourth-largest city is to the forces of nature and the failings of infrastructure - and how natural disasters have a way of revealing the fault lines in governmental operations.

Residents received mixed messages from the state capital and Houston's City Hall about whether to evacuate in advance of Harvey's landfall late Friday, when it was a Category 4 hurricane. Gov. Greg Abbott, R, urged people to leave voluntarily, but Houston's mayor said it was better to shelter in place - a decision influenced by the harsh memory of the evacuation in advance of Hurricane Rita in 2005, when scores of people died in overheated cars stuck in highway traffic jams.

When asked Monday whether the city should have been evacuated, the governor said there was no point in thinking about past decisions. "We are where we are now," he said.

Abbott announced that he had mobilized the entire Texas National Guard to assist with rescue-and-recovery efforts. Surrounded by local officials from the Corpus Christi area, he said Texans are united in their effort to recover from Harvey, and he rated the early federal response to the disaster as an "A plus."

FEMA said Monday that it already had made major deployments of personnel and resources to Texas, including about 900 people in search-and-rescue teams, a million liters of water, a million meals, 20,520 tarps and 70 generators. The FEMA-coordinated response includes 100 ambulances and 15 air ambulances from San Antonio.

U.S. Coast Guard helicopters buzzed the city for much of the day and plucked stranded residents from rooftops. National Guard troops drove massive trucks through high water, looking for people in desperate straits. But professional first responders could not meet all the demands of people immersed in floodwater.

"Please don't give up on us. None of us are going to give up," Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo implored residents during a news conference.

Texas state Rep. Armando Walle, D, who represents a district on the north side of the Houston metropolitan area, put out a call on his Facebook page: "If you know of any families still needing to get rescued please let me know." Within three hours, he had a legal pad with 25 houses listed.

"Government can't do it all alone," Walle said later. "We've had to have the county judge ask for boats from the public. The mayor has asked for boats. We've had people all over the state converge. The Cajun Navy is here from Louisiana in their airboats."

Social media has proved to be the crucial piece of infrastructure for rescue operations.

"We are actually seeing situations where Bob down the street has a flat-bottom boat and Mary up the street has a canoe, and you put those resources together, hitch them together, and get everybody on the block the hell out of there," said Matthew Seeger, a communications professor at Wayne State University in Detroit who advises government agencies.

"That may not sound significant, but when you think about where we were just 15 years ago when Katrina hit and we had to pass out fliers - in shelters, by boat, whatever we could do just to get some basic health and safety information out there. Not everyone has a transistor radio," Seeger noted, "but almost everyone has access to Twitter."

Retired Adm. Thad Allen, who played a key role in shoring up the initially weak federal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and served as national incident commander for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, said government agencies seem to be doing their best in a complex situation.

"I'm not sure how much more you can ask for," he said. "If you have more total fires than you have firemen, the scale, complexity and scope becomes a risk aggregator."

Allen also pointed out that every storm is different: "When you've seen one hurricane, you've seen one hurricane."

W. Craig Fugate, who led FEMA during Barack Obama's presidency, said the agency's previous advance planning had been more concerned with "no-notice" disasters such as earthquakes. He said he pushed FEMA staff members to think outside the box. "You have to prepare for the things that haven't happened, or you haven't thought of that will exceed the daily capabilities," he said.

Yet he acknowledged what is obvious in the wake of Harvey: "You can't anticipate every scenario that might happen."

Having learned lessons from Hurricane Katrina's aftermath, FEMA positioned many of its personnel in advance of Harvey, as did the Red Cross and other organizations. But when the floodwater rose, Houstonians were still largely on their own. Some rode to shelters or hospitals in the back of city dump trucks, while others waded through chest-deep water.

Leaders of the federal response to the Hurricane Harvey disaster had an early morning news conference Monday in Washington that was by turns a declaration of competence, an expression of grave concern and a plea for the public's help.

"Under the president's direction, we have made every resource available to respond to this historic storm," said Elaine Duke, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, who on Tuesday will accompany President Trump on a tour of storm-ravaged areas.

And that's before the actual cleanup begins - which FEMA chief Long is warning will be "one of the largest recovery housing missions that the state has ever seen."

McNamara, the former FEMA chief of staff, said Texas officials are overwhelmed by the task of saving lives.

"Very quickly, you're going to get behind the curve on what comes next week," he said. "The other thing? Schools. How do we get the schools open and kids back to school? If they can't go back to school, the parents can't go to work, and that creates another economic problem."

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Mary Lee Grant in Corpus Christi and Janell Ross in Washington contributed to this report.

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Video: A neighborhood in Friendswood, Texas, was so heavily flooded by Hurricane Harvey that some people are using boats to travel through it. (Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post)

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ISLAMABAD - A wave of anti-American anger has swept Pakistan this past week, triggered both by President Donald Trump's threat to punish the country for harboring insurgents and by his invitation to India, Pakistan's longtime rival, to become more involved in Afghanistan's future.

Tribal and religious leaders have held protests at border crossings, and banners urging "Say no to America!" have appeared across the capital. Officials have canceled trips to Washington and asked a State Department official to postpone her planned visit here this week. Across the country's fractious political spectrum, leaders have raised a collective fist at Trump.

In a stern speech Aug. 21, the U.S. president laid out a new militarized policy for the region, saying he would send more American troops to Afghanistan and insisting that Pakistan must "do more" to rein in Islamist militants or face possible sanctions, such as cutting aid or revoking its status as a major non-NATO ally.

Afghan officials welcomed Trump's message, but Pakistanis accused him of "bullying" their country despite its history of cooperating with the United States in foreign conflicts. They said he had betrayed them by reaching out to India, which Pakistan views as a persistent threat to its existence.

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"President Trump wants to portray us as a villain despite the huge losses we have suffered in the so-called anti-terrorism war," said Hafiz Hamdullah, a conservative Muslim cleric and legislator. "Both India and the U.S. want to use Afghanistan against us. These charges of terrorist hideouts are just to destabilize Pakistan."

Mian Raza Rabbani, the left-leaning chairman of Pakistan's Senate, denounced Trump in similar terms. "No country in the world has done more than Pakistan to counter the menace of terrorism," he declared. Invoking the "legacy of Vietnam," he said that if Trump "wants Pakistan to become a graveyard for U.S. troops, let him do so."

In tribal regions along the border, where U.S. drone strikes have killed hundreds of suspected militants and civilians, one crowd of tribesmen chanted, "Long live Pakistan." In another spot, religious activists held up placards saying, "India, America and Afghanistan are conspiring against Pakistan."

Pakistan's National Security Committee, which comprises top military and civilian officials, sharply rejected Trump's charges of sheltering insurgents and demanded that the U.S. military "eliminate sanctuaries for terrorists" on the Afghan side. "The Afghan war cannot be fought in Pakistan," the group declared.

Pakistani officials took other steps to show their unhappiness. They requested that a planned visit by Alice Wells, the senior State Department official dealing with the region, be indefinitely postponed. Pakistan's foreign minister, who had been planning a trip to Washington, instead announced he would travel to China, Russia and Turkey.

Despite the hostile rhetoric, there were signs that U.S.-Pakistan relations are far from collapsing. Over the past few weeks, several low-profile meetings were held between current and former officials from both governments to discuss how to keep relations on an even keel.

Pakistani newspapers ran headlines that blasted Trump as a hectoring bully but also published nuanced commentaries calling for pragmatism and patience. The editors of Dawn, the country's most influential daily paper, counseled that "there is still space and time for constructive dialog. A strategic rupture is in neither the U.S. nor Pakistan's interest."

For Pakistan, the issue of militant sanctuaries is a familiar one; both of Trump's immediate predecessors pressed Pakistan to crack down on them but did not take harsh measures, especially because Pakistan was cooperating in the broader anti-terrorism war. This time, though, Pakistani officials are said to be far more worried that Trump, an unpredictable leader, may follow through.

"Trump's threats are real . . . Madness on our doorstep has already arrived," commentator Syed Talat Hussain wrote in The News International on Monday. He suggested that if Trump, "an ignoramus addicted to creating sensation," ordered a drone strike in Pakistani territory - as opposed to the border tribal areas - it could "get us embroiled in a war with the U.S. This is deadly serious business."

Pakistanis have been even more deeply rattled by Trump's warm embrace of India, where the current prime minister is an ardent Hindu nationalist and Indian army troops have been waging an aggressive, months-long campaign against Muslim protesters in the disputed Kashmir region.

Pakistan has long pursued influence in Afghanistan largely as a foil to India, a larger and more powerful rival, only to see New Delhi become a major benefactor of the American-backed government in Kabul.

"Trump's comments about India were more unsettling for Pakistanis than his threats to Pakistan," said Michael Kugelman, a Pakistan expert at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. "The U.S. calling for a deeper Indian footprint in Afghanistan sets off alarm bells across Pakistan. It will cause very real fear."

A few Pakistani voices here have called for a rethinking of Pakistan's efforts to influence Afghanistan, noting this has created a burden on its resources and a spillover of Islamist radicalization. But virtually no one questions the notion that India, the world's largest democracy, is their mortal enemy - a premise that has long kept Pakistan's army in a position of extraordinary power but has left the country increasingly isolated.

Today, the dominant sentiment here is one of betrayal by an old friend that owes a large debt to Pakistan.

"We have sacrificed for so many years to help the United States, and this Afghan war has destroyed us," said Rehman Malik, a Pakistani senator and former interior minister. "We don't want anything but their respect. We are a victim of terrorism, not a cause of it. We want peace in Afghanistan, not war. Now America is befriending India at the expense of Pakistan. And that really hurts."

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The Washington Post's Shaiq Hussain in Islamabad and Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar contributed to this story.
Fried rice with wild fungi. [Photo provided to China Daily]

While the untypical weather in Southwest China's Yunnan province this summer has resulted in disastrous floods and mudslides, it has been good news for the region's mushroom dealers, as half the average rainfall from May to early June, followed by 40 days of consecutive storms has made wild, edible mushrooms scarce, pushing up prices.

"The prices of wild fungi, matsutake in particular, have soared," says Yan Ji, a 32-year-old native of Kunming, who is one of hundreds of mushroom dealers in the province.

For locals like Yan, there is a strict distinction between gu, cultivated mushrooms that are available all year around, and jun, edible fungi that are picked in the wild between July to early September every year. The price of the latter is naturally five to 10 times higher than the former, if not more.

While mushrooms are a traditional delicacy in the province and the province's edible fungi are exported all over the world, it is only in the last two to three years that they have captured the attention of gourmands in China's metropolises including Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, who have belatedly discovered these tasty treasures of nature.

Yan, who joined the family business that primarily wholesales pricy fungus and vegetables to Japan and South Korea, notes that exports used to account for 90 percent of his company before 2014. Then domestic consumption of the fungus started to pick up.

His company, Xintian Fungus, is one of the 12 top exporters in Yunnan province licensed by the local government and has been in the business for more than two decades.
Hillcrest Elementary School students will safely return to the building after a gas leak a few blocks away resulted in a brief evacuation, according to school district officials.

Students were taken to the Burbank High School auditorium after students and teachers began to notice the odor around 11 a.m., according to San Antonio Independent School District spokesperson Leslie Price.
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DICKINSON - Jody Garcia checked in with dispatch first thing Monday.

There were 176 rescue calls holding on the second day of flooding in this deluged subdivision south of League City, parts of which had turned into a patchwork of canals, thanks to more than 25 inches of rain.

The volunteer firefighter in San Leon grew up in this neighborhood, and for him the rampage of Hurricane Harvey was personal. His first rescue Sunday was his cousin, who was stuck in an attic with her small child.

To get to her, Garcia employed the ingenuity so many other Texans have during this disaster and enlisted the help of a stranger he found on the side of the road. Richard Robinson had a boat. Garcia had a truck. Together, they rescued more than a hundred people on Sunday alone. Entire families were lifted into Robinson's small, gray dinghy.

Such rescues - at least 8,000 of them at last count - have become the norm since the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey reached the Houston area Saturday. In neighborhood after neighborhood, first responders in high-tech water craft and volunteers in a motley flotilla of jon boats, kayaks, canoes and virtually anything that floats have waded into the flood to help those trapped in the floods.

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Some wouldn't leave

On Monday, the second day of Garcia's mission in Dickinson, there were still plenty of people to be found. His first call was on Nevada Street, where water just hours before had gushed through like a river.

"Fire Department," Garcia yelled, pounding on the door of a house. "Anyone there?"

Elizabeth Ovendorff opened the door. The 71-year-old had been stuck inside for so long she didn't even know what day it was. Her cellphone died a day ago, and she had lost all power. When water coursed through the house rising past her knees, she climbed onto her bed with her dog, Bailey.

"I recommend and advise you to get out of here," Garcia said. "More rain is coming."

Ovendorff demurred. She didn't want to leave Bailey, and she didn't want to take him to a shelter.

"He doesn't get along real well with other dogs," she worried.

Garcia pressed. The water had receded some, but it was certain to rise again as the tropical storm hovered over the area, hammering drainage systems that were already saturated.

"People deciding to stay makes it harder for everyone," the firefighter said.

Ovendorff said she understood. She thanked him but wasn't going anywhere.

Garcia noted her address and promised to check back later.

The dispatcher sent him to Cedar Drive, where more than 10 feet of water covered parts of the road, leaving only the tops of some vehicles showing. Garcia checked out an apartment complex, but no one was inside. Gusts of wind had broken a window. Children's books and toddler clothes floated in the water.

Garcia climbed back into the dinghy with Robinson, who is 62 and works at Southwest Airlines.

"I was high and dry, and I saw that everybody else had a way worse situation than me," Robinson said. "I felt like I could contribute."

The two navigated carefully though the high water, but no one was home.

The dispatcher radioed: Could they go to 406 Deats Road? The call had been holding since yesterday, and there were apparently several people inside. The street was the epicenter of flooding in Dickinson, itself one of the worst-hit areas in one of the nation's worst-ever storms. Much of it was passable only by boat.

'Awesome to see'

Like Garcia and Robinson, dozens of volunteers had gathered here Monday, bringing their boats, kayaks, Jet Skis and canoes. One rescue group traveled from Fort Worth. The Cajun Navy, a grass-roots group of leisure boat owners, arrived from Louisiana.

"Everyone is doing what they can," Garcia said. "It's awesome to see."

They chugged past David Shapp and his girlfriend, Brooke Koppenberger, who stood in their garage on what had become practically an island.

"No one had any idea what was coming," Shapp said, surveying the wreckage of what he could see of Deats Road. The water had lapped up his driveway, reaching 2 feet high in the garage. Desperate neighbors at one point took refuge here after they tried to evacuate, but water rushed into their car.

"It was really surprising how long it took before boats started coming down," Shapp said.

But once they did Sunday morning, the 27-year-old engineer had already decided to stay. He figured they had made it through the worst. Surely the water couldn't get any higher than it already had?

A few houses down, neighbors on lower ground had long since abandoned their homes.

"Five adults, three children and two dogs," someone had scrawled in huge letters over the front of a house. On another, they had written "Safe."

Some who had left might have been among the roughly 160 Dickinson evacuees who arrived at Galveston's Scholes International Airport Monday afternoon to have the Texas Air National Guard airlift them to safer spots in North Texas.

As they waited, 6-year-old Paisley Golden hugged her doll and wrapped her arms around her sister. Just hours earlier, she had no idea if her family had made it out, or even if they were still alive.

"I thought my mom was dead," she said.

The rain had come as Paisley was visiting her babysitter, filling the street suddenly with shoulder-deep water. Her family was nowhere in sight. She only found them again a day later in this group of evacuees in Galveston.

'One big river'

John Curry sat quietly to the side. He had barely slept since his barking dogs woke him up at around 2 a.m. Sunday.

"I stepped off my bed and found my foot was immersed in water," he said. "My whole carpet was starting to float."

As the waters rose - to his ankles, his knees, his chest - Curry found higher ground at the home of a cousin. But he couldn't leave behind his two 60-pound mutts who were the reason he was alive at all.

So he put them in a foam ice chest and ferried them to safety one at a time. Together, they waited. It wasn't until rescuers picked them up 12 hours later that the scope of the area's damage sunk in.

"The whole place was just one big river," he said. "We saw people with tents strapped on top of their houses. They were the ones who wouldn't leave."

Curry didn't fault them.

"We don't give up," he said of the area's residents. "We love where we are."

On Deats Road, several residents were stubbornly waiting it out, even after the city ordered mandatory evacuations late Monday afternoon.

For Debbie Barlow, it wasn't being difficult, or even reckless. The 46-year-old and her husband live in a three-story elevated home. During the worst so far, water reached the first floor. If more came, they could go to the top level. And they have a dog, four cats and four chickens.

"We don't feel like we're invincible," she said. "We just feel like we'll be OK."

The city's orders had intensified the afternoon's rescue efforts. The rain began to fall again, elevating the urgency.

Garcia had meanwhile teamed up with Barry Gailey, a 44-year-old safety worker from League City who had a raised truck. Garcia and Robinson ferried people to Gailey, who trucked them through deep water to higher land.

"It's just going so much faster now that we're teamed up," Garcia said.

By late Monday, they had almost finished combing through an apartment complex at the end of Deats Road. One of their last rescues were four construction workers from Honduras who had been stuck inside since Saturday.

But who knew how many others were still there?
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Before then-Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Texas coast, rumors and hoaxes began flying around social media.

And while some, like the viral photo of the freeway shark, were harmless, others could have had more serious consequences than making a Fox News host look silly.

Stories about cities shutting down services, fake evacuations and false emergency numbers were quickly shut down by media organizations and government officials.

PHOTOS: Here is what Chron readers are seeing on the ground

Mayor Sylvester Turner spoke out about the rumor posts on Friday and encouraged residents to follow mainstream news organizations, the National Weather Service and the Office of Emergency Management for updates on the storm.

"False forecasts and irresponsible rumors on social media are interfering with efforts by the city of Houston, and its government and news media partners, to provide accurate information to the public about the expected effects of Tropical Storm/Hurricane Harvey," Turner said in a Friday statement.

More for you Texas couple finds ring lost in tornado, immediately gets engaged

"Rumors are nothing new, but the widespread use of social media has needlessly frightened many people today."

See some of the debunked rumors from Tropical Storm Harvey in the gallery above.
A law enforcement crackdown on looters, burglars and robbers netted 15 arrests across the storm-ravaged Houston area.

They could face 20 years in prison, since sentences for looters and other thieves can be doubled because of Texas law governing law enforcement during disasters, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Tuesday.

"People displaced or harmed in this storm are not going to be easy prey," Ogg said. "Anyone who tries to take advantage of this storm to break into homes or businesses should know that they are going to feel the full weight of the law."

If looters are charged with breaking into homes, they could face life in prison.

Houston police Chief Art Acevedo said he coordinated with Ogg to ensure that the judges and juries who will decide punishment are aware of suspects charged with crimes during the storm.

"We're not just in a search-and-rescue mode, we're still in a law enforcement and public safety mode," he said. "When you prey on people in these circumstance, that's despicable behavior and we're all going to push hard to make sure you don't see the sunlight anytime soon."

More for you Texas couple finds ring lost in tornado, immediately gets engaged

Court records show that the arrests included two roving groups of four who were jailed for breaking into businesses.

One group was arrested outside a liquor store in the 7200 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in southeast Houston. A resident flagged down a police officer late Monday to report that people were breaking into the store.

Natasha Matthews, 44, was arrested with a bag of liquor bottles, according to the district attorney's office. After seeing that an entryway had been broken in, officers also found and arrested Joseph Guillory, 53; Rochelle Brown, 54; and Shameca Poole, 39.

Four others were arrested late Monday after a deputy constable saw a suspicious pickup truck outside of a shoe store in a shopping center on Old Spanish Trail, court records show.

Another man, 31-year-old Jared Babineaux, was arrested trying to use an SUV to smash into a convenience store in south Houston in an apparent attempt to steal an ATM, officials said. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

After reports of the looting were publicized, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner issued a curfew Tuesday in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. During a press conference late Tuesday, the mayor said it was necessary for public safety.

The curfew will remain in effect until further notice.

Another six accused thieves were arrested by the Houston Police Department, the sheriff's office and various Harris County constables offices across the area, Ogg said.

Acevedo said police took extra steps to arrest one group of thieves late Monday.

"Our officers heard about it, they deployed in heavy rain, and they went and found them," he said. "They went in pursuit and all of those suspects were taken into custody."

The chief was resolute despite an overworked police force reeling from the death of one of their own. Steve Perez, 60, a 34-year veteran of the Houston department, drowned in his patrol car Sunday in Harvey floodwaters.

Acevedo noted that police and prosecutors are continuing to work 24 hours a day, including sleeping at police stations and courthouses. A small staff of prosecutors with the district attorneys office has been sleeping in shifts to remain at the courthouse to file charges around the clock.

Under Texas law, punishments increase and even double for crimes such as assault, robbery, burglary and theft if they are committed in a county declared a disaster area by the governor.

Burglarizing a home, for example, normally would bring a penalty ranging from two to 20 years in prison. Now it could bring the possibility of five years to life.

Other crimes also have enhanced penalties.
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Barack Obama did serve meals to people in need, but they weren't victims of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport.

Multiple photos purport to show the former president physically aiding in relief efforts throughout Texas in recent days. One of the most popular was widely shared on Twitter.

In a now-deleted tweet, user Aiden Benjamin, also known as "@Feisal_Hagi," posted a photo of Obama serving food with his family alongside him.

"Something youll never see trump do: Obama is in texas serving meals," his tweet reads, according to a Snopes screengrab.

The image quickly spread across the internet.

Now Playing: Harvey storms across Texas Video: San Antonio Express-News

The scene depicted did take place, but the date was Nov. 25, 2015. That day, the Obamas served dinner to homeless veterans at St. Luke's Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. The Washington Post has video of "Feast with Friends," showing the first family in action years ago.

There's no word on whether the Obamas plan to come to Texas in the wake of Harvey.

RELATED: Before and after photos show Hurricane Harvey's damage

Obama addressed the relief efforts via Twitter on Sunday.

"Thank you to all the first responders and people reaching out," the tweet reads."That's what we do as Americans."

The message came with a link to donate to those affected by Hurricane Harvey via the American Red Cross.

Some accounts who shared the image like Benjamin have removed their tweets, but the photo continues to recirculate.

Another photo  showing the Obamas serving food at the D.C. Central Kitchen  is also being used to claim the family is in Texas.

Both photos are among the many circulated in the wake of Harvey that include photoshopped images, like a shark floating around a flooded highway, and photos from other floods or other cities claiming to be recent.

See others that have been debunked in the gallery above.

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
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AUSTIN  A federal judge will decide by Friday whether to temporarily block the states ban on a common second-trimester abortion procedure. Supporters argue the measure will prevent dismemberment of living fetuses, but critics contend it will erode womens access to abortions.

After a hearing Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel of Austin said he would release a written order later in the week, before Senate Bill 8 is set to take effect Friday.
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Zoos and parks statewide are joining forces to make sure animals housed in the areas hardest hit by Harvey have what they need.

The San Antonio Zoo and Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi were originally the top priority, as forecasts predicted the two locations would face the brunt of the impending storm.

But that changed and now one "big army" of zoos are working to relieve the Downtown Aquarium in Houston and the Victoria Zoo, San Antonio Zoo CEO Tim Morrow told mySA.com.

Morrow said the zoos are coordinating via email. They received an "SOS call" from the aquarium, saying they were taking in water.

RELATED: 200 homes take on water as 2 dams, levee overflow

To help, the San Antonio Zoo and Sea World San Antonio are delivering equipment and supplies for staff and animals.

They tried to get through on Monday but had to hand off the supplies to the Eagle Lake Sheriff's Office for transport to Houston after they couldn't proceed.

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But Tuesday was time for another try.

Trucks packed with supplies left town at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Morrow said.

The plan was to drive the trucks as close as possible before transferring them to a helicopter to fly the supplies into the aquarium, which is equipped with a helipad.

RELATED: President Trump in Corpus Christi: 'We'll congratulate each other when it's all finished'

The first shipment was successfully delivered earlier on Tuesday.

The helicopter was donated by Brian Gilroy, of Wildlife Partners, who is a San Antonio Zoo board member. His pilot is manning the aircraft.

Morrow said the Houston Aquarium is operating by way of their overnight, emergency response "ride-out team" since staff is unable to get in.

San Antonio, Fort Worth and Dallas zoos, Sea World and Animal World Snake Farm are also organizing relief efforts for the Victoria Zoo. They anticipate being able to reach the location by Thursday and are on "standby" to relocate animals if they have to, Morrow said.

"All zoos are engaged and involved," Morrow added. "All the animals are fine that we know of."

A Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund for zoological facilities is also active, to continue providing supplies. Proceeds will eventually go to rebuilding efforts, according to the San Antonio Zoo website.

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
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AUSTIN  President Donald Trump was greeted by energized protesters when he visited the state operations center Tuesday, with many focusing on an immigration battle that kept some people from seeking shelter from the hurricane for fear of deportation.

No ban, no wall, the Trump regime has got to fall, chanted a group holding signs in front of the Texas Department of Public Safety, where the operations center is located.

Inside, Trump praised officials for a coordinated response that he said has drawn international admiration.

The world is watching, and the world is very impressed with what you are doing, Trump said, adding that he would work with Congress on the costly proposition of helping the state.

Probably there has never been anything so expensive in our country's history, we've never done anything so historic in terms of damage and in terms of ferocity as what we've witnessed with Harvey, he said. It sounds like such an innocent name ... but it's not innocent."

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Outside, tensions were on display over issues including Trumps pending decision on whether to do away with a program that gives a measure of protection to undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children.

Trump has been given a Sept. 5 deadline to begin phasing out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program by Texas and other states, which plan to proceed with legal action unless he does so.

The immigration issue, which has been highlighted during the hurricane and its aftermath, draws strong emotions.

We are a city of DREAMers & doers. San Antonians, regardless of status, contribute to our economy daily. DACA makes it possible, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg tweeted Tuesday.

Some undocumented immigrants were afraid to go to shelters because they didnt want to raise their risk of deportation, advocates have said, despite assurances from officials that they would not become targets.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, who was with Trump, said he hadnt encountered such stories first hand.

Obviously, peopel need to be taken care of who are in harms way and whose life has been threatened and survival is in doubt, and I think that takes priority, Cornyn said.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, also part of the visit, said, When it comes to the loss of life and the risk of life, every asset is focused on just saving lives, and that has to be the principle focus.

Julieta Garibay, with the advocacy group United We Dream, said the protest was meant to show that the immigrant community stands in unity with victims of the storm and those in fear of losing their status under a DACA repeal

Having been undocumented for many years, Garibay was surprised to arrive at a storm shelter recently and see it surrounded by police officers. We hesitated and stopped, she said. It brings a lot of questions. We want to make sure cities open these shelters to everybody.

Abbott said Friday shelters would not be checking immigration status.

Garibay said it is overwhelming to have Trump in the state. We have known the agenda he has carried, he hasnt only attacked immigrants, he has gone against Muslims, the transgender community.

Ben Weatherman, 37, who held a sign saying, Evacuate Trump Now, dismissed Trumps visit as a photo op  so we end up totally looking past the stupid hateful racist things like pardoning (former Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff) Joe Arpaio.

I think that its important to realize that thats what hes coming here for. Its not necessarily concern for Texans. Its not concern for our neighbors or anything like that. Its just for the photo op, Weatherman said.

But Trump also had supporters among those who gathered at DPS.

Patricia Weronick, 63, of Austin was wearing a Make America Great Again cap, saying she wanted to ensure Trump knew that some people are supporting him, and its not only negativity.

She said the issue of jobs is a big one for her.

My own family has had issues trying to find jobs, Weronick said. I want jobs to get back in America.

Jordan Floro, who evacuated his home near Houston Monday, showed up with his family to support Trump as he arrived at the state operations center.

Anything that Texas has asked for, he has given. He has got our back, said Floro, whose home backs up to a levee in Missouri City. If it busts, we have nothing going back to .

Of the protesters holding anti-Trump signs nearby, Floro said the crowd is what makes America special.

People with different backgrounds can come together peacefully, he said.

Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party, said in an interview before Trump arrived in Austin that the situation has been incredibly frightening for Dreamers.

Garcia applauded Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and other local officials who all have confirmed that the priority right now is to protect families and save lives  not to enforce immigration policy.

The last thing we need right now is the threat of a Trump deportation force. There are Dreamers who are assembling cots, feeding their neighbors and preparing to rebuild their lives, their city and their state, just like every other Texan. These folks are Texan in every single sense of the word, Garcia said.

But Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak, chairman of the Travis County Republican Party, said in an interview before Trump arrived that the presidents visit to show his support and get feedback about how the federal government is handling its response to the disaster is separate from the pending action on immigration.

Im sensitive to anyone who feels like they cant come forward and ask for help, said Mackowiak, while contending there is a lot of fear and paranoia that some folks on the far left are stoking.

Critics right to protest is almost unlimited in the United States. Thats one of the things that makes this country great, Mackowiak said, but he added, I would hope partisan politics and policy differences would stop at a moment of national disaster like were seeing in Texas.pfikac@express-news.net
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A San Antonio man was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly punched a woman, causing her to lose consciousness, and then raped her at his mother's house.

David Alvarado, 38, faces a charge of aggravated sexual assault, a first-degree felony. He remains in the Bexar County Jail on a $75,000 bond.

RELATED: SAPD: Woman stabbed husband after he tried to take away her Xanax pills

The 20-year-old victim told police she met Alvarado at an unspecified bus stop on August 23 and went to visit him the following day at his mother's house, according to the affidavit.

There, Alvarado allegedly tried to get her to drink alcohol, and when she refused, he repeatedly punched her in the face until she passed out, police said.

She awoke to him raping her, according to the affidavit. Sometime during the attack, Alvarado allegedly threatened to shoot the victim with a handgun.

RELATED: Caretaker accused of assaulting wheelchair-bound woman

The affidavit says Alvarado and the victim stayed in the room for several hours before both sneaking out through the bedroom window. Alvarado held the victims arm and dragged her to a nearby store, but the victim was able to break free and seek help from someone at a nearby home, authorities said.

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Police say Alvarado fled and went missing until he was arrested Tuesday morning.

According to the affidavit, the victim suffered bruising and swelling to her face and a part of her tooth was broken off during the attack.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

cdowns@mysa.com

Twitter: @calebjdowns
Not that long ago, San Antonio claimed the title of Accessibility City, U.S.A. because of so many endeavors aimed at helping our neighbors with physical or cognitive disabilities. We now have the opportunity to further benefit the special-needs community by making City Hall for All a reality.

Completion of this much-needed project also can serve as a powerful symbol of inclusion for our entire nation.

On Aug. 16, Beaty Palmer Architects was proclaimed the winner of the City Hall for All architectural design competition to make San Antonios 128-year-old City Hall accessible to everyone. Twenty Texas-based teams submitted 22 unique designs in the competition, a collaboration, since March, of District 1 City Councilman Roberto Trevino, the San Antonio Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the H-E-B Tournament of Champions, the UTSA Department of Architecture and The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation.

The Beaty Palmer Architects winning entry places two broad, gently sloping ramps  one from the corner of South Flores and Dolorosa streets, and the other from the corner of South Flores and Commerce streets  to City Halls main entrance fronting South Flores.

City Hall is technically in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, but in reality, its difficult for residents with physical or intellectual limitations to access the building. This requires taking a ramp to the basement under the west stairway entrance, contacting the security desk by intercom to seek access, waiting for a security officer to come down and open the door to the basement, and finally riding an elevator to the first floor  a scenario that can take up to 10 minutes.

Beaty Palmer Architects used considerable creativity and expertise to come up with an excellent solution so everyone will have easy access to City Hall. We trust our City Council will move expeditiously to transform Beaty Palmers architectural vision into reality for the good of our citizenry.

There are compelling reasons for getting this accomplished sooner versus later.

First, its the right thing to do. For too long, residents using wheelchairs, canes or walkers have had to go the proverbial extra mile to access the seat of city government. The visually impaired and those with intellectual challenges also face complications in entering City Hall. These individuals with special needs comprise an estimated 17 percent of the population, not an insignificant number.

Furthermore, our new mayor and City Council have expressed to our city manager their interest in an equitable budget for all  that is, prioritizing spending where it can do the most good for the city as a whole. This is one of those opportunities that touches all sectors of San Antonio, and the City Hall for All expenditure is minimal when compared to San Antonios proposed $2.7 billion budget. More important, the return on investment will be huge for decades to come.

And what another great accomplishment this would be to help mark San Antonios 300th anniversary in the year ahead!

Please join me in urging our mayor and City Council to include City Hall for All funding in the fiscal year 2018 budget. This will lead to unfettered access to City Hall for all San Antonians and further solidify our reputation as Accessibility City, U.S.A.

Gordon Hartman is founder of The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation, which since 2005 has pursued initiatives to help those with special needs, including the ultra-accessible, nonprofit Morgans Wonderland theme park, Morgans Inspiration Island splash park and The Academy at Morgans Wonderland school for students with special needs.
President Donald Trump has a political base on which he depends for political survival. Fear of it at election time is why more congressional Republicans, with a few exceptions, havent been full-throated in their criticism of the president as he careens from one crisis and failure to another.

Thats the basic politics of Trumps pardon of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona, though other motives might also apply. Getting tough on undocumented immigrants is entirely justified with this base and Arpaio, with his tent-city jail he once proudly dubbed a concentration camp, has been ruthlessly tough.

But heres why even that base  indeed, all of us  should be bothered by this pardon. Yes, it is an endorsement of bigotry, though Trumps base will deny this because, well, as is often said, What part of illegal (as in illegal immigration) dont you understand?

To which the proper retort is, what part of racial profiling dont you understand? But, more to the point, what part of youre possibly the next target dont you understand?

The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution prohibits illegal search and seizure. In our view, Trump, with this pardon, has signaled contempt for this prohibition that protects us all, undocumented immigrant or not. And for the Fourteenth Amendment, which promises equal protection under the law.

Arpaio, 85, was held in criminal contempt because he defied a court order that bars his deputies from stopping and detaining people though they committed no state crimes. On his orders, deputies systematically targeted Latinos, much of it in traffic stops. Arrests on spurious charges often followed. Why were they singled out? Because they are brown and might be undocumented immigrants.

A court ordered him to stop. He refused and bragged about it. No, he wasnt just doing his job, as his supporters say. Holding the court and the laws in criminal contempt is not a sheriffs job.

We understand. Being tough on immigrants is what gets him a pass with many, including the president. But if law enforcement officials can target people because they are brown who have committed no crimes, whats to prevent them from targeting other innocent people without reasonable suspicion or probable cause? It is wrong  and unconstitutional  in all cases.

But undocumented immigration is a crime and deputies were just enforcing those laws, right? A crime? Well, yes and no. It is a misdemeanor under federal law to enter the country without the approval of an immigration officer. But roughly 40 percent of undocumented immigrants simply overstay visas, a civil violation.

But local enforcement officers arent immigration experts and shouldnt be trying to enforce those laws in any case. Too much can go wrong and it did in Arizona. Theres that racial profiling. Moreover, detained immigrants spent time in Arpaios tent city, where they suffered brutal heat and other deplorable conditions.

And all of this is apparently pardonable to President Trump, who famously called Mexicans criminals and rapists during his campaign.

In his pardon Friday (inexplicably coming as the nation was bracing for Hurricane Harvey), Trump didnt mention Arpaios criminal contempt or the circumstances that led to that conviction. He cited Arpaios long public service  23 years as sheriff until voters ousted him in 2016  and his military service before that.

But there is nothing pardonable about Arpaios bigoted and unconstitutional conduct. And Trumps attempt beforehand to get the Justice Department to drop its case against Arpaio reeks of obstruction.

Also at work here with the pardon could be a Trump desire to signal something to those coming under the scrutiny of the special prosecutor who is heading the probe of Russian election meddling, possible Trump campaign collusion and other possible crimes. That message would be: Dont talk. Ive got your back.

The Arpaio pardon  though completely legal  is unpardonable enough. Pre-emptively pardoning others in this Russian probe would show even more contempt for the nations laws and its judiciary. Congress must not remain quiet if that happens.
Since jealousy is the kindest form of flattery, then the POTUS is the most envied person in the United States. The POTUS has the best and brightest Cabinet ever assembled, and their accomplishments dont get reported.

The New York Times, Washington Post, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and MSNBC have all concocted their own far left-wing take on everything the POTUS does and says. Theyve copied World War II Germany in that if you tell a lie often enough, people will began to accept it as fact.

Folks, we deplorables arent buying their garbage.

Americans are getting tired of this 24/7 conspiracy, and if the presidential election were held today, then the POTUS would win by a larger margin than he did Nov. 8.

The POTUS is keeping his promise to make America great again.

Lawrence McMahan

Christian nation?

According to the Treaty of Tripoli, signed and ratified by the U.S. Senate, Article 11 states, The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion 

Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is God mentioned.

The Bill of Rights does not mention a Christian God.

Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, as well as other Founding Fathers, were also influenced by deism, which is not a Christian religion.

Those are historical, not alternative, facts.

Marty Hixon

Hateful as ISIS

Would ISIS be given a permit to gather and march in any city in the United States? Would any radical Islamic group be given a permit to gather and march?

How are groups of neo-Nazis or white supremacists ever given permits to gather and march in any place in the United States? These are as much hate/terrorist groups as any radical Islamic group. These groups need to be totally banned, like neo-Nazis are in Germany.

Under our current president, I doubt youll see such groups banned nationwide. If Texas state officials want to do something more productive than continually waging war on transgender individuals to solve a problem that doesnt exist and on Planned Parenthood, our great state of Texas should pass laws banning such groups from our state.

Skip Vordenbaum, Seguin

Add statue to park

The proposal to remove a statue from Travis Park that commemorates Confederate dead is unnecessarily divisive. A compromise that does not play to any particular rhetoric is a better solution.

To that end, I suggest that another statue of a Civil War-era member of the United States Colored Troops be erected in the park as well. The base of that statue could also be inscribed Lest we forget. This inscription would refer to slavery since many (if not most) of the USCT were former slaves.

Between the two statues would be a flagpole bearing the flags of the United States and Texas, signifying the failure of the Confederacy.

Taking this approach should satisfy the concerns of all parties while sending a strong signal to our politicians and other communities throughout the country. As only the second monument to Union soldiers in the South (the Treue der Union monument in Comfort being the other), this would serve as another tourist attraction in San Antonio, thereby offsetting any design and construction costs.

As a descendent of Confederate veterans and an American, I think this approach is something most people could support.

Michael Flinn

Biased reporting

The reporting by the left-wing media about the protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, is an egregious act of malpractice.

Theyre placing all the blame on one side. The videos Ive seen show both sides involved in the melee, but you wouldnt know this if you only listened to or read the left-wing media. They only mention the KKK and neo-Nazis, and never Black Lives Matter, Antifa or other left-wing groups who had no permit to be there and came looking for a fight.

The left wants to change the country, and tearing down Confederate symbols is part of that plan. Al Sharpton is even calling for the removal of the Jefferson Memorial. Whats next, the Washington Monument? How about Native American statues and monuments? They also practiced slavery.

Even local councilmen are jumping into the fray, wanting to remove a Confederate statue from Travis Park. Will they eventually target the Alamo? Im sure a case can be made that many of Mexican heritage are offended by this symbol of white aggression.

This movement is dangerous for the country and must be stopped or nothing will remain sacred.

Liam Harvie

Bring back civility

I grew up in a time when my parents and the parents in the community in which I lived believed it was improper to steal, lie or destroy the property of others. We were trusted because we did what we said we would. Each of us, young and old alike, were expected to interact with others courteously and honestly. We were expected to appear in public properly dressed, neat and clean. No one was permitted to use vulgarity.

We liked people, helped them and treated them with respect because they helped us, liked us and treated us with respect in return. We were not perfect, but we were expected to act, talk and appear civilized.

Today, when anyone does voice disapproval for misconduct, usually the miscreant or his or her friend is quick to shout, Racist!

If we want anyone to respect and like us, we need to do the same to them  and that usually means conforming to a universally accepted value system!

I think you will find the Ten Commandments a wonderful and accepted place to begin.

Virgil Mielke
A 40-YEAR-OLD man is nursing head injuries sustained after he was allegedly struck with an axe by his wifes lover in Chemhukutu Village under Chief Chiwundura, Midlands province.

The incident occurred on Tuesday when Elvis Gwemba reportedly caught his wife Nokutula Mahuvava, 27, being intimate with their neighbour Gift Chisara in their matrimonial bedroom upon his arrival from herding cattle.

Gift is reported to have struck Elvis after he shouted on top of his voice calling other villagers to come and witness the incident.

I felt hungry and decided to leave the cattle with one of our neighbours to look for food only to find Gift bedding my wife in my bedroom, said Elvis.

When I shouted for help, he suddenly struck my head with his axe he claims he was selling and I fell down but other villagers quickly responded and apprehended him before he left.



Nokuthula

As we speak, I am being led to a police post to lodge a report against him because I am bleeding profusely.

I have been hearing from grapevine that my wife was cheating on me but I had never come to get evidence of the allegations until today, said Elvis.

Nokutula denied the allegations saying Gift was in the bedroom to show her an axe he was selling.

Ndanga ndakatorara zvangu sezvo kwanga kuchipisa ndipo pauya baba ava vachitengesa demo murume wangu achibva asvika handina kurara navo ini, said Nokutula.

Elvis

Some villagers are after tarnishing my image by claiming that I am cheating on my husband as they want people to believe, she added.

Gift refused to entertain H-Metro and was arrested by police for allegedly attacking Elvis with an axe.

Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Goko could not be reached for comment by the time of going to print. H-Metro

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THE remains of former President Robert Mugabe will now be buried in Zvimba tomorrow at the insistence of his family, though Government had started working on the mausoleum it had demanded earlier.

Mr Leo Mugabe, the family spokesperson, confirmed the new development to The Herald last night.

Yes, it is true, the former President will be buried in Zvimba on Saturday (tomorrow). I will let you know once I have the programme, said Mr Mugabe

Asked what would happen to the mausoleum, Mr Mugabe said he didnt know.

Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said Government was committed to respecting the wishes of the deceaseds family.

The family of the late former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe has expressed its desire to proceed with his burial in Zvimba. In line with Government policy to respect the wishes of families of deceased heroes, Government is cooperating with the Mugabe family in their new position, he said.

Mr Mangwana said Government will render all the necessary support to give the former President a befitting send-off.

Zanu-PF Mashonaland West Provincial Chairman Cde Ziyambi-Ziyambi said Government had been consistent from the beginning that it would respect the wishes of the family.

The body of the late Mugabe left Harare for Zvimba, awaiting burial set for Saturday. The family indicated that they are happy with burial at Heroes Acre. We took them to identify the place and we agreed to have the mausoleum constructed. The two children  Chatunga and Robert Jnr  were part of those who went to the site. Today, they indicated that they want to go to Zvimba and Government agreed, said Cde Ziyambi.

He said the party will be guided by the family programme.

We await communication from the family on the programme, said Cde Ziyambi.

However, chiefs from Zvimba yesterday threatened to boycott the burial, insisting the former President will be buried as an ordinary person if buried in Zvimba.

Chief Zvimba  Katiza Gombo  Gibson Jenami said the new arrangement was through the instigation of the family.

It come as a shock to us. But from the word go there was conflicts between chiefs from Zvimba and his wife, Grace Mugabe, he said.

The chiefs had settled for the National Heroes Acre, since the former President spent most of his life as a nationalist. He worked closely with President Mnangagwa for 54 years. We had approached the Government and settled for the National Heroes Acre, he said.

It has also been learnt that Mrs Mugabe wanted the remains of her late husband to be interred at their Blue Roof residence but the idea was shot down.

Zvimba chiefs were on Friday kicked out of the late former President Robert Mugabes Blue Roof mansion by the ex-leaders widow Grace as the feud over the final resting place of her husband raged on.

Highly-placed family sources told NewsDay that Grace was livid after it emerged that it was the Zvimba chiefs led by Chief Zvimba who approached President Emmerson Mnangagwa pushing for Mugabe to be declared a national hero and interred at the national shrine.

The source said the chiefs who had camped at the Blue Roof since Mugabe died early this month were reportedly given their marching orders on Thursday night after a meeting between the traditional leaders, Graces sisters and Mnangagwa. They then left the lofty home on Friday morning.

Grace has not set foot at the national shrine where government was constructing a mausoleum for her husband.

 Herald/NewsDay

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TWO teenagers aged 15 and 18 from Lobengula West suburb in Bulawayo appeared in court for allegedly stealing a Honda fit motor vehicle from a city woman.

The duo was involved in an accident while on a joyride to a beer garden.

The 15-year-old Form Three pupil at Sikhulile High School in Lobengula and Thulani Keith Ndlovu are alleged to have been with a third accomplice, Arnold Ndlovu, who is at large.

They allegedly drove Ms Cassandra Phiris car to the beer garden where they intended to buy dragon energy drink to dilute a bottle of Viceroy brandy.

Keith is alleged to have lost control of the car and plunged into a drainage ditch, damaging its front bumper last Thursday.

The teenagers were not asked to plead to a charge of theft of a motor vehicle before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Crispen Mberewere.

Mr Mberewere granted each of them $50 bail and remanded the matter to December 28 for trial.

Mr Mberewere advised the teenagers parents to pay bail for them so that they would not spend the night in prison.

Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa said the three used a screw driver and opened a door on the car that was parked in the yard.

He said: Ms Phiri, an actress at Matshobana Hall had secured the windows and locked all the doors of the car. Inside the car was a spare wheel worth $45, car jack worth $30, red reflective triangles worth $10 and a fire extinguisher worth $20.

The next morning around 6AM, Ms Phiri was awakened by a neighbour who had come to borrow a jack and she discovered that the car had been stolen. She reported the matter to the police.

Mr Manyiwa said Phiris neighbour who is a police officer at Magwegwe Police Station told other police officers that he had seen the 15-year-old trying to open the door the previous night.

The boy was interviewed and he confessed that they had stolen the car. The car was involved in an accident near Konron Shopping Centre, Lobengula, he said.

Keith confessed that they had used a screw driver to open and start the car. They had driven it to Marisha beer garden in Old Magwegwe where they intended to buy dragon energy drink to dilute their Viceroy Chronicle

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THE majority of Zimbabweans are not happy with the direction the country is taking, a recent survey has revealed. According to findings by Afrobarometer, a pan-African, non-partisan, non-profit survey research network, Zimbabweans who were interviewed said they were suffering and had gone without cash, water and other basics for too long.

Two-thirds (67%) of Zimbabweans say the country is going in the wrong direction, the report read in part.

On the economic situation: Almost three-quarters (72%) described the countrys economic condition as fairly bad or very bad.

The report said only one-third (35%) were optimistic that the countrys macroeconomic conditions would have improved in a years time.

An overwhelming majority (87%) of Zimbabweans say they went without a cash income several times, many times, or always during the previous year.

On governments performance, the report said the majority of Zimbabweans rated President Emmerson Mnangagwas administration badly, but also said if elections were to be held tomorrow, Zanu PF would win with a narrow margin over the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance.

Large majorities say the government is performing badly on creating jobs (91%), keeping prices stable (78%), improving living standards of the poor (75%) and other issues.

About half of the citizens, an estimated seven million, say they went without enough food (52%), enough clean water (51%) and medical care (55%) at least several times during the past year, according to the report.

Lack of clean water was more common in urban areas. Going without enough food and without a cash income was more common in rural areas, the report released yesterday said.

The report said things had worsened in the COVID-19 era where most Zimbabweans went without a income at least several times during the past year while about half experienced repeated shortages of food, clean water and medical care.

On political party choices, about a quarter (27%) of citizens said they felt close to Zanu PF, while a fifth (20%) said they would chose MDC Alliance.

If presidential elections were held tomorrow, one-third (33%) of respondents say they would vote for the Zanu PF candidate, compared to one-fourth (26%) who say they would vote for the MDC Alliance candidate. About four in 10 refused to answer, say they would not vote, or say they dont know.

Zimbabweans, however, said they were happy with the governments response to COVID-19.

On the whole, the public gives a thumbs-up to the government for its response to COVID-19. Government generally gets positive ratings for its management of the COVID-19 response, despite concerns about some of the measures which saw citizens losing jobs and sources of income, part of the report read.

Four out of five respondents (81%) endorse lockdowns and school closures to curb the spread of COVID-19, although most say lockdowns were difficult to comply with and schools should have reopened much sooner.

On restrictions to freedoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, almost three-fourths (72%) of Zimbabweans said the government was justified in using the police and army to enforce public health mandates, such as lockdown orders, mask requirements, and restrictions on public gatherings, during a health emergency.

Views are more divided on whether a pandemic justifies postponing elections or limiting political campaigning: Half (51%) of Zimbabweans said yes, while 36% disagree. And citizens are evenly split on censorship of the media during a pandemic: 43% say such restrictions are justified, but 45% disagree.

A majority (55%) say they are worried, including 34% who are very worried, that politicians are using or will use the pandemic as an opportunity to increase their power and authority.

Looking ahead, more than half (51%) of Zimbabweans believe that the COVID-19 pandemic is going to be a somewhat serious or very serious problem for the country over the next six months, while 37% think it will not.

Government assistance and performance, an overwhelming majority (90%) of Zimbabweans say they did not receive any assistance from the government, such as food, cash payments, or relief from bill payments, during the pandemic.

Only one in 10 say their household received such assistance, a stark contrast to the 47% of citizens who say they lost a job, business, or primary source of income. Citizens economic status made little difference in whether they received government assistance. In fact, the poorest respondents are slightly more likely to have gone without assistance (91%) than their wealthier counterparts (87%).

 NewsDay

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ATLANTA  Coca-Cola is testing the Dasani PureFill station on the Georgia Institute of Technology campus as students return for the fall semester.

The idea for the machine, which provides free, ultra-filtered water with the option of adding flavors and/or carbonation for a small fee, emerged last summer during a two-day Shark Tank-style workshop hosted by Coca-Cola North Americas R&D team. A cross-functional team of employees led by Sustainability Managers PJ Newcomb and Nicole Smith presented the pitch to senior leaders at the company, who recognized its potential and quickly green-lit the project.

The team recognized that hydration stations were being installed all over the place, especially on college campuses, explains Kim Drucker, director of brand innovation, Coca-Cola North America, on the companys website. And this represented an opportunity to enter the space of convenient, on-the-go hydration."

Dasani PureFill was constructed using a Lancer beverage dispenser, a proprietary Coke chiller and a bag-in-box (BIB) system for the flavors. The team partnered with a vacuum-forming company to design the machine's exterior. The machine is paired with a custom-built smartphone app, which allows users to track their hydration and geo-locate a nearby machine, and a cashless payment system. Busch said this feature tested well with Millennials, who also liked the link with the DASANI brand.

Young people, especially college students, always have two things with them throughout the day  a water bottle and a smartphone, said Jeffrey Busch, director of equipment commercialization, Coca-Cola North America. So, were trying to dial in to those habits and add value to a water brand they know and love with a unique solution for on-the-go hydration.

Two flavors will be available during the Georgia Tech pilot: Berry and a second created exclusively for Dasani PureFill, Peach-Ginger. Down the road, the team is considering adding more flavors and additives like vitamins and protein for a more personalized beverage experience.
High-tech electronics made from autumn leaves (Nanowerk News) Northern Chinas roadsides are peppered with deciduous phoenix trees, producing an abundance of fallen leaves in autumn. These leaves are generally burned in the colder season, exacerbating the countrys air pollution problem. Investigators in Shandong, China, recently discovered a new method to convert this organic waste matter into a porous carbon material that can be used to produce high-tech electronics. The advance is reported in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy ("Supercapacitive performance of porous carbon materials derived from tree leaves").

The investigators used a multistep, yet simple, process to convert tree leaves into a form that could be incorporated into electrodes as active materials. The dried leaves were first ground into a powder, then heated to 220 degrees Celsius for 12 hours. This produced a powder composed of tiny carbon microspheres. These microspheres were then treated with a solution of potassium hydroxide and heated by increasing the temperature in a series of jumps from 450 to 800 C.

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image of porous carbon microspheres. (Image: Hongfang Ma, Qilu University of Technology)

The chemical treatment corrodes the surface of the carbon microspheres, making them extremely porous. The final product, a black carbon powder, has a very high surface area due to the presence of many tiny pores that have been chemically etched on the surface of the microspheres. The high surface area gives the final product its extraordinary electrical properties.

The investigators ran a series of standard electrochemical tests on the porous microspheres to quantify their potential for use in electronic devices. The current-voltage curves for these materials indicate that the substance could make an excellent capacitor. Further tests show that the materials are, in fact, supercapacitors, with specific capacitances of 367 Farads/gram, which are over three times higher than values seen in some graphene supercapacitors (Journal of Applied Physics, "Enhanced in-plane mechanical properties of nanoporous graphene-carbon nanotube network").

A capacitor is a widely used electrical component that stores energy by holding a charge on two conductors, separated from each other by an insulator. Supercapacitors can typically store 10-100 times as much energy as an ordinary capacitor, and can accept and deliver charges much faster than a typical rechargeable battery. For these reasons, supercapacitive materials hold great promise for a wide variety of energy storage needs, particularly in computer technology and hybrid or electric vehicles.

Galvanostatic Charge/Discharge (GCD) curves at different current densities, from 0.5 to 20A/g. (Image: Hongfang Ma, Qilu University of Technology)

The research, led by Hongfang Ma of Qilu University of Technology, has been heavily focused on looking for ways to convert waste biomass into porous carbon materials that can be used in energy storage technology. In addition to tree leaves, the team and others have successfully converted potato waste, corn straw, pine wood, rice straw and other agricultural wastes into carbon electrode materials. Professor Ma and her colleagues hope to improve even further on the electrochemical properties of porous carbon materials by optimizing the preparation process and allowing for doping or modification of the raw materials.
Placenta-on-a-chip: Microsensor simulates malaria in the womb to develop treatments

(Nanowerk News) Malaria, one of the most severe public health problems, affected 212 million people worldwide in 2015. This life-threatening disease is caused by parasites that are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Though malaria usually cannot be transmitted from mother to baby in utero, both might be affected because malaria-infected red blood cells adhere to blood vessels in the placenta, resulting in about 10,000 maternal and 200,000 newborn deaths annually. Those hit hardest are in developing and subtropical countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

By combining microbiology with engineering technologies, researchers from Florida Atlantic University are developing a first-of-its-kind 3D model that uses a single microfluidic sensing chip to study the complicated processes that take place in malaria-infected placenta as well as other placenta-related diseases and pathologies. They have received a two-year, $400,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop this technology, which will mimic the microenvironment of placental malaria, specifically the maternal-fetal interface.

"There are a number of challenges in studying the biology of the human placenta in its natural form or in situ because of ethical reasons as well as accessibility," said Sarah Du, Ph.D., principal investigator of the grant and an assistant professor in the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering in FAU's College of Engineering and Computer Science. "That is why there is such a great need for a placental model that can be used for research purposes."

Sarah Du, Ph.D., principal investigator of the grant and an assistant professor in the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering in FAU's College of Engineering and Computer Science, and Andrew Oleinikov, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical science in FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. (Image: Florida Atlantic University)

With malaria, parasites are released during a mosquito bite into the bloodstream and infect liver cells. They then reproduce in the liver cells, burst, and cause thousands of new parasites to enter the bloodstream and infect red blood cells. They reproduce again in the red blood cells, destroy them and move on to destroy other uninfected blood cells. The most dangerous form of malaria is P. falciparum. If left untreated, those infected with the disease could die.

Du, together with her mentor and grant multi-principal investigator, Andrew Oleinikov, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical science in FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, came up with the idea of developing a Placenta-on-a-Chip device using embedded microsensors. They are designing this device to provide real-time monitoring of vascular cell well-being and nutrient circulation across the barrier between mother and fetus, and under the influences of the malaria parasite to see how it responds to various drug treatments.

Placenta-on-a-Chip will be able to simulate actual blood flow in vitro and mimic the microenvironment of the malaria-infected placenta in this flow condition. Researchers will be able to closely examine the process that takes place as the infected red blood cells interact with the placental vasculature and to identify interventions that reverse parasite-infected erythrocyte adhesion that is found in placental tissue.

"We want to advance the understanding of human diseases down to the single cell level and ultimately develop new treatments to combat devastating diseases like malaria," said Oleinikov. "I have been studying infectious diseases including malaria since 2004, and became interested in researching the cellular and pathological events that occur in women when they get infected with malaria, especially during their first pregnancy when both mother and fetus are most vulnerable."

Year one of the research will focus on the effects of malaria on the mother, and year two will focus on the effects of malaria on the fetus. The microfluidics developed by FAU's College of Engineering and Computer Science will produce micro-scaled devices to allow researchers to get a closer look at cells and their interaction before, during and after being infected by malaria.
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.
Ballingarry honoured eighty parishioners who served in World War 1 in a moving ceremony in the village on Sunday.

A plaque was unveiled with the names of all eighty who served in various capacities.

They were seventy eight soliders, one chaplain and one nun.

The highest number of casualties from the Ballingarary area was in August 1917, exactly one hundred years ago.

At one stage during a special mass to mark the event, curate Fr Derry Quirke blew a whistle which would have signalled the time during the war for the soldiers in the trenches to 'go over the top' and face almost certain death.

The plaque was unveiled by brothers and sister Paddy and Anthony Butler and Ann Walsh who are sons and daughter of William Butler, Boulea who survived the War and died of his wounds in 1957.

Proceedings commenced with a moving ceremony in The Church of the Assumption, celebrated by Fr. Derry Quirke, with Rev. Victor Fitzpatrick from the Kilcooley and Fertagh Parish in attendance and they were led into the church to 'Amazing Grace' played by Ger Neville from the Moycarkey Pipe Band.

The ceremony began with the presentation of individual White Crosses by a family member to the altar with the names of the 78 Soldiers, 1 Chaplain and 1 Nun, with young people from the parish reading out each name.

Fr. Quirke gave an amazing account of experiences these soldiers would have encountered on the Front and the most moving moment was when he blew a whistle to replicate the indication for the soldiers to Go over the Top out of the trenches, to almost certain death. The choirs participation in the church enhanced of the ceremony, a fitting tribute to Sr. Teresa Walsh who fulfilled her final duty as choir organist as she moves to Clonmel this week and a lovely presentation of flowers was made to Sr. Teresa by Fr. Quirke and Kitty Norton on behalf of the parish in appreciation of her work in the community.

The reflection Road to Eternity following communion was read by Carmel O Brien. The congregation was lead from the church to the unveiling to Going home played again by piper Ger Neville.

Chairman Martin Maher introduced Dr. Thomas McGrath, local historian who gave a fascinating account of the involvement of the individuals commemorated on the plaque, highlighting the numbers killed between 1914-1918, with August 1917 having the highest number of casualties from the Ballingarry area.

He also linked significant historical events such as the Battle of the Somme with Patrick Delaney killed on 1st July 1916, the first day of the battle.

Following the plaque unveiling, Rev. Fitzpatrick read a blessing and Fr. Quirke blessed the plaque.

Representing the Defence Forces, Major General Kieran Brennan laid a laurel wreath and addressed the gathering thanking the committee for the invitation to himself, his wife Marie and his comrades in attendance on the day.

He gave a very fine account of what war means and spoke about the continued peace keeping mission of the Irish Defence Forces in places like The Lebanon, Goa and Mali as well as assisting local communities in times of need such as the flooding in Donegal last week. He commended the committee for the excellent plaque unveiled and suggested that a plaque such as this should be in every parish in Ireland.

Anthony Ivors, The Commons, who had raised the tri-colour at the 1848 Monument for many years, was then invited to raise the tri-colour and the bugler played the poignant Last Post before Amhran na bhFiann was played by the piper.

MaryAnne Maher read In Flanders Fields, after which a lament was played by the piper. Chairman Martin Maher noted that another important event is due to take place in the parish on 30th September next with the National Famine Commemoration being held in The 1848 Warhouse.
(Natural News) There will come a day when political correctness destroys us all. It may not happen tomorrow, and it may not happen within the next few years, but it will happen  it is only a matter of time.

In the latest example of political correctness gone awry, a member of Britains Labor Party by the name of Naz Shah recently came out against girls who have been victims of Muslim rape gangs, even going so far as to say they need to shut their mouths in the spirit of diversity.

Shah retweeted a tweet originally posted by a spoof account pretending to be leftist Owen Jones, which read, Exactly Areeq, those abused girls in Rotherham and elsewhere just need to shut their mouths. For the good of #diversity! Its hard to believe that anyone would be so ignorant and uncompassionate about such a serious issue, but apparently for some leftists, even sexual assault is to be ignored if it gets in the way of the advancement of their agenda.

But kissing the feet of Islamic extremists isnt something that is unique to Naz Shah of Britains Labor Party. Indeed, leftists in our own country have always been quick to sympathize with Muslims, even as the more radical ones continue to cut off heads and rape little girls.

Take Barack Obama for example, who truly was one of the weakest, most submissive and unpatriotic leaders that this country has ever seen. On numerous occasions, Obama rushed to the defense of the religion of Islam, in many cases even painting Muslims as victims of intolerance and bigotry. In a 2012 speech before the UN, for instance, Obama famously declared, the future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.

Another example comes from just last year, when Barack Obama was asked during a town hall event why he refuses to use the term Islamic terrorism to describe the numerous foreign and domestic attacks carried out by ISIS. What I have been careful about when I describe these issues is to make sure that we do not lump these murderers into the billion Muslims that exist around the world, including in this country, who are peaceful, who are responsible, who, in this country, are fellow troops and police officers and fire fighters and teachers and neighbors and friends, Obama explained. (Related: Politically correct language control is a danger to society.)

Obama has claimed in the past that his refusal to use the term Islamic terrorism has nothing to do with adhering to political correctness, but a leftist saying that they arent being politically correct is like a comedian saying they arent being funny  its just part of who they are. Obama was absolutely trying to be politically correct and he knows it.

And yet, political correctness has gotten us nowhere; as a matter of fact, there is a strong case to be made that it has actually done more harm than good. Time and time again, Democrats in Washington D.C. have sacrificed national security for political correctness, all so that at the end of the day they can call themselves compassionate, accepting and diverse.

Take, for example, the Democrats refusal to secure the southern border and their endless push to grant amnesty to 11 million illegal aliens currently living in the United States. They tell us that discarding our existing immigration laws and letting unvetted foreigners stay in our country is the fair and compassionate thing to do, when in reality, its putting thousands of innocent lives at risk. Kate Steinle, the girl who was gunned down by an illegal alien in the sanctuary city of San Francisco, may very well have still been alive today had it not been for political correctness.

And yet the liberals continue their push, in Britain, in the United States and elsewhere, to transform society into what they consider to be a fair and just utopia, when in reality, they are bringing about our destruction.

Sources include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

Breitbart.com

CNN.com
(Natural News) The Mars 2020 mission will use advanced technology to seek signs of microbial life, but has it already been discovered on the Red Planet?

NASAs upcoming Mars mission scheduled to launch in the July/August 2020 time frame will use X-ray fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy in its quest to detect biosignatures on rocks.

According to one expert, these new techniques enable exploration of the planet Mars at telescopic to microscopic scales  from a mountain to a grain of sand, ScienceDaily explained. The mission will also compile time capsules of a kind, with the gathering of rock and sediment samples which will be left behind in hermetically sealed titanium tubes for analysis by a future mission with presumably even more advanced techniques.

NASA has yet to decide the landing spot for the Mars 2020 mission, which will deliver a state-of-the-art rover payload, that will provide the most scientific potential. Candidates include Columbia Hills in Guseve crater or other locations such as Northeast Syrtis or Jezero crater, both near the edge of the Isidis Planitia.

According to NASA:

The new rover will carry more sophisticated, upgraded hardware and new instruments to conduct geological assessments of the rovers landing site, determine the potential habitability of the environment, and directly search for signs of ancient Martian life.

Some argue that NASA detected signs of microbial life on Mars about 40 years ago, however, as Space.news has previously detailed.

Gilbert Levin, who was in charge of a life-detection experiment on NASAs historic Viking mission in 1976, claimed the space probes really did find signs of life on Mars. Levin has been critical of the agency ever since, stating NASA deliberately ignored evidence of life.

Natural News founder Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, detailed that Levins experiment revealed the evidence of living microbes on Mars using an on-board gas chromatograph instrument.

In the video below, Dr. Levin discusses the Viking mission experiment in more detail, which apparently confirmed, or was consistent with, the presence of life on Mars. Among other things, Dr. Levin noted that it is possible microorganisms in a frozen, dried state traveled from the Earth to Mars (or vice versa) after meteors struck and ejected them into space.

In 2015, NASA finally admitted that liquid water flows on an intermittent basis on Mars. According to Mike Adams, NASA spent years covering up the proof of water on Mars for political reasons and has yet to acknowledge the presence of microbial life there. (Related: Read more about NASA and space exploration at Space.news.)

Adams summarized his thoughts on the matter with this rhetorical question.

And if NASA has been covering up the obvious evidence of flowing water for the last few decades, we all have to ask the obvious question: What else is NASA covering up?

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

NASA.gov

Space.news
More rescuers from the Bay Area were preparing Monday to go to Texas to help with relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, officials with the Silicon Valley Air National Guard said.

California Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing were sending about 90 members, spokesman Roderick Bersamina said. They departed Monday evening.

"We're familiar with the terrain; we've been out to Texas before for hurricane response," Bersamina said. "However big or small the rescue operation is that we conduct, we bring the same level of excellence to the table."

Two urban water rescue teams from the Bay Area have left for Texas to help with the federal response to the hurricane, which made landfall late Friday in the Houston area as a Category 4 storm, fire officials said.

A team from the Menlo Park Fire District left at 6 p.m. Sunday and, as of Monday morning, was about 1,000 miles from Austin, Texas, where they will get their assignments.

As of midday Monday, rescuers in Texas had made 2,211 high-water rescues, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, which serves the Houston area.

Federal officials have activated all 28 federal task forces, which include the two Bay Area water rescue teams. Along with Menlo Park, the other Bay Area team is from Oakland.

"This is the most significant national response event since Hurricane Katrina and as such is generating a top shelf federal and state magnitude of water rescue response and supporting resources," Menlo Park Fire District Chief Harold Schapelhouman said in a statement.

The 129th Rescue Wing has gone to Texas before in response to Hurricanes Rita in 2005 and Ike and Gustav in 2008.

The wing is made up of Guardian Angel para-rescuers, HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters and an MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft. The wing will operate out of Robert Gray Army Airfield in Texas.

The 129th Rescue Wing has been given credit for saving 1,017 lives since 1977.

Several team members from the Menlo Park Fire District responded to Hurricane Katrina while others responded to other disasters such as flooding in the Central Valley.

As it left for Texas, the urban search and rescue team took five vehicles, 10 boats and three drones with them.

A water rescue team from Oakland was briefed over the weekend before it was to deploy to Texas, Oakland firefighters said.

NBC Bay Area's Ian Cull contributed to this report.
A suspected would-be child molester was released from jail Friday without having to post bail, according to court documents obtained by NBC Bay Area.

Jose Olivares-Parada, 38, was arrested Aug. 21 on suspicion of sending pornography to and arranging a meeting with a minor when he showed up to meet with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl at AT&T Park, court records show.

Olivares-Parada actually had been corresponding with a police officer.

Two days after his arrest, bail was set at $60,000, but two days after that, Judge Joseph Quinn reduced bail to nothing and released Olivares-Parada on his own recognizance, with the instructions that he was not to chat on websites nor visit locations where minors are likely to be, other than AT&T Park, where he works.

Child advocate Mark Klaas, whose daughter Polly Klaas was murdered by a sexual predator, vehemently disagreed with the judge's decision.

"You know, giving this guy the ability to walk is a terribly irresponsible thing to do under the circumstances," Klaas said.

A spokeswoman for the Public Defender's Office said Olivares-Parada doesnt have a criminal history.

A spokesman for the District Attorney's Office said the prosecutor objected to the judge's decision to release Olivares-Parada on his own recognizance, but in the court record, there was no mention of such an objection.

Olivares-Parada is due back in court in October.
An ex-felon has been charged with possession of child pornography and five other felonies after authorities executed a high-risk search warrant at his Livermore home last week and found images of child pornography and more than 300 pounds of ammunition, prosecutors said.

Jarrett Harvey Mills, 37, of Livermore, was arrested last Tuesday when officers found child pornography in both photo and video formats and 37 rifles, handguns and shotguns and 315 pounds of ammunition, Alameda County sheriff's investigator Michael Buckhout wrote in a probable cause statement.

In addition to possession of child pornography, Mills is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of an assault weapon, obliterating the identification of a firearm, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person and sale of a large-capacity magazine.

Mills is being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin in lieu of $190,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at the East County Hall of Justice in Dublin on Wednesday.

Buckhout wrote that authorities began investigating Mills after they were tipped off by two informants.

Buckhout said that when authorities arrested Mills at his home on Greenville Road in Livermore and conducted a search they found him in possession of three grams of methamphetamine, a memory card and USB drive, both filled with child porn.

The memory card had at least 26 videos of children engaging in sexual conduct and other electronic devices found during the search also allegedly had videos and images of child porn, Buckhout wrote.

When Mills was interviewed he admitted that an AR-15 rifle was his but denied ownership of the 36 other firearms that were found in his residence, Buckhout said.

Mills also admitted to the possession of child porn and methamphetamine, according to Buckhout.

Prosecutors allege that Mills was convicted of receiving stolen property in 2003 and possession of a firearm by a felon in 2005.
SAN FRANCISCO - A recall campaign to oust a judge under fire for his handling of a sexual assault case involving a Stanford University swimmer can resume, a judge ruled Monday.

Retired San Francisco County Judge Kay Tsenin agreed with the recall campaign that the county - not the state - has authority over the recall of Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky.

Persky drew criticism nationwide after he sentenced former Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner to six months in jail for sexually assaulting a woman who had passed out behind a trash bin near a fraternity house.

The ruling on the recall is tentative and a final ruling expected to be issued Thursday.

Michele Dauber, a Stanford University law professor who has led the recall effort, thanked the judge for a ruling that "validates what we've been saying all along, that Judge Persky filed a frivolous lawsuit the goal of which was to stall and delay the democratic process."

Persky's attorney, Elizabeth Pipkin, said in a statement that they "are hopeful the court will change its tentative ruling after considering our arguments."

The Santa Clara County registrar permitted recall proponents to begin collecting signatures earlier this month to qualify the issue for the June ballot. But Persky's attorneys filed a lawsuit arguing that proponents should have filed with California's secretary of state because county judges are state officers.

Supporters must collect 90,000 signatures and be certified for the ballot by March 9 in order to appear on the June ballot.
A San Francisco statue that depicts a Native American fallen in defeat and is accused of being racist has prompted the formation of a Facebook group, demanding its removal.

The Pioneer Monument stands between the Main Branch of the San Francisco Library and the Asian Art Museum, according to SFist. In part of the 800-ton sculpture, which is known as "Early Days," a Spanish cowboy and a missionary are standing over a prostrate Native American.

The depiction has sparked an Oct. 2 event called "Bring down the "Pioneer" Statue in Downtown SF! NOW!"

Organizers posed a series of questions on the event's Facebook page: "Who is done with these white supremacist colonization states? Who is tired of seeing Natives depicted as savage, less than, not here anymore or unworthy of being human? Who wants to get rid of this white supremist statue right here in SF?"

They have urged people to gather at San Francisco City Hall from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 2 because the issue of tearing down Pioneer Monument is on an Arts Commission's meeting agenda.

As of Tuesday, nearly 125 people have said they will attend, while 857 more have expressed interest.

Leading up to the meeting, supporters have been asked to call and email members of the Arts Commission, urging them to cover the statue with a tarp and take it down, organizers wrote. People are also encouraged to attend next month's meeting and speak their minds about the need to remove Pioneer Monument.

A Change.org petition that declares "It's Time to Take Down San Francisco's Monument to White Supremacy!" has garnered 707 signatures of its goal of 1,000.

San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, whose district includes Pioneer Monument, has said she supports the push to have the statue taken down.

"I support the removal and will be supporting the community process already underway," Kim wrote in a statement, SFist reported.

Iesha Killip, an American Indian who resides in Haight-Ashbury, told the San Francisco Chronicle: "Why is the Indian on the ground? We're warriors. We stand. It shows pure hatred to my people."


With Houston's two major airports closed due to flooding, travelers at San Francisco International Airport on Monday were scrambling for options.

No commercial flights were going in or out of Houston as many people at SFO were trying to get home. Some were content to wait for the airports to reopen. Others were flying to other Texas airports and hoping to drive the rest of the way.

Some travelers such as Linda Ellender knew flood waters were surrounding her home Monday.

"I'm worried about my dogs," Ellender said, adding that she's relying on loved ones until she can get home. "If we walk home and find everything as we left it, I'll be so happy."

Trying to get home after a vacation, the Smiths decided to rebook on a flight to Austin. Their home is surrounded by road closures and rising water, they said. But they plan to try to drive in.

"We'll get into Austin at 6, drive to Houston and swim home," they joked.

Others were rerouting to Dallas. Allison Montnaye said her house is dry, but she is eager to get home and help friends and neighbors who are underwater.

"We can't wait to get home and help," Montnaye said. "It's frustrating; we want to get home and help."

There was no official word on when the Houston airports are expected to reopen.
Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Budweiser and one of the largest beer producers in the world, is transporting truckloads of cans  of drinking water  to victims of Hurricane Harvey.

Company spokeswoman Taylor Tchoukaleff said more than 100,000 cans will be delivered to Arlington, Texas, in addition to a delivery that arrived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Monday. Anheuser-Busch's distribution partner, Mockler Beverage, works with the Red Cross to deliver the canned water to communities in need.

MillerCoors is also sending canned water to the Texas region battered by Harvey. The beer purveyor said it is sending 50,000 cans of drinking water to their Revolver brewery in Granbury, Texas, about 250 miles northwest of Houston. The company said it is also donating $25,000 to the Red Cross.

"Providing clean water to communities enduring a crisis will aid in recovery and hopefully give some sense of comfort to those in need," said Karina Diehl, MillerCoors' director of community affairs, in a statement.

The relief comes four days after Harvey ravaged the Texas coastline as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing with it 130 mph winds and flooding rains. Harvey remained a tropical storm Tuesday, dumping nearly 40 inches of rain in some places in Texas and inundating entire cities.

Anheuser-Busch Cartersville brewery in Georgia produces cans of emergency relief water a few times a year, according to the company, partnering with the American Red Cross to provide to places in need within the United States.

"Throughout the year, we periodically pause beer production at our Cartersville, Georgia, brewery to produce emergency canned drinking water so we are ready to help out communities across the country in times of crisis," Bill Bradley, Vice President of Community Affairs at Anheuser-Busch said. "Putting our production and logistics strengths to work by providing safe, clean drinking water is the best way we can help in these situations."

In 2016, Anheuser-Busch produced and shipped over 2 million cans of emergency drinking water to communities hit by natural disasters, including the California wildfires, the Louisiana floods and Hurricane Matthew.

In May 2015, Anheuser-Busch completely halted beer production at its Georgia brewery in order to produce drinking water for those displaced by heavy storms and flooding in Texas and Oklahoma, NBC News reported.

CORRECTION (August 29, 2017, 8:12 a.m.): Earlier versions of this story incorrectly described Anheuser-Buschs relief efforts. The company is providing water for Harvey victims, but has not halted production or shipments of beer.


A man wanted in connection with the beating of a black man in Charlottesville on the day of a white nationalist rally turned himself in to authorities in Georgia and will be extradited to Virginia, officials said.



Alex Michael Ramos, 33, turned himself in Monday evening, a spokesman for the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday. Ramos was wanted by police for his alleged role in the mob beating of 21-year-old DeAndre Harris in a parking garage.

Shocking photographs show several men beating Harris with poles and sticks as he tried to protect himself near the violent rally Aug. 12. Harris suffered a broken wrist and a chipped tooth, and he got eight staples in his scalp to close a head wound.

Ramos agreed to be extradited to Virginia during a hearing Tuesday, said Kathy Barfield, deputy clerk of the Monroe County Magistrate Court.



Ramos is the second man charged in the attack. Daniel Borden, 18, was arrested in Ohio on Friday.

Ramos faces one count of malicious wounding in the attack on Harris. He was set to have an extradition hearing on Tuesday, a Monroe County Police Department spokesman said. He did not know if Ramos, an unemployed construction worker, had an attorney.

In an interview with WGCL in Atlanta, Ramos said he's not a white nationalist. He said he acted in self-defense.

"These men attacked us ... I thought I was going there in a defensive mode, defending people from being attacked," he told the station.

"I hit the man one time," Ramos told the station. "Before I got there, men beat him with sticks and shields. I had nothing to do with that."

Borden is fighting extradition to Virginia. The suburban Cincinnati resident appeared in court by video Tuesday and declined to waive extradition. Hamilton County Magistrate Michael Bachman set bond at $100,000 and scheduled a Sept. 29 hearing.



Borden surrendered to the FBI when he learned a warrant for his arrest had been issued, his lawyer, Greg Berberich, said in a statement to NBC29.

The 18-year-old's lawyer blamed Black Lives Matter activists and anti-fascists for his client's alleged crimes.

"He will defend himself against charges filed as a consequence of rioting caused by the City of Charlottesville's decision to allow BLM and Antifah members to attack those protesting the removal of Robert E. Lee's statue from a local park," Berberich said in a statement.

"As Dan attempted to leave the protest grounds, he was struck in the head and tear gassed multiple times," the lawyer said. "Dan repeatedly requested protection from Charlottesville Police and was ignored. We believe Dan will be exonerated."

In another incident during the protests, police say Richard Wilson Preston has been charged with discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school. The 52-year-old was taken into custody on Saturday in Towson, Maryland.

James Alex Fields Jr. faces second-degree murder charges for driving a car into counter-protesters and killing Heather Heyer. He has been in custody since the day of the rally.

Police said Saturday that they have identified 35 victims in the car attack.
Federal investigators working for Special Counsel Robert Mueller are keenly focused on President Donald Trump's role in crafting a response to a published article about a meeting between Russians and his son Donald Jr., three sources familiar with the matter told NBC News.

The sources told NBC News that prosecutors want to know what Trump knew about the meeting and whether he sought to conceal its purpose.

The meeting occurred at Trump Tower in June 2016 and was attended by Donald Trump Jr., Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. The meeting, which was first reported by the New York Times, also involved Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya and former Soviet intelligence officer Rinat Akhmetshin.

At the time, the White House confirmed that Trump had "weighed in" as the response to the Times report was drafted aboard Air Force One on July 8 as the president returned to the U.S. from Germany.
There are staggering numbers out of Manchester, New Hampshire, where drug overdoses are spiking at an alarming rate, according to first responders.



We really are trying to do the best we can, said Manchester Fire Chief Dan Goonan.

It was a slow, encouraging start to August with only 28 overdose calls by the middle of the month, but that changed last Saturday when something dropped in Manchester that caused an alarming spike.

It hit us pretty hard, Goonan said.

By Monday, first responders had administered Narcan to more than 95 patients in August  including more than 67 overdoses in just over a week.

The silver lining is that not one of the overdoses this month has been fatal. That means while the heroin circulating right now is stronger than usual, its not as potent as carfentanil, which hit the streets in a deadly way earlier this year.

I think its the ups and downs of this crisis, but quite frankly, it scares me to think it could get worse, Goonan said. Were not at the end of this battle by any means.

Goonan hopes this is a wake-up call for users and their loved ones.

If someone needs help, they can walk into any fire station in the city and ask for it.
Officials in New Hampshire are searching for an escaped inmate who walked away from a half-way house in Manchester Monday evening and failed to return.

Eric Judkins, 42, has a history of violence and should not be approached, according to the New Hampshire Joint Fugitive Task Force.

Judkins is an inmate at the Hampshire House and is serving a 27-month sentence for a serious assault on an inmate while he was in a federal prison. He was serving a 17.5-year sentence for a 1999 bank robbery during the time of the assault.

Judkins is 510, 160 pounds, has brown eyes and a shaved head. He also has an extensive array of tattoos covering his face, head, neck, chest, arm and hands.

Officials say he has many friends and family in the Manchester and Nashua area.

If you have any information youre asked to contact Deputy U.S. Marshal, Brandon at 603-225-1632 or anonymously text the word NHTIP followed by any information to the phone number TIP411. You can also call 911 if its urgent.
The destruction from Hurricane Harvey in Texas has many in New England reflecting on their experience with the deadly floodwaters brought by Tropical Storm Irene six years ago this week.

You lose a lot of pictures of your children that youll never recover, and other items youll never get back, sighed Bob Goodell, who suffered severe property losses in August 2011 when Irene sent floodwaters roaring through Westons Mobile Home Park in Berlin, Vermont.

Goodell lived with a relative for four months while he rebuilt on a different road within Westons.

Now, the still-unfolding Texas tragedy has Goodell reflecting on all the flood victims there, who he knows have it much worse than he and his neighbors did in Irene.

It can take its toll on you really bad, emotionally, Goodell told NBC Boston, describing the impact of property losses and other stress caused by a natural disaster. Youve just got to try to stay strong, and keep moving forward and just do the best you can.

Food writer Alice Levitt was moved by sights of destruction in communities around Vermont when she lived in the state during Irene and wrote for the newspaper Seven Days. Today, Levitt lives in Houston and writes for Houstonia Magazine.

Levitt said her high-lying neighborhood was spared the worst of Hurricane Harvey, but noted roads out are impassible.

All of the highways are underwater, she said.

Additionally, dangerous water has left friends elsewhere in the city evacuated to safe places or stranded on second floors, she said.

In crisis, we just go into a mode where we can exist, Levitt told NBC Boston.

Neale Lunderville was Vermonts Irene recovery officer right after the 2011 storm, helping reopen ruined roads and bridges, and pointing communities to ways they could start the process of getting back on their feet.

Lunderville now works as the general manager of the Burlington Electric Department.

Our hearts are with them, Lunderville said of the victims of flooding in Houston and other affected Texas communities. Houston is in for a long road to recovery. It is going to take years for them to build back their homes  their infrastructures.

Gov. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, addressed the tragedy in Texas in a statement Monday on the six-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene.

Our thoughts are with the communities in Texas currently facing the impact of Hurricane Harvey, Scott said. Vermont stands ready to lend support and the knowledge gained through our experience recovering from Irene.

In that statement, the governor also said the anniversary of Irene should be a time to reflect on ways to make Vermont more resilient to flooding, including infrastructure improvements, addressing climate change, and clean water and flood mitigation initiatives.
The Illinois Senate passed an "historic" school funding reform deal Tuesday, just one day after lawmakers in the House passed the agreement in a dramatic redo of a failed initial vote.

Senators voted 38-13 in favor of House Amendment 5 to Senate Bill 1947, the deal that was hammered out through a series of closed-door meetings of the four top legislative leaders.

"This is what compromise looks like. This is it. A bill that none of us like at 100 percent," Sen. Kimberly Lightford, a Democrat from Westchester, said during debate.

"Our battle to get to this point is worth it," added Sen. Sue Rezin, a Republican from Peru. "Don't let perfect get in the way of possible."

Governor Bruce Rauner has already vowed to sign the bill, which will move Illinois to an "evidence-based model" of education funding, taking into account each districts individual needs, as well as its local revenue sources, when appropriating state aid  prioritizing districts that are furthest from being fully-funded.

Without an evidence-based model in place, no state funding can be disbursed to K-12 schools across Illinois at all, due to a provision in the budget passed in July that makes aid contingent on an overhaul of the funding formula.

As a result, the state missed its deadline to make general state aid payments to schools for the first time in history earlier this month, according to Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza, leaving many districts facing uncertainty amid preparations for the beginning of the school year.

"Educators and most importantly parents and children everywhere in Illinois can finally exhale and have confidence that their schools will open and stay open," Mendoza said in a statement following the Senate vote. "I have prepared my Office to release an estimated $540 million in General State Aid owed to schools for the month of August as soon as the Governor signs the bill and after the State Board of Education transmits these vouchers to my Office. It is anticipated these payments will be issued within the next few days."



The deal, first announced Thursday, initially failed in the House Monday after hourslong caucus meetings and criticism from several stakeholders, including representatives on both sides of the aisle. One of the more controversial components of the bill is a proposal to provide state aid to students who attend private schools through a tuition tax credit program.

Cardinal Blase Cupich has long advocated for the proposal, a five-year trial program beginning with the 2018 school year, but the Chicago Teachers Union called it a "voucher scheme to help the wealthy."

The CTU has been a major critic of the plan that will earmark up to $75 million for scholarship tax credits. Lawmakers said those credits will go to low- and middle-income parents, impacting roughly 6,000 private school students whose families make less than $73,000 per year.

Some progressive Democrats, as well as several other unions like the Illinois Education Association, positioned themselves against the bill, denouncing it as an effort to create a statewide voucher program.

State Sen. Daniel Biss, a Democrat from Evanston seeking his party's nomination to take on Rauner in 2018, was among those voting no, saying he made his decision not because he doesn't understand compromise, but because "public dollars to private schools" crossed a "red line" for him and sets a "dangerous precedent."

Chicago Democrats in the House stayed an extra hour after a three-hour caucus meeting Monday to discuss that very issue privately with House Speaker Mike Madigan, emerging divided in their opinions on the bill as a whole.

"Today we saw compromise," Madigan said in a statement after the final House vote. "Instead of pitting children and communities against each other, Democrats and Republicans came to an agreement on much of whats in this bill. And even where we dont fully agree, were willing to work together in good faith and meet each other half way."

"Through compromise, weve included some provisions that many members would not have supported on their own," his statement continued. "But a package that permanently provides more money for Illinois schools and puts us closer than ever to fixing Illinois broken school funding system is too important to let partisan differences get in the way."

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel applauded the agreement as well, having said previously that the bill would give cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools what they wanted and more.

"For far too long, Illinois has ranked dead last in the country for funding its highest poverty school districts. Now we are poised to reform that inequitable and insufficient funding formula," he said in a statement Tuesday, after thanking lawmakers the day before for their efforts to "put politics aside to address decades of inequity."

CPS said the bill will provide the district with roughly $450 million more, with $76 million more in state aid under the new funding formula, $18.5 million for early childhood education and $13 million for bilingual education, minus a $4 million loss from various shifts in the state budget.

The measure will allow Chicago to raise its property taxes by roughly five percent overall, resulting in an average 2.5 percent increase per homeowner expected to generate an additional $125 million.

Finally, the deal will shift normal pension costs for CPS - the only district for which Illinois does not make employer contributions - to the state, allocating an additional $221 million to the beleagured district.

In total, that financial package has led more conservative critics to call the original Senate Bill 1 a "Chicago bailout" throughout the monthslong negotiations.

Among the Republican no votes Tuesday was Springfield state Sen. Sam McCann, who used that rhetoric in his criticism but also said he opposed the tax credit program - and is still considering challenging Rauner in the GOP primary.

McCann, who has had the support of labor unions in the past, also voted to override the governor's veto of the budget in July. He said Tuesday that while he realizes that if he chooses to run, Rauner would have the ability to outspend him, money will not be the sole factor as he makes his decision - which he expects to come to within the next month.

Rauner himself has also been critical of the deal, telling business leaders in southern Illinois Friday that lawmakers were "on the verge of what is largely good education funding reform," but again blamed Madigan for inserting "a bunch of bad things in it," like funding for CPS that the governor said "shouldn't go to Chicago."

"Its not fair but its going to end up being a compromise," Rauner said. "Its not where wed like it to be and what Ill try to do is fix the problems with it in subsequent legislation."

While Rauner did not specify what those future changes might be, he issued a statement following the bill's passage in the Senate on Tuesday that struck a different tone.

"For far too long, too many low-income students in our state have been trapped in underfunded, failing schools. The system needed to change. We have changed it," he said, thanking the leaders for their work. "We have put aside our differences and put our kids first. It's a historic day for Illinois."



The governor vowed Monday after the final House vote to sign the bill quickly "in order to ensure that our schools  many of which have already opened for the 2017-2018 school year  receive their much-needed resources."

Rauner, who made rare appearances on the floor of both chambers to thank lawmakers after their respective votes, will likely sign the bill in a ceremony Thursday. Sources said he has invited the four legislative leaders, Emanuel, and Cupich to attend the signing in Chicago.
One of the FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitives has been arrested, the bureaus Chicago Field Office announced on Sunday.

The announcement, which was made in conjunction with Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, and Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, revealed that 29-year-old Luis Macedo was taken into custody in Guadalajara, Mexico on Saturday.

Macdeo, whose last known address was in Oak Lawn, was wanted in connection with the brutal murder of 15-year-old Alex Arellano in 2009. According to authorities, Arellano was brutally beaten, shot, and then set on fire by alleged members of the Latin Kings street gang.

The atrocious violent acts committed by Luis Macedo, and his unwise decision to evade law enforcement, are the reasons why the FBI has established a Ten Most Wanted list, Special Agent Michael J. Anderson said in a statement.

Macedo was charged with one count of first degree murder in July 2009, and a federal arrest warrant was issued by the District Court of Chicago in May 2010.

According to FBI data, Macedo was the 507th person placed on the Most Wanted list, which was established in 1950.
Authorities have identified a Waukegan man as the person found dead in December along the shoreline of Lake Michigan in Kenosha County, Wisconsin.

The body was found about 3 p.m. on Dec. 28, 2016 on the rocks of Lake Michigan near the 1100 block of Sheridan Road in the village of Somers, according to the Kenosha County sheriffs office.

He has since been identified as 38-year-old Jonce Robinson Jr., of Waukegan, the sheriffs office announced Monday. His manner and cause of death are undetermined.

Robinsons remains had been sent to the University of North Texas Center of Human Identification, where an anthropologic examination and DNA confirmed his identification, police said. The response from Robinsons family members also assisted in his positive identification.

This brought closure not only to Jonces family, but to the long hours put in by the Kenosha Sheriffs Department detectives and the Kenosha County medical examiners office, the sheriffs office said in the statement.

Kenosha County authorities had previously released information about personal items in the hopes that someone would recognize them. A purple keychain with several keys and a Thorntons Gas Station rewards card were recovered from the body. The keychain also contained a padlock key, house key and round car key and the body was found wearing a 3XL zip-up, hooded Reebok sweatshirt, originally black with red and orange distressed lettering across the front chest.

The sheriffs office reminds the public of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), a possible aid to anyone trying to locate someone who has gone missing.
A 15-year-old was taken into custody in connection with two violent rapes and the death of a woman in northwest Indiana last week, authorities announced Monday.

"Today, our streets are safe from this violent individual," police said in a release.

According to authorities, DNA recovered from two sexual assault victims matched the teen, who had been a person of interest in the case. Formal charges are pending against the teen suspect, whose name was being withheld because of his age, police said.

The sexual assaults happened within two weeks of each other in Hammond, with a 14-year-old girl and a 25-year-old woman being approached by a young man who forced them into an alley and raped them, officials alleged.

The incidents happened around 12:30 p.m. July 26 in the 6700 block of Grand Avenue and just before 1 a.m. Aug. 8 in the 7400 block of Arkansas Avenue. Both times the women reported the teen threatened them with a hammer.

The teen is also accused in connection with the killing of Lucia Gonzalez, who was found stabbed to death in her Hammond home last Tuesday.

Around 6 a.m., officers responded to a report of a bleeding woman in the 7500 block of Alexander Avenue in Hammond, according to police.

Gonzalez, 25, was found dead in her home, but children inside the house were safe and unharmed, officials said.

An autopsy determined Gonzalez died of multiple stab wounds and her death was ruled a homicide, the coroners office and police said.

"At this time, we believe our suspect in the rapes is also our prime suspect in the homicide of Ms. Gonzalez," Hammond police said in a statement.


Donald Trump's personal lawyer confirmed Monday that the president's company pursued a project in Moscow during the Republican primary, but said that the plan was abandoned "for a variety of business reasons." The attorney, Michael Cohen, also said he sent an email to the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of the potential deal.

The confirmation that the Trump Organization was actively considering doing business in Russia during the presidential election could provide special counsel Robert Mueller fodder for probing Trump's personal and business finances, a line Trump has warned him not to cross.

Cohen disclosed details of the deal in a statement to the House intelligence committee, which like Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia. The Associated Press obtained the statement Monday.

In the statement, Cohen said that he worked on the real estate proposal with Felix Sater, a Russia-born associate who he said claimed to have deep connections in Moscow.

The discussions about the potential development occurred in the fall of 2015, months after Trump had declared his candidacy, and ended early last year when Cohen determined that the project was not feasible, according to a copy of Cohen's statement obtained by The Associated Press. Cohen also disclosed that Trump was personally aware of the deal, signing a letter of intent and discussing it with Cohen on two other occasions.

In a statement, the Trump Organization emphasized that the licensing deal "was not significantly advanced," noting that no site or financing materialized during the negotiations. The company also said it was never paid any fees as part of the deal, and the signed letter of intent was nonbinding.

"To be clear, the Trump Organization has never had any real estate holdings or interests in Russia," the company said.

The negotiations of the possible Trump Tower Moscow deal were first reported Sunday night by The Washington Post. On Monday, The New York Times reported on an email in which Sater appeared to boast that the real estate deal could help Trump get elected.

"Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it," Sater wrote in an email, according to the Times. "I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this, I will manage this process."

He also said in another email about a possible ribbon-cutting: "I will get Putin on this program and we will get Donald elected."

Through his attorney, Sater released the following statement:

In the latter half of 2015, I put together a real estate proposal for the development of the worlds tallest building in Moscow. I presented this signature development opportunity to my longtime friend Michael Cohen, Executive Vice President and Special Counsel to the Trump Organization which resulted in a signed Letter of Intent for this project," he said.

"Since I was not working for them, had the project been successful I would not have been compensated by the Trump Organization. Michael Cohen was the only member of the Trump Organization who I communicated with on this project. During the course of our communications over several months, I routinely expressed my enthusiasm regarding what a tremendous opportunity this was for the Trump Organization. Ultimately, in January 2016 Michael informed me that the Trump Organization decided not to move forward with the project.

In the two-page statement obtained by the AP, Cohen said he emailed Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, after Sater suggested that "the proposal would require approvals within the Russian government that had not been issued." Cohen said he did not recall any response to his email, or any other contacts with Peskov or other Russian government officials about the project.

Cohen portrayed the proposal as one of "countless" that the Trump Organization has received for developments around the world, noting that Trump had properties and developments in about a dozen different countries.

The project, Cohen said, first came to his attention in September 2015 when he received a proposal for a "Trump Tower Moscow" that would house a luxury hotel, office spaces and condominiums.

Cohen said he "performed some initial due diligence" to determine whether it was a good fit for the Trump Organization, and Trump ultimately signed a nonbinding letter of intent with a Moscow-based developer, I.C. Expert Investment Co., on Oct. 28, 2015.

After the signing of the letter, Cohen said the Trump Organization sought building designs from architects and held "preliminary discussions regarding potential financing" for the building.

Cohen said he also communicated extensively with Sater, who was brokering the deal and stood to receive payment from the Russian developer if it came to fruition.

Sater was a former real estate executive at Bayrock Group LLC, a development company that leased space in Trump Tower and also partnered with him on various deals. Sater was previously convicted of assault in 1993 for stabbing a man in the face with a broken margarita glass. He later became a government informant upon his conviction years later in a $40 million Mafia stock fraud scheme.

A judge is reviewing requests by news organizations and others to unseal court records detailing his cooperation on behalf of the government in what prosecutors have described as national security matters. Federal prosecutors have opposed disclosing such information, arguing doing so could jeopardize investigations and put lives at risk.

In his statement, Cohen downplayed the comments Sater made in email correspondence about the Trump Tower Moscow deal.

"Over the course of my business dealings with Mr. Sater, he has sometimes used colorful language and has been prone to 'salesmanship'," Cohen said. "As a result, I did not feel that it was necessary to routinely apprise others within the Trump Organization of communications that Mr. Sater sent only to me."

Cohen said that Sater "constantly" invited him to travel to Moscow and encouraged him to bring Trump. But Cohen said he rebuffed the overtures. He said he has never traveled to Russia, and never considered asking Trump to go to Russia, which he said he only would have encouraged if there was a "definitive agreement in place."

Cohen said the proposal, which was contingent upon the developer finding an appropriate property and getting necessary permits, was under consideration until the end of January 2016. At that point, he said that he determined the "proposal was not feasible for a variety of business reasons and should not be pursued further."

He said neither the decision to pursue the development nor the decision to abandon it were related to Trump's presidential campaign.
A pregnancy discrimination charge has been filed against the Town of Cromwell after the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut (ACLU) said an expecting officer was put on unpaid leave.

ACLU said they filed the charge on behalf of Cromwell police officer Sarah Alicea.

"After my husband and I learned that we were expecting our rst child, we were ecstatic. Our excitement soon turned into anger and frustration at how my department and the Town of Cromwell treated me. This roller coaster of emotions and uncertainty has added an enormous amount of stress to what should be the happiest time in my life," Alicea said in a statement sent by ACLU.

The complaint said Cromwell violated Alicea's rights when the town refused to temporarily modify the officer's job duties and "instead forced her to take unpaid leave for the last four months of her pregnancy," according to ACLU.

The ACLU said despite Alicea proposing numerous other law enforcement duties she could perform safely with her physical limitations, the town rejected them.

The Cromwell officer has not been working since March 2017.

The charge was filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.

"Federal law requires covered employers, including public employers such as police departments, to treat pregnant workers the same way they treat other workers who are 'similar in their ability or inability to work,' while Connecticut law goes even further, requiring employers to 'make a reasonable effort to transfer a pregnant employee to any suitable temporary position which may be available'," according to the ACLU.



Alicea, a Cromwell native, worked for four years as a patrol officer and school resource officer during the academic year. She was previously an officer in New London.

The ACLU said her husband is a combat-wounded veteran and Alicea is the family's primary source of income.

The town manager, Anthony J. Salvatore, provided NBC Connecticut with the following statement:

"The Town of Cromwell does not comment on the substance and details of pending lawsuits and claims. However, what I can say is that the Town of Cromwell believes it has complied with state and federal law as well as the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. The Town intends to defend these allegations."


A former Plainville High School special education teacher has been arrested after a website that works to expose child predators and later police found he had a sexual relationship with a teenage boy several years earlier, according to police.

Police said they started investigating 49-year-old James Batt Jr. on April 2 after the superintendent of schools in Plainville contacted authorities about a video posted online.

Batt was accused of communicating online and through texts with a person who he thought was a 15-year-old boy and arrived at a Dunkin Donuts on March 28 to meet the boy, according to police.

However, the person Batt was communicating with was actually the creator of Pop Squad, a website that tries to expose child predators, according to police, and Pop Squad posted video of that meeting online.

As police investigated those allegations, they said they determined that Batt had a consensual relationship with a 14- or 15-year-old boy in 2010.

The statute of limitations had expired, preventing police from file sexual assault charges in that case, but police said they were able to arrest him on other charges because of videos and photos he had.

Batt had resigned from Plainville schools. The superintendent said no students were victims.

On Monday, police arrested Batt at his place of employment in Bolton and he has been charged employing a minor in an obscene performance, first-degree possession of child pornography and criminal attempt to commit impairing the morals of a minor.

NBC Connecticut went to Batt's home Monday afternoon, but no one answered.

The court-set bond at $500,000 and Batt is due in Bristol Superior Court on Monday.
More than 20,000 students headed back to school in Hartford Tuesday morning, and while faculty and staff welcome them back, administrators are bracing themselves for how to deal with the effect of budget uncertainty and cuts.

A group dedicated to providing positive role models in Hartford, 100 Men of Color, greeted students like rock stars as they returned to school.

Its beautiful, really exciting. Just makes my heart melt. I love it because theyre congratulating the kids on their first day of school, Tammie Oliver, of Hartford, said.

Im able to give back to the community and make a positive impact. Thats what matters to me, said Brian Martin, a member of 100 Men of Color who greeted students at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School.

This comes at a time when district staff focuses on balancing the curriculum with ongoing budget issues.

Nearly two weeks ago, Gov. Dannel Malloy announced drastic cuts would have to be made in school funding across the state if a budget isnt reached by October.

The city of Hartford is struggling with its own budget, and with no word on what to expect from the state, it's impossible for administrators to know exactly where to focus their efforts.

Hartford public school leadership literally stepped up to the plate Monday as Supt. Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez addressed thousands of teachers and staff at Dunkin Donuts park during the citys annual convocation.

While she reassured everyone the quality of each childs education wouldnt be changed, she said the budget crisis and possible consolidation of schools will certainly bring other challenges. The district was already forced to cut 80 positions due to budget cuts.

Rawson Elementary principal Tayarisha Stone has already talked with her staff about how theyll be facing these challenges.

I know that its going to be difficult, and the message that Ive given to the staff is that, although it is difficult, its not impossible. Our teachers are very resourceful, theyre resilient, and theyre ready for our students, Stone said.

Torres-Rodriguez told NBC Connecticut the schools leadership is prepared to make challenging decisions together and wants to reassure parents no matter what, this will still be a great school year for their kids.
A man who was uncooperative when officers responded to a disturbance call in New Milford Monday night is dead after a police-involved shooting, according to state police.

New Milford police responded to Outlook Road around 4:50 p.m. after receiving a disturbance call and a man who came out of the residence was holding a shotgun, ignored officers' requests to talk and ran into the woods with the gun, state police said.

Police and K9 units searched the woods but the man came out of the woods on his own, still carrying the weapon, and approached officers, according to state police.

A New Milford officer fired at least once and struck the suspect after he refused to drop the gun, Connecticut State Police said.

The suspect was taken to Danbury Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Police have identified the suspect as 62-year-old Kostatinos Sfaelos, of New Milford, and the officer as 33-year-old Christopher Hayes, who has been with the department since 2014.

Connecticut State Police have assumed the investigation and the Western District Major Crimes team is handling the investigation.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy.
Shara Teague and her family live in West Haven, but her oldest child is beginning seventh grade in the New Haven school system.

"They always have a lot to do after school, they always seem to have a lot of activities at this school," Teague told NBC Connecticut before picking up her son, Deleon. "Hes done newspaper club, hes done band."

Teague has been a student at the East Rock Community Magnet School since third grade. Teague is one of about 3,000 students from New Havens suburbs to be enrolled at one of the school districts 18 magnet schools.

"They know me by name, they know me by face," his mom said. "Im always welcome and I like that."

At the start of this new school year, Interim Superintendent Dr. Reginald Mayo said New Haven schools are striving for progress in three areas.

"Our goals in New Haven are to cut the dropout rate in half," Mayo said Monday morning. "To cut the achievement gap in half, and certainly make sure that every student is prepared and financially able to go on to college."

Board of Education members are still looking for a new permanent superintendent as Mayo begins his second school year in the interim role.

The district has hired about 100 new teachers and administrators, Mayo said before greeting students for their first day at the John C. Daniels Interdistrict Magnet School of International Communication.

"We have a new principal here at John C. Daniels," Mayo said. "Hes fresh from Puerto Rico."

Over the summer, recruiters from the school district went to the Caribbean island in search of more Spanish speaking educators.

"We are working hard to develop our students and to develop our schools," Principal Daniel Bonet-Ojeda said. "To unify cultures and to have the next future of New Haven."

With school back in session, Mayor Toni Harp is urging state lawmakers to pass a budget by the end of September. She told NBC Connecticut schools in New Haven should be OK through the first quarter because of funding form the states education cost sharing grant program.
Hillary Clinton will be coming to Connecticut next week and again in October to sign her new memoir, What Happened.

Clinton is scheduled to be at Costco, at 200 Federal Road in Brookfield, on Sept. 16. The book signing is at noon.

She will be back in Connecticut on Oct. 21 for a signing at Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore, at 413 Main St. in Middletown. The book signing is at 2 p.m. and you will need a ticket, which costs $30 plus tax per person, to attend the event.

Clinton will also be signing copies of her illustrated childrens book, It Takes a Village, at RJ Julia that day. The webpage for the event says she will sign a maximum of two books for each attendee, but will not personalize the books or sign any memorabilia.

What Happened, which will be released on Sept. 12, is about what Clinton was thinking and feeling during the presidential election and what it was like to run against now-President Donald Trump.
City workers, partner organizations and volunteers are finishing preparations at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in downtown Dallas for evacuees from Hurricane Harvey.

As many as 5,000 evacuees may begin arriving some time Tuesday.

Earlier Monday, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said the "mega shelter" would optimistically be ready late Monday.

City officials began preparing the lower-level air-conditioned garage as a shelter on Sunday. The city is currently operating three additional shelters at recreation centers that are near capacity.

Rawlings said Monday afternoon more than 500 people from Galveston would be flown to North Texas.

"Today we are going to start receiving ... individuals that are going to be flown out of the Galveston area. The state has eight, nine different planes and we will be receiving at Love Field, 50 to 80 people on each of those flights," Rawlings said. "There will be individuals, their animals as well, and we will start to triage those individuals and figure out where we can put them."

The Dallas mega shelter will include a medical facility that will be able to perform basic medical care, however those needing additional care will be sent to area hospitals.

The city of Houston has 250 buses on standby ready to move evacuees from the city. When they arrive will be determined by road conditions exiting the city; Rawlings said it could be another 48 hours before Interstate 45 is available.

"If Houston is not able to take care of all of those citizens' needs, they'll start moving them north and that's when we'll start receiving," Rawlings said.

Rawlings said city officials are preparing for the possibility that the mega shelter may, too, reach capacity.

"We may have thousands, upon thousands, upon thousands or more individuals that will even get bigger than this convention center. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but we've been asked to prepare for numbers that could be up in the tens of thousands. To that end, we are looking at other areas in the city of Dallas."
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, defended his 2013 vote against a Superstorm Sandy relief bill for the New York-New Jersey area on Monday as Hurricane Harvey ravaged parts of his home state and officials turned to the federal government for support.

Cruz stood by his controversial vote when pressed in an appearance on MSNBC, saying that the aid bill for Sandy rebuilding was bloated with "unrelated pork" and "two-thirds of that bill had nothing to do with Sandy."

The senator, who is advocating for federal funds for Texas, said he is confident that the government will provide the needed resources for Harvey's victims and doubled down on his Sandy relief "no" vote, saying "theres time for political sniping later."

"The accurate thing to say is that I and a number of others enthusiastically and emphatically supported hurricane relief for Sandy," the senator said on MSNBC. "The problem with that particular bill is it became a $50 billion bill that was filled with unrelated pork...its not right for politicians to exploit a disaster when people are hurting to pay for their own political wish list."
Fourteen fugitives were arrested, including one of the FBI's most wanted suspects, and 277 pounds of narcotics were seized at ports of entry along California over the weekend.

The suspects were arrested for charges ranging from lewd acts with a child, assault and homicide to conspiracy, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

A CBP officer conducted inspections at the San Ysidro Pedestrian West Facility last Friday. While the CBP canine team was screening people, a detector dog alerted officers to a 50-year-old American man.

Once they searched him, officers discovered 2,172 tablets of tramadol concealed on his body, with an approximate street value of $10,860.

A few days later, CBP officers arrested a man suspected of a homicide in Chicago, Illinois on Sunday. Just before 10 a.m., a U.S. citizen who arrived from Guadalajara, Mexico, was taken to the Cross Border Express (CBX) by Mexican authorities.

At the CBX facility, officers took 29-year-old Luis Macedo into custody and were able to confirm that he was on the FBI's Most Wanted list.

Macedo was turned over to special agents with the FBI, according to CBP.



CBP officers also intercepted more than 162 pounds of methamphetamine, 49 pounds of cocaine, 56 pounds of marijuana, almost seven pounds of heroin and 2,172 tablets of tramadol last Friday, according to CBP.

The drugs were found concealed in various parts of cars, like the floor, gas tank, seats and bumpers, said CBP officials.
There was a considerable contrast between free speech rallies on both sides of the bay over the weekend, raising questions about whether the brief spurts of violence in Berkeley could have been prevented.

Thousands of protesters marched safely in the streets of San Francisco on Saturday, but on Sunday at Civic Center Park in Berkeley, what started peacefully broke into violent clashes between "alt-right" and anti-fascist groups, pitting the principles of free speech against anti-hate.

Thirteen people were arrested, 11 for banned items and two for felony assault, according to Berkeley police.

Berkeley PD

Police said the 13 people arrested Sunday were: Seth Vasquez, 25, of Berkeley; Mark Misohink, 23, of Berkeley; James Dominic, 23, of Oakland; Kristopher Wyrick, 39, of Alpine; Harlan Pankau, 38, of Jamul; Levi Smith, 32, of Sparks, Nevada; Sean Hines, 20, of Santa Rosa; Brittany Moorman, 26, of Oakland; Yesenia Mendez, 22, residence unknown; Emily Gillespie, 24, of Berkeley; Sean Dougan, 47, of Portland, Oregon; Rachel Moore, 40, of Oakland; and Joshua Phillips, 36, of Oakland.

Sundays event turned out to be rather one-sided, with a dwindling number of "alt-right" ralliers and many Antifa demonstrators armed and seemingly ready for action.

"When there werent conservative protesters that they wanted to fight, they wanted to fight the police," Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin said. "So I think the police made the right decision to pull back, so that they didnt get hurt and other people didnt get hurt, to de-escalate the situation."

At least 500 police officers from various agencies were posted around the park Sunday. When the wave of masked Antifa protesters showed up, they were allowed to enter despite their brazen violation of rules.

"Their strategic plan was to bar anybody with weapons. They didnt say how many they were going to bar; it says nobody gets in with weapons," said Tony Ribera, former San Francisco police chief, referring to Berkeley police rules in advance of the rally. "And yet, they let people in with weapons?"

Ribera served as SFPD chief until 1996. Today, he leads the Institute of Criminal Justice at University of San Francisco. He worries about the precedent of empowering a group like Antifa.

"If people are committed to breaking the law, if you let them get away with it once, theyre gonna get away with it twice," he said.

Ribero's theory may be tested soon, as UC Berkeley is slated to host controversial right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos in September. Yiannopoulos' last appearance on Feb. 1 was cut short to keep the peace but turned into a night of violence and destruction across the city.

Arreguin said the university should think twice about allowing Yiannopoulos to appear.

"Were concerned about how this is going to impact our public safety resources and our community as a whole," the mayor said.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ plans on hosting Yiannopoulos during Free Speech Week, Sept. 24-27, to preserve free speech.

Bay City News contributed to this report.
What to Know Flex Alert in effect Friday, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Set thermostat to 78 degrees or higher

Use major appliances only late in the evening or early in the morning

The state's independent system operator issued a statewide Flex Alert for Friday afternoon due to a heat wave that has contributed to power outages this week.

With temperatures climbing into triple-digits across much of Southern California, California ISO issued the call for voluntary electricity conservation from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday. Consumers are asked to conserve power during late afternoon, when air conditioners are usually at peak use.

Record power demands is expected Friday, according to Cal ISO.

"Power supply conditions will be tight Friday and so will be the natural gas supply in Southern California," the agency's statement said. "Southern California Gas Company and the ISO are following the processes established to manage gas supply in the LA Basin during the limitations placed on the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility."

Aliso Canyon is in the Porter Ranch area northwest of Los Angeles.

Power Conservation Tips

Power outages can occur during periods of high heat when residents and businesses crank up their air conditioners at the same time. According to the LADWP conservation is particularly essential from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Turn thermostats to 78 degrees or higher.

Turn off unnecessary lights.

Adjust water heaters to 120 degrees.

Use major appliances only late in the evening or early in the morning

Turn off pool pumps.

Record-breaking heat will continue across Southern California, with LA County temperatures up to 18 degrees above normal. Excessive heat warnings are in effect throughout the region.

The heat wave is expected to continue into the weekend and, possibly, next week. The warmest temperatures will be in the valleys and the mountains at lower elevations

Residents are urged to protect themselves from the heat by scheduling arduous outdoor activities for the early morning or evening hours, wearing light-colored and light weight clothing, drinking plenty of water, checking on friends and neighbors, especially the elderly, and by never leaving children, seniors or pets in parked vehicles.
Floodwaters reached the rooflines of single-story homes Monday and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as Harvey poured rain on the Houston area for a fourth consecutive day after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues.

The nation's fourth-largest city was still mostly paralyzed by one of the largest downpours in U.S. history. And there was no relief in sight from the storm that spun into Texas as a Category 4 hurricane, then parked over the Gulf Coast. With nearly 2 more feet (61 centimeters) of rain expected on top of the 30-plus inches (76 centimeters) in some places, authorities worried that the worst might be yet to come.

The storm system is expected to make landfall again sometime this week, forecasters told NBC News.

"This is a landmark event for Texas," said Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "Texas has never seen an event like this."

Harvey has been blamed for at least three confirmed deaths, including a woman killed Monday in the town of Porter, northeast of Houston, when a large oak tree dislodged by heavy rains toppled onto her trailer home.

A Houston television station reported Monday that six family members were believed to have drowned when their van was swept away by floodwaters. The KHOU report was attributed to three family members the station did not identify. No bodies have been recovered.

Police Chief Art Acevedo told The Associated Press that he had no information about the report but said that he's "really worried about how many bodies we're going to find."

According to the station, four children and their grandparents were feared dead after the van hit high water Sunday when crossing a bridge in the Greens Bayou area.

The driver of the vehicle, the children's great-uncle, reportedly escaped before the van sank by grabbing a tree limb. He told the children to try to escape through the back door, but they were unable to get out.

The disaster unfolded on an epic scale in one of America's most sprawling metropolitan centers. The Houston metro area covers about 10,000 square miles, an area slightly bigger than New Jersey. It's crisscrossed by about 1,700 miles of channels, creeks and bayous that drain into the Gulf of Mexico, about 50 miles to the southeast from downtown.

The storm is generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years, said Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, which was concerned that floodwater would spill around a pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston.

The flooding was so widespread that the levels of city waterways have equaled or surpassed those of Tropical Storm Allison from 2001, and no major highway has been spared some overflow.

The city's normally bustling business district was virtually deserted Monday, with emergency vehicles making up most of the traffic.

Rescuers continued plucking people from the floodwaters. Mayor Sylvester Turner put the number rescued by police at more than 3,000. The Coast Guard said it had also rescued more than 3,000 by boat and air and was taking more than 1,000 calls her hour.

Chris Thorn was among the many volunteers still helping with the mass evacuation that began Sunday. He drove with a buddy from the Dallas area with their flat-bottom hunting boat to pull strangers out of the water.

"I couldn't sit at home and watch it on TV and do nothing since I have a boat and all the tools to help," he said.

They got to Spring, Texas, where Cypress Creek had breached Interstate 45 and went to work, helping people out of a gated community near the creek.

"It's never flooded here," Lane Cross said from the front of Thorn's boat, holding his brown dog, Max. "I don't even have flood insurance."

A mandatory evacuation was ordered for the low-lying Houston suburb of Dickinson, home to 20,000. Police cited the city's fragile infrastructure in the floods, limited working utilities and concern about the weather forecast.

In Houston, questions continued to swirl about why the mayor did not issue a similar evacuation order.

Turner has repeatedly defended the decision and did so again Monday, insisting that a mass evacuation of millions of people by car was a greater risk than enduring the storm.

"Both the county judge and I sat down together and decided that we were not in direct path of the storm, of the hurricane, and the safest thing to do was for people to stay put, make the necessary preparations. I have no doubt that the decision we made was the right decision."

He added, "Can you imagine if millions of people had left the city of Houston and then tried to come back in right now?"

The Red Cross quickly set up the George R. Brown Convention Center and other venues as shelters. The center, which was also used to house Hurricane Katrina refugees from New Orleans in 2005, can accommodate roughly 5,000 people. By Monday evening, it was nearly full.

At the Addicks and Barker reservoirs, the Army Corps started releasing water Monday because water levels were climbing at a rate of more than 6 inches (15 centimeters) per hour, Corps spokesman Jay Townsend said.

The move was supposed to help shield the business district from floodwaters, but it also risked flooding thousands more homes in nearby subdivisions. Built after devastating floods in 1929 and 1935, the reservoirs were designed to hold water until it can be released downstream at a controlled rate.

In the Cypress Forest Estates neighborhood in northern Harris County, people called for help from inside homes as water from a nearby creek rose to their eaves. A steady procession of rescue boats floated into the area.

Harvey increased slightly in strength Monday as it drifted back over the warm Gulf, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters expect the system to stay over water with 45 mph (72 kph) winds for 36 hours and then head back inland east of Houston sometime Wednesday. The system will then head north and lose its tropical strength.

Before then, up to 20 more inches (51 centimeters) of rain could fall, National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini said Monday.

That means the flooding will get worse in the days ahead and the floodwaters will be slow to recede once Harvey finally moves on, the weather service said.

Sometime Tuesday or early Wednesday, parts of the Houston region will probably break the nearly 40-year-old U.S. record for the biggest rainfall from a tropical system  48 inches, set by Tropical Storm Amelia in 1978 in Texas, meteorologists said.

The amount of water in Houston was so unprecedented that the weather service on Wednesday had to update the color charts on its official rainfall maps to indicate the heavier totals.

In Louisiana, the images of the devastation in Houston are stirring up painful memories for many Hurricane Katrina survivors.

"It really evoked a lot of emotions and heartbreak for the people who are going through that now in Houston," Ray Gratia said as he picked up sandbags for his New Orleans home, which flooded during the 2005 hurricane.

The weather service issued flash flood watches through Thursday for southern parts of Louisiana, where the storm is expected to drop 10 to 15 more inches of rain.

On Monday, President Donald Trump declared an emergency in Lousiana and activated federal assistance for the state.

Trump's administration assured Congress that the $3 billion balance in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster fund was enough to handle immediate needs, such as debris removal and temporary shelter for displaced residents. Trump planned to visit Texas on Tuesday.

Harvey was the fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in 13 years and the strongest to strike Texas since 1961's Hurricane Carla, the most powerful Texas hurricane on record.

Associated Press writers Juan Lozano and Nomaan Merchant in Houston and David Warren in Dallas contributed to this report.
The American Red Cross and other organizations are accepting donations to help those affected by Harvey.



Harvey made landfall in southeast Texas late Friday as a Category 4 hurricane. It lingered over Houston as a tropical storm, causing unprecedented flooding and stranding residents who remained in their homes. Early Wednesday, Harvey made a second landfall, this time hitting southwestern Louisiana.



The Red Cross is calling for blood donations, being accepted throughout the country, on its website.

The Red Cross is also accepting donations online, which can be paid with a credit card or Pay Pal. You can call 1-800-RED CROSS or make a $10 donation by texting "HARVEY" to 90999. (The Red Cross reported that there were some delays with donations by text message after being inundated).

Other organizations are accepting donations as well. The National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster group has a collection of member organizations who may be taking both donations and volunteers to help the flood-stricken region. Find out more on the NVOAD website.

The city of Houston established a relief fund, administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation, accepting tax-deductible donations online or by check, money order, wire transfer or financial assets.

And the Houston Independent School District is accepting donations through its regular donation page.

Learn more about federal disaster response at disasterassistance.gov.

NBC News also has a list of more places to give here.
Florida taxpayers have already spent $5 million on a state budget website that never went public. Now litigation over the failed project could cost another $200,000.

The Florida Senate hired a Tallahassee-based contractor six years ago to create the website to help the public understand the state budget. Legislative officials say it didn't work as intended and never went online.

The company, Spider Data Services, asked for its final payment of $500,000 in 2013. But the Senate refused to pay, and instead questioned the no-bid contract to build the website that had been awarded by former Senate President Mike Haridopolos.

Spider Data Services' lawyer, Kenneth Oertel, said they hoped Senate President Joe Negron would pay the final amount after taking his post last November. But he said "nothing has been paid, so we had no recourse but to file" suit for the $500,000, plus interest.

Now, Senate documents posted online show it has agreed to pay up to $200,000 on private attorneys to fight the lawsuit.

Negron's spokeswoman, Katie Betta, declined to comment, pointing instead to court filings by these attorneys.

In a July court filing, the Senate contends the budget website known as "Transparency 2.0" never worked as promised, and that if anything, Spider Data Services should give the money back to the state. The Senate also says the former legislative employee who runs the company "had intimate working knowledge" of how the budget is crafted and knew the software could not be created as promised.

Oertel disputes that the website did not work as intended, saying Senate employees reviewed it and "nobody complained" while parts of the website were being put in place.

A pair of open government and ethics advocacy groups reviewed the website and asserted that it made budget and contracting information easier to obtain and understand.

The result seems to fit a pattern over the last two decades, with the state spending millions on technology projects that either failed to materialize or were deeply flawed.

Florida spent roughly $100 million on a financial reporting and accounting system before shutting down the project for good in 2007. The state's new system for unemployment benefits also had numerous problems when it went online in late 2013.
The husband of a Delray Beach woman who went missing at sea while they were on a boating trip in May will remain in jail through the end of the week after a federal court hearing Tuesday.

Lewis Bennett, who was arrested by the FBI in connection with the May 2016 theft of about $100,000 in gold and silver coins, appeared for the first time in a Key West courtroom. He will be arraigned on Friday afternoon, at which time it will be determined whether he will get bail in the case.

The federal arrest complaint said the coins were stolen from a sailing vessel in St. Maarten, when Bennett was a crewmember on the vessel. Bennett filed a police report in St. Maarten concerning the stolen coins and flew back to Miami five days later, the complaint said.

Bennett and his wife, Isabella Hellmann, were on 40-foot catamaran sailing to Florida in May when she went missing. Authorities say Bennett told them he was sleeping when the boat struck something in the Florida Straits.

He told investigators that when he went above deck, he could not find his wife and the boat started taking on water. Bennett went into a life raft and used his emergency beacon, and was later found about 30 miles from the Bahamas.

The Coast Guard searched the area for Hellmann but she was never found.

According to the criminal complaint, Bennett had a number of personal items in the life raft, including a backpack that a Coast Guard swimmer said was "unusually heavy." The backpack wasn't searched, the complaint said.

When the life raft was searched, authorities discovered nine plastic tubes that were wrapped with clear tape and contained what appeared to be silver coins, the complaint said. There were 235 coins in the raft with a value of about $4,200, the complaint said.

In June, the FBI and Coast Guard executed a search warrant at Bennett's home and found 162 gold coins worth about $26,100, the complaint said.

The owner of the boat that was burglarized said the coins that Bennett had were the same ones that had been stolen, the complaint said.

Hellmann's sister, who didn't want her name used, said Bennett's arrest leads to more questions than answers.

"There's so many things in our mind that we don't know what to think or what to expect from him," she said.


Neighborhoods for miles and miles are now underwater in Houston and it has many in South Florida wondering if the same thing could happen here if we had a Hurricane Harvey-type event.

An expert NBC 6 spoke with Tuesday said there's no defense against nearly 50 inches of rain in a three-day period, like some parts of Texas have experienced.

"Miami-Dade County along with South Florida Water Management has a plan in place for routine rain events as well as drastic rain events, catastrophic rain events falls into a category where no one really designs their systems to meet those levels," said Manuel Garcia, with Miami-Dade Public Works.

It only takes five to seven inches to cause flooding in South Florida, and in coastal areas, King tides can cause flooding without any rain. That's why Miami Beach spent millions to raise street levels and to install pumps.

"The pumps help, what the pumps do is not to prevent flooding but to minimize the effects of flooding," Garcia said. "We're gonna flood, South Florida is on a sponge, we don't flood from the top down, we flood from the bottom up."

Water managers try to minimize that by lowering canal levels if they have enough warning time of a big rain event on the way, giving flood waters space to drain. They didn't have that option in Houston, where even pumps wouldn't make a difference now.

"The system would have been cut off by the debris, it would've hindered them," Garcia said.

Hurricanes fill drainage systems with debris, but they get clogged by every day life, too.

"What can we do to prevent flooding or minimize flooding is citizens have to get involved, there's drains in front of a lot of our houses that we don't pay attention to, we need to keep them clean," Garcia said.

Houston also doesn't have the same type of canal drainage system that South Florida does, which is why they didn't have the option of lowering them in advance, not because they didn't know the storm would be this bad.
A South Florida social media model dubbed the "Cuban Kim Kardashian" found herself posing for a mug shot Sunday after police say she fled from officers while driving drunk after leaving a popular Miami nightclub.

Officers arrested 25-year-old Katherine Ferreiro and charged her with several counts, including driving under the influence and fleeing police.

According to the arrest report, police attempted to pull over Ferreiro just after 8:30 a.m. Sunday after seeing the Range Rover she was driving run a stop sign coming out of Club Eleven on North Miami Avenue and Northeast 11th Street.

An officer came up to her vehicle, but Ferreiro allegedly kept driving before being pulled over a second time. Police later say they smelled alcohol coming from her breath and asked her to perform a field sobriety test, which she failed.

Ferreiro was given a breathalyzer test twice, blowing .198 and .197  over twice the legal limit, the arrest report said. She was booked by police and transferred to jail. Police also say they found two pills in her purse that could possibly be the drug Ecstasy.

Her Instagram profile, showing her in various clothing such as bikinis and workout attire, as well as in the nightlife of South Florida, has over five million followers.
The family of a young Queens man arrested for allegedly trying to join with ISIS in Syria say they're in shock, and they never saw the arrest coming.

Parveg Ahmed, 22, of Ozone Park, was arrested after flying from New York to Saudi Arabia and then attempting to cross into Syria, law enforcement officials tell NBC 4 New York. He was stopped before he could travel into Syria.

After Joint Terrorism Task Forces got a search warrant for Ahmed's personal computer in July they found he'd been listening to recordings of radical Islamic terrorists. One of the recordings was from Abdullah el-Faisal, a Jamaican born cleric found guilty in UK of solicitation to commit murder.

A cell phone search warrant turned up messages to people expressing a desire to travel to ISIS controlled areas, and a message indicating he planned to join ISIS in Syria to wage violent jihad. His browser history also turned up research of maps of ISIS controlled locations, officials said.

Ahmed is charged with attempted material support for terror.

"As alleged, Ahmed sought to take up arms with violent terrorists who have killed numerous innocent victims, including Americans," said Acting US Attorney Bridget Rohde in a statement.



A search of Ahmed's computer indicated he listened to recordings of two notorious clerics, Anwar al-Awlaki and Abdullah el-Faisal. Al-Awlaki was killed in 2011, and el-Faisal was indicted in New York just last week and arrested in Jamaica.

Ahmed was flown back to New York late Monday, where he was arrested by members of the FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force. At a hearing in federal court in Brooklyn Tuesday afternoon, Ahmed was ordered held without bail.

Ahmed's father and brother, who declined to give their names, told NBC 4 New York they were "in shock" and had seen no signs of anything untoward.

"He got religious in the last year. Not radical, just religious," his brother said "He said ISIS was bad just a few months ago."

Ahmed, who is a naturalized United States citizen originally from Bangladesh, went to Stuyvesant High School and Hunter College for a while, his brother said. He said Ahmed was smart and had worked in a warehouse and as a math tutor.

His father said he traveled to Saudi Arabia with Ahmed in June, and then his son left to travel. "We called him and he said he was coming back."

However, the family received a visit from the FBI in June while Ahmed was in Jordan. A law enforcement source said the 22-year-old was initially taken into custody in Jordan. His father sent him a plane ticket and he was released, however, the FBI arrested him Monday.

"I don't know what happened," he told NBC 4 New York.

Neighbors were also shocked at hearing the 22-year-old - who they had seen playing soccer - had been allegedly linked to ISIS.

"I didn't see anything curious about him or anyone else in this neighborhood," one said.



It wasn't clear if Ahmed had retained an attorney who could comment on the allegations. He faces 20 years in prison if convicted, prosecutors say.
Harvey has stranded a Houston couple in New Jersey, leaving them to watch the catastrophic storm from afar and unable to help their loved ones back home.

Kristin Harrison and her wife, Jahqia Harrison, had traveled to New Jersey for the Afropunk Festival in New York over the weekend, and they haven't been able to get a flight back to Houston because of the storm. Harvey, which has been blamed for at least three deaths in Texas, has left them wondering if theyll even have a home to go back to.

"To see it go through what its going through right now, it almost doesnt look like Houston," said Kristin Harrison, a Navy veteran. "My flight has been canceled twice already. I cant help but think even when were allowed to fly into Houston how are we going to get to our residence?"

The couple have been looking at heartbreaking images of the storm's damage sent to them by friends and family. Jahqia Harrison said they are difficult to see, knowing their loved ones are losing homes and they are unable to help.

"Its been hard," she said. "When stuff like this happens you want to be close to your family."

Harvey has paralyzed the nation's fourth-largest city as it spun into Texas as a Category 4 hurricane on Friday. And there's still no relief in sight from the storm that has dropped dozens of inches of rain in some spots, with more on the way.

Kristin and Jahqia Harrison, who are staying with family in Jersey City, wont know what they have lost until they get back to Houston. All they can do now is watch and wait.

"Last night I had a hard time sleeping," Jahqia Harrison said. "I was scrolling my Instagram account and all I see is people crying out to be rescued."

A local disaster relief charity has offered to help the couple until they can get back to Houston.



The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Fire officials are criticizing the landlord of a New York property that went up in flames Sunday, saying the house he was collecting $5,000 per month on was crammed with people and riddled with fire violations.

The third floor attic of the home on Columbus Avenue in Spring Valley was gutted, people's belongings left unsalvageable, after fire tore through the house early Sunday morning.

Fire officials now say there were possibly 20 people crammed into the three story house at the time, most of whom they say were illegal immigrants.

While a smoke alarm alerted a woman sleeping to the fire, one man suffered second degree burns after running back inside.

Spokesperson for the Spring Valley Fire Department Aaron Lerer told NBC 4 New York the home was illegally subdivided, and the landlord was collecting $5,000 each month for it. The basement had been turned into four apartments and the whole place was "a fire hazard, a big fire hazard".

"Each person pays rent for a single room and it's not set up for that," he said. "There is one tiny bath for those four people."

Meanwhile the fire inspector said the property owner had been cited dozens of times for fire code violations.

Landlord Yosef Frieder of Sunset LLC could not be reached for comment, both at his home and over the phone.

The situation was unacceptable, Rockland County Executive Ed Day said.

"The squalor people are expected to reside in is just wrong," he said.

He said the health department had been making strides to crack down on the problem of illegal conversions and fire danger in the areas, increasing fines to $2,000 dollars per violation per day.
What to Know The accident happened hours after Luke Bryan performed at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theatre

It wasn't clear if anyone was hurt, nor was it clear if any of the equipment inside the truck was heavily damaged; the tractor was crushed

The country music star's "Huntin' Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day Tour" continues in Pennsylvania early next month

An equipment truck from country music star Luke Bryan's tour crushed like an accordion after striking an overpass on a Long Island parkway early Monday, according to officials and raw footage from the scene.

The tractor-trailer somehow got wedged beneath the Sunrise Highway overpass on Wantagh State Parkway around 2:30 a.m., hours after Bryan performed at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theatre as part of his "Huntin' Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day Tour," according to Newsday.

It wasn't clear if anyone was hurt, nor was it clear if any of the equipment inside the truck was heavily damaged.

Raw footage from the scene shows the truck, bearing a large photo of Bryan holding a guitar on the back, stuck underneath the overpass. The middle of the tractor-trailer appears crushed like an accordion as a number of law enforcement officials flood the area.

Ordinarily, tractor-trailers are not permitted on parkways, but Newsday says special permits are often issued for vehicles associated with performances at Jones Beach theater. Details regarding the accident and permissions surrounding Bryan's tractor-trailer remain unclear.

At least two lanes of the northbound parkway were closed for hours while authorities investigated.

Bryan's Monday performance wrapped up the New York leg of his tour. He heads to Philadelphia for a number of concerts early next month.
What to Know Posters paying homage to the Confederate Army and to World War II dictators line the walls of the lobby in the 39th Street condo tower

The building directory lists infamous Nazis Rudolf Hess and Josef Mengele as residents

NYC Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer led a rally at the building last week, calling for action; he said Tuesday he was pleased

New York City's Commission on Human Rights has launched an investigation into allegations of tenant harassment at a Queens apartment building, where a property manager has plastered the lobby with hateful posters and propaganda.



Posters paying homage to the Confederate Army and to World War II dictators like Mussolini and Hitler line the walls of the lobby in the 39th Place condo building in the ethnically diverse neighborhood of Sunnyside. Posters in support of the National Rifle Association and President Trump cover the stairwell.



Many residents in the building are immigrants. Last week, residents spoke to News 4 anonymously, terrified of retribution. They say the display of posters and propaganda started small and grew to the entire lobby. The building directory lists infamous Nazis Rudolf Hess and Josef Mengele as residents.



"I actually cried when I saw the Trump mural because it says 'build the wall' on it, and this building is full of people from all over different places, and that statement is loaded with hatred," said one neighbor.



It's illegal in New York City for housing providers, landlords or their employees or agents to discriminate against tenants by creating a hostile environment based on race, religion, immigration status, orientation or any other protected class. It's also against the law to harass tenants based on those classes.



It is now more important than ever for New Yorkers to stand united as one city and reject discrimination and intolerance, Mayor de Blasio said in a statement. We will not let tenants in Sunnyside or across the five boroughs be intimidated or threatened for speaking out against hatred.



New York City Council Major Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, a Democrat, led a rally at the building last week, saying the man has created a "house of horrors" for tenants there. Local lawmakers and leaders from the Anti-Defamation League of New York, the Sunnyside Jewish Cetner and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York were by his side.

He said Tuesday he was pleased the Commission on Human Rights has launched an investigation.



"The tenants of this Sunnyside condominium have been terrorized at the hands of this property manager for far too long," Van Bramer said.

The property manager, Neil Milano, did not respond to NBC 4 New York's requests for comment on the initial story last week. Messages left with the board of managers were also not returned.
What to Know Two people were arrested in a huge synthetic drug lab raid at a luxury NYC waterfront high-rise Tuesday

Dozens of law enforcement officers swarmed the scene around the condo tower in Long Island City

Prosecutors say the two arrested allegedly conspired to distribute a synthetic opioid that is several times more potent than morphine

A Queens man and a New Jersey woman have been arrested for allegedly conspiring to distribute dangerous designer drugs, including a synthetic opioid several times more potent than morphine that has been blamed for at least one overdose death, authorities said Tuesday.



The arrests stem from an ongoing investigation that culminated with a huge raid at a luxury waterfront high-rise in Long Island City, thought to be the site of a synthetic drug lab, earlier in the day.

Prosecutors say the apartment at 4545Center Boulevard was where Parker allegedly cooked up designer drugs and synthetic opioids several times more potent than morphine. On Tuesday afternoon, nearby residents like Libby Vilner were shocked.

"It's making me uneasy right now because I didn't know this was happening," she said.

Another raid was simultaneously conducted in Farmingdale, New Jersey, where the female suspect lives.

According to a criminal complaint, 34-year-old Brian Parker allegedly manufactured and distributed controlled substance analogues, drugs that are "substantially similar" to controlled substances, and other illegal chemicals through two internet-based companies he controlled. The substances sold through his websites were linked to a 2016 overdose death in Wisconsin.



An autopsy revealed the 37-year-old man who overdosed died of acute intoxication due to the combined effects of a substance called U-47700, a synthetic opioid, and Etizolam, a synthetic, fast-acting depressant.



Authorities investigating the man's death found several packages addressed to him, at least one of which contained full glass vials labeled U-47700. They also found multiple invoices indicating the man had been ordering U-47700 and other substances from a website run by Parker, the complaint says.



Officials started looking into one of Parker's websites and found he used other conspirators, including Koleski, the woman charged in the complaint, to send and receive packages for his narcotics distribution business, court documents allege. The accused conspirators got raw materials from China or elsewhere by mail, then repackaged and sent them to Parker, who manufactured those materials into the chemicals he sold online, authorities allege. Parker then allegedly sent the finished products back to the alleged conspirators, who sent them to his customers, prosecutors say.



According to the criminal complaint, Koleski allegedly shipped 218 packages from a post office in Farmingdale, New Jersey, where she lives, between June 30 and July 5. Many of those packages contained the designer drugs Parker allegedly sold, investigators say. A court-authorized search and seizure of about 75 of those packages revealed Parker and Koleski were also distributing designer drugs similar to a synthetic stimulant and PCP.



Parker lives at the Long Island City condo tower on Center Boulevard swarmed by law enforcement Tuesday. Chopper 4 showed at least 20 law enforcement vehicles at the scene. Some officers were seen bringing Hazmat suits inside and other hauled off boxes of evidence from the family-friendly building on the waterfront of the recently gentrified area.

According to Streeteasy, the 41-story building has 820 units and amenities including a 24-hour concierge, valet parking and a gym.

Local Lauren Marciano said the raid was shocking. "There is a lot of families here and young professionals, I would never think something like that would happen here."

"It's not your typical day in Long Island City, that's for sure."



Parker and Koleski face charges of conspiring to distribute controlled substance analogues, and distributing and possession with intent to distribute the controlled substance analogues. Each charge in the complaint carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.



Both appeared in federal court in Newark Tuesday but bail was not determined. Both will remain in custody pending the upcoming bail proceedings.
What to Know The series of bills Mayor de Blasio signed Monday are intended to help reduce the number of NYC smokers by 160,000 by 2020

While smoking rates in NYC have declined from 21.5 percent in 2002 to 14.3 percent in 2015, the city still has more than 900,000 smokers

The bills tackle a number of issues ranging from raising the minimum prices on tobacco to banning tobacco products in pharmacies

Mayor de Blasio signed a sweeping series of anti-smoking bills Monday as part of a comprehensive effort to help reduce the number of smokers in the city by nearly 200,000 over the next few years.



Nearly a million of people in the city still smoke, despite steady declines in smoking rates between 2002 and 2015, according to the health department.

Speaking on Monday, de Blasio said he'd seen first-hand the impact smoking had on a family.

"My dad smoked a lot," he said. "It had a horrible impact on his health. I have two older brothers, none of us has ever smoked a cigarette. I have literally never put a cigarette to my lips and I never will."



The seven bills, part of a package introduced by Council Members Corey Johnson, Brad Lander, Fernando Cabrera, Ritchie Torres and James Vacca, all Democrats, tackle a number of issues ranging from raising the minimum prices on tobacco to banning tobacco products in pharmacies.

Johnson also has a personal perspective on the bills.

"As someone who struggles personally with nicotine addiction I know the first hand grip this substance can have on our lives," he said.

Here's a detailed look at the new measures as provided by the city:

1. Raising Minimum Prices on Tobacco

This bill raises the minimum price of cigarettes and little cigars from $10.50 to $13 a pack and sets a first-ever price floor and tax for other tobacco products, such as cigars, smokeless tobacco, snus, loose tobacco and tobacco-containing shisha. Increasing the cigarette price floor to $13 is projected to lead to a 6.4 percent decline in adult cigarette smoking, decreasing adult prevalence from 14.3 percent to 13.9 percent. The bill also imposes a tax of 10 percent of the minimum price on these other tobacco products, which is expected to generate revenue of $1 million annually dedicated for public housing.

2. Limiting Tobacco Retail Licenses

This measure will reduce the number of stores that can sell tobacco products by capping the tobacco retail dealer licenses in each community district at 50 percent of the current number of licenses. No new tobacco retail dealer licenses will be issued in a community district until its total decreases through attrition below the cap. No current tobacco retail dealers will lose their license as a result of this proposal.

New York City has high tobacco retail density, with about 8,300 licensed cigarette retailers citywide, averaging almost 30 dealers per square mile. Easy access to tobacco retailers makes it harder for smokers to quit, officials say. Based on conservative Health and DCA estimates, 10 years after implementation, this bill could achieve up to a 40 percent reduction in the number of tobacco retailers. Reducing licenses by community districts will decrease density and promote health in neighborhoods citywide.

The bill also updates the New York City retail license for selling cigarettes to encompass all types of tobacco. These changes will improve enforcement of existing laws, including the minimum legal sale age of 21 for tobacco.

3. Creating a Retail License for E-Cigarettes

This bill requires retailers of e-cigarettes be issued a license, like cigarette retailers, and caps the number of these licenses. E-cigarette use has increased dramatically since e-cigarettes were introduced in U.S. markets less than 10 years ago. In 2015, 15.9 percent of New York City high school students were e-cigarette users, according to the health department.

This measure will cap the number of e-cigarette retailers at half the current number by community district, with the reduction in number coming through attrition. Existing sellers will be able to continue to renew their license so long as they meet all applicable licensure requirements.

It would also prohibit pharmacies from selling e-cigarettes.

4. Increasing Cigarette License Fee

This bill will raise the biennial fee for the new tobacco retail dealer license that includes all types of tobacco sales to $200, from the $110 currently charged for a cigarette retail dealer license. There are currently 8,305 of these licenses in New York City.

5. Instituting a Residential Smoking Disclosure Policy

This measure requires owners of residential buildings to create a policy on smoking and disclose it to both current and prospective residents. All residential buildings with three or more units will be covered, including rentals, condos and cooperatives. Buildings would not be required to adopt no-smoking policies.

Disclosure or prominent posting of a buildings policy on smoking will be required annually and any time a building changes its policy. An owner who fails to disclose the policy may face a $100 civil penalty. Tenants would not be fined by the city for smoking in non-smoking areas of buildings.

6. Prohibiting Smoking in Building Common Areas

This bill prohibits smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes in common areas in residential buildings with three or more units. It expands current law that prohibits these activities in residential buildings with more than 10 units.

7. Banning Tobacco Products in Pharmacies

This measure prohibits pharmacies, or retail stores that contain pharmacies, from selling tobacco products, including cigarettes. There are more than 550 pharmacies in New York City licensed to sell tobacco products. The prohibition would begin after these current licenses expire in 2018.



"Pharmacies are places of health and should not sell deadly consumer products," the mayor's office said in announcing the series of bill signings.
A man in a motorized scooter and a woman were two of the people hit when an SUV driver lost control, jumped the curb and barreled into a Queens storefront Monday, police say.

It's not clear what caused the 1:30 p.m. accident on College Point Boulevard in College Point, but surveillance obtained by NBC 4 New York showed the moment the Honda Pilot flew over the curb, knocking a woman to the curb.

Dazed and obviously in pain, the woman is seen getting up and limping away. The SUV then slams into a deli and nail salon, where a man in a motorized scooter was sitting at the door.

Michael Napolitano said he was pushed some 20 feet forward by the impact of the crash.

"I was going in the nail salon and all of a sudden I felt the door hit me...it just hit me from behind.

"My back was towards it...when it got me by the back it pushed me in, another second it would have caught me in the middle and I would have been dead," he said.

Police said one pedestrian was hospitalized in serious but stable condition. The 23-year-old male driver of the SUV was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving and driving without a license.

The video from the scene shows the front right side of the SUV completely demolished.

Debris litters the sidewalk in front of the VDK Grocery, which appears heavily damaged, as law enforcement and emergency personnel flood the area.



It wasn't clear if the driver was hurt. One person was seen being taken away on a stretcher.
Police in Massachusetts say a 7-year-old girl was kidnapped from her grandparents' home and thrown from a bridge into a lake but survived.

Police say the girl was taken at around 2:30 a.m. Sunday from the Worcester home by 35-year-old family friend Joshua Hubert. He allegedly kidnapped the girl from a family cookout at which he was a guest.

Investigators said the girl was put in a car, choked and then thrown into Lake Quinsigamond.

The girl swam to shore in the town of Shrewsbury and was discovered at about 4 a.m.

Maeve Geary woke up to find the soaking wet little girl at her home along the lake.

"She was incredibly brave. I have such admiration for her," said Geary.

Police say she suffered "visible injuries" that were not life-threatening.

"Fortunately, a greater tragedy was averted," Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said. "The young victim had the strength to make it to shore and get help."

Family friend Anne Ford was shocked to hear of the news.

"It's atrocious, and I feel sorry for everyone involved, especially the little girl," said Ford. "She is never, ever going to forget these memories. Life is going to be so hard for her from now on, until she can straighten things out in the years to come."

Ford said the girl's grandparents are very loving people.

"I just can't imagine how guilty they feel right now, that this happened in their house," she said. "They love their children, they love their grandchildren."

Hubert is charged with kidnapping. A not-guilty plea was entered at his arraignment on Monday.

He was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing set for Thursday.

Prosecutors say Hubert could face additional charges.

"She had marks on her neck that are consistent with strangulation," said the prosecutor.



Hubert's lawyer says he maintains his innocence.
Gov. Chris Christie is calling Texas lawmakers "hypocrites" for their votes against federal aid after Superstorm Sandy because some of them sought a federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Harvey.

The Republican governor said Monday at an unrelated event he hopes Texas doesn't endure the delayed disaster relief vote New Jersey went through in 2013 after Sandy devastated his state.

Two dozen Republican Texas U.S. House members and GOP U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz voted against the $51 billion Sandy aid package. Now many of them cite additional spending in initial drafts of the legislation as the reason.

Christie says he predicted at the time the lawmakers would be "proven to be hypocrites."

President Donald Trump's administration says it will make sure Texas gets what it needs.
U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta has announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate. as he looks to turn Sen. Bob Casey's seat to the GOP.

The Republican Congressman released a campaign video on Tuesday announcing his run for the seat held by the two-term Democrat.

"I dont see running for the Senate to represent Pennsylvania as an opportunity. I see it as a responsibility," Barletta says in the video. "I wasnt born with a famous last name. I was born into a home in Hazleton where we learned that with hard work, anything is possible."

The Pennsylvania Republican's entry into the race was widely expected after The Associated Press reported last month that Barletta had relayed his plans to GOP officials and activists.

Barletta, 61, the former mayor of the small Pennsylvania city of Hazleton (about 100 miles from Philadelphia), gained fame as a foe of illegal immigration. Barletta was urged to run by President Donald Trump. A press release accompanying the campaign video notes "Barletta was one of the first members of Congress to publicly endorse Donald Trump for president." Barletta also co-chaired Trump's presidential campaign and was on the executive committee of Trump's transition team.

[NATL] Donald Trump's Presidency in Pictures

Barletta is in his fourth term representing a House district that stretches from south-central Pennsylvania's rolling farms through northeastern Pennsylvania's anthracite coal fields.

Barletta won his House seat during the Republican midterm wave of 2010, aided by publicity from his time as mayor when he cracked down on immigrants in the country illegally.

Casey is running for a third, six-year term next year in a state with a 4-3 ratio registration edge over Republicans. Trump overcame that to become the first Republican since 1988 to capture Pennsylvania's electoral votes in the presidential race. Barletta notes his Congressional seat serves a population also dominated by Democrats, though he defeated 13-term Democrat incumbent Rep. Paul Kanjorski in 2010, after Kanjorski fended off Barletta challenges in 2002 and 2008.

Casey is one of 10 Democrats nationwide defending a seat next year in a state won by Trump.
This story has been corrected to accurately describe the women's appearance.



Police and the FBI are searching for two women who they said tried to rob a bank in the Poconos.



Police say the two women entered the Citizens Bank along Route 611 in Tannersville, Pennsylvania around 12:30 p.m. Monday. The women displayed a handgun but fled before getting any cash, according to police.

The suspects are described as women standing between 5-feet and 5-foot 2. At least one of the women was armed with a black handgun.

Both police and the FBI are investigating. If you have any information on their identity, please call 215-418-4000.




A New Jersey mom was high on drugs in her car and left her 2-year-old daughter unattended for hours in a car seat, where she fatally injured herself, prosecutors said.

Deanna Joseph called 911 on Saturday night to report her child was unresponsive, according to NJ.com.

Salem County Prosecutor John Lenahan said the child was found dead in a car parked in the driveway of Joseph's home with the engine running. Lenahan said it appears the child might have injured herself in the car seat.

The exact cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner's office.

Joseph was charged with second-degree child endangerment. No attorney information was available.

Court records show it is Joseph's third arrest in nine years on charges related to neglect of a child.

She was arrested in 2008 after her 11-year-old and 2-year-old were found alone at home, according to a Burlington County Times report. The two children were discovered after police found Joseph on drugs in a parking lot.

The newspaper reported the children were temporarily taken into state custody. Joseph was convicted of cruelty and child neglect and sentenced to five years of probation.

Records show the woman was arrested again after being found unresponsive at an apartment in 2014. Her infant son was found bathing in inches of water nearby.

Joseph was again convicted of cruelty and neglect of a child and sentenced to a year in jail. It is unclear if she was being monitored by the child protection division of the state Department of Child and Families.

If convicted of the current charges, Joseph could face up to 10 years in prison.
A shooting inside a public library that killed two people and wounded four has deeply shaken an eastern New Mexico community.

The gunman surrendered after the shooting Monday and was taken into custody without incident after police entered the downtown building, authorities and elected officials with the city of Clovis said during a news conference. Warrants for his arrest were being prepared, but it's wasn't immediately clear what charges he would face.

Clovis Mayor David Lansford said things could have been much worse had it not been for the quick response, training and courage of police. He called the shooting tragic and senseless.

"This is a big blow to our community," he said. "Our community is a community that places a high value on life and the sanctity of life. And each life that lives in this community is precious. So we're all hurting right now as a result of what took place this afternoon."

Clovis, a city of about 40,000, is about 200 miles east of Albuquerque, near the Texas state line. The area is home to Cannon Air Force Base. The nearby community of Portales is home to Eastern New Mexico University.

The injured included two men and two women, authorities said. Some were taken to a hospital across the state line in Lubbock, Texas. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.

"We still don't know all the details," City Commissioner Juan Garza told The Associated Press. "What we've been telling people is to keep on praying for the families affected by this tragedy."



One woman was seen being helped into an ambulance while a call for air ambulances could be heard over police radio traffic.

The names of the victims and the gunman were not released.

Police said they were still working to process the crime scene and piece together what happened. Police Chief Douglas Ford could not immediately say what kind of gun was used in the attack.

Top elected officials from across New Mexico issued their condolences for the victims and their support for the community. Gov. Susana Martinez called it a "horrific attack."

"In the coming hours and days we will learn more information about this despicable act, but for now I ask all New Mexicans to pray for the victims and their families, and for the entire Clovis community," said Martinez, a former prosecutor.

Attorney General Hector Balderas said his office has reached out to the local district attorney to offer its help.

"New Mexico's thoughts and prayers tonight are with the victims, their families and the first responders on the ground," Balderas said in a statement.

"New Mexico's thoughts and prayers tonight are with the victims, their families and the first responders on the ground," Balderas said in a statement.



Sojung Her, a 26-year-old cashier at the Shogun Japanese Steakhouse within view of the library lawn, said the shooting left behind a sense of fear and vulnerability.

"It's kind of a freak thing," she said. "What if he just walked into our restaurant and started shooting?"

Police cars and tactical officers crowded the streets outside as she arrived to work at the restaurant late Monday afternoon.

"This kind of thing never happens here," she said.

Vanessa Aguirre told The Eastern New Mexico News that she was in the library with her son when a man came in and started to shoot into the air.

"It all happened so fast," she said. "We took off fast."
Twenty-three of the 30 undocumented immigrants caught by a hidden tunnel spanning the U.S.-Mexico border were Chinese nationals, confirmed U.S. Border Patrol.

In order to get smuggled into San Diego, Chinese nationals have to pay up to $50,000, explained Officer Tekae Michael, from the U.S. Border Patrol San Diego Sector.

Intelligence has shown for San Diego specific, with Chinese nationals it can go up anywhere from up to $50,000," said Michael.



U.S. Border Patrol agents said 22 of the Chinese immigrants are from the Fugian Province and one is from the Guandong Province. They range in age from 17 to 46.

Hidden Border Tunnel Found at Otay Mesa Crossing

The large group was found around 1:30 a.m. Saturday near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in south San Diego County, near the border crossing bridge off Britannia Boulevard and Otay Pacific Drive.



In this case, the group realized they were discovered right after they were smuggled into the country, according to U.S. Border Patrol. Once they realized this, they tried to run back into the tunnel. That allowed agents to see the underground passage.

Most people associate the border tunnels with narcotics smuggling. But agents told NBC 7 that it's not uncommon for them to be used for people as well.

Raw video from Telemundo 20 of Mexican authorities investigating a building on Calle Mar Barmejo in the Garita de Otay area in Tijuana, Mexico, where a tunnel leading from Mexico into the U.S. was discovered early Saturday. The tunnel was used to smuggle undocumented immigrants into the U.S.; thirty people were detained on near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry on the U.S. side for allegedly crossing into the U.S. using this hidden tunnel.

All the cartels own parts of the border. Each differently," said Michael. "So who's smuggling who at any point in time -- each section is owned by a different cartel."



On Monday afternoon, agents worked to seal off the tunnel, located just off Drucker Lane near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

Officer Michael told NBC 7 they found five tunnels in various stages of completion so far this year.

Currently, the Chinese nationals discovered at the tunnel are in border patrol custody. After they are processed, they will be moved to a holding facility as their case moves forward.

[DONT CHANGE MAIN HEADLINE] San Diego's Border Busts

According to investigators, the tunnel began in a building on Calle Mar Barmejo in the Garita de Otay area in Tijuana, approximately 328 feet south of the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego and three miles from the border crossing bridge.

Mexican authorities are working the investigation on that side, at the building, trying to determine who is responsible for the build-out and operation of the smuggling tunnel.

Customs and Border Patrol officials told NBC 7 in the last two years there has been an uptick in nationals from countries other than Mexico trying to enter the country illegally.


When a barista at a Starbucks in the Takoma neighborhood of Northwest D.C. had a seizure and fell to the floor on Sunday, several customers called 911. The dispatchers said help was on the way -- but they also said that callers had reached the wrong jurisdiction.

911 dispatchers questioned whether the people placing the 911 calls were calling for help in the Takoma neighborhood of D.C. or Takoma Park, Maryland, just across the D.C.-Maryland line.

An ambulance arrived within seven minutes of when the D.C. Office of Unified Communications received a 911 call. But witness Tamara Robinson said she's still distressed about what happened.

"You're trying to remain calm for the people around you, and that's hard to do when someone is meeting you with a lot of questions," she said.

Robinson called 911 when the Starbucks worker had a seizure. She said she got into a "back-and-forth" with the dispatcher about where the emergency was. People in the Starbucks began to panic because several people were having the same conversation with dispatchers, Robinson said.

This happens often, emergency officials in D.C. and Montgomery County said.

Karima Jones, the director of the D.C. Office of Unified Communications, blamed the problem on the phone service carriers and towers that direct emergency calls to 911 centers.

"Unfortunately, it is out of our hands," she said. "We do have a voice in it, which is great, but it is on our carriers, which we're partners with. We have a relationship and they're all very open to getting this rectified."

The FCC is pushing for a correction to the problem, but it's been a slow process.

D.C. is working on a campaign called Help 911 Help You. It's aimed at asking people who call 911 to know where they are.

"Just knowing where you are, knowing a better location, knowing which city or state you're in helps," Jones said.

Also, emergency responders in the area are working on 911 systems that will be able to detect from where someone is calling.

In the meantime, Robinson said she just wants people to be able to get help when they need it.

"I am worried, and I'm especially worried about children who learn to dial 911. God forbid they're in an emergency and they dial 911 and there's confusion about who can help them," she said.
American University disciplined 19 students who they said were associated with an "underground student group" accused of involvement in hazing, underage drinking, physical violence and sexual assault.

The school announced Monday that 18 students were dismissed from the university and one placed on probation because of their relation to Epsilon Iota, or EI -- a group that began as a fraternity but operated without official recognition from school officials for about 15 years.

The national fraternity Alpha Tau Omega suspended their chapter at AU, Epsilon Iota, in 2000 after the group violated hazing and alcohol rules, according to a statement published by the school. In February 2001, AU formally withdrew the fraternitys charter. Members of that fraternity created EI in 2002, according to school officials.

The group continued to operate despite its status and was involved in a scandal in 2014 when 70 pages of emails from the groups listserv leaked. The emails discussed illicit activities including underage drinking and rape.

Two alleged members of the group were also arrested that year for assaulting another AU student so seriously he was hospitalized with a severe concussion, the AU campus newspaper, The Eagle, reported.

AU said in their statement that officials received reports about EI-affiliated students engaging in "alleged illegal behaviors such as assault, sexual assault, rape, underage drinking and illicit drug use, occurring primarily off-campus."

"This group has perpetuated and systematically presented a threat to the safety and well-being of our students," Fanta Aw, American University Interim Vice President of Campus Life, said.

Sixty-seven AU students affiliated with EI have been charged with conduct violations since 2010, according to officials.

AU also said students are officially warned about the dangers of off-campus parties and "incoming students are warned specifically about EI as part of the sexual assault awareness program," the statement said.



Last year, the school amended its code of conduct to prohibit helping underground groups that violate university policy.
A nurse is accused of sexually battering a patient at a Prince William County hospital, police say.

Frederick Yeboah, 60, of Woodbridge, Virginia, is charged with object sexual penetration and sexual battery. Police said he inappropriately touched an adult female patient more than once at the Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center in Woodbridge between Aug. 21 and Aug. 24.

Prince William County Police say they were notified Friday about the alleged crimes.

Detectives believe this was an isolated incident and there are no additional victims, police said.

Yeboah was arrested Monday without incident at a police station, they said. He is being held without bond and is due to appear in court Oct. 17.
Buses carrying hundreds of Islamic State militants and their families arrived in eastern Syria on Tuesday following a negotiated evacuation from the Lebanon-Syria border, where the U.S.-backed Lebanese army deployed for the first time in years.

The evacuation agreement, the first such publicized deal concluded with the extremist group, angered many Iraqis, who accused Syria and Hezbollah of dumping the militants on the Iraqi border rather than eradicating them.

Some 600 militants were allowed to leave as part of a deal, negotiated by Hezbollah, in exchange for identifying the location of the remains of Lebanese soldiers captured by ISIS in 2014 and later killed. The deal also provoked controversy in Lebanon, as some have voiced opposition to negotiations with the militants.

"Any deals or understandings between the warring parties inside Syria or in the region must take into consideration the security of Iraq and not to lead to anything that poses any threat to our national security," the Iraqi government spokesman, Saad al-Hadithi, told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Al-Hadithi said the Iraqi government "will firmly face any threat to Iraqi territories."

Shiite-majority Iraq has been largely supportive of Syria and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in their battle against ISIS, a Sunni extremist group and shared enemy, but many Iraqis expressed anger on social media.

"Who's going to pay for the delivery sent by Hassan Nasrallah to us?" wrote well-known writer Saleh al-Hamdani on his Facebook page, referring to Hezbollah's leader. "Will (state-sanctioned militias) or the Federal Police or Counter Terrorism Forces pay for it?"

Baghdad-based analyst Hisham al-Hashimi wrote on Facebook that Iraq's "selfish ally preferred to throw Daesh danger from Lebanon to Iraq, while Iraqis demolished the second-largest city (Mosul) in order not to enable Daesh militants to flee (to Syria) and damage the neighbor."

Daesh is the Arabic acronym for ISIS.

The Lebanese government and Hezbollah have both defended the deal that allowed ISIS safe passage to the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, an IS stronghold, saying it was the only way Lebanon could uncover the fate of its captured soldiers and recover their remains.

But many in Lebanon were opposed to the deal, which they said allowed the killers of Lebanese soldiers to get off scot-free.

"Shame on a nation whose soldiers return in coffins, while the criminals leave in air-conditioned buses," many posted on social media.

The departure of ISIS marked the end of a militant presence along the Syrian-Lebanese border dating back to the early days of the Syrian uprising. The Lebanese army was able to assume full control of the border.

Syrian state-run news agency SANA said the buses carrying the militants arrived Tuesday to a handover point in the town of Hamimiyah in the eastern Deir el-Zour province. They are expected to continue from there to the town of Boukamal, near the Iraqi border.

Salaheddin reported from Baghdad. AP writer Sarah El-Deeb in Beirut contributed reporting.
A five-year-old girl who was fatally shot Monday night in Scarborough, Maine, has been identified, as officials continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.

Police say Elise Dorr, of Belfast, was shot around 7:30 p.m. in her grandparents home on Milliken Road. She was taken to Maine Medical Center, where she died from her injuries.

Its a lot to deal with for any family, considering the age of the victim, said Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland. Our task now is to figure out exactly what happened, and why.

Police said the gun has been recovered, but have not disclosed who it belongs to. They said Dorrs grandparents were not home at the time. She was with parents, Todd and Virigina Dorr, and two older siblings. Both parents have been interviewed by police.

No arrests have been made, and no charges have been announced. McCausland said they are waiting for the Medical Examiner to complete an autopsy report.

We are crushed. This is awful, said neighbor Donald Haynes, who used to see Elise playing at her grandparents house. Theyre good people. They dont deserve this.

A family member who did not want to be identified called this an unfathomably difficult time.
A man was killed Monday afternoon in an apparent accident outside of a home in Peabody, Massachusetts.

According to the Essex County District Attorney's Office, the 76-year-old man had been working on a retaining wall near a creek by his home on Lowell Street, when the wall gave way and rocks tumbled on top of him.

Area resident Mitchell Rosenwald said he was sad to hear what happened.

"Not sure what he was doing down there. The home that was by the brook there was sold recently so I don't know if he lived there or was a worker, but it just sounds like a really unfortunate accident which is a bummer," Rosenwald said.

Authorities said the victim, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead.

First responders had to use special equipment to remove the rocks in order to free the victim's body from the rubble.

Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Essex County District Attorney's Office are investigating.
A Massachusetts lawmaker wants to increase prison sentences for those convicted of being an accessory to a child's murder in response to the case of Bella Bond.

According to the Boston Herald, Representative Rose Lee Vincent of Revere wants to hike sentences up to 20 years.

Bella's body washed ashore on Deer Island in Winthrop in June 2015. She was only known as "Baby Doe" until three months later, when a tip led to the arrests of her mother, Rachelle Bond, and her mothers ex-boyfriend, Michael McCarthy.

Rachelle Bond ultimately served just under two years for helping cover up her daughter's death.

Bond could have faced up to seven years in prison, but she pleaded guilty and testified against her ex-boyfriend, Michael McCarthy, who is now serving a life sentence.
Police in Scarborough, Maine, are investigating how a 5-year-old girl was fatally shot Monday night.

According to the Portland Press Herald, the girl was shot at about 7:40 p.m. in a home on Milliken Road.

The girl was taken to an area hospital where she later died from her injuries.

According to WCSH-TV, several other people were inside the home when the incident occured. No arrests have been made.



"This is early on and we have just joined the investigation. We will continue to work with Scarborough police to determine the circumstances," Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety told the Portland Press Herald.

Authorities said there is no threat to the public.

Maine State Police and Scarborough Police are handling the investigation.


One of the oldest churches in Massachusetts is breaking new ground with the selection of its first openly transgender minister.

The folks in the congregation have been so warm and welcoming, said Reverend Otto OConnor.

At just 32-years-old, OConnor may not seem to some to be a traditional minister  but its not his age that makes his unanimous selection this summer as Settled Minister of the First Parish in Malden Unitarian Universalist Church so unique.

So I identified as a lesbian before that, and transitioned to being a man, a transgender man, said OConnor.

OConnor is the first openly transgender minister in the centuries old parish, and one of the first of any religious group in Massachusetts.

I think in a time when transgender people are being barred from being in the military, its says something to have a person who is out and openly transgender lead a religious community, said OConnor.

OConnor says the church is known for its support of LGBTQ rights and the First Parish has several worshipers who are LGBTQ.

Mason Dunn, the executive director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition says its incredibly important for people who are transgender to see others like them in leadership roles.

To say that we are here in these spaces, we are your neighbors, we are your friends, we are your pastors, its so important to have that visibility, Dunn said.

The reaction around Malden has been generally one of support, which is not a surprise.

I would be more surprised if it were a Catholic church or a Lutheran church or a mosque, said Conor from Malden.

I think thats really great, I have a lot of friends who are transgender and I think its really accessible, it allows more people to feel comfortable going, said Malden resident Ariel Wolff.

OConnor will lead his first service on Revere Beach on Sunday, and then will have his first service at the church on Sept 10.
Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a teenager in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Officers arrived to 14 Farragut Ave. at about 5 p.m. Tuesday where police said a 16-year-old boy was shot once.

The boy was taken to Mount Auburn Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

According to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, the victim was in the home with other people who were known to him and that the shooting was not random.

Several teenagers who said they were friends of the victim, stopped by the home once they got word of the shooting. They told NBC Boston that the teen played basketball in middle school and was a "good guy".

"I always thought of him as a good guy," said one friend. "I know he got into some things you wouldn't think a good guy would do but as I knew him, he was always friendly."

Neighbors said they were shocked to hear of the shooting.

"I do dog walks around here everyday. It's really shocking," said neighbor Alisa Patterson. "It makes me not want to come back around here."

The victim's identity has not yet been revealed, but police said he was from Malden.

No arrests have been made.

The shooting is under investigation by the Middlesex District Attorneys Office, Massachusetts State Police and Somerville Police.
Sunitha natti By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) has embarked on a de-risking strategy that will help the public sector behemoth to emerge as an integrated oil and petroleum firm over the next few years.

The company that operates major oil refineries in locations like Mumbai, Bina and Kochi, is foraying into petrochemicals and specialty petrochemicals, which currently contributes a negligible one per cent or less to BPCLs overall business. Over the next 10 years, it is expected to generate over 10 per cent business.

We are trying to secure our next 10 years refining capacities with a thrust to move and de-risk our refining business by going into petro chemicals, R Ramachandran, director (refineries), BPCL told Express.

Besides, the company has some interest in upstream business with presence in Mozambique, Brazil and to some extent Indonesia, where it hopes to monetise assets in the next 5-6 years. A lot of work is going on. We want to utilise one end of the spectrum (upstream business) to support our downstream operations and also by venturing into petrochemicals, we can become an integrated company, explained Ramachandran.

The Indian petrochemicals industry operates on a low base, ie., approximately 8 kg per capita in India vs roughly 32 in the US and a world average of 23 to 25. Also, for India to support a growth rate of 7-8 per cent, petrochemicals growth needs to be 3-4 per cent higher than the GDP, whether its in emerging markets or in developed nations.

If India has to grow at 6-7 per cent in next 10-15 years, we are actually talking of petrochemicals growth happening at double digits growth, he added. But right now, petrochemicals growth is roughly 3-4 per cent.Refining is a cyclical, margin-based business, and is prone to multiple factors such as international trends, demand-supply scenario, political scenario, OPEC vs US, which started exporting oil and fluctuating crude oil prices. Normally, refining products are raw materials to petrochemicals and when theres a boom cycle, petrochemicals follow, and vice-versa. By de-risking, the idea is to spread your risk to a larger investment base, so that you are well off in relative terms, he explained.

MUMBAI: Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) has embarked on a de-risking strategy that will help the public sector behemoth to emerge as an integrated oil and petroleum firm over the next few years. The company that operates major oil refineries in locations like Mumbai, Bina and Kochi, is foraying into petrochemicals and specialty petrochemicals, which currently contributes a negligible one per cent or less to BPCLs overall business. Over the next 10 years, it is expected to generate over 10 per cent business. We are trying to secure our next 10 years refining capacities with a thrust to move and de-risk our refining business by going into petro chemicals, R Ramachandran, director (refineries), BPCL told Express. Besides, the company has some interest in upstream business with presence in Mozambique, Brazil and to some extent Indonesia, where it hopes to monetise assets in the next 5-6 years. A lot of work is going on. We want to utilise one end of the spectrum (upstream business) to support our downstream operations and also by venturing into petrochemicals, we can become an integrated company, explained Ramachandran. The Indian petrochemicals industry operates on a low base, ie., approximately 8 kg per capita in India vs roughly 32 in the US and a world average of 23 to 25. Also, for India to support a growth rate of 7-8 per cent, petrochemicals growth needs to be 3-4 per cent higher than the GDP, whether its in emerging markets or in developed nations. If India has to grow at 6-7 per cent in next 10-15 years, we are actually talking of petrochemicals growth happening at double digits growth, he added. But right now, petrochemicals growth is roughly 3-4 per cent.Refining is a cyclical, margin-based business, and is prone to multiple factors such as international trends, demand-supply scenario, political scenario, OPEC vs US, which started exporting oil and fluctuating crude oil prices. Normally, refining products are raw materials to petrochemicals and when theres a boom cycle, petrochemicals follow, and vice-versa. By de-risking, the idea is to spread your risk to a larger investment base, so that you are well off in relative terms, he explained.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Host Analytics, which provides scalable, cloud-based enterprise performance management (EPM) solutions, is planning to expand its India operations with an investment of Rs 150 crore.

The $4.5-billion EPM market is part of the $16.98-billion business intelligence market, globally. We have over 700 clients and 40,000 users in 90 countries.

Similarly, the global big data analytics market is pegged at $200 billion and is set to grow at a rapid pace, presenting us huge growth opportunities. To cater to the growing market, we are continuing to invest in cloud EPM innovation and our Indian operations play a significant role in our future plans, said Dave Kellogg, CEO, Host Analytics.

We will pump in more than Rs 150 crore to expand our Research & Development facility here. Besides focusing on scaling up our office space and expansion, well also increase our headcount. Right now, we have 150 employees who are mostly involved in software development, product management, performance engineering, quality assurance and other domain areas. Well be doubling the present staff count to 300 over the next two years, Kellog added.

EPM is a set of processes to help organisations achieve peak performance by linking strategies to plans and execution. Companies from $10-million start-ups to $10 billion MNCs, use Host Analytics services for financial planning, budgeting, modelling, consolidations, and reporting. Host Analytics is a private company backed by leading venture capitalists and is headquartered in the Silicon Valley.

NEW DELHI: Host Analytics, which provides scalable, cloud-based enterprise performance management (EPM) solutions, is planning to expand its India operations with an investment of Rs 150 crore. The $4.5-billion EPM market is part of the $16.98-billion business intelligence market, globally. We have over 700 clients and 40,000 users in 90 countries. Similarly, the global big data analytics market is pegged at $200 billion and is set to grow at a rapid pace, presenting us huge growth opportunities. To cater to the growing market, we are continuing to invest in cloud EPM innovation and our Indian operations play a significant role in our future plans, said Dave Kellogg, CEO, Host Analytics. We will pump in more than Rs 150 crore to expand our Research & Development facility here. Besides focusing on scaling up our office space and expansion, well also increase our headcount. Right now, we have 150 employees who are mostly involved in software development, product management, performance engineering, quality assurance and other domain areas. Well be doubling the present staff count to 300 over the next two years, Kellog added. EPM is a set of processes to help organisations achieve peak performance by linking strategies to plans and execution. Companies from $10-million start-ups to $10 billion MNCs, use Host Analytics services for financial planning, budgeting, modelling, consolidations, and reporting. Host Analytics is a private company backed by leading venture capitalists and is headquartered in the Silicon Valley.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Four Nigerian students allegedly assaulted a cab driver and fled with the vehicle after dumping him in Noida area of the National Capital Region near Delhi, the Noida police said on Tuesday.

According to the police, the incident took place last night near Akshardham Mandir on the border of Delhi-Noida link road when the Nigerian nationals booked the vehicle of app based OLA cab and boarded it.

Soon after boarding the vehicle, they overpowered the cab driver Ankur, a resident of Kankankheda Meerut, and asked him to drive to Greater Noida. A case in this regard under section 352 (assault) has been filed and further investigation is on to trace the culprits informed Kasna Police station in-charge Jitendra Kumar said.

Earlier, four Nigerian men were assaulted by men in Greater Noida area which resulted in a huge nationwide uproar controversy over the security of African nationals studying and working in the country.

After reaching near Ryan School in Greater Noida, they threw the driver out of the cab and sped away, he said, adding police is probing the case.

NEW DELHI: Four Nigerian students allegedly assaulted a cab driver and fled with the vehicle after dumping him in Noida area of the National Capital Region near Delhi, the Noida police said on Tuesday. According to the police, the incident took place last night near Akshardham Mandir on the border of Delhi-Noida link road when the Nigerian nationals booked the vehicle of app based OLA cab and boarded it. Soon after boarding the vehicle, they overpowered the cab driver Ankur, a resident of Kankankheda Meerut, and asked him to drive to Greater Noida. A case in this regard under section 352 (assault) has been filed and further investigation is on to trace the culprits informed Kasna Police station in-charge Jitendra Kumar said. Earlier, four Nigerian men were assaulted by men in Greater Noida area which resulted in a huge nationwide uproar controversy over the security of African nationals studying and working in the country. After reaching near Ryan School in Greater Noida, they threw the driver out of the cab and sped away, he said, adding police is probing the case.
By PTI

MUMBAI: As incessant downpour battered the financial capital and made its residents' life miserable, political parties appeared engaged in a slugfest over the handling of the situation and advisories for citizens.

The BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP came out with their own views on the situation in the metropolis.

While Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis advised offices to let employees leave early and issued similar orders for government staffers, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray said there was no need to evacuate offices.

"We have advised (private) offices to allow their employees to leave for their homes early today. We have issued similar orders for government employees," Fadnavis said after taking a stock of the situation at the State Disaster Management Control (SDMC) room at the state secretariat.

"Since we can monitor the whole city through CCTV cameras, we have got to know that there is heavy waterlogging in the city. I appeal to the people to venture out of their homes only if it is of utmost necessity. Those who are stuck in offices should see the alerts we are periodically sending out and leave only when the situation is favourable," he said.

Fadnavis added that due to the diversion of traffic along various routes, there were traffic snarls at several places.

Thackeray, who heads Sena's youth wing, meanwhile, tweeted that there was no need to evacuate offices.

"Traffic build up is heavy due to over load of vehicles. Please stay put safely where you are," Thackeray tweeted.

He said 26 pumps installed after 2005 deluge were pumping out 6,000 litres of water per second.

Thackeray, whose party rules the BMC, said the civic body personnel have been out on the streets helping people and dealing with the situation arising out of the downpour.

He said "288 smaller pumps have been active the whole day. As many as 30,000 BMC staffers are out on the streets helping Mumbaikars directly, indirectly."

The Opposition NCP criticised the BJP-led government over its "failure" to aptly handle the situation.

NCP leader Dhananjay Munde said the administration did nothing despite receiving a warning of heavy rainfall two days in advance.

"The IMD had issued a warning two days in advance. Yet, the administration did nothing. Is this the disaster management the government is doing? The chief minister took the decision of letting employees leave early at 2.30 pm. He should have taken this decision in morning itself," said the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council.

MUMBAI: As incessant downpour battered the financial capital and made its residents' life miserable, political parties appeared engaged in a slugfest over the handling of the situation and advisories for citizens. The BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP came out with their own views on the situation in the metropolis. While Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis advised offices to let employees leave early and issued similar orders for government staffers, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray said there was no need to evacuate offices. "We have advised (private) offices to allow their employees to leave for their homes early today. We have issued similar orders for government employees," Fadnavis said after taking a stock of the situation at the State Disaster Management Control (SDMC) room at the state secretariat. "Since we can monitor the whole city through CCTV cameras, we have got to know that there is heavy waterlogging in the city. I appeal to the people to venture out of their homes only if it is of utmost necessity. Those who are stuck in offices should see the alerts we are periodically sending out and leave only when the situation is favourable," he said. Fadnavis added that due to the diversion of traffic along various routes, there were traffic snarls at several places. Thackeray, who heads Sena's youth wing, meanwhile, tweeted that there was no need to evacuate offices. "Traffic build up is heavy due to over load of vehicles. Please stay put safely where you are," Thackeray tweeted. He said 26 pumps installed after 2005 deluge were pumping out 6,000 litres of water per second. Thackeray, whose party rules the BMC, said the civic body personnel have been out on the streets helping people and dealing with the situation arising out of the downpour. He said "288 smaller pumps have been active the whole day. As many as 30,000 BMC staffers are out on the streets helping Mumbaikars directly, indirectly." The Opposition NCP criticised the BJP-led government over its "failure" to aptly handle the situation. NCP leader Dhananjay Munde said the administration did nothing despite receiving a warning of heavy rainfall two days in advance. "The IMD had issued a warning two days in advance. Yet, the administration did nothing. Is this the disaster management the government is doing? The chief minister took the decision of letting employees leave early at 2.30 pm. He should have taken this decision in morning itself," said the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council.
Abhijit Mulye By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: I stay at Navi Mumbai, about 40 km away from my office at the other end of Mumbai. The usual commute takes about an hour-and-a-half. It was raining when I set out for office on Tuesday morning. It was raining since Monday. But for Mumbai, the monsoon that is a normal thing. Hence, just like millions of other commuters of Mumbai, I too ignored it. Anyway, there was no specific alert except for a possibility of heavy rains.

When I reached the suburban railway station, it was crowded as usual. I sensed something was wrong when the indicator didnt show any Mumbai-bound train. There were no announcements either. After about an hour-and-a-half, a Mumbai-bound train came. It was too overcrowded even by peak hour standards of Mumbai suburban railways. The train took about 30 minutes, double the normal time, to reach Vashi and stopped. Again, there were no announcements.

There was heavy rush on the platform. Everybody was puzzled as to what had happened and whether the train was going to proceed further. Inquiries at the station masters office were met with rude responses that several trains were stranded and there were no instructions from the higher-ups. After about an hour, the instructions finally arrived and it was announced that trains going to Mumbai (CSTM) have been cancelled. It took the administration another half-an-hour to decide to send back the train to Panvel and start a shuttle service.

Meanwhile, the frightening nature of the downpour had started becoming clear. Mumbai Police started sending alerts on twitter. It wont be an exaggeration to say that the police were the only visible face of the administration that helped the people of Mumbai Tuesday. Photographs and video clips of the deluge started being shared over social media. This offered some solace to the commuters. Various mobile applications too started sending alerts on heavy traffic due to water logging. Many commuters then took a decision to return to their homes.

While most of the administration, except the police, was not visible, the people of Mumbai came forward to help those who were stranded in the traffic. The Spirit of Mumbai once again came to the fore.

WhatsApp groups were flooded with messages about details of several individuals as well as Ganeshotsav Mandals, gurudwaras, mosques and churches offering food and shelter to people.

MUMBAI: I stay at Navi Mumbai, about 40 km away from my office at the other end of Mumbai. The usual commute takes about an hour-and-a-half. It was raining when I set out for office on Tuesday morning. It was raining since Monday. But for Mumbai, the monsoon that is a normal thing. Hence, just like millions of other commuters of Mumbai, I too ignored it. Anyway, there was no specific alert except for a possibility of heavy rains. When I reached the suburban railway station, it was crowded as usual. I sensed something was wrong when the indicator didnt show any Mumbai-bound train. There were no announcements either. After about an hour-and-a-half, a Mumbai-bound train came. It was too overcrowded even by peak hour standards of Mumbai suburban railways. The train took about 30 minutes, double the normal time, to reach Vashi and stopped. Again, there were no announcements. There was heavy rush on the platform. Everybody was puzzled as to what had happened and whether the train was going to proceed further. Inquiries at the station masters office were met with rude responses that several trains were stranded and there were no instructions from the higher-ups. After about an hour, the instructions finally arrived and it was announced that trains going to Mumbai (CSTM) have been cancelled. It took the administration another half-an-hour to decide to send back the train to Panvel and start a shuttle service. Meanwhile, the frightening nature of the downpour had started becoming clear. Mumbai Police started sending alerts on twitter. It wont be an exaggeration to say that the police were the only visible face of the administration that helped the people of Mumbai Tuesday. Photographs and video clips of the deluge started being shared over social media. This offered some solace to the commuters. Various mobile applications too started sending alerts on heavy traffic due to water logging. Many commuters then took a decision to return to their homes. While most of the administration, except the police, was not visible, the people of Mumbai came forward to help those who were stranded in the traffic. The Spirit of Mumbai once again came to the fore. WhatsApp groups were flooded with messages about details of several individuals as well as Ganeshotsav Mandals, gurudwaras, mosques and churches offering food and shelter to people.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Architects from the Shapoorji Pallonji presented designs of the Amaravati Iconic Twin-Towers before Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the Interim Government Complex in Velagapudi on Monday.After the architects explained the design strategy, the context and the composition planned for the property, Naidu said that he wants a case study done on the top 10 towers, about their compositions. He said that the team must derive inspiration from the iconic towers across the world like Burj Khalifa in Dubai or other skyscrapers in Singapore and Malaysia.

Naidu also suggested that the towers must complement greenery, waterfront and represent the dynamic personality of the Andhra citizen.As per the designs, the towers will comprise of office spaces (55-57%), shopping areas (12-13%), hotel (12%) and service apartments (8%). The Chief Minister approved the designs and gave the architects some feedback to work on. Not just the facade, but the activities we have, must attract tourists. We need to apply the best of business sense to capitalise on different activities, Naidu said.

Next Burj Khalifa?

As per the designs, the towers will comprise

n Office spaces (55-57%)

n Shopping areas (12-13%)

n Hotel (12%)

n Service apartments (8%)

VIJAYAWADA: Architects from the Shapoorji Pallonji presented designs of the Amaravati Iconic Twin-Towers before Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the Interim Government Complex in Velagapudi on Monday.After the architects explained the design strategy, the context and the composition planned for the property, Naidu said that he wants a case study done on the top 10 towers, about their compositions. He said that the team must derive inspiration from the iconic towers across the world like Burj Khalifa in Dubai or other skyscrapers in Singapore and Malaysia. Naidu also suggested that the towers must complement greenery, waterfront and represent the dynamic personality of the Andhra citizen.As per the designs, the towers will comprise of office spaces (55-57%), shopping areas (12-13%), hotel (12%) and service apartments (8%). The Chief Minister approved the designs and gave the architects some feedback to work on. Not just the facade, but the activities we have, must attract tourists. We need to apply the best of business sense to capitalise on different activities, Naidu said. Next Burj Khalifa? As per the designs, the towers will comprise n Office spaces (55-57%) n Shopping areas (12-13%) n Hotel (12%) n Service apartments (8%)
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA/NANDYAL: Terming the verdict of Nandyal voters an endorsement of the TDPs governance in the last three years, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said the result was a clear indication that people would always favour welfare and development. He was speaking at a conference after the TDP won the Nandyal bypoll with a margin of 27,000 votes. Alleging that the attitude of Leader of Opposition YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was objectionable and dangerous, the Chief Minister said people of the state were relieved when the TDP recorded a remarkable win. He also likened Jagan to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh saying he had let a lot of people down despite enjoying their unsuspecting faith.

Knowing that the general elections were just a year and a half away and there was every possibility of advanced polls in case the Prime Minister opts for pre-polls as part of the one nation one election move, the YSRC took the election as a prestige issue, but met a humiliating defeat, he said.Speaking to newsmen at the IGC in Velagapudi on Monday, Naidu said voters of Nandyal gave a historic verdict by choosing the TDP candidate despite the government facing a financial crunch in implementing welfare and development schemes.

Asserting that there was no previous instance of a party president spending nearly two weeks canvassing for votes for an Assembly seat, Naidu said Jagan had taken up door-to-door campaigning and played the role of a party worker. He said the voters had taught Jagan a lesson for having fielded a candidate for the seat that had fallen vacant because of the death of the incumbent regardless of which party the incumbent belonged to.Despite the Election Commission issuing notices and seeking an explanation from Jagan for making objectionable statements against me, he continued to incite people to shoot and disrobe me, the CM said.

Comparing the YSRC chief to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the Chief Minister said despite being the head of a good institute with devotees who believed in him, the self-styled godman cheated them. As he was aware that one day or the other his sins would come out, Dera Baba created violence, he said and added that the YSRC chief like Ram Rahim had resorted to violence in Visakhapatnam on Republic Day in the name of Jallikattu Spoorthi.

Reacting to the challenge of the YSRC chief that the ruling TDP should seek fresh mandate by offering resignations of 20 MLAs it got from YSRC, the Chief Minister suggested said the YSRC chief order his MPs to resign if he was so keen on byelection.As it was the YSRC chief, who announced that MPs representing from the YSRC would submit resigns in case of the Centre does not accord Special Category Status to AP by June this year, he should now stick to his statement and force his MPs to resign and then the TDP will enter the fray, the Chief Minister said.

The CM said the Election Commission should work in a proper way and not give scope for any doubt.

For instance, after our (TDP) leaders filed a petition, orders came from Election Commission officials in Delhi ordering criminal prosecution of the leader of opposition. But, the officials at Hyderabad delayed issuing orders for some days, giving scope for suspicion, the Chief Minister said.

Officials in the Election Commission should play a referee role without taking sides, he said. Even though I am the president of a party apart from being the CM, I never faulted the Election Commission and suggest that the body function impartially, he said.

VIJAYAWADA/NANDYAL: Terming the verdict of Nandyal voters an endorsement of the TDPs governance in the last three years, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said the result was a clear indication that people would always favour welfare and development. He was speaking at a conference after the TDP won the Nandyal bypoll with a margin of 27,000 votes. Alleging that the attitude of Leader of Opposition YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was objectionable and dangerous, the Chief Minister said people of the state were relieved when the TDP recorded a remarkable win. He also likened Jagan to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh saying he had let a lot of people down despite enjoying their unsuspecting faith. Knowing that the general elections were just a year and a half away and there was every possibility of advanced polls in case the Prime Minister opts for pre-polls as part of the one nation one election move, the YSRC took the election as a prestige issue, but met a humiliating defeat, he said.Speaking to newsmen at the IGC in Velagapudi on Monday, Naidu said voters of Nandyal gave a historic verdict by choosing the TDP candidate despite the government facing a financial crunch in implementing welfare and development schemes. Asserting that there was no previous instance of a party president spending nearly two weeks canvassing for votes for an Assembly seat, Naidu said Jagan had taken up door-to-door campaigning and played the role of a party worker. He said the voters had taught Jagan a lesson for having fielded a candidate for the seat that had fallen vacant because of the death of the incumbent regardless of which party the incumbent belonged to.Despite the Election Commission issuing notices and seeking an explanation from Jagan for making objectionable statements against me, he continued to incite people to shoot and disrobe me, the CM said. Comparing the YSRC chief to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the Chief Minister said despite being the head of a good institute with devotees who believed in him, the self-styled godman cheated them. As he was aware that one day or the other his sins would come out, Dera Baba created violence, he said and added that the YSRC chief like Ram Rahim had resorted to violence in Visakhapatnam on Republic Day in the name of Jallikattu Spoorthi. Reacting to the challenge of the YSRC chief that the ruling TDP should seek fresh mandate by offering resignations of 20 MLAs it got from YSRC, the Chief Minister suggested said the YSRC chief order his MPs to resign if he was so keen on byelection.As it was the YSRC chief, who announced that MPs representing from the YSRC would submit resigns in case of the Centre does not accord Special Category Status to AP by June this year, he should now stick to his statement and force his MPs to resign and then the TDP will enter the fray, the Chief Minister said. The CM said the Election Commission should work in a proper way and not give scope for any doubt. For instance, after our (TDP) leaders filed a petition, orders came from Election Commission officials in Delhi ordering criminal prosecution of the leader of opposition. But, the officials at Hyderabad delayed issuing orders for some days, giving scope for suspicion, the Chief Minister said. Officials in the Election Commission should play a referee role without taking sides, he said. Even though I am the president of a party apart from being the CM, I never faulted the Election Commission and suggest that the body function impartially, he said.
Murali Krishna CH By

Express News Service

After dabbling with different genres, for the first time, actor Nagarjuna is taking on the horror genre with Raju Gari Gadhi 2. This is a horror-comedy film and its an unexplored genre in my career. I play a mentalist, who reads the minds of the people. The role is more of drama and less on comedy. I spoke to one of the popular mentalists before taking up this role and within a few minutes of my meeting with him, he surprised me with his amazing skills. I have his number saved on my mobile and when I get any doubt, I pick up my phone and seek his inputs.

The project was reportedly inspired by Malayalam film Pretham. Its not a faithful remake as we have only taken the core plot of Pretham. We made a few changes to the script to suit our sensibilities. Interestingly, the 57-year-old actors soon-to-be daughter-in-law and actress Samantha also shares the screen with him in the film. She plays a ghost in the film and the actual drama unfolds between us.

Speaking of ghosts, does Nag believe in their existence? If God exists, then ghosts do exist. Although I havent had any paranormal experience, right from my childhood, I dont take the challenge of watching a horror film as I fear of spooky moments and scary sound effects. But, it feels exciting to be a part of such film. Nag was all praise for director Ohmkar. He (Ohmkar) is a devoted perfectionist, who is stern on minute details and doesnt compromise at all. It feels good to have worked with him in RGG2. As for the films progress, except some patch work, entire shooting is completed. The re-recording is underway and the first copy should be readied by September 10.

The King actor also spilled the beans about his next project Bangarraju, a sequel to Soggade Chinni Nayana. Im eagerly waiting to do it. Director Kalyan Krishna had pitched two storylines but Im not pleased with them. The project might take some time and will go on floors only if he arrives with a good plot. I dont want Bangarraju to be a sequel to Soggade..., confides Nag.

Reports are doing rounds that Nag was approached to play a crucial role in Mohanlal-starrer multilingual Mahabharatha. He clarifies, Director Sukumaran had initiated the talks with me some time ago for Karnas role. But, nothing is finalised yet and Im not too sure how long does it take for things to shape up.

The actor is quite happy with the way things are moving both professionally and personally. I have tasted success as a producer with Ra Randoi Veduka Chuddam. Im looking forward to the release of Naga Chaitanyas Yuddham Sharanam followed by his wedding with Samantha. The wedding is going to be a simple affair in both Hindu and Catholic traditions on October 6. After that, I will host a grand function in Hyderabad for the fraternity and friends. Im also simultaneously shooting for Raju Gari Gadhi 2 and producing Akhils second film Hello.

Asked if he has any plans to take Hello to other languages, Nag explains, In the past, I released some of my films in other languages but they didnt work out. So, I lost confidence on multilinguals which are usually tricky. For such films, the priorities for the director changes by the day and I dont want to take any chances with Hello. My priority is to complete the film in Telugu and only time will decide about these things. The actor hasnt watched Vijay Devarakonda-starrer Arjun Reddy but maintains that he didnt find the usage of swear words objectionable.

I havent seen it but I am told it has been doing well. Whats the harm in putting them in dialogues if it was awarded an A certificate? Moreover, using abusive words is quite common in real life, too. So why double standards?, reasons Nag. Do mainstream actors welcome this trend? Pat comes the reply, I remember Ram Gopal Varmas Satya had expletives. The usage has always been there in films, especially in Bollywood. When Hindi cinema is becoming realistic, why cant we be? If a role demands such slang, an actor should definitely do it.

After dabbling with different genres, for the first time, actor Nagarjuna is taking on the horror genre with Raju Gari Gadhi 2. This is a horror-comedy film and its an unexplored genre in my career. I play a mentalist, who reads the minds of the people. The role is more of drama and less on comedy. I spoke to one of the popular mentalists before taking up this role and within a few minutes of my meeting with him, he surprised me with his amazing skills. I have his number saved on my mobile and when I get any doubt, I pick up my phone and seek his inputs. The project was reportedly inspired by Malayalam film Pretham. Its not a faithful remake as we have only taken the core plot of Pretham. We made a few changes to the script to suit our sensibilities. Interestingly, the 57-year-old actors soon-to-be daughter-in-law and actress Samantha also shares the screen with him in the film. She plays a ghost in the film and the actual drama unfolds between us. Speaking of ghosts, does Nag believe in their existence? If God exists, then ghosts do exist. Although I havent had any paranormal experience, right from my childhood, I dont take the challenge of watching a horror film as I fear of spooky moments and scary sound effects. But, it feels exciting to be a part of such film. Nag was all praise for director Ohmkar. He (Ohmkar) is a devoted perfectionist, who is stern on minute details and doesnt compromise at all. It feels good to have worked with him in RGG2. As for the films progress, except some patch work, entire shooting is completed. The re-recording is underway and the first copy should be readied by September 10. The King actor also spilled the beans about his next project Bangarraju, a sequel to Soggade Chinni Nayana. Im eagerly waiting to do it. Director Kalyan Krishna had pitched two storylines but Im not pleased with them. The project might take some time and will go on floors only if he arrives with a good plot. I dont want Bangarraju to be a sequel to Soggade..., confides Nag. Reports are doing rounds that Nag was approached to play a crucial role in Mohanlal-starrer multilingual Mahabharatha. He clarifies, Director Sukumaran had initiated the talks with me some time ago for Karnas role. But, nothing is finalised yet and Im not too sure how long does it take for things to shape up. The actor is quite happy with the way things are moving both professionally and personally. I have tasted success as a producer with Ra Randoi Veduka Chuddam. Im looking forward to the release of Naga Chaitanyas Yuddham Sharanam followed by his wedding with Samantha. The wedding is going to be a simple affair in both Hindu and Catholic traditions on October 6. After that, I will host a grand function in Hyderabad for the fraternity and friends. Im also simultaneously shooting for Raju Gari Gadhi 2 and producing Akhils second film Hello. Asked if he has any plans to take Hello to other languages, Nag explains, In the past, I released some of my films in other languages but they didnt work out. So, I lost confidence on multilinguals which are usually tricky. For such films, the priorities for the director changes by the day and I dont want to take any chances with Hello. My priority is to complete the film in Telugu and only time will decide about these things. The actor hasnt watched Vijay Devarakonda-starrer Arjun Reddy but maintains that he didnt find the usage of swear words objectionable. I havent seen it but I am told it has been doing well. Whats the harm in putting them in dialogues if it was awarded an A certificate? Moreover, using abusive words is quite common in real life, too. So why double standards?, reasons Nag. Do mainstream actors welcome this trend? Pat comes the reply, I remember Ram Gopal Varmas Satya had expletives. The usage has always been there in films, especially in Bollywood. When Hindi cinema is becoming realistic, why cant we be? If a role demands such slang, an actor should definitely do it.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The government today briefed the opposition leaders on the easing of Dokalam border standoff with China with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj speaking to former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders.

The Congress, on its part, welcomed and supported the understanding between India and China to de-escalate the border tension at Dokalam in the Sikkim sector.

Sources said Swaraj called up Singh and Gandhi, besides Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and deputy leader Anand Sharma.

Sources said Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar also called up Sharma separately and informed him about the current status and the easing of border tensions at Dokalam.

Sharma confirmed that the government has briefed Congress leaders about the Dokalam standoff ahead of the BRICS summit.

"This understanding that has been reached is a positive development which we support," Sharma said.

Asked about the development at the AICC briefing, party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said this is a matter of national security but one should not go into a rejoicing mode.

"There would be nobody happier than my party, than me, if what has just been stated by you, is not the momentary truth but the stable longer term or at least medium truth.

"However, just like we should not go into panic mode as soon as something happens, we should not go into rejoicing mode the moment it is received," he said.

"I can only join you with the entire nation in hoping that this information which is coming is at least medium, if not long term true, stable and comprehensive and that unfortunately other conflicting information coming is untrue," he added.

He said both countries should engage to find a permanent solution in the light of the 2012 agreement between India-Bhutan and China about the location of the trilateral junction.

"There must be an agreement to maintain the status quo until a resolution which is acceptable to all," he said.

Sharma, who is a former minister, said it is important that both the countries being strategic partners, neighbours and large developing countries work with sincerity guided by the principles and parameters of 2005 agreement between the two prime ministers on the border issues.

Swaraj is also learnt to have talked to other opposition leaders, informing them about the development. CPI leader D Raja welcomed India and China agreeing to "expeditious disengagement" of troops, saying the move "is in the interest of the two countries".

India and China have almost completed the disengagement of border personnel at Dokalam, in a major diplomatic breakthrough that came a week before the BRICS summit in China which is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

NEW DELHI: The government today briefed the opposition leaders on the easing of Dokalam border standoff with China with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj speaking to former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders. The Congress, on its part, welcomed and supported the understanding between India and China to de-escalate the border tension at Dokalam in the Sikkim sector. Sources said Swaraj called up Singh and Gandhi, besides Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and deputy leader Anand Sharma. Sources said Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar also called up Sharma separately and informed him about the current status and the easing of border tensions at Dokalam. Sharma confirmed that the government has briefed Congress leaders about the Dokalam standoff ahead of the BRICS summit. "This understanding that has been reached is a positive development which we support," Sharma said. Asked about the development at the AICC briefing, party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said this is a matter of national security but one should not go into a rejoicing mode. "There would be nobody happier than my party, than me, if what has just been stated by you, is not the momentary truth but the stable longer term or at least medium truth. "However, just like we should not go into panic mode as soon as something happens, we should not go into rejoicing mode the moment it is received," he said. "I can only join you with the entire nation in hoping that this information which is coming is at least medium, if not long term true, stable and comprehensive and that unfortunately other conflicting information coming is untrue," he added. He said both countries should engage to find a permanent solution in the light of the 2012 agreement between India-Bhutan and China about the location of the trilateral junction. "There must be an agreement to maintain the status quo until a resolution which is acceptable to all," he said. Sharma, who is a former minister, said it is important that both the countries being strategic partners, neighbours and large developing countries work with sincerity guided by the principles and parameters of 2005 agreement between the two prime ministers on the border issues. Swaraj is also learnt to have talked to other opposition leaders, informing them about the development. CPI leader D Raja welcomed India and China agreeing to "expeditious disengagement" of troops, saying the move "is in the interest of the two countries". India and China have almost completed the disengagement of border personnel at Dokalam, in a major diplomatic breakthrough that came a week before the BRICS summit in China which is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In a welcome move, India and China on Monday agreed to an expeditious disengagement of border personnel at Doklam to end the 74-day long stand-off in the Sikkim sector, the biggest since the 1962 war. The move comes ahead of the BRICS summit in China that is likely to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

We had, earlier in the day, announced that following diplomatic communications, expeditious disengagement of border personnel of India and China at the face-off site at Doklam was ongoing. This process (of disengagement of troops) has since been almost completed under verification, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. India has always maintained that it is only through diplomatic channels that differences on such matters can be addressed. Our principled position is that agreements and understandings reached on boundary issues must be scrupulously respected. Indias policy remains guided by the belief that peace and tranquillity in the border areas is an essential pre-requisite for further development of our bilateral relationship, the MEA further said.

The two countries, New Delhi pointed out, had agreed in Astana that differences should not be allowed to become disputes and that India-China relations must remain stable. We look forward to continuing engagement with the Chinese side on this basis, the Ministry added.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday chaired a high-level meeting with the top officials of the ministry and chiefs of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Border Security Force (BSF) at the North Block here to review the border infrastructure. While ITBP is the lead intelligence agency on the Indo-China border, the SSB is the LIA for Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Nepal borders

During meeting, ITBP chief was asked to keep the troops along the frontier with China extra vigilant.

NEW DELHI: In a welcome move, India and China on Monday agreed to an expeditious disengagement of border personnel at Doklam to end the 74-day long stand-off in the Sikkim sector, the biggest since the 1962 war. The move comes ahead of the BRICS summit in China that is likely to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We had, earlier in the day, announced that following diplomatic communications, expeditious disengagement of border personnel of India and China at the face-off site at Doklam was ongoing. This process (of disengagement of troops) has since been almost completed under verification, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. India has always maintained that it is only through diplomatic channels that differences on such matters can be addressed. Our principled position is that agreements and understandings reached on boundary issues must be scrupulously respected. Indias policy remains guided by the belief that peace and tranquillity in the border areas is an essential pre-requisite for further development of our bilateral relationship, the MEA further said. The two countries, New Delhi pointed out, had agreed in Astana that differences should not be allowed to become disputes and that India-China relations must remain stable. We look forward to continuing engagement with the Chinese side on this basis, the Ministry added. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday chaired a high-level meeting with the top officials of the ministry and chiefs of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Border Security Force (BSF) at the North Block here to review the border infrastructure. While ITBP is the lead intelligence agency on the Indo-China border, the SSB is the LIA for Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Nepal borders During meeting, ITBP chief was asked to keep the troops along the frontier with China extra vigilant.
By PTI

CHANDIGARH: A court here today dismissed the bail plea of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala's son Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar who had been booked on charges of stalking and attempting to abduct a 29-year-old woman.

The court of civil judge Barjinder Pal Singh dismissed the bail plea of both the accused who were arrested on August 9, defence counsel Ravindra Pandit said.

The woman, daughter of a senior IAS officer, had accused Vikas (23) and Kumar (27) of stalking her.

They were arrested on the intervening night of August 4 and 5 following her complaint but were released on bail as they had been booked under bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act.

They were arrested again on August 9 after they joined police investigation and were then charged with attempted abduction under sections 365 and 511 of the IPC.

The court had sent them to judicial custody till September 7 when appeared before the court on August 25.

The incident had triggered a nation-wide outrage and a spate of protests with people even holding a march in support of the victim and to raise awareness on women safety issue.

CHANDIGARH: A court here today dismissed the bail plea of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala's son Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar who had been booked on charges of stalking and attempting to abduct a 29-year-old woman. The court of civil judge Barjinder Pal Singh dismissed the bail plea of both the accused who were arrested on August 9, defence counsel Ravindra Pandit said. The woman, daughter of a senior IAS officer, had accused Vikas (23) and Kumar (27) of stalking her. They were arrested on the intervening night of August 4 and 5 following her complaint but were released on bail as they had been booked under bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act. They were arrested again on August 9 after they joined police investigation and were then charged with attempted abduction under sections 365 and 511 of the IPC. The court had sent them to judicial custody till September 7 when appeared before the court on August 25. The incident had triggered a nation-wide outrage and a spate of protests with people even holding a march in support of the victim and to raise awareness on women safety issue.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In a bid to address the problem of stressed and overworked loco pilots, the railways has now decided to meet their families and counsel them on the need of their proper rest at home. This direction comes in the wake of several accidents and derailments in past few months and majority of them due to human error.

In a direction issued to all 17 zonal railways, Railway Board has listed about 35 steps under the prevention of accidents to be followed during train operation, loco maintenance and general instruction to attain Zero Accident regime.

With 16464 posts of loco pilots lying vacant, concerns have been raised overworked loco pilots.

The directions issued after the Utkal Express derailment on August 19 clearly calls for close monitoring of duty hours and ensuring periodical rests to loco pilots.

Ensure that all loco running staff booked to work trains have availed full rest as prescribed at home station and out station. No under rest crew shall be booked for working trains except in emergency conditions, said the directions.

It also calls for increased interaction with family members of the crew for bringing about an awareness of the need for proper rest at the home station.

No running staff booked for safety training, refresher course or any mandatory training should be booked to work trains. Pamphlets should be issued, in lines of safety bulletins, narrating accident cases and action to be taken by Crew to avoid Signal Passed at Danger (SPAD), said the directions.

A parliamentary standing committee on railways in its latest report on safety and security in railways had observed that loco pilots are required to work for cumulative 104 hours in a fortnight and their running duty at a stretch ordinarily should not exceed 10 hours but sometimes they are required to work beyond stipulated duty hours due to operational exigencies.

The board has also asked the zonal railways to prepare safety action plans according to local need and report the same. They have also been asked that details of all incidents of safety cases on railways shall be collected and causes of failures are analysed and discussed in all training centres and crew counselled by nominated loco inspectors accordingly.

Other instructions include avoiding the use of mobile phones during duty hours and running staff be asked to avoid the tendency of packing their personal belongings while approaching the termination stations.

NEW DELHI: In a bid to address the problem of stressed and overworked loco pilots, the railways has now decided to meet their families and counsel them on the need of their proper rest at home. This direction comes in the wake of several accidents and derailments in past few months and majority of them due to human error. In a direction issued to all 17 zonal railways, Railway Board has listed about 35 steps under the prevention of accidents to be followed during train operation, loco maintenance and general instruction to attain Zero Accident regime. With 16464 posts of loco pilots lying vacant, concerns have been raised overworked loco pilots. The directions issued after the Utkal Express derailment on August 19 clearly calls for close monitoring of duty hours and ensuring periodical rests to loco pilots. Ensure that all loco running staff booked to work trains have availed full rest as prescribed at home station and out station. No under rest crew shall be booked for working trains except in emergency conditions, said the directions. It also calls for increased interaction with family members of the crew for bringing about an awareness of the need for proper rest at the home station. No running staff booked for safety training, refresher course or any mandatory training should be booked to work trains. Pamphlets should be issued, in lines of safety bulletins, narrating accident cases and action to be taken by Crew to avoid Signal Passed at Danger (SPAD), said the directions. A parliamentary standing committee on railways in its latest report on safety and security in railways had observed that loco pilots are required to work for cumulative 104 hours in a fortnight and their running duty at a stretch ordinarily should not exceed 10 hours but sometimes they are required to work beyond stipulated duty hours due to operational exigencies. The board has also asked the zonal railways to prepare safety action plans according to local need and report the same. They have also been asked that details of all incidents of safety cases on railways shall be collected and causes of failures are analysed and discussed in all training centres and crew counselled by nominated loco inspectors accordingly. Other instructions include avoiding the use of mobile phones during duty hours and running staff be asked to avoid the tendency of packing their personal belongings while approaching the termination stations.
Harpreet Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: Haryana administration went soft on now-incarcerated Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim when he was taken into custody by the Haryana Police after he was convicted on charges of rape by the special CBI court on Friday, suggest reports. Rahims adopted-daughter Honeypreet Kaur was allowed to travel and stay with the self-styled godman in the makeshift jail for few hours.

According to sources, Honeypreet accompanied Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the helicopter provided by the state government to transport him to Rohtak for the hearing on Friday.

The same day Gurmeet Ram Rahim filed an application in the court that he was unwell and also Honeypreet moved an application through her lawyer that Rahim had health issues. It was suggested that Honeypreet, being an acupressure expert could supervise Gurmeets medical treatment.

The court then stated that it cannot pass an order for the same as it was under the purview of the state government or jail authorities to decide that. Honeypreet accompanied Rahim to the rest house at the police training centre which was converted into a make shift jail, where both of them relaxed in the VIP room for few hours before the Dera chief was moved to the Rohtak District jail as the prisoner number 1997.

Living life king size

According to sources, Gurmeet with an interest luxury cars and expensive self-designed dresses led the life of a king in his Dera spread in 700 acres in Sirsa before his arrest and conviction in the rape case. He had a discreet room called Guffa (tunnel) where no one was allowed apart from close confidantes. It is alleged that his women followers attended to him at the room on a rotation basis. However, it is now alleged that all of themover 200 in numberhave gone missing. The details about the lifestyle of Gurmeet had come out much before his conviction through his former driver Khatta Singh who had parted ways with him many years ago.

The moolah factor

The Ambala Police recovered `38 lakh from a Dera follower which was to be used to spread unrest in Haryana and Punjab. The six persons arrested by the Chandigarh Police during interrogation admitted that they were hired at `1000 per day to spread violence.

Undecided future

With the Dera chief behind the bars, the future of employees working in various hospitals, institutes and factories run by the Dera is at stake.

Over 6,000 students studying in the eight educational institutions run by the Dera and the 500 odd staff working there is clueless, said sources adding that the Dera manufactures 150 products including mineral water, pickles, soft drinks, candies and shampoos besides pesticides and fertilisers. It had run a vernacular newspaper too, sources said.

For now, the show is being run by the dera chairperson Vipasna Insan and senior vice-president Dr PR Nain. As Jasmeet Singh Insan (son) and two daughters, Charanpreet Kaur and Amarpreet Kaur of the Dera chief are presently staying in the dera with their spouses.

Over 3,000 followers left the Dera on Sunday. Many strong followers refused to leave the congregation centres of the sect spread across the country.

Dera Sacha Sauda followers queue up for police formalities before boarding the Haryana Roadways buses provided by the administration to return to their respective places in Sirsa district on Monday. (PTI)

Villagers arm themselves

Fearing violence after the Dera chiefs sentencing on Monday, Shahipur Beghu  a village close to the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters  readied itself to face angry followers with a stockpile of stones, sticks, bricks and iron rods.

Car burnt in Sirsa

After Gurmeet was sentenced, a car was allegedly set on fire by unknown persons in Kotli, Sirsa. Three boys were seen sitting inside the car whose horn was blaring, police said.

Lathis found at a Dera

A hundred items, including lathis, were found buried under the ground at a centre of Dera Sacha Sauda in Haryanas Sonepat district during a police search operation. Lathis were found buried 2.5 feet under the ground.

Youngster brigade

A youngster brigade was formed several days ahead of the verdict in the rape case against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief to trigger violence in Punjab if the judgement goes against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Security beefed up

Security was tightened in Uttar Pradeshs Shamli district, bordering Haryana, in view of the sentencing of Dera Sacha Sauda chief. District authorities had sealed roads connecting the district with Haryana and were checking vehicles.

CHANDIGARH: Haryana administration went soft on now-incarcerated Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim when he was taken into custody by the Haryana Police after he was convicted on charges of rape by the special CBI court on Friday, suggest reports. Rahims adopted-daughter Honeypreet Kaur was allowed to travel and stay with the self-styled godman in the makeshift jail for few hours. According to sources, Honeypreet accompanied Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the helicopter provided by the state government to transport him to Rohtak for the hearing on Friday. The same day Gurmeet Ram Rahim filed an application in the court that he was unwell and also Honeypreet moved an application through her lawyer that Rahim had health issues. It was suggested that Honeypreet, being an acupressure expert could supervise Gurmeets medical treatment. The court then stated that it cannot pass an order for the same as it was under the purview of the state government or jail authorities to decide that. Honeypreet accompanied Rahim to the rest house at the police training centre which was converted into a make shift jail, where both of them relaxed in the VIP room for few hours before the Dera chief was moved to the Rohtak District jail as the prisoner number 1997. Living life king size According to sources, Gurmeet with an interest luxury cars and expensive self-designed dresses led the life of a king in his Dera spread in 700 acres in Sirsa before his arrest and conviction in the rape case. He had a discreet room called Guffa (tunnel) where no one was allowed apart from close confidantes. It is alleged that his women followers attended to him at the room on a rotation basis. However, it is now alleged that all of themover 200 in numberhave gone missing. The details about the lifestyle of Gurmeet had come out much before his conviction through his former driver Khatta Singh who had parted ways with him many years ago. The moolah factor The Ambala Police recovered `38 lakh from a Dera follower which was to be used to spread unrest in Haryana and Punjab. The six persons arrested by the Chandigarh Police during interrogation admitted that they were hired at `1000 per day to spread violence. Undecided future With the Dera chief behind the bars, the future of employees working in various hospitals, institutes and factories run by the Dera is at stake. Over 6,000 students studying in the eight educational institutions run by the Dera and the 500 odd staff working there is clueless, said sources adding that the Dera manufactures 150 products including mineral water, pickles, soft drinks, candies and shampoos besides pesticides and fertilisers. It had run a vernacular newspaper too, sources said. For now, the show is being run by the dera chairperson Vipasna Insan and senior vice-president Dr PR Nain. As Jasmeet Singh Insan (son) and two daughters, Charanpreet Kaur and Amarpreet Kaur of the Dera chief are presently staying in the dera with their spouses. Over 3,000 followers left the Dera on Sunday. Many strong followers refused to leave the congregation centres of the sect spread across the country. Dera Sacha Sauda followers queue up for police formalities before boarding the Haryana Roadways buses provided by the administration to return to their respective places in Sirsa district on Monday. (PTI)Villagers arm themselves Fearing violence after the Dera chiefs sentencing on Monday, Shahipur Beghu  a village close to the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters  readied itself to face angry followers with a stockpile of stones, sticks, bricks and iron rods. Car burnt in Sirsa After Gurmeet was sentenced, a car was allegedly set on fire by unknown persons in Kotli, Sirsa. Three boys were seen sitting inside the car whose horn was blaring, police said. Lathis found at a Dera A hundred items, including lathis, were found buried under the ground at a centre of Dera Sacha Sauda in Haryanas Sonepat district during a police search operation. Lathis were found buried 2.5 feet under the ground. Youngster brigade A youngster brigade was formed several days ahead of the verdict in the rape case against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief to trigger violence in Punjab if the judgement goes against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Security beefed up Security was tightened in Uttar Pradeshs Shamli district, bordering Haryana, in view of the sentencing of Dera Sacha Sauda chief. District authorities had sealed roads connecting the district with Haryana and were checking vehicles.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: The UP Special Task Force (STF) arrested Dr Rajiv Kumar Mishra, suspended principal of Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, and his wife Dr Purnima Shukla from Saketnagar locality of Kanpur on Tuesday in connection with the death of over 30 children at government-run hospital within a span of 48 hours between August 9 and 11.

The couple, who had been on the police radar for a week now, were taken to Gorakhpur for interrogation. The arrest was preceded by a raid by the joint teams of Gorakhpur and Kanpur STF at the residence of a prominent criminal lawyer of Kanpur where the couple were staying.

The then principal Dr Mishra was suspended for dereliction of duty and Dr Kafeel Ahmad, nodal officer of 100-bed encephalitis ward was also removed from his post by medical education minister during his visit to the medical college on August 11.

Tuesdays police action has come in response to the FIR which was lodged by medical education and training director general KK Gupta against nine persons at Hazratganj police station in state capital Lucknow on August 23 and later transferred to Gorakhpur on August 24.

While Dr Misra and Manish Bhandari of Pushpa Sales Private Limited, the oxygen suppliers  were charged with attempted culpable homicide (attempt to cause death) and criminal conspiracy, Dr Satish Kumar, head, anaesthesia department and Dr Kafeel Ahmed, were charged with criminal negligence resulting in so many deaths.

According to the FIR, Dr Misra has been accused of not clearing the payment of Pushpa Sales for want of bribe in connivance with his subordinate staff at BRD Medical College.

Dr Misra has also been charged with leaving the district headquarters ignoring the media reports regarding deaths at the hospital instead of handling the emergency situation at the medical college.

Dr Misras wife, Dr Purnima Shukla, who was not posted at the BRD Medical College and was associated with the district Homeopathic Hospital, has been accused of seeking monetary gratification using her husbands name and aiding him in corrupt practices.

Dr Kafeel was also charged with using social media to spread wrong information apparently in reference to reports in a section of the media, which described him as a hero who arranged oxygen cylinders from his own pocket.

Believably, the FIR also stated that the state-run medical college had received a total fund of `454 lakh for the financial year 2017-18, of which `63.65 lakh could be given to Pushpa Sales to clear the pending dues of the firm.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Health Department has confirmed filing two separate caveats before the Allahabad and Lucknow benches of the High Court against the Gorakhpur-based BRD Medical College for medical negligence.

LUCKNOW: The UP Special Task Force (STF) arrested Dr Rajiv Kumar Mishra, suspended principal of Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, and his wife Dr Purnima Shukla from Saketnagar locality of Kanpur on Tuesday in connection with the death of over 30 children at government-run hospital within a span of 48 hours between August 9 and 11. The couple, who had been on the police radar for a week now, were taken to Gorakhpur for interrogation. The arrest was preceded by a raid by the joint teams of Gorakhpur and Kanpur STF at the residence of a prominent criminal lawyer of Kanpur where the couple were staying. The then principal Dr Mishra was suspended for dereliction of duty and Dr Kafeel Ahmad, nodal officer of 100-bed encephalitis ward was also removed from his post by medical education minister during his visit to the medical college on August 11. Tuesdays police action has come in response to the FIR which was lodged by medical education and training director general KK Gupta against nine persons at Hazratganj police station in state capital Lucknow on August 23 and later transferred to Gorakhpur on August 24. While Dr Misra and Manish Bhandari of Pushpa Sales Private Limited, the oxygen suppliers  were charged with attempted culpable homicide (attempt to cause death) and criminal conspiracy, Dr Satish Kumar, head, anaesthesia department and Dr Kafeel Ahmed, were charged with criminal negligence resulting in so many deaths. According to the FIR, Dr Misra has been accused of not clearing the payment of Pushpa Sales for want of bribe in connivance with his subordinate staff at BRD Medical College. Dr Misra has also been charged with leaving the district headquarters ignoring the media reports regarding deaths at the hospital instead of handling the emergency situation at the medical college. Dr Misras wife, Dr Purnima Shukla, who was not posted at the BRD Medical College and was associated with the district Homeopathic Hospital, has been accused of seeking monetary gratification using her husbands name and aiding him in corrupt practices. Dr Kafeel was also charged with using social media to spread wrong information apparently in reference to reports in a section of the media, which described him as a hero who arranged oxygen cylinders from his own pocket. Believably, the FIR also stated that the state-run medical college had received a total fund of `454 lakh for the financial year 2017-18, of which `63.65 lakh could be given to Pushpa Sales to clear the pending dues of the firm. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Health Department has confirmed filing two separate caveats before the Allahabad and Lucknow benches of the High Court against the Gorakhpur-based BRD Medical College for medical negligence.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Xiamen in China to attend the BRICS summit which will be held from September 3-5, the Ministry of External Affairs said today.

The announcement of Modi's visit comes a day after India and China ended their 73-day standoff in Dokalam by withdrawing their troops from the area.

"At the invitation of the President of People's Republic of China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in China's Fujian province during September 3-5, 2017 to attend the 9th BRICS Summit," MEA said.

From China, the Prime Minister will travel to Myanmar for a state visit from September 5 to 7 at the invitation of Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw.

It will be Modi's first bilateral state visit to Myanmar.

"During the visit, Prime Minister will hold discussions with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President U Htin Kyaw. Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, he will visit Yangon and Bagan," MEA said.

Modi had visited Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw in November 2014 to attend the ASEAN summit.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Xiamen in China to attend the BRICS summit which will be held from September 3-5, the Ministry of External Affairs said today. The announcement of Modi's visit comes a day after India and China ended their 73-day standoff in Dokalam by withdrawing their troops from the area. "At the invitation of the President of People's Republic of China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in China's Fujian province during September 3-5, 2017 to attend the 9th BRICS Summit," MEA said. From China, the Prime Minister will travel to Myanmar for a state visit from September 5 to 7 at the invitation of Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw. It will be Modi's first bilateral state visit to Myanmar. "During the visit, Prime Minister will hold discussions with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President U Htin Kyaw. Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, he will visit Yangon and Bagan," MEA said. Modi had visited Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw in November 2014 to attend the ASEAN summit.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the review plea of Kerala government and fixed Rs 11 lakh as annual fee for admission to MBBS course in all self-financing colleges in the State. The court clarified that out of the Rs 11 lakh fee, Rs 5 lakh has to be remitted in cash. For the remaining Rs 6 lakh, students have to furnish a bank guarantee or pay in cash.The court has also directed the managements of colleges to maintain separate accounts for recording this amount.

Attorney General K K Venugopal said the allotment process was over but the court refused to consider it.

The fee will also be applicable to the colleges that signed an agreement with the government. Earlier, the court had permitted two colleges to collect Rs 11 lakh as fee. But on Monday, the court dismissed their review petition.

According to the order, the students who has already got admissions in colleges will have to arrange for additional bank guarantees.The SC also revoked its temporary permission to a few self-financing colleges, which had not entered into a pact with the government to collect Rs 11 lakh fee.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the review plea of Kerala government and fixed Rs 11 lakh as annual fee for admission to MBBS course in all self-financing colleges in the State. The court clarified that out of the Rs 11 lakh fee, Rs 5 lakh has to be remitted in cash. For the remaining Rs 6 lakh, students have to furnish a bank guarantee or pay in cash.The court has also directed the managements of colleges to maintain separate accounts for recording this amount. Attorney General K K Venugopal said the allotment process was over but the court refused to consider it. The fee will also be applicable to the colleges that signed an agreement with the government. Earlier, the court had permitted two colleges to collect Rs 11 lakh as fee. But on Monday, the court dismissed their review petition. According to the order, the students who has already got admissions in colleges will have to arrange for additional bank guarantees.The SC also revoked its temporary permission to a few self-financing colleges, which had not entered into a pact with the government to collect Rs 11 lakh fee.
Harpreet Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday arrested an Inspector General of Police (IGP), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and six other officers of the Himachal Pradesh Police in connection with the custodial death of a suspect in the Kotkhai gang-rape and murder of a minor girl.

IGP south range Zahoor H Zaidi, who was heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiring into the rape and murder of a minor girl, was arrested from Shimla, along with DSP Theog Manoj Joshi and six other policemen  then SHO of Kotkhai Police Station Rajinder Singh, ASI Deep Chand Sharma, head constables Surat Singh, Mohan Lal, Rafiq Ali and constable Ranjit Singh.

The custodial death took place on July 20 after the main accused in the gang-rape and murder, Rajinder Singh, is said to have smashed in the head of Suraj, a Nepalese labourer and accomplice, blaming him for spilling the beans about the crime and implicating him.

On July 4, a 16-year-old Class 10 student went missing while on her way back home from school. Two days later, police found her body from Halaila forests of Kotkhai. She had been raped and murdered.

Police said the accused had given her a lift, taken her to an isolated place, raped her and then choked her to death. A medical examination confirmed she had been raped and had died of asphyxiation. Injury marks on her body also indicated that she had been choked to death.

An SIT was formed by the state government after which six people were arrested. The accused were identified as Ashish Chauhan (29), the son of an apple-orchard owner, Rajinder Singh (32), Subhash Singh Bisht (42), Lok Jan (19), Suraj Singh (29) and Deepak (38).

ICP Zaidi had said that Suraj had narrated to the police the entire sequence leading to the rape and had named Rajinder Singh, the driver of the pickup van, as the main accused. Police said Rajinder had been acquainted with the victim, and that he had offered her lifts twice earlier.

The family of the rape victim, however, refused to buy the polices version and said that the real culprits belonged to high-profile families, whom the state government had helped get away scot-free.

With the public supporting the family and refusing to accept that the police had arrested all the right people, the Himachal Pradesh government was forced to order a CBI probe on July 14.

Days after the case was shifted to CBI, Rajinder, who was lodged in the same cell as Suraj at Kotkhai Police Station, had a heated exchange with him over revealing the details of the crime to the police and naming him as entirely responsible for it. In his anger, Rajinder allegedly smashed Surajs head against the floor, killing him. Suraj died by the time an on-duty policeman could intervene.

CHANDIGARH: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday arrested an Inspector General of Police (IGP), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and six other officers of the Himachal Pradesh Police in connection with the custodial death of a suspect in the Kotkhai gang-rape and murder of a minor girl. IGP south range Zahoor H Zaidi, who was heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiring into the rape and murder of a minor girl, was arrested from Shimla, along with DSP Theog Manoj Joshi and six other policemen  then SHO of Kotkhai Police Station Rajinder Singh, ASI Deep Chand Sharma, head constables Surat Singh, Mohan Lal, Rafiq Ali and constable Ranjit Singh. The custodial death took place on July 20 after the main accused in the gang-rape and murder, Rajinder Singh, is said to have smashed in the head of Suraj, a Nepalese labourer and accomplice, blaming him for spilling the beans about the crime and implicating him. On July 4, a 16-year-old Class 10 student went missing while on her way back home from school. Two days later, police found her body from Halaila forests of Kotkhai. She had been raped and murdered. Police said the accused had given her a lift, taken her to an isolated place, raped her and then choked her to death. A medical examination confirmed she had been raped and had died of asphyxiation. Injury marks on her body also indicated that she had been choked to death. An SIT was formed by the state government after which six people were arrested. The accused were identified as Ashish Chauhan (29), the son of an apple-orchard owner, Rajinder Singh (32), Subhash Singh Bisht (42), Lok Jan (19), Suraj Singh (29) and Deepak (38). ICP Zaidi had said that Suraj had narrated to the police the entire sequence leading to the rape and had named Rajinder Singh, the driver of the pickup van, as the main accused. Police said Rajinder had been acquainted with the victim, and that he had offered her lifts twice earlier. The family of the rape victim, however, refused to buy the polices version and said that the real culprits belonged to high-profile families, whom the state government had helped get away scot-free. With the public supporting the family and refusing to accept that the police had arrested all the right people, the Himachal Pradesh government was forced to order a CBI probe on July 14. Days after the case was shifted to CBI, Rajinder, who was lodged in the same cell as Suraj at Kotkhai Police Station, had a heated exchange with him over revealing the details of the crime to the police and naming him as entirely responsible for it. In his anger, Rajinder allegedly smashed Surajs head against the floor, killing him. Suraj died by the time an on-duty policeman could intervene.
By Express News Service

NELLORE: Red Sanders Task Force along with local police on Monday seized 64 red sanders logs worth `1 crore. The team nabbed 21 inter-state and local smugglers, including most wanted smugglers Sangati Subbaiah and Dadineni Subbaiah. The police seized two country-made weapons, two tractors, auto, seven motorcycles, 13 mobile phones, 20 axes and `5,030 in cash from them.Disclosing the details to the media at Umesh Chandra Conference Hall here, SP PHD Ramakrishna said that the Task Force team along with local police conducted raids in the forest area at Rapur, Ananthasagaram and also in Kaluvoya.



When the Task Force team tried to nab smugglers at Rapur and Ananthasagaram areas, they pelted stones at the police and a few smugglers fled the scene, Ramakrishna said. Sangati Subbaiah and Dadineni Subbaiah, who hail from Pangali village in Rapur mandal are the most wanted smugglers. They exported several loads of red sanders logs to Chennai, Bengaluru and also other parts of the country. They have been exporting logs from the forest area for the last 30 years, Ramakrishna said.



The SP said that Sangati Subbaiah was also involved in an attack on the forest officer and a case was also filed against him.A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused, who have been at large during the raids, said Ramakrishna. He stated that cases had been filed against the accused under AP Forest (Amendment) Act, 2016, Section 51 of Wild Life Protection Act, 1977 and also other sections.

NELLORE: Red Sanders Task Force along with local police on Monday seized 64 red sanders logs worth `1 crore. The team nabbed 21 inter-state and local smugglers, including most wanted smugglers Sangati Subbaiah and Dadineni Subbaiah. The police seized two country-made weapons, two tractors, auto, seven motorcycles, 13 mobile phones, 20 axes and `5,030 in cash from them.Disclosing the details to the media at Umesh Chandra Conference Hall here, SP PHD Ramakrishna said that the Task Force team along with local police conducted raids in the forest area at Rapur, Ananthasagaram and also in Kaluvoya. When the Task Force team tried to nab smugglers at Rapur and Ananthasagaram areas, they pelted stones at the police and a few smugglers fled the scene, Ramakrishna said. Sangati Subbaiah and Dadineni Subbaiah, who hail from Pangali village in Rapur mandal are the most wanted smugglers. They exported several loads of red sanders logs to Chennai, Bengaluru and also other parts of the country. They have been exporting logs from the forest area for the last 30 years, Ramakrishna said. The SP said that Sangati Subbaiah was also involved in an attack on the forest officer and a case was also filed against him.A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused, who have been at large during the raids, said Ramakrishna. He stated that cases had been filed against the accused under AP Forest (Amendment) Act, 2016, Section 51 of Wild Life Protection Act, 1977 and also other sections.
Kiran Prakash and Ramu Patil By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: In the last leg of his 5-year tenure, Siddaramaiah is focusing on creating an impression that as Chief Minister he has delivered what he had promised in 2013.

While his team is taking to online and offline platforms to build that image, Siddaramaiah is busy working on a strategy to bring Congress back to power post 2018 Assembly elections.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: You are now accused of misusing the Anti-Corruption Bureau to target B S Yeddyurappa ahead of the elections.

A: (Laughs) The ACB received complaints from some people and after preliminary investigation, they registered an FIR. Where is the question of misusing the ACB? Government has nothing to do with it. BJP leaders are trying to find fault with the government as elections are approaching.

Q: Its an old case and FIRs were registered four days after I-T raids on minister D K Shivakumar.

A: Is there a law that says old cases should not be investigated and FIRs should not be registered? Merely because it is an old case doesnt mean it should not be investigated. When Sadananda Gowda was the Chief Minister this matter was raised in the assembly. He had even written on the file that this case will be investigated by the CID. Yeddyurappa had made him CM  can they say he misused his power? There is no relation between the I-T raids and the ACB action. Timing is merely a coincidence. We never indulge in politics of hate. However, let me make it very clear that no one is above law, be it Yeddyurappa or anyone else.

Q: Do you think the BJP is using I-T department to target Congress leaders?

A: It looks like that. (Energy minister) Shivakumar was confined in his house for three days (during the recent I-T raids on his premises). His phone was snatched and he was not allowed to go out or talk to anyone. It virtually amounts to detention. He is a cabinet minister and enjoys some privileges. What does all that mean? What made them (I-T officials) go to the resort and bring him from there? They should have waited for him to return home. I am not against I-T raids, but the way they conducted it was not right.

In the last two years, they have raided only Congress leaders in the state. What does it mean? Only Congress leaders are corrupt and BJP leaders are all honest? MTB Nagaraj, Ramesh Jarkiholi, D K Shivakumar, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Sitaram all are from Congress. Why are they selecting only people from our party? What inference can one draw from that?

Q: The BJP is demanding Shivakumars resignation.

A: Why should he resign? Unless he is found guilty, why should he resign? Just because someone is raided we cannot call him corrupt. Yeddyurappa is facing many cases, why did the BJP make him chief ministerial candidate? In fact, BJP leaders are also not convinced about their demand. They started this campaign to satisfy Amit Shah.

Q: There are talks of advancing the assembly elections, but you have consistently ruled out that possibility. But the situation looks favourable to the Congress and even a recent survey suggested that.

A: No. Elections will be held as per schedule. Situation will be in favour of Congress even after six or seven months when the elections will be held. BJPs image will not improve merely because Shah comes to Karnataka or Modi campaigns in the state.

Q: What makes you so confident?

A: I am confident because people in the state are happy with our programmes and we have implemented whatever we had promised. Also, there is no anti-incumbency factor in the state.



Q: Issues like use of Hindi in Metro signboards and the demand for a separate flag for Karnataka are being raked up now. You have also spoken against imposition of Hindi. There seems to be an attempt to whip up regional sentiments closer to the elections.

A: In Karnataka we have been unofficially using a flag since 1966. Few months back, veteran journalist and freedom fighter Patil Puttappa wrote to me asking me to make it the official flag. After that I constituted a committee. My personal opinion is that the Constitution does not bar a state from having its flag. National flag will always fly high and below that we can have our state flag.

My stand on imposition of Hindi is clear. It should not be imposed on any state as it is not the national language. It is one of the official languages. The Centre wanted us to use Hindi in Metro and our officials had used it. After that there were protests by pro-Kannada activists. So, I told them to follow Tamil Nadu model where they have used only Tamil and English. I also wrote to the Centre asking them not to impose Hindi. There is no politics.

Q: Veerashaiva-Lingayats demand for a separate religion is decades old. It is said that Congress is raising the issue now to divide the BJP support base and weaken Yeddyurappa.

A: That is just an allegation. The Veerashaiva Mahasabha had given me a memorandum seeking a separate religion status for them and also Mate Mahadevi had given me another proposal asking for separate religion status for Lingayats alone.

I have told them that I will look into their demands. I also told them to come together. We have not initiated it and we have no role in it.

Let me make it very clear that our government has nothing to do with this issue. Whatever the ministers are doing or saying on this particular issue is not the governments stand. It is their personal stand. We have never discussed it in cabinet or any government forum.

Q: Opposition parties have accused you and your party leaders of receiving kickbacks in award of contracts. They also alleged that the Congress unit in Karnataka is regularly sending money to the high command. These issues are bound to be taken up during elections. How will you tackle them?

A: People will not trust those who are lying. If they are making allegations against me, what are the documentary evidence against me? I can also make thousands of allegations against (Prime Minister) Modi and his government. If they make false allegations against me, I can also make false allegations against them. But it is not my culture. You cannot just say they have taken kickbacks...you must prove. People will not trust you, otherwise.

Q: Amit Shah is determined to make Yeddyurappa the next CM and has started preparations.

A: It is not Amit Shah or BJP, people of the state will decide who will be the next chief minister. And we know people are in favour of Congress returning to power.

Q: What will be your strategy to counter BJP that looks like Congress of the 1970s with a pan India presence and strong leader at the top and Congress today looks like the opposition of 1970s?

A: Its true BJP has gained strength but they have not swept all the states after coming to power at the Centre. They lost in Delhi, Punjab, Bihar and even in Goa and Manipur they had not won the elections. Congress was in power at the Centre for 10 years, people wanted a change and Modi became PM. Its all part of politics. Modi phenomenon wont always work across the country. It wont work in Karnataka.

Q: Some analysts say you are reviving Indira Gandhis legacy to take on Modis strong image. The budget canteens that your government started are named after Indira and some Morarji Desai residential schools are being renamed.

A: This is Indira Gandhis birth centenary year that is why we decided to name canteens after her. In the budget I had announced that the canteens will be named as Namma Canteens. And, were not renaming the existing 385 Moraji Desai schools. Newly sanctioned 100 schools will be named after Indira Gandhi. 125 are named after Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Q: You have emerged as a strong regional leader in the Congress. Do you see a regional leader like you playing a national role to revive the party?

A: No. Now, I am confined to Karnataka and concentrating on Karnataka. Lets us see after 2018 elections.

Q: Now, its clear that Congress will fight elections under your leadership. But will you be the CM if Congress comes back to power?

A: It is for the party and the elected legislators to decide.

Q: Any possibilities of pre-poll or post-poll alliance with JD(S)?

A: No pre-poll or post-poll alliance with anyone. We will go to elections on our own and win on our own. Situation of having an alliance does not arise at all.

Q: What will be your priorities in the last few months of your tenure?

A: Our priorities are simple and very clear -- take our programmes and achievements to people. We will tell them these are our promises and these are our achievements. We have kept our promises. We will ask people to bless us again. It has happened in Gundlupet and Nanjangud byelections and I am confident it will happen again in 2018.

Q: When is the cabinet expansion expected? Who will be the next Home Minister?

A: I have already discussed it with Rahul Gandhi during my recent visit to Delhi and it will happen within a week. No decision has been taken on allocating Home portfolio to anyone in particular.

If we return to power, focus will be on Bengaluru

Q: People in Bengaluru are fed up of the VIP culture, where their vehicles are stopped to allow free passage to vehicles of ministers and VIPs. Even ambulances get stuck in traffic jams caused by VIP convoys.

A: I have given specific directions and strict instructions to police not to stop any ambulance to make way for VIP vehicles. Normally, when the Governor, Chief Minister or Home Minister is travelling, police make way for those vehicles. This has always been the practice and it was not started after we came to power. Otherwise, traffic should not be stopped for any other minister.

Q: There is a complaint that frequent transfer of IAS and IPS officers is affecting governance. For example, Bengaluru has had five police commissioners in last four years. Are there any political considerations in these transfers?

A: There is no political consideration in any of those transfers. Sometimes we have to transfer officers in public interest. It will not create any instability or discontinuity in the system.

Q: Bengaluru is an urban mess. What has your government done and what can be done to make it a livable city?

A: Vehicular traffic has increased drastically in Bengaluru which also has the highest number of two-wheelers in any city in India.

We have taken several measures, including widening and white-topping of roads, TenderSure project has been taken up, number of buses has been increased and budget allocation too has increased. It takes time, but we are taking measures to reduce the mess.

First phase of the Metro is over and work on the second phase is on. By 2020, the second phase will be ready and problem will be eased. If we return to power after 2018 elections, our focus will be on Bengaluru.



BENGALURU: In the last leg of his 5-year tenure, Siddaramaiah is focusing on creating an impression that as Chief Minister he has delivered what he had promised in 2013. While his team is taking to online and offline platforms to build that image, Siddaramaiah is busy working on a strategy to bring Congress back to power post 2018 Assembly elections. Excerpts from the interview: Q: You are now accused of misusing the Anti-Corruption Bureau to target B S Yeddyurappa ahead of the elections. A: (Laughs) The ACB received complaints from some people and after preliminary investigation, they registered an FIR. Where is the question of misusing the ACB? Government has nothing to do with it. BJP leaders are trying to find fault with the government as elections are approaching. Q: Its an old case and FIRs were registered four days after I-T raids on minister D K Shivakumar. A: Is there a law that says old cases should not be investigated and FIRs should not be registered? Merely because it is an old case doesnt mean it should not be investigated. When Sadananda Gowda was the Chief Minister this matter was raised in the assembly. He had even written on the file that this case will be investigated by the CID. Yeddyurappa had made him CM  can they say he misused his power? There is no relation between the I-T raids and the ACB action. Timing is merely a coincidence. We never indulge in politics of hate. However, let me make it very clear that no one is above law, be it Yeddyurappa or anyone else. Q: Do you think the BJP is using I-T department to target Congress leaders? A: It looks like that. (Energy minister) Shivakumar was confined in his house for three days (during the recent I-T raids on his premises). His phone was snatched and he was not allowed to go out or talk to anyone. It virtually amounts to detention. He is a cabinet minister and enjoys some privileges. What does all that mean? What made them (I-T officials) go to the resort and bring him from there? They should have waited for him to return home. I am not against I-T raids, but the way they conducted it was not right. In the last two years, they have raided only Congress leaders in the state. What does it mean? Only Congress leaders are corrupt and BJP leaders are all honest? MTB Nagaraj, Ramesh Jarkiholi, D K Shivakumar, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Sitaram all are from Congress. Why are they selecting only people from our party? What inference can one draw from that? Q: The BJP is demanding Shivakumars resignation. A: Why should he resign? Unless he is found guilty, why should he resign? Just because someone is raided we cannot call him corrupt. Yeddyurappa is facing many cases, why did the BJP make him chief ministerial candidate? In fact, BJP leaders are also not convinced about their demand. They started this campaign to satisfy Amit Shah. Q: There are talks of advancing the assembly elections, but you have consistently ruled out that possibility. But the situation looks favourable to the Congress and even a recent survey suggested that. A: No. Elections will be held as per schedule. Situation will be in favour of Congress even after six or seven months when the elections will be held. BJPs image will not improve merely because Shah comes to Karnataka or Modi campaigns in the state. Q: What makes you so confident? A: I am confident because people in the state are happy with our programmes and we have implemented whatever we had promised. Also, there is no anti-incumbency factor in the state. Q: Issues like use of Hindi in Metro signboards and the demand for a separate flag for Karnataka are being raked up now. You have also spoken against imposition of Hindi. There seems to be an attempt to whip up regional sentiments closer to the elections. A: In Karnataka we have been unofficially using a flag since 1966. Few months back, veteran journalist and freedom fighter Patil Puttappa wrote to me asking me to make it the official flag. After that I constituted a committee. My personal opinion is that the Constitution does not bar a state from having its flag. National flag will always fly high and below that we can have our state flag. My stand on imposition of Hindi is clear. It should not be imposed on any state as it is not the national language. It is one of the official languages. The Centre wanted us to use Hindi in Metro and our officials had used it. After that there were protests by pro-Kannada activists. So, I told them to follow Tamil Nadu model where they have used only Tamil and English. I also wrote to the Centre asking them not to impose Hindi. There is no politics. Q: Veerashaiva-Lingayats demand for a separate religion is decades old. It is said that Congress is raising the issue now to divide the BJP support base and weaken Yeddyurappa. A: That is just an allegation. The Veerashaiva Mahasabha had given me a memorandum seeking a separate religion status for them and also Mate Mahadevi had given me another proposal asking for separate religion status for Lingayats alone. I have told them that I will look into their demands. I also told them to come together. We have not initiated it and we have no role in it. Let me make it very clear that our government has nothing to do with this issue. Whatever the ministers are doing or saying on this particular issue is not the governments stand. It is their personal stand. We have never discussed it in cabinet or any government forum. Q: Opposition parties have accused you and your party leaders of receiving kickbacks in award of contracts. They also alleged that the Congress unit in Karnataka is regularly sending money to the high command. These issues are bound to be taken up during elections. How will you tackle them? A: People will not trust those who are lying. If they are making allegations against me, what are the documentary evidence against me? I can also make thousands of allegations against (Prime Minister) Modi and his government. If they make false allegations against me, I can also make false allegations against them. But it is not my culture. You cannot just say they have taken kickbacks...you must prove. People will not trust you, otherwise. Q: Amit Shah is determined to make Yeddyurappa the next CM and has started preparations. A: It is not Amit Shah or BJP, people of the state will decide who will be the next chief minister. And we know people are in favour of Congress returning to power. Q: What will be your strategy to counter BJP that looks like Congress of the 1970s with a pan India presence and strong leader at the top and Congress today looks like the opposition of 1970s? A: Its true BJP has gained strength but they have not swept all the states after coming to power at the Centre. They lost in Delhi, Punjab, Bihar and even in Goa and Manipur they had not won the elections. Congress was in power at the Centre for 10 years, people wanted a change and Modi became PM. Its all part of politics. Modi phenomenon wont always work across the country. It wont work in Karnataka. Q: Some analysts say you are reviving Indira Gandhis legacy to take on Modis strong image. The budget canteens that your government started are named after Indira and some Morarji Desai residential schools are being renamed. A: This is Indira Gandhis birth centenary year that is why we decided to name canteens after her. In the budget I had announced that the canteens will be named as Namma Canteens. And, were not renaming the existing 385 Moraji Desai schools. Newly sanctioned 100 schools will be named after Indira Gandhi. 125 are named after Babasaheb Ambedkar. Q: You have emerged as a strong regional leader in the Congress. Do you see a regional leader like you playing a national role to revive the party? A: No. Now, I am confined to Karnataka and concentrating on Karnataka. Lets us see after 2018 elections. Q: Now, its clear that Congress will fight elections under your leadership. But will you be the CM if Congress comes back to power? A: It is for the party and the elected legislators to decide. Q: Any possibilities of pre-poll or post-poll alliance with JD(S)? A: No pre-poll or post-poll alliance with anyone. We will go to elections on our own and win on our own. Situation of having an alliance does not arise at all. Q: What will be your priorities in the last few months of your tenure? A: Our priorities are simple and very clear -- take our programmes and achievements to people. We will tell them these are our promises and these are our achievements. We have kept our promises. We will ask people to bless us again. It has happened in Gundlupet and Nanjangud byelections and I am confident it will happen again in 2018. Q: When is the cabinet expansion expected? Who will be the next Home Minister? A: I have already discussed it with Rahul Gandhi during my recent visit to Delhi and it will happen within a week. No decision has been taken on allocating Home portfolio to anyone in particular. If we return to power, focus will be on Bengaluru Q: People in Bengaluru are fed up of the VIP culture, where their vehicles are stopped to allow free passage to vehicles of ministers and VIPs. Even ambulances get stuck in traffic jams caused by VIP convoys. A: I have given specific directions and strict instructions to police not to stop any ambulance to make way for VIP vehicles. Normally, when the Governor, Chief Minister or Home Minister is travelling, police make way for those vehicles. This has always been the practice and it was not started after we came to power. Otherwise, traffic should not be stopped for any other minister. Q: There is a complaint that frequent transfer of IAS and IPS officers is affecting governance. For example, Bengaluru has had five police commissioners in last four years. Are there any political considerations in these transfers? A: There is no political consideration in any of those transfers. Sometimes we have to transfer officers in public interest. It will not create any instability or discontinuity in the system. Q: Bengaluru is an urban mess. What has your government done and what can be done to make it a livable city? A: Vehicular traffic has increased drastically in Bengaluru which also has the highest number of two-wheelers in any city in India. We have taken several measures, including widening and white-topping of roads, TenderSure project has been taken up, number of buses has been increased and budget allocation too has increased. It takes time, but we are taking measures to reduce the mess. First phase of the Metro is over and work on the second phase is on. By 2020, the second phase will be ready and problem will be eased. If we return to power after 2018 elections, our focus will be on Bengaluru.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: In two weeks, the general council-cum-executive committee of the ruling AIADMK will convene in Chennai for that all important meeting where they would decide the fate of interim general secretary VK Sasikala  and thus that of ousted deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran  resolved the ruling faction at a meeting here on Monday.

Facing insurgency from within and rising demands to prove majority, leaders of the unified AIADMK are hoping that the Election Commission of India would give its ruling on the validity of Sasikalas appointment as the general secretary of the party before the council meets on September 12.

Meanwhile, a five member team comprising senior ministers P Thangamani, D Jayakumar and CVe Shanmugam, V Maitreyan MP and Manoj Pandian left for Delhi to formally inform the commission about the merger of Amma and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma factions. They are likely to file an affidavit to this effect and seek defreezing of the Two Leaves symbol.

The meeting attended by headquarters office-bearers, ministers, spokespersons, district secretaries, MPs and MLAs, chaired by presidium chairman E Madhusudanan, declared all reshuffles effected by ousted deputy general secretary Dhinakaran invalid. The commission is yet to approve Sasikalas appointment as the interim general secretary and hence the deputy general secretary she appointed has no powers to either appoint or remove any office-bearer in the party, stated one of the resolutions.

It reiterated that all office-bearers originally appointed by the late general secretary J Jayalalithaa and those elected through organisational polls would continue in their respective posts. Another key resolution termed Jaya TV and Namadhu MGR daily as party assets, vowing to take all legal steps to capture these two mouthpieces that were established with Jayas efforts and the contribution of lakhs of cadre. The channel and newspaper are owned and controlled by Sasikalas family, and the factionalism has had an effect on its attitude towards the other factions and the government.

35 MLAs give it a miss

In what could be a setback to EPS, at least 35 of the 113 MLAs belonging to his faction did not attend the meeting. It was not a legislative party meeting. All ministers, district secretaries and MLAs who hold other positions attended the meeting, a minister said.

CHENNAI: In two weeks, the general council-cum-executive committee of the ruling AIADMK will convene in Chennai for that all important meeting where they would decide the fate of interim general secretary VK Sasikala  and thus that of ousted deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran  resolved the ruling faction at a meeting here on Monday. Facing insurgency from within and rising demands to prove majority, leaders of the unified AIADMK are hoping that the Election Commission of India would give its ruling on the validity of Sasikalas appointment as the general secretary of the party before the council meets on September 12. Meanwhile, a five member team comprising senior ministers P Thangamani, D Jayakumar and CVe Shanmugam, V Maitreyan MP and Manoj Pandian left for Delhi to formally inform the commission about the merger of Amma and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma factions. They are likely to file an affidavit to this effect and seek defreezing of the Two Leaves symbol. The meeting attended by headquarters office-bearers, ministers, spokespersons, district secretaries, MPs and MLAs, chaired by presidium chairman E Madhusudanan, declared all reshuffles effected by ousted deputy general secretary Dhinakaran invalid. The commission is yet to approve Sasikalas appointment as the interim general secretary and hence the deputy general secretary she appointed has no powers to either appoint or remove any office-bearer in the party, stated one of the resolutions. It reiterated that all office-bearers originally appointed by the late general secretary J Jayalalithaa and those elected through organisational polls would continue in their respective posts. Another key resolution termed Jaya TV and Namadhu MGR daily as party assets, vowing to take all legal steps to capture these two mouthpieces that were established with Jayas efforts and the contribution of lakhs of cadre. The channel and newspaper are owned and controlled by Sasikalas family, and the factionalism has had an effect on its attitude towards the other factions and the government. 35 MLAs give it a miss In what could be a setback to EPS, at least 35 of the 113 MLAs belonging to his faction did not attend the meeting. It was not a legislative party meeting. All ministers, district secretaries and MLAs who hold other positions attended the meeting, a minister said.
Mouli Mareedu By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: A 37-year-old former NSG commando, Kanagala Sriramulu, is unable to walk, talk freely or perform anything on his own. He suffers from a short-term memory loss too. Last years terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force base in Punjab had crippled Sriramulu, who was an expert in defusing grenades with the bomb disposal unit of National Security Guard(NSG). After a year and a half of treatment, Sriramulu has recently moved to Hyderabad to join the 14 Engineers Regiment at Secunderabad as Naik. Around 15 shrapnels had pierced his body when a grenade went off during combing operations after four terrorists were shot down by the NSG commandos on January 3, 2016.

His commanding officer Lt Col EK Niranjan was killed while sanitising a terrorists booby-trapped body. Injured Sriramulu went into coma for a few days. But when he came out of it, his right hand, right leg and right eye were nonfunctioning. Even with the best of treatment, I am unable to talk or walk properly. My life has been crippled badly and I feel my country has already forgotten me, Sriramulu, who joined the Indian Army 17 years ago, told Express. Recalling the ill-fated day, Sriramulu said the NSG team of 75 commandos reached the Pathankot Air Force base by 10 pm on January 2.

As many as four terrorists were neutralised after a fierce gunbattle. As members of BDU, we were supposed to sanitise the bodies as there could be booby-traps. I identified three highly- intensive grenades from the jackets of dead terrorists and defused them. When I retrieved the fourth grenade and was explaining it to my commanding officer, it went off, said Sriramulu, recalling the moments that changed his life forever.

Apart from the medical assistance, he said, the NSG paid his family a paltry sum of `2 lakh. Though he now receives a monthly salary from the Army, his family has been striving hard to make both ends meet. His family received financial support from Laxmi Charitable Trust chairman T Prasad Rao. Rao said they would meet chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and request him to put in a word with the Centre to expedite the process of providing financial assistance to the soldiers family.

HYDERABAD: A 37-year-old former NSG commando, Kanagala Sriramulu, is unable to walk, talk freely or perform anything on his own. He suffers from a short-term memory loss too. Last years terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force base in Punjab had crippled Sriramulu, who was an expert in defusing grenades with the bomb disposal unit of National Security Guard(NSG). After a year and a half of treatment, Sriramulu has recently moved to Hyderabad to join the 14 Engineers Regiment at Secunderabad as Naik. Around 15 shrapnels had pierced his body when a grenade went off during combing operations after four terrorists were shot down by the NSG commandos on January 3, 2016. His commanding officer Lt Col EK Niranjan was killed while sanitising a terrorists booby-trapped body. Injured Sriramulu went into coma for a few days. But when he came out of it, his right hand, right leg and right eye were nonfunctioning. Even with the best of treatment, I am unable to talk or walk properly. My life has been crippled badly and I feel my country has already forgotten me, Sriramulu, who joined the Indian Army 17 years ago, told Express. Recalling the ill-fated day, Sriramulu said the NSG team of 75 commandos reached the Pathankot Air Force base by 10 pm on January 2. As many as four terrorists were neutralised after a fierce gunbattle. As members of BDU, we were supposed to sanitise the bodies as there could be booby-traps. I identified three highly- intensive grenades from the jackets of dead terrorists and defused them. When I retrieved the fourth grenade and was explaining it to my commanding officer, it went off, said Sriramulu, recalling the moments that changed his life forever. Apart from the medical assistance, he said, the NSG paid his family a paltry sum of `2 lakh. Though he now receives a monthly salary from the Army, his family has been striving hard to make both ends meet. His family received financial support from Laxmi Charitable Trust chairman T Prasad Rao. Rao said they would meet chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and request him to put in a word with the Centre to expedite the process of providing financial assistance to the soldiers family.
By PTI

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping has appointed 63-year-old decorated General Li Zuocheng, a veteran of the Sino-Vietnamese war, as the new chief of the Joint Staff Department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The Chinese Defence Ministry did not directly announce Li's appointment but simply identified him with his new designation during a meeting with Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan on Saturday.

He replaces Gen Fang Fenghui. The ministry didn't reveal which position Fang is transferred to.

Gen Li was awarded a first-class merit for his role in China's conflict with Vietnam in 1979. The Central Military Commission later honoured him as a "war hero". His combat unit was also awarded a collective order of merit.

Li has been seen as one of President Xi Jinpings rising stars since 2013, when he was named chief of the former Chengdu Military Region, which also looks after the border region with India. He was promoted to full general in 2015 and his new role is crucial to Xi's military reforms.

Xi has launched an overhaul of the military to shape the 2.3 million-strong PLA into a modern force that can "win and fight wars".

Li's promotion as the new military chief of staff demonstrates China's determination to improve the military's combat capability, Chinese analysts said.

President Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, ordered PLA troops during the military parade, held in July, to uphold its combat effectiveness and modernise the national defence and armed forces.

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping has appointed 63-year-old decorated General Li Zuocheng, a veteran of the Sino-Vietnamese war, as the new chief of the Joint Staff Department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The Chinese Defence Ministry did not directly announce Li's appointment but simply identified him with his new designation during a meeting with Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan on Saturday. He replaces Gen Fang Fenghui. The ministry didn't reveal which position Fang is transferred to. Gen Li was awarded a first-class merit for his role in China's conflict with Vietnam in 1979. The Central Military Commission later honoured him as a "war hero". His combat unit was also awarded a collective order of merit. Li has been seen as one of President Xi Jinpings rising stars since 2013, when he was named chief of the former Chengdu Military Region, which also looks after the border region with India. He was promoted to full general in 2015 and his new role is crucial to Xi's military reforms. Xi has launched an overhaul of the military to shape the 2.3 million-strong PLA into a modern force that can "win and fight wars". Li's promotion as the new military chief of staff demonstrates China's determination to improve the military's combat capability, Chinese analysts said. President Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, ordered PLA troops during the military parade, held in July, to uphold its combat effectiveness and modernise the national defence and armed forces.
By Associated Press

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron says it's too early to surrender to pessimism, even as he faces sinking approval ratings and upcoming protests against a pro-business labor reform.

As France's politicians return from their summer vacations, Macron met with government ministers Monday and told them "I hope that you are well-rested ... and that you have regained your strength to attack this return to work."

While he acknowledged that "some are predicting the worst," he insisted "we shouldn't give in to the pessimists."

Macron's popularity quickly tanked after his May election amid a series of domestic bungles. His government is set to unveil changes to labor law later this week that would notably reduce union powers. Unions and far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon plan protests against the changes next month.

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron says it's too early to surrender to pessimism, even as he faces sinking approval ratings and upcoming protests against a pro-business labor reform. As France's politicians return from their summer vacations, Macron met with government ministers Monday and told them "I hope that you are well-rested ... and that you have regained your strength to attack this return to work." While he acknowledged that "some are predicting the worst," he insisted "we shouldn't give in to the pessimists." Macron's popularity quickly tanked after his May election amid a series of domestic bungles. His government is set to unveil changes to labor law later this week that would notably reduce union powers. Unions and far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon plan protests against the changes next month.
By PTI

MAKHACHKALA(RUSSIA): Clashes between police and militants in the volatile southern province of Dagestan killed three law enforcement officers and four suspected militants, officials have said.

The National Anti-terrorism Committee's spokesman, Alexander Polyakov, said two suspects holed up in a building in the town of Khasavyurt near Chechnya and died in a gunbattle that erupted yesterday after they refused to surrender. Two law enforcement agents also were killed, he said.

In a separate clash in the town of Kaspiysk on the Caspian Sea, two men armed with knives attacked three police officers, killing one and wounding another before the third officer shot the assailants to death, authorities said.

Police spokesman Ruslan Ibragimgadzhiyev said the attack occurred when the officers stopped to refuel their vehicle at a gas station. A flag bearing symbols of the Islamic State extremist group was found at the site of the attack, he said.

The police spokesman said the teenage attackers worked at a local factory, and one of them had been known to police for his radical views.

Dagestan is a mostly Muslim region between Chechnya and the Caspian Sea, and it has been a breeding ground for Islamic militants who mount regular attacks on police and officials. Some of the militants have sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group, and hundreds of local residents have joined the IS in Syria and Iraq.

Russia fought two wars against separatists in the neighbouring province of Chechnya after the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union.

MAKHACHKALA(RUSSIA): Clashes between police and militants in the volatile southern province of Dagestan killed three law enforcement officers and four suspected militants, officials have said. The National Anti-terrorism Committee's spokesman, Alexander Polyakov, said two suspects holed up in a building in the town of Khasavyurt near Chechnya and died in a gunbattle that erupted yesterday after they refused to surrender. Two law enforcement agents also were killed, he said. In a separate clash in the town of Kaspiysk on the Caspian Sea, two men armed with knives attacked three police officers, killing one and wounding another before the third officer shot the assailants to death, authorities said. Police spokesman Ruslan Ibragimgadzhiyev said the attack occurred when the officers stopped to refuel their vehicle at a gas station. A flag bearing symbols of the Islamic State extremist group was found at the site of the attack, he said. The police spokesman said the teenage attackers worked at a local factory, and one of them had been known to police for his radical views. Dagestan is a mostly Muslim region between Chechnya and the Caspian Sea, and it has been a breeding ground for Islamic militants who mount regular attacks on police and officials. Some of the militants have sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group, and hundreds of local residents have joined the IS in Syria and Iraq. Russia fought two wars against separatists in the neighbouring province of Chechnya after the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union.
By AFP

PARIS: Fighting "Islamist terrorism" is France's top foreign policy priority, President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday, vowing to make his country a leading power in an unstable, increasingly polarised world.

"Providing security for our citizens means that the fight against Islamist terrorism is our first priority," Macron told some 200 French diplomats gathered in Paris.

"There's no place for naivete, nor for fear of Islam that confuses Islamism and Islamic," he said, adding that assuring the security of the French was the "raison d'etre" of the country's diplomacy.

Since early 2015, France has suffered a series of terror attacks that have claimed more than 230 lives, making it the country worst affected in western Europe.

Macron, who took power in May on a promise to boost France's international standing, said he would work with the various powerbrokers in the Middle East -- including arch-rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia -- to try eradicate the jihadist threat.

"Some have chosen (their camp). It's a mistake. The strength of our diplomacy is to speak to all sides," he said.

France will host a conference on cutting off sources of funding for terror groups like Islamic State in early 2018, he added.

'No alternative'

The 39-year-old leader also insisted there was no alternative to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which has been fiercely opposed by US President Donald Trump.

"There is no alternative to the non-proliferation agenda. It enables a constructive and demanding relationship with Iran," he said.

Faced with dismal approval ratings less than four months into his term, Macron was looking to burnish his foreign policy credentials with the speech, which is a fixture on France's political calendar.

He won kudos for making a bold start on the international stage, hosting both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin within his first weeks in office.

He raised human rights with Putin and spoke out against Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris accord on fighting climate change before later rolling out the red carpet to the Republican leader.

On Tuesday Macron announced that Paris will host a summit to review progress on the 2015 accord on December 12.

France's youngest-ever president has also irked some European partners, notably Poland, which he accused of "going against European interests in many areas".

Warsaw has rejected tough proposals to overhaul a controversial EU rule on cheap labour.

Venezuela 'dictatorship'

On Tuesday, Macron singled out Venezuela for particular criticism, accusing President Nicolas Maduro of creating a "dictatorship" that was battling to survive in the face of deadly street protests.

"A dictatorship is trying to survive at an unprecedented humanitarian cost, even though the resources of the country remain significant," he said, echoing the tough US position on Venezuela.

Last week the White House piled financial pressure on Caracas, restricting access to vital US capital markets and pledging to "deny the Maduro dictatorship a critical source of financing to maintain its illegitimate rule."

Tuesday's speech came a day after Macron hosted a mini-summit with African and European leaders on the migrant crisis.

The leaders backed proposals to screen asylum seekers in Chad and Niger as a way to prevent thousands from taking perilous journeys across the Mediterranean.

Macron said Tuesday he would soon travel to Burkina Faso to continue building a new relationship with Africa, "a continent of the future" which "we cannot abandon".

PARIS: Fighting "Islamist terrorism" is France's top foreign policy priority, President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday, vowing to make his country a leading power in an unstable, increasingly polarised world. "Providing security for our citizens means that the fight against Islamist terrorism is our first priority," Macron told some 200 French diplomats gathered in Paris. "There's no place for naivete, nor for fear of Islam that confuses Islamism and Islamic," he said, adding that assuring the security of the French was the "raison d'etre" of the country's diplomacy. Since early 2015, France has suffered a series of terror attacks that have claimed more than 230 lives, making it the country worst affected in western Europe. Macron, who took power in May on a promise to boost France's international standing, said he would work with the various powerbrokers in the Middle East -- including arch-rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia -- to try eradicate the jihadist threat. "Some have chosen (their camp). It's a mistake. The strength of our diplomacy is to speak to all sides," he said. France will host a conference on cutting off sources of funding for terror groups like Islamic State in early 2018, he added. 'No alternative' The 39-year-old leader also insisted there was no alternative to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which has been fiercely opposed by US President Donald Trump. "There is no alternative to the non-proliferation agenda. It enables a constructive and demanding relationship with Iran," he said. Faced with dismal approval ratings less than four months into his term, Macron was looking to burnish his foreign policy credentials with the speech, which is a fixture on France's political calendar. He won kudos for making a bold start on the international stage, hosting both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin within his first weeks in office. He raised human rights with Putin and spoke out against Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris accord on fighting climate change before later rolling out the red carpet to the Republican leader. On Tuesday Macron announced that Paris will host a summit to review progress on the 2015 accord on December 12. France's youngest-ever president has also irked some European partners, notably Poland, which he accused of "going against European interests in many areas". Warsaw has rejected tough proposals to overhaul a controversial EU rule on cheap labour. Venezuela 'dictatorship' On Tuesday, Macron singled out Venezuela for particular criticism, accusing President Nicolas Maduro of creating a "dictatorship" that was battling to survive in the face of deadly street protests. "A dictatorship is trying to survive at an unprecedented humanitarian cost, even though the resources of the country remain significant," he said, echoing the tough US position on Venezuela. Last week the White House piled financial pressure on Caracas, restricting access to vital US capital markets and pledging to "deny the Maduro dictatorship a critical source of financing to maintain its illegitimate rule." Tuesday's speech came a day after Macron hosted a mini-summit with African and European leaders on the migrant crisis. The leaders backed proposals to screen asylum seekers in Chad and Niger as a way to prevent thousands from taking perilous journeys across the Mediterranean. Macron said Tuesday he would soon travel to Burkina Faso to continue building a new relationship with Africa, "a continent of the future" which "we cannot abandon".
By PTI

DUBAI: More than 1.7 million Muslims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the start of the annual hajj pilgrimage this week.

Once in Mecca the site of Islam's holiest place of worship they will be reminded that the ruling Al Saud family is the only custodian of this place.

Large portraits of the king and the country's founder hang in hotel lobbies across the city. A massive clock tower bearing the name of King Salman's predecessor flashes fluorescent green lights at worshippers below.

A large new wing of the Grand Mosque in Mecca is named after a former Saudi king, and one of the mosque's entrances is named after another.

It's just one of the many ways that Saudi Arabia uses its oversight of the hajj to bolster its standing in the Muslim world and to spite its foes, from Iran and Syria to Qatar. Its archrival, the Shiite power Iran, has in turn tried to utilize the hajj to undermine the kingdom.

The hajj has long been a part of Saudi Arabia's politics.

For nearly 100 years, the ruling Al Saud family has decided who gets in and out of Mecca, setting quotas for pilgrims from various countries, facilitating visas through Saudi embassies abroad and providing accommodation for hundreds of thousands of people in and around Mecca.

The kingdom has received credit for its management of the massive crowds that descend upon Mecca each year a and blame when things go wrong at the hajj. All able-bodied Muslims are required to perform the pilgrimage once in a lifetime.

Saudi kings, and the Ottoman rulers of the Hijaz region before them, all adopted the honorary title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a reference to sites in Mecca and Medina.

"Whoever controls Mecca and Medina has tremendous soft power," said Ali Shibahi, executive director of the pro-Saudi Arabia Foundation. "Saudi Arabia has been extremely careful from day one not to restrict any Muslim's access to hajj so they never get accused of using hajj for political purposes."

The Syrian government, however, says Saudi authorities continue to place restrictions on Syrian citizens looking to take part in the hajj.

Saudi Arabia has no diplomatic ties with President Bashar Assad's government and since 2012, requires all Syrians seeking to make the hajj to obtain visas in third countries through the "Syrian High Hajj Committee," which is controlled by the Syrian National Coalition, an opposition political group.

The hajj became further entangled in politics following the fallout between Saudi Arabia and Qatar when the kingdom and three other Arab countries cut all diplomatic and transport links with the small Gulf state this year.

In a surprise move last month, Saudi Arabia announced it would open its border for Qatari pilgrims seeking to perform the hajj and that King Salman would provide flights and accommodation to Qataris during the hajj.

The Saudis, however, announced the goodwill measures unilaterally and did so after meeting with Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, a Qatari royal family member who resides outside Qatar and whose branch of the family was ousted in a coup more than four decades ago.

"Bringing out a senior member of the Qatari royal family member was a political coup really," said Shihabi.

Experts say that by promoting Sheikh Abdullah, the Saudis were attempting to delegitimize Qatar's current emir.

Gerd Nonneman, a professor of International Relations and Gulf Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar, says the Saudi move was "a transparent propaganda stunt".

DUBAI: More than 1.7 million Muslims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the start of the annual hajj pilgrimage this week. Once in Mecca the site of Islam's holiest place of worship they will be reminded that the ruling Al Saud family is the only custodian of this place. Large portraits of the king and the country's founder hang in hotel lobbies across the city. A massive clock tower bearing the name of King Salman's predecessor flashes fluorescent green lights at worshippers below. A large new wing of the Grand Mosque in Mecca is named after a former Saudi king, and one of the mosque's entrances is named after another. It's just one of the many ways that Saudi Arabia uses its oversight of the hajj to bolster its standing in the Muslim world and to spite its foes, from Iran and Syria to Qatar. Its archrival, the Shiite power Iran, has in turn tried to utilize the hajj to undermine the kingdom. The hajj has long been a part of Saudi Arabia's politics. For nearly 100 years, the ruling Al Saud family has decided who gets in and out of Mecca, setting quotas for pilgrims from various countries, facilitating visas through Saudi embassies abroad and providing accommodation for hundreds of thousands of people in and around Mecca. The kingdom has received credit for its management of the massive crowds that descend upon Mecca each year a and blame when things go wrong at the hajj. All able-bodied Muslims are required to perform the pilgrimage once in a lifetime. Saudi kings, and the Ottoman rulers of the Hijaz region before them, all adopted the honorary title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a reference to sites in Mecca and Medina. "Whoever controls Mecca and Medina has tremendous soft power," said Ali Shibahi, executive director of the pro-Saudi Arabia Foundation. "Saudi Arabia has been extremely careful from day one not to restrict any Muslim's access to hajj so they never get accused of using hajj for political purposes." The Syrian government, however, says Saudi authorities continue to place restrictions on Syrian citizens looking to take part in the hajj. Saudi Arabia has no diplomatic ties with President Bashar Assad's government and since 2012, requires all Syrians seeking to make the hajj to obtain visas in third countries through the "Syrian High Hajj Committee," which is controlled by the Syrian National Coalition, an opposition political group. The hajj became further entangled in politics following the fallout between Saudi Arabia and Qatar when the kingdom and three other Arab countries cut all diplomatic and transport links with the small Gulf state this year. In a surprise move last month, Saudi Arabia announced it would open its border for Qatari pilgrims seeking to perform the hajj and that King Salman would provide flights and accommodation to Qataris during the hajj. The Saudis, however, announced the goodwill measures unilaterally and did so after meeting with Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, a Qatari royal family member who resides outside Qatar and whose branch of the family was ousted in a coup more than four decades ago. "Bringing out a senior member of the Qatari royal family member was a political coup really," said Shihabi. Experts say that by promoting Sheikh Abdullah, the Saudis were attempting to delegitimize Qatar's current emir. Gerd Nonneman, a professor of International Relations and Gulf Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar, says the Saudi move was "a transparent propaganda stunt".
By PTI

NAIROBI: Kenya's opposition says the country's electoral commission has declined to give it access to its servers even after an order to do so from the Supreme Court.

The leader of the opposition coalition, Raila Odinga, is challenging the re-election this month of President Uhuru Kenyatta, arguing that 54 percent of the vote he received is fraudulent.

Odinga's spokesman Dennis Onyango said Tuesday that its information technology experts had been denied "read only" access to the electoral commission servers and to the equipment that transmitted the results from polling centers to tallying stations.

Onyango said the electoral commission instead has only offered the opposition the printed logs from its servers.

Odinga says he believes hackers infiltrated the electoral commission servers and broadcast results in Kenyatta's favor.

NAIROBI: Kenya's opposition says the country's electoral commission has declined to give it access to its servers even after an order to do so from the Supreme Court. The leader of the opposition coalition, Raila Odinga, is challenging the re-election this month of President Uhuru Kenyatta, arguing that 54 percent of the vote he received is fraudulent. Odinga's spokesman Dennis Onyango said Tuesday that its information technology experts had been denied "read only" access to the electoral commission servers and to the equipment that transmitted the results from polling centers to tallying stations. Onyango said the electoral commission instead has only offered the opposition the printed logs from its servers. Odinga says he believes hackers infiltrated the electoral commission servers and broadcast results in Kenyatta's favor.
By Associated Press

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: In a first, North Korea on Tuesday fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload that flew over Japan and splashed into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said. The aggressive missile launch  likely the longest ever from the North  over the territory of a close U.S. ally sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) and reached a maximum height of 550 kilometers (341 miles) as it traveled over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The distance and type of the missile tested seemed designed to show that North Korea can back up a threat to target the U.S. territory of Guam, if it chooses to do so, while also establishing a potentially dangerous precedent that could see future missiles flying over Japan.

Any new test worries Washington and its allies because it presumably puts the North a step closer toward its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States. Tuesday's test, however, looks especially aggressive to Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.

The North has conducted launches at an unusually fast pace this year  13 times, Seoul says  and some analysts believe Pyongyang could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of President Donald Trump's first term in early 2021.

Seoul says that while the North has twice before fired rockets it said were carrying satellites over Japan  in 1998 and 2009  it has never before used a ballistic missile, which is unambiguously designed for military strikes. The North also chose not to fire its most recent missile at a lofted angle, as it did in previous launches to avoid other countries, and Seoul's spy service said the North launched from an unusual spot: North Korea's international airport in the capital Pyongyang. The South Korean military was analyzing whether the North had launched the Hwasong-12, a new intermediate-range missile that Pyongyang recently threatened to fire into waters near Guam, which hosts a major U.S. military base that the North considers a threat.

Tuesday's missile landed nowhere near Guam, but firing a Hwasong-12 (Hwasong is Korean for Mars, or Fire Star) so soon after the Guam threat may be a way for the North to show it could follow through if it chose to do so. Guam is 3,400 kilometers (2,112 miles) away from North Korea, but South Korea's military said the North may have fired the most recent missile at a shorter range.

South Korea's spy agency told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that the North fired the missile from an airfield at Pyongyang's international airport in Sunan, in Pyongyang. Some outside observers said launching a road-mobile missile from an airport runway could demonstrate the North's ability to fire its missiles from anywhere in the country. It was not immediately clear what the launch meant for civilian flights using the airport.

The National Intelligence Service also told lawmakers that it was unclear whether the missile's warhead survived atmospheric re-entry, according to the office of Kim Byung-kee, a lawmaker in attendance. Separately, the spy agency said that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's third child was born in February, but provided no other details.

North Korea will no doubt be watching the world's reaction to see if it can use Tuesday's flight over Japan as a precedent for future launches. Japanese officials made the usual strongly worded condemnations of the launch. There were no immediate tweets from Trump.

"We will do our utmost to protect people's lives," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. "This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat."

Tokyo said there was no reported damage from the missile, which Japan's NHK TV said separated into three parts. Residents on Hokkaido were warned of a North Korean missile launch by a "J-Alert" on their cellphones, with loud alarms and an email that told people to stay indoors. A radio speaker broadcast an alert saying "missile is passing, missile is passing."

A U.S. congressman visiting Seoul said Washington is now pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions by shutting down the impoverished country's access to hard currency, the lifeblood of its expensive weapons program.

The goal is to offer international banks that do business with Pyongyang a choice between bankruptcy and freezing North Korean accounts, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in an interview after meeting with South Korea's leaders.

Tuesday's launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

In an unusual move, the military in Seoul released footage of three South Korean missile tests conducted last week. The videos showed two types of new missiles with ranges of 800 kilometers (497 miles) and 500 kilometers (310 miles) being fired from truck-mounted launchers.

South Korea's Agency for Defense Development said the launches represented the last flight test for the longer-range missile before it is operationally deployed. Such missiles, which would be the latest additions to South Korea's Hyumoo family of missiles, are considered key components of the so-called "kill chain" pre-emptive strike capability that the South is pursuing to counter the North's nuclear and missile threat.

South Korea also said its air force conducted a live-fire drill involving four F-15 fighters dropping eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field near the country's eastern coast. Yoon Young-chan, chief press secretary of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said the exercise was conducted after Moon directed the military to "display a strong capability to punish" the North if need be.

The North's launch over Japan shouldn't be a total surprise. Earlier this month, when threatening to lob four Hwasong-12s into the waters near Guam, North Korea specifically said they would fly over Japanese territory. North Korea in June also angrily reacted to the launch of a Japanese satellite it said was aimed at spying on the North and said Tokyo was no longer entitled to fault Pyongyang "no matter what it launches or whether that crosses the sky above Japan."

North Korea typically reacts with anger to U.S.-South Korean military drills, which are happening now, often testing weapons and threatening Seoul and Washington in its state-controlled media. But animosity is higher than usual following threats by Trump to unleash "fire and fury" on the North, and Pyongyang's Guam threat.

Kim Dong-yub, a former South Korean military official who is now an analyst at Seoul's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said the early flight information suggests the North Korean missile was likely a Hwasong-12. Other possibilities, he said, include a midrange Musudan, a missile with a potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range that puts much of the Asia-Pacific region within reach, or a Pukguksong-2, a solid-fuel missile that can be fired faster and more secretly than weapons using liquid fuel.

North Korea first fired over Japanese territory in August of 1998 when a multistage rocket that outside experts called "Taepodong-1" flew about 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) before landing in the Pacific Ocean. The North later said it had launched a satellite; Seoul later said it was a rocket launch.

North Korea flew another rocket over Japan again in April 2009 and said that, too, was carrying a satellite. The North claimed success, but the U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command says no satellite reached orbit. Some parts of a space launch vehicle reportedly flew over Okinawa last year after separating from the rocket.

Pyongyang regularly claims the U.S.-South Korean military drills are an invasion rehearsal, and North Korea's U.N. ambassador, Ja Song Nam, wrote recently that the exercises are "provocative and aggressive" at a time when the Korean Peninsula is "like a time bomb."

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: In a first, North Korea on Tuesday fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload that flew over Japan and splashed into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said. The aggressive missile launch  likely the longest ever from the North  over the territory of a close U.S. ally sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) and reached a maximum height of 550 kilometers (341 miles) as it traveled over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The distance and type of the missile tested seemed designed to show that North Korea can back up a threat to target the U.S. territory of Guam, if it chooses to do so, while also establishing a potentially dangerous precedent that could see future missiles flying over Japan. Any new test worries Washington and its allies because it presumably puts the North a step closer toward its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States. Tuesday's test, however, looks especially aggressive to Washington, Seoul and Tokyo. The North has conducted launches at an unusually fast pace this year  13 times, Seoul says  and some analysts believe Pyongyang could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of President Donald Trump's first term in early 2021. Seoul says that while the North has twice before fired rockets it said were carrying satellites over Japan  in 1998 and 2009  it has never before used a ballistic missile, which is unambiguously designed for military strikes. The North also chose not to fire its most recent missile at a lofted angle, as it did in previous launches to avoid other countries, and Seoul's spy service said the North launched from an unusual spot: North Korea's international airport in the capital Pyongyang. The South Korean military was analyzing whether the North had launched the Hwasong-12, a new intermediate-range missile that Pyongyang recently threatened to fire into waters near Guam, which hosts a major U.S. military base that the North considers a threat. Tuesday's missile landed nowhere near Guam, but firing a Hwasong-12 (Hwasong is Korean for Mars, or Fire Star) so soon after the Guam threat may be a way for the North to show it could follow through if it chose to do so. Guam is 3,400 kilometers (2,112 miles) away from North Korea, but South Korea's military said the North may have fired the most recent missile at a shorter range. South Korea's spy agency told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that the North fired the missile from an airfield at Pyongyang's international airport in Sunan, in Pyongyang. Some outside observers said launching a road-mobile missile from an airport runway could demonstrate the North's ability to fire its missiles from anywhere in the country. It was not immediately clear what the launch meant for civilian flights using the airport. The National Intelligence Service also told lawmakers that it was unclear whether the missile's warhead survived atmospheric re-entry, according to the office of Kim Byung-kee, a lawmaker in attendance. Separately, the spy agency said that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's third child was born in February, but provided no other details. North Korea will no doubt be watching the world's reaction to see if it can use Tuesday's flight over Japan as a precedent for future launches. Japanese officials made the usual strongly worded condemnations of the launch. There were no immediate tweets from Trump. "We will do our utmost to protect people's lives," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. "This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat." Tokyo said there was no reported damage from the missile, which Japan's NHK TV said separated into three parts. Residents on Hokkaido were warned of a North Korean missile launch by a "J-Alert" on their cellphones, with loud alarms and an email that told people to stay indoors. A radio speaker broadcast an alert saying "missile is passing, missile is passing." A U.S. congressman visiting Seoul said Washington is now pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions by shutting down the impoverished country's access to hard currency, the lifeblood of its expensive weapons program. The goal is to offer international banks that do business with Pyongyang a choice between bankruptcy and freezing North Korean accounts, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in an interview after meeting with South Korea's leaders. Tuesday's launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected. In an unusual move, the military in Seoul released footage of three South Korean missile tests conducted last week. The videos showed two types of new missiles with ranges of 800 kilometers (497 miles) and 500 kilometers (310 miles) being fired from truck-mounted launchers. South Korea's Agency for Defense Development said the launches represented the last flight test for the longer-range missile before it is operationally deployed. Such missiles, which would be the latest additions to South Korea's Hyumoo family of missiles, are considered key components of the so-called "kill chain" pre-emptive strike capability that the South is pursuing to counter the North's nuclear and missile threat. South Korea also said its air force conducted a live-fire drill involving four F-15 fighters dropping eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field near the country's eastern coast. Yoon Young-chan, chief press secretary of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said the exercise was conducted after Moon directed the military to "display a strong capability to punish" the North if need be. The North's launch over Japan shouldn't be a total surprise. Earlier this month, when threatening to lob four Hwasong-12s into the waters near Guam, North Korea specifically said they would fly over Japanese territory. North Korea in June also angrily reacted to the launch of a Japanese satellite it said was aimed at spying on the North and said Tokyo was no longer entitled to fault Pyongyang "no matter what it launches or whether that crosses the sky above Japan." North Korea typically reacts with anger to U.S.-South Korean military drills, which are happening now, often testing weapons and threatening Seoul and Washington in its state-controlled media. But animosity is higher than usual following threats by Trump to unleash "fire and fury" on the North, and Pyongyang's Guam threat. Kim Dong-yub, a former South Korean military official who is now an analyst at Seoul's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said the early flight information suggests the North Korean missile was likely a Hwasong-12. Other possibilities, he said, include a midrange Musudan, a missile with a potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range that puts much of the Asia-Pacific region within reach, or a Pukguksong-2, a solid-fuel missile that can be fired faster and more secretly than weapons using liquid fuel. North Korea first fired over Japanese territory in August of 1998 when a multistage rocket that outside experts called "Taepodong-1" flew about 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) before landing in the Pacific Ocean. The North later said it had launched a satellite; Seoul later said it was a rocket launch. North Korea flew another rocket over Japan again in April 2009 and said that, too, was carrying a satellite. The North claimed success, but the U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command says no satellite reached orbit. Some parts of a space launch vehicle reportedly flew over Okinawa last year after separating from the rocket. Pyongyang regularly claims the U.S.-South Korean military drills are an invasion rehearsal, and North Korea's U.N. ambassador, Ja Song Nam, wrote recently that the exercises are "provocative and aggressive" at a time when the Korean Peninsula is "like a time bomb."
By ANI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistans Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that Islamabad has temporarily suspended talks with the United States as well as official bilateral visits in protest against the President Donald Trumps speech in which he lambasted Pakistan for keeping double standards in the fight against terrorism.



Pakistan parliamentarians have discussed thoroughly to suggest a policy guideline for the government in response to the new US policy on Afghanistan, The Express Tribune reported.



As an immediate reaction, he postponed his first visit to Washington as foreign minister last week, a source quoted Asif, as saying.



Similarly, US acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Alice Wells tour had also been postponed, Asif added.



However, Pakistan has not dismissed bilateral visits or talks officially; postponement of the two high-profile visits is being viewed as a significant development.



The foreign minister emphasised that the new US policy would keep India out of any military action and it would only be limited to economic assistance in Afghanistan.



Pakistan is also convening an international conference to highlight its contribution towards the war against terrorism and to adopt a new policy which will call a halt to Washington's unending demand to 'do more' on the issue.



While rolling out the new Afghan Policy, Trump had said, "People in Pakistan have suffered from terror, but at same time Pakistan has been safe haven for terrorists."



A source has said that Islamabad is trying to mount a diplomatic offensive to muster support of friendly countries in the face of Trump's allegations that Pakistan was hosting terrorist 'safe havens' on its soil.



However, the Pakistan government would soon hold consultations before announcing the schedule of the conference, the source added.



Earlier, Pakistan's civil and military leadership on Thursday said scapegoating them will not help stabilise the war-ravaged Afghanistan.



The U.S. President had singled out Pakistan for supporting what he called "agents of chaos".

ISLAMABAD: Pakistans Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that Islamabad has temporarily suspended talks with the United States as well as official bilateral visits in protest against the President Donald Trumps speech in which he lambasted Pakistan for keeping double standards in the fight against terrorism. Pakistan parliamentarians have discussed thoroughly to suggest a policy guideline for the government in response to the new US policy on Afghanistan, The Express Tribune reported. As an immediate reaction, he postponed his first visit to Washington as foreign minister last week, a source quoted Asif, as saying. Similarly, US acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Alice Wells tour had also been postponed, Asif added. However, Pakistan has not dismissed bilateral visits or talks officially; postponement of the two high-profile visits is being viewed as a significant development. The foreign minister emphasised that the new US policy would keep India out of any military action and it would only be limited to economic assistance in Afghanistan. Pakistan is also convening an international conference to highlight its contribution towards the war against terrorism and to adopt a new policy which will call a halt to Washington's unending demand to 'do more' on the issue. While rolling out the new Afghan Policy, Trump had said, "People in Pakistan have suffered from terror, but at same time Pakistan has been safe haven for terrorists." A source has said that Islamabad is trying to mount a diplomatic offensive to muster support of friendly countries in the face of Trump's allegations that Pakistan was hosting terrorist 'safe havens' on its soil. However, the Pakistan government would soon hold consultations before announcing the schedule of the conference, the source added. Earlier, Pakistan's civil and military leadership on Thursday said scapegoating them will not help stabilise the war-ravaged Afghanistan. The U.S. President had singled out Pakistan for supporting what he called "agents of chaos".
By Associated Press

TEHRAN: Iran on Tuesday dismissed U.S. demands for the inspection of Iranian military sites by the U.N. nuclear watchdog, shrugging off a request by America's ambassador to the U.N. as only a "dream."

Iran's government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht told reporters that the demand by Ambassador Nikki Haley wasn't worth any attention. Iran will not accept any inspection of its sites and "especially our military sites."

In remarks broadcast by state TV, he said the sites and all information about them are "classified."

Last week Haley said the United States wants inspections of Iranian military and non-military sites to determine its compliance with the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The deal saw Iran cap its nuclear activities in return for lifting of crippling sanctions.

In a televised interview later in the day, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also rejected the demands, saying "regulations dictate out relations with the (International Atomic Energy) Agency, not the United States."

He said Iran was still committed to the nuclear agreement, but "we do not accept bullying."

TEHRAN: Iran on Tuesday dismissed U.S. demands for the inspection of Iranian military sites by the U.N. nuclear watchdog, shrugging off a request by America's ambassador to the U.N. as only a "dream." Iran's government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht told reporters that the demand by Ambassador Nikki Haley wasn't worth any attention. Iran will not accept any inspection of its sites and "especially our military sites." In remarks broadcast by state TV, he said the sites and all information about them are "classified." Last week Haley said the United States wants inspections of Iranian military and non-military sites to determine its compliance with the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The deal saw Iran cap its nuclear activities in return for lifting of crippling sanctions. In a televised interview later in the day, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also rejected the demands, saying "regulations dictate out relations with the (International Atomic Energy) Agency, not the United States." He said Iran was still committed to the nuclear agreement, but "we do not accept bullying."
By IANS

RIYADH: Iranians and Qataris are among the more than 1.7 million Muslims gathered in the holy city of Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage, even though the governments in Tehran and Doha are at odds with Saudi Arabia.



Despite closing the border with Qatar on June 5 as part of the Gulf countries' economic and diplomatic offensive against the gas-rich emirate, Saudi Arabia has allowed 1,340 Qataris to enter the country for the Hajj.



Doha earlier refused Riyadh's proposal to arrange charter flights for Qatari pilgrims.



The Saudi minister of Islamic Affairs, Saleh al-Sheikh, told his country's official news agency SPA that the kingdom serves all pilgrims without discrimination or exclusion on the basis of nationality, tribe or sect.



Political tensions are overshadowing the great religious event, but have not prevented 86,500 Iranian pilgrims from coming to Mecca this year after they were excluded last year following a deadly stampede during the 2015 Hajj.



Nearly 2,500 people - including 400 Iranians - died in the stampede, which Riyadh blamed on the Iranians, while Tehran faulted the Saudi government.



The Jeddah-based International Islamic News Agency said that the pilgrims include 25,500 people from the United Kingdom, 20,500 from Russia, 17,000 from the United States and 10,000 from France, among many other nationalities.



For the first time, the Saudi Ministry of Education has established nurseries where parents can leave their children while they perform the rituals of the pilgrimage, which lasts several days and takes place in different places.



Some 15,000 officers will ensure the safety of the Hajj and escort the pilgrims, according to the director of security, Gen. Mohamed al-Sharif.



The head of Saudi civil defense, Suleiman al-Amro, said that more than 3,000 "machines and devices" had been deployed in the holy places to respond to possible emergencies.



Besides the deadly stampede, the 2015 Hajj was also marred by a crane accident at the Great Mosque that left 100 people dead.



RIYADH: Iranians and Qataris are among the more than 1.7 million Muslims gathered in the holy city of Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage, even though the governments in Tehran and Doha are at odds with Saudi Arabia. Despite closing the border with Qatar on June 5 as part of the Gulf countries' economic and diplomatic offensive against the gas-rich emirate, Saudi Arabia has allowed 1,340 Qataris to enter the country for the Hajj. Doha earlier refused Riyadh's proposal to arrange charter flights for Qatari pilgrims. The Saudi minister of Islamic Affairs, Saleh al-Sheikh, told his country's official news agency SPA that the kingdom serves all pilgrims without discrimination or exclusion on the basis of nationality, tribe or sect. Political tensions are overshadowing the great religious event, but have not prevented 86,500 Iranian pilgrims from coming to Mecca this year after they were excluded last year following a deadly stampede during the 2015 Hajj. Nearly 2,500 people - including 400 Iranians - died in the stampede, which Riyadh blamed on the Iranians, while Tehran faulted the Saudi government. The Jeddah-based International Islamic News Agency said that the pilgrims include 25,500 people from the United Kingdom, 20,500 from Russia, 17,000 from the United States and 10,000 from France, among many other nationalities. For the first time, the Saudi Ministry of Education has established nurseries where parents can leave their children while they perform the rituals of the pilgrimage, which lasts several days and takes place in different places. Some 15,000 officers will ensure the safety of the Hajj and escort the pilgrims, according to the director of security, Gen. Mohamed al-Sharif. The head of Saudi civil defense, Suleiman al-Amro, said that more than 3,000 "machines and devices" had been deployed in the holy places to respond to possible emergencies. Besides the deadly stampede, the 2015 Hajj was also marred by a crane accident at the Great Mosque that left 100 people dead.
Narmada Lavu By

The US government started preparing for Hurricane Harvey days before it actually hit. That helped us personally and a lot of other people we know. The University of Texas Medical Branch, where I am a PhD student and my husband is a cardiologist, was sending us updates twice a day. Our apartment complex put out flyers, giving us a checklist of what we needed to take if we were leaving. There were government broadcasts too telling us what to do.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has an app that keeps updating us about whats happening. This place has seen a lot of floods, some that have been very bad and some less severe. They were constantly informing us even before it hit that it is going to be a big storm. We live on Galveston Island, which is 50 miles south-east of Houston. Thats where Hurricane Ike hit in 2008. There is one main highway connecting us to the mainland. We were living in Houston initially and we moved to Galveston Island a couple of months ago.

The hurricane hit Rockfort in Texas a little south of us, but we experienced heavy rains. Once they knew that was happening, the government evacuated a lot of people, mainly those in need of medical care and infants. They issued a lot of information on the evacuations, where they expected it to rain heavily, etc. Some places on our island witnessed mandatory evacuation, because they did not have protection.

We were also keeping track of the situation and made a last-minute decision to move to mainland Houston Friday. It was predicted that the winds would be strong and we did not know how our apartment would hold in the wind.

The night we went to the mainland, there was thunder, wind and extremely heavy rain. Saturday, we moved back before the roads started flooding. The rain stopped for a while early Saturday and we knew there was going to be more rain and less wind. We knew the roads were going to be blocked. There was one main road back home and if that got flooded, we would be stranded. We knew Houston was going to get pounded the most. The government kept posting Facebook and Twitter updates. Even as we were going back home, we knew which roads were flooded. That proved to be a good decision. Our old apartment in Houston was flooded.

What struck me was we were more aware of what was going to happen and had a chance to do something about it. Everyone  right from the government to our university  issued warnings way ahead of time and their predictions were more or less accurate. We were all prepared mentally and that really helped.

(The author is doing her PhD in Houston)

The US government started preparing for Hurricane Harvey days before it actually hit. That helped us personally and a lot of other people we know. The University of Texas Medical Branch, where I am a PhD student and my husband is a cardiologist, was sending us updates twice a day. Our apartment complex put out flyers, giving us a checklist of what we needed to take if we were leaving. There were government broadcasts too telling us what to do. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has an app that keeps updating us about whats happening. This place has seen a lot of floods, some that have been very bad and some less severe. They were constantly informing us even before it hit that it is going to be a big storm. We live on Galveston Island, which is 50 miles south-east of Houston. Thats where Hurricane Ike hit in 2008. There is one main highway connecting us to the mainland. We were living in Houston initially and we moved to Galveston Island a couple of months ago. The hurricane hit Rockfort in Texas a little south of us, but we experienced heavy rains. Once they knew that was happening, the government evacuated a lot of people, mainly those in need of medical care and infants. They issued a lot of information on the evacuations, where they expected it to rain heavily, etc. Some places on our island witnessed mandatory evacuation, because they did not have protection. We were also keeping track of the situation and made a last-minute decision to move to mainland Houston Friday. It was predicted that the winds would be strong and we did not know how our apartment would hold in the wind. The night we went to the mainland, there was thunder, wind and extremely heavy rain. Saturday, we moved back before the roads started flooding. The rain stopped for a while early Saturday and we knew there was going to be more rain and less wind. We knew the roads were going to be blocked. There was one main road back home and if that got flooded, we would be stranded. We knew Houston was going to get pounded the most. The government kept posting Facebook and Twitter updates. Even as we were going back home, we knew which roads were flooded. That proved to be a good decision. Our old apartment in Houston was flooded. What struck me was we were more aware of what was going to happen and had a chance to do something about it. Everyone  right from the government to our university  issued warnings way ahead of time and their predictions were more or less accurate. We were all prepared mentally and that really helped. (The author is doing her PhD in Houston)
Portsmouth, Middletown headed to Super Bowls. How they did it.

While Portsmouth and Middletown will play for championships, Rogers will be left out following semifinal loss.
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Columnist

Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich).
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Pursuing the global celebrations of 50 years of AMG, Mercedes-Benz India has launched Indias sixth and Kochis first AMG Performance Center at Rajsree Motors. With the latest AMG Performance Center (APC) in Kochi, Mercedes-Benz India will now be offering exclusive and personalized services to its existing and potential AMG customers in Kochi.Roland Folger, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented, AMG has been globally redefining the performance motoring segment since its inception in 1967 and we are delighted to see an increasing preference for an AMG vehicle in India too. The launch of Kochis first AMG Performance Center reaffirms our promise to provide customers an exceptional AMG brand experience. The AMG Performance Center hence, will serve as a beacon for performance car enthusiasts, where they can choose from our wide range of AMG car portfolio for that perfect driving experience.Mr. Folger further added, With the recent launch of AMG GT R and GT Roadster, Mercedes- AMG has now expanded its performance car portfolio in India to 12 fascinating products and we lead the performance segment strongly. We are confident that our patrons and brand enthusiasts in Kochi and Kerala will cherish this new landmark and brand AMG like never before.The AMG Performance Centers are designed to offer an exclusive and customized Mercedes-AMG product experience and commit to first-class service quality at every stage in the customer relationship. These distinct AMG Performance Centers along with an impressive AMG portfolio comprising 12 models, promises a strong growth for the AMG portfolio in India.The AMG Performance Centers are the key pillars of the Mercedes-AMG growth strategy in India and offers unique experience to AMG customers and performance driving enthusiasts. The AMG sales and service experts ensure first-class service delivery at every touch-point throughout the customer relationship life-cycle, through a rigorous and uniform global training program. Globally, the AMG Performance Centers are central pillars of the AMG growth strategy. These 400 + touch points, which have been part of the Mercedes-Benz distribution network since 2008, create optimal market reach for the brand.
Kolkata: Information and Technology giant Infosys would invest around Rs 100 crore in the state without the Special Economic Zone status which it had sought earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Tuesday.



"Infosys Ais coming to Bengal without the SEZ status," Banerjee told reporters while leaving the state secretariat Nabanna near Kolkata.



"Primarily, they will invest Rs 100 crore on a 50-acre land at Rajarhat (on Kolkata's north eastern fringes)," she said, adding that the company has accepted all other facilities offered by the state government.



The project would ensure employment for 1000 people.



The IT firm had bought the land in 2008 at Rajarhat during the erstwhile Left Front rule.



But despite paying the full amount of Rs 75 crore, the company put the project on hold as the Banerjee government - which came to power in 2011 - declared its opposition to SEZs.
Lucknow: The horror once again returned to Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Medical College as 42 children died in the last 48 hours. Of 36, 7 children were suffering from Encephalitis, while remaining died of neonatal jaundice and other diseases.



The tragedy came two weeks after 70 children lost their lives due to the alleged shortage of oxygen in the hospital. However, the probe conducted by the Principal Secretary claimed there was no lack of oxygen.



Encephalitis, a disease that has consumed innumerable lives over the past four decades in the constituency of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, was said be the cause behind the demise of 7 children.



Dr P K Singh, who was recently appointed the working principal of the BRD medical college, told ETV that on August 27 and 28, 6 and 10 children died respectively when they were under treatment in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).



Singh added that Pediatrics ICU recorded 11 deaths on August 27 and 15 deaths on August 28.



The number is likely to go up as more deaths occurred on Wednesday, but the hospital administration was yet to comment on that.



The total number of deaths at the BRD hospital due to Encephalitis has risen to 175 now. Patients from the adjoining cities, districts and even from border areas of Bihar and Nepal come to this hospital for treatment.



Earlier today, former Principal BRD Medical College Hospital Dr Rajiv Mishra and his wife Dr Purnima Shukla were arrested by the UP Special Task Force in Kanpur. Both of them were named in the FIR lodged by the government after a report by the Principal Secretary.



On the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, UP STF and police raided the house of Dr Kafeel Khan, but he was not there. SSP Gorakhpur has said that if Dr Kafeel does not cooperate in the investigation, they would have to arrest him.




New Delhi: Day after a CBI court sealed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhs fate with a prison term of 20 years, another godman, Sant Rampal of Haryana, will now face a court trial in Hisar on Tuesday.



The Hisar court will deliver a verdict in two separate cases against the spiritual leader.



Rampal has several cases in his name including one of sedition. He is also accused of holding people hostage in his ashram and obstructing government officials from doing their duty.



Last week he had appeared at the Hisar court for multiple cases against him, however, the verdict on two FIRs was reserved and is slated to be delivered on Tuesday.



Sant Rampal, a religious leader of the Kabir Panth, had founded the Satlok Ashram in Haryana.



But what led to the fall of Sant Rampal? Another Godman who duped his believers or a deeper conspiracy? News18 finds out:



Who is Sant Rampal?



Rampal is the leader of Kabir Panth and believes that he is the spiritual successor and a reincarnation of Kabir. His school believes that there is no ultimate God besides Kabir, who is the supreme entity. The core pedestal of his faith lies in the prohibition of untouchability, idol worship, adultery and vulgar performances.



What is The History of The Case That Still Haunts Rampal?



2006: While Satyarth Prakash is the core central text of the Arya Samaj, Rampal raised objections to certain portions of the text leading to a conflict with the Arya Samaj followers. The clash resulted in one death and 59 others being injured. The self-styled godman was charged with murder and attempt to murder. He was jailed for 22 months.



2014: Followers of Arya Samaj again got into a clash with Rampal followers when they tried to forcibly shut Rampals ashram in Karontha village of Haryana. This left three dead and 160 injured. Arya Samaj followers have been wanting to raze the ashram and had also cut off water supply to the houses of his followers and socially boycott them.



2008: Rampal released on bail and moved out of Karontha village. He then set up his base in Barwala, Haryana. He continued to avoid court appearances where he was being tried for a murder case. As Rampal continued evading the summons order issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court even in 2014, the HC issued a non bailable warrant against him. After a high voltage drama of protests and attacks, police attempted to arrest him in November.



However, his followers were a tough wall to break, who formed a human chain to protect the godman. Rampal even went on to announce that the police will have to kill over a lakh of his followers before the administration can lay their hands on him. Thousands of Rampal followers guarded his ashram on November 18. After massive clashes and violent fights, the police along with the help from the Central Paramilitary Force, arrested him on November 19, 2014.



Another 492 followers were also arrested along with Rampal and were charged with sedition, murder, attempt to murder, conspiracy, hoarding illegal weapons and aiding and abetting suicide.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala High Court has denied bail to actor Dileep in the abduction and rape case of an actress. This is the second time, since his arrest on July 10, that the court has denied bail.



While the defence counsel argued that the case was a conspiracy by some people in the film field, the prosecution said that there was evidence against the actor and that if he was let out on bail, he might try and influence witnesses.



The police have claimed that the conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress and film the act was hatched by Dileep and Pulsar Suni, the prime accused in the case.



Earlier on July 17, the Kerala High Court had rejected Dileeps bail plea, with Justice Sunil Thomas saying that the investigation in the case is progressing and the case is unique, considering its seriousness, meticulous planning, cruel nature of execution and the way the crime was executed.



The court also said that another major reason for rejection of bail is that the crucial material object which is the mobile phone used for recording the sexual assault and the memory card has not been recovered.



The investigation against the accused is the conspiracy behind the case and it cannot be proved by direct evidence, the court observed.



The court order also said that accused is a noted film actor and given bail the possibility of him influencing or threatening the several witnesses, who are also from the same industry, cannot be ruled out.
New Delhi: Now that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous punishment, all eyes would now be on the Asaram Bapu trial.



76-year-old Asaram was, at his prime, perhaps a much bigger spiritual guru than Ram Rahim, and is also facing much more serious charges than the Dera Sacha Sauda chief.



Asaram is accused of raping a school going girl, who was put in his charge, in 2013. He is also accused of raping two sisters in Surat, along with his son.



The assault is alleged to have continued raping his victims at various periods, often warning them of dire consequences, if they talked. Asarams threats seemed very real when one considers that several eye-witnesses, whove come forward to testify against the godman were murdered one-by-one.



The self-styled godman is booked under various charges of rape, unnatural sex, illegal confinement and criminal conspiracy. He's been in Jodhpur jail since August 2013.



As Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhs crimes were committed well before the laws relating to rape were amended, he was charged under pre-2013 IPCs. In Asarams case, the complaints were lodged after the amendment was passed, thus making it more likely that the 76-year-old will be given a life term.



The Shree Yog Vedanta Sewa Samiti founder has been in jail for more than four years and has requested for bail several times, citing his alleged failing health, but has been refused every single time. On Monday, the Supreme Court, while hearing yet another bail application, reprimanded the state for causing delays in the trial.



According to special public prosecutor RC Kodekar, in the case involving the two sisters, the delays were being caused by Asaram and his team. As far as I know, the Gandhinagar rape case (of the two sisters) is in the midst of trial. Meanwhile, in the Jodhpur case (rape of a minor), the evidence has been completed but we still have to examine the main prosecutrix (victim).



Kodekar added that the Ram Rahim verdict may not affect Asarams case since the circumstances were different "and the court looks only at the evidence placed on its record, but he added that they were hopeful of securing the maximum punishment i.e. life imprisonment for the guru.



Asarams defence lawyer in the two sister rape case, BM Gupta said that just as in Ram Rahims case, Asaram has also got many followers, and that the Dera Sacha Sauda chief judgment will not affect his clients trial.



"Its the police who are playing a mischievous role in the cases. They have booked my client for absconding in the murder (of eye-witnesses) cases, while he was in their custody all along. Every case is different. Ram Rahim ka conviction hua to zaruri nahi hai ki Asaram Bapu ka bhi conviction hoga. (Ram Rahim was convicted doesn't mean that Asaram Bapu will also be convicted)," said Gupta.



When asked about the status of his other cases, Gupta said that Asaram had many well-wishers "just like Ram Rahim" and that his well-wishers were fighting his cases in other places and levels, like the Jodhpur POCSO court and Supreme Court.



The cases against Asaram Bapu are intriguing because of the frequency with which key witnesses were attacked. At least 11 witnesses in cases against Asaram Bapu have been shot at, attacked with acid or knifed. Of them, three have died.



Among those killed were Asaram's close aide and prosecution witness Amrut Prajapati, who was killed in Rajasthan's Rajkot. Another close aide, Dinesh Gupta, and his cook Akhil Gupta were killed in UPs Muzaffarnagar.
New Delhi: Bhutan on Tuesday welcomed the end of the 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Dokalam and hoped it would help in ensuring peace and tranquility at the tri-junction.



Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area, the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.



In a major diplomatic breakthrough to end the prolonged standoff between their troops, India and China, on August 28, disengaged their border personnel at Dokalam.



We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries, the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.



Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Dokalam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area. India had deployed about 350 Army personnel in the area.



Bhutan and China have a dispute over Dokalam, a strategically key area at the Bhutan-India-China tri-junction in the Sikkim sector.
New Delhi: In one massive stroke, CBI has arrested the top officers of Himachal Pradesh police in the custodial death of Suraj Singh, the 29-year-old main accused of the Shimla rape and murder case, who died in police custody at Kotkhai.



Those arrested include the top officer of Southern Range, IG Zahroor H Zaidi, DSP Manoj Joshi, the then SHO of Kothai Rajinder Singh, ASI Deep Chand Sharma, two head constables and one constable.



CBI sources say IG Zahoor Zaidi and other police officers have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in the custodial murder of Suraj Singh. The officers reiterate, whether or not they were involved in custodial death will be established during the probe.



The investigating agency had registered two FIRs in the case and have taken over the investigation on the directions of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. The two FIRs pertain to gang rape and murder of the school girl and the custodial death of the accused.



The CBI had done a fresh autopsy of the gang-rape-accused who is a Nepalese national. Sources say Suraj Singh had succumbed to injuries caused during a scuffle in police lock-up. While Himachal Pradesh police insists that the scuffle was with another accused, CBI probe has so far indicated that the role of the police officers need to be looked into.



His death triggered violent protests in Kothai, with a number of Nepalese associations demanding a fair probe into the matter. The rape and murder of a class 10 girl in a normally peaceful Shimla shook the city and many a protest irrupted in the area.



Apart from the custodial death, the shoddy probe of the rape and murder case is also being probed by CBI.




New Delhi: Marital rape in India cannot be criminalized as India has its own unique set of problems like literacy, lack of financial empowerment of the majority of females, mindset of the society, vast diversity, poverty, etc, reads the affidavit submitted by the Centre in the Delhi High Court.



Centre has also said the country would not be blindly following the western countries in this regard.



The affidavit has been filed by Advocate Monika Arora in the court. The issue of criminalising marital rape was seen as a major step towards gender justice after the governments pro-women stand in instant triple talaq case.



The Centre has submitted that what constitutes marital rape and what would constitute marital non-rape needs to be defined precisely before a view on its criminalization is taken.



Further, the government has stated that If all sexual acts by a man with his own wife will qualify to be marital rape, then the judgment as to whether it is a marital rape or not will singularly rest with the wife.



The government has said the main problem lies in determining the value of evidence. The question is what evidence the courts will rely upon in such circumstances as there can be no lasting evidence in case of sexual acts between a man and his own wife, reads the affidavit.



The government also feels that marital rape might destabilize the institution of marriage. The government has quoted SC verdicts to further bolster their stand.



It has to been ensured adequately that marital rape does not become a phenomenon which may destabilize the institution of marriage apart from being an easy tool for harassing the husbands. The Supreme Court and various High Courts have already observed the rising misuse of section 498A of IPC, the Centre submitted.



The government has relied on the Law Commissions 172nd Report titled Review of Rape Laws and the 167th report by the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs which did not recommend criminalization of marital rape.



However, while citing the Justice J S Verma Committee in its Report titled "Amendments to Criminal Law", the Centre acknowledged the recommendation of the committee to remove the exceptions to marital rape, but also cited that the report stated, "the legal prohibition on marital rape is accompanied by changes in the attitude of the prosecutors, police officers and those in society generally."
Chandigarh: A day after the self-styled godman, Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was sent to jail for 20 years by a special CBI judge in two rape cases, another from the same ilk is awaiting his verdict on Tuesday.



Rampal, head of the Barwala based Satlok Ashram near Hisar, is expected to be at a special court on Tuesday, to hear the verdict of cases lodged against him in November 2014. Many of his followers have gathered in Hisar to await the outcome.



On November 18, 2014, a case was registered against Rampal and his followers under IPC sections 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of his public function), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (Assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty).



The hearings in the cases have been proceeding at a special court set up in the Hisar Central Jail. The special court had to be set up as Rampals supporters would gather in large numbers each time the case would come up for hearing and try to create obstructions in court proceedings.



He also has several other cases pending against him including that of sedition in which the hearing is still underway.



The verdict in the two cases was earlier expected to be out on August 24 but was shifted to August 29 as the verdict in the much more sensitive Dera Sacha Sauda case had been scheduled for August 25. Haryana Police had put in a request at Hisar Court to postpone the case to a later date keeping in view the law and order situation in the state.



Born into an agricultural family, Rampal resigned his job as a junior engineer from the Haryana government in 1996 and founded the Satlok Ashram in Hisar. His ashram was founded on the premise that temple visits, idol worship, untouchability, adultery, vulgar singing and dancing were vices that should be done away with. He is a follower of the Kabir Panth (path of Kabir) that shifts focus from worshipping the Hindu trinity to believing in one Satguru and emphasising the limitations in religion.



Rampal, who was wanted in a 2006 murder case, refused to appear before court in 2014. His lawyers took the pretext that Rampals followers are keeping him captive inside the Satlok Ashram in Barwala and it is not his fault that he is unable to make an appearance. Eventually, a massive police operation had to be initiated to evict Rampal from his Ashram along with his followers and present him before the court.
New Delhi: The 71-day standoff between India and China finally came to an end on Monday after both sides decided to withdraw troops from Doklam. After some initial quibbling on the phraseology used by both sides, it is now clear that this is a "mutual disengagement". This has been physically verified by on-ground personnel by both the Defence Ministry and the Ministry of External Affairs.



News18 can now piece together the sequence of events in the last two months on how the disengagement process began:



It started in the first week of July when the Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Hamburg G20. Though the "pull-aside" meeting lasted just a few minutes, the Prime Minister took the opportunity to bring up Doklam and reminded Xi of the Astana consensus wherein both leaders had agreed just to not let "differences become disputes". Xi then turned to his State Councillor and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to find a peaceful resolution to Doklam.



Xi explicitly congratulating and thanking India for a successful hosting of the BRICS summit last year emboldened the Indian side that Xi would do nothing to jeopardise Chinas hosting of BRICS later this week in Xiamen. It was clear that Xi had personally invested a lot into hosting a successful BRICS summit. Someone in the delegation also brought up Xis speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year where he appeared like a statesman wanting to take up cudgels on behalf of globalisation, at a time when both in the US and in Europe the idea of globalisation had taken a huge beating.



Later that month, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval travelled to Beijing for the BRICS NSAs meeting. There was a lot of tension on whether he would get a separate standalone with his Chinese counterpart. Not only did he swing one, the meeting also went surprisingly well. It carried on for longer than anticipated. At that meeting both sides agreed, in principle, to disengage.



After Doval returned to Delhi, he along with the Foreign Secretary, held multiple meetings with the Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui to work out the details of the disengagement. Later in the month of August, the diplomats gave way to the Army commanders, the head of the Eastern Command for India and the head of the Tibet Military Command for the Chinese. Eventually the nitty-gritties of the disengagement were agreed upon by both military commanders.



News18 has also separately learnt that at one point in the negotiations, the Indian side clearly told the Chinese that unless Doklam is resolved, the Prime Minister could even actively consider not going for BRICS. If that were to happen, then it would not only be a personal loss of face for Xi Jinping, it would also mean no summit will take place, as the BRICS charter states that all five heads of government have to attend for a summit to take place.



After Indias boycott earlier this year of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum, another of Xis personal pet projects, this would have meant an irreparable deterioration in ties. The Chinese had also realised by then that they had raised the pitch of their rhetoric to such a high level, they needed a face saver. India was offering just that.
New Delhi: Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit, who was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, for the first time spoke about the torture he was subjected to while he was in jail for nine long years.



In a video, accessed by CNN-News18, Colonel Purohit could be seen interacting with a fellow officer during a medical checkup, a few months before the apex court granted him bail.



"First, they beat me for 5-7 days. Then, they left me alone for two days so that the swelling subsided," Purohit said, adding that he was "thrashed again for 8-9 days".



Colonel Purohit, a serving Army officer, was on November 4, 2008 arrested by the Maharashtra ATS in connection with 2008 Malegaon blasts.



The Colonel had remained in jail for almost a decade, and his earlier plea for bail was rejected by the Bombay High Court.



Recounting his ordeal, Purohit said that they hung him upside down, continued beating him, "despite realising that my leg was broken".



However, initially, it was not established if Colonel Purohit was indeed tortured. "The JJ hospital report said there was nothing wrong with me," Purohit said, "when I got a court order and got more tests done, it was proved that I was tortured."



Colonel Purohit recalls with a shudder the treatment meted out to him by the Maharashtra Anti-terror Squad. It was worse than, according to him, the way "even the terrorists were treated".



"You remember how we dealt with those three people who had crossed the border? There is a proper way to interrogate terror suspects," Purohit told his fellow officer.



He alleged that the ATS was enjoying "beating up" an army officer. "They wanted to have fun at my expense. God help any army officer who gets picked up by police."



Lt. Colonel Purohit was accused of stealing 60 kg of RDX from the army. He was also accused of funding and training Abhinav Bharat, an extreme right-wing organisation, believed to be behind the 2008 Malegaon blast which killed 7 people.



He denied doing any such thing saying that their (army personnel) bags were checked every time they left. "All our bags would be turned upside down. After a thorough check only," he said, "we would be allowed to get into our cars."
Lucknow: Former principal of BRD Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur, Dr Rajiv Mishra and his wife Dr Purnima Shukla, were arrested by the UP Special task Force in Kanpur on Tuesday. Both of them were named in an FIR lodged by the government after a report by the Principal Secretary, in the wake of 63 children dying at the hospital within a span of five days.



Mishra and his wife had taken refuge at a renowned lawyers house, who could also be charged for aiding criminals.



Earlier, on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, UP STF and police raided the house of Dr Kafeel Khan but he was not there. SSP Gorakhpur has said that if Dr Kafeel does not cooperate in the investigation then they would have to arrest him.



FIR was registered against 9 people of Hazratganj police station in Lucknow on Sunday over the death of the children in BRD Hospital. The first FIR was registered against corruption, second negligence and the third for private practice.



In the FIR, cases under various sections were registered against Dr Rajiv Mishra, Dr Kafeel Khan, Dr Satish, Dr Purnima Shukla, Chief Pharmacist Gajanan Jaiswal, Accountant Sudhir Pandey, Assistant Clerk, Uday Pratap Sharma of Pushpa Sales and Manish Bhandari.



The FIR was registered after a written complaint by DG Health, KK Gupta, under IPC sections 409, 308, 120B, 420, Prevention of Corruption Act, Section 8 of the IPC, Section 15 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956.



The Gorakhpur hospital deaths started on August 10, when over 63 children died at the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. While many accredited this to the oxygen supplier cutting off the hospital for non-payment from the state government but the supplier denied the cut-off. The official report by Chief Secretary also denied lack of oxygen as the cause of death.
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday likened Leader of Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy to Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, sentenced to 20 years in jail in two rape cases.



"He is Dera baba and our man here is Jagan Baba. He has a destructive and criminal mindset," Chandrababu said at a press conference at the Secretariat here on Monday evening.



A special CBI court in Rohtak sentenced Ram Rahim to 20 years in prison after his conviction in two rape cases.



Chandrababu said the "Dera Baba headed a good organisation" but he abused his capabilities and violated the faith women had in him.



"He also created militancy and caused violence. In the guise of a sadhu, he has done all these atrocities. Likewise is our man here. So I call him Jagan Baba," the Chief Minister said.



He alleged Jagan was doing a lot of harm to the society. "If you look at his behaviour in the last three years...it is very clear. Acting, vulgar behaviour, intimidating others, stalling the Assembly proceedings...all these expose his destructive and criminal mindset," he said.



Reacting to the Nandyal by-election result, he said the people of the constituency were now breathing easy as the YSR Congress, headed by Jagan, has lost.



"The kind of language he (Jagan) used against me during the by-election campaign...it has become a debate across the nation. He toured Nandyal for 13 days and visited every household but people, in all their wisdom, trounced his party," the TDP supremo noted.



Asked about LoP's fresh challenge that the TDP make the 20 MLAs, who defected from Jagan-led YSRC, resign and seek fresh elections, the CM shot back saying, "If he is so itching for elections, let him ask his six MPs to quit."



"Then it will be a bigger game," he said. Jagan set June as the deadline for the Centre to grant the special category status to AP, failing which he announced the YSRC MPs will resign.



"This is August, so let them resign. We will go for elections," Chandrababu said.
Lucknow: The Islamic Centre of India has asked Muslims in Uttar Pradesh to donate 10% of their Eid-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) budget to help those affected by floods in the state.



The flood situation in UP is grim with almost 25% of the state affected. A large number of people have been displaced by the flood.



Students of Darul Uloom Farangi Mahal are busy collecting food items and packing them so that they could be sent to the flood hit areas of Uttar Pradesh.



They have collected essential items like rice, pulses, grams, jaggery, sugar, tea leaves, biscuits, vegetables and so on for the flood victims.



Speaking to News18, Chairperson Islamic Centre of India, Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, said, As we all know the flood situation is quite grim in many parts of the state, we have appealed to all the Muslims to kindly donate their 10% budget of Bakrid to help the flood victims of the state.



This will be a real qurbani for Eid, the message of Eid-ul-Zuha is please Allah and we should sacrifice our possessions to the maximum. Islam has always taught us that humanity is above everything and it is the biggest religion, he added.



Rasheed has requested people to donate generously for the help of people who have lost everything in floods and have nothing to eat or to a place to stay. He has also taken this appeal to social media platforms and has requested people to help individuals and organisations who are working for flood relief.
Bengaluru: The chief investigating officer in the rape case against Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has revealed that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had ignored political pressure and given Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) a free hand.



"The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stood by the CBI and ordered us to go by the law. He went through the statement made by two Sadhvis before a judge and did not succumb to the pressures from Punjab and Haryana MPs. After a lot of pressure from these MPs, Manmohan Singh had summoned the then CBI chief Vijay Shanker to his office to discuss the case against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. After seeing the victim's statements before a judge, Singh backed us," said M Narayanan, retired DIG of the CBI, who was the chief investigating officer in the rape case against Dera chief.



Narayanan has also praised his boss Vijay Shanker for standing up to Punjab and Haryana MPs. Speaking to News18, he said, "When powerful MPs asked him to drop cases against Ram Rahim, Vijay Shanker refused to do so. He backed us fully".



A native of Kasaragod in Kerala, Narayanan was in Mysore on the day Ram Rahim was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Expressing satisfaction over the punishment handed over to the rapist, he said that Ram Rahim would also be convicted in other cases, including the murder of two people.



Talking about how his team conducted the investigation, Narayanan said, "The complaint was sent in 2002. But nothing had happened till 2007. Expressing serious concerns over the progress of the investigation, the Punjab & Haryana High Court took the CBI to task. It had even summoned the chief Vijay Shanker to court seeking an explanation. After that he gave us Sadhvis letters, files of the murder of journalist Ramachandra Chatrapati and Dera volunteer Ranjit Singh. He ordered us to go ahead and complete the investigation in just 57 days as ordered by the High Court".



According to him the task was huge as Sadhvis letters were anonymous. "We came to know that between 1999 and 2002, over 200 Sadhvis had left the Dera because of sexual harassment. Finally we could trace just 10 victims. But they were married and did not come forward to lodge a complaint. We managed to persuade just two victims and filed charge sheet before a court in Ambala on the 56th day".



He said that entering the fortress like Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa itself was a very difficult job. The CBI team led by him was threatened by the goons of Ram Rahim and they had to face a lot of hostility. Narayanan said that Ram Rahim was living like a medieval emperor in his so-called ashram (Goofa) surrounded by pretty women known as Sadhvis. Every night around 10 PM, the head Sadhvi used to get a call from him instructing her to send a Sadhvi to his bedroom and she used to force one of the Sadhvis selected by him to sleep with the "guru". Narayanan added that Ram Rahim was extremely careful like a seasoned criminal and never used to leave any traces of his crime. "He had a collection of condoms and contraceptives in his room. He was a maniac, a real beast", the investigating officer said.



"Ranjit Singh was a prominent volunteer at the Dera. After his sister was raped by Ram Rahim, both of them had left Sirsa. A few days later an anonymous letter reached Punjab and Haryana High Court. Suspecting that Ranjit Singh was behind it, Dera chief ordered his men to murder him. It has been proved that the pistol used by his murderers belonged to Dera manager. They had also left a walkie-talkie at the scene of crime. I am sure Ram Rahim will be convicted in these heinous cases too," said Narayanan who had retired in 2009.
Mumbai: Heavy rains pummelled Mumbai and adjoining areas on Tuesday, disrupting rail, road and air services, and throwing normal life out of gear. As the financial capital stopped in its tracks, no respite was in sight as the MeT department forecast extremely heavy rainfall in the next 24 to 48 hours.



Here is all you need to know about the Mumbai rains:



- More than 100mm of average rainfall in Mumbai since the morning coupled with a high tide sent Mumbai down under, with several low lying areas waterlogged. There have been reports of waterlogging in Dadar, Andheri, Worli, Kurla, Parel and Sakinaka, among other areas, said a BMC official.



- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered all offices to let their employees leave early. Schools have also been shut. The National Disaster Management Authority and other authorities have asked Mumbaiikars to stay at home and move to a higher place if possible as the situation could get worse.



- At least six people have been injured as trees fell on them after the heavy downpour. Six cases of wall collapse, 23 cases of trees falling and 16 incidents of short circuit have been reported so far. Officials, however, claim that no untoward incident has taken place and the situation is under control.



- The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport has been shut for all landings due to low visibility. Most of the flights are delayed and are being diverted. Air India has confirmed that most of their flights to or from Mumbai are delayed. "Heavy rains and strong winds have drastically reduced visibility leading to diversions and go arounds even though the main runway is open," a Mumbai airport official said.



- Train services have also been crippled due to the rains as several stations and tracks in the city have become submerged. Western Railways said that most of the long distance trains are held up at Mumbai Central. Water reached up to 200mm above rail level at some places on local lines, which is why services had to be suspended, it tweeted. The Central Railway-run harbour line, which connects CSMT to Panvel, remained suspended since 11:30 am, railways officials said.



- Traffic across most of the city has come to a complete halt. The Bandra-Worli Sea Link has been closed for traffic due to visibility dipping to zero. Police have advised that it would perhaps be safer to travel on foot rather than in cars if the tyre pressure gets too low. Long traffic snarls have also been witnessed on the Eastern Freeway, Sion-Panvel highway, LBS Marg, Dr B R Ambedkar road and the Western Express highway.



- The MeT department has upgraded the status of the weather system, which has brought heavy showers over the Mumbai region, has been upgraded from well marked low pressure to depression. It means it is set to bring more rains. Hence, we have predicted an extremely heavy rainfall," the weatherman said.



- The weatherman said there is an upper air circulation over south Rajasthan owing to which there is cloudiness over the west coast. There is also a low-pressure area over south east of Odisha. Both these systems are acting together indicating a lot of rainfall activity.
Schools and colleges will remain closed on Wednesday in view of the MeT department forecasting heavy rains in the metropolis. The city received torrential rains the entire day and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy showers tomorrow as well.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also ordered suspension of toll collection from vehicles at the entry points of the rain-pounded city and at the Bandra-Worli Sealink till the situation normalised.

In case of emergency, contact BMC Control Room at 1916.

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Trivandrum: All eyes are on the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Trivandrum as Supreme Court appointed amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium arrived in the city on Tuesday.



Subramanium is in Trivandrum to meet the executive committee of the temple, members of the Travancore royal family and the government over the sealed vault B of the shrine which is considered to be one of the richest shrines in the world. The inventory committee will also inspect the idol of Sree Padmanabha as some cracks have been noticed on the idol.



The 16th century temple came into the spotlight around six years ago when one of its six vaults was found to contain ancient valuables worth Rs 1 lakh crore. Post that, Subramanium, in the last hearing, had told the SC that it was imperative to open vault B of the temple to ascertain the total inventory of assets.



The erstwhile Travancore family was of the view that vault B must not be opened as it was against God's will. The apex court, while hearing the case in July, had told Subramanium to take into account what the family and other stakeholders had to say about the opening of vault B.



The mystery around Vault A and B



The SC, in 2011, asked the temple authorities to open chamber A, which was secretive until then. The directive followed a petition filed by retired IPS officer TP Sundarajan who, in 2009, alleged misappropriation of valuables at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple.



In the following years, the apex court ordered for the valuables to be inventoried, and the erstwhile Travancore royal family was stripped off its hold over the management of the shrine.



When vault A was opened, the antique coins found in the chamber weighed over 600 kg. There were over 2 lakh items that were checked by government officials, and many of them were found to be embedded with invaluable gems. The chamber also had crowns, necklaces, precious stones.



Officials now believe that vault B might have more wealth than the chamber that was opened.



'Opening the vault would harm Gods power'



There are many myths and legends surrounding the vault of the shrine. Legend has it that the vault opens to an underground tunnel that links the temple to the Arabian Sea. The myth, however, was questioned after a team of experts from Centre for Earth Science Studies found no such link.



Another myth speaks of the presence of the Sree Chakra  a place that contains the powers of the Universe and the Almighty (symbolically). Opening the vault, thus, would put it in disarray.



There are six chambers in the temple, marked from A to F, out of which two are unlocked twice a year, and others every day.
New Delhi: A day after India announced mutual dis-engagement at the Doklam tri-junction to end the border impasse, the Chinese foreign ministry in a statement seemed to have consciously taken a vague stand on its efforts to construct a road in the plateau area bordering Sikkim.



The Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying, on Tuesday, while replying to specific queries by reporters in this regard, gave no explicit assurance that China end all construction activities in the region.



China will take into account all relevant factors including the weather and will make plans in accordance with the situation on the ground, Chunying said in a statement.



For the sceptics in India, this would be far from assuring. However, immediately after Hua's statement, the Indian Foreign Ministry in Delhi confirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be travelling to Xiamen next week for the BRICS summit.



India is confident that dis-engagement is mutual and, that fresh statements from the Chinese side are primarily for domestic consumption.



First signs of thaw came from the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi early on Monday. In a statement, MEA claimed expeditious disengagement of border personnel has been agreed to at the face-off site in Doklam and is ongoing.



A little over an hour later, Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that India has pulled back all of its personnel and equipment to the Indian side of the border. It further said that it was going to exercise its sovereignty and uphold its territorial integrity in accordance with historical conventions.



Things took an interesting turn, later in the day on Monday, when New Delhi released another statement.



Expanding on its earlier statement MEA said, that expeditious disengagement of border personnel of India and China at the face-off site at Doklam was ongoing.



Both statements however, were ambiguous in the sense that neither party made any definitive mention of the road that Chinese soldiers were attempting to build in Doklam which forced India to up the ante.



Several media reports quoted Indian defence sources as saying that China had, indeed, withdrawn its bulldozer from the road building site in Doklam. Experts CNN News18 spoke to said that China and India were playing very safe for now so that the border events do not cast a shadow on BRICS meeting.



Nobody likes a border dispute hanging in the air at an event aimed at showing strength, said one expert. The disengagement notwithstanding, both sides continue to maintain ambiguity on some issues related to the detente.
The television show Pehredaar Piya Ki is in news, again. Ever since the first promo of the show was aired, the show has been drawing flak for its content and for the depiction of a 9-year-old getting married to a woman twice his age.



While many deemed the show regressive, the cast and crew continued to defend the show even when complaints seeking a ban on the show started doing the rounds of social media. A Mumbai NGO, too, had demanded a ban on the show for alleged "vulgarity and promoting child marriage".



According to reports, channel claims that the new time slot is not working for them as the show was meant for a particular audience. Considering that the show was last telecast on Friday, it seems the channel has officially pulled the plug now.



The Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC), in fact, had earlier directed Sony channel to shift the daily soap from the 9 pm slot to 10 pm and run it with a scroll saying it does not promote child marriage.



A petition was also started online asking the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to ban the show. The ministry then reportedly forwarded a complaint regarding the serial to BCCC. The petition, which had garnered more than a lakh followers, read, Pehredar Piya Ki. A 10-year-old impressionable little kid(piyaa) caressing and stalking a lady whos more than double his age and filling sindoor in her maang is being telecasted at prime time 8:30pm on Sony. (Family time) It is to be devoured by the entire Nation. Imagine the kind of influence it will steadily and perpetually infuse in the viewers mindset. We want a ban on the serial. We do not want our kids to be influenced by such TV serials. Join us in signing the petition to ban this serial (sic).








Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that she could not agree on Gorkhaland simple because it is the matter of the Centre.



In the all-party meet to end the Darjeeling crisis at the state secretariat Nabanna, Banerjee stuck to her stand that she will not let the state will not be divided and requested the representatives of all the hills party to call off their indefinite bandh which has reached 78th day.



While addressing the media, Banerjee said, I am happy that the dialogue started but the Gorkhaland demand is not in my hand. There are constitutional issues and binding obligations. We cannot ask the Centre for a separate state. We dont agree on it. It is the Centre who will take the call.



The next round of meeting will be held on September 12 at Uttarkanya in Siliguri at 3PM, she added.



Meanwhile, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) Chief Bimal Gurung announced that the indefinite strike in the Darjeeling hill districts will continue as the outcome of the meeting didnt favor the people.



Issuing a statement from an undisclosed location, Gurung said, The hill party delegates should have walked out of the meet when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said no to Gorkhaland and passed the buck on Central saying that it is the matter of the Central government.



Let her give in writing that Gorkhaland is not in her hand as this is the matter of the central government. Then, we will directly approach the Centre with our demand, he added.



We cannot ignore that the demand for separate Gorkhaland is a long pending issue. It is the expectation of people in the Hills but we dont agree on it since it is the matter of the central government. They have democratic rights to demand for a separate state and we will never suppress or bulldoze their voice. It is their right to demand for a separate state but for us there are binding obligations, Banerjee said.



On indefinite strike on the Hills, she said, I cannot bulldoze their movement. It is their democratic rights. I requested them to withdraw it. They will have their meeting tomorrow to take the final decision on bandh.



GJM joint secretary (central committee), Binoy Tamang, while hinting at the failure of Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), said, No other alternative or modified bodies will do justice to our plight and apathy of being lumped with any other arrangement other than creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland. Under the current situation we request the state government to initiative a political dialogue on the long pending demand of the Gorkhas wish is Gorkhaland to help to resolve the present crisis in Darjeeling.



On the context of withdrawing bandh, he said, Tomorrow the central committee comprise of all hill parties will have a meeting and will take the final call whether to call off the indefinite strike or not. We also want compensation for the victims (45 injured and 8 killed) family members, restoration of food supplies and essential commodities, restoration of internet, cable TV and local TV channel. We also demand that all cases (old or new) filed against the agitators should be withdrawn and those who were arrested or detained should be released immediately.



The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Jan Andolan Party (JAP) and the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL) attended the meeting along with the GJM.
Kolkata: CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday accused the Trinamool Congress and the BJP of practicing "competitive communalism" which led to lynching of two men in Jalpaiguri district on suspicion of stealing cows in Bengal.



Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Yechury said, "It is unfortunate that for political gains the ruling party (TMC) in Bengal is indulging in appeasement politics and the BJP is adding fuel as a part of their communal political agenda. Recently, two people were lynched in Bengal on suspicion of cow thieves. I condemn such incident."



Hitting out at Bengal government's decision not to allow immersion of Durga idols on October 1 (on Muharram day), he said, "This should not have been done and the order was unwarranted."



"Why is the government differentiating and interfering in the religious events? If you differentiate, it sends a wrong message to the masses. Ideally, we should leave such decision on the leaders of the two communities. They should sit and find a way out. I dont understand why the government will interfere. Last year also, they did the same thing. I personally feel that the BJP is encashing such decisions of the state government, he added.



Yechury said that CPI (M) will not form any electoral alliance involving the Congress in near future.



"We will continue to be associated with JD (U) rebel Sharad Yadav's 'save composite culture' campaign but no alliance with the Congress. We will not take part in any rally of the grand alliance with the Congress in the future," he said.



His statement comes two days after the Left party refused to attend RJD's 'BJP Bhagao, Desh Bachao' (Banish BJP, Save Country) rally in Patna, which was attended by many opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee.
US technology firm Nvidia Corporation has continued to block Iranian internet users from accessing its website, the authorities said on Monday. The software download page of Nvidia.com does not allow Iranian IP addresses to access updated software. The site now says "403 -- Forbidden", reports Xinhua news agency. Another Nvidia website, geforce.com, has also blocked Iranian users. That website says "access denied" followed by a message saying "the request was blocked by security rules".When users contacted the company's online customer service to ask why they were suddenly banned, Nvidia responded that "we regret to inform you that Geforce NOW and Geforce Experience is not available in embargoed nations". Prior to Tehran's international nuclear deal in 2015, several software companies in the US and Europe blocked Iranians from accessing downloads. Nvidia's measure comes just days after Apple began removing Iranian applications from its iOS application store.on August 23, Apple removed Snapp, a ride-hailing app similar to Uber that is popular in Iran, from its app stores. it was followed by the removal in recent weeks of apps for food delivery, shopping and other services. In a message to Iranian developers whose apps were affected by the ban, Apple said: "Under the U.S. sanctions regulations, the app store cannot host, distribute or do business with apps or developers connected to certain US embargoed countries."In response, Iran's minister of telecommunication and information technology has said that his country would legally sue the decision by Apple for removing the apps. Apple holds 11 per cent share of the Iranian cellphone market.
Houston: Tropical storm Harvey continued to batter southeast Texas today with rain and floods, leaving at least nine people dead and submerging highways, houses and entire neighbourhoods in the US' fourth-largest city here.



First responders took to boats to rescue stranded residents, with authorities warning that more than 30,000 people across the region could be forced from their homes by the time skies are expected to clear later this week.



A family of six is believed to have died after drowning in a white van while trying to escape the floods.



The passengers included four children. The driver reportedly called out to them to try to get out through the back door, but they were unable to escape.



Witnesses said first responders were in the area, but were unable to rescue the passengers. It is thus far the single deadliest incident resulting from the storm.



A 60-year-old woman died Monday in Porter, a small community north of Houston, when a large oak fell on her mobile home. Another person died in the small coastal town of Rockport, near where Harvey made landfall. A 52-year-old homeless man was found in La Marque, a small city near Galveston.



Non stop rain yesterday crippled Houston and emergency teams  aided by a growing contingent of citizen-rescuers  plunged into waist-deep water seeking people stranded by devastating, historic flooding in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.



Two Indian students are in a critical condition after they nearly drowned in Lake Bryan in the US state of Texas.



As the rain kept pouring, as many as 13 million people from Houston to New Orleans were under flood watches and warnings. Many residents climbed to the upper stories of their homes. Some even pitched tents on roofs, waiting it out until a boat or helicopter swooped in.



"Harvey has in many ways turned southeast Texas into an inland lake...the size of Lake Michigan," said Brad Kieserman, vice president of disaster operations and logistics for the American Red Cross. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), residents can expect another 24 inches of rain, the return of tropical storm force winds and high flood waters.



The NWS has issued flood watches and warnings from near San Antonio to New Orleans, an area that is home to more than 13 million people. Schools, airports and office buildings remained closed.



Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said that there are already 5,500 people in shelters and that number is expected to rise.



Harveys onslaught is predicted to continue for the next few days, as the storm swirls around the southeastern US coast, briefly heads offshore and then makes another landfall.



Texas Governor Greg Abbott activated his state's entire National Guard, deploying 12,000 service members to respond to the devastation.



In addition, 16 aircraft are conducting day and night wide area search and rescue missions along the Texas coast from Corpus Christi to Houston.



Texas is at the early stages of turning back on power  restoration of power is one of its biggest needs.



Desperate residents have taken to social media to plead for help, posting images of their families stranded at home as flood waters quickly rise.



President Donald Trump yesterday declared emergency conditions in Louisiana, where forecasts have called for as much as two feet of rainfall in some areas.



He pledged swift action by the federal government to provide relief to states affected by Harvey, and he is scheduled to visit Texas.



"Recovery will be a long and difficult road, and the federal government stands ready, willing and able to assist in that effort," he said.



The immediate focus for many remained Houston, the countrys fourth-largest city and asprawling metropolitan area, which faced dire circumstances and National Weather Service forecasts warning of more heavy rainfall.



Two reservoirs wereopened to release waterto relieve the stress the downpour has caused in the region, which has seen as much rain in a few days as it averages in an entire year.



Parts of Harris County, which encompasses Houston, were pelted with 30 inches of rain in the past 72 hours, the Weather Service reported early Monday.



The Weather Service said Harvey's rain is causing "catastrophic and life-threatening flooding over large portions of southeastern Texas".



Officials said Houston, a major center for the nation's energy industry, had suffered billions of dollars in damage and would take years to fully recover.



Oil and gas companies have shut down about a quarter of their production in the Gulf of Mexico.



Spot prices for gasoline are expected to jump, but the full extent of damage will not be clear for days, companies and experts said.



More than 100,000 Indian-Americans living in and around Houston area have also been badly hit by the monstrous hurricane Harvey.



The community members living in and around Houston have either voluntarily abandoned their homes or have been evacuated to safer places, after flood water dangerously entered their homes, in a few cases touching the roof.



Hundreds of Indian students, who were stranded in their homes and ran out of food, are being helped by the Indian Consulate in Houston.


: The European Rohingya Council and other signatory international Rohingya bodies have urged the international world to show their 'responsibility to protect' Rohingyas in the Rakhine state of Myanmar who have recently faced a large scale attack on August 25 by the Myanmar Armed Forces.The bodies have stated that the Myanmar Armed Forces have complete support from the government of Myanmar.Elaborating on the point, the council has said that "very clear lines have been drawn connecting all the events that have been taking place in the recent weeks: the mobilization of a highly advanced army battalion and other security forces in the northern region of Rakhine State; the high-level meeting between Min Aung Hlaing and Rakhine nationalist party ANP lawmakers; the visit of now-rebranded Ma Ba Tha's firebrand monk Wirathu to Rakhine State; the failure to pass the proposal in parliament for an increase of security measures and creation of fully trained and armed "people's militia" against the Rohingya civilians".The statement from the European Rohingya Council comes just days after the Rakhine state of Myanmar stood witness to large scale violence.A Rohingya woman urges the member of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) not to turn them back to Myanmar, in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, on August 27, 2017. (Since August 25, thousands of Rohingya from at least 25 villages are displaced as their villages were set on fire with rocket-launchers. Many villagers in isolated locations are attempting to take shelter in the jungle; others have risked crossing the Myanmar-Bangladesh border most are stranded on the Myanmar-side of the Naf River as Bangladesh tightens its border security and continues to push back the fleeing Rohingya.The civilians are inundated with an acute humanitarian crisis and medical emergency. In addition to the existing medical conditions and injuries sustained from indiscriminate firing from the armed forces, "Rohingya are subjected to the commandeering of their homes, destruction of property and livestock".The last time there was this scale of violence in Rakhine state was on October 9, 2016. The attacks then were first launched by the Rohingya militant group Harakah al-Yaqin, which later changed its name to Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. In response, the Myanmar Armed Forces launched so-called clearance operations which resulted in the massacre of innumerable Rohingya lives. Human Rights Watch (HRW) had then documented extrajudicial killings and the rape of women and girls, in addition to the burning of structures.The council has alleged that "Aung San Suu Kyi's departments, ministry of information and ministry of state-counsellor office, pave the path for the armed forces to commit "crimes against humanity" by labeling the whole Rohingya community as "terrorists" or "terrorist sympathizers."This development also comes close on the heels of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju's, statement in the Parliament on August 9, where he clearly stated that the government was firm on deporting all 40,000 Rohingyas taking shelter in India at the moment. A ground report by News18 in Delhi had revealed as to how these Rohingyas are scared to be deported and prefer to "be killed here, rather than being sent to Myanmar."Further, the council has now appealed to the international community to exercise "the Responsibility to Protect" as the Rohingya civilian population plunges into another episode of widespread "crimes against humanity" under the hands of Myanmar Armed Forces.
Kabul: An explosion occurred on a busy shopping street near the heavily-fortified US embassy in central Kabul on Tuesday, officials said, killing at least one and injuring eight.



"An explosion has happened near Massoud Square in Kabul. We have no more details yet," Najib Danish, a spokesman for Afghanistan's interior ministry, told AFP.



An official in the ministry added that the blast happened outside a bank at a time when many security forces personnel were expected to be collecting their salaries ahead of this week's Eid holiday.



"One dead and eight wounded people have been brought to Kabul hospitals so far," Waheed Majroh, health ministry spokesman, told AFP.



The blast occurred around 10:00 am (0530 GMT) on a street lined with banks and shops leading to Massoud Square near the United States embassy, close to Kabul's diplomatic area.



It was the latest explosion to rock the war-weary Afghan capital and comes a week after United States President Donald Trump committed American soldiers to Afghanistan indefinitely.



In May a massive truck bomb ripped through Kabul's diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians.
Seoul: North Korea on Tuesday fired a ballistic missile over Japan, South Koreas military and the Japanese government said.



The unidentified ballistic missile was launched at around 5:57 am (local time) from Sunan, near Pyongyang, the Souths Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, saying it travelled east and over Japan.



South Korea and the US are jointly analysing for details, it added.



Tokyo also said it overflew its territory, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saying the government would take full steps to ensure the safety of the Japanese people. The countrys chief government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said the missile posed a serious, grave security threat to Japan.



The firing comes days after Pyongyang launched three short-range missiles in what was seen as a minimal provocation after the start of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian South Korean-US joint military exercises.



But Tuesdays flight path represents a significant escalation by Pyongyang, which earlier this month threatened to fire a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam.



Any such flights would have to pass over Japan. When Pyongyang carried out its first two successful tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last month it fired them on lofted trajectories that avoided travelling over the Asian island nation.



Japan has in the past vowed to shoot down North Korean missiles or rockets that threaten to hit its territory, and deployed its Patriot missile defence system in response to the Guam threat, reports and officials said, with an Aegis destroyer also stationed in the Sea of Japan (East Sea).



In 2009, a North Korean rocket passed over Japanese territory without incident, triggering Japan's immediate denouncement.



At the time North Korea said it was launching a telecommunications satellite, but Washington, Seoul and Tokyo believed Pyongyang was testing an ICBM.
Geneva: The UN rights chief on Tuesday said decades of "systematic" abuses against Rohingya Muslims were largely to blame for spiralling violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state, insisting authorities could have prevented the bloodshed.



Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein expressed alarm at the upsurge in fighting in Rakhine, an impoverished state neighbouring Bangladesh, which has been raging since Friday when Rohingya militants staged coordinated ambushes against Myanmar's security forces.



More than 100 people, including around 80 militants, have been confirmed killed in the fightback, which has seen at least 8,700 Rohingya villagers fleeing for Bangladesh.



"I utterly condemn the violent attacks on security personnel, which have led to the loss of many lives and the displacement of thousands of people," Zeid said in a statement.



But the rights chief stressed that the turn of events was not only "deplorable. It was predicted and could have been prevented."



"Decades of persistent and systematic human rights violations, including the very violent security responses to the attacks since October 2016, have almost certainly contributed to the nurturing of violent extremism, with everyone ultimately losing," Zeid said.



The Rohingya have in the past largely eschewed violence, but that changed last October when a nascent Rohingya militant group launched surprise attacks on border posts. Myanmar's military reacted with a violent "clearance operation", which the UN has warned could amount to ethnic cleansing.



The militants struck again on Friday, attacking around 30 police posts in pre-dawn raids, and killing at least a dozen security force members using knives, homemade explosives and guns.



Zeid on Tuesday called for those who attacked security forces and civilians to be brought to justice, and urged all sides to stop fuelling the violence.



Myanmar's political leadership should "condemn the inflammatory rhetoric and incitement to hatred that is proliferating, including on social media," he said. Zeid voiced particular concern at "irresponsible" claims made by the government department run by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi that international aid workers were complicit in or supporting the attacks.



"I am extremely concerned that the unsupported allegations against international aid organisations place their staff in danger and may make it impossible for them to deliver essential aid," Zeid said.
When some area law enforcement and public safety agencies switched over to using digital radio frequencies July 16, they made an investment in technology that will last them for another 15 years or so.

Previously, agencies used analog radio systems and would experience patchy service or dead zones in some areas. Following the shift to digital, personnel from Lynchburg and Amherst agencies told The News & Advance they didnt run into as much interference, and communication had been smoother.

Officials gave a progress report at the Lynchburg Department of Emergency Services office Monday afternoon.

Gary Roakes, director of public safety in Amherst County and chair of the Region 2000 Radio Communications Board, talked about the benefits of using the digital system. He was on the board when members were looking forward to the previous analog radio system about 16 to 17 years ago.

As with any computer system  those things reach the end of life, and thats how we got here today, Roakes said.

Agencies are continuing to use equipment purchased through Harris Corporation, which has facilities in Lynchburg and Bedford, through the switch. Roakes said Harris had helped facilitate the switch over to the analog system thats now been cycled out of. Continuing to use Harris also meant for a smooth transition between systems whose functionalities are pretty much the same.

We didnt have to go through a lot of retraining  so we were able to transition real easy to the new system. It was seamless, he said.

Agencies collaborated with the Region 2000 Local Government Council to send out requests for proposals from manufacturers in 2011, then signed a contract with Harris in 2012, Roakes said.

The digital shift has brought several new towers to the region to boost coverage: one in Amherst County, two in Lynchburg and four in Bedford County. Those towers helped reach areas like western Bedford and northeastern Amherst counties suffering from spotty signals.

Its a large system, and its something that we the responders benefit [from] on a day-to-day basis, Roakes said.

The towers havent just brought that additional coverage to the remote reaches of the region, either  Lt. Shannon Walker, with the Bedford Police Department, said there even were sections of apartment buildings and other pockets of town that were dead zones before an existing tower in town was retrofitted with equipment for the digital system.

Although Roakes said coverage still isnt quite 100 percent, its much improved with the new system. Audio quality also has improved following the switch, he said.

The digital system will cost a total of $12.3 million, paid out over 15 years and split by Lynchburg and Bedford and Amherst counties. The new system is expected to have a 15- to 20-year lifespan, providing for future advances in technology further down the road. Agencies from Campbell and Appomattox counties didnt opt in to the digital shift.

The digital system continues to provide ease of communication between agencies, which Roakes said is vital in emergency situations like that of the flooding conditions brought on by Hurricane Harvey in Texas over the weekend.

Its also situations like that in Texas that can call for the aid of amateur radio operators, according to G. P. Jeep Howell, district emergency coordinator for the American Radio Relay League, a nonprofit whose membership is dedicated to the interests of amateur radio. When disasters wipe out equipment used for emergency communication, and cellphone service is out of commission, amateur or ham radio operators will step in to help bridge that gap until lines are back up and running. Howell said some of his Lynchburg-area fellows traveled to Louisiana to lend their help during Hurricane Katrinas 2005 devastation, where, communications-wise, they literally had nothing.

 Generally the first two or three days of the disaster is where youll see the hams coming out of the woodwork, he said.

While the ham radio operators arent on the same digital system, he said the failsafes and extended coverage of the digital system make it particularly hardy in cases of emergencies. For example, he said there have been sections around Wintergreen that are classic dead zones, but a recent drive to the area listening to the digital traffic resulted in nary a flutter in coverage, he said.

I think its a huge, huge benefit for the residents of Central Virginia that participate in the system, even though it means maybe they dont need us as much, he said.
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Show some courage, PM

The Prime Minister must explain what has happened to our tourism and agricultural sectors.

He must tell us his real plans to maximise revenue streams outside of the energy sector. Finally, if the countrys revenue streams are going to be down for the medium term, why doesnt he have the courage to institute the necessary cuts to expenditure that will bring some sense of stability to our macroeconomic fundamentals? Four years ago, the President of Suriname, after facing similarly declining revenues, had the intestinal fortitude to cut his annual budget in half, in one year.

It inflicted a lot of harsh economic pain on his citizens but at least it stopped them from living in Alice in financial Wonderland, where the citizens of TT are firmly entrenched under the PMs delusional leadership.

GREGORY WIGHT Maraval
DUKE TOWED TO TOCO

Once in the boat, Duke told reporters the journey was tiring and very dangerous but they were hell bent on making it.

Physically it was a struggle, but spiritually I felt determined.

This represents Tobagos struggle to get to Trinidad on a daily basis, he said.

Duke said he felt his actions raised the level of discussion on the issues facing Tobagonians.

Its not about believing in me, its believing in the struggle Tobagonians have to go through. Duke said their intent was not to make the Guinness Book of World Records but he felt they did very well.

Asked if he thought he would have made it that far out to sea he said, No, my intention was to be in the water as long as I can. Duke also disclosed his plans to deliver a letter to President Anthony Carmona, Caribbean Airlines and the Port Authority requesting meetings to discuss the sea and air bridge.

At 1 pm, pirogues and jet skis that were part of Dukes protest team, dropped them off with approximately half mile swim remaining to reach the Toco fishing depot. It was evident some kind of discussion was taking place in the water as the swim took some time to restart.

On shore, curious onlookers gathered rapidly as the word spread throughout the village that the man of the moment had arrived. Some bystanders were given the opportunity to board a boat and ride alongside Duke and his team as they made their way to shore. While many were cheering on the final leg, others were not as impressed.

At about 2.05 pm, Duke emerged from the water to deafening silence before some cheers were heard. As the other swimmers gathered next to him in one line, he said, It was a long journey; rough. Persons fell sick but we held the strain. Duke reiterated that it was never his intention to swim the entire distance as reported but to show that the methods he used, was the only alternative the average Tobagonian had if they wanted to get to Trinidad.

Tobago must decide! He said. It has been 125 years and eight months of suffering by the Central Government telling us (Tobago) what we want. Tobago must decide! He explained it required no constitutional change for Tobago to have more autonomy in its affairs.

It requires no constitutional change, only respect. Duke accused THA Chief Secretary and Secretary of Education, Innovation and Energy, Assemblyman Kelvin Charles of being silent on the problems concerning the seabridge.

It doesnt end here. We will continue acting.......until the Satanic Central Government and THA are shaken. Duke said his next swim would end at the port in Port of Spain at an undisclosed time and date.

At a popular bar in the village, residents were split as to whether Dukes feat was meaningful. One man said he knew Duke could not swim the entire distance, while another said the intention was never to do such. One young man made it clear he wasnt interested in the event. All of the men agreed that to the best of their knowledge, no one has ever completed a swim from Tobago to Trinidad or vice versa.

On social media, many people praised Duke for his efforts.

One woman said, I hope people appreciate what was done today. Another said, I really hope something significant comes out of this. It would be an utter disgrace and shame to know that after all this action for love of people and country that it could fall on deaf ears, but God is good.
First People celebrate Feast of Santa Rosa

Chief Ricardo Hernandez said, On the eve of the feast day, we have the lighting up of the park which has been part of the tradition for many years. He stated that in previous years,the feast was well attended however, over the years there has been a decline for a number of reasons. This year, we are making a special effort to enhance it so it will attract more persons to the space. Immediately following the 6pm mass, the First People community presented a two and a half hour programme which included a dramatic production which was displayed by Iere Theatre Productions and The Santa Rosa First People Community. Hernandez said, The play Hyarima and The Saints was written by former Arima mayor, the late F.E.M Hosein who was very concerned about the first people in his time. He added, Hosein was a champion of the community in many ways. He further explained the significance of lighting up the park stating, it represented the wake which takes place before a funeral.

We are celebrating the burial of Santa Rosa, the procession on Sunday morning reminds us of her funeral procession. The procession yesterday saw the statue of St. Rose de Lima being carried around the streets of Arima, escorted by members of the Trinidad and Tobago Cadet Force and members of the First People community who carried flowers.

Parishioners followed while reciting the rosary.

Hyarima and The Saints depicted the story of Hyarima, the great Nepuyo war chief who devoted his life to protecting his people.

The play showcased the resistance of the Amerindian people against Spanish colonisers, revolts which led to the death of most of the Amerindian people and how many of these people came to accept Christianity.

Hyarima is described as last great warrior chief who on October 14, 1637 attacked settlers in the town of St Joseph in resistance to Spanish rule over Trinidad.

Hernandez stated that the mission of Santa Rosa was established for the First People. She is the patron for this area, therefore the indigenous people have developed a festival which lasts for the entire month of August, so it is not just an ordinary feast of the church but the early people has been able to add their culture to it, Hernandez said.
Plans on the cards for Last Train move

This was yesterday announced by San Fernando Mayor Junior Regrello who said that such a decision to move the TGR Engine No 11 of 1894 also known as The Last Train to San Fernando would not be solely up to him but instead be left in the hands of stakeholders in the near future.

Some of the suggestions made for the new relocation he said included an area near to the San Fernando Waterfront or the grounds at Irving Park, San Fernando. At the time the mayor was speaking at a ceremony to commemorate the anniversary of the train engine which was handed over some 50 years ago. The ceremony was hosted on the promenade near to the newly refurbished train. In 2016, the train was refurbished under instructions by the then mayor Kasim Hosein.

Regrello said San Fernando has since expanded as evident of different activities occurring throughout the city on a daily basis. We are over saturated with vehicles and we have more people and more activities now, so we have to revisit how we do things in San Fernando, the mayor said.

He continued that with such there may be a possible relocation of the train. He said that because of the trains location, its beauty is hidden behind barriers which should not be. With the Waterfront development coming which was the main hub for the train, we may actually have to look at the possibility of putting the engine down at the Kings Wharf because it is appropriate as it relates to the area, he said. But the mayor stressed that no decision would be finalised without the consultation from different stakeholders.
Avocat gets $8.6M community centre

Built at a cost of $8.6 million on lands donated by a villager, the single-storey centre is fully air-conditioned, equipped with an auditorium, kitchen, computer room, changing rooms, an administrative office and an audio-visual and sound room.

We celebrate not only the creation of a valuable new facility for all of the residents of this area, but also the great well-spring of community spirit which drove this important initiative to its successful and inspiring conclusion, Gadsby- Dolly said, adding she hopes the centre will really serve as a hub for community development in Ackbar Trace and environs.

She said the value of the building, however, goes well beyond its walls and doors. More than just a physical structure, she said it is a symbol of the commitment of the government to the implementation of programmes that rebuild the country, the economy and enhance the quality of life for all citizens.

Gadsby-Dolly said since 2015, her government has opened 13 community centres and have commenced a series of sod-turnings.

We know that community centres contribute greatly to quality of life in any community.

We believe that these centres play a pivotal role in building culturally rich and resilient communities and productive citizens. The minister praised Michael Chattergoon, president of the village council, for his initiative and his perseverance towards the establishment of the centre.

Our expectation is that you will make full use of this community centre, make it available to all residents and use the spaces to host the various groups for their practice, their meetings, for classes and whatever your community needs are in Ackbar Trace. She echoed the words of MP for Fyzabad Dr Lackram Bodoe saying every group using the centre has responsibility for it. Once properly managed, she says, the facility can be the foundation for the development of future leaders of Fyzabad.

To those who donated the land for the community centre she thanked them for their vision, passion, dedication and tenacity.

Bodoe called on the people of Fyzabad to engage in community service and to keep culture alive by passing on the arts to the younger generations.
Public Utilities appointment bungled

Rowley took leadership of the ministry after Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene McDonald was appointed as minister and then fired within the space of three days.

Responding to the issue in a statement yesterday, the United National Congress (UNC) Opposition expressed amazement at, what it described as, the sheer incompetence once again displayed by this Keith Rowley-led administration.

The UNC said the latest development has brought to the forefront, once again, that the Government cannot accomplish the most basic tasks of being in charge. The inability of the prime minister to fill a Cabinet vacancy, without incident, is a failure of leadership in the highest order. The action taken by the prime minister today is not a simple matter. He has acknowledged that the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago has been violated and that this breach, under his hand, has brought the Office of the President into disrepute, again. A remedy to this situation cannot simply be a reappointment of Mr. Le Hunte once his situation is rectified.

The UNC said President Anthony Carmona acted on the advice of the prime minister in appointing Le Hunte as a senator and minister, therefore the prime minister effectively ill-advised and mislead Carmona.

The OPM in its statement said Rowley will advise Carmona to re-appoint Le Hunte once his situation is rectified supposedly by Friday.

Senior government officials indicated the issue could be one of dual citizenship and it is being addressed.

They said the statement from the OPM is the Governments official position on the matter. Several attempts to contact Le Hunte for comment were unsuccessful. Le Huntes retirement as executive director from HFC Bank (Ghana) Limited was announced on August 15 and 16 on the banks website. The announcement said he was leaving to take up a ministerial appointment in TT. After his swearing in at the Office of the President on Thursday last week, Le Hunte told reporters he had a successful four-year tenure at HFC Bank and was determined to use his business skills to serve as a government minister.

Attorney Kenneth Lalla SC said the attorney general is responsible for advising the prime minister and the Government pertaining to the law. While he said he did not know the facts of the matter, Lalla said the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs normally does checks to ensure government appointments adhere to constitutional requirements. He said the Constitution does not debar anyone who has dual citizenship from being appointed as a senator. However, he said anyone who is a citizen of another country and not a citizen of TT cannot be appointed as a senator.

Lalla said clarity must be provided in Le Huntes case. He did not believe Le Hunte was at fault in this matter.

UNC chairman David Lee described the situation as embarrassing and another conundrum by the PNM government. Lee said such a situation would never have arisen under the former Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration. Where is the due diligence by the Office of the Attorney General? Lee asked. He also claimed the situation reflected a lack of integrity by Le Hunte. Lee said Le Hunte was no stranger to the political arena and should have known what are the requirements to be appointed as a senator.
Applicants to UWI undergrad programme

Yesterday, a number of local students awaiting admission to the faculties of law and medicine at the St Augustine campus expressed frustration at having to wait to be told whether or not they were accepted to the two programmes they wished to pursue.

Anxious students have said that a number of their colleagues who recently received their Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) results were readily admitted to their programmes, while they are being told that their applications were still being processed.

Two students, whose applications were accepted at the Cave Hill campus, Barbados were still hoping that their applications would have been confirmed for the St Augustine campus, as it would be less expensive. One student travelled yesterday to Cave Hill and another was due to travel today after not having a positive response from St Augustine.

The student who is due to travel to Cave Hill today said, she still worries about Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses funding which she is still to receive.

An applicant who is seeking to do medicine said she was frustrated as another applicant was accepted with lower grades than hers, and she was still in limbo as of yesterday.

Newsday understands that following the release of the CAPE results, a number of students in both faculties who received all Grade Is were accepted to the programmes they applied for.

However, some who received Grade Is with a mixture of other grades, were still being told that their applications were being processed.

According to the Marketing and Communications office, applicants who wrote the CAPE/Advanced Level examinations and who have not received an e-mail from the Admissions Division by October 28, may visit Temporary Classroom No 3 for consultation between the hours of 9am and 6 pm on the schedule provided.
President Mugabe has said African governments need to collaborate in finding solutions to the continents common and emerging health challenges, as only a few countries are managing to invest the recommended 15 percent of their national budgets towards the health sector.



Officially opening the 67th edition of the World Health Organisation (WHO) regional committee for Africa which started here yesterday, President Mugabe said formal healthcare systems were initially developed to respond to a few selected commonly-occurring communicable diseases.



He said non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, infectious diseases, including HIV and Aids, had become pervasive. We value the coming together of Ministers of Health from the African region to put their heads together and collectively interrogate the various health issues that affect our populations, said President Mugabe.





Let us, therefore, push health to take its deserved prominence on our agendas in our sub-regional groupings, at the African Union level and indeed on the global forum.





Mugabe bemoaned the failure by most governments on the continent to allocate at least 15 percent of their national budgets to their respective health sectors  as dictated by the Abuja Declaration  especially when funding from development partners was declining.

AU member States, who gathered in Abuja, Nigeria in April 2001 set a target of allocating at least 15 percent of their annual budget to improve the health sector.





Government, which is struggling to raise domestic funding for capital projects, is burdened by other competing priorities. Financing for health, thus, remains challenged, said President Mugabe. We need to further innovate around how we finance health, and how we efficiently and sustainably invest such financing.





President Mugabe noted that the National Aids Trust Fund, commonly referred to as the Aids Levy, and the recently introduced Mobile Airtime Levy, were health financing innovations helping fund some critical areas in the health sector such as HIV and Aids.

The funds have also helped attend to increasing cancer cases and provide pharmaceutical products for health institutions.





President Mugabe congratulated the newly appointed WHO director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, for assuming the reins of the world body, urging him to represent the interests of Africans well.





I want to congratulate him and hope that the interest of the mother and the child from Africa, our continent would be appreciated, he said. The mothers play a big role.

President Mugabe said the health ministers attending the event, which will be running until Friday, need to relate their deliberations and decisions to the general population, who have entrusted their health needs in the hands of their leaders.





Speaking at the same event, Dr Ghebreyesus said WHO remained committed to assisting governments in addressing their health challenges. Some of his key priorities during his tenure, he said, were fast-tracking responses to emergencies, resource mobilisation, climate change and polio eradication.





Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said the purpose of the meeting was to domesticate global commitments from international platforms such as the World Health Assembly, that takes place in Geneva, to the African setting.





The WHO regional committee meeting is an annual event, which Zimbabwe won the bid to host two years ago. At least 47 health ministers are taking part in deliberations in the resort town, which have also attracted participation from developmental partners.

It also helps track progress of key indicators from other platforms such as the African Union. Herald
Government, through the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (Baz) should license all prospective local independent television stations, including satellite television service provider Kwese TV (Kwese).



Kwese which is owned by Zimbabwe-born Strive Masiyiwa last week put up adverts in the public media announcing its arrival on the local showbiz market only for Baz to dismiss the development arguing that the station was not licensed locally.



Since independence, Zimbabwe has had only one television station, ZBC-TV and Baz has refused to license any independent television stations, save for pay per view digital television DStv.



Baz last week gave a stern warning to those who had warmed up to the idea of the new television station arguing that the station was not licensed locally.

Interestingly, Cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasuwere through Twitter sprang up to the defence of Kwese while blasting ZBC.



The Daily News caught up with commentators who believe it is time that Baz relaxes its laws so as to license independent television stations.



Member of Parliament Jessie Majome thinks government is afraid of opening the broadcasting system to independent players because it is a dictatorial regime that thrives on attempting to control every facet of life including thought.





Its terrified of free-thinking as it knows that it doesnt enjoy popular support  it cant brook criticism and knows it is too weak to withstand free speech and opinions about it. So it would rather shut it out and dole out its propaganda instead as an accompaniment to its military control, said Majome.



Playwright Daves Guzha said: They are stuck in a 20th century construct. That leadership is failing to embrace 21st century thinking.



At independence Zimbabwe was one of the few countries to have television  way ahead of South Africa. Now we are so behind. Maybe they are confusing the fact that alphabetically we are the last country and they think everything must be like that.



Media practitioner Nigel Nyamutumbu said the Kwese saga virtually vindicates those working in the media civil society sector that their advocacy for wholesome reforms of the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) is not a political agenda but a legitimate pursuit of citizen rights enshrined in the Constitution.



Our current legislative framework provides a recipe for the State to not only control but also capture all broadcasting services.



Citizens should be spoiled for choice and the entry of diverse players who will not only create new opportunities in the sector but also significantly reduce the cost of accessing information should be welcomed by any democratic government.



Sadly, our government seems to be obsessed with power to the extent of muscling away potential local investors that can grow the media sector and indeed the economy, said Nyamutumbu.



Political activist Tabani Moyo said the government of Zimbabwe is fast mutating into an industry competitor rather than being the market moderator, which is every government's role in democratic nations. Government of Zimbabwe is protecting DStv monopoly because it has shares in the company. It wants to protect its business interests and furthering its political agenda ahead of elections. The major beneficiary of a broadcasting monopoly is the ruling party.



We are definitely concerned with the emergence of oligopolies, were few people have cross media ownership from broadcasting, print and telecommunications.



In all these situations, the proprietors are being linked to the ruling elite. It undermines freedom of expression, diversity and plural views and ideas, said Moyo.



MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu said all totalitarian regimes, the Zanu PF regime included, are paranoid and extremely fearful of the people.



Remember, we are now entering the election season and Zanu PF is on record stating that they will not reform themselves out of power.



The regime considers Kwese TV as a threat that might actually assist the opposition in reaching out to the broad masses of the people.



This beleaguered regime would like to maintain a vice like grip on the electronic media. They know that the electronic media has a wider outreach compared to the print media.



Since when has the Zanu PF regime ever genuinely loved the people of Zimbabwe? For strange and bizarre reasons, this regime is actually thrilled when the majority of the people are suffering, said Gutu.



Political analyst Vivid Gwede said the case of Kwese is a sad throwback to when the government also attempted to block the licensing of Econet, a mobile telephone company owned by Masiyiwa.



The government is afraid of local independent entrepreneurs for three reasons. Firstly, it doesnt want to open the space for competition against its monopolistic state capitalism for financial reasons.



Secondly, the government has always been wary about the growth of an independent black entrepreneurial class, for purely expedient and political reasons. It does not want its political power to be diluted by independent economic power.



The ruling class itself wants to be the business owner at the same time, although many are failed entrepreneurs. It would rather allow business opportunities to its surrogates, or even foreigners, who tow their political line.



Thirdly, the government is not comfortable with emergence of independent broadcasters to maintain a Soviet-like grip on propaganda channels and information dictatorship, said Gwede.



Playwright Raisedon Baya said: I think there are several reasons to governments reluctance to grant Kwese a TV licence; the critical reason being control. Government is probably afraid they may fail to control it like they failed to control Econet in the long run.

Producer Mthabisi Phili believes government is afraid to issue any licence because it wants to keep the media in check. They cant take that risk of losing control of the TV services or media houses. They cant take the risk of allowing or giving licences to a TV station which is local because they only want to dominant the air space through ZBC. Access to information to millions of people can only be controlled if they are in charge of the TV stations.



Government is also afraid that a local rival to ZBC will be able to access their mainly rural population which is the Zanu PF power base. This rural population depends on ZBC; hence government cannot imagine losing its grip on this important voting bloc.



Misa-Zimbabwe chairperson Kumbirai Mafunda said the government has had an unhealthy obsession to keep control of the airwaves and not liberalise the airwaves so as to foist partisan information on people.



The need for liberalisation of the airwaves cannot be over emphasised . There is need to ensure a more pluralistic media environment seeing that Section 62 of the Constitution guarantees access to information. It is prudent that Zimbabwean authorities should issue licences to other players and prioritise community radio stations to create a truly pluralistic environment in Zimbabwe, said Mafunda.



Journalist Hopewell Chinono said the Zimbabwean government is invested in the MultiChoice DStv Zimbabwe Franchise.



So I am not surprised that they are blocking Kwese which they see as a threat to their satellite television monopoly.



It is embarrassing that (President Robert) Mugabes government which champions indigenisation and black empowerment is blocking Kwese, a television platform which is owned by a Zimbabwean and run by Zimbabweans and instead protecting MultiChoice which is owned by the Naspers whose companies were set up and protected by successive apartheid governments.









It exposes the bankruptcy of Mugabes black empowerment noises as nothing but hot air. It also shows how vindictive this government can be, denying thousands of Zimbabweans jobs in pursuit of parochial interests, said Chinono. Daily News
We accordingly suggest and request that you urgently have a dialogue with the leadership as well as the membership to all affected areas in the spirit of devolution of power as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe. We, accordingly, implore you to provide the structures with the detailed explanation on the contents of the alliance agreement, the letter by the three read in part.
Energy Mutodi is facing arrest over allegations that Defence Minister, Sydney Sekeramayi poisoned VP Mnangagwa.



He said :" I can confirm that I have been called by the police Law & Order section for questioning over allegations that Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi and Health Minister David Parirenyatwa poisoned Vice President Mnangagwa.





While I was expecting the government of Zimbabwe to institute a commission of enquiry into the poison case, it is me who actually is now being charged under section 41 of the Criminal Law code: Publishing false information that is prejudicial to the state.





It's hard to think how do they know the information is false if the accused persons have not been arrested and charged with the assault.





There is a prima facie case against them that needs to be investigated irrespective that they are ministers. How can their arrest be prejudicial to the state when they are mere ministers and members of parliament?

They have no immunity and can be arrested just like any other citizen.





Why should police just target me for arrest when it skirts those facing such serious allegations of assault and attempted murder?

How many times has Jonathan Moyo undermined the authority of the president and even calling a program approved by him "ugly culture", in addition to denigrating senior leaders?





As a law abiding citizen I will not run away from the police. I will surrender myself knowing fully that our police force is under serious pressure from politicians like any other state institutions.

I have alerted the US and the United Nations Embassies of the danger that I have found myself in for simply exercising my right to freedom of expression, research and opinion.





It is a fundamental right that every Zimbabwean is entitled to. Many people have disappeared and many have been jailed for showing dissent and for speaking out against the ills and injustices of the day.

I am already a political prisoner and I can't run away from it. Zimbabweans please pray for me.





Iknow I can be killed through torture or even poisoning while in police cells and jail. But Ican't run away from it.
PRETORIA  Despite being denied permission to protest at the South African embassy in Harare, Zimbabwean opposition parties under the banner of National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) vowed on Tuesday that they would not back down in their bid to express displeasure at the way Pretoria officials handled the saga involving Zimbabwes First Lady Grace Mugabe.

We are inevitably enraged by the polices [Zimbabwe Republic Police] decision, but nevertheless, we have since forwarded the matter to human rights lawyers for assistance. In any case, the demonstration will proceed as scheduled, Nera spokesperson Davis Junior Mukushwa told the African News Agency (ANA).

In documents seen by ANA, a chief superintendent J Chizemo of the ZRPs Harare central police district this week wrote to the Nera Youth Forum, led by Tawanda Kalonga, acknowledging the notice to peacefully demonstrate at the South African embassy on Wednesday [August 30].

Chizemo then indicates to the opposition forum that they did not comply with sections of the countrys Public Order and Security Act.

Undeterred, Mukushwa said the protests would hit the SA embassy because the Pretoria-government dropped the ball when it allowed President Robert Mugabes wife to leave South Africa after she was granted diplomatic immunity, this after a charge of assault was laid against the First Lady by a young Johannesburg model, Gabriella Engels.

We feel betrayed by the South African justice system, particularly the department of international relations and cooperation. Facts are clear, that Grace Mugabe was not on any formal or official government of Zimbabwe business. The granting of the diplomatic immunity was that abusive of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations and a gross undermining UDHR [the United Nations Unilateral Declarations for Human Rights] provisions, said Mukushwa.

He said the African National Congress-led government politicised a purely criminal and civil matter.

The general populace [in Zimbabwe] which finds Grace to be untouchable on the domestic terrain always hoped that the South African justice system was going to be exemplary. But we notice that more than human freedoms and liberties, the ANC government sought to preserve its historical ties with Mugabes Zanu PF and government. Diplomatic immunity should never be used to perpetuate impunity. If Grace cannot be tried at home for evicting helpless farmers in Mazowe, at least she must face trial for grievously assaulting Gabriella Engels, Mukushwa charged.

We wish to call upon all pro-democratic forces in South Africa, including AfriForum, to escalate the pressure of bringing justice to Gabriella. We must stand up to tyranny.

Mukushwa said whether the demonstrations took place or not at the South African embassy in Harare was not entirely a ZRP constituency.

In terms of the Zimbabwe Constitution, the police should be notified of an intention to hold a peaceful demonstration. They have no constitutional mandate to clear or to deny demonstrations. The police are using an old draconian statute, the Public Order and Security Act, to suppress any form of political activism, demonstrations included. In the event that the police insist on denying our forum the chance to [to protest at the SA embassy], we will file an urgent high court chamber application for a court order to proceed, said Mukushwa.

He vowed that opposition parties were pushing to overturn the police decision and converge at the SA embassy in the upmarket Belgravia suburb in Harare on Wednesday.

On the same day, Zimbabwes ruling Zanu PF is set to march in Harare in a solidarity march for the First Lady, Dr Grace Mugabe, who is also the partys womens league national chairperson.

We shall stand by our mother regardless. We shall fall and rise together as we bond forever and ever, and continue to display our love and care in the spirit of family hood, said one alert for the mass protests, purportedly from a Harare province secretary for information.

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Interpol has issued an international request for the arrest of the billionaire heir to the Red Bull energy drink fortune, stepping up of the hunt for the fugitive Thai playboy wanted in a 2012 hit-and-run incident that left a traffic policeman dead in Bangkok, the AP reports. Thai police spokesman Col. Krissana Pattanacharoen said Monday that his department had been notified by the international police network of the "Red Notice," a worldwide request to find and provisionally arrest an individual, pending extradition. Vorayuth Yoovidhya skipped Thailand at the end of April, just before authorities issued an arrest warrant after he repeatedly failed to meet with prosecutors since the September 2012 crash. He flew to Singapore on one of the family's private jets. His trail has since gone cold.

The Red Notice goes out to all 190 Interpol member countries. Among other measures, it alerts border officials, in theory making international travel more likely to result in arrest. In May, the authorities in Bangkok cancelled Vorayuth's Thai passport. Vorayuth, 32, is a grandson of the Thai co-founder of the Red Bull brand, the world's most popular energy drink. It's believed he was at the wheel of a Ferrari that struck a policeman on motorbike patrol on a main road in central Bangkok and dragged him under its wheels. The car then sped off, leaving the officer to die at the scene. Police followed a trail of oil and brake fluid to the Yoovidhya's luxury family compound on a nearby side road. His failure to keep appointments with prosecutors means they have been unable to charge him. At the same time, Thailand's statute of limitations is removing what charges he can face. (Read more Vorayuth Yoovidhya stories.)
President Trump on Monday defended his pardon of Joe Arpaio, a move that has drawn ire on both sides of the political aisle. The controversial former Arizona sheriff is "very strong on borders, very strong on illegal immigration," Trump said at a news conference. "He is loved in Arizona. I thought he was treated unbelievably unfairly." He added that he purposely pardoned Arpaio during Hurricane Harvey because he "assumed the ratings would be far higher than they would be normally" for his announcement of the pardon, CNN reports. The Washington Post notes that, on the contrary, the timing of Trump's announcement seemed to be an attempt at a "classic 'news dump,' coming as the nation focused on the impending storm."

"Sheriff Joe is a patriot. Sheriff Joe loves our country. Sheriff Joe protected our borders. And Sheriff Joe was very unfairly treated by the Obama administration," Trump continued. "I stand by my pardon of Joe Arpaio and I think the people of Arizona who really know him best would agree with me." He also noted that then-President Bill Clinton pardoned Marc Rich, the husband of a big donor, and suggested that then-President Barack Obama may have pardoned Chelsea Manning, but in actuality Obama only commuted Manning's sentence. At the same press conference Monday, Trump declined to name Russia as a security threat, the AP reports. (Meanwhile, Arpaio may have political ambitions.)
North Korea fired an unidentified projectile from its capital Pyongyang that flew over Japan, officials said, an especially aggressive test-flight that will rattle an already anxious region, the AP reports. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Tuesday said the South Korean and US militaries were analyzing the launch and the South Korean military said the projectile traveled 1678 miles with a height of 341 miles. Japanese officials said the missile flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and landed in the Pacific Ocean. There was no damage to ships or anything else reported. Japan's NHK TV said the missile separated into three parts.

The launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the US mainland when perfected. North Korea typically reacts with anger to US-South Korean military drills, which are happening now, often staging weapons tests and releasing threats to Seoul and Washington in its state-controlled media. But animosity is higher than usual following threats by US President Donald Trump to unleash "fire and fury" on the North, and Pyongyang's stated plan to consider firing some of its missiles toward Guam. (Read more North Korea stories.)
Donald Trump's personal lawyer confirmed Monday that the president's company pursued a project in Moscow during the Republican primary, but said that the plan was abandoned "for a variety of business reasons." The attorney, Michael Cohen, also said he sent an email to the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of the potential deal, the AP reports. The confirmation that the Trump Organization was actively considering doing business in Russia during the presidential election could provide special counsel Robert Mueller fodder for probing Trump's personal and business finances, a line Trump has warned him not to cross. Cohen disclosed details of the deal in a statement to the House intelligence committee, which like Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.

In the statement, which the AP obtained Monday, Cohen said that he worked on the real estate proposal with Felix Sater, a Russia-born associate who he said claimed to have deep connections in Moscow. (The details have previously been reported in the media.) The discussions about the potential development occurred in the fall of 2015, months after Trump had declared his candidacy, and ended early last year when Cohen determined that the project was not feasible, according to a copy of Cohen's statement. Cohen also disclosed that Trump was personally aware of the deal, signing a letter of intent and discussing it with Cohen on two other occasions. In a statement, the Trump Organization emphasized that the licensing deal "was not significantly advanced," noting that no site or financing materialized during the negotiations. The company also said it was never paid any fees as part of the deal, and the signed letter of intent was nonbinding. Click for more from Cohen's statement. (Read more President Trump stories.)
Actor Ed Skrein has left the upcoming Hellboy movie after news of his casting led to accusations of Hollywood whitewashing, Time reports. Skrein was hired to play the role of Major Ben Daimio, who is of Asian descent in the Hellboy comic books. News that Skrein had gotten the part caused an uproar on social mediayet another example, in many people's eyes, of Hollywood casting white actors to play non-white roles. Earlier this year, critics attacked the producers of Ghost in the Shell for casting Scarlett Johansson as a Japanese character, and last year's Doctor Strange sparked controversy when Tilda Swinton took a role depicted by an Asian male in the comic book of the same name, Variety reports.

In a statement released Monday, Skrein, an English actor who has appeared in Deadpool and The Transporter Refueled, wrote that he was previously unaware the character was of Asian descent, and that "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." Later that day, the film's producers released a statement supporting Skrein's "unselfish decision" and defending their own. "It was not our intent to be insensitive to issues of authenticity and ethnicity," the statement read, per the Hollywood Reporter, "and we will look to recast the part with an actor more consistent with the character in the source material." (Read more ed skrein stories.)
America's largest shopping mall operator is suing Starbucksover its tea. Last month, Starbucks announced it would close all 379 of its Teavana stores next year. But in a lawsuit filed last week in Indianapolis, Simon Property Group says the closures are actually scheduled to take place before the end of 2017, per the Indianapolis Business Journal. Since only two of 78 Teavana leases with Simon expire before next springwith some continuing for another decadeSimon is seeking to halt the closures, arguing Starbucks is "shirking its contractual obligations at the expense of Simon's shopping centers and the dozens of communities they serve and support."

While other retailers have been forced to close mall stores to avoid bankruptcy, "that obviously is not the case with Starbucks," the lawsuit alleges. Teavana isn't even in the red, but "Starbucks simply believes it can make more money if it violates the leases than if it honored its contractual promises and obligations," Simon claims. Starbucks tells WBAA that it's "working to resolve this dispute." Should the closures go ahead as planned, they won't be the only big change for Starbucks. The coffee giant will also shutter its online store in October in order to focus on building "digital and mobile customer connections," including "commercial partnerships" with digital companies, Business Insider reports. (Starbucks faced another lawsuit over its "unicorn" drink.)
A shooting inside a public library in New Mexico Monday afternoon left two people dead and four injuredand local police with more questions than answers. Reuters reports that a male opened fire inside the library at around 4pm local time, killing two women and injuring two women and two men. The alleged shooter was arrested after police surrounded the building and he surrendered. Authorities have not released the suspect's name, age, or motive, and while they say they are preparing warrants, there is no word yet as to what he will be charged with, the AP reports.

Clovis, a city of 40,000 located about 200 miles from Albuquerque, is home to Cannon Air Force Base. The city is situated near the state border with Texas, and the injured victims were taken to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas. Two were said to be in critical condition Monday night. Per KRQE, some in the local community have identified the alleged shooter as a 16-year-old high school sophomore. (Read more New Mexico stories.)
For more than a decade, a marine conservation group has dogged Japanese ships trolling for whales near Antarctica. But the BBC reports that Sea Shepherd is now being forced to cancel those efforts, noting it's been outplayed by Japan's cutting-edge technology and deep wallet. "Japan is now employing military surveillance to watch Sea Shepherd ship movements in real time by satellite, and if they know where our ships are at any given moment, they can easily avoid us," Capt. Paul Watson, the group's founder, says in a statement. Per CNN, Watson says his group's work was also stymied by new anti-terrorism laws "specifically designed to condemn Sea Shepherd tactics" and warnings from Japan that they might send out military vessels to protect their whalers.

Japan has continued to hunt whales, despite an International Whaling Commission moratorium that began in 1985. Watson says over the past 12 years, his organization's efforts have slashed Japan's annual quota from 1,305 whales to 333. He also has a beef with the US, Australia, and New Zealand, three nations that publicly take Japan to task for flouting the moratorium, but which Watson says actually have "hostile governments" that are "too busy appeasing Japan," per the BBC. Watson tells the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that's because trade deals are more important to those countries than conservation efforts. He notes Sea Shepherd's pullback is strictly temporary as they "regroup." "We are going to have to find an alternative way to deal with them, and we will," Watson says, not elaborating on what alternatives may be, the ABC notes. (Read more Sea Shepherd Conservation Society stories.)
Jeffrey Lew never wants a child to be shamed on the school cafeteria line again. That's why the Seattle dad of three has been hard at work fundraising, with one goal in mind: to pay down the school lunch debt of every student in the state of Washington. Today.com reports that Lew first became aware of the "school lunch shaming" issuein which kids who owe money on their lunch accounts either get stuck with a cold lunch instead of a hot one, or don't get a lunch at allafter he read a "devastating" story online about it. "It boggles my mind that a child can accrue a debt at school," he says, noting he decided to take action. First he took care of the nearly $100 communal debt at his own son's school; then he started a GoFundMe to raise money to take care of the $20,000 owed throughout the Seattle Public Schools district.

Lew raised more than $50,000 and took his efforts further, paying off more than $100,000 in five school districts across the state. He also co-founded LunchDebt.org and started a new GoFundMe to wipe out the entire state's lunch debt, with a more ambitious goal of $650,000. Lew says he wants "universal lunches" in schools, noting how inmates are guaranteed three squares a day, but not kids. "These are innocent little children [who] should only worry about studying and doing their best, not worrying if they will go hungry," he tells Today.com. Lew's efforts are also resonating with the younger set in neighboring states: KHQ reports on 6-year-old Amiah Van Hill, an Idahoan inspired by Lew's work who started a lemonade stand to help pay the debt in Coeur d'Alene schools. "It makes me feel happy," Amiah says of the nearly $1,500 she's raised so far. (One state has outlawed "lunch shaming.")
Ted Cruz is among the lawmakers being accused of hypocrisy for seeking federal relief in the wake of Hurricane Harvey even though he opposed similar relief after Hurricane Sandy. Cruz explains his Sandy relief opposition thusly: "The problem with that particular bill is it became a $50 billion bill that was filled with unrelated pork," he told CNN. "Two-thirds of that bill had nothing to do with Sandy." Enter Glenn Kessler of the Fact Checker blog at the Washington Post. After looking into Cruz's claim about the Sandy bill being laden with pork, he dispenses three Pinocchiosa ranking bestowed for "significant factual error and/or obvious contradictions." The issue revolves around a $50.5 billion aid package that passed Congress in 2013 without the support of Texas Republicans.

"Cruz is repeating a number of myths about the funding for Sandy disaster relief," writes Kessler, whose post runs through several examples. "The vast majority of the spending was for Hurricane Sandy, including elements (such as Smithsonian repairs) that some lawmakers incorrectly believed were unrelated to the storm." In his statement to CNN, Cruz probably meant to say, as he had earlier, that much of the money would be doled out over long periods and thus not "emergency" relief in his eyes. "Still, it is wildly incorrect to claim that the bill was 'filled with unrelated pork,'" writes Kessler, who cites a CBO analysis of the legislation. "The bill was largely aimed at dealing with Sandy, along with relatively minor items to address other or future disasters." Click for the full assessment. (Read more Ted Cruz stories.)
North Korea's provocative new missile launch has prompted an early morning warning from President Trump in which he says that "all options are on the table." Trump doesn't offer specifics but chastises Pyongyang for launching a ballistic missile that flew over Japan. "The world has received North Koreas latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," said the presidential statement, per the Washington Post.

In its coverage for the North's test launch, the New York Times characterized Pyongyang's move as a "direct challenge" to Trump, who said last week that the North was "starting to respect us" after Trump began talking tough. Trump spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday night, and afterward Abe told reporters that Japan and the US were "completely matched" in their stances and would discuss ways to increase international pressure on the North. Pyongyang has twice before fired missiles over Japan, in 1998 and in 2009, but it said afterward that those missiles were carrying satellites. The AP reports that the latest launch involved a midrange ballistic missile, which is "unambiguously" for military purposes, unlike the two earlier missile launches. (Read more President Trump stories.)
A Florida Republican is looking to halt funding for Robert Mueller's special investigation into ties between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia and bar review of all matters before Trump's campaign kicked off. The amendment put forth by Rep. Ron DeSantis would block Mueller from investigating "matters occurring before June 2015" and end funding for the probe 180 days after the amendment is passed, reports the Hill. DeSantis says the order appointing the special counsel "didn't identify a crime to be investigated and practically invites a fishing expedition" and that "Congress should use its spending power to clarify the scope and limit the duration of this investigation," per Politico.

The amendment by DeSantiswho some suspect will run for governor of Florida in 2018, per Florida Politicsis just one of hundreds attached to the government spending bill and may never make it through committees. The House Rules Committee, Politico notes, has freedom to strike out amendments it deems improper. The bill will be reviewed after lawmakers return from a recess next week. While House members have been away, Mueller has apparently been busy. His investigators are allegedly focused on whether Trump helped construct a "knowingly false statement" that aimed to hide the true purpose of the meeting between a Russian lawyer and Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort, reports NBC News. (Read more Russia stories.)
"It was like the heavens had opened," Aaron Cashatt says of the first time he broke into a hotel room using a homemade device made of little more than a circuit board, wires, and a nine-volt battery. Cashatt found instructions to build the device, which unlocks a very popular brand of hotel keycard lock, online. "I've always been of the opinion that if you look around on the internet you can figure out how to do anything," he says. Cashatt tested the device in the summer of 2012 on a hotel room in Phoenix. Unprepared for it to actually work, he only made off with an armload of towels and pillows. But that moment started what Wired, in a fascinating article, calls an "epic crime spree" and "unprecedented, all-he-could-eat buffet of serial digital thievery."

Cashatt estimates he broke into more than 100 hotel rooms across multiple states using his hacking deviceconveniently stored inside an Oakley sunglasses case. He stole iPads, TVs, laptops, jewelry, luggage, a US marshal's gun and badge, a pilot's uniform and license, passports, and more. He used the money he got from fencing the goods to gamble and support a meth habit. Mystified, police eventually launched Operation Hotel Ca$h to catch him. And while the lock company claims it has since offered hotels a fix for the keycard glitch, Cashatt isn't so sure. "I guarantee you that if you tried this at some hotel in the Midwest, it would still work 19 out of 20 times," he says. Wired decided to test that, building its own $50 lock hacking device, and hitting up a few hotels. Read the full story here to see if Cashatt was right. (Read more Longform stories.)
Hurricane Harvey has devastated Texas, and it's natural to want to help. But don't try to help by donating money to the American Red Cross, journalist and author Jonathan M. Katz writes on Slate. The disaster relief organization may be iconic, but it's far from effective, Katz notes, running down a list of issues the ARC has had, starting with the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The ARC raised $488 million, but it couldn't quite figure out what to do with the funds. "ARC isn't a medical aid group a la Doctors Without Borders. It doesn't do development work or specialize in rebuilding destroyed neighborhoods," Katz writes. And what it does do bestprovide immediate emergency aid like blankets and temporary shelterdidn't come close to costing $488 million. Two years after the quake, just a third of the money had been committed.

The ARC has been similarly ineffective in responding to US disasters like Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy. The truth is, the organization is great at raising money, Katz says, but it fails to inform the public it doesn't actually need nearly as much money as it raises, and after the money has been raised, the ARC isn't transparent about what it's used for. There are multiple other issues, including the fact that no regular independent evaluations of the organization are done. Looking at the bigger picture, though, Katz argues that our entire way of handling disasters is wrong, and what we should be doing is working to prevent them, or at least mitigate their impact. We need to look ahead to things like "the growing risk of a major Oklahoma earthquake," Caribbean tsunami, and other potential disasters and bring "lots of attention to helping those areas adapt for the future." His full column. (Read more American Red Cross stories.)
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott calls it "one of the largest disasters America has ever faced," the New York Times reports. And the numbers back him up. According to USA Today, a National Weather Service gauge outside Houston measured 49.32 inches of rainthe most ever from a tropical storm or hurricane in the continental US. And with Tropical Storm Harvey still dumping water, things aren't likely to get better anytime soon. The levee at Columbia Lakes south of Houston breached Tuesday, and Brazoria County officials weren't mincing words in a tweet: "GET OUT NOW!!" Meanwhile, the Brazos River 30 miles outside Houston measured nearly 52 feet Tuesday and is expected to reach 59 feet by Thursdayeasily a record. Officials say Addicks Dam near Houston hit its overflow level, and they're worried about Barker Dam as well, the BBC reports. Here's what else you need to know:

Harvey's death toll stands at 15including a Houston police officer who drowned Sunday in his patrol car while trying to get to workand is expected to rise. "I'm really worried about how many bodies we're going to find," Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says.

The Texas Attorney General's office says it's received at least 600 reports of price gouging and fraud, including a gas station charging $20 per gallon and a business selling cases of bottled water for $99, the Hill reports.

Adam Schrader tells the Ladders he was supposed to start a job as managing editor at a Texas newspaper Monday but was firedvia textafter getting trapped in Houston while working on a freelance assignment about Hurricane Harvey over the weekend. The text noted he "failed to start on the date in your offer letter."

The AV Club reports the backlash was swift after ABC World News Tonight anchor Tom Llamas tweeted about calling the police on a group of people scavenging supplies at a waterlogged Houston grocery store : We informed police of the looting and Coast Guard is flying overhead. Multiple officers now on the scene," Llamas said in a now-deleted tweet.

Finally, a University of Tampa sociology professor has been fired after tweeting that Hurricane Harvey was "instant karma" for Texas voting Republican, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

(Read more Hurricane Harvey stories.)
"Are we really willing to risk Los Angeles or Chicago in retaliation for an attack on a US military base in the region? Probably not," nuclear strategy specialist Vipin Narang tells the AP. And that's exactly the calculation that gives North Korea a small shot at "winning" in a nuclear conflict, challenging the assumption that launching a nuclear weapon would be automatic suicide for the country. If North Korea feels threatened to the point of using a nuclear weapon, a first target would likely be a US military base in Japan; North Korea would then use its long-range nukes to threaten the US mainland and avoid a retaliatory strike. Experts say this is Kim Jong Un's "theory of victory"one that President Trump may be attempting to combat with an unsuccessful version of the "madman strategy." Here's what else you need to know about North Korea's most-recent missile launch:

Tuesday's missile launch over Japan seems likely to result in even more sanctions against North Korea. But after UN sanctions Aug. 5 targeted millions of dollars in seafood, coal, iron ore, and more, is there anything left to sanction? CNN reports two options are oil and Chinese banks.

After Tuesday's missile launch, Trump said "all options are on the table." This was, all things considered, a "measured" response from the president, according to the Atlantic. It was an official statement instead of a tweet, didn't threaten "fire and fury," and avoided calling Kim Jong Un a "wack job."

The Guardian reports on the scary morning had by residents of Japan, who were awoken around 6am Tuesday by a government missile warning on their phones. They were given less than 10 minutes to get to a shelter or sturdy building as sirens and special broadcasts blared.

The missile test impacted US markets, with the Dow dropping more than 100 points Tuesday morning, Reuters reports. The stock market would recover by the afternoon as the threat passed.

Korea expert Stephan Haggard tells the Washington Post that Tuesday was another example of how "weirdly conservative" Kim Jong Un iscarrying out provocative actions with just enough restraint to avoid an actual response. For example, pointing the missile toward Japan, not Guam.

Finally, Russia's deputy foreign minister blamed the US and South Korea for Tuesday's nuclear test and came out against further sanctions against North Korea, saying they haven't prevented missile tests in the past and won't in the future, Newsweek reports.

(Read more North Korea stories.)
No ring of the doorbell, just a text. No tip for the driver? No problem in this test, where Domino's and Ford are teaming up to see if customers will warm to the idea of pizza delivered by driverless cars. Starting Wednesday, some pizzas in Domino's hometown of Ann Arbor, Mich., will arrive in a Ford Fusion outfitted with radars and a camera that's used for autonomous testing, per the AP. A Ford engineer will be at the wheel, but the front windows have been blacked out so customers won't interact with the driver. Instead, people will have to come out of their homes and type a four-digit code into a keypad mounted on the car. That opens the rear window and lets them retrieve their order from a heated compartment.

The experiment will help Domino's understand how customers will interact with a self-driving car, says company President Russell Weiner. Among the questions: Will they want the car in their driveway or by the curb? Will they understand how to use the keypad? Will they come outside if it's raining or snowing? Will they put their pizza boxes on top of the car and threaten to mess up its expensive cameras? Weiner said the company has 100,000 drivers in the US. In a driverless world, he said, he could see those employees taking on different roles within the company. (Read more Domino's Pizza stories.)
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New Delhi:

South Korean automaker Hyundai has launched the upgraded version of its compact SUV, branded as ix25 in the Chengdu International Auto Show. Along with the facelift, the SUV shall come with cosmetic updates in the exteriors with some newly added features.

The new Hyundai ix25 facelift shall sport a new larger redesigned radiator grille. To add to the impressive look, the car also gets a horizontal oriented chrome lined fog lamps with a new front bumper with redone midsection. The lighting has been made more sleeker with restyled LED DRLs. At the rear, the SUV gets redesigned bumper with twin exhaust pipes. The car also gets three-element LED tail lights.

Inside the cabin, the car gets dual tone interiors with a touchscreen unit, six airbags, ABS with EBD and keyless entry with push button start. The 2017 Hyundai ix25 will be available into two variants with two powertrain options 1.6-litre Gamma and 1.4-litre T-GDi Kappa petrol engine.

The 1.6-litre Gamma engine produces 122 hp and 150 Nm of peak torque and 1.4-litre Kappa engine churns out 138 hp and 242 Nm of torque. The 1.6-litre engine is available with 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions, while the 1.4-litre engine is paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The car also gets 3 driving modes  Comfort, Eco and Sport.
New Delhi:

Ajay Devgn has rubbished the reports of any tiff with renowned comedian Kapil Sharma and said that the two continue to be friends. It was reported that the 'Shivaay' actor was miffed with Sharma after the latter had cancelled the shoot for 'Baadshaho' promotions at the last minute leaving the the team furious.



The media reports suggested that Ajay was miffed with the incident. Clearing the air about the same, Shows have been cancelled quite a number of times. I really dont know what happened exactly. But reports said that we left the sets in anger. We did not leave in anger. We left as he had not reached the sets till then. Hes a friend. When Ill talk to him next, well get to know what was wrong. Kapil must have had some problem. But I really dont know. So, if there is anger or not, I cant really answer your question.



Notably, this isn't the first time Kapil Sharma has cancelled the show. Apparently, there were reports that the B-town celebs are so annoyed and were said to be boycotting the Kapil Sharma's show. However, Devgn dismissed the claim and said There is nothing like what you are making it out to be. Nobody has boycotted going to his (Kapils) show. Shah Rukh has not issued any statement. There is nothing like that. We are colleagues. All of us want to do a better job. Theres good faith whenever we meet, he said.



Currently, Ajay Devgn is busy promoting 'Baadshaho' which is a Milan Luthria-directed film. Also starring Emraan Hashmi, Ileana D'Cruz, Esha Gupta in the key roles, the movie is slated to release on September 1.

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New Delhi:

The city of Mumbai has been lashed with heavy rains lately leaving everyone concerned about the people as the city has reportedly come to a standstill.



The flood like sitation in Mumbai have put the city people in a dangerous and troublesome condition. While everyone is doing their bit to help the Mumbaikars in every way they can, B-town celebs too are perturbed with the current situation of the city and are contributing to the effort.



Several Bollywood celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Shraddha Kapoor, Mahesh Bhatt etc have taken up to social medai to share express their concern for the peopl who are stuck in the rain.



From sharing helpline numbers to giving required advises, the celebs have been doing it all. Here are some of the tweets, pictures, videos shared by B-Town stars on Twitter:

While I do this,alerts showing up on my phone about the rains in Mumbai.Please stay safe and take care everyone. a Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) August 29, 2017

"We were pulled out of our car just in time by generous strangers." ( Khar West , Mumbai. 4:30 pm ) pic.twitter.com/XfxOiE4uXn a Mahesh Bhatt (@MaheshNBhatt) August 29, 2017

Everyone please stay safe and indoors. Feel terrible about people and animals with no proper shelter or no shelter at all. #MumbaiRains a Shraddha (@ShraddhaKapoor) August 29, 2017

Just went to fetch the kids from school. Traffic smooth and free flowing..traffic police on the streets to help. well done @MumbaiPolice a Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) August 29, 2017

BMC helpline 1916. Police Helpline 100..Home is the safest.. for most. Find shelter and give shelter. Be safe Mumbai #mumbairains a PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) August 29, 2017

May Allah keep all of you safe. #mumbaiRains. I've been told the authorities are doing their best to make it easy for you. God bless. a Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) August 29, 2017

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New Delhi:

Two women staying in a same room frustrated with life due to various reasons, clicked selfie with a cup containing consuming before allegedly killing themselves in Indore. The incident came to surface after their landlord noticed that the duo had not come out of their room from last two days. Residents of Guru Nagar area got shocked after police broke opened the door to find the duo's body lying on the floor. Police have seized the bodies and sent them for postmortem. Indore Police have identified the deceased women as Rachna Choudhary Dhar and Tanvi. Both the women are said to be in their mid-twenties. He added the two deceased room partners worked at Easy Calling Service, a call centre located at Johari Palace area of the city. Assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Manoj Rai told the media that they have recovered two suicide notes from the room. The ASP further added that, one of the deceased, Rachna was married but estranged from her husband and had son. She wrote that she hated her husband and asked her parents to look after her son and also that her last rites should be done in Dhar. While her roommate Tanvi in her suicide note wrote that she did not want to live any longer and did not blame anyone for her act. The landlord of the house were the two girls had rented a room told the media that the duo had shifted as renters only two months back. The ASP further told the media that the police is investigating the case as the suicide notes does not give a concrete reason which forced them to take such extreme step. Another police officer not authorised to talk to the media said that family members have been informed.

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New Delhi:

Good news coming from AIIMS. The complicated surgery to separate the conjoined twins Jaga and Balia from Odisha has been successful.



The surgery, first of its kind to be attempted in India, involved a huge team of 40 doctors who began the procedure at around 9 am on Monday. The operation took almost 20 hours as it went on till 4.45 am on Tuesday. A Japanese expert was flown-in for assistance, sources said.



"The twin's brain have been separated, partially. Another surgery may be taken up in October or November to complete the process. Till then, Jaga and Baliya will continue to be under medical observation," the source added.



The surgeons have been able to partially separate the brains of the twins to create venous bypass since the two shared veins that return blood to the heart from the brain.



Jaga and Balia, the craniopagus conjoined twins, are two-years-and-four-months old. They hail from Milipada village in Kandhamal district in Odisha.



A series of pre-surgical investigations were carried out on the conjoined twins who were shifted to AIIMS on July 13.



Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik sanctioned Rs 1 crore from the Chief Ministers Relief Fund for the treatment.



Doctors say that globally only about 50 twins joined at the head have undergone the process of surgical separation and only a few of them have survived. "Even if one of the twins is separated successfully so he can lead a normal life, it will be a big achievement," said a doctor.



Doctors are hoping that the twins will recover well post-surgery and are able to undergo another surgery so they can live a normal life. At present, both share a significant portion of the brain.



Jaga and Baliya's parents are poor farmers hence they sought help from the state.



"We are thankful that our state government came forward to help. They arranged for the transportation and other costs involved for treatment at AIIMS," said Bhuiyan Kanhar, the twin's father.

Also read: First time in India: AIIMS doctors begin surgery to separate conjoined twins from Odisha

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New Delhi:

A Delhi-Raipur Air India flight on Tuesday made an emergency landing in Uttar Pradeshs Lucknow after a technical issue. However, all the passengers and crew members are safe, ANI reported.

This is a developing story.

Earlier, a similar incident happened on August 26 when a Kochi-bound Air India plane, carrying over 150 passengers, had to abort takeoff at the last minute following a technical problem and was grounded.

The flight AI 054, that was scheduled to take off for Kochi from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 5.30 am, departed for its destination at around 9 am after the airline changed the aircraft, a source said.

An Air India spokesperson had also confirmed the delay of its Kochi flight from Mumbai due to technical issues.

ALSO READ: Air India to expand network and fleet, says national carrier's new chairman Rajeev Bansal

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New Delhi:

Congress MP and former Minister of state for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor lauded Indian diplomacy in the wake of withdrawal of troops by China from Doklam region. Moreover, he congratulated Ministry of External Affairs and PMO for the same issue.

The Indian government had confirmed on Monday that both India and China withdrew their troops from the Doklam region which witnessed a bitter standoff between both the countries.

As part of the disengagement, the Chinese troops have left the disputed area of Dokalam along with bulldozers and removed the tents which they had pitched, according to a top Indian government official.

ALSO READ: Dokalam standoff ends, Chinese troops left with bulldozers: Official

Congratulate MEA for triumph of its diplomacy in getting the Chinese to stand down & return to the status quo ante: Shashi Tharoor #Doklam pic.twitter.com/n5jmjdgwJJ  ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

The official, on condition of anonymity, said there were about 1700-1800 Chinese troops in the area where they proposed to build a road and all of them have left.

READ: Doklam standoff ends, China claims India pulled back its troops

The breakthrough came just days ahead of the BRICS Summit to be held in the Chinese city of Xiamen from September 3-5, which Modi is expected to attend.

Congratulate MEA for triumph of its diplomacy in getting the Chinese to stand down & return to the status quo ante: Shashi Tharoor #Doklam pic.twitter.com/n5jmjdgwJJ  ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

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New Delhi:

Forty doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi began surgery to separate conjoined twins Jaga and Balia from Odisha on Monday.

Jaga and Balia, from Milipada village in Kandhamal district in Odisha, are craniopagus conjoined twins. The children, who are two-years-and-four-months old, are joined at the head, a very rare occurrence.

Odishas health and family welfare minister Pratap Jena informed mediapersons that the twins were taken into operation theatre early this morning and surgery started at about 9 am.

Apart from specialists in neurosurgery, cosmetic surgery, cardiology and paediatrics, experts from Japan have been roped in to carry out the surgery.

The surgery will be conducted in two stages. The first phase started on Tuesday and would take more than seven hours. The next phase would be taken up a few days later, Jena said.

A series of pre-surgical investigations were carried out on the conjoined twins. The twins were shifted to AIIMS on July 13.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik sanctioned Rs 1 crore from the Chief Ministers Relief Fund for the treatment of Bhuan and Puspanjali Kanhar.

While conjoined twins are known to occur in about every 2,00,000 births, craniopagus twins are rarer still, accounting for about only two per cent.

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New Delhi:

As his sentence was being pronounced by the judge in a CBI court in Sonaria, convicted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Singh stood with folded hands in the courtroom and, upon learning his fate, broke down.

"It took the judge just a minute to pronounce the quantum of sentence," the CBI counsel said. "He kept standing silently with folded hands and even cried."

The court sentenced the Dera chief to imprisonment of 10 years each in two rape cases and imposed a fine of Rs 15 lakh in each case.

The sentences will run consecutively, resulting in imprisonment of 20 years and fine of Rs 30 lakh.In Rohtaks Sonaria jail, Gurmeet Singh is accorded 1997 as the prisoner number since he was taken to jail after the guilty verdict on Friday.

The sentence was passed by Jagdeep Singh, a special CBI judge, in a makeshift court in the Sunaria jail where Ram Rahim, 50, had been lodged since his conviction on Friday.

ALSO READ: Dera chief Gurmeet Singh gets 20 years in jail, Rs 30 lakh fine for raping two women

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New Delhi:

A Hisar court will be going to pronounce the verdict against self-styled godman Sant Rampal on August 29 in connection with the two cases registered against him. The verdict was supposed to be announced on August 24 but was deferred.

Rampal founded the Satlok Ashram in Karotha village of Rohtak district in 1999, based on his following from within the Kabir Panth.

Chronology of events leading to arrest of Sant Rampal

It was in 2006 when Rampal raised objections to certain parts of Satyarth Prakash, the core text of the Arya Samaj. This led to a clash with followers of Arya Samaj, in which one person named Sonu was shot dead, and 59 others were injured.

Rampal was charged with murder and attempt to murder, and jailed for 22 months. His followers claim that he was falsely implicated in the case.

Rampal was released on bail in 2008, he set up his base in Barwala, Hisar. After obtaining bail, Rampal did not appear in court regularly, for trial in the murder case.

In September 2014, Rampal was asked to appear before the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh, however, Rampal did not appear before the court.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court issued non-bailable arrest warrants against him. This led to protest and his followers blocked rail and road traffic in Ambala, Panchkula and Chandigarh on November 5.

When the police tried to detain him on November 9, his followers formed human chains outside the Satlok Ashram to prevent the police from arresting him. The police tried to initiate a dialogue, and asked him to surrender. Rampal's followers announced that the police will have to kill more than 100,000 followers before arresting him.

By 18 November, his Satlok ashram in Hisar was protected by thousands of his followers who wielded lathis, sticks and other fire arms.

The police had to fight bloody clashes with armed supporters of the controversial spiritual leader during the siege. The bodies of four women were found on the ashram premises while one woman and a child who were ill were taken to hospital where they died. The police said the deaths had not occurred in police action.

Rampal, who had holed up in the ashram at Barwala, Hisar, was arrested in the final assault by the police, with assistance from Central paramilitary force on November 19, 2014.

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New Delhi:

Heavy rains have lashed Mumbai and adjoining Navi Mumbai and Thane regions, delaying suburban train services and leaving vehicles crawling through water-logged roads in low-lying areas. A typhoon hit the city and as a result, 31 trains' routes have been changed. Further, CM Devendra Fadnavis has visited the State Disaster Management Control room to oversee preparations.

Live updates:

#Traffic from Bandra Worli Sealink towards airport is moving now.However, south bound traffic is still very slow due to waterlogging at Vakola

#Local train service resumes between Churchgate-Andheri. First train from Churchgate to Virar started at 11:58 pmA

# One deadA after a building collapsed in Vikhroli's Varsha Nagar.

#A Locals distribute packets of biscuits at Mumbai's Dadar area.

#MumbaiRains: Locals distribute packets of biscuits at Mumbai's Dadar area. pic.twitter.com/j0M1oTPyAN a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

#A Mumbai Rains: Rain water enters the cargo complex of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport

#MumbaiRains: Rain water enters the cargo complex of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. pic.twitter.com/3kfx6tPmzA a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

#A Passenger stranded at Churchgate station due to incessant rain.

Passenger stranded at Churchgate station due to incessant rain #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/bzq26jSMEe a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

#A Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) will remain open tomorrow and all the market segments will function normally.

#A Mumbai local train service begin between Thane to Kalyan on fast line.

# Mumbai rains: Total 10 flights cancelled from Mumbai airport, 7 flights diverted and 23 flights asked to go-around till now.

#A Fire brigade personnel rescued passengers stranded in local trains due to Mumbai rains. Rescue operation still underway.

Fire brigade personnel rescued passengers stranded in local trains due to #MumbaiRains. Rescue operation still underway. pic.twitter.com/hmLRRaOax7 a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

# BMC has cancelled leaves of all employees and has asked them to join back: BMC PRO

# Pro-Kabaddi league matches ofA Bangaluru vs UP and Gujarat vs U Mumbai were also cancelled due to the rains.A Team Bengaluru had left their hotel at around 4 PM but could not reach on time as heavy rains blocked traffic on the Mumbai roads.

# 200 trees/ branches fell and 70 short circuits have been reported today: BMC Control Room

# 11 trains have been rescheduled whereas 7 others were cancelled till 7 PM

# CM Fadnavis instructs suspension of toll collection at all Mumbai entry points and sea link till situation is back to normal

# Celebrities too expressed concerns regarding the deadly rains.

# Ganesh Pandals are offering help to people. JSB pandal has given a helpline number -A 9821595432 to affected people.

Visuals of heavy traffic near CSMT station #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/ggO4GCStFq a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

Visuals of heavy traffic near CSMT station #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/ggO4GCStFq a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

BMC helpline - 1916

Police- 100 a Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) August 29, 2017

#mumbairains really lashing down. Please stay indoors and be safe everyone. Help those who need it. BMC helpline 1916, police 100. a Sonakshi Sinha (@sonakshisinha) August 29, 2017

#A Tube boat deployed for rescue operations in Mumbai's Dadar which is facing massive water-logging

#A Govt & public agencies taking all steps amid heavy rains. Glad to note voluntary groups & citizens coming together, says President Kovind

# Thoughts with families, especially children, in Mumbai & western parts of country hit by heavy downpour, says President Ram Nath Kovind

#A Assured Maharashtra CM of all possible help from Centre.NDRF teams have already reached Mumbai for rescue & relief operations: HM Rajnath Singh

# All schools in Mumbai to remain closed tomorrow: Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde

Tube boat deployed for rescue operations in Mumbai's Dadar which is facing massive water-logging #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/Aqo5MlvxQZ a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

#WATCH Car submerged in water in Mumbai's Dadar due to water logging after incessant rain. #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/fqEOv7iY9Y a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

# 6 big pumping stations have been setup, 30,000 of our staff are working on the ground: BMC Dy Municipal Commissioner Sudhir Naik

# A WhatsApp number has also been provided by Mumbai police for citizens who are facing problems - 8454999999

When whatsapp groups don't just forward messages but also extend help exactly when needed the most #MumbaiRains #SaluteMumbai pic.twitter.com/F0trg5Rjzj a Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

6 big pumping stations have been setup, 30,000 of our staff are working on the ground:BMC Dy Municipal Commissioner Sudhir Naik #MumbaiRains a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

# For the next 48 hours, Mumbai faces alert of high rain.

Wadala mein sabse zyada 253mm baarish huyi hai: BMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sudhir Naik #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/kb7weDaJ0i a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

#A Centre assures all possible support to Maharashtra govt in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state: PM Modi

#A Spoke to Maharashtra CM D Fadnavis on situation arising due to incessant rain in Mumbai & surrounding areas: PM Modi

Urge the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe & take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain. a Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

#A Five flood rescue teams and two diving teams ready to render assistance at different locations across Mumbai: Navy PRO

The citizens who make us proud of policing this city! Always forthcoming to help the known & unknown in a crisis #MumbaiRains #SaluteMumbai pic.twitter.com/Ccq2m5aKKc a Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

# Water logging has been cleared and Traffic has started moving on Bandra Worli sea link both north and south bound - Mumbai police

Centre assures all possible support to the Government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state. a Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

# Operations resume at Mumbai 's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport

Five flood rescue teams and two diving teams ready to render assistance at different locations across Mumbai: Navy PRO #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/p6IFGm1DbH a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

# 5 flood rescue teams, 2 diving teams are present in Mumbai

Water logging has been cleared and Traffic has started moving on Bandra Worli sea link both north and south bound. a Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

# Bandra-Worli sea link closed as high tide hits city.

# These rains are the most severe since 2005.

# Mumbai police ask people to call them on 100 in case they get stuck on roads

Wake up Mumbai !! This is the worst monsoon 'nightmare' !!! Just spoke to 2 of my sisters. They almost drowned in Khar West. a Mahesh Bhatt (@MaheshNBhatt) August 29, 2017

# Citizens can call BMC helpline 1916 if they face problems

# 3 teams of NDRF have been put on high alert in Mumbai

If D water on D roads is heading up to the level of your tyres, please abandon the car. Being on your 2 feet may be uncomfortable but safer a Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

# Operations at Mumbai airport suspended for some time due to low visibility: Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport PRO



If you are stuck on the road , kindly dial 100 or contact us on Twitter. We will assist you #MumbaiRains a Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

# Areas like Dadar, Hindmata and Byculla are worst affected

Traffic closed on Bandra Worli sea link due to water logging at Worli end. a Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

#A Request people to follow traffic advisories being issued. You can also tweet to/call Mumbai Police, police will come to your rescue: Maha CM

Operations at #Mumbai airport suspended for some time due to low visibility: Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport PRO #MumbaiRains a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

# I appeal to people to step out of their homes only if necessary: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

#A Flights from Mumbai airport have been hit amid heavy rains

Request people to follow traffic advisories being issued. You can also tweet to/call Mumbai Police, police will come to your rescue: Maha CM pic.twitter.com/kpQOBUMHWN a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

# Andheri Subway closed due to heavy rains, all the schools have been closed.

Request people to follow traffic advisories being issued. You can also tweet to/call Mumbai Police, police will come to your rescue: Maha CM pic.twitter.com/kpQOBUMHWN a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

# Regional Meteorological Centre issues heavy rainfall warning for next three days in Maharashtra

Continuous rains in Mumbai, city witnesses massive waterlogging: Visuals from Chembur #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/LUZqM4CoTY a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

#A I have talked to BMC disaster management cell and Mumbai police over hotline. Mantralaya staff told to leave early: CM Devendra Fadnavis

# Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visits State Disaster Management Control room to oversee present scenario.

Regional Meteorological Centre issues heavy rainfall warning for next three days in Maharashtra. a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

I have talked to BMC disaster management cell and Mumbai police over hotline. Mantralaya staff told to leave early: CM Devendra Fadnavis pic.twitter.com/oRDnV3n5nA a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

# Maharashtra Government issues orders for all offices to allow employees to leave in wake of heavy rains and IMD Warning

Maharashtra Government issues orders for all offices to allow employees to leave in wake of heavy rains and IMD Warning #MumbaiRains a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

Traffic jams have been reported on all major arterial roads, including the Eastern and Western Express Highway, Sion-Panvel highway and LBS Marg as the rains continued since last night.

Heavy rains in Mumbai continue to paralyze the city. Visuals of water-logging from Worli area #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/wSuCUseyT5 a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

Water-logging was reported in low-lying areas of Parel, Hindmata and Sion. A tree fell on the busy Saat Rasta road, affecting road traffic.A

The MeT department issued a warning of high tide which is likely to occur at 4.35 pm of 3.32 meters height.

Suburban services were disrupted with trains on all the three lines - western, central and harbour - running late.

Incessant rains in Mumbai, city witnesses massive waterlogging: Visuals from Dadar Circle #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/n9jd3WKeiV a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

#Mumbai 4 people injured after an iron, frame for posters, fell in VP road area; injured shifted to Saifee hospital pic.twitter.com/h0nV7XGmaC a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

A Water-logging on tracks was reported in Andheri and Bandra, civic officials said.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said the situation was well under control and advised the citizens tostep out of their homes only if necessary. "The metropolis has received heavy rainfall since last night.

Between 8.30 am and 12 pm today, the city received 85mm rainfall," Sudhir Naik, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, told. (With PTI Inputs)



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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Udaipur to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of several major projects whose total outlay is estimated to be over Rs 15,000 crore.

Here are the live updates-

#14:21PM

These roads are not only connecting Rajasthan & the nation, they are gateways to progress: PM



#14:18 PM

With a tourist comes economic opportunities for the locals: PM



#14:15 PM

Good roads will help Rajasthan in particular. Tourism will get a big boost due to a strong roads network in the state: PM



#14:12 PM

Better roads will help our farmers immensely. This is one of the reasons why Atal Ji dreamt of a strong roads network across India: PM



#14:10 PM

To take India to newer heights, the role of infrastructure, railways, roads is very important: PM



#14:07 PM

Some projects being inaugurated were pending for years. Our focus is on timely completion. We will complete projects we begin: PM



#14:05PM

I assure all those affected by floods in Rajasthan that the Govt of India is with you in this difficult time: PM

#14:05 PM

The number of projects being inaugurated today is a matter of joy: PM



#14:03 PM

We are standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of Rajasthan who are battling the floods. We have assured all possible support: PM



#13:58 PM

I am delighted to be in this Veer Bhumi. I bow to the brave people of this land: PM



#13:02 PM

PM Modi visits an exhibition on National Highway Projects; Union Minister Nitin Gadkari & Rajasthan CM also present



Rajasthan: PM Modi visits an exhibition in Udaipur on National Highway Projects; Union Minister Nitin Gadkari & Rajasthan CM also present. pic.twitter.com/rBMimvoaEo a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

#12:32 PM

PM Modi arrives in Rajasthan's Udaipur; to inaugurate & lay foundation of key National Highway projects, to address a public meeting shortly

He visited the Pratap Gaurav Kendra which provides information, through various exhibits, about the life, valour and achievements of Maharana Pratap, the famous King of the erstwhile kingdom of Mewar.

aTomorrow I will be visiting Rajasthan, the land of the brave, where I will inaugurate & lay the foundation of key National Highway projects,a Modi had tweeted on Monday night.A

aI will address a public meeting in Udaipur. I will also visit the Pratap Gaurav Kendra and pay my respects to the great Maharana Pratap,a he had said in another tweet.

The prime minister inaugurated 11 completed National Highway projects, covering a total length of about 873 km, a Rajasthan government spokesman said in Jaipur. (With PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi:

It is a deluge like situation yet again in Mumbai as non-stop rain has completely thrown life out of gear in the metropolis. According to the met department, about four inches of rain has been recorded in just a few hours and heavy rain is forecast for the next 48 hours.



The Mumbai Police has urged people to abandon their cars if the water was tyre-high while the Maharashtra government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have sounded a high alert.



Here are 10 important things to know as Mumbai reels:



1. Heavy rains in next 48 hours: India Meteorological Department has predicted even more heavy rainfall hence Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued an advisory asking citizens to stay home and not venture out unless absolutely necessary.



2. Roads to avoid: The Mumbai Police has diverted traffic at several places and several flyovers and roads have been shut including Sion flyover, Milan and Andheri subway. Traffic on Eastern Expressway, Santacruz-Chembur link, Western Expressway, SV Road between Bandra to Santacruz and DN Nagar, and BMW junction stretch between Worli to Haji Ali are almost shut.



3. Bandra-Worli sea link: Authorities have decided to close Bandra-Worli sea link.



4. All three suburban railway networks, Central, Harbour and Western lines are suspended. Tracks at several places, including Parel, Sion and Kurla are submerged. Central railway authorities have said trains are suspended on the main line between Parel and Kurla and on the Harbour line between Vadala Road and Kurla. On the Western line, trains were terminated at Andheri with services towards the city aborted in the afternoon.



5. Flights delayed, diverted: Air traffic too has been affected by strong bursts of wind.



6. Water logging: Spots prone to floodings, such as Dadar, Hindmata, Parel, King Circle, Chembur, Sion, and Andheri have suffered massive waterlogging prompting BMC to press 217 dewatering pumps into service.



7. Mumbai Police provided a WhatsApp number for citizens - 8454999999



8. Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are on alert. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the state Disaster Management Control room to monitor the situation.



9. There was a high tide at 4:40 pm due to which the city police urged people to avoid beaches and promenades.



10. Helpline numbers: WhatsApp for traffic updates: 8454999999



Central Railway control room: 022-22620173



Western Railway control room: 022-23094064



BMC helpline: 1916

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New Delhi:

Incessant heavy rains have battered Mumbai bringing transport services to a halt and throwing normal life out of gear.

As India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted even more heavy rainfall, the Maharashtra government has allowed its employees in Mantralaya (secretariat) and other departments to leave early and has also asked private companies to do the same.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday visited the State Disaster Management Control (SDMC) room in Mumbai to take stock of the situation.

"I chaired a review meeting of officials in the disaster management unit to ascertain the situation that has arisen from the heavily rainfall in Mumbai," Fadnavis said.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is looking into the complaints it is receiving from various quarters as informed by the CM.

"I have spoken to BMC officials. The civic body has received several complaints related to tree falling and some related to waterlogging," Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis also spoke to the Mumbai Police Commissioner who informed him that traffic has been diverted at 25 places due to waterlogging.

"We have advised (private) offices to allow their employees to leave for their homes early today. We have issued similar orders for government employees," Fadnavis said adding that since Mumbai is under CCTV surveillance, vehicular movement can be monitored from the traffic control room and the police commissioner's office.

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New Delhi:

The Supreme Court declaring privacy as a fundamental right for all Indians on Thursday has raised hope among the gay and LGBT communities.

The top courts verdict has spinned off the section 377  a law that criminalises unnatural sex.

The Supreme Court also held that the privacy and protection of sexual orientation lie at the core of the fundamental rights under Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution.

Court said, Right of privacy cannot be denied even if a miniscule fraction of population is affected.

Justice DY Chandrachud, who was part of the nine-judge bench that pronounced the verdict, elaborating on the concept of privacy said in this judgement, Privacy included at its core the preservation of personal intimacies, the sanctity of family life, marriage. Procreation, the home and sexual orientation.. Privacy also connotes a right to be left alone.

The Supreme Court also said: It is an individuals choice as to who enters his house, how he lives and in what relationship. The privacy of the home must protect the family, marriage, procreation and sexual orientation which are all important aspects of dignity.

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New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the Gujarat High Court order in connection with the re-building of mosques destroyed during the state's 2002 riots. The Apex court asked state government to provide compensation as per their fixed guidelines, and not as per high court order.

The Gujarat high court had ordered the state government to provide compensation against repair of religious structures across the state. The high court had also ordered to access the damage of all 26 districts under the supervision of district judge.

The Apex Court accepted state governmentas argument to provide compensation for the religious structure as per the fixed policies under shop and residences.

Supreme Court set aside the Gujarat High Court order in connection with the re-building of mosques destroyed during the state's 2002 riots. a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

Now, it is up to the state government that what it would disburse as compensation for the damage of religious structure during 2002 Gujarat riots. A

SC ws hearing petition filed by Guj Govt challenging order directing it to compensate for damage caused to religious structures during riots a ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

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New Delhi:

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested Inspector General of Police Zahoor H Zaidi, Deputy SP Manoj Joshi and six other police officers in connection with the custodial death of an accused in Shimla gangrape case.

The CBI had registered two First Information Reports (FIRs) in the case on July 22. These eight officers were probed by the agency since then.

Earlier, a six-member investigation team including sleuths of the CBI, officials of Central Forensic Science Laboratory and doctors from AIIMS visited the spot last month from where body of a raped minor girl was recovered.

The team on the directions of the Himachal High Court, had begun the investigation into the gangrape and murder of a 16-year-old girl.

On July 4, the victim did not return home from Government Senior Secondary School, Mahasu. Since the incident came to surface, hundreds of protesters including the girls relatives and friends are demanding arrest of the offenders to the earliest.

ALSO READ | Shimla gangrape case: CBI, AIIMS doctor begin investigation

ALSO READ | Shimla gangrape-murder case: One of six accused dies in custody, says police



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New Delhi:

Union minister Sushma Swarajs husband and former Supreme Court lawyer Swaraj Kaushal on Tuesday stirred a row with his controversial tweet on marital rape.

Kaushal, who was also served as the Governor of Mizoram, in his tweet said that there is nothing like marital rape. There is nothing like marital rape. Our homes should not become police stations, he said.

His tweet was in reference to an ongoing hearing on criminalisation of marital rape in the Delhi High Court.

Hours before this controversial remark on marital rape, he tweeted that There will be more husbands in the jail, than in the house.

Swaraj Kaushal's tweet His tweets created an online stir among Twitter users with many criticising him for his remarks and asked whether he is defending marital rape.



On seeing the backlash on social media, he again tweeted that he is going to lock his account to restore decorum of the dialogue.



aIf you want to post abuses, please rush. Take screen shots. I am going to lock this account to restore decorum of the dialogue,a he posted on his Twitter account. Swaraj Kaushal's tweet The screen shot.

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New Delhi:

A CBI court awarded death sentence to a man who killed his wife, three children and two neighbours eight years ago on Tuesday in Lucknow.

According to police records the man for killing his wife and five others after he was opposed for having an illicit relationship with his sister-in-law.

The CBI Special Court holding that the case fell into the rarest or rare category.

The convict Sarvan, would be a threat to the society and such, he was no longer entitled to live on earth and ordered that he be hanged till death, said the CBI special court.

The judge in the 61-page verdict said,  Sarvan was married and had three children but even then, he committed the massacre to quench his thirst of lust and the manner in which he eliminated his family and the neighbours -- his act was not less than that of a devil.

The verdict further read, Not only two families suffered on account of his act, but he became a threat to the society."

The CBI Court has referred the matter to the high court as death penalty has to be confirmed by it before its execution.

Special CBI Judge Harish Tripathi pronouncing the verdict also sentenced Sarvans sister-in-law Suman to four years of rigorous imprisonment and slapped a Rs 2000 fine one her after holding her guilty of removing evidence in the case. The court has also slapped Rs 7000 fine on Sarvan.

The FIR in the case was lodged by Kolai, the husband of Madhuri, at the Mohanlalganj police station on April 25, 2009.
New Delhi:

South Korea's air force staged a live-fire drill post North Korea firing missile over Japan. North Korea fired an unidentified missile from near the capital Pyongyang, towards the northeast.

North Korea has fired a missile that flew over northern Japan before crashing into the sea, reports BBC news.

According to BBC news, No effort was made by the Japanese to shoot down the missile, which was launched early on Tuesday morning. The missile broke into three pieces before it landed.

The US has also confirmed that North Korea launched a missile over Japan, in a major escalation by Pyongyang amid tensions over its weapons ambitions.

The missile was launched within the last 90 minutes, Colonel Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, said on Tuesday.

We assess North Korea conducted a missile launch within the last 90 minutes. We can confirm that the missile launched by North Korea flew over Japan, Manning added, cautioning that the United States was still assessing the launch.

However, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America, Manning said.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was launched around from Sunan, near Pyongyang, and traveled east and over Japan.

It travelled around 1,700 miles (2,700 kilometers) at a maximum altitude of around 350 miles, it said, adding that South Korea and the US were closely analysing for more details.

(With PTI Inputs)

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The state railways will cover $5.1 billion, and the government itself $2.5 billionRussian has approved US$2.5 billion to expand and modernize the Trans-Siberian and Baikal-Amur railways as part of a larger rail project to boost economic growth and exports from the countrys Far East region that borders the Pacific Ocean.President Vladimir Putin has given the green light for the government to allocate money from the National Welfare Fund for this stage of the railway expansion project, which could eventually cost $9.5 billion.Russian Railways (RZD) will cover $5.1 billion of the total cost of the project, which was first approved by the governments transport commission back in 2014. The state will foot the rest of the bill.About $1.7 billion will be allocated in 2017 and the rest next year to commission 580 kilometers of additional main lines and upgrade signaling on 680 km of railway and 43 crossings. It will include renovation of 90 railway stations.It is expected that the Russian budget over 30 years will receive $8.2 billion from the added infrastructure, the rail operator said in a statement on its website.The project will allow additional cargo volume of up to 66 million tons a year, which will contribute to the development of industrial enterprises in the region, create new jobs, and the necessary economic conditions for effective and sustainable development of Siberia and the Far East.Modernization of the railways will increase Russias export opportunities, Mikhail Blinkin, director of the Transport Economics and Transport Policy Institute at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, said in an interview.There is an enormous volume of freight flowing between the Asia-Pacific countries and Europe. Only a tenth of this volume passes through Russia. The expansion of the capacity of the Trans-Siberian opens up great opportunities, he said.The competition to attract this freight is cutthroat, so to be in there with a chance you need modern railways, he said, adding that China alone sends hundreds of millions of containers a year to Europe.Earlier this year, Putin approved the national Strategy for Economic Security for the period up to 2030.The document outlines the task of developing the Northern Sea Route, the Baikal-Amur and Trans-Siberian Railways, the priority development of the economic potential of Eastern Siberia, the Far North, the Far East, the North Caucasus, Crimea and the Kaliningrad region.The Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest railway in the world, running about 9,288 km to connect Moscow and Vladivostok.It is an important part of the transport corridor between Europe and the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. The railroad was built over 25 years from 1891 to 1916. Converted to current prices, the total cost of building the Trans-Siberian Railway was about $75 billion.The Baikal-Amur Railway is also one of the largest railway systems in the world and is almost 500 km shorter than the Trans-Siberian.The main route runs between Taishet and Sovetskaya Gavan and it was built in many stages between 1938 to 1984. One of the most difficult areas, the Severomuisk tunnel, was only put into permanent operation in 2003. At present, its operating at its capacity
North Korea fires missile over Japan

The Japanese government has confirmed that North Korea has launched a missile and that it flew over the territory of northern Japan. This potentially dangerous event happened on Tuesday.Immediately after this happened, the Japanese government alerted people and suggested to take precautions. Soon after the news went on air, it was confirmed that there was no damage caused by this action of North Korea.This was yet another act of aggression of the North Korea that keep developing its offensive weapons that are aimed at some of its neighbor countries. Just three days ago we could hear that several short range missiles were fired into the Sea of Japan. President Trump didnt need much to react as he stated that they are ready to meet any kind of threat from a communist country with fire and fury.The missile that was fired and that passed over the Japanese north territory was tracked by the Japanese military, but they did not try to take it down. This happened at about 6:06 am local time or 21:06 GMT.Soon after the launch, Tohoku region was warned, and people were advised to take refuge in underground shelters and similar. Later on, it was confirmed that the missile has landed in the sea and that it has been broken into three pieces.Shinzo Abe, Japans prime minister, stated: We will make utmost efforts to firmly protect the lives of the people. This was briefly said by the prime minister that was entering his office in which emergency meetings were held regarding this situation.Confirmation from South Korean came shortly after the missile was fired suggesting that an unidentified projectile was launched from a region close to the capital of North Korea and that it was traveling eastwards towards the sea.We have received a statement in which joint chiefs of staff reported that both US and South Korean militaries were monitoring the launch and the trajectory of the missile. It was also added that they didnt have immediate information how far the projectile traveled and where it landed....Trump silent.. or quoting Games of Thrones
In the latest step Amazon's taken in its never-ending quest to worm its way into every aspect of consumers' lives, the retail juggernaut is reportedly breaking into the ticketing industry.

Related: Why Every Smart Decision Comes Only After an Evaluation of Customer Needs

Reuters reports that Amazon is toying with the idea of partnering with venue owners to sell event tickets, potentially disrupting the industry stranglehold Ticketmaster has enjoyed for decades. The sales powerhouse also made a major move by acquiring Whole Foods for $13.4 billion, continuing a pattern of shaking things up by applying its infrastructure and services to new industries.

On one hand, Amazon's distribution system puts most industry incumbents to shame. Contrast it with that of the U.S. Postal Service, for example, and the results aren't pretty. I recently ordered more than 40 items through my Amazon account, and waited what I'd estimate was half the time (and mistakes) as I'd have suffered through with the post office.

On the other hand, the breadth of Amazon's reach has become somewhat unnerving. The cmpany has sold more than 10 million Alexa-powered Echo devices since the technology debuted in 2014, filling households everywhere with artificial intelligence. Beyond groceries and event tickets, the company is also rumored to be considering a push into the pharmaceutical industry.

According to the New York Times, these moves have sparked a 25 percent increase in Amazon's sales and an 8 percent increase in its shareholder value. So, even if we aren't sure how to feel about Amazon's insatiable appetite for disruption, we can still learn from its strategy.

Inside the belly of the beast

Amazon isn't necessarily an innovative company; it's a bookseller that leveraged logistics to increase customer satisfaction. After conquering the book business, Amazon realized it could feed more than paperbacks into its incredibly efficient sales network.

With a physical distribution network in place for deliveries, Amazon pivoted its business model into what it was always meant to be: an ecommerce titan. Instead of competing solely against bookstores, Amazon has been able to evolve to take on the likes of Walmart and Target. In the end, books were simply a beta test for Amazon's sales infrastructure and business model.

This outside-the-box approach isn't unique to Jeff Bezos, though. Consider Starbucks, which peddles an established product using a novel business model. The chain didn't invent coffee -- it simply came up with a faster way of serving an (arguably) better product. What was once a small Seattle franchise recently sank $1.3 billion into China to stabilize itself in the global economy, according to AOL finance reports.

To beat the Amazons and Starbucks of the world, we need to come up with our own ways to disrupt static industries, regardless of our business. Here are some of those first steps:

Related: Why Established Companies Are Embracing an Amazon-Like Culture

1. Figure out what your customers crave.

The key to successfully disrupting any business sector is to understand what customers value. That typically takes plenty of information -- if not tacit knowledge -- and wrong conclusions to weed through,, and it's something that can be learned only by launching products and services, to learn how people actually use them.

Even if you fall flat on your face, view the event as a learning experience. While 63 percent of consumers surveyed told Nielsen they liked to see new products, the Product Development and Management Association has reported that about 49 percent of consumer goods fail. And that reflects the fact that your product or service may be less important than your distribution system. Even a failed product can help move you toward a successful business model.

Amazon's initial work with book sales helped it recognize that people cared quite a bit about getting goods as quickly as possible. This realization helped Amazon as it began to offer different products. It recognized that the delivery logistics involved were just as important as the quality of the goods it offered.

In your own case, figure out what truly matters to your customer base, and adjust your business model to address those needs.

2. Create unexpected value.

Far too many companies focus on solving existing problems. True disruption involves creating value where it didn't exist before (or where it wasn't expected). The iPhone didn't solve any clear problems -- there were already plenty of cellphones on the market -- but most people would be hard-pressed to go a few days without their beloved smartphones now that we have become so reliant on the technology.

Once Amazon solidified its logistics based on one product category, it began to implement its model to other verticals. Books were relatively easy to disrupt because the buying process in that industry was so abysmal. Now that Amazon has set an industry standard in terms of logistics, it's able to break into different markets by applying its perfected process.

Even with this incredible growth (Prime Day was apparently bigger than Black Friday for Amazon), the company somehow managed to deliver orders as soon as 12 minutes after they were processed. Delight your own customer base by solving problems they never knew existed. Pinpoint a shortcoming that people generally accept as a cost of doing business -- slow delivery, a lack of options or a lackluster review system -- and explore potential ways to eliminate those stumbling blocks.

3. Satisfy every customer.

Amazon's most brilliant move was applying a basic principle of human nature to the business world. Amazon doesn't provide fast delivery just for speed's sake; it's able to increase customer satisfaction about the product being delivered by reducing wait times. A timely delivery prevents customers from becoming impatient or experiencing buyer's remorse before they ever receive their purchase.

Before Amazon came along, people drove to their local bookstores to sift through thousands of titles on shelves. Staff members weren't always knowledgeable, and the books were often organized in ways that defied logic. What's more, neither source could tell you which books you were looking at had been favorites of other consumers or whether those titles were related to your own favorite books.

Those bookstore visits weren't an effective use of time, but retailers could get away with this because they were competing only with libraries and schools.

Amazon upended that industry: Statista estimates that there will only be 22,600 bookstores left in the United States by the end of next year. And Amazon helped create that trend by helping people find what they want to read in a much shorter amount of time.

The lesson here is that if your company can meet a basic human need (and do it better than anyone else), you're in solid shape to carve out a substantial customer base.

Related: Is Amazon's First Brick-and-Mortar Bookstore the Future of Retail?

Whether we like it or not, Amazon seems determined to continue blazing trails in new sectors of the business world. Entrepreneurs can stick to their static business models and wait for innovators to eventually put them out of business, or they can learn from Amazon's seemingly unstoppable rise to global domination. Personally, I'm following Amazon's lead.

Related:

Amazon's Lesson About Disruption: Rattle Any Market You Can

If You Hear One of These Negative Comments When You Pitch Your Big Idea, It Could Mean You Positively Nailed It

What Being a Fan of Everything From Kaskade to Taylor Swift to Phish Taught Me About Leadership



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


NORWALK  When Lynn Flint returned to her car in the Webster Lot after a movie Saturday night, she and her husband were shocked to find hate literature tucked into their windshield.

It was an anti-Muslim flyer. My husband read the first couple of lines and folded it up. He didnt want to read any more than that when he realized what it was, said Flint, a Westport resident. This was frightening and from our point of view, very disturbing.

Flint said that cars in the parking lot, located behind 50 Washington St., were heavily leafleted with the poorly-printed one page flyers, which in part read: Allah is not God. He is an evil extraterrestrial who receives his power from your daily prayers.

Police were contacted by another motorist who was also apparently disturbed by the literature.

I didnt call the police, Flint said. But Im glad that people are being made aware of this.

Police confirmed that they were contacted Saturday night and a report was filed concerning the flyers.

In an anti-immigration sentiment, the flyer states that when Muslims are in non-Muslim countries, such as the U.S., they lie for Allah about what immigration brings.

The flyers state that women should not leave their homes at night without a man or a gun because the immigrants and their children have arrived.

Ban all immigrants NOW and send their families home, the flyer states.

Farhan Memon, a board member with the Al Madany Islamic Center of Norwalk and chairperson of the Council of American-Islamic Relations-Connecticut, said he was shocked and appalled by the flyers contents.

Its disheartening to think that there are people in our community who are spreading this hateful message, Memon said. Violence against women is completely unjustifiable. Fourteen hundred years ago Islam enshrined the right of women to equality. There is a lot of misinformation about Islam out there and these types of flyers feed on that ignorance.

In a similar incident in February, people in Norwalk, Wilton, Weston and Westport found white supremacist flyers littering their driveways and mailboxes.

We must secure the existence of our race and a future for white children. MAKE AMERICA WHITE AGAIN, they read.

llake@hearstmediact.com
Vern Gibson is well-acquainted with grills.

Im an expert at making pancakes and grilling hamburgers. I love it, said the longtime Fremonter.

But Gibson is more than that.

Hes a volunteer extraordinaire. And for his long-tenured efforts he recently received international recognition.

In July, Gibson won the Community Service Award at the Cosmopolitan Clubs International Convention in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Hed previously won the award at the state level during the Cosmopolitan Federation Convention and before that earned the honor on the local level when he was awarded the Cosmopolitan Member Community Service Award from the Fremont Cosmopolitan Club 100.

In presenting the local award, Merle Gier, awards chairman for the Fremont organization, described Gibson like this: I have never met a man who has dedicated so much of his life to serving his fellow man than Vern. It was difficult for me to understand how he, just one man, could accomplish so much in just one lifetime.

If I did not know otherwise, I would swear that Vern had a twin brother to help him out.

Gibsons volunteerism has involved a variety of organizations from Boy Scouts and veterans organizations to his work at St. James Episcopal Church in Fremont and as a member of Cosmopolitan and Kiwanis clubs and Masonic organizations.

Why all the volunteerism?

I enjoy helping nonprofits and people in general, he said. I just figure that if I didnt have these activities, I would grow old and sit at home. I enjoy all these activities. It keeps me busy and young.

Gibson appreciates the Fremont community.

Born and raised in Santa Anna, California, Gibson worked in the airline industry for 31 years. During that time, he met his wife, Jane, a former United Airlines stewardess.

We had a whirlwind courtship, he said.

The two met at a party for airline employees in Las Vegas in December 1967, were engaged in January 1968 and married on Aug. 20, 1968, at St. James Episcopal Church in Fremont.

When Pan American Airlines decided to scale down, Gibson was offered a transfer to JFK Airport in New York City.

I decided it was time for me to change jobs, he said.

By then, Jane was a schoolteacher and the couple had two children. They waited until that June when she completed her contract. And in 1983, they headed to Fremont with two children, two cars and two dogs.

Gibson was at his mother-in-laws house when the phone rang. It was Western Airlines. While the airlines was based in Los Angeles, it was opening flight service in Omaha and wondered if Gibson would work for them.

So he did starting in August 1983.

We merged with Delta Airlines in 1987, he said.

Gibson was 55 years old when Delta wanted to send him to Atlanta, Georgia. He decided to retire and did so in 1998.

But he didnt stay retired for very long. One of Janes childhood friends, Bill Dugan offered Gibson a job as a funeral director.

That meant going back to school and getting a mortuary science degree.

So he went to Kansas City Community College in Missouri and earned a mortuary science degree in 1999. Hes been with Dugan Funeral Services since that time.

Gibsons volunteerism spans decades and lists of his activities form thick paragraphs on the pages of a Cosmopolitan Club synopsis. In California, he was a leader for Cub, Webelos and Boy Scouts and an active board member of the elementary school PTA.

Throughout his life, hes been a church supporter. Data from the Cosmopolitan Club indicates hes served in every leadership position at St. James.

Bringing a tradition from California to Nebraska, he and Jane created the Foyers Club  sponsoring weekly dinners designed to build faith-based family friendship within the parish and help make new couples feel welcome in the church.

He has been the resident cook for the churchs annual holiday bazaar for more than 20 years.

Gibsons volunteerism with veterans groups stems from his own military service. A sergeant in the 6th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, he served from 1963-65 in Berlin during the Cold War.

Today, hes president of the Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association.

Everyone in this group served in Berlin between the end of World War II until the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, Gibson said. Its a good group and I have over 740 members representing the entire United States.  The camaraderie is absolutely amazing.

The group had a reunion in June in Omaha and about 200 people attended.

Well be going back to Berlin in 2018, Gibson said. We go back every four years and because some of our members are getting older were really anticipating a good turnout this time.

Gibson is a lifetime member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars and co-chairman of Fremonts Avenue of Flags.

For 20 years, Gibson was chairman of the former Dodge County chapter of the American Red Cross, which is now part of a regional consolidation. Hes active in Fremont and Omaha Shrine Clubs and many other organizations.

And at least a couple organizations have utilized his cooking skills.

Gibson recalls when as the part of the Kiwanis Club he cooked hamburgers at an annual June swap meet for 25 years. Hes flipped pancakes during fundraisers for the group as well for years.

He serves up pancakes for the Cosmopolitan Club, too, during the groups fundraiser at the John C. Fremont Days festival.

Gibson said he was humbled by receiving the Cosmopolitan Club awards for his volunteerism.

Im sure there are others in the community that if they had the time would do the same thing I do, but I just happen to be available. With the job I have it allows me to take some time and be involved in these volunteer endeavors, he said, adding, I love helping others. Ive been lucky in my life, having a lot of advantages that others may not have, a great family life, and the ability to do all of these things.

He likes Fremont.

Im just proud of being a good citizen of Fremont, Nebraska, not coming from here originally, he said. My friends thought it was a cultural shock when I moved here. And weve had several friends visit us. Weve changed their minds to the positive about Nebraska. Im glad I moved here.
Government of Canada invests nearly $53,000 in this community project

LA MALBAIE, QC, Aug. 27, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)

As a result of an investment of $52,750 by the Government of Canada, La Malbaie families will benefit from upgraded spaces where they can enjoy the outdoors, learn about their region's natural environment and engage in physical activity.

This funding was announced today by the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for CED.

The funding will enable the Centre ecologique de Port-au-Saumon to optimize their marine organism interpretive site, mainly by building a pavilion, upgrading the access road, constructing new basins and an access ramp, and completing plumbing and electrical work.

Founded in 1968, the Centre ecologique de Port-au-Saumon (CEPAS) is an NPO whose mission is to promote knowledge of natural science and respect for the natural environment among both young people and members of the general public who are interested in the environment.

CEPAS is recognized by UNESCO as the core of the Charlevoix World Biosphere Reserve. SaguenaySt. Lawrence Marine Park officials also consider it to be a discovery site.

This investment was made through the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program (CIP150), a $300M fund set up to celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary by investing in community spaces that bring Canadians together.

Quotes

"This investment is a community-building project to celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary. There's no better way to mark this milestone than to celebrate the places that bring us together  the places that allow us to stay fit, unwind and connect with our friends and neighbours. That's how we establish the bonds of common understanding and friendship in a country where people come from every corner of the world. The values of openness, diversity and inclusion that define all Canadians are forged in our community spaces."

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for CED

"I am delighted with CED's support for the Centre ecologique de Port-au-Saumon, which makes an undeniable contribution to the region's vitality. Its work is essential to educating people of all ages about the importance of the environment, and it plays a key role in maintaining and protecting the site. CED's support for this organization benefits residents of the region as well as visitors from across Canada."

The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism

Quick facts

Since its creation in 2015, CIP150 has provided almost $61M in funding for over 470 projects that support the vitality of Quebec communities.

in funding for over 470 projects that support the vitality of communities. CED is one of six regional development agencies under the responsibility of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

Stay connected

Follow Minister Chagger on Twitter and Instagram

Follow CED on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube

Follow the Centre ecologique de Port-au-Saumon 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]; Jonathan Dignan, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Small Business and Tourism, Tel.: 343-291-2700
TORONTO, Aug. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - At 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 30, 2017, the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) will release the provincial highlights of student achievement on the 20162017 Assessments of Reading, Writing and Mathematics, Primary Division (Grades 13) and Junior Division (Grades 46), and the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics. The highlights will be available on EQAO's Web site, www.eqao.com.

On September 20, EQAO will release individual reports for each elementary school and its board, as well as a full provincial report on the elementary school assessments. School and board reports will be released for the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics as well as for the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. A full provincial report on the secondary school assessments will also be released on this date.

Elementary schools and their boards will have their results under embargo until 10:00 a.m. on September 20. Schools and boards will be able to speak publicly about their results at that time.

Disponible en francais

SOURCE Education Quality and Accountability Office

For further information: Rachel Pinnington, Senior Communications Officer, 416 314-4327, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.eqao.com/Pages/launch.aspx


TORONTO, Aug. 28, 2017 /CNW/ - RED Academy, Canada's leading digital marketing, innovation and experience design college, gives back to the community with an invitation to aspiring designers, marketers and developers, to attend a free "Hack to School" sampling event and classes at the upcoming EDITDX.

"There's a shortage of qualified talent in the fields we represent. Hack To School is a chance to participate in our programs, at no cost, and experience first-hand how RED eliminates the gap between traditional learning and the needs of leading companies," says Mandy Gilbert, Co-Founder of RED Academy Toronto which opened a year ago in King West, and recently expanded to London, UK. The private college offers unparalleled part and full-time programs in digital marketing, UX/UI design, web and app development, emerging technologies, and its newest addition: RED Labs, an exclusive skills and portfolio accelerator for experienced students.

RED's learning environment simulates what it's like to work at a bustling agency (and looks like one too), on high-profile projects, with brands like Lendified, Big Brothers Big Sisters and AT&T. "Students at RED Academy work on real, high-impact client challenges, so they can build exceptional portfolios and gain the skills they need," adds Gilbert who doubles as founder of a reputable recruiting firm. Having a great portfolio is the advantage when interviewing with top organizations. "RED delivers projects that push students out of their comfort zone, into a level of creative and technical confidence, so they can tackle today's rapidly evolving market."

What makes a RED hot portfolio?

Demo Your Breadth and Depth  Demonstrate various project types (web, apps, digital ads, etc.) using a range of creative solutions and styles, from simple to complex. Show Artifacts and Approaches - Provide a solid toolbox of hard skills with examples. These vary per role, i.e. wireframes, information architectures, prototypes, style guides, functional specifications, customer journeys, usability test reports, and even pitch or presentation decks. Provide Case Studies  A good portfolio will include at least two to five results-based case studies. One page that covers - "The Ask", "The Approach", "The Solution", and "The Results" with quantitative results and visuals to show you improved the product or business.

RED's global, award-winning instructors host Hack To School Sept. 12, 13 and 14, a chance for aspiring students to test drive their future, in demand careers. Free sessions will showcase RED's experience-based learning by interacting with the latest tools, and diving deep into some of the best-kept secrets companies like Google, Facebook, and Shopify use every day. Register here.

RED is also hosting the largest disruptive education platform at the Expo for Design, Innovation & Technology Sept. 29 - Oct. 8, with over $140,000 worth of free classes and full day "Creative Hacks" to benefit social good. Register here starting Sept. 1. For more info: www.redacademy.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

SOURCE Red Academy

For further information: For media requests, contact Aimee Savard, [email protected] , 416-788-6719
New supports for infants, pre-schoolers, children whose parents work seasonally or non-standard hours

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI, Aug. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is making significant investments in early learning and child care systems to improve the lives of Canadian children and their families. Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, and the Honourable Doug Currie, Minister of Education, Early Learning and Culture for Prince Edward Island, reached a three-year bilateral agreement that reaffirms their commitment and support of the unique early learning and child care needs of Prince Edward Island.

The agreement allocates $10.5 million, over three years, to Prince Edward Island for early learning and child care investments. The Island's funding focus will be on early learning and child care access for vulnerable children such as infants, pre-schoolers, children whose parents work seasonally or non-standard hours, and under-served populations including Newcomer families and Acadian and French speaking communities. Funding will also be directed towards professional training for early learning and care educators with the aim of improving the quality and richness of experiences for children.

This announcement follows a historic agreement made on June 12 by Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Early Learning and Child Care on a Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework. The Framework sets the foundation for governments to work towards a shared long-term vision where all children across Canada can experience the enriching environment of quality early learning and child care. The Framework principles include increasing the quality, accessibility, affordability, flexibility and inclusivity of early learning and child care, with consideration for families that need child care the most.

The bilateral agreement is another step to help ensure that Prince Edward Island's children get the best start in life and have the opportunity to reach their full potential. It is supported by long-term Government of Canada investments in early learning and child care announced in Budgets 2016 and 2017, totalling $7.5 billion over 11 years.

Quotes



"The development of early learning and child care systems is one of the best investments our government is making to strengthen Canadian families, society and the economy. Our combined efforts with the Government of Prince Edward Island will demonstrate concrete and progressive results for the children who need it most."

 The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

"Prince Edward Island's early learning and child care system is a world leader in part because of our high standards, access, certified early childhood educators and provincial curriculum. When we invest in our 0-4 year olds and their families, we are making essential investments in the future of our whole province."

 The Honourable Doug Currie, Minister of Education, Early Learning and Culture for Prince Edward Island

Quick Facts

Federal Budgets 2016 and 2017 proposed to invest $7.5 billion over 11 years, starting in 20172018, to support and create more high-quality, affordable child care spaces across the country, particularly for families more in need. Of this investment:

over 11 years, starting in 20172018, to support and create more high-quality, affordable child care spaces across the country, particularly for families more in need. Of this investment: $95 million will go towards closing data gaps to better understand what child care looks like in Canada and track progress;

will go towards closing data gaps to better understand what child care looks like in and track progress;

$100 million will go towards early learning and child care innovation; and

will go towards early learning and child care innovation; and

a portion will be dedicated to strengthening culturally appropriate early learning and child care for Indigenous children.

The federal government will work with each province and territory to enter into three-year bilateral agreements that will address the early learning and child care needs unique to its jurisdiction and funding allocation.

Through the bilateral agreements, the Government of Canada will provide provinces and territories with $1.2 billion over the next three years for early learning and child care programs. Governments will report annually on progress made in relation to the Framework and bilateral agreements.

will provide provinces and territories with over the next three years for early learning and child care programs. Governments will report annually on progress made in relation to the Framework and bilateral agreements. Bilateral investments in Prince Edward Island will support significant investments in the next generation of Islanders, including:

will support significant investments in the next generation of Islanders, including: expanded spaces, particularly infant spaces;



support for children with unique needs and vulnerable families who can benefit the most from high quality learning and child care; and



responding to the longstanding needs of Island families who have seasonal jobs or work shiftwork.

The Government of Prince Edward Island currently invests $11.4 million in early childhood programs and services and $1.5 million in Early Years Autism Services, funding 45 designated Early Years Centres.

currently invests in early childhood programs and services and in Early Years Autism Services, funding 45 designated Early Years Centres. There are currently 139 licensed programs in PEI, including 45 Early Years Centres, 26 early childhood centres, nine preschool centres, one family home centre and 58 school-age centres.

Associated Links

Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework

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Backgrounder

CANADAPRINCE EDWARD ISLAND EARLY LEARNING AND CHILD CARE AGREEMENT



On June 12, 2017, Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Early Learning and Child Care signed a Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework. This is a significant milestone in which governments agree to work together to address some of the key early learning and child care issues across the country.

Governments will work towards achieving the shared long-term vision of the Framework where all children across Canada can experience the enriching environment of quality early learning and child care. They have committed to increase the quality, accessibility, affordability, flexibility and inclusivity of early learning and child care with consideration for families that need child care the most.

The implementation of this framework, and a separate Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework to be co-developed with Indigenous peoples, is supported by federal investments announced in Budgets 2016 and 2017, totaling $7.5 billion over 11 years. Through bilateral agreements, the Government of Canada will provide provinces and territories with $1.2 billion over three years that outline the unique early learning and child care needs that will be addressed and funding allocation for each jurisdiction.

The Governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island have signed an early learning and child care bilateral agreement. Through this three-year bilateral agreement, the Government of Prince Edward Island will receive $10.5 million for investments towards expanding spaces (particularly infant spaces), supporting children with unique needs and vulnerable families who can benefit the most from high-quality learning and care and responding to the longstanding needs of Island families who have seasonal jobs or work shiftwork.

By the end of the three-year agreement, this funding will:

increase access for under-served children and children who are more vulnerable, including infants, preschoolers, children whose parents work non-standard hours and/or seasonally and children in newcomer families;

increase early learning and child care supports for the more vulnerable children, including children with unique abilities and children in Acadian and Francophone communities; and

increase the quality of early learning and child care experiences provided to children from staff by offering training supports to early learning and child care staff.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For further information: For media enquiries, please contact: Emilie Gauduchon-Campbell, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P., Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, 819-654-5546; Jean Doherty, Senior Communications Officer, Department of Education, Early Learning and Culture, 902-368-6449; For general information, please contact: Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
Alex Wong and his brother Mark embark on a journey to visit every Canadian RMHC House and Family Room and raise $20,000 for families with sick children

VANCOUVER, Aug. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - For many families with sick children, travelling to a hospital far away from home can be a long journey. Last week, Alex Wong and his brother Mark began their own long journey in support of the 25,000 families each year who stay at Ronald McDonald Houses across the country to be close to their sick child.

The trip was conceived while Alex was volunteering at the RMHC House in Vancouver, BC. There, he met Brooke Malakoff, a young teenager with cancer. Though she was far away from home and facing an incredibly difficult battle, Alex was inspired by her positive outlook and moved by her continuing passion for giving back to the community.

Tragically, Brooke lost her battle with cancer. Her spirit of generosity however lives on in Alex, and in her memory he and his brother hope their cross-country drive will make a difference for the thousands of families like hers who have benefited from the support and care of RMHC.

"Volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House was a life-changing experience," says Wong. "I hope Mark and I can inspire people across the country to take part in more community initiatives and to give back in the spirit of community."

A tribute to families

Having started in Victoria, BC, Alex and Mark are driving across Canada to St. John's, Newfoundland. But they won't just be raising $20,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada, the national foundation of support for RMHC Houses and Family Rooms coast-to-coast. They're also planning on visiting all 15 of the Houses and 16 Family Rooms along the way, paying tribute to the staff, volunteers, donors andmost of allfamilies.

"We are deeply grateful to Alex and his brother Mark," says Cathy Loblaw, President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities. "Together they're showing us the meaning of families helping families and are inspiring each of us to help RMHC families across Canada."

Every year, Canada's Ronald McDonald Houses and Family Rooms help families find the comfort and care they need while their sick child is being treated at a nearby hospital.

"What I learned from Brooke was that it's up to all of us to keep pushing ourselves to better our communities," continues Wong. "We can't always be at home, but by making a difference one family at a time, we can help build the feeling of home wherever we are."

To follow Alex's journey, visit RMHC on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RMHCCanada/

To donate in honour of Brooke and the 25,000 families across Canada who find a home at RMHC, please visit https://www.rmhccanada.ca/fundraiser/360.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada (RMHC Canada)

RMHC Canada is the national foundation of support for Canada's 15 Ronald McDonald Houses, 16 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms and 2 Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles across the country. Collectively, these programs support over 25,000 families each year, providing access to quality health care and enabling family-centered care. All, by keeping families close  one family at a time.

The 15 Ronald McDonald Houses across the country provide a home for out-of-town families whose children are being treated at a nearby hospital, while the 16 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms offer families a place to rest and recharge right inside the hospital. Completing our circle of support are 2 Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles, mobile health units that bring medical care to underserved communities in Alberta.

As our founding and forever partner, and RMHC's largest donor, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada, their franchisees and guests, generously provides over $10 million annually to help support the RHMC network of programs for families with sick children across Canada. For more information, visit: www.rmhc.ca.

SOURCE Ronald McDonald House Charities of Canada

For further information: Media contacts: For more information, contact: Allison Goodman, 416-642-7943, [email protected]
Youll recognize the classic Chinese flavor pairing of sesame, soy and white pepper on these sweet and sour pork chops.

White pepper is more mild and earthy than black pepper, but either will work here.
Christine Stuart / ctnewsjunkie

HARTFORD >> Two Republican lawmakers said its ridiculous that state election regulators would subpoena them to show up for a hearing this week that they welcomed more than two years ago.

Sen. Joe Markley, R-Southington, and Rep. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott, refused to settle complaints with the state Elections Enforcement Commission regarding their references to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in their 2014 campaign materials.
Connecticut Magazine has scoured the state to find the best Connecticut has to offer in regards to food & drink, fun & leisure and shopping. In total, the magazine has announced 213 winners.

Some of the winners include:
The Washington Post's travel writers and editors recently discussed stories, questions, gripes and more. Here are edited excerpts:

Q: My flight was delayed for maintenance and I put my name on the standby list for the next one out. I watched my spot change from number three on the list to number four, then back to three again 15 minutes later. How does that happen? Are there certain categories of passengers who can "bump" you from your spot in the queue?

A: Those lists are managed by computers, which assign the seats based on factors such as connections and elite status. You may have been (temporarily) bumped by a traveler with platinum status or one who needed to make a connection to an overseas flight.

- Christopher Elliott

Q: I'm in the very earliest stages of planning a trip to Croatia - probably mostly in/around Dubrovnik. The airfares I'm seeing don't seem to fluctuate a whole lot based on time of year. Any suggestions for best times of year to visit, if flight cost is fairly constant?

A: The best time to visit is during the shoulder seasons: May and June and September and October. Summer is a madhouse - avoid if you can!

- Andrea Sachs

Q: I'm in charge of planning a seven to eight day trip to Ireland in the spring for three couples, one from New Mexico, one from Colorado and one from Washington D.C. I'm not sure where to start. We've traveled together before, quite successfully, and the top items are always outdoor activities (hiking), history and culture. Shopping and high end dining are at the bottom of the list. We like comfortable but not over the top accommodations (no shared bathrooms). Last concern is avoiding moving from hotel to hotel - two moves max.

A: Ireland is fairly easy to visit. Not sure what airports they are flying from, but if you all want to meet in Ireland, figure out what airlines service their respective cities into Dublin. From Washington, Aer Lingus will likely be best bet. Start in Dublin for a couple days and then head out from there. If someone feels confident driving on the "wrong" side of the road, rent a car. If not, you may want to book an independent package that includes a driver. Look at packages offered via Aer Lingus, CIE Tours, Irish Tourism, Monogram, etc. As for accommodations, bed & breakfast vouchers may be a good fit. If you only want to stay in two places, I'd start in Dublin and then head southwest to Cork and surrounding area.

- Carol Sottili

Q: I'm a planner and always thought that buying airline tickets in advance is the best way to get a low cost. Is that still the correct wisdom? Seems like today last-minute fares, while a little risky for getting the flight times or connections you really want, might be the way to go. What is the best strategy these days?

A: Waiting until the last minute can be risky. I would try to buy tickets at least two weeks in advance, to ensure you get the lowest fare.

- C.E.

Q: I'm not familiar with WOW. What is its reputation?

A: WOW is a very budget airline with strict baggage restrictions, so be careful what you pack or you might end up paying twice as much. But the airline has a good rep, otherwise.

- A.S.

Q: I was on a long haul flight (from Hong Kong back to the U.S.) and the woman next to me paid for internet to be able to video chat her boyfriend. For five hours. I thought that part of the reason for the cell phone ban was that conversations on a plane was something that the airlines did not want to have. Is this a loophole or should these websites be banned during flight? I saw almost no flight attendants during my flight, so was unable to ask their opinion.

A: The latest FAA Reauthorization bill only bans cell phone use on planes by passengers, but as I read it, does not apply to computer-based videoconferencing.

- C.E.

Q: I booked a room months ago at a moderately priced national chain hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, to see the total eclipse. My original confirmed reservation was for five nights at an average rate of around $120 per night. I called the chain's national reservations line a week before the event to trim the stay to four nights, and the agent cheerfully processed the change without telling me about the catch: The property would apply their current rates to my remaining dates as if it was a new booking.

The confirmation email informed me that the hotel had increased their rate for the night before the eclipse to more than $1300 (more than 10 times), and had nearly doubled the other nights. I complained to the corporation's guest relations office, which reviewed their recording of my call (when the voice says "this call may be recorded..." they mean it) and confirmed that the agent hadn't told me about the exorbitant price increase. They then asked for an adjustment from the hotel, whose manager refused to budge. I canceled and found a better hotel elsewhere for more than I had originally planned, but nowhere close to what this place was demanding. How can they do that? What would prevent the hotel from raising the rates on everyone whenever they want? Why couldn't they tell arriving guests "By the way, we've added a $1,000 eclipse fee." I note that this was a corporate-owned property, not a franchise, so theoretically the corporation should have been able to overrule their manager, but didn't. Do I have any recourse?

A: Unfortunately, that's a common practice in the hotel industry. You did right thing by cancelling and rebooking at another property. I don't know if there was any way around it.

- C.E.
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WEDNESDAY, Sept. 6

12:35 p.m. Bar expands LandLine for Harvey victims

The Houston Bar Association has expanded its LegalLine to assist those affected by Hurricane Harvey and set up a toll-free line for Texans outside the Houston area, the group said in a news release.

Volunteer attorneys will answer phone calls from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, through Sept. 29. Extended LegalLine hours will be available from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday Sept. 6 and Sept. 20.

Those seeking answers to legal questions or referrals may call 713-759-1133 or 1-866-959-1133.

The HBA's Houston Volunteer Lawyers is working with Lone Star Legal Aid to coordinate legal aid for low-income persons affected by Harvey.

Information: www.makejusticehappen.org/Harvey

12:20 p.m. VA deploys mobile vet centers, medical units to Houston area

The VA has deployed five mobile vet centers, three mobile medical units, one mobile pharmacy and one mobile canteen to greater Houston and other areas affected by tropical storm Harvey. The units will offer medical care, pharmacy assistance, counseling services and benefits referral from Wednesday Sept. 6 to Sept. 30. The hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

They are located at NRG Arena, 1 NRG Park (mobile vet center); American Legion Post 658, 14890 FM 2100, Crosby (mobile vet center); Silsbee High School, 1575 U.S. 96 North, Silsbee (mobile medical unit); the Beaumont VA Outpatient Clinic, 3420 Plaza Circle, Beaumont (mobile medical unit, vet center and canteen); the Lone Star Veterans Association, 2929 McKinney St., Houston (mobile medical unit, vet center and pharmacy); and Wal-Mart, 23561 U.S. 59, Porter (mobile vet center).

Veterans may also call the Telecare Call Center at 1-800-639-5137 or 713-794-8985 for medical issues or questions

11:50 a.m. House approves $7.9 billion initial aid package for Harvey losses

The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to provide $7.9 billion in aid to address losses from Hurricane Harvey, a move that could be paired with legislation to increase the federal government's borrowing limit.

The initial aid package, approved 419-3, is bigger than the amount floated by the White House over the weekend when President Donald Trump made his second trip to Texas in the wake of the storm. But divisions remain among House and Senate Republicans about tying the aid to the debt-limit increase.

The Senate is expected to attach the money to a debt-limit vote later this week. Conservatives in the House and Senate, including Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, have voiced concern about linking the two votes, which Cruz called "unrelated matters."

Senior Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, the Republican Majority Whip, said he supports the plan as a way to immediately replenish needed funds for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

11:45 a.m. Postal service continuing its Harvey recovery

The U.S. Postal Service says its continuing the recovery from Hurricane Harvey

"We're open for business and delivering where it's accessible and safe to do so," the postal service said in a statement Wednesday morning.

The following offices have resumed normal operations: Brazoria, Lumberton, Sweeny and Thompsons, the postal service said in a news release on Tuesday. All offices in the Houston District have resumed normal operations except for Bear Creek, Deweyville, downtown Beaumont, Glen Flora, Katy, Mauriceville, Nome, Orange and Stowell. The operations for these offices have shifted to other locations.

The postal service urges customers in affected areas to check its website for updates on service interruptions. Updates on service alerts may be found at: http://about.usps.com/news/service-alerts/resident-weather-updates.htm

Those interested in information about a specific post office may call 1-800 ASK-USPS.

11:25 .a.m. Police look for man who went missing during storm

Houston police are looking for a 44-year-old man who went missing as he tried to drive to work on Aug. 26, as Tropical Storm Harvey was moving into the Houston area.

Police said Joseph Dowell left for work at around 2:30 p.m. from the 5600 block of Kennilwood but never made it to work. He is described as a bald African-American man who is 5 foot 9 and 190 pounds. Anyone with information is asked to call the missing persons unit at 832-394-1840.

11:12 a.m. H-E-B family member donates $5M to J.J. Watt's relief fund

A member of the H-E-B family has announced a major donation to Houston Texans star J.J. Watt's Houston Flood Relief Fund.

H-E-B chairman and CEO Charles Butt will deliver a personal, $5 million contribution to the Justin J. Watt Foundation's fund, which has collected in excess of $21 million. This looks to be one of the largest personal contributions so far going toward Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

Watt's fund started last week with a modest total of $100,000 and has now become a global effort with contributions by fellow sports figures, celebrities, business owners and regular people chipping in what they can.

11:10 a.m. Nonprofit focuses on children's needs after Harvey

The nonprofit group Children at Risk was to host a meeting with more than 20 area non-profit leaders on Wednesday morning to discuss Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts.

"As we rebuild our homes, schools and communities, it is imperative to focus on our most vulnerable residents  children," the group said in a news release. "The leaders have identified 6 key areas that Texas must be aware of as we move forward with recovery efforts."



11:01 a.m. Abbott says no hazardous waste sites in Houston area found leaking so far

AUSTIN  Gov. Abbott said Tuesday that an inspection of hazardous waste sites and landfills in the Houston area has found no evidence so far of any leakage or health threats.

At a morning briefing with reporters at the state's Emergency Operations Center, Abbott said five of 17 state sites have been inspected and show no signs of leakage or other issues so far. He said one site, International Creosote, remains flooded.

Eleven others are awaiting inspection, officials said. Abbott said inspections are continuing at the state sites.

Abbott said Texas Commission on Environmental Quality are working closely with federal Environmental Protection Agency officials to closely monitor the sites for any problems.

MONDAY, Sept. 4

9:45 p.m. 500 homes "destroyed" in south Montgomery County subdivision

Five-hundred homes were "destroyed" by Hurricane Harvey in the south Montgomery County subdivision of River Plantation, said Montgomery County Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley.

Riley said volunteers, county employees and law enforcement are conducting relief efforts there, and members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency are helping victims get federal aid.

9:20 p.m. Addicks, Barker reservoirs continue to drop

Addicks and Barker reservoir continued to drop Monday night. Flooding of homes behind the dams was expected to end in the coming days.

Addicks reservoir's pool was down to 105.65 feet. At 103.4 feet, all house flooding should end, said Harris County Flood Control District meteorologist Jeff Lindner.

Barker's level was at 97.99 feet. At 94.9 feet, flooding behind Barker should end, Lindner said.

8:05 p.m. Two Harris County flood victims identified

The Harris County medical examiner on Monday identified two victims of last week's Harvey-related flooding. They had been included previously in the number of confirmed dead in the county, which now stands at 30.

The first victim is Charles Ray James, 65, who was found floating in high waters on a residential street in the 7400 block of Claiborne on Thursday. The second is Samuel Lawrence Burns, Sr., 62, who was found Wednesday in the 4900 block of Airline Drive after apparently collapsing in high water.

More than 60 people in the Houston area and other parts of the state have died since Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Aug. 25 and unleashed record flooding.



7:50 p.m. Harris County warns of heavy traffic, signal delays during Tuesday's commute

Harris County officials warned that road closures and traffic signal timings would likely create a significant traffic headache Tuesday morning.

Houston area roads are expected to see the highest number of cars Tuesday since Hurricane Harvey made landfall Aug. 25.

There are still several roads closed in Harris County including State Highway 6, Barker Cypress Road, North Eldridge Parkway and Clay Road all north of I-10. Parts of Westheimer Parkway, South Barker Cypress Road and other roads near the Harris County border with Fort Bend County are also closed.

Traffic signals will have special timing schedules to accommodate for traffic altered due to road closures.

7:25 p.m. Houston mayor to decide on curfew Tuesday

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said he would make a decision on whether to extend a citywide curfew on Tuesday.

The curfew prohibits people from leaving their homes between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. It is in effect Monday night.

Turner will announce on Tuesday whether it will remain in effect Tuesday night and beyond.

"Persons involved in flood relief efforts, flood relief volunteers, individuals seeking shelters, first responders, and persons going to and from work (late shift workers) are exempt from the curfew," according to the city.

6:45 p.m. Brazoria County bans recreational boating on Brazos, San Bernard Rivers

Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta issued an order Monday banning recreational boating on the Brazos River, San Bernard River, Oyster Creek and Bastrop Bayou.

The order was signed in "an effort to minimize damage to real and personal property of others and for public safety during this disaster," according to a county notice. It would remain in effect until Sebesta rescinds the order or the disaster declaration for the county is removed.

The Brazos had retreated to moderate flood stage earlier in the day, days after reaching a record height.

6 p.m. Army Corps reducing releases from Barker dam

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began reducing the amount of water released from Barker reservoir Sunday night, a move that continued Monday and promised to reduce widespread flooding in west Houston along Buffalo Bayou downstream of Addicks and Barker dams.

As of Monday evening, Barker reservoir was releasing between 5,000 and 6,000 cubic feet per second of water, down from 6,300 CFS in the days before.

Once the Barker releases get down to 4,000 CFS, the Corps said it would begin decreasing releases from Addicks "until we have our releases back below the high banks of Buffalo Bayou," said Richard Long, Natural Resource Management Specialist at the Corps' Galveston District.

The goal, eventually, is to get releases down to 4,000 CFS combined from Addicks and Barker dams.

5:10 p.m. Face recognition software matching pictures of lost pets with those found in shelters

People who lost their pets during Hurricane Harvey can upload the pet's picture into an app that will use facial recognition to match the pictures with animals checked into shelters in recent days.

Photos of animals arriving in shelters are being uploaded into a database.

If someone has lost their pet, they can upload a picture of the pet to findingrover.com or the Finding Rover smartphone app.

An algorithm will try to make a match and provide the pet's potential location. The service is free for shelters and pet owners.

Our Mihir Zaveri has the full story here.

5 p.m. FEMA extends grace period for paying flood insurance premiums

If your flood insurance premium payments were due between July 24 and Sept. 22, and you live in a county that was included in a presidential disaster declaration after Hurricane Harvey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended a grace period by which you can pay your premium.

The grace period is now 120 days, according to FEMA. That means you won't lose coverage if you can't make your payment right away, up to 120 days from when it's due.

"FEMA wants to ensure that policyholders affected by flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey can focus on their immediate needs, begin to recover, and continue to have flood insurance coverage in the event of additional flooding," the agency stated in a notice Monday.

The agency also made it easier to receive payments faster and waived some paperwork necessary to process claims.

Read more here.

4:45 p.m. City of Houston: Cleaning after Hurricane Harvey may pose health hazards

People 7-years-of-age and older with cuts or other wounds should get a tetanus shot and see a doctor if they were exposed to Hurricane Harvey's floodwaters, city officials warned.

The officials said: residents should use special, N-95 rated dust masks when cleaning moldy homes that took on floodwaters.

Surfaces should be washed with soap and clean, warm water and sanitized with bleach.

Any standing water should be drained so disease-carrying mosquitoes cannot breed, the officials warned.

3:30 p.m. FEMA registrations up to more than 550,000

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Sunday it has received more than 550,000 applications for aid in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey.

FEMA has so far granted applications for 176,000 people. Aid totals include $50 million for housing assistance, including rental assistance and $91 million to replace personal property, pay for transportation and shoulder medical and dental costs.

The agency also opened a disaster recovery center at the George R. Brown Convention Center that will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week until further notice. Those affected can apply for assistance, get a status update on an application, speak to a FEMA representative, or discuss a low-interest disaster loan with a Small Business Administrative representative.

3:15 p.m. Harris County begins debris removal

Harris County began removing debris from outside of people's homes Monday.

Officials said residents should place debris curbside "without blocking roadway or storm drains" and sort it into the following categories: vegetative debris, construction and demolition debris, appliances and electronics.

Debris that won't be picked up includes normal household trash and hazardous waste.

Those with questions are encouraged to call (713) 274-3880 or can find more information here.

3:02 p.m.: Gov. Abbott asks that 7 counties added to presidential disaster area

Gov. Greg Abbott asked that seven counties be added to the Federal Disaster Declaration previously granted by FEMA, bringing the total request to 43 counties.

The new additions are Austin, Bastrop, DeWitt, Gonzales, Karnes, Lavaca and Lee counties.

11:48 a.m. East of Houston, death toll rises to 17

The Southeast Texas death toll from Harvey rose to 17 on Monday, the Beaumont Enterprise reports.

Newton County Sheriff Billy Rowles said a Deweyville man and a Newton woman have died in his county due to floodwaters.

Orange County officials said Sunday there have been nine storm-related deaths in the county so far. Four of the deaths were elderly people and possibly related to a power outage, according to officials.

"If you have a friend or family member that did not leave areas that were impacted by the rising waters and you have not heard from them, we urge you to contact your local law enforcement."

Port Arthur spokeswoman Risa Carpenter said an elderly woman's body was found inside her home on 22nd Street in Port Arthur on Saturday.

Colette Sulcer, 41, died after being pulled from rushing waters with her 3-year-old daughter clinging to her side on Tuesday in Beaumont. The girl survived. A second woman, who was found on the city's low-lying North End early Wednesday, has not been identified. Rescue teams found a body floating in the 8600 block of Overhill Lane Wednesday evening. Police did not identify the person.

On Tuesday night, Russell Barnes, 51, and Ginger Barnes, 34, both of Alvin, were killed in Jasper County when a tree fell on their truck.

10:15 a.m. Convicts return to 2 prisons near Richmond

State officials on Monday began returning 1,400 convicts to two prisons near Richmond that were evacuated a week ago because of flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey.

Jason Clark, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said transfers of prisoners to the Jester 3 and Vance units began around dawn from prisons in South Texas, after the two lockups near the Brazos River were determined to be safe.

The two prisons had been among five that were evacuated beginning two weeks ago because of record flooding southwest of Houston after Harvey began dumping up to 51 inches of rain on the area as it moved ashore.

More than 5,900 convicts were relocated in secure buses accompanied by correctional officers and other corrections staff. Clark said no decision has been made on when convicts will return to the three remaining prisons that were evacuated -- Stringfellow, Ramsey and Terrell.



9:55 a.m. Brazos River still high, but retreating

Days after cresting at a record-high water level, the Brazos River has retreated to the moderate flood stage level.

Monday measurements from the National Weather Service show the river at a height of 49.6 feet, a read that puts it just below the major flood stage.

The river topped 55 feet for the first time ever last week, devastating towns and neighborhoods throughout Fort Bend and Brazoria counties.

The NWS expects the river's water level will fall into the minor flooding stage by Tuesday, and then rapidly decrease throughout the week.

9:34 a.m. Man with Alzheimer's reported missing since Friday

A 63-year-old man with early onset Alzheimer's disease has been missing since last week.

The family of James Simmon said he was last seen around 6 p.m. Friday in the 1600 block of Castle Court, in south Montrose.

Simmon is 5'9 and white, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a yellow plaid shirt, blue jeans and a Houston Astros hat when he was last seen.

Simmon was the Houston Chronicle's political editor from 1990 to 1994 and the editor of the Houston Press from 1994 to 1998, according to his LinkedIn page. He was last the city editor of the Bryan Eagle.

Anyone with information should call Houston Police Department's Missing Persons Unit at 832-394-1840.



9:04 a.m. After reports of scams, Houston police accompany Energy Insights employees

Uniformed first responders will now be accompanying Energy Insights employees as they work to shut off power in flooded homes around Harris County.

The move, Police Chief Art Acevedo tweeted Sunday, is in response to reports of people impersonating Energy Insights employees.

"(Legitimate employees) are not shutting off power in houses not flooded," he wrote. "Don't open doors. ... Call 911 if you spot impostors."

8:37 a.m. Fort Bend County ends curfew

Fort Bend County has ended its curfew meant to protect evacuated properties and their owners.

County Judge Bob Hebert lifted the order Sunday, and also announced that mandatory evacuation orders for districts in the county that operate levees were ended. Such orders are still in effect for some neighborhoods along the Barker Reservoir, and Hebert warned that "individual neighborhoods and homes may still pose hazards" such as "displaced animals, contaminated flood waters and unstable structures."

8:21 a.m. Houston Theater District closes underground parking

The underground parking garages in Houston's Theater District are closed until further notice due to flooding, the Houston First Corporation said Sunday.

"Houston First is assessing damages, and working with contractors to safely and efficiently pump water out of the garages," HFC said in a press release. "Although the pumping process has begun, full restoration of the garages could take weeks."

HFC said it will in the meantime make available 2,000 spaces in other parking facilities nearby. The closed underground parking lots span 18 underground blocks, and have more than 3,350 parking spaces.

7:49 a.m. Chance of more rain through Wednesday

The Houston area could see more rain and thunderstorms this week, according to the National Weather Service.

The Labor Day forecast is dry and hot, with highs expected near 90 degrees during the day.

More rain could come Tuesday, according to NWS, with a 20 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms, and a high of 91 degrees. Chances for rain will climb to 40 percent Tuesday evening, and dip down to 20 percent Wednesday.

The forecast for Wednesday night through Sunday is for clear skies, with highs in the high 80s and lows around 60.

7:45 a.m. Evacuation zone lifted near Crosby chemical plant after 'controlled burn'

A day after a controlled burn destroyed six final trailers of decomposing chemicals, authorities lifted the 1.5-mile evacuation zone around the troubled Arkema chemical plant in Crosby.

The company announced the decision early Monday morning in a press release crediting the Crosby Fire Department and unified command.

"Arkema thanks the unified command for their hard work and professionalism to ensure the safety of all during the post-Hurricane Harvey period," the statement said.

"Arkema will continue to work with its neighbors and the community to recover from the substantial impact of Hurricane Harvey."

SUNDAY, Sept. 3

10:21 p.m.: Gov. Abbott meets with Sen. Cornyn, Reps. McCarthy and McCaul to discuss Harvey

Elected officials committed themselves to help victims of Harvey at a meeting on Sunday and discussed Congress' response to the storm, Gov. Greg Abbott's office said.

Attendees committed to act "swiftly" to pass a funding measure that would help Texans, a statement read.

Attendees included U.S. Reps. Kevin McCarthy and Michael McCaul.

Monday, Cornyn planned to join House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and U.S. Reps. Randy Weber and Brian Babin in Beaumont for a briefing from emergency management officials on conditions in that inundated city.

9:17 p.m.: Houston trash pickup requires moving cars

City of Houston officials urged residents to move vehicles, trailers and debris from the roadways as they prepare to pick up trash on Monday.

Crews will begin work at 7 a.m. in Fosters Mill on Monday. A separate convoy will start at Kings Point on 7 a.m. Monday. Additional trucks will move to Kings Point after completing work at Barrington.

Any trash blocked by a vehicle will not be picked up, city officials said.

9:08 p.m.: City of contrasts: Some Houston residents in crisis, others find normal

In west Houston late Sunday morning, first responders went door-to-door to ensure people had evacuated homes still flooded more than a week after Hurricane Harvey roared through Texas. At that moment, in a dry neighborhood across town, a few dozen residents were enjoying brunch at Pax Americana: Brisket hash, honey-butter chicken, cold mimosas.

More than a week after the worst disaster in state history, Houston officials and residents began confronting a city of contrasts: Between those spared by Harvey, and those still in crisis. Between aiding people in need, and returning to business as usual. Between starting the rebuilding process, and pausing to reconsider the cost of unmitigated development.

For our full story, click here.

8:40 p.m.: Missing volunteer pulled from Cypress Creek



Nearly four days after Harvey's record flooding slammed a rescue boat into an Interstate 45 frontage road bridge, family members of the final, missing volunteer pulled his body from Cypress Creek in Spring.

Alonso Guillen, a 31-year-old disc jockey from Lufkin, disappeared on Wednesday around midnight along with two friends after their boat hit the bridge over the creek and capsized. One of them was rescued after clinging to a tree in the rushing water, but days later, after the rains let up and the creek level receded, Guillen and Tomas Carreon Jr. were still missing.

For the full story, click here.

8:21 p.m.: Mayor Turner: Houston is open for business

In west Houston late Sunday morning, first responders went door-to-door to ensure people had evacuated homes still flooded more than a week after Hurricane Harvey roared through Texas.

More than a week after the worst disaster in state history, Houston officials and residents began confronting a city of contrasts: Between those spared by Harvey, and those still in crisis. Between aiding people in need, and returning to business as usual. Between starting the rebuilding process, and pausing to reconsider the cost of unmitigated development.

A day after issuing a mandatory evacuation order for 300 people in flooded parts of west Houston  one of several areas that are likely to remain inundated for weeks longer  Mayor Sylvester Turner went on national Sunday talk shows with a bullish message for those thinking about visiting his beleaguered city.

"The airport system is up and running. The transit system is up and running. We've started picking up heavy debris," Turner said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "Let me be very, very clear," he added. "The city of Houston is open for business."

8:17 p.m.: Numbers in George R. Brown, NRG Center dwindling

About 1,000 people are living in the George R. Brown Convention Center, and about 2,700 people are in the NRG Center as of Sunday, officials said.

The City of Houston said it aims to relocate the last 1,000 people by the end of the week.

So far, Harris County officials said, about 2,275 people have been relocated from the NRG Center.

There are 171 volunteers on site, those officials said.

6:37 p.m.: Fort Bend curfew, evacuation updates

The curfew in the unincorporated areas of Fort Bend County has been lifted, that sheriff's office said at 6:32 p.m. Sunday.

That office also said that the Levee Improvement District evacuation orders have been lifted. The county's Office for Emergency Management warned that there still could be flooded roads, fallen trees, displaced animals and standing water.

Low-lying areas near the Brazos and San Bernard rivers are still under voluntary evacuation.

"The conditions have improved enough to warrant a cautious lifting of these orders for much of the county," stated Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert, who also lifted the county's curfew.

6:30 p.m.: The Red Cross has updated emergency support figures

Saturday night, at least 32,399 people sought refuge in 226 Red Cross and partner shelters across Texas overnight. The Red Cross is also assisting the Louisiana state government with an emergency shelter which hosted nearly 1,700 people .

More than 2,700 Red Cross disaster workers are on the ground, and more than 660 are on the way.

Shelter supplies to support more than 85,000 people are on the ground.

Along with its partners, Red Cross served more than a half million (515,000) meals and snacks since the storm began.



5:39 p.m.: Mexican government says Harvey help to arrive by Tuesday

Amb. Carlos Sada, Mexico's undersecretary of foreign Affairs for North America, said Texas officials on Saturday night cleared the way for Mexican relief teams to begin arriving by Tuesday.

"We are ready to jump in and help as soon as possible," Sada said.

The Mexican government will send high-clearance trucks, all-terrain vehicles, cargo aircraft, boats, communications equipment, large generators, mobile community kitchens and a mobile water treatment plant.

For the full story, click here.

5:27: First Disaster Recovery Center opens in Houston

The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Sunday opened its first Disaster Recovery Center in Houston. The center is on the north end of the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown.

The agency is working to identify locations for additional centers, where residents affected by Tropical Storm Harvey can apply for aid, ask questions or resolve problems, said agency spokesman Peter Herrick Jr.

The center at the George R. Brown is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Another center opened Sunday at 1303 W. Gayle St. in the town of Edna, near Victoria southwest of Houston. It's open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Herrick said.

5:02 p.m.: Shippin' down from Boston

Nine truckloads of food, formula, toiletries and blankets from the City of Boston will arrive at 9 p.m. at the Houston Food Bank.

Ed Emmett, Harris County Judge, said he would greet the trucks, backed by Marty Walsh, Boston's mayor.

Boston collected goods from Tuesday through Friday, the city said in a release.

4:13 p.m.: Last six Arkema chemical containers ignited

Arkema Inc. is igniting the remaining six containers of chemicals at its Crosby plant, a spokeswoman for the Harris County Fire Marshal's office said Sunday afternoon.

She declined to comment on how the company is setting off these six vehicles.

"They've started the operation," spokeswoman Rachel Moreno said.

Crosby residents should expect to see visible smoke around the area, she said. A 1.5-mile radius surrounding the plant has been evacuated.

The fire marshal's office called Arkema's ignition of the containers "a proactive approach to minimize the impacts to the community."

Company officials, who said they made the decision to set off the last six containers, said they believe that the chemicals in the trailers have been decomposing. Without the vehicles catching flames, however, they would not be able to know if the the chemicals are totally neutralized, spokesman Jeff Carr said.

For the full story, click here.

4:04 p.m.: Most Metro HOT lanes open Tuesday

Most HOT lanes managed by Metropolitan Transit Authority will reopen on Tuesday, officials said Sunday.

The one exception will be along Interstate 45, where officials are still evaluating the safety of the lanes.

All park and ride service will also resume after the Labor Day holiday on Monday. Along I-45, service will be detoured, but operational.

As of Sunday, Metro said 70 bus routes are in service, along with most rail service. The Red Line is running along all stops, while Green and Purple line trains are not running through the central business district.

3:26 p.m.: Navajo Nation to distribute supplies

Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye and Vice President Jonathan Nez picked up toiletries, hygiene items, non-perishable food and school supplies at the First Indian Baptist Church of Houston.

They plan to distribute these goods to Navajo families in need. Right now, they're on the way to a Meyerland home, said Mihio Manus, a spokesman.

12:44 p.m.: So much water, it skipped a watershed

Storms and flooding from Harvey became so severe, water on the Colorado River jumped into the neighboring San Bernard watershed, according to the National Weather Service.

As they analyze flows from the rivers and watersheds, officials said Sunday it appeared levels in the Colorado plateaued, as San Bernard levels remained higher than officials predicted.

The conclusion of researchers was that Colorado water reached the watershed's natural peak and spilled into the San Bernard.

11:36 a.m.: Coast Guard says most ports are open

Most channels of the ports, including the Galveston Bay Entrance, are now open both day and night, the Coast Guard confirmed Sunday. The Houston Ship Channel is open from the entrance channel to Baytown Highlands, but only for vessels with a maximum 40-foot draft. The Houston Ship Channel above the Baytown Highlands is open to towing vessels transits.

At the Port of Freeport vessels with under a 38-foot draft can arrive during daylight. The Galveston Harbor and Texas City are also open, but only for vessels with a maximum 37-foot draft.

Bolivar Roads Anchorages A, B, and C are open at the pilot's discretion. The Coast Guard warns that there is a short duration use for bunkering and inspections.

11:16 a.m.: FEMA updates relief figures, 37,000 still in shelters

More than 37,000 spent the night in Texas shelters as the state slowly digs out from the fierce storms that flooded neighborhoods and sent thousands scrambling for higher ground.

In a Sunday morning update, FEMA officials said President Donald Trumps approval of disaster assistance authorized the federal government to pick up 90 percent of the cost of debris removal, something officials anticipate will strain area landfills and heavy haul trucking companies.

In the meantime, the Red Cross and others are caring for evacuees along the Texas coast at more than 270 shelters. FEMA has given Texas over the past days 4.7 meals, 4.3 million liters of water, 13,900 blankets and 13,400 cots.

10:59 a.m.: Dam releases continuing, with no further home flooding envisioned

Controlled releases continue from Addicks and Barker reservoirs, as city officials tamp down concerns that more homes could flood as waters recede.

A combined 13,300 cubic feet of water is flowing from the two reservoirs each second, according to the Harris County Flood Control District. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is managing the reservoirs.

As a result of the flows, flood control officials said the pools behind Addicks and Barker are shrinking, though it will be up to two weeks before homes impacted are out of the water.

In the meantime, officials do not expect more homes to flood downstream along Buffalo Bayou. City officials called for mandatory evacuations on Saturday, which led some to worry more flooding was imminent.

Houston District G Councilman Greg Travis sent notes Sunday trying to tamp down the concerns.

Let me make this simple: Do you have standing water in your house? If NO, then your power will NOT be cut and you do NOT have to evacuate this morning, Travis office wrote in a message to residents.

Mayor Sylvester Turner said the evacuations were necessary to ensure safety of residents and first responders. Electricity to the area was being shut off to protect everyone from downed lines.

10:35 a.m.: First-responders going door-to-door in West Houston mandatory evacuation area

CenterPoint and first responders are walking the flooded areas marked for mandatory evacuation in west Houston to determine where power needs to be shut off.

The area in question is from State Highway 6 to South Gessner and From Highway 10 south to Briar Forest. Residents in that area who have water in their homes are being asked to evacuate as soon as possible.

All CenterPoint employees will be accompanied by a law enforcement officer of someone from the fire department.

8:42 a.m.: Officials optimistic and cautious about Harvey rebuild

As Houston dries out, Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a trio of national television appearances he doesnt want its businesses to dry up.

The City of Houston is open for business, Turner told CBS Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan.

Municipal workers report back on Tuesday, after the Memorial Day holiday, and Turner said the long rebuilding process will continue as Houston roars back to life.

I am expecting employers to open and employees to get back to work, he said.

Turner, however, did not diminish the gravity of what lies ahead. Debris piles the size of railcars must be hauled away from some inundated communities. He told Meet the Press host Chuck Todd that simply cleaning up could take 10 days, while rebuilding is poised to last much longer.

"What we need is rapid repair housing, so people can stay in their homes while they make the bigger repairs, Turner told Todd.

The rebuild, however, might not be a return to Houston exactly as it has been, according to Gov. Greg Abbott.

It would be insane for us to rebuild on property that has been flooded multiple times, Abbott told ABC News Martha Raddatz.  I think everybody probably is in agreement that there are better strategies that we must employ.

Meanwhile, Abbott, Turner and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz both applauded the way the community pulled together in crisis as they made the television rounds.

People are hurting, Cruz told Raddatz. But in the face of that disaster we have seen incredible bravery.

7:56 a.m.: Four rescued from fierce Neches River waters

Four boaters stranded without fuel upstream from Beaumont on the Neches River were plucked from the waters by a U.S. Coast Guard recovery team on Saturday night, Jefferson County officials said.

The boaters called emergency dispatchers around 10:45 p.m., saying they believed they were about five or six miles upstream from Beaumonts Riverfront Park, tied off to a tree. A Coast Guard helicopter spotted the four, and sent a swift water rescue team to their location to pick them up.

The Neches River is still a danger for boaters, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office said in a release. The current is swift and turbulent. That coupled with floating debris makes it very hazardous.

SATURDAY, Sept. 2

11:50 p.m. Mail delivery resumes in some neighborhoods

The U.S. Postal Service is trying to get back to normal delivery in Houston. But first, it'll deliver some mail on Sunday.

The Oak Forest post office, at 2499 Judiway, will resume delivery to Oak Forest residents on Sunday after a several-day interruption. At first, door-to-door service will include just the most urgent mail: checks and medications.

In other neighborhoods, the post office still isn't able to deliver. But about three dozen post offices are now open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily (including weekends) so residents can pick up U.S. Treasury checks and "identifiable medications." Customers must present proper ID to receive items. Get the full list of pickup stations here.

10:20 p.m. Fort Bend County lifts mandatory evacuation for some areas in Barker Reservoir

Some residents can reenter their homes near the Barker Reservoir in Fort Bend County, while others are still under a mandatory evacuation order.

For a list of which areas no longer are under mandatory evacuation, click here.

County officials caution that even though the evacuation order is lifted, returning may not be safe.

"Many neighborhoods within the Barker Reservoir area may still have hazards present such as flooded roads, fallen trees, displaced animals, and standing water," the county said in a statement Saturday evening. "Residents should use extreme caution when returning to their homes."

9:20 p.m. Harris County to help residents test well water

Harris County plans to help residents test private water wells for contamination in Tropical Storm Harvey's aftermath.

Floodwaters harbor bacteria, fungi, viruses and other contaminants that could have infiltrated private water wells. Water should be tested and chlorinated before drinking, county officials say.

Starting Tuesday, residents can pick up bottles to collect samples and have them tested at 11 locations around the county.

A list of locations can be found here.

8:30 p.m. Harvey victim found dead floating in Cypress Creek

Tomas Carreon-Esquivel, 25, became the 29th flood victim confirmed by the Harris County medical examiner.

Carreon-Esquivel's body was found floating in Cypress Creek, according to the medical examiner.

Officials estimate Carreon-Esquivel died on Friday at around 1:15 p.m. His body was found around 22411 Greenbrook Drive.

More than 50 people - including a veteran Houston police officer - have died or are feared dead in the Houston area and beyond in flooding or circumstances connected to Tropical Storm Harvey, according to local officials.

Our staff has the full story here.

7:30 p.m. Harris County flood control officials: no more uncontrolled releases from Addicks, Barker

Water is no longer spilling out of the north side of Addicks reservoir, Harris County Flood Control District Officials said Saturday.

That means flooding near Eldridge Parkway and Tanner Road from the uncontrolled releases is decreasing.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is still releasing about 13,300 cubic feet per second of water from Addicks and Barker reservoirs. This has been largely the same for days.

Water from Tropical Storm Harvey pooling in the reservoirs has caused widespread flooding upstream, while releases contributed to flooding of thousands of homes along Buffalo Bayou.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner called for a mandatory evacuation of west Houston homes that are inundated.

7:15 p.m. Harris County ramps up debris collection

People who live in unincorporated Harris County and need help with debris removal or repairs to their homes can call a hotline with questions: (713) 274-3880.

The hotline can help people answer questions about debris removal, permits needed to repair or rebuild homes or other buildings, and other general questions about basic needs.

"The major goal of the Harris County Residential Debris and Damage Assessment Hotline is to ensure that public roads and other infrastructure do not pose an immediate threat to public safety," the county stated in a news release Saturday. "Harris County Residential Debris and Damage Assessment teams are currently working to conduct safety and damage assessments, while clearing debris from public roads in areas where flood waters have receded."

6:15 p.m. FEMA registration applications top half a million

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has received more than 507,000 applications for aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

FEMA has approved $114.7 million in aid to 161,000 people so far. About $33.6 million is for assistance with housing, such as paying displaced victims' rent, and $81 million will help victims replace personal property, pay for transportation, as well as medical and dental assistance.

5:40 p.m. Mayor Sylvester Turner orders mandatory evacuation of West Houston homes flooded by Buffalo Bayou and dam releases

Mayor Sylvester Turner ordered a mandatory evacuation of an area of West Houston which has been inundated by high waters on Buffalo Bayou.

The order affects areas of Houston south of I-10, north of Briarforest, east of Addicks and Barker reservoirs and west of Gessner.

About 300 people are believed to be in the area, which includes approximately 4,000 homes.

That part of Houston will likely be underwater for weeks as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases water from the Addicks and Barker reservoirs to empty them out in case they need to hold back water from future rains.

Our Ileana Najarro has the full story here.

5:20 p.m. Kingwood High School closed for foreseeable future, students to attend Summer Creek High

The Humble Independent School District said that students attending Kingwood High School will have to attend Summer Creek High School while the district attempts to restore Kingwood High from Hurricane Harvey damage.

"This will require a modified schedule," said spokesperson Jamie Mount. "Humble ISD has asked for families and staff to share input through a survey on scheduling options."

Mount said Kingwood high could be closed for the entire 2017-18 school year -- though it could open sooner if restoration work is completed.

"Under normal circumstances, we would never ask two large high schools to coexist under one roof," Mount said. "Unfortunately, Hurricane Harvey took away normal."

4:15 p.m. Harris County homeowners can report damage to decrease home appraisals

The Harris County Appraisal district is encouraging homeowners to report damage from Hurricane Harvey so residents can lower their property tax bill.

The district said homeowners can report damage through the "HCAD app," which can be downloaded on iPhone, iPad or Android phones.

Residents can also report damage by calling (713) 821-5805, or emailing help@hcad.org. HCAD asks residents to provide name, address, phone number, account number and inches or feet of water that flooded victims' homes.

"The appraisal district can use this information to identify the most damaged neighborhoods and properties to help the homeowner next year when the property is reappraised January 1 by possibly reducing the value because of existing damage or ongoing repair work," said Roland Altinger, chief appraiser at HCAD.

4:00 p.m. City of Houston warns victims of insurance fraud

Houston officials said scammers are robo-calling flood victims and telling them they may not get covered for Hurricane Harvey damage unless they pay "past due" premiums.

City officials say this is a scam, and that real warnings come between 30 and 90 days before an insurance company rescinds coverage.

"Insurance companies and agents selling flood insurance policies do NOT use this process to communicate with customers about their flood insurance policies," officials said in a release.

The officials said victims receiving these robo-calls should call their insurance companies or the National Flood Insurance Program at 1-800-638-6620.

3:50 p.m. PetWell Partners to offer free vet services after Harvey

When PetWell Partners reopened its Bellaire clinic just a few days after Tropical Storm Harvey swept the region, David Strauss realized the toll the storm had taken on hundreds of desperate pet owners.

The co-founder of the company met a couple whose dog had been having seizures for three days. At one point, they brought it to a fire station to get oxygen, Strauss said.

"It's crazy," he said. "There are so many good people trying to help."

PetWell Partners, which reopened eight of its animal clinics throughout the Houston area, will offer free services and supplies for pets sickened or injured during the storm. Starting Monday, vets will provide basic screening and treatments at certain locations.

Our Katherine Blunt has the full story here.

3:20 p.m. James Harden of the Houston Rockets announces $1 million donation for relief

Chants of "Houston! Houston! Houston!" erupted in Hall E of the George R. Brown Convention Center Saturday when James Harden of the Houston Rockets strode in with Mayor Sylvester Turner at his side. The basketball star announced he would donate $1 million to Harvey relief.

"I am thankful for this guy right here," Turner said.

As Harden walked through the center-turned-shleter, fans ran up to him, taking selfies, getting autographs and receiving fist bumps.

"It's the first time I've seen you in person James, but I love you," a woman shouted as the star signed her pocket notebook.

3:15 p.m. Six-month-old infant swept away in Harvey floodwaters

Authorities in Walker County confirmed Saturday that a six-month-old baby was missing and had been swept away in gushing floodwaters on August 27.

Firefighters had working to to rescue two men trapped in their pickup in the swollen waters of Winters Bayou on Highway 150 near New Waverly and Coldspring, and heard screams nearby.

First responders found a couple up a tree, seeking refuge from the water. They had been fleeing Houston flooding, heading for Louisiana, said Jimmy Williams, with the New Waverly Fire Department.

They became trapped in high water on Highway 150, and had to flee their pickup.

"The current was so fast, it ripped the baby out of their arms," Williams said. "So the baby was lost."

Our St. John Barned-Smith has the full story here.

3:oo p.m. President Trump leaves Houston

President Donald Trump left Houston after meeting residents sheltered at NRG Center.

He arrived Saturday morning to meet with members of the Texas Delegation at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base. He is expected to meet with members of the Louisiana Delegation and emergency response teams in Louisiana this afternoon.

1:15 p.m. Oil and gas workers reboard offshore rigs in Gulf of Mexico

Oil and gas workers are reboarding offshore platforms and rigs in the Gulf of Mexico to assess damages after Tropical Storm Harvey.

On Saturday, personnel had returned to all five rigs evacuated during the storm. About 6 percent of 737 stationary production platforms remained evacuated.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is inspecting offshore facilities and monitoring efforts to restart production operations. It has not yet received any damage reports.

1:00 p.m. Church holds benefit for Saldivar family

By the time the flood waters receded and the white van reappeared, Virginia Saldivar was already expecting the worst.

But Saldivar, the grandmother of the four children who drowned in Greens Bayou and daughter in law of the the elderly couple in the van, will cherish her memories of the children as their short lives drew to a tragic end.

Belia and Manuel Saldivar, ages 81 and 84, were found in the front seats. The bodies of their four great-grandchildren -- ages 16, 14, 8 and 6 -- were found in the rear of the van.

"They were our life," Saldivar said. "That's what we're remembering  how wonderful they were."

A benefit was held Saturday at the Iglesia Cristiana Principe de Paz for the family of the six victims who were trapped in flood waters on Greens River Road.

The community room of the church filled with friends, extended family and members of the community coming together to show support for a family devastated by the flood that's taken over 50 lives.

"We want everyone to know that we're very thankful for all the love and support," Saldivar said. "It's really and truly been overwhelming."

12:50: Humble ISD announces back-to-school date

Humble ISD will reopen for the first day of school Sept. 7.

Kingwood High School and Summer Creek High School will reopen Sept. 11 because of the damage they sustained after the storm.

Staff members are required to report to work Sept. 5.

12:35 p.m. Last cruise stuck at sea due to Harvey makes port

For the more than 3,000 passengers aboard the Carnival Breeze, an extra week at sea due to Harvey's wrath ended on a steamy Saturday morning in Galveston.

The Breeze was the last of four ships to dock in the Port of Galveston's cruise terminal after being turned away last week as Harvey strengthened from a tropical storm to a hurricane. The cruise was originally supposed to end Sunday, and was given clearance to dock early Saturday.

Our Marialuisa Rincon has the full story here.

12:20 p.m. HISD offers more details on damages and displacement

Houston ISD officials said they've surveyed 245 schools as of early Saturday, with plans to reach the roughly 35 remaining campuses. About 200 schools had standing water, with 53 suffering "major" damage and 22 receiving "extensive" damage, which is more severe, Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby said.

Some schools may never be inhabitable again, Superintendent Richard Carranza said, but it's too early to make that judgment.

Carranza said a decision about relocating students to other campuses will be made no earlier than Tuesday. He's exploring the possibility of "double shifts" at some campuses, with students from one school attending classes in the morning to early afternoon, and students from another school coming into the same building for classes from early afternoon to evening.

Our Jacob Carpenter has the full story here.

12:15 p.m. President Trump arrives at NRG Center

President Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott arrived at NRG Center Saturday to visit with those affected by the storm.

Read more here.

12:10 p.m. Cy-Fair ISD delays start of school to Sept. 11

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD has delayed the start of school from Sept. 6 to Sept. 11 because several campuses face sewage issues, Superintendent Mark Henry said in an announcement.

'This is a dynamic situation," he said. "It is difficult to predict other issues we may face in the coming weeks."

Staff will report to work Sept. 7.

The district we have extended its free meal program at Holbrook and Owens elementary schools and Cypress Lakes High School through Sept. 10.

12:05 p.m. Brazoria County issues mandatory evacuations

Brazoria County has issued a mandatory evacuation order for areas where that action had been voluntary. The order includes most areas west of State Highway 288.

Noon: Parents arrive to Carrillo Elementary School to feed their children

Deimin Ramirez, 28, tapped the wooden cafeteria table.

"Eat the pear too," she ordered her 7 and 5-year-old.

Ramirez was the first mother at Carrillo Elementary School Saturday morning receiving a free hot lunch for herself and her three daughters as part of a new HISD effort that launched Saturday to aid Harvey victims.

The brisket sandwiches, mashed potatoes and diced pears were a welcomed reprieve from the few beans and rice the Ramirez family subsisted on for days.

The remaining food stamps in her possession were barely enough for Ramirez to shop at the nearby Fiesta Mart, which itself had been running low on supplies for the storm's duration.

"They were hungry," Ramirez said of her daughters, as she uncapped a water bottle for her 2-year-old.

Water seeped into their one bedroom apartment a few blocks away from the school, but the only damage sustained was a soaked living room carpet that has already been torn out.

Structural damage to their house during Hurricane Ike forced the family to move into an apartment with a more manageable rent. Last year they moved again, this time into the apartments surrounding Fiesta and the school.

School officials put out calls to neighboring families in both English and Spanish announcing the free breakfast, lunch, and dinner available this weekend. Concerned some may have lost power and therefore missed the phone call, staff members printed out flyers on Saturday to deliver door-to-door.

As her girls wiped gravy off their mouths with the back of their hands, Ramirez called up a couple of her neighbors letting them know the school had food.

She packed up the leftovers--mostly pears--as she headed out to search for any milk at Fiesta.

"They're used to milk in the morning," Ramirez said. "We didn't have any since Saturday."

11:45 a.m. H-E-B resumes normal business hours at many Houston stores

Fifty-one H-E-B stores resumed normal hours Saturday as the company worked to restock its chain with essentials.

About 30 stores, including the Gulfgate, Bay City, Grand Parkway, Dairy Ashford, Friendswood and Lake Jackson locations, will keep modified hours through Sunday. All will close at 6 p.m. or later. Some will stay open until 10 or 11 p.m.

Four locations remained closed: Braeswood/Chimney Rock, Kingwood, Orange and Joe V's Smart Shop in Wallisville.

11:20: President Trump touches down at Ellington Field

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump touched down in Houston at Ellington Field with plans to meet residents affected by the storm and visit a relief shelter.

11:00 a.m. City of Houston asks some residents to refrain from normal water use

The West District and Turkey Creek wastewater treatment plants have flooded, and the City of Houston has asked residents in those area to refrain from flushing and using extra water to clean, shower or bathe until further notice. It's working to make repairs.

The following zip codes are affected: 77024, 77041, 77043, 77055, 77077, 77079, 77080 and 77094.

10:50 a.m. Houston ISD outlines widespread damage and student displacement

Houston ISD Superintendent Richard Carranza said at a Saturday press conference there is a small chance the district will delay the start of school later than Sept. 11, but it's working to resume operations by then.

He said as many as 12,000 students will need to be temporarily relocated from damaged schools, some of which won't open for months. The district does not yet have a list of those schools.

10:05 a.m. Coast Guard continues rescue efforts in Port Arthur

The Coast Guard dispatched more than 200 personnel on Saturday to aid the Port Arthur area.

It deployed 27 shallow-draft vessels, which are capable of operating in flooded urban areas. Responders there have rescued more than 490 people and 155 pets in the past 24 hours.

9:45 a.m. Houston activists organize Trump protest

The Houston Socialist Movement and other organizations are planning to protest President Donald Trump when he visits a local relief center at noon. The location has not been disclosed.

In a statement, the activists said they plan to "send a powerful message of opposition to the President and the white supremacists and misogynists who support him."



9:30 a.m. Cy-Fair ISD offers free meals before reopening

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD is offering free meals for children and accompanying adults Sept. 2-4 at Owens and Holbrook elementary schools and Cypress Lakes High School. Food will be served from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The school district will reopen Sept. 6. The USDA has waived all free and reduced meal eligibility requirements through the end of the month.

9:00 a.m. Houston firefighters respond to house fire near Memorial

Houston firefighters are battling a one-alarm fire at a house on Whitewing Lane south of Memorial Drive. Flames have breached the roof in multiple places.

The department has also responded to a one-alarm fire at a house on Frey Road near Edgebrook.

8:15 a.m. Meteorologists expect almost no rain Labor Day weekend

Space City Weather's latest forecast anticipates warm, sunny weather with almost no chance of rain in the Houston area this weekend. Early next week, a cool front might increase the chance of rain, but it's not expected to accumulate.

The forecast anticipates that Hurricane Irma, now brewing in the Atlantic Ocean, will turn north before moving into the Gulf of Mexico later next week.

7:40 a.m. President Trump to meet with Harvey victims in Houston

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will arrive in Texas Saturday morning to meet individuals affected by the storm, visit a relief center and meet with members of the Texas Delegation at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Texas. They will also meet with members of the Louisiana Delegation and emergency response teams in Louisiana this afternoon. They visited Corpus Christi and Austin earlier this week.

6:35 a.m. Trump announces Sunday as National Day of Prayer for Harvey

Trump announced Sunday would be a National Day of Prayer for Hurricane Harvey victims, national responders and recovery efforts, according to a press release from the White House.

"I urge Americans of all faiths and religious traditions and backgrounds to offer prayers today for all those harmed by Hurricane Harvey, including people who have lost family members or been injured, those who have lost homes or other property, and our first responders, law enforcement officers, military personnel, and medical professionals leading the response and recovery efforts," the statement read.



6:15 a.m. Benefit to be held for family of 6 who died during Harvey

A benefit will be held in north Houston for the family of six that was found dead
Happy New Month Nigeria! Welcome to the month of June. As the world searches for a respite from all its troubles since 2020 began, one can ...
South Korea launched bomb towards North Korea after it attacked Japan

Following a sudden attack launched by North Korea against Japan, South Korea has responded by firing 8 bombs against the North.

South Korea's air force has staged a live-fire drill simulating the destruction of North Korea's leadership, hours after Pyongyang launched a missile over Japan.

Just before 6 a.m. South Korea time Tuesday, North Korea fired an unidentified missile from near the capital Pyongyang, towards the northeast. It flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, making it the first North Korean projectile to successfully pass over Japanese territory since 1998. It subsequently broke up and fell into the Pacific Ocean.

Just hours after the launch, South Korea's Presidential Office announced four F-15K jetfighters had dropped eight MK 84 bombs on a simulated target at the Taebaek Pilsung Firing Range in the country's northeastern Gangwon province, about five hours drive from Seoul.

The MK 84 is a 2,000 pound bomb designed to penetrate hardened targets, according to the US Air Force. Robert Kelly, associate professor at Pusan National University's Department of Political Science, told CNN South Korea's response was a carefully considered escalation.

"North Koreans can't just shoot missiles over people's countries, there has to be some response," Kelly said.

"(It) looks somewhat escalatory, it's got to be tough, to send a signal, but they don't want to be too tough because no one wants to get into a war."

In a press conference, presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan said South Korean leader Moon Jae-in had wanted "to showcase a strong punishment capability against the North."

An official with the South Korean Defense Ministry told CNN the bombs had all landed on target.

"The drill reconfirmed South Korea Air Force capability to destroy the enemy's leadership in cases of emergency," the official said.

'Most serious and grave ever'

International reaction to North Korea's missile launch was swift. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was the "most serious and grave" threat to his country. South Korea joined with the United States and Japan Wednesday in calling for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the North Korea launch, Japan's UN ambassador Koro Bessho told CNN.

It will be held on Tuesday afternoon, two UN diplomats told CNN. "Our goal is to stop North Korea from going down this road. The international community has to put more pressure on North Korea," Ambassador Bessho said.

US President Donald Trump spoke to Abe following the launch, where he reiterated the US stood behind Japan "100 per cent," Abe told reporters.

Despite the controversial path of North Korea's latest missile launch, experts said the launch probably had very little to do with Japan.

"It definitely expresses contempt for Japan but it's not a threat to them," Josh Pollack, senior research associate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterrey, told CNN.

"(North Korea) are really confined by their geography. If they're going to launch to a distance they've got to go over somebody. At a bare minimum they've got to go over some small, populated island if you want to test... an ICBM."

With North Korea unwilling to offend its northern neighbor Russia, the logical place for them to fire missiles over is the US-aligned Japan.

"There's nothing to lose," John Delury, associate professor at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies, told CNN.

Japan maintains a pacifist constitution that limits the country's forces to defensive purposes only.

"They don't have a good relationship with Japan, there's nothing developing in their relationship with Japan which should cause them to show restraint."
Human rights activists have appealed to the Federal Government to come up with a clear explanation of what constitutes hate speech to guide the populace properly on the issue.The activists made the appeal against the backdrop of the apparent confusion generated by the Federal Governments recent announcement that it had drawn a line on hate speeches.On Aug. 17, the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said that government had drawn a line on hate speech and would treat it as an act of terror.Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos, the activists said they were at a loss why government would equate hate speeches with terrorism.The Lagos State Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Mr Ehi Omokhuale, charged the government to fully define what it characterised as hate speeches.The Federal Government has not fully defined what it regards as hate speeches. I do not understand who the hate speeches are against.Hate speeches against who: fellow citizens or against the Federal Government?He, however, advised government to ensure that opposition politicians who made speeches without thinking of the implication be made to face the consequences.According to him, the decision on hate speeches can infringe on the fundamental rights of Nigerians.Mr Toyin Raheem, Executive Secretary of the Campaign for Constitutionalism and Human Rights, said that he was confused over what constituted hate speech.Agitation cannot even be taken as terrorism. Its the rights of anybody or groups of people to agitate for anything, provided its done in a peaceful manner.Its wrong politically and legally to term agitation as terrorism.Every criticism may possibly condemn the government and the essence is to make government perform better. Nigerians have rights to their privacy.Raheem also argued said that allowing the military to monitor peoples social media was espionage and an abuse of their rights to privacy as well as a violation of the rights conferred on them by the constitution.The President of Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, also told government to classify what it meant by hate speeches.The Federal Government must first clarify and classify what it meant by hate speeches and possibly enact legislations that prohibit such.Such proclamations, which I see as mere attempt to intimidate Nigerians, cannot survive the test of any known law of the land and should not be encouraged.Meanwhile, Nigerians, irrespective of the class they belong to, must also understand the need to be tolerant with each other.Nigerians should desist from making utterances that tend to threaten our peaceful coexistence, she said.But, Mr Dennis Aghanya, Executive Secretary of Anti-Corruption, Research Based and Data Initiative, said he understood what the Federal Government intended to achieve by equating hate speeches with terrorism.I understand what the Federal Government intends to achieve. The country is highly divided on the basis of ethnicity and religion.The social media is not helping matters. So government wants to moderate what people say.Certainly, this cannot be achieved without violating the rights of people, especially when you consider the fact that constitutional democracy is based on fundamental human rights.Such policy may not work well, Aghanya said.
Aisha Buhari will be joining millions of Muslims to participate in this years hajj pilgrimage.

Aisha Buhari will be joining millions of Muslims to participate in this years hajj pilgrimage.

The wife of President Buhari, on Monday departed Abuja for Mecca, Saudi Arabia.





Her spokeswoman, Zaynab Ikaz- Kassim said via Twitter, This Afternoon H.E Mrs. @aishambuhari left Abuja for Mecca, Saudi Arabia to join millions of Muslims in performing this years Hajj.





Earlier this month, Aisha returned from London where she went to visit her husband who was on his second medical vacation this year.

I am grateful to Nigerians & well wishers all over the world for their continuous prayers, Aisha said following her husbands arrival.





No fewer than 1.705 million pilgrims, which include over 91,000 Nigerians, have arrived the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform this years Hajj, according to Statistics released by the Directorate General of Passports.





About 1.602 million pilgrims came by air, 87,685 by land and 14,835 by sea.
The Presidency on Tuesday described those calling for the repatriation of former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke as ignorant.

The Presidency on Tuesday described those calling for the repatriation of former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke as ignorant.

President Muhammadu Buharis Special Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, made the remark while faulting the call by Charles Oputa aka Charlyboy, Deji Adeyanju, among others, that the former Minister be extradited from the United Kingdom, UK, back home to face charges for her alleged crimes.





Recall that a Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, led by Charlyboy had besieged the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, demanding that the former Minister be repatriated.





The Commission, however, promised to explore the possibility of extraditing the former Minister from the UK to face trial for her crimes in Nigeria.





But Onochie via her twitter handle wrote: It appears that some of us especially those who are not good or are selective at remembering d past, are also not willing to use Google.

The United Kingdom does not charge foreigners for crimes committed in other countries. They charge them for crimes committed against UK.

In Iboris case in d UK, I was in court for d Judgment and the Judge made it clear that his sentence was for crimes committed in d UK.

The Judge added, Its my hope that when you return to Nigeria, youll be charged for d crimes you committed against d people of Delta

UK will have its pound of Diezanis flesh in form of jail sentence. Thereafter, they may hand her over to the US, Italy and then Nigeria

Those asking for the extradition of Diezani are very ignorant and did not do their homework at all. Thats mumu-ness in itself.
A resident doctor, Dr Segun Fadare, on Tuesday said urinating frequently at night could be a warning sign of high blood sugar level, the hallmark of Type 2 Diabetes.Fadare, who works with the Babcock University Teaching Hospital Annex, Ibadan said, Needing to go to the bathroom once at night is considered normal, however, urinating more than once at night could indicate an underlying health condition like diabetes.Having diabetes leads to excess sugar builds up in your blood which causes the body to excrete the excess glucose through the urine.This triggers more frequent urination as the body tries to get rid of the excess amount of glucose and leave the body dehydrated and need to drink more fluid and urinate even more.According to him, while Type 2 diabetes may not be noticed easily, other signs to watch out for include excessive thirst, unexplainable tiredness and weight loss.Early diagnosis of diabetes is important to prevent complications including organ damage, heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.It is important to watch out for the warning signs, especially if you have increased the risk for diabetes in order to control your blood sugar level and prevent complications.Fadare advised that people should go for regular checkups for early diagnosis.
A-32-year-old Pastors wife of an undisclosed church located in Nsit Atai Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State identified as Mrs. Victoria Elijah Ndu has been arrested for planning her kidnap.It was gathered that Mrs. Ndu was first rescued in Awo Omamma in Imo state last Monday, August 24 by men of the anti-kidnapping squad from the state Police Command in Ikot Akpan-Abia and arrested the same day after an investigation showed that she actually planned her kidnapping to get some money from her church members.It was learned that they had placed N3m ransom for her (Victoria) release.Victoria was said to have told her husband on August 16, 2017 that she was going to the market whereas she travelled to Imo state where she made calls alerting her husband of her kidnap.Also arrested for alleged conspiracy to the crime was her younger brother, Victor Okon Akang an artisan, who resides in Awo Omamma, Imo State.It was gathered that Victorias brother, Okon Akang had run to the village from Imo State crying over his sisters alleged kidnap when the sister was actually hiding in his house in Imo state.The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Chukwu Ikechukwu told newsmen yesterday at Ikot Akpan-Abia that the suspects were rescued and arrested same day following interrogation by men of the anti-kidnapping unit where Mrs. Victoria confessed to masterminding the crime.Ikechukwu said: Victorias husband had on August 16 reported to the Divisional Police Headquarters in Nsit Atai that his wife had been kidnapped. He told the police that the wife told him she was going to the market that day. But Nsit Atai lacked the jurisdiction to handle kidnap matter; the case was transferred to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID).They traced the calls used by contacting the church members and demanding for N3 million ransom to Awo Omamma in Imo state. That was how men of the anti-kidnapping unit swung into action, tracked down the suspects and rescued them.It was while Victoria Ndu was being interrogated at the anti- Kidnapping unit that she confessed that she actually masterminded her own kidnap. That was how she and her brother were arrested. The brother was arrested because both of them conspired to fake the crime.What you are seeing here today is to serve as a deterrent to people who may be planning to go into this kind of crime. Police in Akwa Ibom is doing everything possible to make sure that crime in the state is reduced to the barest minimumThe Commissioner of Police Mr. Zubairu Muazu, therefore, appeals to members of the public to provide useful information that will help us to achieve that and serve them better.The suspects, during an interview, admitted to the crime even as both pleaded to be forgiven attributing their action to lack of money to conduct burial ceremony for their late parents.Victoria, who lamented her suffering after 10years of marriage without a child said: We are orphans from a poor background. I only did what I did to help my family bury our parents. Our father died in 2008 but we did not conduct any burial ceremony for him. In April this year, our mother died too and since then she has not been buried because of no money. We wanted to conduct burial for both of them.She, however, admitted initially placing N3million ransom on herself but reduced the amount to N1million during the negotiations.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora has commiserated with victims of the recen...

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora has commiserated with victims of the recent Hurricane Harvey in Houston, USA, especially Nigerians living there.In a statement Tuesday by her Media aide, Abdurrahman Balogun, she expressed concern about the damage done to the homes of those living in that area thus rending thousands homeless.With over four million estimated Nigerians living in the US, Dabiri-Erewa stated that statistics show that Houston hosts one of the highest community of Nigerians in that country.It must be noted that at the very least 80 per cent of Nigerians resident in places like Galveston, Cypress, Houston and the Bayou area have had their properties and personal belongings damaged.There was a case of a rescued Nigerian from Akwa Ibom state on Monday by speed boat having lost his car, home and personal belongingsThis is to send my heartfelt concern to Nigerians living in Houston, and indeed all residents affected by Hurricane Harvey. It is really sad and disturbing.Dabiri-Erewa, however, called on Non- Governmental Organisations, corporate bodies as well as well-endowed individuals to join in raising funds for victims of hurricane Harvey in Houston.We should always be our brothers keepers and lend a helping hand as we are now one big global family, Dabiri-Erewa pleaded.She commended the efforts of the US government in giving succour to the victims of the Hurricane Harvey in Houston and pray unto God to protect those living there.
Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, yesterday (Monday) night flew out of Abuja to Saudi Arabia to join the two million Muslim faithful gathered in the holy land for this year's hajj.In a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Senate President will spend the period of the pilgrimage to pray for the unity, stability and development of Nigeria as well as better health for the leader of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari.He will also spend the period of the holy pilgrimage to pray for more success for the Eighth National Assembly in the execution of its Legislative Agenda which is aimed at helping to improve the standard of living of the citizenry and positively transform the national economy.The Senate President is expected back early September when the Hajj rites would have been completed by pilgrims.
NEWARK -- A Newark man was charged with two counts of murder in the shooting deaths of two brothers in the city's Ironbound section, officials said Tuesday.

Zabdiel R. Vargas-Soto (Photo: ECPO)

Zabdiel R. Vargas-Soto, 22, was arrested late Monday by detectives with the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force, acting county Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

Vargas-Soto is accused of shooting brothers Jose Castillo-Granados, 25, and Francisco Castillo-Granados, 22, near Adams and Walnut streets around 5 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. He apparently knew the victims.

The killings stemmed from a dispute, Ambrose said Sunday.

"This is just one more incident where a dispute turns violent because of the easy access to firearms," the public safety director said.

Prosecutors said they plan to ask a judge to order Vargas-Soto detained at a hearing Wednesday. He was being held at the Essex County jail.

A brother and cousin of the victims, who were from Honduras and lived in Newark, visited a memorial to the men near Walnut Street. The family members said the slain men had five other siblings.

The killings marked the 43rd and 44th murders in Newark this year compared to at least 60 slayings in the same period in 2016.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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TRENTON -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz defended himself Monday night after critics, including Gov. Chris Christie, called Texas GOP lawmakers "hypocrites" for seeking federal aid for victims of Hurricane Harvey despite opposing similar measures after Hurricane Sandy.

In a contentious moment at the end of an interview with MSNBC's Katy Tur that begins at the 5:27 mark on video below, Cruz, R-Texas, accused anyone calling him a hypocrite of engaging in "political sniping."

Cruz insisted "there's a time" for that "later."

But Tur pushed back, telling Cruz she "covered those people" affected by Sandy and insisted "many of them, just like those in Houston, lost just about everything they owned."

"Two-thirds of that bill had nothing to do with Sandy," Cruz argued. "What I said then -- and still believe now -- is that it's not right for politicians to exploit a disaster when people are hurting to pay for their own political wish list."

Harvey's devastation of Houston, the nation's fourth largest city, and surrounding areas continued Tuesday. Nearly a dozen people have been killed and rescue efforts to reach people stranded in their homes submerged in water continue.

More rain is expected to fall on the struggling city throughout the day.

Christie, without calling anyone out by name, blasted the Texas congressional delegation on Monday over its urgent request to President Donald Trump for federal disaster relief.

He lashed out at them for opposing Sandy relief after that storm wreaked havoc here in 2012.

"The congressional members in Texas are hypocrites, and I said back in 2012 that they'd be proven to be hypocrites. It was just a matter of time," Christie said.

At the same time, he urged New Jersey's congressional delegation to swiftly approve any requests for emergency relief as millions in Texas continue to get battered by the storm and its subsequent flooding.

Nearly all of Texas's congressional delegation opposed Sandy aid relief. All but three of the people who opposed the measures are still in office.

The only exceptions were among Texas's Democrats and GOP Rep. John Culberson, who represents Texas's 7th Congressional District, which includes areas of western Houston, one of the cities hit hardest by Harvey.

On Sunday, Christie deployed NJ Task Force 1 to help Texas officials with search and rescue, logistics, and hazmat and medical services.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.
TRENTON -- New Jersey's emergency response team deployed to help with the Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts crossed into Texas overnight, according to NJ Task Force 1's Facebook page.

Gov. Chris Christie deployed the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management task force Sunday night. At the same time, the governor told reporters Monday that the nation's fourth largest city, Houston, and surrounding area devastated by the storm can expect additional support from New Jersey.

"NJ-TF1 has crossed the Texas state line!" the task force posted shortly after midnight.

NJ-TF1 Hurricane Harvey Deployment Update! NJ-TF1 has crossed the Texas state line! We're making our way to San... Posted by New Jersey Office of Emergency Management on Monday, August 28, 2017

Christie sent them to help Texas officials with search and rescue, logistics, and hazmat and medical services.

The first responders were originally headed to Katy, Texas, a suburb about 30 miles west of Houston. As the team said it was "rolling across the country" on Monday, they announced they had been diverted to Austin "due to the dynamic situation in Texas."

But in their latest post, NJ Task Force 1 said they were headed to San Antonio.

"The team is motivated and ready to help the people of Texas as soon as possible," they wrote.

The National Hurricane Center announced overnight heavy rain from Harvey is expected to worsen flooding in Southeast Texas and southwestern Louisiana.

The storm is expected to make a slow turn to the northeast on Tuesday, placing the center just off the middle and upper Texas Gulf coast through Tuesday night before moving inland.

The flooded region can expct to be have another 10 to 20 inches of rain dumped over the upper Texas coast and southwestern Louisiana through Thursday.

Crews were overwhelmed overnight by thousands of rescue calls. It's one of the heaviest downpours in U.S. history.

More than three days after the storm ravaged the Texas coastline as a Category 4 hurricane, authorities worry that the tropical storm now parked over the Gulf Coast will return and deliver a knockout blow to a Houston region already ravaged by devastating downpours generating an amount of rain normally seen only once in more than 1,000 years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.
TRENTON -- It's a scenario that's technically possible if U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez resigns or is forced out of office before mid-January: Gov. Chris Christie could appoint himself as Menendez's replacement.

But does "U.S. Sen. Chris Christie" have a chance of becoming a reality?

The New Jersey governor didn't completely rule out the idea during an interview Tuesday with Fox News. But he also wasn't optimistic.

"Listen: I don't see that happening," Christie said via phone to host Neil Cavuto, who lives near the governor in Mendham.

"We will see what happens with Sen. Menendez and whether there's a vacancy or not," the governor added. "But I really do believe that some of us are built for executive positions and some of us are built for legislative positions. And I think I'm much more of an executive branch kind of guy.

It's always been a long shot anyway. Menendez, a Democrat who is the senior senator from New Jersey, is facing federal corruption charges.

Even if he's convicted, Menendez wouldn't have to automatically resign. The Senate would have to vote to expel him.

If Menendez does leave Congress, it's up to the state's governor to pick a replacement. And if that happens before Christie's tenure is up Jan. 18, that means he will be allowed to choose.

That has led to the thought that the governor could pick himself. After all, he's actively looking for a job -- and the possibility of becoming a sports-radio host at WFAN fell through.

But Christie's comments Tuesday aren't a surprise. He said in 2014 he'd "rather die" than serve in the Senate.

One humorous note about the interview: At the end, Cavuto said :"Sen. Chris Christie, thank you for taking the time."

"What did I say?" the host quickly asked. "I already said it, didn't I? Sen. Christie."

"You are going to get me in trouble," Christie joked in reply.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
A N.J. state legislator is making no apologies after posting to Facebook a photo of him and his wife standing by a Confederate flag.

Facebook post of Assemblyman Parker Space and his wife.

Assemblyman Parker Space, R-24th District, and his wife, Jill Space, were awaiting a Hank Williams Jr. concert on Saturday when they were photographed in front of a Confederate flag with Williams' face superimposed over the middle.

The flag, known as the "Hank Williams Jr. Rebel Flag," features an inscription: "If the South would've won, we would've had it made." Only the second part of the inscription is visible in the photo.

"Tailgating waiting for Hank. Hope no one is offended! LOL," read the Space post, which had been 'liked' by 45 of his Facebook friends as of Sunday afternoon.

Parker and Jill Space are Sussex County's two representatives on the New Jersey Republican State Committee.

On Monday afternoon, the two Democratic Assembly candidates opposing Space and his running mate, former state Labor Commissioner Harold Wirths, in November denounced Space and said he was showing his "true colors."

Democrats Kate Matteson and Gina Trish said on their shared Facebook page that "this behavior is unfitting of a sitting State Assemblyman and is indeed offensive and disrespectful to the thousands of constituents he represents."

Space, 48, of Wantage, did not respond to a phone call on Sunday evening, but following the remarks from the Democrats he issued a six-sentence statement taking issue with his critics.

"Are you really trying to go there? It was a Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Williams Jr. concert and I was there with about 20,000 others," Space said, referring to the concert he attended in Bethel, New York.

"Are you saying that those bands are racist? I am sure the African-American members of Hank's touring band wouldn't think so. Thank goodness it wasn't an Ozzie Osbourne or KISS performance, then you would accuse me a being a Nazi or a satanist," Space said.

He concluded, "When is this stuff going to end?"

It is the second time in three years that Space's perspective on the Confederate flag has drawn notice.

When the Assembly, in January 2015, voted 73-0 to condemn Confederate flag displays, Space was the only lawmaker to abstain.

Several groundhogs featured at Groundhog Day events at his family-run business, Space Farms Zoo and Museum, were named after Stonewall Jackson, the Confederate War general.

Matteson and Trish, in objecting to the Facebook post, said Space "should be held accountable for his actions," adding, "The only flag we pledge our allegiance to is the American flag, representing union and equality.

Space is known for speaking his mind on a wide range of topics.

In May, a Colorado congressman offered a public rebuttal after Space related a description of Boulder as "disgusting" and laden with zombies to justify his opposition to marijuana legalization.

Also that month, Space said he meant it as a joke when he called, during a candidates' debate, for executing drug dealers "high at noon" on the Newton town square.

Republicans have a significant voter edge in Space's district, which includes all of Sussex County, Mount Olive in Morris County and 11 municipalities in Warren County.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook
UPDATE: Brother of teen killed in Westfield fire: 'We were an inseparable team'

WESTFIELD -- The 19-year-old man who perished in a house fire early Monday has been identified as a 2016 graduate of Westfield High School, mycentraljersey.com reported.

Derrick Nelson, the school's principal, told the site that Jake Tooley "always had a smile" and was well-liked.

Fire broke out at the Prospect Street home sometime before 3 a.m. Two people escaped but one person died, authorities told NJ Advance Media. The family dog was also reportedly killed.

About 50 firefighters were at the scene of the fire, which destroyed the house. It appears to have started accidentally in a first-floor living room but the precise cause remained under investigation, authorities said.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP)  Survivors of Hurricane Ian face a long emotional road to recover from one of the most damaging storms to hit the U.S. mainland. For those who lost everything to disaster, the anguish can be crushing to return home to find so much gone. Grief can run the gamut from frequent tears to utter despair. The Lee County medical examiner says two men in their 70s even took their own lives a day apart after viewing their losses. Experts say suicides climb after disasters and more funding for mental health should be provided as climate change makes storms and fires more frequent and devastating.
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.
Americas railroads are going through a round of job cuts  25,000 in recent years, with more likely to come  aimed at efficiency and controlling future costs.

Its a familiar pattern for an industry that once was highly labor-intensive and has become more automated, with added computer-driven changes in the works that could reduce employment further.

Union Pacific Railroads decision last week to trim 750 positions, mainl\y at its Omaha headquarters, follows similar force reductions by the other major freight rail systems.

Altogether, the six largest of the seven Class I railroads have shed about 25,000 jobs in recent years, or about 13 percent of their workforce.

The job-cutting leaders are BNSF Railway, based in Texas, and Florida-based CSX, each trimming about 7,000 jobs since 2014.

BNSF spokeswoman Amy Casas said the railroads payroll is determined by our customer freight transportation demands, and the reductions have come mostly through salaried retirees who have not been replaced.

We do have hiring plans this year in locations where the level of work requires it, Casas said.

Warren Buffett-led Berkshire Hathaway bought BNSF in 2009 for about $26 billion.

Union Pacific, despite the newly announced job cuts under a corporate reorganization, also is hiring some workers, staffing its new computer center at 90th and Fort Streets in Omaha plus train crews and diesel electricians at several locations on its 32,000-mile network.

The job cuts arent coming in the face of sagging profits. In fact, annual profits for all but the smallest of the seven also never dipped far below $1.5 billion apiece during that period. The biggest  Union Pacific and BNSF  never failed to earn at least $3.8 billion a year each, and BNSF is now the largest earner among Berkshires collection of dozens of businesses.

Shareholders also have prospered.

Six of the seven are publicly traded (BNSF is not), and half outpaced the 74 percent gain in the same period by the overall stock market as reflected in the Standard & Poors 500 index. Union Pacific came very close, with shares climbing about 70 percent since 2013.

Management decisions to cut jobs may make investors happy, but such decisions put the railroads at odds with the unions that represent workers. At CSX, the man in charge is Chief Executive Hunter Harrison, a veteran railroader who engineered massive turnarounds at north-of-the-border freight haulers Canadian Pacific and Canadian National.

The industry is reacting to the Hunter Harrison cut-at-all-costs model and doing this to appease the Wall Street money machine, whose demand for profits is insatiable, said John Risch, legislative director for the Sheet Metal, Air and Rail Transportation union, which represents about 90,000 rail workers.

At the same time, automation is looming.

Ron Kaminkow, general secretary of Railroad Workers United, said one upcoming change could mean reducing crews on freight trains from two people to one: a federal requirement that trains become equipped with an advanced telecommunications array that can stop or slow them remotely in case of danger.

The system, called Positive Train Control, is expected to come at a final cost of more than $10 billion industrywide.

They have kicked and screamed at every turn, Kaminkow said of the industrys opposition to the system. And they are for sure going to be as opportunistic as possible once they have it, saying they wont need a second crew member. It is only a question of time before they go full throttle on us over that.

Another threat to railroad jobs is hiring outside companies to do work once reserved for union members, Kaminkow said, with the companies pushing those boundaries on a regular basis.

One such case is being disputed now in U.S. District Court in Omaha.

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees filed a lawsuit in June saying Union Pacific has used outside workers to perform tasks reserved for its members under the labor contract. Union Pacific in court filings described the dispute as minor, and one that should be settled by an industry arbitration panel, not a federal court.

Another issue: a rebound in freight volumes, after almost two years of declines that ended only in March.

So far this year total volumes are up 4 percent from a year ago, leading to a question: How much work can the slimmed-down railroad labor force handle?

CSX recently has suffered enormous network snafus and customer rage.

Last month the federal Surface Transportation Board sent a letter to the company asking for more information on unpredictable schedules and other network problems that have forced a number of rail shippers and their customers to curtail production, according to the document.

They do need to always be aware of the possibility of cutting too much or too fast, and that certainly seems to be the case at CSX, said Larry Gross, an industry analyst with FTR Transportation Intelligence. Operations have been disrupted due to the pace of change, and customers are frustrated by their inability to actually reach a human being at CSX in order to work out their problems.
DES MOINES  Iowa is having trouble hiring enough registered nurses to treat prison inmates, so its turning to workers with fewer credentials to fill a gap created in part by more competitive benefits in the private sector.

Some unions representing Iowa nurses argue the staffing shortage will only worsen as the effects of recent changes to the states collective bargaining law begin to set in, though state officials say its too early to know its impact on hiring.

The Iowa Department of Corrections said a shortage of registered nurses at some clinics within its nine prisons has led the agency to seek more licensed practical nurses.

Known as LPNs, the nurses need less health care education and are paid less. They can do similar tasks as registered nurses, but they carry restrictions in their interactions with patients and require more oversight.

Kathy Weiss, administrator of nursing for corrections, said its difficult to compete with nearby hospital jobs that offer signing and retention bonuses and student loan repayment options.

The departments roughly $377 million budget was cut by about $8 million over the past year as lawmakers grappled with general fund shortfalls. A special session may be called soon to plug another shortfall.

Its hard to recruit nurses ... we cant offer some of the packages that the hospitals do, Weiss said.

There were 24 nursing vacancies at Iowa prisons this summer, according to agency documentation distributed in July. Of those, 20 slots were for registered nurses and four slots were for licensed practical nurses.

Corrections data for August indicates there are now 15 openings for registered nurses and six openings for LPNs. A total of 135 nurses are working for Iowa prisons. More than half of the vacancies listed in the agency documentation were at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville. Weiss said staffing issues are prevalent in urban areas that have additional job options for registered nurses.

Cathy Glasson, president of Service Employees International Union Local 199, which represents more than 3,000 public registered nurses in Iowa, said nursing shortages wont improve under Iowas new collective bargaining law.

The state law prevents most public employees from negotiating health insurance and other working conditions.

The GOP-led Legislature approved the changes in February and then-Gov. Terry Branstad quickly signed the bill into law, saying it would give local governments more flexibility over budgets. Democrats and unions warned it would lead to job shortages as teachers, nurses and correctional officers moved out of state for better employment opportunities.

There is limited data to measure impacts of the collective bargaining changes in Iowa.

The legislation is similar to a law passed in Wisconsin in 2011. Federal data shows union membership for public and private workers in Wisconsin decreased from 355,000 in 2010 to 219,000 in 2016, a nearly 40 percent drop. The states education agency has also recently eased some hiring and licensing rules to address a teacher shortage in the state, though new national studies show a growing teacher shortage in other states, too.

Glasson said Wisconsin is a cautionary tale for Iowa.

This is a story that weve read before and will obviously impact nurses, teachers and other public employees in the state of Iowa, said Glasson, a registered nurse who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor next year.

Danny Homan, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Iowa Council 61, said in an email his organization has observed an exodus of state employees, particularly with seniority, because the benefits and work environment cant compete with the private sector. AFSCME represents 95 registered nurses and 12 LPNs at the prisons, and is the states largest public employees union.

Corrections spokesman Michael Savala said in an email the collective bargaining changes are new and the DOC will be seeing what impact they might have.

Corrections officials noted a nationwide nursing shortage has existed for years, as the population ages and requires more medical care.

There are more than 46,000 registered nurses in Iowa, according the Iowa Board of Nursing. And while data shows more people in Iowa are seeking educational opportunities to enter nursing, some may not stay in the state.

The latest federal and state data shows the median wage earned by Iowa registered nurses is $25.92 an hour, compared to a median wage nationally of $32.45 an hour.

What are their opportunities in Iowa? What is the pay? What are the hours? asked Kathy Weinberg, executive director for the Iowa Board of Nursing. Theres lots of variables.

Weiss, the head of nursing for corrections, said the hiring moves will not impact health care services at the prisons, adding, Were still going to provide the same nursing care that we have had in the past.

Lynn Boes, legal counsel for the Iowa Nurses Association, said the key will be hiring experienced LPNs.

The more seasoned people you have, the more it will inform their nursing judgment, she said.
Officials with the American Red Cross chapter in Council Bluffs said 40 Red Cross volunteers from Council Bluffs and southwest Iowa have been dispatched to Texas to assist with the recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

Salvation Army officials in Omaha said no local volunteers have been sent at this time, but the Salvation Army is accepting donations to assist with the relief effort.

Susan Eustice, the Salvation Armys director of public relations in Omaha, said in a release that continued rainfall from Hurricane Harvey presents extreme danger to the Gulf Coast. The Salvation Army in Texas is providing food and hydration to first responders and is preparing for massive feeding efforts for residents.

In response to increased needs, The Salvation Army is activating emergency response teams across the country. Although not activated, the Omaha Salvation Army is also on standby for manpower and equipment.

As the situation in south Texas continues to worsen following Hurricane Harveys landfall, The Salvation Army has activated all of its US and Canadian emergency disaster response assets, said Major C. Mark Brown, director of business operations for The Salvation Army Texas Division. These units are able to provide food, shelter and emotional and spiritual care to those impacted by this ongoing devastating weather event.

Salvation Army locations in Houston and the surrounding areas are providing shelter, food, and clothing in response to dramatic flooding in the city. On Sunday afternoon, a number of people were transported to The Salvation Army in the back of dump trucks having been rescued from rapidly rising flood waters in both Pasadena and Texas City.

Mobile kitchens from McAllen, Laredo, Corpus Christi and Dallas-Fort Worth served meals, drinks and snacks to residents and first responders in the hard-hit city of Port Aransas, Driscoll and Corpus respectively. More than 3,000 meals, snacks and drinks have been served.

Ten additional mobile kitchens and an Incident Command Team from Arkansas and Oklahoma arrived in Corpus Christi on Sunday evening ready to begin service on Monday.

An incident command team from Florida is traveling to support the relief efforts in Houston by the middle of this week.

As communities along the coastline become accessible, Salvation Army mobile emergency, feeding and hydration vehicles and personnel are delivering service to the affected areas. Service will continue for as long as is necessary.

Although the Nebraska National Guard has ordered four helicopters and 23 soldiers to help with Harvey relief operations, Iowa National Guard Col. Greg Hapgood said Iowa officials have not been contacted for assistance.

At this point, we dont have any requests from Texas officials for personnel or the Iowa National Guards capabilities, Hapgood said. He emphasized, however, that any requests from Texas officials would be evaluated in terms of the Iowa National Guards capabilities to respond.

To make a financial donation to support the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, donations are accepted by the American Red Cross (online at redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS and specify Harvey relief or text the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation) and The Salvaiton Army (online at salvationarmyusa.org, mail to The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1959, Atlanta, GA 30301 or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY). Area churches, social service groups and food banks are taking donations, too.

 BH News Service contributed to this report.
President Donald J. Trump took advantage of the looming disaster in Texas, as Hurricane Harvey approached, to throw white nationalists a bone.

The pardon of Joe Arpaio, the disgraced former sheriff of Arizonas Maricopa County, sent a clear  and vile  signal that racism and even contempt of courts is acceptable in our nations law enforcement, so long as its politically convenient for the White House.

Arpaio was found guilty of criminal contempt for ignoring an order to stop detaining people he suspected  by racial profiling  of being undocumented immigrants.

A deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, Cecillia Wang, called the pardon a presidential endorsement of racism, according to The Washington Post. Arpaio, on the other hand, described the federal prosecution as a political witch hunt by holdovers in the Obama justice department!

This is the state of politics in 2017. Setting the rhetorical extremes aside, its possible to ask whether Sheriff Joe  whom Trump suggested was convicted for doing his job  should have received a pardon.

The answer is, unequivocally, that he should not have.

Dont just take our word for it. Listen to those who saw Arpaios career first-hand.

While America was talking about tearing down monuments that offend historically oppressed people, Donald Trump effectively erected yet another one, The Arizona Republic wrote in a editorial. Trumps pardon elevates Arpaio once again to the pantheon of those who see institutional racism as something that made America great.

The Republic continued: By pardoning Arpaio, Trump made it clear that institutional racism is not just OK with him. It is a goal.

The Phoenix New Times  an alt-weekly that received a $3.75 million settlement after Arpaio falsely arrested their journalists  fired off blistering series of tweets.

He ran a jail that he described as a concentration camp, The New Times said on Twitter. Prisoners there died at an alarming rate, often without explanation.

The Washington Post shared an essay by someone who was jailed in one of Arpaios tent city outdoor jails: Theres evil in the world thats unrepentant. ... Arpaio being pardoned is a nightmare come true.

Of all the people to choose to pardon, Arpaio is perhaps not a surprising choice. But hes a disappointing one.
Wheres the leadership?

Yes, Americans are certainly not perfect, but most of our citizens try each day to get along and show respect to the folks they encounter. Our laws and societal norms have changed to help all of us do a better job of being the nation where there is justice for all.

As citizens let us continue trying to be that more accepting and loving person that dwells in us. We are all neighbors.

Yes, we are expecting our U.S. president to lead us away from violence, away from racism. Yes, we expect all our leaders to calm us when were contentious, not fan the flames of those who thrive on getting in our faces and bringing out our worst nature.

Where is that leadership?

Marjorie Hodge, Council Bluffs

Trumps threats are a threat

The problem with President Donald Trumps fire and fury statement on North Korea isnt merely that it intensifies an already tense situation. Nor is it just another example of Trumps inappropriate, childish language when faced with a complex issue.

Most worrisome is that he seems to have no grasp of how his remarks might play out in real-world international politics. Trying to one-up the North Koreans with threats may give Trump the false sense that he is besting them, since he believes threats work. But he has no awareness of how threats are received in Pyongyang, not to mention in Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing, and other capitals.

Trumps language does nothing to move the nuclear issue toward dialogue, but does much to further envenom relations with North Korea and to support the widespread view elsewhere that the president of the U.S. is unstable.

In the past, Trump has said of North Korea that attacking it sooner rather than later is the best way to resolve the nuclear issue.

Bill Clinton disproved that in 1994 by rejecting an attack on North Koreas nuclear facility at Yongbyon and instead entering into an Agreed Framework with Pyongyang that prevented war. Does Trump still hold to that view? Numerous specialists, and Trumps own defense department leadership, have concluded that war would be catastrophic, with immediate one million deaths and economic costs of around $1 trillion.

But Trump, with his well-known ignorance about nuclear weapons, seems blissfully unaware of such matters. He would rather talk about fake news, attack critics, lie about his accomplishments and keep pushing a domestic agenda that has gotten nowhere. Nuclear weapons, Korean history, North Korean motivations, and the art of diplomacy are outside his area of interest.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson responded to questions about Trumps latest threat by saying Americans should sleep well at night, dismissing the threat as rhetoric. Given the drumbeat of war that the media has engaged in over North Koreas missiles, I doubt that many informed Americans are sleeping well. I doubt that U.S. military leaders in particular are sleeping well; they have an inexperienced, unpredictable commander-in-chief who just might issue an order to attack North Korea. And most assuredly South Koreans and Japanese are not sleeping well. Warlike rhetoric from the U.S. president can never be dismissed.

In a word, President Trump is a loose cannon, a serious threat to national and international security.

Mel Gurtov, Portland, Oregon

No love lost for ex-resident

I used to live there, grew up in Council Bluffs. It was a great place. Now, well now it isnt.

Last year my jewelry was stolen. Its been recovered but I had to pay to get it back. My car was stolen but the police said it was missing because my son let his friend use it. Two weeks later it was in a chase with the sheriffs office. It was totalled, no compensation for me.

I still have a storage unit there. Last month the lock was broken off, they just hit it again. And theres underage drinking. Get with it CBPD. The thieves are taking over your city.

Alicia Martin, Sheridan, Wyoming
MASON CITY | Last November, Mason City council members unanimously approved a contract that would create quiet zones at various railroad crossings throughout town.

Now, over nine months later, they remain a controversial topic for the city's public officials and its residents.

At last week's city council meeting, a few residents voiced their opposition to two specific locations: Ninth Street Northwest and Fourth Street Southwest. Those differ from the other sites because they will be completely closed to traffic and pedestrians, as street and sidewalk pavement is going to be removed entirely.

Mason City Council considers next step in quiet zone plan MASON CITY | City officials and the Union Pacific Railroad continue to work toward creation 

One resident that has strongly opposed the closing at Ninth Street Northwest is Bonnie Steuben, who lives on the 900 block of North Van Buren Street. She believes her neighborhood was not involved enough in the city's ultimate decision.

Steuben worries traffic and older residents will be impacted by the closing of her crossing.

"Ours is more of a retirement-age community," said Steuben, who has lived on North Van Buren about 30 years. "I know some of our neighbors need ambulance service frequently."

High Line Bike Trail in the works for Mason City MASON CITY | City officials are working with a Des Moines-based foundation to buy five miles

Several other residents have sided with Steuben: before city council approved the project last fall, 13 other residents either opposed it or wanted the decision delayed. Only one supported it.

Not everyone, however, opposes the decision. Dan Mumby, who has lived on the 300 block of South Jackson Avenue for half a century, said he's glad city officials have taken a step to improve the quality of life in some parts of town.

"I'm sick and tired of the horns all the time," Mumby said. "Honest to God, I think it's why I [partially] lost my hearing."

There are other positive aspects of the project--residents, for instance, believe their property values will rise with less noise near the neighborhood.

The city also will benefit, as Union Pacific Railroad agreed to pay $85,000 as long as officials close the two aforementioned sites. Officials would then purchase railroad right-of-way land that would allow for the creation of the High Line Bike Trail, which would connect the north and south ends of town.

Councilman Bill Schickel said this is one of the most positive effects of the quiet zones, and will reaffirm Mason City as a town offering man amenities and recreational activities.

Schickel added that many residents have complained about the constant noise from trains throughout the day.

"Trains come by every 30 or so minutes and lay on that horn," he said.

Still, some residents are not convinced. Jim Ewalt, who lives on the 700 block of Third Street Southwest, said at last week's city council meeting that accessibility would be cut off.

"Youre basically cutting us off from the west end of town," he told council members. "Youre giving us a couple of crossings, one on 1st Street, and then the overpass thats 12 blocks, for people to try and get around."

Both Steuben and Ewalt support quiet crossings if medians are installed near the railroads like the other sites--thus providing safety measures, but not completely cutting off access.

Schickel said, however, that cost and traffic study analysis led officials to close off the two crossings. He added that the city's police and fire departments believe accessibility will not be significantly impacted.

"I understand the concern ... but there's also a lot of people who would have appreciated that this moved along faster," Schickel said regarding the process of implementing the zones.

Fellow council member Paul Adams sides with Schickel, citing that the increase in quality of life outweighs the negative effects of the project. He added that the topic has been debated in the past.

"This has been at the forefront of discussion for several years ... so it's not new," Adams said.

Quiet zones were proposed before in 2008 and 2001, but defeated by strong opposition from neighbors. Last week, city council approved the first of three readings of an ordinance that will approve the project.

The second reading is scheduled when council members meet Sept. 5.
MASON CITY | When longtime Mason City residents Laura and Steve Doerfler decided to build a house at 2 Arrowwood Road in 2013, they wanted to make sure they did it right.

The couple, who had lived in Louisiana in the early 1980s, fell in love with the southern architecture and that inspired the design of their new home. The house, which was completed in 2014, boasts a beautiful front porch, an open floor plan and a floor-to-ceiling stacked stone fireplace in the living area.

A house should be a home where you can rest and relax and feel comfortable and that was my goal, said Laura Doerfler, acknowledging thats done with the use of relaxing colors as well as placing treasured mementos neatly throughout the house.

The main level features an airy and light master bedroom, office, laundry room, dining room and a Florida room as well as a screened porch perfect for enjoying the outdoors and a good read. The lower-level contains two bedrooms, a Jack and Jill bathroom and a family room adorned with art from Michigan trips.

The home is the first of three the Globe Gazette will feature as part of the Mason City Womans Club annual Tour of Homes that takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12.

Club membership is required for the tour and is open to all women. Memberships are $20 and may be purchased at the homes the day of the tour or Lucy & Olive at 7 S. Federal Ave.

Tea will follow the tour from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, 551 S. Taft Ave.
A controversial Indian spiritual guru has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for rape, India's Central Bureau of Investigation announced Monday.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, head of the spiritual sect Dera Sacha Sauda, was convicted on Friday of raping two of his followers in a case that dates back to 1999. The minimum sentence for rape is seven years.

He was sentenced to two consecutive 10-year terms, one for each conviction.

Singh was sentenced behind locked doors inside Rohtak jail, where he arrived by helicopter Friday from a courthouse in the northern city of Panchkula. The move came in a bid to prevent supporters gathering outside.

Security forces in northern Haryana state are set to remain on high alert after supporters were involved in deadly protests following his conviction.

At least 36 people were killed in Friday's violence and hundreds more injured, as supporters of Singh's rampaged through several northern states, setting fire to empty train carriages and burning cars.

Loyal support

Singh, known as the "guru of bling" on account of his flamboyant lifestyle, commands a vast and loyal support base throughout the region, and while no new clashes were reported over the weekend, security remains tight, with internet and SMS services shut down in parts of both Punjab and Haryana states until Tuesday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police in Panchkula, Manbir Singh, told CNN that additional army and paramilitary forces have been deployed and are expected to remain on guard until Wednesday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also condemned the violence.

Speaking on his monthly radio program "Mann ki Baat" ("Straight From the Heart") on Sunday, Modi reminded listeners that India was the home of "Gandhi and Lord Buddha" and that violence was not in the country's culture.

Sect followers refuse to leave

Dera Sacha Sauda, which describes itself as a "selfless socio-spiritual organization," has ashrams across 10 states and union territories across India and claims to have millions followers worldwide.

In the small town of Sirsa, located 150 miles away from Panchkula, thousands of devotees have gathered at the group's headquarters.

"The followers are still inside the compound and they could be in the numbers of 10,000 and upwards though people are leaving the compound," Vijay Kumar, the Deputy Superintendent of Police in Sirsa, told CNN.

Kumar added that a curfew and a ban on the gathering of five or more persons will remain in place in Sirsa throughout the coming days.

Cult icon

Singh is a surprisingly influential figure in India, where he is considered a cult icon and performer.

He is the star of five films and numerous popular music videos, including the "Messenger of God," in which he acts as the hero who saves the nation.

His look is part-biker gang member, part Hindu epic hero.

In one of his most popular music videos, "Love Charger," Singh appears clad in a rhinestone-studded motorcycle vest with an embossed image of a lion on the back, while he sings before an adoring crowd.

India's Central Bureau of Investigation first picked up the case against Singh in 2002, but charges were only formally brought against him in 2007, according to the bureau's R.K. Gaur.

Singh is also at the center of an ongoing murder investigation.

CNN's Huizhong Wu and Steve George contributed to this report
Gene Takle is director of Iowa State University's Climate Science Program and professor at ISU. Betsy Stone is an associate professor at the University of Iowa. The wrote this as part of the Iowa Climate Statement 2017.

For the last six years, experts at nearly every Iowa college and university have produced annual statements describing some of the real impacts of climate change on Iowans. This statement was signed by 193 science faculty and researchers from 40 Iowa colleges and universities.
When tornadoes struck the town of Pilger in 2014, volunteers headed toward the area to help with cleanup. Among them was Mitch Josten, who lived in North Platte at the time. Now, hes preparing to head to Texas to assist with the aftermath caused by Hurricane Harvey.

Both times, Josten has worked with a group called All Hands Volunteers.

Joining their programs has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life, Josten said.

Josten and other All Hands Volunteers will be working alongside volunteers from dozens of other organizations. On Friday, Nebraska Task Force 1, an urban search and rescue team, announced it was headed to San Antonio to await Harveys landfall. As of Sunday evening, more than 40 American Red Cross volunteers from Kansas, Nebraska and southwest Iowa were headed to Texas.

Members of the Nebraska National Guard were also deployed to Texas. Four helicopters and 23 soldiers will be assisting with the aftermath.

While we never wish for anyone to be faced with disaster, we are always ready to assist, whether here in Nebraska or elsewhere in the U.S., said Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac. Its what we train for. Its who we are  Americas military first responders, whenever or wherever we are needed.

Not everyone can travel to help those affected by Harvey, but there are ways people can make a difference wherever they are.

During emergencies like this, monetary donations are recommended, because the funds can be used to purchase exactly what is needed, according to Charity Navigator. Josten confirmed that, saying that truckloads of material supplies can lead to what he calls the second disaster. Roadways become congested from the extra transports and storage space often runs low.

There are many charities a person can donate to, but it is important to make sure they are legitimate by checking websites such as www.charitynavigator.org and charitywatch.org. If you donate by check, make checks payable to the organization youre donating to.
Canberra's run for an unlikely finals spot looked promising after their big win over the Knights on Friday night, but by Sunday their season was officially over after a year riddled with inconsistency.

Manly's late comeback over the Warriors was the final blow for the Green Machine, who have suffered enough with close losses and last-minute defeats to leave their season's fate in opposition hands.

After a successful 2016 season, Ricky Stuart's men had a weight of expectation given to them early but failed to live up to the pre-season hype despite a fairly injury-free run throughout the year.

The Raiders will rue a mid-season slump that consisted of seven losses  five of which were by a margin of six points or less including a golden point loss to Manly and a shock-loss to the Panthers on the siren.

"It's disappointing but we've only got ourselves to blame," Raiders forward Luke Bateman said.

"We shouldn't have put ourselves in that position to begin with. If it gets to the end of the year and you're hoping on other teams' results you don't deserve to be there anyway."

The 22-year-old admitted the mood around camp had immediately changed on Monday morning and he was left to listen to the Sea Eagles' victory through the car radio.

"Coming in [to training] everyone was down and it doesn't help when you have a sniff and for it to be gone," he said.

"We had such a good year last year and everyone was looking forward to playing finals footy this year.

"The air went out of the tyres after the result."

Bateman's comments come as the Raiders prepare for a final round clash with the Melbourne Storm  the team heavily favoured to take out the 2017 Telstra Premiership and coming off an astonishing 64-6 victory against the Rabbitohs.

The final round dead-rubber will be nothing short of hostile however with the rivalry between the two clubs at an all-time high.

It was in Round 20 both sides were embroiled in controversy with Billy Slater left concussed following a late hit from Raiders veteran Iosia Soliola.

The tackle led to debate over the send off ruling and left Storm halfback Cooper Cronk declaring Slater couldn't remember Origin III due to the tackle.

Soliola returns from a five-week suspension following the Slater tackle for the clash at AAMI Park.

"He's a leader and has a massive work rate," Bateman said.

"He's been positive and we've definitely missed him.

"It would be really good to come back into the off-season with a win against the minor premiers.

"If there's no go forward then we'll have absolutely no chance.

"They're very good defensively and are well structured. It's hard finding holes in them and we'll have to be at our very best."



Raiders v Knights: Five key points

Raiders smash Knights to stay in hunt


Peepers by PeeperSpecs, a reading glasses and sunglasses designer in Michigan City, has seen tremendous growth and is eyeing further expansion at pharmacies and gourmet groceries such as Whole Foods.

The fourth-generation family-owned company again made the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing companies with 162 percent growth over the last three years. Peepers, owned by brother-and-sister team Alec and Lindsay Sammann, brought in $10.4 million in revenue from nationwide retail and online sales last year, up from $1.5 million in 2009.

"The growth of our company has been phenomenal. We are up 600 percent since 2012 when Alec and Lindsay purchased the company, weve achieved this success with no venture capital which is unlike most of our competitors," said Ariel Berrier, Peepers acquisition marketing strategist. "We just launched a new innovative line of blue blocking computer glasses. These reduce digital eyestrain and headaches from computer usage, and are also available for those that do not wear readers in no power."

Peepers saw a significant boost in sales after Oprah Winfrey recommended its glasses in Oprah Magazine, and Sheryl Crow plugged them in a Mother's Day Gift Guide in People magazine.

Peepers sells its reading glasses online at peepers.com and at gift shops, book stores, optical good stores, and grocery stores across the United States and Canada. The company has invested in its website to ensure users have the best experience and can find the right product as quickly as possible, said Alec Sammann, president and CEO.

And it copies Zappos's customer service playbook, ensuring that any issues shoppers have immediately get resolved.

"There's no crying at Peepers," he said. "We have no policies we're trying to protect."

About 40 percent of the business is online, while about 60 percent comes from wholesaling to 4,500 retailers nationwide. Hallmark for instance carries Peepers reading glasses in its 400 corporate stores nationwide. Its diverse customer base includes people who make impulse purchases, suffer eyestrain from staring at their phone or computer screen too long, don the glasses as part of a costume or want to look smart.

Peepers envisions more growth by broadening its distribution network, and recently reached a deal with the country's largest supplier to independent pharmacies.

The company's reading glasses sell for an average of $22 a pair.

"We're not the cheapest or the most expensive by any means," Sammann said. "Customers recognize we offer real value."

Peepers comes out with 80 to 100 new designs for reading glasses and sunglasses each year, unveiling new styles for each season. The company's designers stay on top current trends, keeping up with what's going on in the fashion industry.

"They look at data of what's planned up to two years in advance," he said. "One specific thing was they saw that pineapples would become a trend a year in advance. So we put pineapples on a frame. Before, long you started seeing pineapples everywhere. It became our No. 1 seller. It was wild."

To nurture employees' creativity, Peepers tries to have a fun work environment and has been named one of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce's top places to work. When the company hits revenue targets, it offers employees rewards such as free breakfast or lunch, bags tournaments, Starbucks gift cards and swag. It's even planning a dunk tank.

Recently, Peepers invested $300,000 in a renovation of its Michigan City office that includes a showroom, a design room and a gym for employees.

"There's a ping pong table," Sammann said. "We really Googled it up. People are working eight hours to nine hours a day, so we want it to be fun. It's a recruiting tool. We want the best and the brightest taking care of the customers."
President Donald Trump talked about the need to preserve steelworker jobs while out on the campaign trail, and now steel executives are asking him to take action.

The Trump administration launched a Section 232 investigation into whether imports harmed national security, which could potentially result in further tariffs or even quotas that would strictly limit the amount of foreign-made steel allowed in. Steel prices in the U.S. have been up all year in anticipation of some sort of crackdown on imported steel.

But after backlash from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other industry groups, Trump said in July any tariffs would be delayed.

Now executives from 25 of America's leading steel companies, including ArcelorMittal USA CEO John Brett and U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt, wrote a letter encouraging the president to "take broad and decisive action to ensure the ability of the domestic steel industry to supply our nations defense and critical infrastructure needs."

"We encourage your administration to take immediate action under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to prevent excess steel capacity and surging steel imports from undermining the viability of the U.S. steel industry," the steel executives wrote. "As you know, excess capacity in many foreign countries is the main cause of the sustained surge in imports. The U.S. government has been trying to address overcapacity through multilateral organizations like the G-20 and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. So far, those efforts have failed to produce an effective solution, and the U.S. industry continues to suffer the consequences of foreign government inaction."

Imports caused thousands of steelworker layoffs nationwide in recent years, including at both U.S. Steel and ArcelorMittal. Despite 190 tariffs and threats of more, imports are up 22 percent so far this year, and have a near record market share in the U.S.

"The need for action is urgent," the steelmaker CEOs wrote. "Since the 232 investigation was announced in April, imports have continued to surge. In June, steel imports hit their highest monthly total in more than two years by capturing 30 percent of the U.S. market."

Steel companies say imports often are illegally subsidized, making it hard for U.S. companies that receive no government subsidies to compete on price. They say many foreign steelmakers have cheated trade rules and are dumping steel, or selling it below cost and a reasonable profit margin with the long-term goal of stealing market share from domestic producers.
HAMMOND  Two men were injured in a one-car crash following the alleged robbery of a Whiting gas station early Monday morning.

Whiting Police Chief Stephen Miller said the case began about 3:15 a.m. Monday when a Whiting officer noticed a white vehicle with a broken tail light passing him heading north on Indianapolis Boulevard.

Miller said the officer eventually began following the vehicle, and while doing so heard about a robbery that had occurred at a Mobile Gas Station at 1440 Indianapolis Blvd. in Whiting.

"The officer turned on his lights and the vehicle continued to speed away, and he followed the car into East Chicago, then Hammond," Miller said. "My officer said it looked like the car blew out a tire. During this time, one of the passengers was waving his arms out the window as if they were going to surrender but the car kept going.

"The officer said the driver began to lose control and the vehicle hit a curb, then flipped over numerous times at Indianapolis Boulevard and Summer Street in Hammond. One of the suspects was ejected and lying on the ground behind the car. The other suspect was still in the car."

The Whiting police chief said there were numerous packs of cigarettes, cigars and other evidence from the robbery in the vehicle and on the ground. Police also recovered an unknown amount of cash.

Miller said there were two men in the car, one of whom was taken to St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, and was treated and later arrested and charged with robbery. He was identified as Dimitrios Reed, of Gary. He is now in Hammond police custody.

Miller said the other man, identified as Shakur Cheatem, of East Chicago, was taken to Methodist Hospital Northlake in Gary, and later flown to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois.

Miller said he does not believe there were any weapons displayed during the robbery. He did not have the ages of the two men and didn't know which was the driver and which was the passenger.

Hammond police did not have any information at press time.
CROWN POINT  The filing period opens Wednesday for candidates who want to become the next Lake County sheriff.

James Wieser, the county's Democratic chairman, said he is mailing formal notices to the party's more than 500 precinct committee members about the Sept. 16 caucus to fill the vacancy left by Friday's removal of John Buncich from office.

A U.S. District Court jury found Buncich guilty of bribery, wire fraud and honest service wire fraud charges.

Wieser said candidates have until Sept. 13 to file. The caucus will begin 10 a.m. Sept. 16 at the Lake County Government Center auditorium.

Wieser said the office is open to anyone who is 18 or older, a Democrat and a registered voter in Lake County.

Five current and former law enforcement officers said Friday they intend to run for the office.

Those who confirmed their candidacy Friday include: Schererville Police Chief David Dowling, former postal service law enforcement official Richard Ligon, Lake County police Sgt. Oscar Martinez, Lake County Deputy Police Chief Daniel Murchek and Highland attorney and former police officer Thomas O'Donnell.

Dowling has decades of law enforcement experience with the Schererville Police Department.

Ligon is a graduate of Gary's Froebel High School, has 34 years of military experience and served as a law enforcement official for the U.S. Postal Service from 1981 to 2004.

Martinez is a 24-year veteran of the county police force. He has been prominent in past years for seizing millions of dollars in illicit drugs and money from drug couriers traveling on Lake County's interstates.

Murchek, who has been third-in-command at the Sheriff's Department since 2011, has 22 years of service with county police, nine years with Dyer police and two years on the Hebron Police Department.

O'Donnell graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, served one year as an Indiana University police officer and five years as a Highland police officer. He has been in private law practice since 1987 and served 12 years on the Lake County Council.
A Christmas tradition is set to come back to Lansing for the coming holiday season.

Santa House, a place where kids can visit Santa and Mrs. Claus, was a fixture in Lansing for over 50 years. A permanent Santa House had been absent since 2013.

Work on a new, permanent location near the corner of Randolph and Henry streets in downtown Lansing is set to begin in the next few weeks, Lansing Director of Communications Ken Reynolds said. Its expected to be finished in late November.

The aim is for the project to come at no net cost to the village, Reynolds said.

It is difficult to put a price tag on this project, Reynolds said. All the time, planning and engineering, drawings done so far have all been done by those donating their time and skills. Several different kinds of building materials have also been donated, such as windows.

The village is still looking for volunteers and materials, and Reynolds asked residents to contact him for more information. The Village Board did approve advanced funding, but Reynolds said it may not be needed.

The return of Santa House also fulfills a campaign promise for Village President Patty Eidam.

The new location will be near the Fox Pointe amphitheater development, so Village Engineer Jeff Pintar, of Robinson Engineering, said it will have plenty of space and parking. The building will be 18 feet by 16 feet, and the sidewalk and bike path will provide a natural track for a line.

John Cole chaired a volunteer commission for the project. He told the board at its Aug. 1 meeting the building could have alternate uses outside of the Christmas season for storage or public works.

We had talked about making, on the east side, the Henry Street side, making some designation for this to be the Santa House, a permanent designation even though it would be available for other uses, Cole said.

A portable Santa House was first built in Lansing in 1962. That wooden structure was replaced 13 years later by a permanent building in the parking lot of the former Village Hall at 3404 Lake St.

The project was overseen by then Chamber of Commerce President Barry Bergstrom, and Smokey Loquist did most of the construction with materials and time donated by residents.

That version of Santa House was shuttered in 2013 when Visible Music College leased the former Village Hall.

The village then installed a temporary Santa House in Park Plaza in 2014 for one season and the following year it was in a storefront on Ridge Road.

Santa Houses are popular in the Chicago suburbs, with others in Blue Island, Crystal Lake, Downers Grove, Naperville, Fox Lake and elsewhere. Lansings is believed to be one of the oldest traditions.
Southlake County Reporter

Carmen is an award-winning journalist who has worked at The Times newspaper for 20 years. Before that she also had stints at The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., The Post-Tribune and The News Dispatch in Michigan City.
GARY  Referencing various environmental issues facing Northwest Indiana, including lead water service lines, Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and other environmental groups spoke out Tuesday against proposed cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Those joining Freeman-Wilson at the Lake Michigan shoreline at Gary's Marquette Park were American Federation of Government Employees Local 704 President Michael Mikulka and representatives of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign in Indiana, Save the Dunes and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Freeman-Wilson spoke of how as a young girl she sometimes encountered dead fish as she walked along Gary's Lake Michigan shoreline. She credited today's more pristine conditions to the efforts of the EPA. She also credited agency personnel with making sure officials were aware of a spill this year of the carcinogenic chemical hexavalent chromium at U.S. Steel's Midwest Plant in Portage that closed some beaches along the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

"The president of the company or the local manager of the company, they didn't call me, but you know who did  representatives of the EPA, because they knew that would matter to me as the mayor of this community," she said, "and they knew it would matter to the citizens of this community, to the environmentalists who protect this community."

Mikulka said an 8-percent cut proposed by the U.S. House Budget Appropriations Committee would mean the agency's budget will have been reduced by 27 percent over the past eight years. He said an employee buyout program currently underway also is reducing the number of experienced staff on hand to respond to growing environmental needs and natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey.

He said in Northwest Indiana, including Gary, there are thousands of lead service lines potentially contaminating people's drinking water. Mikulka said the lines need to be replaced to ensure public health is protected.

Freeman-Wilson said the city is working with Indiana American Water to assess the issue in Gary. Indiana American Water is the operator of the city's water system.

"Once that monitoring is done, we are going to come up with a plan if we find out there is a problem here," Freeman-Wilson said Tuesday. Sampling of about 80 homes in Gary began six months ago to determine what is in the water coming out of the taps. Results are expected to come in by the end of October.

Freeman-Wilson said a multistep process is involved. After finding out the extent of the problem, officials then need to determine what it would require to remedy the problem and, finally, "figure out a way to get it done," she said.
Sarah-Anne Lanman, of Munster, is one of four teachers who will receive the Journalism Education Associations Rising Star Award, which recognizes their commitment to scholastic journalism and student media advising.

Lanman has had journalism in her blood for a while. After serving as an editor-in-chief for her high school yearbook, it was only fitting she move into the publications director position at her former high school in 2013.

Since then, Lanman has continued encouraging the tradition of excellence for both the newspaper and the yearbook programs.

My program usually has two goals, Lanman said. One, to make sure to meet the needs and wants of the reader, and two, to improve upon whats been done in the past.

Lanman has the same expectations for herself as she has continued to educate herself in current journalism trends while also sharing those at conventions when she has the opportunity to teach.

Sarah-Anne trains responsible student journalists who arent afraid to tackle issues and cover topics important to their readers, nominator Nancy Hastings, MJE, said. She has trained her staffs to be professional, competent journalists.
ST. JOHN  Phone systems that were at least 15 years old and security cameras that no one really knew how old they were are no longer a concern for the Lake Central Schools.

Technology Director Rick Moreno told the school board the phones in five of the schools  Bibich, Kolling, Peifer and Watson elementaries and Grimmer Middle School  were so outdated, the company that installed them said it could no longer find parts for them.

Moreno said there was a danger that, if the system went down, the schools might be without phone service for a couple of days. To prevent that, Northwest Communications, of Merrillville, installed new phone systems in all the schools over about a two-day period in June. The company was able to do the same for Homan Elementary over Christmas break.

The phones now are on the same system at all the schools and can dial between buildings using an extension number instead of calling the schools main office. They also are equipped so voicemail automatically goes to the persons email. Total cost of the upgrade was $131,344.

Security cameras at the three middle schools  Grimmer, Kahler and Clark  also were replaced. Moreno said the cameras at Kahler were originally taken from the high school, and no one remembers how far back they had been in use. The resolution on all of them was so bad that faces of people were blurred beyond recognition.

Moreno said a recent federal inspection also pointed out that the one-week recording capacity of the cameras was woefully inadequate and at least 30 days should be available. The schools were provided all new equipment with up to 60 days of recording capacity by Crown Point-based Video Surveillance Systems.

It took the company about a week to install the cameras at each school, at a total cost of $89,165.

Superintendent Larry Veracco told the board a change in the way graduation rates are calculated could cause a drastic drop in the reported rate statewide that could have a negative impact on the states ability to attract businesses.

Veracco shared a letter to U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Ind., from state Public Instruction Superintendent Jennifer McCormick asking for help in changing the U.S. Department of Education mandate that general education diplomas no longer be included in the graduation rate calculations. McCormick said 8,000 Indiana students receive GEDs each year, and not counting them would drop the state's graduation rate from 89 percent to 76.5 percent.

Veracco said Lake Centrals rate would drop 6.8 percent. He said the change is troubling because many students in technical education programs dont take the third year of math, which would not make them eligible for inclusion in the rate, and students with learning differences also receive the general diploma. The change also could mean a great many more schools would receive D and F grades for their overall performance.
GARY  A semitruck driver lost a trailer on the Borman Expressway early Tuesday and didn't realize it until he stopped nearly seven miles away, police said.

The driver, a Louisiana man, was headed east on Interstate 80/94 just west of Grant Street about 4:35 a.m. in a 2015 Freightliner when another semitrailer sideswiped his side mirror, according to Indiana State Police.

The driver veered to the right, went onto the outer shoulder and overcorrected back into the right lane, causing a rear second trailer to fishtail, police said. The trailer became detached, rolled onto its left side and came to rest in the middle left and middle right lanes of eastbound Interstate 80/94.

The driver didn't notice the lost trailer until he pulled over about seven miles away at the entrance to the Indiana Toll Road, police said.

The lost trailer contained packages from Amazon, and no load was lost. The semitrailer that sideswiped the Freightliner was not located, police said.

The wreck forced the closure of several lanes on the Borman for several hours.
MICHIGAN CITY  Officials in the city are taking a hard look at imposing a fee to eliminate standing water problems in the city and improve stormwater capacity for future growth.

A public workshop is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall to discuss creating what could be a monthly fee of about $11 for residential property owners.

Mayor Ron Meer said the fee would be higher for businesses, which would be based on factors like property size.

Meer said about $2 million a year would be generated for things like new infrastructure to help drainage in areas like the historic Eastport neighborhood on the north end and areas to the south.

The city's sanitary district board has already given its blessing to the fee, which must be approved by the City Council to take effect.

About a decade ago, Meer said, the city put in an $8 million storm sewer tunnel, about 8 feet wide, at 8th and Lafayette streets.

The plan then was to run connections to that line to help with drainage, but those taps were never made.

Meer said separating combined sewers and running hook-ups to the tunnel over a 10-year period, with fee revenues paying the bill, eliminate "90 percent" of all current drainage issues in the city.

"It's bothered me for some years that we have $8 million worth of infrastructure in the ground right now not being used," Meer said.

It's too early to say exactly when the fee might go into effect, but having it in place for 2018 is a good possibility, Meer said.

The fee would be imposed on property tax bills.

Michael Kuss, general manager of the Michigan City sanitary district, said the fee is also needed to maintain 13 miles of legal drains in the city that have no funding mechanisms, in addition to other storm drain projects needing to be finished or financed.

He said there are also many "green" stormwater control infrastructure systems already installed throughout the city and more in the planning stages that will require funds for maintenance.

"The drainage fee will be used for these purposes so that proper drainage throughout the city and compliance with state and federal requirements can be achieved and maintained," Kuss said.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Premier Diversified Holdings Inc. ("Premier" or the "Company") (CSE:PDH) is pleased to announce that on August 28, 2017 it acquired 400,000 common shares ("Shares") of Sequant Re Holdings Limited ("SRHL") at USD$0.50 per common share for total consideration of USD$200,000 (approximately CAD$250,080). The acquisition was made through Premier's wholly-owned Bermuda subsidiary company, Premier Diversified Holdings (Bermuda) Ltd. ("Premier Bermuda"), which is the registered holder of the Shares. The purchase price was paid in cash by Premier Bermuda, from a loan made by Premier.



Following this acquisition, Premier holds a total of 6,526,000 common shares of SRHL, approximately 47.65% of the issued and outstanding shares of SRHL, all of which are held indirectly through Premier Bermuda.

SRHL is an exempted company registered in Bermuda. SRHL's wholly owned subsidiary, Sequant Reinsurance Company Limited ("Sequant Re") is a reinsurance company licensed as a Class 3 commercial insurance company under the Insurance Act 1978 (Bermuda) and registered as a segregated accounts company under the Segregated Accounts Companies Act 2000 (Bermuda). Sequant Re underwrites various reinsurance transactions and collateralizes its obligations through the issuance of insurance-linked securities ("ILSs"). The ILSs are offered to third party investors, and the capital from the sale of the ILSs is used to fund the reinsurance business. Further information about Sequant Re may be found here: www.SequantRe.com.

Premier continues to hold the right to appoint three directors to the Board of SRHL, provided that it maintains a minimum of 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares of SRHL. Premier previously nominated Alnesh Mohan, Sanjeev Parsad and G. Andrew Cooke to the board of SRHL as of December 12, 2014. All three of Premier's nominees continue to act as directors of SRHL. Additionally, Messrs. Parsad and Mohan are directors and officers of Premier and Mr. Cooke is a director of Premier. Mr. Cooke has been appointed to act as Chairman of the Audit and Financial Committee of SRHL and will oversee the financial management of SRHL. Messrs. Parsad and Mohan do not, and do not intend to, participate in management or daily operations of SRHL.

Further Information

Further information regarding Premier may be found on Premiers website at www.pdh-inc.com and filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com .

Premier Diversified Holdings Inc. participates in diversified industries through its acquisitions of assets and/or securities of public and private entities which it believes have potential for significant returns. It may act as a holding company (either directly or through a subsidiary) and may participate in management of subsidiary entities to varying degrees.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Sanjeev Parsad"

Sanjeev Parsad

President, CEO and Director

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this document. Company information can be viewed here: www.thecse.com. Further information regarding the Company can be found on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Not for dissemination in the United States of America.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are indicated expectations or intentions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include that Premier will hold the purchased shares of SRHL through Premier Bermuda, that SRHL will operate its business as described in this news release, and that Messrs. Parsad and Mohan will not participate in management or daily operations of SRHL. Factors that could cause actual results to be materially different include but are not limited to the following: that the nature of Premier's acquisition will change, that Premier, Premier Bermuda or Messrs. Parsad and/or Mohan will become active in management and/or daily operations of SRHL, and that no significant positive developments will occur for SRHL in 2017 or beyond. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. It is not our policy to update forward looking statements.
CHESTERTON  Town Council President James Ton said now that the Chesterton Economic Development Corp. is up and running, he would like to outline his goals.

First among these goals would be to replace and install four quiet railroad crossings throughout the town. Second would be to incorporate activities to alleviate blight and empty buildings through the town via a number of opportunities including grants and loans. The third is to create mapping and signage directing visitors to the downtown, and fourth would be to network with the local business community.

Thats my vision for how to support the downtown renewal challenge, Ton told the council on Monday.

Earlier in the evening, at the towns redevelopment commission meeting, Ton presented members with a request to seek approval for concept signage at 1100 North and 100 East in what is known as the South Calumet District, to direct visitors to Chestertons downtown.

Ton requested funds for the signage from TIF funds, and the commission approved in concept, pending research and approval from the towns legal advisers.

Also during the meeting, Maura Durham, president of the Duneland Chamber of Commerce, appealed to the council to extend the European Market contract with the town for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 25 and the Mistletoe Market on Dec. 2.

She said hosting the two events downtown in the same location as the European Market will allow for more traffic to local businesses and vendors.

Council member Emerson DeLaney expressed concern over logistics, which was echoed by a number of department heads, while Ton said he thought it was an excellent idea. The council agreed in concept to both dates.

Clerk-treasurer Stephanie Kuziela provided the council with a list of items it unanimously declared surplus that will be sold at an upcoming auction Sept. 19. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the auction starting at 7 p.m. at the 15th Street Municipal Building.

Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg reported on a request from Frontline Foundation for two banners for their upcoming Hooked on Art event and he identified two locations that would be ideal and the council unanimously approved.

The parking lot for the splash pad is complete, reported Park Superintendent Bruce Mathias.

Town Manager Bernie Doyle and Fire Chief John Jarka gave the council updates on fixing the clock located outside Town Hall and said they would continue to pursue options.

Ton opened the council meeting by voicing concern for the residents of Houston suffering from the effects of flooding.
VALPARAISO  Bob Coolman described his company's latest development Tuesday morning as "upscale, urban and sophisticated."

But, the president of Coolman Communities Inc., of Valparaiso, said, the 48-unit condominium/town home development on the site of the former St. Paul Catholic Church will get its design concept from the 120- to 130-year-old buildings that line Valparaiso's downtown streets, just blocks away.

Coolman told the Valparaiso Site Review Committee Tuesday morning that company representatives have met with neighborhood residents twice since purchasing the property, which has been vacant nearly a decade, earlier this year.

The $14 million to $15 million investment will cover nearly the entire block surrounded by Campbell Street, Chicago Street, Academy Street and Chestnut Street. It will include four residential owner-occupied buildings, each with 12 two- and three-bedroom units. Each building will have 10 condominium-style units in the three-story center and two-story townhomes on each end.

The development, named St. Paul Square, will also include a community center with a large meeting room, exercise room and restrooms. In addition, each building will have attached, enclosed garages. There will be two additional detached garages.

As part of the project, the development will reconstruct Academy Street, widening it to two lanes and adding on-street parking on Campbell Street. They will also replace the retaining wall, pushing the Campbell Street portion back 16 feet.

In addition, Matt Evans, director of public works, said the city is interested in working with the developer on timing to reconstruct the eastern half of Academy Street and completing "significant work" on Chicago Street that has been in the planning stages for five years.

Each building will have sprinkler systems for fire protection and will contain elevators. Coolman estimated it would take four years to build out the project.

He said they hope to begin construction on the first building, which will face Chicago Street, this fall. To do so, the developer will request the city's plan commission to suspend its rules at the Sept. 12 meeting to forward a recommendation to the City Council to act on the planned unit development ordinance at its Sept. 25 meeting.
VALPARAISO  Porter County was awarded federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Porter County will receive an estimated $24,000 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county, according to a press release from the United Way of Porter County.

The selection is made by a national board through the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, The Salvation Army, United Jewish Communities and United Way of America.

A local board was charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country. The local board will determine how the funds awarded to Porter County are to be distributed among local agencies in the area.

The local EFSP board is encouraging local agencies that meet requirements to apply for the funds. Under the terms of the grant, local agencies chosen to receive funds must: be private voluntary nonprofits or units of government, be eligible to receive federal funds, have an accounting system, practice nondiscrimination, have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs and if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board.

Application deadline is Tuesday, Sept. 12. Applicants must attend two meetings in order to apply. The first meeting is 8:30 a.m. Sept. 8. The second meeting is 4:30 p.m. Sept. 14. Both meetings will be held at United Way of Porter County, 951 Eastport Centre Drive in Valparaiso.

Nonprofit organizations or public agencies interested in applying for Phase 34 Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds should contact United Way of Porter County at 219-464-3583 or info@unitedwaypc.org for an application.
GARY  Whoever thought that in 2017 the country would still be fighting against racism and bigotry, Robin Rich, of Temple Israel of Northwest Indiana, asked.

Rich was among more than 150 people who turned out Monday evening for a unity rally and march in Gary following the tragic incidents on Aug. 12 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The city is among several across the country that have hosted rallies, vigils and marches in solidarity with the people of Charlottesville.

Delores Brown, of Gary, said she is still shocked by the events that occurred in Charlottesville.

"I came out to support unity and peace," she said. "It's so important that we all think and walk in solidarity for those that need a voice."

Gary human relations director Haneefah Khaaliq said the event was held to speak out against racial injustice, religious injustice and other forms of hate and bigotry.

"We believe in freedom of speech but not to the point of violence or the loss of lives," she said.

Marchers sang songs like "We Shall Overcome" as they marched four blocks from the 800 block of Broadway to the 400 block of Broadway.

The Rev. Charles Strietelmeier drew applause when he said, "Bigotry wants to multiply and we must fight the infection without killing the patient. We do this by insisting on the dignity of every human being that God made."

The minister also said, "It's not enough to say it, tweet it, Facebook it or Instagram it. Get your body to the right places. Get your body to the polling places."

Members of Black Lives Matter NWI-Gary said the vehicular attack by a homegrown terrorist cost anti-racist activist Heather Heyer her life, and there were attacks by other white supremacists that left many others wounded that day.

Kayla Vodnoy, of Valparaiso, also with Temple Israel, said, "I think we all need to be able to talk to each other, stand together and lift each other up and not cut each other down. We need to work together for all of our cities, Northwest Indiana and our country."

Eighteen-year-old LaTaryion Perry, of Portage, said he came out with Portage leaders to promote peace and unity throughout Northwest Indiana. "We need to stop the racism and the crime," the teen said.

Lake County Democratic Chairman Jim Wieser urged all people to stand in solidarity, and he asked them to pray for the people in Houston who are experiencing unprecedented flooding.

Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said it's not about political parties but about people, and she thanked those people from across Northwest Indiana who came out for the rally.

"We have created a traumatic environment for our children, who are worried about things like deportation, bigotry and hatred," she said. "We owe our children better."

Two weeks ago, Freeman-Wilson released a statement saying she was "overwhelmed with emotions of disbelief, sadness and fear as I listened to an intemperate President Donald Trump retreat from his reluctant condemnation of white supremacy."
HOUSTON  With its flood defenses strained, the crippled city of Houston anxiously watched dams and levees Tuesday to see if they would hold until the rain stops, and meteorologists offered the first reason for hope  a forecast with less than an inch of rain and even a chance for sunshine.

The human toll continued to mount, both in deaths and in the ever-swelling number of scared people made homeless by the catastrophic storm that is now the heaviest tropical downpour in U.S. history.

The city's largest shelter was overflowing when the mayor announced plans to create space for thousands of extra people by opening two and possibly three more mega-shelters.

"We are not turning anyone away. But it does mean we need to expand our capabilities and our capacity," Mayor Sylvester Turner said. "Relief is coming."

The rescues went on. Federal and local agencies said they had lifted more than 13,000 people out of the floodwaters in the Houston area and surrounding cities and counties.

Louisiana's governor offered to take in Harvey victims from Texas, and televangelist Joel Osteen opened his Houston megachurch, a 16,000-seat former arena, after critics blasted him on social media for not acting to help families displaced by the storm.

Meteorologists said the sprawling city would soon get a chance to dry out.

When Harvey returns to land Wednesday, "it's the end of the beginning," National Hurricane Center meteorologist Dennis Feltgen said.

Harvey will spend much of Wednesday dropping rain on Louisiana before moving on to Arkansas, Tennessee and parts of Missouri, which could also see flooding.

But Feltgen cautioned: "We're not done with this. There's still an awful lot of real estate and a lot of people who are going to feel the impacts of the storm."

The National Weather Service predicted less of an inch of rain for Houston on Wednesday and only a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms for Thursday. Friday's forecast called for mostly sunny skies with a high near 94.

In all, more than 17,000 people have sought refuge in Texas shelters, and that number seemed certain to increase, the American Red Cross said.

The city's largest shelter, the George R. Brown Convention Center, held more than 9,000 people, almost twice the number officials originally planned to house there. The crowds included many from outside Houston.

By the end of the day, the Toyota Center, home of the NBA's Rockets, had begun accepting people who could not find space at the convention center.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said he expected Texas officials to decide within 48 hours whether to accept his offer, which comes as Louisiana deals with its own flooding. About 500 people were evacuated from flooded neighborhoods in southwest Louisiana, Edwards said.

The city has asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for more supplies, including cots and food, for an additional 10,000 people, said the mayor, who hoped to get the supplies no later than Wednesday.

In an apparent response to scattered reports of looting, the mayor also imposed a curfew. Police Chief Art Acevedo said violators would be questioned, searched and arrested.

Four days after the storm ravaged the Texas coastline as a hurricane, authorities and family members have reported more than a dozen deaths from Harvey. They include a woman killed when heavy rain sent a large oak tree crashing onto her trailer and another woman who apparently drowned after her vehicle was swept off a bridge.

Houston police confirmed that a 60-year-old officer drowned in his patrol car after he became trapped in high water while driving to work. Sgt. Steve Perez had been with the force for 34 years.

Six members of a family were feared dead after their van sank into Greens Bayou in East Houston. A Houston hotel said one of its employees disappeared while helping about 100 guests and workers evacuate the building.

Authorities acknowledge that fatalities from Harvey could soar once the floodwaters start to recede from one of America's largest metropolitan centers.

A pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston and a levee in a suburban subdivision began overflowing Tuesday, adding to the rising floodwaters.

Engineers began releasing water from the Addicks and Barker reservoirs Monday to ease the strain on the dams. But the releases were not enough to relieve the pressure after the relentless downpours, Army Corps of Engineers officials said. Both reservoirs are at record highs.

The release of the water means that more homes and streets will flood, and some homes will be inundated for up to a month, said Jeff Linder of the Harris County Flood Control District.

Brazoria County authorities posted a message on Twitter warning that the levee at Columbia Lakes south of Houston had been breached and telling people to "GET OUT NOW!!" Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta said residents were warned that the levee would be overtopped at some point, and a mandatory evacuation order was given Sunday.

The levee was later fortified, but officials said they did not know how long the work would hold.

Officials in Houston were also keeping an eye on infrastructure such as bridges, roads and pipelines that are in the path of the floodwaters.

Water in the Houston Ship Channel, one of the nation's busiest waterways, which serves the Port of Houston and Houston's petrochemical complex, is at levels never seen before, Linder said.

The San Jacinto River, which empties into the channel, has pipelines and roads and bridges not designed for the current deluge, Linder said, and the chance of infrastructure failures will increase the "longer we keep the water in place."

Among the worries is debris coming down the river and crashing into structures and the possibility that pipelines in the riverbed will be scoured by swift currents. In 1994, a pipeline ruptured on the river near Interstate 10 and caught fire.

During a visit to the storm zone, President Donald Trump kept his distance from the epicenter of the damage in Houston to avoid disrupting recovery operations. But he planned to return to the region Saturday to meet with some of the victims, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.

After five consecutive days of rain, Harvey set a new continental U.S. record for rainfall for a tropical system.

The rains in Cedar Bayou, near Mont Belvieu, Texas, totaled 51.88 inches (1.32 meters) as of Tuesday afternoon. That's a record for both Texas and the continental United States, but it does not quite surpass the 52 inches (1.33 meters) from Tropical Cyclone Hiki in Kauai, Hawaii, in 1950, before Hawaii became a state.

The previous record was 48 inches (1.22 meters) set in 1978 in Medina, Texas, by Tropical Storm Amelia. A weather station southeast of Houston reported 49.32 inches (1.25 meters) of rain.

Before it breaks up, Harvey could creep as far east as Mississippi by Thursday, meaning New Orleans, where Hurricane Katrina unleashed its full wrath in 2005, is in Harvey's path. Foreboding images of Harvey lit up weather radar screens on the 12th anniversary of the day Katrina made landfall in Plaquemines Parish.

The disaster is unfolding on an epic scale, with the nation's fourth-largest city mostly paralyzed by the storm that arrived as a Category 4 hurricane and then parked over the Gulf Coast. The Houston metro area covers about 10,000 square miles (25,900 square kilometers), an area slightly bigger than New Jersey.

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Associated Press writers Frank Bajak and Michael Graczyk in Houston, Diana Heidgerd and David Warren in Dallas, Seth Borenstein in Washington and Tammy Webber in Chicago contributed to this report.

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Sign up for AP's daily newsletter showcasing our best all-formats reporting on Harvey and its aftermath: http://apne.ws/ahYQGtb .
President Donald Trumps notion of fire and fury for North Korea inspires cheers, fears and jeers. Is he threatening the biblical fire and brimstone, or does his rhetoric more closely resemble Shakespeares tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing?

Yes, there are those who think the American president is an idiot, but you also find some who admire him for getting Kim Jong-un to back down. Kim did call off ordering a missile to hit somewhere off Guam, didnt he? Thats true enough  though its not likely The Fearless, Respected Leader has given up on that idea while thousands of U.S. and South Korean troops play annual war games in defiance of a torrent of rhetoric.

So what to do? Might a quick hit, a pre-emptive strike, maybe even massive retaliation, be the way to wipe out the terrorist of the north? As the dust is settling, would not millions of North Koreans rise up in rebellion and install a more reasonable and humane leader?

Oh sure. You dont have to have followed North Korea too closely to know that such a denouement is the stuff of fantasy. More likely, as everyone knows, bombardment of the north would precipitate a conflagration of unpredictably bloody proportions. Nobody wants Korean War II, though some insist on keeping the military option out there dangling in Kim Jong-uns face in case he gets ideas of carrying out his threats.

But surely there are other ways to bring the north, if not into submission, at least into the realm of reason.

Heres one. How about bombarding North Korea with leaflets instead of bombs? OK, defectors from the North for years have been unleashing balloons over their former homeland, blowing leaflets hither and yon on which are written tales of the excesses and terrors of the Kim dynasty mingled with news, real news, from South Korea and elsewhere. Lately, however, President Moon Jae-in, in quest of negotiations, has told them to knock it off. No reason for upsetting North Korean leaders while calling for dialogue.

Anyway, leaflets lofted on balloons have not been too effective. Not so many people have seen them. Instead, drones should fly high over all North Korea day-and-night dropping devices filled with tons of leaflets wafting everywhere. And what about including a few dollar bills and candy bars so folks would have that much more incentive to scramble around looking for them in the face of dire commands not to touch them?

This leaflet bombardment need not be a one-day or now-and-then phenomenon. It should go on for weeks, months, infuriating North Korean leaders but getting through to all their hungry, unhappy people.

Messages might vary from target to target  some aimed at Pyongyang, others for less fortunate communities elsewhere. Special editions might float down on mass rallies and parades.

In this high-tech age, it should be possible to bombard specific concentration camps and prisons, remote villages and towns with leaflets tailored for individual conditions.

North Korea would undoubtedly respond with antiaircraft barrages, perhaps short-range missile shots and Soviet-era MiGs zipping around, but the planes carrying these leaflets would be drones. Nobody would get hurt.

The greatest fun would be to cascade leaflets on one of Kim Jong-uns palaces while he was feasting with sycophantic minions. The message would be simple. Sorry, comrade, the partys over. Everyone toast to that.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has signed several pieces of legislation aimed at snuffing out smoking and improving the health of New Yorkers.

Among them is a $2.50 price hike on cigarettes, making them $13 a pack.

There will also be a 10 percent tax on smokeless tobacco products, with the revenue going toward public housing.

And pharmacies are not permitted to sell tobacco products.

Another measure requires a new license for retailers who sell electronic cigarettes and bans their use in communal areas of buildings with less than 10 units.

The mayor says the legislation sends an important message to tobacco manufacturers.

"You are not welcome in New York City," de Blasio said. "We are not going to help you spread these dangerous products. We are going to do everything we can do to fight them. We're not going to keep watching as thousands die, who shouldn't die."

The mayor's office hopes to reduce the number of smokers in the city by 160,000 in the next three years.
A Queens man faces charges for allegedly traveling to the Middle East and attempting to join the Islamic State group.

Federal prosecutors say Parveg Ahmed, a dual citizen of the United States and Bangladesh, traveled to Saudi Arabia in June.

They say the 22-year-old, who lives in Ozone Park, tried to enter Syria, but was stopped at the border and detained.

Prosecutors say Ahmed used social media to pledge his support for the militant group.

On his phone, investigators say they found texts he sent to an unidentified person, trying to get in contact with the Islamic State group.

Those allegations have left his neighbors nervous.

"This particular day, there was about 10 to 12 Homeland Security officers here taking all the computers out from this guy, this home," said one neighbor. "It's not a good feeling."

"It's very scary, especially knowing how every single one of these homes are all families with children next door to them. So it's very scary," said another.

Ahmed is charged with attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization.

He faces life behind bars if convicted.
When actor and investor Ashton Kutcher announced his intention to co-host (with Effie Esptein, his partner from venture capital firm Sound Venture) a live discussion about gender equality in the workplace on his Facebook page this summer, the social media backlash was swift and fierce.

Many women, including Paradigm CEO Joelle Emerson, pointed out that embedded in the list of potential questions Kutcher proposed for the eventsuch as What are the Rules for dating in the work place? Flirting? and Should investors invest in ideas that they believe to have less merit so as to create equality across a portfolio?were misguided assumptions that actually reinforced the kind of sexism he meant to combat.

Ive already offended some folks by asking the wrong questions, Kutcher wrote on Twitter, acknowledging the misstep. It was only the latest iteration of an old story with familiar elements: a famous face, a well-intentioned effort, the seemingly inevitable public blunder that revealed a lack of meaningful engagement with the chosen cause.

In an age of casual social media activism, many of us have become so used to cringing at tone-deaf or self-aggrandizing attempts at solidarity that it can be difficult to envision a more effective alternative.

What can those with visibility and influence dobeyond stating support for a particular movementto combat injustice? Can those with power and privilege advance the interests of otherswithout hijacking or getting in the way of the efforts of the marginalized groups they mean to support?

These are, of course, questions that have dogged activists for generations; there are many wrong answers and few obvious solutions.

But a would-be feminist champion like Ashton Kutcher might have avoided a few common mistakes had he read NYU journalism professor Brooke Kroegers latest book, which relates lessons from the little known story of how a group of powerful men offered themselves as foot soldiers in the fight for womens suffrage a century ago. Timed to the centennial of women gaining the right to vote in New York in 1917 and focusing on the activities of the Mens League for Woman Suffrage between 1909 and 1917, The Suffragents: How Women Used Men to Get the Vote reads almost as a manual for how one might sensitively approach allyship today.


Washington, D.C, Aug. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In response to reports that the Trump Administration may soon end a program that allows young undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children to continue to contribute to the U.S. economy, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) will host a press call on Tuesday, August 29th at 12:00 pm ET.

Bipartisan mayors led by USCM Latino Alliance Chair Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, Immigration Reform Task Force Co-Chairs Mayors Jorge Elorza of Providence, R.I. and Tom Tait of Anaheim, Calif., and Conference Trustee Mayor John Giles of Mesa, Ariz., will call on President Trump to continue the successful Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and give Dreamers the opportunity to continue making invaluable contributions to America.

The Conference of Mayors has had strong policy supporting DACA since the program began.



The call coincides with the Mayors National DACA Day of Action, a day led by USCM and bipartisan mayors around the country to showcase DACAs broad support throughout the country and call on President Trump to maintain the program. Last month, USCM President and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu sent a letter to President Trump urging him to continue the program. At the USCM Annual Meeting in June, the nations mayors passed a resolution to support extension of the DACA program and permanent legal status for dreamers .

WHO: Mayor Jorge Elorza of Providence, R.I.

Mayor Tom Tait of Anaheim, Calif.

Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles

Mayor John Giles of Mesa, Ariz.

USCM President & CEO Tom Cochran

WHAT: National Press Conference Call in Support of DACA

WHEN: Tuesday, August 29th at 12:00 pm ET

HOW : 1 (888) 466-9863, PIN: 9295815 #

###

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6add51d6-1897-44d0-8e22-bdf47b5feca0
The non-partisan State Impact Center will support state attorneys general on clean energy, climate, and environmental initiatives of regional or national importance in a number of ways, including providing legal, analytic, and communications support, as well as facilitating coordination across multiple offices of state attorneys general.

Environmental law issues are critical for many states and will continue to grow in importance, said Trevor Morrison, dean of NYU Law. As an institution with a strong tradition of training lawyers for public interest and government service, the Law School is proud to establish the State Impact Center.

David J. Hayes, former deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the Department of the Interior for Presidents Clinton and Obama, will serve as executive director for the State Impact Center. State attorneys general have a unique role in defending the citizens of their states from environmentally destructive actions and advancing the clean energy, climate change, and environmental interests of their constituents, said Hayes. We look forward to working in close cooperation with state attorneys general around the country to support their efforts to address complex energy and environmental matters.

A primary goal of the State Impact Center is to enable interested state attorneys general to expand their capacity to take on important clean energy, climate, and environmental matters by recruiting and hiring NYU fellows to serve as special assistant attorneys general.

It is exciting to bring additional resources to state attorneys general who already have stepped up to protect shared environmental values, said Richard Revesz, Lawrence King Professor of Law and dean emeritus at NYU Law, who chairs an advisory council that will help guide this process. Council members include, in addition to Hayes and Revesz, Daniel Firger of the environment program at Bloomberg Philanthropies; Anne Milgram, former attorney general for New Jersey and now professor of practice and distinguished scholar in residence at NYU Law; and Bruce Babbitt, former attorney general and governor of Arizona and secretary of the Interior during the Clinton Administration.

The State Impact Center will also provide public-facing information and communications support for legal initiatives that protect and advance clean energy, climate change, and environmental interests.

Bloomberg Philanthropies has provided initial support for the State Impact Center.
Two of the grants are part of the NSFs STEM + Computing Partnerships (STEM+C) program, which seeks to address the urgent need to prepare students from early childhood through high school with essential skills to successfully participate in a world in which computing plays an increasing role. STEM+C promotes computational thinking and computing activities in the classroom through integrating computing in STEM education as well as STEM content in computer science education.

The NSF awarded NYU Steinhardt a $2.5 million grant (1742138) to develop a year-long fifth-grade science curriculum with a focus on English learners that integrates computational modeling. The curriculum will align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), an effort to rethink and improve how science is taught and learned in U.S. classrooms. Since their release in 2013, the NGSS were adopted by 18 states and D.C. while other states have adapted the standards.

The science curriculum will integrate computational models using StarLogo Nova, a block-based programming environment, to allow students to model causal relationships that explain the studied phenomena, such as what happens to garbage over time. To determine the feasibility of implementing the curriculum in classrooms, the researchers will gather data through focus groups, classroom observations, and teachers' feedback. To measure learning outcomes, students will complete assessments of science and computational thinking.

The three-year grant began August 1, 2017. The project is led by Okhee Lee, professor of childhood education at NYU Steinhardt, along with NYU Steinhardts Lorena Llosa, MITs Eric Klopfer, and Vanderbilts Corey Brady and Douglas Clark. The research will take place in public schools in Elizabeth, New Jersey and Nashville, Tennessee. Both districts have diverse student populations, including English learners.

In addition, the Research Alliance for New York City Schools was awarded $1.25 million (1742320) to support the Maker Partnership, a new collaboration with Schools That Can and MakerState. The project is designed to build knowledge about how to help elementary teachers integrate computer science and computational thinking into their regular science classes using maker pedagogy. The maker approach is based on the engineering design process, with students brainstorming and developing solutions, using technology to create prototypes, and then testing and refining those prototypes together.

Beginning in the fall of 2018, the Maker Partnership will provide curriculum, extensive training and professional development to third- through fifth-grade teachers in eight New York City elementary schools. Researchers will study and provide feedback on the implementation of the curriculum and professional development and will explore outcomes for both teachers and students.

The project is expected to generate valuable lessons about how to prepare elementary grade teachers to successfully incorporate computer science into their teaching. It will focus particularly on high-poverty schools that serve large numbers of Black and Latino studentsstudents who historically have been underrepresented in computer science and STEM more broadly.



The three-year grant will begin January 1, 2018. The project is led by Cheri Fancsali, research director of the Research Alliance; Casey Lamb, chief operations and development officer of Schools That Can; Noel Parish, executive director of Schools That Can NYC; and Stephen Gilman, founder and executive director of Maker State.

A second project in New York City schools, supported through a $300,000 NSF grant (1738645), will also focus on computer science. One barrier schools face is how best to teach computer science to students who are learning English. Translanguaging is an approach that allows teachers to tailor their teaching to whatever language skills children bring to the table. It is thought that the skills multilingual kids use to learn multiple languages may also be useful in helping them learn to program computers. This project will explore whether that is the case, and will develop and test approaches for bilingual educators to incorporate computer science concepts in their teaching.

This project is a partnership between researchers in computer science education at NYU, researchers in language and literacy at the City University of New York (CUNY), and educators at three New York City public middle schools serving predominantly low-income Latino students. As part of the project, the researchers will develop a professional development toolkit for integrating computational thinking topics in the middle grades leveraging translanguaging pedagogy. Designed to support emergent bilinguals in the classroom through professional development that encourages teachers to create and adapt curricula to their students, the project will also help build capacity in computer science education as the City continues to roll out its Computer Science for All initiative.

The two-year grant began August 15, 2017. The project is led by Christopher Hoadley, associate professor of learning sciences/educational technology at NYU Steinhardt, along with Kate Menken of CUNYs Queens College and Laura Ascenzi-Moreno of CUNYs Brooklyn College.



About the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development (@nyusteinhardt)

Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, NYUs Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development prepares students for careers in the arts, education, health, media, and psychology. Since its founding in 1890, the Steinhardt School's mission has been to expand human capacity through public service, global collaboration, research, scholarship, and practice. To learn more about NYU Steinhardt, visit steinhardt.nyu.edu.
The Bank of New Zealand has launched a new brand platform which the bank said is an evolution to its customer engagement.

According to the bank, the new creative was built around Kiwis everyday lives and demonstrates ways of how BNZ products and services fit around them.This latest creative is an optimistic evolution of that and brings to life some of the ways we help, whether thats helping to adjust your home loan payments to suit your new circumstances or helping you to visualise a money goal in a way, thats going to motivate you more to reach it, BNZ retail and marketing director Paul Carter said.We know that the way our customers live and do business should be the starting position for how we design and build better banking propositions and services  theyre taking banking into the future right alongside us.Carter said the move was a progression of how the BNZ adapts and engages.BNZ said it worked with Designworks and Colenso in creating the new look as well as for the creative direction of the brand.Many brands talk about being customer-first behind closed doors in strategy meetings. Its great to be able to take that positioning and wear it proudly and loudly, knowing its already in action throughout BNZ, Colenso BBDO executive creative director Steve Cochran said.The launch of this new platform has given us and Designworks, the chance to re-invigorate the brand with a fresh and more contemporary feel. We wanted to capture the diversity that New Zealand has today, and a spirit of progress and optimism for tomorrow, Cochran said.
Randy Price of Opelika announced on Monday that he officially is a candidate for the Alabama Senate, District 13, which represents portions of Lee County.

"We can do better," Price told his supporters and local officials gathered in front of the Lee County Courthouse on Monday afternoon. "We can do better, Alabama. And we can do better, District 13. But that means coming together as one."

Price and his wife, Lee County Revenue Commissioner Oline Price, spent the day touring the district. The pair made stops at the Cleburne, Clay, Randolph and Chambers county courthouses as well.

"I'm not asking you to elect me to a position," he said. "When I'm elected as your state senator, I'm still Randy. What I am asking is for you to elect me to go to work for you in Montgomery."

Price, a Republican, spoke for just shy of 10 minutes during the stop in his hometown, touching on workforce development and ensuring school teachers have the supplies they need to do their jobs.

The Alabama Senate primary is scheduled for June 5, 2018, with a runoff scheduled for July 17, if necessary. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 6 next year.

The District 13 Senate seat is currently held by Gerald Dial of Lineville.

"I decided to run for state Senate because I believe it's time to end the politics-as-usual mentality in Montgomery," Price said in a press release issued from his campaign. "Our state has been through a lot this year, and I want to bring a family values, morals and business mindset to Montgomery. It's time for integrity and a hard work ethic that people can trust."
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: OCTOPUS INVESTMENTS 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 Clinigen Group 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 25/08/2017 (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:







Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 5,031,324 4.37 (2) Cash-settled derivatives:



(3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:



TOTAL: 5,031,324 4.37





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



0.1p Ordinary Sale



1660 11.235

(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: 29/08/2017 Contact name: Annaliese Maisch Telephone number: 0207 710 6477

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service and must also be emailed to the Takeover Panel at monitoring@disclosure.org.uk. The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.
AMBASSADOR HAROLD ACEMAH is a retired diplomat who served at several levels in Foreign Service.

After retiring from Foreign Service in 2007, Acemah, now a consultant, speaks to Olive Eyotaru about his experience and life as a diplomat.



I attended Wolo primary school in Yumbe district from 1953 to 1958. Then I went to Ombatini Junior Secondary School for two years and later to Sir Samuel Baker School, Gulu, where I completed my O-level.

I joined Busoga College Mwiri for Senior Five and Six from 1965 to 1966. Then I did my Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from 1967 to 1970.

Ambassador Harold Acemah holds a portrait from the diplomatic days

We were 18 who joined the [Foreign Affairs] ministry on August 1, 1970. Among those was (President) Yoweri Museveni, the late Geoffrey Kabushenga (father to Robert Kabushenga), Alex Okwonga and Margaret Nswemu, the only woman.

Most of us were from Makerere University. Unfortunately, many of them have passed on, which is sad. We were two from West Nile, that is myself and a fellow called Maja Olul, but he was unfortunately discontinued. When I graduated from Makerere, I had wanted to do a masters degree or join Foreign Service. I opted for the latter.

After joining, we were sent on an induction course as most of us were first-degree holders, except one who had a masters. They used to recruit the best from the universities. The ministry would advertise for Foreign Service officers and you apply.

The forms we filled never asked for your tribe or religion; so, it was really on merit. I didnt know anybody in the Public Service Commission. We did interviews in June or July.

We got our letters of admission and they told us to report to the Institute of Public Administration, which is the current Uganda Management Institute (UMI). The permanent secretary then was Sam Baingana and he welcomed us.

Then Foreign Affairs office was at parliamentary buildings. At that time, the minister was Sam Odaka while Paul Muwanga was the chief of protocol (chuckles). Prince John Barigye was one of the senior officers in the ministry.

When Muwanga became vice president, whenever I used to go to his office to take special people from the UN, he would hold my hand. He used to like us so much and was like a father figure. After the meeting, he would ask me to stay behind because he liked company. He would ask his people to bring tea and snacks.

Regarding Museveni, we joined during the last year of Obote 1 after he [Museveni] left the University of Dar es Salaam. He actually left during the induction course and joined the presidents office, and when the General Idi Amin coup detat took place on January 25, 1971, Museveni left and went back to Dar es Salaam, in exile this time.

After our three-month course at the Institute of Public Administration, we were taken on a tour of the whole of Uganda. We first went to Fort Portal and then Mbarara, plus other areas.

That was the standard because if you are going to represent Uganda abroad, you must know your country. So, we were given a fantastic opportunity before we reported to foreign affairs. It is something which I will always value. The first time I visited the Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth national parks was during this time.

I eventually went for my first posting in 1971 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Out of the 18, six of the trainees were discontinued.



DIPLOMATIC DUTIES

My first assignment was in 1971/72 in Addis Ababa as third secretary. I covered commercial matters and did consular work like issuing visas and passports to Ugandans.

I did political work, including monitoring what was happening in Ethiopia because, at that time, Haile Selassie was the emperor but there were already indications that things were not going well and in 1974, Mengistu Haile Mariam overthrew him.

So, one of the roles that an embassy plays is to monitor the political situation in any country. In a crude way, you can say diplomats act as spies, although that is not their role. I also covered the Economic Commission for Africa and the OAU meetings.

Then, from 1974 to 1980, I was in Ugandas permanent mission to New York as first secretary. I used to cover the economic committee, which is the second committee of the UN General Assembly.

In addition, I used to represent Uganda on the economic and social council; I represented Uganda on the UNDP governing council, UN human rights commission and UN commission on transnational corporations.

Ambassador Harold Acemah

In 1974, while still in New York, I was sent to Canada as acting high commissioner for six months and then came back after someone else took over.

I returned to Kampala at the ministry in 1980. Between 1981 and 1987, I was the director of international organization department at the Foreign Affairs ministry. In that capacity, I dealt with all UN organizations, Commonwealth, Non-Aligned Movement and Group of 77, which deals mostly with economic issues.

In 1987, I was honoured by the British government which sponsored me as a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford. I was the first person in Foreign Affairs to go to Oxford as a visiting fellow, although they used to offer places for junior officers to go for diplomatic training, more like an extended induction programme.

We were about 20 from different Commonwealth countries. I was based at Queen Elizabeth House, which is the Institute of Commonwealth Studies and it was a very great experience.

Between 1988 and 1995, I took sabbatical leave and went to Canada as a graduate student in Toronto. That is where I did my masters degree and part of my PhD programme in political science.

I returned to the ministry in 1995 and replaced Ambassador Nathan Irumba, who went to Geneva, as head of the multilateral organisations and treaties department (MOTD). I held this position until 2003 when I was posted in Brussels, Belgium as ambassador and deputy head of mission, up to 2007, when I reached retirement age.

My assignments were mostly to deal with the European Union. I was the key person for EU. I also dealt with Ugandas relations with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Brussels embassy covers Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg, and our core mission is our relation with EU which is Ugandas biggest donor and the biggest destination for Ugandas exports. So, we did a lot to promote and strengthen Ugandas relations with the EU.

Our embassy was opened in 1975; so, we were basically building it, but mostly strengthening relations. During our time, EU aid to Uganda increased substantially and we managed to also get EU to give access to many exports of Uganda, including honey, tilapia and Nile perch.

EU has got a policy called Everything But Arms (EBA). So, as a least-developing country (LDC), Uganda is allowed to export tax-free goods except arms, but the challenge is that we dont have much to export, something we need to work on because EU is a better export market than any other destination.



ETHNICITY LINES

When I joined in 1970, I was the second person to join from West Nile. The first person was Lino Avua who [had] joined in 1967.

Then in 1972, Ambassador James Baba joined and thereafter Ambassador Idule Amoko in 1973. I think we cannot ignore this issue. In our time, ethnicity was not a big issue and nobody cared about where you came from but, unfortunately, now it has become an issue.

In Foreign Affairs, it is obvious now that ethnicity has taken over competence. For a person like me who spent my whole career in Foreign Service, I find it rather shameful.

I did not know anybody from Karamoja among the career officers, which is very sad because Karamoja is a very big area. I think the only person from there is Ambassador Elizabeth Paula Napeyok (Rome) but is a political appointee. I think Foreign Service, which represents the totality of Uganda abroad, must reflect Uganda as it is.

SERVING UNDER DIFFERENT GOVTS

As a Foreign Service officer, I serve Uganda. Our primary duty is to serve the national interests, not of a particular regime.

I joined during Obote I, worked during Idi Amins regime, I worked during UNLF, Obote II, Tito Okellos regime and also President Musevenis rule. You see, the national interests of Uganda are permanent and should not change because governments have changed.

Once you identify your national interests, it should remain constant and that is the advantage of having a career service because a service in which people join on merit, your commitment is to the country and not who is in State House.

Of course you are loyal to the sitting president, but if you have to choose between him and Uganda, you must choose Uganda. People come and go.

Even during transition period, you continue with service. The most they can do is to transfer you from a mission. The most affected people are [political] ambassadors because, normally, there are new appointments but career ambassadors are retained, and not sacked.

A career officer is permanent and pensionable and you can only sack him for violating civil service standing orders.



COMMERCIAL DIPLOMACY

The role of diplomacy is very critical. So, you need people on the ground to represent and advance the interests of the country  in the case of Uganda, investment and promoting trade and tourism. This is what all our embassies are supposed to do.

Today, you hear something about commercial diplomacy. It is a misnomer because in the 1960s, every embassy had a commercial attache who focused on promoting trade with Uganda.

They are there now in name but unless you provide resources to enable them to do their work, you cannot sit at the embassy and expect people to consult you on what they can export to or import from Uganda.

When I was in New York, we had a coffee office under the auspices of the defunct Coffee Marketing Board (CMB). It was a big office covered under diplomatic immunity near Wall Street because America was one of our biggest buyers.

It was replicated in London and Germany to sell coffee. All the big embassies like Brussels were focused on commercial interests of Uganda. So, the embassy represents literally everything that happens in your country. That is why part of training for a career diplomat is to be a jack of all trades so that you are versatile enough.

I think the embassies can play a big role if they are well facilitated and if the diplomats are people who are there on merit, not because of know-who or political appointees.

In Ugandas national interest, you need a strong and effective diplomatic service which is a career, from ambassador level up to down; and we have the people. Foreign Affairs is a core ministry and must be accorded the highest priority.



DIPLOMATS' ADVICE SHUNNED

When the late James Wapakhabulo was minister of Foreign Affairs, around 2003, he got a request from State House. They wanted to refer the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) case to the ICC and he asked me as head of department for advice.

I discussed this with my staff and came to a conclusion that the LRA case was really a political, not legal, problem and gave him a written brief that the matter should be handled using political means. He agreed with us and made a recommendation that the LRA case should not be taken to the ICC, but his advice was disregarded.

In 2005, when I was at the embassy in Brussels, then minister for Security, Amama Mbabazi, came with the Rwot David Onen Acana II, the Acholi paramount chief, and wanted to withdraw the case.

Those people refused but asked them to ask the [UN] Security Council to suspend the case for a year. It took long for Uganda to realize that it was a mistake to send that matter to ICC.

The point is that government, especially the head of state, should take advice. The decisions are made by the political leadership, but diplomats advice is technical; we tell you the objective truth on key decisions.

You must have trust in your professional staff and especially public service. Foreign Service wants what is in Ugandas best interests. The problem with political appointees is they want to please the appointing authority.

POLITICAL FAILURES

Recruitment in public service, especially Foreign Service, must be on merit; not on religious, tribal lines or based on political affiliation.

In the 1960s and 1970s, our foreign service, apart from being recruited on merit, was national in outlook. Today, it is the opposite and the diplomatic service is now dominated by political appointees. I think the majority of ambassadors representing Uganda today are basically political appointees.

You cant have such an arrangement yet there are many senior career civil officers who would be able to represent Uganda effectively; people who have the know-how, have the experience and commitment. I dont know why they are not being deployed.

Many of them are stuck here at [ministry of Foreign Affairs] headquarters and they are very frustrated.



FAMILY

When I was in New York, I was still a bachelor but when I moved to Brussels, I was married. My family would only come for holidays. During the 1990s, if you moved with your family, government would not pay tuition fees for the children yet it was so expensive.

What most officers did was to leave family behind which, in a way, split families which is not healthy. We fought for the instatement of this privilege for the officers but by the time I left, it had not been implemented.

So, if you had a family, it was not a burden. But if you compare what our government pays with Kenya, the latter is much better, even Rwanda is better.



INVESTMENT IN DIPLOMACY

Implementing foreign policy is very expensive. So, you need resources. Unfortunately, today the resources which government allocates for the ministry are not adequate.

If you want the benefits which come from having an effective policy, in the case of Uganda as investment, trade and tourism, you must invest. If you want tourists, you must promote Uganda as a tourism destination.

If you want investment, you must promote Uganda as a favourable place where people can come and invest their money without undue risks.

You need to spend to reap the benefits. In the 1960s, Uganda used to have tourism offices. There was one in Frankfurt which was part of the embassy in Germany.

I visited it in 1972 and it was well staffed and Ben Otto (former permanent secretary) used to run it. As a result of their work, many tourists used to come to Uganda from Germany and also the US.

This is where government goes wrong. It must be willing to spend resources on foreign affairs and recruit the right people, not because of where they come from or what political party you belong to.



eyotaru@gmail.com



Look out for another engaging interview in this series next Friday
South Sudan's main rebel group says an American journalist shot and killed while embedded with rebels on Saturday was not taking part in a battle against government forces.

Christopher Allen was shot in the head by government forces at the Kaya border post near Uganda, according to the rebel SPLA-in-Opposition.

Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel, deputy military spokesman for the group, says Allen was with us in the frontline but he was only photographing the battle.

Gabriel told VOA's South Sudan in Focus that government forces fired straight at him and they hit him in the head.

Government spokesman Michael Makuei painted a different picture, saying a group of rebels attacked Kaya garrison on Saturday morning. Makuei tells VOA that during the attack, the identity of that white man is not known, but he was among those who attacked the garrison.

The rebels say they tried to retrieve Allens body from the battlefield but heavy fighting made it difficult. We lost two people in the process of retrieving his body but we managed to get his belongings, Gabriel says.

South Sudan deputy military spokesman Colonel Santo Domic tells VOA that government forces killed 16 rebels in Kaya, including Allen in that number. The rebel military spokesman said his group lost only five - two in Kaya and three in nearby Kimba.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement Sunday confirming Allen's death. Allen was a freelance journalist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was covering South Sudan's civil war.

His body was flown to the capital, Juba, in a military helicopter by government forces. Makuei said the body was then transferred to a military hospital.

South Sudan army spokesman Brigadier General Lul Ruai Koang said Monday that no one had yet claimed Allens body at the hospital mortuary.

Allens body, as seen by South Sudan in Focus when it arrived at Jubas airport, was dressed in civilian clothes with a red ribbon tied to the sleeve of his upper left arm.

Colonel Domic said the red ribbon was similar to what was found on the bodies of slain rebel fighters. Colonel Gabriel said the ribbon is used to identify fighters and civilians alike, including journalists who work in rebel-controlled territory.

The red mark is just to identify us from opponents, Gabriel said, adding, We tie on our head, but for him [Allen], let him put on his left arm to make sure we know he is with us.

An eyewitness, speaking on condition of anonymity out of concern for his safety, says the few civilians who remained in Kaya when the fighting broke out Saturday have since fled to neighboring Uganda.

Both rebel and government forces have claimed control of the town. Allens death brings to 10 the number of journalists who have been killed in South Sudan since 2012.
The Professional Standards Unit (PSU) in Aswa river region is investigating the management of Kitgum district police for granting an inmate unregulated access to government vehicles.



The inquiry follows the wide circulation of a photograph of an inmate dressed in the prisoners' yellow uniform riding a police motorcycle registration number UP 4232 in the heart of Kitgum town.

The photo went viral on social media over the weekend attracting wide public condemnation and criticism of police.

Prisoner Babylon Anywar was photographed riding a police motorcycle

A source within PSU says police is being criticised for endangering the life of Babylon Anywar, the inmate who was riding the bike by allowing him to ride unaccompanied to town.



"We also think that the inmate could have disappeared with the government vehicle. We also want to know whether the inmate was indeed duly paid for his services," a source who preferred anonymity stated.



Patrick Jimmy Okema, the police spokesperson for Aswa river region, confirmed the investigation saying PSU is interested in general circumstances surrounding the incident. He says the investigation is being done under file reference PSU/Aswa/GEF/47/2017.

"He is now being engaged in income generating activities to raise money to start a living if he leaves prison tomorrow. Therefore he was testing the bike to see if it is OK and at the same time hed gone to buy spare parts.

However, it sounds strange, we are therefore investigating circumstances under which this man went to buy spare parts yet he could have recommended that I need this kind of spare part and somebody [else] would have gone to buy", Okema said.



Okema says police will not hesitate to punish the officer in charge of the bike if found to have violated vehicle handling procedures.



ASP Moses Okello, the Kitgum police commander said he was travelling to discuss the matter with URN when contacted for a comment on phone.



However, prisons authorities released a statement in defense of the police. Allan Okello, the Aswa river region prisons commander, says police had sought the services of the mechanic to have the motorbike fixed under an emergency situation.

"What you saw on social media regarding the prisoner who was riding the motorcycle in Kitgum is normal, so I think there must have been an emergency in the police so they sought the service of the mechanic who was a prisoner at the time.



He repairs motorcycles especially ours the paralegals. I personally know the prisoner I even found him repairing motorcycles. So I think the police must have had a problem or an emergency and sought for the services of the nearest mechanic - [who] is the prisoner. But how he left to go and look for spare parts that is not mine [to answer]", he said.



It has emerged that Anywar is serving a five-year prison sentence for loss of a client motorbike from his garage in Kitgum town.
Hundreds of the ruling party, National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters in Kabale district took to the streets yesterday to stage another demonstration to agitate for the removal of the presidential age limit.

Led by Edison Turyahabwa, the NRM publicity secretary for Kabale district and Sheikh Kassim Kamugisha the Kabale district NRM youth league chairperson, the demonstrators carried placards with some of them bearing words like; Kick Age Limit out of the Constitution (KALOC).

Others had; Below 35 years for Presidency Above 75 years for Presidency, and Kabale Taxi drivers support lifting of the Presidential Age limit among others.

The NRM supporters marching through the streets of Kabale

The demonstrators matched from Kabale police barracks playground through Kabale Main Street up to Kisoro Taxi Park at ESSO and converged in front of NRM offices.



They claimed that Article 102 (b) of the Constitution which sets the presidential age limit between 35 and 75 years is unfair, discriminative and must be amended.



The NRM supporters also handed a petition to Pauline Bigyirwa, the Kabale district NRM vice chairperson and told her to forward it to President Yoweri Museveni demanding for the removal of the age limit.

The demonstrators with the symbolic dry banana leaves calling for another term for President Museveni

Sheikh Kamugisha says that Article 102(b) is discriminative to Ugandans that are above the age of 75 who still have potential to lead the country. Kamugisha says that this is the time for all legislators to quickly act and amend the article.



Our campaign has been named KALOC - Kick Age Limit Out of the Constitution and other laws. Therefore members of parliament from Kigezi and Kabale, we want you to expeditiously handle this campaign and dispose off the age limitations disposal bill because we must take power of our country today not tomorrow, he said.



Ageism and discrimination is against the Constitution of Uganda because we are equal before the law. The elderly are also equal before the law. Why deny them the chance to contest for all positions in the country.

Today, we are saying no and our voice must be heard within Uganda and across boundaries. The time is now, it can never be tomorrow. The [elderly] are one million, why do you want them to vote for you but you dont want them to contest for positions. This must be a question to be answered now not tomorrow.

President Museveni turns 75 in 2019, two years before the next general elections scheduled for 2021.



Ronald Hakizimana Bifabusha, from Lower Bugongi in Northern Division, Kabale Municipality, says that he supports the removal of age limits to give way for President Museveni to stand again because he has played a big role towards the development of the country.



Emmanuel Niwagaba, from Northern Division in Kabale Municipality, says that the age limit must be removed because limiting people who are above the age of 75 gives the country a bad image.



It is a problem in general because our Constitution is not favouring all sides. You see, the Constitution of Uganda needs some amendments [so] we, the youth stand on the posts we want and the president of 80 years like it is in America, he said.





DECEIVED TO DEMONSTRATE



Erisa Twinmomujuni, a 70-year-old Local Council (LC) one official for Keishamunyoro Cell in Kitumba sub-county, says that they were deceived by the NRM local leaders to converge in Kabale town for a discussion about development issues.



Twinomujuni however says that he was dismayed when they were given placards supporting the removal of age limits and were later told to march through Kabale town.



I was invited by one of the councillors in my area that we are needed in Kabale. So I had to come to see exactly what is going on  [only] to find that they had written so many placards mentioning that we are supposed to support the lifting of age limit of which am not in the support myself, he said.



Therefore we are just seeing, in fact the majority of people moving they, dont know what is happening. Definitely, I cant support that because I have seen most of these governments coming and going, therefore I dont simply support. I have to analyse things how they are going on.

I havent seen anything good going on. It is just bluffing of the public of what is going on. The fact [is] many people are going to get disappointed. Im very much regretting because I dont see why I should waste my time like that.

As youths took to the streets in Kabale to agitate for the removal of 75-yr #AgeLimit, 70-yr-old Erisa Twinmomujuni says many will be disappointed pic.twitter.com/fyEuNjBq7Z  The Observer (@observerug) August 29, 2017

Bigyirwa promised to forward their petition to the office of the Kabale district party chairperson. The demonstrators were later seen lining up and being served a bottle of soda each and Shs 5,000.



This is not the first time NRM supporters across the country have staged a demonstration in support of removing the presidential age limit from the constitution.

On Saturday, NRM supporters in Lango held a similar demo demanding that the presidential age limit be lifted to give room to all Ugandans who aspire to become president to compete for the position without any limitations and prejudice.



Last month, another group mainly from Lira town held a similar peaceful demonstration.
Police in Rubindi town, Mbarara district is hunting for a 28-year-old man accused of stabbing his girlfriend to death using a knife at a local clinic.

It is alleged that on Sunday evening, at around 7:30pm while at Agellah clinic in Rubindi town, Yeroboam Nuwagira who hails from Kabuyanda in Isingiro district, stabbed his girlfriend three times using a sharp knife.



The incident took place in Rubindi B cell, Rubindi sub-county in Mbarara district. The deceased has been identified as 20-year-old Silvia Arinaitwe. Both the deceased and the suspect have been working at the same health facility.

Moureen Musiimeta, who is a member of staff at the facility, told URN that the suspect who was meant to sign off from work in the evening, decided to stay around up to until when his girlfriend arrived for the evening duty.



She revealed that moments after Arinaitwe reported for work, Nuwagira asked her to find him in the dispensary from where he attacked and stabbed her repeatedly.



Musimenta says that by the time the other members of staff responded to her calls for help, it was too late to save her life.



She says that the two had a misunderstanding but the members of staff had not known exactly what had gone wrong between them since they have always been on good terms.



Rwizi regional police spokesperson Samson Kasasira says the deceased's body was taken to Mbarara Regional Referral hospital as police intensifies the hunt for the suspect.
Sisun Lee used to work as an engineer at Elon Musks Tesla Motors. Many would call that a dream job, and he loved it, but he decided to walk away so he could focus on a higher goal  giving the world a hangover cure that works.

Lee, who previously worked as a product manager for Uber and Facebook, says he got the idea for Morning Recovery, his science-based hangover cure, about a year ago, after a vacation in his native South Korea. He and his friends spent most of their time partying and getting drunk, but thanks to the traditional anti-hangover drinks his buddies gave him after a wild night on the town, he always woke up feeling great. He was fascinated by their effect, and started looking for similar products as soon as he got back to the United States.

The young entrepreneur claims he tries several so-called cures on the US market, but they didnt work as well as the drinks he had while in South Korea, so he bought some of those inline and shared them with his friends, to get their input. They loved them and asked him for more, which is when he knew he was on to something. The problem was getting the miraculous drinks to the US. He tried importing them, but none of the Asian companies he approached about it were interested in having a distributor with no experience in beverages or consumer goods. So he decided that the only alternative was to make his own hangover cure, based on the same ingredients.

While working at Tesla, Sisun Lee started researching the ingredients in those traditional South Korean hangover cures, which led him to the work of Dr. Jing Liang, a UCLA neuroscientist and neuro-pharmacologist, and the worlds leading scientist in alcohol use disorder. It was in one of her papers on herbal remedies for hangovers that Lee discovered a compound called dihydromyricetin (DHM) found in the Oriental raisin tree and rattan tea, two ingredients used in Asian hangover cures for thousands of years.

According to Dr. Liangs research, when you drink too much or too fast, a toxin called acetaldehyde (formed through the breakdown of alcohol in our liver) builds up in your body, causing inflammation. This can lead to various symptoms, including nausea and vomiting. DHM apparently helps the body break down acetaldehyde into acetic acid, so it can be flushed out faster.

Alcohol consumption also blocks production of glutamate, an excitory neurotransmitter which increases brain activity. When you stop drinking, theres a rebound effect (you produce more glutamate than you need) and you get symptoms like anxiety and headache. DHM binds to receptors in the brain and minimizes the effects of alcohol.

This all sounded fascinating, but Sisun Lee needed to verify that the cure worked in real-life conditions. He started wondering if he was really that drunk when he discovered those traditional Asian drinks during his vacation in South Korea, and decided to test DHMs effects again. Once he finalized the formula for Morning Recovery, with the help of Dr. Jing Liang, he started getting hammered to see if the drink prevented hangover.

He started videotaping himself getting drunk to make sure he actually consumed enough alcohol, and then he took a shot of Morning Recovery to test its effects. He also skipped the cure on purpose, to see if hangover symptoms occurred.

I was basically getting drunk every single night, It wasnt healthy, I gained 15 pounds, Lee told Business Insider.

Sisun then started giving Morning Recovery to his friends, asking them to pass samples around to their acquaintances, and feedback was great, but he felt that he still needed more confirmation. We were still very skeptical. We wanted to eliminate bias. We needed to give it to people who didnt know us at all. But we couldnt get enough strangers to say, Yeah Ill get drunk and take this really weird sketchy drink from you, Lee said.

So he set up a simple web page explaining the benefits of Morning Recovery, posted it on Facebook and asked people to share it. As luck would have it, a venture capitalist saw the post and put it on Product Hunt, a website that helps launch new products. That was the big break Lee needed.

Overnight we became No. 2 on Product Hunt. We werent even a startup. We were just people doing this thing, the entrepreneur recalls. That day 10,000 people signed up to try it. News stories about the drink began popping up. We had to apologize, and changed the web page from offering to send a sample to a waitlist

Convinced that his hangover cure had potential, Lee quit his job at Tesla so he could focus exclusively on Morning Recovery. He recently launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, which ended up raising $246,178, almost ten times its set goal.

Morning Recovery is currently available via its official website, but it will actually start shipping in September, and there is a waiting list. While FDA-compliant, Sisun Lee wants to get it FDA-approved, so that doctors can actually prescribe it as a hangover cure or drug to their patients.

If having to wait for Morning Cure to become available is not an option, you could try an anti-hangover patch, or visit a hangover clinic, to speed-up your recovery.
Why does it always have to be about Donald Trump?

Arent you angry that the tweeter-in-chief plans to visit Texas tomorrow to apparently showcase his Administrations concern for Houston and East Texas, which is suffering from the one of the worst natural disasters in US history?

Tropical Storm Harvey has so far killed five people, displaced tens of thousands, stranded 6.6M people in the Houston area, destroyed billions of property and dealt a severe blow to the nations petrochemical business.

Conditions are getting worse. The National Hurricane Center warns that Harvey is gearing up for another round of rain that could add 20 inches to the already 30 that has already fallen.

And the Trump Train circus is still scheduled for Texas, adding an unnecessary distraction to the chaos in the Lone Star State.

The Clueless One already has heaped way premature praise on Brock Long, Federal Emergency Agency administrator, for his relief work. You are doing a great job-the world is watching! Be safe, tweeted Trump during the weekend. Long's job has hardly begun.

You got to believe that even Trump is aware that George W. Bush praised his FEMA chief Michael Brown with Brownie, youre doing a heck of a job at the beginning of Hurricane Katrina cleanup in 2005. Katrina drowned New Orleans and left more than 1,800 people dead in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Long reinforced the Brown connection, praising the National Weather Service for doing a heck of a job. Pure crazy town!

Bushs praise for Brown, who ultimately resigned in disgrace, symbolized the incompetence of his presidency and marked the beginning of the end of his administration.

Texas and the nation will feel the effects of Harvey for a number of years.

The same could be said of the Trump Administration.
Mahwah, N.J., on Aug. 24 voted to spend up to $250K to fight placement of white piping running the length of 120 or so utility poles to symbolize an eruv, which turns outdoors into indoors for believers.

With an eruv, Orthodox Jews can push baby carriages and wheelchairs of seniors, carry keys and perform a host of other tasks. Markers are required on the poles which range from nearly invisible to highly visible.

Representing pro bono the Bergen Rockland Eruv Assn. and two residents is Weil, Gotshal & Manges, the 20th largest law firm in the U.S. with 1,072 lawyers and $1.1 billion in revenues.

WG&M represented the East End Eruv Assn. in its lengthy battle with Southampton, Westhampton and Quogue, a conflict that ended in 2015-16 after eight years with the towns agreeing not to oppose eruvim in their communities.

Westhampton signed an agreement in June 2016.

Courts held that the eruvim markers were not signs. The towns, having spent more than $1 million in legal fees and staff time, and facing the prospect of having to pay the bills of WG&M, consented to the eruv. Outside legal counsel rather than Mayor Maria Moore signed the agreement with the EEEA.

Zealous Fight Promised by Mahwah

Mahwah Mayor Bill Laforet and other officials ordered removal of eruv markers July 21. Council President Robert Hermansen said the town is taking the imposition of markers on utility poles on public property very seriously.

Councilman Jonathan Wong told 200 residents at a meeting Aug. 24 that law firms will efficiently and zealously represent the township. His remarks drew applause, reported northjersey.com.

Lead law firm is Holwell, Shuster and Goldberg, New York, assisted by Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri and Jacobs, Oakland, N.J.

Northjersey.com said Hundreds of residents in Mahwah and Upper Saddle River have demanded the eruvs removal, with some voicing concern that New York States large Orthodox Jewish population would potentially move across the New York border into Bergen County.



Upper Saddle River Opposes Eruv



Upper Saddle River Mayor Joanne Minichetti told a town hall meeting July 31 that the legal battle is on hold. The borough has agreed not to enforce its takedown notice against the eruv immediately, and to allow the eruv to be repaired, she said. A suit has been filed against the town in federal court in Newark, she noted, and Upper Saddle River will aggressively fight to enforce our ordinance."

Minichetti warned speakers that This is a matter of excessive entanglement with religion and violation of municipal ordinances. It is not directed at any particular religious group. The governing body will not tolerate or countenance any anti-Semitic or otherwise discriminatory comments at our public meetings and urges residents to avoid any such statements on social media or elsewhere. Such statements will not be helpful to the boroughs position and are totally inappropriate.

Opposing Eruv is "Anti-Semitic"

The Forward (formerly the Jewish Daily Forward) wrote July 31 that while some municipalities have been incredibly hospitable to eruvim, others including Tenafly, N.J., and Westhampton Beach, N.Y., have fought the markers on utility poles and lost. Their argument that separation of church and state was being violated was rejected by the courts, it noted.

Eruvim foes have lost in every case, said The Forward.

In Tenafly, it noted, the court found that the borough had allowed plenty of signs on utility poles, taking issue only in the eruv case; such selective enforcement against a religious group constituted religious discrimination in violation of the First Amendment, the court argued.

In Westhampton Beach, the court rejected the idea that a barely perceivable admixture of string and plastic, lacking any overtly religious features, would lead the observers to infer that the state had pursued some sort of religious agendaand thereby impermissibly merged church and state.
The family real estate business of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law and advisor, has hired Finsbury, the crisis communications savvy firm owned by WPP.

Bloomberg reports that Kushner Cos. hiring of Finsbury comes as federal prosecutors probe the financing of some of its properties.

Eric Wachter

Eric Wachter, Harvard Law School grad who joined Finsbury as VP in Washington last year, is handling the Kushner business.

According to LinkedIn, Wachter specializes in crisis/issues management, litigation, government investigations, public policy and regulatory matters.

Prior to Finsbury, he did a one-year stint as associate regional director for the Anti-Defamation League and worked for 11 years as associate at King & Spalding.

Kushner Cos. parted ways with Risa Heller Communications, which is headed by the former aide to New York Senator Chuck Schumer and ex-Governor David Patterson, last week.

Risa Heller also helped Ivanka Trump promote her-self help book, "Women Who Work."
BERKELEY, Calif., Aug. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The International Computer Science Institute (ICSI) today announced that the paper Detecting Credential Spearphishing Attacks in Enterprise Settings won Facebooks Internet Defense Prize at the USENIX Security Symposium in Vancouver, BC. The paper proposed and evaluated a methodology for effectively detecting spearphishing attacks in corporate networks while achieving a very low number of false positives.



The paper was authored by Grant Ho, University of California, Berkeley; Aashish Sharma, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Mobin Javed, University of California, Berkeley and International Computer Science Institute; Professor Vern Paxson, University of California, Berkeley, International Computer Science Institute, and co-founder and Chief Scientist of Corelight; and Professor David Wagner, University of California, Berkeley.

This research is important for two reasons. First, in recent history, successful spearphishing attacks have led to a number of prominent information leaks. Every time the community improves the detection or prevention of compromise from a technical standpoint, the human factor becomes an even stronger focal point of adversaries. Helping protect people from social engineering attacks becomes even more important. This research can help reduce the potential of such compromises happening in the future, said Nektarios Leontiadis, a Security Research Scientist in the Threats Infrastructure team at Facebook. Secondly, the authors acknowledge and account for the cost of false positives in their detection methodology. This is significant because it factors into the overhead cost and response time for incident response teams.

Professor Paxson commented: A huge shout-out to Berkeley Lab's (LBL) operational security team for working in depth with us on this research. Their extensive and detailed logs of past activity, meticulous incident database documenting previous compromises, and wide-ranging operational savvy proved invaluable in developing a demonstrably robust approach to detecting these attacks. Also invaluable was the tenacity and inventiveness of the PhD students; Grant in particular worked on the problem for two solid years, continually moving it forward despite all sorts of hurdles. I really look forward to the team's future collaborations!

Additional Resources

Read Facebooks blog post: Facebook Awards $100,000 to 2017 Internet Defense Prize Winners https://research.fb.com/facebook-awards-100000-to-2017-internet-defense-prize-winners/

Read the Detecting Credential Spearphishing in Enterprise Settings paper: https://www.usenix.org/conference/usenixsecurity17/technical-sessions/presentation/ho

About International Computer Science Institute

The International Computer Science Institute (ICSI) is a leading center for research in computer science and one of the few independent, nonprofit research institutes in the United States. With its unique focus on international collaboration and its affiliation with the University of California at Berkeley, ICSI brings together the most influential U.S. computer scientists and experts from around the world. Current areas of research include computer networking, speech and language processing, brain networks, computer vision, audio and multimedia analysis, usable security and privacy, big data, artificial intelligence, 5G, and cybermanufacturing. Algorithm development--with application to genomics, video and speech processing, Internet routing and measurement, and machine learning--is one of ICSI's particular strengths. For more information, visit ICSI at www.ICSI.berkeley.edu, and follow us at www.twitter.com/ICSIatBerkeley.

About University of California, Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley is the world's premier public university dedicated to excellence in teaching, research and public service. This longstanding mission has led to the university's distinguished record of Nobel-level scholarship, constant innovation, a concern for the betterment of our world, and consistently high rankings of its schools and departments. The campus offers superior, high-value education for extraordinarily talented students from all walks of life, operational excellence, and a commitment to the competitiveness and prosperity of California, the nation, and the world. The University of California was chartered in 1868 and its flagship campus in Berkeley, on San Francisco Bay, was envisioned as a "City of Learning." Today, there are more than 1,500 full-time and 500 part-time faculty members dispersed among more than 130 academic departments and more than 80 interdisciplinary research units. Twenty-two Nobel Prizes have been awarded to faculty, and 29 Nobel Prizes to UC Berkeley alumni. There are 7 Nobel Laureates, 32 MacArthur Fellows, and 4 Pulitzer Prize winners among the current faculty.
Leopoldo Lopez, the Venezuelan opposition leader currently under house arrest after allegedly instigating anti-government protests in early 2014, has retained strategy firm High Lantern Group to help the former politico tell his story to the international community.

Lopez, a former mayor of the Venezuela city of Chacao who co-founded the Primero Justicia political party, was arrested on charges of arson and conspiracy related to the February 2014 protests against the government of President Nicolas Maduro. After being imprisoned for more than three years, Lopez in July was transferred to house arrest.

International law firm Hogan Lovells in 2014 repped Venezuela on U.S. relations after President Obama imposed sanctions on the country for its crackdown on demonstrators during those protests.

HLG will define and implement a strategic narrative and will provide communications support  which includes engaging in an influencer email program and creating a website, as well as traditional and social media outreach and thought leadership development  according to documents filed with the Justice Department in August. The firm will also advocate the release of Venezuelan political prisoners and support democracy in the country.

The pact was signed by High Lantern founding partner Robert Gluck, who previously managed external affairs for the Walt Disney Companys worldwide vacation and leisure division and also served as a senior advisor on Arnold Schwarzeneggers 2003 special election campaign.

Gluck and Lopez were classmates at Kenyon College  where Lopez received degrees in Economics and Sociology  and later helped establish human rights advocacy group Friends of a Free Venezuela, which called on Lopezs release, as well as the release of more than 100 other Venezuelan political prisoners.

HLG is conducting the campaign at a very steep discount rate of $100 per hour  an 80 percent reduction from what the firms normally charges  at a $5,000 per month minimum.

The New York-based firm, which specializes in strategy, thought leadership, reputation management and policy issues, maintains additional operations in Washington D.C.; Los Angeles; Philadelphia; Asheville, NC; and Geneva, Switzerland.
Detroit-based full service firm Marx Layne & Company has widened its presence in the Wolverine State with the forthcoming addition of a second location in Grand Rapids.

Michael Layne

The agencys Grand Rapids outpost, located in the historic Waters Building on Ottawa Ave., will officially open on September 1.

It will be initially staffed by the agencys team in Farmington Hills and will begin to add employees from the local area by the end of the year.

Marx Layne president Michael Layne told ODwyers that the new office will support the agencys ongoing media relations and stakeholder engagement activities both in the region and statewide.

Our agency has worked with clients throughout Michigan for more than 30 years, Layne said. Grand Rapids has increasingly been recognized as a dynamic community to both work and live, making it the ideal choice to open a branch office to serve and grow our West Michigan client base.

Marx Layne, which was founded in 1987 and staffs more than two-dozen, specializes in media relations, crisis, public affairs, special events and digital marketing.
Blair, Nebraska, Aug. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Great Plains Communications, the largest middle-mile and last-mile provider in the state of Nebraska has achieved Carrier Ethernet 2.0 certification from MEF, the global body that oversees standards for carrier grade, interoperable Ethernet.

Achieving this certification is an achievement that Great Plains Communications is very proud of, said Todd Foje, CEO of Great Plains Communications. This allows us to provide our wholesale and enterprise customers with the high quality CE 2.0 Ethernet service the market currently requires, while positioning both our clients and our company to meet increasing future demands.

MEF Carrier 2.0 represents the foundation for future service innovation and is an important differentiator for wholesale providers like Great Plains Communications selling to CE 2.0 service providers who are looking to extend their reach over the footprint of network partners.

MEF congratulates Great Plains Communications for achieving CE 2.0 certification of E-Line, E-LAN, and E-Access services, said Nan Chen, President, MEF. The company has demonstrated a commitment to delivering a suite of services that meets the highest industry standards for performance and reliability.

About Great Plains Communications

Great Plains Communications is the largest privately owned telecommunications provider in Nebraska. At the core of their service offering is an extensive 9,500-mile regional fiber network including over 400 fiber miles in the Omaha Metro area. The network offers community access rings, last-mile and middle-mile solutions, fully supported by their 24x7x365 Network Operations Center. The company is financially strong with a 107-year history of providing reliable and innovative solutions. Great Plains Communications prides itself on their progressive approach to accommodating the unique needs of all regional and national telecommunications carriers, LECs, ISPs, wireless carriers and other service providers utilizing superior custom engineering and custom build strategies. For more information, visit gpcom.com.

About MEF

An industry association of 210+ member companies, MEF is enabling service providers to create a global ecosystem of networks that deliver agile, assured, and orchestrated services for the digital economy and hyper-connected world. These services provide an on-demand, cloud-centric experience with user and application-directed control over network resources and service capabilities. They are delivered over automated, virtualized, and interconnected networks powered by LSO (Lifecycle Service Orchestration), SDN, and NFV. MEF produces LSO frameworks, open LSO APIs, software-driven reference implementations, service specifications, and certification programs. MEFs work will enable automated delivery of standardized wavelength, Carrier Ethernet, IP, SD-WAN, and Layer 4-7 services across multiple provider networks. For more information: https://mef.net/.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fb918c8b-615c-49b1-ae53-8b107b10aa01
VMWORLD US 2017, LAS VEGAS, Aug. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spadafy, an IT consulting firm and solution provider focused on providing a dynamic and secure end-user experience for healthcare organizations, and IGEL, a world leader in endpoint management software for the secure enterprise, today announced that Spadafy has achieved Platinum status in the IGEL Partner Program.



We are pleased to welcome Spadafy as the newest member of our growing network of IGEL Platinum Partners, said Jed Ayres, President and CEO, IGEL North America. They are an ideal partner for us, particularly in the healthcare sector. We are looking forward to continuing to work with them to deliver best-in-class end-user computing solutions that enable healthcare organizations to provide their increasingly mobile workforces with seamless and secure access to clinical and patient data.

Spadafy is currently leveraging IGEL to deliver roaming clinical desktop solutions to hospitals and healthcare organizations. In alliance with top IGEL ecosystem partners VMware, Citrix and Imprivata, Spadafy delivers an optimized roaming clinical desktop that provides access to VMware Horizon View and Citrix XenDesktop or Citrix XenApp Published Desktops. Leveraging Imprivata, Spadafy enables tap-and-go automation and Single Sign On (SSO) for virtual desktops. Through Ivanti, Spadafy supports User Personalization and Location Awareness, providing healthcare organizations with a flexible VDI clinical computing environment that doesnt compromise workflows or the user experience.

Marc Leger, Co-Founder, Spadafy said, Were excited to be able to take our partnership with IGEL to the next level, and reinforce our commitment to providing our healthcare customers with innovative end-user computing solutions that leverage todays best-of-breed technologies. Through IGEL, we are able to help our customers reduce the burden on their IT staffs, lower costs and improve the delivery and performance of desktops, applications and data to their users.

As a 100-percent channel-driven company, IGEL is committed to providing its channel partners with the tools and resources they need to grow their business more quickly and more profitably. Exclusive features available to help channel partners drive sales and close deals faster include MDF accrual, deal registration protection and other benefits, access to demo equipment and backend rebates. The program features three levels  Reseller, Authorized and Platinum, which require separate annual sales targets and staff certification requirements.

To learn more about the partnership between IGEL and Spadafy, please visit us in booth #233 at VMworld US 2017, taking place this week at The Mandalay Bay Hotel & Convention Center in Las Vegas. For more information on the IGEL Partner Program visit https://www.igel.com/become-solution-provider/.

About Spadafy

Spadafy delivers best in breed technology solutions with a focus on security, productivity and workflow optimization. Offering expertise, actionable insights and expansive partner network Spadafy enables health systems and businesses to excel in today's environment of constant change. Spadafy is headquartered in Seattle, Wash. For more information, visit www.spadafy.com, e-mail info@spadafy.com or connect with the company on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

IGEL on Social Media

Twitter: www.twitter.com/IGEL_Technology

Facebook: www.facebook.com/igel.technology

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101270758605662221044

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/igel-technology

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/IGELTechnologyTV

About IGEL

IGEL delivers powerful unified endpoint management software that is revolutionary in its simplicity and purpose-built for the enterprise. The companys world-leading software products include the IGEL OS, Universal Desktop Converter (UDC), IGEL Cloud Gateway (ICG), IGEL UD Pocket (UDP) and Universal Management Suite (UMS). These solutions enable a more secure, manageable and cost-effective endpoint management platform across nearly any x86 device. Additionally, IGELs German engineered and manufactured thin, zero and all-in-one client solutions deliver the industrys best warranty (5 years), support (3 years after end of life) and management functionality. IGEL enables enterprises to precisely control all devices running IGEL OS as well as Windows OS from a single dashboard interface. IGEL has offices worldwide and is represented by partners in over 50 countries. For more information on IGEL, visit www.igel.com.
LEXINGTON, Neb.  A Gretna man accused of driving drunk and causing the death of his passenger  an Omaha woman  in an October crash on Interstate 80 has pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from the incident.

According to court records, Elijah Helms, 20, pleaded guilty in Dawson County District Court on Friday to one count of motor vehicular homicide-driving under the influence of alcohol and one count of DUI-causing serious bodily injury. Additional charges were dropped in a plea deal.

The charges stem from an Oct. 29 wreck at the Lexington interchange that killed Helms passenger, Lexa Douglas, 19. Court records say that at 4:50 p.m., Helms was driving west on I-80 when his vehicle left the road, crossed the median and entered the eastbound lanes. His vehicle struck an eastbound vehicle driven by Carol Collette, 67, of Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Douglas, the front-seat passenger, was pronounced dead at the scene, court records say. Helms; Collette; a passenger in Collettes vehicle, Norma Knapp; and two more passengers in Helms vehicle were transported to hospitals in Lexington, Kearney, Lincoln and Omaha.

Douglas had attended Westside schools until 2014, when she transferred to the Omaha Public Schools. Douglas graduated from the district's alternative high school program in May 2016.

The Nebraska State Patrol conducted a search of Helms vehicle a month after the accident, the records say, and collected data from the vehicles air bag control module, which indicated an alleged speed of 88 mph just before the collision.

The State Patrol also subpoenaed Helms medical records from the Lexington Regional Health Center and Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Helms blood-alcohol content was allegedly .138 at 5:21 p.m. at Lexington Regional Health Center and .09 at 6:38 p.m. at Good Samaritan, the records say. The legal limit to drive in Nebraska is .08.

Helms sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 16. He faces up to 20 years in prison on the motor vehicular homicide charge and up to three years in prison on the DUI-causing serious bodily injury count.
A sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said she was berated and intimidated by people on campus Friday afternoon because she was trying to recruit students for a conservative group.

Kaitlyn Mullen said she had a table set up in front of the Nebraska Union on behalf of Turning Point USA, a national organization that has chapters on campuses around the nation. Mullen said she likes Turning Points pro-capitalism, anti-big government message.

Soon, however, she was confronted by women who accused her of advocating white nationalism and having KKK leanings.

She said that she began to cry because of the hostile atmosphere and that campus police eventually took her home.

Mullen took photos and videos of parts of the incident.

UNL said through a statement Monday that it is committed to free speech from all viewpoints and expects the campus to be a place of civil discourse.

The statement said the atmosphere of civility Friday was eroded by behavior that was offensive to many. ... We are continuing our review of this situation, including discussions with all involved.

UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green and Executive Vice Chancellor Donde Plowman met with Mullen on Monday.

Hank Bounds, president of the NU system, said through a statement Monday night that UNL representatives had an opportunity to model how differing opinions can be exchanged with civility, respect and dignity. It appears that opportunity was missed. Im deeply troubled that a student has been treated this way.

Turning Point is known in part for its professor Watchlist, made up mainly of professors whom the organization deems radically liberal.

Mullen, of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, took a photograph of one woman near her table who held a sign: Please put me on your watchlist. Prof Amanda Gailey, the sign read. Gailey is a faculty member in the English department at UNL. She could not be reached for comment Monday evening.

At least one other woman flipped off Mullen and held a sign that read: Just Say No! to Neo-Fascism.

Others had signs about the Watchlist.

Earlier, Mullen said, a man came out of the Nebraska Union and told her to move her table to another area because she was distributing propaganda and hadnt reserved the spot. He said he would call the campus police if she didnt move.

She said the police came but didnt order her to move.

Eventually, she said, the police came to her aid as the situation grew more heated with several women. Thats when the police took her home.
LINCOLN  A former state legislative heavyweight, Omaha attorney Steve Lathrop, announced his intention Monday to recapture his old seat representing the Millard and Ralston areas.

Lathrop, who was prevented from running for re-election in 2014 due to term limits, would face off with District 12 incumbent State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, creating a marquee political matchup between a prominent Democrat and a Republican who holds a leadership post in the unicameral Legislature.

Expect an expensive race, observers said.

Any seriously contested urban legislative race will be expensive. The partisan nature of this one will even escalate the cost, said veteran Lincoln lobbyist Walt Radcliffe.

Lathrop, 60, was chairman of the special legislative committee that probed the multiple problems facing the states overcrowded prison system, and was a key mediator and negotiator in crafting state policies on several major issues, including collective bargaining, research using embryonic stem cells, wind energy and water use.

He said he is running because the Legislature needs people who are independent, who can lead and bring people together.

That seems to be missing, not just in the district but across the county, Lathrop said. Most people say I dont care if youre Republican or Democrat, I just want someone who can work with people and bring them together and get things done. 

He said that both the Ralston and Millard school districts were hurt by changes in the states formula for distributing state aid, and he plans to work to address that and to lower property taxes. Reforming the state prison system also needs more attention now that the state has been sued by the ACLU, Lathrop said.

Only three other state senators have tried to rejoin the State Legislature after being term-limited: Ernie Chambers, Tom Baker and John Synowiecki. Of those, only Chambers was successful in winning back a seat.

Its hard to come back, said Kim Robak, a Capitol lobbyist and former lieutenant governor. Its not the same body you left. Its a different group of people. The electorate doesnt always remember you.

Riepe, a 75-year-old retired hospital administrator, is chairman of the Legislatures Health and Human Services Committee. He said hes already started fundraising for what he expects will be an expensive legislative race.

It will be a very interesting campaign, he said. Im truly the conservative in the field. Hes going to be on the liberal or progressive side of the equation.

Riepe said he plans to make a formal announcement of his re-election bid this week, and expects to get the support of Gov. Pete Ricketts, who successfully backed a slate of candidates in last years legislative elections.

Lathrop was first elected to the Legislature in 2006 by edging Jean Stothert, the current mayor of Omaha, by 14 votes.

Lathrop had pondered a run for governor four years ago, and has been mentioned as a Democrat candidate for other high offices. He said hes better suited to be a state legislator, and that the part-time office would allow him to continue working as an attorney.
Stuck in Omaha because of Harvey, Mark Fuller did what many visitors do: tour the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium.

And, for this Texas resident, there was something oddly familiar about some of the exhibits. From a safe distance, he was seeing creatures that are showing up in flooded neighborhoods back home.

Alligators. Turtles. Poisonous snakes. All are being displaced from bayou habitats and into southeast Texas neighborhoods.

Those turtles and snakes could be in the house for all we know, said Fuller of Montgomery, a small town about an hours drive north of downtown Houston. You try to make (things) as humorous as you can because if you dont, youre going to go nuts.

Fullers daughter, Cailin OConnell of Omaha, got married here Saturday. Much of her family is from the Houston area. Many members now find themselves staying longer than planned.

The forecast didnt seem so bad when the family left for Omaha.

They were expecting it (the storm) to come across the Yucatan Peninsula and just kind of die, Fuller said.

It wasnt until Friday morning when they realized the scope of the burgeoning disaster.

It was like, Wait, this is a little bit more than we thought. 

The uncertain problems back home proved to be only a mild damper on the wedding. It was held at the Holland Performing Arts Center, where OConnell is the assistant events manager. She married Danny OConnell, a University of Nebraska at Omaha student.

During the toasts everyone was adding comments and funny lines, Fuller said. One ... that (got) the biggest laugh was, Thank goodness we didnt plan the wedding for Houston. 

Fuller isnt sure what he will find upon returning to Montgomery. Some family members houses are surrounded by water.

You really want to say, Were OK. Were safe. Were warm,  he said. But in the back of your mind youve got, What am I going to go home to? That enters into every single thought. It enters into every single conversation. What are we going home to?

As much as you try to push it aside, you just cant.
Sydney, Australia, Aug. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Heron Resources Limited (ASX:HRR TSX:HER, Heron or the Company) is pleased to advise that to mark the official commencement of construction at its wholly owned Woodlawn Zinc-Copper Project, a ground-breaking ceremony was held and attended by federal and local government representatives.

First ground breaking at the construction site for the Woodlawn Project

Construction and earthworks contractors are currently mobilising

Project to support 250 jobs during the construction phase and more than 150 employees once operational

Construction of the 1.5Mtpa processing plant and associated infrastructure is expected to take approximately 15 months with commissioning in late 2018 ahead of first production in early 2019. Both the lead construction contractor, Sedgman, and the earthworks contractor, Ertech, have commenced mobilisation to site.

The Woodlawn Project will provide for approximately 250 jobs during the construction phase with more than 150 permanent employees required to support the ongoing operations. Where possible, the Company is committed to sourcing its workforce from the region as well as utilising local suppliers throughout its construction and operations.

Commenting on the ground breaking, Herons Managing Director, Mr Wayne Taylor said:

Todays ground breaking at Woodlawn marks a major milestone in Herons journey from a developer toward becoming a long term, low cost and profitable base metals producer. The commencement of construction is the culmination of many years hard work by our team and would not be possible without the support of our shareholders, financiers and the local community. As the zinc price reaches near 10-year highs, and with market fundamentals underpinning a robust price outlook, its a strong reinforcement of the projects excellent timing and the need to ensure we meet our construction schedule and bring Woodlawn into production by early 2019.

Heron was pleased to welcome the Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation and Federal Member for Hume, the Hon. Angus Taylor MP as well as Mayor Bob Kirk from Goulburn Mulwaree Council to turn the first soil on the construction site.

After securing shareholder approval of the $240 million finance package earlier this month, Heron is now fully funded through construction of the Woodlawn Project, with approximately $156 million budgeted in pre-production capital expenditure.

Once commissioned and running at nameplate capacity, the Woodlawn Processing Plant will produce 40,000tpa of zinc, 10,000tpa of copper and 12,000tpa of lead in concentrates which are planned to be exported from Port Kembla and / or Port Botany.

Based on the total resource and exploration upside both at Woodlawn and regionally, there is significant potential to extend the mine life beyond its initial mineable Reserves of 9.3 years.

About Heron Resources Limited:

Herons primary focus is the development of its 100% owned, high grade Woodlawn Zinc-Copper Project located 250km southwest of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. In addition, the Company holds significant high quality, gold and base metal tenements located within the region of the Woodlawn Project, which are being actively explored.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This report contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this report. This forward-looking information includes, or may be based upon, without limitation, estimates, forecasts and statements as to managements expectations with respect to, among other things, the timing and amount of funding required to execute the Companys exploration, development and business plans, capital and exploration expenditures, the effect on the Company of any changes to existing legislation or policy, government regulation of mining operations, the length of time required to obtain permits, certifications and approvals, the success of exploration, development and mining activities, the geology of the Companys properties, environmental risks, the availability of labour, the focus of the Company in the future, demand and market outlook for precious metals and the prices thereof, progress in development of mineral properties, the Companys ability to raise funding privately or on a public market in the future, the Companys future growth, results of operations, performance, and business prospects and opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as anticipate, believe, expect, intend, may and similar expressions have been used to identify such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is given, and on information available to management at such time. Forward-looking information involves significant risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking information. These factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in currency markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, the ability of the Company to access sufficient capital on favourable terms or at all, changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls, regulations, political or economic developments in Canada, Australia or other countries in which the Company does business or may carry on business in the future, operational or technical difficulties in connection with exploration or development activities, employee relations, the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, obtaining necessary licenses and permits, diminishing quantities and grades of mineral reserves, contests over title to properties, especially title to undeveloped properties, the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drill results and other geological data, environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding, limitations of insurance coverage and the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, and should be considered carefully. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can affect the Companys actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, the Company. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Although the forward-looking information contained in this report is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure prospective purchasers that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. No stock exchange, regulation services provider, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained in this report.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea fired a missile from its capital, Pyongyang, that flew over Japan, the U.S. Defense Department said, an especially aggressive test-flight that will rattle an already anxious region.

The South Korean military said the missile flew 1,678 miles and reached a height of 341 miles. Japanese officials said the missile flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and landed in the Pacific Ocean. There was no damage to ships or anything else reported. Japan's NHK TV said the missile separated into three parts.

The Pentagon says it is still in the process of assessing the launch.

It says the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, determined the missile launch did not pose a threat to North America.

The launch comes days after the North fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after its second flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

North Korea typically reacts with anger to U.S.-South Korean military drills, which are happening now, often staging weapons tests and releasing threats to Seoul and Washington in its state-controlled media. But animosity is higher than usual following threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to unleash "fire and fury" on the North, and Pyongyang's stated plan to consider firing some of its missiles toward Guam.

Pyongyang regularly argues that the U.S.-South Korean military exercises are an invasion rehearsal. The allies say they are defensive and meant to counter North Korean aggression.

North Korea's U.N. ambassador, Ja Song Nam, wrote recently that the exercises are "provocative and aggressive" when the Korean peninsula is "like a time bomb."
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As the countdown clock struck zero, rocket of Aakash BYJUS took off from Bandra Bandstand

400 students from 9 villages packed in 4 rooms demand new school building in MP

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Bhopal, August 29: During the recent celebrations of the 70th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave Indians the new term--"New India"--which will be powerful, strong and self-sufficient by 2022.

However, if we look into ground realities, the very structure of India is a weak one, especially in the fields of health and education. Take the case of students of Naharpur village in Madhya Pradesh.

On Monday, a group of 400-odd students of the village school staged a demonstration to demand a proper school building for them as all of them are being forced to study in just four classrooms. Imagine 400 children packed inside four rooms which means on an average 100 students study in one room at a time. If this is not gross negligence then we don't know what it is.

In fact, in the Naharpur village school, students from eight other villages study as these villages have no school of their own.

Photographs taken by a lensman of news agency ANI brought to light how these youngsters have been forced to protest when they were supposed to study because they are being treated as "cattle" by the Indian education system.

MP: Students in Naharpur village staged demonstration asking for a school building as 400+ students from 9 villages have to study in 4 rooms pic.twitter.com/RKPywV956e  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2017

Unless and until, students are not given basic facilities like a proper school where 400 students can study like humans and not animals, how would the dream of the PM of establishing a "New India" be fulfilled?

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 9:56 [IST]
Will continue the fight

For the sake of a better living, Central Government employees need a reduction in the pay gap. Leaders say that it is a difficult situation, but they would continue to fight for it. We know that the government is not in any mood at the moment, but we will press for our demand.

Why government won't reduce pay gap

Sources in the government say that the issue is being examined. However the government has other plans. It is proposing an annual pay hike instead of setting up pay commissions. These issues would be sorted out at that time, the source also said. The government has further put aside the demand by central government employees to reduce the pay gap. The government says that no decision will be taken to reduce the pay gap under the 7th Pay Commission. Government employees have been demanding for a long time to pay ratio should be minimised. They have also demanded that Rs 25,000 should be the minimum pay in the new pay scale and the fitment factor will be higher than the 2.57 times approved by the government based on the pay commission recommendations.

The pay commissions of the past

All pay commissions in the past had made up the pay gap between the lower paid employees and the top officials from second Pay Commission 1:41 ratio to 6th Pay Commission 1:12. In the first pay commission, the pay of the top bureaucrats was 41 times higher than the employee earning the lowest. The future pay commissions however reduced the ratio from 1:41 in 1947 to about 1:12 in 2006.

7th Pay Commission notification

As per the notification there were 18 pay matrices that were approved. The notification said, the highest pay matrix (Level-18) for the Cabinet secretary to the Union government is Rs 2,50,000 (fixed), which was Rs 90,000 (fixed) in the immediate past under 6th pay commission recommendation. The rate of increase is 178%. The pay matrix in the lowest grade (Level-1) is Rs 18,000 which was Rs 7,000 under 6th pay commission recommendation. The rate of increase is 157%.

The ratio of pay between the highest declared pay matrix (Level-18) and the lowest grade (Level -1) in the 7th Pay Commission recommendations is 1:13.9, which was 1:12 as per the previous pay commission.
AAPs victory or BJPs defeat: Modi repeats Kejriwals mistakes

India

oi-Prabhpreet

By Prabhpreet

It's been a long time since an election result brought good news for the Aam Aadmi Party and its leader Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal. But the result of the by-election for the Delhi assembly seat of Bawana has done exactly that.

Following disappointing results in state elections of Punjab and Goa, earlier this year, and then an unexpectedly heavy defeat in those for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to the Bharatiya Janata Party, the win in Bawana must have brought a much-needed relief to Kejriwal and his party. Especially given the comfortable margin of more than 24,000 votes with which its candidate, Ram Chander, defeated the BJP's candidate.

While supporters of the saffron party would not want too much to be read into such a disappointing defeat, the celebrations of their party's victory in Goa by-polls along with the nature and margin of the defeat in Delhi make, giving attention to AAP's victory logical.

BJP rightly celebrated winning both seats in Goa, one of them by incumbent Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, who the party sent back to the state after a spell as Defence Minister to get back the ground lost in the last election, with even the Prime Minister quick to tweet congratulations to his party's leaders and thank the people of the state for their support.

Similarly, the result in Delhi should be seen as not only a good sign for AAP but also a defeat for the BJP. Especially given that a by-election was only required as the national party wanted it and was able to force it after it was able to poach the then sitting AAP MLA, Ved Prakash, away from his party in March this year just ahead of the MCD polls, and even made him stand as its own candidate this time.

The voters have clearly rejected such political manoeuvring, which is just one of the steps which answer the question whether the BJP lost the election or the AAP won it and show that Modi seems to be repeating the mistakes made by Kejriwal, whereas the latter seems to have learnt from them.

First of these is duplicating Kejriwal's error of turning the tussle between the two parties into a contest of slinging mud at the leader of the other. Kejriwal paid the price of calling Modi names in public ever since the Chief Minister began accusing BJP of trying to create fissures in his party by trying to lure its members away and creating controversies that AAP has found itself surrounded by since it won 67 out of 70 seats in 2015.

No matter what the reality behind the allegations, such name-calling and personal attacks were quickly rejected by the people of the capital, as was seen in the municipality election results where the overwhelming support that the young party had enjoyed till then clearly shifted to the saffron brigade. Yet such a dynamic seems to have been lost on the top leadership of the BJP as they have supported and tried to incite similar attacks on the Chief Minister, using his party members such as Kapil Mishra, among others.

The second mistake of Kejriwal that the BJP led by Modi and his trusted lieutenant, party President Amit Shah, looks intent to replicate is concentrating on an area that leaves them vulnerable and can cause damage. While the chief minister spread his wings too early in an attempt to become a national leader by fielding candidates in states such as Punjab and Goa, the BJP, on the other hand, is doing the exact opposite and focusing too much on Delhi when it clearly doesn't benefit significantly, if at all from it.

Though such a focused attempt to beat down Kejriwal is understandable given that he and his party have been constant thorns for the BJP since the humiliating nature of the defeat in the last assembly elections and stopping what was thought to be an all conquering Modi wave. Still, political tricks of taking away sitting MLA's and using them to malign ex-colleagues, have little advantage for a party well and truly in control of the political climate in the country, with a mandate at the centre unheard of in over three decades and governments in 18 states. And such micromanaging and a defeat after that just leaves it open to a loss of face.

Kejriwal seems to have learnt from these and other mistakes of his, as is quite evident from the understated way that he has been going around with his work since the defeat in the MCD elections, along with the campaigning for this by-election. He has not only toned down his personal attacks on Modi, but also refrained from talking about national issues at a high decibel level, instead focusing on issues of Delhi.

Such a change or learning from the past should not come as a surprise, with him having a track record of reacting to what the people of Delhi convey to him one way or the other. He had been able to extinguish, by travelling through the territory and apologizing, considerable ground level anger and disappointment that the voters had developed as he had resigned only 49 days into the term of his government formed with backing of the Congress, after the electorate had given a fractured mandate, during AAP's maiden foray into electoral politics.

Such an ability has borne fruit again as is clear looking at the huge margin of the victory this time and the people having chosen the party over the previous legislator. Now the ball seems to be in the Modi and BJP's court to decide whether to continue their obsession to attack the Delhi government and the party running it, and risking the ire that might develop in the voters with Lok Sabha elections less than a couple of years away and the capital sending seven members to it, or leaving them alone till 2019 and may be even the next assembly elections in Delhi.

Either way, Kejriwal will feel relieved for now following what has been one of the toughest years for AAP so far, and the BJP would wonder how exactly was it able to not only continue its winning momentum but also only just able to beat the Congress to second place.

OneIndia News
Absconding Hill leader wanted in Arms case surfaces before Kolkata talks

India

oi-Amitava

By Amitava

Darjeeling, August 29, 2017: Causing utter discomfort for the Police, former Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader wanted in connection with the Assam arms haul case, believed to be absconding, surfaced in Darjeeling on Monday. He has also issued strictures that under no condition should the demand of Gorkhaland be compromised at the Hill talks in Nabannya, the West Bengal State Secretariat to be held at 4pm today.

Thulung's sudden appearance comes at a time when the Hills have been rocked by a series of blasts at different locations including police stations, giving rise to the speculation of a hardliner group trying to send across a strong message. The police claim that he is not in Darjeeling.

Talking to a group of reporters from a secret location in Darjeeling on Monday, Thulung in his late 30s warned "Those who have gone to attend the Kolkata talks should speak on the agenda of Gorkhaland alone. If they deviate they will have to face consequences."

Thulung seems to have echoed GJM President Bimal Gurung's statement which he had dispatched to media persons in the form of a recording from an undisclosed location. Gurung too had stated that the Hill leaders will have to talk on Gorkhaland alone at the Nabbanya meeting else they will not be allowed to return to the Hills.

Waving off allegations made by the State Government of Nepal Maoist and North Eastern Militant links with the present Gorkhaland movement, Thulung stated "We do not need outside help. We are capable by ourselves. During the 1980s we had launched a violent agitation on our own. Time is ripe for the Government to pay serious heed to our demand" retorted Thulung.

Going a step further, Thulung stated that there is a conspiracy to derail the Gorkhaland agitation. "In this case we will be compelled to launch a revolution" warned Thulung.

Incidentally former Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) member of the Tukdah-Glenburn constituency Sanjay Thulung alias Sanjay Rai is wanted by both the Darjeeling police and the Darjeeling police in connection with the Assam Arms case. On Monday he declared that he has been falsely implicated in the Arms case.

"There is a warrant in the name of Thulung is Assam. If he was in Darjeeling he would have been arrested. He is not in Darjeeling" claimed Akhilesh Chaturvedi, Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling.

On November 8, 2014, along with some incriminating documents and cash of Rs 10,000, the Assam Police had recovered an M-16 rifle, two Beretta pistols, three .32 pistols, 300 rounds of 9 mm pistol, 80 rounds of AK series assault rifles, 198 rounds ammunitions of M-16 and 60 rounds of .32 pistol from a vehicle bearing West Bengal registration Number (WB74A 4788) travelling from Dimapur in Nagaland to West Bengal.

One Ganesh Chettri (53), resident of Baksa district of Assam along with Umesh Kami (29) of Lankapara, Alipurduar District of West Bengal were arrested from the vehicle. They had named Sanjay Thulung alias Sanjay Rai in connection with the case. Thulung who was the Vice President of Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha has been absconding since then. He was expelled by the GJM after he was implicated in the Assam case.

As per intelligence sources Thulung had procured the Tata Safari (WB74A4788) for Rs. 14 lakhs in Kami's name. Incidentally Kami, a Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP- voluntary force affiliated to the GJM) had got acquainted with Thulung in 2012.

He had personally visited Nagaland and allegedly procured the consignment for Rs. 15 lakhs. The duo had specially modified the Tata Safari in Nagaland to accommodate the hidden chamber in which the arms were smuggled. Thulung had struck a deal with Kami and had assured him a payment of Rs. 50,000/- per consignment delivered.

Thulung had further promised Kami that after delivery of 2 to 3 more consignments, the Tata Safari would be given to Kami. Thulung had then returned to Darjeeling. As per plans Kami started from Dimapur with the consignment. The other person Ganesh Chettri was scheduled to join him in Assam. The consignment was to be delivered to Rai at Champasari on the fringes of Siliguri.

On November 8, the SSB had received a tip off regarding the consignment and laid a trap at Chapaguri, Bongaigaon near the Assam-West Bengal border. Chirang (Assam) SP Ranjan Bhuiyan along with a large police contingent, SSB and the CRPF managed to nab the vehicle along with Kami before Kami reached the rendezvous point where Chettri was scheduled to join him.

The police then forced Kami to give a call to Chettri asking Chettri to join him. When Chettri arrived, he too was nabbed by the police. After two hours of frantic search the police could not locate the hidden chamber. The SP then ordered to cut open the chassis of the vehicle with gas cutters. Kami then had shown him the hidden chamber inside which the arms were present.

Chhetri is a member of a militant outfit called the United Gorkha People's Organisation, based in Assam. Assam police claimed that the consignment was to be delivered to Thulung.

During interrogation the two had revealed that 15 Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP, a voluntary force affiliated to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha) along with others had undergone 14 days arms training in Nagaland in 2013 with the intention of launching an armed movement for separate state of Gorkhland, under the banner of Gorkha Liberation Army (GLA.) Thulung had allegedly paid Rs. 13.3 Lakhs for the training.

The duo had further revealed that members of the banned militant outfit of Nagaland - the NSCN had held a number of meetings in Darjeeling Hotels.

The Darjeeling police had then started a fresh case against the two accused -Umesh Kami and Ganesh Chettri at the Rungli Rungliot police station in the Darjeeling sub division. One rifle, ammunition and incriminating documents have also been recovered from an area known as 27th Mile under the Rungli Rungliot police station in Darjeeling. A case was then initiated at Rungli Rungliot.

The others named in the Rungli Rungliot FIR in connection with the arms case and for allegedly having undergone arms training include Sanjay Thulung, Vijay Thulung, Raju Gurung, Shen Singh Rai, Milon Subba, Mikki, Ram Singh Rai, Sajeep Gurung and Rahul Chettri.

A CID team from West Bengal investigating a similar arms haul case (in which automatic, semi-automatic arms including ammunition had been recovered from Phulbari check post in the Jalpaiguri district on January 30, 2014) had gone to Assam to interrogate the duo.

During interrogation the two admitted that they were involved in the Phulbari arms haul incident also and that earlier too they had delivered a number of arms consignment in Darjeeling.

Interrogation of the duo by the CID had revealed that they had delivered a number of arms consignments to Darjeeling earlier. The arms had been procured from Dimapur, Nagaland. In Darjeeling the arms were stacked in the house of one Sanjiv Gurung of Tukvar, 10km from Darjeeling town. Incidentally Sanjiv Gurung is absconding.

On November 17, 2014 while launching a man hunt for Thulung the police along with the CRPF recovered a similar Tata Safari from Patleybash (above Malidhura) 8 km from Darjeeling town which the police believe had been used to smuggle in arms.

On November 2, 2016, 36 year old Vijay Thulung the brother of Sanjay Thulung was arrested from Jorebungalow, 8 km from Darjeeling town. Bijay is also implicated in the arms case.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 12:48 [IST]
Actor Dileep's bail plea rejected by Kerala High Court, again

India

oi-Anusha

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail petition of Malayalam actor Dileep accused in an abduction and molestation case. This is the third time that the court has rejected Dileep's bail plea.

The actor has spent more than 50 days in the Aluva sub-jail after he was arrested in July for his alleged role in an actress molestation case in February earlier this year. Last week, the Angamaly court had extended Dileep's judicial custody till September 2. The High court on July 24 had rejected his bail petition considering that crucial evidence like the mobile phone used to shoot the attack on the actress was yet to be traced. The court, in the first week of August, had once again rejected Dileep's plea for bail.

In a fresh petition before the Kerala High Court, Dileep had rejected allegations of him being the key conspirator in the case. Dileep's advocates made a submission that claimed that the actor was neither the kingpin nor a participant in the crime. Dileep also claimed that he does not know the key accused in the case, Pulsar Suni. He has alleged a conspiracy against him by some people from the Malayalam film industry.

The Dileep was named an accused in the actress molestation case after the investigating authorities claimed that he had hired prime accused Pulsar Suni to assault the actress.

Dileep has changed his advocates twice already and a fresh bail petition was filed through his new counsel Advocate Raman Pillai. Arguments for the bail petition went on for two days before the court rejected the same. Dileep's advocate argued that the memory card in which the visuals of the attack are purportedly saved had been recovered by the police. He questioned the basis on which Dileep was being held in custody and told the court that the police had admitted that the mobile phone which was used to record the act was destroyed.

Oneindia News
Happy hours are back in Bengaluru after SC clarifies on liquor ban order

India

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Several pubs around the Bengaluru city which were earlier hit by the 500m from highway rule and had to stop serving liquor, were back in business.

The State Excise Department officials on Thursday issued circular to all the Deputy Commissioners asking them to consider renewal of licences for pubs and bars that fall in city limits.

The Supreme Court had clarified that ban on sale of liquor within 500m of highways is not applicable within municipal limits.

After the apex court gave the clarification, the party goers in town can again have a whale of time at their favourite places.

According to Om Prakash, manager of Social pub at Church Street who opened the pub on Sunday evening said that the number of customers may not match with that of pre-ban days. But looking at the enthusiasm among customers, we are hopeful of good times ahead.

Armed with this clarification, pubs like Hard Rock Cafe and House of Commons are among the other pubs in the vicinity were operational.

However, others such as Pecos, Le Rock and Guzzlers are yet to resume business. Most of the liquor outlets have not opened yet for want of license.

OneIndia News
AIADMK crisis: DMK to go to President, Dinakaran camp approaches Election Commission

India

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TTV Dinakaran faction of the AIADMK approached the Election Commission of India over the Two-leaves symbol row. Leaders supporting Dinakaran made a representation to the EC to request that no decision should be taken on the row without hearing their concerns. This, even as the DMK intends to meet President Ram Nath Kovind over the political crisis in the state.

The opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly, DMK has sought to meet the President of India over the political crisis in Tamil Nadu. With no response coming from Tamil Nadu governor Vidhyasagar Rao over their demand for a floor test, the DMK now intends to knock on the President's doors. The DMK has sought the President's appointment on August 31 to apprise him of the situation and seek direction to the Governor to call for a floor test in the assembly.

The DMK has petitioned Governor Vidhyasagar Rao twice already over the need for Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy to prove his majority in the house. Governor Vidhyasagar Rao has made no commitments on the same. The DMK intends to meet the President on the same day Governor is slated to return to Mumbai.

On Tuesday, two leaders from the TTV Dinakaran camp approached the Election Commission. Leaders of the Edappadi Palanisamy and Panneerselvam camp are also in Delhi but are yet to make an appeal to the EC. The merged factions are hoping to withdraw the their contentions in the symbol row but the same may be easier said than done. The AIADMK is currently seeking legal opinion. The leaders of the EPS-OPS camp are also to meet BJP leaders and union ministers to seek guidance.

There has been no action from the Raj Bhavan either on the demands of Congress and DMK for a floor test or TTV Dinakaran camp's legislators withdrawing their support to Edappadi Palanisamy.

OneIndia News
Don't allow next Doklam in Arunachal, says BJP MP; claims China has encroached upon 60 km of state

At Doklam, the Chinese have moved out and so have their bulldozers

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Both India and China confirmed that the disengagement of troops at Doklam had begun. While this is a signal that the crisis has ended, the million dollar question is whether China has stopped construction work, the main reason why the standoff began.

China had come in with its bulldozers and began constructing a road which triggered the crisis in the first place. While the Chinese foreign ministry does not make any mention about the construction work, Indian officials confirmed to OneIndia that the work has stopped and the bulldozers have moved away.

This is a major victory for India which not only stood its ground, but also ensured that China stopped the construction work which both India and Bhutan termed illegal.

The standoff between India and China, one of the worst in decades began in June. China began constructing a road on the Doklam plateau which was objected to by Bhutan. India rushed to the rescue of Bhutan and positioned its troops thus honouring the Friendship Treaty.

On Monday India's Foreign Ministry said, "On this basis, expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to and is on-going. The disengagement was near completion for both countries, the statement also read.

China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said "At 1430 or so on August 28, India withdrew its personnel and equipment to the Indian side of the border line." She also said that China would make necessary adjustments and deployments according to the changes."

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 10:26 [IST]
As a new City Hall plan to review and remove hate symbols in New York City continues to take shape, Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito have faced intense pushback from those looking to preserve the 70-foot statue of Christopher Columbus that towers above Columbus Circle. Now, de Blasio is floating a possible compromise: plaques.

At a press conference in Brooklyn on Monday, de Blasio told reporters the city might affix disclaimer-style plaques that "offer explanations of the historical figures they depict." These plaques would, in theory, allow certain controversial figures to remain in place with a new citation that foregrounds their potentially hateful or destructive deeds.

Speaking at a press conference Monday in Brooklyn, de Blasio acknowledged the concern, particularly among Italian-Americans, that the statue could get the axe. "There's more than one way to address this," the Mayor said, "I don't think anyone should leap to any conclusions. They should see how this commission does its work and what it presents." De Blasio also said that many of that statues reviewed by the panel will likely be left alone.

The possibility of Columbus getting official "hate symbol" status was raised by Mark-Viverito during a speech last week in Central Park, in which she framed the Italian explorer/colonist as a symbol of Native American oppression. Council Member Jumaane Williams also tweeted his support for the removal of the Columbus statue.

Among the early critics of Mark-Viverito and Williams was Republican Staten Island Council Member Joe Borelli. In a letter sent to the Mayor and Speaker last week, Borelli admonished them for opening a "tremendous can of worms" with the hate symbol review, and demanded that the criteria used to determine what is, and isn't, a hate symbol be made public. Following the Mayor's comments Monday, however, Borelli struck a more accepting tone.

Placing [Christopher Columbus] in context would be a reasonable solution. But nobody jumped the gun, he told the Post. When Columbus was mentioned, the mayor could have downplayed it right then, and the speaker could have not made the case for removal.


BJP and Congress' caste combinations in numbers for Karnataka assembly polls 2017

India

oi-Anusha

If leaked statistics from the controversial caste census of Karnataka are anything to go by, the state's demographics have changed massively. With 1.43 crore in number, Dalits now constitute 24 per cent of the total electorate. This puts the number games in perspective. Here is how caste equations in Karnataka are expected to play out in the 2018 assembly elections.

While the government is dilly-dallying over tabling the findings of the caste census, the JD(S) and the BJP have begun strategising using the leaked numbers. The BJP has traditionally used the Lingayat+ Vokkaliga+ Brahmin combination for its elections. Lingayat votes ensured a thumping victory to the party in Karnataka. The scenario has now changed.

Caste in numbers

According to leaked statistics of the caste census, out of the 5.76 crore people, 1.43 crore are Dalits. Muslims are 65 lakhs in number. Vokkaliga and Lingayats constitute 8 and 10 per cent respectively while the OBC constitute 7.3 per cent. Close to 30 lakh people have not been considered under the census and data on the same remains inconclusive.

The Congress, especially Siddaramaiah, has been pushing AHINDA caste calculation. Minorities, backward classes and Dalits have been and continue to be Congress' primary vote banks. With the caste census, if the party is able to retain its voters, there is no doubt of a thumping majority. 1.43 crore Dalits, 65 lakh Muslims and OBC that make up for 7.3 per cent is a perfect combination for victory. The Congress, while consolidating its vote bank, is accused of systematically dislodging BJP's strength, Lingayats. The Vokkaligas, the JD(S)' traditional voters have always been divided between BJP and Congress as well.

BJP's new Dalit+Lingayat attempt

"The census was cleverly conducted to serve Siddaramaiah's purpose. His purpose was to drive home a message that dominant castes of Karnataka, Vokkaligas and Lingayats don't matter for politics in Karnataka, simply because he belongs to neither. It has worked in his favour. We now have different strategies," said a BJP leader who did not wish to be named.

The Congress' AHINDA target remains the same while BJP led by Lingayat strongman B S Yeddyurappa has adapted to a change of strategy. Instead of the Lingayat+ Vokkaliga+ Brahmin caste calculation, the party has decided to go after the largest chunk of voters in the state, Dalits. Now, the BJP wants to experiment that very difficult Lingayat+ Dalit + Brahmin caste calculation.

This explains the Dalit outreach from the BJP and personally B S Yeddyurappa's side. Brahmins make up for less than 2 per cent of the electorate and are traditional voters of the BJP. "We do not expect to get all Dalit votes but if we manage to get 17-18 per cent of Dalit votes, almost 2 per cent of Brahmin votes, 2 or 3 per cent of OBC votes and 10 per cent of Lingayat votes, we are through. We are looking at 31-32 per cent," said another BJP functionary strategising for the assembly elections. 2 or 3 per cent of the Vokkaliga votes have been calculated as a buffer.

2018 is all set to see new caste, community calculations in the state where caste plays a vital role in electoral politics. While OBC sub-committee wooing worked wonders for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, the same is not expected to be impactful in Karnataka limiting the BJP.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 10:45 [IST]
School kids should be aware of deadly Blue Whale game: SC to states

'Black Panther is free', writes 20-year-old before hanging self in Blue Whale-like online Game

After Blue whale, this new TikTok 'Skull breaker' challenge is so dangerous that may lead to injury

Blue Whale challenge: Chennai Police issues advisory for parents

India

oi-PTI

The Chennai police on Monday came up with an advisory, particularly for parents of young children, on the Blue Whale online game, which targets children and encourages them to harm themselves.

Police said the internet game "instructs its participants, mostly teenagers, to carry out 50 dangerous tasks, the final challenge being committing suicide."

As per the guidelines, the cops have advised parents to use 'parental control' software to keep an eye on the online activities of their children.

Unusual injuries in the body could be a sign of concern as they may be involved in such games.

Parents have also been asked to monitor their children's activities on various social media platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook, Snapchat and limit apps usage and block sites promoting dangerous activities.

It also asked the parents to recognise any behavioural changes in their children as they might develop suicidal thoughts particularly those who have taken up the challenge.

The police advisory also asked parents to spend more time with their wards and encourage them to participate in outdoor games.

The fatal online Blue Whale game has claimed its first victim in Uttar Hamirpur district. Parth Singh, 13, was found hanging in his bedroom in Maudaha village on Sunday night.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 11:14 [IST]
PM Modi should admit that demonetistion a failure: Owaisi on cash seizure in UP

Demonetisation deliberate move by 'PayPM' to help his friends: Rahul Gandhi

Fact Check: PM Modi did not take pleasure in peoples suffering post demonetisation

Centre rubbishes Rs 1,000 note claims, says no such plans

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Economic Affairs secretary Shubhash Chandra Garg on Tuesday rubbished reports of Rs 1,000 notes making a comeback in December this year.

Garg statement came a day after reports claimed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Centre have finalised plans to reintroduce Rs 1,000 denomination bank note it had discontinued last year during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move.

The earlier reports further claimed that redesigned Rs 1,000 notes were ready to be introduced by December. However, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has always denied re-monetisation of Rs 1000 notes.

There is no proposal to reintroduce 1000 rupee note: Shubhash Chandra Garg, Secretary, DEA on media reports regarding the same  ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2017

On August 25, the RBI released both the Rs 200 and Rs 50 notes. The existing Rs 50 that is already in circulation will continue to be in circulation along with the new notes that come with enhanced security features.

Last week, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the re-monetisation situation with regard to replenishing the scrapped currency is "almost normal" now and the Reserve Bank is monitoring the supply on a daily basis.

The government had announced withdrawal of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes on November 8, 2016, with an aim to check black money, counterfeit notes and terror financing.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 18:00 [IST]
Tuesday is now No Meeting Day in Haryana and officers to be with people on Friday

Haryana panchayat polls: Public holiday in several districts on Nov 9 and 12

Chandigarh stalking case: Vikas Barala's bail plea dismissed

India

oi-Madhuri

BJP leader Subhash Barala's son Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar's bail plea was dismissed by District court on Tuesday.

The accused had filed the bail application in the Chandigarh district court on Monday.

The two accused, Vikash and Ashish, are facing charges of stalking, abduction attempt and wrongful restraint on a 29-year-old DJ, Varnika Kundu, while she was returning to her house late night on August 4.

Varnika Kundu, daughter of Haryana Additional Chief Secretary VS Kundu, had on Friday alleged that Vikas and and his friend Ashish stalked her.'

Vikas and Ashish were arrested from the Housing Board light point late on Friday night. Varnika, a disc jockey, who was driving from Sector 7, Chandigarh, towards Panchkula at 12.35am, alleged the two men followed her in their SUV.

OneIndia News
"Dalits yet to be formidable political force but are more than mere vote banks", Devanur Mahadeva

India

oi-Anusha

Despite constituting a sizeable chunk of the electorate across the country, Dalits are not a formidable political force in India. Prominent Dalit writer from Karnataka, Devanur Mahadeva, believes that the divisions within are to blame.

In an interview with OneIndia, the maverick writer explains that Dalits are more than just vote bank and why he believes that the fundamental flaw is in the parameter of development.

Dalit appeasement is not new to politics neither is it negligible. Elections are fought on the basis of who woos the community best in many states like Karnataka where Dalits form the largest voter chunk. Mahadev while acknowledging that appeasement is a reality also added that it is not wrong.

"Dalits belong to the lowest rung of the society. When something is done to help them, the society is helped at large. Everything that is done to help the poor and the downtrodden bridges the gap between the haves and have nots so it is not wrong to work in their interest. Anything done in the interest of have nots brings about a balance in the society," he said.



When politics trumps Dalit rights

The Dalit writer and activist claimed that the divide between the rich and the poor in the country wider than ever. So much so, that those who own wealth also own the government.

"Many a political parties start-off for the 'welfare of Dalits' but when politics takes over, rights of Dalits takes a backseat. While politics takes its own course, what we forget is that the divide between the rich and the poor is wider today, probably the widest ever. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is today surrounded by the likes of Ambani and Adani who call the shots for the government. The system is crumbling because the ruler has been reduced to a contractor," the writer said.

He emphasized that concern shown to Dalits by many parties is extended politics to woo a vote bank but Dalits are much more than just that. Reacting to Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa hosting lunch for Dalit families, Devanur Mahadeva said that the very fact that it made news shows whether the concern was genuine or political. "If there was a genuine concern, it would not make the news. If it is politics, it will make news now it is self explanatory," he smiled.

What ails Dalits in India?

For years they have faced inequality and discrimination but Dalits lack unity, is Mahadeva's belief. "In Karnataka, even if Dalits constitute 24 per cent of the electorate, they are divided from within. There are 101 sects and sub-sects. Dalits will become a huge political force in India if they blend beyond the barriers of sects and stand united, until that time, there is very little hope," he said.



Sops or opportunities? What does empowerment meant to Dalits?

Freebies, welfare schemes, sops have been political parties' mantra for decades to woo communities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the BJP cadres after the party's massive win in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections stressed on the need to do away with freebies. Devanur Mahadeva does not agree.

"Economic empowerment as well as equality is true development. Both have to be delivered in tandem failing which there is no development. The parameter of development has to change. Participatory democracy encourages self-development but it can't happen when someone if dying of hunger. Schemes have to be temporary but one should realize that it is only temporary," he stressed.

OneIndia News
Tuesday is now No Meeting Day in Haryana and officers to be with people on Friday

Dera violence: DGCA warns airlines as airfares sky rocket

India

oi-Madhuri

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) warned airlines over rise in prices due to Dera violence in Haryana. It also asked the airlines to mount extra flights for the passengers flying from Delhi to places like Amritsar, Chandigarh and Jammu where rail and road connectivity has suffered.

It has come to the notice of DGCA that the airlines had overcharged their customers on flights taken to Chandigarh, Amritsar and Jaipur. The airline algorith

In a respite for passengers, Air India carrier has been requested to mount extra flight on Delhi-Jammu-Delhi sector. IndiGo has also informed that the airline will mount additional flight on Delhi-Jammu-Delhi sector.

Train and inter-state bus services were suspended as a precautionary measure following violence in Haryana and Punjab by the supporters of Dera Sacha Sauda chief.

The DGCA's advisory comes on the backdrop of the recent violence that has hit cities in Haryana and Punjab in the wake of the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for rape by a CBI court in Panchkula.

OneIndia News
First phase of Lucknow Metro to commence from September 5

India

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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate Lucknow Metro services on September 5. And for the public, the services will be however operational from September 6.

The 8.5 km long 'Priority Corridor' from Transport Nagar to Charbagh will be made operational for the public from 6 am to 10 pm on a daily basis. This metro will be the first metro project to be made operational for the public in less than three years.

The presence of Rajnath SIngh will give prove that the Modi-led BJP government at the Centre which contributed bulk of the funds for the project while Akhilesh Yadav as CM has just showcased the Lucknow Metro as his signature project.

Earlier, the BJP had attacked the then Akhilesh government during th UP election campaign, asking as to why were the Metro trains still not running in Lucknow. However, for which Yadav had shot back saying the project was to still get the safety clearance from the Railway commissioner.

OneIndia News
Guj govt won't have to rebuild religious structures damaged in 2002 riots: SC

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The religious structures damaged during the 2002 post Godhra riots will not have to be rebuilt by the Gujarat government. The order was passed while setting aside a Gujarat High Court order which asked the state government to pay for the reconstruction and repair work of religious structures damaged in the riots.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Justice P C Pant said that the government's scheme of paying ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 for damaged residential and commercial properties would apply to religious properties as well.

The Gujarat High Court had directed the government to pay compensation to more than 500 religious structures that were damaged in the riots. The Gujarat government had said that it was willing to pay the ex-gratia amount for repair and reconstruction of various shops, structures and houses that were damanged.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 12:32 [IST]
Himachal to be TB free by 2022: Health Minister

India

oi-Oneindia

By Vijyender Sharma

SHIMLA: Tuberculosis (TB) control is amongst the top priorities of the State Government and is set to achieve the target to control TB by 2021-22 well before the nation's target for 2025. Health & Family Welfare Minister Kaul Singh Thakur stated this while presiding over a " Training of Trainers batch" for integration of TB and Tobacco control programme, organised by the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease, here today.

The Health Minister said the State Government was committed to improve the health of its people and national health programmes and schemes were being implemented as per national mandate. He said health indicators of Himachal Pradesh were better than the National average and the State was striving hard to achieve the global standards. Total Fertility Rate of Himachal Pradesh was 1.7 against the national rate of 2.3, Infant Mortality Rate was 28 as compared to 37 in the country under Child Mortality Rate below five years was 33 against national average of 43, he added.

Shri Thakur said despite so many advances in diagnosis and treatment worldwide, TB still was number one infectious killer disease in the world killing 14 lakh people, out of which 4.8 lakh were in India alone. Every year near 15000 news cases of TB were coming in HP and at the same time near 8-9 thousand TB patients seek treatment from private sector which was a big number.

The Minister said that RNTCP program performance in terms of case detection rate and treatment success rate of Himachal Pradesh was 77 percent and 90 percent respectively which were above the desired National target of 70 and 85 percent respectively. He said that Himachal Pradesh was the first State in the country where State Government had approved Rs. two crore under Mukhjya Mantri Kshaya Rog Nivarna Yojna. Himachal has also topped in launching FDC & Daily regimen for TB patients on 26th January, 2017 putting more than 7000 patients on daily regimen besides leading in providing nutritional support to the MDR-TB patients, he added.

The Health Minister said almost 38 percent of TB deaths were associated with the use of tobacco and prevalence of TB was three times as high among ever smokers as compared to those among never smokers. The State Government had taken several innovative steps for effective tobacco control and we have the strongest enforcement mechanisms as a result of which the State had achieved "Smoke Free State Status" in the year 2013.

Apart from Himachal Pradesh, the Seminar was also attended by the delegates from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 16:06 [IST]
How India solved the Doklam standoff

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

It was an end to a tense standoff at Doklam. While China continued to spew venom against India through its media, India decided to maintain calm and find a solution to the problem instead.

Recommended Video

Sikkim Standoff : India's mature approach ended tense standoff at Doklam | Oneindia News

For India the problem was a relatively new one. China was trying to reshape the boundary at Doklam and India sent its troops to a third country-Bhutan to defend its territorial rights.

Highly placed officials in Delhi say that the situation was not an easy one. China never sent any clear signals from day one. We have to keep in mind two aspects. They were a possibility of a military escalation by China and also the fact that we needed to defend Bhutan's rights at any cost. Had we yielded to pressure and pulled out of Doklam and let the Chinese continue with their construction, there was a good chance of Bhutan with whom we have a Friendship Treaty slipping into the hands of the Chinese.

Getting the Chinese to talk was not easy. The visit by National Security Advisor to China to attend the BRICS summit for NSAs opened the first channel of talks. It was important to convince China to speak first. China always insisted that India withdrew from Doklam first, while India insisted that it would be mutual.

When diplomatic channels opened up for the first time, almost a month into the standoff, India had to also deal with the situation on the other parts of the Line of Actual Control. China constantly threatened to open up its theatre of conflict on the other sides of the border and hence India had to ensure a high state of alert at all times.

As back channel talks gradually opened up, India also ensured that it did not let its guard down. India ramped up its military presence on one hand while on the other ensured that there was never any flare up.

Somewhere all along, China too gave signals that it would not want a flare up. However India needed to be cautious on this front as the Chinese were playing for their internal audience. It became clear that China was adopting the three step warfare strategy. This included- Media warfare, psychological warfare and legal warfare.

[Find out what China's three step warfare is]

India continued to maintain calm and maturity all through. It was by Sunday that a breakthrough had been achieved. Both sides understood that the standoff is never ending. Moreover both sides wanted to ensure that ahead of next months BRICS summit, the standoff would have to end. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit China to take part in the summit and both he and his Chinese counterpart would want it to be only about BRICS.

OneIndia News
Public transportation, when its not busy getting stalled, derailed, caught in traffic, or sucked up into some unnameable vortex, is an otherwise great triumph of modern cities. Its the lifeblood of urban infrastructure and, arguably, part of what makes a city a city. And in a place like NYC, subways, buses and ferries provide daily transportation to millions of commuters and tourists alikewhen its business as usual. And yes, we see you too, folks who use cabs and rideshare apps exclusively. (But lets face it, thats not exactly an economical solution for everyday use.)

When this writer first moved to a neighborhood in south Brooklyn, relinquishing an out-of-state zip code and car, a realtor advised that my new apartment was incredibly close to so many subways! I squinted at a map and nodded at my new neighborhood, with zero ability to judge distance or the time it would take the average person to walk out the door and onto a train. In practice, incredibly close translated to a 20 minute walk to one of two equidistant stations, on top of a 45 minute train ride. Rainy days were especially irritating, and winters were even less pleasant. Eventually, I ended up taking the bus to the subway, which slightly decreased my commuting time and my pre-coffee ire. It wasnt the worstbut it could have been better.

The point of this story is that public transportation is only as good as its accessibility. And there are plenty of places in NYC where subways, for example, feel more like myth than reality. Neighborhoods like Alphabet City in Manhattan or Mill Basin in Brooklyn are, in practice, subway deserts. Its not uncommon to find residents cobbling together some sort of walk-bus-subway-walk type of commute. And again, in times where the subway isnt quite living up to expectations, the problem of timely and efficient commuting is a serious reality for many New Yorkers. Fortunately, theres a new player in whats called the micro-transit community. Chariot is a crowd-sourced commuter service that brings flexible and accessible transit options to New Yorkers not within walking distance of subways and buses. The Chariot team wants to bridge all those unpleasant gaps between less-than-reliable public transportation optionsand that's something to celebrate.

Newly launched in NYC, Chariot rides are placed at a four dollar flat-fee (which is way cheaper than a cab), and are offered at typical commuting times, during the morning and evening hours. Chariot currently offers service in two well-known subway deserts: the East Side Express (LES to Midtown) and DUMBO Direct (Greenpoint to DUMBO). Each Chariot seats 14 passengers, which sounds way less crowded than your typical subway car.

Cant find a Chariot near you? Visit their website or download their app to submit your desired to and from destinations, effectively casting a ballot to bring the commuter service to your route. When 50 of your friends and neighbors do the same, voilaChariot will deliver its game-changing wheels straight to you.

Excited yet? (Admit it, you are.) Because lets face ityour current commute is probably a drag! Thankfully, Chariot is committed to getting you from here to there much more comfortably and efficiently than the average commuter ever thought possible.

Ready for a better, more reliable commute? Your Chariot awaits.

This post is a sponsored collaboration between Chariot and Gothamist staff.
IED lobbed at Mirik Municipality just before the Nabannya talks commenced

India

oi-Amitava

By Amitava

Darjeeling, August 29, 2017: Just around 2 hours prior to the meeting in Kolkata between the State Government and Hill political parties, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was lobbed at the Mirik Municipality on Monday.

At around 2:20pm an IED was lobbed at the Mirik Municipality premises located at Krishna Nagar in Mirik. The IED was on the lines of a Socket Bomb (explosive substance packed in a metal socket where after explosion the metal socket pieces act as splinters).

"As soon as the IED landed on the premises, Security forces present in the premises poured water over it. The IED did not explode. We have called in the Bomb Squad. They will examine what type of explosive it was. No one is injured in the incident" stated Aswini Kumar Roy, Sub Divisional Officer, Mirik.

A large police team is present at the spot. "We have started the investigation. A case has been registered at the Mirik police station" stated a police officer.

Prior to there were incidents of blasts in Darjeeling, Kalimpong police station, Sukhiapokhari police station, Lhodhama, Peshok Bridge and 27th Mile on the National Highway. A civic police personnel had died in the Kalimpong blast on August 19 along with a home guard personnel grievously injured.

Incidentally, the Mirik Municipality is the only civic body in the run by the Trinamool Congress. On July 19 the agitators had vandalised the Municipal building in Mirik and tried to torch it.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 18:59 [IST]
Mandarin made a must for ITBP recruits

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

The Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), which guards the 3,488 km-long India-China border, has decided to teach the Chinese language - both Mandarin and the version of the language that is spoken in Tibet for new recruits following Doklam standoff.

"We are a force fully deployed on the border with China. It is only prudent that every personnel should know the language. We interact with Chinese soldiers almost on a daily basis. A good knowledge of their language may help avoid misunderstandings and lead to better resolution of confrontations that arise out of ground zero developments," a senior ITBP officer was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.

At present, only about 150 officers and men in the 90,000-strong force know the language. Most of these officers learnt it during mid-career training programmes held at Army training academies or at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

"This year onward, learning of the language has been made part of the one-year training course for recruits," said a senior ITBP officer.

For the purpose, ITBP has recruited 12 teachers at its training academy in Mussoorie. The recruits will have to pass tests in the language before they are deployed.

ITBP believes that a verbal communication has a more impact and helps in defusing tension. With communication skills, at least fist-fights and stone-pelting, as witnessed recently in Pangong Tso, can be avoided. It will also help in building relations at the ground level.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 11:13 [IST]
Meet Nitasha Biswas from Kolkata, Indias first Miss Transqueen

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

New Delhi, August 29: Over the years, India has produced several beauty queens, right from Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to Lara Dutt, who had brought laurels for the country at various international podiums.

Now, it's the turn of Nitasha Biswas, the 26-year-old from Kolkata, West Bengal, who on Sunday after winning the coveted Miss Transqueen India 2017, hosted in Gurugram, is all set to participate at the Miss International Transqueen in Thailand, slated be held in March 2018.

In fact, Nitasha created a history of sort by winning the first edition of the beauty contest. Nitasha, who is currently pursuing her Masters in Business Management, is not your regular beauty queen, but a transwoman who has faced several hardships and discrimination because of her gender. Thus, winning the country's first beauty contest for transwoman is no mean feat.

The contest is the first of its kind in India for transgenders who still have no basic rights like the rest of us. The idea of the event was to celebrate beauty and gender fluidity in a big manner.

Along with Nitasha, the other two winners of the beauty pageant are Loiloi Haorongbam from Manipur--the first runner-up--and Ragasiya, representing Tamil Nadu, the second runner-up.

The contest saw participation of 16 transwomen from across the country who won over a group of eight judges, comprising of social activists, actors, beauty experts and media professionals, with their beauty, poise and intellect.

These 16 transwomen were first selected from a group of 1,500 transwomen from across India. Before the contest, the 16 participants went through various grooming sessions to give their best on the D-day.

The idea of hosting the unique contest was to give a platform to transwomen to showcase their talents and highlight the issues faced by the transgender community.

Nitasha said that she wanted to work for education of transwomen. She stressed that society collectively needs to pitch in for this community. "Many transgender women are going through a lot of molestation, pain and lack of family support. They are getting into sex work. So, it is time that every sector of society needs to come out and help this community for its betterment."

Most of the contestants in the beauty pageant shared some heart-wrenching stories about their struggles. "My journey was not easy. I feel very privileged to be where I am today and knowing so much of struggles and hardships that I've gone through," Nitasha was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

Talking about the forthcoming contest in Thailand, Nitasha said, "This is a very big responsibility. I always wanted to empower our system and our community because that's what is needed".

The contest holds great importance as it was the first pageant to be hosted on a national level for transwomen after the Nalsa judgment--the landmark 2014 Supreme Court decision to declare transgender people as third gender.

The very soul of the contest was to empower transsexuals, said a member of the organising committee of the contest.

Reena Rai, the brain behind the pageant, said that given the outlook majority Indians have towards transgenders, an event like this becomes important.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 8:58 [IST]
Two of 8 cheetahs released in acclimatisation enclosure at MP's Kuno National Park: Official

MP cop runs with bomb on shoulder, saves 400 children

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Risking his life, this police man from Madhya Pradesh ran with a 10 kg artillery shell found at a school. His act of bravery saved the life of 400 students at a school in Chitora village of Sagar district.

Head constable Abhishek Patel, posted at Surkhi police station in Sagar district, was honoured by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan this morning as a video of the cop's action went viral on the social media.

A state public relations department official said the incident had taken place on August 25.

An anonymous caller informed the 'Dial -100' service of the state police at around 12.50 pm on August 25 that an unexploded artillery shell was lying in the backyard of the Middle School at Chitora village of Sagar district, the official said.

After reaching the spot, Patel got the school evacuated, as over 400 students were present there at that time. In the meantime, he picked up the shell, weighing around 10 kilograms, and ran for about a kilometre before dumping it into a nullah, the official added.

The Army personnel of Mahar Regiment Centre at Sagar finally defused the shell on Sunday. The Madhya Pradesh government today presented a cash reward of Rs 50,000 to Patel here for his brave act.

"Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan honoured the constable this morning with the cash prize at the CM's residence in the state capital," the official said.

R S Bagir, in-charge of Surkhi police station, under whose jurisdiction the school is located, said it is yet to be confirmed from where the shell reached the school.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 5:48 [IST]
Mumbai rains: High tides expected today, city to witness highest rainfall since 2005

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Recommended Video

Mumbai Rain : Heavy rain leads to severe water logging, high tide alert raised | Oneindia News

The economic capital of India, Mumbai has been witnessing hefty monsoon showers for the past few days. Severe water logging was reported in Mumbai and Thane areas as heavy rains continued to lash out on Tuesday morning as well in several parts of the city.

Mumbai rains: Roads to avoid, traffic advisory, trains suspended

Three teams of (NDRF) stationed in Mumbai put on alert and two additional teams have been moved from Pune to the capital.

According to Met dept, high tide is likely to hit the city on Tuesday at 4.35 PM which is expected to be of 3.32 meters in height.

KS Hosalikar, DDG IMD, said heavy to very heavy rainfall warning has been issued for Maharashtra, especially northern Konkan region.

Weathermen at the private forecaster, Skymet Weather said heavy rain could be attributed to the presence of an off-shore trough running along the west coast. They said that there was also a cyclonic circulation spread over Madhya Maharashtra adjoining Gujarat contributing to the rainfall.

According to Skymet Weather, moderate to heavy rain is expected to lash out in the city for the next 24 hours. "It will not be surprising if the city records three digit rain," a release said.

Colaba sub-urban area recorded massive 152 mm of rains and more rains are in the offing.

The rainfall recorded by the automatic weather stations between August 27 at 8 am and August 28 at 8 am was 102 mm. Rain in Worli was 63.75 mm, Byculla 78.21 mm, Bhandup, 90.63 mm and Vikhroli, 111.96 mm.

South Mumbai witnessed heavy downpour on Monday which caused sluggish movement of traffic in the area.

OneIndia News
Mumbai rains: How interest of people changed over the years

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Heavy rains have lashed out at Mumbai. With a high tide warning, people across the world are looking for information on the rains in the commercial capital of India.

Google is the most used search engine to get updates on the floods in Mumbai. In fact the interest has been high since 2004 when people have searched for updates on the Mumbai floods. In the year 2005, the floods at Mumbai have been the worst.

The interest of the reader has been particularly high during that year. Over the past few years the interest levels in the Mumbai rains has dipped. If one looks at the chart, then the interest levels have been highest in 2005 and 2015.

People came to Google looking for topics such as Mumbai and rain in Mumbai.

Here is a chart presenting how interested people were in searching or reading about the rains in Mumbai.

OneIndia News
Anti-bomb squad fishes out gelatin sticks from river in Maharashtra

Maharashtra: Man shoots neighbours dog for barking at him

Mumbai rains: Here is how the fury unfolded in last 2 days

India

oi-Madhuri

Mumbai has been experiencing continuous and heavy downpour since Saturday morning, with the regional Meteorological Centre, Colaba predicting the situation to remain the same for next 24 hours. The disaster management team and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are on alert and water logging has been reported in several parts of the city.

[Mumbai rains: High tides expected today, city to witness highest rainfall since 2005]

Recommended Video

Mumbai Rain : BMC hospital flooded, patients left in lurch, Watch | Oneindia News

Here are the highlights:

August 30, 2017

03:04 pm: High tide of about 3 metres is expected to hit the shores at 5:29 PM today.

03:03 pm: BMC says 231 pumps functional now to put city back on its feet

01:55 pm: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will chair a meet at Mumbai Mayor's residence at around 3 pm. Thackeray is expected to review the situation in the city and the monsoon preparedness of the municipal body. He will also address the media at around 4.00 pm.

01:53 pm: NDRF teams have been put on high alert and are keeping close watch over situation in Mumbai. 3 NDRF teams prepositioned in Mumbai supplemented by more teams from Pune, additional teams kept as stand by at all NDRF Battalion locations

01:52 pm: Mumbai suburbs received light showers in the morning today, however, in the past three hours between 8:30 am and 11:30 am, Santa Cruz has only recorded 3 mm of rain.

01:39 pm: Indian Navy Western Command serving food to citizens near CST station

01:38 pm: Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport is running 55 extra buses to ferry people to Mumbai, Kalyan and Dombivli from the satellite city.

01:15 pm: Helicopter operations resume at Juhu aerodrome, main runway 08-26 operational. However, fixed wing aircraft operations remain to be shut: Juhu Aerodrome Official

01:02 pm: Northbound traffic on Sion flyover stuck in jam due to ongoing repair work

01:06 pm: 16 trains on Northern Railways cancelled due to heavy rains in Maharashtra

12:19 pm: Shiv Sena terms downpour and flooding as natural calamity in an editorial in the Saamna, the party's mouthpiece.

12:00 pm: Light showers begin in eastern and western suburbs

11:55 am: Ola, Uber back in service

11:53 am: Three bodies recovered in a Thane nullah on Wednesday: Santosh Kadam, regional disaster management officer of TMC.

11:14 am: Jet Airways issues statement with update on flight status

11:12 am: Air India waives all penalties on re-issuance of tickets or date change

11:05 am: Olacabs offering emergency shuttle services from specific pickup points in Mumbai

11:00 am: Juhu aerodrome struggling to pump out water as BMC nullahs are over flowing. However, aerodrome is operational: Airport Authority Of India official

10:59 am: Several people reported missing since Tuesday, including:

Shrimati Saraswati Korde of Kandivali East.

Madhav T. Vaidya of Mulund

Dr Deepak Amrapurkar of Bombay Hospital

10:53 am: Man dies after falling into an open manhole on Dadar's Matkar road. Police register case on account of eyewitness

10:44 am: Helpline numbers for Thane residents

Helpline numbers of #Thane City Crtl to contact in distress 022-25443535/25449636/25442828/25442121/103/100/1090 #ThaneCity #MumbaiRains  Thane City Police (@ThaneCityPolice) August 29, 2017

10:42 am: Residents of Mumbai's Kurla slum say no help from administration

09:53 am: Mumbai-Pune Expressway still closed; no outside vehicles allowed inside city

09:43 am: Two more dead in Vikhroli house collapse, taking toll to three. The total number of casualties reported so far is five, including two deaths because of a landslide in Surya Nagar.

09:42 am: Navy community kitchens are providing food at Churchgate, Byculla, Parel, CST, Worli, Tardeo, Mumbai Central, Dadar, Mankhurd, Chembur, Malad and Ghatkopar this morning.

09:41 am: Local trains operating with delay of 20 minutes on Western Railway due to speed restrictions.

09:40 am: Water logging is clear all over. Traffic is normal: Mumbai Police PRO

09:32 am: Flights operations in Mumbai are normal.

09:25 am: The first special train which left CSMT for Kalyan this morning reached Dadar station in one and a half hours. Despite services resumed on Central Railway, trains are running very slow.

09:24 am: All the gurudwaras are open for Langar and shelter for everyone who is stuck at any part of the city

09:22 am:Extra BEST buses pressed into service

09:21 am: The heavy rains lashing Mumbai have led to cancellation of a senior Australian minister's visit to the city, authorities.

09:20 am: Metro rail services also functioning normally between Andheri and Ghatkopar

09:18 am: Trains running now on Harbour Line

09:10 am: Dabbawalas won't operate today as they were not able to collect back lunch boxes which they delivered yesterday. Also all educational institutions and many offices are closed today: Subhash Talekar, Spokesperson, Mumbai Dabbawala Association

09:03 am: Now chances of heavy rain in Mumbai are less as low pressure area is moving towards south Gujarat. Mumbai received only 21mm rain in last nine hours:Skymet.

08:59 am: Mumbai is not going to see rains for few hours as the monsoon clouds have moved towards north. South Gujarat and other areas may experience heavy rains: KS Hosalikar, DDG IMD

8:43 am: Severe water logging at Thane railway station in early morning hours following heavy rain

8:26 am: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that all government employees, except those in emergency services, can avail an optional leave and the government has also advised citizens to stay indoors until there's an emergency.

8:03 am: The Indian Navy took the lead and distributed breakfast and tea to people at CSMT station.

7:52 am: Central railway has also resumed services from Kurla to Dombivali

BEST is operating extra buses from CSMT towards Thane via eastern free way on Routes C8 and C42.

7:29 am: Metro rail services also functioning normally between Andheri and Ghatkopar

7:26 am: Roads are normal all over Mumbai, except for water logging at Scion, DCP PRO Mumbai police

7:19 am: Light to moderate rainfall expected in Mumbai today says IMD DDG KS Hosalikar

7:13 am: Local train services resume on Western Line

7:06 am: Stock markets to remain open. Officials in the BSE and NSE were unable to go home on Tuesday owing to heavy downpour.

5:33 am: At least 5 persons have died in Mumbai and Thane

Schools and colleges will remain closed.

Offices to remain shut. Government officials working in critical departments will have to work

More downpour expected today says weather advisory

August 29, 2017

11:00 pm: Thane-Kalyan slow local train resumes service on central line

10:30 pm: Transharbour local train services begin.

10:00 pm: Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) to remain open tomorrow

9:15 pm: Mumbai local train service begin between Thane to Kalyan on fast line.

9:00 pm: Vehicles coming from Goa and Pune have been advised not to enter Mumbai.

8:46 pm: BMC has cancelled leaves of all employees and has asked them to join back.

200 trees/ branches fell and 70 short circuits have been reported today: BMC Control Room

8:00 pm: 11 trains rescheduled and 7 trains cancelled till 7 pm

7:50 pm: CM Fadnavis instructs suspension of toll collection at all Mumbai entry points and sea link till situation is back to normal

7:26 pm: Tube boat deployed for rescue operations in Mumbai's Dadar which is facing massive water-logging

7:23 pm: Central Railway tweeted that water is receding and asks travellers not to panic. "Remain where you are. We are trying our best."

7:00 pm: Siddhivinayak temple is providing shelter, tea and snacks to people stuck in the area.

6:57 pm: President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted,''Thoughts with families, especially children, in Mumbai & western parts of country hit by heavy downpour. Govt & public agencies taking all steps amid heavy rains. Glad to note voluntary groups & citizens too coming together.''

6:50 pm: Assured Maharashtra CM of all possible help from Centre. NDRF teams have already reached Mumbai for rescue & relief ops, tweets Rajnath Singh

6:49 pm: All educational institutions in Mumbai to remain closed tomorrow, says Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde

6:39 pm: Mumbai local resumes operation between Andheri-Virar-Dahanu road; trains between Churchgate-Andheri still suspended

6:37 pm:Several trains from Mumbai Central, CST rescheduled

6:32 pm: Schools and colleges in Mumbai to remain closed tomorrow

6:30 pm: Bandra-Worli Sea Link, which was closed earlier, has been opened.

6:20 pm: BMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sudhir Naik says Wadala has recieved higest rain - 253mm

06:00 pm: PM Modi speaks to Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Centre assures all possible support to the Government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

Urge the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe & take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

05:51 pm: Western Railway helpline number: 022-23094064

05:50 pm: Central Railway helpline number: 022-22620173

05:40 pm: Head of climate monitoring and analysis at IMD Pune told PTI that Mumbai, south Gujarat, Konkan, Goa and west Vidarbha will get extremely heavy rainfall in the next 24 to 48 hours.

05:35 pm: Five flood rescue teams, two diving teams ready to held people stranded due to rains.

05:20 pm: Operations at Mumbai 's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport resume

04:35 pm: Operations at Mumbai airport suspended for some time due to low visibility

04:33 pm: Trains service between Churchgate and Andheri suspended again

04:32 pm: Roads have turned into rivers & visibility has also dipped. There is no respite expected in next 24 hrs

04:25 pm:

04:07 pm: Western Railway fast line services resume from Churchgate

03:53 pm: Congress' Sanjay Nirupam says BMC failed miserably to control situation

03:50 pm: Regional Meteorological Centre issues heavy rainfall warning for next three days in Maharashtra.

03:44 pm: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis takes stock of situation. ''I have talked to BMC disaster management cell and Mumbai police over hotline. Mantralaya staff told to leave early,'' said Fadnavis

03:38 pm: Milan subway & Andheri subway closed due to waterlogging. Traffic is slow at D.N.Nagar and at the BMW Junction, says Mumbai Police

03:34 pm: List of Trains Cancelled:

03:32 pm: Bandra-Worli Sea Link towards South Mumbai has been closed

03:31 pm: Maharashtra CM rushed to the State Disaster Management Control Room as the flood rises in Mumbai

03:30 pm: Air India says most of its flights may be disrupted at Mumbai Airport.

03:20 pm: Maharashtra Government issues orders for all offices to allow employees to leave in wake of heavy rains and IMD Warning

03:14 pm: Mumbai police has asked people to avoid waterfronts around 4.30 pm due to high tide.

03:13 pm: All schools have been closed in Mumbai due to heavy rainfall.

03:12 pm: BMC Dy. Commissioner says, geographical location responsible for this Mumbai Rains

03:11 pm: Fishermen are advised to exercise caution along South Gujarat and North Maharashtra coast

02:55 pm: Meanwhile, People come in support to help stranded people

Those stranded near dadar matunga,sion,parel can com 2 GSB Sarvajanik Pandal Ram Mandir wadala Food water available 9821595432 #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/q8G22dyjFK  Swapnil Saraswat (@swapnilaajtak) August 29, 2017

02:39 pm: Heavy rains in Mumbai continue to paralyze the city. Visuals of water-logging from Worli area

02:38 pm: National Disaster Management Authority issues warning:

High Tide around 4:48 pm along with Heavy Rains expected. Remain indoors as far as possible. Move towards higher places

02:35 pm: Due to water logging, all local trains between Churchgate and Andheri are suspended: DRM Western Railways

02:30 pm: IMD issues a warning of 250 mm rains in next 24 to 48 hrs in Mumbai.

02:28 pm: All BEST buses passing through Dadar Circle, Hindmata, Parel, King Circle, Amar Mahal, Pratiksha Nagar & Kirol, Vidyavihar diverted.

02:25 pm: Mumbai & suburban areas received more than 70 mm rain in past 1 hour & more than 100 mm rain in Mumbai since 8:30 am today: BMC

02:22 pm: Western coast of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, is expected to receive "extremely heavy rainfall" in the next 24 to 48 hours and various government establishments, including airports, have been warned, the MeT department said. The region may receive up to 250 mm rainfall during the period

02:16 pm: Mumbai and suburban areas received more than 70 mm rain in past 1 hour & more than 100 mm rain in Mumbai since 8:30 am today.

02:15 pm: Visuals at Sion Station

02:12 pm: Helpline numbers

CR Control Room: 022-22620173

WR Control Room: 022-23094064,20370564

02:06 pm: Traffic signal not working in Dadar circle area

02:05 pm: Water enters Parel's KEM hospital after heavy rain in Mumbai

02:05 pm: 4 people injured after an iron, frame for posters, fell in VP road area; injured shifted to Saifee hospital

Mumbai rains: Roads to avoid, traffic advisory, trains suspended

02:04 pm: Local train services b/w Dadar-Dahanu Rd running,though held up b/w Churchgate-Dadar due to water logging at Elphinstone Rd-Dadar #Mumbai

2:03 pm: Meanwhile, Mumbai police on Twitter:

If you are stuck on the road , kindly dial 100 or contact us on Twitter. We will assist you #MumbaiRains  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

02:01 pm: Heavy to very heavy rainfall warning has been issued for Maharashtra, especially northern Konkan region, said K S Hosalikar, deputy director general, Met department.

01:55 pm: DDGM, KS Hosalikar, Mumbai Region speaking about the weather status of the city said, "Heavy to very heavy rainfall warning has been issued for all over Maharashtra, especially Northern Konkan which includes Mumbai."

01:44 pm: Mumbaikars are complaining about the fares of app-based cabs like Ola and Uber which have gone through the roof with even short distance rides being charged close to Rs 1,000 as the demand soars.

So who is coming up first with the book your boat option for Mumbai @Olacabs or @Uber ?  seeepeee (@PasariChetan) August 29, 2017

01:14 pm: The torrential downpour has also affected flights with many delayed and a few diverted.

01:40 pm: Severe water-logging in Andheri East's Sahar area due to heavy rainfall

01:35 pm: Traffic snarls across south-central #Mumbai due to heavy rain in the region #MumbaiRains

01:33 pm: Visuals of submerged streets in Santacruz West

01:28 pm: Suburban train service has been suspended on main line between Parel and Kurla from 12:30 hours and on Harbour line between Vadala Road-Kurla from 12:20hours, a spokesperson of Central Railways said.

01:37 pm: Mumbai witnessed heavy rains throughout Monday. The IMD's Colaba observatory recorded 151.8 mm rain in 24 hours 8.30 am-8.30am) . A Met official said the heavy rains are due to two weather systems which are currently active in the region.

12.40 am: The next high tide is scheduled for 4.35 pm today

12:00 pm: Mumbai Police have issued a traffic advisory for those travelling on these routes. Due to heavy rainfall, southbound traffic is moving slowly along the Eastern Freeway. Traffic is also slow on Dr B R Ambedkar road, the Western Express Highway, Kherwadi. Avoid these routes if you are in a hurry!

OneIndia News
Mumbai rains: Close offices early, let employees go home says Govt

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Maharashtra Government has issued an order for all offices to let employees return home early. The order was issued in the wake of heavy rains and a high tide being predicted by the IMD.

Earlier Aditya Thackeray of the Shiv Sena which governs the municipality said offices must not close early because the roads are already clogged with thousands of commuters.

Mumbai rains: High tides expected today, city to witness highest rainfall since 2005

"A request to all at offices, stay put in offices till the rains subside. High tide around 4 pm. Heavy rains predicted bet Met dept," he tweeted.

Mumbai rains: List of flights delayed, check status

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Mumbai Rain : Heavy Rainfall in Mumbai and South Gujarat for next 48 hours | Oneindia News

Meanwhile there were traffic jams reported all over the city including at the Eastern and Western Express Highway. Train services were disrupted and flights were delayed.

Suburban services were disrupted with trains on all the three lines western, central and harbour running late.

The BMC has however said that there is no cause for panic. It however urged people not to venture on to the roads.

OneIndia News
PM in Udaipur: Remembers Vajpayee, dedicates 11 National Highway projects

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Udaipur, August 29: PM Modi fondly remembered former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who initiated plans for construction of the golden quadrilateral connecting India. He also assured help to the people of Rajasthan, who are affected by the floods. He was addressing a public rally at Khelgaon in Udaipur, ahead of inaugurating several infrastructure projects in Rajasthan. Modi was received by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and other senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Udaipur on Tuesday.

After he finished his public rally, Modi inaugurated 11 National Highway projects, covering a total length of about 873 km. The projects include a 6-lane cable stayed bridge across river Chambal at Kota; 4-laning of Gomati Chauraha-Udaipur section of NH-8, and Rajsamand-Bhilwara section of NH-758.

Speaking on the quality of the roads which will boost the tourism in the state, he said, ''Good roads will help Rajasthan in particular. These new projects will help boost tourism in Rajasthan." He added that tourism is a field which can generate multiple employment opportunities with minimum investment.

Remembering Vajpayee, he said, "Better roads will help our farmers immensely. This is one of the reasons why Atal Ji dreamt of strong roads network across India.

On this occasion, Modi urged Rajasthan government to run a 15 day campaign to add micro and small businessmen to connect with GST so that an all round development takes place.

Further talking about the recent floods in the state, Modi said, ''We are standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of Rajasthan who are battling the floods. We have assured all possible support.''

Concluding his address in Udaipur rally, he said, "We are here to work and deliver time-bound results."

Modi also visited an exhibition on national highways during his one day visit to Udaipur.

OneIndia News
PM Modi to attend 9th BRICS summit in China

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the 9th BRICS Summit to be held in Xiamen province in China during September 3-5, 2017. Last year, BRICS summit was held in Goa, India.

The 2017 BRICS summit will be the ninth annual BRICS summit, an international relations conference attended by the heads of government of the five member states Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. This is the second time the China has hosted the summit after the 2011 summit.

This is the first visit to China by PM Modi after both the countries started withdrawing their troops from Doklam plateau on Monday as the 75-day long standoff came to an end.

PM Modi's last visit to China was in 2015. Then both the countries signed 24 agreements worth over 10 billion dollars in Beijing. Business was the main focus of PM Modi's three-day visit.

Subsequently, after the BRICS summit, PM Modi will pay a State visit to Myanmar from September 5-7, 2017 at the invitation of Htin Kyaw, President of Myanmar.

OneIndia News
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar says he had no role in Ram Rahim's parole

Ram Rahim jailed: Here is a list of other pending cases against him

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

For the Dera Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the troubles have just begun. On Monday he was sentenced to two ten year terms to run consecutively in a rape case. This is not the only case pending against him.

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There are a list of other cases which are pending while some are in their final stages. Here is a list of pending cases against Ram Rahim.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the three cases. Two of the cases pertain to conspiring murders, while the third is over alleged castration of 400 Dera followers at the sect's headquarters in Haryana's Sirsa.

The two murder cases are in the final stages of trial before a special CBI court in Panchkula. He faces a life term if found guilty. The castration case on the other hand is at the final stages.

Ram Rahim is accused of plotting the murder of Sirsa based journalist and one of his followers who exposed the rape cases.

Ram Chandra Chhatrapati, editor of a Hindi evening newspaper Poora Sach, was killed in July 2002 for publishing stories on unlawful activities inside Dera premises, including rape allegations.

Ram Rahim also faces charges for the murder of one of his devotees Ranjit Singh. The Punjab and Haryana high court ordered the CBI probe into both the cases.

Arguments are in final stages in both the cases and trial could be over by year end.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 6:45 [IST]
"Stop infantilization of women, free Hadiya," Delhi women's group appeals to CJI

India

oi-Anusha

Pinjra Tod, a Delhi-based collective of students has appealed to the Chief Justice of India to 'Free Hadiya', the woman in the infamous Kerala love jihad case. The group has raised an online appeal deeming the Kerala High court's decision to annul her marriage to a Muslim man as "infantilization of women".

The appeal made by Nivedita Menon of Pinjra Tod says that the Kerala High Court's observations of Hadiya's conversion to Islam and marriage to a Muslim man 'can completely undermine any claim for equal citizenship for women. It adds that the orders are violative of women's fundamental and constitutional rights. In an appeal to the Chief Justice of India, the group has demanded that Hadiya be freed from forced house arrest.

The appeal can be found on the kafila.online.

"The absolute denial of a voice to Hadiya by the Kerala High Court is a matter of grave concern, beginning from the court forcing her to live in a women's hostel under surveillance to the annulment of a consensual marriage on grounds of coercion, despite an adult woman making a clear statement of her consent," the appeal reads. The appeal also takes offence to the fact that courts continue to address Hadiya as Akhila, a name she has already surrendered after she embraced Islam.

"The court only sees her as indoctrinated and influenced Akhila who is not to be left free to decide what she wants in life," the appeal says. Pinjra Tod's appeal comes on a day the NIA has identified a pattern to the religious conversions in Kerala. The NIA has stated that Hadiya's was not an isolated incident.

Kerala Love Jihad: Not isolated but sustained effort to convert vulnerable Hindu girls to Islam

Pinjra Tod is a collective that fights for women rights. According to their own description, women denied the rights of adult citizens by the restrictive and patriarchal rules of women's hostels is their concern. The appeal demands that Hadiya is allowed to exercise her fundamental right to freedom and is no longer forced to be under house arrested in her parent's care.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 13:02 [IST]
What is common between GST and daughter-in-law? BJP min says a lot

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

New Delhi, August 29: As the nation is still struggling to figure out the nitty-gritty of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) even after almost two months since it was first introduced on July 1, Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has come up with a new meaning of the latest tax regime.

According to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister, the GST is like a new "daughter-in-law" who takes time to adjust to the family and the government has brought this new law for the country's growth.

Since the minister himself has solved the GST puzzle with such ease, so we should not complain about it anymore. Right?

He also said the real estate industry should communicate to the government if they are facing any issues related to the GST. "We bring daughter-in law so that family grows and grows in the right direction. Similarly, the GST is a new bride for the country. We have brought this law so that the country grows in a right direction," Meghwal said addressing a realty conference organised by NAREDCO in the national capital on Monday.

He was responding to SBI's Managing Director (National Banking Group) Rajnish Kumar's comment that there was "not much clarity" about the GST.

Meghwal said the GST will subsume 17 indirect taxes and many cesses, and this will lead to increase in tax net and collection.

The latest tax regime was launched amid much-fanfare by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the historic Central Hall, Parliament, on the intervening night of June 30-July 1.

The new tax regime, which became effective from July 1, aims to put an end to number of indirect taxes levied on goods and services and stop duplication of taxes over a product. The new regime taxes various goods and services at 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent, while keeping essential commodities out.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 13:14 [IST]
Doklam: One motorable road complete, second to be constructed by March 2021

Don't allow next Doklam in Arunachal, says BJP MP; claims China has encroached upon 60 km of state

Withdrawal of troops by China from Doklam is a triumph for Indian diplomacy: Shashi Tharoor

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday congratulated Indian diplomacy in the wake of withdrawal of troops by China from Doklam region.Tharoor also congratulated Ministry of External Affairs and PMO for the same.

"Congratulate MEA for triumph of its diplomacy in getting the Chinese to stand down and return to the status quo ante," said Shashi Tharoor speaking to reporters.

"MEA, professionals on the staff and leadership from PM's office, all deserve full credit and applause from all thinking Indians," he added.

Almost two and a half months after the start of a standoff between their troops at Doklam, India and China Monday decided to de-escalate and withdraw their soldiers from the site at the trijunction with Bhutan.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued two statements through the day and in its second statement in the evening, it was made clear that both sides had withdrawn their troops.

This disengagement comes a week before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to travel to Xiamen in China for the BRICS summit from September 3 to 5.

OneIndia News
From hijab to Kashmir, Zawahiri was Al-Qaeda's voice for everything anti-India

For the dark rule in Afghanistan, blame is on the US

1 killed, 8 injured in explosion near US embassy in Kabul

International

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

At least one person was killed and eight others wounded in the explosion near US Embassy area in Kabul on Tuesday. Security forces have cordoned off the area.

Health Ministry official said that one person killed and eight wounded in explosion, but casualty toll could rise, reports Afghan media. Ambulances have arrived in the area.

The injured have been shifted to Wazir Akbar Khan hospital following the explosion. No details have yet been released by security forces on the explosives used.

Nearby buildings have sustained substantial damage. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the incident.

An official in the ministry added that the blast happened outside a bank at a time when many security forces personnel were expected to be collecting their salaries ahead of this week's Eid holiday.

It was the latest explosion to rock the war-weary Afghan capital and comes a week after United States President Donald Trump committed American soldiers to Afghanistan indefinitely.

In May a massive truck bomb ripped through Kabul's diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 and wounding around 400 people, mostly civilians.

(With agency inputs)
Abe, Trump agree to step up pressure on North Korea

International

oi-PTI

Tokyo, August 29: After North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump have agreed to hike pressure on North Korea. The Pyongyang's missile launch is being considered as the most serious provocation in years.

"We must immediately hold an emergency meeting at the United Nations, and further strengthen pressure against North Korea," Abe told reporters after a 40-minute phone call with Trump.

"Increasing pressure -- Japan and the United States are in complete agreement about this," Abe added, without elaborating on proposed measures.

He added that Trump -- who has been embroiled in an escalating war of words with Pyongyang over its weapons development -- said Washington would stand by its ally Japan.

"President Trump made a very strong commitment that the United States is with Japan 100 percent," Abe quoted Trump as saying.

"We will cooperate among Japan, the US and South Korea. We will also reach out to China, Russia and the international community and apply strong pressure on North Korea to change their policy."

Last week, Japan said it would impose fresh sanctions on North Korea by freezing the assets of Chinese and Namibian firms doing business with the nuclear-armed state.

The move against a half dozen organisations and a couple of individuals comes days after Washington expanded its own punitive measures against Chinese and Russian firms, as well as people linked to Pyongyang over its weapons development.

The sanctions are aimed at disrupting the flow of cash funding North Korean weapons programmes, which are in violation of United Nations resolutions.

Japan's top government spokesman said the missile flew over the country's northernmost island Hokkaido and then fell into the Pacific, some 1,180 kilometres (733 miles) east of the coast.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told in an emergency press briefing that so far no fallen objects have been confirmed to have fallen inside Japanese territory, he further sai that there was no report of damage to aircrafts and vessels.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 10:39 [IST]
If Modi was careful, Doklam stand-off could have been avoided

To get China to budge, India brings in its best 3

After Doklam standoff, China sings praises of India's medical system

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A few hours after the Doklam standoff was resolved, China decided to sing praises about Indian medicines. The Global Times reported a story called "Chinese patients head to India for latest medicines after domestic crackdown."

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The article praised India's medical services. It said that Chinese patients in third and fourth tier cities seek medical treatment in India because of the high-quality services in private hospitals.

China sets strict barriers and hefty prices on imported drugs, India has long been known as the "pharmacy of the developing world" largely because the Indian government has granted compulsory licenses for expensive drugs so Indian manufacturers can produce these drugs without fear of being prosecuted under patent law.

"Apart from cheaper and more advanced drugs, India is also known for the quality of services in its private hospitals," the article also read.

Amidst the Doklam standoff, the Global Times was the most aggressive in its approach. It warned of war, put out hard hitting articles to threaten India among other things. However China had always maintained that the articles in the media were not reflective of the country's official views.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 12:08 [IST]
Border standoff: Bhutan welcomes Doklam disengagement

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Bhutan on Tuesday welcomed the end of India and China standoff at Dokalam tri-junction.

"We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquility and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries," said a statement from the Bhutanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Doklam standoff had become a nightmare for Bhutan as it feared the People's Liberation Army might aggressively seize disputed territory along the kingdom's western borders. The crisis also brough the about some real questioning about Bhutan's position and vulnerabilities for the first time in decades.

India and China troops had been locked in a standoff in Dokalam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area.

The two countries have agreed to a speedy disengagement on the Doklam plateau in Bhutan, ending a military standoff lasting more than two months.

It comes days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled to visit to China on September 3 for the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) summit in Xiamen city.

That the Doklam standoff ended the way it did is being seen as a diplomatic victory for India and the Modi government. More importantly, it has initiated recalibration of the terms of engagement between the two neighbours who have always shared an uneasy relationship.

OneIndia News
Biden vows to 'rebuild it all' in Puerto Rico after Fiona

International news brief: 28 dead as hurricane Julia drenches Central America with rainfall and more

Hurricane Harvey: Indian students caught in Houston flooding find food, shelter

International

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

At least 200 Indian students stranded at the University of Houston due to "catastrophic" flooding after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas were being evacuated to safer places, authorities said on Tuesday.

India's Consul-General in Houston Anupam Ray has been in touch with the students and monitoring the evacuation process.

The students and friends of Anupam Ray were all praise for his immediate response to the needs of students in Houston.

Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to hit the US in 13 years, has left a trail of destruction as it swept through Texas after making landfall on Saturday, pummelling the region with heavy rains and claiming at least five lives.

Consul-General in Houston Anupam Ray offers help Amid the heavy rain fall in Houston, Anupam Ray tweeted that Hurricane Harvey or not the Consul-General is open. Courtesy: @anupamifs Indian students finding shelter The stranded students in Houston were provided with temporary shelter and food. Ray was in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs of India and organised food for students. Courtesy: @anupamifs Food, water provided The students were being provided food and other important supplies by the Indian-American community at the Consulate -General. Courtesy: @Kartiknov Sewa International Houston comes to the rescue Sewa International Houston - along with several other Indian-American community organisations - have teamed up to provide food and shelter to the affected people. The organisation made efforts to deliver food as soon as possible but the US Coast Guard did not allow them as the boats were required for the rescue operations. Courtesy: @Kartiknov A group photo time with CG Anupam Ray After the rescue operation was over, the students took photos with Anupam Ray. Anupam on Monday had told EAM Sushma Swaraj that he was monitoring the situation and was in touch with the Indian students. Courtesy: @sidhant

OneIndia News
Experts welcome India, China troops disengagement, but say status quo 'disturbed irrevocably'

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Aug 29: As India and China agreed to disengage at Doklam, where a stand-off has been continuing since June 16, top diplomats welcomed the move but warned that the problem is not out of the woods yet as the status quo of the last three decades has been "disturbed irrevocably".

"The announcement by the Ministry of External Affairs about the ongoing expeditious disengagement in the Doklam area of Bhutan by both Indian and Chinese troops is to be welcomed.

This marks an immediate defusing of the crisis that has complicated India-China relations since June," said Nirupama Rao, the former foreign secretary who served as India's top diplomat to the US and China.

Rao, currently a Public Policy Fellow at the prestigious Wilson Center, said that there are still unresolved questions between the two sides which should not be ignored.

"The last two months have demonstrated that there are serious fault lines in a relationship that is clearly seismic," she said.

Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Doklam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area.

"We need a well-deliberated, microscopic review of all that transpired during this recent crisis. A new, very complex chapter has opened in the India-China relationship. The region is involved too. This is a winding road. Self-congratulation on either side is best avoided. The status quo of the last three decades has been disturbed irrevocably," Rao said.

Tanvi Madan, from the Brookings Institute, said the most important fact is that the situation has de-escalated and has been resolved diplomatically.

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"Despite China saying that Indian withdrawal was a pre- condition for dialogue, Beijing and Delhi have been engaging in discussions to get to this point. The resulting statements from both sides give some details, but are deliberately ambiguous enough that a lot is left to interpretation, and both sides can emphasise different aspects," Madan said.

Michael Kugelman, from the Woodrow Wilson International Center, said this resolution came a bit earlier than expected, but it was completely inevitable.

"Neither side could afford a conflict, no matter how small. China and India have a fairly robust economic partnership that plays out bilaterally as well as multilaterally. Neither side had an interest in having such cooperation squandered," he said.

"All this said, we're not out of the woods just yet.

Tensions are still sharp and the next provocation likely isn't far off. Pakistan's ever deepening partnership with China and the growing progress of the Belt and Road initiative are cause for concern for Delhi. Geopolitical dynamics raise the prospects of additional border standoffs," Kugelman said.

Sourabh Gupta, from the Washington Dc-based Institute for China-America Studies, said the statements issued by both India and China suggests that both sides have decided to concertedly take remedial actions individually.

Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit from September 3-5 in Xiamen, Gupta said it would have been very damaging if the standoff had continued while Chinese President Xi Jinping and Modi were at the same venue.

India on Monday announced that an agreement was reached diplomatically with China to disengage at Doklam stand-off site, and later External Affairs Ministry announced that the process of pullout by both sides was almost over.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 13:50 [IST]
German male nurse killed 84 patients by injecting lethal drugs

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A former German male nurse is suspected of killing at least 84 patients by injecting them with lethal drugs.

The police chief in the northern German city Johann Kuehme said the court ordered to exhume scores of former patients treated by the suspect, has found traces of the medication in 84 case, the Deutsche Welle reported.

Police believe that the numbers of deaths could be even higher. However, many of the patients who died have since been cremated, Kuehme added.

The suspect Niels Hogel was initially jailed for life in 2015 after admitting to killing some 30 people at two clinics. If found guilty of the latest charges, he would be one of the biggest serial killers in German criminal history.

The commission has been analysing hundreds of medical records and has exhumed more than 100 bodies to test them for traces of drugs.

Kuehme was used to inject that drug so that they suffered heart failure or a shut down their circulation systems.

Two former senior physicians and the head of station at the Delmenhorst clinic are also facing manslaughter charges in relation to the deaths of the patients.

"The murders could have been prevented, with investigators believing that those responsible at the time could have acted faster," Kuehme further said.

OneIndia News
N Korea's missile test over Japan 'serious, grave security threat' says Tokyo

International

oi-PTI

Seoul, August 29: Amid escalating tensions over weapons ambitions, nuclear-armed North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday, South Korea's military and the Japanese government said.

No North Korean missile had overflown Japan for years, and the launch came after a strained period on the peninsula following Pyongyang's testing of two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) last month that appeared to bring much of the US mainland within reach.

It threatened to fire a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam, while US President Donald Trump issued an apocalyptic warning of raining "fire and fury" on the North, saying Washington's weapons were "locked and loaded".

The United Nations Security Council imposed a seventh set of sanctions on the North, tightening restrictions on its exports, and investments into the country. Tensions had eased more recently, but the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that Tuesday's missile was launched at around 2057 GMT Monday from Sunan, near Pyongyang, and travelled east "and over Japan".

It travelled around 2,700 kilometres (1,700 miles) at a maximum altitude of around 550 kilometres, it said, adding South Korea and the US were "closely analysing for more details".

"Our military has bolstered deterrence against additional provocations by the North Korean military and is closely monitoring related movements with full military readiness."

A meeting of the South's National Security Council was called, the presidential office said. Guam is around 3,500 kilometres from North Korea.

Tokyo also said the missile overflew its territory, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saying the government would take "full steps" to ensure the safety of the Japanese people. The country's chief government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said the missile posed a "serious, grave security threat" to Japan.

The firing comes days after Pyongyang launched three short-range missiles in what analysts said was seen as a minimal provocation after the start of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian South Korean-US joint military exercise, which the North sees as rehearsals for invasion. It says it needs nuclear weapons to protect itself. But today's flight path represents a significant escalation by Pyongyang.

When it carried out its ICBM tests last month -- which leader Kim Jong-Un described as a "gift" to "American bastards" -- it fired them on lofted trajectories that avoided travelling over Japan. But any launch towards Guam such flights would have to pass over the Asian island nation.

Japan has in the past vowed to shoot down North Korean missiles or rockets that threaten to hit its territory, and deployed its Patriot missile defence system in response to the Guam threat, reports and officials said, with an Aegis destroyer also stationed in the Sea of Japan (East Sea).

In 2009, a North Korean rocket passed over Japanese territory without incident, triggering Japan's immediate denouncement.

Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo believed Pyongyang was testing an ICBM, however, North Korea said it was launching a telecommunications satellite.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 9:22 [IST]
Texas floods 'Historic', 'It's the biggest ever', says Trump

International

oi-PTI

Washington, August 29: A day before he travels to the flood-hit Texas, US President Donald Trump warned that Texas faces a "long and difficult road" to recovery after floods triggered by an unprecedented rainstorm. "I've heard the words 'epic,' I've heard 'historic.' That's what it is," Trump said.

Addressing a White House press conference on Monday, Trump said there's "never been anything like it." "It's the biggest ever, they are saying it is the biggest, it's historic."

"There's probably never been anything like this," Trump said of Tropical Storm Harvey, which hit the Gulf Coast at the weekend and inundated the Houston region.

The US leader earlier indicated his team had already been in contact with Congressional leaders to discuss relief for the millions of people affected by tropical storm Harvey, which is barrelling along the Texan coast toward Louisiana.

"We're dealing with Congress," Trump said, speaking from the Oval Office, "as you know it's going to be a very expensive situation. We want to take care of the people of Texas and Louisiana when that happens."

Since making landfall, Harvey has soaked Houston, America's fourth largest city and the capital of the country's vast energy industry. Trump has been eager to show he is on top of the situation, and that he will not make the same mistakes as previous presidents in botching the federal response.

"Things are being handled really well, the spirit is incredible of the people and the coordination between all of the different services, as you know, has been going very well," he said. Trump's trip to Texas comes much more quickly than other presidents may have dared.

Along with a high-impact presidential trip comes the risk of hampering recovery efforts and tying up resources. But the recently inaugurated president indicated he may make a return trip to the region this week. "We may actually go back on Saturday, depending on where the storm goes we may also go to Louisiana on Saturday."

Since the crisis began last Friday, Trump has seized on his role marshalling the federal response, issuing a disaster declaration for Texas and neighboring Louisiana and deploying 8,000 officials throughout the flood zone.

During a busy weekend, the White House released photos of the president -- decked in a USA cap -- huddling with aides, liaising with cabinet secretaries to discuss what he called a "once in 500 year flood."

A steady stream of tweets have sought to show that the president, who spent the weekend at the bucolic presidential retreat of Camp David, was well apprised and in control.

Up to 30,000 people are expected to need emergency shelter, and up to half a million some form of disaster relief, however, the full impact of the ongoing storm is not yet known.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 29, 2017, 9:38 [IST]
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of One News Page Ltd.
by  Graham Pierrepoint



We perhaps spend too much time focusing on the present or worrying about the future to delve deep into our rich and varied past. While much of our history can be terrifying and educational in equal measure, there is joy and interest to be found in a simple time trip or two. Jump in the One News Page time machine and lets see what went down in decades past this week!

August 28th, 1963  Martin Luther King Jr: I Have a Dream

Its a quote that underlined the future of civil rights in the US  and Martin Luther King Jrs address to a march on the Lincoln Memorial in DC would become one of the most important societal moments in known history. It is 54 years ago this week that Dr King made his legendary speech.

August 29th, 1964  Mary Poppins Released

Still one of the most enduring childrens classics, Walt Disneys enchanting movie about a magical nanny would make stars out of Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.

August 30th, 2015  Kanye West Announces US Presidential Intentions

It may have seemed like yet another classic Kanye soundbite at the time, but the thought of Yeezy running for US President in 2020 seems a little less bizarre now weve ushered in the once likely outsider Donald Trump into office!

August 31st, 1997  Diana, Princess of Wales Passes Away

The Peoples Princess and ex-betrothed of Prince Charles was tragically killed in a car accident twenty years ago this week  as many British media outlets are building commemorative TV serials and newspaper spots in her memory.

September 1st, 1945  VJ Day  The End of World War II

A date to remember for all time  as Japan formally surrenders to officially end the Second World War. Its marked a day later in Japan.

September 2nd, 31 BC  End of the Roman Republic

Is this the furthest back weve ever traveled? In any case, its thought that it was this week in history when Cleopatra and Mark Antonys armies faced defeat in Greece before the Gregorian Calendar even started!

September 3rd, 1995  eBay Founded

Its hard to believe, but eBay has been with us for over two decades  with the firm celebrating its 22nd birthday this week.

Thats all for now  but check back in a week and well have more time travelling in store for you!
Rumble 09 Sep 2022

Two people are dead after a fiery crash between two semi-trucks, which shut down I-43 in both directions near Belgium in Ozaukee..
 Revenue up 56% to A$29.3 million

 EBITDA up 83% to A$4.3 million

 NPAT up 38% to A$1.4 million

 Funds under administration up 35% to A$119 billion

 Completion of three international acquisitions for global distribution capability

 Fully franked final dividend of 0.75 cents per share, taking full year dividend to 1.25 cents

For the twelve months to 30 June 2017 the group announced an after-tax profit of $1.4 million, an increase of 38% over the prior corresponding period. Revenue was up 56% to $29.3 million.

MainstreamBPO Limited is one of Australia's largest independent fund administrators, providing administration services to 192 fund managers and superannuation trustees. During the reporting period, funds under administration rose 35% during the year to $119 billion, from $88 billion as at 30 June 2016. Over the same period, the number of funds administered grew from 435 to 667 funds.

Commenting on the results, MainstreamBPO Chief Executive Officer Martin Smith said "Since listing in October 2015 we are very pleased with the achievement of doubling our annualised revenue to $29 million. This has been attained through a combination of organic growth, new business wins and strategic acquisitions.

"Another pleasing outcome of this reporting period was our margin improvement of 2.2% via the acquisition of higher margin businesses, restructuring of core software agreements and improved automation in key client processes."

Following completion of three acquisitions during the reporting period; namely Fundadministration, Inc (USA), Galileo Fund Services business (Isle of Man) and the former European hedge fund business of Alter Domus (Malta), MainstreamBPO now has global operations in six countries and 180 employees.

The group has two further acquisitions underway. The acquisition of Trinity Fund Administration (Ireland and Cayman Islands), pending regulatory approval, will deliver established operations in two key fund domiciles. The integration of part of IRESS' superannuation administration business (Australia) is expected to build scale and capability in the group's superannuation administration business, SuperBPO.
Opalesque Industry Update - Total capital managed by Emerging Markets hedge funds increased to a record level for the fourth consecutive quarter through mid-year 2017, as a synchronized improvement in global growth and increased investor risk tolerance continued to drive gains across regional equity markets. Emerging Markets (EM) hedge fund capital increased to $213.3 billion (1.42 trillion RMB, 672 billion Brazilian Real, 13.6 trillion Indian Rupee, 11.3 trillion Russian Ruble, and 800 billion Saudi Real), according to the latest HFR Emerging Markets Hedge Fund Industry Report, released today by HFR, the established global leader in the indexation, analysis and research of the global hedge fund industry. Investors allocated new capital to EM hedge funds for the first time since 2Q15, with EM funds receiving $800 million in net new inflows, while overall EM capital increased by $7.5 billion in the quarter. As previously reported by HFR, total hedge fund assets globally increased to $3.1 trillion at the end of 2Q, while the HFRI Fund Weighted Composite Index gained +4.8 percent through July, driven by a YTD gain of +12.6 percent in the HFRI Emerging Markets (Total) Index. Hedge funds investing in India and China led YTD EM performance, with the HFRI EM: India Index surging +3.6 percent in July, vaulting its YTD return +25.5 percent, which tops the gain of Indian equities by over 300 basis points. Similarly, Chinese hedge funds have produced strong performance with the HFRI EM: China Index advancing +3.5 percent in July and +19.3 percent YTD, beating the Shanghai Composite Index by nearly 1400 basis points YTD. Total hedge fund capital invested in Emerging Asia-focused hedge funds increased to $52.5 billion. Hedge funds investing in the Middle East surged +1.2 percent in July, bringing the YTD returns of the HFRI EM: MENA Index to +9.6 percent. Meanwhile, MENA-focused hedge funds saw their assets grow to nearly $5.0 billion, managed by approximately 50 regionally-focused funds. Hedge funds investing in Latin America and Russia both extended strong 2016 gains into mid-year 2017, with the HFRI EM: Latin America Index climbing +10.7 percent through July, following a return of +27.2 percent in 2016. Hedge funds investing in Russia/Eastern Europe gained +2.3 percent in July, moving its YTD return +1.6 percent YTD, which trails other EM and global regions thus far for the year. Total capital invested in Russian/Eastern European funds declined slightly to $28.9 billion, while capital invested in LATAM-focused funds increased slightly to $6.6 billion. "Inflows returned to EM hedge funds after eight quarters of outflows as investor risk tolerance increased, driven by outstanding performance and regional equity market outperformance concentrated in Emerging Asia," stated Kenneth J. Heinz, President of HFR. "Ongoing regional equity and currency market adjustments, including the recent surge in the Renminbi, to active and fluid negotiations of trade agreements are likely to contribute to increased opportunities for specialized EM hedge funds. Investors are likely to benefit from funds with hedged positions across various asset classes, through dislocations and mean reversions in 2H17."
Opalesque Industry Update - The world's first global Crowdfunding and Marketplace Finance Index (CAMFI) shows that the industry exhibited a slight downturn in July, dropping from 94.11 in June to 90.32 in July. CAMFI, a joint venture between crowdfunding analytics company, TAB, Zhejiang University AIF as academic adviser, Hangzhou JZTData Science and Technology Co., Ltd and BBD UK, educates public bodies, financial analysts, academics, SMEs and corporates, on the strength of the online finance industry. It provides a single point of reference for all participants in alternative finance who want to quickly and easily check the health of the market. The INDEX is constructed using three main attributes that measure the market's Scale (market volume), Efficiency (financing rate), and Transparency (information disclosure). It comprises of three component indices: Debt Sub-Index, Equity Sub-Index, and Reward Sub-Index, which together reflect the development of the global industry. Key points: The global crowdfunding and marketplace finance industry exhibited a slight downturn in July

Segment-wise, the Reward Sub-Index was the major cause of the July decline

Attribute-wise, the main declining driver was the market Scale measures

Industry Scale continued to shrink, most evidently in the Reward segment

Industry Efficiency improved significantly, with both Debt and Reward segments demonstrating growth

Industry Transparency underwent no noticeable changes

Debt has stayed relatively stable, which is expected given it is such a large and diverse market

Equity has seen had a significant downturn in trading

Rewards has had the biggest downturn, with significantly fewer campaigns, backers and amounts of money raised for each campaign during the July period Speaking of the slight downturn, Emily Mackay, CEO of TAB, comments: "With the holiday season beginning it is not unexpected that June and July would be lighter months than May (which saw a grading of 101.49), with raises slowing up across the globe and in the northern hemisphere particularly. This also fits with the wider global economic picture." Despite the slight downturn demonstrated in June and July, data from TAB shows that the industry is growing rapidly year on year: In 2014, campaigners in the UK raised over $2 billion via crowdfunding platforms. In 2016, they raised over $3.96 billion.

China is demonstrating huge growth, with companies raising $134 million via crowdfunding platforms in 2014. In 2016, they raised $2billion.

France is also seeing significant growth, with companies raising $70 million in 2014, and $159 million in 2017 to date.

In 2014, companies raised $5.4 billion in debt finance globally, increasing to $12.7 billion in 2016.

In 2014, companies raised $345 million in equity finance globally, increasing to $766 million in 2017 to date.

Rewards finance raised via crowdfunding globally has increased from $680 million in 2014 to $1.1 billion in 2016.

The Real Estate industry raised $1.2 billion via crowdfunding in 2014. In 2016, it raised to $3.8 billion.

The Capital Goods industry raised $751 million in 2014. This year to date, it has raised $1.4 billion. Mackay continues: "Despite the slight downturn, the long-term health of the alternative finance market is looking very strong. While the UK and US have traditionally been the biggest players in the space to date, we are seeing huge growth across regions including China, Japan, France and Italy. We expect the growth of the last three years to accelerate over the next three." CAMFI and its sub-indices fluctuate at around 100; more than 100 shows that the industry is in a state of health and expansion, less than 100 shows that the industry is in a state of contraction. The greater the index measure for the month, the greater the degree of health expansion of the industry.
EMO 2017: KELCH launches Safecontrol III / System fully revised, expandable with a tablet solution

A tablet solution has been added to the Safecontrol III, with software which communicates wirelessly with the force sensing bar.

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EMO Hanover from 18-23 September 2017: Hall 4, Stand C26Weinstadt, 25.08.2017. Kelch GmbH, which specialises in peripherals and services for manufacturers and users of machine tools for cutting processes, will be showcasing the Safecontrol III system at this years EMO in Hanover. The system was developed to measure the pull force of the machine spindle. This is not just an enhancement to the well-known Safecontrol II, but rather a fully revised system with numerous additional benefits.Saving and evaluating measured valuesSafecontrol III spans the measuring range from 2 to 100 KN, meaning that only one base unit is needed for the majority of measuring tasks, a major benefit compared with competitors products. The user-friendly design of the unit makes it simple to operate: it simply requires two buttons to switch on the unit, zero it and either save or delete the measured value after measurement. The digital display is used to present the measured values, with an integral position orientation automatically rotating the display so that the operator always has the measured value ergonomically in view. The system consists of a base handle with an interface to all common machine spindles, such as SK/BT 30 to SK/BT 60, HSK 32 to HSK 160 or PSC 32 to PSC 100. The spindle pull force is evaluated in the base unit. All tapered versions can be unscrewed and replaced in seconds. Users can conveniently read the measured values on the display of the base unit. As Safecontrol III stores up to 1000 measured values, hand-written notes are now a thing of the past. Users can now quickly and simply perform the necessary series of measurements. The memory can subsequently be read directly on the PC, thereby ensuring that there is 100% traceable checking of all spindle pull forces for each machine. The saved data can then be statistically evaluated. The Kelch Safecontrol III is available from the end of the year.Ready for Industry 4.0A unique feature of Safecontrol III is the addition of a tablet solution, with software which communicates wirelessly with the force sensing bar. The principle: The spindles to be measured are identified using a QR code. The system then measures the pull force and assigns the measured value immediately to the right machine spindle in the database. This innovation means that incorrect mapping of results is now a thing of the past. Kelch developers have also adhered to the Ready for Industry 4.0 mantra and integrated further test functions. The machine spindles are thus fully automatically included in proprietary statistics, ensuring that any trends indicating when spindle pull force is declining are promptly identified. With Safecontrol III, factories can also help to prevent machine damage and consequential costs.Kelch GmbH, based in Weinstadt near Stuttgart, offers peripherals and services for manufacturers and users of machine tools for cutting processes. With over 100 employees, the company generates annual revenue of approx. 13 million. As a fully owned subsidiary of Harbin Measuring & Cutting Tool Group Co., Ltd. (HMCT), Harbin/China, Kelch is part of the China General Technology (Group) Holding Co., Ltd. (Genertec), Beijing. Genertec is represented in 100 countries worldwide, with 45,000 employees in 51 companies. Kelch GmbH acts as the technology centre for the international business group in Europe. KELCH develops, manufactures and markets tool holders, cleaning devices, shrinking devices, presetters as well as measuring machines and also offers tool management services.More information atKelch GmbHDaniela OpatzWerkstrasse 3071384 WeinstadtPhone: +49 (0) 7151 / 205 22 24E-mail: daniela.opatz@kelchgmbh.de
Lemoyne-Owen College Awarded $20,000 Grant By Campus Consortium To Provide Their Students, Faculty And Staff To Implement After Hours IT Helpdesk Services

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Memphis, Tennessee, August 22, 2017: Campus Consortium awarded the After Hours IT Helpdesk Grant to LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis. The $20,000 grant will help the private historically black college implement the After Hours IT Help Desk, an essential part of any successful institution's IT infrastructure.Most colleges like ours that offer online courses need to include an After Hours Help Desk so students can work day jobs, or care for family members and tackle their course work at odd hours. We had noticed that this was one such popular option that was even desired by the on-campus students who actively opted to take a portion of their classes online, to free up time for other activities by choosing when to attend class, said Dwayne Cable, Vice President, Information Technology, LeMoyne-Owen College. This Grant has broadened our scope since we realized how crucial an IT support is irrespective of the time of the day and we are pleased to have Campus Consortium to help us achieve our goal.LeMoyne-Owen will use the grant to acquire the BlackbeltHelpservices to provide After Hours IT Helpdesk support related to login issues, password reset, network connectivity, productivity applications, antivirus, security utilities, email, basic operating system support and much more."We realize it takes extraordinary effort and financial resources to initiate, set up and implement a Help Desk solution. Our purpose was to begin an initiative to benefit institutions with exceptionally sound IT infrastructures.Taking that and many other factors into account, the Grant Committee at Campus Consortium is proud to award LeMoyne-Owen College the After Hours IT Helpdesk Grant", said Anjli Jain, Chairman, Campus Consortium.To learn about and apply for a Campus Consortium Grant, please visit campusconsortium.org/grant-programsFor more information, please visitAbout LeMoyne-Owen CollegeLeMoyneOwen College is a fully accredited, four-year private historically black college located in Memphis, Tennessee. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ. LeMoyne-Owen College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the baccalaureate and the associate degree. For more information, please visitAbout Campus ConsortiumCampus Consortium is a leading education association with more than 2,000 higher education institutions and K-12 school district members. The Campus Consortium's mission is to help members reduce the time, cost and effort associated with implementing enterprise IT services by leveraging shared IT services, lessons learned and best practices so that each member can avoid reinventing the wheel.125 South Clark Street, 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
Non-invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) Market | Forecast up to 2022

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Global Non-invasive Prenatal Testing Market: SnapshotNon-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has been garnering higher adoption especially in the cases of high risk pregnant women. Chromosomal disorders such as Edwards syndrome, down syndrome, Turner syndrome, and Patau syndrome are some of the diseases that can be screened using non-invasive prenatal testing. Gynecologists and pregnant women prefer the safety, non-invasiveness, and accuracy of non-invasive prenatal testing technology, although there are other testing techniques available such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling. In October 2011, the premier non-invasive prenatal testing technology was launched by Sequenom, Inc., a U.S.- based a leading provider of extremely sensitive laboratory tests and innovator in the domain of molecular technology. The company held the leading position in the market by volume as well as revenue.In 2013, the global non-invasive prenatal testing market was pegged that US$0.5 bn. The global NIPT market is expected to obtain a revenue worth US$2.38 bn by 2022, advancing rapidly at a phenomenal CAGR of 17.50% between 2014 and 2022.View Report High Prevalence of Chromosomal Disorders in Europe to Amp up GrowthBy geography, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe can be the key segments of the global market for non-invasive prenatal testing. Of these, North America accounted for a volume of 51.0% and revenue of 58.8% in the global market for non-invasive prenatal testing market in 2013. The U.S. has been responsible for the growth of the segment due to the presence of several significant market players in the region. The findings of Down Syndrome Education (DSE), the frequency of Down Syndrome in the U.S. has been rising at a fast pace, leading to 4,700 cases on an annual basis, reflected in almost one in about 830 births in the U.S.The prevalence of the condition is even higher in the European countries. It was found that one in every 920 newborns was diagnosed with Down syndrome. Because traditional testing methods such as chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis can lead to miscarriage, the non-invasive prenatal testing technology is being increasingly recognized as a safe technique. The advancement of non-invasive prenatal tests enables an assessment of cell-free DANA that float in maternal plasma, thereby posing no risk of miscarriage.The non-invasive prenatal testing market in Asia Pacific has been prognosticated to gain a large revenue in the global market, representing a vast chunk of the total market. The trend of late pregnancy has been leading to a growing incidence of complications among expecting mothers. This has been one of the basic propellants of the non-invasive prenatal testing market in the region. China, Australia, India and Japan are likely to surface as major contributors to the market's growth.MaterniT20 PLUS Held Largest Share in Global Non-invasive Prenatal Testing Market in 2013The global market for non-invasive prenatal testing can be segmented by the type of tests too. VisibiliT, informaSeq, MaterniT20 PLUS, NIFTY, BambniTest, verifi, Harmony, PrenaTest, and Panorama are some of the key segments of the global market for non-invasive prenatal testing. During 2013 the MaterniT20 PLUS segment held a share of 36.1% of the overall market for NIPT. However, over the oncoming period, the NIFTY, Panorama, Bambni, and Verifi are slated to advance at a greater pace, waiting in the wings to replace the MaterniT20 PLUS market segment.Berry Genomics, Illumina, Inc., BGI Health, Sequenom, Inc., LabCorp, Ariosa Diagnostics, LifeCodexx AG, and Natera, Inc. are some leading companies operating in the global market for non-invasive prenatal testing market.Request a sample of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Non-invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) Market during 2014- 2022About 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:
Wearable Medical Devices Market | Forecast up to 2023

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Wearable technology has gained momentum of late. Changing lifestyle of young people demands connectivity. The healthcare segment accounts for a major part of the wearable technology market, considering the innovations in several applications in this area in the last two decades. Mobile phones with wearable sensors, implanted medical devices, and home-based telehealth devices can help monitor and manage the health of a patient. Smartphones have made tremendous development in terms of applications and can now accomplish actual diagnostic tests such as the Apple iPhone glucose test. Withings is another company that has collaborated with Apple to introduce a device that actually monitors blood-pressure on the go. Moreover, wearable medical devices for athletes who wish to monitor their performance and condition are available in the market. Similarly, such devices for continuous medical monitoring for outpatients with chronic medical conditions, physicians needing to quantify and detect behavioral aberrations for early diagnosis are also available.According to the report, the global wearable medical devices market was estimated to have a valuation close to US$2.7 bn in 2014, which is projected to reach nearly US$10 bn by 2023, rising at a strong CAGR of 18.0% during the forecast period of 2015 to 2023.View Report Wearable Electrocardiographs Projected for Healthy Growth RateIn terms of diagnostic devices, the report segments the global wearable medical devices market into vital signs monitors, fetal monitors and obstetric devices, and neuromonitoring devices. The segment of vital sign monitors has been further sub-segmented into heart rate monitor, activity monitor, sleep monitor, electrocardiographs, and others. Out of these, heart rate monitor currently serves the maximum demand, reaching an estimated valuation of US$2.5 bn by 2023, although the sub-segment of wearable electrocardiographs are projected for the best CAGR of 17.8% during the forecast period, owning to its factors such as reliable, light weight, risk associated with cardiac arrhythmias, increasing prevalence of cardiovascular disease, and cost effectiveness. However, the lack of security and privacy of important data, short battery life, and slow-rate of acceptability by individuals are anticipated to hinder the growth rate of the sub-segment during the forecast period.North America Serves Maximum DemandGeographically, the report studies the opportunities available in the regional market in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. Currently, North America serves maximum demand, valued at US$1.6 bn in 2016, which is projected to reach US$4.5 bn by the end of 2023, expanding at a CAGR of 15.8% during the forecast period of 20152023. The dominance of this region is attributed to the large number of early adopters and consumers, presence of several mid-sized and large players, and increasing number of new players. North America market for Wearable medical devices is mainly dependent on the country of the U.S. and Canada. According to CDC, 29.1 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, which is driving the uptake of glucose monitors, heart rate monitors, and activity monitors. Collectively, the segment of vital signs monitors is most profitable in this region.Fitbit Inc., Omron Corporation, and Medtronic plc., are identified by the report as the most prominent companies in the global wearable medical devices market.Request a sample of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Wearable Medical Devices Market during 2015- 2023About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market | Forecast up to 2023

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Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are bulk drug products that are used as raw materials for formulations. APIs of good quality are essential for the manufacture of effective and safe medicines. However, not all pharmaceutical companies possess in-house API manufacturing capabilities. Furthermore, a single company cannot produce all the APIs required for their formulation offerings.View Report The global market has been broadly segmented on the basis of manufacturing process, type of API, types of drugs, therapeutic areas and geography. This report analyzes the current scenario as well as future market potential for market globally. This report comprises an elaborate executive summary, demonstrating a snapshot on market dynamics of various segments and sub-segments in a precise manner. Moreover, executive summary also comprises a waterfall chart, which reflects the market size of various segments in descending order.The report provides detailed qualitative analysis of the market dynamics that affect the growth of the global market. Factors responsible for driving and restraining the growth of the global API market and future opportunities has been provided in the market overview section. This section of the report also provides comprehensive market comparative analysis and market attractiveness analysis for the global market by geography for the base year, Porters Five Forces analysis, and market share analysis by key players (%) for the base year, operating in the active pharmaceutical ingredients market. The report also encompasses detailed event impact analysis and value chain analysis for the global market.The global API market is categorized in to captive manufacturing and contract manufacturing. Types of active pharmaceutical ingredients described in the global market include synthetic chemical API and biological API. Branded prescription drugs, generic prescription drugs, and over-the-counter drugs are various types of drugs covered in the global market. The global market encompasses various therapeutic areas such as cardiovascular disorders, oncology, metabolic disorders, neurological disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, NSAIDs and other therapeutic uses (such as infectious diseases). The market for these types has been extensively analyzed based on consistency, effectiveness, and sales revenue of the various products developed by the manufacturers.Geographies discussed and analyzed in the global market include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. In addition the report also comprises the precise and detailed country wise analysis for the global active pharmaceutical ingredients market such as North America (U.S. and Canada), Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India and Rest of Asia Pacific), and Europe (Germany, U.K. and Rest of Europe). The market size and forecast in terms of US$ Mn for each segment has been provided for the period from 2013 to 2023. The report on the market also provides compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each of the market segments mentioned above for the forecast period from 2015 to 2023, considering 2014 as the base year.A list of recommendations have been provided for new entrants to help establish a strong presence and for existing market players to take strategic decisions and to increase their market shares in the global active pharmaceutical ingredient market. The report concludes with the profiles of major players in the market based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments. Major players profiled in this report include Allergan plc, BASF SE, Boehringer Ingelheim Group, Cambrex Corporation, Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd., Lonza Group, Mylan, Inc., Sandoz (Novartis AG), Pfizer, Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and WuXi Apptec.Request a sample of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market during 2015- 2023About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Medical Imaging Equipment Market | Forecast up to 2023

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This report on medical imaging equipment market studies the current and future prospects of the market globally. The stakeholders of this report include companies engaged in manufacturing and commercialization of X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear imaging equipment. This report comprises an elaborate executive summary, which includes a market snapshot that provides overall information of various segments and sub-segments included in the study scope. This section also provides the overall information and data analysis of the global medical imaging equipment market with respect to the leading market segments based on types of products, technology, and different geographic regions.The global medical equipment market has been segmented on the basis of product type, technology, and geography. The five major categories of imaging equipment studied in this report include X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear imaging equipment. The market for each of these equipment has been analyzed on the basis of product types and technology. Market revenue in terms of USD million for the period between 2013 and 2023 along with the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) from 2015 to 2023 are provided for all the segments, considering 2014 as the base year.View Report The market overview section of this report explores market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities that have strong impact on the medical imaging equipment market currently and could influence the market in future as well. The market attractiveness analysis has been provided in the market overview section in order to explain the intensity of competition in the market in different geographies. Porters five forces analysis is also explained in this section to understand the medical imaging equipment market considering different parameters that have an impact on the sustainability of the companies operating in the medical imaging equipment market. The competitive scenario between different market players is evaluated through market share analysis in the competitive landscape section of the report. All these factors would help the market players to take strategic decisions in order to strengthen their positions and expand their shares in the global market.Geographically, the medical imaging equipment market been categorized into five major regions namely North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Market revenue in terms of USD million for the period between 2013 and 2023 along with the CAGR % from 2015 to 2023 are provided for all the regions, considering 2014 as the base year. Each geography market is further split to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, Brazil, and GCC countries. The recommendations section included in the report would assist existing market players in expanding their market share and new companies in establishing their presence in the global medical imaging equipment market.The report also profiles major players in the medical imaging equipment market son the basis of various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments. Some of the major players profiled in this report include Philips Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare, Hologic, Inc Shimadzu Corporation, Samsung Medison Co. Ltd., Hitachi Medical Corporation, Genesis Medical Imaging, Inc., Carestream Health, Inc., Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Fonar Corporation, and Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc.Request a sample of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Medical Imaging Equipment Market during 2015- 2023About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Retinal Surgery Devices Market | Forecast up to 2020

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Retinal surgery devices are undergoing rapid technological advancement to establish an effective treatment platform for various retinal diseases. For instance, minimally invasive surgical instruments for the treatment of retinal diseases offer advantages such as lesser pain, minor scarring, quick recovery and reduced health care costs. Applications of retinal surgery devices across various ophthalmic conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, epiretinal membrane and macular hole are driving the growth of the global retinal surgery devices market. Furthermore, increasing geriatric population is fueling the growth of the market, as these individuals are reported to be at a higher risk of developing eye-related disorders.In terms of type of equipment, the retinal surgery devices market has been segmented into vitrectomy packs, vitrectomy machines, retinal laser equipment, microscopic illumination equipment, surgical instruments and others (retinal tamponades, sclera buckle, etc.) Vitrectomy packs accounted for the largest share of the retinal surgery devices market in terms of revenue in 2013. The segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period from 2014 to 2020. Factors that contribute to the high growth of vitrectomy packs segment are increased timesaving during and after the retinal surgery procedure by cutting back on the preparation time and the growing demand for single-use sterile packs of surgical instruments in order to cut costs through better inventory management.View Report Based on applications, the retinal surgery devices market has been segmented into diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, epiretinal membrane, macular hole and other applications that include eye infections and eye injuries. The diabetic retinopathy application segment held the largest share of the retinal surgery devices market in 2013 due to high prevalence of diabetic retinopathy across the globe and growing patient preference to opt for retinal surgery as their first treatment option for long-term benefit. However, the retinal detachment application segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period from 2014 to 2020. Factors attributed to the growth of the segment are increasing geriatric population and severe ophthalmic ailments affecting them such as formation of scar tissue on the retina and retinal tear. In addition, retinal surgery offers better results in the treatment of retinal detachment, which boosts the growth of the segment.Geographically, North America was the largest market for retinal surgery devices in 2013. Factors driving the growth of the retinal surgery devices market in North America are increasing prevalence of eye diseases among the geriatric and diabetic population. According to recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2014, around 26 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, and over 28% of diabetics aged 40 years and above have diabetic retinopathy and related diabetic eye diseases. Furthermore, technological developments in the field of ophthalmic surgical devices and increasing awareness of the population about surgical treatments of various retinal diseases are boosting the growth of the retinal surgery devices market in North America. However, Asia Pacific is likely to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Large population base, greater initiatives taken by the governments to promote health care and robust economic growth are the factors attributed to the high growth in the region. Moreover, improving consumer awareness about eye care and better disease management would drive the growth of the retinal surgery devices market in Asia Pacific.The global retinal surgery devices market is fragmented due to the presence of well established as well as emerging companies in this field. The top companies operating in the retinal surgery devices market are Bausch + Lomb Incorporated, Synergetics, Inc., IRIDEX Corporation, Alcon, Inc., Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Leica Microsystems, NIDEK CO., LTD., Topcon Corporation, Lumenis, and Optos plc.Request a sample of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Retinal Surgery Devices Market during 2014- 2020About 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:
Pharmacovigilance Market | Forecast up to 2020

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Pharmacovigilance is a key component of an effective drug regulation system for monitoring and evaluating adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Pharmacovigilance activities are an important part of clinical research and are growing at a significant pace. At present, the global network of pharmacovigilance centers, harmonized by Uppsala Monitoring Centre, are operating on the global level for appropriate functioning of the process of drug safety monitoring across the world. Large volume of international ADR reports collected in a central database would serve as a contributing factor to the effort of national drug regulatory authorities, thus improving the safety profile of drugs that would help avoid drug related disasters. In addition, growing public health awareness and expectation in relation to the safe use of medicines and medical interventions are some of the major factors contributing to the growth of the global pharmacovigilance market. Furthermore, increasing number of national pharmacovigilance centers globally is playing a definitive role in augmenting public awareness about drug safety, thereby supporting the growth of the pharmacovigilance market in the next few years. However, the pharmacovigilance market is facing several hurdles and challenges to develop a better health care system. Challenges that are acting as major restraining factors for pharmacovigilance market are web-based drug information and sales, perceptions to harm and benefit, high risk associated with data security and unavailability of skilled professionals.Based on phases of drug development, the global pharmacovigilance market has been segmented into preclinical studies, clinical trial phase I, II, III and IV or post marketing surveillance. The phase IV or post marketing surveillance segment accounted for the largest share of the pharmacovigilance market in terms of revenue in 2013. Rise in the number of safety concerns pertaining to the marketed product, increasing need for developing systems for comparing safety profiles of similar pharmaceutical products and growth in public health awareness campaigns regarding drug safety issues among the people are the major factors attributed to the high growth of the segment. In addition, the clinical trial phase III segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR due to the rising need for drug safety monitoring and evaluation in phase III before the drug manufacturer can apply for market authorization application. Additionally, phase III clinical trial focuses on drug safety and efficacy in diverse sub-groups, wherein the risk-benefit ratio is developed, monitored and updated accordingly. Biopharmaceutical companies are in the process of developing advanced clinical trial phases that would be more specific to drug safety. Rigorous pharmacovigilance activities are expected to be made compulsory during the commencement of various clinical trial phases that would be helpful in actively managing high-risk medicines.View Report Based on methods of performing pharmacovigilance, the market has been categorized into spontaneous reporting, intensified ADR reporting, targeted spontaneous reporting, cohort event monitoring, and EHR mining. Spontaneous reporting method was the largest segment in terms of revenue in 2013. Factors attributed to the growth of the segment are easy simulation of realistic datasets that provides better drug evaluation and comparison, and better assessment of automatic signal generation methods proposed within pharmacovigilance. The segment is also expected to maintain its lead during the forecast period from 2014 to 2020, as in this method, healthcare professionals are encouraged to report adverse reactions after which preventive measures such as adding warnings to the product labeling or recalling the product are taken. Moreover, spontaneous reporting is the most appropriate method of detecting new ADRs and generates safety signals that require further examination.Based on types of services, the pharmacovigilance market has been segmented into in-house and contract outsourcing. The contract outsourcing service segment accounted for the largest share in 2013. The segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The major factor driving the growth of the segment is the increasing need of pharmaceutical companies to shift focus from non-core to core business activities by outsourcing their pharmacovigilance services. Moreover, outsourcing of pharmacovigilance services is aimed at minimizing operational cost and financial loss incurred from product approval delays or recalls, thereby propelling the growth of the contract outsourcing service segment.Geographically, North America accounted for the largest share of the global pharmacovigilance market in 2013. Factors attributed to the growth of the pharmacovigilance market in North America are increasing mortality rate due to ADRs and escalating patient concerns regarding the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ADRs account for more than 100,000 deaths annually and are among the top 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. Moreover, cost benefit obtained by shifting high costs of in-house pharmacovigilance activities to CROs is boosting the growth of the market in North America. However, Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the highest growth during the forecast period. Factors attributed to the high growth are increased demand for stringent health care regulations in Asia, presence of large patient pool and increasing volume of clinical trials being conducted in this region. According to an article published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information in 2014, serious ADRs are witnessed in 6.7% of patients in India. Additionally, demand for effective pharmacovigilance services and drug safety in increasing in the region due to large number of clinical trials and clinical research activities being carried out in various countries in Asia.The global pharmacovigilance market is fragmented due to the presence of numerous established as well as emerging organizations. The top companies operating in the pharmacovigilance market are Cognizant Technology Solutions, Accenture plc, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Covance, Inc., Clinquest Group B.V., ICON plc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., inVentiv Health, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, iGATE Corporation, Novartis International AG, Wipro Limited, Quintiles Transnational Holdings, Inc., Synowledge LLC, Pharmaceutical Product Development, LLC, (PPD), Sanofi, PAREXEL International Corporation, Pfizer, Inc., and iMEDGlobal Corporation.Request a sample of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Pharmacovigilance Market during 2014- 2020About 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:
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Low Iron Solar Glass Market Report 2017

EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Low Iron Solar Glass Market Report 2017

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The EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Low Iron Solar Glass Market Report 2017 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Low Iron Solar Glass industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Low Iron Solar Glass market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Low Iron Solar Glass industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.In this report, the EMEA Low Iron Solar Glass market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split EMEA into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, With sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Low Iron Solar Glass for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Benelux;Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran;Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria.EMEA Low Iron Solar Glass market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Low Iron Solar Glass sales volume (K Units), price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingNSGPilkingtonGuangfeng Solar GlassPPGSaint-gobainSolglassAGCCSGEU ProSun GlassSEHK Mainboard-listed Company...On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoFloat GlassRolled GlassOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (K Units), market share and growth rate of Low Iron Solar Glass for each application, includingArchitectureAutomotiveOthersTo get a free professional report sample, please email to tinaning@qyresearch.com or Browse our detailed product page:Table of contents:1 Low Iron Solar Glass Overview2 EMEA Low Iron Solar Glass Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application3 Europe Low Iron Solar Glass (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Players, Countries, Type and Application4 Middle East Low Iron Solar Glass (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Region, Type and Application5 Africa Low Iron Solar Glass (Volume, Value and Sales Price) by Players, Countries, Type and Application6 EMEA Low Iron Solar Glass Manufacturers/Players Profiles and Sales Data7 Low Iron Solar Glass Manufacturing Cost Analysis8 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders10 Market Effect Factors Analysis11 EMEA Low Iron Solar Glass Market Forecast (2017-2022)12 Research Findings and Conclusion13 AppendixList of Tables and FiguresFigure Product Picture of Low Iron Solar GlassFigure EMEA Low Iron Solar Glass Sales Volume (K MT) by Type (2012-2022)Figure EMEA Low Iron Solar Glass Sales Volume Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2016Figure Float Glass Product PictureFigure Rolled Glass Product PictureFigure EMEA Low Iron Solar Glass Sales Volume (K MT) by Application (2012-2022)Figure EMEA Sales Market Share of Low Iron Solar Glass by Application in 2016Figure Architecture ExamplesTable Key Downstream Customer in ArchitectureFigure Automotive ExamplesTable Key Downstream Customer in Automotive......Related Reports:Global Low Iron Solar Glass Market Report 2017China Low Iron Solar Glass Market Report 2017USA Low Iron Solar Glass Market Report 2017Korea Low Iron Solar Glass Market Report 2017Japan Low Iron Solar Glass Market Report 2017India Low Iron Solar Glass Market Report 2017Contact Details:Tina| Sales ManagersCompany Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITED | focus on Market Survey and ResearchEmail: tinaning@qyresearch.com Tel: 0086-20-22093278(CN)Web:QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business.Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District
Oval Printing Machine Global Market Outlook 2017-2022 Bobst Group, Brother Industries, Canon, Koenig & Bauer

Oval Printing Machine Market

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Oval Printing Machine Market Research ReportA market study  Global Oval Printing Machine Market  examines the performance of the Oval Printing Machine market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Oval Printing Machine market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Oval Printing Machine market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Oval Printing Machine Market 2017 report includes Oval Printing Machine market Size, Revenue, market Share, Oval Printing Machine industry volume, market Trends, Oval Printing Machine Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Oval Printing Machine Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Oval Printing Machine Market 2017:Bobst GroupBrother IndustriesCanonKoenig & BauerKomoriKonica MinoltaMethode ElectronicsMeyer Burger TechnologyOval Printing Machine Market : Type AnalysisType IType IIOval Printing Machine Market : Application AnalysisApplication 1Application 2Firstly, the report covers the top Oval Printing Machine manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Oval Printing Machine report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Oval Printing Machine industry, Oval Printing Machine industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Oval Printing Machine Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Oval Printing Machine research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Oval Printing Machine market revenue worldwide.Finally, Oval Printing Machine market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder Global Market Outlook 2017-2022 Hayashi-Kasei, Beihai Group, Liaoning Aihai Talc

Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder Market

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Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder Market Research ReportA market study  Global Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder Market  examines the performance of the Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder Market 2017 report includes Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder market Size, Revenue, market Share, Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder industry volume, market Trends, Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder Market 2017:Hayashi-KaseiBeihai GroupLiaoning Aihai TalcPingdu Talc Mine IndustrialGuangxi Longguang TalcLongsheng Huamei TalcGuiguang TalcHaicheng Xinda MiningHaicheng Jinghua MineralLiaoning Qian He TalcLaizhou Talc IndustryCosmetic Grade Talc Powder Market : Type AnalysisType IType IICosmetic Grade Talc Powder Market : Application AnalysisApplication 1Application 2Firstly, the report covers the top Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder industry, Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder 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 Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder market revenue worldwide.Finally, Cosmetic Grade Talc Powder 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
Disconnector Global Market Outlook 2017-2022 ABB, Eaton, General Electric, Siemens

Disconnector Market

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Disconnector Market Research ReportA market study  Global Disconnector Market  examines the performance of the Disconnector market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Disconnector market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Disconnector market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Disconnector Market 2017 report includes Disconnector market Size, Revenue, market Share, Disconnector industry volume, market Trends, Disconnector Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Disconnector Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Disconnector Market 2017:ABBEatonGeneral ElectricSiemensSchneider ElectricWEG SAMersen S.A.LittelfuseCromption GreavesHavells IndiaLevitonSocomecDriescherDelixi ElectricDisconnector Market : Type AnalysisLow VoltageMedium VoltageHigh VoltageDisconnector Market : Application AnalysisIndustrialCommercialFirstly, the report covers the top Disconnector manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Disconnector report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Disconnector industry, Disconnector industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Disconnector Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Disconnector 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 Disconnector market revenue worldwide.Finally, Disconnector 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
Multi Purpose Cameras Global Market Outlook 2017-2022 Canon, Lewis N Clark, Panasonic, Swann, Wohler

Multi Purpose Cameras Market

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Multi Purpose Cameras Market Research ReportA market study  Global Multi Purpose Cameras Market  examines the performance of the Multi Purpose Cameras market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Multi Purpose Cameras market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Multi Purpose Cameras market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Multi Purpose Cameras Market 2017 report includes Multi Purpose Cameras market Size, Revenue, market Share, Multi Purpose Cameras industry volume, market Trends, Multi Purpose Cameras Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Multi Purpose Cameras Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Multi Purpose Cameras Market 2017:CanonLewis N ClarkPanasonicSwannWohlerMagellanMarshall ElectronicsApe CaseBlack RapidCamboDuracellFlukeGoProJVCMountainsmithPolycomRicohSentechSpectrum BrandsMulti Purpose Cameras Market : Type AnalysisType IType IIMulti Purpose Cameras Market : Application AnalysisApplication 1Application 2Firstly, the report covers the top Multi Purpose Cameras manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Multi Purpose Cameras report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Multi Purpose Cameras industry, Multi Purpose Cameras industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Multi Purpose Cameras Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Multi Purpose Cameras 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 Multi Purpose Cameras market revenue worldwide.Finally, Multi Purpose Cameras 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
Refined Lead Global Market Outlook 2017-2022 Doe Run, BHP Billiton, Xstrata, Teck Resources

Refined Lead Market

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Refined Lead Market Research ReportA market study  Global Refined Lead Market  examines the performance of the Refined Lead market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Refined Lead market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Refined Lead market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Refined Lead Market 2017 report includes Refined Lead market Size, Revenue, market Share, Refined Lead industry volume, market Trends, Refined Lead Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Refined Lead Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Refined Lead Market 2017:Doe RunBHP BillitonXstrataTeck ResourcesViburnumCanningtonMountIsaRefined Lead Market : Type AnalysisType IType IIRefined Lead Market : Application AnalysisApplication 1Application 2Firstly, the report covers the top Refined Lead manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Refined Lead report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Refined Lead industry, Refined Lead industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Refined Lead Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Refined Lead 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 Refined Lead market revenue worldwide.Finally, Refined Lead 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
Drinking Water Global Market Outlook 2017-2022 Fiji, Coca Cola, Gerolsteiner, Ferrarelle, Hildon

Drinking Water Market

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Drinking Water Market Research ReportA market study  Global Drinking Water Market  examines the performance of the Drinking Water market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Drinking Water market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Drinking Water market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Drinking Water Market 2017 report includes Drinking Water market Size, Revenue, market Share, Drinking Water industry volume, market Trends, Drinking Water Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Drinking Water Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Drinking Water Market 2017:NestleDanoneFijiCoca ColaRoxanePepsicoGerolsteinerFerrarelleVOSSHildonIcelandic GlacialPentaMountain Valley Spring WaterSuntoryAJE GroupDrinking Water Market : Type AnalysisType IType IIDrinking Water Market : Application AnalysisApplication 1Application 2Firstly, the report covers the top Drinking Water manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Drinking Water report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Drinking Water industry, Drinking Water industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Drinking Water Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Drinking Water 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 Drinking Water market revenue worldwide.Finally, Drinking Water 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
Fruit Beers Global Market Outlook 2017-2022 Carlsberg, MolsonCoors, KIRIN, Guinness, Asahi

Fruit Beers Market

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Fruit Beers Market Research ReportA market study  Global Fruit Beers Market  examines the performance of the Fruit Beers market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Fruit Beers market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Fruit Beers market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Fruit Beers Market 2017 report includes Fruit Beers market Size, Revenue, market Share, Fruit Beers industry volume, market Trends, Fruit Beers Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Fruit Beers Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Fruit Beers Market 2017:Anheuser-Busch InBevSABMillerHeinekenCarlsbergMolsonCoorsKIRINGuinnessAsahiCastel GroupRadebergerMahou-San MiguelSan Miguel CorporationChina Resources Snow BreweriesTsingtao BreweryAnheuser-Busch InBev(China)Beijing Yanjing BreweryCarlsberg(China)ZhujiangKingStarTsingtao Brewery Xian Hans GroupFruit Beers Market : Type AnalysisAlesLagersFruit Beers Market : Application AnalysisApplication 1Application 2Firstly, the report covers the top Fruit Beers manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Fruit Beers report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Fruit Beers industry, Fruit Beers industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Fruit Beers Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Fruit Beers 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 Fruit Beers market revenue worldwide.Finally, Fruit Beers 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
At a CAGR of 34.37%, Global Web Real Time Communication (webRTC) Market to Expand over 2017-2021 - AT&T, Avaya, Dialogic, GENBAND, TokBox

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Web real-time communication (WebRTC) is an open source project that embeds real-time voice, texts, and video communications capabilities in web browsers. The technology enables peer-to-peer communication (P2P) among browsers. It does not require specialized software applications or browser plugins for communication.WebRTC uses JavaScript, application programming interfaces (APIs), and hypertext markup language (HTML)5 to embed the communication technologies within the browser. This technology helps in easy exchange of audio, video, and data through the browsers. The Internet engineering task force (IETF) and web real-time communications group work on improving WebRTC. Currently, WebRTC is available in Chrome, Opera, and Mozilla Firefox web browser. It is also available for apps on iOS and Android.The global web real time communication (webRTC) market to grow at a CAGR of 34.37% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global web real time communication (webRTC) market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from numerous services offered through browsers, mobile devices, and unified communications (UC) platforms.Click to get sample PDF with TOC:The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- EMEATechnavios report, Global Web Real Time Communication (webRTC) Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Browse more details at:Key vendors- AT&T- Avaya- Dialogic- GENBAND- TokBoxOther prominent vendors- Alcatel-Lucent- Apple- Apidaze- Blackboard- CafeX Communications- Cisco- Digium- Ericsson- Google- IBM- Microsoft- Mitel Networks- Polycom- Opera- Oracle- TWILIO- QuobisMarket driver- Growing demand for WebRTC-enabled devices- 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:
Mobile Biometric Market Adopts Innovation to Stay Competitive 2017 - 2025

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Mobile Biometric Market: Drivers and ChallengesIncreasing usage of biometric feature in smartphone, growing adoption of mobile biometric in crime identification and government regulation drive the mobile biometric market. Most of the smartphones are integrated with biometric feature due to increasing demand for more secured devices. Law enforcement and police department use these technologies to mitigate crime incidents across the globe. It has been observed that government regulation to encourage the adoption of biometric solution in enterprises that rise the demand for mobile biometric solution.A sample of this report is available upon request @The major challenges in this market are concern about data privacy and data breach on mobile biometric devices and high cost for mobile biometric system installation. These two challenges hinders the market growth.Request to view table of content @Key Market Players in Mobile Biometric Market:Some of the key market players in Mobile Biometric market are Apple Inc., Safran SA, Nuance Communication, Inc., Precise Biometrics AB, 3M Cogent, Inc., Fujitsu Ltd., and Honeywell International Inc.Buy Now: You can now buy a single user license of the report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Oxytocic Pharmaceuticals will Amass Nearly US$ 150 Million Revenues by 2026-end

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Though synthetic oxytocin is chemically equivalent to naturally-occurring oxytocin, their pharmaceutical functions for aiding women in labour are quite distinctive. Medical professionals from around the world will continue to recommend synthetic-based oxytocic pharmaceuticals over natural since oxytocic pharmaceuticals originating from synthetic sources can boost the momentum of decelerated labour by IV administration. More than 90% of the global market revenues for oxytocic pharmaceuticals will be harvested from the sales of oxytocic pharmaceuticals originating from synthetic sources. By the end of 2026, an estimated US$ 148.9 million revenues will be emanated from the global sales of synthetic oxytocic pharmaceuticals.Future Market Insights published report on the global oxytocic pharmaceuticals market estimates that the market, which is presently valued at US$ 62.2 million, will expand at an impressive 9.7% CAGR to reach US$ 157.6 million value by 2026-end. In the report, titled Oxytocic Pharmaceuticals Market: Global Industry Analysis & Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026, Future Market Insights projects that the global market for oxytocic pharmaceuticals will remain highly fragmented due to higher prevalence of local players as opposed to multinationals and conglomerates. Nevertheless, global pharmaceutical industry leaders such as Pfizer Inc., Novartis AG, Baxter Healthcare Corporation, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. are also partaking in the global oxytocic pharmaceuticals market. Other leading manufacturers of oxytocic pharmaceuticals include Biofutura Pharma SpA, Ferring BV, and Fresenius Kabi AG.Request For Report Sample@Global Oxytocic pharmaceuticals Market: Regional AnalysisThe need for oxytocic pharmaceuticals in the world will always remain contingent to the rise in pregnancy incidences and birth rate. Various parts of the world exhibit diverse birth rate, which incidentally drives the growth of their oxytocic pharmaceuticals market, accordingly. In North America, oxytocic pharmaceuticals are majorly used for postpartum haemorrhage, which is one of the most-prominent indication among labouring women in the US and Canada. However, China is expected to remain the largest market for oxytocic pharmaceuticals in the world. Considering the countrys exploding birth rate, Chinas oxytocic pharmaceuticals market will be valued over US$ 55 million by 2026-end, expanding at 9.8% CAGR. In 2016, Japans oxytocic pharmaceuticals revenues amounted to an estimated US$ 1.7 million, while the oxytocic pharmaceuticals market in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan & China (APEJC) region has been estimated to account for nearly 20% of global revenues.Global Oxytocic Pharmaceuticals Market: Research HighlightsLicensing agreements for development of newer oxytocic pharmaceuticals is rampantly boosting the global market revenues, profiting local players as well as industry leaders.Surging prevalence of labour induction procedures for child births will continue promoting the use of oxytocic pharmaceuticals throughout the forecast period.The global oxytocic pharmaceuticals revenues, however, are projected to witness an inhibited growth on the account of rising preference to alternative drugs such as magnesium sulphate and misoprostol.Indias contribution to the APEJC oxytocic pharmaceuticals market is predicted to reach nearly 60% by the end of 2026.More than 22,000 thousand units of oxytocic pharmaceuticals will be sold globally for treating labour arrest over the forecast period.Send an Enquiry @Hospitals will remain the largest end-user of oxytocic pharmaceuticals in the world, revenues from which will expand beyond 12% CAGR.A majority of medical professionals in the world will recommend intravenous administration of oxytocic pharmaceuticals, accounting for more than two-third of global market revenues by the end of 2026.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Market : Emerging Trends and New Technologies Research 2017 - 2022

Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate

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Global Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022A new and latest research report proposed by Global Info Reports renders a market summary of the Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Market industry. This widespread analysis comprises of market potentials and challenges, scope of product, sales volume, market revenue, estimates and rate of growth. The report also digs into all the major market players across the globe.Get Free Sample Copy of this Report @Chemical industry segment has a crucial role in accomplishing daily requirements of the common man. It is one of the most former industries which attributes substantially to not just economic but industrial growth as well. Nearly, each and every industry segment such as oil and gas, retail, manufacturing, agriculture and many others, depends heavily on the chemical industry. In the recent years, the global Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Market industry has experienced an astonishing change structure-wise such as enhancements in technology, increasing raw material costs, manufacturing base been channeled to Asian countries,novel promising growth markets, etc.The report highlights crucial dynamics and in-depth analysis of the market segment with concentrating on factual data, present industry activities, growth opportunities, new product inventions, and market forecast for the anticipated frame of time along with leading market players, market study based on several regions, and extensive product. The Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Market report assists in determining the projection in this meticulous industry by rendering precise potential demand prognoses. These prognoses will aid the market players to take vital decisions and take hold of the untapped regions and new entrants.This research report incorporates the current market size of this industry. It also distinguishes and assesses complex value chains across the globe such as primary factors, market growth restrains, and propelling strategies. This latest market report examines the Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Market by several segments such as regions, applications, companies, and for the proposed time frame. The report gives a complete insight of this industry consisting the qualitative and quantitative analysis provided for this market industry along with prime development trends, competitive analysis, and vital factors that are predominant in the Concrete Seale Market.Market Scope:Various aspects are considered in this all-inclusive market research report and it inspects the global Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Market industry from an all axis perspective. It gives in-depth information on the future viewpoint, key developments, market dynamics and growth, latest trends in the market, and potential investment segment.Browse complete summary of this report @The report furnishes: An in-depth widespread market analysis of the global Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Market Analysis of global market trends, forecasts for 2017, and predictions of CAGRs through proposed time frame. Thorough analysis of applications Mentioning of market players with their complete profile description Researches the vital market trends and novel developments technologically in the Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate MarketThe research report comprises of markets comprehensive analysis geographically on several important regions such as:1. North America (Mexico, USA, and Canada)2. Asia-Pacific (India, China, Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia)3. Europe (UK, Germany, Italy, France and Russia)4. Africa, South America, and the Middle EastThe leading industry players across the globe are explored in detail in this report. It demonstrates product overview, company summary, and manufacturing cost, capacity, and market shares for most of the participants. The report portrays the complete overview of Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Market across the world including its cost/profit, demand/supply, import/export, capacity, production value, etc. The research report also prognosticates trends in the development of this industrys market. It cloaks current market analysis dynamically, downstream requirements as well as the upstream raw materials. Lastly, the report also segregates vital market figures which represent the market condition of Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Market manufacturers. The report can function as an assistive reference point for helping individuals as well as businesses from this segment.Get Discount on This Report @Some Point From TOC:1 Market Overview1.1 Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Soil Fertilizer1.2.2 Foliar Fertilize1.2.3 Fertigation1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Corn Fertilizer1.3.2 Grain Fertilizer1.3.3 Cash Crop Fertilizer1.3.4 Other Agricultural1.4 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 Tessenderlo Group2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Liquid Potassium Thiosulfate Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 2Enquiry Before Buying @About Us:GIR Market Research is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. GIR Market Research is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:+1-888-376-9998 (US)Email- sales@globalinforeports.comWeb-
Filament Tapes Market to Earn US$ 6.6 Bn by 2026

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Effectiveness of packaging solutions continue to be contingent upon the type of strapping tapes or filament tapes being used for reinforcing the shape of corrugated fibreboard boxes.Almost every other product in the world is likely to get packaged & delivered through ridged fibreboard boxes, compelling the global packaging industry leaders to increase the use of pressure-sensitive tapes for helping these boxes retain their shape during mechanical abrasion. Filament tapes continue to be an integral part of packaging operations such as carton sealing, bundling and strapping. Future Market Insights analysis of the global filament tapes market indicates that the demand for single-sided filament tapes is presently higher in such packaging operations. However, by the end of 2026, global filament tapes revenues will be equally split by single-sided as well as double-sided filament tapes, implying an upward ascent for the demand for double-sided tapes.Future Market Insights recently published its report on the global filament tapes market which estimates that US$ 3,340.8 million revenues were amassed through global sales of filament tapes in 2016. According to the report, the global filament tapes market is expected to register a 7.1% CAGR to reach market value of US$ 6.6 billion by the end of 2026.Request For Report Sample@Some of the reports crucial research findings project that,In 2016, more than 1,100 million square meters of 24mm filament tapes were consumed globallyHigh tensile strength & UV-resistance of filament tapes is expected to procure lucrative opportunities as sealants in production of healthcare & hygiene productsAs backing adhesives, plastic films and paper will collectively dominate the global filament tapes market by accounting for over 80% revenue share by 2026-endGlobal revenues of filament tapes manufactured with acrylic adhesives will grow at the highest CAGR  8.4%Increasing demand for corrugated packaging boxes will significantly boost the growth in demand for filament tapes in the futureIn its report, titled Filament Tapes Market: Global Industry Analysis & Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026, Future Market Insights further signifies the key challenges faced by filament tapes manufacturers across the globe. Low profit margins, coupled with strict environmental regulations are curbing the potential of companies to expand manufacturing facilities. Undulating prices of raw materials such as foam, plastic films or fabrics is further impacting the growth in production capacity of filament tapes manufacturers. Some of the leading companies manufacturing filament tapes, profiled in this report, include, 3M Company, Tesa Tape Inc., PPM Industries S.P.A., Sekisui TA Industries, LLC, Canadian Technical Tape, Ltd., Intertape Polymer Corp, Inc., SaintGobain Performance Plastics, Krush Adhesive Tape, Inc. and Pro Tapes & Specialities Inc.Automotive Industry  Largest End-user of Filament TapesWhile packaging remains to be the core end-use of filament tapes, the demand for pressure-sensitive reinforcement operations is gaining substantial traction in the automotive industry. Leading automakers are benefitting from the high tensile strength of filament tapes, which is used for welding and painting, and their ability to leave lesser residue after removing from metal surfaces of the automobiles. In 2016, more than US$ 500 million revenues were procured globally from selling filament tapes to automotive industries. These revenues are projected to increase at a CAGR Of 10.2% during the assessment period. Revenues from printing end-user industries will, however, incur a sluggish growth to reach US$ 380 million by 2026-end.Send an Enquiry @On the basis of applications, the demand for filament tapes will be majorly accounted by carton sealing. With over 40% revenue share, carton sealing will remain the dominant application of filament tapes through 2026, while combined revenues amassed from bundling, sealing and insulation application of filament tapes will account for more than 30% share. The report also expects that filament tape revenues procured from Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) will be higher than any other region, exhibiting a value share of more than 35%. Throughout the forecast period, APEJ will remain a leading region in the global filament tapes market, followed by North America and Eastern Europe. These three regions together, are anticipated to bring in revenues worth nearly US$ 5 billion by the end of 2026.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Evaporimeter Market 2017 - Uniequip, Sciogex, Labconco, Shanghai Xiande, Henan Ruide

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Worldwide Evaporimeter Market 2017 presents a widespread and fundamental study of Evaporimeter industry along with the analysis of subjective aspects which will provide key business insights to the readers. Global Evaporimeter Market 2017 research report offers the analytical view of the industry by studying different factors like Evaporimeter market growth, consumption volume, market trends and Evaporimeter industry cost structures during the forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Evaporimeter market studies the competitive landscape view of the industry. The Evaporimeter report also includes development plans and policies along with manufacturing processes. The major regions involved in Evaporimeter Market are (United States, EU, China, and Japan).For Sample Copy Of The Report Click Here:Leading Manufacturers Analysis in Global Evaporimeter Market 2017:1 Uniequip2 Sciogex3 Labconco4 Shanghai Xiande5 Henan Ruide6 Shanghai Zhixin7 XiAn Hongchen8 Germany IKA9 Genevac10 SmarVaporEvaporimeter Market: Type Segment AnalysisNatural EvaporationBoiling EvaporationEvaporimeter Market: Applications Segment AnalysisChemical IndustryFood IndustryPharmaceutical IndustryOtherThe Evaporimeter 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 Evaporimeter market share. Diverse factors of the Evaporimeter industry like the supply chain scenario, industry standards, import/export details are also mentioned in Global Evaporimeter Market 2017 report.Key Highlights of the Evaporimeter Market:A Clear understanding of the Evaporimeter market based on growth, constraints, opportunities, feasibility study.Concise Evaporimeter Market study based on major geographical regions.Analysis of evolving market segments as well as a complete study of existing Evaporimeter market segments.Discover More About Report Here:Furthermore, distinct aspects of Evaporimeter market like the technological development, economic factors, opportunities and threats to the growth of Evaporimeter market are covered in depth in this report. The performance of Evaporimeter market during 2017 to 2022 is being forecasted in this report.In conclusion, Global Evaporimeter 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 Evaporimeter industry competitors.Market.Biz is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required to all commercial, industrial and profit-making ventures in any sector of online business. We take pride in our ability to satisfy the market research needs of both domestic and international businesses.James JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor, Office Number 4, Vishwa Arcade, Near Navale Lawns, Pune, Maharashtra, India 411041Maharashtra, IndiaTel: +1(857)2390696Web:Email: inquiry@market.bizBrowse Market Research Reports-Latest Reports-
Boost in Technology Driving the Wireless Connectivity Market globally 2017 - 2025

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Wireless Connectivity Market: Drivers and ChallengesMajor factors driving the wireless connectivity market include rise in adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing, increase in demand for smart phones and other wireless technology devices such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and ZigBee, growth in connectivity of the internet and rapid increase in demand for low-power wide-area (LPWA) networks.A sample of this report is available upon request @Few of the challenges faced by wireless connectivity market are lack of uniform communication principles, intervention with other electromagnetic sources, layered structure, and physical object that is hampering the growth of wireless connectivity technology. In addition to this, requirement of enhanced security of information and concession among features such as power consumption, data rates, and range for numerous wireless technologies are also negatively impacting the growth of wireless connectivity market.Request to view table of content @Wireless Connectivity Market: Key PlayersFew of the companies in wireless connectivity market are: Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Intel Corporation, Texas Instruments Incorporated, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Panasonic Corporation, Nexcom International Co., Ltd. and Atmel Corporation. Some of these companies have acquired SMEs which are into wireless connectivity solutions in order to strengthen their position in the wireless connectivity market.Buy Now: You can now buy a single user license of the report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Pre-evacuation notices have been issued for the ranches on Road 434/435 and residences off of Highway 200 between the Elk Meadows Subdivision up to mile-marker 102.

Residents with questions on the evacuations are urged to call the sheriff's office at 447-8293. Red Cross has a shelter set up at First Assembly of God Church in Helena on Dodge Avenue.

Sheriff's deputies are staffing roads blocks located at Elk Meadows driveway, the intersection of Highways 200 and 434 and the intersection of Flat Creek Road and Highway 434 to prevent unnecessary traffic from entering the fire area.

Crews continue to work keeping the fire north of the Alice Creek trailhead and did structure protection on the east edge of the blaze. Resources on the fire have included two very large air tankers, two single engine air tankers and six helicopters.

Due to the fire activity, an area closure is in place that affects multiple trails and roads. A trail reroute is established for hikers along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. A map of the area closure is posted at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/5410/39087/.

On Saturday, the fire was reported to be about 750 acres. Lightning sparked the blaze on July 22. The wildfire is listed as zero percent contained.
Cardamom Oil Market will Register a CAGR of 3.8% through 2022

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The rising awareness of cardamom oil in several end use industries such as cosmetics, personal care, healthcare, food and beverages, etc., has increased the horizon of the adoption of cardamom, and thereby, influenced the growth of the cardamom oil market on a global basis. The emerging use of cardamom oil in pharmaceutical industry, in order to treat muscle spasms, muscle pulls, and other antiseptic and anti-microbial uses, is increasing, and hence, spurring the growth rate of the global cardamom oil market. The major producers of cardamom oils are present in India, Japan, China and few European regions. Europe and United States are considered more of a consumer type region where as countries in Asia Pacific are considered as producer type regions. Fact.MRs recent research study on cardamom oil market uncovers several aspects which influence the global cardamom oil market and reveals that the global cardamom oil market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.8% during the forecasted period of 2017-2022.Following are excerpts from Fact.MR on global cardamom oil market which would be beneficial to the future prospects of the marketThe natural sub segment of the source type segment of the global cardamom oil market has higher market share by revenue as estimated in 2017; however, the organic segment is more likely to show higher growth rateFor More Details - A sample of this report is available upon request@The absolute type sub segment from the form type segment of the cardamom oil market, shows higher revenue share in the global market followed by the blend sub segment and concentrates segment. But the blends segment is poised to have a higher CAGR of 5.0% during the forecasted period of 2017 to 2022As far as geography is concerned, Europe shows more market attractiveness in terms of consumption and favors nearly all the segments involved in the cardamom oil market and is expected to grow at a higher pace during the forecasted periodWithin the channel distribution segment, the online sub segment is expected to grow at a higher pace but shows less market share by revenue. The modern trade along with franchise outlets show similar annual growth rates, but modern trade sub segment has the highest market share by revenue compared to all other sub segments in distribution channel-based segmentation.Request For Discount:The Japan cardamom oil market is poised to show a 6.6% of revenue share in the market during 2017 but is expected to lose 42 BPS by 2022.The research report on global cardamom oil market includes several key players. The companies profiled in the research report are The Lebermuth Company, Biolandes, Greenleaf Extractions Pvt. Ltd., Young Living Essential Oils, Natures Natural India, Shaanxi Guanjie Technology Co., Aksuvital, IL Health and Beauty Natural Oils Co. Inc., Aromaaz International, Lionel Hitchen Essential Oil, Green Fields Oil Factory and Plant Therapy Essential OilsBrowse 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:
Mobile Health Monitoring Market Growth to be Fuelled by Advancements in Technology during 2017 - 2025

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The confluence of medical care and mobile telephony is what led to the emergence of the mobile health monitoring market. Devices like smartphones and PDAs are equipped with 4G network support, Wireless LAN and Bluetooth networks which enable them to be used in the healthcare industry. The mobile health monitoring market is a subset of e-Health, i.e. the use of ICT for health services or assistance. Mobile health monitoring apps use mobiles to collect community health data, deliver healthcare information to medical professionals and patients, monitor a patients vitals in real-time and also provide direct personal care. (Through mobile telemedicine)A sample of this report is available upon request @Mobile Health Monitoring Market DriversEnsuring greater medical care to all is one of the biggest mobile health monitoring market drivers. It is well known that rural areas of both developing and developed countries have woefully fewer hospitals or access to medical attention as compared to their urban counterparts. Mobile health monitoring can be very effective for people living in remote areas without access to any other form of healthcare assistance. Even a simple mobile phone can become a powerful lifesaving tool.Text messaging and phone calls can be used to deliver quick, real-time medical information of a patient in a remote location. Smartphones supported by high-speed data networks can do much more by monitoring heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and all other modern day ailments. It is estimated that half a billion people used healthcare applications last year and smartphones and tablets are considered the second most important technological invention in medicine after the stethoscope.A second driver of the mobile health monitoring market is the increasing importance given to healthcare in the modern era. A stressful, sedentary lifestyle has led to rising cases of diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cardiac arrest. People have begun to focus on their own health and fitness a great deal more now than they did in the past.Mobile health monitoring allows patients to take an active role in their own health such as managing medical appointments, updating prescriptions, accessing their medical records and taking their medication as and when required. Physicians can use them not only to access reference material, training content and medical journals but also for patient imaging, monitoring and bedside care.Mobile Health Monitoring Market RestraintsThe main Mobile Health Monitoring Market Restraint is security and privacy concerns of both patients and doctors. Mobile phones contain private and personal patient information which can have devastating consequences if leaked. With all the reports of online data compromise, older patients might be extremely hesitant in adopting this technology. The onus of protecting medical data is on healthcare providers and they must ensure that they act in compliance with the law of the land.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @The second challenge, especially in developing countries, is the lack of regulation in the mobile health monitoring market. These countries very rarely have data protection or privacy laws which makes medical records there ripe for third party abuse.Mobile Health Monitoring Market Key RegionsThe largest mobile health monitoring market at present is the U.S. on account of an advanced healthcare infrastructure, government support, an ageing population and almost cent percent smartphone penetration. However, China, India, and Japan are expected to drive the mobile health monitoring market in the future due to rapid smartphone adoption and greater focus on the domestic healthcare infrastructure.Mobile Health Monitoring Market Key Market PlayersThe mobile health monitoring market is highly fragmented and no single player dominates. Companies making glucose monitors are Sanofi LLC, Medisana AG and iHealth Labs, Inc. Blood pressure monitors are made by Qardio and Withings, Inc, Nonin Medical, Inc. and Masimo Corporation while cardiac monitors are manufactured by AliverCor Inc. and iMonSys Ltd.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, types and applications.Buy Now: You can now buy a single user license of the report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Endovenous Laser Therapy Market to Boost at 7.3% CAGR Through 2026

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Obese people are seldom prone to health implications arising from increasing caseload for varicose veins in their body. The rising number of obesity cases recorded across the globe are prompting the adoption of endovenous laser therapy for treatment of varicose veins. A latest study on global endovenous laser therapy market, published by Future Market Insights, indicates that growing attention towards aftereffects of lifestyle choices and consequences of obesity have collectively factored the growth in demand for endovenous laser therapies. With the help of this minimally-invasive therapy, which is guided by ultrasound laser techniques, vascular surgeons and radiologists can effectively treat impaired varicose vessels and curb the occurrence of side effects such as temporary paraesthesia.The report, titled Endovenous Laser Therapy Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026, reveals that an estimated US$ 273.6 million revenues were procured, globally, from adoption of endovenous laser therapy in 2016. Key findings compiled in the report predict that by the end of 2026, the global market for endovenous laser therapy will be valued at a little over US$ 550 million, registering increment at an impressive CAGR of 7.3%.Request For Report Sample@In 2016, nearly 8,500 units of endovenous laser therapy equipment were consumed in the world. The demand for such equipment and devices is projected to soar at close to 8% CAGR and record the sales of more than eighteen thousand units by the end of 2026. An in-depth analysis of the global sales of endovenous laser therapy equipment indicated that the demand for endovenous laser systems will remain prodigiously higher than that of endovenous laser fibres. Throughout the forecast period, more than 90% of global revenues will be emanating from global sales of endovenous laser systems. Among them, preference to diode lasers will continue to outpace the adoption of YAG laser systems. And, with respect to the fibres used in endovenous laser therapy, gold-tip laser fibres will gain traction and register a revenue growth at 7.2% CAGR.The advanced operational infrastructure in hospitals and availability of trained medical professionals make them suitable for conducting endovenous laser therapies effectively. However, ambulatory surgical centres (ASCs) located around the world are witnessing advancements in terms of their working mechanism. In 2017 and beyond, hospitals will witness a gradual decline of their global revenue share whereas ASCs emerge to be the largest end-user of endovenous laser therapy in the world. By 2026-end, more than US$ 200 million worth of revenues will be accounted by adoption of endovenous laser therapy through ASCs.Send an Enquiry @AngioDynamics, Inc., is a US-based medical device manufacturer which has gained prominence as a key player in the global endovenous laser therapy market. Correspondingly, North Americas share in the global market for endovenous laser therapy is also expected to remain dominant through 2026; procuring over 50% share of global revenues. Nevertheless, the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region will see rampant growth in demand for endovenous laser therapy. Revenues from this region are anticipated to surge at the highest CAGR of 7.9%. Meanwhile, Western Europe will be observed as the second-largest market for endovenous laser therapy, placing itself between North America and APEJ region. European companies such as Dornier MedTech GmbH, Alna-Medicalsystem GmbH, LSO Medical, intros Medical Laser GmbH, and Energist Ltd. will continue to actively participate in the growth of global endovenous laser therapy market. Besides, Wontech Co. Ltd., Alma Lasers Ltd., and Syneron Medical Ltd. are also recognised as leading manufacturers of endovenous laser systems in the world.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com
Fertility Testing Devices Market: Increase in Awareness about the Fertility Testing in Women is One of the Key Factor

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Fertility testing is done by both men and women for the assessment of their fertility and various conditions associated with it. A reasonable period of unprotected intercourse without conceiving is a condition referred to as infertility. Couples carry out fertility testing to detect the root causes responsible for their infertility. Men and women both experience the fertility problems at equal rates, but women are considered to be more concerned about fertility testing. The gynecologist or general physician first review the fertility test results to diagnose the exact issue and recommends the corrective measures or treatment accordingly. The rising awareness about fertility testing devices is driving the patient adoption rate effectively for such devices instead of opting for laboratory based tests. Fertility testing is performed at home and is time saving and economical, helps maintain privacy, and is comfortable for females.Obtain Report Details @Increase in infertility cases due to changing lifestyles in women, growth in awareness about the fertility testing in women, rise in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) cases, continuous decline in fertility rate in both men and women globally are factors which are expected to drive the growth of the global fertility testing devices market by 2024. The restraints which impact the growth of the global fertility testing devices market are high cost of fertility and ovulating monitors, increase in utilization of mobile applications & websites for ovulation tracking, and easy availability of generic diagnostic tools such as saliva testing and blood testing. Some of the trends in the global fertility testing devices market are monitoring sperm quality by keeping track of heart rate, body temperature, air quality & environmental function, and emergence of technological advances such as trak system. Introduction of various techniques such as hysterosalpingogram, sonohysterogram (ultrasound scan), laparoscopy, and hysteroscopy are projected to boost the growth of the global fertility testing devices market.The global fertility testing devices market can be segmented by product and end-user. The product segment involves ovulation predictor kits and fertility monitoring devices. The ovulation predictor kits are further segmented into urine based kits, saliva based kits, and others. In 2015, the ovulation predictor kits segment captured a significantly large share in the global fertility testing devices market, which is attributed to lesser cost and user-friendly technique. However, the fertility monitoring devices segment is expected to grow at a higher rate during the forecast period, which is driven by continuous rise in the technological advancements in the fertility monitoring techniques and investments. Based on the end-user segmentation, the global fertility testing devices market is classified into hospitals, specialty clinics, and homecare settings.Fill the Form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @Geographically, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America held a significant share of the fertility testing devices market in 2015, which is attributed to the rise in awareness about technological innovations and their benefits in the fertility testing market and increase in prevalence of PCOS. The awareness about the fertility testing is high in the region. Therefore, the use of ovulation predictor kits and fertility monitoring devices is increasing in the North America fertility testing devices market. The anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) test is likely to be adding more value to the existing Europe fertility testing market leading to its further growth in region. Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a higher rate during the forecast period owing to increasing investments in the fertility testing devices market, declining fertility rate, and rising number of women suffering from lifestyle disorder in the region.Major players operating in the global fertility testing devices market include Hilin Life Products, Church & Dwight Co., Inc., Fairhaven Health LLC, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Geratherm Medical AG, AccuQuik, Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc., Quidel Corporation, and Alere Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.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:
Nano Calcium Carbonate Market Demand is Increasing in Most Part of World 2025

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Nano Calcium Carbonate Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe growth in the demand for nano calcium carbonate from various end-use applications such as paints, sealant, and adhesives is expected to drive the global nano calcium carbonate market over the forecast period. The nano calcium carbonate is used to improve the properties of materials including plastics, adhesives, rubber, and sealants. The addition of nano calcium carbonate improves the weather resistance, heat resistance, impact resistance, and also the toughness and performance of the material under extreme temperature conditions. The use of nano-calcium carbonate in paints helps to control the rheological and the necessary mechanical properties of the cured material.A sample of this report is available upon request @The use of nano-calcium carbonate as additives in polymers and adhesives contributes in reducing the volume formulation cost and improving the final product quality, thereby fuelling the growth of global nano calcium carbonate market over the forecast period. In addition to this, the increase in labeling and packaging market, automotive, industrial, glass and ceramics industry is creating a high demand for printing inks. The nano calcium carbonate is used in printing ink to improve its quality. This calcium carbonate treated ink can replace the use of varnishes and oils. The growth in the demand for solvent ink, offset ink or lithographic ink is expected to drive the nano calcium carbonate market over the forecast period.The nano calcium carbonate is used in the inner tube of radial tire and butyl tube to improve the air tightness, stiffness, and reduce the cost of a rubber compound. The increasing demand for industrial rubber for tire industry as a cheap and efficient substitute of carbon black because of its superior chemical properties is expected to drive the global nano calcium carbonate market over the forecast period.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Nano Calcium Carbonate Market: SegmentationOn the Basis of Application, Nano Calcium Carbonate market is segmented into: Plastic, Paper, Adhesives and Sealants, Paints and Coatings, Others.Nano Calcium Carbonate Market: Region Wise OutlookThe global Nano Calcium Carbonate market is segmented into the seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). The APEJ region is expected to dominate the global nano calcium carbonate market over the forecast period. Rapid growth in industries including automotive, rubber, construction, paper, and manufacturing is expected to drive the nano calcium carbonate market in APEJ region over the forecast period.China is estimated to dominate the APEJ nano calcium carbonate market due to the increase in tire and rubber industry in this area. The growth in automotive production on account of rising demand for light and heavy commercial vehicles is expected to drive the North America nano calcium carbonate market over the forecast period.The growth in investment by the major manufacturing firms to set up new production sites in Eastern European countries including Romania, Poland, and the Czech Republic are expected to drive the nano calcium carbonate market in this area. The stringent regulations about pollution control and reduction are expected to fuel the growth of Western Europe nano calcium carbonate market over the forecast period.You can now buy a single user license of the report @Nano Calcium Carbonate Market: Key PlayersNano calcium carbonate market has several global operators, some of the major stakeholders among them include: Specialty Minerals Inc., Imerys Performance Minerals, Omya AG, Enping Yueyi Chemistry Industry Co. Ltd., Fujian Sanmu Nano Calcium Carbonate Co.,Ltd, Jia Dah Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd., Yuncheng Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd., Solvay S.A..About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Butadiene (Synthetic and Bio-based) Market - Latest Released Report and Forecast By 2023

Butadiene Market

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The global synthetic and bio-based butadiene market is prophesied to gain momentum from the common usage of butadiene as a monomer in the manufacture of several chemicals. One of the prominent usages of the key petrochemical product could be the manufacture of polymers such as synthetic rubbers, resins, and plastics. In multiple industrial applications, a vital butadiene isomer, 1, 3-butadiene could showcase an enormous scope. In the current scenario, bio-based butadiene is engaged as a means to curb the worldwide reliance on fossil fuels. Consequently, there could be a whole lot of room for success in the market for the coming years.Between 2015 and 2023, the global synthetic and bio-based butadiene market could rise a 4.9% CAGR on the revenue front. By the end of 2023, the market is prognosticated to achieve a valuation of nearly US$23.44 bn. In 2016, the market had attained a valuation of around US$16.66 bn.Obtain Report Details @Synthetic Butadiene Grabs Larger Share with Application in Derivatives Production, Automobile IndustryThe synthetic domain of the world synthetic and bio-based butadiene market is envisaged to bode well with a higher production rate in the foreseeable future. In the latest past, the synthetic market by product had drawn a significant share due to some reliable factors. As per the present status of the world market, synthetic butadiene could continue to secure a leading position until the final forecast year. Produced with the involvement of C4 feedstock mixtures, synthetic butadiene could be employed to generate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), styrene-butadiene (SB) rubber, SB latex, and other valuable derivatives. The automotive sector could engage a majority of these derivatives at a telling rate for manufacturing tires and other components.Nevertheless, bio-based butadiene could exhibit a strong boost in both production and demand in the near future. This is expected to be on account of tight standards set around the globe for the oil and gas sector. An increasing count of nations could align their operations with eco-friendly initiatives, which include reducing the consumption of fossil fuels and also their by-products. While bio-based butadiene could be pricier than the synthetic form, rising competition in the market is predicted to shrink the prices of products over the course of the forecast period.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Asia Pacific Continues to Repeat Past Success with Rapid Industrialization Increasing Synthetic Butadiene DemandIn view of regional analysis, the international synthetic and bio-based butadiene market could expect business prospects from regions such as Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America. Nearly half of the market share was secured by Asia Pacific in the recent past. Continuing with this lead, the emerging region is envisioned to demonstrate a gigantic growth in the demand for synthetic and bio-based butadiene. This could be owing to the aggressive industrialization rate witnessed in prime locations such as Southeast Asia and China. Although Asia Pacific could invite a high demand for both types of butadiene, the trend is anticipated to lean more toward the synthetic variant.On the other hand, Europe and North America could experience a fall in the demand for synthetic butadiene because of the reinforcement of regulatory governance over the application of petrochemicals. Meanwhile, there could be a host of opportunities prevailing in the Middle East and Africa market for synthetic and bio-based butadiene. The growth here is expected to take shape on the back of the surging demand in the automobile sector, subsequently improving the demand for automotive tires.The competitive landscape of the worldwide synthetic and bio-based butadiene market could mark the presence of fighting fit players such as Evonik Industries, BASF SE, and Eni S.p.A.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 insights for 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, TMR employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact Us:-Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog:
A Recent Study Says Liquid Pouch Packaging Market Will Make a Huge Impact in near Future!!

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The growing Chemicals and Advanced Materials industry has provided a major boost to the Global Liquid Pouch Packaging Market as more people are shifting their preferences to compact and lightweight Liquid Pouch Packaging carrying options. The Report covers major players are IMPAK, Swiss Pac, Ampac, Pack o Flex, Sampack Group, Filsilpek, Packman Industries, PouchTec Industries, Goglio Group, Bischof + Klein International. The Global Liquid Pouch Packaging Market report covers every aspect of the Market including statistics and key insights for the customers.Request Sample Copy for Global Liquid Pouch Packaging Market Research Report @In this report, the global Liquid Pouch Packaging 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 Liquid Pouch Packaging Market Research Report 2017 estimates the drivers, restraints, and opportunities pertaining to the global Liquid Pouch Packaging market over the timeframe of 2017-2022. Delivering the key insights pertaining to this industry, the report provides an in-depth analysis of the latest trends, present and future business scenario, market size and share, and commercialization potential of the Liquid Pouch Packaging industry over the coming five years.The industry is analyzed in terms of products, applications, regions, and the key manufacturers holding a prominent share of the global revenue.In terms of end-user or applications, the report is segmented into Industrial, Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverages, Homecare, Personal Care. A detailed analysis of the contribution of these application Segments to the overall market revenue and volume has been included in the report.The product landscape of the Liquid Pouch Packaging Market Polyester, Polyethylene, Polystyrene, Polypropylene, Aluminum. Each product has been analyzed in terms of its production, capacity, and consumption. The report further details the market share to be procured by each of these products over the coming years.Request Discount for Global Liquid Pouch Packaging Market Research Report @The regional segmentation of the report includes North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and India. Detailing the consumption and production rate of Liquid Pouch Packagings in these regions, the report outlines the growth curve of this industry in terms of market volume and share over 2017-2022.The competitive landscape of the Liquid Pouch Packaging market profiles the top players participating in the global business space. These are Mondi PLC, The DOW Chemical Company, Tetra Pak International, Smurfit Kappa, Weyerhaeuser Company. The report also details the market positioning, strategies, and revenue procured by each of these manufacturers.For More Info on Market Research @Related Reports: -Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Helium Market 2017 Forecast to 2022Helium is a chemical element with symbol He and atomic number 2. It is a rare atmospheric gas which is colorless, odorless, tasteless, nontoxic, nonflammable and only slightly soluble in water. The concentration of Helium in the atmosphere by volume percent is 5.24 x 10-4. Its boiling points and melting points are the lowest among all the elements and it exists only as a gas except in extremely cold conditions.MarketSizeForecasters.com, a Skyline Market Research LLP brand, is an online aggregator of market research reports. MarketSizeForecasters.com offers a comprehensive collection of full length reports on global and regional markets in 100+ industry verticals. We have partnered with some of the leading business and market research publishing houses and regularly update our online library to offer wide range of reports to our customers.Market Size ForecastersThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketsizeforecasters.comWebsite:News:
Native Whey Protein Market Size 2017-2022: Firmus, Leprino Foods, Lactalis Ingredients, Fonterra

Native Whey Protein

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Native Whey Protein Market Research 2017A market study  Global Native Whey Protein Market  examines the performance of the Native Whey Protein market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Native Whey Protein market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Native Whey Protein market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Native Whey Protein Market 2017 report includes Native Whey Protein market Revenue, market Share, Native Whey Protein industry volume, market Trends, Native Whey Protein Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Native Whey Protein Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Native Whey Protein Market 2017 :Lactalis IngredientsIngredia SAReflex NutritionOmega Protein CorporationMILEI GmbHFonterraFriesiandcampinaFirmusCarberyAgropur IncLeprino FoodsNative Whey Protein Market : By ApplicationFoodBeveragesPharmaceuticalsNative Whey Protein Market : By TypeConcentrate FormIsolate FormFirstly, the report covers the top Native Whey Protein manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Native Whey Protein report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Native Whey Protein industry, Native Whey Protein industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Native Whey Protein Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Native Whey Protein 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 Native Whey Protein market revenue worldwide.Finally, Native Whey Protein 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
Rapid Advancements will boost Automotive Electric System Market Size Further

Automotive Electric System Market

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The Automotive Electric System Market Research Report Forecast 2017-2022 is a valuable source of insightful data for business strategists. It provides the Automotive Electric System industry overview with growth analysis and historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data (as applicable). The research analysts provide an elaborate description of the value chain and its distributor analysis.For this report, the Automotive Electric System market value is provided for 2016 in USD millions, an expected CAGR % as well as USD million worth of industry in 2022. Regionally, the globe is segmented into United States, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia and India to study their market size and local analysis. End user applications of Automotive Electric System market covering Passenger Car, Commercial Vehicle and Other are studied in this research. Share of Automotive Electric System market is covered by applications as well supported with potential applications in the future.Buy the complete Automotive Electric System report with Comprehensive table of contents @The research methodology used to estimate and forecast the Automotive Electric System market involves a primary and a secondary research. A systematic procedure has been used to arrive at the global size of the Automotive Electric System market and present revenue of key players in the market. Accurate data has been collected by conducting extensive interviews with people holding key decision making positions in the industry such as CEOs, VPs, directors, and executives.Inquire for discount for this report @Industry chain analysis covering upstream raw materials and equipments of Automotive Electric System market, their suppliers' information as well as analysis of downstream major consumers for Automotive Electric System is provided to understand the complete industry chain structure.Overall market analyzed in this report is divided by regions, types and manufacturers/companies. The research estimates 2017-2022 Automotive Electric System market development trends covering capacity, production and revenue forecasts as well as regional supply consumption forecasts.Towards the end, this report includes a feasibility analysis of New Project Investment covering SWOT analysis of Automotive Electric System OR marketing strategy analysis and market effect factor analysis. Overall, the report provides factual insights collected and analyzed with detailed primary and secondary research on Automotive Electric System market.The research compiles profiles of small and big Automotive Electric System market companies covering their product details as well as important statistics on production, capacity, price and more. These active companies' numbers are supported with information on marketing traders and/or distributors of the Automotive Electric System industry along with their contact information. This data gives valuable industry insights and direction to individuals and/or companies that are new entrants, eyeing to enter or grow in the Automotive Electric System market. Some of the Key vendors profiled in this research include:Robert Bosch GmbHDenso Corp.Lear Corp.Delphi Automotive PLCValeo SASumitomo Electric IndustriesHitachi Automotive SystemsMitsubishi Electric Corp.Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbHNSKEberspaecher Holding GmbHDraexlmaier GroupNexteer AutomotiveStanley Electric Co.Sumitomo Electric IndustriesPartial list of Tables and Figures for this report include:Figure Global Market Automotive Electric System Average Price (USD/Unit) of Key Manufacturers in 2016Table Manufacturers Automotive Electric System Manufacturing Base Distribution and Sales AreaTable Manufacturers Automotive Electric System Product CategoryFigure Automotive Electric System Market Share of Top 3 ManufacturersFigure Automotive Electric System Market Share of Top 5 ManufacturersTable Global Automotive Electric System Capacity (K Units) by Region (2012-2017)Figure Global Automotive Electric System Capacity Market Share by Region (2012-2017)Figure Global Automotive Electric System Capacity Market Share by Region (2012-2017)Figure 2016 Global Automotive Electric System Capacity Market Share by RegionTable Global Automotive Electric System Production by Region (2012-2017)Figure Global Automotive Electric System Production (K Units) by Region (2012-2017)Figure Global Automotive Electric System Production Market Share by Region (2012-2017)Figure 2016 Global Automotive Electric System Production Market Share by RegionTable Global Automotive Electric System Revenue (Million USD) by Region (2012-2017)About Us:eMarketOrg.com aims to provide businesses and organizations market intelligence products and services that help in making smart, instant and crucial decisions. Our database offers access to insights from industry leaders, experts and influencers on global and regional sectors, market trends, user behaviour, for companies as well as products. With data and information from reputable and trusted private and public sources, our clients are never short of statistics and analysis that are up to date.Contact Details:Ronald Aldensales@emarketorg.cominfo@emarketorg.comeMarketOrg.com aims to provide businesses and organizations market intelligence products and services that help in making smart, instant and crucial decisions. Our database offers access to insights from industry leaders, experts and influencers on global and regional sectors, market trends, user behaviour, for companies as well as products. With data and information from reputable and trusted private and public sources, our clients are never short of statistics and analysis that are up to date.Starting with market research reports, eMarketOrg.com plans to add conferences, knowledge products, which can be periodically subscribed to, and more to its range of business offerings. Spread across the globe, our network of partners, in collaboration with our service specialists, ensure that our clients receive the right product, service and/or solution that meet their requirements in convenient timelines and within comfortable budgets that neither go underutilized nor dig a big hole into their monthly, quarterly and/or yearly spends.Get in touch with us to experience a new one-stop market intelligence and business service.F/3, 4A Bharat Pushpa Apt.,Subhash Nagar, Shukrawar Peth,Pune  411002
Natural Vitamin E Market Size 2017-2022: Zhejiang NHU, DSM, Zhejiang Medicine, BASF

Natural Vitamin E

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Natural Vitamin E Market Research 2017A market study  Global Natural Vitamin E Market  examines the performance of the Natural Vitamin E market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Natural Vitamin E market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Natural Vitamin E market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Natural Vitamin E Market 2017 report includes Natural Vitamin E market Revenue, market Share, Natural Vitamin E industry volume, market Trends, Natural Vitamin E Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Natural Vitamin E Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Natural Vitamin E Market 2017 :DSMBASFZhejiang MedicineZhejiang NHUPKUCare Southwest PharmaceuticalsNatural Vitamin E Market : By ApplicationMedicalIndustryNatural Vitamin E Market : By TypeIndustrial GradePharmaceutical GradeFirstly, the report covers the top Natural Vitamin E manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Natural Vitamin E report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Natural Vitamin E industry, Natural Vitamin E industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Natural Vitamin E Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Natural Vitamin E 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 Vitamin E market revenue worldwide.Finally, Natural Vitamin E 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
The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest released a draft decision Monday for a major forestry project west and south of Helena.

The Ten Mile-South Helena Project covers more than 61,000 acres from Helenas South Hills to the Continental Divide. The project proposes timber harvest and prescribed burns focused on wildfire protection, improving trail maintenance and protecting infrastructure for Helenas water supply.

The Forest Service proposed the project in 2014 after the agency prevailed in litigation over the Red Mountain Flume/Chessman Reservoir Project. That project also focused on protecting water supply infrastructure but saw criticism from wildlife advocates due to concerns over logging.

Similar criticism has already been lodged at the Ten Mile-South Helena Project, along with concerns about work in roadless areas and cumulative impacts from the nearby Telegraph Vegetation Project near Elliston.

The project has seen a great deal of support as well, with some encouraging the agency to expand the project and provide increased buffering near homes.

The Forest Service released a fourth alternative for the project last November -- an alternative the agency released as its draft decision Monday, along with a final environmental impact statement.

Timber harvest and prescribed fire affect species differently, increasing habitat for some animals while reducing it for others, both for the short and long term, Forest Service biologist Denise Pengeroth said last year.

Because of the pervasive influence of the mountain pine beetle epidemic, which has coursed through Helena National Forest pine forests since 2006, forest conditions -- and wildlife habitat -- in the project area and throughout much of the surrounding landscape are atypical of what has been the norm over the past several decades, she said.

Conservation groups have been somewhat split over the project.

The Montana Wilderness Association was encouraged by changes the Forest Service made, particularly scaling back work in inventoried roadless areas.

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers showed concern as well about losing cover for elk and other wildlife, and conservation director Greg Munther was also skeptical of the effectiveness of much of the fuels reduction work in reducing wildfire risk.

The project now moves into an objection process, where those who submitted public comments may go before a hearing officer to request additional changes. Objectors have 45 days to file objections.

More information about the Ten Mile-South Helena Project is available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=45725.
Overwrapping Machines Market Size 2017-2022: Aetnagroup SpA, Platinum Package Group, Sollas Holland BV

Overwrapping Machines

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Overwrapping Machines Market Research 2017A market study  Global Overwrapping Machines Market  examines the performance of the Overwrapping Machines market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Overwrapping Machines market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Overwrapping Machines market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Overwrapping Machines Market 2017 report includes Overwrapping Machines market Revenue, market Share, Overwrapping Machines industry volume, market Trends, Overwrapping Machines Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Overwrapping Machines Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Overwrapping Machines Market 2017 :Sollas Holland BVMarden Edwards LtdAetnagroup SpAIMA Industria Machine Automatiche SpACHIE MEI ENTERPRISE COLTDPlatinum Package GroupKRA-PACKMAT Maschinenbau GmbHOverwrapping Machines Market : By ApplicationConsumer GoodsMedicalFood & BeverageApparelOverwrapping Machines Market : By TypeCase Packaging Overwrapping MachinesFilm Packaging Overwrapping MachinesCartons Packaging Overwrapping MachinesBags Packaging Overwrapping MachinesCans Packaging Overwrapping MachinesFirstly, the report covers the top Overwrapping Machines manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Overwrapping Machines report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Overwrapping Machines industry, Overwrapping Machines industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Overwrapping Machines Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Overwrapping Machines 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 Overwrapping Machines market revenue worldwide.Finally, Overwrapping Machines market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Sexual Wellness Market to grow at a CAGR of 6.89% during 2017-2021 - Ansell, Church & Dwight, Reckitt Benckiser, Doc Johnson

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Sexual health or wellness refers to the state of physical, mental, and emotional well-being related to sexuality. Products that enhance safe, healthy, and pleasurable sexual experiences include sensual lingerie, contraceptives, condoms, lubricants, sex toys, costumes, accessories, oils, and herbal supplements. These products are entering the mainstream market, which is getting bigger every year due to their growing acceptance.The global sexual wellness market to grow at a CAGR of 6.89% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global sexual wellness market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the retail sales of products in the market.Click to get sample PDF with TOC:The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- EMEATechnavios report, Global Sexual Wellness Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Browse more details at:Key vendors- Ansell- Church & Dwight- Reckitt Benckiser- Doc JohnsonOther prominent vendors- Adam & Eve- Beate Uhse- Bijoux Indiscrets- BMS Factory- California Exotic Novelties- Caya- Diamond Products- Fuji Latex- Good Clean Love- Orient Industry- Intimate Organics- LELO- Liberator- Lovehoney- Leading Edge Health- OhMiBod- Sagami Rubber Industries- TENGA- The Female Health Company- The Yes Yes Company- Ann Summers- Pure RomanceKey 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 Galvanized Steel Wire Market 2017- Zhida, Hongli, Yili, TianYang, Antong

Global Galvanized Steel Wire Market

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Global Galvanized Steel Wire Market 2017, presents a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Galvanized Steel Wire Market globally, providing basic overview of Galvanized Steel Wire Market including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. Historical data available in the report elaborates on the development of the Galvanized Steel Wire Market on a global and regional level. The report compares this data with the current Galvanized Steel Wire state of the market and thus discuss upon the upcoming trends that have brought the Galvanized Steel Wire Market transformation.Galvanized Steel Wire Market predictions along with the statistical implication presented in the report delivers an accurate scenario of the Galvanized Steel Wire Market. The market forces determining the shaping of the global Galvanized Steel Wire Market have been evaluated in detail. In addition to this, the supervisory outlook of the Galvanized Steel Wire Market has been covered in the report from both the Global and local perspective. The demand and supply side of the global Galvanized Steel Wire Market has been broadly covered in the report. Also the challenges faced by the players in the Galvanized Steel Wire Market in terms of demand and supply have been listed in the report.Enquire before purchasing the report here:In Global Galvanized Steel Wire Market report, development policies and plans as well as Galvanized Steel Wire Market size, share, end users are analyzed. Growth prospects of the overall Galvanized Steel Wire industry have been presented in the report. This industry study segments Galvanized Steel Wire global market by types, applications and companies. However, to give an in-depth view to the readers, detailed geographical segmentation of Galvanized Steel Wire Market within the globe has been covered in this study. The key geographical regions along with Galvanized Steel Wire revenue forecasts are included in the report.Global Galvanized Steel Wire Market Segmentation:The global Galvanized Steel Wire Market is segmented on the basis of key players, types and applications. The leading players of global Galvanized Steel Wire Market includes TianYang, King Steel Corporation, Artsons, HF-WIRE, Shanxi Broadwire, Yicheng, Yili, Zhida, Hongli, Hua Yuan, Seal Wire, TianZe, Davis and Antong.Based on type, the Galvanized Steel Wire Market is categorized into Electro-galvanizing Steel wire and Hot-dip galvanized steel wire. According to application, Galvanized Steel Wire Market divided into Bridge and Power distribution network.Request Sample Galvanized Steel Wire Research Report atGlobal Galvanized Steel Wire Market regional analysis covers:The industry research presents Galvanized Steel Wire Market in North America mainly covers USA, Canada and Mexico. Galvanized Steel Wire Market in Asia-Pacific region cover-up China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia. Galvanized Steel Wire Market in Europe combines Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy. Galvanized Steel Wire Market in South America includes Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc. Galvanized Steel Wire Market in Middle East and Africa incorporates Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa.The competitive framework of the market in terms of the Global Galvanized Steel Wire industry has been evaluated in the report. The Galvanized Steel Wire Market top companies with their overall share and share with respect to the global market have been included in the Galvanized Steel Wire report. Furthermore, the factors on which the companies compete in the global Galvanized Steel Wire Market have been evaluated in the report. So the overall report helps the new aspirants to inspect the forthcoming opportunities in the Galvanized Steel Wire Market.Browse more category related reports here: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:
Polyimide Membrane Market Size 2017-2022: Wanda Cable, Mingda, Meixin, Kaneka, Shengyuan, Huaqiang

Polyimide Membrane

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Polyimide Membrane Market Research 2017A market study  Global Polyimide Membrane Market  examines the performance of the Polyimide Membrane market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Polyimide Membrane market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Polyimide Membrane market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Polyimide Membrane Market 2017 report includes Polyimide Membrane market Revenue, market Share, Polyimide Membrane industry volume, market Trends, Polyimide Membrane Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Polyimide Membrane Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Polyimide Membrane Market 2017 :DuPontKanekaSKC KolonUBETaimideMGCSaint-GobainArakawa ChemRayitekHuajingShengyuanTianyuanHuaqiangYabaoKyingMingdaYundaTianhua TechWanda CableMeixinPolyimide Membrane Market : By ApplicationMechanical PartsElectronic PartsElectrical InsulationPressure Sensitive TapePolyimide Membrane Market : By TypeBoth BenzenoidBiphenyl Polyimide MembraneFirstly, the report covers the top Polyimide Membrane manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Polyimide Membrane report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Polyimide Membrane industry, Polyimide Membrane industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Polyimide Membrane Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Polyimide Membrane 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 Polyimide Membrane market revenue worldwide.Finally, Polyimide Membrane 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
Belarus Blockchain Conference 2017

Belarus Blockchain Conference 2017

Belarus Blockchain Conference 2017October 26th, 2017 | MINSK, BELARUSWe are delighted to announce that Belarus Blockchain Conference 2017 will be held in Minsk, Belarus on October 26th 2017.The Belarus Blockchain Conference 2017 is the first full scale conference dedicated to Blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies and ICO in Belarus. It will bring together the brightest industry representatives and well-known local and international Blockchain experts, who will share their vision of blockchain and cryptocurrencies development in Belarus and the world, and discuss blockchain and cryptocurrency use cases, the regulatory environment, technology hurdles and opportunities in innovation and disruption that can be leveraged using this technology.A special guest and keynote speaker is a founder and director of Bitcoin Center NYC, founder of Blockchain Tech Corp, A Mister New York Bitcoin - NICK SPANOS.PLEASE BE ADVISED that The Belarus Blockchain Conference 2017 is a unique marketing opportunity for your company to support business relations and to increase your company's exposure within the Belarussian, Russian, Ukrainian, Chinese and the USA business communities. Sponsor this event and your company will reach not only to the conference attendees but also to the thousands of people emailed and sent out through our listings in the major Belarussian newspapers. This Conference will be televised to both in the Belarus and worldwide.Please email us at help@belarusconference.com for more information on registration, tickets, and sponsorship opportunities.Acumira is a New York based company aimed at promoting sustainable economic and social development through organization of thematic conferences and meet ups in the United States and around the globe. Our team includes professionals and SME with over 20 years of experience in the conference industry, business development, PR and communication.Upcoming event:Belarus Blockchain Conference 2017October 26th, 2017Minsk, BelarusP.O. Box 90591New York, NY 10309Tel: 612-554-4921, 646-745-5003Email: team@acumira.comAcumira.comBelarusconference.com
North America Infrared Spectroscopy Market Factors Responsible for Driving and Restraining the Growth and Opportunities 2024

North America Infrared Spectroscopy Market  Trends and Forecast to 2024

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Data Bridge Market Research provides new industry report "North America IR Spectroscopy Market" is expected to reach USD 599.9 billion by 2024 from USD 308.5 billion in 2016, at a CAGR of 8.7% in the forecast period 2017 to 2024."North America Infrared Spectroscopy Market" Report, By Product Type (Benchtop IR Spectroscope, IR Microscopy, Portable IR Spectroscope, Hyphenated IR Spectroscope, Terahertz IR Spectroscope), By Spectrum (Near Infrared, Far Infrared, Mid Infrared), By Applications (Pharma and Biotech, Food and Beverages, Environmental Testing, Academics, Security, Industrial, Petrochemicals), By Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico)  Trends and Forecast to 2024Ask for Sample Report Visit @Some of the major factors driving the growth of market for IR spectroscopy are Increasing quality control, Increasing forensic analysis, rise in R&D investments in life sciences, increasing shipment of IR spectroscopy devices and technological advancement.North America Infrared Spectroscopy Market  Major Market Drivers and Restraints: Pharmaceutical companies look for better reproducibility, ease of operation, and computerized results, which are obtained through technological advancements in instruments. NIR spectroscopy is one of the proven & accepted methods of food testing and analysis The growth in R&D spending is likely to increase the application horizon of molecular spectroscopy instruments.North America Infrared Spectroscopy Market Segmentation:The North America IR Spectroscopy market is segmented based on product type, spectrum, application and region.Speak to Analyst Visit @Based on product types the IR spectroscopy instruments market segment is sub-segmented into benchtop, infrared microscopy, portable, hyphenated and terahertz IR spectroscopy. In 2017, benchtop IR spectroscopy market segment is expected to dominate the market.Based on product types the IR spectroscopy accessories market segment is sub-segmented into ATR accessories, liquid cells, diffuse & specular reflectance accessories, gas cells and others.On the basis of spectrum, the North America IR spectroscopy market is sub-segmented into Near IR, Far IR, and Mid IR.On the basis of application, the North America IR spectroscopy market is sub-segmented into pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, food & beverages, environmental testing, academics, security, industrial and petrochemical.North America Infrared Spectroscopy Market  Competitive Analysis:Some of the major factors driving the growth of market for IR spectroscopy areincreasing food safety concern, increasing life science R&D spending, and technological advancement. Spectroscopy has grown exponentially in terms of accuracy and sensitivity and has witnessed the launch of many new products with improved features.Read more about North America Infrared Spectroscopy Market Report Visit @North America Infrared Spectroscopy Market  Major Market Competitors:Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. is going to dominate the IR spectroscopy market following with The ABB Group, Teraview Ltd, Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, Agilent Technologies, BaySpec, Inc., HORIBA, Ltd. , Spectra Analysis Instruments Inc, Avantes, Bruker Corporation, Carl Zeiss Spectroscopy GMBH, Galaxy Scientific, Gasera, Ibsen Photonics, EMD Millipore Corporation, PerkinElmer Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Viavi Foss, Jasco Inc., Princeton Instruments, Pike Technologies, Harrick Scientific Products Inc, Specac Limited, Kaplan Scientific, Cole-Parmer Instrument Company, LLC., art photonics GmbH, and California Analytical Instruments, Inc. among many others.Related ReportGlobal Medical Aesthetics Market  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Global Medical Aesthetic Market, By Product Type (Aesthetic Laser Devices, Energy Devices, Skin Tightening and Body Contouring Devices, Aesthetic Implants, Facial Aesthetic Devices), By Applications (Anti Aging and Wrinkles, Facial & Skin Rejuvenation, Vascular Lesions, Body shaping & cellulite, Breast Enhancement, Scars, Pigment Lesions, Reconstructive Surgery, Tattoo Removal, Hair Removal, Psoriasis & Vitilgo, Skin Surgery, Skin Tightening), By End-User (Hospitals , Dermatology Clinics, Cosmetic Centers, Medical Spas & Beauty Center), By Distribution Channel (Direct Tenders, Retail), By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Report Access:About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Researchset forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor: investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit Blog:Follow us on LinkedIn:Data Bridge is an organization lead by well versed forecasters, analysts and researchers who indulge in detailed and diligent research on different markets, trends and emerging opportunities in the successive direction to cater to your business needs. Data Bridge aims to make your organization well acquainted with profound knowledge of the global and local market statistics.Office Number 317,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road, HadapsarPune  411028Maharashtra, India
Global HIV Diagnosis Market Strategy, Brand Strategy, Target Client and Forecast 2024

Global HIV Diagnosis Market- Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024

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Data Bridge Market Research provides new industry report "HIV diagnosis market" accounted to USD 2.25 billion in 2016 growing at a CAGR of 10.4% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024.Global HIV Diagnosis Market" Report, By Product Type (Consumables, Assay, Kits, and Reagents, Other Consumables, Instruments, Software and Services), By Test Type (Antibody (ELISA, Rapid, Western Blot), Viral Load, CD4 Count, Early Infant, Viral Identification, Product (Assay, Kit, Reagent, Instrument, Software, Services), By End-Users (Diagnostic Laboratories, Hospitals, Research Institutes, Others), By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa)- Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Ask for Sample Report Visit @HIV diagnosis is used for the diagnosis of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which is retrovirus that attacks the immune system of humans and weakens the persons defense system against infections.Global HIV Diagnosis Market  Major Market Drivers and Restraints: Increasing healthcare expenditure on HIV Increasing prevalence of HIV/AIDS Increasing number of blood transfusions and blood donations Government Initiatives Growing technological advancement Strict regulatory scenarioGlobal HIV Diagnosis Market Segmentation:By product type the HIV diagnosis market is segmented into Consumables, Assay, Kits, and Reagents, Other Consumables, Instruments, Software and Services.Speak to Analyst Visit @By test type the HIV diagnosis market is segmented into Antibody Tests, Viral Load, CD4 Count, Early Infant, viral Identification. Antibody Tests is further segmented into ELISA, Rapid, and Western Blot.By product the HIV diagnosis market is segmented into Assay, Kit, Reagent, Instrument, Software, Services.On the basis of end-users the HIV diagnosis market is segmented into Diagnostic Laboratories, Hospitals, Research Institutes, Others.On the basis of geography, HIV diagnosis market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as North America & South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others. In 2017, North America is expected to dominate the market.Global HIV Diagnosis Market  Competitive Analysis:The HIV diagnosis market is highly fragmented and is based on new product launches and clinical results of products. Hence the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, clinical trials, market initiatives, high expense on research and development, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of HIV diagnosis market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.Read more about Global HIV Diagnosis Market Report Visit @Global HIV Diagnosis Market  Major Market Competitors:Some of the major players operating in HIV diagnosis market are Siemens AG, Roche Diagnostics, Abbott Laboratories, Danaher Corporation, Thermo-Fisher Scientific Inc., Merck KGaA, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Hologic, Inc., AlereInc, and Bio-Rad Laboratories. among othersRelated ReportGlobal Medical Aesthetics Market  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Global Medical Aesthetic Market, By Product Type (Aesthetic Laser Devices, Energy Devices, Skin Tightening and Body Contouring Devices, Aesthetic Implants, Facial Aesthetic Devices), By Applications (Anti Aging and Wrinkles, Facial & Skin Rejuvenation, Vascular Lesions, Body shaping & cellulite, Breast Enhancement, Scars, Pigment Lesions, Reconstructive Surgery, Tattoo Removal, Hair Removal, Psoriasis & Vitilgo, Skin Surgery, Skin Tightening), By End-User (Hospitals , Dermatology Clinics, Cosmetic Centers, Medical Spas & Beauty Center), By Distribution Channel (Direct Tenders, Retail), By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Report Access:About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor: investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit Blog:Follow us on LinkedIn:Data Bridge is an organization lead by well versed forecasters, analysts and researchers who indulge in detailed and diligent research on different markets, trends and emerging opportunities in the successive direction to cater to your business needs. Data Bridge aims to make your organization well acquainted with profound knowledge of the global and local market statistics.Office Number 317,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road, HadapsarPune  411028Maharashtra, India
Paraffin Inhibitors Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2017-2027

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Paraffin inhibitors are polymers used to prevent the precipitation of paraffin from oil. Crude oil paraffin inhibitors alter the shape and size of wax crystals, thereby keeping them dispersed and preventing them from adhering to the surface. Deposition of paraffin, which happens naturally in crude oil, can pose serious challenges during production, transportation and storage. A number of factors affect the precipitation of paraffin, some of them include temperature, cooling rate of the storage tanks and pipelines, etc. Paraffin inhibitors are essentially chemicals that prevent the deposition of paraffin in storage tanks and pipelines and prevent paraffin induced blockage. Paraffin inhibitors can be used for different varieties of crude oil. The particles remain dispersed and are flown back into the oil. The wastage, thus, is minimized and the additional waste disposal cost is also saved. It is because all of these benefits that paraffin inhibitors offer, it is anticipated that the paraffin inhibitors market will expand at a significant CAGR over the forecast period.Global Paraffin Inhibitors Market DynamicsGlobal Paraffin Inhibitors Market DriversThere is an increasing need to improve the flow of crude oil flow preventing blockages and reducing the wastage of oil caused due to deposition of paraffin from oil and this is one of the prime factors driving the paraffin inhibitors market. Moreover, the downtime for the flow of oil can also be reduced with the help of these inhibitors. With increase in oil exploration and production activities worldwide, the global paraffin inhibitors market is foreseen to remain lucrative over the span of next 10 years. The use of paraffin inhibitors has led to decrease in energy costs and has also managed to reduce the wear and tear of equipment. Moreover, paraffin inhibitors also prevent the deposition of sludge at the bottom of the tank. Thus, the use of paraffin inhibitors reduces operational issues and maximizes hydrocarbon production. All of these factors are expected to affect the market positively in years to come.Request Report Sample@Global Paraffin Inhibitors Market RestraintsThe time of application of paraffin inhibitors plays a very crucial role. If paraffin inhibitors are added before the oil is cooled to a particular temperature, the paraffin inhibitors induce the formation of agglomerates as the stability of the colloidal solution is disturbed. Thus, due to technicalities and complexities associated with application, the market is growing at a steady rate. Moreover, in regions such as Asia Pacific, the lack of awareness is a major factor restraining the growth of the market in the regionGlobal Paraffin Inhibitors Market TrendsThe manufacturers have managed to develop such paraffin inhibitors that can work at low temperature conditions like subsea umbilical and cold climates. Efforts are being made to produce such paraffin inhibitors that can prevent deposition under extreme environmental conditions.Global Paraffin Inhibitors Market SegmentationThe global market for paraffin inhibitors can be segmented on the basis of application and region.On the basis of application the global paraffin inhibitors market can be segmented into:Exploration and drillingStorageTransportation(Pipelines)Global Paraffin Inhibitors Market Regional OutlookNorth America holds a major share in the global paraffin inhibitors market and is anticipated to remain dominant over the forecast period, 2016-2026. This can be attributed to increasing technological advancements and development of unconventional methods for the production of oil which has shown rising demand for paraffin inhibitors. Western Europe also holds a significant share in the global paraffin inhibitors market. Asia Pacific and Japan are anticipated to expand at a moderate CAGR over the forecast period. Middle East and Africa is expected to expand at a significant CAGR owing to the large oil and petrochemical base industries in the region.Visit For TOC@Global Paraffin Inhibitors Market ParticipantsSome of the market participants identified across the value chain of the global paraffin inhibitors market are: BASF SE, NALCO, Halliburton, Evonik Industries AG, Croda International Plc, Schlumberger Limited, Baker Hughes Incorporated, GE Corporation, Clariant, AkzoNobel N.V, Zirax Limited, Refinery Specialties, Inc., Dorf ketal Chemicals.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 Plant Asset Management Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 : Emerson Electric, Honeywell, Rockwell Automation, Siemens

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Plant Asset Management Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.The market research reports on the global Plant Asset Management market puts special focus on the various segments of this market with all the significant statistics. The main motive of this report is to present its readers with relevant and useful information on the Plant Asset Management market for the opportunities present in the market. The report covers various aspects pertaining to the growth of the overall market along with growth of various segments. The research study offers a detailed outline of the Plant Asset Management market comprising with explanation of the prime trends, which are more likely to influence the growth of the market in the coming future. The factors have been well researched and has used both primary and secondary sources to present reliable data.This report studies the global Plant Asset Management market, analyzes and researches the Plant Asset Management development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeABBEmerson ElectricHoneywellRockwell AutomationSiemensApplied MaterialsDassault SystemesGE EnergyHitachiIBMPetrofacSAPSchneider ElectricYokogawaGet complimentary Research Summary Of The Report:This report sheds light upon the industrial and production chains of the Plant Asset Management market. This helps in generating statistics and accurate data on multiple factors such as revenue earned, volume sold, production capacity, and production and distribution structure. Most reliable analytical tools have been employed for data gathering, to help players understand the positive and negative impacts of several factors on the structure of the Plant Asset Management market in the coming years.Furthermore, this study provides overall examination of the key regions lucrative to the growth of the Plant Asset Management market. For every specified region, this study provides the historical data of the market growth and allows vendors to draw conclusions, which can ensure their success in the coming years. Profiles of various players operating in the Plant Asset Management market to give readers the perception of these players on this market.Table of ContentsGlobal Plant Asset Management Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Plant Asset Management1.1 Plant Asset Management Market Overview1.1.1 Plant Asset Management Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Plant Asset Management Market Size and Analysis by Regions2 Global Plant Asset Management Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Plant Asset Management 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 FutureInterested in report, Please follow the below the links to meet your requirements:3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 ABB3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Plant Asset Management Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Emerson Electric4 Global Plant Asset Management Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Plant Asset Management Market Size by Type (2012-2017)4.2 Global Plant Asset Management Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Potential Application of Plant Asset Management in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Plant Asset Management5 United States Plant Asset Management Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Plant Asset Management Market Size (2012-2017)5.2 United States Plant Asset Management Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)Request A Discount on This report @List of Tables and FiguresFigure Plant Asset Management Product ScopeFigure Global Plant Asset Management Market Size (Million USD) (2012-2017)Table Global Plant Asset Management Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Global Plant Asset Management Market Share by Regions in 2016Figure United States Plant Asset Management Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure EU Plant Asset Management Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Japan Plant Asset Management Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure China Plant Asset Management Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure India Plant Asset Management Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Southeast Asia Plant Asset Management Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Bottled Iced Tea Market Research, Comparisons & Reviews 2017 - Lipton, Uni-President Group, TingHsin Group, Nestle

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Bottled Iced Tea Market Research Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.The examination uncovered here chronicles a lot of factors in observance with the general Bottled Iced Tea market which conveys the present and future desires concerning the dynamically changing forces at play. The basic factor behind the examination is to offer readers with a wide idea of the market and make open the prominent data and records. The specific investigative examination past showing data on issues, for example, drivers, limitations, and projections to research the repercussions of the general Bottled Iced Tea market through indicated length in the report. The examination effectively highlights a brief and world class record of the predefined show, which melds a few occasions of the affirmed focuses at work that are concentrated to trigger movement in the market or may cause any negative effect.Global Bottled Iced Tea market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingLiptonUni-President GroupTingHsin GroupNestleWahahaSTEAZStarbucks CorporationInko's TeaTejavaArizona Beverage CompanyAdagio TeasFor more info, get a Sample PDF with TOC:This report additionally stations into the general Bottled Iced Tea market by demandingly looking over the pass on and industrialized chain of the continuing on business division. This is required to what's more guide in offering capable information and data on compound parts of the appropriate market, for example, material relating to frameworks for the party in the regular and general strata, pass on and transmission structure, creation compel, mass sold, and great conditions gotten for the contributed mean.The report utilizes two or three demonstrated involved examination and complete operational equipment of the business. They enable the response to retain an uncovered basic evaluation of the general Bottled Iced Tea market and help endorser and market troupes to be told with respect to hypothesis and business conclusions. The broad depiction of the report's framework offers a market position on an unmistakable and minute scale. It maddens essential and optional research frameworks in this way. The masters have separated the present situation of the market and created it from the forward and in reverse advancement indicate condition to plot a strategy for the general Bottled Iced Tea market in future years.Table of ContentsGlobal Bottled Iced Tea Market Research Report 20171 Bottled Iced Tea Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Bottled Iced Tea1.2 Bottled Iced Tea Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Bottled Iced Tea Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Bottled Iced Tea Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2016To Browse a Full Report with TOC:2 Global Bottled Iced Tea Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Bottled Iced Tea Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Bottled Iced Tea Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Bottled Iced Tea Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Bottled Iced Tea Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Bottled Iced Tea Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)3 Global Bottled Iced Tea Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Bottled Iced Tea Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Bottled Iced Tea Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Bottled Iced Tea Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Bottled Iced Tea Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 North America Bottled Iced Tea Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Bottled Iced Tea Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Bottled Iced Tea Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 North America Bottled Iced Tea Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Bottled Iced Tea Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Bottled Iced Tea Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)To Get Discount Of This Report Click here @List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Bottled Iced TeaFigure Global Bottled Iced Tea Production (K Units) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2012-2022)Figure Global Bottled Iced Tea Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2016Figure Product Picture of BlackFigure Japan Bottled Iced Tea Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Southeast Asia Bottled Iced Tea Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure India Bottled Iced Tea Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Global Bottled Iced Tea Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Figure Global Bottled Iced Tea Capacity, Production (K Units) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Figure Global Bottled Iced Tea Major Players Product Capacity (K Units) (2012-2017)Table Global Bottled Iced Tea Capacity (K Units) of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)Table Global Bottled Iced Tea Capacity Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Aluminum Sulfate Market to Partake Significant Development During 2017-2025

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Aluminum Sulfate Market: Market DynamicsAn increase in research activity to find cures for diseases has led to increased consumption of Aluminum Sulfate. For instance, Aluminum Sulfate is now used in medicines to cure Atopic Dermatitis and Interigo. Thus, it is anticipated that any increase in the usage of medicines containing Aluminum Sulfate will drive the market.Rapidly growing population is also increasing the demand for healthy crops, which in turn, is putting pressure on the agriculture industry. To grow healthy crops, healthy soil conditions are required. Acidic soil can be made healthy by adding Aluminum Sulphate to it as Aluminium Sulphate helps to balance the pH of soil, thereby making it productive for the crops. Thus, is it slated that the above stated reason will cause an increment in the consumption of Aluminum Sulphate, leading to growth in the Aluminum Sulphate market.That apart, due to the wide applications of Aluminum Sulfate in various industries, such as mining, chemicals, construction, food & beverages, etc. it is anticipated that the Aluminum Sulfate market will witness some acceleration in coming years.Aluminum Sulfate Market: Regional OutlookEurope is anticipated to witness significant growth in the Aluminum Sulphate market as the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) has gathered approximately 900 paper mills which produce paper, pulp, cardboard and various other products. As Aluminum Sulphate is used in the manufacturing process of paper and pulp, this will lead to the growth of Aluminum Sulphate market during the forecast period.The Asia Pacific region including India, China, Indonesia and Malaysia and excluding Japan is expected to witness a huge increase in demand for Aluminum Sulfate due to an increase in the number of water treatment plants (which use aluminium sulphate) and stringent regulations by the Governments to provide clean and safe drinking water.Latin America is anticipated to witness stable growth in the Aluminum Sulfate Market.Request for more detailed information (TOC And Sample):Aluminum Sulfate Market: Key ParticipantsExamples of some of the key participants in the Aluminum Sulphate Market are: Affinity Chemical, Thatcher Company, Chemtrade Logistics Inc., Kemira Oyj, Zibo Xinfumeng Chemicals Co., Ltd, Zibo Dazhong Chemical Co., Ltd, Shandong sanfeng group Co., Ltd, Holland Company, Zibo boshan win-win chemicals Co.,Ltd, Hengyang Jianheng Industry Development Co., Ltd, Southern Ionics Incorporated, Carus Group Inc., Taixing xingyun chemical Co.,Ltd, Hangzhou yunhe aluminum sulfate Co.,Ltd, Zibo duxing purifier Co.,Ltd, USALCO, Bisley & Company Pty. Ltd., GEO, C&S Chemicals, GAC Chemical.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Overview of Alzheimers Drugs Market in Global Industry : Technology, Applications, Growth and Status 2017

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Albany, New York, August 29, 2017 : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Alzheimers Drugs Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" globally.This report on the Alzheimers drugs market analyzes the current and future scenario of the global market. Increasing prevalence of Alzheimers, innovation in the development of new drugs, biomarker analysis and most promising molecules analysis, drug class sales during the forecast period.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @Global Alzheimers Drugs Market: Research MethodologyThe global Alzheimers drugs market report contain an elaborate executive summary, which includes following points such as market snapshot that provides information about various segments globally. It also comprise information and data analysis of the countrys market with respect to the segments based on drug class type, distribution channels and regions. A detailed qualitative analysis of drivers and restraints, opportunities, and trends has been provided in the market overview section. Additionally, the section comprises PEST Analysis, Porters Five Forces Analysis and Pipeline Analysis to help understand the competitive landscape in the market. This section also provides market attractiveness analysis in terms of country and market share analysis by key players, thus presenting a thorough analysis of the overall competitive scenario in the global Alzheimers drug market.Global Alzheimers Drugs Market: SegmentationBased on drug class, the market has been segmented into four major drug class such as cholinergic, memantine, combined drugs, and others. The market segments have been analyzed based on available approved products, cost-effectiveness. All segments market size and forecast has been presented for the period from 2017 to 2025, 2016 consider as a base year for this report.As per distribution channels, the global Alzheimers drugs market has been segmented into three segments including hospital pharmacy, retail pharmacy, and online sales. All market segmentations has been analyzed based on increasing demand for disease treatment. Increased patient hospitalization for the treatment of Alzheimers are driving the market share of hospital pharmacy segment. The market size and forecast in terms of US$ Mn for each segment have been provided for the period from 2015 to 2025. The report also comprise the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each market segment for the forecast period from 2017 to 2025, considering 2016 as the base year.Geographically, Alzheimers drugs market on the basis of region has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The market size and forecast for each of these regions have been presented for the period from 2015 to 2025. CAGR for all segments has been presented for the period from 2017 to 2025, 2016 consider as a base year for this report.Make an Enquiry about TOC @Global Alzheimers Drugs Market: Competitive DynamicsThe report also profiles major key players in the Alzheimers drugs market based on various attributes such as company overview, product portfolio, financial overview, business strategies, recent developments and company SWOT analysis. Major players operating in the Alzheimers drug market included in this report are Allergan plc, Novartis AG, Eisai Co Ltd, H Lundbeck A/S, Daiichi Sankyo Company Limited, Ono Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, Merz Holding GmbH & Co KG, and Johnson & Johnson.Global Alzheimers Drugs Market is segmented as below:Global Alzheimers Drug Market, by Drug ClassCholinergicMemantineCombined DrugOthersGlobal Alzheimers Drug Market, by Distribution ChannelHospital PharmacyRetail PharmacyOnline SalesBrowse Report @Global Alzheimers Drug Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyU.K.FranceItalySpainRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanAustralia & New ZealandRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of Latin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaGCC CountriesSouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaResearchMoz 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.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on :
Tequila Market to Garner Brimming Revenues by 2025

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Tequila Market: Drivers and RestraintsCocktail culture has gain momentum across various societies. Improvement in economic condition of individuals has been a driving force for the cocktail culture. The demand for tequila in cocktails is not confine to bars and restaurants; it has also gained spaces in parties organized at homes. It can also be observed that a market shift, especially in the younger population, from binge drinking to more sophisticated drinking such as tequila.Moreover, in 21st century with change in outlook and more broadness in human way of thinking, drinking of tequila has been irrespective of any sex. In country such as U.S., there has been increase in demand of handcrafted tequila. As per data provided by Distilled Spirits Councils Economic & Strategic Analysis Department tequila consumption volume raised from 7 million 9 liters cases in 2003 to 15 million 9 liters cases in 2015. Economic improvement of individuals, improvement in infrastructure of places across countries are also few of the possible drivers, which is contributing towards tequila market growth.In MEA due to prevalence of Islamic culture mostly, drinking of alcoholic beverages is limited, therefore the growth of tequila market is not so optimistic. In Latin America, tequila market has been quite healthy. Since, Mexico is the origin of excellent and authentic tequila, most Latin countries are more likely to have affinity for tequila compared to other nations. The market is significantly growing in Latin America.Tequila: Key PlayersThe major players identified in the global tequila market includes:Jose Cuervo,Don Julio,Casa Corralejo,Tequila512,Ambhar,Dos Lunas,El GradoAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Polyamide Intermediate Chemicals Market 2016-2026 Set for Rapid Growth And Trends

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Polyamide intermediates are thermoplastic silky material, which is also known as nylon. It is available in fibrous state as well as in plastics. The polyamide intermediates are used for an array of applications, which includes fabrics, tires, and carpets among others. The consumption of polyamide intermediate chemicals in the automotive sector is expected to be the highest over the forecast period. Polyamide intermediate chemicals possess special characteristics, which includes high abrasion resistance, high elongation, and chemical resistance among others. Many manufacturers are engaged in developing bio-based methods for developing the polyamide intermediates. With introduction of bio-based polyamide intermediates, the global polyamide intermediates market is expected to foster a healthy growth rate, as it is recyclable and being adopted by the various end use industries from automotive to consumer goods. The consumption of polyamide intermediate chemicals in the automotive sector is expected to be the highest over the forecast period.Global Polyamide Intermediate Chemicals Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe global polyamide intermediate chemicals market is primarily driven by the demand for environmental friendly consumer products and stringent regulations for ecofriendly products. With a wide range of application of polyamide intermediates chemicals in various end use industries such as automotive, electronics, textiles and consumer goods among others is attributed with the growth of global polyamide intermediate chemicals globally. The use of polyamide intermediate chemicals in the automotive sector to replace some of the alloy parts such as nuts and bolts to reduce the weight of vehicles are increasing the adoption of polyamide intermediates chemicals in the automotive industry. Thus, this demand is fostering the growth of polyamide intermediate chemicals market. However, the moisture absorption properties of the polyamide intermediates chemicals decreases the tensile strength of the material which might pose as a restraint to its adaptability also the molded polyamide intermediates are subjected to shrinkage which might restrain the growth of polyamide intermediate chemicals market.Request Report Sample@Global Polyamide Intermediate Chemicals Market: Market SegmentationBased on the type of polyamide intermediate chemicals, the global polyamide intermediate chemicals market can be segmented into:Synthetic Polyamide Intermediate ChemicalsBio-Based Polyamide Intermediate ChemicalsBased on applications, the global polyamide intermediate chemicals market can be segmented into:TiresMusical StringsBagsConveyor BeltsOthersBased on the end use industries, the global polyamide intermediate chemicals market can be segmented into:AutomotiveTextileElectronicsConsumer GoodsVisit For TOC@Global Polyamide Intermediate Chemicals Market: Regional OutlookBased on the geographic regions, global polyamide intermediate chemicals 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 market for polyamide intermediate chemicals holds the largest market. In the Asia-Pacific market, China holds the largest share followed by India, the growth of polyamide intermediate chemicals in these countries are attributed with the growth of automotive, chemicals and textile industries in these regions. The demand for bio-based polyamide intermediates chemicals in the North America and the European market to cope up with stringent environmental regulations in the region is fostering the growth of polyamide intermediate chemicals but in a moderate speed. Overall, the market is expected to show a significant growth rate by the end of forecast period.Global Polyamide Intermediate Chemicals Market: Key PlayersSome of the major players identified in the global polyamide intermediate chemicals market includes, BASF SE, DuPont, DSM, Segetis, Inc., Solvay, Arizona Chemical Company, LLC., and Genomatica, 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.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Analysis of Test Automation Market in Global Industry : Demands, Insights, Research and Forecast 2017-2025

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Albany, New York, August 29, 2017 : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Test Automation Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" globally.The Test Automation Market report provides analysis of the global test automation market for the period 20152025, wherein the years from 2017 to 2025 is the forecast period and 2016 is considered as the base year. The report precisely covers all the major trends and technologies playing a major role in the test automation markets growth over the forecast period. It also highlights the drivers, restraints, and opportunities expected to influence the market growth during this period.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @The study provides a holistic perspective on the markets growth in terms of revenue (in US$ Bn), across different geographies, which includes Asia Pacific (APAC), South America, North America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). An in-depth analysis of various geographical regions is going to provide a precise and detailed understanding of the global test automation market over the forecast period.Global Test Automation Market: Scope of ReportThe 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 the test automation market and analyzes their behavior in the prevailing market dynamics.Global Test Automation Market: Market SegmentationThe report segments the global test automation market on the basis of various types of test automation into functional testing, configuration testing, web services testing, acceptance testing, compatibility testing, integration testing, load testing, security testing, mobile testing, migration testing, platform testing, usability testing, network testing, and QA process design. Thus, the report provides in-depth cross-segment analysis for the test automation market and classifies it into various levels, thereby providing valuable insights on macro as well as micro level. Classification of global test automation market into its various types offers in-depth understanding of test automation in different market scenarios.Global Test Automation Market: Competitive LandscapeThe report also provides the competitive landscape for the test automation market, thereby positioning all the major players according to their geographic presence, 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 test automation 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 the test automation markets growth.IBM Corporation, Capgemini S.A., Wipro Ltd., Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp, Hewlett-Packard Company, Infosys Ltd, Tata Consultancy Services, Hexaware Technologies, SmartBear Inc., Tricentis GmbH, SeaLights Technologies Ltd, Qasymphony, Inc., CA Technologies and Zensar Technologies are some of the major players which have been profiled in this study. Details such as financials, business strategies, and other such strategic information pertaining to these players has been provided as a part of company profiles.Make an Enquiry about TOC @Global Test Automation Market, by ComponentServicesAdvisory and Assessment ServicesManaged ServicesOthersProductTest Automation ToolsFunctional TestingConfiguration TestingWeb Services TestingAcceptance TestingCompatibility TestingIntegration TestingLoad TestingSecurity TestingMobile TestingMigration TestingPlatform TestingUsability TestingNetwork TestingQA Process DesignTypeIndependent ToolsOthersGlobal Test Automation Market, by DeploymentPublic CloudPrivate CloudOn PremiseBrowse Report @Global Test Automation Market, by GeographyNorth America (NA)Europe (EU)Asia Pacific (APAC)Middle East & Africa (MEA)South AmericaResearchMoz 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.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on :
Digital Glass Military Aircraft Cockpit Systems Market 2016-2026 Value Share, Analysis and Segments

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A digital glass cockpit, also known as electronic flight information systems (EFIS) and cockpit display system (CDS), is an aircraft cockpit that consist digital flight instrument displays, generally large LCD screens, instead of conventional analog dials and gauges. A digital glass cockpit simplifies aircraft operations and navigation by enabling the usage of several displays driven by flight management systems, that can be adjusted (multi-function display) to display flight information as needed.Advanced digital glass cockpit systems utilize LCD screens to display crucial flight information. Digital glass cockpit displays systems are based around primary flight displays (PFDs), engine indications and crew alerting system (EICAS) and multifunction displays (MFDs). This enables the replacement of mechanical flight instrument gauges with graphical representations of information from onboard and external sensors and navigation systems.The digital glass cockpits are being increasingly adopted by military and defense along with airline companies, as they eliminate the need for a flight engineer, in turn reducing costs. In recent past, this digital glass cockpit has become widely available in small aircrafts too.Request Report Sample@Market Overview:Digital glass cockpit systems, which were prevalent in the civil aviation sector, are being increasingly adopted among military aircraft operators, in order to add capabilities to their fleets. Along with facilitating reduction in information management workload for pilots coordinating large networks of sensors and platforms, digital glass cockpits offer advantages such as weight and power savings, enabling easier interaction with air traffic control, and enable faster training for new pilots.Market Dynamics:The cockpits of both fixed and rotary-wing military aircraft are going digital. These glass cockpits facilitate the pilot's tasks throughout the flight, especially under difficult conditions, by improving access to vital information. The global market of digital glass military aircraft cockpit systems is mainly driven by the advantages offered by these systems over traditional cockpit systems. These advantages include the enhanced accuracy and precision of automation systems, and more ergonomic display of the data. These glass cockpits also comprise feedback loops and self-checking capabilities to alert the pilot about threats before they become emergencies. Additionally, these advanced system offers checklist of issues, the pilot can utilize to troubleshoot a problem and correct it immediately.However, as the aircraft operations become increasingly dependent on digital glass cockpit systems, flight crews must be trained to deal with possible failures. In recent years, several incidents involving glass-cockpit blackout have occurred. Therefore, proper training is considered as one of the key components for reducing miss happenings of aircrafts equipped with digital glass cockpit systems.To counter these blackouts, aircrafts with digital glass cockpit systems are provided with backup analogue displays for key flight instruments including airspeed indicator and altimeter.Market Segmentation:Global digital glass military aircraft cockpit systems market is mainly classified on the basis of system, end use sector and geographies.On the basis of system, global digital glass military aircraft cockpit systems market is segmented into Multi-function flight display systems, Primary flight display systems and EICAS (Engine-indicating and crew-alerting system).On the basis of end use sector, global digital glass military aircraft cockpit systems market is segmented as general aviation, commercial aviation and the defense & aerospace.Visit For TOC@On the basis of geographies, global market of BTS is segmented into 7 key regions:North AmericaLatin AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific Excluding JapanJapanMiddle East & AfricaPresently, North America is holds the majority share in the digital glass cockpit systems market. However, the region is expected to lose its share to Asia Pacific region during the forecast period, mainly due to falling defense expenditure in North America. In the APAC region, India, China and Japan are expected to lead the growth in the forecast period.Key Market PlayersThe major players active in the Global digital glass cockpit systems market include Honeywell Aerospace, GE Aviation, Garmin Ltd., Avidyne Corporation, MGL Avionics, Lockheed Martin, Elbit Systems Ltd., Esterline Technologies Corporation, Airbus Group SE and Rockwell Collins, 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:
Blockchain Technology Report on Global Market by Players, Types and Applications, Status and Forecast, 2017-2021

2017 Global Blockchain Technology Market

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The study of Global Blockchain Technology Market 2017 industry is very important to enhance business productivity and for the study of market forecast. This New Report presented by Orbis Reseach contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key vendors.Blockchain Technology Report by Material, Application, and Geography  Global Forecast to 2021 is a professional and in-depth research report on the world's major regional market conditions, focusing on the main regions (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific) and the main countries (United States, Germany, united Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and China).The report firstly introduced the Blockchain Technology basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures, raw materials and so on. Then it analyzed the world's main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.Request a sample of Global Blockchain Technology Market Research Report @The report includes six parts, dealing with: Basic information The Asia Blockchain Technology Market The North American Blockchain Technology Market The European Blockchain Technology Market Market entry and investment feasibility The report conclusionBrowse the full Global Blockchain Technology Industry Research Report @Some of the points from table of content:Part I Blockchain Technology Industry OverviewChapter One Blockchain Technology Industry Overview1.1 Blockchain Technology Definition1.2 Blockchain Technology Classification Analysis1.2.1 Blockchain Technology Main Classification Analysis1.2.2 Blockchain Technology Main Classification Share Analysis1.3 Blockchain Technology Application Analysis1.3.1 Blockchain Technology Main Application Analysis1.3.2 Blockchain Technology Main Application Share Analysis1.4 Blockchain Technology Industry Chain Structure Analysis1.5 Blockchain Technology Industry Development Overview1.5.1 Blockchain Technology Product History Development Overview1.5.1 Blockchain Technology Product Market Development Overview1.6 Blockchain Technology Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.1 Blockchain Technology Global Import Market Analysis1.6.2 Blockchain Technology Global Export Market Analysis1.6.3 Blockchain Technology Global Main Region Market Analysis1.6.4 Blockchain Technology Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.5 Blockchain Technology Global Market Development Trend AnalysisChapter Two Blockchain Technology Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis2.1 Upstream Raw Materials Analysis2.1.1 Upstream Raw Materials Price Analysis2.1.2 Upstream Raw Materials Market Analysis2.1.3 Upstream Raw Materials Market Trend2.2 Down Stream Market Analysis2.1.1 Down Stream Market Analysis2.2.2 Down Stream Demand Analysis2.2.3 Down Stream Market Trend AnalysisPart II Asia Blockchain Technology Industry (The Report Company Including the Below Listed But Not All)Chapter Three Asia Blockchain Technology Market Analysis3.1 Asia Blockchain Technology Product Development History3.2 Asia Blockchain Technology Competitive Landscape Analysis3.3 Asia Blockchain Technology Market Development TrendChapter Four 2012-2017 Asia Blockchain Technology Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and Forecast4.1 2012-2017 Blockchain Technology Capacity Production Overview4.2 2012-2017 Blockchain Technology Production Market Share Analysis4.3 2012-2017 Blockchain Technology Demand Overview4.4 2012-2017 Blockchain Technology Supply Demand and Shortage4.5 2012-2017 Blockchain Technology Import Export Consumption4.6 2012-2017 Blockchain Technology Cost Price Production Value Gross MarginThe Report Contains: 165 Pages.Make an enquire of this report @About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Follow Us on LinkedIn:Follow us on Twitter:Follow us on G+ :
Peripheral Embolization Device Market 2016-2026 Value Share, Analysis and Segments

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Embolization is a process through which embolus is placed into the blood vessel to block the blood flow to a particular area of the body. The embolus is usually a blood clot formed due to clotting of blood cells. However, the artificial embolus is used to close off blood vessels to prevent the blood from reaching a particular part of the body to eliminate abnormal conditions in the body like a renal aneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, hypogastric artery embolization, endoleak embolization, GI bleeding and treatment of tumors. Peripheral embolization is usually used to shrink tumors by blocking the blood flow to it. Peripheral embolization devices often use embolus made up of various drugs which along with blocking the blood flow also are targeted towards the treatment of a tumor. Embolization is efficient and less invasive as compared to open surgery and therefore poses a little risk to the patient.Peripheral Embolization Device Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe global peripheral embolization device market is driven by the rising incidence of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) by 2025, 19.3 million cases of cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed each year, which in turn is expected to increase demand for peripheral embolization devices for early treatment of malignant tumors. The increasing mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases is expected to boost demand for peripheral embolization devices. Increasing cardiovascular patients owing rising global geriatric population is expected to provide high growth opportunities for the peripheral embolization devices manufacturers over the forecast period. Moreover, technological developments in new peripheral embolization devices aimed to increase safety among patients and ease of use for physicians is expected to provide significant growth opportunities for the peripheral embolization devices manufacturers. However, the high cost of peripheral embolization devices and complications like coil migration, perforations, and spasms among patients is expected to hamper market growth over the forecast period.Request Report Sample@Peripheral Embolization Device Market: SegmentationThe global peripheral embolization device market are segmented into product type and end userSegmentation based on product typeEmbolization GuidewiresMicrocathetersOcclusion SystemsOcclusion BalloonsPlatinum CoilsSegmentation based on end userHospitalsAmbulatory surgical centersSpecialty clinicsPeripheral Embolization Device Market: Region  wise OutlookThe peripheral embolization device market is expected to witness healthy growth throughout the forecast period with North America expected to be the leading market. High demand for peripheral embolization devices from cancer patients is expected to boost the market growth over the forecast period. Favorable reimbursement policies and up gradation in the compensation for the patients is North America is projected to drive demand for peripheral embolization devices in North America over the forecast period. Moreover, several global manufacturers in this region are expected to promote the use of peripheral embolization devices and in turn is supposed to increase the adoption rate of the devices. Western Europe is expected to be second largest market followed by North America owing to high awareness related to the use of peripheral embolization devices for treatment of cardiovascular and bleeding disorders. APEJ (Asia-Pacific excluding Japan) and Japan are expected to follow next after Western Europe owing to high population and increasing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in these regions along with growing per capita healthcare expenditure in countries like India and China. Eastern Europe and the Middle East and Africa (MEA) is expected to increase significantly owing to the rise in cancer incidence rate and manufacturers focusing on expansion strategies in this regions.Visit For TOC@Peripheral Embolization Device Market: Key PlayersSome key players in peripheral embolization market are Boston Scientific Corporation, Medtronic, Inc., Cook Medical, St. Jude Medical, Inc., Penumbra, Inc., Metactive Medical, Inc., Terumo Corporation and others. The companies are focused on development of new peripheral embolization devices with increased safety and ease of use.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:
iSummation Technologies Launched Its New Global Website

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iSummation recently launched its new fresh look global website with added services and technologies.The website has been developed using latest technology and compatible with all modern web browsers and in app mobile browsers. iSummation deliver technology solutions for the global enterprises since 1999, Core expertise in ColdFusion now, delivers advanced solutions with MEAN Stack  A JavaScript framework for modern edge enterprises and now become the preferred MEAN stack development company.The new website has been designed and developed for the ultimate user experience with easy modern navigation, rich content, info graphics, designs elements throughout the web that allow visitors to access information about companys major services, technology platforms, methodology, engagement models, blogs.Just five main menu comprising Services, Technology, Bogs, About Us to explore detailed information available on respective web pages like Coldfusion Development, MEAN Stack Development, IT outsourcing, Enterprise Application Development, Enterprise Mobility, Big Data, Cloud consulting and solutions.In addition, Wonderful blogs are most favorite for the visitors who look out for a solution on specific technical issues as iSummations Development Team frequently publish technical blogs to share with the respective global community.It is very simple via contact us page to reach isummation by sending a plain text message. Visit nowfor more information!iSummation provides expert off-shore ColdFusion software development service. We have a team of energetic professionals who has been expertise in all sorts of enterprise development. From Custom Software Development Services to Enterprise Web and Mobile.304, Shapath-3, S.G. Highway,Bodakdev, Ahmedabad - 380054Gujarat, INDIA
Organic Pigments Market 2016-2026 Revenue, Opportunity, Segment and Key Trends

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Pigments, mainly used for coloring paint, ink, plastic, fiber and other materials, are basically organic and inorganic particulate solids, which alter appearance of the substrate on which theyre applied by selective absorption and/ or by scattering of light. Organic pigments are carbon based particulate solids which can be prepared by natural and synthetic source of production. The natural organic pigments are derived from plants and animals while synthetic organic pigments are carbon based and are often derived from petroleum compounds. Organic pigments are used in the form of finely crushed powder for their use in coloring various products and in visual arts.Rising demand of organic pigments from end-use industries such as textile, plastic etc. are expected to drive growth of the market over the coming years. The market for organic pigments is anticipated to record its highest growth in Asia-Pacific due to rise in number of textile industries. Organic pigments are cost effective, non-toxic and possess good color strength, which makes them good choice for their use across various end-use sectors. Availability of organic pigments in various unique shades make them attractive for using in visual arts also. Increasing consumption of organic pigments in various hi-tech applications such as opto-electronic display, photo-reprographics and optical data storage is expected to create significant growth opportunities over the forecast period of 2016-2026.Request Report Sample@Organic Pigments Market DynamicsMajor factors driving growth of the organic pigments market include their increasing use in plastic, paint, coatings and textile industries. Moreover, upswing in number of textile industries and increasing demand of plastic products owing to various macro-economic factors is expected to boost the demand of organic pigments, in turn, fuelling the growth of global organic pigments market over the forecast period.Unstable prices, various environmental regulations and limited availability of raw materials are some of the factors expected to impede the growth of global organic pigments market.Manufacture of organic pigments with good light fastness property is gaining traction among global manufacturers. Besides, developing countries such as China & India are shifting towards becoming the center of global organic pigments market, both from the demand and supply side. Regulatory environment, labor laws and wages in Asia Pacific are expected to remain major factors impacting this global market shift. Moreover, owing to their ability to providing a wide color spectrum compared to their inorganic counterpart, organic pigments are expected to substitute inorganic pigments for some specific applications over the coming years.Organic Pigments Market: SegmentationGlobal organic pigments market is segmented on the basis of source of production and application.On the basis of production source, global organic pigments market is categorized into natural and synthetic segments.On the basis of application, global organic pigments market is segmented into paints and coatings, plastics, printing inks, textiles, cosmetics, food, chemical, and others.Organic Pigments Market: Regional OutlookGlobal organic pigments market is segmented into seven key regions namely North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). Upsurge in development of textile & plastic industries in Asia-pacific is expected to boost the demand of organic pigments market in the region by 2026 end.Visit For TOC@Organic Pigments Market: Key PlayersKey players involved in the value chain of organic pigments market include BASF SE, Heubach India, DIC Corporation, Clariant, Lansco Colors, Sensient Technologies Corporation, Sun Chemical Corporation, Synthesia, Neochem Industries, Vibfast Pigments Pvt. Ltd., Neelikon Food Colors & Chemicals Ltd., Shanghai Road Dyestuffs & Chemicals Company Limited 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:
SPRINGFIELD  The Illinois Senate is expected to vote today on an education funding plan that will increase state money for all districts, reduce disparities between rich and poor schools and provide $75 million in tax credits for people who donated to private school scholarships.

The state House voted 73-34 on Monday to send the legislation to the Senate. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who walked the floor of the House after the vote to thank lawmakers, said he will sign it.

"Im glad its passed, its a relief for everybody, but itll be interesting to see the actual details of the bill that was passed," Decatur Superintendent Paul Fregeau said Monday evening. The plan was hammered out by legislative leaders in closed-door meetings.

Meridian Superintendent Dan Brue said he accepts that some compromise is necessary, although he doesn't support the tax credits, which are part of a five-year pilot program.

"As a public school administrator, I am not pleased with cracking open the door even a little bit to school vouchers, but sometimes those things are inevitable," Brue said. "In my view, it's taking away resources from public schools."

"I have been complaining about them not compromising so it's hard for me to argue now if they are compromising. I won't like every part of it, but that's the way compromises work," he said.

Fregeau and Brue are among Macon County educators who have expressed increasing concerns about the uncertainty of state funding, with several superintendents saying they would run out of cash by early next year or sooner.

The evening vote came after the same measure was defeated earlier Monday, largely because of objections to the tax credits raised by teacher unions. It also occurred minutes after lawmakers failed to override Rauner's changes to a separate plan preferred by the unions, leaving lawmakers with no other alternatives to quickly get money to more than 800 districts starting a new school year.

State Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, voted no, while state Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, supported the legislation. State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, did not vote.

Supporters said the measure they ultimately approved is imperfect, but that it will begin to fix a state funding system that is widely considered the most inequitable in the country.

"Everybody wins in this conversation," said Democratic Rep. Will Davis, the bill's sponsor.

It was a significant moment of compromise in a state where the Republican governor and Democratic-controlled legislature have repeatedly clashed, leading to the nation's longest state budget impasse and putting money for schools at risk.

Legislators from both parties have said for years that the way Illinois distributes education money is unfair, but they've been unable to agree on how change it. The state budget lawmakers approved last month, ending a more than 2-year impasse, required for the first time that the formula be changed.

Without a plan in place, districts haven't received state aid. Although school officials have said they will be able to open classrooms for the new school year, many districts have worried they would run out of money if the impasse wasn't resolved soon.

In Decatur, Fregeau has said the district would consider borrowing against future tax revenue if lawmakers can't provide funding by the time its reserves run out in mid-November.

Brue also said his district, which has frozen spending for everything but essentials, would also consider that option. Brue said his district could make it to Jan. 15 with its current financial resources before considering borrowing.

Cerro Gordo Superintendent Brett Robinson also said his district would run out of money by early January.

Mount Zion Superintendent Travis Roundcount has said the district has solid financial reserves, and administrators have not determined when their crisis point would be.

Shelbyville Public Schools Superintendent Denise Bence said her district is in a good position after receiving the first half of its property tax levy money early, and it also can draw on reserves.

We would likely have to borrow, but we could make it through the year at this point, Bence said.

Bence said educators were growing increasingly frustrated with the states school funding system and for letting the issue linger into the new school year. Shelbyville has already missed two state aid payment for this fiscal year.

You wonder how long they are going to let it go on, she said. Weve been at this foundation level of funding for seven years. Thats seven years with the same base funding for students while costs continue to rise. There are other schools that might have to make some hard choices. Its really hard in the middle of the school year to cut services.

The plan approved Monday was negotiated by legislative leaders in closed-door meetings over recent days. It provides money to help Chicago Public Schools pay its pension costs, as the state does for other districts, and allows Chicago to raise property taxes by $120 million to help reduce its massive unfunded pension liabilities.

Illinois' largest teacher unions called on lawmakers to oppose the plan because of the tax credits. They accused Rauner, who's seeking a second term in 2018, of using students "as leverage for private school tax credits" when he used his veto powers on an earlier school funding bill.

"It's clearer than ever that this Governor does not prioritize public schools, and we must fight for one who does in 2018," Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery said after the measure passed.

The new tax credit would be worth 75 percent of a taxpayer's annual contributions to a scholarship fund, with a maximum credit of $1 million annually. The money may be donated to a specific school or "subset" of schools, but not to a specific student. The credit is a five-year pilot program.

Students receiving the scholarships must have a total household income of less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $73,000 annually for a family of four. Religious leaders, including Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago, have lobbied for the credit.

Earlier this year, Democrats approved separate legislation that overhauled Illinois' school funding system. But Rauner used his veto authority to make changes to the legislation, saying it provided too much money to financially struggling Chicago Public Schools.

The Illinois Senate voted to override Rauner's changes, with one Republican joining majority Democrats. After putting off a vote because of leaders' negotiations on a fresh deal, the House tried unsuccessfully late Monday to follow suit. The override required a three-fifths majority, or 71 yes votes. It received 63 yes votes.

Lawmakers then voted a second time on the newest funding plan, with several lawmakers who a short time earlier had voted "no" changing to "yes" votes.

Herald & Review staff members John Reidy, Allison Petty and Sharon Barricklow contributed to this story.
Geospatial Imagery Analytics Market : Key Growth Factors and Industry Analysis 2016-2026

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Geospatial analytics support to integrate, gather, operate, display, and examine geospatial data which is collected through satellite imagery, GPS, geotagging, mapping, and many other sources to create significant information that are important for making important business/organization decisions. In In geospatial imagery analytics, data is collected in the form of geo-referenced satellite images, and then it is represented in two different ways including raster and vector. Enterprises are using geospatial imagery analytics information to examine their operational effectiveness to endure their company position in this competitive surrounding. Geospatial Imagery analysis offers more precise images as related to 3D and 2D analysis. This analysis includes analysis of modules above, on, and below the earth surface. Geospatial Imagery analysis application of supports private as well as government sectors to make knowledgeable conclusions about businesses and also examine risk assessment and mitigation disaster management, urban planning, and climatic conditions.Geospatial Imagery Analytics Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe major factors driving the growth of geospatial imagery analytics market are increasing growth of geospatial analytics market, disposable incomes, and increasing advancement in analytics technologies. Moreover, geospatial imagery analytics is projected to have and high demand in the future analytics market. In coming years, the demand of geospatial analytics has improved among organizations, as it supports to pathway changes in patterns and trends over a period. Furthermore, technological developments in geospatial imagery analytics have increased the acceptance of geospatial technologies including remote sensing (RS), global positioning system (GPS), and geographical information system (GIS), and many others. Also, increasing penetration of geographical information system technology in the service industry, increasing usage of location-based data and rising demand of open interoperable solutions, are major factors which are boosting the growth of the geospatial imagery analytics market.Request Report Sample@Geospatial Imagery Analytics Market: Market SegmentationThe geospatial imagery analytics market is segmented into five parts based on the imaging type, technology type, by analysis type, application type, and geography.Based on the imaging type the geospatial imagery analytics market is segmented into:VideoImageBased on the technology type the geospatial imagery analytics market is segmented into:Global Positioning Systems (GPS)Geographical Information Systems (GIS)Remote Sensing (RS)OthersBased on the analysis geospatial imagery analytics market is segmented into:Surface AnalysisNetwork AnalysisGeovisualizationOthersBased on the type of application geospatial imagery analytics market is segmented into:Defense & SecurityGovernmentEnvironment MonitoringEnergy, Utility & Natural ResourcesEngineering & ConstructionMining & ManufacturingInsuranceAgricultureHealthcare & Life SciencesOthersGeospatial Imagery Analytics Market: Regional OutlookRegarding geography, geospatial imagery analytics market has been categorized into seven key regions including North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, APEJ, Japan, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. The geospatial imagery analytics market is expected to register healthy CAGR during the forecast period. North America is experiencing the rapid increase in the production geospatial imagery analytics as a demand for geospatial imagery analytics in wide range of verticals such as defense & security, government, environment monitoring, energy, utility & natural resources, engineering & construction, mining & manufacturing, insurance, agriculture, healthcare & life sciences, others market in the region is rising at faster pace. The geospatial imagery analytics market is projected to register healthy growth due growth of analytics market and technological advancement in information & technology sector across the globe. Geospatial imagery analytics market for Asia Pacific is also expected to witness steady growth during the forecast period primarily attributed to the growth of imagery technologies coupled with demand for customization in offerings, especially in China and India.Visit For TOC@Geospatial Imagery Analytics Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in the geospatial imagery analytics market are:-Trimble Navigation, Ltd.Hexagon AB, General ElectricRMSI, Bentley Systems, Inc.ESRI, MDA CorporationFugro N.V.Harris CorporationWS Atkins Plc.TomTomDigital GlobeCritigen, AAMNokiaOthersAbout 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:
Levant Power Cable Market size for 2016 was valued over USD 3 billion and is set to witness gain over 8% by 2024

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Growing government and private funding to refurbish the war affected public assets will drive the levant power cable market size. The Government of Iraq signed a strategic agreement with Siemens to strengthen and upgrade the countrys traditional energy infrastructure with the modern and secured systems. In 2016, Iraq invested USD 358 billion toward construction projects post-civil war.Rising focus towards the expansion of clean energy with the aim to reduce the dependency on conventional fossil fuel will accelerate the power cable market share. In 2016, Government of Jordan announced the third renewable energy tender to add 200 MW of solar and 100 MW of wind projects. In 2017, Government of Israel had announced the development of countrys largest solar power project having capacity of 310 MW by 2018. The country is also targeting to meet 10% of its electricity demand from the renewable sources by 2020.Request for a sample of this research report @MV power cable market is set to exceed USD 2 billion by 2024 owing to its high adaptability across the transmission and distribution applications. In 2016, Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) announced an investment of over USD 1.6 billion towards the strengthening of its existing transmission network.Syria power cable market is witnessing significant downturn on account of internal conflicts between government and rebels. However, post-civil war the industry is poised to witness exponential growth subject to growing construction spending toward rebuilding of affected areas.Growing demand for electricity on account of rising urban population coupled with expansion of T&D network will further augment the power cable market share. In 2017, Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources announced the development of Dardanelles (Canakkale) Strait Submarine Cable Project with cumulative transmission capacity of 4 GW. The Government of Iraq has signed strategic agreement with ABB in 2017 towards implementation of new energy transmission systems with an estimated investment over USD 500 million.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Construction power cable market is set to expand over 8% owing to increasing infrastructure funding from public and private financial institutions toward development of infrastructural projects. In 2017, Government of Lebanon announced that it is seeking over USD 10 billion frominternational community to cope with the presence of huge presence of Syrian refugees over the next seven years.Government initiatives to reduce the dependency on the conventional energy generating sources will foster the Jordan power cable market. The countrys energy demand had grown significantly in the past five years due to substantial economic and population growth. Presently it is heavily dependent on fuel import to satisfy 96% of its energy needs which covers 17.6% of its GDP.Key players across the Levant power cable market include Bahra, Riyadh Cables, MESC Jordan, Nexans, KEI Limited, Prysmian, The Okonite Company, Southwire Company, Belden, Oman Cables, Saudi Cables, Sumitomo Electric, DUCAB, Nuhas Oman, and El-Sewedy.About Global Market InsightsGlobal Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary researchContact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:
Mobility Sharing Industry Development and Technology Report 2017-2025

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Mobility sharing is a term that is used to describe the transportation services that are shared among users. This includes public transit, taxis and limos, bike sharing, car sharing, ride sharing, scooter sharing, shuttle services among others. Increasing demographics is one of the major driver for the growth of the mobility sharing market.Consumer culture and scarce of resources are some of the factors that are driving the growth of these market in the coming years.Request Sample is Available atVideo surveillance is an integral part of all our modern security system for safety of individuals, facilities, and assets. Growing penetration of the Internet and the development of advanced technologies is encouraging rapid growth of the IP surveillance industry, driving changes in the video surveillance market. It is expected that IP based surveillance system will be dominating the video surveillance market in the near future, with network cameras and servers being one of the major trends.Growing importance of cyber security, awareness towards a smart and safe digital future and rising penetration of security cameras in different industries will drive the market in coming years whereas reasons such as violation of public privacy can act as a restraining factor in the market. The rise of IoT application has opened a potential avenue of application for video surveillance market and will bring new opportunities in the market.Inquire before Buying atThe Global Mobility Sharing Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the mobility sharing industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global mobility sharing market with detailed market segmentation by product service type, vehicle connectivity and geography. The global mobility sharing market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the leading market players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.The report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global mobility sharing market based on product service type and vehicle connectivity. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall mobility sharing market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM). The market by each region is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report covers analysis and forecast of 15 counties globally along with current trend and opportunities prevailing in the region.Besides this, the report analyzes factors affecting market from both demand and supply side and further evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend. The report also provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions namely; North America, Europe, APAC, MEA and South America after evaluating political, economic, social and technological factors effecting the market in these regions.Complete Report is Available atAlso, key mobility sharing market players influencing the market are profiled in the study along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. The report also focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, products and services offered, financial information of last 3 years, key development in past five years. Some of the key players influencing the market are Robert Bosch GmbH, Uber Technologies Inc., Spinlister, Lyft, Tamyca GmbH, Delphi Automotive GmbH, Denso Corporation, Intel Corporation, Tomtom NV and Didi Chuxing.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout Us:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Patient Throughput Management Market : Europe to Rise at 5.3% CAGR by 2024

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North Americas dominance over the global patient throughput & capacity management market is justified by the regions robust healthcare industry, which is also a proponent to technological advancements and adoption of intelligent solutions. Europes patient throughput & capacity management market will also leave a sizable imprint on the global market, registering a value CAGR of 5.3%.The need for aligning resources in healthcare settings has compelled medical organizations towards adoption of technological solutions that help manage & arrange patient care information in orderly fashion. Hospitals from across the globe are installing patient throughput & capacity management solutions to tackle challenges associated with management of increasing capacity & space. Ideal use of added functional capacity through improved patient throughput solutions is also a key trend driving the demand for such solutions. Persistence Market Research estimates that towards the end of 2024, more than US$ 1.2 Bn worth of patient throughput & capacity management solutions will be employed across the globe.A sample of this report is available upon request @The global market for patient throughput & capacity management, according to Persistence Market Researchs report, is presently valued at US$ 834 Mn, and will soar steadily at 5% CAGR during the eight-year forecast period. The report further anticipates that over half of global revenues procured from sales of patient throughput & capacity management solutions will be accounted by the US and Canada.Browse Complete Report @The report reveals that an analysis of global sales of patient throughput & capacity management solutions indicates a major upsurge in demand for RTLS solutions. With more than one-third share, RTLS solutions will remain a top-selling product dominating the global market revenues through 2024. Revenues from global sales of workflow management solutions will impose a consistent share on global revenues, while bed management solutions will exhibit revenue growth at 5.2% CAGR during the projected period. A majority of products offered in the global patient throughput & capacity management market will be offered as integrated solutions. Towards the end of 2024, integrated solutions will surpass 65% share on global revenues, while global demand for standalone solutions will register a marginal decline.Request to view table of content @The report also reveals that over 40% of patient throughput & capacity management solutions are delivered through on-premise models. By 2024-end, on-premise delivery of patient throughput & capacity management solutions will net nearly US$ 500 Mn in global revenues. On the other hand, cloud-based delivery is likely to lose out its traction, but will witness a negligible downtrend in terms of revenue growth. The report has also profiled companies such as EPIC Systems Corporation, STANLEY Healthcare, Central Logic, Care Logistics LLC, McKesson Corporation, TeleTracking Technologies, Inc., Sonitor Technologies, Inc., Allscripts, Awarepoint Corporation, and Cerner Corporation as key players of the global patient throughput & capacity management market.Global Market Study on Patient Throughput and Capacity Management is available for US$4,900About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Lavandula Oil (Lavender Oil) Market 2016-2026 Dynamics, Forecast, Analysis and Supply Demand

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Lavandula oil is extracted from the lavender flowers scientific known as Lavandula Angustifolia. Production of lavendula oil requires huge laborious work and help of distillation process, Lavandula oil (Lavender oil) is extracted. There are different methods from which this essential oil is extracted such as hydro distillation, steam distillation and solvent extraction. It is one of the expensive and versatile product among all essential oils. This product is gaining demand from cosmetic sector as it is used as a fragrance and in food industry it is used for flavoring purpose. Lavendula oil also has application in pharmaceutical industry where it is most used for therapies and to cure with other health diseases like diabetes, cold, cough etc.Market Dynamics of Lavandula Oil:Major driver behind increasing demand of lavendula oil in current market scenario is due to its fragrance and flavored eminence. Nowadays consumers are mostly influenced towards that product which has natural quality, organic in nature and also good for their health, due to which it has higher demand among growing economies of world. On the other side as per the current market trend, lavendula oil is trending in market because of its wide application in body care and beauty care products. This oil is mostly used in body creams, lotions, soaps, perfumes and many other cosmetic products. In addition to this, lavendula oil is also gaining demand from specialty food industry where consumers preferred to buy food and beverages which are rich in terms of natural ingredient, natural flavor, taste, aroma etc.Request Report Sample@Market Segmentation of Lavandula Oil:Lavendula oil market is segmented on two different basis as on the basis of application and distribution channel. Market segment as per application, it is segmented on the basis of its application in cosmetic, food and beverage and pharmaceutical. Among these application segment cosmetic and pharmaceutical segments are expected to contribute more that 50% market share and expected to grow at higher space. Another segment is on the basis of distribution channel which includes health and beauty stores, pharmacy and drug stores, online retailing and other (direct selling) distribution channels. On analyzing the demand of lavendula oil on pie, it was assessed that cosmetic industry acquires majority of share in terms of volume followed by the demand of lavendula oil in food and beverage industry. Primary reason behind its increasing demand of lavendula oil in global level market is due to its richness in natural quality and organic nature. Lavendula oil has wide application in products of cosmetic industry such as in perfumes, skin care, and hair care and in many other beauty care products. Demand of lavendula oil is also growing from food and beverage and pharmaceutical industry. In food and beverage industry, lavendula oil has primarily demand as a food flavoring like in dairy products, tea, culinary herb, jelly etc. and in pharmaceutical industry, lavendula oil is used for therapies, dermatitis, diabetes, cold, asthma, insect repellant and for many other purposes.Regional Outlook of Lavandula Oil Market:On the basis of regional outlook, lavendula oil market is segmented in seven different regions of world: America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia-Pacific region, Japan and Middle East and Africa. In lavendula oil market, Western Europe accounts majority of share in terms of volume contribution and from which Bulgaria is expected to be lucrative market in all over the world in terms of production of lavendula oil followed by Asia-Pacific region. On the other side, in terms of consumption North America is expected to be largest consumer of lavendula oil in the world.Visit For TOC@Key Players in Lavandula Oil Market:Some of the key players operating in lavandula oil market are Young Living Essential Oils, d?TERRA, NOW Foods, Ovvio Oils, Enio Bonchev, Alteya Group, Alpha Aromatics, Mother Herbs Private Limited, Sydney Essential Oil Co. Pty Ltd and NHR Organic Oils are some of the major lavandula oil selling companies.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:
Advanced Wound Care Market Size Is Projected To Be Around $15 Billion By 2025

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A research study titled, Advanced Wound Care Market by Product and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast To 2025 published by Crystal Market Research, states that the advanced wound care market is projected to be around $15 billion by 2025.Advanced wound care (AWC) product have an enhanced therapeutic efficiency in comparison with conventional wound care products like bandage, gauge, sponge and others. The use of advanced wound care product encourages the process of healing and decreases the time taken for recovery. Therefore, the demand for wound therapy device, advanced wound dressing, and active wound care product is estimated to escalate. All of these products are used in outpatient as well as inpatient facilities to render improved treatment to patients suffering from surgical wounds, burns, chronic wounds, and ulcers. Advanced wound therapy devices comprise of oxygen and hyperbaric oxygen equipment, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) device, electrical stimulation device, and many others to fasten the wound healing process. Advanced wound dressing consists of hydrocolloid dressing, foam dressing, film dressing, alginate dressing, collagen dressing, hydrogel dressing, amongst the rest. Lastly, active wound care products in the form of topical agents have skin and skin substitutes. NPWT would mean sporadic application of partial vacuum to a particular wound with the help of a motorized pump. A negative pressure environment which is controlled eliminates bacteria, pressure ulcers, edema fluid, and escalates the oxygenation of tissues.Browse full research report with TOC on Advanced Wound Care Market by Product and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast To 2025 at:The advanced wound care market is flourishing owing to rising elderly population and more amount of awareness pertaining to the advanced products coupled with higher rate of adoption. Alarming prevalence of diabetes and obesity are also resulting in elevated demand for advanced wound care products. Of all the kinds of advanced wound care, the advanced wound dressing segment is predicted to experience the most rapidly growing market during the forecast period.Some of the major factors driving the growth of AWC market are rising prevalence of chronic diseases worldwide, technological advancements in wound care products and procedures, and increasing aging population vulnerable to chronic diseases such as diabetes leading to the heightened risk of chronic wounds. According to NCBI, pressure ulcers occur in 30 to 85% of spinal cord injury patients in the first month of injury. However, high cost of AWC treatment procedures can restrain the growth of the market. But, the development of AWC systems offering cost effective treatments targeted towards specific wounds will spearhead the future growth of the market. Thus, technological advancements and cost effectiveness along with pain and odor control are some of the key factors that will dictate the evolution of wound care industry in the coming years.The therapy devices segment dominated the global AWC market in 2016 due to their capability to enhance the wound healing and recovery process by the use of vacuum dressings. The active wound care market is poised to grow at a significant CAGR from 2017 to 2025. On the basis of application, the chronic wound segment is projected to exhibit lucrative growth rate during the forecast period as AWC products helps in faster wound healing and recovery.Request a sample copy of Advanced Wound Care Market Research Report @U.S. dominated the North American AWC market in 2016 which can be attributed to the growing incidence of chronic wounds, rising demand for AWC products for faster healing, and favorable reimbursement policies Moreover, the ongoing technological innovations for the development of advanced AWC products will further contribute to the market growth.Some of the key players in this market are PAUL HARTMANN Limited, Medtronicplc, Cardinal Health, BSN medical, Acelity L.P., Inc., Integra LifeSciences Corporation, Smith & Nephew plc., Covalon Technologies Ltd., DeRoyal Industries, Inc, ConvaTec, Inc., Organogenesis Inc., Coloplast A/S, Molnlycke Health Care AB, and Medline Industries, Inc.Key Findings of the Research Study: Therapy devices segment held major share of the overall market in 2016 and will continue to dominate the market during the forecast period. Active wound care segment is projected to grow at a double digit CAGR during the forecast period primarily due to its biocompatibility characteristics. NPWT modality is gaining popularity in the management of acute as well as chronic wounds. Chronic wound segments projected to witness a high single digit growth rate from 2017 to 2025. North America dominated the global AWC market in 2016 primarily due to availability of advanced healthcare infrastructure and favorable reimbursement policies. Asia-Pacific AWC market is projected to grow at significant CAGR during the forecast period owing to increasing demand for advanced healthcare services with rising disposable income of the people.Inquire more about this report at:Advanced Wound Care Market Segmentation:By Product: Dressingso Collagenso Silver Wound Dressingso Non-Silver Dressingso Hydrocolloidso Alginateso Foam Dressingso Hydrogels Therapy Deviceso Oxygen and Hyperbaric Oxygen Equipmento Electromagnetic Therapy Deviceso Negative Pressure Wound Therapyo Ultrasound Deviceso Others (Electric Stimulation Devices, Pressure Relief Devices, Ultraviolet Devices, Whirlpool Therapy Devices) Active Wound Careo Growth Factorso Skin SubstitutesBy Application: Chronic Wound Careo Venous Leg Ulcerso Pressure Ulcerso Diabetic Foot Ulcerso Arterial Ulcers Acute Wound Careo Surgical Woundso Burns & TraumaBy Region: North Americao U.So Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo UKo Italyo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia-Pacifico Japano Chinao Australiao Indiao South Koreao Rest of Asia Pacific Rest of the Worldo Brazilo South Africao Saudi Arabiao United Arab Emirateso OthersGet Customization in the Report At: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
Industrial Operational Intelligence Solutions Market 2016-2026 Set for Rapid Growth And Trends

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Industrial operational intelligence is a business analytics and real time dynamic solution that provides greater insights and visibility for businesses. Operational intelligence is used by organisations for real time capabilities to take immediate decisions like stopping any business process or making changes in any traditional systems. Operational intelligence helps in improving and analysing business data through understanding the information related to shortfalls and finding simple ways of responding to any issues. Operational intelligence is simple and easy to be managed by skilled professionals. It helps to acquire information on financial performance of industries and enterprises, thus it has become a major trend in financial services sector. Another major trend observed in operational intelligence is adoption of mobile tools for its operations. Thus in short operational intelligence automated the process of decision making that eliminates delays in process, and improves market responses and decision making. The industrial operational intelligence solutions market is anticipated to expand at a modest CAGR in the forecast period.Global Industrial Operational Intelligence Solutions Market  Drivers and RestrainsFocus of companies to improve market responses and performance as well as the necessity to upgrade their processes are the major driving factors for the growth of global industrial operational intelligence solutions market. The ever increasing automobile and other manufacturing industries and their need to reduce the delays in decision making, automatic decision and real time access to the information are some factors that would bolster the global industrial operational intelligence solutions market.However, skilled professionals are required to operate the operational intelligence solutions and also they need to be trained for its handling and these can slowdown the growth of global industrial operational intelligence solutions market. Also the initial cost of operational intelligence solutions is very high and can act as a restraining factor for operational intelligence market.Request Report Sample@Global Industrial Operational Intelligence Solutions Market  SegmentsOn the basis of types, global industrial operational intelligence solutions market can be segmented as follows:Enterprise Manufacturing Operational IntelligenceEnterprise Operational Intelligence SoftwareIT Service IntelligenceEnterprise SecurityOn the basis of applications, global industrial operational intelligence solutions market can be segmented as follows:Supply chain and logisticsAssembly line quality assurancePreventive maintenanceExploration & production optimisationSmart meter analysisOn the basis of end-use industry, global industrial operational intelligence solutions market can be segmented as follows:AutomobilesFood & BeveragesElectronicsLogisticsOil & GasAviationGlobal Industrial Operational Intelligence Solutions Market  Region Wise OutlookThe global industrial operational intelligence solutions market can be divided into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and Middle East and Africa. North America is anticipated to be the leader in the global operational intelligence solutions market owing to its services and other flourishing industries particularly in the countries of US and Canada. Asia Pacific is expected to be the next major region in global operational intelligence solutions market because of the upcoming food & beverages sector, electronics and logistics industries. China and India and supposed to be the countries in this region having major applications of operational intelligence solutions. Europe also contributes significantly in the global industrial operational intelligence solutions market due to its dominance in automobiles market and leadership in meat market. Latin America and Middle East and Africa are at a nascent stage and are projected to have a modest CAGR in the forecast period.Visit For TOC@Global Industrial Operational Intelligence Solutions Market  Key PlayersSome of the key players in the global industrial operational intelligence solutions market are:APRISOIFSMapR Technologies, IncSiemens AGARC Advisory GroupAB&R (American Barcode and RFID)Flexeye LtdSplunk CorpStarview Inc.Vitria Technology IncABOUT 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:
Ecommerce Software And Platform Market 2016-2026 Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain

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Ecommerce software enables the functioning of an online store, makes inventory management easy, adds or removes products, calculates taxes, and does other tasks required to manage a website and fulfill client orders. Ecommerce software can also be called as a shopping cart solution, shopping cart software, ecommerce website builder, online store builder or ecommerce platform and it serves a sole purpose that is to help clients sell their products online. Ecommerce platform includes customizable site templates, an integrated shopping cart, search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, inventory management and analytics. The customer needs to create an account and use store management tools to customize their ecommerce business.Ecommerce software and platform Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe global ecommerce software and platform market is driven by the ecommerce software which are user-friendly, affordable for a small business entity. The cost of adding an ecommerce component to existing business and penetrate in newer market ranges between US$ 100 to US$ 150 per month and enables expansion through online business. Ecommerce platforms provide the basics requirements to start online business. Ecommerce is rapidly accounting for a bigger proportion of overall retail sales in U.S. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, customers spent approximately US$ 194 Bn online in 2011. With this kind of spending and trend, increasing number of small and mid-size businesses are taking the online platform for all or some of its operations.Request Report Sample@Ecommerce software and platform Market: SegmentationThe global ecommerce software and platform market is classified on the basis of software platform, ecommerce software type and region.Based on software platform, the global ecommerce software and platform market is segmented into the following:Hosted Ecommerce PlatformsSelf-Hosted Ecommerce PlatformsBased on ecommerce software type, the global ecommerce software and platform market is segmented into the following:On-premiseSaaS (Software as a Service)Ecommerce software and platform Market: OverviewThe two major categories of e-commerce platforms are hosted and self-hosted. Hosted means the company will host clients store, while self-hosted means the company will provide the client a software and the client needs to get their own Web hosting. Hosted ecommerce software or solution provides domain name registration and all other tools needed to build an ecommerce website particularly for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Hosted ecommerce software are low cost, do not require IT assistance and are designed to grow with business as the customer does not pay for specifications and features which are not used by them with availability of upgrade services of features needed.Ecommerce software and platform Market: Region wise OverviewGeographically, global ecommerce software and platform market is classified into regions viz. North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan, Middle East and Africa (MEA).Global ecommerce software and platform market is in its growth phase and its adoption is gaining momentum. Ecommerce software and platform providers are accumulated in the U.S., U.K., Canada and few other APAC countries. As a result, North America, Western Europe and APAC regions are expected to account for more than half the share in the ecommerce software and platform market.Visit For TOC@Ecommerce software and platform Market: Key PlayersSome of the major ecommerce platforms are Shopify, Volusion, BigCommerce, The Winner, Magento, 1ShoppingCart, Aabaco, Wix, X-Cart Cloud, 3dcart, PinnacleCart, Etsy, Squarespace to name a few. The competition among the ecommerce software and platform market players is fierce in terms of pricing, user-friendliness, features and online shopping cart is particularly the area of interest of most of the clients in the market.ABOUT US: Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
2017-2021 The US Meal Kit Market Analysis, Growth, Size, Trends & Forecasts

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Scope of the ReportThe report entitled The US Meal Kit Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021), provides analysis of the US meal kit market, with detailed analysis of market size and growth, and segmentation of the industry. The analysis of the US meal kit market includes the market by value and by segments.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 US meal kit 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.Get Sample Copy of this Report @Blue Apron, HelloFresh, Plated and Home Chef are some of the key players operating in the US meal kit 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.Company CoverageBlue ApronHelloFreshPlatedHome ChefExecutive SummaryThe meal planning and preparation can be taken place through different sources or medium namely, Meal Kit, a subscription service that delivers customers food ingredients and recipes for them to prepare their own fresh meals; Food On Demand: Prepared Food, defined as the delivery of cooked food on the demand of customers and Food On Demand: Groceries, a process to deliver groceries at customers door steps.The US meal kit market is expected to increase at high growth rates during the forecasted period (2017-2021). The US meal kit market is supported by various growth drivers, increasing urban population, increasing employment, more customization in food, increasing disposable income, etc. The future trends such as flexible meal kit subscription, augmented food transparency, increasing millennial population, etc. escalate the US meal kit market. Some challenges that hinder the growth are increasing food prices, uncertain economic situations and food security issues, etc.View Report @MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Pharmacy Automation Devices Market Size (Value and volume) and Market Share by Players, Type and Application 2022

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Scope of the ReportThe report entitled Global Pharmacy Automation Devices Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021) provides a detailed analysis of the global pharmacy automation devices market by value and by segments. The analysis includes market size in terms of value, market share by segment and penetration rate.The report also provides brief country analysis of the US, Korea and India. Geographically, North America is the largest market for pharmacy automation devices market and is expected to dominate the market in the forecasted period also.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 pharmacy automation devices market has also been forecasted for the period 2017-2021, taking into consideration previous growth outlines, growth drivers and the existing and forthcoming trends.View Report @The competition in the global pharmacy automation devices market is fragmented with several players, such as McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, Health Robotics, Omnicell, Cerner, Care Fusion etc. Further the key players of the global pharmacy automation devices market: McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, Omnicell and JVM co. Ltd. are profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.Company CoverageMcKesson CorporationAmerisourceBergenOmnicellJVM co. Ltd.Region CoverageThe USKoreaIndiaGet Sample Copy of this Report @Executive SummaryAutomation in pharmacy is related with the process of handling and distribution of medications in pharmacy or other health care centres and involve the task of counting and dispensing of tablets, measuring and mixing powders and liquids for compounding, inventory management etc. Technological innovations in pharmaceutical industry make it obligation for hospitals and pharmacies to adopt the automation process in order to reduce the medication errors, high labour cost and increasing need for accurate and standardized drugs in order to decline in number of deaths which occurred due to incorrect amount of medications.On the basis of technology, pharmacy automation devices are broadly categorized into five types: Auto Dispensing Cabinets, Table-Top Tablet Counters, Automated Compounding Systems, Automated Packaging and Labeling System, and Automated Storage and Retrieval System. Each device/system performs a number of different tasks. Two major end-users of the automation devices are: Retail Pharmacy and Hospital Pharmacy.Global pharmacy automation devices market has increased at a significant CAGR during the years 2014-2016, and the projections are made that the market would rise tremendously in the next four years i.e. 2017 to 2021. The growth of the pharmacy automation devices market is expected due to technological innovations, improvement in medical services accessibility, growing aging population, rising labor cost at pharmacies, growth opportunities in emerging economies etc. Yet the market faces some challenges which are obstructing the growth of the market. Some of the major challenges faced by the market are high cost of implementation and installation, intense competition among vendors, stringent government regulations etc.MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Reflux Nephropathy Treatment Market Key Players, Growth, Analysis by 2017  2025

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Reflux Nephropathy is the condition of kidney damage due to the backward flow of urine from bladder into kidneys. The disease is more common in children and causes inveterate childhood abnormality in urinary tract and the long term disease is alleged to cause chronic pyelonephritis, high blood pressure, excessive protein loss, obstructive uropathy and kidney failure. Reflux Nephropathy is supposed to occur in people whose ureters are not attached properly to the bladder, when the valves are not working well or at the time of kidney transplant followed by the swelling of ureters. The treatment of Reflux Nephropathy includes surveillance, medical therapy and surgical therapy which is distributed among 5 different grades depending upon the gravity of reflux.The treatment of reflux nephropathy aims to reduce the renal scarring and kidney infections by usage of Prophylactic Antibiotics, antihypertensive medications, pain medications, urine culture and yearly ultrasound of the kidneys. The severe reflux nephropathy require surgery when the medical therapy fails to respond. In few cases, surgery includes ureteral re-implantation to stop the backward flow of urine. The treatment of the reflux nephropathy depends on the gender and age of the patient. The medical therapy is the safest treatment among all the diagnostic treatments as the surgical approach may face some unavoidable complications.Reflux Nephropathy is a congenital disease which causes an increase in the number of people suffering from the disease. Advancement in medication and surgical therapies, follow up care and imaging techniques impact the overall treatment market.Reflux Nephropathy Treatment Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe emerging research and development by various academic and research institutes as well as bio-pharmaceutical companies contributes to the opening of novel treatment approaches participating in increasing the overall global market. Several awareness programs organized by government and health care sector has also led to an upsurge in the market. The drugs like antibacterial pyelonephritis and antibody trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole are effective antibiotic to prevent the infections but the scarcity of the drugs and threat to the patients in the surgical treatment of reflux nephropathy turns to be the limiting factor for the growth of market.Continuous research in the area and novel product launches would provide edge to the bio pharmaceutical companies involved in the competition landscape. The research and development in the diagnostic methodology has also accelerated the progress of market. The medical therapy is the most preferred treatment method that contributes to a major part of the total market of reflux nephropathy treatment. Availability of generic medications in the market also have an impact in the overall growth of Nephropathy treatment market.Geographically, the reflux nephropathy treatment market has been segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the market because of the availability of large number of service providers and good reimbursement scenario for the treatment. This is followed by the Europe as studies demonstrates, children in these regions are 10 times more susceptible to the disease. Moreover, the health facilities and healthy reimbursement scenario is also at pinnacle in these regions. The market in Asia Pacific and Middle Eastern countries is considered to be the growing segments due to the continuous increasing number of service providers and improvement in healthcare facilities. The awareness programs conducted by the health organizations also assists the overall growth of the market in these regions.Request for more detailed information (TOC And Sample) :Some major key players of the reflux nephropathy treatment market are Abbott India Ltd., Glaxo SmithKline Pharmaceutical Ltd, Cubit Healthcare, Cobalt Laboratories Inc, Actavis Mid Atlantic LLC, Aurobindo Pharma - Milpharm Ltd.To Know About Latest Report Click Here: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:
Middle East and North Africa Corrosion Protective Coatings & Acid Proof Lining Market Revenue is Expected to Reach US$ 3,163.8 Mn by 2026 end

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Demand for corrosion protective coatings and acid proof linings in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is estimated to increase at 3.2% Y-o-Y by 2016 end. Saudi Arabia is expected to remain the largest consumer of corrosion protective coatings and acid proof linings in MENA, accounting for revenue share of 32.5% by 2016 end. Strategic government initiatives to diversify the countrys economy as well as growing public and private sector investments in various end-use industries are factors expected to drive market growth in the near future.Robust growth of marine industry as well as increasing maritime activities, such as shipping, offshore repair and shipbuilding are factors anticipated to drive growth of the corrosion protective coatings and acid proof linings market. However, the ongoing oil-crisis in the Middle East can negatively impact market growth.By product type, polymer coatings will remain the preferred material in MENA corrosion protective coatings market, accounting for a revenue share of 64.6% by 2016 end. Epoxy and polyurethane will remain the sought-after polymer coatings, owing to their technical superiority and multi-functionality. Thermoplastic lining will remain the highest selling acid proof lining product, ramping up US$ 155.8 Mn in revenues by 2016 end.Request A Sample Copy Of This Report at:Major market participants such as Cape RB Hilton Saudi Arabia Ltd., Hertel OTC, StonCor Middle East LLC, Kaefer LLC. REMA TIP TOP AG, KCC Corrosion Control Co., StonCor Middle East LLC, Anticorrosion Protective Systems L.L.C., Al Gurg Paints LLC., Ineco Limited, Global Suhaimi and Ocean Rubber Factory LLC are actively focussing on capacity expansion as well as industry-specific new product development in the region. Furthermore, mid-level market participants are focussing on strengthening distribution and geographical expansion in order to capitalise on growth potential of the MENA corrosion protective caoatings and acid proof linings market.Long-term Outlook: Revenue from the corrosion protective coatings and acid proof linings in the Middle East and North Africa is expected to reach US$ 3,163.8 Mn by 2026 end, expanding at a CAGR of 4.9% over the forecast period 20162024. Saudi Arabia is anticipated to dominate the corrosion protective coatings and acid proof linings market over the forecast period, with market share of 32.5% in overall sales by the end of 2026.Send An Enquiry@ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite :
Global Enterprise Mobility Management market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 31% from 2017 to 2025

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Progressive Markets has published a report, titled, Global Enterprise Mobility Management Market - Size, Trend, Share, Opportunity Analysis & Forecast, 20142025. As per the report, the global enterprise mobility management market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 31% from 2017 to 2025. The report offers an extensive analysis of leading market players, outlines competitive intensity, and highlights revenue generated by key segments. With the help of tabular and graphical representation, the research offers detailed analysis for the historic period, 20142016 and the forecast period, 20172025. Moreover, Porters Five Forces model and changing market dynamics are provided in the study. The research proves to be the valuable source of information for market players, new entrants, VPs, and investors to gain thorough understanding of the industry and devise strategies for the future.Request Sample At:The report offers an executive summary of the global enterprise mobility management market based on key findings, current market status, and industry development analysis. Moreover, market attractiveness and competitive landscape are outlined in the research. The report description is offered along with scope of the report and definitions. Research methodology adopted by analysts is offered in the study to convey reliability and outline sources of information. Primary and secondary research methodologies are implemented. Different publications and sources are referred including journals and company reports for collection of data, information, and statistics. Furthermore, vendor briefings and inputs from industry experts are taken to gather updated insights along with conducting online surveys.The report offers an extensive analysis of changing market dynamics of the global enterprise mobility management market. Drivers and challenges are mentioned in the study along with their impact. Rise in adoption of mobile devices due to increase in internet reach & usage and growth in data and mobile devices are factors responsible for growth in the market. However, high installation cost for the deployment of enterprise mobility management solution pose a challenge for market players. The impact of these factors and changing dynamics are highlighted in the research. Porters Five Forces model is provided in the research based on bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of substitutes, industry rivalry, and threat of new entrants.Enquire About Report At:The report offers detailed segmentation of the global enterprise mobility management market based on type, solution, enterprise, industry vertical, and geography. Based on type, the market is sub-segmented into mobile device management, mobile content management, mobile application management, and bring your own device (BYOD). Based on solution, the industry is classified into software and services. Enterprise segment is classified into large and small & medium. Industry verticals analyzed in the study are banking, financial services & insurance (BFSI), automotive, healthcare, retail, telecom & IT, manufacturing, and others. Geographically, the market is segmented based on North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and LAMEA.Countries in each region are also analyzed in the research. In North American region, U.S., Canada, and Mexico are explored, while, in European region, U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Rest of Europe are countries analyzed. China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, and rest of Asia-Pacific are countries discussed for Asia-Pacific region. Brazil, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and rest of LAMEA are countries analyzed in the LAMEA. Historical market size and market forecast for each country are provided in the research with the help of tables and figures. These insights are helpful in determining steps to be taken for expansion into emerging economies. Moreover, market players are able to determine dominating segments and capitalize on opportunities presented by them.Request Customization At:The research offers an extensive analysis of key market players operating in the global enterprise mobility management market. A brief overview of every market player is provided along with highlighting recent developments. Financial and business segments of each player are provided in the research along with tables and figures providing a company snapshot. Leading market players analyzed in the research are Okta, Inc., Citrix Systems, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, VMware, Inc., IBM Corporation, MobileIron, SAP SE, Apperian, Inc., Good Technology, and SOTI Inc. These insights help market players gain understanding of competitive intensity and devise strategies such as collaborations, agreements, partnerships, mergers, and others.Progressive Markets is the answer to every possible business query. It is a market research and business consulting firm, headquartered in India with an aim to deliver up-to-date executive support to foster overall growth of an organization in its domain. Progressive Markets was found with an initiative to bridge the gap between enterprises and global opportunities.Asia Pacific Intelligence CentreUnited StatesEAST COAST U.S.Direct: +1-646-564-2246Toll Free + 1-888-906-9222Email: help@progressivemarkets.comWeb:
Overview of Self-Driving Cars and Light Trucks : Market Demands, Insights, Research and Forecast 2017-2023

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Albany, New York, August 29, 2017 : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Self-Driving Cars and Light Trucks: Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2017 to 2023" globally.Worldwide markets are poised to achieve significant growth as self-driving cars and light trucks permit users to implement automated driving. Fleet vehicles from Uber, Google and similar users are likely to be the early adopter groups. Tesla, Mercedes, and Audi are among the vendors with a leadership position in the personal luxury vehicle self-driving car markets,Every car maker seeks to participate in this self-driving personal vehicle market. The ability to do so depends on implementing next generation technology that is very expensive to get working. Vendors ae seeking to work together to set standards and develop shared modules that provide basic functionality. Cameras, sensors, artificial intelligence software, and LiDAR are among the modules being developed.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @Autonomous vehicle technology has the potential to institute major change in personal mobility. Autonomous cars are the next generation of manual cars, poised to provide thrust for a large replacement market. Autonomous vehicles are the base for building a personal car services, particularly in large cities. Carmakers and Silicon Valley companies bring different skills to the task of building a self-driving car. Together they are finding common ground to transform the personal vehicle industry. One thing they are unlikely to transform is performance.Every person who owns a vehicle has a preference on performance. The Tesla has gained recognition for offering a self-driving vehicle, but it is first and foremost a performance vehicle. This characteristic will not change as self-driving vehicles come on the market. People like the customization of features and functions in their car.This customization aspect of self-driving vehicles does not get talked about much, but it is a very important part of the industry. It will not go away just because cars are run by software. From auto racing to personal preference, ever car has its own personality and its own comfort. Performance is part of the package. Every car maker seeks to participate in this self-driving personal vehicle market with a distinctive offering. The ability to have unique appear to customers depends on implementing next generation technology in a manner that works effectively and is relatively inexpensive to implement.Apple, IBM, and Google are sure to be among the significant software vendors for all the self-driving car and light truck market participants. IBM has a huge head start with its excellent middleware branded integrated solutions that are hardened and reliable. Google has mindshare and early market success with its early market trials.As automated process hits the auto industry as a disruptive force, it parallels the automated piloting of the airline industry that saw significant labor savings implementation. Automated vehicle driving can be done anywhere just by connecting the car to integrated adaptive cruise control, adaptive steering and braking, and lane assist systems all working off one central processor.Make an Enquiry about TOC @Self-driving cars and light trucks incrementally add automated process to driving. As software is added to cars and light trucks it is done in concert with modification to the steering, breaking, and other automotive systems. Autonomous functions for vehicles are increasingly adopted.Change is incremental, we do not have fully functioning self-driving cars immediately, rather, steering, collision avoidance, parking, test driving, series of camera and radar based monitoring systems, lane assist, and adaptive cruise control are being implemented, presaging rapid adoption of self-driving cars and light trucks as the various functions mature and work in the real world.The market for self-driving car and light truck vehicles is anticipated to expand in parallel with the deployment of appropriate roadway controls funded by government programs. The large public investments for self-driving vehicles so far has been for development of technology that works for military purposes. The extension of this type of automated system to commercial fleet vehicles will be rapid after 2019The self-driving car designs amalgamate a group of features to represent an automated process solution. These include the hardware, the software middleware, the steering system, adaptive cruise control, numerous software applications, an integrated systems approach, and related services. Significant investments in research and development are necessary as the emerging self-driving cars and light trucks industry builds on incremental technology roll outs.Self-driving car and light truck commercial market shipments forecasts indicate that markets beginning to develop in 2016 will rise to $3.6 trillion by 2023. Spectacular growth is a result of various moves toward autonomous vehicles that can go across the US by themselves, provide automated navigation,, integrated braking and steering. Most auto vendors have gone beyond the testing stage to offer vehicles that have strong navigation capability.Safety modules are complimented by mapping vehicles that provide navigation. The Tesla and other vehicles provide driver alerts but fall sort of complete self-driving.Market driving forces relate primarily to the need for increased safety and personalization for autos. Car manufacturers are positioning with self-driving car models to meet demand at the high end, and in every category of car and light truck. Many self-driving vehicle car vendors are making automation for personal vehicles and light trucks a reality.Companies ProfiledMarket LeadersGoogleBMW GroupDaimler AG / Mercedes-BenzGMNissanToyotaFordTeslaFujiKairosHyundaiVolkswagen / AudiBrowse Report @Market ParticipantsAllen VanguardAudiBAE SystemsBoston DynamicsBosch GroupEvatran GroupBMWBuick GroupChrysler / DodgeDaimler AG/Mercedes-BenzECA RoboticsElbit SystemsResearchMoz 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.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on :
Global Pet Food Market Scrutinized In New Research Report 2017

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Pet Food Market research report helps to get access to industry data and upcoming trends which will give you avenues to know about the market. This report gives opportunities to go through with industry analysis, share and forecast, Providing brief description about the market size its competitors and product identification.In this report, the global Pet Food market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Pet Food in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaRequest For Free Sample Of The Report @Global Pet Food market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingAffinity Petcare SAAller Petfood LLCBHJ A/SBlue Buffalo Pet ProductsC&D FoodsDel Monte FoodsDoane Pet Care CompanyHartz Mountain CorporationHill's Pet NutritionMarsNestle Purina PetCare CompanyNutro ProductsThe Iams CompanyOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoCanned/Wet FoodDry FoodSemi-Moist FoodObtain Report Details @On the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Pet Food for each application, includingDogsCatsPigsOtherIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About UsAlltake Market Research is division of the Alltake LLC. that offers premium quality market intelligence, market research, industry analysis reports & forecast data for different domains across the business industry.Alltake Market Research understands the importance of market analysis for any strategy that is implemented in any organization or association. In order to provide the best solution, Alltake Market Research have associated with major organizations within market research and consultancy firm. This portfolio offers market analysis report at one place for different business verticals. Alltake Market Research ensures to offer you with the most reliable and quality market research available.Contact UsAlltake Market Research16192, Coastal Highway Lewes,DE 19958, United StatesUS - 188 8587 9717UK - 4480 0680 0195Email sales@alltakemarketresearch.com
9th Edition of International Conference on Analytical Chemistry 2018

Exploring Novel Advances and Applications in Analytical Chemistry

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Analytical Chemistry conferences | Analytical Chemistry 2018 | Analytical Chemistry Conference 2018We are inviting you to attend our 9th Edition of International Conference on Analytical Chemistry 2018 which is going to be held at Vienna, Austria on March 26-28, 2018. Analytical Chemistry 2018 spreads an extensive range of critically important sessions from basic research to recent innovations. It is particularly based on learning and sharing knowledge on current research and enormous applications of pharmaceutical sciences and chemistry. The main theme of the conference is " Exploring Novel Advances and Applications in Analytical Chemistry. We are providing an unprecedented opportunity for chemists of all stripes and colors to share their research with colleagues by discussing the latest advances in the field. We invite directors, presidents & CEOs from companies, chemists, academic groups, directors from pharmaceutical companies. Laboratory scientists who identifies, quantifies, analyzes or tests the chemical or biological properties of compounds or molecules or who manages these laboratory scientists. Chemical researcher, molecular diagnostics, clinical laboratories, health care industry, quantitative analysts, qualitative analysts, editorial board members, students, faculty members. chemical instrument vendors, professors and students from academia in the field of analytical and bioanalytical sciences. Delegates from various pharma & instrumental companies from all over the world.Our conference includes some of the major academic and business key topics:Tracks : Novel Approaches to Analytical and Bioanalytical Method , Analytical Methodology , Bioanalytical Methodology , Chromatograpic Techniques , Environmental Analytical Chemistry , Electrophoresis, Advancements in Mass Spectrometry, Forensic Analysis, Advances in Separation Techniques ,,Analytical Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Analysis, Process Analytical Chemistry, Thermal Analysis and Glycomics , Applications of Analytical and Bioanalytical Methods, New Instrumentation and Equipment , Regulatory Issues and Biosafety Challenges in Bioanalysis.Academic key topics: Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), Atomic Fluorescence Spectroscopy (AFS), Capillary Electrophoresis (CE), Chromatography, Electrophoresis, Flow Injection Analysis (FIA), Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTIR), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Ion-Mobility Spectrometry (IMS), Liquid,Chromatography-IR Spectroscopy (LC-IR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Raman Spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF), Mass Spectrometry (MS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography-IR Spectroscopy (HPLC-IR), Gas Chromatography (GC), Electrolysis, Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (AES)Business key topics: Analytical Chemistry Europe, Analytical Chemistry Asia, Analytical Chemistry Japan, Analytical Chemistry UK, Analytical Chemistry Canada, Analytical Chemistry USA , Analytical Chemistry Dubai, Analytical Chemistry Germany, Analytical Chemistry Africa, Spectrometer, Spectrophotometer, Coning and quartering, Dilution , Dissolution , Filtration,Masking ,Pulverization, Sample preparation, Separation process, Sub-sampling, Chemometrics, Calibration curve, Matrix effect, Internal standard, Standard addition, Isotope dilution, Calorimetry, Chromatography, Electroanalytical methods, Gravimetric analysis, Mass spectrometry, Spectroscopy etc.Conference Venue:26/03/2018 28/03/2018Conference start time: 9:00 AMConference end time: 6:00 PMDates: March 26-28, 2018 Vienna, AustriaEuroscicon is the longest running independent life science events company with a predominantly academic client base. Our multiprofessional and multispeciality approach creates a unique experience that cannot be found with a specialist society or commercially.Name: Ethan MathewsDesignation: Program DirectorOrganization: Euroscicon Ltd.Website:Email id : analyticalchemistry@eurosciconconferences.comanalyticalchemistry@eurosciconmeetings.comAddress: Highstone House, 165 High Street,Barnet, Hertfordshire EN5 5SU, UK
Biodegradable Lidding Films Market Expected to Expand at a Steady CAGR through 2027

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Global Biodegradable Lidding Films market is correlated to the significant presence of organized retail and wholesale sector across the world. Biodegradable materials are plastic films whose raw material is vegetative such as corn starch, tapioca products or sugarcanes. These thermoplastic aliphatic materials are derived from renewable resources called Poly lactic acid or polylactide, shortly named as PLA, and can biodegrade under presence of oxygen. Biodegradable Lidding Films are used for the packaging of prepared food, tablets, and in syrup bottles.Market Overview:Biodegradable Lidding Films currently are experiencing significant adoption amongst various industries, across the globe. Nowadays, consumers are more interested in buying processed food products including frozen foods, prepared meals, meat products, and others directly from the super market. Also, in the recent years, middle level income population with comparatively higher disposable capital income has increased, and most of the population these days prefer using biodegradable products. Since, most of the working population prefer to consume healthy processed food, the market for Biodegradable Lidding Films is expected to foresee significant growth. In the food industry, Biodegradable Lidding Films provide customers with the no-touch cooking solution, allowing them to take food products directly from the freezer to their use. This aspect of cooking helps in avoiding product contamination. Thus, Biodegradable Lidding Films facilitate improved food safety, and this particular factor will add to the growth of the market during the assessment period.Request Report Sample@Trends such as growing popularity of packaging in trays and specialty containers, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), retort packaging applications and others are expected to drive the Biodegradable Lidding Films market substantially in the forecast period.Market Dynamics:Across the globe, major manufacturers in the films packaging industry are focusing on manufacturing of Biodegradable Lidding Films these days. Similarly, maximum users in the frozen foods and meat products packaging industry across the globe are focusing on reducing their carbon footprint. There is a great demand for Biodegradable Lidding Films owing to customer inclination towards the use of clean materials and an increase in health awareness. Also, in many countries, government is encouraging the use of biodegradable products across various industries. These are few of the major reasons driving the Biodegradable Lidding Films market.There are some restrains in the Biodegradable Lidding Films market, which are hindering the prospective growth. Fluctuating raw material prices have become a serious issue for manufacturers of Biodegradable Lidding Films. Varying prices of film materials, printing inks, and seal types are hampering the profitability of value chain participants in the global lidding films manufacturing industry. Additionally, the manufacturing cost is also affected by currency fluctuations. Changes in global supply and demand, and fluctuations in the market, exchange rates, government controls and other factors may affect the raw material prices of Biodegradable Lidding Films, particularly in the European countries where the production cost is high because of the high cost of polymers.Market Segmentation:Global Biodegradable Lidding FilmsMarket is mainly classified on the basis of application, seal type, material used, and geographies.On the basis of application of Biodegradable Lidding Films, global Biodegradable Lidding Films market is segmented into fresh meat, fish, poultry, sausages and cured meat, cooked meat, cheese, sauces and soups, ready meals, processed produce, and non-food products.On the basis of seal type, Biodegradable Lidding Films market can be segmented as TruSeal  permanent (weld) seal, RePeel  multi-use seal, and TruPeel  peelable seal.On the basis of materials used, Biodegradable Lidding Films market can be segmented as CAPFILM PP, CAPFILM PE, and CAPFILM PET.On the basis of geographies, the market is segmented across 7 key regions:North AmericaLatin AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific Excluding JapanJapanMiddle East & AfricaBiodegradable Lidding Films have significant application in the frozen food industry, for providing safe and hygienic coverage to the packages. Since Europe is the major region, followed by North America in terms of market for frozen food; Biodegradable Lidding Film market in the European and North American regions is expected to grow considerably. With continuously growing population, this market is expected to grow in other regions including Asia Pacific, and Japan as well.Visit For TOC@Key Market Players:Some of the major players active in the global Biodegradable Lidding Films market include Rockwell Solutions, Quantum Packaging, SealMAX, Source One Packaging, Xpert Packaging Inc., Clondalkin Flexible Packaging, Innovia Films Inc., American Profol Inc., International Paper and Plastic, Huhtamaki, National Flexible, NJB PACKAGING, and others.Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. 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Demand of Diagnostics PCR Market in EMEA Industry : Insights, Development, Research and Forecast 2017-2022

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Albany, New York, August 29, 2017 : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "EMEA(Europe, Middle East and Africa) Diagnostics PCR Market Report 2017" globally.In this report, the Diagnostics PCR market is valued and is expected to grow day by day at the end of 2022 .Geographically, this report split EMEA into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, With sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Diagnostics PCR for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Benelux;Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran;Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @EMEA Diagnostics PCR market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Diagnostics PCR sales volume (K Units), price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingAbbott LaboratoriesAgilent Technologies Inc.Alere Inc.Asuragen, Inc.Biocartis Group NvBiofire Diagnostics, Llc. (Acquired By Biomerieux)Biomerieux SaBio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.Cepheid (A Danaher Company)Genmark Diagnostics, Inc.Hologic, Inc.Luminex CorporationMeridian Bioscience, Inc.Qiagen N.V.Quantumdx GroupRocheSpartan BioscienceT2 Biosystems,On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoDigital PCRMultiple PCROther PCROtherOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (K Units), market share and growth rate of Diagnostics PCR for each application, includingInfection Disease DiagnosisCancerCardiovascular Disease (CVD)Genetic TestingDrug MetabolismHLA Type TestOther Clinical ApplicationMake an Enquiry about TOC @Table of Contents1 Diagnostics PCR Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Diagnostics PCR1.2 Classification of Diagnostics PCR1.2.1 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Digital PCR1.2.4 Multiple PCR1.2.5 Other PCR1.2.6 Other1.3 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-20221.3.2 Infection Disease Diagnosis1.3.3 Cancer1.3.4 Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)1.3.5 Genetic Testing1.3.6 Drug Metabolism1.3.7 HLA Type Test1.3.8 Other Clinical Application1.4 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Market by Region1.4.1 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Middle East Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Africa Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 EMEA Market Size (Value and Volume) of Diagnostics PCR (2012-2022)1.5.1 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers2.1.1 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Sales Volume and Market Share of Major Players (2012-2017)2.1.2 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Revenue and Share by Players (2012-2017)2.1.3 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Sale Price by Players (2012-2017)2.2 EMEA Diagnostics PCR (Volume and Value) by Type/Product Category2.2.1 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.3 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Sale Price by Type (2012-2017)2.3 EMEA Diagnostics PCR (Volume) by Application2.4 EMEA Diagnostics PCR (Volume and Value) by Region2.4.1 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.2 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.3 EMEA Diagnostics PCR Sales Price by Region (2012-2017)Browse Report @3 Europe Diagnostics PCR (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Players, Countries, Type and Application3.1 Europe Diagnostics PCR Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 Europe Diagnostics PCR Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 Europe Diagnostics PCR Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.2 Europe Diagnostics PCR Sales and Market Share by Type3.3 Europe Diagnostics PCR Sales and Market Share by Application3.4 Europe Diagnostics PCR Sales Volume and Value (Revenue) by Countries3.4.1 Europe Diagnostics PCR Sales Volume by Countries (2012-2017)3.4.2 Europe Diagnostics PCR Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)3.4.3 Germany Diagnostics PCR Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.4 France Diagnostics PCR Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.5 UK Diagnostics PCR Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.6 Russia Diagnostics PCR Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.7 Italy Diagnostics PCR Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.8 Benelux Diagnostics PCR Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)ResearchMoz 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.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on :
Retail Warehouse Management Systems Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2017-2027

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The development of e-commerce and increased technological investment in emerging regions such as North America and Asia Pacific is creating demand for retail warehouse management systems significantly. Due to automation of warehouse management using various technologies is cutting expenses of workforce allocation. Retail warehouse management systems aids in streamlining the operation of supply chain management, logistics and product scheduling in retail enterprises. There are several benefits of this system which include the reduction in inventory, labor costs, increased customer service and inventory efficiency. Retail warehouse management system offers solutions for scheduling of goods required in stock where less safety stock needed due to greater efficiency in inventory. Advanced technologies used in retail warehousing provides material handling equipment which helps in moving of goods in warehouse efficiently.Retail Warehouse Management Systems Market: Market DynamicsIncreasing awareness of cloud-based technologies and reduced transportation costs is fueling the growth of retail warehouse management systems market.Request Report Sample@Higher investment in ERP and deployment of warehouse management system and lack of IT infrastructure are restraining the growth of retail warehouse management systems market.Increasing demand of e-commerce in the retail sector is the latest trend in retail warehouse management systems market.Global Retail Warehouse Management Systems Market: Market SegmentationSegmentation OverviewRetail Warehouse Management Systems market divided into three segments, based on component, enterprise type, technology, and region.Segmentation by component in Retail Warehouse Management Systems market:SoftwareOn-premiseCloud-basedServicesOperations and MaintenanceSystem IntegrationConsultingSegmentation by enterprise type in Retail Warehouse Management Systems market:Small and medium enterpriseLarge enterpriseSegmentation by technology in Retail Warehouse Management Systems market:Supply chain management systemERP warehouse applicationsVendor management systemRFID solutionsGlobal Retail Warehouse Management Systems Market: Competition LandscapeFew prominent players in Retail Warehouse Management Systems market includeInfor Inc., LogFire Inc., Manhattan Associates Inc., Made4net LLC, JDA Software Group, Inc., Oracle Corporation, SAP SE, Softeon, Inc., Synergy Logistics Ltd., HighJump Software Inc., Swisslog Holding AG, Tecsys, Inc., Indigo Software, Inc., Provia Software, Inc, NetSuite Inc., EXE Technologies, Royal 4 Systems and NCR Corporation.Visit For TOC@Retail Warehouse Management Systems Market: Regional OutlookPresently, Europe is estimated to hold the largest share in retail warehouse management systems market followed by North America, Asia-Pacific, and MEA regions. Asia Pacific is expected to contribute for the significant growth in the forecast period owing to the adoption of advanced technologies and cloud-based warehouse management systems in the retail sector is fueling the retail warehouse management systems market.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:
Food Ingredients Sterilization Market: Lack of Impact on Sales to Discourage Food Manufacturers from Adopting Sterilization Processes

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The global food ingredients sterilization market is driven by the replacement of preservatives and other processing agents in lieu of the less harmful sterilization processes. Sterilized food hold a low risk of carrying food borne pathogens and this will boost the growth of the market for food ingredients sterilization. The growing population is creating a heightened demand for food and this will create a heightened demand for this product. The increasing food product recalls will also be a driver for the market. Sterilized foods reduce the risk of food poisoning instances and this will boost the demand for these ingredients.Obtain Report Details @According to a recent report by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global food ingredient sterilization market is anticipated to be worth US$452,046.9 by the end of 2024 after being worth US$326,069 in 2016. The market is expected to expand at a 4.2% CAGR between 2016 and 2024.Given below in the blog post, experts from TMR answer key questions relating to the global food ingredient sterilization market:Q. What are the strategies adopted by key players in the global food ingredient sterilization market?The key players within the global food ingredient sterilization market is led by key players such as Balchem, Inc., Safe Spice, Sterigenics International LLC, Croll Reynolds, and Wenda Ingredients, most of which are associated with the provision of specialty products for the food and beverages sector as well as the healthcare sector. Many leading players are associated with products and services that are commonly aimed at sterilization products and devices so as to stay ahead of competition. Experience in sterilization is working in the favor of market players even more than their presence in the food and beverage industry. Players are also anticipated to put their efforts in research and development for the development of better and improved methods of sterilization and newer ingredients, as a key strategy to strengthen their foothold in the global food ingredient sterilization industry.For more information on this report, fill the form @Q. What are the factors working in the favor of global food ingredient sterilization market?An increasing number of food product manufacturers are facing issues such as contamination and incorrect processing. Moreover there have been instances of undercooking too, causing issues such as food poisoning. Cases such as these, not only affects the credibility of the brand of food products but also incur huge financial losses. Thus, there is an increasing demand for food ingredient sterilization and manufacturers of food products increasingly understand the advantages of these solutions. Not only bacteria is eliminated from food products if it is cooked improperly but also, the shelf life is increased due to sterilization. This is driving the demand for sterilization and the market is expected to prosper in the coming years as an increasing number of people are becoming more aware of the side effects of contaminated food products.What are the key factors posing a challenge to the market?The global food ingredient sterilization market faces a challenge in the form of low awareness that consumers, especially from underdeveloped countries hold towards sterilization processes and ingredients. This is discouraging manufacturers of food products to adopt these processes as it has no impact whatsoever on the sales and revenue. The complicated process of using sterilization equipment is also a challenge for the growth of this market. In addition to this, increasing number of malfunctioning equipment may have a negative impact on demand.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:
DECATUR  As Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch toured the Farm Progress Show Tuesday, it was something of a work visit combined with a visit to her second home.

Crouch, who took office this January, oversee the Indiana Department of Agriculture, and Tuesday allowed her to meet with agribusiness officials about the latest developments in the industry. But by her side during her visit to the show included her husband, attorney Larry Downs, and her sister-in-law Linda Downs-May, both natives of Decatur.

Weve been coming to Decatur for years ... this (show) really is a wonderful addition for the community, Crouch said.

Married for nearly three decades, Indiana native Crouch and Downs, who visit Decatur frequently, said this was their first visit Farm Progress Show. Downs said he was impressed by what he saw.

Its really interesting to see all the new technologies these farmers have, said Downs, a Stephen Decatur High School graduate.

When asked what government can do to help farmers, Crouch said limiting the amount of government oversight could provide at least one avenue of certainty for private farms.

Crouch also said Midwestern states need to find the balance of helping their own residents, while also working toward building an economically strong Midwest that can collaborate on economic and social challenges that all states face.

We want to be supportive of our neighbors  We want them to be as successful as Indiana, Crouch said. When any one of us can benefit and prosper, then all of us can share those benefits and prosper.
Refrigeration Lubricants Market to grow at an estimated CAGR of 2.5%

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Reports And Markets Publish a New Market Research Report On "Refrigeration Lubricants Market - Segmented By Base Stock, By Application, and Geography - Trends and Forecasts (2017 - 2022)"Access Full Report With Table Of Contents @The global market for refrigeration lubricants is valued at USD 2.3 billion in 2016. This market is expected to grow at an estimated CAGR of 2.5%, to reach USD 2.6 billion by 2021.Refrigeration is a process of transferring heat from one location to another in controlled conditions. Refrigeration has many applications such as household refrigerators, industrial freezers, cryogenics, air conditioning etc. in food and beverage sector, petrochemical, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries, natural gas liquefaction, infrastructure facilities and ice factories.It is a cyclic process, commonly known as cyclic refrigeration which describes the changes in the refrigerants as it internally absorbs and rejects heat as it circulates through a refrigerator. Components such as compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion valve etc. are set up in a cyclic process to facilitate heat transfer from a high-temperature source to the surroundings.Lubrication plays a significant role in the refrigeration process as the components of the compressors should be maintained in a hermetic environment. The choice of a lubricant depends on the compatibility such as miscibility, net viscosity of the mixture etc. with the refrigerant that is used in the compressor as it moves along the refrigerant as a mixture (working fluid) in the cycle and it has multitudes of application in the refrigeration industry.Refrigeration lubricant must lubricate internal parts of the cycle, remove heat generated due to compression, and keep the system clean, act as a fluid seal for non-contact surfaces that require sealing, be stable enough over the lifetime of the compressor and reduce the energy requirements. It also helps to control foam formation and reduce noise generation by the moving parts of a compressor.Refrigeration lubricants market is foreseen to grow considerably due to the increase in the global cold chain industry which includes transportation of food materials, chemicals that needed refrigeration and increase of demand in the automotive industry. Market demand will also be benefited from synthetics growth in the lubricant market, as well as increasing stringent environmental standards and the availability of new and high quality base stock for refrigeration lubricants.Global Refrigeration Lubricants market is segmented on the basis of base oils into mineral oil lubricants, synthetic lubricants, and others. The mineral oil lubricants segmented is further drilled down into paraffinic oils, naphthenic oils, and aromatic oils.Synthetic lubricants are further segmented into synthetic hydrocarbons [polyalphaolefins (PAO), alkylated aromatics, and polybutenes), esters (diesters, polyol esters, phosphate esters, and polymer esters), polyalkylene glycols, and others. On the basis on application, the global refrigeration lubricants market is segmented into air conditioning (residential, industrial, transportation, and commercial), refrigeration compressors, production of soft drinks, and others.Additionally, the market has been segmented on the basis of geography into Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, ASEAN Countries, Australia & New Zealand, and Rest of Asia-pacific), Europe (Germany, UK, Italy, France, and Rest of Europe), North America (United States, Canada, Mexico, and Rest of North America), South America (Brazil, Argentina, and Rest of South America), and Middle-East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, South Africa, and Rest of MEA).Asia-Pacific is anticipated to dominate the global refrigerant global market with the highest CAGR. Some of the major companies in the refrigeration lubricants market are BASF SE (Germany), The Lubrizol Corporation (U.S.), The Dow Chemical Co. (U.S), JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp & others.Check Discount @For more information or any query mail at sales@reportsandmarkets.comAbout Reports And MarketsReports And Markets is part of the Algoro Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.Are you mastering your market? Do you know what the market potential is for your product, who the market players are and what the growth forecast is? We offer standard global, regional or country specific market research studies for almost every market you can imagine.Contact PersonSanjay JainManager - Partner Relations & International Marketinginfo@reportsandmarkets.comPh: +1-214-377-1121 (US), +44-020-3286-9338 (UK)
Programmable Logic Device (PLD) Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2017-2027

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Due to higher flexibility, programmability and reconfiguration properties, the programmable logic device has undergone significant changes, over the past few years. The programmable logic device, which is also known as field programmable logic used for the development of integrated circuit. The main feature of PLD is that it can be reprogrammed any number of times which help to end-users while developing new circuitry.These can be constituted to execute a particular function by the user based on the requirements and reprogrammed on the same circuit which leads to low cost in designing and ease at integration. The programmable logic device enables intricate digital logic designs to be implemented by the user on a single device and is capable of being erased and reprogrammed with a new design for other function.Programmable Logic Device (PLD) Market: Market DynamicsRapid advancement in field programmable gate array (FPGAs) are increasing the demand for the programmable logic device. Re-programmability is the prominent factor as PLDs can be reprogrammed without being removed from the circuit board and low cost of design as it is implemented on a single device etc. are the drivers of programmable logic device (PLD) market.Request Report Sample@On the other hand, factors such as complex design structure, power consumption and lack of standardized framework and workflows may act as a major constraint for programmable logic device (PLD) market.Global Programmable Logic Device (PLD) Market: Market SegmentationSegmentation OverviewProgrammable Logic Device (PLD) market segmented based on product type, applications, logic block type, programming technology, and region.Segmentation by product type in Programmable Logic Device (PLD) market:Simple Programmable Logic Device (SPLDs)Read-only Memory (ROM)Programmable Logic Array (PLA)Generic Array Logic (GAL)Programmable Array Logic (PAL)High Capacity Programmable Logic Device (HCPLDs)Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLDs)Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGAs)Segmentation by logic block type in Programmable Logic Device (PLD) market:Look-up TableMultiplexer-basedPLD BlockNAND GateMultiplexers and Basic gatesTransistor pairs and MultiplexersSegmentation by programming technology in Programmable Logic Device (PLD) market:EPROM (UV Erasable)Static RAMEEPROMAnti-FuseFlashGlobal Programmable Logic Device (PLD) Market: Competition LandscapeFew prominent players in Programmable Logic Device (PLD) market include Atmel Corporation, Xilinx, Inc., Altera Corporation, Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, Actel Corporation, QuickLogic Corporation, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, NEC Corporation and Texas Instruments Incorporated.Visit For TOC@Programmable Logic Device (PLD) Market: Regional OutlookProgrammable logic device is expected to hold largest share in North America followed by Latin America, Western Europe, APEJ and MEA region. North America dominance is attributed to the wide presence of key programmable logic device manufacturers. On the other hand, APEJ and Japan are expected to grow significantly as compared to the other region in programmable logic device (PLD) market.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:
Bulletproof Vest Market Overview, Top Manufacturers, Market Growth Analysis And Forecast Upto 2022

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Bulletproof Vest Market research report helps to get access to industry data and upcoming trends which will give you avenues to know about the market. This report gives opportunities to go through with industry analysis, share and forecast, Providing brief description about the market size its competitors and product identification.In this report, the global Bulletproof Vest market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Bulletproof Vest in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaRequest For Free Sample Of The Report @Global Bulletproof Vest market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingPBEBAE SystemsSafarilandAustralian Defence ApparelArmorSourceSurvitec Group LimitedSarkar Defense SolutionMKUKDH Defense SystemsU.S. Armor CorporationDu PontHoneywell InternationalOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoSoft Bulletproof VestHard Bulletproof VestComposite Bulletproof VestObtain Report Details @On the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Bulletproof Vest for each application, includingMilitary UsePolice UseIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About UsAlltake Market Research is division of the Alltake LLC. that offers premium quality market intelligence, market research, industry analysis reports & forecast data for different domains across the business industry.Alltake Market Research understands the importance of market analysis for any strategy that is implemented in any organization or association. In order to provide the best solution, Alltake Market Research have associated with major organizations within market research and consultancy firm. This portfolio offers market analysis report at one place for different business verticals. Alltake Market Research ensures to offer you with the most reliable and quality market research available.Contact UsAlltake Market Research16192, Coastal Highway Lewes,DE 19958, United StatesUS - 188 8587 9717UK - 4480 0680 0195Email sales@alltakemarketresearch.com
Magnetoresistive Sensors Market Analysis, a Size and Forecast Report 2027

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Advancement in magnetoresistive sensors has increased demand in flexible electronics market as the flexible electronics is manufactured at low cost with high mechanical flexibility and are used in various industrial applications. Magnetoresistive sensors are highly sensitive devices aimed to cover an extensive range of applications with large air gaps, low power requirements and small magnetic fields.Magnetoresistive sensors have low magnetic strength and due to simplified installation it reduces system cost. These sensor ICs requires low electricity and less investment. Magnetoresistive sensors are used in medium sized consumer electronics which acts as a battery optimization position sensor and also used as infusion pumps in medical equipment.Request Report Sample@Magnetoresistive Sensors Market: Market DynamicsIncrease in demand of flexible electronics owing to low manufacturing cost and higher flexibility are the drivers for magnetoresistive sensors marketDetermining method for structuring the layers and development of appropriate insulation layers between the sensors are difficult which may act as restraints for magnetoresistive sensor market.Manufacturing of printable electronic devices that will not require high-energy deposition technologies will create opportunities for magnetoresistive sensors market.Global Magnetoresistive Sensors Market: Market SegmentationSegmentation OverviewMagnetoresistive Sensorsmarket divided into three segments, based on product type, applications, end-user industries and region.Segmentation on the basis of type in Magnetoresistive Sensors market:Thin film magnetoresistive sensorAnisotropic magnetoresistive sensorGiant Magnetoresistive SensorsTunnel Magnetoresistive SensorsOthersSegmentation on the basis of application in Magnetoresistive Sensors market:Thin film solar cellsTransistorsMagnetic StorageBimolecular detectionThree-Dimensional MeasurementMagnetic field measurementOthersSegmentation on the basis of end-user industries in Magnetoresistive Sensors market:IndustrialHealthcareConsumer ElectronicsAutomotiveBiotechnologyAerospace and DefenseGlobal Magnetoresistive Sensors Market: Competition LandscapeFew prominent players in Magnetoresistive Sensorsmarket includeHoneywell International Inc., AMS, Analog Devices (Infineon Technologies),Murata, NXP Semiconductor N.V, TE Connectivity, Magnachip Semiconductor, Diodes Incorporated, Panasonic, MS AG, Allegro Microsystems Inc., Asahi Kasei Micro Devices Corporation, Infineon Technologies AG, Melexix NV, Memsic Inc, Micronas Semiconductor Holdings AG and Robert Bosch GMBH.Magnetoresistive Sensors Market: Regional OutlookVisit For TOC@North America is estimated to dominate the magnetoresistive sensor market followed by Europe, APEJ, Japan and MEA regions owing to increase in demand of flexible electronics in North America for industrial applications and adoption of advanced technologies. Europe and Asia Pacific is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period.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:
Development of Medical Device Packaging Market in EMEA Industry : Trends and Application 2017

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Albany, New York, August 29, 2017 : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "EMEA(Europe, Middle East and Africa) Medical Device Packaging Market Report 2017" globally.In this report, the Medical Device Packaging market is valued and is expected to grow day by day at the end of 2022 .Geographically, this report split EMEA into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, With sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Medical Device Packaging for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Benelux;Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran;Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @EMEA Medical Device Packaging market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Medical Device Packaging sales volume (K Units), price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingDuPont3MMitsubishi ChemicalAmcorBerry PlasticsTAKOBemis CompanyTexchem-packKlockner PentaplastConstantia FlexiblesTechnipaqBarger (Placon)Plastic IngenuityBeacon ConvertersRollprintOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoTraysPouchesClamshellOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (K Units), market share and growth rate of Medical Device Packaging for each application, includingSterile PackagingNon-sterile Packaging?Make an Enquiry about TOC @Table of Contents1 Medical Device Packaging Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Medical Device Packaging1.2 Classification of Medical Device Packaging1.2.1 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Trays1.2.4 Pouches1.2.5 Clamshell1.2.6 Others1.3 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-20221.3.2 Sterile Packaging1.3.3 Non-sterile Packaging?1.4 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Market by Region1.4.1 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Middle East Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Africa Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 EMEA Market Size (Value and Volume) of Medical Device Packaging (2012-2022)1.5.1 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers2.1.1 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Sales Volume and Market Share of Major Players (2012-2017)2.1.2 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Revenue and Share by Players (2012-2017)2.1.3 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Sale Price by Players (2012-2017)2.2 EMEA Medical Device Packaging (Volume and Value) by Type/Product Category2.2.1 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.3 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Sale Price by Type (2012-2017)2.3 EMEA Medical Device Packaging (Volume) by Application2.4 EMEA Medical Device Packaging (Volume and Value) by Region2.4.1 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.2 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.3 EMEA Medical Device Packaging Sales Price by Region (2012-2017)Browse Report @3 Europe Medical Device Packaging (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Players, Countries, Type and Application3.1 Europe Medical Device Packaging Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 Europe Medical Device Packaging Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 Europe Medical Device Packaging Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.2 Europe Medical Device Packaging Sales and Market Share by Type3.3 Europe Medical Device Packaging Sales and Market Share by Application3.4 Europe Medical Device Packaging Sales Volume and Value (Revenue) by Countries3.4.1 Europe Medical Device Packaging Sales Volume by Countries (2012-2017)3.4.2 Europe Medical Device Packaging Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)3.4.3 Germany Medical Device Packaging Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.4 France Medical Device Packaging Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.5 UK Medical Device Packaging Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.6 Russia Medical Device Packaging Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.7 Italy Medical Device Packaging Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.8 Benelux Medical Device Packaging Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)ResearchMoz 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.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on :
Extruded Polypropylene Foam Market To Witness Enhanced Demand In Automobiles And Packaging Industry Till 2025: Grand View Research, Inc.

Grand View Research, Inc. - Market Research And Consulting.

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The global extruded polypropylene (XPP) foam market is expected to reach USD 1.07 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. 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.Browse full report by Grand View Research: (Further key findings from the report suggest: High density XPP foam is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2017 to 2025 owing to increased demand from packaging and building & construction industry Transportation application segment is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2017 to 2025 owing to rising research on automotive materials Building & Construction application segment is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2017 to 2025 owing to growing infrastructure investments in emerging economies Asia Pacific accounted for 52% of the global market share in 2016 owing to rapid expansion by manufacturers in countries such as China and India Central & South America extruded polypropylene foam market is expected to grow from USD 28.8 million in 2016 to USD 49.8 million in 2025 owing to growing demand in Brazil The market is highly fragmented with the presence of a large number of small and large manufacturers Manufacturers are highly engaged introduction of better quality products that are well suited to the end-use application.Browse more reports of this category by Grand View Research:Grand View Research has segmented the extruded polypropylene foam market on the basis of product, application, and region:Product Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Low density XPP foam High density XPP foamApplication Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Transportation Packaging Building & Construction OthersRegional Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) North Americao S.o Canada Europeo Germanyo Italyo France Asia Pacifico Chinao Japano Indiao South Korea Central & South Americao Brazil Middle East & AfricaAccess press release by Grand View Research:About Grand View ResearchGrand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.For more Information visit:Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, Inc201 Spear St #1100, Suite #3036San Francisco, CA 94105Phone: 1-415-349-0058Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com
Cold Heading Machine Market growing at a CAGR of 4.21%

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Reports And Markets Publish a New Market Research Report On "Cold Heading Machine Market - Forecasts and Trends (2017 - 2022)"The global cold heading machinery market was estimated at USD 3,567.75 million in 2015 and is projected to reach USD 4383.81 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 4.21% during the forecast period 2015 to 2020. Cold heading is the process of forming the heads of rivets, wood screw blanks, machine screw blanks and similar products, by employing different techniques like upsetting, forward extrusion and backward extrusion along the lengths of the wire when it is cold. The equipment that enables this process is called a cold-header, where the wire is fed from a coil into the machine and in which it is cut off and headed.Access Full Report With Table Of Contents @The cold heading machinery offer solutions to both the product manufacturing companies as well as suppliers. Based on the sectors served by the cold heading machines, the services/solutions offered can be categorized into four segments namely, automotive, aerospace & defense, electrical & appliances and industrial.The automobile market accounted for more than 30% share of the global cold heading machinery market in 2015. This market is driven by numerous factors such as, growth in automotive industry and the rising demand for machine tools. However, this market faces certain drawbacks, including the slowdown in Chinese economy and setbacks in European machine tool manufacturing. These factors may act as roadblocks to the market.Based on tooling, the market can be broadly segmented into Dies and Punches. Additionally, the report gives an overview of the technology of cold heading and its machinery. Machinery is classified into three categories based on its tooling configuration.The market has been geographically segmented into North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa and South America, with North America occupying the largest consumer base in the world for cold heading machines. Europe and APAC follow the list in the same order. The emerging economies in the countries of Asia-Pacific have made this market an area of immense potential and opportunities.The market has more relevance today since the trends show that there is an immense growth in the usage of industrial products. Cold-headed machinery is specifically inclined towards manufacturers who are looking for reliable part production with economical savings.Request For Sample Report @The major companies dominating this marker are Asahi Sunac Corporation, Carlo Salvi, Chun Yu Group (Chun Zu Machinery Ind. Co. Ltd.), Erdely, ESSEBI Srl, GFM, Harbin Rainbow Technology Co.,Ltd., Hatebur Umformmaschinen AG, Landee Woen Factory Co. Ltd., Manassero, Nakashimada Engineering Works Ltd, National Machinery LLC, NEDSCHROEF Machinery, Ningbo Sijin Machinery Co.,Ltd., Sacma Group, Sakamura USA Inc, Samrat Machine Tools, Seika Sangyo GmbH, SouthWind International, Tanisaka Iron Works, Ltd., Wrentham Tool Group LLC, Yeswin Group and Yixing JUFENG Machinery Co., Ltd.The current trends in mergers and acquisitions indicate that the smaller companies are being acquired by the bigger organizations for higher innovations by utilizing their core competencies.Key Deliverables in the StudyMarket analysis with region specific assessments and competition analysis on regional scalesMarket definition along with the identification of key drivers and restraintsIdentification of factors instrumental in changing the market scenarios, rising prospective opportunities, and identification of key companies that can influence this market on a regional scaleExtensively researched competitive landscape section with profiles of major companies along with their market sharesIdentification and analysis of the macro and micro factors that affect the market on regional scalesA comprehensive list of key market players along with the analysis of their current strategic interests and key financial informationA wide-ranging knowledge and insights about the major players in this industry and the key strategies adopted by them to sustain and grow in the studied marketCheck Discount @For more information or any query mail at sales@reportsandmarkets.comAbout Reports And MarketsReports And Markets is part of the Algoro Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.Are you mastering your market? Do you know what the market potential is for your product, who the market players are and what the growth forecast is? We offer standard global, regional or country specific market research studies for almost every market you can imagine.Contact PersonSanjay JainManager - Partner Relations & International Marketinginfo@reportsandmarkets.comPh: +1-214-377-1121 (US), +44-020-3286-9338 (UK)
Asia, Europe, and South America Anti-aging Market will rise to US$ 30.9 Billion by 2020

Asia, Europe, and South America Anti-aging Market

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Restoring the younger looks and thereby finding solutions against signs of aging has been a mission for cosmetologists and health care professionals for centuries. As a result, market for anti-aging products is experiencing continuous growth since decades. Various products and services are perpetually entering into the market to serve the agenda of restoring younger looks.Presently, various anti-aging products such as UV absorbers, dermal fillers, Botox, anti-stretchmark products, hair color, and anti-wrinkle products are widely used.The anti-wrinkle products segment was valued at USD 8,088.3 million in 2013 in Asia. The dominance of this segment was primarily due to increasing adoption of anti-wrinkle products among the population. The anti-aging products market in Japan is growing swiftly owing to reasonable costs and rising awareness about the availability of aesthetic products. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ISAPS), a total of 146,150 Botox injection procedures were registered in Japan in 2010. The number further increased to 208,313 in 2011. Considering all the above mentioned factors, Japan was leading the overall anti-aging products market in Asia in terms of revenue in 2013. While on the other hand, China is expected to show significant growth in the anti-aging products market during the forecast period. Factors such as anticipated rise in the aging population coupled with rising awareness about commercially available anti-aging products are primarily driving the growth of the market in China.This 162 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Asia, Europe, and South America Anti-aging Market. Browse through 51 data tables and 25 figures to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:The anti-aging services market is growing rapidly in Europe owing to steady recovery from the economic crisis, and consequently, rising disposable income and increasing demand. Italy was a leader in the anti-aging services market in the overall Europe in 2013 due to higher demand for breast augmentation and hair restoration treatments. While on the other hand, Spain anti-aging services market is expected to record highest growth during the forecast period. Adoption of sclerotherapy is anticipated to primarily boost the growth of the Spain anti-aging treatment services market owing to the increasing prevalence of varicose vein due to aging and obesity. The growth of the geriatric population coupled with rise in obesity are some of the other factors driving the growth of sclerotherapy services segment in the country.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Asia, Europe, and South America Anti-aging Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market:Brazil dominates the aesthetic procedures industry among South American countries. Brazil registered 1,447,213 aesthetic procedures in 2011. Affordable rates, availability of advanced techniques and a well-defined regulatory infrastructure are the prime drivers for the growth of the aesthetic industry in Brazil. As a result, people around the world travel to Brazil for aesthetic treatment. Thus, increasing demand for aesthetic procedures in the country is observed that would boost the growth of aesthetic devices in Brazil. Similarly, adoption of laser treatment and radiofrequency treatments is observed to be higher in Brazil owing to the safety and efficacy of these treatments. Therefore, in 2013, the laser aesthetic and radiofrequency devices segments accounted for the largest market of USD 59.0 million and USD 19.2 million, respectively.Some of the key players operating in the anti-aging market include Allergan, Inc., Alma Laser Ltd., Beiersdorf AG, Coty, Inc., Cynosure, Inc., LOreal SA, Solta Medical, Inc. (Valeant Pharmaceutical International, Inc.), and PhotoMedex, 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:
Wireless Charging Market : Automotive industry to Rise at 42% CAGR by 2024

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According to Persistence Market Research, the global market for wireless charging is currently valued over US$ 2.6 billion. By the end of 2024, revenues emanating from global sales of wireless charging devices & services will grow at an exponential CAGR of 34% and bring in revenues worth over US$ 27 billion.As we head towards an era where wires wont necessarily be a requisite for powering up devices, tech companies from around the world are intensifying their efforts towards production of advanced and immaculate wireless charging systems. Innovative technologies supporting the working mechanism of wireless charging devices is also piquing the curiosity of tech enthusiasts as well as common consumers. From green vehicles to smartphones, Persistence Market Research has published its research study on how wireless charging is spanning the globe as the next-gen mode of charging electric devices.A sample of this report is available upon request @The report further reveals the significance of components in driving the sales of wireless charging devices. Considering that wireless charging systems will eventually put an end to wired chargers, the components used in such systems will play an instrumental role in shaping up the future of wireless charging. Much like today, the feature of charging multiple devices at same time will continue to trend in the long run. In the global market for wireless charging, components used as power transmitters will garner a dominant position. In 2017 and beyond, transmitters are expected to account for more than three-fourth of global wireless charging revenues. Nevertheless, surplus power transmission will necessitate the use of advanced receiver components  revenues from which are projected soar at highest CAGR of 35.2%.Browse Complete Report @A key challenge faced by manufacturers of wireless charging systems hovers around the selection of suitable charging technology to assure compatibility with all electronic devices in the world. Availability of diverse electric devices brings uncertainty over expanding product portfolio of wireless charging systems. Research findings compiled in the report suggest that consumers of wireless charging devices are growing more inclined towards devices that use resonance charging technology. After accounting more than US$ 800 million revenues in 2016, the resonance charging technology will continue dominating the global wireless charging market by procuring nearly 40% value share through 2024. The global demand for inductive charging technology will incur a major downtrend, while revenues accounted by radio frequency (RF) charging technology will soar at nearly 40% CAGR during the projected period.Request to view table of content @While every other wireless charging device sold in the world will be used for powering smartphones, tablets, laptops and other consumer electronics, the report projects a lucrative growth for automotive application of wireless charging systems. During the forecast period, revenues procured from sales of wireless charging devices in the global automotive industry will be elevated at a staggering 42.1% CAGR. Rampant sales of electric vehicles will be factoring this growth, making automotive the most favorable application of wireless charging. Additionally, complications and hazards arising from wired power cables in manufacturing plants will also propel the demand for wireless charging in industrial applications. Through 2024, more than US$ 5 billion worth of wireless charging devices are likely to be consumed by industries across the globe.Global Market Study on Wireless Charging is available for US$4,900About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Pharmaceutical Robots Market To Gain From Enhanced Demand In Healthcare Industry Till 2025: Grand View Research, Inc.

Grand View Research, Inc. - Market Research And Consulting.

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http://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-pharmaceutical-robots-market

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The global pharmaceutical robots market is anticipated to reach USD 430.0 million by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. This growth can be attributed to the flourishing pharmaceutical industry.The pharmaceutical industry is flourishing due to huge R&D investments by global players. With increasing drug discovery and clinical trials, there is growing demand for robotics. To minimize workload and maintain higher levels of accuracy, automation has become a significant part of pharmaceutical manufacturing. It increases efficiency, prevents performance of repetitive activities, and avoids human error & contamination.Technological advancement is an important factor driving growth. The use of robots & automated machines in the field of pharmaceuticals is still in its nascent stage and expected to grow in the near future. The automation industry has incorporated a few new techniques such as collaborative robots and laboratory automation.Pharmaceutical robotic machines also minimize manufacturing costs by reducing labor. These machines are 3 to 4 times faster than humans and have the capacity to work for 24 hours. Reduction in production cost is expected to raise return on investment in the long run, thus driving demand for these products in the future.Browse full report by Grand View Research :Further Key Findings From the Study Suggest: In 2016, traditional robots held the largest share due to their availability in different types, varied applications, and increased awareness Collaborative robots are expected to witness highest growth over the forecast period owing to their ability to easily integrate with existing manufacturing environments and interact with humans Picking and packaging segment dominated the market in 2016 since almost all types of robotic machines are primarily used for picking and packaging Laboratory applications are anticipated to propel significant growth over the forecast period due to increasing laboratory automation and the need to reduce the risk of human contamination Pharmaceutical companies were the biggest contributors to the growth of the market in 2016 owing to a growing number of new drug development and clinical trials Asia Pacific dominated the market in 2016 and is also anticipated to be the biggest driver of growth due to high penetration of robotic machines in pharma companies in countries such as China and Japan Some of the key players include FANUC America Corporation; Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.; ABB Ltd.; Seiko Epson Corporation; Denso Wave Inc.; Yaskawa Electric Corporation; Universal Robots A/S; and Marchesini Group S.p.A.Browse more reports of this category by Grand View Research:Grand View Research has segmented the pharmaceutical robots market on the basis of product, application, end-use, and region:Pharmaceutical Robots Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Traditional Robotso Articulated Robotso SCARA Robotso Delta/Parallel Robotso Cartesian Robotso Dual-Arm Robots Collaborative Pharmaceutical RobotsPharmaceutical Robots Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Picking and Packaging Inspection of Pharmaceutical Drugs Laboratory ApplicationsPharmaceutical Robots End-Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Pharmaceutical Companies Research LaboratoriesPharmaceutical Robots Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) North Americao S.o Canada Europeo Germanyo UK Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao India Latin Americao Brazilo Mexico MEAo South AfricaAccess press release by Grand View Research:About Grand View ResearchGrand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.For more Information visit:Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, IncGrand View Research, Inc.201 Spear St #1100, Suite #3036San Francisco, CA 94105Phone: 1-415-349-0058Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519
DECATUR  Remnants of former hurricane Harvey could bring extra rainfall to Central Illinois later this week, but the more immediate consequences are likely to come from higher prices at the gas pump.

Gas prices in Illinois could jump 10 to 20 cents per gallon this week, said Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst with Gasbuddy.com. Major oil refineries near Houston have shut down because of the storm and intense flooding. With 16 percent of the countrys refinery capacity offline, demand could outstrip supply, DeHaan said.

It may be several weeks, at best, before gas prices drop fully below their pre-hurricane levels, he said in an email Monday. In addition, further damage to the refineries could push gas prices even higher.

Gas prices in Decatur on Monday evening ranged from $2.22 to $2.39 per gallon, according to Gasbuddy.com. The average price of a gallon in Illinois was $2.43.

Weather-related effects of the storm wont reach Central Illinois until Friday or Saturday, said meteorologist Patrick Bak of the National Weather Service at Lincoln. The region could experience moderate to heavy rainfall, but nothing like the 30-plus inches that have fallen in parts of Texas over the past few days.

Whenever it comes this way, its going to be on the move at that point, so it wouldnt be day after day of rain, Bak said.

Bak described the storm as historic. It is kind of unusual for one of these to come ashore and just park for four or five days like this one is going to do, he said.

One former Decatur resident is among those riding out the storm, watching in disbelief as the unrelenting downpour continues to flood his neighborhood. Steve Choate is a 1982 graduate of Stephen Decatur High School. He now lives in Alvin, Texas, about 30 miles south of Houston.

Choate said he left work early Friday to make it home before the storm hit. His neighborhood flooded, and he and his wife are stranded in their trailer home. Their cars are nearly submerged, and anyone who tries to get out of the neighborhood winds up stuck, he said.

It is still raining now. I cannot believe this, Choate said Monday afternoon. Take a first step and youd be underwater.

Choate and his wife thought about evacuating to a family member's home, but now all the places they would go are either out of power or flooded. Luckily, he just put a new roof on his trailer this summer, and its holding up against the onslaught.

What we need to happen for us to think about doing anything is for it to stop raining for one whole day, Choate said. That might get us to the nearest gas station, but not to work still.

The Central Illinois region began rallying to help last week, as the American Red Cross said Friday that it was deploying volunteers. Among those sent to Texas were Kathi Knope of Taylorville, Darrell St. Claire of Charleston, Bill Warner of Vandalia, Tara Lund of Woodson and Janet Stuckey of Robinson, spokeswoman Trish Burnett said.

On Monday, the organization said it had deployed 38 people from Central and Southern Illinois and planned to send more in the coming days.

In Clinton, one business is collecting hygiene items, bottled water and Gatorade, baby food and diapers, and other essentials to take to victims of the storm at the end of the week.

A crew from SERVPRO of Clinton is headed south on Friday to work on the cleanup effort and decided to fill its trucks with donations for those who lost many of their possessions in the storm, said Michael Moore, marketing representative for the company.

"A lot of them have lost everything," he said.

Donations are being accepted from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday at First Christian Church in Clinton, 100 N. Jackson St., or at Clinton High School until Thursday afternoon. The company does not want monetary donations, Moore said.

Bloomington-based State Farm had dispatched eight special trucks to Texas and thousands of specialists are working on claims related to Hurricane Harvey, according to a company spokeswoman.

As of the end of the day Sunday, State Farm had received more than 5,000 homeowner and auto claims, spokeswoman Missy Dundov said Monday.

We are already working claims and we will be there as long as needed, she said in an email response to questions.

Country Financial does not conduct business in Texas or neighboring Louisiana and doesn't have financial representatives in either state, according to Chris Stroisch, Country Financial public relations supervisor.

We are, however, working with the American Red Cross to determine how we can assist with their relief efforts, Stroisch said.

Last year's Hurricane Matthew, which hit the East Coast, affected both State Farm and Country Financial customers.

Herald & Review staff writer Claire Hettinger and Herald & Review News Service writer Lenore Sobota contributed to this story.
Concrete Paving Equipment Market Witness Widespread Expansion During 2017  2025

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The concrete paver market contains astounding variety of application and technology adoption for ease of use and time-saving. Considering the satisfaction of project owners and flexibility of changing paving widths and transportation equipment easily and quickly there is a demand for refined control over pavement smoothness. For the need of the increase in adjustment speeds of the paver concrete machines, there has been using of refining paver controls and features to meet the ultimate goal of paving smoothness.Major infrastructure projects in developing economies have created demand for the advanced controls in the concrete paving machines for smooth functioning and good outcome. The Pervious Concrete Paving Equipment with the new technology of network communications system allows rapid, two-way communication between all accessories and G+ controller, as well as the other technology which is the smoothness indicator are said to have a significant growth for the Concrete Paving Equipment Market. G+ Connect System and GSI technology have become a new choice for infrastructure projects across the globe.The technique of two lift paving uses less expensive or the recycled aggregates in the lower lift and saves the best aggregates for wearing course which then minimizes the effects of skidding, reduction in pavement noise and the pavement life leading to significant growth for the Concrete Paving Equipment Market. Laser grading technology is adopted to substitute string lines.Global Concrete Paving Equipment Market: DynamicsThe rising public, rapid urbanization, significant amount of private investments as well as increasing industrialization investments in infrastructural sectors has made the Global Pervious Concrete Paving Market a catalyst for new constructions all over the world. The infrastructural designs and sustainability play a major role in Construction industries and other Industrializations. Based on different applications of Pervious Concrete Paving Equipment in the construction, infrastructures and industrializations the paving equipment is expected to grow rapidly in the near future creating opportunities for The Global Pervious Concrete Paving Equipment Market.A concrete paving equipment with smart features is said to be a better choice to get better and quick results. The Slip form Concrete Paving Equipment Market is said to be very solid. The Concrete Paving Equipment Market is showing a renewed interest for two-lift paving and stringless paving. The Pervious Concrete Paving Equipment with the new technology of G+ Connect System and smoothness indicator are said to have a significant growth for the Concrete Paving Equipment Market.Integration of biodegradable, recyclable and sustainable materials in construction activities in the economies has created growth opportunities for the modern construction techniques thus increasing the Global Pervious Concrete Paving Equipment Market. Growth in modern retailing, rise in consumer income and employment, increase in demand for new commercial and industrial construction projects are some other factors influencing the Global Concrete Paving Equipment Market. For the adoption of the new technologies into these equipment huge investments will be required which may lead to slow growth of the Concrete paving Equipment Machine Market.Global Concrete Paving Equipment Market: Region-wise OutlookNorth America is expected to hold largest market as manufacturer for the Global Concrete Paving Equipment Market. Europe follows North America as the second highest manufacturing market for the Concrete Paving Equipment. In the future there is going to be a huge demand for the concrete paving equipment market in the emerging economies of Asia Pacific owing to growing urbanization, increase in investments and high rate of industrialization in the region.A sample of this report is available upon request @Global Concrete Paving Equipment Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in the Global Concrete Paving Equipment Market are GOMACO Corporation, Besser, HEM Paving, BRDC, Rexcon LLC, Power Curbers Inc, Terex Corporation, Allen Engineering Corporation.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application, and industry.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Industrial Wireless Sensor Network Market Report 2017-2025: Advance Technology Research, Key Manufacturers, Competitive Analysis and Development Forecasts

ReportsWeb

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http://www.reportsweb.com/industrial-wireless-sensor-network-iwsn-market-to-2025

Wireless sensor networks are distributed autonomous sensors used to observe environmental or physical conditions. Sensors are an essential part of several industries and various applications of sensors has augmented economies of scale and their efficiency. This resulted in decreasing the prices and also, encouraging adoption of sensor networks for various applications. Industries worldwide are adopting sensor networks to monitor their various processes. In addition, industrial wireless sensor networks (IWSN) are cost effective and can be set up faster, benefits gained with the use of wireless sensor networks has led to replacement of wired sensors. IWSN have shown major return on investment (ROI) in industrial applications. Installation of IWSN facilitates is resulted in saving labor costs, energy and materials. Also, IWSN provides the ability to be assimilated to smartphones which helps in monitoring processes by not travelling from one remote end to other, maintenance and data collection, saves time and enhance productivity. IWSN are mostly used for hard-to-reach and hazardous zones in various industries such as chemicals and mining.Request Sample Copy is Available atIWSN is a part of industrial automation solution and is used for various purposes such as periodic data collection and monitoring events. Demand for automation solutions, growth trend of smart factories, increasing connectivity between industrial processes and increased use of machine-to-machine solutions are the factors driving the growth of global IWSN market. Availability of miniaturized solutions, technological improvements in wireless communication and enhancement in power efficiency are the other factors responsible for growth of IWSN market. Increasing investments in smart cities is anticipated to be a major opportunity for the industry players in the global wireless sensor networks market. Concerns about the security of data in networks is a concern in IWSN market and can hamper its growth.The global IWSN market is segmented on the basis of sensor into temperature sensor, pressure sensor, flow sensors, image & surveillance sensor, chemical & gas sensors, level sensors, motion & position sensor, humidity sensor and others. The global IWSN market is further segmented on the basis of application as food & beverages, oil & gas, power & energy, automotive, metal & mining, pharmaceuticals, water & waste water and others. The global IWSN market is segmented by regions into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America.North America dominates the global IWSN market and it is expected to lead the market in the coming years. Whereas, Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region in the market for IWSN due to increasing adoption of IWSN in various industries. Yokogawa Electric Corporation, Schneider Electric S.A., VIAgents, Siemens AG, Texas Instruments, Tridium, Apprion, Inc., Digi International, Inc., SynapSense Corporation, Dust Networks, Inc., Millennial Net, Emerson Process Management, Lantronix, Inc., ABB Ltd., Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. and Honeywell International, Inc. among others are some of the chief markets players operating in the global IWSN market.Global Industrial Wireless Sensor Network Market Players:- Yokogawa Electric Corporation- Schneider Electric S.A.- VIAgents- Siemens AG- Texas Instruments- Tridium- Apprion, Inc.- Digi International, Inc.- SynapSense Corporation- Dust Networks, Inc.- Millennial Net- Emerson Process Management- Lantronix, Inc.- ABB Ltd- Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.- Honeywell International, Inc.Complete Report is Available atContact Us:Phone: +1-646-491-9876Email Id: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Photoluminescent Film Market Expected to Expand at a Steady CAGR through 2027

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The photoluminescent films are films that absorb light and convert that light energy into visible wavelength of light. Photoluminescent in films is one of the form of light emission which is initiated by excitation of photons. They are ideal solution for emergency exits and directional signage in hips, airlines, buildings, ferries, railcars due to its superior luminosity and conformability. There are several factors that influence the photoluminescent films to glow for long in the dark the biggest factor would be how much amount of light energy it absorbs before the source of light is removed, if the photoluminescent film is left in light for a longer period of time it will glow for significantly longer period of time than left in the light for brief time. Initially if the source of light is removed the photoluminescent film will emit the energy rapidly as the photons move quickly, where about 80-85% of light emery will be exhausted for the first thirty minutes of being removed from the source of light and the glow will eventually fade as the energy is used. The photoluminescent films can be recharged as many times as required as the phosphor in those tapes can take absorb light and emit energy as many times as required.Global Photoluminescent film Market: Market DynamicsPhotoluminescent films market is driven by safety product applications, as they provide safety way guidance system as they dont need electricity to glow in the dark if they are properly maintained. in emergency situations where there is power failure the photoluminescent films will immediately light the way to safety even in smoke condition. The photoluminescent films are most effective in areas that are frequently exposed to light and have shorter periods of darkness, like the photoluminescent films are used widely in warehouse where lights are always on which ensures that that photoluminescent films will be always charged and would glow in the event of power failures. The restrain to photoluminescent film market would be that the light energy might only last for few hours.Request Report Sample@Global Photoluminescent film Market: Market segmentationOn the basis of product type, the global photoluminescent film market is segmented into:SheetsRollsOn the basis of end users, the global photoluminescent film market is segmented into:Automobile IndustryFood & Beverage IndustryPharmaceutical IndustryTransport & logistic IndustryManufacturing IndustryOn the basis of material finishing, the global photoluminescent film market is segmented into:Satin finishMatt finishOn the basis of material, the global photoluminescent film market is segmented into:PaperPlasticPPPEPETOn the basis of composition, the global photoluminescent film market is segmented into:FacestockRelease linerAdhesiveGlobal Photoluminescent film Market: segmentation overviewManufacturing industry has higher rate of usage of photoluminescent film, similarly photoluminescent films are widely used in safety applications, followed by Transport & logistic Industry. The photoluminescent films market has sluggish growth rate in the food and beverage industry.Global Photoluminescent film Market: Regional overviewBased on the geographies, the global photoluminescent film market is fragmented into seven key regions- Latin America, North America, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia-Pacific except Japan and Japan. Among the regions mentioned above Asia Pacific is expected to have a higher growth rate in the forecasted period due to the growing demand for photoluminescent films from the manufacturing industry, followed by Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Middle East and Africa and Latin America are expected to grow at a sluggish rate over the forecasted period.Visit For TOC@Global Photoluminescent film market playersSome of the market players identified in the global photoluminescent film market includes:Steinhauer + Co3MDHgateZhejiang Minhui Luminous Technology Co.,LtdInnova Solutions.Jessup Manufacturing CompanyEverGlow NA Inc.L & B GROUP CO., LTDFuture 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:
Mobile Applications for Melanoma Detection Market Research Report by Geographical Analysis and Forecast to 2022

Mobile Applications for Melanoma Detection Market

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Melanoma is primarily linked to prolonged exposure to UV radiation during childhood and this preventable skin condition has been on a rise in recent years. A significant spike in the incidence rate of melanoma has driven the need for effective and swift detection tools and techniques. Early detection of melanoma is crucial for improved prognosis and this can be achieved by skin surveillance and screening. This growing need, coupled with an increase in efforts to improve the awareness levels about this skin condition, has spurred the trend of early diagnosis. This has, in turn, driven the demand for mobile applications used for the detection of melanoma in Europe as well as Israel.Regionally, the market for mobile applications for melanoma detection is split into Europe and Israel. Europe accounts for the dominant share and the opportunity in this market is slated to be worth US$1.4 mn by 2022. While the mobile application market for melanoma detection in Europe is fueled by the surge in mHealth trends and rising incidence of melanoma, it is significantly driven by the performance of the market in Greece.This 69 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Mobile Applications for Melanoma Detection Market. Browse through 2 data tables and 10 figures to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:Despite the economic volatility in Greece, the market for mobile applications for melanoma detection will continue to witness growth owing to the development of eHealth infrastructure in the country and rising number of melanoma cases. Growing smartphone penetration is also a key factor driving the Greece market for mobile applications for melanoma detection. In addition to this, a high doctor-patient ratio has enabled the establishment of a strong network of doctors dedicated toward the detection of melanoma through mobile health services.The Rest of Europe comprises several key markets for mobile applications for melanoma detection: Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, the U.K., Norway, and Sweden. High internet and smartphone penetration and rising incidence rate and mortality rate of melanoma are the major growth boosters.Israel is anticipated to witness impressive growth during the forecast period, exhibiting a 61.2% CAGR from 2014 to 2022. The rising prevalence of melanoma has been the primary driving factor in this region, especially based on information provided by the Israel Cancer Association. The organization states that in 2012 alone, nearly 1,300 new cases of malignant melanoma were reported in the country. This has resulted in increasing awareness among the general population regarding self-screening and early detection of cancer.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Mobile Applications for Melanoma Detection Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market:Rapid expansion of 3G and 4G networks and several government initiatives have also supported the development of the mobile applications market for melanoma detection in Israel. Google Inc.s research titled Our Mobile Planet finds that the smartphone penetration rate in the country crossed 56.0% in 2013. These factors are slated to drive the regional market to reach a value of US$77,765.3 by 2022.Some of the leading mobile applications for melanoma detection in Europe and Israel are Dermatology Planet, UMSkinCheck, Mole Check, Skin Tagger, Track-A-Mole, SkinVision, Spot Mole, Skin Scanner, NAvus, SpotCheck, Mole Monitor, Mole Checker, Mole Checker/Stroika, FotoSKin, Melanoma Watch, Skin Mole Analysis, YourSkinDiary, OnlineDermClinic, Dr. Mole, Mollies Fund, MoleQuest, Skin Analytics, Spot Mole Plus, Skin Cancer, Skin Doctor, Skin Of Mine, iSkin, MoleTrac, Mole Doctor, Skin Prevention, and LovemySkin.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Wound Closure Products Market will rise to US$ 15.2 Billion by 2023

Wound Closure Products Market

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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.This 85 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Wound Closure Products Market. Browse through 9 data tables and 26 figures to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market: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.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:
Sirens Market Dynamics, Forecast, Analysis and Supply Demand 2017-2027

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Increasing threats and accidents in developing economies have led to a rapid increase in the number of victims and a loss of potential business. Adoption of security solutions, such as sirens is an effective way of tackling these challenges. Motorized sirens are used for home security, whereas long range sirens are suitable for mining and industrial applications. Hand operated sirens are used when no power supply is available or when backup is required. Other sirens are hydraulic or air driven and mostly find applications in plants and factories. Lithium batteries have replaced alkaline batteries in sirens now, since lithium batteries need not be replaced for several years. Modern sirens use latest technologies and find applications in civil defense, emergency vehicles, security systems and others. Typically, sirens are made of stainless steel, aluminum or UV stabilized polycarbonate to avoid corrosion and are equipped with protection cages. An LED flashing siren has a light source with a semi-permanent lifespan and it is used in places where bulb replacement is a problem.Some additional features of sirens include a solar panel upgrade system to keep the batteries charged and a number of digital communication methods, including Ethernet, satellite, IP, fiber optic and others. Sirens have conformal coatings on their electronics, which help protect them against harsh environments. Some of the systems are made in such a way that they can be expanded or scaled depending on future capabilities. Omni-directional sirens can be used in areas of high noise levels and those with large population densities as they provide a greater area of coverage. Sirens have external controls with triggers, which can be customized according to needs. The lightening types of sirens include bulb revolving, LED flashing and xenon lamp strobe. The loud speakers in sirens are adopted from latest piezoelectric ceramic technology.Request Report Sample@Sirens Market: DynamicsRising population and rapid urbanization have led to an increase in demand for security solutions. The need for implementation of security has paved way for the use of electronic equipment on a large scale globally, which in turn has created opportunities for the global sirens market. As these products are durable with a high voltage capacity and easy to install, they find high selling propositions. Characteristics and properties of electronic and pneumatic equipment play a vital role in security solutions, thereby driving the global sirens market with a rise in diverse end-user applications, such as industrial warning systems, community warning systems, campus alert systems and military mass warning systems.With the increase in demand for security solutions, it has become a growing trend to use personal protective equipment, which in turn has surged demand for the global sirens market. The replacement of sirens with modern technologies requires huge investment. However, growth of the market may yet get hampered with the emergence of modern communication technology. Failure of sirens from lightning strikes or equipment malfunction is another common factor, which may affect market growth.Sirens Market: SegmentationSegmentation of the global siren market by product type:ElectronicElectro-mechanicalRotatingSingle/dual tonedOmnidirectionalSegmentation of the global siren market by application:Civil defenseIndustrial signalingEmergency vehiclesHome/vehicle safetySecurity/warning systemsMilitary useOthersSegmentation of the global siren market by installation type:Wall mountingSelf-standingWater proof connectorSirens Market: Region-wise OutlookIn the global sirens market, the dominant share is held by the U.S., India, China, Japan, Australia, Germany, Singapore and the UAE. This can be attributed to the demand for security solutions in developed as well as developing economies.Visit For TOC@Sirens Market: Market ParticipantsSome of the key market participants identified in the global siren market are Acoustic Technology Inc., Sentry Siren Inc., MA Safety Signal Co. Ltd, Whelen Engineering Co. Inc., Federal Signal Corporation, B & M Siren Manufacturing Co., Projects Unlimited Inc., Phoenix Contact, Mallory Sonalert Products and Qlight USA Inc.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:
Advance Battery Technologies Market Revenue, Opportunity, Forecast and Value Chain 2017-2027

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Energy storage is a key factor leading towards technological advancements primarily in energy and power sector. Thus, demand for batteries, which are efficient, low cost and safe is anticipated to record significant growth in the coming years. This is further supported by investments by public as well as private sector for projects on energy storage. Advance battery technologies are majorly used in power-intensive applications. Conventionally, batteries were used in used either in consumer products or automobiles. Technological advancements have led towards development of advance batteries including metal hydride, lithium-ion and zinc-air designs.Advance battery technologies are expected to witness upsurge in wind-power energy storage, utility-load leveling systems and plug-in vehicles. Advance battery technologies are anticipated to have a significant transformation in the transportation industry as well as energy markets globally. In addition, development of combination batteries equipped with renewable sources of energy might lead towards a shift from non-renewable sources such as coal, gas and oil. Thus, leading towards attainment of energy efficiency across the globe. Battery manufacturers are focused towards development of high performance products, which cater to the demand for high energy storage, better speed and energy optimaisation.Request Report Sample@Advance Battery Technologies Market Segmentation:Advance Battery Technologies market is segmented on the basis of battery type and applications. On the basis of battery type, the segmentation includes nickel-cadmium batteries, lead acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, metal-air batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, silver cadmium secondary batteries, silver-zinc secondary batteries, nickel-hydrogen secondary batteries and others. On the basis of application, the advance battery technologies market segmentation includes automotive, UAV, wearable electronics, hybrid and electric bus, military/aerospace batteries, residential energy storage, industrial electric and others. Military/aerospace industry is expected to witness upsurge in adoption of advance battery technologies in the next five to six years, which is further anticipated to lead towards high competition among players in this sector.Geographically, the advance battery technologies market is segmented into seven regions namely North America, Western Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa and Latin America.Advance Battery Technologies Market Dynamics:Demand for better speed, reliability and energy is expected to fuel the demand for advance batteries and thus, growth of advance battery technologies market. In addition, battery manufacturers need to focus on development of batteries catering to the need of specific application. For instance, in case of hybrid vehicles, high-power lithium batteries are used to offer better electricity stability when compared to other conventional batteries. Increasing demand for electric boats, aircrafts, wearable electronic devices and other consumer electronics have led towards development of advance battery technologies for the same. This is further expected to fuel the advance battery technologies market growth in the near future. However, increasing number of manufacturers in the battery technologies is a concern for development of efficient products, which is restricting the advance battery technologies market growth. In order to achieve competitive advantage, key areas for manufacturers to focus and invest in for battery manufacturers comprise battery life, cost, range, power density, charging time and battery thermal management. Moreover, commercialisation of certain advance batteries is at nascent stage, which ultimately restricts adoption of advance battery technologies among end users.Visit For TOC@Advance Battery Technologies Market Key players:Some of the players in the battery market include Exide Corp., Hitachi Maxell Corp., Honda Inc., American Battery Charging Inc., Sony Corp., China Bak Battery, Inc., General Electric Co., Fujitsu Ltd and Honeywell Batteries. Players on the advance battery technologies are engaged in continuous research and development in order to offer better and efficient battery solutions across the varied end use applications worldwide.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:
PVC Stabilizer Market at a CAGR of 4.1% during the forecast period

pvc stabilizer market, pvc heat stabilizer market, pvc stabilizer market economy, pvc stabilizer market guide

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Reports And Markets Publish a New Market Research Report On "PVC Stabilizer Market - Segmented By Type, End-User Industry And Geography - Trends And Forecasts (2017 - 2022)"Access Full Report With Table Of Contents @The global PVC stabilizer market has been estimated at USD 2167.05 million in 2015 and is projected to reach USD 2649.3 million by 2020, at a CAGR of 4.1% during the forecast period. The global PVC stabilizers market is currently an evolving one.PVC is an unstable compound which when exposed to heat has hydrogen (H) and chlorine (Cl) molecules escape from the molecular structure to form hydrochloric acid (HCl). Stabilizers are added to prevent hydrogen and chlorine precipitation from the PVC molecules and to provide thermal stability. PVC has a wide variety of applications and different stabilizers are used in different applications.Market Dynamics of the Global PVC Stabilizer MarketDrivers:Growing PVC usage in countries like China and IndiaGrowing construction and piping industryRestraints:Europe has banned lead as a PVC stabilizer along with other heavy metalsMarket is leaning towards vinyl free alternativesDecomposition of PVC poses a hazardous risk of hydrochloric acid releaseGlobal PVC Stabilizer Market SegmentationThe market can be broadly segmented by end-user industry (construction, piping, clothing and furniture, construction, electrical, flooring, healthcare and others) and by type (calcium based, lead based, organotin based, tin based, barium based, and others). The major end-user industry is construction, especially piping which accounts for half of the worlds consumption of PVC and thus PVC stabilizers.Request For Sample Report @The market has also been geographically segmented into APAC, North America, Europe, South America and MEA. In terms of consumption in 2015, APAC led the market, followed by Europe and North America. This high production is driven by a rapid growth in the residential, commercial and public sector constructions, including piping of the projects for public use chiefly due to the urbanization in developing countries of China and India.Company profiles of the major PVC stabilizer manufacturers been discussed in this study; these include:Addivant Usa, Llc.Akcros Chemicals Ltd.Akzonobel N.V.Arkema SABaerlocher GMBHBasf SEClariant AGPatcham FZCPau Tai Industrial CorporationSongwon Industrial Company LimitedSun AceKey Deliverables in the StudyMarket analysis for the global PVC stabilizer market, with region specific assessments and competition analysis on a global and regional scale.Market definition along with the identification of key drivers and restraints.Identification of factors instrumental in changing the market scenarios, rising prospective opportunities, and identification of key companies that can influence this market on a global and regional scale.Extensively researched competitive landscape section with profiles of major companies along with their market share.Identification and analysis of the macro and micro factors that affect the global PVC stabilizer market on both global and regional scale.A comprehensive list of key market players along with the analysis of their current strategic interests and key financial information.A wide-ranging knowledge and insights about the major players in this industry and the key strategies adopted by them to sustain and grow in the studied market.Insights on the major countries/regions where this industry is growing and to also identify the regions that are still untapped.Check Discount @For more information or any query mail at sales@reportsandmarkets.comAbout Reports And MarketsReports And Markets is part of the Algoro Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.Are you mastering your market? Do you know what the market potential is for your product, who the market players are and what the growth forecast is? We offer standard global, regional or country specific market research studies for almost every market you can imagine.Contact PersonSanjay JainManager - Partner Relations & International Marketinginfo@reportsandmarkets.comPh: +1-214-377-1121 (US), +44-020-3286-9338 (UK)
Temperature Monitoring System Market Rugged Expansion Foreseen by 2026

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Temperature Monitoring System Market: IntroductionMaintenance of air temperature in a controlled environment ranging from factory floors and storage areas to industrial scale freezers, ovens and walk-in refrigerators is a crucial element as far as longevity of the products and productivity of the manufacturing equipment is concerned. The temperatures to be maintained in these areas has to be precise and within the range as fluctuations in temperature can affect the shelf life of the product. These fluctuations in temperature is recorded and stored in the server in real time by the temperature monitoring system. Temperature monitoring system thus is a complex system assembled with different electronic devices comprising of a computer acting as a server, temperature sensors, data connectivity devices or interfaces between the computer and the sensors and an alarm system to notify the personnel when temperature reaches critical levels. The sensors are placed in temperature critical zones where fluctuations of temperature is the highest. Productivity, being one of the most important aspect of a manufacturing company, can be hindered by the slightest variations in the operating conditions of the factory floor by various factors including the fluctuations in ambient air temperature. Therefore, temperature monitoring systems has been increasingly adopted by manufacturing companies and warehouses in order to achieve improved levels of productivity.Temperature Monitoring System Market DynamicsThe growth of temperature monitoring system is directly related to the market fluctuations in the application area. One such application is its usage in manufacturing corporations. The manufacturing activities on a global level scale is on a steady rise in the current scenario and is estimated to grow at an accelerated pace in the future thereby positively influencing the growth of the temperature monitoring system. E-commerce is one of the fastest growing and widely accepted marketplaces requiring large number of warehouses and storage facilities, these storage facilities are controlled enclosures where temperatures has to be properly maintained by the temperature monitoring system. Therefore, the increase in number of warehouses and storage system is one of the important factor driving the growth of temperature monitoring system. Another application driving the growth of temperature monitoring system market is its adoption in food & beverage industry and pharmaceutical industry, which commonly deals with perishable goods and products, requiring stringent temperature monitoring and recording system.Temperature monitoring system is a capital intensive system that requires precise pre-planning and installation, skilled personnel with an extensive knowledge of sensing electronics are required so as to enable the temperature monitoring system to function normally. Low availability of such personnel coupled with high cost can hamper the growth of the temperature monitoring system.An important trend identified in the temperature monitoring system are miniaturization of the entire system by implementing wireless technologies for data transmission. Manufacturers of the temperature monitoring system have also tweaked the system by eliminating dedicated wireless data transmission devices for enclosures which already has a central wireless connectivity system in place.Request for more detailed information :Based on the geography the Temperature Monitoring System Market is divided into seven key segments as North America, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Middle-East & Africa (MEA), and Japan. High adoption rates of temperature monitoring system is anticipated in the North America, Western Europe, and Japan region owing to maturity in manufacturing sector while the growth in Asia Pacific Excl. Japan (APEJ) and Latin America region is expected to be slow due to restricted usage of advanced technologies in the manufacturing companies and warehouses.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Clear Aligner Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts 2017-2021 : Company Coverage - ClearCorrect, Align Technology, See-through Tech etc.

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ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Global Clear Aligner Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021) " to it's Large Report database.Scope of the ReportThe report entitled Global Clear Aligner Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021), provides analysis of the global clear aligner market, with detailed analysis of market size and growth, penetration, market share and economic impact of the industry. The analysis includes the market by value, by volume and by penetration. The report also provides the analysis of the global dental market, global dental consumables market and global dental orthodontic market.Furthermore, the report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall global clear aligner 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.Align Technology, Inc., Dentsply International, Inc., ClearCorrect and See-through Tech, Inc. are some of the key players operating in the global clear aligner market, whose company profiling has been done in the report. In this segment of the report, business overview, financial overview and business strategies of the companies are provided.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:Company CoverageAlign Technology, Inc.Dentsply International, Inc.ClearCorrectSee-through Tech, Inc.Executive SummaryA branch of medicine that includes the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of disorders, diseases and conditions of the oral problem, is called Dentistry. Oral health can be defined as a state of being free from chronic mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral sores, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay and tooth loss and all other diseases related to mouth. Oral health is of paramount importance, as it affects the individuals quality of life.Browse more details @Table of Content1. Executive Summary2. Introduction2.1 Dental Disease and Types2.2 Dental Treatment and Types2.2.1 Specialties2.2.2 Prosthetics2.2.3 Chairside Consumables2.3 Dental Market by Segments3. Global Market Analysis3.1 Global Dental Market: An Analysis3.1.1 Global Dental Market by Value3.1.2 Global Dental Consumables Market by Value3.1.3 Global Dental Consumables Market by Segments3.2 Global Orthodontic Market: An Analysis3.2.1 Global Orthodontic Market by Value3.2.2 Global Orthodontic Market Value by Segments3.2.3 Global Orthodontic Market by Volume3.2.4 Global Orthodontics Market Volume by SegmentsAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at:
DECATUR  Thousands of vehicles converged near Richland Community College this morning for the start of the Farm Progress Show, which is expected to bring more than 100,000 people to Decatur over the course of three days.

The Macon County Sheriff's Office, Decatur Police Department and Illinois State Police were all helping with traffic control. There had been no accidents reported as of 10:30 a.m., according to Decatur police Sgt. Josh Sheets and Macon County Sheriff's Sgt. Jason Brown.

"The only issues we have are people not paying attention, people being on their phones and people not using their turn signals to let us know their intentions," said Brown, who was leading the deputies directing traffic on Reas Bridge Road east of Brush College Road.

Brown said traffic was heaviest from 7 a.m. to around 9:30 a.m. Thousands of vehicles are now parked in the lots at Progress City USA, the show site north of Richland.

The Mount Zion Swingsations sang the National Anthem to open the show, which is expected to host 600 exhibitors and create an estimated $10 million impact on the city's economy.

Major events this week include a visit by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Wednesday morning, as well as a free concert by country music artist Easton Corbin starting at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Follow @heraldandreview on Twitter and Facebook.com/HeraldandReview for live updates during the next three days. Join the conversation with the hashtag #FPS17.
Overview of Global Fuel Card Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts 2017-2021 : Rising Demand for Cashless Fuel Transactions

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ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Global Fuel Card Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021) " to it's Large Report database.Scope of the ReportThe report entitled Global Fuel Card Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021) provides an in-depth analysis of the global fuel card market with detailed description of market size and growth. The analysis includes market size in terms of value, market share by region and, addressable market. Fuel card penetration rate by region, on the basis of types of vehicle has also been provided.The report also provides brief regional/country analysis of Europe. The analysis include market sizing in terms of value and fuel spending. Europe is expected to dominate the global fuel card market in the forecasted period also.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 fuel card market has also been forecasted for the period 2017-2021, taking into consideration previous growth outlines, growth drivers and the existing and forthcoming trends.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:A brief company profiling of major players namely BP, WEX Inc., FLEETCOR and, Royal Dutch Shell has been provided in the report on the basis of aspects like business overview, financial overview and business strategies adopted by respective companies.Company CoverageBritish Petroleum (BP)WEX Inc.FLEETCORRoyal Dutch ShellRegion CoverageEuropeBrowse more details @Table of Content1. Executive Summary2. Introduction2.1 Overview of Fuel Card2.1.1 Types of Fuel CardOn the Basis of VehiclesOn the Basis of Enterprise2.1.2 Benefits of Fuel Card2.1.3 Major Fuel Card Providers3. Global Market Analysis3.1 Global Fuel Card Market Analysis3.1.1 Global Fuel Card Market by Value3.1.2 Global Fuel Card Addressable Market by Region3.1.3 Global Fuel Card Market Share by Region3.1.4 Global Light Fleet Fuel Card Penetration Rate by Region3.1.5 Global Heavy Fleet Fuel Card Penetration Rate by Region3.1.6 Global Fuel Card Addressable Market Segments by Region3.1.7 Global Revenue per Fleet CardAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at:
Folding Cartons Market - ASEAN Industry Analysis Size Share Growth Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024

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MarketResearchReports.Biz presents this most up-to-date research on "Folding Cartons Market - ASEAN Industry Analysis Size Share Growth Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024"View Full Report at:DescriptionASEAN folding cartons market is expected to be driven by the mounting growth of packaged and takeaway food products in ASEAN countries. The takeaway food industry is growing in ASEAN as it is now considered to be a new business avenue for investors to make money. Moreover, the number of expats and tourists is increasing every year in ASEAN. This group of people prefer having their daily meals from such takeaways which in turn intensifies the sales of folding cartons during the forecast period.Moreover, folding cartons used in bulk storing and transportation cost less compared to other packaging solutions which makes it profitable for such uses. Flexible plastic packaging and rigid boxes are still being adopted owing to their low cost nature and flexibility in comparison to folding cartons which can pose a major challenge in the ASEAN folding cartons market.ASEAN Folding Cartons Market: Scope of the StudyThis report provides forecast and analysis of the ASEAN Folding Cartons market. The study provides historic data of 2015 along with forecast from 2016 to 2024 based on volume (Thousand Tons) and revenue (US$ Mn). It includes drivers, restraints and the ongoing trend of the ASEAN Folding Cartons market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The report also comprises the study of opportunities available in the market for ASEAN Folding Cartons market.In order to provide the users of this report with comprehensive view of market, we have included detailed competitiveness analysis and company players. The competitive dashboard provides detailed comparison of ASEAN Folding Cartons market manufacturers on parameters such as companys revenue, unique selling propositions and key strategic developments. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, by end use, material type and order type.ASEAN Folding Cartons Market: Research MethodologyMarket statistics have been estimated based on average consumption and weighted average pricing of ASEAN Folding Cartons market by product type and the revenue is derived through regional pricing trends. Market size and forecast for each segment have been provided in the context of ASEAN market. The ASEAN Folding Cartons market has been analyzed based on expected demand of the various Folding Cartons products.Request Sample Copy of This Report at:Prices considered for the calculation of revenue are average prices obtained through primary quotes from numerous industrial packaging manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors. All key end users have been considered and potential applications have been estimated on the basis of secondary sources and feedback from primary respondents. Market numbers for the product type and application segments have been derived using the top down approach. The market has been forecast based on constant currency rates.A number of primary and secondary sources were consulted during the course of the study. Secondary sources include Factiva, Industrial Association, Packaging Digest, Packaging world, and Hoovers, and company annual reports and publications.Companies Mentioned in this ReportThe report provides detailed competitive outlook including company profiles of key participants operating in the ASEAN market. Key players in the ASEAN Folding Cartons market include Amcor Limited, AR Packaging Group AB, HUHTAMAKI GROUP, Mayr-Melnhof Karton Gesellschaft M.b.h., International Paper, DS Smith PLC, and Rengo Co., Ltd.The ASEAN folding cartons market is segmented into:By End UserFood & BeveragesFrozen & Chilled food productsFresh food productsBakery & ConfectionaryReady to eat food productsBeveragesOthersHomecare ProductsPersonal care productsPharma and Healthcare productsTobacco ProductsIndustrial ProductsOthersBy Order TypeStandardCustomizedBy Material TypeSolid Bleached Sulfate (SBS)Coated Unbleached Kraft (CUK)Coated Recycled Board (CRB)Uncoated Kraft Boxboard (UKB)Enquiry Form :Table of Content1. Executive Summary2. Research Methodology3. Assumptions and Acronyms UsedBrowse Latest Industry Press Release at:About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports.MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients.We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated researchreports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and typesof companies spanning across various industries.ContactState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.bizFollow us on LinkedIn:
Shunt Reactor Types & Applications Market Report 2017, Trends, Analysis, Share, Estimates and Forecasts to 2022.

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According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Shunt Reactor market is valued at $1.94 billion in 2015 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.5% to reach approximately $3.4 billion by 2022. In power system, shunt reactors are used to absorb the reactive power and thus efficiency of energy is increased. They are also used in transmission lines to improve the quality of power and decrease the transmission costs. Addition of high voltage transmission lines, increased energy efficiency, improved power quality and use of shunt reactors in renewable energy platforms are the major factors expected to drive shunt reactor market. Emerging economies such as China and India offer future opportunities for shunt reactor market.For More, Please Visit:Oil Immersed segment is likely to acquire the highest market share during the forecast period. Oil Immersed reactors are designed for systems with a voltage profile of 72.5kV and above. They can have either single phase or three phase design. Oil Immersed reactors are directly connected to the high-voltage transmission network. Among all the applications, electrical utilities are witnessing remarkable growth. Electrical utilities are the major suppliers of electricity to residential areas, commercial buildings and industries. The Asia pacific region remains the largest market for shunt reactor, followed by North America and Europe. The growth is attributed to emerging nations in Asia-Pacific, which are presently increasing power generation capacity to reach their future energy demands.Some of the major players in the global market include, Siemens AG, ABB Limited, Crompton Greaves, Fuji Electric, Alstom, Toshiba, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Electric, Zaporozhtransformator and Tebian Electric Apparatus Stock Company.Types of Reactors Covered: Air Core Dry Type Oil ImmersedApplications Covered: Electrical Utilities Industrial sector Other SectorsRegions Covered: North Americao USo Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo UKo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australiao New Zealando Rest of Asia Pacific Rest of the Worldo Middle Easto Brazilo Argentinao South Africao EgyptWhat our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsFor More, Please Visit:We offer wide spectrum of research and consulting services with in-depth knowledge of different industries. We are known for customized research services, consulting services and Full Time Equivalent (FTE) services in the research world. We explore the market trends and draw our insights with valid assessments and analytical views. We use advanced techniques and tools among the quantitative and qualitative methodologies to identify the market trends. Our research reports and publications are routed to help our clients to design their business models and enhance their business growth in the competitive market scenario. We have a strong team with hand-picked consultants including project managers, implementers, industry experts, researchers, research evaluators and analysts with years of experience in delivering the complex projects.STRATISTICS MRC17049 King James Way, Gaithersburg,MD, 20877, USA
Gable Top Caps and Closure Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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MarketResearchReports.Biz presents this most up-to-date research on "Gable Top Caps and Closure Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025"View Full Report at:DescriptionThis Transparency Market Research report examines the global gable top caps & closures market for the forecast period 20172025. The primary objective of the report is to identify opportunities in the market and present updates as well as insights pertaining to various segments of the global gable top caps & closures market.The report begins with an overview of the global gable top caps & closures market, evaluating market performance in terms of revenue, followed by TMRs analysis of key trends, drivers, and restraints witnessed in the global market. Impact analysis of the key growth drivers and restraints based on the weighted average model is also included in the report.Global Gable Top Caps and Closure Market: Research MethodologyTo compute the market size, in-depth secondary research is done. Data points such as regional splits and market split by material type, product type and application has been assimilated to arrive at appropriate market estimates. The report comprises the forecast of the global revenue generated by the sales of gable top caps & closures market.TMR triangulates the data via different analysis based on supply side, demand side as well as the dynamics of gable top caps & closures market.Global Gable Top Caps and Closure Market: SegmentationTMR not only conduct forecasts in terms of value, but also evaluate the market on the basis of essential parameters, such as Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) growth. This helps providers to recognize the future opportunities as well predictability of the market.In order to understand and assess opportunities in this market, the report is categorically divided into five key sections on the basis of product type, diameter, material type, end use and region. The report analyses the Global gable top caps & closures market in terms of value (US$ Mn/ US$ Thousand) and volume (Mn Units)Another vital feature of this report is the analysis of the gable top caps & closures market by region, material type, product type, diameter and application; and the corresponding revenue forecast in terms of absolute dollar opportunity. This is traditionally overlooked while forecasting the market. However, absolute dollar opportunity is critical in assessing the level of opportunity that a provider can look to achieve as well as to identify potential resources from a sales perspective of the Global gable top caps & closures market.To understand key segments in terms of their growth and performance in the gable top caps & closures market, Transparency Market Research has developed a market attractiveness index. The resulting index should help providers identify existing market opportunities in the global gable top caps & closures market.In the final section of the report, gable top caps & closures market competitive landscape is included to provide a dashboard view of companies that manufacture and provide services of gable top caps & closures market. The report contains company profiles of some of the key players in the global gable top caps & closures market.Request Sample Copy of This Report at:Companies Mentioned in ReportSome of the key players in global gable top caps & closures market include Bericap GmbH & Co. KG, Evergreen Packaging Inc., United Caps Luxembourg S.A, Tetra Pak, International S.A., Elopak Inc., Silgan Plastic Closure Solutions, Closure Systems International, Inc., Berry Global, Inc., and O.Berk.By Product TypeScrew CapsFlip CapsOthersBy Material TypePPPEHDPELDPELLDPEOthersBy ApplicationFoodPrepared foodDairy productsIce Cream MixEdible oilConfectionariesOthersBeveragesAlcoholicBeerWineOther LiquorsNon-AlcoholicMilkFruit JuiceReady to drink beveragesOthersLaundry and DetergentsPaints and LubricantsPet foodBy Diameter25mm-35mm35mm-45mm45mm-60mmothersBy RegionNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East & AfricaTable of Content1. Executive Summary2. Market Introduction2.1. Gable Top Caps and Closures Market Definition2.2. Gable Top Caps and Closures Market Taxonomy2.3. Packaging Market OverviewEnquiry Form :3. Gable Top Caps and Closures Market Analysis Scenario3.1. Market Size (US$ Mn) and Forecast3.1.1. Market Size and Y-o-Y Growth3.1.2. Absolute $ Opportunity3.2. Market Overview3.2.1. Value Chain3.2.2. Profitability Margins3.2.3. List of Active Participants3.2.3.1. Raw Material Suppliers3.2.3.2. Manufacturers3.3. Product  Cost Teardown AnalysisBrowse Latest Industry Press Release at:About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports.MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients.We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated researchreports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and typesof companies spanning across various industries.ContactState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.bizFollow us on LinkedIn:
Global Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market Key Players 2017: Kindmax, GSPMED, Nitto Denko and RockTape

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The up-to-date research report on Global Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market portrays a detailed fundamental market overview which is fueled by deep research to acquaint the users with latest Elastic Therapeutic Tape market trends, current market overview and Elastic Therapeutic Tape market development status expected during the forecast period from 2017-2022. Global Elastic Therapeutic Tape Report offers a thorough analysis of different Elastic Therapeutic Tape market segments like dominant key players their visions which will help the readers in analysing the Elastic Therapeutic Tape growth opportunities. The report provides concise knowledge of the Elastic Therapeutic Tape market on a global scale based on the past-present size and Elastic Therapeutic Tape market forecast scenario in the form of graphs, tables, pie-charts to help all the existing as well as new Elastic Therapeutic Tape market players in making decisions which will favour the growth of Elastic Therapeutic Tape industry.Global Elastic Therapeutic Tape report is divided into different portions on basis of Elastic Therapeutic Tape product category, numerous product applications, and key regions which contribute greatly to the Elastic Therapeutic Tape market share. The in-depth analysis of the Elastic Therapeutic Tape market to know growth opportunities, potholes to the market development in a segmented manner will help in studying the market development scenario. Global Elastic Therapeutic Tape report portrays the fundamental details of the dominant market players elaborating their business profiles, Elastic Therapeutic Tape market revenue, sales volume, press releases, technical developments taking place in this industry.Do Inquiry Before Accessing 2017-2022 Global Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market Report atGlobal Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market report is segmented into different parts as below:Global Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market Details Based On Key Players:Kinesio TapingSpiderTechKT TAPERockTapeStrengthTapeNitto DenkoMuellerLP SupportTowatek KoreaAtex MedicalHealixonGSPMEDMajor MedicalKindmaxDL Medical & HealthGlobal Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market Details Based on Product Category:Roll FormPre-Cut ShapeGlobal Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market Details Based On Key Product Applications:PharmacyOn-Line ShopMall & SupermarketGlobal Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market Details Based On Regions Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market in North America (USA, Canada and Mexico). Europe Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market(Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy). Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market in Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and South-east Asia). Latin America Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market, Middle and Africa.Request for Sample Report atThe first part of the report portrays the information related to the basic Elastic Therapeutic Tape introduction, key market players, their company profiles, sales ratio, demand and supply volume, Elastic Therapeutic Tape market gains during 2016 and 2017. The second part of the Elastic Therapeutic Tape report extracts more details stating the sales revenue of each Elastic Therapeutic Tape industry player, the business strategies followed by them. The third part of the report displays the competitive scenario of all the Elastic Therapeutic Tape market players on basis of the revenue gains.The fourth part of the report enlists the Elastic Therapeutic Tape details based on key producing regions and Elastic Therapeutic Tape market gains during the period from 2012 to 2017. Fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth part of the Elastic Therapeutic Tape report enlists the major countries within the regions and the Elastic Therapeutic Tape revenue generated during the period from 2012 to 2017. Tenth and eleventh part of the Elastic Therapeutic Tape report mentions the variety of Elastic Therapeutic Tape product applications, Elastic Therapeutic Tape statistics during 2012 to 2017.Part number twelve, thirteen, fourteen and fifteen provides information regarding the futuristic Elastic Therapeutic Tape market trends expected during the forecast period from 2017 to 2022, Elastic Therapeutic Tape marketing strategies, Elastic Therapeutic Tape market vendors, facts and figures of the Elastic Therapeutic Tape market and vital Elastic Therapeutic Tape business conclusion along with data collection sources and appendix.What Global Elastic Therapeutic Tape Market Report Contributes?In short the report is a relevant guide for understanding the Elastic Therapeutic Tape industry breakthroughs in terms of all vital aspects like In-depth insight of the major players and contributors impacting the Elastic Therapeutic Tape market. The study also focuses on current Elastic Therapeutic Tape market outlook, sales margin, details of the Elastic Therapeutic Tape market dynamics.Growth expected during the forecast periods along with the present and historical data of Elastic Therapeutic Tape industry is deeply disscussed in the Elastic Therapeutic Tape report. The overall report helps the new aspirants to inspect the forthcoming opportunities in the Elastic Therapeutic Tape 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:
Automotive Brake Fluid Market Value Share, Supply Demand, share and Value Chain 2017-2027

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In the automotive market, initially mechanical brakes were used which were gradually replaced by hydraulic brakes, where brake fluid was required. The first hydraulic system was developed in 1914 by Frederick Duesenberg, an American automotive pioneer. Today, most automotive brake fluid is either silicone based (DOT5) or glycol based (DOT3).Most drivers check their engine oil or tire pressure regularly, but very often drivers check the brake fluid in their vehicle. Automotive brake fluid is a type of hydraulic fluid used in hydraulic clutches & brake applications in motorcycles, automobiles and some bicycles. It plays a crucial role as it transfers force when a driver applies the brake. Additionally, automotive brake fluid helps prevent corrosion and serves as lubricant for all movable parts.Automotive brake fluids, across the world, are regulated products and need to meet certain specifications and recommendations set by industry agencies and associations such as the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Japanese Standards Association (JSA the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations (FMVSS), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and GB12981-2003 in China.Request Report Sample@Automotive Brake Fluid Market: DynamicsThe burgeoning demand for vehicles in countries like China and India is forecasted to drive growth for the automotive brake fluid market. Companies are establishing production sites in these regions so as to satiate the local demand. For instance, BASF opened an automotive brake fluid production plant in Pudong, Shanghai to support the demand of local customers; which in turn is driving demand for automotive brake fluid in China. However, the lack of awareness/understanding among end user is restraining growth of the global automotive brake fluid market.The main route to this market is via the aftermarket, which includes workshops, automotive service centers and retailers for supply to DIY (do it yourself) end users. The retail aftermarket includes general & automotive retailers and petrol forecourts. The remaining market for brake fluid is held by OEMs for the first fill in a vehicle. Therefore, tie ups with OEMs becomes an important driver across all regions since they provide an assured route to the market through the sale of new cars.Automotive Brake Fluid Market: SegmentationAutomotive brake fluid are of two types: petroleum and non-petroleum. Petroleum-based automotive brake fluids are rarely used in the automotive industry.The DOT (department of transportation) classifies automotive brake fluids by their chemical composition and boiling point. Therefore, the global automotive brake fluid market can be segment by type as: DOT 3 (glycol ether based), DOT 4 (glycol ether based/borate ester), DOT 5 (silicone based), DOT 5.1 (borate ester/glycol ether). DOT 5.1, DOT 4, DOT 3 are based on poly glycol compounds and DOT 5 is based on silicone. Gylcol fluids are used in 99% of the motor vehicles in various grades. Additionally, most cars run on DOT 3 which has lower water content since fluid causes corrosion in the brake system. Brake pistons, cylinders and lines undergo wear and tear as a result of braking over a period of time. The cost of replacing any component is significant and replacing brake fluid can help save a major portion of that cost. Automotive brake fluid varies from vehicle to vehicle, depending on various factors such as model, vehicle production year and type of brake system.Visit For TOC@Automotive Brake Fluid: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the global automotive brake fluid market identified across the value chain include:Beijing Haidian Huiyuan Synthetic AgentsBoschCoptonCnpcCastrol(Bp)CaltexExxon MobilDelian GroupFuchsFaw(First Automobile Works) Group CorporationJilin HairunIrico GroupOriginalLaikeShenzhen Pingchi Industry CoShellSinopecTotalTeecZhuhai Gaida ShiyeTianjin Xuqi GongmaoAbout 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:
Photopolymer Resin Market : 2017-2022

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Reports And Markets Publish a New Market Research Report On "Photopolymer Resin Market - Segmented by Type, End-User Industry and Geography - Trends and Forecasts (2017 - 2022)"Access Full Report With Table Of Contents @The global photopolymer resin market, which is at an evolving stage, was estimated to be USD xx.x million in 2015 and is projected to reach USD xx.x million by 2020 at a CAGR of xx.x% during the forecast period (2017 - 2022). On exposure to UV or visible light, photopolymer resins alter their structure by forming new bonds between the molecules; this property can be attributed to the photo initiators.Exposure of liquid photopolymer resin to UV or visible light often results in hardening of the polymer due to the bonds formed. This process of hardening is termed as curing.Photopolymers have a wide range of applications in 3D printing, healthcare and lithography. Photopolymers have been used for a considerable amount of time, especially in fine printing. Recent technological developments have led to wide adaptation of photopolymers in 3D printing, lithography and healthcare. The healthcare sector is exploring various uses of photopolymers in the production of catheters, surgical masks, and dental composites, among others.3D printing is a burgeoning field with tremendous potential and this is expected to augment the growth of the photopolymer resin market. Moreover, with technological advancements, application of photopolymer resins is increasing in healthcare. Minimally-intrusive surgery and implantation can be performed with the help of photopolymer resins. The high cost and low awareness about photopolymer resins are significant restraints to the global photopolymer resin market.The market has been geographically segmented into Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, South America and Middle East and Africa. North America and Europe (followed by Asia-Pacific and the Middle East) are the major markets in terms of consumption. The high usage of these resins in North America and Europe can be attributed to the increasing expenditure for research and the high penetration of technology.Request For Sample Report @Asia-pacific is expected to grow at the fastest rate, especially due to urbanization in the developing countries of China and India, and due to market potential in Japan and Australia. By chemicals used, the market is segmented into onium salts, organometallic, pyridinium salts, oligomers and monomers, among others.Company profiles of the major photopolymer resin manufacturers have been discussed in this study. These include Anderson & Vreeland, Chemence, DSM, Flint Group, Formlabs, KIVI MARKINGS, MacDermid Incorporated, Nitto Denko Corporation, Photocentric Ltd, and Polydiam Industries, among others.Key Deliverables in the StudyMarket analysis for the Global Photopolymer Resin Market, with region specific assessments and competition analysis on global and regional scalesMarket definition along with the identification of key drivers and restraintsIdentification of factors instrumental in changing the market scenarios, rising prospective opportunities, and identification of key companies that can influence this market on a global and regional scaleExtensively researched competitive landscape section with profiles of major companies along with their market sharesIdentification and analysis of the macro and micro factors that affect the Global Photopolymer Resin market on both global and regional scalesA comprehensive list of key market players along with the analysis of their current strategic interests and key financial informationA wide-ranging knowledge and insights about the major players in this industry and the key strategies adopted by them to sustain and grow in the studied marketInsights of the market in the regions that have the highest potential for growth and also identify the markets that are still untapped.Check Discount @For more information or any query mail at sales@reportsandmarkets.comAbout Reports And MarketsReports And Markets is part of the Algoro Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.Are you mastering your market? Do you know what the market potential is for your product, who the market players are and what the growth forecast is? We offer standard global, regional or country specific market research studies for almost every market you can imagine.Contact PersonSanjay JainManager - Partner Relations & International Marketinginfo@reportsandmarkets.comPh: +1-214-377-1121 (US), +44-020-3286-9338 (UK)
Lubricant Packaging Market - GCC Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024

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MarketResearchReports.Biz presents this most up-to-date research on "Lubricant Packaging Market - GCC Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024"View Full Report at:DescriptionThis report provides forecast and analysis of the GCC lubricant packaging market. The study provides historic data of 2015 along with forecast from 2016 to 2024 based on volume (Mn units) and revenue (US$ Mn). It includes drivers, restraints and the ongoing trend for the lubricant packaging market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The report also comprises the study of opportunities available in the GCC market for lubricant packaging. It includes value chain analysis with list of raw material manufacturers, packaging manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and end users in the value chain.In order to provide the users of this report with comprehensive view of market, we have included detailed competitiveness analysis and company players. The competitive dashboard provides detailed comparison of lubricant packaging manufacturers on parameters such as companys revenue, unique selling propositions and key strategic developments. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, by packaging type, lubricant type, material type and end use type.Market statistics have been estimated based on average consumption and weighted average pricing of lubricant packaging and the revenue is derived through regional pricing trends. Market size and forecast for each segment has been provided in the context of the GCC markets.GCC Lubricant Packaging Market: SegmentationThe lubricant plastics packaging market has been analyzed based on expected demand. Prices considered for the calculation of revenue are average regional prices obtained through primary quotes from numerous lubricant packaging manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors. All key end users have been considered and potential applications have been estimated on the basis of secondary sources and feedback from primary respondents.Regional demand patterns have been considered while estimating the market for various end users of lubricant packaging in GCC. Top-down approach has been used to estimate the GCC lubricant packaging market. Market numbers for the GCC packaging type, lubricant type, material type and end use type segments have been derived using the bottom-up approach, which is cumulative of regions demand. The market has been forecasted based on constant currency rates.A number of primary and secondary sources were consulted during the course of the study. Secondary sources include Factiva, World Bank, IMF reports, Philips Capital and company annual reports and publications.Request Sample Copy of This Report at:Companies Mentioned in this ReportThe report provides detailed competitive outlook including company profiles of key participants operating in the GCC market. Key players in the GCC packaging type, lubricant type, material type and end use type segments market include, Duplas Al Sharq, Takween Advanced Industries, Saudi Can Manufacturing Company Ltd, Zamil Plastics Industries Ltd, Mold Tek Packaging Ltd, Neelkamal Plastics Factory LLC, First Press Plastic Moulders Ltd.The GCC lubricant packaging market is segmented below:By Packaging TypeStand up pouchesBottlesDrumsPailsCansTubesKegsBag-in-boxIntermediate Bulk ContainersBy Lubricant TypeEngine OilsTransmission & Hydraulic FluidsProcess OilsMetalworking FluidsGeneral Industrial OilsGear OilsGreasesBy Material TypeMetalSteelTinPlasticPolyethyleneLDPEHDPEPolyethylene terephthalate (PET)Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)Polyamide (PA)Polypropylene (PP)Polystyrene (PS)By End UserAutomotiveMetalworkingOil & GasPower GenerationMachine IndustryChemicalsOther ManufacturingEnquiry Form :Table of Content1. GCC LubricantPackaging Market - Executive Summary2. Research Methodology3. Assumptions and Acronyms UsedBrowse Latest Industry Press Release at:About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports.MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients.We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated researchreports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and typesof companies spanning across various industries.ContactState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.bizFollow us on LinkedIn:
Global Hybridoma Media Industry Major Players Product Capacity and Production Analysis (Units) (2012-2017)

Global Hybridoma Media Market Research Report 2017

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Global Hybridoma Media Market Research Report 2017 contains historic data that spans 2012 to 2016, and then continues to forecast to 2022. That makes this report so invaluable, resources, for the leaders as well as the new entrants in the IndustryGlobal Hybridoma Media Market report is replete with detailed analysis from a thorough research, especially on questions that border on market size, development environment, futuristic developments, operation situation, pathways and trend of Hybridoma Media. All these are offshoots of understanding the current situation that the industry is in, especially in 2017. The will chart the course for a more comprehensive organization and discernment of the competition situation in the Hybridoma Media market. As this will help manufacturers and investors alike, to have a better understanding of the direction in which the Hybridoma Media Market is headed. Access complete report at:With this Hybridoma Media Market report, one is sure to keep up with information on the dogged competition for market share and control, between elite manufacturers. It also features, price, production, and revenue. It is where you will understand the politics and tussle of gaining control of a huge chunk of the market share. As long as you are in search of key Industry data and information that can readily be accessed, you can rest assured that this report got them covered. Key companies profiled in this report are Thermofisher, Biological, Industries, Sigma-Aldrich, Lonza, Ge Healthcare Life Sciences, Miltenyi Biotec, Biochrom, Stemcell Technologies, Corning, Irvine Scientific, Abcam and others. Purchase a copy of this report at:When taking a good look at this report, based on the product, it is evident that the report shows the rate of production, price, revenue, and market share as well as of the growth of each product type. And emphasis is laid on the end users, as well as on the applications of the product. It is one report that hasn't shied away from taking a critical look at the current status and future outlook for the consumption/sales of these products, by the end users and applications. Not forgetting the market share control and growth rate of Hybridoma Media Industry, per application. All the queries about this report can be asked at:List of Chapters:1 Hybridoma Media Market Overview2 Global Hybridoma Media Market Competitions by Manufacturers3 Global Hybridoma Media Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)4 Global Hybridoma Media Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)5 Global Hybridoma Media Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type6 Global Hybridoma Media Market Analysis by Application7 Global Hybridoma Media Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis8 Hybridoma Media Manufacturing Cost Analysis9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis12 Global Hybridoma Media Market Forecast (2017-2022)13 Research Findings and Conclusion14 AppendixThe Market ReportsWe at, The Market Reports aiming to provide the best industry and market reports to a seeker. We are looking forward to a place where we are the one stop destination for all the report seekers irrespective of any country, category, domain, etc.The Market ReportsSF-29, North Block,Sacred World, Wanawadi,Pune, 411040 (India)Phone: +1-631-407-1315, +91-750-729-1479
Global Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market Key Players 2017: TorcUP, Riverhawk, Beck Crespel and Boltight

Global Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market

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The up-to-date research report on Global Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market portrays a detailed fundamental market overview which is fueled by deep research to acquaint the users with latest Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market trends, current market overview and Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market development status expected during the forecast period from 2017-2022. Global Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Report offers a thorough analysis of different Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market segments like dominant key players their visions which will help the readers in analysing the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner growth opportunities. The report provides concise knowledge of the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market on a global scale based on the past-present size and Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market forecast scenario in the form of graphs, tables, pie-charts to help all the existing as well as new Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market players in making decisions which will favour the growth of Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner industry.Global Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner report is divided into different portions on basis of Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner product category, numerous product applications, and key regions which contribute greatly to the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market share. The in-depth analysis of the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market to know growth opportunities, potholes to the market development in a segmented manner will help in studying the market development scenario. Global Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner report portrays the fundamental details of the dominant market players elaborating their business profiles, Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market revenue, sales volume, press releases, technical developments taking place in this industry.Do Inquiry Before Accessing 2017-2022 Global Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market Report atGlobal Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market report is segmented into different parts as below:Global Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market Details Based On Key Players:Atlas CopcoActuantSPX FLOW Bolting SystemsBoltightSKFITH Bolting TechnologyFPT  Fluid Power TechnologySiempelkamp Tensioning SystemsBeck CrespelRiverhawkHi-ForcePrimoHire TorqueBRAND TSWren Hydraulic EquipmentHydraulics Technology Inc (HTI)TorcUPPowermaster EngineersGlobal Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market Details Based on Product Category:Topside Bolt TensionersSub Sea Bolt TensionersWind Bolt TensionersGlobal Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market Details Based On Key Product Applications:Oil and GasWind & Power GenerationIndustrialGlobal Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market Details Based On Regions Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market in North America (USA, Canada and Mexico). Europe Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market(Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy). Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market in Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and South-east Asia). Latin America Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market, Middle and Africa.Request for Sample Report atThe first part of the report portrays the information related to the basic Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner introduction, key market players, their company profiles, sales ratio, demand and supply volume, Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market gains during 2016 and 2017. The second part of the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner report extracts more details stating the sales revenue of each Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner industry player, the business strategies followed by them. The third part of the report displays the competitive scenario of all the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market players on basis of the revenue gains.The fourth part of the report enlists the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner details based on key producing regions and Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market gains during the period from 2012 to 2017. Fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth part of the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner report enlists the major countries within the regions and the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner revenue generated during the period from 2012 to 2017. Tenth and eleventh part of the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner report mentions the variety of Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner product applications, Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner statistics during 2012 to 2017.Part number twelve, thirteen, fourteen and fifteen provides information regarding the futuristic Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market trends expected during the forecast period from 2017 to 2022, Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner marketing strategies, Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market vendors, facts and figures of the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market and vital Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner business conclusion along with data collection sources and appendix.What Global Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner Market Report Contributes?In short the report is a relevant guide for understanding the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner industry breakthroughs in terms of all vital aspects like In-depth insight of the major players and contributors impacting the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market. The study also focuses on current Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market outlook, sales margin, details of the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner market dynamics.Growth expected during the forecast periods along with the present and historical data of Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner industry is deeply disscussed in the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner report. The overall report helps the new aspirants to inspect the forthcoming opportunities in the Hydraulic Bolt Tensioner 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:
SPRINGFIELD  Macon County superintendents are breathing easier after lawmakers on Tuesday approved a school funding overhaul that supporters say will increase aid to all of the state's more than 800 districts and eliminate large disparities between rich and poor schools.

I'm grateful that legislators reached a compromise on a school funding formula that will benefit all students, Decatur Superintendent Paul Fregeau said. This relieves a lot of stress for a lot of people.

Fregeau and several other area superintendents said they were eager to review the details of the legislation, details of which were negotiated by legislative leaders in closed-door meetings over recent days.

The Senate voted 38-13 to send the measure to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who has said he'll sign it quickly to get money to districts starting a new school year. The House passed the bill late Monday.

Lawmakers have tried unsuccessfully for years to replace the current school funding system. This year's state budget required for the first time that the formula be changed, and provided an additional $350 million to help pay for it.

No money can go to districts, however, until a new plan is in place. Although school officials have said they will be able to open classrooms for the new school year, many districts have worried they would run out of money if a plan wasn't approved soon.

Sen. Andy Manar, the bill's sponsor, said the plan will fund schools fairly "for the first time in decades."

"There will not be another generation of students that are subjected to inequity  the worst in the country  after this bill becomes law," said Manar, a Democrat from Bunker Hill whose district includes Decatur. "That's something worth saying today."

Republican Sens. Chapin Rose of Mahomet and Dale Righter of Mattoon also issued statements praising the bill. In a statement, Rose said the legislation had changed positively since the first overhaul proposed by Democrats several years ago.

He said the states failure to properly fund its schools causes higher local property taxes.

This overreliance on property taxpayers is killing us  killing our downstate communities to the extent that today, through this legislation, were starting to turn that corner and right the ship, Rose said.

Righter hailed the legislation as a major bipartisan compromise that would keep schools open.

Without school funding legislation, Fregeau has said Decatur schools would run out of money in mid-November, and several other Macon County superintendents said they could not make it through the school year.

That includes Meridian School District, where Superintendent Dan Brue had said funding would run out before the end of January. Brue said Tuesday that he was pleased lawmakers had found a compromise and passed the legislation.

I'm not totally in favor of every little piece that was in the bill, but I'm relieved that the general state aid is coming our way soon, he said. It will secure us for the school year so we can finish like we planned. I'm happy.

Illinois schools did not receive the first payment of the year, which was due on Aug. 15, and Brue said he doubts that schools will receive the second payment on Aug. 30. He said he is hopeful that those payments will be made up before the end of the fiscal year.

Kristen Kendrick-Heikle, superintendent of Warrensburg-Latham schools, said she was thrilled that the state had adopted a more up-to-date way to fund education.

"This is more equitable, but I'm uncertain, because this happened so quickly that I haven't had a chance to review the fine details, she said. I'm excited we should be receiving general state aid payments soon.

Mount Zion Superintendent Travis Roundcount said Tuesday that he had not seen enough details of the legislation to comment. The district had solid financial reserves, he previously said, and administrators had not determined a crisis date.

The legislation passed Tuesday also provides $75 million in tax credits for people who contributed to private school scholarships.

Teacher unions and some school officials oppose the credits, saying taxpayer money shouldn't be used to fund private schools. They fear the scholarships  which lawmakers say would benefit as many as 10,000 students  will reduce enrollment at public schools, some of which are struggling to maintain enough students to stay open.

"A parent has the right to choose a private education for their child," said Superintendent Andrea Evers from downstate Cairo, a poor district that has lost population. "It should not be on the backs of taxpayers."

Still, others said having more cash was critical.

The tax credit program will expire after five years if lawmakers don't extend it. The credits would be worth 75 percent of a taxpayer's annual contributions to a scholarship fund, with a maximum credit of $1 million annually. The money may be donated to a specific school but not a specific student.

Students receiving the scholarships must have a household income of less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $73,000 annually for a family of four.

Under Illinois' current school funding system, districts must rely heavily on property taxes to fund schools. That's created large differences in funding levels, with some wealthier districts spending four times more per student than districts with less property tax wealth.

Under the new plan, the state will determine how much money each district needs to adequately educate its students, taking into consideration the number who live in poverty, are English learners or need special education services. The state then looks at how much money the district is able to generate from property taxes, and directs aid first to districts that need it to reach the spending target.

The legislation also provides money to help Chicago Public Schools make payments to its teacher pension funds, as Illinois does for other districts, and gives districts relief from some state mandates, such as allowing them to offer fewer days of physical education each week.

Herald & Review staff writers Valerie Wells and Tom Lisi contributed to this story.
At A CAGR Of 2.77%, Global Motion Control Software Market Will Expand During The Forecast Period 2017 - 2021

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "At A CAGR Of 2.77%, Global Motion Control Software Market Will Expand During The Forecast Period 2017 - 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.Motion control software is a part of motion control system. Motion control systems provide flexibility in controlling the speed of motors. The software provides instructions to the motor controllers, based on instructions and feedback from the sensors. The motor controllers send signals to the motor drives, ensuring control over motor's speed and smooth functioning of the process. Motion control systems are used in various applications in the process and discrete industries.Technavios analysts forecast the global motion control software market to grow at a CAGR of 2.77% during the period 2017-2021.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global motion control software market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers new installations, sales value, and services market.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Motion Control Software Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsABBMoogNational InstrumentsPhysik InstrumentsRockwell AutomationTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Other prominent vendorsSIGMATEKLINAK3S-Smart Software Solutions GmbH & CODESYSMitsubishi ElectricGalilTrio Motion TechnologySiemensMarket driverImproved technology in motion control softwareFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeAvailability of open-source and free softwareFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIncreasing need for cloud-based and wireless technologyFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?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 @
Biodegradable Polymers Market Research Report : 2017-2022

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Reports And Markets Publish a New Market Research Report On "Biodegradable Polymers Market - Segmented by Type, End-User Industry and Geography - Trends and Forecasts (2017 - 2022)"Access Full Report With Table Of Contents @The global biodegradable polymers market has been estimated at USD XXX.X million in 2015 and is projected to reach USD XXX.X million by 2020, at a CAGR of XX.X% during the forecast period from 2015 to 2020.The global biodegradable polymers market is a burgeoning one and is expected to grow significantly over the coming years. Biodegradable polymers are the polymers that disintegrate naturally in a low amount of time without any human intervention. Biodegradability is an important property required for the materials to avoid unnecessary ecological imbalances.There exists a wide variety of potential and existing applications for biodegradable polymers. Biodegradable polymers are alternative to the petroleum-derived polymers that do not disintegrate.They can be synthetic as well as natural polymers. Biodegradable polymers can be used in wide variety of consumer goods, especially for packaging and bottling. Other areas of usage are agriculture, textiles, health care, electronics, etc.Market Dynamics of the Global Biodegradable Polymers Market:Drivers:Ecological friendliness of the polymers that promote ecological balance unlike present day synthetic polymers which do not disintegrate naturally and must be recycled.Many countries have implemented strict norms against the usage of non-degradable polymers that pose a risk to nature.The biodegradable polymers are generally non-toxic n nature and can be used for drug delivery as well.Restraints:Higher cost in comparison to petroleum based polymersLow awareness in some regionsRequest For Sample Report @The market has also been geographically segmented into APAC, North America, Europe, South America and MEA. In terms of consumption in 2015, Europe led the market with the highest share of revenues because of the strict environmental regulations implemented in European nations. It was followed by North America and Asia-Pacific.Asia-Pacific is estimated to grow at the fastest rate because of the rising environmental awareness and increasing government regulation in these regions. China, India, Brazil, Russia and other developing nations are actively participating in environmental preservation. They are the future drivers of the biodegradable polymers market as a huge market potential exists in these countries.Company profiles of the major biodegradable polymers that have been discussed are:BASF SECardia Bioplastics LimitedCereplastE. I. du Pont de Nemours and CompanyJapan Corn Starch Co., Ltd.MerckNovamont SpATrellis Earth, Inc.Key Deliverables in the Study:Analysis for the global biodegradable polymers, with region specific assessments and competition analysis on a global and regional scale.Market definition along with the identification of key drivers and restraints.Identification of factors instrumental in changing the market scenarios, rising prospective opportunities, and identification of key companies that can influence this market on a global and regional scale.Extensively researched competitive landscape section with profiles of major companies along with their market share.Identification and analysis of the macro and micro factors that affect the global biodegradable polymers market on both global and regional scale.A comprehensive list of key market players along with the analysis of their current strategic interests and key financial information.A wide-ranging knowledge and insights about the major players in this industry and the key strategies adopted by them to sustain and grow in the studied market.Insights on the major countries/regions in which this industry is blooming and to also identify the regions that are still untapped.Check Discount @For more information or any query mail at sales@reportsandmarkets.comAbout Reports And MarketsReports And Markets is part of the Algoro Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.Are you mastering your market? Do you know what the market potential is for your product, who the market players are and what the growth forecast is? We offer standard global, regional or country specific market research studies for almost every market you can imagine.Contact PersonSanjay JainManager - Partner Relations & International Marketinginfo@reportsandmarkets.comPh: +1-214-377-1121 (US), +44-020-3286-9338 (UK)
Supercapacitor Market- Global Industry Analysis, Trend, Size, Share and Forecast 2015 - 2023

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MarketResearchReports.Biz presents this most up-to-date research on "Supercapacitor Market "View Full Report at:DescriptionThe global supercapacitor market is expected to experience stable growth during the forecast period of 2015 to 2023. Supercapacitor, also known as ultracapacitor, is an electrical component having greater capacitance and power density than conventional capacitors. Currently, supercapacitor are increasingly adopted across various applications such as automotive, elevators, cranes and consumer electronics among others that require frequent energy charge and discharge cycle rather than long term energy storage. For the purpose of our research, the global supercapacitor market is segmented on the basis of application, product, type and geography. By application the various category of supercapacitor market includes automotive and transportation, industrial, energy, consumer electronics and others. The other segment includes application of supercapacitor in aerospace, military and sensors technologies. Based on products, the global supercapacitor market is segmented into double layer supercapacitor, pseudocapacitors and hybrid capacitors. By type, supercapacitor market is segmented into supercapacitor module, weldable cells and board mounted supercapacitor. Moreover, the report also provides cross sectional analysis of all the above segments across different countries within North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and Rest of the World.The global supercapacitor market is primarily driven by increasing demand for supercapacitor across different consumer electronics and automotive applications in order to provide backup power. Supercapacitor provides the necessary power backup required for smooth functioning of the various applications such as video calling, cameras, wireless communications and GPS navigation used in consumer electronic devices. Similarly, the other industrial hand-held devices such as GSM/GPRS and RFID (Radio-frequency identification) communications, LED flash, thermal printers, bar code scanners and GPS (Global Positioning System) chips among others can also be operated more conveniently with the help of supercapacitor for providing the required power boost. Using supercapacitor in line with batteries in these electronic devices increases the lifecycle of conventional batteries by reducing the load of voltage drops. Thus, battery run-time and operational life can be improved extensively by using supercapacitor in these electronic devices. Thus, enormous demand of the highly advanced consumer electronic appliances, in turn is predicted to drive the market for supercapacitor at exponential rate in the coming years. In addition, different initiatives by the government in different parts of the world such as the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, China and Japan to reduce the power consumption and heat generation is also anticipated to increase the deployment and usage of supercapacitor globally. Moreover, the ongoing practice to upgrade the power generation system from renewable sources across the globe in order to reduce rapid depletion of natural resources is also anticipated to drive the market of supercapacitor in the coming years.However, competition from well-established battery market and lack of awareness about the huge benefits associated with supercapacitor are the most important factors that deters the growth of supercapacitor market and restrict users from adapting supercapacitor technology. In addition, high initial purchasing cost of supercapacitor coupled with low adoption is also inhibiting the market growth of supercapacitor. Currently supercapacitor are facing immense competition from lithium batteries due to its high price. Despite of these restrictive factors, the supercapacitor market is forecast to witness substantial growth during the forecast period of 2015 to 2023.This report provides the future predictive market growth of the global supercapacitor market from 2015 to 2023 along with current market analysis. Detailed study of the global supercapacitor market across different countries with respect to product, type and application segment is also highlighted in this report. In addition, the various micro economic and macro-economic factors that are anticipated to affect the growth of global supercapacitor market is also provided in this report.In 2014, among the different product categories of supercapacitor, the double layer supercapacitor occupied the largest market share and accounted for 42.8% market share. However, the hybrid capacitors segment is anticipated to witness the fastest growing segment. Rapid growth of the Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) market globally, in order to reduce carbon emission is one of the major factors responsible for the exponential growth of hybrid supercapacitor in the coming years. The market of hybrid supercapacitor is forecast to witness the fastest growth with a CAGR of 23.5% during the forecast period.Among the different types of supercapacitor, the board mounted supercapacitor held the largest market share in 2014 and is also predicted to be the fastest growing market with a CAGR of 22.7% from 2015 to 2023. Increasing usage of board mounted supercapacitor by different automotive manufacturers for various applications such as regenerative breaking and start stop system in order to reduce fuel consumption is responsible for the robust growth of board mounted supercapacitor market.Request Sample Copy of This Report at:Geographically, Asia Pacific supercapacitor market is predicted to experience the fastest growth rate with a CAGR of 23.2% from 2015 to 2023. Rapid expansion of production facility in this region owing to huge capital investment by different companies in this emerging technology results in sharp fall of price of the supercapacitor. This reduction in price of supercapacitor coupled with low maintenance cost is predicted to increase the usage of supercapacitor across different application segments. This in turn, is expected to boost the demand for supercapacitor in the coming years.After considering the various macroeconomic and micro economic factors, the predicted future growth of the global supercapacitor market is provided in this report. In addition, detailed analysis of various factors that are anticipated to affect the demand of supercapacitor globally, is highlighted in this report.The global supercapacitor market can be segmented as follows:Global Supercapacitor Market, By ApplicationAutomotive and TransportationIndustrialEnergyConsumer ElectronicsOthersGlobal Supercapacitor Market, By ProductDouble Layer SupercapacitorPseudocapacitorHybrid CapacitorGlobal Supercapacitor Market, By TypeSupercapacitor ModuleSupercapacitor CellBoard Mounted SupercapacitorGlobal Supercapacitor Market, By GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaMexicoEuropeU.K.GermanyItalyFranceRest of EuropeAsia-PacificIndiaChinaJapanRest of Asia PacificRest of the World (RoW)Middle EastLatin AmericaAfricaTable of ContentsChapter 1 Preface1.1 Research scope and description1.2 Research methodologyChapter 2 Executive Summary2.1 Market overview2.1.1 Key findingsEnquiry Form :Chapter 3 Global Supercapacitors Market : Market Overview3.1 Market dynamics3.1.1 Drivers3.1.1.1 Longer life cycle as compared to batteries and decreasing price of supercapacitors3.1.1.2 Environment regulations in regions such as North America, Europe and Asia Pacific3.1.1.3 Growing demand from automotive, wind and electric grid sector3.1.1.4 Government funding in North America driving the market growth3.1.2 Restraints3.1.2.1 High price of supercapacitors3.1.3 Opportunities3.1.3.1 Increasing demand from newer applications such as solar and aerospace and military3.1.3.2 Hand-held electronic devices hold potential in the coming years3.2 Porters five forces analysis3.2.1 Bargaining power of suppliers3.2.2 Bargaining power of buyers3.2.3 Threat of substitutes3.2.4 Threat of new entrants3.2.5 Competitive rivalry3.3 Market attractiveness analysis.3.3.1 Market attractiveness by application3.3.2 Market attractiveness by product3.3.3 Market attractiveness by type3.4 Patent Analysis3.4.1 Key patent analysis3.4.2 U.S. patent analysis3.4.3 Europe patent analysis3.4.4 Japan patent analysisof companies spanning across various industries.Browse Latest Industry Press Release at:About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports.MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients.We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated researchreports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and typesContactState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.bizFollow us on LinkedIn:
First-Aid Market to Make Great Impact in Near Future by 2022

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In this report, the EMEA First-Aid Packet market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split EMEA into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, With sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of First-Aid Packet for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Benelux;Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran;Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria.Get exclusive sample copy @EMEA First-Aid Packet market competition by top manufacturers/players, with First-Aid Packet sales volume (K Units), price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingAttuchoBlumeCIR MEDICALDHS EmergencyEGO Zl?nELITE BAGSHealth Care LogisticsHUM - Gesellschaft f?r Homecare und MedizintechnikKarl BollmannME.BER.OrientMEd International FZEPeerless PlasticsROYAXThomas EMSOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoHandle TypePiggy-Back TypeHis TypeBuy a copy of this report @On the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (K Units), market share and growth rate of First-Aid Packet for each application, includingRescueDrillOutdoor ActivitiesOtherKey factors of this report:1 First-Aid Packet Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of First-Aid Packet1.2 Classification of First-Aid Packet1.2.1 EMEA First-Aid Packet Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 EMEA First-Aid Packet Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Handle Type1.2.4 Piggy-Back Type1.2.5 His Type1.3 EMEA First-Aid Packet Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 EMEA First-Aid Packet Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-20221.3.2 Rescue1.3.3 Drill1.3.4 Outdoor Activities1.3.5 Other1.4 EMEA First-Aid Packet Market by Region1.4.1 EMEA First-Aid Packet Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Middle East Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Africa Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 EMEA Market Size (Value and Volume) of First-Aid Packet (2012-2022)1.5.1 EMEA First-Aid Packet Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 EMEA First-Aid Packet Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 EMEA First-Aid Packet Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 EMEA First-Aid Packet Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers2.1.1 EMEA First-Aid Packet Sales Volume and Market Share of Major Players (2012-2017)2.1.2 EMEA First-Aid Packet Revenue and Share by Players (2012-2017)2.1.3 EMEA First-Aid Packet Sale Price by Players (2012-2017)2.2 EMEA First-Aid Packet (Volume and Value) by Type/Product Category2.2.1 EMEA First-Aid Packet Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 EMEA First-Aid Packet Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.3 EMEA First-Aid Packet Sale Price by Type (2012-2017)2.3 EMEA First-Aid Packet (Volume) by Application2.4 EMEA First-Aid Packet (Volume and Value) by Region2.4.1 EMEA First-Aid Packet Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.2 EMEA First-Aid Packet Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.3 EMEA First-Aid Packet Sales Price by Region (2012-2017)3 Europe First-Aid Packet (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Players, Countries, Type and Application3.1 Europe First-Aid Packet Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 Europe First-Aid Packet Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 Europe First-Aid Packet Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.2 Europe First-Aid Packet Sales and Market Share by Type3.3 Europe First-Aid Packet Sales and Market Share by Application3.4 Europe First-Aid Packet Sales Volume and Value (Revenue) by Countries3.4.1 Europe First-Aid Packet Sales Volume by Countries (2012-2017)3.4.2 Europe First-Aid Packet Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)3.4.3 Germany First-Aid Packet Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.4 France First-Aid Packet Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.5 UK First-Aid Packet Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.6 Russia First-Aid Packet Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.7 Italy First-Aid Packet Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.8 Benelux First-Aid Packet Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)View this report @Who we are:Research Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. This comprehensive analysis is obtained by a thorough research and study of the ongoing trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes.We distribute customized reports that focus on meeting the clients specific requirement. Our database consists of a large collection of high-quality reports obtained using a customer-centric approach, thus providing valuable research insights.Contact Us:Email: sales@researchtrades.comCall us: +1 6269994607 / +91 7507349866Skype ID: researchtradesconWeb:
Integrated Systems Market to Incur Rapid Extension During 2015 - 2021

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Integrated Systems are known as the class of data center systems which are used to deliver a combination of server, network and shared-storage devices in a pre-integrated stack. These systems are used to combine networking, storage and compute as well as data center applications. With the help of integrated systems, different storage, server and networking vendors are now started offering a list of services which can resonate well with their data center operations, thereby boosting their infrastructure efficiency for high virtualized environments. It provides customers with more loosely coupled environment which is safe from all the complex interdependencies in order to bring more agility and automation in business processes. Thus, enterprises can effectively carry out all their process innovations without constantly modifying and maintaining diverse application programs. The adoption of integrated systems are aligned both with the maturity of service component provider and the operational dynamics of the customer environment.The rising demand to integrate deployment techniques and modern application development are boosting the integrated systems market. Furthermore, emergence of more advanced forms of data management over the traditional models is another key driver for the global integrated systems market. Thus, opportunity lies in monetizing data center infrastructure functionalities owing to the rapid advances taking place in the social, mobile and real-time communication devices. Moreover, speed to market is another important characteristic of integrated systems. It deals with building an entire data center consisting of load balancers, virtual machines, firewalls and networking within an hour or two which was not possible with the traditional methods. In addition, other factors like business and global expansion, financial efficiency and core competency are further fueling the growth of integration systems market. However, the offerings provided by integrated systems are really complex regarding management of business ecosystem as well as technology integration.The global integrated systems market is segmented on the basis of its type, business enterprise size, end-use industries and geographies. Based on its types, the integrated systems market is segmented into integrated workload systems, integrated infrastructure systems, and integrated reference architectures. Based on business enterprise size, integrated systems market is classified into small, medium and large business organizations. Further, based on end-use industries, the global integrated systems market is segmented into IT and telecommunications, healthcare, manufacturing, defense and energy, and others. The market is gaining huge penetration in small and medium sized enterprises due to low-cost and efficient services provided by integrated systems for B2B integration. Moreover, the growing intra-region integration is fueling the demand of integrated services in Asia Pacific region, particularly in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and Singapore. Geographically, the market is most dominant in the North America region due to high demand of IT infrastructure services by small, medium and large industries in this region.Request for more detailed information (TOC And Sample):Some of the major players in the global integrated systems market include ActiveState Software Inc., IBM Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Company, Red Hat Inc., SAP SE, EMC Corporation, Hubspan, Inc., and Cordys B.V., Fujitsu Limited and Cisco Systems, Inc., among others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Whey Protein Ingredients Market 2017 New Research Study

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Global Whey Protein Ingredients market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingFonterraLactalis IngredientsFriesiandcampinaArla FoodsHilmar Cheese CompanyCarbery Food IngredientsDavisco Foods InternationalDMV InternationalMurrayDMKLeprino Foods Co.Westland Milk ProductsGlanbia Foods, Inc.Milk Specialties GlobalAgropur Inc.SachsenMilchRequest a sample copy atOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoWhey Protein concentrateWhey Protein isolateWhey Protein hydrostateOn 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 Whey Protein Ingredients for each application, includingFoodMedicalCosmeticsFeedOthersFor more information about this report atOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoAndriod HandleIOS HandleOn 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 Whey Protein Ingredients for each application, includingApplication 1Application 2Discount on report purchase atTable of Content1 Whey Protein Ingredients Market Overview2 Global Whey Protein Ingredients Market Competition by Manufacturers3 Global Whey Protein Ingredients Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)4 Global Whey Protein Ingredients Supply (Production) , Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)5 Global Whey Protein Ingredients Production, Revenue (Value) , Price Trend by Type6 Global Whey Protein Ingredients Market Analysis by Application7 Global Whey Protein Ingredients Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Fonterra7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Whey Protein Ingredients Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Fonterra Whey Protein Ingredients Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Lactalis Ingredients7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Whey Protein Ingredients Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Lactalis Ingredients Whey Protein Ingredients Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Friesiandcampina7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Whey Protein Ingredients Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Friesiandcampina Whey Protein Ingredients Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis12 Global Whey Protein Ingredients Market Forecast (2017-2022)13 Research Findings and ConclusionPurchase Complete Report atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers.533, 5th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
North America & Latin Americas Water Pump Market : Centrifugal pumps to Account US$ 12 billion by 2024

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In the report, titled Water Pumps Market: North & Latin America Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2016-2024, Persistence Market Research predicts that more than 90% of water pump revenues in Latin America and North America will be accounted by sales of centrifugal pumps. While over 936 thousand units of positive displacement pumps are estimated to be sold in the Americas during the forecast period, sales of centrifugal pumps will be raking in revenues worth over US$ 12 billion by the end of 2024. In 2016, centrifugal pumps worth nearly US$ 3 billion were estimated to be consumed by wastewater and water treatment plants across North America and Latin America. Oil and gas industries in this region have been predicted to have consumed over 200 thousand units of positive displacement pumps in 2016.The demand for water pumps across North America and Latin America continues to grow in parallel with the growth in the regions population. More households emerging in countries such as the US, Canada, Brazil or Mexico will certainly require water pumps for domestic purposes. Concurrently, agricultural, administrative and industrial sector in these regions will also adopt such pumps to keep up with the surging demands of consumers. Water pumps being deployed in the residential sector of North America and Latin America are projected to grow as municipalities & county authorities from this region will strive to improve their drinking water facilitation and upgrade the wastewater treatment plants.A sample of this report is available upon request @Nevertheless, a recent study developed by Persistence Market Research projects that revenues garnered from sales of water pumps across Latin America and North America will soar at a moderate CAGR of 4% over an eight-year forecast period. After amassing an estimated US$ 9,422.9 million revenues in 2016, the water pumps market in North America and Latin America is anticipated to reach a valuation of US$ 13,412 .8 million by the end of 2024.Availability of cheap Chinese water pumps: North American and Latin American manufacturers of water pumps are constantly at risk of losing market presence to newly-entered Chinese pump makers. Consumers in these regions end up opting for cheap Chinese water pumps, which tend to go kaput in short span of time. On the other hand, availing Chinese water pumps becomes more practical for consumers with tight budget, especially for deploying them in agricultural activities.Browse Complete Report @Durability & energy efficiency of centrifugal pumps: Manufacturers of centrifugal water pumps in this region are improving the operating life of their products. This has decelerated the rate at which water pumps get replaced. Low replacement rate has dragged down the aftermarket sales of water pumps in North America and Latin America, thereby impeding the aggregate market revenues.Budget limitations in industrial and agricultural sectors: Expenditure on water pumps fares on a tightrope in North America. Submersible pumps are also expected to impact the adoption of centrifugal water pumps in this region. Latin Americas industrial sector is likely to trim its gross expenditure, which will incidentally impact the sales of water pumps in this region. Low profit margins in North Americas agriculture industry have also slowed down the rate at which water pumps were being installed or replaced in farming activities.Request to view table of content @Compared to Latin America, North America will continue to have a large share in their collective regional market for water pumps. In 2016, the US water pumps market accounted for more than two-third of North Americas water pump revenues, while Brazil and Mexico attributed to more than 50% growth in Latin Americas water pumps revenues. US-based companies Xylem Inc. and Flowserve Corporation are the leading native players in North America and Latin Americas water pumps market. The market will continue to witness higher participation from European water pump manufacturers such as KSB AG, Weir Group Plc., Grundfos, and Sulzer AG. Japanese water pump manufacturer, Ebara Corp is also observed to be a key participant as the company has established two manufacturing plants in North America and one in Latin America.North and Latin America Market Study on Water Pumps is available for US$4,900About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Blood Flow Measurement Devices Market Value Share, Analysis and Segments 2017-2025

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Global Blood Flow Measurement Devices Market: OverviewThe rising prevalence of cerebrovascular disease and growing population of geriatrics who are more prone to heart diseases, the demand in the market for blood flow measurement devices is swiftly incrementing. Devices such as ultrasound including Doppler and transit-time flow meters (TTFM) and laser Doppler are highly useful in measuring the blood flowing through cross section of blood vessel in a certain duration of time. Given the severe consequences of not being aware of blood pressure, medical practitioners are frequently suggesting the use of blood flow measurement devices and consumers are readily opting for it. As a result, the demand in the global blood flow measurement devices market is expected to increase at a steady rate during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Blood Flow Measurement Devices Market: Key TrendsAs per a 2012 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 8,000,000 people in the U.S. were suffering from peripheral arterial disease (PAD), in which 12-20% of the population were older than 60 years of age. Apart from the prevalence of heart diseases and increasing number of people of over 60 years of age, the demand in the global blood flow measurement devices is also gaining traction from the escalating demand for advanced non-invasive devices, primarily across the developed regions. In addition to that, growing application of these devices for clinical purposes, for invasive and non-invasive procedures, ease of use, and technological advancements as a result of consistent focus from key players are some of the other factors driving the global blood flow measurement devices market. On the other hand, stringent regulations such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act in the U.S. and high cost of these devices is hindering the market for blood flow measurement devices to attain its full potential in the near future.Request TOC of the Report @Global Blood Flow Measurement Devices Market: Market PotentialResearch and development of technologically advanced products including wearables, such as KYOCERAs optical blood-flow sensor, are opening new opportunities for the players in this market. Currently, the healthcare industry is flourishing and consumers are willing to pay extra for regular health check-ups and new products. The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) is also expected to have a positive vibe on the global blood flow measurement devices market, wherein customers can check their well-being on their smartphones, analyzing the data provided by the advanced blood flow measurement devices.Global Blood Flow Measurement Devices Market: Regional OutlookCurrently, the developed regions of North America and Europe are the most lucrative region for the players in this market. Countries such as the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and France have robust healthcare infrastructure and high levels of awareness among the consumers related to the availability of blood flow measurement devices. On the other hand, several emerging economies in Asia Pacific, such as India, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia are actively improving their healthcare facilities. Players in the global blood flow measurement market see Asia Pacific as a potential future market and are actively pursuing steps to make a mark early, ahead of the competition.Get a discount @Global Blood Flow Measurement Devices Market: Competitive LandscapeSome of the leading companies currently operating in the global blood flow measurement devices market are Cook Medical Inc., ADInstruments, ArjoHuntleigh, Inc., Ace Medicals, Compumedics Ltd., AKW Medicals Inc., Atys Medical, Carolina Medical Inc., Biomedix Inc, Deltex Medical, BIOPAC Systems, Inc., Perimed AB, SONOTEC Ultraschallsensorik Halle GmbH, Medistim ASA, D E Hokanson Inc., Perimed AB, Moor Instruments Ltd., and Transonic Systems, Inc. Via product innovation and strategic mergers and acquisitions, these leading players aspire to stay ahead of their competitors.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 Fashion Magazine Market Outlook and Forecast 2017-2022

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Orbis Research delivers key insights on the Global Fashion Magazine Sales market in a new report titled Global Fashion Magazine Sales Market 2017 IndustryTrend and Forecast 2022. In this report, Orbis Research sheds light on the various factors and trends impacting market growth over the forecast period (2017  2022).DescriptionThe Global Fashion Magazine Sales Market report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Fashion Magazine Sales industry. This report evaluates the Global market for " Global Fashion Magazine Sales".The Global Fashion Magazine Sales Market report provides complete analysis of the Global Fashion Magazine Sales Market by analysing all round market dynamics such as regional market opportunities, drivers, challenges, constraints, threats, and other market trends.The Global Fashion Magazine Sales Market report contains latest Business Data resulting from various Research sources that helps Decision Makers to deliver a Distinctive and Trustworthy Analysis for Companys Growth.The Global Fashion Magazine Sales Market Survey starts with Industry overview of Global Fashion Magazine Sales Market covering Major Regions Status, Industry Chain Structure, Definitions and Specifications, with a detailed focus on Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis including Raw Material Suppliers, Equipment Suppliers and Manufacturing Process.In Next Part, the researchers has collected and presented information on Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis which comprises of Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source of Major Manufacturers in 2017.In following segment, with Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin, Business Region Distribution Analysis, Competition between various Company Profile has been given along with Product Pictures and Specifications in Global Fashion Magazine Sales Industry Report.Get a PDF Sample of Global Fashion Magazine Sales Market report at:The Key Players Mentioned in Global Fashion Magazine Sales Market Report are: Vogue InStyle GQ Teen Vogue Cosmopolitan Elle Harper's Bazaar Glamour W Fashion Allure Marie ClaireThe Global Fashion Magazine Sales Industry Report is also a Great Source of Marketing Type Analysis consisting:1. Global Fashion Magazine Sales Regional Marketing Type Analysis2. Global Fashion Magazine Sales International Trade Type Analysis3. Traders or Distributors with Contact Information of Global Fashion Magazine Sales by Regions4. Global Fashion Magazine Sales Supply Chain AnalysisSome Points from Table of Contents:Chapter One: Fashion Magazine Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Fashion Magazine1.2 Classification of Fashion Magazine by Product Category1.2.1 Global Fashion Magazine Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Fashion Magazine Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Fortnightly1.2.4 Monthly1.2.5 Weekly1.3 Global Fashion Magazine Market by Application/End UsersChapter Two: Global Fashion Magazine Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Fashion Magazine Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Fashion Magazine Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Fashion Magazine Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Fashion Magazine (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Fashion Magazine Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)Chapter Three: United States Fashion Magazine (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Fashion Magazine Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Fashion Magazine Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Fashion Magazine Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Fashion Magazine Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)Chapter Four: China Fashion Magazine (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Fashion Magazine Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Fashion Magazine Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Fashion Magazine Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Fashion Magazine Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)For Any Query, before Purchasing Report Click Here:Lastly, the Report provides Development Trend Analysis for 2017-2022 years which will forecast Market Size (Volume and Value), Sales Price, Consumption Forecast, Market Trend (Product Type) and Market Trend (Application). Also the List of Major Consumers is analyzed and Contact Details are provided to easy communicating.Finally, the Report is concluded with Various Methodology, Analyst Introduction and Data SourcesNote: If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas  75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +9164101019Follow Us on LinkedIn:
Critical Power and Cooling Market Global Research and Analysis 2025

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Global Critical Power and Cooling Market: OverviewCritical power and cooling is a key aspect of the global data center industry. Thanks to the high volume of computing hardware required in data centers, power management becomes a crucial requirement for data centers. Ensuring sufficient cooling to enable steady performance is another requirement arising from the large-scale use of computing hardware and is likely to play an important role in the development of the global critical power and cooling market in the coming years. Efficient cooling has emerged as one of the most important needs in modern data centers, while eliminating fluctuations in the power supply is a long-term target of administrative agencies as well as the power industry, resulting in strong prospects for the global critical power and cooling market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Critical Power and Cooling Market: Key TrendsThe steady generation of digital data from an increasing number of avenues has driven the need for data centers across the world. This has subsequently driven the demand for critical power and cooling technologies, as power management and temperature regulation of the crucial hardware is a major concern for any data center operators. Power expenses take up a dominant share in the overall operational costs of data centers, while cooling is an essential need to ensure steady performance from computers. This is likely to remain the key driver for the global critical power and cooling market in the coming years.On the other hand, the lack of specialists in the field of critical power management is a key restraint hampering the growth prospects of the global critical power and cooling market. Due to the relative nascence of the critical power and cooling market, usage data illustrating the performance of power management systems has been slow in coming. Due to this, the critical power and cooling industry hasnt been consolidated sufficiently to produce a feasible supply line of competent technicians. This is likely to be a short-term restraint on the global critical power and cooling market in the coming years, though the increasing interest of key players in the data center industry in critical power and cooling technologies is likely to alleviate this concern.Request TOC of the Report @Global Critical Power and Cooling Market: Market PotentialRecent trends in the global critical power and cooling industry suggest the rise of green data centers is imminent. Scrutiny of the environmental impact of data centers has now led to an economic environment where innovative ways to construct data centers while minimizing their environmental impact has become possible. Nautilus Data Technologies, for instance, plans to construct data centers on floating barges in order to be able to utilize the water to cool equipment. This would cut cooling costs significantly. Innovations such as this are likely to occur at increasing frequency in the critical power and cooling market in the coming years. Environmental regulations are thus likely to play a key role in the development of the critical power and cooling market in the coming years.Global Critical Power and Cooling Market: Geographical LandscapeThe strong presence of computing and technology giants in the U.S. means North America is likely to retain the leadership of the critical power and cooling market in the coming years. Asia Pacific is also projected to play a key role in the development of the critical power and cooling market in the coming years due to the rising prominence of countries such as India in the global data center industry. The Asia Pacific critical power and cooling market is expected to exhibit the highest CAGR of all regional segments of the global market in the 2017-2025 forecast period.Get a discount @Global Critical Power and Cooling Market: Competitive DynamicsThe report provides readers with a comprehensive overview of the competitive landscape of the global critical power and cooling market by profiling leading players operating in it. Some of the key critical power and cooling market players are General Electric Company, ABB, Critical Power, Eaton Corporation, Stulz GmbH, Cyber Power Systems, SPX Corporation, Siemens AG, Daikin Industries Ltd., Delta Electronic Inc., and Schneider Electric.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth researh of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
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Cryocooler Market by Type, Application, Region  Global Trends & Forecast to 2025

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Global Cryocooler Market: OverviewA cryocooler has the ability to cool its interior environment and the global cryocooler market has been witnessing a steady rise in demand, especially from developed economies. There are numerous types of cryocoolers currently in use: Brayton cryocoolers, Gifford-McMahon cryocoolers, Stirling cryocoolers, Joule Thomson cryocoolers, and pulse-tube cryocoolers. Among these, Stirling cryocoolers are likely to witness a steady increase in demand owing to the many advantages they present to varied application areas. These benefits include compact size, high efficiency, lower need for maintenance, and reduced weight.The many services provided by players in the cryocooler market include customer training, product repair and refurbishment, preventive maintenance, and technical support. As far as application is concerned, cryocoolers are being used in industries such as energy, research and development, military, medical, commercial, space, environmental, and transport. The military sector has been a key consumer of cryocoolers and has, as a result, emerged as a key contributor toward the growth of the global market. The medical sector is also a leading segment, wherein cryocoolers are used in a number of medical devices such as MRI machines, for organ storage, and for cryosurgery.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Cryocooler Market: Key TrendsThe global cryocooler market is primarily driven by the rising demand for medical systems and a dearth of helium. The market is also propelled by the use of cryocoolers in microsatellites and space systems. Expanding defense budgets and rising investments in the defense technology are supporting the implementation of cryocoolers in the military sector. On the flip side, however, the market is likely to be hindered by the high cost of cryocoolers. In addition to this, the high consumption of power will prove to be a hindrance.Global Cryocooler Market: Market PotentialConsidering the immense potential this market presents, companies are partnering with government and research organizations in order to expand their operations. A case in point would be Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation, who was awarded the US$18 mn contract to design, test, and deliver a cryocooler for NASA. Developed by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the innovative cryocooler will be launched in 2018 and will be used in the Landsat-9 spacecraft to freeze the Space Telescopes mid-infrared instrument (MIRI).Request TOC of the Report @Companies are also expanding their operations and end-use portfolios by shifting focus on new and emerging cryocooler markets and by offering a wider range of systems and services respectively. For instance, Japan-based Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd. recently expanded its business in China and set up a much larger facility in Shanghai. The firm also offers customers a number of value-added services and after-sales services. This has enabled it to strengthen its foothold in the cryocooler market.Global Cryocooler Market: Regional OutlookRegionally, the cryocooler market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World. North America accounts for a significant share in the global market. While the use of cryocoolers in the medical sector is a key factor driving the North America market, the increasing use of these systems in the military sector is likely to offer potential for growth. In the medical industry, cryocoolers are used for proton therapy in treating cancer; in the military sector, they are being used for missile guidance and satellite monitoring. In November 2015, the USS Gerald R Ford - the U.S. Navys aircraft carrier - was installed using cryocooler technology.During the course of the forecast period, the Asia Pacific cryocooler market is slated to witness strong growth as well. This can be attributed to the rising usage of cryocoolers in space, medical, research and development, and military applications.Get a discount @Companies mentioned in the reportAdvanced Research Systems, Inc., Sunpower, Inc., Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd., Cryomech, Inc., Chart Industries, Inc., DH Industries BV, Superconductor Technologies Inc., Janis Research Company LLC, and Brooks Automation Inc. are some of the leading players operating in the global cryocooler market. The vendor landscape of this market comprises hardware component manufacturers, prototype designers, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Analysts have observed that a number of companies are focused on expanding their application portfolio into the energy and military sectors, recognizing the potential of cryocoolers here.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
Growth & Comprehensive Analysis Of US Rent-to-Own Market: Size, Trends and Forecasts, 2017

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Growth & Comprehensive Analysis Of US Rent-to-Own Market: Size, Trends and Forecasts, 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.The report entitled The US Rent-to-Own Market: Size, Trends and Forecasts (2017 Edition), provides an in-depth study of the US RTO industry with comprehensive analysis of market size and growth, market share; the analysis also encompasses market by value, by volume, market share by top players, etc.Additionally, the report also outlined the factors that will help the market to grow in the forecasted period. It assesses the key opportunities available in the market that boost the market in the coming years. Growth of the US RTO industry has also been forecasted for the period 2017-2021, taking into consideration the existing growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current & future trends.The US rent-to-own industry is dominated by only two major players namely Rent-A-Center and Aarons Inc. A brief company profiling of Rent-A-Center, Aarons Inc. and goeasy Ltd. has been provided in the report. This section briefs about business overview, financial summary and business policies of these major companies.Company CoverageRent-A-Center Inc.Aarons Inc.Goeasy LtdExecutive SummaryAn agreement in which the buyer has the option to become the owner of the property/goods, after a certain period of fixed time and payment is known as rent-to-own agreement. Also known as lease-to-own agreements, customer has the option to purchase the rental property. Earlier, rent-to-own agreements specifically dealt in the purchasing of homes/property only, but nowadays rent-to-own industry consists of dealers that rent furniture, appliances, home electronics, and jewelry to consumers.The rent to own agreement has prospective financial advantages and offer benefits to both owner and renter. In such agreements, the buyers have immediate access to household goods for a relatively low week or monthly payment, typically without any down payment or credit check. As the buyer has to make a small payment weekly/monthly, so it does not create much financial burden on him/her.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @A rent-to-own agreement is made up of two agreements: a standard lease agreement and an option to purchase. A consumer who respects the terms of the contract and pays all rents before acquiring the good leased, generally pays, in total, twice even three times the actual value of the good.The US rent-to-own market is growing with significant growth rate over the past few years and is expected to improve further during the forecasted period (2017-2021). Growth in the market is supported by growth drivers such as increasing US GDP per-capita, rising millennial population of the region, etc. Yet the market faces some challenges such as consumer protection issue, breach of customer privacy, etc.Table Of Content1. Executive Summary2. Introduction2.1 Overview of Rent-to-Own2.2 Consumer Protection2.2.1 Consumer Protection ProvisionFederal LawsStates Rent to-Own LegislationStates without RTO LegislationBrowse 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 @
2017-2022 Text Mining Software Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications

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This report studies the Text Mining Software market status and outlook of global and major regions, from angles of players, regions, product and end Application/industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and major regions, and splits the Text Mining Software market by product and Application/end industries.The global Text Mining Software market is valued at XX million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.United States will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Text Mining Software.EU also play important roles in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2016 and will be xx million USD in 2022, with a CAGR of XX.Download Sample Report Copy From Here:The major players in global market includeCrimson HexagonProvalis ResearchInMomentSAS InstituteEtumaIBMClarabridgeTexifterNICE SystemsAngoss SoftwareMedalliaGeographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Text Mining Software for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)United StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaTable of Contents1 Industry Overview1.1 Text Mining Software Market Overview1.1.1 Text Mining Software Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Text Mining Software Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2012-2017)1.2.1 United States Text Mining Software Market Status and Outlook1.2.2 EU Text Mining Software Market Status and Outlook1.2.3 Japan Text Mining Software Market Status and Outlook1.2.4 China Text Mining Software Market Status and Outlook1.2.5 India Text Mining Software Market Status and Outlook1.2.6 Southeast Asia Text Mining Software Market Status and Outlook1.3 Text Mining Software Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Recreation1.3.2 Academy1.3.3 Commerce1.3.4 Others2 Global Text Mining Software Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Global Text Mining Software Market Size (Million USD) by Players (2012-2017)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) Profiles and Key Data3.1 Crimson Hexagon3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Crimson Hexagon Text Mining Software Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Provalis Research3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Provalis Research Text Mining Software Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 InMoment3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 InMoment Text Mining Software Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 SAS Institute3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 SAS Institute Text Mining Software Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Etuma3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Etuma Text Mining Software Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 IBM3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 IBM Text Mining Software Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Clarabridge3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Clarabridge Text Mining Software Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Texifter3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Texifter Text Mining Software Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 NICE Systems3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 NICE Systems Text Mining Software Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Angoss Software3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Angoss Software Text Mining Software Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Medallia4 Global Text Mining Software Market Size Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Text Mining Software Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.2 Potential Application of Text Mining Software in Future4.3 Top Consumer / End Users of Text Mining Software5 United States Text Mining Software Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Text Mining Software Market Size (2012-2017)5.2 United States Text Mining Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)5.3 United States Text Mining Software Market Size by Application (2012-2017)6 EU Text Mining Software Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Text Mining Software Market Size (2012-2017)6.2 EU Text Mining Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)6.3 EU Text Mining Software Market Size by Application (2012-2017)7 Japan Text Mining Software Development Status and Outlook7.1 Japan Text Mining Software Market Size (2012-2017)7.2 Japan Text Mining Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)7.3 Japan Text Mining Software Market Size by Application (2012-2017)8 China Text Mining Software Development Status and Outlook8.1 China Text Mining Software Market Size and Forecast (2012-2017)8.2 China Text Mining Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)8.3 China Text Mining Software Market Size by Application (2012-2017)9 India Text Mining Software Development Status and Outlook9.1 India Text Mining Software Market Size and Forecast (2012-2017)9.2 India Text Mining Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)9.3 India Text Mining Software Market Size by Application (2012-2017)10 Southeast Asia Text Mining Software Development Status and Outlook10.1 Southeast Asia Text Mining Software Market Size and Forecast (2012-2017)10.2 Southeast Asia Text Mining Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)10.3 Southeast Asia Text Mining Software Market Size by Application (2012-2017)11 Market Forecast by Regions and Application (2017-2022)11.1 Global Text Mining Software Market Size (Million USD) by Regions (2017-2022)11.1.1 United States Text Mining Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.2 EU Text Mining Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.3 China Text Mining Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.4 Japan Text Mining Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.5 Southeast Asia Text Mining Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.6 India Text Mining Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.2 Global Text Mining Software Market Size by Application (2017-2022)12 Text Mining Software Market Dynamics12.1 Text Mining Software Market Opportunities12.2 Text Mining Software Challenge and Risk12.2.1 Competition from Opponents12.2.2 Downside Risks of Economy12.3 Text Mining Software Market Constraints and Threat12.3.1 Threat from Substitute12.3.2 Government Policy12.3.3 Technology Risks12.4 Text Mining 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 Methodology and Data Source15.1 Methodology/Research Approach15.1.1 Research Programs/Design15.1.2 Market Size Estimation15.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation15.2 Data Source15.2.1 Secondary Sources15.2.2 Primary Sources15.2.3 DisclaimerBuy 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.Unit 1, 26 Cleveland Road, South Woodford, London,E182AN, United KingdomCall: +44 20 3239 2407sales@globalqyresearch.com
Downstream Processing Market Outlook, Competitive analysis, Industry Trends 2025

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Global Downstream Processing Market: OverviewDownstream processing involves the purification and recovery of biosynthetic products especially pharmaceuticals from natural sources. This includes animal or plant tissue including salvageable components that can be recycled and proper treatment and disposal of waste.The five stages in downstream processing include solid-liquid separation, release of intracellular products, concentration, purification by chromatography, and formulation. Some of the methods used for solid-liquid separation are flotation, flocculation, centrifugation, and filtration.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Downstream Processing Market: Key TrendsThe growth of the downstream processing market is mainly driven by the increasing demand for biopharmaceutical products. This is because downstream processing plays a key role in providing pure and quality biopharmaceutical products. Furthermore, increasing expenditures on research and development of biopharmaceuticals is also driving the markets growth.However, factors such as lack of skilled personnel and high costs involved in procuring instruments is restraining the growth of this market. In addition, purification bottlenecks and lack of single-use options are challenging the growth of this market. Nevertheless, patent expiration of blockbuster biopharmaceuticals is expected to open lucrative opportunities for the growth of this market. Emerging markets of Asia Pacific are expected to provide new growth opportunities to the growth of the downstream processing market.The global market for downstream processing is segmented on the basis of product, technique, end user, application, and region. In terms of technique, purification, clarification/concentration, and solid-liquid separation are the segments into which this market is divided. Of these, purification held the leading share of the market in the recent past due to the increasing demand for biopharmaceutical products that meet regulatory requirements. Thus, the demand for downstream processing is on the rise for enhancing the purity and quality of products, thereby benefitting the purification segment of the market.Request TOC of the Report @In terms of product, the market is segmented into chromatography columns and resins, single-use products, membranes adsorbers, filters, and other products. Chromatography columns and resins held the leading share of the market in the recent past.Global Downstream Processing Market: Market PotentialMergers and acquisitions are the focus of key companies in bioprocessing industry for sustainable growth. In a recent industry development, Thermo Fisher announced that it is buying Finesse Solutions  the company that had been supplying measurement and control solutions for Thermo Fisher since a long time. Following this deal, bioprocess management technology capabilities of Finesse Solutions will be added to Thermo Fishers life sciences division. Finesse Solutions being Thermo Fishers technology partner for the last couple of years, the formers universal control system combined with the latters single-use technologies is expected to strengthen the position of Thermo Fisher in the high-growth bioproduction market.Get a discount @Global Downstream Processing Market: Regional OutlookNorth America is one of the major markets for downstream processing; the region held the leading share of the global market in recent past. This is because North America tops biopharmaceutical research and is the largest market for pharmaceuticals globally.Asia Pacific is expected to display the fastest growth rate in the coming years. China, India, Japan, and South Korea are expected to the key contributors to the Asia Pacific downstream processing market. Moreover, factors such as substantial investments by major market players, developing R&D infrastructure, increasing government support, and emerging academic excellence are fuelling the growth of this regional 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 Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials Market 2017 Top Manufacturers - Taishan Fiberglass, Owens Corning, PPG Fiberglass, Jushi Group, China Fiberglass Company

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The Report describe Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials Introduction, product scope, market overview, opportunities, risk, driving force also to analyze the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue, and price, market type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2017 to 2022The research report titled Global Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials Industry 2017 presents an analytical study of the global Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials market, including a detailed analysis of the present and historical performances of the Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials market in globally. The competitive landscape of the Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials industry is also evaluated in this research study.Download Free Sample Report @The report classifies the Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials market in the global into various segments on the basis of several industry verticals. It also categorizes the market based on the geographical distribution of the Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials market. Each market segment is then analyzed considering its contribution in terms of volume produced (in kilo tons) and the revenue it generates (in US$).Various aspects of the Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials industry such as the value chain and major policies that influence the market are explained at length and the growth drivers, restraints, and future prospects of the market are extensively evaluated in this report.Further, the report talks about the products available in the market along with their pricing structure, production volume, the dynamics of demand and supply, and their contribution in terms of revenue in the global market for Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials, covering the statistical data pertaining to import and export in the market.Access Full Report @The report makes use of several analytical tools such as investment feasibility, investment return, and market attractiveness analysis to provide a complete picture of the development of the global Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials market, determining significant market strategies likely to pay off in the long run.Lastly, the report profiles the major players operating in the Glass Fiber Reinforcement Materials market in the world in order to analyze the competitive hierarchy of the market.Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:
Thermal Energy Storage Market Poised to Expand at a Robust Pace Over 2017 - 2025

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Global Thermal Energy Storage Market: OverviewThermal energy storage systems consist of an insulating medium or combination of media that can hold on to captured heat for long periods. Thus, thermal energy systems are essentially thermal batteries that store energy in terms of temperature difference instead of potential difference.The rising awareness regarding the adverse effects of the use of greenhouse gases for energy generation has been one of the key drivers for the global thermal energy storage market in the recent past. While the use of renewable sources of energy has picked up steam in recent years, the renewable energy sector faces a considerable problem in the lack of consistent energy production from renewable energy sources. Thermal energy storage has been mooted as a solution in this regard and is likely to become a key part of the global renewable energy market in the coming years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Thermal Energy Storage Market: Key TrendsThe rising use of combined energy generation units, wherein energy is harnessed from two or more renewable sources simultaneously, is a prime driver for the global thermal energy storage market. Solar and wind energy generation can usually be conducted on the same site and often on the same device. However, both solar and wind energy suffer from the lack of a reliable energy storage mechanism, as both energy sources are available infrequently. A rising number of residential as well as commercial consumers, particularly in developed countries, have started to install combined energy generation systems on their own land, which is likely to drive the demand for thermal energy storage systems in the coming years.Utilities distributors are also playing an important role in the development of the global thermal energy storage market. While the use of smart grids will help distributors provide utilities uniformly, the installation of thermal energy storage can help further smoothen the process.Request TOC of the Report @On the other hand, despite the steady rise in the demand from the thermal energy storage market, the high cost of thermal energy storage technology is likely to hamper the growth of the market to some extent. Despite the rising demand for thermal energy storage technologies from the utilities sector, the thermal energy storage industry needs to achieve parity with other non-storage options.Global Thermal Energy Storage Market: Market PotentialDue to the high costs of developing and installing thermal energy storage systems, the market needs government support to enable widespread adoption. Developed countries such as the U.S. are likely to be at the forefront, with Maryland becoming the first American state to incentivize the use of energy storage with tax credits. The bill was passed in April 2017 and could be the first step in establishing a well-maintained and efficient power storage and distribution infrastructure that takes into account the variety of energy sources used in a modern economy.Request Discount of the Report @Global Thermal Energy Storage Market: Geographical DynamicsThe global thermal energy storage market is expected to be dominated by the Middle East and Africa (MEA) in the coming years, as the region receives abundant solar power and is also home to a power-intensive industrial sector. Europe and Asia Pacific could also play key roles in the growth of the global thermal energy storage market in the coming years due to the rising emphasis on solar power in both regions.Global Thermal Energy Storage Market: Competitive DynamicsThe report also discusses the competitive landscape of the global thermal energy storage market in detail by profiling the leading players operating in it. The key companies examined in the report include Ice Energy, Calmac, SolarReserve LLC, and Abengoa Solar.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
2017-2022 Change and Configuration Management Software Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications

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This report studies the Change and Configuration Management Software market status and outlook of global and United States, from angles of players, regions, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and United States market, and splits the Change and Configuration Management Software market by product type and applications/end industries.The global Change and Configuration Management Software market is valued at XX million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.Download Sample Report Copy From Here:North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Change and Configuration Management Software. United States plays an important role in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2016 and will be xx million USD in 2022, with a CAGR of XX.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share (%) and growth Rate (%) of Change and Configuration Management Software in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East and AfricaThe major players in global and United States Change and Configuration Management Software market, including Red Hat, Inc., Apache, JetBrains s.r.o., Octopus Deploy, Atlassian, Micro Focus, Chef Software, Inc., IBM, Amazon, Distelli Inc., SaltStack, Canonical Ltd., XebiaLabs, Inc, NixOSThe On the basis of product, the Change and Configuration Management Software market is primarily split intoSoftwareServicesOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report coversBFSIIT and TelecommunicationsHealthcareRetailEnergy and UtilitiesTable of Contents2017-2022 Change and Configuration Management Software Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications1 Methodology and Data Source1.1 Methodology/Research Approach1.1.1 Research Programs/Design1.1.2 Market Size Estimation1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Data Source2.1.1 Secondary Sources2.1.2 Primary Sources1.3 Disclaimer2 Change and Configuration Management Software Market Overview2.1 Change and Configuration Management Software Product Overview2.2 Change and Configuration Management Software Market Segment by Type2.2.1 Software2.2.2 Services2.3 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Product Segment by Type2.3.1 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Growth (%) by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)2.3.2 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)2.3.3 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)2.3.4 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)2.4 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Product Segment by Type2.4.1 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Growth by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)2.4.2 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)2.4.3 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)2.4.4 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)3 Change and Configuration Management Software Application/End Users3.1 Change and Configuration Management Software Segment by Application/End Users3.1.1 BFSI3.1.2 IT and Telecommunications3.1.3 Healthcare3.1.4 Retail3.1.5 Energy and Utilities3.2 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Product Segment by Application3.2.1 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and CGAR (%) by Applications (2012, 2016 and 2022)3.2.2 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Applications (2012-2017)3.3 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Product Segment by Application3.3.1 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and CGAR (%) by Applications (2012, 2016 and 2022)3.3.2 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Applications (2012-2017)4 Change and Configuration Management Software Market Status and Outlook by Regions4.1 Global Market Status and Outlook by Regions4.1.1 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Market Size and CAGR by Regions (2012, 2016 and 2022)4.1.2 North America4.1.3 Asia-Pacific4.1.4 Europe4.1.5 South America4.1.6 Middle East and Africa4.1.7 United States4.2 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales and Revenue by Regions4.2.1 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Regions (2012-2017)4.2.2 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share (%) by Regions (2012-2017)4.2.3 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.4 North America Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.5 Europe Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.6 Asia-Pacific Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.7 South America Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4.2.8 Middle East and Africa Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.9 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (2012-2017)5 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers5.1 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)5.2 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Players (2012-2017)5.3 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Average Price (USD/Unit) by Players (2012-2017)5.4 Players Change and Configuration Management Software Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types5.5 Change and Configuration Management Software Market Competitive Situation and Trends5.5.1 Change and Configuration Management Software Market Concentration Rate5.5.2 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Market Share (%) of Top 3 and Top 5 Players5.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion6 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers6.1 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)6.2 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Players (2012-2017)6.3 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Average Price (USD/Unit) by Players (2012-2017)6.4 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Market Share (%) of Top 3 and Top 5 Players7 Change and Configuration Management Software Players/Manufacturers Profiles and Sales Data7.1 Red Hat, Inc.7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.1.2 Change and Configuration Management Software Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Red Hat, Inc. Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Apache7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.2.2 Change and Configuration Management Software Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Apache Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 JetBrains s.r.o.7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.3.2 Change and Configuration Management Software Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 JetBrains s.r.o. Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Octopus Deploy7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.4.2 Change and Configuration Management Software Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Octopus Deploy Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Atlassian7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.5.2 Change and Configuration Management Software Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Atlassian Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 Micro Focus7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.6.2 Change and Configuration Management Software Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 Micro Focus Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Chef Software, Inc.7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.7.2 Change and Configuration Management Software Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Chef Software, Inc. Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 IBM7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.8.2 Change and Configuration Management Software Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 IBM Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.9 Amazon7.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.9.2 Change and Configuration Management Software Product Category, Application and Specification7.9.2.1 Product A7.9.2.2 Product B7.9.3 Amazon Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.10 Distelli Inc.7.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.10.2 Change and Configuration Management Software Product Category, Application and Specification7.10.2.1 Product A7.10.2.2 Product B7.10.3 Distelli Inc. Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.11 SaltStack7.12 Canonical Ltd.7.13 XebiaLabs, Inc7.14 NixOS8 Change and Configuration Management Software Manufacturing Cost, Industrial Chain and Downstream Buyers8.1 Change and Configuration Management Software Key Raw Materials Analysis8.1.1 Key Raw Materials8.1.2 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials8.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials8.1.4 Market Concentration Rate of Raw Materials8.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure8.2.1 Raw Materials8.2.2 Labor Cost8.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses8.3 Change and Configuration Management Software Industrial Chain Analysis8.4 Downstream Buyers in United States9 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors and Market Effect Factors9.1 Marketing Channel9.1.1 Direct Marketing9.1.2 Indirect Marketing9.1.3 Marketing Channel Development Trend9.2 Distributors in Untied States9.3 Market Effect Factors Analysis9.3.1 Economic/Political Environmental Change9.3.2 Downstream Demand Change9.3.3 Technology Progress in Related Industry9.3.4 Substitutes Threat10 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Market Forecast10.1 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales, Revenue Forecast (2017-2022)10.1.1 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) Forecast (2017-2022)10.1.2 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%) Forecast (2017-2022)10.2 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Market Forecast10.1.1 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) Forecast (2017-2022)10.2.2 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%) Forecast (2017-2022)10.3 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Forecast by Regions10.3.1 North America Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast (2017-2022)10.3.2 Europe Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast (2017-2022)10.3.3 Asia-Pacific Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast (2017-2022)10.3.4 South America Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast (2017-2022)10.3.5 Middle East and Africa Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast (2017-2022)10.4 Change and Configuration Management Software Forecast by Type10.4.1 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast by Type (2017-2022)10.4.2 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast by Type (2017-2022)10.5 Change and Configuration Management Software Forecast by Application10.5.1 Global Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) Forecast by Application (2017-2022)10.5.2 United States Change and Configuration Management Software Sales (K Units) Forecast by Application (2017-2022)11 Research Findings and ConclusionBuy 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.Unit 1, 26 Cleveland Road, South Woodford, London,E182AN, United KingdomCall: +44 20 3239 2407sales@globalqyresearch.com
Topical Drug Delivery Market Demand is Increasing Rapidly in 2017 - 2025

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Global Topical Drug Delivery Market: OverviewThe global market for topical drug delivery is estimated to experience a healthy growth throughout the forecast period. The growing demand for advanced and enhanced therapeutics is likely to offer lucrative opportunities in the coming years. Furthermore, the increasing number of approvals for new products for skin-related drug delivery are anticipated to accelerate the development of the market in the coming years.Global Topical Drug Delivery Market: Key TrendsThe rising prevalence of skin disorders across the globe is one of the prominent factor expected to encourage the growth of the global topical drug delivery market in the near future. Moreover, the rising incidence of burn injuries and the increasing preference of topical drug delivery are predicted to supplement the development of the market.However, the negative impact on consumers due to product recalls is likely to hamper the growth of the market in the coming years. Nevertheless, the increasing incidence of diabetes worldwide are projected to boost the demand for topical drug delivery in the forecast period.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Topical Drug Delivery Market: Market PotentialThe rising focus on developments and the delivery of biologics using the transdermal route are considered as the major factors estimated to encourage the growth of the global topical drug delivery market in the next few years. In addition, the increasing number of mergers and acquisitions of small-size market players in order to enhance the market presence is anticipated to supplement the growth of the overall market in the near future.On the flip side, the limited therapeutic areas of topical drug delivery are likely to restrict the development of the topical drug delivery market across the globe. Nonetheless, the increasing awareness among healthcare facilities regarding the use of topical drug delivery is projected to generate promising growth opportunities for the leading players operating in the global topical drug delivery market in the near future.Request TOC of the Report @Global Topical Drug Delivery Market: Regional OutlookFrom a geographical point of view, a massive share of the global topical drug delivery market is anticipated to be held by North America in the next few years. A robust growth of this region can be attributed to the growing focus on technological advancements and new product development. North America is anticipated to be followed by Europe with a significant share in the near future.On the other hand, the topical drug delivery market in Asia Pacific is likely to register a healthy growth rate in the forecast period. The increasing geriatric population and the increasing disposable income are some of the key factors that are expected to accelerate the growth of the Asia Pacific market in the coming years. In addition, the rising focus of key players on untapped markets in developing economies and the rising healthcare expenditure are likely to supplement the development of the market in the coming years.Request Discount of the Report @Global Topical Drug Delivery Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the leading players operating in the topical drug delivery market across the globe are Novartis AG, Medpharm, Crescita Therapeutics Inc., Bayer AG, Cipla, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Janssen Global Services, LLC, Galderma S.A., and 3M Drug Delivery Systems. These players are emphasizing on the introduction of new and innovative products in order to attain a dominating position and attract a large number of consumers in the next few years.Furthermore, with the increasing opportunities in the untapped market across the globe, a significant rise in the number of players entering the global topical drug delivery market is projected. This is likely to strengthen the competitive scenario of the market in the near future. The key strategies and the marketing tactics that are being adopted by the prominent players have been addressed in the research study.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Telepresence Robots: Industrial and Market studies Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2016 to 2022

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"Telepresence 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-Worldwide Telepresence Robots markets are poised to achieve significant growth. People like mobility, they like remote communication and telepresence robots add a new dimension to remote communication.The quality of remote communication is uplifted by the robotic platform approach to connecting people located in different places. The visualization provided by the telepresence robot is not reproducible by the smartphone and large telepresence systems are not mobile. So ultimately all people will want access to telepresence robots in order to move around and see for themselves what is going on in another place.Get Sample Report With TOC @Clearly terrorism is here to stay. As nationalistic wars decline as a way to settle disputes, terrorism has emerged in spades. The recent terrorist attacks in Boston, Paris, and Belgium illustrate the risk that civilian populations are exposed to. Telepresence robots represent the best and perhaps last line of defense against terrorists. Telepresence robots can go where no man or woman can go, they can go safer, they can go faster, they can provide a presence that might not be achieved in any other way.There are more civil uses for telepresence robots: in education, healthcare, business, and manufacturing. People can drive a telepresence robot around a work environment, around a school, around a hospital to reach people that they night otherwise have a difficult time contacting.Remote telepresence healthcare diagnosis and treatment market is especially important for the treatment of stroke. Stroke damage can be mitigated if symptoms are treated within 4 hours of the onset of symptoms, otherwise the stroke damage is likely permanent. Global telehealth partnerships. The aim is to integrate diagnostic tools into tele-stroke solutions.Stroke occurs when a vessel in the brain ruptures or is blocked by a blood clot. There are two types of strokes: hemorrhagic and ischemic. An ischemic stroke occurs as a result of an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain, which accounts for 87% of all stroke cases. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a weakened blood vessel ruptures and spills blood into brain tissue. 800,000 people in the U.S. and 15 million people worldwide suffer a stroke each year.These markets portend to be very large worldwide and represent good uses of telepresence. The ability of a clinician specialist to diagnose and initiate immediate treatment of a stroke from a gold course or other location is lifesaving.Manufacturing and engineering telepresence robot uses are expected to proliferate. Monitoring and telepresence are being combined to achieve remote repairs that provide better customer services at lower cost. Manufacturing and engineering resources for companies frequently are in different places. The same is true for IT, the software developer engineers and the software IT users are frequently located in different places. It is useful to have a mobile device that can be controlled by the engineer to go have a look around when a trouble call comes in from a site.A remote telepresence device can use monitoring and telepresence to achieve remote repairs. The ability to integrate the remote physical location with the engineer who knows the system often involves travel, sometimes long arduous travel. Telepresence and mobile video telecommunications technologies can be very useful in postponing or eliminating the travel.A mobile, real-time, 3D-hybrid telepresence system permits the user to go and have a look around and talk to different people about the problem without actually being there. Integration of telepresence images with computer generated virtual environments can be superimposed over the remote real worldview. This integrated system incorporates emerging mobile telecommunications technologies to give rapid and easy access to the real and virtual construction sites from arbitrary locations. This system allows remote surveillance of the construction site, and integration of real world images of the site with virtual reality representations, derived from planning models, for progress monitoring.Use of the telepresence robot with the video and microphone capability to achieve remote presence is a vital aspect of personal mobility devices. Telepresence robots are poised to achieve a vital extension of electronic communication in ways that will become indispensable to everyone soon.Telepresence robot device markets at $825 million in 2015 are anticipated to reach $7 billion by 2022 as next generation robotic devices, systems, and instruments are introduced to manage remote presence. The robotic platform will be extended to include grippers and cameras of all types, sensors and sophisticated navigation software.The complete report provides a comprehensive analysis including 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 report covers markets for security, law enforcement, manufacturing, healthcare, education, and business telepresence.- Companies Profiled- Market LeadersInTouchDouble RoboticsMantaroVgoGeneral DynamicsNorthrop GrummanQuinetiQLockheed MartinSDRiRobotKongsbergTelerobRecanRobotics- Market ParticipantsAnybotsDimaa Network Services LTD (DNS)DJIDouble RoboticsGlobalMediRobotInbot Technology PadBotIntouchMantaroOrbis RoboticsQinetiQRbotReconRoboticsRevolve RoboticsRobosoftRobotexSuitable TechnologiesTechnoRobotVGoVseeFull 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
Medical Radiation Detection, Monitoring & Safety Market 2025: Forecasts, Analysis and Overview

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Medical Radiation Detection, Monitoring & Safety Market: OverviewExposure to radioactive radiations in high levels is linked with various dangerous health complications. Since these radiations are not only odorless but also invisible, there arises a need for an equipment that detects, monitors, and prevents the exposure to radioactive radiations and thus provide safety to people. Medical radiation, detection, and safety equipment are especially required in hospitals and clinics treating cancer and tumors. As per the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2012, around 14.1 million new cancer cases were registered. This count is only increasing every year. This increase in the prevalence of cancer is expected to fuel the demand for radiation therapy, which in turn will create a need for medical radiation, detection, and safety equipment.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Medical radiation, detection, and safety equipment are also essential for applications of nuclear medicine where radioactive tracers are employed to detect cancer early and also help in the monitoring of the progression of the deadly disease by means of visual tracking of the radiopharmaceuticals. Governments across the globe are concentrating on the solving the issues relating to safety against radiations. This is pushing the demand for safety devices, thereby driving the global medical radiation detection, monitoring and safety market. Other government agencies such as International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and CDC for emergency training and education on radiations are anticipated to further the growth of the global medical radiation detection, monitoring and safety market.Medical Radiation Detection, Monitoring & Safety Market: Key TrendsThe growing safety awareness among people across the globe is one of the major factors fueling the demand for medical radiation detection, monitoring and safety devices. As the realization of the harmful effects of working radiation-prone environments is dawning upon people working in the healthcare industries worldwide, the demand for safety devices is growing. Growing prevalence of cancer and insurance coverage are factors boosting the growth of the market. The heightened use of radioactive materials across industrial processes such as power production and in the defense sector is encouraging the demand for medical radiation detection, monitoring and safety devices.Request TOC of the Report @Medical Radiation Detection, Monitoring & Safety Market: Market PotentialThe threat of terrorist attacks is constantly looming and this has resulted in the need for reliable and safe devices that offer protection. In this unsafe environment and amidst insecurity, the need for medical radiation detection, monitoring and safety devices is felt. The growth of this market is expected in the coming years as players in the market are striving hard to incorporate the latest technology, increasing their efficacy and enhancing the safety features. As governments across nations impose strict regulations on the emission of radioactive radiations, the market will benefit further.Medical Radiation Detection, Monitoring & Safety Market: Regional OutlookBy region, North America is currently in a leading position. It is anticipated that North America will lead in the global radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment market on account of the presence of some of the major vendors of the industry, government support through regulations and incentives, and high investments in research and development. Europe is likely to be the second most lucrative market for radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment. The rising incidences of cancer in the region are one of the key factors creating a need for these safety equipment.Get a discount @Medical Radiation Detection, Monitoring & Safety Market: Competitive LandscapeSome of the key manufacturers of medical radiation detection, monitoring and safety devices are:Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Bar-Ray Products, Inc., Canberra Industries, Inc., Protech Radiation Safety, ProtecX, Mirion Technologies, Inc., Landauer, Inc., Amtek, Inc., and Biodex Medical Systems, Inc.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
The daughter of Samvel Balasanyan, the current mayor of Gyumri (Armenias second largest city), and her husband, have purchased a real estate and bread/confectionary company in Prague.

37-year-old Adelina Balasanyan and 40-year-old Davit Samvelyan purchased the company, VRN Group Invest LLC, in 2016. Adelina owns 40% and Davit, 60%.

The company was registered in February 2015 with charter capital of 120,000 Czech Kronua (US$5,400).

The new owners have since changed the name of the company to Samvelyan.

The company is registered at Lipova 1444/20, Nove Mesto in downtown Prague.

Not surprisingly, the Samvelyans own at confectionary business in Gyumri called Anusharan LLC.

In 2006, Adelina Balasanyan founded Urartu-Adelina, a breadmaking business in Yerevan. The Czech Demographic Office reports that from 2011-2017 no bread or confectionary had been exported from Armenia to the Czech Republic.

The Czech State Real Estate Registry reports that Samvelyan LLC owns no property in the country, but this doesnt mean that the company isnt conducting business there.

Hetq wrote to Gyumri Mayor Balasanyan, asking if he could confirm what kind of business the company is conducting in Prague.

Are they scheming for Czech citizenship?

Its a well-known fact that foreigners often register, or buy, a company in the Czech Republic in order to purchase real estate and facilitate citizenship later.

Sona Arakelyan, the mayors press secretary, wrote back, advising us to directly contact the Samvelyan family. It would appear that the mayor is hiding something.

There are other Armenian companies registered at the same address in Prague as Samvelyan LLC.

Pargev Virabyan, the founder of VRN Avia Ltd. (specializing in cargo (freight and airmail) transportation in Armenia, Russia and the Czech Republic) has apartments in the same building. Virabyans two daughters, Liana and Nelly, also own apartments there.

It turns out that Davit Samvelyan, the son-in-law of Gyumri Mayor Balasanyan, lives in Yerevans Kanaker district, close to where the Virabyan familys residence is registered.

Adelina and Davit have conveniently registered their company in one of the Prague apartments owned by Pargev Virabyan, their friendly Yerevan neighbor.

Other companies with an Armenian connection are also registered at the Lipova 1444/20, Nove Mesto address.
Global Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022

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This report studies the global Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review market, analyzes and researches the Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likePersonalabsAmerican College of AllergyMayo FoundationBellevueCedars SinaiMassachusetts General HospitalWalter Reed National Military Medical CenterNew York-Presbyterian HospitalThe Academy and College of PhiladelphiaThe Pennsylvania HospitalSample of this report is available upon request @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review can be split intoSkin TestBlood TestOtherMarket segment by Application, Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review can be split intoTeensAdultTable of ContentsGlobal Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review1.1 Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Overview1.1.1 Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United StatesObtain Report Details @2 Global Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review 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 Personalabs3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 American College of Allergy4 Global Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size by Type (2012-2017)4.2 Global Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Potential Application of Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review5 United States Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size (2012-2017)5.2 United States Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)Get discount copy @List of Tables and FiguresFigure Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Product ScopeFigure Global Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size (Million USD) (2012-2017)Table Global Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Global Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Share by Regions in 2016Figure United States Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure EU Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Japan Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure China Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure India Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Southeast Asia Milk Allergy Clinical Trials Review Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact UsBrooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:
Opportunities Available In China's Gas Analyzer Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts, 2017 - 2021

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Opportunities Available In China's Gas Analyzer Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts, 2017 - 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.The report entitled China Gas Analyzer Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021), provides analysis of the China gas analyzer market, with detailed analysis of market growth rate, value, market share and economic impact of the industry.Furthermore, the report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall China gas analyzer 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.ABB, FPI (Focused Photonics (Hangzhou) Inc.), Emerson and Siemens Group are some of the key players operating in the China gas analyzer 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.Company CoverageABBSiemensEmersonFPI (Focused Photonics (Hangzhou) Inc.)Executive SummaryGas analyzers are the devices which detects presence of gas in any gaseous mixture or any other sample/area. It is often a part of a safety system. Gas analyzers may be hand operated or automatic, often based on the absorption principle where the components of a gas mixture are absorbed one after another by different reagents. Gas analyzer is available in many types like gas chromatograph, IR gas analyzer, thermal conductivity gas analyzer, paramagnetic gas analyzer, electrochemical analyzer and gravimetry gas analyzer.There are various techniques which are used in gas analyzers and sensors such as electrochemical gas sensor, paramagnetic, thermal conductivity, infrared, PID (Photoionization Detector) and FID (Flame Ionization Detector). There are various places where gas analyzer is applied for example for safety, to analyze gas mixtures, product quality analysis, to ensure environment compliance, etc.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @China gas analyzer market is expected to increase at high growth rates during the forecasted period (2017-2021). China gas analyzer market is supported by various growth drivers, such as rigid environmental conservation policies, availability of variety of sensors and analyzers, improving power generation sector, etc. Yet, the market faces certain challenges, such as, complex systems with a large cabinet area and high cost, need for continuous support and maintenance, etc. Few new market trends are introduction of internet controlled gas analyzer, availability of gas analyzer with multiple gas analysis capability, introduction of TDL (Tunable Diode Laser), etc.Table Of Content1. Executive Summary2. Introduction2.1 Industrial Automation: An Overview2.1.1 Components of Industrial Automation2.1.2 Advantages Of Industrial Automation2.2 Gas Analyzer : An Overview2.2.1 Gas Analyzer Meaning2.2.2 Types of Gas Analyzer2.2.3 Types of Techniques Used in Gas Analyzer2.2.4 Applications Of Gas AnalyzerBrowse 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 Robot Construction Kits Market 2017 - Mekatronix, Sparkfun Electronics, Vex Robotics and Lynxmotion

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Global Robot Construction Kits MarketA market study based on the " Robot Construction Kits " across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Robot Construction Kits Market 2017'. The Research report by QY Research Group is a market-oriented, technical, and commercial research analysis of the Robot Construction Kits market. The analysis is completed using a wide range of secondary sources, databases and directories in order to identify and assemble market data. Primary sources included for the analysis include preferred suppliers, industry experts from core and associated industries, manufacturers, service providers, distributors, and organizations allied to the entire segments of the industry supply chain.CLICK HERE to FREE Sample Report @:Competitive Study of Global Robot Construction Kits Market 2017 Based on Key Vendors:1. Parallax Inc2. Mekatronix3. B&K Precision4. Sparkfun Electronics5. Adafruit Industries Llc6. Seeed Technology Co.,Ltd7. Vex Robotics8. Mrt International Limited9. Owi Robotics10. Lynxmotion11. 4M12. Thames & Kosmos13. KumotekAnalyses of the global Robot Construction Kits market trends along with the projections of CAGRs (compound annual growth rates) are provided in the research report. To estimate the overall market size of Robot Construction Kits, its application, and regionsin terms of value and volumethe bottom-up approach is followed. On the other hand, to corroborate the overall Robot Construction Kits market sizeagain in terms of value and volumethe top-down approach is followed. Following the method of data triangulation and data validation via primaries, the precise values of the parent market and individual market in terms of size are calculated and established in the report.Browse FULL Report @This market research report provides the client with comprehensive market analysis of the Robot Construction Kits market over the forecast period. In addition, it also furnishes a general idea of the challenges, drivers, and restraints that have direct or indirect impact on the industry. It further highlights the market, the industry, and latest technology trends currently existing in the Robot Construction Kits market. All this precise, accurate and comprehensive data will help the clients to make appropriate and practical decisions so as to gain maximum profit in the global market.The research report analyzes, tracks, and presents the global market size of the major players in every region around the world. Furthermore, the report provides data of the leading market players in the Robot Construction Kits market.INQUIRY HERE @:Overall, the report is a one-stop destination and a valuation report to grab all the necessary information regarding the global Robot Construction Kits market.About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651
On-Site Photovoltaic Solar Power For Data Centers Market 2016-2026 Set for Rapid Growth And Trends

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On-site photovoltaic solar power also known as solar PV has developed from market of small-scale application to becoming a source of mainstream electricity. With the increasing fuel costs, dependence on import of fossil fuel from ethically volatile areas and uncontrolled pollution level, on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market is recognized as a promising alternative renewable energy technology. The use of photovoltaic solar power for data centers has come long way since 2005 when Affordable Internet Services Online, Inc. (AISO) assembled the first solar powered data center. On-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers are a good solution for many data centers and ICT companies which are focusing on decreasing carbon footprints. Being a cost-effective and eco-friendly medium for supplement power the companies like Facebook, Apple, Cisco and other are adopting on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers. Among other renewable source such as wind, biogas and other the utilization of on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market is the highest.On-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market: Market DynamicsOne of the key driver in on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market is the stability in the cost of solar power energy. Solar power energy, further developed can be viable and economic source of energy for data center which require sustainable energy for operations and temperature maintenance within the data center. Solar energy provides an added advantage of availability as opposed the demand for fossil fuel which fluctuates annually. As the solar power is self-managed and self-contained it is not susceptible to any reduction or restriction in the availability of electric power. Another driving factors stimulating the growth for on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market are mentioned below:Government incentivesEnvironment alarm over Green House Gas (GHG) emissionCost saving associated with the power generation from PV solar powerAccess for electricity in the areas with no grid electricityWithdraw of reliance on non-renewable resources for power supply and its importRequest Report Sample@However, even large installation of photovoltaic solar panels produce a fraction amount of energy which restricts the use of on-site photovoltaic solar power for many data centers. Thus solar power is not a full time reliable power supply. To mitigate these limitations, companies can use the combination of:Energy produced by solar panels into larger grid thus balancing the use of customary energy sourcesInstead of replacing the whole power supply system, photovoltaic solar power can be used as a supplementary power supply systemOn-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market: Market SegmentationOn-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market can be segmented based on the semi-conducting material used:Monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic panelsPolycrystalline silicon photovoltaic panelsThick-film silicon photovoltaic panelsAmorphous silicon photovoltaic panelsOn-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market can be segmented based on the application in respected countries:On-grid connectedOff-grid connectedOn-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market can be segmented based on the technology:Photovoltaic Solar Linear Fresnel ReflectorIntegrated Solar Combined Cycle power plant (ISCC)Photovoltaic Solar Parabolic DishPhotovoltaic Solar TowersPhotovoltaic Solar Parabolic TroughOn-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market: Regional OutlookBased on the geography, on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market can be classified into important segments as, Latin America, North America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Japan, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa. Amongst all the region, North America is expected to be leading in on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market. The impending termination of the solar ITC (Investment Tax Credit) by the U.S. government for the purpose of business installation is one of the driving factor for the boost in on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market. Followed by North America, Western Europe is expected to be the second largest market for on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market. Western Europe on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market mainly propelled by demand and government initiative by the government from Germany, France, Spain and Benelux. Key economies such as India, China and ASEAN are expected to spearhead the APEJ on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market. Likewise, the developing IT infrastructure in Middle East, Latin America and Japan is anticipated to project strong growth for on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market.Visit For TOC@Key PlayersSome of the recognized key players in on-site photovoltaic solar power for data centers market are mentioned below:Trina SolarJA Solar Co., Ltd.SunPower CorporationFIRST SOLARYingli SolarCanadian SolarJinko SolarEvergreenHanwha Q CELLSSCHOTT North America, Inc.Vikram Solar Pvt. Ltd.ABOUT US: Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Macadamia Market Size to Grow Steadily during Forecast period ( 2016-2026)

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Macadamia nut was introduced in the early 1960s to the Kenyan highlands from Australia. Macadamia is a member of the family Proteaceae, native to Australia. Australia and Hawaii are the major producing areas of macadamia with others including eastern and southern Africa, and Central and Latin America. Several species of macadamia exist in Australia but only two species such as M. tetraphylla and Macadamia integrifolia and their hybrids are grown commercially. Production of macadamia nuts in Australia is mainly in eastern shore of Australia (northern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland). Currently, Hawaii is the largest producer of global macadamia, accounting for around 70 percent of total macadamia production worldwide followed by Australia, around 22 percent, rest is produced by other countries including Malawi, South Africa, Kenya, Guatemala, Mexico, California, Costa Rica, Brazil, New Zealand and China.Tree nuts include almond, cashew, hazelnut, pistachio, walnut, macadamia, and pecan. Currently, macadamia accounts for around only one percent among all the tree nuts available across the globe. Almond nut dominates the nut segment, accounting for around 34 percent. Increasing health claims for macadamia have witnessed a surge in recent years, which if succeeded is expected to increase the consumption of macadamia nuts among consumers.Request For Report Sample@Global Macadamia Market Segmentation:On the basis of application the global macadamia market is broadly segmented into food industry, and cosmetics industry. In food industry macadamia is widely used in confectionaries including chocolate bar, chocolate covered candy, ice cream and other baking products. In cosmetics industry it is used in shampoos, sunscreens, soaps and others.Geographically, global macadamia market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East & Africa. Currently, North America and Western Europe account for major market share for macadamia however, Asia Pacific excluding Japan is expected to grow significantly in the forecasted years.Global Macadamia Market Dynamics:Owing to increasing variety of applications of macadamia, various workshop are taking places in order to increase the international trade for macadamia and since capitalise the growing demand for macadamia. Adoption of macadamia in chocolate and ice cream among consumers is expected to drive the demand for global macadamia in the near future. The biggest restraint for macadamia market is increasing crop losses due to immature nuts and moldy / rotten nuts. The crop losses due to these type of nuts accounts for around 50 percent of the total macadamia wastage globally. Thereby, reducing inclination of crop growers for macadamia and thus, hampering the market growth.There is a high opportunity to increase the market share of macadamia in terms of revenue across countries such as Mexico, China, South Africa and others. Companies are investing in these countries through promotional activities in order to increase the footprint of macadamia worldwide.Visit For TOC@Global Macadamia Market Key Players:Some of the key players operating in the global macadamia market are Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp., Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company, MacFarms, Wondaree Macadamias, NAMBUCCA MACNUTS Pty Ltd, Golden Macadamias, Royal Macadamia (Pty) Ltd., Kenya Nut Company Ltd. and MWT Foods Australia.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:
Process Oil Market Expected To Reach US$ 5,697.4 Million By 2025

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In an extensive analysis of the global process oil market, Persistence Market Research forecasts the global process oil market to reach a market valuation of US$ 5,697.4 Mn by the end of 2025, up from an estimated US$ 4,148.9 Mn in 2017, registering a CAGR of 4.1% over the forecast period. Persistence Market Research presents the historical and current market forecast of the global process oil market in a new report titled Process Oil Market: Global Industry Analysis (20122016) and Forecast (20172025). The report also throws light on the factors likely to impact the market over the course of the forecast period.Global Process Oil Market: DynamicsThe global process oil market is expected to witness incremental $ opportunity of US$ 1,548.4 Mn between 2017 and 2025 and will be mainly driven by the increasing automotive sector that eventually demands rubber process oil for the manufacturing of rubber products such as tires and vehicle interiors. Process oil being the basic raw material used in the production of goods in the rubber processing industry, the demand in the global market is anticipated to witness significant growth during the next eight years. Process oil is also consumed in large quantities in the polymers and paints and coatings industries. These sectors will drive volume growth of the global process oil market in the foreseeable future.Request to view table of content @Global Process Oil Market: Segmental ForecastThe global process oil market is segmented on the basis of Product Type (Aromatic, Paraffinic, Naphthenic) and Application (Rubber Processing, Adhesives & Sealants, Consumer Products, Paints & Coatings, Pharmaceuticals, Polymers, Others).A sample of this report is available upon request @Global Process Oil Market: Regional ForecastPersistence Market Research tracks the performance of the global process oil market across the five key geographies of North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. In terms of value share, the Asia Pacific regional market will dominate the global process oil market, estimated to hold about 43% market share by the end of 2025. The APAC process oil market is estimated to be valued at US$ 1,590.2 Mn in 2017 and this is expected to increase to US$ 2,450.7 Mn by the end of 2025. This is reflective of a CAGR of 4.6% in terms of value during the forecast period.Browse Complete Report @Global Process Oil Market: Vendor LandscapeThe report profiles some of the leading companies operating in the global process oil market such as Behran Oil Co, Ergon Inc., San Joaquin Refining Co., Inc., Chevron Corp, Meiwa Corporation, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Nynas AB, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P., Total S.A., Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Royal Dutch Shell plc., Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), ORGKHIM BIOCHEMICAL HOLDING, Lubline, Avista Oil AG, Savita Oil Technologies Ltd., Panama Petrochem Ltd, Apar Industries Limited, and Raj Petro Specialties P. LTD.Buy Now: You can now buy a single user license of the report @Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA,Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Rubber Vulcanizing Agent Market 2017 - LORD Corp, Sunsine Rubber Accelerator and Ningbo Actmix-Chemicals

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Global Rubber Vulcanizing Agent MarketA market study based on the " Rubber Vulcanizing Agent " across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Rubber Vulcanizing Agent Market 2017'. The Research report by QY Research Group is a market-oriented, technical, and commercial research analysis of the Rubber Vulcanizing Agent market. The analysis is completed using a wide range of secondary sources, databases and directories in order to identify and assemble market data. Primary sources included for the analysis include preferred suppliers, industry experts from core and associated industries, manufacturers, service providers, distributors, and organizations allied to the entire segments of the industry supply chain.CLICK HERE to FREE Sample Report @:Competitive Study of Global Rubber Vulcanizing Agent Market 2017 Based on Key Vendors:1. Taizhou Huangyan Donghai Chemical2. Nanjing Union Rubber Chemicals3. Zhengzhou Double Vigour Chemical4. Weihai Tianyu New Materials Science&Technology5. LORD Corp6. Wuxi Huasheng Rubber Technical7. Ningbo Actmix-Chemicals8. Sunsine Rubber AcceleratorAnalyses of the global Rubber Vulcanizing Agent market trends along with the projections of CAGRs (compound annual growth rates) are provided in the research report. To estimate the overall market size of Rubber Vulcanizing Agent, its application, and regionsin terms of value and volumethe bottom-up approach is followed. On the other hand, to corroborate the overall Rubber Vulcanizing Agent market sizeagain in terms of value and volumethe top-down approach is followed. Following the method of data triangulation and data validation via primaries, the precise values of the parent market and individual market in terms of size are calculated and established in the report.Browse FULL Report @This market research report provides the client with comprehensive market analysis of the Rubber Vulcanizing Agent market over the forecast period. In addition, it also furnishes a general idea of the challenges, drivers, and restraints that have direct or indirect impact on the industry. It further highlights the market, the industry, and latest technology trends currently existing in the Rubber Vulcanizing Agent market. All this precise, accurate and comprehensive data will help the clients to make appropriate and practical decisions so as to gain maximum profit in the global market.The research report analyzes, tracks, and presents the global market size of the major players in every region around the world. Furthermore, the report provides data of the leading market players in the Rubber Vulcanizing Agent market.INQUIRY HERE @:Overall, the report is a one-stop destination and a valuation report to grab all the necessary information regarding the global Rubber Vulcanizing Agent market.About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651
Helium Gas Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application-Global Forecast to 2022

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A new research document with title 'Global Helium Gas 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 & South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africaand important players/vendors such as Praxair, Air Products, Buzwair, Gazprom .The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2022SummaryHelium is a chemical element with symbol He and atomic number 2. It is a rare atmospheric gas which is colorless, odorless, tasteless, nontoxic, nonflammable and only slightly soluble in water. The concentration of Helium in the atmosphere by volume percent is 5.24 x 10-4. Its boiling points and melting points are the lowest among all the elements and it exists only as a gas except in extremely cold conditions.Request a sample report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Helium Gas 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 coversAirgasAir LiquidLindeMesser GroupPraxairAir ProductsBuzwairGazpromGulf CryoIceblickRasGasTaiyo Nippon SansoPGNiGExxonMarket 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, coversLiquid HeliumGaseous HeliumMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCryogenicsSemiconductor & Fiber OpticsWelding and Magnet ProductionAerostaticsLeak Detection & Gas ChromatographyMedical FieldOthersThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Helium Gas market.Chapter 1, to describe Helium Gas Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Helium Gas, with sales, revenue, and price of Helium Gas, 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 Helium Gas, 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, Helium Gas market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Helium Gas sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceGet customization & check discount for report @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Helium Gas Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Liquid Helium1.2.2 Gaseous Helium1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Cryogenics1.3.2 Semiconductor & Fiber Optics1.3.3 Welding and Magnet Production1.3.4 Aerostatics1.3.5 Leak Detection & Gas Chromatography1.3.6 Medical Field1.3.1 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 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.Buy this report @HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact US :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
Technological Advancements to Influence Schizophrenia Treatment Market Growth

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Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder, characterized by poor emotional responses, breakdown of thinking and lack of social and physical motivation. The prominent causes of the disease include genetic malignancies, neuro-trauma, shocking incidence in life, drug and alcohol abuse and many others. Schizophrenia is a serious disorder which affects how a person thinks, feels and acts. Successful treatment for schizophrenia aims to relieve current symptoms, prevent future psychotic episodes and restore ones ability to function and enjoy a meaningful life. The signs of schizophrenia are different for everyone. Symptoms may develop slowly over months or years, or may appear very abruptly. The disease may come and go in relapse and remission.Hence, recovery from schizophrenia is a lifelong process.SchizophreniaTreatment Market:Drivers and RestraintsThe schizophrenia treatment market is primarily driven by increased prevalence of schizophrenic disorders due to change in lifestyle, extensive R&D, increase in incidence of various addictions such as alcohol, narcotics and others. Demand of sophisticated therapy by physicians and patients is also driving the schizophrenic treatment market to a great extent. On the contrary, huge cost of R&D and therapy, lack of medical infrastructure, and lack of awareness in certain regions of the world are some of the hurdles that are expected to restrict the growth of this market.Request For Report Sample@SchizophreniaTreatment Market:SegmentationSchizophrenia treatment market is segmented on the basis of product type, distribution channel and geography.Based on product type, schizophrenia treatment market is segmented as follows:MedicationsConventional or typical antipsychotic drugsAtypical antipsychotic drugsTherapiesBased on distribution channel, schizophrenia treatment market is segmented as follows:Hospitals including hospital pharmaciesClinicsRetail pharmaciesRehabilitation CentersSchizophreniaTreatment Market:OverviewAccording to WHO, there are around 24 million people suffering from either schizophrenia or similar symptoms. Moreover, due to strong R&D activities, newer drugs and treatments are being introduced in the market, such as ziprasidone hydrochloride. Medications are the cornerstone for the treatment of schizophrenia. However, medications may lead to side effects. Hence, medication with supportive services and therapies is a perfect combination to treat schizophrenia. Relationship problems, risk of attempting suicide, alcohol and drug abuse and consequently, disruption to normal daily activities has led to the growth of schizophrenia treatment market.SchizophreniaTreatment Market:Region-wise OutlookThe schizophrenia treatment market is also segmented on the basis of geography, such as North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. The North American region is considered as the largest market, followed by Europe. However, Asia-Pacific region is considered as the most promising market in the upcoming future.Visit For TOC@SchizophreniaTreatment Market: Key PlayersSome of the top key players in schizophrenia treatment market include Novartis AG, AbbVie, Inc., PsychoGenics, Inc., Pfizer, Inc., Eli-Lilly and Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, AstraZeneca Plc., Avineuro Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH.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:
Russia Intelligence Market Understand Motorists Wash Habits and Plan Effect Strategies to Maximise Wash Occasions

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Summary:Market Analysis Research Report on Russia: Country Intelligence Report has been added to orbis research database.Description:Analysis of the commercial car wash market across 19 European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK,Netherlands, Sweden, Poland and Russia. Includes volume of car wash sites, number of wash occasions per year, value of the market and insight into strategic issues impacting the sector. Based on research with service station and standalone car wash operators, it provides an analysis of the car wash market across two commercial wash channels, and covers the four main types of car wash installation; jet, roll over ,tunnel and hand washes.Request a sample of this report @Companies Mentioned:ShellBPEssoCircle KQ8TexacoWashtec. Otto Wash Christ AGTammermaticKarcherIMOARCElephant BleuHypromatIstobalTOTALLUKOILOMVWash price has become increasingly important for motorists over the last few years as rising wash prices have forced them to either reduce commercial wash occasions or switch from luxury and medium wash types such as rollover and tunnel to low cost jet washes, in order to maintain wash costs.Browse the complete report @ScopeThe value of the European car wash market (made up of 19 countries in our analysis) rose by 60.9m in 2016 as wash operators increased wash prices. Rising wash prices across Europe is the primary cause of wash market value growth in 2016, as wash occasions declined over this period.More than 1,500 car wash installations closed across Europe in 2016 as a drop in fuel volumes and disposable incomes caused wash operators to close their wash sites. The majority of wash site closures came from Germany and the UK, as wash occasions per installation declined, due to increased wash costs and home wash occasions in each market respectively, causing wash operators to close sites.The total number of wash occasions in Europe declined by 0.9% in 2016 as motorists reduced their wash occasions as disposable income levels fell and operators increased wash prices across a number of European markets. 77.0% of wash occasions in Europe were undertaken at rollover and jet wash installations, as these wash types remained dominant in Europe in 2016.Reasons to buyMake informed investment decisions by understanding the size of the car wash retail market and the nature of the competition within it.Understand motorists wash habits and plan effect strategies to maximise wash occasionsFormulate market share objectives for your company and assess performance using our value data segmented by channel and installation type.Develop superior strategies to those of your competitors by accessing information on their site numbers and marketing activities.Get DISCOUNT on this report @About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email ID: sales@orbisresearch.com
Firefighters continued to battle the blaze at the Yerevans Nairit chemical plant last night.

Armenias Ministry of Emergency Situations reports that fires in three of the four ethanol alcohol storage tankers have been extinguished.

The Ministry of Health reports that no one has yet been injured by the fire which erupted yesterday, causing clouds of black smoke to billow over parts of Yerevan.

The ministry advises people in the immediate area to close their doors and windows if the smoke and stench is intolerable.
Combined Heat And Power CHP Systems Market 2016-2026 Growth, Forecast and Value Chain

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Cogeneration (also known as combined heat and power systems (CHP)) is a cluster of technologies primarily used for the concurrent generation of electricity and useful heat. This combined generation of heat and electricity is much more effective than separate generation of electricity and useful heat in a way that CHP systems offers improved energy efficiency, reduced managing cost, low CO2 emission and others. Growing data center capacity as business operate more processes, handle complex analytics with increasing storage requirements for customer data and employing rich media. Handling of such large data requires continuous supply of reliable power making cogeneration systems of primary importance. Efficiency level for cogeneration systems can reach up to 80 % against separate generation of heat and electricity which provides combined efficiency of 40-50 %. CHP systems for data centers are gaining traction in the market as using such plants as source of data center power leads to energy efficient and substantial cost reduction benefits. However, another technology commercially available for powering data centers includes fuel cells. Although CHP systems are less efficient than fuel cells but requires lesser fuel to generate the same amount of power and has a win when its ability to supply chilled water is factored. Some of the major benefits offered utilizing CHP systems for data centers are limited reliance over external power supply, increased energy efficiency, low site carbon emission and others.Global CHP System market for Data Centre: MarketDynamicsRegions with high electricity cost are readily adopting CHP systems primarily to save on their energy cost to provide base load power and using such systems to provide absorption cooling for the facility. Moreover, government initiatives to install CHP systems in data center facilities due to low CO2 emissions is also expected to increase its adoption rate thereby increasing the adoption of CHP system in data centers.Request Report Sample@Low economic life of data center IT equipment results in consumer reluctance towards adoption of CHP systems for data centers since these systems have equipment life of around 10-15 years in comparison to economic life of IT equipment which is only 2-3 years.Global CHP System market for Data Centre: SegmentationThe global CHP system market for data center can be segmented on the basis of data center types, facility size, installation type and region. By Data center types the market can be segmented into Telecoms, ISPs (internet Service Provider), CoLos (Co-located server hosting facilities), server farms, corporate data centers, university/ national laboratory and others. Based on facility the market can be segmented into less than 200 sq.ft, 200-700 sq.ft, 700-1,200 sq.ft, 1,200-6,000 sq.ft and more than 6,000 sq.ft. Based on installation type global cogeneration systems market for data center can be segmented into newly installed systems and retrofit systems. By region global CHP system market for data centers can be segmented into seven key regions namely North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East and Africa and Japan.Visit For TOC@Global CHP System market for Data Centre: Key PlayersSome of the major players identified across CHP system market for data center includes ENER-G, Korea Electric Power Corporation, National Grid plc, Exelon Corporation, NextEra Energy, Inc., Chubu Electric Power Company, American Electric Power Company, Inc. 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:
Belgium Intelligence Market -Proximus, Orange Belgium, Telenet, Lycamobile

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Summary:Market Analysis Research Report on 2017 Market Research Report on Global Zinc Plated Mild Steel Industry has been added to orbis research database.Description:"Belgium: Country Intelligence Report", by GlobalData provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Belgium today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2021. Published annually, the report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony, broadband and mobile markets, as well as a review of key regulatory trends.Request a sample of this report @Companies Mentioned:ProximusOrange BelgiumTelenetLycamobileThe telecom services revenue in Belgium is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 2.3% during 2017-2022, primarily driven by rising smartphone adoptions, increasing OTT consumption as well as high-speed LTE connectivity. Mobile data will be the largest revenue-contributing and fastest-growing segment, followed by fixed broadband. Both are estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% and 2.5%, respectively, during 2017-2022. Going forward, operators should continue to focus on network investments and upgrades, particularly expanding 4G networks, and invest in 5G trials. Government plans to extend at least 30Mbps broadband speed to 100% of households by 2020 will open ample opportunities for operators in the market in coming years.The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the followingRegional context: telecom market size and trends in Belgium compared with other countries in the region.Economic, demographic and political context in Belgium.The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, number portability and more.A demand profile: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice, and mobile data markets.Service evolution: a look at changes in the breakdown of overall revenue between the fixed and mobile sectors and between voice, data and video from 2016 to 2021.The competitive landscape: an examination of key trends in competition and in the performance, revenue market shares and expected moves of service providers over the next 18-24 months.In-depth sector analysis of fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice, and mobile data services: a quantitative analysis of service adoption trends by network technology and by operator, as well as of average revenue per line/subscription and service revenue through the end of the forecast period.Main opportunities: this section details the near-term opportunities for operators, vendors and investors in Belgium's telecommunications markets.Browse the complete report @ScopeThe overall telecom service revenue in Belgium will grow at a CAGR of 2.3% during 2017-2022, mainly driven by growth in the mobile data and fixed broadband segment.Mobile revenue will account for 54.1% of total telecom revenue in 2022; mobile data will be the fastest-growing segment and will grow at a CAGR of 7.5% over the forecast period 2017-2022.The top two operators, Proximus and Orange Belgium, is estimated to account for 67.7% share of total mobile subscriptions in 2017. We expect competition to intensify further as operators focus on improving their mobile network by expanding to 4.5G networks and trials for 5G.The fiber segment is estimated to witness robust growth in the fixed market.Reasons to buyThis Country Intelligence Report offers a thorough, forward-looking analysis of Belgium's telecommunications markets, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format to help executives build proactive and profitable growth strategies.Accompanying GlobalDatas Forecast products, the report examines the assumptions and drivers behind ongoing and upcoming trends in Belgium's mobile communications, fixed telephony, broadband markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares.With more than 20 charts and tables, the report is designed for an executive-level audience, boasting presentation quality.The report provides an easily digestible market assessment for decision-makers built around in-depth information gathered from local market players, which enables executives to quickly get up to speed with the current and emerging trends in Belgium's telecommunications markets.The broad perspective of the report coupled with comprehensive, actionable detail will help operators, equipment vendors and other telecom industry players succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in Belgium.Get DISCOUNT on this report @About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email ID: sales@orbisresearch.com
Global Contact Smart Cards Market Research Report will grow at a CAGR of nearly 9% by 2022

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In this report, the global Contact Smart Cards market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Contact Smart Cards in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanDownload Sample Report Copy From Here:Global Contact Smart Cards market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingAtos SECPI Card GroupGemaltoNXP SemiconductorTexas InstrumentsAmerican Express CompanyInfineon Technologies AGINSIDE Secure SAOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoActive cardPassive cardOn 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 Contact Smart Cards for each application, includingMedicalFinancialEntrance GuardCommunicationOtherIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of ContentsGlobal Contact Smart Cards Market Research Report 20171 Contact Smart Cards Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Contact Smart Cards1.2 Contact Smart Cards Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Contact Smart Cards Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Contact Smart Cards Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Active card1.2.4 Passive card1.3 Global Contact Smart Cards Segment by Application1.3.1 Contact Smart Cards Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Medical1.3.3 Financial1.3.4 Entrance Guard1.3.5 Communication1.3.6 Other1.4 Global Contact Smart Cards Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Contact Smart Cards Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 EU Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 South Korea Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 Taiwan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Contact Smart Cards (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Contact Smart Cards Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Contact Smart Cards Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Contact Smart Cards Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Contact Smart Cards Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Contact Smart Cards Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Contact Smart Cards Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Contact Smart Cards Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Contact Smart Cards Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Contact Smart Cards Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Contact Smart Cards Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Contact Smart Cards Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Contact Smart Cards Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Contact Smart Cards Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 United States Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 EU Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 South Korea Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 Taiwan Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Contact Smart Cards Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Contact Smart Cards Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 United States Contact Smart Cards Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 EU Contact Smart Cards Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Contact Smart Cards Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Contact Smart Cards Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 South Korea Contact Smart Cards Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 Taiwan Contact Smart Cards Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Contact Smart Cards Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Contact Smart Cards Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Contact Smart Cards Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Contact Smart Cards Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Contact Smart Cards Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)6 Global Contact Smart Cards Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Contact Smart Cards Consumption and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Global Contact Smart Cards Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/Countries7 Global Contact Smart Cards Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Atos SE7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Contact Smart Cards Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Atos SE Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 CPI Card Group7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Contact Smart Cards Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 CPI Card Group Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Gemalto7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Contact Smart Cards Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Gemalto Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 NXP Semiconductor7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Contact Smart Cards Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 NXP Semiconductor Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Texas Instruments7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Contact Smart Cards Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Texas Instruments Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 American Express Company7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Contact Smart Cards Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 American Express Company Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Infineon Technologies AG7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Contact Smart Cards Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Infineon Technologies AG Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 INSIDE Secure SA7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.8.2 Contact Smart Cards Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 INSIDE Secure SA Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview8 Contact Smart Cards Manufacturing Cost Analysis8.1 Contact Smart Cards Key Raw Materials Analysis8.1.1 Key Raw Materials8.1.2 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials8.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials8.1.4 Market Concentration Rate of Raw Materials8.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure8.2.1 Raw Materials8.2.2 Labor Cost8.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses8.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Contact Smart Cards9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9.1 Contact Smart Cards Industrial Chain Analysis9.2 Upstream Raw Materials Sourcing9.3 Raw Materials Sources of Contact Smart Cards Major Manufacturers in 20159.4 Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders10.1 Marketing Channel10.1.1 Direct Marketing10.1.2 Indirect Marketing10.1.3 Marketing Channel Development Trend10.2 Market Positioning10.2.1 Pricing Strategy10.2.2 Brand Strategy10.2.3 Target Client10.3 Distributors/Traders List11 Market Effect Factors Analysis11.1 Technology Progress/Risk11.1.1 Substitutes Threat11.1.2 Technology Progress in Related Industry11.2 Consumer Needs/Customer Preference Change11.3 Economic/Political Environmental Change12 Global Contact Smart Cards Market Forecast (2017-2022)12.1 Global Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production, Revenue Forecast (2017-2022)12.1.1 Global Contact Smart Cards Capacity, Production and Growth Rate Forecast (2017-2022)12.1.2 Global Contact Smart Cards Revenue and Growth Rate Forecast (2017-2022)12.1.3 Global Contact Smart Cards Price and Trend Forecast (2017-2022)12.2 Global Contact Smart Cards Production, Consumption , Import and Export Forecast by Region (2017-2022)12.2.1 United States Contact Smart Cards Production, Revenue, Consumption, Export and Import Forecast (2017-2022)12.2.2 EU Contact Smart Cards Production, Revenue, Consumption, Export and Import Forecast (2017-2022)12.2.3 China Contact Smart Cards Production, Revenue, Consumption, Export and Import Forecast (2017-2022)12.2.4 Japan Contact Smart Cards Production, Revenue, Consumption, Export and Import Forecast (2017-2022)12.2.5 South Korea Contact Smart Cards Production, Revenue, Consumption, Export and Import Forecast (2017-2022)12.2.6 Taiwan Contact Smart Cards Production, Revenue, Consumption, Export and Import Forecast (2017-2022)12.3 Global Contact Smart Cards Production, Revenue and Price Forecast by Type (2017-2022)12.4 Global Contact Smart Cards Consumption Forecast by Application (2017-2022)13 Research Findings and Conclusion14 Appendix14.1 Methodology/Research Approach14.1.1 Research Programs/Design14.1.2 Market Size Estimation14.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation14.2 Data Source14.2.1 Secondary Sources14.2.2 Primary Sources14.3 DisclaimerBuy 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.Unit 1, 26 Cleveland Road, South Woodford, London,E182AN, United KingdomCall: +44 20 3239 2407sales@globalqyresearch.com
Global rheology modifiers market to grow at over 3.7% CAGR from 2017 to 2024

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Global rheology modifiers market size is forecast to reach USD 6.83 billion by 2024, with estimated gains at over 4 CAGR%.Rheology Modifiers Market size is set to reach USD 6.83 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc.Paint & coatings dominated the global rheology modifiers market size and accounted for more than 30% of global share in 2015. These are extensively used to upgrade paint properties including emulsion stability, leveling and anti-sagging. In water based paints, they are used to increase the paints durability and maintain consistency. Paints & coatings market generated revenue around USD 130 billion globally in 2015 and should exceed USD 210 billion over the forecast timeframe.Request for a sample of this report @Rising consumer awareness complemented by increasing consumer disposable expenditure for personal care products on account of individual hygiene has propelled demand for hair & skin care goods such as shampoos, conditioners, body lotions and creams. In 2015, personal care industry was valued at over USD 580 billion and may range up to USD 790 billion by 2024, at over 3.5%. Organo-clay rheology modifiers market is primarily employed in personal care products to maintain their consistency owing to boost industry share.These are used in adhesives & sealants to improve its application properties of solvent-borne, water-borne, high-solid systems and UV-cured. For example, hectorite, polyether polyol associative thickeners and fumed silica are mainly used in the industry. In 2015, adhesives & sealants market was marked more than USD 45 billion and must exceed USD 70 billion by 2024.Oscillating crude oil prices is the major aspect influencing commodity chemicals cost and raw materials used in the product manufacturing. Crude oil is the elementary raw material used to produce raw materials required for rheology modifiers synthesis. Instable crude oil prices are the major reason negatively influencing rheology modifiers market price trends. Furthermore, decreasing printing ink use due to growing consumer preference for digital media may hamper industry growth.Browse key industry insights spread across 100 pages with 152 market data tables & 18 figures & charts from the report, Rheology Modifiers Market Size By Product (Organic, Inorganic), By Application (Paints & Coatings, Personal Care, Adhesives & Sealants, Textiles, Pharmaceuticals, Pulp & Paper, Construction), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, GCC), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2013  2024 in detail along with the table of contents:Key insights from the report include: Rheology modifiers market for organic will witness gains more than 3.5%. These modifiers are finds widespread application in end-user industries including pharmaceuticals, paints & coatings and construction to uphold the required consistency of the products. Inorganic rheology modifiers find various application in cosmetics industry. When precipitated, they are further used in pharmaceuticals and paints & coatings industry. In 2015, paint & coatings application was valued at over USD 1.5 billion. Growing construction and automotive industries is propelling paints & coatings demand. Consequently, driving rheology modifiers market share. In 2015, the U.S. rheology modifiers market generated revenue over 830 million. Highest aging population and increasing personal care product demand are the key factors propelling industry growth in the U.S. Asia Pacific, led by China, India and Japan rheology modifiers market dominated the industry and accounted approximately 35% of global volume in 2015. Rapid industrialization along with increasing construction spending the region has boosted the industry growth. Global rheology modifiers market is fragmented with five major companies accounting over 20% of global share in 2015. The prominent industry players are Ashland, DOW Chemical Company, BASF SE, Arkema Group and Lubrizol Corporation.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
Intelligence Market Trends in UKs Mobile Communications, Fixed Telephony, Broadband Markets, Including the Evolution of Service Provider Market Shares

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Summary:Market Analysis Research Report on United Kingdom: Country Intelligence Report has been added to orbis research database.Description:"United Kingdom: Country Intelligence Report", a new Country Intelligence Report by GlobalData, provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in UK today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2022. Published annually, the report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony, broadband and mobile, as well as a review of key regulatory trends.Request a sample of this report @Companies Mentioned:BTEESky UKO2 UK3 UKVodafone UKVirgin Media UKTalkTalkTelecom service revenue in the UK over the 2017-2022 forecast period will be driven by mobile data, fixed broadband and pay-TV segments. Mobile data will be the largest revenue-contributing segment in 2017 and beyond, boosted by increasing smartphone ownership and rising 4G adoption, with 5G expected to launch commercially in 2020. Going forward, operators will focus on data-centric services and investments in LTE, 5G and fiber deployments to boost broadband penetration in the country, which will also provide significant opportunities for vendors and investors in the coming years. Pay-TV revenue will witness an increasing trend primarily driven by rising adoption of DTH and IPTV services.The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the followingRegional context: telecom market size and trends in the UK compared with other countries in the region.Economic, demographic and political context in the UK.The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, number portability and more.A demand profile: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice, and mobile data markets.Service evolution: a look at changes in the breakdown of overall revenue between the fixed and mobile sectors and between voice, data and video from 2016 to 2022.The competitive landscape: an examination of key trends in competition and in the performance, revenue market shares and expected moves of service providers over the next 18-24 months.In-depth sector analysis of fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice, and mobile data services: a quantitative analysis of service adoption trends by network technology and by operator, as well as of average revenue per line/subscription and service revenue through the end of the forecast period.Main opportunities: this section details the near-term opportunities for operators, vendors and investors in the UK telecommunications market.Browse the complete report @ScopeOverall telecom service revenue in the UK will grow at a CAGR of 0.8% in USD terms during 2017-2022.Mobile revenue will account for 40.2% of total telecom revenue in 2022, driven by increasing adoption of mobile broadband and 4G+ services.4G will be the most adopted mobile technology through 2017-2022. Rising demand for high-speed data services and LTE network expansion will drive subscriber growth. We expect 5G to be commercially available by 2020.The top two mobile operators, EE UK and O2 UK, accounted for 54.7% share of overall mobile subscriptions in 2017. We expect the competition to intensify further as all operators are focusing on network enhancement, LTE expansion to underserved areas and undertaking carrier aggregation and advanced technologies to increase network speed and capacity.Operators will continue to invest in LTE network investments and expansions, fiber deployments and 5G to improve connectivity and cater to the rising data demand.Reasons to buyThis Country Intelligence Report offers a thorough, forward-looking analysis of UKs telecommunications markets, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format to help executives build proactive and profitable growth strategies.Accompanying GlobalDatas Forecast products, the report examines the assumptions and drivers behind ongoing and upcoming trends in UKs mobile communications, fixed telephony, broadband markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares.With more than 20 charts and tables, the report is designed for an executive-level audience, boasting presentation quality.The report provides an easily digestible market assessment for decision-makers built around in-depth information gathered from local market players, which enables executives to quickly get up to speed with the current and emerging trends in UKs telecommunications markets.The broad perspective of the report coupled with comprehensive, actionable detail will help operators, equipment vendors and other telecom industry players succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in UK.Get DISCOUNT on this report @About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email ID: sales@orbisresearch.com
Future Of Scale Supports Non-Blocking Network Inside Mega Data Center Building and More Efficient Processing To Drive Market Growth

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Future Of Scale Supports Non-Blocking Network Inside Mega Data Center Building and More Efficient Processing To Drive Market Growth" to its huge collection of research reports.Next generation mega data center technology is able to leverage scale to implement cloud computing that is better than most of what is out there now.Scale is a vital part of the technology used to support next generation data centers. The study is targeted to C-level executives that need to move quickly and surely to improve IT. Automation of IT depends on understanding the business market opportunity from an independent perspective. Vendors are smart but they are committed to the technology they are pushing, the Sea Change Series from WinterGreen Research is able to provide a perspective not available anywhere else.Extreme scale is what brings enough pathways inside a Mega data center to create a non-blocking (CLOS) networked server architecture. Non-blocking network architecture benefits the business because it permits launching thousands of virtual severs on demand at the application layer. In this manner, innovation can be made to happen quickly.Using a mega data center, DevOps and/or automated processes can request and deploy additional resource without backing the Dell truck up to the data center every week to provide on-demand capacity. Automated deprovisioning handles freeing of surplus resources, while being virtual means not having stacks of surplus hardware to dispose of as underutilized capital assets.Modern data centers are organized into processing nodes that manage different applications at a layer above infrastructure. Data is stored permanently and operated on in place. These are the two technologies to check for when choosing a data center. These architectural features provide economies of scale that greatly reduce the IT spend while offering better quality IT.Once scale is in place, then the economies of scale kick in. When negotiating for cloud capability, managers need to check to see that sufficient multiple pathways are available to reach any node in a non-blocking manner. Non-blocking architecture is more efficient than other IT infrastructure and supports better innovation for apps and smart digitization. Not all cloud architectures offer this business benefit.The Cloud 2.0 mega data center platform fabric technologies support the digital economy by creating scale with a network internal to the mega data center system image. Without scale, there are not enough pathways inside the data center to enable elimination of bottlenecks. Access to every node in the fabric, and multiple duplicate pathways to every node are needed to enable real time application connectivity. With sufficient scale, if one pathway is blocked, there are enough other pathways to get to the desired node resources.The theme of this study is that scale matters.Scale can be implemented by IT, but the executive needs to understand that there is a difference between different technologies. In a mega data center, the system is implemented as a fabric: servers are linked to top of rack switches, which are made from merchant silicon chips, mostly Broadcom, some switch ASICs. A pod of server racks are linked to each other through an edge aggregation switch. A pod of server racks is based on the same ASICs as in the top of rack switches.The importance of nonblocking architecture is compelling. Aggregation switches are lashed together through a set of non-blocking spine switches. All switches are based on the same chip. This is precisely the way Facebook is building its own Wedge and 6-pack open switches nine years after Google did it. The amazing thing is that Facebook had not done this already.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The four superstar companies that are able to leverage IT to achieve growth, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and the leader AWS all use Clos architecture. What is significant is that systems have to hit a certain scale before Clos networks work Clos networks are what work now for flexibility and supporting innovation in an affordable manner. There is no dipping your toe in to try the system to see if it will work, it will not and then the IT says, We tried that, we failed, but what the executive needs to understand is that scale matters. A little mega data center does not exist. Only scale works.Maybe scale is not the only answer, maybe in 20 years, Quantum computing will bring a new data center system, but for now, Clos architecture and scale dominate those IT centers that have the strongest growth engine.Business leaders are challenged to move their enterprises to the next level of competition. An effective digital business player, transformer, and disruptor position depends on the effectiveness of employing digital technologies and leveraging connected digital systems. Organizational, operational, and business model innovation are needed to create ways of operating and growing the business using mega data center cloud technologies, systems are evolving. It is a journey to achieve the connected enterprise, ultimately connecting all employees and a trillion connected devices.Many companies are using digital technology to create market disruption. Amazon, Uber, Google, IBM, and Microsoft represent companies using effective disruptive strategic positioning. As entire industries shift to the digital world, once buoyant companies are threatened with disappearing. A digital transformation represents an approach that enables organizations to drive changes in their business models and ecosystems leveraging cloud computing, and not just hyperscale systems but leveraging mega data centers. Just as robots make work more automated, so also cloud based communications systems implement the IoT digital connectivity transformation.Disruption in the business markets represents major opportunity for vendors with cloud offerings. This is part of a larger digital transformation, a digital approach to interconnecting everything that enables organizations to drive changes in their business models and ecosystems.Disruptive cloud systems are provided by Amazon (AWS), Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. Data centers are in a class by themselves, they have functioning fully automatic, self-healing, networked mega datacenters that operate at fiber optic speeds to create a fabric that can access any node in any particular data center because there are multiple pathways to every node. In this manner, they automate applications integration for any data in the mega data center.By leveraging digital competencies, businesses can grow faster than they would otherwise. A digital strategy, in conjunction with the appropriate unified communications solution permits the implementation of innovative communications services. Digital connectivity with combined voice, video and file transfer can help organizations and their end users innovate and compete more effectively. It is imperative that organizations have a digital communications strategy in place.This is an era where the distinction between the technologies and processes that businesses deploy is tightly linked. Digital technology directly impacts customers and markets. The boundary between internal operations of the enterprise and its external ecosystem is rapidly disappearing. Customers, markets, competitors, partners, and regulators are inextricably linked.Mega data centers need to be understood by all senior executives whether they move in that direction or not. These are the IT used by the fastest growing organizations Google, AWS, Microsoft, and Facebook. There are 25 Sea Change Data Center study modules describing different aspects of the move to mega data centers. The Scale module describes that it is not sufficient just to try certain cloud techniques.Scale is an essential aspect of the data center positioning for these leading companies. These companies use Clos networks as their data center implementations. This module addresses how and why scale in the mega data center is important. The market shift to non-blocking network inside data center building means companies have to hit a certain scale before Clos networks work.Companies ProfiledMarket LeadersAmazonMicrosoftGoogleFacebookBrowse 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. 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Global fingerprint module market will grow impressively during the predicted period and post a CAGR of more than 18% by 2021

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The recently published report titled Europe Fingerprint Module Industry 2016 Market Research Report is an in depth study providing complete analysis of the industry for the period 2016 - 2021. It provides complete overview of Europe Fingerprint Module market considering all the major industry trends, market dynamics and competitive scenario.The Europe Fingerprint Module Industry Report 2016 is an in depth study analyzing the current state of the Europe Fingerprint Module market. It provides brief overview of the market focusing on definitions, market segmentation, end-use applications and industry chain analysis. The study on Europe Fingerprint Module market provides analysis of China market covering the industry trends, recent developments in the market and competitive landscape. Competitive analysis includes competitive information of leading players in China market, their company profiles, product portfolio, capacity, production, and company financials. In addition, report also provides upstream raw material analysis and downstream demand analysis along with the key development trends and sales channel analysis. Research study on Europe Fingerprint Module market also discusses the opportunity areas for investors.Download Sample Report Copy From Here:With tables and figures, the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Reasons to Buy this ReportThe research report will enrich your decision-making capability by helping you to -a Design and improve your product development and sales strategies and enhancing your marketing activitiesa Develop business strategies by understanding the market dynamics and developments driving the Europe Fingerprint Module marketa Develop market-entry strategies and effective ways to sustain competitiona Create merger and acquisition opportunities by identifying the market players with the most innovative pipelinesa Identify the regional market potential which would further help in designing regional market strategiesa Understand the competitive scenario in the Europe Fingerprint Module marketa Take more informed business decisions by relying on the insightful opinions from industry expertsTable of ContentsEurope Fingerprint Module Market Report 20161 Fingerprint Module Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Fingerprint Module1.2 Classification of Fingerprint Module1.2.1 Swipe Module1.2.2 Optical Module1.2.3 Type III1.3 Application of Fingerprint Module1.3.1 Tablet1.3.2 Smart phone1.3.3 Application 31.4 Fingerprint Module Market by Countries1.4.1 Germany Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 France Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 UK Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Russia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Italy Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 Spain Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.7 Benelux Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Europe Market Size (Value and Volume) of Fingerprint Module (2011-2021)1.5.1 Europe Fingerprint Module Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.5.2 Europe Fingerprint Module Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)2 Europe Fingerprint Module by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Europe Fingerprint Module Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Europe Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.1.2 Europe Fingerprint Module Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Europe Fingerprint Module (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Europe Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.2.2 Europe Fingerprint Module Revenue and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.3 Europe Fingerprint Module (Volume and Value) by Countries2.3.1 Europe Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Countries (2011-2016)2.3.2 Europe Fingerprint Module Revenue and Market Share by Countries (2011-2016)2.4 Europe Fingerprint Module (Volume) by Application3 Germany Fingerprint Module (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 Germany Fingerprint Module Sales and Value (2011-2016)3.1.1 Germany Fingerprint Module Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.2 Germany Fingerprint Module Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.3 Germany Fingerprint Module Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)3.2 Germany Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers3.3 Germany Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Type3.4 Germany Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Application4 France Fingerprint Module (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 France Fingerprint Module Sales and Value (2011-2016)4.1.1 France Fingerprint Module Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)4.1.2 France Fingerprint Module Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)4.1.4 France Fingerprint Module Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)4.2 France Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers4.3 France Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Type4.4 France Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Application5 UK Fingerprint Module (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 UK Fingerprint Module Sales and Value (2011-2016)5.1.1 UK Fingerprint Module Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)5.1.2 UK Fingerprint Module Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)5.1.5 UK Fingerprint Module Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)5.2 UK Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers5.3 UK Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Type5.4 UK Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Application6 Russia Fingerprint Module (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6.1 Russia Fingerprint Module Sales and Value (2011-2016)6.1.1 Russia Fingerprint Module Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)6.1.2 Russia Fingerprint Module Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)6.1.6 Russia Fingerprint Module Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)6.2 Russia Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers6.3 Russia Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Type6.4 Russia Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Application7 Italy Fingerprint Module (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7.1 Italy Fingerprint Module Sales and Value (2011-2016)7.1.1 Italy Fingerprint Module Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)7.1.2 Italy Fingerprint Module Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)7.1.7 Italy Fingerprint Module Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)7.2 Italy Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers7.3 Italy Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Type7.4 Italy Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Application8 Spain Fingerprint Module (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8.1 Spain Fingerprint Module Sales and Value (2011-2016)8.1.1 Spain Fingerprint Module Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)8.1.2 Spain Fingerprint Module Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)8.1.8 Spain Fingerprint Module Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)8.2 Spain Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers8.3 Spain Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Type8.4 Spain Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Application9 Benelux Fingerprint Module (Volume, Value and Sales Price)9.1 Benelux Fingerprint Module Sales and Value (2011-2016)9.1.1 Benelux Fingerprint Module Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)9.1.2 Benelux Fingerprint Module Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)9.1.9 Benelux Fingerprint Module Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)9.2 Benelux Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers9.3 Benelux Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Type9.4 Benelux Fingerprint Module Sales and Market Share by Application10 Europe Fingerprint Module Manufacturers Analysis10.1 Suprema10.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.1.2 Fingerprint Module Product Type, Application and Specification10.1.2.1 Type I10.1.2.2 Type II10.1.3 Suprema Fingerprint Module Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.2 HID Global10.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.2.2 Fingerprint Module Product Type, Application and Specification10.2.2.1 Type I10.2.2.2 Type II10.2.3 HID Global Fingerprint Module Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.3 Furtonic Technology10.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.3.2 Fingerprint Module Product Type, Application and Specification10.3.2.1 Type I10.3.2.2 Type II10.3.3 Furtonic Technology Fingerprint Module Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.4 Safran Identity & Security10.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.4.2 Fingerprint Module Product Type, Application and Specification10.4.2.1 Type I10.4.2.2 Type II10.4.3 Safran Identity & Security Fingerprint Module Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.5 Holtek Semiconductor10.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.5.2 Fingerprint Module Product Type, Application and Specification10.5.2.1 Type I10.5.2.2 Type II10.5.3 Holtek Semiconductor Fingerprint Module Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.6 Aratek10.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.6.2 Fingerprint Module Product Type, Application and Specification10.6.2.1 Type I10.6.2.2 Type II10.6.3 Aratek Fingerprint Module Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.7 Fingerprint Cards AB10.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.7.2 Fingerprint Module Product Type, Application and Specification10.7.2.1 Type I10.7.2.2 Type II10.7.3 Fingerprint Cards AB Fingerprint Module Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.8 Crossmatch10.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.8.2 Fingerprint Module Product Type, Application and Specification10.8.2.1 Type I10.8.2.2 Type II10.8.3 Crossmatch Fingerprint Module Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.9 BioEnable10.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.9.2 Fingerprint Module Product Type, Application and Specification10.9.2.1 Type I10.9.2.2 Type II10.9.3 BioEnable Fingerprint Module Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.10 Gingy10.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.10.2 Fingerprint Module Product Type, Application and Specification10.10.2.1 Type I10.10.2.2 Type II10.10.3 Gingy Fingerprint Module Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.11 Techshino10.12 ADH Technology Co. Lt10.13 NURUGO10.14 Shenazhen CAMA Biometrics Co.10.15 STARTEK Engineering Inc10.16 MIAXIS BIOMETRICS10.17 Q Technology10.18 SecuGen Corporation11 Fingerprint Module Manufacturing Cost Analysis11.1 Fingerprint Module Key Raw Materials Analysis11.1.1 Key Raw Materials11.1.2 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials11.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials11.1.4 Market Concentration Rate of Raw Materials11.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure11.2.1 Raw Materials11.2.2 Labor Cost11.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses11.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Fingerprint Module12 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers12.1 Fingerprint Module Industrial Chain Analysis12.2 Upstream Raw Materials Sourcing12.3 Raw Materials Sources of Fingerprint Module Major Manufacturers in 201512.4 Downstream Buyers13 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders13.1 Marketing Channel13.1.1 Direct Marketing13.1.2 Indirect Marketing13.1.3 Marketing Channel Development Trend13.2 Market Positioning13.2.1 Pricing Strategy13.2.2 Brand Strategy13.2.3 Target Client13.3 Distributors/Traders List14 Europe Fingerprint Module Market Forecast (2016-2021)14.1 Germany Fingerprint Module Sales Forecast (2016-2021)14.2 France Fingerprint Module Sales Forecast (2016-2021)14.3 UK Fingerprint Module Sales Forecast (2016-2021)14.4 Russia Fingerprint Module Sales Forecast (2016-2021)14.5 Italy Fingerprint Module Sales Forecast (2016-2021)14.6 Spain Fingerprint Module Sales Forecast (2016-2021)14.7 Benelux Fingerprint Module Sales Forecast (2016-2021)14.8 Europe Fingerprint Module Sales Forecast by Type (2016-2021)14.9 Europe Fingerprint Module Sales Forecast by Application (2016-2021)15 Research Findings and Conclusion16 AppendixAuthor ListDisclosure SectionResearch MethodologyData SourceDisclaimerBuy Now This Report From Here:Global QYResearch() is the one spot destination for all your research needs. 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Anti-Neoplastic Pharmaceutical Agents Market Forecast Report by Future Market Insights Offers Key Insights 2016-2026

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Anti-neoplastic pharmaceutical agents are the drugs which prevent or inhibit the maturation and proliferation of neoplasms and thus helps in the management of cancer. These agents are also known as cytotoxic agents. Anti-neoplastic agents do not get stabilized in one part of the body, however they travel through body and help in destruction of cancerous cells. Anti-Neoplastic pharmaceutical agents are used in combination with surgery, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy for many solid tumors, especially metastatic. The risk related to cancer increases with age and it is now becoming more prevalent across the globe due to rapidly changing lifestyle of people. Thus, growing demand for anti-neoplastic pharmaceutical agents has captured the attention of pharmaceutical companies to enter into anti-neoplastic pharmaceutical agents market and develop more efficient drugs against several cancer conditions.Increasing prevalence of cancer cases, technological advancements, increasing funding from government bodies, and favorable reimbursement policies are the major factors driving the growth of global anti-neoplastic pharmaceutical agents market. However, factors such as lack of awareness about cancer condition in developing regions and technical complexities associated with the existing diagnostic tests would hinder the growth of anti-neoplastic pharmaceutical agents market.Request For Report Sample@The global anti-neoplastic pharmaceutical agents market is segmented based on type of cancer, anti-neoplastic pharmaceutical agents, and regional presence.Segmentation by type of cancer,Breast CancerBladder CancerCervical CancerGynecological CancerLung CancerLeukemiaOther Cancer Types (Anal Cancer, Bone Marrow Cancer, Colon Cancer, Eye Cancer, Osteo Sarcoma, Wilms Tumour, Larynx Cancer, Testicular Cancer and Rectal Cancer)Segmentation by type of anti-neoplastic pharmaceutical agents,Alkylating AgentsAntimetabolitesAntitumor AntibioticsNatural ProductsPlant ProductsMicroorganism ProductsHormones and AntagonistsOn the basis of regional presence, global anti-neoplastic pharmaceutical agents market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Middle East & Africa (MEA)Geographically, North America followed by Europe dominates the global anti-neoplastic pharmaceutical agents owing high prevalence of cancer cases and increasing demand of drugs for cancer treatment. However, APAC is expected to show high growth rate over the forecasted period due to increase in awareness about cancer condition and its side effects.Visit For TOC@Anti-Neoplastic Pharmaceutical Agents Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in manufacturing of anti-neoplastic pharmaceutical agents market include GlaxoSmithKline plc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Eli Lilly and Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Pfizer Inc., Novartis AG, AstraZeneca, Gilead, Accord Healthcare, and many 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:
Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) Market 2025: Forecasts, Analysis and Overview

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Global Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) Market: OverviewThe global market for next-generation sequencing is likely to witness a progressive growth in the next few years, thanks to the rising adoption across diverse industries. In addition, several lucrative opportunities in untapped markets and the rise in the number of government initiatives are projected to contribute towards the growth of the market. Furthermore, the use of next-generation sequencing in biomarker and precision medicine discovery is expected to supplement the growth of the overall market in the forecast period.Global Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) Market: Key TrendsThe technological advancements in the sequencing platforms and the rising number of applications of next-generation sequencing are likely to encourage the growth of the global next-generation sequencing market in the coming years. In addition, the growing adoption of next-generation sequencing technologies among research academic institutes and research laboratories are projected to supplement the development of the market in the near future.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the contrary, the rising issues in the storage of sequencing data and the dearth of skilled professionals are likely to curtail the growth of the market in the coming years. Nonetheless, the increasing awareness among consumers regarding the advantages of next-generation sequencing through workshops and conferences are projected to fuel the growth of the market.Global Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) Market: Market PotentialThe integration of next-generation of sequencing with the new cloud-based technology is one of the key factors estimated to encourage the growth of the global market in the coming years. In addition, the rising focus on cancer research and the increasing level of competition are predicted accelerate the growth of the market in the forecast period.However, several concerns related to the security of next-generation sequencing data and the standardization and accuracy issues in diagnostic testing are estimated to pose as major challenges for the leading players in the coming years. Nonetheless, the rising use of cloud computing is expected to offer promising growth opportunities throughout the forecast period.Request TOC of the Report @Global Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) Market: Regional OutlookAmong the key regional segments studied in the research study, North America is anticipated to account for a key share of the global next-generation sequencing market in the forecast period. The presence of a large number of players in the U.S. and the favorable government schemes are the important factors that are predicted to accelerate the growth of the North America market in the coming years.Furthermore, Asia Pacific is estimated to grow substantially in the next few years. The improvement of the healthcare infrastructure in developing nations and the favorable initiatives by government are predicted to fuel the growth of the next-generation sequencing market In Asia Pacific in the near future. In addition, the launch of new and advanced next-generation sequencing services and products are anticipated to contribute substantially towards the growth of the market.Get a discount @Global Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the prominent players operating in the next-generation sequencing market across the globe are Eurofins Scientific, Gatc Biotech AG, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Perkinelmer, Inc., Illumina, Inc., Qiagen N.V., Agilent Technologies, Inc., Macrogen, Inc., Beijing Genomics Institute, Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., and Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Ltd.The entry of new players in the global next-generation sequencing market and the rising number of collaborations and mergers are projected to encourage the growth of the market in the next few years. Additionally, the rising focus of key players on research and development activities are estimated to offer promising opportunities for the leading players in the next few years.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth 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
Basic Overview Of Stent Graft Industry Including Definition, Applications And Manufacturing Technology

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Basic Overview Of Stent Graft Industry Including Definition, Applications And Manufacturing Technology" to its huge collection of research reports.The 'Global and Chinese Stent Graft Industry, 2011-2021 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Stent Graft industry with a focus on the Chinese market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Stent Graft manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail.In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2011-2016 market shares for each company. Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global and Chinese total market of Stent Graft industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and Chinese import/export. The total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis. The report then estimates 2016-2021 market development trends of Stent Graft industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out. In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of Stent Graft Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2011-2021 global and Chinese Stent Graft industry covering all important parameters.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Table Of ContentChapter One Introduction of Stent Graft Industry1.1 Brief Introduction of Stent Graft1.2 Development of Stent Graft Industry1.3 Status of Stent Graft IndustryChapter Two Manufacturing Technology of Stent Graft2.1 Development of Stent Graft Manufacturing Technology2.2 Analysis of Stent Graft Manufacturing Technology2.3 Trends of Stent Graft Manufacturing TechnologyChapter Three Analysis of Global Key Manufacturers3.1 Company A3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Product Information3.1.3 2011-2016 Production Information3.1.4 Contact Information3.2 Company B3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Product Information3.2.3 2011-2016 Production Information3.2.4 Contact Information3.3 Company C3.2.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Product Information3.3.3 2011-2016 Production Information3.3.4 Contact InformationBrowse 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 @
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Analysis and Assessment on Disposable Incontinence Products Market by Future Market Insights

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Incontinence means inability of the body to control the evacuative functions of urination of defecation is called as Incontinence. Incontinence Products are manly used in the treatment of urinary tract and nephrological disorder of patients such as chronic kidney Disease, Kidney Stone, End stage renal disease and benign prostatic hyperplasia.According to the National Kidney Foundation globally 2 million people worldwide currently receive treatment with dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive, but this number may only represent 10% of people who actually need treatment to live, globally more than 80% of all patients who receive treatment for kidney failure are in wealthy countries with universal access to health care and large elderly populations.Global Disposable Incontinence products mainly contains Disposable adult Diapers, Disposable Adult Sheilds, Disposable under Pads, and Disposable Pull up pants.Request For Report Sample@Global Disposable Incontinence Products Market: Drivers and RestrainsGlobal Disposable Incontinence Products market is driven by the raising prevalence of chronic kidney Disease, End stage renal disease, and benign prostatic hyperplasia. According to the WHO reports more than 190 million patients are suffering with chronic renal failure and undergo renal dialysis and more than 220 million males suffer from disease associated with prostate gland such as swelling that results in blockage of the flow of urine through the body. According to the Nation Kidney Foundation 10% of the population worldwide is affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD), and millions die each year because they do not have access to affordable treatment.Global Disposable Incontinence Products main restrains is awareness about this products are very less.Global Disposable Incontinence ProductsMarket: SegmentationGlobal Disposable Incontinence Market segmented based on product type, ApplicationBased on Product Type,Disposable Adult DiaperDisposable Adult SheildsDisposable Under PadsDisposable Pull up PantsBased on ApplicationChronic Kidney failureKidney StoneEnd stage renal failureBenign prostatic HyperplasiaBladder CancerGlobal Disposable Incontinence ProductsMarket: OverviewWith increasing use of Disposable Incontinence Products in Kidney Disease conditions will boost the growth of the Global Disposable Incontinence Products market. North America is contributing more income to the Global Disposable Incontinence Products and Asia region is showing fastest growth rate because of having more population base in this region.According to the National Kidney Foundation, Globally 2 million people who receive medication for kidney failure, the mostly are treated in only five countries which includes United States, Japan, Germany, Brazil, and Italy. These 5 countries represent 12% of the world population. Only 20% are treated in about 100 developing countries that make up over 50% of the world population. In the US, treatment of chronic kidney disease is going to exceed $48 billion per year. Treatment for kidney failure consumes 6.7% of the total Medicare budget to care for less than 1% of the covered population.Global Disposable Incontinence ProductsMarket: Region wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, Global Disposable Incontinence Products 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 having more market for Disposable Incontinence Products Market, In North America, U.S. represents the largest market because of increasing prevalence rate for Chronic Renal Failure Disease.Asia region is expected to have more growth rate in upcoming years because of increasing awareness about Disposable Incontinence Products in this region. In Asia region India, China, Japan are expected to have more growth rate for Global Disposable Incontinence Products Market.Visit For TOC@Global Disposable Incontinence ProductsMarket: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in Global Disposable Incontinence Products market are C. R. Bard, Inc, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Coloplast UK Ltd, Kimberly Clark Group, First Quality Enterprises, Inc, Covidien, and Hollister Incorporated.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:
Overview Of Global Gastrointestinal Stents Market by Product, Application, End Users & Forecast - 2025

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Overview Of Global Gastrointestinal Stents Market by Product, Application, End Users & Forecast - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.This report on gastrointestinal stents market studies the current as well as future prospects of the market globally. The stakeholders of this report include companies and intermediaries engaged in the manufacture, commercialization, providing services of gastrointestinal stent products such as esophageal stents, duodenal stents, colonic stents, and biliary/pancreatic stents as well as new entrants planning to enter this market. This report comprises an elaborate executive summary along with a market snapshot providing overall information of various segments and sub-segments considered in the scope of the study. This section also provides the overall information and data analysis of the global gastrointestinal stents market with respect to the leading market segments based on major product type, stent type, end users, application, and geographies.The market overview section of the report explores the market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities that currently have a strong impact on the gastrointestinal stents market and could influence the market in the near future. Market attractiveness analysis has been provided in the market overview section in order to explain the intensity of competition in the market across different geographies. The competitive scenario among different market players is evaluated through market share analysis in the competitive landscape section of the report. All these factors would help market players to take strategic decisions in order to strengthen their positions and expand their shares in the global gastrointestinal stents market.Global Gastrointestinal Stents Market: Market SegmentationBased on the product type, the gastrointestinal stents market has been segmented into: esophageal stents, duodenal stents, colonic stents, and biliary/pancreatic stents. In terms of stent type products divided into metal stents, plastic stents, and biodegradable/drug eluting stents. Each of the market segments have been extensively analyzed based on the market related factors such as increasing rate of gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, and colorectal cancer worldwide, technological advancement, and growing use of gastrointestinal stents in various geographies. Moreover, historical year-on-year growth have been taken into consideration while estimating the market size. The market size and forecast in terms of US$ million and volume (units in thousands) for each segment has been provided for the period from 2015 to 2025. The report also provides the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each market segment for the forecast period from 2017 to 2025, considering 2016 as the base year.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Geographically, gastrointestinal stents market has been segmented into five major regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The market size and volume forecast for each of these regions has been provided for the period from 2015 to 2025, along with their respective CAGRs for the forecast period from 2017 to 2025, considering 2016 as the base year. The report also provides with market size and forecast for major countries in the respective regions. A detailed qualitative analysis of factors responsible for driving and restraining the market growth and future opportunities has been provided in the market overview section. This section of the report also provides with market attractiveness analysis, porters five forces analysis, value chain analysis, incidence of gastrointestinal cancers by region and market share analysis by key players, thus presenting a thorough analysis of the overall competitive scenario in the global gastrointestinal stents market.Global Gastrointestinal Stents Market: Competitive LandscapeThe key findings section included in the report would assist existing market players in expanding their market shares, and new companies in establishing their presence in the global gastrointestinal stents market. The report also profiles key players operating in the gastrointestinal stents market which are Boston Scientific Corporation, Becton, Dickinson and Company, C. R. Bard, Inc., W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Cook Medical, Taewoong Medical Co., Ltd., Merit Medical Systems, Inc., ELLA-CS, s.r.o., CONMED Corporation, Olympus Corporation, and S&G Biotech Inc.The global gastrointestinal stents market is dominated by two global vendors that accounts for more than 78% share of the global market.The global gastrointestinal stents market is segmented as follows:Global Gastrointestinal Stents Market, by Product TypeEsophageal StentsDuodenal StentsColonic StentsBiliary/Pancreatic StentsGlobal Gastrointestinal Stents Market, by Stent TypeMetal StentsPlastic StentsBiodegradable/Drug Eluting StentsGlobal Gastrointestinal Stents Market, by ApplicationGastrointestinal ObstructionsColorectal CancerInflammatory Bowel DiseaseOthers (GI Bleeding, Gastric Cardia Cancer,etc.)Global Gastrointestinal Stents Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyFranceU.K.ItalySpainRussiaRest of the EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanBrowse 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 @
Offshore Support Vessels Market 2025: Forecasts, Analysis and Overview

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Global Offshore Support Vessels Market: OverviewOffshore support vessels are a crucial class of vessels essential for the smooth function of offshore oil and gas operations. Offshore support vessels fulfil all the logistical needs of offshore petroleum platforms. Due to this, they have taken on an important role in the global petroleum industry following the acknowledgment of the declining levels of petroleum in terrestrial reservoirs, which has led to intense focus on offshore exploration and production of petroleum. The global offshore support vessel market is thus likely to grow steadily in the coming years thanks to consistent utilization in the oil and gas industry.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Offshore Support Vessels Market: Key TrendsThe prime driver for the global offshore support vessels market is the rising investment being made in underexplored regions such as Africa and Brazil for offshore petroleum exploration and extraction. The West coast of Africa and the East coast of Brazil have become important regional segments of the global offshore support vessel market and are likely to be developed further in the coming years, resulting in steady growth prospects for the global offshore support vessels market.Other emerging economies such as China and India are also likely to increase their investment in offshore petroleum exploration in the coming years, which bodes well for the global offshore support vessel market. Meanwhile, the North Sea has also become important for the global petroleum industry and exploration and extraction projects in the region could also generate significant revenue for the offshore support vessels industry.On the other hand, the capital-intensive pricing dynamics of the offshore support vessel market have reduced the number of viable players claiming a sizable share in the global market. The steady decrease in petroleum prices in the last two years has also had an adverse effect on the global offshore support vessels market, as it has reduced the spending power of even some of the top companies in the global petroleum sector.Request TOC of the Report @Global Offshore Support Vessels Market: Market PotentialAdapting to dire pricing dynamics has forced many offshore support vessel manufacturers to fold up or accept inconvenient mergers. According to 2017s Annual Offshore Support Journal Conference, this is likely to remain the status quo in the global offshore support vessel industry in the coming months, with many more players likely to turn to mergers in order to sustain their business. The expected recovery in the petroleum sector in 2017 and 2018 could bring comfort to the offshore support vessel industry.Offshore support vessels designed to minimize their environmental impact are likely to become popular in the coming years. Norway and other countries using the oilfields in the North Sea have been among the first to use electrically powered offshore support vessels, and vessels with onboard batteries could soon become the norm rather than exception in the global offshore support vessel industry. Battery systems can be retrofitted on many existing designs of offshore support vessels, which could further increase the scope of their adoption in the offshore support vessel industry.Global Offshore Support Vessels Market: Geographical DynamicsNorth America, led by the U.S., is likely to remain the leader in the global offshore support vessel market in the coming years. Asia Pacific countries such as China and Latin American countries such as Brazil and Venezuela are also likely to feature prominently in the development of the offshore support vessel market in the coming years, whereas Western African countries could also benefit strongly from the increased offshore petroleum sector operations.Get a discount @Global Offshore Support Vessels Market: Competitive DynamicsThe leading companies in the global offshore support vessel industry include Tidewater, Inc., Farstad Shipping ASA, Gulfmark Offshore, Inc., Havila Shipping ASA, Swire Group, Ltd., Siem Offshore, Inc., Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc., Bourbon Corporation SA, The Maersk Group, and Seacor Marine, LLC. With steady consolidation likely to be the order of the day for the offshore support vessels industry in the coming months, larger players could benefit significantly from acquisitions and profitable mergers.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
Increasing Prevalence of Congestive Heart Failure Fuels Growth for Dilated Cardiomyopathy Therapeutics Market

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Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a significant cause of heart failure and a leading indication for heart transplant among children and adults across the globe. This condition is characterized by enlargement of ventricular chamber, thinning of heart walls and inability to sufficiently pump blood throughout the body. Dilated cardiomyopathy can develop at any age but is more common among people aged between 20 years to 60 years. Genetic inheritance is found to affect about 30% to 40% of the total DCM patients. Single gene mutations in either the structural proteins of the myocyte, such as dystrophin, metavinculin, and lamin, or of mitochondrial DNA are also a prominent cause of DCM. Other factors such as diabetes, thyroid disorder, alcoholism, viral infections of the heart and heart valve abnormalities can also lead to dilated cardiomyopathy. Moreover, according to the Pediatric Cardiomyopathy Registry, DCM occurs at a rate of 6 per million children. It is commonly diagnosed in younger children with an average age of diagnosis at 2 years.Perceive the Report Details for Dilated Cardiomyopathy Therapeutics Market:The global dilated cardiomyopathy therapeutics market is studied from two perspectives i.e. by drug class and by geography. Till date, there is no FDA approved drug specifically for dilated cardiomyopathy treatment. Owing to the aforementioned fact, the drug classes used in treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy are essentially the same as that for treatment of congestive heart failure. Some of the widely prescribed drug classes in dilated cardiomyopathy treatment encompass aldosterone antagonists, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and beta blockers. Angiotensin II receptor blockers acquired the largest market share by revenue in 2013, followed by beta blockers. This is attributed to high demand for block buster drugs in dilated cardiomyopathy treatment especially in the developed regions such as North America and Europe. Aldosterone antagonists recorded high growth rate due to the identified positive impact of aldosterone antagonists when used in combination with either ARBs or ACE inhibitors in reducing the progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Approval for this indication would further accelerate the overall sales of aldosterone antagonists, which in turn would positively impact market growth.Rising incidences of congestive heart failure across the globe is a prominent growth driver for dilated cardiomyopathy therapeutics market as DCM is one of the leading causes of heart failure. Globally, dilated cardiomyopathy accounts for approximately 30% to 40% of the total congestive heart failure cases each year. Owing to the alarming rise in incidences of congestive heart failure, several companies have initiated clinical trial studies to develop therapeutics specifically for dilated cardiomyopathy. For instance, Array BioPharma in 2015 is conducting a phase II study for its drug candidate ARRY-371797 for DCM treatment. Additionally, Celladon Corporation in 2014 completed its phase II study of MYDICAR for dilated cardiomyopathy treatment. Success of these clinical studies will boost the growth and demand for dilated cardiomyopathy therapeutics market in forthcoming years. However, promising gene therapy and availability of implantable devices (implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), heart pumps and pacemakers) are major restraints to the DCM therapeutics market.Request for the Sample Report:Geographically, dilated cardiomyopathy therapeutics market is studied for four regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Rest of the World. In terms of revenue, North America accounted for the largest market share in 2013 owing to rising incidences of congestive heart failure and high acceptance of branded drugs. In the U.S., DCM is prevalent in approximately five to eight people out of every 100,000 people. In Canada, heart failure affects over 1% of the total population and is responsible for about 9% of all the deaths. Asia Pacific and Rest of the World markets are the fastest growing markets due to rising economic standards, growing disposable income and high demand for generic drugs. Key players in the global DCM market include Array BioPharma, Inc., AstraZeneca plc, Celladon Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Novartis International AG, Pfizer, Inc., Sanofi S.A., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and Vericel Corporation.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Election Process Protection: Location Specific Custom Study, Registration, Voting Tallying and Recommendations

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ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Election Process Protection: Location Specific Custom Study, Registration, Voting Tallying, and Recommendations " to it's Large Report database.Political campaigning accounting for billions of dollars in spending, and domination of the news cycle (as James Michael Curley said so famously, Just spell my name right) get all the headlines. But what really matters in the end for the democratic process is the mechanics of running the election. We need a process that cannot be subverted. Countries, nations, states, regions, and counties need a process that counts the votes accurately and lets all qualified people vote.Democracies need a vote counting process that makes all fraud detectable immediately as the votes are being counted, there needs to be protections built in so that all observers, including the independent media have instant confidence in the integrity of the election process.The WinterGreen Research study is customized for each client. The breadth and depth of the laws, systems, and procedures used, the variety of voting registration systems and vote counting systems make it impossible to cover all those in depth in one study. The study gets too long. Instead this customer study is written in two weeks in response to input from a survey that collects information about the particular system being used.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:Russian efforts to hack voting systems in the United States have been well publicized. What has been less apparent is the inherent vulnerabilities of many of the voting systems in the US and elsewhere. Prelude to Custom Election Process Research: James B. Comey, former director of the F.B.I. Has indicated that Russian operatives intervened in the 2016 presidential election and that it could happen again. Russian hackers are the best in the world, that is why they are so good at building computer security systems, because they know how to hacek.Russian hackers breached Democratic email accounts; they orchestrated a hack that targeted thousands of US government state and local databases. Apparently Russian computer hacks harvested emails from the State Department and the White House. They apparently penetrated deep into the computer systems of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Russian effort to manipulate American politics is serious and needs to be addressed by the people responsible for running elections in the US.Browse more details @Table of ContentsElection Process Protection: Executive SummaryThe Study Itself Is A Custom Look At Any Particular Election District With Commentary On Particular Vulnerabilities And Recommendations For Improvement. This Includes Recommendations For Improvement In The Election CodeVoting Machines Prelude 2Growing Up With Voting Machines 2Voting Machine Hacking DynamicsA Successful Hack 8Gaps In Our Democracy 14Backdoor Hacks 16To put this to bed with piece of mind we need to count the votes, said Stein.Bruce Schneier, a voting expert at the Kennedy School and adjunct lecturer says a recount would not address the possibility of tampering with electronic voting machines. 1There are some weirdnesss in the vote tallies that could be explained by any number of things and election machine hacking is one of them, Schneier said. We need to do forensic analysis of the machines and look at the various internet trails, this is a lot of work and its unclear to me if a recount includes this.Hacking Individual U.S. Voting MachinesProblem StatementA System Is Only As Good As Its Weakest LinkThreat of Outside Intervention in the US Election Process / Could Russian Hackers Spoil Election Day?How To Make Fraud DetectableAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at:
X-ray Market - Outlook and Opportunity Analysis 2022

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Presently, the global market for X-ray systems and technologies is witnessing steady growth due to high prevalence and increasing incidence of cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary, and several other disorders. Additionally, the global aging population and commercialization of new, improved and technologically advanced X-ray systems would boost demand, which would in turn fuel the growth of the X-ray market. New and advanced X-ray systems increasingly find applications in breast cancer imaging, detection of tumor outgrowths, and several other chronic disorders and diseases. Demand for advanced systems is rapidly rising due to the need for early diagnosis to ensure effective treatment and/or management of the disease. Recent technological advancements in the diagnostics industry has led to the introduction of several advanced X-ray systems such as mobile and handheld digital systems, direct digital radiography systems, direct & indirect flat panel detection based systems, and CMOS and CCD based digital systems.Perceive the Report Details for X-ray Market:Stationary or fixed X-ray systems held the largest share of 60.1% of the global X-ray market in 2013. Stationary or fixed X-ray systems have been in use for a long time  since the discovery of first X-ray based imaging and diagnostic systems  in developed as well as less developed nations in the world. This is due to portable systems, especially handheld X-ray systems, were launched recently in the global market. However, portable systems are expected to witness high growth rate during the forecast period, and would outperform the stationary X-ray systems segment by 2022. Hospitals, diagnostic laboratories and health care professionals have started installing and using several portable especially mobile systems globally as these systems offer portability and ease of use over stationary systems particularly for bedside imaging or home health care. Based on X-ray technologies, the digital X-ray systems segment held the largest share of 69.1%, followed by the analog systems segment in the global X-ray market in 2013. The computed radiography systems sub-segment held the largest share of the digital X-ray systems segment in 2013. However, the direct digital radiography systems segment is expected to register fastest growth during the forecast period and outperform the CR systems segment by 2022. This is majorly due to introduction and increased acceptance of advanced direct digital X-ray systems that offer several advantages over traditional systems such as low exposure to harmful X-rays, better image quality, and less time consumption.According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, cardiovascular diseases accounted for around 17.3 million deaths in 2008, and the number is likely to increase to 23.3 million deaths each year by 2030. The low to middle income countries are the largest affected regions, accounting for 80% of all the deaths due to cardiovascular diseases across the world. According to WHO estimates, over 9 million people were suffering from tuberculosis globally in 2013. The number of TB cases increased by 4.7% from 8.6 million in 2012 to 9 million in 2013. The total number of deaths due to TB also increased by 15% from 1.3 million in 2012 to 1.5 million in 2013. According to WHO estimates, around 60% to 90% school children and 80% to 90% adults (age group: 19  34) suffer from dental cavities. Moreover, the global incidence rate of oral cancer ranges between one to ten cases per 100,000 individuals. At present, several X-ray technologies are increasingly being used for early detection of several chronic diseases and disorders to ensure effective diagnosis and treatment. However, high cost of advanced digital systems and implementation of legal provisions (e.g. affordable care act) that promote cost containment/cost cutting strategies could have a negative impact on the growth of the market in the near future. Moreover, presence of large underserved population in most of the emerging economies of the world would continue to provide future opportunities for the growth of the market during the forecast period.North America held the largest share of 34.6% of the global X-ray market in 2013, followed by Asia Pacific and Europe. North America comprises the developed economies of the U.S. and Canada that have a large number of elderly individuals suffering from various cardiovascular, orthopedic, genitourinary, and abdominal diseases and disorders. Hence, rising occurrence of various disorders along with high awareness and affordability among people and well established health care infrastructure in the region increases demand for advanced X-ray systems. However, Asia Pacific is expected to register the fastest growth during the forecast period from 2014 to 2022 due to rapid growth expectation of this market in countries such as China and India. The key factor attributed to the high growth of the market in the region is the presence of high geriatric population suffering from a range of respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary disorders requiring urgent diagnosis and effective treatment. Other factors include rising government support, increasing awareness and affordability, and corresponding demand for advanced X-ray systems across major economies in the region.Request for the Sample Report:Agfa-Gevaert N.V., Canon, Inc., Carestream Health, Inc., Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, GE Healthcare, Hologic, Inc., Hitachi Medical Corporation, Konica Minolta, Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, PerkinElmer, Inc., Philips Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare, Toshiba Corporation, and Varian Medical Systems, Inc. are the major players operating in the global X-ray market. Most of these players constantly innovate and develop technologically advanced and/or improved X-ray systems/technologies to maintain their position in the global 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:
The SON (Self-Organizing Networks) Ecosystem Market- Strategic recommendations for SON solution providers to 2030

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SON (Self-Organizing Network) technology minimizes the lifecycle cost of running a mobile network by eliminating manual configuration of equipment at the time of deployment, right through to dynamically optimizing performance and troubleshooting during operation. This can significantly reduce the cost of the operators services, improving the OpEx to revenue ratio.Amid growing demands for mobile broadband connectivity, mobile operators are keen to capitalize on SON to minimize rollout delays and operational expenditures associated with their ongoing LTE and small cell deployments.Originally targeted for the RAN (Radio Access Network) segment of mobile networks, SON technology is now also utilized in the mobile core and transport network segments. In addition, Wi-Fi access point OEMs are beginning to integrate SON features such as plug-and-play deployment, autonomous performance optimization, self-healing and proactive defense against unauthorized access.Despite challenges relating to implementation complexities and multi-vendor interoperability, SON revenue is expected to grow to more than $5 Billion by the end of 2020, exceeding conventional mobile network optimization revenue by a significant margin. Furthermore, the SON ecosystem is increasingly witnessing convergence with other technological innovations such as Big Data, predictive analytics and DPI (Deep Packet Inspection).Get Sample Copy Of This Report @The SON (Self-Organizing Networks) Ecosystem: 2016  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts report presents an in-depth assessment of the SON and associated mobile network optimization ecosystem including key market drivers, challenges, OpEx and CapEx savings potential, use cases, SON deployment case studies, future roadmap, value chain, vendor analysis and strategies. The report also presents revenue forecasts for both SON and conventional mobile network optimization, along with individual projections for 10 SON submarkets, 6 regions and 15 countries from 2016 through to 2030.The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report.The report covers the following topics:Conventional mobile network planning & optimizationSON technology and architectureKey benefits and market drivers of SONChallenges to SON adoptionSON use casesSON deployment case studiesFuture roadmap of the SON ecosystemCompany profiles and strategies of over 120 SON ecosystem playersOpEx and CapEx saving analysis of SONWireless network infrastructure spending, traffic projections and value chainConvergence of SON with Big Data, predictive analytics and DPIStrategic recommendations for SON solution providers, wireless infrastructure OEMs and mobile operatorsMarket analysis and forecasts from 2016 till 2030View Report @Forecast SegmentationMarket forecasts are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:Mobile Network OptimizationSONConventional Mobile Network Planning & OptimizationSON Network Segment SubmarketsMacrocell RANHetNet RANMobile CoreMobile Backhaul & FronthaulSON Architecture SubmarketsC-SON (Centralized SON)D-SON (Distributed SON)SON Access Network Technology Submarkets2G & 3GLTEWi-Fi5GRegional MarketsAsia PacificEastern EuropeLatin & Central AmericaMiddle East & AfricaNorth AmericaWestern EuropeCountry MarketsAustraliaBrazilCanadaChinaFranceGermanyIndiaItalyJapanRussiaSouth KoreaSpainTaiwanUKUSAThe report provides answers to the following key questions:How big is the SON and mobile network optimization ecosystem?How is the ecosystem evolving by segment and region?What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?Who are the key SON vendors and what are their strategies?What is the outlook for QoE based SON solutions?How can SON ease the deployment of unlicensed LTE small cells?What SON capabilities will 5G networks entail?What is the outlook for C-SON and D-SON adoption?How will SON investments compare with those on traditional mobile network optimization?What opportunities exist for SON in mobile core and transport networks?How will SON use cases evolve overtime in 3GPP releases?Which regions will see the highest number of SON investments?How much will mobile operators invest in SON solutions?What is the outlook for SON associated OpEx savings by region?The report has the following key findings:Despite challenges relating to implementation complexities and multi-vendor interoperability, SON revenue is expected to grow to more than $5 Billion by the end of 2020, exceeding conventional mobile network optimization revenue by a significant margin.Mobile operators have reported up to a 50% reduction in dropped calls and over 20% higher data rates with SON implementation. Besides common network optimization use cases, operators are also capitalizing on SON platforms to address critical business objectives such as refarming 2G/3G spectrum for LTE networks.In a bid to differentiate their products, Wi-Fi access point OEMs are beginning to integrate SON features such as plug-and-play deployment, autonomous performance optimization, self-healing and proactive defense against unauthorized access.SON platforms are moving from reactive systems to more advanced implementations that incorporate predictive analytics technology to make necessary changes to a network before any degradation occurs.Infrastructure and software incumbents are continuing to acquire smaller established C-SON players to accelerate their entry path into the C-SON market.List of Companies Mentioned3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project)Accedian NetworksAccelleranAlcatel-LucentAltiostar NetworksAlvarion TechnologiesAmdocsAniteArcadyan Technology CorporationArgelaARIB (Association of Radio Industries and Businesses, Japan)AricentAriesoARItelArtemis NetworksCellMiningCellwizeCeltroCENTRICisco SystemsCitrix SystemsComarchCommAgilityCommScopeCommsquareConnectemContelaCoriantCrowdXDatang MobileDell EMCDell TechnologiesDigitataD-Link CorporationECE (European Communications Engineering)Eden Rock CommunicationsEquiendoErcomEricssonETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)EXFOFlash NetworksForskFreescale SemiconductorFujitsuGemtek Technology CompanyGeneral Dynamics Mission SystemsGlobe TelecomGoNet SystemsGuavusGWT (Global Wireless Technologies)HitachiHuaweiInfoVistaIngenia TelecomCountires CoveredAustraliaBrazilCanadaChinaFranceGermanyIndiaItalyJapanRussiaSouth KoreaSpainTaiwanUKMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Pharmaceutical Filtration Market Analysis - Regional Outlook, Segments And Forecast To 2025

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Global Pharmaceutical Filtration Market: OverviewFilters are applied in many stages during the production of small molecule drugs, also referred to as active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). They remove or lessen the particles and bacteria in process components. The filters prevent process solutions from getting contaminated when stored in tanks.Pharmaceutical filtration find application in final product processing, cell separation, raw material filtration, water purification, and air purification. Among them, the final product-processing segment is predicted to gain maximum market share in the years to come because of the substantial upswing in the manufacture of biologics and generic drug production along with stringent regulatory guidelines to maintain a clean and safe manufacturing environment.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Pharmaceutical Filtration Market: Key TrendsMajorly boosting the global market for pharmaceutical filtration is the rising manufacture of large molecules and biologics, technological progress in nanofibers, proliferation in the generics market, and regulatory mandates for cleanrooms in pharmaceutical production. Other factors promoting the market are rise in expenditure in research and development by biopharmaceutical companies to offer a strong biologics pipeline.There are also numerous challenges facing the global market for pharmaceutical filtration. One of them is the cost control pressures. On account of numerous filters used during the production of APIs, it becomes crucial for companies to collaborate with a supplier committed to cost-effectiveness. Other factors crimping the market are the massive upfront capital required to set up new production facilities and strict regulatory norms to validate the filtration process.Request TOC of the Report @Global Pharmaceutical Filtration Market: Market PotentialThe global market for pharmaceutical filtration can be classified based on different parameters such as application, scale of operation, product, technique, and region. Depending upon the type of product, for example, the market for pharmaceutical filtration can be classified into membrane filters, cartridge and capsule filters, prefilters and depth media filters, filtration accessories, single-use systems, filter holders, and other products.The membrane filters, among them, account for maximum share of the overall market. Going forward, the product segment is also slated to outpace all others in terms of compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Driving their market is the fact that they can be installed in large and small manufacturing facilities easily due to the availability of a variety of pore and surface types.Depending upon technique, the microfiltration segment commands a dominating share in the global pharmaceutical filters market. The technique is applied to various applications ranging from the removal of unwanted suspensions to the removal of bacteria from the process material. This is a major factor responsible for the large share of this segment.Request Discount of the Report @Global Pharmaceutical Filtration Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the key segments of the global pharmaceutical filtration market are Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and the Rest of the World. North America is a key region and so is Europe. This is mainly on account of the strict rules pertaining to drug safety that has led to the swift uptake of pharmaceutical filtration products. Concentration of numerous key players in the region is also stoking growth in the market.Going forward, Asia Pacific is slated clock impressive growth due to rising investments in the biopharmaceutical industry and the increase in contract research and manufacturing organizations in low cost markets in the region.Global Pharmaceutical Filtration Market: Competitive AnalysisProminent names operating in the pharmaceutical filtration market are Merck KGaA, GE Healthcare, Pall Corporation, Parker Hannifin Corporation, and Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
U.S. Broom Market Report - Share, Size, Trends, Growth and Forecast 2017-2025

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IndexBox has just published a new report "U.S. Broom, Brush, And Mop Market. Analysis And Forecast to 2025" ().The report provides on an in-depth analysis of the U.S. broom, brush, and mop market. It presents the latest data of the market size and volume, domestic production, exports and imports, price dynamics and turnover in the industry. In addition, the report contains insightful information about the industry, including industry life cycle, business locations, productivity, employment and many other crucial aspects. The Company Profiles section contains actual data on the major players in the industry.Countries coverage: the U.S.Product coverage:Brooms, mops, and dusters; Brushes and holders, pads, roller frames and rollers (including replacement rollers), paint and varnish; Brushes, other types; Broom, brush, and mop manufacturing, nsk, totalAbstract:In 2015, the value of broom, brush, and mop production in the U.S. amounted to $2.3B, growing by +1.8% against the previous year level. Overall, the U.S. broom, brush, and mop output pursued a pronounced growth from 2007 to 2015. The total output figures increased at an average annual rate of +2.2%. The trend pattern, however, indicated some noticable fluctuations throughout the analyzed period. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2010, when the output figure increased by +8% from the previous year level. Over the period under review, the total value of broom, brush, and mop shipments reached its maximum level in 2015, and is likely to continue its growth in the immediate term.Brushes, other types accounted for the highest share (52% in 2015) of U.S. broom, brush, and mop manufacturing, leaving a considerable room for brooms, mops, and dusters (29%). The other related products with less notable individual shares together comprised approx. 19% of the total output.Companies mentioned:The Wooster Brush Company,Weiler Corporation,Quickie Manufacturing Corp,Felton,United Rotary Brush Corporation,Freudenberg Household Products LP,The Libman Company,Brush Research Manufacturing Co Inc,The Malish Corporation,Pferd Milwaukee Brush Company Inc,The Evercare Company,F.M. Brush Co. Inc.,Maugus Manufacturing,Gordon Brush Mfg. Co.,Old Dominion Brush Company,Detroit Quality Brush Manufacturing Company,Sanderson-Macleod,Butler Home Products,Premier Paint Roller Mfg. Co.,Northwestern Converting Co.,Kleen Maid,Greenwood Mop and Broom,Magnolia Brush Manufacturers,Carlisle Sanitary Maintenance Products Inc,The Tuway American Group Inc ,Foampro Mfg,Mobile Products,FHP-Berner USA LP,Sunstar Americas,Nagl Manufacturing Company,Lions Services,Ingenious Designs ,Nova Wildcat Shur-Line, LLCData coverage: Broom, brush, and mop market size; Broom, brush, and mop production, value of shipments; Key market players and their profiles; Exports, imports and trade balance; Import and export prices; Forecast of the market dynamics in the medium term; Key industry statistics; Life cycle of the broom, brush, and mop industry; Number of establishments and their locations; Employment data; Broom, brush, and mop industry productivity.Reasons to buy this report: Take advantage of the latest data; Find deeper insights into current market developments; Discover vital success factors affecting the market.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
Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting System Market Projected to Grow at Steady Rate through (2027)

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With the increasing rate of cardiovascular disease constant innovation and advancement in technology has become paramount. In the field of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) introduction of endoscopic vessel harvesting system market has open up newer opportunities for companies. Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is a procedure for restoring the blood supply to the heart muscle due to blockage or narrowing of one or more coronary arteries. Traditionally, the technique involved in harvesting procedure was open vein harvesting (OVH) which involved a single continuous skin incision. With the recent advancement in technology, the process is less invasive by endoscopic vessel harvesting (EVH) this technique reduces leg wound morbidity because of small incisions compared to open vein harvesting. Endoscope is a medical instrument used for capturing a picture inside a hollow area, which is connected to a video camera and inserted through a small incision that is made in the leg. The saphenous vein inside the leg is viewed by the endoscope and helps the surgeon in identifying and to remove the vein with minimal pain to the leg.Request For Report Sample@According to Center of Disease Control and Prevention, around 3,95,000 CABG surgeries were performed in the United States in 2013. The endoscopic vessel harvesting system market is mainly driven by the incidence and prevalence rate of coronary diseases. Moreover due to benefits such as less invasive modality, including a lower infection rate, fewer wound complications, improved cosmesis, and greater patient satisfaction physicians and patients are opting for this treatment. High pool of geriatric population and awareness programs among surgeons will drive the endoscopic vessel harvesting system market. However, endoscopic vessel harvesting system market has some restraints, lack of skilled professionals in the developing countries and unstable reimbursement regulations are hampering the growth of endoscopic vessel harvesting system in developing countries. Apart from this the presence of alternative therapies may hinder the growth of the endoscopic vessel harvesting systems market.The Global endoscopic vessel harvesting system market is segmented on the basis of product type and regional presence:Segmentation based on product typeDisposableReusableGeographically the endoscopic vessel harvesting system market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and MEA region.CABG is most common type of heart surgery performed in North America region as per University of Michigan. North America followed by Europe are currently leading in the endoscopic vessel harvesting system market as high incidence of coronary disease due to sedentary lifestyle pattern adopted in these region and availability of all the types of minimally invasive CABG surgeries. The endoscopic vessel harvesting system market in Asia Pacific is expected to deliver tremendous growth due to the growth in per capita income in Asian countries and increase in medical tourism industry. With the growing access of public with healthcare professional and expanding economy china is expected to be the fastest growing market for endoscopic vessel harvesting system.Visit For TOC@Some major companies in the endoscopic vessel harvesting system market are Maquet Holding B.V. & Co. KG., OLYMPUS CORPORATION, Terumo Cardiovascular Systems Corporation., Med Europe S.r.l. (Elite Life Care), Sorin Group Inc., Saphena Medical, Inc and Terumo Cardiovascular Systems Corporation.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:
Genome Engineering Market is Anticipated to Show the Robust Growth by 2023

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A new study by Transparency Market Research indicates that the degree of competitive rivalry in genome engineering rivalry market is likely to remain moderate over the forecast period owing to the presence of a limited number of international and regional players. Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., and Sangamo Biosciences Inc. are among the prominent revenue contributors to the market. The entry of small regional players in the arena is prompting global players to pay high attention to product innovation.Perceive the Report Details for Genome Engineering Market:To develop innovative, technologically advanced and differentiated products, the leading companies are banking on agreements with laboratories and research institutes and pouring funds into ongoing research and development projects, says the author of the report. The global genome engineering market is anticipated to reach a valuation of US$7.21 bn by 2023 from US$2.30 bn in 2015, expanding at a remarkable CAGR of 14.2% from 2015 to 2023.North America to Remain Ahead through 2023, thanks to Upswing in Research and Development ActivitiesBy end user, the market will be dominated by the biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies throughout the forecast period. The growth of the segment can be attributed to the rising use of genome engineering technologies in drug discovery and therapeutics. North America will continue to be the frontrunner in the global arena until 2023, rising to a valuation of US$3.68 bn. The widening applications of genome engineering resulting from the increasing research and development activities are contributing to the growth of the region. Asia Pacific will be the most promising regional market, thanks to the increasing government incentives.Increasing Funding by Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Organizations to Augment Genome Engineering MarketPharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide are increasingly realizing the need for advanced gene editing technologies for detecting genetic anomalies. As a result, the number of research and development activities is rising at a significant pace. Large organizations are focusing towards cell mutation to curb genetic and cell diseases. To encourage the development of technologies relating to gene editing, pharmaceutical companies are either funding ongoing projects of medical firms or entering into a collaboration with them, says a TMR analyst. Therefore, the increasing research and development activities in the field of gene editing is paving for genome engineered techniques.The growing investments by governments and non-government organizations in genome research and technological advancements along with the funding by pharmaceutical and biotechnology are providing a fillip to the global genome engineering market.Rising Opposition on Ethical Grounds to Hamper Growth ProspectsOver the past few years, genetic engineering has received a lot of opposition on ethical grounds from several health, social, and religious organizations. According to the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH), genetic engineering of human embryos leads to complications in human genes and has, therefore, prohibited its funding. In addition, various social organizations are persistent about the ban of genetic engineering as the alteration in animal genes can adversely affect the genetic makeup of the coming generations of the animal along with hampering the lifespan of the genetically engineered animal.Request for the Sample Report:Along with the rising ethical concerns, the stringent regulatory framework for the approval of genetic modifications in plants, animals, and human genome are acting as a major bottleneck in the growth of the global genome engineering market. Nevertheless, the growing adoption of genome engineering technologies in agriculture for crop improvement is opening new avenues for players in the 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:
Smart Healthcare Products Market Company Analysis and Forecast to 2023

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The scope of product differentiation in the global market for smart healthcare products is quite high and therefore allows multiple players to be in the lead across various product segments. For instance, in 2014, Epic Systems Corporation and Allscripts Healthcare Solutions were at the top of the e-health records charts, Medtronic and Olympus Corporation led the smart pills sales, while Becton Dickinson & Company and Medtronic again were at the forefront in smart syringes.Perceive the Report Details for Smart Healthcare Products Market:As per a recent release by Transparency Market Research on smart healthcare products, the key players of this global market  regardless of their priority products segment - have all shown great interest in consolidation efforts. They have focused on creating fruitful partnerships and acting on several mergers and acquisitions over the past few years.The global market for smart healthcare products is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.84% from 2015 to 2023 with respect to the revenue. It is expected to be valued at US$31.71 bn before the end of 2016 and US$57.85 bn by 2023.Smart pills are showing a humongous increase in demand and are likely to continue doing so till 2023. Smart pills are projected at a very promising CAGR 18.84% from 2015 to 2023. Meanwhile, electronic health records are expected to remain the dominant smart healthcare product segment till 2023 when it is expected to accrue a revenue of US$39.61 bn. In terms of smart healthcare product applications, health data storage and exchange as a segment is expected to generate US$39.73 bn by 2023, thus remaining the dominant application segment till then.North America Stays on Top of Smart Healthcare Products DemandThe sheer demand for smart healthcare products in North America is expected to keep this region at the top of the charts till 2023. By the end of 2023, North America is expected to gather US$21.09 bn in smart healthcare product revenue. This is attributed to the large number of incoming small and medium-sized enterprises, along with constant market consolidation efforts by the more prominent players.Meanwhile, Asia Pacific is expected to show a robust CAGR of 9.77% from 2015 to 2023 owing to a quickly evolving healthcare industry on a digital scale. The digitization of the Asia Pacific healthcare industry is supported by both private and government organizations, allowing for a high scope of entry for local as well as globally prominent smart healthcare product manufacturers.Smart Healthcare Products Incorporation into IoT Apps to Consolidate Demand Over TimeThe IoT revolution has already caught up with the global smart healthcare products market and is creating a vast scope of applications in the market through the use of advanced sensors and machine communication technologies. The implementation of the latest IoT technologies is allowing manufacturers of healthcare hardware and medical equipment to produce and store medical records at rates much faster than before, states a TMR analyst.The scope of application of IoT in smart healthcare products is extremely high and can only be revealed through constant development efforts. A lot of top healthcare organizations are already using measuring and monitoring devices that are remotely controlled to provide astute critical care to patients. Medical personnel can access the recorded information at any time from relevant connected devices and across multiple device platforms, thus increasing the patients chances of recovery vastly.Security Issues Continue to Deter Smart Healthcare Product UsersAmong the few restraints on the growth of smart healthcare products on a global scale, two key factors that lie in its path are cost and safety. A large number of smart healthcare products are very high in cost, making them inaccessible for patients from several developing economies. The cost of implementing smart healthcare products is also quite high for healthcare organizations as well, as the growing use of cutting-edge smart tools requires a greater number of skilled labor, which is currently short in supply on a global level. Several studies have also posited that the use of smart healthcare products by small healthcare organizations or individual medical practitioners can actually be detrimental to their financial situation rather than make things smoother and cost-effective. At the moment, most large-scale implementations are therefore restricted to large healthcare organizations.Request for the Sample Report:The healthcare sector is not completely immune to market volatility, but can still show a constant rate of improvement especially in developing economies. Manufacturers of smart healthcare products can look to these regions for better chances while the spending in their healthcare industries increases steadily, adds the analyst.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:
Opencart Sellers now can tap into Walmart.com 100+ million monthly visitors

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https://cedcommerce.com/opencart-extensions/walmart-opencart-integration

Portland, Oregon  (August 29, 2017)  As holiday season is approaching, online sellers are making their online stores robust and stop sales-leaks. For this they are adopting a multi-pronged strategy which includes selling on Marketplaces where their targeted audience is already present.So enabling Opencart store owners to sell on Walmart.com one of the largest marketplaces of the U.S. - 110 million monthly unique visitors, Cedcommerce, on Tuesday, launched Walmart opencart multi-channel listing extension. With this extension, they can integrate their OpenCart store and can automatically download orders and upload orders shipping information.Opencart Walmart Integration is another addition in CedCommerce Marketplace Integration product-line that enables Opencart sellers to easily get their products listed on the most trafficked e-commerce site and get more exposure of their products.What is Opencart Walmart Integration Exension?Opencart Walmart Integration extension involves integration of Opencart store to Walmart Marketplace. It integrates store with Walmart to grow their e-commerce business. This integration automates ordering process and facilitates product handling and management.Official Channel Integration Partner:Being a TRUSTED Walmart, Sears and Newegg Channel Integration Partner, CedCommerce offers API Integration extension solution that enables sellers/merchants of Opencart to list their products on Walmart.com.Features of Opencart Walmart Integration:Bulk Upload: To reduce the effort it provides facility to select the products in bulk and upload in one go.Synchronized Product edits: Any alteration in the product information get reflected on Walmart.com.Synchronized Inventory: Whether the sale is from Opencart store or from Walmart, the product inventory reflects the total stock available.Refund: Simple refund creation process.Notifications: Updates vendors through notifications for every change that occurred and email is sent for every order placed.Cron Management: Cron job automates the process for Inventory, Price and Order managementConsolidate Orders: It allows vendors to manage orders form their Opencart store panel.Product Status Sync: Store owners can synchronize product status between Walmart and Opencart store.Vacation mode: It allows vendors to dismiss product from Walmart when they are out for vacation.Availability and Pricing:The app can be downloaded from the Opencart app store by following the link ()and ,the linkcan be used to directly arrive at the product page and is priced at $399 at one time payment.About CedCommerce:Established in 2010, CedCommerce offers API Integration Extension for Opencart Users. Upon installation of these extension, the Opencart users can offer their products at largest marketplaces of USA  Walmart.com, Jet.com and now Sears.com. The Company is OFFICIAL channel integration partner of Walmart.com, Newegg.com, and Sears.com.We build Magento solutions that are robust, affordable and user friendly.1812 N Columbia Blvd, Suite C15-653026, Portland,Oregon, 97217, USA
Xanthan Gum Market Varistor Research Report Shows Speedy Growth 2025

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Global Xanthan Gum Market: OverviewXanthan gum, refers to a polysaccharide made by fermenting corn sugar with a bacteria, xanthomonas campestris - the same bacteria that leads to the creation of black spots on vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli. The strain of xanthomonas campestris used for obtaining xanthan gum is non-toxic and non-pathogenic for humans and animals. It is therefore preferred over several other emulsifiers in food products. Xanthan gum is actually one of the worlds 30 most used popular products used in the food industry.Global Xanthan Gum Market: Drivers and RestraintsDemand across the food and beverages industry is expected to continue to remain one of the key forces driving the global market for xanthan gum in the next few years. Of late, the increased global demand for packaged, ready-to-eat, and convenience foods has significantly increased the uptake of xanthan gum in the food and beverages industry. The food and beverages industry presently accounts for over half the global consumption of xanthan gum and the industry is expected to drive the market owing to high demand across food products such as salad dressings and sauces and dairy products such as ice creams.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The inherent superiority of the product over other common hydrocolloids is also a key driver of the global xanthan gum market. However, the market is presently struggling to cope up with the reinforced policies regarding anti-dumping across a number of developed economies and restrictions on the import of xanthan gum from China and Austria. The rising mistrust regarding the quality of xanthan gum by suppliers in China, which is presently the leading producer of the product on the global front, is also expected to hamper the overall growth prospects of the market to a certain extent.Global Xanthan Gum Market: Market PotentialLooking at the significant rise in demand for xanthan gum from across the globe, key producers of the product are focusing on the expansion of their existing production sites, strengthening their distribution channels, and exploring new regional territories to add to their customer bases. In February 2013, CP Kelco, one of the worlds dominant producers of xanthan gum, announced the expansion of its production facility in San Diego by around 40% so as to meet the heightened demand owing to a clampdown by the U.S. government on imports by Chinese and Austrian companies owing to quality issues. The company announced its plans to build a new manufacturing plant in North America for the production of and specialty xanthan gum and gellan gum.Request TOC of the Report @Global Xanthan Gum Market: Regional OverviewThe global market for xanthan gum has been predominantly led by Asia Pacific. The region accounts for a significant share of the global market for xanthan gum and is expected to show growth at a promising pace over the next few years as well. The massive demand for xanthan gum from China is expected to help the Asia Pacific market for xanthan gum remain dominant from a geographical perspective. The thriving market for food and beverages in China and other emerging economies in the region such as India is leading to the high demand for xanthan gum in the region.North America is another promising market for xanthan gum and is expected to become a matured market in the next few years owing to the increased use of the product for a number of industrial applications. The demand for xanthan gum is expected to witness rise at a slower pace in regions such as Middle East and Africa and Latin America.Request Discount of the Report @Global Xanthan Gum Market: Competitive DynamicsThe global market for xanthan gum features a largely consolidated competitive landscape, with the leading few companies accounting for a massive share in the global market. Some of the leading vendors operating in the global xanthan gum market are Archer Daniels Midland Company, MeiHua Holdings Group Co., Ltd, Fufeng Group Company Limited, Hebei Xinhe Biochemical Co., The Aurora Chemical, CP Kelco, The Zoranoc Oilfield Chemical, DuPont-Danisco, Deosen, Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG, Ltd., Cargill, Inc., FMC BioPolymer, and Solvay S.A.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Telemedicine Technologies and Services Market - Trends And Opportunities For The Industry By 2023

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Global Telemedicine Technologies and Services Market: OverviewThe changing dynamics of the healthcare industry have had a major impact on the trajectory of the global telemedicine technologies and services market. The report indicates that the global market will grow at a rapid pace as the world is witnessing emergence of deadly diseases and adoption of technologies in the remotest corners of the world. The rising uptake technology has allowed several medical professionals to reach out to a bigger patient base and offer critical tele-support. In the coming years, the global telemedicine technologies and services market is poised to revolutionize the way diseases are managed.Perceive the Report Details for Telemedicine Technologies and Services Market:Transparency Market Research provides a detailed analysis of the global telemedicine technologies and services market in its latest research report. The publication presents an unbiased scrutiny of the global market with the help of SWOT analysis and Porters five forces analysis. It highlights the impact of political, economic, environmental, and technological aspects on the overall scenario. Furthermore, it also evaluates the competitive landscape present in the global market.Global Telemedicine Technologies and Services Market: Drivers and OpportunitiesThe World Health Organization states that the geriatric population across the globe is likely to reach 1.5 billion by the end of 2050 from 524 million in 2010. Thus, the exponential rise in the number of geriatrics is likely to be the key growth driver for the global telemedicine technologies and services market. Advent of technology, rapid penetration of mobile phones, superior connectivity, and emergence of ICT services are likely to make a collective contribution to the soaring profits of the global market.On the basis of component, the global market is divided into services, software, and hardware. Of these, the telemedicine services division is gain steady momentum as it offers high quality of medical services in the remotest areas. It has enabled a wider reach of medicine and science to the patients in need through reliable technology and well-established infrastructure. The cost-effectiveness of telemedicine technologies and services can especially be felt in developing regions of the world where basic amenities remain significantly unaffordable. Analysts estimate that the persistent demand for healthcare facilities, medical advice, and emergence of endemics in developing countries will bolster the growth of the services segment in the foreseeable future.Global Telemedicine Technologies and Services Market: Regional OutlookIn terms of geography, the global telemedicine technologies and services market is divided into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Of these, North America is leading the pack and is expected to maintain its stance in the near future. As of 2014, the regional market held a whopping share of 53.3% in the global telemedicine technologies and services market. It robust communication, healthcare, and medical infrastructure in the region are expected to drive the North America telemedicine technologies and services market. Strong presence of suppliers, hospitals, and higher acceptance of technology is also expected to keep North America at the forefront.On the other hand, Asia Pacific is also expected offer several lucrative opportunities to the global market. The large population base, various unmet medical needs, and a emergence of the medical tourism industry are all expected to have a positive impact on the regional market in the near future.The global telemedicine technologies and services market is predominantly driven by increase in the global geriatric population, advances in mobile penetration, connectivity, and ICT services, and burden on existing hospital care due to growing health care demands.Request for the Sample Report:Key Players Mentioned in the Report are:Some of the leading players operating in the global telemedicine technologies and services market are Aerotel Medical Systems Ltd., General Electric Company, LifeWatch AG, AMD Global Telemedicine, Inc., and Honeywell International, 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:
The Connected Car Ecosystem Market Analysis of key applications and opportunities

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"The Report The Connected Car Ecosystem: 2016 - 2030 - Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"The growing proliferation of embedded in-vehicle connectivity and smartphone integration platforms has made connected cars one of the fastest growing segments of the IoT (Internet of Things) market. Keen to establish recurring post-sale service revenue streams, all major automotive OEMs are investing in connected car programs. Other ecosystem players, such as mobile operators and telematics specialists, are also vying to gain a larger share of the opportunity. In fact, many mobile operators have expanded beyond their traditional role as connectivity providers, to offer end-to-end connected car platforms directly to automotive OEMs and aftermarket suppliers.By the end of 2016, SNS Research estimates that connected car services will account for $14 Billion in annual revenue, driven by a host of applications, including but not limited to infotainment, navigation, fleet management, remote diagnostics, automatic crash notification, enhanced safety, UBI (Usage Based Insurance), traffic management and semi-autonomous driving.The ""Connected Car Ecosystem: 2016  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts"" report presents an in-depth assessment of the connected car ecosystem including OEM connected car programs, enabling technologies, key trends, market drivers, challenges, applications, collaborative initiatives, regulatory landscape, standardization, opportunities, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also presents market size forecasts for connected car services from 2016 through to 2030. The forecasts are segmented for 3 connectivity models, 5 application categories, 5 regions and 17 leading countries.View Report @The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report.The report covers the following topics:Connected car ecosystemMarket drivers and barriersEnabling technologies and key trendsConnected car programs and platform offeringsEmbedded, tethered and integrated connectivity modelsAnalysis of key applications and opportunitiesRegulatory landscape, collaborative initiatives and standardizationIndustry roadmap and value chainProfiles and strategies of over 240 leading ecosystem players, including automotive OEMs, mobile operators and connected car platform specialistsStrategic recommendations for ecosystem playersMarket analysis and forecasts from 2016 till 2030Get Sample Copy Of This Report @Forecast SegmentationConnected car installed base and service revenue forecasts are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:Connectivity ModelEmbeddedTetheredIntegratedApplication CategoryCommunications, Infotainment & PaymentsNavigation & Location ServicesVehicle ManagementSafety & SecurityDriver Assistance & Autonomous DrivingEmbedded Car ConnectionsGSMCDMA-2000W-CDMATD-SCDMALTE & 5GSatellite & Other TechnologiesTethered Car ConnectionsWirelessWirelineIntegrated Car ConnectionsApple CarPlayAndroid AutoMirrorLinkOthersRegional MarketsAsia PacificEuropeMiddle East & AfricaNorth AmericaLatin & Central AmericaCountry MarketsBrazilCanadaChinaEgyptFranceGermanyIndiaIndonesiaItalyJapanMexicoRussiaSaudi ArabiaSouth AfricaSouth KoreaUKUSAThe report provides answers to the following key questions:How big is the connected car opportunity?What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?How is the ecosystem evolving by segment and region?What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?Which countries and submarkets will see the highest percentage of growth?Who are the key market players and what are their strategies?How will connected cars drive investments in Big Data, cloud computing, analytics and other technologies?What are the growth prospects of embedded, tethered and integrated connectivity options?How do government mandates and initiatives impact the adoption of embedded connectivity?What are the future prospects of self-driving cars and cooperative V2X applications?Do LTE and 5G technologies pose a threat to the 802.11p standard for V2X communications?What strategies should automotive OEMs, mobile operators and connected car platform specialists adopt to remain competitive?The report has the following key findings:By the end of 2016, SNS Research estimates that connected car services will account for $14 Billion in annual revenue, driven by a host of applications. The market is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 31% between 2016 and 2020.Although the market is presently dominated by infotainment and telematics, connected driver assistance systems and autonomous driving applications will witness the highest growth rate over the next four years.Multiple automotive OEMs are beginning to integrate in-vehicle payment capabilities with their connected car platforms to make it possible for drivers to pay for services such as fuel, parking, food and tolling, without having to leave their vehicles.The connected car ecosystem continues to consolidate, with larger players investing in acquisitions to increase their market share, technical capabilities, revenue and geographic reach. For example, semiconductor giant Intel has made a spate of acquisitions including Altera, Yogitech, Arynga and Itseez, to bolster its IoT and connected car capabilities.Many mobile operators have expanded beyond their traditional role as connectivity providers, to offer end-to-end connected car platforms directly to automotive OEMs and aftermarket suppliers.List of Companies Mentioned21ViaNet Group3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project)Abalta TechnologiesAccentureAcuraAeris CommunicationsAppleArada SystemsARIB (Association of Radio Industries and Businesses, Japan)AryngaAssociation of Global AutomakersAT&TAT&T MobilityATIS (Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions, U.S.)Atmel CorporationAtosAudiAutologicAutomatic LabsAutoNavi SoftwareAutonet MobileAutotalksAVnu AllianceAzugaB&B ElectronicsBaiduBlackBerryBMWBoschBosch SoftTecBosch Software InnovationsBouygues GroupCobra Automotive TechnologiesCohda WirelessComtech TCSConnect OneConnexisContinentalCovisintCox AutomotiveCoyote SystemsCPIC (China Pacific Insurance Group)CSRCubic TelecomDaimlerdeCartaDelphiDENATRAN (National Road Transport Department, Brazil)Denso CorporationDGEDigi InternationalDigiaDongfeng Motor CorporationDT (Deutsche Telekom)DTSEDGE3 TechnologiesGemaltoGENIVI AllianceGettGM (General Motors Company)GoogleGSMAH&D WirelessHarman International IndustriesHawtai Motor GroupHDS (Hitachi Data Systems)HEREHitachiHonda Motor CompanyHTC CorporationHuaweiHughes TelematicsHyundai Motor CompanyiBiquity Digital CorporationIBMIEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)iHeartMediaIMS (Intelligent Mechatronic Systems)Infineon TechnologiesInfinitiIngenieINRIXINSYS MicroelectronicsIntel CorporationInthinc Technology SolutionsInventek Systemsip-labelISO (International Organization for Standardization)ITS America (Intelligent Transportation Society of America)ITS Australia (Intelligent Transport Systems Australia)ITS JapanITU (International Telecommunications Union)iWOW ConnectionsIxonosJaguar Land RoverJasper TechnologiesJohnson ControlsJVCKENWOOD CorporationKapsch TrafficComKaramba SecurityMIC (MiTAC International Corporation)MichelinMicrochip TechnologyMicrosoft CorporationMicrotronicsMinacsMio TechnologyMitsubishi Electric CorporationMitsubishi Motors CorporationMobileyeModacomMojioMOSTCO (MOST Cooperation)MovistarMulti-Tech SystemsMurata ManufacturingNEC CorporationNeowayNetsizeNissan Motor CompanyNNGNokiaNovatel WirelessNoveroNTT DoCoMoNuance CommunicationsnuTonomyNvidia CorporationNXP SemiconductorsOAA (Open Automotive Alliance)Octo TelematicsON SemiconductorOneM2MOnStar CorporationOPEN Alliance SIG (Special Industry Group)OpenCarOpenmaticsOption NVOracleOrangeORBCOMMPanasonic CorporationPandora MediaParrotSAIC Motor CorporationSamsung ElectronicsSAPSavariScaniaSEATSeeing MachinesSierra WirelessSilicon LaboratoriesSIMCom Wireless SolutionsSiriusXM RadioSK GroupSK TelecomSkoda AutoSkyWave Mobile CommunicationsSoftBank CorporationSoftBank Mobile CorporationSony CorporationSony Mobile CommunicationsSpirent CommunicationsSpireonSprint CorporationSTMicroelectronicsSubaruSummit TechSuzuki Motor CorporationSymphony TelecaSynchronoss TechnologiesTagStationTata MotorsTech MahindraTele2Telecom ItaliaToumaz GroupTowerSecToyota Motor CorporationTRA (UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority)TrafficwareT-SystemsTTA (Telecommunications Technology Association, Korea)TTC (Telecommunication Technology Committee, Japan)U.S. DOT (Department of Transport)U.S. NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)UberCountires CoveredBrazilCanadaChinaEgyptFranceGermanyIndiaIndonesiaItalyJapanMexicoRussiaSaudi ArabiaSouth AfricaSouth KoreaUKUSAAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
The Private LTE Network Ecosystem: 2016 - 2030 : Strategic recommendations for enterprises, LTE infrastructure OEMs, system integrators and mobile operators

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"The Report The Private LTE Network Ecosystem: 2016 - 2030 - Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, Industry Verticals & Forecasts provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"For years, the critical communications industry has relied on narrowband LMR (Land Mobile Radio) networks for mission-critical voice and basic data services. Due to the bandwidth limitations of these LMR networks, public safety agencies and other users within the critical communications industry have turned towards commercial LTE networks to support growing demands for mobile broadband services such as video transmission and bandwidth-intensive field applications.However, most commercial LTE networks do not necessarily meet the priority, security, resilience and availability requirements of the critical communications industry. By providing authority over coverage and capacity, private LTE networks can alleviate these concerns while delivering guaranteed connectivity.Expected to surpass $800 Million in global investments by the end of 2016, private LTE networks are increasingly becoming the preferred approach to deliver mobile broadband services in the critical communications industry. Fueled by large-scale rollouts in the public safety, energy and other sectors, the market is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 32% between 2016 and 2020.View Report @The Private LTE Network Ecosystem: 2016  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, Industry Verticals & Forecasts report presents an in-depth assessment of the private LTE network ecosystem including technology, architectural components, operational models, key trends, market drivers, challenges, vertical market opportunities, applications, deployment case studies, spectrum allocation, standardization, regulatory landscape, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also presents forecasts for private LTE network infrastructure investments from 2016 till 2030. The forecasts cover 3 submarkets, 5 vertical markets and 6 regions.The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report.Topics CoveredThe report covers the following topics:Private LTE network ecosystemMarket drivers and barriersTechnology, architectural components and operational modelsAnalysis of vertical markets, applications and key trendsCase studies of 20 private LTE network deploymentsReview of spectrum allocation for private LTE networksRegulatory landscape and standardizationIndustry roadmap and value chainProfiles and strategies of 190 ecosystem players including LTE infrastructure OEMs and system integratorsStrategic recommendations for enterprises, LTE infrastructure OEMs, system integrators and mobile operatorsMarket analysis and forecasts from 2016 till 2030Get Sample Copy Of This Report @Forecast SegmentationMarket forecasts are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:SubmarketsRAN (Radio Access Network)EPC (Evolved Packet Core) & PolicyMobile Backhaul & TransportVertical MarketsPublic SafetyMilitaryEnergy & UtilitiesTransportationOthersRegional MarketsAsia PacificEastern EuropeMiddle East & AfricaLatin & Central AmericaNorth AmericaWestern EuropeKey Questions AnsweredThe report provides answers to the following key questions:How big is the private LTE network opportunity?What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?How is the ecosystem evolving by segment and region?What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?Which submarkets will see the highest percentage of growth?How does standardization impact the adoption of LTE for critical communications?When will MCPTT (Mission-Critical Push-to-Talk) and proximity services see large-scale proliferation?What opportunities exist for commercial mobile operators in the private LTE network ecosystem?Will LTE replace GSM-R and other legacy technologies for railway communications and applications?Which spectrum band will be the most dominant choice for private LTE network deployments?What are the prospects of rapidly deployable tactical LTE networks in the military and public safety sectors?Who are the key market players and what are their strategies?What strategies should system integrators and vendors adopt to remain competitive?Key FindingsThe report has the following key findings:Expected to surpass $800 Million in global investments by the end of 2016, private LTE networks are increasingly becoming the preferred approach to deliver mobile broadband services in the critical communications industry. Fueled by large-scale rollouts in the public safety, energy and other sectors, the market is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 32% between 2016 and 2020.By the end of 2020, the North America region will account for over 35% of all private LTE investments worldwide. However, largely driven by South Koreas rollout plans for public safety, railway and maritime LTE networks, the Asia Pacific region will continue to retain a strong position in the market.Several companies, such as TEN (Texas Energy Network) and INET (Infrastructure Networks) in the United States, have strategically deployed private LTE networks in remote, oil-rich areas, to exclusively provide mobile broadband services to energy companies.To alleviate large-scale infrastructure investments, several European countries are pairing dedicated private mobile core platforms with commercial LTE networks to deliver prioritized mobile broadband services to public safety subscribers.Conventional LMR industry players are leveraging partnerships with established LTE infrastructure OEMs such as Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei and Samsung, to offer end-to-end private LTE network solutionsCountires CoveredAfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntigua & BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaBosnia HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaCocos IslandsColombiaComoros IslandsCongoCook IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench Polynesia (ex-Tahiti)French West IndiesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuinea RepublicGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelMacauMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlandsNetherlands AntillesNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorth KoreaNorthern MarianasNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestinePanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarReunionRomaniaSwitzerlandSyriaTajikistanTaiwanTanzaniaThailandTogoTongaTrinidad & TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks & Caicos IslandsUAEUgandaUKUkraineUruguayUS Virgin IslandsUSAUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaVietnamYemenZambiaZimbabweList of Companies Mentioned3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project)Abu Dhabi PoliceAccelleranAdaxADCOM-911 (Adams County Communications Center)Addis Ababa Light RailAdvantechAdvantech WirelessAffirmed NetworksAirbus Defence and SpaceAirbus GroupAir-LynxAirspan NetworksAirwaveAlcatel-LucentAlstomAltiostar NetworksAmbulance VictoriaAmdocsAnritsu CorporationAnsaldo STSArcadyan Technology CorporationArgelaAricentBusan Transportation CorporationCalAmp CorporationCaviumCCI (Communication Components Inc.)CCI (Competitive Companies, Inc.)County of Los AngelesCrown CastleCybertel BridgeCygnus SatelliteDali WirelessDatang MobileDeltaNode (Bird Technologies)DNK (Norwegian Directorate for Emergency Communication)Dongwon T&IDragonWaveDubai PoliceEA Networks (Electricity Ashburton)EchoStar CorporationEEElbit SystemsElta SystemsGENBANDGeneral Dynamics CorporationGeneral Dynamics Mission SystemsGerman Armed Forces (Bundeswehr)Goodman NetworksGoogleGrant County Sheriff's DepartmentGWT (Global Wireless Technologies)Harris CorporationHarris CountyHitachiHome Office, UKHPE (Hewlett Packard Enterprise)HuaweiHytera Communications CompanyIAI (Israel Aerospace Industries)INET (Infrastructure Networks)InfoVistaInmarsatIntel CorporationInterDigitalip.accessItelazpiITU (International Telecommunication Union)JMA WirelessJRC (Japan Radio Company)Juni GlobalJuniper NetworksJVCKENWOOD CorporationKapsch CarrierComKathrein-Werke KGKenyan Police ServiceKeysight TechnologiesKodiak NetworksKoning & HartmanKorail (Korea Railroad)Korea Rail Network AuthorityKT CorporationNI (National Instruments) CorporationNokia NetworksNorthrop Grumman CorporationNTT DoCoMoNutaqO3b NetworksOceus NetworksOctasicPanda Electronics (Nanjing Panda Electronics Company)Panorama AntennasParallel WirelessPeproPetroChinaPMN (Private Mobile Networks)Polaris NetworksPort of TianjinPotevio (China Potevio Company)Public WirelessQatar MOI (Ministry of Interior)QualcommQuanta ComputerQucellQueensland Police ServiceQuortusRadisys CorporationRaytheon CompanyRedline CommunicationsRFS (Radio Frequency Systems)Rio Tinto GroupRivada NetworksRohillRoyal Dutch ShellSafaricomSamji Electronics CompanySamsung ElectronicsSelexSepuraSerComm CorporationSESShanghai Police DepartmentShuohuang RailwaySiemensSierra WirelessSikluSimocoSiRRANSK TelecomSK TelesysSLA CorporationSLC (Secure Land Communications)MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Military Exoskeleton Market,Industry Analysis,Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Military exoskeleton is robotic-like suit which provides powered assist and increase the strength of the soldiers during combat. There are several factors driving the demand for these exoskeletons globally. The increasing concern for security and safety from growing criminal activities and cross border terrorism has resulted into the need for soldier safety during warfare. A military exoskeleton suite empowers the soldier to lift heavy weights, run at faster speeds and defend themselves from enemy attacks. Moreover, the changing concept of warfare has led to the development of biological weapons which are more harmful to the body. These can also prevent direct contact of the soldier from harmful gases. These factors are aiding to the demand for exoskeleton suits globally. Furthermore, the need for quick coordination during warfare has led to the need for advanced communication systems which cannot be tracked by the enemy. Hence, the soldier suits need to be integrated with these electronics which include range finders, optronics, radios and navigation systems to name a few.Request For Sample Report :Global Military Exoskeleton Market: Drivers and TrendsHowever, the integration of these electronics increases the overall weight of the suits and makes it difficult for the soldiers to move swiftly. The development of lightweight exoskeletons will reduce the weight considerable and give added advantages to the soldiers by enhancing their mobility. These factors are expected to drive the demand for military exoskeletons considerably during the forecast period. However, a primary reason restraining the growth of the market is the price involved in procuring the exoskeletons. One exoskeleton suit can cost up to USD 150,000. Furthermore, the defense agencies need to place order in large quantities which can further increase the cost of procurement.Global Military Exoskeleton Market: SegmentationThe global military exoskeleton market has been segmented by types, power and geography. By types, the market has been segregated into full body exoskeleton and partial body exoskeleton systems. The partial body exoskeletons are expected to dominate the military exoskeleton market globally. Furthermore, the market has been bifurcated by power into active exoskeletons and passive exoskeletons. Currently, the active exoskeleton systems are witnessing higher demand in the market due to need for providing the soldiers increased strength and stamina in the battlefield. By geography, the global market has been segmented into five important regions consisting of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Latin America. North America and Europe has been analyzed to lead the global military exoskeleton market during the forecast period.Browse Full Report With TOC :The global report of military exoskeleton systems also includes the key trends expected to affect the demand and supply of the exoskeletons in future. Moreover, the market attractiveness of the various types of exoskeletons have been included in order understand the future opportunities of these segments. The global market of military exoskeletons has been tracked in terms of revenue from 2017 to 2025 where in 2016 has been considered as the base year of the study.Key Players Mentioned in the Report are:The global market of military exoskeleton is witnessing intense competition from the leading players operating in the market. These players also undergo mergers and acquisition in order to sustain in the competitive environment. Furthermore, some of the players also follow a strategy of working in collaboration with others in order to create innovative products. The report also includes a detailed company profile of the major players which includes the company overview, product segments, and financial performance over the last three years, SWOT analysis and the business strategies adopted by them. The key players profiled in this report include Lockheed Martin Corporation (U.S.), BAE Systems (U.K.), Raytheon Company (U.S.), General Dynamics Corporation (U.S.), Boeing (U.S.), Honeywell Aerospace (U.S.), Ekso Bionics Holdings (U.S.), Bionic Power (Canada), Safran S.A. (France) and SpringActive, Inc. (U.S.).The Global Military Exoskeleton market can be segmented as follows;-Global Military Exoskeleton Market, By TypesFull Body ExoskeletonPartial Body ExoskeletonGlobal Military Exoskeleton Market, By PowerActive ExoskeletonPassive ExoskeletonGlobal Military Exoskeleton Market, By GeographyNorth AmericaS.CanadaMexicoEuropeK.GermanyFranceItalyRest of EuropeAsia-PacificChinaJapanIndiaSouth KoreaRest of Asia PacificMiddle East and AfricaUnited Arab EmiratesSaudi ArabiaSouth AfricaLatin AmericaBrazilRest of Latin 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:Twitter:
Current Trends and Future Growth in Heart Attack Diagnostics Market

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Heart attack diagnosis is associated with intensive care of patients battling with life threatening conditions, which requires sophisticated invasive monitoring devices and life support systems. Heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs due to reduced or total cut off of oxygenated blood supply to the heart muscle. It is one of the major causes of death observed worldwide and needs to be diagnosed rapidly and accurately. According to Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, about 735,000 Americans suffer from heart attack every year. Occurrence of heart attacks is increasing in adults as well as in geriatric population across the globe due to unhealthy lifestyle habits, high cholesterol levels, high BMI, and growth in tobacco and alcohol consumption. The demand for heart attack diagnostic devices has increased owing to rise in need for continuous monitoring of individuals, accessibility for patient, changing lifestyle, higher investments in R&D, and technological advancement. Further, various international organizations and government across the globe are creating awareness about monitoring devices among the population.Obtain Report Details:Several factors are responsible to propel the heart attack diagnostics market, but few factors are likely to continue to restrain the growth of the market in the near future such as the low Medicare reimbursements provided for the peripatetic cardiac outpatient telemetry electrocardiogram (ECG).The heart attack diagnostics market can be segmented on the basis of test, end-user, and geography. In terms of test, the market can be divided into electrocardiogram (ECG), blood test, chest X-ray, echocardiogram, coronary catheterization (angiogram), exercise stress test, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Among these, ECG has a wider application and contributes to tremendous growth of the market. End-user of this market includes hospitals, specialty clinics, and pathology among others.In terms of geography, the heart attack diagnostics market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. In terms of market revenue, North America is estimated to dominate the global heart attack diagnostics market owing to increased adoption of technologically advanced diagnostic equipment. The Asia Pacific market is projected to grow at a higher rate owing to high incidence of heart attacks and soaring death rates due to heart diseases.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:The heart attack diagnostics market is highly fragmented due to involvement of many recognized as well as emerging players in this market. Key players involved in the heart attack diagnostics market include Abbott Laboratories, Beckman Coulter, Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, GE Healthcare, Life Sign LLC, Hitachi Medical Systems, and Schiller AG.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Building Automation System Market Revenue and Growth Rate Research Report 2025

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Global Building Automation System Market: OverviewWith escalating population and rapid urbanization across the world, the need to conserve energy is paramount. It is estimated that buildings consumer nearly 40% of the Worlds energy consumption. In this scenario, new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) has paved a way for building automation system, with which energy consuming facilities including heating, lighting, air conditioning, and ventilation can be efficiently managed. The concept of building automation system is application not only for the new constructions but for the existing residential buildings too, and promises to prove as a highly useful concept for commercial buildings as well as revolutionize the healthcare sector. Consequently, the demand in the global building automation system is anticipated to increment at a healthy growth rate during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.Global Building Automation System Market: Key TrendsOne of the primary property of building automation system is that they can be customized according to the need of the end-user, which can be either cost-efficiency with minimal automation or premium automation with a long-term goal. This factor is expected to augment the demand in the global building automation system market. In addition to that, several governments in developed as well as developing economies are offering lucrative subsidies for processes that conserve energy, and thereby encouraging the residential and commercial building owners to choose for these system. For instance, with building automation system, residential buildings can monitor and control security, HVAC, and lighting. Conversely, high implementation cost, long duration of return of investment, and lack of awareness among the consumers are some of the key factors challenging the market for building automation system from achieving its full potential.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Building Automation System Market: Market PotentialIncrease in the use of personnel assistant in residential buildings, growing use of the Internet of Things, rising popularity of LED lights, and increased reliance on wireless technologies are some of the key factors favoring the global market for building automation system. In addition to that, growing security concerns is escalating the need to add strength to security, control personnel access, and monitor activity. With IoT, building automation system can also provide real-time medical help, which is opening various new opportunities for the players in this market. On the other hand, commercial applications such as shopping complexes, public transport areas such as airports and railway stations, and corporate office buildings are other targetable avenues for the participants of the global building automation system market.Request TOC of the Report @Global Building Automation System Market: Regional OutlookDeveloped countries such as the U.S., the U.K., Canada, France, and Germany currently offer most of the demand for building automation system and makes North America and Europe as the most lucrative regions. However, Asia Pacific resides several emerging economies such as India, Japan, China, South Korea, and Malaysia. These countries are investing heavily towards improving their infrastructure and consequently, the construction industry is thriving. Increasing disposable income among the urban population in Asia Pacific region is adding to the demand for secure and efficient residential and commercial environment and hence is expected to expand the demand at most robust rate during the forecast period.Request Discount of the Report @Global Building Automation System Market: Competitive LandscapeDue to the presence a large number of players who operate at regional or international level, the global market for building automation system is fragmented in nature with high degree of competition. However, as the demand to conserve energy escalates across the world, there is enough fodder for everyone. Some of the leading players in the global building automation system market are Automated Logic, Honeywell, Johnson Controls International, and Schneider Electric, whereas other prominent vendors including Bosch Sicherheitssysteme GmbH, Dwyer, Emerson Electric, Beckhoff Automation, ABB, DELTA CONTROLS, CONTROL4, Distech Controls, Evon Technologies, Itron, and Legrand.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
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The NFV, SDN & Wireless Network Infrastructure Market SWOT Analysis and Forecast 2030

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"The Report The NFV, SDN & Wireless Network Infrastructure Market: 2016 - 2030 - Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies and Forecasts provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"Service providers continue to face increasing CapEx and OpEx burdens, amid growing requirements for high-speed mobile broadband services. By eliminating reliance on expensive proprietary hardware platforms, NFV (Network Functions Virtualization) and SDN (Software Defined Networking) promise to reduce service provider CapEx. In addition, both technologies can significantly slash OpEx due to a reduction in physical space, labor and power consumption.Driven by the promise of TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) reduction, mobile operators are aggressively jumping on the NFV and SDN bandwagon, targeting deployments across a multitude of areas. By the end of 2020, SNS Research estimates that NFV and SDN investments on service provider networks will account for over $18 Billion. These investments will initially focus on EPC/mobile core, IMS, policy control, CPE (Customer Premises Equipment), CDN (Content Delivery Network) and transport networks.Spanning over 1,600 pages, the ""NFV, SDN & Wireless Network Infrastructure Market: 2016  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies and Forecasts report package encompasses three comprehensive reports covering covering NFV, SDN, conventional 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G wireless network infrastructure and HetNet (Heterogeneous Network) infrastructure:The SDN, NFV & Network Virtualization Ecosystem: 2016  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & ForecastsThe Wireless Network Infrastructure Ecosystem: 2016  2030  Macrocell RAN, Small Cells, C-RAN, RRH, DAS, Carrier Wi-Fi, Mobile Core, Backhaul & FronthaulThe HetNet Ecosystem (Small Cells, Carrier Wi-Fi, C-RAN & DAS): 2016  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & ForecastsView Report @This report package provides an in-depth assessment of NFV, SDN, network virtualization, 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G wireless network infrastructure and HetNet gear. Besides analyzing enabling technologies, key trends, market drivers, challenges, use cases, mobile operator case studies, regional CapEx commitments, regulatory landscape, standardization, opportunities, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies, the report package also presents revenue and unit shipment forecasts for multiple submarkets including:Conventional 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G Wireless Network InfrastructureMacrocell RAN Base StationsMacrocell BackhaulMobile CoreHetNet InfrastructureSmall CellsSmall Cell BackhaulCarrier Wi-FiC-RAN (Centralized RAN)C-RAN FronthaulDAS (Distributed Antenna Systems)NFVHardware AppliancesOrchestration & Management SoftwareVNF (Virtualized Network Function) SoftwareSDNSDN-Enabled Hardware AppliancesSDN-Enabled Virtual SwitchesOrchestration & Management SoftwareSDN Controller SoftwareNetwork Applications SoftwareGet Sample Copy Of This Report @The report package comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report package.The report package covers the following topics:Wireless Network Infrastructure Topics2G (GSM and CDMA) technology and market trends3G (W-CDMA/HSPA, TD-SCDMA and CDMA-2000) technology and market trends4G (LTE, LTE-Advanced and WiMAX) technology and market trends5G (IMT-2020) technology and market trendsMobile core technology and market trendsMobile transport (backhaul and fronthaul) technology and market trendsHetNet (Wi-Fi offloading, small cell, C-RAN and DAS) technology and market trendsAnalysis of key trends such as enterprise RAN, TD-LTE, VoLTE virtualization, unlicensed small cells and SCaaS (Small Cells as a Service)Market drivers for wireless network infrastructure investmentsChallenges and barriers to the ecosystemProfiles and strategies of over 350 wireless network infrastructure vendorsStrategic recommendations for ecosystem playersGlobal and regional market analysis and forecastsSWOT analysis of the wireless network infrastructure marketNFV & SDN TopicsSDN, NFV and network virtualization technologyEnabling technologies, protocols, architecture and key trendsUse cases, applications, PoC (Proof of Concept) and commercial deployment case studiesCapEx saving potential of SDN and NFVOrchestration and management platformsRegulatory landscape and standardizationIndustry roadmap and value chainMarket drivers for SDN/NFV investmentsChallenges and barriers to the ecosystemProfiles and strategies of over 240 SDN/NFV ecosystem playersStrategic recommendations for ecosystem playersGlobal and regional market analysis and forecastsThe report package provides answers to the following key questions:How is the 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G wireless network infrastructure market evolving by segment and region?Which 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G technology constitutes the highest amount of spending and how will this evolve overtime?What is the global and regional outlook for RAN and mobile core submarkets?How will the market shape for HetNet infrastructure such as small cells, C-RAN and DAS?How will Wi-Fi fit into future network architectures for access and offload?What is the opportunity for mobile transport networking gear, and what new backhaul/fronthaul solutions are evolving?How big is the SDN, NFV and network virtualization opportunity?What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?Which regions, submarkets and countries will see the highest percentage of growth?How are service provider led initiatives driving SDN and NFV investments?How does regulation impact the adoption of SDN and NFV centric networks?How can NFV make the VoLTE (Voice over LTE) business case work?How can software defined DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) complement SDN functionality?What level of CapEx savings can SDN and NFV facilitate for service providers?Do SDN and NFV pose a threat to traditional network infrastructure vendors?Who are the key market players and what are their strategies?Is there a ring leader in the SDN and NFV ecosystem?What strategies should enabling technology providers, network infrastructure vendors, mobile operators and other ecosystem players adopt to remain competitive?List of Companies Mentioned3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project)3GPP2 (3rd Generation Partnership Project 2)3RoamADI (Analog Devices Inc.)ADLINK TechnologyADRF (Advanced RF Technologies)ADTRANADVA Optical NetworkingAdvantechAdvantech WirelessAerohive NetworksAffarii TechnologiesAffirmed NetworksAgema SystemsAirbus Defence and SpaceAirHop CommunicationsAirspan NetworksAirvanaAkamai TechnologiesAKM (Asahi Kasei Microdevices)ALAXALA Networks CorporationAlbis TechnologiesAlcatel-LucentArqivaArrisARRIS GroupArtemis NetworksArtesyn Embedded TechnologiesArtiza NetworksAruba NetworksAskey Computer CorporationASOCSAstelliaASTRI (Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute)AT&TAT&T MobilityAthena Wireless CommunicationsAthonetAudioCodesAutelanAvago TechnologiesAvanti CommunicationsAvayaAviat NetworksAVMAWS (Amazon Web Services)Axis TeknologiesAxxcelera Broadband Wireless (Moseley Associates)Azcom TechnologyBaiduBanco SantanderBandwidthXBarracuda NetworksBenetelBharti AirtelBig Switch NetworksBirdstep TechnologyBlack Box CorporationBLiNQ NetworksBlu Wireless TechnologyCCI SystemsCCS (Cambridge Communication Systems)CedexisCeedTecCellcomCellwizeCeltroCentec NetworksCeragon NetworksCertes NetworksCheck Point Software TechnologiesChina MobileChina TelecomChina UnicomChunghwa TelecomCielo NetworksCiena CorporationCIMI CorporationCisco SystemsCitigroupCitrix SystemsClavisterClearPath NetworksClearSky TechnologiesCloudberry MobileCloudscalingCloudWeaverCobham WirelessDali WirelessDASAN NetworksDatang MobileDellDeltaNode (Bird Technologies)DialogicDirect BeamDish NetworkD-Link CorporationDongwon T&IDorado SoftwareDragonWaveDT (Deutsche Telekom)eASIC CorporationE-Band Communications (Moseley Associates)EBlinkECI TelecomEden Rock CommunicationsEdgewareEdgewater Wireless SystemsEDX WirelessEEEION WirelessEkinopsElemental TechnologiesElva-1EmbraneEMC CorporationEnterasys NetworksEnterpriseWebEoptolink TechnologyEquinixERCOMEricssonEthertronicsEtisalatETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)Exalt CommunicationsEXFOExteNet SystemsExtreme NetworksEZchip SemiconductorF5 NetworksFaraday Technology CorporationFastBack NetworksFederated WirelessFemtel (Suzhou Femtel Communications)Fiberhome TechnologiesFibroLANFidelity InvestmentsMidokuraMIMOonMIMOtechMirantisMitel Networks CorporationMitsubishi Electric CorporationMobily Saudi ArabiaMobiveilMojatatu NetworksMolexMovistar VenezuelaMRV CommunicationsMTI MobileMTS (Mobile TeleSystems)NAKA MobileNakina SystemsNapatechNash TechnologiesNCLC (NCL Communication)NEC CorporationNetCracker TechnologyNETGEARNetgemNetronomeNetroundsNetScout SystemsNetYCENew Postcom Equipment CompanyNewNet Communication TechnologiesNexcomm SystemsNexiusNextivityNexxComm WirelessNFVWareNGMN (Next Generation Mobile Networks) AllianceNippon ExpressNode-HNokia NetworksNomadixNominumNomor ResearchNoviFlowNTT CommunicationsNTT DoCoMoNuage NetworksNuRAN WirelessNutaqPanasonic CorporationPanda Electronics (Nanjing Panda Electronics Company)Panda SecurityPantheon TechnologiesParallel WirelessPeerAppPenguinPertinoPica8Piston Cloud ComputingPletronicsPlexxiPLUMgridPluribus NetworksPMC-SierraPolaris NetworksPolatisPolewallPositronPotevio (China Potevio Company)PowerDNSProcera NetworksProdubanProxim Wireless CorporationPT (Portugal Telecom)Public WirelessQCT (Quanta Cloud Technology)QEOSQosmosQualcommQuanta ComputerQucellQulsarQuortusQwiltRackspaceRACOMRAD Data CommunicationsRADCOMRadisys CorporationRadwareRADWINRakonRapid7Realtek Semiconductor CorporationReardenRed HatRedkneeRedline CommunicationsReverb NetworksRF DSPRF WindowSingTelSistelbandaSK TelecomSK TelesysSkyFiberSmall Cell ForumSMC NetworksSmith Micro SoftwareSoftBank CorporationSoftBank MobileSolectekSOLiD (SOLiD Technologies)SonicWALLSonus NetworksSophosSorrento NetworksSource PhotonicsSpectrumMaxSpiderCloud WirelessSpirent CommunicationsSprint CorporationStackIQStar MicrowaveStar SolutionsSub10 SystemsSumitomo Electric IndustriesSunnada (Fujian Sunnada Communication Company)SunTec Business SolutionsSunwave CommunicationsSupermicro (Super Micro Computer)Svarog Technology GroupSymantec CorporationSyniverse TechnologiesSysMasterTail-f SystemsTango TelecomTaquaTarana WirelessTata ElxsiTE ConnectivityTE SubComTecomTejas NetworksTEKTELIC CommunicationsTelchemyTelco SystemsTelcowareTelecom ItaliaTelefonicaTelekom Austria GroupTelenor GroupTeliaSoneraTelkomselTellionTellumatTelrad NetworksTelseyTelstraTelumTelus MobilityTEOCO CorporationUltra Electronics AEPUTStarcomvArmourVectron InternationalVello SystemsVerizonVerizon WirelessVersa NetworksVeryx TechnologiesViavi SolutionsVimpelComVipnetVirgin MediaVivoVMwareVodafone GroupVPIsystemsVubiq NetworksWatchGuard TechnologiesWave1WavenetWavesightWBA (Wireless Broadband Alliance)WebNMSWedge NetworksWeFiWestell TechnologiesWi-Fi AllianceWiMAX ForumWind RiverWiproWNC (Wistron NeWeb Corporation)Wowza Media SystemsXavi TechnologiesXCellAirXelicXilinxXOR MediaXtera CommunicationsXuraYamaha CorporationZayo GroupZ-Com (ZDC Wireless)Zebra Technologies CorporationZhone TechnologiesZinwaveZoho CorporationZTEZyXELCountires CoveredArgentinaAustraliaBrazilCanadaChinaCzech RepublicDenmarkFinlandFranceGermanyIndiaIndonesiaIsraelItalyJapanMalaysiaMexicoNorwayPakistanPhilippinesPolandQatarRussiaSaudi ArabiaSingaporeSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSpainSwedenTaiwanThailandUAEUKUSAMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Enterprise WLAN Market will Observe Substantial Growth by 2025

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Global Enterprise WLAN Market: OverviewWith a continuously rising adoption of mobility and the growing demand among people across the world to be connected to the internet regardless of their location, wireless networks are gaining popularity. A wireless LAN (WLAN) controller combines multiple access point protocols to manage them in large through network operations centers or network administrators. The controller has the ability to automatically handle the configuration of wireless access points. Enterprise WLAN helps maintain organizations seamless workflow and security. The different types of verticals where these networks are used, include telecom and IT, healthcare, banking, education, retail, hospitality, and logistics.Global Enterprise WLAN Market: Key TrendsThe emergence of cloud and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is providing a fillip to the global enterprise WLAN market. IoT and cloud solutions provide an edge to enterprise wireless networks by improving their efficiency and reliability. Moreover, the growing trend of bring your own device (BYOD) is stoking the growth of the market. The proliferation of smartphones and devices is also augmenting the market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the flip side, the lack of awareness and dearth of workforce with high technical acumen are keeping the market from realizing its utmost potential. However, technological advancements are estimated to increase WLAN applications across numerous industry sectors, which will work in favor of the market.Global Enterprise WLAN Market: Market PotentialRecent trends in the global enterprise WLAN market indicate that the market participants are focusing on mergers and acquisitions to improve their offerings. The introduction of advanced technologies is rendering the market highly lucrative. In September 2016, Extreme Networks announced the acquisition of Zebra Technologies Wireless LAN (WLAN) business unit. The deal was worth US$55 mn. With this acquisition, the company announced that the combination will work towards delivering superior Enterprise Asset Intelligence solutions, that will provide customers with real-time visibility into their operations. Similarly, Hewlett-Packard acquired Aruba Networks in May 2015 for US$3 bn in an attempt to enhance its role in the WLAN market.Request TOC of the Report @Several players are also involved in expanding their outreach in emerging regions. They are pouring funds into research and development to introduce innovative and disruptive solutions for end to end networking requirements of enterprises. For instance, AXILSPOT, in December 2016, flagged off its operations in Indias enterprise wireless marketplace by launching Rscan range of products.Global Enterprise WLAN Market: Geographical SegmentationOn the basis of geography, the segments reviewed in the report are Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. North America will be a prominent market for enterprise WLAN. The high consumer awareness regarding the merits of these networks and early introduction of advanced technologies due to the presence of many key players are driving the growth of the region.Request Discount of the Report @Asia Pacific, on the other hand, will offer numerous promising prospects to global vendors. The widening pool of working population and emerging technology hubs is largely benefiting the market in the region. The escalating development and adoption of cloud-based services and growing investments in the IT and telecommunication sector are fuelling the growth of the region.Global Enterprise WLAN Market: Competitive LandscapeThe majority of players in the global WLAN enterprise market are focusing towards technological advancements and product innovation to enhance their visibility in the market. Key players are looking upon mergers and partnerships as viable growth strategies to stay ahead in the market. Some of the prominent vendors in the market are Cisco Systems, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprises, Extreme Network, Dell Inc., ZTE Corporation, Ruckus, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, Huawei, and Juniper Networks.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Diabetes Reusable Insulin Pen Market Outlook 2022:Global Opportunity and Demand Analysis, Market Forecast 2017-2022

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Diabetes Reusable Insulin Pen Market is likely to reach more than US$ 3 Billion across the ten major markets (10MM) of the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Japan, China, India and Brazil by the year end of 2022.Market growth can be attributed to factors such as growing diabetes patient population, high adoption rate, userfriendly design, rising popularity among consumers, help avoid over/underdosing of insulin, rising market demand for human insulin analogs, government support and technological advancements in the field of reusable insulin pen devices.China is expected to lead the reusable insulin pen market with a total market share of over 50% by 2022. Germany has shown its potential to become leading #2 market with more than XX% market share in 2016 and is expected to maintain its #2 position during the forecast period. United States is expected to become the third largest reusable insulin pen market by 2022.The research report titled Global Diabetes Reusable Insulin Pen Market Report: Country Outlook, Analysis, Size, Share and Forecast 2017  2022 examines the market, demand, competitive landscape and trends of the ten major markets of the Reusable Insulin Pen Market. The report provides an indepth analysis of overall diabetes population and insulin users. It provides essential insights into reusable insulin pen market and users for the top 10 countries, comprising the US, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Japan, China, India and Brazil until 2022. The report also explores detailed description of growth drivers and barriers of the Reusable Insulin Pen Market.The report concludes with the profiles of major players in the Insulin Pen Market such as Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Owen Mumford, Ypsomed, Biocon Ltd. The major market players are evaluated on various parameters such as company overview, product outlook and latest development and trends of the Insulin Pen Market.Complete Report @All the Ten Major Markets(10MM) Covered in the Report Have Studied from 4 Viewpoints:1. Overall Diabetes Population (2011  2022)2. Insulin Users (2011  2022)3. Reusable (Cartridge) Insulin Pen Users (2011  2022)4. Reusable (Cartridge) Insulin Pen Market (2011  2022)Ten Major Markets(10MM) Covered in the Report are as follows:1. United States2. United Kingdom3. France4. Italy5. Spain6. Germany7. Japan8. China9. India10. BrazilKey Companies Covered in the Report are as follows:1. Novo Nordisk2. Eli Lilly3. Sanofi4. Owen Mumford5. Ypsomed6. Biocon Ltd.DPI Research is a business solutions firm which offer bespoke market research reports, custom research solutions and consulting across multi geographies and industry verticals. We deliver wide range of cutting-edge research solutions that helps organizations in making better decisions of the business to business needs.DPI Research provides high standard of business research reports to the clients across industry verticals comprising Life Sciences, Information Technology, Telecom & Internet, Food Beverages & Agriculture, Travel & Tourism, Consumer Goods & Retail, Education and Social Sciences. We are committed to use advanced analytical tools and methodologies to help clients with crucial industry information for decision making.DPI Research approaches for the business research led by a team of dynamic industry experts. DPI Research provides a real insight for effective decisions to help business with the help of current source and accurate data available in the market. DPI Research reach across the globe with global standards from established markets in the North America and Europe to emerging markets in South America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa to provide the best business solutions.Maria RaiTel :+91 -7289949987Email: sales@dpiresearch.comWebsite:
LAMEA Beer Market 2017 research report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share.

LAMEA Beer Market

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Global LAMEA Beer Market 2017 Survival Strategies explore Economic Impact in Global Industries Manufactures, Growth, Size, Share, Trends, Development Challenges and Opportunities till 2022A Research study on " Global LAMEA Beer Market 2017-2022 " represent the market share and size of LAMEA Beer in international Industry. MRS Research Group added latest market research report by QY Research. Research Report provides an essential information and statistically evaluated data about the LAMEA Beer. The research report provides a detailed study of the LAMEA Beer market, enlightening the major areas such as future market scenario, market growth factors, market growth restraints, and others. The advanced technological trends and various new opportunities are also provided in this research report.Research Report Analysis by Important Manufacturers in Global Market Include:Heinekin N.V.,Anheuser-Busch InBev.,Tsingtao Brewery Co. Ltd.,Carlsberg Group,Diageo Plc.,Molson Coors Brewing Company.,Boston Beer Company, Inc,Beijing Yanjing Brewery Co., Ltd.,United Breweries Group (UB Group)Get Free Sample Copy Of Report @The research report provides the LAMEA Beer markets classification in detail. The LAMEA Beer market is bifurcated into a number of segments on the basis of materials,types,applications,and end-users. The geographical analysis of the global LAMEA Beer market is also coveredin the report. The vital information mentioned in the research report helps in significantly predicting the future scope of the global market.The various segmentation of the global market is based on the overall product profit, costing, global market growth, and manufacturing processes. The report covers a region-wise analysis which provides the customer with different market studies that give a detailed analysis of the product and its impact on the global market. The LAMEA Beer report also highlights the growth statistics depending on the supply and demand in the different regions.Read Complete Report with TOC @The LAMEA Beer report covers the precisely studied and evaluated data of the global market players and their scope in the market using a number of analytical tools. The analytical tools such asinvestment return analysies, SWOT analysis and feasibility studyare used to analyze the keyglobal market players growth in the LAMEA Beer industry.Abou Us: MRS Research Group provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Prof Research cover more than 30 industries including energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United States
Dangerous Collisions of US Navy Warship Highlights Key topics of Maritime Information Warfare Conference

http://www.maritimeinfowarfare.com/openpr

http://www.maritimeinfowarfare.com/openpr

http://nyti.ms/2wwuxgI

http://www.smi-online.co.uk

Just last week, the John S. McCain, an American guided-missile destroyer collided with a large commercial ship in the waters off Singapore. With severe damage to its rear left side, and 10 sailors still missing, this is the second deadly collision of a Navy warship with a large commercial ship in two months.IN THE NEWS: United States Navy ships worldwide will suspend operations for a day or two this week to examine basic seamanship and teamwork after the second collision of a Navy destroyer with a large commercial ship in two months, the Navys top officer said on Monday. Source: NYTimes AUG. 21, 2017*These kinds of incidents will push the Navy to further consider how it exploits open source intelligence like GPS data and satellite imagery. One might also wonder if the warship was totally autonomous wed have avoided the human error that enabled the crash. These talking points demonstrate the importance of SMis Maritime Information Warfare agenda.Taking place in London on the 6th and 7th December 2017, Maritime Information Warfares agenda aims to help solve these topical issues with the worlds maritime information exploitation leaders, including keynote presentations from: Vice Admiral Michael Gilday, Commander, US Fleet Cyber Command, US Navy, Admiral Sir George Zambellas, Former Chief of Naval Staff, Royal Navy and Commander Neil Hall, SO1 Cyber Security, Royal Navy.Along with senior representation from: Royal Navy, US Navy, US Marine Corps, Portuguese Navy, DSTL, Dutch MoD, NATO Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Centre of Excellence, Liquid Robotics, Naval War College, TNO and more.The audience will include but not be limited to: Naval Information Warfare Programme Managers, Artificial Intelligence Project Managers, Commanders of Information Warfare (IW), Heads of ISR development programmes, Big Data Thought Leaders, Maritime Cyber Security Experts, Leaders of Open Source Intelligence Programmes, Pioneers of Autonomous Systems and Machine Learning, Chiefs of C4i Systems.There is a 300 early bird booking discount available until Thursday 31st August 2017. To register or for more information, visit:For information on exhibiting, advertising and branding packages available, please contact Sadia Malick +44 (0) 20 7827 6748, or email smalick@smi-online.co.ukMaritime Information Warfare6th and 7th December 2017Copthorne Tara Hotel, London, UKRegister by Thursday 31st August To Save 300!*Source:About SMi Group:Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the world's most forward-thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found atGround & First Floor 1 Westminster Bridge Road
The Connected Customer: Utilities

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https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7404898

Connecting the dots between technology, digital strategy and your customerT.A. Cook Conferences are delighted to announce The Connected Customer: Utilities conference, taking place on 16-17 November 2017 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.This event will address the transformational role digital innovation plays as utilities look to connect the dots between technology, digital strategy and the customer. Attendees will have the opportunity to address the current challenges faced by utilities through industry case studies, insight from prominent experts and plentiful networking options.Event FormatThe event will kick off with our Technology, Digitalisation, and the Evolving Customer keynote speech, before diving into a plethora of case studies where you will hear experiences, difficulties, and lessons learned from leading utilities including Alliander, E.ON, Innogy, Ovo Energy, Vattenfall and more.Choose between one of three Deep Dive Discussion Groups in the afternoon of day one. Use this extended knowledge and networking session to investigate further into your chosen areas of interest. Share challenges and put your questions to your colleagues.There will be plenty of chance to network over the course of the two days, including a fantastic evening drinks reception at the end of day one. Day two is packed full of more user case studies, interactive sessions and talks from technical experts, all of which will provide you with the information you need to take back to your own business.Event Topics will Include Digital disruption: future trends, technologies, opportunities and challenges Exploiting the potential of IoT, AI, predictive analytics and automation The power of blockchain in creating a new paradigm for utilities and consumers Developing a multi-touchpoint strategy: 360 customer engagement experience Effective use of customer data and analytics to create new business opportunities Building effective digital billing and revenue collection solutions for complex productsBenefits of AttendingThis is a must-attend event if you want to:1. Find expert insight, whether it's digital, legal, technological or social, meaning you can be confident in the information you take away2. Learn from the experiences of your peers and be inspired to implement improvement in your own business3. Make lasting and valuable connections through the many networking opportunities to cement future knowledge4. Go home fully informed, with plenty of opportunity to get your burning questions answered by the experts5. Tailor your experience to the needs of your company with discussion groups and social surgeries which allow you to choose your focal point6. Allow keynote speakers to challenge your thinking and consider different ways to approach your current business initiativesRegistration is now live! Secure your place at the early bird rate which is due to expire on Friday 15th September, 2017. Visitfor more details or contact the event team at info@tacook.com, +44 (0)121 200 3810. For all conference updates and interesting, informative content, please join our Connected Customer: Utilities LinkedIn Group here:For more than 20 years, T.A. Cook Conferences, the conference division of T.A. Cook Consultants, has been organising very successful conferences and seminars for managers. Practitioners and experts from well-known companies regularly report at our events about innovative approaches to solutions in the fields of organisation, management and the use of state-of-the art technologies.MacLaren Building46 The Priory QueenswayBirminghamB4 7LR
Market Intelligence Report Advanced Infusion Systems Market, 2016-2026

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2026

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2026

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Infusion systems are medical instruments and associated disposables, used to deliver fluids or drugs in solution to patients circulatory system in a controlled, precise and automated manner. There are different routes to introduce a drug into the patients system, of which, highly used mode is through intravenous, although subcutaneous, arterial and epidural infusion are preferred as per the requirement. They are simple devices and gravity controllers that employ a clamping action to vary the flow of liquid under the force of gravity. This instrument was extensively used for medication purpose but, due to association of high mortality rates with it, advanced infusion systems were developed. Facilities like easy start up, visual monitoring, mobility of system, balanced and continues infusion of multiple medications at the same time, patient safety are a few factors which are boosting the growth of the potential market of advanced infusion systems over conventional ones.Advanced Infusion Systems Market: Drivers and RestraintsOverall increase in global population suffering from chronic disease, cancer, diabetes is the major factor that drives the market growth of global infusion systems market. Enormously developed technology in infusion system which eliminates user-related risks, higher bioavailability, safety, therapeutic effectiveness, increase in health care spending are also some other factors that drive the growth of the market. To operate these automated infusion systems, a highly trained intelligent system is required. If this system is not trained properly, it can lead to increased morbidity and mortality rate which can restrain the growth of this market.Request Report Sample@Advanced Infusion Systems Market: SegmentationThe global advanced infusion systemmarketis classified on the basis of product type, application type, end user and geography.Based on product type, the global advanced infusion systemMarketis segmented into the following:Elastomeric infusion systemVolumetric infusion system- Large volume and Small volume pumpPatient Controlled Analgesia pumpDisposable infusion systemSyringe infusion systemAmbulatory infusion systemImplantable infusion systemBased on application type, global advanced infusion systemMarketis segmented into the following:ChemotherapyDiabetesPain managementAsthmaClinical nutritionBased on end user, the global advanced infusion system market is segmented into the following:HospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersDiagnostic centersBedsideVisit For TOC@Advanced Infusion Systems Market: OverviewOver the last few decades volumetric and syringe pumps, the clinical and surgical industry, infusion systems, have been widely used for intravenous therapy (IV). Industry experts estimated that 80% of the hospitalized patients receive intravenous (IV) therapy. This demand is expected to increase in the coming years. Growing incidence of chronic lifestyle disorders like cancer, diabetes and increased rate of aging population are the major factors that are expected to rise the demand for infusion pump market in forecast period. Increasing malnutrition in developing countries is expected to increase the demand for infusion pumps for critical nutrition. Hospitals are the largest end-users of infusion systems and account for over half of the market share.Advanced Infusion Systems Market: Regional OverviewRegion wise, the advanced infusion system market is segmented into regions namely, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan and Middle East and Africa. North Americaholds the largest market share globally. The advanced infusion system market in Asia-Pacific and Latin America is expected to grow relatively fast in coming years. Factors expected to drive this growth are increase in population and increase in incidences of cancer, diabetes and asthma.Advanced Infusion Systems Market: Key PlayersHospira, Inc., is a leading provider of infusion technologies globally. The key players in this markets are AngioDynamics, Inc., Animas Corporation, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Terumo Corporation and F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Infusion systems by Hospira, Inc. have operations in over 60 key markets across Europe, Asia and The Americas. Q Core Medical is a medical device company focused on the infusion pump market, which is expected to hold a large market share in the upcoming 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:
Global Mechanical Ventilators Market Driven by Rising Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

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http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Mechanical ventilators play an important role in all kinds of healthcare settings treating/serving patients with acute respiratory conditions in the sustenance of proper breathing. Over the past two decades, the global mechanical ventilators market has significantly grown and is witnessing the rise in preference for non-invasive, homecare and portable ventilators, and technological innovations.The rapidly expanding global population of geriatrics, rising prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), increased prevalence of respiratory emergencies and technological innovations in the field of respiratory care devices are some of the key factors driving the global market for mechanical ventilators. Cost containment in the variety of disposable products used in mechanical ventilators, such as swivels, catheters, and connectors, coupled with the increasing demand for these products, has led to the rise in their bulk purchase.Obtain Report Details @While growth prospects of the market are excellent, the overall growth of the market is hindered to a certain extent by factors such as tight budgetary constraints faced by healthcare service providers and ventilator manufacturers. A recent market research study published by Transparency Market Research states that the global market for mechanical ventilators had a valuation of US$2,715.7 mn in 2012. Expected to expand at a healthy 6.6% CAGR between the years 2013 and 2019, the market will reach US$4,248.7 mn by 2019.Technological Advancements Provide a Big Boost to Market DevelopmentThe market for mechanical ventilators is significantly propelled by the rapid technological advancements in the fields of battery life of transport and portable devices and positive airway pressure devices. Government bodies are also increasingly exploring ways to reduce the burden of healthcare costs and improve health of the general population and the efforts are, in turn, benefitting the global market for mechanical ventilators. Other factors such as the rapidly rising number of ageing patients requiring ventilators and rising demand for improved healthcare devices for home-healthcare facilities are also leading to the overall positive development of the market.Critical Care Mechanical Ventilators and North America Regional Market Dominate Other Market SegmentsThe key types of mechanical ventilators available in the market include neonatal, critical care, portable, and transport mechanical ventilators. Of these, the market segment of critical care ventilators held the largest share of the market in 2012 and was valued at US$1,256.3 mn. The market segment is expected to expand at a 5% CAGR between 2013 and 2019.Make an Enquiry @The rising demand for shifting patients out of intensive care units, with an intention of reducing hospitals bills, and the rising numbers of home healthcare facilities have led to the increased demand for portable and non-invasive mechanical ventilators. The market for transport ventilators is benefitting from factors such as the rising prevalence of medical emergencies, flexibility provided by transport ventilators, and the need for managing movement of critical patients from the initial point of care to healthcare settings.Of the key regional markets for mechanical ventilators, North America emerged as the dominant regional market for mechanical ventilators in 2012. The rapid adoption of novel technologies, good reimbursement policies, and an advanced healthcare infrastructure will allow North America to continue its dominance in the global market. The rising rate of neonatal mortality in developing regions such as India, China, Thailand, and Singapore has significantly fuelled the demand for mechanical ventilators in these regions in the past few years.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:
United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Carbon and Energy Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021

Market Research Reports

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http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/united-states-eu-japan-china-india-and-southeast-asia-carbon-and-energy-software-market-size-status-and-forecast-2021.htm

http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=875124&type=D

Qyresearchreports include new market research report "United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Carbon and Energy Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.The constantly changing dynamics of the consumer behavior is influencing the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Carbon and Energy Software market substantially. This report on the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia market for Carbon and Energy Software an in-depth assessment of this market on the basis of the key factors that shape its performance. Taking numerous factors into consideration, the size and the valuation of this market over the next few years have also been estimated in this research report.The value chain of the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia market for Carbon and Energy Software has been extensively examined in this research study, which further evaluates the upstream and downstream components. The trends related to the demand and supply of the products and services available in this market have also been analyzed, together with the factors prompting the rise in the demand from the end users.Get A PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @This report studies the global Carbon and Energy Software market, analyzes and researches the Carbon and Energy 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, likeCA TechnologiesEnviziEnablonEnvianceVerisaeIHSProcessMapSAPIBMIntelex TechnologiesThinkstepResearchers have taken the products, applications, and geographical segments as the main parameters for the study of the performance of the worldwide market for Carbon and Energy Software in this research report. The performance of every geographical segment has been evaluated on the basis of sales and the profit margins. The dynamics of demand and supply and export and import have also been recognized as prime factors influencing the sales of Carbon and Energy Software in each of the geographical segments.The research study concludes with an exhaustive assessment of the nature of the worldwide Carbon and Energy Software market in terms of the players operating in this market. The profiles of the leading participants have been thoroughly reviewed by performing a detailed SWOT analysis of each of the key companies in the market.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Carbon and Energy Software1.1 Carbon and Energy Software Market Overview1.1.1 Carbon and Energy Software Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Carbon and Energy Software Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.3 Carbon and Energy Software Market by End Users/Application2 Global Carbon and Energy Software Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Carbon and Energy Software 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 CA Technologies3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Carbon and Energy Software Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Envizi3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Carbon and Energy Software Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Enablon3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Carbon and Energy Software Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.3.5 Recent DevelopmentsEnquiry For Discount Visit @List of Tables and FiguresFigure Carbon and Energy Software Product ScopeFigure Global Carbon and Energy Software Market Size (2011-2016)Table Global Carbon and Energy Software Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure Global Carbon and Energy Software Market Share by Regions in 2015Figure United States Carbon and Energy Software Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure EU Carbon and Energy Software Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure Japan Carbon and Energy Software Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure China Carbon and Energy Software Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (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 States
Smart Lighting Market Size, Development, Key Manufacturers and Forecast Report 2017-2025

The Insight Partners

http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000112

http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/smart-lighting-market

The smart lighting is a technology that enables its users to govern the lighting of any space without being surrounded by unnecessary wires. Smart lighting is a part of upcoming IoT technology, facilitating mobile and sensor based control on the luminosity of lights in a particular space. The intelligent connected lighting offers ecofriendly environment and effectively reduces the consumption of energy. The global Smart Lighting market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.1% during the forecast period 2016  2025 and accounts for US$ 51.05 Bn in the year 2025.The global smart lighting market is fragmented on the basis of lighting Type into. Light Emitting Diode (LED) Lamp, Fluorescent Lamps, Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL), High Intensity Discharge Lamps and Others (Neon Lamps and Photographic Flashes). Furthermore the segmentation is based upon application of smart lighting viz. Industrial lighting, Commercial lighting, Residential lighting, Outdoor lighting, Automotive lighting and Government. According to the geographic regions, the market is segmented into Europe, Middle East & Africa (MEA), Asia Pacific (APAC), North America and South America (SAM). With many developing countries in the region of Middle East and Africa, it is expected to have the highest CAGR of 24.4% during the forecast period.Request Sample Copy @The shortcoming of a wireless system are occasional disturbance in communications among the devices. When a wireless lighting system is installed in a place, one should always make sure that the keypads, processors and dimmers are within a specific range. For example, some old residential buildings may be constructed with metal wire integrated in the walls that might create disturbance or weaken the signals of a wireless system. Though it has certain drawbacks, it is expected to capture more than half of the lighting market in next few years. Thus, maximum companies are switching their product portfolio to wireless smart lighting solutions. Major players in this segment are Philips, GE, OSRAM and Daintree.Now a days wireless connectivity is taking a leap over the wire abled connecting networks as wireless is more convenient to use. First this technology was used in the telephones now called as the mobile phones and since then the wireless technology has revolutionized the way things were viewed. Wireless technology has given its consumers freedom from the limited range of the wired devices.The wireless technology has become an integral part of day to day lifestyle. Wireless technologies like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and RF Ids are experiencing high adoption rate among users. The rising popularity of wireless technology in lighting solution is thus considered to be one of the major reasons driving the smart lighting market. The wireless lighting solutions are easy to control and help its customers to attain maximum energy saving.The lighting hardware is highly integrated and dependent on the software platform being used. As there is no common standard for wireless smart lighting products, the complete idea of various smart lighting devices networked together and the entire process of networking becomes complicated. For example, Philips employs ZigBee Light Link, GreenWave uses NXP JenNet-IP and Insteon uses its own wireless technology and all these are incompatible with each other. This incompatibility would result in inconvenience for the user as the choice of products and services will get limited by the platform being used, or else the entire operation of smart lighting would get complicated.Major players in the global smart lighting market comprises of Osram Licht AG (Germany), Honeywell International Inc. (U.S.A), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Netherland), Eaton Corporation PLC. (Ireland), Digital Lumens Inc. (U.S.A), Lutron Electronics Company Inc. (U.S.A), General Electric Company (U.S.A), Legrand SA (France), Streetlight.Vision (France) and Acuity Brands Lighting Inc. (U.S.A).among others.Browse market data tables and in-depth TOC of the Smart Lighting Market to 2025 @Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Car Door Latch Market to cross USD 6.60 billion by 2022 with 5% CAGR

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2697

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/car-door-latch-market-2697

Market Research Future published a Research report on Global Car Door Latch Market Research Report - Forecast to 2022 Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2022.Global Car Door Latch Market Information Report by Lock Type (Electronic and Non-Electronic), by Vehicle Type (Passenger Car and Commercial Vehicle), by Application (Side Door Latch, Hood Latch, Back Seat Latch, and Others) and Region - Forecast to 2022Market ScenarioA car door latch is used in cars for purpose of safety and security. Electronic latches are generally used in cars due to increase in technology development. Technology development such as hand-free avoidance, super locking, child safety, and power closing are in demand by OEMs.One of the factors driving the growth of car door latch market are the growth in the automobile industry due to growing population, expansion of infrastructure, and development of suburbs. The other factors that are responsible for the growth of this market are innovation in technology because of safety of the driver, stringent emission norms, thus resulting in the use of light weight automotive components.The global car door latch market is expected to account for USD 6.60 billion by 2022 with 5% CAGR.Get a Copy of Sample Report @Key Players Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Japan) Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co., Ltd.(Japan) Kiekert AG (Germany) Magna International, Inc. (U.S.) Strattec Security Co. (U.S.) U-Shin, Ltd. (Japan) Shivani Locks Pvt. Ltd. (India) Brose Fahrzeugteile Gmbh & Co. (Germany) Inteva Products, Llc. (U.S.) Minda VAST Access Systems Pvt. Ltd. (India).Study Objectives of Car Door Latch Market To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the global car door latch Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyse the global car door latch market based on various tools such as Supply Chain Analysis, and Porters Five Forces Analysis To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to regions and their respective key countries To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segments by lock type, by vehicle type, by application, and by region To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analysing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyse competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global car door latch Market.Browse Full Report Details @Regional Analysis of Car Door Latch MarketThe Asia-Pacific region is expected to dominate the car door latch market due to increase in the production of vehicle and growing sales due to increase in disposable income. The demand for luxury cars is also increasing in countries such as India and China, due to which the demand for car door latch will increase. The advance technology in latches such as LED and power will also increase the growth of this market.Intended Audience Car door latch manufacturers Distributer & Supplier companies End Users consultants and Investment bankers Government as well as Independent Regulatory AuthoritiesProduct Analysis Product matrix which gives a detailed comparison of the market for different recycled product typesAdditional Information Regulatory Landscape Pricing Analysis Macroeconomic IndicatorsGeographic Analysis Geographical analysis across 15 countriesCompany Information Profiling of 10 key market players In-depth analysis including SWOT analysis, and strategy information of related to report title Competitive landscape including emerging trends adopted by major companiesThe report for Car Door Latch Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.ContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from Global Car Door Latch Market Research Report - Forecast to 2022 chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Report on Global Processed Cheese Powder Market Competition, Status, Size & Forecast 2012-2022 by Applications, Players, Type, Regions

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "2012-2022 Report on Global Processed Cheese Powder Market Competition, Status and Forecast, Market Size by Players, Regions, Type, Application" to its huge collection of research reports.The report on the Processed Cheese Powder market is prepared with the help of a wide array of primary and secondary research incorporating inputs from leading market experts, industry strategists, research organizations, and business executives. The report titled Processed Cheese Powder market research report offers in-depth insights into the current market status, share and size of major segments, notable trends, emerging business risks, and competitive landscape. The Processed Cheese Powder market dynamics is undergoing several interesting shifts invigorated by constant technological advances and favorable changes in government policies in some regions. The report takes a closer look at the emergent strategic and tactical risks driven by changes in regulatory framework in key regions. In addition, it covers major research and development activities in recent decades expected to unlock exciting opportunities for market players.Global Processed Cheese Powder market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingNZMP(New Zealand)Land Olakes(US)Kerry Group(US)Kraft Foods Ingredients(US)DairiConcepts(US)Archer Daniels Midland CompanyLactosan(Denmark)WILD Flavors(US)Glanbia Foods(US)Aarkay Food Products(India)Commercial Creamery(US)All American Foods(US)Lactalis American Group(US)Blue Grass Dairy(US)Dairy Farmers of America(US)Kanegrade Limited(UK)Bluegrass Dairy & Food(US)KNOW MORE WITH SAMPLE STUDY @Gleaning through the report, market participants can get clear indications of various trends anticipated to gain traction and those that are likely to lose their sheen in the coming years. The report employs a host of industry-wide quantitative tools to assess the strategic landscape. Based on the volumes of data collected over the historic period and insights offered by the vast current statistics, the study presents a 360 degree view of the growth dynamics of the Processed Cheese Powder market over the forecast period. Using Porters five forces analysis and SWOT analysis, the report offers a holistic overview of the vendor landscape. The study is unique in its approach as it offers crystal clear view of the factors likely to tilt in favor of new entrants, thereby altering the intensity of competition in the Processed Cheese Powder in the not-so-distant future.Table of Contents1 Processed Cheese Powder Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Processed Cheese Powder1.2 Processed Cheese Powder Segment by Type (Product Category)1.3 Global Processed Cheese Powder Segment by Application1.4 Global Processed Cheese Powder Market by Region (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Processed Cheese Powder (2012-2022)2 Global Processed Cheese Powder Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Processed Cheese Powder Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Processed Cheese Powder Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Processed Cheese Powder Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Processed Cheese Powder Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Processed Cheese Powder Market Competitive Situation and TrendsView TOC (table of content), Figures and Tables of the Report:3 Global Processed Cheese Powder Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)4 Global Processed Cheese Powder Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)5 Global Processed Cheese Powder Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type6 Global Processed Cheese Powder Market Analysis by Application7 Global Processed Cheese Powder Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 NZMP(New Zealand)7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Processed Cheese Powder Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 NZMP(New Zealand) Processed Cheese Powder Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Land Olakes(US)7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Processed Cheese Powder Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Land Olakes(US) Processed Cheese Powder Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Kerry Group(US)7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Processed Cheese Powder Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Kerry Group(US) Processed Cheese Powder Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview8 Processed Cheese Powder Manufacturing Cost Analysis9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis12 Global Processed Cheese Powder Market Forecast (2017-2022)To Get Discount Of This Report Click here @List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Processed Cheese PowderFigure Global Processed Cheese Powder Production (MT) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2012-2022)Figure Global Processed Cheese Powder Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2016Figure Global Processed Cheese Powder Consumption (MT) by Applications (2012-2022)Figure Global Processed Cheese Powder Consumption Market Share by Applications in 2016Figure Global Processed Cheese Powder Market Size (Million USD), Comparison (MT) and CAGR (%) by Regions (2012-2022)Figure North America Processed Cheese Powder Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)QYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Market Size of Cider Packaging Market, Forecast Report 2016-2026

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Cider is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented juice of apples. Cider beverage is made up of cider apples which is mostly produced in U.S. There is great demand of innovation in packaging of cider in market. The growth of hard cider has been driven largely by the highly coveted millennial generation. Market is mainly driven by increased disposable income and demand for innovative packaging product and safe packaging.Global Cider Packaging Market: DynamicsReducing unit cider packagingsize is creating more consumption opportunities.The presence of premium brand such as woodchuck, Kopparberg and angry orchard has increased the demand for premium quality cider packaging. Premium cider packagingbrand are high in demand as compared to economically priced product due to rise in consumption of alcohol as a status symbol, disposable income and association of premium labels with the beverage quality and taste. cider packaging market is highly competitive which led competitors to come up with innovative product and new strategy in packaging world.The vendors in cider packaging are coming with bottles prepared with a high barrier coating technology to upturn its shelf life and minimize the risk of saturation. With the technological innovations in the cider packaging market, there is increasing demand for water-based coating technology as it is environmentally-friendly, tasteless, odorless and decreases the usage of sprig powder. The global demand of cider packaging is expected to grow at impressive CAGR in near future.Request Report Sample@Global Cider Packaging Market: SegmentationThe global cider packaging market can be segmented on the basis of material type packaging type and region. On the basis of material cider packaging market can be segmented on glass, plastic and metal. On the basis of packaging type cider packaging market can be segmented as bottles, cans and stand up pouches. Among all material type used for cider packaging, plastic is gaining preference over glass bottles and metal cans because plastic are light in weight, compatible lower in cost and are available in various design. The development of plastic packaging solution will be key driver for the growth of overall cider packaging market. Another driving factor for cider packaging id the increasing demand for alcoholic beverage has pushed vendors to focus on shelf-life packaging that is easy to store, easy to transport and is convenient to unpack. The manufactures are coming up with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, which shelters the cider products for long period. On the basis of region North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa.Visit For TOC@Global Cider Packaging Market: Regional OverviewNorth America cider packaging market is expected to register strong growth in near future while cider packaging market is expected to slowdown in largest market of Europe. Europe market is focusing in innovative packaging so that product become more appealing to consumers. The launch of low calorie and craft cider in Europe is expected to create demand in new cider packaging product which can add volume sale in this region. Cider packaging market in Asia Pacific region is expected to show nominal growth during forecast period. Middle East and Africa is expected to dominate the cider packaging market in near future and projected to account highest market share.Global Cider Packaging Market: Key PlayersThe main player of global cider packaging in market are Amcor limited , Ardagh group, Ball corporation, Crown Holdings, Rexam Owens-Illinois. Some of the other prominent players are Plastipak Packaging, Silgan Holdings, Consol Glass, Vetropack, Allied Glass Containers, Can-Pack, MeadWestvaco, Nampak and VidralaABOUT 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:
Market Size of Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Market, Forecast Report 2016-2026

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The ultimate goal of all oil and gas operators across the globe is to extract hydrocarbon as cost effective as possible. In order to achieve this goal, their entire system should be automated and error free starting from the extraction process to the delivery and transportation of oil and gas to buyers, which can be achieved by implementation of hydrocarbons accounting solutions. Additionally, oil and gas operators are increasingly launching their projects in remote locations that are often in difficult environmental condition, which in turns, also increases the demand for hydrocarbons accounting solution across the upstream industry. Hydrocarbons accounting solutions are being increasingly adopted by players in upstream industry for various applications such as production management, reporting and allocation, transport management solution (takes care of transportation data and activity while transporting hydrocarbons through pipelines, trucks or vessels), and sales management, revenue management and other supply chain management related applications.Global Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Market: Drivers and ChallengesTechnological innovations in cloud computing and data analytics are contributing immensely in making these type of hydrocarbons accounting software more robust and accurate, which helps to increase adoption of these solutions among the end-users. Most of the hydrocarbons accounting solution providers offers solutions, which can be integrated seamlessly with multiple applications such as ERM, reserves management, GIS, land and lease management, well management and other applications used by upstream industries. Previously, upstream industry was not bounded by government rules and regulations. However, with changing market scenario around oil and gas producers, the requirement to manage this industry by intelligent solutions increases.Request Report Sample@In order to achieve an objective of increased production in cost effective and efficient manners, various oil and gas operators have different specific requirements across the industry, hence its a challenge for hydrocarbon solutions providers to provide customized solutions which support different needs and yet maintain profitable business model.Traditionally, hydrocarbon accounting has mostly taken place at the level of individual fields or operating companies. However, changes in the global market around producers of a field, the pursuit of natural gas, and increased regulation are just some of the factors driving oil and gas companies to look for applications that have a more comprehensive view.Global Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Market: SegmentationGlobal hydrocarbons accounting solutions can be segmented on the basis of component, deployment type and end-use sector. On the basis of component, global hydrocarbons accounting solution market is segmented into software and services. Service segment is further sub-segmented into consulting, implementation and support. On the basis of deployment type, global hydrocarbon software market is segmented into cloud based software and on-premise software. In 2015, cloud based hydrocarbons accounting solution is estimated to dominate the market and is expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period. Deployment of cloud based hydrocarbons accounting software reduces requirement of trained IT personal team because of 24*7 full technical support from the solution providers is the main force driving the growth of cloud based hydrocarbons accounting software market. On the basis of end-use sector, global hydrocarbons accounting solution market is segmented into upstream companies, mid-stream companies and downstream companies.Visit For TOC@Global Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Market: Regional OutlookOn the basis of region, global hydrocarbons accounting solution market is segmented into seven regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, MEA, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan and Japan. Among aforementioned regions, MEA is expected to be the dominant market followed by North America because, most of the petroleum companies of the world are present in these two regions.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:
Nanosatellite and Microsatellite Market Demand in Rising Communication Services

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The increasingly competitive nanosatellite and microsatellite market has been witnessing heavy investments in research and development from private as well as government organizations.The entry of several new players has also been observed in the recent past, which is indicative of the rising potential this market possesses. The projected launch of nanosatellites and microsatellites in the coming years is also expected to add to this potential.The demand for nanosatellites and microsatellites stems from various industry sectors, including military and defense, education and scientific research, commercial, and navigation and mapping.Obtain Report Details:Given the capital intensive nature of large satellites, nanosatellites and microsatellites are the perfect alternative and serve a number of needs in the aforementioned sectors. This growing demand is projected to spur the market to expand at a strong 12.1% CAGR from 2016 to 2024, with the opportunity expected to be worth US$2.2 bn by the end of the forecast period.Demand Rising for Nanosatellites and Microsatellites for Communication ServicesNanosatellites and microsatellites find application in scientific research, communication, navigation and mapping, power, reconnaissance, and others including Earth observation, biological experiments, and remote sensing. In 2015, communications held the dominant share in the market.Defense organizations have been launching communication nanosatellites and microsatellites to provide communication signals to soldiers stationed in remote locations or in dense forests.A number of companies in the telecom sector are also taking various initiatives to launch constellations of nanosatellites and microsatellites to offer their users faster internet services and additional bandwidth. Applications such as remote sensing and Earth observation are likely to gain momentum in the coming years.The global market for nanosatellites and microsatellites has been geographically segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. In 2015, North America accounted for the largest share in the nanosatellite and microsatellite market, with the U.S. emerging as the leading contributor.This report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Nanosatellite and Microsatellite Market. Browse through to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:This can be attributed to advanced technologies facilitating space research in the country and the presence of established space research agencies and universities. In addition, commercial investments and government funding toward space activities have boosted the development of nanosatellites and microsatellites in the region. The nanosatellite and microsatellite market in Canada is anticipated to expand at a fast pace in the coming years thanks to efforts from the Canada Space Agency.Asia Pacific is one of the most lucrative markets for nanosatellites and microsatellites. Technologically advanced countries such as China and Japan have significantly contributed to the development of nanosatellites and microsatellites in the recent past.Moreover, the shifting focus toward R&D and the continuous development of network infrastructure in Philippines, India, Australia, and Indonesia are likely to give the APAC market a major boost in the coming years. The urgent need for more effective national security measures has also played a key role in influencing the development and launch of nanosatellites and microsatellites.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Market Size of Organic Milk Market, Forecast Report 2016-2026

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The organic milk market encompasses all milk and milk products derived from animals that are fed organic feed that is devoid of any animal by-products, have access to fresh pastures, and are not treated with any synthetic hormones or antibiotics. The term organic only refers to the process in which the milk is prepared and has no relation to the end-product nutrient profile. The market for organic milk is expected to grow at a rapid pace with the mainstreaming of natural and organic foods.Market Dynamics of Organic Milk MarketSimilar to all organic foods, the demand for organic milk is closely tied to the increasing consumer preference for naturally and organically grown products. This positive view of organics is due to several factors such as the perception of anything organic as healthy and pure, increasing care for environment and concern for farm animals. All these factors are crucial for the acceptance of organic milk products, thereby leading to the popularity of labels such as grass-fed and pasture-raised.Price is an important constraining factor for organic milk market as organic milk is almost thrice as costly as regular milk. This high difference limits the scope of the market only to urban and high-aware consumers.Request Report Sample@The consumer shift towards organic dairy products is also influenced by the large scale food adulteration scandals that have occurred recently. For instance, the 2008 Chinese milk scandal wherein a large number of children were hospitalized due to an excessive amount of melamine in the milk and infant formulas, has led to a great number of regulations, import restrictions and price fluctuations in the market. Events such as these have increased consumer interest in what the animal is fed, how it is raised and processing methods.The regulatory aspects of the organic milk market are mostly centered on the use of the organic label. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires that apart from the use of organic feed, cows should have access to fresh grass and spend at least four months a year grazing in pastures. The crucial aspect of organic milk market is a lack of use of synthetic hormones such as rBGH, a growth hormone given to almost 30% of the dairy cows in the US. These ingredients are considered very negatively by most consumers.Market Segmentation of Organic Milk MarketThe organic milk market is segmented on the basis of application, packaging type, distribution channel, and geography.On the basis of application, the organic milk market is segmented as milk, dairy products and milk-based beverages and others. The majority of organic milk is consumed directly in the form of boiled milk, coffee, tea, and in cooking certain dishes at home. The use of organic milk is particularly increasing in households with kids due to extra concerns about food safety and health. The dairy products segment is further segmented into butter, cheese, desserts, and others. The dairy products segment is expected to gain market share with the growing consumer interest in healthy indulgent foods. Further these products are used in some bakery and confectionery good like milk toffies, bars and cakes and cookies.Visit For TOC@On the basis of packaging type, the market can be segmented into pouches, cartons, bottles, and cans. The use of any specific packaging type depends on the end-purpose and use. For instance, pouches offer a relatively cheap way and easy way to pack milk and are therefore very popular in emerging nations such as India. Cartons are an important packaging type in terms of the longer shelf life and convenience. Bottles can be of both glass and plastic and are heavily used for packing milk and beverages. Cans are mainly used to transport heavy loads of organic milk and in the case of many dairy products.On the basis of distribution channels, the market is segmented into hypermarkets/supermarkets, convenience and grocery stores, specialty stores, the internet and direct selling. The use of internet limited in the case of organic milk market as the products are easily perishable. Hypermarkets and supermarkets occupy the dominant market share mainly because a significant number of organic products are concentrated in large stores. Direct selling in the form of home deliveries is also an important and growing distribution channel because such delivery systems usually source the organic milk from local sources thereby ensuring freshness and quality.Regional Outlook of Organic Milk MarketThe United States occupies the dominant market share in the organic milk market. The increasing consumer awareness about natural consumer goods and increase in the incidence of lifestyle conditions such as obesity. Europe is another very important region in the organic milk market due to the high-income levels, easy product accessibility and strict regulations against synthetic food ingredients. U.K is a major consumer of organic milk and also houses many producers and suppliers. Despite occupying small market share at the current time period, the organic milk market is expected to grow at a significant level in emerging nations such as India and Brazil. This is due to the increasing awareness levels and fears of food adulteration among consumers.Key Market Players in Organic Milk MarketSome of the key players in the organic milk market include Danone (WhiteWave Foods Company), Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited, Organic Valley, OMSCo (Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative), Dairy Farmers of America Inc., Agropur Dairy Cooperative, Arla Foods Amba, Donegal Investment Group plc. , etc. among the 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:
Chile Power Market Outlook to 2030 Update 2017-Market Trends Regulations and Competitive Landscape

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ReportsWeb.com published Chile Power 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.This report elaborates Chile's power market structure and provides historical and forecast numbers for capacity, generation, and consumption up to 2030. Detailed analysis of the Chile power market's regulatory structure, import and export trends, competitive landscape, and power projects at various stages of the supply chain is provided. The report also gives a snapshot of the power sector in Chile on broad parameters of macroeconomics, supply security, generation infrastructure, transmission infrastructure, degree of competition, regulatory scenario, and future potential. An analysis of the deals market scenario in the country's power sector is also included in the report.For more information about this report atScope-Snapshot of the country's power sector across parameters-macro economics, supply security, generation infrastructure, transmission infrastructure, degree of competition, regulatory scenario and future potential of the power sector.-Statistics for installed capacity, power generation and consumption from 2000 to 2016, forecast for the next 14 years to 2030.-Break-up by technology, including thermal, hydro, renewable and nuclear-Data on leading current and upcoming projects.-Information on grid interconnectivity, transmission and distribution infrastructure and power exports and imports.-Policy and regulatory framework governing the market.-Detailed analysis of top market participant, including market share analysis and SWOT analysis.Request a sample copy atReasons to buy-Identify opportunities and plan strategies by having a strong understanding of the investment opportunities in the country's power sector-Identification of key factors driving investment opportunities in the country's power sector-Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data-Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events-Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industry's growth potential-Identify key partners and business development avenues-Identify key strengths and weaknesses of important market participants-Respond to your competitors' business structure, strategy and prospects.Inquire 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
Embedded System Market to Grow at a Remarkable Pace in the Coming Years

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Global Embedded System Market: SnapshotThe applications of embedded systems have increased drastically over the past years, especially in the automotive industry. Multi-core technologies are being appreciated and are now in great demand across various industry verticals. Embedded graphics systems have now become a mainstay in consumer electronics, which is another industry growing at an exceptional rate.Healthcare, defense, aerospace, and telecommunications are other industries where the use of embedded systems is bringing about a sea of changes for the better. Embedded systems are also finding a wide range of use in the current high demand concept of smart electronics and connected devices. The cumulative growth in demand for embedded systems through all these application industries is expected to be a high impact driver for its global market and all its players.There is, however, a major constraint on the production of embedded system, and that is the set of complications that arise on real time embedded systems implementations. Real time applications impose a very high strain on embedded systems that are already restricted by regulatory concerns over cooling, weight, power, size, and reliability. This can be mitigated to a large degree through the implementation of modern low-energy consumption embedded systems and low performance controller applications.The revenue generated in the global market for embedded systems is, as a result, expected to progress at a strong CAGR of 6.4% from 2015 to 2021. This market is expected to reach US$233.19 bn by the end of 2021.Browse Our Report @North Americas Lead over Embedded Systems to PrevailBy the end of 2021, the demand for embedded systems in North America is expected to generate a revenue of US$89.87 bn, which will be the leading share at the time. The demand for embedded systems in this region has always been very high due to a head start this region gained from early penetration in the U.S. This region has housed a great number of the key players currently functioning in the global market, including Intel Corporation, Texas Instruments, and Freescale Semiconductor. The high level of research and development efforts taken by these companies has increased the self-reliance of the embedded systems market in North America and eventually had a positive impact on the global market as well.Asia Pacific held the second place in the top revenue generating regions for embedded systems players in 2014 and is expected to retain its position till 2021. China, Taiwan, South Korea  to name a few  are well on their way towards large scale implementation of modern embedded systems in automotive and consumer electronics industries. The region is expected to see a boom in the demand for embedded systems in the healthcare sector over the coming years.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @Auto Sector to Remain High-value Industry for Embedded SystemsThe demand for embedded systems in the automotive industry is expected to take up 18.3% of the market value by 2021. This will be a leading share, similar to this industrys share in market value in 2014. Automobiles are one of the more perfect application fields for embedded systems due to the small size of these systems. They can easily fit into various components in a car, which has led to car makers evolving their designs and concepts around the use of embedded systems and other electronics.The true value of embedded systems has only been realized by industries over the past few decades. The increase in mobility that embedded systems provide in the industries of automotive, defense and aerospace, and consumer electronics is quite massive and it does not seem to be diminishing any time soon. Embedded systems have come a long way from their use in business-critical and safety-critical applications and are now being used in products that are designed around them.The top providers of embedded systems across the globe include Renesas Electronics Corporation, Freescale Semiconductor, Samsung Electronics Corporation, Atmel Corporation, Infineon Technologies, STMicroelectronics, Fujitsu, Microchip Technologies, and Texas Instruments.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:
System-on-Chip (SoC) Market to Grow at a Remarkable Pace in the Coming Years

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Global market for System-on-Chip (SoC) has been covered under the scope of this report. Functionally, a source is similar to a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer. The differentiating points of a SoC from a CPU are that all the features of the source are embedded on a single chip and is also much smaller in size. Additionally a SoC also may contain a graphic processing unit (GPU), memory and power management circuits among others. The smaller form factor combined with computing power of SoCs has led to its integration into various devices such as mobile phones, smart washing machines, tablets, smart air-conditioners, smart television and set-top boxes among others. Upgraded SoCs are being designed to smaller size, but has doubled the computing speed than its predecessors. Also, the newer SoCs are more energy efficient and generates much less heat when compared to their predecessors.The global source market is primarily driven by an increase in the demand for smarter and power efficient electronic devices across all sectors. Recent years have seen a huge increase in demand for connecting devices such as smart phones and tablets among others. Also, the advent of smart gadgets, such as smart television and smart air conditioners among others, has also been highly influential in the growth of the demand for SoCs. The global increase in internet users has been significantly boosting the demand for connected devices which are again mostly powered by SoCs having internet centric applications. Thus, it also boosted the global market for SoCs. The dimensional scaling of integrated circuits (IC), leading to declining cost per function and increased manifestation of Moores law have also been playing a significant role in positively driving this market. Development of newer generations of SoCs having multi-core technologies and embedded graphics systems has been another factor which also played a huge role in the growth of this market. With the rising demand of compact and scalable ICs in global electronic industry, the SoC market can be expected to be impacted positively.Browse Our Report @The global source market has been segmented into four regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (RoW). Asia-Pacific held the largest market share in 2014. Increased demand for smarter consumer electronics coupled with high growth in the number of internet users and higher acceptance of connected devices are the main driving factors in this part of the world. North America was the second largest market, followed by Europe. The SoC market in North America was mainly driven by factors such as an increase in demand for smart devices, higher application of SoCs in automobiles and advancement in electronic devices targeted at sectors such as telecommunication, military and healthcare among others. The growth in Europe can also be attributed to factors similar to North America.The global SoC market, in terms of types, can be divided into four segments such as digital, analog, mixed signal and others. The demand for smarter devices with advanced functionalities has led the mixed signal SoCs segment to have the largest market share. On the basis of applications, the market can be segmented into four segments. They are telecommunication, consumer electronics, automotive and others. The high growth in demand for smart devices has led to consumer electronics being the largest segment of market revenue.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @Some of the leading players profiled in the report are Apple, Inc. (US), Broadcom Corporation (US), Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (US), Infineon Technologies AG. (Germany), Intel Corporation (US), Qualcomm, Inc. (U.S.), Samsung (South Korea.), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (Taiwan), STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland), Toshiba Corporation (Japan) and MediaTek Inc. (Taiwan) 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:
Wearable Sensor Market to Grow at a Remarkable Pace in the Coming Years

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Wearable sensors are an important component of wearable technology that are embedded in smart wearable devices to monitor several parameters such as temperature, blood pressure, speed, and muscle activity. The wearable sensors ensure that the data is monitored and stored for our better understanding of physical health and fitness. Recently, these sensors became increasingly popular attributed to the growing demand for smart wearable technology based devices. They are used in various applications in areas such as fitness wearable, access control, and medical based wearable among others.Presently, the simple wearable devices have transformed into more sophisticated and multifunctional devices. The usage of multiple wearable sensors embedded into a single wearable device has increased, on an average of one wearable sensor to four wearable sensors per device. Moreover, players such as Google, Microsoft, and Nike are entering the wearable device market with sophisticated wearable gadgets, which is further fueling the growth of the wearable sensors market. Moreover, demand for fitness and health monitoring wearable gadget are on the rise.Browse Our Report @These wearable fitness and health monitoring devices include various wearable sensors such as motion, pressure, and pulse sensors. These wearable devices are capable of monitoring heart rates, calculating burnt calories, and measuring blood pressure, among others. Moreover, increasing consumers concern related to their health, fitness, and wellness; is further driving the growth of the wearable fitness and healthcare devices, which in turn is leading to the growth of the wearable sensors market. In addition, decrease in price of raw materials used for manufacturing wearable sensors has led to decrease in cost of production of wearable sensors, further driving the market growth. In addition, advancements in manufacturing techniques have facilitated mass production of wearable sensors by economy of scale. As a result, the market for wearable sensors has been observing a significant growth.The global wearable sensors market, by type, is categorized into medical based sensors, motion sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, image sensors, position sensors, and others. In 2013, wearable motion sensors segment dominated the global wearable sensors market in terms of revenue. Moreover, wearable motion sensors segment is expected to continue its dominance throughout the forecast period. Increasing application of motion sensors in smart wearable devices such as shoes, fitness bands, and medical wearable devices for tracking physical activity and fitness is driving the growth of the segment. During the forecast period, wearable image sensors segment is expected to witness the highest growth. Wearable image sensors are used in several applications in multiple industries such as infotainment and defense. These wearable sensors are integrated in smart wearable devices which primarily includes smart watches, smart glass, and HMDs among others. The wearable image sensors market is expected to grow as a result of the increasing demand for intelligent smart devices.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @The global wearable sensor market is categorized based on application into: eye wear, wrist wear, foot wear, body wear and others. In 2013, wrist wear application segment held the majority of the market share in terms of revenue and is expected to continue its dominance during the forecast period. Smart wearable wrist wear has already been in the market for sometime in the form of fitness bands and smart watches, and has become popular in some of the regions. Furthermore, integration of advanced technology and increase in functionalities, such as the ability to monitor temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate, are acting as the major drivers for the growth of the market.Key players in the wearable sensors market include Analog Devices, Inc. (U.S.), Broadcom Corporation (U.S.), Freescale Semiconductor Inc. (U.S.), Infineon Technologies AG (Germany), InvenSense, Inc. (U.S.), NXP Semiconductors N.V. (Netherlands), and Panasonic Corporation (Japan) 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:
Artificial Intelligence Market to Reach US$3,061.35 bn by 2024

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Globally, there is a wave of artificial intelligence across various industries, especially consumer electronics and healthcare. The wave is likely to continue in the years to come with the expanding base of applications of the technology.The global market for artificial intelligence is expected to witness phenomenal growth over the coming years as organizations worldwide have started capitalizing on the benefits of such disruptive technologies for effective positioning of their offerings and customer reach. In addition, the increasing It spending by enterprises across the globe for better advancements in their services and products.According to a study by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global market for artificial intelligence is estimated to post an impressive 36.1% CAGR between 2016 and 2024, rising to a valuation of US$3,061.35 bn by the end of 2024 from US$126.14 bn in 2015. The upward growth of the market is, however, hampered by the low upfront investments.Obtain Report Details:The majority of companies operating in the market are facing difficulties in accumulating funds for early stage research and development of prototypes and their underlying technologies. The dearth of personnel with adequate technical knowledge is also restricting the market from realizing its full potential.Expert Systems to Lead Revenue Generation through 2024On the basis of type, the report segments the global artificial intelligence market into digital assistance system, expert system, embedded system, automated robotic system, and artificial neural network.The expert system segment was at the forefront of growth in 2015, representing 44% of the overall market revenue and is poised to maintain its dominance until 2024. The growth of the segment can be attributed to the rising implementation of artificial intelligence across various sectors such as process control, monitoring, diagnosis, design, planning, and scheduling.Digital assistance is estimated to be the most promising segment in terms of revenue during the review period. The proliferation of portable computing devices such as tablets and smartphones is the primary factor propelling the growth of the segment.Based on application, deep learning held the lions share of 21.6% in the global market in terms of value in 2015, closely trailed by smart robots. The demand for artificial intelligence in image recognition is likely to rise at a noteworthy rate over the forecast horizon.Domicile of a Raft of Leading Players to Fuel North Americas DominanceNorth America was the major revenue contributor in 2015, accounting for approximately 38.0% of the overall market.This report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Artificial Intelligence Market. Browse through to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:The domicile of a large number of the leading technology firms enables early introduction and high acceptance of artificial intelligence in the region. Moreover, high government funding is playing a pivotal role in the technological development of artificial intelligence in the region.The widening scope of applications the technology in various verticals, including media and advertising, retail, BFSI, consumer electronics, and automotive are also contributing the market in North America. Owing to these factors, the region is expected to retain its leadership through 2024.On the other hand, the Middle East and Africa is anticipated to exhibit a remarkable CAGR of 38.2% during the forecast period, which is higher than any other region. Rapid technological innovations, including robotic automation and increasing implementation of concepts such as smart cities are boosting the adoption of artificial intelligence in the region. Ongoing infrastructure projects such development of new airports are rendering the market in MEA highly opportunistic.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
E-SIM Card Market Swift Uptake of Industry 4.0 Technology Propels Europe Market

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The global E-SIM card market is rising steadily due to the several advantages of E-SIM card over conventional SIM cards. E-SIM card allows changing mobile network operator at a few clicks, a feature distinct to them.For instance, ability to switch network providers over the air in machine to machine systems such as smart meters and connected cars has substantial advantages in terms of reducing logistics and operational costs.The compact design of E-SIM and standardization of technical specifications for Embedded SIM technology is another distinct feature that sets E-SIM cards apart from conventional SIM cards.Obtain Report Details:This is because Embedded SIM technology is standardized by Groupe Speciale Mobile Association, which comprises more than 800 mobile operators worldwide. Further, compact design of E-SIM cards is advantageous to original equipment manufacturers for increasing the battery size or to provide additional storage in electronic devices.A report by Transparency Market Research predicts the global E-SIM card market to rise at a healthy 13.5% CAGR between 2017 and 2025. Progressing at this rate, the market is anticipated to display an opportunity of US$14,613.1 mn by 2025 increasing from US$4,095.6 mn in 2016.In terms of application, the global E-SIM card market has been segmented into machine to machine (M2M), wearable and companion devices, smartphones, and tablets and laptops. The segment of M2M, among these, contributed the leading revenue contribution in 2016.M2M is further sub-segmented into connected cars, utility, and others. Of them, connected cars is expected to expand at a CAGR of over 15% between 2017 and 2025 backed by the rising adoption of E-SIM card in the automotive industry for weather information and infotainment.The commercialization of Embedded SIM for smartphones is expected in 2019. The segment is expected to rise at a robust CAGR of 26.3%between 2019 and 2025.Asia Pacific to Exhibit Leading CAGR between 2017 and 2025The key segments into which the global E-SIM card is divided based on geography are North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and South America. In 2016, Europe stood as the leading revenue generation region and is expected to display substantial CAGR over the forecast period.The supremacy of the region is due to the favorable government initiatives for the implementation of Industry 4.0 technology and solutions. The U.K., France, and Germany are the leading revenue contributors to the Europe E-SIM card market.This report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the E-SIM Card Market. Browse through to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:North America held the second-leading revenue share in the global market in 2016 with the U.S. contributing the leading revenue. The region is expected to display significant growth over the forecast period. The increased adoption of technology as well as home to key industry players is driving the growth of this regional market.Asia Pacific, amongst all, is expected to rise with the leading CAGR over the forecast period. The growth of this region is backed by the rising adoption of embedded SIM technology in M2M devices across several countries such as China and Japan.South Africa and Gulf Cooperation Council are the leading revenue generating regions in the Middle East and Africa. The E-SIM card market in South America is driven by the rising adoption of embedded SIM in utilities to provide smart metering solutions. Brazil is the leading revenue contributing domestic market to the E-SIM card market in the region.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Industrial Robotics Market to Witness Healthy Growth in the Coming Years

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The global industrial robotics market was valued at USD 28.93 billion in 2013, growing at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2014 to 2020. ISO 8373 defines an industrial robot as an automatically reprogrammable, controlled, multipurpose manipulator programmable in three or more axes. It may either be fixed or mobile, as per its required use in industrial automation processes. There are different types of industrial robots which include cylindrical robots, articulated robots, Cartesian robots and SCARA robots among others.All these types of robots offer unique features and advantages, and are hence used majorly in a number of industry verticals namely, electrical & electronics industry, automotive industry, machinery industry, chemical, rubber & plastics industry, metals industry, precision & optics industry and food & beverages industry among other types of industries. These robots carry out a number of functions namely, materials handling, soldering and welding, assembling & disassembling, milling, cutting and processing, and painting and dispensing among other types of functions, in all the above mentioned industry verticals globally.Browse Our Report @Articulated robots led the global market revenue share by types in 2013, followed by Cartesian robots. The other types of robots which include SCARA robots and cylindrical robots among others are also expected to witness significant growth owing to the increasing usage of industrial robotics across varied industry verticals, over the forecast period 2014 to 2020. The global industrial robotics market was dominated by the automotive industry segment which accounted for over one-fourth of the market revenue share in the year 2013. However, this sector is experiencing reduced growth compared to previous years due to slowdown in industrial production. Metals, foods & beverages, and precision & optics were the most attractive segments in the year 2013 and are analyzed to grow at the fastest pace compared to other industry verticals.The global industrial robotics market revenue share by functions was dominated by the materials handling segment which accounted for over one-third of the global share in the year 2013 and is also analyzed to continue its dominance over the forecast period 2014 to 2020. Rising demand among varied industry verticals such as packaging, consumer electronics and electrical in the APAC and RoW regions are expected to further propel the industrial robotics market in this segment. In 2013, soldering and welding function was another major segment which accounted for over one-fourth of the global industrial robotics market owing to high end usage in machinery industry, where precision and accuracy are key factors.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @Asia Pacific led the global industrial robotics market revenue share in the year 2013, accounting for over half of the global market revenue share. The region is analyzed to dominate the market over the forecast period 2014 to 2020 owing to the immense research and development infrastructure growth in countries such as Japan, Australia, China and India. Moreover, the adoption of robotics in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is further expected to bolster the industrial robotics market in the Asia Pacific region. North America and Europe trailed Asia Pacific by accounting for over 20% of the global market revenue share in the year 2013. In North America, Mexico is expected to offer tremendous potential across varied application sectors in the coming years.The industrial robotics market report provides company market share analysis of key players. These players have been profiled on aspects such as company overview, financial overview, business strategy, SWOT analysis, and recent developments in the market. Some of the key players profiled include Denso Corporation, KUKA Robotics Corporation, FANUC Ltd., and Yaskawa Motoman Robotics 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:
Ultra Hard Material Cutting Machines Market to Witness Healthy Growth in the Coming Years

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Global Ultra-hard Material Cutting Machines Market: OverviewThe leading factor augmenting the global ultra-hard material cutting machines market is the growing demand for semiconductor substrates built from synthetic diamonds. Additionally, ultra-hard material cutting machines are finding greater uses in more industries, including mining, defense, and semiconductors and electronics. Advancements in technology such as the development of fiber lasers has also bolstered the global ultra-hard cutting machine market. The market is, however, restrained by factors such as the high cost and complexity of the machines. The market is segmented on the basis of types, into electrical discharge machines, laser cutting machines, and others. EDM have consistently led the global ultra-hard cutting machine market till 2015 and are expected to continue leading for the time being.The global ultra-hard cutting machine market was valued at US$730.0 mn in 2015 and is expected to reach US$1.81 bn by the end of 2024, with its revenue expected to expand at a CAGR of 10.8% within a forecast period from 2016 to 2024. In terms of volume, the global ultra-hard cutting machine market is expected to reach 6661 units by the end of 2024.Browse Our Report @APAC Dominates Global Ultra-hard Material Cutting Machine MarketAsia Pacific had held the leading share in the global ultra-hard cutting machine market in terms of both value and volume in 2015. Its value in 2015 was already greater than US$710 mn and is predicted to grow at a very fast rate till 2024. The demand for ultra-hard cutting machines in Asia Pacific has grown in the recent past due to industrial and technological developments in the region. The speedy adoption rate of newer technological innovations and a growing investments in research and development by private entities from the semiconductor and electronics industry is expected to further bolster the global ultra-hard cutting machine market.In 2015, North America held the second largest share in the global ultra-hard cutting machine market. The region has been the base for a lot of key research and development activities and enjoys the early adoption of several of these innovations, especially in the U.S. These form the primary factors fuelling the growth of the ultra-hard material cutting market in North America. Europe has also been a fruitful region for the sales and development of ultra-hard material cutting machines, due to a heavy rate of use by countries such as Germany. There is also a great scope of increase of demand for the newer laser cutting machines available in the market.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @EDMs Grab Lions Share in Global Ultra-hard Material Cutting Machine MarketThe key types of ultra-hard cutting machines currently available are electrical discharge machines (EDM) and laser cutting machines, along with a collective minority of very niche machines. EDMs held the greater share in the global ultra-hard cutting machine market till 2015, a factor largely attributed to the increasing use of these machines in the production of medical devices and similar equipment. With the increasing rate of innovations and technological advancements in EDMs, their process has found a wider scope of application in the industries of electronics, aerospace, automobile, as well as the overall development of the industrial sector. Laser cutting machines currently take up the second place in the global ultra-hard cutting machine market in terms of demand and volume. Their demand is expected to grow favorably over the coming years owing to the increasing demand for advanced technology, coupled by its falling prices.The leading players in the global ultra-hard material cutting machines market at the present moment, include DMG Mori(Japan), Bystronic, Incorporation (The U.S.), GF Machining Solutions (Switzerland), OGI Systems Ltd.(Israel), Coherent Incorporation (The U.S.), Rollomatic Inc.(The U.S), Coborn Engineering Company Limited(U.K.), Kennametal, Inc.(The U.S), United Grinding GmbH(Germany), and ANCA (Australia).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:
Bulk Material Handling Products and Technologies Market to Witness Healthy Growth in the Coming Years

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Global Bulk Material Handling Products and Technologies Market: SnapshotThe growth of the global market for bulk material handling products and technologies heavily relies on the rising industrial infrastructure and the movement in the construction sector, especially in the emerging economies. The increase in the automation in the manufacturing industry and the advent of the mass production methodology and the assembly line concept have been acting as the key driving factor behind this surge in this market in the recent times.Furthermore, the rise in mining activities, progress in the agriculture industry, and the innovations and advancements in bulk material handling products and technologies are likely to propel this market over the forthcoming years.The global market for bulk material handling products and technologies offered an opportunity worth US$58.86 bn in 2015. Analysts project this market to expand at a CAGR of 1.30% between 2016 and 2024 and reach a value of US$65.74 bn by the end of 2024.Browse Our Report @Europe to Retain its Dominance Through 2024The worldwide bulk material handling products and technologies market is spread across North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Rest of the World that includes the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Europe has been holding the lead in this market for quite some time and is expected to retain it over the next few years. In 2015, the Europe market for bulk material handling products and technologies accounted for a share of 34.4% in the overall market.Germany, among all the European markets, has surfaced as the most attractive market for bulk material handling products and technologies. The increasing demand for industrial automation, which require extensive usage of bulk material handling equipment, rise in mass production methods, such as assembly line production, and the growing need for bulk equipment in the construction industry has boosted this domestic market substantially.Among other regional markets, Asia Pacific is demonstrating signs of strong growth in the near future. The Asia Pacific market for bulk material handling products and technologies is largely acquired by China, which is one of the most prominent domestic bulk material handling products and technologies market across the world. Researchers expect the china market to expand considerably in the years to come and have a significant impact on the Asia Pacific market. The market in North America, on the other hand, is anticipated to experience sluggish rise over the forthcoming years.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @Mining Industry to Remain Key End User of Bulk Material Handling Products and TechnologiesThe chemical, construction, food and beverages, energy, mining, oil and gas, metals, pharmaceuticals, and the plastics industries are the key end users of bulk material handling products and technologies across the world. The demand for these products and technologies has been most prominent from the mining industry, which has been closely followed by the construction and the chemical industries. According to analysts, the scenario is likely to remain so in the near future.Metso Corp., TRF Ltd., Tenova S.p.A, ThyssenKrupp AG, SENET, Voith GmbH, and FLSmidth & Co. are some of the prominent players in the global market for bulk material handling products and technologies.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Machine Learning as a Service Market Lucrative Opportunity in Various Segments

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The global machine learning as a service (MLaaS) market is rising expeditiously mainly due to the Internet revolution. The process of connecting the world virtually has generated vast amount of data which is boosting the adoption of machine learning solutions. This is because deployment of machine learning improves the speed and accuracy of functions performed by the system.Apart from this, adoption of advanced analytics technologies from several industry verticals such as healthcare and life sciences, BFSI, retail, telecom, and manufacturing is contributing towards the growth of machine learning as a service market. Machine learning as a service solutions are also adopted across industry verticals to enhance the decision making capability of machines.Serving as a roadblock to the growth of this market is lack of skilled professionals and concerns about data security.As per estimations of Transparency Market Research, the global machine learning as a service market pegged an opportunity of US$1.07 bn in 2016. Expanding at a phenomenal CAGR of 38.40% between 2017 and 2025, the market is expected to attain a value of US$19.86 bn by the end of 2025.Obtain Report Details:Manufacturing, retail, telecom, healthcare and life sciences, BFSI, and others are the segments into which the global machine learning as a service market is classified based upon end use.Of them, the segment of healthcare and life sciences is the key contributor to the market mainly due to the rising need for machine learning in the sector to integrate structured and unstructured data. The data generated is mainly from electronic health record (EHR), genomic and claims data.In the forthcoming years, other enManufacturing, retail, telecom, healthcare and life sciences, BFSI, and others are the segments into which the global machine learning as a service market is classified based upon end use. Of them, the segment of healthcare and life sciences is the key contributor to the market mainly due to the rising need for machine learning in the sector to integrate structured and unstructured data. The data generated is mainly from electronic health record (EHR), genomic and claims data.In the forthcoming years, other end-use industries such as BFSI, retail, telecom, and manufacturing are anticipated to display demand for MLaaS in order to augment the decision making capability of machines that are used in these industry verticals.On the basis of deployment type, the machine learning as a service market is segmented into public cloud and private cloud. In 2016, private cloud segment accounted for the leading revenue contribution to the global MLaaS market. However, public cloud segment is anticipated to rise at a relatively rapid rate than private cloud segment due to ease of installation and economic benefits to organizations.North America to Continue to Stay in LeadThe key geographical segments into which the global MLaaS market is divided are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, South America, and Europe. North America led among other regional segments in 2016 contributing US$362.7 bn to the overall market.The region is expected to hold on its dominant position over the forecast period backed by the burgeoning demand for Internet of Things (IoT) and rapid integration of machine learning as a service with big data and other newer technologies. The growth of North America MLaaS market is mainly driven by the U.S. and Canada as they are home to some well-entrenched players such as Microsoft Corporation, Google Inc., Amazon Web Services Inc., and IBM Inc.Asia Pacific is expected to display a significant growth rate in the upcoming years backed by the swift uptake of advance analytics technologies in the healthcare and life sciences industry.The developments in the information technology sector is also working in favor of Asia Pacific MLaaS market.d-use industries such as BFSI, retail, telecom, and manufacturing are anticipated to display demand for MLaaS in order to augment the decision making capability of machines that are used in these industry verticals.On the basis of deployment type, the machine learning as a service market is segmented into public cloud and private cloud. In 2016, private cloud segment accounted for the leading revenue contribution to the global MLaaS market. However, public cloud segment is anticipated to rise at a relatively rapid rate than private cloud segment due to ease of installation and economic benefits to organizations.This report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Machine Learning as a Service Market. Browse through to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:North America to Continue to Stay in LeadThe key geographical segments into which the global MLaaS market is divided are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, South America, and Europe. North America led among other regional segments in 2016 contributing US$362.7 bn to the overall market.The region is expected to hold on its dominant position over the forecast period backed by the burgeoning demand for Internet of Things (IoT) and rapid integration of machine learning as a service with big data and other newer technologies.The growth of North America MLaaS market is mainly driven by the U.S. and Canada as they are home to some well-entrenched players such as Microsoft Corporation, Google Inc., Amazon Web Services Inc., and IBM Inc.Asia Pacific is expected to display a significant growth rate in the upcoming years backed by the swift uptake of advance analytics technologies in the healthcare and life sciences industry. The developments in the information technology sector is also working in favor of Asia Pacific MLaaS market.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Bioprosthesis Market News 2017: Industry Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Forecast of 2022

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Bioprosthesis Market Research Report 2017 The report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Bioprosthesis in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaRequest a Sample copy atGlobal Bioprosthesis market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingEdwardsMedtronicBalance MedicalLifetech ScientificSuzhou Jiecheng MedicalComplete 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 intoPorcine BioprosthesisCow BioprosthesisOn 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 Bioprosthesis for each application, includingHospitalClinicTable of Contents:1 Bioprosthesis Market Overview2 Global Bioprosthesis Market Competition by Manufacturers3 Global Bioprosthesis Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)4 Global Bioprosthesis Supply (Production) , Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)5 Global Bioprosthesis Production, Revenue (Value) , Price Trend by Type6 Global Bioprosthesis Market Analysis by ApplicationGet Discount at7 Global Bioprosthesis Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis8 Bioprosthesis Manufacturing Cost Analysis9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis12 Global Bioprosthesis 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.Pune:505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Battery Materials Industry Outlook, Growth Prospects and Key Opportunities 2024

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Global Battery Materials Market: Brief AccountThe global battery materials market is driven by the use of batteries in automotive industries, medical sector, defense and military, electronics industries, marine, and in power backup systems. Different battery materials are used as per their application requirements. The demand for battery materials is especially noteworthy from Asia n countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan. Players are making extensive research to develop batteries that have long life and high power density. Players are also striving to achieve low cost of production without compromising on the performance of the end product. Developing products that are eco-friendly is the new trend and is driving the global battery materials market to a new high. Batteries are essential in small household equipment as well as in large industries and thus, the demand for battery materials will always exist. Technological developments will ensure the development of many other equipment and gadgets that require batteries and this will create a huge demand for battery materials in the future.Browse Market Research Report:Global Battery Materials Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe rising demand for smartphones and laptops is expected to fuel the demand for Li-on battery materials. In fact, the flourishing electronics sector is the major driver for the battery materials market across the globe. Backup power systems have become absolutely necessary today for businesses and industries to function without causing tremendous losses. This is driving the demand for lead-acid battery materials. Moreover, electric plug-in vehicles make use of NiMH batteries. Thus the demand for these battery materials will also see a growth in the coming years as electric vehicles are expected to have huge scope of growth in the coming years. The demand for electric vehicles is projected to rise in an attempt to reduce carbon footprint. All these factors are boosting the demand for different battery materials all across the globe, especially in Asia Pacific. However, issues with safety could be a restraining factor for this market. Strict regulations could increase the cost of the production and this in turn will decrease the demand.Global Battery Materials Market: Geographical AnalysisThe global battery materials market is segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North Americam and the Rest of the World. Of these, Asia Pacific is a clear winner in terms of being the most lucrative regional segment in the world. The presence of a large number of manufacturing base is a key reason driving the demand for battery materials. The region is also house to many battery materials manufacturers, especially in China and Japan. Countries such as Germany and Europe are also host to many battery materials manufacturers. These and various other developed nations are poised to be lucrative markets for battery materials on account of technological advancements leading to the development of many advanced gadgets and equipment, which requires the use of batteries.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Battery Materials market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Global Battery Materials Market: Companies MentionedKey players operating in the global battery materials market include Jiangxi Zichen Technology Co. Ltd., Huzhou chuangya power battery materials Co. Ltd., Eveready Industries India Ltd., Shenzhen Sinuo Industrial Development Co. Ltd., Panasonic Corporation, ZETO, BTR New Energy Materials Co., Ltd., Hunan Shinzoom Technology Co. Ltd., Shaneshan Technology, Energizer Holdings, Inc., Duracell Inc., Uniross Batteries, Hitachi Maxell Ltd., Shantou Jinguang Hi-tech Co., Ltd., Capchem, GP Batteries, and Beijing Institute of Chemical Reagent. This market is fragmented and most players in the market are investing extensively in research and development to make batteries efficient and durable.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Teslin Quantitative Market Analysis, Current and Future Trends 2024

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Teslin is a high performance material which allows to bond with inks, adhesives, coatings and laminating films. Teslin is polyolefin based and is the leading synthetic paper available in the market. More than half of the volume of Teslin is aerated and makes the material to be microporous in nature. Teslin shows lower dielectric constant and emit less amount of particulates when flexed. Teslin is a good adsorbent and allows inks to set instantly. Teslin helps to create printed representation that is of superior quality and durability. They are available in few millimeter thickness and are extremely strong, reusable, secure and non-toxic. Teslin does not need any special treatment or processing for its disposal. Teslin is mainly used in the synthetic paper industry. Teslin materials are resistant to steam pressing and gamma irradiation. Teslin provides proper cushioning to protect embedded components in electronic labels. Teslin with wide range of thickness are available depending upon the technology by which it is produced.Browse Market Research Report :Teslin market can be segmented on the basis of the substrate which is used as Teslin SP substrate, Teslin TS substrate, Teslin SPID substrate, Teslin Digital substrate, Teslin IJWP substrate and Teslin HD substrate. Teslin products are also segmented on the basis of application as Teslin Security-Grade substrate, Teslin Food Grade Substrate, Teslin Blue substrate and LUMIT digital paper. The compatible print technologies for the standard Teslin products are segmented as offset technology, flexographic technology, gravure technology, thermal transfer technology and inkjet technology.The Teslin market is expected to witness a robust growth in the current year and is expected to follow the same trend in the forecast period (2016-2024). Synthetic paper industry is the major market driver for the Teslin material followed by tag and label industry. The declining market of ordinary paper has helped synthetic paper market to get boosted. In recent years. Consumer preference to paper alternative is expected to have a positive demand on the Teslin market. Banking sector is found to be a key market driver of Teslin .The products such as ID cards, brand protection labels, smart cards, RFID tags, baggage tags also drive the Teslin market. Companies have started to print on plastics to keep a competitive edge and this has triggered the use of Teslin material. Another growing field which use Teslin material is flexographic industry since it uses the property of Teslin to reproduce crisp and vibrant color. Digital photos and graphics are key market drivers of Teslin. Government regulations regarding food and beverage labeling have also influenced the Teslin market in a positive manner. The rising demand for emergency door hangers has helped the Teslin market to expand further.The global market for the Teslin material has been segmented into regions i.e., North America, Asia Pacific, Europe. Asia Pacific region is the key economy for Teslin with major consumption of Teslin materials from China, Japan and Taiwan followed by India. However the key players for Teslin manufacturers are based on US followed by European countries.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Teslin market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Major players operating in the global Teslin market are PPG Industries, Inc, Ningbo Prime Import & Export Co., Ltd, Innox Higa Singapore Pte Ltd, Logo Tags, Xiamen Hunsen Industrial Co., Ltd, American Profol Inc.,Yupo Corporation, Tagleef industries,Nan Ya Plastics Corporations USA,Union Brothers , Shanghai Allecard Image Material Co.,Ltd, INLAYS INDIA PVT LTD, Knowell Corporation and R.Lamifilm Korea Pvt Ltd.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Acrolein | An insight on the important factors and trends influencing the market

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A new research report by Transparency Market Research offers a comprehensive evaluation of the global Acrolein Market. The study, titled Acrolein Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024, is available for sale on the firms website.Acrolein, also known as 2-propenal is the simplest unsaturated aldehyde. Its a colourless liquid and exhibits a disagreeable acrid smell.. Acrolein is manufactured from petrochemical feedstocks such as propylene and glycerine. Acrolein is primarily used as an important intermediate and a specialty chemical. Acrolein is rapidly gaining importance due to its versatile use in plastic and paint industries. One of the most widely used industrial methods of preparing acrolein involves catalytic oxidation of propylene in presence of air. Further, there is emerging trend of usage of glycerine and propane as alternative feedstocks for acrolein. The global demand for acrolein markets are estimated to show a considerable transformation depending on its raw material requirements and its ultimate uses. The U.S. and Asia Pacific regions are estimated to lead the acrolein market by 2020.Browse Market Research Report @Few of the key drivers affecting the acrolein markets demand are engineering plastic and polymer industries, followed by agrochemicals. Acrolein is majorly used as a key intermediate to prepare acrylic acid and methionin. Acrylic acid polymers are largely consumed in preparation of emulsifiers, coatings and adhesives. Moreover, they are also used as super-absorbing agents in diapers and hygienic pads. Direct use of acrolein is employed as a specialty chemical such as a biocide. This acrolein based biocide is used to control algal growth, submerged and floating weeds in irrigation canals. It is also used as biocide, in oil industries in drilling waters, as well as, a scavenger for hydrogen sulfide and mercaptants.However, taking some key challenges in mind, the global scenario for acrolein market is estimated to show a considerable change in the region wise economies accordingly. Acrolein production is currently dependent on the crude oil feedstocks. These feedstocks are not only used in energy production but, also in the petrochemical industry.. This has resulted in fluctuations in crude oil based propylene prices, uncertain glycerol availability and depletion of resources which are expected to hinder the growth of the acrolein market over the next few years.Sustainable approach is being taken by various regions to cope up with the problem of depleting crude oil sources estimated in the near future. Biobased glycerol is now being used as an alternative feedstock to produce acrolein, so as to minimize the dependency on natural resources. In addition, use of new catalysts is done to achieve better acrolein yields. Thus, biobased glycerol and catalyst markets are expected to improve during the forecast period, which can be considered as an opportunity for the regions with depleting oil sources.In terms of global demand, the U.S., Europe and Japan are at present the largest producers of Acrolein. Considering the intermediate chemicals sector, the U.S. is estimated to show a fast growth over the coming years, in terms of export and trade of acrolein, followed by Europe and Japan. China will be the leading importer owing to its constantly growing plastic markets. India, will be next in line from Asia Pacific region, due to its steadily rising paints and polymer markets. The U.S. is the largest importer of acrolein biocide, while the rest of Asia Pacific countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam have potential biocide markets. Indonesia, might lead in the South East Asia region due to low labour and manufacturing costs. Over the forecasted period, Europe is slated to show an overall decline as it has a matured market. Rest of the World is anticipated to show potential growth for the acrolein market, especially from countries such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Argentina among others. Demand in this region is owing to rise in demand from paints & coatings and polymer industry.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Acrolein Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market@Some of the major players across the globe are Akzo Nobel N.V., The Dow Chemicals Company, Shanghai Huachen Energy Company, Ltd. and The Shell Oil Company.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
In response to a question at his recent town hall in Racine, House Speaker Paul Ryan got the math wrong  way wrong  when he claimed that the war on poverty didn't work. He is shown here at an employee town hall earlier this month in Mukwonago, where frustrated Republicans vented their displeasure at a wire manufacturer in Ryan's district. PHOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Frequency Synthesizer Market is Expected to Reach Approximately USD 1,707 Million by 2023

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Market Research Future published a half cooked research report on Frequency Synthesizer Market. Frequency Synthesizer Market is Expected to Reach Approximately USD 1,707 Million by 2023Frequency Synthesizer Market, By Component (Phase Detector, Oscillators, Divider, Loop Filter), By Type (Analog, Digital), By Application (Telecommunication, Military and Aerospace, Research and Measurement) - Forecast 2023Market Scenario:The emerging trend in frequency synthesizer market is increasing usage of frequency synthesizer in mobile phone. Texas Instrument is one of the major player in frequency synthesizer market that has manufactured a range of frequency synthesizer product such as LMX2541 which is an ultra-low noise frequency synthesizer. Qorvo Inc. is one of the prominent player in FS market and has manufactured a wide range of frequency synthesizer and mixers. The device comprises of fractional N-synthesizer, voltage controlled oscillator and one or more high linearity mixers.North America region is expected to dominate frequency synthesizer market and accounts for highest market share owing to major market players from the region. The region has made huge investment in military and aerospace, telecommunication and research which is contributing towards the growth of the market. Asia-Pacific region is the fastest growing in the frequency synthesizer market owing to upcoming 5G technologies in telecommunication industry and the emergence of many small and medium size enterprises from the region.Frequency synthesizer has wide application in aerospace industry for generating numerous frequency that is required to communicate in space. It is used in mobile phones to produce different frequency range as per the location and enable users to communicate at remote location. Frequency synthesizer is used in military application for high-performance wireless communication. It is also used in equipment that requires high frequency changes. It has wide application in measuring equipment, defense and microwave backhaul. Frequency synthesizer is used in microwave communication equipment in which signal integrity plays a major part and depends on it for high frequency stability and accuracy.Get a sample copy of this report atFrequency Synthesizer Market SegmentationThe frequency synthesizer market has been segmented on the basis of components, type and application. By components is consists of phase detectors, loop filters, oscillators, mixers and dividers. Oscillators is most commonly used in electronic communication system to reduce the incoming radio frequency to lower the frequency in different modulation that includes amplitude modulation and frequency modulation.The prominent players in the frequency synthesizer market are- Ultra Electronics (U.K.) Texas Instruments Inc. (U.S.) Analog Devices Inc. (U.S.) National Instruments (U.S.) Qorvo, Inc. (U.S.) FEI-Elcom Tech Inc. (U.S.) Sivers IMA AB (Sweden) Programmed Test Sources Inc. (U.S.) Synergy Microwave Corp. (U.S.) Mercury United Electronics Inc. (U.S.)Market Research Analysis:Regional analysis for frequency synthesizer market is studied in different geographic regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World. North America region is mainly dominating the market due to advanced technological implementation in security system. European region is also gaining growth owing to increase demand of citizens and investment by government in frequency synthesizer market. Europe region is facing frequent terror attacks that enable government and security agencies to implement advanced and powerful security equipments to combat foreign attacks. The protection of citizen in the region and across the border has risen the need for strong security surveillance gadgets. Asia-Pacific region is the prominent player in the frequency synthesizer 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 is driving the growth of frequency synthesizer in the region.Complete Report Available atThe regional wise segmentation of frequency synthesizer market consists of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. North America is one of the most competitive markets across the globe with various regional players and a few large international players in frequency synthesizer market. Europe is one of the prominent player in frequency synthesizer camera market owing to increase implementation of it defense equipments to combat attacks. Also, emerging economies from countries such as Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy, Benelux and Spain is driving frequency synthesizer market. Moreover, Asia-Pacific is also expected to have potential growth in the forecast period due to increasing investment of major players in frequency synthesizer market.The Frequency Synthesizer market is expected to grow at approximately USD 1,707 Million by 2023, at 6% 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 The Frequency Synthesizer Market Research Report -Forecast to 2023.Get a discount atFrequency synthesizer can be defined as a device that is used for generation of different hertz of frequency from a single reference frequency. The factors driving the frequency synthesizer market includes owing to its increase application in numerous industries such as aerospace and defense, telecommunication industry and research and measurement. By application telecommunication industry is expected to account for high market share owing to its growing usage in communication systems. By type analog frequency synthesizer holds for market share mainly due to its strong signal clarity and low noise production is boosting the market.The frequency synthesizer market is expected to grow at approximately USD 1,707 Million by 2023, at 6% of CAGR between 2017 and 2023.At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Akash AnandP: +1 646 845 9312W:
Industrial Controls System Market to Witness Massive Growth in the Coming Years

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The global market for industrial controls system has been covered under the scope of this report. An industrial control network is a system of interconnected equipment used to monitor and control physical equipment in industrial environments. Industrial controls improve product quality, plant efficiency, as well as facilitate uniform production in industries. These are the main reasons for increasing investments in the industrial controls system market. Increasing need of software in industrial automation, rise in infrastructure investments in emerging markets and increasing need for process automation among diverse industry verticals are the major factors responsible for the growth of the global industrial controls system market globally. Moreover, growing application of software in industrial control devices is set to increase scalability of SCADA, DCS and PLC systems in industrial environments.The global industrial controls system market is segmented by region in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (RoW). North America led the global Industrial Controls System Market in 2014 and is also expected to maintain its dominance in 2021 as well in this market. The growth in North America is primarily attributed due to an increase in demand for safer and reliable process automation in different sectors, such as power plants, oil & gas and water & wastewater among others. Asia Pacific held the second largest share of the global industrial controls system market in 2014 followed by Europe and RoW respectively. The growth of the industrial controls system market in Europe can be attributed to the increase in demand for modernization of oil & gas, water & wastewater, and power infrastructures among others. Power and oil & gas industries were major contributors in RoW, in 2014.Browse Our Report @The industrial controls system market is segmented on the basis of types into supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), distributed control system (DCS) and programmable logic controller (PLC). Distributed control system (DCS) is holding the maximum market revenue share in 2014 and is expected to remain so during the forecast period from 2015 to 2021. The increasing industrial infrastructure investment and expansion of power and oil & gas project activities globally is spurring the demand for this segment. In addition, increasing need of software in industrial automation, rise in infrastructure investments in emerging markets and growth in demand for process automation among different industry verticals are the major factors that are driving the industrial controls system market globally. By components, the global SCADA market has been segmented into a programmable logic controller (PLC), human machine interface (HMI), remote terminal unit (RTU), SCADA communication system, and others.The industrial controls system market is further segmented by application into power, water & wastewater, oil & gas, manufacturing, chemicals, automotive, food & beverages, pharmaceuticals and others (including aerospace, defense, mining and material, etc.). The global industrial controls system market is dominated by power sector segment. High gap in demand and supply of industrial control devices in developing countries such as India and China among others is expected to drive the demand of PLC, DCS and SCADA products in power sector. Chemicals segment was the second largest application sector in the industrial controls system market globally. Rising demand for bulk production of chemical materials is boosting the application of industrial control systems in the chemical industry.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @The report segments the market on the basis of geography as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Rest of the World (RoW), and these have been estimated in terms of revenue (USD billion). Moreover, the report segments the market based on types as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), distributed control system (DCS), and programmable logic controller (PLC). The study also divides the market based on applications such as oil & gas, water & wastewater, manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceuticals, power sector, chemicals, food & beverages, and others. In addition, by components, the global SCADA (as part of industrial control) market has been segmented into Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Human Machine Interface (HMI), Remote Terminal Unit (RTU), SCADA Communication System, and others. All these segments have also been estimated on the basis of geography in terms of revenue (USD billion).The study also includes competitive landscape and market attractiveness analysis, wherein applications are benchmarked based on their market scope, growth rate, and market attractiveness.The report provides company market share analysis of various industry participants. The key players have also been profiled on the basis of company details, product type, financial overview, historical roadmap, business strategies and the recent developments in the field of industrial controls market. Major market participants in the industrial controls market include Siemens AG (Germany), Omron Corp (Japan), Emerson Electric Co (U.S.), Rockwell Automation, Inc. (U.S.), Honeywell International, Inc (U.S.), Alstom SA (France), General Electric Co (U.S.), Omron Corp (Japan), ABB Ltd (Switzerland), Schneider Electric SE (France) and Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Japan) 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:
Enterprise Search Market to Witness Massive Growth in the Coming Years

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Enterprise search provides benefits of higher productivity as it can reduce the time spent by employees in searching information by 15% to 30%. It makes business process more effective and productive to data intensive companies. Enterprise search system helps in maintaining the data security by providing limited access to the information as only authorized people have access to the information stored in the database.The enterprise search market is driven by various factors such as the need to make search more relevant, availability of technologies and obtaining relevant information. The enterprise search market was valued at USD 1,777.5 million in 2012 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.2% during the forecast period from 2013 to 2019. However, uncertain meaning of keywords, presence of customized internet search and multiple repositories are some factors inhibiting market growth.Browse Our Report @In terms of end-user, banking and financial services segment was the largest segment and accounted for a 34.9% share in 2012. Connected banks and financial offices through intranet facilitating protective and effective sharing of data among different branches and offices are the factors driving market growth. Recommind Inc. based in San Francisco, a key player in information management, email management and enterprise search has provided solutions to leading investment banks. Smart logic Semaphore, based in United States provides enterprise software to key banking players such as Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Bank of America and many others.On the basis of size of enterprise, the market for enterprise search is segmented into large scale enterprise, medium scale enterprise and small scale enterprise. Large scale enterprise was the largest segment in 2012 and accounted for a 61.0% share. Owing to the increase in number of medium scale enterprises the market for medium scale enterprise is expected to be the fastest growing market among all the types.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @Geographically, North America was the largest enterprise search market in 2012 and accounted for a 34.2% share. Growing market penetration of enterprise search especially in high growth countries such as Canada and Germany has been the driving force for this market. Most of the U.S. players are entering the European market by collaborating with different European vendors to provide enterprise search in Europe.Most of the key players in this market are competing amongst each other by developing cost effective enterprise software and solutions with greater performance to gain a competitive advantage. The global enterprise search market is dominated by few organized players and regional players as well. The organized market players include Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Corporation, IBM Corporation, Coveo Solution Inc., Attivio Inc. and 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:
Digital Cameras Market to Witness Massive Growth in the Coming Years

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Global Digital Cameras Market: General OutlineThe global digital cameras market is currently influenced by a range of revolutionary trends pertaining to lenses, photo accessories, and other key facets. The post focus feature was introduced to the industry by Lytro through a light-field camera model, which was followed by Panasonic but with a slightly different feature called refocus. Post focus allows the photographer to adjust the focus after the picture is shot. Three more trends, namely 4K video, powerful mobile photography apps, and improved 360-degree video capturing, are expected to continue taking the global market by storm.The report on the global digital cameras market presented here unveils an extensive segmentation by product type, which includes all the determining types of digital camera widely embraced by consumers on an international platform. With a view to exclusively analyze the market in the major regions of the world, the report offers a critical segmentation on the basis of geography.Significant factors such as industry structure, growth drivers, restraints, crucial market trends, market projections, and factors affecting market growth are all comprehensively elucidated in this global digital cameras market report. Using the Porters five forces model, the analysts have offered a deep insight into the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, competitive rivalry, and the threat of new entrants and substitutes.Browse Our Report @Global Digital Cameras Market: Insight into Advancements and InnovationsThe international market for digital cameras is envisioned to witness robust advancement in the near future with the rising income levels of consumers and technological developments such as HD quality cameras and automation using touch screen. The popularity of digital single lens reflex (SLR) cameras is another major reason for the global market to rapidly gain traction compared to the corresponding markets. It is anticipated that the digital SLR cameras market will grow vastly on the back of falling prices, rise of digitalization, easier usage, and strong demand in similar markets. Moreover, digital SLR cameras have emerged as a significantly growing segment with superior picture quality in the offering.By product type, the global digital cameras market can be categorized into key segments such as compact digital cameras, bridge cameras, mirror-less interchangeable-lens cameras, digital single lens reflex (SLR) cameras, digital rangefinders, line-scan camera systems, integration, and waterproof.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @Global Digital Cameras Market: Regional OverviewOn the basis of geography, the market can be segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World. Manufacturers in countries such as Russia, China, and India are expected to take grip of the lucrative growth prospects as the U.S. and Europe markets demonstrate mature conditions. In terms of a lions share in the global digital cameras market, the U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific are predicted to steal the glory from other regions. With the increasing affluence of consumers in Asia Pacific, the region is foretold to have excess demand for digital SLR cameras, thereby contributing to the overall growth of the global market.Global Digital Cameras Market: Vendor LandscapeWith an outright profiling of the top companies in the global digital cameras market, the report presents itself as a great resource to gauge the nature of the competitive landscape over the forecast period 20162024. Major players such as Kyocera, Matsushita (Panasonic), Samsung, Sony Corporation, Canon Corporation, Sanyo, Ricoh, Polaroid, Minolta, FujiFilm, Casio Corporation, Japan Victor Company (JVC), Eastman Kodak, Hewlett Packard Company, and Olympus Corporation among others are studied in the report.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.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:
C4ISR Market Is Expected To Grow At A CAGR Of Around 5% During 2016-2021

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MarketResearchFuture.com add new report of Global C4ISR Market Research Report- Forecast to 2021 it contains Company information, geographical data and Table of ContentGlobal C4ISR Market by Systems (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), by Applications (Land, Air, Naval, and Space), and by Geography- Forecast To 2021The global C4ISR market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 5% during 2016-2021. This growth is driven due to increased spending on C4ISR systems in APAC and Middle East and regions.The Americas is leading the global C4ISR market; however the demand has increased from emerging nations such as EMEA and Asia Pacific in relation to growing defense spending to counter national security threat.The market report for C4ISR of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Get a sample copy of this report atStudy Objectives of C4ISR Market To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global C4ISR Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyse the Global C4ISR Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) To provide country-level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country-level analysis of the market for segment by systems and applications To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analysing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyse competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global C4ISR MarketComplete Report Available atThe leading market players in the global C4ISR market primarily include BAE Systems Elbit Systems Lockheed Martin Northrop Grumman Raytheon Harris Rockwell Collins CACI Rehinmetall Saab ABThe reports also cover country level analysis: Americas (North & Latin)o USo Canadao Brazilo Others Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo Spaino U.Ko Rest of Europe Asia  Pacifico Chinao Indiao Japano Australia/New Zealando Rest of Asia-Pacific Middle East & Africa UAE, Kuwait Israel Rest of Middle East & Africa1. INTRODUCTION1.1 REPORT DESCRIPTION1.2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2.1 KEY FINDINGS / HIGHLIGHTS2.1.1 INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES2.1.2 MARKET STARTEGIES2.1.3 LATEST DEVELOPMENTS3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY3.1 MARKETS COVERED3.2 YEARS CONSIDERED FOR THE STUDY (2016-2021)3.2 GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE3.3 KEY STAKEHOLDERS4. ASSUMPTIONS AND LIMITATIONS5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY5.1 PRIMARY RESEARCH5.2 SECONDARY RESEARCH5.3 ECONOMETRIC AND FORECASTING MODEL6. MARKET SIZE ESTIMATION6.1 TOP DOWN APPROACH6.2 BOTTOM UP APPROACHGet a Discount at7. MARKET FACTOR ANALYSIS7.1 VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS7.2 SUPPLY CHAIN ANALYSIS7.3 PORTER'S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS8. MARKET DYNAMICS8.1 DRIVERS8.2 RESTRAINTS8.3 OPPORTUNITIES8.4 TRENDS9. MARKET SEGMENTATION9.1 BY SYSTEMS9.2 BY APPLICATION9.3 BY REGION10. GLOBAL C4ISR MARKET BY TYPES, 2016-202110.1 MARKET SIZE BY SYSTEMS ($ BILLIONS)10.1.1 COMMAND10.1.2 CONTROL10.1.3 COMMUNICATIONS10.1.4 COMPUTERS10.1.5 INTELLIGENCE10.1.6 SURVEILLANCE10.1.7 RECONNAISSANCE11. GLOBAL C4ISR MARKET BY APPLICATION, 2016-202111.1 MARKET SIZE BY APPLICATION ($ BILLIONS)11.1.1 LAND APPLICATIONS11.2.2 AIR APPLICATIONS11.2.3 NAVAL APPLICATIONS11.2.4 SPACE APPLICATIONS12. GLOBAL C4ISR MARKET BY REGION, 2016-202112.1 MARKET SIZE BY REGION ($ BILLIONS)12.1.1 AMERICAS (NORTH & LATIN)12.1.1.1 UNITED STATES12.1.1.2 CANADA12.1.1.3 BRAZIL12.1.1.4 OTHERS12.2.1 EUROPE12.2.1.1 GERMANY12.2.1.2 FRANCE12.2.1.3 ITALY12.2.1.4 SPAIN12.2.1.5 UK12.2.1.6 REST OF EUROPE12.3.1 ASIA-PACIFIC12.3.1.1 CHINA12.3.1.2 INDIA12.3.1.3 JAPAN12.3.1.4 AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND12.3.1.5 REST OF ASIA-PACIFIC12.4.1 MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA12.4.1.1 SAUDI ARABIA12.4.1.2 KUWAIT12.4.1.3 ISRAEL12.4.1.4 REST OF ME&A13. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE13.1 KEY PLAYERS AND MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS13.2 KEY DEVELOPMENT (M&A, JVS, PARTNERSHIP)13.3 COMPETITIVE BENCHMARKING (FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL)13.4 KEY COMPANIES TO WATCH14. COMPANY PROFILE14.1 BAE SYSTEMS14.1.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW14.1.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW14.1.3 KEY FINANCIAL14.1.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGIES14.2 ELBIT SYSTEMS14.2.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW14.2.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW14.2.3 KEY FINANCIAL14.2.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGIES14.3 LOCKHEED MARTIN14.3.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW14.3.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW14.3.3 KEY FINANCIA14.3.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGIES14.4 NORTHROP GRUMMAN14.4.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW14.4.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW14.4.3 KEY FINANCIAL14.4.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGIES14.5 RAYTHEON14.5.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW14.5.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW14.5.3 KEY FINANCIAL14.5.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGIES14.6 HARRIS14.6.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW14.6.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW14.6.3 KEY FINANCIAL14.6.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGIES14.7 ROCKWELL COLLINS14.7.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW14.7.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW14.7.3 KEY FINANCIAL14.7.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGIES14.8 CACI14.7.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW14.7.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW14.7.3 KEY FINANCIAL14.7.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGIES14.9 RHEINMETALL14.9.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW14.9.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW14.9.3 KEY FINANCIAL14.9.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGIES14.10 SAAB AB14.10.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW14.10.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW14.10.3 KEY FINANCIAL14.10.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGIES15. CONCLUSION16. APPENDIXAt Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Akash AnandP: +1 646 845 9312W:
Data Loss Prevention Market to Witness Massive Growth in the Coming Years

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Data Loss Prevention Market: OverviewData loss prevention (DLP) is a software designed to prevent and detect data breaches by monitoring and blocking critical data at rest, in motion or in use. DLP prevents unintended and accidental loss or transfer of organizations critical data. It also protects data from decisive data theft and cyber-attacks ensuring data security.The DLP market provides network and cloud based solutions for e-mail, mobile devices, USB drivers and laptops among others For instance, Skyhigh Networks provides DLP cloud based solutions to protect employees uploaded data such as personal health information (PHI), customer information and personally identifiable information (PII). It supports management of internal policies, prevents disclosure of sensitive data and achieves compliance and regulation policies such as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH). The rising number of breaches in various industry verticals such as oil and gas industries, retail industries and business financial services and insurance (BFSI) has expanded the adoption of DLP. For instance in march 2015, data breaches in Primera Blue Cross, a health insurer company based in Washington and Anthem, a health insurer company was hacked and suffered data breach in February 2015Browse Our Report @Data Loss Prevention Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe data loss prevention market has been experiencing sustainable growth in recent years due to increasing security breaches, high demand for protection of intellectual property against theft and rising adoption of cloud computing such shift in storage of data from on-premises to public and private cloud platform. The other additional factor contributing to the growth of data loss prevention market is emerging commercialization. For instance, rising adoption of social media leading to advanced information sharing. However, lack of awareness is hindering the DLP market growth. The acceptance of cloud based business models and persistent cyber-attacks is expected to provide opportunities for growth of data loss prevention market during the forecast period.Data Loss Prevention Market: SegmentationThe data loss prevention market is segmented on the basis of deployment type, end-user adoption, solution tools, application, service and geography. On the basis of deployment type, the data loss prevention market is segmented into on-premise DLP and cloud DLP. In terms of end-user adoption, the data loss prevention market is segmented into encryption, web and e-mail protection, policy, standards and procedures, cloud storage, centralized management and incident response and workflow management. In terms of solution tools, the data loss prevention market is segmented as storage or data center DLP, network DLP and endpoint DLP. Based on the application, the data loss prevention market is segmented into manufacturing, telecommunication and IT, healthcare, aerospace and defense, retail and logistics, government and public utilities and banking, financial services and insurance.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @Further on the basis of services provided, the data loss prevention market is segmented into managed security services, risk & threat assessment services, consulting services, education & training and system integration & installation services. Moreover, on the basis of geography the data loss prevention market is segmented into North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America. North America is expected to lead the market due to increased adoption of cloud and big data technologies. Moreover, Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa are expected to sustainable growth in data loss prevention market during the forecast period due to high demand for data loss prevention software and increasing security attacks.Data Loss Prevention Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in data loss prevention market are GTB Technologies, Inc., Code Green Networks, Symantec Corporation, Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., Trustwave Holdings, Inc., CA Technologies, Trend Micro Incorporated, Blue Coat systems, Inc., Cisco Systems and Websense, Inc.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. 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:
High Growth for Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) Market Predicted in the Coming Years

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In the recent years, consumers have been pushing the downward trend in pricing and this has made corporations struggle for their survival. A growing concern of corporations in this era is increasing legal costs and the efforts to contain this cost have brought about the concept of legal process outsourcing (LPO). Favorable government policies are one of the key factors driving the growth of LPO. Further, the rising awareness among general counsels and general public is aiding in the growth of this market. Moreover, increasing technology applications such as offering highly secure enterprise class software including features such as portal website, collaboration, and document management market presents an opportunity for vendors. E-discovery was the most popular platform being deployed in LPO industry while litigation support, intellectual property (IP) support, contract drafting and review are among other major services being offered.Electronic documents contain a large amount of data and metadata and identifying and producing this information may often prove burdensome for in-house legal department. Outsourcing of this function helps by reducing efforts, reduces time consumption and proves to be cost-saving. LPO firms process electronic information using e-discovery and other software tools. These firms provide data experts with expertise in data formats, ESI processing, and the review platforms, thus improving efficiency of the process.Browse Our Report @The challenges to the growth of this market are concerns regarding security and confidentiality, quality and ethical implications. However, the marketplace has matured and many such concerns are being put to rest. Corporations are gaining from renewed incentives in assessing the value of a balanced outsourced and in sourced legal support model. Corporations today are taking a thoughtful approach toward LPO in order to achieve potential cost savings, focus their in-house legal workforce on higher workloads, improve service levels, and creating supplementary capacity for unexpected legal needs. Players in this market are trying to acquire certifications, non-disclosure agreements, building strong service-level agreements (SLAs) and maintain high physical security by using effective access control to enable data security and maintaining high confidentiality.Offshore LPO services involve outsourcing of legal support services to LPO firms in other jurisdictions. Until now offshore outsourcing held a majority of share of the total LPO market, however, onshore LPO has gained significant demand in recent years and is expected to grow at a rate higher than the global average. Onshore outsourcing is proving to be an attractive solution for corporations that prefer collaboration with organizations in the same jurisdiction and also helps enhance data confidentiality and improves the process efficiency owing to benefits of shared regulatory frameworks under the same jurisdiction.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @An emerging opportunity in this market exists in terms of offering hybrid service delivery model, i.e. combined onshore and offshore legal process outsourcing. The major legal areas which law firms cover are commercial laws, bankruptcy, banking laws, general corporate laws, civil rights and liberties, intellectual property laws, international business laws, criminal defense, financing/securities laws and tax laws. Basis of the services offered; the LPO firms may be categorized into full spectrum LPO providers, KPO providers, and legal support service providers.A majority of legal process outsourcing is done by countries such as the U.S., Canada and UK from countries including India, China, Israel, Philippines, South Africa and Latin America. India is most popular for LPO among North American corporations. The country offers competitive legal experts at a lower cost compared to North America. A major trend in the industry, key LPO players have physical presence in the U.S. and delivery centers in locations such as India and China. Key players in this market include Evalueserve SEZ, Mindcrest, Integreon Managed SolutionPangea 3, Wipro Ltd., Infosys Ltd., Cobra Legal Solutions, LLC, LawScribe, Inc., CPA Global Ltd., Lexadigm Solutions LLC, Legal Advantage, Lexplosion, LexSphere, LEX Outsourcing, Bodhi Global Services, Exigent Clutch Group, Quislex, UnitedLex, Acumen Legal Services Pvt. Ltd. and Clairvolex Knowledge Processes Pvt. 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. 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:
Monolithic Ceramics Market 2015 Share, Trend, Segmentation and Forecast to 2023

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Ceramics that provide properties such as fabrication and polycrystalline microstructure without reinforcement are called monolithic ceramics. Monolithic ceramics is one of the major types of products of advanced and technical ceramics. Based on the attributes mentioned above, monolithic ceramics are segmented into silicon nitride, zirconium oxide, zirconium carbide, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, and aluminum oxide, and others. These ceramics are used to enhance lifespan and reliability of the material, and withstand high temperature.Based on product type, monolithic ceramics have been segmented into oxides and non-oxides. Monolithic ceramics are used in various applications due to their specific properties. These ceramics are generally employed in end-user industries such as electrical & electronics, automotive, aerospace, power generation, defense & military, medical, and transportation. Electrical & electronics is one of the major end-user industries of monolithic ceramics. These ceramics are used in capacitors in the electrical & electronics industry. Monolithic ceramics are employed in the manufacture of turbine blades in the power generation industry.View Report @Owing to Developing Commercial Sector, Asia Pacific Holds Dominant ShareHigh demand for monolithic ceramics in medical and health care industries is anticipated to be the major driver of the global market in the near future. The growing demand for equipment and medical devices has anticipated to create a huge demand for monolithic ceramics in near future. Major characteristics such as reliability, durability, resistance to high temperature, and wear resistance have led to wide range of applications for monolithic ceramics in various end-user industries. Monolithic ceramics are employed in sensors and alarm security systems in the automobile sector. These ceramics are used in the manufacture of engine components and equipment in the aerospace industry.Monolithic ceramics are used in these applications due to their high temperature resistance and thermal barrier characteristics. Monolithic ceramics are employed in turbine blades, capacitors, and engine components in the power generation sector. These ceramics are used in the application of semiconductors and electronic components in the electronics sector. Monolithic ceramics are employed in the manufacture of components required for armors, weapons, and shuttles. However, the high production cost is expected to act as a restraint for the market in the near future.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Monolithic Ceramics Market Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.In terms of region, the global market for monolithic ceramics has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. Asia Pacific accounted for the largest market share, followed by North America and Europe, in 2014. Demand for monolithic ceramics is high in Asia Pacific due to the expansion of the electrical & electronics sector in the region. Countries such as China, Japan, and India have largely contributed to the growth of the market in Asia Pacific. The growth automotive sector in Asia Pacific is expected create opportunities for wide applications of monolithic ceramics products, which would led to boost the demand in the near future.The U.S. led the market for monolithic ceramics in North America in terms of demand in 2014. The power sector is one of the major contributors to the monolithic ceramics market in North America. Europe is one of the high potential markets (after North America) due to the wide application scope of monolithic ceramics in countries such as Germany, France, and the U.K. In 2014, China was the largest suppliers for monolithic ceramics in Asia Pacific. The growing demand for monolithic ceramics have forced the suppliers to take up capacity expansion.Major manufacturers operating in the monolithic ceramics market include Kyocera Corporation, CeramTec GmbH, Morgan Advanced Materials Plc, Saint-Gobain Ceramics Materials, and ZircoaAbout 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:
Freezer and Beverage & Wine Coolers Market: Key Trends, Industry Opportunities And Projections for Upcoming Years

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The growth of disposable income generally improves quality of life and fuels the demand for chilled and frozen food and beverages. Such demand is also affected by changes in consumer habits. Improvements in the standard of living allow more people to eat out. This trend is reinforced by an increase in the number of restaurant chains and the rapid expansion of fast-food networks around the world, particularly in India, China, South East Asia, and Japan. These trends positively affect demand for commercial refrigeration equipment used for the conservation of food and beverage. Over and above the demand generated by the opening of new sales outlets, commercial refrigerators are used as displays, or ice cold merchandisers (ICMs) that offer a platform for visual communication and merchandising, thereby promoting impulse buying and facilitating brand recall. The concentration of populations in major urban centers and the increased participation of women in the labor market contributes to changes in eating habits. One such change is the higher consumption of frozen foods and refrigerated drinks.Key factors driving growth of the freezer and beverage & wine coolers market include increased consumption of packaged foods and non-alcoholic drinks, growth of modern grocery retailers, and a boom in the tourism industry. With various advancements in refrigeration technology, freezer and beverage cooler products offer energy-efficient consumption and cost-effective energy saving solutions to achieve effective cooling and refrigeration for applications in various end-use sectors.Browse Our Report @The market for SEA beverage coolers has been segmented on the basis of product types into beverage coolers and wine coolers. Beverage coolers was the largest segment in 2014, accounting for 58.3% share of the overall SEA beverage coolers market. The wine coolers market is estimated to be the fastest-growing segment, expanding at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period from 2014 to 2022. Due to increased consumption of soft drinks and nonalcoholic cool beverages, there has been massive growth in demand for the installation of beverage coolers across the SEA region. The beverage cooler market is further segmented into beverage coolers and wine coolers. The SEA beverage cooler market was dominated by beverage coolers, with a market share of around 58% in 2014.Based on the capacity range, the SEA freezer and beverage cooler market is segmented into 500 & above litres, 300 to 500 litres, 200 to 300 litres, and 200 and below litres. The growth of the service and hospitality sectors, including food chains, restaurants, and the tourism industry, as well as a change in consumer habits have led to a rise in the storage of frozen food and food-related products. In order to accommodate increased consumer demand, c-store owners, supermarkets, and other point-of-sale outlets are pitching for higher-capacity freezers, leading to a shift from traditional 200 & below liters to 300 to 500 liters and 500 & above liters capacities. The different door types for beverage coolers are categorized as 4 doors & above, 3 doors, 2 doors, and 1 door. Pubs, bars, and HORECA choose best-fit wine coolers in order to fulfill their requirements, basing their choices on factors such as space and quantity/capacity to hold wines/alcoholic beverages, in order to effectively cater to consumers, including tourists, expatriates, and locals in SEA. At approximately 58%, the beverage coolers segment held the largest market share of the overall SEA beverage cooler market.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @By country, Indonesia was one of the largest contributors to the SEA freezers and beverage & wine coolers market in terms of revenue in 2014. Market growth in Indonesia is likely to be largely driven by increased spending by consumers, changes consumer lifestyles, and more locally manufactured freezers, which has led to affordability and competitiveness. This resulted in faster replacement periods and encouraged freezer end-users to have more than one capacity option to serve growing demand. Leading companies operating in SEA in the freezer and beverage coolers market include AB Electrolux, Concepcion Industrial Corporation (CIC), Frigoglass SA, General Electric Corporation, Hoshizaki Singapore Pte Ltd., Midea Group, Sharp Electronics Co. Ltd., and South East Asia Hamico Export JSC. Domestic manufacturers include PT. Royal Sutan Agung (Indonesia), The Cool Company (Thailand), PT. Indotara Persada (Indonesia), and SAMEMAX Refrigeration Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia).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:
Machine Learning as a Service Market : Industry Insights, Trends and Forecast upto 2025

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The global machine learning as a service (MLaaS) market is rising expeditiously mainly due to the Internet revolution. The process of connecting the world virtually has generated vast amount of data which is boosting the adoption of machine learning solutions. This is because deployment of machine learning improves the speed and accuracy of functions performed by the system.Apart from this, adoption of advanced analytics technologies from several industry verticals such as healthcare and life sciences, BFSI, retail, telecom, and manufacturing is contributing towards the growth of machine learning as a service market. Machine learning as a service solutions are also adopted across industry verticals to enhance the decision making capability of machines.Serving as a roadblock to the growth of this market is lack of skilled professionals and concerns about data security.As per estimations of Transparency Market Research, the global machine learning as a service market pegged an opportunity of US$1.07 bn in 2016. Expanding at a phenomenal CAGR of 38.40% between 2017 and 2025, the market is expected to attain a value of US$19.86 bn by the end of 2025.Obtain Report Details @Manufacturing, retail, telecom, healthcare and life sciences, BFSI, and others are the segments into which the global machine learning as a service market is classified based upon end use. Of them, the segment of healthcare and life sciences is the key contributor to the market mainly due to the rising need for machine learning in the sector to integrate structured and unstructured data. The data generated is mainly from electronic health record (EHR), genomic and claims data.In the forthcoming years, other end-use industries such as BFSI, retail, telecom, and manufacturing are anticipated to display demand for MLaaS in order to augment the decision making capability of machines that are used in these industry verticals.On the basis of deployment type, the machine learning as a service market is segmented into public cloud and private cloud. In 2016, private cloud segment accounted for the leading revenue contribution to the global MLaaS market. However, public cloud segment is anticipated to rise at a relatively rapid rate than private cloud segment due to ease of installation and economic benefits to organizations.Make an Enquiry @The key geographical segments into which the global MLaaS market is divided are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, South America, and Europe. North America led among other regional segments in 2016 contributing US$362.7 bn to the overall market. The region is expected to hold on its dominant position over the forecast period backed by the burgeoning demand for Internet of Things (IoT) and rapid integration of machine learning as a service with big data and other newer technologies. The growth of North America MLaaS market is mainly driven by the U.S. and Canada as they are home to some well-entrenched players such as Microsoft Corporation, Google Inc., Amazon Web Services Inc., and IBM Inc.Asia Pacific is expected to display a significant growth rate in the upcoming years backed by the swift uptake of advance analytics technologies in the healthcare and life sciences industry. The developments in the information technology sector is also working in favor of Asia Pacific MLaaS market.IBM Corporation, Google Inc., Amazon Web Services, Big MI Inc., Microsoft Corporation, FICO, Ersatz Labs Inc., Yottamine Analytics, Predictron Labs Ltd., Fuzzy.ai, Sift science Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise, H20.ai, and Datoin are the key players operating in the global machine learning as a service market.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Gogebic Taconite wanted to dig an iron mine in northern Wisconsin's Penokee Hills, which would have endangered waterways near the mine. Opponents won the fight to stop that mine, but now the state's mining moratorium law is under attack as a foreign corporation wants to mine for copper, gold and silver in the north woods. The toxic mine waste would pose a big environmental problem.
Cloud Security Market: Emerging Market Trends, Size, Share and Growth Analysis

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Growing need for data security and prevention of data loss and theft are driving the global cloud security market. Companies need to protect privileged and confidential information such as intellectual property information, employee information, patents as well as pending patents, nondisclosure agreements, financial information, and others. Cloud-based security services have an edge over traditional premises-based models. These services are easier to manage, efficient, and can provide high levels of security. Many organizations started adopting cloud-based security services to benefit from its numerous advantages such as agility, cost cutting, and flexibility of IT infrastructure.Flexibility and ease of operation to manage cloud security services, increasing demand for cloud computing by small and medium scale businesses (SMBs) and proliferation of handheld devices along with rising trend of bring your own device (BYOD) and choose your own device (CYOD) has magnified the demand for cloud security services, globally.Browse Our Report @Nowadays, cloud security services have become crucial as these provide access to the most advanced security solutions, provide solutions to critical problems faced by companies in the current work scenario, and support remote workforce. As the number of mobile workers accessing the companys private network is growing substantially, identity and access management has become of prime importance. Due to increasing data breaches and security threats, the business risk associated with emails and the use of the Web is increasing. Companies are concerned about log maintenance and data loss prevention of their data processes and employees. All these problems are resolved easily with the deployment of cloud security services. This is because cloud security services target specific security problems of cloud computing, and minimize the complexities associated with cloud. Moreover, security applications delivered as cloud-based services provide a promising platform to manage security and threat concerns. Cloud-based services are gaining popularity owing to the unique benefits provided to users such as scalability, agility, business continuity, flexibility at work practices, and reduction in costs. The cloud security market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 12.8% during the forecast period from 2015 to 2022. However, lack of awareness and skeptical nature of enterprises towards adoption of cloud services are some of the factors inhibiting the growth of this market.On the basis of deployment, the global cloud security market is segmented into public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud. Among these types, hybrid cloud security market accounted for the largest share in 2014. A hybrid cloud service is a cloud computing model that enables the user to manage workload in public, on-premise, and private cloud. The user can move the data from available cloud deployments in less time and with more flexibility. The demand for hybrid cloud services is expected to increase in the coming years due to flexibility in storing data. Hybrid cloud helps the user to categorize critical data and store it in different cloud deployments. Hybrid cloud increases security risks due to continuous movement of data between clouds. Therefore, the market for cloud security is expected to increase in hybrid cloud services in the coming years. The application of cloud IAM, data loss protection, and SIEM is also expected to increase in hybrid cloud security in the future. Companies such as Intel Security Group, Trend Micro, Inc., and IBM Corporation have started providing hybrid cloud services.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @In terms of cloud security adoption in end-use segments, IT and telecommunication industry accounted for the largest share in 2014. Large IT businesses use cloud computing in their daily operations and for transferring huge amounts of encrypted data across the enterprise. Due to outsourcing of IT services, the demand for cloud computing is expected to increase in the IT industry in coming years. The use of cloud computing among telecom carriers is expected to increase due to increasing adoption of android-based phones among end-users. Most of the telecom carriers are providing subscription-based cloud storage services to their end-users. This is expected to increase the market for cloud security in these industries in the future.On the basis of service type, data loss prevention service accounted for the largest share in 2014. Data loss prevention (DLP) helps to track and protect data that is in use on network or at rest in storage through deep content inspection and security analysis. DLP acts in compliance with the security policies of an organization. Hence, the level of protection of confidential data can be controlled by an organization through DLPs centralized management framework. DLP is able to detect files and prevent it from leaving the organizations private cloud through any removable devices. It provides a 360 degree view of the data flow across an organization. DLP monitors emails, instant messages, documents accessed, web pages viewed, and keywords typed by employees, thus protecting possible data loss. Hence, the application of DLP is expected to increase in the cloud security market in the coming years.North America was the largest regional market for cloud security in 2014. Growth in North America is mainly attributed to the wide adoption of cloud security services in enterprise environment. In addition, Asia-Pacific market is expected to show strong growth owing to the rising trend of BYOD and CYOD policies and superior advantages of cloud security services.The key market players focus on inorganic growth through mergers and acquisitions in order to get a competitive edge in the global cloud security market. Big players in the market acquire smaller players to expand their businesses as well as geographical presence. For instance, Trustwave Holding, Inc. provides a range of cloud security services such as web, SIEM, email, network access, and encryption software. In 2014, Trustwave Inc. acquired Cenzic, Inc., which is expected to boost its cloud security business. In April 2015, the company entered into a definitive agreement with Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) to acquire its business. This is expected to increase the business and expand market share of the company in the cloud security market in the coming years.The global cloud security market, in current situation shows the dominance of few players including Intel Security Group (McAfee, Inc.), Symantec Corporation, CA Technologies, Inc., Trend Micro, Inc., Trustwave Holdings, Inc. and IBM 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:
Global Camera Module Market : Industry Insights, Outlook and Forecast upto 2019

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Camera modules are electronic devices that convert an optical signal through the lens into a digital electrical signal using an image sensor, and display the captured image on the display device. It can also be defined as a component that provides video recording function, still image function and gesture recognition to a digital device.The global camera modules market was valued at USD 12.00 billion in 2012 and is expected to reach USD 43.06 billion by 2019 at a CAGR of 19.7% from 2013 to 2019. It is of two types on the basis of the image sensor technology used in their packaging - CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) camera module and CCD (Charge Coupled Devices) camera module. CCD camera modules dominated the camera modules market for a long time but with the emergence and increasing demand of CMOS technology, it started losing its market share.Obtain Report Details @Smartphone and tablet PC is the largest segment of the camera module market. Smartphone and tablet PC segment is expected to see exponential growth in the coming years and this will positively influence the camera module market.Consumer preference towards smartphones, with more pixel clarity and the trend of software development play a significant role in increasing demand for camera modules. For example, impact of Apple, Samsung and LG among others cannot be underestimated as consumers have readily embraced mobile imaging through their mobile phones. In addition, adoption of mobile phone apps for social networking and email (i.e., Facebook, Gmail, Yahoo, and WhatsApp among others) is also contributing to market growth.Make an Enquiry @China, Japan, India, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia are some of the major countries contributing to the growth of camera modules in Asia Pacific. Most of the key players of the camera module market such as LG-Innotek, SEMCO, Foxconn, Sharp, Liteon, Chicony, Toshiba, STMicro, Sunny, and Primax are from Asia Pacific. These players are operating their business in both domestic and international markets and giving tough competition to key players from other regions.The key players in this industry are LG-Innotek, SEMCO, Foxconn, Sharp, Liteon Chicony, Toshiba, STMicro, Sunny, Primax, Samsung Fiberoptic, KMOT, Cowell, BYD, Truly and Vista Point. These players are competing hard against each other to acquire maximum share of the market.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Lithium Ion Cell and Battery Pack Market to Continue to Lead in Coming Years

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The lithium ion cell and battery pack market is gaining momentum as lithium-ion batteries offer advantages of higher efficiency and longer lifespan over other batteries such as lead acid ones.The rising demand for electronics with improved battery life and superior performance is expected to stir demand for lithium-ion batteries among manufacturers of consumer electronics. This is because lithium-ion batteries satisfy the demand for high power density needed by handheld devices for wireless data transmission and brighter resolution.The increasing use of lithium ion batteries in barcode and RFID scanners due to their high energy density is also influencing the growth of lithium ion cell and battery packs market. Furthermore, the use of these batteries is rapidly gaining momentum in automotive, industrial, and energy sectors with the rising shift for sustainable clean fuels.Obtain Report Details:However, factors such as high prices of lithium-ion batteries that make them unsustainable for prolonged use such as in electric vehicles and their lower thermal stability are restraining the markets growth.The global lithium ion cell and battery pack market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.0% between 2017 and 2025. The market stood at a valuation of US$32.17 bn in 2016 and is expected to reach a valuation of US$88.92 bn by 2025.In terms of power capacity, the lithium ion cell and battery pack market has been segmented into 5-25 Wh, 48-95 Wh, 18-28 KWh, 100-250 KWh, more than 300 KWh. Among these, 100-250 KWh stood as the most attractive segment in 2016 based on power capacity.The growth of this segment is primarily driven by demand for high capacity batteries for specific applications such as in high loading electric vehicles. The 18-28 KWh and more than 300 KWh segments are also expected to display considerable growth due to their applications in grid energy production.In terms of pack type, series battery pack, parallel battery pack, and others are the segments into which the lithium ion cell and battery pack market is divided. The other battery pack stood as the leading segment in 2016 commanding a share of 83.9% in the overall market.The other battery pack segment is expected to lead throughout the forecast period attributed to their extensive applications across industry verticals. On the other hand, series and parallel battery packs have lower market shares due to their specific applications.On the basis of shape, cylindrical, polygon, prismatic, and coin among others are segments into which the lithium ion cell and battery pack market is segmented.This report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Lithium Ion Cell and Battery Pack Market. Browse through to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:By application, the market has been segmented into consumer electronics, medical, automotive, grid energy, and industrial among others. Consumer electronics leads the lithium ion cell and battery pack market with the segment holding 57.5% of the market in 2016. The segment is expected to lead over the forecast period due to their increasing application in consumer electronics.Asia Pacific Attracts Investments from Global PlayersNorth America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa are the segments into which the lithium ion cell and battery pack market is divided based on geography.In 2016, Asia Pacific contributed the leading revenue of almost 72.3% to the overall market in 2016. The expanding consumer electronics, automotive, and grid energy supplies exhibit a substantial demand for lithium-ion batteries is attracting investments from key market players.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
IT Robotic Automation Market: Emerging Market Trends, Size, Share and Growth Analysis

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Global IT Robotic Automation Market: SnapshotIT robotic automation is a go-to solution for organizations to benefit from process automation and advanced analytics in operations and processes at economical prices, which was not possible with earlier automation approaches. IT robots (automation software) are programmed to be used with data-driven and rule-based processes, which work towards aspects such as improving productivity and compliance accuracy, and can be applied irrespective of industry and application. IT robotic automation has modernized the way various business processes, IT management and support processes, workflow processes, and back-office processes are managed in a cost effective manner.The technology holds strong promise in transforming workplaces and is expected to see adoption at an exponential rate the next few years. Transparency Market Research estimates that the IT robotic automation market will expand at a CAGR of 47.1% over the period between 2016 and 2024. If the number holds true, the market will rise to a valuation of US$16,884.0 mn by 2024.Browse Our Report @IT Robotic Automation Services to Comprise Bulk of Market RevenueThe IT robotic automation market is segmented in the report on the basis of two crucial types of solutions offered by the market: tools and services. The market for IT robotic automation tools is anticipated to expand at a faster CAGR of 51.8% as compared to the segment of services. The IT robotic automation services segment, however, presently dominates, accounting for a share of over 68% in the global market in 2015. The services segment is expected to continue to comprise the bulk of revenue gained by the global market in the next few years as well.The tools segment is further categorized into model-based and process-based application tools, where the model-based tools segment is anticipated to lead the market, holding a share of over 52% of the global market by 2024. Of the two key types of services offered by companies in the IT robotic automation market, the segment of training services is expected to expand at a faster growth rate as compared to professional services over the forecast period.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @Early Adoption to Help North America Retain Market DominanceIT robotic automation has been predominantly adopted in various industries in North America, making the region the dominant shareholder in the global IT robotic automation market in terms of revenue contribution. Rapid developments in computing technologies in the region indicate that the region will continue to observe significant growth in the field of IT robotic automation in the coming years as well. In addition, the rising IT and IT-related services are likely to bring surge in the implementation of automation services in the region in the next few years.?Europe is likely to witness healthy growth in terms of the demand for IT robotic automation over the period between 2016 and 2024, considering the increasing preference to robotics in transforming workplaces. Owing to the vast pool of services and tools offered by service providers in the region, the utilization of robotic software across a large number of small-, medium-, and large-scale businesses is expected to expand at a healthy pace in the next few years.Asia Pacific is anticipated to be a high potential market for the IT robotic process automation during the forecast period. Technologically advanced countries such as Japan and China are the major contributors in terms of adoption of process automation in the region. Furthermore, rising investments in corporate sector and instantaneous developments of IT infrastructure in the developing countries such as India and Philippines are anticipated to favor the IT robotic automation market in Asia Pacific in the near future.Some of the key global providers of IT robotic automation are Blue Prism, Be Informed B.V., Appian, IPSoft, Inc., Tata Consultancy Services Limited., Infosys Limited, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., Atos SE, Capgemini, Genfour, Genpact Ltd., Automation Anywhere, Inc., Sutherland Global Services, Inc., and UiPath Srl.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:
Anti-Drone Market : Trends, outlook and Opportunity Analysis 2025

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In a highly competitive global anti-drone market, innovation is the key that companies in the market are relying upon to be progressive. The market is also witnessing entry of start-ups with their bandwagon of ideas for innovation that will further intensify competition in this market.The global anti-drone market is primarily driven by the need to counter security issues posed by intrusion of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned aerials systems (UASs). UAVs and UASs have the capability to track, identify, and locate drone vehicles from a certain distance and prevent unlawful activities that could cause harm to civilian life.Technological advances for the manufacture of aerial vehicles leading to their dropped prices have made them affordable for several end users. This is also stoking growth of the anti-drone market.A report by Transparency Market Research forecasts the global anti-drone market to expand at an impressive 19.9% CAGR between 2017 and 2025 and attain a valuation of US$1,204.9 mn by 2025. The market was evaluated to be worth US$214.7 mn in 2016.Obtain Report Details @The report studies the global anti-drone market on the basis of type, end use, and geography. The segments of the market based upon type are detection systems and neutralizing systems. Neutralizing system occupied the leading market share in the global anti-drone market in 2016 in terms of revenue. Amongst the detection system segment, radar based and active optics systems are the leading sub-segments. The low price factor of these technologies over RF emission or acoustics type detection system accounts for their lead positions.In terms of end-use, the segments of the global anti-drone market are government, military, airfields, power stations, fuel storage, and others. The segments of military and government are the key end-users of anti-drones systems, the segments held the leading share of the market in 2016. The military segment is predicted to display rapid growth among all over the forecast period followed by the government segment.Make an Enquiry @The segments of the global anti-drone market, based on geography are North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and South America. Amongst all, North America is anticipated to display rapid growth at a CAGR of 21.6% between 2017 and 2025. The growth of the regional market is expected to be mainly driven by neutralization technology segment, which is expected to rise at a CAGR of 21.6% between 2017 and 2025.The military force of the United States along with other NATO members have been using anti-drone systems in the war-torn areas of Syria and Afghanistan. The deployment of anti-drone systems in commercial and government buildings, prisons, or places of public gatherings have also been stoking growth of the anti-drone market in North America.Asia Pacific is anticipated to closely follow North America in terms of growth rate over the forecast period. The region is expected to rise at a CAGR of 20.7% between 2017 and 2025 mainly driven by the demand for neutralizing system segment. China and India display substantial demand for anti-drone systems mainly for military use. Apart from this, law enforcement agencies in China have also started using anti-drone guns for public safety. The end-use segments of government, airfields, and military account for more than 70% of the Asia Pacific anti-drone market.Some key companies in the global anti-drone market are Blighter Surveillance Systems Ltd., Boeing Co., Dedrone Detect Inc., DRONESHIELD, and Enterprise Control Systems among others.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Parking Reservation System Market: Emerging Market Trends, Size, Share and Growth Analysis

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Parking Reservation System Market: OverviewGrowing economy in many developing countries have fostered high disposable income among population which has given rise to increase in number of vehicle purchase. This has led to sharp increase in the number of vehicles on road in recent years. Passenger and goods carrier vehicles contribute to the most of the numbers of vehicles compared to as compared other types. Increase in number of vehicles have given rise to huge traffic congestion thereby leading to serious parking issues in many countries.Most of these problems are associated with urban areas where parking problems arise due to space constraint. Vehicle drivers waste substantial amount of their time finding proper parking space thereby creating traffic congestion for other vehicles. Lack of proper on-street parking lots and slow development of new parking complexes is expected to further increase the traffic congestion in coming years.Further, the current absence of parking slots in residential and commercial complexes creates serious concerns for employers and residential societies. Thus, the need for parking reservation or convenience parking is increasing owing to the time wasted in finding a proper parking slot. Parking complex providers are also facing problems in maintaining daily records related to parked vehicles thereby leading to inability to ensure round the clock security. Thus, the demand for parking reservation system is expected to witness trong growth owing to the above factors in coming years.Parking reservation system provides information of parking availability for both drivers and parking complexes providers in a certain area through continuous monitoring. Parking reservation system comprises software and equipment such as parking meters, cameras, sensors and automatic gates which help maintaining the smooth flow of traffic. Additionally, parking reservation system also enhances the aspect of security in parking lots.Browse Our Report @Parking Reservation System Market: SegmentationParking reservation system can be classified as on-street and off-street parking system. Off-street parking system consists a single point of interaction between parking areas and access points. Thus, the application of off-road parking system is expected to see more adoption among parking complex and garage providers in coming years. On-street parking system provides information of parking slot on real-time basis through web, mobile and voice based solution. Thus, the demand for on-street parking system is expected to increase owing to the increase in rise in smart cities projects across various region.Parking Reservation System Market: Region-wise OutlookFurther, the demand for parking reservation system is expected to increase in transportation sector due to the traffic congestion caused in truck terminals. Developed countries such as the U.S. and Germany are investing heavily in implementing parking reservation system for trucks. The market can also be segmented on the basis of end-use sector such as retail, government, hospitality, transportation and logistics, airports and commercial and corporate parks. The market for parking reservation system is expected to get a boost with the adoption of smart parking system in developed countries. India and China is expected to be a potential market for parking reservation system market in coming years. However, a slower adoption rate of parking reservation system in developing countries is expected to pose a challenge for this market in coming years.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @Parking Reservation System Market: Key PlayersSome of the key parking reservation system providers in the market are VINCI Park S.A., Streetline, Inc., National Car Parks Ltd., APCOA Parking AG, Ace Parking Management, Inc., ParkMe, Inc., Siemens AG, 3M Company and Xerox Corporation.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. 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 Rental Software Market: Technological Advancements to Propel Market Growth

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Vacation rental is a house, apartment or a resort rented on temporary basis to tourists as an alternative to a hotel. The term vacation rental is used mainly in North America, whereas in Europe it is known as villa holiday or villa rental. They are also referred as holiday lettings, bed & breakfast, homestay and gites. The vacation rental software enables the house/property managers to manage leads, cash flows, distribution channels and partners or distribution channels. It also offers an efficient point of sale system, efficient documentation system to property managers and increases automation in vendor payables system. Lead management functionality generates the price quote automatically according to the requirements of the customer. Further, it also assists sales managers to create personalized quotes in less time and thus eliminates the hassle of manual price calculation. The vacation rental software contains reporting suite which enables the renting entity to evaluate the financial performance of the rented property. Renting entity refers to the property owner organization, property manager or the property owner.As the Internet penetration is increasing tremendously, the renting entities are moving to online platform. The vacation rental software enables the renting entity in building adaptive/responsive websites which provides optimized viewing experience independent of the type of devices (smartphone, personal computers or tablets) being accessed with. This supports the growth of the vacation rental software market.Browse Our Report @With the support of rental software, the organizations could enhance automation in their regular processes such as vendor payment, partner management and bulk mail system, driving the growth of vacation rental software market. The rising awareness about vacation rental homes through travel websites such as tripadvisor.com and airbnb.com has also generated a demand of vacation rental software to manage the customers and their details such as check-in time, check-out time and their invoice.The vacation rental software could be easily integrated with the travel websites, thus reduces hassle of deploying different software for different websites. The rising complexities in vacation rental business such as payment processes, check-in & check-out processes and customer management is expected to create ample opportunities for vacation rental software market. However, absence of pricing regulations for vacation rentals and fierce competition by hotels is expected to provide hurdles in the adoption of vacation rentals by the tourists. This is further anticipated to curb the growth rate of vacation rental software market.Vacation rental software market is broadly segmented on the basis of deployment type, end-users and geography. On the basis of deployment type, global vacation rental software market is segmented into on premise and cloud deployment.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @On the basis of end-users, the global vacation rental software market is further segmented into vacation rental owners, property managers, innkeepers, bed & breakfast (B&B) and vacation rental property agency. Moreover, in terms of geographies, the global vacation rental software market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Latin America region. Europe and North America lead in deployment of vacation rental software due to presence of world famous tourist destinations in the region such as California (the U.S.), Miami (the U.S.), Paris (Europe) and Switzerland (Europe). Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest growing region owing to a large number of vacation rentals present in the tourist destinations such as Maldives, Bangkok and Indonesia.The major participants in the vacation rental software market include companies such as BookingSync, Ciirus Inc., Kigo Inc., VRM Solutions Inc., LiveRez Inc., OwnerRez Inc., 365Villas.com Ltd, Convoyant LLC, Rental Network Software Corp. and Trekadoo LLC.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Industrial Cladding Systems Market Report Size, Share, Growth and Forecast 2017

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Industrial Cladding Systems Industry Market Research 2017 The report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.In this report, we analyze the Industrial Cladding Systems industry from two aspects. One part is about its production and the other part is about its consumption. In terms of its production, we analyze the production, revenue, gross margin of its main manufacturers and the unit price that they offer in different regions from 2012 to 2017. In terms of its consumption, we analyze the consumption volume, consumption value, sale price, import and export in different regions from 2012 to 2017. We also make a prediction of its production and consumption in coming 2017-2022.Request a Sample atAt the same time, we classify different Industrial Cladding Systems based on their definitions. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. What is more, the Industrial Cladding Systems industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.Browse Complete ReportMajor Points of this report:1. To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the global Industrial Cladding Systems market.2. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the Industrial Cladding Systems market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porte five force analysis etc.3. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World.4. To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective.5. To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by application, product type and sub-segments.6. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market.7. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global Industrial Cladding Systems market.Get discount on report purchase atKey Point from Table of Contents:1 Industry Overview of Industrial Cladding Systems1.1 Brief Introduction of Industrial Cladding Systems2 Industry Chain Analysis of Industrial Cladding Systems3 Manufacturing Technology of Industrial Cladding Systems3.1 Development of Industrial Cladding Systems Manufacturing Technology4Major Manufacturers Analysis of Industrial Cladding Systems5 Global Production, Revenue and Price Analysis of Industrial Cladding Systems by Regions, Manufacturers, Types and Applications5.1 Global Production, Revenue of Industrial Cladding Systems by Regions 2012-20176 Global and Major Regions Capacity, Production, Revenue and Growth Rate of Industrial Cladding Systems 2012-20177 Consumption Volume, Consumption Value, Import, Export and Sale Price Analysis of INDUSTRIAL CLADDING SYSTEMS by Regions 20178 Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Industrial Cladding Systems9 Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Industrial Cladding Systems10 Global and Chinese Economic Impact on Industrial Cladding Systems Industry10.1 Global and Chinese Macroeconomic Environment Analysis11 Development Trend Analysis of Industrial Cladding Systems 12 Contact information of INDUSTRIAL CLADDING SYSTEMS13 New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Industrial Cladding Systems14 Conclusion of the Global Industrial Cladding Systems Industry 2017 Market Research ReportPurchase Complete Report atReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. The market research industry has changed in last decade. As corporate focus has shifted to niche markets and emerging countries, a number of publishers have stepped in to fulfil these information needs. We have experienced and trained staff that helps you navigate different options and lets you choose best research solution at most effective cost.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
The former accounting clerk at St. Patricks Roman Catholic Church in Onalaska was convicted Friday of two federal charges that accused of her stealing more than $800,000 from church donors and falsifying her tax return.

Barbara Snyder, 59, between January 2006 and December 2015 received weekly church donations and paperwork documenting the amount collected. She was responsible for retaining the paperwork, depositing collections and maintaining accounting records reported annually online to a financial services company with a server based in Ohio.

During her tenure, Snyder misappropriated $832,210 for the purposes of wagering such funds at nearby casinos, falsified accounting records and bank deposit slips and covered her misconduct by throwing out paperwork that documented actual church donations, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Madison.

Snyder reported an income of $162,949 on her 2015 tax return, although prosecutors contend her income was greater than that reported, the complaint reported.

She pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making false statements on tax returns and agreed to make restitution as part of the agreement.

Snyder, of West Salem, faces 23 years in prison when she is sentenced Nov. 9. While on release, Snyder must seek and maintain employment and inform her employer of the federal case.
Viral Conjunctivitis-Pipeline by Adenovir Pharma AB, NanoViricides Inc, Panoptes Pharma GesmbH & Shire Plc Review H2 2017

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Viral Conjunctivitis-Pipeline Review H2 2017 this report provides an overview of the Viral Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmology) pipeline landscape.Viral conjunctivitis, or pinkeye, is a common, self-limiting condition that is typically caused by adenovirus. Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious, usually for 10-12 days from onset as long as the eyes are red. Symptoms include itchy eyes, tearing, redness, discharge and light sensitivity (with corneal involvement). Treatment includes lubricants, vasoconstrictors and antihistamines.Report HighlightsGlobal Markets Direct's Pharmaceutical and Healthcare latest pipeline guide Viral Conjunctivitis-Pipeline Review, H2 2017, provides comprehensive information on the therapeutics under development for Viral Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmology), complete with analysis by stage of development, drug target, mechanism of action (MoA), route of administration (RoA) and molecule type. The guide covers the descriptive pharmacological action of the therapeutics, its complete research and development history and latest news and press releases.The Viral Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmology) pipeline guide also reviews of key players involved in therapeutic development for Viral Conjunctivitis and features dormant and discontinued projects. The guide covers therapeutics under Development by Companies /Universities /Institutes, the molecules developed by Companies in Phase III, Phase II and Preclinical stages are 1, 1 and 4 respectively.Viral Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmology) pipeline guide helps in identifying and tracking emerging players in the market and their portfolios, enhances decision making capabilities and helps to create effective counter strategies to gain competitive advantage. The guide is built using data and information sourced from Global Markets Direct's proprietary databases, company/university websites, clinical trial registries, conferences, SEC filings, investor presentations and featured press releases from company/university sites and industry-specific third party sources. Additionally, various dynamic tracking processes ensure that the most recent developments are captured on a real time basis.For more information about this report atReport Scope-The pipeline guide provides a snapshot of the global therapeutic landscape of Viral Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmology).-The pipeline guide reviews pipeline therapeutics for Viral Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmology) by companies and universities/research institutes based on information derived from company and industry-specific sources.-The pipeline guide covers pipeline products based on several stages of development ranging from pre-registration till discovery and undisclosed stages.-The pipeline guide features descriptive drug profiles for the pipeline products which comprise, product description, descriptive licensing and collaboration details, R&D brief, MoA & other developmental activities.-The pipeline guide reviews key companies involved in Viral Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmology) therapeutics and enlists all their major and minor projects.-The pipeline guide evaluates Viral Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmology) therapeutics based on mechanism of action (MoA), drug target, route of administration (RoA) and molecule type.-The pipeline guide encapsulates all the dormant and discontinued pipeline projects.-The pipeline guide reviews latest news related to pipeline therapeutics for Viral Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmology)Request a sample copy atReasons to buy-Procure strategically important competitor information, analysis, and insights to formulate effective R&D strategies.-Recognize emerging players with potentially strong product portfolio and create effective counter-strategies to gain competitive advantage.-Find and recognize significant and varied types of therapeutics under development for Viral Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmology).-Classify potential new clients or partners in the target demographic.-Develop tactical initiatives by understanding the focus areas of leading companies.-Plan mergers and acquisitions meritoriously by identifying key players and it's most promising pipeline therapeutics.-Formulate corrective measures for pipeline projects by understanding Viral Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmology) pipeline depth and focus of Indication therapeutics.-Develop and design in-licensing and out-licensing strategies by identifying prospective partners with the most attractive projects to enhance and expand business potential and scope.-Adjust the therapeutic portfolio by recognizing discontinued projects and understand from the know-how what drove them from pipeline.Key Company profilesAdenovir Pharma ABNanoViricides IncPanoptes Pharma GesmbHShire PlcAsk for Discount atList of TablesNumber of Products under Development for Viral Conjunctivitis, H2 2017Number of Products under Development by Companies, H2 2017Products under Development by Companies, H2 2017Number of Products by Stage and Target, H2 2017Number of Products by Stage and Mechanism of Action, H2 2017Number of Products by Stage and Route of Administration, H2 2017Number of Products by Stage and Molecule Type, H2 2017Viral Conjunctivitis-Pipeline by Adenovir Pharma AB, H2 2017Viral Conjunctivitis-Pipeline by NanoViricides Inc, H2 2017Viral Conjunctivitis-Pipeline by Panoptes Pharma GesmbH, H2 2017Viral Conjunctivitis-Pipeline by Shire Plc, H2 2017Viral Conjunctivitis-Dormant Projects, H2 2017Viral Conjunctivitis-Discontinued Products, H2 2017Purchase Complete Report atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support Vulvar Cancer 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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Individuals with severe overweight have an inhibited sense of satiation - they release fewer satiety hormones than people of normal weight. The reason: the responsible cells in the gastrointestinal tract of obese people are severely reduced. This report Swiss doctors in the journal Scientific Reports. Surgical weight-loss procedures can repair this disorder.---The mucous membrane of the upper gastrointestinal tract is home to highly specified cells, the so-called enteroendocrine cells, that constantly analyze our intestinal contents. During a meal, they release satiety hormones into the bloodstream. This signalizes to the body that enough food has been taken in and that the meal can be ended. The sense of satiation is created in the central nervous system.Tissue samples removedCompared to lean people, the release of satiety hormones is reduced in obese people. After bariatric surgeries, such as a gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy the release of these hormones increases again.Researchers from the Department of Biomedicine at the University and University Hospital Basel and the St. Claraspital Basel together with colleagues from the University of Liverpool have studied the reasons for this reduced release of satiety hormones. They examined tissue samples of the gastrointestinal tract in 24 lean volunteers and 30 obese patients before and after weight-loss surgery.Unfortunately often stigmatizedThe team of researchers led by Dr. Bettina Wolnerhanssen was able to show that the number of enteroendocrine cells in obese people is significantly lower than in people with normal weight. This leads to a reduced release of satiety hormone which in turn leads to altered appetite. The obese also showed alterations in the pattern of the so-called transcription factors which are responsible for the development of enteroendocrine cells from stem cells. After surgery, the number of enteroendocrine cells and the pattern of transcription factors were almost entirely restored."Unfortunately, obese people are often stigmatized, and it is a common belief that the reason for obesity lies in a lack of self-control and discipline," comments Wolnerhanssern the studys results. However, there is no doubt that metabolic factors are playing an important part. The study shows that there are structural differences between lean and obese people, which can explain lack of satiation in the obese.Original sourceBettina K. Wolnerhanssen, Andrew W. Moran, Galina Burdyga, Anne Christin Meyer-Gerspach, Ralph Peterli, Michael Manz, Miriam Thumshirn, Kristian Daly, Christoph Beglinger & Soraya P. Shirazi-BeecheyDeregulation of transcription factors controlling intestinal epithelial cell differentiation; a predisposing factor for reduced enteroendocrine cell number in morbidly obese individuals.Scientific Reports (2017), doi:10.1038/s41598-017-08487-9Further informationDr. Bettina Wolnerhanssen, University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, phone: +41 61 328 73 78, email:Weitere Informationen:Quelle: idw


HOUSTON -- Crews overwhelmed by thousands of rescue calls during one of the heaviest downpours in U.S. history have had little time to search for other potential victims, but officials acknowledge the grim reality that fatalities linked to Harvey could soar once the devastating floodwaters recede from one of America's most sprawling metropolitan centers.

More than three days after the storm ravaged the Texas coastline as a Category 4 hurricane, authorities had confirmed only three deaths -- including a woman killed Monday when heavy rains dislodged a large oak tree onto her trailer home in the small town of Porter. But unconfirmed reports of others missing or presumed dead were growing.

"We know in these kind of events that, sadly, the death toll goes up historically," Houston police Chief Art Acevedo told The Associated Press. "I'm really worried about how many bodies we're going to find."

President Donald Trump is making an all-out push to show the federal government's responsiveness to the massive storm that has lashed the Texas coast and caused catastrophic flooding.

Trump will travel to Texas on Tuesday for briefings on the federal government's work to help the state recover from Harvey's devastation.

The storm marks the first time Trump has been tested by a major natural disaster at the start of his administration.

The president was scheduled to get briefings on the relief efforts in Corpus Christi, Texas, and later meet with state officials at the emergency operations center in Austin. The president will be joined by first lady Melania Trump.

The disaster is unfolding on an epic scale, with the nation's fourth-largest city mostly paralyzed by the storm that has parked itself over the Gulf Coast. With nearly 2 more feet (61 centimeters) of rain expected on top of the 30-plus inches (76 centimeters) in some places, authorities worried the worst might be yet to come.

Early Tuesday, Harvey's relentless downpour continued to drench Houston and the surrounding area. Rain fell at a pace of about half an inch (1 centimeter) per hour over Harris County -- home to Houston -- and up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) per hour to the east.

The Houston metro area covers about 10,000 square miles (25,900 sq. kilometers), an area slightly bigger than New Jersey. It's crisscrossed by about 1,700 miles (2,700 kilometers) of channels, creeks and bayous that drain into the Gulf of Mexico, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) to the southeast from downtown.

The storm is generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years, said Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, which was concerned that floodwater would spill around a pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston.

The impact of Harvey is also already being felt in Lake Charles, southwestern Louisiana, where emergency crews have been rescuing residents from their flooded homes after steady overnight rainfall.

Forecasters expect the storm to creep eastward as far as Mississippi by Thursday, meaning New Orleans, where Hurricane Katrina unleashed its full might in 2005, is in Harvey's path. Foreboding images of Harvey were lighting up weather radar screens early Tuesday, the 12th anniversary of the day Katrina made landfall in Plaquemines Parish.

One Houston woman said Monday that she presumes six members of a family, including four of her grandchildren, died after their van sank into Greens Bayou in East Houston, though Houston emergency officials couldn't confirm the deaths. Virginia Saldivar told The Associated Press her brother-in-law was driving the van Sunday when a strong current took the vehicle over a bridge and into the bayou. The driver was able to get out and urged the children to escape through the back door, Saldivar said, but they could not.

"I'm just hoping we find the bodies," Saldivar said.

And a spokeswoman for a Houston hotel says one of its employees disappeared while helping about 100 guests and workers evacuate the building amid rising floodwaters.Rescuers meanwhile continued plucking people from inundated Houston neighborhoods. Mayor Sylvester Turner put the number by police at more than 3,000. The Coast Guard said it also had rescued more than 3,000 by boat and air and was taking more than 1,000 calls per hour.

Chris Thorn was among the many volunteers still helping with the mass evacuation that began Sunday. He drove with a buddy from the Dallas area with their flat-bottom hunting boat to pull strangers out of the water.

"I couldn't sit at home and watch it on TV and do nothing since I have a boat and all the tools to help," he said.

A mandatory evacuation was ordered for the low-lying Houston suburb of Dickinson, home to 20,000. Police cited the city's fragile infrastructure in the floods, limited working utilities and concern about the weather forecast.

In Houston, questions continued to swirl about why the mayor did not issue a similar evacuation order.

Turner has repeatedly defended the decision and did so again Monday, insisting that a mass evacuation of millions of people by car was a greater risk than enduring the storm.

"Both the county judge and I sat down together and decided that we were not in direct path of the storm, of the hurricane, and the safest thing to do was for people to stay put, make the necessary preparations. I have no doubt that the decision we made was the right decision."

He added, "Can you imagine if millions of people had left the city of Houston and then tried to come back in right now?"

By Monday night, 7,000 people had arrived at the city's largest shelter set up inside the George R. Brown Convention Center -- which originally had an estimated capacity of 5,000.

Red Cross spokesman Lloyd Ziel said that volunteers made more space inside the center, which also was used to house Hurricane Katrina refugees from New Orleans in 2005, in part by pushing some cots closer together. A shortage of cots means some people will have to sleep on chairs or the floor.

The center settled down at night, after an occasionally chaotic day that saw thousands of evacuees arrive in the pouring rain. Officers and volunteers at times rushed to attend to those with medical needs.

At the Addicks and Barker reservoirs, the Army Corps started releasing water Monday because water levels were climbing at a rate of more than 6 inches (15 centimeters) per hour, Corps spokesman Jay Townsend said.

The move was supposed to help shield the business district from floodwaters, but it also risked flooding thousands more homes in nearby subdivisions. Built after devastating floods in 1929 and 1935, the reservoirs were designed to hold water until it can be released downstream at a controlled rate.

In the Cypress Forest Estates neighborhood in northern Harris County, people called for help from inside homes as water from a nearby creek rose to their eaves. A steady procession of rescue boats floated into the area.

Harvey increased slightly in strength Monday as it drifted back over the warm Gulf, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters expect the system to stay over water with 45 mph (72 kph) winds for 36 hours and then head back inland east of Houston sometime Wednesday. The system will then head north and lose its tropical strength.

Before then, up to 20 more inches (51 centimeters) of rain could fall, National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini said Monday.

That means the flooding will get worse in the days ahead and the floodwaters will be slow to recede once Harvey finally moves on, the weather service said.

Sometime Tuesday or early Wednesday, parts of the Houston region will probably break the nearly 40-year-old U.S. record for the biggest rainfall from a tropical system -- 48 inches (120 centimeters) -- set by Tropical Storm Amelia in 1978 in Texas, meteorologists said.

The amount of water in Houston was so unprecedented that the weather service on Wednesday had to update the color charts on its official rainfall maps to indicate the heavier totals.

In Louisiana, the images of the devastation in Houston stirred painful memories for many Hurricane Katrina survivors.

"It really evoked a lot of emotions and heartbreak for the people who are going through that now in Houston," Ray Gratia said as he picked up sandbags for his New Orleans home, which flooded during the 2005 hurricane.

In Washington, President Donald Trump's administration assured Congress that the $3 billion balance in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster fund was enough to handle immediate needs, such as debris removal and temporary shelter for displaced residents.

The White House said Monday night that the president and first lady will visit Corpus Christi and Austin on Tuesday. They will receive briefings on the relief efforts by local leaders and organizations.

Harvey was the fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in 13 years and the strongest to strike Texas since 1961's Hurricane Carla, the most powerful Texas hurricane on record.

-- The Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump said that "all options are on the table" following North Korea's latest missile launch early Tuesday, this one fired over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean in the most brazen provocation of Kim Jong Un's five-year-long rule.

"The world has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: This regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," Trump said Tuesday morning in a statement. "Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table."

Despite the grave warning, Trump's statement was notably measured in contrast to his response to previous tests of ballistic missile launches by North Korea. After a recent spate, he promised "fire and fury" if the isolated nation continued to provoke the United States.

Trump also said earlier this month that he would make Kim "truly regret" harming the United States or its allies.

As he walked from the White House to Marine One, en route to survey hurricane damage in Texas, Trump paused briefly to answer a reporter's question about what he plans to do about North Korea.

"We'll see, we'll see," he said.

Trump's statement came more than 12 hours after White House aides had signaled a statement by the president was in the works.

The Japanese prime minister's office said Shinzo Abe and Trump talked by phone for 40 minutes after the launch, agreeing that they should increase pressure on North Korea.

The missile appears to have been a Hwasong-12, the intermediate-range ballistic missile technically capable of flying 3,000 miles that North Korea has been threatening to launch toward the U.S. territory of Guam. But North Korea launched Tuesday's missile to the east, over Hokkaido and into the Pacific rather than on a southward path toward Guam, apparently to test its flight on a normal trajectory without crossing a "red line" of aiming at the United States.

Still, this launch, coming after North Korea last month launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles theoretically capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, underscore both Kim's defiance of the international community and his determination to press ahead with his missile program. Kim has now ordered the launch of 18 missiles this year alone, compared with the 16 missiles his father, Kim Jong Il, fired during 17 years in power.

The U.N. Security Council confirmed that it would hold an emergency meeting in New York on Tuesday to discuss the latest provocation. Missile launches and nuclear tests are banned by the U.N. Security Council, but North Korea has paid no attention to its resolutions.

Kim's government had been threatening to fire a missile to land near Guam, which is home to two huge U.S. military bases, by the middle of this month. However, Kim later said that after reviewing the plans, he would "watch the Yankees a little longer" before making a decision about whether to launch.

After the Guam threat, Trump warned North Korea that "things will happen to them like they never thought possible" should the isolated country attack the United States or its allies.

With no missile launches during the first three weeks of August, the Trump administration had suggested that its tough talk was working. At a campaign-style rally in Phoenix last week, Trump alluded to his earlier rhetoric on North Korea, telling a boisterous crowd that Kim was "starting to respect" the United States.

"I respect the fact that I believe he is starting to respect us," Trump said at the rally. "I respect that fact very much. Respect that fact."

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made a similar argument at the time, saying that he was pleased "to see that the regime in Pyongyang has certainly demonstrated some level of restraint that we've not seen in the past."

Those comments came before North Korea's firing of three short-range missiles Friday.

Asked during an appearance on "Fox News Sunday" if he still stood by his and Trump's assessments, Tillerson said, "I don't know that we're wrong. I think it's going to take some time to tell."

-- The Washington Post
With relatively high humidity and area temperatures in the high 60s and close to 70 degrees for an overnight low, Tuesday is starting out warm and muggy.

Forecasters see the beginning of a break down in the high pressure that has brought such warm temperatures to the Portland metro area over the past few days. As the pattern begins to shift east of the Cascades, Portland will see some cooling today with temperature topping out at 88 degrees (10 degrees cooler than Monday's high).

An upper level trough, currently over the Gulf of Alaska, is expected to move into the Pacific Northwest Tuesday night and deepen the marine layer off the coast. Wednesday should start out mostly cloudy and much cooler. Even with clouds extending from Portland well down into Eugene, the skies will clear by afternoon and offer a mostly sunny day with a high of 80.

Forecasters for the National Weather Service believe Thursday will also start out cloudy, but clear off more rapidly than on Wednesday with a mostly sunny afternoon and a high of 82. And that's it for the break from the heat.

By Friday computer models are showing high pressure building back in and holding off the morning marine layer of clouds. Highs are expected to climb back into the upper 80s or low 90s for Friday through Sunday.
Monona-based WPS Health Solutions has been selected as a winner of the 2017 BBB International Torch Award for Ethics, the fourth time a Wisconsin company has won the award since its inception in 1996.

WPS won the local Torch Award from the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau in 2016, making it eligible for the International Torch Award, which is awarded by the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust.

WPS won in the "500 employees or more" category. The company will be honored at a ceremony on Sept. 19 in Atlanta.

Previous Wisconsin winners include Harley-Davidson in 2016, Briggs & Stratton in 2015 and Rockwell Automation in 2012.
There are certain Republican talking points that are good enough for cable news but too stupid for any reputable newspaper.

If that old saw about how the Democratic Party is the real party of racists is going to be leveled at Madisons mayor, though, I guess the local newspaper can stoop to cable news level.

In explaining his proposal last week to remove or alter a monument to Confederate dead at Forest Hill Cemetery, Mayor Paul Soglin provided a history lesson on the post-Reconstruction South in general and the United Daughters of the Confederacy  the group that erected the monument  in particular.

Nowhere in his statement does he cast blame on anybody but the Daughters of the Confederacy and similar groups, and nowhere does he mention either the Democratic or Republican party.

This was a problem for the Republican Party of Dane County, which issued a statement of its own to correct the mayor, who is also considering a run for governor as a Democrat.

The statement points to Democratic opposition to civil rights legislation going back to 1964, notes segregationist George Wallace was a Democrat, and reminds us that Democrats long found common cause with the Ku Klux Klan, including one former Democratic U.S. senator, Robert Byrd, whose past as a Klan leader didnt stop him from being elected a Democratic leader in the 2000s.

Mayor Soglins telling of this story without mention of his partys hand in this shameful chapter of American history is racist historical revisionism, county GOP chairman Scott Grabins said.

Grabins history is correct, if largely beside the point.

While Soglin, 72, is a Democrat, hes also never held partisan office. Hes a Chicago native without connections to the Democratic Party of the 1960s South and told me that while he had very little influence in the Democratic Party in 1964, he advocated for seating the pro-civil rights Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party at the 1964 Democratic National Convention.

Neither the Democratic or Republican parties are the parties they were in 1860 or 1960, and the South has been a mostly Republican stronghold since the 1970s. Byrd had been renouncing racism and the Klan for decades by the time this century rolled around.

Grabins told me he was not trying to broadside the mayor, but the mayor made a political decision to interject himself into that national discussion with the removal of Confederate monuments here in Madison.

If we are to have an honest discussion about slavery, Jim Crow and the Confederacy, he said, the Democratic Partys significant role in those events is entirely relevant, and frankly its politically expedient to ignore their involvement if youre considering seeking the Democratic Partys nomination for governor.

Thats a fair point, and its a good idea for Democrats of today to disavow the racist Democrats of the past.

On the other hand, Republicans havent been rushing to disavow a Republican president of the present who, among other things, saw some very fine people in a group of white racist protesters in Charlottesville.

As long as thats the case, Robert Byrd is some pretty weak sauce.
Evidence that then-presidential candidate Donald Trump was pursuing a lucrative business deal with Russia and that his personal attorney, Michael Cohen, emailed Russian President Vladimir Putin's personal spokesman to intervene raises the stakes in Robert S. Mueller III's investigation substantially. The Washington Post reports:

"Cohen's email to [Dmitry] Peskov provides an example of a Trump business official directly seeking Kremlin assistance in advancing Trump's business interests. . . . Cohen said he discussed the deal three times with Trump and that Trump signed a letter of intent with the company on Oct. 28, 2015. He said the Trump company began to solicit designs from architects and discuss financing."

Ethics expert Norman Eisen warns: "Now we have a second group of emails from those in Trump's orbit suggesting high-level outreach to Russia in and around the election season. Like the now-famous email exchange with Don Jr. about Russia's 'support for Mr. Trump,' these new documents promising that 'Putin's team' will 'buy in' on Trump raise the question of what the president knew of all this and when he knew it." He tells me, "The emails add important additional evidence to the special counsel's investigation, both as to possible collusion and as to obstruction of justice, inasmuch as they deepen the suspicion of a possible malign Trump motive for attempting to block the Russia investigation."

Now, Cohen insists to The Post that the Trump Tower Moscow proposal was "not related in any way to Mr. Trump's presidential campaign." But of course, we don't know that and neither does he. Mueller, however, will be looking for evidence, as Eisen puts it, "that Trump or his agents actually agreed to better treatment for Putin and Russia in exchange for a present or future Trump Tower Moscow." That would, he says, "go beyond collusion to outright corruption." But even without a smoking gun showing a quid pro quo, the extent to which Trump was compromised - and may remain so - should concern Congress and the voters.

Was Trump trying to keep on Putin's good side to advance his deal? Did he think Putin was someone the United States could do business with because he was seeking to do business with Russians? Trump's effort to conceal his finances and mislead the public about business dealings, with a foe of the United States no less, may have affected his rhetoric and decisions in ways we have yet to discover.

As we learn more about Trump's Russian dealings, his actions in trying to shut down the investigation become more understandable. "These new emails make the obstruction charge more substantial, because it gives heavier context to the cover-up," says Fordham law professor Jed Shugerman. "There was fire under all that smoke. The firing of Comey was already impeachable as obstruction, but it's politically more powerful in connecting the cover-up to real corruption."

The extent of Trump's political and legal jeopardy slowly comes into focus with new, daily discoveries. Clint Watts, a former FBI special agent (who has testified on Russian meddling) and now a fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute, tells me, "Trump's claims to have nothing to do with Russia are clearly false with revelations Cohen emailed the Kremlin directly to gain support for a Trump Tower Moscow. Trump's laudatory comments of Putin came at times when Trump's companies also sought Kremlin-assisted business help." He continues, "Some will interpret Felix Sater's comments as over-the-top salesmanship leading to no direct connections with the Kremlin. But why would Sater believe he would get 'Putin on this program' and that the Kremlin could get Trump elected?" Unless Sater chooses to take the Fifth Amendment, we won't have to guess; Mueller's team will no doubt question him and include the findings in his final report.

Some in Congress are disturbed that Trump himself has not been forthcoming or, indeed, has been misleading about his Russia dealings. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.), ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, tells me, "If this new report is true, why wasn't this disclosed sooner? Why, like so many times before, are the American people forced to find out new details about the President's relationship with Russians from strong investigative reporting instead of from the President himself?"

All of this comes in the context of Trump's eagerness during the campaign for Russia to hack and release Hillary Clinton's emails. "[The Cohen] emails came at a time when Russia's hacking teams breached the DNC and numerous other American targets and Russian media began promoting Trump even though he seemed nothing more than a reality TV star looking for attention," Watts observes. "For those that continue to deny Russian meddling, I can't imagine what additional evidence they would need to know that Russia sought to elect Trump, and Team Trump wasn't adverse to it, and maybe even hopeful for it."

The interaction of Trump's personal finances with foreign powers should also remind Congress and voters that Trump continues to receive money through his businesses from foreign governments, be they be in the form of bookings at his hotel or benefits derived from expedited trademarks. This is the essence of financial corruption - when someone benefits financially because of his official position. The extent to which it affects judgments on policy issues invariably remains murky. And in the case of Trump - who assumes anyone who likes him and treats him well is a "good guy" - the combination of personal finances and presidential powers is unconscionable.

Republicans have refused to address this issue in any serious way, allowing the conflicts to fester and Trump's finances to remain opaque. Congress has the power to legislate - to disallow emoluments, require divestiture of businesses, bar relatives (with their own holdings) from serving in government and mandate disclosure of tax returns. In failing to take any action, Republicans are complicit in Trump's debasement of the presidency and of our democracy.

So long as Republicans retain the majority in both houses, the problem will deepen. Either their indulgence of Trump or their majorities must go if we are to reestablish normal government and reject foreign corruption of our political system.
BLOOMINGTON  As co-chairwoman of the Not In Our Town Faith and Outreach Committee, Mollie Ward is sometimes surprised by the subject manner of prayer requests she receives from residents of Bloomington-Normal.

Its remarkable how often I get requests from people to just pray for peace, she said Monday night. Those requests come even when they are going through some terrible issues of their own.

"When I ask people what would you like me to pray for, the response I often get is for peace in the world and our country. Its amazing that comes first.

Ward was one of several faith leaders who organized an interfaith community service that drew about 300 people to First Christian Church in Bloomington. The group issued a statement to announce they were united in commitment to stand up and speak out in nonviolent ways for love and justice.

Were here tonight to demonstrate how we, who are all brothers and sisters with each other, can live and breathe together, said the Rev. Jim Warren, the senior pastor at the church.

The event was organized to encourage unity among all faiths, said co-chairwoman of the service, Rabbi Rebecca Dubowe of the Moses Montefiore Temple in Bloomington.

We believe that it is possible for all faiths to be together and share the same message of love among each other. This was spurred by the tragedy in Charlottesville," she said, referring to the Aug. 12 confrontation during a rally of white supremacists in Virginia in which one person was killed. "But the faiths that sustain us separately can come together to let us know that love is the most powerful force we have.

The affirmation of people and the dignity of all people is the message we are hoping to deliver for our community, said the Rev. Jackie Clement of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington-Normal.

Right at the moment, we are all concerned about Texas," Clement said of the victims of Hurricane Harvey. "But on a regular basis, it is a matter of concern for my congregation and other congregations I visit, that it be clearly known in the community that there is a large body of people who are willing to stand in this community for justice and what is right.

The Rev. Beth Rupe, the co-chairwoman of the Pro-Reconciliation Committee of the Christian Church in Illinois and Wisconsin, said the church is interested in raising awareness about racism in Bloomington-Normal.

Love is going to be what overcomes racism, she said. As people of faith, we are called together to stand in love. We want to speak to unity and speak to the tradition and that we can do better as children of the Divine.

The service included speakers, prayers and music from many faith traditions.

I think its really great that the leaders of different religions can get together and talk about something that we all have in common and that is that we hate racism and we hate what is going on with racism in our world right now, said Tammy Hoback of Bloomington.

A similar service was held in July 2016. At that time, the Not In Our Town organization hosted a prayer vigil following the shootings of police officers in Dallas, Texas.
BLOOMINGTON  Twin City school districts got a step closer to much-needed state funding Monday  at a price.

In a funding bill that narrowly passed the state House, $75 million in tax credits would go to residents who donate to scholarships to send low-income children to private schools, a measure that frustrated Bloomington District 87 Superintendent Barry Reilly.

"Were at a time the General Assembly is not funding public education in an adequate and equitable way, (and) I understand that. The amount of money is too high to do that in one fell swoop, he told The Pantagraph. "But when thats not happening, providing $75 million to private schools doesnt make a whole lot of sense. ... It's a scheme that benefits the wealthy (who can donate) and is taking dollars from public schools.

"While we haven't heard all of the specifics, we are greatly concerned about how this will impact public education," said Mark Daniel, superintendent of Normal-based McLean County Unit 5. "After waiting all this time for a school funding bill, we had hoped for a better outcome."

Both were pleased, however, the state seems set to approve a new funding formula and pay districts more statewide, including across McLean County.

Installing a new funding system also would allow the state to resume payments to school districts that were cut off because the new state budget requires an updated education funding formula before releasing that money. Unit 5 officials expected to close this fall if no state funding arrived.

The proposal, Senate Bill 1947, goes to the Senate on Tuesday and then would proceed to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner for his signature.

Republican state Reps. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, Tom Bennett of Gibson City, Bill Mitchell of Forsyth and Keith Sommer of Morton voted "yes."

Brady did not directly answer whether he supported the tax credits but said he liked that the bill paves the way to lighten unfunded school mandates for such things as physical education and driver's ed and establishes a commission on tax increment financing districts, which divert property tax revenue from schools and other municipal bodies for economic development.

Rauner has questioned if TIF revenue should be included in calculations of how much funding a school district should get under the formula. Reilly said he opposes such a change.

Combined, those measures changed Brady from a "no" vote on Senate Bill 1, a Democratic proposal that Rauner heavily altered with his amednatory veto and that's still the backbone of the new bill. The House rejected one compromise proposal Monday but approved the second by a 73-34 vote  two more than needed for approval  after failing to override Rauner's veto of SB 1.

"Anybody can find negatives and positives, but no one truly got their way 100 percent in this particular piece of legislation, and thats what this process is about, Brady said. I believe it will be the stability our school districts need, have asked for and deserve."

State Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, will support the new bill, he said in a statement Monday.

Chicago Public Schools officials said their district could get as much as $450 million from the proposal  about $150 million more than officials had anticipated. The Chicago Board of Education would be allowed to raise property taxes by an additional $120 million to $163 million for teacher pensions.

The state also would spend much more on Chicago teachers pensions: $221 million, compared to about $12.2 million last year.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  The Illinois House approved a new school funding plan Monday that will increase state money for all districts and provide $75 million in tax credits for people who donated to private school scholarships.

Lawmakers voted 73-34 to send the legislation to the Senate, where a vote is expected Tuesday. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who walked the floor of the House after the vote to thank lawmakers, is expected to support it.

The evening vote came after the same measure was defeated earlier Monday largely because of objections to the tax credits raised by teacher unions. It also occurred minutes after lawmakers failed to override Rauner's changes to a separate plan preferred by the unions.

Supporters said the measure they ultimately approved is imperfect, but that it will reduce huge funding disparities between wealthy and poor school districts.

"Everybody wins in this conversation," said Democratic Rep. Will Davis, the bill's sponsor, who called the measure "historic."

Legislators from both parties have said for years that the way Illinois distributes money to schools is unfair, but they've been unable to agree to a way to change it. A budget lawmakers approved last month required for the first time that the formula be changed.

Without a new funding plan, more than 800 school districts won't get state money. School officials have said they will be able to open classrooms for the new school year, but many districts worry they will run out of money if the impasse isn't resolved soon.

The plan approved Monday was hammered out by legislative leaders in closed-door meetings over recent days. It provides money for Chicago Public Schools pension costs and creates a $75 million tax credit program for people who donate to private school scholarships.

Some of Illinois' largest teacher unions accused Rauner, who used his veto powers on an earlier school funding bill, of using students "as leverage for private school tax credits."

"Taxpayer dollars should be invested in our public school classrooms, plain and simple," Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery said. "The governor's proposal gives the wealthy another break while robbing our public schools of students and dollars."

The new tax credit would be worth 75 percent of a taxpayer's annual contributions to a scholarship fund, with a maximum credit of $1 million annually. The money may be donated to a specific school or "subset" of schools, but not to a specific student. The credit is a five-year pilot program.

Students receiving the scholarships must have a total household income of less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $73,000 annually for a family of four. Religious leaders, including Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago, have lobbied for the credit.

Earlier this year, Democrats approved separate legislation that provided money to the state's neediest districts first, and that provided additional funding to districts that serve larger numbers of students in poverty or who are English-language learners.

But Rauner used his veto authority to make changes to the legislation, saying it provided too much money to financially strapped Chicago Public Schools.

The Illinois Senate voted to override Rauner's changes, with one Republican joining majority Democrats. After putting off a vote because of leaders' negotiations on a fresh deal, the House tried unsuccessfully late Monday to follow suit. The override required a three-fifths majority, or 71 yes votes. It received 63 yes votes.
NORMAL  Normal officials hope McLean County Unit 5 can help improve race relations in the town.

City Manager Mark Peterson told a joint committee of town and school officials Tuesday he hopes the district will help the town push that effort, which it intensified this month with the publication of a study on how to improve Normal Police Department procedures.

"Most African-Americans went to school, for many years, with an African-American teacher who understood them as an individual," said Chemberly Cummings, the first black Normal City Council member and a committee member. "Now, we have teachers who are coming out of suburban or rural areas never ever seeing an African-American until they step foot into the classroom."

She said that dynamic can lead to a culture of mistrust between students and authority figures that follows students after they leave school.

"They're already developed a mindset about police long before they've come to this larger interaction with law enforcement," Cummings said, "It's both our responsibilities to make sure all of our children feel welcome. ... We can develop true diversity and inclusion plans, not just window dressing."

The district is "looking at the idea of how do we integrate diversity training" and working to make its staff and administrators as diverse as its student body, said Unit 5 Superintendent Mark Daniel.

He said he's seen the benefits of diversity training up close, through one of his daughters who was a student teacher for Chicago Public Schools.

"They went first to understand the community, then they went into the classrooms. ... She had no fear walking into a classroom or walking around Chicago."

"Because she had that kind of training, she looks through a different lens  I'm treating this (as), I see no color. I just see a student, I see a need, I see I'm there to be an adult who's there to assist.'"

Daniel said officials also need to consider "how are we going to bring people of color to our community."

That was part of a wide-ranging discussion as the committee met for the first time. Cummings, council member R.C. McBride and Peterson represented the town; board members Jim Hayek and Mike Trask joined Daniel for the district, which hosted the meeting.

The next meeting is expected to be in late November or early December at Uptown Station. The town will host.
NORMAL  Unable to return to their suburban Houston home because of Hurricane Harvey, Tim and Meghan Fisher decided Monday to help their neighbors from 965 miles away.

The Fishers, their children Anderson and Morgan, and Tim's mother, Mary Fisher Miller of Normal, were among more than 300 volunteers who assembled and packed more than 2,000 family food boxes at Midwest Food Bank Bloomington-Normal, 2031 Warehouse Road, Normal.

The food boxes will be trucked to Texas this week to assist families flooded out of their homes because of the hurricane, said food bank Director of Operations Mike Hoffman.

"Yesterday (Sunday) we were watching (using a smartphone) the water rise from our security cameras," Tim Fisher said. "It was tough to put the phone down."

"While we were here feeling helpless, we wanted to do something to help," Fisher said at the food bank Monday afternoon. "We saw that Midwest Food Bank was doing this (allowing volunteers to assemble and pack family food boxes) and wanted to help. We couldn't (directly) help our neighbors, but we could do this."

The volunteers assembled and packed the food boxes on two assembly lines from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. while a third line of volunteers re-packaged some bulk items that went into those boxes, Hoffman said.

Each box contains enough food for a family of four for four to five days. The food packages will go out on semitrailer trucks from Normal to Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday and Thursday and from there will be distributed by The Salvation Army to people in need.

"What we packed today should be in peoples' hands by Saturday," Hoffman said. Two earlier semi loads went out Saturday and Sunday and those trucks were back on Monday, he said.

"We put the word out that we needed help filling boxes and this awesome community came through again," Hoffman said.

Tim Fisher, of Cypress, Texas, is a native of Bloomington-Normal and was in town with this family for the funeral of his stepfather, Terry Miller.

"The visitation and funeral were Wednesday-Thursday, so our plans were to fly back Friday or Saturday," he said.

But Harvey hit early Saturday and flights were canceled. "We've tried to get home but couldn't," he said.

"We believe water has gotten into our house but we're not sure yet," Fisher said. "We know people can't get in and out of our neighborhood so far."

"We're safe here," Fisher said. "It's stuff there (in their home) but stuff can be replaced."

"It was heartwarming. The response has been overwhelming," Meghan Fisher said of the 300-plus volunteers. "It's so great to see people helping people."

"It means the world to us and it's fun," said Anderson, age 10, as his sister Morgan, 6, nodded. "It's good to help people."

Fisher Miller said "It reminds me after 9-11 when everyone in this community drove through Schnucks to make donations. When there's adversity someplace, people in Bloomington-Normal are willing to help. It's very uplifting."

Among regular Midwest Food Bank volunteers helping out Monday was Terri Thede of Normal. It was her first volunteer gig at the food bank since she donated a kidney on Aug. 10.

"Regardless of religion or political affiliation, everyone can get behind the idea that no one should go hungry in the United States," she said.

"I was overwhelmed at what I was seeing on the news and this was a way to help."

Asked about more than 300 volunteers joining her on Monday, Thede said, "It was very impressive. But it doesn't surprise me one bit."

"This is going to be a long-lasting disaster (response)." Hoffman said. "There will be additional opportunities to help."
The FBI is offering up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect in the triple homicide Aug. 13 at Great Lakes Dragaway in Kenosha County.

Three men from Illinois were shot to death while at "Larry's Fun Fest" at the race track, all shot at point blank range.

David Watson, 30, of Oswego; Khalid Howard, 30, of Aurora; and Derek Edwards, 26, of North Aurora were killed when they were shot during the popular event that drew thousands to the drag strip that opened in 1955.

It is believed the three were members of a Chicago-area gang, and the shooter could be from a different gang.

Anyone with information about the shootings is asked to call the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office, 262-605-5102, or the Aurora, Illinois Police Department Crime Stoppers, 630-892-1000.
BLOOMINGTON  Citing medical reasons, Mayor Tari Renner said he is taking a temporary leave of absence from his mayoral duties.

"I have informed the city manager and the mayor pro-tem of my plans to take a temporary leave of absence for medical-related reasons," said the mayor in a news release Monday afternoon.

"I have made this decision under consultation with my physician and my family. I am thankful that we have a strong and capable city council and city administration to manage the day-to-day activities in my absence. My family and I appreciate privacy during this time as I continue to focus on my health."

Renner did not disclose the nature of his medical condition.

He will continue working as a political science professor at Illinois Wesleyan University, said Ward 6 Alderman Karen Schmidt, who serves as mayor pro tem in the mayor's absence.

She served as mayor pro tem in Renner's absence at the council's committee-of-the-whole work session last week.

He is continuing his full teaching load at Illinois Wesleyan. He basically has two very active jobs so he is taking a step back from his city work, she said. He is taking advantage of that just to deal with some medical issues.

Schmidt said she is anticipating the mayor will be absent for a few weeks at the most.

She and City Manager David Hales will be staying in touch with Renner on any issues of significance, said Schmidt.

The announcement follows on the heels of the opening of an Illinois State Police investigation into the mayor's office.

The probe was launched after Renner blasted Bloomington resident Bruce Meeks in an early morning email he sent in response to Meeks raising questions about the use of a city credit card to buy an airline ticket to let Renner's partner travel with him to Japan for a weeklong sister cities anniversary event earlier this month.

At the council's Aug. 14 meeting, Meeks, a frequent critic of Renner's administration, publicly called for the council and state police to act against the mayor for allegedly intimidating him.

When asked by The Pantagraph on Aug. 16 about a state police investigation being opened, Renner said he was aware of an investigation and believes no violations were committed.

The ISP is conducting an open and ongoing investigation regarding the City of Bloomington Mayor's Offices, state police spokesman Master Sgt. Matt Boerwinkle confirmed in an email sent to The Pantagraph on Aug. 16. Due to the confidentiality of this investigation, no further information is being released at this time.

A city credit card, called a procurement card or p-card, was used to buy a $1,836 airline ticket for Margot Ehrlich. She accompanied Renner on a city-sponsored trip 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.

Renner called Meeks "crazy" and "pathetic" in an early morning email on Aug. 13.

On Aug. 15, Renner also posted late-night comment on WGLT's Facebook page referencing nuts and shared an image of a squirrel in response to several commenters critical of the Japan trip.

The council formally criticized Renner for a late-night online rant in February 2015 against a conservative blogger who also frequently challenges Renner.

No aldermen have asked that the council issue a similar rebuke of the mayor's recent online conduct.
HOUSTON (AP)  Floodwaters reached the roof lines of single-story homes Monday, and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as Harvey kept pouring rain on Houston after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues.

The nation's fourth-largest city was still largely paralyzed, and there was no relief in sight from the storm that spun into Texas as a Category 4 hurricane, then parked itself over the Gulf Coast. With nearly 2 feet of rain still expected, authorities worried whether the worst was yet to come.

Harvey has been blamed for at least three confirmed deaths, including a woman killed Monday in the town of Porter, northeast of Houston, when a large oak tree dislodged by heavy rains toppled onto her trailer home.

A Houston television station reported Monday that six family members were believed to have drowned when their van was swept away by floodwaters. The KHOU report was attributed to three family members the station did not identify. No bodies have been recovered.

Police Chief Art Acevedo told The Associated Press that he had no information about the report but said that he's "really worried about how many bodies we're going to find."

According to the station, four children and their grandparents were feared dead after the van hit high water Sunday when crossing a bridge in the Greens Bayou area.

The storm was generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years, said Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which was concerned that floodwater would spill around a pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston.

The flooding was so widespread that the levels of city waterways have either equaled or surpassed those of Tropical Storm Allison from 2001, and no major highway has been spared some overflow.

Water gushed from two reservoirs overwhelmed by Harvey as officials sought to release pressure on two dams that were at risk of failing from the immense floodwaters that have filled the city. The move aimed at protecting the downtown business district risked flooding thousands more homes.

Meanwhile, authorities continued plucking people from the floodwaters  at least 2,000 so far, according to Police Chief Art Acevedo.

At least 185 critical rescue requests were still pending on Monday morning. The goal is to rescue those people by the end of the day, Acevedo said.

With rain falling unabated, he said there was nowhere left for the water to drain.

"I'm not sure where the water is going because it's just so much that we can't really absorb more in the ground at this point," he told MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

Harvey, which made landfall Friday as a Category 4 hurricane and then lingered just off the coast as a drenching tropical storm, sent devastating floods pouring into Houston on Sunday. The rising water forced a mass evacuation of parts of the city and overwhelmed rescuers who could not keep up with constant calls for help.

As many as 50 counties are affected by the flooding, Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Brock Long said Monday. The rain and floods have been blamed for at least two deaths.

Emergency vehicles made up most of the traffic Monday in downtown Houston. The normally bustling business district was virtually deserted. Many traffic signals did not work and most businesses were closed.

Residents living near the Addicks and Barker reservoirs  which were created to prevent flooding in downtown Houston  were warned Sunday that a controlled release would cause additional street flooding that could spill into homes. The rising water and continuing rain put pressure on the dams, which could fail if the pressure is not relieved.

"When the sun comes up, get out," said Jeff Lindner, a meteorologist for the Harris County Flood Control District. "And you don't have to go far, you just need to get out of this area."

The Red Cross quickly set up Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center and other venues as shelters. The convention center was also used as a shelter for Katrina refugees in 2005. By Monday morning, it had already reached half its capacity.

More than 2,600 people had taken shelter there, said Ken Sandy, a shelter manager for the American Red Cross.

Red Cross officials estimated that the convention center can accommodate roughly 5,000 people, although Sandy cautioned that the shelter had run out of cots and was waiting for more to arrive.

The Army Corps of Engineers started the reservoir releases before 2 a.m. Monday  ahead of schedule  because water levels were increasing at a rate of more than 6 inches (15 centimeters) per hour, Corps spokesman Jay Townsend said.

Officials in suburban Fort Bend County issued mandatory evacuation orders late Sunday along the Brazos River levee districts as the river rose to major flood stage. The National Weather Service predicted that the water could rise to 59 feet (18 meters), 3 feet (90 centimeters) above 2016 records and what County Judge Robert Herbert called an "800-year flood level."

That much water would top the levees and carries a threat of levee failure, Herbert said.

On Sunday, incessant rain covered much of Houston in turbid, gray-green water and turned streets into rivers navigable only by boat. In a rescue effort that recalled the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, helicopters landed near flooded freeways, airboats buzzed across submerged neighborhoods and high-water vehicles plowed through water-logged intersections. Some people managed with kayaks or canoes or swam.

Volunteers joined emergency teams in pulling people from their homes or from the water. Authorities urged people to get on top of their houses to avoid becoming trapped in attics and to wave sheets or towels to draw attention to their location.

Long predicted that the aftermath of the storm would require FEMA's involvement for years.

"This disaster's going to be a landmark event," he said Sunday.

The weather service warned that the flooding will get worse in the days ahead and that the floodwaters will be slow to recede once Harvey finally moves on.

Up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain could fall in the coming days, on top of the more than 30 inches (76 centimeters) some places have already seen, weather service Director Louis Uccellini said Monday.

Rescuers were giving priority to life-and-death situations, leaving many affected families to fend for themselves. And several hospitals in the Houston area were evacuated due to the rising waters.

Some people used inflatable beach toys, rubber rafts and even air mattresses to get through the water to safety. Others waded while carrying trash bags stuffed with their belongings and small animals in picnic coolers.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner urged drivers to stay off the roads.

The deteriorating situation was bound to provoke questions about the conflicting advice given by the governor and Houston leaders before the hurricane. Gov. Greg Abbott urged people to flee from Harvey's path, but the Houston mayor issued no evacuation orders and told everyone to stay home.

The governor refused to point fingers on Sunday.

"Now is not the time to second-guess the decisions that were made," Abbott, a Republican, said at a news conference in Austin. "What's important is that everybody work together to ensure that we are going to, first, save lives and, second, help people across the state rebuild."

The mayor, a Democrat, defended his decision, citing the risk of sending the city's 2.3 million inhabitants onto the highways at the same time.

"If you think the situation right now is bad, and you give an order to evacuate, you are creating a nightmare," Turner said.

The Coast Guard deployed five helicopters and asked for additional aircraft from New Orleans.

The White House said President Donald Trump would visit Texas on Tuesday, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump.

Harvey was the fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in 13 years and the strongest to strike Texas since 1961's Hurricane Carla, the most powerful Texas hurricane on record.
CHICAGO  Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a measure Monday allowing automatic voter registration in Illinois, a move that comes a year after he rejected a similar measure over concerns about voter fraud.

Illinois joins more than half a dozen other states with some form of automatic registration, which proponents say boosts civic participation.

"This is good bipartisan legislation and it addresses the fundamental fact that the right to vote is foundational for the rights of Americans in our democracy," Rauner said at a Chicago bill-signing ceremony attended by voter rights groups and Democratic lawmakers. "We as a people need to do everything we can to knock down barriers, remove hurdles for all those who are eligible to vote, to be able to vote."

He said the new law addressed his previous concerns about fraud and errors.

Under the Illinois measure, eligible individuals will be automatically registered unless they opt out when they visit secretary of state offices for driver's license services and other state agencies. The measure had wide bipartisan support in the Democratic-majority Legislature.

McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael said she's cautiously optimistic about the law, but she still has questions about whether it's adequately funded. She and Logan County Clerk Sally Turner said in May they suspected it would not be.

The law takes effect immediately but will be implemented in phases.

Most of the changes will take place ahead of the November 2018 election when Rauner is seeking a second term, including a major update of voter files and registrations through the Illinois secretary of state's offices. Other agencies will be on board by July 2019.

Bloomington Election Commission Executive Director Paul Shannon said in May that tweaking how records get to election officials, alongside automatic registration, could mean "registrations would come to us better filled out.

It may reduce some of our time for verifying the records, he said.

Legislators approved a previous version of the bill last year, but Rauner vetoed it over concerns it didn't do enough to safeguard against voter fraud.

Supporters, including election officials and public interest groups statewide, said it will modernize the system, save money and improve turnout in elections.

"We'll have more people registered everywhere in Illinois. We'll have less paperwork. We'll have fewer people trying to figure out last-minute registrations in the final weeks before an election," Chicago Election Board Commissioner Jonathan Swain said in a statement. "Everybody wins in this system."

McLean County Board member Carlo Robustelli, a Democrat, agreed.

"Access to voting will be easier for Illinoisans, and that's a good thing," he said on Facebook. "Thanks to everyone who made their voices heard on this important issue."

Some opponents had initially raised concerns about it leading to registering ineligible people.

Voting experts have said there isn't widespread election fraud in the country. But the new Illinois law comes as President Donald Trump has appointed a commission to probe the integrity of the voting system, including practices that "could lead to improper voter registrations and improper voting."

Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign and state election systems prompted concerns about U.S. election security.

Oregon became the first state to automatically register voters with a 2015 law. It led to a surge in new voters last year. Other states including California, Vermont and West Virginia have adopted similar laws, with roughly two dozen other states considering automatic voter registration measures.

The legislation is Senate Bill 1933.
Donald Trump showed us he was a big boy with strong, big boy eyes last week when he stared down the eclipse without glasses, but judging by his apparent inability to distinguish the difference between two blonde Finnish reporters, it seems there may have been some damage to his tremendous eyeballs. At a press conference with Finnish president Sauli Niinisto yesterday, Trump was taken aback when Niinisto apparently took a second question from the same reporter.

"Again? You're going to give her the same one?" Trump asked Niinisto, demonstrating a perfect grasp of communication in the English language.

"No, she is not the same lady," replied Niinisto, who has not recently stared directly into the sun to our knowledge. "They are sitting side by side."

"We have a lot of blonde women in Finland," the reporter responded as she took the microphone.

We can only assume that the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme song began playing at this point, but it cannot be verified.

So what do you think, can you distinguish the difference between these two blondes with different faces, that are wearing different colors? Take your time.

[h/t The Hill]

Splash image via Twitter


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Sez he:

I write these words from Milan, Italy, where I am with my Word on Fire team filming new episodes for our Pivotal Players series. Ive seen lots of marvelous things on this trip, including the ruins of the ancient baptistery under the Milan Cathedral where, in the spring of 387, St. Augustine was baptized by St. Ambrose. But the most fascinating sight Ive taken in is the vested and mitered skeleton of that same Ambrose, which rests in the basilica that bears his name, not far from the Cathedral. Behind a grille, just under the main altar, lie the skeletal remains of Ambrose and two martyr saints, Gervasius and Protasius, whose bodies were recovered during his lifetime. With the aid of some pretty high-powered camera lenses, I was able to see the skull of the great bishop of Milan in extraordinary detail. What struck me especially was the size and solidity of his teeth, still formidable after 1,600 years. Ill confess that when I examined those ancient teeth, I couldnt help but think of the lips that once covered them, for Augustine, in his Confessions, famously reported his amazement at seeing Ambrose read without moving his lipssomething quite unusual at the time. However, after I posted detailed photos of Ambroses skull on our Facebook page, the reaction has been ratherinteresting. Many, many people expressed their pleasure and excitement at seeing the pictures, but many others, I must say, were a bit put off. From a number of strongly Protestant and evangelical commentators came the charge that I was encouraging the worship of dead bodies! Well, thats just silly. This has, of course, nothing to do with worshipping Ambrose but rather honoring him. But most of those, both Protestant and Catholic, who had objections to the pictures said something along these lines: Well, its just kind of creepy, isnt it? and Why dont they just bury the poor man? or Isnt this frightening to children?

I gotta say as a convert, nothing makes clearer the idea of conversion to the Faith as moving to another country like the veneration of relics. Nowhere does the sheer squeamishness of Protestantism over the physicality and sacramentality of the faith gain a more sympathetic hearing than here.

I remember being down at EWTN some 20 years ago and sitting in the chapel before Mass. A young woman I had met the night before at dinner came in and sat down next to me, all excited. Look what I got! she said with verve and handed me a little box. I didnt know what I was looking at until the label on it make clear: I was holding a piece of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

It made me feel things I am not accustomed to feeling, none of them good.

Yes, I get the theology and yes, I realize the defect is in me, not in the theology or practice of venerating relics. But that doesnt mean there is anything easy about getting used to it. So bear with your non-Catholic neighbor if he responds to it with the definite sense of ookiness.

Being Catholic is weird.
Patna: Famous Bhojpuri film stars Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' and Amrapali Dubey in Patna on Tuesday flagged off a van loaded with essential items to the flood-hit zones in Bihar after seeing the devastation first hand for the past two days.

"We were in Chhapra and other places in North Bihar earlier and what we saw with our own eyes were extremely painful and heart-rendering. Since both Amrapali and I are from Bihar, we felt it was our duty to lend our hands to those who need help in this time of their need," Yadav said.

On Monday, the duo of several commercially successful films handed out relief items to flood victims in Taraiya block of Chhapra.

"What the state government is doing to provide rescue and relief to the flood victims is highly appreciable but the situation still remains grim in many districts. We need to have better plans than this," Yadav said adding he had not been able to sleep since he saw the images of flood in Bihar.

Actress Amrapali said that her biggest concern was the welfare of women who, she said, were limited in their resources.

"Women's needs are different from the men's need. Their plight is much worse than the men's and it is time we came forward and help them in their hour of need," she said.
Patna: After launching a full-frontal war on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and by extension, on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA during a show of strength rally at Patna's Gandhi Maidan on Sunday, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Rabri Devi, her son Tejaswi Yadav and daughter Misa Bharti appeared before the Income Tax sleuths in Patna on Tuesday to answer questions about their amassing upscale properties in Bihar as well as in other states.

The grilling began amidst media frenzy at around 2:30 pm and went on for more than 8 hours as the three RJD leaders tried to explain their sources of income and how they managed to acquire so many properties, including sprawling farms in Delhi and surrounding areas, despite having no known sources of income.

Sources said that three IT officials who had arrived in Patna from Delhi for just the purpose to interrogate the members of the Lalu family, first grilled them separately and later questioned them jointly. Throughout the interrogation, both Rabri Devi and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav gave conflicting answers and showed visible signs of nervousness, they said.

It may be recalled that six members of Lalu family including former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Tejaswi Yadav, Misa Bharti, her husband Shailesh Kumar, and Lalu and Rabri's other two daughters Ragini and Chanda had been charged under Benami Property Act.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders in Bihar have released documents that purportedly implicates the former RJD government under Rabri Devi who issued orders to the top district officials to deposit government money in Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti accounts in Bhagalpur.

Interestingly, until a couple of days ago, it were the RJD leaders who had been accusing the BJP of engineering the Srijan scam in which more than Rs. 1500 crore were illegally transferred from government accounts to the Srijan account.
Iranian Spiritual Leader Taheri Sentenced To Death

08/28/17

Source: RFR/RL

Imprisoned Iranian spiritual leader Mohammad Ali Taheri has been sentenced to death for a second time, two years after an initial death sentence that was overturned on appeal. Taheri's lawyer Mahmud Alizadeh Tabatabaei said on August 27 that Taheri has been sentenced after being convicted of "spreading corruption on Earth" for founding a group called the Circle of Mysticism.



Mohammad Ali Taheri

Tabatabaei said he will appeal the ruling within 20 days and expressed the hope that it will be rejected by the Supreme Court.



Taheri's family says he has been harassed in prison and pressured into giving a forced video confession.



A popular faith healer whose group promotes a mystical understanding of the universe, Taheri was for a time allowed to teach in public and to practice.



But he came under increased pressure following a warning by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei about "false mysticism that might lure away people from Islam."



Taheri was first arrested in 2010 and has been in Evin prison in Tehran since 2011, when a court sentenced him to five years in prison for blasphemy.



He was sentenced to death on similar charges in 2015, but an appeals court later rejected the verdict.



Taheri has reportedly gone on hunger strike several times to protest against his detention.



Some of his followers have been detained or otherwise pressured by authorities in recent years.



With reporting RFE/RL's Radio Farda, ISNA, BBC, and AP

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
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako Attah, has told all persons who have encroached on government lands earmarked for road constructions, especially along the motorway, to relocate for expansions works to commence.



According to him, several people have encroached on the lands along the motorway due to indiscipline, a situation which makes it difficult for the road expansion works to start. To that end, he has asked all the encroachers to leave for the project to start.



Speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, Accra 100.5FMs host of Ghana Yensom, on Tuesday August 29, Mr Amoako Attah said: There is so much indiscipline on our roads. This situation, if not checked, will make life unbearable in the country in spite of the buoyant economy being built by President Akufo-Addo.



He added: Let me caution all those who have encroached on the motorway to relocate because those lands belong to the state. I have been mandated to ensure road safety in the country and I will not disappoint the president for entrusting this duty in my hands. Nobody should dare me, this caution is to all the encroachers, irrespective of who you are, dont dare me.



Today, I will plead with you to leave the area for us to start the project but tomorrow it will not be a plea, there are laws in this country and we must all know that.



I have the courage as minister, I have the capacity as minister and nobody should dare the government, the people of this country.

Source: ClassFMonline.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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NPPs Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as 'Abronye DC' has alleged that strident musician, A-Plus is making a whooping amount of money from the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) illegally.



According to him, Kwame Asare Obeng, widely known as A-Plus earns about Three million Ghana cedis (GHc 3m) from the company every month.



A-Plus has not done anything for the party (NPP) yet he is benefiting than those who toiled for the party to win power. Agya Koo and Lucky Mensah did extremely well for the party but they are not complaining as he is doing, he said.



The Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Orgainser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), on NEAT FM morning show, Ghana Montie says A-Plus claims that President Nana Addos two deputy Chiefs of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye and Samuel Abu Jinapor, are stupid and corrupt appointees is untrue.



He was emphatic that the entertainers public out poor was due to the fact that he was refused another contract by Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye.



As I am speaking now, A-Plus has a contract at BOST worth GHc 3m a month. He is very greedy, because he was refused another contract, he is calling someone corrupt. He should shut up. He can never deny his contract at BOST, he said.



A-Plus is making unnecessary noise in the country. He should shut his big mouth up. Weve had enough of his nonsense, who is he. NPP paid for his useless song yet the party has awarded him contracts. Why cant he shut up? Abronye DC questioned.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5 / Instagram: ambrose_wash









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A group calling itself Bafana Bayana in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Youth Network in the Northern Region have called for the immediate dismissal of the Deputy Minister for Agriculture, William Agyapong Quaittoo.



According to them, the comments by the deputy minister on the invasion of the fall army worms were to clearly discredit the Northern values of hard work, truth and honesty and create a situation that would compel northerners to respond in an untoward manner.



This action was premeditated and unquestionably unwarranted. Insulting Northerners in the way that the deputy minister did is part of a broad and grand ploy designed to bait northerners into responding in similar fashion.



Chairman of Bafana Bayana of the NDC, Abdul Fataw Shani, indicated that if the deputy minister is saying that what has been reported is not true, how come the government voted about GH6 million of the taxpayers money into a non-existent issue? Or is it the case that the Ministry of Agric and for that matter government spend on ghost projects?



They called on the National Peace Council, Christian Council, religious bodies and all Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to condemn the conduct of Mr Quaittoo.



We call on the president to show some respect to his vice president by relieving the deputy minister of his post.



Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, the spokesperson of the NPP Youth Network Fuseini Abdul-Majeed, said Northerners are honest and dignified people, northerners in the NPP government and their contributions to the success of the party are manifest.



We fear that there would be selective justice, infringement on their rights and oppression by the deputy minister since Northerners have been declared as liars.



The NPP Youth Network in the Northern Region made a passionate appeal to President Akufo-Addo to find someone, who respects all tribes in Ghana to replace William Agyapong.



Meanwhile, the deputy minister has rendered an unqualified apology to the chiefs, elders, opinion leaders and people of the Northern Region for his comments.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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San Francisco-based Sunrun Inc. which provides residential solar, storage and energy services has partnered with Comcast for the installation of Sunrun's rooftop solar products.

The two companies announced an agreement last week. Under the 40-month agreement, Sunrun will be the exclusive residential solar energy provider for Comcast Cable, and Comcast Cable will serve as one of Sunrun's strategic partners through marketing campaigns in selected markets.

Comcast plans to begin marketing Sunrun's rooftop solar services to its customers later this year but, didn't say in which areas it would begin offering the services. The two companies had previously partnered together on a one-year solar pilot-program where Comcast customers had the opportunity to to pay little to no money down for 20 years of solar energy at a fixed monthly rate.

Comcast currently offers customers the ability to manage, control and operate a number of key smart home functions, including energy consumption management. Comcast says that the deal will complement its efforts to offer smart home services.

"We believe the residential solar industry will continue to expand over the next decade as consumers look for more cost-efficient, independent and cleaner alternatives for their energy, " Jon Kaplowitz, managing director and GM of new businesses, Comcast Cable, said in a statement. "By working with Sunrun, Comcast can help customers take more control of the price they pay for energy, save them money and help contribute to cleaner communities."

As part of this agreement, Comcast will receive fees for new customers they bring to Sunrun. Comcast can also earn more money depending on how many customers choose the service.

Sunrun provides services in 22 states and the District of Columbia.
The Diocese of Harrisburg will be collecting donations this weekend for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

A special collection will be held in all parishes of the Diocese of Harrisburg on Saturday and Sunday. This is a part of the U.S. Catholic Bishops emergency collection to assist people affected by Hurricane Harvey. This includes the humanitarian and recovery efforts of Catholic Charities USA and pastoral and rebuilding support to impacted dioceses.

The diocese will also accept donations for the following two weekends. Donations should be marked "Hurricane Harvey Relief". Contributions can also be made online at www.HbgDiocese.org/donate via the Natural Disasters option.
HOUSTON - The remnants of deadly Hurricane Harvey spilled toward Louisiana on Tuesday with more potentially disastrous flooding and emergency evacuations as President Donald Trump planned to survey the ongoing devastation in stricken Texas.

Trump's expected visit later Tuesday came after he pledged swift action by the federal government to provide relief to states affected by Harvey. It also comes on the 12th anniversary of the last massive storm to pinwheel in from the Gulf with catastrophic damage: Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 29, 2005.

The death toll in Texas had reached nine, officials said, but they said it could rise as authorities pursue reports of people apparently lost in the torrential downpours unleashed by Harvey since Friday. In Montgomery County, north of Houston, police said a man was presumed drowned after attempting to swim across fast-moving flood wash.

Meanwhile, the storm clouds continue to drench the region with an unprecedented deluge - reaching 43 inches since Friday in South Houston and surpassing 40 inches in several other places in around the city, the National Weather Service reported.

For Houston, the rainfall amounts since June 1 reached 50.16 inches - more than the annual average rainfall of 49.77 inches.

In Louisiana, rescue teams near Lake Charles near the Texas border evacuated hundreds of people as floodwaters crested river banks and levees. Flash flood warnings and watches were in effect for much of the Lake Charles region as forecasters said up to 10 inches or more rain could fall before the storm is done. New Orleans was under a tornado and flash flood watch until Thursday.

MORE

Harvey is moving toward the northeast, with its center expected to be just off the middle and upper Texas coast through Tuesday night, the National Hurricane Center said Tuesday morning. After that, the storm is forecast to move inland on the northwestern Gulf Coast on Wednesday.

Forecasters say more than a foot of rain is still expected to fall through Friday over parts of the Texas coast and Louisiana, and the National Weather Service warned Tuesday of potential flooding in southern Mississippi as well as southeastern Louisiana.

Trump on Monday declared "emergency conditions" in Louisiana. Not long before that, authorities in Texas had warned that more than 30,000 people across the region could be forced from their homes by the time skies are expected to clear later this week. Thousands have piled into shelters in Houston and beyond, seeking safety from the storm without a clear idea of when, or if, they could return home.

"We just can't take any more," Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso said in western Louisiana, urging residents to leave flood-prone homes Monday. "Anything we get is going to be crucial at this point."

The immediate focus for many remained on Houston, the country's fourth-largest city and a sprawling metropolitan area that has seen its share of floods. But the deluge of the past two days is unprecedented.

Every major waterway in the city spilled over its banks. Gullies overflowed. Even neighborhoods far from a creek or bayou flooded. The hardest-hit areas were in the south and southeast, the downstream end of the waterways.

But the southwest may be the next venue for catastrophe. The Brazos River, which runs through Fort Bend County about 20 miles west of downtown Houston, has been swelling as the runoff from the storm collects in its banks. National Weather Service models showed the river rising to 59 feet by Tuesday, topping the previous record of 54.7 feet.

Earlier Tuesday, evacuation orders were given for two prisons with thousands of inmates near the Brazos.

Fort Bend County Judge John Hebert warned Monday night that more than a hundred square miles along the river could flood overnight and into Tuesday as the river swells to unprecedented heights.

"They can guarantee we'll have a record flood in for Bend County," he said. "In areas under mandatory evacuation, the danger is very real."

Authorities issued mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders for parts of that area and warned that anyone who ignores mandatory evacuation orders will not be aided by first responders when the waters rise. But with virtually all the main thoroughfares already closed because of high water, many of the affected residents saw no way out.

Some who did evacuate ran into difficulties Monday as they tried to reach shelters. In north Houston, for example, rescuers who picked up people forced out of their drenched homes brought them to a fire station to be transported to the M.O. Campbell Center, a school gym and activity center that had been converted to a shelter.

But when the shelter reached capacity, its doors were shut, and at least 300 people were stranded at the fire station.

The horror stories led authorities to urge patience and persistence on the part of residents needing help.

"Please don't give up on us. None of us are going to give up," Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said at a news conference Monday.

One of the largest shelters, the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown, took in thousands of evacuees Monday. Officials there said that people were lined up to take refuge and that Red Cross officials were prepared to accept 5,000 of them in total.

Among those helping with the rescue efforts alongside first responders were volunteers with boats.

(c) 2017, The Washington Post * Dylan Baddour, Sandhya Somashekhar, Mark Berman
Authorities in Dauphin County say they are working with state agency to ease the burden on the justice system through an upcoming program while trying to help those with an outstanding warrant.

Law enforcement is asking anyone with an active warrant for misdemeanor offenses, traffic tickets, missed child-support payments, probation violation or even more serious criminal offenses to surrender during Harrisburg's Safe Return initiative Sept. 21-23 at the Zion Assembly of Harrisburg. Absconders can surrender between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. any of the three days and will receive "favorable consideration in light of their voluntary surrender," officials said.

"We're looking for you to come and make it right," said Maria Finn, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole. "Very few people will end up jail. The idea is to rectify the situations."

Finn referenced a similar initiative, Operation Safe Surrender in York County, where an 80-year-old woman turned herself in for outstanding parking ticket warrants. Pointing to the woman's apprehension about resolving the warrants because of a lack of money and fear, Finn said Operation Safe Return includes specialized services to those in need of help with fines or substance abuse to help with issues like the opioid epidemic.

"We're trying to help people," Finn said.

Finn noted that off the 42,000 on parole in Pennsylvania as of June 30, nearly 2,000 are classified as absconders, equaling 4.8 percent of the total parolee population. Harrisburg's Safe Return aims to keep those absconders out of prison and get them into a stable, supportive environment, she said, adding that absconders wanted on serious offenses will face the required discipline if they surrender.

Joined by Dauphin County District Attorney Edward Marsico Jr., Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, Michael Potteiger, a board member of the PBPP, the Dauphin County Sheriff's office, Zion Assembly church officials announced the initiative Monday, also asking for volunteers to help with next month's proceedings, Finn said. Anyone who would like to volunteer for the initiative is asked to contact Zion Assembly of Harrisburg at 717-234-7216.

Anyone who has information on the whereabouts of an absconder can call 800-932-4857 or submit a tip via the website.
A Brooklyn man convicted in a body dumping case in York County was ordered to serve time in prison Monday.

Luis Felix Quinones was sentenced to at least five in state prison for helping Kevin Brightful dispose of Shannon Martin's body last summer, according to a York Dispatch report. Martin's body was found in a trash can in Springfield Township Aug. 12.

State police said Quinones was at Brightful's home when Martin and Brightful got into a scuffle. Brightful shot Martin several times, before his body was disposed of at the remote location along Interstate 83 in York County. Police said Martin attempted to rob Brightful and Quinones prior to the fatal shooting, with a third man, Terrence Wintermyers, facing third-degree murder in connection to Martin's death as a result of Pennsylvania's transferred-intent law.

Quinones was convicted on counts of abuse of a corpse, conspiracy to commit abuse of a corpse, carrying a firearm without a license, possession with the intent to deliver, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was originally charged with homicide, but the count was dropped after further investigation of the incident.

Martin's family members lamented their loved one's death, noting that Brightful and Quinones disgraced Martin with the treatment of his body. Prosecutors pointed out that Quinones did not apologize for his actions, though Quinones said he was sorry for what happened to Martin at the hearing. Judge Harry Ness said no one was innocent in the case, saying all parties were corrupted by money, according to the report.

Quinones plans on appealing the sentencing, and maintains he was not involved in the body dumping. Brightful's case is pending until Wintermyers' case is closed. According to the York Dispatch, Brightful is expected to plead guilty to similar charges as Quinones, as well as illegally possessing a firearm as a felon.
A sinkhole of all things might slow business to the Sinkhole Saloon & Grille.

Within a stone's throw of the restaurant is an expanding sinkhole. That sinkhole is near eastbound lanes of Route 422 in the parking lot of the Palmyra Bowling Center, which has caused eastbound lanes to be closed and for detours in the area.



Route 117 will carry traffic south from Route 422. Route 322 will carry traffic east and Route 934 will carry traffic north. Westbound lanes of Route 422 will remain open, PennDOT said in a news release.

Greg Penny, a spokesman for PennDOT said the sinkhole is hole is on private property and that the department isn't planning to make repairs yet. He added that the highway was closed as a precaution because of the rain and fact that the sinkhole is expanding.

The sinkhole began developing about 10 days ago in the bowling alley's parking lot, said Amy Eiserman of Palmyra Bowling Center. Eiserman acknowledged that the sinkhole is on the bowling alley's property, but noted that the sinkhole is next to a 10-foot easement at the edge of Route 422. Under that easement is a township drainage line, which is also sinking.

"We agree it is a mutual issue," she said, adding that she and her family will be meeting with PennDOT and North Londonderry Township tomorrow to discuss repairs.

Staff reporter Barbara Miller contributed to this post.
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.
Bar owner Jonn Klein (The Dive, Watkins Drinkery) is in the process of purchasing the taproom at Third and Porter Streets in South Philadelphia that last operated as Otis & Pickles.

He's planning a gastropub that will revive a classic name in Philly taproom history: The Wander Inn.

Once a regular venue of blues legend Bessie Smith, the Wander Inn  which stood for decades at 18th and Federal Streets in Point Breeze  sank into nuisance-bar status by the time of its closing around 2005. It's now the home of American Sardine Bar.

Watkins chef Ari Miller  also a veteran of Percy Street BBQ, High Street On Market, and Philadelphia Distilling (and not the Ari Miller who runs 1732 Meats)  will oversee the kitchen at Third and Porter Streets.

Klein said he expects to open in January.
The UW School of Medicine and Public Health, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute and Medical College of Wisconsin have collectively been awarded $5.4 million from the National Institutes of Health to enroll patients in a nationwide precision medicine initiative.

The institutions will partner with the Blood Center of Wisconsin and some of Wisconsins federally qualified health centers to recruit participants in the NIHs All of Us Research Program, which aims to gather data from more than 1 million Americans.

Precision medicine is an approach to disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in biological makeup, environment and lifestyle.

UW-Madison plans to build a Center for Human Genomics and Precision Medicine next to the Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, near UW Hospital. Construction is set to begin next year and be done in 2020.

Dr. Stephen Meyn, a molecular genetics and pediatrics professor at the University of Toronto, was named the centers director this month.
Jose Beltran (center) makes his way out of his flooded neighborhood with nephew Jonathan Beltran (left) and Abram Gutierrez. Read more

With streets flooded and Harvey-drenched residents fleeing to shelters, Comcast Corp. doesn't know when its trucks will be able to be used in the Houston area.

The cable giant suspended its cable and internet repairs for a second day Tuesday.

It could be days before it can make repairs as the water levels are not expected to crest until Thursday, a company official said. The National Weather Service recorded 51.88 inches of rainfall from Harvey at Cedar Bayou, near Houston. Up to 30 percent of Harris County was believed to be underwater, officials said. And abut 300,000 people are thought to be homeless, including the more than 9,000 people staying at George R. Brown Convention Center, the largest shelter created so far.

Houston is one of Comcast's larger cable markets with about 500,000 customers in the metro area. Comcast has not said how many subscribers have lost service.

The nation's largest cable-TV company says it is waiting for a green light from emergency management agencies to say whether roads are safe for its tech trucks. If people have not suffered downed telephone poles, they could still be watching their cable or accessing the internet.

"We are in close contact with folks in Houston and we will support them," company spokeswoman Jennifer Moyer said Tuesday.

Charter, the nation's No. 2 cable company, also has a substantial number of customers in the Houston area.

Once clearance is granted for trucks to travel on Houston-area roads, "Comcast's maintenance technicians will be dispatched to begin assessment and restoration efforts throughout the greater Houston area including Galveston, Liberty, Brazoria, Harris, and Fort Bend Counties," the company said in a statement Sunday.

As part of its response to Hurricane Harvey, Comcast has opened 53,000 Xfinity WiFi hot spots to the public throughout the Houston area.

Moyer said the biggest problem with the hurricane and subsequent tropical storm has been the flooding and not the winds.

Amy Yong, an analyst with Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc., noted that Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 led Cablevision to offer substantial credits to customers for lost service.
The Committee of Seventy, a Philadelphia government watchdog group, is branching out to include civic consulting, with the city-owned Philadelphia International Airport as the first to accept the committee's new approach to making local government more effective.

"We were founded to improve the performance of government, to make it work better in terms of integrity, and outcomes, and effectiveness," said Committee of Seventy CEO David Thornburgh. "So this is a different path to the same goal. To me, this is true to our roots."

Philadelphia airport CEO Chellie Cameron said PHL had already begun a wide-ranging effort to address three areas of challenge: social media; employee engagement and training; and place-making, or how to make the terminals and other airport spaces more inviting, comfortable, and customer-friendly.

The airport said in a statement Tuesday that it had already begun looking at these three "pain points," but decided it could benefit from the observations and insights of 18 civic and business leaders who were recruited by Seventy to take a fresh, in-depth look. The community experts took six months and generated dozens of ideas and suggestions for improvements. A preliminary report is being reviewed by Cameron and her team.

The airport will provide feedback, which will be incorporated in a final report that will be made public this fall, said Chris Satullo, civic engagement consultant to Seventy who served as the project director.

Satullo and Thornburgh said they hope the airport initiative, called the "Franklin Challenge," named for the city's civic innovator Benjamin Franklin, will lead to other civic consulting projects with government agencies.

"David is very eager to expand the notion of what Committee of Seventy does, not just worry about who gets elected to run a government, but how well does the government run in between elections," Satullo said.

Seventy was paid $31,536 from the airport's aviation operating fund to conduct research, which involved work sessions, visits to PHL, conference calls, and meetings with senior airport staff. The airport receives no local tax dollars. Funds for the study came from rates and charges paid by airlines, airport vendors, and concessionaires, and passenger-facility charges.

Satullo said the idea for the initiative, also dubbed Project Runway, originated at a Leadership Philadelphia lunch last year when Cameron was asked: "Is there anything this group can do to help you?" At the time, she talked about challenges with social media, and Satullo said he told her, "I think we can help you with some of that."

"David and I were talking about this idea of civic consulting and how we could play a role connecting the business and nonprofit expertise in the city with government agencies and support innovators and innovations that are sometimes stranded in government agencies," Satullo said. "This lunch with Chellie [Cameron] popped up, and it seemed to create opportunity to try this thing we had been thinking of."

The volunteers came up with dozens of recommendations, ideas that are practical and within the airport's fiscal and legal boundaries and will not cost billions of dollars. "We were able to put together an extraordinary team of people, all pro bono, to contribute their insights," Thornburgh said.

The advisers made suggestions on three fronts: Improve the environment for passengers arriving at or departing from PHL, to alleviate confusion and anxiety and make the airport more welcoming; set a clear, unified customer service standard and train and motivate 20,000 employees wearing badges who work for a variety of employers including airlines, vendors, and the Transportation Security Administration; and come up with a social-media strategy to improve the airport experience in connecting with airport services on their devices. What kinds of information should the airport convey, and how should responses on different platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, be handled?

"Our job was to help reframe the way the airport looks at social media as part of a larger customer experience," said Stefan Frank, social media director at the Wharton School and one of the leaders. "The biggest takeaway was to really think about the passenger, and you being their guide. Helping to facilitate their experience, whether it's getting from one gate to another, or the leisure time they are spending in the airport."

The airport expects to review the report and respond by next month. PHL said it will invite the group to return within a year to see what has been done with their recommendations.

"We see the Franklin Challenge as a new kind of civic consulting," Thornburgh said. "We look forward to offering this opportunity to other government agencies and institutions around the city and region."
There was no hello. Just an angry voice on the other end of the line yelling obscenities about blacks and Latinos in North Philly. The man grew up there, he shouted, back when it used to be "a great white neighborhood." Then "the blacks" and "the Puerto Ricans" moved in and ruined it. They're garbage, he yelled. No, he seethed, garbage is better than them.

Oh, and before I or anyone else called him a bigot, he wanted me to know something.

He's no racist. His grandchildren are half-Puerto Rican.

My heart sank. Poor kids.

Remember the classic "I'm not racist.  I have black friends" argument? Increasingly I'm finding more people trying to deploy the "I can't be racist.  My grandchildren/children are biracial" as a free pass to be as offensive as you please. Demographically, it makes sense. A recent Pew study found that the mixed-raced population in the United States is growing three times faster than the general population.

And when I say increasingly, I mean I had no lack of examples to choose from for this column. About a week ago, I listened to my cubicle-mate patiently field a call from a reader spewing a bunch of hateful comments, then saying his granddaughter is biracial so he couldn't possibly be racist.

Spoiler alert: Yeah, you can.

Family doesn't inoculate anyone against racism.

Tanya Hernandez, professor of law at Fordham University and author of a forthcoming book, Multiracials and Civil Rights: Mixed-Race Stories of Discrimination, said it fits into a larger societal idea that having closer relationships with people of other races can make people more empathetic.

It's a nice thought  especially after the post-racial fantasy we all fed on for the last eight years, and the ongoing myth that as the country's demographics become more diverse, racism will be eradicated. But the reality can be much more complicated, and painfully personal.

Consider the gut punch of an essay from Panama Jackson, who recently wrote about how President Trump's election has eroded Jackson's relationship with his white mother.

"Last week proved to me, pretty definitively, something that I feared but hoped wasn't true: Blood is absolutely NOT thicker than dangerous political and racial ideology," Jackson wrote. "Who you support, or don't, says everything about who you are as a person and what you think about the people around you."

Comedians may joke that Trump is America's first "racist grandpa" president, but he's certainly not the first racist grandpa, and having biracial relatives isn't necessarily making them less so.

"In their minds, they've already made a huge leap  they didn't ostracize the white family member who is either in the interracial relationship or adopted a biracial child and gave them a biracial grandchild, whatever the dynamic may be," Hernandez said. "They feel, 'Look, I didn't cut anybody off, I haven't rejected this nonwhite child, it's not 1942, look how progressive I am that I'll call this person family.' "

How they treat that person is more telling, as is how they use their relationship to mask their own biases.

I heard a lot of these stories while working on this column, each more painful and personal than the last. I have plenty of my own. But the story Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve shared is the kind that leaves a mark.

Van Cleve is a professor of criminal justice at Temple University and author of Crook County: Racism and Injustice in America's Largest Criminal Court. But years ago, she was working in the Chicago parks system when a coworker said Mexicans hose their kids down instead of giving them baths.

When Van Cleve told her to please stop saying that, that it wasn't true, and that it was enormously racist and offensive to her as a Mexican woman, the other woman only doubled down.

"She said, 'I absolutely will not [stop], and P.S., my daughter is half-Mexican, so I know these things.'"

Her relationship, Van Cleve added, "gave her a type of pass, an extra amount of privilege. A way to congratulate herself for supposedly being this post-racial woman that gave her a free pass to say these deplorable and harmful things and do so with impunity."

That's the thing with racism. It's a chameleon, forever changing its form depending on the environment.

But racism by any other name or relationship is still just that: racism.
Mark Bray, who teaches at Dartmouth, is the author of a new book on antifa, the far-left activist movement whose members advocate using any means necessary, including violence, to combat white supremacy. Read more

Dartmouth College lecturer Mark Bray has gone from a relatively unknown academic to a sought-after news commentator in the short time since white supremacists clashed with counterprotesters at the deadly "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville.

Bray is the author of a new book on antifa, the far-left activist movement whose members advocate using any means necessary, including violence, to combat white supremacy. In the span of just a couple of weeks, dozens of national news outlets have turned to him to help explain the movement as debate has raged over how the country should deal with a rising tide of violent racism.

Many of Bray's colleagues have celebrated his foray into the national spotlight, where his scholarly work in political radicalism has landed him prime-time interviews on NBC and NPR.

But Dartmouth officials are unsettled. Bray has made no secret about his belief that violence is, in some circumstances, justified. In turn, the university has sought to distance itself from him.

During an appearance on "Meet the Press" last week, Bray argued that "when pushed, self-defense is a legitimate response to white supremacist and neo-Nazi violence."

"We've tried ignoring neo-Nazis in the past. We've seen how that turned out in the '20s and '30s," Bray told host Chuck Todd. "A lot of people are under attack, and sometimes they need to be able to defend themselves. It's a privileged position to say you never have to defend yourself from these kinds of monsters."

The conservative site Campus Reform, which purports to expose political correctness and "liberal bias," seized on the interview, saying Bray had "endorsed antifa's violent protest tactics." The Daily Caller and Breitbart News ran similar articles soon after.

In response, Dartmouth President Philip J. Hanlon repudiated Bray in a statement, saying he was "supporting violent protest."

"As an institution, we condemn anything but civil discourse in the exchange of ideas," Hanlon said. "The endorsement of violence in any form is contrary to Dartmouth values."

Now, Bray's colleagues are coming to his defense. More than 100 faculty members at Dartmouth have signed a letter calling on the president to retract the statement, as the Chronicle of Higher Education reported Monday. They said Dartmouth officials issued the statement without consulting Bray first and allowed his critics in the media to distort his remarks. Bray subsequently received death threats, they said.

"Professor Bray was exposed to violent threats, without so much as a basic effort even to warn him that the College intended to endorse the mischaracterization of his position and the implied attack on his scholarly standing by making clear he had no institutional support," the letter read.

Bray's biography page says he is a historian of human rights, terrorism and political radicalism in Modern Europe. He received his PhD from Rutgers University last year and is currently a visiting scholar at the Gender Research Institute at Dartmouth. His new book, "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook," traces the history of antifa to the 1920s and offers a road map for putting the movement's principles into practice.

In their letter, Bray's colleagues said that Dartmouth officials effectively threw him under the bus when they responded to Campus Reform's piece. They argued that Bray had not called for violent protest but noted that normal channels such as public debate and electoral politics had not thwarted fascism historically. Nothing in his remarks violated Dartmouth's free speech and academic freedom policies, they said.

"By submitting the statement to such a site," the letter read, "the College has placed Professor Bray and his family in Hanover in real danger, as well as undermining his professional reputation."

It continued: "We have watched with gratitude as our junior colleague Mark Bray, on the strength of his historical scholarship, has become the national expert on a subject that is suddenly, terribly urgent: the twentieth-century history of fascism and anti-fascism, in Europe and, more recently, the United States."

"This is, of course, the kind of public recognition of Dartmouth scholarship that is celebrated in most situations," the Dartmouth faculty members wrote. "Instead, in this case, Professor Bray has been disavowed by Dartmouth at the request of a right-wing organization, Campus Reform."

The letter called on Dartmouth officials to retract the statement, publicly apologize to Bray and reconsider how they will react when a similar situation arises again.

A representative from Dartmouth didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday night.

Bray told the Chronicle of Higher Education that he had indeed received death threats via email and on Twitter, and said he had not been contacted by Dartmouth's president.

The letter showed, he said, "that there are a lot of faculty who support my academic freedom and are upset with the president issuing his statement, without, at the very least, checking in with me and my department to clarify my comments."

Antifa's numbers are almost impossible to determine because the movement is decentralized and leaderless, but its activities have surged since President Trump's inauguration, when activists clad head-to-toe in black destroyed property in Washington and other cities. The general philosophy of the movement is that some right-wing extremists are so dangerous that it is acceptable to use violence to stop them.

In recent months, antifa members have become a fixture at political demonstrations across the country, where they've battled white supremacists and other right-wing protesters in streets and public squares.

On Sunday, antifa agitators wielding pepper spray and homemade shields stormed a small group of conservative demonstrators at an otherwise peaceful rally in Berkeley, Calif. Several people reported being attacked and 13 people were arrested, as The Washington Post reported.

In February, 150 antifa members smashed windows and set fires on campus at the University of California in Berkeley in protest of a speech by right-wing media personality Milo Yiannopoulos. Earlier in the summer, antifa members violently clashed with demonstrators attending a pro-Trump "free speech" rally in Portland.

And in Charlottesville, they fought with white supremacists and neo-Nazis, and formed human barriers to protect counterprotesters. As Slate reported, some clergy members at the rally said antifa members saved their lives from men waving swastika flags and giving Nazi salutes.
Colonists started polluting the Delaware River as far back as the late 1700s, when they emptied sewers, slaughterhouses, and tanneries into it. By the 1950s, it was one of the most polluted waterways in the world.

But the massive cleanup that started in the 1970s with the Clean Water Act is now threatened by a proposal to slash the Environmental Protection Agency's budget, says a report by the nonprofit advocacy organizations PennEnvironment and Frontier Group. The river is a source of drinking water for 15 million people.

"We've made real progress to clean up and restore the Delaware River with the support and guidance of the U.S. EPA," said Stephanie Wein, the clean-water advocate for PennEnvironment, "but this budget proposal would put all of that in jeopardy."

Wein released the 25-page report outlining what the Trump administration plan could mean for the region during a news conference Tuesday at the Fairmount Water Works, overlooking the Schuylkill and Boathouse Row. The Schuylkill is the largest tributary emptying into the Delaware River and is a key part of its watershed.

The administration has proposed a 31 percent budget cut for the EPA in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1, which would reduce the agency's current $8 billion spending plan by about $2.6 billion.

The House Appropriations Committee has approved a bill that would cut the EPA budget to about $7.5 billion. The agency's Region 3 office in Philadelphia will potentially be among the biggest hit by buyouts.

PennEnvironment says the region, covering Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York, stands to lose collectively an estimated $20 million in grants for water pollution, drinking-water protection, and non-point-source control and enforcement. Much of that is for Delaware River watershed programs, Wein said.

"Even if the president's proposed cuts are scaled back by Congress, they would still have profound negative impacts on the agency's ability to deter pollution," the report states.

Grants to the states are used to help industry figure out how to use less toxic materials, assist farmers in reducing fertilizers and pesticides, support Schuylkill restoration from acid mine drainage, and to control runoff containing road salts, oil, and sediment. The report cites examples of how EPA money has been used to aid waterways connected to the Delaware:

An EPA grant in 2015 for $450,000 was used to clean up acid draining into the Schuylkill from the abandoned Silver Creek Mine in Schuylkill County. That program would be eliminated under the Trump proposal.

From 2009 to 2014, raw sewage flowed into the Delaware River when rainstorms overflowed a wastewater treatment facility operated by Delaware County Regional Water Quality Control Authority (DELCORA). After reaching a settlement with the EPA and the state, DELCORA paid a $1.375 million penalty and agreed to spend $200 million over 20 years to end routine releases of raw sewage.

DuPont's Edge Moore facility on the Delaware River near Wilmington, which manufactured titanium dioxide "super-white," a pigment for paint and sunscreen, was closed in 2016. The process generated dioxin, some of which contaminated a 500,000-ton waste pile. The company agreed to pay a $500,000 penalty and seal the pile.

The EPA took over cleanup of the Shieldalloy Superfund site, within the Delaware River basin, in Newfield, Gloucester County, after efforts languished for nearly 20 years. The Shieldalloy Metallurgical Corp. left behind radioactive waste and a plume of chromium in groundwater. In 2016, the EPA negotiated a settlement with Shieldalloy for $5.6 million to clean up the area.

The proposed budget would eliminate funds to the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, which, along with other partners, planted millions of bushels of clam and oyster shells to create new habitat and stabilize oyster harvests in New Jersey.

Officials at the news conference, including U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, State Rep. Donna Bullock, city Councilman Derek Green and Christine Knapp, director of the city's Office of Sustainability, all expressed concerns over what the cuts would mean for the watershed. Rosanne Mistretta of the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership and Maura McCarthy of Friends of the Wissahickon also spoke.

"When you threaten to cut that budget, you are threatening a lifeline to communities," Bullock said.

She noted that 1.5 million people use the Schuylkill for drinking water and that 30 percent of the state Department of Environmental Protection's budget comes from EPA grants. The agency already has faced cuts "year after year after year," Bullock said, and the state cannot afford to pick up the slack.
This adipose, or fat, tissue, harbors stem cells that are being used in unproven treatments. Read more

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday announced a crackdown on deceptive and dangerous stem cell clinics, starting with actions against a California company accused of giving smallpox vaccine to cancer patients, and a Florida company that ruined the eyesight of three women.

"Our actions today should also be a warning to others who may be doing similar harm," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement, urging consumers and health-care providers to report rogue clinics and injuries.

The California company, San Diego-based StemImmune Inc., was combining the vaccine with stem cells derived from fat, then giving it intravenously or injecting it into tumors of cancer patients at clinics in Rancho Mirage and Beverly Hills, Calif., the FDA said.

U.S. marshals on Friday seized five vials of smallpox vaccine, including one that was partially used. The agency is investigating how the company obtained the vaccine, which has been stockpiled by the government in case of a bioterrorist attack.

The vaccine is made with live vaccinia virus, a poxvirus similar to but less harmful than smallpox. The vaccine could cause life-threatening problems in immune-compromised cancer patients, and also in certain unvaccinated people who might be accidentally infected by the patients, the FDA explained.

"Speaking as a cancer survivor," Gottlieb said in a statement, "I know all too well the fear and anxiety the diagnosis of cancer can have and how tempting it can be to believe the hollow claims made by these kinds of unscrupulous clinics. The FDA will not allow deceitful actors to take advantage of vulnerable patients."

In a separate enforcement action, the FDA sent a warning letter last week to U.S. Stem Cell Clinic of Sunrise, Fla., saying it could face product seizure or an injunction. Agency inspectors found that the clinic was processing fat-derived stem cells and claiming to treat a raft of conditions, including Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and heart failure.

In March, U.S. Stem Cell made headlines when an article in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that three women with age-related macular degeneration suffered severe and permanent vision damage  one was blinded  after stem cells were injected into their eyeballs at the clinic. The article was written by doctors unconnected with the clinic who treated the women for the disastrous results.

Critics of unapproved stem cell treatments have called for tougher oversight by the FDA, as well as by the Federal Trade Commission, which regulates advertising, and by state medical boards, which oversee the practice of medicine.

The regulatory moves come as so-called regenerative medicine is exploding, spawning an industry built on unproven treatments using stem cells from bone marrow or fat. In recent months, networks of chiropractors have run big-budget ads for such treatments in newspaper across the country, including the Inquirer. Those ads, however, focus on addressing orthopedic problems such as degenerative discs and arthritic knees.

The only FDA-approved stem cell therapies involve using cells from bone marrow or umbilical cord blood to treat blood cancers and certain immune disorders. In general, biologic tissues that are processed and marketed as therapies are supposed to go through the FDA's drug approval process, which involves years of costly clinical testing in humans.

However, the FDA has tried to find a middle ground, recognizing the potential promise of stem cells in tissue repair and regeneration. The FDA has published, but has not finalized, draft guidance for stem cell products, saying they can be exempted from the drug approval process under certain scenarios. Among other criteria, the cells must be "minimally manipulated" and used in a "homologous" way, meaning for the same function they perform naturally in the body.

In a policy statement issued Monday, Gottlieb promised that this fall, the agency "will advance a comprehensive policy framework that will more clearly describe the rules of the road for this new field." It will enable "responsible product developers" to gain FDA approval with minimal burdens and costs.

"We want to facilitate innovation," he wrote.
A 34-year-old woman found dead in a May fire in her ex-boyfriend's North Philadelphia home was killed by "homicidal violence," the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office has ruled. Philadelphia Police Homicide Capt. John Ryan said police believe Tavonia Love was killed by the ex-boyfriend, Anthony Eubanks.

Love was found dead on the morning of May 21 in a second-floor bedroom of Eubanks' rowhouse in the 2100 block of West Susquehanna Avenue. A police source said after the medical examiner's July 28 ruling that Love's body was so badly burned that it is not possible to prove exactly how she died. The source said authorities believe that after killing Love, Eubanks set fire to the mattress on which her body was found.

Eubanks, 34, a physician and a son of Municipal Court Judge Joyce Eubanks, took his own life with a gun the day after Love's body was found. He had completed his medical residency at Temple University Hospital in May 2013. More recently, he was rehabbing his rowhouse to accommodate a community health clinic.

At the time of the deaths, Eubanks was facing charges of aggravated assault and related offenses in connection with an alleged Nov. 10, 2016, break-in at Love's Radnor Township home in which he allegedly tried to strangle her with a dog leash. Love was then known as Tavonia Silmon. In February, she married a North Carolina man named Kenneth Love and moved to Charlotte to be with him.

She returned to the Philadelphia area to testify at Eubanks' May 18 preliminary hearing in Delaware County. The hearing was postponed, and three days later Love was found dead.
New MLK Older Adult Center 21st and Cecil B Moore Ave Philadelphia Pa on Monday, August 28, 2017. Read more

For at least 20 years, some say more, North Philadelphians fought, pushed, and lobbied for a better senior center than the one housed inside the Martin Luther King Recreation Center at 22nd Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue.

Spirits were high in April when Mayor Kenney and other city officials joined seniors for a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the construction of the new $4.3 million Martin Luther King Older Adult Center, right across the street from the rec facility.

But for four months, the new building sat dormant, wrapped up in red tape like occupancy permits and real estate transfers.

Monday, all that waiting paid off. Seniors finally walked through the doors of the new center at 2100 Cecil B. Moore Ave. and were able to shoot pool, play cards, and chat with friends. The 10,000-square-foot center had opened for real.

Gloria Odom and Regina Thomas seemed most excited to see the arts and crafts room at the new Martin Luther King Older Adult Center.

"It's so roomy. It's just beautiful," said Odom, 65, a retired U.S. Postal Service worker, as she and Thomas walked into a room with two new tables for crafts. "It's light. It's airy. It's cheery."

Odom paused. "It's not only that it's light. We've got outside light. That's God light. And that makes it better."

Glitches in the kitchen needed to be addressed to obtain a certificate of occupancy, city Parks and Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell said last month. Without the certificate, formal ownership could not be transferred from the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to the city.

The property was transferred Wednesday. The last of the furniture was moved in Friday.

Besides the arts and crafts room with its new wood cabinets and granite counter tops, there are two large open rooms in front, one for billiards and another for card games, and smaller classrooms for Bible study, computer instruction, and exercising.

At the old center, Bible study met just three days a week because the class shared the room used with computer classes.

"Now we have more space to increase our programs," said Michelle Wilkins, a social worker.

Donald Flippen, 74, one of the several men playing pool, said he was not upset about the delay.

"I knew it still had to pass inspection," said the retired construction worker. "But it turned out great."

Lorraine Moore, 76, a former food service supervisor for the Philadelphia School District, said, "You can smell the newness. It's like having a new house or a new car  you've got to feel good."

Sydella Hodge, 84, a retired seamstress, was a bit less charitable. It was not fair to have a ribbon-cutting in April and then make everyone wait, she said. "It should have been opened right after the ribbon-cutting."
TOKYO - North Korea launched a ballistic missile Tuesday morning that flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, public broadcaster NHK reported. The government issued an alert for residents in some prefectures to take cover.

Although North Korea has sent a missile over Japan once before - in 1998 - this launch comes at a time of heightened tensions. Pyongyang has been threatening to fire a missile over Japan and into the waters around the American territory of Guam.

"We'll make the utmost effort to protect the public," a visibly agitated Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, told reporters at his office early Tuesday morning. NHK showed Patriot missiles lined up in Japan, a staunch U.S. ally, ready to shoot down any incoming missiles.

The Japanese government convened an emergency national security council meeting for 8 a.m. to discuss the threat.

The missile was launched at 5:58 a.m. Japanese time from a site at Sunan, north of Pyongyang. Sunan is the location of the country's main international airport.

There was initial confusion over how many missiles were fired. Japan reported that three missiles had been launched, but later clarified to say that it thought one missile had been launched but that it had broken into three parts during flight.

The missile flew over Hokkaido at 6:06 a.m. It traveled 733 miles to land in the Pacific Ocean east of Hokkaido's Cape Erimo, NHK reported.

South Korea's joint chiefs of staff also confirmed that the missile had passed over Japan.

Tuesday's launches, on the heels of three short-range missiles fired Saturday, come amid ongoing joint exercises between the United States and South Korean militaries, exercises that North Korea always strongly protests because it considers them preparation for an invasion.

The launches mark a dangerous new escalation from Kim Jong Un's regime.

Kim - who has ordered the launch of 18 missiles this year alone, compared to the 16 missiles his father, Kim Jong Il, fired during 17 years in power -has defied international calls to stop his provocations.

Missile launches and nuclear tests are banned by the United Nations Security Council so the North Korean action consistutes a violation that will elicit more angry condemnation.

But Kim has pressed ahead unrelentingly, making strides with his missile program.

Last month, North Korea launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles theoretically capable of reaching the mainland United States.

Kim's regime had been threatening to fire a missile to pass over Japan and land near Guam, the American territory in the Pacific Ocean that is home to two huge U.S. military bases, by the middle of this month. However, Kim later said that after reviewing the plans, he would "watch the Yankees a little longer" before making a decision whether to launch.

North Korea listed prefectures including Hiroshima, Ehime and Kochi as on the flight path. But Tuesday's missile went in the other direction, north over Hokkaido and away from Guam.

After the Guam threat, President Donald Trump has warned North Korea that "things will happen to them like they never thought possible" should the isolated country attack the United States or its allies.
A top executive from Donald Trump's real estate company emailed Vladimir Putin's personal spokesman during the U.S. presidential campaign last year to ask for help advancing a stalled Trump Tower development project in Moscow, according to documents submitted to Congress Monday.

Michael Cohen, a Trump attorney and executive vice president for the Trump Organization, sent the email in January 2016 to Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's top press aide.

"Over the past few months I have been working with a company based in Russia regarding the development of a Trump Tower  Moscow project in Moscow City," Cohen wrote Peskov, according to a person familiar with the email. "Without getting into lengthy specifics the communication between our two sides has stalled."

"As this project is too important, I am hereby requesting your assistance. I respectfully request someone, preferably you, contact me so that I might discuss the specifics as well as arranging meetings with the appropriate individuals. I thank you in advance for your assistance and look forward to hearing from you soon," Cohen wrote.

Cohen's email marks the most direct interaction yet documented of a top Trump aide and a similarly senior member of Putin's government.

The email shows the Trump business official directly seeking Kremlin assistance in advancing Trump's business interests, in the same months when Trump was distinguishing himself on the campaign trail with his warm rhetoric about Putin.

In a statement Cohen submitted to congressional investigators, he said he wrote the email at the recommendation of Felix Sater, a Russian-American businessman who was serving as a broker on the deal.

In the statement, obtained by The Washington Post, Cohen said Sater suggested the outreach because a massive Trump development in Moscow would require Russian government approval. He said he did not recall receiving a response from Peskov and the project was abandoned two weeks later.

Cohen has been one of Trump's closest aides for more than a decade. He did not take a formal role in the campaign however sometimes spoke to reporters on Trump's behalf and appeared on television as a surrogate while Trump was running.

"It should come as no surprise that, over four decades, the Trump Organization has received and reviewed countless real estate development opportunities, both domestic and international," Cohen said in a statement to the Post. "The Trump Moscow proposal was simply one of many development opportunities that the Trump Organization considered and ultimately rejected."

He said he abandoned the project because he lost confidence the Moscow developer would be able to obtain land, financing and government approvals to complete the project. "It was a building proposal that did not succeed and nothing more," he said.

The Washington Post reported on Sunday that Cohen had been in negotiations with Sater to attempt to build a Trump Tower in the Russian capital from September 2015 through the end of January 2016, as Trump was competing for the Republican nomination for president.

Cohen told Congressional investigators that the deal was envisioned as a licensing project, in which Trump would have been paid for the use of his name by a Moscow-based developer called I.C. Expert Investment Company. Cohen said that Trump signed a letter of intent with the company on October 28, 2015 and began to solicit designs from architects and discuss financing.

However, he said government permission was not forthcoming and the project was abandoned "for business reasons."

"The Trump Tower Moscow proposal was not related in any way to Mr. Trump's presidential campaign," Cohen wrote in his statement to Congressional investigators. "The decision to pursue the proposal initially, and later to abandon it were unrelated to the Donald Jr. Trump for President Campaign."

Cohen told Congressional investigators that Sater "constantly" pushed him to travel to Moscow as part of the negotiations, but that he declined to do so. He claimed Sater, who has attempted to broker Trump deals for more than a decade, was "prone to 'salesmanship,'" and, as a result, he did not routinely apprise others in the company about their interactions and never considered asking Trump to go to Moscow, as Sater had requested.

Lawyers for the Trump Organization, Sater and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Update: Patricia Monson has been found safe in Dane County.

A Clear Lake, Iowa woman last seen at a gas station in Sauk City has been reported missing.

Patricia Monson, 77, was seen at a Kwik Trip in Sauk City at about 11 p.m. Monday, seemingly confused and telling employees she didn't know how to pump gas, and that she was possibly heading to Sun Prairie.

"Employees called police but she left prior to their arrival," the silver alert said. Monson was last seen driving on Highway 12 toward Madison.

She is 5-foot-5, 120 pounds, shoulder-length gray hair and hazel eyes, wearing a light blue short-sleeved T-shirt and gray pants. She wears glasses and has a black purse.

Monson is driving a 2006 light blue Honda Odyssey, Iowa license plate number AAB 836.

Anyone seeing Monson is asked to call Sauk Prairie police, 356-4895.
As Harvey moves across Texas, thousands of people have been stranded in flooded homes as roads transform into neck-high rivers.

At least 2,000 people have been rescued, according to the latest reports, but officials estimate that more than 30,000 people could be displaced. Some have turned to social media for help, posting desperate pleas as the rising waters have overwhelmed neighborhoods.

In Houston, the fire department has responded to more than 4,000 water-related calls for service. So officials turned to the public for help, tweeting:

"Anyone with a boat who can volunteer to help please call 713-881-3100 #HurricaneHarvey

 Houston Police (@houstonpolice) August 27, 2017"

"We need citizens to be involved," Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long said Monday. "We need the whole community. Not only the federal government forces, but this is a whole community effort from all levels of government and it's going to require the citizens getting involved."

Austin Seth, a senior at Texas A&M University at Galveston, joined the rescue efforts after he saw the Dickinson, Texas, police department ask for help from boat owners on Facebook.

"It's been unreal," Seth told CNN. "I've been passed by dozens upon dozens of boats."

Those other boat owners include people such as Howard Harris, who bought a boat the last time his home town of Cypress, Texas, flooded. Now he's using the boat to help his neighbors.

"If anybody needs anything, I help the best I can," Harris said. "I want everybody to be safe and to be able to get out of the neighborhood."

Videos of people rescuing stranded residents spread across social media. In one clip that's been retweeted more than 10,000 times, a man unloads his boat into the water after traveling from Texas City to Houston.

The reporter asks the man what his plan is, and the response is straight to the point: "I'm going to try to save some lives."
David Hann, commander of the New Jersey chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, stands in his replica Confederate, left, and Union, right, uniforms. Read more

David Hann finds himself in the middle of the raging national debate over how the country should memorialize the Civil War. Literally. He is the commander of the lone New Jersey chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and also a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

The descendant of both Confederate and Union soldiers is not conflicted about his allegiance: It is to history. Bringing down monuments now is like erasing history, he says. "The Civil War is a great American tragedy. We have to remember that."

He also wants to set the record straight with regard to the Sons of Confederate Veterans, which he says has been maligned because white supremacist and other hate groups have co-opted Confederate symbols. Haters are not welcome at the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Hann said. The group's website emphasizes that on its website.

When he is not leading a Confederate "camp," Hann, 58, a retired Philadelphia electrician, is a Union reenactor. Like him, his three sons are members of both Civil War groups. Hann said he wants his children to know their family history on both sides.

"We're paying respect to men who never made it home," said Hann. "These men fought for what they believed in."

Hann is a descendant on his mother's side of Edward Simms, a 21-year-old farmer from South Carolina who fought for the Confederates and was wounded at Fort Sumter. Another relative, also on his mother's side, was his great-great-grandfather Charles Ellet, who served with Michigan's Third Infantry.

"I get ribbed a lot, but I'm used to it," Hann said. "It's part of my story."

Since the killing of nine black parishioners in a Charleston, S.C., church in 2015 by a white racist, there has been a push to remove Confederate monuments. Violence flared in Charlottesville, Va., this month when white-supremacist demonstrators clashed with counter-protesters over the removal of a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Every May, Hann's group, which was chartered in 1989 and has about 30 members statewide, assembles at Finn's Point National Cemetery in Pennsville, Salem County, on "Confederate Memorial Day." They plant the Confederate flag as well as the flags of the 11 states that seceded from the union. And they lay flowers at the 85-foot-tall cement and granite obelisk that was placed there in 1910 to memorialize the 2,436 Confederate prisoners who died at Fort Delaware across the river and are buried in a mass grave at Finn's Point.

A similar ceremony is held for the Union dead buried there, Hann said.

Situated on the eastern bank of the Delaware River just inside the gates to Fort Mott, Finn's Point contains the remains of 135 Union guards. A modest cast-stone Greek temple monument honors the Union soldiers. Veterans from some later wars also are also buried in the sprawling grounds, which became a national cemetery in 1875.

Based in Columbia, Tenn., the Sons of Confederate Veterans was founded in 1896. It has camps or chapters around the country, including Philadelphia and West Chester. It is open to male descendants of any veteran who served honorably in the Confederate armed forces.

In a statement posted on its website, the national organization denounces the violence in Charlottesville.

"They see a white male with a Confederate flag, and they lump you into a category  you're a white supremacist," Hann said. "A lot of the sons of the Confederate are outraged by what happened in Charlottesville. We hate Klansmen. We hate neo-Nazis. These idiots who wave the Confederate flag have no idea what it is about."

But Loretta Winters, president of the Gloucester County branch of the NAACP, said the Confederate flag and groups associated it with are a painful reminder of slavery for African Americans.

"The Confederate flag, no matter what the group is, to the African American community, is the same as the swastika is to the Jewish community," Winters said Monday. "I don't understand the insensitivity to that era."

Andrew Shankman, an associate history professor at Rutgers-Camden, said most of the country's Confederate memorials began going up about 25 years after the Civil War "to terrify blacks and augment white power."

"Everybody knew what the statues meant," Shankman said.

Dressed in a replica of the Confederate gray uniform with red trim and shiny gold buttons, and wearing brown leather brogan shoes, Hann respectfully walked the grounds at Finn's Point during a recent visit. Three medals were neatly pinned to his jacket: for being the camp commander, for 25 years of membership, and for meritorious service. He stood at the foot of the monument where a small Confederate flag and a bouquet of white magnolias had been left.

Among those buried in the cemetery is Pvt. Meredith Pool of the 42nd North Carolina Infantry, who was captured on Dec.25, 1864. He was one of the last soldiers to die at Fort Delaware in 1865. The Sons of Confederate Veterans camp that Hann heads bears Pool's name. Members pay $30 annual dues and meet sporadically.

"It wasn't for fame or fortune," Hann said. "We wanted to honor a common soldier."

Not every soldier who fought for the South was fighting for slavery, he said. "I could see some statues coming down where they are offensive. But other [monuments] where you commemorate the common soldier, there's where I draw the line."

Hann pointed to a row of graves a short distance from the Confederate monument in the cemetery's northwest corner where lie the remains of 13 German prisoners of war, who died while being held at nearby Fort Dix during World War II. "Do we dig them up, too? Where do you stop?"

Raymond Nipe, 72, a longtime Pennsville resident, stopped by to take a photograph of the Confederate monument. The Air Force veteran worries that a movement will begin to remove the monument, although there have been no such demands.

"Somebody is going to want to take it down," said Nipe, who said his grandfather served in the Union Army. "You got too many radicals out there who want to deface stuff and destroy stuff."

"Everybody is angry. I just hope we can find a peaceful solution to this," Hann said.

.
Harvey Kesselman, president of Stockton University, at a 2015 legislative hearing in Trenton, N.J. Kesselman said Monday a special committee would decide the future of a bust of the schools namesake, Richard Stockton, and his place in campus history. Read more

GALLOWAY, N.J.  A new Stockton University volunteer committee will meet for the first time on Wednesday to begin the development of an exhibit, and eventually a curriculum, to "thoughtfully and objectively" explore the life and legacy of the school's namesake, the university announced Monday.

The formation of the committee under the direction of Stockton president Harvey Kesselman follows the removal last week from the school's main entrance of a bust of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence who also was a documented slaveholder.

The removal came amid protests nationwide over the statues of controversial historical figures, including the deadly rally in Charlottesville, Va., where white nationalists marching to save a monument to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee clashed with counter-protesters. The confrontation left a young woman and two state troopers dead.

But when the bust of Stockton was taken down last week  temporarily, according to the university  Kesselman said the debate whether to remove it had been going on for several years.

In the statement released Monday, he said that the removal was relevant to what was happening with historical monuments across the United States and that "it has created the opportunity to engage in a discussion of the man, his role in American history, and how we might better remember him today."

The first task of the committee will be to recommend an "appropriate, safe and secure" public space where a temporary exhibit will be erected explaining how and why the university is undertaking a research initiative into Richard Stockton's life and legacy. A permanent exhibit, complemented by educational activities such as panel discussions, lectures, and a course about Stockton, will eventually follow, Kesselman said.

The committee will be comprised of administrators, faculty, instructors, and students.

The university opened in 1971 and was named for Richard Stockton, a New Jersey delegate to the Second Continental Congress who also served as a trustee of what is now Princeton University. In November 1776, while on a mission for the Second Continental Congress, he was captured by the British and held for more than a year on a prison ship in New York. He was said never to have fully recovered from the cruel conditions in captivity, and he died of cancer in 1781.
In January, on the evening of President Trump's inauguration, a band of bandanna-wearing vandals raced along South Street, shattering the windows of two banks and a dozen storefronts.

"They came by and had masks on," recalled Tanya Italia, manager of a high-end furniture store. "They just smashed the window with a hammer. It was just a day of vandalism. I don't think of them as real protesters."

The next month, an evening protest march along Broad Street turned ugly at Temple University. Some anti-Trump demonstrators tossed latex gloves filled with dye at Philadelphia police and campus officers, the university said.

In May, police said up to 50 masked and black-clad men and women sprinted through a changing section of North Philadelphia, smashing windows in renovated buildings and more expensive cars and throwing Christmas ornaments filled with paint. They carried a banner that read: "Gentrification is death and revolt is life."

These outbursts reflect the Philadelphia presence of antifa and its allies, a shadowy collection of extreme left-wing activists who, in their most controversial manifestations, have embraced property damage and street brawling as legitimate forms of protest. Their advocates insist that the group acts primarily as a defensive force, but also say a growing threat of homegrown fascism justifies an aggressive punch or the outright silencing of hateful speech.

While the group has been a simmering, if tiny, political factor for some years now, Trump gave it a massive boost when he decried antifa's role in the violent protest in Charlottesville, Va., two weekends ago.

"They show up in the helmets and the black masks and they've got clubs  they've got everything," he said last week in Phoenix. "Antifa!"

To some in Charlottesville, antifa, short for anti-fascist, was a life-saver  forming a defensive perimeter that sheltered pastors and rabbis from the blows of white supremacists. At the same time, video and photos showed leftists and rightists mixing it up with blows, pepper spray and sticks.

While the right is united in denouncing the group, it presents a thornier puzzle for the left: Are its adherents useful in checking the most ugly tendencies of the far right, or are they an authoritarian bloc whose violence and nihilist street theater is a gift to Trump?

Daryle Lamont Jenkins, a Philadelphia-based veteran of the anti-fascist movement, said public opinion means little to antifa.

"We're not trying to fight a public relations war. It's about defending people," Jenkins, 48, said. "Let's face it: Antifa doesn't even talk to the media very much. They don't care about public relations."

Antifa is especially strong in Philadelphia, a reflection of the city's vibrant youth culture. Its supporters overlap with and mix with other young anti-Trump activists who endorse a variety of strongly leftist views.

George Ciccariello-Maher, an antifa supporter and professor of politics at Drexel University, agreed to explain a movement he views favorably. In doing so, he has adopted a somewhat rare role in a movement whose supporters often eschew personal publicity or promoting identifiable leaders.

"The antifa orientation begins with recognizing that Nazism and fascism is a threat, a real threat," Ciccariello-Maher said. "The question is, how do you confront it? What are the limits of that tolerance, and what are the means of shutting it down?"

Last Christmas, the tenured Ciccariello-Maher was chastised by Drexel after he posted a tweet, "All I want for Christmas is white genocide," a satirical jibe at a neo-Nazi belief that white people face possible extermination. Since, he has criticized Drexel for its attack on his "free expression." At the same time, Ciccariello-Maher says there are limits to tolerance, and some right-wing speakers should be silenced.

"What the Nazis want to do is march. Antifa is saying, you want to march? We're not going to let you do it," he said. "It's an openly confrontational perspective to go on the offensive against Nazis."

Scholars trace antifa to groups that tangled with the fascists in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. But its contemporary manifestation has more to do with punk music than the Weimar republic.

When skinhead neo-Nazis began to surface in the punk scene in Britain, other punk rockers rose up to oppose them, often with fists. In time, this kind of resistance flared in the United States, in West Coast cities such as Portland and Seattle, and in East Coast ones such as New York and Philadelphia.

With its influx of millennials attracted by cheap rents, its punk music scene, and its long-time smattering of anarchist collectives along Baltimore Avenue in West Philadelphia, Philadelphia was a natural incubator for the movement. Four years ago, well before the ascendancy of Donald Trump, the city's local antifa chapter was one of the first to align with a national parent group. Two years ago, the local chapter hosted the second national annual convention of antifa groups at the Rotunda, an auditorium at 40th and Walnut Streets.

When the Philadelphia chapter joined the movement, it agreed to several "points of unity" required by the national organization. The key point: The common goal was to "disrupt fascist and far-right organizing and activity."

In another "point of unity," the organization said: "We don't rely on the cops to do our work for us."

At this point, the local movement likely numbers no more than about 200 participants, if that, a band of activists that has surfaced in a series of short and brutish encounters  swinging at far-rightists and white supremacists, among others, but also at police.

In March and again in July, antifa members and pro-Trump demonstrators clashed in Center City. Authorities arrested six antifa protesters, all men ranging in age from 19 to 40.

In an interview, Howard Caplan, 48, a Trump supporter seriously injured in the July incidents, insisted he was no fascist.

"Because I support the president of the United States, they think I'm a white supremacist," said Caplan, who said he favored Bernie Sanders in the presidential primary, then shifted his support to Trump.

Over the last year, Caplan has achieved some local notoriety for standing on Roosevelt Boulevard with a "Hillary 4 Prison" sign and for disrupting a mass at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul with shouts about the debunked "Pizzagate" child-abuse allegations.

On July 2, he said, he was headed towards Suburban Station carrying a "Trump 2020" placard when he was encircled by young men whom he identified as supporters of antifa.

"This kid comes up out of nowhere, and he's like, 'Hey, man, what's on your sign?'" Caplan said. Before he could answer, Caplan said, he was struck with a bottle, then kicked and punched. He was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital, where doctors treated him for a head injury that required six staples to close. Three people were arrested.

"I know their methods," Caplan said. "They're just trying to stir everything up. The media has portrayed them as counterprotesters, but they have an agenda. The agenda is anarchy. They're there to create chaos."

Philadelphia police Deputy Commissioner Dennis Wilson, who commands civil affairs and Homeland Security, says his officers see antifa members as nebulous figures who slip in and out of groups of other protesters, at times shedding their masks and black outfits to fit in.

Over time, he said, police have become skilled at keeping angry leftists apart from their right-wing counterparts, with officers sometimes darting on bikes into protest ranks to create barriers on the fly. "You don't let two fighting groups come together," he said. "We separate them."

Even Jenkins, the Philadelphia activist sympathetic to antifa, objects to property destruction and aggressive attacks.

"When things get physically violent, it should always be in the context of self -defense," he said. "Yes, I am aware that there are times when it's not self -defense. When it comes to that, I just say there are times when people have just lost it."
Overhead view of the floods from Buffalo Bayou on Memorial Drive and Allen Parkway. Read more

Before Hurricane Harvey made landfall last week, Andrew Riebel had no idea what to expect.

A Bellmawr native who had just moved to Houston in July for an engineering job, Riebel asked the locals: Just how bad could this be?

They, too, didn't seem to have a clue.

Some told him to stock up for weeks; others downplayed the storm.

"The lack of an idea of how this was going to be from locals was surprising to me," Riebel said Monday, his fourth straight day stranded with his fiancee in their third-floor apartment.

Riebel, 29, and Megan Evans, 27, originally of Media, are just two of the more than two million Houston residents whom Texas officials urged to shelter in their homes as the storm continued to pound the region Monday. Over the weekend, Harvey brought high winds and almost 25 inches of rain to the area, with much more rain expected throughout the week. As of Monday afternoon, at least eight people had died and floodwaters, still rising, had reached rooftops of single-story homes.

"It's pretty bad," Riebel said. "If we needed to evacuate, we really could not."

Riebel said he wanted to be clear that the couple's situation was nothing like some of the horrific scenes being broadcast on national news. He said he and Evans are in good health and haven't even lost power, except for a couple minutes at a time.

On Wednesday and Thursday last week, the couple had stocked up, buying a 30-pack of batteries, 20 gallons of water, several flashlights, tons of canned goods, some refrigerated and frozen food, and lots of doughnuts and sweet snacks, he said.

They'd be prepared for another week or two, Riebel said, but they're hoping it'll only be a few more days.

"We're just trying not to go stir-crazy," he said.

At various times throughout the weekend, their complex, located in the South Belt or Ellington section of the city, took on six inches to a foot of water, he said. But if they walked a few minutes from their building, the water level was several feet high, he said.

When the weather oddly cleared up for a period on Saturday, Riebel said he and Evans went for a walk. Within a few miles of their apartment, they witnessed just bits of the devastation: disabled vehicles on the highways, streets that he said were "an absolute mess with trash," and dead animals the couple assumed were strays.

They know others in southeast Texas have it much worse, he said.

As a home-health therapist, Evans had already heard some of those horror stories. Riebel said Evans has been particularly worried about a man in his 70s with whom she recently worked. Over the weekend, Evans heard that the man told his wife he was going to move their car, and never returned, Riebel said. The report is unconfirmed.

The complex they live in is mostly young adults, Riebel said, and most are riding out the storm just as they are. About a quarter of the complex's resident left Friday, he said.

Evans, who had off from work Friday, watched as some packed up their cars in the parking lot. She relayed the message to Riebel that some of their neighbors were leaving, he said, which was frightening to Riebel since many were from the area.

Having grown up in the Philadelphia area, Riebel and Evans have never seen anything like this storm.

Hurricane Sandy was bad, he said, but not like this.

For now, Riebel and Evans are watching the weather from their windows, and venturing outside whenever there is a break in the downpours.

Of the two, Evans is going more stir-crazy, said Riebel, who said he enjoyed having some time to relax, despite the stressful conditions swirling around them outside.

Evans would likely be off from work the rest of the week, Riebel said. Riebel's company, meanwhile, was playing it by ear.

Does Riebel think there should have been an evacuation for the area?

"At least a voluntary one," Riebel said. "I don't think a mandatory should have occurred, because it would've been mayhem."
When David Neukirch bought a corner property at Ninth and Salter Streets two years ago, here's what he got: A modest-size Italian restaurant with a decent Yelp pedigree; a coveted location in the iconic Italian Market; and a three-story vandalism magnet, the Frank Rizzo mural.

Over the years, Neukirch has gotten used to the occasional graffiti on his south wall, home to the hulking mural of the former mayor  the city's most defaced. "END COPS 4EVA," someone will scrawl in black; or "FASCISTA" in red; or the perennial "F POLICE." Then the Mural Arts Program, which commissioned the mural, will send someone out to clean off the graffiti; merchants will update their compendium of Things People Wrote on Rizzo's Face; and the market will go back to business as usual.

But last week, when the mural facing Montrose Street was defaced again, something had changed. In the wake of the Charlottesville attack, in the midst of a national conversation about the kinds of people we memorialize  and in a rapidly changing city still grappling with Rizzo's intensely polarizing legacy  Mural Arts officials had begun to talk about taking the mural down entirely.

The final decision will likely not come easily, officials say. The mural is not on public land, so the mayor's office has little official say. Mural Arts can decide whether to pull the mural down  and it aims to decide, with a planned series of conversations with local leaders. Neukirch could also ask for the mural to be taken down. But either way, Mural Arts needs Neukirch's permission to carry out any work on the building.

It's a debate that goes far beyond a mural on the wall of Nina's Trattoria in an old neighborhood undergoing rapid change. And it's one that Neukirch, who serves Sicilian dishes to old-school Rizzo lovers and newcomers alike, wants absolutely no part of.

Neukirch, a 31-year-old Italian American from Medford, won't say what he thinks of Rizzo himself  "I have not even processed that aspect of it," he said. Whatever happens to the mural, he says, he just doesn't want to be blamed for it.

Much of the conversation around Rizzo's memorials has focused on his statue, which sits on city land outside the Municipal Services Building. But in the Italian Market, where many of the merchants say they knew Rizzo personally, the debate is just as fierce.

Some say they could not care less whether the mural comes down, and in the same breath sing his praises as a law-and-order man. Some cringe at a mural lionizing a man they say represented the city at its worst, whose legacy of police brutality, racism, and homophobia still cuts deep.

Some merchants are just worried about continued vandalism. "People are going to think the neighborhood isn't safe," said Raul Aguilar, who owns Los Amigos Food Market across the street. (He was staying out of the larger debate: "I respect everyone.")

And last week, the market's Facebook page reposted an angry screed by Rizzo's former secretary calling Mural Arts founder Jane Golden and City Councilwoman Helen Gym, who has led calls to take down the statue, racists. The market's board wrote three subsequent apologies, then shut down the page, but not before residents had spent days arguing in the comments.

"I've been shopping here for 20 years, and I've never seen anyone take a glance at that mural," said Rob Neddoff, who works on nearby Passyunk Avenue. "And now, with this crap, parents are stopping by and taking pictures with their kids. I don't care if it comes down." (He had hit on a compromise, he thought: put a plaque on the mural detailing the mayor's complicated history. "You have to look at both sides of the man.")

Neukirch, on the other hand, was concerned about the graffiti  and his Bentley, the one he parks out back. Someone had keyed it. He's worried the events are connected. And on the mural out front, someone had written "Kill Killer Cops" and "RIP DAVID." The latter was widely assumed to be a reference to David Jones, killed by Philadelphia police this year. Neukirch saw only his own first name. He said police had been helpful.

The current graffiti on the mural will be repaired, said Joan Reilly, chief operating officer of Mural Arts. Then the thornier work begins  the meetings to address the mural's fate. No other mural in the city inspires such debate, she said  or graffiti with such a political message. And it's a significant cost for the organization to keep repairing it  five times since 2010, she said.

"It's a complex question about representation  who does the representing, and who's getting represented," said Golden. "For 30 years, we've really tried hard to do work that reflects people's lives. Art has power  and these are very important conversations happening here in Philly and across the country."

The conversation about what to do with the mural would involve Neukirch and the owner of the lot that it abuts, she said, but also churches, civic leaders, and elected officials. The Italian Market has changed, Golden said: "There are different experiences, different perspectives that need to be represented."

Neukirch, in his restaurant last week, said he wants assurance that whatever happens to the mural, he won't bear the brunt of criticism. "All I ever wanted was a decision and protection," he said.

"I just bought the building," he said. "I didn't sign up for this."
Donald Trump was in a bad mood before he emerged for a confrontational speech in Arizona last week.

TV and social media coverage showed that the rally site, the Phoenix Convention Center, was less than full. Backstage, waiting in a room with a television monitor, Trump was displeased, one person familiar with the incident said: TV optics and crowd sizes are extremely important to the president.

As his surrogates warmed up the audience, the expanse of shiny concrete eventually filled in with cheering Trump fans. But it was too late for a longtime Trump aide, George Gigicos, the former White House director of advance who had organized the event as a contractor to the Republican National Committee. Trump later had his top security aide, Keith Schiller, inform Gigicos that he'd never manage a Trump rally again, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Gigicos, one of the four longest-serving political aides to the president, declined to comment.

Even by his standards, Trump was remarkably strident in Phoenix. After introductory speakers, including Vice President Mike Pence, lauded him for his commitment to racial harmony, the president came on stage and lambasted the media for what he called inaccurate reporting on his remarks about violence between hate groups and counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Va.

He threatened to shut down the federal government unless Congress funds construction of the Mexican border wall he promised in his campaign. He telegraphed that he'd pardon former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, convicted of defying a court order to stop racial profiling by his deputies. And in their home state, he assailed Arizona Sens. John McCain for the failure of Obamacare repeal and Jeff Flake for being "weak" on illegal immigration, without mentioning their names. Both are fellow Republicans.

Gigicos had staged the event in a large multipurpose room. The main floor space was bisected by a dividing wall, leaving part of the space empty. There were some bleachers off to the side, but otherwise the audience was standing  and the scene appeared flat, lacking the energy and enthusiasm of other rallies.

Although the crowd looked thin when Trump arrived at about 6:30 p.m., rallygoers filled in the space while Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, former Georgia state Rep. Alveda King, evangelist Franklin Graham and Pence delivered introductory speeches. A city of Phoenix spokeswoman told the Arizona Republic newspaper that about 10,000 people were inside the room when Trump took the stage.

Trump's first words when he stepped to the microphone: "Wow, what a crowd, what a crowd."

A week later, Trump was still reminiscing about the event.

"You saw the massive crowd we had," he said at a White House news conference on Monday with Finland President Sauli Niinisto. "The people went crazy when I said, 'What do you think of sheriff Joe?' Or something to that effect."

Gigicos organized all of Trump's signature campaign events and his occasional rallies since entering office. He left his White House job as director of advance on July 31 to return to his consulting business. But he continued to work for Trump's re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee.

Over the past two years, Trump had often assigned the blame  rightly or wrongly  to Gigicos when his rally logistics weren't perfect. But his irritation usually blew over quickly. When his microphone had problems at a January 2016 rally in Pensacola, Florida, Trump bellowed: "The stupid mic keeps popping! Do you hear that, George? Don't pay them! Don't pay them!"

Gigicos is the latest high-profile departure from Trump's inner circle. Since July 21, press secretary Sean Spicer, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Stephen Bannon, and national security aide Sebastian Gorka have all resigned or been fired. Former Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci's tenure lasted less than two weeks.

Two outside advisory councils comprised of corporate CEOs dissolved after Trump's Charlottesville remarks, and the White House severed ties with billionaire Carl Icahn, a semiformal Trump adviser.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Monday that the Trump administration had reversed an Obama-era policy that banned the sale of certain types of surplus military equipment from the federal government to local police departments. By reversing the policy, President Trump is allowing local law enforcement agencies to acquire, from the U.S. government, items such as tanks, weaponized vehicles, high-caliber firearms and ammunition, grenade launchers, bayonets, and camouflage uniforms.

The president wants to arm the police like they're fighting a war, not like they are protecting communities. That would be worrisome enough on any given day, but Trump's timing reveals his broader vision of "law and order" to be even more brutal and brazen in its intentions.

The new announcement comes just after Trump's Friday pardon of former Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the events in Charlottesville, Va., two weeks ago. In this context, it can be read as an alarming signal that Trump is amping up more than just his rhetoric. He is giving law enforcement explicit permission to treat policing like a war in which the president has defined enemies and allies.

It was just three days ago that Trump pardoned Arpaio, who had been found in criminal contempt of a federal court order barring him from continuing his serial abuses and violations of the constitutional rights of Arizona citizens he suspected of being undocumented immigrants. The Arpaio pardon was a clear sign that not only is Trump willing to countenance the trampling of citizens' constitutional rights and our constitutional system of checks and balances, but he also is especially eager to do so to repay a campaign supporter and fellow traveler in his long-held campaign against immigrants.

In the course of three days, then, Trump not only subverted the rule of law by pardoning the lawless sheriff, but he also signaled to all would-be lawless, abusive law enforcement officers that he has their backs, all the while offering to arm them with military equipment  designed for battlefields  that, in the wrong hands, might further intimidate and be used to mistreat citizens.

The timing of the announcement should also be seen in light of Trump's responses to Charlottesville, in which he refused to unambiguously condemn neo-Nazis and white supremacists for the violence that took place there. Instead, he blamed "both sides" and "many sides." Don't blame white supremacists and neo-Nazis, Trump is saying; the left is also to blame.

To bolster this claim, Trump has lumped a small number of violent anarchist activists affiliated with the antifascist movement in with a much larger, nonviolent movement opposed to racism and neo-Nazism, using the former to smear the latter. Indeed, Trump has seized on antifa to shift his supporters' attention away from the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who organized the Charlottesville rally and who have been implicated in violence there. On Tuesday, Trump retweeted the conservative writer Dinesh D'Souza, who had suggested that "the violence is coming from" antifa. (In a Trumpian bit of large-scale "both sides-ism," D'Souza has a new book out that claims to expose "the Nazi roots of the American left.")

In this context, consider that, after white supremacists terrorized black residents of Charlottesville, Trump  at a moment when he should be seeking to calm racial strife  is now sending them a message that they should be policed in a more militarized way.

The lifting of the military-equipment ban is even more worrisome when you recall what prompted President Barack Obama to implement it in the first place. Obama instituted the ban in May 2015 after the aggressive, militarized police response to protests in Ferguson, Mo., because "militarized gear can sometimes give people a feeling like they're an occupying force, as opposed to a force that's part of the community that's protecting them and serving them." Those protests, of course, unfolded after a white police officer shot Michael Brown, an unarmed black man, and were intended to draw attention to police mistreatment of Ferguson's black residents.

That context was missing from the speech Sessions delivered Monday to a conference of the Fraternal Order of Police announcing Trump's reversal of the Obama ban. In fact, Sessions made no mention of race at all. Instead, he focused more on other challenges to policing  like drugs and gangs  and appeared disengaged from the recent events in Charlottesville and what they meant.

What's more, Sessions intimated that the ban on military equipment hampered police from doing their jobs, claiming the banned equipment was needed, for example, for rescue efforts in flooded Houston. Trump, Sessions said, "is rescinding restrictions from the prior administration that limited your agencies' ability to get equipment through federal programs, including lifesaving gear like Kevlar vests and helmets and first responder and rescue equipment, like what they're using in Texas right now." Surely, the attorney general knows that grenade launchers are not needed to rescue anyone from a flood.

Trump is steering law enforcement in a dangerous, incendiary direction. It's frightening to imagine the sorts of catastrophes that could ensue on American streets from this new policy, given that the president himself has endorsed lawless policing  and now appears to be taking steps to ensure that police are outfitted with more military gear.

Sarah Posner is the author of "God's Profits: Faith, Fraud, and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters." She wrote this for the Washington Post. @sarahposner
Sara Thornton, who is a learning support instructor, takes notes during a suicide-prevention presentation for teachers and administrators Monday at Prep Charter School in Philadelphia. Read more

Physical science textbooks were stacked neatly on desks in Prep Charter's hallways Monday, and parents held navy polos up to their kids' frames, remarking on how much they'd grown.

Amid all the back-to-school buzz in the South Philly high school, though, a hundred teachers and administrators were reminded that many incoming students will be fighting inner battles in their classrooms this year.

In the auditorium, just after noon, presenters from Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine discussed the gantlet of depression, anxiety, bullying, and substance abuse that many teens run before getting out of school. Teachers took notes and nodded their heads as slides changed from symptoms to causes and, perhaps most important for them, how they can help decode them, figure out what's mere angst and what's suicidal.

When given the chance to ask questions, the faculty presented the complicated scenarios they face daily. Susan Lyons, a science teacher, said it's difficult to gauge how serious teens are being when they make seemingly casual remarks about suicide in front of friends.

The teen might often blow it off with a laugh, she said. The friends may too. But what about a teacher?

"What's the best way to handle that type of thing? It feels to me like a red alert," Lyons said.

The same answer applied to many of the questions.

"To err on the side of caution is paramount," said Mark Novitsky, a psychiatrist and an adjunct at Temple.

Monday's presentation is one of nearly two dozen that Michael's Giving H.A.N.D.(Handling Anxiety Navigating Depression) hopes to give at schools in the region this year. The nonprofit was created by Ron Donatucci, Philadelphia's longtime register of wills, and his son Ron Jr. in memory of Michael Donatucci, who took his life on July 15, 2016.

Michael Donatucci, 30, was a St. Joseph's Preparatory School and University of Pennsylvania graduate who was working as the chief investment officer of the city's pension fund when he died. In July, his father said his younger son suffered from anxiety nearly his entire life, despite all their efforts to help him.

"Don't say, 'Not my son,' if your son has a problem," Ron Donatucci said in July. "Two aspirins aren't going to take care of it."

Donatucci knew instinctively what statistics say is true: Many kids are dealing with these issues. Statistics show that suicide is the third-leading cause of death for youth, and the second-leading cause of death for people ages 18 to 34.

Ruby Barghini, a psychiatric resident at Temple, said teachers don't need to worry about making diagnoses. Instead, she urged them to just notice when "something is wrong with a student."

Teachers are long accustomed to bullying, but social media and cellphones have taken the subject far outside the classroom. Alison Larson, also a psychiatry resident at Temple, said that in 85 percent of bullying cases, no teachers or administrators intervened to stop them.

Teachers and counselors said, though, that they want to do more.

"Sometimes this will happen, but the bully won't be using their name, and I try to tell the student every time, 'If they're not using their name, they're not talking about you,' " said Jamond Hunt, a school counselor.

"Still, they know the student is talking about them. We can't really do anything, because they're not using their name."

Chadwick Antonio, Prep Charter's CEO, said discussions before the new school year often center on the nuts and bolts of curriculum, but he wants staffers to think beyond grades.

"We like to take a whole-student approach," he said. "If they can get good grades, that's fantastic, but we're concerned with even more than that."
Several Philadelphia firefighters were pulled off their overnight shifts early Sunday. Their help was needed elsewhere  1,500 miles away in flood-ravaged southeast Texas.

Around 2:30 a.m., 45 members of Pennsylvania's Task Force 1  20 of whom were Philadelphia Fire Department employees  were deployed, beginning a 22-hour drive with an initial destination of Fort Worth, according to Fire Department Capt. William Dixon.

From there they would be sent to help those affected by the landfall of Hurricane Harvey. The storm, Category 4 before touching land, pounded parts of Texas this weekend with high winds and relentless drenching rains, leaving at least eight people dead as of Monday. The devastation included severe structural damage to properties along the Gulf of Mexico coast and unprecedented flooding in the Houston area.

Harvey, though downgraded to a tropical storm, was still dumping epic amounts of rain on the region on Monday, with as much as 15 more inches expected by Thursday  bringing rainfall amounts in some areas up to 35 to 40 inches or more. Emergency crews worked nonstop to rescue thousands of people from houses where rising waters reached rooftops.

Soon after the Pennsylvania task force arrives, Dixon said, "they're going to hit the ground running." Officials in New Jersey and Pennsylvania said even more volunteers  operating under an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency  could be sent in coming days. The crews could be on location for at least two weeks.

New Jersey dispatched 16 of its Task Force 1 members on Sunday, as well as three New Jersey State Police personnel to manage the team, according to Laura Connolly, spokeswoman for the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management.

The 16 N.J. volunteers are highly skilled in swift-water rescues  such as freeing people trapped in cars  but could also use that expertise to help in going home-to-home and rescuing those trapped in attics and other areas, Connolly said. The group will be self-sustainable for two weeks, but that time frame could be extended, she said.

The team arrived Tuesday in San Antonio, which is serving as a staging area for Harvey relief.

"The whole situation is so dynamic," Connolly said, "with flood levels rising and roads being impassable."

The Pennsylvania task force had been slightly rerouted, Dixon said. As of Monday afternoon, that group was headed to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, midway between Fort Worth and Dallas, he said, and was 11 hours from its destination.

Mechanical issues with vehicles had caused some delay. However, repairs had been made, and the group was continuing, Dixon said.

The 45-person convoy included a command vehicle, three tractor-trailers, two box trucks, and two trucks pulling boats, as well as two dogs and two handlers, Dixon said.

The group will not have a specific assignment until its arrival, he added.

Nongovernmental aid, including faith-based operations, was also mobilizing in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Outside Lancaster, in Lititz, people at the headquarters of the Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) were watching and waiting, communications manager Mark Beach said. The volunteer group, which is focused on long-term recovery from disasters in the United States and Canada, will send an early-response team once search-and-rescue operations are complete, Beach said.

MDS director Kevin King, who is based in Lititz, planned to fly to Texas on Wednesday, Beach said, and make assessments for the group's first stage of response, having volunteers work to clean out flood-damaged houses. Beach said that if needed, additional crews will then work on long-term recovery efforts, such as rebuilding homes. Long-term recovery volunteers could come from the Pennsylvania area or even from as far north as Canada, Beach said.

As the rain was forecast to continue into the week, more local volunteers could be called to help.

The American Red Cross' Eastern Pennsylvania branch had sent nine volunteers as of Monday, while the New Jersey branch had sent 17.

The American Red Cross of Eastern Pennsylvania expected more volunteers to be sent as the week progressed, communications director Dave Skutnik said. Two Red Cross volunteers planned to head out from Center City Tuesday morning with an emergency-response vehicle, Skutnik said.

Philadelphia Archdiocese spokesman Kenneth Gavin said the archdiocese was prepared to send Catholic Social Services workers to Texas as requested, but on Monday, planning was in the early stages.
Of all the ways that Ron Previte  a dirty cop turned mob capo turned FBI informant  could have met his end, few thought it would come with a heart attack at the age of 73.

While working as a Philadelphia police officer in the 1970s, Previte routinely took bribes, and shook down pimps and drug dealers for money.

Later, as a Mafia soldier, he walked a tenuous line during a bloody mid-1990s factional war, drawing the ire of mob bosses who purportedly wanted him dead.

And after turning government witness during trials that helped put more than 50 mob associates in prison, Previte took to sleeping each night in a different room of his home, stuffing pillows under bedroom blankets to throw off would-be assailants.

Nevertheless, the 6-foot, 300-pound turncoat  who often described himself as a "general practitioner of crime"  managed to survive it all. He died last week at a South Jersey hospital, according to an obituary from Carnesdale Funeral Home in Hammonton.

The funeral home's 200-word death notice makes no mention of the colorful career that brought Previte to local prominence. But more than perhaps any other mob informant in the city's history, his work with the FBI helped to expose the petty rivalries, greed, and outsize personalities that have left Philadelphia's crime family a hollow husk of its former self.

Information he provided and the more than 400 hours of conversations he recorded while wearing a body wire for more than a year in the '90s led to the arrests and convictions of mob bosses John Stanfa, Ralph Natale, and Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, as well as corrupt political figures including former Camden Mayor Milton Milan.

Previte "was a con man and he was a witness, and he never denied any of it. It's hard to have a larger impact," his longtime attorney, Joseph P. Grimes, said Tuesday. "He was absolutely considered by law enforcement to be one of the most pivotal undercover operatives ever."

And despite the constant risk to his life, Previte appeared to relish his role.

"He not only lived the role, he defined the role," said Grimes. "The thrill of being involved undercover, playing the role while always on the edge of being detected, was part of the excitement. He loved the action."

By his own admission, Previte engaged in almost every criminal act in the book  including gambling, loan-sharking, extortion, drug dealing, and assault during his three-decade criminal career  and somehow managed to spend only one day in a jail cell.

"I thought about nothing but making money from the minute I got up until the minute I went to bed," he told the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation in 2004.

Yet he drew the line at murder. Once asked if he had ever killed anyone, Previte answered: "Why would I kill people who owe me money?"

"He was very open about his misdeeds," said Barry Gross, a former federal prosecutor in Merlino's 2001 trial. "They were numerous and well-documented."

And yet, Previte saw little distinction between what motivated him to begin climbing the ranks of Philadelphia's La Cosa Nostra and what prompted his turn against it.

"It was always about the money," said Grimes.

And the FBI paid him handsomely, to the tune of $750,000, for the work he did for the bureau  a sum that prompted Merlino to quip during his 2001 trial that if Grimes could land him a deal that good to flip on his pals, he would have hired the lawyer on the spot.

From the start, Previte was enamored with the criminal life. The role he played in the undoing of the Philadelphia mob was chronicled in former Inquirer reporter George Anastasia's 2005 book, The Last Gangster.

Born in 1943 in Philadelphia to first-generation Sicilian American parents, Previte told 60 Minutes in 2004 that some of his earliest memories were of neighborhood gangsters dressed in fedoras and driving Cadillacs while collecting on their bookmaking activities.

It wasn't until he joined the Philadelphia Police Department after returning from serving in the Air Force in the Vietnam War that his own criminal career began in earnest.

There, Previte would later admit, he stole from crime scenes, knocked heads of no-goodniks and solicited payoffs from bookies and mobsters, pocketing thousands of dollars a week on top of his regular paycheck.

"I always said that I really became an adept thief when I went in the Philadelphia Police Department," he said. "I was a crook  but most of the people I worked with were crooks."

Later, when he went to work as a security officer at Atlantic City's Tropicana Casino Hotel in the '80s, he quickly gained a foothold stealing trucks of furniture and bar supplies out of the casino warehouse and money from guests while running prostitutes and poker games out of unoccupied suites.

"It was like a payday when I got to the casino," Previte told the New Jersey commission in 2004. "They must not have [done] a very good background check on me, because  I was a bum."

The modest criminal empire he built out of a diner on the White Horse Pike in Hammonton quickly gained attention  both from the Philadelphia mob, which sought a cut of his action, and the New Jersey state police, who first cultivated him as a source of information on the criminal underworld.

Previte's willingness to work with law enforcement  for the right price  ultimately blossomed as he became more and more ingrained in the Philadelphia crime family.

Federal authorities would later credit him with providing information that thwarted several attempted murders in the long mid-'90s feud that pitted then mob-boss Stanfa against a faction led by Natale and Merlino. And while Previte did not testify at Stanfa's 1995 trial, that same information was later used to convict the mob boss and several of his top associates.

As one of the few Stanfa acolytes to avoid arrest, due to his quiet cooperation, Previte should have stood out like a sore thumb, said his lawyer, Grimes. Yet, he somehow managed to work his way back into Natale's and Merlino's inner circle  this time wearing a wire strapped to his groin.

Edwin Jacobs, Merlino's longtime attorney, who once referred to Previte as a "sleazeball career criminal," recalled Tuesday the six days he would later spend at his client's 2001 trial, grilling Previte about the tapes he made.

"He was a big, formidable, imposing figure on the stand," he said. "And he was able to withstand a rigorous cross-examination, for which I give him credit."

After Merlino and Natale were sent to prison, Previte was left too exposed to continue his work with the feds and slipped into an uneasy retirement.

Despite the risk to his life, he turned down offers for witness relocation and lived out the final years of his life under an assumed name in Hammonton. He wanted to remain close to his family, Grimes said.

Despite being proud of the work he had done with the FBI, Previte testified in 2004, he never forgot the costs.

"I'm never at ease with what I did most of my life," he told the New Jersey investigators. "You wait for the door to come down in the middle of the night. You wait for a bullet to come through the window. You walk out and hit the button to open your car and you wait to get shot.

"It's a terrible way of life," he added. "But it's the life I chose."
It wasnt long ago that doctors prescribed opioids like OxyContin and Vicodin exclusively for pain management associated with surgery or cancer treatment, according to state Treasurer Joe Torsella. Read more

Every day across the commonwealth, 13 people die as a result of a drug overdose involving illicit or prescribed opioids. Those 13 people taken from us leave children without parents, students without teachers, and families with missing seats at the dinner table.

Philadelphia is among the hardest-hit spots in Pennsylvania, with more than 900 unintentional deaths in 2016  triple the number of homicides. Nearly one-third of these deaths occurred in chronically poor and homeless populations. This crisis has changed the landscape of every community and neighborhood in Philadelphia.

None of us has the luxury of claiming that this is not our problem. This is a Philadelphia crisis, a Pennsylvania crisis, a crisis that hits all of us. And just as other leaders are called upon to use the power at their disposal to fight the epidemic, I have a responsibility to use mine, as state treasurer, to do the same.

It wasn't long ago that American doctors prescribed opioids like OxyContin and Vicodin exclusively for pain management associated with surgery or cancer treatment. In 1980, the first study was published that led many doctors to believe narcotics were safe to prescribe for chronic pain management  a finding that was later disproved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Less than a decade later, there was a surge in opioid production and distribution from companies like Johnson & Johnson, Purdue Pharma, and McKesson Corp.  pharmaceutical giants collectively known as Big Pharma.

For the last 20 years, the pharmaceutical industry has been whitewashing the lasting impact of highly addictive narcotics through its use of marketing, effectively encouraging doctors and other providers to prescribe these powerful drugs in increasing, extremely dangerous levels.

In other words, Big Pharma found a way to turn a profit at the expense of American lives. By misleading doctors to overprescribe a drug powerful enough to treat the level of pain endured by patients recovering from major surgery for more routine issues, Big Pharma made possible the addiction of thousands in Philadelphia alone. But it doesn't stop at prescription pills manufactured and distributed by these companies.

When that prescription runs out  and it will  users who are dependent are often drawn to a substance far less expensive and, unfortunately, extremely accessible on the black market: heroin. In every corner of Pennsylvania, heroin is classified as the number-one drug threat to its residents, but Philadelphia has the highest purity for the lowest cost compared with other major cities. Now, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl and carfentanil on the rise, lethal doses of heroin are landing in the hands of our friends and neighbors.

This has infused our neighborhoods with the plague of addiction and significant misuse of drugs, leading to children being removed from their homes, overcrowded prisons, and a stagnant economy, as otherwise able-bodied Americans find themselves unable or unwilling to find work.

As Pennsylvania's treasurer, my responsibilities include overseeing our state investments  your taxpayer dollars. These investments include Big Pharma companies, as the providers of the medicine and devices that our friends and neighbors need on a regular basis to survive.

Recently, I joined state treasurers from West Virginia and Illinois to demand that Big Pharma takes the necessary steps to combat the epidemic at its source. McKesson, located in San Francisco, is one of the nation's largest prescription-drug wholesalers. While flooding communities with opioids, McKesson's revenues have more than doubled from $93 billion to $199 billion over the past 10 years, with a $60 billion jump in 2015 alone.

These companies need to step forward and take active steps to address the growing challenges facing millions of prescription drug users across the nation.

We are encouraged that McKesson announced it will split the roles of CEO and chairman of the board of directors, and has rejected an executive compensation package, a long-overdue action given that Big Pharma companies have paid their top executives more than $450 million over the past four years. But my colleagues and I intend to keep working to make sure that these companies put public safety before private profits, and to hold Big Pharma accountable for its role in the crisis.

None of us is immune to the disease of addiction. This is the time to join together to empower those who are recovering to build a better future for themselves, for their families, and for Pennsylvania.

Joe Torsella is treasurer of Pennsylvania. @JoeTorsella.
As you might guess from my last name, I'm Jewish. And, like every other Jew I know, I was angered and alarmed by the violent display of anti-Semitism recently in Charlottesville, Va.

So you might also guess that I was gratified to see Bryn Mawr College scrub its website of some references to its best-known president, M. Carey Thomas, who was a racist as well as an anti-Semite.

Guess again.

The drive to cleanse the residue of famous racists from public spaces actually distorts our understanding of racism, which has been far more widespread than we like to imagine. And it encourages us to think of ourselves as somehow purer  more aware, more enlightened, and less flawed  than the human beings who preceded us.

Since Charlottesville, Confederate monuments have been toppled in several Southern states. In New York, there were renewed calls to take down the statue of Christopher Columbus on the edge of Central Park. Here in Philadelphia, protesters demanded the removal of a statue as well as a mural of former Mayor Frank Rizzo.

But these figures were creatures of their time, not of ours. Almost any white person in M. Carey Thomas' era was a bigot by 2017 standards. Not mentioning her name's use on a building or library won't help us remember that. Rather, it will make it easier for us to forget.

Was Thomas an anti-Semite and a racist? You bet. She tried to block Jews from enrolling in the Bryn Mawr School for Girls in Baltimore, which Thomas helped found in 1885. After becoming president of Bryn Mawr College in 1894, she sought to restrict the school's faculty and student body to those of "Anglo-Saxon" stock.

In a 1916 talk to Bryn Mawr students, Thomas warned that people from other backgrounds were weakening the entire nation. Unless America took measures to limit immigration, she said, it would soon witness "the lowering of the physical and mental inheritance  by intermixture of unprogressive millions of backwards peoples."

Thomas' talk was published in the Bryn Mawr College alumnae bulletin, and  as best we can tell  no readers raised any fuss about it. And that should tell you something important: However loathsome to us, Thomas' ideas about religion and race were standard-issue white-Protestant views.

And they were central to the suffragist movement, in which Thomas played an important role. Especially in the South, one of the key arguments for women's suffrage was that it would increase white voting power vis-a-vis blacks. "White supremacy will be strengthened, not weakened, by women's suffrage," declared Carrie Chapman Catt, founder of the League of Women Voters.

Racist ideas also helped fuel the campaign for birth control, another crusade close to Thomas' heart. The movement aimed to enhance women's autonomy, but it also sought to limit the fertility of "lesser breeds" of women. "More children from the fit  less from the unfit  that is the chief aim of birth control," declared Margaret Sanger, America's most prominent birth-control champion.

Thomas was right there with her, warning that "the ever-increasing production of morons must be scientifically checked" and that "weak-minded people must be prevented from having children." But these ideas weren't unique to Thomas; instead, they formed the racist backbone of white America itself.

Removing Thomas' name in some references from Bryn Mawr's website and publications can help us pretend otherwise. We can imagine her as a lone miscreant, a shameful blot on an otherwise pristine heritage. Erasing her from public memory becomes a way of forgetting how commonplace her beliefs really were.

But there's more. When we remove the physical traces of discredited historical figures, we give ourselves more credit than we deserve. We forget that we live in history, too, and that we will be judged by it as well.

I drive a gasoline-powered automobile, even though it contributes to global warming. I walk by homeless people on the streets, mumbling an embarrassed "no" to their pleas for help. I eat animals, which feel pain when they are slaughtered.

How will I fare when the day of historical judgment comes? I can't say, of course. But I do hope that future generations show me a bit more charity than we're currently giving to the people who came before us.

That's not to say we should excuse what they did. Monuments to racists should contain clear visual reminders of their misdeeds, so we never forget about them. The statue to Rizzo might be coupled with a memorial to African American and gay civil-rights workers, two frequent targets of his bile and bigotry. And Bryn Mawr's Thomas Library (which I hope will retain its name; the college hasn't decided yet) should feature a permanent display about M. Carey Thomas' anti-Semitic and anti-black attitudes.

But I hope it also points out that she lived in intimate relationships with two different women at a time when homosexuality was becoming deeply tabooed. She was a despicable bigot in many ways, but she was also a brave pioneer. She loved, and she hated; she opened doors, and she closed them. She was a complicated mixture of good, bad, and much in between. Just like you. And like me.

Jonathan Zimmerman teaches education and history at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author (with Emily Robertson) of "The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools" (University of Chicago Press). jlzimm@aol.com
On June 12, 2016, WikiLeaks announced that it would soon release stolen computer files that pertained to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

Two days later, CrowdStrike, a computer security company working for the Democratic National Committee, announced that it had detected Russian malware on the DNC's computer server. The next day, a self-described Romanian hacker, Guccifer 2.0, claimed he was a WikiLeaks source and had hacked the DNC's server. He then posted online DNC computer files that contained metadata that indicated Russian involvement in the hack.

Much to the embarrassment of Hillary Clinton, the released files showed that the DNC had secretly collaborated with her campaign to promote her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination over that of Bernie Sanders. Clearly, the Clinton campaign needed to lessen the political damage. Jennifer Palmieri, Clinton's public relations chief, said in a Washington Post essay in March that she worked assiduously during the Democratic nominating convention to "get the press to focus on  the prospect that Russia had not only hacked and stolen emails from the DNC, but that it had done so to help Donald Trump and hurt Hillary."

Thus was laid the cornerstone of the Trump-Russia-collusion conspiracy theory.

Since then, the mainstream media have created a climate of hysteria in which this unsubstantiated theory has been conjured into accepted truth. This has resulted in investigations by Congress and a special counsel into President Trump, his family, and his campaign staff for supposed collusion with the Russians.

But in their frenzied coverage, the media have downplayed the very odd behavior of the DNC, the putative target of the alleged hack. For, when the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI learned of the hacking claim, they asked to examine the server. The DNC refused. Without explanation, it continues to deny law enforcement access to its server.

Why would the purported victim of a crime refuse to cooperate with law enforcement in solving that crime? Is it hiding something? Is it afraid the server's contents will discredit the Russia-hacking story?

The answers to those questions are beginning to emerge thanks to an exacting forensic examination of the available evidence by the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS), an organization of former CIA, FBI, National Security Agency, and military intelligence officers, technical experts, and analysts.

By way of background, VIPS has a well-established record of debunking questionable intelligence assessments that have been slanted to serve political purposes. For example, in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, VIPS courageously and correctly challenged the accuracy and veracity of the CIA's intelligence estimates that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction and that he posed a threat to the United States. Similarly, VIPS has scondemned the use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" on suspected terrorists. In short, VIPS can hardly be described as either a right-wing cabal or as carrying water for the Republican Party.

In its ongoing analysis of the purported DNC hack, VIPS has brought to bear the impressive talents of more than a dozen experienced, well-credentialed experts, including William Binney, a former NSA technical director and cofounder of the NSA's Signals Intelligence Automation Research Center; Edward Loomis, former NSA technical director for the Office of Signals Processing; and Skip Folden, former manager of IBM's information technology. As the French would say, these are l'hommes serieux, as are the other computer-system designers, program architects, and analysts with whom they are investigating the Clinton-DNC hack story.

Recently, VIPS released its initial investigative findings, and they are stunning.

First, VIPS has concluded that the DNC data were not hacked by the Russians or anyone else accessing the server over the internet. Instead, they were downloaded by means of a thumb drive or similar portable storage device physically attached to the DNC server.

How was this determined? The time stamps contained in the released computer files' metadata establish that, at 6:45 p.m. July 5, 2016, 1,976 megabytes of data were downloaded from the DNC's server. This took 87 seconds, which means the transfer rate was 22.7 megabytes per second, a speed, according to VIPS, that "is much faster than what is physically possible with a hack." Such a speed could be accomplished only by direct connection of a portable storage device to the server. Accordingly, VIPS concludes the DNC data theft was an inside job by someone with physical access to the server.

VIPS also reports that, if there had been a hack, the NSA would have a record of it that could quickly be retrieved and produced. But no such evidence has been forthcoming. Can this be because no hack occurred?

Even more remarkable, the experts have determined that files released by Guccifer 2.0 have been "run, via ordinary cut and paste, through a template that effectively immersed them in what could plausibly be cast as Russian fingerprints." In other words, the files were deliberately altered to give the false impression that they were hacked by Russian agents.

Up to this point, Russiagate has been notable as an irrational, self-levitating media jihad devoid of any material-supporting evidence. Now, thanks to the VIPS experts, the Russia-hacking story  the very genesis of the Trump-Russia conspiracy theory  appears to have been affirmatively and convincingly undercut. And this raises many questions concerning the purveyors of the Russia hacking story, as well as the heretofore semicomatose federal investigation of the alleged hack.

After the DNC denied law enforcement access to its server, the FBI  under James Comey's flaccid leadership  meekly agreed to accept the findings of CrowdStrike, the DNC's private computer security firm, as to the server's contents. This was in lieu of the FBI's using the legal process to search the server for Russian malware and evidence of hacking.

Why did Comey and the FBI agree to such an impotent, absurd, and self-defeating arrangement? And why to this day has this bizarre situation been allowed to continue?

Special counsel Robert Mueller has been tasked with investigating the alleged Trump-Russia conspiracy. Unlike the feckless Comey, he has used a grand jury and at least one search warrant to obtain evidence. May we expect Mueller to use similar tactics in dealing with the mysteriously recalcitrant DNC? Will the server at long last be subjected to a non-DNC-controlled forensic analysis? Will the server and CrowdStrike's work product be analyzed to either confirm or disprove the presence of Russian malware? And, if none is found, will the special counsel investigate the persons responsible for that deception?

Will the DNC files released by Guccifer 2.0 be analyzed to determine if they were, as VIPS has concluded, altered to give the false impression that the Russians had hacked the server? If so, will Mueller pursue those responsible for the adulteration? If, as appears likely, the server was not hacked, will Mueller investigate why Hillary Clinton and the DNC claimed it was? Will he investigate whether the DNC files were stolen by someone who had direct physical access to the DNC server? Will he try to determine who at the DNC had a motive to leak the files? Could it be someone who wanted to make public Clinton and the DNC's underhanded treatment of Sanders?

These are but a few of the areas of inquiry that any fair and competent investigator intent on getting to the truth would pursue. Will Mueller honestly and vigorously investigate them at the risk of incurring the anti-Trump media's wrath and possibly exposing the Russia-hacking story as a carefully orchestrated falsehood by Clinton and the DNC?

Or will the unraveling Russiagate fable continue to be a fig leaf for a one-sided, politically motivated effort by Mueller and his staff of Hillary Clinton supporters to undo the outcome of the 2016 presidential election?

George Parry is a former state and federal prosecutor practicing law in Philadelphia. lgparry@dpt-law.com
The citys 1.5-cents-an-ounce tax on soda and other sweetened beverages has produced $25.6 million in the first four months of the year, below projections. Read more

City Controller Alan Butkovitz has decided to count the chickens before they are hatched.

Last week, Butkovitz announced that his office was going to do an audit on the city's expanded pre-K program, even though the expansion has hardly begun. It started seven months ago.

The program is in its infancy and won't be fully in place until five years from now. This will be long after Butkovitz leaves office, given that he was defeated for re-election in the May primary and will depart in January of next year.

Still, according to the controller, it is never too early to examine the pre-K expansion because it is being financed in part by the city's 1.5-cent-per-ounce beverage tax.

And Butkovitz is on record numerous times as being opposed to the tax.

His said his motives in doing this pre-audit (pre-emptive audit?) are pure.

"Before the city spends hundreds of millions of dollars, we will be conducting a spot check on the first few million," he said in his statement.

As much as we would like to take the Controller at his word, we cannot. For one thing, information about quality pre-K providers, as well as the number of seats available at those providers is readily available. The city's pre-K website and the site for Great Philly Schools list the criteria for high quality seats and the providers who offer them. And the William Penn Foundation is funding research to measure the program's effectiveness on preparing kids for kindergarten.

For another thing, Butkovitz has been a Big Soda guy from the beginning. The beverage industry is still furiously fighting against the tax fearing  rightly  that if it stands here, it will spread across the nation.

For now, all sides must await a decision by the state Supreme Court on whether it will consider an industry appeal of a lower court ruling upholding the city's right to levy the tax.

Big Soda has been flummoxed by the fact that a lot of the soda tax money is going to expand pre-kindergarten for needy children. How can you oppose little kids? A critical audit from the controller would enable the well-financed and very loud opposition to say: It's not helping kids! It's being wasted!

Along those lines, a study was just released by a Florida-based marketing firm that said its review of sales data from franchised supermarkets and drug stores in the city dropped 55 percent when the tax went into effect this year, while sales at stores on the other side of the border rose 38 percent.

Catalina marketing said it had no dog in this fight and did the study as sort of a public service, though working with retailers in a big part of its business. It's not surprising that soda sales would decline on one side of City Avenue and increase on the other because of higher prices in Philadelphia.

But, as the city pointed out, supermarkets account for less than half the beverage sales in Philadelphia. The Catalina study did not take into account restaurants, universities, hospitals and smaller markets.

Had overall sales declined by 55 percent, as the study suggested, the city would have collected $21 million from the tax during the first six months. Instead, it collected $39.3 million.

Much of it is going into the pre-K program, where the controller awaits, ready to pounce.
Throughout this spring and summer, Washington was consumed by a debate over partisan attempts to take health care away from millions of Americans and raise costs for too many families.

In response, Wisconsinites joined people across our country in speaking out and fighting back against a number of Republican repeal plans that would have increased the number of people who are uninsured and forced many families to pay more for less care. People across our state made sure their voices were heard when Congressional Republicans advanced a plan with an age tax that would have priced many older Americans out of the individual market.

The people of Wisconsin did not send me to Washington to take peoples health care away. They have sent a clear message that they want us to work across party lines to make things better.

Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and six other senators to introduce the Medicare at 55 Act, which would provide the option for people between the ages of 55 and 64 to buy into Medicare.

There are 41 million Americans between 55 and 64 years old, and 3.6 million of them lack any insurance coverage. Millions more are burdened by high insurance premiums, unaffordable deductibles and limited options.

These friends, family members and neighbors face unique health challenges and especially high health care costs. The average person in this age group pays more than $1,200 in annual out-of-pocket costs and is at a greater risk of suffering from chronic conditions such as diabetes or arthritis and medical emergencies such as heart attack and stroke. In addition, according to AARP, about 4 in 10 have a preexisting condition.

Fewer employers offer coverage for workers who retire before 55. According to a recent study, in 2015 only 23 percent of large employers offered retiree coverage. The lack of affordable health insurance can have especially severe consequences for this populations health and retirement savings. We should work together to change this.

Our new legislation gives millions of older Americans another choice to buy affordable, quality health care coverage. For people between the ages of 55 and 64, the Medicare at 55 Act is a high quality option that can help reduce health insurance costs and increase competition.

Medicare is an efficient, affordable health care program that is already serving millions of Americans. With the Medicare at 55 Act, an individual between the ages of 55 and 64 who buys into Medicare would be entitled to the same benefits and protections as an individual enrolled under parts A, B and D, including the ability to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Individuals who choose to buy into Medicare would be eligible for the same tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies they would otherwise receive selecting a private plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

By offering this new option, we may be able to strengthen the individual market, lower premiums and help make coverage more affordable for younger and healthier individuals. At the same time, our legislation protects our current generation of Medicare beneficiaries by ensuring that it wont impact their benefits or the solvency of the Medicare program.

If our goal is to lower health care costs, which both parties agree we must address, then our legislation merits consideration as a critical piece of the solution.

Medicare is an essential pillar of our health care system that has served Wisconsin families well for more than 50 years. Since 1965, Medicare has been a trusted source of affordable health care for millions of older and disabled Americans.

As we move forward to provide more Americans with more health care choices, our Medicare at 55 Act can offer a quality option for people to get the affordable health care they need and deserve. I strongly believe that if both parties look past the partisan debate in Washington, we can work together to find solutions that make health care more affordable and work for the American people.
The Kayenta Police District in New Mexico is mourning the death of a police officer who was killed in a vehicle accident Monday night, reports the Navajo Times.

Dine Police Officer Nelson L. Martin was 35 years old, according to public records obtained by the Navajo Times. He was originally from Tsebii'ndzisgaii, Utah.

Officer Nelson L. Martin died in a crash. (Official Photo) The accident happened on U.S. Highway 89 at milepost 445.8 in Gray Mountain, Arizona, according to Navajo Police Chief Phillip Francisco.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety responded to the incident.

The vehicle Martin was in swerved right before it crashed into a semi-truck, said Francisco in an interview. Martin was a passenger and was killed instantly.

Rosales Yazzie, the driver of the vehicle, was badly injured. An ambulance crew resuscitated him twice, then transported him to a hospital where he is now recovering, said Francisco.

Yazzie, who was intoxicated, could be facing vehicular manslaughter charges. Yazzie is not a police officer.

"He (Martin) was not working at the time," Francisco said. "He was coming back from Flagstaff on personal days off."

Lee said the investigation is ongoing. The semi-truck driver was reported to be OK.
President Donald Trump plans to resume the transfer of surplus weapons, vehicles and other equipment from the nation's military to its state and local law enforcement agencies, reviving a program that was sharply curtailed by President Barack Obama two years ago. The program launched in 1990 but was greatly limited after public reaction to images of heavily militarized police in the streets of Ferguson, MO, and other sites of civil unrest.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the move Monday morning at the Fraternal Order of Police convention in Nashville, and said the president would do so by executive order. The police union had lobbied for the restoration of the program, and Trump said he would do so during his campaign.

The restrictions on distributing military surplus to police "went too far," Sessions told the FOP on Monday. "We will not put superficial concerns above public safetyThe executive order the president will sign today will ensure that you can get the lifesaving gear that you need to do your job and send a strong message that we will not allow criminal activity, violence, and lawlessness to become the new normal. And we will save taxpayer money in the meantime."

Sessions concluded by telling the police convention, "We have your back and you have our thanks."
A Blue Alert system is set to go into effect in Missouri Monday.

The Blue Alert system is a new form of backup. Should an officer be attacked while on the job, it will give the public information so they can help police find the suspect, Fox Kansas City reports.

Just three weeks ago, Clinton, Mo., police officer Gary Michael was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop. It took officers two days to find and arrest a suspect.

If the Blue Alert system had been in effect then, Missouri viewers would have seen a crawl on the bottom of their TVs shortly after the shooting. They also would have been notified on phones and radios about the incident with information about the suspect and suspects vehicle.
This recruiting ad for the San Jose Police shows actual gay, heterosexual, and lesbian officers. (Photo: San Jose PD)

The San Jose (CA) Police Department is for the first time launching a campaign to recruit members of the LGBT community through a series of public initiatives and an ad campaign.

The campaign features identical ads showing the actual families of three officers: a heterosexual couple, a gay male couple and a lesbian couple.

Chief Eddie Garcia also announced last Thursday that his department has created a liaison role dedicated to addressing crime and police concerns within the LGBT community, which has battled issues with underreporting of crime out of fear of reprisal from families and colleagues.

Garcia led a push during the citys Pride festivities to drum up interest in joining the police force. And inside the department within existing ranks, an array of projects to improve officers cultural competence with LGBT people and issues, and ability to discern hate crimes against them, is underway. Police academy recruits are already required to visit the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ Community Center as a component of their diversity training, the San Jose Mercury reports.
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Investigators want to know what Donald Trump knew about his sons Trump Tower meeting with Russia and if he tried to cover-up its real purpose.

NBC News reported:

Federal investigators working for Special Counsel Robert Mueller are keenly focused on President Donald Trumps role in crafting a response to a published article about a meeting between Russians and his son Donald Jr., three sources familiar with the matter told NBC News. The sources told NBC News that prosecutors want to know what Trump knew about the meeting and whether he sought to conceal its purpose. . A person familiar with Muellers strategy said that whether or not Trump made a knowingly false statement is now of interest to prosecutors. Even if Trump is not charged with a crime as a result of the statement, it could be useful to Muellers team to show Trumps conduct to a jury that may be considering other charges

Other charges most likely include obstruction of justice, which is already known that Trump is under investigation for. It is amazing that some presidents never learn from history. It was the cover-up that brought down Richard Nixon, and it likely will be the cover-up that will bring down Donald Trump. The President is under investigation for obstruction of justice because he fired James Comey in a bid to kill the Russia scandal. On top of that investigation, he is also being investigated for making false statements, when he drafted Donald Trump Jrs response about the Russia meeting.

At the heart of all of the lies is a real scandal. If Trump were innocent, he wouldnt need to cover-up his campaigns communications with the Russians. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is leaving no stone unturned. Trump is sweating bullets because his secrets are coming out, as investigators are closing in on the truth about Trump and Russia.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

A clear sky. Much cooler. Low 43F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A clear sky. Much cooler. Low 43F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Two things are motivating the Charleston County School District to consider the idea. The first is the difficulty in attracting teachers to an area where they would struggle to afford housing. The second is the fact the district already owns land where apartments could be built. Read moreWith rents unaffordable, the Charleston school district considers building teacher housing
SC Attorney General Alan Wilson is challenging the CDC's recommendations on COVID vaccinations for kids. They have no force of law, so this is no different than the left trying to enforce its woke orthodoxy. Read moreEditorial: Alan Wilson should stick to the law, stop trying to silence opinions he dislikes
There are two types of people in this world: Those who would drive six hours to witness a 2 1/2-minute total eclipse, and those who, when they find out you're doing that, will mock you incessantly.

I fall solidly into the first group.

So, in October of 2016, when I heard about the Great American Eclipse of August 2017  when I saw a story, titled "You Need to Make Your Plans for the Solar Eclipse NOW!"  I made my eclipse plans. NOW!

Sure, I knew a total eclipse might be cool. Then I did a quick internet search describing a total eclipse as  and these are actual quotes from respected astronomers  "The most exciting thing people can see." And "Millions of ecliptomaniacs are coming to book all the hotels." And "It gets cold, animals do weird things. People cry and scream."

Animals doing weird things! People crying and screaming! "Ecliptomaniacs"!

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I'd never been so geeked about a road trip in my life.

So I made hotel reservations near Homestead National Monument in Nebraska.

The reactions from my family were less positive than I'd imagined. Half of them seemed mildly on board. But the other half, which included wife, Lindy, reacted much like she did when, during a previous family vacation, I announced that we would be making a detour to visit "the steepest funicular cog railroad in the world!"

It was the same at work. Half of the women in the Rochester Magazine office (Koski and Lisa) were going to the eclipse. The other half (Tessa and Vicky) would spend the next 10 months visibly rolling their eyes and exhaling disgustedly whenever we even said "eclipse."

Koski, Lisa and I found ourselves whispering in the lunchroom and clandestinely dropping info  maps of long term weather forecasts, the Eclipse Special Section from the New York Times  onto each other's desks.

We had become Ecliptomaniacs!

A few weeks ago, Tessa and Vicky walked in the office, and caught the three of us talking about it. I could see their eye rolls. I could hear their disgusted exhales.

At first, Koski and Lisa and I stopped talking. But then I decided I would no longer be ashamed. And that I would, in fact, shame them by listing all of the amazing things they'd be missing.

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I breathlessly explained Bailey's Beads ("That's the sparkling effect caused by the sun shimmering through the moon's mountains!") and the corona ("It's outer edges may look like streamers!") and Venus ("We may get to see Venus! In the day!").

Tessa and Vicky stared at me very much like my wife does when I get home from the the Rochester Chess Club late on Tuesday nights and wake her up to give my in-depth play-by-play about my most recent tournament game.

When Tessa and Vicky didn't seem to be buying in, I blurted out the following: "A lot of science experts believe there's a good chance that those who witness totality  and only those who witness it  will be carried up to heaven as part of the Rapture," I told them. "That's science experts talking!"

They laughed. I laughed, too, because I was making that last part up.

Secretly, though, I was hoping it might happen, if only to punish the nonbelievers for their mockery and dismissiveness.

Saturday morning, 10:42 a.m. (two days before eclipse): My entire family leaves for Nebraska.

Saturday morning, 10:43 a.m.: I pop in my newest mix CD, "Eclipse Mix 2017." First song: "Total Eclipse of the Heart," by Bonnie Tyler. Last song: "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon (because he flew his "Lear Jet up to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun.").

Saturday (on way to Nebraska): Stop at Piggy's BBQ in Austin. Tour SPAM Museum. In Clear Lake, Iowa, we stop and walk deep into a farm field to visit the Buddy Holly plane crash site. Honk at every vehicle with an "Eclipse Or Bust" signs.

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Sunday (in Nebraska, one day before eclipse): Spend day at Homestead National Monument. NASA scientists give talks. Bands play scientific songs. That night, in Lincoln, Bill Nye The Science Guy walks into our restaurant.

Monday, 5:02 a.m. (almost exactly eight hours until eclipse): I am awake, in out hotel room, scouring weather forecasts for a 200-mile swath of the eclipse. Nothing looks promising. Dark clouds everywhere. Especially in my heart.

Will the clouds clear? Will they get to see totality? Will Steve's family be carried into the eclipse as part of the Rapture? Tune in to next week's Oddchester for the conclusion of the Great American Eclipse Trip, Part II.
AUSTIN  The Rochester man accused of stealing a car from a group home, then leading law enforcement on a wild chase through three counties, has pleaded not guilty in one of the cases against him.

Scott Michael Skjeveland, 48, entered the plea today in Mower County District Court, where he was charged with one count of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, a felony.

He was released on his own recognizance, and is due back in court there on Jan. 19.

Skjeveland has also been charged in Olmsted County District Court with a felony fleeing charge, as well as one count of motor vehicle theft, a felony, in addition to two counts of misdemeanor domestic assault and one count of misdemeanor fourth-degree damage to property.

An evaluation for competency to proceed has been ordered in Olmsted County, court documents show. Skjeveland remains in custody locally in lieu of $15,000 conditional bail.

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Rochester police were called at 6:24 p.m. Aug. 14 to a group home in the 5400 block of U.S. Highway 63 South for a report of an assault.

The caller said a resident  identified as Skjeveland  had assaulted another resident and a staff member, punched out all 15 windows in the room, then left in a state-owned vehicle, the report says.

Skjeveland doesn't have a valid Minnesota driver's license, the complaint says.

As an officer responded, he spotted the vehicle driving south on U.S. 63. The officer activated his emergency lights for a traffic stop, but the driver accelerated, said Capt. John Sherwin. The officer stopped the pursuit but followed the vehicle.

"As soon as he shut his lights off, the guy drove at a normal speed," Sherwin said. When the vehicles reached a stoplight in Stewartville, the officer again activated his lights, the report says, and once again, the driver accelerated.

Because the original incident didn't merit a pursuit  and because of Skjeveland's alleged erratic driving  the officer backed off.

Members of the Minnesota State Patrol and Mower County Sheriff's Office heard the scanner traffic; a patrolman began to pursue Skjeveland, who was still southbound on U.S. 63.

A Mower County deputy learned the pursuit had crossed into that county; as he headed toward U.S. 63 to assist, he spotted the vehicle on Minnesota Highway 16.

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The eastbound deputy was forced to brake and swerve out of the way, court documents say, as Skjeveland drove west in the deputy's lane.

The deputy turned around and pursued Skjeveland, who made seven changes of direction on rural roads, driving at erratic speeds, often over the center line, the complaint says.

He eventually turned north onto U.S. Highway 56, driving around spike strips placed by a state trooper. Skjeveland reportedly accelerated to 70 mph, then slowed to 40 mph as he drove through Brownsdale.

Law enforcement deployed stop sticks at three different spots, but Skjeveland was able to avoid the first two.

Dodge County Sheriff's deputies got involved as Skjeveland continued north, deploying stop sticks near Dodge County Road 1.

Skjeveland swerved to avoid the sticks, but the stolen vehicle's rear tire hit one of the spikes; Skjeveland allegedly accelerated to 80 mph.

A fourth set of stop sticks was deployed, but Skjeveland swerved into the ditch on the northwest corner of the intersection of U.S. 56 and Dodge County Road 6 in order to avoid them. He drove back onto U.S. 56 and continued north at speeds up to 100 mph, the reports say.

Officers terminated the pursuit, then learned that Skjeveland's car had crashed into a southbound vehicle driven by Larry Wayne Knutson, 70, of Blooming Prairie.

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Knutson and his passenger, Linda Margaret Knutson, 68, also of Blooming Prairie, were taken by ambulance to Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys Campus with injuries that were described as not life-threatening.

Skjeveland sustained a hand injury in the crash.
Police are investigating an early morning robbery at a hotel in Southwest Rochester, authorities said today.

An employee at Centerstone Plaza Hotel, 401 Sixth St. SW, told officers a man wearing a ski mask approached him at the front desk and demanded money, said Capt. John Sherwin.

The man then walked around the counter and took several hundred dollars from the cash register.

The suspect is described as a white male, about 6 feet tall, with a stocky build. He was wearing a puffy black coat and blue jeans and "had a Minnesota accent," the report says.

No weapon was displayed in the incident, which was reported at 1:52 a.m. today.
ADAMS  Southland School District administrators are working to form a new plan after voters soundly rejected a $24.56 million bond issue that proposed renovating the district's middle and high schools and closing the elementary school in Rose Creek.

"We aren't sure of the exact price or even a range yet for what we would go out for," Superintendent Jeff Sampson said. "At this point though, I think it would be safe to say that it will be quite a bit less."

Closing Southland Elementary is also being discussed.

"The board did instruct me in August at our meeting to look further into the possibility of closing Rose Creek at the end of this year if the potential bond passes or not in February," Sampson said.

The failed bond

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In June, the district held a special election, asking voters for $24.56 million to address the district's aging schools. A task force of community members determined the best options were to either renovate all three buildings to modern standards; or renovate the middle and high schools and close Southland Elementary, moving those students to a renovated middle school.

District officials chose the second option, saying the plan would cut operating costs, address declining enrollment and alleviate operational cuts.

Amanda Kellogg, 35, of Taopi, has five children enrolled in the Southland School District. She voted in favor of the bond issue in June.

"I know the discussion with my friends has been that we keep cutting and cutting and have nothing to offer anyone who wants to come to our school," Kellogg said. "Our school is amazing, and we wish it could grow...but with no art program, no cheerleading program, cutting classes, it's hard to show people all these things we have to offer."

But Kellogg was in the minority. Voters rejected the measure, 860 to 355.

Kellogg stated that many taxpayers believed the administration was "sneaky" and that there weren't bids or estimates showing "actual costs."

"It was a lot of money they were asking for, and the numbers didn't really seem to mesh up," Kellogg said.

The district hopes to address some of those concerns with a public meeting on Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. in the high school auditorium. The board is also sending out a survey, asking voters for their perspective.

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"Hopefully, by sending out the survey and having the public meeting, we will be able to narrow down the reasons (for the June bond issue's failure) and address them as we move forward," Sampson said.

A tight position

Kellogg said there was a lot of concern among voters regarding the possibility of closing Southland Elementary School.

"Seems like they were putting everyone in a tight position, making that decision without getting everyone on board with facility updates," she said.

Sampson said the answers to those questions can be found on the district's web page .

"The costs are based on current projects going on in other schools as far as price per square foot, and they are conservative estimates to help prevent in cost overruns if the project would be approved," he said.

Kellogg said she hopes the district can mend the hard feelings left after the bond issue failed in June.

"I hope they can showcase the awesome attributes our school has and do something to attempt to grow the numbers," she said. "I have five kids in this school district who will graduate from here, and I want them to get the best possible education and experience they can."
In the early 1950s, Fire Safety Inc. of Albert Lea sold firefighting equipment, anything from extinguishers to fire trucks, with offices in Austin and Minneapolis. When co-owner Glen "Tommy" Thompson arrived in Rochester, he found a market for selling rural fire protection.

The plan for Thompson's new rural fire department included an annual fee of $15 to $25 to fight fires for subscribers outside of Rochester city limits. One of the biggest problems, according to Thompson, was convincing people that it was a good thing to take the service. People were wary of paying for something they thought should be free.

On Dec. 28, 1953, the doors were opened on the new fire house at 2104 Second St. SW, and Rochester Rural Fire Department became the first private department in the Upper Midwest.

Their first official "run" was more like a walk when Tony's Italian restaurant, located next door, had a small cookstove fire.
The Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce is bringing in an outside firm to investigate undisclosed allegations made in a letter by former Membership Director Judy Braatz.

Braatz, a popular staffer for 24 years, and the chamber abruptly parted ways last week without any public explanation.

Braatz has not commented to the media on the advice of her attorney. However, she did send a letter with a number of unspecified allegations to the chamber's board. That letter has not been obtained by the Post Bulletin.

Paul Richardson, the chamber's vice president of development and operations, said Monday that he could not give any specifics about what was in the letter.

Richardson said the chamber's executive committee met Monday morning to discuss the letter and how Braatz's departure was covered in the media. The full chamber board of directors then met in the afternoon.

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"The decision was made to bring in an outside firm to investigate the allegations," said Richardson, who was chosen to serve as spokesman for the chamber instead of board Chairwoman Lisa Clarke or President Rob Miller.

He said the outside firm was expected to be in Rochester today to start the investigation.

Richardson said the investigator is being chosen by the chamber's attorney in this matter, Greg Griffiths, of the Rochester law firm Dunlap & Seeger. Griffiths is also a member of the chamber's 26-person board of directors.

This move to bring in an outside investigator is the first public reaction by the chamber after days of unrest. Since Braatz's depature from her position, several chamber members spoke out in favor of Braatz and criticized the chamber leadership . Some, like Carpet One and others, were spurred to cancel longtime memberships.

However, Richardson said no major members have left the chamber.

"We've seen a few members calls  I'd say a couple of handfuls of smaller members have canceled," he said. "No larger employers canceled."

During Braatz's time with the organization, it grew to be the largest and most active chamber in Minnesota. It currently has 1,517 members.

Braatz' departure was the latest in a string of staff members leaving the chamber since Miller became president in 2014. Richardson, who had worked with Miller in Arizona, joined the chamber soon after.

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Government Affairs Director Julie Fiesel and the leader of the Rochester Area Chamber Foundation, Julie Brock, both left the chamber in May. At the end of 2016, Membership Events Coordinator Becca Stiles-Nogosek left the chamber to go the Minnesota Children's Museum Rochester.

Richardson said, by comparison, 11 staff members left the chamber in the five years before Miller arrived.

"Two, who already had a foot out the door, left the chamber right after Rob started. Five have left since Rob has really been in charge," he said.

The chamber has started advertising to fill Braatz's former position.

"We have reached out to some candidates," Richardson said. "There are already some folks interested."
WINONA  Members of a school district task force that recommended an upgrade and expansion plan for the Winona Area Public Schools' proposed $82.4 million bond referendum said Monday that they will not support the referendum after all, because the plan they'd crafted has since been rewritten by the school board.

"The school board did their own thing. How do we get the public past that?" said Dennis Meyer, a former task force member and one of more than a dozen people who came to a discussion session on the referendum Monday at Winona High School.

As it is now written, the referendum plan calls for closing two of Winona's current elementary schools  Jefferson and Madison  and keeping open Goodview, Washington-Kosciusko and Rollingstone. The referendum would expand both Goodview and W-K, and take care of a backlog of deferred maintenance at all of the schools.

The two referendum options the task force recommended last fall would have kept Jefferson and Goodview open, which would have cost nearly $90 million with other improvements in the district and save $1.2 million annually in operating costs. Another option would have cost $94 million and saved $900,000 annually.

Schools Superintendent Rich Dahman said one of the reasons the district opted to change the plans and keep W-K open was to have a school on the east side of the city. While the school is on a small lot with little green space, the district is talking to adjacent landowners about acquiring their properties to expand the school's footprint. But until the referendum passes, nothing can be negotiated.

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Amanda Indra, another member of the task force, described little public support for keeping W-K open.

"I live on the east end," she said. "I haven't had a single person tell me they are passionate about having a school on the east end."

Indra added that while she has talked to many parents, teachers and others in the community, all have agreed the district needs to downsize, but none agree the schools represented on the ballot this fall are the right schools.

The referendum is up for a vote Nov. 7.

Monday's meeting began with Dahman outlining his plan to educate the public on the facts of the bond referendum. He said that while the district's goal is not to convince people which way to vote, it will provide information on the benefits of passing the referendum.

"We've been talking about facilities for quite a long time," he said. "The current financial state of the district is not sustainable. We need to make adjustments."

The referendum plan now proposed by the school district would save an estimated $1.1 million per year in operating costs. The district is in a dire financial situation, Dahman said, with its fund balance down to a razor-thin 7 percent of its annual operating costs, and will have to make further spending cuts in each of the next few years, even if voters approve the $82.4 million bond. And if voters reject it, he said, "The option would be to come back in the spring or fall with another referendum."

The referendum would mean a tax increase of $150 annually on a home valued at $150,000, Dahman said.

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The Winona Area Public Schools has scheduled three public meetings to discuss its upcoming bond referendum. Those include:

 6 p.m. Sept. 14: public information session, Winona Senior High School, 901 Gilmore Ave., Winona.

 6 p.m. Sept. 21: public meeting on Review and Consent, Winona City Hall, 207 Lafayette St., Winona (before the school board meeting).

 6 p.m. Sept. 24: public information session, Winona Middle School, 1570 Homer Road, Winona.
ST. PAUL  Gov. Mark Dayton and top Republican lawmakers took their legal battle to the state's highest court Monday, arguing before the Minnesota Supreme Court in a case that will determine whether the Legislature will receive its funding and could set major precedents surrounding the governor's authority.

It's the latest in the continuing fallout from the messy end to this year's legislative session. Dayton line-item vetoed the $130 million operating budget for the House and Senate while signing the rest of a $46 billion budget in May, in what was a bid to force lawmakers to reduce a $650 million tax bill and other measures.

But the Legislature sued, calling it a blatant violation of the separation of powers  and a lower court agreed, striking down the veto and restoring lawmakers' funding earlier this summer. Dayton appealed and put the squabble before the Supreme Court.

It was unclear when a ruling may come. But the court is tilted heavily in Dayton's favor: The Democratic governor has appointed four of its seven justices, and one of the three Republican appointees, Justice David Stras, has recused himself from the case.

"It's my hope in the end that they do the job they're supposed to," Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said after the hearing.

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Monday's arguments took place in the Supreme Court's ornate chambers inside the Capitol, just down the hall from House and Senate floors and above the governor's office. The six justices barely allowed attorneys to introduce themselves before grilling both sides with questions about the ramifications of overturning the lower court's decision or allowing it to stand.

Dayton's attorney, Sam Hanson, called his line-item veto the most "surgical" option to extract concessions from top Republican lawmakers. Hanson said vetoing the full tax bill instead could have forced layoffs of 1,300 employees at the Department of Revenue due to a "poison pill" in that bill. Dayton has objected to several massive tax breaks in that bill, as well as provisions that changed teacher licensure and a ban on issuing driver's licenses to immigrants living in the state illegally.

"It was the least disruptive solution," Hanson said. "It was an invitation to come back and negotiate."

Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea quickly quipped: "How can one side come back to negotiate without funding?"

Doug Kelley, the attorney for the Legislature, called Dayton's action an improper use of the line-item veto that would effectively abolish the Legislature. But several justices prodded Kelley on whether lawmakers should have stuck around the Capitol rather than adjourn soon after passing the final budget, giving them an option to renegotiate the bills or override Dayton's veto.

And at least two Dayton appointees questioned whether the so-called poison pill was wise.

"This situation is a little bit of the Legislature's own making, isn't it?" asked Justice Natalie Hudson.

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FARGO, N.D.  A suspect in the death of a pregnant woman initially claimed the woman gave up her newborn daughter but later admitted taking advantage of her to get the child, according to court documents filed Monday that shed no light on how the woman died.

Brooke Crews, 38, and her boyfriend William Hoehn, 32, were each charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the death of 22-year-old Savanna Greywind. But the brief charging summary does not reveal how police and prosecutors believe Greywind died.

Greywind, who was eight months pregnant when she disappeared Aug. 19, was the subject of several large searches before her body was spotted by kayakers Sunday night in the Red River near Fargo, wrapped in plastic and duct tape.

"Savanna was a victim of a cruel and vicious act of depravity," Fargo police Chief David Todd said.

The complaint offers conflicting stories from the two suspects. Crews told police she arranged to have Greywind come to her apartment on Aug. 19 and told her how to induce labor. Greywind came back two days later to give her the newborn baby, Crews said.

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"Crews admitted she had taken advantage of Savanna Greywind in an attempt to obtain her child and possibly keep the child as her own," the complaint said.

But Hoehn told police a different story, according to the documents. He said he came home Aug. 19 to find Crews cleaning up blood in their bathroom. Hoehn says Crews presented him with an infant baby girl and said: "This is our baby. This is our family."

Hoehn told police he took garbage bags containing bloody shoes and his bloody towels and disposed of them away from the apartment complex, according to the documents.

Crews and Hoehn are also charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and giving false information to police. They didn't enter pleas during a court hearing Monday. Bond was set at $2 million for each of the suspects.

Neither showed much emotion, although Hoehn objected to the bail amount as "unattainable for any regular person."

Their court-appointed attorneys, Stormy Vickers for Hoehn and Monty Mertz for Crews, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Family members declined to comment outside the courtroom. Amanda Vivier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, said she struggled with her emotions during the hearing. Greywind was also a member of the tribe.

"I have a lot of anger," said Vivier, spiritual director for the Native American Christian Ministry, a church frequented by the Greywind family. "I've got a lot of questions that I don't know how to process."

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The two suspects were neighbors of Greywind. Authorities recovered her body from the Red River on Sunday night, three days after finding the newborn. The girl, who was in good health, was with Crews when she was arrested.

Police say Crews and Hoehn acknowledged it is Greywind's child, but say they are doing DNA testing to be sure.

At the same time Greywind's body was found, Todd said, a farmstead on the Minnesota side of the river that is the border between that state and North Dakota was being searched and suspicious items were found that led authorities to believe it might be a crime scene.

Todd did not say whether there were signs of trauma to Greywind's body, which was undergoing an autopsy in Minnesota's Ramsey County.

A memorial was started on Monday on the steps of the apartment building where Greywind lived with her parents and where she was last seen alive.

It included flowers, candles, stuffed animals and a portrait of a young Native American woman with the inscription: "May the stars carry your sadness away, may the flowers fill your heart with beauty, may hope forever wipe away your tears, and above all, may silence make you strong!"
I have been following the ongoing cage match between Minnesota Democratic Governor Mark Dayton and Minnesotas majority-Republican House and Senate in this series. Its an interesting story that deserves national attention as a sign of the political times.

At the end of this years slightly extended legislative session Dayton signed all tax and budget bills. He could have vetoed any of them. Even though he professed extreme unhappiness with certain items, he signed the bills The package of budget, tax and state government bills that finally passed reflected compromises on the part of all participants including Dayton and his commissioners.

As a result of his unhappiness with certain items, however, Governor Dayton exercised his authority to veto budgetary line items to wipe out the funding of the legislative branch. Dayton explained himself in the letter posted here.

Dayton demanded that Republicans revisit selected issues on his terms after they had already given ground elsewhere to arrive at the bills that were sent to him for his signature and adjourned. Unlike some other Republicans I can think of on the national scene, they werent inclined to make fools of themselves.

In the letter Dayton described one provision of the special session state government finance bill as treachery. Dayton to the contrary notwithstanding, however, the provision was included in every draft of the bill shared with the governors administration. The bill was made publicly available online at 6:00 a.m. on May 24 and was sent directly to the governors senior staff prior to being made public. The legislature allowed for public review of the bill for more than 36 hours prior to passage on May 25 at 8:00 p.m. In addition to the ample time the governor had to review the bill, Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Myron Frans and the governors senior staff discussed the bill language with legislative staff on numerous occasions and never raised this provision as a point of concern.

Daytons decision to strike legislative funding is another matter. The governor cant do that, can he?

In search of the answer, the legislature took Governor Dayton to court. In asking a judge to weigh in on the issue of whether one branch can wipe out another, the thought is likely to occur that the judiciary might be next. Its an obvious point and one that did not escape Ramsey County Judge John Guthmann, to whom the case had been assigned.

The legislatures current funding expired on July 1. In an interim ruling last month Judge Guthmann required continued funding for the legislature through October 1. He drew on the Minnesota Constitution to support his ruling. If the legislative branch is not funded, it cannot carry out its core functions, which include those functions necessary to draft, debate, publish, vote on and enact legislation, Judge Guthmann wrote. The interim ruling foretold Judge Guthmann;s final decision in the case, ruling against Dayton on constitutional grounds. Judge Guthmanns order and supporting memorandum are posted here.

Governor Dayton appealed Judge Guthmanns ruling to the Minnesota Supreme Court, which accepted review on an expedited basis and heard oral argument of the governors appeal yesterday morning. The Minnesota Supreme Court has posted video of the oral argument here. (Justice Stras recused himself from the case.) The argument went for about 80 minutes; the video picture cut out on my viewing for about the last half.

Based on the oral argument, it seems clear to me that the Supreme Court is poised to reverse Judge Guthmanns ruling and remand the case to Judge Guthmann for an order funding the legislatures core functions beyond October 1 for as long as necessary. If and when Governor Dayton prevails on appeal, he can be expected to call a special session of the legislature specifically limited to revisiting provisions of the state government finance bill that he found objectionable.

Governor Dayton appointed four of the Minnesota Supreme Courts seven justices. The playing field is tilted in his favor. Even so, former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Sam Hanson did an excellent job arguing the case on behalf of the governor. He got away with characterizing Daytons line item veto as an invitation to negotiation and a lot of argument that begged the question, but he held his ground and drew on authority exactly where he had to.

Minnesota attorney Doug Kelley represented the legislature. I thought the highlight of Kelleys argument came when he sat down, but he sat down too late. As a matter of style, Kelley erred in habitually prefacing his response to the justices questions with: Listen. As a matter of substance, Kelley virtually gave his case away in the course of his argument.

I have seen this as a case that highlights the most offensive features of Governor Daytons public character and that lays the groundwork for one-man rule in the event of his success. I still think that is the reality of the case. Governor Daytons prospective victory represents a disappointing outcome that is only slightly offset by the prospect of an entertaining special session of the legislature.
This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the Detroit riots of 1967. Michael Barone reminds us that the rioting went on for six nights, with some 2,500 stores looted and burnt, some 400 families displaced, and property damage estimated at around $300 million in 2017 dollars. Forty-three people, many of them innocent bystanders, were killed. More than 1,000 people were wounded.

Even so, the riots were always going to be romanticized with the passage of time. With the rise of Black Lives Matter, the anti-Trump resistance, and antifa, the romance is turning into a love fest.

C-SPAN is doing its part. It televised a discussion in which several leftists declared the riots an uprising. They attributed the lawlessness and violence to police brutality and the black communitys sense that, for all the talk of civil rights, nothing had changed or was likely to change for them. In the portions of the program I watched, there was no suggestion that the rioters share the blame.

However, the discussion of how the riots started  the statement of facts, if you will  made me wonder. At around 3:30 in the morning, Detroit police officers raided a club known as a blind pig and arrested 85 customers for after hours drinking and gambling. According to one of the panelists, the club was called a blind pig because the police  the pigs  turned a blind eye to the unlawful after hours activity that took place there. [Note: It turns out that the term blind pig has nothing to do with police officers]

Now, illegal drinking and gambling do not justify roughing perpetrators up. Moreover, it would be foolish to deny that white racism existed in the Detroit police force of 1967.

Still, its clear that the police had grounds for the arrests. It also seems likely that many of those arrested for late night drinking were intoxicated. Thus, its likely that the police officers encountered more than a little belligerence.

In fact, they did. According to this account by a retired police officer who was there, people started throwing billiard balls at the officers. The violence escalated when white police officers tried to pull their undercover comrades, who were black, out of the room. It took about an hour to arrest everyone and load them into paddy wagons.

In the meantime, a crowd had gathered outside the blind pig. Its members saw their fellow black citizens being loaded, perhaps roughly in some cases, into the vans. They may not have been aware of the violent belligerence the police encountered.

The rioting was triggered not by the shooting or beating of any black, but by the actions of the unstable son of the blind pig owner who, in his words, was seeking the pleasure of hitting [a police officer] in the head, maybe killing him, When he threw a bottle at an officer for that purpose, all hell broke loose.

Did it break loose because the rioters believed that, for all the talk of civil rights, nothing had changed or was likely to change? I dont think so.

Plenty had changed by 1967. In 1964, Congress passed sweeping civil rights legislation. In 1965, it passed major voting rights legislation.

Detroit had elected Jerome Cavanagh mayor. Barone describes him as a young, bright and ambitious liberal He was elected with near-unanimous support of black voters [and] had aggressively launched anti-poverty programs, trying to make the nations fifth largest municipality a model of the Great Societys War on Poverty.

Things probably were changing for African Americans in Detroit more rapidly than ever before.

To be sure, the black community still had obvious reasons for discontent. However, as Barone says, people throw bottles, break windows, loot stores and set fires when they think that enough other people will be doing the same as to make them immune from punishment. That was the case in Detroit beginning shortly after the rioting commenced, when police officers were ordered not to shoot.

The riots were not premeditated. They had no explicit policy goals. A crowd fueled by hatred and, most likely, liquor tested the web of civilization (as Barone puts it) and found it weak.

Its an old story and one that should never be romanticized.

NOTE: I edited this post slightly after a reader informed me that the term blind pig was not a reference to the police.
We have written about the war on standards. Most of the time, this war takes the form of attempts to bulldoze standards of conduct and achievement that stand in the way of equal distribution of societys benefits and prizes to Blacks.

Usually the standards are specific, as are the potential consequences of falling short. A certain test score must be attained to qualify for a job. A criminal law, if disobeyed, can result in a prison sentence. A rule for students, if violated, can result in suspension.

The war on these standards consists of demanding that the standard be changed. The cut-off score for passing the test must be lowered or, better yet, the test eliminated entirely. The criminal law must be taken off the books or the sentence for violation be reduced. Rules for student conduct must be softened and alternatives to suspension used to enforce them.

But there are some standards that are unwritten and cultural. No specific penalty attaches to refusal to adhere to them; nor, in most cases, does society demand adherence. No one imposes the standards in any formal way. But those who do not adhere are far more likely to encounter difficulties than those who do, and society will suffer if lack of adherence becomes widespread.

There is no cure. A test or a criminal law can be eliminated. If that happens, it becomes a dead letter. But failure to do what is good for you and/or society will tend to be bad for you and/or society, even if the standard falls out of fashion.

Here is a good a statement of the standards (or norms) I have in mind. It comes from professors Amy Wax (University of Pennsylvania) and Larry Alexander (University of San Diego):

Get married before you have children and strive to stay married for their sake. Get the education you need for gainful employment, work hard, and avoid idleness. Go the extra mile for your employer or client. Be a patriot, ready to serve the country. Be neighborly, civic-minded, and charitable. Avoid coarse language in public. Be respectful of authority. Eschew substance abuse and crime.

This statement appears in an op-ed praising what professors Wax and Alexander call Americas 1950s bourgeois culture. They were careful to stipulate, as any fair observer would, that there was racial discrimination, limited sex roles, and pockets of anti-Semitism in that culture. However, they insisted that the modern loss of bourgeois habits seriously impeded the progress of disadvantaged groups.

They wrote:

All cultures are not equal. Or at least they are not equal in preparing people to be productive in an advanced economy. The culture of the Plains Indians was designed for nomadic hunters, but is not suited to a First World, 21st-century environment. Nor are the single-parent, antisocial habits, prevalent among some working-class whites; the anti-acting white rap culture of inner-city blacks; the anti-assimilation ideas gaining ground among some Hispanic immigrants. These cultural orientations are not only incompatible with what an advanced free-market economy and a viable democracy require, they are also destructive of a sense of solidarity and reciprocity among Americans. If the bourgeois cultural script  which the upper-middle class still largely observes but now hesitates to preach  cannot be widely reinstated, things are likely to get worse for us all.

Sadly, these are fighting words nowadays  literally, at times. Fortunately, the professors have not been attacked physically, at least not yet. However, Rachel Frommer of the Washington Free Beacon reports that the two have been condemned by a coalition of University of Pennsylvania students, alumni, and, faculty as bigots engaging in racist and white supremacist discourse.

In a letter to the school newspaper, the coalition claimed that the professors are complicit in and guilty of normalizing white supremacy through their op-ed. Drawing on the familiar mindless jargon of the contemporary left, the coalition members insist that the culture Wax and Alexander described, if understood within [its] sociocultural context, stem[s] from the very same malignant logic of hetero-patriarchal, class-based, white supremacy that plagues our country today.

They added: These cultural values and logics are steeped in anti-blackness and white hetero-patriarchal respectability, i.e. two-hetero-parent homes, divorce is a vice, and the denouncement of all groups perceived as not acting white enough i.e. black Americans, Latino communities, and immigrants in particular.

Naturally, they also called on the University of Pennsylvania administration to investigate Waxs advocacy for white supremacy.

Here we see a common thread between the usual war on standards  e.g., tests and laws  and the war being waged against professors Wax and Alexander for advocating bourgeois values. If blacks arent as successful as whites on a test or as compliant as whites with a law, the law or test must be modified or give way. If blacks arent as successful as whites in avoiding a particular social pathology, then the social pathology must be deemed non-pathological  indeed, non-harmful  and those who dont go along with the charade must be investigated for advocating white supremacy.

We also see this difference. The law specifically disclaims the notion that using a selection device that disproportionately excludes blacks constitutes intentional discrimination, let alone white supremacy. The mob that wants to run Professor Wax out of Penn for advocating cultural norms she says helped strengthen America shows no such intelligence or restraint.

Wax isnt backing down, though. This was her response:

What the objections boil down to is that the bourgeois virtues are somehow racist, or somehow cause racismcontentions that I and my co-author expressly contest, of course. But if, indeed, bourgeois values are so racist, the progressive critics should be out there in the street demonstrating against them, stripping them from their own lives, and forbidding their children to practice them. They should be chanting, No more work, more crime, more out of wedlock babies, forget thrift, lets get high!  Of course, theres little chance were going to see anything like that, which shows the hollowness, indeed the silliness, of the critiques.

Wax is no white supremacist. She may be an optimist.

Alexander said this:

The charges of racism, white supremacy, etc. are, sadly, the predictable responses of those who cant refute the claims we made. And those charges are laughable, given that I was a civil rights marcher and have a multi-racial family. But, of course, when you dont have the facts on your side, you resort to calling names. Pathetic!

Alexander reports that he has not received any backlash from his campus community. Not yet, anyway.
Divorce rumours are trailing top Nollywood actress, Uche Jombo, for the third time in two months. But this time around, the 37-year-old actress says she wont have any of it, and has asked Nigerians to steer clear of her family and marriage.

Jombo reacted to yet viral reports that she had secretly divorced her Puerto Rican husband, Kenney, who is alleged to have cheated on her with a 22-year-old American.

Writing on her Instagram on Tuesday, she wrote, If you are going make up stories about my life or marriage, try facts. Normally I will look at this stupid trending story on me today and look the other way but not today. I find your need to create mirage tales of rancour where there are none in chase of a story/news outrageous.

Theres no story here except a woman trying to balance her family life and work in two countries. Please leave my family out of your manufactured made up stories, there are more important stories, real issues in world people are worried about than little old me.

She also described the rumours as negative inaccurate press, and revealed that she has taken legal action against those peddling the speculations.

The rumours began in July when leaked photos of Kenney in a compromising position with a young lady surfaced online. The images were allegedly taken in Kenneys home, same one he shares with Uche whenever she visits the United States.

Jombo, however, fueled the speculations when she deleted photos of Kenney from her page and dropped his name.

The couple tied the knots in May 2012, in the Caribbean. The union is blessed with a son.

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The U.S. Department of Defence is pre-positioning troops, search and rescue units, aircraft, vehicles, equipment and supplies to staging areas near the worst of the flooding in south-eastern Texas in anticipation of a possible request for assistance.

Pentagon spokesman, Robert Manning, gave the response efforts to Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, and summarized activities of the Texas National Guard and the National Guard Bureau.

Continuing rainfall from the hurricane is expected to cause devastating and life-threatening flooding throughout this week, Mr. Manning said, adding, Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims.

On Sunday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a memorandum of agreement approving a dual-status command, Mr. Manning said, which authorised one commander to direct active-duty and National Guard forces.

Mr. Abbott on Monday activated his states entire National Guard force in response to Hurricane Harvey, bringing the total number of deployed Texas Guard members to roughly 12,000.

The Texas National Guard currently has 16 aircraft and personnel conducting day and night wide-area search and rescue missions along the Texas coast from Corpus Christi to Houston.

That effort includes 10 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, four UH-72 Lakota multi-mission helicopters, and two CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopters, Manning said.

Mr. Manning explained that the New York Air National Guard had provided one C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, three HH-60 Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopters and two C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.

And six rotary-wing aircraft from the Utah, Nebraska and North Carolina Army National Guard are en route to the area.

Seven fixed-wing aircraft from the U.S. Coast Guard and Air National Guard are in support, he added, and the Texas National Guard is using about 200 Humvees, 218 high-water vehicles, 15 wreckers and 19 fuellers.

Mr. Manning said the U.S. Northern Command is poised to provide the departments support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the federal lead. State and local response agencies are in the lead for their own response efforts.

Department of Defense has provided Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Seguin Auxiliary Airfield as a forward staging area to support distribution of supplies and equipment to the affected areas.

And Department of Defense has prepositioned a search and rescue unit that includes two search and rescue planners, nine search and rescue rotary-wing aircraft, two fixed-wing aircraft, pararescue teams and associated command-and-control  elements, Mr. Manning added.

The search and rescue asset were deploying to Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth in Texas, he said, and the Defense Logistics Agency has pre-positioned logistics management and resource support, including 11 generators, 50,000 gallons of gasoline and 50,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

Safety is the number one priority. We urge residents in the affected areas to continue to follow the instructions of state, local and tribal officials and to stay away from evacuated areas until they are told the areas are safe, Mr. Manning said.

(NAN)

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The EU in Nigeria has promised to intervene in the visa procurement challenge faced by some Nigerian students on `Erasmus Plus Scholarship to some European countries.

The Deputy Head of EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Richard Young, said this on Monday in Abuja at the pre-departure orientation for 17 awardees of the 2017 edition of the scholarship.

The students are scheduled to leave Nigeria in September for seven different countries -UK, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and France for two years academic programme.

Mr. Young explained that Erasmus plus was an initiative funded by the EU with international focus offering different higher education opportunities for individuals and institutions in partner countries.

According to him, it builds on the experience of more than 25 years of EU programmes in higher education and supports the exchange of students, academics, ideas and good practices between institutions.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some of the awardees lamented the delay and inability to secure visa for the two years programme from Spain, Netherlands, Italy and Portugal

Seven of the awardees had also expressed concern that they might miss the academic session because of the difficulties being encountered in securing visas from those countries.

Four of them said that they were having difficulties to secure Spanish visa while one each was having difficulties in securing visas from Italy, Netherlands and Portugal.

The envoy however pledged to wade into the issue and ensure that they travel as and when due for their programme.

He promised to write note verbals to the embassies of the affected countries to look into the visa procurement for those having issues in securing visa.

Mr. Young said that 17 students from Nigeria would join more than four million young people to acquire skill and experiences by studying, training or volunteering abroad though Erasmus plus.

The programme supports over 125,000 institutions and organisations to work in peers in other countries to innovate, modernise teaching practice and youth work, he said

The 17 students are from various Nigerian institutions among which are Federal University of Technology Akure, University of Abuja, Kwara State University, University of Lagos and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

Others are University of Ibadan, Yaba Technology, Lagos Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, University of Benin.

(NAN)

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The Buhari administration has reached out to the U.S. government to step up its assistance in ensuring that corrupt officials dont get a safe haven abroad for their loot, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said.

Mr. Osinbajo, who made the call on Monday during the visit of a U.S. Congressional Delegation to the Presidential Villa, said both countries were working on a prompt repatriation of the funds.

We have reached out to the U.S. government with respect with helping with repatriation of proceeds of crime and proceeds of corruption, he said.

The vice president, who was appreciative of the support given by the U.S. so far, said the Buhari administration regarded corruption is an existential threat that must be dealt with at its root.

We have worked quite closely with the U.S. government on repatriation of funds, we have seen some results, he said, adding that the federal government is hoping for more improvement in the process.

We think that this is very important because what tends to happen with corrupt public officials is that if they are able to find a safe haven for the proceeds of their criminality, not only are they encouraged as individuals but there is the general feeling that if I am able to get the proceeds out of the country I might just get away with it, the vice president said.

According to him, this is one of the reasons why we have taken several actions to ensure that we are able to deal with it because some of the major dislocations in the economy are on account of the problems that we have seen with corruption.

He said the Buhari presidencys strategy, which is one of the most effective ways of fighting corruption is ensuring that these proceeds are unsafe and for people to know that they would be found out and they would be punished for it and we would seize whatever profit they had gain.

Mr. Osinbajo also spoke on the need to rescue the remaining Chibok girls still in the custody of the Boko Haram. The over 100 girls are part of the more than 200 kidnapped by the terror group in 2014 from their secondary school in Chibok, Borno State.

The vice president indicated the governments intention to continue to negotiate for the release of the girls, like it did for the release of others freed by the terror group.

The release of the Chibok girls is a front burner issue for us all the time, there is no question of not continuing to negotiate and looking for the girls, he said.

He expressed gratitude to God for the hope that the girls are still alive and would be released, noting that negotiations were continuing and government would keep looking for the opportunity to bring them back.

Mr. Osinbajo thanked the U.S. government for its recent decision to sell Super Tucano aircrafts to Nigeria to aid its fight against insurgency in the North-east.

A U.S. Senator, Christopher Coons, who led the delegation said the visit was to reaffirm the relationship between Nigeria and the United States, noting that the U.S. has an enduring enthusiasm and partnership with Nigeria.

Other members of the Congressional delegation include, Senator Gary Peters, Senator Jeff Merkley, Senator Michael Bennet, Representative Lisa Rochester, Representative Terri Sewell, Representative Charlie Dent, Representative Barbara Lee and Representative Frederica Wilson. They were accompanied by the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington.

Also in attendance were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffery Onyeama, Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babgana Monguno, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.

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A Lagos Division of the Federal High Court on Tuesday fixed September 5 to hear arguments from counsel on why he should not deliver judgment on the fundamental rights application filed by Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans.

Justice Abdulaziz Anka, who had earlier fixed today for judgment, said he would not go ahead when there are pending applications before him.

The question is, can I still go ahead when there are still motions before me and the fact that the applicant refused service? Mr. Anka asked.

Ive read the case file, Ive seen the processes attached inclusive of a court order.

The judge had adjourned on August 16 to deliver a judgment on the fundamental rights application filed by Mr. Onwuamadike. The first and second respondents, the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force, did not send a legal representative throughout the hearing.

But the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, the third and fourth respondents, were represented by lawyers who argued that their colleagues were not served the court process.

On Tuesday, David Igbodo, a lawyer, announced appearance for the first and second respondents, saying they did not receive any court process in Abuja.

Mr. Igbodo, a Commissioner of Police (Legal), said they had filed a motion before the judge making five applications, including an order seeking to set aside the ruling on August 16 as well as the adjournment for judgment without hearing his clients.

He also said the police was seeking an order to set aside the purported application and submission made by Henry Obiazi without authority, and an order granting leave to the first and second respondents to file their counter affidavits.

Parties have been served though the applicant, I was told, refused to accept service, said Mr. Igbodo.

The application is before your lordship, its our belief that this court is a court of justice.

In his response, Mr. Ogungbeje said he never received any application from the police, insisting that the last adjournment had been for judgment and not to entertain fresh applications.

It is our strong view to the learned counsel to the first and second respondents that his application is calculated to arrest the judgment of the court, said Mr. Ogungbeje.

The lawyer also said he could not have refused service from the police because he was out of town.

After the judge said he would be unable to go ahead with the judgment until the pending applications before him are heard, the lawyers from both sides could not agree on the next date for adjournment.

Mr. Igbodo said he would be traveling to China on official assignment next week and requested for a date in the last week of September.

This matter is very important to the IG (Inspector General). Before that 25th (of September, the applicant will be charged to court, Mr. Igbodo added.

But Mr. Ogungbeje disagreed, insisting that his client needs to know his fate as soon as possible.

The judge stood down the matter for both parties to agree on a date, and later adjourned to September 5 to hear arguments.

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The group of protesters led by Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, on Tuesday ended its two-day sit-out in front of the head office of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, with a demand that the agency prosecutes former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and other corrupt public officials in Nigeria.

The group began its latest protest on Monday at the entrance of the EFCC head office in Abuja to demand the repatriation of Mrs. Alison-Maduekwe from the United Kingdoms to Nigeria.

EFCC officials had received the protesters on Monday and assured them that the agency would follow the rule of law in treating the case against the former minister.

In a statement issued by the Secretary to the Commission, Emmanuel Aremo, the anti-graft agency said it remained committed to the rule of law, as this was paramount in the fight against corruption.

Shortly after reciting the national anthem, the protesters commenced their peaceful rally at about 9:20 a.m. chanting:

What we are demanding, Bring BackDiezani! No going back ooo. No going Back!!

If you see Diezani ooo

Tell am say make she come for her trial ooo!

Mrs. Alison-Madueke is currently standing trial in Nigeria and the UK for alleged misappropriation of the nations funds while she held sway as minister during Goodluck Jonathans administration.

Co-convener of the campaign, Deji Adeyanju, said the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies in Nigeria should not be partisan in prosecuting public officials that steals public funds.

We want all looters to be prosecuted whether they are PDP or APC. We want everyone who steals Nigerian money to be prosecuted and when found guilty, they should be jailed, he said.

That is what our group is demanding and these demands are very simple and very clear. It is not out of place, these demands are not out of place.

We genuinely believe that the greatest way for us as a nation, as a people to progress is when people like Diezani Madueke who did what was wrong, who took taxpayers money to build houses in America, in London, in Dubai, they were giving money, they were buying yacht, we believe that those who did that must be held accountable.

The Minister of Information Lai Mohammed, was asked whether Diezani Alison will be brought back and we saw his body language. He was weak, he was indirectly saying that the government is powerless.

So, what it means is that this woman who stole so much money can just run away to a foreign country and for two years our government cannot do anything about it. We are powerless, we cannot even make a repatriation order to the United Kingdom, Mr. Adeyenju said.

He insisted that government should be hard on those who have stolen public funds.

And this is what our group expects and we expect nothing less, he said.

Adebayo Raphael, secretary of the group, said the war against corruption must be fought tenaciously, vigorously and un-selectively.

It does not matter how we start; what matters is that the war is being fought,Mr. Raphael said.

It does not matter whether it is Diezani or someone else; what matters is that we are asking relevant national questions.

Just yesterday after we left here, the EFCC secured a major case of Diezani in court. N7.6 billion permanently forfeited and that is to tell you that not only the EFCC but also what we are doing is of great importance to this nation.

In Nigeria, theres no gain saying that corruption has crippled our nation. Our sufferings are ever growing and our conditions further exacerbating because for too long, we have been silent and we have enabled looters like Diezani and others to make away with our national wealth, he added.

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The Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday night travelled to Saudi Arabia to join millions of Muslim faithful gathered in the Holy Land for this years Hajj.

A statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said Mr. Saraki would also use the opportunity to pray for the health of President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the unity, stability, and development of Nigeria.

He will spend the period of the holy pilgrimage to pray for more success for the Eighth National Assembly in the execution of its legislative agenda which is aimed at helping to improve the standard of living of the citizenry and positively transform the national economy, the statement added.

The senate president is expected back early September when the Hajj is expected to have been completed by pilgrims.

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The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has given the federal government a 21-day ultimatum to resolve the Academic Staff Union of Universities strike action to enable the students return to school.

The association warned that students would shut down the country if the government fails to resolve the issues and end the strike within the stipulated time.

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the National President of NANS, Chinonso Obasi.

The association called on government and ASUU to have constructive engagement to resolve the lingering issues that led to the declaration of the strike.

Mr. Obasi said incessant and prolonged strike was one of the factors responsible for the falling standard of education in Nigeria.

Incessant strikes and stoppage of academic activities as a result of lack of agreements or lack of adherence and implementation of duly executed memorandum of agreements between the Federal Government and ASUU do not reflect and demonstrate commitment to the sustainable development of the nations education sector and human capital, he said.

Mr. Obasi said NANS had called on the Nigerian Senate to convene an emergency meeting to deliberate on the strike and other issues of critical national importance.

NANS will await the outcome of meeting (between government and ASUU) to determine the next line of action, he said.

The association called on the parties to demonstrate sensitivity and patriotism to resolve the issues to save education in the nation and avert unfortunate developments associated with the idleness of young people.

ASUU is on an indefinite strike to press home multiple demands, including poor funding of universities and part payment of lecturers salaries; but deliberations are going on between the union and the federal government.

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The Supreme Court has been urged by the Lagos State Government to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal which acquitted Hamza al-Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan of the murder of Kudirat Abiola.

The Lagos government wants the apex court to uphold the death sentence passed on Messrs. al-Mustapha and Shofolahan by Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State High Court on January 30, 2012.

The state governments appeal was contained in a 10-ground notice of appeal filed against the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

The state government filed the notice of appeal following an earlier order of the Supreme Court on January 12, granting the appellant leave to file the notice of appeal outside the time frame stipulated by law.

The appellant told the apex court in its notice of appeal that the testimonies of its star witnesses, Barnabas Jabila, also known as Sergeant Rogers, and Mohammed Abdul, who had confessed to their roles in the murder, were detailed and consistent.

It claimed that the contradictions in the witnesses testimonies were not material enough to warrant the decision of the Court of Appeal to disregard their entire evidence.

It therefore contended that the Court of Appeal erred in discharging and acquitting Messrs. al-Mustapha and Shofolahan.

Kudirat, wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola, popularly known as MKO, was gunned down in Lagos on June 4, 1996.

Both Mr. al-Mustapha, a former chief security officer to then Head of State, Sani Abacha; and Mr. Shofolahan, were on January 30, 2012 sentenced to death by a Lagos State High Court for the murder of the deceased.

But the Court of Appeal in Lagos on July 12, 2013 discharged and acquitted both men on the grounds of lack of credible evidence.

In its judgment delivered on July 12, 2013 by its bench of three justices led by Amina Augie (now a Justice of the Supreme Court), the Court of Appeal held that the testimonies of Ore Falomo, as first prosecution witness, and Ahmed Yusuf, the fourth prosecution witness, were irrelevant and unreliable.

It added that the oral evidence and statements of Messrs. Jabila and Abdul had been discredited under cross-examination and were therefore unreliable.

But the 10 grounds notice of appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal signed by the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Adeniji Kazeem, sought an order of the Supreme Court allowing the appeal, and another setting aside the judgment of the court below.

The Lagos State Government argued that the appeal court erred when it determined that there were material contradictions that rendered the testimony of PW2 (Barnabas Jabila) inconsistent and unreliable.

It insisted that Mr. Jabila, in his testimony before the Lagos State High Court, was consistent and that the details supplied by him were not materially controverted.

The Lagos State Government also faulted the Court of Appeals rejection of the testimony of Mr. Abdul. It argued that the Court of Appeal erred in law when it held that there were material contradictions that rendered the testimony of PW3 unreliable.

It said, PW3 gave graphic and detailed evidence of the conspiracy to and murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

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The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Tuesday praised President Muhammadu Buhari, saying his administrations agricultural reform policy had empowered more local farmers to enlist for this years hajj.

The Chairman of the nations pilgrimage agency, Abdullahi Mohammed, said the current governments agric policy had economically empowered several local farmers across the country to the extent that thousands of them were able to fund their trips for this years hajj.

A total 81,200 Nigerians are performing this years pilgrimage, and Mr. Mohammed said majority  at least 60 percent  of that figure are local farmers enriched by Mr. Buharis policy.

Each pilgrim paid about N1.5million for this years hajj.

In his speech at the 2017 Pre-Arafat meeting with stakeholders, Mr. Mohammed said, We airlifted 65,000 pilgrims from states, 4000 more than we did last year, and 16,200 from tour operators, 8000 more than we did in 2016.

We can also see that the reform policy of the Buhari administration in agriculture is working. Sixty percent of pilgrims are farmers and people who made money through agriculture.

The Buhari administration says it wants to diversify the economy in a manner that positions agriculture as its cornerstone.

Through its Anchor Borrowers Programme, the government has boosted the growing of rice across the country.

The country is also making efforts to export yam to other parts of the world, Agriculture Minister, Audu Ogbeh, recently said.

In his speech at the Makkah event, the NAHCON CEO, Mr. Mohammed, said he and his staff would continue to reform Nigerias hajj operation so it can continue to deliver better value to pilgrims.

Even if it means paying the ultimate price, me and my colleagues are ready for it, he said.

He said Nigerian pilgrims now enjoy better transportation and medical services while hajj officials are now more committed to their duties.

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The African Development Bank, AfDB, plans to invest about $24 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate the realisation of the food sufficiency agenda, its president, Akinwumi Adesina, said on Tuesday.

Mr. Adesina, who said the investment would be through the Banks Feed Africa Strategy would require paying attention to the implementation of plans to achieve the green revolution in Africa.

Speaking in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, ahead of the 7th African Green Revolution Forum, AGRF, scheduled between September 4 and 8, 2017, Mr. Adesina said the 2017 African Green Revolution Forum, AGRF would focus on Accelerating Africas Path to Prosperity: Growing Economies and Jobs through Agriculture.

He said the AfDB was leading a campaign to unlock the continents food and agriculture market, projected to hit $1 trillion by 2030.

We must hurry. Africas time to become the global powerhouse for food and agriculture is now. We are already late, the AfDB President.

At AGRF 2016, Mr. Adesina said many of Africas steadfast champions of agriculture had pledged over $30 billion in investments to increase production, income, and employment for smallholder farmers and local African agriculture businesses over the next 10 years.

The Forum would be hosted by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, AGRA, an African-led institution focused on putting farmers at the centre of the continents growing economies, committed to investing in Africas agricultural transformation.

AGRFs partners include the AfDB, the African Union, the African Fertiliser and Agribusiness Partnership, AFAP, AGRA, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, FAO, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD.

The other partners include Mastercard Foundation, the New Partnership for Africas Development, NEPAD, OCP Africa Group, The Rockefeller Foundation, the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), Syngenta, and YARA International.

Mr. Adesina, who noted that this years African Green Revolution Forum was coming as some African nations were being ravaged by drought and food insecurity, said this underlined why the focus of partners should be on implementation.

He said the Forum would be an opportunity to push efforts to make Africa self-sufficient in food production and transform agriculture into a wealth-creating sector.

Agriculture is booming in Africa and holds the greatest opportunity to boost African economies, build rural economies, lift millions out of poverty, and create jobs, he said.

He said the bank must work together with its partners, governments, the private sector, and development institutions to realise its objective.

This years and other interest groups to discuss the benefits to African economies of agriculture, which represents more than 70 per cent of employment.

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A department in Nigerias Ministry of Justice concluded 335 out of the 1,330 civil cases it started between 2015 and 2016.



In a statement on Tuesday from the office of his aide, Salihu Isah, the Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami, said 6,646 cases were filed by the ministry within the year under review.



According to the statement, the list included civil, criminal and terrorism related cases, among other things.



Of the cases determined, however, over 90 per cent were in favour of government, the statement said.



The Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN has revealed that the Federal Ministry of Justice has prosecuted a total of 6646 criminal cases in the last legal year from 2015 to 2016, stating that the Department of Public Prosecutions is saddled with the responsibility of prosecuting all crimes against the State.



Malami also highlighted as part of the activities and achievements of the Ministry that the Department of Civil Litigation Department concluded over 325 out of 1,330 civil cases within the period under review, the statement said.



The statement adds that the ministrys department of litigation succeeded in saving N119. 2 billion from the ministrys list of expenses for the period under review.



Within 2016/2017 judicial year, the department of Civil Litigation under the leadership watch and guide of Mr. Dayo Apata, the new Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, accumulatively saved the Federal Government a total sum of N119,217,179,105.00 (One Hundred and Nineteen Billion, Two Hundred and Seventeen Million, One Hundred and Seventy Nine Thousand, One hundred and Five Naira) and $14,696,532.00 (Fourteen Million, Six Hundred and Ninety Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Thirty Two US Dollars).



However, these cases reflect on different criminal conducts and omissions bothering on terrorism, oil theft, culpable homicide, rape, armed robbery, fatal accident, unlawful possession of arms, criminal negligence amongst others, the statement said.



It added that the Ministry of Justice was in close communication with other tiers of government to ensure the implementation of the rule of law and improve upon Nigerias justice system.



The statement however made no mention of criminal cases won.



Efforts to secure clarification on the saved fund, as indicated by the statement, failed.



When this newspaper contacted the ministers aide to confirm how it came about the N119.2 billion, Mr. Isah neither picked calls to him by PREMIUM TIMES nor responded to a text message.

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The Head, Media and Public Affairs, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Ibitoye Abosede, on Tuesday said that Federal Government owed NDDC N1.8 trillion since its inception 17 years ago.

Mr. Abosede disclosed this in Uyo at a one-day Media Capacity Building Workshop for members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom Council.

He lamented that non-remittance of the backlog of statutory allocations had hampered accelerated development in the region.

He said the federal government had mandated the Ministries of Niger Delta Affairs, Budget and National Planning to sit with the Board of NDDC with a view to ascertaining exactly how much was owed the commission.

The federal government has set up a committee to ascertain the exact money owed the commission, he said.

According to him, this is the first time that a sitting president will demonstrate this kind of political will towards ensuring sustainable development of the region.

Mr. Abosede, represented by Chijoke Amu-Nnadi of the department, explained that aside the arrears from the commissions statutory allocations, other associated funds for ecology, oil and gas, among others, had not been remitted.

These problems of funding and the challenges of the terrain in Niger Delta, which prides itself as the third largest wetland in the world, have hindered development in the region, he said.

He said that several projects worth N200 billion were cancelled across all the nine states of the region due to the challenge.

He noted that the present federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to addressing the challenges of funding in the commission.

Mr. Abosede said the current NDDC Board led by Nsima Ekere had been doing its best to sustain the tempo of development in the region.

He recalled that due to discontents that translated to arm struggle in the region, the setting up of the NDDC became necessary for sustainable development, economic and socio-political stability of the region.

Mr. Abosede said that the NDDC had intervened in no fewer than 64 roads projects, with about 50 per cent already completed in Akwa Ibom.

Because of funding challenge, it is difficult for the commission to complete some major projects in the region, he said.

He enjoined other development partners to work in tandem with the agency for sustainable development to thrive in the region.

He explained that the commission was heavily complementing the state government administrations development plans for the people.

Also speaking, Samuel Frank, NDDC Commissioner, Akwa Ibom, said that the commission was not at war with the Akwa Ibom Government.

He said that the commission was focusing on providing infrastructure to alleviate the suffering of the people.

Mr. Frank said that NDDC had done well in the state by rehabilitating roads in rural and urban centres of the state.

He solicited more cooperation with the media to foster development in the region.

(NAN)

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The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday in Auchi, Edo State inaugurated the Edo Fertilizer Plant and Chemical Company Limited.

The plant, said to have the capacity to produce about 60,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer in a year, was revived through a public, private venture about 14 years after it was abandoned.

According to a statement from Government House, Benin City, Edo State, Mr. Osinbajo was accompanied to the ceremony in the state by the Ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, and Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah.

He commended the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, for creating the enabling business environment for the revitalisation of the fertiliser plant.

Mr. Osinbajo expressed delight that 500 direct jobs had been created by the investment, stressing that much more employment opportunities would result from ancillary economic activities to be generated by the plant.

The President Buhari administration is committed to making it easy for investors to do business in the country, he said.

We want to achieve this through the promotion of transparency and efficiency. We want every state to be involved in this drive and create the enabling environment for business to thrive in their domain.

Mr. Osinbajo said fertiliser blending plants were being revitalised across Nigeria as a result of the presidential initiative to diversify the economy from crude oil, boost farming activities as well as develop the agriculture value chain.

He said the government was trying to make fertiliser, which is a major farm input, easily available and accessible to farmers as improved access to inputs would significantly enhance agricultural activities in the country.

In his remarks, Governor Obaseki said the ceremony was a milestone, as the facility was never operated for a day after it was launched by the state government about 14 years ago.

The aim of revitalising this plant is to make the state self-sufficient in food production and enable farmers get fertilizer at affordable prices. We in Edo State are determined to make food available in the country, he said.

The governor said the facility would go a long way in providing fertiliser for farmers in neighbouring states such as Kogi, Delta, Ondo and Anambra, as it was the only blending plant in the region.

Mr. Obaseki commended the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative as well as the management of WACOT, a private firm, for partnering with the state government in revamping the plant.

This achievement is an open call to other investors to bring in new technology, create more jobs and expand our economic opportunities, he said.

The governor called on the Otaru of Auchi, the community where the plant is located, to ensure the protection of the facility against vandalism as it creates a large range of opportunities for businesses in the community and the state.

Also speaking, the Group Managing Director of WACOT, Rahul Savara, commended Mr. Osinbajo for commissioning the plant and Mr. Obaseki for fostering the partnership between the state and his company.

He said the presidential Fertiliser initiative has made local production feasible and sustainable in the country, adding that the company would be made up of 95 per cent indigenous workers.

Speaking of the numerous benefits of having a fertiliser blending plant in the state, the state Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, said: Many jobs will be created, it will boost business activities, farmers will no longer go through undue hardship before they get fertiliser to buy and productivity will increase. We are keying into the federal government policy to make fertilizer affordable and available in the country.

In his remark, the Otaru of Auchi, Aliru Momoh, said the commissioning of the plant demonstrates Mr. Obasekis zeal to improve the economy as well as industrialise the state.

The governor brought in people to revamp this plant and told us at the palace that within three months, it will become functional, we thought it was a joke. But thanks to Allah that we are here to witness the commissioning of the plant, the traditional ruler said.

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Gunmen have abducted 11 people from a bus near Port Harcourt on Monday, two of the passengers who escaped from the armed gunmen have said.



Also, addressing journalists at the state police command headquarters in Port Harcourt, the State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Zaki, while confirming the incident on Tuesday morning condemned the incident adding that efforts are underway to rescue the victims and bring the perpetrators to book.



The passenger told our reporter that the ambush took place around 9 p.m. on Monday between Ndele and Elele Alimini communities.



After asking us to come out from the bus, they tried to take us inside the bush but five of us in the bus escaped before police and military personnel arrived the scene, the passenger, Amiekro Princewill, said.



Another passenger who escaped, Bright Belekwe, explained that 18 passengers and the driver, had embarked on the journey but 16 persons were in the vehicle after two others alighted earlier.



Though security operatives made up of the police and soldiers were said to have combed the area in search of the armed bandits, they couldnt locate the victims or their abductors.



We were 18 excluding the driver who boarded the bus from Rumuokoro going to Ahoada but when we got to Ndele, two people dropped. After that, between Ndele and Elele Alimini, hoodlums ambushed us and tried to take us inside the bush.

I and four others escaped before police personnel arrived the scene. We were ushered into another vehicle by the police which took us back to town, Mr. Belekwe said.

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The police have launched an investigation into the death of 10-year-old Somtochukwu Ibeanusi, who was killed on Saturday at the Owerri main market of Imo State during a midnight demolition exercise.

The state government carried out the demolition with soldiers and other security operatives providing cover for the team.

But traders and youth protested leading to the military reportedly opening fire on them. One of the bullets hit Somtochukwu who was helping his parents evacuate their goods, and he died on the spot.

The father of the deceased, Isaiah Ibeanusi, had accused soldiers from the 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, of killing his son.

The Imo state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, told PREMIUM TIMES that the command launched an investigation into the killing.

The case file had been transferred from the Owerri Urban Police Division to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID, he said.

The police boss also said the parents of the child have been invited to make further statements.

We will carry out an extensive investigation. A post-mortem would be conducted on the corpse. We are saddened by the development, but we would unravel the cause of the death.

Hedebunked reports of intimidation of the parents by the police adding that the police have no reason to try to sweep the matter under the carpet.

Similarly, the leadership of 34 Artillery Brigade has denied the allegation that Somtochukwu was gunned down by soldiers.

The spokesperson of the brigade, Haruna Tarwai, in a statement said attributing the death of the boy to the soldiers was malicious and was intended to put the army in public disrepute.

Soldiers, who were deployed at the scene, were stationed at the exit points of the market to prevent hoodlums from stealing goods and wares belonging to the traders, he told PREMIUM TIMES.

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The Olubadan of Ibadan, Saliu Adetunji, on Monday said his decision to oppose the review of the Olubadan chieftaincy system was not political.

He also condemned what he described as the desecration of the crown, by the Oyo State government.

The monarch was reacting to the recent elevation of 32 Ibadan chiefs to status of kings within Ibadan by the Oyo State government.

According to a statement released by the Director of Media and Public Affairs to the Olubadan palace, Adeola Oloko, the monarch also advised the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, to desist from portraying him in bad light before the public.

As a monarch, Im a father of all, irrespective of sex, ethnic and ideological persuasions, the statement said.

Since Friday, March 4, 2016, when I ascended the exalted throne of Olubadan, I have opened the gate of our palace wide to all manner of people. If you belong to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour, Accord and/or more, you are most welcome. So, politics has nothing to do with my resistance or opposition to the chieftaincy review spearheaded by the Oyo State government.

The monarch, however, said that the comment allegedly made by the governor suggesting that utterances from the palace are political, was unfortunate.

While I am aware that people react to age differently, I am not old enough to be misinterpreted by anybody, even at 89, the statement said.

Governor Ajimobi stated that he invited us to the Governors Office over this matter and visited me in the palace later.

While this is true, I wish to respectfully state that the Boade Panel was inaugurated on May 19, 2017, His Excellency, Governor Ajimobi, invited me to the Governors Office on Wednesday, June 14, 2017, after the panel had sat for four weeks. At that meeting, His Excellency, the Oyo State governor, the High Chiefs and State House correspondents would recall my opposition to the chieftaincy review. My question is: Did anybody put words in my mouth in that recorded tape?

When he invited me to his office and visited me in the palace on Sunday, June 18, 2017, the Boade Panel was almost through with its job. When we met at the inner chamber, what the governor came to tell me was that he knew I should have been consulted first. So, it is not true that I was consulted, as claimed by him.

The monarch explained further that if he had been duly contacted, the issues would have been properly addressed.

If I had been consulted, this error would have been avoided. The desecration of the crown would have been averted, the statement said.

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Minister Pawel Mucha

- There is no problem with the rule of law in Poland, Pawel Mucha, deputy head of the President's Office, said on Tuesday. The recent statements by French and German leaders are part of their election campaigns, the official added.

"Not every statement made in public, particularly in the election context, is a statement that calls for reaction from the Polish president", Minister Mucha told a private TV channel.

He stressed he did not approve of statements by any EU leaders that are related to the "internal situation of other member states".

French President Emmanuel Macron's and German Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent comments on the situation in Poland are part of their election campaigns, according to Pawel Mucha.

"I don't see any threat in Poland from the rule of law perspective. It is unfortunate that such statements are being made in public", he said.

Minister Mucha stressed that President Andrzej Duda protected Poland's interests. "We can rest assured with respect to security issues and cooperation within the EU and other formats that the Polish matters are run well", Pawel Mucha added. (PAP)
Families in the St. Sebastian Catholic School community are starting off the school year well-equipped with school supplies, thanks to an initiative spearheaded by Alliance Catholic Credit Union.

Pack to Give Back, the credit unions annual school supply campaign benefiting students and families in need, collected more than 1,200 items this year.

School supplies can be very costly for parents, especially if there is more than one child in the family, said St. Sebastian School Assistant Principal Gretchen Seurynck. The school is very grateful for all the donations.

Members and staff at the Credit Unions seven branches, located throughout southeast Michigan, pitched in to support the effort and delivered in a big way. The Dearborn branch alone collected more than 600 items this year.

This marks Alliance Catholics third year of the campaign that seeks to help students in need to start off the school year well-prepared. The initiative aligns with Alliance Catholics long-standing commitment to helping local communities.

Not only will St. Sebastian Catholic School students benefit from the school supplies, but also the children from the parish in the community at large who are in the afterschool Faith Formation program, Seurnyck added.
Sam Bazzi, a long-time Henry Ford College mathematics instructor, has been named the colleges first Arab American community liaison as of the fall semester.

The purpose of the newly-created position is to promote the mission of HFC within the Arab American community, continue to build and nurture personal relationships, and facilitate a productive dialogue regarding educational issues, policies, projects, and events with various Arab American institutes and the Dearborn Public Schools.

According to Bazzi, who will continue teaching mathematics, the duties of his new position as the Arab American community liaison include:

Developing channels of communication and collaborative projects between HFC and community organizations, including ACCESS, the Arab American Chamber of Commerce, the Arab American National Museum and the Dearborn Public Schools;

Meeting regularly with HFCs Arabic Cultural Studies Program Council to collaborate on projects and community outreach events;

Creating and maintaining a diversity and inclusion website, which will include a calendar of Arab American community events, as well as information for students, faculty, and staff about volunteer opportunities in the Arab American community;

Reporting concerns from the Arab American community and promoting college events, programs and activities;

Promoting new hiring opportunities within the Arab American community to increase the applicant pools in various positions; and

Maintaining accurate records and statistics of Arab American community resources.

The liaison is tasked with developing and maintaining positive channels of communication between HFC and major Arab American institutes in the Colleges service area, Bazzi said. The job requires someone who can foster relationships within the college and with external community stakeholders. It also requires someone who is fluent in English and Arabic, and who resides in Dearborn. My colleagues on the Arabic Cultural Studies Program Council recommended me in light of my credentials and my ability to communicate well with everyone in both languages.

A native of Lebanon, Bazzi earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in mathematics from the Lebanese University in Beirut and Wayne State University in Detroit, respectively. He taught in the Detroit Public Schools and as an adjunct at Wayne State, Oakland Community College and Owens Community College in Toledo.

I always loved the subject of mathematics and I was very good at it, Bazzi said. I was inspired by my high school teachers to pursue a career in teaching. I always had a passion for sharing the knowledge Ive acquired with others.

Additionally, Bazzi taught at the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates before coming to HFC in 2001. In late 2014, he took a leave of absence from HFC to work for the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco), one of the largest oil-producing companies in the world. He returned to the college in early 2016.

HFC offers a positive, secure, and safe working environment, he said. It is a pleasure to work with a great, dynamic team of mathematics instructors who are dedicated to student success. I am honored to be working at an educational institution such as HFC, which has a great reputation in the community and throughout the state of Michigan.

Dr. Cynthia Glass, HFC Vice President of Human Resources/Special Assistant to the President, believes Bazzi is the right fit for the Arab American community liaison.

This position is a direct result of HFCs commitment to diversity and equity, Glass said. Sam will serve as the voice of HFC in the Arab American community as we continue to develop and strengthen our many partnerships. He is a resident and is involved in the Dearborn community, has an excellent personal and professional reputation, and is deeply committed to the success of the students of Henry Ford College. We are very pleased that he has agreed to devote his time to this meaningful work.

Source: Henry Ford College
ATLANTIC CITY  Inspired by the disparity he saw in the success of female students over male students, and thanks to legislation passed this summer, a local teacher hopes to open the states first single-gender charter school next year to help local boys succeed.

The Frederick Douglass Charter School for Boys is in the midst of the final phase of its application process this week, founder Ricardo Belgrave said. He said he received notification last Wednesday the school passed stage two of the application process.

Belgrave, of Atlantic City, said educators, politicians, clergy and community members have thrown their support behind him.

They all say this is a need, especially in Atlantic City, where so many of our young men are falling victim to the criminal-justice system or dying in the street because they feel like they dont have any opportunity, Belgrave said.

The Rev. Collins Days Sr., pastor of Second Baptist Church, said Belgraves school is something Days has envisioned for a long time.

I think its a tremendous idea to have the boys with not as many distractions and concentrate on issues that face the minority male in the community, Days said.

He said those issues include gang violence, lack of proper role models or positive male figures, fighting with each other and living on the margin of our community.

Im so impressed with him, and Im grateful for his leadership and vision for the community, Days said. And not just talk about it, but be about it.

On Monday, Belgrave went to Trenton for the interview portion of his application. He will receive notification by the end of September on his schools fate for the 2018-19 school year. If approved next month, Belgrave will begin developing a school board, facilities and funding.

Before this year, single-gender charter schools werent allowed in New Jersey. But in July, the state Board of Education passed rules allowing for the single-gender charter schools, as long as they can provide a compelling reason for limiting enrollment. There are currently two applications: Belgraves and a school in Paterson.

Belgrave believes his reason is compelling.

I saw a disparity between males and females when it comes to academic growth and the number of males in special education, he said.

Statewide, third- through eighth-grade PARCC data from spring 2016 show girls had a higher median score in English language arts and math than boys. Girls also were more likely to meet expectations in both subjects.

After implementing an all-boys pilot classroom in 2012 at the New York Avenue School where he teaches, Belgrave said he saw success.

So I figured, why not develop a whole institution geared toward male learning styles? Belgrave said.

While they are new for New Jersey, single-gender charter schools are already open around the country. Belgrave said he visited all-boys charter schools in Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. when developing his plans.

There are definitely more and more happening each year, and people are starting to see this is a model that can work, Belgrave said.

Allowing single-gender charter schools has long been a part of Gov. Chris Christies plan to expand educational opportunities in New Jersey. In 2011, he listed it as an item in his 2011 Education Reform Agenda.

Of the 86 charter schools in the state, three are in Atlantic County and four in Cumberland County. There are none in Ocean or Cape May counties. The Frederick Douglass School would would serve, in its first year, 180 students in kindergarten through second grade. The location of school is under development.

Belgrave, who grew up in Atlantic City, is working with the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City to develop an after-school program related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, and entrepreneurship. In addition, Belgrave plans a mentor program with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Atlantic and Cape May Counties.

Much of the support for the school is linked to creating positive male relationships in the community. Councilman Jesse O. Kurtz said that for Atlantic City and other urban areas, the absence of fathers or positive male role models is detrimental.

In Atlantic City, 26 percent of households are a family with no husband present, which is more than the 23 percent that are married households, according to U.S. Census data.

For young boys and young men to have both the involvement of their fathers as well as male mentors, role models, teachers, it reduces the rates of likelihood for being arrested, it increases the likelihood of graduating, pursuing a career, Kurtz said. Its one of those things that has just tremendous results.

Kurtz said that adding affordable education opportunities is a key component of revitalizing Atlantic City.

So just as important as it is for the Hard Rock to open and someone to open the Revel, its equally important to add not only this school, but additional schools so parents have choices, he said.
ATLANTIC CITY  Representatives of a Route 40 motel where an alligator was found after a drug raid two weeks ago are scheduled to meet with city officials Sept. 7 to discuss the propertys future.

City officials said the Bayview Inn & Suites, which also was the site of an Aug. 19 fire, has been deemed unsafe and has structural issues that must be addressed or the property faces demolition.

During the past week, city officials have been in talks with architects for the motel about possible improvements. The owners of the motel had until Monday to address the problems.

On Aug. 15, authorities found a 3-foot-long alligator swimming in the motels pool after an early morning drug bust by the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office. A fire four days later at the motel has been deemed suspicious, Fire Chief Scott Evans said.

Investigators are still trying to set up interviews with people, Evans said of the investigation into the fire.

While most of the fire was contained to one unit, it extended to the second-floor units and the units on either side of it. The fire was under control in about 45 minutes, and residents were relocated.

Several people were arrested during the raid, and drugs, weapons and other animals were recovered. Detectives from the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office, along with local law enforcement, searched the motels 80 rooms, Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner said in a statement.

Among those arrested were Jamal Campos, 25, of Egg Harbor Township, who was charged with strict liability homicide for a drug-induced death, first-degree leader of a narcotics ring, possession with intent to distribute 100 wax folds of heroin and possession of heroin.

Thirty-three people, including men, women and children, were removed from the property, and seven people were arrested on unrelated warrants.
The Salvation Army New Jersey Division Emergency Disaster Services team is primed to respond to the devastating flooding in Texas, according to a statement issued Monday from the organization in Union.

"We want people to know that The Salvation Army New Jersey Division is ready to assist those affected in Texas and will be there if additional assistance is requested, says Major Ivan K. Rock, State Commander of The Salvation Army New Jersey Division. We have put our entire EDS team on stand-by, and we are coordinating closely with local and state officials. Please keep those that have been impacted by this storm in your thoughts and prayers.

Salvation Army locations in Houston and the surrounding areas are already providing shelter, food and clothing in response to flooding in the city. On Sunday afternoon in both Pasadena and Texas City a number of people were transported to The Salvation Army in the back of trucks having been rescued from rapidly rising flood waters.

The Salvation Army EDS team of staff and volunteers are often the first on the scene and the last to leave, bringing immediate aid as well as emotional and spiritual care to individuals and families whose lives have been affected by disasters. In addition, The Salvation Army canteensmobile feeding unitsare equipped to serve both beverages and hot mealsup to 1,500 hot meals per dayfor first responders and victims at the disaster site. For larger disasters, The Salvation Army in New Jersey has three field kitchens, each serving up to 10,000 hot meals per day.

To make a financial donation to support the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, please go to www.helpsalvationarmy.org, call 1-800- SAL-ARMY or text STORM to 51555. Checks may also be sent to The Salvation Army PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301. Please designate 'Hurricane Harvey' on all checks.
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The UK Government, through DFID, provides funding to AgDevCo, for investment in agricultural SMEs and new agribusiness ventures in Africa. This will benefit hundreds of thousands of people across the continent, including Zambia, with jobs and better incomes, linking farmers to markets and helping to increase food security.

Katito is AgDevCo's second investment in Northern Zambia; following Saise Farming Enterprises Limited, a project primarily focused on the production of seed potatoes. These large commercial farms will provide the critical mass to attract agricultural input suppliers, aggregators, off-takers, logistics providers and value-adders including processing companies.

The systemic impact will significantly benefit the 10,000 smallholder farmers in Northern Zambia. The farm is strategically located to take advantage of regional export opportunities, with potential for cost effective supply into the Great Lakes region using barges on Lake Tanganyika and road and rail via Tanzania. Planned cropping includes seed maize, soya beans, wheat, groundnuts, commercial maize and seed potatoes. Through this production, Katito will be able to contribute to food security in Northern Zambia as well in neighbouring countries, such as Burundi, Rwanda and (Eastern) DRC, while also earning export revenue for Zambia. As part of the investment, AgDevCo has ensured that there will be improved security of land tenure for the communities living on the southern boundary of Katito. The farm will offer formal employment in an area of Zambia with very little formal employment opportunities and future investment will include an in-grower scheme. Additionally, the investment in Katito provides an anchor from which extension services can be provided and where demonstration farming can take place.

Nigel Seabrook, AgDevCo Zambia Country Director, said "I am delighted with this additional investment in Northern Zambia and am optimistic of the impact it will have on the Province, both directly and indirectly by attracting other investors. Other players in the agricultural value chain should look at the regional food demand as a huge opportunity for Northern Province."

Mr Edward Simfukwe, the Katito Community Representative said: "We as the community are looking forward to the establishment of Katito Farming Enterprises Limited so that they can employ members of the community."

About AgDevCo

AgDevCo is a social impact investor and agribusiness project developer, incorporated as a not-for-profit distribution company in the United Kingdom. With support from the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) through UKAid, AgDevCo invests patient capital in the form of debt and equity into early-stage agribusinesses. AgDevCo's mission is to reduce poverty and improve food security, and it has invested over USD 100 million in 59 agribusinesses in sub-Saharan Africa to date, connecting over 240,000 farmers to markets and generating over 7,800 jobs. For more information, visit http://www.agdevco.com.

For more information:

Nigel Seabrook

Country Director

AgDevCo Zambia

+260-211-255-963

nseabrook@agdevco.com

SOURCE AgDevCo
LONDON, August 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The impact of the internet, budgetary pressures and the rapid growth in communication systems have all combined to reduce the duration of many expat assignments. Historically, the typical assignment lasted between three and five years, but now the picture is very different.

According to Expatfocus, one of the largest expat community websites, driven by budgets and new approaches to doing business abroad, assignments now tend to be less than a year long and some are as short as three months. As a result, the international health insurance industry has had to adapt the policies it sells to companies sending expatriates abroad, as cheaper more focused cover becomes the norm.

Joe Thomas, business development director of APRIL International UK, a private international medical insurance provider with clients in 120 countries, said, "We noticed the growing importance of the short term expatriate placement alongside the traditional longer term expat market and launched our short term product 2 years ago to meet this requirement. Today the product is one of our most successful insurance solutions with new business numbers growing month on month. This kind of health insurance is designed for multiple short trips or longer stays away for any period of up to a year, with an additional six month extension available. The cost of such cover is far lower than traditional long term expat international health insurance policies, as it is designed to focus on the core essentials, whilst at the same time giving access to the best local private healthcare."

Another innovation recently launched by APRIL is their bolt on for pre-existing conditions - customers purchasing cover for periods of three months or more will be covered for emergency hospital care, if this is needed in the treatment of two pre-existing conditions.

Usage of tools such as internet communications, video conferencing and web-based software quickly give at least a high level picture of life in an overseas market, replacing skills and experience built up by expats over many years. In its report 'Next moves for the modern Expatriate', the Economist Intelligent Unit too highlights the growth in the numbers of junior expatriates who are sent to fill skills gaps and the perceived rise in short-term and "commuter" assignments.

With the cost of some expatriate placements running at over $1 million per annum for senior electronics engineers, according to the Harvard Business Review report "The right way to manage expats", the importance of success has never been higher and in this regard, it is the health and wellbeing of the family which can often mean the difference between success and failure of an expat placement.

APRIL International UK offers a range of standout added value benefits on all policies taken out including Best Doctors, red24 services and The Blood Care Foundation. Best Doctors gives clients access to a free second professional medical opinion, whilst red24 offers clients complimentary access to their extensive global travel and risk management services.

The demand for effective short term international private health insurance which bridges the gap between travel and longer term cover looks set to keep growing, particularly as events such as Brexit unfold, which in turn could unleash yet more demand, as international arrangements such as EHIC potentially fall by the wayside.

About April International

April International UK Limited (until recently known as MediCare International) is part of the April Group which was founded in France more than 28 years ago. It is an internationally known and respected insurance services group with operations in 33 different countries, looking after close to 6 million policyholders worldwide, consisting of some 86 different nationalities located in more than 120 countries.

April International UK are specialists in designing and delivering outstanding, flexible international health insurance solutions for individuals and companies, with long term, short term and student healthcare plans available.

All April International UK plans include the additional services of Best Doctors (second medical opinion), Blood Care Foundation (screened blood available worldwide) and RED24 (crisis management specialists)

Cover under group plans may also be available for local nationals. Discounted group rates start with 3 lives and full medical history disregarded underwriting is available on groups of 10 or more employees, making April International one of the most competitive group cover providers.

April International UK Limited is an Appointed Representative of APRIL Medibroker Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered Office: Minster House, 42 Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7AE, United Kingdom  Registered in England No7261287.

SOURCE APRIL International
"This is a particularly important step for the continued development of EWTN in the U.K.," said Network Chairman and CEO Michael P. Warsaw. "This new facility will allow us to greatly expand our capacity to produce programming for our European channels as well as to more easily incorporate content from the U.K. into our other channels around the world.

"It is also appropriate that this new facility is located just steps from the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, which for centuries has been one of the most important centers of Catholicism in Britain. Every year hundreds of thousands of people come to Walsingham on pilgrimage," said Warsaw. "I'm very happy that EWTN now has a presence in this extraordinary place and can share what happens here with our audience around the globe."

The three-story building named "Annunciation House" contains EWTN's studio and a street-level reception and welcome center that introduces the Network to visitors. The facility allows Shrine pilgrims to enjoy clips from EWTN's most popular television shows, original films, documentaries and more.

In addition to producing programs with leading Catholics from across the U.K., Warsaw said EWTN hopes to form a strategic collaboration with the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham that will help the Shrine carry out its mission to evangelize.

In a letter of congratulations read at the dedication, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales, wrote: "Over the last 950 years Walsingham has been a place of pilgrimage, proclaiming the joy of the Annunciation; in this new chapter of its history, I welcome the opportunity for the Shrine and EWTN to work together as servants of the New Evangelization."

Shrine Rector Monsignor John Armitage noted that "Walsingham is very much the crossroads of the Catholic Church in England. The Church needs to be at the crossroads, particularly an organization in communications. So we are delighted as a shrine to be able to welcome EWTN to come here as an organization in their own right, but at this place where so many pilgrims come from all over the world."

EWTN transmits dedicated television and radio channels for the U.K. and Ireland. Those services are available on the Sky satellite platform, cable and video streaming platforms throughout the region. The Network also transmits two additional television channels for the European continent.

The project in Walsingham was made possible through the work of Saint Clare Media-EWTN, Ltd., the Network's not-for-profit affiliate in Britain. That entity conducts marketing, fundraising, and program production for the EWTN U.K. television and radio services, as well as the creation and distribution of news content in collaboration with EWTN's global news outlets.

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 37th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN's 11 TV channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 268 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. EWTN services also include radio channels transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 500 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; the largest Catholic website in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including "The National Catholic Register" newspaper, and several global wire services; as well as a publishing arm.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/550051/EWTN_UK_Ribbon_Cutting.jpg

SOURCE EWTN Global Catholic Network
CHICAGO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- There's nothing like a warm, personal greeting to make a good first impression. That's the idea behind the Global Greeter Network, with operations in Chicago and more than 120 other cities worldwide.

The brainchild of New York native Lynn Brooks, the Greeter Network began as a strictly local effort in 1992 as a way for communities to take a more intimate and personal approach to showcasing themselves. In the ensuing years, word of this new technique spread around the world, leading to the establishing of The Global Greeter Network in 2005. Since then, every day, in 37 countries, more than 3,000 private citizens volunteer their time to show tourists what makes the city they are visiting special.

Chicago's Greeter program began in 2002 under the Chicago Office of Tourism. In 2012, when the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau and the tourism portion of the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture merged, the Greeter Program became part of the city's newly named tourism organization, Choose Chicago.

Katie Law chairs the Global Greeters program and has been Choose Chicago's Greeter Program manager since the local effort's inception. "Last year, Chicago's 200 Greeter volunteers escorted about 10,000 visitors around city neighborhoods," Law said. "This year marks the Greeters' 25th anniversary. On September 9, cities around the world will be marking the occasion with special one-on-one opportunities for tourists to have an up-close-and-personal experience with the city they're visiting. We'll be doing the same in Chicago. We encourage people to come to Millennium Park and greet a Greeter."

Law says the city's Greeters will gather at Chicago's Millennium Park at 10 a.m. and will offer special tours of unique sites in four Chicago neighborhoods as well as the Loop:

The Mosaics and Murals of Pilsen

The Nine Dragon Wall in Chinatown

Bucktown/Wicker Park

The mansions of the Gold Coast

The art, architecture, Riverwalk and Millennium Park in the Loop

Chicago's Greeter program caters to both domestic and international visitors. Sixty percent of the tourists that use the local Greeter service are international. The top countries represented are Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, China, Germany and Spain. Domestically, the top U.S. states with visitors that use the service are Illinois, California, Texas, New York, Florida and Michigan.

Anyone interested can sign up for a greeter at Chicagogreeter.com. To find out what countries/cities that have a Greeter service go to globalgreeternetwork.com.

About Choose Chicago

Choose Chicago is the official destination marketing organization for Chicago, Illinois. Its mission is to bring regional, national and international business and leisure visitors to Chicago for the economic benefit of the city, the community and its membership.

SOURCE Choose Chicago
BOSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Actifio, the Enterprise Data-as-a-Service (EDaaS) company, today announced it has been named as one of the winners of the 2016 Storage Industry Innovation Award by Dostor, one of the leading technology media outlets in China.

The publication selects the winners based on deep market analysis and customer feedback. The Storage Industry Innovation Award honors companies for innovations beyond just features and instead focuses on true innovations that impact business; the winners are viewed as benchmarks for the rest of the storage industry. Actifio was recognized for its unique technology that is changing the way companies store and manage their data.

Actifio's Data-as-a-Service fills the crucial gap between Software-as-a-Service, and Infrastructure-as-a-Service. It liberates data from underlying infrastructure and makes it available instantly on demand at local sites, remote locations or even the public cloud. An enterprise-class software platform powered by patented Virtual Data Pipeline technology, Actifio enables customers to accelerate adoption of hybrid cloud, build higher quality applications faster and improve business resiliency and availability.

"More than 2,700 customers in 37 countries are now using Actifio's Data-as-a-service solution to build higher quality applications faster, improve business resiliency, and accelerate adoption of hybrid cloud architectures," said Ash Ashutosh, CEO of Actifio. "This award nomination further showcases the value our solution delivers to customers around the world, helping them to successfully manage their data and pursue digital transformation."

About Actifio

Actifio is the world's leading Enterprise Data-as-a-Service (EDaaS) platform. It enables thousands of users around the world to deliver their data just as they deliver their applications and infrastructure... as a service available instantly, anywhere. An enterprise-class software platform powered by patented Virtual Data Pipeline technology, Actifio frees data from traditional infrastructure to accelerate adoption of hybrid cloud, build higher quality applications faster, and improve business resiliency and availability. For more, visit Actifio.com or follow us on Twitter @Actifio.

Media Contacts:

Meredith Kelly

Bite for Actifio

[email protected]

SOURCE Actifio

Related Links

http://www.Actifio.com


LEADING PLUS SIZE BRAND TO FEATURE ASHLEY GRAHAM AND JORDYN WOODS AS PART OF NEW YORK FASHION WEEK OFFICIAL SHOWS

NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Addition Elle, the Montreal-based fashion brand with over 30 years of experience catering to plus-size women, is once again taking its fashion democracy message to the runways of New York Fashion Week. While the brand is on its 3rd year at NYFW, this will be the first time they will be showing as part of the official shows, indicating just how far the brand and the fashion industry have evolved. Addition Elle will be showcasing their Fall/Winter collections from boundary-breaking supermodel Ashley Graham and body-positive role model Jordyn Woods. Then, taking a page from the new "see now, buy now" retail model that is sweeping the industry, Addition Elle will open a weeklong pop-up store inviting women to bring the runway home with them.

"We are so excited to be a part of the IMG Fashion Week schedule and to share the fashion forward collections that demonstrate there are no limits with regard to size," says Roslyn Griner, Vice President of Visual Planning and Marketing at Addition Elle. "We want to share our brand with our fans in the US with the launch of our Pop-Up shop and new US web-site."

In partnership with IMG, Addition Elle will continue to make an impact on the fashion world by unveiling their designs at Skylight at Clarkson Square on Monday, September 11, 2017 at 1:00 PM. A highlight from these lines is the capsule collection for Love and Legend designed in collaboration with Jordyn Woods. Also, a main feature of the show will be the latest offering in Ashley Graham's eponymous line, in both fashion forward styles and her must-have Essential line.

Immediately following the show, Addition Elle will open the doors to its first-ever New York City pop-up shop offering not only the NYFW catwalk looks but their entire gamut of their private label brands. Addition Elle fit experts will be on hand for bra fittings and style tips and the weeklong pop-up will feature an exciting schedule of special events and surprises. A complete schedule will be released soon. The shop will be open from Monday, September 11th - Sunday, September 17th from 11:00 am- 6:00 pm and located at 134 5th Avenue.

The show and the shop are all part of Addition Elle's ever-expanding footprint in the United States, as they are using this fashion event to launch their localized US site. This new initiative means faster more reliable deliveries and special US only events and promotions.

ABOUT ADDITION ELLE

Addition Elle is a leader in the Canadian plus size market with over 30 years of experience in delivering trendy, flattering and fashionable clothing for plus size women across Canada and the United States. Addition Elle's ready-to-wear collections of intimates, sportswear, outdoor active wear and career apparel are designed to inspire customers to look and feel their personal best in every aspect of life. With close to 100 retail locations across Canada and brand name recognition in U.S. department stores such as Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor, Addition Elle promises to deliver "fashion democracy" to its customers, a philosophy grounded in the belief that style isn't limited by size. Addition Elle fashions can be purchased in-store or online at additionelle.com. Addition Elle is a division of Canada's leading specialty retailer Reitmans Canada Limited, which includes Reitmans, RW-Co, Penningtons, Hyba and Thyme Maternity.

@AdditionElle

Facebook.com/additionelle

www.youtube.com/user/additionellevideo

Press Contact:

THINK PR | US PRESS CONTACT | Raven Garcie | [email protected] | 212.343.3920

MILO | CANADIAN PRESS CONTACT | Doan Nguyen | [email protected] | 416.738.1816

SOURCE Addition Elle
GAINESVILLE, Ga., Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Authentidate Holding Corp. (OTCQB: ADAT), a growth oriented company focused on developing and providing clinically actionable medical information and telemedicine services, announced today that Aeon Global Health's clinical laboratory has been selected to become a provider to the California Medicaid Program (Medi-Cal).

Medi-Cal is the largest Medicaid program in the nation. It has grown by 57% since 2013, and covers a wide variety of medical services for both adults and children in the state of California.

"We are pleased with this important development as we further expand our Company's reach geographically," said Sonny Roshan, Chairman and CEO of Authentidate. "Medi-Cal covers over 12 million lives, and with the recent conclusion of our first successful site visit from the California Department of Health we are now developing plans to target this key market."

ABOUT AUTHENTIDATE/AEON GLOBAL HEALTH

Authentidate Holding Corp. (OTCQB: ADAT), through its Aeon Global Health operating arm, is an emerging leader in the provision of clinically actionable medical informatics. Founded in 2010, Aeon is focused on the delivery of services consistent with federal quality standards and which exceed industry standards for turn-around time. Operating out of a modern 30,000 square-foot facility in suburban Atlanta, the Company provides a comprehensive menu of diagnostic and laboratory- developed tests as well as interpretative data for a wide range of inherited conditions.

Except for historical information, the matters discussed in this press release may be considered "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. When used in this release, words such as "believe", anticipate" think", "intend", "plan", "will be", "expect" or similar expressions identify such forward looking statements. In addition, such statements include declarations regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Authentidate Holding Corp. and its management, including those related to cash flow, gross margins, revenues, and expenses which are dependent on a number of factors outside of the control of the Company including, for example, the markets for the Company's services, costs of and services, other expenses, government regulations, litigation, and general business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements and will be affected by a variety of risks and factors that are beyond our control. Other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our reports filed with the SEC. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The statements made in this press release speak only as of the date stated herein, and subsequent events and developments may cause our expectations and beliefs to change. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, we do not intend, nor do we undertake any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this news release to reflect subsequent information, events, results or circumstances or otherwise.

SOURCE Aeon Global Health
"Our business is rapidly growing thanks to the robust capabilities of the Aerialink platform and our loyal and committed customer base," said Chris Currie, Founder, and President of the Aerialink subsidiary of CSF Corporation. "The goal of our new website is to give customers and prospects alike the information they need while researching our offering and evaluating if it meets their overall SMS and multimedia messaging needs."

Aerialink designed the new corporate website for desktop and mobile devices, and has linked it to its documentation and support site, docs.aerialink.net, for detailed product and support information. The company also offers a free 14-day trial to meet the product evaluation needs of their clients.

Aerialink sincerely hopes that its customers and prospects will like the new site and looks forward to their feedback on Facebook and Twitter.

About Aerialink

Aerialink provides a robust cloud communications platform enabling global delivery of SMS, and MMS messaging. From small to large enterprises, businesses rely on Aerialink for fast and reliable message delivery to any of our supported 1,200 mobile networks in 220 countries. Aerialink serves as a trusted advisor to customers, leveraging industry knowledge in communications best practices, assisting in service selection and implementation, and delivering superior technical support.

Aerialink, a subsidiary of CSF Corporation, was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in the U.S. For further information, visit www.aerialink.com.

SOURCE Aerialink

Related Links

http://www.aerialink.com


Program organizers believe that problem solvers like Agrinosentrepreneurial organizations with cutting-edge technologies and the ability to scale up quicklyare best positioned to deliver solutions that can measurably impact the Sustainable Development Goals.

Agrinos was selected to participate as the entrepreneurial company to help achieve the second sustainable development goal: End hunger  achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

Dr. Ry Wagner, Agrinos' CEO, participated in the inaugural program that spanned nearly two weeks in July and was held in Washington, D.C. The annual program is scheduled to run through 2030. It is designed to accelerate efforts of selected companies with an established track record of achievement in sustainability to help them scale quickly and tackle the Sustainable Development Goals.

"We're honored to have been selected for this program," said Wagner. "The agricultural solutions and technologies developed by Agrinos can help deliver soil health benefits, higher yields and improved nutritional content across a wide range of crops around the world. These are critical elements of sustainable agriculture and can help serve to meet the Sustainable Development Goals."

"After almost a year-long selection process, our team chose Agrinos as the most effective enterprise solution in the world oriented around achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger globally," said Unreasonable Goals founder and CEO Daniel Epstein. "The team at Agrinos is combining advanced science with a market-driven solution that is already amplifying the yield, crop nutrition and soil health for nearly a million farmers worldwide. By supporting so many farmers across diverse geographies, we believe Agrinos will ultimately impact billions of lives."

At the Unreasonable Goals Global Summit, Wagner explained how ground-breaking innovation that enriches the soil microbiome is helping to shape the future of agriculture. He also discussed the ways microbials and biostimulants containing naturally derived bio-compounds and microorganisms can deliver benefits to the soil, the crop and growers.

Sustainability is at the heart of the value Agrinos offers to growers, retailers, consumers and all stakeholders throughout the food and agricultural product supply chain. By discovering, developing and producing new technologies that harness the power of naturally derived bio-compounds and microorganisms, Agrinos provides biological crop inputs that simultaneously deliver tangible environmental benefits and substantive financial returns for growers.

Once integrated into a grower's practices, Agrinos products are proven to perform consistently across a broad range of crops, soils and environments. Agrinos products are compliant with organic production standards, are OMRI listed in the United States and recognized by several regional certification organizations. They are also highly compatible with common application methods.

For more information about Agrinos, visit agrinos.com. Follow Agrinos on Twitter at @AgrinosGlobal and LinkedIn.

About Agrinos

Agrinos is a biological crop input provider committed to improving the productivity and sustainability of modern agriculture. Agrinos' range of biofertilizers and biostimulant products helps farmers to practice profitable agriculture by providing increased crop productivity, improved efficiency of conventional fertilizer and a reduced environmental footprint.

Based on Agrinos' proprietary High Yield Technology (HYT) platform, the HYT products provide benefits by strengthening the soil-based microbial ecosystem, stimulating crop development at key points in the growth cycle and boosting natural plant resistance to environmental stresses. With solutions for a variety of crop categories, the technology comprising the HYT products has demonstrated its value in third-party trials in key agricultural regions worldwide.

SOURCE Agrinos

Related Links

http://www.agrinos.com


. 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.
To address this critical need, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation has awarded a grant to a coalition of groups representing the international Earth and space science community, convened by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) , to develop standards that will connect researchers, publishers, and data repositories in the Earth and space sciences to enable FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) data  a concept first developed by Force11.org  on a large scale. This will accelerate scientific discovery and enhance the integrity, transparency, and reproducibility of this data. The resulting set of best practices will include: metadata and identifier standards; data services; common taxonomies; landing pages at repositories to expose the metadata and standard repository information; standard data citation; and standard integration into editorial peer review workflows.

"AGU's commitment to open data and data stewardship started in 1997 when we developed one of the first society position statements on open data. We developed that position statement because we recognized properly documented, credited, and preserved, data would help future scientists understand the Earth, planetary, and heliophysics systems, and that is an integral responsibility of scientists, data stewards, and sponsoring institutions to ensure the preservation of that data," said Chris McEntee, AGU's executive director/CEO. "Today, with the generous support of the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, our community is working together to ensure that the Earth and space sciences, including more than 50,000 publications, will then be the first scientific field to have open and well-described data as a default, making that data discoverable and freely accessible across our sciences, as well as other scientific disciplines and the public."

The partnership currently includes AGU, the Earth Science Information Partners and Research Data Alliance, and has support from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature, Science, AuScope, the Australian National Data Service, and the Center for Open Science. This effort will build on the work of The Coalition on Publishing Data in the Earth and Space Sciences (COPDESS.org), ESIP, RDA, the scientific journals, and domain repositories to ensure that well documented data, preserved in a repository with community agreed-upon metadata, and supporting persistent identifiers becomes part of the expected research products submitted in support of each publication. It is expected that the broader community will play a key role in the recommended guidelines and approach. A key goal is to make a process that is efficient and standard for researchers and thus supports their work from grant application through to publishing.

Scientific results are increasingly dependent on large complex data sets and models that transform these data. This is particularly true in the Earth and space sciences, where critical data increasingly provide diverse and important societal benefits and are used in critical real-time decisions. The partners will work with major Earth and space science data repositories, publishers, editorial workflow vendors, researchers, and allied stakeholders to develop common standards and workflows for submission of data, connect repositories and publishers, develop and implement tools needed for search and discovery, and enhance quality peer review. This process will help: 1) researchers understand and follow expectations regarding data curation; 2) publishers adopt and implement standard and best practices around data citation; and 3) make data discoverable and accessible, including to the public.

Read AGU's position statement on data.

The American Geophysical Union is dedicated to advancing the Earth and space sciences for the benefit of humanity through its scholarly publications, conferences, and outreach programs. AGU is a not-for-profit, professional, scientific organization representing nearly 60,000 members in 139 countries. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and AGU's other social media channels.

SOURCE American Geophysical Union

Related Links

http://www.agu.org


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- America is a nation of immigrants and refugees, but we always seem to fear the next wave of new arrivals - and in one case, these patterns of hostility have become a part of not just American tradition, but American history.

Looking for Humboldt by Erika Schelby

At least 46 million Americans claim German descent. Before World War I, this heritage was evident throughout American society. German was the most studied foreign language in America before the war, German beer made its mark in taverns across the country, many cities hosted German-language newspapers and clubs, and German-Americans lived in towns and on streets with German names. All this vanished in the aftermath of World War I.

Looking for Humboldt appears just in time for the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into the First World War to expose this hidden heritage and the reasons why German-American history was suppressed in this country.

German-American author Erika Schelby's quest to uncover her roots in the American Southwest explores German connections to both regional and nationwide history which had been stricken from America's history books. Her treasure hunt returns the story of German influence to New Mexico's history. It moves from personal to political experience as Schelby details the struggles of German-Americans to survive in a multicultural society that systematically quashed German-American influences.

Schelby's synthesis of geography, history, personal revelation and German experience in America holds especially powerful messages in the face of modern challenges to immigrant and ethnic group experiences.

Accolades and Reviews

"I sometimes pause in amazement," writes Erika Schelby in this delightful book, "about the curious connectedness of things." With wit, irony, and extraordinary insight, she explores the connectedness -- and contradictions -- in all manner of things, not least of all in the unexpected ties between her native Germany and her adopted state of New Mexico.

--- Andrew J. Bacevich, Professor Emeritus of History and International Relations, Boston University

About the Author

Erika Schelby's previous publications are Bestiary for Business; Liberating the Future From the Past? and American Southwest. Her essay "Safaris Through Sun and Space" was one of eight winners in the American Express Annual Review of Travel International Essay Competition. Her essay Liberating the Future From the Past? also reached the Short List of 33 Writers in an international essay contest where nearly 2,500 contributors from 123 countries submitted their work in seven languages.

Looking for Humboldt & Searching for German Footprints in New Mexico and Beyond

330 Pages

Softcover, $12.99; ISBN: 9780989121606

Published by: Lava Gate Press

Available at amazon.com  Release Date: Sept.15, 2017

Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35379170-looking-for-humboldt-searching-for-german-footprints-in-new-mexico-and

Review Copies and Media Interviews:

To arrange an interview,

Receive additional information,

Or request photos, please contact Erika Schelby, Lava Gate Press:

Phone: 505-268-8928

SOURCE Erika Schelby
CAIRO and HOUSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Apex International Energy (www.apexintl.com), an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on Egypt, today announced that it has signed two concession agreements for 1.7 million acres encompassing the West Badr el Din (4,180 km 2) and South East Meleiha (2,535 km 2) concessions, located in the prolific Abu Gharadig Basin in Egypt's Western Desert. As previously announced, Apex was awarded the two blocks as part of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) 2016 bid round.

Apex will invest a minimum of $27.4 million during the first exploration phase to perform detailed geological studies, acquire and process 3D seismic and drill exploratory wells.

Roger B. Plank, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Apex International Energy, said, "We are very pleased to finalize these Concession Agreements and officially establish Apex's foothold in Egypt. We thank H.E. Eng. Tarek El Molla, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, for his support during this transaction and for encouraging investments like ours in Egypt's attractive oil and gas market. We look forward to advancing our partnership with the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources."

Raed Saba, Deputy General Manager and Exploration Manager in Egypt, Apex International Energy, said, "These blocks provide promising opportunities for value creation in the Western Desert, where we have extensive experience and look forward to building a long-term presence. We are eager to get started on drilling wells to maximize the full potential of these blocks, while pursuing additional opportunities to grow our business in Egypt."

About Apex International Energy

Apex International Energy is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on Egypt and backed by Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm focused on growth investing. Apex International Energy plans to build an exploration and production business of scale through asset acquisitions and capital investments in drilling, infrastructure and production enhancement to deliver long-term profitable growth in production and reserves. Apex International Energy is also pursuing acreage transactions including farm-ins and new concession bid rounds.

Contacts

U.S.

Glenn Joyce

[email protected]

Cairo

Dalal Hanno

[email protected]

SOURCE Apex International Energy

Related Links

http://www.apexintl.com


SAN MATEO, Calif., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Apttus, the category-defining Quote-to-Cash (QTC) solution provider, today announced it has been named by Microsoft as its US Dynamics Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Partner of the Year. The regional honor is awarded to partners demonstrating superior skills and expertise with Microsoft Dynamics products, along with excellent sales performance and high levels of customer satisfaction. Award winners and finalists from around the world were honored at the Microsoft Dynamics Partner Recognition Event in July at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

"Being recognized by Microsoft is a tremendous honor and speaks to our customer-centric approach and innovative solutions that streamline business outcomes and increase revenues," said Kirk Krappe, Chief Executive Officer at Apttus. "We are delighted that Microsoft customers are finding tremendous value in managing their revenue operations using Apttus Quote-to-Cash and Contract Management solutions."

"The 2017 Partner of the Year Award winners and finalists represent the most valued and innovative solutions within our partner community," said Ron Huddleston, Corporate Vice President, One Commercial Partner, Microsoft. "It's an honor to recognize our top partners providing their expertise and solutions to solve complex business challenges. Congratulations to each winner and finalist on this achievement."

Apttus' Quote-to-Cash and Contract Lifecycle Management solutions help drive the vital business process between a buyer's interest in a purchase and the realization of revenue. Utilizing a patented combination of SaaS-based applications, the Apttus Intelligent Cloud maximizes revenue and business outcomes for companies of all sizes, including 100 of the Fortune 500. In April of last year, Apttus and Microsoft announced a strategic partnership unveiling the availability of Apttus' entire suite of solutions to Microsoft customers, providing an end-to-end solution for some of the largest and most complex revenue operations in the world.

This year, Microsoft acknowledged partners in 34 categories celebrating each of the core partner competencies, including cloud technology, public sector, Microsoft Philanthropies and many more. The award finalists and winners were selected from more than 2,800 nominations collected from 115 countries worldwide based on their commitment to customers, their solution's impact on the market and exemplary use of Microsoft technologies.

At Microsoft's upcoming Envision and Ignite events, Apttus' Quote-to-Cash solutions will be on full display. To learn more about Apttus' sponsorship, details and presence at these events, click here.

About Apttus

Apttus, the category-defining Quote-to-Cash and Contract Lifecycle Management technology company, drives the vital business process between a buyer's interest and the realization of revenue. Utilizing a patented combination of SaaS-based applications, the Apttus Intelligent Cloud maximizes revenue and business outcomes for companies of all sizes, including 100 of the Fortune 500. Enhanced by Machine Learning and Max, an Intelligent Agent, Apttus applications include Configure Price Quote (CPQ), E-Commerce, Contract Management, Incentives Management, Renewals, Billing and Order Management. The Apttus Intelligent Cloud is powered by the world's most trusted cloud platforms, including Salesforce and Microsoft Azure. Apttus is based in San Mateo, California, with additional offices located across the globe. For more information visit: apttus.com.

Press Contact: Alex Cohen

[email protected]

SOURCE Apttus

Related Links

http://apttus.com


"We are pleased to partner with At Home to make it easier for their customers to make purchases, earn rewards and receive insider benefits," said Curtis Howse, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Diversified Client Group, Synchrony Financial. "Our proven retail experience demonstrates that these credit card and loyalty programs help drive customer engagement while enabling At Home to better understand shopper preferences."

Judd Nystrom, Chief Financial Officer for At Home, said, "We are excited about our new credit card and loyalty programs, which are tailored to bring customers more value than ever before. The special financing options offered by the At Home credit cards, coupled with Insider Perks exclusive benefits, are ideal for any customer who wants to fill their home with the latest trends and designs in home decor at an exceptional value."

For customers that want to enjoy both financing and rewards, the At Home private label credit card will allow customers to earn a $5 reward certificate for every $100 spent at any of the company's 136 stores. Customers who receive the Mastercard will also have the ability to earn points on all purchases made anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Card holders will receive 10 percent off of their first purchase when opening an account and special financing options on all purchases of $299 or more- in addition to all the benefits of the Insider Perks program.

At Home Insider Perks offers members exclusive rewards, starting with a 10 percent off coupon upon enrollment to use on their next visit. Members will also receive advance notice of hot new items and clearance events, decorating tips and tricks, receiptless returns as well as an annual birthday offer.

To learn more about the At Home credit cards and Insider Perks visit http://www.athome.com.

ABOUT AT HOME:

At Home (NYSE: HOME), the home decor superstore, offers more than 50,000 on-trend home products to fit any budget or style, from sofas, dining sets, mattresses and patio furniture to lamps, pillows, kitchenware, rugs and more, plus seasonal decor that includes yard displays, lights and Christmas trees. At Home is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and currently operates 136 stores in 33 states. For more information, visit the company online http://www.athome.com or find us on Facebook (AtHomeStores), Instagram (AtHomeStores) or Pinterest (AtHomeStores).

ABOUT SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL:

Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF) is one of the nation's premier consumer financial services companies. Our roots in consumer finance trace back to 1932, and today we are the largest provider of private label credit cards in the United States based on purchase volume and receivables.* We provide a range of credit products through programs we have established with a diverse group of national and regional retailers, local merchants, manufacturers, buying groups, industry associations and healthcare service providers to help generate growth for our partners and offer financial flexibility to our customers. Through our partners' over 365,000 locations across the United States and Canada, and their websites and mobile applications, we offer our customers a variety of credit products to finance the purchase of goods and services. Synchrony Financial offers private label credit cards, Dual Card, and general purpose co-branded credit cards, promotional financing and installment lending, loyalty programs and FDIC-insured savings products through Synchrony Bank. More information can be found at www.synchronyfinancial.com, facebook.com/SynchronyFinancial, www.linkedin.com/company/synchrony-financial and twitter.com/SYFNews.

*Source: The Nilson Report (June 2017, Issue # 1112) - based on 2016 data.

SOURCE At Home Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.athome.com


DETROIT, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Detroit's Atwater Brewery is continuing to live its mantra, "Born in Detroit. Raised Everywhere." with the signing of distribution agreements with the M1 Network, a group of ten established Millercoors distributors with comprehensive reach across Michigan.

"For craft brewers, finding the right distribution partners can make all the difference," said Mark Rieth, Atwater owner. "M1 is absolutely the right partner for our size brewery and can help us deliver the award winning lagers and specialty ales to retailers across the mitten and in the U.P. We're anticipating close to a 30% sales increase in the state as a result."

"To be the leading Michigan distributor requires us to represent great brands," say Kit Wanty-Lambert, M1 Network president. "Atwater is Detroit's largest and fastest growing brewery and offers iconic brands like Dirty Blonde, Vanilla Java Porter, Decadent Dark Chocolate Ale to name just a few. M1 has the manpower, infrastructure and relationships to help Atwater reach the next level."

M1 Network collectively employs over 4,000 people and services approximately 17,000 Michigan accounts. Its members include: O&W, Inc., Ypsilanti; Power's Distributing, Lake Orion; Eastown Distributing, Highland Park; Dan Henry Distributing, Lansing; HIS Distributing, Kalamazoo; Alliance Beverage, Grand Rapids; J P O'Sullivan, Flint; Gerry's Distributing, Port Huron; Alpena Beverage, Alpena.

According to Rieth, although Atwater distributes to 21 U.S. states and Canada, it's always been a hometown brewer and completely dedicated to its roots in Detroit, Michigan. "Brewing beer is a tough business, but it's a business about celebrating good times," said Rieth. "M1 Network will help us reach far more celebrations across Michigan than ever before."

Atwater beers are also available at Atwater's three Biergarten and Tap House locations in Detroit, Grosse Pointe and Grand Rapids.

For more information, please visit www.AtwaterBeer.com.

About Atwater Brewery

Atwater Brewery. Born in Detroit. Raised Everywhere. Atwater offers 40 styles of beer led by its popular Purple Gang Pilsner, Better Life Choices IPA, Vanilla Java Porter, Dirty Blonde and its "World Beer Cup" award winning Decadent Dark Chocolate Ale. Atwater distributes its beer to 21 states plus Canada and offers a proprietary line of craft spirits. Atwater operates three full-service tap house and biergarten locations in Detroit, Grosse Pointe and Grand Rapids, MI. Find us on Facebook or visit www.Atwaterbeer.com.

SOURCE Atwater Brewery

Related Links

http://www.Atwaterbeer.com


PASO ROBLES, Calif., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenbelt Resources Corporation (OTC: GRCO) has agreed to perform feedstock testing with Barrelhouse Brewing Company to test its trub as a potential feedstock for Greenbelt's Paso Robles ECOsystem project known as PRECO. The trub, a byproduct of the brewing process, will be tested for viable conversion to bioethanol and animal feed.

When complete, PRECO, a commercial scale waste-to-energy interconnected system, will produce up to 500,000 gallons of bioethanol and other byproducts. PRECO places Greenbelt's ECOsystem technology in the center of the local business community by converting wastes from local breweries, wineries and other ag businesses into bioproducts including animal feed, fertilizer and potentially a high value human protein source. The products can then be purchased by other local businesses. The goal of PRECO is to reduce costs or generate revenue for all parties within the ecosystem by converting local wastes into local resources.

In California, companies incur an expense when removing waste, and breweries must pay to have the spent trub picked up and properly disposed. Should trub prove an ideal feedstock, Greenbelt may save Barrelhouse a portion of the costs associated with current removal methods and provide them with a greener solution.

"With waste becoming a bigger societal concern many don't see there are opportunities to turn trash into treasure," says Eng. "Our testing will determine how trub from Barrelhouse performs as a feedstock and if well, the resulting bioproducts will be greener, more sustainable products."

Founded in 2013 by Jason Carvalho and Kevin Nickell, Barrelhouse Brewing Company has quickly become the largest all American owned brewery in San Luis Obispo County. With three taproom locations to date and more in planning, Carvalho says Barrelhouse is consistently looking for ways to reduce waste and increase efficiency. "We are currently looking for new ways to reduce costs associated with disposal. Should trub become a viable feedstock, it will help save us some money while also helping us to attain our sustainability goals," says Carvalho.

Trub has already been proven as a suitable feedstock in prior feedstock testing for another local brewery.

In other news, the company is hosting an analyst call on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. EDT / 11:00 a.m. PDT. Please visit the Investor Page and complete the investor form at the bottom to register for the call.

About Greenbelt Resources

Greenbelt Resources Corporation is an award-winning provider of sustainable energy production systems focused on delivering modular solutions that enable the localized processing of locally generated waste into locally consumed products. Greenbelt designs, develops and implements technology that makes the production of advanced biofuel reliable, practical and efficient. Controlled by proprietary automated controls, Greenbelt's small-scale, end-to-end modular systems convert food, beverage and other cellulosic wastes into commercially viable advanced biofuels (bio-ethanol), animal feed, fertilizer and filtered water. For more information visit www.greenbeltresources.com.

About BarrelHouse Brewing Company

BarrelHouse is known for Good People, Good Times, and Great Beer. Paired with an endless lineup of energetic bands and fun events, BarrelHouse is famously known for their delicious line-up of year-round beers: BarrelHouse Blonde, Sunny Daze, Mango IPA, BarrelHouse IPA, Big Sur and BarrelHouse Stout. All of these beers are available in bottles and draft throughout California. For more information visit www.barrelhousebrewing.com.

Forward-Looking Statements & Safe Harbor

This document includes certain statements, predictions and projections that may be considered forward-looking statements under securities law. These statements involve a number of important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially including, but not limited to, the supply and demand for biofuels, our ability to remain technologically competitive and other economic, competitive and technological factors involving the Company's operations, markets, services, products and prices.

SOURCE Greenbelt Resources Corporation

Related Links

http://www.greenbeltresources.com


DECATUR, Ill., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer and National 4-H Council amplified their commitment to the future of our rapidly expanding global population by launching a new effort to grow the pipeline of tomorrow's innovators, starting now. The two organizations announced today a nationwide collaboration, Science Matters, which will address the need for an enhanced STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) workforce by planting a love of scientific exploration in thousands of youth in urban and rural areas across the country.

Science Matters to Building a Better Life Extending the Reach of STEM Through Science Matters, Bayer and 4-H will provide new opportunities for STEM education. The Science Matters collaboration between Bayer and 4-H will address the need for an enhanced STEM workforce. Bayers new collaboration with 4-H will support science, education and the next generation of agriculture. Bayer and 4-H announce new collaboration to support STEM education at Farm Progress Show 2017.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/77126512-bayer-4-h-launch-science-matters/

Science Matters will leverage Bayer's more than 150 years of scientific breakthroughs and 4-H's century of hands-on learning to equip more than 25,000 youth with tools and support they need to deepen their understanding of science.

"Advancing health and nutrition is what we do best and care about most at Bayer," said Ray Kerins, Bayer's Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and a former 4-H'er. "We can't do that unless we grow tomorrow's innovators today and fill the critical pipeline of future STEM leadersnot only for agriculture, which is increasingly technologically-driven, but for all STEM-related fields. Bayer sees this as a sacred responsibility and we're proud to work with 4-H, a first-class organization that shares this vision," he said.

Science Matters will bring together 4-H leaders with Bayer employees to work alongside young people demonstrating why science matters to all of us. In addition, Bayer will sponsor the 4-H Agri-Science Summit in Washington, D.C., where students will learn about modern agriculture, careers in agriculture and gain more than 30 hours of hands-on learning and problem-solving experience. Bayer will also provide as many as 200 scholarships and offer community grants to extend the program's impact. And Bayer's continued sponsorship of the 4-H Youth in Action Award will add yet another dimension to Science Matters.

"In 4-H, we believe in the power of young people, and we are thrilled to join with a company like Bayer that also sees the potential when you equip youth with the skills and opportunities they need to be true leaders," said Artis Stevens, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, National 4-H Council. "Science Matters will extend the reach of our hands-on STEM programming, which is proven to grow 4-H'ers who are two times more likely than others to enter STEM careers."

The world's need for expertise in STEM has never been more intense than it is today. Many of the millions of STEM-related jobs generated in America alone go unfilled due to a lack of relevant graduates and skilled professionalsa scarcity acute in agriculture, which is not always considered the STEM-related field it has become. Scientists who focus on plants, food and water, among other areas, are in demand as growers tackle some of the most complex challenges of our time: sustainably providing nutrition for a rapidly growing population in the face of a changing climate, dwindling natural resources and evolving pests and diseases, to name just a few.

"At Bayer, we believe in the power of science and its ability to positively impact the health of people, plants and animals, and we know that 4-H shares this belief with us," said Kerins. "That's why we're excited to be on the ground floor of a wonderful relationship that will help develop a new generation of innovators who will address some of the most critical issues facing our society today."

Bayer and 4-H made the announcement in the Bayer tent at the Farm Progress Show, where Bayer also addressed issues important to America's farming future, such as integrated weed management, insect and disease control, and the 2018 Farm Bill.

Bayer is committed to bringing new technology and solutions for agriculture and non-agricultural uses. For questions concerning the availability and use of products, contact a local Bayer representative, or visit Crop Science, a division of Bayer, online at cropscience.bayer.us.

Visit the Bayer Connect - Social Hub for social media, recent news, blog posts, videos and more from Crop Science, a division of Bayer.

Bayer: Science For A Better Life

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2016, the Group employed around 115,200 people and had sales of EUR 46.8 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.7 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

About 4-H

4-H, the nation's largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4-H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4-H is the youth development program of our nation's Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4-H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4-H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs. Learn more about 4-H at www.4-H.org, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4-H and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/4H.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com . The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

SOURCE Bayer

Related Links

http://www.bayer.com


BOSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education will launch Driving Profitable Growth on the HBS campus in Boston from October 25-28, 2017. This new program will examine how leaders of mid-size and large organizations can build and operate companies capable of pursuing and sustaining profitable growth.

Growth is a priority for most senior executives, yet it continues to present a number of obstacles to organizations of all sizes. This program will introduce senior executives to common challenges such as scaling organizational and business models, escaping saturated markets, and evolving culture to align with increased scale and complexity. Participants will expand their ability to understand their firm's strategic imperative for growth, how to achieve it, and how to maintain organizational health.

"This program is unique because it focuses explicitly on the goal of growth," said Francesca Gino, Tandon Family Professor of Business Administration and faculty cochair of Driving Profitable Growth. "The curriculum is geared toward senior executives at companies of varying sizes, whose growth challenges range from scaling smaller firms to finding new growth opportunities for more established organizations. This varied perspective creates a comprehensive and challenging learning experience."

The program curriculum is organized into three modules, each focusing on a key leadership issue presented by growth. Participants will present a specific challenge their enterprise faces and examine how to manage the cultural impact of growth. Topics of study will include corporate and business strategy, organizational design, operations, innovation management, human resources, organizational behavior, leadership, and finance.

"Just about every organization wants to grow faster, but attempting to without a strategy can actually hurt performance," said Gary P. Pisano, Harry E. Figgie, Jr. Professor of Business Administration and faculty cochair of Driving Profitable Growth. "In this program, we discuss how you can grow profitably by formulating effective growth strategies, designing scalable business and operating models, and evolving your culture and human resources. As a result, executives will return to their organizations better equipped to lead sustainable growth."

Driving Profitable Growth is designed for senior executives and experienced leaders who are responsible for driving growth within their enterprises. The program is open to participants from a variety of organizations, including both young and established companies that are medium or large in size. Executives with backgrounds in research and development, operations, human resources, finance, and marketing are encouraged to apply.

As with other HBS Executive Education offerings, Driving Profitable Growth will rely on research from leading HBS faculty, discussions with industry peers, and learnings from real-world case studies from successful global companies.

For more information, please contact:

Jim Aisner, [email protected], +1-617-495-6157

Program Details:

Driving Profitable Growth will take place from October 25-28, 2017 on the Harvard Business School campus. Please visit https://www.exed.hbs.edu/programs/dpg/ for complete curriculum and to apply.

Faculty:

Stuart C. Gilson, Steven R. Fenster Professor of Business Administration.

Francesca Gino, Tandon Family Professor of Business Administration and faculty cochair of Driving Profitable Growth.

Gary P. Pisano, Harry E. Figgie, Jr. Professor of Business Administration and faculty cochair of Driving Profitable Growth.

About Harvard Business School:

Harvard Business School Executive Education, a division of Harvard Business School, is located on a 40-acre campus in Boston, Massachusetts. In fiscal year 2017, HBS faculty developed and delivered more than 60 Executive Education programs for leading organizations worldwide. Over 10,000 business executives attended programs held on campus in Boston as well as classrooms in Mumbai and Shanghai. With global research centers in eight key regions, HBS faculty continue to develop groundbreaking research, forge powerful alliances with global organizations, and fulfill the mission of educating leaders who shape the practice of business and innovation. Learn more at www.exed.hbs.edu.

SOURCE Harvard Business School Executive Education
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BillingPlatform, the agile monetization company, has drawn an initial $4 million from the Series A funding commitment provided by Columbia Capital. The investment comes at a time of rapid growth for BillingPlatform and widespread interest in agile monetization among enterprises and emerging companies. The money will be used on sales and marketing, product development and support for BillingPlatform's global customer base. Columbia plans to invest an additional $14 million in BillingPlatform over the next 18 months.

In related news, BillingPlatform has appointed Dennis Wall to CEO. Wall joined BillingPlatform in January 2017 as Chief Revenue Officer and has helped the company add and expand its relationships with enterprise clients, including PGi, Energy Australia and a large international airport. Wall was a co-founder of Cloud Sherpas, the global cloud advisory and technology services firm acquired by Accenture in 2015. BillingPlatform co-founders Nathan Shinn and Leonid Solomonik have been named Chief Strategy Officer and CTO, respectively.

BillingPlatform launched in 2012 with a cloud-based platform that supports quote-to-cash and related processes, such as billing and revenue recognition. Highly configurable, BillingPlatform offers a native metering and rating engine that enables unique and complex business models, and integrates with leading CRM, ERP and other core systems. BillingPlatform was recently named a Strong Performer in The Forrester Wave: Recurring Customer And Billing Management, Q3 2017, report, and received perfect scores for corporate vision and product focus, ahead of products like Apttus and Aria Systems.

Agile monetization strategies have become increasingly popular as businesses and consumers acquire products and services in nontraditional ways. Ford, for example, allows users of its GoBike service to purchase single ride, day pass or annual memberships. Netflix allows customers to select pricing based on options such as image resolution, the number of supported screens, and with DVDs or without. Uber and Lyft provide their customers with a veritable menu of pricing options. Analysts are recognizing that more companies are shifting to flexible pricing strategies. MGI Research forecasts the agile monetization platform market will grow from $8.9 billion in 2016 to nearly $36.75 billion in 2020.

"What we're seeing is a fundamental shift in the way that companies price their offerings that is consistent with the emergence of on-demand services, mobile apps and cloud technologies," says Wall. "Simply put, consumers have more options than ever when it comes to who they buy their products from and how they consume those products, putting pressure on companies to be more flexible in their pricing. The most successful companies going forward will recognize this trend and adopt agile monetization platforms that allow for a high degree of configurability, scalability and integration with complementary systems."

"Companies are becoming more creative in the way they charge for products and services and can use monetization as a competitive weapon," says Jason Booma, Partner at Columbia Capital, who has joined the BillingPlatform Board of Directors. "In talking with enterprise buyers, we heard the consistent message that customers are seeking a platform that could be rapidly configured to handle complex use cases and high transaction volumes without lengthy development burdens. We're confident that the BillingPlatform team will capture a sizable portion of its market with its differentiated solution."

"Our mission," says Wall, "is to give companies flexibility in how they monetize their products and services, and agility in how they innovate and evolve their processes. Legacy billing solutions simply can't do this. As one of our largest customers said, 'We felt like we had to mold our monetization strategy and processes around [the legacy provider's] solution, whereas BillingPlatform was able to mold its solution around our business.' That statement says everything you need to know about the direction of our market and our place in it."

About BillingPlatform

BillingPlatform is a leading provider of cloud-based quote-to-cash solutions. From CPQ, to billing, to revenue recognition, BillingPlatform's metadata platform provides the most flexible, agile monetization solution on the market. With customers spanning verticals including communications, high-tech, and utilities, BillingPlatform processes millions of transactions and billions of dollars every year, enabling enterprises to drive competitive differentiation by improving time to market and customer experience. To learn more, visit us at www.billingplatform.com.

Media contact:

Kevin Wolf

TGPR

(650) 327-1641

[email protected]

SOURCE BillingPlatform

Related Links

http://www.billingplatform.com


BJ's grant to FeedMore is part of BJ's Charitable Foundation's $1 million donation to Feeding America , the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. FeedMore is one of nine local food banks to benefit from BJ's $1 million donation, which is the foundation's largest single donation to any organization to date.

"BJ's is bringing a fresh approach to nourishing communities and helping families thrive, and we're proud to support FeedMore," said Kirk Saville, executive director of the BJ's Charitable Foundation. "No one should have to worry about where to get their next meal, and we know that food banks face challenges in storing and distributing perishable foods. Our strategic partnership with Feeding America is focused on building capacity for fresh food at local food banks so we can work together to put an end to hunger in our communities."

With BJ's $100,000 grant, FeedMore will purchase equipment, including freezers, refrigerators, and an external refrigerated storage unit to expand its cold storage capacity and increase the distribution of perishable foods. Additionally, FeedMore will use the grant to purchase a refrigerated truck for one of its partner agencies, which will increase the agency's ability to accept more perishable food and safely transport it.

In total, FeedMore's programs and network of more than 300 partner agencies provide more than 52,000 meals each day to neighbors in need across 34 counties and cities across Central Virginia. From the Northern Neck to Louisa County and south to the North Carolina border, FeedMore distributed 19.2 million meals last year through its programs and partners to Central Virginians who face hunger.

"One in seven Central Virginians is food insecure, meaning that nearly 200,000 of our neighbors are not receiving the necessary nutrition," said Doug Pick, Chief Executive Officer at FeedMore. "Because of BJ's generous donation, FeedMore will be able to provide our neighbors in need with healthy meals, nourishment and hope for a better tomorrow."

Since 2009, BJ's has provided ongoing support to Feeding America through the BJ's Charitable Foundation and BJ's Feeding Communities program, helping local food banks successfully expand their programs to reach wider and more diverse audiences.

In addition to capacity building grants from the BJ's Charitable Foundation, BJ's has secured over 50 million pounds of donated food, including fresh produce, frozen meats and fish, baked goods and dairy items through the BJ's Feeding Communities program.

About BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.

Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, BJ's is the leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States. The company currently operates 215 clubs and 132 BJ's Gas locations in 16 states.

BJ's provides a one-stop shopping destination filled with top-quality, leading brands, including its exclusive Wellsley Farms and Berkley Jensen brands, along with USDA Choice meats, premium produce and delicious organics, many in supermarket sizes. BJ's is also the only major membership warehouse club to accept all manufacturers' coupons and, for greater convenience, offers the most payment options.

Visit www.BJs.com, and for exclusive content find us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

BJ's is wholly owned by affiliates of Leonard Green & Partners, CVC Capital Partners and its management team.

About FeedMore

FeedMore is Central Virginia's core hunger-relief organization dedicated to providing neighbors in need with healthy meals and hope for a better tomorrow. With a service area that stretches across 34 cities and counties, FeedMore helps the nearly 200,000 children, families, and seniors in Central Virginia who struggle with hunger. Working to efficiently and effectively fight hunger, FeedMore's multi-tiered approach, comprehensive programs and network of more than 300 partner agencies are dedicated to providing neighbors who face hunger with one of the most basic necessities: nourishment. For additional information, please visit FeedMore.org, find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

About Feeding America 

Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.

SOURCE BJ's Wholesale Club

Related Links

http://www.bjs.com


AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BorgWarner produces engine timing chains, primary tensioners, guides, arms, balancer chains and balancer tensioners for the Renault Kadjar 2.0L sport utility vehicle, Dongfen Renault Automotive Company's (DRAC's) first vehicle built at its new plant in Wuhan, China. Designed for low mass, dynamic response and high wear resistance, BorgWarner's engine timing system delivers quiet, efficient performance.

BorgWarner timing system features low-weight, low-noise, delivers efficient performance for Dongfeng Renault Kadjar 2.0L sport utility vehicle

"BorgWarner's engine timing systems are engineered to reduce noise, vibration and harshness as well as provide durable, efficient performance," said Joel Wiegert, President and General Manager, BorgWarner Morse Systems. "BorgWarner is pleased to support Renault/Nissan and DRAC with localized production of our advanced timing system technologies."

BorgWarner's silent chains feature curved link backs to reduce friction between the chain, arms and guides, while advanced manufacturing processes enhance efficiency, performance and wear resistance. Tensioners balance chain tension and optimize control over the entire engine operating range for increased engine efficiency and lower noise, vibration and harshness. Arms and guides are engineered with specialized materials to reduce mass and package size for improved fuel economy and reduced emissions.

About BorgWarner

BorgWarner Inc. (NYSE: BWA) is a global product leader in clean and efficient technology solutions for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles. With manufacturing and technical facilities in 62 locations in 17 countries, the company employs approximately 27,000 worldwide. For more information, please visit borgwarner.com.

Statements contained in this press release may contain forward-looking statements as contemplated by the 1995 Private Securities Litigation Reform Act that are based on management's current outlook, expectations, estimates and projections. Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "continues," "could," "designed," "effect," "estimates," "evaluates," "expects," "forecasts," "goal," "initiative," "intends," "outlook," "plans," "potential," "project," "pursue," "seek," "should," "target," "when," "would," variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed, projected or implied in or by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include: fluctuations in domestic or foreign vehicle production, the continued use by original equipment manufacturers of outside suppliers, fluctuations in demand for vehicles containing our products, changes in general economic conditions, as well as other risks noted reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Risk Factors identified in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K. We do not undertake any obligation to update or announce publicly any updates to or revision to any of the forward-looking statements.

SOURCE BorgWarner

Related Links

http://www.borgwarner.com


Q1: Ms. Tibbs, August is National Breastfeeding Month and August 25  31, 2017, is the 5 th Annual Black Breastfeeding Week. Why is breastfeeding a public health priority?

A1: Breastfeeding is a critical public health issue, as it is the optimal source of infant nutrition, and has long-term health benefits for mom and baby. Breastfeeding protects babies from infections and decreases the risk of leukemia, sudden infant death syndrome and obesity. For mothers, it reduces their risk of breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes and heart attacks.

Q2: Breastfeeding has many benefits, so why are there still disparities among black women and women living in poverty?

A2: Disparities persist, as with many health outcomes, due to several barriers such as low availability and access to breastfeeding support, lack of family and community support, unaccommodating workplace and childcare environments, and aggressive marketing of infant formula.



Among infants born in 2014, black infants had the lowest breastfeeding rates of all reported race/ethnicity groups. Only 68% of black infants were ever breastfed as compared to 85.7% of white infants. Initiation rates for infants of mothers living in poverty was 73.2% among infants born in 2014.



Structural barriers disproportionately impact women of color and women living in poverty. For instance, birthing facilities using breastfeeding-friendly practices are less likely to be located in communities with high percentages of people of color or residents living in poverty.

In addition, the lack of federal legislation regarding paid family medical leave to support working families can impact decisions on returning to work. One-in-four women return to work within two weeks of delivery, and low-wage earners return to work sooner than higher wage earners. This limits the ability of women to establish breastfeeding prior to returning to work. And, although there are mandates for workplaces to support breastfeeding women, those working in the service industry are less likely to have adequate accommodations to support the pumping and storing of human milk.

Q3: Why has it been so important to increase breastfeeding rates among black infants?

A3: Although there have been great strides in breastfeeding, this persistent disparity in breastfeeding rates suggests that there are other factors that impact breastfeeding in the black community. The goal of our collective efforts should be to improve maternity care practices for black women; champion workplace and paid family medical leave policies; provide skilled and culturally-attuned breastfeeding support in communities; and engage the broader community to promote a culture of breastfeeding.

Q4: What is the local health department's role in supporting breastfeeding?



A4: Local health departments can play a vital role in supporting breastfeeding and ensuring access to breastfeeding support. Local health departments and their partners are uniquely positioned to address breastfeeding by supporting policy, systems, and environmental changes that enable women to breastfeed at optimal rates. These include encouraging breastfeeding-friendly workplace and hospital practices and expanding community-level breastfeeding support.



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognized the critical role local health departments have in supporting breastfeeding in underserved communities. This effort, led by the NACCHO, supported 72 projects in 32 states. Collectively, they provided over 90,000 one-to-one encounters and over 3,000 breastfeeding support groups. Grantees also instituted innovative practices to address structural barriers to breastfeeding by building workforce capacity, partnering with worksites and collaborating with hospitals and healthcare providers to ensure continuity of care for breastfeeding mothers. These efforts were positive steps towards increasing breastfeeding among black women and women living in poverty.

About NACCHO

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the nation's nearly 3,000 local governmental health departments. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information about NACCHO, please visit www.naccho.org.

Contact

Theresa Spinner

Director, Media and Public Relations

Direct: 202-783-5551

[email protected]

SOURCE NACCHO

Related Links

http://www.naccho.org


MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Campus360, LLC recently provided property brokerage and facility financing solutions to the Multicultural Learning Center, a charter school based in the greater L.A. area. Campus360 represented the school in the purchase of an existing building that will be renovated over the next 4 months to house the school's second location.

Total cost of the project including renovations will be approximately $6.9MM. The 12,000-square foot property will provide classrooms for approximately 250 students.

Managing Director, Richard Hollowell states, "Campus360 is committed to providing financing for the sustainable development of charter schools. We have a dedicated team with over 55 combined years of finance and brokerage expertise to assist charter schools with actualizing their goals."

Campus360, LLC is a leader in assisting charter and private schools nationwide with their financing and site selection needs. Construction financing, facility refinance, site selection, facility sale and project management are some of the services Campus360 provides. For additional information or to discuss your school's needs, please contact Richard Hollowell at (310)-427-0295 or [email protected]. You can also visit the Campus360 website: www.Campus360usa.com.

About Campus360: www.Campus360usa.com/what-we-do

Case Studies: www.Campus360usa.com/case-studies

Related Links

Company Website

Contact Us

SOURCE Campus360, LLC

Related Links

https://www.campus360usa.com


The ASTA Supplier Partner of the Year Award was established to recognize the partner who has impressed the agency community most by offering the best service and by helping agencies with attractive agency compensation and creative pricing. ASTA selected Carnival Corporation as this year's recipient based on the company's outstanding support and commitment to ASTA and the agency community, supporting the trade organization's critical mission of industry advocacy and keeping the travel advisor channel vibrant.

"Travel agent professionals have been and continue to be extremely crucial to our success as an industry, and we are committed to ensuring our agent partners have the tools they need to be successful 'matchmakers' in pairing their clients with the best cruise line and ship for a vacation that exceeds all expectations," said Donald. "When our agent partners understand the psychographics of our brands and pair that with what they know about their clients, they can guide people to the right cruise experience and help create happy cruisers for life  and that is our common objective. We thank both ASTA and the entire agent community for teaming with our 10 leading global brands to help drive our collective growth."

Carnival Corporation and its brands have established several travel agent-focused programs  like Carnival Cruise Line's "Agentpalooza"  to help travel professional partners better understand and then convey each line's offerings, specialties and differentiators, and to equip them with the tools they need to be successful.

"We are thrilled to recognize Carnival Corporation and CEO Arnold Donald as the ASTA Supplier Partner of the Year," said Kerby. "Carnival Corporation and its brands understand that travel advisors are a critically important distribution channel who can help build lifelong advocates for the fast-growing cruise sector, and that a partnership approach with sharing of tools and resources is necessary to help agents be the most successful they can be. From sponsoring our consumer research each year, to launching bonus commission programs, the company's leadership continues to build on its track record of helping agents grow their business and better understand today's traveler."

About Carnival Corporation & plc

Carnival Corporation & plc is the world's largest leisure travel company and among the most profitable and financially strong in the cruise and vacation industries, with a portfolio of 10 dynamic brands that include nine of the world's leading cruise lines. With operations in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK), as well as Fathom, the corporation's immersion and enrichment experience brand.

Together, these brands operate 103 ships with 231,000 lower berths visiting over 700 ports around the world, with 17 new ships scheduled to be delivered between 2018 and 2022. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour company in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only dual listed company in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 indices.

In 2017, Fast Company recognized Carnival Corporation as being among the "Top 10 Most Innovative Companies" in both the design and travel categories. Fast Company specifically recognized Carnival Corporation for its work in developing Ocean Medallion, a high-tech wearable device that enables the world's first interactive guest experience platform capable of transforming vacation travel into a highly personalized and elevated level of customized service.

Additional information can be found on www.carnival.com, www.fathom.org, www.hollandamerica.com, www.princess.com, www.seabourn.com, www.aida.de, www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com, www.pocruises.com.au, and www.pocruises.com.

About ASTA

ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) members represent 80 percent of all travel sold in the United States through the travel agency distribution channel. Together with hundreds of internationally based members, it is the leading global advocate for travel agents, the travel industry and the traveling public. ASTA's history of travel industry advocacy traces back to its founding in 1931 when it launched with the mission to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism. For more information, visit ASTA.org.

ASTA's sister association, The National Association of Career Travel Agents, represents a professional community of independent travel agents ready to assist the traveling public.

SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc

Related Links

http://www.Carnivalcorp.com


ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ceannate employees have made it a priority to give back to their community this year through the Ceannate Cares program. In just the first six months, thousands of donations in the form of funds, food and personal items have been sent to employee-selected charities and shelters in the Chicagoland area and across the country. Ceannate Cares has already outperformed expectations for the year and expects to continue to build momentum throughout 2017.

"Ceannate's employees are some of the most generous people I have ever had the privilege of working with," said Maureen Peterson, Ceannate's President & COO, "The fact that Ceannate Cares has become such a priority for so many this year really highlights the quality of our team. I'm proud to be a part of it, and as a company I know we all look forward to another year of helping make our community and our country better for those in need."

Ceannate Cares is an employee-driven giving program that encourages everyone in the company to help people in need. Nearly $25,000 in cash contributions and more than 5,000 coats, office supplies and non-perishable food items have been donated across the following organizations:

Dreams for Kids, Inc. (http://dreamsforkids.org/)

The Hope List - Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago (https://www.luriechildrens.org/)

(https://www.luriechildrens.org/) Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans (http://www.helpaveteran.org/)

Heartland Alliance  Adopt A Family (https://www.heartlandalliance.org/)

DuPage Senior Citizens Council (https://www.dupageseniorcouncil.org/)

Lydia Home Association (http://www.lydiahome.org/)

B.A.C.A (http://bacaworld.org/)

Shelter, Inc. (http://shelterinc.org/)

About Ceannate

Ceannate is a leading business process outsourcing (BPO) company focused on providing expertise and solutions across the student loan borrowing and repayment lifecycle. Ceannate serves students, alumni, employers, lenders, servicers, the U.S. Department of Education and more through its subsidiaries: Financial Management Systems (FMS), i3 Group, IonTuition, and AuthenticAID. The company is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Learn more at www.ceannate.com.

All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies.

Media Contact:

Madeline Mains

FortyThree, Inc.

831.401.3175

[email protected]

SOURCE Ceannate
SYOSSET, N.Y., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CEO Connection has announced the winners of the 2017 Mid-Market Awards, recognizing mid-market leaders and companies that have demonstrated leadership, creativity, generosity and other qualities representing the true spirit of the mid-market.

The recipients are:

Mid-Market Company of the Year: Key Safety Systems

Steering the course for safety innovation since the dawn of automobile, KSS has pioneered life-saving safety technology since 1916. From handcrafted steering wheels for the Ford Model-T, to the advancement of retractable seat belts, the inception of airbags, and the breakthrough of crash sensors, into present day active safety solutions, KSS is at the forefront of mobility safety. This global leader also provides safety-critical components to non-automotive markets. Headquartered in Sterling Heights, Michigan, KSS has a network of 13,000 employees with 34 technical centers and manufacturing facilities in 14 countries around the world.

Mid-Market CEO of the Year: Blake Irving

Blake Irving is GoDaddy's Chief Executive Officer and Board Director. Those who have met Irving know that he brings passion, vision, and technology experience to his role. GoDaddy hosts one of the world's largest cloud platforms dedicated to small, independent businesses. With more than 17 million customers worldwide and more than 71 million domain names under management, GoDaddy is the place all types of businesses go to name their domain, build a professional website, attract customers, and manage their work.

Social Impact Award: Raj Mamodia

Teaching disruptive technologies to underprivileged children might seem like a luxury. After all, basic needs come first. But as conceived by the CEO of a digitally disruptive tech startup, this education is no less than essential. It ignites imagination, democratizes innovation, and makes entrepreneurship accessible to all. Raj Mamodia, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Brillio, a leading global digital consulting and technology services company is the visionary behind this program - the Brillio Bringing Smiles initiative. Mamodia started Brillio in 2014 to challenge the conventional approach to enterprise IT with the "New Know How" in technology. Brillio has become a fast- growth digital transformation company with 2,600+ employees serving more than 350 customers, of which 50 are Fortune 500.

Mid-Market Young Leader Award: Luvleen Sidhu

Sidhu has been chosen as the mid-market executive who, early in her career, has demonstrated the greatest potential for leadership and lasting impact. She is Co-Founder, President and Chief Strategy Officer at BankMobile, a completely digital bank, offering an entirely fee-free checking account, aimed at helping the underbanked, millennials and middle-income Americans to have an affordable, effortless and financially empowering banking experience. Sidhu has been recognized by the industry with numerous awards, including being among Bank Innovation's 2016 worldwide Top 10 "Innovators to Watch."

"It is an honor to announce these awards for the leaders and companies representing the highest standards in business and their impact on society," said Kenneth Beck, CEO of CEO Connection. "The Mid-Market Awards draw attention to an often-overlooked sector that is a significant force in job creation, economic growth, and in driving social change."

Award winners will be honored at the 2017 Mid-Market Convention, Sept. 24-27 at The Wharton School in Philadelphia, PA. This gathering includes functional experts and leading CEOs across a wide range of industries who convene to discuss challenges and solutions specific to the mid-market, and to devise actionable plans. Attendance is limited to 200. Register here.

About CEO Connection

CEO Connection is the only membership organization in the world exclusively for CEOs of mid-market companies (with between $100 million and $3 billion in annual revenue). Our mission is to help mid-market CEOs and their companies succeed. We accomplish this by connecting members with one another and with the people, information, and resources they could not otherwise access. Collectively, we promote the interests, welfare, and perspectives of the mid-market.

Members are C-level executives with responsibility for all or significant portions of their respective companies, representing a wide variety of business across a broad geographic spectrum.

Inspired by C-level Wharton executives, CEO Connection was founded in 2005 and has grown into a dynamic community offering many benefits uniquely designed to help mid-market CEOs.For more information, visit CEO Connection, stay connected on Twitter @CEOConnection, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Media Contact:

Katie Woods

[email protected]

800-244-4719

SOURCE CEO Connection

Related Links

http://www.ceoconnection.com


Blue Hammock Bayou sits on the Louisiana coast, where the Ship Shoal Pipeline, a joint venture operated by Shell, runs 31-miles to deliver on average 200,000 barrels of crude oil a day from deep-water assets in the Gulf of Mexico to Louisiana. Due to natural erosive forces in Blue Hammock Bayou, the pipeline faces many challenges.

The challenges were evident. The solution was not.

Integrity of operating pipelines, critical regional oil and gas infrastructure and the local energy economy.

Coastal erosion, further driven by subsidence, sea level rise and storms.

Challenging maintenance requirements and rising costs.

Changing hydrology and sediments that threaten an ecological asset and natural habitat.

Increased marine traffic and potential for incident along the pipeline right-of-way.

To mitigate these challenges, Shell collaborated with CH2M to create a non-traditional approach that would add positive impacts to the coastal ecosystem. What began as a social investment project that traditionally would be solved with more grey infrastructure turned into a long-term, sustainable and visually appealing solution. The pilot project began by conducting an analysis on the coastal environment. The next step involved designing a solution that included installation of vegetation and sediment-filled erosion baskets, coir logs filled with rock and coconut fibers, as well as sediment compaction and revegetation with robust clonal species adapted to depth and energy forces. The natural infrastructure solution, now a resilient and thriving ecological asset, was completed in October of 2015.

"Applying this non-traditional approach and creating natural infrastructure projects are not only a win for Shell, but a win for the environment," said Geoffrey Gauthier, Shell Pipeline Company Operations Manager for the Offshore Gulf of Mexico Region. "It's through innovative solutions to challenging situations like this that will allow Shell to make a positive impact on the coast where we live, work and play."

In a collaborative effort supported by CH2M scientists and coastal engineers, and Shell, ongoing monitoring and assessments of the Blue Hammock Bayou are being conducted. The findings indicate that the natural infrastructure approach is already performing beyond expectations, with strong plant growth and accumulation rather than erosionof sediments. The sustainable solution is protective of the pipeline, has helped stabilize the marsh, and has greatly enhanced the natural habitat. These findings and the benefits of the pilot project were recently presented at the Shell Conversation Summit.

The data collected from the analysis are being compiled to identify lessons learned and best practices for use in future design and implementation solutions for other oil and gas infrastructure.

The Blue Hammock Bayou natural infrastructure project was a win for Shell, CH2M and the local communities one that can become a model for balancing coastal infrastructure integrity and an evolving natural environment today and for generations to come.

About CH2M

CH2M leads the professional services industry delivering sustainable solutions benefiting societal, environmental and economic outcomes with the development of infrastructure and industry. In this way, CH2Mers make a positive difference providing consulting, design, engineering and management services for clients needing world-class solutions in environmental; industrial and advanced facilities; transportation; and water markets, from iconic infrastructure to global programs like the Olympic Games.

Ranked among the World's Most Ethical Companies and top firms in environmental consulting and program management, CH2M in 2016 became the first professional services firm honored with the World Environment Center Gold Medal Award for efforts advancing sustainable development. Connect with CH2M at www.ch2m.com; LinkedIn; Twitter; and Facebook.

Contact: John Petraglia

CH2M, Corporate Marketing and Communications

510-587-7509

[email protected]

SOURCE CH2M

Related Links

http://www.ch2m.com


A program called "I'm in China" has recently taken place, which is an unprecedented approach to delivering the Chinese stories. It invites people from outside of China to experience unique jobs and participate in activities that one can find only in China.

A competition named Global Recruitment kicked off on 31st July to select who gets to be the new "Marco Polo". More than ten thousand photos and articles were submitted by over six thousand applicants worldwide, which has earned tremendous web views, likes and shares.

Pinar, a journalism student from Turkey, is among the enthusiastic applicants. "Imagining myself not only being able to travel around China, but also learn to be a Chinese through vocational training experience, as well as a TV presenter, I couldn't wait to sign up."

Ko Hawhun from South Korea, after a day job as a rainforest ranger in Sanya, China's southernmost city, says the experience enriched his knowledge in botany, more importantly helping him understand the effort that the local government and staff has to put into forest protection.

Like many young Chinese who study abroad, Pinar and Ko Hawhun represent the new generation who are interested in China - they can become the new "Marco Polo"s. Since China's Open Policy started nearly 40 years ago, the link between China and the rest of the world has been strengthened. "I'm in China" program is yet another creative effort to show the nation's good will.

The documented weekly series of the program "My Chinese Working Day" premiers on Mango TV, and posts on major social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

For those who did not get in for the first season, the Global Recruitment will re-open for entries at the end of October. Stay tuned for more details on social media.

Wechat @VitaminCN

facebook / twitter / instagram / @inchinanow

www.iaminchina.cn

SOURCE iaminchina

Related Links

http://www.iaminchina.cn


XIAMEN, China, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- China Xiniya Fashion Limited ("Xiniya" or the "Company"NYSE: XNY) today reported financial results for the first half of 2017. The unaudited consolidated financial statements and other financial information included in this press release have been prepared in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS").

The Company publishes its consolidated financial statements in Renminbi ("RMB").

First Half 2017 Highlights

Revenue during the first half of 2017 was RMB120.3 million , as compared to revenue of RMB15.1 million in the first half of 2016.

, as compared to revenue of in the first half of 2016. Total loss during the first half of 2017 was RMB51.5 million , as compared to total loss of RMB129.2 million in the first half of 2016.

, as compared to total loss of in the first half of 2016. Loss per ADS was $0.53 in the first half of 2017 as compared to loss per ADS of $1.37 in the first half of 2016.

First Half 2017 Results

Revenue for the first half of 2017 was RMB120.3 million, an increase from RMB15.1 million during the first half of 2016. During the first half of 2017, the Company achieved a revenue of RMB120.3 million, as compared to a net revenue of RMB15.1 million during the first half of 2016 which comprised of a revenue of RMB139.6 million less repurchased inventory of RMB124.5 million. The repurchased inventory of RMB124.5 million was a reduction in revenue.

Excluding the inventory buyback in the first half of 2016, the Company delivered approximately 1,232,000 units to it's customers during the first half of 2017, compared with 1,320,000 units during the first half of 2016.

The Company's network of authorized retailers had a net reduction of 20 authorized retail outlets in the first half of 2017, consisting of 41 new authorized retail outlets opened and 61 authorized retail outlets closed. The total number of authorized retail outlets was 427 as of June 30, 2017. The table below sets forth the number of retail outlets by outlet type:

Outlet Type: As of December

31, 2016 As of June 30, 2017 Company operated flagship store 1 1 Distributor operated stores 28 26 Distributor operated flagship store 1 1 Distributor operated retail website 1 1 Authorized retailers operating outlets 416 398 Total 447 427

The cost of sales increased from RMB100.7 million in the first half of 2016 to RMB138.1 million in the first half of 2017. The increase in cost of sales was primarily attributed to the write down of inventory to net realizable value of RMB22.2 million during the first half of 2017. During the first half of 2017, the cost of sales comprised of RMB115.9 million cost of sales and the inventory write down of RMB22.2 million. During the first half of 2016, the cost of sales comprised of RMB141.4 million cost of sales less the net realizable value of repurchased inventory of RMB40.7 million. The net realizable value of repurchased inventory of RMB40.7 million was a reduction in cost of sales.

Gross loss was RMB17.8 million in the first half of 2017 as compared to gross loss of RMB85.6 million in the first half of 2016. The gross loss in the first half of 2016 was higher, this was due to inventory buyback in the first half of 2016.

Interest and other income was RMB0.5 million in the first half of 2017 as compared to RMB2.2 million in the first half of 2016. The decrease was mainly due to no time deposit placed with banks during the first half of 2017.

Selling and distribution expenses were RMB24.7 million in the first half of 2017, a decrease from RMB36.0 million during the first half of 2016. The decrease was primarily attributed to the reduction of advertising and shop rack expenses.

Administrative expenses were RMB9.5 million in the first half of 2017, a decrease from RMB10.3 million during the first half of 2016. The decrease was primarily due to reduction of headcount, office and other miscellaneous expenses during the first half of 2017.

Total loss for the period was RMB51.5 million in the first half of 2017, as compared with total loss of RMB129.2 million during the first half of 2016.

Loss per ADS was $0.53 in the first half of 2017, compared to loss per ADS of $1.37 the first half of 2016.

Financial Position

As of June 30, 2017, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of RMB52.7 million.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "target," "going forward," "outlook" and similar statements. Such statements are based upon management's current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under law.

Exchange Rate Information

The United States dollar ($) amounts disclosed in this press release are presented solely for the convenience of the reader. Translations of amounts from RMB into United States dollars for the convenience of the reader were calculated at the certified exchange rate of $1.00 = RMB6.7793 on June 30, 2017 as set forth in the H.10 weekly statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be, converted into $ at that rate on June 30, 2017, or at any other date. The percentages stated are calculated based on RMB amounts.

About China Xiniya Fashion Limited

Xiniya is a leading provider of men's business casual apparel in China. The Company designs men's business casual and business formal apparel and accessories, which are marketed under the Xiniya brand, and sells through its distributors and retail network. Its products are sold to consumers at authorized retail outlets owned and managed by third parties located in 20 provinces, four autonomous regions, and four municipalities in China. This retail network focuses on second and lower-tier cities, where increasing affluence has led to an improvement in living standards and where most international men's apparel brands do not have a significant presence. The Company's target consumers are male working professionals in China between the ages of 25 and 45 who seek fashionable clothing to suit their working and lifestyle needs. For more information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.xiniya.com.

For additional information, please contact:

China Xiniya Fashion Limited

Mr. Chee Jiong Ng

Chief Financial Officer

Telephone: +86-136-5593-9932

Email: [email protected]

CHINA XINIYA FASHION LIMITED UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30 (Expressed in thousands, except per share and per ADS amounts)

2016 RMB

2017 RMB 2017 USD

(Re-presented)







(Note 1)





Continuing operation:







Revenue 

  Cost of sales 

  Gross loss 

 









Interest and other income 517

  Selling and distribution expenses 

  Administrative expenses (2,499)

(3,886) (573) Loss before taxation (1,982)

(3,886) (573) Income tax expense 

  Loss from continuing operation (1,982)

(3,886) (573) Discontinued operation:







Loss from discontinued operation (127,247)

(47,587) (7,020) Total loss for the period (129,229)

(51,473) (7,593) Other comprehensive income for the period:







Exchange differences on translation of financial statements of entities

outside the mainland of the People's Republic of China 562

450 66 Total comprehensive loss for the period (128,667)

(51,023) (7,527)









Loss per share - basic and diluted (in RMB) (0.57)

(0.23)

Loss per ADS - basic and diluted (in USD) (1.37)

(0.53)











Weighted average shares outstanding in the period ('000) 227,717

227,717

Weighted average ADS outstanding in the period ('000) 14,232

14,232











One ADS represents 16 ordinary shares.









CHINA XINIYA FASHION LIMITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION (Expressed in thousands)

As of December 31,

As of June 30, As of June 30,

2016

2017 2017

RMB

RMB USD





Unaudited Unaudited

(Note 1)

(Note 1) (Note 1) Assets







Non-current assets







Property, plant and equipment 

  Intangible assets 

  Total non-current assets 

 









Current assets







Cash and cash equivalents 

  Trade receivables 

  Prepayments to suppliers 

  Inventories 

  Other receivables and prepayments 

  Total current assets 

  Total non-current and current assets 

  Assets of disposal group classified as held for sale 545,707

514,643 75,914 Total assets 545,707

514,643 75,914









Equity and liabilities







Equity







Share capital 77

77 11 Additional paid-in capital 519,077

519,077 76,568 Statutory reserve 122,615

122,615 18,087 Currency translation reserve (16,986)

(17,436) (2,572) Accumulated losses (236,824)

(288,297) (42,526) Total equity 387,959

336,036 49,568









Current liabilities







Trade payables 

  Deposits received from distributors 

  Other payables and accruals 518

229 34 Current income tax payable 

  Total current liabilities 518

229 34 Liabilities of disposal group classified as held for sale 157,230

178,378 26,312 Total liabilities 157,748

178,607 26,346 Total equity and liabilities 545,707

514,643 75,914

CHINA XINIYA FASHION LIMITED UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30 (Expressed in thousands)

2016

2017 2017

RMB

RMB USD Cash flows from operating activities:







Loss before taxation







Continue operation (1,982)

(3,886) (573) Discontinued operation (127,247)

(47,587) (7,020) Loss for the period (129,229)

(51,473) (7,593) Adjustments for:







Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 796

  Amortization of intangible assets 2,393

  Intangible assets written off 2,724

1,932 285 Interest income (2,198)

(102) (15) Foreign exchange losses 453

427 63 Operating loss before working capital changes (125,061)

(49,216) (7,260) Decrease in trade receivables 186,585

23,680 3,493 Decrease/(increase) in prepayments to suppliers 3,330

(350) (52) (Increase)/decrease in inventories (92,321)

28,596 4,218 Increase in other receivables and prepayments (66,618)

(5,297) (781) Increase/(decrease) in trade payables 5,730

(8,418) (1,242) Increase/(decrease) in deposits received from distributors 19,290

(720) (106) (Decrease)/increase in provision for estimated sales return (2,540)

31,834 4,696 Decrease in other payables and accruals (1,119)

(1,837) (271) Decrease in provision for liability (84,300)

  Cash (used in)/generated by operating activities (157,024)

18,272 2,695 Income tax paid 

  Net cash (used in)/generated by operating activities (157,024)

18,272 2,695 Cash flows from investing activities:







Interest received 16,677

102 15 Net cash generated by investing activities 16,677

102 15









Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents (140,347)

18,374 2,710 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period 203,371

35,168 5,188 Exchange gains/(losses) on cash and cash equivalents 109

(877) (129) Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period 63,133

52,665 7,769

CHINA XINIYA FASHION LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Group held-for-sale

On July 18, 2016, the Company announced that the Company's controlling shareholder, Qiming Investment Limited, a British Virgin Islands company (the "Seller") controlled by the Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Qiming Xu, entered into an agreement to sell a controlling interest in the Company (the "Agreement") to Perfect Lead International Limited and Honest Plus Investments Limited, both British Virgin Islands companies (collectively the "Purchasers").

As of the date of the Agreement, the Seller beneficially owns 134,359,960 ordinary shares of the Company, accounting for approximately 59% of the total outstanding shares of the Company. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Seller will sell 114,996,929 ordinary shares of the Company (the "Seller Shares"), or 50.5% of the total outstanding shares of the Company, to the Purchasers, for an aggregate purchase price of RMB86,426,661 (US$12,937,155), or RMB0.75 per ordinary share (or US$1.80 per ADS), which is approximately 172.57% of the volume weighted average closing price of the shares for the fifteen (15) trading days prior to and including July 15, 2016.

The closing of the above-mentioned share transfer requires, among other conditions, the following to occur first: (1) the Company's board of directors and shareholders must approve the sale of Xiniya Holdings Limited, the Company's wholly owned subsidiary in Hong Kong, to Mr. Qiming Xu or his designees at a price to be determined by an independent third party valuer (the "Xiniya Transaction"); and (2) the Company must take such corporate actions as are necessary to approve the acquisition of True Silver Limited ("True Silver"), a British Virgin Islands company, which will utilize a variable interest entity (VIE) structure to operate and consolidate 70% of the financial results of Hubei Chutian Lending Company, Ltd. ("Chutian"), a PRC company engaged in the lending of small loans to customers in China, at a price to be determined by an independent third party valuer (the "Chutian Transaction"). True Silver is wholly-owned by Honest Plus Investments Limited and indirectly controlled by Wei Qizhi who is the controlling shareholder of each of the Purchasers and the founder of Chutian. As a result of the Xiniya Transaction and the Chutian Transaction, the Company's core business will be changed from men's fashion to lending, which will be expanded to broader financial services in the future. In addition, the Purchasers' designees will be appointed as directors of the board, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company to be effective immediately after the closing.

The Seller and Purchasers also simultaneously entered into a voting agreement and irrevocable proxy, pursuant to which the Seller appoints the Purchasers as proxies authorized to vote all of the Seller Shares at any meeting of the shareholders of the Company and in connection with any corporate action by the shareholders of the Company related to the Xiniya Transaction and the Chutian Transaction. The closing of the purchase and sale of the Seller Shares will occur no more than ten (10) business days after all conditions precedent to the closing have been satisfied or waived.

The assets and liabilities attributable to Xiniya Holding Limited and its subsidiaries, which are expected to be sold within next twelve months from December 31, 2016, have been classified as a disposal group held for sale and are presented separately in the balance sheet. The proceeds of disposal are expected to exceed the net carrying amount of the relevant assets and liabilities and, accordingly, no impairment loss has been recognized on the classification of these assets classified as held for sale.

CHINA XINIYA FASHION LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Group held-for-sale - continued

(a) The results of the discontinued operation and the re-presentation of the disposal group are as follows:





Six

months

ended

June 30,

2016

Six months

ended June 30, 2017 Six months

ended June 30, 2017



RMB'000

RMB'000 USD'000











Revenue

15,093

120,263 17,740 Cost of sales

(100,725)

(138,062) (20,365) Gross loss

(85,632)

(17,799) (2,625) Interest and other income

2,198

529 78 Selling and distribution expenses

(36,033)

(24,719) (3,646) Administrative expenses

(7,780)

(5,598) (826) Loss before tax from discontinued operation

(127,247)

(47,587) (7,019) Income tax expense



  Net loss after taxation from discontinued operation

(127,247)

(47,587) (7,019)

(b) The impact of the discontinued operation on the cash flows of the Group is as follows:





Six

months

ended

June 30,

2016

Six months

ended June 30, 2017 Six months

ended June 30, 2017



RMB'000

RMB'000 USD'000











Operating cash (outflows)/inflows

(157,024)

18,272 2,695 Investing cash inflows

16,677

102 15 Total cash (outflows)/inflows

(140,347)

18,374 2,710

CHINA XINIYA FASHION LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Group held-for-sale - continued

As a result of foregoing, the assets and liabilities related to Xiniya Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries have been presented as held for sale:

(c) Assets of disposal group classified as held for sale



As of

December

31, 2016 As of June 30,

2017 As of June 30,

2017

RMB'000 RMB'000 USD'000 Property, plant and equipment 2,172 2,172 320 Intangible assets 36,934 35,002 5,163 Cash and cash equivalents 35,168 52,665 7,769 Trade receivables 281,634 257,954 38,050 Prepayments to suppliers 25,300 25,650 3,784 Inventories 62,905 34,309 5,061 Other receivables and prepayments 101,594 106,891 15,767 Total 545,707 514,643 75,914

(d) Liabilities of disposal group classified as held for sale



As of

December

31, 2016 As of

June 30,

2017 As of

June 30,

2017

RMB'000 RMB'000 USD'000







Trade payables 16,812 10,980 1,620 Deposits received from distributors 46,380 45,660 6,735 Provision for estimated sales return 79,039 110,873 16,354 Other payables and accruals 12,586 8,452 1,247 Current income tax payable 2,413 2,413 356 Total 157,230 178,378 26,312 Net assets directly associated with disposal group classified as held-for-sale 388,477 336,265 49,602

(e) Due to discontinued operation, certain re-presentation has been made to the June 30, 2016 consolidated statement of comprehensive loss to enhance comparability with current period's presentation. The items re-presented were as follows:





For the six months ended June 30, 2016



After re-

presentation

Before re-

presentation Difference



RMB'000

RMB'000 RMB'000











Revenue



15,093 (15,093) Cost of sales



(100,725) 100,725 Gross loss



(85,632) 85,632 Interest and other income

517

2,715 (2,198) Selling and distribution expenses



(36,033) 36,033 Administrative expenses

(2,499)

(10,279) 7,780 Loss before tax from continued operation

(1,982)

(129,229) 127,247 Loss from discontinued operation

(127,247)

 (127,247) Income tax expense



  Net loss after taxation

(129,229)

(129,229) 

SOURCE China Xiniya Fashion Limited

Related Links

http://www.xiniya.com


The rise of mobile Internet, big data and cloud computing has led to an explosive growth of data centers, dramatically boosting the optical interconnection and optical module market. CIOE 2017 will launch its first Data Center Eco Experience Zone with amazing forums and exhibitions while offering visitors an exceptional opportunity for on-site communication. This is a one-stop zone where visitors will find products from the whole industry chain, including optical fiber & cable, optical chip, optical modules, optical connectors, data center infrastructure and cloud applications. In addition, a data center themed visiting route has been mapped out this year to cover products and solutions such as optical modules, optical chips, optical connectors, data center infrastructure and big data applications. Register now to visit the show.

Highlight 2: Focusing on Consumer Electronics Industry and Embrace the New Trends

With the growth of China's economy, the center of global consumer electronics market has gradually shifted to China as the Chinese consumer electronics market accounts for a bigger share every year. CIOE will also set up mobile phone and automotive themed visiting routes to allow visitors to find the right exhibitors and products more efficiently. The visiting routes will be a big time saver for professionals from business sectors such as mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, smart wearables, security monitor and car cameras.

Highlight 3: Laser Technology Expo with More Emphasis on Precision Processing

As the most influential manufacturing center and one of the most developed areas of microelectronics and light industry, South China has always been the focus of laser and photonic industries. In order to lead and promote the development of the laser industry, CIOE 2017 will attach more importance to Lasers Technology & Intelligent Manufacturing Expo with a focus on laser precision processing and its innovative applications in areas such as electronics manufacturing, integrated circuit, communications, medical care, energy and autonomous driving. Leaders in the optoelectronic industry have been regular exhibitors, including Newport, TRUMPF, Coherent, Han's Laser, JPT, Chutian Laser, Daheng New Epoch, BWT, Sapphire Laser, CASTECH, LYPE, and Academy of Opto-Electronics (China Academy of Sciences). At Executive Forum on Laser Technologies: From New Technologies to Emerging Applications launched by Yole and CIOE, countless technical issues, business opportunities, and emerging applications that have been identified will be discussed.

Highlight 4: Six International Pavilion Representing Leading Overseas Players

Six international pavilions from Germany, Denmark, Canada, Korea, USA and Taiwan will showcase the most cutting-edge technologies and products in the industry.

Highlight 5: More than 20 Conferences and Forums Providing Valuable Industry Insights

There will be more than 20 conferences and forums held during the four-day event, covering optical communications, optics, fiber optic sensor, AR/VR, infrared, laser, data center, military and civil applications. At Optical Communication Technology and Development Forum 2017, visitors will gain access to high-level dialogues among three major telecommunication operators, five major equipment manufacturers and business leaders in the industry.

Highlight 6: VIP Buyer Program Offering Exclusive Services

The VIP program aims to provide the buyers with more efficient, pleasant sourcing and visiting experience at CIOE 2017. More details, please click here.

Highlight 7: Experience 10+ informative onsite events

More than 10 onsite events will allow visitors to have an up-close look at the latest photonics technologies and get amazed.

For more Information, please visit here.

Pre-register now to avoid queuing onsite.

About China International Optoelectronic Expo (CIOE) (www.cioe.cn)

Established in 1999, CIOE is the largest show of its kind in the world featuring over 3,200 optoelectronic brands and their latest products in the area of 110,000 sqm at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center. There are 6 concurrent specialized expositions focusing on Optical Communications and Sensors, Lasers, Infrared Applications, Precision Optics, LEDs, Emerging Display, Sapphire Technology & Touch Screen and Photonics Innovations.

Media Contact

Shirly Yi

Tel: +86 755 88242569

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE China International Optoelectronic Expo (CIOE)

Related Links

http://www.cioe.cn


ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lisa Kazor, CEO and President of Savantage Solutions, announced today that Colonel Michael Arnold (Ret) has joined Savantage as a Vice President of Business Strategy. He will serve as the Senior Executive in charge of Savantage work at the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), supporting strategic initiatives for the company in the areas of business development and client service delivery.

Prior to joining Savantage, Colonel Arnold (Ret) served as the Army National Account Manager at the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), and has had a distinguished career in the U.S. Army spanning two decades. During his career, he served overseas in logistics leadership positions including Korea, Kuwait, Egypt, and Iraq. He previously served as the assistant chief of staff for logistics for the 2nd Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea, providing sustainment support for three separate Brigades and over 10,000 troops. Colonel Arnold (Ret) was commissioned from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993 as a Transportation Corps Officer and Distinguished Military Graduate. He holds a master's degree in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and a second master's degree in Military Arts and Sciences from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He also represented the US Army as a National Security Affairs Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University for the academic year of 2014-2015.

"I am very excited to join the Savantage team and look forward to bringing my experiences and knowledge to continue to develop Savantage's presence and foot print in the DLA", stated Colonel Arnold (Ret). Savantage is a prime contractor for the J6 Enterprise Technology Services (JETS) IDIQ contract by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). JETS is a $6B Total Ceiling Value vehicle with an eight year period of performance. As a Prime contractor on the unrestricted track, Savantage competes for task orders to support technology service requirements across the DLA Information Operations Enterprise, and program offices, in all 21 task areas.

"We are thrilled to welcome Mike to the Savantage team," said Ms. Kazor. "His long track record of leadership in the U.S. Army and within the Army logistics community will be a significant asset to our company."

About Savantage Solutions

Savantage Solutions is a woman-owned small business headquartered in Rockville, Maryland that provides a wide range of consulting, integration, technology and support solutions and services to Federal agencies. A CMMI Level 3 Rated company, and an ISO 9001:2008 certified organization, Savantage is a leading provider of software development, business consulting and program management support services. One of only five vendors of financial management systems certified for federal use by the GSA's Financial Systems Integration Office (FSIO), Savantage takes pride in its emphasis on service excellence. For more information, please contact Ayesha Rahman at 301-258-5600 or by email: [email protected]

SOURCE Savantage Solutions
DALLAS, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dallas-based Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) has announced it will donate $100,000 to the American Red Cross to assist with disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

"Supporting our colleagues and the communities we serve is our number one priority," said Ralph W. Babb, Jr., Comerica's chairman and chief executive officer. "We recognize how natural disasters the scale of Hurricane Harvey can devastate communities. And, we want to help Texans affected by the destruction with immediate resources, as well as assistance during the restoration period."

Comerica has more than 450 employees in the Houston area and nearly 50 banking centers, as well as other offices. The company is keeping in close contact with its teams and monitoring their safety and well-being. In the meantime, all Comerica banking centers and offices are currently closed in the Houston area.

"We understand the challenges our customers may be facing during this difficult time and we're committed to serving them. We encourage our customers to reach out to us to discuss their banking needs," said Babb.

Customers can call the Comerica Contact Center or send an email through online banking until it is safe for the banking centers to reopen. To further support the Houston area and its customers, Comerica is currently waiving ATM fees for its customers who might need to use other ATMs and for noncustomers who use Comerica ATMs in the affected areas.

"Our thoughts are with all of those affected by Hurricane Harvey. We will continue to monitor the situation daily and provide support to rebuild," said Babb.

Comerica customers wishing to donate can do so by visiting www.comerica.com or the American Red Cross website directly.

Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and strategically aligned by three business segments: The Business Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth Management. Comerica focuses on relationships, and helping people and businesses be successful. In addition to Texas, Comerica Bank locations can be found in Arizona, California, Florida and Michigan, with select businesses operating in several other states, as well as in Canada and Mexico.

SOURCE Comerica Incorporated

Related Links

http://www.comerica.com


CLIFTON, N.J., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Comodo, a global innovator and developer of cybersecurity solutions and the worldwide leader in digital certificates, and Key-Systems GmbH, a global expert in the internet and domain industry, today announced a new strategic partnership that will combine Comodo's SSL/TLS certificates with Key-Systems' domain and hosting solutions.

"Together, Comodo and Key-Systems are creating new and innovative ways to secure websites that are easy to implement and fully automated so that customers can focus on their core business," said Michael Fowler, Comodo president. "The partnership allows customers to benefit with our market-leading security solutions that will be included with Key-Systems offerings and supported by local experts."

"Our core business is the registration of internet addresses. We're currently managing more than 4 million on behalf of our customerswhich include 100,000 retail/corporate entities. We have been looking to bolster our security offerings to help these busy corporations for some time, and the Comodo SSL certificate products were an ideal fit," said Alexander Siffrin, CEO of Key-Systems. "Its innovation in the certificate arena means that Key-Systems clients will have the industry's best protection options, all in one place. We look forward to a strong, productive partnership."

Comodo SSL Certificates are now available with the domain and web hosting solutions from Key-Systems at https://www.rrpproxy.net/SSL_Certificates/Comodo_Certificates.

About Key-Systems GmbH

Key-Systems is an international IT company that currently manages more than 4 million domains for more than 100,000 retail/corporate customers and 2,300 resellers worldwide. Key-Systems' headquarters are located in St. Ingbert, Germany. Furthermore, the company runs a subsidiary in the USA. Key-Systems' business areas include the retail customer portal domaindiscount24, the reseller portal RRPproxy and the corporate domain portal BrandShelter. Furthermore, the company runs the TIER III SKYWAY DataCenter and a service for registry operation (KSregistry). Key-Systems and the U.S.-based registrar Moniker are members of the KeyDrive S.A. holding.

About Comodo

The Comodo organization is a global innovator of cybersecurity solutions, protecting critical information across the digital landscape. Building on its unique position as the world's largest certificate authority, Comodo authenticates, validates and secures networks and infrastructures from individuals to mid-sized companies to the world's largest enterprises. Comodo provides complete end-to-end security solutions across the boundary, internal network and endpoint with innovative technologies solving the most advanced malware threats, both known and unknown. With global headquarters in Clifton, New Jersey, and offices in Silicon Valley, Comodo has international offices in China, India, the Philippines, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit comodo.com.

Comodo and the Comodo brand are trademarks of the Comodo Group Inc. or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. The current list of Comodo trademarks and patents is available at comodo.com/repository.

Keep up to date with the latest Comodo News from the Comodo blog at https://blog.comodo.com/ and on Twitter @ComodoNews.

Connect with Comodo on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/comodo.

Contact

Deb Montner

Montner Tech PR

[email protected]

203-226-9290

SOURCE Comodo

Related Links

http//www.comodo.com


CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Clinical operations resume today, Tuesday, August 29, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. at Corpus Christi  Bay Area, including the emergency department, Corpus Christi  The Heart Hospital and Bayview Behavioral Hospital after the three facilities suspended services last week to consolidate resources for patient safety in preparation for Hurricane Harvey.

Corpus Christi Medical Center  Bay Area

7101 S. Padre Island Drive

Corpus Christi, TX 78414

(361) 761-1000

www.ccmedicalcenter.com





7101 S. Padre Island Drive 78414 (361) 761-1000 www.ccmedicalcenter.com Corpus Christi Medical Center  The Heart Hospital

7002 Williams Road

Corpus Christi, TX 78412

(361)761-1000

www.ccmedicalcenter.com





7002 Williams Road 78412 (361)761-1000 www.ccmedicalcenter.com Bayview Behavioral Hospital, a campus of Corpus Christi Medical Center

6629 Wooldridge Road

Corpus Christi, TX 78414

(361) 986-8200

www.bayviewbehavioralhospital.com

Hundreds of Corpus Christi Medical Center-Bay Area, Corpus Christi Medical Center-The Heart Hospital and Bayview Behavioral Hospital doctors and staff members are grateful to treat their patients at home. There's no place like home. That's not a phrase people typically utter about their hospitals, but those were the words on everyone's lips when they returned to Corpus Christi Medical Center  Bay Area, Corpus Christi  The Heart Hospital and Bayview Behavioral Hospital today.

About Corpus Christi Medical Center

Committed to the care and improvement of human life, Corpus Christi Medical Center has been a growing part of South Texas for the past 50 years. What began as a 26-bed facility in the early 60s has grown into a multi-campus health care system offering a full range of medical services, outstanding clinical care and superior technology. From caring for fragile newborns to complex cardiovascular patients, Corpus Christi Medical Center ensures the community receives the highest quality medical care available. The campuses of Corpus Christi Medical Center are Doctors Regional, Bay Area, The Heart Hospital, Northwest Regional, Bayview Behavioral Hospital, Northshore Emergency Center, and Radiation Oncology at Corpus Christi Cancer Center. For more information about Corpus Christi Medical Center, visit www.ccmedicalcenter.com.

About HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division

HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division is a comprehensive network of hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, emergency centers and diagnostic imaging facilities in greater Houston, Corpus Christi and South Texas. Facilities in the Gulf Coast Division include: 19 hospitals, nine ambulatory surgical centers, 10 freestanding emergency centers, and a regional transfer center that provides one phone call access and support for patient transfers into and out of the HCA Gulf Coast Division Affiliated Hospitals as well as access to ground and air transportation within a 150- mile radius. For more information, visit www.HCAGulfCoast.com.

Lisa Robertson

361-761-5062

Lisa.Robertson @HCAhealthcare.com

Debra Burbridge

281-851-6275

[email protected]

SOURCE Corpus Christi Medical Center

Related Links

http://www.ccmedicalcenter.com


Road Trip "stops," available Monday through Friday, include:

Monday: $7.99 Chicken Fried Steak/Chicken Fried Chicken ( 3 p.m. to close)

Chicken Fried Steak/Chicken Fried Chicken ( to close) Tuesday: $6.99 Tender Tuesday Basket (3 tenders & fries)

Tender Tuesday Basket (3 tenders & fries) Wednesday: $8.99 THE Chicken Fried Chicken Sandwich

THE Chicken Fried Chicken Sandwich Thursday: $8.99 Chicken Fried Tacos (2 tacos, chips, queso & salsa)

Chicken Fried Tacos (2 tacos, chips, queso & salsa) Friday: $13.99 Super Combo Fish & Shrimp (2 catfish fillets & 4 shrimp)

Additionally, Cotton Patch Cafe will introduce Chicken Fried Bacon to the menu for the first time ever, as an appetizer for $4.99. The appetizer includes six bacon strips fried golden brown with a side of homestyle gravy or ranch.

"With the Texas State Fair coming up, fried foods are on our mind this time of year," said Cotton Patch Cafe CEO Kathy Nelson. "We want to highlight a few of our fried favorites but also bring in something new and exciting our guests will love. Chicken Fried Bacon has been a hit among our testers, and we look forward to sharing it systemwide."

Cotton Patch is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. The restaurant offers catering, and the full menu is available to go. More information about Cotton Patch Cafe can be found at www.cottonpatch.com.

About Cotton Patch Cafe

Founded in Nacogdoches, Texas, in 1989, Dallas-based Cotton Patch Cafe is a Texas-inspired, homestyle restaurant serving Southern classics in 50 locations across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arkansas. Cotton Patch is deeply committed to being a community partner in each town it calls home and gives to many local organizations and charities in addition to being a major donor to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Recently, Cotton Patch was named among the industry's most significant brands as part of NRN's Top 200 Chains. For more information, visit cottonpatch.com or follow Cotton Patch on Facebook and Instagram.

MEDIA CONTACT

Sara Hundley

Carson Cline

817-329-3257

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE Cotton Patch Cafe

Related Links

https://www.cottonpatch.com


JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- OnDefend is an innovative Jacksonville, FL based company in the world of cyber security. Boasting a national client base, OnDefend is working with major national corporations to strengthen their 'cybersecurity posture' thereby helping them avoid successful cyber-attacks.

OnDefend's regional success has positioned them as the emerging thought leader in cybersecurity. A recent appearance at the Tech Coast Conference pitted Ben Finke, OnDefend Co-founder and Director of Information Security Operations and Management against Jeff Foltz, Chief Information Security Officer with Fidelity National Financial. Finke and Foltz went head-to-head on stage exposing high profile security breaches in our recent history, breaking down the likes of the WannaCry breach and the Target Thanksgiving weekend break-in.

"We just signed five global penetration test specialists to help us continue providing cutting edge cybersecurity testing that helps our national clients stay ahead of the threat actors (bad guys)," Finke notes, explaining the firm is broadening its national reach daily.

US cyber-attacks are costing businesses $400 to $500 billion a year, with 4,000 corporate cyberattacks happening a day and becoming a top reason executive jobs are lost. Globally, annual cybercrime costs will grow to $6 trillion annually by 2021. With more than 4,000 corporate cyberattacks happening per day, the demand for preventative cybersecurity services is rising.

"Our team of 'ethical hackers' just wrapped up the testing phase for two national restaurant chains and one of the largest shipping companies in the world. Companies are getting proactive about improving their cybersecurity posture. Our goal is not only help our clients strengthen their cyber posture, but also help them continually move up the overall security maturity curve," says Chris Freedman, OnDefend Co-Founder and Director of Business Development and Operations.

OnDefend provided its cybersecurity testing services to over 60 national health care institutions, three national mortgage enterprises, one national financial institution as well as over 25 mid-market clients in 2016 alone.

About OnDefend

OnDefend is led by co-founders Chris Freedman and Ben Finke. With a combined 40 years of applied experience, the firm has created proven security solutions to defend clients against continually evolving and persistent cyber adversaries. Having combined several cybersecurity and IT firms to create OnDefend, their seasoned executives and global team of highly skilled security professionals are paving the way to become a global leader in the information security service industry.

CONTACT: Jennie Mazur, 1-860-604-2101

SOURCE OnDefend
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dance Biopharm Holdings, Inc. ("Dance"), a privately-held biotechnology company focused on the development of Dance-501, a proprietary 'soft-mist' inhaled insulin product to treat diabetes, today announced the purchase of Harmony Biopharm Limited, the holder of its Dance-501 Asia license, from Harmony Plus Holdings Limited ("Harmony"), an affiliate of Harmony Asset Management Group. Going forward, Harmony will continue to advise Dance for the development of the product in China under a consulting / advisory agreement. Dance will compensate Harmony for their many contributions to date with a combination of stock and a percentage of future revenues on sales of Dance-501 in China.

Harmony, with its extensive network in Asia, has assisted Dance in a variety of ways. Harmony was instrumental in bringing Dance an important strategic partner, Dongbao, the top Chinese insulin manufacturer and marketer in China. They also were key to the development of a regulatory pathway with the Chinese FDA that calls for China to be part of a global Phase 3 program that would enable the same regulatory documents to be used in the US, EU and China. This obviates the need for a "China alone" study and greatly facilitates bringing the product to market more efficiently.

"We came to China looking for a partner like the Harmony group. We are delighted with this outcome. Navigating uncertain regulatory waters in China can be a challenge for any company. Dr. Augustine Chow and his team helped position us for success in China. We now have a single unified global Phase 3 program that includes the US, EU and China," stated John Patton, Ph.D., chairman and chief executive officer of Dance Biopharm. "Dance is extremely pleased that Harmony has agreed to continue to provide its support and advice to us for the development of Dance-501 in China under a consulting / advisory agreement."

"From the first day I saw their technology, I knew they had a winner. We believe in the great potential that Dance-501 holds for the treatment of diabetes and this buyback is the result of our support for Dance's new strategy of a stronger emphasis on Asia Pacific. As shareholders of Dance Biopharm, we look forward to assisting Dance in opening the pathway toward product approval in Asia," stated Dr. Augustine Chow, Chairman of Harmony Asset Management Group.

About Dance-501, an Inhaled Insulin Product

Dance-501 consists of a high purity liquid formulation of recombinant human insulin stored in a dispenser for administration with a small handheld electronic inhaler. The electronic inhaler utilizes a patented vibrating mesh technology, designed to produce consistently sized particles of liquid insulin in the form of a soft mist, allowing the efficient and consistent delivery of insulin into the lungs in a few breaths. Dance-501 has not yet been approved by any regulatory authority.

About Harmony Asset Management Group

Harmony Asset Management Group is a privately-held company that creates value by investing in emerging private companies and unlocking the company's growth potential in the region. Harmony Asset Management Group utilizes its extensive network in Asia to help its portfolio companies identify relevant strategic partners with the ability to accelerate the company's growth in the region. The group has more than 20 years of experience making investments in a wide range of industries with a focus on advanced technologies.

About Dance Biopharm Holdings, Inc.

Dance Biopharm Holdings, Inc. is a privately-held company based in the San Francisco Bay Area focused on the clinical development of inhaled insulin products to treat diabetes patients worldwide. The company began operations in 2010, founded by Dr. John Patton, who has over 25 years of experience developing inhaled insulin and other inhaled therapies. For more information, please visit http://dancebiopharm.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results and achievements to differ materially from those expressed in such statements. We have based these forward-looking statements upon information available to management as of the date of this release and management's expectations and projections about certain future events. It is possible that the assumptions made by management for purposes of such statements may not materialize. Actual results may differ materially from those projected or implied in any forward-looking statements. Such statements may involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those relating to late stage clinical trials, regulatory pathways and approvals, commercialization of our products and Dance's relationship with Harmony.

Contact:

Cook Williams Communications, Inc.

Jennifer Williams

[email protected]

(360) 668-3701

SOURCE Dance Biopharm

Related Links

http://dancebiopharm.com


"I am particularly excited to support Sejal and DealerSocket's leadership as a continuing investor and board member," said outgoing CEO and DealerSocket founder Jonathan Ord, who will remain active on the company's Board of Directors and continues as a significant investor. "My interactions with Sejal have made it abundantly clear to me that she is the right CEO moving forward, as DealerSocket continues to scale and innovate," Ord said. "She has the skills, experience, and passion to continue to grow the company and serve our customers for years to come."

Pietrzak is committed to applying her deep knowledge of software and her significant leadership experience to DealerSocket, where she plans to continue growth, operational excellence, and maintain the company's commitment to more than 11,000 dealership customers. "I am very excited to be joining DealerSocket," she said. "Jonathan and the DealerSocket team have built a strong foundation and tremendous company culture that values people, customers, and technology. I look forward to continuing DealerSocket's solid growth trajectory with its industry leading software to empower our dealership customers."

Before joining ACTIVE Network, Pietrzak held leadership positions at Wells Fargo & Co. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and she was a strategy consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. During her tenure at ACTIVE, Pietrzak worked across all aspects of the software company globally, leading high-functioning teams and driving deep understanding of and responsiveness to customers' needs and experiences.

Pietrzak looks forward to continued growth at DealerSocket. "I begin my tenure with a company that is in a position of strength," Pietrzak said. "By staying true to DealerSocket's high standards and commitment to customer success, I'm confident we will continue to deliver significant value to our customers and win new opportunities in the market."

About DealerSocket

DealerSocket is a leading automotive technology platform that helps dealerships in the United States, Canada and Australia improve profitability through a fully integrated suite of marketing, sales, service, customer experience, DMS, data mining, digital marketing, website, digital retailing, and inventory management solutions. Headquartered in San Clemente, California, DealerSocket employs more than 1,000 people and serves 11,000 dealerships and 300,000 active users in the United States, Canada and Australia. DealerSocket's advanced technology provides benchmarking data that paces the industry, and its insightful experts identify trends and develop strategic roadmaps that help dealers optimize processes and operate more profitably. Visit DealerSocket.com for more information.

SOURCE DealerSocket

Related Links

http://www.dealersocket.com


"(New Orleans) Mayor Mitch Landrieu is suggesting people stay home and out of the storms," said Patrick Allen, U-Haul Company of Southern Louisiana president. "Schools are closed and many are bracing for flooding. As a caring member of our communities, U-Haul is assisting by giving families a secure and dry place to store their belongings for 30 days at no cost."

Twelve U-Haul facilities across nine cities are available to take part in the free self-storage offer. People seeking additional information about the disaster relief program or needing to make self-storage arrangements should contact the nearest participating location:

U-Haul Moving & Storage at Oakwood

No. 4 Westbank Expy.

Gretna, LA 70053

(504) 368-1965

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Lapalco Blvd.

2340 Lapalco Blvd.

Harvey, LA 70058

(504) 368-7823

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Kenner

2828 Marietta St.

Kenner, LA 70062

(504) 468-3444

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Lafayette

3700 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy.

Lafayette, LA 70503

(337) 993-9898

U-Haul Moving & Storage at Hwy. 14

1011 Hwy. 14

Lake Charles, LA 70601

(337) 436-5014

U-Haul Storage at Sharon Lane

211 Sharon Lane

Lake Charles, LA 70615

(337) 436-4646

U-Haul Moving & Storage at Fort Polk Entrance Road

1246 Entrance Road

Leesville, LA 71446

(337) 537-8635

U-Haul Storage at Fort Polk North Gate

1679 Chaffee Road

Leesville, LA 71446

(337) 423-0059

U-Haul Storage at Fort Polk South Gate

6124 University Pkwy.

Leesville, LA 71446

(337) 537-8853

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Marrero

7201 Westbank Expy.

Marrero, LA 70072

(504) 349-0969

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Gentilly

6210 Chef Menteur Hwy.

New Orleans, LA 70126

(504) 246-9011

U-Haul Moving & Storage at Gause Blvd.

1685 Gause Blvd.

Slidell, LA 70458

(985) 643-7073

U-Haul stores offer needed supplies to help with recovery like boxes, tarps, propane and propane tanks. U-Haul urges customers to ensure their tanks are topped off since propane is good to have in the event of long-term power outages.

U-Haul is the industry leader in do-it-yourself moving and self-storage with more than 21,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada. In addition to its 30 days of free self-storage assistance, U-Haul is proud to be at the forefront of aiding communities during times of disaster as an official American Red Cross Disaster Responder.

The arrival of U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 is modernizing the moving industry by offering self-service and live verify technology to enhance customer and community safety. This technology allows for the self-pick-up and self-return of U-Haul trucks to be done entirely by smartphone at any hour  day or night. Membership is free once customers create an account on uhaul.com.

About U-Haul

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 21,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 now offers customers access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the self-service options on their internet-connected mobile devices. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to more than 150,000 trucks, 112,000 trailers and 40,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers more than 581,000 rooms and more than 51 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry and is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S.

Contact:

Andrea Batchelor

Jeff Lockridge

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 602-263-6981

Website: uhaul.com

SOURCE U-Haul
NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DonorsChoose.org has established a special recovery fund to help Gulf Coast teachers and students in classrooms impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Individuals can give at www.donorschoose.org/hurricane-harvey, and donations will be used to help teachers gather the supplies they need to rebuild their classrooms, including books; basic materials such as paper, crayons, and pencils; and other recovery resources.

"For the thousands of students and teachers in Hurricane Harvey's path, school will be their safe haven and the first sign that life is returning to normal," said Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.org. "While it may be a long road to recovery, the DonorsChoose.org community is prepared to help our Gulf Coast educators, just as our donors and partners have helped other communities respond to natural disasters before."

DonorsChoose.org has previously helped raise over $2.5 million to help teachers recover after Superstorm Sandy, tornadoes in Moore, Okla., and Joplin, Mo., and last year's historic flooding in Louisiana.

About DonorsChoose.org

DonorsChoose.org is the leading platform for giving to public schools. Teachers across America use the site to create projects requesting resources their students need, and donors give to the projects that inspire them. Since its founding by a Bronx teacher in 2000, more than 2.7 million people and partners have given $560 million to projects reaching 23 million students. Unique among crowdfunding platforms, the DonorsChoose.org team vets each project request and ships resources directly to the school. Every donor receives photos of their project in action, thank-yous from the classroom, and a cost report showing how every dollar was spent. DonorsChoose. org was the first charity to make the top 10 on Fast Company's list of the Most Innovative Companies in the World. Visit www.donorschoose.org to learn more.

Contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE DonorsChoose.org

Related Links

http://www.donorschoose.org


FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- They are mavericks, mavens, warriors, scientists, and engineers who see the world as a hyper-connected community able to solve problems quickly and creatively. Their mission is to build and cultivate vibrant, innovative ecosystems that help government clients support the warfighter with better tools faster, and at lower cost.

The rebranding reflects both the evolution of the company as well as its vision for the future. The DEFENSEWERX brand exudes confidence, agility, and access to cutting edge technology.

Rebranding offers the company an opportunity to appeal to a broader customer base as they experience growth throughout the defense industry. Renaming the company in no way diminishes the success the company experienced when sharing the name of the famed General Jimmy Doolittle. DEFENSEWERX will preserve the spirit of rapid innovation as they continue to solve the most intricate and challenging of problems for their government clients.

We are excited about all the new opportunities we have recently encountered. In light of our growing clientele our corporate name has been amended to appeal to all of our defense clients and their mission specific requirements. In no way should this new naming convention portray anything other than total respect for General Doolittle and his legacy here in Northwest Florida. We remain indebted to his valorous and innovative service to our nation. Robert Kirila, COO

The Doolittle Institute (DI), now operating as DEFENSEWERX, was established in 2012 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit named in honor of James "Jimmy" Doolittle, commander of WWII's historic Doolittle Raid. DEFENSEWERX is headquartered in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, with a second facility in Tampa, Florida operating as SOFWERX. DEFENSEWERX STEM Education facility is located on the Northwest Florida State College Campus in Niceville, Florida.

Modelled after the rapid innovation and problem solving necessary to modify and deploy B-25 bombers from aircraft carriers, DEFENSEWERX provides Technology Transfer, Innovation & Collaboration, and Workforce Development solutions for its clients. The DEFENSEWERX team takes pride in their diversity by attracting and hiring high-energy, uber-networked personnel having professional experience in innovation/invention, entrepreneurship, manufacturing, finance, marketing, military strategy and more. This unique blend of talent enables DEFENSEWERX to bring people from multiple disciplines - and industries - together to engage in collaborative projects that yield unpredictable, yet highly productive results.

Since 2013 DEFENSEWERX, in Fort Walton Beach has supported the Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate at Eglin Air Force Base and in 2015 the United States Special Operations Command at the SOFWERX facility in Ybor City. Last week they launched their AFWERX facility in Las Vegas in support of the Research Laboratory and the Air Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base.

For more information on their rebranding and how you can be a part of the future of innovation and collaboration within the defense and technology industries please visit their website at defensewerx.org or on social media @DEFENSEWERX.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact DEFENSEWERX Marketing at 850-586-7492 or email at [email protected].

SOURCE DEFENSEWERX
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alliance for National & Community Resilience (ANCR) and Dow Building & Construction (DB&C), a business group of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), today announced that Amy Schmidt, advocacy manager with Dow Building & Construction, has joined with the International Code Council, Target Corporation and other key stakeholders in an appointment to the ANCR Board of Directors. ANCR (pronounced "anchor") is a coalition aimed at improving resiliency and implementing good community practices in towns and cities across the United States, helping cities prevent infrastructure failure caused by natural and other disasters, thereby avoiding negative social, economic and welfare repercussions caused by such damages. ANCR's primary objective is the development of a system of community benchmarks  the first system of its kind in the United States  that will allow local leaders to easily assess and improve their resilience across all functions of a community.

Schmidt's appointment to the Board of Directors is a continuation of Dow's and ANCR's goal of creating policy that improves the lives of individuals in communities. As a newly appointed board member, Schmidt will work directly with ANCR and use her expertise in construction, government affairs, chemistry and design to establish benchmarks that will be used by resilient communities to prevent infrastructure failure following natural and manmade adverse events.

"We are thrilled and honored to work alongside the International Code Council in their commitment to organize a nationwide coalition to establish the country's very first whole community metric for resilience," says Greg Bergtold, advocacy director for DB&C. "We see great value in contributing both monetary and human resources, like Amy, to seed this coalition's success."

Schmidt joins ANCR's founding Board members who include resilience policy experts and public officials from the city of New York and the District of Columbia among others.

"Amy Schmidt is an active and valued member of our Corporate Advisory Council, and we're excited to welcome her to the Board of Directors," said Maj. General (Ret.) Warren C. Edwards, board chairman for ANCR. "Dow's generous sponsorship and sustainability expertise are absolutely critical to achieving our goal of supporting and educating communities across the United States."

Dow and ANCR welcome others who are interested in lending their unique experience, resources and expertise to the work of analyzing community needs and developing practical benchmarks to aid in the creation of robust communities that thrive in both good and bad circumstances.

About the Alliance for National & Community Resilience (ANCR)

ANCR, a coalition of public and private entities founded by the International Code Council, the Meridian Institute and the U.S. Resiliency Council, is working to create the nation's first whole-community resilience benchmark. Visit www.ResilientAlliance.org to learn more about this new initiative and get involved.

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company is driving innovations that extract value from material, polymer, chemical and biological science to help address many of the world's most challenging problems, such as the need for fresh food, safer and more sustainable transportation, clean water, energy efficiency, more durable infrastructure, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's integrated, market-driven portfolio delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in 175 countries and in high-growth sectors such as packaging, infrastructure, transportation, consumer care, electronics, and agriculture. In 2016, Dow had annual sales of $48 billion and employed approximately 56,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 7,000 product families are manufactured at 189 sites in 34 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

www.iccsafe.org

Contact: Whitney Doll

(202) 568-1798

[email protected]



Contact: Jessica Robinson

(989) 638-8066

[email protected]

Contact: Mike Heymsfield

(650) 762-2847

[email protected]

SOURCE International Code Council

Related Links

http://www.iccsafe.org


Premium dessert destination rolls out red carpet for qualified investors

DALLAS, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip is in the midst of a significant growth spurt  both domestically and overseas. To add to the momentum, the popular bakery cafe concept is extending a special welcome to E-2 visa holders looking for a delicious franchising investment.

Crest Foods, franchisor for the cafes, is actively seeking qualified candidates to become cafe owners in most areas of the United States and Canada. Even those without previous franchising experience are encouraged to consider the benefits of owning their own business.

E-2 visas offer several meaningful advantages. An E-2 investor's spouse and children under 21 will be issued E-2 dependent visas. Dependent children under 21 may attend the school of their choice in the U.S., and E-2 visa holders may stay outside the U.S. for an undetermined amount of time and still re-enter the country with their valid visa.

Crest Foods offers a comprehensive franchise support program including:

Site selection and lease negotiation

Cafe layout and design

Classroom and in-store training

Marketing and promotional support

Limited rights to use the Nestle trademark and logo

Use of the Crest Foods confidential recipes

On-going operational and marketing support

The premium dessert destination concept is built around the world's most powerful food brand  Nestle. Most cafes serve freshly baked cookies, premium Nescafe Milano coffee, ice cream and a variety of delectable treats. Some cafes also offer muffins, cinnamon rolls and croissants; gourmet sandwiches, crepes and paninis as lunch and dinner options; and barista-quality espressos, cappuccinos and lattes.

For more information, visit NestleCafe.com.

Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip is a premiere dessert and bakery cafe offering customers an unrivaled experience through the use of fine ingredients, indulgent creations, distinct flavor profiles, and the rich tradition of the very best Nestle brands. Crest Foods Inc., based in Richardson, Texas, is a premiere restaurant franchisor company. The company currently franchises more than 160 bakery cafes in the United States, Canada and the Middle East. The versatile concept has kiosk, in-line mall and street cafe locations. The operation has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine's "Franchise 500".

Nestle, Toll House, Nescafe, Milano and associated logos and designs, are trademarks of Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., and used by Crest Foods, Inc. with permission.

SOURCE Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip

Related Links

http://www.NestleCafe.com


RICHFIELD, Ohio, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Eagle Foods announced today the closing of its acquisition of Popcorn, Indiana, the maker of the well-known ready-to-eat ("RTE") popcorn products, as part of the Company's continued initiative to increase its snacks portfolio.

Popcorn, Indiana is one of the leading brands in the Ready-to-Eat (RTE) popcorn category, with a wide array of unique flavors and product offerings, including classic Kettlecorn and indulgent Black & White Drizzlecorn. Popcorn, Indiana strategically complements Eagle Foods' G.H. Cretors brand and private label popcorn offerings, which include The Mix, a 50/50 caramel and cheese product. The acquisition will also increase Eagle Foods' scale and importance in the high growth RTE popcorn category, which has been growing at 5-6% annually. This growth is significantly faster than the broader snacking category, as consumers' desire for clean label, flavor forward, better-for-you-options continues to spur growth.

Combined with its other salty snack offerings, which include Hi I'm Skinny veggie sticks, as well as other high-quality, award-winning veggie sticks, chips, and puffs, Eagle Foods is well-positioned to offer its customers unique products and expertise spanning both branded and private label products. Eagle Foods' manufacturing and R&D capabilities further enable it to provide customers and consumers with a consistent and robust pipeline of innovative products and progressive flavors.

In addition to its growing snack platform, Eagle Foods has a significant presence within the baking aisle. Eagle Foods is a leading manufacturer of canned milk, which includes the category branded leader, Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk. In addition, the Company offers a portfolio of canned milk brands, including PET Evaporated Milk, Magnolia, Milnot, and others. Within canned milk, the Company also has a significant presence in private label.

"We are thrilled to be part of the Eagle Foods family and excited to accelerate the achievement of Popcorn, Indiana's full growth potential," said Chief Executive Officer of Popcorn, Indiana Jared Konstanty who will remain with Eagle Foods through the end of the year to assist with the integration.

"Our acquisition of Popcorn, Indiana soundly demonstrates Eagle Foods' commitment to expanding our product offerings to best meet the needs of our customers and consumers," said Paul Smucker Wagstaff, Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Foods. "The Popcorn, Indiana brand is a strategic addition to our existing selection of RTE popcorn. We are excited to continue to grow the Eagle Brands platform both organically and through strategic acquisitions."

Eagle Brands is majority owned by private equity firm Kelso & Company. Kelso & Company is a North American-focused middle market private equity firm, based in New York, which has been investing in private equity for over 35 years. Kelso was founded on the principles of partnership and alignment of interest espoused by Louis Kelso, the inventor of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (or ESOP). Kelso benefits from a successful investment track record, a long-tenured and stable investing team, and a reputation as a preferred partner to management teams and corporates. Since 1980, Kelso has raised a total of nine private equity funds, representing approximately $12 billion of capital, and has made over 120 investments. For further information about Kelso, see www.kelso.com.

For more information about Eagle Foods, please see www.eaglefoods.com.

SOURCE Eagle Foods

Related Links

http://www.eaglefoods.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With its three-year growth rate exceeding 1,000 percent, eAssist Dental Solutions (www.dentalbilling.com) has earned a spot on the prestigious Inc. 500  the definitive and highly regarded listing of the nation's fastest-growing private enterprises. The company checks in at #427, and this marks the second year in a row for this elite recognition, proving that eAssist is building a foundation for sustained success.

Inc. 500

"We created eAssist to solve a problem that I know from personal experience all dental offices face: how to efficiently manage the accounts receivable portion of the business," explained CEO Dr. James Anderson. "We had previously searched for a third-party organization to handle dental insurance claim submissions and appeals, but no one had quite the right tools and competencies to deal with the unique business needs of the dental office. So, we quickly realized we would need to engineer a solution ourselves, and that was the start of eAssist."

Founded in 2011, the purpose of eAssist is to provide front office administrative support for dental offices. Its core product, dental insurance billing collection support, helps dental offices collect what is owed to them from insurance companies by submitting all dental insurance claims for patients, appealing rejected claims, and posting all EOBs (explanation of benefits) payments to patient's ledgers. This workflow ensures that insurance claims are thoroughly reviewed before being submitted to dental insurance companiesfixing common errors that cause claims to be rejected. Additionally, dental offices that adopt the system need no longer worry about appealing rejected claims. eAssist handles the entire dental insurance collection process and has a high success rate. Other dental front office administrative services that eAssist provides are dental accounting, hospital dental billing, dental insurance verification, and medical claims submission for certain dental procedures.

The benefits of eAssist for all sizes of dental offices are immediate and measurable. No longer will staff feel overburdened with responsibilities. Instead, office personnel can give their attention to personalized customer service, thus helping the office build a good reputation. eAssist dental office clients increase profitability by allowing office staff's attention on patients in the office rather than on highly skilled clerical functions.

"The Inc. 500 is the most persuasive evidence I know that the American dream is still alive," said Eric Schurenberg, president and editor-in-chief of Inc. "The founders and CEOs of the Inc. 500 tell us they think determination, risk-taking, and vision were the keys to their success, and I believe them."

eAssist Dental Solutions joins such prestigious names as Microsoft, Under Armour, Zappos, Timberland and Intuit, among many others, who earned spots on the Inc. 500 on the path to becoming household names. Anderson and his team at eAssist are continuing to work hard as part of ensuring the company's ongoing success and acclaim.

About eAssist Dental Solutions

eAssist Dental Solutions is a business process outsourcing (BPO) company within the dental industry. The company's end-to-end solution eases the burden on office staff, while optimizing the claims payment and appeals process. eAssist ultimately helps practices be more efficient, profitable and patient-focused.

Contact:

Inc. Media

Drew Kerr

212-849-8250

[email protected]



eAssist Dental Solutions

Sandy Gutierrez

801-543-9350

[email protected]

SOURCE eAssist Dental Solutions
LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson America, Inc. continues to empower creativity with the introduction of its Expression Photo XP-8500 Small-in-One wireless printer. Offering fast, quiet performance in a sleek design, the Expression Photo XP-8500 delivers sharp, professional-quality, borderless photos up to 8" x 10", and 4" x 6" in as fast as 10 seconds1. With a wide array of creative features, including built-in USB and memory card slots2 for PC-free printing, dedicated photo and CD/DVD printing trays, and a rear paper feed for specialty media3, the Expression Photo XP-8500 is an ideal solution for photo enthusiasts, hobbyists and today's busy families.

"Life moves fast amidst endless to-dos, school events, family gatherings, holidays, and more. Nevertheless, it's important to take a few moments to relish and print the milestone memories along the way," said Carrie Fox, group product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America, Inc. "The new Expression Photo XP-8500 is the ultimate addition to a home office, enabling you to print wirelessly for every day printing, create lab-quality photos or custom borderless photo collages from Instagram with Epson's Creative Print app, and scan your favorite memories to Facebook and the cloud."4

The Expression Photo XP-8500 is a powerful and versatile printing and scanning solution offering a range of productivity features. Leveraging six-color Claria Photo HD inks, including Light Cyan and Light Magenta, the Expression Photo XP-8500 delivers photo output with smooth gradations and accurate skin tones. The full featured compact printer includes a dedicated photo tray and rear specialty paper feed, plus CD/DVD printing abilities. In addition, utilizing Epson Connect, the Expression Photo XP-8500 is the ultimate wireless solution allowing users to easily print directly from an iPad, iPhone, Android tablet or smartphone5, and with the embedded Wi-Fi Direct users can print network-free6 from anywhere.

The Expression Photo XP-8500 is compatible with the Epson Creative Print App, allowing users to effortlessly create custom borderless photo collages from Instagram, and with Scan and Share software users can automatically scan to Facebook and the cloud4. The mobile app also provides a platform to customize photo backgrounds, add text, and print high-quality collages, personalized coloring pages, stationery, greeting cards, calendars and more directly from the Expression Photo XP-8500.

More About the Expression Photo XP-8500:

The Expression Photo XP-8500 was created with the creative enthusiast in mind, including superior quality features such as:

Ultra Powerful, Compact Size  Quickly print high-quality photos with top-of-the-line performance in a compact, space-saving design

 Quickly print high-quality photos with top-of-the-line performance in a compact, space-saving design Fast Professional-Quality Photos  Print borderless photos up to 8" x 10" with six-color Claria Photo HD Inks for smooth gradations and amazing skin tones

 Print borderless photos up to 8" x 10" with six-color Claria Photo HD Inks for smooth gradations and amazing skin tones Easily Adjust and Print Photos  Built-in USB and memory card slots for PC-free borderless photo printing; includes tools for red-eye removal, photo restoration and more

 Built-in USB and memory card slots for PC-free borderless photo printing; includes tools for red-eye removal, photo restoration and more Full-Featured  With a dedicated photo tray, rear specialty paper feed, and CD/DVD printing an arrangement of different project needs is even easier

 With a dedicated photo tray, rear specialty paper feed, and CD/DVD printing an arrangement of different project needs is even easier Affordable Individual Ink Cartridges  Replace only the cartridge that runs out

 Replace only the cartridge that runs out Creative Print Mobile App  Easily create custom borderless photo collages from Instagram, print stationery and more

 Easily create custom borderless photo collages from Instagram, print stationery and more Ultimate Wireless Solution  Print anywhere from an iPad, iPhone, Android tablet and smartphone; includes Wi-Fi Direct for network-free printing

 Print anywhere from an iPad, iPhone, Android tablet and smartphone; includes Wi-Fi Direct for network-free printing Scan and Share  Includes bonus software to automatically scan to Facebook and the cloud4

Pricing and Availability

The Epson Expression Photo XP-8500 Small-in-One ($249.99 MSRP) is available online through major retail stores nationwide and Epson's retail site, www.epsonstore.com. For more information, please visit www.epson.com.

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to connecting people, things and information with its original efficient, compact and precision technologies. With a lineup that ranges from inkjet printers and digital printing systems to 3LCD projectors, smart glasses, sensing systems and industrial robots, the company is focused on driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 72,000 employees in 88 companies around the world, and is proud of its contributions to the communities in which it operates and its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impacts.

Epson America, Inc., based in Long Beach, Calif., is Epson's regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), Twitter (twitter.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/EpsonAmerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica).

*This product uses only genuine Epson-brand cartridges. Other brands of ink cartridges and ink supplies are not compatible and, even if described as compatible, may not function properly.

1 Color photo in Draft Mode on Premium Photo Paper Glossy measured from start of paper feed. Actual print times will vary based on system configuration, software, and page complexity. For more information, visit www.epson.com/printspeed

2 Adapter may be required.

3 Specialty paper support accommodated through rear paper feed, maximum 23 mil paper thickness, manual 2-sided printing only.

4 Requires Easy Photo Scan software (included). Mac version may require software download.

5 Most features require an Internet connection to the printer, as well as an Internet- and/or email-enabled device. For a list of Epson Connect enabled printers and compatible devices and apps, visit www.epson.com/connect

6 Wi-Fi CERTIFIED; level of performance subject to the range of the router being used. Wi-Fi Direct may require printer software.

EPSON, Expression, and Claria are registered trademarks, EPSON Exceed Your Vision is a registered of Seiko Epson Corporation. Small-in-One is a registered trademark of Epson America, Inc. iPad, iPhone and Mac are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Wi-Fi Direct is a registered trademark and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED is a trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2017 Epson America, Inc. CPD-54134 6/17

SOURCE Epson America, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.epson.com


BEIJING, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Fang Holdings Limited (NYSE: SFUN) ("Fang" or "we"), the leading real estate Internet portal in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017.

Second Quarter 2017 Highlights

 Total revenues were $110.1 million , a decrease of 61.6% from the corresponding period in 2016.

were , a decrease of 61.6% from the corresponding period in 2016. Operating loss was $6.1 million . Non-GAAP operating loss was $3.8 million .

was . was . Net loss attributable to Fang's shareholders was $2.1 million . Fully diluted loss per ADS was $0.005 .

was . Fully diluted loss per ADS was . Non-GAAP net loss attributable to Fang's shareholders was $5.8 million . Non-GAAP fully diluted loss per ADS was 0.01.

was . Non-GAAP fully diluted loss per ADS was 0.01. Net cash generating from operating activities was $23.1 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared to net cash generated from operating activities of $36.5 million in the same period of 2016.

First Half 2017 Highlights

Total revenues were $219.9 million , a decrease of 55.3% from the corresponding period in 2016.

were , a decrease of 55.3% from the corresponding period in 2016. Operating loss was $12.2 million . Non-GAAP operating loss was $8.4 million .

was . was . Net loss attributable to Fang's shareholders was $14.1 million . Fully diluted loss per ADS was 0.03.

was . Fully diluted loss per ADS was 0.03. Non-GAAP net loss attributable to Fang's shareholders was $16.3 million . Non-GAAP fully diluted loss per ADS was 0.04.

was . Non-GAAP fully diluted loss per ADS was 0.04. Net cash generating from operating activities was $12.1million in the first half of 2017, compared to cash flow used in operating activities of $30.7 million in the same period of 2016.

"We have experienced our biggest downsizing and consolidation since a year ago. Our transformation back to a technology-driven open platform is reaching its goals," said Vincent Mo, Chairman and CEO of Fang.com. "We expect to be back on track and profitable in the second half of the year."

Second Quarter 2017 Results

Revenues

Fang reported total revenues of $110.1 million in the second quarter of 2017, a 61.6% decrease from $287.0 million in the corresponding period of 2016, primarily due to the decline in e-commerce services revenue by 166.7 million caused by the strategy change.

Revenue from e-commerce services was $22.9 million in the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of 87.9% from $189.5 million in the corresponding period of 2016, primarily due to the changes in revenue structure as a result of transformation from self owned and operated services to franchise business.

Revenue from marketing services was $35.0 million in the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of 31.9% from $51.4 million in the corresponding period of 2016, primarily due to less demand from property developers for online advertising under government regulations in the real estate market of tier-1 and tier-2 cities.

Revenue from listing services was $42.3 million in the second quarter of 2017, an increase of 57.4% from $26.9 million in the corresponding period of 2016, primarily driven by the increased number of paying members in lower tiers of cities.

Revenue from Internet financial services was $2.7 million in the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of 75.7% from $11.1 million in the corresponding period of 2016, primarily due to the decreased secondary transaction volumes of Fang's own franchised brokerage services.

Revenue from other value-added services was $7.1 million in the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of 11.2% from $8.0 million in the corresponding period of 2016.

Cost of Revenue

Cost of revenue was $48.7 million in the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of 78.9% from $231.1 million in the corresponding period of 2016, primarily driven by the agent reduction and cost optimization under the newly adopted open platform strategy.

Operating Expense

Operating expenses were $67.4 million in the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of 23.9% from $88.6 million in the corresponding period of 2016.

Selling expenses were $23.1 million in the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of 55.8% from $52.3 million for the corresponding period of 2016, primarily caused by the decrease of advertising and promotion fee, as well as the e-commerce cost decrease.

General and administrative expenses were $43.6 million in the second quarter of 2017, an increase of 20.0% from $36.4 million for the corresponding period of 2016, primarily due to the increased bad debt and impairment of commitment deposits.

Operating Income

Operating loss was $6.1 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared to operating loss of $32.8 million in the corresponding period of 2016, primarily attributable to the agent reduction and effective cost control.

Income Tax Benefits/Expenses

Income tax benefits were $0.6 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared to income tax expenses of $8.7 million in the corresponding period of 2016, primarily due to the reversal of previously recorded ASC 740 (FIN 48) tax and interest liability.

Net Income/Loss and EPS

Net loss attributable to Fang's shareholders was $2.1 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared to net loss of $40.6 million in the corresponding period of 2016. Loss per fully-diluted ordinary share and ADS were $0.024 and $0.005 in the second quarter of 2017, compared to loss of $0.43 and $0.09, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2016.

Unrealized Gain on Available for Sale Security

Unrealized gain on available for sale security was $84.6 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared with 1.4 million in the corresponding period of 2016, primarily due to the fair value increase of World Union, a PRC listed company.

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA, defined as non-GAAP net income before income taxes, interest expenses, interest income, depreciation and amortization, was $1.3 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared to the loss of $24.3 million in the corresponding period of 2016.

Cash

As of June 30, 2017, Fang had cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments of $547.1million, compared to $590.5 million as of December 31, 2016. Net cash generated from operating activities was $23.1 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared to cash flow generated from operating activities of $36.5 million in the same period of 2016. The decrease in cash flows generated from operating activities was primarily due to the decrease of change in loan receivable in operating activities compared to the second quarter of 2016.

First Half 2017 Results

Revenues

Fang reported total revenues of $219.9 million for the first half of 2017, representing a decrease of 55.3% from $491.6 million for the corresponding period in 2016, primarily due to the decline of e-commerce services by 257.7 million caused by the strategy change.

Revenue from e-commerce services was $62.8 million for the first half of 2017, an 80.4% decrease from $320.4 million for the same period in 2016, primarily due to the changes in revenue structure as a result of transformation from self owned and operated services to franchise business.

Revenue from marketing services was $62.4 million for the first half of 2017, a decrease of 23.8% from $81.8 million for the corresponding period in 2016, primarily due to less demand from property developers for online advertising under government regulations in the real estate market of tier-1 and tier-2 cities.

Revenue from listing services was $76.4 million for the first half of 2017, an increase of 49.8% from $51.0 million for the corresponding period in 2016, primarily due to the increased number of paying members in lower tiers of cities.

Revenue from internet financial services was $4.9 million for the first half of 2017, a decrease of 77.2% from $21.7 million for the corresponding period in 2016, primarily due to the decreased secondary transaction volumes of Fang's own franchised brokerage services.

Revenue from value-added services and other services was $13.4 million for the first half of 2017, a decrease of 19.2% in the corresponding period in 2016.

Cost of Revenue

Cost of revenue was $109.5 million for the first half of 2017, a decrease of 75.2% from $441.0 million for the corresponding period in 2016. The decrease in cost of revenue was mainly driven by the agent reduction and cost optimization under the newly adopted open platform strategy.

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses were $122.6 million for the first half of 2017, a decrease of 36.7% from $193.6 million for the corresponding period in 2016.

Selling expenses were $46.5 million for the first half of 2017, a decrease of 59.2% from $113.9 million for the corresponding period in 2016, primarily caused by the decrease of advertising and promotion fee, as well as the e-commerce cost decrease.

General and administrative expenses were $75.0 million for the first half of 2017, a decrease of 5.9% from $79.7 million for the corresponding period in 2016, primarily due to the effective cost control measures partially offset by the increased bad debt and impairment of commitment deposits.

Operating Loss/Income

Operating loss was $12.2 million for the first half of 2017, compared to operating loss of $142.8 million for the corresponding period in 2016.

Income Tax Expenses

Income tax expense was $4.2 million for the first half of 2017, a 69.3% decrease compared to $13.9 million for the corresponding period in 2016, primarily due to the reversal of previously recorded ASC 740 (FIN 48) tax and interest liability.

Net Loss/Income and EPS

Net loss attributable to Fang's shareholders was $14.1 million for the first half of 2017, compared to net loss attributable to Fang's shareholders $154.3 million for the corresponding period in 2016. Loss per fully diluted ordinary share and ADS were $0.16 and $0.32, respectively, for the first half of 2017, compared to loss per fully diluted ordinary share and ADS of $1.62 and $0.32, respectively, for the corresponding period in 2016.

Cash

Net cash generated from operating activities was $12.1 million in the first half of 2017, compared to net cash used in operating activities of $30.7 million for the same period in 2016, primarily due to a $140.2 million decrease of net loss compared to the first half of 2016.

Business Outlook

The Company is in its last stage of returning to a technology-driven open platform and expects to be profitable in the second half of the year.

Conference Call Information

Fang's management team will host a conference call on the same day at 8:00 AM U.S. EST (8:00 PM Beijing/Hong Kong time). The dial-in details for the live conference call are:

International Toll: +65 67135090 Local Toll:

United States +1 845-675-0437 / +1 866-519-4004 Hong Kong +852 3018-6771 / +852 800-906-601 Mainland China +86 400-620-8038 / +86 800-819-0121 Passcode: SFUN

A telephone replay of the call will be available after the conclusion of the conference call from 11:00 ET on August 29, 2017 through 9:59 ET September 6, 2017. The dial-in details for the telephone replay are:

International Toll: +61 2-8199-0299 Toll-Free:

United States +1 855-452-5696 / +1 646-254-3697 Hong Kong +852 800-963-117 / +852 3051-2780 Mainland China +86 400-602-2065 / +86 800-870-0205 Conference ID: 72745007

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on Fang's website at http://ir.fang.com .

About Fang

Fang operates the leading real estate Internet portal in China in terms of the number of page views and visitors to its websites. Through our websites, we provide e-commerce, marketing, listing, financial and other value-added services for China's fast-growing real estate and home furnishing and improvement sectors. Our user-friendly websites support active online communities and networks of users seeking information on, and other value-added services for, the real estate and home furnishing and improvement sectors in China. Fang currently maintains about 100 offices to focus on local market needs and its website and database contains real estate related content covering more than 651 cities in China. For more information about Fang, please visit http://ir.fang.com.

Safe Harbor Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "is expected to," "anticipates," "aim," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "are likely to," "estimates," "may," "should" and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding Fang's future financial performance, revenue guidance for 2016, growth and growth rates, and market position and continued business transformation. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Fang's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, whether the transactions contemplated by the restructuring of Fang's assets and businesses will receive the requisite approvals, whether such restructuring will be carried out as planned, the impact of such restructuring on Fang's assets and businesses, the impact of Fang's transformation from a pure Internet information platform to a transaction-oriented platform, the impact of Fang's implementation of a "zero tolerance policy" that has resulted in dismissal of employees, the impact of the slowdown in China's real estate market on Fang and the impact on revenues of our existing and new service fees reductions, the ability of Fang to retain real estate listing agencies as customers during challenging economic periods, the success of Fang's new business initiatives, the ability of Fang to manage its operating expenses, the impact of, measures taken or to be taken by the Chinese government to control real estate growth and prices and other events which could occur in the future, economic challenges in China's real estate market, the impact of competitive market conditions for our services, our ability to maintain and increase our leadership in China's home related internet sector, the uncertain regulatory landscape in China, fluctuations in our quarterly operating results, our continued ability to execute business strategies including our SouFun membership services and SouFun Online Shop, our ability to continue to expand in local markets, our reliance on online advertising sales and listing services and transactions for our revenues, any failure to successfully develop and expand our content, service offerings and features, including the success of new features to meet evolving market needs, and the technologies that support them, the quality of the loans we originate and resell and the performance of those loans in the future, our ability to successfully service and process customer loans for our own benefit and for the purchasers of those loans and, should we in the future make acquisitions, any failure to successfully integrate acquired businesses.

About Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement Fang's consolidated financial results presented in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"), Fang uses in this press release the following measures defined as non-GAAP financial measures by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission: (1) non-GAAP operating (loss)/income, (2) non-GAAP net (loss)/income and (3) non-GAAP basic and diluted (loss)/earnings per ordinary share and per ADS (4) adjusted EBITDA. The presentation of the non-GAAP financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliation of GAAP and non-GAAP Results" set forth at the end of this press release.

Fang believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information to investors regarding its operating performance by excluding share-based compensation expenses and the related tax effects, realized gain on available-for-sale security, interest income and expenses, income tax expenses, and depreciation expense for the three months ended June 30, 2016, which (1) may not be indicative of Fang's recurring core business operating results or (2) are not expected to result in future cash payments. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management's internal comparisons to Fang's historical performance and assist its financial and operational decision making. A limitation of using these non-GAAP financial measures is that share-based compensation, interest income and expenses, income tax expenses, and depreciation expenses have been and will continue to be a significant recurring expense that will continue to exist in Fang's business for the foreseeable future. Management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from each non-GAAP measure. The accompanying tables have more details on the reconciliation between non-GAAP financial measures and their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Dr. Hua Lei

CFO

Phone: +86-10-5631-8661

Email: [email protected]

Ms. Joyce Tang

Senior Investor Relations Manager

Phone: +86-10-5631 8659

Email: [email protected]

Ms. Dana Cheng

Investor Relations Manager

Phone: +86-10-5631 8174

Email: [email protected]

Fang Holdings Limited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands of U.S. dollars, except share data and per share data)

ASSETS June 30, December 31,



2017 2016 Current assets: (Unaudited) (Audited)

Cash and cash equivalents 235,616 336,528

Restricted cash, current 215,095 211,084

Short-term investments 96,382 42,929

Accounts receivable, net 72,520 93,672

Funds receivable 21,468 20,483

Prepayment and other current assets 35,308 39,824

Commitment deposits 505 6,527

Loan receivable, current 52,386 41,966

Amount due from related parties 759 197 Total current assets 730,039 793,210 Non-current assets:





Property and equipment, net 550,002 319,897

Loan receivable, non-current 15,771 16,808

Deferred tax assets, non-current 7,257 4,915

Deposit for non-current assets 72,717 240,712

Long-term investments 335,696 231,880

Other non-current assets 3,010 7,391 Total non-current assets 984,453 821,603 Total assets 1,714,492 1,614,813







LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY



Current liabilities:





Short-term loans 278,432 212,734

Deferred revenue 150,544 129,765

Accrued expenses and other liabilities 260,046 318,540

Customers' refundable fees 24,548 28,630

Income tax payable 9,308 6,022 Total current liabilities 722,878 695,691 Non-current liabilities:





Long-term loans 15,696 65,190

Convertible senior notes 296,135 295,268

Deferred tax liabilities, non-current 97,560 70,424

Other non-current liabilities 425 415 Total non-current liabilities 409,816 431,297 Total Liabilities 1,132,694 1,126,988







Equity:





Class A ordinary shares, par value Hong Kong

Dollar ("HK$") 1 per share, 600,000,000 shares

authorized for Class A and Class B in aggregate,

and 62,674,810 shares and 70,736,054 shares

issued and outstanding as at June 30, 2017 and

December 31, 2016, respectively 9,169 9,157

Class B ordinary shares, par value HK$1 per

share, 600,000,000 shares authorized for Class A

and Class B in aggregate, and [24,336,650] shares

and 24,336,650 shares issued and outstanding as

at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016

respectively 3,124 3,124

Treasure stock (136,615) (136,615)

Additional paid-in capital 494,173 488,943

Accumulated other comprehensive income 21,508 (81,349)

Retained earnings 189,759 203,870 Total Fang Holdings Limited shareholders' equity 581,118 487,130

Non-controlling interests 680 695 Total equity 581,798 487,825 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 1,714,492 1,614,813

Fang Holdings Limited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (in thousands of U.S. dollars, except share data and per share data)

















Three months ended

Six months ended



June 30,

June 30,

June 30,

June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016



(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited) Revenues:















E-commerce services 22,865

189,514

62,755

320,418

Marketing services 35,035

51,412

62,370

81,844

Listing services 42,343

26,902

76,386

50,988

Financial services 2,702

11,104

4,949

21,729

Other value-added services and other services 7,148

8,046

13,436

16,622 Total revenues 110,093

286,978

219,896

491,601

















Cost of Revenues:















Cost of services (48,728)

(231,137)

(109,454)

(440,780) Total Cost of Revenues (48,728)

(231,137)

(109,454)

(440,780)

















Gross Profit 61,365

55,841

110,442

50,821

















Operating expenses and income:













Selling expenses (23,099)

(52,264)

(46,510)

(113,861)

General and administrative expenses (43,624)

(36,359)

(75,007)

(79,736)

Other income (704)

-

(1,107)

- Operating Income (loss) (6,062)

(32,782)

(12,182)

(142,776)

Foreign exchange gain (loss) 1

92

214

57

Other-than-temporary impairment on available-for-sale securities (1,817)

-

(2,768)

-

Interest income 2,714

2,960

5,438

6,473

Interest expense (4,400)

(4,596)

(8,241)

(9,206)

Investment income 5,985

1,355

5,985

1,355

Government grants 932

1,067

1,699

3,667 Income (loss) before income taxes and non-controlling interests (2,647)

(31,904)

(9,855)

(140,430) Income tax expenses















Income tax expenses 553

(8,698)

(4,256)

(13,872) Net income (loss) (2,094)

(40,602)

(14,111)

(154,302)

Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests (1)

(1)

(1)

1 Net income (loss) attributable to Fang Holdings Limited shareholders (2,093)

(40,601)

(14,110)

(154,303) Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax













Foreign currency Translation 16,459

(26,737)

19,578

(27,890)

Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive

income (1,674)

-

(1,674)

-

Unrealized gain on available-for-sale security 84,611

1,386

85,124

(3,397)

Loss on intra-entity foreign transactions of long-term-investment nature (171)

-

(171)

- Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax 99,225

(25,351)

102,857

(31,287) Comprehensive income (loss) 97,131

(65,952)

88,746

(185,590) Earnings/(loss) per share for Class A and Class B ordinary shares:









Basic (0.02)

(0.43)

(0.16)

(1.62)

Diluted (0.02)

(0.43)

(0.16)

(1.62) Earnings/(loss) per ADS:















Basic (0.005)

(0.09)

(0.03)

(0.32)

Diluted (0.005)

(0.09)

(0.03)

(0.32) Weighted average number of Class A and Class B ordinary

shares outstanding:









Basic 88,437,943

94,816,906

88,398,683

94,980,072

Diluted 88,437,943

94,816,906

88,398,683

94,980,072 Weighted average number of ADSs outstanding:













Basic 442,189,713

474,084,530

441,993,416

474,900,360

Diluted 442,189,713

474,084,530

441,993,416

474,900,360

Fang Holdings Limited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results ( in thousands of U.S. dollars, except share data and per share data)





Three months ended

Six months ended



June 30,

June 30,

June 30,

June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016

GAAP income from operations (6,062)

(32,782)

(12,182)

(142,776)

Share-based compensation expense 2,233

2,464

3,772

4,369

Non-GAAP income from operations (3,839)

(30,318)

(8,410)

(138,407)



















GAAP net income (2,094)

(40,602)

(14,111)

(154,302)

Investment income (5,985)

(1,355)

(5,985)

(1,355)

Share-based compensation expense 2,233

2,464

3,772

4,369

Non-GAAP net income (5,846)

(39,493)

(16,324)

(151,288)



















Net Income attributable to Fang shareholders (2,093)

(40,601)

(14,110)

(154,303)

Investment income (5,985)

(1,355)

(5,985)

(1,355)

Share-based compensation expense 2,233

2,464

3,772

4,369

Non-GAAP net Income attributable to Fang Holdings

Limited shareholders (5,846)

(39,492)

(16,323)

(151,289)

















GAAP earnings per share for Class A and Class B ordinary shares:















Basic (0.02)

(0.43)

(0.16)

(1.62)

Diluted (0.02)

(0.43)

(0.16)

(1.62) GAAP earnings per ADS:















Basic (0.005)

(0.09)

(0.03)

(0.32)

Diluted (0.005)

(0.09)

(0.03)

(0.32) Non-GAAP earnings per share for Class A and Class B ordinary shares:















Basic (0.07)

(0.42)

(0.18)

(1.59)

Diluted (0.07)

(0.42)

(0.18)

(1.59) Non-GAAP earnings per ADS:















Basic (0.01)

(0.08)

(0.04)

(0.32)

Diluted (0.01)

(0.08)

(0.04)

(0.32) Weighted average number of Class A and Class B ordinary shares outstanding:















Basic 88,437,943

94,816,906

88,398,683

94,980,072

Diluted 88,437,943

94,816,906

88,398,683

94,980,072 Weighted average number of ADSs outstanding:













Basic 442,189,713

474,084,530

441,993,416

474,900,360

Diluted 442,189,713

474,084,530

441,993,416

474,900,360



















Non-GAAP Net income (5,846)

(39,493)

(16,324)

(151,288) Add back:















Interest expense 4,400

4,596

8,241

9,206

Income tax expenses (553)

8,698

4,256

13,872

Depreciation expenses 6,055

4,906

11,612

9,208 Subtract:















Interest income (2,714)

(2,960)

(5,438)

(6,473)

Adjusted EBITDA 1,342

(24,253)

2,347

(125,475)

SOURCE Fang Holdings Limited
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Film Independent Spirit Awards and LA Film Festival, is pleased to announce the screenwriters selected for its 19th annual Screenwriting Lab. Under the guidance of Lead Creative Advisor Robin Swicord (Wakefield, Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Fellows will workshop these projects over the course of the Lab. Additional guest speakers and advisors include Sheila Hanahan Taylor (Final Destination Series), Meg LeFauve (Inside Out, Captain Marvel), and Script Consultant Ruth Atkinson.

Past Screenwriting Lab projects include Spirit Award Winner Andrew Ahn's Spa Night, which premiered in competition at Sundance and won the Grand Jury prize at Outfest; Chloe Zhao's Songs My Brothers Taught Me, which premiered in competition at Sundance and in Directors' Fortnight at Cannes; and Robbie Pickering's SXSW winner Natural Selection.

"This extraordinary group of artists brings a breadth of fresh and dynamic voices to the 2017 Screenwriting Lab," said Jennifer Kushner, Director of Artist Development at Film Independent. "We know they'll enrich the Film Independent community, and we're excited to offer them an opportunity to develop not only their projects but their filmmaking careers."

Film Independent Artist Development promotes unique independent voices by helping filmmakers create and advance new work through its Filmmaker Labs (Directing, Documentary, Episodic, Producing and Screenwriting), Grants Program which awards over $800K annually to filmmakers, the Fast Track finance market, Fiscal Sponsorship and Project Involve, Film Independent's signature diversity program, that this year celebrates its 25th anniversary.

For the sixth year, Film Independent will present the Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television Screenwriting Fellowship. This year's Fellowship is being awarded to alumnus Sam McGoldrick who will be awarded a $10,000 grant to develop his script Strawberry Fields through the Screenwriting Lab.

The Film Independent Screenwriting Lab is supported by Artist Development Lead Funder Time Warner Foundation. Sponsors include Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television, National Endowment for the Arts and The Writer's Guild of America, West.

For more information on Film Independent Artist Development, please contact Jennifer Kushner, Director of Artist Development, at 310 432 1275. Additional information and an application form can be found at filmindependent.org.

The 2017 Screenwriting Lab participants and their projects are:

Title: The Dance Crusader

Writer, Director: Marcos Davalos

Logline: After witnessing his father's deportation, a gay undocumented Latino teen enters a dance competition determined to win the top cash prize in order to keep his family together.

Title: The Dust

Writer, Director: Amanda Brennan

Logline: In 1930's Oklahoma, when wheat prices drop and dust storms begin, one girl, at odds with her sexuality, believes she is the cause.

Title: Ghost Stories

Writer, Director: Michael Lei

Logline: During the height of the Cold War a mythical, shape-shifting room plays a pivotal role in the lives of several families desperate to escape across the Berlin Wall.

Title: Jawbone

Writer: Allison Lee

Logline: A Korean woman's dreams come true after she undergoes drastic plastic surgery but everything begins to fall apart when she gives birth to a daughter who looks nothing like her.

Title: Strawberry Fields

Writer: Sam McGoldrick

Logline: At a CIA black site in Guantanamo Bay, a Muslim-American psychologist resorts to increasingly grave methods to dissect the mind of a terrorist suspect. As she pushes deeper into his troubled psyche, she discovers a growing darkness in herself.

Title: Valley of Exile

Writer, Director: Anna Fahr

Logline: In the arid valley of Eastern Lebanon, two Syrian sisters set out in search of their missing brother uncertain of where their own journey into exile will lead.

For Film Independent logos visit

https://www.filmindependent.org/press/logos-and-laurels/

About Film Independent

Film Independent is a nonprofit arts organization that champions creative independence in visual storytelling and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent's Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff and constituents is comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate about film can become a Member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry professional or a film lover.

In addition to producing the Spirit Awards, Film Independent produces the LA Film Festival and Film Independent at LACMA Film Series, a year-round, weekly program that offers unique cinematic experiences for the Los Angeles creative community and the general public.

With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent's Artist Development program offers free Labs for selected writers, directors, producers and documentary filmmakers and presents year- round networking opportunities. Project Involve is Film Independent's signature program dedicated to fostering the careers of talented filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the film industry.

For more information or to become a Member, visit filmindependent.org.

Contact: Alia Quart Khan, Film Independent

Tel: 310 432 1287 or [email protected]

Ryan Collins, Ginsberg/Libby

Tel: 323 645 6800 or [email protected]

SOURCE Film Independent

Related Links

http://www.filmindependent.org


THE VILLAGES, Fla., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of the sweeping Medicare payment system changes proposed last week by the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS), which come on top of an estimated $500 million in 2017 penalties to hospitals with higher-than-expected readmission rates, healthcare providers nationwide are scrambling to adapt. Meanwhile, in Florida, RescueTouch has developed a simple, cost-effective way for Medicare, hospitals, nurse agencies, home health agencies, health insurance companies, accountable care organizations and management services organizations to combat the costly problem of avoidable emergency care and readmissions: NurseAlert. The Florida NurseAlert Pilot Program is now accepting applications from healthcare providers based in Florida.

Reallocate Your Avoidable Cost Dollars to Your Profit Line Florida Healthcare Providers May Qualify for Florida NurseAlert Pilot Program

NurseAlert is a patient care medical alert system similar to the nurse call button beside every hospital bed in the nation--but NurseAlert is designed for patients to quickly call for nurse assistance at home. That difference is key, because in allowing high-maintenance patients to access nursing advice and care from home, NurseAlert is able to drastically reduce the number of avoidable trips to the hospital.

Small enough to be worn around the neck or clipped securely to clothing, NurseAlert is a sophisticated two-way caller that allows the wearer to push a button and instantly be connected to the nurse agency scheduler or directly to the nurse, if the agency has configured the device to allow direct nurse communication. Just as importantly, NurseAlert allows the nurse agency scheduler or nurse to initiate contact with the patient. NurseAlert's innovative FallDetect and Geo Fence Alert features, for wearers at risk of falling and/or wandering, add another layer of protection for some of the most fragile patients.

It all means fewer unnecessary trips to the emergency room and fewer readmissions, particularly for the six conditions--chronic lung disease, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, heart attack, heart failure, hip and knee replacements, and pneumonia--that rack up costly penalties from CMS when readmissions rise above expected rates.

"Addressing and reducing unnecessary readmissions and emergency registrations is of critical importance throughout the healthcare industry and even more so following last week's proposal by CMS," explained RescueTouch founder and EMT Scott Lepper. "The Florida NurseAlert Pilot Program will allow affected healthcare providers to document a measurable reduction in readmission rates while being immediately available to patients without a bunch of red tape or a long implementation period."

Each NurseAlert unit is completely self-contained and makes use of the existing 3G network to offer one-touch nationwide calling and text notifications containing the patient's name and GPS location as well as the date and time of the call--anywhere in the U.S., whether the patient is traveling or at home. The long-lasting, rechargeable battery ensures the patient will never be without critical NurseAlert support.

Florida-based healthcare providers can apply to the Florida NurseAlert Pilot Program, designed to document actual reductions in avoidable admissions, by visiting http://floridanursealert.com. To see NurseAlert in action, request a free demo.

About RescueTouch

Founded in 2014, RescueTouch has quickly grown to become the leading provider of mobile individual medical alert devices and systems, partner medical alert devices and systems, and veterans' suicide prevention and crisis alert systems. NurseAlert is the latest RescueTouch product. The company is owned and operated by active first responders and recently relocated from Virginia Beach, Va. to The Villages, Fla. in order to keep its finger on the pulse of the senior community. Learn more at http://www.rescuetouch.com.

Contact:

Scott A. Lepper, EMT

RescueTouch

352-552-2102

[email protected]

http://floridanursealert.com

http://www.rescuetouch.com

SOURCE RescueTouch

Related Links

http://www.rescuetouch.com


CARLSBAD, Calif. and BERLIN, Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The 23rd annual BIO-Europe 2017 global life science partnering event will be held in Berlin, November 68, 2017, in partnership with Berlin Partner and Berlin-Brandenburg HealthCapital. The event is expected to bring together over 3,900 executives from 2,000+ life science companies spanning an estimated 60+ countries to engage in one-to-one partnering.

BIOEurope global event gathers pharma dealmakers in Berlin EBD Group #BIOEurope

Berlin is a vital biopharma and health sector with many new digital health startups. Almost 600 life science businesses are based in Berlin, including more than 240 biotech, 300 medical technology and 30 pharmaceutical companies like Bayer, Pfizer and Sanofi.

"Berlin is not only a popular tourist city but is a leading location for biopharmaceutical innovation," said Dr. Kai Uwe Bindseil, Cluster Manager for Healthcare Industries in Berlin-Brandenburg  HealthCapital. "It's a central hub for governmental and political decisionmakers and Federal Government institutions, as well as patient groups and associations, which together form a cohesive community to shape the business and future of human health."

"We are pleased to partner with Berlin Partner to bring BIO-Europe to Berlin," said Anna Chrisman, Group Managing Director, EBD Group. "Berlin-Brandenburg is one of the leading life sciences and healthcare industries centers in the world, and is the perfect setting for the dealmaking and discovery that takes place at BIO-Europe to further global drug development."

BIO-Europe is Europe's largest partnering conference serving the global biotechnology industry. The event is a draw for executives in the life sciences who will gain direct access to service and manufacturing partners, innovative assets, and ideas from biotech companies ranging from very early stage to large, established companies. The event is also a critical business strategy for biotech companies to meet with pharma executives and investors to propel their drug development commercialization goals.

BIO-Europe 2016 broke records for number of delegates and number of one-to-one partnering meetings which reached 20,833, an all-time high and up 9% from 2015. CEOs and decision makers from 1,982 companies and 63 countries discussed asset deals and strategic collaborations. There were 4,734 licensing opportunities on offer, 153 company presentations and 97 exhibitors.

Register for BIO-Europe 2017 before August 31, 2017 and save EUR 200 off the regular registration rate.

Read more on Berlin's supercluster here. For news and interviews with executives and thought leaders in the life science industry, go to EBD Group's Partnering Insight.

Additional links and information:

Follow BIO-Europe 2017 on Twitter: @EBDGroup (hashtag: #BIOEUROPE).

About EBD Group

EBD Group is the leading partnering firm for the global life science industry.

EBD Group's conferences are run with the support of leading corporations and international trade associations and include:

EBD Group has offices in the USA and Europe.

For more information please visit www.ebdgroup.com.

Contact:

Erin Righetti

EBD Group

+1 760 930 0500

[email protected]

SOURCE EBD Group

Related Links

http://www.ebdgroup.com/corp


SOUTH BEND, Ind., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army Contracting Command today awarded global vehicle solutions provider AM General a 5-year, firm fixed price Foreign Military Sale (FMS) requirements contract to manufacture an estimated quantity of 11,560 new High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs). The total value of the contract is approximately $2.2 billion.

"The HMMWV continues to be the most sought after light tactical vehicle for military and government customers around the world demonstrating its relevance and reliability while ensuring readiness at an affordable price for the U.S., our allies and coalition partners," said AM General President and CEO, Andy Hove. "Today's contract announcement once again highlights the HMMWV as a modern, proven, highly deployable, versatile, rugged and affordable light tactical vehicle."

Under this contract, AM General will provide a wide range of variants including protected weapons carriers, cargo transporters, communications vehicles and ambulances. The vehicles under this contract builds upon the current globally installed base of over 250,000 HMMWVs in use worldwide in over 60 different countries.

The HMMWV platform performs more mission roles than any other tactical vehicle in the world. The modern HMMWV built by AM General, today includes a high performance, rugged and reliable automotive system. Today's HMMWV incorporates improvements to the engine (70% increase in torque), transmission (additional overdrive combined with a 2-speed full time all-wheel drive transfer case), cooling system (50% increase), electrical system (400% increase in power generation capacity), suspension and chassis (50% increase in gross vehicle weight capacity) that together provide significant improvements to power, performance and payload, combined with mine blast and ballistic protection levels for users around the world.

AM General continues to design, test and build these improvements into the highly successful HMMWV Ambulance and Army National Guard HMMWV Modernization Public Private Partnership programs, and even more enhancements are available to meet U.S. domestic and international customer needs.

About AM General

AM General designs, engineers, manufactures, supplies and supports specialized vehicles for military and commercial customers worldwide. Through its military business, the company is widely recognized as the world leader in design, engineering, manufacturing and logistics support of Tactical Vehicles, having produced and sustained more than 300,000 vehicles in over 60 countries. AM General has more than five decades of experience meeting the changing needs of the defense and automotive industries, supported by its employees at major facilities in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, and a strong supplier base that stretches across 43 states. Please see more information about AM General at www.amgeneral.com.

Media Contact: Jeff Adams

Global Communications & Marketing / AM General

Phone: 703-347-2276

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE AM General

Related Links

http://www.amgeneral.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GoKid, the complete carpool solution for schools, teams and families, today unveiled GoKid Connect, a mobility solution designed to connect schools and parents through a secure web portal and GoKid mobile app, enabling parents to quickly identify who in their school lives close by, and is willing to carpool. Additionally, GoKid announced the availability of a web app (making this the first time GoKid is available across all devices) and released enhanced features; solidifying GoKid as the most comprehensive and advanced tool on the market, to help schools, teams and families save time and money immediately.

"Global mobility solutions are transforming every industry. At GoKid, our mission is to deliver the most trusted and comprehensive shared mobility technology for schools, teams and families to create and manage carpools," said GoKid founder Stefanie Lemcke. "Today, GoKid is being used in 25 countries, 650 cities, and over 40,000 carpool rides have been scheduled through our mobile and web apps. We're excited to start working directly with schools and teams to continue helping communities thrive and drive together with GoKid."

Nearly fifty percent of all schools in the U.S. do not have a dedicated bus system for daily transportation, and more than thirty-two million U.S. schoolchildren are being driven to and from school every day by their parents. These statistics amount to increased traffic congestion, vehicle emissions, billions of hours of lost productivity time and, when parents are unable to drive, decreased school attendance. GoKid provides a complete, easy-to-use mobility solution for schools, teams and families to connect and drive together. Unlike other solutions, GoKid does not hire drivers and there is no density required.

GoKid Connect

GoKid Connect is a complete mobility solution for schools of all sizes. Through a secure website, families can easily connect to other families within their school to quickly identify carpool opportunities. Families can find other families based on vicinity, age of their children, and activities that kids participate in, making finding the best carpool option a few simple clicks away.

As one of the launching customers, Crystal Springs Uplands School in Hillsborough, California has selected GoKid Connect to provide a school-sponsored carpool solution for the hundreds of families it serves.

"Crystal Springs Uplands School is excited to partner with GoKid in order to help our parents manage carpools to and from school," said Peter Antupit, CIO for Crystal Springs Uplands School. "The GoKid Connect app helps our families easily identify and contact other Crystal families in their neighborhoods. And, because GoKid has live tracking and sends notifications about our students' pick up and drop off, we believe it's the most advanced solution in the market."

GoKid for Parents

Available on iOS, and all devices via a web app, GoKid takes family carpooling to a new level. Parents can invite other families they know and trust, manage schedules and receive pertinent schedule updates, route optimizations, receive automated messages for pick ups and drop offs, and track carpools with GPS and mapping.

Newly added features to the iOS and web app include:

Faster set-up with "recent participant" and "recent location";

The ability to set-up return carpools with different participants;

Easy editing of all aspects of the carpool from the overview screen;

Customized alerts and notification settings.

GoKid is accelerating shared mobility solutions for schools, families and teams across the globe. To learn more and start your own carpool, visit: http://www.gokid.mobi.

About GoKid

GoKid is the complete carpool solution for schools, teams and families. Easy-to-use applications enable families to set up and manage carpools with people they know and trust. GoKid is an alumni of Techstars Mobility and backed by Fontinalis Partners, Jaguar Land Rover's InMotion Ventures and Techstars. Founded in 2015, GoKid is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Detroit, with users in twentyfive countries. To learn more about how we work with schools, teams and corporations, visit GoKid, download GoKid for iOS and web, and follow GoKid on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Press Contact

Rachel Fukaya

Barokas PR for GoKid

[email protected]

(831) 229-5761

SOURCE GoKid

Related Links

http://www.gokid.mobi


CHICAGO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grainger (NYSE: GWW), the leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products serving businesses and institutions, earned high marks on the 2017 Disability Equality Index (DEI) and the designation of being a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion" by the American Association of People with Disabilities and the U.S. Business Leadership Network. The achievement highlights Grainger's commitment to creating a great team member experience and an inclusive workplace where dedicated, talented people can thrive.

The DEI is a national, annual benchmarking tool that offers businesses an opportunity to self-report and receive an objective score on their inclusive environmental, social and governance policies. For 2017, Grainger was one of 110 participating companies representing 21 different sectors of the economy.

"In our business, we serve the needs of a diverse customer base, and we strive to ensure our team reflects and identifies with those customers," said Grainger Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer, Joseph High. "Inclusion and diversity is integral to Grainger's business success, and we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all team members feel safe, valued and encouraged to voice their opinions, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, veteran status, disabilities or backgrounds."

This year, Grainger will also form a new disabilities-focused Business Resource Group (BRG), open to all team members, including those with disabilities and allies of those with disabilities. The group will be one of Grainger's nine BRGs that provide peer support, career development and mentoring opportunities, in addition to raising awareness through a variety of discussion groups and activities.

To learn more about Grainger's commitment to inclusion and diversity and how it cultivates a positive work environment for its team members, visit http://www.graingercsr.com/valuing-people/a-place-to-thrive/.

For more information on the 2017 Disability Equality Index, visit www.disabilityequalityindex.org.

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc., with 2016 sales of $10.1 billion, is North America's leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products (MRO), with operations also in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Follow Grainger on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to Grainger's Media Room to receive the latest news.

SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.grainger.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Rock Capital, an asset-focused commercial finance company specializing in middle-market lending, today announced the hire of Edison Lopez as Senior Vice President of Finance and Jonathan Michaels as an Associate of Underwriting and Portfolio Management.

"We look forward to integrating Edison and Jon into the Great Rock team," commented Stuart Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer. "Their addition will help us build out the critical infrastructure needed to support the continued growth of the Great Rock Capital platform."

Mr. Lopez joins Great Rock Capital with over 14 years of experience, most recently as the Vice President of Finance at Centre Lane Partners, where he managed the accounting, operations, treasury, tax and financial reporting for private equity funds. He has also served as the Director of Financial Reporting and Accounting at Plainfield Asset Management. Mr. Lopez received his B.A. in Business Administration from Pace University.

Mr. Michaels has joined as an Associate of Underwriting and Portfolio Management. Mr. Michaels was previously part of General Electric Corporation's Financial Management Program, in which he served as an Integrated Systems Analyst and Supply Chain Operations Analyst. Mr. Michaels received a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Vermont.

About Great Rock Capital

Great Rock Capital is an asset-focused commercial finance company specializing in serving the needs of middle-market companies with a wide variety of secured lending products. Great Rock Capital provides fast, flexible and creative financing solutions to maximize its customers' liquidity to enable them to better execute their business plans. To learn more, visit http://greatrockcapital.com/.

Company Contact: Stuart Armstrong, CEO Great Rock Capital, (203) 557-6275, [email protected]

SOURCE Great Rock Capital

Related Links

http://greatrockcapital.com


RESTON, Va., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GTL, an innovation leader in correctional technology, education solutions that assist in rehabilitating inmates, and payment services solutions for government, today announced an enhancement to its industry-leading and patented voice biometric toolset with the addition of Voice IQ Search.

Voice IQ Search joins GTL's suite of biometric applications collectively known as Voice IQ, which serve as key security features within the company's Inmate Telephone System (ITS). Voice IQ Search enables investigators to query for any calls where an inmate's voice is heard  whether the call was initiated by that inmate or if the inmate entered the conversation after the call was already in progress. In addition, through the course of normal call searching, investigators can see calls suspected to contain multiple inmate voices and display the names and IDs of the suspected voiceprints found within the call.

"Voice IQ has served as a great tool for facilities wanting to end inmate PIN theft or gather actionable intelligence for investigators," said Eric Gonzalez, GTL Executive Director, Inmate Telephones and Intelligence Tools. "Adding Voice IQ Search allows investigators to quickly find the calls with suspicious activity, making them more effective and far more efficient."

By way of a real life example, Voice IQ Search was recently used in the case of an inmate who exchanged commissary goods for phone calls. Although initial voice biometric was required to place the call, the inmate encouraged others to start calls and then pass him the handset. The inmate mistakenly thought this would "hide" his conversations since they were taking place under another inmate's PIN and initial voiceprint. However, the new Voice IQ Search tool allowed investigators to search all calls where the subject inmate's voiceprint had been detected, not just calls started under his PIN and voiceprint. As a result, investigators were able to easily identify dialogue from the inmate that contained incriminating information.

As one of the most comprehensive, natural language speaker verification tools in the corrections industry, Voice IQ is comprised of:

Voice IQ Initial  records and saves inmate voiceprints in a repository and accurately identifies inmates by requiring them to speak a specific phrase prior to making any calls.

Voice IQ Continuous  detects potential fraud by comparing sound snippets from an inmate phone call to a recorded voiceprint to verify the inmate's identity in real time during the call.

Voice IQ Search  enables the user to search for recordings where a voiceprint is heard throughout a wide selection of calls within a date range.

"GTL handles over 275 million inmate telephone calls annually, totaling over 3.3 billion call minutes, and Voice IQ can scan for a specific voice print through every single inmate call recorded on GTL's system, regardless of facility," concluded Mr. Gonzalez.

Voice IQ Continuous inmate verification is a state-of-the-art, fully-integrated, real-time component of the GTL ITS, and GTL has been awarded U.S. Patent No. 8,509,736 for the feature. GTL also has six awarded patents and eight patents pending for its voice analysis tools, and 14 patents and 17 pending for the ITS.

To learn more about Voice IQ or for a product demonstration, contact GTL today.

About GTL

GTL leads the fields of correctional technology, education, and government payment services with visionary solutions and customized products that integrate seamlessly to deliver security, financial value, and operational efficiencies while aiding inmate rehabilitation and reducing recidivism rates. With the recent acquisition of Telmate, GTL has strengthened its suite of solutions for the corrections industry and expanded its community corrections portfolio with Telmate Guardian, a smartphone-based GPS monitoring solution. As a trusted industry leader, GTL provides services to over 2 million inmates in more than 2,500 correctional facilities in the United States and Canada, including 33 U.S. departments of corrections, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and many large city/county/provincial facilities. GTL is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with an employee presence throughout North America. To learn more about GTL, please visit www.gtl.net or social media sites on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Press Contact: Vinnie Mascarenhas

703-955-3894

[email protected]

SOURCE GTL
ABILENE, Texas, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Hardin-Simmons University has announced that its Texas Scholarship, totaling $44,000 per student, is automatically awarded to graduating high school students from Texas who are granted general admission to HSU. The Texas Scholarship is available to public, private, and home-school graduates who reside in Texas, and will be awarded automatically, unless a student qualifies for a higher academic scholarship.

Texas scholarship recipients may receive up to $11,000 per year for four years. HSU students who receive the scholarship will then pay tuition, room & board at approximately the same annual costs as students who attend large public Texas universities at in-state tuition rates. (Previously, the scholarship was called the Big Country Scholarship and available to only students who lived in the Abilene region.)

"Several years ago, Hardin-Simmons University launched the Big Country scholarship to provide affordable private education for students in the Abilene area who had a deep desire to pursue a college degree, but might not otherwise have the funds," said HSU President, Eric Bruntmyer. "With the rising cost of higher education, we realized the time was right for us to expand the scholarship statewide and automatically apply it to students accepted to HSU."

During the 2016-2017 school year, 57 students accepted the Big Country Scholarship. For the 2017-2018 school year, at the time of this release, 231 students have already accepted the new Texas Scholarship.

Over 2,200 students will be enrolled at Hardin-Simmons University for the fall 2017 semester. The university maintains a student to faculty ratio of 12:1 to ensure that each student at HSU receives individualized attention and allows students to develop meaningful relationships with professors.

About Hardin-Simmons University

Hardin-Simmons University is a private, Christian, liberal arts university located in Abilene, Texas. Founded in 1891, HSU offers more than 85 versatile undergraduate and graduate degree programs. As a fully accredited university, HSU is dedicated to academic excellence shaped by a distinctive Christian perspective. The University offers distinguished schools of Fine Arts, Liberal Arts, Sciences and Mathematics, Nursing, Human Sciences and Educational Studies, Theology, and Business as well as being home to the Logsdon Seminary. HSU was voted as one of the "Best Western" universities by Princeton Review (2017) and ranked as one of the best "Regional Universities West" by US News & World Report (2017).

Media Contact:

Linnea Kirgan

Director of Communications and Content Strategy

(325) 670-1091

[email protected]

SOURCE Hardin-Simmons University
TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HomeBanc has been named to American Banker magazine's 2017 Best Banks to Work For list, and ranked as the #2 "Best Bank" out of the 75 banks chosen, for the third year in a row. The program, which initiated in 2013, is a project of American Banker and Best Companies Group to recognize and honor the best banks to work for in the nation.

Determining the Best Banks to Work For first, involves evaluating each participating bank's workplace policies, practices, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of confidential employee surveys aimed at assessing the experiences and attitudes of individual employees with respect to their workplace, which was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top banks and the final ranking. The full list will feature in the September issue of American Banker magazine and available at www.AmericanBanker.com.

"We are proud of this accomplishment for the third year in a row. It is evidence that our employees are the best in the industry," said Debra Hanses Novakoski, President and CEO. "Our team continues to build high regard to our HomeBanc motto as A Great Place to Work and A Great Place to Bank, and we thank them for their exceptional and distinctive service to our customers."

HomeBanc was named the top rated bank on Florida Trend magazine's "Best Companies to Work For in Florida" list for six years in a row; recognized as the top rated bank on Tampa Bay Times "Top Workplaces" list for the fifth consecutive year; named one of the "Best Places to Work for Millennials" in 2015 by The Center for Generational Kinetics and Best Companies Group; and selected as the "2016 North Florida District Top Community Bank Lender" by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The Bank, with headquarters in Tampa, has fourteen offices, including retail branches in Lake Mary, Winter Park, Lakewood Ranch (Sarasota), Belleair Bluffs, Countryside (Clearwater), Dunedin, Kenneth City, Pinellas Park, Seminole, Largo, St. Petersburg, and in Tampa on North Dale Mabry Highway and in Westchase.

HomeBanc offers a variety of retail deposit products, along with SBA, USDA and commercial mortgage loan products. The HomeBanc team is committed to exceeding customer expectations and making HomeBanc "A Great Place to Work and A Great Place to Bank." For more information about HomeBanc, please visit www.homebanc.com.

SOURCE HomeBanc

Related Links

https://www.homebanc.com


IRVINE, Calif., Aug 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HomeUnion, an online residential real estate investment management firm, has released a list of the college towns with the most expensive off-campus rents. To create the list, HomeUnion analyzed the median rent within a two-mile radius of university's campus and compared it to the metro area's market-rate rent. Colleges with enrollment of 15,000 students or higher were included in the study, which also examines some of the least-expensive towns for off-campus student housing.

For the second year in a row, rents within a two-mile radius of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Stanford University are the highest in the nation. Rents within two miles of UCLA topped out at $5,158 per month, compared to the market rent of $2,785 per month, 85.2 percent above market. Near Stanford, in the heart of the Silicon Valley, median rents are $6,066 per month, or 68.3 percent above the market rent of $3,605 in the area. Rents near Georgetown University are the third-highest in the nation: Students pay $3,433 per month around Georgetown's District of Columbia campus, 60 percent above market rents of $2,145.

"With many students returning to campus this month and in early September, we wanted to alert them and their families to the most expensive college campuses in the country," explains Steve Hovland, director of research for HomeUnion. "Tuition for many institutions of higher learning is soaring, forcing students and their families to opt to reside in single-family rentals (SFRs) and other living situations off-campus. To minimize living expenses, students can rent properties further than two miles from campus or choose to have roommates in a rental home. This study illustrates where living near campus is disproportionately more expensive than the market as a whole, and off-campus housing may eat into their college savings," Hovland adds.

Here's a list of the college towns with the most expensive off-campus rents:



Location/Metro University Median Rent

(<2 Miles) % Above Market Westwood/Los Angeles University of California, Los Angeles $5,158 85.2% Stanford, Calif./San Jose Stanford University $6,066 68.3% Georgetown/Washington, D.C. Georgetown University $3,433 60.0% CBD/Washington, D.C. George Washington University $3,417 59.3% East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State University $1,715 58.6% Coral Gables, Fla./Miami University of Miami $3,097 47.0% West Chester, Pa./Philadelphia West Chester University of Pennsylvania $2,292 46.8% Irvine, Calif./Orange County University of California, Irvine $4,372 43.4% Berkeley, Calif./Oakland University of California, Berkeley $4,134 34.2% Boca Raton, Fla./West Palm Beach Florida Atlantic University $2,786 34.1% Davis, Calif./Sacramento University of California, Davis $2,499 33.1% University District/Seattle University of Washington $3,126 32.3% Chapel Hill, N.C. UNC Chapel Hill $1,843 31.9% Amherst, Mass. University of Massachusetts $2,465 31.7% Richardson, Texas/Dallas University of Texas at Dallas $2,133 30.1% Cambridge, Mass./Boston Harvard University $3,352 29.9% Back Bay/Boston Northeastern University $3,223 24.9% Back Bay/Boston Boston University $3,198 24.0% Columbus, Ohio Ohio State University $1,649 23.0% South End/Boston University of Massachusetts at Boston $3,127 21.2%

Source: HomeUnion Research Services

www.homeunion.com

SOURCE HomeUnion

Related Links

http://www.homeunion.com


TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week, Honduras welcomed officials from the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), a global think tank, to the Honduras Peace Forum in Tegucigalpa.

"Honduras is moving in the right direction," said IEP Mexico Coordinator Patricia de Obeso. "Having a cabinet that invests in [crime] prevention is a good indication that the country is making progress."

In just three years, the homicide rate in Honduras dropped 30 percent.

Obeso commended Honduras for reducing terrorism and internal conflict, and for creating safe spaces for citizens. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez has launched an initiative to build secure, peaceful parks for citizens.

"We recognize Honduras' advances in security over the last few years," said IEP Director Michelle Breslauer.

The Hernandez administration recently strengthened civilian oversight of the national police, and revamped its Navy's drug trafficking unit.

Thanks to such initiatives, Honduras rose five places in the IEP's Global Peace Index, which ranks 163 countries on 23 indicators of peace. Honduras improved its national safety more than any Caribbean or Central American country in the index.

"Receiving such high praise from an institute that once named this country the most violent in the world is extremely significant," said President Hernandez. "My administration will keep fighting to protect all Honduran citizens."

Media Contact:

Andrew Grafton

[email protected]

202-471-4228 ext. 119

SOURCE Republic of Honduras
This marks the second time Icelandic Glacial has partnered with the super group, after previously providing water for the band, their set-up crew, and concert-goers at a free concert in Havana, Cuba, in March of 2016. The concert was a charity event where instruments from some of the world's top music retail suppliers were provided to aspiring Cuban musical artists most in need.

"We are excited to partner once again with our friends, The Rolling Stones, to keep them hydrated during their tour," commented Jon Olafsson, Chairman and Co-Founder of Icelandic Glacial. "Our most recent campaign highlighted the 'Pure Authenticity' of Icelandic Glacial, and I can't think of any other group that is more purely and authentically true to themselves."

Commencing on September 9th in Hamburg, Germany and wrapping up on October 25th in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, France, the No Filter Tour will consist of fourteen performances in nine different countries. The lucky contest winner and a guest will receive round-trip flights, a three-night hotel stay, a meet-and-greet with the band, and premium seats tickets to one of the No Filter Tour's final performances. Additionally, the winner will receive a free year's supply of Icelandic Glacial. Details of how to enter are available at IcelandicGlacial.com/RollingStones.

"We are excited to reteam with The Rolling Stones in a larger capacity and are thrilled that, because of this partnership, Icelandic Glacial fans will have the chance at a once in a lifetime experience," said Reza Mirza, CEO of Icelandic Glacial.

About Icelandic Glacial

Icelandic Glacial is the super-premium natural spring water, bottled at the source from Iceland's legendary Olfus Spring, which was formed more than 5,000 years ago and is shielded from pollution by an impenetrable barrier of lava rock. The spring produces water so pure that nothing is added or taken away. As a result, Icelandic Glacial possesses exceptional balance featuring a naturally low mineral content and a naturally alkaline pH of 8.4. Icelandic Glacial is further distinguished as the world's first certified carbon neutral natural spring bottled water for product and operation. Icelandic Glacial uses 100% natural green energy to fuel its production delivering a premium bottled water to discerning consumers around the world while maintaining a "net zero" carbon footprint.

Press contact for Icelandic Glacial:

John Filizzola

[email protected]

310.734.7834

SOURCE Icelandic Glacial

Related Links

http://www.IcelandicGlacial.com


Previously, iN2L engaged Amendola to elevate its social media presence. The firm successfully executed a program that generated the following results for iN2L in the first six months: 28% new page likes on Facebook; 17% new Twitter followers and 30% new LinkedIn connections.

"I have always been impressed with the Amendola team's in-depth knowledge of the healthcare IT, long-term care and resident/patient engagement space, as well as their strong commitment to results-oriented client service," said Tom Bang, chief executive officer of iN2L. "They proactively hit the ground running with several earned article placements in tier one press, multiple media interviews, and strategic guidance from a team of six senior level executives. We're delighted to be working with them again."

iN2L works with over 2,000 senior living communities  including independent living, assisted living, nursing homes and adult day programs  in all 50 states and three countries. iN2L integrates the hardware, software and media with personalized educational and therapeutic content necessary to allow virtually any person with any interest in using a computer, regardless of background, physical or intellectual abilities, to do so pleasurably, engagingly and without frustration.

"A repeat client is a testament to the value we bring to our partnerships," said Jodi Amendola, CEO of Amendola Communications. "We look forward to advancing iN2L's mission in the marketplace and to working once again with industry leaders, Tom Bang and Jack York."

Amendola Communications will provide public relations and marketing communications services, including social media programming, strategic counsel and media relations. The agency will also be responsible for delivering a range of content demonstrating the thought leadership and expertise of iN2L's subject matter experts, including bylined articles, blog posts, press releases and other communication materials.

About It's Never 2 Late

It's Never 2 Late (iN2L) develops digital engagement technology for senior living community residents, with over 2,500 installations in the United States and Canada. The company's picture-based, touchscreen interface provides easy connectivity to the Internet, regardless of users' physical and cognitive abilities. iN2L's media library offers 4,000 social, educational, spiritual and gaming content options. For more information, visit www.in2l.com.

About Amendola Communications

Amendola Communications is an award-winning national public relations, marketing communications, social media and content marketing firm. Named one of the best information technology (IT) PR firms in the nation by PRSourceCode for four years running, Amendola represents some of the best-known brands and groundbreaking startups in the healthcare and healthcare IT industries. Amendola's seasoned team of PR and marketing pros delivers strategic guidance and effective solutions to help organizations boost their reputation and drive market share. For more information about the PR industry's "A Team", visit www.acmarketingpr.com, and follow Amendola on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Marcia Rhodes, Amendola Communications, 480.664.8412 ext. 15 / [email protected]

SOURCE Amendola Communications

Related Links

http://www.acmarketingpr.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine ranked Mobovida, LLC No. 2818 on its 36th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The company's placement on the list represents the 10th consecutive year of being named, putting it in an extremely rare and extraordinary group of companies known as the "10X Club".

"We couldn't be more proud of the accomplishments of our wonderful team over the past 14 years in continually staying ahead of the curve, being agile and working extremely hard to grow our business every single year since inception. Being named to the Inc. 5000 for a nearly unprecedented 10 years straight is a crowning achievement and as we enter what we see as a golden age of ecommerce, we continue to be more bullish and excited about our future than ever," says CEO, Gene Ku.

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) 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. 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 Mobovida, LLC:

Mobovida, LLC dba CellularOutfitter.com is a leading online retailer of mobile, fashion and travel accessories servicing over 4 million customers since 2004. Originally established in 2002, the company has serviced over 4 million customers operating via 2 distinct channels: a leading destination reseller ecommerce site, CellularOutfitter.com; and Mobovida, a private label direct to consumer fast fashion accessory brand.

CONTACT:

Jenny Kim

714-278-1930

[email protected]

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. 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/.

For more information contact:

Inc. Media

Drew Kerr

212-849-8250

[email protected]

SOURCE Mobovida, LLC

Related Links

http://www.cellularoutfitter.com


BOSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Indigo Ag, Inc., a company dedicated to harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet, released preliminary data from its microbial seed treatment for wheat. Indigo's second commercial product, Indigo Wheat was launched in the fall of 2016 on approximately 20,000 acres across multiple states and was recently harvested. The seed treatment, developed from naturally occurring, in-plant microbes, increases the productivity of wheat plants by improving plant tolerance to water stress.

Data collected to date show that wheat grown from seeds coated with Indigo microbes produced an 8.3% average yield increase when compared to wheat grown from seeds coated only with a standard chemical package. These data come from growers' commercial fields instead of more typical small plot trials. Yield improvements were achieved without increased water or chemical use. Regions with yields below 60 bushels per acre experienced even greater productivity improvements, with yield increases averaging 15.7%. This is likely linked to greater water stress in those areas. These data are consistent with the results of three years of controlled field trials.

"These results come from farmers' fields in our community," said Tom Clayman, President of Kauffman Seeds, Inc. "We saw an average 8% yield improvement despite the favorable growing conditions that we experienced in the 2016-2017 growing season. Average yields in this area are more like 40 to 50 bushels per acre, and Indigo demonstrated 16% yield increases in these more highly stressed conditions. A 16% increase in yield could really make the difference between farms being profitable and not."

"These results demonstrate the potential of the plant microbiome to increase agricultural yields and do so in a way that conserves natural resources," said David Perry, President and CEO of Indigo. "Consumers increasingly want, and are willing to pay for, high quality food, produced in a sustainable way. This allows us to pay growers a premium for producing Indigo Wheat."

Producing Indigo Wheat Provides Farmers With Additional Revenue

The production model behind Indigo Wheat was developed to increase grower profitability, leading to more bushels per acre and a higher price for every bushel. With Indigo Wheat, farmers in the United States can enter into a crop production contract and receive a price premium at harvest. For a typical dry-land wheat grower, the combination of price premium and yield improvement could result in an additional $50 per acre of farm revenue. These practices increase yield without requiring additional water or chemical use throughout the growing season.

Taking this model one step further, Indigo enters into these production contracts based on acres committed, as opposed to production bushels harvested. This model, typically reserved for vegetables or other high-value crops, allows farmers to share their production risk with Indigo.

The harvested Indigo Wheat, grown using the company's microbial technology, will then be sold to buyers willing to pay a premium for high-quality, transparently sourced wheat. With crops that can be traced back to farmers' fields, Indigo is positioned to provide consumers with more information about the wheat they consume.

"We're very excited about our ability to give consumers confidence in our wheat, which is grown transparently and sustainably through the harnessing of naturally occurring microbes," said Ben Allen, Vice President of Commercial Marketing.

About Indigo

Indigo is a company dedicated to harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet. With a vision of creating a world where farming is an economically desirable and accessible profession, Indigo works alongside growers to apply natural approaches, grow healthy food for all, and conserve resources for future generations. Through its production model, Indigo links growers' expertise with its own to improve the profitability of their operations. Utilizing beneficial plant microbes to improve crop health and productivity, Indigo's portfolio is focused on cotton, wheat, rice, corn, and soybeans. The company is headquartered in Boston, MA, with commercial and customer service based in Memphis, TN. (www.indigoag.com)

Media Contacts

Indigo

Lauren Ashbrook

[email protected]

+ 1 (617) 909-9390

Kwittken for Indigo

[email protected]

+ 1 (212) 352-4651

SOURCE Indigo Ag, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.indigoag.com


BEIJING, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Inspur announced today that it has joined the ONOS (Open Network Operating System) Project as a collaborator. This will further reinforce its strength in providing data center networking solutions. ONOS is hosted by the Open Network Foundation (ONF), an operator led consortium transforming networks into agile platforms for service delivery, providing various highly available and elastically scalable north-south abstract models with excellent performance for the operating systems of service providers' tailor-made carrier-level software-defined networking (SDN) networks. Leading global service and solution providers such as AT&T, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, NTT, Cisco, Ericsson, and Intel are all key players in the ONOS community.

"More and more telcos are moving toward cloud, so reengineering the networks for data centers will also become a priority. To reengineer a telecom network, an SDN solution will have to rely on the support of a network operating platform that can both ensure the network's agility and allow the SDN network's control layer to behave like a carrier's network. ONOS as the first open-source SDN network operating system for carrier networks can really meet the carriers' needs, allowing them to have the ability to go to market and roll out commercial services quickly," said Zhang Dong, General Manager of System Software at Inspur. "By participating in the ONOS project, Inspur hopes to expand its footprint in the SDN field, gradually strengthen its own advantage in offering solutions across clouds, and help build more elastic, more agile, and more efficient solutions for customers."

"We are pleased to welcome Inspur to the ONOS project as a Collaborator," said Timon Sloane, Vice President of Standards & Membership at ONF. "The ONF community looks forward to the company's contributions -- as we hope to collaborate with Inspur not just on SDN innovation, but also on the frontiers of other networking technologies."

Being "Open and Adaptive" is the driver for Inspur's ongoing development. Inspur's openness is seen in its open-source software and open system architecture. At present, Inspur is a Gold Member of the OpenStack open-source cloud computing Project, and has released "InCloud OS 5.0", which is a cloud data center operating system based on the OpenStack framework. Inspur is also an important member of the three major global open computing standard organizationsOCP, ODCC, and OPEN19. Besides, it is also striving to provide better Software Development Kits (SDKs) and standard APIs on an ongoing basis as an effort to better support the development and connection of upper level applications.

By joining the ONOS community, Inspur focuses mainly on the total solutions at the data center level, aiming to better virtualize the basic resources, to make the network resource pool more elastic, more reliable, and more intelligent, to be more closely connected with the OpenStack framework, and to help businesses realize the transition toward the cloud.

Given the convergence of ICTs, reengineering networks through computing has become a focus for enterprise users and device manufacturers. We believe that our deep involvement in the ONOS initiative will further increase Inspur's SDN capability.

About Inspur

Inspur is a leading global IT total solutions and services provider. It is ranked by Gartner as one of the top 5 server manufacturers in the world. Inspur provides its customers with servers, storage devices, and an entire package of networking solutions that are of the best quality and performance, and are also energy efficient, cost effective and customized for actual workloads and data center environments. For more information, visit: http://www.inspursystems.com.

SOURCE Inspur Electronic Information Industry Co., Ltd

Related Links

http://www.inspursystems.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA), one of the fastest growing genetic information companies, today announced that Sean George, chief executive officer of Invitae, will participate in a fireside chat at the Morgan Stanley 15th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on Monday, September 11, 2017 at approximately 3:40 p.m. Eastern / 12:40 p.m. Pacific in New York City.

The live, listen-only webcast may be accessed by visiting the Investors section of the company's website at ir.invitae.com. A replay of the webcasts will be available shortly after the conclusion of the presentation and will be archived on the company's website.

About Invitae

Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA) is one of the fastest growing genetic information companies in the United States. Invitae Corporation's mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medical practice to improve the quality of healthcare for billions of people. Invitae's goal is to aggregate the world's genetic tests into a single service with higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower prices. For more information, visit our website at invitae.com.

Contact:

Kate McNeil

[email protected]

347-204-4226

SOURCE Invitae Corporation

Related Links

http://invitae.com


CINCINNATI, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- itelligence, Inc. has announced the speaker line-up at the upcoming finance workshop in Chicago on September 12, 2017, co-sponsored by SAP. The event will take place at SAP's office at 3010 Highland Parkway, Downers Grove, IL.

Dan Stone, Director, Finance, from American Hotel Register Company will present on their digital finance transformation with SAP and itelligence. American Hotel is the premier source in hospitality serving customers around the world with over 70,000 products and solutions. For over 152 years the company's headquarters have been based in the Chicagoland area. American Hotel is on a journey of digital transformation, including SAP S/4HANA and SAP Business Planning and Consolidation. Hear their story of improved close cycles, real-time insight for forecasting and automated finance processes that are driving innovation in their business.

In addition, Mark Burke, Senior Director, EPM & Finance Center of Excellence at SAP, will deliver the keynote address on how data is transforming and modernizing finance. He will discuss how SAP is helping customers adapt to today's dynamic business environment and how this change is being led by the finance department. Also included in this workshop will be a road-mapping presentation on SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP Business Planning and Consolidation, including the most recent announcement of version 11.0 for SAP BW/4HANA.

Attendees will have the opportunity to network with American Hotel Register's Dan Stone, and SAP's Mark Burke throughout the day, as well as their industry peers from other organizations. They will participate in hands-on labs using SAP Business Planning and Consolidation and SAP Analytics Cloud to visualize an end-to-end finance story line, using a single finance system to transact, analyze and plan. There is still time to register to attend or view the full agenda. The Chicago workshop is one of four workshops in the series, which includes Atlanta, GA on August 16; Palo Alto, CA on August 23; and Burlington, MA on September 14.

About itelligence

itelligence, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of itelligence AG, an international full-service solution and consulting company with a global presence in 24 countries. itelligence helps businesses streamline, automate and gain better control over their financial business processes, while providing executives with access to consolidated reports within one environment. As the winner of multiple SAP Pinnacle Awards and the one of the largest global services partners exclusive to SAP technology, our EPM experts work with customers to realize true value from their investments in SAP software, including SAP Business Planning and Consolidation, SAP Analytics Cloud, SAP Digital Boardroom, solutions for GRC, SAP HANA, security, and many other EPM products. Our unique knowledge transfer methodology paired with our deep understanding of SAP solutions make us a preferred partner for companies across the globe.

Learn more about itelligence on the web

Follow itelligence on Facebook

Follow itelligence on Twitter

Follow us on LinkedIn

Read our blog

For more information, Press Only:

Becky Wright

itelligence North America

[email protected]

SOURCE itelligence

Related Links

http://www.itelligencegroup.com/us


DENVER, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- It's Never 2 Late, the leader in providing person-centered digital engagement, content and technology solutions for seniors, named Barbara Kandemir the company's Chief Financial Officer.

Download a photo of Barbara Kandemir here.

In her role, Kandemir will be responsible for oversight of finance, human resources, legal/compliance and office management. In addition, she will lead a number of initiatives, including instructional leadership, administrative policy, budget development and implementation, and process improvement.

"Barbara is an accomplished professional, mentor and thought leader. Her extensive experience building and enabling organizations for accelerated growth is perfectly aligned with the direction of iN2L," said CEO Tom Bang.

Kandemir has held senior financial executive positions across several industries, including Aperture Credentialing, the nation's largest healthcare provider credentialing company; KnowledgeAdvisors, a leading provider of analytics solutions for talent development professionals; Intersect Solutions LLC, a business intelligence information management solutions provider; and Capgemini, a global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing services.

"It's exciting to join a company with a mission to make integrated computer technology accessible to elders, particularly those experiencing cognitive decline," said Kandemir. "Making digital technology accessible and meaningful for this underserved population, as well as their caregivers and loved ones, holds enormous appeal for me."

Kandemir holds a degree from Valparaiso University. She also is Past President of the Community Health Nurse Association's Women's Auxiliary.

About It's Never 2 Late

It's Never 2 Late (iN2L) is an award-winning developer of digital engagement technology for senior living community residents, with over 2,500 installations in the United States and Canada. The company's picture-based, touchscreen interface provides easy connectivity to the Internet, including video chat and e-mail, regardless of users' physical and cognitive abilities. Additionally, iN2L's media library offers more than 4,000 social, educational and spiritual content options, as well as games developed specifically for individuals with cognitive challenges. Residents can realize the full benefits of interactive technology while reducing isolation, increasing cognitive stimulation and enhancing independence. For more information about iN2L, visit www.in2l.com. Access case studies, research, testimonials, and our blog on our Ideas & Insights page. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Contact:

Matt Schlossberg

Amendola Communications for iN2L

[email protected]

630-935-9136

SOURCE iN2L
Firmin Robert Wan, the "Pearl Emperor of Tahiti," and Jacques Branellec, a pioneer in the cultivation of the golden South Sea pearl, are the recipients of the JNA Awards' highest recognition this year. This also marks the first time that the awards programme is presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to two individuals.

Wan, founder of the Robert Wan Group, is widely credited for bringing the Tahitian pearl into the forefront of the fine jewellery industry, while Branellec, who co-founded Jewelmer with Filipino entrepreneur Manuel Cojuangco, is known for his groundbreaking work in the cultivation of golden South Sea pearls.

"I am extremely delighted and thankful to be the recipient of this prestigious award. Thank you JNA Awards for recognising my contributions to the jewellery industry. I have devoted my entire life to this fascinating gem. Today, I dedicate the pearl to all women who will succumb to its eternal beauty forever," Wan shared upon receiving the news of the award.

Branellec joined in, "I am deeply honoured to receive JNA's Lifetime Achievement Award. To me, it means that if one believes in rightfulness and innovates with the best intention, one will be rewarded beyond expectation. Having spent 47 years in the pearl industry, I keep in mind that humility is the key to success: to honour one's beginnings and to stay faithful to one's origins. Whether you are a manager or a pearl farmer, I believe it is important to associate value not with economic success but simply with the thought that you are a captain who has brought his ship safe to the right destination."

These two industry pillars, together with 34 Honourees that have been shortlisted across 10 categories, will be feted at the highly anticipated JNA Awards ceremony and gala dinner scheduled for 14 September in Hong Kong during the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair.

The JNA Awards is supported by Headline Partners Chow Tai Fook and Shanghai Diamond Exchange, together with Honoured Partners KGK Group, Rio Tinto Diamonds, Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange, and Guangdong Land Holdings Limited.

The much-anticipated awards ceremony and gala dinner is a ticketed event by application only. Interested parties can book their seats now by submitting an online application form .

Individuals and companies shortlisted as Honourees for JNA Awards 2017:

Brand of the Year -- Retail

Goldendew Co Ltd - South Korea

Jewel Corner (Soft Touch Jewellers LLC) - United Arab Emirates

Shenzhen Ideal Jewellery Co Ltd - Mainland China

Tanaka Kikinzoku Jewelry K K - Japan

Industry Innovation of the Year

3D Jewellery Company Ltd - Mainland China

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd - Hong Kong

Gubelin Gem Lab Ltd - Switzerland

Shenzhen Lingchengben Technology Co Ltd - Mainland China

Shenzhen Perfect Love Diamond Co Ltd - Mainland China

Shenzhen Sunfeel Jewelry Co Ltd - Mainland China

Voguegold Jewellery - Mainland China

Zhejiang Angeperle Co Ltd - Mainland China

Manufacturer of the Year -- Jewellery

KGK Group - Hong Kong

Shenzhen Foreway Group Co Ltd - Mainland China

Shenzhen Ganlu Jewelry Co Ltd - Mainland China

Shenzhen Gemhorn Jewelry Co Ltd - Mainland China

Outstanding Enterprise of the Year -- ASEAN

China Stone Co Ltd - Thailand

Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company - Vietnam

Tomei Consolidated Berhad - Malaysia

Outstanding Enterprise of the Year -- Greater China

Dongguan Gold Dragon Jewelry Co Ltd - Mainland China

Hiersun - Mainland China

Shenzhen Ideal Jewellery Co Ltd - Mainland China

Shenzhen Xingguangda Jewelry Industrial Co Ltd - Mainland China

Zhejiang Angeperle Co Ltd - Mainland China

Outstanding Enterprise of the Year -- India

KGK Diajewels India Pvt Ltd - India

Kiran Gems Pvt Ltd - India

RMC Gems India Ltd - India

Retailer of the Year (450 outlets and below)

Kashi Jewellers - India

Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company - Vietnam

SK Jewellery Pte Ltd - Singapore

Tomei Consolidated Berhad - Malaysia

eSupplier of the Year

Kela - Mainland China

Kiran Gems Pvt Ltd - India

Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt Ltd - India

Sustainability Initiative of the Year

J Hunter Pearls Fiji (Ltd) - Fiji

KGK Diajewels India Pvt Ltd - India

PANDORA PRODUCTION CO LTD - Thailand

Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Age 40 and below)

Chau Tsankwan, Shenzhen Batar Investment Holding Group Co Ltd - Mainland China

Qi Xiao Man, Zhejiang Angeperle Co Ltd - Mainland China

Rihen Mehta, 7Cs Group - United Arab Emirates

Zhang Guo Tao, Shenzhen Darry Jewelry Co Ltd - Mainland China

For more information, visit http://www.JNAawards.com/ or contact:

JNA Awards Marketing

UBM Asia (Hong Kong)

+852 2516-2184

[email protected]

Notes for Editors:

1. About the Headline Partner

1.1 Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (www.chowtaifook.com)

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited is a world-class leading jeweller listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in December 2011, and has become the largest jeweller listed in Hong Kong by market capitalisation.

The iconic brand "Chow Tai Fook" of the Group has been widely recognised for its trustworthiness and authenticity, and renowned for product design, quality and value. The acquisition of Hearts On Fire, an internationally acclaimed U.S. luxury diamond brand, in August 2014 has further underpinned the Group's stature as a diamond expert in the industry.

The Group boasts an extensive retail network comprising over 2,300 Chow Tai Fook and Hearts On Fire stores spanning more than 500 cities in Greater China, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and the United States, as well as a strong and fast growing e-tail network through operating its Chow Tai Fook e-Shops and various e-tail accounts on other online shopping platforms.

The Group's sophisticated vertically integrated business model provides it with an effective and tight control over the entire operation chain from raw material procurement, design, production, to marketing and sales through its extensive POS and e-tail channels.

1.2 Shanghai Diamond Exchange (www.cnsde.com)

Authorised by the State Council, the Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE) is the only diamond exchange in China and provides diamond dealers a fair and safe transaction venue under close supervision. It also enjoys a favourable taxation policy and is operated in accordance with international best practices of the diamond industry.

Established in 2000, the SDE is a non-profit, self-regulating membership organisation and a member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses.

2. About the Honoured Partners

2.1 KGK Group (www.kgkgroup.com)

The KGK Group was founded in 1905 by Kesrimal Kothari and Ghisilal Kothari of Jaipur (India), with the humble task of trading gemstones between India and Burma. With a global presence across 19 countries today, the privately held group has evolved into one of the most preferred brands in the gemstone and jewellery industry, with a vertically integrated operation that spans the entire supply chain from mines to brands. KGK is one of the few conglomerates covering the entire spectrum of mining, sourcing, manufacturing and distribution of coloured gemstones, diamonds and jewellery for over a century. KGK Group has a resilient team of 12,000 employees with operations and offices in Asia, Australia, North and South America, Europe and Africa. Having achieved an impeccable reputation in the gemstone, diamond and jewellery trade, the group has recently diversified into real estate.

2.2 Rio Tinto Diamonds (www.riotinto.com/diamondsandminerals)

Rio Tinto Diamonds is one of the world's major producers of rough diamonds and operates a fully integrated diamond exploration, mining and marketing business.

For over three decades, the company has been an important participant in the international diamond market with two world class underground diamond mines in Australia (Argyle) and Canada (Diavik) and an advanced diamond project in India (Bunder).

Rio Tinto Diamonds' production is sorted and prepared for sale at its sales and marketing office in Antwerp, Belgium, supported by a network of representative offices in Hong Kong, Mumbai and New York. It also operates a niche cutting and polishing factory in Perth, Australia for the rare pink diamonds from its Argyle mine. Rio Tinto Diamonds is a leading supporter of the Kimberley Process, as well as a founding member of the Responsible Jewellery Council and the Diamond Producers Association.

2.3 The Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange (http://en.gdgje.com/)

Founded in February 2016, the Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange is one of two provincial jewellery trading platforms authorised by the People's Government of Guangdong Province.

Aggregating resources from key industrial hubs across Guangdong including Guangzhou, Pingzhou of Foshan, Yangmei of Jieyang and Sihui of Zhaoqing, the Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange joins hands with world-renowned jewellery brands in setting up an international supply chain integrated service platform that offers a secure and convenient trading experience for domestic and overseas jewellers.

The Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange is set to benefit China's jewellery industry in a variety of areas, such as the promotion of a healthier and more balanced international division of labour, foreign trade development, cross-border resource management and consumer market growth. As part of this effort, it will take full advantage of the base and influence of Guangdong's jewellery industry and the benefits stemming from the Belt and Road Initiative to establish linkages with national and global gemstone and jewellery markets.

2.4 The Guangdong Land Holdings Limited (www.gdland.com.hk)

The Guangdong Land Holdings Limited (GDLAND), with its headquarters in Hong Kong, is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, and is a subsidiary of GDH Limited, which is Guangdong Province's largest conglomerate operating outside Mainland China.

The principal business of GDLAND is property development and investment, including but not limited to the development and operational management of the innovative commercial real estate, urban complex and industrial business complex. As the strategic arm of GDH Limited, GDLAND engages in the business development of commercial real estate, as well as the projects of urban and industrial complex.

GDLAND's flagship project, namely the "Buxin Project", is planned to become the biggest and most advanced jewellery mart in the world, including a large-scale jewellery trading and exhibition centre along with other facilities, with a lot size of over 87,000 square metres and the construction scale (floor area) is expected to be more than 700,000 square metres. The Buxin Project, which is located in the Buxin area of Luohu district in Central Shenzhen, close to the Shuibei Gold and Jewellery Base, is expected to develop the area into one of the most influential gold and jewellery trading and exchange platforms in China and around the world.

3. About UBM Asia (www.ubmasia.com)

Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia is the largest events organiser in Asia, India and SE Asia. We are also the leading commercial organiser in China. Established with its headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia and in the US, UBM Asia has a strong global presence in 25 major cities with 36 offices and over 1,600 employee.

With a track record spanning over 30 years, UBM Asia operates in 11 market sectors with over 290 events, 28 targeted trade publications, 18 round-the-clock online products for over 2,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world. We provide a one-stop diversified global service for high-value business matching, quality market news and online trading networks.

UBM Asia has extensive office networks in China, Southeast Asia and India, three of the world's fastest growing B2B events markets. UBM China has 12 offices in the major cities in mainland China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Guzhen and Shenzhen, where we organise 90 events. In ASEAN, UBM Asia operates from its offices in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines with 70 events in this region. UBM India teams in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai organise over 20 events every year across the country.

UBM Asia was awarded 'Asia's Most Reliable Trade Show Organizer Award' in Hong Kong's Most Valuable Companies Awards (HKMVCA) 2017.

4. About JNA (www.jewellerynewsasia.com)

JNA is the flagship publication of UBM Asia's Jewellery Group. First published in 1983, the title is the leader in providing up-to-date international jewellery trade news with an Asian insight. It features original, in-depth reports by experienced journalists covering the latest developments in the diamond, pearl, coloured gemstone, jewellery manufacturing, and equipment and supplies sectors.

SOURCE JNA AWARDS

Related Links

http://www.JNAawards.com


SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nationally known attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, announced today that a Wayne County jury, sitting in the courtroom of Judge Annette J. Berry, after a 2 week trial, returned a verdict late Monday, August 28, 2017, against the Detroit Medical Center, totaling $40 Million Dollars as a result of the death of 26 year old Terrea Holly.

The facts at trial showed that the DMC advertises itself as the place to go if people were feeling short of breath, because that is a major symptom of pulmonary embolism. Terrea Holly, a 26 year old college student, began experiencing shortness of breath and a multitude of signs and symptoms that are classic indications of a pulmonary embolism. If not treated with simple blood thinners, pulmonary embolisms can kill.

Instead of doing any tests, the emergency room at the Detroit Receiving Hospital sent Terrea home, telling her that she had a virus. The clots related to the pulmonary embolism grew worse over night and she returned by ambulance the next morning. However, at that point, her breathing had stopped and the doctors were unable to save her.

Fieger stated:

"The defense of this case by the DMC was mind-boggling. At different points during the trial, the DMC defended the case on the basis that Terrea was fat, African American, and that it was reasonable to send her home despite all the signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolism. The DMC told the jury that because Terrea was heavy, that she would never get a job, and that the household services she rendered to her family while living at home were worthless."

The jury responded accordingly after less than 3 hours of deliberation.

Terrea is survived by her mother, Dushon Watkins, her father Joseph Watkins, and her sister Tiarra Watkins.

SOURCE Geoffrey Fieger
CHANTILLY, Va., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Koniag Services Inc. (KSI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Koniag, Inc., has been awarded a contract to provide technical support to HQ Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) Financial Management (FM) Directorate to maintain, enhance, and manage system operations and business process reengineering activities to ensure financial management mission requirements are met.

As part of this contract KSI will provide information technology, system and network administrator support for Air Force Space Command, Air Force Space Command Comptroller units, United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) and their related Financial Management systems. KSI will provide testing, analysis, problem identification, resolution and acceptance testing of financial systems. System administration support including network operating system configuration and tuning, network management, software utilization, installation, and evaluation will also be provided under this contract.

Kelly Mire, President of KSI said, "This project is critical in supporting the transformational improvements of the US AF Financial Management Directorate. KSI is proud to be leading professionals dedicated to ensuring the customers of these systems across the US Air Force are fully satisfied."

About Koniag Services, Inc.

Koniag Services, Inc. (KSI) is an Alaskan Native-owned, small disadvantaged business supporting Federal, State and Local governments since 1994. KSI is part of the Koniag Government Services sector and provides Application Development, Maintenance, and Enhancements, Enterprise IT Infrastructure Solutions, Cyber Security, and Integrated Program Management services across 50 states and 4 Territories. KSI provides support across multiple business functions including: Finance, Health, Defense, Social Services, Consumer Protection, and Insurance. KSI is a CMMI DEV 3 assessed organization and holds an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management certification. For more information, please visit http://www.ksikoniag.com.

Media Contact:

MaryAnn Hoadley

Koniag Government Services

703-488-9303

[email protected]

SOURCE Koniag Services Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ksikoniag.com


LOS GATOS, Calif., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyvos Insights, a big data analytics company, today announced it will host the webinar "Kyvos 4.0 - Delivering the Fastest Enterprise-ready BI on Big Data," on Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time. Presented by Ajay Anand, vice president of products at Kyvos Insights, the webinar will explore how new, breakthrough innovations in Kyvos 4.0 fundamentally transform how enterprises benefit from interactive, self-service business intelligence (BI) on big data.

With Kyvos, organizations can construct a BI Consumption Layer to easily create, manage and store massively scalable cubes and run low latency queries with instant response times for previously unachievable levels of interactive performance and analysis. In the webinar, Anand will discuss new capabilities in the solution, as well as real-world use cases and initial deployments of Kyvos 4.0 at Fortune 500 firms. Some of the many, transformative advancements attendees will learn of include:

A scale-out architecture that solves the concurrent access issues that have long plagued SQL and Hadoop solutions: Kyvos 4.0 empowers thousands of concurrent users across the enterprise to gain actionable insights from big data simultaneously without a degradation in response times.

Kyvos 4.0 empowers thousands of concurrent users across the enterprise to gain actionable insights from big data simultaneously without a degradation in response times. Enhanced support for BI tools with SQL and MDX: Kyvos 4.0 supports MDX and SQL APIs and integrates seamlessly with myriad BI visualization tools, including IBM Cognos, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power BI, MicroStrategy, Qlik, SAP Business Objects and Tableau to deliver instant response times.

Kyvos 4.0 supports MDX and SQL APIs and integrates seamlessly with myriad BI visualization tools, including IBM Cognos, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power BI, MicroStrategy, Qlik, SAP Business Objects and Tableau to deliver instant response times. The ability to create data cubes of nearly limitless scalability and performance: Kyvos continues to deliver enhancements and optimizations to deal with ever-increasing data sizes at customer deployments, including the capability to conduct exact, distinct counts on cardinality in the billions. Current use cases include datasets with hundreds of billions of rows, hundreds of dimensions and measures, and cubes larger than 20 terabytes.

Kyvos continues to deliver enhancements and optimizations to deal with ever-increasing data sizes at customer deployments, including the capability to conduct exact, distinct counts on cardinality in the billions. Current use cases include datasets with hundreds of billions of rows, hundreds of dimensions and measures, and cubes larger than 20 terabytes. Support for elastic deployments: Kyvos' query servers can be resized with ease to optimize the usage of cluster resources in on-premise deployments and in the cloud via Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure.

Kyvos' query servers can be resized with ease to optimize the usage of cluster resources in on-premise deployments and in the cloud via Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure. Ironclad security: Kyvos integrates seamlessly with security frameworks and provides row and column level security for fine-grained access control that ensures that enterprise data is safe from internal and external threats.

"With Kyvos 4.0 we achieved a number of important milestones that empower enterprises of any size to more easily gain insights from their data that deliver a real and powerful competitive advantage," said Anand. "The ability to support thousands of concurrent users to quickly and securely unleash the full potential of interactive, self-service BI is a huge step forward in the democratization of big data and efforts to unlock its full business value. It's our hope that this webinar helps attendees see how their organizations can benefit from these gains."

For more information, and to register for the webinar visit: http://www.kyvosinsights.com/webinar-kyvos-4-0-delivering-fastest-enterprise-ready-bi-big-data/.

About Kyvos Insights

Kyvos Insights is committed to unlocking the power of big data analytics with its unique "OLAP on Hadoop" technology. Backed by years of analytics expertise and a passion for big data, the company aims to revolutionize big data analytics by providing business users with the ability to visualize, explore and analyze big data interactively, working directly on Hadoop. Headquartered in Los Gatos, California, Kyvos Insights was formed by a team of veterans from Yahoo!, Impetus and Intellicus Technologies. The company has partnered with companies including Cloudera, Hortonworks, MapR and Tableau. For more information, visit www.kyvosinsights.com or connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Ken Phillips

LEWIS

781-418-2437

[email protected]

SOURCE Kyvos Insights

Related Links

http://www.kyvosinsights.com


BOSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LuvJo, an online ordering platform dedicated to local coffee shops, juice bars and food trucks and LevelUp, the leading provider of mobile engagement solutions for the restaurant industry, today announced a partnership that will allow participating merchants to effectively increase order ahead sales through LevelUp's exclusive distribution partners. With this partnership, LuvJo and LevelUp are leveling the playing field between smaller-scale neighborhood merchants and the large, name-brand coffee chains that offer consumers similar order ahead options.

LevelUp has built a robust user base, including millions of consumers across LevelUp distribution channels and partner apps such as Chase Pay, who have come to rely on the convenience, speed and flexibility provided to them when interacting with restaurant chains and local merchants. This newly developed integration provides LuvJo's merchant partners with free, tightly-integrated access to the LevelUp network, reaching millions of potential new customers whenever they happen to be in the area and are looking for a quick, seamless way to find and enjoy the local coffee and flavor that they can't find anywhere else.

"Local coffee shops risk losing business if they continue to force customers to waste time in lines," said Tony Kidd, CEO of LuvJo. "Not only are we now solving this issue  but through this LevelUp partnership we're actually driving an increase in customer volume while allowing our merchant partners to remain highly efficient."

Local coffee shops can now reach millions of customers with seamless order ahead functionality, baked right into apps already on their mobile devices, without devoting the marketing resources that would otherwise be needed to drive these same consumers to their own branded app. This exposure to new customers promises to drive higher order volume for these merchants, and they will continue to experience the benefits of the LevelUp network as the company announces more strategic partners in the months ahead.

"LuvJo is making big waves by powering the online ordering capabilities of independent coffee shops, and supporting local economies in this way is something we can truly get behind," said Seann Moriarty, head of partnerships at LevelUp. "This partnership will drive more orders to local coffee shops while introducing LevelUp users to great local establishments that they otherwise may have missed out on."

About LevelUp

LevelUp aims to build the next-generation mobile payment network, connecting consumers and merchants with a seamless payments experience that blends payments, analytics and rewards. LevelUp is bringing this technology to market in three distinct ways; via the LevelUp app which lets consumers order ahead and skip the line at their favorite lunch spots, embedded into partner restaurant apps to provide a full-stack customer engagement solution, and via an open developer platform that powers over 200 mobile apps. LevelUp is based in Boston, MA and backed by leading investors such as Google Ventures, Highland Capital and JPMorgan Chase.

About LuvJo

LuvJo works with local coffee shops so that you can spend more time caffeinating and less time waiting in line. Locate your favorite coffee shops and order, pay and schedule your coffee for pickup from your mobile phone. Delay your order if you are running late and cancel if you need to. LuvJo also allows for easy and fast re-ordering from your favorite cafes. #OrderEasy with LuvJo today!

SOURCE LevelUp

Related Links

http://www.thelevelup.com


"As a market leader in advanced driver-assistance systems, Magna continues to accelerate our development and investments in industry-leading technologies to enable future mobility systems," said Swamy Kotagiri, Magna's Chief Technology Officer. "Solid-state LiDAR is a crucial piece of the puzzle as we integrate multiple technologies that position us as the go-to supplier to meet and exceed our customers' autonomous needs."

Innoviz's solid-state LiDAR can provide high-definition, 3D, real-time images of the vehicle's surroundings regardless of changing light and weather conditions. It can be easily integrated into any vehicle at significantly reduced cost compared to commercially available LiDAR technologies with comparable performance.





"With its renowned expertise, advanced product offering and strong market position, Magna has proven itself as a pioneer in the field of autonomous driving, and we are honored to work with the Magna team to help bring smarter and safer LiDAR technology to market," said Omer Keilaf, co-founder and CEO of Innoviz. "This strategic investment affirms that our groundbreaking LiDAR technology lives up to the high standards Magna has set for safety and performance, and if it can adhere to Magna's standards it can become the industry standard as well."

Magna will demonstrate its autonomous driving enabling technologies, including Innoviz's solid-state LiDAR technology, at the upcoming 2017 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany, Hall 8, booth D34.

TAGS

Autonomous, self-driving, sensors, level four, level 4, LiDAR

ABOUT MAGNA

We are a leading global automotive supplier with 327 manufacturing operations and 100 product development, engineering and sales centres in 29 countries. We have over 161,000 employees focused on delivering superior value to our customers through innovative products and processes, and world class manufacturing. We have complete vehicle engineering and contract manufacturing expertise, as well as product capabilities which include body, chassis, exterior, seating, powertrain, active driver assistance, vision, closure and roof systems. We also have electronic and software capabilities across many of these areas. Our common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MG) and the New York Stock Exchange (MGA). For further information about Magna, visit our website at www.magna.com.

ABOUT INNOVIZ TECHNOLOGIES

Innoviz develops cutting-edge LiDAR remote sensing solutions to enable the mass commercialization of autonomous vehicles. The company's LiDAR products, InnovizOne and InnovizPro, offer solid-state design that uses Proprietary technology to deliver superiorperformance at the cost and size required for mass market adoption. Headquartered in Israel, the company was founded in January 2016 by former members of the elite technological unit of the Israeli Defense Forces with renowned expertise in the fields of electro-optics, computer vision, MEMS design and signal processing. Innoviz is backed by strategic partners and top-tier investors. For more information, visit www.innoviz.tech.

THIS RELEASE MAY CONTAIN STATEMENTS WHICH CONSTITUTE "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS" UNDER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LEGISLATION AND ARE SUBJECT TO, AND EXPRESSLY QUALIFIED BY, THE CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMERS THAT ARE SET OUT IN MAGNA'S REGULATORY FILINGS. PLEASE REFER TO MAGNA'S MOST CURRENT MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL POSITION, ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM AND ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 40-F, AS REPLACED OR UPDATED BY ANY OF MAGNA'S SUBSEQUENT REGULATORY FILINGS, WHICH SET OUT THE CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMERS, INCLUDING THE RISK FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL EVENTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE INDICATED BY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. THESE DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW ON MAGNA'S WEBSITE AT WWW.MAGNA.COM.

SOURCE Magna International Inc.
STUART, Fla., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For a plaintiff's attorney, it's a good sign when the jury asks if there is a cap on the amount they can award to your client.

It's even better when the jury poses that question just 30 minutes into their deliberations.

That's what happened last week, as attorney Mark Nation, of the Nation Law Firm, successfully represented Stephen Miller and Danielle Miller in their case against American Integrity Insurance Company of Florida. (Read the complaint here.) American Integrity denied the Millers' water damage claim in 2016. The jury determined that this denial was a breach of contract.

The plaintiffs discovered water damage to their Palm City, Florida home in February 2016: tile grout and discoloration, deteriorated sill plates, discolored flooring, and fungal growth. They immediately filed a claim and were shocked when American Integrity quickly denied it.

"Every insurance case I've ever won had one thing in common," Mr. Nation said. "They all started with 'No.'"

The damage was extensive and would cost $18,196.40 to repair. Given the language of the Millers' insurance policywhich Mr. Nation highlighted for the jury on a 70" smart whiteboardit clearly should have been covered. But as is so often the case, the insurance company tried to wriggle out of its responsibilities.

It would cost American Integritynot only the $18,196.40 (the maximum award possible), but potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in attorney fees.

Stephen and Danielle Miller were ecstatic with the verdict. "Despite the insurance company's best efforts to convince the jury that they were not responsible to pay us for this claim, we walked out victorious," Stephen Miller said.

Mr. Miller added, "I feel great knowing that we won and knowing that our case can help other people American Integrity might be trying to take advantage of."

Now that he's won this case, Mr. Nation may be able to file a Bad Faith lawsuit against American Integrity for wrongfully denying the Millers' claim. As with the original lawsuit, he will only collect a fee if he wins.

Mr. Nation has a message for anyone whose home or business has suffered water damage and had their claim denied: "Do not be intimidated, and do not give up. Even if you think there is nothing that can be done, let me look at your insurance denial for free."

CASE NUMBER: 2016-551-CA

Filed in Martin County, Florida circuit court

For more information, contact:

Karine Lim / Erika Nedwell

212-738-6265 / 212-738-6254

SOURCE Nation Law Firm
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Detroit-based Marx Layne & Company, a full-service public relations, marketing and digital media agency has opened a branch office in Grand Rapids. The announcement was made today by Marx Layne President Michael Layne.

Located in downtown Grand Rapids in the historic Waters Building at 161 Ottawa Ave. NW, the office will support the agency's ongoing media relations, community relations and stakeholder engagement activities in the region and statewide.

"Our new branch office will help us meet increased client demandincluding statewide work for the nation's largest retailer, one of the nation's top five financial institutions and one of the world's largest non-alcoholic beverage companies," said Layne.

Founded in 1987, Marx Layne & Company is a full-service agency providing public relations, marketing, digital media, graphic design and web development, special events and crisis communications services to clients throughout Michigan and nationwide.

"We're excited about being part of the West Michigan community and see tremendous opportunity to offer our full range of communications services to businesses seeking a statewide reach," said Layne.

About Marx Layne

Detroit and Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Marx Layne & Company, provides individualized marketing and corporate communications services on a local, regional and national basis to clients in the foodservice, professional service, energy, nonprofit, manufacturing, real estate development, education and health care sectors. Leveraging print, broadcast, word-of-mouth campaigns and social media platforms, the agency delivers the right message to the right audience at the right time. Marx Layne also specializes in the design and creation of a wide range of print and interactive materials, including mobile-friendly websites, e-mail campaigns, brochures, newsletters and identity packages. For more information, visit www.marxlayne.com.

SOURCE Marx Layne & Company

Related Links

http://www.marxlayne.com


"This will be one of the largest commercial real estate auctions in the Southeast US this year," said Fontana Fitzwilson, Executive Vice President of Williams & Williams. "A date-certain sale and the efficiencies of the auction process make this an ideal disposition solution for the sellers."

Fitzwilson said the portfolio features prime retail land and lots in desirable locations where active development is currently taking place in Tuscaloosa and Jefferson counties. "We are expecting national brands of retailers, restaurants, banks and hotels to participate in this auction. A lot of transactions will happen in one day and set the stage for future construction and jobs for this state," she said.

Before the auction was publicly announced, inquiries have already been made on several properties Fitzwilson said. "We expect a lot of these properties to sell prior to the auction," she said.

In addition to the retail lots, the auction will feature 430+/- acres of wooded recreational land near Atlanta, an industrial building in Tuscaloosa, and a conference center on Lake Tuscaloosa. Other improved properties include Class A retail space in Tuscaloosa and multiple leased properties near Birmingham.

The live auction will take place on Friday, Sept 29 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Tuscaloosa, 2410 University Blvd. The auction is open to the public and will start at 10am. High bidders will sign a purchase contract immediately following each auction and will be required to make a 10% down payment. Closing takes place 30 days after seller acceptance. The properties are selling with no contingencies "as is, where is."

Online bidding is available during the live auction for all properties at AuctionNetwork.com, a sister company of Williams & Williams. For more information, including photos and terms of sale, please visit https://www.williamsauction.com/SEPortfolio, or call 800.801.8003.

About Williams & Williams:

Williams & Williams ( www.williamsauction.com ) is a worldwide real estate auction firm and the leader in global live and interactive auctions. A full-service brokerage with an operating footprint in all 50 United States and U.S. Territories, Williams & Williams also cooperatively partners with residential, commercial and land brokers to auction properties throughout the United States and abroad.

About Auction Network:

www.AuctionNetwork.com is a subsidiary of Williams, Williams & McKissick, LLC, whose holdings include Williams & Williams. Auction Network is a 24-hour global broad-band television network that lets bidders participate from anywhere in the world during live and online auctions.

SOURCE Williams & Williams

Related Links

http://www.williamsauction.com


BOSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Bocchini, a recognized leader in the global life sciences industry is to join DPS as Vice President of Operations, where he will play a pivotal role in the expansion of DPS' operations in the United States. In this key role, Mike will report directly to Ger Morgan, President of Operations, Technical Services Organisation (TSO).

Michael Bocchini, Vice President of Operations, DPS TSO

Michael Bocchini is an industry veteran with more than 25 years of biotech, pharmaceutical and chemical industry experience. Previously he worked with Jacobs Engineering Life Sciences Division where for the past 10 years he has lead that company's Commissioning, Qualification and Validation functions. With Jacobs, he was responsible for overall global operations and P&L supporting pharmaceutical, biotech and medical service companies, conducting business in the USA, European and Asia Pacific markets.

Commenting on the appointment, DPS President of Operations for TSO, Ger Morgan said: "Mike Bocchini has a very successful track record in running and growing businesses directly relevant to the sectors in which DPS operates. As VP of Operations, he will play a key role in the expansion of our business both through organic development and acquisition."

Mike Bocchini commented: "I have been very impressed with how DPS has developed a substantial and successful business in the United States. I have been particularly impressed with their focus on clients and their overall strategic growth plan and I look forward to contributing to further growth in the years ahead."

About DPS

DPS is a leading engineering and construction firm with a focus on the life sciences and semiconductor sectors. DPS delivers services for clients across the complete engineering and construction value chain including feasibility studies, concepts, architecture, engineering, procurement, construction management, commissioning, qualification and validation.

DPS applies its extensive Process Engineering expertise built over 40+years, as well as significant Lean Construction experience to assist our clients in high-end process sectors such as pharmaceuticals, biotech, medical devices and semiconductors deliver their manufacturing facilities speedily, safely and cost effectively. What sets us apart are the partnerships we build with our clients through a fundamental understanding of their businesses and our own agility, flexibility, original thinking and our high-calibre people.

We have grown substantially in recent years and now employ over 1,200 people in our offices and on client sites in Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Israel, Singapore and the United States. For more information, visit www.dpsgroupglobal.com.

Contact:

Annette O'Hara, Group Marketing Manager

O +353-1-466-1755

M +353-87-248-2573

E [email protected]

SOURCE DPS Engineering

Related Links

http://www.dpsgroupglobal.com


MIDDLEBOROUGH, Mass., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teamster school bus drivers and monitors with Middleborough Public Schools have overwhelmingly ratified a three-year agreement.

The drivers and monitors, members of Teamsters Local 653 in South Easton, voted 22-1 in favor of the agreement. There are 26 workers in the bargaining unit who transport students with special needs.

The contract includes wage increases, snow and vacation days, and strong grievance language, as well as bidding and dispatch rights for the first time.

The workers previously belonged to an independent association, but joined Local 653 seeking stronger representation.

"This was a total team effort, including Middleborough school bus drivers and monitors, Local 653 Secretary-Treasurer Brian McElhinney and Eastern Region Vice President Sean O'Brien," said Ed MacPherson, Local 653 Vice President. "We're very pleased with this contract."

"The Middleborough drivers and monitors are excited to be a part of Teamsters Local 653. We have heard many positive things and we're looking forward to the future," said Renee True, a shop steward.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:

Kara Deniz, (202) 624-6911

[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local 653
For the first time since the Project Backpack initiative began four years ago, the firm will serve tens of thousands of students, teachers and families in two major Michigan school districts  Detroit Public School Community District and Flint Community Schools. During the first week of the school year, 25,000 backpacks filled with school supplies will be distributed to all DPSCD students in grades K-5. In Flint, 5,200 backpacks will go to all students in grades K-12.

"We are proud to expand our efforts and do even more to help level the playing field in our schools," said attorney Mike Morse. "Over the last four years it has been rewarding to hear from children and families who tell us these supplies add excitement, give students an extra boost of confidence, and even help improve grades. We know that many teachers pay out of their own pockets to provide paper, pencils and other items. We set out to change that."

"We know that not having the school supplies they need is one of the primary reasons students don't show up for the first day of school," added Flint Community Schools Superintendent Bilal Tawwab. "Flint Community Schools is overwhelmingly grateful to the Mike Morse Law Firm for donating backpacks to every single student in our district, eliminating that concern for families."

This year in Detroit, the firm is also donating 3,000 "Teacher Totes" filled with basic classroom supplies and 6,000 Pre-K "Starter Kits" with pencils, glue sticks, crayons, markers and more.

"This annual donation helps to remove financial burdens for our K-5 parents who might have difficulty with basic necessities; and it adds a small token of appreciation for our teachers," said Nikolai Vitti, Superintendent, Detroit Public Schools Community Detroit. "It is our hope that we can continue to identify ways to provide essential resources to support teaching and learning,"

Including the current donation, the Mike Morse Law Firm has provided more than 85,000 backpacks to Michigan students since 2013. The goal is to continue to expand Project Backpack each year.

Backpacks and supplies will be distributed at the start of school in September. Each student will receive a backpack, folders, notebooks, pencils, a pencil sharpener, eraser, scissors, glue, crayons, and more. The supplies are age and grade appropriate.

For more information on Project Backpack, visit http://www.855mikewins.com/project-backpack-2016/.

Mike Morse Law Firm is Michigan's largest personal injury firm, specializing in auto and social security disability claims. The firm handles cases statewide, with its main office in Southfield, Michigan.

SOURCE Mike Morse Law Firm
The collaboration with Angiex is the first project to be undertaken at MilliporeSigma's new biodevelopment center in Massachusetts. MilliporeSigma will give Angiex access to end-to-end process development tools, education programs and training to support its success.

"Companies benefit from our expertise and experience in developing GMP manufacturing processes for early clinical development programs," said Udit Batra, CEO, MilliporeSigma. "With an end-to-end approach, MilliporeSigma can facilitate and accelerate scaling and technical transfer for companies like Angiex."

Angiex CEO Dr. Paul Jaminet applauded MilliporeSigma's broad range of process development capabilities and services for customers at all stages of molecule development and commercialization. "Through this collaboration, Angiex hopes to accelerate our path to the clinic. We appreciate MilliporeSigma's expertise in bringing to cancer patients an innovative treatment capable of addressing the most dangerous solid tumors," Jaminet said.

MilliporeSigma's BioReliance End-to-End Solutions delivers products and services allowing biopharmaceutical companies to accelerate the progression of potential new therapies from the laboratory into clinical trial and on toward commercialization. The turnkey package includes process development, cGMP manufacturing, facility design, equipment for pilot-plant production, process and equipment training, technology transfer, equipment qualification and set-up for commercialization. To further support its global BioReliance End-to-End Solutions, MilliporeSigma will inaugurate its new biodevelopment center in Burlington, Massachusetts, in October 2017.

MilliporeSigma's BioReliance End-to-End Solutions is part of the Process Solutions business area within the Life Science business.

About Angiex

Angiex was founded by world-class scientists to develop vascular-targeted biotherapeutics. Angiex targets fundamental aspects of endothelial biology with a focus on angiogenesis. Angiex's lead product is an antibody-drug conjugate therapy for cancer. Angiex is resident at LabCentral in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the EMD Group website. In case you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.

About the Life Science Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

The life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has 19,000 employees and 65 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products enabling scientific discovery. Udit Batra is the global chief executive officer of MilliporeSigma.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a leader in the $125 billion global life science industry.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials. The company has six businesses  Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Allergopharma, Biosimilars, Life Science and Performance Materials  and generated sales of 15 billion in 2016. Around 50,000 employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to help meet global challenges.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company  since 1668, the company has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70 percent interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day. The company holds the global rights to the name and the trademark "Merck" internationally except for the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.

SOURCE MilliporeSigma
PORTSMOUTH, N.H., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MMIS, Inc., a leading provider of global compliance solutions for the life sciences, today announced that it will partner with LexisNexis Risk Solutions to bring LexisNexis Expense Manager software into the MediSpend Compliance Cloud.

Expense Manager is a hosted application that aggregates and remediates global payment data for aggregate spend and global transparency reporting. Expense Manager is currently used by some of the world's largest pharmaceutical and medical device companies. The partnership will provide life science companies unrivaled functionality, robust data and data services from LexisNexis and continued service and support by the MediSpend Customer Success team.

"This partnership significantly escalates our ability to provide software solutions and related data services that are absolutely vital to managing today's global health care compliance environment," said Michaeline Daboul, co-founder and chief executive officer of MMIS | MediSpend. "It represents a rare opportunity to combine the industry-leading data assets of LexisNexis Risk Solutions with the MediSpend Compliance Cloud solutions while continuing to deliver value to existing Expense Manager customers."

"We are pleased to have found an industry leader to carry the Expense Manager product forward with the expertise and commitment needed to serve a very challenging and evolving regulatory health care landscape," said Jeff Klein, senior vice president and general manager of LexisNexis Risk Solutions Health Care. "This partnership allows LexisNexis to expand its position in the Life Sciences market by expanding delivery of our industry-leading provider data assets, data services and validation services to MediSpend's client base."

MMIS | MediSpend and Daboul have a decades-long history in building a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company able to navigate an increasingly complex global compliance business.

"Our understanding of the global compliance landscape, coupled with our superior cloud-based solutions, enables many of the world's most advanced life sciences companies to proactively manage global compliance and reporting," Daboul added. "Much of our philosophy around the development of MediSpend is driven through partnerships with our global customers. We look forward to working with the current Expense Manager customers to enhance the MediSpend Cloud solutions and develop industry-leading tools to manage the evolving global compliance landscape."

As part of the partnership, MMIS | MediSpend will officially join the LexisNexis Health Care Alliance Program, offering LexisNexis Provider Data MasterFile and LexisNexis ProviderPoint data cleansing and integration services.

MMIS | MediSpend has over 80 global life sciences clients that include pharmaceutical, bio-pharmaceutical, medical device and dental manufacturers. MMIS | MediSpend will use existing Expense Manager staff to help enable a seamless integration for current customers.

About MMIS

MMIS, Inc. is the creator of the MediSpend Compliance Cloud and a leader in cloud-based compliance software for the global life sciences industry. Committed to product excellence and innovation, MediSpend helps customers comply with health care laws while reducing risk and lowering costs. Our products and services enable life science companies to manage and monitor physician engagement, aggregate and analyze enterprise data, and comply with global data privacy regulations.

MediSpend customers range from the world's largest medical device, pharmaceutical, dental and emerging biotech companies. Our customers are located in the US, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. For more information, visit www.medispend.com.

About LexisNexis Risk Solutions

LexisNexis Risk Solutions (http://www.lexisnexis.com/risk/) is a leader in providing essential information that helps customers across industries and government predict, assess and manage risk. Combining cutting-edge technology, unique data and advanced analytics, LexisNexis Risk Solutions provides products and services that address evolving client needs in the risk sector while upholding the highest standards of security and privacy. LexisNexis Risk Solutions is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries.

Our health care solutions combine proprietary analytics, science and technology with the industry's leading sources of provider, member, claims and public records information to improve cost savings, health outcomes, data quality, compliance and exposure to fraud, waste and abuse.

The LexisNexis Health Care Alliance Program is a strategic partnership program that enables businesses ranging from data suppliers and consulting groups to Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) solutions to provide greater value to their customers by enhancing current solution portfolios with LexisNexis sophisticated data, technology and analytics.

SOURCE MMIS, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.medispend.com


MONTREAL, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - MONARQUES GOLD CORPORATION ("Monarques" or the "Corporation") (TSX-V: MQR) (FRANKFURT: MR7) is pleased to announce that it has been selected for inclusion into the Richmond Club Index which has outperformed the TSX Venture Exchange by an average of 26% each year since inception ten years ago. The Richmond Club screens thousands of companies before it then interviews senior management and carefully selects the best company which it believes is undervalued and has excellent growth potential.

"We are pleased to have been chosen to join the Richmond Club Index," said Jean-Marc Lacoste, President and Chief Executive Officer of Monarques. "Membership in this index validates the opportunity that Monarques currently represents for investors as an emerging gold producer in Quebec's Abitibi region, and should help raise the Corporation's profile among the financial community."

About The Richmond Club Index

The Richmond Club Index's success is attributed to: 1) picking quality, undervalued, high growth potential companies and 2) showcasing them to its membership base which tends to increase the stock's liquidity and puts upward pressure on the price. Companies in the Richmond Index are invited to make a presentation twice over the twelve-month term. In addition to the live audience, a video is taken of each presenter and synchronized with the company's PowerPoint slides so that people on the Internet can see exactly what the live audience sees. Internet web statistics show that each video is seen 300-500 times over the first thirty days of the video being posted on the Richmond Club website.

To cover the costs relating to the investor luncheon presentations, video production and web promotion, Monarques has agreed to pay Streetwise Investors Club Inc., owner of the Richmond Club, $1,650.00 plus HST per month for the twelve month term that Monarques will be in the Richmond Club Index.

ABOUT MONARQUES GOLD CORPORATION

Monarques Gold is a growing junior gold company focused on becoming the leading explorer and developer of gold properties in the Val-d'Or/Abitibi gold camp in Quebec, Canada. The Corporation currently has approximately 200 km of gold exploration properties (see map) along the Cadillac Break, as well as its main asset, the Croinor Gold mine, which has great potential to become a producing mine. Monarques Gold is well financed and has close to $9 million in credits from Quebec's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.

(Watch our latest Corporate Video)

Forward-Looking Statements

The forward-looking statements in this press release involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Monarques' actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied therein. 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 press release.

SOURCE Monarques Gold Corporation
By outperforming competitive offices focused on the same program, Richard Allen, Inc. was chosen as the winner of the coveted Campaign Cup trophy. The trophy, which is awarded every quarter and for the year overall, goes to the company with the highest quality and sales achievements. Richard Allen, Inc. began 2017 by earning this prestigious award, and this win marks the fifth consecutive time that the firm has earned this distinction.

"I am thrilled to accept this award on behalf of my motivated team, which continues to excel at the highest level," said President Benjamin Buchsbaum. "We take pride in delivering both quality and results to the client and will continue to work hard to exceed client expectations."

With a commitment to profitability and integrity, Richard Allen, Inc. offers the client results-oriented services including direct marketing, public relations, and customer retention and acquisition. The firm creates long-term partnerships with corporate clients while focusing on connecting those clients with loyal customers nationwide.

Richard Allen, Inc. continues to expand clients into new markets while creating long-term revenue streams. The company, which consistently promotes from within, maintains a culture that promotes teamwork, dedication, and balance. Richard Allen, Inc. was listed in the 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the New York area in both 2015 and 2016.

Philanthropic involvement is also vital to Richard Allen, Inc.'s success. Giving back to the community is a huge part of the company's culture, as demonstrated by the firm's support of The March of Dimes Foundation, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Operation Smile.

Like Richard Allen, Inc. on Facebook.

About Richard Allen, Inc.

Privately owned marketing and sales company Richard Allen, Inc., headquartered in New York, partners with premier companies to effectively retain current customers while acquiring new customers. Richard Allen, Inc. not only offers outstanding service to the client but also provides unique opportunities for its leaders to develop personally and professionally. For more information, call 914-997-1400 or go to http://www.richardalleninc.com/.

Contact: Benjamin Buchsbaum

914-997-1400

SOURCE Richard Allen, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.richardalleninc.com


LOS GATOS, Calif, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Neeyamo Inc. today announced that the company is a Silver-level sponsor at SAP SuccessFactors' annual SuccessConnect conference. SuccessConnect is a premier event for human resources (HR) professionals, where leaders, innovators and influencers will gather to discuss the latest technologies, strategies and best practices for human capital management (HCM) in the digital age. The conference will be held from August 29-31 at The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas.

Over the years, Neeyamo has successfully built a strong customer base using its in-depth knowledge and expertise in SAP SuccessFactors solutions. Neeyamo is constantly innovating to build solutions to meet tomorrow's business needs. With its theme  "Do more with SAP SuccessFactors"  Neeyamo will launch its unique Globalization Suite for SAP SuccessFactors solutions consisting of three distinctive layers  Accelerate, Extend and Innovate. Each layer is uniquely designed to reap better results from the investment made in cloud technology by accelerated and improved performance, extending value to all facets of HR and enhanced employee experience.

Guhan Ramanan, head of Cloud Transformation Services at Neeyamo, said, "We are excited to participate in SuccessConnect 2017. Our booth # 14 has an exclusive preview of Neeyamo's fully integrated Globalization Suite on SAP SuccessFactors solutions. Come and experience how SAP SuccessFactors solutions can be leveraged to do much more than what you had otherwise imagined. We are keen to make the HCM solutions do more for our customers."

About Neeyamo

Neeyamo Inc. is a complete provider of end-to-end human resources outsourcing (HRO) services. Neeyamo, an SAP partner providing business process outsourcing (BPO) services for SAP SuccessFactors solutions, offers implementations of SAP SuccessFactors solutions, on-demand administration and extensions to customers' solutions using SAP Cloud Platform extensions for SAP SuccessFactors solutions. Neeyamo also offers full-scope HR services including global payroll solutions to 150+ countries and background verification services in 190+ countries. For more information about Neeyamo, visit www.neeyamo.com

SAP, SuccessFactors and other SAP SuccessFactors products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE (or an SAP affiliate company) in Germany and other countries. See http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies

Media Contact

Irene Jones, HRO Evangelist, [email protected], Contact Number - 1-888-9-NEEYAM

SOURCE Neeyamo Inc.

Related Links

http://www.neeyamo.com


"We are committed to providing healthy, organic grains and organic flours to our customers. Grains are the unsung heroes of the past and of the future, and we want to get their story out there. Most people aren't familiar with all the grains that have been staples around the world for millennia, many of which are high in protein, fiber and even omega 3s. It's time all those grains were brought together in one place."  Tim Devey, Director of Organic Grains.

MILL-TO-ORDER: Doing what no other company has done before!

Traditional flour bought in grocery stores has typically been sitting on shelves for months, sometimes up to a year, before it reaches a consumer. Organic Grains' flours are the only flours on the market that are custom milled-to-order and delivered within days. Because of this process, Organic Grains produces some of the freshest organic flours.

Organic Grains is committed to making organics affordable. Shipping is a flat rate of $4.99. Whether you order one bag of grain or fifty bags, it is still $4.99 shipping anywhere in the contiguous USA.

In the coming months, Organicgrains.com will deploy an aggressive growth plan. A sneak peek of things in the works includes gluten-free options and a subscription service that will introduce customers to grains from around the world.

To learn more about Organic Grains, LLC. visit Organicgrains.com or follow them on Facebook.

About Organic Grains, LLC

Organic Grains, LLC was started by leaders in the grain manufacturing industry. They noticed that consumers had to bounce from store to store to find organic grains. Thus, they came up with organicgrains.com, a one-stop-shop for grains and flours.

SOURCE Organic Grains, LLC

Related Links

http://www.organicgrains.com


"These new APs are all about improving user experience and eliminating the need to sacrifice application performance for security. They're perfect for demanding environments like tradeshows, auditoriums, large conference rooms and shopping malls, where people with a variety of devices use the network all at once," said Ryan Orsi, director of product management, Wi-Fi, at WatchGuard Technologies. "When these APs are managed with our secure, scalable, and feature-rich Wi-Fi management platformWatchGuard Wi-Fi Cloudcustomers get powerful WIPS, in-depth guest and airspace analytics, and invaluable marketing engagement tools."

"For customers, having access to high-performance Wi-Fi means they get fast and reliable connectivity. But for us, it means much more. We need to provide the secure access, and be able to get intelligent information from it to help optimize our business operations and offerings," said Stuart Rowbotham, managing director of Bromley.net. "The new AP420 with Wi-Fi Cloud gives us all of that by combining performance and security into a solution that is simple to deploy and manage. We get reliable high-speed Wi-Fi that's not only secure, but also delivers an immersive guest experience, which is good for the customer and good for our brand."

WatchGuard Wi-Fi Cloud is architected from the ground up to focus on ease of deployment and administration. It simplifies even the most complex aspects of Wi-Fi management, making fast, secure, and intelligent Wi-Fi accessible to organizations of all types and sizes. The latest release of WatchGuard Wi-Fi Cloud continues to push performance with new features that improve the Wi-Fi experience for users connected to WatchGuard's APs, new application visibility and firewall policy control, pre-defined user role policy, plus an integration with Google for Education to ensure that only devices registered in a school's Google domain can connect to the school Wi-Fi network and that network access policies are enforced.

For more information about WatchGuard's APs and the new AP420, visit http://www.watchguard.com/wgrd-products/access-points/

For more information on WatchGuard Wi-Fi Cloud, visit www.watchguard.com/wgrd-products/access-points/cloud-managed.

About WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.

WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. is a global leader in network security, providing best-in-class Unified Threat Management, Next Generation Firewall, secure Wi-Fi, and network intelligence products and services to more than 80,000 customers worldwide. The company's mission is to make enterprise-grade security accessible to companies of all types and sizes through simplicity, making WatchGuard an ideal solution for Distributed Enterprises and SMBs. WatchGuard is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. To learn more, visit WatchGuard.com.

For additional information, promotions and updates, follow WatchGuard on Twitter, @WatchGuard on Facebook, or on the LinkedIn Company page. Also, visit our InfoSec blog, Secplicity, for real-time information about the latest threats and how to cope with them at www.secplicity.org.

Media Contacts:

Chris Warfield

WatchGuard Technologies

206.876.8380

[email protected]

Anthony Cogswell

Voxus PR

253.444.5980

[email protected]

SOURCE WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.watchguard.com


JUNO BEACH, Fla., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy, Inc. today announced it is donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross to support those affected by Hurricane Harvey and the unprecedented flooding in Texas. In addition, the company will match employee contributions to the American Red Cross up to an additional $100,000. These funds will help provide immediate relief to those affected by this destructive storm, including NextEra Energy's nearly 800 employees who call Texas home.

"We are deeply saddened by the widespread destruction we are witnessing take place throughout Texas," said Jim Robo, chairman and CEO of NextEra Energy. "Nearly 800 of our employees are based in Texas, and Houston, in particular, is home to several of our energy-related businesses. By partnering with the American Red Cross, we are supporting the recovery effort and providing much-needed aid to our colleagues and their families, as well as the customers and the communities we serve which are being impacted by this seemingly unrelenting disaster. While our thoughts and prayers are with the State of Texas, I'm confident in the resilience that Texans are well-known for and confident they will weather this storm and come back stronger than ever."

In addition, NextEra Energy's principal subsidiary, Florida Power & Light Company, has offered its assistance to its partner utilities in Texas as they work to restore power to their customers.

Since 1999, NextEra Energy has had a significant and established presence in Texas, including Lone Star Transmission, LLC ("Lone Star"), a transmission service provider. NextEra Energy is a substantial contributor to the Texas economy, having invested $8.6 billion in transmission, power generation, gas pipelines and other operations in Texas. The company provides hundreds of jobs across the state and pays more than $350 million annually in payroll, property taxes and lease payments to landowners in Texas.

NextEra Energy, Inc.

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is a leading clean energy company with consolidated revenues of approximately $16.2 billion, approximately 45,900 megawatts of generating capacity, which includes megawatts associated with noncontrolling interests related to NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP), and approximately 14,700 employees in 30 states and Canada as of year-end 2016. Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, NextEra Energy's principal subsidiaries are Florida Power & Light Company, which serves approximately 5 million customer accounts in Florida and is one of the largest rate-regulated electric utilities in the United States, and NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. Through its subsidiaries, NextEra Energy generates clean, emissions-free electricity from eight commercial nuclear power units in Florida, New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin. A Fortune 200 company and included in the S&P 100 index, NextEra Energy has been recognized often by third parties for its efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune's 2017 list of "World's Most Admired Companies." For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

SOURCE NextEra Energy, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nexteraenergy.com


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting September 2017, North Beach Village Resort is inviting everyone to "Stay for the Cure." Now through December 1, 2017, guests who book a one-night (or more) stay, at any one of North Beach Village Resort's 14 boutique hotels, will help fund the cure for breast cancer.

"The 'stay for the cure' promotion is about giving back to our community," said Christine Sposa, Director of Sales and Marketing at North Beach Village Resort. "With breast cancer affecting more than 200,000 people each year, we are proud to be donating 10% of the proceeds gained from the 'stay for the cure' bookings to the Susan G. Komen Foundation."

To participate in this breast cancer fundraiser, simply call (954) 565-5790 or email [email protected] and use the promo code "Stay for the Cure." Bookings and stay dates must occur on or before December 1, 2017 and made directly through North Beach Village Resort. Certain restrictions may apply.

Since the founding of Susan G. Komen Foundation in 1982, it has become the largest worldwide source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. The foundation has invested $2.6 billion into ending breast cancer through community health outreach, advocacy and programs.

North Beach Village Resort is a collection of 14 unique boutique hotels that each offer a host of amenities for guests of all ages. In addition to the hotels, the mid-century modern oasis has its very own interactive art gallery, Village Design. Artwork installations are curated and updated regularly, with yoga classes taking place in the gallery every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Guests can also pop over to the Village Shoppe, a trendy boutique with everything from incense, to one-of-a-kind gift items. If you're hungry, you can grab a coffee, baguette, and grocery items at the Village Market, or have a bite to eat at the Village Cafe, located just steps away at the North Beach Hotel. At the Village Spa & Beauty Bar a variety of spa services are available for those in need of pampering. Two fitness centers are centrally located for guest convenience. Bicycle rentals are also available for exploring this hip new MIMO-inspired district.

"Whether you love relaxing by the pool, perusing art, or biking the beach, there's something for everyone at North Beach Village Resort," said Sposa. "What better way to give back to a wonderful organization that helps thousands of people affected by this dreaded disease?"

For more information and to make your reservation, call (954) 565-5790 or email [email protected].

About North Beach Village Resort

North Beach Village Resort is a collection of 14 mid-century modern boutique hotels located just a few steps from Fort Lauderdale Beach. Resort guests have access to numerous amenities such as oversized rooms with kitchen appliances, flat screens, plus a practical living space that allows guests to vacation on their own terms. Additional North Beach Village Resort offerings include the relaxed yet distinguished Village Cafe, Village Design, a full service spa, two fitness centers, the Village Shoppe, Village Yoga, bicycle rentals for unguided escapades along the coast, a multitude of crystal blue pools, complimentary Wi-Fi, and more! Visit www.northbeachvillageresort.com for more information.

MEDIA RELEASE CONTACT

Laurie Menekou, (954) 732-0754 (or)

[email protected]

SOURCE North Beach Village Resort

Related Links

http://www.northbeachvillageresort.com


MAPLE GROVE, Minn., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NxThera, Inc., a medical device company pioneering the application of its convective radiofrequency thermal therapy to treat endourological conditions, today announced that new data from the first post-market clinical evaluation of its minimally invasive Rezum System demonstrated significant, safe and effective urinary symptom relief, improved quality of life and preserved sexual function for men treated for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The multi-center, post-FDA clearance study included 131 men in a real-world clinical setting, producing positive, rapid and durable results that align with outcomes demonstrated in the company's earlier pivotal trial. The data was recently published in Research and Reports in Urology.

"The positive results from this study are consistent with the clinical data from the Rezum pivotal trial and pilot studies, showing significant relief of obstructive urinary symptoms, improvement in quality of life and preserved sexual function," said Dr. Micheal Darson, lead researcher and urologist with Arizona Urology Specialists in Scottsdale, Ariz. "Convective radiofrequency thermal therapy with the Rezum System warrants consideration as a first-line treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms caused by BPH as an alternative to the life-long use of medications."

Developed by NxThera, Rezum is performed in a clinic or out-patient setting in the U.S. Rezum uses the natural thermal energy stored in water vapor, or steam, to treat the enlarged prostate tissue that causes BPH symptoms such as frequency, urgency, irregular flow, weak stream, straining and getting up at night to urinate. The water vapor is delivered into the targeted prostate tissue and when the vapor contacts the tissue it condenses, releasing the stored thermal energy, causing the obstructive prostate tissue cells to die. Over the next few weeks, the body's natural healing response eliminates the treated tissue, shrinking the prostate. With the extra tissue removed, the urethra opens, reducing BPH symptoms and improving the patient's quality of life. Studies have shown that the Rezum treatment allows men to retain sexual function unlike surgical BPH treatments, which typically have higher incidences of long-term sexual side effects. To date, more than 15,000 men have been effectively treated with the Rezum System across the U.S. and Europe.

This retrospective study of the Rezum System for treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) caused by BPH is the first "real world" study where there were many differences in the conditions of the patients who were treated, including older patients, patients with significant variations in the size of their prostates, and patients who had previously unsuccessfully tried other options to treat their BPH symptoms, such as long-term medications or more invasive treatments. All Rezum procedures were performed in a clinic or out-patient setting, and all treatments were successfully completed.

Pre- and post-procedure assessments included International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL) index, peak urinary flow rate, voided volume and post void residual (PVR) volume. Clinical and statistical improvement of LUTS based on IPSS, QoL and PVR was observed through 12 months. Additionally, the presence of a median lobe and/or enlarged central zone was identified and treated in 54 patients, with significant improvement in symptoms achieved.

"This retrospective analysis is important because it's the first published data, post-FDA clearance, demonstrating the effectiveness of treating a diverse cross-section of BPH patients with the Rezum System in 'real world,' private practice, office-based settings. The results from this patient population, compared to patients enrolled in a registration-directed, randomized, controlled trial with restrictive inclusion and exclusion criteria, was very consistent and reaffirmed the significant symptom relief BPH patients experience with Rezum," said Bob Paulson, president and CEO of NxThera. "This post-market study demonstrates that Rezum is transforming the treatment experience for urologists and their patients suffering from BPH by providing a versatile, in-office or out-patient treatment option for men interested in nonsurgical and non-medication alternatives to treat BPH and resume their quality of life."

For more information about the Rezum System, visit www.rezum.com.

About NxThera and the Rezum System

NxThera pioneered its convective radiofrequency thermal therapy platform technology to treat a variety of endourological conditions, beginning with BPH. The company is furthering the application of the technology platform through advanced research and development targeting the treatment of prostate cancer and kidney cancer. NxThera's FDA-cleared Rezum System is a next-generation transurethral needle ablation system indicated to treat symptoms of BPH using radiofrequency energy that is convectively delivered to obstructive prostate tissue in targeted, precise thermal energy treatments, with minimal discomfort. Rezum treatments provide improvements in BPH symptoms, urine flow and quality of life. Founded in 2008, NxThera is located in Maple Grove, Minn. For more information, visit www.rezum.com.

SOURCE NxThera, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nxthera.com


WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) will host two workshops in Chicago at the Crowne Plaza Chicago West Loop, October 3 and 4, for directors of national community banks and federal savings associations supervised by the OCC.

The Compliance Risk workshop on October 3 combines lectures, discussion, and exercises on the critical elements of an effective compliance risk management program. The workshop also focuses on major compliance risks and critical regulations. Topics of discussion include the Bank Secrecy Act, Flood Disaster Protection Act, Fair Lending, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Community Reinvestment Act, and other compliance areas of interest.

The Operational Risk workshop on October 4 focuses on the key components of operational riskpeople, processes, and systems. The workshop also covers governance, third-party risk, vendor management, and cybersecurity.

The workshop fee is $99. Participants receive a pre-workshop reading package and course materials, and assorted supervisory publications. The workshop is limited to the first 35 registrants.

The workshops are taught by experienced OCC staff and are offered nationwide to enhance and expand the skills of national community bank and federal savings association directors. To register for this workshop, visit www.occ.gov/occworkshops.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") charters and oversees a nationwide system of national banks and federal savings associations and assures that these banking institutions are safe and sound, competitive, and capable of serving the banking needs of their customers in the best possible manner. OCC press releases and other information are available at http://www.occ.gov. To receive OCC press releases and issuances by e-mail, subscribe at http://www.occ.gov/subscribe/occ-email-list-service.html.

SOURCE Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Related Links

http://www.occ.gov


Shibing creating an all-for-one tourism system featuring panoramic view, all seasons, the whole industry, the whole society, and the full range. Shibing also focuses on the introduction of a number of boutique travel routes and classical tourism products, which will help Shibing shift from a big tourism county to a strong tourism county with abundant tourism resources.

Known as "the most desirable destination in mainland China for overseas tourists" and "China's best destination for recuperation", Shibing is also home to the world's most beautiful dolomite karst, the world's longest wooden dragon boat and other world-class brands. The folks of Shibing are simple and honest. Various colorful ethnic cultures and folk activities are held every now and then. At any time you can immerse yourself into the world of songs and the ocean of dances.

The world's longest dragon boat show, namely Hundred Dragon Boats Floating in the River Show will be a major highlight of this year's conference. The opening ceremony and the evening gala will definitely push the 6th Tourism Industry Development Conference to a climax.

"Picturesque Yuntai Mountain - China's Shibing" is a place that brings you unlimited scenery, infinite reverie and amorous feelings, an unforgettable place full of poetic sceneries, and a place full of vigor, vitality and hope.



Image Attachments Links:

http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=295314

http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=295315

http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=295316

SOURCE Qiandongnan Tourism Development Committee
Air France-KLM and WestJet now offer reciprocal frequent flyer benefits

CALGARY, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Further to their successful codeshare partnership, today Air France-KLM and WestJet launched the earn phase of the airlines' reciprocal frequent flyer agreement. Passengers can now accumulate their choice of Flying Blue Miles or WestJet dollars on all WestJet, Air France, and KLM flights.

"The ability to earn Flying Blue Miles or WestJet dollars on Air France-KLM will bring significant benefit to guests of all three airlines," said Ed Sims, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Commercial. "We are confident that our members are going to love earning WestJet dollars while flying on the extensive Air France-KLM global network, and we are equally excited to welcome their frequent flyers aboard and offer them the opportunity to earn Flying Blue Miles on the growing WestJet network."

"We are delighted to be further bolstering our partnership with WestJet and to now offer our 27 million Flying Blue members the privilege of earning Miles with our Canadian partner," declared Jean-Noel Rault, Vice-President and General Manager of Air France-KLM Canada. "We are already working on the next phase, which will enable our members to soon enjoy award tickets on flights operated by WestJet. We also look forward to offer WestJet guests the possibility to experience our service and discover the extent of our worldwide network."

The next phase, to be implemented by the end of 2017, will enable members of both frequent flyer programs to redeem their miles or dollars on all Air France, KLM and WestJet flights.

About Flying Blue

Flying Blue is the loyalty program launched by Air France and KLM in 2005. With more than 27 million members, 37 member airlines and more than 100 non-airline partners, Flying Blue is the most powerful loyalty program in Europe. The Flying Blue program is divided into four levels: Ivory, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Flying Blue is the loyalty program for Air France and KLM, Tarom, Kenya Airways and Air Calin. With the Flying Blue card, customers can access the numerous services designed to make travelling more enjoyable. At www.flyingblue.com, as well as on airfrance.com or klm.com, members can learn about the program, manage their account, buy or transfer Miles, claim missing Miles, book rewards such as tickets, upgrades, extra baggage allowances or choose items via the Flying Blue store.

About Air France-KLM

A global giant with a strong European base, the Air France-KLM Group's main areas of business are passenger transport, cargo transport and aeronautical maintenance. Air France-KLM is the leading Group in terms of international traffic on departure from Europe. In 2016, it offers its customers access to a network covering 320 destinations in 114 countries thanks to its four brands Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Transavia and HOP! Air France. With a fleet of 534 aircraft in operation and 93.4 million passengers carried in 2016, Air France-KLM operates up to 2,200 daily flights, mainly from its hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol. Its Flying Blue frequent flyer programme is one of the leaders in Europe with over 27 million members. Air France-KLM and its partners Delta Air Lines and Alitalia operate the biggest trans-Atlantic joint-venture with 270 daily flights. Air France-KLM is also a member of the SkyTeam alliance which has 20 member airlines, offering customers access to a global network of over 16,270 daily flights to 1,057 destinations in 179 countries.

Website Facebook Twitter Instagram airfrance.ca AirFrance AirFranceCA airfrance klm.ca KLMCanada KLMCanada klm

About WestJet

WestJet is proud to be named Best Airline in Canada and one of the best Low Cost Airlines in North America, based on authentic reviews from the travelling public on Trip Advisor, the world's largest travel site. We are one of very few airlines globally that does not commercially overbook. Together with our regional airline, WestJet Encore, we offer scheduled service to more than 100 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe and to more than 175 destinations in over 20 countries through our airline partnerships. WestJet Vacations offers affordable, flexible vacations to more than 60 destinations and the choice of more than 800 hotels, resorts, condos and villas. Members of the WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of flights and vacations packages to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods, and have access to Member Exclusive fares offering deals to WestJet destinations throughout our network and those of our partner airlines.

WestJet is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol WJA. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.

Recent recognition includes:

2017/2016 Canada's Most Trusted Airline (Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria)

2017 Best Airline in Canada and Travellers' Choice Winner Mid-Sized and Low Cost Airlines  North America (TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice awards for Airlines)

2016 Canada's most reputable company for Corporate Social Responsibility (Reputation Institute)

2016/2015/2014/2013/2012 Ranked top three for Canadian Brands (Canadian Business Magazine)

2016/2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (MoneySense magazine)

2015/2011/2010/2008/2007/2006/2005 Canada's Most Admired Corporate Culture (Waterstone Human Capital)

2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt)

Connect with WestJet on Facebook at facebook.com/westjet

Follow WestJet on Twitter at twitter.com/westjet

Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at youtube.com/westjet

Read the WestJet blog at blog.westjet.com

SOURCE WestJet

Related Links

http://www.westjet.com


HIAWATHA, KS, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Outback Guidance, a leader in automated steering and advanced precision farming solutions, and a part of AgJunction, Inc. (TSX: AJX), is launching its hands-free farming campaign at the Farm Progress show 2017, which is being held August 29th-31st, 2017 in Decatur, Illinois.

The hands-free farming campaign is focused on building a community to share their experiences, suggestions, and best practices around cost-effective precision farming systems that work for farms of all sizes.

Outback Guidance believes precision farming systems should be available to every farmer, regardless of size. In fact, small farmers benefit more than anyone when they use precision farming systems to manage their crops. An example of this was highlighted in a USDA study, which shows farmers can save $15 an acre each year using a GPS autosteering solution.

"With the launch of our hands-free farming campaign, we're committed to making precision farming systems accessible to every farmer who can benefit from it," said Jeff Morris, AgJunction's chief marketing officer. "Farmers can join our campaign today by going to www.handsfreefarm.com and registering. In doing so, they'll receive a limited time offer for an easy-to-use and affordable autosteering solution. And, if they farm 400 acres or more, they'll realize payback in their first season."

About Outback Guidance

Since 2000, Outback Guidance has been dedicated to delivering advanced precision farming systems that are easy to use and affordable. With dedicated customer service and innovative products, we have grown to become one of the world's leading aftermarket suppliers of GPS systems for agriculture. For more information, please go to www.outbackguidance.com

About AgJunction

AgJunction is a leading provider of innovative hardware and software solutions for precision agriculture worldwide. AgJunction holds fundamental steering and machine control patents and markets its products and services under leading brand names, including Outback Guidance and Satloc. Its autosteering and machine control solutions are critical components in over 30 of the world's leading precision Ag manufactures and solution providers. AgJunction is headquartered in Hiawatha, Kansas, with facilities in Silicon Valley, Arizona, Canada, and Australia, and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol "AJX." For more information, please go to www.agjunction.com.

SOURCE Agjunction Inc.
With a title sponsorship by Goya Foods and support from Spanish media giants Telemundo 47 and La Mega 97.9, the #goyaNYISC2017 will bring together people of all cultures, ages and backgrounds to participate in this multi-day celebration of Latin music and dance. "We are so excited about this year's festival and proud to have the support of Goya Foods, Telemundo 47, La Mega, T-Mobile, and Burju Shoes," said Vilma and Manny Villavicencio and Luis Guerrero, owners of the NYISC. "Along with our amazing team who help put this event together, each sponsor is invaluable to our success and ensures that we continue to stage one of the most anticipated events in New York City."

From novice to professional dancers, the festival attracts people from all walks of life to establish a sense of community, to gain exposure to different styles of dance and to achieve a higher level of knowledge and expression while sharing the true passion for Latin music and dance. "Goya Foods has always been much more than a food company; we are about giving back to the community and honoring our Latin culture, roots and heritage," said Rafael Toro, Director of Public Relations of Goya Foods. "Goya is proud to become the title sponsor of this great event while bringing together people from all over the world through music, dance and good food!"

The official kick-off party will be held at Iguanas NYC, located at 240 West 54th Street at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, August 30, 2017. T-Mobile will host a free welcome dance party from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the T-Mobile flagship store in Times Square. "Telemundo 47 is proud to be the exclusive media partner for The New York International Salsa Congress which will bring thousands of fans from around the world right here to New York City. We look forward to offering our viewers coverage of this popular celebration of Latino culture," said Cristina Schwarz, President and General Manager of Telemundo 47.

The festivities will continue with over 60 multi-level group workshops for styling, partner work, shines, and more taught each day by world-renowned dance instructors, two 10-hour Salsa or Bachata boot camps, evening performances by world-renowned dance teams and couples, and a youth performance showcase on Saturday afternoon. Each night, attendees will enjoy LIVE music by Avenida B, one of New York's hottest salsa bands (Friday, September 1), the internationally renowned Johnny Ray "Salsa con Clase", celebrating over 40 years of sensational salsa classics (Saturday, September 2), and one of the most famous salsa bandleaders of all time, Bobby Valentin and his entire orchestra direct from Puerto Rico (Sunday, September 3). The party continues with social dancing every evening until 3:00 a.m. to DJs playing the best in Salsa, Bachata and Cha-Cha-Cha, along with a shopping experience of unique vendors selling NYISC apparel and gear, dance clothing, shoes, accessories as well as a beauty and health bar for massages, hair, makeup and nails.

To purchase tickets & for more information please visit, www.newyorksalsacongress.com Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.

Contact:

Natalie Maniscalco

Retro Media NYC

[email protected]

845.659.6506

SOURCE New York International Salsa Congress

Related Links

http://www.newyorksalsacongress.com


WAKEFIELD, Mass. and NUREMBERG, Germany, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Paessler AG, the innovative network monitoring specialist, today announced that PRTG Network Monitor achieved VMware Ready status. This designation indicates that after a detailed validation process, Paessler's PRTG Network Monitor has achieved VMware's highest level of endorsement and is supported on VMware vSphere 6.5 for production environments. VMware Ready solutions are tested and certified by VMware to make the best use of the company's technology, meet or exceed stringent interoperability criteria and run flawlessly in production environments.

"We are pleased that PRTG qualifies for the VMware Ready logo, signifying to customers that it has met specific VMware interoperability standards and works effectively with VMware cloud infrastructure. This signifies to customers that PRTG can be deployed in production environments with confidence and can speed time to value within customer environments," said Kristen Edwards, director, Technology Alliance Partner Program, VMware.

The VMware Ready designation is offered through VMware's Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) program, a program that aligns best-of-breed technology partners with VMware's technology services, support, tools and expertise in order to deliver enhanced value to joint customers. Solutions and products that successfully pass VMware's testing and review process are designated VMware Ready, are easily identifiable with the VMware Ready logo, and are listed in the VMware Solution Exchange (VSX).

PRTG simplifies network administrators' lives by providing them with a comprehensive, real-time view of networks, systems and applications regardless of whether they reside on premises, off premises or in hybrid environments. Easily configured to show precisely the information systems administrators want to see, PRTG monitors a wide range of variables that impact today's increasingly complex networks, including devices, traffic, capacity and performance.

With PRTG, systems administrators are the first to know when there is an opportunity to more effectively apply virtualized assets or when problems of any kind arise anywhere within their network infrastructure. PRTG offers more than 200 pre-configured sensors, or monitoring elements, that feed PRTG's highly intuitive and flexible dashboard. Custom sensors can also be quickly created and integrated with PRTG through a straightforward API.

Alerts and notifications from PRTG can also be set to specify exactly when and how each person is informed via email, SMS or pager, and can be edited, deleted or paused at any time as desired. System administrators can also automatically direct specific applications to run when alerts occur if an automated response is preferable. Some of the many things pre-configured PRTG VMware sensors enable system administrators to do include:

Plan their virtualization effort: Virtualizing systems without knowing their usual CPU and memory load, disk usage and network usage can lead to surprises. PRTG provides valuable insight into how any application utilizes network resources.

Virtualizing systems without knowing their usual CPU and memory load, disk usage and network usage can lead to surprises. PRTG provides valuable insight into how any application utilizes network resources. Prevent server overloads: PRTG allows IT to quickly see if too many virtual machines are running on any single host and monitors the performance of ESX and ESXi servers, including fan rotations per minute, battery voltage and overall health status.

PRTG allows IT to quickly see if too many virtual machines are running on any single host and monitors the performance of ESX and ESXi servers, including fan rotations per minute, battery voltage and overall health status. Gauge the performance of virtual machines: PRTG displays a virtual machine's CPU load, memory usage, disk read-and-write speed, and network transmission speed.

PRTG displays a virtual machine's CPU load, memory usage, disk read-and-write speed, and network transmission speed. Oversee data stores: Hard drive usage and other perimeters of data store health can be quickly viewed on the PRTG dashboard or checked independently as desired.

Hard drive usage and other perimeters of data store health can be quickly viewed on the PRTG dashboard or checked independently as desired. Strengthen the quality of service: By monitoring their network, system administrators can confirm that they are making the most of their information technology assets, including their VMware solutions.

"The benefits of virtualization are well known, whether it's to gain the ability to easily spin up additional network capacity, apply resources with greater flexibility, reduce energy consumption, lower maintenance costs, or simply utilize existing servers more effectively, but many system administrators at mid-sized enterprises and SMBs are needlessly intimidated by virtual environments," said Greg Ross, systems engineer, North America, at Paessler. "With PRTG, network administrators can rest knowing that they have a real-time view of even the most extensive virtualized environment, and in that way gain the peace of mind that virtualization by its very nature delivers."

For more on PRTG, please visit http://www.paessler.com/prtg.

Follow Paessler on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn

About Paessler AG

Paessler AG's award-winning PRTG Network Monitor is a powerful, affordable and easy-to-use Unified Monitoring solution. It is a highly flexible and generic software for monitoring IT infrastructure, already in use at enterprises and organizations of all sizes and industries. Over 200,000 IT administrators in more than 170 countries rely on PRTG and gain peace of mind, confidence and convenience. Founded in 1997 and based in Nuremberg, Germany, Paessler AG remains a privately held company that is recognized as both a member of the Cisco Solution Partner Program and a VMware Technology Alliance Partner. Learn more about Paessler and PRTG at www.paessler.com.

Media Contact:

Ken Phillips

LEWIS Global Communications

T: +1 781-418-2437

[email protected]

SOURCE Paessler AG

Related Links

http://www.paessler.com


HOUSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Due to rising water, the decision has been made to begin air transfer of critical care patients at Houston Northwest Medical Center. In order to help ensure their safety, 6 patients are being evacuated to various HCA Healthcare sister hospitals in the Medical City Health system based Dallas & Ft. Worth. All patients are safe and continuing to receive treatment.

Houston Northwest Medical Center is located at 710 Cypress Creek Parkway, Houston, TX 77090. For updates, please visit http://hnmc.com/.

For family members of patients at Houston Northwest Medical Center, please contact (844) 674-7431 for transfer location information.

About Houston Northwest Medical Center

Houston Northwest Medical Center is a 423-bed acute care hospital located at 710 Cypress Creek Parkway in Houston. The hospital has been serving the north Houston community for more than 40 years, providing a wide range of medical services that includes cardiology, maternity care, neonatal intensive care, pediatrics, bariatric surgery and neurology. To learn more about the programs and upcoming events at Houston Northwest Medical Center, visit www.hnmc.com.

About HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division

HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division is a comprehensive network of hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, emergency centers and diagnostic imaging facilities in greater Houston, Corpus Christi and South Texas. Facilities in the Gulf Coast Division include: 18 hospitals, nine ambulatory care centers, 10 off-campus emergency centers, and a regional transfer center that provides one phone call access and support for patient transfers into and out of the HCA Gulf Coast Division Affiliated Hospitals as well as access to ground and air transportation within a 150- mile radius. For more information, visit www.HCAGulfCoast.com

Debra Burbridge

281-851-6275 cell

SOURCE Houston Northwest Medical Center

Related Links

http://www.hnmc.com


HOUSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Due to rising water, the decision has been made to begin evacuation of critical care patients and suspension of services at West Houston Medical Center. In order to help ensure their safety, eleven patients are being evacuated to various HCA Healthcare sister hospitals in the Medical City Health system based Dallas Ft. Worth. All patients are safe and continuing to receive treatment.

West Houston Medical Center is located at 12141 Richmond Avenue, Houston, Texas. For updates, please visit http://westhoustonmedical.com.

For family members of patients at West Houston Medical Center, please contact (844) 674-7431 for evacuation or transfer location information.

About West Houston Medical Center

West Houston Medical Center is a full-service hospital serving the West Houston community for over 30 years. This Joint Commission accredited facility provides a range of care including emergency services; neurosurgery services, inpatient and outpatient surgery, rehabilitation and diagnostic services; bariatric/weight loss surgery; wound care; sleep disorder services; cardiovascular care; woman's services and more. WHMC is recognized as a Certified Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission, and a recipient of the TMF Quality Improvement Award. Under an affiliation agreement with The Woman's Hospital of Texas, WHMC brings to its community The Woman's Hospital of Texas at West Houston, a 3-story cardiac and critical care tower. In Sugar Land, the Sugar Land Cancer Center and the Sugar Land Diagnostic Center are located on the Southwest Freeway at the Williams Trace and Sugar Lakes exit. The diagnostic center and cancer center facilities are departments of West Houston Medical Center. Visit our website at www.WestHoustonMedical.com.

About HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division

HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division is a comprehensive network of hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, emergency centers and diagnostic imaging facilities in greater Houston, Corpus Christi and South Texas. Facilities in the Gulf Coast Division include: 18 hospitals, nine ambulatory care centers, 10 off-campus emergency centers, and a regional transfer center that provides one phone call access and support for patient transfers into and out of the HCA Gulf Coast Division Affiliated Hospitals as well as access to ground and air transportation within a 150- mile radius. For more information, visit www.HCAGulfCoast.com

Debra Burbridge

281-851-6275 cell

SOURCE West Houston Medical Center

Related Links

http://westhoustonmedical.com/


GOLDEN, Colo., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PharmaJet Inc., the maker of needle-free injection technology, today announced that shipping has begun for the quadrivalent influenza vaccine for needle-free delivery with the PharmaJet Stratis device for the 2017-18 influenza season.

"Adding a quadrivalent influenza vaccine to the already available trivalent vaccine offering with our Needle-free delivery means healthcare providers and patients now have a choice of vaccines for the upcoming flu season," said Ron Lowy, PharmaJet Chairman and CEO. "Not only does Needle-free offer an alternative for those 25% of adults that fear needles(1), but it also gives pharmacies and flu clinic providers a way to differentiate their flu immunization program, and a way to drive increased immunization rates and store traffic."

PharmaJet offers the only Needle-free delivery system cleared by the FDA for administration of inactivated influenza vaccines.

Refer to Instructions for Use to ensure safe injections and to review risks.

(1) Survey of the prevalence of immunization non-compliance due to needle fears in children and adults." Taddio A, Ipp M, Thivakaran S, et al. Vaccine 2012; 30;4807-4812 Web. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.05.011

About PharmaJet

Based in Golden, Colorado, PharmaJet's mission is worldwide acceptance of PharmaJet needle-free devices as a standard of care in the vaccine delivery market. PharmaJet's devices are also integral in the development of multiple novel pharmaceuticals. The innovative Stratis device has U.S. FDA 510(k) marketing clearance, CE Mark and WHO PQS certification to deliver medications and vaccines either intramuscularly or subcutaneously. In August 2014, the PharmaJet Stratis device was cleared for delivery of an influenza vaccine to deliver needle-free flu shots. The Tropis device for intradermal injections received authorization to apply the CE Mark in May 2016. The PharmaJet Needle-free devices are safe, fast and easy-to-use. They eliminate needlestick injuries, needle reuse and cross contamination, and help reduce sharps waste disposal. For more information, visit www.pharmajet.com.

CONTACT:

Nancy Lillie

[email protected]

1-888-900-4321 Option 3

SOURCE PharmaJet

Related Links

http://www.PharmaJet.com


Through examination of patient tissue samples, pathology plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of a variety of diseases, including cancer. While healthcare costs and quality pressures continue to mount, digital pathology can help improve the efficiency and quality of cancer diagnostics by enhancing collaboration across care teams and improving time to diagnosis. The Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution helps healthcare organizations reinvent the traditional histopathology approach by implementing a fully digital workflow, enhancing efficiency and productivity, and improving confidence in making diagnosis.

"As pathologists seek more efficient means to support targeted, patient-specific therapy, the momentum continues of high-volume and networked pathology institutions across the world implementing fully digital pathology platforms," said Russ Granzow, General Manager of Philips Digital Pathology Solutions. "Our solution unifies patient data and helps hospital systems improve workflows to achieve first time right decision-making, leading to better patient care."

"Like other European countries, Austria has a dramatic lack of pathologists and a fully digital workflow solves this challenge by enhancing collaboration capabilities," said Dr. Afschin Soleiman, Medical Director of the Pathology Institute at Tirol Kliniken Innsbruck, Austria, and head of two additional pathology labs. "We have simplified the process of discussing difficult cases with experienced colleagues, even if they are not on site, because the digital presentation of the pathology cases is quick to review, and allows for quantitative measurements." A total of ten pathologists from Dr. Soleiman's team diagnose using the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution, from within the lab and from externally.

Global health systems adopt fully digital pathology labs with the help of Philips

The Pathology Institute in Hall and the Pathology Institute at the University Innsbruck join the ranks of other leading pathology sites across the globe that have made the transition to a fully digital workflow with Philips Digital Pathology Solutions, including:

LabPON in the Netherlands : LabPON, one of the largest pathology laboratories in the Netherlands , was the first clinical laboratory in the world to digitize 100 percent of their histology slides for primary diagnosis. It has created a digital database of massive aggregated sets of annotated pathology images and big data utilizing Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution.

LabPON, one of the largest pathology laboratories in , was the first clinical laboratory in the world to digitize 100 percent of their histology slides for primary diagnosis. It has created a digital database of massive aggregated sets of annotated pathology images and big data utilizing Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution. Hospital Campus de la Salud in Granada, Spain : The team of 23 pathologists diagnose over 280,000 tissue slides each year (approximately 700 each day) from its hospitals in Granada and affiliated hospitals, using Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution.

The team of 23 pathologists diagnose over 280,000 tissue slides each year (approximately 700 each day) from its hospitals in Granada and affiliated hospitals, using Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution. The AZ Sint Jan in Brugge, Belgium : The AZ Sint Jan completed a full-scale installation that is designed to accommodate holistic, digital histopathology diagnosis and save a great deal in efficiency and costs.

Primary diagnostics use

While several pathology laboratories in Europe and beyond already benefit from a fully digital histopathology clinical workflow, laboratories in the United States (U.S.) can now benefit using a digital system as well. The Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution is the first digital pathology solution marketed for primary diagnostic use in the U.S. The Philips' technology can aid pathologists to view and diagnose digital images of surgical pathology slides. This signals a significant leap forward for the pathology services industry, as the adoption of digital pathology continues to rise.

Recognizing the need for further education on the topic of digital pathology, Philips is holding free roadshows at major cities across the U.S. in 2017. To learn more about Philips Digital Pathology Roadshow dates, locations and to sign-up to attend, visit the website and follow @Philips_Path.

In the European Union, the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution is CE Marked under the European Union's 'In Vitro Diagnostics Directive' for in vitro diagnostic use. In Canada, the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution is licensed by Health Canada for in vitro diagnostic use. In the United States, the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution can be used for in vitro diagnostic purposes. The Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution is registered for in vitro diagnostic use in Singapore and Middle East.

For further information, please contact:

Hans Driessen

Philips Digital Pathology Solutions

Tel: +31 6 10610417

E-mail: [email protected]

Joost Maltha

Philips Group Press Office

Tel.: +31 6 10 55 8116

E-mail: [email protected]

Twitter: @JoostMaltha

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 71,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

SOURCE Royal Philips

Related Links

http://www.philips.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The power monitoring market is projected to reach USD 4.57 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 5.76%, from 2017 to 2022. The increasing focus on efficient utilization of power resources and increasing attention to reduce energy costs have boosted the demand for power monitoring systems. In addition, maximizing the reliability of electrical infrastructure would further aid the growth of this market. The high cost of high-end power monitoring systems would act as a restraint for the growth of the power monitoring market.

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p05083037/Power-Monitoring-Market-by-Component-End-User-And-Region-Global-Forecast-to.html

The hardware segment is expected to dominate the power monitoring market from 2017 to 2022

The hardware market is estimated to be the largest market of the component segment in 2017. Major drivers of the hardware segment include increasing number of smart grid deployment projects and increasing smart grid investments globally. Hardware components in a power monitoring system include physical components, such as metering and communication and measurement devices. Developing economies, such as Asia-Pacific and the Middle East & Africa comprise fast growth markets for this segment. The hardware segment is poised to grow significantly during the forecast period. This is likely to drive the power monitoring market in the hardware segment.

The datacenters segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2017 to 2022

The datacenters segment is estimated to be the fastest growing power monitoring market, by end-user from 2017 to 2022. A datacenter consumes a large amount of energy for its functioning. Any loss of power can result in data loss and huge monetary loss. The 24*7 uptime of a datacenter would require the entire system to work with reliable power supply. So, power monitoring systems are used in datacenters for the optimization of power utilization and reliable power supply. The datacenters segment is expected to grow at a significant rate in Japan, Singapore, China, South Korea, Australia, the U.S., and Canada. All these factors are expected to drive the power monitoring market during the forecast period.

North America: The largest market for power monitoring

The market in North America is currently the largest for power monitoring, followed by the markets in Europe and Asia-Pacific. The market in North America is driven by ageing T&D infrastructure, increasing demand for reliable power supply, and smart grid investments. The growth of IT hubs and other commercial sectors in the region has further emphasized the requirement for quality power and higher energy efficiency, thereby driving the power monitoring market in the region. The U.S. is estimated to be the largest power monitoring market in the North American region in 2017.

Breakdown of Primaries:

In-depth interviews have been conducted with various key industry participants, subject-matter experts, C-level executives of key market players, and industry consultants, among other experts, to obtain and verify critical qualitative and quantitative information, as well as to assess future market prospects. The distribution of primary interviews is as follows:

By Company Type: Tier 1- 45%, Tier 2- 35%, Tier 3- 20%

By Designation: C-Level- 15%, D-Level- 25%, Others- 60%

By Region: Asia-Pacific- 40%, Europe- 25%, North America- 20%, Middle East & Africa- 10%, South America-5%

Note: The tier of the companies has been defined on the basis of their total revenue; as of 2016: Tier 1 = >USD 10 billion, Tier 2 = from USD 1 billion to USD 10 billion, and Tier 3 = The major players in the power monitoring market are Schneider Electric SE (France), Eaton Corporation plc (Ireland), Siemens AG (Germany), Rockwell Automation, Inc. (U.S.), and General Electric Company (U.S.), among others.

Research Coverage:

The report defines, describes, and forecasts the global power monitoring market by component, end-user, and region. It also offers a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market. The report provides a comprehensive review of major market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges. It also covers various important aspects of the market.

Why Buy this Report?

1. The report identifies and addresses key markets for power monitoring, which would help suppliers review the growth in the demand for the product.

2. The report helps solutions providers understand the pulse of the market and provides insights into drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges.

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p05083037/Power-Monitoring-Market-by-Component-End-User-And-Region-Global-Forecast-to.html

About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

http://www.reportlinker.com

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SOURCE Reportlinker

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BERKELEY, Ill., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- When schools re-open this August and September, thousands of students will again receive breakfast, lunch and dinner meals and snacks from Preferred Meals as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary as a food company. Today, Preferred Meals is one of the country's largest and most respected suppliers of healthy, affordable and well-balanced meals to schools, multi-foodservice segments and private label retail.

"As expectations for meal experiences evolve over the next 50 years, so does the Preferred Meals team's passion for innovation continue to drive its success," George A. Chivari, Preferred Meals President and Chief Executive Officer said.

Since it was founded in 1967 as Mass Feeding Corporation, the company has successfully evolved to become a major national supplier of healthy, fresh and pre-packaged component meals. The company operates three central culinary kitchens and multiple distribution centers in across the U.S. Preferred Meals is owned by the Elior Group, one of the world's leading operators in the contracted food industry.

According to Chivari, "Foodservice and retail consumer needs have changed dramatically in the past 50 years and we will continue to see even more significant changes in the future. We fully intend to remain focused on delivering nutritious quality foods that students enjoy while supplying the cost and service efficiencies schools require. We have successfully specialized in providing a wide variety of fully outsourced foodservice solutions through our broad product offerings including fresh-prepared and frozen-prepared snacks and meals to meet the diverse needs of our customers."

"We are very, very excited by the opportunities available to us for the next 50 years. The hard-working employees of Preferred Meals care for the well-being of each and every consumer we serve. We will continue to work diligently as partners with every customer to benefit the many consumers who rely on our efforts," Chivari said.

About Preferred Meals

Preferred Meals is a recognized leader in providing pre-packaged meals in Foodservice and Retail. Founded in 1967, Preferred Meals has a broad portfolio of healthy, clean labeled and well-balanced products. Preferred Meals delivers insight-driven innovation to meet the rapidly expanding consumer, economic and nutritional demands of our customers. Headquartered in Berkeley, Chicago, the company has three culinary kitchens and multiple distribution centers across the U.S.

SOURCE Preferred Meals

Related Links

http://www.preferredmeals.com


COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PriorAuthNow (www.priorauthnow.com), a platform for connecting the healthcare landscape using prior authorization (PA) automation, today announced that it has closed a $3.6 million investment funding round led by NCT Ventures and with participation from Detroit Venture Partners (DVP).

PriorAuthNow is disrupting the $31 billion PA industry by providing powerful, secure software to simplify how providers connect with insurance carriers. The PriorAuthNow platform is the fastest, most economical way to submit, monitor and finalize PAs.

"Few words cause more frustration with physicians and their staff than 'prior authorization'," said Joe Anstine, co-founder & CEO of PriorAuthNow. "PriorAuthNow's mission is to alleviate this frustration by simplifying the prior authorization process. By removing the inefficiencies and the fragmented experience of the current process, we're able to save both providers and individuals time and money."

On average, a single provider spends 20 hours per week and $65,000 per year on PAs. Forty percent of these PAs are abandoned due to complex approval policies.

"PriorAuthNow is a quantum leap forward in the way healthcare providers manage prior authorizations," said Jared Stasik, Partner at DVP. "We look forward to supporting them as they solve this problem for hospital systems around the nation."

Funds raised from this investment round will be used to expand the PriorAuthNow team and expedite the roll out of the PriorAuthNow platform to some of the largest hospital systems in the US.

"We look for innovative companies that are addressing real pain points in the market," said Michael Butler, Partner, NCT Ventures. "We're excited to bring this platform to market and look forward to helping the company grow."

About PriorAuthNow

Based in Columbus, Ohio, PriorAuthNow's powerful, secure software works with EHR systems and connects directly with insurance carriers, making it the fastest, most economical way to submit, monitor and complete prior authorizations. The company's platform eliminates the need for lengthy phone calls, going to many different payer sites, and filling out the many different authorization forms - saving providers and their staff countless administrative hours. For more information visit: www.priorauthnow.com.

About Detroit Venture Partners

Detroit Venture Partners backs seed and early stage startup teams with the grit, creativity, and passion to tackle and mold opportunity. We look for founders who are creative, disciplined, and trustworthy. We offer unrivaled mentorship and connections throughout the Quicken Loans Family of Companies and the broader businesses and leaders committed to seeing Detroit's entrepreneurs succeed.

About NCT Ventures

NCT Ventures is a Columbus-based venture capital firm dedicated to providing a platform for entrepreneurs to succeed in turning their ideas into profitable business models through hands-on operational support. Over the last 20 years, NCT has helped build many successful companies across a variety of industries. With a focus on the Midwest, NCT empowers entrepreneurs to develop disruptive technologies that improve market efficiencies. For more information, visit http://www.nctventures.com/.

SOURCE PriorAuthNow

Related Links

http://www.priorauthnow.com


"Nick brings more than 30 years of experience across important life sciences and communications industries; he is a true leader and visionary in the field," said Francis R. Amato, Chief Executive Officer of electroCore. "We are thrilled to welcome him, appreciate his willingness to serve as a director and look forward to benefitting from his expert insight and counsel."

Mr. Colucci, who has served as Publicis Health CEO since May 2007, previously worked as the company's Chief Operating Officer and joined in 2000 as President. His experience spans both the client and agency sides of the communications business. Prior to joining Publicis, Mr. Colucci served as the Vice President of Marketing & Sales at EyeSys Technologies and Marketing Director at Roche. In addition to his current role, Mr. Colucci leads key initiatives for the Coalition for Healthcare Communication, an industry trade association, and serves on the board of the American Heart Association of New York. He is also a passionate advocate for inclusion and gender parity. His leadership and continuous efforts have resulted in numerous accolades, such as multiple inclusions in PharmaVOICE's "100 Most Inspiring People," and the "Superhero of Heart and Stroke" Award from the American Heart Association. In addition to his extensive relevant professional experience, Mr. Colucci also has a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Rochester and a Masters of Business Administration from Loyola University Maryland.

Reese Terry, co-founder and former CEO of Cyberonics, Inc., who joined the electroCore Board of Directors in 2013 is stepping down.

"Reese's guidance the last four years has been paramount to electroCore's ability to successfully grow as a leader in vagus nerve stimulation," said J.P. Errico, Founder, Principal Investor and Chief Science & Strategy Officer of electroCore. "We thank him for his time and dedication."

electroCore's Board of Directors consists of senior executives from the business, pharma, medical devices and medicine sectors. Members of the Board include Francis R. Amato, CEO of electroCore; J.P. Errico, Founder, Principal Investor and Chief Science & Strategy Officer of electroCore; Thomas J. Errico, MD, Founder and Principal Investor; Kathryn K. Theofilos, Esquire, Founder and Principal Investor; Peter Staats, MD; David Rubin, Ph.D.; Trevor Moody; and Jim Tullis.

About electroCore

electroCore, LLC is a U.S.-based neuroscience and technology company dedicated to improving patient outcomes through technological advancement and focused on developing non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation therapy for the treatment of multiple conditions in neurology, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome. The company's initial target is the treatment of primary headaches (migraine and cluster headache) and the associated chronic co-morbidities of gastric motility, psychiatric, sleep, and pain disorders that drive disproportionately large direct and indirect costs within the healthcare system and society.

For more information, visit electrocore.com.

2017 electroCore, LLC. All rights reserved.

electroCore, the electroCore logo, gammaCore, and The NeuroScience Company are trademarks of electroCore, LLC.

Media Contact

Alexandra Peterson

GCI Health

(617) 921 9353

[email protected]

SOURCE electroCore LLC

Related Links

http://www.electrocore.com


Beginning Monday August 28 and continuing through Saturday, September 9, 2017, customer donations will be accepted at special-marketed coin boxes located at the checkstands in all Ralphs and Food 4 Less stores in Southern California, as well as at the company's 21 Foods Co stores in Central and Northern California, and at 14 Food 4 Less stores serving the greater Chicago, Illinois area.

All monies collected will be forwarded directly to the American Red Cross for relief efforts tied to the hurricane that has battered southeast Texas this week.

"Our customers and associates have always responded generously to help those in need, particularly when disaster strikes," said Valerie Jabbar, President of Ralphs. "Every contribution will help the Red Cross provide emergency assistance to the victims of this devastating storm."

Ralphs and Food 4 Less' Hurricane Harvey fundraising efforts are in addition to the announcement made by the supermarket' parent company, The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), that The Kroger Co Foundation is making a $100,000 commitment to the Houston Food Bank. For every social share of the #KrogerCares post, the Kroger Co Foundation will donate $5 to the Food Bank, up to $100,000, to supply operational support and meals to families affected by the floods..

"We are proud to partner with the American Red Cross to provide relief funds for the thousands of people affected by the storm," said Bryan Kaltenbach, President of Food 4 Less/Foods Co. "Together, we can all help by making a donation to the relief efforts  no matter how large or small."

Ralphs and Food 4 Less are also inviting their 30,000 associates to join the cause as well as support fellow Kroger associates in the Houston area affected by the storm through Helping Hands, an internal fundraising effort.

About Ralphs

Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 and currently operates 197 supermarkets from its headquarters in Los Angeles. Last year, Ralphs contributed more than $6 million to support education, hunger relief, women's health and local nonprofit organizations in the communities served by the company's stores. Ralphs is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR), one of the nation's largest food retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more about Ralphs, please visit our web site at www.ralphs.com

About Food 4 Less

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Food 4 Less operates 130 price-impact, warehouse-format supermarkets under the banners Food 4 Less in Southern California, Illinois and Indiana, and Foods Co in Central and Northern California. Last year, Food 4 Less and Foods Co combined to contribute more than $4 million to support education, hunger relief, women's health and local nonprofit organizations. Food 4 Less is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR), one of the nation's largest grocery retailers, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information about Food 4 Less, please visit our website at www.food4less.com.

SOURCE Ralphs Grocery Company

Related Links

http://www.ralphs.com


There is a victim of identity theft every two seconds in the United States. Older Americans account for 10% to 13% of these victims, with more than 3.5 billion households affected. The 50+ demographic is the fastest-growing segment of computer and Internet users and, according to the FBI, this makes the segment a more likely target for Internet fraud.

Abagnale, a former master check forger who inspired the 2002 Steven Spielberg film Catch Me if You Can, was once one of the world's most famous confidence men. Today, more than 14,000 financial institutions, corporations and law enforcement agencies use his fraud prevention programs. He has also written numerous articles and books including The Art of the Steal, The Real U Guide to Identity Theft and Stealing Your Life.

Abagnale warns that hackers likely already have many people's identity records from the major security breaches that have occurred over the last two to three years. When hackers steal personal information in a major breach, they tend to warehouse that data for two years or more before they make it available in the criminal marketplace.

Register for this free event, and get more tips for protecting oneself from identity theft, by visiting aarp.cvent.com/abagnalenevada or calling 1-877-926-8300.

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www.aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Espanol, a Spanish-language website addressing the interests and needs of Hispanics. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org.

SOURCE AARP Nevada

Related Links

http://www.aarp.org/nv


These smaller cities, with populations of 30,000 to 200,000, are reeling from the same loss of population and manufacturing jobs as Baltimore or Detroit, but they often lack the big universities, hospitals, or philanthropies that have boosted larger cities. They gained national attention when President Trump's message resonated with voters who had long supported Democrats in cities like Scranton, Pennsylvania, hometown of former Vice President Joe Biden. Once powerhouses of the American economy, some now conjure images of abandoned steel mills and factories, and vacant houses and storefronts.

"The challenges faced by smaller legacy cities loom large in the American imagination," authors Torey Hollingsworth and Alison Goebel of the Greater Ohio Policy Center write in Revitalizing America's Smaller Legacy Cities: Strategies for Postindustrial Success from Gary to Lowell. "It's no coincidence that Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen chose Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Youngstown, Ohio, respectively, as symbols of the demise of a certain kind of American dream."

The report makes the case for reinvesting in smaller legacy cities and explores strategies that have shown promise in some places. It examines 24 cities across seven midwestern and northeastern states: Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. It measures each city's progress from 2000-15 using a range of indicators, from employment to population change, and describes revitalization strategies that have succeeded thus far.

The cities differ greatly  some benefit from proximity to big cities like Philadelphia and New York, while others are more isolated  but they share much in common. They are grappling with persistent poverty, inequality, and blight, which were compounded by the Great Recession. They seek to attract young professionals and startups to become affordable alternatives to hot market cities, but they also need to nurture their existing populations across all incomes and skill levels. They first rose to prosperity amid a wave of immigration, and many recognize the role of immigrants in their resurgence a century later.

"No two places are alike, but smaller legacy cities can learn from each other as they reposition themselves, whether as a regional service center, a competitor on the national or global stage, or a tourism hub," the authors said. "They will need to build teams from the public and private sectors who share a spirit of collaboration and the will to lead their communities through a period of great transformation."

The report recommends eight strategies for revitalization that have shown promise in some places:

Build civic capacity and talent : Cities like South Bend, Indiana , and Hamilton, Ohio , created fellowships to place talented young workers in management-level positions in the private and public sectors, and Hamilton recruited a city manager from outside the city to change the culture of City Hall.





: Cities like , and , created fellowships to place talented young workers in management-level positions in the private and public sectors, and recruited a city manager from outside the city to change the culture of City Hall. Encourage a shared public- and-private-sector vision : In Lancaster, Pennsylvania , the private sector led the deployment of a plan that reimagined the city as a tourist hub, and in Grand Rapids, Michigan , business leaders created an organization that revitalized the central business district.





: In , the private sector led the deployment of a plan that reimagined the city as a tourist hub, and in , business leaders created an organization that revitalized the central business district. Expand opportunities for low-income workers: Lima, Ohio , has created an umbrella organization to coordinate workforce development efforts, and in Syracuse, New York , the regional chamber of commerce tied a redevelopment project to high-paying jobs and skills training.





, has created an umbrella organization to coordinate workforce development efforts, and in , the regional chamber of commerce tied a redevelopment project to high-paying jobs and skills training. Build on an authentic sense of place : Bethlehem, Pennsylvania , converted part of a closed steel plant into an arts and cultural campus, and Scranton encouraged former residents who had moved to New York or other large cities to return home, emphasizing quality of life.





: , converted part of a closed steel plant into an arts and cultural campus, and encouraged former residents who had moved to or other large cities to return home, emphasizing quality of life. Focus regional efforts on rebuilding a strong downtown : Syracuse prioritized downtown revitalization efforts to help create jobs and attract talented workers, and York , Pennsylvania , created a business improvement district to re-create the downtown as a retail center.





: prioritized downtown revitalization efforts to help create jobs and attract talented workers, and , , created a business improvement district to re-create the downtown as a retail center. Engage in community and strategic planning : Grand Rapids encourages neighborhoods to create plans to guide new development, while Dayton, Ohio , and Flint, Michigan , have engaged residents in tough conversations about future land use after extreme population losses.





: encourages neighborhoods to create plans to guide new development, while , and , have engaged residents in tough conversations about future land use after extreme population losses. Stabilize distressed neighborhoods: Youngstown used data to pinpoint struggling neighborhoods and prioritize funding to triage housing in poor condition.





used data to pinpoint struggling neighborhoods and prioritize funding to triage housing in poor condition. Strategically leverage state policies: Ohio authorized counties to create local land banks to respond to the vacancy and foreclosure crisis, and Massachusetts is collaborating with a statewide think tank to direct resources to targeted legacy cities.

Revitalizing America's Smaller Legacy Cities is a follow-up to the Lincoln Institute's 2013 report, Regenerating America's Legacy Cities, which focuses on larger cities such as Detroit, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh. It marks the latest step in the Lincoln Institute's ongoing initiative to help build the capacity of legacy cities to thrive in the 21st century, and to ensure that all residents enjoy the benefits of revitalization.

About the Authors



Torey Hollingsworth is the manager of research and policy at Greater Ohio Policy Center, where she manages and carries out research projects, contributes to policy development, and works with partner organizations statewide. Her current work focuses on understanding the challenges and opportunities for revitalization in Ohio's smaller legacy cities, and she is the author of multiple reports on the topic. She previously worked on community reinvestment and housing policy on the federal level. She holds a master's in city and regional planning from The Ohio State University and a bachelor's in anthropology from the University of Chicago.

Alison Goebel is executive director of the Greater Ohio Policy Center. She is responsible for charting the center's strategic direction, directing the research, advocacy, and outreach teams, and securing resources for this work. She is the author of a number of research reports and policy briefs related to the revitalization of weak-market cities, transportation funding, and local governance structures in Ohio. She holds a doctorate and a master's in anthropology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a bachelor's from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

About Greater Ohio Policy Center

Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Columbus and operating statewide, develops and advances policies and practices that value our urban cores and metropolitan regions as economic drivers and preserve Ohio's open space and farmland. Through education, research, and outreach, GOPC strives to create a political and policy climate receptive to new economic and governmental structures that advance sustainable development and economic growth.



About the Lincoln Institute

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy seeks to improve quality of life through the effective use, taxation, and stewardship of land. A nonprofit private operating foundation whose origins date to 1946, the Lincoln Institute researches and recommends creative approaches to land as a solution to economic, social, and environmental challenges. Through education, training, publications, and events, we integrate theory and practice to inform public policy decisions worldwide.

SOURCE Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Related Links

http://www.lincolninst.edu


NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Forbes Agency Council has added Ronn Torossian, Founder & CEO of 5WPR, into its ranks. Torossian joins other Forbes Agency Council members who are hand-selected to become part of a curated network of successful peers and senior-level executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. As a member of the Council, Torossian will have the opportunity to comment on relevant trends in the communications and marketing industry, provide his thought leadership and give insight on industry-related topics for publishing on Forbes.com.

Since founding 5WPR in 2003, Torossian has led his PR firm to be one of America's 15 largest privately owned PR firms, received multiple industry awards including Public Relations Executive of the Year Award and has been named a semi-finalist for Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year award. Under his leadership, 5W has won awards which include the American Business Awards' Agency of the Year and numerous Gold Sabre Awards, Stevie American Business Awards and PR Agency Elite Awards.

"It's exciting to join the Forbes Agency Council and I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences and insights on public relations and marketing with a wider audience," said Torossian.

Recent op-eds Torossian has penned for Forbes include "PR's Biggest Crisis of 2017" and "Where Public Relations is Headed in the Modern Era."

About 5W Public Relations:

5W Public Relations, a full-service PR agency, helps some of the world's most admired brands, corporations and personalities achieve more. 5WPR's bold, resourceful and thoroughly modern approach has measurably increased the positive results of its clients' communications efforts. Founded in 2003, the agency's full-service PR programs, novel approach and innovative people deliver game-changing results and have been recognized with many awards including PR Agency of the Year, PR Executive of the Year, Product Launch of the Year, Business to Business Program of the Year and Digital/Social Media Campaign of the Year, among others.

The agency's diverse roster of client experience includes All-Clad Metal Crafters, KRUPS, Ashley Stewart, Sparkling ICE, JetSmarter, Medifast, Ultra Mobile, SAP NS2, Zeta Global, Wendy Williams, Camp Bow Wow and other publicly traded companies, brands and organizations. The agency maintains a staff of 150 PR professionals located in the iconic midtown Manhattan Helmsley building.

MEDIA CONTACT

5W Public Relations

Ronn Torossian l [email protected]

212-999-5585

SOURCE 5W Public Relations

Related Links

http://www.5wpr.com


STOCKHOLM, August 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Two students from the USA, Ryan Thorpe and Rachel Chang, received the 2017 Stockholm Junior Water Prize on Tuesday for their novel approach to detect and purify water contaminated with Shigella, E. coli, Salmonella, and Cholera. H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden presented the prize at a ceremony during World Water Week in Stockholm.

As the pair received the prize, Rachel Chang said: "I'm feeling so overwhelmed with emotions. All the projects here are absolutely amazing, truly of the highest quality. So, to be able to win such an achievement, it feels incredible".

In its citation, the Jury said: "This year's winning project embodies the fundamental principle of providing safe drinking water. The winner's motivation is to eliminate millions of human deaths each year. The project developed a unique, rapid, and sensitive method to identify, quantify and control water contaminants."

The students constructed a system that detects and purifies water contaminated with Shigella, E. coli, Salmonella, and Cholera more rapidly and sensitively than conventional methods. Their system detects as little as one reproductive bacteria colony per litre instantaneously and eliminates bacterial presence in approximately ten seconds. In contrast, conventional methods have detection limits of up to 1000 colonies and take one to two days. The students' novel approach could prevent the contraction and outbreak of waterborne diseases and expand potable water throughout the world.

"This method is applicable to both developed and developing world. The winning project has used fundamental science in an elegant way to address pathogenic bacteria in drinking water. The project has the potential to revolutionize the future of water quality," the Jury said.

"This is a very inspiring project that takes on one of the world's biggest challenges, providing clean drinking water for all. Methods like these can unlock huge human potential, when access to safe drinking water, and by extension health, improves among hundreds of millions of people," said Torgny Holmgren, Executive Director of SIWI.

The Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition brings together the world's brightest young scientists to encourage their continued interest in water and the environment. Teams from 33 countries competed in the 2017 finals.

Information about Stockholm International Water Institute; Stockholm Junior Water Prize and World Water Week: http://www.siwi.org and http://www.worldwaterweek.org

Press contact: Kanika Thakar, SIWI, +46-8-1213-6036

SOURCE Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)
CHICAGO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sage Corps, a global entrepreneurship program that sends top college students ("fellows") to work with tech startups, unveils its new semester study abroad program in five global cities: Buenos Aires, Dublin, London, Santiago and Sydney.

While abroad in the program city of their choice, Sage Corps fellows will enroll in and take courses at foreign universities with local students. Outside the classroom, fellows will work alongside local entrepreneurs to build scalable solutions to real problems.

Professional programming provides fellows with weekly events such as fireside chats with entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, company tours, and networking events. Like Sage Corps' other programs, all semester program options include housing, medical insurance, and assistance from local Sage Corps staff members in each program city.

But perhaps the most compelling aspect of this entrepreneurial study abroad program is its value; the cost of tuition, housing, programming, and insurance of this semester program rivals most in-state public university semester costs. Moreover, it may also generate significant savings (approximately ten thousand dollars) for those students who pay out-of-state tuition at their American universities to study abroad. At some universities, students may also get pre-approval to use financial aid and scholarships for the Sage Corps program.

"After running a successful pilot semester program last spring, we are confident that students and their families will walk away with a far better return on their investment than if they had chosen a traditional study abroad program; we offer both a professional-focused and academic opportunity at a lower price point that still gives students time to travel and explore their host city," said Matt Meltzer, Founder and CEO of Sage Corps.

"Without the additional time that extra-curricular activities and student clubs typically require at home, students in semester abroad programs have a lot more flexibility. We can offer a constructive opportunity to invest that extra time into immersive professional opportunities. Students come home with incredible work experience, new professional skills, and a global network."

The Sage Corps semester abroad program is the ideal opportunity for those students aiming to learn beyond the classroom. Throughout the program, fellows contribute meaningful work to their host startup, build tangible and marketable skills, and engage with their host city's professional community.

"The outcomes make the added professional responsibility worthwhile," Meltzer added.

"Alumni of our existing eight-week summer program go on to get some of today's most competitive entry level jobs. We feel that fellows who participate in our semester program will be even more attractive to prospective employers."

About Sage Corps

Sage Corps is a global entrepreneurship program for top college students and recent graduates that offers immersive semester and summer abroad programs in 12 cities worldwide. Sage Corps fellows intern at tech startups, gain course credit by studying abroad at an accredited university, and participate in curated professional development programming. Program alumni join the Sage Network, a global professional network made up of startup leaders, corporate leaders, and program alumni designed to connect Sage Corps fellows with job opportunities, career advice, and mentorship opportunities. Since Sage Corps' inception in 2013, more than 350 fellows have completed fellowships. For more information on Sage Corps, visit www.sagecorps.com.

Media Contact:

Taylor Modrowski

Phone: 419-320-0377

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Sage Corps

Related Links

http://www.sagecorps.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, August 31, Saks OFF 5TH will celebrate the grand opening of a new, approximately 25,000 square foot store in the Bronx, New York, located at Bay Plaza Shopping Center.

"Expanding the Saks OFF 5TH footprint to the Bronx is a great opportunity for us to grow our presence in New York," said Jonathan Greller, President Saks OFF 5TH and Gilt. "We look forward to offering the community convenient access to our extensive assortment of curated designer and luxury fashion labels at sought-after prices."

Saks OFF 5TH features an ever-evolving selection of luxury designer fashion, accessories, and footwear from more than 800 leading brands for men, women and childrenall at great prices. The new store features an open, modern layout and playful graphic elements in an easy-to-shop environment.

To celebrate the occasion, the first 50 shoppers to arrive each day Thursday, August 31 through Monday, September 4, will receive a sweet treat and the chance to win a $50 Saks OFF 5TH gift card. Additionally, shoppers are eligible to enter a sweepstakes for the chance to win a $1,000 Saks OFF 5TH gift card.*

WHO: Saks OFF 5TH



WHAT: A new, approximately 25,000 square foot Saks OFF 5TH store stocked with more than 800 designer brands for men, women and kids.



WHERE: Bay Plaza Shopping Center

290 Baychester Avenue

Bronx, New York 10475



WHEN: Thursday, August 31

Doors Open at 10am





Bay Plaza Shopping Center Regular Store Hours:

Mon  Sat: 10am  9:30pm

Sun: 11am  8pm



*Sweepstakes guidelines available in-store.

Media Contact:

Meghan Biango

[email protected]

SOURCE Saks OFF 5TH
"Increasing quality access to higher education is integral to our mission. One of the best ways to ensure that is through an efficient secondary education system," said Dr. Craig Swenson, Ashford president and CEO. "We are honored to be able to support CYT's work helping transitional students stay in school and continue on to college."

The first assembly will take place at 9 a.m. at Emerson (3510 Newton Ave., San Diego, CA, 92113) in the lunch arbor. The principal and vice principal will speak, followed by Dr. Tony Farrell, Executive Dean of the College of Education at Ashford University, followed by school district officials.

The second assembly will take place at 9:45 a.m. at Bandini (3550 Logan Ave., San Diego, CA, 92113). San Diego City Councilman David Alvarez (District 8) will speak, along with the principal, vice principal, Dr. Tony Farrell, and school district officials.

About Ashford University

Where heritage meets innovation  that's Ashford University. At Ashford, students discover relevant degree programs, innovative technology, and cherished tradition. Ashford offers associates, bachelor's, and master's degree programs online, allowing students to balance life by providing the flexibility to do school work anywhere, anytime. For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu, www.facebook.com/ashforduniversity, www.twitter.com/AshfordU, or call Lauren Coartney at 858.513.9240 x11636, or email [email protected].

SOURCE Ashford University

Related Links

http://www.ashford.edu


NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP ("Scott+Scott"), a national shareholder and consumer rights litigation firm, announces that a securities class action has been filed against Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited ("Dr. Reddy's" or the "Company") (NYSE: RDY) and certain of its officers and directors. If you purchased Dr. Reddy's American Depository Receipts ("ADRs") between June 17, 2015 and August 10, 2017, you are encouraged to contact a Scott+Scott attorney at (844) 818-6980 for more information.

Dr. Reddy's is a pharmaceutical company. The lawsuit alleges that Dr. Reddy's lacked an effective corporate quality system, and as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading.

On November 6, 2015, Dr. Reddy's revealed that it had received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding inadequate quality control standards at three of its manufacturing plants in India. Following this news, the price of Dr. Reddy's ADRs fell 18%, to close at $53.50 on November 6, 2015.

On August 10, 2017, Dr. Reddy's revealed that the Regulatory of Germany (Regierung von Oberbayern) did not renew the good manufacturing practices (GMP) compliance certificate of a formulations manufacturing unit of Dr. Reddy's German subsidiary, betapharm Arzneimittel, located in Hyderabad, India, following a recent inspection of the plant. On this news, the ADR price dropped $1.92 per share, or approximately 6%, on August 10, 2017.

What You Can Do

If you purchased Dr. Reddy's ADRs between June 17, 2015 and August 10, 2017, and you wish to discuss this lawsuit, or have questions about this notice or your legal rights, please contact attorney Rhiana Swartz at (844) 818-6980, or at [email protected]. The deadline to move for Lead Plaintiff status is October 24, 2017.

About Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP

Scott+Scott has significant experience in prosecuting major securities, antitrust, and employee retirement plan actions throughout the United States. The firm represents pension funds, foundations, individuals, and other entities worldwide with offices in New York, London, Connecticut, California, and Ohio.

CONTACT:

Rhiana Swartz

Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP

(844) 818-6980

[email protected]

SOURCE Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP

Related Links

http://scott-scott.com


SEATTLE, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alexander Sobel, DO, FAACS of Bellevue is pleased to announce that Angela Flores-Marcus, Seattle resident and future student in Seattle University's Electrical Engineering program, is the recipient of the first-annual WISE (Women in STEM Excel) Scholarship. This scholarship was designed to support female students living in Washington as they pursue a degree in a STEM-related field.

"Angela Flores-Marcus is a dynamic individual actively pursuing her dreams, and I'm honored to help support her education," states Dr. Sobel. "I am excited about the future she is creating for herself and envisioning for others; she is a role model for all of us."

Angela was selected from a number of highly qualified applicants for her academic dedication, leadership, and commitment to community service. At South Seattle College, she served as president of the Women In STEM Club, co-chaired the Queer Straight Alliance, was an undergraduate research assistant with The Internet of Things, and worked as a tutor in the Math Learning Lab. She also volunteers with POW, Rain City Rock Camp for Girls, and South Seattle College Foundation.

"I feel honored to have been selected as the recipient of the WISE Scholarship. This award will allow me to reach my goal of becoming an Electrical and Computer Engineer," says Angela. "In addition to the financial support that this scholarship provides, receiving the WISE Scholarship has given me more confidence as I pursue a field that is mostly male-dominated."

Angela looks forward to working and innovating within the industry. She hopes to impact how people use and think about technology while promoting inclusivity. Additionally, she is an accomplished audio engineer, and also plans to design audio equipment.

"I believe that when women begin to take on more roles in STEM fields, technological innovations will thrive," explains Angela. "Currently, women pursuing careers in STEM fields have very few mentors and leaders in the industry who understand the challenges and barriers that we face. I am looking forward to filling this void by succeeding in my chosen field and mentoring other women along the way."

"The STEM fields are such a vibrant part of the Seattle landscape, and it's important to help make sure that all those who feel called to these careers receive equal opportunities," says Dr. Sobel. "I look forward to continuing the WISE Scholarship to assist women in their pursuit of STEM education."

About Dr. Alexander Sobel: Dr. Sobel is a triple board certified surgeon based in Bellevue, Washington. Both in and out of his practice, Dr. Sobel is well-known and respected for his kindness, generosity, and commitment to providing patients with access to safe, quality treatment. His practice is located at 1632 116th Ave. NE, Suite A, Bellevue, WA; 425-453-9060. For more information, visit www.andersonsobelcosmetic.com.

Media Contact: Ashley Hengtgen, Anderson Sobel Cosmetic Surgery, 425-453-9060.

SOURCE Anderson Sobel Cosmetic Surgery

Related Links

http://www.andersonsobelcosmetic.com


SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Conference co-chairs Kristin Hodson and Nicole Miranda invite the Utah community to engage in crucial dialogue around sexuality, inclusivity and community well-being on Sept. 22 and 23 at the Rocky Mountain Sex + Intimacy Summit. Hosted at the Sheraton Hotel in Salt Lake City, the conference is comprised of 4 nationally renowned speakers and four sessions focused on a variety of health, sexuality and inclusivity topics. The theme this year is "building bridges" and some featured speakers include Dr. Marty Klein, Al Vernachio, Dr. Tina Shermer Sellers and Bonnie Owens. For a full schedule of events and topics visit www.rockymountainsexsummit.com.

Kristin Hodson on behalf of The Rocky Mountain Sex Summit

Summit Co-Chair, Kristin Hodson said, "This summit is an invitation to the whole community to engage in thoughtful dialogue around issues like sexuality, intimacy, and wellness that can be tough to discuss. But we are providing the perfect framework for healthcare professionals, counselors, parents, clergy, teachers or anyone to learn more about issues that impact our society and hopefully put caring strategies in place that make our community more inclusive."

The summit will be informative for people in all professions but especially those who serve in the counseling, social work, mental health, and wellness professions. Those who need continuing education credits to remain certified in their fields can get credit for attending sessions of the Rocky Mountain Sex + Intimacy Summit. Continuing education credits are included in registration.

One key goal of the summit is to discuss issues that are timely and relevant to the local community so co-chairs Kristin Hodson and Nicole Miranda scheduled a conversation between two people with opposing views on pornography that have disagreed publicly in op-eds and other forums. Kristin Hodson, Certified Sex Therapist and Clay Olson, CEO of Fight the New Drug, will engage in a moderated discussion to address the problems around pornography, differences in approaches to helping individuals struggling with pornography, how they found common ground, and how we can reach out to others who are seemingly on the other side of challenging issues with their communities.

The Summit Registration is open now for a wide variety of timely topics and lunch sessions. Early bird registration prices are $125 for students and $250 for general admission.

About Co-chair Kristin Hodson:

Kristin Hodson, conference co-chair and founder of the Rocky Mountain Sex + Intimacy Summit, is a graduate of BYU Hawaii where she earned a BSW in International Social Work and a graduate of the University of Utah where she earned her Master of Social Work. In addition to her academic achievements, Kristin is certified as a sex therapist through the American Association for Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists. Kristin is the Founder and Executive Director of The Healing Group and teaches human sexuality in clinical practice as an Adjunct Professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Utah.

About Co-chair Nicole Miranda:

Nicole Miranda, conference co-chair, is a graduate of the University of Utah where she earned a BA in International Studies, a BS in Economics, and a Master of Public Administration. Ms. Miranda has 10 years of experience in event planning from weddings to seminars and conferences. Most importantly, however, her work has largely been in educational administration. Ms. Miranda was a Foreign Exchange Analyst for Goldman Sachs and an Admissions Counselor and Recruiter for the Office of Student Recruitment at the University of Utah. Having presented at nearly all high schools in Utah and visited all institutions for higher education in the state she continues to serve the K-16 population. As a first generation college graduate, Ms. Miranda is passionate about opportunity and empowerment through quality education for all students.

About Rocky Mountain Sex + Intimacy Summit:

The Rocky Mountain Sex + Intimacy summit is a place for professionals, medical providers, clergy and parents to gain the sex education they never received but always wanted to. It is for those who see the current problems with the ways we are approaching sexuality and want to contribute to better, brighter solutions. It's where you can be in a room full of people where many have similar questions eager to find their own answers. The Summit is the first of its kind in the Rocky Mountain West with the goal of bringing together passionate and compassionate individuals to: 1) improve their knowledge and competency around sexuality; 2) address issues of social justice and inclusivity, and 3) provide opportunities to connect professionals in a variety of domains to improve the health and well-being of the community at large.

Four Sessions Qualify Social Workers, Counselors, Therapists and American Association of Sexuality Educators For Continuing Education Credits

Media Contact:

Kristin Hodson

801-808-0636

[email protected]

SOURCE Kristin Hodson on behalf of The Rocky Mountain Sex Summit

Related Links

http://www.rockymountainsexsummit.com


BOSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Seniorlink, Inc., a leading provider of care collaboration solutions, is pleased to announce that its intensive in-home care subsidiary, Caregiver Homes Network, is the first healthcare organization in the U.S. to receive three-year Accreditation for Case Management with Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Distinction from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

The three-year accreditation is the highest level of achievement awarded by NCQA, an independent non-profit organization dedicated to assessing and reporting on the quality of health care organizations. NCQA's Case Management Accreditation is a comprehensive, evidence-based program that evaluates the quality of case management programs in provider, payer and community-based organizations.

Seniorlink offers a unique set of care collaboration solutions that balance human touch and technology. The company's intensive in-home care subsidiary, Caregiver Homes, provides direct support to family caregivers caring for patients with complex or chronic diseases. After almost two decades successfully managing this care model, Seniorlink applied the insights gained to create Vela, a novel care collaboration technology to integrate family caregivers and care providers in the care management of complex patients. This HIPAA-secure platform connects care providers, including nurse case managers, patient advocates and pharmacists, directly with patients and family caregivers, resulting in high-quality care delivered efficiently at scale.

"Seniorlink is honored to have Caregiver Homes Network recognized by NCQA for its commitment to upholding the highest standards of care. I am especially proud of both our dedicated care teams and our Vela technology platform as each plays an important role in serving complex individuals at home," said Chief Executive Officer Thomas Riley. "Our organization has a unique focus on the family caregiver as central to coordinating care in today's healthcare system. We believe that engaged caregivers, talented clinicians and patient-centered mobile technology are the essential ingredients to improving outcomes and lowering costs."

This is the second time that Caregiver Homes was awarded accreditation by NCQA. In 2014, Caregiver Homes was the first Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) provider in the nation to receive NCQA Case Management Accreditation.

"Americans are increasingly relying on Long Term Services and Supports to help them remain independent in the community with choice about who provides their care," said Margaret E. O'Kane, President, NCQA. "NCQA created the LTSS accreditation programs so that organizations like Caregiver Homes can demonstrate their commitment to coordinating high-quality, effective person-centered care that meets people's needs."

NCQA Accreditation is a voluntary nine-to-12-month review process. Its accreditation program for Case Management with LTSS distinction, announced in July 2016, is NCQA's newest program and covers more than 11 standards for quality.

More information about Seniorlink can be found at www.seniorlink.com. To learn more about Vela, visit www.vela.care.

About Seniorlink

Seniorlink is a leading provider of care collaboration solutions. We serve consumers and caregivers by partnering with risk-bearing provider and payer organizations to augment existing care management capabilities through solutions that leverage human touch and technology. Our team of compassionate, experienced professionals use our proprietary platform, Vela, to encourage real-time collaboration among the extended care team that results in better outcomes at a lower cost. Backed by nearly two decades of care expertise, Seniorlink leads the way on delivering high quality care. Caregiver Homes Network is the first Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) provider in the nation to receive the NCQA Case Management Accreditation with Long Term Services and Support Distinction. More information about Seniorlink can be found at www.seniorlink.com.

About NCQA

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA's Web site (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices. NCQA can be found online at ncqa.org, on Twitter @ncqa, on Facebook at facebook.com/NCQA.org/, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ncqa.

SOURCE Seniorlink, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.seniorlink.com


While the awareness results are cause for optimism, some concerning details also emerged from the study:

More Americans have heard of Ebola, a nearly non-existent condition in the U.S. than sepsis, a condition that affects more than 1.6 million Americans every year. 3

39 percent of Americans incorrectly believe sepsis is contagious

Approximately 72 percent of Americans can identify symptoms of a stroke, yet less than one percent can correctly identify the most common sepsis symptoms.

"We are extremely heartened to see that more people are becoming aware of sepsis but we still have work to do to educate the public about what sepsis is, the symptoms and the importance of rapid response," said Thomas Heymann, Executive Director of Sepsis Alliance. "Sepsis is a medical emergency requiring early detection and treatment, making recognizing symptoms critical to saving lives. The risk of death from sepsis increases by nearly 8 percent for each hour treatment is delayed."

Sepsis is an extreme response to an infection. It is life threatening and, without the right treatment, can cause organ failure, amputation, and death. Sepsis kills more than a quarter of a million Americans every year,1 more than prostate cancer, breast cancer, and AIDS combined.2 Many of those lives could be saved with expanded health provider education and improved public awareness of the signs, symptoms and development of sepsis.

"The fact that the Sepsis Alliance Awareness Survey revealed that the public's awareness of sepsis has risen to 58% is excellent," said Steven Simpson, MD, FCCP, FACP and Chief Medical Officer for Sepsis Alliance. "For people to suspect sepsis and get treatment, they need to first understand what it is and how it manifests itself. Sepsis is not contagious, nor is it spread within hospitals. We strive to keep educating all Americans that sepsis can develop from any type of infection  internal or external - and at any time."

Sepsis attacks the young and the old, the generally well, and the sick. The best way to prevent sepsis is through promptly treating infections, staying up-to-date on vaccines and thoroughly cleaning wounds.

The most common symptoms of sepsis are:

Shivering, fever, or very cold

Extreme pain or discomfort

Clammy or sweaty skin

Confusion or disorientation

Short of breath

High heart rate

In 2011, Sepsis Alliance officially designated September as Sepsis Awareness Month, which is now recognized internationally by sepsis advocates, shining a spotlight on sepsis by spreading the word around the globe. In addition, on September 14, 2017, Sepsis Alliance will host the sixth annual Sepsis Heroes gala in New York City, honoring individuals and organizations which have helped raise sepsis awareness.

For more information on sepsis and Sepsis Alliance, please visit Sepsis.org.

Download and View Survey

2017 survey results can be found at:

http://sepsis.org/files/sepsis_alliance_awareness_survey_2017.pdf

Survey Methodology

Sepsis Alliance commissioned Radius Global Market Research to conduct an online survey on their behalf among over 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older between June 30- July 5, 2017 to measure sepsis awareness among parents. The results were weighted to the US census for age, gender and region. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact [email protected].

About Sepsis Alliance

Sepsis Alliance is North America's leading nonprofit patient sepsis advocacy organization with a mission is to save lives by raising awareness of sepsis as a medical emergency. Sepsis education for the public and healthcare professionals is at the forefront of all initiatives, which include hosting national and community events, distributing programming information and materials, as well as, training and education on sepsis prevention and early recognition and treatment. Sepsis Alliance officially designated September as Sepsis Awareness Month in 2011, which is now celebrated internationally by sepsis advocates and works to further raise sepsis awareness. The sepsis.org website receives more than 1.5 million visits each year and sepsis awareness in the U.S. has more than tripled since Sepsis Alliance's founding in 2007. Sepsis Alliance, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, is a GuideStar Gold Rated Charity. For more information, please visit www.sepsis.org.

Sources:

Contact:

Amir Khan

[email protected]

(212) 899-9730

SOURCE Sepsis Alliance

Related Links

http://www.sepsisalliance.org


Organized by the Publicity Department of the CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee and the Executive Committee of FGF Guangzhou, the event was held in the City Parlor located in the new axis of Guangzhou city. Slogans were posted, on the buildings of Canton Tower, Guangzhou International Finance Center and other constructions, and on outdoor screens and bus TVs, to welcome the 100-day countdown for Fortune Global Forum.

Mr. Harvey Dzodin, special commentator of CCTV, legal counsel of the former American President Carter, the former Chief Director and Vice President of American Broadcasting Corporation, Inc. (ABC), presented at the event and expressed his wish that Guangzhou would, through holding the Fortune Global Forum, attract the world's attention to this vigorous city with its good stories.

Countdown with Wishes from Everywhere

Guangzhou enjoys a wide friendship all over the world. Taking the 2017 Fortune Global Forum (which will be held through Dec 6 to Dec 8, 2017) as a chance, the countdown event attracted political and business leaders in the world who sent videos for good wishes from overseas.

Ms. Emilia Saiz, Deputy Secretary of United Cities and Local Governments, expressed that Guangzhou is a beautiful city with multi-cultures and innovations. Mr. Philippe Pasquet, Executive Director, Managing Director of GL Events Exhibitions Department praised Guangzhou's highly efficient public services, excellent entrepreneurship, and enthusiasm in all kinds of international events.

FGF Messengers' Invitation to the Whole World

Since July this year, an activity "FGF Messenger Writing to CEOs of Fortune Global 500 companies and Industry Leaders" has been initiated in Guangzhou. Volunteers and students have visited these enterprises here and sent invitations to guests worldwide with their own words and perspectives, demonstrating the charm of modern Guangzhou, the host city of Fortune Global Forum, and its profound traditional Lingnan culture deeply rooted as its origin.

Zi Yue, a third-grade student and representative of FGF Messenger, received the reply from Mr. Alan Murray, CCO of Time Inc. and President of Fortune Magazine. In her invitation to Mr. Murray, she recommended the city's beautiful landscape and delicious food and expressed the hope to communicate face to face with him in the Fortune Global Forum by the end of 2017.

"I look forward to meeting you in Guangzhou. I've been to your city several times now. With each visit I discover something new." On August 27, Mr. Murray expressed in his reply his sincere wish to meet this FGF Messenger. He likes the landscape, food and the bookshops described in the letter and expressed his dedication to "working closely with Guangzhou's city leaders to make sure guests who travel to Guangzhou for the Global Forum also have a chance to experience the city itself."

The keywords of 2017 Fortune Global Forum are "innovation revolution, the future of globalization, 21st-century leadership and sustainable development." By August 23, 129 of Fortune Global 500 companies had confirmed their participation. In terms of industry leading enterprises, 30 among 116 enterprises reviewed by the Fortune, had confirmed to join. "We will talk about 'openness and innovation' in the global economic, and the opportunities and challenges brought about by China's rapid development," Mr. Murray wrote, looking forward to the Fortune Global Forum in Guangzhou.

Image Attachments Links:

http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=295393

http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=295394

SOURCE Publicity Department of the CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee
NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Ellie Mae, Inc. ("Ellie Mae" or the "Company") (NYSE: ELLI). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980.

The investigation concerns whether Ellie Mae and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here to join a class action]

On July 27, 2017 Ellie Mae reported its financial and operating results for the second quarter of 2017. The Company stated that some of its customers experienced a lower closed loan volume due to declining refi volume, and that "tight housing inventory held back purchase volume." Citing these factors, the Company cut its full year 2017 guidance.

On this news, Ellie Mae's share price fell $19.21, or 17.48%, to close at $90.69 on July 28, 2017.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, 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

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

Related Links

http://www.pomerantzlaw.com


"The updated drilling program results not only confirm the existence of high-grade silver mineralization but also allows Sierra Metals the opportunity of upgrading this material into a mineral resource. It is important to note that the Santa Rosa de Lima zone is already accessible by our existing mine infrastructure which will allow for inclusion of this material into the mine plan in the near future. The assay results will be included in an updated mineral resource estimate for the Cusi mine which is expected to be released by year end" stated Alonso Lujan, Vice President Exploration at Sierra Metals. "Intercepts such as those returned in Holes 47, 50 and 51 are common in high-grade epithermal deposits. Additionally, there is further potential to expand the exploration success to depth and along strike at the Santa Rosa de Lima zone as well as other zones including the San Rafael Vein, San Nicolas Vein and the Bordo Fault. We look forward to further potential discoveries as we continue to explore the Cusi Mine district."

Igor Gonzales, President and CEO of Sierra Metals commented: "The discovery and exploration of the Santa Rosa de Lima zone is an important advance in uncovering Cusi's silver asset value. It confirms the existence of a high-grade silver deposit that will contribute to the growth of the Cusi Mine and to higher silver revenues for Sierra Metals." He continued, "The Santa Rosa de Lima zone has the potential to transform the current operations at the Cusi Mine and offers even greater potential going forward, as the positive exploration results in our step out drilling campaign have demonstrated. Currently, we have ramped down to the zone and are now planning and developing for the inclusion of this ore in the mine plan at Cusi."

Cusi Mine Geology

The Cusi mine district encompasses 11,657 hectares over range of elevation of 1,950 to 2,460 metres above sea level in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountain Range. It is the result of one of largest volcanic events in the world that occurred between the Cretaceous and the Tertiary periods. The Sierra Madre Occidental is formed by two volcanics groups. Upper Volcanic Complex and Lower Volcanic Complex.

The Sierra Madre Occidental is one of the largest known epithermal precious metal metallogenic provinces and is host to well-known gold and silver producing mining districts, including: Concheno, Ocampo, Bacis, Tayoltita, Topia, Guanacevi, La Cienega, Mulatos El Sauzal and Pinos Altos.

The Cusi Mine district is located in the Lower Volcanic Complex, where subvolcanic rocks are closely related to the mineralization. The current operation is being developed in secondary veins with a preferred Northeast-Southwest arrangement. The Santa Rosa de Lima zone has no clear evidence of surface hydrothermalism although it has been identified for a length of 12 kilometers within Sierra Metals concessions or property boundaries. The Santa Rosa de Lima zone has an extensive relationship with the structural trend where Sunshine Silver Mine's Los Gatos Project is located 90 kilometers to the Southeast.

The mineralization at the Santa Rosa de Lima zone is located approximately 200 meters below the surface, and can occasionally be observed at surface in the intersections of veins like Promontorio and Santa Edwiges.

Table 1.1 Results from the drill program

N Hole Internal Control Real Width (m) Au g/t Ag g/t Pb % Zn % EQAg g/t DC17B721 31 1.10 - 128 0.13 0.27 144 DC17B722 32 1.65 - 117 0.08 0.10 124 DC17B723 34 2.90 - 168 0.31 0.44 198 DC17B725 36 0.40 - 14 0.54 1.53 99 DC17B726 38 3.50 - 213 0.14 0.21 227 DC17B729 33 3.80 - 287 0.10 0.10 295 DC17B731 41 4.50 - 176 0.14 0.16 188 DC17B740 42 6.25 - 440 0.14 0.16 452 DC17B741 35 2.50 - 128 0.28 0.14 144 DC17B742 44 1.50 - 71 0.24 0.25 90 DC17B743 47 4.50 - 401 0.13 0.19 414 DC17B744 39 9.15 - 243 0.24 0.15 258 DC17B745 49 1.40 - 110 0.24 0.48 139 DC17B747 62 0.85 - 90 0.11 0.12 99 DC17B748 50 4.00 - 205 2.40 3.15 424 DC17B749 63 1.55 - 31 1.56 0.63 112 DC17B750 51 13.85 - 465 0.54 0.33 498 DC17B751 57 0.90 - 181 0.89 1.61 281 DC17B752 54 4.70 - 172 5.35 5.15 580 DC17B753 59 0.90 - 112 0.75 1.44 200

Samples were dried, crushed and pulverized by ALS Chemex in Chihuahua City, samples pulp were shipped by ALS Chemex to their laboratory in Vancouver, Canada.

Figure 1 shows a plan map of the Cusi area. Figure 2 shows the distribution of the drilling executed at the Santa Rosa de Lima zone. Figure 3 shows a cross section in which several veins has been identified.

Qualified Persons

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Gordon Babcock P.Eng., Chief Operating Officer and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Americo Zuzunaga, MAusIMM CP(Geologist) and Vice President of Corporate Planning is a Qualified Person (Geologist) and chartered professional qualifying as a competent person under the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.

Augusto Chung, FAusIMM CP(Metallurgist) and Consultant to Sierra Metals is a Qualified Person (Metallurgist) and chartered professional qualifying as a competent person under the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.

About Sierra Metals

Sierra Metals Inc. is Canadian based growing polymetallic mining company with production from its Yauricocha Mine in Peru, and its Bolivar and Cusi Mines in Mexico. The Company is focused on increasing production volume and growing mineral resources. Sierra Metals has recently had several new key discoveries and still has many more exciting brownfield exploration opportunities at all three Mines in Peru and Mexico that are within close proximity to the existing mines. Additionally, the Company also has large land packages at all three mines with several prospective regional targets providing longer term exploration upside and mineral resource growth potential.

The Company's Common Shares trade on the Bolsa de Valores de Lima and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "SMT" and on the NYSE American Exchange under the symbol "SMTS".

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Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian and U.S. securities laws related to the Company (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's operations, including anticipated developments in the Company's operations in future periods, the Company's planned exploration activities, the adequacy of the Company's financial resources, and other events or conditions that may occur in the future. Statements concerning mineral reserve and resource estimates may also be considered to constitute forward-looking statements to the extent that they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered if and when the properties are developed or further developed. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", "potential" or variations thereof, or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the mining industry including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected geological formations, floods, labour disruptions, explosions, cave-ins, weather conditions and criminal activity; commodity price fluctuations; higher operating and/or capital costs; lack of available infrastructure; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks associated with the estimation of mineral resources and the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits and the inability to replace reserves; fluctuations in the price of commodities used in the Company's operations; risks related to foreign operations; changes in laws or policies, foreign taxation, delays or the inability to obtain necessary governmental permits; risks relating to outstanding borrowings; issues regarding title to the Company's properties; risks related to environmental regulation; litigation risks; risks related to uninsured hazards; the impact of competition; volatility in the price of the Company's securities; global financial risks; inability to attract or retain qualified employees; potential conflicts of interest; risks related to a controlling group of shareholders; dependence on third parties; differences in U.S. and Canadian reporting of mineral reserves and resources; potential dilutive transactions; foreign currency risks; risks related to business cycles; liquidity risks; reliance on internal control systems; credit risks, including risks related to the Company's compliance with covenants with respect to its BCP Facility; uncertainty of production and cost estimates for the Yauricocha Mine, the Bolivar Mine and the Cusi Mine; and other risks identified in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filings are available at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov, respectively.

This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking information. Forward looking information includes statements about the future and are inherently uncertain, and the Company's actual achievements or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking information due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. The Company's statements containing forward-looking information are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, one should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

SOURCE Sierra Metals Inc.

Related Links

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By PTI: By Youssra EL-Sharkawy

Cairo, Aug 29 (PTI) At least 14 people were killed and 42 others injured today when a bus and a pick-up truck collided after plunging from a bridge onto the road below in southern Egypt, officials said.

The Health Ministry said in a statement that the accident took place on a main road linking Beni Suef with the capital, Cairo.

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The driver of the pick-up truck, which was carrying poultry, told local media that he fell with his vehicle from the bridge but managed to get out of the vehicle quickly, then the bus fell over his vehicle.

The driver is currently being treated in a hospital.

The bus, which was travelling from Cairo to the Upper Egyptian city of Menya, was carrying 62 passengers.

Hospital sources said that some of the injured are in a serious condition.

Egypt has one of the worlds highest accident rates owing to careless driving and poor road and vehicle conditions.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) ranks Egypt as the worlds tenth worst country in road accidents, after India, China and the US. PTI YES KJ AKJ KJ

--- ENDS ---
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sixt Rent-a-Car, a leading international provider of high-quality mobility services operating in more than 100 countries worldwide, delivers its customers key strengths such as a high value-vehicle fleet, a consistent service orientation and innovation culture and a good price-performance ratio. Sixt utilizes state-of-the-art technology, meeting the needs of today's tech-savvy consumer. The company recently detailed its continued efforts to expand in the United States, announcing the opening of two upcoming locations in San Diego and San Antonio. The parent companythe Sixt SE of Pullach, Germany has recently released consolidated earnings for the 2nd Quarter of 2017.

During the first half of 2017, the Sixt Group registered strong gains in earnings that outstripped it's internal projections. Consolidated earnings before taxes (EBT) improved by a quarter (+25.3%) to USD 112.2 million. Accordingly, the operating return on revenue (EBT to consolidated operating revenue) gained 1.4 percentage points, climbing to 9.6%. In the second quarter, it actually reached 11.5%. Sixt benefits from ongoing strong foreign operations in its Vehicle Rental business, above all in such key markets as Spain, France and the United States. As announced back on July 20th, the Management Board upgraded its outlook for the full fiscal year 2017.

Erich Sixt, CEO of Sixt SE has issued the following statement:

"With an operating return on revenue of nearly 10% during the first half of the year, Sixt has demonstrated yet again that we are presumably the most profitable international vehicle rental provider in the world. Outside of Germany, we are benefitting significantly from our growth initiatives, such as the successful launch of corporately-owned operations in Italy. Shifting tourism flows in the Mediterranean region, to countries such as France and Spain, have also been beneficial. All in all, our outlook for the current fiscal year has become substantially more optimistic."

Key Sixt Group figures for the first six months of 2017:

Sixt Group's consolidated revenue for the period between January and June of 2017 climbed to USD 1.33 billion , a gain of 5.7% (H1 2016: USD 1.26 billion ).

for the period between January and June of 2017 climbed to , a gain of 5.7% (H1 2016: ). Consolidated operating revenue (excluding revenue from the sales of returned leasing vehicles) went up 6.3% to USD 1.17 billion , compared to USD 1.10 billion generated over the same period the year before.

(excluding revenue from the sales of returned leasing vehicles) went up 6.3% to , compared to generated over the same period the year before. Operating revenue for the Vehicle Rental Business Unit came to USD 927.4 million , a gain of 6.4%. Foreign operations climbed by 12.3% to USD 495.3 million , benefitting from numerous measures geared at intensifying sales and marketing activities in the Western European countries and the USA . In popular holiday destinations, such as Spain and France , demand was boosted given political instability in other Mediterranean countries. The share of foreign business in operating revenue continued to climb, up from 50.6% in H1 2016 to currently 53.4%.

came to , a gain of 6.4%. Foreign operations climbed by 12.3% to , benefitting from numerous measures geared at intensifying sales and marketing activities in the Western European countries and the . In popular holiday destinations, such as and , demand was boosted given political instability in other Mediterranean countries. The share of foreign business in operating revenue continued to climb, up from 50.6% in H1 2016 to currently 53.4%. Operating leasing revenue (without the proceeds from sales) increased 6.0% to USD 238.8 million (H1 2016: USD 225.3 million ). Sixt Leasing SE managed to expand its Group contract portfolio substantially in the first six months over the figure at the end of 2016 and added some 13.5% to a total of 128,900 contracts. Growth was carried through by the highly dynamic development in its private and commercial customer leasing (Online Retail business field), which saw its contract portfolio grow by 55.1%.

(without the proceeds from sales) increased 6.0% to (H1 2016: ). Sixt Leasing SE managed to expand its Group contract portfolio substantially in the first six months over the figure at the end of 2016 and added some 13.5% to a total of 128,900 contracts. Growth was carried through by the highly dynamic development in its private and commercial customer leasing (Online Retail business field), which saw its contract portfolio grow by 55.1%. Group earnings before taxes (EBT) climbed in spite of ongoing high expenditures for expansion measures and new mobility offers, gaining a significant 25.3% to USD 112.2 million (H1 2016: USD 89.5 million ).

climbed in spite of ongoing high expenditures for expansion measures and new mobility offers, gaining a significant 25.3% to (H1 2016: ). For the first six months Sixt recognized consolidated profit before third party interests of USD 79.7 million , a gain of 28.5% (H1 2016: USD 62.0 million ).

Key Sixt Group figures for Q2 2017

In Q2 of 2017, the Group recorded a gain in consolidated revenue of 5.5% to USD 704.5 million (Q2 2016: USD 667.9 million ).

of 5.5% to (Q2 2016: ). Consolidated operating revenue rose 6.6% to USD 627.0 million

(Q2 2016: USD 588.3 million ).

rose 6.6% to (Q2 2016: ). Q2 recorded a very strong gain in EBT, up by 29.5% to USD 71.9 million (Q2 2016: USD 55.5 million ).

Increased investments

From January to June of 2017, Sixt added roughly 121,400 vehicles to its rental and leasing fleet (H1 2016: approx. 115,900 vehicles) with a total value of USD 3.75 billion (H1 2016: USD 3.35 billion). This equals an increase of around 4.7% in the number of vehicles, and around 11.8% in the investment volume.

Outlook for the full-year 2017

In light of strong business performance during the first six months, and the business development recorded so far in the third quarter, the Management Board announced July 20th that it would upgrade its outlook for the full year of 2017.

The Board now projects a significant increase in consolidated EBT (2016: USD 238.6 million). Sixt also expects solid growth of the consolidated operating revenue (2016: USD 2.32 billion). Prior to this, the Management Board had envisaged a stable to slightly higher Group EBT, as well as a slight increase in consolidated operating revenue.

Sixt SE's complete, mid-year financial report is available by going to the following link: http://ir.sixt.eu.

Exchange rate for currency translation purposes: 1 euro = 1.09318 US Dollar

The Sixt Group at a glance (Data according to IFRS; rounding differences may occur)













Revenue development



Change



Change in USD million H1 2017 H1 2016 in % Q2 2017 Q2 2016 in % Operating revenue 1,166.2 1,097.0 +6.3 627.0 588.3 +6.6













Rental Business Unit 927.4 871.6 +6.4 508.4 473.6 +7.4 Thereof rental revenue 837.5 784.9 +6.7 464.3 429.3 +8.2 Thereof other revenue from rental

business 89.9 86.7 +3.7 44.1 44.3 -0.4













Leasing Business Unit 397.4 381.1 +4.3 195.1 193.0 +1.1 Thereof leasing revenue 123.1 119.1 +3.3 61.2 60.0 +2.0 Thereof other revenue from leasing

business 115.7 106.2 +8.9 57.4 54.7 +4.8 Thereof sales revenue 158.6 155.8 +1.8 76.5 78.2 -2.2













Other revenue 2.1 2.7 -24.3 1.0 1.4 -26.3













Consolidated revenue 1,326.9 1,255.5 +5.7 704.5 667.9 +5.5















Earnings performance



Change



Change in USD million H1 2017 H1 2016 in % Q2 2017 Q2 2016 in % Fleet expenses and cost of lease assets 464.3 459.3 +1.1 240.1 236.6 +1.5 Personnel expenses 186.6 162.5 +14.8 97.7 83.3 +17.3 Depreciation and amortization expense 277.6 262.7 +5.7 151.2 138.9 +8.8 Net other operating income/expenses -268.1 -260.7 +2.8 -135.5 -143.1 -5.4 Earnings before interest and taxes

(EBIT) 130.2 110.3 +18.0 80.1 65.9 +21.5 Net finance costs -18.0 -20.7 -13.3 -8.1 -10.4 -21.5 Earnings before taxes (EBT) 112.2 89.5 +25.3 71.9 55.5 +29.5 Thereof rental business unit 87.8 72.3 +21.5 59.8 47.8 +25.2 Thereof leasing business unit 18.3 17.8 +3.2 9.0 8.9 +1.3 Income tax expense 32.5 27.5 +18.0 20.2 16.5 +22.7 Consolidated profit 79.7 62.0 +28.5 51.7 39.1 +32.4 Earnings per share (in USD) 1.53 1.14

1.01 0.73





Other key figures for the Group





30 Jun. 2017 31 Dec. 2016 Change % Total assets (USD million)





4,987.1 4,403.9 +13.2 Rental vehicles (USD million)





2,591.2 2,139.4 +21.1 Lease assets (USD million)





1,195.3 1,115.9 +7.1 Equity (USD million)





1,159.4 1,180.3 -1.8 Equity ratio (%)





23.2 26.8 -3.6 Points





















H1 2017 H1 2016 Change % Investments (USD billion)1





3.75 3.35 +11.8 Average number of rental vehicles (Group)





107,400 105,300 +2.0 Number of rental offices (worldwide)2





2,264 2,214 +2.3 Number of leasing contracts as at 30 Jun. (Group)





128,900 105,200 +22.5 Exchange rate for currency translation purposes: 1 euro = 1.09318 US Dollar

1 Value of vehicles added to the rental and leasing fleet 2 Incl. franchise countries

SOURCE Sixt Rent-a-Car
FedRAMP is a US government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. By selecting a cloud services provider with FedRAMP Authorization, government agencies are assured that the required security standards are met, saving individual government agencies and programs significant time and money versus conducting these assessments themselves.

With the SpringCM FedRAMP authorized document and contract management platform, federal agencies can meet the strict government security requirements while streamlining their complex business processes and the associated workflows for the billions of documents managed, significantly cutting down review and approval times.

By automating manual workflows, SpringCM's public sector customers improve their experience with a cloud-based platform that simplifies contract and document generation, management and storage. Through SpringCM, users are securely collaborating across project teams, programs, departments, offices and entire agencies.

Comments on the News:

"Government agencies are aggressively moving to the cloud, looking to reduce time and money spent on generating, storing, collaborating on, reviewing, approving, managing, and searching for documents. Legacy document management systems, such as SharePoint, FileNet, Documentum and OpenText, no longer meet the needs of our government or their constituents," said Dan Dal Degan, SpringCM CEO. "Manually managing documents creates bottlenecks and prolongs the approval process. SpringCM helps government agencies modernize their approach to document management and contract management, increasing throughput, while improving their security posture and saving money."





"We have a large number of cabinet-level agencies, Federal Systems Integrators, and Salesforce Public Sector customers that have been anxiously awaiting SpringCM's FedRAMP Authorization," said Gary Wootten , Vice President of SpringCM Public Sector. "We are excited to now be able to help them by automating the complex workflows and business processes associated with their Contract Management and Document Management initiatives."





, Vice President of SpringCM Public Sector. "We are excited to now be able to help them by automating the complex workflows and business processes associated with their Contract Management and Document Management initiatives." "We are excited that SpringCM's solutions are now certified by FedRAMP," said Bethany Blackwell , Director of the Salesforce Team at Carahsoft, the trusted Government IT solutions provider  . "As a Salesforce AppExchange partner, SpringCM's contract management and document management tools offer federal customers and our reseller ecosystem the means to manage their work flow with products that meet security standards and improve productivity."

For more information about SpringCM public sector-tailored solutions, please visit www.springcm.com/solutions/public-sector. You can also learn more about SpringCM's FedRAMP authorization by visiting the SpringCM blog.

In addition to FedRAMP Authorization, SpringCM is HIPAA assessed and compliant, CSA Star compliant under SOC 2, and certified with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework by the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA).

About SpringCM

SpringCM helps work flow by delivering an innovative document management and workflow platform, that powers the leading contract lifecycle management (CLM) application. SpringCM empowers companies to become more productive by reducing the time spent managing critical business documents. Intelligent, automated workflows enable document collaboration across an organization from any desktop or mobile device. Delivered through a secure, scalable cloud platform, SpringCM document and contract management solutions seamlessly integrate with Salesforce, or work as a standalone solution.

Every day, more than 600 companies use SpringCM to improve customer experience and get more done, faster. For more information about SpringCM, visit www.springcm.com.

For more information, contact:

Will Wiegler

[email protected]

1-877- 362-7273

SOURCE SpringCM
TORONTO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- An analysis of recent attacks finds a sharp increase in the use of new strains of malware capable of bypassing traditional anti-virus according to cybersecurity experts from Akouto. The majority of the analyzed attacks aimed to harvest confidential information and steal money through online banking fraud.

The first sign of trouble for a small business owner in Ontario was a phone call from the bank warning of suspicious money transfers that could be an indication of hackers accessing their account. All computers were checked and anti-virus scans assured staff that they were virus-free. To be safe, the company decided to beef-up security using a managed cybersecurity service.

Once new measures were in place, it became clear that things were worse than they appeared. "We received a large number of alerts showing multiple computers communicating with a hacker botnet," said Bruno Macchiusi, founder of IT Service Provider Alpha Logics. "Virus scans continued to find no infections, but information provided by network monitoring systems allowed us to quickly identify the threat as the Heodo banking Trojan and take infected systems off the client's network."

Heodo made its debut on the malware scene in March 2017. It was created primarily to steal sensitive information like passwords and e-banking information that is then used to rob victims' bank accounts. The infection is triggered when a user clicks on a link or opens a PDF file for a fake invoice that arrives in an email from a known contact. Once a computer is infected, the Trojan searches for more email addresses it can target by sending fake messages that appear to come from the victim. It also scans the network for other computers and infects them by exploiting a weakness in the way computers running the Windows operating system share information with each other.

"The creators of Heodo spliced the code of a Trojan with that of a Worm to create a hybrid capable of stealing information, self-replicating and mutating," said Dominic Chorafakis, founder of cybersecurity consulting firm Akouto. "Using its Trojan DNA it constantly collects sensitive information that is transmitted back to the hackers. Using its Worm DNA it burrows through networks spreading to other computers, stealing more information and spreading even further."

Heodo uses technology called a crypter that allows it to hide from anti-virus products. It embeds itself within applications on the infected computer, establishes links back to command-and-control servers to download additional instructions, and makes mutated copies of itself on the infected system.

These types of attacks highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity that goes beyond anti-virus. "Identifying the breach was only half the battle," said Macchiusi. "Once infected computers were isolated, the challenge was to find all of the mutations on each system before it could be returned to the client's network. It took products from eight different anti-virus vendors and specialized monitoring to finally identify the specific combination of tools and steps needed to completely eradicate the Trojan."

Media Contact:

Dominic Chorafakis

[email protected]

1-877-707-0920

SOURCE Akouto
CHICAGO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A second quarter survey conducted by Strata, the leader in advertising software, found the number of advertising agencies anticipating slower growth in the second half of 2017 compared to the first half increased by 158% from the previous quarter. 41% said winning new business is their main concern, while 23% reported client spending as their biggest concern. 66% of agencies expect their budgets to stay the same or decrease, while 28% expect an increase. Only 25% anticipated the need to expand staff, a 35% decrease compared to the previous quarter.

"The advertising economy quarterly results, at first glance, are pretty bleak. However, when put in perspective, 2016 was a banner year with the US Elections and the Olympics. Even without general economic uncertainty it would be difficult to sustain that type of growth," said Judd Rubin, Senior Vice President at Strata.

When it comes to projected platform use, social media has seen a shakeup. Facebook remains perched on top on top with 97% of agencies intending to use it, but Instagram's projected usage has risen to 64%. YouTube has fallen to 3rd at 60%, and Twitter remains in 4th with 38%.

In spite of these shifts,, ad spend on social media has not moved significantly. While 22% of agencies allocate 11-25% of their budgets on social, 74% plan to spend less than 10%.

Focus on traditional media remains strong, with 66% reporting their client's interest in network TV & cable remained the same when compared to last year. The same could be said for radio at 63%, local TV and cable at 62%. In other forms of media, 76% indicated that their clients were showing a greater interest in digital video, while 78% reported a grown desire of their clients to advertise more on mobile. Nearly half (46%) of agencies also reported that their clients were curious to explore new live streaming technologies such as Facebook Live to spread their campaigns.

About Strata

The solutions that Strata provides empowers clients to buy and sell all media types including cable, broadcast, newspaper, radio, outdoor and digital advertising mediums. On average, over $50 billion in advertising dollars flow through Strata systems per year. As the system of choice for over 1,000 agencies in the United States, Strata provides media technology that enables organizations to lead rather than react to industry developments. By transforming the way advertisements are placed and tracked, Strata adds a new level of transparency to campaigns that is necessary in the ever-evolving media world. Strata is a Comcast Advanced Advertising company. For more information, visit www.gotostrata.com.

SOURCE Strata

Related Links

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SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Switchfly, a San Francisco-based technology innovator for the travel industry, is recruiting developers and software engineers for its world-class development hub in Denver. The company began local hiring in July and expects to have 50+ employees in the region by the end of the year.

In a Hired.com study, Denver ranked second in the country as the most appealing city in the U.S. for software engineers. "Denver is a perfect storm of tech talent, economic opportunity and local culture," said Amy Shat, EVP Human Resources. "If you care about amazing travel experiences and developing software that makes life more rewarding for you and your friends, then Switchfly is the company for you. Even if you're not on the job market right now, Switchfly wants to connect with great minds and talented software engineers in the Denver startup and technology communities."

Switchfly understands the great variety of experiences that has been moving tech talent to U.S. cities such as Denver, Austin, Portland and Seattle. Switchfly's Denver hub will be critical in helping the company build the next generation of travel technology while tapping into economic growth, deep talent resources and an entrepreneurial culture in the Denver-Boulder region. Switchfly offers software developers in Denver a chance to be part of a global company with a highly diverse workforce and a dynamic industry with the challenge of transforming travel.

As an example of the real-world challenges software engineers will tackle at Switchfly, the company most recently applied its travel commerce platform to solving the costly logistical problems associated with cancelled flights and stranded passengers who need re-accommodations. "The quality of travel depends on the quality and power of the software that manages highly complex databases for travel providers and millions of travelers every day. Switchfly needs software developers who can build that power out while designing a great user experience on the front and back ends," said Jen Stephen, EVP Technology.

To interview Amy Shat or for more information about the company's travel technology solutions and vision for the Denver region, please contact Vanessa Horwell at [email protected] or visit www.switchfly.com.

Transforming Travel Revenues & Experiences

Switchfly, Inc., is a travel commerce platform for direct channel booking that drives maximum loyalty and revenue for its clients. Through the company's global network of ancillary merchandise for activity, air, car, hotel and insurance, Switchfly facilitates the redemption of more than 40B points and miles and generates over $3B in revenues for customers each year. The company's global customer base includes American Airlines, JetBlue and LATAM Airlines; IAG Avios and United MileagePlus; InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International and Starwood Hotels and Resorts; Groupon and Living Social; and Mastercard and VISA. For more information, visit www.switchfly.com.

Media Contact

Vanessa Horwell, ThinkInk

[email protected]

+1.305.776.8817

SOURCE Switchfly

Related Links

http://www.switchfly.com


TORONTO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Symbility Solutions Inc. ("Symbility" or the "Company") (TSX.V: SY), a global software company focused on modernizing the insurance industry, today announced financial results for the second quarter ending June 30, 2017.

"We are pleased to report yet another quarter of record-breaking revenue, making this the fifth consecutive quarter of growth and our strongest quarter of revenue to date," said James Swayze, CEO of Symbility Solutions. "All three of our operating segments have realized solid organic growth within existing accounts, and new contracts globally. The resources added to our Artificial Intelligence initiative, plus the launch of our consumer-facing products in Canada and the UK market will lead to accelerated adoption of our complete suite of solutions in the coming quarters."

SECOND QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS

Consolidated revenue for the second quarter of 2017 ended June 30, 2017 was $9.8 million compared to $8.7 million in the same period in 2016, an increase of 13%. Consolidated revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2017 was $19.1 million compared to $16.6 million in the same period in 2016, an increase of 15%.





was compared to in the same period in 2016, an increase of 13%. Consolidated revenue for the six months ended was compared to in the same period in 2016, an increase of 15%. The Company reported an Adjusted EBITDA of $0.39 million in Q2 2017 compared to an Adjusted EBITDA of $0.29 million in Q2 2016, an increase of 36%. Adjusted EBITDA for the six months ended June 30, 2017 was $0.03 million compared to Adjusted EBITDA of ($0.27) million in the same period in 2016, a decrease in loss of 110%.





in Q2 2017 compared to an Adjusted EBITDA of in Q2 2016, an increase of 36%. Adjusted EBITDA for the six months ended was compared to Adjusted EBITDA of in the same period in 2016, a decrease in loss of 110%. The Company had a loss per share 2 of ($0.00) in the second quarter of 2017 compared to a loss per share of ($0.00) in the second quarter of 2016. The Company had a loss per share of ($0.01) for the six months ended June 30, 2017 compared to a loss per share of ($0.01) in the same period in 2016.





of in the second quarter of 2017 compared to a loss per share of in the second quarter of 2016. The Company had a loss per share of for the six months ended compared to a loss per share of in the same period in 2016. The Company had a cash balance of $6.8 million as at June 30, 2017 compared to a cash balance of $8.0 million as at December 31, 2016 .





as at compared to a cash balance of as at . Net loss for the second quarter of 2017 was ($0.90) million compared to net loss of ($0.72) million in the same period in 2016. Net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2017 was ($2.03) million compared to net loss of ($2.24) million in the same period in 2016, a decrease in loss of 9%.

SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

in thousands of dollars three months ended June 30, six months ended June 30,

2017 2016 2017 2016 Revenue $9,796 $8,665 $19,131 $16,576 Cost of Sales $3,151 $2,601 $6,133 $4,877 Expenses $7,542 $6,766 $15,018 $13,921 Net Loss ($899) ($718) ($2,033) ($2,239) Adjusted EBITDA1 $389 $286 $26 ($267) Loss per share2 ($0.00) ($0.00) ($0.01) ($0.01)

As at June 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016, in thousands of dollars 2017 2016 Cash and cash equivalents $6,768 $7,976 Total Assets $35,769 $38,021 Total long term liabilities $409 $396



three months ended June 30,

six months ended June 30,

2017 2016

2017 2016 IFRS Net Loss ($899) ($718)

($2,033) ($2,239) Finance income, net ($5) ($3)

($9) ($9) Depreciation and amortization $497 $684

$1,105 $1,378 Stock-based compensation $261 $304

$413 $577 Transaction Related Expense $528 $0

$528 $0 Income tax expense $7 $19

$22 $26 Adjusted EBITDA1 $389 $286

$26 ($267)

1 Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure and is calculated as earnings before interest income, taxes, depreciation and amortization, impairment losses, stock-based compensation, and other non-recurring gains or losses including transaction costs related to acquisition and restructuring cost. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA is a useful measure that facilitates period-to-period operating comparisons. Adjusted EBITDA does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and is not necessarily comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net earnings (loss) prepared in accordance with IFRS as issued by IASB. All other financial measures referenced herein have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards unless stated otherwise. 2 In Canadian dollars, rounded to the nearest cent.

INVESTOR CONFERENCE CALL

Symbility will host a live webcast and conference call Tuesday, August 29, 2017, at 4 p.m. Eastern time to discuss these results. All interested parties are welcome to join the live webcast, which can be accessed at https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1491521/55E0B6D86B5C99A4DF483C7B5E5E5E45. Participants may also join the conference call by dialing toll free (888) 231-8191 or (647) 427-7450 for international participants. A replay of the webcast will be available on Symbility's website.

ABOUT SYMBILITY

Symbility (TSX.V: SY) believes in creating world-class experiences that simplify business and improve lives. With a history in modernizing insurance claims solutions for the property and health industries, Symbility has established itself as a partner that puts security, efficiency and customer experience first. Symbility PROPERTY brings smarter thinking to property insurance. Symbility HEALTH helps benefits professionals build their brands and businesses. Our strategic services team, Symbility INTERSECT empowers a variety of businesses with smarter mobile and IoT product development strategy, design thinking and engineering excellence. With our three segments pushing industries forward, Symbility proves that change for the better is entirely possible. symbilitysolutions.com

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to the Company, its products and operations and the contemplated financing. These statements generally can be identified by use of forward looking words such as "may", "will", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intends", "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The actual results and performance of the Company discussed herein could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, among other things, general economic and market factors, competition, changes in government regulations, and the factors described under "Risk Factors" in the Management's Discussion and Analysis and Annual Information Form of the Company which are available at www.sedar.com. The cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to the Company and persons acting on their behalf. Unless otherwise stated, all forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and the Company has no obligation to update such statements.

This press release should be read in conjunction with Company's consolidated financial statements and related notes, and management's discussion and analysis for the quarter ending June 30, 2017, copies of which can be found at www.sedar.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

All trade names are the property of their respective owners.

Symbility Solutions Inc.





Interim Consolidated Statements of Financial Position





(Unaudited - In thousands of Canadian dollars)

















June 30, 2017 December 31, 2016 Assets





Current assets







Cash and cash equivalents

6,768 7,976

Accounts receivable

6,589 6,488

Prepaid expenses

1,205 1,217

Tax credits receivables

564 745



15,126 16,426 Long-term assets















Prepaid expenses

68 33

Security deposits

111 114

Property and equipment

555 626

Intangible assets

9,146 10,059

Goodwill

10,763 10,763



35,769 38,021 Liabilities













Current Liabilities







Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

1,207 2,288

Accrued liabilities

3,721 4,025

Provisions

662 845

Deferred revenue

2,721 1,836



8,311 8,994 Long-term liabilities







Accrued liabilities and others

12 14

Customer deposits

397 382



8,720 9,390







Shareholders' equity

27,049 28,631



35,769 38,021

Symbility Solutions Inc.

Interim Consolidated Statements of Loss and Comprehensive Loss

Unaudited - In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share data















three-month period ended June 30,

six-month period ended June 30,



2017 2016

2017 2016













Revenue













Software and other

7,981 7,219

15,230 14,078

Professional services

1,815 1,446

3,901 2,498

Total Revenue

9,796 8,665

19,131 16,576













Cost of sales













Software and other

1,697 1,744

3,313 3,259

Professional services

1,454 857

2,820 1,618

Total cost of sales

3,151 2,601

6,133 4,877 Gross Profit

6,645 6,064

12,998 11,699













Expenses













Sales and Marketing

3,551 3,566

7,326 7,143

General and administration

2,153 2,018

4,601 4,024

Research and development

1,186 888

2,319 1,793

Depreciation, amortization, and foreign exchange

124 294

244 961

Transaction

528 -

528 -



7,542 6,766

15,018 13,921 Loss before finance income, net and income

tax expense

(897) (702)

(2,020) (2,222)

Finance income, net

(5) (3)

(9) (9)

Income tax expense

7 19

22 26















Net loss and comprehensive loss for the period

(899) (718)

(2,033) (2,239)













Basic and diluted loss and comprehensive loss

per common share

(0.00) (0.00)

(0.01) (0.01)













Weighted average number of common shares outstanding













Basic and Diluted

238,988,822 237,628,521

238,955,544 237,584,932

SOURCE Symbility Solutions Inc.

Related Links

www.symbilitysolutions.com


ARMONK, N.Y., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that Syniverse, a global connectivity enabler, has adopted IBM Cloud to expand its flexibility and capacity in serving rapidly changing mobile service needs for its customers.

Usage of popular Syniverse services, such as its Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), can vary significantly based on seasonal trends. This fluctuation may cause sudden and severe demands on technology resources. For example, Syniverse has consistently seen a steep rise in MMS use during holidays, when many mobile users share photos and graphics. From 2014 to 2016, the compound annual growth rate for the volume of MMS messages per second that Syniverse handled increased 57 percent for Halloween, 34 percent for Thanksgiving, 30 percent for Christmas and 53 percent for New Year's Eve.

To help manage seasonal spikes in traffic, Syniverse operates a hybrid cloud environment that uses VMware solutions on the IBM Cloud. This enables Syniverse to quickly scale up their existing VMware environments and connect to IBM's global cloud infrastructure. IBM Cloud also provides the ideal environment for testing and integrating new services so that Syniverse can better meet evolving customer needs without having to create test environments.

"This collaboration with Syniverse is a prime example of the benefits our clients can gain by tapping into the IBM Cloud for its global reach and scale," said Zane Adam, Vice President of Private Cloud, IBM. "IBM Cloud also provides the ideal environment for testing and integrating new services so that Syniverse can better meet evolving customer needs."

"The volume of overall transactions we process now up to four billion per day makes it vital that we remain prepared to handle spikes in traffic that occur on holidays and other special times of the year. MMS is just one example of an area that benefits from VMware solutions leveraged through our new hybrid cloud-based platform," said Chris Rivera, chief technology officer, Syniverse. "We're able to strengthen our overall customer-service approach thanks to the efficiency and flexibility of the IBM Cloud."

With $15.1B in cloud revenue over the last 12 months, IBM is the global leader in enterprise cloud with a platform designed to meet the evolving needs of business and society. Moving past productivity and cost improvements, the IBM Cloud is tuned for the cognitive and data demands that are driving true differentiation in today's enterprise. IBM's private, public and hybrid offerings provide the global scale businesses need to support innovation across industries, while its nearly 60 Cloud Data Centers across 19 countries help clients meet their expanding data locality requirements.

To learn more about IBM Cloud, visit https://www.ibm.com/cloud-computing/.

To learn more about Syniverse, visit https://www.syniverse.com.

VMware is a registered trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions.

Media Contact

Tyler Allen

IBM Media Relations

[email protected]

Bobby Eagle

Syniverse Public Relations

[email protected]

SOURCE IBM

Related Links

http://www.ibm.com


WORCESTER, Mass., Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Joseph M. Zubretsky, president and chief executive officer at The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG) is scheduled to speak at the KBW Insurance Conference at 1:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 6, 2017.

The discussion will be broadcast live through the company's website at www.hanover.com.

Those who would like to listen to the presentation should go to the website 15 minutes prior to the start to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

A replay of the event will be available on The Hanover website for 90 days, starting approximately one hour after the conclusion of the presentation.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made during this discussion may constitute forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including those discussed in the Company's annual report and other documents on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and which are also available at www.hanover.com under "Investors."

About The Hanover

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. is the holding company for several property and casualty insurance companies, which together constitute one of the largest insurance businesses in the United States. The company provides exceptional insurance solutions in a dynamic world. The Hanover distributes its products through a select group of independent agents and brokers. Together with its agents, The Hanover offers standard and specialized insurance protection for small and mid-sized businesses, as well as for homes, automobiles, and other personal items. Through its international member company, Chaucer, The Hanover also underwrites business at Lloyd's of London in several major insurance and reinsurance classes, including marine, property and energy. For more information, please visit hanover.com.

CONTACTS

Investors: Media: Oksana Lukasheva Michael F. Buckley (508) 855-2063 (508) 855-3099

SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hanover.com


WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Most U.S. employers report offering some form of workplace health promotion (wellness) program to their workers, but there is considerable variability in the quality and effectiveness of these programs. To promote evidence-based programs, The Health Project each year recognizes exemplary programs shown to improve workers' health and exert a positive business impact. Employers are invited to apply for the C. Everett Koop National Health Award, which requires the submission of credible data documenting the programs' impact on workers' health and meaningful business outcomes.

Today, The Health Project announced that three companies were selected by a panel of judges for Honorable Mention recognition in 2017.

The 2017 C. Everett Koop Award Honorable Mention designees are: Delta Air Lines, IDEXX Laboratories, and PepsiCo.

Employee health and well-being are central to the company culture of Delta Air Lines. The comprehensive wellness program encourages employees to "Invest in a culture of wellness" by providing resources that support community involvement, financial security and emotional well-being in addition to physical health. Delta's wellness network, which includes organized programs as well as grass-roots efforts initiated by over 500 wellness champions and leaders, empowers Delta employees through a combination of strategy and action. The Wellness Team strives to reach each of the 85,000 global employees across 287 locations via well-being initiatives that provide tools and education that positively impact health and quality of life. In 2016, 60 percent of employees completed the health assessment. Participants showed marked improvements in physical activity, smoking cessation, stress management, cholesterol control and job attendance.

IDEXX Laboratories is a global leader in veterinary diagnostics, veterinary practice software and water microbiology testing. IDEXX's 7,500 employees are based in 49 U.S. states and over 30 countries. Since 2011, the company's comprehensive wellness program "IDEXX Life" has built a culture of health and well-being, with strong support from senior leadership. Investment in employees' health has produced reductions in health care costs, higher engagement in work, and increased fitness program participation. This has allowed IDEXX to reinvest savings into improved employee benefit programs including an increased 401(k) match and expanded family-friendly benefits.

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. The company's "Healthy Living" program helps employees and their families live better and healthier livesphysically, financially and socially. All benefits-eligible employees and their dependents can participate in programs focused on increasing health awareness, personal responsibility and active engagement in one's health and well-being. The "Healthy Living" program's reach extends beyond employees and into the community through the "Ready, Step, Move Give!" challenge, which links employee physical exercise to charitable giving. In 2016, participating PepsiCo employees achieved a company-wide exercise goal of 3.2 billion steps walked, an accomplishment that the PepsiCo Foundation recognized with a $300,000 donation to the World Food Programme.

"We congratulate our three Honorable Mention designees for their excellent programs demonstrating the link between employee wellness and positive business results," said Ron Goetzel, PhD, President and CEO of The Health Project. "Over the past 25 years, The Health Project has recognized many businesses that have won the C. Everett Koop Prize or earned Honorable Mention. These employers have figured out how to best design, implement and evaluate their wellness programs. Our research shows that publicly traded companies that win the Koop Award outperform the average company traded on Wall Street by about three to one, as measured by their stock price."

Seth Serxner, PhD, Vice President of The Health Project, underscored the importance of sharing best practices with other employers who wish to improve their employees' health, prevent costly illnesses and save money. "We encourage business leaders to visit our website to learn how they can tailor and apply best practices to their organization and one day win the Koop Award."

The Health Project board member David Koop, grandson of Dr. C. Everett Koop and Chief Financial Officer for The Burish Group of UBS Financial Services, said, "Today in this country we are paying vast sums of money to treat people with diseases, many of which are preventable. The business community is not waiting for government to act. Company executives have taken an active role in addressing the healthcare crisis facing America by sponsoring health promotion and disease prevention programs that work. I am proud to carry on the legacy of my grandfather by honoring businesses that are serious about improving workers' health and enhancing the global competitiveness of American industries."

The Health Project's Board of volunteers includes academicians, health services researchers, corporate medical directors, consultants and business executives with specific expertise in measurement of workplace health promotion programs. Board members are obligated to recuse themselves from review and discussions of applications when there are real or perceived conflicts of interest. Each year, reviewers independently evaluate each application and then come together to decide on the winners and those deserving honorable mention.

This year, the board determined that there was no winner of the Koop Award. While many of the organizations that submitted applications had strong programs, they lacked sufficient data in one or more of the categories required for the award. All applicants received detailed feedback from the reviewers and were encouraged to re-apply next year.

The Health Project has been awarding annual prizes to organizations with proven health improvement and cost savings programs since 1994. Because of the rigorous standards required for documenting health improvements and cost savings, fewer than 65 organizations have been honored with this prestigious award since the organization was established, with Dr. C. Everett Koop, the former Surgeon General of the United States, as its honorary chairperson. Although Dr. Koop passed away in 2013 at the age of 96, his legacy and contributions to public health and health promotion live on.

The awards will be presented on September 12, 2017 at the annual Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) Forum in Phoenix, Arizona. More information about the C. Everett Koop National Health Award and award-winning health promotion programs are available at www.TheHealthProject.com.

The Health Project, Inc. (The Health Project, "THP"), is a tax-exempt not-for-profit corporation formed to bring about critical attitudinal and behavioral changes in addressing the health and well-being of Americans. THP's mission is to seek out, evaluate, promote and disseminate the lessons learned from exemplary health promotion and disease prevention programs with demonstrated effectiveness in influencing personal health habits and cost-effective use of health care resources. The C. Everett Koop National Health Awards are given each year to worksite, community or provider programs which have soundly documented improved health and decreased medical costs.

SOURCE The Health Project

Related Links

http://www.TheHealthProject.com


NASSAU, The Bahamas, August 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

TigerWit Group, the financial technology company, has announced its subsidiary, TigerWit Financial Services Limited, is now authorised and regulated by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB). The Broker-Dealer licence granted to TigerWit gives the company permission to deal as agent and principle, arrange and advise in securities including CFDs in Forex, indices, commodities and metals to retail and wholesale clients on a global basis under the Bahamas' legislative and regulatory framework.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/549837/TigerWit_Logo.jpg )



Establishment of TigerWit's broker and financial services headquarters in The Bahamas and gaining the Broker-Dealer licence means that TigerWit Financial Services Limited can now conduct its business from a globally recognised jurisdiction under the oversight of a highly regarded regulator with its clients enjoying the protections that the SCB provides through its rule and regulations. Significantly, this includes segregation and ring-fencing of client funds, and substantial capital adequacy requirements.

Founded in 2015, TigerWit's focus on financial technology has led it to establish a large client base across Asia. With the Broker-Dealer licence the Group is positioning itself to develop its financial services offering on a global scale, and is looking to expand its footprint by opening offices in key jurisdictions.

As part of its SCB Broker-Dealer licence, the Group has appointed Mr Andrew Rolle as a Chief Executive Officer of TigerWit Financial Services Limited. Mr Rolle is a corporate attorney and chartered alternative investment analyst who has more than ten years of experience of providing legal and bespoke services to clients including broker-dealers, fund managers, fund administrators and family offices.

Summer Xu, CEO of TigerWit Group says:

"Receiving the Securities Commission of The Bahamas regulatory licence is a very important milestone for TigerWit Group and our clients. At TigerWit we aim to provide our clients with not only the best online and mobile trading service, but the appropriate protections so that they can be safe in the knowledge they are dealing with a well-regulated entity whose interests are aligned with theirs. We are delighted to have the expertise of Mr Andrew Rolle who will ably ensure that we fulfil our obligations as a regulated broker."

Ms Tanya McCartney, CEO of Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB):

"We welcome TigerWit Financial Services Limited as a newly licenced entity in The Bahamas and as the newest member of the BFSB. TigerWit joins a growing list globally-operating financial services firms that are authorised by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas. We are pleased that TigerWit has chosen The Bahamas and recognises the advantages and benefits gained under SCB regulations as a base to grow their global brokerage."

TigerWit attributes its success to date to its unique and highly innovative mobile trading offering. Its focus on technology is what it believes sets the Group apart from the competition and by continuing to enrich the trading experience it expects to grow its market share further.

Notes to Media

About TigerWit

TigerWit's cutting-edge mobile and online trading technology allows clients to trade global FX markets, indices, commodities and metals, whilst ensuring exceptional client protection and providing clients access to global interbank liquidity. Founded in 2015 by Summer Xu and Weilong Song, TigerWit has offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Nassau. TigerWit Financial Service Limited is authorised and regulated by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas, licence number SIA-F185.

https://global.tigerwit.com/

About the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB)

The Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) is a statutory body and is responsible for the administration of the Securities Industry Act, 2011 (SIA, 2011) and the Investment Funds Act, 2003 (the IFA, 2003), which provides for the supervision and regulation of the activities of investment funds, securities and capital markets. The Commission, having been appointed Inspector of Financial and Corporate Services effective 1 January 2008, is also responsible for administering the Financial and Corporate Service Providers Act, 2000.

http://www.scb.gov.bs

About the Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB)

The Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB), launched in April 1998, represents an innovative commitment by the financial services industry and the Government of The Bahamas to promote a greater awareness of The Bahamas' strengths as an international financial center. The BFSB represents and promotes the development of all sectors of the industry, including banking, private banking and trust services, mutual funds, capital markets, investment advisory services, accounting and legal services, insurance, and corporate and shipping registry.

http://www.bfsb-bahamas.com

Risk Warning

Trading CFDs carries a high level of risk and can result in the loss of all of your invested capital.

SOURCE TigerWit Group
Abdul Basit's criticism is directed at Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry who was the foreign secretary of Pakistan until February and then took charge as Islamabad's ambassador to the United States.

By India Today Web Desk: Abdul Basit, who recently returned to Islamabad after serving as the high commissioner of Pakistan to India for three years, has written a scathing letter to Pakistan's ambassador to US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.

In the letter dated July 5, Abdul Basit writes that he is convinced that Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry has been the "worst Foreign Secretary". "My concern is that you would also end up being the worst Pakistan Ambassador in Washington DC," writes Abdul Basit in the letter, referring to Chaudhry's valedictory letter (FSO-1/2017) of March 12, 2017 as foreign secretary.

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Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry was the foreign secretary of Pakistan until February this year before being appointed as Pakistan's ambassador to the United States.

Abdul Basit says his criticism of Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry is based on two reasons. "First, you are not made for the delicate profession of diplomacy... Second and it is more worrisome, your heart is not in the right place. In this regard the less said the better," writes Abdul Basit.

The letter is an official one, and was written when Abdul Basit was still serving as Pakistan's high commissioner to India. It is known in diplomatic circles that Basit opted for premature retirement after he was bypassed for the post of Pakistan's foreign secretary and envoy to Washington.

In the letter to Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Basit writes, "I strongly feel that it is in Pakistan's interest that you should immediately be removed from Washington DC. If not so, you should not be given extension beyond your superannuation on February 27, 2018. May Allah help Pakistan when people like you with weak and dubious credentials are at such important positions".

A copy of the letter was also sent to Director of the Foreign Secretary's Office (FSO), Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Basit was in the running for the post of foreign secretary when Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry was appointed as Pakistan's ambassador to the United States. However, Tehmina Janjua was subsequently appointed as Chaudhry's successor and Pakistan's first woman foreign secretary.

Abdul Basit's letter to Pakistan's envoy to US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. Credit: Twitter/@omar_quraishi

ALSO READ:

Unfair to say China is colonising us: Outgoing Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit tells India Today

Pakistani envoy Basit meets Chinese, Bhutanese Ambassadors to India: Doklam discussed

Sohail Mahmood to replace Abdul Basit as Pakistan's envoy to India

WATCH VIDEO | Basit calls Pakistan's envoy to US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry 'worst foreign secretary'

--- ENDS ---
In honor of "El Chavo del Ocho Day," Toma Leche is celebrating the Latin American tradition of "La Merienda" by hosting free snack + milk pairings at various events throughout the month in each market.

The most-watched show on Mexican television, El Chavo was known as a courageous kid in and out of trouble, who entertained generations of fans across Latin America. Millions of viewers who have embraced the character for his wholesome, pure authenticity and innocence still watch the animated version and reruns in Latin America and on Spanish-language networks in the United States.

"El Chavo reminds us to all to put our adult worries and responsibilities on hold every now and then and to re-connect with our inner child," said Steve James, executive director, California Milk Processor Board. "The endearing values that El Chavo embodies of love, celebration and relationships are good reminders of the daily connections that connect us to our culture and sustain our lives. And there's no better time to reconnect with those that matter than with a snack and glass of milk in the afternoon."

"El Chavo del Ocho Day" was first proclaimed in 2016 at Los Angeles City Hall. Marking the occasion, Toma Leche will host a family-oriented event at Vallarta Supermarket, located at 3425 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles, on Sept. 8, from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. Planned festivities include La Merienda milk + snack pairings, interactive games, and a large-scale coloring wall of El Chavo for attendees to draw on. To continue honoring El Chavo's legacy in California, other cities such as San Jose, Bakersfield and San Diego will celebrate, throughout the month of September, a variety of activities for the whole family at well-known supermarkets.

Extending the fan experience, El Chavo enthusiasts of all ages can now interact with characters from the show and play online games at www.tuinnerchavo.com. The site features free giveaways along with favorite "La Merienda" milk + snack pairing suggestions, perfect for after-school.

Noted Los Angeles artist Raul Baltazar, a graduate of the Otis College of Art and Design and recipient of the California Community Foundation Fellowship for Visual Arts, has been commissioned to create an El Chavo sculpture, to be exhibited at the East Los Angeles Mexican Independence Day Parade and Festival on Sept. 10, where costume characters from the show are also due to appear.

Honoring El Chavo's playful, youthful spirit, the CMPB will donate $6,000 to Boys and Girls Club chapters in Fresno and Sacramento. The Boys and Girls Club is a nonprofit that works to provide innovative and stimulating academic, leadership and recreational programs to underserved youth.

For more information about the #ElChavoyLeche program as well as the tasting dates across California, visit: www.tomaleche.com and www.tuinnerchavo.com., and follow Toma Leche via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @tomaleche.

About the CMPB

The California Milk Processor Board was established in 1993 to make milk more competitive and increase milk consumption in California. Awareness of "got milk?" is over 90% nationally and it is considered one of the most important and successful campaigns in history. The "got milk?" trademark is a federally registered trademark and service mark that was licensed by the National Dairy Board in 1995 for use in its advertising, including their long-running "Milk Mustache" campaign. The CMPB's Spanish-language campaign began in 1994 using the tagline "Familia, Amor y Leche" (Family, Love and Milk). The "toma leche" (Drink Milk) campaign replaced it in 2006 in order to better align the English and Spanish language work. The CMPB is funded by all California milk processors and is an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

About Grupo Chespirito

Grupo Chespirito (GCH) is the team responsible for preserving and leading Roberto Gomez Bolanos' -aka Chespirito- legacy to the new generations, including his most famous characters: 'El Chavo del Ocho' and 'El Chapulin Colorado'. GCH is also responsible for developing new projects and initiatives to generate new contents to all-ages Chespirito fans worldwide such as a social media strategy for a fan community of more than 14 million.

SOURCE California Milk Processor Board

Related Links

http://www.tomaleche.com


SAN DIEGO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TPT Global Tech (OTCBB: TPTW) announces that the company has now completed its first SEC audit with the Salt Lake City, UT CPA Firm, Sadler, Gibb & Associates, LLC, and now is gearing up to prepare its S1 filing. The audit took over a year to complete due the complexity of the TPT Global Tech M&A activities.

"Sadler Gibb came highly recommended and we are very pleased to continue our working relationship with their team. The companies' energies now switch to the preparation and registration process for the S1 filing. Filing our S1 Registration and becoming a fully reporting OTC company will be another milestone for TPT Global Tech," said Stephen Thomas III, Chairman and CEO of TPT Global Tech.

About TPT Global Tech

TPT Global Tech Inc. (OTC:TPTW) based in San Diego, California, is a Technology/Telecommunications Media Content Hub for domestic and International syndication and also provides Technology solutions to businesses domestically and worldwide. TPT Global offers Software as a Service (SaaS), Technology Platform as a Service (PAAS), Cloud-based Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) and carrier-grade performance and support for businesses over its private IP MPLS fiber and wireless network in the United States. TPT's cloud-based UCaaS services allow businesses of any size to enjoy all the latest voice, data, media and collaboration features in today's global technology markets. TPT's also operates as a Master Distributor for Nationwide Mobile Virtual network Operators (MVNO) and Independent Sales Organization (ISO) as a Master Distributor for Pre-Paid Cellphone services, Mobile phones, Cellphone Accessories and Global Roaming Cellphones.

SOURCE TPT Global Tech Inc.

Related Links

http://www.tptglobaltech.com


BOSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tufin, the market-leading provider of Network Security Policy Orchestration solutions, announced the release of Tufin Orchestration Suite R17-2 with automation for firewall administration tasks. The release also provides new features advancing network security policy management of Cisco Firepower, VMware NSX, Microsoft Azure, Check Point R80.10, and Palo Alto Networks Panorama solutions.

Firewall Administration with Automated Server Decommissioning

Until now, the task of server decommissioning has been a manual and tedious process that was prone to errors due to lack of insight into how server removal affected the performance and security of a network. With R17-2, Tufin is the first vendor to add automated server decommissioning to the previously released automation of rule decommissioning, easing the demand on the firewall administrator's time and ensuring that a high security posture is maintained.

The latest product release enables enterprises to:

Automatically identify policy rules and objects that need to be changed or removed across all affected firewalls, routers, and cloud platforms

Understand server usage and the impact of server decommissioning on the overall firewall policies before decommissioning the server

Implement changes directly to eliminate redundant, unused, or unnecessary access that can lead to a security breach

Verify that changes were implemented as required by ensuring full documentation and auditability for rule and server decommissioning

"There are inherent security risks with granting legacy access when re-using servers," said Ofer Or, VP, Products at Tufin. "Our latest product update addresses this by helping enterprises to answer an important security question: 'what does this server do, and why is it here?' The addition of server decommissioning to the existing feature of rule decommissioning is the first step in the journey towards full automation of critical firewall tasks. The two features together form a powerful tool that supports firewall optimization, heightens security, and increases business agility."

Support for VMware NSX Automation

With the release of Tufin Orchestration Suite R17-2, Tufin announced automated policy-based management for VMware NSX with automated provisioning coming in the company's next product release, R17-3. The latest product release, R17-2, provides end-to-end change automation for Palo Alto Networks Panorama policies with dynamic address group (DAG) objects that reference VMware NSX security groups. The integration enables users to:

Track and monitor changes on Palo Alto Networks Panorama policies to establish a greater understanding of policy changes that are integrated with an NSX environment

Gain audit insight using comprehensive rule visibility for Palo Alto Networks rules and policies integrated with VMware NSX

First NSPM Vendor to Support Cisco Firepower Management Center

Tufin Orchestration Suite R17-2 is the first network security policy management (NSPM) solution to support Cisco Firepower management console, domains, and firewalls. The joint solution enables users to centrally manage security policies across Cisco Firepower and the hybrid network, providing enhanced visibility and control over Cisco Firepower policies with Tufin's policy browser and object lookup.

"Tufin's support for Cisco Firepower Management Center is the latest advancement of our long-standing partnership," said Pamela Cyr, SVP, Business Development at Tufin. "With our newest product enhancements, the next-generation firewall protection and management capabilities of Cisco Firepower Management Center are now integrated with Tufin's search and browsing capabilities. The resulting solution provides the necessary visibility and increased security that our joint customers demand."

Tufin's support for Cisco Firepower Management Center allows joint customers to:

Centrally manage security policies across Cisco Firepower and the hybrid network

Gain visibility and control with Tufin's policy browser and object lookup as well as with change monitoring for Cisco Firepower policies

Validate the migration from Cisco ASA to Cisco Firepower Threat Defense

Tufin Orchestration Suite R17-2 also features:

Support for Check Point R80.10

Support for Microsoft Azure Resource Manager (RM) Gain visibility of security and connectivity changes across Microsoft Azure RM virtual networks (VNETs) and network security groups (NSGs) and the rest of the hybrid network

Enhanced alert capabilities for violations of Tufin's Unified Security Policy, supporting the enforcement of continuous compliance with internal and industry regulations

Updated change automation for Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall policies, including the ability to automate rules with ContextID (security profile groups) and rules with log forwarding profiles

Tufin Orchestration Suite R17-2 will be generally available on September 20, 2017.

About Tufin

Tufin is the leader in Network Security Policy Orchestration for enterprise cybersecurity. More than half of the top 50 companies in the Forbes Global 2000 turn to Tufin to simplify management of some of the largest, most complex networks in the world, consisting of thousands of firewall and network devices and emerging hybrid cloud infrastructures. Enterprises select the company's award-winning Tufin Orchestration Suite to increase agility in the face of ever-changing business demands while maintaining a robust security posture. The Suite reduces the attack surface and meets the need for greater visibility into secure and reliable application connectivity. Its network security automation enables enterprises to implement changes in minutes with proactive risk analysis and continuous policy compliance. Tufin serves over 2,000 customers spanning all industries and geographies; its products and technologies are patent-protected in the U.S. and other countries. Find out more at www.tufin.com.

Follow Tufin on Twitter: @TufinTech

Read more on Tufin's blog: Suite Talk

Contact:

Dan Gaffney

fama PR for Tufin

(617) 986-5036

[email protected]

SOURCE Tufin

Related Links

www.tufin.com


Pancreatic cancer claims 91 percent of its victims within five years. Of the approximate 980 Minnesotans diagnosed with the disease this year, only 88 will live to see the year 2022. Rose Schneider was one of those Minnesotans who lost her life to the disease.

Schneider was born and raised in the Twin Cities. In June 1996, she received the devastating diagnosis and, six months later, died at age 68.

Her daughter, Pamela Acosta Marquardt, transformed her loss and grief into hope and founded the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network in 1999.

"When my mom was diagnosed, the five-year survival for pancreatic cancer was around four percent and support for patients and caregivers was non-existent," Marquardt said. "I made it my mission to provide hope to people fighting this disease. Who would've thought my mom would inspire the national movement to end pancreatic cancer!"

Today, PanCAN has a nationwide grassroots network of over one million people attacking this disease on all fronts through advocacy, clinical initiatives, research and patient services.

PurpleRideStride Minnesota will take place at Elm Creek Regional Park in Maple Grove and will be hosted by KARE 11 Weekends anchor Camille Williams. In honor of her mother, Marquardt established Team Rose to help raise vital funds and awareness for the event and will stand in solidarity with survivors in attendance.

The event is supported by national presenting sponsor Celgene, national gold sponsor AbbVie and gold media sponsor Like It Matters Radio.

To register, donate or learn more about PurpleRideStride Minnesota, please visit purpleridestride.org.

To learn more about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and its signature walk PurpleStride, watch the PurpleStride PSA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgfqCmz_4uY&feature=youtu.beand the organization's PSA. Follow PanCAN on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) is dedicated to fighting the world's toughest cancer. In our urgent mission to save lives, we attack pancreatic cancer on all fronts: research, clinical initiatives, patient services and advocacy. Our effort is amplified by a nationwide network of grassroots support. We are determined to improve patient outcomes today and to double survival by 2020.

Media Contacts:

Zahra Nealy

Public Relations Specialist

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

(310) 706-3532 | [email protected]

Becca Kvasnik

Media Relations Chair

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network  Minnesota Affiliate

(651) 398-7778| [email protected]

SOURCE Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
TORONTO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Unata, the leading provider of 1-to-1 digital solutions for grocers, today announced it has partnered with Grand-Rapids, Michigan headquartered SpartanNash for the company's new click-and-collect program. Known as Fast Lane, the program allows customers to order groceries online and schedule a convenient time to pick them up.

SpartanNash launched Fast Lane at its first location in Grandville, Michigan mid-July. Less than a month later, and following a successful first store pilot, ten more locations have been launched. Family Fare Supermarkets will continue to expand Fast Lane over the next few years, growing to up to 50 stores in Michigan by the end of 2017.

SpartanNash's new digital customer experience allows shoppers to both plan their in-store shopping and make Click-and-Collect orders on one interconnected website, seamlessly switching between the two methods of shopping without losing their product selections.

Unata's 1-to-1 personalization engine powers SpartanNash's eCommerce catalogue, weekly ad, promotions, digital offers and integrates its Yes! loyalty program, where both Fast Lane and Yes! Loyalty members automatically have their preferences loaded into their Fast Lane account, making it more convenient to build their shopping cart.

"The launch of Fast Lane is part of SpartanNash's commitment to providing our store guests with a personalized, convenient shopping experience that exceeds their expectations," said Larry Pierce, SpartanNash EVP of merchandising and marketing. "Our click-and-collect program takes our company's digital customer experience to a whole new level. The entire Fast Lane experience is tailored to fit the needs of our on-the-go store guests while providing quality products at an affordable price."

"We're honored to be working with SpartanNash and confident that the new platform will provide its shoppers with the best possible online shopping experience, giving SpartanNash the same competitive edge that it already has in their stores," said Brandon Carlos, senior director of partner success at Unata. "We're looking forward to expanding to additional stores and watching consumer adoption skyrocket."

About Unata

Unata powers industry-leading digital experiences for North America's most well-respected grocers, with the mission to innovate the future of the grocery shopping experience. Unata enables 1-to-1 eCommerce, eCircular and eLoyalty experiences, powering the entire digital grocery experience through a single platform. Unata's award-winning work is featured by retailers including Lowes Foods, Raley's, Longo's and more. To learn more, visit www.unata.com or follow Unata on Twitter or LinkedIn.

SOURCE Unata

Related Links

http://www.unata.com


ALBANY, New York, August 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Transparency Market Research has released a new market report titled "Underwater Monitoring System for Oil and Gas Market -Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends and Forecasts 2017-2025." According to the report, the global Underwater Monitoring System for oil and gas market was valued at US$ 680.0 Mn in 2016 and is estimated to reach US$ 1181.3 Mn by 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 6.43% between 2017 and 2025.

Increasing demand for energy across the world makes it essential to have monitoring for the deep sea oil and gas reserves. The monitoring and maintenance of these facilities provides significant role in the country's economic progress. The need to monitor oil and gas reserves in deep sea explorations is primarily driving the global underwater monitoring systems for oil and gas market. Moreover the complexities in the operation and maintenance of subsea systems will also augment the deployment of underwater monitoring system for oil and gas operations.

The increase in the application of underwater monitoring system will boost in the market in future. The complex facility with, and difficult maintenance of the subsea pipelines will be the key factor which is expected enhance the demand for the underwater monitoring system in oil and gas market.

Browse Research Report with ToC: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/underwater-monitoring-system.html

Currently, Asia Pacific leads the global underwater monitoring system market for Oil & Gas. It is followed by Middle East & Africa and Europe. Due to the massive projects undertaken by world's large oil and gas companies for exploration and production operations in Myanmar, China, and is likely to fuel the demand for underwater monitoring equipment based applications in Asia Pacific over the forecast period. China is also the key manufacturer and consumer of sub sensor products in Asia Pacific region. The development of the offshore fields in the region with the new discoveries of oil and gas fields in the areas of South China Sea, Australia such as are expected to witness drilling activities.

Underwater monitoring system equipment demand would continue to increase in Asia Pacific region over forecast period. The region Asia Pacific is accounted for more than 24% share in 2016. Middle East and Africa, North America and Europe are also developed market for Oil and Gas underwater monitoring equipment market are expected to expand at a moderate pace during the forecast period.

Get Sample PDF Report Brochure: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2975

Key players in the underwater monitoring system for oil and gas market include Kongsberg Maritime, Schlumberger-OneSubea, SONARDYNE, Teledyne Marine, Fugro, DSPComm, Ocean Sonics, KCF Technologies, and Mitcham Industries.

Browse Research Press Release: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/underwater-monitoring-system.htm

The report segments the global Underwater Monitoring System for oil and gas market as follows:

Underwater Monitoring System for oil and gas Market: Subsea Sensor Analysis

Pressure Sensors

Temperature Sensors

Proximity Sensors

Inclinometers

Rotation Sensors

Load Sensors for Tension and

Compression

Linear Displacement Gauges

Flexible pipe systems

Riser Technology

Pipeline type

Underwater Monitoring System for oil and gas Market: Monitoring Systems

Acoustic Sensor Market Acoustic underwater Vehicle Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler Sonobuoys Hydrophones Cable Hydrophones Autonomous Hydrophones Others

Wireless Sensors networks 3G/GPRS Communication Module RTU SCADA

Satellite Radio Navigation

Underwater Monitoring System for oil and gas Market: Communication Method Analysis

FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access)

TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access)

CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)

SDMA (Space Division Multiple Access)

Underwater Monitoring System for oil and gas Market: Regional Analysis

North America U.S. Canada

Europe France U.K. Spain Germany Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific China Japan India ASEAN Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa (MEA) GCC South Africa Rest of MEA

& (MEA)

Browse Research Blog: http://www.cmfenews.com/

About TMR

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.

TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.



Contact

Transparency Market Research

State Tower

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

Tel: +1-518-618-1030

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: [email protected]



Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

SOURCE Transparency Market Research
OMAHA, Neb., Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Union Pacific today pledged $250,000 to support Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. The funds will be provided from a variety of company donations, demonstrating the railroad's commitment to Houston and other affected railroad communities, and employees who live and work there.

The company is immediately donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross and $50,000 to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner's Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. Additionally, Union Pacific will match contributions to its "Friend to Friend" employee support network through Sept. 30, dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000. The company will also match donations made to a Disaster Relief Matching Gifts Program for Hurricane Harvey, where employees can provide funding directly to American Red Cross, Salvation Army and others.

Union Pacific's Southern Region is headquartered in Houston, a major freight rail hub for Union Pacific and the transportation industry.

Throughout the relief and recovery efforts, Union Pacific is committed to maintaining its unrelenting focus on employee, community and customer safety.

Operations Update

Hurricane Harvey, downgraded Monday to Tropical Storm Harvey, continues causing heavy rain and widespread flooding in Houston and the surrounding area. The storm is predicted to persist for several more days, generating record rainfalls. A second landfall is predicted for Tuesday evening/Wednesday morning, with 50 total inches of rain expected in some areas by Friday.

As of Monday afternoon, specific impacts to Union Pacific operations include:

Suspended rail operations along the Texas Gulf Coast from Brownsville through Corpus Christi to Houston and east to Lake Charles, Louisiana .

through to and east to . Embargoes for all rail traffic destined to Gulf Coast locations and others within the Houston Service Unit. Union Pacific recommends customers consider diverting cars destined to the impacted area where feasible.

No trains operating through flooded and storm-damaged areas.

Conducting track inspections, where possible, in anticipation of resuming operations.

ABOUT UNION PACIFIC

Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP). One of America's most recognized companies, Union Pacific Railroad connects 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail, providing a critical link in the global supply chain. In the past 10 years, 2007-2016, Union Pacific invested approximately $34 billion in its network and operations to support America's transportation infrastructure. The railroad's diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Coal, Industrial Products and Intermodal. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers, operates from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways. Union Pacific provides value to its roughly 10,000 customers by delivering products in a safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible manner.

www.up.com

www.facebook.com/unionpacific

www.twitter.com/unionpacific

SOURCE Union Pacific

Related Links

http://www.up.com


HOUSTON, Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Due to severe weather and unsafe road conditions near the airport, United Airlines is closing its hub at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and suspending all operations from IAH until at least Thursday, August 31 at noon CT. The airline is also extending its weather waiver for customers to offer additional flexibility.

United is continuing to monitor the weather and conditions in Texas, and will make updates and announcements on its Twitter handle @United and on united.com.

Options for Customers

United is offering a travel waiver for customers ticketed on flights to, from or through impacted cities from Aug. 25 through Sept. 5, 2017. Customers may reschedule their itineraries for travel through September 20 with a one-time date or time change, and the airline will waive the change fees and any difference in fare for flights booked in the same cabin and same arrival/destination airports. The waiver is in place for the following airports:

Alexandria, LA (AEX)

(AEX) Austin, TX (AUS)

(AUS) Baton Rouge, LA (BTR)

(BTR) Brownsville, TX , US (BRO)

, US (BRO) College Station, TX , US (CLL)

, US (CLL) Corpus Christi, TX (CRP)

(CRP) Harlingen, TX (HRL)

(HRL) Houston, TX (IAH)

(IAH) Lafayette, LA (LFT)

(LFT) Lake Charles, LA (LCH)

(LCH) Laredo, TX (LRD)

(LRD) McAllen, TX (MFE)

(MFE) New Orleans, LA (MSY)

(MSY) San Antonio, TX (SAT)

(SAT) Shreveport, LA (SHV)

Customers may check flight status and change travel plans quickly and conveniently via the United app, and on united.com. Visit the United Hub for step-by-step information on rebooking. Customers can expect longer than usual wait times for calls made to reservations. The airline encourages customers who do not have immediate travel plans to call at a later date.

Relief Efforts

As previously announced, United is teaming up with leading disaster relief organizations to provide needed aid to Texas communities impacted by Hurricane Harvey. The airline will provide up to three million bonus miles to customers who contribute to designated relief organizations through the airline's crowdrise page. United is also matching the first $100,000 donations.

In addition, the airline operated three widebody flights into Houston (IAH), between Sunday, August 27, and Monday August 28, to bring in critical relief supplies, and more than 100 employees to help with recovery.

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate approximately 4,500 flights a day to 338 airports across five continents. In 2016, United and United Express operated more than 1.6 million flights carrying more than 143 million customers. United is proud to have the world's most comprehensive route network, including U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. United operates 748 mainline aircraft and the airline's United Express carriers operate 475 regional aircraft. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to more than 190 countries via 28 member airlines. For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol "UAL".

SOURCE United Airlines

Related Links

http://www.united.com


SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global nutritional company USANA Health Sciences was honored at a luncheon today for its inclusion in Utah Business Magazine's Fast 50 list. This year marks the 10th consecutive time the company has made the list of fastest growing companies in Utah. USANA finished ranked number 49 on the list.

Utah Business Magazine determines the Fast 50 recipients based on a company's most recent five-year revenue growth. USANA's consistent growth over the years along with a historic 2016 were the driving force behind its place on the list. USANA saw record net sales in 2016 totaling $1.006 billion  a 9.5 percent increase from 2015. And 2016 became the 14th consecutive year of record sales, allowing USANA to reach the billion-dollar milestone.

"Being included on the Fast 50 list wouldn't be possible without our excellent independent sales force, hard-working employees and innovative health products," said Doug Hekking, USANA's chief financial officer. "Utah is home to so many highly successful companies, that being included on this list is an honor."

The Fast 50 highlights the companies in Utah that generate record revenues or expand at rapid speeds. The list is determined by Utah Business Magazine, Utah's premier business news and information provider.

About USANA

USANA, The Cellular Nutrition Company (NYSE: USNA), is a U.S.-based nutritional company founded in 1992 that manufactures high-quality supplements, personal care and healthy products in its state-of-the-art facility in Salt Lake City. Learn more about USANA by visiting our website http://www.usana.com or the official USANA blog http://whatsupusana.com.

Media Contact: Ashley Collins

Vice President of Marketing & PR

(801) 954-7629

media(at)us.usana(dot)com

SOURCE USANA

Related Links

http://www.usana.com


In the news release, Venture X Offers Free Workspace to Businesses and Employees Displaced by Hurricane Harvey, issued Aug. 29, 2017 by Venture X over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that in the first paragraph, the offer for "FREE day passes for flexible workspace to those affected by Hurrican Harvey" has been changed to "a week of FREE office space for those from affected areas." Additional information in the first and third paragraphs have been adjusted accordinaly. The complete, updated release follows:

Venture X Offers Free Workspace to Businesses and Employees Displaced by Hurricane Harvey

SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey across parts of Texas, Venture X, a premier provider of flexible workspace for businesses and professionals, is offering a week of FREE office space for those from affected areas (with valid ID) in its new, 20,000 square-foot workspace located in San Antonio at 18911 Hardy Oak Blvd. Venture X is waiving the usual fee for one week and is offering 50 percent off its standard rates for anyone who needs additional time after the first free week, through the end of September 2017.

Venture X caters to many types of professionals by creating spaces with great design, community, services, support and authentic connections where people can choose to do the work they love. Businesses and employees, who have been displaced by Harvey but need to find ways to continue working, can find everything they need in the Venture X office space during this trying time.

Venture X's office space includes high-speed internet; printing and document services; virtual, shared and private office options; package handling and mail forwarding; high-tech meeting rooms and conference calling capabilities; community meeting spaces; free onsite parking; an office kitchen with access to the coffee bar, and more.

"While we have only been open in this location since May, the San Antonio business community has been extremely supportive of our efforts, and this is an opportunity for us to give back," said Michelle Solis, Business Manager for Venture X San Antonio. "Particularly for individuals, entrepreneurs, freelancers and small businesses, continuing your business operations can be even more crucial for continued income during a disaster like Hurricane Harvey. We are glad to be able to help facilitate the ability to conduct business as normally as possible to avoid significant loss of income."

ABOUT VENTURE X

Venture X is the latest addition to the United Franchise Group family of brands, joining a team with more than 30 years of franchise experience. The Venture X franchise is a premium membership-based shared workspace and community that is a blend of boutique hotel and offices styles with a high level of design that feels professional and welcoming. For more information visit venturexfranchise.com.

MEDIA CONTACT :

Ashley Soto

305-631-2283

[email protected]

SOURCE Venture X

Related Links

https://www.venturex.com


By PTI: Mumbai, Aug 29 (PTI) With the honeymoon travel segment in India growing steadily, the Indonesia island of Bali has topped the list of the most desired destination by Indian couples followed by Maldives and Thailand, said a survey.

"Indian couples love travelling to beach destinations that offer visa-on-arrival options. Unlike wedding preparations that involve family members, honeymoon is an intimate affair that most couples choose to plan on their own at least six months to a year in advance.

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"Bali is on the priority list of most honeymooners. Its sandy beaches and scenic beauty, complemented free visa-on-arrival options and plans to increase direct flight connectivity makes Bali even more appealing," Ezeego1.com CEO and Director Neelu Singh said.

The survey was based on data on Ezeego1s analysis of customer inquiries for honeymoon packages made online between January and June 2017.

It revealed that while Greece and Paris still remained popular, Seychelles made it to the top five, recording the fastest growth in searches compared to last year.

Maldives is home to some of the greatest luxury hotels in the world and a preferred holiday destination by Bollywood celebrities, making it even more aspirational for honeymoon couples, it added.

Thailand has secured third position by attracting couples catering to all kind of budgets and needs, followed by Greece and Paris, which remained evergreen and more affordable than ever with the falling value of Euro, it said.

Seychelles is emerging in a big way as an aspiring and emerging destination for honeymooners, the survey said.

Air Seychelles has started operating direct flights between Mumbai and Seychelles five times a week and this has aided the growth of Indian honeymooners heading to Seychelles by almost two-fold this year, it added.

While Mauritius, famous with couples for its range of exotic stay options, excellent beaches, climate and marine life, was ranked number seven followed by Sri Lanka that has become an ideal honeymoon destination as a short haul options and affordable getaway.

Scotland and Budapest, both believed to be romantic destinations, made it to the top 10 because of the favourable exchange rates they offer providing a great value for honeymooners, the survey added. PTI SM AA RSY

--- ENDS ---
ASHEVILLE, N.C. and TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare of North Carolina, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG), a leading provider of Medicaid and Medicare services, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Mission Health.

Mission Health is a robust system that includes six hospitals, numerous outpatient and surgery centers, post-acute care provider CarePartners, long-term acute care provider Asheville Specialty Hospital, and the region's only dedicated Level II trauma center.

"Mission Health is a strong care partner and we look forward to working with them to help our members live better, healthier lives," said Gregg MacDonald, senior vice president, division president at WellCare.

Mission Health has been recognized by Truven Health Analytics/IBM Watson Health as a "Top 15 health systems" five of the last six years between 2012-2017, and is the only health system in North Carolina to achieve this recognition.

"We've finalized the details of a new agreement that is mutually beneficial for both organizations," said Ronald A. Paulus, M.D., President and CEO at Mission Health. "More importantly, both organizations recognize and appreciate a collaborative and fair agreement that allows Mission Health to continue providing the highest level of services to the communities we serve."

As of June 30, 2017, WellCare serves approximately 33,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in North Carolina.

To learn more about the company, please visit www.wellcare.com or call toll-free 1-877-841-6072.

About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on providing government-sponsored managed care services, primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs. WellCare serves approximately 4.4 million members nationwide as of June 30, 2017. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.

About Mission Health

Mission Health, based in Asheville, North Carolina, is the state's sixth-largest health system. For the fifth time in the past six years, Mission Health has been named one of the nation's Top 15 Health Systems by Truven Health Analytics, an IBM Company and part of IBM Watson Health in 2017. We are the only health system in North Carolina to achieve this recognition. Mission Health operates six hospitals, numerous outpatient and surgery centers, post- acute care provider CarePartners, long-term acute care provider Asheville Specialty Hospital, and the region's only dedicated Level II trauma center. With approximately 12,000 team members and 2,000 volunteers, Mission Health is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the people of western North Carolina. For more information, please visit mission-health.org or @MissionHealthNC.

SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.wellcare.com


PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, announced today that Beth George has joined the firm's privacy and data protection practice as Of Counsel in the San Francisco office. George previously served as deputy general counsel at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), where she advised senior leadership on high-profile policy and oversight matters. She currently is a lecturer on surveillance law and technology at the UC Berkeley School of Law, and she serves as a senior adjunct fellow for the New York University School of Law's Center for Law and Security and as an affiliate at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC).

"As a national security lawyer who has worked extensively in cybersecurity, Beth has distinguished herself while serving at the highest levels of government, including the U.S. Senate, the DoD, the Department of Justice, and the White House," said Doug Clark, managing partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. "Beth's in-depth understanding of data security and privacy matters is inherently valuable to companies confronting data breaches and privacy-related threats. She also has the fortitude and focus needed to assist clients involved in sensitive government and internal investigations. We're elated that she's joined our firm."

George's practice focuses on the representation of companies in complex cybersecurity and data security matters, including providing advice on legal challenges faced by companies when preparing for and responding to cybersecurity breaches. She also advises clients in internal and government investigations, privacy and compliance matters, and in responding to law enforcement requests for data. In addition, she represents clients in other national security-related areas, including applications before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and for foreign acquisition of licenses issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

George has provided legal advice on some of the largest and highest profile cybersecurity breaches and data collection efforts in the last several years, including serving as the lead White House associate counsel for the response to the Office of Personnel Management's 2015 data breaches, advising the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence as the sole attorney for the committee's bi-partisan review of intelligence collection activities following Edward Snowden's unauthorized disclosures of classified materials, managing highly sensitive internal investigations, and practicing before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

Most recently, George served as the deputy general counsel for legislation for the DoD, where she led the department's responses to congressional oversight and investigations. In 2017, George was awarded the Secretary of Defense's Award for Outstanding Public Service, the second highest award given to civilians.

From 2011 to 2016, George served in various roles for the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), including as counsel to the Assistant Attorney General, counsel to the Office of Law & Policy, and honors attorney and attorney-adviser for the Office of Intelligence. On detail from the DOJ from 2014 to 2015, she served as a professional staff member and counsel to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. George served as associate counsel in the Office of the White House Counsel from 2015 to 2016, also on detail from the DOJ. At the White House, she led response for the office on cybersecurity and national security matters.

George earned her J.D., magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, from the New York University School of Law in 2010. Following law school, she served as a law clerk for the DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel, and then to Chief Justice Theodore A. McKee of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. George received a B.A., summa cum laude, from New York University in 2001. She is admitted to practice in New York.

About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

For more than 50 years, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offered a broad range of services and legal disciplines focused on serving the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. The firm is nationally recognized as a leader in the fields of corporate governance and finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities litigation, employment law, intellectual property, and antitrust, among many other areas of law. With deep roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offices in Austin; Beijing; Boston; Brussels; Hong Kong; Los Angeles; New York; Palo Alto; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle; Shanghai; Washington, D.C.; and Wilmington, DE. For more information, please visit www.wsgr.com.

SOURCE Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Related Links

http://www.wsgr.com


COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly four out of 10 middle market executives say a lack of talent constrains their companies' ability to grow, according to "Help Wanted," a report released today by the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM), in conjunction with the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program. Middle market firms  those with annual revenue between $10 million and $1 billion  are employment powerhouses, responsible for about one-third of U.S. private sector jobs and 60 percent of new hires. However, they report difficulties with recruiting, hiring, developing and retaining workers with the skills they need.

The chief reason cited by middle market executives for the lack of talent is a clear gap between supply and demand, with 44 percent saying a lack of candidates with the necessary skills makes it difficult to recruit. Other challenges include competition from other employers, a low number of applications, limited work experience among those who do apply and qualified candidates who are outside of the company's salary or wage range.

Health care has been hit the hardest, with 49 percent of middle market health care companies responding that lack of talent has had negative effects. Construction and service firms come in a close second with 46 percent feeling the impact.

"Middle market companies have added jobs at a 3.7 percent annual clip for the last five years, and the rate is accelerating," said NCMM Executive Director Thomas A. Stewart. "In fact, the rate was 5.7 percent over the last year alone. That makes the talent shortage particularly painful and makes it difficult for these companies to reach their growth objectives."

The report finds that middle market companies typically have lean human resources systems that are more operational than strategic. They frequently lack scale or capacity to carry out functions, like skills mapping, succession planning, developing career ladders and recruitment planning.

On a related note, they do not always have the resources to build partnerships with educational, training and job placement organizations, or to join forces with other firms or trade associations. In partnerships with other employers, firms can identify common needs, aggregate demand and create economies of scale in shared workforce initiatives.

Moreover, the workforce and education system of public agencies, universities, two- and four-year colleges, high schools and nonprofit organizations can be confusing and time-consuming for firms to navigate. Additionally, these organizations don't have strong incentives to meet the workforce needs of middle market firms in particular.

"Middle market companies typically have more complex workforce needs than small companies but lack the HR capacity of larger companies to recruit, assess, hire and train the talent they need," said Martha Ross, a fellow with the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. "Additionally, they don't have the brand power or hiring volume of larger companies, and educational, training and job placement programs are not always responsive."

Solutions for Overcoming Workplace Development Issues

Middle market firms can take a variety of actions to improve their approach to talent management, most of which are low-cost, although they do require staff time and leadership commitment. With six out of 10 companies engaging in talent searches only when specific jobs become available, they should become more proactive in recruiting, training and retaining skilled employees. Companies should also invest in talent planning activities, build strategic HR capabilities, develop internship programs and enhance community outreach.

Middle market companies should also engage with universities, nonprofits and public-sector workforce programs, though only 20 percent do. These organizations have influence on the local business communities and can easily connect companies to top talent.

"There are significant opportunities for universities and others to develop programs for and outreach to the middle market, with great benefit to both parties," said NCMM Managing Director Doug Farren.

Middle market companies can also join forces to address their workforce problems collectively. Today, only 14 percent work with other companies to deal with workforce needs; the report suggests these companies participate in or create consortia to leverage workforce efforts within their region or industry.

About the Report

The National Center for the Middle Market surveyed 1,000 CEOs, CFOs, and other C-suite executives of America's middle market companies. The Center designed specific survey questions to learn about the HR and workforce partnership practices of these firms, including their recruiting and training efforts and challenges, the role of HR, and how the firms partner with other entities and organizations to address workforce issues.

Executives completed the survey during the first two weeks of December 2016. Additionally, the Center and the Brookings Institution conducted focus groups with middle market executives in Atlanta and Philadelphia in April 2017 to gain additional insights into the unique challenges middle market companies face when it comes to finding the talent they need to grow. Brookings also interviewed local workforce investment boards, other intermediaries, and firms. This report is prepared jointly by the National Center for the Middle Market and the Brookings Institution.

About the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM)

The National Center for the Middle Market is a collaboration between The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business, SunTrust Banks and Grant Thornton LLP. It exists for a single purpose: to ensure that the vitality and robustness of Middle Market companies are fully realized as fundamental to our nation's economic outlook and prosperity. The Center is the leading source of knowledge, leadership, and innovative research on the middle market economy, providing critical data analysis, insights, and perspectives for companies, policymakers, and other key stakeholders, to help accelerate growth, increase competitiveness and create jobs in this sector.

Housed at The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business, the National Center for the Middle Market is the first center of its kind in the nation. The Center enthusiastically serves middle market firms, students, academic researchers, policy makers, the media and other key stakeholders with interests in the health and well-being of the middle market. The Center is fully committed to funding and distributing the most credible open-sourced research, dynamically creating new knowledge, providing programs that drive value for middle market companies, and offering a well-informed outlook on the health and future of the middle market via the Middle Market Indicator.

About the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and policy solutions. Its mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations for policymakers and the public. The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.

The mission of the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program is to deliver research and solutions that help metropolitan leaders build an advanced economy that works for all. To learn more, visit: www.brookings.edu/metro.

SOURCE National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM)

Related Links

http://www.middlemarketcenter.org


"Earning a spot on the Top 250 Privately Held Companies list is an honor," said Chris Sullens, President and CEO of WorkWave. "This recognition further validates my team's hard work and dedication to providing our clients with superior products and services that allow them to run their businesses more effectively and efficiently."

To learn more about WorkWave, visit workwave.com.

About WorkWave

WorkWave is dedicated to simplifying the complexity of running field service and other fleet-based businesses, large or small - a $45+ billion market worldwide. The company's suite of solutions, which include PestPac, WorkWave Service, ServiceCEO, WorkWave Route Manager, WorkWave GPS, GPS Heroes and ContactUs, allow WorkWave clients to easily attribute and automate sales and marketing activities, improve their back office efficiency and increase their visibility into field operations through a single, easy to use interface. WorkWave's platform provides its 8,000+ clients an unprecedented level of business insight and information, enabling them to increase efficiency, increase revenue and provide a 5-Star customer experience. Founded in 1984, WorkWave has been recognized with multiple awards for its outstanding growth and culture, including the Inc. 5000, SaaS Award, and Best Place to Work by NJBiz & Inc. Magazine. For more information, visit www.workwave.com.

About NJBIZ

NJBIZ, New Jersey's leading business journal, produces a weekly print edition with a circulation of more than 15,000 copies, as well as providing 24/7 business news coverage through its NJBIZ.com website and multiple daily e-newsletters.

The publication, founded in 1987 and based in Somerset section of Franklin Lakes, is also well-known throughout the state for its events honoring New Jersey's top business professionals.

Contact Danielle Panichi Email [email protected] Phone 800-792-6067 Website https://www.workwave.com

SOURCE WorkWave

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Browse 356 Market Data Tables and 50 Figures spread through 319 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Wound Care Market"

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Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

Factors driving the growth of this market include the increasing prevalence of chronic wounds and acute wounds, increasing aged population, rising R&D activities and advancement in the field of wound care research, rising number of road traffic accidents globally, and the increasing awareness about wound care treatment and management through awareness programs.

Advanced wound management products are estimated to account for the largest market share in 2017

On the basis of product type, the Wound Care Market is classified into advanced wound management products, surgical wound care products, and traditional wound care products. Advanced wound management products are expected to lead the global Wound Care Market in 2017. Factors driving the growth of this segment include the increasing incidence of diabetes and the rising demand for innovative and advanced wound management products.

Download PDF Brochure: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=371

The chronic wounds segment is estimated to dominate the market in 2017

By the type of wound, the market is bifurcated into chronic wounds and acute wounds. The chronic wounds segment is anticipated to account for the largest share of the global Wound Care Market. Factors such as the increasing geriatric population and the rising incidence of diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, and other types of chronic wounds, are driving the growth of this market.

By end user, hospitals and specialty wound care clinics are estimated to command for the largest share of the market during the forecast period

On the basis of end users, the Wound Care Market is categorized into hospitals and specialty wound care clinics, long-term care facilities, and home healthcare. The hospitals and specialty wound care clinics segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the global Wound Care Market. Increasing patient admissions for the treatment of chronic wounds, rising incidence of diabetes, and improving hospital infrastructure in developing countries are key factors driving the growth of this end-user segment.

Talk To Our Research Analysts: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=371

North America is estimated to command the largest share of the market

Based on region, the Wound Care Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). North America is expected to dominate the Wound Care Market in 2017, this is attributed to factors like increasing research activities in the field of wound care and rising governmental investment for wound care research in the region as compared to other regions.

Key players in the Wound Care Market include Acelity L.P. Inc. (US), Smith & Nephew plc (UK), Molnlycke Health Care AB (Sweden), ConvaTec Group Plc (UK), Baxter International Inc. (US), Coloplast A/S (Denmark), BSN medical GmbH (Germany), Organogenesis Inc. (US), DeRoyal Industries, Inc.(US), IonMed (Israel), Ethicon, Inc. (US), Medtronic plc (Ireland), 3M Company (US), Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. (US), Paul Hartmann AG (Germany), NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (US), Derma Sciences, Inc. (US), Vivostat A/S (Denmark), Wound Care Technologies, Inc. (US), Leap Therapeutics Inc. (US), Hematris Wound Care GmbH (Germany), Alliqua BioMedical, Inc. (US), LayerBio Inc. (US) Triage Meditech Pvt. Ltd (India), and Fidia Pharma USA Inc. (US).

Browse Related Reports

Burn Care Market by Product (Advanced (Alginate, Collagen, Hydrocolloid, Hydrogel), Biologics, Traditional), Depth (Minor, Partial-thickness, Full-thickness Burn), End-Users (Hospitals (Inpatient, Outpatient), Physician Clinics, Homecare) - Forecast to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/burn-care-market-247121470.html

Wound Dressings Market by Type (Advanced Wound Dressings, Traditional Wound Dressings), Application (Surgical Wounds, Ulcers, Burns), End User (Inpatient Facilities, Outpatient Facilities) - Global Forecast to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/wound-dressings-market-123903496.html

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Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
YIWU, China, Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Yiwugou.com, the official website of the largest commodity market in the world, launched a plan earlier this month to recruit overseas service representatives in an effort to improve its service for purchasers abroad. These representatives will be dedicated to facilitating online purchases of overseas purchasers through Yiwugou.com by effectively informing suppliers on the website based on overseas demand. The recruitment will first take place in Southeast Asian cities and regions with developed commerce and trade as pilot programs.

It is known that most overseas purchasers at Yiwugou.com are adept at large-quantity purchase which is much more demanding in terms of quality, price, delivery and payment of goods, as well as the qualification and integrity of suppliers. Therefore what they care about most is how to find the befitting suppliers.

To connect purchasers abroad with Yiwu suppliers more effectively, Yiwugou.com initiated the "Overseas Cooperation" program in 2014 which has reached out to over 10 countries and regions abroad. As for the recruitment underway, 10 service representatives are planned to be recruited from 10 Southeast Asian regions where commerce and trade are intensive. Each region will be staffed with a service representative who will in principle be recruited based on recommendations from Yiwugou's partners of the "Overseas Cooperation" program. To better serve as a bridge between overseas purchasers and Yiwugou suppliers, the applicants are required to be familiar with local market conditions, capable of reading and speaking Chinese, and able to have a common sense about e-commerce and online shopping.

Representatives will be employed on a part-time basis, earning a certain amount of salary, plus a certain proportion of commission on the purchase amount completed through Yiwugou.com thanks to their involvement. Correspondingly, Yiwugou.com has the right to oversee and evaluate their performance.

According to the recruitment director, the recruitment attempts to improve the website's service and operation so as to better connect global purchasers with the Yiwu commodity market. Further recruitment plans targeting more overseas countries can be expected if the plan underway proves to be successful.

Partners both at home and abroad who recommend applicants or apply for the post as an overseas service representative will be well received. For detailed information in this regard, please contact the recruitment director via email: [email protected].

About Yiwugou.com

SOURCE Yiwugou
HOUSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- YWCA Houston has served its community for more than 110 years, providing critical services for 2,000 senior citizens every day. Many members of our community and our staff have lost everything. Half of the 21 emergency housing units YWCA provides are flooded.

As the city of Houston continues crisis management efforts, YWCA Houston is dedicated to continuing to do what we do best: meet the unique and changing needs of its community.

That is why YWCA Houston has established the YWCA Houston Hurricane Relief Fund. This fund will be used to help individuals and families begin to rebuild their lives through direct assistance with shelf stable food, furniture, housing and more. Donations will also support YWCA Houston Meals on Wheels programs, YWCA housing recipients, and staff who have been affected and or displaced by the storm. YWCA Houston is a trusted place to direct assistance for survivors of Hurricane Harvey in the days and months to come.



About YWCA USA

YWCA USA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families, and strengthen communities. We are one of the oldest and largest women's organizations in the nation, serving over 2 million women, girls, and their families.

YWCA has been at the forefront of the most pressing social movements for more than 150 years  from voting rights to civil rights, from affordable housing to pay equity, from violence prevention to health care reform. Today, we combine programming and advocacy in order to generate institutional change in three key areas: racial justice and civil rights, empowerment and economic advancement of women and girls, and health and safety of women and girls. Learn more: www.ywca.org.

Contact: Cindy Hoffman

202.524.5330 | [email protected]

SOURCE YWCA USA

Related Links

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CHICAGO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks Index Services is pleased to announce the introduction of Zacks Global Autonomous Vehicle Index. This innovative index offers strategic exposure to companies who are actively involved in research and development, manufacturing, and supporting self-driving cars.

The Index is comprised of three subsectors: Auto Parts Producers, Manufacturers, and Technology.

Auto Parts Producers: engaged in research, developing and producing parts for autonomous vehicles Manufacturers: involved in investing, research, testing and manufacturing self-driving cars Technology: engaged in providing necessary support such as high-precision map, autonomy, safety and intelligence assistance

The Zacks Global Autonomous Vehicle Index employs proprietary selection rules to identify constituents that contribute to or generate revenue from the autonomous vehicle industry. The Index includes publicly listed, liquid securities trading in both the United States and global exchanges. The Index, which is comprised of 60 constituents, is reconstituted once a year.

About Zacks Index Services

Zacks Index Services, a division of Zacks Investment Management (ZIM), creates and maintains proprietary, quantitative portfolio strategies that are licensed to product sponsors and serve as the basis of investment products such as ETFs, unit investment trusts, and closed-end funds. ZIM, a wealth management boutique, is a leading expert on earnings and using earnings estimates in the investment process. ZIM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Zacks Investment Research, one of the largest providers of independent research in the U.S.

For more information on Zacks Index Services please visit www.zacksindexservices.com.

CONTACT

Kevin Heckert,

Director of Index Services,

312 265 9281

Or

Terry Ruffolo,

Director of Media Relations,

312 265 9213

Disclosure:

This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment or strategy is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice

SOURCE Zacks Index Services

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SHANGHAI, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO) ("ZTO" or the "Company"), a leading express delivery company in China"), today announced that it has expanded its fresh produce delivery services with the addition of two high-speed rail links between Kunming, Yunnan Province, and Beijing and Shanghai. The expansion extends ZTO's current fresh product delivery network to a total of eight high-speed rail links including Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi and Guiyang Provinces.

ZTO began offering fresh produce delivery services in 2016 and rapidly expanded it across China in collaboration with air transportation and high-speed rail networks to guarantee on-time delivery. ZTO has established outlets in a number of fresh produce markets across China's south and southwest ensuring the timely and safe delivery of fruits, vegetables and flowers to major markets along the east coast within 24 hours.

Mr. Meisong Lai, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ZTO, commented "The addition of two high-speed rail lines between Kunming and Beijing and Shanghai in addition to the 12 airports in which we arrange air transportation will ensure the freshness of produce we deliver from Yunnan to major markets on the Chinese eastern coast. The expansion of our fresh produce delivery services is part of our focus on anticipating the needs and providing higher-quality services to our end customers, which further strengthens customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. By expanding the application of new technology and leveraging the data from our service outlets, we are able to ensure the timely delivery of fresh produce parcels by attaching digital waybills which prioritizes their handling and delivery through each step of the delivery process. As the scale of our business grows, we will continue to expand our transportation network in order to provide the highest quality service possible and increase shareholder value."

About ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc.

ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO) ("ZTO" or the "Company") is a leading express delivery company in China and one of the largest express delivery companies globally, in terms of total parcel volume in 2015, according to the iResearch Report. ZTO provides express delivery service as well as other value-added logistics services through its extensive and reliable nationwide network coverage in China.

ZTO operates a highly scalable network partner model, which the Company believes is best suited to support the significant growth of e-commerce in China. The Company leverages its network partners to provide pickup and last-mile delivery services, while controlling the mission-critical line-haul transportation and sorting network within the express delivery service value chain.

For more information, please visit http://zto.investorroom.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confidence" and similar statements. ZTO may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about ZTO's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in our annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and ZTO undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

ZTO

Investor Relations Department

E-mail: [email protected]

Christensen

In China

Mr. Christian Arnell

Phone: +86-10- 5900-1548

E-mail: [email protected]

In US

Mr. Tip Fleming

Phone: +1-917-412-3333

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc.

Related Links

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Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the blast hit the entrance to a Kabul Bank branch.

By Reuters: An explosion hit a bank in the Afghan capital on Tuesday, close to the heavily protected US embassy compound, killing at least one person, officials said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the blast hit the entrance to a Kabul Bank branch.

The public health ministry said one person had been killed and eight wounded.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, which came as banks are busy with people withdrawing money ahead of the Muslim Eid holiday at the end of the week.

--- ENDS ---

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By Rohit Kumar Singh: The Income Tax (I-T) department today questioned former deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, his sister and Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in the benami properties case against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family.

The questioning comes 48 hours after the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) held a massive rally 'Desh Bachao, BJP Bhagao' in Patna.

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Tejashwi, Misa and Rabri were quizzed by a joint team of Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate officials at the I-T office in Patna. Tejashwi was questioned for over 7 hours while Misa and Rabri Devi, who reached the Income Tax office at 2 pm, was questioned for over 5 hours.

Though the I-T officials refused to comment on the questioning of Lalu Prasad's family members, sources confirmed to India Today that all three were called for questioning in connection with the benami properties case against them in land deals worth Rs 1,000 crore. According to sources, Ritu Kumar Sharma and Ashutosh Kumar, both joint commissioners in the I-T department, had flown from Delhi to Patna to assist the investigating officers of the case and take the probe forward.

Sources said that Tejashwi, Misa and Rabri were served notice by the Income Tax department a fortnight back and were called for questioning. However, they had sought time from the officials to be questioned only after the RJD rally was over.

Tejashwi, who was the first to come out of the income tax office after his questioning was over, refused to speak to the media.

ALSO READ |

Tejashwi Yadav, Misa Bharti likely to face criminal proceedings in benami properties case

Tejashwi Yadav's Janadesh Apmaan Yatra to expose ex-boss Nitish Kumar

Did Lalu Prasad fake a photo of his mega BJP Bhagao Desh Bachao rally?

ALSO WATCH | Patna: Massive show of strength at RJD's anti-BJP rally, Sharad Yadav, Mamata, Akhilesh share stage

--- ENDS ---
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
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) Bhutan today welcomed the end of the 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Dokalam and hoped it would help in ensuring peace and tranquillity at the tri-junction.

"Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area," the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

In a major diplomatic breakthrough to end the prolonged standoff between their troops, India and China yesterday disengaged their border personnel at Dokalam.

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"We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquility and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries," the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Dokalam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area. India had deployed about 350 Army personnel in the area.

Bhutan and China have a dispute over Dokalam, a strategically key area at the Bhutan-India-China trijunction in the Sikkim sector. PTI MPB MIN

--- ENDS ---
Mumbai, Aug 27 : Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar says he is nervous as well as excited to shoot a "heavy duty climax" sequence for Salman Khan starrer "Tiger Zinda Hai".

"Last 22 days to go 'Tiger Zinda Hai', heavy duty climax action to begin from tomorrow. Nervous and excitement," Zafar tweeted on Sunday.

The Yash Raj Films (YRF) project is a sequel to 2012 blockbuster "Ek Tha Tiger". It also features actress Katrina Kaif.

"Ek Tha Tiger" centered on the life of an agent of RAW (Salman), code-named Tiger, who falls in love with a Pakistani spy from ISI (Katrina) during an investigation and how Tiger's ideology and principles change over time.

The makers of "Tiger Zinda Hai" have locked Christmas 2017 for the release of the film. The team of "Tiger Zinda Hai" has shot in scenic locales of Austria and Abu Dhabi.

Zafar didn't mention the location where the climax scenes will be shot.
Chennai, Aug 27 : Tamil Nadu Governor C.Vidyasagar Rao on Sunday assured a delegation of opposition parties led by DMK that he would take necessary action when informed of the "minority" status of ruling AIADMK in the Assembly, said DMK leader Duraimurugan.

Speaking to reporters, he said the delagation submitted the copy of the letter written by the party's Working President M.K.Stalin to Rao and impressed upon the Governor the need for Chief Minister K.Palaniswami to prove his government's majority in the Assembly.

With the withdrawal of support to Palaniswami by 19 AIADMK legislators recently, the delegation told the Governor that said the government is now a minority in the assembly.

According to Duraimurugan, Rao told the opposition delegation that he is aware of the developments and will take appropriate action.

Duraimurugan led the delegation comprising members from DMK, Congress and IUML.

On August 22, AIADMK's 19 legislators belonging to the jailed party General Secretary V.K.Sasikala-Dinakaran faction gave letters to Rao, withdrawing their support to Palaniswami and saying they wanted a new Chief Minister.

The Dinakaran faction resorted to the move as it was sidelined post-merger between the two factions led by Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and Chief Minister Palaniswami.

As a part of the merger, the Panneerselvam-Palaniswami faction had announced that steps would be taken to dismiss Sasikala from the General Secretary's post.
Chennai, Aug 27 : The opposition led by DMK on Sunday petitioned Tamil Nadu Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao for ordering an immediate floor test in the state Assembly and directing Chief Minister K Palanisami to prove the majority of his government.

The development comes a week after two factions of the AIADMK came together to sideline jailed General Secretary V.K. Sasikala and her nephew T.T.V. Dinakaran. The third faction headed by Dinakaran, with 19 MLAS, had earlier this week met the Governor and demanded removal of the Chief Minister saying he had lost their faith in him.

DMK Deputy Leader in the Assembly Duraimurugan told reporters after meeting the Governor that he should order a floor test immediately as the Palanisami government has been reduced to a thorough minority after withdrawal of support by the AIADMK rebel grown whose support has now grown to 22.

"We pointed out to the Governor that when O. Panneerselvam withdrew support of his 9 MLAs in February you had immediately ordered a floor test. Now in a House with an effective strength of 233, the opposition to the government has gone up to 120. This includes DMK (89), and its allies Congress (8), and Muslim League (1).

"The present situation calls for an immediate trial of strength in the Assembly under a precedent set by you," the DMK delegation told the Governor. It also submitted a letter of the Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin to the Governor to press its demand.

For a simple majority, the ruling AIADMK needs the support of 117 and Opposition parties says its backing has come down to 113.

The delegation included J Anbazhagan and Kanimozhi (DMK), Vijayadharani (Congress) and Muslim League member K.A.M. Abubacker.

Duraimurugan said the Governor told the delegation that he was aware of the developments in the state and now that the DMK has given the letter, he would take a decision in accordance with law.

Meanwhile, Dinakaran told reporters in Theni that his group's efforts were to "protect" the government and not to topple it.

It is a war between sacrifice and betrayal - sacrifice represented by Sasikala and betrayal represented by Palanisami," he said.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : China's statement that its troops will continue to patrol in the Doklam area and exercise "sovereignty in the region" effectively means that Chinese troops will return to status quo position before the standoff began with India, sources said.

On Monday, India announced that it has reached an agreement with China over disengagement in Doklam area.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said soon after that Chinese border troops will "continue to patrol in Donglong", which India refers to as Doklam, in the Sikkim sector.

The External Affairs Ministry in another statement on Monday evening clarified that the process of pulling out of troops by both Indian and Chinese sides was almost complete.

"India never had a problem with China patrolling the area, neither has India any claim on the territory. The statement indicates that status quo will be restored," a government source said.

The standoff started when China tried to construct a road in the territory controlled by Bhutan in the Doklam plateau, in the tri-junction area. The area is disputed between China and Bhutan.

On the Bhutanese government's request, Indian soldiers stopped the Chinese road construction party, and requested them to stop their activity.

This led to a standoff along the border in Sikkim, close to the tri-junction of India-China-Bhutan, which continued for two and a half months, with an agreement to disengage finally announced on Monday.

China stakes its claim on the Doklam Plateau in Bhutan which overlooks the 'chicken neck' corridor that connects India's northeast to the remaining part of the country.

India has been concerned over China's road construction activity, as it could jeopardise India's military operations in the area, and also put at threat the crucial Siliguri corridor.
Washington, Aug 29 : President Donald Trump will travel to Corpus Christi, Texas, on Tuesday with his wife Melania to supervise emergency aid work in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which has killed at least eight people and displaced tens of thousands.

The White House confirmed on Monday that Trump will travel to the Gulf Coast city near which the powerful storm made landfall last Friday evening, bringing torrential rains and unprecedented flooding to the entire region, Efe reported.

The President, who has praised the work of local and state authorities to deal with the storm and its aftermath, had announced on Sunday that he would travel to Texas on Tuesday, but he did not specify exactly where he would go.

The first lady's communications director, Stephanie Grishman, announced that Melania Trump will accompany her husband on the trip.

Harvey - now downgraded to a tropical storm - has fulfilled the dire predictions of meteorologists, bringing "unprecedented flooding" to southeastern Texas, particularly along the Gulf coast.

The worst situation is playing itself out in the Houston metro area, where 2.3 million people live and more than a meter (3.3 feet) of floodwater had collected.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a press conference that there are about 5,500 people being housed in about 20 shelters established around the city, a figure that he said will rise "exponentially" in the coming hours.

Harvey made landfall on Friday evening in Rockport, Texas, located some 360 kilometers southwest of Houston, as a Category 4 hurricane, one step removed from the maximum level on the 5-point Saffir-Simpson scale.

In recent days, the storm's intensity has diminished and it has been downgraded to a tropical storm, although it has brought "catastrophic flooding" to Houston and other locations, where rescue teams are using dozens of helicopters and boats to assist people who have been trapped by the floodwaters.
Washington, Aug 29 : NASA's next Mars mission known as InSight, which is scheduled for a 2018 lift-off, will focus on examining the deep interior of Mars, the US space agency has announced.

The long form of InSight's name is Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, reports Xinhua news agency.

The mission is expected to launch after May 8, 2018, from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, with a Mars landing scheduled after October 2018, the agency announced on Monday.

Information gathered by mission will boost understanding of how all rocky planets formed, including Earth.

"Because the interior of Mars has churned much less than Earth's in the past three billion years, Mars likely preserves evidence about rocky planets' infancy better than our home planet does," Bruce Banerdt, InSight principal investigator of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of NASA, said in a statement.

InSight is the first mission of NASA to investigate the deep interior of Mars and is part of a legacy of robotic exploration that is helping to lay the groundwork for sending humans to Mars in the 2030s.

The mission will place a stationary lander near Mars' equator. With two solar panels that unfold like paper fans, the lander spans about 6 metres, according to NASA.

Within weeks after the landing, InSight will use a robotic arm to place its two main instruments directly and permanently onto the Martian ground, an unprecedented set of activities on Mars.

The mission was originally scheduled to launch in March 2016, but NASA suspended launch preparations in December due to a vacuum leak in the lander's prime science instrument.

A redesigned vacuum vessel for the instrument has been built and tested, then combined with the instrument's other components and tested again.

The instrument redesign and two-year delay add $153.8 million to its previous budget of $675 million.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems is assembling and testing the InSight spacecraft in a clean room facility near Denver, Colorado. The Mars lander's science payload also is on track for next year's launch.
New York, Aug 29 : Russian star Maria Sharapova defeated second seed Simona Halep 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in the first round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows here.

Wildcard Sharapova, who was making her first appearance at a Grand Slam since her return from a 15-month suspension for doping, outlasted the Romanian in a much-anticipated first round match on Arthur Ashe court that lasted over two and a half hours on Monday, reports Efe.

Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam winner, overpowered Halep in the first set, before the second seed showed considerable fight to overcome the obvious physical mismatch and take the second set 6-4.

The Russian put any fears that her lengthy suspension would reduce her toughness and edge firmly to rest in the third set, taking it 6-3.

Sharapova hit 60 winners on the night, four times as many as her opponent, to extend her winning record against Halep to 7-0.

"You sometimes wonder why you put in all the work," Sharapova said on court after her victory, "and this is exactly why."

"Behind the crystals, this girl has grit," she added, to loud cheers from the crowd.

Sharapova moves on to the second round, where she will face 59th-ranked Timea Babos of Hungary.
San Francisco, Aug 29 : Apple is expected to launch its next flagship device iPhone 8 on September 12, a media report said.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the company is expected to release three new devices -- iPhone 8 along with the updated versions of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus -- that will be called iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus.

Following several leaks about Apple's controversial yet virtually bezel-less redesign, a detailed iPhone 8 dummy model confirmed that the devices would have an elongated 18.5:9 aspect ratio like the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, Forbes reported.

It would also reduce bezel sizes to just 4 mm on all sides and feature a vertically aligned rear camera, the report added.

The rear dual-camera system on the iPhone 8 would protrude more than ever before.

Earlier leaks have suggested design changes in detail. They also pointed out that the 2017 device would have an all-display front with the fingerprint scanner moved to the back.

The handful of images also showed the upcoming iPhone 8 with rear-placed Touch ID placed directly below the Apple logo.

As far as the refresh of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are concerned, photos of a couple of iPhone dummy models show Apple devices with a glass backing, meaning the models shown in the pictures could have wireless charging as a feature.

Analysts have predicted that riding on the "better-than-expected iPad and iPhone sales", the upcoming flagship device iPhone 8 could make the Cupertino-based giant the first company to reach and sustain a $1 trillion market cap.

According to a report in MarketWatch, the stock momentum has added $56 billion to the company's market cap since the announcement of its third quarter results.
Islamabad, Aug 29 : Pakistan should abandon its apologetic stance and move towards active diplomacy to revive the Kashmir issue at international forums, Islamabad's former ambassador to India Abdul Basit said.

The former ambassador made the remarks while addressing journalists at a seminar on Monday titled "Indian Designs to Change Demography of Kashmir - Violation of UN Resolutions and International Law", organised by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR), reports Dawn news.

Basit said that even though India wanted to start a dialogue with Pakistan, it was not ready to speak about Kashmir.

On the other hand, he added, Pakistan believed that Kashmir remained a major bone of contention between the two countries as several wars had been fought over it so far.

"We need to make a productive policy as the people of Kashmir are not ready to accept the Indian control. We don't have to start backdoor diplomacy as it will not be productive," Dawn news quoted the former envoy as saying.

In reply to a question about Pakistan-US relations, Basit said it was a fact that relations between the two countries were marked by contradictions.

He said the US wanted Afghanistan to remain in turmoil, which was a challenge for Pakistan.

"On the other hand, peace in Pakistan is linked directly to peace in Afghanistan. We need to convince the US media and their think tanks that there is no divergence in interests of Pakistan and the US."
New Delhi, Aug 29 : China is pushing to get the RCEP pact wrapped up fast. But the negotiations over the ambitious regional trade deal, which began over five years ago -- with the 19th round of talks being held in Hyderabad last month -- look unlikely to conclude by the tentative year-end deadline.

After the Hyderabad round, members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a free trade agreement covering 16 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, are hoping to arrive at a positive conclusion during the 20th round to be held in Incheon, South Korea, in October.

The 16 RCEP countries -- China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and the 10-member ASEAN -- represent more than 3.5 billion people and about 40 per cent of global GDP.

India, which has an over $50 billion trade deficit with Beijing, has concerns over its market being flooded by goods from China and other nations once it further liberalises its tariff barriers for goods, as is being demanded. India is pushing for a deal in the services sector, where it is in a leadership position, with liberalisation of services and freedom of movement for professionals. However, the talks in the field have remained inconclusive.

According to former ambassador Rajiv Bhatia, "China already has a strong position in the RCEP negotiations as it is the biggest trading nation in the grouping, and also because it has a fairly advanced FTA with the ASEAN countries."

"India cannot give very freely and liberally trade preferences to other countries, due to apprehensions that it would further jeopardise our own domestic industry. So India has the more difficult challenge, and these countries, which have been relatively free market, are pushing India to make more concessions as far as the goods trade is concerned," Bhatia, former Director General of the Indian Council of World Affairs, told IANS.

But with regard to the services sector, India has sought better arrangements and more concessions as well as facilitation of free movement of professionals -- but the other countries of the proposed FTA bloc are opposed to this. "So you have a situation where there are pressures and counter-pressures," Bhatia added.

According to international trade expert T.S. Vishwanath, what is holding up the negotiations in the area of services is that countries of the ASEAN, as well as South Korea and Australia, "are not open about some of the demands we have".

"This is mostly regarding the movement of professionals, in the Information Technology or BPO sector. They have issues, and are not very happy about it. They are putting pressure, saying, 'open up your markets for our products, manufactured goods'," Vishwanath, Principal Advisor, APJ-SLG Law Offices, told IANS.

India has said it is willing to open up 65 per cent of its market for goods, but the countries want close to 90-95 per cent. India has asked for the services agreement to be inked as a quid pro quo.

"On that everybody is keeping quiet. That is why it is taking a little while," he added.

"From what I understand, the industry in some other countries, like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia, say if India wants a higher opening for movement of professionals they may not be averse to it. There is some hope. But the governments there need to act, it has to come from the governments, not industry," he said.

"We are hoping that by December they may be able to get somewhere on these issues," Vishwanath added.

According to economist Ram Upendra Das, "The negotiations in RECP are happening in a manner in which, in my view, India is being misunderstood."

Das, who has been appointed the head of the just-opened Centre for Regional Trade, an autonomous institute under the Commerce Ministry, told IANS: "One of the things India has been saying is that they should open up temporary movement of people and professionals under Mode 4, which means our experts, in health, IT, software developers, should be in a position to get the facility to go. The misunderstanding is that they (other countries) are confusing temporary movement of professionals with permanent migration."

"Just because any country signs a deal in services does not mean they will be swamped by professionals," he added.

On the future of the negotiations, Bhatia said: "My considered view is that December is going to be a difficult deadline... Our government announced it would be ready in 2016, it did not happen. And now they are talking about the end of 2017. There is nothing firm about December 2017 as far as I know."

(Ranjana Narayan can be reached at ranjana.n@ians.in)
By PTI: (Eds: Updating with more details)

New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) Bhutan today welcomed the end of the 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Dokalam and hoped it would help maintain peace and status quo at the tri-junction.

"Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Dokalam area," the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

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In a major diplomatic breakthrough to end the prolonged standoff between their troops, India and China yesterday disengaged their border personnel at Dokalam.

"We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries," the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Dokalam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the strategically key Dokalam region, a disputed area between China and Bhutan.

India had deployed about 350 Army personnel in the area.

The Indian Army had blocked the construction of the road as it could give China a major military advantage over India at the Bhutan-China-India tri-junction.

China and Bhutan were engaged in talks to resolve the dispute in the area. India argues that since it is a tri- junction involving the three countries, it also has a say in the issue.

In keeping with their tradition of holding close consultations on matters of mutual interest, Bhutan and India had been in regular contact through the unfolding of the developments in Dokalam.

Following the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops, Bhutan had underlined that construction of the road inside Bhutanese territory was a direct violation of the 1988 and 1998 agreements between Bhutan and China and affected the process of demarcating the boundary between the two countries. PTI MPB BDS

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Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh), Aug 29 : Five women were killed when a tractor trolley carrying pilgrims from a Rajasthan temple overturned late on Monday night in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district, police said.

According to the Police Control Room, 17 persons were also injured in the accident that occurred around 2.30 a.m.

The victims were returning to Barkheda Khurd in Madhya Pradesh after offering prayers at the Ramdevra temple in Rajasthan.

The condition of three of the injured is said to be critical.

The injured were admitted to the hospitals in Jaora and Ratlam for treatment.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Payal Singhal has collaborated with a US based charity organisation for an exclusive line which will be unveiled in India over a day long trunk show on August 30. The designer says that part of the money generated from selling the garments will go to charity.

Singhal, renowned for her fashion label globally, is collaborating with The Desai Foundation from the United States to create a line titled "Payal Singhal X Desai Foundation".

Talking about the association, she told IANS: "For years, I've been wanting to work with a charity I believed in and who did work with women and when I met Megha Desai, President of the Desai Foundation, I knew instantly that this was the project I had to get involved with."

"I really wanted to do more than just donate money and wanted to get more involved on the ground. The Desai Foundation tailor made a programme for us where we are donating part proceeds from all products made from two of our Signature PS Prints and we are creating jobs for the women in their Sewing Programme by having them manufacture the bags and travel pouches we are selling"

The Desai Foundation, established in 1997, empowers women and children through community programmes to elevate health and livelihood in India and the US.

Payal Singhal in support of the Desai Foundation Vocational Sewing Programme, will design their first ever line of soft bags exclusively for The Desai Foundation, which will be made by the women based in the villages of Gujarat.

These soft bags will have two Payal Singhal signature prints, and will range from overnight bags, totes to makeup bags. There is also a line of firsts: men's wear accessories as well as the much sought after Payal Singhal kid's wear line, stationery and Indian Occasion Wear.

All these products will be on public display and sale at the St. Regis hotel here through the day.
Chennai, Aug 29 : The DMK has sought a meeting with President Ram Nath Kovind on August 31 to press for an immediate floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly so that the Edappadi Palaniswami government can be asked to prove its majority.

Disclosing this to media, DMK Working President M.K. Stalin said at the party headquarters here on Tuesday that MPs belonging to the DMK, Congress, Left parties and Muslim League would be part of the delegation to meet Kovind.

He said he was hopeful that time would be granted for the meeting with the President in Delhi.

A DMK delegation on Sunday met Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao and put forward the demand that the Assembly should be immediately convened and the Chief Minister directed to face a floor test because the government has been "reduced" to a minority with 22 MLAs owing allegiance to the T.T.V. Dinakaran faction.
Thimphu, Aug 29 : Druk Air flight KB 205 that took off from New Delhi on the afternoon of August 24 was no ordinary flight. At Terminal 3 of New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, scores of passengers looked on in awe and could sense the excitement brewing in the air as stalwarts from the literary world queued up for the immigration check. The humble Ruskin Bond seemed tired of the long queue, then came Jerry Pinto, followed by Ashwin Sanghi and the list of heavyweight writers only kept increasing with the passage of every minute.

As the cabin crew prepared for takeoff, these stalwarts pulled out their novels and it was quite a sight to behold! Fancy an entire aircraft, flying high over the Himalayas, with all its occupants sharing a common interest -- the love for books. There were readers, there were writers and there were visitors to the Mountain Echoes Literary Festival from several quarters of the world.

After a splendid two-hour drive from the Paro airport, the gathering of the literary fraternity reached the picturesque capital of Bhutan but there was little time to soak in the countryside. Everybody headed to a glittery event hosted by Indian Ambassador Jaideep Sarkar for the inauguration of the annual literary extravaganza where Bhutan's Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay, staged a poetry recital along with a 16-year-old student from the Bhutan High School. It was twenty minutes of absolute silence, a meditation session for visitors and a sneak peek into the Bhutanese way of life and thinking. Togbay's humble nature and splendid performance was greeted with a roaring round of applause.

The same evening, the country's Queen Mother, Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, stressed upon the fact that this literary gathering is the most anticipated event in Thimphu's cultural calendar and that she has personally seen its impact on young Bhutanese. She was also delighted that in the eighth edition of the festival, Bhutanese authors had outnumbered Indian authors.

But it was not quite the same a few years ago. Bhutanese are shy and simple people by nature and just three years ago, they were unwilling to participate in the festival and even those who did, were not too stage-friendly. Festival co-director and acclaimed Indian writer Namita Gokhale spent hours building their confidence. "Hold on to your microphones as your Indian counterparts will snatch every moment on stage," she had told Bhutanese authors at a tea-party earlier.

Over the next three days, it was a cultural milieu of sorts. On one hand, you had headline Indian authors interacting with their Bhutanese counterparts and, on the other, there were young Bhutanese students -- innocent and curious -- getting a walk along the Indian way of life.

Consider 18-year-old Sonam Palden, for instance: He only knew that India is a "huge" country in the neighbourhood but after attending sessions by Indian authors, he found out that the people of the two countries "are very similar".

"I know a lot more about India than I did before. I was so surprised to know the similarities between Buddhism and Hinduism thanks to Devdutt Pattanaik. I also got an autograph of Ruskin Bond," said Palden, who bought a copy of Shashi Tharoor's "The Great Indian Novel" from the festival store.

As the day's programme reached its culmination, most of the visiting Indians made their way to the local pubs, primarily Mojo Park -- the hub of Thimphu's nightlife. Here, they interacted with local Bhutanese, sang songs at the open-mic session and, of course, a lot can happen over vodka shots! While the Bhutanese were seen gathering around the likes of Barkha Dutt and Imtiaz Ali, the Indians also came face-to-face with the live band culture of Thimphu, which is not quite the scene back home.

And to avoid any untoward circumstances, which fortunately did not arise, festival director Mita Kapur mingled in the crowd, on each of the nights, a glass of wine in hand.

The three-day literary extravaganza in arguably the happiest country of the world turned out to be more than just a gathering of book lovers and writers. With dinner diplomacy and actual engagement of visiting Indians with Bhutanese locals in pubs, handicraft shops and musical evenings, the Mountain Echoes Literary Festival has indeed set a benchmark for events of its kind in the subcontinent as far as enhancing people-to-people contact is concerned.

(Saket Suman's visit to Thimphu was at the invitation of the organisers of Mountain Echoes Literary Festival. He can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)
Thimphu, Aug 29 : Bhutan on Tuesday welcomed the end of the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops on the Doklam plateau.

In a statement, the Bhutanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area."

It expressed hope that the development would "contribute to the maintenance of peace and tranquility and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries".

On Monday, India and China agreed to withdraw troops from Doklam after an over 70-day standoff, which began on June 16 after Indian troops stopped a People's Liberation Army contingent from constructing a road in the disputed area, which is on the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction.
Kabul, Aug 29 : At least six persons were killed and nine injured on Tuesday in a suicide attack near a bank in Kabul, Afghan police said.

The attack took place at around 10 a.m. near a New Kabul Bank branch in a heavily protected area about 300 metres from NATO's Resolute Support Mission Headquarters, the US Embassy and the Kabul Supreme Court.

Kabul police spokesperson, Basir Mujahid told Efe news the victims included five civilians and the attacker.

The wounded, including four women, were taken in several ambulances to the Wazir Akbar Khan hospital, Afghan Ministry of Public Health spokesperson Ismail Kawsi told Efe.

The Taliban has claimed the attack that was likely targeted at soldiers and police officers who were at the bank to withdraw their salaries ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday this week.
Udaipur, Aug 29 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India could no longer afford to delay modernisation of its infrastructure if the country was to scale new heights.

Infrastructure played a huge role in the nation's development but earlier governments and policy-makers often avoided such time-consuming projects involving large investments "as people often lose patience", Modi said at a public meeting here.

"But, we know that if we have to take the nation to new heights, there is a pressing need to modernise our infrastructure," Modi said.

"Be it rail, road, water or power supply, optical fibre network, waterways, or coastal connectivity, India will not benefit from any further delay in setting up this modern infrastructure," he added.

The Prime Minister said that once everything was in place, it would bring many positive changes in people's lives.

"For example, road projects entailing expenditure of Rs 9,000-crore being launched in Rajasthan will benefit farmers in taking their produce to markets of their choice. It will also enable a sick mother to get good healthcare, which may not be available in her village," Modi said.

Giving example of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Bajpayee's Golden Quadrilateral project, Modi said it enabled farmers of Gujarat to take their produce to markets in Delhi within a day, which substantially increased their incomes.

He said road infrastructure was especially beneficial for Rajasthan, a big state with huge potential for tourism.

Modi said while the government was laying foundation stones for projects entailing expenditure of around Rs 9,500 crore, these would be completed in a time-bound manner just like the projects with expenditure of around Rs 5,600 crore were inaugurated on Tuesday.

He said it took 11 years for a six-lane bridge over Chambal river, costing Rs 300 crore, to be completed.

"Compare it with projects, costing Rs 5,600 crore, which have been completed since 2014 and are being inaugurated now," Modi said.

"We are committed to completing projects in a time-bound manner. We are trying to bring in a culture that we finish the works we start," he said.

Modi said stuck or slow-paced projects harmed the economy as the cost spiralled manifold over the years. He said it took a lot of resources and efforts to revive a stuck project.
Bengaluru, Aug 29 : Heavy rains lashed the coastal districts of Karnataka leading to rivers and lakes overflowing, affecting daily life, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said on Tuesday.

Coastal districts of Kodagu, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada have received "heavy rainfall" measuring up to 11.7 cm, according to IMD officials.

Due to the rain, the roof of a mud house collapsed in Vijayapura town in Bengaluru Rural district, leading to the death of three people.

"In the early hours of Monday, a couple and their baby lost their lives as the roof of their mud house crashed down," an official from Vijayapura's Superintendent of Police office said.

Kodagu, which lies about 250 kms to the west of Bengaluru towards the coast, received a high amount of 11.7 cm rainfall.

"Due to the rains, we have declared a holiday for the schools and colleges in the district," the Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu district Richard Vincent D'Souza told IANS.

"These rains were also much needed to allow Cauvery river to be replenished."

The rains that the state has been receiving are normal and have "no link" to the cloud-seeding that the state government has been undertaking, said IMD Bengaluru Director Sundar M. Metri.

"These rains are due to the low pressure that has developed in the districts. One cannot link it to the cloud-seeding activity that is going on," Metri told IANS.

Due to the lack of rains in the state, the state government launched a cloud-seeding experiment named Project Varshadhari on August 21 in a bid to have rains in the state, which has been witnessing a drought situation.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Philips India on Tuesday said it is set to increase to 36 the number of public-private partnership (PPP) healthcare centres across the states of Haryana and Jharkhand by early 2019.

According to the company, at present there were 10 operational PPP centres across Haryana and seven in Jharkhand.

There were two PPP projects in diagnostic imaging in Haryana and Jharkhand that were run by Healthcare Diagnostic Private Limited, which is an SPV (special purpose vehicle) between Philips India and Manipal Health Enterprises.

"By 2019 -- in 18 months -- all the centres will be done. The PPPs are all about bringing private efficiency into the public domain," said Chhitiz Kumar, Head Government Affairs, PPP, and Healthcare Transformation Services, Philips India.

He said: "You get services in-house faster, at lower prices and there is quality."

"One or two centres will be in Haryana. Majority will be in Jharkhand because we started out there only last year, of which seven centres are operational," added Kumar.

The PPPs are currently operational in Ranchi, Dhanbad and Jamshedpur, he added.

The company informed that the first PPP was inked in mid-2015 with the Government of Haryana for providing radiology services (CT-scan and MRI) for eight centres -- four district hospitals and four medical college hospitals.

Currently, in Haryana the PPP centres are in Rohtak, Gurugram, Panchkula, Mewat, Sonepat (village - Khanpur), Bhiwadi and Agroha.

Four more centres were in the pipeline in Panipat, Kaithal, Jind and Kurukshetra.

The Gurugram centre was the first PPP centre which went operational on August 17, 2015.

"The National Health Policy 2017, talks a lot about PPP which, to me, is a good starting point saying that healthcare challenges in India are enormous and the best way to deliver the right outcome for the masses is when the public healthcare system and the private can work together," said Kumar.

"A lot of efficiency can be brought in by getting in private interventions in the public healthcare domain," Kumar added.

The company added that the second PPP was signed with the Government of Jharkhand for all 24 districts.

The technology spans from basic radiology like ECG, X-ray, ultrasound to high-end CT-scans and MRI, it added.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : A court here on Tuesday put Indian Mujahideen (IM) militant Yasin Bhatkal on trial in two cases related to the 2010 terror attack near Jama Masjid here after formally framing charges against them.

Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma framed charges against Bhatkal, his aide Asadullah Akhtar and eight other IM operatives in the two cases dealing with attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal conspiracy and other charges as also under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The court listed the matter for October 23 for recording the statements of prosecution witnesses.

Earlier, the court on August 1 discharged accused Syed Ismail Afaaque, Abdus Saboor and Riyaz Ahmad Sayeedi in the 2010 Jama Masjid blast case on grounds that it did not find any evidence against them.

The three were accused of criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and other offences under the Indian Penal Code, apart from the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act.

Proceedings against one accused was dropped as he is dead.

On September 19, 2010, two motorcycle-borne persons fired at tourists outside Jama Masjid in Old Delhi, injuring two Taiwanese. A mild explosion in an abandoned car also occurred in the area.

Two cases were registered against IM members, including module co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, its chief Riyaz Bhatkal and Iqbal Bhatkal, for attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal conspiracy and under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act.

Riyaz Bhatkal and Iqbal Bhatkal are on the run.

Yasin Bhatkal, arrested along with Akhtar from the India-Nepal border in August 2013, topped the Delhi Police list of 15 most wanted terrorists involved in bombings across the country.
By India Today Web Desk: Controversial reality show Bigg Boss 11, hosted by Salman Khan is all set to premiere reportedly on October 1 on Colors channel. A final list of contestants who will appear on the show has not been released by the makers. However, there have been reports that a number of familiar faces will be seen on the new season of the show.

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Now according to a report in DNA, Udaan actress Vandana Singh, who plays the role of Ragini Kamal Narayan in the show, might be seen on Bigg Boss 11.

Actors like Nia Sharma, Niti Taylor, Achint Kaur, and Devoleena Bhattacharjee might also participate in the upcoming season of the reality show.

This year Bigg Boss' theme is Padosi. And just like last year, this season too we will see both celebrities and common contestants on the show.

A promo of the show featuring Bollywood star Salman Khan has already been released.

Also read: Bigg Boss 11: This Bollywood star might be seen as the first celebrity guest of the show

Also read: Super Dancer, Bigg Boss, KBC: Will these upcoming reality shows give daily soaps a run for their money?

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Agartala, Aug 29 : Tripura's tribal parties, who have been agitating for a separate state, on Tuesday rejected the central government's proposal for setting up a State Autonomous Development Council (SADC).

Ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front, the Congress and tribal parties, including Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), termed the proposal as "vague", while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supported it.

On the other hand, tribal parties like Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) and Twipraland State Party (TSP), who have been agitating for upgrading the existing Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to a separate tribal state, rejected the Centre's proposal.

Rejecting the proposal, IPFT President Narendra Chandra Debbarma said: "There is no provision in the Indian Constitution to set up an SADC. In no state of India such a council has been set up. The proposal to set up an SADC is akin to hoodwinking the backward tribals."

"Since 2015, the central government has been talking of amending the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to give more powers to all tribal autonomous bodies in northeastern states, but that process is yet to begin," he told the media.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, after a day-long visit to the Left-ruled state, told the media on Monday: "The NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government at the Centre does not support the demand for a separate state in Tripura. Instead, it will consider setting up of an SADC if the Left Front government sent a proposal."

Tripura Tribal Welfare Minister Aghore Debbarma dubbed the union minister's proposal as "vague".

"If the NDA government is serious, they can send a proposal to the state government to set up SADC and if the state agrees, then the central government can amend the Constitution accordingly," the Tripura minister told reporters.

He said that the Tripura government and the state assembly had sent several proposals on a number of occasions to amend the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to confer more power on the TTAADC and other tribal autonomous bodies of the northeastern states.

State Congress Vice President Tapas Dey said the Congress government at the Centre led by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had constituted several tribal autonomous bodies in northeastern states, including in Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya, for the all-round socio-economic development of the tribals.

"BJP government did nothing for the tribals in Northeast, they are only doing politics and offering impractical suggestions," Dey told the reporters.

There are 16 autonomous district councils (ADCs) in Northeast India, facilitating the socio-economic development of tribals, who make up 27-28 per cent of the region's total population of around 45.58 million.

Of the 16 ADCs, six are in Manipur, three each in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram and one in Tripura.

Several tribal parties, including the IPFT, have been agitating since 2009 for upgrading the TTAADC to a separate tribal state.

TTAADC has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq.km. area that is home to over 12,16,000 people, mostly tribals.

The IPFT had blocked National Highway-8, the lifeline of Tripura, and the lone railway line in the state for more than 10 days from July 10 over their separate state demand, causing acute shortage of essential items and hardship to the people.

After intervention by the state and central governments, besides Governor Tathagata Roy, the IPFT lifted the blockade on July 20.

Almost all major political parties, including CPI-M-led Left Front, Congress, BJP and other tribal parties like INPT, have rejected the demand, saying it is not practical to divide the small state.

Ahead of the assembly elections in Tripura, due in February next year, the separate tribal-based state demand has snowballed into a major political issue in the state, the tribals play a crucial political role in the state, with 20 of the 60 assembly seats reserved for the tribals.
Beijing, Aug 29 : China on Tuesday remained ambiguous on whether it has stopped its road building in Doklam, even as its army kept up the rhetoric on the issue asking India to "draw lessons" from the over 70-day standoff.

While India officially announced the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Xiamen in Fujian province for the September 3-5 9th BRICS Summit, Chinese Foreign Office spokesperson Hua Chunying said: "We hope that India will respect China's sovereignty and rightful concerns and work towards a peaceful settlement.

"Hope that BRICS countries work towards peaceful resolution of issues and come to the event with a positive attitude," she said.

A day after the agreement that ended the standoff between their armies, China maintained ambiguity on construction of a road in Doklam that triggered the face-off.

"In order to meet the needs of defending the borders and improving the living condition, China has long been engaged in infrastructure development, including the road constructions in Donlang (Doklam) area," Hua said at a briefing here.

"We will take into consideration all relevant factors, including the weather, to make relevant construction plans in accordance with the situation on the ground," she added when asked if China will continue with building the road in the area.

Meanwhile, keeping up the rhetoric, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said in a statement that the Chinese military will remain "vigilant and firmly defend its national territory and sovereignty".

"Peace and stability along the China-India border concerns regional peace and stability and accords with the common interests of people on both sides of the border," a statement quoting Wu Qian, a senior PLA colonel, said.

He asked India to draw "lessons" from the standoff. "We remind India to draw lessons from the standoff, abide by established treaties and the basic principles of international law, and work together with China to safeguard peace and stability along the border and promote the healthy development of the two militaries," he said.

The construction of a Chinese road at Doka La in disputed Doklam plateau had triggered a military stand-off between the People's Liberation Army and Indian soldiers in mid-June.

The Chinese road construction was being done at Doka La, which is close to Siliguri corridor that connects India's northeast with the rest of the country.

Doklam area is also claimed by India's ally Bhutan.
Kolkata, Aug 29 : The "immense potential" in Kolkata and the love of the residents for festivities propelled Swedish fashion retail giant H&M to open its first store in the city, says Janne Einola, the brand's Country Manager.

"We see immense potential in Kolkata and are delighted to open our first store just in time for the festivities. We look forward to exceed customer expectations with our varied range of inspiring fashion" said Janne Einola, Country Manager, H&M India.

The brand will launch its first store in the city at Woodburn Central. Spread across more than 18,000 sq.ft. and extending over two floors, the store will open on September 23 offering women's, men's, teenagers' and children's apparels and accessories, footwear and lingerie.

The brand currently has 17 stores operational in the country since its first store opening in October 2015. For Fall 2017, the brand will be opening eight new locations, including stores in Coimbatore, Indore and Amritsar.
Tokyo, Aug 29 : US President Donald Trump and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have vowed to increase pressure on North Korea after the Pyongyang regime launched a missile over Japan on Tuesday morning.

Abe denounced the launch as an "unprecedented and grave threat" to the country's security, The Guardian reported.

During a 40-minute phone call between Abe and the US President, both leaders agreed to call for an emergency meeting of the UN security council to discuss the situation.

Officials in South Korea said the missile may have flown further than any other tested by North Korea. The test, one of the most provocative so far from the reclusive state, sent a clear message to Washington just weeks after Kim Jong-un threatened to target the US Pacific territory of Guam with similar intermediate-range missiles.

It also demonstrated the regime's willingness to raise the diplomatic stakes by sending a missile directly over Japanese territory.

Pyongyang has tested more powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) this year, but Tuesday's launch followed a much flatter trajectory than those tests.

Trump said the US was "100 per cent with Japan" and repeated his strong commitment to the defence of Japan, Abe said shortly after the call.

"The outrageous act of firing a missile over our country is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat and greatly damages regional peace and security," Abe told reporters in Tokyo, adding that his government had protested to Pyongyang via the Japanese embassy in Beijing.

The missile was the third fired by North Korea to have passed over Japanese territory. The first was in 1998 and the second in 2009, although Pyongyang claims they were satellites.

Abe said Japan would "strongly call for increased pressure on North Korea in cooperation with the international community" via the security council.

The missile, thought to be a new intermediate-range Hwasong-12, flew over Hokkaido and landed in the Pacific about 733 miles (1,180km) east of the northern Japanese island, South Korean and Japanese officials said.

The Hwasong-12 is the same type of missile North Korea recently threatened to launch towards Guam.

Japan's J-Alert warning system advised people across a large area of northern Japan to seek shelter. Japan's self-defence forces did not attempt to shoot down the missile and there were no reports of damage from falling debris.

The public broadcaster NHK said the missile had been launched from a site near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang and passed over a sparsely populated area of Hokkaido. It broke into three parts and landed in the sea.

Abe said his government was trying to establish the details of the launch and was doing everything possible to ensure the safety of the Japanese people.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday asked the Delhi government to find ways to dispose off the banned plastic bags it has seized.

Following the NGT on August 10 reiterating its earlier ban on polythene with thickness below 50 microns, the Delhi government and civic bodies informed that about 8,000 kgs of banned poly bags were seized. But as the low-grade plastic could not be recycled, its disposal remains a challenge.

On Tuesday, the bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar instructed the Delhi Government to figure out ways to dispose off it, by the next hearing on September 5.

"How will you dispose the sized plastic bags, inform us," it told the Delhi government.

According to experts, this low-grade plastic has good calorific value and could be used in the waste-to-energy plants of which Delhi has four. However, burning such plastic for producing energy comes at the cost of high emissions.

Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain said on August 23 that a total of 7,739 kg of the banned plastic bags were seized and 492 challans and notices were issued under a drive by his ministry. Under the drive, Rs 2,90,000 was collected as environmental compensation.

According to a 2015 report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), plastic comprises 10.14 per cent of total waste generated in the city.

Earlier, the tribunal had asked the city government to ban the low grade plastic with effect from January 1. But the directive could not be implemented.

The bench later asked the Delhi government and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to file an affidavit and inform it about how its directions were being implemented in the city.

For now, the tribunal has put an interim ban on low grade plastic bags.
New Delhi/Chennai, Aug 29 : The battle for supremacy in the AIADMK reached the Election Commission's doors on Tuesday with the Dinakaran faction claiming to be the real party and filing a caveat before the Election Commission that it should be heard before the poll body takes a decision on any plea to be submitted by the faction consisting of O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswamy after their recent merger.

Not to be outdone, leaders of the merged group of factions headed by Panneerselvam and Palaniswamy met in Delhi to approach the Commission, likely on Wednesday, seeking recognition as the real AIADMK and the "Two Leaves" symbol for it.

Tamil Nadu ministers D Jayakumar, C.V. Shanmugham, Thangamani and former MP Manoj Pandian met at the residence of party MP V. Maitreyan and discussed the strategy about moving the Commission.

The day started with Karnataka AIADMK unit chief Pugazhendi and Namakkal District Secretary Anbazhagan, a former MP, filing a petition before the Commission in the wake of media reports that the rival faction leaders would file petitions withdrawing earlier affidavits by their respective factions that led to the freezing of the "Two Leaves" symbol earlier this year.

As respondents in the case, General Secretary V.K. Sasikala and Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran belonging to the AIADMK (Amma) faction should be heard in the case, Pugazhendi told reporters after filing the petition.

He said their faction has also updated the Commission with the latest set of office bearers in the party and also the removal of some of them.

Following the death of J. Jayalalithaa, rival factions had approached the Commission seeking the "Two Leaves" symbol for contesting the R.K. Nagar Assembly by-election in April which was countermanded following allegations of use of money power to influence the outcome. In the by-election, the Panneerselvam faction was recognised as AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) and the Dinakaran faction was recognised as AIADMK (Amma). Dinakaran contested the election as an AIADMK (Amma) candidate.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, the two factions came together last week in a bid to isolate Sasikala and Dinakaran after declaring that their nomination to the posts of General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary was invalid.

The OPs and EPS groups are likely to approach the Commission shortly seeking withdrawal of their earlier affidavits claiming that they have merged and that unity has been registered in the party. They are likely to ask for defreezing of the "Two Leaves" symbol and allotting it to the merged factions.

Maitreyan told reporters that the government headed by Palaniswamy was stable and the rivals were making baseless claims.

Jayakumar said the party would be run in accordance with the four resolutions passed at the office bearers meeting on Monday and there was no change in it.

Meanwhile, the DMK has sought time with President Ram Nath Kovind for urging him to ensure that a floor test is held immediately in Tamil Nadu for the Palaniswamy government to prove its majority.

He said MPs of DMK, Congress, Left parties and Muslim League would be part of the delegation to call on the President.

On Sunday, the DMK and its allies petitioned the Tamil Nadu Governor CH. Vidyasagar Rao and demanded an immediate floor test in the state Assembly.

Dinakaran faction leader Thangatamilselvan told reporters after a meeting with Dinakaran that his group had the solid support of 25 MLAs and 10 "sleeper cell" MLAs and soon the number would touch 40.

He said if the rival groups approach the Commission for withdrawal of the affidavits his group would move courts against it.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : The Delhi government will open centres to teach students who have failed twice or more in Class X, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said here on Tuesday.

Addressing the media, Sisodia said this would make sure that these students would not be out of school and have a future.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

"Last year, students who failed twice were taught through CBSE's correspondence, as it was easier for the students than the regular system," he said.

"They were taught in schools, just like regular students and also given books and uniform like other students," he added.

He said that there were 62,000 such students, but only 2,000-2,500 of them passed this year's examination and about around 5,000 passed in the compartment examination.

"This time we have 55,000 such students who had failed twice in CBSE and once in correspondence," Sisodia said.

He said that the centres would follow NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) syllabus as "it reduces the load on students" and added that the "curriculum is simple" compared to CBSE.

Sisodia added that the centres would be opened in government schools and it would be made sure that students did not have to travel long distances.

Speaking on the occasion, Sisodia also said the meeting also decided to increase reach of higher education loan of Rs 10 lakh, given to students who pass out from Delhi schools.

He said that the loan had been extended for courses in colleges even outside Delhi, recognised by the central or any of the state governments.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Enterprises in India take considerably less time in obtaining approvals than reported by the World Bank data, the NITI Aayog said on Tuesday.

According to the NITI Aayog's "Ease of Doing Business" survey, which covered over 3,000 enterprises, the average time taken to set up a business in India was 118 days. For construction permits, it took even lesser time with an average of 112 days, the survey report said.

"In some states such as Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, getting a construction permit takes even fewer days," the Aayog said in a statement.

However, according to the World Bank's 2017 Doing Business report, the time taken for getting construction permits was 190 days, it said, adding: "Thus, it appears that the actual experience of enterprises is better than the survey results of the World Bank."

"Similarly, on average, it took enterprises about half the time to resolve legal disputes as was reported in the World Bank Survey," the NITI Aayog statement said.

While the World Bank Survey focuses on industry leaders from Delhi and Mumbai, the survey by the NITI Aayog covers firms, start-ups and experts from almost all states and union territories in India.

However, there is a wide variation across states with Madhya Pradesh and Bihar taking 41 and 43 days respectively to get construction permits, while Assam took 270 days.

"The survey indicates that the government's efforts to improve business environment are showing results on the ground," the NITI Aayog said.

It added that the experiences of start-ups started since 2014 suggested a significant improvement in doing business.

"Newer and younger firms take less time in obtaining approvals, highlighting a favourable business environment. Young firms report that most regulatory processes do not constitute a major obstacle to their doing business," it said.

It added that enterprises in high-growth states are significantly less likely to report major or very severe obstacles in land and construction related approvals, environmental approvals and water and sanitation availability as compared to enterprises located in low-growth states.

"Enterprises in high-growth states also report taking less time on average for nearly all aspects of doing business," it said.

The NITI Aayog survey, conducted between April 2015 and April 2016, only takes inputs from firms in the formal manufacturing sector. It does not cover unorganized manufacturing and the services sectors that constitute the vast majority in India.

While the World Bank Survey covers 10 parameters handled by the states and the central government, this survey primarily deals with issues handled by the state governments.
Ghaziabad, Aug 29 : Ahead of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's visit to Ghaziabad for the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims rest place here, the Ghaziabad district administration in a sudden move shifted the construction site from GT Road near Haj House to a new place.

The district administration sources said the new site in Shaktikhand (IV) has been chosen to avoid any controversy since the earlier site was found recorded as lake and flood plains in the revenue records.

District Magistrate Ministhy S. Nair said the Chief Minister's visit on Thursday will be unaffected and a symbolic foundation stone laying event would be attended by him at the public meeting venue.

The district administration sources said that the new site has been chosen in Shaktikhand (IV). The new site was chosen after a substantial portion of 5,193.06 sq mt land in the earlier place near Haj House was found recorded as lake and flood plains and as barren land. In both situations land use cannot be changed. So the site was changed. The construction would have been in violation of rules and court directives.

"The city Mayor Ashu Verma misrepresented the facts before the Chief Minister and passed the resolution in the board knowing that the land use of that portion can not be changed. I submitted a letter to the district magistrate on 20/7/2017 apprising her of all facts," said Akash Vashishtha, who filed the petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday met with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh here and discussed several issues related to the state.

During the 20 minute meeting, both leaders also discussed a series of developments in the state related to Article 35A that gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.

The article empowers the state legislature to define permanent residents of the state and their privileges.

The meeting with the Home Minister comes amid reports that Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra, 81, is likely to resign.

She is also reported to have met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Mufti had visited New Delhi earlier this month when she had met with Singh and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Association expressed full faith and confidence in the objectivity, impartiality and integrity of Justice Oka and strongly condemned and deprecated attempts to cast aspersions on the same by the state government.

By Vidya : Even as the three judges bench of Bombay High Court will begin hearing the noise pollution matter on Tuesday, the Bombay Bar Association unanimously passed a resolution condemning the administrative happenings of the court and requested the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court to place the noise pollution cases before a division bench.

In its resolution, the Bombay Bar Association stated that it "strongly condemns and deprecates the conduct of the State of Maharashtra and the Advocate General in making an application for recusal made on totally untenable and unwarranted grounds" which according to them was an attempt at interfering with the administration of justice and an attack on the independence of judiciary.

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While the Bombay Bar Association notes that the Chief Justice has restored the noise pollution matter to the original bench presided over by the Justice Oka, it still went ahead to strongly condemn and deprecate the action of the Chief Justice in withdrawing a part of the heard matter from a Judge of this Court on the reckless, baseless and unwanted allegation of bias against the Judge concerned.

With this the association further resolved that the referral of the two matters i.e., the PIL and WP to a three Judge Bench was also not warranted and urged the Chief Justice to refer them back to a division bench.

The Association expressed full faith and confidence in the objectivity, impartiality and integrity of Justice Oka and strongly condemned and deprecated attempts to cast aspersions on the same by the state government.

The three judges bench of Justice Abhay Oka, Justice Anoop Mohta and Justice Riyaz Chagla today sat for sometime before asking the Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh representing the union government to reply to a few questions by Tuesday.

The entire issue had erupted on 24th when Maharashtra government wrote a letter to the Chief Justice casting assertions on the integrity of Justice Oka and asking for the noise related issues to be withdrawn from his bench.

Chief Justice was not informed about Justice Oka's refusal to recuse the case and she had therefore passed an order for the case to be transferred to another division bench.

However on Sunday she withdrew the order and instead instructed for the noise related matters to be placed before a three judges bench including Justice Oka. On Monday state government tendered an unconditional apology to Justice Oka.

While various other bodies of lawyers including the Advocates Association of Western India (AAWI) had already passed resolution on Saturday condemning the state government's move.

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi, Aug 29 : A court here on Tuesday said it will consider the chargesheet against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's former Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar and others in a corruption case on September 11.

The court order came after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told Special Judge Arvind Kumar that it has received sanction related to initiate proceedings against Kumar in the corruption case from the competent authority.

However, the CBI also told the court that sanction against one more accused is still awaited.

Rajendra Kumar, a 1989 batch IAS officer, was accused of abusing his official position in awarding Delhi government contracts totalling Rs 9.5 crore to private firm Endeavour Systems Pvt Ltd.

Arrested on July 4, 2016 on charge of involvement in corruption, Rajendra Kumar was granted bail on July 26, 2016.

He has denied the charges against him which mainly relate to the period before Kejriwal became the Chief Minister.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Tuesday urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to take action against unregistered doctors and quacks in the state as per law.

In a letter to Naidu, Nadda said a pertinent issue which needed to be strictly tackled was one of unregistered medical practioners, who continued to exist in parts of the country and targeted the poor and uninformed patients.

Citing the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, which prohibits other than medical practioners enrolled on a state Medical Register to practise in the state, Nadda said that practising medicine without having a recognised medical qualification amounted to quackery and was punishable with both imprisonment and fine.

"Health being a state subject, it is a responsibility of the state government to deal with such matters. I request you to take appropriate action and corrective steps under the law against quacks and also evolve suitable policies to ensure availability of quality health workforce in rural areas," said Nadda in the letter.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC) and the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) are the only political parties that received donations from political trusts in financial year 2015-16, said a survey on Tuesday.

"Two electoral trusts made contributions to these three parties. Satya Electoral Trust donated 95.74 per cent or Rs 45 crore to BJP, while Samaj Electoral Trust donated 39.68 per cent or Rs 1 crore of its total income to BJP," said the survey conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

The survey also said that out of total Rs 47,00,15,000 income, Satya Electoral Trust made contributions only to the BJP (Rs 45 crore) and the INC (Rs 2 crore), while Samaj Electoral Trust, with a total income of Rs 2.52 crore, gave Rs 1.5 crore to the JD-U and Rs 1 crore to the BJP.

After analysing the donations made, the ADR stated that the names of electoral trusts currently did not indicate the name of the company/ group of companies which set up the trusts.

"In order to have greater transparency regarding details of corporates which fund political parties, it would be ideal to include the name of the parent company in the name of the electoral trust," said an ADR statement.

Thoe electoral trusts, which had not responded to and complied with the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, should be heavily penalised, it said.

It also said that all corporates should make details of their political contributions available in public domain through their websites for increasing transparency in political financing.
Kolkata, Aug 29 : Bangladeshi Nobel laureate and microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday urged management students to question why banks don't lend money to poor people.

Discussing the inception of his Grameen Bank, he said: "The whole question is has it impacted in the conventional banks, has it made changes in the banking system? No."

"They still continue to do what they do and mess up the whole world in the process," Yunus said at Indian Institute of Management Calcutta while delivering the Arijit Mukherji Memorial Lecture.

He shared his insights on 'The World of Three Zeros: Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment, and Zero Carbon Emissions' with the students and exhorted them to break the status quo.

"So this is what you learn in the school what a banking system is. So you should be raising a question. Why banks don't lend money to poor people? Why don't you design your own banking system... this is the banking system it should be.

"The conclusion is don't accept what you learn, learning is one thing, accepting is something else. Don't accept. If you accept you become the prisoner of this world."

Emphasising on the concept of "destroying the whole idea of collateral", Yunus said his banking system succeeded because he did the reverse of conventional banks.

"I just look at conventional banks... I learn how do they do it I just come back and do the reverse. So we created the bank and defied all the rules and everything I have done ever since is basically a series of defiance. I defied one after another. I defied banking rules.

"They tried to catch me in every way but it still continued. They tried to stop in every way. Once people need something you can't stop," he added, stressing on job-creation rather than job-seeking.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Actor Emraan Hashmi is not eager to be part of another instalment of "Raaz" or "Murder" franchise, and says he now wants to do films that reflect his thinking.

"There was a phase when I was doing whatever was being offered to me without doing any analysis. At that time, I didn't want to sit at home and keep on working. But at this moment, I am very focused on good stories, and don't want to do film just for the heck of it," Emraan said at an event here on Tuesday.

"I am not the same person I was five or six years back. So, when people ask me if I will do 'Raaz' or 'Murder', I don't think I will get into that. I would like to get into films that reflect my thinking," he added.

The actor was in the national capital to promote his forthcoming project "Baadshaho" along with Ajay Devgn, Esha Gupta and Ileana D'Cruz.

Directed by Milan Luthria, "Baadshaho" is set against the backdrop of Emergency (1975-1977). It narrates a fictional story of six people who try to bring a change in their destiny by pulling of a heist.

Emraan says "Baadshaho", which is slated to release on September 1, is a very different script.

Luthria also praised Emraan for his dedication, and said that he is confident that his character in "Baadshaho" will the "most entertaining" in his career.

"Emraan is a mix of instinct and deep thinkinga.He doesn't show it to others, but I know that he puts in a lot of effort to prepare for the roleaI can say with confidence that character in the film will the most entertaining in his career," said the director.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday told the parliamentary consultative committee of his ministry that a declining trend in violent incidents in Maoist-affected states continued in the last three years, an official statement said.

"The Left-Wing Extremism scenario, while remaining an area of concern for internal security of the country, exhibits significant improvement over the years and the declining trend continued in the last three years," the Home Minister said at the consultative committee meeting here on Maoist-related issues.

As compared to 2010, 2016 reflected a decline of 53 per cent in number of violent incidents and 72 per cent in resultant deaths, he said, adding the trend continued in 2017. "This year, overall situation so far also indicates a declining trend and the number of violent incidents has declined by 25.6 per cent as compared to corresponding period of 2016."

Telling the members that there were 106 affected districts in 10 states and 35 in seven states were the most-affected, he said that the central government had been doing proper monitoring with the states' assistance by empowering them with the financial assistance and security forces with proper training, technology and latest equipment.

"Joint operations of central armed forces and state police have given good results in the recent past and hoped that the situation will further improve in the near future," he said.

The Home Minister also told the committee members about security measures, including deployment of paramilitary battalions in affected states, use of 56 specialised India Reserve battalions to strengthen the security apparatus, construction of about 400 fortified police stations and various training related initiatives.

He also informed them about other security related measures such as unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, unified and joint command and control centers at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh and Gaya in Bihar.

Under road requirement plan-I, he said the the construction of 4,447 km roads has been completed out of 5,422 km road envisaged under the plan till July 31.

The details of 2,199 mobile towers installed in affected states and additional 2,726 mobile towers in phase-II were also discussed in the meeting along with the use of community radio stations and media plan for spreading awareness and to counter the Maoists' propaganda.

The use of technology, intelligence sharing and specialized training for the forces was also discussed in the meeting, it said.

The members appreciated the ministry's work in controlling the situation in the affected states, the Home Ministry statement said.

Those present in the meeting included Bhagirath Prasad, Devendra, Geetha Kothapalli, Hukum Singh, Kirti Azad, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Thokchom Meinya, T.G. Venkatesh Babu from Lok Sabha and Bhubaneswar Kalita, K. Keshava Rao, Mukul Roy, Pratap Singh Bajwa, Ram Gopal Yadav and Ranee Narah from Rajya Sabha.

Ministers of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and Kiren Rijiju, officer on special duty Rajiv Gauba, senior Home Ministry officers and senior officers of paramilitary forces were also present.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Filmmaker Milan Luthria, who has made commercially successful films like "The Dirty Picture" and "Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai", says the concept of drama has been diluted from the narrative used in Bollywood over time.

"Drama has reduced (from Bollywood films). Heroes' machoism, heroines' elegance ('nazakat') and the fear of villains have been diluted...International cinema is also going towards period drama...It is larger than life. It appeals to me personally," Luthria said at an event here.

"Audience don't look at the period that the film is set in, but at the story," he added.

"The Dirty Picture" and "Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai" were set in the 1970-1980s. Luthria's forthcoming directorial venture "Baadshaho" is also set 1970, against the backdrop of the Emergency.

"I don't have a fixation with the period. It ('Baadshaho' also set in the 1970 era) is a coincidence," he said.

"Baadshaho" narrates a fictional story of six people who try to bring a change in their destiny by pulling of a heist. Luthria was in Delhi for the promotion of the film with the star cast Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Esha Gupta and Ileana D'Cruz.

"Baadshaho" marks the fourth collaboration of Luthria with Ajay. They had earlier worked for "Kachche Dhaage", "Chori Chori" and "Once Upon a Time in Mumbai". The film is set to release on September 1.

Ajay said that their bond has become stronger -- personal and professional-- over time.

"Our friendship is not for the last 18 years, and not from the time of 'Kachche Dhaage'. It is before that...We don't need to discuss much about our requirements. There is a comfort zone. I know what Milan wants, and he know how will I perform," he said.
Kolkata, Aug 30 : Describing as "unthinkable" and "painful" the lynching of two persons in West Bengal for transporting cows in pick-up vans, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday blamed the "competitive communalism" of the state's ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP for such happenings.

"It's unthinkable that such things can happen in West Bengal," Yechury told media persons here.

The two victims - Hafizul Sheikh and Anwar Hussain - were beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of cattle smuggling on Sunday at Jharsalboni area near Dhupguri in north Bengal's Jalpaiguri district.

"I find it painful... this is a result of the competitive communalism of the Trinamool and the BJP in order to bring about a communal polarisation," he said.

Yechury also castigated the Trinamool government for barring immersion of Durga puja idols on the Ashura or the 10th day of Muharram - October 1.

"It is only aimed at appeasing minorities. On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party is stoking majority communalism," he said.

Banerjee has announced that the Durga Puja immersion would be allowed on Dussehra/Dashami, September 30, but not on October 1 as Muslims would observe Ashura, a day of mourning in the month of Muharram on that day. However, the immersions would be resume on October 2 and could take place till October 4.

Yechury said instead of "differentiating and interfering", the state government should facilitate meetings of the leaders of the two communities so that they could find a solution themselves.

"They took a similar decision last year. These decisions are only allowing the BJP to grow," he said.
Riyadh, Aug 30 : Iranians and Qataris are among the more than 1.7 million Muslims gathered in the holy city of Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage, even though the governments in Tehran and Doha are at odds with Saudi Arabia.

Despite closing the border with Qatar on June 5 as part of the Gulf countries' economic and diplomatic offensive against the gas-rich emirate, Saudi Arabia has allowed 1,340 Qataris to enter the country for the Hajj.

Doha earlier refused Riyadh's proposal to arrange charter flights for Qatari pilgrims.

The Saudi minister of Islamic Affairs, Saleh al-Sheikh, told his country's official news agency SPA that the kingdom serves all pilgrims without discrimination or exclusion on the basis of nationality, tribe or sect.

Political tensions are overshadowing the great religious event, but have not prevented 86,500 Iranian pilgrims from coming to Mecca this year after they were excluded last year following a deadly stampede during the 2015 Hajj.

Nearly 2,500 people - including 400 Iranians - died in the stampede, which Riyadh blamed on the Iranians, while Tehran faulted the Saudi government.

The Jeddah-based International Islamic News Agency said that the pilgrims include 25,500 people from the United Kingdom, 20,500 from Russia, 17,000 from the United States and 10,000 from France, among many other nationalities.

For the first time, the Saudi Ministry of Education has established nurseries where parents can leave their children while they perform the rituals of the pilgrimage, which lasts several days and takes place in different places.

Some 15,000 officers will ensure the safety of the Hajj and escort the pilgrims, according to the director of security, Gen. Mohamed al-Sharif.

The head of Saudi civil defense, Suleiman al-Amro, said that more than 3,000 "machines and devices" had been deployed in the holy places to respond to possible emergencies.

Besides the deadly stampede, the 2015 Hajj was also marred by a crane accident at the Great Mosque that left 100 people dead.
Tehran, Aug 30 : Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday urged Saudi Arabia to give up what he called the kingdom's "interference" in Yemen's internal affairs.

"Saudi Arabia should leave the Yemen's affairs to its people," Rouhani said in a live broadcast from the state IRIB TV.

If the Saudi officials stop their intervention in Yemen and give up their support to terrorism in the region, the relations between Iran and the Arab state will return to its normal track, Rouhani said.

He stressed that dialogue would be the best way for settling disputes between Tehran and Riyadh.

Iran's dispatch of the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for annual Hajj ceremony in Mecca is an indication of Iran's will for resolving the issues, he pointed out.

The Yemeni war pits Iranian-allied Shiite Houthi rebels, backed by forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, against the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which is backed by the Saudi-led Arab coalition.

The capital Sanaa and most of the northern provinces have been under control of Houthi rebels since September 2014.

The war has so far killed more than 10,000 Yemenis, half of them civilians, and displaced over two million others, according to UN humanitarian agencies.
On August 23, the CBI had grilled Karti for over eight hours and was asked close to 100 question related to the case.

Karti went through a second round of questioning by CBI on Monday.

By Mail Today Bureau: The Central bureau of Investigation (CBI) has prepared separate rooms and a list of questions to decode the link between former finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti and other accused involved in a corruption case of alleged clearance given to INX media, owned by Peter Mukerjea and his wife Indrani, for bringing foreign funds into their venture.

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The second round of interrogation at the CBI headquarters lasted for eight hours as Karti arrived at around 11.30am and left late in the evening. The CBI sleuths quizzed Karti and his three associates, Bhaskar Raman, Ravi Vishwanathan and Mohanan Rakes, separately, and asked them to reappear with documents.

"A separate set of questions were asked to all of them and each one of them were grilled separately. Now there statements will be verified and a money trail link between them will be check. Some fresh documents have been demanded from them, which they will submit with us soon," said a senior CBI official.

WHY IS KARTI CHIDAMBARAM BEING EXAMINED

The agency is examining Karti in connection with a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to media group INX Media for receiving funds from Mauritius when his father P Chidambaram was the Union finance minister.

The sources said a firm indirectly controlled by Karti received money from INX Media, run by the Mukerjeas, who are currently in jail, for the murder of Indrani's daughter.

Earlier, P Chidambaram had issued a strong statement in response to the CBI filing FIR against Karti, saying the government was using the CBI and other agencies to target his son. The FIPB approval was granted in hundreds of cases, the senior Congress leader had said.

KARTI GRILLED EARLIER BY CBI

On August 23, the CBI had grilled Karti for over eight hours and was asked close to 100 question related to the case.

Meanwhile, in an investigation related to terror funding, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday questioned Naeem Geelani and Naseem Geelani, sons of Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Geelani. The two brothers appeared at the NIA headquarters in Delhi. Beside Geelani's sons, Ghulam Nabi Bhatt, a pro-freedom activist, was also questioned by the counter-terror agency.

Meanwhile, the custody of Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, who was arrested on charge of receiving funds from Pakistan to sponsor terror activities and stone-pelting in Kashmir, was also extended for five more days.

Also Read:

INX Media case: Karti Chidambaram to appear before CBI today

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Karti Chidambaram moves High Court against CBI's lookout notice for him

Also Watch:

Centre appeals against Madras HC stay on lookout circular against Karti Chidambaram

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Astana, Aug 30 : Russia warned on Tuesday that new sanctions and the use of force against North Korea's regime would be a path to catastrophe, after Pyongyang launched a missile that flew over Japanese territory before landing in the Pacific Ocean.

"I think we have to fight with all our strength against this option. If this ends in war, nobody will ever ask who is responsible. We will face a totally new reality and the tragedies will be countless," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told journalists in Astana, Efe reported.

The UN Security Council, which is scheduled to hold a session in New York on Tuesday, must conclude that measures calling for the use of force are categorically unacceptable, Ryabkov said.

"Sanctions do not produce results. That is why the mechanism of political regulation of the Korean Peninsula's nuclear problem is important. This means intolerance toward new provocations from Pyongyang, but also toward a military escalation by the US and its allies in the region," the deputy foreign minister said.

Russia and China have offered a road map involving the "double freezing" of both North Korea's nuclear and missile tests, and US military activities in the area, Ryabkov said.

The UN Security Council meeting was urgently requested by the US, Japan and South Korea after the launch of the missile.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump and they agreed to put more pressure on Pyongyang.

This was the 13th launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea so far this year.

The first launch occurred on July 4 and led the Security Council to approve a package of new sanctions against North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's regime.

The latest missile, launched from the vicinity of the North Korean capital, is the first since 2009 to have flown over Japan, travelling more than 2,700 km and falling into the sea about 1,180 km off Cape Erimo, which is located in the northeastern end of the Japanese archipelago.

The new weapons test came after Pyongyang on Saturday launched three short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan and tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles last month.
Dr. Steven Ray

Pittcon is pleased to announce its participation in the Analitica Latin America program and exposition, one of the main meetings of the analytical chemical industry. This years event, organized by Nuernberg/Messe Brasil, will be held at Sao Paulo Expo in Sao Paulo, Brazil, September 26-28.

Pittcon will be sponsoring two sessions at this years event.

On September 27, at 9:00 a.m., Steven Ray, Ph.D., State University of New York at Buffalo, will present Distance-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry and Solid-State Ion Detectors: Two New Approaches to Mass Spectrometry. In this presentation, a new type of mass analyzer known as the distance-of-flight mass spectrometer (DOFMS) will be introduced.

On September 28, at 9:00 a.m, Jhanis J. Gonzalez, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Applied Spectra, Inc., will deliver Laser Ablation-Based Techniques: An ideal toolbox for direct chemical analysis of solids. He will discuss the advantages of laser ablation chemical analysis and will describe several applications that involve the combination of two or more of these Laser Ablation-Based approaches for chemical analysis of solid samples.

Pittcon 2018 will also maintain a booth on the exposition floor which will be staffed by Portuguese-speaking personnel and Pittcon Program Chair Annette Wilson.

Dr. Wilson stated that the Pittcon Organizing Committee is very pleased with the mutually beneficial relationship with Analitica Latin America. She commented, It gives us a rare opportunity to connect and interact with our Latin American audience.

About Pittcon

Pittcon is a registered trademark of The Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, a Pennsylvania non-profit organization. Co-sponsored by the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh and the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh, Pittcon is the premier annual conference and exposition on laboratory science. Proceeds from Pittcon fund science education and outreach at all levels, kindergarten through adult. Pittcon donates more than a million dollars a year to provide financial and administrative support for various science outreach activities including science equipment grants, research grants, scholarships and internships for students, awards to teachers and professors, and grants to public science centers, libraries and museums. Visit http://www.pittcon.org for more information.
Sarah Barkley Raaymakers

Florida will always be a place for leisure and relaxation, and that is never more true than during the summer. Half-day Fridays, work holidays and coveted vacations only add to the lifestyle. Unfortunately, too many carefree attitudes can lead to serious danger, as evidenced by the amount of pedestrian accidents occurring throughout Florida.

Tampa Bay is the second most dangerous area to walk in the United States, according to the most recent data from Smart Growth America. Within Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County is by far the deadliest county for pedestrians. In 2015, there were 51 pedestrian deaths, an all-time high. 2016 saw a reduced number, 39 fatalities, but still one of the highest pedestrian fatality rates in the U.S. Pedestrian deaths in other Tampa Bay area counties remained steady in 2016.

According to a study by the Northwest Florida Daily News, 2016 was a particularly deadly year for the Emerald Coast area as well. The area suffered more pedestrian deaths per 100,000 than any other meotropolitan area in a 2016 study called Dangerous by Design, which revealed the nations top 10 most dangerous metropolitan areas for pedestrians. In Walton County alone, which has a population of just 66,000, four pedestrians were killed, putting the pedestrian death rate at 6.07 per every 100,000.

The spike in pedestrian fatalities extends well beyond Florida. A report released by the Governors Highway Safety Association revealed that the number of pedestrians killed by motor vehicles jumped 11 percent nationwide in 2016.

Even when a pedestrian survives, these accidents can be serious, leaving victims with hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills. Often, those who have fallen victim to the carelessness of these drivers are unsure of how to seek compensation for their injuries. Everyone tells you what to do in an accident if youre in the vehicle; no one tells you what to do if youre outside the vehicle, either walking, jogging or on a bicycle. said Sarah Raaymakers, an accident attorney at Carlson, Meissner, Hart & Hayslett, P.A. The firm handles in personal injury cases, including pedestrian and bicycle accident cases.

Raaymakers recommends reaching out to a lawyer as soon as you have been injured in an accident. The sooner we begin working on your case, the sooner we can obtain the compensation you deserve.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a pedestrian accident, contact Carlson, Meissner, Hart & Hayslett at (877) 728-9653 or via email. For more information, visit CarlsonMeissner.com.
Pittsburgh real estate website allows home buyers to search in specific neighborhoods. "We are the only local real estate site that allows you to search by neighborhood," says Jim Saxon, President.

In a continued stride to perfect the consumer real estate experience, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty has launched a new search function on its website that will allow prospective buyers to search in specific neighborhoods.

We understand that the majority of home buyers start their search online. That being said, we are always looking for ways to improve the user experience, says Jim Saxon, President of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty, a real estate brokerage headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Nearly every real estate website allows users to search by zip code, city or school district, but we are the only local real estate site that allows you to search by neighborhood. While that may seem simple, its not. It has taken us years to develop this technology.

Prospective home buyers simply visit ThePreferredRealty.com and type the neighborhood name into the search bar. From there, homes for sale in the selected neighborhood will appear on an outlined map.

This new search function will benefit buyers who know they want to purchase a home in a specific neighborhood, such as Hartwood Estates or The Village at Treesdale. Unlike other websites, ThePreferredRealty.com will only display properties in the selected neighborhood, therefore simplifying the search process. In addition, the website will send the prospective buyers email notifications when new homes are listed in their desired neighborhood.

We are excited to be on the leading edge of technology in the Pittsburgh real estate market, says Saxon. We believe this tool will be extremely beneficial to prospective buyers, as well as real estate agents and home sellers.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty is the only real estate website in Southwestern Pennsylvania to offer this technology. The neighborhood search function is free and available to the public. To start a neighborhood search, visit https://www.ThePreferredRealty.com.
By India Today Web Desk: Comedian Kapil Sharma seems to be in big trouble as Sony TV has given him a final warning.

A day back, we had informed you about Kapil's late coming issues. This Sunday, Kapil kept the Baadshaho team waiting for hours and then cancelled the shoot owing to health reasons. According to reports, the actor got an anxiety attack due to which he had to send back the Baadshaho team which included Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Illeana Dcruz and Esha Gupta.

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According to reports, this didn't go down well with Sony TV. The channel heads were miffed with Kapil's unprofessional behaviour. A source close to the show spoke to Bollywoodlife.com and said, "The channel is very stressed after this recent incident. They have sent a verbal notice to him to pull up his socks. They feel they have been very accommodating so far but this is quite unacceptable. This is like a warning."

Last week, Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari's shoot was cancelled because of the workers' strike. Things don't seem to be going right for The Kapil Sharma Show, as there are no fresh episodes in the bank to be telecasted this weekend.

Looks like Kapil hasn't learnt his lesson from the past.

Also read: Kapil Sharma cancels two shoots this week; his drinking problem to be blamed?

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We are proud to be included by SIA in this elite group of national legal staffing firms...Our top priority is not to be the largest, but rather the best.

HCMC Legal, Inc. (HCMC), the parent company of Hire Counsel and Mestel & Company, is ranked number two on the 2017 list of Largest Legal Staffing Firms in the US by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA). The list, developed by SIA, is based on temporary staffing revenue and does not include direct hire, retained search, and temp-to-hire conversion revenue. As such, Mestel & Company, which specializes in permanent attorney placement and strategic consulting, proudly recognizes the efforts and accomplishment of its sister company, Hire Counsel, a national leader in temporary legal staffing and eDiscovery services since 1993.

The list is shared with and valued by the global buyer community seeking to work with new staffing companies. SIA estimates that eight firms generated at least $25 million in US legal temporary staffing revenue in 2016. Together, these firms generated $0.5 billion in such revenue, accounting for 50% of the market.

SIA, a division of the international business media company, Crain Communications Inc., is the global advisor on staffing and workforce solutions. Founded in 1989 and known for award-winning content, data, publications, and events, SIA provides insights to both suppliers and buyers of workforce solutions across the globe, helping them make better-informed decisions that improve business results and minimize risk. SIA conducts independent, proprietary, objective research on temporary staffing, independent contracting, and other types of contingent labor for the industry at large.

We are proud to be included by SIA in this elite group of national legal staffing firms, said Joan Davison, President and Chief Executive Officer of HCMC. Its wonderful to be ranked as one of the largest legal staffing firms in the nation. However, our top priority is not to be the largest, but rather the best. With our unique structure, HCMC is able to leverage the strengths and resources of both our temporary and permanent legal recruiting businesses, allowing us to provide premier legal services and strategic consulting to our clients as well as career opportunities and guidance to our candidates.

To learn more about HCMC, Hire Counsel, and Mestel & Company, please visit http://www.hirecounsel.com and http://www.mestel.com. For more information about Staffing Industry Analysts, visit http://www.staffingindustry.com.

About HCMC Legal

HCMC Legal, Inc., the parent company of Hire Counsel and Mestel & Company, is the national leader in attorney placement, temporary staffing, legal staffing and eDiscovery services since 1987. Hire Counsel partners with clients across all industries to manage their dynamic workloads and distinct legal needs. We leverage exceptional talent and technology, deliver superior results consistently and profitably, and help organizations excel in todays new legal economy. Hire Counsel was named one of Americas Best Professional Search Firms by Forbes and a Top 250 Company for Flexible Jobs by FlexJobs. Mestel & Company specializes in legal search and recruitment consulting, advancing the careers of individual associates, of counsel, partners, in-house counsel as well as facilitating the movement of groups and complex law firm mergers. Mestel & Company has been named as the winner of the Award for Best Attorney Placement Firm 2016  USA in the CV Magazine Recruitment Awards as well as one of Lawdragons 100 Leading Legal Consultants and Strategists. HCMC is the only 100% employee owned company in the legal staffing and attorney placement industry. For more information, visit http://www.hirecounsel and http://www.mestel.com. Follow us on Twitter @HireCounsel and @MestelCompany.
SMARTdesks TriO Immersive Learning, Small Group Collaboration Table SMARTdesks is launching its latest innovation for the Immersive Learning Experience: the TriO Small Group Collaboration Table.

SMARTdesks announces today that company principals will be showing active learning and collaborative technology furniture innovations at EDspaces, Booth 1504, Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, MO, October 25-27, 2017.

SMARTdesks is launching its latest innovation for the Immersive Learning Experience: the TriO Small Group Collaboration Table. More than a circular table, TriOs three table top sections suggest groupings for team work, but also imply privacy in the context of a digital commons area. This encourages focus and engagement, with flexibility of purpose on the fly.

TriO's centerpiece console boasts three Power Convenience Outlets serving each table section: each has 1 power receptacle (120 VAC, spill resistant) 2 USB charging ports (2.1A, 11W, 5V/DC). Additional technology can be stored in the center column with convenient cable management. AV technology stored in the console may be access from locking vented doors in the base, or from the hinged top.

Power and data connectivity for Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD), asset security, and active learning furniture solutions will also be shown.

SMARTdesks is a mainstay in customized technology furniture since 1996. The business model from the beginning to present is to design and build computer furniture, customized for the space and IT integration specifics, bringing together a design team to align with engineering and manufacturing. The internet and cloud collaboration makes communication possible world-wide. SMARTdesks provides a complete turnkey system, with products made in the USA, complying with green manufacturing materials and techniques, backed with Lifetime Warranty to the original buyer with comprehensive delivery, installation and service support per customer requirements.

EDspaces is held in conjunction with the American Institute of Architects Committee on Architecture for Education. EDspaces is the premier event for the educational facilities marketplace. Architects and decision makers for PreK  12, colleges, universities, and corporations will gather to learn about trends and experience the latest products and services to enhance student learning.

Other knowledge partners include:

The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, established to drive the transformation of all schools into sustainable and healthy places to live, learn, work and play. The Center works directly with teachers, students, administrators, elected officials and communities to create programs, resources and partnerships that transform all schools into healthy learning environments.

The International Interior Design Association (IIDA), which strives to create a strong niche for the most talented and visionary Interior Design professionals, to elevate the profession to the level it warrants, and to lead the way for the next generation of Interior Design innovators. The Association provides a forum to demonstrate design professionals' impact on the health, safety, well being and virtual soul of the public, balancing passion for good design and strategy for best business practices.

The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)an independent, non-profit, student-run organization dedicated to providing unmatched programs, information, and resources on issues critical to architectural education. The mission of the AIAS is to promote excellence in architectural education, training, and practice; to foster an appreciation of architecture and related disciplines; to enrich communities in a spirit of collaboration; and to organize students and combine their efforts to advance the art and science of architecture.

Education leadership will join together to explore leadership challenges, strengthen skills, and build networks at EDspaces. Speakers will focus on the power of education to equalize, uplift, and motivate. The conference also will offer various breakout sessions throughout the day. Attendees can choose areas of focus and dive deeper into issues, working to transform education, so all students have the chance to succeed. The conference encourages networking and gives participants a chance to forge lifelong professional connections throughout the education sector and experience new product innovations.

SMARTdesks designs and manufactures innovative, custom computer conference tables and computer classroom furniture. Each product is made to order, nuanced for the technology, purpose and interior design choices for the space. SMARTdesks is the patent holder for flipIT products and is the sole source for flipIT and factory integrated flipIT furniture products. Serving universities, corporations, government and military clients world-wide, SMARTdesks furniture is made in the USA using Certified GREEN manufacturing methods. For more information, contact smartdesks through the web site http://www.smartdesks.com
The 40K CSSSA recipients group picture from left to right are: Robert Miller, Aiden Samp, Thomas Gross, Lora Supandi, Cohan Lin, Hayley Riggins, Jennifer Najar The CSSSA program empowers extraordinary young artists from California high schools to embrace their unique creativity and immerse themselves in their artistic disciplines, explains Rona Sebastian, President of the Herb Alpert Foundation.

"CSSSA is alchemical. This four week immersive, rigorous, cutting edge program in the arts literally changes lives. And the Herb Alpert Emerging Young Artists Scholarships then make it possible for some of these students to do what they never thought was possible...go to college.

Through the generosity of the Herb Alpert Foundation and their belief that a life in the arts is not only achievable, but one to be celebrated and valued, these student receive scholarships that make the impossible, possible.

CSSSA is very grateful to be able to bestow these 21 scholarships each summer. And this summer, 2017, we had some exceptional recipients," explains Michael Fields, Director, CSSSA.

"The CSSSA program empowers extraordinary young artists from California high schools to embrace their unique creativity and immerse themselves in their artistic disciplines, explains Rona Sebastian, President of the Herb Alpert Foundation. "The Herb Alpert Scholarships for Emerging Young Artists, honors several of these gifted students who are participating in the CSSSA program with the financial resources needed to pursue a life-changing college experience," says, Rona Sebastian, President of the Herb Alpert Foundation.

Annually CSSSA gives seven $40,000 scholarships. One in each program (Music, Theatre, Film, Dance, Visual Arts, Animation, Creative Writing). And 14 - $2500 scholarships. Two in each of the seven departments.

The mission of the Herb Alpert Emerging Young Artists Scholarship Awards program is to:



Provide recognition, distinction and financial support to California high school students who have demonstrated the talent, motivation, character and commitment necessary to successfully pursue further study and careers in the arts;

Maximize the value of scholarship aid and reduce debt wherever possible so students might be more free to pursue their visions;

Connect these students to institutions of higher learning and professional training; and

Direct public attention to the need for high quality arts programs for all California students.

The criteria for determining the students who will receive Herb Alpert Emerging Young Artists Scholarship Awards?

The faculty in each CSSSA department evaluates the students in their disciplines over the course of the program. They use a balanced assessment of artistic talent, character and motivation, likeliness of success in a collegiate or professional training program, and financial need to make their determinations.

"The impact of the Herb Alpert Emerging Young Artist awards transforms the lives and changes the trajectories of its 21 recipients each year. It creates a concrete educational pipeline that allows them to achieve their career dreams and in many cases, move beyond them into a new space they hadn't yet imagined. Leaving the molecular scale and switching to a wider view, these artists are now confidently poised to make a societal difference with their unique voices that will affect you, me, our neighbors, and those in far reaching places," says Heidi Kershaw, executive director of CSSSA.

"I can't find the words to describe how thankful I am for this scholarship. Before CSSSA, I wasn't happy with where I was in life. I just knew I wanted to be a filmmaker and an artist, but everything around me had me convinced I was destined to fail. I was ready to accept a lifetime of debt when I went to college, and that's only if I got accepted anywhere. Then I got into CSSSA. I had never worked so hard for so long while having the time of my life. I finally felt like I had purpose and that I was going to be okay, as long as I could keep working on what I love with so many other driven, hardworking, and kind teachers and friends. I was more than happy with just having the opportunity to be at the program. Then I was hit with this award. It is beyond my ability to convey how helpful this scholarship is to me. Thank you for the work you and the Alpert Foundation do for so many ambitious and diligent young artists in acknowledging the work we do and giving us the support we need to go to school...," says Cohan Lin, 2017 Animation student and recipient.

Applications will be available for CSSSA Summer 2018 beginning December 2017 at http://www.csssa.org. For more information on Bridge to College, college scholarships or to donate, visit csssaf.org.
Soul-altering power of a 420 yoga retreat, could be the cure for modern stress.

Cannabis enhances yoga. Individually weed and yoga are scientifically proven to help you relax, but combined theyre alchemic. Colorado-based 420 Yoga Retreats is launching two cannabis yoga weekends this Fall. The first retreat is for individuals and the second is a couple's retreat.

The combination of cannabis and therapeutic yoga just might be the cure for modern stress. Interest in exploring the soul-altering power of ganja with yoga is growing with the progressive law changes surrounding marijuana use. Allowing students to experience 420 yoga instruction in a warm, open and legal environment.

The creator of 420 Yoga Retreats Darrin Zeer AKA Yogi-D is a long-time yoga therapist, author and cannabis enthusiast. Deemed Americas Relaxation Expert by CNN, he has helped millions of people manage their stress with his series of mindfulness books, including best-seller Office Yoga. Yogi-D spent 7 years in Asia studying yoga & meditation, and has used the cannabis-yoga combination as a way to heal his low-back pain. Both Yogi-D and his wife are certified yoga therapists and have been teaching couples yoga and massage for over 14 years. Yogi-D wants to spread his message about yoga and cannabis healing to the world, and plans to bring his retreats worldwide.

This Fall, a 420-Friendly Yoga Retreat in the Rockies is scheduled for October 6th  8th at the Aspen Canyon Ranch in Colorado, offering either cabins or camping along the Williams Fork river & includes all meals, classes and a special 420-goodie bag. A Cannabis Couples Yoga and Massage retreat is scheduled for November 3rd  5th for a romantic getaway in Morrison, Colorado.

Whether you are a self-described stoner or a weed tourist looking for an adventure, 420 Yoga Retreats is offering a Rocky Mountain high that will take you to new realms of relaxation. Yes this is definitely something new and different and very Colorado, where pot is legal and autumn in the Rockies is breathtaking. We will flow together through serene yoga, meditation and optional cannabis consumption.

Special thanks to our featured sponsor Mary Janes Medicinals (MJM), an industry leader and recent Dope Cup winner for Best Topical. The natural and holistic approach to health and well-being has always been a passion of owner, Dahlia Mertens. The company was founded on the belief that wisdom is in the cannabis plant, and its non-psychoactive products are intended to help your body heal. Free samples of Mary Janes Medicinals lotions & salves will be available at the retreats. The retreats will also feature flower samples from The Herbal Cure a dispensary in Denver, and CBD samples from InfiniteCBD.

Video by Westword Magazine: https://youtu.be/zOfgZezabaU

Twitter: https://twitter.com/420Yoga

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/420yogaretreats
AnalyticsOS Built for the Edge 'We expect growth in all of our business lines.' - Matthew Bowers

Lone Star Analysis announced finalization of a facility expansion agreement. The agreement provides expanding capacity in stages. The first expansion will be available to Lone Star in 2017, with additional expansions in 2018.

Expanded facilities will grow Lone Stars capacity to generate analytics software, and deliver analytics products to clients.

We expect growth in all of our business lines, said Matthew Bowers, Vice President of Corporate Development. The combined effect of growth across our business makes this expansion a necessity, Bowers added.

Lone Star needed to expand our technology teams footprint, explained John Volpi, CTO. Our team will have a larger software development area, a better lab for testing, and better network infrastructure.

Analytics is one growth driver. Lone Star is increasingly serving customers who need a mix of analytics software product-like purchases, and, ongoing analytics services. We are seeing this blended analytics business model driving growth in both our Competitive Differentiation offerings, and, among clients who want Performance Optimization, said CEO Steve Roemerman.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is another major factor in Lone Stars expansion needs. Our customers have long depended on us for analytics. As analytics value moves to real time IIoT, we need to support our customers needs. These are large firms who expect highly professional, highly reliable work and products. They have millions, and in some cases billions, of dollars of investment they need to optimize. IIoT, driving insightful analysis, will generate enormous value for them, said Bowers.

The expansion is expected to begin in Addison Texas, in September 2017, and continue through the end of 2018. We were pleased to negotiate a single package deal for our expansion needs. It was important to minimize the time we spent focused on bricks and mortar. Jackson Cooksey represented us in this transaction, which further eased the burden on us, Roemerman said.

About Lone Star

Lone Star Analysis enables customers make insightful decisions faster than their competitors. We are a predictive guide bridging the gap between data and action. Prescient insights support confident decisions for customers in Oil & Gas, Transportation & Logistics, Industrial Products & Services, Aerospace & Defense, and the Public Sector. Lone Star delivers fast time to value supporting customers planning and on-going management needs. Utilizing our TruNavigator software platform, Lone Star brings proven modeling tools and analysis that improve customers top line, by winning more business, and improve the bottom line, by quickly enabling operational efficiency, cost reduction, and performance improvement. Our trusted AnalyticsOS software solutions support our customers real-time predictive analytics needs when continuous operational performance optimization, cost minimization, safety improvement, and risk reduction are important.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Lone Star is found on the web at http://www.Lone-Star.com.
We wanted to create an event to bring together our community and showcase luxury living in the hills, says Douglas Hunter, Developer at Serene Hills. What better way to do that than through a Sip and Stroll?

Serene Hills is pleased to invite the local community and Austin metro residents  including homebuyers and realtors  to its inaugural Sip and Stroll event to be held Saturday, October 14, 2017 from 4-7 p.m. The free event, set to be a traveling tasting experience, will start at the Village Builders model home at 602 Sweet Grass Lane in Lakeway. Visitors will taste and sip their way through four courses with light bites created by local chefs and culinary artists paired with four different wine varieties at each model home. As an added incentive, those who attend the event and subsequently purchase a home at Serene Hills will also receive three years exemption from HOA dues.

We wanted to create an event to bring together our community and showcase luxury living in the hills, says Douglas Hunter, Developer at Serene Hills. What better way to do that than through a Sip and Stroll?

Guests will visit four exclusive model homes and receive food-and-wine pairings prepared by Austin chefs and culinary artists at each residence. The traveling tasting will be experienced at each Serene Hills model home in the following order:

1. Village Builders

2. Partners in Building

3. Ash Creek Homes

4. Sitterle Homes

These homebuilders maintain reputations for quality craftsmanship, attention to detail and excellent service. Custom-built homes rest on a third of an acre, to one full acre, with minimum 80-105 front-foot lots, and feature easy access to Lake Travis, hike and bike trails and other amenities. Homes are located in the exemplary Lake Travis school district, with prices starting in the $550,000 range. Visit the event page to RSVP at serene-hills-event.eventbrite.com.

ABOUT SERENE HILLS

Lake Travis schools, good people, fresh air. Moving to Lakeway isnt just a choice, its a lifestyle. A boutique community for Austin families, our vision includes 456 acres of sustainable luxury living amidst 342 acres of unspoiled natural scenery. Serene Hills residents experience low HOA dues, overlook the rolling hillside and enjoy easy access to The Hills country club and Lake Travis, a Hill Country destination. For more information, visit serene-hills.com.
Growing our business through RevNutrition.com represents an important step forward for Zifam products, said Mortley. We look forward to educating consumers on how we can help them.

Zifam Pinnacle, a company based in Australia that develops a vast assortment of natural nutritional products, is expanding its online presence through making its products available on RevNutrition.com.

Zifam Pinnacle is consistently growing in the US market as the company has a reputation in the industry for its outstanding products. Because consumers these days are more health conscious, the company has positioned itself well, appealing to people who are looking for completely pure natural products that enhance their wellness. With the companys products now on RevNutrition.com, Zifam Pinnacle will be able to reach out to even more customers with an interest in healthy living.

Partnering with RevNutrition.com is part of our overall strategy to enhance the profile of our amazing products, said Adam Mortley, General Marketing Manager of Zifam Pinnacle. We cater to a wide range of consumers who are looking for nutritional products, as each of our products covers a specific purpose and offers targeted benefits. More people are learning about our brand and how our supplements help users live healthier lives.

Zifam Pinnacle has products from more than 80 different brands in Australia, India and Europe. All of its products are geared toward specific health benefits and purposes, which means the company is able to provide effective solutions to many niche customers while still being able to build a large, all-encompassing brand.

A popular product that Zifam Pinnacle offers is Theracal, a supplement that strengthens bone and tissue while fighting against the development of early onset osteoporosis. Packed with calcium and other vital minerals, this supplement is designed for mature users.

Another example of a successful Zifam Pinnacle product is Max Dura, a unique blend of herbs designed to support the health and vitality of middle-aged to elderly men. This natural supplement eliminates anti-depressant-induced sexual dysfunction while enhancing energy levels. The blend of ingredients in the supplement includes gingko balboa, guarana, and panax ginseng.

Growing our business through RevNutrition.com represents an important step forward for Zifam products, said Mortley. We look forward to educating consumers on how we can help them.

For more information about Zifam Pinnacle and its products, visit http://www.zifampinnacle.com.
Terra Site Constructors Names Thomas Mutchler Chief Operating Officer I am pleased to welcome Tom to the Terra team, stated Babur R. Mian, Chairman & CEO. Based on Toms proven track record of success in niche construction, I am confident that his leadership will serve to further strengthen Terra Site Constructors"

Terra Site Constructors, LLC, an industry leader in the installation of Post and Panel Walls, Sound Barrier Walls, MSE Walls, and other C.I.P./Precast structures, recently announced that Thomas Mutchler has joined the firm as Chief Operating Officer. Reporting directly to Babur R. Mian, Chairman & CEO, Mr. Mutchler will oversee the daily activities of Terras team of experienced engineers and construction personnel to ensure efficient and effective project delivery and client satisfaction for specialty construction projects. He will also work closely with Vice President of Sales and Business Development, Eric Hilberath, to expand the scope of services we offer to our valued clients.

I am pleased to welcome Tom to the Terra team, stated Babur R. Mian, Chairman & CEO. Based on Toms proven track record of success in niche construction, I am confident that his leadership will serve to further strengthen Terras foothold in the market by advancing our mission of providing competent, innovative, reliable and cost effective construction solutions for our valued clients.

As Mr. Mutchler moves into his new role with Terra, Allan Jay Josselyn, Co-Founder, Executive Vice President and former Chief Operating Officer of the firm, will transition to the newly-created role of Executive Vice President of Risk Management. Mr. Josselyn will oversee the risk profile for all company projects, with the goal of identifying, assessing, and responding to risks in order to achieve project objectives.

With more than 150 years of combined experience in the specialty construction industry, Terra Site Constructors leadership quartet of Mian, Mutchler, Josselyn and Hilberath is well-positioned to advance Terras position as the preferred specialty Sub Contractor for major Highway, Industrial and Commercial projects in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Terra Site Constructors has a strong reputation for providing innovative solutions to non-standard construction projects with special requirements, explained Thomas Mutchler. I look forward to working with Terras team of seasoned professionals who are dedicated to exceeding our customers needs and expectations.

An industry veteran with more than four decades of leadership experience in specialty construction, Mutchler holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in Civil Engineering and graduated from the Management training program at the Harvard Business School, Boston, Mass. He also holds various certifications and accreditations, and has specialized training in safety, construction and accounting.

Prior to joining Terra Site Constructors, Mutchler served as the Division Manager for the Northern Virginia division of Facchina Construction Company, Inc. Previous to that, he was the President, Owner and Head of Operations for KB Contracting, LLC, which was acquired by Facchina Construction in 2007.

About Terra Site Constructors

Terra Site Constructors is a specialty niche construction company. We serve clients in the Mid-Atlantic region and focus on providing design, supply and installation of MSE walls and embankments (precast panel, welded wire, and segmental block), reinforced soil slopes, gabion retaining walls, precast top of wall elements, sound walls, and post-and-panel Walls.
Wheelabrator Plant Tour Manufacturing events across the state highlight high-tech processes, robotics and advanced logistics.

Manufacturing professionals across the state have the opportunity to attend a wide assortment of plant tours, tradeshows, training sessions, and networking events produced by the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance. These events help promote the leading manufacturers, products and people that support the manufacturing community in Georgia. Some of the upcoming events include:

2017 GEORGIA MANUFACTURING SUMMIT October 25  Cobb Galleria Center

This is Georgias manufacturing event of the year and brings together the People, Plants, and Products that create a vibrant economy in our state. This 3rd Annual event is expected to attract over 700 manufacturing professionals from a wide variety of industries. Breakfast Keynote Speaker, Debra Shankle, V.P. of Supply Chain for Coca-Cola North America, will address How to Keep Employees Engaged, Motivated and Committed in Todays Environment. Lunch Keynote Speaker, Rob Dugas, VP and Chief Procurement Officer of over 2,000 Chick-fil-A stores, will address the The New Trends in Manufacturing & Supply Chain Management. Over 20 industry leaders will also address Best Business Practices, Health & Safety in the Workplace, Sales & Marketing, IT and Technology Advances, and Creating a Better Bottom Line. For more details or to register, visit: http://www.GeorgiaManufacturingSummit.com

RISE AGAINST HUNGER  September 12  Atlanta

Leaders in the Metro Atlanta manufacturing and supply chain community will combine forces for the fight against global hunger on September 12, 2017 at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center from 5:30pm  9pm. APICS Atlanta and the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance have partnered with Rise Against Hunger to conduct a meal-building operation. Our target is to pack over 5,000 meals that will be distributed to those in need around the globe. There is no charge for the event and attendees are encouraged to stay afterwards for refreshments, networking and Trivia. For more info, please contact Scott Luton at 678-296-5268 or email evp(at)apicsatlanta(dot)org.

POWERTECH PLANT TOUR  September 13  West Point

Hyundai PowerTech America is an auto parts manufacturer specializing in automotive transmissions for Hyundai and KIA. Their 285,078 sq. ft. production facility has capitalized on maximizing productivity through the diligent application of key advanced manufacturing techniques such as industrial robotics, lean management, and advanced logistics.

WHEELABRATOR PLANT TOUR  September 21 - LaGrange

Wheelabrator is one of the world's leading providers of surface preparation technology, offering a complete range of airblast, wheelblast and mass finishing solutions for the aerospace, automotive, foundry, shipping, construction and medical industries. They not only specialize in the blast process, but can also design and deliver a complete, automated, materials handling solution to include masking, delivery, loading and unloading of the components, and delivery to the next process in your production line.

HON COMPANY PLANT TOUR  September 22 - Cedartown

Since 1944, The HON Company has been a global leader in creating high quality steel and wooden office furniture including brands such as AllSteel, Maxon & Basyx. While touring their 500,000 sq. ft. facility, attendees will see significant investments in state-of-the-art manufacturing and their vast fulfillment center. HON remains focused on manufacturing most of its products in the USA  everything from individual components to complete furniture solutions. They examine every step in the product life cycle to uncover ways to minimize their footprint including designing and manufacturing products that incorporate recycled content.

ADVANCED RP & SIMUTECH TOUR  September 28  Suwanee

Advanced RP is home to the Southeasts largest 3D printing Demo Center showcasing Stratasys and Desktop Metal 3D printers. Attendees will walk through the entire 3D printing process from initial concept, to the optimized version, to the finished printed model. They provide custom demos based on your applications (rapid prototyping, design, production parts), so you will leave knowing exactly what you can expect from 3D printing. Simutech will give you an overview of their Topology optimization that lets you specify where supports and loads are located on a volume of material and lets the software find the best shape. This process helps perform light weighting of structures, extract CAD shapes and quickly verify the optimized design. You can also simulate spatially dependent materials like composite parts, 3-D printed components, and bones and tissues for more accurate results.

CELEBRATE NATIONAL MANUFACTURING DAY

Leggett & Platt Plant Tour October 5  Monroe

NO CHARGE to attend and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC  Drop In 10am- 2pm

Attendees will enjoy a plant tour, refreshments, and guest speakers to celebrate National Manufacturing Day. Leggett & Platt is a diversified manufacturer that conceives, designs and produces a broad variety of engineered components and products for customers worldwide. Chances are you have slept on a bed made with Leggett components - box springs, innersprings, fiber comfort layers; have relaxed in a recliner that has an L&P motion mechanism powering it; and have shopped in stores that have products displayed on shelving made by Leggett & Platt.

NETWORKING EVENTS  Alpharetta, Gwinnett, NE and NW Georgia

These sessions help GMA service providers and manufacturers connect and expand their referral network. Only one professional per business category is allowed which makes them the go to person for their industry.

NE Coffee & Connections -- 1st Tuesday of each month (8:00 am  9:00 am) in Gainesville

Alpharetta Networking Lunch -- 1st Tuesday of each month (11:30 am  1 pm)

Gwinnett Coffee & Connections -- 1st Friday of each month (7:30 am  9 am) in Suwanee

NW Networking Lunch -- 1st Friday of each month (11:30 am  1 pm) in Atlanta (Cobb Galleria Area)

ABOUT THE GEORGIA MANUFACTURING ALLIANCE:

The Georgia Manufacturing Alliance (GMA) is a membership-based industry organization founded in 2008 to support Georgias manufacturing community. GMA provides monthly plant tours, educational sessions, tradeshows, and unique networking opportunities designed to help make profitable business connections for its members. The Georgia Manufacturing Directory, Georgia Manufacturing Summit, and Georgia Manufacturing Calendar are additional resources produced by GMA. To learn more about the organization, membership, and upcoming events, please call 770-338-0051 or visit their website http://www.GeorgiaManufacturingAlliance.com .
Latest issue of Dear Doctor Magazine We're big on teeth and oral care!

Mayim Bialik is a PhD neuroscientist, actor, vegan and mother of two sons who love to floss! She sat down with Dear Doctor  Dentistry and Oral Health magazine to discuss her career, her education, her new book, her sons and oral health.

In the latest issue of Dear Doctor magazine, available in dental offices throughout the U.S. and Canada and online at deardoctor.com, Bialik talks about raising sons in a vegan household and stresses the importance of good oral hygiene. Were big on teeth and oral care, she says.

Bialik got into acting as a child and says she didnt have a single cavity growing up but had a pretty profound overbite while starring as the title character in the 1990s television show Blossom on NBC. However, being in front of the camera for 5 years did not allow her the opportunity to have braces.

When Blossom ended, Bialik went to UCLA, eventually earning her PhD in neuroscience. In 2009, she returned to the silver screen as the adorably geeky Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler on the CBS hit The Big Bang Theory. Bialik says that like her character, Im pretty awkward! She admits to being a very late bloomer and says, I was definitely a weird kid. And as an adult, I dont really fit in either, so Ive been pretty consistent if nothing else.

She hopes to help other girls navigate adolescence with her #1 New York Times bestseller, Girling Up: How to Be Strong, Smart and Spectacular, which she describes as a neuroscience-driven perspective on all aspects of being female. In the book, Bialik provides the kind of information she wishes someone had explained to her when she was young.

Read the Mayim Bialik cover story in Dear Doctor  Dentistry and Oral Health to find out:



How Bialiks orthodontist worked magic on her smile without braces

How a dental student inspired her to become a scientist

How the Halloween Fairy saves her sons teeth from candy

How she motivates her boys to take care of their oral health

About Dear Doctor Magazine

Dear Doctor - Dentistry & Oral Health is a patient education magazine available in dental offices throughout the U.S. and Canada and online at deardoctor.com. Written exclusively by dental health care professionals in uncomplicated language, Dear Doctor aims to open the lines of communication between patients and dental professionals by providing patients with information to help them make confident, informed healthcare decisions. Learn more at http://www.DearDoctor.com.
By PTI: (With additional input)

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, Aug 29 (PTI) The first phase of surgery to separate two-year-old twins from Odisha, who are joined at the head, was completed successfully at AIIMS.

In the almost 20-hour-long surgery, the doctors performed venous bypass to separate the veins shared by the babies that return blood to the heart from the brain.

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"The surgery began yesterday at around 9 am and went on till 5 AM today. The children are under observation," a senior doctor at AIIMS said.

According to the doctor, the surgery to separate them will be taken up by October end.

The twins - Jagannath and Balram - from Kandhamal district in Odisha, are craniopagus conjoined twins who are joined at the head. This is a very rare condition.

A team of around 20 specialists from the institutes neurosurgery, neuro-anaesthesia and plastic surgery department besides a Japanese expert were involved in the procedure.

A series of investigations, including multiple MRIs, CT scans and angiograms, were carried out on the twins to see to what extent the veins in their brains are fused and whether surgery was feasible.

The 27-month-old twins were shifted to AIIMS on July 13.

Meanwhile, the Odisha government today said it would seek assistance of a specialist doctor from the US for the second phase of surgery on the conjoined twins.

"The health condition of the twins is stable. The government is now planning to engage a specialist doctor from the USA for the second phase of operation," state health and family welfare minister P K Jena told reporters here.

AIIMS, New Delhi neurosurgery department professor Ashok Mohapatra told the news agencys reporter in Bhubaneswar over phone that the twins have been kept on ventilation as the doctors are careful against any kind of infection.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had yesterday tweeted "I join the people of Odisha in prayer for success of surgery and new life for the conjoined twins fondly called Jaga-Balaia. Jai Jagannath."

Earlier, Patnaik had sanctioned Rs one crore from the Chief Ministers Relief Fund for the surgery on the conjoined twins.

"We pray the God for the successful separation of their heads. The children are in ventilator. We wish for their speedy recovery," said Pushpanjali Kanhara and Bhuiya Kanhara, the parents of Jaga-Balia.

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Deepak Gupta, professor of neurosurgery, had said the twins suffer from the condition which afflicts one in 30 lakh children, of which 50 per cent die either at birth or within 24 hours.

Surgery is feasible only on 25 per cent of the survivors while the rest continue to live with the condition.

"Also, there is less than a 20 per cent chance of survival among those who undergo this surgery. Such operations are extremely challenging," he had said. PTI PLB AAM KK KK

--- ENDS ---
Florida Polytechnic University started its fourth academic year on Monday, August 21, welcoming the schools inaugural freshman class back for their senior year.

The University opened in 2014 with approximately 550 students  including transfers, graduate students and the inaugural freshman class. This year, Florida Poly welcomed more than 400 new students and 1,050 returning students, beginning the year with a total enrollment of over 1450.

When I arrived on campus four years ago, this university had literally just opened its doors, said Jacob Livingston, a senior and President of the Student Government Association. Its been quite an experience for me to grow with the school over the past four years, but Im most excited about this year and being able to serve in a leadership role. Im so grateful to the students, faculty and staff for all their hard work to put Florida Poly on the map and to make this an unforgettable college experience for us all.

This summer, Florida Poly received initial regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelors and masters degrees. Receiving this accreditation means future Florida Poly graduates, and those who graduated earlier this year, will have a degree from a regionally accredited university. This achievement also satisfies the sixth and final milestone outlined at the founding of the University by the Florida Legislature.

Accreditation is an outstanding achievement and all of us should take a great degree of pride in our success. And while Im excited about what weve accomplished in the past, Im even more excited about the future and what we can do together as a University, said President Dr. Randy K. Avent.

Florida Poly welcomed students back and celebrated accreditation during Purple Fire Week, an annual spirit week that kicks-off the academic year with daily activities and festivities to immerse students in college life. The week began on Saturday, August 19, with a field-water day and an all-nighter in the Commons. It ended Friday afternoon with the celebration of accreditation in the Wellness Center where students, faculty and staff enjoyed an afternoon of barbecue, music and giveaways.

I want to thank everyone who came out to celebrate this major milestone with us today, said President Avent. To accomplish all that we have accomplished in three short years is no small feat. As we begin our fourth academic year, welcome our inaugural freshman to their senior year, and begin to plan for the future; I want to sincerely thank the students, faculty and staff for their tireless dedication to the success of Florida Poly.

In the year ahead, Florida Poly will move forward from the start-up phase and focus on building a stronger Florida economy by developing future high-tech business leaders and creating jobs.

About Florida Polytechnic University: Florida Polytechnic University is the 12th member of the State University System of Florida and recently received regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelors and masters degrees. Dedicated exclusively to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), the University is a powerful economic engine within the state of Florida, blending applied research with industry partnerships to give students an academically rigorous education with real-world relevance. Faculty experts at Florida Polytechnic University provide insightful analysis, opinions and comments about a broad range of STEM and higher education subjects. To connect with Florida Poly, click here. The campus, located in Lakeland, Florida along the I-4 High Tech Corridor, opened for classes in the fall of 2014.
Anthony is one of the real estate agents out there. Nobody understands the industry better than him, and every client he represents learns very quickly that he has their best interests at heart.

Soleil Sothebys International Realty is happy to announce that one of its agents, Anthony Marotta was featured in the Nationwide & International edition of Top Agent Magazine. A link to the publication and Anthony Marottas profile can be found here. Top Agent Magazine presents the real estate industry and general public with the best real estate agents and industry partners who are making a real difference. Agents from all 50 states as well as Canada and Europe were featured in the publication.

In order for agents and partners to qualify, they must be nominated. From there, Top Agent Magazine judges will determine whether or not the nominees meet the stringent criteria the magazine stipulates. Nominees who are featured in the magazine include rising real estate stars and experienced agents and brokers who are still on the top of their game. Every nominee must be unique enough to stand out among the crowd, and each nominee must present evidence that he or she has made a difference in his or community.

Anthony Marrota has worn many hats in the real estate industry. Before he was a successful realtor, he was a developer and investor, and he has been involved in more than 60 transactions, totaling $30 million. Today, Anthony works as an agent at the prestigious Soleil Sothebys International Realty, which is a real estate agency that focuses on homes in Ventnor, Brigantine, Longport, Atlantic City, and Margate. He also founded his own business, Pro Networking Group, which was created to help a variety of professionals in several industries grow their businesses.

Anthony is one of the real estate agents out there. Nobody understands the industry better than him, and every client he represents learns very quickly that he has their best interests at heart. Anthonys abilities as an agent and marketer are only surpassed by his dedication to charity and contributing to his local community, said Tamy Gluck, Founder of Soleil Sothebys International Realty.

When he is not at the office, Anthony can be found giving back to his community. He devotes to his time to a number of civic and philanthropic efforts, including Wounded Warriors. Anthony is also a family man, and he is excited that his son will be joining his business later this year. Soleil Sothebys International Realty would like to congratulate Anthony Marotta on this distinct and well-deserved recognition.

About Soleil Sotheby's International Realty:

Soleil Sothebys International Realty strives to provide every buyer and seller with the most personalized and professional experience in the area. Soleil Sotheby's International Realty's main office down the Jersey Shore services the Margate, Ventnor, Atlantic City, Longport Borough and surrounding areas. Its founders, Tamy and DJ Gluck, along with its entire team of brokers and staff members strive to embody the brand vision of "artfully uniting extraordinary homes with extraordinary lives." Learn more at http://www.soleilsir.com.
Progressive Publishing Services (PPS), a premier publishing outsource service provider in Pennsylvania, is pleased to unveil its new website.

The company partnered with BayaTree to ensure its new website is responsive across all digital platforms, has superior navigation and supports ease of viewing and interaction. A blog will soon be added to keep existing and prospective clients aware of publishing industry news that matters to their projects. The contact form has been upgraded and case studies added.

"Through the years, I've been a part of Progressive Publishing Services as we diversified and grew to meet the needs of our customers, says Vice President Darby Jo Campbell. This strategy of always keeping our customers needs in mind has positioned PPS as a leader in the publishing services industry. The new website is another way we communicate, interact with and, inform our clients. Having the best possible interface for this is always a priority.

Visit the new website at https://www.pps-ace.com and learn how PPS will turn your publishing project into a competitive, marketable publication by viewing the assessment, manuscript development and ancillary materials case studies.

For more details about PPS, visit https://www.pps-ace.com/about-us.

About PPS

PPS provides content development and production, offering a choice of full-service publishing or select services to produce clients e-books, manuals, project management documents, and traditional books. We work with authors, illustrators, printers and others in the publishing industry to provide you with everything required, under one roof, for your outsourced publishing needs.

Contact Details:

Darby Jo Campbell

1407 Williams Rd  Suite 2

York, PA 17402

Phone: 717-764-5908

Fax: 717-764-5530

Sales Inquiries: 717-767-7100

Email: dcampbell(at)pps-ace.com

Source: Progressive Publishing Services
Procon strives to perfect the technology that connects consumers and the things that matter most in their lives.

Procon Analytics, a leading innovator of telematics that captures and translates raw data into actionable business intelligence, is pleased to welcome Daniel Walpole to its executive management team as the companys Chief Data Officer (CDO).

I first met Daniel five years ago, and knew instantly that he was someone I wanted to work with, says Procon founder and CEO Brian Boling. Daniel gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night thinking about creating value for customers. We are challenging him to find new and novel ways to transform data into intelligence businesses that can be used to make customers lives more convenient, secure and connected.

Walpole previously served as Managing Partner for Verizons Internet of Things (IoT) Resale Business Group. Devoting hundreds of hours to learning from and building partnerships with industry leaders and innovators, Walpole ultimately built a $200 million business for the telecom giant.

As Procons CDO, Walpole will leverage the connections and experience hes gained to not only expand Procons automotive IoT channel, but also drive sustainable and profitable growth in new vertical markets. Walpole is responsible for identifying new lines of business, revenue and collaborative partnerships across all IoT verticals by leveraging Procons IP, solutions, platforms and distribution.

Daniels instincts for identifying and pouncing on opportunities are unrivaled, and his ability to solve business problems is unlike anything Ive ever seen, said Bill Cheney, Managing Partner of Procon. Hes a tremendous asset to the team, and we plan to give him unfettered access to do what he does best.

The challenge, according to Walpole, is in analyzing, refining and transforming the information into precise, controlled streams of business intelligence that lead to smarter decisions.

Brian and Bill have long been my mentors in IoT telematics, says Walpole. They pioneered this space, and Ive learned much from them over the years. Now Im eager to help them expand Procons reach into a diverse range of vertical markets.

The Internet of Things has generated an enormous lake of business intelligence from countless connected devices, this opens up massive opportunities for companies across a broad spectrum of industries. Walpole goes on to explain, Procon Analytics is committed to helping businesses achieve disruptive growth through digital transformation that will benefit them and their customers in ways theyve never imagined.

As Procon strives to perfect the technology that connects consumers and the things that matter most in their lives, Walpole goes on to say, Our goal is to give the power and control back to the people since it is, after all, their data. Procon wants to help them use it when and how they choose.

About Procon Analytics

Procon Analytics, a global leader in automotive telematics, is dedicated to bringing better, more efficient and value-driven connected car features  along with next-generation channel management processes  to US automotive retailers. As implied by its name, Procon Analytics combines the new database architecture with advances in big data analytics to run a powerful engine that converts information gathered by IoT sensors into critical business intelligence for the global automotive industry. Procon Analytics currently operates in the US, Canada and Latin America, with a focus on creating big data solutions for the automotive industry.

Follow Walpole Twitter

Read Walpole's Bio
Interactive design agency Fastspot has ranked among the 5,000 fastest growing companies in the country for the second consecutive year, according to Inc. Magazines 2017 list. Fastspot took the #10 spot among Baltimore businesses, #72 among Maryland businesses, and #334 among all advertising and marketing businesses.

The Inc. 5000 list ranks privately-owned businesses based on the past three years revenue growth. A mere one in three companies make the list twice.

From 2013 to 2016, Fastspot experienced 100% growth and expanded its client base to include organizations such as Yale University, the Nuclear Energy Institute, ConocoPhillips, Loma Linda University Health, and the Walters Art Museum. Fastspot specializes in large-scale innovative web-based strategy, design and development, with a focus on collaboration and creative excellence.

Its an honor to be listed on the Inc. 5000 list for the second year in a row, said Tracey Halvorsen, Fastspots Chief Visionary Officer and President. Our growth is a testament to the great work our team produces, and the strong relationships weve formed with our clients over the years.

About Fastspot

Interactive design agency Fastspot was founded in 2001 and works with clients across the country. The company has created digital communications strategies and products for numerous brands, including George Washingtons Mount Vernon, Bucknell University, and the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Combining technical innovation, an unparalleled focus on user experience, and award-winning design, Fastspots collaborative approach and creative problem-solving have garnered many of the industrys top honors.

For additional information on Fastspot, visit their website http://www.fastspot.com. For business or press inquiries, call Katie Jennings, Director of Business Development at (802) 462-3831.

About The Inc. 5000

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. 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. The minimum revenue required for 2013 is $100,000; the minimum for 2016 is $2 million. 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 https://www.inc.com/inc5000.
Roberta Ramponi (IFN-CNR) will be the next ICO President. The high-quality presentations and the presence of so many of the worlds leaders were impressive.

Leaders of SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, were on hand to celebrate the election of new officers of the International Commission for Optics (ICO) in Tokyo this week during the highly successful ICO24 conference that opened with the Emperor and Empress of Japan present. SPIE is an International Society Member of the ICO.

Roberta Ramponi, Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, was elected president, and will begin serving her three-year term in October.

She succeeds Yasuhiko Arakawa of the University of Tokyo, who led the organizing committee of the conference, held 21-25 August with the theme of Science for Society.

John Harvey of the University of Auckland was elected vice president, and SPIE Member Joseph Niemela of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) was elected treasurer, succeeding SPIE Past President Jim Harrington of Rutgers University. Humberto Michinel of the University of Vigo will be secretary, succeeding Angela Guzman.

SPIE Fellow Carmina Londono of the U.S. National Science Foundation was selected as the SPIE appointed vice president. She succeeds SPIE Past President Maria Yzuel (Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona), an active advocate and supporter of optics and optics education through work with the ICO, SPIE, ICTP, Royal Society of Spain, and other organizations.

The presence of the Japanese Emperor and Empress at the opening ceremony was a strong indication of the high regard in Japan for the field of optics and photonics and for its economic and social importance, said SPIE CEO Eugene Arthurs. The high-quality presentations and the presence of so many of the worlds leaders were impressive. Professor Arakawa deserves strong praise for organizing an event that very compellingly demonstrated why this science is so valuable to society.

Two SPIE Fellows were among luminaries who gave plenary talks.

Christopher Dainty of University College London, spoke on Fundamental limits of mobile phone cameras, and James Fujimoto of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology spoke on Optical coherence tomography and biomedical imaging.

Recognition of student work, in the form of Best Student Paper Awards to 18 participants, was supported by SPIE and The Optical Society (OSA).

SPIE also supported expenses for Olivier Kossan Bangui, a professor at the Institut National Polytechnique Felix Houphouet-Boigny in the Ivory Coast, to enable his participation in the conference.

SPIE Past President Katarina Svanberg (Lund University Hospital and South China Normal University) was instrumental in making that happen, Arthurs noted. In addition to her own clinical and research work, Svanberg actively works in programs throughout Africa in particular and in other areas to train and expand the networks of optics and photonics scientists with otherwise limited opportunities.

Among awards presented during a gala banquet were the 2015 ICO Galileo Galilei Award to Aram Papoyan from the National Academy of Science in Armenia, who presented on Selective reflection of light as a spectroscopic tool; and the 2014 ICO Prize to Martin Booth of the University of Oxford.

Also attending were ICO vice presidents and SPIE Fellows Mourad Zghal of the Higher School of Communications of Tunis (SUP'COM) and Seung-Han Park of Yonsei University, and SPIE board member and Fellow David Sampson of the University of Western Australia.

About SPIE

SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, an educational not-for-profit organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based science, engineering, and technology. The Society serves nearly 264,000 constituents from approximately 166 countries, offering conferences and their published proceedings, continuing education, books, journals, and the SPIE Digital Library. In 2016, SPIE provided more than $4 million in support of education and outreach programs. http://www.spie.org
Short Term Major Medical Short Term Major Medical protects the insured from the devastating financial burden of not having any health insurance

United Security Health and Casualty Insurance (USH&C) recently obtained state approval to offer its Short Term Major Medica l product in the state of Arizona.

No one ever thinks that they will be subject to an unforeseen hardship such as an accident or sudden illness. But the truth is, it only takes a moment for an injury or illness to strike, began Robert Dial, Vice President, USH&C. Our Short Term Major Medical product was designed to fill the gap until permanent major medical insurance can be secured. More importantly, it protects the insured from the devastating financial burden of not having any health insurance.

USH&Cs Short Term Major Medical plan is the perfect solution for:



Young adults no longer covered by their parents plan

Individuals between jobs or laid off, including those who cannot afford the high cost of a COBRA plan

Individuals & families who are looking for an alternative to the ACA Exchange Plans

Individuals & families who need coverage until the next Open Enrollment Period

Individuals waiting for group or individual major medical coverage to begin

Dial remarked, USH&Cs Short Term Major Medical plan has several distinct customer advantages. For example, although the use of network providers is not required in this plan, insureds can maximize benefits and save money by receiving care from a provider in the PHCS PPO network. The insured may also visit any out-of-network doctor or hospital of their choice without incurring an out-of-network penalty. In addition, prescription drug coverage is included. The insured is allowed to select the deductible amount, $500, $1,000, $2,000 or $5,000 that best aligns with their budget. Along with a single pay or monthly payment plan, this product was designed to ensure all aspects of the insureds needs were addressed.

The USH&C Short Term Major Medical plan does not cover pre-existing conditions, preventative or wellness doctor visits, or optical and dental treatments. A full list of other exclusions are listed in detail in the plans Policy and can be reviewed by a USH&C agent or one of the companys multi-lingual representatives.

About United Security Health and Casualty Insurance (USH&C):

Founded in 1973, USH&C is licensed to sell its products in Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Nebraska through a network of independent insurance agents. Along with Short Term Medical, USH&C also offers Dental Plus Vision & Hearing, Critical Illness, Cancer, Disability Income, Accident Hospital Indemnity, and Fixed Indemnity products. USH&C specializes in providing insurance coverage to individuals and families. The companys headquarters is in Bedford Park, 6640 S. Cicero Ave., Bedford Park, IL 60638, http://www.USHandC.com 1-800-875-4422 or 1-708-475-6100
420 College is Cultivating Knowledge all over California.

420 College, a company on a mission to promote legal cannabis cultivation, distribution and use, obtains six legal government permits for students.

Four students have secured 22,000 square feet of cultivation licensing each, and one student received a permit to grow legal cannabis on 5,000 square feet of space. Also very proud to announce our Founder & CEO, George Boyadjian, has received a permit to grow cannabis on a 22,000 square foot area in California City as well.

A total of 115,000 square feet of government issued licensing to grow legal cannabis, on a full 1.5 city blocks, is coming to the California market from California City in eastern Kern County.

George Boyadjian, Founder & CEO stated, The permitting process took a little over a month. We had multiple meeting with California City officials and Fire chief; we also had a meetings with the community. This is where the members of the community we asked to come in and ask questions and meet the potential licensees.

George Boyadjian and 420 College have been training students to cultivate, distribute and use legal cannabis, with government approvals, since 2009.

They are currently serving customers in over 35 jurisdictions all across California. Offering hand on continual education training courses for career oriented individuals seeking to start and grow their cannabis business.

George Boyadjian said, we have helped hundreds of folks looking into getting in the industry to apply for and obtain cannabis cultivation and dispensary permits across California, Oregon, and Washington.

420 College will be hosting a cannabis business regulations seminar in Sacramento on September 16th & 17th. Among some speakers will be 420 College attorney, accountant, insurance agent and other cannabis business professionals.
New patients in need of a reliable tooth replacement option are invited to receive permanent dental implants in Moorestown, NJ, from Drs. Mario J. Canal and Ben Calem, with or without a referral. Each doctor is a highly experienced periodontist who uses Cone Beam CT imaging technology for the precise placement of dental implants. They practice at their two, state-of-the-art office locations in Moorestown and Medford, NJ.

Drs. Canal and Calem offer more than 25 years of combined, specialized experience placing a variety of dental implant solutions, including single and multiple implants, teeth-in-a-day and full-arch implant supported dentures. Committed to the latest in periodontology, they also direct the Pinnacle Dental Study Club of South Jersey dedicated to the functional and aesthetic benefits of dental implants and other periodontal treatments.

To ensure the most accurate placement of dental implants, Drs. Canal and Calem take advantage of guided implant surgery options. Cone Beam CT imaging technology is used in their practice to produce highly accurate 3D images of the teeth, nerve pathways, bone and soft tissues in a single, convenient scan. The level of detail provided by each scan makes it possible for Drs. Canal and Calem to clearly see the various structures in each patients mouth when planning implant placement.

Individuals who want the most reliable long-term replacement for missing teeth are encouraged to learn about the convenience and durability dental implants offer. Once placed and integrated into the bone of the jaw, implants provide continuous bone stimulation, which helps patients avoid bone degradation that occurs after a tooth is lost. Implants are very comfortable and closely resemble natural teeth. They are an ideal solution for patients who want to restore full dental functionality and improve their appearance.

Patients who want to visit a trustworthy periodontist for leading dental implants in Moorestown, NJ or Medford, NJ are encouraged to meet with Dr. Canal and Calem. Appointments with the skilled doctors can be reserved by calling Canal Calem Periodontics at 856-439-1200 or visiting their website at http://www.canalcalemperio.com.

About the Doctors

Canal Calem Periodontics offers modern periodontal treatments for patients in Moorestown and Medford, NJ. Drs. Mario J. Canal and Ben Calem are leading clinicians offering specialized periodontal care with cutting-edge technology. Practicing since 1990, Dr. Canal is active in numerous dental organizations including the American Academy of Periodontology and the Academy of Osseointegration. Dr. Calem is a published periodontist who actively strives to attend the latest continuing education courses available to offer minimally invasive care. To learn more about the services they offer or to schedule a consultation at Canal Calem Periodontics visit http://www.canalcalemperio.com or call 609-953-3700 for the Medford, NJ office or 856-439-1200 for the Moorestown, NJ location.
A student in one of SLCC's welding courses. Our innovative, subscription-based tuition program gives these students the ability to save not only time but money as well.

The national magazine Washington Monthly named Salt Lake Community College to its list of Twelve Most Innovative Colleges for Adult Learners. The list recognizes institutions that have adapted to better serve adults who are 25 and older, which is about 40 percent of college enrollment on average around the country. Each institution on the list, the magazine points out, is doing something right that other schools ought to emulate.

SLCC was singled out by the Washington, D.C.-based magazine for taking a risk on using a $2.3 million federal grant to convert nearly 20 programs in its School of Applied Technology (SAT) over to a competency-based education (CBE) model that began 2014. This grant provided the SAT the resources needed to transition 20 short-term, workforce-based programs from a clock-hour model of learning based on time spent in classrooms to a CBE model that emphasizes learning that takes into account skills already acquired, usually on the job. About 70 percent of SLCC students are employed while attending school.

We strive to make our learning environment conducive to working adults who are coming back for retraining in a new job or to upgrade their skills in their current position, said Eric A. Heiser, SLCC dean of the School of Applied Technology and Technical Specialties. We believe competency-based education is a great way for adult learners with real-life experience to accelerate their studies and move more quickly towards certificate and/or degree attainment. Our innovative, subscription-based tuition program gives these students the ability to save not only time but money as well.

SLCC has labs open for its CBE learners from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day, and students can come in at different times on different days and make a schedule that works for them instead of having to be in a classroom at a scheduled time each day. To date, SLCC has converted nearly all of the 20 programs covered by the grant to CBE with full completion expected by the end of 2017. SLCC has also been approved by the Department of Education as an Experimental Site, which gives it the ability to award federal financial aid dollars to those in CBE programs, opening the door to many new programs participating in CBE. SLCCs School of Science, Mathematics and Engineering is transitioning its biotechnology program to CBE with a launch date of January 2018. And SLCCs first associate of applied science program, beginning with automotive, within the School of Applied Technology and Technical Specialties, has started the process of transitioning with plans to launch in the fall of 2018. Many other programs at SLCC are considering the shift to the CBE model as well, with an aim toward launching a full-fledged CBE degree program under general education by the end of 2018.

Salt Lake Community College is an accredited, student-focused, comprehensive community college meeting the diverse needs of the Salt Lake community. Home to more than 60,000 students each year, the College is Utahs leading provider of workforce development programs. SLCC is also the largest supplier of transfer students to Utahs four-year institutions and a perennial Top 10 college nationally for total associate degrees awarded. The College is the sole provider of applied technology courses in the Salt Lake area, with multiple locations, an eCampus, and nearly 1,000 continuing education sites located throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Personal attention from an excellent faculty is paramount at the College, which maintains an average class size of 20.
By Shreya Goswami: When you think about it, is anything more important that fresh, clean air? Yes, we crave all the amenities and luxuries this world can offer us--from luxury cars to five-course dinners at fine-dine restaurants--but are they worth anything without the oxygen that keeps us alive?

No. And that's precisely the reason why the world, and India, needs an inspiring artist like Daan Roosegaarde.

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In a world where we're all busy pursuing our own dreams, we have stopped caring about the planet, and what we need to do to sustain its many gifts. The result is that millions across the world breathe in air that is so polluted that we are plagued by a number of respiratory diseases all year through, to say the least.

Also Read: The comprehensive guide to staying healthy in the Delhi smog

The Indian smog situation has worsened over the last few years, and no amount of 'odd-even' plans are actually making a long-lasting difference. And that's just where Daan and his team at Studio Roosegaarde are ready to chip in.

Why do we need smog-free air?

"I love technology. We've used it to enhance ourselves, to mobilise, to share, to create. But on the other hand it created side-effects that you and I never imagined, and pollution is one of them," Daan says. The air that we all breathe in at major cities across the world--whether it's London or Beijing, Paris or Delhi--"it's the same as 17 cigarettes per day".

The Smog-Free Tower in Bejing, China. Picture courtesy: Instagram/roosegaarde The Smog-Free Tower in Bejing, China. Picture courtesy: Instagram/roosegaarde

If that doesn't alarm you, then nothing will. The solution that Daan has to offer is simple: "I think we should sort of design our way out of it, engineer our way out of it." And that's precisely what this Netherlander has successfully done in Beijing recently.

He designed the world's largest air purifier in the form of the Smog-Free Tower in Beijing. Located in a public park, the seven metres high tower cleans more than 30 thousand cubic metres of air every day, making the air around it pure. What's more, the smog particles collected from this tower are compressed and converted into a smog-free jewellery line!

Daan Roosegaarde shows the smog particles collected from the Smog-Free Tower, Beijing. Picture courtesy: Instagram/roosegaarde

That apart, Daan's other innovations include a range of smog-free bicycles which clean the air around them, helping the riders breathe freely. The bicycles have also found favour in China. Studio Roosegaarde has also designed a kind of dance stage that generates electricity through vibrations, a clean form of energy that isn't dependent on any fuel.

Also Read: Smog is killing us, yet we're not wearing masks. Other things we know are bad for us, yet we continue to do

India, entrepreneurs, and the dream of clean air

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The success of his Beijing stint has led to invitations from a number of countries that face similar issues. India, we must admit, is lucky to be one of them. Drawing data from the World Economic Forum's reports on the smog situation in India, Daan is all set to introduce us to the innovations his team has made over the years.

The smog particles are compressed to make these souvenir rings. Picture courtesy: Instagram/roosegaarde

"I want to start with building the cleanest park in India..You know, a public park where people can enjoy the clean air. I think that's step one...the second is the smog-free bicycle...but maybe new ideas can also come up," he says. Daan has travelled across India, and the entrepreneurial spirit in the country has really heartened him.

"There's a new generation (in India) which is not waiting for permission, or waiting for acceptance. But there's a sort of bottom-up approach to improve life. And that's, I think, incredibly fascinating," Daan adds. And while he feels connected to this "maker's mentality" that's on the rise among young Indians, he hopes many of them will join him in creating more innovations that can improve our global living conditions.

Daan Roosegaarde and his team try the smog-free bicycles outside Studio Roosegaarde in Rotterdam. Picture courtesy: Instagram/roosegaarde

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Also Read: Are those WhatsApp forwards on smog healthcare true? Let an expert tell you

He makes an open call for the "people in government, leaders who are willing to make a decision, capital investors, tech companies, or students with new ideas. Let's work together." And truly, what this Dutch artist has to offer isn't just an opportunity to harness the talents we in this country have, but also the chance to make a difference in our own living standards through technological innovations.

"So what I'm trying to say is, by making good design, by making new innovations, you can change the lifestyle of people. And that's really where you start to have the impact," Daan explains. And you just have to agree that his call to arms against our situation is very invigorating indeed.

Watch the full interview with Daan Roosegaarde, here:

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[Kingdom Trust is] known for providing innovative and flexible custody solutions, so it made sense to become heavily involved in digital currency and offer a solution at the institutional level.

As the premier custodian allowing account holders to hold digital currency assets directly in an IRA, Kingdom Trust is excited and honored to be a part of the CoinAlts Fund Symposium. The event will take place September 14, 2017, at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco, CA. The firms Business Development Officer, Tara Bogard, will join a panel to discuss operational challenges and best practices for digital asset managers.

Designed for fund managers and investors, the CoinAlts Fund Symposium will provide many educational opportunities for those interested in this rapidly-growing investment space. Digital currency, or cryptocurrency, is a relatively new asset class, so many of the topics discussed at the one-day symposium will address the growth and evolution of the asset. Among the various digital currency-related topics covered will be discussions on audit and tax issues, legal and operational issues and the institutional investment process.

The emergence of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and other digital currency assets remains one of the hottest topics in the investing world, requiring service providers to stay up on operational and procedural nuances related to digital currency. With the digital currency space growing at such a rapid pace, we see a very real need to come together and provide an in-depth educational and networking experience for those actively seeking knowledge and professional growth, said Bogard.

The Kingdom Trust platform is the first (and currently the only) to allow digital currency to be held directly in tax-advantaged Self-Directed IRAs and other retirement plans. In fact, the firm now allows accounts holding Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and Litecoin, among other digital currency investments.

At Kingdom, were known for providing innovative and flexible custody solutions, so it made sense to become heavily involved in digital currency and offer a solution at the institutional level, said Bogard. Were proud of what weve built and are excited for the future of digital currency, and also our firm.

For more information about the CoinAlts Fund Symposium, visit https://www.coinaltsfundsymposium.com/. To schedule a call with Kingdom Trust, visit https://www.kingdomtrust.com/call.

About Kingdom Trust

Kingdom Trust is an independent qualified custodian and a non-depository trust company regulated by the South Dakota Division of Banking. The firm is a leading provider of unique and innovative custody solutions for individual investors, investment sponsors, family offices, advisory firms, broker-dealers and various other investment platforms. Kingdom Trust is a passive, non-discretionary custodian that does not provide, promote, endorse or sell investment products and does not endorse or promote any individual investment advisor or investment sponsor. For more information, please visit KingdomTrust.com.

The content of this press release is provided for educational and informational purposes only.
Lab grown diamonds are most often set in engagement rings but can also be used in earrings or other jewelry. The luxury shopper wants and deserves choices.

While lab-grown diamonds are seen as heresy to many old time diamantaires, Mervis Diamond Importers in Washington, DC has introduced lab-grown diamonds at all locations this month, for the first time in its history. The company embraces the new technology as another option for todays shopper. Appealing to an environmentally-conscious consumer, a man-made diamond is roughly 30% larger than its natural counterpart at the same price.

As the leading diamond jeweler the Washington region, Mervis has built its reputation on personalized service and knowledgeable staff. Its always been our mission to provide an education and full service experience to our clients, helping each couple find the right diamond for them. Todays addition of man-made diamonds to our inventory gives our shopper added confidence that shes seen everything. says Jonathan Mervis, Vice President of Client Experience.

While all natural diamonds at Mervis are certified conflict-free, the company reports consumer demand for a lab-grown option free of any conflicts overseas. The lab-grown diamonds at Mervis are grown locally in Maryland, giving new meaning to shopping local. The collection features a full range of the popular diamond shapes and sizes.

Despite the lab grown hype, the romantic symbolism of a diamond that was formed over a billion years ago isn't about to go away anytime soon. Jonathan Mervis explains, "man-made diamonds aren't for everyone. Most of our clients tell us they want the 'real' thing. The company views the market for man-made diamonds as a niche audience. Without judgement or pushing clients in either direction, Mervis will cater to both the natural and man-made diamond client.

"We're on K Street in Washington, DC after all. If we couldn't professionally serve two different groups with opposite opinions, we'd have far greater troubles!" quips Jonathan Mervis.

The lab grown diamonds will be accompanied by a grading report and laser inscribed as lab grown. They will be clearly distinguished as such and are available in all Mervis stores in Washington, DC, Rockville, MD and Tysons, VA..

Mervis Diamond Importers began in 1935 near the diamond mining areas of South Africa. The company imports the finest quality diamonds, giving the consumer the benefit of price and quality. Mervis is a proud recipient of the Hall of Fame award from The Knot for exceptional customer service in the wedding industry.
Contact: PCG  Wendi Sheridan (424) 903-3644 (wsheridan@pacificcommunicationsgroup.com)

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (August 28, 2017)  Mercury Insurance representatives are ready to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey with home and vehicle claims. Mercury customers can report losses and damages through the claims hotline at (800) 503-3724.

Hurricane Harvey continues to wreak havoc on Texas, and Mercurys claims team is here to help customers recover from this storms devastating impact, says Mercury Insurance Chief Claims Officer Randy Petro. We urge residents to take the necessary precautions for their family and pets when returning home. Water surges and strong winds can take down power lines and also bring wildlife into your home.

The Mercury Insurance claims team is ready to respond quickly to our customers requests for help. Whether its providing living expenses while theyre out of their homes due to a covered loss or facilitating claims, were committed to providing Mercury policyholders with the assistance they need.

Mercury, specializing in personal auto and homeowners insurance, encourages customers to review insurance policies each year with their local agents. Mercury customers in Texas can protect vehicles from hurricane damage by purchasing comprehensive coverage, in addition to liability coverage, as liability covers only accidents and individuals.

Mercury claims adjusters will assess damage to policyholders property due to rain and wind. Homeowners seeking coverage from flood and debris flows should review the National Flood Insurance Program at http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/about/nfip_overview.jsp.

Texans can help spread this message by following @MercuryIns on Twitter and ReTweeting: Mercury policyholders impacted by the #HurricaneHarvey call (800) 503-3724 to file a claim ASAP.

Petro advises policyholders to follow a few simple procedures to help the claims process run smoothly.

When filing a claim



Contact Mercury immediately to report your loss.

Be prepared to provide your policy number.

Do not remove debris or damaged property that may be related to your claim.

Steps after filing a claim



Prepare a detailed inventory of destroyed or damaged property.

Offer photos or videos of your home and possessions to your adjuster, if these are available.

Keep copies of communications between you and your adjuster.

Keep records and receipts for additional living expenses that were incurred if you were forced to leave your home, and provide copies to your adjuster.

Additional hurricane preparedness resources:

NOAA National Weather Service: http://www.weather.gov/safety.php

American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/getprepared

Federal Emergency Management Agency: http://www.ready.gov

ABOUT MERCURY INSURANCE

Mercury Insurance (MCY) is a multiple-line insurance organization predominantly offering personal automobile, homeowners and commercial insurance through a network of independent agents in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia. Since 1962, Mercury has specialized in offering quality insurance at affordable prices. For more information visit http://www.mercuryinsurance.com or Facebook and follow the company on Twitter.

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Latham Centers is an international leader in residential care for children with Prader-Willi syndrome and other medical diagnoses including developmental disabilities. Located in Brewster in the heart of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Latham School provides a food-safe school campus for students ages 8 to 22. Lathams highly trained team provides life-changing educational, vocational, clinical and therapeutic services.

One students life-changing experience at Latham Centers: Chris has Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a life-threatening genetic disorder that develops from an abnormality on the 15th chromosome and manifests most frequently with an insatiable appetite, behavioral challenges, and cognitive limitations. Chris came to Latham School in 2016, after many years of improper and ineffective placements and unhealthy weight gain. At age 17, he weighed 430 pounds. His weight was life-threatening, and Chris was nearly immobile. He could only manage to navigate slowly throughout the Latham campus with the aid of a walker.

With Latham staffs careful evaluation of Chris condition, individualized support plan, and help from a dedicated team, he is on a path to a healthy weight, inspiring everyone around him. After just 10 months, Chris has healthily lost more than 80 pounds and impressed staff, family and friends with his courageous and earnest attitude.

Chris walks farther distances than he believed possible, and uses newly learned coping skills to deal with frustrations, with the support of Lathams clinicians, teachers, nurses, and counselors. Each day, Chris was asked to walk up one set of stairs without the help of his walker. It became a daily challenge: How many steps could he walk up without losing his breath? How many times did he have to stop? How long would it take for the entire flight? That monumental day arrived when he accomplished his goal to reach the top of the stairs with no aid. It was a thrill for Chris and for everyone around him. In his words, Every day that I am here, I am one step closer to becoming the kid that I want to be.

Surrounded by caring Latham School friends and staff, Chris is thriving. He continues to lose weight, and for the first time in years, he can move without the support of his walker.

His mother is grateful to Latham. After years of fighting to find the right placement for my son, we found home, she said. His PWS is no longer debilitating, but rather its a challenge he can overcome with support from Latham staff.

Latham Centers intensive therapeutic Childrens Program celebrates milestones like Chris often. This nurturing place the students call home is life-changing not only for the children, but also their families, the staff, and the Cape Cod community members who help Latham Centers achieve its mission.

More about Latham Centers, Inc.

Founded in 1970, Latham Centers courageously, compassionately and creatively helps children and adults with complex special needs, including Prader-Willi syndrome, to lead meaningful, abundant lives. The non-profit organization is internationally recognized for its expertise and success in working with individuals with PWS, a rare genetic disorder which occurs in one out of 12,000 to 15,000 births. There is no known cure for PWS. Latham Centers provides services to children at its residential Latham School in Brewster, Mass., and provides services to adults at its eleven group residences and individualized supported community living settings throughout Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts. Latham Centers is fully accredited by the international Council on Accreditation and is one of the largest human service employers on Cape Cod. For more information, visit LathamCenters.org.

Press Contact:

Dawn Dinnan, Director of Communications

(774) 353-9205 or ddinnan(at)LathamCenters.org
We know that these new, high-quality programs will make a real difference in the economic success of the students who take them, by increasing their marketable knowledge and skills and opening up new job opportunities for them.

Career Step, an online provider of career-focused education and professional training, is pleased to announce the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education as its newest academic partner.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is passionate about offering their students the best continuing education programs to provide quality career training, said Glade Tidwell, Career Step Vice President of Academic Partnerships. We are excited to partner with them as they make a difference in the careers and lives of their students.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee joins more than 150 other educational institutionsincluding University of Central Missouri, Cal State San Bernardino and California State University, Bakersfieldin Career Steps network of academic partners.

The new partnership adds several of Career Step courses to the UWM School of Continuing Education. The new courses include Professional Medical Coding and Billing with PCS, Medical Transcription and Editing, and Pharmacy Technician, all of which are designed to help students gain the career skills they need to start working in their chosen field in a year or less.

We are excited to offer students in our area additional educational opportunities to prepare for successful careers, said Shirley Burks, Coordinator of Partnerships, New Initiatives and Special Projects at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education. We know that these new, high-quality programs will make a real difference in the economic success of the students who take them, by increasing their marketable knowledge and skills and opening up new job opportunities for them.

For more than a decade, Career Step has partnered with higher learning institutions to offer its industry-leading career training courses through the schools continuing education departments. These partnerships broaden Career Steps reach while providing the institutions with a turnkey solution to prepare more students for successful careers.

More information about Career Steps partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education is available at CareerStep.com/uwmilwaukee. To learn more about Career Steps academic partnership program, please visit CareerStep.com/partner.

About Career Step

Career Step is an online provider of career-focused education and professional training. The company has trained over 100,000 students for new careers as well as more than 100,000 healthcare professionals through its various continuing education courses. More than 150 colleges and universities nationwide have partnered with Career Step, and the company provides training for several of the largest and most respected healthcare employers in the nation. Career Step is committed to helping students and practicing healthcare professionals alike gain the skills they need to be successful in the workplaceimproving lives, advancing careers and driving business results through education. More information can be found at http://www.careerstep.com or 1-800-246-7837.
Bozeman, Mont.- Life Flight Network announced today it has entered into an agreement with Allegiance and Cigna to become an in-network air ambulance provider in Montana. The announcement is a major milestone just days before Life Flight Network opens a new helicopter base at the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. Life Flight Network is now in-network with all major Montana commercial health insurance companies, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, PacificSource, Allegiance, and Cigna.

Life Flight Network is the largest not-for-profit air ambulance company in the United States. Being in-network means patients covered by Allegiance, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, and PacificSource will not receive a balance bill for covered services when transported by Life Flight Network in Montana. While Senate Bill 44 addressed air ambulance billing, a patient may pay more if an out-of-network provider is used when an in-network provider is available.

Montanans deserve timely and affordable access to critical health care resources. This agreement represents Life Flight Networks commitment to the people and health care providers we serve in Montana, said Michael Griffiths, CEO of Life Flight Network. Patients with commercial healthcare insurance in Montana can rest easy knowing we are in-network with the major providers.

Air ambulances provide a vital service in Montana. Bringing Life Flight Network into our provider networks is a major step forward, said Ron Dewsnup, President of Allegiance Benefit Plan Management, Inc. Hospitals, EMS providers, and patients should be concerned who provides their air ambulance transport, he adds.

Life Flight Network has four aircraft in Montana: a helicopter based in Missoula, a helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft based in Butte, and as of September 1st a helicopter based in Belgrade. All three locations are staffed with highly trained flight nurses, flight paramedics, and pilots who are available 24/7. The teams provide ICU-level care wherever needed, whether from the scene of an accident or while transporting patients from one hospital to another.

ABOUT LIFE FLIGHT NETWORK:

Life Flight Network, a not-for-profit air medical service, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) and the National Accreditation Alliance of Medical Transport Applications (NAAMTA). Life Flight Network has administrative offices in Aurora, Oregon and is owned by a consortium of Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, and Providence Health System. Life Flight Network operates under its own FAA Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate. Boise-based fixed-wing services are provided by Jackson Jet Center. For more information about Life Flight Network, visit http://www.lifeflight.org.
Central African Republic, 2012. Community members gather to learn about a child protection program. Credit: Sean Sheridan for Mercy Corps Mercy Corps and other international organizations believe the situation is not hopeless, but that its at a critical tipping point that demands immediate action

The global organization Mercy Corps reports that its team members are no longer able to access programming in the villages of Niem and Yelewa in Central African Republic as local militias have gained authority and created extremely unsafe working environments for humanitarians  and even more dangerous conditions for the families living there. An estimated 30,000 people live in the two villages.

The curtailing of operations highlights a worsening crisis that has blocked humanitarian access in CAR and in some cases driven out aid groups all together. Nearly half of the countrys population is dependent on humanitarian aid to survive.

Humanitarians simply arent mandated to cover gaps that demand a military response, says Rodolphe Moinaux, Central African Republic Country Director for Mercy Corps. Mercy Corps and other international organizations believe the situation is not hopeless, but that its at a critical tipping point that demands immediate action.

Mercy Corps joins other organizations working in CAR to implore the United Nations and the United States to take immediate action to increase engagement in CAR and assist aid groups, in partnership with institutions such as the World Bank and European Union.

A recent statement from the aid community warned that the momentum toward peace and stability after the 2016 elections is quickly dissipating. The risk of mass atrocities remains high, write the signatories. In the last 12 months, armed groups have gained control of significant parts of the country.

Local militia violence in May created lasting ripple effects for Mercy Corps and other organizations working in the region  including increased displacement and fatal violence that has orphaned many children. In Yelewa, Mercy Corps identified as many as 130 orphans living with host families in July. The area is just one of many such impacted communities across the country.

Since 2014, Mercy Corps has implemented a community-led peace-building initiative in CAR that has significantly helped mediate long-standing community tensions. Mercy Corps programming in Niem and Yelewa encompasses social-cohesion programs that help communities heal grievances and work together. The organization also provides psychosocial support for vulnerable people that have experienced events such as intercommunal conflict, rape or domestic violence.
Fazer Cairns ISL embodies what it is to offer a holistic education  one that prepares young people to play an active part in our complex and constantly changing world.

The International School of Lausanne (ISL) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Frazer Cairns as its new Director. Dr. Cairns returns to Switzerland after leading the United World College of South East Asia (Dover) in Singapore. Prior to this he was head of the International School of Geneva, Campus des Nations. In his new role, Dr. Cairns will be responsible for the operations and strategic direction of the approximately 880-student school, working closely with the 12-person Board.

Its a tremendous pleasure to return to Switzerland, a country for which we have a strong affinity as a family, said Dr. Cairns. ISL embodies what it is to offer a holistic education  one that prepares young people to play an active part in our complex and constantly changing world. I am looking forward to working with the staff and the Board at ISL to continue to develop that education.

Dr. Cairns started his career as a management consultant and journalist after graduating from the University of York in the UK. He retrained as a science teacher and subsequently taught in the UK, Indonesia, Singapore and Switzerland. In Singapore, Dr. Cairns managed campus operations at the United World College of South East Asia, Dover Campus, a school of approximately 3,000 students. Prior to that, Dr. Cairns was head of the International School of Geneva, Campus des Nations. Having worked in international schools for most of his career Dr. Cairns is particularly interested in the way language is used in multilingual educational settings. He continues to study and contribute to research in this area, holding both Masters and Doctorate degrees in education.

Dr. Cairns succeeds Ms. Lyn Cheetham who departed ISL in December 2016. Students and parents will have the chance to welcome the new Director when school reopens for the 2017-2018 term on 30 August.

About ISL: The International School of Lausanne, an international IB English language not-for-profit school for students 3-18 years of age, prepares students to excel and contribute to a changing global environment. For more than 50 years, it has provided the local and international community with a holistic, international education that emphasises excellence and rigour in a supportive, family environment. Approximately 880 students from more than 60 nationalities are enrolled at ISL. For more information, please visit http://www.isl.ch
These investors raise the bar and inspire others. They help others to see the possibilities of what can be achieved in this industry.

Think Realty, the industry leader in residential real estate investor resources, education and ethics, announces its 2017 Think Realty Honors finalists. The finalists are peer nominated investors who excel within their industry niche. The winners will be recognized at the Think Realty National Conference and Expo, October 14 and 15 at the Westin Buckhead in Atlanta. This years Think Realty Honors finalist list is comprised of real estate professionals in ten categories.

Master Investor of the Year Finalists:



Abhi Golhar, managing partner of Summit & Crowne

Marco Santarelli, founder and CEO of Norada Real Estate Investments

Multifamily Investor of the Year Finalists:



Albert Daniel Dan Butler III, CEO and founder of CrestCore Realty LLC and CityLight Commercial Services

Jay Fixer DeCima, CEO of KJAY Publishing

Single-Family Investor of the Year Finalists:



Marcus Painter, CEO of M&C Properties LLC

Mitch Stephen, owner of 1000Houses.com

Educator of the Year Finalists:



Jan Britt, founder and CEO of Jan Britt Interiors

Brad Sumrok, founder of Brad Sumrok Multifamily Investing

Property Manager of the Year Finalists:



Linda Liberatore, founder and president of Secure Pay One Inc

Deb Salek, CEO and broker at AvenueWest Northern Colorado

Service Provider of the Year Finalists:



Kevin Ortner, president and CEO of Renters Warehouse

Blake Johnson, founder and president of Finishing Touches Remodeling

2017 Emerging Leader/Rising Star Finalists:



Lukas Krause, CEO of Real Property Management

Tyler Weitz and Keith Murray, co-founders of CityLink Real Estate Solutions

Private Lender of the Year Finalists:



Rob Barney, founder and president of DHLC Investments Inc. and DHLC Now

Bill Green, CEO of LendingOne and financier and chairman of The Green Family Charitable Foundation

Commercial Investor of the Year Finalists:



Tammy Phelps, Director of Acquisitions & Management, Capstone Investment Acquisitions and founder of Capital City REIA

Steve Down, founder of Financially Fit, Even Stevens Sandwiches, The Falls Events Centers, Blue Hat Construction and Storm Maker Media

All five Humanitarian of the Year Finalists were also nominated in other categories:



Steve Down

Linda Liberatore

Bill Green

Rob Barney

Brad Sumrok

These investors raise the bar and inspire others, said Carole Ellis, editor-in-chief of Think Realty Magazine. They help others to see the possibilities of what can be achieved in this industry.

Think Realty is a central education and information resource for new investors and seasoned professionals, providing members with valuable tools that help them to optimize their competitive advantage, succeed in the industry, achieve wealth-building goals and live a life of purpose. Think Realty is part of Affinity Worldwide. More information about Think Realty can be found at http://www.thinkrealty.com; more information about Affinity Worldwide can be found at http://www.affinityworldwide.com.

For additional comments or questions please call or email

Laura Chalk, PR Manager

Affinity Worldwide

913-262-1624 x 86172

lboasberg(at)affinityworldwide.com

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As a globally-recognized leader in the exciting field of wireless power, we strive to provide employees access to cutting-edge technology tools, mentorship and formal training programs." ~ Jacob Babcock, CEO, NuCurrent

NuCurrent, a leading wireless power system and magnetics solution provider, announces Tech in Motion Chicago has named NuCurrent a finalist for the 2017 Timmy Best Technology Work Culture Award. Now in its third year, the Timmy Awards recognize the top workplaces for tech professionals. Winners for each of the four award categories will be announced at Chicagos Timmy Awards on September 21 at 1871 in Chicago.

The Timmys are presented in four categories: Best Tech Work Culture, Best Tech Manager, Best Tech Startup, and Best Tech Workplace for Diversity. The Best Technology Work Culture Award is presented to the company that promotes technical creativity, innovation and learning, and rewards contributions from its entire technology team. All award finalists are selected by a panel of accomplished judges representing Illinois technology. The public can contribute to the selection of this years winners by voting online from August 24September 8. Winners will be determined by a composite score of the judges' scores and voting by the public. Past award winners include LearnVest, Venmo and Trip Advisor.

The Timmy Awards aim to celebrate the companies and managers that make that technological innovation possible, says Mandy Walker, Director of Marketing at Tech in Motion and Motion Recruitment Partners. Since the Timmy Awards were created in 2015, over 400 finalists have been celebrated for creating work environments that enable growth in the technology of various industries.

Were thrilled and honored to be recognized by Tech in Motion as one of the best tech work cultures in Chicago, said Jacob Babcock, CEO, NuCurrent. As a globally-recognized leader in the exciting field of wireless power, we strive to provide employees access to cutting-edge technology tools, mentorship and formal training programs  a large reason weve attracted not only some of the best, young talent coming out of school, but also experienced alumni of 3COM, Motorola, Blackberry, Intel, Analog Devices and Freescale Semiconductor. I view this award as a testament to those continued efforts and to our employees who make this a great place to work.

NuCurrent was recently named a 2017 FLEXI Product Innovation Award winner, 2017 ITA CityLIGHTS Industry Disrupter Award Finalist, and 2016 IoT Breakthrough Awards M2M Embedded Hardware Company of the Year. The company was also named a Chicago Inno 2016 50 on Fire Winner, which honor the years most groundbreaking individuals and organizations across industries in the Chicago area, and a winner of the 2015 Chicago Innovation Up-and-Comer Awards. NuCurrent was also named No. 1 on the 2015 Crains Chicago Business Eureka Index with the highest per-capita patent output of any company in Illinois. The company was also listed in the top 10 percent overall in patent quality score, which considers the uniqueness of the invention covered by a patent and other important factors.

To view the 2017 Timmy Awards list of finalists or cast your vote for the award category winners, visit http://www.meetup.com/TechinMotionChicago/events/241029182 between August 24September 8. To learn more about NuCurrent, please contact info(at)nucurrent.com or visit http://nucurrent.com.

About NuCurrent

NuCurrent is a leading developer of high-efficiency wireless power solutions including magnetics and full-system integration. Whether customers want proprietary frequencies and solutions or compliance across the Wireless Power Consortium (Qi) or AirFuel AllianceTM, NuCurrent works closely with electronic device OEMs and integrators to determine the best implementation of wireless power for their product and deliver that solution through custom-design, rapid-prototype, advanced simulation, and superior performance. NuCurrents patented technology, proprietary tools and design techniques mitigate typical high frequency effects, offering higher efficiency, smaller sizes, higher durability, and lower total cost for wireless power system implementation. Based in Chicago, NuCurrent has been defining the leading edge of wireless power design since 2009 and has over 50 patents granted or pending worldwide. For more information, visit http://nucurrent.com and follow us on Twitter at @NuCurrentTweets.

About Tech in Motion Events & The Timmy Awards

Tech in Motion is a North American events series that brings local tech community professionals together to connect, learn, and innovate. What started as a collaborative project between IT recruiting firms Jobspring Partners and Workbridge Associates in 2011, grew into an organization of over 85,000 members across 11 chapters in North America including Boston, Dallas, New York, Philadelphia, DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, LA, Orange County, and Toronto. Please visit http://www.techinmotionevents.com for more information about our notable speakers, sponsors and events.
"It's the beginning of a dialogue process. We are happy we have been able to sit across the table," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

By Romita Datta, Indrajit Kundu: Initiating a dialogue process with an aim to end the Darjeeling impasse, the Mamata Banerjee government on Tuesday held a crucial meeting with major hill-based political parties in Kolkata. The meeting was attended by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which has been spearheading the Gorkhaland agitation, along with other hill parties like Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and the Jan Andolan Party (JAP).

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Calling the meeting "positive and cordial", West Bengal Chief Minister Banerjee said, "It's the beginning of a dialogue process. We are happy we have been able to sit across the table. We have requested them to withdraw the strike since it's causing great hardship to the people."

Mamata's appeal comes ten weeks into the indefinite strike called by Gorkhaland agitators. While the state government reiterated its stand that it will not discuss any demand for a separate Gorkhaland state, the GJM did raise the issue at the meeting.

"They have raised the Gorkhaland issue, it is their democratic right though we don't agree with it. We told them it is not in our hands and we cannot discuss it, but they have their democratic right just as the state government has its own constitutional obligation and bindings," Banerjee said.

'DIALOGUE PROCESS TO CONTINUE'

While no solution was expected out of today's meeting, both sides announced that they will continue the dialogue process - with the next meeting scheduled for September 12 at the north Bengal state secretariat in Siliguri.

The four hill-parties agreed that the restoration of peace and normalcy was of utmost importance.

Submitting a charter of demands to Banerjee, the GJM stated that it wants a judicial probe into the deaths of those protesters who died in police firing during the agitation. With party chief Bimal Gurung booked under the stern Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) along with several top leaders, the GJM also demanded that all cases against Gorkhaland activists be withdrawn.

Binay Tamang, who represented the GJM at the meeting, said, "We raised the Gorkhaland issue. Now the door is open. Political deadlock has ended. A decision on continuing the strike will be taken once we reach Darjeeling and discuss this in our central committee."

However, throughout his interaction with the press, Tamang stressed that the demand for Gorkhaland was a century-old issue and and an aspiration of the hill people. He explained that there was no question of budging from the stand. "All the Hill parties are united on this," he said.

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Jan Andolan Party chief and Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chetri said that it was time for the GJM to take a call on the withdrawal of the strike. "A dialogue process has been initiated, but merely discussing ways to establish normalcy won't help. We must address the root cause of the problem and thus we request the state government to recommend (to) the Centre...a tripartite dialogue to address the aspirations of the Gorkhas."

ALSO READ

Blast strikes Darjeeling ahead of CM Mamata Banerjee's All Party meeting

Gorkhaland stir: FIR against GJM chief Bimal Gurung over IED blast in Darjeeling

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Ocean Tomo, LLC We are pleased that a leading global technology company is committed to creating value for their shareholders from the research investments made by using this new and innovative sales platform.

Ocean Tomo is announcing today the sale of 1100 patents from a Global Technology Company though auction. These patents represent the following technology areas: Printing, Computing, Imaging, Network Services, Personal Communication Systems, Life Science & Microfluid, Photovoltaic, Mobile, Tablet, Telecommunications, Projectors, Sensors, RFID and Gaming.

The auction will take place from September 20 thru October 20 , 2017 on the Ocean Tomo Bid-Ask Market, the newest public voice brokerage platform developed by Dean Becker and James E. Malackowski. The auction will be held in both English and Mandarin with staff assisted bidding in both languages. Payments can be made in USD or RMB. Ocean Tomo's Bid-Ask staff located in both the U.S. and in China can assist buyers in their local time zones and in their native languages.

The auction will be comprised of approximately 45 lots, each containing an average of 25 issued patents. The assets are intended to provide operating companies, start-ups and patent investors a solid IP foundation leveraging proven research and development. These patents can be used to include or exclude competition based on the new owner's business strategy. "We are pleased that a leading global technology company is committed to creating value for their shareholders from the research investments made by using this new and innovative sales platform. Ocean Tomo has long supported an efficient, responsible and transparent market for buyers and sellers of intellectual property", explains James E. Malackowski, Chief Executive Officer.

Ocean Tomo plans for 2017 and 2018 include further company and industry specific auctions using the Bid-Ask Market. As the platform develops, the public can sign-up for alerts as new relevant transactional data becomes available. See http://www.oceantomo.com/bid-ask-market/ for additional details.

For further information on these assets for sale and to request bidding information, please contact Auctions@OceanTomo.com.

To explore use of the Ocean Tomo Bid-Ask Market for your intellectual property transaction needs or to create a custom sales solution for your company's large patent portfolio please contact Bid-Ask(at)OceanTomo.com

About Ocean Tomo, LLC

Ocean Tomo, LLC, the Intellectual Capital Merchant Banc firm provides companies with financial services related to intellectual property and intangible assets. Practice offerings include financial expert testimony, valuation, strategy consulting, investment advisory, innovation management consulting and transaction brokerage.

Our Opinion, Management, and Advisory Services are built upon more than two decades of experience valuing intellectual property in the most rigorous of venues  State, Federal and international courts. Our financial, market and technical experts provide a unique understanding of the contributory value of proprietary innovation. This is the cornerstone of our business. This insight permeates every practice and client engagement.

Collectively, Ocean Tomo professionals have:



Executed over 1000 engagements involving IP worth more than $10 billion;

Successfully closed transactions where disruptive technology played a key role, with cumulative value in excess of $750 million;

Conducted over 300 valuation engagements and 500 financial damages expert testimony engagements.

Ocean Tomo assists clients  corporations, law firms, governments and institutional investors  in realizing Intellectual Capital Equity value broadly defined.
Moran Family of Brands, one of the nations leading franchises of general automotive repair, transmission repair, window tinting and driver safety products, announced its annual Franchisee of the Year winners.

Franchisee of the Year Award winners were named in each of Morans franchise brands. Franchisees eligible for the award must have demonstrated Morans core values of D.R.I.V.E. (Dedication, Respect, Integrity, Vision, Enthusiasm). They also exhibit outstanding service to their customers and provide support for fellow franchisees and the entire system. Voting for the awards was done by Moran franchisees.

We have an excellent group of franchise owners who were selected by their peers as Franchisee of the Year for each of our brands, said Peter Baldine, President of Moran Family of Brands. They are all longtime members of our system and have been among our most successful and valued franchisees year after year. Congratulations to all of our winners this year.

Susan Trumble was named winner in the transmission division of Mr. Transmission, Multistate Transmission and Dr. Nicks Transmission. Trumble owns the Mr. Transmission/Milex co-branded store in Florence, KY. She started working at the store in 1992 before purchasing it from her father, who was one of the first franchisees of Mr. Transmission. This year is the first time Trumble has won the award.

The winners in the Milex Complete Auto Care brand were Albert and Serena Daniel. The Daniels have owned their Milex shop in Frederick, MD for the past 10 years, and added a Milex/Alta Mere co-branded store in nearby Boonsboro, MD in 2015. Albert currently serves on Morans Franchise Advisory Alliance and has been a trainer and mentor to other franchisees throughout the Moran system. This is the third time he has been named Milex Franchisee of the Year, having also won the award in 2013 and 2014.

Randy Durham was named Alta Mere Franchisee of the Year. He has owned an Alta Mere The Automotive Outfitters store in Plano, TX since 2003. Durhams store had a very successful year in 2016, with an increase in sales of products and services across the board. He has also served as a mentor and resource for new Alta Mere franchisees who have entered the system over the last several years. Durham previously won the Alta Mere Franchisee of the Year Award in 2013.

Franchisee of the Year winners will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to attend the International Franchise Association Franchisee of the Year Award Dinner on September 12. Moran franchisees will receive their awards at the IFA ceremony and have an opportunity to meet with their congressional representatives while in Washington to discuss issues concerning their franchised businesses in their local districts.

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About Moran Family of Brands:

Moran Family of Brands is one of the nations leading franchisors of general automotive repair, transmission repair and automotive accessory centers. Based in Midlothian, Illinois, Moran Family of Brands provides specialty products and services in virtually every aspect of the automotive aftermarket through four individual brands and a total of more than 120 franchise locations nationwide including: Mr. Transmission, The Professionals; Alta Mere The Automotive Outfitters; Milex Complete Auto Care centers and SmartView Window Solutions. For more information on Moran Family of Brands visit http://www.moranfamilyofbrands.com.
Steven Sharp Nelson and Camille Nelson Every single person played an integral part in this collaborative project and its truly an album close to my heart.

Camille Nelson, a musician specializing in acoustic-driven folk music, recently released a new album that debuted no. 8 on Billboard Magazines Classical Crossover Chart. Earlier this week the album, Lead Me Home, also spent time in the New Age category at No. 1 on iTunes and Amazon. This is Camilles first full-length studio album with Stone Angel Music and was released on August 18. Accompanied by a string ensemble with guest artists, Alex Sharpe (formerly of Celtic Woman), her brother Steven Sharp Nelson of The Piano Guys and Ryan Shupe of Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband, Lead Me Home blends elements of folk, classical, bluegrass, and new age music.

Every single person played an integral part in this collaborative project and its truly an album close to my heart, said Nelson. Integrating emotive, reminiscent, and peaceful melodies, I feel this album captures that genuine essence of what it means to be home.

Camille also recently released her latest music video from Lead Me Home, Nearer My God to Thee. Filmed at Tibble Fork Reservoir in American Fork Canyon, Nearer My God to Thee is a serene music video capturing the peace and naturalness of its surroundings. Shot by Elias Jessop, this music video was inspired by everyday people whose answers from the question, What Brings You Nearer to God? were captured and included in the video to help others think about what brings them nearer to God.

In 2009, Camille collaborated with Nashville producer Giles Reaves to release her debut album, First Words, under the independent label known as Dimmi Records. Camille later earned a publishing contract for more expansive television and film placement. Camille signed with Paul Cardalls label, Stone Angel Music in early 2017 and worked with Trevor Price as the engineer and producer of Lead Me Home.

"Camille is a rare find for a label. Her classical training, song-writing gift, fun personality, and optimism makes her a natural fit for Stone Angel Music," said Paul Cardall, Executive Producer.

Camille was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah in a musical family. With the recent release of Lead Me Home, she is currently on the Billboard charts with her older brother, Steven Sharp Nelson of The Piano Guys. Incidentally, Camille shares the prestigious Billboard chart with her brothers group who took the No. 1 spot in the same category.

Lead Me Home is now available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, Deseret Book, and streaming on Spotify. For more information on Camille Nelson, please visit http://www.camillenelson.com.

About Camille Nelson

Camille Nelson is a musician specializing in acoustic-driven folk music. Classically trained in guitar and violin, Camille creates fresh and kinetic melodies combined with unique guitar percussion. These compositions convey elaborate and heartfelt stories using the entirety of her instrument. Her songwriting style has been influenced by artists from U2 to Brahms, while her playing style reflects influences from fingerstyle artists, Kaki King and Andy Mckee. Her audiences are introduced to elements of classical string arrangements with atmospheric guitars and vocals for a modern edge.

About Stone Angel Music

Stone Angel Music is an independent record label specializing in instrumental music founded in 1999 by three-time No.1 Billboard recording artist Paul Cardall.

Or more information please visit, http://www.stoneangelmusic.com/about/.
They need help, right now, and that's where I've directed our attention. We're giving $100,000 immediately to the local Greater Houston Community Foundation's Hurricane Harvey Relief fund.

a la mode, the nation's leading provider of real estate appraisal technology, announced substantial relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Harvey.

"Not only do we have thousands of customers in the areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey," said Dave Biggers, a la modes founder, but given our Oklahoma City roots and our large operations center there, these are also our neighbors, our colleagues, and our friends.

They need help, right now, Biggers continued, and thats where Ive directed our attention. Were giving $100,000 immediately to the local Greater Houston Community Foundation's Hurricane Harvey Relief fund, and were pushing emails and dedicated landing pages out to our clients to enable them to match it retroactively. We dont want to wait until a matching campaign can be completed. We have faith in our clients and competitors that theyll follow suit.

To match a la modes contribution in a way that shows the real estate industrys commitment to its communities in need, the company is asking clients to donate to the Greater Houston Community Foundation's Hurricane Harvey Relief fund through a la mode's pass-through website at http://www.alamode.com/harvey.

Dustin Moore, a la mode's COO, noted that in addition to the cash donations, a la mode is waiving all annual fees in the affected area. Its also reaching out to customers in the storm's path, helping with everything from food and clothing to replacing their business equipment and office supplies. Impacted customers, or those knowing of someone who needs help, should contact us by any and all means and let us know what they need, emphasized Moore. (Contact methods are listed below.)

a la mode employees are also loading and delivering at least one truck full of donations and supplies. Citizens and businesses in the Oklahoma City metro area are encouraged to join in by bringing baby necessities, toiletries, non-perishable food items, water, and other relief goods to a la modes Oklahoma City Operations Center, at 3705 West Memorial Road, Building 402. Donations must be dropped off by Thursday, August 31, 2017 at 12 p.m to make it on the first truck.

"We take a great deal of pride in helping our customers and local real estate markets recover from disasters like this. We've been able to contribute large sums to relief efforts for deadly events in the past, including Katrina, Sandy, and the massive tornadoes in Oklahoma, and were very thankful that we could," Moore continued. "We know the vital role our customers play in recovering from these catastrophes and we're happy to help them. I hope other real estate professionals and real estate technology vendors across the nation will join us in our effort."

Emergency contact methods:

Phone: 800-ALAMODE | 800-252-6633

Email: relief(at)alamode.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/alamodeinc

Twitter: @alamodeinc | http://www.twitter.com/alamodeinc

Location:

3705 West Memorial Road, Building 402

Oklahoma City, OK 73134

Media Contact:

Ellana Walker, Chief Marketing Officer

ellana(at)alamode.com

800-252-6633 ext: 505

About a la mode

A mission-critical leader in the financial technology industry since 1985, a la modes products are relied upon by hundreds of thousands of professionals to power more than 50% of all US real estate transactions. Its flagship TOTAL software line is the dominant appraisal production system, used by more professionals than all other brands combined. The company's all-encompassing product suite -- composed of data services, report creation platforms, and business management systems -- is used to produce tens of thousands of real estate appraisals daily.

a la mode is headquartered in Naples, FL, with additional offices located in Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC. For more information about the company, visit http://www.alamode.com.
Silicon Valley Hair Institute Robotic technology has made hair transplant procedures a quick and comfortable experience for our San Francisco Bay Area patients.

Silicon Valley Hair Institute, the San Francisco Bay Area leaders in advanced robotic hair transplantation, is proud to release an update to its informational page on the ARTAS robotic hair transplant technology. Persons in need of San Jose FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) transplant can use the page to learn how state-of-the-art technology can offer the best hair restoration options for both men and women.

Robotic technology has made hair transplant procedures a quick and comfortable experience for our San Francisco Bay Area patients, explained Miguel Canales, MD, surgeon and founder of Silicon Valley Hair Institute. I truly love working with the ARTAS robotic hair transplantation system. Its smart and easy, plus the result can be more natural-looking than conventional hair surgery methods. Our robotics web page has been updated to share the wonderful traits of this technology.

To review the newly updated web page about the ARTAS robotic device for hair loss please visit http://siliconvalleyhairinstitute.com/robot. To learn more about FUE hair transplant, visit http://siliconvalleyhairinstitute.com/fue-hair-transplant/.

Men or women interested in learning about hair restoration options are urged to reach out for a no obligation consultation; journalists and bloggers looking for an expert on hair transplantation can reach out for interview opportunities as well with Dr. Canales.

FOR BOTH SAN FRANCISCO AND SAN JOSE: THE ANSWER TO HAIR TRANSPLANT CAN BE THE SAME

The newly updated page explains some of the basics about the ARTAS robotic hair transplantation technology, which can also go by the nomenclature of "follicular hair extraction" or "FUE transplant." The reality is that similar technologies can go by different names. In comparison, hair loss may happen to different types of Bay Area residents. A man may begin to see a receding hairline at twenty five years old due to genetics. A fifty-year old woman may notice extra hair on the hairbrush due to menopause. Each situation can be unique, yet the same problem has resulted in thinning hair. Yet for these seemingly different problems, that answer could lie in the ARTAS robotic hair transplantation technology.

For this reason and to help educate the public about FUE hair transplant surgeries, Silicon Valley Hair Institute has released a new update to the robotic hair transplantation page. The ARTAS robotic system can create a more natural hairline using precise hair replacement technology. Clients from San Francisco to San Jose are well-advised to reach out for a private consultation, as no two heads of hair are alike.

ABOUT SILICON VALLEY HAIR INSTITUTE

The Silicon Valley Hair Institute (http://siliconvalleyhairinstitute.com/), under the leadership of top-rated California hair transplant surgeon Miguel Canales MD, is one of the best facilities offering San Francisco Bay Area hair restoration. Dr. Canales provides the full range of advanced hair transplant and hair restoration procedures for Bay Area residents, from San Francisco to Palo Alto to San Jose. Treatments include; robotic hair transplants, FUE/FUT surgery, PRP and micropigmentation. If one needs a hair transplant specialist, look no further than this Bay Area hair transplant center. The clinic provides both San Jose FUE transplant and San Francisco FUE transplant services. Dr.Canales also performs female hair transplants for women and eyebrow restoration, thus offering the best hair transplant and robotic hair replacement options. Call today to 650-551-1100 for a no-cost consultation.
Attorney Laurence Bolon I am extremely honored to be able to get the community involved and make a difference globally. Past News Releases RSS

Father-and-son law practice Bolon Law Offices is hosting a summer shoe donation drive for Soles4Souls, a nonprofit global social enterprise committed to fighting poverty through the collection and distribution of shoes and clothing. New or gently worn pairs of shoes can be dropped off at both of the firms locations: The Marquette Building, 140 S. Dearborn Street, Suite 1610 Chicago, IL 60603 or Woodfield Preserve, 10 N. Martingale Road, Suite 400 Schaumburg, IL 60173.



I am extremely honored to be able to get the community involved and make a difference globally, said Laurence Bolon, a distinguished trial and appellate lawyer and founder of Bolon Law Offices.

Soles4Souls aims to eradicate extreme poverty by 2050. Children every day are prevented from attending school and adults are unable to work as walking becomes unbearable, which perpetuates the cycle of poverty. To date, Soles4Souls has collected and distributed more than 30 million pairs of shoes to those in need in 127 countries around the world and all 50 states in the U.S.

Businesses and individuals that host donation drives for Soles4Souls help us fulfill our mission by providing short-term relief and long-term solutions to global poverty, said Buddy Teaster, President and CEO of Soles4Souls. Every single one of those pairs of shoes collected by our partners makes a difference in someones life.

For more information about getting involved with Soles4Souls or to become an official drop-off location, visit https://soles4souls.org/get-involved/.

About Soles4Souls

Soles4Souls disrupts the cycle of poverty by creating sustainable jobs and providing relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, the organization repurposes product to supply its micro-enterprise, disaster relief and direct assistance programs. Since 2006, it has distributed more than 30 million pairs of shoes in 127 countries. A nonprofit social enterprise, Soles4Souls earns more than half of its income and commits 100% of donations to programs. Visit soles4souls.org for more information.

About Bolon Law Offices

Bolon Law Offices is a father-and-son operated law firm, combining more than 40 years of legal experience and skill. Their practice areas include Family Law, Criminal Defense, Domestic Violence, Appeals, and Civil Litigation. The firm has two locations, one in Downtown Chicago, as well as a suburban office in Schaumburg, with each handling cases in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, and McHenry counties. For more information, call (312)-782-1272 or visit them on the web at http://www.bolonlaw.com/.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. The information and content in this article are not in conjunction with the views of the NALA. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
2017 Fall New Product from Nomades All our custom hand-crafted charms are .925 sterling silver and are handmade in the USA.

Nomades, a military spouse owned direct sales company, announces the publication of their new Fall 2017 catalog on Friday, September 1, 2017. Featuring over 30 new charms and spacers, this 52 page, full-color glossy catalog is a comprehensive book of all the Nomades collection charms and much more!

Charms are categorized by all five military service branches, Lifes Moments, and Spacers. Additionally, customers can discover their Home Grown section which includes customized signs, coasters and key chains.

Nomades is very excited to share our new line of products contained in the Fall 2017 Catalog. What sets this company apart from other direct sales companies is all our custom hand-crafted charms are .925 sterling silver and are handmade in the U.S.A. , stated Heather Osborne, Co-Founder.

Christy DeWitt, Director of Business Development and Sales states Not only do we have the largest selection of military charms, we offer opportunities for individuals to own their own Nomades Business. This business opportunity affords individuals to make money, establish their own hours, have fun, and create a business that is movable! Our sisterhood of consultants are located all over the country and at American bases overseas.

The Nomades Business opportunity, for individuals who are interested in becoming consultants, is a simple, easy, streamlined process that can be completed in 2 weeks. Persons interested in joining the Nomades family can contact Christy DeWitt.

Starting Friday, September 1, 2017, these new products can be seen and purchased on their website at http://www.nomadescollection.com or through any independent Nomades consultant.

Nomades - Military and Patriotic charms that Share Your Story.
OGC Team Best meeting ever! Great job OGC friends! From the gift bag on arrival to good food, activities and positive meetings it was the best meeting I've ever attended.

The Outdoor GreatRoom Company (OGC) hosted its third-annual Outdoor GreatRoom Conference, August 23-24, at their new corporate headquarters in Burnsville, Minnesota. The event included staff, sales representatives, and a number of customers from across the U.S. for a two-day event. This educational event featured showroom, factory, and engineering tours, hands on product training, and round table discussions.

Evening activities included dinner and hospitality, curling, and a hosted dinner cruise on the Mississippi river through downtown Minneapolis. Eric Cannon, Territory Representative for the Rocky Mountain States commented, Best meeting ever! Great job OGC friends! From the gift bag on arrival to good food, activities and positive meetings it was the best meeting I've ever attended.

This event brought the company closer to its customers and provided a lot of feedback into how OGC can help its customers and sales representatives succeed in the market. OGC is looking forward to growing this event in the future.

ABOUT THE OUTDOOR GREATROOM COMPANY

The Outdoor GreatRoom Company manufactures innovative, upscale products with design appeal for indoor and outdoor living spaces. Products include gas fire pits and gas fire tables, pergolas, outdoor kitchen islands, outdoor gas fireplaces, indoor electric fireplaces, outdoor patio furniture, custom, and commercial-grade products. Visit http://www.outdoorrooms.com for more information.
By PTI: murder case

Kurukshetra, Aug 29 (PTI) Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh exploited scores of female disciples but the tortured victims stayed silent due to a feeling of "community shame", says the woman who dared to challenge the self-styled godman.

But she and her family had to cope with countless threats and mental pressure for 15 years, the victim says. To add tragedy to trauma, her brother was murdered.

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Now, with Ram Rahim Singh behind bars, sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection with the sexual exploitation of the victim and another woman, an atmosphere of jubilation prevails in a village along the GT road, around 10 kms from here.

The victim, whose family lives here, said that they had been connected with the Dera for 40 years since Baba Satnam Singh was its head.

She was teaching in a school being run by the Dera and the real face of the sect chief Ram Rahim Singh stood exposed before her in 1999 when she came to know that innocent girls were being sexually abused.

Girls were deployed as security persons at the entrance of a Guffa (cave) where the Dera chief used to stay and she too was deployed there, the victim said.

She started noticing that some of the girls coming out of the Guffa would be weeping. Later, the Dera chief eyed her and she was sexually exploited, the woman claimed.

She disclosed it to her parents who were aware of the the Dera chiefs power and sent her back to their village. Later, the entire family left the Dera in 2001.

The victim said the family remained under mental pressure for the last 15 years and received numerous threats.

"The Dera chief sexually abused a large number of girls but they kept silent due to community shame," she told PTI.

The victim claimed that when the CBI started probing the case on the basis of an anonymous letter, she got her statement recorded so that the Dera chief gets punished for his misdeeds. FAMILY AWAIT JUSTICE IN MURDER CASE

However, it was not just the crime against the woman that her family had to cope with.

Her brother, was shot dead in 2002, allegedly by the Dera chiefs henchmen on suspicions that he was behind an anonymous letter to the prime minister of India and the chief justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court alleging sexual exploitation of female disciples by the Dera chief.

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It was this letter that led to a CBI probe into the matter in which Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh became an accused.

Family members and relatives expressed satisfaction over the judgement that put the powerful Dera chief behind bars.

It was a long battle but the family were convinced from the beginning that ultimately justice would prevail, said the slain mans brother-in-law.

We had full faith in the judiciary and hope that a stringent sentence would be given to the Dera chief in murder case as well as in connection with the killing of Ram Chander Chhatarpati, a Sirsa based journalist, he added.

He also hoped that after this judgement, more victims of the "powerful" Dera chief would come forward to expose his atrocities.

The husband of the victim sadhvi said the news of maximum jail term to the Dera chief had brought relief to the family which had been fighting a tough legal battle for over 15 years.

With political regimes creating hurdles in the murder case since 2002, we had started believing that the Dera chief would manipulate any establishment, he said.

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The CBI probe and the court verdict have reinstated our faith in the system, he added.

Police protection have been provided to family in their village as well as to the victim sadhvi in Kurukshetra. PTI CORR VSD ADS

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By PTI: Indore, Aug 29 (PTI) A day after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was jailed for 20 years for rape, yoga guru Ramdev today said such cases are causing an embarrassment to religious figures.

"It is true that we are facing embarrassment for such cases which have surfaced in the past two-three years," Ramdev, who was here to participate in a private programme, told reporters.

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The popular yoga guru was asked about the conviction and sentencing of the self-styled godman in two rape cases.

He, however, cautioned that the entire saint tradition should not be seen in bad light if a religious figure is found guilty in a criminal case.

Ramdev advised religious and spiritual leaders to go back to history and follow the code of conduct set by Indian sages centuries ago.

"It is wrong to link the entire saint tradition with criminal activities if a person living in the guise of a saint or a religious leader commits a mistake or crime."

The 51-year-old ayurveda expert-cum-entrepreneur said in the wake of the Ram Rahim episode the entire community of religious-spiritual gurus should not be tarred with the same brush.

"There are still millions of saints in the country who are living a life full of honesty, purity and serving the common people."

He said, "Lord Ram is the greatest symbol of Indian culture. If there is any taint on a person bearing the name Ram, it only sullies the character of that particular person. It should not be associated with entire religion, sect, tradition or culture."

"All religious and spiritual leaders should follow the code of conduct set by our sages centuries ago," he said.

Asked about the failure of the BJP government in Haryana in controlling the violence after the Dera chiefs conviction, he said, "People who are at the helm of affairs should be moral and lawful in their conduct." PTI HWP ADU MAS RSY RT

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Geopolitical tensions are rising after North Korea launched a missile that flew over Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the launch "an unprecedented, grave, and serious threat" that damaged the security of the region.

Markets are sliding in response to the launch. Stocks fell across Europe and Asia, and safety assets like gold jumped.

Flooding from Hurricane Harvey is still wreaking havoc. It's expected to continue for days, with as much as 50 inches of rain forecast in places in and near Houston.

Best Buy posted a strong earnings report. Reuters reports that the big-box retailer turned in better-than-expected quarterly profits and sales, helped by strong demand for smartphones, connected-home devices, and wearable devices. The company's stock rose 2.8% to $64.20.

UK house-price growth is slowing. The measure turned negative again in August following a jump in the previous two months.

Australian new-home sales hit a 4-year low. According to the Housing Industry Association, sales fell by 3.7%, adding to the 6.9% fall recorded in June, and now sit at their lowest level since August 2013.

There's another cryptocurrency you may want to get familiar with. It's called litecoin, and it operates on similar blockchain technology as that of bitcoin, though with faster processing speeds.

US economic data will be released. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller national home-price index will come out at 9 a.m. ET before the Conference Board consumer confidence index is released 10 a.m. ET.

Wall Street is divided over the future of banks. Mutual funds and hedge funds have vastly different positions in bank stocks, according to analysis conducted by Goldman Sachs.
This phenomenon has been passionately condemned by South Africas Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi

Addressing participants of the World Health Organization (WHO) meeting of African health ministers in Zimbabwe, Mr Motsoaledi stated that the African continent must be the only place where its leaders travel abroad to seek medical attention.

His statements came hours after President Robert Mugabe a regular patron of medical tourism opened the meeting.

Mr Motsoaledi spoke in the absence of the Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe

In terms of time spent abroad getting medical help, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, 74, is the first among equals, but in the past year all these heads of state have travelled overseas for health reasons.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe

Benin's President Patrice Talon

Angola's President Jose Eduardo dos Santos

Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika

READ ALSO: The sons of these African Presidents cannot stop flaunting their lavish lifestyles

Newsday newspaper quoted South Africa's health minister as saying:

"I have said this before and I will say it again: we are the only continent that has its leaders seeking medical services outside the continent, outside our territory. We must be ashamed of that. This is called health tourism. We must promote our own".
The shooting occurred around 4 p.m. local time at the Clovis-Carter Public Library in Clovis, New Mexico.

A suspect, whose name has not been released, has been taken into custody, according to Clovis city officials cited by the Associated Press.

One witness, Vanessa Aguirre, told the Eastern New Mexico News she was in the library with her son when the shooter entered and opened fire into the air.

"It all happened so fast," she said. "We took off fast. My purse is still in there."

Clovis is a town of about 40,000 people in eastern New Mexico, about 10 miles from the Texas border.
Katrina, one of five of the deadliest storms in United States history, killed

Over a decade later, Katrina has cost the country at least $100 billion, making it the most expensive natural disaster ever in the US. Harvey is also expected to cause millions in damages.

On the anniversary, President Donald Trump will also visit to assess the ongoing damage from Harvey. The now-tropical storm is evoking images of Katrina for many who are now evacuating and waiting to be rescued in Louisiana and Texas.

Here's what we know so far about the similarities and differences between the two disasters.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina began to rip through New Orleans, a city of about 455,000 people (at the time) who come from a mix of Creole-Acadian-French-Haitian-Vietnamese heritages.

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Hurricane Harvey made landfall on sprawling Houston, Texas on August 25, 2017. The racially diverse city has more than two million residents.

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Katrina was the largest and third strongest hurricane ever in the US. Winds topped 175 mph, and an estimated 80% of New Orleans was plunged underwater  up to 20 feet deep in some areas.

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In Houston, winds topped 130 mph on Friday. Forecasts predict flooding as high as 50 inches in and around the city.

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At the time Katrina hit, New Orleans had a system of dams and waterways to protect against flooding. As seen below, the city's levees broke from the pressure of Katrina, a Category 3 hurricane that measured 350 miles across.

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Houston has 800 miles of bayous that help drain water during storm surges. Overwhelmed by Harvey's category 4 rainfall, one of the city's two dams broke for the first time in history.

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Though Katrina caused flooding in New Orleans, winds and fires brought the most destruction. The storm produced an average of 5 to 10 inches of rainfall in a 48-hour period.

Harvey is expected to cause up to 50 inches of rain in coming days  more than Houston receives in a typical year.

Responsible for at least 1,833 deaths (mostly in Louisiana), Katrina was the deadliest hurricane to hit the US since 1928. Days went by before some bodies were found. The elderly and disabled were the most impacted.

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Texas officials have reported at least 10 deaths since Harvey made landfall. That number is expected to rise. So far, there are 300,000 people without power in Texas.

Katrina displaced over a million people and damaged or destroyed 275,000 homes.

In Houston and its surrounding counties, Harvey has also demolished and flooded homes and businesses. Rescue workers were so inundated with calls over the weekend that they could initially only responded to life-and-death situations. Others waited hours for assistance.

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Thousands of Katrina victims fled to the Superdome in New Orleans for refuge.

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Over 9,000 people in Houston have either evacuated the city or found refuge at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Inside the dome, the evacuee count is at twice the building's capacity.

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Officials estimate that federal spending on Katrina totals over $120 billion. Katrina survivors and a number of political analysts have criticized former President George W. Bush for his slow response to the disaster.

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Trump will visit Harvey-ravaged parts of Texas Tuesday. On Monday, he promised that affected areas would swiftly receive federal aid, but hasn't provided many details yet.

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Katrina affected over 15 million people, mostly near the Gulf Coast, in varying ways including rising gas prices, home destruction, and harm to the regional economy.

New Orleans still has not fully recovered from the 2005 storm. Its population today hovers around 391,000 (64,000 less than in 2005). New schools, homes, and businesses have been built, but the city still struggles with economic inequality, made worse by Katrina.

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Some insurance experts speculate that Harvey could match Katrina's costs in water damage. Harvey could serve as a warning about overbuilding in flood-prone areas and the consequences of climate change, two factors that can make storms more devastating.
By PTI: delay

Chennai, Aug 29 (PTI) Keeping up the heat on Chief Minister K Palaniswami, sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran today effected more changes in the party, even as his uncle V Divakaran claimed the AIADMK government has lost majority and questioned the "delay" by the Governor in acting against it. In a related development, three alliance party MLAs of the AIADMK held discussions and met both Palaniswami as well as the Opposition Leader, DMK Working President MK Stalin. The MLAs said Palaniswami should hold talks with dissident MLAs of the Dhinakaran camp in the interest of AIADMK and its government. Earlier, Dhinakaran sacked three more party district secretaries, including a Minister, from their posts. He replaced the district secretaries of Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai, a day after a party meeting chaired by Palaniswami declared that the former had been removed from the deputy chief post on August 10 itself, with his supporters. Yesterdays meeting had also said that changes made by Dhinakaran, who is engaged in an all out tussle with Palaniswami to wrest control of AIADMK, in the party posts were invalid. Dhinakaran, who is claiming the support of 21 party MLAs and seeking removal of Palaniswami as Chief Minister, also appointed former minister Parithi Elamvazhuthy as the partys Organisation Secretary. He announced removal of Industries Minister M C Sampath and Lok Sabha member A Arunmozhithevan as the Cuddalore East and West district secretaries respectively. Incidentally, the sacked party leader replaced Sampath with V T Kalaiselvan, the partys Vriddhachalam MLA, who had recently joined the Dhinakaran camp.

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Arunmozhithevan had recently spoken out in public against Dhinakaran, nephew of jailed party chief V K Sasikala.

Dhinakaran also removed K Rajan as the partys Tiruvannamalai (South) district secretary, besides sacking a functionary from the units Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Peravai, a forum named after the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. He appointed his supporters to all the posts. All the appointments were being made with the approval of Sasikala, Dhinakaran said. Dhinakaran, who had earlier set a 60-day deadline for the merger of two factions led by Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, has been effecting a shake up in party ranks ever since the formal merger of the two camps on August 21. He had, among others, removed Palaniswami himself and senior Ministers P Thangamani and SP Velumani from various party posts, appointing his supporters in their place. Even after yesterdays party meeting, he had announced some changes in the party posts. Meanwhile, Divakaran, brother of Sasikala, claimed that the government has lost its majority and wondered why Governor Ch Vidysagar Rao had not taken any action so far. "This government has lost its majority. Dont know why the Governor is still delaying. Either the chief minister or the corrupt cabinet should be changed. He (Rao) is not doing anything and delaying things," he told reporters at Thiruvarur. The Governor not acting would " pave the way for horse trading," he claimed. On August 22, 19 pro-Dhinakaran MLAs had revolted against the chief minister and knocked at the doors of the Governor to remove Palaniswami from the post. They had said they had no intentions of pulling down the government but have remained adamant on changing Palaniswami as Chief Minister. They have been since backing the candidature of state Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal for the post. Meanwhile, pro-Dhinakaran MLA Thangatamilselvan claimed that the camp now had the support of 25 legislators. "We will soon show 40 of them," he told reporters, suggesting that more MLAs could come to the Dhinakaran camp. Earlier in the day, AIADMKs three allies, Tamil Nadu Kongu Ilaignar Peravai, Mukkulathor Pulippadai and Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi (MJK), held discussions here. Each outfit has one MLA but they are categorised as AIADMK in the Assembly records as they contested and won from the ruling partys Two Leaves symbol in the 2016 elections. U Thaniarasu of Kongu Ilaignar Peravai said the AIADMK leaders should not "give in" to external pressure and ensure a strong party and government in the interest of Tamil Nadu. He said talks should be held between the two warring camps of AIADMK and suggested that Palaniswami could also accommodate some of the dissident MLAs in the cabinet to end the impasse.

Thamimun Ansari of MJK said the three MLAs "discussed in detail" the prevailing situation and urged the two factions of the ruling party to hold talks and end the confrontation. Thaniarasu said the trio will decide on the trust vote when the need arises. The three legislators later met Palaniswami and Stalin, and thanked them for their roles in granting of a 30-day ordinary leave for A G Perarivalan, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. They had earlier raised the issue of granting parole to Perarivalan in and outside the Tamil Nadu Assembly, with DMK extending supporting to their demand.PTI SA APR GSN

--- ENDS ---
This development came as a shock to a number of Ghanaians who wondered what caused the collapse and subsequent takeover by GCB Bank.

However, the Central Bank said the action was necessary due to severe impairment of their capital.

Questions are still being raised as the discussion on the collapse and takeover has left imprints in the minds of customers.

Future Business Icons for Christ is set to give answers, an initiative to outline the reasons why the two banks collapsed.

The organisation also claims more banks will collapse if strategic measures are not out in place.

At the Take Over Biz Conference, issues concerning the two collapses and a possible future collapse of other banks will be addressed.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Joris Holdings, Joris Jordan is optimistic the conference will also give practical steps to prevent businesses from collapsing using the two defunct banks as a case study.

He explained that the conference will also give practical steps to financial independence.

Joris further explains the level at which Ghanaians depend on the government must reduce as many must be trained to be financially independent and secured.

There must be a decline in the dependency ratio on government. Private citizens must drive the economy not the government.

The CEO of Joris Holdings assures a comprehensive coverage of all these issues at the Take Over Biz Conference.

Jordan said they are expecting students, business owners, entrepreneurs, and everybody who has dreams of being financially independent to be present.

Speakers at the event include the Head Pastor of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) East Legon Yahweh Temple and CEO of Hans Group, Rev Ismaila, the President-Groupe Ideal Dr Nii Kotei Dzane and Joris Jordan.

The event will be held on September 1, 2017, at the Mensvic Hotel in East Legon.
For people of my ilk, though, we knew exactly where to find that excitement. It was at the Accra International Conference Centre!

Globe Productions were at it again, this time with the theatre Saints and Sinners. For those who were privileged to watch masterpieces like I Cant Think Far and Judas and Delilah, Globe Productions need no introduction, as their previous shows speak for themselves.

The latest  Saints and Sinners is a stage play that conveys an anti-galamsey message, while using satire to communicate the dangers of illegal mining on communities.

Written and produced by Latif Abubakar, the theatre highlights the need to stop illegal mining practices in the country, with a focus on proper ways of tackling the menace.

The play is themed on a rich businessman who trades in gold. But in a world where very few really care about how they make their monies, this businessman sadly engages in illegal mining activities.

Unaware of the dangers that galamsey can cause to the community, the queen mother of the town shamelessly backs him by offering him leverages due to greed.

And to ensure the law does not catch up with him, the gold dealer makes sure he buys the police and gets them on his side.

Featuring Ekow Smith Asante  who played the role of the businessman who deals in gold  and a host of other talented performers, the cast did justice to the no.1 canker currently bedeviling Ghana.

Saints and Sinners explores the corrupt practices that some public officials engage in, with the police in this instance trading the lives of the people they are supposed to protect for money.

It also takes a look at the disadvantages of illegal mining, first to the youth and then to the community at large.

The youth, most especially students, have now decided to drop out of school just to engage in illegal mining because it really pays. But what they have failed to realise is that, in making the money, they are also putting their futures at risk.

The play looks at the irreparable damage that galamsey activities inflict on lands, river bodies and human life, while also encouraging the audience to help fight the menace.

The subplot also features the troublesome and inquisitive houseboy of the rich gold dealer, who knows almost everything in this world.

There is also the scene of a poor man whose nagging and materialistic wife would force him to lease his fertile 600-acre coacoa farm for 10years, completely oblivious of the fact that the land will lose its entire value after just a year of it being used as a galamsey site.

The other subplot also captures cameos of two old men whose tongues can cut through a bread  you can call them old men with sharp teeth.

There was comedy, satire and fun filled adventure as the cast made the audience laugh off their seats with some trilling actions.

But despite the play being focused on the fight against galamsey, there were still a whole lot of morals to be taken home by audience.

And unlike some productions that normally start their shows behind time, Globe Productions did well to start Saints and Sinners as scheduled. That was a big plus. The costumes of the entire cast were also very much on point.

However, as the positives come, so must the negatives on the night also be highlighted.

At a point the show began to get boring because the adverts were just too many. This is a stage play for Gods sake, so keep the adverts as short as possible. Yes, the sponsors were many, but occasionally keeping your audiences seated for close to 10 minutes watching adverts, instead of the play, was undoubtedly a low point.

Then there was the bit with sound, which was also not the best, coupled with the fact that the lightening could have been better too.

That notwithstanding, Saints and Sinners was a massive success and witnessed a large turnout at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Perhaps the eagerness of the audience was best explained by the fact that the auditorium was almost full by 4pm despite the troubles of the rains in the early hours.
David Creato, center, appears in court as Judge John Kelley sets a new trial date in Superior Court in Camden, N.J., Wednesday, July 5, 2017. The retrial of Creato, a New Jersey man accused of killing his 3-year-old son because the boy had become an impediment to his relationship with a teenage girlfriend, is scheduled for September. (David Maialetti/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

David Creato Jr.s plea came just weeks before he was due to stand trial again on murder charges. He admitted in court that he recklessly caused his sons death under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life by depriving Brendan of oxygen.

Camden County prosecutors will recommend he receive a 10-year prison term when hes sentenced Sept. 29.

Prosecutors have said Creato killed his son, Brendan Creato, because he feared his then-17-year-old girlfriend, who was away at college, was going to leave him. She had made it clear she didnt want to be around his child and wanted him to give up custody.

The girlfriend was never charged and the couple has since broken up.

Creato, 23, known as D.J., had maintained that his son wandered away from his Haddon Township home in October 2015. Creato called 911 around 6 a.m. to report his son missing. The boys pajama-clad body was found hours later in a wooded area by the Cooper River, about a mile from the home.

During the murder trial, which ended in a mistrial in May, Camden County prosecutors said the boys neon green socks were clean, which would be impossible if he had wandered away from home.
The outbreak has potentially infected 336 people, four of whom have died.

Confirmed cases include 33 visitors to a recent trade expo in Nairobi.

Mailu announced the closure of the Jacaranda and San Valencia hotels, which had supplied food to venues where cholera was reported.

The ministry has cancelled medical certificates for food handlers and ordered the Nairobi county health authorities to undertake fresh medical examinations.

The government has also ordered the inspection of all hotels and food venues, and prohibited them from outsourcing food in the capital.

Others areas of Kenya have also been affected by the cholera outbreak.

The potentially deadly bacterial infection displays symptoms similar to food poisoning.

A person could become infected by consuming contaminated water or food.

Kenya has seen several cholera outbreaks in the past months.
Bolgatanga, its capital, is the only place that is known by many that havent visited the Upper East Region. It has another major town in the region including Navorongo, Paga, Bawku, Zebilla.

Pulse.com.gh brings to you 4 reasons you should visit the upper region of Ghana.

1. Rich Culture

The Upper East Region is a land rich in tradition and very distinct in its form. From their beautiful hand woven smocks that are worn during their ceremonies, to their indigenous music and dance, the Upper East is unique in its own way.

Their festivals are what tourist love the most as it displays its cultural forms in a very intriguing way. Their festivals include Gologo, Fao, Paragbielle, Willa, Kobina and so much more.

2. Amusement Parks

The Gbelle game reserve, Sombo Bat Sanctuary, Jafiiri Sacred Royal Python, and Paga crocodile pond are some incredible parks the Upper East Region blesses Ghana with.

These Parts attracts people from all race and background to the rich land. The Paga crocodile pond stands out as the most iconic park in the Upper East and the North as a whole. The park has crocodiles that are tamed and very friendly.

3. Historic site

The Upper East Region has incredible tourist sites and beautiful features that meet the eye. The popular Naa Gbewaas shrine is located in this astounding land. The Upper East Region Museum, a church built with mud located in Navrongo is worth visiting.

READ ALSO: 4 reasons why you should visit the Upper West Region

4. Pito

Did you know that one of the best places to have your local brewed drink; pito beverage which most Ghanaians love is in the Upper East Region?
The actor who has previously starred in blockbuster hits like "Deadpool", "Transporter" refuelled and "Game of Thrones" said he was not aware the race of his character when he accepted the role in the comic book adaptation.

The preliminary casting prompted accusations of Hollywood whitewashing.

The actor noted on Twitter that intense conversation and understandable upset" as he was cast in a movie as a Japanese-American character.

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, he said.

Many praised the actor for his unselfish move and has gained a number of admirers.

Thank you for doing this. You just gained a follower and Ill definitely check out the next thing you work on," a follower admitted.

A trend which seems to be lingering in Hollywood is casting actors of white decent in ethical roles.

So the decision of the British actor to forgo the movie role marks the first time an actor has stepped down from a high profile role due to criticism according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Producers of the "Hellboy" reboot Larry Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Millennium and Lionsgate said in a statement that they were in full support of his decision.

Ed came to us and felt very strongly about this. We fully support his unselfish decision the statement read.

It was not our intent to be insensitive to issues of authenticity and ethnicity, and we will look to recast the part with an actor more consistent with the character in the source material the statement further iterated.
But he hardly saves and so is forced to fall on nothing or go begging in a time of need. This can be very distressing and quite humiliating. This case of the average Joe may seem foreign but it does apply to Ghana.

According to the World Bank, the gross savings rate in Ghana is below 20%. This situation is similar to that of other African countries such as Burkina Faso (8.59%), Togo (11.66%), Nigeria (12.049), Benin (16.75%), and South Africa (15.14%). About 70% of Ghanaians are unbanked. Out of the 30% with bank accounts, only a few have a consistent savings habit.

A man who lives his life contrary to this trend, is Kenneth Woyongo, a Quantity Surveyor by profession. The 43-year old strongly believes in investing for the future. He believes one is not going to be young forever, therefore his biggest aim is to save for a rainy day, especially in anticipation of an early retirement.

I save a lot and I have a number of investment accounts as well, Mr Woyongo said. I have not withdrawn money from my savings account in the last three years."

He advised the youth to cultivate a healthy savings habit, as he believes savings is a lifeline to a sound future.

What I aim for, is to enjoy the same standard of living even after I retire, so my investments are to cushion me to be able to cater for my family and my retirement, he said. Investment is not all about waiting till you get everything. Who knows? Anything can happen in life. Anything can strike you down. You could be alive but might not be able to work, so why not put money aside now and secure your kids future and yours?

Thanks to his religious savings habit, Mr Woyongo is GHS 10,000 richer as he emerged the ultimate winner of the third draw of Stanbic Banks Save and Win Big campaign.

READ ALSO: Here is how much Ghana will need to develop rail sector

Samuel Amoako Paitoo, a 34-year-old Money Market Dealer shares a similar story. Samuel was one of the first customers to open a savings account at Stanbics Pyramid House branch, Ring Road, four years ago. Thanks to his ardent savings habit, Mr Paitoo emerged the ultimate winner of the fourth draw of the Stanbic Pure Save campaign, making him GHS 10,000 richer.

I am a savings freak; I love to save, Mr Paitoo stated. Every month when I receive my salary, I take out my expenses for the month, and the rest of the money goes into my savings account. I deposit on monthly basis. It might not be much but at least I know I can fall on it in times of trouble.

The Save and Win Big campaign is aimed at encouraging a savings culture among Ghanaians while reiterating the need to save for a rainy day. By making multiple deposits of GHS 500 in their Pure Save account between 3rd April and 2nd August 2017, customers of Stanbic Bank are eligible to win a grand prize of GHS 100, 000 at the final draw of the campaign. Also, at the weekly draws, four lucky customers get to win Kwese TV Digiboxes and satellite with one-month free installation and subscription, and other consolation prizes worth over GHC 40, 000 from Stanbic Bank.
According to Accra-based Joy FM, the SSNIT board of trustees will hold a meeting on Wednesday (August 30, 2017). A prominent agenda at the meeting will be the fate of the SSNIT IT boss.

The head of SSNITs Management Information Systems, Dr Caleb Afaglo has been interdicted for presenting forged documents for the job.

The Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) is investigating this development.

The forged documents were uncovered during EOCOs investigation into Dr Afaglos role in the controversial $72 million digitization contract which has caused public outrage.

Dr Afaglo was employed 2015. In his CV, he stated that he had worked with GLICO Insurance, telco giant MTN and Dominion University as head of IT department.

However, EOCO has said that he was allegedly dismissed from the three organisations for presenting fake documents.

It is alleged that the authorities at the Dominion University discovered the forgery after they applied for an accreditation at National Accreditation Board.

Sources at SSNIT indicate that Dr Afaglo was given the position of General Manager of the MIS because of his impeccable credentials.

He started his job after phases one and two of the Operational Business Suite (OBS) had been implemented.

SSNIT procured a software system at $72million.

The Operation Business Suit (OBS) system was aimed at enhancing the pension schemes service delivery to its customers in all its branches across the country.
Erik X is facing trial in that country for allegedly raping a woman at knife point in front of his boyfriend.

He was assigned to the psychiatrist to be examined for mental illness.

The rape incident happened in April in Bonn and it is said to have shocked Germans because of its harrowing details

After killing his brother-in-law, he fled to Germany through Italy.

Ten (10) days to the rape incident, Erik X got deportation notice from German authorities.

The lawyer of the 32-year-old Ghanaian, Martin Moersdorf, has refused to comment on both the rape incident and the murder of his in-law.

READ MORE: Student gang raped by his seniors in SHS now has HIV

Moersdorf said: We discussed the case, discussed the evidence, but at the present time I advised my client not to comment on the allegation.
By PTI: delay

(Eds: Repeating after adding para 3, 31)

Chennai, Aug 29 (PTI) Keeping up the heat on Chief Minister K Palaniswami, sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran today effected more changes in the party, even as his uncle V Divakaran claimed the AIADMK government has lost majority and questioned the "delay" by the Governor in acting against it. In a related development, three alliance party MLAs of the AIADMK held discussions and met both Palaniswami as well as the Opposition Leader, DMK Working President MK Stalin.

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They also met Dhinakaran. The MLAs said Palaniswami should hold talks with dissident MLAs of the Dhinakaran camp in the interest of AIADMK and its government. Earlier, Dhinakaran sacked three more party district secretaries, including a Minister, from their posts. He replaced the district secretaries of Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai, a day after a party meeting chaired by Palaniswami declared that the former had been removed from the deputy chief post on August 10 itself, with his supporters. Yesterdays meeting had also said that changes made by Dhinakaran, who is engaged in an all out tussle with Palaniswami to wrest control of AIADMK, in the party posts were invalid. Dhinakaran, who is claiming the support of 21 party MLAs and seeking removal of Palaniswami as Chief Minister, also appointed former minister Parithi Elamvazhuthy as the partys Organisation Secretary. He announced removal of Industries Minister M C Sampath and Lok Sabha member A Arunmozhithevan as the Cuddalore East and West district secretaries respectively. Incidentally, the sacked party leader replaced Sampath with V T Kalaiselvan, the partys Vriddhachalam MLA, who had recently joined the Dhinakaran camp.

Arunmozhithevan had recently spoken out in public against Dhinakaran, nephew of jailed party chief V K Sasikala.

Dhinakaran also removed K Rajan as the partys Tiruvannamalai (South) district secretary, besides sacking a functionary from the units Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Peravai, a forum named after the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. He appointed his supporters to all the posts. All the appointments were being made with the approval of Sasikala, Dhinakaran said. Dhinakaran, who had earlier set a 60-day deadline for the merger of two factions led by Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, has been effecting a shake up in party ranks ever since the formal merger of the two camps on August 21. He had, among others, removed Palaniswami himself and senior Ministers P Thangamani and SP Velumani from various party posts, appointing his supporters in their place. Even after yesterdays party meeting, he had announced some changes in the party posts. Meanwhile, Divakaran, brother of Sasikala, claimed that the government has lost its majority and wondered why Governor Ch Vidysagar Rao had not taken any action so far. "This government has lost its majority. Dont know why the Governor is still delaying. Either the chief minister or the corrupt cabinet should be changed. He (Rao) is not doing anything and delaying things," he told reporters at Thiruvarur. The Governor not acting would " pave the way for horse trading," he claimed. On August 22, 19 pro-Dhinakaran MLAs had revolted against the chief minister and knocked at the doors of the Governor to remove Palaniswami from the post. They had said they had no intentions of pulling down the government but have remained adamant on changing Palaniswami as Chief Minister. They have been since backing the candidature of state Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal for the post. Meanwhile, pro-Dhinakaran MLA Thangatamilselvan claimed that the camp now had the support of 25 legislators. "We will soon show 40 of them," he told reporters, suggesting that more MLAs could come to the Dhinakaran camp. Earlier in the day, AIADMKs three allies, Tamil Nadu Kongu Ilaignar Peravai, Mukkulathor Pulippadai and Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi (MJK), held discussions here. Each outfit has one MLA but they are categorised as AIADMK in the Assembly records as they contested and won from the ruling partys Two Leaves symbol in the 2016 elections. U Thaniarasu of Kongu Ilaignar Peravai said the AIADMK leaders should not "give in" to external pressure and ensure a strong party and government in the interest of Tamil Nadu. He said talks should be held between the two warring camps of AIADMK and suggested that Palaniswami could also accommodate some of the dissident MLAs in the cabinet to end the impasse.

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Thamimun Ansari of MJK said the three MLAs "discussed in detail" the prevailing situation and urged the two factions of the ruling party to hold talks and end the confrontation.

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Karunas of Mukkulathor Pulippadai is the other MLA. Thaniarasu said the trio will decide on the trust vote when the need arises. The three legislators later met Palaniswami and Stalin, and thanked them for their roles in granting of a 30-day ordinary leave for A G Perarivalan, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. They had earlier raised the issue of granting parole to Perarivalan in and outside the Tamil Nadu Assembly, with DMK extending supporting to their demand.PTI SA APR GSN DIP

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READ MORE: Four arrested for allegedly stealing from Akua Donkor

The suspects Yakubu Yusif, the Central Regional Chairman of the GFP, Barnabas Kayese, Madam Donkors personal driver and Abdul Razak Shaibu, were found guilty of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery.

In his judgement, the presiding judge Mr Aboagye Tandoh said the account of the convicts were full of half-truths and contradictions.

In one breath, the convicts said they stole the money to prevent Madam Donkor from filling a petition in the International Criminal Court against the victory of Nana Akufo-Addo.

In another breath, they claimed the founder of the GFP had not paid them for months so they stole the money to defray their salary arrears.

Case facts

On December 20, 2016, Madam Donkor, in the company of Yusif and Kayase (who was driving), was in the car from Taifa to the Kotoka International Airport to catch a flight to the United States, the prosecution explained.

Prosecutor Chief Inspector Duuti Tuaruka added she decided to make a stopover at her house before heading for the airport.

On reaching Sowutuom, Shaibu, Joe and Nuamah, armed with guns, appeared on a motorbike behind the vehicle. As soon as Kayase spotted the armed men, he reduced the speed of the car and switched on double hazard to signal that Madam Donkor was in the car, Inspector Tuaruka said.

Inspector Tuaruka added that immediately Kayase parked the car and Shaibu, Joe and Nuamah attacked Madam Donkor.
According to reports, the land guards who were wielding guns and machetes set the church ablaze.

READ MORE: Land guards besiege Pantang hospital with machetes

The burnt items include chairs, instruments and television screen.

The church according to reports is in a legal battle with a woman who claims ownership of the land.

The Head Pastor of the Church, Rev. Abraham Lamptey said the Church was summoned to court over a suit challenging their ownership of the land about seven months ago.

Rev. Abraham Lamptey stated that some land guards visited the church about 3 months ago and told the workers in the church that the church was lucky because they [the land guards] were fasting.

READ ALSO: Chief lynched by land guards at Addeman

He added that he was at home when he had a call that some land guards came to attack and set the church ablaze.
She said such a move will help ensure early detection and treatment of breast cancer, and also to reduce breast cancer-related diseases affecting women.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of National Basic Oncology training for community-based nurses drawn from the Ashanti and Eastern regions on Monday, Ms Afisa Djaba said: "It is a proposal we are bringing, if we can implement 1-District, 1-Factory, then, we can also implement 1-District, 1-Breast Care Centre, so that we can bring treatment right to the community level.

She further revealed that the government is adding people living with some diseases like haemophilia, hole-in-heart, autism, sickle cell among other diseases to the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme to help them get financial aid in treating such diseases.

READ ALSO: Children of school going age to be taken off the street from September

The minister believed that such diseases do not allow women to give off their best.
The president of the Concerned Clergy Association Bishop Benny Wood told Accra-based Starr FM that the attack occurred because Nana Addo has failed to let the law punish violent people in the country since he took office.

READ ALSO: 3 men who robbed Akua Donkor jailed 60 years

I will put the blame directly at the door step of the President, we have not arrested the people to find out whether they are members of the NPP..If they came there with NPP pick up and they were NPP people who gave them that power to do that. All things point to the fact that their Political party owns this nation and once that political party wins power they become the owner of Ghana and can do whatever they want.

Reports suggest that on Monday (August 28, 2017) gun wielding men dressed in NPP colours set the 2000 seating capacity church on fire.

The head pastor of the church Rev Abraham Lamptey said the land on which the church was situated is a subject of a court battle.

However, he said he was not surprised this happened because the same men had set the churchs store house on fire 3 months ago.
This is a plea from the Chairman of the National Peace Council, Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante.

Quitoo made some tribalistic comments about the people from the Northern part of Ghana when asked about the army worm invasion in the area and if there was going to be compensation.

He described them as difficult people who cannot be trusted.

However, Prof Asante said Ghanaians must let it go since he has apologised.

We should also know that when somebody says something and the person comes round to sayon second thought I think I didnt do the right thingI did not exercise circumspection in what I said so I apologise profusely for whatever words that I used or the way I expressed my ideas, I think it is important for us as human beings to forgive. After all, we are all human.

We all wrong others. But if we hold onto it and claim that no; because this person said it, he has not been circumspective enough; hes insulted me and I am not going to forgive that person, I am going to really give it back to that person, two wrongs dont make one right. And I think it is important for us to also understand that the decent thing any respectable leader will do is that after the person had done something that is wrong and it is pointed out to him, he comes back to realize that I didnt do the right. And then if the person comes to apologise for the wrong thing he did, lets forget and move forward.

Many Ghanaians on social media have called for the Deputy Minister to resign.

The Minority in Parliament has called for the dismissal of Quitoo. They described his comments as unjustified and unacceptable.

In a statement they issued, the minority said that we find it totally unjustifiable and unacceptable that the Deputy Minister would label the entire people of the three Northern Regions who he says he has lived with for 27 years, as unreasonable people, accomplished and persistent liars, people with a high propensity for perpetrating fraud, people who all the time use these fraudulent acts to steal money from the state.
The director in-charge of the Cyber Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent Dr Gustav Herbert Yankson, told the Daily Guide newspaper that the suspect was arrested on August 15 when one of the victims realized that her Whatsapp conversations were being monitored.

READ ALSO: Man says he stole to finance NPP

Chief Superintendent Yankson said the victim lodged a complaint with the police. He said that the mobile phone of the victim was examined and it revealed that the WhatsApp application had been connected through WhatsApp web to a MacBook Pro laptop.

This was after she had given her phone to the suspect around July this year for repairs.

Investigations from the police further revealed that the suspect had connected the WhatsApp application of two other ladies on the same computer using different browsers without their knowledge and was monitoring their conversations as well.

When he was questioned, he reportedly gave the same excuse that he wanted to know what both ladies had said about him.

Upon interrogation, the suspect admitted the offence and stated that he only wanted to monitor what the ladies were saying about him.

The suspect is currently being processed for court for prosecution.
This was after some government ministers toured the area on Monday, August 28, 2017.

According to officials their presence there is preventing the smooth construction of a second subway in the area.

READ ALSO: Fire destroys everything except statue of Virgin Mary

The first phase of the construction is almost done but the presence of rental companies, florists and other vendors in the area is preventing constructing of the second phase.

This is because the squatters are occupying the land meant for that purpose.

Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways Anthony Karbo said the squatters must leave for the construction to continue and finish on time.
The women activist said this in an exclusive interview with Pulse.com.gh.

According to her, the prevalence of single motherhood in the country could partly be blamed on the general irresponsibility some men.

It seems as if our Ghanaian men, emphasis on our Ghanaian men are taking women for granted, because you cant get this in Nigeria. Nigerian men are more responsible. And even UK, America, as you see them rough, rough like that, you cant fool a woman, you will be chased wherever you are.

Hannah Myles Coufie further blamed churches and parents for what she described as an unfortunate situation that needs a special policy intervention.

There are some social intervention programmes that are already giving relief to some less privileged persons especially in the rural areas.

One of such policies that comes to mind immediately is the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP). However, the women activist said there must be a separate policy to specifically target single mothers.

As for us you go and our mothers will tell you its been there since time immemorial. At times, we blame our mothers and churches too. These women are going through a lot and they come to tell the pastor and he tells you Bible hate divorce so stay in the marriage, so the women are suffering, some are dying, she alleged.

She said the plight of single mothers is so disheartening that it about time the central government took a holistic look at the situation and take steps to urgently address it to bring some relief to such women.

We think government should come in and discipline the men for us, there should be a policy so I think the government should do something about it.

READ ALSO: Government toughens tone on NGO migrant rescue boats

The issue of single motherhood as a matter of fact is such a pressing one that need an unmitigated attention of the central government and all stakeholders.

The call by Mrs. Myles Coufie who herself is a single mother underscores the need to expedite action on the amendment of the spousal property right bill currently in parliament.
Kennedy Agyepong said though the president is unaware of such happenings in his office, some of his staff are busy using their presence to extort monies from people who want to invest in the economy.

He mentioned Abu Jinapor and Asenso-Boakye as the presidential staffers behind the corrupt activities at the presidency.

He added that the two appointees are not the only corrupt officials at the seat of government.

"Abu Jinapor and Asenso-Boakye are not the only two alleged to be involved in corrupt activities at the presidency, they are many others as well. When I started complaining about the president being surrounded by sycophants and corrupt people I had people calling me to stop making those allegations.

"I was there and these same people called me back to tell me that they wanted to have access to the president and they were asked to pay $20,000 there about before a meeting can be arranged between them and the president, why should it be so," he said on Accra-based Oman FM on Thursday.

This issue has become murkier after musician and sympathizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) A-Plus also accused the deputy Chief of Staff [Abu Jinapor] of corruption.

Meanwhile, Ghana Integrity Initiative has called for an immediate investigation into the bribery allegations being leveled against presidential staffers at the Flagstaff House.

READ ALSO: Mahama appointees hold secret meeting to incite NDC supporters against prosecutions

According to the Executive Director of GII, Linda Ofori-Kwafo, such allegations if swept under the carpet could affect President Akufo-Addo-led government to root out corruption in the country.

The Executive Director of GII, Linda Ofori-Kwafo on Asempa FMs Ekosii Sen programme Monday said such serious allegation if not investigated will be an indictment on the Akufo-Addo government.

She indicated that, a president who has vowed to fight corruption must start it from his own backyard.

"These allegations are very serious because it is coming from members of the NPP so if must be investigated," she said.

The GII boss noted the Assin MP should as a matter of urgency be invited to back his allegation with prove to bring the culprits to book.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia said, the men, holding firearms crossed and banged on his car. He added that the masked men nearly assaulted another man in a pickup.

Attack on General Mosquito

Gunmen wielding AK47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons and wearing mask to cover their identity have attacked General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia at Teacher Mante, near Suhum in the Eastern Region Monday afternoon.

He said the attackers who were driving a Toyota Tunda vehicle accosted him and other occupants of his vehicle and harassed them.

READ ALSO: NDC embarks on healing and reconciliation process

He said the men sped off when he brought out his camera to capture the incident.

He gave the car number as GT666-12.

Speaking on the incident in an interview on Accra-based Adom FM, he said he "had a friend army officer who was with me in the car so he got down first and identified himself and asked them what was their problem.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) As part of the disengagement, the Chinese troops have left the dispute area of Dokalam along with bulldozers and removed the tents which they had pitched, according to a top Indian government official.

The official, on the condition of anonymity, said there were about 1700-1800 Chinese troops in the area where they proposed to build a road and all of them have left.

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The Indian troops, whose number was in a "few hundreds", have also moved out of the stand-off area, the official told PTI tonight, adding it is a "demilitarised" area now.

The stand-off had begun in June when the Indian troops objected to the Chinese building the road there.

"The bulldozers have been taken away, tents have been removed and even a flag which they (Chinese) had hoisted there has been removed," the official said.

Earlier, in the morning, the External Affairs Ministry said "expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site in Dokalam has been agreed to and is on-going."

Later, in the evening, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said the process of disengagement had almost been completed under verification, reflecting an end to the nearly two-and-half-month long standoff.

"This process has since been almost completed under verification," Kumar said, referring to the disengagement.

An official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the process of resolving the matter started after a brief interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hamburg in July.

Subsequently, the Special Representatives of the two countries -- National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinas State Councillor Yang Jiechi -- were in touch, the official said.

The breakthrough came just days ahead of the BRICS Summit to be held in Chinese city of Xiamen from September 3-5, which Modi is expected to attend. PTI AKK AKK

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According to Kojo Adu Asare, Ghanaians are really facing serious economic hardships and need people to rule the country.

He said Bawumia needs to grow up and must see himself as the second gentleman of the land.

He said "Bawumia should grow up as Vice Presidenthe should start growing up as a Vice President because he [Bawumia] is another joke for this countryhe should stop joking, he should know that he is no longer contesting the elections."

Kojo Adu Asare who doubles as the former Member of Parliament for Adentan constituency reacting to Dr Bawumias mockery of the Economic Management Team (EMT) under the erstwhile administration said the vice President must take governance serious.

Bawumia at NPP delegates confab

Addressing delegates at the 25th Annual National Delegates Conference of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the University of Cape Coast, Bawumia said they were elected to fix the economic challenges of the country and, so far, the Government had delivered by putting the right polices in place, which had put the economy on the right footing.

He said the period of reckless borrowing was over and would ensure responsible borrowing to ensure prosperity for all Ghanaians.

He said the NPP had competent men and women that could deliver on its promises.

He mentioned Senior Minister Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Minister of Finance Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, among others who had the expertise and competencies to turn the fortunes of the country to ensure prosperity for all.

He said: "Our mission is to strengthen the economy and build a Ghana that works".

Adu Asare's response
"Some may blame God and some may blame the hurricane but the only thing standing were holy things," Natali Rojas told CNN affiliate KRIS. "As you can see this statue is the only thing that survived. I dug in there for things and all I found is a Virgin Mary."

Residents of Rockport, Texas, return to their destroyed home on August 27.

The family said the Robstown Fire Department battled the flames even as the hurricane raged.

"I wanna thank the Fire Department of Robstown for courage to show up in the storm while the tremendous power, the wind, the rain were going and they were still out here trying their best. It was incredible," said Jesus Rojas, Natali Rojas' father.

The family is taking the statue's survival as a sign that they can make it, too.
The nine member committee is the brainchild of the country's State Minister of Ethics & Integrity in the Office of the President,Father Simon Lokodo who has promised a yearly budget of 2 billion Ugandan Shillings ($500,000) to help the committee execute its mandate.

"The display, sale and circulation of pornographic images in the print and electronic media is one of the key reasons we have escalating cases of drug abuse among youths, incest, teenage pregnancy and abortion, homosexuality and lesbianism and defilement," he said.

"Pornography is now eroding Uganda's human resource,his will in turn hinder the achievement of our vision."

According to local media,the committee will have a fully functional secretariat with staff as well as top of the range tech support to enable it clamp down on pornography.

Uganda passed a controversial anti-pornography legislation that outlaws miniskirts and other types of revealing clothing in 2014.

The law covers a range of issues like child pornography, pornographic publications and even suggestive music videos also makes it illegal to wear revealing clothing, including tops that show too much cleavage and miniskirts, defined as anything above the knee.
Japan's NHK News reported that the missile passed over Japan, with people in the countrys north warned to take precautions.

Three missiles were fired, according to officials, though it was not clear whether all of them were headed toward the same trajectory.

Japanese officials also said a missile "blew apart" into three pieces before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

South Korean military officials also confirmed reports of the missile launch and said that a missile flew for 1,677 miles at a maximum altitude of 341 miles. North American Aerospace Defense Command, North America's foremost missile-warning system, determined that the missile did not pose a threat to North America.

During the tense moment, multiple prefectures in Japan were reportedly put on alert.

"We'll take utmost efforts to protect the public," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said shortly following the launch.

A subsequent report in The Japan Times said Abe called the launch "an unprecedented, grave, and serious threat" that damaged the security of the region.

Abe discussed the incident with President Donald Trump in a phone call Monday, according to Reuters. The two agreed to increase pressure on North Korea following the missile launch. During the 40-minute call, Trump also reiterated that the US was "100% with Japan" and was supportive of Japan's defense efforts, Abe told reporters.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered a military show of overwhelming force in response to the North's actions, Yonhap News reported. Four South Korean F-15K fighter jets were dispatched to drop eight bombs at a simulated target.

The latest launch was conducted days after North Korea fired what was believed to be three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after an intercontinental ballistic missile flight test, the Associated Press reported.

Following a Washington Post report describing North Korea's surprising advancement in its nuclear-missile program, Trump said North Korea's threats would be "met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

US-North Korea rhetoric grew hotter once North Korea threatened to strike the US territory of Guam, with Trump doubling down on his initial statement by saying it "wasn't tough enough."

During a campaign-style rally in Arizona last week, Trump said North Korea was "starting to respect us."

"I respect that fact very much. Respect that fact," Trump said at the time. "And maybe, probably not, but maybe something positive can come about."

Moon recently called for South Korea to prepare to "immediately switch to offensive operations" if the North makes a "provocation that crosses the line," NK News reported.

Heres an initial illustration of the missiles trajectory:
Mueller is spearheading the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to tilt the 2016 election in Trump's favor.

News of Trump Jr.'s meeting with the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, first emerged on July 8.

Trump Jr.'s statement, published that month after The New York Times first reported that the meeting took place, said that he and Veselnitskaya "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children" and that the subject of conversation was "not a campaign issue at the time."

But that characterization evolved over the next few days, with Trump Jr. ultimately publishing his email correspondences with the British music publicist who organized the meeting. The email chain confirmed reports that Trump Jr. had agreed to the meeting after he was told Veselnitskaya was offering damaging information about then candidate Hillary Clinton. The meeting, Trump Jr. was told, was being arranged "as part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump," to which Trump Jr. replied, "I love it."

President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Trump's campaign chairman at the time, Paul Manafort, also attended the meeting. It eventually emerged that the meeting also included Rinat Akhmetshin, a former Soviet military intelligence officer; Anatoli Samachornov, a Russian translator; Rob Goldstone, the British music publicist who arranged the meeting at the request of Aras Agalarov, a wealthy Russian developer, and his son Emin; and Ike Kaveladze, a senior vice president at Crocus Group, Aras Agalarov's real-estate company.

Trump's lawyers initially said he was not involved and did not know about the meeting. A few weeks later, however, The Washington Post reported that Trump had "dictated" Trump Jr.'s initial misleading statement about it.

When news of the meeting broke, a group of Trump's advisers reportedly agreed that the White House should release a truthful statement that could not be repudiated if more details surfaced later.

But Trump overruled the advisers and "personally dictated" the statement that was eventually published, according to The Post. The statement was then crafted aboard Air Force One as Trump returned from the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

NBC News reported on Monday that in light of those revelations, prosecutors on Mueller's team are "keenly focused" on finding out what Trump knew about the meeting and whether he acted to conceal its purpose.

A source familiar with Mueller's thinking told NBC News that investigators are looking into whether Trump made a "knowingly false statement" when he crafted his son's response to the Times' story about his meeting with Veselnitskaya last June.

Renato Mariotti, a former assistant US attorney and longtime federal prosecutor, noted that one possibility behind the special counsel's scrutiny is that legally, "helping to conceal a conspiracy is an act in furtherance of a conspiracy."

"If you try to corruptly persuade a witness to testify falsely, that is a separate offense," Mariotti told Business Insider on Tuesday.

The president's advisers have acknowledged his vulnerability. "This was...unnecessary," one aide told The Post, referring to Trump's direct involvement in drafting Trump Jr.'s statement. "Now someone can claim hes the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesnt want you to say the whole truth."

But "even if Trump is not charged with a crime as a result of the statement, it could be useful to Mueller's team to show Trump's conduct to a jury that may be considering other charges," a source told NBC News.

Establishing Trump's mindset when he dictated Trump Jr.'s statement could be critical to proving intent in an obstruction of justice case, which Mueller's team is also reportedly investigating Trump for.

Obstruction of justice isbroadly defined it involves any conduct in which a person willfully interferes with the administration of justice, and legal experts say Trump's decision to fire former FBI director James Comey, who was leading the bureau's investigation into the Trump campaign's Russia ties, could constitute obstruction of justice.

Trump's statements don't individually rise to the level of obstruction of justice, said Jens David Ohlin, an associate dean at Cornell Law School who's an expert on criminal law.

"The obstruction of justice would flow from the entire landscape of Trump's behavior: telling Comey to back off on the Flynn investigation, firing him when he wouldn't, and thenadmitting on national televisionthat he dismissed Comey because of the Russia investigation," Ohlin told Business Insider.
Trump made the comments after thanking Gov. Greg Abbott, who had introduced him and the administration officials present. Abbott said Trump and his Cabinet officials had "remained in constant contact with me and my staff, and they all had one thing to say: Texas, what do you need, how can we help?"

"Governor, again, thank you very much," Trump said. "We won't say congratulations. We don't want to do that. We don't want to congratulate. We'll congratulate each other when it's all finished."

Trump said it was an "honor" to be in Texas, which he described as a "very special place and a special state." The president thanked the state's senators, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, for their presence. Trump also praised the Federal Emergency Management Agency's administrator, Brock Long, who he said had "really become very famous on television over the last couple of days."

"You have been just outstanding, and I can tell you that my folks are just telling me how great your representatives have been in working together," Trump said of Long. "It's a real team."

Trump said that "we want to do" the response to Harvey, which has battered southeastern Texas and delivered historic flooding and rainfall, "better than ever before."

"We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now, as this is the way to do it," Trump said. "This was of epic proportion. Nobody's ever seen anything like this, and I just want to say that working with the governor and his entire team has been an honor for us."

Trump then told a crowd outside of the fire station, where the meeting with government leaders took place, "We love you" and "You are special  we are here to take care of you."

"What a crowd, what a turnout," Trump said, later adding that the storm was "historic, it's epic, but I can tell you it happened in Texas, and Texas can handle anything."
We are talking of 60,000 direct jobs...then there are indirect jobs the traders and the people they employ, transporters and others along the value chain, said KAM sector manager Samuel Matonda in a statement.

Despite Environment secretary Judi Wakhungu dismissing the 60,000 job losses figure as an exaggeration, plastic bag manufacturers have sent hundreds of workers home hours after the August 28th ban deadline kicked off yesterday.

We have shut down, I have sent home 450 workers, Dip Shah, the director of Nairobi-based manufacturer of plastic bags PIL told a local business daily.

We are all stuck; we dont know what to do.

KAM has listed 10 manufacturers it said had by ceased operations as a result of the ban; Kensalt, Silpack industries, King plastics, General plastics, Polythene Industries, Poliflex Industries, Uni plastics, Hi-plast Ltd, Packaging masters and Comet plastics.

The proprietor of Laneed, which makes plastic bags for export, Das Shah also said the company had shut down its operations, a day after the ban.

We have sent home 400 workers, said Mr. Shah.

I am devastated. I dont know what to do now after building this company up for 25 years, he added.

The companys plant which is located on Nairobis Mombasa Road cost Sh1.14 billion to put up and had a monthly turnover of $1.5 million (about Sh154 million) according to Mr Shah.

I have paid all the workers today and relived them of their duties, he said.

Safepack, another company that employs 700 workers and produces packaging materials for consumer goods firms also said it had suspended its operations for lack of poly bags.

Its a real concern for us, said Safepacks managing director, Tushar Shar, while however acknowledging that companies involved in production of primary packaging material such as his were exempted from the plastic bag ban.

As a result of the job losses many Kenyans while enjoying a cleaner environment may not necessarily be smiling all the way to the bank.

It is also feared prices of food items initially packed in plastic bags may go up as manufactures switch to other biodegradable materials.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in conjunction with the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) announced the plastic ban through a gazette notice early this year to be effected come August 28th.

Also read: KENYA BEGINS CRACK DOWN OF PLASTIC BAGS WITH ZEAL

Kenya is taking decisive action to remove an ugly stain on its outstanding natural beauty, said Erik Solheim, Head of UN Environment.

Here are a few African countries Kenya can learn from as it kicks off its campaign to rid Kenya of plastics.

Rwanda

This has to be the most successful story of a plastic ban in the world.

Rwanda has been plastic bag free since 2008; the country completely banned plastic bags when other countries around the world started imposing taxes on plastic bags.

And as a result of the ban, Rwanda is one of the greenest and cleanest city in the world.

Lack of plastics has also seen the eco-tourism industry rise, boosting the economy. Kenya can learn a thing or two on how to restore Kenya's capital city to its former glory as Africa's 'city in the sun'.

Eritrea

This country found in the Horn of Africa banned plastic bags in 2005.

Plastic bags have been replaced by the cotton and nylon bags which Eritreans have no choice but to adapt to or face jail terms, fines or both.

Mauritania

Mauritania banned the use, manufacture and importation of plastic bags in 2013 to protect the environment and the lives of land and sea animals.

More than 70% of cattle and sheep that used to die in the capital, Nouakchott, were being killed by eating plastic bags, environment ministry official Mohamed Yahya told BBC Afrique.

Anyone using, manufacturing or importing plastic bags in this country can be fined or sentenced to a year in prison.

Tanzania

Kenyas neighbour introduced a nationwide ban on plastic bags in 2006 while Zanzibar Island banned plastic bags in 2005.

In 2007, Uganda introduced legislation to ban the sale of lightweight plastic bags under 30m thick and taxes thicker bags at a punitive rate of 120 percent.

In 2014 Cameroon outlawed disposable plastic bags while in April 2015, Senegals National Assembly unanimously prohibited the production, importation, possession and use of plastic shopping bags.

In 2016, Morocco, Africas second largest consumer of plastic bags, affected a law banning the use of plastic bags.

Botswana introduced a levy on plastic bags ten years ago but has had challenges in implementing it, while in South Africa, lightweight plastic bags are banned and thicker plastic bags are taxed.
The picture also showed the price for a case of Smartwater at $29, with a sign noting there was a "limited supply."

Subsequent commenters accused the store, in the Houston suburb of Cypress, of price gouging. A 24-pack of water like that usually costs between $15 and $25  even online.

In a statement, a Best Buy representative told Business Insider the pricing was "a big mistake." The price was seen only on Friday and was because an employee had mistakenly priced the entire case of water by multiplying the price of a single bottle.

Best Buy does not typically sell cases of water, the statement says, so the point-of-sale system had no price for the entire case.

The Best Buy location has closed because of Hurricane Harvey, which made landfall on Friday.

"As a company we are focused on helping, not hurting affected people," the statement says. "We're sorry, and it won't happen again."

One Houston resident sent m... @ ken klippenstein
Due to the coordinated effort from the security team, both India and China have withdrawn troops from Doklam.

By Ajit Kumar Dubey: Despite the relentless pressure from China to move out of Doklam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a firm stand that India would not compromise its interests and allow the Chinese to build a road there.

However, he also wanted to find a peaceful solution and gave a free hand to his security team headed by national security adviser Ajit Doval to defuse the tensions on borders with a fast-emerging superpower.

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While the political leadership maintained silence despite multiple provocations and open threats from China, the security team kept the Chinese engaged to find a resolution to the complex situation developing on Bhutanese soil where both sides had taken strong stands.

"This was a well-coordinated action from the security team where bureaucrats made efforts to find a peaceful solution to the problem while the military ensured that the Chinese efforts to build pressure on the borders were countered effectively," highly placed government sources told Mail Today.

Interestingly, when Indian diplomats in Beijing were discussing de-escalation of the situation in Doklam with their Chinese counterparts, the military was engaged in stand-offs with the People's Liberation Army at five different places across the Line of Actual Control at different places.

Most importantly, the whole situation also required to take Bhutan along as the Chinese were saying it was their issue with Bhutan and India had no role to play in it.

Due to this coordinated effort from the security team, both India and China have withdrawn troops from Doklam and agreed to maintain the status quo there ending the over two-month-long tensions. Mail Today takes a look at Modi's key men who cracked Doklam for him.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER- Ajit Doval

The breakthrough started with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in Hamburg during Modi's visit there followed by another one in Beijing. Talking peace, Doval also made it clear to the Chinese that India would not budge from its stand. He was the chief coordinator between the military and diplomats while he was constantly working to assure Bhutan about its safety and security in the crisis.

CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF- Gen Bipin Rawat

The Indian Army chief played a vital role in the whole situation to ensure that the Chinese were not able to use their military to pressurise India by carrying out incursions into the Indian territory. His men stopped the Chinese at different locations and was in stand-off with the PLA at four to five locations, including Yatung and Phari Dzong. The army chief ensured that the government was on a strong wicket on the talking table.

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DIRECTOR GENERAL MILITARY OPERATIONS- Lt Gen Anil Bhatt

After achieving success on the Kashmir front in operations against terrorists, Bhatt proved himself on the Chinese front as well as he continued to monitor the situation 24x7 across the LAC and kept the troops in ever-ready mode to thwart any incursion attempts. The Indian Army war room in his directorate was many a times used to brief the top leadership on the situation.

FOREIGN SECRETARY- S Jaishankar

He used his experience in dealing with China to convince them about resolving the situation peacefully and led the diplomatic team in finding a solution to the problem. Despite the slow progress and early reluctance of Chinese to talk, he continued his efforts while ensuring that the Ministry of External Affairs did not react to the Chinese verbal assaults. He also handled the relations with Bhutan and its leadership.

INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO CHINA- Vijay Keshav Gokhale

Scheduled to return to India in foreign office, Gokhale led the diplomatic efforts on the Doklam front in Beijing. Highly placed sources said he used his diplomatic skills to persuade the Chinese bureaucracy there. The 1981-batch Indian Foreign Service officer will return as secretary (economic relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs.

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Also Read:

After Doklam standoff gets resolved, Narendra Modi-Xi Jinping bilateral meet on cards during BRICS Summit in China

Between India and China, who won in Doklam? World media seems divided

Also Watch:

India, China agree to disengage on Doklam ending two-and-a-half-month-long standoff

--- ENDS ---
On Tuesday, Domino's and Ford Motor Company announced that they are testing out self-driving cars as pizza delivery vehicles.

In the coming weeks, Domino's will offer randomly selected customers in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the option to receive their pizza delivery from a Ford Fusion Hybrid autonomous research vehicle.

A Ford engineer will still be manually driving the car, which will also be staffed with researchers eager to crack the code of how to deliver pizza without a driver  as well as observe how customers will react to the futuristic delivery service.

"As delivery experts, we've been watching the development of self-driving vehicles with great interest as we believe transportation is undergoing fundamental, dramatic change," Patrick Doyle, Domino's president and CEO, said in a statement.

Right now, the companies' biggest challenge isn't getting a car to drive itself  it's getting the pizza from the curb to the door.

In the Ann Arbor test, customers have to walk out to the parked car and retrieve their pizza from the vehicle's "Heatwave Compartment" themselves.

"The majority of our questions are about the last 50 feet of the delivery experience," Russell Weiner, president of Domino's USA, said in a statement. "For instance, how will customers react to coming outside to get their food? ... All of our testing research is focused on our goal to someday make deliveries with self-driving vehicles as seamless and customer-friendly as possible."

Ford plans to begin production of self-driving vehicles in 2021. Tests with restaurant chains, such as Domino's, help create opportunities for companies to purchase the vehicles down the road, especially as the average American remains unsure about the idea of self-driving vehicles.

This isn't Domino's first foray into trying to deliver pizza without a driver.
According to her, this is not a problem that is just going to go away.

ALSO READ: Reality star wants another baby

Kim Kardashian while co-hosting "Live with Kelly and Ryan" alongside Ryan Seacrest on Monday, August 28, 2017, said, "I don't know if it's because she's the older sister. I don't know what it is. I thought it was a phase. She does not like her brother and it's so hard for me."

Kardashian explained that jealousy is an issue for North when it comes to her younger brother, and she sometimes tries to box him out by inviting her mother to girls-only tea parties.

That means her father, rapper Kanye West, is excluded too. "She would get so jealous when I would breastfeed and all that kind of stuff," Kardashian said of North. "And now, the phase isn't going away."

Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have reportedly agreed to use the services of a surrogate agency for a third child.

TMZ reports the couple took this decision because of Kims reported condition, placenta accreta which occurs when the placenta attaches too deep in the uterine wall but it does not penetrate the uterine muscle.
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He was arrested for allegedly stealing cassava tubers and killing the farm owner. The incidence occurred at Sojulu village in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun.

It is believed that the suspect whose name is Azeez Kilani allegedly murdered the farm owner David Adima who hailed from Benue State after he caught the accused stealing on his farm.

According to the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, Azeez Kilani murdered the farm owner to cover his tracks.

Kilani has denied the murder charge. According to him, he wrestled with farm owner who was used a cutlass to beat him. In the process of fighting, the cutlass hit the deceased on the neck and died.

He met me on his farm uprooting his cassava, but I begged him not to report me to Village Head (Baale). He was armed with cutlass and he deployed the cutlass to beat me and I resisted. I dragged the cutlass with him and in the process, the Cutlass hit him on the neck and he fainted. He later died on the farmland. The incident happened on August 13, Kilani said.
Punch News reported that the chief suspect along with six other accomplices stormed the residence of the mother of the child and attacked her with machetes.

Though the men wore masks on their visit, Faith Inyang who is the biological mother of the baby recognized the physique of the clergyman where he lives.

When they broke into our house, we pleaded with them not to hurt us. They came in with machetes and they used it on me and my cousin before taking my child away.

"I recognised one of the men because of his stature; he lived around our area and he normally passed through our house.

"When they left, we came out and started shouting for help and some men in the area came out and trailed them to the church.

Everything became clear in the morning and the Police came in and arrested them. Up till now, I have not seen the body of my daughter, apart from the heart that was found there.
The suspect who is now being considered a cannibal reportedly used the intestines of the victim to make pepper soup which he served to his gang.

According to reports, Peter abducted and beheaded the pastor on Tuesday, August 15, 2017, in Edoha located in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state.

Zaki Ahmed, the state police commissioner confirmed the arrest to newsmen while parading the suspect and 22 others at the police headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Mrs Ndu was rescued in Awo Omamma, Imo state on Monday, August 24, 2017, by officers of the anti-kidnapping squad from the state Police. She was also arrested the same day after it was found out that she actually planned her kidnapping in a bid to get money from church members.

The ransom was placed at N3m. Mrs. Ndu was reported to have told her husband that she was going to the market on August 16, 2017. She however travelled to Imo state where she reportedly called her husband of her kidnap.

Mrs. Ndu's brother was also arrested for alleged conspiracy to the crime. He is Victor Okon Akang an artisan, who stays Awo Omamma in Imo State.

DSP Chukwu Ikechukwu, the Police Public Relations Officer, told press men yesterday, Monday, August 28, 2017 that the suspects were both rescued and arrested on the same day after they were interrogated.

The DSP said, Victorias husband had on August 16 reported to the Divisional Police Headquarters in Nsit Atai that his wife had been kidnapped. He told the police that the wife told him she was going to the market that day. But Nsit Atai lacked the jurisdiction to handle kidnap matter; the case was transferred to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCID).

They traced the calls used by contacting the church members to Awo Omamma in Imo state. That was how men of the anti-kidnapping unit swung into action, tracked down the suspects and rescued them.

It was while Victoria Ndu was being interrogated at the anti- Kidnapping unit that she confessed that she actually masterminded her own kidnap. That was how she and her brother were arrested. The brother was arrested because both of them conspired to fake the crime.

What you are seeing here today is to serve as a deterrent to people who may be planning to go into this kind of crime. Police in Akwa Ibom is doing everything possible to make sure that crime in the state is reduced to the barest minimum."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to "bilaterally connect" with each other on the sidelines of the upcoming BRICS Summit, government sources told India Today.

By Sudhi Ranjan Sen: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping are expected to "bilaterally connect" next week on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit at Xiamen in China, top government sources told India Today.

The development comes just a day after India announced that the terse Doklam standoff, which saw Indian and Chinese soldiers locked in a face-off on the Doklam plateau, was drawing to a close. India and China were withdrawing their troops from the standoff site, a solution that was reached after hectic diplomatic parlays, New Delhi said on Monday.

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With the Doklam standoff getting resolved amicably, the focus is now on restoring Indo-Sino ties. "India is looking at restoring ties back to pre-Doklam status," a senior officials in know of the developments told India Today. Sources confirmed that preparations the bilateral meeting, during which PM Modi and President Xi are expected to discuss a wide range of issues that include terrorism, were on New Delhi.

Peace and tranquillity along the Indo-Sino border are among the other topics that are likely to be a major focus on of the two leaders' meeting, sources added. It is understood that Prime Minister Modi is likely to reiterate there should be "no unilateral change of status of the border".

"India," the sources added, "is looking forward to a successful BRICS summit and boost to economic relations." Indian and Chinese trade is at all time-high and is expected to touch USD 100 billion in the near future.

PM Modi expected to reach Xiamen on September 4 and will leave the 5th, immediately after the BRICS Summit comes to an end.

DOKLAM STANDOFF

Since mid-June, India and China had been locked in a standoff on the Doklam plateau, a region contesting between Bhutan and China and which abuts the Indo-Sino border in the Sikkim sector.

The face-off, one of the longest in recent history, began after Chinese People's Liberation Army attempted constructing a metal-top road in Doklam (which China calls Donglang). India, which considered the road construction activity a threat to national security, sent its troops to the region to prevent the road building, a move that resulting in soldiers from the two nuclear-armed neighbours pitching tents on their respective sides and entering into the high-stakes standoff.

One of New Delhi's prime concerns was that the road construction posed a risk to the slender Siliguri corridor - also referred to as the Chicken's Neck - that connects India to its Northeast.

The standoff dragged on for weeks, even as Chinese state media upped the rhetoric on a near-daily basis, with some particularly hawkish news outlets even warning of war. Throughout, Beijing maintained that the Doklam standoff could only be resolved if India unilaterally and unconditionally withdrew its troops from the region.

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Finally, New Delhi, which had all long indicated that diplomacy would successfully resolve the issue, on Monday announced that an agreement for troops to "expeditiously disengage" from Doklam had been reached.

Later in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs, in a second press release, cleared up the confusion over whether China too was withdrawing its soldiers, saying that both Indian and Chinese troops had "almost" completed the disengagement process.

ALSO READ | China's PLA hails resolution in Doklam standoff, asks India to learn lessons

ALSO READ | Between India and China, who won in Doklam? World media seems divided

ALSO WATCH | India, China agree to disengage on Doklam ending two-and-a-half-month-long standoff

--- ENDS ---
Maluleke from Giyani in Limpopo was arrested after she was allegedly found with six bricks of cocaine in her luggage.

The officer was en route Johannesburg when she was nabbed with the illegal substance.

The South Africa departmental spokesperson Nelson Kgwete said, The South African Consulate in Sao Paulo is working with the Brazilian authorities and more information will be provided to us later.

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula's spokesman Vuyo Mhaga said the ministry was disappointed by the arrest because it tainted the image of the police.

He said, however, they were pleased that the arrest was made by Interpol SA in conjunction with Brazilian police.
Abubakar explained that the former vice president made the donation to boost health care facilities as well as to support hospital expansion scheme embarked on by Gov. Mohammed Bindow.

She said the equipment consist GE Brivo, X-Ray machine and ultrasound equipment for medical investigation and diagnosis.

The donation given by Wazirin Adamawa has already boosted facilities at Jada General Hospital for effective patient care.

In addition to that, he also equipped the medical laboratory with state of the art equipment for disease diagnosis and also provided alternative power supply, solar system in the laboratory, she said.

According to her, before this support from Abubakar, the state government had commenced facilities expansion scheme and the initiative is geared towards accelerating citizens access to robust and sustained healthcare delivery across the state.

The commissioner disclosed that the state government had also flagged-off rehabilitation and reconstruction at Numan and Mubi general hospitals.

She said that the government also upgraded facilities in Jada General Hospital and the present administration of Bindow was now collaborating with the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, for capacity support and advisory interventions in some of the hospitals in the state.

The state government is currently working on site preparations at Jada General Hospital for the installation of the digital X-Ray equipment.
In chronic-wasting disease (CWD), a cousin of mad-cow disease and already present in North America, deer brains turn spongy, causing the animal to lose weight and die.

It is contagious among deer and reindeer but not known to pass from animals to humans.

The disease was detected for the first time in Europe last year in Norway, with three known cases of reindeer infected in a single herd and two other cases among moose -- though the latter cases were considered to be of less concern since moose do not live in herds.

To prevent the spread of the disease, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority -- which oversees animal health issues -- called for the slaughter of the affected herd, which has between 2,000 and 2,200 wild reindeer living in the southwestern mountainous region of Nordfjella.

In a letter sent Monday to the authority, the agriculture ministry gave the green light "based on the knowledge we have today and the unanimous recommendations of experts."

The herd, which represents about six percent of Norway's total reindeer population, is to be eradicated by May 1, 2018, the ministry said.

The Food Safety Authority has until June 15 to present an action plan.
Boko Haram is led by the murderous and fearsome Abubakar Shekau.

Abdulkadir Abubakar was arrested by the military in Buni Yadi, Gujba local government area of Yobe State in June of 2017.

Still in custody, the Boko Haram commander has been singing like a fatigued bird.

Here are some of the lyrics from his song:

1. There are three Boko Haram factions.

According to Abubakar, Boko Haram now consists of three factions, not two, like we always thought.

The Boko Haram factions are led by the following commanders: Abubakar Shekau, Abu Musab Al-Barnawi and Mamman Nur.

2. The factions split following a disagreement over methods of operation.

According to the detained commander, Boko Haram was split in three after Al Barnawi and Nur disagreed with Shekaus crude and bloody methods.

His words: "During the early days of the insurgency, we fought for what we thought was a just cause, to establish a caliphate where human beings are valued, cherished and respected.

After annexing vast territories, Shekau began to demonstrate his cruelty and atrocities against humanity.

In view of the high level atrocities committed by the group, some of the top commanders including myself, Al-Barnawi and Mamman Nur challenged Shekau, demanding an immediate end to the ugly saga.

Thereafter, Al-Barnawi and Mamman Nur parted ways and formed their groups.

3. Shekaus faction is the most bloodthirsty and vicious out there.

Abubakar says the faction led by Shekau is the most brutal.

According to the detained former intelligence officer of terror, Shekau is responsible for suicide bombings and attack on soft targets in the North-East.

The Al Barnawi and Mamman Nur groups never attacked schools, religious places of worship, markets, women and children. Our fight was strictly with security forces. Even the kidnapped oil workers would not be killed by the group".

4. The Shekau faction was behind abduction of Chibok Girls.

Abubakar says Shekau has a thing for using young women as sex slaves and toys; hence his abduction of hundreds of girls for fun--including the schoolgirls from Chibok who were abducted in April of 2014.

ALSO READ:

"Shekau is fond of using the girls and other abducted women as sex toys, and suicide bombers. He kills on the pretence of punishing for lies, theft, and rebellion. Shekau kills without justification", Abubakar said.

He added that: Shekau arrogated to himself the powers to accuse, prosecute, convict and punish in total contradiction to Islamic teachings. Children and women also starved to death in Sambisa due to Shekaus cruelty."

5. The other two factions are ready for dialogue with the FG.

The Boko Haram insurgency has raged on since 2009, leading to the loss of lives of thousands and the displacement of millions.

The Nigerian government has said it is not against a negotiation with genuine leaders of the group, if only to halt the ceaseless bombing campaign.

Abubakar told law enforcement that the Al-Barnawi and Nur factions are open to dialogue.

He however added that he cant say the same of Shekaus faction.

In Abubakars words: Al-Barnawi has indicated interest to dialogue with the government to end insurgency and provide a lasting solution to the crisis. Al-Barnawi discusses this with members of his circle. And I can assure the government that he would cooperate to achieve peace.

The two factions are willing to cooperate with Nigerian Government to defeat Shekau."

6. Abubakar says the FG has been talking to the wrong faction.

Shekau is not willing to surrender due to his high handedness, says Abubakar. "Unfortunately, the government and military authorities accorded priority on dealing with Shekau, who is blood thirsty.

7. Shekau is hiding in Mandara mountain.

Mandara mountain lies on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon.

Late last year, the Nigerian military successfully smoked out Boko Haram fighters from their Sambisa Forest hideout.

Abubakar says the military offensive did succeed in dislodging Boko Haram from Sambisa.

However, he adds, Shekau and his men now have a new hideoutup in the Mandara hills.

I am cooperating with the military and I am ready to provide information on the whereabouts of Shekau.

"Shekau has left his enclave in Sambisa and moved deep into Mandara mountain. I know the area where he is hiding and willing to provide a guide to the military.

The intensified military offensive has weakened Shekaus position and that of the other groups."
He said the meeting was centred on security, humanitarian crisis in the North East and ways to build a better working relationship between the parliaments of both countries.

Todays meeting was held to discuss ways to improve the relationship between the U.S. and Nigeria, securing greater support in the fight against terrorism and for the humanitarian crisis in different parts of the country.

We also discussed improving agriculture in Nigeria and providing jobs for our people.

I think the commitment that we have is that they have seen that there is a need to strengthen the institutional relationships between the legislatures of both our countries and that is very key, he said.

On arms purchase from the U.S., Saraki said: As you are aware, there is a new development that has happened in respect to the procurement of arms by the country.

For the first time, the U.S. Government has agreed in principle to sell arms to Nigeria to help in our fight against insurgency. Of course, we will look into areas of human rights where there has always been a concern.

We hope that following this visit, the sale of arms to our armed forces will now become a reality.

This will represent a new chapter that we are opening, where the U.S. Government will be ready to sell arms to Nigeria and that will help to strengthen efforts of our armed forces in surveillance, intelligence and fight against terrorism.

The commitment that they have made today is that terrorism is an issue that should not be left to Nigeria alone and if it means that we may need to secure new weapons from other countries, then it is an option that needs to be urgently explored.

However, we will also continue to play our own role in the area of human rights.
The EFCC scribe, Emmanuel Aremo made this known while speaking with protesters who were led by entertainer, Charles Oputa also known as Charly Boy.

The protesters had stormed the Abuja office of the EFCC to demand for the repatriation of Alison-Madueke, following several accusations of corruption levelled against her.

Aremo also told the protesters that the EFCC will follow due process, adding that there is an agreement with the British Government on repatriation.

He said We have an MOU with the British Government, we have bilateral agreements on how to repatriate citizens and that is being followed. The Ministry of Justice is taking steps and we are also taking steps but one thing I will let you know is that we are not relenting in our efforts.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Deji Adeyanju also called on the anti-graft agency not to wait for the Federal Government before taking action.

According to Daily Post, Charly Boy also said I am here to give support and ginger the youths who have finally decided to wake up from their docility and their slumber. We are here to force a discussion on this war on corruption. Is it only being fought on the pages of newspapers and why havent we had a conviction so far and why havent the guilty been punished so far?

So, I am here to join the exceptional Nigerian youths to ask questions and hold the government accountable to the promises that have been made.

If they cannot get a conviction for Diezani there (in London), let them bring her back home. Our eyes are on the Diezani matter and I am hoping that it wont be business as usual.
The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau, made the statement on behalf of the Federal Government on Monday in Abuja.

Dr Rufai Attahiru, overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary in the ministry signed the statement in Abuja on Monday.

The minister urged Muslim faithful and all Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of the countrys democracy.

Dambazau called on Nigerians to join hands with the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, in its determination to build a peaceful and harmonious country.

He assured Nigerians of safety in all parts of the country, emphasising that security agencies had been directed to maintain peace and protect lives and property during and after the celebration.

Danbazau condemned in strong terms, the prevalence of hate speeches in the country and warned that the Federal Government would henceforth deal with perpetrators according to the law.

He stressed that government would continue to foster peaceful coexistence, national cohesion and stability in its march toward actualising the full potential of Nigeria.
According to Daily Post, Shehu also said that there is nothing wrong with the directive, as long as it can curb hate speeches.

The presidential aide said this while answering questions on a Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.

Shehu also said I know that this country, in fact, the whole world has a big problem with balancing free speech and what we call in this country hate speech.

It has many faces depending on which country you are dealing with. In most of these European countries, (and) America, they are dealing with Islamic terror. In America, white extremism and all of that All of it fed substantially by the Internet.

I believe that people can justify that. A lot of countries are taking notes. If Nigeria does it, I dont know. Im in a position to say yes or no. But if it happens in this country, it is not extraordinary, it is not unusual. Everybody is interested. Look, this thing about international terrorism is big and nobody is leaving it to chances.
Buhari, who just returned to Nigeria last week after a prolonged sick-leave in London, stated this after receiving briefings from Ministers and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Monday, August 28.

In the statement issued by Buhari's spokesman, Femi Adesina, the President was briefed for nearly two hours about the economy and monetary policies by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele and the minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma.

"A delighted president declared that he was pleased with the progress being made on different fronts," Adesina said.

The country has been battling currency crisis and dollar shortages caused by low oil prices, which is Nigeria's main source of revenue.

ALSO READ: Presidency denies division in Buhari's administration

But oil prices have risen since the low prices of 2014, leading to increased receipts and as a result of peace talks in the Niger Delta region, militants have since suspended attacks on oil facilities.

The attacks on pipelines cut crude production by more than a third in 2016.
A day after India and China announced 'disengagement' at the site of the stand-off in Doklam, Bhutan on Wednesday through a press statement welcomed the truce announced by its neighbours.

By Geeta Mohan: A day after India and China announced 'disengagement' at the site of the stand-off in Doklam, Bhutan on Wednesday through a press statement welcomed the truce announced by its neighbours.

"Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides in Doklam area", Bhutan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Tensions between the three nations began when Chinese troops had started constructing a motorable road on 16th June 2017 from Doklam area towards the Bhutan army camp in Zompelri, violating bilateral agreements between the two nations and changing the status quo. India had come to the rescue of Bhutan, honouring its own agreement with Bhutan of protecting each other's sovereignty.

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It was after much diplomatic engagement and effort that India and China have come to an understanding with the Indian side pulling back its troops and the Chinese side pulling out its bulldozers and stopping the construction of the road. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs' (MEA) statement spoke of the continued engagement to de-escalate tensions.

CONVEYED OUR CONCERNS ON DOKLAM: BHUTAN

"In recent weeks, India and China have maintained diplomatic communication in respect of the incident at Doklam. During these communications, we were able to express our views and convey our concerns and interests", the ministry's statement said.

Bhutan's Foreign Ministry added in the press statement, "We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquility and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries".

Earlier on 29 June, Bhutan had put out a strongly-worded statement after the Chinese aggression led to heightened tensions at the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction, saying that China's building of a road inside Bhutanese territory was a violation of the 1988 and 1998 written agreements between the two countries to maintain peace and tranquility and the status quo pending a final settlement on the boundary question.

ALSO READ |

China's PLA hails Doklam standoff resolution, asks India to learn lessons

China says weather, local factors will decide Doklam road plans

Between India and China, who won in Doklam? World media seems divided

WATCH VIDEO | India, China agree to disengage on Doklam ending two-and-a-half-month-long standoff

--- ENDS ---
Mr Adedeji Ademigbuji, the WFPs Communication officer, disclosed this in a Short Service Messages (SMS) sent to newsmen Maiduguri.

Ademigbuji said the suspension was as a result of deteriorating security situation at the camp.

Unidentified men attacked staff of the International Medical Corps (IMC), at Gubio IDP camp in Maiduguri. IMC is a client to WFP."

IMC staff were at the camp for routine food distribution exercise. A staff of IMC and two IDPs were wounded while five vehicles were vandalised in the attack."

The IDPs were said to be protesting against distribution of sorghum and demanded that rice should be provided to them."

All activities in the camp have been suspended until safety of humanitarian workers is guaranteed, he said.

According to the communication officer, the security forces have arrested six suspects in connection with the attack.

Alhaji Satomi Ahmad, the Chairman, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), confirmed the incident.

Satomi, who described the incident as unfortunate, said that the suspension was a temporary measure, to enable the agency to come up with effective security arrangements.

He said that the agency had met with relevant stakeholders to fashion out ways to guard against the re-occurrence of the incident.
His outburst had been in response to a tweet made by the parody Twitter account registered in the name of the minister.

The Twitter accounthad tweeted earlier on Tuesday, "Just look at this clown; Senator Dino Melaye at the Notting Hill carnival in London, performing his favourite song "Ajekun Iya"."

The fact that the said Twitter account is not operated by the minister must have been lost on the Senator as he posted hours later with his own Twitter account .

He tweeted, "I choose to resprct Lai Mohammed's age as a proper Yoruba boy. Next time he wont be this lucky."

The Senator's trip to London for the Notting Hill Carnival has been an eventful one as he was booed off the stage while addressing Nigerian carnival goers on Monday, August 28.

The representative of the Kogi West senatorial district was continuously interrupted by sections of Nigerians in the crowd while he was on stage giving a speech.

The lawmaker continued speaking while the crowd kept heckling him to leave the stage with some even shouting "Ole (thief)" several times.
According to a report by Reuters, the department made the revelation of the $593m (N181bn) deal to the US Congress on Monday, August 29, 2017.

The agreement to sell the high-tech aircraft to Nigeria was made months ago in April, with terms of the sale still undisclosed to the public.

The sale comes only a year after the United States, under former President Barack Obama, blocked Nigeria from acquiring the Super Tucano ground attack aircraft from Brazil.

This measure was taken after dissatisfaction with the government's reaction to allegations of human rights violations that trailed the military.

ALSO READ: 7 things Boko Haram fighter disclosed about Shekau

This was after the military could not clear itself after an Amnesty International report in November 2016 accused it of the extra-judicial killing of 150 pro-Biafra protesters, as well as the killing of more than 300 Shiites by soldiers in Kaduna in 2015.

In accordance with the Leahy Law, the US defense sector is prohibited from providing military assistance to countries involved in human rights violations.
The representative of the Kogi West senatorial district was continuously interrupted by sections of Nigerians in the crowd while he was on stage giving a speech.

The lawmaker continued speaking while the crowd kept heckling him to leave the stage with some even shouting "Ole (thief)" several times.

After hurrying up his speech, Senator Melaye exited the stage with another rendition of his signature 'Ajekun Iya' song and dance targeted at "the enemies of Nigeria".

While he was speaking, the lawmaker had praised the country's standing in the world and promised that it'll be greater soon.

He said, "I congratulate Nigerians, and I say there's no country like Nigeria. And for those of you who are here, you better come back home because very soon, by the grace of God, we'll be greater."

While speaking at The Osasu Show Symposium in Abuja on Friday, August 25, the lawmaker had remarked that the country's political class had failed the country and its youth population.

He urged the political elite in the country to take responsibility for the poverty and hunger that have largely affected a majority of the country's population.

He said, "Apart from militocracy, politics is responsible for poverty and hunger in Nigeria. Unfortunately, we the leaders, myself inclusive, have failed this nation and have failed the younger generation - myself inclusive.

"The reason why we are where we are today is because there is a disconnect between leadership and followership.

"As I speak to you, the problem why we are where we are is because of trust. There is no trust between the governed and those governing.

"Once there is no trust between the followership and the leadership, it will definitely have a negative concomitant effect on the economy, and every other facet of our national life.

"Hunger and poverty have no political party, hunger and poverty have no religion. To have brought people to discuss on the line of APC or PDP is not correct, because the poor PDP man and the poor APC man all go to the same market.

"What we should fix is democracy; democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people. What we have is greediocracy; government of the greedy by the greedy, for the greedy.

"We the leaders want to win elections at all cost, so we spend money to win elections. The followership also is greedy, they accept money to vote. So, head or tail, there is a need for attitudinal change and this is affecting everything."

Senator Melaye urged political leaders to find a way to put a stop to the country's decay as it is already starting to affect law and order being disrupted by desperate people.

He said, "If we don't take of the poor, a time will come when the poor will take care of themselves, and how are they going to take care of themselves? It is already happening. There was no kidnapping before, today, kidnapping, from my own poor, myopic definition is redistribution of ill-gotten wealth.
The governor said the closer working ties were also necessary to guarantee sustainable development, especially in the areas of water sanitation and to check illegal migration.

We must get our donor agencies to work together with us to avoid duplication and waste.

Those programmes should be tired to our own internal reform programmes that are our priorities and will make us provide more services for the people, the governor said.

Obaseki assured the EU delegation that his administration had put in place a system to help meet whatever standard in documentation and transparency as required in accessing funds.

Earlier, Mr Kurt Cornelis, the leader of European Union delegation, NDSP, commended Edo government for its commitment to the payment of its counterpart funding for the execution of the EU programmes in the state.

He said the state government had demonstrated high level of commitment in the implementation of E U programme, a development he was worthy of emulation.
The Vice President, who said this during the visit of a U.S. Congressional Delegation to the Presidential Villa, said both countries were working on a prompt repatriation of the funds.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, we have reached out to the US government with respect to helping with repatriation of proceeds of crime and proceeds of corruption.

Osinbajo, who was appreciative of the support given by the U.S. so far said the Buhari administration regarded corruption is an existential threat that must be dealt with at its root.

We have worked quite closely with the U.S. government on repatriation of funds. We have seen some results, he said adding that the Federal Government expected more improvement in the process.

He noted that what tended to happen with corrupt public officials was that if they were able to find a safe haven for the proceeds of their criminality they continued with the crime.

Osinbajo stated that there was the general feeling that if I am able to get the proceeds out of the country I might just get away with it.

This is one of the reasons we have taken several actions to ensure that we are able to deal with it.

Because some of the major dislocations in the economy are on account of the problems that we have seen with corruption.

He said the Buhari presidencys strategy which is one of the most effective ways of fighting corruption is ensuring that these proceeds are unsafe.

He added that the strategy was for people to know that they would be found out and would be punished for it and we would seize whatever profit they had gain.

On the return of the Chibok girls, the Vice President said, it is a front burner issue for us all the time, there is no question of not continuing to negotiate and looking for the girls.

He expressed gratitude to God for the hope that the girls are still alive and would be released.

ALSO READ: Why some people in presidency allegedly dislike Osinbajo

The Vice President noted that negotiations were continuing and government would keep looking for the opportunity to bring them back.

The Vice President thanked the U.S. government for its recent decision to sell Super Tucano aircraft to Nigeria to aid its fight against insurgency in the North-East.

Sen. Christopher Coons, who led the delegation, said the visit was to reaffirm the relationship between Nigeria and the U.S., noting that the U.S. had an enduring enthusiasm and partnership with Nigeria.

Other members of the Congressional delegation include Senators Gary Peters, Jeff Merkley, Michael Bennet, Reps Lisa Blunt Rochester, Terri Sewell, Charlie Dent, Barbara Lee and Frederica Wilson.

The delegation was accompanied by the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington.
The Vice President was the distinguished guest of honour at the official commissioning of the new three million ton OBU cement plant.

This was revealed by Osinbajo's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, on his Twitter account .

He tweeted, "VP Osinbajo arrives Edo State on a day visit to commission fertilizer & cement plants-advancing the Buhari administration's economic plan".

While speaking at the ceremony, the Vice President lauded the projects and the economic benefits that it represents for the state and the country.

He said, "Just reading about this magnificient complex and seeing it, I'm extremely proud to be a Nigerian. This is a wholly Nigerian enterprise and the planning, the execution and successful establishment of this industrial complex was done by a Nigerian and by a Nigerian team.

"The construction is a big boost to the Nigerian economy. It means thousands of direct jobs and indirect jobs both for skilled and unskilled workers from the commencement of the works to the current smooth running of the production process.

"At the level of production already attained, it also means a consolidation of Nigeria's self-sufficiency in cement and a big boost to our export capacity.

"I'm also happy to note that in the construction of the power production facility for this plant, the BUA group has used the most modern and efficient gas turbines which combines low and economical running cost with a very high degree of reliability.

"This enterprise typifies our expectations as a government. In the Economic Recovery and Growth plan which was launched by Mr. President on the 5th of April, 2017, he made it clear that Nigeria's economic emancipation and growth must be private sector-led and driven.

"There is simply no public sector resource that can match the resources, drive and commitment of the private sector.

"So for us as a government, doing all we can to encourage investment of this type is not just a good idea, it is the cornerstone of our economic policy."
The chapter commended Ajimobi in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Olawale Sadare and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Ibadan on Monday.

NAN reports that the governor had installed 21 newly elevated kings, following the adoption of the recommendations made by the retired Justice Akintunde Boade-led Panel of Enquiry.

The party applauded the governor for his passion for recording unprecedented feats in the overall interest of the general populace in the last six years..

A critical appraisal of the development would leave no one in doubt of the fact that Ajimobi prioritised the rapid development of Ibadan land and Oyo State in general.

He is determined to leave no stone unturned in his quest to put his people on the same pedestal with the developed societies across the globe.

We appeal with those who might be aggrieved with the development to take a second look at their position or, better still, seek audience with the state government for further clarification, the party said.

The APC state chapter said that they were fascinated by the words of the governor at the coronation ceremony.

The party quoted the governor as saying: We are not changing history, we are not changing tradition, we are not changing the culture of Ibadanland.

Rather, we are elevating and consolidating our traditional institution, the exalted position of the Olubadan of Ibadan as the Imperial Majesty in Ibadanland.

Likewise, the Olubadan-in-Council and the Chieftaincy Institution, without altering or tinkering with the traditional succession and ascendancy system of the Olubadan Chieftaincy structure.

The APC appealed to individuals with political interest to desist from giving the issue which bothers more on governance and progress of the society another coloration.
The Internet sensation makes his major acting debut alongside Toyin Afolayan, Tayo Sobola and Lola Idije.

"Ojuloge Obirin" tells the story of a mother, who wanted a female child but got a male child.

She gets comfortable dressing up her son as a female until nemesis catches up with the boy after he almost gets killed by ritualists hunting for female victims.

Sobola had recently shared a video of Bobrisky dancing with his on-screen mother on the set of the upcoming indigenous movie.

Bobrisky is the most popular crossdresser in Nigeria and certainly has the traits needed for his character in the movie.

Born Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju, Bobrisky is best known for his snapchat activities and bleaching cream.
US defence giant Lockheed Martin is planning to eventually build all the F-16 fighter planes in India at a proposed production unit.

By Reuters: Lockheed Martin is closing in on an international deal for F-16 fighter planes, and has offered to eventually build all the jets at a proposed plant in India if it wins a bigger order to supply the Indian Air Force, a top executive said.

The US defence giant and Sweden's Saab are in a two horse-race to equip the Indian military with at least 100 single-engine jets that have to be produced locally under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make-in-India' plan.

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Randall L Howard, who leads F-16 business development, said Lockheed is offering to make India the sole F-16 production centre, so eventually it will make the planes not just for India, but also for other countries.

Lockheed is closing its F-16 production line at Forth Worth, Texas and will supply new orders from a new facility at Greenville, South Carolina. But the plan was to eventually build the planes in India, Howard told Reuters.

"Our next customer, which we believe to be very soon ... we will produce those aircraft out of that (Greenville) facility," he said. "As you look beyond that, the opportunity for India is to then move all of that into India and that's what's being proposed ... to have a single production line in India that would service the new production requirements of global demand, the global market."

The Indian government is set to issue a formal request to Lockheed and Saab over the next few days to provide information about their plans to design, develop and produce combat jets in India, a government official said.

The planes will be produced under a new 'strategic partnership' policy under which the foreign aircraft maker will collaborate with an Indian firm to develop a world-class indigenous aeronautical base that India has struggled to build for decades.

Lockheed has picked Tata Advanced Systems as its local partner, while Saab has not yet announced its Indian collaborator to produce the Gripen E aircraft that it has offered to the air force.

Howard said the plan to relocate the F-16 plant to India enjoyed the support of the US government after initial concerns it would conflict with President Donald Trump's 'America First' campaign under which he has pressed for companies to invest in the United States and create jobs.

Howard said winning the Indian contract worth billions of dollars will protect thousands of jobs at Lockheed in the United States as well as at dozens of components suppliers, since the Indian facility will come up gradually.

"We will start with an assembly, you can't go from ground zero, from a standing stop to full production in a week. You have to phase it in."

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India's Air Force is running short of hundreds of aircraft as its indigenous Light Combat Aircraft programme is dogged by delays and quality issues.

Modi's government last year cleared the purchase of 36 Rafale combat jets from France's Dassault Aviation, scaling back a plan to buy 126 planes, leaving the Air Force scrambling for replacements.

Also read:

F16s are old, but Lockheed-Tata partnership will push Make In India initiative

F-16 fighter jets will now be made in India, Tatas sign pact with Lockheed Martin

Lockheed has Make in India plans for F-16 jets, Trump wants to take a 'fresh look'

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The lawmaker made this known in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday, August 28.

She described the development as unacceptable, particularly for a party that was just trying to get its footing after undergoing a major leadership crisis.

She said party members that were not part of the struggle during the crisis period were suddenly imposed on the party members.

There must be incentive for loyalty. Party loyalists must have a say.

When you deny their participation, you deny them that incentive they get from being the torchbearers of the party. So, I think its morally wrong for this to happen.

Secondly, we are just coming out from `godfatherism that pervades the politics of Anambra PDP.

Thank God for court judgment but with what is happening, they are bringing us back to that era where we will be subjected to one man imposing a candidate on us.

The fundamental process that led to the three-man delegates was so chaotic and the default was so fundamental.

My people were disenfranchised and I dont want to be part of that process because it is injustice.

When you have imposition, you have blocked that hope for them.

You have made it difficult and impossible for them to aspire to be anything within the party because you are telling them that you can bring somebody from anywhere to impose on them.

Also, bringing somebody from outside the party and who has not stayed for long, it means that you are saying that you lack capacity within party members.

But I dont think we lack capacity, I think PDP has enough capacity to run for that election, she said.

The lawmaker said she was concerned that the development could lead to the partys defeat in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Oduah, representing Anambra North, had threatened to withdraw from Mondays PDP governorship primaries on grounds that the partys ward congresses was fraught with irregularities and sabotage.
Explaining the reason for ignoring the meeting, the president of the union, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said union decide to boycott the meeting because the government refused to reply the union's proposal.

ALSO READ: 5 reasons why JAMB new cut off mark is good for Nigerian Universities

The president therefore said the union will not attend any meeting with Federal Government until the until the union gets a reply.

According to Vanguard, the meeting was called by Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige and the Ministers of Education and Finance, Mallam Adamu Adamu and Mrs. Kemi Adeosun respectively, Chairman, National Income Salaries and Wages Commission, Executive Secretary National Universities Commission and the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba were all expected to be at the meeting.
Australia, which has an extensive defence cooperation program with Manila, has already deployed two high-tech AP-3C Orion aircraft for surveillance, and is keen to provide further help.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she recently spoke to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte who wanted to bolster resources for his armed forces.

"We would be ready to support the Philippines in the same way we are supporting Iraq in advising, assisting and training," she said.

"We indicated what we have been doing in Iraq. I went through with the president in some detail the support we have given in Iraq, that does not include troops on the ground. That is advising and assisting."

Australia is part of the coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, with 780 defence personnel based in the Middle East.

Bishop said it was "deeply concerning" for the entire Asian region that Islamic State had a presence in the southern Philippines, with the United States, Malaysia and Indonesia also offering support.

Duterte declared martial law across Mindanao island, home to 20 million people, on May 23 immediately after fighters flying the IS flag rampaged through Marawi.
The latest rejection of Total's environmental study puts at risk an ambitious bid by a group including Total, British Petroleum and Brazil's Petrobras to explore potentially vast oil reserves in the Amazon basin.

The 2016 discovery of the coral reef, which scientists and activists including Greenpeace say could be devastated if there were an oil spill in the river mouth, put the brakes on the project.

And Ibama says Total has still not done enough to overcome those concerns.

In the statement, Ibama warned that it "has already made three demands for more information in the environmental study" and that "if the investor again does not respond to the points raised by the technical team then the licensing process will be archived."
It is the latest in a wave of liberal reforms that she was determined to launch before ending her term next year.

It follows last week's approval by the constitutional court of a new law easing the country's ban on abortion.

"It cannot be that old prejudices are stronger than love," she said as she publicly signed the bill on Monday to submit it for debate in the legislature.

"That is why, just as I promised, Chile is today taking a historic step by signing the marriage equality bill."

Chile legalized same-sex civil unions under Bachelet in 2015.

Bachelet's party controls congress, but the process of passing the law is expected to be drawn out and last into the next legislature after she leaves office in March 2018.

Her conservative rival Sebastian Pinera is favored to be elected as her successor in November elections.

He opposes the marriage reform.

"There should not be discrimination, but at the same time the essence of an institution such as marriage should be respected, which has always been about conserving the human race," he said.

Largely Catholic Chile is considered a relatively socially conservative country within Latin America.

It emerged only in 1990 from the right-wing dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.
The tragedy sparked bitter recrimination from Tehran over the kingdom's custodianship of the sites in Mecca and Medina, western Saudi Arabia.

For the first time in nearly three decades, Iranian pilgrims were barred from the hajj last year, after several rounds of negotiations between the two Gulf heavyweights failed to overcome political and procedural differences.

Adding a further obstacle, the Sunni kingdom cut all ties with Shiite Iran in January 2016 after its diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad were torched by protesters angered by Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shiite figure.

But under a deal struck in March, about 86,000 Iranians have now arrived in Saudi Arabia for the hajj, joining two million Muslims from across the globe in converging on Mecca.

"I'm happy to see so many Iranians here... Political issues shouldn't interfere in a religious duty, especially the hajj," Abbas Ali, a 54-year-old Iranian, said Monday at Jeddah airport that is the main entry point for pilgrims.

"It's very difficult to describe my feelings. We shouldn't stop coming here because all of us are Muslims," the newly-arrived "haji" from Zahedan in eastern Iran told AFP.

The breakthrough came after several months of negotiations during which the two countries traded accusations of obstructing an agreement.

Diplomats to inspect empty embassies

Tehran and Riyadh stand on opposing sides in several regional disputes, including the conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, as well as this year's Gulf diplomatic crisis between Qatar and a Saudi-led Arab bloc.

The pilgrimage now seems to be acting as an icebreaker between the two powers.

In the absence of diplomatic relations and with its missions in Iran closed, Saudi Arabia agreed to issue electronic visas for Iranian pilgrims.

Saudi Arabia has also allowed Iran's national carrier Iran Air to fly in most of the Islamic republic's pilgrims, while some were transported by the kingdom's carrier.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said last week that visas have been issued for diplomats from the two countries to visit and inspect each other's empty embassies and consulates.

"We are waiting for final measures to be taken so diplomats from both countries can visit," he said. "This will probably happen after the hajj."

Iran has set up temporary consulates in the kingdom to assist its pilgrims, and it has instructed them to avoid "arguments" with Saudi staff at airports and pilgrimage sites.

"We have tried to separate the bilateral relations between the two countries from the pilgrimage," a former Iranian culture minister, Seyed-Reza Salehi Amiri, said last month.

In another key gesture, Tehran is to hold Shiite prayers, normally accompanied by chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel", inside hotels rather than outdoors, to avoid "security problems", according to Ali Ghazi Askar, an aide to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

In 1987, more than 400 people, most of them Iranian pilgrims, were killed in clashes with Saudi security forces at an anti-Western rally in Mecca.
And in Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned there could be no progress even in trade relations with Turkey while the rule of law was not guaranteed there.

Juncker charged that "Turkey is withdrawing from Europe by giant steps," adding that it was up to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to officially call an end Turkey's efforts to join the EU.

Juncker said he suspected that Erdogan was hoping that Europe would be the one to break off the talks "in order to blame the European Union" for their failure.

But the bloc must avoid "falling into the trap" as the "responsibility is entirely on the Turkish side," he told an annual conference of EU ambassadors in Brussels.

"The question is to know if we must put an end to the negotiations -- which is a purely theoretical question as there are no negotiations."

Relations with Turkey, and especially between Berlin and Ankara, have hit rock bottom in recent months, stoking calls for Ankara's EU accession talks to be suspended.

Turkey began formal membership talks in 2005 after years of foot-dragging by some EU member states such as France who were wary of admitting a large Muslim country.

But progress has been slow and the negotiations came to a virtual halt last year after Erdogan began a massive crackdown following an attempted coup in July, sending ties plunging to a new low.

Immediately after the failed coup, Turkey imposed a state of emergency under which more than 50,000 people have been arrested and almost three times that number have lost their jobs, including teachers, judges, soldiers and police officers.

In December, EU member states agreed that no new accession chapters would be opened until Ankara reversed course.

Merkel, at a Berlin press conference, said about Ankara ties that "I would very much like having better relations, but we have to face reality".

Under current conditions, she also said she did not see how the EU and Turkey could hold talks on expanding their customs union.

Good ties are "linked to respect for the rule of law, and this isn't guaranteed right now in Turkey".

"Therefore it's a very complicated phase of our relations."

She reiterated Germany's demand that Turkey free from custody several journalists and rights workers, including Die Welt daily correspondent Deniz Yucel.
Govinda seems to be clutching at straws as he attempts to make a successful comeback.

By India Today Web Desk: In his heyday, Govinda may have been Hero No 1, but it has been years since the actor has delivered a hit. Govinda was hoping to turn the tide in his favour with his comeback film Aa Gaya Hero, but it sank without a trace.

If a report in Deccan Chronicle is to be believed, Govinda has pinned his hopes on Katrina Kaif and will be approaching her to star in a film opposite him.

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A source close to the actor told the publication, "Katrina has around 10-12 days of work in the film but she will be like the heroine of the film. We know that she is very busy, but hopefully she will agree to work in the film again opposite Govinda. They shared a good rapport during the making of Partner."

Incidentally, Govinda would have shared screen space with Katrina in Jagga Jasoos, but his cameo was snipped off from the film's final cut.

The 53-year-old actor is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that his comeback is successful and is reportedly in talks with a top director to helm his film.

Katrina, meanwhile, has upcoming projects will all three Khans of Bollywood. Her next big screen outing will be Tiger Zinda Hai opposite Salman Khan. Katrina has also started shooting for Thugs Of Hindostan, where she will share screen space with Aamir Khan. She also has another big film in her kitty - Aanand L Rai's much-ambitious project with Shah Rukh Khan.

OPINION: Why Govinda's comeback film Aa Gaya Hero is doomed

ALSO READ: Govinda goes on a Twitter rant after his role got chopped off from Jagga Jasoos

ALSO WATCH: Katrina Kaif talks about her experience being a superstar

--- ENDS ---
Morales sparked international criticism on Sunday when he ordered the expulsion Ivan Velasquez, head of the UN International Committee Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).

A grouping of 80 Latin American civil society organizations condemned the move, in a statement published Monday by the Due Process of Law Foundation.

Morales's move "strongly suggests that he seeks to block the criminal investigation into his alleged activity, in addition to shielding members of illegal security forces and clandestine security structures that are currently under investigation," they said.

President alleges 'meddling'

Morales said Sunday that he ordered Velasquez, a Colombian national, to be expelled from Guatemala "for the good of the country and not for personal motives."

"He meddled in domestic affairs that are the sole responsibility of the Guatemalan state" and "tried to pressure lawmakers to pass constitutional reforms," Morales said.

The Constitutional Court however temporarily suspended Morales's order, its chairman Francisco Mata told reporters.

Health Minister Lucrecia Hernandez and her three deputies resigned in protest over Morales's move.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was "shocked" by Morales's move, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

The United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland jointly condemned the move, in a joint statement issued by their embassies in Guatemala City.

Angry protests

The government said at a cabinet meeting on Monday that Morales retained the support of his remaining ministers.

An army spokesman said on Sunday that the force remained loyal to Morales.

But there was anger on the streets.

Dozens of demonstrators from indigenous, rural and student groups rallied in the historic center of Guatemala City on Monday calling for him to resign.

"The president wants to guarantee impunity by avoiding criminal prosecution for illicit finance. It is shameful," said Andrea Ixchiu, an activist from the indigenous area of Totonicapan.

"All those who have been accused of corruption have joined together to get rid of Ivan Velasquez," said Alvaro Montenegro, an activist from the anti-corruption protest movement Justice Now.

Guatemala's chief human rights attorney Jordan Rodas told reporters that Morales's approach risked causing "a situation where it is impossible to govern."

Party funding allegations

The protests raised the prospect of a fresh wave of unrest like the one that broke out against then-president Otto Perez in 2015.

The CICIG helped prosecutors investigate the corruption scandal that toppled Perez.

Morales won the subsequent elections and took over as president the following year.

Now investigators say he is suspected of failing to declare electoral campaign funds. They estimate the value of the suspect transactions at about $1.0 million.

On Friday, Velasquez and Guatemalan prosecutors had applied to strip Morales of his immunity so he can be probed over the payments linked to his party, the National Convergence Front.

TV personality

Morales became famous for his performance as Neto, a naive bumpkin, in his television show Moralejas.

He produced the show along with his brother Samuel, who has since been caught up in fraud allegations.
The ceasefire which officially came into force on Friday "has not been fully implemented by the very same parties which signed it", the two leaders said.

"There is still a large number of cease-fire violations, including with the use of heavy weapons," the statement added.

"We urge President Putin and President (Petro) Poroshenko to fully abide by their commitments, publicly endorse the ceasefire and ensure that proper instructions have been passed on to the military and forces deployed on the ground."

The ceasefire between government forces and pro-Russian separatists was intended to come into force before the start of the new school year.

But the Ukrainian side of a joint ceasefire-monitoring centre said the first breach was recorded less than two minutes into the truce, when the separatists shelled the village of Talakivka in the Donetsk region with small arms and heavy machine guns.

The rebels meanwhile accused government troops of breaking the truce, saying a separatist fighter killed by a Ukrainian sniper's bullet had become the first "victim" of the ceasefire.
Bangladesh has blocked thousands of civilians from the stateless Muslim minority from entering the country since Friday, when fresh fighting broke out between Myanmar's security forces and Rohingya militants in neighbouring Rakhine state.

The UN refugee agency says 3,000 have managed to cross into Bangladesh in the past three days, but the vast majority have been stopped at the border despite heavy fighting in nearby villages.

"Around 6,000 Myanmar nationals have gathered on the border and are trying to enter Bangladesh," a senior Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) official told AFP, referring to the Rohingya.

"Last night we heard heavy gunfire by automatic weapons in phases and saw smoke billowing from burnt villages across the border," he said.

Another BGB official estimated the number of Rohingya in limbo could exceed 10,000, as many were believed to be hiding in the hills and forests to escape nearby violence.

"We've been ordered not to allow Rohingya to enter Bangladesh," said one border guard, who asked to remain anonymous as he was not permitted to speak to media.

"But how can I deny shelter to this newborn who is dying from cold?"

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on Bangladesh to step up assistance to civilians escaping the violence, noting "many of those fleeing are women and children, some of whom are wounded".

But there are already 400,000 Rohingya living in squalid camps in Bangladesh and the government has instructed its border guards to prevent another influx at all costs.

Bangladesh on Monday proposed joint military operations with Myanmar against Rohingya militants fighting in Rakhine state, hoping to stem the flow of refugees.

Soldiers had detained and returned nearly 500 Rohingya trying to cross the border since Monday, Shariful Islam Jamaddar, a deputy commander of BGB, told AFP.

Mohammad Ismail had taken shelter from the rains under a plastic sheet erected by border guards just inside Bangladeshi territory, but the shelter has since been torn down.

"The border guards let us take shelter here, but I don't know now what I will do with my son," he told AFP, gesturing to the shivering boy.

Army convoys have been driving Rohingya who have managed to cross into Bangladesh back across the border several times a day, an AFP correspondent at the scene said.

Amid the turbulence and monsoon downpours, an 11-year-old Rohingya girl named Marium was separated from her parents.
The legal overhauls have triggered mass street protests in Poland and raised fears about the rule of law in one of the EU's leading former communist states in the east.

Poland's foreign ministry insisted Monday statement that the Law and Justice (PiS) government's "legislative action, the overriding aim of which is to reform the justice system, is in line with European standards".

Last month the Commission said the judicial reform "raises concerns that ... the independence of Polish courts will be undermined."

The Commission expressed concern about the Polish justice minister getting "discretionary power" to prolong the mandate of judges who have reached retirement age as well as to dismiss and appoint court presidents.

Other concerns, it said, include "discrimination on the basis of gender" by setting the retirement age at 60 for female judges and at 65 for their male counterparts.

But Warsaw argued Monday the reforms in question also "meet social expectations that have grown over the years and therefore the Commission's doubts are groundless."

It also said it had sent Brussels "exhaustive explanations" addressing its objections and "hoped to continue the dialogue in a substantive manner that is devoid of politics."

Tensions between Warsaw and the EU have been mounting over what Brussels sees as a growing threat, not just to democratic standards in Poland but across the 28-nation bloc.

The Commission last month said it was ready to launch an unprecedented procedure to strip Poland of its EU voting rights over the court reforms for alleged rule of law violations.

'Nuclear option'

It could eventually lead to a case against Poland before the bloc's highest court, the European Court of Justice, and possibly a suspension of Warsaw from European Union decision-making.

Brussels and Warsaw have been at loggerheads ever since Poland's governing PiS party announced reforms to the country's constitutional court after coming to power in late 2015.

Polish President Andrzej Duda unexpectedly vetoed last month two bills that would have reinforced political control over courts, but Prime Minister Beata Szydlo has vowed to push ahead with all the reforms despite the vetoes.

European Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans has warned that the Commission is ready to immediately trigger the EU's never-used Article 7 procedure -- a so-called "nuclear option" that can freeze a country's right to vote in meetings of EU ministers -- if Supreme Court justices are sacked.

In a separate brewing row, French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday made stinging comments insisting that Warsaw was "going against European interests in many areas" for rejecting tough proposals to overhaul a controversial EU rule on cheap labour.
The Rohingya, one of the world's largest stateless communities, are fleeing in droves towards Bangladesh, trying to escape the latest surge in violence in Rakhine state between a shadowy militant group and Myanmar's military.

The UN refugee agency said Monday more than 3,000 had arrived in the past three days, as people told of how they fled for their lives from Myanmar's army.

"Unfortunately I can say the world is blind and deaf to what is going on in Myanmar," Erdogan said in a live television interview marking his three years as president.

"It does not hear and it does not see," he added.

He described the latest flight of refugees towards Bangladesh as an "extremely painful event" and vowed to take up the issue at the UN General Assembly next month.

"Of course we condemn this in the strongest possible manner. And we will follow this up through international institutions, including at the United Nations," added the president.

"We want to see all mankind extending a hand here," he added.

Erdogan takes a sharp interest in the fate of Muslim communities across the world and notably sees himself as a champion of the Palestinian cause.

Impoverished Rakhine, which neighbours Bangladesh, has become a crucible of religious hatred focused on the Rohingya, who are reviled and perceived as illegal immigrants in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.
Bangladesh has said there are thousands more Rohingya massed on its border with Myanmar, where the stateless minority face persecution.

Dhaka has responded by stepping up border controls and pushing back hundreds of Rohingya who try to enter, although some have still managed to evade the guards.

Those who have got through took refuge in the mostly makeshift camps in the coastal town of Cox's Bazar, where some 400,000 Rohingya are already living after fleeing previous bouts of violence in Rakhine.

Sona Mia said at least 800 had arrived at his Balukhali camp since Friday.

"Police said we can't let them stay or else we would be deported. We helped them enter through several points but are sending them to Kutupalong," said Mia, referring to another camp.

Authorities at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital said they were treating 17 Rohingya. One had died of gunshot wounds on Saturday.

Mohammad Ziabul, a 27-year-old farmer, fled for his life after Myanmar troops shot and killed his brother.

"We started running for cover when Myanmar army started firing indiscriminately on Friday," he said.

"Two bullets hit my body - one at my left hand and the other one at my head. I fell on the ground. My elder brother Dil Mahmud who was also hit by bullet, died on the spot."

He said around 1,000 Rohingya had fled his village alone to hide out in the forest.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said many of the new arrivals are women and children.

"UNHCR and other UN Agency teams in registered camps estimated that more than 3,000 'newly arrived' individuals were seen in and around the camp," said UNHCR spokesman Joseph Tripura.

"Many of the new arrivals are women and children including some un-accompanied and/or separated children."

Abdur Rashid, another Rohingya farmer, described walking miles with his 10-year-old son to hospital in Bangladesh after the child was hit by a bullet in Myanmar.
"This action will help alleviate the hardship and suffering that the emergency has inflicted on the local population," the White House said in a statement.

"Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency."

As of Monday morning, Harvey was hovering on the Gulf coast of Texas, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Houston.
By PTI: Udaipur (Rajasthan), Aug 29 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as a "unique reform" that changed the tax procedure overnight in the country.

Addressing a huge rally at Khelgaon here, he said GST helped reduce transport cost and increase the earning of drivers of trucks and tractor trolleys.

"We are working to bring in a transformation in transportation in India," he said.

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The prime minister also requested officials to launch a 15-day campaign to raise awareness about GST among small traders so that they could get benefit from the tax reform initiative.

Modi was here to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for several highway projects in Rajasthan, with an outlay of over Rs 15,000 crore.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, addressing the gathering, said that works done in the three years of the Modi government were more than what had been done in the previous 50 years.

He said that projects were earlier stuck under procedural wheels. The BJP government led by Modi has put an end to that culture, he added.

Flaying the previous Congress government for its "indecisiveness", Gadkari said that the NDA government had completed several stalled and incomplete projects.

"We have completed 57 projects which were stalled. Our aim is to work and not create hindrances," he added.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said that state was progressing on the path of a New India with the motto Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.

Raje also highlighted the works done by her government in the fields of education, water conservation, self- sustainability of women and affordable health care. PTI AG SMN SMN

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CLEVELAND (AP)  A white policeman who fatally shot an unarmed black driver in a Cleveland suburb won't face charges.

A grand jury on Tuesday declined to indict Euclid Officer Matthew Rhodes after hearing evidence from prosecutors with the state attorney general's office.

Authorities say Rhodes shot Luke Stewart three times after a struggle to gain control of a moving car March 13 in Euclid. Rhodes was responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle.

The jury's decision comes as activists have been criticizing Euclid police for an arrest in which another white officer was caught on video punching a black man more than a dozen times in an August traffic stop.

The shooting and the August arrest have inflamed racial tensions in the city.
JOLIET, Ill. (AP)  A 41-year-old Chicago-area mother and her twin 5-year-old daughters have been found in what authorities are investigating as possible murders and a suicide.

Autopsies are expected Tuesday on the bodies of Celisa Henning and her daughters, Makayla and Addison.

Police say it appears they were shot. Their bodies were found Monday afternoon in a Joliet home.

WMAQ-TV reports the triple shooting is being investigated as an apparent murder-suicide.

Joliet Police Chief Brian Benton said in a statement that the investigation is ongoing and called the deaths a "very tragic incident."

Neighbors say the twins were to start kindergarten this fall at a nearby Catholic school.
MOLINE  Moline-Coal Valley school board members approved collective bargaining agreements Monday and got a project update on the Bartlett Performing Arts Center.

Board members returned from closed session to unanimously approve contract agreements with the Moline Education Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The board approved a two-year contract agreement with the MEA through the 2018-19 school year, with employee salaries increasing by 1.25 percent each year of the contract. All employees covered by the agreement will receive years-of-service increases to offset corresponding adjustments to health insurance benefits.

Prior to the board approving the agreement, MEA president Susan Hafner complimented the board for handling the collective bargaining process respectfully and for keeping students as the number one priority of the district.

The AFSCME agreement, according to chief financial officer Dave McDermott, was a one-year deal that included years-of-service increases but no cost of living adjustment.

Board members also heard a project update from Patrick Brosnan, of Legat Architects, and Brian Hedgren, of Russell Construction, on the renovation and expansion of the Moline High School auditorium. The pair said the Bartlett Performing Arts Center is taking shape.

The district plans to spend $10 million on the performing arts center, with $7 million coming from the Robert E. Bartlett Family Foundation. Mr. Hedgren said the estimated project cost is $10.8 million, which he added presents a challenge. Ultimately, he said, this will help to identify the true needs and wants of the school district and the foundation.

I think it's going to result in the best outcome and the best value for the district and all the contributors, he said.

The board also received a timeline for the project, with Mr. Hedgren saying bids will be due Dec. 22. The board anticipates issuing bid approvals at its Jan. 8 meeting, with construction beginning Jan. 10. Substantial completion of the project is slated for Dec. 27, 2018.

Mr. Brosnan said priorities for the project include access for all, quality acoustics and sight lines, seating capacity and aesthetics. He said the current facility is built more like a lecture hall and the project will reshape the entire space to allow for a much better acoustical performance, with stadium seating and acoustical shells to reflect or absorb sounds appropriately.

Board members Sangeetha Rayapti and Susan Tucker asked questions about security of the new project, regarding the multiple points of access and the amount of glass planned, which could allow for those outside the building to view inside.

Board members also heard a co-teaching update from assistant superintendents Matt DeBaene and Kristin Sanders. Mr. DeBaene said the district has been implementing co-teaching for a number of years, with a concerted effort on professional development and program evaluation to ensure the needs of students are being met.

Ms. Sanders said improvements have been made, including evaluating the effectiveness of teaching teams. Additionally, she said, the district is working on addressing some different philosophies on co-teaching that she said likely was created because of the use of different trainers who may have had different messaging. She said some teachers who were trained in co-teaching early on are not in the same place as those trained under the direction of Kimberly Landrum, of Louisville, Ky. The district contracted with Ms. Landrum in 2015.

In other business, board members:

 Approved a 10-day suspension for an unnamed MEA support personnel member.

 Heard an update from administrators Leia Peterson and Stephanee Jordan on the Extended School Year program. Ms. Peterson said the number of students who qualify for the program has grown significantly. Ms. Jordan said the program prioritizes reading achievement and preventing summer slide.

 Heard from superintendent Lanty McGuire that district enrollment is up about 100 students compared to last year, with the majority of those additional students enrolled at the high school. He said the elementary classes did end up with some large numbers, including two at Willard with 38 and 39 students, respectively. Two class-size reduction teachers were added at Willard to relieve those large class sizes. Mr. McGuire said some bubbles of larger class sizes still remain.
ROCK ISLAND  The city will lose $700,000 a year in tax revenue due to the personal and property replacement tax for fiscal year 2018, city council members learned Monday night.

In addition to the 23 percent cut, the state is also recouping $82,000 in sales tax that was overpaid to the city and is initiating a 2 percent administration fee on the local option sales tax, Finance Director Stephanie Masson told the council. The 2 percent fee will result in a loss of about $45,000 annually, she said.

She said the Rock Island-Milan school district is set to lose $1.2 million in funding as well. A report from the Illinois revenue website, revenue.state.il.us, confirms the report.

Ald. Joshua Schipp, 6th Ward, asked Ms. Masson if the sum total for cuts for next year would be in the millions. She said yes.

After the meeting, Mayor Mike Thoms said that the city will have to make cuts and "tighten the belt." He said he wasn't exactly sure where those cuts would come from because the budget for fiscal year 2018 is being worked on now.

"Whether it's payroll, street work, who knows? It's unknown where it's going to come from," Mayor Thoms said. "They are trying to work on balancing their budget on the people here in Rock Island."

He said that he and the city council are in agreement that raising property taxes would be the very last resort. The best way to gain money for the city would be through new retail development and addition of new houses, he added.

Mayor Thoms said the city already has not filled several positions where people left due to retirement or for other reasons, and that may have to continue.

Rev. Stacie Fidlar was named Citizen of the Year and will be the grand marshal of the 33rd annual Rock Island Labor Day parade, to be held on Monday at 9:30 a.m. The parade will start in the area of Washington Junior High School, on 33rd Street and 18th Avenue.

Rev. Fidlar, the pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Rock Island, said she was shocked and surprised by the recognition.

"I am honored because the people being honored this year are all phenomenal, credits to this community and phenomenal givers to this community," she said. "It is an honor to be lifted up among them and I hope I can continue to work with all of them to make Rock Island the best place it can be."

The 2017 Citizens of the Year award winners are: Business - Nicole Watson-Lam (Ms. BriMani's Hair & Beauty Supply; Professional - Rev. Stacie Fidlar; Education - Bernie Carmack; Organization - Friends of Hauberg Civic Center and Spring Forward Learning Center; Individual - Matt Stern; City Employee - John Gripp; Youth - MyKeisha Wells and Honorary - Christine Schmidt.

A planned Dunkin' Donuts for 2711 18th Ave. will become a reality as the council approved selling the land to Rock Island Coffee, LLC for $5,500. In 1999, a Dunkin' Donuts that had been located two doors down at what is now Dr. Gyro's, 2519 18th Ave. closed after a trademark dispute between the franchisee and the corporation.

Mayor Thoms also proclaimed the month of September as national ovarian cancer awareness month in the city.

An executive session to discuss litigation and the establishment of a reserve or settlement of claims was held that lasted approximately 21 minutes. No further action was taken. The next city council meeting will be held on Monday, Sept. 11, at 6:45 p.m.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) Indias maiden GST revenue mop-up got off to a bumper start, with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley saying today that taxes worth Rs 92,283 crore were collected in July from just 64.42 per cent of the total taxpayer base.

Tax collections for July, the first month when a unified Goods and Services Tax (GST) was implemented across the country in place of more than a dozen central and state levies like excise duty, service tax and VAT, are likely to further go up when all the tax payers file returns.

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The collections so far are in excess of the finance ministrys internal estimate of Rs 91,000 crore.

So far, 38.38 lakh taxpayers accounting for 64.42 per cent of the total businesses, who had registered in July, filed returns. As per registration, 59.57 lakh businesses should file return for July.

"The 64.42 per cent taxpayers have paid Rs 92,283 crore in taxes for July," Jaitley told reporters here.

Of this, as much as Rs 14,894 crore has come in from the Central GST (CGST), Rs 22,722 crore from State GST (SGST), Rs 47,469 crore from Integrated GST (IGST) and Rs 7,198 crore from compensation cess levied on demerit and luxury goods.

The minister said that if budget estimates are extrapolated to arrive at a monthly collection number, the Centre should have got Rs 48,000 crore and all states put together another Rs 43,000 crore.

The deadline for filing first monthly return and payment of taxes under the GST ended on August 25. However, businesses that availed of transitional credit were allowed to file returns till August 28 after paying taxes on self-assessment basis by August 25.

Jaitley said that late payment is allowed on payment of a nominal Rs 100 per day on Central GST and an equivalent amount on State-GST.

As per the tax sharing formula, the Centre will compensate states for any revenue loss calculated on a base year of 2015-16 and assumed revenue growth of 14 per cent.

"In sum total we seem to be comfortable, but we will have to break up the figures finally to see if any specific state has not had that 14 per cent in which event, out of this compensation cess that particular state will have to be compensated. At least the red line seems to have been crossed," he said.

In July of last year, Rs 31,782 crore of excise duty was collected and Rs 19,600 crore of service tax. There is no estimate for the combined sales tax or VAT collection by states.

Dissecting the July GST collections, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia explained that the Rs 47,469 crore IGST, which also includes Rs 20,964 crore on account of imports, would be apportioned between the Centre and states based where the taxes were due.

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Adhia also said that the figure for SGST collection was higher than CGST because many businesses claimed credit for IGST paid while paying CGST. Hence, net payment of SGST was more.

With regard to collection impacting the fiscal deficit target, he said "it is too early to comment".

Explaining the reason, he said now that the internal estimate has been breached in the first month of GST rollout, it means that many businesses that were otherwise not paying taxes were coming into the net.

"You will have to wait for few more months to study the pattern... A more efficient taxation system checks evasion, brings in non-filers into the system; (now it is) more difficult to evade (taxes) -- that seems to be the initial first reaction," Jaitley said.

He said the total GST collection is Rs 92,283 crore and the figure will increase with more compliance after late comers file returns. With regard to registration, Jaitley said 72.33 lakh businesses have migrated to GST Network. Of this, totally migrated is 58.53 lakh and those who have not completed all the registration formality is 13.80 lakh. Also the number of new registrations are 18.83 lakh. PTI JD ANZ MKJ

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  In a first, North Korea on Tuesday fired a ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload that flew over Japan and splashed into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said. The aggressive missile launch  likely the longest ever from North Korea  over the territory of a close U.S. ally sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.

In a statement, U.S. President Donald Trump said North Korea had signaled its "contempt for its neighbors" and that "all options are on the table" in terms of a U.S. response.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) and reached a maximum height of 550 kilometers (341 miles) as it flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The distance and type of missile tested seemed designed to show that North Korea can back up a threat to target the U.S. territory of Guam, if it chooses to do so, while also establishing a potentially dangerous precedent that could see future missiles flying over Japan.

Any new test worries Washington and its allies because it presumably puts North Korea a step closer to its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States. Tuesday's test, however, looks especially aggressive to Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.

North Korea has conducted launches at an unusually fast pace this year  13 times, Seoul says  and some analysts believe it could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of Trump's first term in early 2021.

Seoul says that while North Korea has twice before fired rockets it said were carrying satellites over Japan  in 1998 and 2009  it has never before used a ballistic missile, which is unambiguously designed for military strikes. North Korea also chose not to fire its most recent missile at a lofted angle, as it did in previous launches to avoid other countries, and Seoul's spy service said the North launched from an unusual spot: the international airport in its capital, Pyongyang.

Some outside observers said launching a road-mobile missile from an airport runway could demonstrate the North's ability to fire its missiles from anywhere in the country.

The South Korean military was analyzing whether North Korea had launched a Hwasong-12, a new intermediate-range missile that it recently threatened to fire into waters near Guam, which hosts a major U.S. military base that the North considers a threat.

The launch is also another rebuke to Trump, who suggested last week that his tough approach to North Korea, which included threats to unleash "fire and fury," meant leader Kim Jong Un "is starting to respect us."

Tuesday's missile landed nowhere near Guam, but firing a Hwasong-12 so soon after the Guam threat may be a way for North Korea to show it could follow through if it chose to do so. Guam is 3,400 kilometers (2,110 miles) away from North Korea, but South Korea's military said the North may have fired the most recent missile at a shorter range.

North Korea will no doubt be watching the world's reaction to see if it can use Tuesday's flight over Japan as a precedent for future launches.

Trump said in his statement that "Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," and that "All options are on the table."

Japanese officials made their usual strongly worded condemnations of the launch.

"We will do our utmost to protect people's lives," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. "This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat."

The launch was also condemned by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and a number of other countries.

Tokyo said there was no reported damage from the missile. Residents on Hokkaido were warned of a North Korean missile launch by an alert on their cellphones, with loud alarms and an email that told people to stay indoors. Speakers broadcast an alert saying "missile is passing, missile is passing."

Tuesday's launch came days after North Korea fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, and a month after its second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

In an unusual move, the military in Seoul released videos of three South Korean missile tests conducted last week. They showed two types of new missiles with ranges of 800 kilometers (500 miles) and 500 kilometers (310 miles) being fired from truck-mounted launchers.

South Korea's Agency for Defense Development said the launches represented the last flight test for the longer-range missile before it is operationally deployed. Such missiles, which would be the latest additions to South Korea's Hyumoo family of missiles, are considered key components of the so-called "kill chain" pre-emptive strike capability that South Korea is pursuing to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threat.

South Korea also said its air force conducted a live-fire drill involving four F-15 fighter jets dropping eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field near the country's eastern coast. Yoon Young-chan, chief press secretary of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said the exercise was conducted after Moon directed the military to "display a strong capability to punish" North Korea if need be.

The North's launch over Japan shouldn't be a total surprise. Earlier this month, when threatening to lob four Hwasong-12s into the waters near Guam, North Korea specifically said they would fly over Japanese territory. North Korea in June also angrily reacted to the launch of a Japanese satellite it said was aimed at spying on the North and said Tokyo was no longer entitled to fault North Korea "no matter what it launches or whether that crosses the sky above Japan."

North Korea typically reacts with anger to U.S.-South Korean military drills, which are happening now, often testing weapons and threatening Seoul and Washington in its state-controlled media. But animosity is higher than usual following threats traded between Trump and the North.

North Korea regularly says U.S.-South Korean military drills are a rehearsal for invasion, and North Korea's U.N. ambassador, Ja Song Nam, wrote recently that the exercises are "provocative and aggressive" at a time when the Korean Peninsula is "like a time bomb."
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's vow to never evacuate Jewish settlements from occupied land drew outrage Tuesday from Palestinians and complicated matters for the Trump administration's would-be peace envoys as they try to restart talks.

The Palestinians called on the White House to intervene, and visiting U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres challenged Netanyahu's comments, reiterating the international community's opposition to Israeli settlements.

Well over 100 settlements dot the West Bank and a string of U.S.-led peace plans over the past two decades have called for evacuating at least some of them to make way for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Netanyahu's hard-line religious and nationalist base opposes such a move.

Netanyahu appears to have been emboldened by the election of President Donald Trump, who, unlike a string of predecessors, has not endorsed the idea of a two-state solution. Trump also has surrounded himself with a team of advisers who are longstanding supporters of settlements. These include his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is leading the peace efforts and was in the region last week for meetings with the sides.

Netanyahu spoke at a ceremony Monday night in Barkan, a settlement in the northern West Bank.

"There is a momentum of development in Judea and Samaria," he said, referring to the West Bank by its biblical name.

"We have returned here for eternity," Netanyahu added. "There will be no more uprooting of settlements in the Land of Israel. Settlements will not be uprooted."

The Palestinians seek all of the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, for an independent state alongside Israel. Israel captured the areas in the 1967 Mideast war, though it withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

The Palestinians say that settlements on occupied lands are illegal and undermine the goal of a two-state solution by gobbling up territory they seek  a position that is widely backed by the international community. Over 600,000 Israeli Jews now live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

While Netanyahu has made similar pledges before, the timing  on the heels of Kushner's visit and with the U.N. chief in town  gave it added significance and raised questions about his intentions for resolving the conflict with the Palestinians.

During the Obama administration, Netanyahu paid lip service to the idea of a two-state solution, implying that a Palestinian state could be established in parts of the West Bank or that settlements might somehow remain behind in a future Palestine.

Now, with Netanyahu avoiding talk of Palestinian independence or a territorial withdrawal, the Palestinians are pushing the new U.S. administration to take a stand. In particular, they have been pressing Washington to call for a freeze on settlement construction and to endorse the two-state solution.

Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, denounced Netanyahu's comments and said they hinder U.S. peace efforts.

"This is an Israeli message to the U.S. administration," he said. "We call upon the U.S. administration to deal with these provocations," which, he said, hinder U.S. peace efforts and are "an attempt to return things to square one."

The Palestinians have expressed impatience with Kushner's slow start. Kushner held talks last week with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, as well as separate meetings with Arab allies in Egypt and the Gulf. The Americans appear to be seeking a broader region-wide approach to peace by bringing in moderate Arab countries.

A senior White House official played down Netanyahu's comments.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue, said the Israeli position was known and that the U.S. is talking to all sides to reach a deal "that factors in all substantive issues."

Nabil Shaath, a senior Palestinian official, said Monday that the Americans had asked for three to four months to conduct more preparations for a Mideast peace initiative.

Shaath, speaking to the Voice of Palestine radio station, said Abbas told the Americans to use the additional time to ensure a productive peace process. "We don't want to talk from scratch," he said.

The Palestinians received a boost from Guterres, who assured them the international community remains solidly behind the goal of Palestinian independence and rejects Israeli settlements, which he called illegal and a "major obstacle" to peace.

"I want to express very strongly the total commitment of the United Nations, and my personal total commitment, to do everything for a two-state solution," he said. "There is no plan B to the two-state solution."

Trump's Mideast envoy, Jason Greenblatt, meanwhile, spent the day in the northern West Bank meeting with Israeli officials discussing initiatives to help the Palestinian economy. These include an industrial zone, power substation and plans for a railway track linking the West Bank to the Israeli port of Haifa.

Greenblatt later visited a hospital in northern Israel where Israeli doctors have been treating refugees from the civil war in neighboring Syria.
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By Manjeet Sehgal: Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim's advocate SK Garg Narwana, who appeared in the Punjab and Haryana High court on Tuesday claimed that the police officials were not harmed by the dera followers.

"36 people died of bullet injuries. Whatever happened will be investigated by a special investigation team. None of the Dera followers attacked the police," SK Garg Narwana said.

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Additional Solicitor General of India Satya Pal Jain, has asked the riot hit people to intimate concerned deputy commissioners about the damage.

"Those whose property was damaged should inform the concerned Deputy Commissioner. Either the Haryana government will compensate them or anybody who is found guilty. The Punjab and Haryana government have submitted their reports in sealed envelopes," Satyapal Jain said.

Haryana government in its report has informed the court that the government has sensitised 103 deras. The court has also directed the state government to investigate how hundreds of vehicles escorted Dera Chief to Court. He said that Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh have formed separate SITs to probe the incidences of violence. None of the SITs will be closed without the permission of the court. The court has also directed the government to submits action taken report to the court on a daily basis.

The Haryana Advocate General Baldev Mahajan though confirmed that the list of properties have been submitted in sealed envelopes but the same has not been made public.

Dera owns over 250 properties nationwide out of which 131 are located in Haryana. Dera also owns properties in foreign countries like Canada, total value of which is in thousands of crore of rupees. These properties were built by his followers but were later handed over to Dera.

As the court has directed the authorities concerned not to allow Dera to sell these properties, the movable and immovable assets of Dera have already been attached.

The attachment will be in force till the Dera organisation compensates the riot victims besides the Haryana government as the Dera followers had categorically attacked Haryana government buildings. Nearly 100 vehicles including media OB vans were torched on August 25. According to sources Haryana and Punjab may also foot security forces deployment bill to Dera.

Also Read

Dera men torch vehicles in Sirsa as Ram Rahim is sent to 10 years in jail

China media says Dera violence 'exposes India's problems' amid Doklam

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Moscow court to review appeal of ex-senator Pugachev in $1.2 bln dispute on October 19

MOSCOW, August 29 (RAPSI)  The Moscow Commercial Court has postponed hearings over an appeal filed by ex-beneficiary of International Industrial Bank (Mezhprombank) Sergey Pugachev seeking to overturn a ruling requiring him and other banks top managers to pay 75.6 billion rubles (about $1.2 billion), the court documents read on Tuesday.

The hearing was postponed because court documents did not contain information on Pugachevs notification about the date, time and place of the courts proceedings.

New evidence Pugachev based his appeal is the fact that, as established in September 2016 by an appellate court, in July 2015 the Moscow Commercial Court examined the bankruptcy claim he was involved in by a panel illegitimately composed of a single judge.

On April 30, 2015, the Moscow Commercial Court ruled in favor of the Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA) in a lawsuit filed to declare Pugachev and other Mezhprombank executives guilty of knowingly bankrupting the bank, primarily through the transfer of liquid assets. The court decided to debit 75.6 billion rubles ($1.3 bln) from former managers of the bank.

The Moscow Commercial Court in late October granted DIA the right to forcibly collect 75.6 billion rubles ($1.3 billion) from former Mezhprombank staff, including 68.5 billion rubles from Pugachev and Marina Illarionova, the last CEO of Mezhprombank, and 7.16 billion rubles from two former chief executives, Alexander Didenko and Alexey Zlobin.

In 2014, DIA filed a lawsuit with a UK court to collect the assets which Pugachev allegedly embezzled from Mezhprombank. In July 2014, Londons High Court granted an injunction to seize $2 billion worth of Pugachevs assets in various countries. Pugachev appealed the decision, but in December 2014 Londons High Court refused to release his assets.

In September 2015, Pugachev filed a lawsuit against Russia within Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague demanding $12 billion. The plaintiff said that the lawsuit is filed because of the alleged violations of obligations under bilateral investment contract with France by Russia. According to the ex-senator, from 2009, he has lost some of his assets without receiving compensation for them. Such assets include Middle Trading Rows" on the Red Square in Moscow as well as the Yenisei Industrial Company.

The Moscow Commercial Court declared Mezhprombank bankrupt in November 2010 after the bank defaulted and received a 40 billion rubles ($676 million at current rate) bailout from Russias Central Bank. DIA was appointed liquidator of IIBs assets.

An investigation into the bankruptcy was launched in January 2011 on suspicion of illegal operations in the process of filing for bankruptcy and premediated bankruptcy.

Pugachev was charged with embezzlement and arrested in absentia. In November 2014, he was put on the international wanted list. In January 2015, Russia sent a request for extradition to the UK.
MOSCOW, August 29 (RAPSI, Yevgeniya Sokolova)  The Moscow City Court has ruled that the probation term of opposition politician Alexey Navalny for another year in the Yves Rocher embezzlement case, RAPSI correspondent reports from the courtroom on Tuesday.

The court dismissed an appellation lodged by the defense and upheld the decision of a lower court.

Earlier, the Simonovsky District Court of Moscow granted a request of the Federal Penitentiary Service to extend the probation noting that Navalny repeatedly violated administrative legislation during his probation term. In particular, a representative of the Service noted that Navalny failed to meet his obligation to be registered at a local penitentiary inspection office on time.

Navalny himself argued against the extension, saying that previously courts dismissed similar motions. According to Navalny, the Services request sought to obstruct his participation in elections.

In December 2014, Navalny was given a 3.5-year suspended sentence in the Yves Rocher case. His brother Oleg received a 3.5-year prison term. They were convicted of stealing nearly 30 million rubles (about $500,000 at the current exchange rate) from two companies, including Russian affiliate of Yves Rocher. The term of Oleg Navalny is to expire on June 30, 2018.

Moreover, Alexey Navalny was found guilty of embezzling 16 million rubles from the Kirovles timber company. He received a 5-year suspended sentence in this case.

Being convicted the opposition politician was repeatedly subjected to administrative liability for organizing an unauthorized rally in Moscow on March 26, providing resistance to police and obstructing the order or procedure of holding a rally on June 12.
Moscow court to review appeal against detention of Serebrennikov on September 4

MOSCOW, August 29 (RAPSI)  The Moscow City Court is to review if the house arrest of artistic director of the Gogol Center theater, Kirill Serebrennikov, charged with embezzlement, was lawful, on September 4, RAPSI learnt from the Basmanny District Courts press-service on Tuesday.

On August 23, the Basmanny District Court ruled to extend house arrest of Serebrennikov until October 19.

On August 22, the theater director was arrested by law enforcement officers. Investigators believe that Serebrennikov organized embezzlement of 68 million rubles ($1.1 million). The defendant denied wrongdoing.

According to investigators, Serebrennikov developed the Platforma project for promotion of art in 2011 and received allocated funds of 214 million rubles (about $3.6 million) from the Ministry of Culture in 2011-2014.

Investigators believe that Serebrennikov created Seventh Studio stage company to actualize the project and invited former head of the company Yury Itin, ex- general producer Alexey Malobrodsky, and former chief accountant Nina Maslyayeva, among others, into organization.

Investigators allege that on request of the theater director Itin, Malobrodsky, and Maslyayeva were falsifying data for the Platforma projects plans in 2011-2014. This data was provided to the Ministry of Culture as the rationale for financing from the state budget.

Earlier, Maslyayeva, who stands charged with embezzling public funds allocated for promotion of art, has testified against Serebrennikov.

Maslyayeva said that Serebrennikov, Malobrodsky and Itin organized embezzlement of money allocated for the cultural event. Serebrennikov and Malobrodsky cashed the money with the assistance of Maslyayeva. The woman also said that she entered falsified data in financial reports.

On May 23, police raided the Gogol Center as a part of investigation into the case. Searches have also been conducted in Serebrennikovs place of residence. Later, he was questioned as a witness in the case.
It's uncommon for a dry, data-heavy research paper to make the news, but researchers at the International Monetary Fund and the University of California, Davis, bucked the trend. Their analysis of fossil fuel subsidies has been covered in news and science outlets across the world. In the paper they determine that more than $5 trillion dollars was spent in 2015 by governments in subsidies to fossil fuels. To put that in perspective, that's 6.5 percent of global GDP, which means more than one out of every 20 dollars in the world was handed to fossil fuel interests by the world's various governments. Considering the challenges climate change presents, and the relationship between fossil fuel use and climate change, it's a mind-boggling practice. The research also estimates the costs to society from fossil fuel subsidies and what could be gained by ending them, but it misses something vital in its calculations. Government support for certain types of energy sources also creates barriers to competition for new energy sources. Ultimately these subsidies undermine the fight against environmental challenges by deterring innovative ideas from ever coming to market.

This is especially problematic since much of the funding for energy is intended to produce new ideas and solutions to these environmental problems. For example, in June, the Department of Energy announced several new investments totaling more than $127 million in funds for research on energy technologies. Of that sum, $28 million was in grants for advanced energy systems for fossil fuels.

All of these handouts to favored energy sources are problematic not only because theyre ultimately paid for by the average taxpayer, but because they entrench existing interests and deter competition. Renewable energy, for example, has struggled to break into a market dominated by fossil fuels. In fact, according to another recent report on US energy subsidies from a consulting group based in DC, until 2011, almost all federal energy incentives went to fossil fuels. Now the tides have turned. From 2011 to 2016, renewable energy received three times more in federal incentives than did oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear combined.

Even though commentators often focus on criticizing those renewable energy subsidies, whether they are for green energy or the blackest fossil fuels, this support is a barrier to competition. That's because they are largely handed out to the politically connected, and not to to those who have the best ideas. Established companies routinely collect more of the funding than do new companies. This shouldn't surprise anyone since the funds are given out via a political process where those bigger firms likely have more weight to throw around when lobbying government officials.

Take the Department of Energys Section 1705 Loan Guarantee Program. One analysis showed that it was guaranteeing 90 percent lower-risk power plants backed by companies with huge resources to draw from. So much for helping the little guy. The same analysis showed that just four companies received 64 percent of the nearly $35 billion guaranteed through the program. Anytime funding is allocated through political means it is common for the outcomes to resemble this. Those with lobbying prowess ensure they benefit while taxpayers foot the bill.

But loan guarantee programs dont just pad large corporations bottom lines by protecting them from risk, they also create barriers to entry. Investors are rational people who, when they see that an investment is guaranteed by the government, know their investment is now effectively risk-free and they see little reason to not invest. The unintended consequence here is that government funding becomes a necessity to attract private funding. Since most of that government funding goes to large companies, small startups are often crowded out.

Experience in the industry confirms that smaller companies struggle to find funding. As Daryl Siry, a former marketing officer for Tesla, noted about the Department of Energys loan guarantee program, several startup companies looking for funding have admitted that private fundraising is complicated by investor expectations of government support.

Instead of trying to outsmart the market and allowing politicians to dole out benefits to their supporters, energy policy should be focused on fostering experimentation and innovation. Such permissionless innovation provided the framework for the recent explosion in the information technology industry, and there is little doubt that it can provide similar gains if applied to energy technology. Coal powered the industrial revolution, but that was a different time and now energy and environmental challenges are different. Instead of trying to breathe life into the dying coal industry, governments should consider how their policies can instead foster experimentation. It's likely the only way to find solutions to the environmental problems of today.
From the weekend came the usual song and dance of the North Korean nuclear crisis, right? On Saturday, the government in Pyongyang test-fired three short-range ballistic missiles to the usual mixed bag of effect. The previous day, Kim Jong Un had personally supervised a military drill in which North Korean special operations forces simulated the occupation of two South Korean islands. The tests also occurred roughly halfway through the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises, whereby the United States and South Korea simulate a North Korean invasion on the rest of the peninsula. Read one way, the missile tests are unusually provocative. After all, Pyongyang had not tested a missile since U.S. President Donald Trump threatened fire and fury against it for vowing to attack Guam. Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently intimated that progress had been made on the diplomatic front, citing the absence of missile tests as evidence of its advancement. A missile test, then, sends a strong message: Pyongyang is unbowed, as defiant as ever. Maybe.

Read differently, however, the tests are benign, even encouraging. Far from being the familiar choreography of action and reaction, statement and response, the events of the weekend signify something more, a rare act of conciliation under circumstances that leave little room for compromise. Maybe.

A Rare Instance

This is a rare instance in geopolitics when perception matters just as much as reality. And the early signs from Washington suggest officials perceive the events of the weekend as signs of conciliation. The administration has been relatively quiet. Trump himself has offered none of the incendiary commentary for which he has become known. U.S. officials are, of course, discussing the matter privately more than they have discussed it publicly, but its notable that their first response was restraint, not escalation. (It is notable, too, that Seoul, which would incur more casualties than Washington from a conflict with North Korea, targeted as it is by conventional weaponry emplaced north of the demilitarized zone, has been relatively quiet. A statement from the presidents office in Seoul said the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises would proceed even more thoroughly.)

What was tested is further evidence that Washingtons read might be the correct one. Before Saturday, the last missiles tested were intercontinental and, as such, were meant to demonstrate that North Korea could strike the U.S. itself, not just Guam. Short-range ballistic missiles such as the ones tested this weekend are no threat to the United States. Washington would prefer that no missiles be tested at all, but if negotiations are in fact taking place, short-range missiles are the least likely to derail them.

And Pyongyang would have reason to test them, even if peace were a viable prospect. Major military drills are happening directly across the demilitarized zone, and the government cant help but consider them an act of provocation. For a government that has staked its legitimacy on a viable nuclear weapons program  for a government that must show its people it is undeterred in the face of provocation  testing short-range ballistic missiles is actually a measured response.

Equations Change

The fact remains that North Korea still has a nuclear weapons program it will not easily abandon. The reason it pursued such a program in the first place was survival, which is of the utmost importance for the government in Pyongyang. Deterring attacks by foreign powers with a nuclear weapon ensures its survival; attacking the United States with a nuclear weapon ensures only its destruction, considering how forcefully Washington would respond.

But if North Korea already has a viable deterrent to attack  as it believed it had in its artillery aimed squarely at the Greater Seoul area  then its behavior in recent months may reflect not merely its need to survive but its course of action in the event it does survive. Its plan: to become powerful enough to unite the Korean Peninsula under Pyongyangs rule, or at least to put enough pressure on the U.S. to withdraw its forces. The pressure came in the form of ICBM tests, which it believed may go unheeded if Washington was overly occupied with its own political drama. Here, North Korea miscalculated. The U.S. has made it clear that it will not tolerate a North Korean nuclear weapons program, its political distractions notwithstanding. Still, Washington has also made it clear that it prefers not to go to war on the Korean Peninsula, and so it is exhausting all diplomatic options before it does.

Does Kim think that the United States is bluffing, or does he think that the U.S. will strike North Korea to prevent it from advancing its nuclear weapons program? If Kim thinks the U.S. will not intervene, or if he thinks he can survive a U.S. attack, then he will continue to pursue a nuclear weapons program, integral as it is to his grand plan to unite the peninsula. If, however, Kim thinks the U.S. is willing to go to war and, in going to war, defeat him, he will likely subordinate his long-term ambitions to more pressing matters of survival.

This is why perception matters, even in the face of reality. We can compare the objectives and imperatives of the U.S. and North Korea and predict their behavior accordingly. But that assumes everyone understands exactly what the other wants and fears. If North Koreas perception of U.S. imperatives does not align with its actual imperatives, the equation changes, making the perception just as important as the imperative itself. Judging by Pyongyangs actions of late, North Korea is scared, seeking to amend its behavior so that it can survive through talks rather than through action.
This piece is part of a small RealClearWorld series on the crisis in Venezuela. The views expressed are the author's own.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pences four-country August tour of Latin America was dominated by one topic: Venezuela. After President Donald Trump's suggestion of military action set the region abuzz, Pence was relatively successful in containing the damage. Still, the question of how to deal with Venezuela's slide toward dictatorship remains more pressing than ever.

For reasons that U.S. analysts, the United Nations, and Latin American heads of state alike have made exceedingly clear, military engagement is not an option. The sour taste of Washington's 20th Century interventions is leaving Latin America's mouth, and much of the region favors the U.S.-backed, multi-country strategy to put pressure on the Venezuelan government. Reviving the specter of war can quickly undo this united front and throw Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his conspiracy narrative an invaluable lifeline.

So the question of what not to do is settled; now we need to consider viable strategies. As Pence voiced repeatedly throughout his tour, the only sustainable solution to Venezuela's crisis will come peacefully.

Options abound, from sanctioning individuals, as the United States has already begun to do, to sanctioning the country's oil sector -- a drastic option likely to bring down the regime, but with significant humanitarian implications.

An Atlantic Council report released this month examines the options at Trump's disposal and how to best use them. The new financial sanctions unveiled by the White House on Aug. 25 were in line with our analysis of what should be expected next. While the different courses of action vary in their potential costs and impact, they do have one thing in common: they will all need be accompanied by diplomacy, not artillery.

Regional Pressure

Latin American juggernauts such as Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, and Mexico have become more vocal than ever in their condemnation of the Maduro regime. This trend should continue so long as Washington stays in sync with Latin American leaders and policymakers.

The united front against the Venezuelan regime is strong, but continued unscripted comments could do tremendous damage to American credibility and could sow division between the United States and its allies in the region.

Earlier this month 12 regional foreign ministers met in Lima, Peru, to issue a declaration that not only decried government abuses in Venezuela but was also backed by additional financial pressures. Days earlier, the South American trade bloc, Mercosur, suspended Venezuela for not complying with the blocs democracy clause.

Washington should be prepared to roll out sanctions of increasing severity in concert with its Latin American allies. Clear benchmarks should be set to restore the democratic order, with the promise of harsher future sanctions should Caracas fail to comply. Multilateral sanctions are much more effective than unilateral ones and undercut the Chavistas' claims that they are victims of U.S. imperialism.

To ensure the greatest possible support for new sanctions among the international community, Washington will need to maintain a cogent narrative.

Actions and Reactions

The United States and other major hemispheric players will have to quickly decide how to jointly react to yet another major breach of democracy. Gubernatorial elections scheduled for October are anticipated to be just a rubber stamp for the ruling party, after the illegitimately convened Constituent Assembly created a truth commission in August that will effectively bar non-government supporters from running for office. Venezuela is an oil-rich country that is eroding the last vestiges of democracy at a lightning speed.

In terms of taking action, middle ground exists between the current individual sanctions and the controversial ban on oil imports. Washington could, for example, limit Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA's access to U.S. financial markets, eroding the firm's ability to make payments on its nearly $44 billion in debt. Harsher still, though less damaging than an import ban, would be a ban on U.S. oil exports to Venezuela. Much of the country's extra-heavy oil relies on U.S. light crude as a diluting agent before it is fit for export.

A humanitarian aid package must be put in place to minimize the effects of sanctions on the Venezuelan people. Colombia and Brazil, in particular, can be key sources of additional support given the influx of refugees they will continue to see if the humanitarian crisis deepens. Their cooperation could be secured through simple diplomacy and at little cost. Colombia has already joined the U.S. Treasury Department's individual sanctions following direct talks between U.S. and Colombian officials in Bogota.

Direct talks like these should be the backbone of our approach to the region in the face of Venezuelas collapse. The hemispheres principal leaders are showing the political will to take action, and U.S. policy will be most effective when it assumes the role of partner, and not protagonist. Hopefully, the vice presidents trip has reset the United States on that course.
This is the first installment of a small RealClearWorld series on the crisis in Venezuela. The views expressed are the author's own.

Left-wing commentators are struggling to come to grips with Venezuelas economic collapse. In early August, Stanford University professor Terry Lynn Karl joined the chorus claiming that falling oil prices are the problem. Its true that the price of oil fell from around $100 per barrel in 2014 to around $50 in 2017. But socialist policies exacerbated the oil crisis and created the poverty we see in Venezuela today.

Free market societies are less affected by falling commodity prices, in part because their wealth does not rely on raw materials. Hong Kong and Singapore are two of the wealthiest economies in the world, with a 2016 gross domestic product per capita of $57,676 and $84,821, respectively.

What turned these resource-barren spits of land into thriving metropolises, with bustling commerce and a prosperous middle class? Economic freedom. It takes an average of just two days to start a company in Hong Kong -- three in Singapore. Singapore has one business per 350 people, which means competitive enterprises constantly vie for consumers money with innovations and excellent service. Both economies encourage investment and trade, which allows consumers and businesses to benefit from the wealth and ideas of other nations.

According to the Fraser Institutes Economic Freedom of the World: 2016 Annual Report, Hong Kong and Singapore are the two most free economies on earth. As the Fraser economists note, countries with institutions and policies more consistent with economic freedom have higher investment rates, more rapid economic growth, higher income levels, and a more rapid reduction in poverty rates. Free markets encourage trade, entrepreneurship, and investment, which create wealth.

By contrast, the poorest economies in the world are characterized by oppressive government intervention. In 2014, the 40 least economically free nations had an average per capita GDP of $5,471 (in 2011 dollars). Compare that to $41,228 for the freest 40 nations. Abundant natural resources cannot make up for a lack of freedom. Iran has over 150 billion barrels of oil reserves but is one of the 10 least economically free nations in the world. Price controls and industry subsidies crippled their economy for decades, and the government strictly limits access to financing for business. Irans GDP per capita in 2014, before oil prices fell, was just $6,007.

In Venezuelas case, a government takeover of the oil industry reduced supply, sowing the seeds of future impoverishment. The oil industry was nationalized in 1976, but, wary of the mismanagement and corruption of other nationalized oil companies like Pemex, Venezuela let Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) operate as a mostly private company with decision-making freedom and competent business managers.

When Hugo Chavez took power in 1999, he curtailed this freedom. Chavez closed Venezuela's oil fields to foreign investment and stopped reinvesting oil proceeds in the company. He fired 18,000 workers at PDVSA, replacing professional oil employees with inept but politically loyal workers. Bids started taking months longer to complete as staff kept changing their technical specifications. Fatal accidents and fires became more common, because Chavez yes-men didnt understand how to safely run an oil refinery. PDVSA middle managers required Rolex bribes to schedule meetings.

Chavez pushed for a natural gas pipeline from Venezuela to Brazil. According to Luis Giusti, who competently ran the pre-Chavez PDVSA, this would, bring gas that does not exist to markets that do not exist.

Predictably, oil production collapsed: The Washington Post notes that production fell 25 percent from 1999 to 2013. PDVSA made its decisions based on politics rather than the needs of consumers, and output plummeted as a result.

Had Chavez instead privatized the oil industry, Venezuela would have enjoyed more oil, delivered more efficiently, and would have suffered less waste and corruption. When China privatized its agriculture industry, agricultural yields increased. In a working paper for the World Bank, economists Sunita Kikeri and John Nellis explain that privatization improves performance. When private companies compete and innovate, they can reduce waste and more efficiently manage resources to create more value.

Even as Venezuela suffocated its oil industry, socialist policies in other industries left the country more reliant on oil. When Venezuela nationalized manufacturing, output dropped to 1965 levels. Nationalizing electricity led to rolling blackouts, and a government takeover of supermarkets and farms created food shortages. Price controls on key goods gave companies little incentive to produce, a fact not helped by government raids on businesses that Chavez felt were operating below capacity.

Healthy non-oil industries could have diversified Venezuelas economy and blunted the impact of falling oil prices. By strangling them, Chavez and his successor, Nicolas Maduro, forced the economy to rely more on oil at precisely the wrong time.

In 1998, oil represented 77 percent of Venezuelas exports; by 2011, that number had risen to 96 percent. Production plunged, but it still represented an ever-growing slice of an ever-shrinking pie.

Commentators who dismiss Venezuelas suffering as being caused by the oil crisis need to explain why other oil-dependent countries have not collapsed. According to the World Bank, seven nations rely more on oil than Venezuela. All seven saw economic growth from 2013 to 2017. Had Venezuela emulated the economic freedom of nations like Chile, its people would not be starving in the streets.
James Goldrick has identified possible systemic problems in the US Navy that help explain recent accidents involving US warships. These problems may not be unique to the US Seventh Fleet and there has to be sympathy for Vice Admiral Aucoin, the Commander of the Seventh Fleet, who was made the scapegoat for recent accidents and sacked due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command'. This was just a short time before he was due to retire.

James pointed to a possible need for the US Navy to reconsider its 'unrestricted line officer' concept, whereby its surface warfare officers are expected to gain experience as platform and combat system engineers at the expense of seamanship and navigation. He also addressed the very real issue that the younger generation of officers and sailors are being captured by their electronic displays at the expense of actually looking out the window. Modern technology is no substitute for alert eyes and the experience to handle a potentially dangerous situation.

American naval commentators frequently allude to the importance of compliance with the the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) to ensure navigational safety. This is certainly important but any holier than thou implication (ie. that the US Navy sticks to the rules and other navies dont) should be avoided. Rule 5 is a basic rule in COLREGS. It states Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision. Bridge personnel with their heads in screens are not keeping a proper look-out by all available means.

While the above points all help explain why US warships are having accidents, there is another important factor that contributed to the collisions involving the US destroyers Fitzgerald and McCain: neither destroyer was showing Automatic Identification System (AIS) data at the time of their accident. This was done to keep their identity as American warships secret.

AIS is a system mandated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) through the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS). It applies to all commercial vessels of 300 gross tonnage and upwards engaged on international voyages, cargo ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards not engaged on international voyages, and passenger ships carrying more than 12 passengers. AIS equipped vessels and shore-based stations automatically send and receive identification information to improve navigational safety, help in situational awareness, and provide a means to assist in collision avoidance. However, AIS is not mandatory for warships under the principle of sovereign immunity.

Commercial vessels make much use of AIS to talk to each other when they think they're going too close, to avoid collisions, or to tell another ship what they intend to do. A problem arises if a merchant ship is unable to contact another vessel because its not showing AIS. By day this is not a problem as the other vessel can be visually identified. If its a warship, a call can be made on Channel 16 (Emergency VHF), such as Warship on my port bow what are your intentions?' By night, however, a vessel can only see the lights of the other vessel, and particularly when many other vessels are in its vicinity, it does not know which vessel to talk to. Interactions between vessels are also more difficult by night because there is greater risk of bridge personnel losing perspective.

Both the Fitzgerald and McCain collisions occurred at night. In the case of Fitzgerald, the other vessel involved in the collision, the container vessel ACX Crystal, is reported to have flashed lights at the destroyer to attract her attention and warn of a potentially dangerous situation. This was presumably because she could not identify the other vessel by AIS.

A further issue with warships not showing AIS is that maritime authorities with control over congested shipping areas use AIS as a basic tool of traffic management. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) maintains a Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS) over the Singapore Strait and its approaches, including the area where the McCain collision occurred. It has said that VTIS only detected the other vessel in the collision, the chemical tanker Alnic MC, before the collision, and not the McCain. If it had detected the McCain, the MPA may have been able to send an alert to the vessels and warn them of a dangerous situation.

Sovereign immunity should not be something that excludes warships from following common-sense navigational safety rules, particularly in congested shipping areas. Unfortunately it can lead to an attitude of superiority and exceptionalism: we are warships and we dont have to follow the rules!.

It is to be hoped that the review now being carried out by the US Navy will include a rethink of its policy towards AIS. A basic requirement would be that, under normal circumstances, warships should show AIS when transiting busy shipping lanes. The need for navigational safety should be paramount unless there is a high risk of a terrorist attack similar to that on the destroyer USS Cole in Aden back on October 2000.
By Rahul Shrivastava: Even as Panchkula limps back to normal, it's neighbour Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, is preparing to ensure that Dera supporters don't get to do a Panchkula in the city when the lawyers of jailed Gurmeet Ram Rahim approach the High Court to set aside the convicted self-proclaimed godman's sentence.

A senior Chandigarh administration official said, "the focus will shift to Chandigarh now. Acting on ground report assessment, the union territory is ready with a security blueprint to keep the city calm and trouble free."

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While last Friday's attention was on Sirsa where Dera Sacha Sauda is headquartered and Panchkula where a CBI court announced its verdict, Chandigarh remained incident free by taking precautions and sticking to the rule book.

Top sources told India Today that the city came close to trouble when the Haryana police sought permission to take the accused Gurmeet Ram Rahim's 192-vehicle-long convoy to the CBI court via Chandigarh to beat the crowds waiting for him along the other route. "The request was to take him via Tribune Chowk to Zirakpur and then to Panchkula," said an official.

But realising that any such permission and eventual deployment would be a hint to his supporters to flock to Chandigarh, the union territory's administration rejected the request.

HOW CHANDIGARH AVOIDED THE MAYHEM

Chandigarh proved to be smarter than Haryana. Ahead of the meetings with the Home Ministry to chart out a security plan for the verdict day, the UT administration had prepared an elaborate plan about pockets in the city where supporters of the accused lived.

Few days before the verdict, police and administration officials reached out to every known leader of the Dera supporters and a terse message was conveyed - don't try to create trouble. Keep trouble-makers indoors.

The administration was also worried that like every high-profile accused facing an adverse verdict Gurmeet may also complain of some medical issues and seek admission in the region's most reputed medical institution - PGI in Chandigarh. The administration decided that the doors of the institute will not be opened for him and he would be denied admission.

For emergencies, hospitals in sector 12, sector 32 and the PGI were put on standby. A total 100 beds were earmarked only for that purpose. Ambulances and police escorts were kept ready to deal with any eventuality.

A lot of this was decided in a meeting called by Governor VPS Badnore, two days before the verdict, which was attended by the top cops and bureaucrats of the 2 states and UT.

Chandigarh executed the plan better than Haryana and thus ensured that its borders running with Haryana and Panchkula remained impregnable and Dera supporters could not organise even a single gathering.

But the administration knows it can't let its guard down. Dera lawyers will soon be knocking at the doors of the High Court to press for suspension of Singh's sentence to enable him to come out on bail.

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The UT administration's assessment is that a body of Supreme Court judges have in the recent past clarified that bail is a "discretion" which cannot be exercised in case of legal matters that shake public faith in the justice delivery system. Also since Singh has not served any term in jail as a detainee he can't take a plea that he has already suffered and thus is eligible for bail.

What weakens Singh's expected petition in the High Court is the fact that it was the Punjab and Haryana High Court which acted tough against him and the Haryana government over the case and the handling of the verdict situation. The complete anarchy unleashed by his supporters seems premeditated now.

This is where the challenge for the UT administration lies. Singh's petition in the court will keep the attention of his supporters alive in the case and any legal setback may enrage them. But a senior official said a blueprint to ensure peace is in place, the administration hasn't let its guard down for the last one week. The crackdown will be complete to scuttle any attempt as Chandigarh is too important a city.

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Also Read:

Ram Rahim had an illicit relationship with adopted daughter Honeypreet, claims her ex-husband

On Ram Rahim, ex-CBI officers open can of worms, talk of political pressure, being accosted by Dera men

Where is Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's wife?

WATCH: Gurmeet Ram Rahim sentenced to 20 years in jail, fined Rs 30 lakh

--- ENDS ---
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/29/2017



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
Kim Kardashian paid tribute to late first lady Jackie Kennedy in a new magazine feature with daughter North West.

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The 36-year-old "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star shared pictures Monday on Instagram from her Jackie Kennedy-inspired photo shoot for the September issue of Interview.

"This photo shoot I will cherish forever as such an amazing memory with my daughter, working with the most incredible team @interviewmag @nickkharamis," Kardashian wrote, tagging Interview editor-in-chief Nick Haramis.

The cover shows Kardashian wearing Kennedy's signature bouffant hairstyle, a white mock neck dress and elbow-length gloves, with North in a collared dress.

Another photo shows the pair in coordinating black and white outfits.

"Just wanted to thank @stevenkleinstudio for pushing me to do a shoot that was very different & powerful & allowed me to pay homage to the iconic Jackie Kennedy who I admire & respect!" the star said.

Kardashian, who shares North and 20-month-old son Saint West with husband Kanye West, opened up about North in an accompanying interview with writer Janet Mock, saying she's "very conscious" of raising a mixed race daughter.

"Kanye always has his family around and people who look like my daughter -- that's important to me," the star told Mock.

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"She's obsessed with her curly hair, and if she finds someone who has the same hair, she runs to them and is like, 'You have curly hair like me?' And then we get to talk about it."

"We also talk about it with my niece Penelope [Disick], because she and North look really different, but they're best friends and they're together all the time," she added.

"We want our kids to be really aware," she explained. "I think that's all you can do. The more you talk about things and keep them out in the open, the more they won't be taboo."

Kardashian shared a photo this month of North and Penelope embracing while wearing matching hairstyles.

The cousins celebrated their respective birthdays at a joint Moana-themed party in June.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/28/2017



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/29/2017



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

eliminated Dassy Lee and her All-Star partner Fik-Shun, which determined the fourteenth season's Top 7 dancers, during Monday night's broadcast on Fox.Based on home viewer votes following last week's Top 8 performance show, Dassy fell into the bottom-three dancers with Kaylee Millis -- who is partnered with All-Star Cyrus Spencer -- and Koine Iwasaki, who is paired with All-Star Marko Germar.judges Nigel Lythgoe, Vanessa Hudgens and Mary Murphy were then forced to choose which contestant was going to be sent home, and Nigel announced that the panel unanimously decided to oust Dassy despite her "magical presence" onstage."I moved to America because of . This journey has been amazing to me. I learned if I trust myself, there really is nothing that I can't do," Dassy said in her final words, adding that she learned a lot about dance and life."I think I had the best All-Star. Fik-Shun has taught me to do my best. Being able to come to America and be in this competition, it was my life-changing moment, really."Fik-Shun said that working with Dassy was a "very great and growing experience.""I truly believe that no one can do what she does -- do what's asked of her in other styles -- as well as her. And I'm so happy I picked her, and honestly, she did contemporary today and wowed everyone and ended on a high," the All-Star added.When the judges deliberated on the bottom three dancers, Nigel expressed how Koine's placement was a shock because she's "brilliant" in every style of dance she's given. Koine was therefore saved first, leaving Kaylee and Dassy in jeopardy of elimination.The judges then saved Kaylee, saying she's a "unique dancer" and a "strong woman" who manages to stick within the boundaries of the choreography she learns week to week.Nigel said it was "awful" to send Dassy packing and she certainly made her home country of South Korea proud.During Monday night's show, each of the Top 8 contestants performed twice -- once with his or her All-Star partner in a style picked at random as well as a duet with a fellow contestant.Dassy and Fik-Shun performed a contemporary routine choreographed by Jaci Royal, and then she took the stage with Mark Villaver for a jazz number by Christopher Scott.Kaylee first took the stage with Cyrus for a cha cha routine choreographed by Dancing with the Stars pro Val Chmerkovskiy , and then Kaylee danced a contemporary number with fellow contestant Logan Hernandez choreographed by Travis Wall.Koine and Marko initially danced a jazz routine by Mandy Moore , and then Koine joined Kiki Nyemchek for a salsa routine choreographed by Val.Going into next week's performance show, the Top 7 is comprised of Kaylee and All-Star Cyrus, Koine and All-Star Marko, Logan and All-Star Allison Holker , Mark and All-Star Comfort Fedoke, Kiki and All-Star Jenna Johnson , Taylor Sieve and All-Star Robert Roldan, and Lex Ishimoto and All-Star Gaby Diaz.
The girls were taken for medical examination after a team of local administration rescued them from the sprawling ashram in Sirsa.

By India Today Web Desk: A day after a special CBI court handed over 20-year jail term for Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim for raping two of his disciples 15 years ago, 18 girls were rescued from the sect's headquarters in Sirsa.

The girls were taken for medical examination after a team of local administration rescued them from the sprawling ashram.

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"Eighteen girls, aged up to 18 years, were taken out from the Dera after completing all legal formalities. At present, these girls are under the supervision of a Child Protection Officer and, later they would be sent to child protection institutes being run at different places," Sirsa Deputy Commissioner Prabhjot Singh said.

A CBI court on Monday (August 29) sentenced Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 20 years in jail for rape of his two followers, holding he acted like a "wild beast" who did not even spare his own "pious" female disciples.

The court also said that Ram Rahim, 50, committed breach of gravest nature by sexually assaulting "such gullible and blind followers" and that he did not deserve any leniency.

In other steps, the official said the district administration has also sent 650 people of the DSS to their respective destinations. "With this, only 250 to 300 people are now left in the Dera (campus)," he said.

The officer said that peace is prevailing in Sirsa town and relaxation in curfew has been given up to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, except for the roads leading to the Dera complex, eight km from the town.

"Internet services have also been restored. Educational institutions and banks have re-opened and the people are busy in their day-to-day work."

"However, the Indian Army, paramilitary forces and police have been deployed at various areas in the city as a precautionary measure," he added.

Judge Jagdeep Singh in his 9-page order pronounced two sentences of 10 years rigorous imprisonment in each of the two rapes that date back to 2002, three days after the conviction of the Dera chief that sparked violence leaving 38 dead and scores injured in Haryana.

ALSO READ:

Finally, I've got justice, was never afraid of him, says woman who was raped by Gurmeet Ram Rahim

Gurmeet Ram Rahim has been given 20 years in jail, not 10; also slapped Rs 30 lakh fine

Ram Rahim had an illicit relationship with adopted daughter Honeypreet, claims her ex-husband

On Ram Rahim, ex-CBI officers open can of worms, talk of political pressure, being accosted by Dera men

WATCH: Gurmeet Ram Rahim's mother roots for grandson Jasmeet Insan to take over as Dera chief

--- ENDS ---

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'For non-Indians there were no raises, no promotions, no identity, no career path'

'Sikka stood for transparency, open-door communication'

Erin Green, bottom, left, former head of immigration at Infosys, who filed a lawsuit against the firm for unlawful sacking, says the resignation of Vishal Sikka from the post of managing director and chief executive officer was expected, as there was a clash of cultures at the firm.

In an email interview with Raghu Krishnan, Green says only the loss of a big client could push Infosys to correct its internal corporate culture.

What is your opinion of what has transpired with Sikka resigning?

What is going on now does not surprise me. We (Americans) were very optimistic when Sikka was hired. He lived in the US and was a Silicon Valley executive who could potentially understand the dynamics between two contrasting business cultures.

He stood for transparency, open-door communication and seemed like he wanted to engage with the US employee population. This was something new at Infosys.

But during his short stint, it seems like Sikka had so many issues and frustrations with those that hired him.

Do you see the exit of Sikka impacting the image of Infosys among clients in the US?

The hope with Sikka -- at least for US employees and I assume those in power in India who hired him -- was that he would represent a shift for Infosys from the completely India-centric model of governance, decision-making, to a more westernised, American approach.

Of course, as we saw, that just became a battle, with not such a great ending.

I can relate, as similar struggles were experienced in my group.

The issues we felt, as employees on the immigration team and in HR in Texas at Infosys, were just a microcosm of how the company was being run on a broader scale.

For non-Indians, especially, there were no raises, no promotions, no identity, no career path.

I thought it was a joke that I was the highest-ranking member in global immigration -- and certainly the most-experienced US immigration subject matter expert -- yet lower-level employees in India, or those with no US immigration background, were setting US immigration policy and making US immigration decisions.

My bosses in India consistently felt that our duties could easily be copied and performed by non-subject matter employees at the US immigration team in Bengaluru.

Do you see people who Sikka hired moving out?

I know he brought in (David) Kennedy as legal head, and he left a while ago.

Kennedy was professional, experienced and knowledgeable. He visited our office and met me when he was hired. I think he may have genuinely cared about our situation.

But for a new general counsel, especially an American, to facilitate an employment change that was much needed for our group was probably extremely difficult for him, because unfortunately it would have to be decided by the board members who were in India.

Three US law firms are saying they would file a class-action suit against Infosys. How would this impact the firm?

I do not know about the situation surrounding the Panaya deal that is surfacing now, but there is a class-action lawsuit filed in Minnesota in support of American workers, and my lawsuit.

Both uncover a blatant culture of discrimination and retaliation that is widespread at Infosys.

Companies will start realising how Infosys discriminates and retaliates against its own American employees. Especially, the ones Infosys (by their own internal whistle-blower policies) was supposed to protect by encouraging them to speak out and report such behaviour.

American companies will make this an issue in their choice of vendors.

Unfortunately, I feel that the loss of a big client, who takes an interest into what goes on within Infosys on US soil, is the only way Infosys will correct and change its internal corporate culture.

Does Infosys have whistle-blower policies to protect against discrimination and people who complain?

Oh sure, they do. They encourage employees to report such things. They promise protection and say that they take harassment, discrimination, even unfair treatment seriously.

What they really do is investigate you, the complainer.

Infosys photograph (top): Savita Kirloskar/Reuters.
By PTI: Kochi, Aug 29 (PTI) The Kerala High Court today refused to grant bail to Malayalam actor Dileep, arrested on charges of plotting the abduction and sexual assault of a noted South Indian film actress here in February this year.

Justice Sunil Thomas denied bail after considering the evidences against the actor produced by the prosecution in a sealed cover.

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Dismissing the bail petition, the second by the actor since his arrest on July 10 last on the charge of conspiracy, the Judge ruled that the investigation in the case was still progressing and there appeared to be no substantial change of circumstance (since the previous bail plea).

The court also considered the prosecution argument that the actor was a highly influential person capable of tampering evidences and influencing witnesses if he was granted bail.

The court had dismissed Dileeps first bail petition on July 24 after finding that the probe into the case was progressing and the mobile phone, which the prosecution stated as a key evidence in the case, had not been recovered.

Opposing the bail plea, the prosecution has contended that the original memory card in which the video of the incident had allegedly been stored was yet to be recovered. The investigators were still attempting to unearth the material objects, including the phone and memory card.

"The above fact indicates that the investigation is still progressing. There does not appear to be any substantial change of circumstance. Having considered the entire facts, I am not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner at this stage," Justice Thomas said in his order.

The actor in his latest plea had submitted that the scenario had completely changed and that he was not the kingpin of any criminal conspiracy or even a participant in it.

He had also argued that he was not the perpetrator of any criminal offence.

The actor had submitted that he was only the "unfortunate victim of an orchestrated media campaign and proceedings of a group of police officers acting on the pre-conceived notion of his guilt and wanting to implicate him as an accused."

Earlier, a magisterial court at nearby Angamaly had declined to grant him bail.

Dileep, charged with various IPC offences, including criminal conspiracy, has been lodged in a jail in his home town Aluva since his arrest.

Police have claimed that the conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress in a moving car on February 17 and film the act was hatched by Dileep. PTI COR TGB VS DV

--- ENDS ---

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Firm's dented image following Sikka's exit could bring down revenues in the margin rich US market and force Infy to hire fewer Americans, as hiring locals in developed markets comes at a cost.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

As power shifts back to Bengaluru from Silicon Valley, Infosys ambitious plan to hire more than 10,000 people there could face a setback.

The firms image as an employer of choice among American engineers has already received a dent after the dramatic departure of Vishal Sikka.

Hiring in the US would also be difficult if Infosys fails to meet its revenue forecast for the year ahead.

Analysts have said the management turmoil could reflect on the company getting newer clients in areas such as digital and cloud, where employees need to collaborate with customers locally.

Local hiring in the US is inevitable. It is not something Infosys is doing differently; all other IT firms are doing it. Sikka accelerated the process. But the process may get delayed, said Pareekh Jain, IT analyst, HfS Research India.

The projections were made based on future demand from the clients. And any turbulence there and a fall in demand may impact the timing.

Since Sikka took over, Infosys has been deliberately looking at increasing local hiring in the US, mirroring its assembly-line approach of recruiting freshers from campuses and putting them on an intensive training before being deployed on projects.

In addition, it has looked at poaching talent from local as well as Indian rivals to bridge gaps in sales, project architecture and management and consulting.

Infosys has around 20,000 people in the US, nearly a tenth of its total workforce.

But, going forward, Infosys will have a challenge.

Increasingly, new deals are in digital and transformation technologies that require working with the clients in their time zone to find a solution.

After that, companies explore taking some of the development work offshore to India.

If the company struggles to get new clients - a fallout of Sikkas resignation and the management time devoted to the fight on corporate governance issues raised by its founder N R Narayana Murthy - it will also face challenges to meet the revenue target it set in April.

This means, it would also need to reduce hiring of local talent in the US, as hiring locals in developed markets comes at a cost.

A company can get four people in India for the cost of every one person hired in the US or the UK. With Sikka moving out, the focus would be on realigning costs, said a senior executive.

Infosys also needs to deal with the culture issue that has come to fore with Sikkas resignation.

Sikka looked at bringing western practices in management that has been a culture shock for Infosys, which has been built up by N R Narayana Murthy with a frugal mindset.

Erin Green, a former immigration head at Infosys who filed a lawsuit against the company over his termination, said Infosys had a diversity problem that it had not been able to resolve.

The Infosys culture is such that client site project managers (almost exclusively male) must be Indian.

Lets start discussion about middle and senior management positions in the US, to effectively tackle the dilemma and effectuate positive change.

Hiring Americans in lower job roles to appease President (Donald) Trump will not remedy the long-term diversity problem that exists at Infosys, said Green.
The confidence that GST Network is capable of handling the returns, payments, reconciliation, refunds, etc., has been badly shaken.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

When the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime was introduced on July 1, 2017, a major apprehension was that the trade and industry was not well prepared.

As it turns out, it is the government that is not well-prepared for implementing the indirect tax system.

First, exporters had no clear guidelines on how they can send their goods abroad. The Central Board of Excise (CBEC) came out with one clarification after another till six weeks after the new laws came into effect.

There are many issues relating to supplies to Special Economic Zones (SEZ) units and developers that have still not been addressed.

For example, whether a bill of export needs to be filed even when no incentives are being claimed; how to procure minor services like that of electrician, carpenter, plumber when they are not registered; how SEZ developers can pay in foreign currency for services supplied against a letter of undertaking and so on.

In the meantime, some laws have been amended and tax rates have been changed in response to various representations.

Initially, the main concern of the trade and industry was to get the classification, tax rates and manner of invoicing right.

On August 8, the government specified August 20 as the last date for filing summary returns of outward and inward returns for July and payment of tax for July, without taking into account the carry-over of credit balances from the earlier regime.

The government resolved this problem just two days before the deadline. But by then, many had filed their returns and paid their taxes, blocking their working capital.

As the cut-off date neared, the GST Network could not take the load and the closing date was extended.

To be fair, the GST laws were put into place after considerable discussions with stakeholders.

The government answered many questions from the trade through tweets, circulars, advertisements in print media and its websites, although some of these replies are incorrect.

It conducted many outreach programmes to increase awareness. Still, many exporters had to cope with wrong trade notices issued by the Customs department calling for incorrect declarations for drawback claims and are uncertain about getting their claims and fear unexpected tax liabilities.

The confidence that GST Network is capable of handling the returns, payments, reconciliation, refunds, etc., has been badly shaken. Much depends on how it handles the workload in the coming months.

In a tax reform of such great sweep as the GST, it was always expected that there would be some glitches at the initial stages.

However, it was not expected that there would be unnecessary six weeks delay in prescribing export procedures or incorrect trade notices or the inability to put in place systems for carryover of the credit from the earlier regime or lack of preparedness to cope with the rush to pay the taxes just before the deadline or the absence of answers to questions raised by SEZ units and developers and so on.

The government must understand that elements in the trade who were unprepared hurt themselves, whereas lack of preparedness on its part has wounded everyone.

Industry carried on with the problems because it has no choice but the costs are enormous.

The effects are bound to show up in the coming months.
WhatsApp says business profiles verified by it will carry a green badge, similar to how parent Facebook verifies businesses with a blue tick.

Facebook-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp has shared details on how businesses will be able to communicate with the two billion odd users on its platform -- marking the first real attempt of the company to monetise its service.

Hidden in the company's FAQ section on its website, WhatsApp says business profiles verified by it will carry a green badge, similar to how parent Facebook verifies businesses with a blue tick.

However, the statement did not share any details on whether the company was charging businesses for the service or not.

"Some business accounts have been verified by WhatsApp. If you see a green badge next to a contact's name, it means that WhatsApp has confirmed that the phone number of this contact belongs to a business account," the company said on its website.

While WhatsApp has not given any details on how the feature will work for businesses, in the past chief executive oficer Jan Koum has outlined that tapping businesses rather than users will be the primary method in which the company monetises its service.

The move he said would allow the company to stay away from spams.

WhatsApp has been working on such tools for nearly two years now, but recent reports of the company beefing up its team which will interact with businesses indicated that its launch was nearing.

The company post, however, did not divulge any details on when the service would make it to non-beta versions of the app and in which geographies would it be rolled out first.

"We will test tools that allow you to use WhatsApp to communicate with businesses and organisations that you want to hear from. That could mean communicating with your bank about whether a recent transaction was fraudulent, or with an airline about a delayed flight," Koum had said in a blog post in January 2016.

With 200 million users, India represents the largest user base for WhatsApp in the world.

The company is already working along with the National Payments Corporation of India to introduce payments through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) on its platform, a feature that would go a long way if it plans to tap businesses here.

Several of India's largest businesses, including banks today send millions of SMS to their customers for two-factor authentication which is mandated by regulators.

Further, companies such as network operators also rely heavily on SMS and voice calls to forward promotions and informational messages to users.

So far, given India's patchy mobile internet connections, using mediums such as WhatsApp for brands to communicate with customers has been limited.

However, with improving internet infrastructure, especially in cities, and the growing number of smartphones, using apps and digital platforms by businesses to communicate with users is expected to grow.

Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters.
Dealers with turnover of Rs 2 crore and above covered; industry says threshold too low

The central government has notified the money laundering rules for the gems and jewellery sector with immediate effect.

Now, any entity deals in precious metals, precious stones, or other high-value goods and has a turnover of Rs 2 crore or more in a financial year will be covered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA, 2002).

The limit of Rs 2 crore would be calculated on the basis of the previous years turnover, said the notification. The directorate general of goods and service tax intelligence has been appointed under the Act.

Sources said the governments move to apply the PMLA to the jewellery sector was a fallout of income-tax raids on jewellers soon after demonetisation last November, when it was found that they sold gold and jewellery at a huge premium and accepted old currency notes as payment.

The notification, issued on August 23, has surprised the sector.

Surendra Mehta, secretary, Indian Bullion & Jewellers Association, said: The Rs 2 crore threshold is low. It means jewellers even in rural areas will be covered under this.

This also means that all receipts and payments will have to be KYC-compliant for cash transactions of Rs 50,000 or more.

This increases the compliance burden for jewellers along with the permanent account number requirement, which should match with other identity proof.

The government last Friday banned gold coins and other valuable articles imported at zero duty from South Korea under the Free Trade Agreement, and before that had banned exports of jewellery of above 22 carat (24 carat is pure).

Sources in the trade said that henceforth jewellers will have to be careful about dealing in cash.

Since PAN is now linked to Aadhaar, dealers will find it difficult to quote the wrong PAN card number.

So far a parallel economy was vibrant in the gems and jewellery sector. Black money was pervasive in it. The organised sector, however, had largely stayed away from it.

Owing to the 10 per cent basic customs duty, bringing gold through the unofficial route was lucrative.

Now, experts believe, gold smuggled into India is sometimes moving to the organised sector also.

But due to money-laundering provisions, two parallel channels, one dealing in officially imported gold and another in unofficial import, could start operating.

Under the scanner The new Act will cover many jewellers in rural areas The limit of Rs 2 crore would be calculated on the basis of the previous years turnover All receipts and payments will have to be KYC-compliant for cash transactions of Rs 50,000 or more Experts say official and unofficial trade will run parallel

Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters
Maruti Suzuki is set to steer its fourth brand into 2 million club.

The numbers convey a sense of the contribution that WagonR makes to this auto company.

IMAGE: A guard walks through a Maruti Suzuki stockyard on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters.

Reaching a sales milestone of two million units is a feat for any car, especially in a market like India where annual sales are just about three million units.

No wonder then that only three vehicles in the passenger car segment have been able to cross this landmark. All the three vehicles belong to Maruti Suzuki, which now sits on a 50 per cent market share.

After Maruti800, Omni and Alto, it is now WagonRs turn to enter this club.

In 2017, even as auto majors rush in with premium brands aimed at the high end of the Indian market, the number of customers buying into a brand that promises functionality, performance and affordability is growing.





IMAGE: A worker cleans a parked car at the Maruti Suzuki stockyard near Jammu. Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters.

WagonR, the companys first tall boy design car, was launched in 1999, a year before the companys small car Alto made its way into showrooms. It has taken 17 years for WagonR to clock cumulative sales of two million units.

Since both WagonR and Alto were launched around the same time and come from the small car segment, one may be tempted to compare the time Alto took to reach two million units in sales. Well, it achieved this milestone in 12 years of its launch, that is, in 2012. And it has also gone ahead to become the first Indian car to reach a volume of three million units.

But Alto and WagonR operate at different price points and cater to different consumer groups.



WagonR begins at a price of Rs 4.10 lakh and goes up to Rs 5.34 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The Alto begins at Rs 2.45 lakh (for the 800 variant) and goes up to Rs 4.15 lakh for the K10 variant.

IMAGE: The full range of colours of the popular WagonR.

WagonR has consistently figured in the top five most sold vehicles in the domestic market. In FY17, it was the second most sold passenger vehicle in the country after the Alto by clocking sales of 172,346 units.



The numbers convey a sense of the contribution that WagonR makes to Maruti Suzuki. It is the companys second best-seller and accounted for 12 per cent of the 1.44 million units sold by the company in the domestic market.

If WagonR was a standalone car manufacturer, it would have ranked fourth in the domestic market, ahead of players like Honda, Tata Motors and Toyota in volume. A quick back-of-the-envelope calculation shows that WagonR accounts for about Rs 7,500 crores worth of revenue for Maruti.



The popularity of this product stems from its utilitarian benefits, practicality, adequate space, easy manoeuvrability along with the critical element of good mileage. The brand was positioned as a car full of options and the company invested in a series of television commercials that were built on the same proposition.

Besides being the first car with a tall boy design, it also happened to be Marutis first car offering consumers in the choice of dual fuel in one car, that is, petrol and LPG. Later, the introduction of CNG helped make the car an economical choice for buyers.





IMAGE: A worker unloads a WagonR from a container at a Maruti Suzuki stockyard outside Jammu. Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters.

It is worth pointing out that the unconventional design was not readily accepted by the Indian buyers. But the company tried to communicate the value and uniqueness of this car through a series of brand campaigns. It was positioned as the countrys first multi-activity vehicle. Sales took time to pick up but when it did there was no looking back.

From an annual average of 25,000-26,000 units in the initial five years, sales surged to an average of about 110,000 units in the next five years.



There was not a single year when sales did not grow YoY during the first decade of WagonRs journey. The volume of 172,346 in FY17 is yet another record for a single year and numbers have been only going up in last few years in spite of rising models in the market.

The car is sold mostly in domestic market while exports are negligible, with just a few thousand units shipped since the launch.



WagonR has sustained its position in the top five models year after year for over a decade in a market where over 18 manufacturers sell more than 100 models. Loyalists have appreciated it for its functionality, utility and tall boy design, said Tarun Garg, head of marketing at Maruti Suzuki.

It is also interesting that in spite of the growing popularity of this car among cab aggregators and taxi operators, demand from individual customers remains strong at over 90 per cent.





IMAGE: Parked cars at the Maruti Suzuki stockyard, Ahmedabad. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters.

The company claims that a large chunk of buyers fall in the age group of 35 years and below. The contribution of this segment has increased to 40 per cent now from 35 per cent four years ago.



Maruti said the company worked to keep WagonR relevant to changing times. Over the past couple of years, it has introduced auto gear shift, anti-lock braking system and dual airbags in this model. In addition, several limited editions have been introduced to keep the brand relevant and interesting.
'Did the government learn any lesson from the disasters of 2008, 1987, 1975?'

'Certainly not!'

'They are making people believe that the 2017 flood was unexpected, so no preventive effort towards reducing the loss of human lives was to be expected from the government,' says Mohammad Sajjad about this year's Bihar floods which have claimed over 500 lives and left 17 million people homeless.

People wait to be rescued from a flood-hit area in Bihar. Photograph: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters

One of the greatest bottlenecks in the way of developing Bihar is recurrent floods.

But as one says this, it sounds as if Bihar is just fated to remain like that and despite all modern developments the problem is humanly impossible to solve.

That is what one needs to check first.

This time the Bihar floods are killing an unprecedentedly larger number of people.

The worst affected districts are the Kosi belt of Seemanchal; the Baghmati-Gandak belt comprising Tirhut-Mithila are affected only a little less in terms of the devastation and deaths.

Nobody is asking about the forewarning of the disaster, and about the relief measures.

Thanks to the intelligentsia (in Bihar and rhe rest of India), it has been internalised by the huge segments of the affected population that this is only a natural deluge.

Hence, no human agency -- the government -- should be blamed for anything, including relief measures.

Nobody asks that even a poor country like Bangladesh has constantly been developing and reviewing its flood management to reduce human miseries. So, why can't India do it for Bihar and other such provinces?

The fatalism is heartrending, just as it was in August 1975 when floods had unleashed only little less disaster than that of today.

So is people's apathy, and state callousness.

Reports are that policemen are throwing away dead bodies into the waters. So, the surviving kin won't even be able to claim compensation from the state.

SEE: What Nitish Kumar said about the Bihar floods. Video: ANI.

What about the corporate houses?

In India, we hardly expect them to fulfil their social responsibilities by undertaking relief measures in such calamities.

The capital-investors, with full support of the State machinery, become too ruthless in dispossessing the peasants of their lands, but these investors won't be asked/expected to undertake relief measures.

May one recall how ruthlessly the police had killed people in Forbesganj in June 2011, to forcibly acquire their land for investors?

The very same locality (Seemanchal) is today devastated by flood and the greedy private investors are nowhere to be seen.

This reveals a distinguishing feature of capitalism in our part of the world as compared to those of the developed world.

Since the suffering masses have been indoctrinated with fatalism, they won't ask their governments, their chief minister and prime minister and the corporate houses for relief measures.

Nitish Kumar's priority is combating disunity in the Janata Dal-United.

The prime minister promptly tweeted to express his grief for the fire that had caught in the Portugal forest (June 2017). Our efficient and remarkably alert PM was so very quick in congratulating Nitish within seconds of his resignation just few weeks ago, and rejoining the NDA. But he is yet to tweet for the suffering Biharis.

The priority of the Opposition leader of Bihar, Tejaswi Yadav, was his road shows and mobilisation for the August 27 rally even while human misery and the death toll keep rising in most of north Bihar.

They stayed away in the flood of August 2008 as well when the criminal negligence of the state as well as a change in the course of the Kosi resulted in havoc on the people of Seemanchal.

Did the government learn any lesson from the particularly greater disasters of 2008, 1987, 1975? Certainly not!

There is hardly anything in the name of disaster management. They are making people believe that the flood was unexpected, so no preventive effort towards reducing the scale of losses of human lives was really to be expected from the government.

For a long time, a falsehood has been circulating that such floods are caused only when Nepal mischievously pushes out certain quantum of water.

This politics of passing the buck was exposed when then chief minister Rabri Devi had said this, creating a diplomatic problem. She had to tender an apology.

A renowned expert on Bihar floods, Dinesh Mishra, clarifies that there is no such thing about water to be held back.

Yet, at popular level a prejudice against Nepal comes up on such occasions.

As late as in 1937, Dr Syed Mahmud (1889 to 1971), the then minister of education, development and employment, in the Congress ministry had convened a huge flood conference in Patna.

The brainstorming session had underlined that multi-purpose river valley projects would help contain the flood devastation to a large extent.

This remains an unfulfilled dream.

Experts suggest that smaller dams, rather than embankment projects could have been better solution.

Cost effectiveness and structural-strategic safety of the proposed dams in a highly seismic zone is also seriously doubtful.

Ruling elites have had vested interests in embankment projects.

The huge wealth accumulated even by petty employees like the overseers (junior engineers) employed with such projects and departments of the Bihar government testify to this disgusting reality.

Since colonial days, unplanned, faulty, and hasty construction of rail-roads, and highways (with much less number of bridges) have also contributed to the disaster.

These faulty projects obstructed the natural courses of the river, making these rivers furious on such exacerbated occasions of water flow.

The combined effect of the Kosi-Kamla-Baghmati embankments have caused severe drainage congestion.

In the 1950s, some committees were instituted by the Government of India. Nothing came out of it.

Only 27 of 205 recommendations of the Rashtriya Barh Ayog (1980) were accepted. None were implemented.

The Naresh Chandra Committee Report on the 1987 flood for mitigating the sufferings in eastern Bihar is also gathering dust.

After the Kosi flood of 2008, the World Bank Rehabilitation and Resettlement Team worked in 2009-2010.

The government did not follow any of their suggestions, nor did they give the team an opportunity to to work and implement their solutions.

SEE: Aamir Khan's plea for Bihar flood victims. Video: ANI

The Netherlands dealt with its flood problem with its strategy 'Room for Water'.

Maximum possible number of canals, annual widening of river basin, and sloping dykes on river banks have been made since 1953.

They did not control water, they made room for water, disallowed human settlements in the areas of water-logging. Human encroachment upon water spaces have been absolutely disallowed.

The only way of understanding such scale and persistence of state negligence and callousness is that Bihar is treated as India's 'Internal Colony'. Hence, it does not deserve development. It has to supply cheap labour to the developing and developed parts of India.

This is how, the scholars like Arvind N Das and Sachidanand Sinha have explained it at length. Such assertive, fearless public intellectuals are becoming extinct.

The new media (embedded as most of these are) do not help either.

All these solutions provided over the years have fallen on deaf ears of successive provincial and Union governments. Why?

Because, the death and destruction of the recurrent flooding is forgotten soon after the flood recedes. Public memory is indeed short.

State machinery undertakes relief measures more visibly only after the water recedes into the river basin.

This contributes to fattening of the corrupt bureaucracy. This is how things have sadly been going on for decades.

People reconcile with all these as a divine curse for their collective sins. Rats and foxes are blamed for breaches in embankment.

The villainy of the human agency in not undertaking flood control measures remains hidden.

The ruling elites have the last laugh!

Professor Mohammad Sajjad is with the Centre of Advanced Study in History of Aligarh Muslim University and has published two books -- Muslim Politics in Bihar: Changing Contours (Routledge, 2014), and, Contesting Colonialism and Separatism: Muslims of Muzaffarpur since 1857 (Primus, 2014).
Until Delhi and Beijing resolve outstanding border issues within an accelerated time frame, standoffs like Doklam will be repeated across various peaks along the Himalayas, says Mathew Maavak.

While the media is abuzz with various analyses on the India-China military stand-off in the Doklam bowl, they generally miss the larger issue at stake, namely the need for a permanent border resolution between both nations.

Any temporary resolution over the 89-square kilometre yak-grazing ground claimed by China and Bhutan would be complicated by the lack of a general border consensus between all three nations in the area.

Doklam represents only a dot along the thousands of square kilometres of contested lands straddling the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China.

Even if the Doklam standoff is resolved, another sore spot along the LAC may flare up tomorrow.

Under these circumstances, it would be pointless for India to make any concessions to China unless Delhi and Beijing agree to resolve all outstanding border issues within an accelerated time frame.

Until then, the staring war between Indian and Chinese troops that we saw in the Doklam bowl will be repeated across various peaks along the Himalayas.

Despite China's military superiority, India knows it is digging in from a position of strength.

The Chinese economy is maxing out, primarily due to debts incurred by its numerous State-owned enterprises (SOE), which amounted to 65 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016.

According to the Bank for International Settlements, the total outstanding debt incurred by China's government, corporate and household sectors amounted to $26.6 trillion in 2015, representing a staggering 255 per cent of its GDP.

China, therefore, can ill-afford a major war with India whose long-overdue infrastructural boom has only begun to rev up.

Beijing also urgently needs alternative export markets before various debt bubbles, worth tens of trillions of dollars in the United States alone, implode a la the Great Recession of 2008.

The global stabilising role played by China from 2008 onwards may even be replicated by India in 2018 if both nations can move beyond their singed borders to synergise their economies.

So far, little has been studied or published about the economic potential unleashed by a hypothetical border treaty between India and China.

With a collective market of 2.7 billion potential consumers, backed by a historic stranglehold over 50 per cent of the global GDP from 1000 AD to 1600 AD, there is no reason why both nations cannot return to their rightful places under the sun.

In the light of the West's gradual decline, China's export-oriented industries need Indian consumers for the next few decades.

Incidents like the Doklam standoff, however, resulted in strident calls for the boycott of Chinese products in India and the substitution of Chinese raw materials through an accelerated industrial programme.

It is an open question as to who will benefit more from a final border resolution between China and India.

China's primary Belt and Road arteries have been laid across territories that may be prone to Islamic fundamentalist disruptions and geopolitical blackmail in the near future.

A trans-Himalayan economic corridor into India, post-border treaty, may, however, provide a secure and enduring economic corridor for China in a way the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Pakistan cannot.

It also creates a formidable geostrategic continuum between the RIC nations of Russia, India and China.

Such a game-changing development may also neutralise jihadi secessionist movements from Xinjiang to Kashmir to southern Thailand. Turkey, aware of its ability to stoke pan-Turkic discombobulation across Central Asia, is already eyeing a military base along the Strait of Malacca through which 80 per cent of China's maritime oil imports and 60 per cent of Japan's total oil imports flow.

While the proposed Melaka Gateway joint development project by a Chinese-Malaysian consortium may help secure the Strait of Malacca for Beijing, there is no guarantee that Turkey will not establish a wild card presence in the region.

With a growing military presence in the Strait of Hormuz, courtesy the ongoing Qatar-Saudi Arabia rift, Ankara may be tempted to encircle the B&R in order to extract trade and geopolitical concessions out of China.

And this is just one short-term geopolitical risk facing China.

It is, therefore, in Beijing's long-term interest to seek a permanent border resolution with Delhi.

India is already benefitting from the fallouts of China's unresolved territorial disputes with 18-odd nations -- one that may even involve the Jiandao region in a future unified Korea.

Nations feeling the brunt of China's revanchist policies are rapidly boosting trade and military ties with India.

A final India-China border treaty should be future-proof.

It should securitise the Tibetan fonts of India's downstream water lifelines and cut out Pakistan from being used as a spoiler in future India-China bilateral equations.

At the of the day, it may take a Himalayan effort for both nations to sign a secure and lasting treaty, but once both nations stop bickering and start cooperating, it is their destiny to move mountains beyond their current redoubts.

Mathew Maavak is a doctoral researcher in risk foresight at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

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
'The only choice we have is to strengthen ourselves militarily and economically and develop friendships with others without alarming our neighbours, says Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.

Commentators are at a loss to choose the right Shakespearean title to describe the end of the Doklam standoff.

The tempting ones are 'Measure for Measure', 'Love's Labour's Lost', 'As You Like It' and 'Comedy of Errors'.

But the most appropriate thing to say, particularly when the details of the deal are not known, is that 'All's Well That Ends Well'.

We can even go one step further and console ourselves with Robert Browning's line, 'God is in his heaven and all is right with the world.'

Of course, all is not right with the world and the threat from China will not go away.

India must be ready to deal with the Chinese menace for a long time to come.

Incidents like Doklam will continue to take place and there will be no single approach to each of them.

This time the deus ex machina was the BRICS summit, which put a time limit on the standoff.

After the Indian boycott of the BRI summit, a similar step by India on the BRICS summit was quite possible.

China's stake in BRICS is high as it is turning out to be a major political and economic instrument for it.

After Brazil and South Africa have become minor players, China needs India and Russia to carry on the show.

Knowing this fully, India made its moves cleverly and brought China to end the situation to pave the way for a trouble-free BRICS summit.

If BRICS was not around the corner, the situation would have been different.

Surprisingly, even some former Indian diplomats have challenged the basic premise of India that the Indian Army moved to Doklam at Bhutan's request on the basis of the treaty that requires India to defend Bhutanese territory.

It is difficult to imagine that India will lie on such a fundamental issue.

Such a request will not be in the public domain as of now, but it does not mean that there is not even a verbal request.

According to Mani Shankar Aiyar, the last time there was such a threat to Bhutan, Rajiv Gandhi went to Bhutan to assure the king that India would intervene if necessary.

Should we distrust the government so much to believe that the Bhutanese invitation is a cock and bull story?

Another point being raised by the pro-China lobby is that India did not respond at all when China reportedly informed India about its plans to construct a road in the area.

If China was building a road on its own territory, why should they have informed India?

Even if they had, why should India have responded without consulting Bhutan, knowing well that the area in question is disputed between Bhutan and China?

Moreover, isn't there a public statement from Bhutan that the building of the road was violative of the understanding reached that the tri-junction should be settled only at a later date?

Those who believe that they have a monopoly over all wisdom refuse to acknowledge that their successors are as good in diplomacy as them, if not better.

The theory of evolution supports the premise that mankind is becoming superior in intelligence.

Till a few days ago, the situation was that India had expressed willingness to withdraw simultaneously with China and China had insisted that there would be neither simultaneous withdrawal nor talks till India withdrew.

Such an impasse had to be resolved without loss of face and now the withdrawal has taken place, perhaps because the civilisational wisdom of both countries prevailed.

It does not matter now as to who took the first step.

Let both sides look for their own face saving devices and gloat over them.

Those who are nitpicking on the modalities seem to forget that India has accomplished its objectives.

What India wanted was the restoration of the status quo, which essentially meant China discontinuing road construction.

China has admitted that it will only patrol the region and not continue the road construction.

Nothing succeeds like success and let us not grudge the Indian side their sense of victory.

If the Chinese violate the understanding, it will be another ball game, which has to be faced.

At the same time, this is no time for celebration as some ruling party activists seem to believe.

Military and diplomatic victories are to be savoured, not proclaimed.

How some of them turned a success in anti-insurgency operations in Myanmar and the surgical strikes against terrorist camps in Pakistan into victory parades and made matters worse should be remembered.

Any celebration of victory is a blow to the other party.

Victory can turn into defeat if it is unduly celebrated.

Moreover, trust and confidence are important ingredients of successful negotiations.

In the coming years, India will face such difficult situations as long as the list of grievances on both sides grow.

The list is not shorter today than what it was in 1962.

Doklam had novel features because it was a test of India's bonds with Bhutan.

China kept claiming that Bhutan had no problem with the road it was building, but Bhutan kept its customary silence in public.

Now that we have overcome the present challenge, let us savour the moment and move on.

Peace and tranquility on the China border will remain a distant dream.

The only choice we have is to strengthen ourselves militarily and economically and develop friendships with others without alarming our neighbours.

T P Sreenivasan, (IFS 1967) Former Ambassador of India and Governor for India of the IAEA Chairman, Academic Council and Director, NSS Academy of Civil Services, Director General, Kerala International Centre.
An unemployed migrant becomes a much sought after Baba right before Syed Firdaus Ashraf's eyes.

When I was a child, a man often dropped in at my parents' home.

This guest had a unique sense of timing. He always dropped in just before lunch or dinner.

Our home was a tiny one bedroom apartment, and his unwanted presence distressed me.

I discovered he was trying to find employment in Mumbai. He had tried many jobs, but could not settle down in any of them.

His family was in Uttar Pradesh and he had no place to stay in the city.

He was making ends meet with great difficulty.

I asked my father why this man always turned up at meal times.

He is jobless, my father told me about this distant relative.

"He is hungry, he has no place to go and eat, that's why he comes here."

And then my father said something which I remember to this day and follow like gospel: "If any migrant in Mumbai comes to your home at lunch or dinner, never let him go hungry."

"Why?" I asked.

"I too was a migrant once," my father said, "and I have eaten at the homes of many people in Mumbai. Many families offered me food during my hard days. People opened their doors even at odd times to feed me."

I asked if he had not felt unwelcome.

"When you are hungry with no money, you have few options," my father said.

"Shame is a luxury for the haves, not for the have nots."

I had forgotten about our guest until Gurmeet Ram Rahim's followers created havoc on the streets of Haryana following his conviction in a rape case last Friday.

You may wonder what the connection between Ram Rahim and the person who would come home many years ago is.

More than a decade after the guest stopped coming home, I received a call one afternoon from someone congratulating me on my marriage. I had trouble remembering the caller's name or face.

The man invited my wife and me for dinner at his home.

I wanted to decline, but my father persuaded me to go. The caller was our guest of many years ago.

When I reached his home, I saw a long queue outside. I asked a passerby who assured me that I was at the right address.

When I entered the house, I saw many people seated inside.

Before I could react, a man with a long beard and kohl in his eyes came up to me. He looked mesmerising.

When he hugged me, I realised that he was the man I had come to meet -- the unwanted guest of years earlier.

"I won't be able to see you today," he told all those who had been waiting, "come tomorrow morning."

He told me how grateful he was to my family, especially to my father, because he had fed him at a time when no one in Mumbai opened their doors for him.

How did he become a Baba, I asked.

One day, he said, he had seen his ancestors in a dream, telling him that he was wasting his life searching for a job.

"We are from a Sufi family. Our ancestors had divine knowledge of medicine. I have those books and it has knowledge to cure illnesses," he said.

An agnostic like me could hardly digest what he was saying, but who was I to challenge him?

Not only for medical treatment, he said, people came to him seeking solutions to personal problems like cheating spouses, children addicted to drugs, children not concentrating on their studies.

The unemployed also sought him out, this once unemployed Baba added, hoping he would help them get a job.

He owned two flats in Mumbai, he said, and often travelled abroad to meet patients.

This, I thought as I left his home after dinner, was only possible in the wonderland that is India.

No one was ready to give this man food when he had no job. And today, after he became a Baba, everyone was falling at his feet.
'Article 370 is a 'temporary' provision which should be made 'permanent' to assure special status to J&K.'

M M Ansari, former central information commissioner and part of the three-member committee appointed by the United Progressive Alliance government to hold talks with all stakeholders amid violence and unrest in the Kashmir valley in 2010, tells Sahil Makkar that Article 370 is a 'temporary' provision and should be made 'permanent' to assure a special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

What is your opinion on abolishing Article 35A of the Constitution now that a larger bench of the Supreme Court will take a view on a public interest litigation filed by a non-governmental organisation?

As per Article 370 of the Constitution, the central government can make laws with respect to three subjects only -- defence, external affairs and communication.

Beyond that, the central government has extended to J&K umpteen laws through Presidential orders, which would be termed invalid along with the scrapping of Article 35A by the Supreme Court.

A major political crisis will emerge as Parliament is not competent to frame laws for J&K.

The Presidential order as a route to govern the state will be closed, paving the way for dis-integration of the state.

The mainstream political parties, the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party will not cooperate with the central government due to loss of trust between the Centre and the state.

Many say it is a ploy of the Bharatiya Janata Party which had promised to abolish Article 370 in its poll manifesto. It appears that the central government is likely to take a different stand than the J&K government in court.

The BJP is in alliance with the PDP and it has already committed that it will do nothing for abrogation of Article 370.

Parliament alone can do nothing unless it is backed and endorsed by the state assembly.

The state will not compromise with its autonomy.

There is no illegality in inserting the above provision into the Constitution.

Therefore, the Supreme Court cannot scrap it. We have to live with Article 370 till the Centre and the state arrive at a consensus through a democratic process.

You were part of the three-member interlocutor committee appointed by the UPA government to speak to various stakeholders in J&K. What were the main recommendations and how many have been accepted by the government?

The recommendations of our committee and several other committees have hardly been implemented by the Centre, which is why the Kashmiris feel totally alienated and deprived in terms of quality education and employment.

One of our major recommendations relates to erosion of Article 370 and we suggested a way out to resolve contentious issues between the Centre and the state.

The government has not cared to look at it, which is unfortunate.

What could be the reason behind the UPA government not implementing your report in full?

I can't say why the UPA government did not implement our report.

Our committee was formed on the basis of recommendations of all political party delegations that visited Kashmir in 2010.

These parties are the constituent of the UPA and the National Democratic Alliance.

No political party has assertively demanded implementation of the report, which we prepared in close interaction with all the political parties that were then part of the delegations.

Such inaction has sowed the seeds of mistrust between the Centre and the state.

Your committee had also suggested setting up a Constitutional committee to review all laws made post 1952. Do you think reviewing laws is the right way forward?

Yes, indeed. This suggestion has had wider acceptance during our interaction with a cross section of people from civil society and the political leadership as well.

How has the situation in J&K changed post your report (2011)?

How is the approach of the NDA government on J&K different from that of the UPA government?

Over time, the situation has worsened.

The BJP-PDP agenda of alliance has not been implemented in letter and spirit.

Several accepted schemes have not been effectively executed, which is why Kashmiris have suffered both within and outside the state.

That Kashmiri students are thrown out of universities because the ministry of human resource and development has not released their scholarships is a case in point.

Do you believe things have turned worse in J&K under the current regime?

The initiative to engage with all the stakeholders is lacking.

Alienation of Kashmiris has escalated while human rights violations and related sufferings have increased.

The youth don't enjoy social life, which their counterparts elsewhere in the country do. They are, therefore, hugely frustrated and disappointed for no fault of their own.

What are the immediate measures the NDA government should take to win the trust of the people in J&K?

All the recommendations made by various committees should be implemented in letter and spirit.

This must be done under the supervision of a high-powered committee comprising representatives from all the major political parties.

A fresh initiative should be taken to engage all the stakeholders in a meaningful dialogue to resolve all the contentious issues.

The prime minister's recent statement to shun the bullet and hug Kashmiris is the way forward.

Let us not only preach this, but also practise it.

What could be a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue?

Article 370 is a 'temporary' provision which should be made 'permanent' to assure special status to J&K.

This is possible through accommodation of the aspirations of the people of the state.

This task is difficult indeed, but it is not impossible as the democratic and federal polity allows for reconciliation and coexistence of diverse socio-economic groups.

As we may move towards talking to Kashmiris in the spirit of Narendra Modi's approach to 'hug' them, terror will subside and diminish since Kashmiris have for long been yearning for peace.

IMAGE: A scene from Kashmir. Photograph: Fayaz Kabli/Reuters
By PTI: By K J M Varma

Beijing, Aug 28 (PTI) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today started its first nuclear security assessment of China, at the request of China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA).

During the 10-day assessment, the agency will review Chinas nuclear security system, laws and government supervision, and visit nuclear plants in Zhejiang Province, according to the CAEA.

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The IAEA will carry out reviews of nuclear security systems and make suggestions for improvement, said Wang Yiren, vice chairman of the CAEA.

China regards nuclear security as an important part of national security, state run Xinhua quoted the CAEA as saying. The CAEA is responsible for Chinas international nuclear cooperation, emergency response and management.

As the central intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical cooperation in the nuclear field, the IAEA works to ensure safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear science and technology.

China currently has 23 nuclear power generating units in operation and 27 under construction, about one third of the worlds unfinished nuclear units. PTI KJV ZH

--- ENDS ---
The Bharatiya Janata Party has deemed the decision of the Indian and Chinese troops to withdraw from Doklam as a welcome development and stressed that the matter is too small to hamper the relationship between both the countries.

BJP leader Ram Madhav, while speaking to ANI, said, "What happened yesterday is a welcome development. Both India and China have accepted that this is too heavy a price to pay in our relations. It was a mature decision."

Refuting claims that calling off the armies is a temporary solution before the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa summit, he said that India has held itself with dignity throughout the whole ordeal.

"It is a combination of firm ground posture and mature diplomatic endeavour. Maintaining peace in the border is a prerequisite for maintaining good bilateral relations," he said.

He also stressed that the BRICS summit would play an important role in strengthening the relationship between the two countries.

Bhutan welcomes end of Doklam standoff

Bhutan on Tuesday welcomed the end of the 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Doklam and hoped it would help in ensuring peace and tranquillity at the tri-junction.

"Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area," the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

In a major diplomatic breakthrough to end the prolonged standoff between their troops, India and China yesterday disengaged their border personnel at Doklam.

"We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquility and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries," the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Doklam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area.

India had deployed about 350 Army personnel in the area.

Bhutan and China have a dispute over Dokalam, a strategically key area at the Bhutan-India-China trijunction in the Sikkim sector.

With PTI inputs
IMAGE: A man wades through flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey while helping evacuate a boy in east Houston, Texas. Photograph: Adrees Latif/Reuters

Tropical storm Harvey continued to batter southeast Texas on Tuesday with rain and floods, leaving at least nine people dead and submerging highways, houses and entire neighbourhoods in the United States fourth-largest city Houston.

First responders took to boats to rescue stranded residents, with authorities warning that more than 30,000 people across the region could be forced from their homes by the time skies are expected to clear later this week.

A family of six is believed to have died after drowning in a white van while trying to escape the floods.

The passengers included four children. The driver reportedly called out to them to try to get out through the back door, but they were unable to escape.

Witnesses said first responders were in the area, but were unable to rescue the passengers. It is thus far the single deadliest incident resulting from the storm.

A 60-year-old woman died Monday in Porter, a small community north of Houston, when a large oak fell on her mobile home.

Another person died in the small coastal town of Rockport, near where Harvey made landfall. A 52-year-old homeless man was found in La Marque, a small city near Galveston.

Non stop rain on Monday crippled Houston and emergency teams -- aided by a growing contingent of citizen-rescuers -- plunged into waist-deep water seeking people stranded by devastating, historic flooding in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

Two Indian students are in a critical condition after they nearly drowned in Lake Bryan in the US state of Texas.

IMAGE: A woman carries a child while migrating to a safer place in Beaumont Place, Houston.

Photograph: Jonathan Bachman/Reuters

As the rain kept pouring, as many as 13 million people from Houston to New Orleans were under flood watches and warnings. Many residents climbed to the upper stories of their homes. Some even pitched tents on roofs, waiting it out until a boat or helicopter swooped in.

Harvey has in many ways turned southeast Texas into an inland lake...the size of Lake Michigan, said Brad Kieserman, vice president of disaster operations and logistics for the American Red Cross.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), residents can expect another 24 inches of rain, the return of tropical storm force winds and high flood waters.

The NWS has issued flood watches and warnings from near San Antonio to New Orleans, an area that is home to more than 13 million people. Schools, airports and office buildings remained closed.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said that there are already 5,500 people in shelters and that number is expected to rise.

Harveys onslaught is predicted to continue for the next few days, as the storm swirls around the southeastern US coast, briefly heads offshore and then makes another landfall.

IMAGE: Houses and cars are seen partially submerged by flood waters in east Houston.

Photograph: Jonathan Bachman/Reuters

Texas Governor Greg Abbott activated his states entire National Guard, deploying 12,000 service members to respond to the devastation.

In addition, 16 aircraft are conducting day and night wide area search and rescue missions along the Texas coast from Corpus Christi to Houston.

Texas is at the early stages of turning back on power -- restoration of power is one of its biggest needs.

Desperate residents have taken to social media to plead for help, posting images of their families stranded at home as flood waters quickly rise.

President Donald Trump on Monday declared emergency conditions in Louisiana, where forecasts have called for as much as two feet of rainfall in some areas.

He pledged swift action by the federal government to provide relief to states affected by Harvey, and he is scheduled to visit Texas.

Recovery will be a long and difficult road, and the federal government stands ready, willing and able to assist in that effort, he said.

The immediate focus for many remained Houston, the countrys fourth-largest city and a sprawling metropolitan area, which faced dire circumstances and National Weather Service forecasts warning of more heavy rainfall.

Two reservoirs were opened to release water to relieve the stress the downpour has caused in the region, which has seen as much rain in a few days as it averages in an entire year.

IMAGE: An elderly man is carried after being rescued from the flood.

Photograph: Jonathan Bachman/Reuters

Parts of Harris County, which encompasses Houston, were pelted with 30 inches of rain in the past 72 hours, the Weather Service reported early Monday.

The Weather Service said Harvey's rain is causing catastrophic and life-threatening flooding over large portions of southeastern Texas.

Officials said Houston, a major center for the nation's energy industry, had suffered billions of dollars in damage and would take years to fully recover.

Oil and gas companies have shut down about a quarter of their production in the Gulf of Mexico.

Spot prices for gasoline are expected to jump, but the full extent of damage will not be clear for days, companies and experts said.

More than 100,000 Indian-Americans living in and around Houston area have also been badly hit by the monstrous hurricane Harvey.

The community members living in and around Houston have either voluntarily abandoned their homes or have been evacuated to safer places, after flood water dangerously entered their homes, in a few cases touching the roof.

Hundreds of Indian students, who were stranded in their homes and ran out of food, are being helped by the Indian Consulate in Houston.
Social media comes to the rescue of those stuck in every part of the island city.

Mumbaikars reach out to help on August 29, 2017.

Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters.

The heavy rains pummelling Mumbai and adjoining areas, disrupting rail, road and air services -- and bringing back memories of the deluge of 26/7 -- Mumbaikars across the island city have once again risen to the occasion to offer food, water and shelter to those stranded.

And this time -- unlike in 2005, when social media was still nascent in India -- the Good Samaritans have the advantage of getting the message out far and wide through Twitter and Facebook.

All gurudwaras in the city are open to serve free food and shelter.

And so are many of the leading Ganpati Mandals. The organisers of Lalbaugcha Raja in Parel tweeted saying they have made arrangements to feed anyone who seeks shelter there, as did the GSB Seva Mandal in Wadala.

Churches like St Peter's Church and the St Stanislaus School, both in Bandra, also opened their doors.

A glimpse of the impact of Mumbai rains.

Video: ANI.

Mumbaikars across the city are tweeting under #RainHosts to offer their homes, offices and studios to those stranded in their areas. And they are doing it with typical Mumbai charm.

Deepen Shah from Mulund, tweeting as @Shahrlock, offers, 'Anyone around Mulund looking for a space to rest is welcomed. Netflix, Prime, Hotstar & Snacks.'

Vivek Tejuja, who tweets as @vivekisms, tweets, 'Guys if anyone is stuck between Goregaon to Borivali, please feel free to come over & crash #mumbairains I have 2 cats & books!'

Shampee Priti Chanda aka @itsearth4all on Twitter, says, 'Stuck in #MumbaiRains in mahim west, malad west #MyHomeIsYourHome #humans & #animals all welcome.'

Choreographer Terence Lewis has opened up his dance studios in Khar and Andheri to anyone needing 'a dry safe place n hot chai'. He added, 'We have security at both these places!'

Enterprising Mumbaikars have also compiled the flood of offers in a Google Docs file titled Mumbai Rain Hosts 2017.

The welcoming party at the Radio Mirchi office in Mumbai.

Photograph: @Mirchimumbai/Twitter.

Offices too are doing their bit.

Radio Mirchi tweets, '@Mirchimumbai is opening doors to anyone in the Lower Parel area, we have tea, maggi and love waiting for those in need.'

And Book My Bai's office is open to host people who are stranded in the Malad area.

And for those unable to reach the #RainHosts, Mumbai Police and the BMC has open helplines.
R Rajagopalan on why September promises to be a crucial month for Tamil Nadu.

Image: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami (right) and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam at an AIADMK party meet in Chennai on August 28, 2018. Photograph: PTI Photo.

September promises to be a crucial month for Tamil Nadu politics.

In the first week the speaker of the Tamil Nadu assembly P Dhanapal will suspend the 19 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam legislators who have shown their allegiance to rebel faction leader TTV Dinakaran.

Soon after, most likely on September 12, the AIADMKs general council will convene for a stormy meeting, and resolve to remove Sasikala Natarajan as the general secretary of the party. Pushed to the corner, her nephew Dinakaran will end up taking asylum with the rival DMK.

But even that wont turn out well.

For on September 20, the 2G scam verdict will be pronounced by the special court in New Delhi. And whichever way the verdict goes, it will succeed in regenerating an atmosphere of anti-DMK feelings in the state, which routed the party in the 2011 elections and singed its alliance partner the Congress.

In the midst of all this Dinakaran will move a no-confidence motion in the Tamil Nadu assembly. And given the way the numbers are stacked, it is reasonable to expect that the Edappadi K Palaniswami government will be voted out.

But here comes the twist. With the governments fall Dinakaran will not join hands with the DMK, even though Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao will have to call the latter as the next largest party in the assembly to form the government.

DMK leader M K Stalin will not agree to heading a minority government and instead prefer to go in for early elections to the Tamil Nadu assembly.

In the short term, then, the state will come under Presidents rule.

Fresh elections are likely to be held early next year, say, by February 2018.

The outcome of fresh elections will hinge on many factors.

Will the AIADMK get back its two-leaves election symbol by then?

Will superstar Rajnikanth enter politics?

Will his friend and rival Kamalahaasan, align with the DMK?

And, most importantly, will Prime Minister Narendra Modi be able to swing the state for the BJP?

R Rajagopalan is a veteran New Delhi-based journalist who has been following Tamil Nadu affairs for years.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) India today asked Tanzania to consider giving long-term visas for reputed business companies with multi-entry facility to promote investments between the two countries, the commerce ministry said today.

The issue came up for discussion during the fourth session of India-Tanzania Joint Trade Committee meeting here.

The Indian delegation was led by Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Tanzanian side was represented by Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment Charles John Mwijage.

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The ministry said in a statement that a liberal visa regime facilitates trade and investments.

Visa on arrival is available in Tanzania though only for a three-month period.

"During the discussions, it was mentioned that long-term (at least one year visas) for reputed business companies with multi-entry facility will be helpful to promote investments and business collaboration between the two countries," it added.

Both the sides also emphasised on the need to increase cooperation in areas like gems and jewellery, energy, oil and natural gas, mining, transport, agriculture, capacity building and trade promotion.

The Indian side informed its Tanzanian counterpart that huge potential exists here in sectors such as light oils, petroleum or bituminous minerals and vehicles.

Similarly, metals and minerals, dried cashew nuts in shells from Tanzania are required in India, it added. PTI RR BAL

--- ENDS ---
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Lohani asked employees to resolve to bring about an all-round improvement in the working of the railways for satisfactorily meeting the hopes, expectations and aspirations of the vast multitude.

By India Today Web Desk: A day before the Nagpur-Mumbai Duronto Express derailed near Asangaon today, newly-appointed Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani wrote a letter to all railway employees asking them to ensure highest level of safety to instil a sense of confidence among the passengers.

He said the Indian Railways has suffered a serious dent in the recent past due to certain unfortunate incidents. Without mentioning the derailment of Duronto Express in Maharashtra or any other recent train accidents, he said such incidents often overshadow the great work that this organisation performs day in and day out.

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Lohani asked the employees to resolve to bring about an all-round improvement in the working of the railways for satisfactorily meeting the hopes, expectations and aspirations of the vast multitude.

"Safety shall always remain our principal focus area. We have to always be on our guard to ensure the highest level of safety in train operations and instil a renewed sense of confidence in our esteemed passengers," he said.

Lohani said cleanliness at stations and on trains is another area that is crying for attention and often contributes to the image of the railways. Similarly, he said, the quality of catering and linen on trains is also an area of serious concern. "We have to work in a mission mode to bring about quantitative and qualitative improvements in a very short time frame in these areas, while at the same time not losing sight of the fact that the railways need an overall improvement to achieve total customer satisfaction," he said.

The Railway Board Chairman said the operating ratio of the organisation needs to be brought down considerably. He asked the staff to do not only by reducing expenditure but also by increasing freight loading besides finding other means of non-conventional revenue generation to achieve a spurt in revenues.

Lohani reiterated the importance he attaches to employees of an organisation. "I have always believed in the supremacy of the human resource. For me my employees, not the customers, come first. For, it is my firm conviction, that a contented and happy employee is the prerequisite for the success of any organisation. And this great organisation is no exception," he said, adding that he would, therefore, expect employee welfare to be the core concern of all railway employees.

At the same time, he said, the department has to deal with the evils of corruption, sexual harassment at work places and alcohol abuse while on duty. These are social evils and need to be dealt firmly with an iron hand, he said.

On a personal note, Lohani said he believe in avoiding any frills in the form of bouquets, gifts, lavish celebrations and excessive protocol. "These divert our attention from our primary responsibilities, hard core work and severely damage the organization also. Our focus needs to be on deliverance and deliverance alone. We also have to reform our processes, many of which have, with passage of time, become so complicated that they seriously hamper work. That remaining busy is not deliverance is a thought that also needs to be imbibed," he said.

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He made a fervent and personal appeal to "all my fellow railwaymen" to put in their best effort to restore the old glory of "the lifeline of the nation - the great Indian Railways".

He said the post of chairman, Railway Board, is not only an onerous responsibility but also a challenge being the administrative head of the railways. "At this critical juncture when we are facing a serious issue with the image perception of the railways, I expect all my fellow railwaymen to pitch in wholeheartedly to set this perception right. I am sure, with your cooperation, we will be able to achieve and re-establish the pristine glory of the brand Indian Railways," he said.

Lohani sought to remind the employees the glory of the railways. Stating that it is the largest employer in the world under a single management and the wheels on which the nation moves, he said the sincerity, dedication and professional capability of the railway employees, both officers and staff, is unparalleled.

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"It is the men on the field who, regardless of their personal inconveniences and hardships, ensure that the wheels of the nation keep moving surely and safely. This is what makes the Indian Railways the most visible symbol of dynamic delivery in our country," he said in the letter which starts with "Dear colleagues" and ends with "Jai Hind".

ALSO READ |

Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani's first order: VIP culture must stop

Landslide caused Nagpur-Mumbai Duranto Express derailment: Railways

Duranto Express derailment: Timeline of rail accidents since 2014

ALSO WATCH | Nagpur-Mumbai Duronto Express derails in Kalyan, no casualties reported

--- ENDS ---
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The students were being provided food and other supplies by the Indian-American community in the area.

By Press Trust of India: At least 200 Indian students stranded at the University of Houston due to "catastrophic" flooding after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas were being evacuated to safer places, authorities said today.

The students were being provided food and other supplies by the Indian-American community in the area.

India's Consul-General in Houston Anupam Ray has been in touch with the students and monitoring the evacuation process.

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In New Delhi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said two Indian students, Shalini and Nikhil Bhatia, have been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

"@CGHoust has informed me that 200 Indian students at University of Houston are marooned. They are surrounded by neck deep water," she tweeted.

The Indian side made efforts to deliver food but the US Coast Guard did not allow them as boats were required for rescue operations, Swaraj said in a series of tweets.

She said the MEA was ensuring that the relatives of the hospitalised students reach the health facility at the earliest.

"Mr Anupam Ray our CG (Consul General) Houston is organising the rescue operations," she tweeted.

Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to hit the US in 13 years, has left a trail of destruction as it swept through Texas after making landfall on Saturday, pummelling the region with heavy rains and claiming at least five lives.

The National Weather Service of the US has called the flooding in Texas "unprecedented". "Catastrophic flooding is now underway and expected to continue for days," the service said in a statement.

Sewa International Houston - along with several other Indian-American community organisations - have teamed up to provide food and shelter to the affected people.

Major Indian organisations such as the India Cultural Centre, the India House, the Indo-American Charity Foundation and the Indo-American Political Action Committee have decided to coordinate their relief efforts through Sewa International.

Indian businesses and places of worship were providing shelter to displaced families. Indian restaurants were giving food packets to the people hit by the catastrophic flooding.

Gitesh Desai, Sewa International's president, said Houston residents were "staying strong through the crisis".

Also Read:

Hurricane Harvey : More than 1,000 people evacuated overnight, flood water recahes catastrophic levels

Bihar floods: PM Narendra Modi promises Rs 500 crore after aerial survey with Nitish Kumar

ALSO WATCH | Viral video shows how 3 of a family get washed away with a bridge in Araria

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: By K J M Varma

Beijing, Aug 29 (PTI) Indias innovation growth rate would see a significant rise and could surpass that of China in the next decade, according to a BRICS report released today.

China ranks first in terms of national comprehensive innovation competitiveness in 2016, followed by Russia, South Africa, Brazil and India, according to the BRICS Innovative Competitiveness Report 2017 released by China Science and Technology Exchange Centre here.

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It is predicted that "the innovation competitiveness of India would see a significant rise with its growth rate probably surpassing China between 2025-2030," state-run Global Times reported.

"The growth rate of Russia would fall and India would take over Russia in terms of its comprehensive Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) competitiveness by 2030," it said.

The report also said BRICS countries have become a "bellwether" in their respective regions, leading the neighboring countries in many aspects.

The five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) is leading the development of science and technology, economy and society in their regions, it said.

The report said BRICS countries are major representatives of emerging economies, which contribute 18 per cent of global GDP, 17 per cent of global research and development investment and 27 per cent of science papers published in international journals.

However, in terms of research, quality of education, modern infrastructure and eco-protection, BRICS still lag behind, the report said.

The report was released ahead of the upcoming BRICS Summit to be held from September 3 to 5, in Xiamen, East Chinas Fujian Province.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Xiamen to attend the summit. PTI KJV AJR AKJ AJR

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Villagers affected by controlled flooding at Cambodias Lower Sesan 2 hydropower dam petitioned the countrys Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Ministry of Interior on Tuesday for their help in being allowed to remain on their land, sources said.



A July 15 shutdown of floodgates on the U.S. $781 million project located on Mekong River tributaries in northeastern Cambodias Stung Treng province has sent water levels rising in the Srekor and Kbal Romeas villages of Sesan district following government appeals to residents to relocate to other areas.



Hundreds of residents have already accepted compensation plans offered to them by the government and project managers to move, but about 143 families remain, saying they do not want to abandon their ancestors tombs or the place they have called home for generations.

Following an Aug. 29 meeting in the capital Phnom Penh with an official of Cambodias interior ministry, Kbal Romeas village representative and member of the Phnorng ethnic minority group Choeun Sreymom told RFAs Khmer Service that group members remaining in the villages want title issued for their land.



They also want police and other authorities sent to watch them to be withdrawn, she said.



Our villagers have been completely cut off from road traffic, but now we have to deal with armed security personnel, she said.



We are demanding that we be allowed to remain on our land, since we already have rice paddies there. We do not want to be forced to relocate to new places determined by the government.



Anyone directly affected by this situation will know how painful this is, she added.



'Can't abandon our homes'



Also speaking to RFA, Lath Vibolanother member of the group of 10 petitioning in Phnom Penhsaid that villagers remaining on their land want the government to ensure they can continue to live where they have always lived.



We cannot abandon our homes, and especially our ancestors tombs. We cant move these to any new location, he said. We are requesting that authorities promise us that the dam floodgate shutdown will not result in our region being submerged, so that we can continue living in the same location.



On Aug. 25, villagers submitted a similar request for intervention to Cambodia's Ministry of Mines and Energy, where ministry officials promised only to pass the petition along to senior officials for their review.



As a result of ongoing floodgate tests at Sesan 2, water levels in Sre Kor are expected eventually to rise to about 220 feet. A local bridge connecting Sre Kor to main roads, along with a few roads in Kbal Romeas where the dam is located, are now flooded, villagers told RFA in earlier reports.



Reported by Chanratha Sorn for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Richard Finney.




The brother of missing Chinese rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng was summoned and briefly held by police at the weekend in an apparent move to silence criticism of authorities handling of the lawyers disappearance, sources said.



Gao Zhiyi, Gao Zhishengs older brother, was brought in by police on Aug. 26 and held for a few hours before being released, according to a tweet on social media by Gao Zhishengs daughter Geng Ge, who lives in the U.S. with her mother Geng He.



Reached by a reporter by phone, Gao Zhiyi declined to speak, saying only Why do you need to ask me anything? before hanging up the phone.



Ai Wu, a member of the Gao Zhisheng Concerned Group, based in Europe, said that Gao Zhiyi had likely been detained in order to zip up his mouth on the question of Gao Zhishengs whereabouts.



Police may also may want to prevent Gao Zhiyi from meeting with other activists who came to their place to help look for Gao Zhisheng, she said.



Gao Zhisheng, 53, who was being held under house arrest in the northern province of Shaanxi after suffering long periods of incarceration and torture at the hands of police, has not been seen or heard from since Aug. 13, his wife Geng He told RFA in an earlier report.



Speaking to RFA, Beijing-based dissident and rights activist Hu Jia said it is likely Gao Zhisheng is still in the hands of the police.



It could be an illusion that authorities are saying that they are searching for him too. They may have detained Gao again, but are telling other people they dont know where he is.



Gao Zhisheng, once a prominent lawyer feted by the ruling Chinese Communist Party, began to be targeted by the authorities after he defended some of Chinas most vulnerable people, including Christians, coal miners, and followers of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement.



In a published memoir, Gao details the torture he later endured at the hands of the authorities during his time in prison, as well as three years of solitary confinement, during which he said he was sustained by his Christian faith and his hopes for China.



Reported by Qiao Long for RFAs Mandarin Service. Translated by Feng Xiaoming. Written in English by Richard Finney.




Plans by China's parliament to make it a criminal offense to mock or alter the country's national anthem have sparked concerns in Hong Kong, where the proposed legislation will also likely apply.



The standing committee of China's National People's Congress is currently discussing draft legislation setting out the "proper" way to sing "The March of the Volunteers," the rousing revolutionary march that accompanies China's gold medal-winners at international competitions.



If the bill becomes law, anyone "maliciously modifying" its lyrics will face criminal prosecution and up to 15 days' administrative detention without the need for a trial.



And the committee is proposing that the law also be extended to cover the former colonial territories of Hong Kong and Macau.



Use of the anthem will be banned at funerals and other occasions deemed inappropriate, including in commercials or as background music in lifts and shopping malls, if the bill is passed.



Instead, the music may only be heard at formal political gatherings such as daily flag-raising ceremonies in the nation's schools, important occasions of state and sporting events, the draft says.



Criminalization of speech

Hong Kong was promised the continuation of its traditional freedoms under the terms of its 1997 handover to Chinese rule, although the city has adopted legislation governing the handling of China's national flag.



Pan-democratic Civic Party lawmaker Tanya Chan said the proposed legislation prompts concerns about the criminalization of speech and even thought in the formerly freewheeling city.



"The national anthem isn't like the national flag," Chan said. "The national flag is a material object, but the national anthem could potentially appear in many different guises, maybe some of them not so solemn."



"For that to be criminalized is like creating a thought crime, because it's very hard to know definitively what someone is thinking when they are singing it," she said. "The possibilities [for interpretation] are infinite."



Other Hong Kong residents said they are unaccustomed to being forced to show public reverence to symbols of the state.



"When we were little, just to be naughty, we would sing along to the tune with the words 'beef and spinach, rotten! rotten! rotten!'," one listener told a radio call-in show at the weekend. "I guess we won't be allowed to sing that any more."



"Does this means that if it comes on when we're eating in a restaurant, everyone will have to stop eating and stand up?" said another caller. "Will we all have to stand still if we're walking along the street and the national anthem is broadcast?"



Teachers said they are more concerned that the law will enforce "patriotic education" in the city's schools, starting in elementary school.



"Is it necessary to adopt all of the same methods as schools in mainland China, for example, teaching them from the first grade onwards?" lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen, who represents the education sector in Hong Kong's Legislative Council, said.



"I think there needs to be a public debate about this."

'Their lies aren't working'



Democratic Party lawmaker Ted Hui said on that nationalistic "brainwashing" of Hong Kong's young people is already taking place.



He said textbooks and teaching materials about the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, already teach students that civil disobedience such as rent strikes in a protest over rate hikes is wrong.



But the city's chief executive Carrie Lam said people were being "too sensitive" about the new rules, which she expects to see enter Hong Kong's statute book.



"Protecting the dignity of the national anthem is the obligation and responsibility of the Hong Kong SAR government and indeed of any Chinese national," Lam told journalists on .



"We're living in a more politicized environment, but we need not adopt this very politicized stance in considering and dealing with any matter," she said.



Across the internal border in the northern province of Hebei, veteran journalist Zhu Xinxin said many in mainland China are also worried about the ruling Chinese Communist Party's increasing insistence on total respect from citizens.



"If you set up the nation as an object of worship, then basically anyone who manages to get hold of state power would be able to wield the power of an emperor," Zhu said.



"They would be able to use the power of the state to crush any form of dissent; that is the biggest danger with the worship of one's country."



A Chinese lawyer who asked to remain anonymous said patriotism is increasingly being used as a means to control people.



"They are building their stability based on lies and violence," the lawyer said. "Now they are threatening people because their lies aren't working."



Reported by Lam Kwok-lap for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Xin Lin for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Seven weeks after the death of Chinese dissident and Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, his wife is still being held in an unknown location by the authorities, sources told RFA on .



Liu Xia hasn't been seen in public, or by friends and close family, since she was photographed at her husband's sea-burial shortly after his death on .



Officials have said she is "free, but grief-stricken" and doesn't want to be disturbed.



Beijing-based rights activist Hu Jia, who is a close friend of Liu Xia's, said she is being held under illegal detention by the ruling Chinese Communist Party in the southwestern province of Yunnan, however.



"We are actually extremely worried about Liu Xia, and we think she is at even more risk than Liu Xiaobo was [during his lifetime]," Hu said. "The authorities aren't even going to discuss [letting her return home] ahead of the 19th Party Congress."



Hu said Liu isn't even being allowed to go out to carry out traditional widow's mourning rites, seven weeks after his death.



"They have told her she has no hope of being allowed to go outside before next year's National People's Congress annual session [in March in Beijing]," he said. "After that, then they'll see, but she has to go along with it for now."



"The authorities have stepped up their security alert and their stability maintenance measures for that whole period," Hu said.



"Apart from knowing that she is in Dali, Yunnan, I have had no news of her whatsoever," he added.



Liu Xiaobo's late diagnosis, and the refusal of the government to allow him to go overseas on medical parole, had sparked widespread public anger, with the governments of Germany and the U.S. offering him the best possible treatment.



Suspicious video

Concerns are growing over the mental and physical health of Liu Xia, who has suffered depression and heart problems under house arrest since , and has reportedly asked to be allowed to go overseas to seek treatment herself.



On Aug. 18, a video of Liu Xia in which she said she was "safe" leaked online.



"I am now in retreat out of town," she said. "Please give me time."



But her friends said at the time that the video was likely scripted and produced by the authorities, as it repeated official claims about her status.



China increasingly uses scripted statements and video "confessions" by detainees under duress to back up its narrative about their "crimes" or their mental state.



But Liu Xia's friend, Guangdong-based writer Ye Du, said he doesn't believe she is well.



"Liu Xia's mental state is bound to be unstable," Ye told RFA. "I think everyone who knows her is going to be worried about her."



A number of social media users have been detained in recent weeks for posting supportive or commemorative statements about Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia, including one social media user who asked to remain anonymous.



"Of course they are going to warn people off," the social media user said. "But nobody here pays any heed to them."



"They are doing it because it's their job."



Memorials for Liu Xiaobo

An activist surnamed Huang in the southern province of Guangdong said he and several others were detained for carrying memorials for Liu Xiaobo and posting to social media about it.



"They have all been sent back to their hometowns where they are under surveillance by their local governments, and they're not allowed to leave," Huang said. "There were a lot of people in Guangdong in this situation."



A second anonymous activist said he plans to post online in memory of Liu Xiaobo on the seventh week after his death, which falls on Aug. 31.



"We all want to take this opportunity, the last in the seven-week mourning period, to commemorate Liu Xiaobo," the activist said. "We want to protest against this dictatorial regime, and preparations are being made among people here and organizations overseas."



"Here in China, we have to prepare in secret, because the authorities will take steps to prevent any sort of mass event," he said. "Any form of honest self-expression is a threat, so far as they're concerned."



The first seven-day mourning rites after Liu Xiaobo's death were observed in secret by activists in mainland China, and more openly in the former British colony of Hong Kong.



Activists visited beaches and shorelines, making offerings in memory of the burial of Liu's ashes in an urn at sea in defiance of attempts by Chinese officials to prevent democracy and rights activists from making a shrine to him after death.



Activists used candles, flowers, portraits of Liu and empty chairs as a focus for their offerings, in a reference to the empty chair that represented him at the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize awards ceremony in Oslo.



At the time of his death at the age of 61, Liu had been serving an 11-year jail term for "incitement to subvert state power," linked to his online writings promoting democracy and constitutional government. They included Charter 08, a document that was signed by more than 300 prominent scholars, writers, and rights activists around the country.



In the document, the former literature professor called for concerned Chinese citizens to rally to bring about change, citing an increasing loss of control by the Communist Party and heightened hostility between the authorities and ordinary people.



Reported by Xin Lin for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wen Yuqing for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
A man walks past a damaged car in the aftermath of Typhoon Hato in Macau, Aug. 26, 2017.

Journalists' associations and press freedom groups have slammed the recent banning of four Hong Kong journalists from Macau, a former Portuguese colony that returned to Chinese rule two years after Britain returned Hong Kong to China.



South China Morning Post photographer Felix Wong, two reporters from the pro-democracy Apple Daily and one from the online news site HK01 were denied entry to Macau by border guards on after they traveled there to cover widespread havoc and 10 deaths wreaked by Typhoon Hato.



Immigration officials said the reporters "posed a threat to the city's internal security and stability."



The Hong Kong Press Photographers Association (HKPPA) and the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) hit out at the move in a statement on their website.



"[We] call on the Macau government to respect press freedom and not to arbitrarily restrict the rights of entry and exit of journalists in Macau," the groups said.



The statement said none of those refused entry were troublemakers, and that the decision to refuse them entry was "unreasonable."



It said the bans are the latest in a string of entry bans affecting Hong Kong journalists in recent years.



Meanwhile, the Macau Portuguese and English Press Association said it found the authorities' explanation for the action "incomprehensible and unsatisfactory."



"This move, similarly to previous ones of the same kind, tarnishes the international image of [Macau] regarding press freedom," the group said.



International press freedom group, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), added its voice to the chorus of criticism surrounding the ban.



'Vague security allegations'

It said the reporters were "briefly detained" at the city's Outer Harbor checkpoint and then asked to sign a notice stating that they were indeed a security risk.



"Denying journalists access to Macau over vague security allegations is unacceptable," CPJ Asia program coordinator Steven Butler said.



"Extreme weather affects both Hong Kong and Macau, and journalists' work is vital to keeping citizens safe and holding authorities accountable for their response," Butler said.



But Macau police chief Ma Io Kun said the denial of entry had nothing to do with the four journalists' profession.



"When reporters at the press conference asked, Ma refused to explain how the journalists posed a threat to Macau's security," the CPJ said.



Under the terms of both cities' handover to Chinese rule, Hong Kong residents are supposed to have free entry into Macau.



The deaths and damage from the typhoon are a politically sensitive topic in Macau, which saw its weather bureau chief Fong Soi-kun step down amid a probe by the city's anti-corruption body into how he handled preparations for the storm.



The graft-busting body said it had received complaints that the bureau under Fong may have broken the rules when making forecasts about the threat from the typhoon.



Macau police on arrested a 73-year-old man and his 68-year-old sister in connection with "rumors" about Typhoon Hato which slammed into the coastal city last week.



The man stands accused of texting dozens of people with reports of five bodies whose deaths went unreported.



Reported by RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.


Washington signaled that a stronger response is in store Tuesday after North Korea ignored earlier warnings and sanctions aimed at curbing its provocative actions and lobbed a missile over Japan.



U.S. President Donald Trump warned that all options are in play for dealing with the North, suggesting that Washington may consider military strikes against the isolated nuclear nation following its latest test, which flew over Japans northern island of Hokkaido early Tuesday, triggering sirens and announcements instructing residents to take cover.



"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," Trump said in a White House statement, adding that "all options are on the table."



Last week, Trump suggested that his earlier warnings of fire and fury had effectively caused North Korea to halt testing, but the new missile test shows that regime leader Kim Jong Un is undeterred. Pyongyang has also resisted repeated calls from Washington to come to the negotiating table.



The U.S. and Japan had called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council following the test, and Washingtons U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley told Agence France-Presse that discussions would center on what else is left to do to rein in the North.



It's unacceptable, Haley said, adding that North Korea had "violated every single U.N. Security Council resolution that we've had, and so I think something serious has to happen, without providing any details.



Haley suggested that new sanctions could be discussed and expressed hope that China and Russia would continue to work with the U.S. on the issue.



Earlier on Tuesday, U.S. Senator Cory Gardner called for additional pressure on all entities that enable North Korea in a message posted to his Twitter account.



China and Russia must finally join us to pressure North Korea into peaceful denuclearization, he wrote, adding that the missile launch over Japan was reckless and intended to drive conflict.



Senator Lindsey Graham also tweeted that the missile test was a big-time escalation of conflict, adding that clearly North Korean sanctions are not working the way we had hoped.



Trump Admin must forcefully respond to convince N. Korea their efforts to destabilize the region & world will not be allowed to mature, the senator wrote.



Likelihood of military action



John Park, director of the Korea Working Group at the Harvard Kennedy School, told RFAs Korean Service Tuesday that the likelihood of U.S. military action against the North is increasing with the latest test.



But he noted that the Norths decision to fire its missile over Japans more sparsely-populated northern island was intended to avoid confrontation. Pyongyang had also recently threatened to fire missiles into waters off the U.S. island territory of Guam, located southwest of Japan.



If they went southward, thats where it could potentially trigger a U.S. or Japanese military response, Park said.



So I think from that perspective, they were very careful in order to accomplish their goal of testing range but do it in a way that doesnt provoke military reaction.



James Przystub, a defense policy expert with the Institute for National Strategic Studies, warned against a military response, which he said threatens a much wider engagement that the U.S. is not interested in pursuing.



But I think were going to be looking for some way to evidence to North Korea our extreme displeasure with their action, he said.



Przystub added that any response would need to be coordinated with U.S. ally South Korea, whose capital, Seoul, is well within range of artillery strikes from the North.



Thats the starting point for any potential response, he said.



The North and the South remain technically at war because the 1953 armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War has never been replaced by a peace treaty.



Reported by RFAs Korean Service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Myanmar's Minister of Home Affairs Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe (2nd from L), National Security Adviser Thaung Tun (C), and Deputy Minister of Defense Rear Admiral Myint Nwe (2nd from R) prepare to brief diplomats on the violence in northern Rakhine state at a conference in Naypyidaw, Aug. 29, 2017.

Myanmars military and government are stepping up efforts to tackle chaos in northern Rakhine state and deter further attacks by militant Rohingya Muslims who sparked another round of deadly violence last week with armed assaults on 30 police outposts.

Militants from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which the government has declared a terrorist group, attacked the outposts and an army base over the weekend in Maungdaw, Buthidaung, and Rathedaung townships, prompting further clashes that have killed more than 100 people, including insurgents, law enforcement officials, civilians, and a government employee.

The countrys National Defense and Security Council (NDSC), an 11-member body responsible for security and defense affairs in the Southeast Asian nation, will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the turmoil, said Major General Than Htut Thein, deputy chief of the Head Office of the Security for Military Affairs.

Myanmars constitution empowers the NDSC to formulate policy on military and security issues, including the right to petition the president to declare a nationwide state of emergency. The military holds six of the seats on the council, which also includes President Htin Kyaw and State Counselor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi.

The continued hostilities between Rohingya militants and soldiers this week in the religiously divided area has been accompanied by the burning of villages, driving some 10,000 ethnic Rakhine people from their homes, and forcing some 7,500 Rohingya to flee to safety in neighboring Bangladesh.

Both communities have lost trust in each another, and this time we are seeing highest level of concern and the highest level of hatred, Than Htut Thein said during a press briefing on the attacks on Tuesday in the capital Naypyidaw. Military troops and security guards are trying to attain stability and security in the region, he said.

The Bengali extremists goal to get their own territory will be accomplished if our western defense is penetrated, Than Htut Thein said, using a derogatory word for Rohingya Muslims who are deemed illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in Myanmar. Thats why we are going to hold an emergency meeting of the National Defense and Security Council to work on it.

Than Htut Thein went on to say that soldiers had found the militants camps in the Mayu mountain range that spans part of Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships in northern Rakhine, and that those who launched the deadly attacks on police outposts on Aug. 25-26 did not manage to capture the stations.

These terrorists goal is to get their own territory, said major General Aung Ye Win, vice chairman of the Myanmar militarys True News Information Team, at the press conference attended by local and international reporters and military attaches from the United States, China, and Bangladesh.

Theyve already said it, he said.

Briefing for diplomats

Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe, Myanmars minister for home affairs, told diplomats at Yangons National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) on Tuesday that the ARSA had intended to capture Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships to establish their own territory, the online news service Frontier Myanmar reported.

He said the militant group had carried out 60 attacks since late night on Aug. 24, and as a result had damaged the ruling systems of the villages, though government forces now have the two townships under control, the report said.

Kyaw Swe also repeated the governments long-held stance that Rohingya do not exist in Myanmar, during the briefing attended by defense ministry officials and National Security Adviser Thaung Tun.

We have already said that the Rohingya do not exist in Myanmar, he said. There is no Rohingya among our ethnic groups. [What] we have seen are the Bengalis in this region who have tried to destroy Myanmars rule of law.

During the attacks, militants killed 63 people and captured 65 weapons, of which the military has recovered 27, he said.

He also reiterated claims by state media that staff members of some international nongovernmental organizations were involved with the militants, but provided no evidence, Frontier Myanmar reported.

The spike in violence, however, prompted the foreign staff of United Nations agencies and other international nongovernmental organizations working in Maungdaw to evacuate to Rakhines capital Sittwe.

The Rohingya are not listed as one of Myanmars official ethnic groups, though many have lived in the country for generations. Because of their illegal status, they have been denied citizenship and access to basic services such as education and health care.

Of the 1.1 million Rohingya in Rakhine state, about 120,000 live in internally displaced persons camps near the Rakhine capital Sittwe where they were sent following deadly communal violence with Buddhists in 2012.

About 90,000 Rohingya fled their homes in northern Rakhine during a crackdown by security forces following deadly attacks on three local border guard stations in October 2016 for which the ARSA claimed responsibility.

Some of the Rohingya accused soldiers and border police of committing atrocities against them, though the government has denied most of the allegations.

Now an estimated 4,000 Rohingya fleeing the new spate of violence are stranded between Myanmar and Bangladesh, Reuters reported.

Myanmar border police stand guard at a checkpoint near the entrance of Maungdaw township in western Myanmar's Rakhine state, Aug. 28, 2017. Credit: AFP Lawmakers urgent motion

In a related development, the Rakhine state parliament on Tuesday discussed an urgent motion calling for the protection of ethnic minorities amid the ongoing violence.

Lawmakers approved work on the proposal submitted by parliamentarian Tun Thar Sein in a bid to provide help to 80 villages in northern Rakhine that are now trapped amid the clashes.

Though the Maungdaw-Buthidaung road that had been closed since Aug. 25 reopened on Monday, fighting is still going on in remote villages, residents told RFAs Myanmar Service.

The Myanmar government has arranged for 11 reporters from local and international news agencies to travel to northern Rakhine state to cover the current attacks, said Min Aung, Rakhine states minister of municipal affairs.

In recent days, more than 200 people have fled Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships and gone to Sittwe where they are staying in monasteries, schools, religious buildings, and police stations, he said.

Relief and Resettlement Minister Win Myat Aye and Rakhine states chief minister have traveled to where the victims are by helicopter for [the past] three days and have helped them with whatever they need, he told RFA.

The director general of the health department also went to provide them with health care, he said.

New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Monday that satellite imagery of the tri-township area showed burned buildings in several villages along a 100-kilometer (62-mile) stretch.

The central government and army have accused local Rohingya of burning down homes in the last few days, but HRW refuted the claim.

The Burmese government and army blame Rohingya residents and militants for the burning of some structures, but thus far have not presented evidence to support their allegations, HRWs statement said.

Reported by Win Ko Ko Latt, Zin Mar Win, Kaung Htet Kyaw, Min Thein Aung, and Thiri Min Zin for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Myanmar firefighters try to extinguish fires from houses set ablaze by Rohingya militants in Maungdaw township, western Myanmar's Rakhine state, Aug. 27, 2017.

About 200 villagers fled their homes in Myanmars restive northern Rakhine state after extremist terrorists exploded improvised bombs, set fire to villages, and launched additional attacks on police outposts in Maungdaw township on Sunday, locals said.

The residents of Myawaddy village north of Maungdaw township are hiding in nearby mountains after Muslim extremists torched neighboring Nga-khu-daing village, a Myawaddy villager said.

They set fire to 38 houses in Nga-khu-daing village, he told RFAs Myanmar Service. We dont need food; we need security to protect [our] lives.

Hundreds of Muslim militants also approached Thayet-oat village, home to 40 ethnic Rakhine people about 10 miles from Maungdaw, where they clashed with border guard force officers, a resident said.

It all began just before noon, said Myint Hlaing from Thayet-oat village. They retreated at about 1 p.m. The navy intervened when we called for help, and thats why they retreated. Reinforcements cannot come because the land contains mines, and the area is accessible only by water.

Upper Pyuma village in northern Maungdaw was also set ablaze by Muslim militants, forcing residents to run to nearby Ngakhuya village, which the insurgents tried to attack but were met with a counteroffensive by the Myanmar military.

About 100 extremist terrorists attacked Ngayantchaung police outpost with handmade bombs, and another 500 who staged a second attack on the station were fought off by officers, the office of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi said in a statement issued Sunday.

There was one report of a civilian injury but no casualties.

Insurgents surrounded Minkhamoung police outpost in Maungdaws Region 2 where security personnel fought back, while others set fire Yeaung Chaungwa police outpost in the townships Region 3 before heading to Thayargon village, the statement said.

Security forces opened fire to disperse about 500 extremist terrorists surrounding Thayargon village, and instead the group destroyed Nantthataung village and a monastery, it said.

Security personnel were ambushed by about 200 extremists brandishing weapons near Taungpyo-Letwe village while they made their way to Nantthataung village, and they exchanged fire with attackers in Nwayontaung village in Region 6 which the latter torched, the statement said.

The extremists exploded two improvised explosive devices in Kyaukhlaygar village, destroyed Pyathat village, and attacked Chopyin outpost in Region 11 with homemade bombs, though no casualties were reported, it said.

About 200 extremists attacked Kyaungtaung police outpost in Maungdaws Region 10, burned down three houses belonging to Hindis in Ywathitkay ward, and set fire to about 100 homes in Bengali ward, the statement said.

The increased violence has prompted the foreign staff of United Nations agencies and other international nongovernmental organizations working in Maungdaw to evacuate to Rakhines capital Sittwe.

The torching of the villages and other violence follows attacks on 30 police outposts by what the Myanmar government calls Muslim extremist terrorists on Aug. 25-26 in northern Rakhine state that left more than 100 people dead.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which claims it exists legitimately under international law to defend, salvage, and protect the Rohngya community in Rakhine, claimed responsibility for attacks in the latest violence to grip the religiously and ethnically divided state.

But the group blamed the village burnings and other crimes on Myanmar army soldiers that have been deployed to northern Rakhines Maungdaw, Buthidaung, and Rathedaung townships

While raiding Rohingya villages, the Burmese brutal military soldiers bring along with them groups of Rakhine [Buddhist] extremists to attack Rohingya villagers, loot Rohingyas properties and later burn down Rohingya houses in the village in order to make sure Rohingya suffer [the] maximum degree of terror and destruction, the group said on its Twitter account.

Muslim leaders condemn actions

The latest developments prompted local Muslim leaders to condemn the actions and say that the killing of innocent people on either side is unacceptable.

What is happening now [in northern Rakhine state] is not new, but a smoldering that has just erupted, said Aye Lwin, a member of the government-appointed Advisory Commission on Rakhine State and a prominent Islamic leader, referring to long-standing tension and a history of violence between Muslim and Buddhist communities in Rakhine state.

The nine-member advisory commission submitted its final report to the Myanmar government on Aug. 24 calling for a review of the countrys Citizenship Law, which prevents Rohingya from becoming citizens, and for an end to restrictions on the minority to prevent further violence in the beleaguered region.

Killing innocent people who are not involved in the conflict is entirely a terrorist attack. He said. I strongly condemn all terrorist acts. I think it is time for [the authorities] to urgently implement [the commission's] recommendations to resolve [Rakhines] problems.

He called on authorities to implement security provisions and protect people according to law, and to take action against perpetrators of crimes and protect the innocent.

Both Muslims and all Myanmar ethnicities in the nation should protect the innocent and condemn the culprits, he said.

Other leaders emphasized the need for security in the area to prevent further violence.

Now that we have reached a stage involving armed attacks, we first need stability, so the military and police should right now deal with these so-called Bengali extremists and attain stability, said Maung Maung Ohn, former chief minister of Rakhine state, using the derogatory word Bengali to refer to Rohingya Muslims who are viewed as illegal imigrants from Bangladesh.

Governments should handle the situation in time, he said. If these groups had been declared terrorists earlier and preventive measures could have been taken, things wouldnt be this bad.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army also claimed responsibility for attacks on three border guard stations in northern Rakhine in October 2016 that left nine officers dead and sparked a crackdown on Rohingya communities. An estimated 1,000 people died during the so-called security operation, and about 90,000 Rohingya fled the area, with most going to neighboring Bangladesh.

Some Rohingya accused security forces of committing atrocities against them, but the Myanmar government has denied most of the allegations.

Ko Ko Gyi, a leader of Myanmars 88 Generation Student democracy movement and a member of the investigation commission on communal strife in Rakhine state formed in August 2012 after violence between Muslims and Buddhists rocked the region, said the issue is very sensitive and must be handled with extreme care.

These sort of mob attacks didnt happen during the rule of previous governments, he said. Now, we hear about mob attacks on police posts, brutal killings of innocent villagers, et cetera.

Though we need to consider human rights abuses, we also need to effectively curb terrorism and establish the rule of law, he said. On the other hand, people in both communities should also be educated to control their emotions and not to support these extremists.

Reported by Thin Thiri and Min Thein Aung for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Narayana Murthy wishes Nandan Nilekani the best in his effort to bring back Acche Din to Infosys.

By Rohini Swamy: Following the dramatic exit of Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka which led to a reshuffle in the top management, the IT bellwether's co-founder N R Narayana Murthy was today vocal about how the previous board was guilty of poor governance.

Showering praises on the new leadership led by the new Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani, Murthy said: "I wish Nandan the best of everything in his effort to bring back Acche Din to Infosys".

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Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka had quit on August 18 citing slander by founders.

"Having worked with Nandan for long, I know that he is a stickler for good corporate governance. Now, we can all sleep better knowing that, under his leadership, the corporate governance standard practised by Infosys will be on par with the global best standard," he said while speaking to investors on a conference call.

He didn't mince words in saying that his main concern with the previous board, led by R Seshasayee who has also put in his papers, was "poor governance".

Murthy said he always kept in mind the long-term interests of all shareholders. "It has never been and never will be for my individual or personal gain."

Infosys Board, on August 18, had launched an all-out attack on Murthy, accusing him of running a "misguided" campaign. They also held him responsible for Sikka's resignation.

He said the recent developments were directed as a "personal attack" on him.

Murthy said though he was appointed chairman for five years, he left the company after 15 months in October 2014, during which revenue growth rate doubled to 11.6 per cent as well as innovations and enhanced productivity were introduced.

The Infosys co-founder red-flagged issues that have been what he called 'actions that mortally wounded the company'.

"While keeping quiet may make me seem gentle and good, it had the potential to mortally wound the company in the long-term. Therefore, I chose to speak up and question because, like every one of you on this call, I wish to see this company flourish as an institution," he said.

He highlighted how a severance package was doled out to former CFO Rajiv Bansal in a non-transparent way. In his address Murthy also mentioned how the founders had questioned the old board which according to Murthy did not give clarity as to why such a huge package was given.

Also read:

Vishal Sikka resigns as Infosys CEO and MD after tussle with co-founder NR Narayana Murthy

System failure at Infosys: Inside account of the corporate battle and why it matters to IT sector

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Also watch:

Vishal Sikka resigns as CEO and MD of Infosys after tussle with co-founder NR Narayana Murthy

--- ENDS ---
Police in southwestern Chinas Sichuan province attacked a group of Tibetan villagers without explanation at the weekend, injuring ten and sending several, including an elderly man, to the hospital, Tibetan sources said.



The Aug. 25 assault was launched against a group of Tibetans from Gorum village in Draggo (in Chinese, Luhuo) countys Tsogo town who were enjoying a picnic on their own land, a Tibetan living exile told RFA, citing sources in the region.



Suddenly, a group of about 30 police officers arrived and surrounded the Tibetans for no apparent reason, RFAs source said, speaking on condition he not be named.



They searched the Tibetans and forced them to stand in a line after putting their belongings on the ground, he said.



When the Tibetan village head, who was present at the scene, called town and county officials to complain of the harassment, two policemen beat him and took him into custody, and a county official who had led police to the site then ordered his officers to attack the rest of the group, the source said.



In the beating that followed, ten Tibetans were injured, with one elderly man of about 70 so badly hurt that he had to be rushed to Chengdu city for emergency attention and care, the source said, adding that others who were injuredincluding one with a broken ribwere taken to local hospitals.



Explanation demanded



Following the assault, local Tibetans demanded an explanation from county authorities, saying that innocent Tibetans had been attacked for no reason, and that the role of the police should be only to protect the local community in accordance with the laws of the land, the source said.



Copies of the appeal were also sent to authorities in Sichuan province and the Kardze (Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, he said.



No word of a response from officials was immediately available.



Chinese security forces swarmed Draggo in large numbers three years ago in an apparent attempt to prevent county residents from observing the anniversary of a violent crackdown on Tibetan protesters in January 2012.



Two Tibetans were killed, and at least 30 injured, in the incident in which armed police fired at random into a crowd, sources said in earlier reports.



Shopkeepers in the county were later ordered by authorities to hand over all stocks of photos of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, with severe punishment threatened for those who failed to comply.



Reported by Sangye Dorjee for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney.




Authorities in the capital of northwestern Chinas Xinjiang region are requiring all ethnic Uyghur and Kazakh individuals to undergo a stringent background check before registering a vehicle in the city, official sources have confirmed.



Earlier this month, neighborhood residential committees in Urumqi made efforts to collect personal information about the members of each household in the city and their extended relatives, with a focus on an individuals ethnic backgroundthough when asked about the directive, official sources suggested it had been ordered to document all ethnic groups.



Last week, sources told RFA that a new order from the Urumqi Motorized Vehicle Licensing and Testing Department, which went into effect on Aug. 21, follows on previous efforts to record information about minority residents of the Xinjiang capital, but specifically and publicly targets Uyghurs and Kazakhs.



Any drivers of Uyghur or Kazakh ethnicity must first go to report to the Midong District Vehicle Licensing and Administration Departments No. 2 Hall for [security] checks before a vehicle registration can be approved, says the order, a copy of which was recently obtained by RFAs Uyghur Service.



Urumqi has become increasingly segregated amid tensions between Uyghur and majority Han Chinese residents in the aftermath of ethnic violence in the capital in July 2009 that, according to state media, left some 200 dead, although Uyghur groups in exile put the number much higher.



The new order appears to be the latest effort by Xinjiang party chief Chen Quanguo to promote stability in the region, where Uyghurs regularly complain of pervasive ethnic discrimination, religious repression, and cultural suppression under Chinese rule.



Order confirmed



This week, staff members at the Tengritagh (in Chinese, Tianshan) District Vehicle Licensing and Testing Department and the Kaziwan Village Peoples Convenience Service Center in Midong district, which handles suburban administrative requests, acknowledged the new order, but said their offices were not equipped to provide the services it required to register a new vehicle.



But a Han Chinese staff member at the Kaziwan Vehicle Licensing and Testing Department confirmed that her office was processing security checks for local Uyghurs and Kazakhs looking to register vehicles.



Individuals personal information will be collected and checked, but we have no idea exactly what it will be used for, she said, adding that the background checks were being conducted at the Midong District Vehicle Licensing and Administration Departments No. 2 Hall.



The staff member, who spoke under condition of anonymity, told RFA that she did not know whether the municipal government or Urumqis residential committee had ordered the new policy, and was unsure why only Uyghur and Kazakh vehicle owners needed to comply.



The only thing I know is that we received the order from an upper level department, she said.



Were just carrying out the order and we always do what were told.



A Han Chinese staff member at the Midong District Vehicle Licensing and Testing Department, who also asked to remain unnamed, confirmed that all Uyghurs and Kazakhs should go and get checked before registering their vehicles, adding that the background investigations would be used to compare drivers personal information [with database records].



She said she couldnt explain over the telephone why the order only pertained to members of the two ethnic groups, adding that we only received a verbal order [from the Urumqi Motorized Vehicle Licensing and Testing Department] requesting us to check drivers personal information, so we must do so.



Attention all ethnic comrades, she said, repeating the order her office had received. In order to improve our customer service to all new vehicle buyers, better administer the drivers and vehicles that are newly entered into [our] system, and improve second-hand vehicle registration, we order you to undergo this checking process from now on.



The staff member said that the order was in effect until further notice.



Sowing instability



Uyghur observers in exile told RFA that the new policy is likely to lead to further instability in Xinjiang, where China regularly conducts strike hard campaigns, including police raids on Uyghur households and restrictions on Islamic practices under the banner of fighting "terrorism."



Ilshat Hassan, president of the Washington-based Uyghur American Association, said the new order is very likely a continuation of efforts to collect personal information from Uyghur residents of Urumqi started earlier this month.



An increase in such checks and collection of information that particularly targets the Uyghurs will definitely intensify fear among members of the Uyghur community and create extra pressure in their everyday lives, he said.



Repeatedly issuing such orders and notifications will cause more instability within society and will harm efforts to establish a harmonious society in [Xinjiang]. Meanwhile, Uyghurs will increasingly feel as if they are living within a police state.



Last week, Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the exile group World Uyghur Congress, said he had received reports of similar orders from a number of different locations in Xinjiang, adding that police had dispatched additional personnel to highways and gas stations in the south of the region and public places.



"In particular, they are now carrying out checks in the area of vehicle first registration, purchases and transfers of ownership," Raxit told RFA at the time.



In February, local officials told RFA that authorities in Xinjiangs Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture had issued orders for all vehicles to have compulsory GPS trackers installed, as part of the government's nationwide "stability maintenance" program.



Under the policy, which was set to be implemented by the end of June and eventually rolled out to all of Xinjiang, vehicles that do not comply will be turned away from gas stations throughout the region.



Reported and translated by Kurban Niyaz for RFAs Uyghur Service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Four Richmond police officers who were assigned to former Mayor Dwight C. Jones security detail are suing the city for back wages, alleging they were required to work unpaid overtime as city officials tried to contain public scrutiny of the units expense.

RPD and the city each had a hypersensitivity to the perception that overtime paid to (the Executive Protection Unit) was an example of wasteful government spending, the lawsuit alleges. However, rather than adequately staff the unit or simply reduce or eliminate coverage to Mayor Jones, RPD decided instead to prohibit payment of overtime earned by EPU members.

Jones security detail was a perennial budget-season punching bag, particularly toward the end of his eight years in office. Its yearly costs varied from $300,000 in 2013 to over $500,000 in 2015, when the alleged moratorium on overtime was instituted as Police Chief Alfred Durham complained of budget constraints and an officer shortage.

The suit alleges that daily coverage of Jones would consist of between two and three officers and begin around 8 a.m., when he would text that he was ready to be picked up at his home, and did not end until he retired for the evening, which meant that EPU officers remained on duty until well after midnight.

The officers were also required to perform what the lawsuit describes as non-law enforcement duties, including driving Jones to a Washington Redskins game, transporting him on personal trips out of state and running errands for his family.

A police department spokesman, Gene Lepley, declined to respond to the allegations. It is a matter of department policy not to comment on pending litigation, he said. Jones could not be reached for comment Monday evening.

The lawsuit does not specify the monetary damages the officers are seeking, but says generally that they worked 15 hours a week in overtime on top of their regular 40-hour shifts. The suit alleges Durham cut off overtime payments in May 2015, a policy that lasted through January , when Mayor Levar Stoney took office and disbanded the unit.

Employment law lawyer Craig J. Curwood is representing the four officers: Charles Battle, Errol Fernandez, Anthony Franklin and Eric Godfrey. He declined to comment beyond noting the officers working on the mayors security detail were required to work overtime but were instructed not to report it. These officers are suing to receive the overtime wages they are owed.

Upon taking office, Jones cut the detail from 11 officers under former Mayor L. Douglas Wilder to about five. He said at the time he did not want a security entourage but also did not want to make the ultimate sacrifice for this job.

The lawsuit alleges that despite cutting personnel, hours of coverage requested by Jones actually increased, leading to the large overtime costs.

In the chronically cash-strapped city, the expense did not go unnoticed, and the allegations in the suit suggest officials were sensitive to any negative public perception: In one instance, the lawsuit alleges the police department retroactively deducted eight hours of previously earned overtime after receiving a Freedom of Information Act request seeking information about the cost of the detail.

The lawsuit alleges that in January 2016, Durham softened the prohibition on overtime payment to EPU members ... but asked that they just dont kill (him). However this thaw was fleeting as Chief Durham reversed his position and reinstated the prohibition on inputting overtime just a few days later after having received another FOIA request.

Later in the year, the City Council voted to limit Jones detail during his final months in office to a single officer, who would drive him only on official city business.

Former Councilman Charles Samuels proposed the measure, citing the presence of two city police officers accompanying Jones on an InterCity visit to Denver organized by ChamberRVA.
By India Today Web Desk:

Government of India has issued new rules regarding internet shutdown in India. As per the rules issued under the Telegraph Act 1885, the order to shutdown internet and data services will have to come from the central or the state government. This order will have to be issued by an authority not below the rank of a Joint Secretary.

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Earlier, the order to shut down internet services could be passed by a District Magistrate under IPC Section 144 but the new rules have moved away from this. The new rules have sparked debate about the transparency of the process. Moreover, the power to shut down internet services will be in the hands of the central government now.

The number of internet shutdowns have alarmingly grown in India. According to Internetshutdowns.in, an initiative by the NPO Software Freedom Law Center, internet has been shutdown 47 times in the year 2017 itself.

INTERNET SHUTDOWNS IN INDIA

Internet and cellular services have been affected in various parts of the country for about 101 times since 2012. Out of these 101 times, internet services were disrupted 47 times this year.

Internet services form an important part of our fundamental rights in today's time. Though not stated in the Constitution explicitly it could be seen as a derived right. A shutdown of internet and cellular services is a major setback for our fundamental rights, especially Freedom of Speech and Expression.

Disconnecting internet services for a day can have widespread effects on the functioning of a state or city. Government machinery is largely reliant on internet services and so are many of our day to day activities.

Kashmir, by far, has been the worst affected state by internet shutdowns. Since 2012, Kashmir has faced an internet shutdown 48 times. In fact, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court issued a notice to the State government in May this year arguing that the Telegraph Act 1885 cannot "be used for the exercise of maintaining the public order" in the state. This notice came after a plea challenging the shutdown of social media websites there.

UN experts also issued a statement in May 2017 regarding the ban of social media websites in J&K. In the statement, David Kaye and Michael Forst, have said that "The scope of these restrictions has a significantly disproportionate impact on the fundamental rights of everyone in Kashmir, undermining the Government's stated aim of preventing dissemination of information that could lead to violence".

CONCERNS

Earlier, internet and cellular services could be shut down in an area by the order of a district magistrate under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code. Recently, internet services were disrupted in Haryana and Punjab during the pronouncement of the verdict of Dera Sacha Sauda's Gurmeet Singh.

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Incidents of violence or tensions could be cited as reasons for imposing the internet shutdown. As the new rules come in, the government plans to take away this power from the hands of district authorities completely.

These rules were published without any ministerial announcement on August 7, 2017. Incidentally, after that various internet shutdowns have been imposed in various parts of the country, including Haryana, Darjeeling, J&K and Manipur.

Why was there no public consultation about the drafting of the rules?

The rules were published in the Gazette of India on August 7, 2017, quietly. No public consultation, no comments on any draft was received by researchers, experts, engineers and academics. Though these rules have still not been tabled in front of the Parliament, it is clear that no stakeholder participation was involved.

Why do the rules not state the limitation on grounds and time period of the shutdown?

As per the rules that were published in the Gazette of India, the rules are meant to "regulate the temporary suspension of telecom services due to public emergency or public safety". No clear definition of what a public emergency constitutes has been given thus making it possible for the shutdown to be imposed for flimsy reasons. Moreover, there is no mention of the time limit of the shutdown. Although, the word "temporary" appears in the document, a maximum limit to the time period has not been defined, thus making it susceptible to misuse.

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What is even more worrisome is that these rules do not only allow the government to dismiss internet services but also telecom services.

On first look, the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017 are indefensible.

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CHARLOTTESVILLE  A man wanted in connection with the beating of a black man in Charlottesville on the day of a white nationalist rally turned himself in to authorities in Georgia and will be extradited to Virginia, officials said.

Alex Michael Ramos, 33, surrendered Monday evening at the Monroe County Sheriffs Office, Sgt. Lawson Bittick said Tuesday.

Ramos faces one count of malicious wounding in the attack on DeAndre Harris, which was captured in photos and video that went viral.

The Aug. 12 attack by a group of men left Harris with a concussion, abrasions and contusions across his body, as well as a head laceration that required staples, a knee injury and a fractured wrist, according to his attorney.

Ramos agreed to be extradited to Virginia during a hearing Tuesday, said Kathy Barfield, deputy clerk of the Monroe County Magistrate Court.

Ramos is an unemployed construction worker, said Bittick, who did not know if he had obtained an attorney.

In an interview with an Atlanta TV station, Ramos said he hit Harris once and that others beat him with sticks and shields. He called the incident a defensive attack.

Ramos also said he is not a white nationalist.

I was there because, pretty much, Im a conservative. ... There were some non-racist members who were going to a free speech rally, he said.

Harris, a 20-year-old special education instructional assistant, attended the rally with friends to show his opposition to the white nationalist groups, said his attorney, S. Lee Merritt.

A member of Harris group began arguing with a white supremacist over a Confederate flag, Merritt said in a statement. Harris intervened just as the white supremacist attempted to spear his friend with the flags pole, the statement said.

Harris tried to retreat but was pushed to the ground by a man holding a shield with the symbol of a white supremacist group, and the group of men swarmed him, beating him with blunt objects, according to the statement.

Another man accused in the beating, Daniel Borden, 18, of suburban Cincinnati, appeared by video Tuesday and declined to waive extradition to Virginia, where he also faces a charge of malicious wounding.

Hamilton County Magistrate Michael Bachman set bond at $100,000 and scheduled a Sept. 29 hearing.

Attorney Greg Berberich has said Bordens family expects him to be exonerated.

Merritt said that in the coming weeks, he intended to file a federal civil rights lawsuit against all parties responsible for the attack.

Ramos and Borden were identified through the efforts of journalist and activist Shaun King, who has been posting photos and video of the assault on social media and offered a reward, Merritt said.

With information including affiliated organizations, clear photographs and recordings, it is disappointing that the combined efforts of federal and local agencies have failed to lead to either the identification or arrest of additional suspects, Merritt said in the statement.

Meanwhile, a Ku Klux Klan member charged with firing a gun during the rally remained in Baltimore County, Md., pending extradition.

Randy Mentzell, the county Department of Corrections commitment manager, said she did not know when Richard Wilson Preston, 52, would be transported to Virginia.
Doug Duncan experienced a shock when he first ran into his old classmate Bill Aitcheson at a reunion of their Catholic high school in the District of Columbia years ago.

Aitcheson had been an exceptionally angry young man in high school in the early 1970s - downright hateful, recalled Duncan, a former county executive in Montgomery County, Maryland. "He was a very bad guy - a skinhead, a racist. You stayed away from him."

And yet, he had returned to the button-down campus of St. John's College High School as a priest - the very last person his classmates imagined would have become one. The fair-skinned, bespectacled Aitcheson's demeanor had changed dramatically, too, as he related affably with his classmates, Duncan recalled. At another reunion, Aitcheson even celebrated Mass for his classmates in the chapel.

"He had a conversion, that's the only way I can say it," Duncan said. "Something happened to him, and he just gave up everything he was before."

In an essay published last Monday, the 62-year-old priest at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church in Fairfax, Virginia, addressed this apparent transformation, revealing his college days in the Ku Klux Klan in the mid-1970s and proclaiming himself saved by his faith.

"Racists have polluted minds," Aitcheson wrote in the Arlington (Virginia) Catholic Herald. He referenced the recent deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and opined that for former racists who have repented as he did, "the images should bring us to our knees."

Aitcheson's account of his racist past and conversion at first seemed like a straightforward tale of good overcoming evil. But as more details emerged, the story grew more complicated.

It turned out that he wasn't just "a member" of the KKK, as his essay said, but a violent ringleader in Maryland who served time after burning crosses, threatening to kill Coretta Scott King and plotting to take down water systems, military installations and launch an armed revolution for which he'd stockpiled bombs and guns, according to authorities and published accounts. And while he wrote Monday that God had forgiven him, the African-American family and Jewish groups he had terrorized said he never apologized to them directly nor paid them the $26,000 in damages a court had ordered decades ago.

The reason behind Aitcheson's revelation also has been called into question. Maria Santos Bier, a freelance journalist and member of the Arlington (Virginia) Diocese, had contacted the diocese a few days before Aitcheson wrote the essay to ask about Aitcheson's KKK history - and told them she might write about it.

In an essay published in The Washington Post, Santos Bier described her experience as a history student of Aitcheson's while she was home-schooled in the early 2000s in Woodstock, Virginia. Aitcheson was a "fervent advocate of the Confederacy" who would joke about "Saint Robert E. Lee" in homilies at the church, and seemed so knowledgeable about history, Santos Bier wrote, that "I trusted him when he taught us that the Civil War was fought for states' rights, not slavery; that the South's cause was noble and just."

Through all the revelations, Aitcheson has been publicly silent, declining daily interview requests through the diocese. Efforts to find him were unsuccessful. Church officials in Arlington and Renothe two dioceses where he has worked since his ordination in 1988declined to speak at any length about him. Priests and lay leaders in the eight parishes and many congregants where Aitcheson has worked also declined to speak about him.

Aitcheson was associate pastor at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Spotsylvania County from July 1997 until June 2000. He was associate pastor at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Colonial Beach from October 1993 until moving to St. Patrick.

---

William M. Aitcheson grew up in Howard and Prince George's counties in Maryland, one of four sons in a prominent, devoutly Catholic family before enrolling at the University of Maryland, where he studied television and film. He was still a student there at 22 when he was arrested as the "exalted cyclops" - or leader - of a Klan group in 1977. Police searching Aitcheson's belongings found a publication titled "How to Kill," along with a cache of weaponry and extensive survival gear.

By that point, Aitcheson had been deemed "too radical and violent" for the main KKK branch, which threw him out, according to FBI files. An undercover agent testified that the Aitcheson-led group, the "Klan Beret," was readying to blow up a power plant and communications center at Fort Meade, Maryland, the local branch of the NAACP and private homes. Aitcheson was arrested after he gave the undercover agent a fully-built bomb intended for the NAACP, according to the FBI.

The group had burned six crosses in Prince George's, including at two Jewish institutions and on the front lawn of a black couple, Barbara and Phillip Butler, newlyweds who had just moved into what was then a mostly white neighborhood in College Park.

In July 1977, Aitcheson was sentenced to 90 days in a federal medical prison with four years probation by a judge who told him, "I don't believe you are a bad person."

After serving his time, Aitcheson kept a low profile. He relocated to the church-run King's College in Pennsylvania and graduated in 1979 with a degree in politics and government before teaching elementary and high schools in Missouri for two years, according to a 2013 bio by the diocese. An attorney for the Butlers at that time said it took two years after the couple filed their civil suit against Aitcheson in 1978 to find him. The suit was resolved in 1982 with $23,000 in damages awarded to the Butlers and the rest to his Jewish victims.

"I don't see what purpose it would serve to rehash this business all over again," Aitcheson's father, William W. Aitcheson, a lumber company executive who is now deceased, told a columnist for the Baltimore Sun that year. "There are so many other groups that are just as bad, if you want to call it that. . . . Billy just wants to forget about it all now."

The young Aitcheson soon made the dramatic decision to become a priest. He attended the Pontifical North American College in Rome and received a bachelor's degree in sacred theology from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas, the diocese bio reads. Officials at King's College, the seminary and St. Thomas declined to comment. Aitcheson's mother, Ann D. Aitcheson, declined to comment. Numerous attempts to reach other relatives by phone were unsuccessful.

Aitcheson was ordained for what was then the diocese of Reno-Las Vegas in 1988 at age 33. In brief comments early this week, Reno diocesan spokesman, the Rev. Robert Chorey, said church leaders "understood at least part of his background" when they hired Aitcheson. ". . . I have no record of their thought process."

In 1992, Aitcheson was arrested on charges of trespassing on the property of the West End Women's Medical Group clinic in Reno. On Friday, Damon Stutes, the doctor who still runs the clinic, recalled the priest as a regular protester, who "yelled at" people coming in and acted "like a caged lion that was just holding himself back," Stutes told The Post.

Aitcheson was convicted of trespass, fined $155 and ordered to remain at least 100 feet from the clinic. Later that year, he was transferred to the Arlington Diocese, one of the most traditional in the country.

The diocese declined to offer any details about what then-Bishop John Keating knew or asked about Aitcheson. "At the time he began ministry here in 1993, the Diocese learned of his past as well as his sincere conversion of heart," the diocese said in a statement.

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In northern Virginia, Aitcheson began a tour of at least six parishes. In interviews and in comments left last week on the Facebook pages of the Arlington Diocese and its Arlington Catholic Herald newspaper, Aitcheson was described by some as stern and bookish, while others viewed him as deeply empathetic in the confessional and a capable preacher.

Aitcheson was highly outspoken in favor of the death penalty, and preached and taught often about wars, including the Civil War, some parishioners recalled.

He referred to the latter as "the war of Northern aggression or "the war against the states," said Chris Peer, 31, who was an altar boy under Aitcheson at St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Woodstock. The priest never talked explicitly about race, Peer said.

Aitcheson was a history buff in a region passionate about its history, displaying Civil War memorabilia he'd collected "since his youth" at St. John Bosco rectory, the parish said on its website.

The priest participated in a Memorial Day ceremony reenacting Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson's final days and the Battle of Chancellorsville, a decisive victory for the Confederates, according to a 2004 story in the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star. Aitcheson, who had worked in a Fredericksburg, Virginia, parish a few years earlier, offered a prayer. "Then Aitcheson turned to the crowd," the newspaper reported, "and said 'Let's sing the old national anthem.' He raised his voice, and soon, everyone joined in," singing Dixie.

In 2005, Aitcheson took a medical leave, moving between parishes upon his return. In June 2014, he came to St. Leo the Great in Fairfax.

Last week, some parishioners were struggling to reconcile the priest they knew with his violent past and failure over decades to make amends to his victims, actions the diocese has now offered to broker and says Aitcheson is willing to do.

St. Leo parishioner Mark Krajewski at first praised Aitcheson as a "deep scriptural thinker" and said he felt unconflicted. But as he learned more about his priest's KKK past, and his lack of apology and payment to his victims, Krajewski grew more ambivalent.

"I try to think good things about our priests and it's difficult to learn of this information and think good things. . . . This will always be in my mind," he said.

Others greeted Aitcheson's account of conversion with empathy and praise for the priest and the diocese for coming out with a healing story during a time of racial division.

"I'd have no problem going to confession or getting spiritual direction from this guy - in fact, maybe more now," said Ryan Ellis, 39, a parishioner at St. Rita Catholic Church in Alexandria, Virginia. "This guy has seen hell and the other side."

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CHARLOTTESVILLE  A viral article earlier this month told concerned citizens to call Charlottesville Circuit Judge Richard Moore to speed the process of tearing down the citys Confederate relics  and call they did.

Ever since The Daily Kos published 8 Actions to Support Charlottesville and Organize Locally, the city Circuit Court Clerks Office has been inundated with phone calls, emails and letters asking Moore to dismiss a lawsuit that supports preserving the citys statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, according to Clerk of Court Llezelle Dugger.

And all the messages say the same thing:

Im leaving a message for Judge Moore regarding the upcoming Monument Fund hearing, scheduled for August 30. As someone concerned about community safety, I strongly urge you to join the City of Charlottesville in dismissing this case, which will continue to sow violence in the community. Thank you.

The article, published Aug. 16, then directs people to call the number for the clerks office. Since that day, Dugger said her office has received more than 1,200 emails, 1,000 voicemails and countless letters.

Literally, the text of the letters is exactly what you have in the article, Dugger said, holding up a letter next to the article. Its pretty verbatim.

The flood of calls comes in anticipation of a pre-trial court hearing for a lawsuit filed back in March to prevent the city from removing the Lee statue from Emancipation Park. The hearing will address several motions filed by both sides, but Dugger said a trial date has yet to be set.

And Moore will not see any of the messages, unless the attorneys decide to use some of them and enter them as evidence in the case. The letters will not sway the case either way, but Dugger said her office will keep all of them.

The attorneys are free to come and take a look at them, or copy them, and its their decision what they do with them, Dugger said.

Gwen Williams, a deputy court clerk for civil cases, said the phones in the office have been ringing off the hook since Aug. 16, but she and her fellow clerks are doing their best to take as many of the calls as possible.

Its been tremendous  a lot of calls, Williams said. We do the best we can to keep them happy because they are the public and they have the right to call, so we do our best.
By India Today Web Desk: An Indonesian model named Gebby Vesta posted a video on her Instagram account of a man in a bed who looks like TV actor Vishal Karwal. In her Instagram post, she claims to be in a relationship with the actor.

However, Vishal who was recently in Indonesia for work has denied knowing the model.

A still from the video.

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While speaking to SpotBoye.com he said, "I am shocked. Last week I was in Indonesia and when I came back to India, I heard this news. My Indonesian friends told me about it. She has posted a picture of mine on her Instagram page, claiming that we are in a relationship and that she has known me for two years and that we met in Singapore.

He also stated that he never met her in Singapore. "I have never been to Singapore, you can check my passport. I keep travelling. I recently went to Europe and many fans click pictures with me. Does that mean I am involved with them? I have never met this woman," said Vishal to the website.

In the video uploaded by Gebby, the man who she claims to be Vishal Karwal is in bed and holding a glass. The man looks quite similar to Vishal, but Vishal denied being the guy in the video. He said, "No yaar. I watched the video after getting calls from journalists and no, it's not me. I don't know who the hell is he."

Vishal is currently in Mumbai and has asked ANTV officials to take action against the girl.

Vishal is currently seen in &TV's Paramavatar Shri Krishna as Lord Vishnu.

Also read: Kasam actor Amit Tandon rubbishes reports of fallout with co-star Ssharad Malhotra

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STUART  The Patrick County Board of Supervisors on Monday night approved a resolution in support of maintaining, protecting and not removing the Confederate monument in front of the county courthouse.

The resolution, introduced by Supervisor Karl Weiss, was approved in a 4-1 vote, with board Vice Chairman Lock Boyce offering the dissenting vote.

Supervisor Rickie Fulcher said he would never support the statue coming down.

Yes, the main topic of this war was slavery, but 95 percent or more that died in this war never owned a slave, he said. They went to war because their state called them. For us or any group to say that we should not honor the sacrifice that these men made, in my opinion, is just ridiculous, and maybe, they need to find another country to go to.

His statement was met with applause from the audience.

Officials in a number of localities across Virginia  including the cities of Richmond and Norfolk and Loudoun County  are discussing the status of their Confederate monuments following violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville.

Boyce argued that the resolution was not needed, in his view, as he feels state law protects the monument and others like it.

Obviously, there is state law, Boyce said, referring to Section 15.2-1812 of the Code of Virginia, which states that localities are not authorized to deface, disturb or replace war monuments once they have been erected.

I dont think we should take this vote, Boyce said. I dont know why were having this vote. This is just to divide us. Ive stated my opinions. I would wish for you all to appreciate my opinions the same way I appreciate yours. I dont think we should have spent this much time debating it.

The extent of localities authority to remove Confederate monuments under state law is subject to litigation. There is a hearing Friday in a Charlottesville case stemming from its city councils bid to take down a monument of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Patrick is on the North Carolina border about 200 miles southwest of Richmond. Stuart, its county seat, was renamed in 1884 for Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, who was born in the county in 1833.

The inscription on the Civil War monument at the courthouse  topped by a generic Confederate figure  reads: Erected in the memory of Major General J.E.B. Stuart and the Confederate Soldiers of Patrick County. Sponsored by the Junior Stuart Book Club-1936.

Two years ago, Judge Martin E. Clark Jr. removed a portrait of J.E.B. Stuart from the courtroom after he received complaints about the portrait from attorneys who frequently appeared.

Mondays vote came at the end of a nearly two-hour debate between Patrick supervisors and several members of the public. Seven of the crowd of about 50 signed up to address the board during the public comment period.

The resolution simply acknowledges that the Board of Supervisors is not in favor of taking down and does not plan to take down the monument, which was dedicated on Jan. 1, 1936, and then turned over to the county.

Boyce said that he added the discussion of the monument to the boards agenda in the hope that it could reassure the public that the Confederate monument would not be taken down.

Unless theres an act of the Virginia legislature, which is not likely to happen, nobodys going to take down that memorial, Boyce said.

It also means to me that someone in that erudite city of Charlottesville, Va., should have checked this law out before they started taking down (their) statue. They could have saved three lives, and they could have stopped a lot of bad blood and a very unfortunate and unpleasant chapter in the history of this otherwise beautiful commonwealth, Boyce said. Theres no controversy here. If you want to take the thing down, you cant.

Weiss said he did not understand why Boyce added the monument discussion to the agenda, adding that it was his understanding from a Sunday Martinsville Bulletin article on the topic that Boyce was in favor of removing the statue.

Boyce said that he is personally not in favor of such monuments, but that its a moot point, considering that state code does not allow the monument to be removed. Even if it did, he said he would not be in favor of any decision that cost Patrick taxpayers money.

We need to get along, Boyce said. We need to realize that this country has been changing, and its going to continue to change.  But a lot of these Confederate memorials, if youre going to look at them as an object of history, you need to look realistically at the history. They were erected in the bad old Jim Crow days, and they were stuck in courthouse lawns so that you would have a government-sponsored, government-erected memorial to a cause that fought for slavery, as black citizens entered our courthouses.

See, thats where I have a problem, an audience member interjected.
The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) has partnered with Childrens Hospital of Richmond at VCU and The Baby Box Co.  a California-based, for-profit company  to provide new and expecting families in Virginia with safe-sleep information and infant supplies.

Baby boxes originated about 75 years ago in Finland when infant mortality saw 65 out of every 1,000 babies die in infancy. To counter that, the Finnish government offered baby boxes to every expectant mother. Some say the boxes played a significant role in Finlands achieving one of the worlds lowest infant mortality rates.

Virginia has become the sixth U.S. state to adopt the Finnish approach to reducing infant deaths. VDSS will offer the program to families of the 103,000 babies expected in Virginia in the coming year. Accompanying the box will be an online tutorial about infant sleep safety. Sleep-related issues account for dozens of infant deaths in Virginia every year.

A mattress and bedding are also included in the box. When the mattress is placed in the bottom of the container, it can serve as a bassinet and provide parents who may not be able to afford a crib with a safe sleep option for the infants first six months.

A Temple University study released in May showed that when new mothers were given a baby box and received face-to-face instruction on sleep practices, the reported rates of bed-sharing between mothers and infants was 25 percent lower than with mothers given no box.

Education, baby supplies, and a safe sleeping space all in one neat box  that seems like a great starter gift for any new parent.
A coastal storm will bring excessive rain and gale-force winds to the beaches of North Carolina and Virginia on Tuesday, but the worst conditions will stay well to the east of Richmond.

Coastal Virginia may experience some 50 mph gusts, rough waves and minor coastal flooding on Tuesday afternoon as the storm makes its closest approach.

For Richmond, the effects will be limited to some periods of moderate rain through the day on Tuesday.

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring the system for any signs of organizing into a tropical storm  if so, it would get the name Irma.

Whether its classified as tropical or not, the system will still affect the Outer Banks and the Tidewater region of Virginia like a fast-moving Noreaster.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect for the North Carolina coast from Surf City to Duck, including the Albemarle Sound and Pamlico Sound.

Gale warnings were posted for all of the coastal waters of Virginia and Delmarva, including the Chesapeake Bay.

On Monday afternoon, the low was centered near Charleston, S.C., and embedded in a stationary front that parallels the Carolina coastline.

An Air Force reconnaissance flight did not find a well-defined structure , so the official designation remained Potential Tropical Cyclone Ten.

Its thunderstorms and embedded winds will continue to move northeast on Tuesday, right over the North Carolina shoreline.

The center of the low will be positioned around Cape Hatteras by early afternoon, then about 100 to 150 miles east of Virginia Beach by the early evening.

The Atlantic Ocean is warm enough to allow this low to strengthen into a tropical storm, but it may not spend enough time directly over the water to do so.

An upper-level trough moving east across the Midwestern states will steer this low to the northeast, so theres no danger of it moving straight toward Richmond or stalling in one place.

The storm will accelerate to the northeast on Wednesday and Thursday and track a few hundred miles east of New England and the Canadian Maritime provinces.

Rainfall

For the Richmond area and surrounding counties, rain showers will be on-and-off through Tuesday morning and afternoon, then clear out by the evening.

The heaviest totals from this storm will be kept well to the east of Richmond, toward northeast North Carolina and Hampton Roads.

There, totals could range from 2 to 6 inches depending on the exact strength, speed and motion of the storm.

Richmond is more likely to have some modest rain amounts on the order of 1 inch, or possibly a half-inch if the storm underperforms.

If the showers end up being heavier or more prolonged, Richmond could end up with 1.5 or 2 inches of rain on Tuesday.

Otherwise, expect an overcast sky with mild temperatures nearly steady in the upper 60s and lower 70s.

Quiet and dry weather will return on Wednesday.

Wind and waves

Wind will sweep around the developing storm on Tuesday, but this far inland it will not be disruptive.

Richmond can expect a steady breeze from the northeast on Tuesday with some gusts to 20 or 25 mph.

Along the immediate Atlantic coastline of Virginia, the gusts could be as high as 50 mph on Tuesday afternoon.

That could be strong enough to knock down branches or cause scattered power outages in the vicinity of the Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore.

This steady push of winds from the northeast will kick up 5- to 7-foot waves in the Chesapeake Bay and raise water levels around the peninsulas and lower James River.

The high tide on Tuesday afternoon is expected to bring moderate coastal flooding to such places as Sewells Point, Fort Monroe and Yorktown, with water about 2 to 3 feet higher than normal levels.

Waves are predicted to be 8 to 12 feet high on the Atlantic-facing beaches on Tuesday, and the risk of rip currents is high.
Rain showers will taper off this evening in the Richmond area while a coastal storm brings some gusty winds to the Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore.

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, a broad area of light-to-moderate rain covered eastern Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic states.

That rain sprawls out to the northwest of an area of low pressure centered east of Nags Head, N.C.

According to the National Hurricane Center, this disturbance does not have the features of a tropical storm and it is not expected to organize into one.

That low moved across Outer Banks this afternoon, and it will accelerate out to sea tonight.

For Virginia, the coastal impacts will resemble a weak nor'easter, and storm warnings are posted for the lower Chesapeake Bay and the waters off the Delmarva Peninsula.

A few hours of light rain left for Richmond

So far, the rainfall measurements ranged from 0.65 inches to 2 inches in the Richmond metro area, with 1.15 inches at Richmond International Airport.

Occasional showers and drizzle this afternoon and early evening may only add another 0.1-inch or so.

The rain will taper off in early evening and it's likely to be over for Richmond after 9 p.m.

Totals were heavier in southeastern Virginia, with 3 to 5 inches of rain between Prince George County and Hampton Roads.

Coastal impacts will be brief

Gusts may hit 40 mph in the eastern reaches of the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula this afternoon and evening, and 55 mph gusts are possible for the Eastern Shore and Virginia Beach.

For Richmond, the 25 mph breeze will be noticeable but not disruptive, and it should settle down this evening.

Those stronger winds over the water will whip up 5- to 7- foot waves in the Chesapeake Bay, and 8- to 13-foot surf on the Atlantic beaches will lead to rip currents.

The afternoon high tide came in about 2 feet higher than normal around Hampton Roads, but the overnight high tide should be closer to normal.

By Wednesday the system will be well offshore and calm weather will return to the region.
By PTI: Srinagar, Aug 29 (PTI) "Your tears have shaken many hearts....Every drop of your tear sears our heart."

These were the lines written by a top official of Jammu and Kashmir police for Zohra, the five-year-old daughter of Assistant Sub-Inspector Abdul Rashid who was killed by militants yesterday in Anantnag district of south Kashmir.

S P Pani, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), south Kashmir where Rashid was gunned down, gave vent to his anger and anguish in a Facebook post.

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Javaid Gillani, an IGP-rank IPS officer hailing from Kashmir, also expressed his views on the Facebook, condemning the killing and questioning how it could lead to so-called Azadi (freedom).

He also questioned the silence of the separatists and their "intellectual cronies" over the killing.

The images of Zohra crying her heart out as police personnel bid adieu to her slain father yesterday have been widely circulated on various social media platforms.

"The sacrifice made by your father will always be remembered. You are too young to understand as to why this happened," Pani wrote.

"People responsible for such violence who attack the lawful symbol of the state and society are indeed insane and enemy of humanity.

Your father like all of us represented Jammu Kashmir police force - a hallmark of valour and sacrifice," the DIG said.

Pani said many police families have suffered and undergone irreparable trauma defending the common good for the society.

"All those faces and stories indeed create a rich history making us proud. We cannot forget our heroes, our dear ones with whom we lived and worked all these years," he said.

"Remember we all are one family at this critical phase. Every drop of your tear sears our heart. May almighty give us the strength to go ahead with our mission of rendering services for the betterment of the society. The vow that we have taken when we donned the uniform stands supreme.

"Let our sprit and commitment become the harbinger for change, let it be the message of peace and harmony for the fellow citizens," Pani wrote.

He said Rashids memory as a true policeman who sacrificed his life in the line of the duty will always be cherished.

Gillani wrote a longish post on the Facebook, saying Rashid had joined more than 1500 of his other martyred Jammu and Kashmir Police colleagues yesterday.

"He (Rashid) was shot at and killed in the name of Azadi. How does killing a 59-year-old get us closer to the Azadi? In whose name we are killing the very people for whom we seek this Azadi," he wrote.

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Gillani said Rashid, like more than a lakh people of this state, have joined the police service to serve the people and earn an honest living to feed their families.

"(I) am sure none of the self-styled leaders of the movement or their intellectual cronies have the courage to condemn the killing. Even if they do, it wont be without caveats.

"At the least, I wish they had the guts to own up the killing that they have sanctioned and justify the killing to their own people," he added.

Gillani said the "paid apologists" of the separatists would use their "chicken brain" arguments to justify and explain the murder.

"It all goes on expected lines. First they would try and malign the martyred policeman. Then they would argue that policeman deserve to die because they are part of the oppressive machinery. To them it doesnt matter whether the one killed was culpable of any wrongdoing or not.

"The other argument would be what about so and so killing. Why wasnt their any hue and cry then?

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"Last but not the least they would question the credentials of the person asking questions. The fact is no one would talk about the actual act," Gillani wrote.

He called for an end to the killings on orders from across the Line of Control.

"As long as we continue to reason out or at best remain silent on any killing sanctioned from across, we would continue to bleed and die. A day wont be far when death reaches every house. The time to stop it is now. We owe this much to children like Zohra, the martyred Rashids daughter," he said.

He said a journalist has summed up Zohras pain in three lines.

"Let no daughter lose her father like this, Let no daughter have moist eyes like this, Let no daughter be left alone in this cruel world," he wrote on his Facebook page. PTI MIJ AKK AKK

--- ENDS ---
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
By PTI: Thiruvananthapuram (Ker), Aug 29 (PTI) The Kerala BJP has postponed its Janaraksha Yatra, which was scheduled to commence on September 7, till October due to the "inconvenience" of party president Amit Shah to attend it, the party said today.

"The yatra to be led by state BJP chief Kummanom Rajasekharan, which was scheduled to commence on September 7, has been postponed to October," a party release said here.

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It added that the decision was taken in view of the "inconvenience" of Shah and central leaders to attend it.

The "padayatra", which was scheduled to start from Payyannur in Kannur and conclude at the state capital here, was to highlight the political violence allegedly "unleashed" by the ruling CPI-M in the state, the release said.

It added that the revised date of the yatra would be announced later.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) alleged that Shah was visiting the state to "create trouble".

The Left partys Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan said the BJP president should first lead a march to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, where his party was in power.

He also alleged that "insecurity and law-and-order issues" were "severe" in the states ruled by the saffron party.

Jayarajan alleged that the Sangh Parivar was showing its "intolerance" as the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government was "surging ahead with mass support" in Kerala.

"Amit Shah is coming to Kerala to create trouble...to destroy the reputation of the state, which is known for its secular and democratic credentials," he told reporters.

Jayarajan also said that in Kerala, there was tension "only in the minds of the BJP-RSS activists".

"The slogan of the BJPs Janaraksha Yatra is that everyone has a right to live. If that is so, Shah should first take out a march to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, which are ruled by his party," he said. PTI LGK JRKRC RC

--- ENDS ---
The Grandin Theatre in Roanoke will hold a special screening Wednesday of the documentary What Lies Upstream, an investigation into a chemical contamination of a West Virginia river that exposes nationwide negligence.

Starting with a 2014 chemical spill into West Virginias Elk River, the movie uncovers widespread problems with industry self-reporting and government oversight, or lack thereof. The movie visits Flint, Michigan, to show how the same factors contributed to the lead contamination crisis there.

A review in Variety calls director Cullen Hobacks film quietly devastating and all the more attention-grabbing for being such a scrupulously restrained and slickly polished piece of work.

Roanoke native Vince Sweeney, who worked as the documentarys cinematographer, bears some of the responsibility for that polish. Sweeney, 44, is the writer and director of Blue Ridge, a 2014 drama shot in Craig County using regional actors. Hell attend Wednesdays screening and stick around afterward for a question-and-answer session.

The Q&A session will also feature microbiologist David Lewis, a former Environmental Protection Agency employee whos now senior science adviser to the nonprofit National Whistleblower Center based in Washington, D.C. Lewis appears in the film.

Sweeney said that Lewis will be able to share some results of soil and water sampling in Virginia. The complexity of the toxins found will take time to fully explore, Sweeney said. He will give an overview though and, of course, will be able to answer questions from the Roanoke community.
A man convicted of snatching purses from three different women has been ordered to serve eight years in prison.

On Aug. 23, Steven Branch pleaded no contest in Roanoke Circuit Court to one count of robbery and two lesser counts of larceny from a person.

Branch, 53, got four years on the robbery and two on each of the larcenies, with 16 years in suspended time and five years of post-release supervision.

In a summary of evidence, Assistant Commonwealths Attorney John McNeil said the first incident occurred in the early evening of Dec. 11, near the intersection of Jefferson Street and Wells Avenue. McNeil said a woman and her mother had been on their way to a Christmas party when a man approached them and grabbed the daughters wallet out of her pocketbook. The two women briefly chased the man but werent hurt, he said.

The second theft happened Dec. 27 in the 1600 block of Orange Avenue, McNeil said. A woman whod been shopping at a convenience store was putting her bags in her car when a man grabbed her purse. She fought back and, in the struggle, she was struck and suffered a swollen lip, McNeil said. The man got away with her pocketbook.

On Jan. 20, a woman headed into her North Jefferson Street apartment also had her purse forcibly taken. The bag contained her smart phone and police were able to track it to a residence in the 1500 block of Gilmer Avenue.

The officers were actually able to hear the pinging coming from the phone, McNeil told Judge Chris Clemens.

Branch was found in the apartment with the phone. He was arrested and ultimately gave a statement to police in which he admitted a number of purse snatchings, but he denied using force.

Because of the injury involved in the Dec. 27 theft, Branch was charged in that case with robbery, an offense that in Virginia can bring up to life in prison. Larceny from a person carries a maximum of 20 years.

At the time of these incidents, Mr. Branch was struggling with a very serious addiction to crack cocaine, defense attorney Drew Givens said at the hearing. He is here to take responsibility and asked me to express remorse on his behalf.

Branch had also been linked to and charged with two counts of robbery related to purse snatchings on Dec. 15 and Jan. 20, but those were dropped through his plea agreement. In the Dec. 15 robbery, a woman fell and had to be treated for injuries, but during a photo line-up, the victim 100 percent positively did identify someone else as her attacker, McNeil said.
CHARLOTTESVILLE  In the days following a deadly white nationalist rally that has made Charlottesville a flashpoint in the struggle over race and religion, a coalition of multi-ethnic and multi-racial activists from across the country made plans to bring people to the city  and lead them to Washington.

About 100 people gathered at the foot of the recently covered statue of Robert E. Lee in Emancipation Park on Monday evening. Moments later, police escorted the crowd as they exited the park, kicking off a 10-day journey that organizers of the March to Confront White Supremacy said they hope will capture the nations attention and bring changes to the White House.

We decided that on the anniversary of the March on Washington, we will lead a march to Washington to build monuments of hope and to tear down monuments of hate, said the Rev. Stephen Green, an event organizer and director of the Peoples Consortium for Human and Civil Rights.

Two weeks ago Saturday, folks gathered here to unite the right, Green said, alluding to the name of the Aug. 12 rally. Tonight, weve come to unite the entire nation around an agenda of morality, justice, love and equality.

In May, white nationalists held a nighttime torch-lit rally at the Lee statue. Two months later, a North Carolina-chapter of the Ku Klux Klan held a rally at the citys statue of fellow Confederate Gen. Thomas Stonewall Jackson.

Living up to some peoples worst fears for Aug. 12, a 32-year-old local woman was killed when a car came crashing into a wave of counter-protesters at the intersection of Fourth and Water streets.

Alluding to the recent rise of white nationalism, march organizer Mohammed Naeem said that bubble burst here in Charlottesville with the death of Heather Heyer and the scores of others who were injured.

Two law enforcement officers also died when a helicopter involved in police operations that day crashed in Albemarle County about three hours after the car incident.

This is absolutely a rapid response to what happened two weeks ago, Naeem said.

At the front of the march Monday, former NAACP President and CEO Cornell Brooks stood with local activist Tanesha Hudson and the Rev. Alvin Edwards of Mount Zion First African Baptist Church.

The march was preceded by brief series of sermons, speeches and prayer in front of the Lee statue. A spokesperson for Solidarity Cville presented a list of 10 demands that the march organizers are elevating in their platform.

The demands include calls for the city to drop charges against activists who protested the recent rallies, to remove all Confederate monuments in the city and to cease certain police programs and activities, such as the Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement task force and discriminatory stop-and-frisk.

The demands also call for city Mayor Mike Signer to resign.

Brooks said that those fighting for social justice for all people will not be intimidated by the forces that have descended upon Charlottesville throughout the summer.

Brooks said all who live within the nations borders and throughout the world have a shared humanity.

When we say that black lives matter, he said, it is a moral proposition such that we understand that to say black lives matter is the moral predicate to the ethical conclusion that all lives matter.

Unless we can say that black lives matter, you cannot say that all lives matter, he said.
The Kerala High Court has denied bail to Dileep for the second time.

By India Today Web Desk: The Kerala High Court has denied the fresh bail application of actor Dileep, who is accused of being the key conspirator in the abduction of a popular Malayalam actress in February this year.

The court had rejected his bail application on July 24, on the grounds that Dileep was influential and could destroy evidence if he was granted bail. Following this, he filed a fresh plea, claiming that he was innocent. However, there was no relief for the actor, as the Kerala High Court rejected his bail application again.

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Dileep, who was arrested on July 10, has been in the Aluva sub-jail for seven weeks now.

The hearing had concluded on August 23, and the High Court had reserved its judgment. During the hearing, the prosecution submitted 213 counts of evidences in a sealed cover and argued that granting Dileep bail would hamper the investigation.

Meanwhile, celebrated criminal lawyer B Raman Pillai, who is representing Dileep, had levelled serious allegations that Additional DGP South Zone, B Sandhya, framed him in the case falsely as she was close to his ex-wife and actress Manju Warrier. It was Manju who suggested the conspiracy angle in attack case, pointing fingers at Dileep.

(With inputs from Jeemon Jacob)

ALSO READ: Is Dileep in possession of the phone used to record the actress's assault?

ALSO READ: Kerala actress says she had personal problems with Dileep

ALSO READ: Does the Kerala actress abduction case date back to the Dileep-Kavya affair?

ALSO WATCH: Dileep's bail rejected, more trouble for the Malayalam actor

--- ENDS ---
Plans to convert a former primary school in Covington to a drone research and recreational facility got off the ground Tuesday with the announcement of $100,000 in federal funding.

The grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission will be matched with $100,000 in local money to complete a feasibility study for what is being called the Alleghany Highlands Drone Zone.

Located in the former Edgemont Primary School, the facility would serve as a regional incubator for an emerging industry in which small, unmanned aircraft are used for a variety of purposes, including delivering packages and taking aerial photographs.

The startup funds will also cover design, marketing and business plans for the facility.

This grant will help Alleghany County promote economic growth and create new jobs in the exciting and growing field of unmanned systems, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine said in a statement announcing the federal funding.

Renovation of the city-owned school building is expected to create space for about 12 businesses, with three to five opening each year, the two Democrats representing Virginia said.

A grant application describes the Drone Zone as a public-private partnership with the city of Covington and Alleghany County that would serve a niche market with drone racing, business startups and training.

Local officials hope that drone-related ventures will be drawn to the area by new opportunities and existing activities, such as the Flying Circus FPV Festival, a drone race that held its second annual event in May in Covington.

Were very excited. Covington City Manager Richard Douglas said. Its something weve been working on for a while and its been a team effort.

A field that will serve as a research and training area is just a five-minute drive from the school, and the wide-open spaces of the Alleghany Highlands lend themselves well to experimenting with flying objects.

You dont have the obstacles and challenges of an urban environment, just the beautiful scenery, Douglas said. So that really helps.

A partnership with nearby Dabney Lancaster Community College will offer training for drone entrepreneurs, and officials hope to work with the nearby Homestead and Greenbrier resorts to bring more participants to recreational events.

Established in 1965, the Appalachian Regional Commission assists in economic recovery programs for the Appalachian region, which includes 25 counties and eight cities in Southwest Virginia.

As part of his budget, President Donald Trump has proposed to defund the commission.

These federal funds show why it is important to maintain key federal, state, regional, and local partnerships and investments like those supported by ARC, which help our region build a stronger and more diverse economy, Warner and Kaine said in their statement.
Members of the group will first travel to Jammu on September 10 and then to Srinagar on September 16.

By Pooja Shali: A Congress delegation led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be heading to Jammu and Kashmir next month. The agenda of visit will be to discuss prevailing political situation and bring like-minded voices on the table.

Joining the delegation would be Jammu and Kashmir party in-charge, Ambika Soni and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad.

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Members of the group will first travel to Jammu on September 10 and then to Srinagar on September 16.

Speaking to India Today over phone, Ghulam Ahmed Mir, JKPCC president said, "The agenda of delegation is to bring like-minded voices on board and hence the Congress will approach other parties in the opposition. On schedule also will be interactions with delegations of different non-political sectors and one hour will be deployed for the same in Jammu and Srinagar."

Elections are scheduled in the state in 2021 while the by-polls of crucial constituency is still pending. The visit is being seen in the background of polls and as a likely initiation of opposition strategy to step up attack on PDP-BJP government in the state.

Raising questions on Congress' political visit is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state. BJP spokesperson, Khalid Jehangir said, "The whole problem caused in J&K is to be blamed on the Congress Party since 1947. From an armed rebellion leading to terror to exodus of Kashmiri Hindus and mismanagement in previous government regimes. Now, their leaders are arriving only to politicize an already sensitive situation in the state and gain media attention to hoodwink people in J-K and rest of India."

Meanwhile, residents of Jammu and Kashmir view such visits with apprehension and cynicism especially with regard to its conclusion. Several delegations have visited the valley in past few years including one by former journalists recently as a self-appointed citizen initiative. The interlocutor report in made public in 2011 was much hyped but eventually neither discussed in Parliament nor taken further into consideration by successive governments.

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The central government has quite a few arguments to plead with the Delhi High Court to criminalise marital rape. Learn what these are.

By Anusha Soni: The Delhi High Court heard petitions seeking declaration of Section 375 (offence of rape) of the IPC as unconstitutional on the ground that it discriminated against married women being sexually assaulted by their husbands.

The HC had earlier asked the Centre to clear its stand on petitions seeking to criminalise marital rape.

In an affidavit, the central government said that there is a fear that marital rape could become a tool of harassment for women just like Section 498A (Anti-Dowry Harassment Law).

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The centre said that the law could be used to harass husbands and deleting exception 2 of Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code would not serve any purpose since there would be no way to verify allegations of rape made by a wife against her own husband.

The affidavit was filed by Central Government's standing counsel Monika Arora.

"If all sexual acts by a man with his own wife qualify to be marital rape, then the judgment as to whether it is a marital rape or not will singularly rest with the wife", read the affidavit.

The Centre asked what evidence will the courts rely upon in such circumstances as there can be no lasting evidence.

According to the affidavit submitted by the Centre, marital rape cannot be criminalised in India because it has its own unique problems due to various factors like literacy, lack of financial empowerment of the majority of females, mindsets of the society, vast diversity, poverty, etc.

NGO PLEA

Meanwhile, the Delhi HC also agreed to hear a plea by an NGO, representing men victimised by alleged misuse of gender laws. The NGO said the issue affected a large number of men who might be victimised at the hands of women who file "false" rape and domestic violence case.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar allowed the intervention application by NGO, Men Welfare Trust, and allowed it to address the court as reported by PTI.

"The applicant (NGO) wishes to argue that the existing laws are very much capable of dealing with the cases of sexual abuse of women and there is no need to either bring a fresh law to deal with it, nor is there a requirement to withdraw the protection granted to husbands provided under Section 375 of the IPC," the plea, filed through NGOs president Amit Lakhani and vice president Ritwik Bisaria, said.

The NGO's plea claimed that when a person gets married, he or she gives consent to the spouse to have sex and any such sexual act cannot be termed as rape.

It claimed that when a person gets married, he or she gives consent to the spouse to have sex and any such sexual act cannot be termed as rape.

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(With inputs from PTI)

ALSO READ

Nothing like marital rape: Sushma's husband and ex-Governor Swaraj Kaushal on Twitter

FYI | Men are not allowed in this African village which supports victims of sexual violence, FGM and child marriage

Man sums up what legal rape is and it's something every Indian woman needs to hear

ALSO WATCH

Katrina Kaif urges women to speak up against marital rape

--- ENDS ---
August 25, 2017 Frances Lee Moricle Collins, 76, of Roanoke, went to be with the Lord on Friday, August 25, 2017. She was preceded in death by mother, Mary Ferguson. Left to cherish her memory are children, Robert L. Cox and wife, Sonya, Richard D. Cox and wife, Shelley, and James A. Cox; and grandchildren, Sarah M. Cox, Michele Cox, and Alyson T. Cox. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 31, 2017 at John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home, Salem, 540-389-5441. Online condolences may be expressed at www.johnmoakey.com.
In the 1800s, New York newspaper editor Horace Greeley famously advised go west, young man.

A modern version would be directed toward both genders and might read: Go to math class.

Thats one of the takeaways from the Growth and Diversification Plan put together by a group of business and educational leaders from the New River Valley to Lynchburg  part of the statewide GO Virginia initiative intended to help grow the states economy.

GO Virginia is a somewhat clunky apparatus. Its intended to harness the power of the business community to help government grow regional economies. But sometimes it seems to have infected the business community with the worst attributes of government  such as having to get Richmonds approval for taking almost any action, which seems contrary to the notion of empowering different regions of the state to act for themselves. Thats a topic for another day, though.

Today, lets look at the 68-page document that the Region 2 council has put together to satisfy one of those Richmond mandates, which may actually prove beneficial. The plan in the title is a misnomer. Its not really a plan; its mostly an assessment of the economy in this part of the state.

Its also rather remarkable. Its no Song of Ice and Fire, to be sure. However, it ought to be required reading for every government official in the region and any candidate who wants to be one.

Prepared by Virginia Techs Office of Economic Development, the report offers no grand revelations, but does an excellent job of assembling key statistics and observations that have been floating around out in the ether. Among the ones that ought to get peoples attention:

n Life sciences  a fancy way of describing everything from traditional health care to biotech research  was identified as an industry cluster where the region has great potential to grow lots of high-wage jobs, especially thanks to the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute. This is one of the fashionable so-called STEM fields, meaning science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

However, the report warned: Hindering this effort is the lack of basic STEM-skills, particularly mathematics, among potential workers (i.e., high school graduates) in the region. This skill gap will hamper the growth of a life science cluster as well. For every Ph.D. researcher, the industry will also need multiple technicians and support staff capable of basic mathematics and lab testing. Put another way, we dont know enough math. This was a theme that came up more than once.

n The region lags below both the state and national average for start-up companies. There were lots of reasons identified for this  a lack of investment capital for one thing. But heres another: Successful high growth startups tend to employ higher percentages of STEM-workers and provide significantly higher than median wage jobs. Currently the proportion of STEM-related workers in Region 2 is 20 percent below the national average.

Once again, we dont know enough math or science or any of those other letters, either. Technology companies simply arent going to locate someplace where they cant find technology workers. And, in case you hadnt noticed, just about everything today is a technology company.

Even manufacturing companies today prefer to bill themselves as advanced manufacturing because automation is transforming the workplace. When the Eldor Corp. picked Botetourt County last year, it wasnt just attracted by cheap land and good transportation route. It saw the mechatronics program at Virginia Western Community College. Yes, even auto parts factory workers need to go to community college now. STEM isnt just PhDs in lab coats.

This lack of math skills is depressing, but should also be encouraging  because this is a problem we can fix. Lots of other problems the report identified are beyond our immediate control. We cant simply pass a law and tell investors to plunk down money on new businesses here. But we can fix the math problem.

This report doesnt say what the fix should be  this isnt a solutions document, its a document to create a framework for evaluating proposals. Thats one reason why local officials ought to be studying it: GO Virginia envisions that local governments will band together, come up with solutions addressing these problems, and then submit proposals to get some of the money the group has available.

For all the work that business leaders (and the staff at Virginia Tech) has put into this report, its local officials who are expected to be the creative ones. The stated goal is that projects have to move the needle in terms of creating jobs that pay something higher than the regions median wage. Are local officials up to that challenge? Well see.

(Pro tip for savvy voters this fall: If youre living somewhere that is electing a supervisor or town council member this fall, ask the candidates if theyve read this report. If they say no, thats probably a sign they arent really up to the job. If they say yes, invite them to discuss it. You can find the report yourself at http://bit.ly/2ws9BI8).

Now, heres the catch: GO Virginia doesnt have much money available. The region stretching from Appomattox County to Pulaski County has $1.01 million to award in grants. For context: The road into the Deschutes Brewery in Roanoke will cost about $1 million. In terms of making fundamental changes that would help us grow the economy, $1 million is nothing. The state council has another $30 million to award, but once you start spreading that around, well, theres probably not much of that available either.

That might lead you to think this is really a lot of work for not much pay-off. Possibly. Theres another way to think about this, though. Maybe the money is a distraction, nice though it may be. Perhaps the councils real power is this: For the first time ever, business and educational leaders from Lynchburg to the New River Valley have convened together and produced an assessment of our strengths, our weaknesses, and our opportunities.

Even if GO Virginia had no money, thats a useful exercise. While wed like Richmond to help us, ultimately we know we can only count on the state for so much. The regional councils highest value might be serving as a bully pulpit to advocate for solutions we can enact on our own.

Figuring out how to make ourselves better at math is one good place to start.
Updated July 21, 2015

Foreword

In recent years, some people have loudly predicted the demise of newspapers. They point to the explosion of the Internet, a wave of troubling journalistic scandals, and the industrys rapidly changing business model, all factors that fuel an assumption that newspapers like The Roanoke Times will never survive such tumultuous changes.

Clearly, those concerns are legitimate: Will anyone want to read words published on newsprint in the year 2025? Will the Internet become the primary, or perhaps only, news source for most Americans? Will advertisers continue to try to attract customers with mass-market appeals, or will they rely on sharply targeted advertising? Finally, what new digital technologies will emerge to disrupt our world, and what threat to newspapers will they present?

For The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com, a single question looms above the rest: What must we do well to ensure that our journalistic enterprise survives these changes?

We know two things: First, people are innately curious, and they will always want and need local news. Thats part of the human condition. Second, no matter how people want to get their news  in print, online, on a smartphone or via whatever futuristic gadget you might imagine  we are committed to remaining this regions leading local news provider.

We understand that our success in the future depends on the same fundamental principles that have determined our success so far: People must believe in us and trust what we do. Simply put, our future depends on our credibility.

Those who turn to us for news and information need to believe not only in the accuracy of what we print, post or record, but in our commitment to community service, to journalistic excellence and to high ethical standards.

Our reputation for fair and complete reporting will distinguish our enterprise amid a growing din of confusing and sometimes contradictory information. Our depth of knowledge of the communities we cover, reflected in accuracy and timeliness, will earn our readers trust. Our commitment to service, as we document problems and possibilities for this region, will sustain us as an essential resource. Our ability to chronicle clearly the lives and events of this region will constitute the bedrock of our credibility.

We realize that our integrity is our future.

Thats what this document is all about. Please read it and understand how seriously we take our responsibilities. These professional standards and policies apply to everyone who works for the news department of The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com.

News and Editorial Mission and Vision

Purpose

We must provide people with the news and information they value and need to understand their world, govern themselves effectively and improve their lives.

Core values

We believe that an informed public is our societys only guarantee of freedom. We are first and foremost a local news organization, serving as the communitys watchdog, conscience and forum.

We believe that the cornerstone of our enterprise is journalistic integrity. We insist on honesty, accuracy and fairness in all our reporting. We will report progress and achievements as well as problems and injustices, offering our readers context and perspective. We will entertain as well as enlighten.

We believe that we are in partnership with readers, who determine our success. We will solicit, hear, respect and act on their ideas. We will maintain standards of excellence and strive to delight customers with innovative content.

We believe that our news and editorial staffs are the heart of our journalistic mission. We will therefore:

Provide an environment that stimulates and values their creativity and rewards them fairly.

Foster an atmosphere of mutual respect that empowers all employees yet acknowledges managements responsibility to lead.

Help people learn, as individuals and as team members, enhancing their productivity in the face of constant change.

Mission

Readership is how we measure our importance to readers and our impact on the communities we serve. Therefore, our mission is to create goals and strategies to increase readership. We will work with the rest of our company to establish goals to add new subscribers and retain present ones, and we will seek to build readership in innovative ways.

Professional Standards

Participation in Civic Affairs

The credibility of our news reporting requires fairness and impartiality. It demands the avoidance of conflicts of interest  or even the appearance of such conflicts  that might raise suspicion that the newspaper or its staffers pursue political or other agendas in news stories.

We operate in the public domain, on or off the job. Our private behavior as well as our professional behavior must not bring discredit to our paper or our craft. Staff members should be aware that even seemingly innocuous actions  wearing a political button, signing a petition, displaying a bumper sticker, appearing on a list of contributors to political or quasi-political groups  may create a damaging impression in the publics mind.

Our job is to chronicle the news, not make it. Participation in events such as public demonstrations, where a staff member could be involved unintentionally in making the news, always will be discouraged and must be approved in advance by the editor or managing editor.

News staffers are not expected to give up their rights as citizens, but they must understand that any employee who takes a public position on any significant public issue risks losing his or her reputation for impartiality and will be required to withdraw from stories about the issue. (In some instances, the staffers job may even be at peril.) Staffers should therefore avoid active involvement in partisan political causes  including participation in primaries or meetings to choose political candidates  community affairs, social actions or demonstrations that could compromise or seem to compromise our ability to report, edit or photograph fairly.

News staffers must exercise great care before becoming involved in any political activity beyond registering and voting in a general election. Under no circumstance may a staff member run for political office, make political contributions, or work, for pay or as a volunteer, in a political campaign or organization. If a relative  spouse, parent, child, brother or sister, for example  or close friend is involved in a political campaign or organization, the staff member will refrain from covering or making news judgments about such a campaign or organization.

To guard against the appearance of displaying a partisan allegiance, news employees should decline invitations to accept leadership positions or to serve on any board, commission or major committee with governmental, quasi-governmental or communitywide civic sponsorship. Exceptions to this rule should be approved in advance by the managing editor or editor and made known to all news employees. Under no circumstances may any news department employee accept the position of publicity chair for an organization or event.

Staff members who are to write or edit any story about an issue in which they have a personal involvement must advise an editor of the conflict. If a close family member is strongly identified with an organization, cause or issue in the news, the staff member must be prepared to withdraw from coverage decisions in that area. Other potential conflicts could arise from stock ownership, an employees outside employment, the place of employment of a spouse or dependent child, an overwhelming commitment to a public issue, or any number of other possible circumstances. In any conflict, the staff member will be required to withdraw from the story.

Freelance contributors, while not bound by the same restrictions as regular employees, should abide by the spirit of these standards, since the freelancers also represent The Roanoke Times. To avoid any potential conflict between journalistic impartiality and a freelancers commercial or political interests, it is the freelancers responsibility to make any potential conflict known to the newspapers management. If a conflict exists, the freelancer will be taken off an assignment, or the offer of a story or column will be refused. A freelancers ties to relevant organizations in an article should be prominently mentioned. These rules and all other guidelines also apply to freelancers employed by roanoke.com.

Community Service

We are residents of this community. Its civic health matters to us as citizens. Its cultural offerings enrich our lives and the lives of our families. The need to maintain journalistic impartiality doesnt mean that we have to be detached from community life. On the contrary, the more we participate in community activities, the better understanding we will have of the needs, aspirations and lives of the people we portray.

While news department employees should not become involved in policymaking positions or act as spokesmen or spokeswomen for outside organizations, we encourage staff participation in voluntary community organizations that have a limited community impact and do not fall in the normal range of coverage by the staff member. Among the kinds of community service news staffers engage in are teaching English as a Second Language, teaching Sunday school, constructing houses with Habitat for Humanity and helping in schools and day care centers. Any questions about appropriate volunteer work should be discussed with the managing editor or editor.

Business Interests

Staff members may not enter into a business relationship with news sources, use inside knowledge about businesses for personal gain or give anyone outside the news department knowledge of any proposed or pending story that could affect the price of securities or contracts.

Financial investments, loans or other outside business activities that could conflict with the newspapers ability to fairly and impartially report the news, or that would create the impression of such a conflict, must be avoided.

A reporter, editor or photographer who is to cover or edit any story about a company in which he or she has a financial interest must advise the managing editor or editor of the conflict and be prepared to withdraw from the story. Financial interest in this case consists of ownership of more than one share of stock, active or passive participation in an enterprise, or enjoying beneficial interest of investments held by others. Investments held through a mutual fund are exempt from this provision, as long as the staffer is not reporting on the fund itself.

Relatives of news staffers cannot fairly be made subject to the newsrooms rules, but it should be recognized that their employment, financial investments or involvement in causes can at least appear to compromise our integrity. Business and professional ties of family members or close friends thus should be disclosed, on a confidential basis, to a supervising editor.

Outside Work

News employees of The Roanoke Times are expected to avoid any type of outside work  paid or unpaid  that may be open to any interpretation that it affects or influences the content of the newspaper.

Any outside work, even apparently unrelated to journalism, can cause conflicts. No employee may accept outside employment or engage in outside business activities without first consulting his or her supervisor about possible conflicts of interest. Any questions about what is appropriate should be referred to the managing editor or editor.

These specific prohibitions on outside jobs apply to news personnel:

No news employee shall accept work with any organization, promoter, business, school, amateur or professional team or agency that depends on news coverage in The Roanoke Times.

No news employee shall accept work with any agency of the federal, state or local government, political party, advertising agency, or any organization seeking public support for any cause. This prohibition does not apply to service in any reserve unit of the United States armed forces or similar military obligation.

News employees are prohibited from performing work for any competing medium of communication. A staffers first loyalty should be to this newspaper. As a general rule, staff members should not work on the same assignment for the newspaper and any other organization. When a staffer seeks permission to string, write or take photographs for national publications, however, it normally will be granted.

Occasional guest appearances on commercial and noncommercial radio and television stations will be permitted, with prior approval by the managing editor or the editor. When on the air, staff members should demonstrate a high standard of impartiality, just as in our papers news columns, and refrain from offering personal opinions about issues in the news.

Freebies, Junkets and Gifts

The Roanoke Times pays its own way on all assignments for news coverage. We accept nothing of value  except information  from news sources or others outside the newspaper.

All trips designed to produce news stories for the sponsor  junkets  are to be declined. The rule is: If we cant pay, we dont go. An exception might involve traveling on military aircraft in time of war. Even then, we should make every effort to pay our share of the costs. That decision should be left to the managing editor or editor.

No news employee or freelancer shall accept business-connected gifts valued at $35 or more. Gifts of significant value, such as free lodging, free tickets to events, plane tickets and expensive meals or bottles of liquor are to be refused with a polite explanation that newsroom policy prohibits their acceptance. Where refusal or return is impossible, gifts can be donated to charity. Staffers should report all gifts to the managing editor or editor.

Admission to any event where provision has been made for separate or special seating for journalists must be limited to one admission per working reporter or photographer. Staff members should not seek admission for a family member or friend to a working media area, nor should they use special media seating unless they are covering the event or legitimately gaining background for future coverage. Staff members should accept no free tickets for admission of relatives or friends to any event.

Staff members should pay for meals when on assignment and arrange for later reimbursement by the newspaper. Restaurant critics must never accept free meals at eating establishments. Travel writers, including stringers, should adhere to strict pay-your-own-way standards for food, transportation and lodging.

This policy is not to be construed to mean that a staffer cannot accept a low-cost meal or, in some circumstances, transportation when these things are proffered in the course of a normal assignment and insistence upon paying our way is not practical.

Situations will arise that call for judgment. We need not be reduced to arguing with a news source over who will pay for a cup of coffee or a press briefing over an inexpensive lunch. Occasionally, someone may buy a staff member a drink. This is regarded as a simple courtesy, and the staff member should repay the courtesy at some future time. Use common sense. A ride in a sources car may be acceptable; a $100 gift, never.

Whenever group rates or other discounts are available to the public, staff members may pay those same rates. At any event, we should strive to pay our fair share of a sponsors costs  whether a staffer is covering a story or developing contacts.

These rules also apply to news stringers. The newspaper expects freelancers to abide by the same rules, since the freelancer on assignment represents The Roanoke Times. Supervising editors should inform freelancers of these rules at the time of assignment.

Personal Advantage

News personnel should not use their staff positions to seek benefit or advantage in personal business, financial or commercial transactions not generally afforded to the public. For example, staff members should not refer to their newspaper connection while attempting to buy a personal item at a reduced price, to ensure quicker service or make a complaint about a private transaction. The standard is that a staff member should not seek or accept any benefit or advantage not afforded to the general public.

Integrity of Our Reporting

We do not make up anything that appears in our news columns. We do not invent details or embellish facts in our stories.

The use of fictitious quotations, phantom sources or composite people as if they were real people is forbidden.

We do not misrepresent ourselves when gathering and reporting the news. People have a right to know theyre talking to a journalist from The Roanoke Times.

We will do our best to make sure that ordinary people understand how what they tell us will be used in our stories. We recognize that many of the people we talk to may never before have been interviewed bya reporter. Well treat them  and all the other people we come in contact with  respectfully and honorably.

Quotes

Quotes are sacred. Dont clean them up to hide poor grammar, slang or broken English. If were afraid that a direct quote will embarrass a speaker  particularly if the speaker is someone not accustomed to talking to the newspaper  paraphrase the information.

Plagiarism and Giving Credit

Plagiarism is unforgivable and will be cause for termination. We will attribute all material we use from other newspapers, other media or any other sources. We will credit other media that develop exclusive stories worthy of our coverage.

Integrity of Photographs

Photojournalism is an integral part of the storytelling process at The Roanoke Times, and it is critical to the papers credibility.

Our visual report is one of the ways we provide important content to the reader; we must carefully protect its integrity. There is one absolute in picture creation, picture editing and picture use: If the final product misleads or deceives the reader, even if it is an unaltered image, it is wrong to use it.

We do not have specific moratoriums against the publication of any type of accurate news picture. Pictures that show extreme grief, graphic violence, dead people, nudity or other potentially offensive content require careful consideration before publication. In these cases the managing editor or the editor must be consulted before publication. (See Good Taste Policy)

We may wish to use some photo or design technique  such as fade-outs, cutouts or type on a photo  on a news page to create a package, but we should not use this in a way that alters content. Just as traditional dodging and burning, color correction and other techniques require common sense, so does the use of all manual and computer software image processes.

When we use a photo illustration or alter a photograph for a valid journalistic purpose, that photo is no longer a news photo. Our style is to use the "Photo Illustration" credit. A caption explaining the context of the illustration and any techniques used to create it should be considered to avoid misperceptions.

In all situations, good judgment, honesty and common sense are the guidelines. If you have any doubt about whether you should use a photo technique while shooting or during the design process, consult the managing editor or the editor.

Sources

We rely on sources for information, but we deliver our credibility into their hands if we fail to check the facts and statements they supply, or if we arent certain that we understand their agendas. Good reporters dont accept anything theyre told at face value. When youre dealing with sources, be skeptical of what youre told. Do your best to confirm through other sources or records the truthfulness of what youre told.

Remember: Our responsibility is to our readers, not our sources.

The Roanoke Times strives to provide its readers with believable and useful information. Readers cannot know whether to believe or disbelieve information attributed to anonymous sources. They cannot use that information because, without knowing the source, they have no means of assessing its value.

To the fullest extent possible, this newspaper will provide readers full information on the sources of news it prints. Sources are to be identified by name, position and other information relevant to the story.

Our business demands that we get as much information as possible on the record and with full attribution. We should make every effort to get sources on the record. Too often, we allow sources to go off the record or tell us something thats not for attribution. Keep interviews on the record as much as possible. Avoid blanket promises of anonymity, particularly at the start of an interview. If a source asks to go off the record, ask what he or she means by that to make sure you share a common definition of the term. Push to find out why the source wants to speak off the record; often a source means they want to talk not for attribution, which allows us to publish the information.

If a source wants to go off the record, keep that part of the interview as limited as you can. Go back on the record as soon as you can. After you get a piece of information thats either off the record or not for attribution, reason with the source and try to persuade him or her to reconsider whether it really needs to be off the record. Often, you can chip away at the off-the-record comments and get much of it on the record.

On occasion, authoritative reporting requires the use of unnamed sources. Authorization is to be given only when the following conditions have been met:

The supervising editor determines that there is a need for the public to know the information provided by the source and no on-the-record means of obtaining it exists.

The supervising editor knows the identity of the unnamed source.

The reader is told as much as possible about the unnamed source and about the reason for anonymity. In doing this, though, we should always balance our obligation to protect the confidentiality of our sources.

Extensive efforts have been made to corroborate the accuracy of the information provided by the unnamed source.

The supervising editor informs the managing editor or editor. The final decision whether to print the material rests with them.

Permitting an unnamed source to demean, attack or vilify a named person or institution is forbidden unless the managing editor or editor, for considered and compelling reasons, expressly approves. And if an anonymous source ever lies to us, our readers will be told as soon as possible.

We will not mislead readers by mischaracterizing an anonymous source. We will not write that Jane Jones refused to comment if, in fact, it means that Jane Jones did comment but refused to be identified.

These policies apply to wire stories, though their application is difficult. Generally, we should avoid use of national and international stories based on unnamed sources, unless the article shows that several sources were used and gives some indication of the sources expertise, or offers other corroboration for the information reported. Anonymous, scurrilous quotes should be removed from wire stories just as they would be from a staff-written story. It may not hurt a public official or movie star to be the subject of an anonymous attack in a wire story in The Roanoke Times, but it can hurt us by diminishing our readers trust.

Here are some other policies about sources:

If a source asks to go off the record, to talk on background, or to speak not for attribution, be sure that you and the source agree on what those phrases specifically mean.

Occasionally a source will try to make parts of an interview off the record after the interview has taken place. We should not allow sources who deal with the media on a regular basis to get away with this. If youre interviewing ordinary citizens who are not used to being interviewed, be upfront and clear that the interview is on the record and for publication.

Talk to your editor in any situation where total and lasting confidentiality is involved. In such situations, the reporter and editor must share the burden of trust that such a promise carries. On potentially sensitive stories, a reporter must talk with an editor before promising anonymity; legal repercussions and other problems may not be clearly seen at the fact-gathering stage.

Do not use such words as key officials, well-placed or informed sources. Provide the fullest possible identification, such as an official in the city managers office.

Anonymous quotes in event and feature coverage   I think its great, said a festival-goer who asked not to be identified.  are prohibited. If you interview someone about an event, make sure the person agrees to be identified before you interview him or her. If not, seek someone else.

No material purporting to be factual should be reported from an online site unless the reporter is confident of and/or verifies its source. For instance, the official Pulitzer Prize website can be regarded as a reliable source for the names of past winners. But inside information or personal details about third parties posted on websites should be regarded as no more than gossip: We check it out independently.

Internet-derived information should be attributed, just as we would information from any book, magazine or other publication.

Nothing in this policy is intended to block the occasional need to shield identity for reasons of privacy, compassion or good taste. (Examples include victims of sexual crimes and people whose jobs or personal safety would be endangered by identification.) Even in these cases, a supervising editor must inform the managing editor or editor. The final decision whether to print the material rests with them.

Making Deals with Sources

Sometimes a source will promise exclusive or far more detailed information at a later date if we agree to refrain from publishing a story as soon as we become aware of it. No staffer should agree to such a deal without consulting her or his editor. Thats because the deal is made with The Roanoke Times, not with the individual reporter.

We should resist such deal-making efforts forcefully. Our business is to find things out and report them, not to sit on information that the public should know. However, there may be instances in which an agreement to delay publication better serves the public interest than immediate publication would. Any such deals must have clear terms, including a date on which the deal expires. The source also must understand that if the story breaks in another medium, the deal is off.

Diversity of Sources

We are committed to reflecting, in our news stories, the diversity of the communities we serve. To achieve that, we will strive to give voice to people from various segments of our coverage area and work to reflect the diversity of gender, race, ethnic and economic background, sexual orientation, religion and political leanings in our stories and photos. Reporters and photographers will be encouraged to look for these new voices and new faces for their stories in journalistically sound ways.

While a one-source story may occasionally be unavoidable, stories that rely on a single source will be viewed skeptically. Reporters who submit one-source stories will be encouraged to find additional sources before their stories are published.

Prepublication Review

Reporters generally should not let a source see a story before publication. However, accuracy is our overriding goal. Reading parts of a story to a source can sometimes prevent inaccuracy. Especially when we are dealing with stories of a scientific or highly technical nature, our policy is as follows: If a source asks to see a story before publication, the reporter should check with his or her immediate supervising editor. If the editor agrees, the source will be permitted to check facts and quotes. No nitpicking or arbitrary editing or rewriting will be permitted.

Photographers generally should not show photos to sources before publication, unless it is necessary to get a sources assistance in identifying subjects in a photo. Any exceptions to this policy should be discussed with editors.

Dealing with the Public

Without readers, we dont exist. That simple fact makes good reader relations a matter of necessity. We expect every staff member to respond to every communication from a reader, whether a letter, phone call or email, whether a compliment or a complaint.

Many decisions to file libel suits are made not when a story appears, but only after the complainant feels ill-treated in trying to get a correction or a fair hearing from the newspaper. But our concern is much more fundamental than avoiding litigation. To be trusted in the community, we have to be seen as decent, caring and courteous people. That means listening, acknowledging when were wrong and taking action to correct our mistakes.

When readers or sources call to complain, listen carefully, not defensively. Try to understand precisely what the caller is upset about and what he or she wants. If the caller isnt satisfied after a conversation of reasonable length, offer to let him or her speak to your supervisor or another senior editor. Any threats of legal action must be reported right away to your supervisor, the managing editor or editor.

We do not, under any circumstances, expect staffers to tolerate abusive language or behavior from readers or sources. Staffers are instructed:

If a callers language becomes abusive, politely tell him or her that you want to hear him out but that you cant listen to such language.

If the language persists, politely ask him to call back when hes calmer, tell him you are going to hang up, and say goodbye as you do so.

Never end a call unannounced, slam a receiver down or use profanity or obscenity in any telephone conversation, no matter what the provocation.

Get out of the conversation or situation, and inform your supervisor immediately as to what has happened.

Dealing with Other Media

Staff members should exercise discretion in their dealings with other news media. They are our competitors. Employees who are asked for interviews by other media should consult a senior news executive before talking about sensitive matters such as pending business decisions (the creation of a new section, for instance) or news stories that have yet to be published. Discussion of the newspapers business strategies and internal personnel matters should always be avoided.

In such situations, staff members should also find out the full circumstances of why specific stories have been handled in a particular way, think carefully before they publicly discuss such stories, and always make clear whether they are speaking for themselves or the news department.

Writing About Ourselves

Staffers should avoid quoting, featuring or photographing their own family members and those of other Roanoke Times employees in the newspaper. Our goal is to write about the community, not ourselves.

The yardstick here is news judgment: Is this person an essential part of the story? Could the picture or quote just as logically come from another source?

One exception: Columnists whose work includes autobiographical references.

As a large business and major employer in the region, The Roanoke Times occasionally figures in the news. In making decisions about covering our own enterprise, we should apply the same standards we would use in deciding whether to write about any other business.

The test is: Would we write about this if The Roanoke Times were not involved? As in all our reporting, the goals are accuracy and fairness. We should be as accurate and fair when reporting critically about ourselves as we would be when reporting about any other business.

Articles that include references to subsidiaries, personnel policies, new ventures or business practices of The Roanoke Times should be reviewed by the editor or managing editor before publication.

Foundation Support

The Roanoke Times does not accept foundation money to support newsgathering efforts, readership surveys or special reporting projects. Similarly, we do not allow people who are paid by foundations or other organizations to work as staff writers, editors or special project coordinators.

This policy does not pertain to student or teacher interns, who may receive some outside support, nor does it apply to staff members who win general-education journalism fellowships, which may in part be funded by foundations. Any staff member with questions about whether a particular fellowship program meets these guidelines should consult the editor.

Copyright and Ownership of Materials

The Roanoke Times owns all rights, including the copyrights, to all materials prepared or obtained by its employees while they are working on company time or producing work specifically for the company.

Therefore, no employee shall use or otherwise reproduce such materials for use outside the newspaper without having first obtained the approval of the managing editor or editor. Our standard contract with freelancers transfers all rights, title and copyright of purchased material to The Roanoke Times. Exceptions may be negotiated on a case-by-case basis with the managing editor or editor.

Company Property

Electronic archives, cameras, copiers, computers, fax machines, telephones and other newsroom equipment are provided for authorized use only. News employees must not use newsroom materials or equipment for commercial or charitable work, or for personal use, without permission of a supervisor.

Computers are an integral part of the newspapers production process; employees should therefore exercise restraint and common sense in their use. Information in an employees computer file is to be treated with respect, and accessed only for editing and appropriate production reasons; similarly, employees should always refrain from entering material in the computer that would prove embarrassing if inadvertently published or given public exposure.

Computer hacking or trying to access messages or personal computer files is equivalent to opening someones mail, searching a staff members files or listening uninvited to someones phone calls. Such actions are impermissible.

Contests

The goal of our newspaper is to serve readers  not win contests  and we will keep that in mind when we write and edit stories, take photographs, create graphics and illustrations and design our pages. We will not undertake any effort solely for the purpose of entering a contest. The content of our paper will be initiated because it has intrinsic news value or serves the communitys interest, not because it promises the chance of recognition or monetary gain from an outside source.

We understand, though, that the newspaper and the staff, collectively and individually, benefit when the quality of our work is recognized outside our community. Accordingly, we will enter staff-produced work in selected journalism contests. All entries must be reviewed and approved by a supervising editor.

Staff members are encouraged to enter contests sponsored by professional organizations of journalists, such as the Society of Professional Journalists, the Virginia Press Association and the Pulitzer Prize Committee. They shall not enter contests designed to promote the commercial or political interests of businesses, business or professional associations, political organizations or labor groups.

Other contests are to be approached with caution. Entries may be made only with the permission of the managing editor or editor, who have the authority to prohibit articles from being entered in contests that would be detrimental to the newspapers credibility.

Talk It Through

We cant cover in this document all the ethical decisions and journalistic choices well face. If something doesnt feel right, if a question keeps nagging at you, if youre uncertain about how to handle a difficult situation, talk to your supervisor, a colleague, another editor. Talking through ethical issues with other journalists and sometimes other experts can help all of us make right and honorable decisions.

Content Policies

Editing, Good Taste and Other Policies

Reporters and editors must collaborate, cooperate and communicate if we are to give readers the quality they deserve. The goal of everyone who works at The Roanoke Times is to make each edition the best it can be. Reporters cant do it without editors, and editors cant do it without reporters.

We encourage writers to try new styles and storytelling techniques  and we encourage copy editors to speak up when they think a story doesnt work.

Copy editors serve several critical functions: They are the readers surrogate and advocate; they are the newspapers final defense against error and libel; they are the designers and headline writers whose presentation skills can make or break a story; and they are the production experts who prepare pages for printing.

It is the duty of the reporter and assigning editor to make sure that a story is complete, accurate, well-written and in accordance with AP style before it is sent to the copy desk. The reporter and assigning editor should thoroughly discuss framing, tone, structure and length before stories are written to ensure that stories are told in ways that are appropriate, compelling and clear to readers.

The assigning editor is responsible for the primary editing of most stories.

The copy desk is responsible for the second editing of local stories. Even though assigning editors or senior editors may have read a story, copy editors should never assume that a story is OK simply because someone else has read it. Copy editors should edit all copy for accuracy, clarity, conciseness, fairness and thoroughness.

If a story is correct, it should not be changed; if the writing style and structure are appropriate to the story, they should not be changed.

When changes need to be made and circumstances permit, the following procedures are to be followed by copy editors:

Major problems with a storys content or style always should be taken first to the assigning editor. If he or she is unavailable, they should be taken to the night metro editor. Major problems include reorganizing a story to give it a different angle or emphasis, or any other shifting of a storys tone. If those editors cant agree on a solution, the story should be taken to the night editor or managing editor.

If neither the assigning nor night metro editor can be reached, the copy editor should discuss the story with the night editor. If there is agreement that the story requires substantial change, the change should be discussed with the reporter, if feasible. Reporters should correct or rewrite such stories whenever possible. A story that does not have to run the next day should be held for rewrite by the reporter rather than be rewritten by the desk. If, in the opinion of the night editor, the story must run, and the reporter cannot be reached, the desk should rewrite it as necessary. The night editor should make sure the reasons for the rewrite are promptly communicated to the assigning editor.

When a story needs rewriting and an early-edition deadline is pressing, a copy editor should consult with a supervising editor, then put the story in shape for use in that edition. If needed, the reporter, metro editor or copy editor should rework the story between editions.

If the lead of a story is changed, the reporter or supervising editor must be phoned and the new lead read to him or her to ensure its accuracy. If the night metro editor is on duty, he or she should consult the reporter. If not, the copy editor must phone. The only lead changes that can be made without a phone call are to correct the misspelling of a standard word, a clear grammatical mistake or a breach of AP or Roanoke Times style. If the reporter or supervising editor cannot be reached, the night editor should compare the original and changed leads to make sure the lead remains accurate.

Reporters must adhere to set story lengths unless expressly given permission by the assigning editor, in consultation with the appropriate slot editor, to submit a longer story. The night metro editor should be apprised of a need for trimming; ultimately, however, authority for condensing a story rests with the copy desk.

Recurring problems with copy, such as spelling and grammar errors, should be reported to a writers supervising editor, even if the problems are minor. If a story contains several such mistakes, the copy editor should give a printout of the original version to the supervising editor.

If editing changes do not cause error or distortion, or needlessly violate a reporters writing style, copy editors will be fully supported in all judgments. There is no excuse for error caused by a copy editor who changes what originally was correct.

Photographers are responsible for providing accurate and adequate caption information. Copy editors should check this information against that which appears in a story, however, and be sure names and other details agree.

Bylines signify original reporting and writing. If a story is substantially changed, either by rewriting (by someone other than the reporter), significant trimming, or addition of material from the files or wires, a copy editor should consult with the assigning editor and night editor. The reporter will be granted the privilege of omitting his or her byline unless, in the judgment of the managing editor or editor, the reporters request is unwarranted.

Editing Photos and Graphics

The goal of each photo assignment should be to provide honest and accurate news photographs that provide information in context, with or without an accompanying story. Photographers should work with the assigning editor and reporter to understand the news content of each assignment before going on the assignment, and they should then edit for that content when the shoot is completed. Photo editors and photographers should work with page designers on ways to use the photo selection as part of the page design.

The work of news artists must be given the same careful attention that stories and photos receive. Changes to staff-produced graphics and art must be discussed with artists whenever possible. Other changes may be made for compelling reasons only with the approval of the night editor.

Good Taste

Our policy is to exercise good taste in publishing news stories that contain words potentially offensive to our readers. The Roanoke Times is a family newspaper; where possible, we will avoid use of obscene, vulgar, profane or otherwise offensive language.

Gratuitous details should be avoided in describing crime scenes, incidents of rape, attempted rape, sexual deviance, indecent exposure and lewd phone calls or remarks.

Reporters and editors are cautioned to avoid double entendres. They should not occur in stories or headlines.

At times, deleting an expletive will change the context of a paraphrased statement or fail to indicate a persons intended attitude. However, any exception to our general policy of not using expletives must be approved by the managing editor or editor.

We want to avoid demeaning slang, especially racial, ethnic or religious slurs. When it is deemed essential to convey that a person used vulgar language, our style is to print the first letter of the word, followed by hyphens in place of missing letters.

Mild swear words (damn, hell) will be spelled out, but used only when required by the context. Wire stories are subject to the same scrutiny as local ones.

Care should also be taken to avoid publication of photos of a salacious nature when they have no news value.

As a general rule, we do not publish photos of dead bodies. Sometimes, though, there is a compelling news justification for publishing a photo in which a dead body appears. Decisions about running such photos will be made only after deliberate discussion among editors. Final decisions to publish or not to publish such photos will be made by the managing editor or editor.

Corrections Policy

To request a correction, call our newsroom at 540-981-3340 or fill out this form.

We correct all mistakes. Whenever a possible error is called to our attention, a staff member should handle the matter in as courteous a manner as possible and immediately inform an editor. When we learn about an error, we will publish a correction or clarification online and in print that is clear and concise as soon as possible.

The newspaper as a whole accepts responsibility for routine errors of our making, and we do not identify the internal source.

Example (institutional correction): Bradley Guslers name was misspelled in a story in Sundays Business section.

When we publish erroneous information provided by others, we will indicate that, as long as the error is not something we could and should have verified. For instance, if we are given an incorrect telephone number and publish it, we should assume institutional responsibility for the error, because its easy to call and check a number. But if we are dependent on a single state trooper for details of an accident, we would attribute any incorrect information to him or her.

Example (attributed correction): Because of incorrect information provided by the Roanoke Police Department, the wrong person was identified as being charged with driving under the influence Monday night, following an accident on Cove Road. Police said Tuesday the correct identity of the person arrested is John Doe of 1234 Main St., Salem.

The anchor position for corrections is on Page A2. This includes corrections for news, sports, features and photos. Zoned sections should publish their corrections in an anchored position.

Correction of major errors may appear on A1 or a section front, at the discretion of the managing editor or editor. The night editor should review all corrections before publication. See below for more about online corrections.

Reporting Cause of Death

Cause of death is an important fact in many stories that we write. Reporters should make every effort to confirm, through official or family sources, the cause of death in news stories and news obituaries. If, for some reason, the cause of death cannot be determined, we should report that it was not disclosed.

Reporting Suicides

Generally, our policy on reporting suicides is intended to protect privacy. If a person takes his or her own life, in a private way and a private place, we normally do not write a story. However, if the person is or has been a public figure  someone who has been in the public eye and whose death would be considered newsworthy and thus warrant a news obituary  we will write the story and report suicide as the cause of death when we confirm it through official or family sources.

We also report suicides that occur in a public setting, whether or not the person was a public figure.

In all cases, we will be sensitive to the family and friends of the dead person, but we will follow our established standards on reporting causes of death.

Identification of Race

We do not identify race or ethnic background unless the information is relevant. It may be so:

In stories involving politics, social action, social conditions, achievement and other matters where race can be a distinguishing factor.

Where usage has sanctioned the description: black leader, Irish tenor, etc.

In reporting an incident that cannot be satisfactorily explained without reference to race. However, the mere fact that an incident involves people of different races does not, of itself, mean that racial tags should be used. When racial identification is used, the races of all involved should be mentioned.

We do not mention a persons race in describing criminal suspects or fugitives unless the rest of the description is detailed enough to be meaningful  e.g., specific details about the persons physical appearance beyond race, identifying details about the persons dress that would help a possible witness identify the person, etc. Sketchy descriptions are often meaningless and may apply to large numbers of innocent people.

Identification of Victims

We do not identify victims in sexual assault cases, unless they wish to be identified. Decisions about identifying sexual assault victims in those cases still must be discussed with and approved by the managing editor or editor.

As a general rule, we want to identify victims of other crimes by name and at least a general description of where they live. In some cases, we may use the name of a street, but we usually do not want to give a specific street address. In some cases, a general description of the victims place of residence  Rocky Mount, for example, or southwest Roanoke  may be all thats needed.

We do not normally use the names of clerks or tellers when we give an account of a store robbery or a bank robbery unless theres a specific reason to do, such as quoting the clerk or teller by name.

Identifying Places in Police and Fire Stories

We generally report exact addresses as they are available. Exception is in cases where a house has been damaged by fire, and publishing the exact address may make it a target for vandals. In that case, we publish only the block number. Exceptions should be approved by the managing editor or editor.

When reporting about a crime, its appropriate to use the name of a business or a prominent institution if its relevant to the story and useful to readers in locating the scene of a crime. We would say, John Smith of Roanoke was stabbed to death in the parking lot of the Big Bags grocery store. We would not say, John Smith was stabbed to death in an alley two blocks from the Big Bags.

Naming Juveniles in Crime and Court Stories

We want to be sensitive and deliberate in deciding when to identify juveniles involved in crime or court stories. Our general policy, however, will be to use names, although there are circumstances in which we will not identify a juvenile. If a juvenile is testifying in a public court hearing, the circumstances of the case will have to be considered before a decision is made on naming the juvenile. If a juvenile is a surviving victim of a crime, the circumstances of that case also must be considered before a decision is made. Reporters should talk to their editor and, if necessary, the managing editor or editor if questions arise.

Virginia law allows the closing of juvenile court proceedings. In some cases, judges will allow us to attend the proceeding if we agree not to identify juveniles accused of crimes. Again, reporters should discuss the situation with their supervising editor before making a commitment for the newspaper.

However, juveniles 14 or older who are charged with murder or aggravated malicious wounding face adult trials automatically, and the newspaper will identify them by name. For other violent felonies  including malicious wounding, rape and abduction  prosecutors have the option of sending juvenile offenders to circuit court. These juveniles will also be identified by name.

In addition, even when the proceeding remains in juvenile court, state law requires that the hearing be open if a juvenile 14 or older is charged with an offense that would be a felony if committed by an adult.

When juveniles 14 and older are charged with felonies and their court proceedings are open, we will identify the juveniles by name.

Whether to name juveniles under age 14 who are charged with crimes that, for adults, would be felonies, will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the managing editor or editor.

Medical Hardship Funds/Drives/Benefits

We are often asked to report on efforts to raise money to help people in our community who have suffered hardships because of medical emergencies, accidents or natural disasters. We consider it part of our community service role to report on these efforts if there is a legitimate and organized fund drive, with proper financial accountability in place. Such stories may be handled as briefs or, after consultation with editors, as longer stories.

Digital content policies

Digital media platforms allow us to report the news faster than ever before and in ways we never dreamed possible, but with that speed and flexibility comes the opportunity for real-time errors of fact and judgment.

Our online content  no matter the medium  adheres to the same ethical guidelines as our print content. Our core values of journalistic integrity, partnership with our audience and community service will guide our digital work, just as they do in print.

What We Publish Online

Much of the content on our website is content that has run or will run in print. However, we also produce original content for the website that might never run in the paper.

The voice of web-only content if usually less formal than a print story, or it might appear in a completely different format, such as a slideshow or video. However, content produced specifically for online use should undergo an editing process -- even if it is self-editing -- that maintains our standards for accuracy, sourcing, taste and avoidance of conflict of interest. Those standards apply to work posted to roanoke.com or any other digital space under The Roanoke Times | roanoke.com brand.

Corrections

We correct errors in our online content as soon as were made aware of them. Correct the error then add a correction using the Correction related content style. Refer to our corrections policy for tips on writing corrections, and use the format below:

July 12, 2015, 1:54 p.m.: John Doughs last name was misspelled in an earlier version of this story. The story has been corrected.

Blog corrections can be handled less formally, but should contain, at minimum, the pieces in the example above.

Unpublishing Content

In general we will not deliberately remove information from our website, outside the routine rotation of content off the site because of timeliness (for example, calendar listings). The content we publish online is part of the public record, just the same as are printed newspapers preserved in attics, on microfiche in libraries or in digital archives.

On occasion we will consider exceptions to this policy because something published online is defamatory or because the item has put an individual's life at risk. In such instances, editors made aware of a request to remove something from our website should confer with the online editor, the managing editor and the executive editor. Those three editors should reach a consensus on how to respond to the request, with the default position being to keep items online unless there's irrefutable evidence of a clear danger to someone. The final decision shall rest with the executive editor.

Social Media

The Roanoke Times | roanoke.com Branded Accounts

We use our branded social media accounts to break news, promote our work and connect with readers.

Editors posting to Roanoke Times social media networks should tailor the tone of a post to fit the content thats being promoted, keeping in mind that the same standards of good taste apply to social media that we use to create all content.

We encourage discussion of content by the followers of our social media accounts, and we relish the lively debate that sometimes arises. While its nearly impossible to police every comment made on Facebook, for example, we do monitor them and expect commenters to abide by some basic standards of decency and courtesy. Comments that contain profanity, obscenities, racial or ethnic slurs, potentially libelous statements or personal attacks on other commenters will be hidden or deleted, and repeat offenders will be banned without notice. We also will ban commenters who repeatedly goad others. Debate is encouraged, but harassment is not allowed.

If we make an error in the chatter of a Facebook post, we will correct it by editing the original post, marking it corrected and commenting on the post explaining the nature of the correction. On Twitter, reply to the erroneous tweet with a correction, then tweet a clean post. Do not delete posts from branded accounts without the approval of an online editor.

As much as possible, we reply to readers who ask questions or lodge complaints on social media. If an editor replies using a Roanoke Times branded account, the editor should include his or her name and title. Reporters may also respond to comment threads about their own stories using their personal Facebook accounts. Please consult an editor if youre unsure about how or whether to respond.

As a Reporting Tool

We encourage responsible use of social media tools by all newsroom employees to form connections, find story ideas and locate sources.

Social media websites are not a substitute for actual interviews by phone or in person and should not be solely relied upon.

Whenever possible, information gathered using social networks should be independently confirmed offline. Verify that the person youve contacted online is in fact the person you presume him or her to be. Interview sources in person or over the phone whenever possible. As always, verify claims and statements.

Be transparent with our audience as well as sources. Let them know how you contacted people, in what context you gathered the information and how you verified it (or didnt verify it). If information was obtained from a Facebook page, for example, say that.

Ensure informed consent. Identify yourself as a reporter for The Roanoke Times and advise the source that you are gathering information from them for publication. Consult an editor before using social media to contact children and others who may not be able to fully comprehend the consequences of speaking to a journalist.

Before using photos that have been copied or downloaded from social media sites, be careful to verify that the photos are what you think they are, and obtain permission from the account owner whenever possible.

Approach sourcing on any social media platform with the same skepticism we apply elsewhere. Is that Twitter account really the official site of the Roanoke Regional Airport or Roanoke County government? Have you seen it before and judged it to be accurate and valid?

Breaking News and Live Events

News staffers are strongly encouraged to push original reporting through their personal social media accounts, especially when covering breaking news or live events.

In a breaking news situation, use caution when posting or passing along information that has not been independently confirmed. Try to bring your followers to the scene of the news, focusing on what you can see and hear from your position.

Facebook Live Access

All reporters will be granted access as a Live Contributor to The Roanoke Times Facebook page. As a Live Contributor, reporters will be able to go live as The Roanoke Times from their phone. This means theyll be representing the news organization under its name when they are live on Facebook.

They will not be able to comment as the page or access any publishing tools. Each week, the Sunday reporter will be granted administrator access to the page in order to post any breaking news coverage. A digital team member will then revoke that access after the Sunday reporters shift.

Breaking news Facebook posts still must be reviewed and approved by a supervising or night editor or the on-call editor. Reporters also should alert one of these editors to plans to post on Facebook as a live contributor.

Facebook Live Usage

News staffers are encouraged to push breaking news reporting through their personal social media accounts. But some situations are of greater importance and of greater impact, and therefore require a different level of attention and reporting.

When the breaking news situation is of a large enough impact, a reporter at the scene may consider initiating a Facebook Live from The Roanoke Times main page. Before doing so, the reporter should consult with a metro editor or online editor.

Similar to any other social media, reporters on Facebook Live should use caution when passing along information that has not been independently confirmed. Such posts should be approved by an editor in advance.

While conducting a Facebook Live, reporters might have difficulty speaking with officials, witnesses or other people at the scene of a breaking news situation. Because of this, its recommended that Facebook Live be used only when multiple reporters are at the scene.

Communication between editors and your fellow reporters remains critical. Review your plans in advance with your editors and colleagues on the scene.

Promoting Your Work

Staffers have no obligation to use their personal social media account(s) to promote their work for The Roanoke Times, but consider these guidelines if you do:

Be clear and accurate in headlines and summaries for your stories or other work when posting them. Its easy to sensationalize or oversimplify.

Avoid expression of opinion, or anything that might be construed as opinion, on the content you are posting about. Naturally, critical writing such as music or movie reviews are an exception.

Do not post outtakes (or details that would not make your story) on personal social media channels that exist for your own private use. The newspaper holds the copyright to this material and is under no obligation to defend you if questions or a claim of defamation arise.

Whenever possible, include a working link to the work youre promoting.

Balancing the Personal and the Professional

It is increasingly difficult to keep your social media presence strictly private and personal. All newsroom employees must recognize that everything they post has the potential to affect their reputations and, by extension, the credibility of this newsroom.

Use tools such as limited profiles and privacy settings to restrict access to your most private information. Remember, though, that there is no such thing as true privacy when you post information on the Internet.

Tell people what to expect from your social media posts in your profile information. Will it be more about your personal life, or will it be strictly work-related?

The standards for your actions in the virtual community of a social networking site are no different than those in your actual community. For example, just as you should not put a political sign in your yard or bumper sticker on your car to maintain your credibility and the newspapers credibility, neither should you join political groups on Facebook or add political content or statements to your page.

Recognize that even seemingly benign actions can be misinterpreted. You may sign up for a group or become a fan of something, perhaps even to get story ideas, but others could construe that as bias toward a business or organization that the newspaper covers. If you follow a group or account that represents one side of a controversial issue, seek out the group that represents the other side and follow them as well.

Manage your friends carefully. Having one source on your friends list but not another is easily construed as bias. Be consistent: Accept no sources or people you cover as friends, or welcome them all.

Be aware that the actions of your online friends also can raise questions regarding your impartiality and/or reflect poorly on you and, by extension, the newspaper. Manage your friends comments. Delete inappropriate comments that can damage your reputation as a journalist, and consider de-friending individuals who are repeat offenders. Even friendly actions such as posting certain links on your wall can be damaging.

Newsroom employees should consult the employee handbook for more general guidelines on the use of social media.

Documents

Source documents can provide important context for readers following a story. Before posting them, a reporter or editor should carefully review the content for anything that violates our standards of good taste or sourcing, or compromises the privacy of a party named in the document.

Documents that need to be redacted before publication will be published with a note about what was removed and why.

Audio production

The integrity of audio gathered to accompany a story is as important as the story youre trying to tell. With the exception of formal arranged interviews, audio is always gathered at the time the story occurs. Be fair in pulling sound from opposing or diverse views.

Dont let an interview subject polish his interview; if something is totally unusable, it can be re-recorded, but if someone just wants to sound good, dont let it happen. If someone is re-recorded, the nature and intent of the original response must be preserved. Also, it is not our job to make those interviewed sound better or worse. Avoid overly doctoring sound bites by cutting out bits such as ah and um.

Dont plan on using canned sound or copyrighted material; work with what you see and hear.

Get names of everyone interviewed. The story or caption should show who was featured in the presentation.

Never misrepresent a scene through use of ambient or natural sound. For instance, if only one shot was fired to kill a pig, dont use the same sound to show a second shot if it never happened.

Dont ever create the impression of something that didnt occur.

Sound bites are the equivalent of direct quotes. As a result, sound bites used in stories will not be taken out of their original context and should be treated the same as quotes are in print.

Transitions  those sounds between scenes in story telling and story line  must be authentic.

Narration can be used to help clarify a story, such as when the subjects speech cannot be understood. Journalists should not depend on narration as an alternative to gathering ambient sound.

Obscene, vulgar, profane and otherwise offensive language should be avoided where possible, as should gratuitous detail in descriptions of material related to sex or sex crimes. If you feel potentially offensive material has news value and should be included, consult an editor early in the production process. Use of audio or video in which a subject uses an expletive should be approved by a senior news executive before posting. In those instances, the editor may require the questioned language to be masked by bleeping it out.

Photos and video

Photographs or video that appear in a digital medium should be edited for content and quality in the same manner that still images are edited for print. Photographs and video should indicate the shot date when appearing online and provide identification of the subjects and credit to the photographer or publication.

Copyright, credits and stock material

All copyrighted material must include the name of the individual or organization that holds the copyright. Such a copyright should clearly appear on or adjacent to the material.

Photographs, video and other graphic illustrations that can be acquired online using image search engines are not to be used unless permission has been obtained in writing from the holder of the copyright. Once permission has been granted, the material can be displayed with an accompanying copyright and source credit. The same fair use rules we use for print apply here.

Personal blogs

Newsroom employees are expected to exercise caution if maintaining a personal blog or when posting to other blogs or message boards. News staffers always must keep in mind the balance between their exercise of creative expression and their responsibility to adhere to our standards of fairness when posting in an online space.

As a newsroom employee, everything you say or write or do can and will be viewed in light of your connection with the newspaper. Any personal Internet posts should be crafted with concern for how they might reflect on our news products or our reputation for fairness and professionalism. Those newsroom employees who have a personal blog or regularly participate on, or contribute to, a blog should notify their immediate supervisor that they have or regularly participate on/contribute to a blog, and talk through any potential conflicts of interest or complications. In the end, the newspapers standards will govern all blogs.

No unpublished images, audio, video or reporting gathered by or on behalf of employees for The Roanoke Times or roanoke.com may be posted to personal blogs, message boards or social media sites. Again, the newspaper holds the copyright to these materials and is under no obligation to defend you should a claim be brought against you.

Posts shall not reveal pending news coverage before it appears on roanoke.com or in The Roanoke Times and should not discuss or reveal news sources or methods of news coverage.

Maintain the confidentiality of the companys confidential information and trade secrets. Posts shall not disclose nonpublic financial information or reports about the company, or other matters that are confidential in nature and covered by the company confidentiality policy.

All posts shall be fair, honest and accurate. If you make a mistake, correct it quickly.

Posts of the following nature are prohibited: a post that includes information or rumors known to be false; a post which could reasonably be considered a malicious, obscene, threatening, intimidating or defamatory personal attack on another; or a post that disparages a customer, subscriber or supplier. Examples might include offensive posts meant to intentionally harm someones reputation; posts designed to threaten, bully or intimidate someone; or a post that could contribute to a hostile work environment on the basis of age, race, sex, religion, disability or any other protected status.

Particular care should be taken in responding to posts by others that are critical of specific news coverage or in responding to personal attacks made by others regarding specific newsroom employees.

Purely personal blog postings should not be made on company work time or using company computers.

This policy and the guidelines contained herein are intended to comply fully with all applicable laws. Nothing contained in this policy is intended to prohibit, or limit, the right of any employee to make lawful posts, or to engage in any lawful or protected communications, including the right to discuss the terms and conditions of employment with others.
By PTI: Midnapore (WB), Aug 29 (PTI) A nurse working in the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital died there today due to negligence by the authorities, following which other nurses lodged a police complaint and gheraoed the superintendent.

The nurse, Tripti Dinda (27), was admitted to the hospital on Saturday with fever, and pain in spine.

She was advised an MRI test but that could not be done as the MRI machine in the hospital was not functioning, the nurses alleged.

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After Dindas death, the nurses lodged a police complaint that she died because of negligence by authorities.

Police said when they went to the hospital to take the body for postmortem, her family members refuse to hand over the body saying they did not want it.

The family members took the body out of the hospital but the police approached them again at Bat Tala Chowk, a major crossing.

An altercation followed, and Dindas family members started a road blockade putting the body there, police said adding, after sometime they were allowed to go with the body without postmortem.

The nurses then gheraoed hospital superintendent Tanmay Panja demanding improvement of infrastructure.

Doctors of the hospital had been assaulted last night following death of a child and they also joined the nurses demanding security, hospital officials said.

The gherao was lifted after Panja promised that steps would be taken to improve infrastructure and security measure, the officials said.

Panja could not be contacted.

Earlier this month, a nurse of a private hospital in Kolkata died while on duty also due to alleged medical negligence of the hospital authorities. PTI COR NN

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Mumbaikars, listen up. As you brace for the possibility of more rain, here's a list of do's and don'ts, courtesy the National Disaster Management Authority.

A woman is helped to move through a water-logged road after rains in Mumbai (Photo: Reuters)

By India Today Web Desk: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) today tweeted a list of guidelines for Mumbaikars, who have braved heavy rains and will likely have to brace themselves for more showers in the hours to come.

In fact the weather man says the downpour could be similar to the July 2005 Mumbai rains, in which at least 108 people were killed in two days.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured all possible support to the Maharashtra government, and urged residents of Mumbai and surrounding areas "to take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain."

Spoke to Maharashtra CM @Dev_Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain in Mumbai & surrounding areas. @CMOMaharashtra- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

Mumbaikars, the first thing to keep in mind right now: Don't leave your homes if you can help it.

Now, here are some other guidlines you need to follow during a flood. You can track all the live updates right here, and find important helpline numbers here.

DO'S AND DON'TS Don't drive in places that are flooded. Trying to swim or walk in flowing water can be dangerous. If your electrical equipment has been damaged, don't use it. And don't use any electrical equipment when you're standing on a wet surface (this is particularly true for concrete floors). Do not consume food if it has fallen into flood water, or has come into contact with it in any way. Your power connection need to be turned off. So does your gas connection. And be on the lookout for gas leaks! Get to high ground. Boil water before drinking it, or drink chlorinated water. Sewerage lines, gutters, drains and the like: Avoid them like the plague, and stay far away. The same holds true for electric poles and power lines that have fallen. Be on the lookout for broken electric poles and wires, sharp objects and debris.

Advisory information courtesy: National Disaster Management Authority (@ndmaindia)/Twitter

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Torrential rains in Mumbai paralyse rail, road transport services; high tide alert issued

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The Indian commodity Exchange Ltd began trading in India on 28 Aug 2017, enabling companies in the country to better hedge price risks.

The Exchange, backed by companies including Reliance Capital Ltd and MMTC Ltd., started trading in 1 carat/100 cent contracts and will eventually add 50 cent and 30 cent contracts.

Sellers will need to get the diamond certified by the De Beers-promoted International Institute of Diamond Grading and Research and will get credit in electronic form equivalent to the carat deposited, according to the exchange.

Sanjit Prasad, MD of Indian Commodity Exchange Ltd said, Indian manufacturers most require this type of financial product. India carries the price risk of holding huge inventories of cut and polished and rough diamonds.

The exchange has 20 large diamond companies as members and expects about 45 sightholders of De Beers to transact on the exchange platform, Prasad said.



Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished




Signet Jewelers Limited, the worlds largest retailer of diamond jewelry, announced that it has agreed to acquire R2Net for $328 million in an all cash transaction. R2Net is the owner of JamesAllen.com, a fast-growing online jewelry retailer, as well as Segoma Imaging Technologies, who provides R2Net machines to enable delivery of next-generation digital shopping experience for jewelry.

The acquisition will bring together Signets jewelry retail business with R2Nets world-class innovation capabilities and digital technology to create an enhanced customer shopping experience and accelerate Signets execution of its Customer-First OmniChannel strategy while adding a fast-growing millennial online retail brand to Signets portfolio.

Together, we will redefine the jewelry shopping experience and further accelerate our Customer-First OmniChannel strategy. said Virginia C. Drosos, Chief Executive Officer of Signet.

The transaction is currently expected to close in the third quarter of fiscal 2018 subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval and will be financed with a term loan provided by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., which is expected to be repaid in full by the end of fiscal 2018.

Following the acquisition, R2Net brands will largely operate as an independent division of Signet and its current leadership team will remain intact.



Alex Shishlo, Editor of the Rough&Polished European Bureau in Brussels




Camping Quelle region privilegier pour des campings calmes ? Combien coute en moyenne une location de mobil home pour une semaine dans le Sud ? Quel camping conseillez-vous a Argeles ? Quels pays sont les mieux equipes en campings ? Connaissez-vous des campings avec plage privee ? Dans quelles zones le camping sauvage est il autorise ? La communaute repond a vos questions. 384

Camping-car Comment laver au mieux son camping-car? Quel camping-car pour voyager a deux ? Quelle assurance pour voyager a letranger avec un camping-car ? Quels accessoires sont indispensables pour voyager en camping-car ? Est-il possible de trouver des bouteilles gaz dans toute lEurope ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 5878

Croisieres 1390

Expatriation

Envie de partir Est-il facile de sinstaller au Portugal ? Quel pays anglophone choisir pour apprendre langlais ? Quel pays pour un travail de fille au pair ? La communaute repond a vos questions !Envie de partir vivre a letranger , en expatriation, en Erasmus, au pair ou en volontariat international ? La redaction vous donne toutes les formules et astuces de financement. 675

Le Guide du Routard Est-il possible davoir des reductions grace au guide du routard ? Est-il necessaire davoir le guide de lannee en cours ? Comment trouver les derniers guides ? Existe-t-il une version en ligne des guides ? Quelles sont les prochaines destinations choisies par le guide du Routard ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 420

Moto Quels documents sont necessaires pour louer un scooter ou une moto en Thailande ? Quelle agence choisir pour faire un road trip en moto aux Etats Unis ? Est-il facile dacheter une moto en Australie ? Connaissez-vous un bon garage au Vietnam ? Quel permis est necessaire pour louer une moto en Espagne ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 240

Routard.com Comment supprimer mes messages ? Comment creer un carnet de voyage sur le site ? Comment participer aux differents concours ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 50

Ou et quand partir ?



Ou partir en ete a moindre cout ? Ou faire un road trip ou un citytrip ? Quelles sont les destinations les plus festives ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! Ou et quand partir en vacances pour trouver du soleil ? La redaction de routard.com vous indique les meilleures destinations pour chaque mois. 1265

Photo Quels sont les meilleurs blogs de voyage ? Routard.com a-t-il un concours photo ? Quel appareil photo conseillez-vous pour un safari ? Quelle camera choisir pour immortaliser une plongee ? Quels sont les plus beaux comptes Instagram de voyage ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 190

Plongee



Tous les conseils pratiques de la redaction pour la Quels sont les plus beaux spots de plongee au monde ? Quelles palmes utiliser pour une plongee dans les Caraibes ? Ou faire un bapteme de plongee ?Tous les conseils pratiques de la redaction pour la plongee sous -marine , et notre selection des plus beaux spots de plongee et de surf dans le monde. 145

Reveillons

, pour Noel et/ou pour le Nouvel An ? Lumiere sur les plus beaux marches de Noel en France et en Europe, et cap sur les reveillons les plus fous de la planete. Ou faire le reveillon a letranger a moindre cout ? Quel restaurant choisir a Barcelone ? Quelle est lambiance a Budapest pour le reveillon ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! Ou partir en decembre , pour Noel et/ou pour le Nouvel An ? Lumiere sur les plus beaux marches de Noel en France et en Europe, et cap sur les reveillons les plus fous de la planete. 221

Ski

et aux sports dhiver ? On vous donne nos idees de destinations sports dhiver, et nos conseils pratiques pour les amateurs de glisse. Tout schuss ! Quelles sont les stations les plus enneigees ? Ou faire du ski a moindre cout ? Quelle station de ski familiale dans les Alpes ? Ou faire du ski de fond ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! Ou partir au ski et aux sports dhiver ? On vous donne nos idees de destinations sports dhiver, et nos conseils pratiques pour les amateurs de glisse. Tout schuss ! 266

Tour du monde

Retrouvez aussi les Existe-t-il un circuit a privilegier pour un tour du monde ? Existe-t-il un visa multi-destinations ? Conseillez-vous un tour du monde en camping car ? La communaute repond a vos questions !Retrouvez aussi les conseils et infos pratiques de la redaction : bons plans billets tour du monde, et idees de voyages inoubliables. 893

Trek

Tout savoir sur la Quels sont les meilleurs spots de treks du monde ? Quelles agences specialisees pour faire des treks a letranger ? La communaute repond a vos questions !Tout savoir sur la randonnee en France et les plus beaux treks du monde : conseils pratiques, materiel et accessoires, et idees de circuits. En route ! 572

Velo

La redaction a teste pour vous Quel equipement choisir pour son velo ? Comment transporter son velo par avion ? La communaute repond a vos questions !La redaction a teste pour vous les plus belles pistes cyclables, veloroutes, randos a velo et itineraires cyclotouristiques en France et en Europe. Tous en selle ! 450

Voile Comment sorganiser pour faire un tour du monde en voilier ? Y a-t-il un club de voile a La Reunion ? Ou louer un catamaran en Grece ? Quels sont vos conseils pour acheter un voilier ? Est-il possible de faire une excursion en voilier en Polynesie ? Quels sont les meilleurs spots de voile en Amerique du Sud ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 113

Voyager avec son animal Comment voyager en avion avec son animal de compagnie ? Faut-il payer un supplement lorsquon voyage en avion avec son chien ? Est-ce prudent de voyager avec son animal a letranger ? Quels sont les hotels autorisant les animaux ? Comment faire du backpacking avec son chat ? Est-il possible demmener son chien en Thailande ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 110

Voyage de noces



Faites le plein d Quelle destination choisir pour un voyage de noces ? Y a-t-il des agences de voyage specialisees ? Quels sont les plus beaux hotels du monde ? La communaute repond a vos questions !Faites le plein d idees de destinations romantiques ou roucouler a deux, en lune de miel ou en week-end en amoureux. 108

Voyage en famille

Vous partez en Quelles compagnies aeriennes ont les tarifs les plus avantageux pour les enfants ? Voyager en Asie avec des enfants en bas age ? La communaute repond a vos questions !Vous partez en vacances en famille ? La redaction vous donne des idees de voyages en famille, et des conseils pratiques pour voyager avec les enfants. 877

Voyage en solo Comment trouver des compagnons de voyage ? Quelle assurance de voyage conseillez-vous pour voyager seul ? Est-il prudent de faire un road trip seul en Amerique du Sud ? Avez-vous des astuces pour un voyage en total itinerance ? Quel itineraire conseillez-vous pour un voyage seul en Europe ? Est-il prudent quune femme voyage seule en Asie du Sud-Est ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 614

France Vous preparez un voyage en France ? La communaute Routard repond a vos questions. 17

Albanie Un road-trip en Albanie ? Navette centre-ville - aeroport de Tirana ? Circuler en bus ou voiture ? Les plus belles plages de la rivieira albanaise ? Rejoindre la Grece depuis lAlbanie ? Changer euros contre leks ? Comment visiter le Teth ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 489

Allemagne Quel est le plus beau marche de Noel ? Que faire a Munich et Francfort en un week-end ? Visite des chateaux de Baviere : ou loger ? Ou trouver un logement pratique et pas cher pour Oktoberfest ? LAllemagne a velo, ou et comment ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 658

Andorre 87

Angleterre 869

Armenie Ou faire de la randonnee en Armenie ? Location de voiture ? Hebergement ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 235

Autriche Quelle station de ski dans le Tyrol ? Quel itineraire choisir pour du camping-car ? Quels conseils pour de la randonnee en Autriche ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 442

Belgique Combien coute le parking de laeroport de Charleroi ? Quels sont les meilleurs restaurants et bars de Belgique ? Que visiter a Bruges ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 703

Bielorussie Comment se loger en Bielorussie ? Quel itineraire emprunter de Vilnius a Minsk ? Ou obtenir des renseignements sur le visa ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 71

Bulgarie Que visiter a Sofia ? Comment aller aux Sept lacs du Rila ? Ou trouver des aires de camping-car en Bulgarie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 435

Chypre Quel est le meilleur itineraire pour voyager du Nord au Sud de Chypre ? Quelles sont les plus belles plages de Chypre ? Les lieux incontournables a visiter ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 312

Croatie Visiter lile de Brac ou lile de Korcula ? Quelle agence de location de voiture choisir ? Ou loger dans Dubrovnik ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2778

Danemark Le meilleur circuit dans Copenhague ? Quel budget pour un road trip au Danemark ? Quel ferry pour aller aux iles Feroe ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 284

Ecosse Est-il possible de faire du bivouac sur lile de Skye ? Que visiter a Edimbourg ? Faut-il partir avec un passeport en Ecosse ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2316

Espagne Quelle destination choisir en Espagne ? Les bonnes adresses de Barcelone ? Les plus beaux parcs de Madrid ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1816

Estonie Quelle est la meilleure periode pour aller en Estonie ? Comment aller dHelsinki a Tallinn ? Les meilleures compagnies pour une croisiere ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 69

Finlande Trouver une bonne station de ski ? Le meilleur spot pour voir les aurores boreales ? Quels vetements porter en Finlande ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 569

Georgie Quelles activites faire a Tbilisi ? Le meilleur passage frontiere Russie-Georgie ? Ou se loger en Georgie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 252

Grece Quel ferry prendre pour aller sur lile de Santorin ? Quelles iles des Cyclades choisir ? Ou se baigner a Athenes ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 9588

Hongrie Quel est le cout de la vie a Budapest ? Ou obtenir des billets pour un tour du lac Balaton en train ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 158

Irlande Quelle agence de voiture choisir ? Faut-il un visa pour entrer en Irlande ? Que voir a Dublin en une journee ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2560

Islande Quand partir en Islande ? Ou voir des baleines ? Se baigner au Blue Lagoon ? Dans quel sens faire le tour de lile ? Quand voir des aurores boreales ? Quelle voiture louer ? 2899

Italie Quelle agence choisir pour visiter Milan ? Quel itineraire dans la region des Pouilles ? Ou loger dans les Cinque Terre ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 4154

Lettonie Que voir a Riga ? Les meilleures plages de la Baltique ? Un road trip a travers la Lettonie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 111

Lituanie Quels sont les specialites de Lituanie ? Trajet Klaipedia - Vilnius en bus ? Quel itineraire dans les pays baltes ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 100

Luxembourg Travailler au Luxembourg ? Les meilleures adresses de restos et dhebergements ? Un weekend a Luxembourg-Ville ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 68

Macedoine Comment organiser un voyage en Macedoine ? Quel avion prendre ? Que faire a Skopje ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 41

Malte Ou loger a Gozo ? Est-ce interessant de faire un sejour linguistique a Malte ? Ou se procurer un plan de transports ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 727

Montenegro 377

Norvege Quelle periode pour voir des aurores boreales ? Changer ses euros en couronnes norvegiennes avant de partir ? Que voir a Bergen ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2349

Pays-Bas Comment aller aux Pays-Bas ? Faire une randonnee a velo en Hollande? Visiter Amsterdam ou Rotterdam ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 313

Pays de Galles Transport pour Cardiff ? Quelques jours dans le Sud du Pays de Galles ? Randonnee dans Snowdonia et Pembrokeshire ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 59

Pologne Comment aller en Pologne ? Quelles activites a Varsovie ? Quel transport de Cracovie a Auschwitz ? Visiter les mines de sel ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 852

Portugal Visiter le Douro ou lAlgarve ? Trouver une location ou un camping au Portugal ? Ou faire du canyoning, du surf ? Les peages electroniques ? Quoi voir a Porto ? Quelle location de voiture ? 2426

Republique tcheque Que faire en Republique tcheque ? Trouver un logement a Prague ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 144

Roumanie Louer une voiture en Roumanie ? Quels sites pour un logement sur Bucarest ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 667

Russie Itineraire pour aller a Saint-Petersbourg ? Billet de train pour Moscou ? Vetements dhiver en Russie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1306

Serbie 109

Slovaquie Les incontournables de Bratislava ? Trajet France-Slovaquie ? Quelles activites faire ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 89

Slovenie Ou observer les ours en Slovenie ? Comment acceder au parc national du Triglav ? Randonnee ou road trip? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 326

Suede Est-il possible de faire du camping sauvage en Suede ? Faut-il changer ses euros en France ou sur place ? Que voir a Goteborg ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 399

Suisse Vivre en Suisse ? Quels cantons choisir ? Trouver un logement et sinstaller ? Que faire au Lac Leman ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 734

Turquie Quel visa pour la Turquie ? Visiter la Cappadoce ? Quel circuit suivre ? Quelle est la monnaie utilisee ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1682

Ukraine Visiter Kiev ou Odessa ? Visa pour voyager en Ukraine ? Quel itineraire en Ukraine ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 500

Afghanistan 11

Azerbaidjan 24

Bangladesh Est-il possible de voyager au Bangladesh avec des enfants ? Existe-t-il un train de nuit pour faire Katmandu-Dhaka ? Fau-il un guide pour visiter le pays ? La Communaute repond a vos questions 37

Bhoutan Comment organiser son voyage au Bhoutan, quelle compagnie aerienne pour y aller, quelle est la meilleure periode pour visiter le Bhoutan, pour quel budget ? 35

Birmanie Faire son e-visa pour la Birmanie, choisir son agence de voyage, organiser ses activites sur le lac Inle, a Bagan, au Rocher dOr, changer sa monnaie 2665

Brunei Organiser son sejour au Brunei, combien de temps y rester, comment sy rendre par voie terrestre 13

Cambodge Une, deux ou trois semaines au Cambodge ? Posez vos questions sur votre itineraire et vos trajets au Cambodge, les meilleurs periodes pour visiter Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, les temples dAngkor, les plages de sable blanc ou encore les iles ! 3178

Chine Acheter ses billets de train en Chine, aller a la Grande Muraille, quel itineraire au Yunnan, visiter Xian, trouver un bon restaurant a Pekin 2300

Coree du Sud Comment sexpatrier en Coree du Sud ? Quel budget prevoir pour un voyage de 1 mois ? Faut-il louer une voiture pour visiter lile de Jeju ? La Communaute repond a vos questions 893

Inde Quelle agence choisir pour visiter le Rajasthan ? La foire de Pushkar est-elle interessante ? Quel climat au mois daout ? Quelles sont les etapes necessaires pour obtenir un visa en Inde ? La Communaute repond a vos questions. 6510

Indonesie Ou loger a Gili Air ? Que faire a Flores ? Est-il possible de visiter 3 iles en 15 jours en Indonesie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions. 2920

Japon Est-il interessant dacheter le JR Pass pour se deplacer dans le pays ? Quel itineraire pour 15 jours au Japon ? Que visiter a Osaka ? Existe-t-il un un moyen de voyager en shinkansen pour faire Tokyo, Kyoto et Mont Fuji ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 4517

Kazakhstan 44

Kirghizistan 152

Laos Quel climat au Laos ? Faut-il payer en Bath ou US dollars ? Combien coute le visa on arrival ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1580

Malaisie Ou aller pour un premier voyage en Malaisie ? Les iles Perhentian valent-elles le detour ? Que faire a Kuala Lumpur ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2307

Maldives Ou sejourner aux Maldives ? Quel spot choisir pour faire du snorkelling ? Que faire a Male ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1274

Mongolie Ou acheter un velo en Mongolie ? Faut-il un visa pour voyager en Mongolie ? Quelle agence de voyage choisir ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 471

Nepal Quel equipement prendre pour faire le tour de lAnnapurna ? Quelle agence de trek choisir ? Que visiter a Katmandou ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1703

Ouzbekistan Obtenir soin visa pour lOuzbekistan, faire la Route de la Soie, choisir une agence locale pour voyager en Ouzbekistan, visiter Samarcande, Boukhara et Khiva 451

Pakistan 31

Philippines Quel transport privilegier entre Manille et Palawan ? Que faire a Cebu Island ? Quel itineraire choisir pour 15 jours de voyage aux Philippines ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2055

Singapour Quand visiter lUniversal Studio Singapore ? Ou trouver un logement pas cher dans la ville ? Prix du transfert entre laeroport de Singapour-Changi et le centre-ville ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 353

Sri Lanka Obtenir lETA pour le Sri Lanka ? Comment trouver un chauffeur-guide ? Quel itineraire ? Ou voir des elephants ? Quelles sont les plus belles plages ? Voyager en famille au Sri Lanka ? 4593

Tadjikistan 36

Taiwan Comment assister au festival des lumieres a Taipei ? Quelle plage privilegier a Taiwan ? Quelle agence de location de voiture choisir ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 191

Thailande Quelles sont les plus belles plages de Thailande ? Ou trouver un hotel les pieds dans leau ? Un visa est-il necessaire ? Quel trek a Chiang Mai ? Quel budget ? 14843

Tibet Quel budget prevoir pour un voyage au Tibet ? Est-il obligatoire de voyager avec un guide ou une agence ? Quelles sont les formalites pour rentrer au Tibet ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 114

Turkmenistan 10

Vietnam Vietnam nord ou sud ? Quand visiter la Baie dAlong ? Louer une moto ? Quel trek a Sapa ? Partir seule au Vietnam ? Quoi visiter a Hanoi ? 6945

Antigua-et-Barbuda Quelles formalites pour visiter Antigua ? Quelles activites et excursions sont recommandees ? Presence dalgues sargasses ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 4

Argentine Quel budget prevoir pour 1 mois en Argentine ? Faut-il privilegier les voyages en bus ou en avion ? Est-il possible de reserver a lavance un hotel a Salta ? Comment sorganiser pour sexpatrier en Argentine ? Quelle agence pour visiter la Patagonie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions. 2112

Bahamas Comment se deplacer entre les iles ? Comment rejoindre Miami depuis les Bahamas ? Voyage de noces : ou sejourner ? Les plus belles plages des Bahamas ? Ou se loger a Nassau ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 156

Barbade Comment circuler a la Barbade ? Quel budget prevoir ? Comment rejoindre les Antilles depuis la Barbade ? Ou faire de lapnee ? Ou se loger ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 22

Belize Combien de temps rester au Belize ? Autotour ou chauffeur-guide ? Les meilleurs spots pour faire du surf, de la plongee ou du snorkeling ? Quel itineraire et excursions prevoir ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 201

Bolivie Quel itineraire pour 1 mois en Bolivie ? Existe-t-il un bus direct pour faire Uyuni-Copacabana ? Quelle agence choisir pour louer un 4x4 ? Quelles iles du Lac Titicaca privilegier ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 980

Bresil Comment se rendre a Ilha Grande depuis Rio de Janeiro ? Quel guide pour faire un trek a Lencois Maranhenses ? Est-il possible de voyager seul(e) ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 3028

Canada Quelles sont les formalites pour entrer sur le territoire canadien ? Comment organiser la visite des chutes Victoria ? Que voir a Vancouver ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2777

Chili Quelle agence pour visiter le Chili ? Quel transport pour aller de laeroport de Santiago a Valparaiso ? Quels sont les prix pour les campings a Pan de Azucar ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1372

Colombie Des infos sur le carnaval de Baranquilla ? Preparer un trek en Amazonie ? Se deplacer entre Cartagena, Cali, Medellin et Bogota ? Bus ou taxi en Colombie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1754

Costa Rica La cote caraibe ou la cote pacifique au Costa Rica ? Faut-il louer un 4x4 ? Comment visiter le Costa Rica hors des sentiers battus ? Ou voir des aras et des tortues ? Quel budget ? 2101

Cuba Reserver une casa particular a La Havane ? Rapporter des cigares de Cuba ? Faut-il prendre un guide ? Comment obtenir la carte touristique ? Quel cayo visiter ? 6054

Dominique Ou faire de la randonnee, trek et plongee en Dominique ? Se deplacer sans voiture de location ? Ou est la plus belle plage de lile ? Quelle formalite pour entrer ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 113

Equateur Faut-il prendre de la malarone pour visiter lAmazonie ? Quelle est la meilleure periode pour visiter lEquateur ? Quand voir les baleines a Puerto Lopez ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 846

Etats-Unis Quelles formalites pour entrer sur le territoire des Etats-Unis ? Ou aller pour feter Thanksgiving ? Quelle voiture louer pour faire un road trip ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 5416

Grenade Visiter les Grenadines ? Quelle croisiere choisir ? Algues sargasses a Grenade ? Activites faire en famille ? Le meilleur spot de plongee ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 19

Guadeloupe Aller sur les iles des Saintes ou sur lile de Marie-Galante ? Ou loger pour visiter la Guadeloupe ? Y a-t-il des sargasses en Guadeloupe ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 3993

Guatemala Des questions securite au Guatemala ? Shuttle aeroport et bus : ou et comment reserver ? Ou retirer de largent ? Organiser un trek dans la jungle ? Besoin dun guide pour lac Atitlan, volcan San Pedro et de Fuego ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 596

Guyana Quel visa pour Guyana ? Quels sont les risques niveau securite ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2

Guyane 407

Haiti Quelle agence locale choisir a Haiti ? Bus ou voiture de location ? Faire sa demande de visa ? Loger a Port-au-Prince ? Expatriation : que prevoir ? Des questions securite ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 74

Honduras Loger a Roatan et Utila ? Quoi visiter a Tegucigalpa ? Combien de temps pour visiter le Honduras ? Ou faire de la plongee ou du surf ? Quel transport pour traverser le pays ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 50

Iles Vierges Quelle croisiere choisir pour les Iles Vierges ? Ou louer un catamaran? Quelles sont les liaisons avec Saint Barth ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 6

Jamaique Trouver un guide local francophone en Jamaique ? Navette aeroport vers les grandes villes ? Combien de jours pour visiter Ocho Rios, Kingston et Montego Bay ? Monnaie locale ou dollars ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 246

Martinique Quelle agence choisir pour louer une voiture en Martinique ? Quel temps fait-il en septembre ? Ou loger a Sainte-Luce ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2564

Mexique Quel itineraire dans le Yucatan ? Louer une voiture ou prendre les transports en commun pour visiter le Mexique ? Quen est-il de la securite au Mexique ? Ou loger a Cancun ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 4114

Nicaragua Des questions securite ? Ou voir des tortues ? Liaisons Nicaragua  Costa Rica ? Masaya ou Granada ? Corn Islands : passage oblige ? San Juan del Sura ou Leon ? Ou surfer ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 371

Panama Que voir sur les iles San Blas ? Possibilite de sexpatrier au Panama ? Que visiter dans la province de Bocas del Toro ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 478

Paraguay Combien de temps pour tout visiter au Paraguay ? Que voir et ou sortir a Asuncion ? Expatriation : comment sorganiser ? Comment se rendre a Iguazu ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 47

Perou Que visiter a Arequipa ? Comment sorganiser pour visiter le Machu Picchu ? Ou loger a Lima ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 3420

Porto Rico Ou sortir et prendre des cours de salsa a Porto Rico ? Quelles sont les activites a faire a San Juan ? Foret tropicale : El Yunque ou Toro Negro ? Ou faire son shopping ? Ou se loger pas cher ? Sy installer ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 51

Republique Dominicaine Quelles sont les plus belles plages a Punta Cana ? Quel budget prevoir pour 1 semaine a Bayahibe ? Quel tarif pour un voyage entre laeroport Santo Domingo et Puerto Plata ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2391

Saint-Barthelemy Comment sexpatrier a Saint-Barthelemy ? Possibilite de partir avec un bebe ? Quelles formalites pour aller a Saint-Barthelemy ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 54

Sainte-Lucie Ou loger a Sainte-Lucie ? Faire une randonnee avec un guide francophone ? Changer ses euros en dollars sur place ou en France ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 70

Saint-Martin Ou faire de la plongee a Saint-Martin ? Quelle agence choisir pour louer une voiture ? Excursion sur lile de Saba ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 175

Saint-Vincent-et-les-Grenadines Quelle agence choisir pour faire une croisiere en catamaran dans les iles Grenadines ? Quel budget pour 2 semaines ? Ou manger a Kingston ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 98

Salvador Taxe de sortie a laeroport de Salvador ? Ou se loger pas cher ? Ou changer ses euros ? Itineraire pour un road trip ? Se deplacer en bus ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 12

Surinam Ou et quand faire sa demande de visa ? Que faire et voir a Paramaribo ? Faire un raid en kayak ? Rejoindre Guyana, Cuaracao ou le Mexique depuis le Surinam ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 9

Trinite-et-Tobago Des conseils pour preparer le carnaval ? Trouver un logement pas cher a Trinite-et-Tobago ? Location de voiture ou scooter ? Rejoindre le Venezuela depuis Port of Spain ? Des questions securite ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 27

Uruguay Sexpatrier et travailler en Uruguay ? Ou changer et retirer de largent ? Combien de temps rester a Montevideo ? Organiser un road trip en bus ? Quelles sont les villes incontournables ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 72

Venezuela Taux de change officiel ou officieux ? Quelle est la situation actuelle du Venezuela niveau securite ? Que voir a Merida ou Margarita ? Avec quelle agence partir ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 224

Afrique du Sud Est-il possible de conduire avec un permis international en Afrique du Sud ? Quel est le prix du billet dentree au Parc Kruger ? Est il possible de faire un safari self drive ? Quels sont les incontournables a Johannesburg ou au Cap ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 5309

Algerie Quel est le niveau de securite a Djanet et Sahara ? Que voir a Tlemcen et a Alger ? Ou changer des euros ? Quelle agence pour visite du desert algerien ? 699

Benin 341

Botswana Quel itineraire privilegier ? Ou et quand reserver un safari pour le Botswana ? Auto tour ou guide ? Ou dormir dans le parc Moremi ? A quelle periode partir ? Quels vaccins prevoir ? 264

Burkina Faso Quel est le niveau de securite au Burkina Faso? Faire du tourisme humanitaire ? A la recherche dun chauffeur-guide ? Quel vaccin et visa prevoir ? Quelle compagnie aerienne choisir ? Ou se loger ? 276

Cameroun 284

Cap-Vert Quelles iles visiter au Cap-Vert ? Ou trouver un bon guide ? Quelle est la meilleure saison ? Les meilleures randonnees de Santo Antao ? Quels spots de plongee ? 1358

Congo 70

Djibouti 40

Ethiopie Comment trouver une bonne agence locale en Ethiopie ? Comment trouver un guide pour un trek dans les montagnes de Lalibela ? Quelles visites interessantes a Addis Abeba ? Quel logement choisir a Bahar Dar ? Comment voir les hyenes dHarar ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 464

Gabon Quel visa pour le Gabon ? Ou et comment obtenir le e-visa touristique ? Vivre et travailler a Libreville ? Comment se rendre au Parc National de Loango ? Quels sont les incontournables et quelle ville choisir ? 117

Gambie Le visa est-il gratuit pour les courts sejours ? Quel guide choisir pour la Gambie ? Peut-on voyager en toute securite en Gambie ? Acheter une voiture en Gambie ? Dans quelles villes sejourner ? 32

Ghana Quel visa et quel vaccin pour le Ghana ? Quel est le cout de la vie ? Ou loger a Accra ? Quels sont les bons plans a voir et a faire ? Ou retirer et changer de largent ? Des idees de circuits ? 60

Guinee Quel est le cout de la vie a Conakry ? Ou changer de largent ? Quel est le niveau de securite ? A la recherche dun guide ? 121

Ile Maurice, Rodrigues Quelle est la plus belle plage pour faire du snorkeling ? Quelles sont les excursions a faire ? Comment trouver un taxi a lile Maurice ? Quelle est la randonnee incontournable ? Le meilleur logement est il les maisons dhotes a Rodrigues ? Quelle cote choisir ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2729

Kenya Quelle agence choisir pour un safari au Kenya ? Ou peut-on observer des lycaons ? Comment trouver un super guide ? A-t-on besoin dun visa ? Que visiter a Nairobi ou Mombasa ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 993

Lesotho Quel itineraire choisir ? Ou faire du trek et de la randonnee ? Quel guide choisir pour le Lesotho ? Quel est letat des routes ? Quel climat prevoir ? 39

Liberia 7

Libye 8

Madagascar Est-il dangereux daller a Madagascar actuellement ? Quel moyen de transport utiliser ? Comment trouver un bon chauffeur guide a Antananarivo ? Ou faire une mission humanitaire ? Quel itineraire est conseille ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2675

Mali Quel est le niveau de securite ? Quel visa et quelles formalites pour aller au Mali ? Ou se loger a Bamako ? Sinstaller au Mali ? Traverser le pays en voiture ? Comment voyager en securite ? 131

Maroc Comment trouver un guide pour faire un trek dans lAtlas ? Quel itineraire est conseille pour visiter les villes imperiales du Maroc ? Comment visiter Fes ? A quel climat sattendre a Agadir en hiver ? Est-il possible de louer un 4X4 pour aller dans le desert ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 4962

Mauritanie Quel visa pour la Mauritanie et quel prix ? Quel est le niveau de securite ? Quel itineraire pour traverser le pays depuis le Maroc ou le Senegal ? 228

Mayotte Est-il facile de sexpatrier a Mayotte ? Comment trouver un bon guide de randonnee ? Quel est le cout de la vie a Mayotte ? Est-il necessaire de faire un traitement antipaludeen ? Quelles sont les plus belles plages ? Ou se loger, gites ou maison dhote ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 237

Mozambique Quel est le meilleur spot pour faire du surf a Maputo ? Est-il possible de rejoindre le parc Kruger en voiture ? Ou plonger au Mozambique pour voir des requins ? Bilene - Inhambane ou Vilanculo ? Quel est le cout du visa ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 132

Namibie Est-il necessaire de passer par une agence pour un voyage en Namibie ? Comment acceder aux Victoria Falls ? Quels sont les temps de trajet ? Est-il preferable de louer une voiture ? Quelles sont les taxes dentree dans le Parc Etosha ? Quel itineraire pour acceder au desert du Namib ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 3681

Niger Quel est le niveau de securite ? Quel visa pour le Niger ? Quel budget prevoir pour un voyage au Niger ? Ou se loger a Niamey ? Quelle compagnie aerienne choisir ? 16

Nigeria 14

Ouganda A la recherche dun guide en Ouganda ? Quel tour operateur pour faire un trek safari ? Ou louer un 4x4 ? Ou observer des gorilles ? Quels vaccins sont recommandes ? 127

Reunion Quelles sont les randonnees incontournables a La Reunion ? Quel est le bon plan pour louer une voiture ? Quel gite choisir ? Lascension du Piton de la Fournaise est-elle exigeante ? Quels spots pour la plongee ? Ou faire du canyoning ? Comment trouver un bon guide pour aller au Piton des neiges ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2498

Rwanda Des idees ditineraires ? Ou observer les gorilles ? Ou faire sa demande de visa ? Besoin dinfos pratiques pour votre voyage au Rwanda ? Comment se rendre au parc des volcans ? Conseils pour visiter le Nyungwe ? 98

Sao Tome et Principe Quelles sont les excursions a faire a Sao Tome et Principe ? Quelles sont les plus belles plages ? Est-il possible de louer une voiture sur les iles ? Est-il preferable dopter pour un chauffeur ou un guide ? Y a-t-il des vaccins obligatoires ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 130

Senegal Quel est le meilleur moyen de se rendre en Casamance ? Quel transport utiliser depuis laeroport de Dakar ? Trouver un bon guide ? Comment trouver un logement pas cher au Senegal ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2097

Seychelles Est-il possible de trouver un hebergement chez lhabitant aux Seychelles ? Quelle est la meilleure periode pour partir ? Quel hotel choisir pour un voyage de noces ? Quelle croisiere choisir ? Quel est le meilleur club de plongee ? Quelles sont les plus belles plages ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1329

Swaziland Ou dormir dans la reserve du Hlane ? Quelles sont les visites incontournables ? Quels parcs visiter ? Peut-on traverser le Swaziland sur une journee ? Quel est letat des routes ? Par quels postes frontieres passer ? 68

Tanzanie Comment trouver un bon chauffeur guide en Tanzanie ? Quelles sont les agences conseillees pour un safari ? Est-il possible de faire un safari en bivouac ? Quel itineraire est conseille pour acceder au Kilimandjaro ? Comment aller a Zanzibar depuis la Tanzanie ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1530

Tchad Quel est le niveau de securite au Tchad ? Circuit et trek en toute securite ? Quel visa pour le Tchad ? Que faire et ou se loger a Ndjamena ? Comment rejoindre le Soudan depuis le Tchad ? 14

Togo Ou obtenir un visa pour le Togo ? Que faire a Lome ? Comment se deplacer au Togo ? Ou se loger ? Quelle association pour faire du tourisme humanitaire / solidaire ? Location de voiture ou chauffeur-guide ? 293

Tunisie Quel est le meilleur moyen de transport pour un transfert de laeroport de Tunis a Hammamet ? Comment trouver un guide a Djerba ? Quelle temperature fait-il en Tunisie en hiver ? La carte didentite est elle suffisante pour aller en Tunisie ? Que visiter a Monastir ou a Sousse ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1814

Zambie Quels parcs visiter en Zambie ? Voir les chutes Victoria cote Zambie ? Quelles formalites pour passage frontiere Zambie  Zimbabwe ? Ou changer des devises ? 48

Zimbabwe Est-il possible de visiter le parc Hwange en louant une voiture ? Quel moyen de transport utiliser entre lAfrique du Sud et le Zimbabwe ? Quelle est la meilleure periode pour visiter les Victoria Falls ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 83

Egypte Quelle agence propose une excursion Hurghada - Louxor ? Comment trouver un guide pour une visite du Caire ? Est-il possible de reserver une croisiere sur le Nil a la derniere minute ? Combien coute une excursion pour les pyramides depuis Le Caire ? Quel horaire est le plus propice pour visiter les temples dAbu Simbel ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2821

Emirats arabes unis Est-il aise de sexpatrier a Dubai ? Le Dubai city pass est-il rentable ? Dans quel quartier loger ? Quelle monnaie est acceptee ? Est-il necessaire de reserver ses billets pour le Louvre Abu Dhabi ? Ou louer une voiture ? Quels sont les horaires pour visiter la tour Burj Khalifa ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 252

Iran Quels sont les delais pour obtenir un visa touristique pour lIran ? Quelles tenues sont appropriees pour des touristes en Iran ? Quels sont les bons plans hebergements pour Shiraz ? Quelles sont les possibilites de transferts a laeroport de Teheran ? Quel est le meilleur quartier pour lachat de turquoise a Kashan ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1111

Israel, Palestine Comment circuler dans Jerusalem ? Ou loger a Tel Aviv ? Y a-t-il des bus entre Nazareth et Jenine ? Y a-t-il des transports en commun efficaces en Israel ? Quelles sont les difficultes pour aller en Palestine ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 925

Jordanie Quel chauffeur choisir en Jordanie ? Quel itineraire est optimal pour une semaine en Jordanie ? Est-il necessaire de prendre un guide pour visiter Petra ? Quelle agence choisir pour une excursion a Wadi Rum ? Quels sont les incontournables a Amman ? Y a-t-il des problemes de securite en Jordanie ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1139

Liban Le visa pour le Liban est-il gratuit ? Combien de jours sont necessaires pour visiter Beyrouth ? Quelles langues sont parlees au Liban ? Ou loger a Tripoli ? Est-il facile de sexpatrier au Liban ? Quelles sont les plus belles randonnees ? Quel est le climat en Hiver ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! La communaute repond a vos questions ! 174

Oman Quel visa est necessaire pour aller au sultanat dOman ? Est-il facile de louer un 4x4 a Oman ? Ou faire de la plongee ? Quel moyen de transport utiliser pour un transfert depuis laeroport de Mascate ? Comment trouver un guide francophone ? Quelle agence choisir pour une excursion dans le desert de Wahiba ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 686

Qatar Quel transfert choisir depuis laeroport de Doha ? Est-il facile de sexpatrier au Qatar administrativement ? Laeroport de Doha est-il agreable pour une longue escale ? Quel est le souk le plus traditionnel du Qatar ? Etes-vous satisfait de la compagnie Qatar Airways ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 101

Syrie 22

Yemen 19

Australie Quel est le meilleur moyen de transport pour faire un roadtrip en Australie ? Comment optimiser mon itineraire sur la cote ouest ? Quel hebergement a Sydney ? Est-il facile dacheter une voiture en Australie ? Le visa est-il payant ? Combien de jours pour visiter Melbourne ? Comment aller en Tasmanie ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2066

Iles Fidji Quel est le meilleur spot de plongee aux Fidji ? Quel sont les transports pour aller aux Fidji depuis la Nouvelle-Caledonie ? Quel vol choisir pour aller aux Fidji ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 29

Nouvelle-Caledonie Est-il facile de sexpatrier en Nouvelle-Caledonie ? Quelle compagnie aerienne choisir ? Quel transfert a laeroport de Tontouta ? Quel budget prevoir pour un sejour de 3 semaines ? Suffit-il dune journee pour visiter lile des Pins en bateau ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! La communaute repond a vos questions ! 475

Nouvelle-Zelande Quelles sont les plus belles randonnees en Nouvelle-Zelande ? Le permis international est-il indispensable ? Quelle agence locale utiliser ? Quand reserver ses billets pour voir un match des All Blacks ? Quels sont les incontournables a Christchurch et Auckland ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1081

Polynesie francaise Quelle agence choisir pour faire une excursion en voilier en Polynesie francaise ? Est-il possible de sinstaller facilement en Polynesie ? Est-il preferable de loger a Moorea ou a Papeete ? Ou observer au mieux les baleines ? Quelle est la meilleure agence de plongee ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1836
Here's a compilation of photographs that show just what Mumbaikars are going through during the Mumbai rains. You'll also find links to important resources, such as guidelines or helplines.

By India Today Web Desk: It's been raining in Mumbai since last night, and the weatherman says Maximum City could receive more showers in the hours to come. Several pockets of India's business capital are waterlogged, and road and rail traffic has been hit. You can watch India Today's reporters bring you the latest updates from the ground here, or follow our live blog.

(Photo: Reuters)

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The Devendra Fadnavis administration has ordered government offices to allow employees to leave early. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he spoke to Fadnavis, his BJP colleague, about the prevailing situation, and urged Mumbaikars and those in nearby areas to "to stay safe and take all essential precautions."

(Photo: Reuters)

Fadnavis visited the State Disaster Management control room to take stock of the situation. He said he'd been in touch with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)'s disaster management cell and Mumbai Police

(Photo: Reuters)

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued an advisory containing a list of precautions. India Today has also compiled a list of helplines for Mumbaikars in distress.

(Photo: Reuters)

Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) stationed in Mumbai have been put on alert. Two additional NDRF teams have been moved from Pune to Mumbai.

(Photo: Reuters)

"There is a low pressure system over Madhya Pradesh and it is likely to intensify in next 24 hours. This well-marked low pressure system is causing heavy to very heavy rainfall over Mumbai and adjoining areas. Rains will continue over the next 24 hours," Dr A K Srivastava, the head of IMD Pune, told India Today.

(Photo: Reuters) (Photo: Reuters)

Two Mumbai-bound flights have been diverted, and delays of 15-20 minutes have been reported for both departing and incoming flights.

(Photo: Reuters)

People from different parts of Mumbai have been tweeting with the hashtag #RainHosts to let those in need know they're welcome at their places.

ALSO READ

Mumbai rains: All the live updates, right here

Mumbai rains: 10 videos that show what Mumbaikars are braving right now

Mumbai rains: Mumbaikars, here are all the helplines you need

Mumbai rains: A list of dos and don'ts for Mumbaikars

FYI | Mumbai rains: Mumbaikars put social media to use, trend #rainhosts to offer help

ALSO WATCH

Torrential rains in Mumbai paralyse rail, road transport services; high tide alert issued

--- ENDS ---
A District Court judge has dismissed a case against Zillow Group that challenged the accuracy of the company's home-value estimating tool "Zestimate."

The class-action suit filed by homeowners claimed that the website's pricing feature sharply undervalued their properties. Zestimates place a market value on homes that are for sale. The complaint says that interested home buyers looked at the estimate as an appraisal despite it not being an official appraisal and tried to negotiate accordingly.

The judge dismissed the suit and said, "Zestimates are not false, misleading, or likely to confuse. The word 'Zestimate  an obvious portmanteau of 'Zillow' and "estimate'  itself indicates that Zestimates are merely an estimate of the market value of a property."

Nationwide, Zillow Zestimates are within 5% of the actual sale price 53.9% of the time, within 10% of the sale price 75.6% of the time and within 20% of the closing price 89.7% of the time, according to company data, reports WSJ.

"The Zestimate has proven itself to be a sought-after and valuable free tool for consumers," Zillow spokeswoman said.

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Business News
Perfumania Holdings Inc, a retailer several branded colognes and perfumes, has filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in U.S. bankruptcy court.

The company said it plans to close several of its retail stores and increase investments in its e-commerce and become a privately held company.

Perfumania's wholesale businesses, Parlux, holds the exclusive distribution rights to U.S. President Donald Trump's fragrances Empire and Success, as well as daughter Ivanka Trump's fragrance.

"Our employees can be assured that during this time and beyond they will continue to receive their salaries and benefits," said Michael Katz, Perfumania's president and chief executive officer. "There will be no changes to our license agreements and we will continue to uphold our obligations, and our valued vendors and suppliers will be paid in full."

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Business News
(Agencia CMA Latam) - Colcap, the main index of the Colombian Stock Exchange, rose slightly (+0.03%), closing at 1,475.67 points Monday, boosted by Suramericana and Bancolombia, but under Ecopetrol's pressure.

Andres Fonseca, an analyst at Alianza Valores, said that Colcap posted slight gains due to the good performance of Sura, Bancolombia ordinary shares and EEB in a market impacted by the fall in oil prices abroad caused by the Hurricane Harvey's effects in Texas, United States.

The shares of Canacol (+0,93%), Sura (+0,65%), ISA (+0,44%), EEB (+0,25%), and Bancolombia (+0,13%) rose, while Ecopetrol (-0,74%), Avianca (-0,36%), ETB (-0,36%), and Corficolombiana (-0,35%) fell.

The locally traded U.S. dollar closed at 2,946.55 Colombian pesos, marking a 0.76% rise, due to the oil price decline. Andres Fonseca, an analyst with Alianza Valores, said that the currency is boosted by the expectation of an increase in US crude inventories due to the emergency caused by Harvey, affecting Houston refineries.

by Agencia CMA Latam

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Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
North Korea has fired a missile over Japan which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the "most serious and grave" threat to the country, according to reports.

The reports noted that the missile was fired just before 6 a.m. local time in Japan. The launch set off warnings in the northern part of the country urging people to seek shelter.

It flew over Erimomisaki, on the northern island of Hokkaido, and broke into three pieces before falling into the Pacific Ocean, about 1,180 kilometers off the Japanese coast.

"There is no immediate report of the fallen objects and no damage to the ships and aircraft," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga reportedly said.

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Business News
Bunzl plc (BZLFY.PK,BNZL.L) reported profit before income tax of 181.9 million pounds for the six months ended 30 June 2017 compared to 155.6 million pounds, previous year. Profit for the period attributable to equity holders increased to 131.7 million pounds or 39.5 pence per share from 111.4 million pounds or 33.4 pence per share. Adjusted profit before income tax increased to 248.3 million pounds from 210.6 million pounds. Adjusted earnings per share was 54.5 pence compared to 45.7 pence.

First-half revenue was 4.12 billion pounds, up 7% at constant exchange rates (20% at actual exchange rates) due to organic growth of 3.7% and the incremental impact of acquisitions.

The Board of Bunzl has decided to increase the interim dividend by 8% to 14.0 pence. The Group noted that shareholders will again have the opportunity to participate in its dividend reinvestment plan.

Separately, Bunzl plc announced it has completed the purchase of HSESF, the Group's first acquisition in China. Based in Shanghai with operations in four other provinces in eastern China, HSESF and its associated companies are principally engaged in the sale of a variety of personal protection equipment to local distributors and end users but also export products to customers overseas. The aggregate revenue of the businesses acquired was 24 million pounds in 2016.

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Business News
European stocks fell sharply on Tuesday as the euro continued to surge higher and North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan, reigniting geopolitical worries.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe described the missile launch as "an unprecedented, serious and grave threat" to Asia's second-largest , adding that he and U.S. President Donald Trump are in complete agreement to hike pressure on North Korea.

The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was down 1.3 percent to reach a six-month low of 367.37 in late opening deals, with losses seen across the board.

The German DAX was tumbling 1.7 percent, France's CAC 40 index was moving down 1.3 percent and the U.K. 's FTSE 100 was down 1.2 percent.

Reinsurance companies such as Munich Re and Swiss Re fell over 2 percent as investors assessed losses from the damage caused by Tropical Storm Harvey on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Advertising giant WPP Group fell 1.7 percent in London after its wholly-owned operating company AKQA acquired a majority stake in digital agency DIS/PLAY in Denmark.

Gold miners rallied as the precious metal benefited from the risk aversion to trade at 9-1/2 month high. Randgold Resources climbed 3.8 percent and Fresnillo jumped 3 percent.

Investors ignored survey results from market research group GfK, which showed that German consumer confidence is set to strengthen in September.

The forward-looking consumer sentiment index rose to 10.9 in September from 10.8 in August. The index rose for the fifth successive month to reach its highest level since October 2001.

French GDP grew 0.5 percent sequentially in the second quarter as initially estimated on July 28, while the country's consumer spending climbed 0.7 percent month-over-month in the month to reverse a 0.7 percent drop in June, separate reports from statistical office Insee showed.

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Market Analysis
Turkey's foreign trade gap widened notably in July from a year ago, as imports grew much faster than exports, figures from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed Tuesday.

The trade deficit rose to $8.84 billion in July from $4.85 billion in the corresponding month last year. In June, the shortfall was $6.04 billion.

Exports surged 28.3 percent year-over-year in July and imports jumped by 46.2 percent.

On a monthly basis, exports dropped a seasonally and calendar-adjusted 1.6 percent in July, while imports increased by 5.3 percent.

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What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has challenged in court a ban announced by President Donald Trump on transgender personnel in US military.

Lawyers from ACLU filed a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland on behalf of six serving transgender members of the armed forces.

A directive that Trump signed on August 25 bars enlistment by transgender individuals, prohibits coverage for certain critical medical procedures, and bans those currently in the military from serving. The Secretary of Defense was given discretion to determine how to carry out that ban.

The lawsuit argues that the ban violates the constitutional guarantees of equal protection and substantive due process by singling out trans-gender individuals for unequal and discriminatory treatment.

Every justification that the President offered in support of the ban has already been reviewed and debunked by the Department of Defense itself when it adopted a policy permitting military service by transgender individuals last year, the complainants argued.

They pointed out that barring trans-gender individuals from joining the military and discharging those who are already serving is exceedingly costly and undermines national security and military readiness.

The policy of ban on transgender people in US military was lifted by Barack Obama's administration last year.

In June 2016, after comprehensive review of the issue, the Department of Defense concluded that the ban served no legitimate purpose and that open service by transgender people would serve the military's best interests. Since that time, thousands of transgender service members have begun to serve openly. Between 4,000 and 10,000 US active-duty and reserve service members are believed to be transgender.

Earlier this month, five US service members who are transgenders had legally challenged the ban on military personnel who belong to the community.

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Business News
Gold futures continued to soar Tuesday morning, hitting fresh yearly highs as tensions flared between North Korea and its neighbors.

North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan's northern Hokkaido island into the sea, weeks after threatening the U.S. territory of Guam.

With risk aversion picking up and the U.S. seen impacted by the Hurricane Harvey and Texas floods, gold prices have skyrocketed over the past few days.

Gold for Dec was up $10 at $1326 an ounce, the highest since last September.

On the economic front, the S&P Corelogic Case-Shiller home price index for June will be published at 9.00 am ET. The economists are looking for growth 0.3 percent, compared to 0.1 percent in the previous period.

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Market Analysis
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO) announced it has completed the acquisition of Patheon N.V. (PTHN) for approximately $7.2 billion. The close follows the expiration of Thermo Fisher's initial tender offer for Patheon at $35.00 per share in cash. A total of 138,406,058 Patheon ordinary shares, representing approximately 95.3% of the outstanding Patheon ordinary shares, had been validly tendered and had not been properly withdrawn as of the Expiration Time. Thermo Fisher also announced the commencement of a subsequent offering period scheduled to expire on September 13, 2017.

Thermo Fisher continues to expect to realize total synergies of approximately $120 million by year three following the close, consisting of approximately $90 million of cost synergies and approximately $30 million of adjusted operating income benefit from revenue-related synergies. For the remainder of 2017, the transaction is expected to be approximately $0.09 accretive to adjusted earnings per share, which includes $0.02 in the third quarter.

Patheon has requested that the NYSE suspend trading of Patheon ordinary shares after the close of on September 1, 2017. Patheon also intends to terminate its reporting obligations under the Exchange Act by filing a Form 15 with the SEC on or about September 11, 2017.

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Business News
Former Rajasthan CM and senior Congressman Ashok Gehlot took to social media to hit out at PM Modi for not visiting Rajasthan during the recent floods.

Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot slammed PM Modi for not taking stock of the state during floods.

By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Udaipur visit has drawn criticism from the Congress. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congressman Ashok Gehlot took to social media to hit out at PM Modi for not visiting Rajasthan during the recent floods to take stock of the situation. He took to Twitter to share displeasure over PM Modi's visit to inaugurate already inaugurated projects.

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Gehlot also claimed that the projects launched today by PM Modi were started by the previous Congress regime.

How ludicrous is this, the PM Modi would be relaunching projects started by previous Congress just to win false acclaim. #Rajasthan- Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) August 29, 2017

PM Modi laid foundation stone and inaugurated national highway projects worth Rs 15,000 crore. He dedicated 11 national highways to the nation. These highways cover a total length of 873 kms and include a six-6-lane cable-stayed bridge across river Chambal in Kota. The PM also performed bhoomi pujan for 6 NH projects of approximately 556 kms. The list of completed projects include laning of Gomati Chauraha-Udaipur section of NH-8 at total capital cost of around Rs 1,120 crore and laning of Rajsamand-Bhilwara section of NH-75 with total capital cost of over Rs 1,350 crore. PM Modi will perform bhoomi pujan of 6 laning of Chittorgarh to Udaipur section of NH-76 at a total capital cost of around Rs 1,220 crore and 6 laning of the new Udaipur bypass on NH-8. The completed projects include 11 districts of Rajasthan: Kota, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Bhilwara, Pali, Nagaur, Barmer, Sikar, Churu, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer whereas, the awarded projects for which the PM will perform bhoomi pujan are expected to benefit people in Jodhpur, Pali, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Udaipur and Dungarpur.

ALSO READ |

PM Modi to visit Udaipur on August 29, to inaugurate 11 National Highways projects

Connecting Rajasthan: PM Modi inaugurates hanging bridge across Chambal in Kota

Rajasthan floods: Situation continues to be grim in Jalore, locals rue government's apathy

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After a break, President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his commitment to build a wall along the border with Mexico to prevent the flow of drugs to the United States.

In a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Ninisto Monday, Trump insisted that Mexico will have to pay for the wall, which is "needed very badly".

"It may be through reimbursement, but one way or the other, Mexico will pay for the wall," he told reporters.

The Republican-led House of Representatives last month had approved a bill that includes $1.6 billion fund for building Trump's long- promised wall along the US-Mexico border.

But it is likely that Senate Democrats will block Trump's budget request when it moves to the upper chamber.

Congressional funding for the border wall is not well taken by Democrats and a section among Republicans.

Trump said tremendous amount of drugs are pouring into the United States at levels that nobody has ever seen before. This happened over the last three to four years in particular. "The wall will stop much of the drugs from pouring into this country and poisoning our youth," according to him.

The President claimed that his administration has stopped drug traffic coming through the southern border by 78 percent. "It's going to be 81 percent this quarter, which is a record," he added.

Responding to a reporter's question, Trump made it clear that the US Government will either terminate or renegotiate the NAFTA agreement with Mexico.

He said that it's been a one-sided deal in favor of Mexico and Canada.

And the United States workers, who have lost their jobs because of NAFTA, are not going to be suffering any longer, Trump said.

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Business News
Canadian stocks rose Tuesday, supported by another round of strong earnings from the nation's largest banks.

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO) and Bank of Montreal (BMO.TO) posted stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings as their Canadian businesses thrived despite a slowdown in housing.

Scotiabank said said quarterly earnings per share increased to C$1.6m from C$1.54 a year earlier, and hiked its dividend. Toronto's Air Canada Centre will be renamed Scotiabank Arena in an $800 million deal.

Bank of Montreal reported EPS of C$2.05, up from C$1.86 a year ago.

Home Capital (HCG.TO) has named former Canaccord exec Brad Kotush as CFO.

"This is an important time for Home Capital and its depositors, borrowers and brokers, as the Company forges and executes a plan to enhance and grow the ," Kotush said in a press release.

Toronto's Air Canada Centre will be renamed Scotiabank Arena in an $800 million deal.

The TSX Composite Index added 30.67 points to 15,082.70.

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Market Analysis
(Agencia CMA Latam) - Argentina and Chile decided to work together to identify issues that will define the countries' bilateral agenda by 2030.

During the second meeting of the Argentina-Chile Strategic Dialogue Forum, held

Monday in Santiago, both countries agreed to divide talks into commissions: connectivity, cooperation and interest.

Also, both countries considered making short-term and long-term proposals, identifying areas for joint work, both bilaterally and globally, the Argentinean Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

by Agencia CMA Latam

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The sailor wears saris and has grown out her hair while still in service but puts on the Navy uniform while in office.

By Ajit Kumar Dubey: A sailor who underwent gender reassignment surgery to become a woman has claimed that she is being discriminated against by the Navy, which allegedly even tried to prove her mentally unfit to axe her from the force. The woman says she will now approach the Supreme Court for protecting her rights.

After seafarer Manish Giri underwent a sex change operation last year, the Navy recommended her discharge from service as according to rules only men can serve in the military as soldiers or personnel below officer rank.

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"I was mentally harassed during the six months I was kept in the psychiatric ward. The doctors tried to prove that I was mentally unfit to serve in the Navy and discharge me, but failed... after being discharged (from hospital), when I joined the duty as woman, I was discriminated against," Giri told Mail Today over email. "I will go to the Supreme Court if I have to and fight for my rights. I am extremely upset at the decision of the Navy to discharge me and will certainly take all legal options possible."

THE SAILOR'S REACTION

Giri is at present posted at the INS Eksila base of the Navy in Andhra Pradesh's port city Visakhapatnam, and said that she was being discriminated against after people in the maritime force came to know that she had undergone a sex change operation.

"I can do the entire job what a female is supposed to do because I have not lost my potential. I still have two legs and two arms to work in the Navy... I can still put my fingers on the trigger of a gun to shoot the enemy," said Giri, who says she is emotionally attached to the maritime force and did not expect to be discharged.

Mail Today had sought a reaction from the Navy on the charges levelled by Giri but had not received any responses at the time of going to press. Giri said she had even tried to discuss the matter with her commanding officer at the INS Eksila but he declined to talk. "(I had told my division officer) that Sir, I have to talk to the commanding officer regarding this.

Then he replied, 'the CO is not interested in speaking to you'," she said. Though there are several instances of transgender persons serving in defence forces in Western countries and even getting paid for getting their sex changed, this is one of the rarest of rare cases in India.

TRUMP TO REINSTATE BAN ON TRANSGENDERS

However, US President Donald Trump signed a memorandum last week to reinstate a ban on transgender people serving in the military, after announcing it on Twitter last month. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a legal challenge to his directive on Monday.

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The row surrounding Giri has come a time when the Indian armed forces are grappling with the complexities related to induction of women in combat roles and framing a comprehensive policy for giving females wider responsibilities in the services. "About a few months ago, this sailor decided to change his sex and turn into a woman. He came in contact with some outsiders and underwent an operation on his own, spending his own money to become a woman," a senior Navy source had said.

The sailor wears saris and has grown out her hair while still in service but puts on the Navy uniform while in office. Senior sources in the force said the recruitment rules for sailors mandate that the candidate appearing for enlisting has to be male and, therefore, there is no controversy in relieving her from the service.

The Navy Act, which has rules and regulations to handle such cases, does not provide for dealing with or punishing such personnel who undergo sex change operations.

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Also Read:

Navy sailor changes sex after feeling trapped in man's body

West Bengal student introduces toilets for transgenders, puts up stickers on already existing toilets

Also Watch:

This video of a transgender mother is winning a million hearts

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By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) The Netherlands is looking at a 15 per cent rise in the number of Indian visitors this year, as it undertakes a slew of initiatives to promote the country as a preferred destination.

The country had 1,27,000 visitors from India in 2016, Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC) said.

"We are expecting a 15 per cent rise in number of visitors from India to 1,45,000 for the current year", NBTC Holland Marketing Global Travel Trade Manager Carola Muller - van Rijn told PTI.

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India, last year was one of the fastest growing source markets for the Netherlands, she added. "We are trying to ensure that people visit many more places in the Netherlands throughout the year. We are planning to promote our country by means of different themes such as art theme, flower theme and water theme," Muller said.

NBTC Holland Marketing in collaboration with its partners is also organising city sales missions in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore to educate travel trade partners here about the tourism offerings of the Netherlands, she added.

When asked which are the biggest source markets for the Netherlands, Muller said: "The top markets are Germany, Belgium, the UK, the US and France".

The tourism board is planning to link various themes to make people aware here that the Netherlands has more to offer than the popular destinations such as Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam, she added.

NBTC is responsible for branding and marketing the Netherlands nationally and internationally. Using the Holland brand, NBTC promotes the country as an attractive destination for holidays, business meetings and conventions. PTI AKT ANU

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By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal today asked the Delhi government to explore disposal mechanism for the nearly 8,000 kilograms of plastic of less than 50 microns thickness that was seized by authorities following its ban.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, which did not pass any observation, said the AAP government should find out ways to get rid of the non- biodegradable material.

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The green panel observed that such a huge quantity of plastic could also be sent to waste-to-energy plants for scrapping.

The matter is posted for hearing on September 5.

Earlier, the city government had said that a sum total of Rs 3 lakh has been collected as fine following the prohibition imposed by the green panel.

On August 10, the NGT had imposed an interim ban on plastic in the city and announced that a penalty of Rs 5,000 would be slapped on violators.

"According to reports submitted by various departments, a total of 7,739 kg of plastic carry bags (less than 50 microns) has been seized, 492 challans have been issued and a total of Rs 2.9 lakh has been realised as environment compensation," the government had said in a statement.

The NGT had directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and other authorities to seize the entire stock of such plastic within one week from the day of the ban. PTI PKS RT

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142nd Fighter Wing Send Support Teams for Hurricane Harvey Relief

Oregon is joining the efforts to save lives in Texas



Airmen of the 142nd Force Support Squadron conduct a field training August drill at Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore.

(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Aaron Perkins, 142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs)



(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Members of the Oregon Air National Guard's 125th Special Tactics Squadron have been called to provide humanitarian support for Hurricane Harvey relief in Texas.

Approximately 15 Oregon Air National Guardsmen departed from Portland Air National Guard Base(PANG) at around 4:20 p.m. on a C-130 Hercules aircraft headed to Robert Gray Army Airfield in Texas.

The contingent consists of two teams and a command element, which is comprised of Combat Controllers and Pararescuemen. The Airfield Operations mission will be to restore airfields that are inaccessible or unusable so that supplies and rescue efforts can be flown to them.

The second mission includes use of Zodiac boats and Humvees from PANG to assist rescue operations. Special Tactics Airman will also assist aviation units already at the scene with helicopter hoisting rescues as needed.

The Oregon Air National Guard has more than 2,300 members serving across the state serving in Portland, also with the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, with the 116th Air Control Squadron in Warrenton and with Joint Force Headquarters in Salem.

Source: Oregon Military Department

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Dear Editor,

Belated Fathers day wishes, everyone! A day our community used to commemorate as Labour Day untilParliament legislate it to be, since December 2004.

A day most people view it as one of another Business gig/concert but I for one back then was happy as when I get to learn of Gods beauty regarding a Family unit I wonder why the poor Fatherswhere NOT honoured while the Children and our Mothers were?

So fittingly our Parliament commemorate Fathers Day on the second Sunday of August, while 15th August every year since 1954, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary dogma get celebrated.

A truth that had passed down from the Apostles whom were around when Mary the mother of Christ Jesus died her natural deathand when they re-open her tomb to prove to Apostle Thomas (whom was not around when she passed on) they found it empty. Pope Pius XII confirmed it 01 November 1950 refuting the 15th Century Reformation main Theological debate concernson Mother of God,as a heresy.

Now with Parliament setting our nations glance -via our Democratic and Independent State Constitution, right on the TRINITY God as understood by our Forefathers all we need to do now is to grasp it with His Love whole heartedly and be-prepared to share itas he had shown us. And like anything else, we cannot share any LOVE if we are not in possession of any, dont you agree?

Having said so, wonder how the Fathers of our local National Council of Churches (NCC) had consider my wish for them to consider setting out Mary the Mother of God, as a testing point for a genuine Christian church.

Reciting that First Council of Constantinople Nicene Creed 381AD whole heartedly should help them see Gods will clearly with much hope that one day soon they would be able to portray a Unison God in ONE form of Body for us Samoa to see and live it as a sure witness to the World in our days that He certainly has been and He certainly remained with us since His return via their 3rd Personification, i.e. Holy Spirit is for real, dont you agree?

My last piece I had a go at poor General Secretary of the NCC but what can he do if not all the established institution whom claim to be churches of some sort where already found footing in our land e.g. Pentecostals in the likes of Peace Chapel, Worship Centre to name a few, Jehovah Witness, Bahai Faith, Seven Day Adventist, Muslim are not binding in to discuss their much less difference compare to the many more Similarities they have as propaganda of Gods grace, right Rev. Maauga?

And while Maauga and his group of Tauleleamatutua are at their soul searching consideration I wonder how about usMatais Samoathrough our Samoan way [faa-Samoa] and our individual calling to share His Almighty name.Are we to wait around like headless chickens for Maauga and his group or arent we supposed to lead the way helping our leading Parliamentary pack of 100%Matais.

Dont be mistaken with the much un-guided news uttered now a days both locally and from outside in. A classic example of what I mean, are the much noise with regards to domestic violence, all sorts of sexual incest and abuse cases, Chinese workers working on Sundays, corrupt PM, to name a few been reported locally even Trump and his North Korea colleague asthe hottest news from overseas to name a few.

Whilst the most disturbed one to me personally was how my Facebook friend Patrick Gannon [an Agnostic] limited views were uttered locally. Then to my surprise his limited views on the Mother of the TRINITY God notion got seconded by one of our lands reluctant resident -Wendy Wonder [an Atheist], as if we needed their mindless advice?

Certainly the Jihad (to struggle in the way of Allah) and Harb al-Muqadis (Holy War) nor the Westerner and Asian ugly war situationwidely seen now days would ever be borne out of Samoa [the Sacred Centre of the world] in our days.

Pretty sure the concerns of Chinses now seem overcrowding our land [even Madame Wendy Wonder if that is her real name?] could do good for us should they be willingly enough to understand of our genuine Christian values as witness by the earlier group of Asian incomparable to the Easterners and the Westerners, dont you agree?

And remember all the seam struggling seen now a days were all been overcome by our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus with his Triumphant Resurrection from with his willing inhumane death on that cross. During his life on earth he had salvage us all from four (4) main areas of our worldly lives;

First (1). From our own individual sinful lives (I am a sinful person outright and so does everyone else except His mother and Himself being a divine God whom willingly lowered his status for our salvation)

Secondly (2). From the weakness of others(of course our dear Sailele Malielegaoi being our current Mr. PM is a weak person himself and that should never block us from seeing Him right and discover his wish for us all -as Christ final wish of his Father before ending his life; Father forgive them for they do not know what they have done,!).

Thirdly (3). From the evils spirits (living amongst our human race,,)

Fourthly (4). From our fearful view towards Death (for certainly that is not the end but the beginning of our Divine life,, a truth both Atheist and Agnostic are having trouble to comprehend not too sure of the Muslims, BahaI Faith and Jehovah Witness?).

Anyhow will pen off this time with one of St. Augustine of Hippos famous quotes; TRUTH is like a Lion where we dont have to defend it all we need to do is Let it loose and it will defend itself.

Until next time we meet again!

Leoo Fonoti M.M.M.M.P.

Atalii fanau le au, a le ulugalii Atua
The smiles said it all. Yesterday the beautiful faces of primary school children around Upolu lit up as they saluted good health with Anchor milk and preparing to get creative with it too.

Anchor Milk in association with Ah Liki Wholesale launched their Creative Arts Competition for Primary school students around Upolu and Savaii.

The theme is on  Achieving Greatness.

According to Ah Liki Wholesale, Anchor also donated free milk for Year 1 and 2 students to be given out at the selected primary schools around the two islands and this is a first time that such a competition and donation has been done in Samoa.

The Samoa Observer accompanied one of the Ah Liki marketing teams yesterday as they travelled all day around Upolu to reach selected schools in the back villages in an epic campaign to promote their suppliers message of health through the medium of art.

On the way to the first school in Mulifanua, Anchor representative, Vaovasa Segi said the project is for the good of the kids.

We want to see how creative they are, he said .

We had a promotion for colleges as well and that was about story writing. In this competition; you have to create something using the anchor cartons. We are trying to promote the product to everyone, not only to the shops but to the schools as well so that all the people know that the anchor milk is good food for kids.

The creative art competition is unique in the sense that it steps away from the traditional expectation that art in most school competitions are more conceptual and two-dimensional.

However in this competition, primary school children are expected to create physical or three-dimensional art out of the Anchor milk cartons.

Because there is no wrong or right way to make art, children are encouraged to think creatively and to be innovative.

Studies show that being exposed to art, children can improve their fine motor skills and problem solving skills by being able to think critically and analytically.

The primary school children werent the only ones who were happy to receive the Anchor campaigners into their schools, Principals and staff members were thankful and supportive of Anchors campaign with Ah Liki Wholesale.

Principal of Matautu Primary School, Masse Tupou, shared her thoughts on the benefits their students would receive.

We are doing this to promote and advertise how important the Anchor milk is. It is a milk brand that is known all over the world because its good not only for the health and bodies of children but for adults as well.

With the possibility that many children would enter, there was the question about whether there were enough supplies of empty milk cartons for children to utilise in their creations which might put pressure on families to buy extra milk to meet the demand.

However Principal Masse Tupou did not anticipate any problems with milk carton supplies.

I know that theres nothing hard about finding this milk brand because you can find it in every shop and thats because most families prefer Anchor Milk. It will not be hard for our community to come together and support the children by collecting them for us.

Yesterday the Anchor/Ah Liki marketing team managed to promote and distribute cartons of milk to Mulifanua, Satapuala, Matautu, Salailua and Lalomanu Primary Schools where they received positive responses from the school community and they will continue to reach out to more schools until the end of September when their active promotion campaign comes to an end.

The deadline for the final entries is 6th of October 2017.
By PTI: Kohima, Aug 28 (PTI) The Naga People?s Front Central today vowed to continue the legal battle against its dissident MLAs and also the formation of a parallel NPF Party with Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio as the president.

?We believe in the rule of law because we have all facts and documents with us and we will continue with the legal battle,? said NPF Central Spokesperson Achumbemo Kikon at the Party?s central office here this evening.

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NPF Central is in alliance with the BJP in the state as well as at the Centre.

?He claimed that the silent majority of the Naga people were with the NPF led by Liezietsu and ?we are confident of forming the next government in the state?.

The power struggle in the NPF had started on July 8 after former chief minister T R Zeliang initiated a coup against then chief minister Liezietsu with the support of 36 out of 47 NPF legislators.

Governor P B Acharya had appointed Zeliang as the chief minister on July 19 dismissing the Liezietsu government for failing to turn up to face the trust vote in the Assembly the same day.

Subsequently, the dissident NPF MLAs have been demanding that Liezietsu also resign as the party president while appointing Rio as the interim president of NPF. PTI NBS MD

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A delegation from one of Americas top research Universities is in Samoa on a fact-finding mission.

Leading the team is President of Washington State University, Kirk Schulz, who has also visited American Samoa and is looking at the similarities and differences between the two Samoas.

We came here to learn and not just about American Samoa but also Samoa, its my first time and once we get back we will work on a game plan on what is the next step.

The delegation met with Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi yesterday. He referred them to the National University of Samoa to meet with the officials and professors to discuss their plans.

Schulz told the Samoa Observer it has been a successful mission so far.

We will have a subsequent visit in 6-7 months and I will bring back subject matter experts that can talk about partnership between Washington State University and Samoa.

Established in the 1980s W.S.U. have a number of Samoan students.

We actively recruit students from American Samoa and given our long term relationship, I know the students from Samoa, will pretty much feel at home, in Washington. There are Samoan Communities in the area, he said.

What is so special about Washington State University?

We have world class program in agriculture, veterinary medicine, nursing, engineering and we have a lot of interests in the general Pacific Rim area. A lot of our students come from Seattle Washington, which is a very diverse growing city without a lot of technology, and thats part of what we want to do, is not to serve just the State of Washington, but the whole Pacific Rim, Schulz told the Samoa Observer.

Dr Mary Jo Gonzales W.S.U. Vice President of Student Affairs says the opportunities for Samoa students enrolling with W.S.U. are promising.

Weve just opened a brand new College of Medicine and the main objective is to serve world population and underserved populations in addition to college of pharmacy and nursing who again are nationally recognized.

We were able to visit the hospital yesterday and talking to one of a local graduate.

It really shows the vast and how far independent of Samoa has come in short amount of time since independent and so Im looking forward to the future and having Samoa students coming over to Washington State University.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has welcomed the plan by Virgin Australia to continue to fly to Samoa after the Virgin Samoa joint-venture with the government ends in November.

In the spirit of Samoas open sky policy, Tuilaepa told the Samoa Observer during a recent interview that this is a good thing for Samoa.

They have already informed us they want to continue their air services out of Samoa, Tuilaepa said. It can be done, because in Samoa we have an open sky policy.

It could not be confirmed if Virgin Australia has put in a formal application for this to happen with the government.

In July, however, Australian Aviation reported that Virgin had applied to Australias International Air Services Commission (IASC) for 880 seats of capacity a week between Australia and Samoa.

Virgin Australia intends to commence five services per week between Australia and Samoa from 13 November 2017, Virgin said in its letter to the I.A.S.C dated July 10 2017.

These flights will be operated with Boeing 737-800 aircraft configured with 176 seats.

In May, the Samoan government announced the Virgin Samoa joint venture between Virgin Australia and country would be terminated by November.

Virgin Samoa is 49 per cent held by Virgin Australia, 49 per cent by the Samoan government and two per cent by Samoa-based tourism company Grey Investment Group.

The airline does not own any aircraft. Instead, Virgin Australia operates services on behalf of the joint-venture airline. However, one Boeing 737-800 has been painted in a special livery that features a special Virgin Samoa livery.

Prior to his sudden departure as group executive for Virgin Australia airlines in late June, John Thomas told Australian Aviation on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general meeting in Cancun, Mexico the airline was keen to maintain air links with Samoa following the end of the partnership with the government.

At a group perspective we would like to continue to have a presence there so we are working through what could be possible, Thomas said on June 4.

Obviously there is the classic VFR market but we do believe there is potential to grow those markets with tourism. The nice thing about it with the 737 it is the right gauge of aircraft for that route.

Tuilaepas tone is an interesting change.

When the news first broke that Virgin was interested in flying to Samoa, Prime Minister Tuilaepa warned that it might not be that easy. Tuilaepa indicated that at the end of the day, his government would have a huge say in deciding the outcome of Virgins application.

I am waiting to see what they bring to the negotiating table, he said. But it would be stupid for government to say yes again and again.
Dear Editor,

Re: Dont listen to

customary land advice

Firstly, Samoa is Samoan property, whether youre full blooded or afakasi you are Samoan through blood or heritage.

Secondly, this isnt any other country like what you mentioned above, this is Samoa, in the Pacific, which was the first Island Nation to gain Independence through blood, sweat and tears from a bloodied history and that Samoans are proud to prove that it will not lay down its arms without a fight.

Thirdly, you seem to be missing the point by involving world affairs of non-importance to the issue that is at hand.

If you had really sat down and read the comments made by Sala Josephine Stowers-Fiu, and understood what she was trying to explain, then maybe, you would understand that this article is about a persons choice, their freewill, to do as they please, but under the protection of certain articles or provisions to protect them, that has been put in place by law for many, many years through the government of Samoa.

Its a shame that you single out only Josephine thru her last name Stowers.

A rant like this, can only be a person who is racist against afakasi names?

If you dont know who Josephine is through her bloodline and her family heritage, (which you should have checked), then you shouldnt have written so much senseless garbage against a person you dont even know from a bar of soap, when in fact you have only degraded yourself, by entertaining us with your mental perception of your intelligence of a befitting child.

You should have thought about your name as Wendy in Wonder.

Michael Enoka
The decision to cancel one of the main attractions of the Teuila Festival, the Fautasi Regatta, has attracted strong criticisms from interested sectors of the community.

The lack of interest from participating fautasi crews has forced the committee to axe the race.

This was confirmed by committee member, Ituau Ale, who said at least five fautasi boats are required for the race to be staged. Prior to the cancellation, only four fautasi had registered.

These included the Tolotolo o Tama Uli, Laumua o Punaoa, Don Bosco and the Little Rina.

Ituau accepts that the decision is disappointing but he said they had no other option.

Weve already contacted (them) about the decision and the reason behind it," Ituau said dejectedly.

The disappointment is shared by the Principal of Don Bosco, Isitolo Stanley, who fears that this could be the start of the slow death of fautasi racing in Samoa.

He reminded that the race was also cancelled during the Independence Day celebrations, this year.

Its really disappointing, he said.

We were informed two weeks in to our camp that theres no fautasi race due to the lack of interested crews.

Isitolo said the final decision rests with the committee.

But he reckons the race should have been allowed to continue.

My concern is that this would lead to the demise of the sport that our people love so dearly and thats something we dont want to hear.

Isitolos sentiments were echoed by elders of the community the Samoa Observer spoke with.

Taulafo Fa'aloia, 68, of Utuali'i said he had always looked forward to Independence Day and the Teuila Festival because of the fautasi races.

Given the reason that not enough fautasi have registered, I dont think that is a good enough reason for the race to be cancelled, he said.

The committee should allow this to go on, whether two, three, four -- at least these crews are from Samoa, not from other countries.

I am not sure how this could be a problem to the committee. They now have four fautasi, I mean whats wrong with that? Four crews is enough.

Taulafo said he was more concerned about the future of fautasi racing.

We have a duty to keep this race alive for the sake of future generations, he said.

Our government, especially the committee, should look into their conditions and criteria before further recommendations."

He suggested they should also look at more ways to attract other crews.

Afoa Ioane, of Vaitele-fou, said the regatta should never have been cancelled.

The fautasi race is the only thing that I was looking forward to, he said.

Theres nothing wrong if theres only four boats, thats more than enough.

I hope that this is not the end of the road for fautasi racing for both the Independence and the Teuila celebrations.

A budget of $100,000 was set aside as prize money to be shared between the competing long boats.

The 27th Annual Teuila Festival 2017 starts on Sunday and ends the following Saturday with the Miss Samoa Pageant.

This year, the festival will coincide with the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, also being hosted in Samoa.
The new Charge dAffaires of the American Embassy in Samoa, Antone Greubel, might not have spent too much time in Samoa but from what he has seen so far, he is impressed.

Last night, Mr. Greubel gave his new home for the next couple of years the thumbs up during a welcome reception at the U.S. Embassy compound, at Vailima.

Mr. Greubel is accompanied by his wife, Izumi.

We have already toured much of the island of Upolu and we're looking forward to visiting Savaii, said Mr. Greubel.

I have met many people, at many functions, and even ran into the Prime Minister this past Sunday as we shopped for fish at the Fish Market.

This is his second assignment focussing on the Pacific Island countries.

I am particularly interested in this region, primarily as a result of my love of history. I still envisage the German, Americana and British warships facing off against one another during the 1889 Samoan crisis, until the storm wrecked the fleets.

Mr. Greubel grew up on a farm in the American midwest, surrounded by corn fields and watching cattle graze in the pasture.

Although I still feel most of the home in the Midwest, I always had an interest in international relations and wanted to see the world.

My wife is from Japan and most people assume that we met in Japan, but in reality, we met while she was attending university in the United States.

Izumi is a teacher by profession and they have two sons, both attending universities in the United States.

This is our first overseas assignment without any children, he laughed.

Prior to his appointment in Samoa, Tony was the Senior Pacific Islands Desk Officer in the East Asia Pacific Bureaus Office of Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands Affairs.

He managed bilateral relations with five Pacific Island countries -- Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu.

From 2012-2015, Tony served as American Citizens Services Unit Chief at the United States Embassy in Beijing.

In this capacity, Tony was also responsible for providing consular services to American citizens in North Korea, in coordination with the Embassy of Sweden in Pyongyang.

Earlier in his career, Tony served as consular section chief in Surabaya, Indonesia, and performed consular and diplomatic work in Ottawa, Canada and Lahore, Pakistan.

He also worked as a management analyst in the State Departments Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Tony received a bachelors degree from the University of Southern Indiana and a masters degree from Indiana State University.
The French Navy Ship, Arago, is in Apia. The patrol boat based in Tahiti, French Polynesia, arrived on Saturday and will depart tomorrow.

The boat left Papeete, her home port, on 11 August 2017.

Since her departure, the boat has patrolled in the Cook Islands and Kiribati Exclusive Economic Zone (E.E.Z.) for a fishery control operation.

Aragos Captain, Commander Benoit Renie, gave the Samoa Observer a tour of the ship yesterday and spoke about its history and journey so far.

Named after the French physicist and astronomer, Francois Arago, the boat was commissioned in 1991. Its first role was to serve as a Nitro Graphic ship and she first arrived in French Polynesia in 1992, where hydrographers worked on maps of French Polynesia and the Pacific Ocean.

The Arago then returned to France and was transformed into a patrol boat, sailing back to Tahiti in 2012, where it has been patrolling around the French E.E.Z.

According to Think Tanks magazine, by virtue of its global sovereign presence and specifically, its Pacific Islands presence, France is the worlds second largest maritime nation.

Commander Benoit Renie said that its important to work with others outside their E.E.Z. to better survey the area,

France has a huge E.E.Z. in the Pacific, half of the E.E.Z. of France is in the Pacific Ocean and there are a lot of ships here in Pacific ocean, he said.

We have common interests and we have to improve our ways of working together by surveying our own E.E.Z. and also to survey high seas.

So part of our mission is to patrol our own E.E.Z., but we also partrol just outside our own E.E.Z. We try to cooperate with other nations in that way.

While at sea, the crew are trained in drug enforcement and they focus on the fishery control mission, which means boarding other fishing vessels within their E.E.Z. to check their devices and shipping documents, as well as ensuring that there are no prohibited fish on board.

In Samoa, the Arago has been opened to locals, who have been invited to board and tour the ship.

The crew gave tours and talked about its work and its missions in French Polynesia, as well as the Pacific, giving the public an opportunity to know more about the French Navy and the French Armed Forces.
The American Samoa Government has changed its mind and will now sign up with Samoas new undersea fiber optic cable, Tui Samoa.

The announcement was made by the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (A.S.T.C.A.) Chairman of the Board and Interim C.E.O, Puleleiite Tufele Lia Jr., during an interview with Talanei News Agency.

The decision follows concerns expressed by the Governor of American Samoa, Lolo Matalasi Moliga, who said he was not satisfied with the proposal from Samoa about the Tui Samoa cable.

Earlier this year, Governor Lolo told the Samoa Observer he was concerned about conflicting money obligations, as well as the lack of clarity in terms of cost and benefits analysis.

The presentation (by Samoa) was conducted in a manner where we left with many unanswered questions, Governor Lolo said in March.

But things appear to have been sorted now.

Last week, Puleleiite said American Samoa will be signing on to Samoas cable, due to go live in January 2018.

The move coincides with the agreement the former Board of Directors of A.S.T.C.A. signed with the Hawaiki Cable, which is scheduled to launch service in American Samoa next year.

He said the capacity of the existing American Samoa Hawaii Cable is maxed out and going with Samoas Tui Samoa cable is the fastest solution to the bandwidth problem.

The reason why internet service is slow now is because theres not enough bandwidth, he told Talanei.

Currently A.S.T.C.A. has only 500 plus megabytes of bandwidth: 400 from O3 B network and 145 megabytes from the American Samoa Hawaii Cable, whose capacity is just 1 gigabyte shared by Samoa and American Samoa.

The Tui Samoa cable will provide 10 gigabytes. Once they go live, the idea is to get capacity there until we get more capacity once Hawaiki lands in mid-2018.

American Samoa is going with both the Tui cable and the Hawaiki cable."

In March, Governor Lolo said approval from the federal government was required in order to sign on with the Tui cable.

We will be asking the federal government for money to fund it and they have already expressed their concerns given the cable will be laid through foreign countries.

Earlier this year, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Afamasaga Rico Tupai, Samoa Submarine Cable Company (S.S.C.C) Chairman, Pepe Fia'ailetoa Fruean, and C.E.O. Emmanual Delanoue, were in American Samoa to present the proposal.

The key benefit of the proposed partnership is the ability to aggregate internet traffic for both countries in order to increase the economies of scale and provide cost saving for both islands, Minister Afamasaga said.
A $3 million I.C.T. project, designed to help over 5,300 young Samoans between the ages of 8 and 25, was officially opened yesterday, by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi.

Located at the former hostel accommodation of Samoa College at Vaivase, High Tech Youth Network (H.T.Y.N.) Studio, the project will complement and extend young peoples school engagement, and create opportunities through an additional programme called Tech Shed.

New Zealand High Commissioner to Samoa, David Nicholson, highlighted the importance of the facility.

We live in a digital world where information, technology and communication is constantly moving, developing, and being reimagined, he said.

Young people are the forefront of I.C.T. and New Zealand is delighted to have invested NZD $1.3 million in this facility, that aims to support Samoa in growing the I.C.T. skills and capacity of its youth.

The programmes available through the High Tech Youth Network Studio will provide learning opportunities in I.C.T., broadcasting and T.V. for young people, both in and out of school.

It leverages the idea of young people being early adopters of technology and gives them access, space and resources to lead Samoa in creating a strong digital future to establish careers that are technology-based, to engage in higher learning and developing social enterprise.

According to the information paper issued by the H.T.Y.N., the studio is an informal learning programme delivering cyber-expanded learning opportunities (E.L.O.) aimed at complementing what students learn at school by providing additional digital resources (including software), mentoring and innovative learning methods, and connection to the students community and family.

This includes after-school and holiday programmes.

Each H.T.Y.N. Studio is a place for young people to explore, collaborate and engage.

The students run their own projects, in their studios, which are shared among each other and presented to media partners and to the local community.

H.T.Y.N. also offers programmes such as graphic design, 3D design, designing and making web pages, and film and music

Furthermore, the programme could establish a pathway of Post-Secondary Education Training (P.S.E.T.) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (T.V.E.T.) currently not available in Samoa.

Creative artists and designers could learn to use modern technology for their crafts, opening ways to career opportunities in the media, and fashion and design industry, in Samoa, as well as abroad.

As there is currently no provider of this kind of training in Samoa, the establishment of the H.T.Y.N. Studio will provide valuable support for the young generation of Samoa.
On Monday, the Samoa Observer travelled with Anchor and Ah-Liki Marketing representatives as they carried out their Achieving Greatness campaign at selected primary schools throughout Upolu.

Visits were made to Mulifanua, Satapuala, Matautu, Salailua and Lalomanu Primary schools.

The team was welcomed on to the schools, where representatives met and briefed school principals on the concepts, terms and conditions of the Achieving Greatness competition.

To the delight of the students, cartons of milk were then distributed to Year 1 and 2 students in an effort to promote the healthy benefits of dairy for strong bones and teeth. Here are some of the images from the visit...
When Stephen Cruz got a new supervisor a few years ago, his staff job at UC San Diego became something of a living hell.

The new boss would repeatedly yell at workers, scold them behind closed doors, tower above them at their desks, get visibly agitated and red in the face, and send out harsh emails when something went wrong. The emails didnt include foul language but called out workers with phrases like I told you, or I gave you a direct order, evidence of what Cruz called extreme micromanagement.

It may have been stylistic, but it was unacceptable, said Cruz, who works on the medical school campus. Yes, we need supervisors. Yes, we need managers. But were not at each others throats. Were there to work on the mission of the university.

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Cruz, 46, said he considered the supervisors conduct  which improved after university and union involvement  to be abusive.

A state law taking effect Jan. 1 hopes to curb that behavior at the start. The legislation, authored by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, requires that employers in California with 50 or more workers include lessons on anti-workplace bullying when they carry out state-mandated sexual harassment training for supervisors every two years.

A UCSD employee talks about his experiences under a bullying supervisor and the new law intended to limit potential abuse.

The hope is that those in charge would take a step back and realize how they may be managing employees could be harmful, as well as see how employees they supervise could be treating each other abusively.

Im not sure if it will completely eradicate the issue, Gonzalez said. This isnt a burdensome regulation. This is just smart business, and its good for the employer and its good for the employee.

Assemblyman Brian Jones, R-Santee, who voted against the measure, said it isnt the governments job to regulate relationships among employees.

Employers are responsible in California and know what kind of training that employees need to prevent that kind of behavior in their workplace, he said.

Unlike sexual harassment, workplace bullying is not illegal, so long as it is not based on protected classes like race, religion, or sexual orientation. That means an employer is not legally liable should bullying occur in the workplace. Most organizations could still fire the offending employee. Gonzalezs bill doesnt define how much time an employer has to spend on workplace bullying as part of the two-hour sexual harassment training.

A key reason that general bullying at work isnt illegal is because its hard to define. For instance, where do you draw the line between a supervisor who is incredibly demanding, versus a workplace bully who abuses employees? That answer is in the eye of the beholder.

Phil Blair, CEO of Manpower San Diego, a staffing agency with about 100 corporate employees, said workers need to be held accountable to complete their tasks.

A harsh boss that says you need to hit these goals, or youre not going to be around here, if I were the recipient of that I would feel like I was being bullied. But thats the job, Blair said. I dont think (workers are) soft, I think theyre under a lot of pressure.

Dan Eaton, an employment attorney at Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek, said making workplace bullying illegal would unleash a wave of petty lawsuits. He said he was unsure whether the anti-bullying training would make any impact at all.

It will be interesting to see if it has any effect and whether its effect can even be measured, said Eaton, who mostly represents employers. One persons bully is another persons rigorous disciplinarian.

Gonzalezs bill says abusive conduct may include repeated infliction of verbal abuse, such as the use of derogatory remarks, insults, and epithets, verbal or physical conduct that a reasonable person would find threatening, intimidating or humiliating, or the gratuitous sabotage or undermining of a persons work performance. It says a single act does not constitute abuse unless it is especially severe and egregious.

The Workplace Bullying Institute, based in Bellingham, Wash., has lobbied unsuccessfully for years to outlaw abusive conduct at work. Gary Namie, who leads the institute, said academia and medicine are the two fields where its most prevalent. He gave an example of nurses bullying each other or a principal berating a teacher. He said bullying can lead to decreased motivation, leaves of absence, depression and other avoidable conditions.

A 2008 survey of employees at Wayne State University and State University of New York New Paltz, by professors Loraleigh Keashly and Joel Neuman, found that those on the faculty were likely to identify colleagues as bullies, while front-line staff were more likely to identify their supervisors as bullies. Additionally, they found that faculty were more likely than front-line staff to be mobbed, or bullied by three or more people.

Around the country, legislators in about 30 states have introduced a version of a measure pushed by the bullying institute to outlaw abusive conduct at work altogether, but only Tennessee has a related law on the books.

Earlier this year, Tennessee passed a bill that outlaws workplace bullying at its public agencies. The law requires a state body to create a training program against workplace bullying, which, if adopted by individual agencies, would protect them from legal liability (but not individuals). In California, a 2003 measure to outlaw bullying authored by Assemblyman Paul Koretz, D-Los Angeles, never got out of committee.

Im not a big proponent of just creating legislation that people can sue about, Gonzalez said. I think our laws really should reflect that people are going to try to do the right thing.

To remedy his situation, Cruz and others in his department sought help from Teamsters Local 2010, which represents 14,000 administrative support staff at UC schools statewide and urged Gonzalez to introduce her bill. Cruz said he didnt want to leave UCSD, where he has worked since 1993. Plus, university consolidation made it hard to transfer, and the slow job market meant it was unrealistic to leave.

UCSD employee Stephen Cruz, says he is being bullied on the job at UCSD and is coming forward in light of AB 2053 a bill assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez introduced , which simply adds abusive conduct to the required biannual 2-hour training in sexual harassment for supervisors of all employers in California with more than 50 employees. (John Gastaldo/U-T San Diego/Zuma)

While his situation has improved and he is still employed, the same cannot be said for Catherine Mattice, who some years ago was asked to leave when a situation with a bully got so bad that it drastically affected her work performance.

Mattice, 35, worked in human resources for a financial nonprofit, where she said a bully, on her level, micromanaged everyone, even speaking out of turn at the president of the organization during meetings. Mattice said he yelled a lot, to the point where people feared going into his office for access to office supplies, which he managed. The toxic situation ruined Mattices motivation.

I was showing up to work late, I was leaving early, I wasnt concentrating when I was there, I would get sidetracked easily, she said.

Mattice said she complained to the president of the nonprofit to no avail. Eventually, the president told Mattice that her performance was suffering. She cried in front of him and said she hated working there. As she gave her 30-day notice to leave, the president told her go immediately since she was so unhappy. Mattice has since authored a book on workplace bullying, and is in the midst of writing a second.

Im one of the ones whos been able to turn it around, I just found an outlet, she said. I found researching this topic was therapeutic for me.

In its analysis, the Assembly Appropriations Committee said the bill would impose minor costs in updating sexual harassment presentations, and minor or absorbable costs to the Department of Fair Employment and Housing for enforcement. It did not specify dollar amounts.

The California Society of Human Resource Management did not take a position on the legislation.

Other than the initial investment in terms of updating their slides, it doesnt impose a lot of additional costs along employers, said Michael Kalt, the organizations legislative director, also an employment attorney at San Diegos Wilson Turner Kosmo.

Alisa Shorago, a San Diego attorney who provides training for industries such as biotech, manufacturing, construction and nonprofits, said the change wont be big for her because she already includes information on general abusive conduct in her presentations. Her training involves questions and answers with supervisors, including asking them how they define a hostile work environment. She said the sessions are already packed in because most people dont want to go beyond the mandated two hours.

Gonzalezs bill passed with bipartisan support, with the only formal opposition from the California Association for Health Services at Home, which noted that nothing prevents an employer from already incorporating anti-bullying behavior into its existing training programs, but that the legislation increases costs through new mandates.
By PTI: Hyderabad, Aug 29 (PTI) Ridiculing the Centres move to organise "patriotic" rock shows at the IITs and central universities, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi today alleged that it amounted to "interference" in the functioning of the countrys premier educational institutions.

He also described the decision as "shocking and strange".

"This is very shocking and strange that the government is now saying it will send rock bands to instill patriotism. Please define a patriotic rock band," the Hyderabad MP told reporters here.

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He added that the IITs had earned their stature because the government never interfered in their functioning in the last 60 years.

"Now, the government is telling them what to do, what not to do, whereas it is not filling the vacancies in the IITs. It has also slashed the research funds," Owaisi said.

He claimed that it was an attempt to divert public attention from the NDA governments "failures", including on the job creation front and in "dealing strongly with China, despite all the chest-thumping".

"This is a new form of diverting attention. The issue is that the IITs have to be given full freedom. But the government is telling them that it will send rock bands...In a lighter vein, can the HRD Ministry tell me that when the rock bands will sing patriotic songs, what should one wear," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief said.

"These are completely diversionary tactics and they are not going to help the IITs or the central universities fulfil their original mandate," he added.

As part of a programme named "Yeh India ka Time Hai", the government has identified certain bands which will be visiting the campuses of educational institutions across the country and perform patriotic songs, especially those from Bollywood films.

The programme has been organised to celebrate 70 years of Independence and 75 years of the Quit India Movement. PTI SJR RS RSY RC

--- ENDS ---
A blistering heat wave scorching California has prompted officials managing much of the states power grid to issue a Flex Alert that calls for consumers to voluntarily conserve electricity from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday.

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) forecast that peak use on Tuesday will exceed 48,000 megawatts. If that figure is reached it will mark the highest demand on the grid seen so far this year.

CAISO urged customers to especially target their conservation efforts during the late afternoon, when air conditioners are at peak use.

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Power interruptions can also be avoided, CAISO officials said, if electricity users:

set thermostats at 78 degrees or higher

turn off all unnecessary lights

draw drapes and use fans

use major appliances in the morning or late evening, rather than during the afternoon

San Diego Gas & Electric issued a statement saying it does not foresee any issue with meeting the power needs of its customers Tuesday or through the rest of the week, saying the utility has plenty of resources and is not worried about shortages.

Extreme temperatures are being felt in the North, so doing our part to help relieve stress on the grid always helps, SDG&E spokeswoman Allison Torrres said.

A high-pressure system is lingering over California, causing extreme heat. In San Diego County on Monday, temperatures hit 110 or higher in Ocotillo Wells, Borrego Springs and Valley Center. Ramona equaled its all-time high temperature for the date by reaching 105 degrees.

Many schools in San Diego County decided to release students early from class on Tuesday.

Other parts of the state are sweating it out, too. The National Weather Service on Tuesday issued an excessive heat warning for a large area of South Central California, including Fresno and Bakersfield as well as San Joaquin and Tulare counties.

CAISO, which serves about 80 percent of the states electricity consumers, issues Flex Alerts when the electricity grid is under stress from persistent hot temperatures or because of generation or transmission outages.

Tuesday marked the third statewide alert CAISO has issued this year.

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rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski
The operators of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) promised Monday to make a good faith effort to find a location to move the 3.55 million pounds of nuclear waste that has accumulated on the plants premises, between the Pacific Ocean and one of the busiest freeways in the country.

Southern California Edison (SCE) made the announcement in an out-of-court settlement filed in San Diego between the utility and a pair of San Diego-area plaintiffs who sued after the California Coastal Commission in 2015 approved a 20-year permit for Edison to expand a storage system to place the plants spent nuclear fuel placed into heavy, dry casks.

The settlement was approved Monday by Superior Court Judge Judith Hayes.

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Under the agreement, SCE commits to make commercially reasonable efforts to relocate the spent fuel to another facility. Among the possible sites is the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Arizona, located about 50 miles from Phoenix.

Locations in eastern New Mexico and West Texas are also mentioned.

SCE executives also committed on Monday to assemble a team of experts to develop a plan to relocate San Onofres spent fuel. The panel would be made up of authorities in engineering, radiation detection and nuclear waste siting and transportation.

Construction is underway at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station to expand a storage installation facility for spent nuclear fuel. ((Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) )

In addition, Edison vowed to develop a more expedited inspection program for the waste at SONGS and produce a contingency plan should any of the canisters crack or leak.

This represents the coming together of the utility, the community and a group of experts committed to moving the radioactive waste at San Onofre to a location thats safer and more inland, said Michael Aguirre, one of the lead attorneys for the group that took Edison to court.

SCE is required to spend $4 million in consultant fees and other costs associated with the provisions in the settlement.

In a statement, Edison president Ron Nichols said, SCE is proud to take a leadership role in what we expect will become an industry-wide effort over many years to work with the federal government and other key stakeholders to achieve off-site storage.

One of the plaintiffs in the case is Citizens Oversight, an East County-based civic group, that has long opposed Edisons plans to store SONGS waste at the plant, which has not produced electricity since January 2012 and is in the process of being decommissioned.

This (settlement) is about the best we can do and I think its pretty good, said Ray Lutz, national coordinator at Citizens Oversight. Its a prudent step in the right direction and a step they (SCE) wouldnt take at all if it werent for the lawsuit that we filed.

The agreement sets a series of timetables for SCE to reach, both in regards to coming up with alternative locations for SONGS waste and assembling its panel of experts.

A request for proposal for qualified candidates for the panel must be delivered in 60 days and the panel must be retained  with names of the panelists made public  within 90 days of receiving the proposals.

Now theres a plan in place that will be implemented with progress reports, said Maria Severson, the other lead attorney for the plaintiffs. Experts  will get on board and report back to the public as far as moving (waste) away from SONGS.

But while Mondays agreement offers a possible path to move SONGS waste, significant hurdles remain.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which is charged with protecting public health and safety related to nuclear energy, would have to sign off on any transfer, Aguirre said.

Plus, while the spent fuel at SONGS is the responsibility of SCE, the waste eventually must be handed over to the U.S. Department of Energy and moving any waste across state lines would assuredly involve the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Aguirre described Mondays agreement as something that can set a model for the rest of the nation. Nuclear plants across the country have accumulated nearly 80,000 metric tons of spent fuel and about 2,200 tons are added each year.

The waste at SONGS has been particularly controversial.

Californias history of seismic activity unnerves many of the 8.4 million people who live within a 50-mile radius of the plant that runs right up against the Pacific on its west side and Interstate 5 to its east side.

Weve made the first step and we have a mechanism in place to make sure that all the other steps happen, said Aguirre. For the average San Diegan, before there was no hope. That sword of Damocles, the nuclear sword of Damocles, was hanging over their head indefinitely. Now there is a specific plan, a specific timeline and the authority of the court to make sure it all happens.

Some of the waste at SONGS sits in 50 canisters that are stacked horizontally in dry storage, at an installation behind a seawall 28 feet high.

Another installation for the rest of the spent fuel is in the process of being constructed. The fuel now cooling in wet storage  in a deep pool of water  will eventually be moved to 73 thick, vertical casks.

A view of the 28-foot sea wall, with San Onofre State Beach in the background, at the decommissioned San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Currently, 50 canisters of used nuclear fuel is stored in an adjacent dry cask facility and more is scheduled to placed on site by 2019. ((Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) )

Aguirre has called for moving SONGS waste to the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Arizona, saying its a logical place because Edison is a part-owner at Palo Verde, with a 15.8 percent stake.

The New Mexico and Texas sites are part of what the nuclear industry calls consolidated interim storage, locations where multiple nuclear plants could send their waste, provided local governments in the respective sites sign off on them.

The site in eastern New Mexico is still in the planning stages but is proposed to hold about 120,000 metric tons of waste. Representatives of the project spoke in front of a San Onofre engagement panel in May and said the plan has the support of local governments.

One persons waste is another persons most valuable possession, said John Heaton, chairman of the New Mexico group, called the Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance.

The contingent said if the project is approved, it could go online in as soon as five years  a quick turnaround when it comes to the slow pace of the bureaucracy and construction time associated with nuclear projects.

The facility in West Texas already stores low-level radioactive waste and is looking to expand. However, the company in charge, Waste Control Specialists, has run into financial difficulty. In June, the U.S. Justice Department blocked a merger the company sought to shore up its bottom line.

Potential sites in the agreement are not limited to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

There has been movement on Capitol Hill and by the Trump administration to bring back the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada.

Yucca as far as Im concerned is very much an option, Aguirre said.

Lutz said he hoped the waste could get moved out of SONGS in as little as five years but acknowledged the difficulties in reaching an agreement and opposition that would come from other states.

People need to look at the big picture and say we need to do the right thing for everybody, Lutz said. This is not a not in my backyard issue.

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rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski

ALSO

Moving nuclear waste out of San Onofre: When and how?

Demonstrators want nuclear waste moved out of San Onofre

House panel passes bill to resurrect Yucca Mountain as site for nuclear waste
Farmers Insurance has asked a court to block a state review of its auto insurance rates dating to 2008, making it the latest case to test the limits of Californias landmark insurance law, Proposition 103.

The Woodland Hills firm, a unit of Swiss multinational Zurich Insurance Group, argued in a lawsuit last week that a plan by the Department of Insurance to review the rates  which are being challenged by a group of consumers in a separate case  is unlawful under applicable law and current facts and should be called off.

The company, in documents filed Aug. 18 in Los Angeles Superior Court, suggested that if the department reviews rates approved nearly a decade ago and seeks to force Farmers to pay fines or refunds, it would be an overly broad interpretation of Proposition 103, which insurers have argued regulates rates only going forward.

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California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones dismissed any notion that his department does not have authority to investigate the 2008 rates.

We will defend against any lawsuit challenging the right of the insurance commissioner to seek information necessary to determine if an insurer has set rates that violate the law, he said in a statement.

Farmers spokesman Luis Sahagun said the company would not comment on pending litigation.

The issue of rate reviews, retroactive rate cuts and refunds came to the fore late last year when Jones ordered State Farm to not only lower rates for homeowners insurance policies going forward, but to lower those rates retroactively to July 2015, requiring the insurer to pay refunds of about $100 million.

It was the first time any insurance commissioner has ordered a retroactive rate cut since Proposition 103 was passed, and State Farm has sought to block the order in court. A lawsuit over the matter is pending in San Diego, where a judge has ordered State Farm to proceed with the ordered rate cuts going forward but put the refunds on hold.

Insurance trade groups, in a brief submitted in that case, called the refund order an unprecedented move that would have huge consequences for the industry and potentially destabilize the states insurance market. But Jones and consumer advocacy groups have stood their ground on the departments right to order rate cuts even retroactively.

Under Proposition 103, approved by voters in 1988, the department must approve auto and property insurance rates, ensuring that they are high enough that insurers will be able to pay claims but not so high that they lead to unreasonable profits. The law also allows consumer advocacy groups to oppose rate increases, call for hearings and inspect insurers books.

The disputes involving State Farm and now Farmers boil down to questions about what happens when insurance rates that have already been approved by the department are later questioned.

The State Farm matter goes back to 2014, when the insurance company asked the department to allow it to raise rates on renters and homeowners insurance rates. Advocacy groups Consumer Watchdog and the California Federation of Consumers moved to block the increase, saying it was unwarranted.

An administrative law judge hearing the case later found that the rate increase should be rejected and that the companys rates were already too high. As the dispute wore on, Jones ordered the rates to be lowered as of July 2015, a move the department has characterized as a way of discouraging the company from dragging its feet in court so it could continue to charge the higher rates until new, future rates were set.

The roots of the Farmers case are quite different, but ultimately involve the issue of whether the commissioner can order a retroactive rate cut or otherwise tinker with already approved rates.

The case started with a 2015 lawsuit brought by Farmers customers who alleged that the company had been illegally charging some customers more than others  a practice known as price optimization or dynamic pricing.

The idea is that if a customer is willing to pay more, they should be charged more, while customers more likely to shop around for the best deal should be charged less. That kind of pricing has been tried in a wide array of industries but its not allowed for California insurers. Rather, insurers can base their rates only on a handful of state-approved factors, such as a drivers safety record.

The plaintiffs in the case, three Santa Barbara County residents, alleged that Farmers had been using the practice for years and had charged illegal rate increases that were not part of the Farmers insurance rates approved by the Department of Insurance.

Superior Court Judge Amy Hogue referred the case, which is seeking class-action status, to the department in 2016. She said the insurance regulator had primary jurisdiction and should review whether Farmers had in fact charged customers outside of the scope of its approved rates.

Thats what Farmers had wanted. But then, in June, the department said it would also review whether Farmers engaged in any illegal conduct in formulating or implementing its 2008 rates.

Farmers objected and, in documents filed last week, said a review of the 2008 rates would not only be beyond the scope of Hogues order but would also be unlawful. It argues, as State Farm has in its case, that once an insurers rate plan is approved by the state, the insurer is required to follow that plan and the departments approval should serve to shield the plan from a later challenge.

The law does not support retroactive regulation, said Rex Frazier, president of the trade group Personal Insurance Federal of California. Hopefully this case is not the beginning of a trend where the state of California orders insurers to conduct business in a specific way and then seeks retroactive liability years later for operating as approved.

Harvey Rosenfield, the author of Proposition 103 and founder of Consumer Watchdog, said Farmers appears to be trying to block any meaningful investigation into whether it has engaged in illegal price optimization.

Farmers is trying to stonewall the elected insurance commissioner to prevent the commissioner from getting to the bottom of what its doing in California, he said.

Michael Levy, deputy general counsel for the Department of Insurance, said the departments approval of rate plans gives insurance companies protection, but that protection only goes so far.

If plans are submitted in a lawful, transparent way, insurers should nave nothing to fear. But if an insurer gets the department to sign off on a plan that includes something illegal, that insurer is not entitled to safe harbor, he said, though he added that theres been no finding that Farmers has done anything wrong.

If there was something hidden, that wasnt brought to the departments attention, you cant expect to be absolved of responsibility for that if you get it through, he said.

james.koren@latimes.com

Follow me: @jrkoren
Jack S. Kahn, Ph.D., is the new assistant superintendent/vice president of instructional services at Palomar College.

He started at Palomar in 2013 as the dean of the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences. In April, he was named acting assistant superintendent/vice president of instructional services after Interim Assistant Superintendent/Vice President Dan Sourbeer retired after 25 years at Palomar.

I am very excited to be working with Jack in his new role at Palomar, said Palomar Superintendent/President Dr. Joi Lin Blake in a statement. His enthusiasm, experience and background are a great mix to help us serve our 21st-century students during these transformational times.

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As dean, Kahn worked with faculty and staff on several leadership initiatives including enrollment management, advanced instructional technology solutions (including the development of the My Class Finder tool and the Academic Spotlight online site, and a revamp of the college website). He also helped develop the Ramona High School Partnership, and took on key roles including with the undocumented student support committee and the Association for Latinos & Allies for Student Success.

It is critically important, on the personal as well as institutional levels, that Palomar is responsive and collaborative  with industry, our transfer institutions, and our diverse populace  to ensure we are meeting the needs of our surrounding communities, Kahn said in a statement. Palomar already has a great reputation. I want to work with my colleagues to help build programs that are even more responsive to the communitys needs and to build in the ability to change as the community changes.

Kahn holds a doctorate in counseling psychology from the State University of New York, Buffalo, and a masters in marriage, family and child counseling from Cal State San Jose.

New leader for Palomar College Foundation

Stacy Rungaitis has been named the new director of development/executive director of the Palomar College Foundation.

Rungaitis brings more than 25 years of experience to the job, having previously been director of development and marketing for Feeding America San Diego. Before that, she served as a senior director of fund development for North County Health Services, leading the capital campaign that built the North County Health Services Mission Mesa Pediatrics Health Center.

Its a privilege to assume leadership of an organization dedicated to affording more students access to higher education, said Rungaitis in a statement. Through its partnership with the community, the Palomar College Foundation helps remove the financial barriers to college and educate the people who become tomorrows contributors to the success of our local communities.

A San Marcos resident, Rungaitis will lead the foundations initiative to raise money in support of the Palomar Promise, which offers a tuition-free first year of Palomar College education to graduates from 21 local high schools.

laura.groch@sduniontribune.com
Lee Adams carefully reviewed her receipt after shopping at a Whole Foods Market in Venice on Monday and was a little disappointed to find that prices were unchanged for her list of vegan groceries.

The prices are the same so far for the things I buy, Adams said.

But thats likely to change  and soon.

Amazon.com Inc. immediately slashed prices by up to 43% for some of Whole Foods bestselling products Monday, the day its $13.7-billion purchase of Whole Foods Market Inc. was completed.

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Prices were lowered for Whole Foods bananas, large brown eggs, salmon, avocados, baby kale and almond butter, among other groceries.

Amazon had said last week that it would cut prices when the deal closed so that Whole Foods  whose natural and organic products often carried premium prices that resulted in the upscale chain being derisively dubbed Whole Paycheck  would instead start to become affordable for everyone.

Its impressive they would execute the pricing strategy so quickly, said Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate.com.

More price cuts on more items are expected at the 470 Whole Foods stores in the United States, Canada and Britain, and Whole Foods said the price cuts were not temporary.

Its that aggressive approach to pricing, a hallmark of Amazon, that has sent shock waves through the $611-billion U.S. grocery industry.

Rival supermarket chains, which already operate with thin profit margins, are expected to face further pressure to keep prices down and strengthen their loyalty programs or risk losing shoppers to Whole Foods.

Stocks of rival grocers fell again Monday in response to Amazons move.

Shares of Kroger Co., which owns the Ralphs chain in Southern California, slipped two cents to $21.72 and now have plunged 37% so far this year. Sprouts Farmers Markets Inc. tumbled 9.7% to $19.72. Supervalu Inc. dropped 2.2% to $19.76. Meanwhile, Amazon edged up 76 cents to $946.02.

Amazon, the e-commerce giant, also plans to give its Amazon Prime members further price savings and other in-store benefits at Whole Foods. Amazon already is selling its Echo and Echo Dot voice-assisted devices in Whole Foods stores as part of its plan to integrate the two companies.

Prices of organic bananas were cut 30% to 69 cents a pound from 99 cents; organic avocados fell 29% to $1.99 from $2.79, and organic rotisserie chicken dropped 29% to $9.99 from $13.99.

Store displays showed the new lower price on items along with the prior price, along with signs that said Were Growing Something Good  Whole Foods + Amazon.

If its not a gimmick and [prices] go lower and stay low, that would be amazing, Adams said. Whole Foods is so expensive.

Danny Hillel, another shopper at the Whole Foods store in Venice, said he noticed that prices for sandwiches and pizza were unchanged. But he welcomed the trend toward lower prices.

If the prices do go lower probably I would shop more here, Hillel said. Its a great thing as long as the quality stays the same.

Whole Foods was struggling before Amazon announced its buyout plan in mid-June. A combination of Whole Foods lofty prices and inroads by rival supermarkets in selling their own organic and natural foods had slowed Whole Foods growth.

A great brand was on the verge of irrelevance (or at a minimum, marginalization) before Amazon swooped in, analyst Karen Short of Barclays Bank said Friday in a note to clients.

Now, price reductions will likely be broad-based at Whole Foods, and that means goodbye Whole Foods as we know it, Short wrote.

When asked to comment on Amazon and Whole Foods moves, Kroger spokeswoman Kristal Howard said that her own company is very proud of the role weve played in making natural and organic products more affordable and accessible to all customers, especially for shoppers on a budget, and that Kroger has an unending commitment to lower prices on conventional products as well.

Albertsons Cos., a privately held firm that owns the Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions grocery chains, declined to comment.

Besides lowering prices for all Whole Foods shoppers, Amazon could kick-start Whole Foods growth by tying the grocery chain to its Prime membership, which costs $99 a year and includes free shipping of Amazon products as well as video streaming.

Whole Foods prices were off-putting to a lot of potential customers and for good reason; a substantial part of the population felt it couldnt afford to shop at Whole Foods, Hamrick said.

But many of those people probably have Prime membership and now will get an added incentive to shop at Whole Foods because Prime will, in effect, become a Whole Foods reward program, he said.

Amazon does not disclose the number of Prime accounts, but analysts estimate the figure is 65 million or more.

Amazon also plans to add Amazon Lockers at select Whole Foods locations, enabling any customer who buys a product on the Amazon.com website to pick up or return the item at the Whole Foods store.

james.peltz@latimes.com

ronald.white@latimes.com

@PeltzLATimes, @RonWLATimes
Revolution makes for some pretty surprising comrades-in-arms in The North Plan, Jason Wells play about a potentially momentous national-security incident in a small-town police station.

The play, now getting a very kinetic staging at Ion Theatre in Hillcrest, revolves around its own sometimes odd combination of political thriller and almost slapstick-y humor.

That tricky tonal dance trips the show up a bit, particularly in the breathless (but funny) second act of director Isaac Fowlers 90-minute production. Still, Wells writing has a sly way of subverting expectations  particularly when it comes to red state/blue state political assumptions.

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And for a play that premiered five years ago, The North Plan has some startlingly of-the-moment resonance on such issues as government surveillance, the balance of powers and civil disobedience.

At one point, a local police chief says of a State Department bureaucrat who has just landed in his rural Missouri lockup: He seems to think hes in the Resistance or something.

That word means something a little different (and more specific) than it did when the play debuted in 2012  but its meaning in The North Plan is actually not far from the images of citizen protesters that it brings to mind in 2017.

The federal functionary in question is Carlton Berg (Daren Scott), a mid-level employee whos in possession of some very high-level intelligence: the super-secret government database of Americans who the government suspects might pose threats to the country in case of a national emergency.

That emergency has come to pass  there is dark, fragmented talk in the police station (designed with a minimalist touch by Johnathan Gilmer) of Threat Level Red, martial law and rampant unrest around the country  and Carlton says the provisional government has started to arrest suspected opponents.

He might be next: Homeland Security is on its way to interrogate him and confiscate the purloined secrets. (The play takes its name from an actual, 1980s-era continuity-of-government strategy supposedly spearheaded by the Iran-Contra figure Oliver North.)

But Carlton has one major longshot of a savior on his side: Tanya Shepke (Samantha Ginn), a foul-mouthed, big-haired, Lynyrd Skynyrd-loving townie who apparently performed a citizens arrest on herself for driving while intoxicated, and now is trying to get her head around Carltons desperate quest.

The way these two get in cahoots with each other is both cartoonish and often hilarious: Scott, who captures Carltons principled but nebbish-y vibe to perfection, makes an excellent foil for Ginns raw, comical, f-bomb-dropping vulgarity.

But they both become heroes in their own ways  as does Shonda (a funny and assured Tina Machele Brown), the seen-it-all administrative officer who finds herself being wooed to Carlton and Tonyas cause.

Not that Tonya is particularly selfless: She wants cash plus a pardon from the president  like Patty Hearst.

Don Loper carries off a kind of dignified bemusement as the police chief, Swenson; and Jake Rosko and Fred Hunting inject their own entertaining Mutt-and-Jeff exploits as the allegedly tough but bumbling federal agents Pittman and Bob.

But even if you know the old Chekhov edict about how a loaded gun, once introduced to a story, eventually has to go off, certain second-act events can feel startlingly out-of-the-blue  not to mention out of character.

Then again, with a loose cannon like Tanya in the mix, maybe the play is destined to end with a bang. And with clearly more ruckus to come.

The North Plan

When: 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays. Through Sept. 9.

Where: Ion Theatres BLKBOX, 3704 Sixth Ave., Hillcrest.

Tickets: $12-$35 (discounts available); $45 opening night (with catered party).

Phone: (619) 600-5020.

Online: iontheatre.com

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @jimhebert
Just as cannabis is gaining traction as a legitimate treatment option for military veterans, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given the breakthrough therapy designation to MDMA -- the main chemical in the club drug Ecstasy  for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

The move appears to pave the way for a Santa Cruz-based advocacy group to conduct two trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for patients with severe PTSD.

The nonprofit group Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies plans to test out the strategy on 200 to 300 participants in clinical trials this spring.

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For the first time ever, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy will be evaluated in (advanced) trials for possible prescription use, with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD leading the way, said Rick Doblin, the groups founder and executive director, in a news release on Saturday.

The FDA says it doesnt disclose the names of drugs that receive breakthrough therapy designation. But if a researcher or drug company chooses to release that information, they are allowed to. In this case, the Psychedelic Studies group is the researcher.

Veterans have pushed for new treatments for PTSD, which some consider the signature injury of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Symptoms include depression, isolation, inability to concentrate and, in the extreme, suicidal thoughts.

RELATED -- Veterans and pot: VA leader says we are interested 

Groups as big as the American Legion have called for the federal government to loosen up restrictions on cannabis research for PTSD, traumatic brain injury and other combat-related wounds.

The Veterans Affairs secretary recently opened the door to pot, saying in June that there may be some evidence this is beginning to be helpful and we are interested in looking at that.

Welcome to The Intel, a blog examining the hot military news of the day

A breakthrough therapy is a classification granted by the FDA when preliminary clinical evidence shows substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development.

MDMA has been tested in past clinical trials on patients with anxiety.

The drug gained prominence in dance clubs, with the common nicknames Ecstasy and Molly.

At present, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration lists it as a Schedule I drug, which means there are no currently accepted medical uses and theres a high potential for abuse.

The drug affects serotonin use in the brain.

It can cause euphoria, increased sensitivity to touch, sensual and sexual arousal, the need to be touched and the need for stimulation.

Some unwanted psychological effects can include confusion, anxiety, depression, paranoia, sleep problems and drug craving, according to the DEA.

Clinical studies suggest that MDMA may increase the risk of long-term problems with memory and learning.

For information about participating in the trials, go to the research groups website.

However, a spokeswoman told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Tuesday that the interest expressed by possible participants far exceeds the number of slots available.

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The camerawork is unsteady and its impossible to tell what prompted the fight.

But the video posted to YouTube clearly shows Christian Frizzell, the owner of the Redwood Bar & Grill in downtown Los Angeles, wrestling with and yelling at another man  identified as Frank, a homeless panhandler who hangs around the area.

The video shows the two men in the crosswalk outside the bar at night. Frank is on his back with Frizzell standing over him. Frizzell then shouts expletives: Get your  and get the  out of here! He kicks what appears to be Franks shoe, left in the middle of the street.

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What took place Aug. 22 has sparked debates about Frizzells character, attitudes toward the homeless and the reckless nature of social media.

This is disgusting, what an absolute abuse of power to hit a homeless person like this @RedwoodBar https://t.co/nlrZ5XZe9c  DSA Los Angeles  (@DSA_LosAngeles) August 27, 2017

A video posted online shows an altercation between the owner of Redwood Bar and Grill, Christian Frizzell, and a... https://t.co/UYXmCOZ9UZ  HomelessLivesMatter (@HomelessMatters) August 27, 2017

A pirate-themed establishment that hosts bands, karaoke nights and, more recently, a canine yappy hour, the Redwood has, for decades, been the go-to hangout of Los Angeles Times journalists.

When an artist and poet who goes by the name Dylan Doren was skateboarding near the bar last week, he said, he happened upon Frizzell punching Frank in the head.

Thats when I got my phone out and immediately started filming, Doren, 31, said. I just thought maybe if he saw that someone was filming he would be ashamed or it would be a reality check of what he was doing.

Doren said responding police, who made no arrests, did not believe the video would be relevant as evidence against Frizzell.

(Warning: Video contains graphic language.)

Doren said Frank is a non-threatening downtown staple whom he has known for 10 years.

He says Hello, how are you? and asks for a dollar and thats about it, Doren said.

He said after the incident, he was taunted by Frizzell, who asked him his race.

According to Doren, Frizzell said, I know what race I am. Im an American.

But Si McGrady, a bartender at the Redwood who witnessed the altercation, said that Frizzell never made such a statement and that the video fails to offer a full picture of what happened. He also said that although people have a soft spot for Frank, the transient has a history of bothering customers.

From what I know of Christian and the bar and Frank, this is getting blown way, way out of proportion, he said.

McGrady, 41, said he and Frizzell had attended a show at another venue and were returning to the Redwood about midnight. They saw Frank harassing two women outside the bar and Frizzell asked him to leave.

At one point Frank grabbed Christians shirt, McGrady said.

Basically, once contact was made, they both kind of got tangled up. I feel like Christian was kind of looking at it like a father protecting his children and he just got super wrapped up and it went too far.

The bar usually has a security guard, but did not have one on hand at the time because it was a slower night, he said.

Go ahead and defend Frank, a drug addict that continously harasses women when comes near our establishment ..  The Redwood Bar (@RedwoodBar) August 27, 2017

The video was uploaded to Facebook two days later by nearby event venue the Smell.

This chilling, ugly incident apparently took place the night before last, one day after Franks birthday, the post said.

Frank was described as the gentleman who sweeps up our alley and collects our bottles and cans each night.

Commenters shared their outrage, but there was also plenty of support for Frizzell from those who said they had experienced scary run-ins with Frank.

A woman said Frank overheard her giving out her address to a friend outside the Redwood one night. He appeared at her home when she was alone: He was pounding on my door and looking in my windows, yelling my name.

One man wrote, Frank also tends to get aggressive when he is in a bad mood and no one will give him money.

Another poster echoed a common sentiment that the footage was incomplete.

There is no context to this video, it conveniently cuts in at the man hitting the ground and Christian yelling, she wrote. How dumb do you have to be to see this and feel like youve gotten the full story?

Frizzell, 42, who has owned the bar since 2006, declined to speak about the incident, but said in a statement that he was embarrassed and saddened by the video.

I never assaulted any one or said any of those things. Its never fun to have to forcefully remove someone from your business.

Frizzell said that Frank hit him, spit on him and ripped his shirt that night.

All I did was try to escort him away, he said. The police responded to the scene and when they saw the physical evidence of the struggle asked if I wanted the suspect arrested. I declined.

According to Frizzell, Frank has a long history of harassing his customers and employees.

I am not a bigot or a racist, he said. Im a small-business owner who is a father of four and the allegations and statements in the video are false accusations.

corina.knoll@latimes.com

@corinaknoll

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The operators of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station promised Monday to make a good faith effort to find a location to move the 3.55 million pounds of nuclear waste that has accumulated on the plants premises, between the Pacific Ocean and one of the busiest freeways in the country.

Southern California Edison made the announcement in an out-of-court settlement filed in San Diego between the utility and a pair of San Diego-area plaintiffs who sued after the California Coastal Commission in 2015 approved a 20-year permit for Edison to expand a storage system to place the plants spent nuclear fuel into heavy, dry casks.

The settlement was approved Monday by Superior Court Judge Judith Hayes.

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Construction is underway at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station to expand a storage installation facility for spent nuclear fuel. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Under the agreement, Edison commits to make commercially reasonable efforts to relocate the spent fuel to another facility. Among the possible sites is the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Arizona, about 50 miles from Phoenix.

Locations in eastern New Mexico and west Texas also are mentioned.

Edison executives also committed Monday to assemble a team of experts to develop a plan to relocate San Onofres spent fuel. The panel would be made up of authorities in engineering, radiation detection and nuclear waste siting and transportation.

In addition, Edison vowed to develop a more expedited inspection program for the waste at San Onofre and produce a contingency plan should any of the canisters crack or leak.

This represents the coming together of the utility, the community and a group of experts committed to moving the radioactive waste at San Onofre to a location thats safer and more inland, said Michael Aguirre, one of the lead attorneys for the group that took Edison to court.

The utility is required to spend $4 million in consultant fees and other costs associated with the provisions in the settlement.

In a statement, Edison President Ron Nichols said, SCE is proud to take a leadership role in what we expect will become an industry-wide effort over many years to work with the federal government and other key stakeholders to achieve off-site storage.

One of the plaintiffs in the case is Citizens Oversight, a San Diego-based civic group that has long opposed Edisons plans to store nuclear waste at the plant, which has not produced electricity since January 2012 and is in the process of being decommissioned.

This [settlement] is about the best we can do, and I think its pretty good, said Ray Lutz, national coordinator at Citizens Oversight. Its a prudent step in the right direction and a step [Edison] wouldnt take at all if it werent for the lawsuit that we filed.

The agreement sets a series of timetables for the utility for coming up with alternative locations for San Onofre waste and assembling its panel of experts.

A request for the proposal for qualified candidates for the panel must be delivered in 60 days, and the panel must be retained  with names of the panelists made public  within 90 days of receiving the proposals.

Now theres a plan in place that will be implemented with progress reports, said Maria Severson, the other lead attorney for the plaintiffs. Experts  will get on board and report back to the public as far as moving [waste] away from San Onofre.

But while Mondays agreement offers a possible path to move nuclear waste, significant hurdles remain.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which is charged with protecting public health and safety related to nuclear energy, would have to sign off on any transfer, Aguirre said.

Plus, while the spent fuel at San Onofre is the responsibility of Edison, the waste eventually must be handed over to the U.S. Department of Energy, and moving any waste across state lines would involve the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Aguirre described Mondays agreement as something that can set a model for the rest of the nation. Nuclear plants across the country have accumulated nearly 80,000 metric tons of spent fuel, and about 2,200 tons are added each year.

The waste at San Onofre has been particularly controversial.

Californias history of seismic activity unnerves many of the 8.4 million people who live within a 50-mile radius of the plant, which runs right up against the Pacific on its west side and the 5 Freeway on its east side.

Weve made the first step, and we have a mechanism in place to make sure that all the other steps happen, Aguirre said. For the average San Diegan, before, there was no hope. That Sword of Damocles, the nuclear sword of Damocles, was hanging over their head indefinitely. Now, there is a specific plan, a specific timeline and the authority of the court to make sure it all happens.

Some of the waste at San Onofre sits in 50 canisters that are stacked horizontally in dry storage at an installation behind a seawall 27 feet high.

Another installation for the rest of the spent fuel is in the process of being constructed. The fuel now cooling in wet storage  in a deep pool of water  eventually will be moved to 73 thick, vertical casks.

Aguirre has called for moving San Onofre waste to the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Arizona, saying its a logical place because Edison is a part-owner at Palo Verde, with a 15.8% stake.

The New Mexico and Texas sites are part of what the nuclear industry calls consolidated interim storage, locations where multiple nuclear plants could send their waste, provided local governments in the respective sites sign off on them.

The site in eastern New Mexico is still in the planning stages but is proposed to hold about 120,000 metric tons of waste. Representatives of the project spoke in front of a San Onofre engagement panel in May and said the plan has the support of local governments.

One persons waste is another persons most valuable possession, said John Heaton, chairman New Mexicos Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance.

The contingent said if the project is approved, it could go online in as soon as five years  a quick turnaround when it comes to the slow pace of the bureaucracy and construction time associated with nuclear projects.

The facility in west Texas already stores low-level radioactive waste and is looking to expand. However, the company in charge, Waste Control Specialists, has run into financial difficulty. In June, the U.S. Justice Department blocked a merger the company sought to shore up its bottom line.

Potential sites in the agreement are not limited to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

There has been movement on Capitol Hill and by the Trump administration to bring back the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada.

Yucca, as far as Im concerned, is very much an option, Aguirre said.

Lutz said he hoped the waste could get moved out of San Onofre in as little as five years but acknowledged the difficulties in reaching an agreement and opposition that would come from other states.

People need to look at the big picture and say we need to do the right thing for everybody, Lutz said. This is not a not in my backyard issue.

Nikolewski writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune

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By India Today Web Desk: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ambitious project Padmavati has been in news for all the wrong reasons. If the first schedule of the film was disrupted in Jaipur by Karni Sena early this year, sets in Kolhapur were set on fire in March. But despite these major setbacks, Bhansali has been busy giving his 100 per cent to his most ambitious project.

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However, there is no denying the fact that all these past incidents have led to the delay in the filming of the project. And indefinite strike by Federation of Western India Cine Employees has only put the film in jeopardy.

The film is set to hit the screens in November this year, but going by the rate at which the film has faced protests and setbacks, buzz has it that Padmavati won't be able to meet the November deadline at any cost.

Rumour has it the release date of the film has been pushed to April 2018, however the makers have made no official confirmation.

Bhansali is known to be a director who takes care of even the minor details, and it seems that filmmaker won't release the film unless he is satisfied with the final product.

Padmavati stars Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor in the lead roles, with Ranveer Singh playing the baddie, Alauddin Khilji.

ALSO READ: After assault on Bhansali, Ranveer Singh gets injured on Padmavati's sets

ALSO READ: Sanjay Leela Bhansali stops shooting in Rajasthan after attack

ALSO WATCH: Sanjay Leela Bhansali thrashed, sets of Padmavati vandalised by Karni Sena

--- ENDS ---
Pardon me, but I like Joe Arpaios style, if not his substance.

If the 85-year-old Arizona lawman had not existed, someone like him would have been pulled out of central casting as a stock character in the human comedy.

Arpaios six-term reign as Americas Toughest Sheriff was from beginning to end a running Monty Python sketch starring a modern-day Judge Roy Bean.

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Instead of hanging criminals, however, Arpaio delighted in humiliating them, drawing rave reviews of right-wing adulation as well as left-wing condemnation.

Much like the president who pardoned Arpaio last week from a contempt of court sentence (to a chorus of hosannas and catcalls), this son of an Italian immigrant grocer is someone you either really love or really love to hate.

The Arpaio show went on for 24 turbulent years until, weighted down by costly lawsuits and criminal charges, he finally lost an election last year.

That low point in his political life coincided with the rise of a tough-talking kindred spirit ultimately empowered with a gold-plated Get Out of Jail Free card.

Seven years ago, I drove from Rancho Bernardo to the San Diego airport with the sheriff, whose cell phones ring tone was a few bars of Frank Sinatras signature song, My Way.

In our 30 minutes alone together, Arpaio talked non-stop about his contempt for coddling criminals and turning a blind eye to illegal border crossers in the shadows.

In the Arpaio world view, theres no gray, a color for pettifogging lawyers and liberals, not straight-shooting lawmen.

I worked hard to get a C in high school, he told me as we sped past Mira Mesa. (Message: Im not book smart, but I know whats right.)

He went into the Army at 18 and served throughout the Korean War (in France, of all places). He was a D.C. cop, then a Drug Enforcement Administration officer in Turkey, Mexico and the Sunbelt before running for a sheriffs badge in Arizona.

As we drove, he was decompressing from his speech before a 200-plus crowd of the Conservative Order for Good Government (formerly the Conservative Order of Good Guys), which greeted him as if Ol Blue Eyes had been resurrected.

Outside the RB meeting hall, which had been cleared by bomb-sniffing dogs, 150 protesters had chanted for TV crews.

Like a pro wrestling villain, Arpaio was drawn to his foes like a dancing bear to honey. Sensing a media money shot, he walked over and greeted the jeering protesters who validated his brand as the shiniest lawmans buckle in the Sunbelt.

In the car, heading to the airport, Arpaio recalled a caravan of 11 buses of protesters visiting his neck of Arizona to agitate against the states controversial law requiring police to check legal status of criminal suspects.

With a stand-up comics timing, he said the invasion turned out to be a political flop but a boon for the economy.

It was one of our best months for hotels, he smirked.

After a practiced pause, he drawled, A few of them got free room and board.

Where?

In the sheriffs hospitality tents, tricked out in pink underwear and striped suits, enjoying spa-like treatment in a weight-reducing chain gang.

Then Arpaio started recounting the origin story of Americas most famous outdoor jail.

In the early 90s, Arpaio was tipped that people were drinking cats blood in Phoenix, which made the new sheriffs blood boil.

At the same time, the inmates (read: the animals) were destroying the plumbing in the jail, he said.

Arpaio formed an animal-cruelty unit (with five detectives, no less) and moved abused dogs and cats into air-conditioned jail cells where they enjoyed meaty meals that cost twice as much as the unseasoned vegetarian meals served to inmates whom Arpaio moved into tents, surplus from the Korean War.

Somebody has to protect the animals, he deadpanned.

And somebody has to make criminals miserable enough to make them go straight, he suggested. (Unfortunately, the recidivism rate didnt decline significantly during his tenure, but his national reputation spiked.)

You could argue that Arpaio, who tagged Trump early as his favorite candidate, contributed as much as anyone to the presidents view of law enforcement in the border region.

Seven years ago, I could not have dreamed of such an elevated role for a seemingly comic character who had made a mess of things.

As he climbed out of the car to catch his Southwest flight back home, Arpaio fished out a business card from his wallet and told me to look him up if I ever made it to Phoenix.

Ill take you to the tents, he promised.

He made them sound like a wonderful circus, among the greatest shows on earth.

Earlier this year, the big tops were torn down. Maricopa County prisoners, no longer treated like clowns, have returned to four walls and three squares

But the Arpaio myth will endure for years to come, promoted by a president who sees in the iconoclastic sheriffs career a model for his own My Way administration that can make Monty Python look comically uninventive.

If it all werent so unpardonably real, it would be really funny.

logan.jenkins@sduniontribune.com
A Del Mar lawyer accused of violating multiple court orders, looting a family trust and lying in probate court has been disbarred by the California State Bar.

Jane L. Schooler, a Western State University graduate who was admitted to the state bar in 1987, lost her ability to practice law in California after judges said her egregious conduct warranted nothing short of disbarment.

Schooler did not return a message seeking comment about the decision. The disbarment was effective June 28 and announced publicly on Aug. 23. She had not been eligible to practice law since December as a result of the proceeding.

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Schooler was named executor of two family trusts worth about $7 million, including a beach house in Del Mar and property interests in Escondido and Las Vegas, records show.

Instead of overseeing the assets and executing the directions outlined in legal documents, Schooler kicked two brothers and a tenant out of the Del Mar house and failed to pay taxes on the property, court records show.

She also changed the locks and installed a security gate, preventing the Schooler brothers from accessing the property, the state bar order says.

The state bar also cited Schooler for ignoring court rulings after her siblings challenged her management of the trust, for filing frivolous appeals and for refusing to pay sanctions ordered by another court.

Schooler claims that her misconduct should be excused because she was acting as a trustee for the family estate, not as an attorney, and because she relied on advice of counsel for her actions, the state bar ruling said. The law is clear that even if Schooler was not practicing law, she was required to conform to the ethical standards required of attorneys.

The state bar said Schooler caused significant harm to the beneficiaries of the trust and showed duplicity.

She distributed almost none of the assets of the sizable estate and continued living in a major asset, the beach house, the ruling said.

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City officials in Houston imposed an overnight curfew to guard against opportunistic crimes as Tropical Storm Harvey continued to deluge southeast Texas on Tuesday, breaking the record for the most extreme rainfall on the U.S. mainland.

Authorities announced the curfew  midnight to 5 a.m.  after police arrested a crew of armed robbers who were hijacking vehicles, and officials warned residents of people impersonating Homeland Security investigators. There also were fears of looting as thousands of houses lay partially submerged and abandoned.

Since Harvey made landfall Friday night as a hurricane, some areas around Houston have seen in excess of 50 inches of rain  more than what they usually receive in a year. Authorities said the death toll had risen to 18, including a Houston police officer who drowned in his car on the way to work.

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On Tuesday afternoon, the Mont Belvieu industrial suburb east of Houston recorded 51.12 inches of water since Harveys arrival, breaking the highest previous record of 48 inches for a single storm, from Tropical Storm Amelia in Medina, Texas, in 1978.

Its the heaviest storm on record anywhere in the U.S. outside Hawaii, said John Nielsen-Gammon, Texas state climatologist and professor at Texas A&M University. And its still raining.

With muddy brown water engulfing huge areas of the nations fourth-largest city and much of the Gulf Coast, thousands were forced to seek refuge in shelters. Federal officials have estimated that as many as 30,000 displaced residents may seek temporary shelter and more than 450,000 people are likely to apply for federal aid.

In four days, weve seen a trillion gallons of water in Harris County  enough water to run Niagara Falls for 15 days, said Jeff Lindner, a meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District, who estimated that up to 100,000 homes in the 1,777-square-mile area may have flooded. Its beyond anything weve ever seen and will probably ever see.

After moving slowly east Tuesday evening, Harvey was poised to turn northeast early Wednesday and make a second landfall, moving inland over southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.

After assuring Texas on Monday that Congress would deliver swift federal assistance, President Trump visited the storm-ravaged state Tuesday, saying he hoped the regions long road to recovery would be viewed as a model.

He did not venture to Houston, where rescuers continued to rove from neighborhood to neighborhood in motorboats and kayaks, desperately trying to pluck residents from waterlogged homes. As a light rain drizzled, a reservoir west of downtown Houston spilled over Tuesday morning for the first time in its history, pouring yet more water onto already sodden communities.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo broke down in tears Tuesday as he announced that Sgt. Steve Perez, 60, a 34-year veteran of his department, drowned during the weekend while trying to get to work through an underpass in the darkness.

He laid down his life, Acevedo said during a briefing, noting that before Perez left for work he told his wife, who urged him to stay home: Ive got work to do.

Later in the day, Acevedo said officers had rescued 4,100 people across the city and had more than 500 calls holding. The citys fire chief, Samuel Pena, said his department had performed nearly 700 rescues.

Were still trying to get to folks, Acevedo said. Dont give up on us. Seek the higher ground. We will get to you.

By the end of the day, the number of people sheltering at the George R. Brown Convention Center swelled to 10,000. Its capacity is supposed to be 5,000. Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city had asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for cots and food for an additional 10,000 people, and officials are set to open another mega shelter at the Toyota Center, the downtown home of the NBAs Houston Rockets.

We are not turning anyone away, Turner said.

Houston highways remained mostly empty and blocked by police early Tuesday. A few cars and trucks navigated wet streets downtown.

Families were still arriving at the massive convention center, some with sleeping pads and rain boots, others with their belongings in garbage bags. Some feared for relatives left behind, and others worried they might soon face shortages of food and other supplies.

And the death toll kept rising. On Tuesday, local authorities reported a man in Montgomery County, north of Houston, drowned Monday night while trying to swim across a flooded road. In Galveston County, Clear Creek Independent School District reported that a former track and football coach had died in the flooding.

Tuesday night, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences updated its storm-related deaths to include an 89-year-old woman, Agnes Stanley, who was found floating in 4 feet of floodwater in a home. Another woman, 76, was discovered floating in water near a vehicle. Her name was not released. A 45-year-old man, Travis Lynn Callihan, left his vehicle and fell into floodwater. He was taken to a hospital, where he died Monday.

Officials in Harris County, which includes Houston, had already reported at least six potentially storm-related fatalities. A 60-year-old woman died in Porter, a small community north of Houston, when a large oak tree fell on her mobile home. Another person died in the small coastal town of Rockport, near where Harvey made landfall. A 52-year-old homeless man was found dead in La Marque, a small city near Galveston.

Local officials were also looking into reports that a family of six  four children and their great-grandparents  drowned Sunday near Greens Bayou in east Houston. Virginia Saldivar, 59, said her brother-in-law, Sam, was driving her grandchildren and her husbands parents to higher ground when the current swept up the van.

Early Tuesday, a major dam outside Houston began to overflow, threatening some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods to the west of the city. Engineers had tried to prevent Addicks Reservoir from overspilling by releasing some of its water Monday, but flood control officials reported Tuesday morning that water was beginning to seep over the top of a spillway, the first time water had breached the dam.

In some areas in and around Houston, the water was so deep that rain sensors no longer were working. The Harris County Flood Control District, a government agency that works to reduce the effects of flooding in the area, announced that multiple water level and rain sensors were out of service because of flooding.

1 / 87 Samir Novruzov wades through water to get to a vehicle after spending the day clearing out his flooded home in Katy, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 87 Melissa Teague, right, instructs her children Andrew and Emily as they clear out their flooded home in Katy, Texas, on Monday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 87 People ride through floodwaters in Katy, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 87 People hop off Chris Ginters truck as he helps ferry residents around Katy, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 87 Two men collect a disposed mattress as residents in the Trinity/Houston Garden area of northeast Houston gut their flooded homes. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 87 Wayne Christopher, center, weeps as his wife, Helen, looks on during a Sunday service at First United Methodist Church in Dickinson, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 87 Hurricane Harvey severely damaged the First Baptist Church in Rockport, Texas. Worshipers on Sunday brought their own chairs to take part in an outdoor service. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 87 Ken Garrett, right, hugs Pastor Jordan Mims after they both delivered prayers on the grounds of the First Baptist Church in Rockport, Texas. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 87 University of Houston law professor Johnny Buckles props up an American flag on the debris pile from his flood-damaged home in the Kingwood area of north Houston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 87 Jose Esquivel flags down motorists to visit a parking lot full of donated clothes, supples, water and brisket in Refugio, Texas. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 87 Despite heavy damage and no electricity, a homeowner displays his patriotism while clean up and recovery efforts continue in his devastated neighborhood of Rockport. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 87 Volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, Yusuf Seager, from left, Rahib Ahmed, Rahman Nasir, and Khalil Nasir help tear out drywall damaged by floodwater in the Westbury neighborhood in Houston. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 87 Volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association help residents of the Westbury neighborhood in Houston clear debris from their homes. It is also the Islamic holiday of Eid-ul-Adha. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 87 Many roads and Interstates in Texas remain flooded, including this one in west Houston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 87 Jenna Fountain and her father Kevin carry a bucket down Regency Drive to try to recover items from their flooded home in Port Arthur, Texas on Thursday. (Emily Kask / AFP / Getty Images) 16 / 87 Lillie Roberts talks with family members as contractor Jerry Garza begins the process of repairing her Houston home on Friday. (Scott Olson / Getty Images) 17 / 87 Volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association to perform holy prayer as they help local residents in the Kashmere Gardens area of Houston clean out their flooded homes. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 87 Volunteers assist Cornell Beasley with repairs to his damaged home in Houston on Friday. (Scott Olson / Getty Images) 19 / 87 Katie Estridge organizes hundreds of soaked family photographs on the front lawn of her fathers home in northeast Houston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 87 Wes Higgins wipes sweat from his face after spending five days patrolling flooded Houston neighborhoods in his boat. Higgins, from Knott, Texas, organized a volunteer team of 10 boats to help Houston residents. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 87 Members of the California Air National Guard 129th Rescue Wing, Senior Airman George McKenzie, left, and Master Sgt. Adam Vanhaaster, right, help a man carry his infant, who has a serious medical condition, to a hospital in Orange, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 87 A search-and-rescue crew speeds along Maple Rock Drive in west Houston looking for flood victims. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 87 A woman and a child are among those rescued by California Air National Guardsmen in Lumberton, north of Beaumont. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 87 California Air National Guard 129th Rescue Wings Master Sgt. Adam Vanhaaster searches for people in need of help near Lumberton. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 87 A man prepares his dinner at home near Lumberton. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 87 Boys sit on a damaged railroad track near Lumberton. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 87 A woman waves to a California Air National Guard helicopter from her neighborhood near Lumberton. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 87 A drop-off point for boat rescues in Lumberton. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 87 Baseball fields in Lumberton are inundated. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 87 Coca-Cola delivery trucks are trapped by floodwater in Lumberton, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 87 A military search and rescue helicopter refuels mid-flight before resuming nighttime missions over areas flooded in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 87 Houston police search a flooded home after hearing that an elderly couple lived there. The house was empty. Police later learned the couple had safely evacuated. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 87 West Houston resident Pedro Albiso uses trash bags to protect his shoes and pants as he prepares to cross a flooded street. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 87 Patients are evacuated from Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas after the city of Beaumont lost its water supply. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 87 Fatima Flores, 12, gets her hair done by cousins Shelly Flores, 7, left, and Ashley Flores, 7, as their family takes shelter at Max Bowl, a bowling alley in Port Arthur, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 87 James Benoit, left, and George Clipton sought refuge at Max Bowl in Port Arthur, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 87 June Ayrow spent the night with his oxygen tanks underneath a table at Max Bowl in Port Arthur, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 87 Floodwaters surround homes Thursday in Port Arthur, Texas. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press) 39 / 87 Volunteers rescue patients from the Cypress Glen nursing home where floodwaters trapped dozens of elderly patients in Port Arthur, Texas on Wednesday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 87 Residents lie on sofas as they wait to be evacuated from the Cypress Glen senior care facility in Port Arthur, Texas, which was inundated with floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday. (Matt Pearce / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 87 Emergency crews help rescue elderly residents from the Golden Years Assisted Living home in Orange, Texas, on Wednesday. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press) 42 / 87 Rescuer workers help a woman from her flooded home n Port Arthur, Texas. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 43 / 87 Evacuees ride on a truck after they were driven from their homes by the flooding in Port Arthur, Texas. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 44 / 87 People wait in line to buy groceries at a Food Town during the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images) 45 / 87 Juan Figueroa removes damaged furniture from his mothers northeast Houston home where residents begin rebuilding from the devastating effects of the storm. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 87 Rafael Minor, left, and Miguel Ramirez remove the contents from a flooded home in northeast Houston on Wednesday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 87 A construction crew cleans out a home that was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey in Spring, Texas. (Brett Coomer / Associated Press) 48 / 87 A flooded residential neighborhood near Interstate 10 in Houston, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 87 A flooded residential neighborhood near Interstate 10 in Houston, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 87 People come out to view the flooded areas near their homes in Houston, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 87 CaroLine Kirkpatrick of Salt Lake City, Utah, is evacuated from the Omni Hotel by rescue worker Adam Caballero in Addicks, a suburb of Houston, Texas. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 87 People displaced by flooding fill the shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. (LM Otero / Associated Press) 53 / 87 Mark Ocosta and his baby, Aubrey, take shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 54 / 87 Frantzy Thenor receives an embrace from a fellow evacuee after he helped her leave from the flooded Omni Hotel, in the Addicks area of Houston, Texas. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 87 Storm clouds over Houston skyline. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 87 Recreational vehicles sit on their sides in flood water in Houston, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 87 A woman carries a dog above the rising floodwaters near Addicks Reservoir. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 87 Eduardo Retiz, 21, drives his elevated pickup truck through a flooded street near Addicks Reservoir. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 87 Mike Hoskovec, left, walks to a boat after helping friend Ben Berg, behind, move some photo albums to the second floor of his Nottingham Woods home. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 87 Matthew Koser looks for important papers and heirlooms inside his grandfathers house after it was flooded by heavy rains. (Erich Schlegel / Getty Images) 61 / 87 Residents wade through floodwaters as they evacuate their homes near the Addicks Reservoir Tuesday. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press) 62 / 87 Larry Koser Jr., left and his son Matthew look for important papers and heirlooms inside Larry Koser Sr.'s house after it was flooded by heavy rains. (Erich Schlegel / Getty Images) 63 / 87 Portions of Interstate 10 remain flooded in Houston, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 87 Rising flood waters stranded hundreds of residents of Twin Oaks Village in Clodine. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 87 Comfort Morgan is helped to dry land after being rescued from her flooded home in Twin Oaks Village in Clodine. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 87 Rising flood waters stranded hundreds of residents of Twin Oaks Village in Clodine, where a collection of small boat owners, including some with pool toys, coordinated to bring most to dry ground. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 87 Rising flood waters stranded hundreds of residents of Twin Oaks Village in Clodine, where an collection of small boat owners coordinated to bring most to dry ground. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 87 Hundreds of residents of Twin Oaks Village are evacuated in Clodine Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 87 Residents are stranded at Twin Oaks Village in Clodine due to rising flood water. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 87 Stranded residents of Twin Oaks Village in Clodine are evacuated from the rising flood water. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 87 Jan Tullos, 32, searches a flooded home for an injured woman who was reportedly stranded inside in Clodine, Texas. The home was empty. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 87 People walk down a flooded Houston street as they evacuate their homes after the area was inundated with rains from Tropical Storm Harvey. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 73 / 87 Dean Mize holds children as he and Jason Legnon use an airboat to rescue people from flooded homes in Houston on Monday. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 74 / 87 Dean Mize, left and Jason Legnon carry a person to an airboat as they rescue people in Houston. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 75 / 87 Evacuees walk down a flooded street after leaaving their homes Monday in Houston. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 76 / 87 Dean Mize holds a child as he helps evacuate people in Houston as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to drench southeastern Texas and Louisiana with heavy rains and surging floodwaters. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 77 / 87 People evacuate their flooded homes on Monday in Houston. By Monday morning, 911 operators had received 56,000 calls, city officials said. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 78 / 87 Adults use a kiddie pool to transport children as they evacuate on Monday. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 79 / 87 People catch a ride on a construction vehicle down a flooded Houston street. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 80 / 87 Alexendre Jorge evacuates Ethan Colman, 4, from a Houston neighborhood inundated by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey. (Charlie Riedel / AP) 81 / 87 People push a stalled pickup to through a flooded street in Houston on Sunday, as Tropical Storm Harvey dumped heavy rains. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press) 82 / 87 A Houston police officer helps Frank Andrews, 74, into his walking chair after rescuing him from his flooded home in the Braeswood Place neighborhood, southwest of Houston, on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 87 Wilford Martinez, right, is rescued from his flooded car by Harris County Sheriffs Department Richard Wagner along Interstate 610 in Houston, Texas. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press) 84 / 87 Daniel Gross, 15, is rescued by Houston police after he was stranded on top of his car in southwest Houston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 85 / 87 Andrew White, left, helps a neighbor down a street after rescuing her from her home in his boat in the upscale River Oaks neighborhood after it was inundated with flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey. (Scott Olson / Getty Images) 86 / 87 Volunteers and officers from the neighborhood security patrol help rescue residents in Houstons River Oaks neighborhood Sunday. (Scott Olson / Getty Images) 87 / 87 Jesus Nunez carries his daughter Genesis, 6, as he and numerous family members flee their flooded home, walking nearly four hours to the safety of a relatives house on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

In Brazoria County, south of Houston, the Brazos River was beginning to overflow its banks. On Tuesday morning, a levee breached in the Columbia Lakes neighborhood.

We are asking residents to please get out, said Sharon Trower, public information officer for the county, which already has rescued hundreds of residents after severe flooding from heavy rainfall. The additional river flooding is just going to be catastrophic.

Major roads throughout the county already were closed because of flooding.

At the Pentagon, Maj. Gen. James C. Witham, director of domestic operations for the National Guard, told reporters Tuesday that up to 30,000 Guardsmen as well as a U.S. naval amphibious assault ship could be called upon to help out in rescue efforts in Texas.

Already, 30 National Guard helicopters are supporting Hurricane Harvey relief, and 24 more are requested. Witham said that could increase to 100 helicopters in the days ahead.

Texas has been given everything that theyve asked for, Witham said, noting that the Pentagon expects more forces will be requested.

While catastrophic flooding continued across southeast Texas, there was at least some good news: Flash-flood watches were dropped for western portions of the Houston area as light to moderate rain fell Monday night. The National Weather Service said the threat of flooding is gradually shifting east.

Expect improving conditions this afternoon and evening across the area as Harvey pushes northeast, the National Weather Services Houston/Galveston office said in an update.

They say this too shall pass, Mayor Turner said during an early evening news briefing as the sun, finally, appeared in the sky. After the clouds pass, the sun will shine. In this city  regardless of the storm clouds, regardless of the rain  in this city the sun will shine.

And as the sun finally returned to Houston, so did the unmistakable sight of traffic. Cars and trucks piled up at stoplights on roads that had only recently been totally abandoned as Texans waited out the storm in their homes. In the suburb of Rosenberg, there was even a pedestrian: a pale teenager in dark clothing, with a bowl haircut and headphones, who was dancing  doing the Robot, actually  on a street corner as traffic passed.

As Harvey moved closer to neighboring Louisiana on the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrinas arrival there, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu urged residents to stay home and shelter in place.

A few inches of rain could cause serious problems in New Orleans, which is still recovering from flooding after thunderstorms this month overwhelmed the citys drainage system.

More than 5 inches of rain fell in some parts of the city Monday, causing localized floods. Flash-flood watches were in effect as meteorologists forecast 4 more inches of rain Tuesday.

Today, we are a resilient city with greater resolve, but we remain vigilant in the face of another threatening storm, Landrieu said in a statement. While this is a somber day for New Orleanians, the determination and spirit of our people gives us great hope for the future.

In Texas, many stranded Houston and coastal residents drove to cities such as Dallas and San Antonio to avoid overcrowded shelters near the Gulf Coast.

After sleeping in the Houston convention center after his house in Dickinson, about 30 miles south, flooded on Saturday, Jose Banda, a 38-year-old landscaper, piled his four young children  all under the age of 12  into his Chevy Silverado early Tuesday and made the four-hour drive to Dallas.

The family was among the first to check in at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, which can shelter nearly 5,000 evacuees of Tropical Storm Harvey.

This is at least far from the coast and not too many people are here yet, Banda said.

Back home, most of Bandas landscaping equipment  lawn mowers and weed whackers  that he had stored in his backyard were ruined.

I dont know how Ill afford to buy new ones. Itll be tough, said Banda as sweat beaded on his forehead.

Im just glad theyre all right, he said, nodding at his children who stood at his side wearing backpacks.

Special correspondent Jarvie reported from Atlanta and Times staff writer Hennessy-Fiske from Houston. Times staff writer Hailey Branson-Potts in Corpus Christi, W.J. Hennigan in Washington, Matt Pearce in Houston, Kurtis Lee in Dallas and Melissa Etehad in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

ALSO

Trump will deliver a promise of help to a coastal Texas city battered by Harvey

For years, engineers have warned that Houston was a flood disaster in the making. Why didnt somebody do something?

They were ordered not to evacuate. Now many families in Houston find themselves trapped in their homes

UPDATES:

9:55 p.m.: This article was updated with a new death toll.

6:15 p.m.: This article has been updated with curfew imposed, new figures for deaths, rescues; details on Trump visit, other details.

12:50 p.m.: This article was updated with information on the death of a Houston police officer.

12 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details on rainfall and flooding.

9:55 a.m.: This article was updated with more details on the flooding, the presidents arrival in Texas and information on New Orleans.

8:40 a.m.: This article was updated with more information on the latest conditions, including people seeking shelter.

7:55 a.m.: This article was updated with more information on the Addicks Reservoir.

This article was originally published at 6:55 a.m.
A 35-year-old man pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to finance, construct and use a drug-smuggling tunnel discovered in Calexico six years ago, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Habib Mujica, of Calexico, spent nearly six years in a Mexican prison for gun trafficking only to be arrested in connection with the drug-smuggling tunnel case once he was returned to the U.S. in May.

The tunnel was discovered by Homeland Security Investigations agents at a warehouse on West Second Street near River Road in Calexico in 2011.

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According to his plea agreement, Mujica instructed another man to use drug proceeds to rent the warehouse and purchased a variety of tools and equipment  including pipes, a level tripod, a jackhammer, electric saws, a forklift, and air compressors  to build the tunnel. He used a horizontal-drilling machine to start the project, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Mujica also admitted in his plea agreement that he intended to run a business called Baja Bikes as a front to conceal the illegal activities.

He faces up to 40 years in prison and up to $750,000 in fines at his sentencing, scheduled for Nov. 27. He also faces gun-related charges in a separate case, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Breaking News

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
A prolific human smuggler who struck a Border Patrol agent in the face with a rock during a failed smuggling attempt in the mountains in the southeastern edge of San Diego County was sentenced Monday to more than eight years in prison.

Martel Velencia-Cortez, 39, was convicted in May of assault on a federal officer and three counts of human smuggling for financial gain. U.S. District Judge Marilyn Huff handed down a sentence of eight years and three months in prison, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Border Patrol agents spotted the Mexican national guiding 15 people across mountainous, rocky terrain in Jacumba on a chilly night on Nov. 15, 2015.

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Valencia-Cortez ran from the group when agents intercepted the smuggling attempt. As agents closed in on him, he hurled a softball-sized rock at them from about 30 feet away, hitting one of them in the face.

According to court documents and testimony at trial, the blow caused the agent to feel disoriented, so much so he thought he was going to pass out. He also feared the rock had knocked out his teeth and broken his jaw, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Valencia-Cortez ran back across the U.S.-Mexico border and escaped, only to turn himself in to authorities at the San Ysidro Port of Entry six months later.

As a fugitive, Border Patrol officials called Valencia-Cortez one of San Diegos most dangerous human smugglers. They said he is known for assaulting agents, threatening and intimidating people hes smuggled, and driving the wrong way on streets and freeways to evade arrest.

Less than two months prior the assault with the rock, Valencia-Cortez was deported to Mexico after serving a sentence of nearly three years in prison for human smuggling.

Breaking News

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
Nine years after California voters decided that egg-laying hens must be given more space, animal-rights activists on Tuesday filed papers for a new initiative requiring the birds to be kept cage-free.

The initiatives language, submitted to the state by the Humane Society of the United States, addresses the groups concerns that 2008s Proposition 2, which required hens to have more room in their habitats, did not achieve the right conditions for farm animals, including pigs and calves.

An economic study commissioned last year by the egg industry for a similar ballot measure in Massachusetts estimated that switching to cage-free farming would add one or two cents to the price of each egg purchased by consumers.

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Californians know that locking farm animals in tight cages for the duration of their lives is cruel and compromises food safety, said Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive of the Humane Society. All animals deserve humane treatment, especially those raised for food.

The state attorney generals office must now approve the initiatives title and summary before supporters can begin circulating petitions. They need to collect 365,880 signatures within 180 days in order to have the measure placed on the statewide ballot in November 2018.

Egg production is a $1-billion industry in California, with some 15.5 million egg-laying hens producing nearly 5 billion eggs annually, mostly on family-owned farms.

The Assn. of California Egg Farmers said it opposes the initiative as currently written because it requires cage-free compliance by 2022, even though the Humane Society had persuaded many retail and restaurant customers to phase in the exclusive use of cage-free eggs by 2025.

With this new initiative now calling for full compliance by the end of 2021, HSUS is reneging on the original agreement and this expedited timeline may result in supply disruptions, price spikes and a shortage of eggs for sale, the group said in a statement.

The ballot measure also was opposed Tuesday by the National Pork Producers Council, spokesman Jim Monroe said.

NPPC opposes all forms of regulation without representation and this fits the bill, Monroe said in a statement. Livestock production practices should be left to those who are most informed about animal care  farmers  and not animal rights activists. Additionally, changes in housing systems, which come with significant costs that increase food prices, should be driven by consumer purchasing decisions, not the agenda of any activist group.

The Humane Society worked with the United Egg Producers on the language of the initiative, according to Paul Shapiro, a vice president for the Humane Society.

The United Egg Producers board of directors has decided to be neutral on the proposed initiative, according to Chad Gregory, the national trade groups president and chief executive.

Our farmer members support all types of hen housing, Gregory said. Changes in hen housing are complex and costly, and they require close collaboration with customers. Our focus remains on proper management of hen health and well-being, and meeting or exceeding all food safety requirements.

Opposition is still possible from the California Pork Producers Assn., but a spokesman for that group was not immediately available for comment.

Egg farmers, including some who may stay neutral on the new proposal, spent nearly $10 million to oppose Proposition 2.

Activists thought Proposition 2, which was approved by 63.5% of voters, would result in cage-free conditions when it required that hens, pigs and calves be able to stand up, lie down, turn around freely and fully extend their limbs.

However, the California Department of Food and Agriculture later interpreted the ballot measure and set a rule that each hen had to be provided 116 square inches of space, which allowed some farmers to continue to keep them in cages by putting fewer birds in each cage.

As a result, about two-thirds of egg-producing hens are currently confined in cages in California.

The new initiative sets the standard initially at 144 square inches per bird  one square foot  which is the level at which a hen is considered by activists to be cage free. By 2022, the hens and other animals will have to be actually cage free, and allowed to roam inside barns.

Updates from Sacramento 

The initiative would also require, starting in 2020, a calf confined for veal production to have at least 43 square feet of usable floor space, while each pig would have to be given 24 square feet of floor space starting in 2022.

Under a new California law, once an initiative collects 25% of the needed signatures, the Legislature is given a chance to adopt a law that accomplishes what initiative backers want, eliminating the need to put the measure on the ballot. Humane Society officials hope the Legislature will approve the new standards without the measure having to go on the ballot.

But when the group proposed in 2007 to ban the use of small gestation crates for pigs, opposition from the pork industry resulted in the bill dying in committee. That setback led to Proposition 2.

Brian Moscogiuri, an industry analyst for Urner Barry Publications, which provides market news and analysis for products including eggs, said egg prices spiked when Proposition 2 was proposed but have since come back down to their level before the ballot measure. One factor in the price fallback was that more of the industry turned to cage-free farms, Moscogiuri said.

Public attitudes have shifted even more in favor of animal rights since Proposition 2. Citing public demand, Subway, McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, Walmart, Target, Costco and other businesses have said they will make a transition to eggs from cage-free hens over 10 years.

In addition, laws banning or restricting cages in egg production have been adopted by six additional states: Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, Rhode Island and Ohio.

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcgreevy99

Updates on California politics

Updates from Sacramento

ALSO

McDonalds move to cage-free eggs is a tipping point for the industry

Egg prices likely to rise amid laws mandating cage-free henhouses

UPDATES:

4:25 p.m.: This article was updated to include comments from the Assn. of California Egg Farmers and National Pork Producers Council.

This article was originally published at 2:20 p.m.
State parks officials and Native American leaders are decrying what they say has been a devastating spate of vandalism and looting at historically and culturally significant sites in San Diego Countys backcountry.

At least five times in the past two years, looters have targeted Indian archeological sites within Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, authorities said.

At one site, 21 dig holes were found, each the size of a dinner table.

Ive seen some pretty looted sites across California and that one was one of the worst Ive ever seen, and it was one of the first ones we found, said Dan Falat, superintendent of the California State Parks Colorado Desert District, which includes Cuyamaca Rancho, Palomar and Anza-Borrego Desert state parks.

State Parks Archaeologist Robin Connors looked at material that was not taken by looters after they dug the hole at left and screened its contents earlier this year at a village site inside the Cuyamaca State Park.  John Gibbins (John Gibbins)

At another archaelogical site, not too far west of state Route 79, the remains of an ancient village had been plundered. That site features a huge slab of granite in which more than 40 bedrock mortars had been dug by generations of Kumeyaay women. Deep and cylindrical, the mortars  used to grind acorns  had been created and handed down over several centuries, with some up to 1,000 years old.

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Authorities said that, at some of the locations, theyve found shovels, screens, rakes and other tools that looters have used to dig up the earth and sift through soil to uncover arrowheads, other stone projectiles, and potsherds  broken pieces of pottery.

The actions are criminal and in some cases could lead to felony charges of destruction of cultural resources. officials said.

A smoke stained pottery shard, center, lies on top of the ground at a village site in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.  John Gibbins (John Gibbins)

Archaeologists say the damage is irreversible.

Once you take it from where it is, it loses its context with the rest of the things that are found, said park archeologist Robin Connors. (The artifacts) are all pieces of a puzzle and once you take one piece out, its really irritating because you cant find it again. Its devastating, just devastating.

Shasta Gaughen, the historic preservation officer for the Pala Band of Mission Indians, said that, from a cultural standpoint, the destruction is even worse.

For the Native American communities its basically grave robbing because youre going into a sacred space and taking away the objects that were made by the ancestors, she said. Tribes believe those are things that should be left in place and they should be undisturbed. When youre taking (them), its like youre taking bodies from a cemetery.

State Parks archaeologist Robin Connors looked at a piece of pottery at a village site inside the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. State Parks Robin Connors and Dan Falat, District Superintendent of the Colorado Desert District for the State Park system, which includes Cuyamaca and Anza-Borrego State Parks say that the looting of archaeological sites in the parks is increasing at an alarming rate, a s evidenced by this recent discovery of digging and screening for artifacts at a village site inside the Cuyamaca State Park. Mandatory Credit: JOHN GIBBINS SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE/ZUMA PRESS  John Gibbins (John Gibbins)

San Diego and Imperial counties are home to four indigenous Native American tribes, with roots going back 12,000 years: the Kumeyaay, Luiseno, Cupeno, and Cahuilla.

Falat said there are hundreds of archeologically rich sites in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and thousands more in Anza-Borrego, which has also been targeted by looters.

To me this area of San Diego, from a cultural resources standpoint, is above anything youd ever find in the state and probably the country, Falat said.

The five recently looted sites  authorities asked that their specific locations be withheld  were discovered by site stewards, park volunteers who routinely check on culturally significant sites, photographing and making reports about each one.

Parks officials said the vandals are probably hobbyists and collectors, rather than fortune hunters looking to sell what they find. Most arrowheads are worth only $3 to $5 dollars.

Its not a money making venture, Connors said. Its just that people are die-hard collectors. She cited a case in the 1980s in which a school counselor who had spent years illegally digging for arrowheads in the park was finally identified. In his house authorities found thousands of items, many that he had made into elaborate mosaics.

There are people who just cant stop collecting, she said.

At the same time, the looting is organized and intentional, Connors added.

Its not just chance, people randomly stumbling upon things, she said. Theyre coming up here with tools.

The park service is employing both high-tech and low-tech methods to try and identify the looters, including surveillance cameras, patrols and other investigative tools, said Falat, the parks superintendent. Park visitors are being encouraged to report any odd behavior they may see.

Depending on the site and what is taken, such thefts could lead to felony charges of destruction of cultural resources, theft of cultural resources, damage to state park land and disturbance of Native American remains.

I really want people to know that its illegal and there are consequences, Connors said. Its not like in the past when boys and girls would go out arrowhead hunting.

Falat reiterated that, to the Indian community, the sites are irreplaceable.

In many cases, this is all the history that is left, he said.
By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Aug 28 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today congratulated Justice Dipak Misra on becoming the Chief Justice of India.

The chief minister also spoke to Justice Misra over telephone, an official in the CMs office said.

While greeting Justice Misra, who hails from Odisha, the chief minister described the occasion as a proud moment for the state.

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"Congratulate Chief Justice of India Honble Shri Dipak Misra on swearing in; a proud moment for Odisha. Many congratulations to him," Patnaik said in a twitter post.

Justice Misra took oath as the 45th Chief Justice this morning, succeeding Justice J S Khehar. He was administered the oath of office by President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. PTI SKN PR PR

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Jammu, Aug 29 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Minister Priya Sethi today said she would raise with the Centre the issue of preservation and protection of Sharda Peeth in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and starting pilgrimage there.

Sharada Peeth is an abandoned temple located in the Sharda village along the Neelam River near the Line of Control. It was a major centre of learning, regarded as one of 18 highly-revered temples throughout south Asia.

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The matter will be raised at appropriate level for starting pilgrimage from Jammu and Kashmir to theSharda Peeth, the basic seat of learning of Hindus, now is PoK, Minister of State for cultural tourism said at a function organised by Kashmiri pandits here.

Sethi assured the community leaders to convey their concern to the Central government about the preservation and protection of Sharda Peeth and allowing the community members to take up pilgrimage to the historic religious place on the lines of Sikh pilgrimage to Nankana Sahib in Lahore, Pakistan.

The Minister was speaking at the foundation day function of an organisation of Kashmiri Pandits working for the promotion and preservation of rich heritage and culture of the community.

"The government is committed to extend every support to help the displaced Kashmiri Pandits to preserve its rich heritage and culture," Sethi said. PTI TAS DIP

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: By M Zulqernain

Lahore, Aug 29 (PTI) Pakistans ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif is leaving for London tomorrow to see his ailing wife Begum Kulsoom.

Sharif will spend Eid with his wife and other members of his family in London.

"Mian Nawaz Sharif is leaving for London tomorrow evening on an Emirates flight EK-625 to see his wife Begum Kulsoom who has been under treatment for throat cancer there," a federal minister told PTI.

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"After spending a week with his family the former premier will return after a week," he added.

Sharifs sons ? Hussain and Hasan ? and daughter Asma are already with Kulsoom in London. However, Nawazs daughter Maryam who is active in politics and is tipped as his successor and future prime minister candidate is not going to London as she has to run her mothers campaign in Lahore.

The seat fell vacant after the Supreme Court disqualified 67-year-old Sharif in the Panama Papers case on July 28.

"I have cancelled my visit to London in order to run my mothers campaign in NA-120," Maryam said. She said her mother will win the election.

"The Sharif family appears to be not trusting anyone else in the party to oversee the campaign in NA-120 in their absence and, therefore, Maryam is not going to see her ailing mother. Since Maryam is quite active and ambitious in politics, she cannot take chances to hand over the campaign to anyone outside the family," a PML-N leader said.

There has been rumours that Sharif may not return to Pakistan because he is facing corruption and money laundering cases. The countrys National Accountability Bureau is going to file four references against Sharif and his children.

"To me Nawaz will not return to Pakistan under current circumstances as he will certainly go to jail in corruption cases," opposition Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf leader Aleem Khan said. PTI MZ ZH

--- ENDS ---
Obituaries

Steven Malcolm Jump

Steven Malcolm Jump, Sr passed away in the early hours of Monday March 20th, 2017 after a long struggle with Pulmonary Fibrosis. His wife of 50 years, Ruby was at his side.

Steve was born in Apache, Oklahoma on March 13th 1948 in the aftermath of the dust bowl. As a young boy, Steve traveled with his parents to work the fields and orchards of California, finally settling in Santa Paula on Limoneira Ranch. After marrying his high school sweetheart and serving a tour in the US Army, Steve returned to Santa Paula and resumed working for Limoneira. At Limoneira, Steve rose through the ranks from the packing house to foreman to overseeing the maintenance of ranch housing and the construction of many of Limoneiras iconic structures to include the pergola at the park, the gateway timbers off of Foothill and many others.

Steve was a quiet, modest and capable man who loved and taught his two sons, Steven Jr. and Michael well instilling in them the virtues of hardwork, persistence and a love of the outdoors. He enjoyed fishing, teaching himself to play guitar, drawing and genealogy. He adored his four grandchildren Mason, Steven III, Rachel and Joseph and was best friends with his two chocolate labradors Tobey and Baxter. Steve was a man of few words, but the words he did speak were often poiniant and sincere.
Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/29/2017 -- Market Research Future published a Half Cooked Research Report (HCRR) on Global Caviar Market which is estimated to grow more than 5.4% after 2022



Competitive Analysis-



The Major Key Players in Caviar Market are:



- The Caviar Co. (U.S.)

- DELICATESSEN SNAILEX s.r.o. (Czech Republic)

- AMANGUL TULBERGEN (Istanbul)

- Sepehr Dad Caviar Gmbh (Germany)

- CAVIAR BLANC (Portugal)

- LABEYRIE (France)

- VODNY MIR (Ukraine)



Market Overview



Caviar is salted fish eggs which are used in restaurants and household for spread and garnish. Caviar made from beluga, sevruga and osetra are highly in demand due to increased consumption and popularity across globe. Increasing local fishing and rising water population is affecting on prices of caviar. Improved aquaculture practices and expansion of distribution channels by key player is driving the growth of market. Russian Beluga caviar hailed as the most prized caviar compare to other caviar types available in the market. Italy, Israel, France, U.S. and Uruguay have large number of caviar farms which is playing key role in caviar market growth in Europe and North America region.



Request a Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2707



Market Forecast



The Global Caviar Market is mainly driven by increasing demand of caviar from restaurants and gourmet specialty stores. Caviar is gaining popularity as luxurious and healthy food item which is attracting consumers which are interested to buy luxurious items in order to maintain their lifestyle especially in developed countries. Improved aquaculture practices of various fish species are supporting the growth of caviar market.



These factors will play a key role in the growth of caviar market at the CAGR of 5.4% 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 "Caviar Market - Forecast to 2022"



Downstream Analysis-



Caviar is mainly eaten as a garnish or a spread across the world. Some type of caviar is considered as luxurious food item which is not easily available across world compare to other food items. Caviar is mainly used in restaurants and hotel to serve consumer. Caviar is also use in household as it is a reach source of vitamins and minerals, including omega 3, which helps to stimulate a healthy nervous, circulatory and immune system. One serving of caviar has an adult's daily requirement of Vitamin B12 which has boosted the consumption of caviar among Vitamin B deficiency consumers.



Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/caviar-market-2707



Study Objectives of Caviar Market:



- Detailed analysis of the market's markets and micro-markets

- To estimate and forecast market size by fish type, delivery form, end use, distribution channel and region

- To analyses key driving forces influencing the market

- Macro-economic analysis of major producing countries

- Region level market analysis and market estimation of North America, Europe, Asia, and rest of the world (ROW)

- Product life cycle analysis in different regions

- Value chain analysis & supply chain analysis

- Company profiling of key players

- Competitive strategy analysis and mapping key stakeholders in the market

- Analysis of historical market trends and technologies along with current government regulatory requirements



Intended Audience



- Caviar manufacturers

- Restaurant

- E-commerce

- Retailers and wholesalers

- Traders, importers and exporters



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.
New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/29/2017 -- WiseGuyReports published new report, titled "Non-Life Insurance in France, Key Trends and Opportunities".



Synopsis



'Non-Life Insurance in France, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the French non-life insurance segment, and a comparison of the French insurance industry with its regional counterparts.



It provides values for key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, combined ratio, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review period (20112015) and forecast period (20152020).



The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the French economy and demographics, explains the various types of natural hazard and their impact on the French insurance industry, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country.



The report brings together 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.



GET SAMPLE REPORT @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1697713-non-life-insurance-in-france-key-trends-and-opportunities-to-2020



Summary



'Non-Life Insurance in France, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the French non-life insurance segment, including:



- The French non-life insurance segment's detailed outlook by product category



- A comprehensive overview of the French economy and demographics



- A comparison of the French insurance industry with its regional counterparts



- The various distribution channels in the French non-life insurance segment



- Detailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the French insurance industry



- Details of the competitive landscape in the non-life insurance segment in France



- Details of regulatory policy applicable to the French insurance industry



Scope



This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the non-life insurance segment in France:



- It provides historical values for the French non-life insurance segment for the report's 20112015 review period, and projected figures for the 20152020 forecast period.



- It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the French non-life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.



- It profiles the top non-life insurance companies in France, and outlines the key regulations affecting them.



Key points to buy



- Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the French non-life insurance segment, and each category within it.



- Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the French non-life insurance segment.



- Assess the competitive dynamics in the non-life insurance segment.



- Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.



- Gain insights into key regulations governing the French insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.



Key Highlights



- Solvency ll was implemented with effect from January 2016, and is expected to consolidate the segment.



- The Insurance Code, which governs insurance activity in France, was last updated in January 2016.



- In July 2016, the French Federation of Insurance Companies (FFSA) and the Pool of Mutual Insurance Companies (GEMA) merged to form the French Federation of Insurance (FFA).



- The Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD), which is a framework for regulating European Union (EU) insurance intermediaries, will be effective from February 2018.



- In March 2017, Axa introduced Axa Global Parametric insurance, which covers risks and business that are exposed to weather such as crop losses caused by a catastrophic event.



- Effective November 2016, French law affirmed mandatory liability for clinical trials along with liability for medical equipment manufacturers.



- Rapid growth of telematics-based motor and cyberinsurance is expected.



Table of Contents



1 Key Facts and Highlights

2 Executive Summary

3 Economy and Demographics

4 Segment Outlook

5 Outlook by Category

6 Distribution Channel Outlook

7 Natural and Man-made Hazards

8 Competitive Landscape

9 Governance, Risk and Compliance

10 Databook

11 Definitions and Methodology

12 About Timetric



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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



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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/29/2017 -- Synopsis



'Non-Life Insurance in Norway Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the Norwegian non-life insurance segment, and a comparison of the Norwegian insurance industry with its regional counterparts.



It provides values for key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, combined ratio, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review period (20112015) and forecast period (20152020).



GET SAMPLE REPORT @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1697730-non-life-insurance-in-norway-key-trends-and-opportunities-to-2020



The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Norwegian economy and demographics, explains the various types of natural hazard and their impact on the Norwegian insurance industry, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country.



The report brings together research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure.



Summary



'Non-Life Insurance in Norway, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Norwegian non-life insurance segment, including:



- The Norwegian non-life insurance segment's detailed outlook by product category



- A comprehensive overview of the Norwegian economy and demographics



- A comparison of the Norwegian insurance industry with its regional counterparts



- The various distribution channels in the Norwegian non-life insurance segment



- Detailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the Norwegian insurance industry



- Details of the competitive landscape in the life insurance segment in Norway



- Details of regulatory policy applicable to the Norwegian insurance industry



Scope



This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the non-life insurance segment in Norway:



- It provides historical values for the Norwegian non-life insurance segment for the report's 20112015 review period, and projected figures for the 20152020 forecast period.



- It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Norwegian non-life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.



- It provides a comparison of the Norwegian non-life insurance segment with its regional counterparts.



- It analyzes the various distribution channels for non-life insurance products in Norway.



- It analyzes various natural and man-made hazards and their impact on the Norwegian insurance industry.



- It profiles the top non-life insurance companies in Norway, and outlines the key regulations affecting them.



Reasons to Buy



- Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Norwegian non-life insurance segment, and each category within it.



- Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Norwegian non-life insurance segment.



- Assess the competitive dynamics in the non-life insurance segment.



- Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.



- Gain insights into key regulations governing the Norwegian insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.



Key Highlights



- The Norwegian government announced plans to remove the VAT exception rule for companies providing financial services, and introduce new taxation by January 2017.



- Solvency II came into force in Norway on January 1, 2016.



- The non-life segment's growth was driven by property, casualty and collision and business insurance products.



- Norwegian law also mandates compulsory property insurance against natural disasters.



- The Norwegian liability insurance category remained very competitive during the review period.



- In Norway, the distribution of non-life insurance takes place primarily through bancassurance, agents and business partners.



Table of Content: Key Points

1 Key Facts and Highlights

2 Executive Summary

3 Economy and Demographics

4 Segment Outlook

4.1 Regional Comparison

4.2 Segment Indicators

4.2.1 Gross written premium

4.2.2 Policies sold

4.2.3 Claims

4.2.4 Profitability

4.2.5 Assets and investments

5 Outlook by Category

5.1 Property Insurance

5.1.1 Product overview

5.1.2 Premium

5.1.3 Policies sold

5.1.4 Profitability

5.2 Motor Insurance

5.2.1 Product overview

5.2.2 Premium

5.2.3 Policies sold

5.2.4 Profitability

5.3 Liability Insurance

5.3.1 Product overview



ACCESS REPORT @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1697730-non-life-insurance-in-norway-key-trends-and-opportunities-to-2020



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Lewes, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/28/2017 -- As per International Monetary Fund (IMF) Oman's real gross domestic product is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.77% from it's 2015 level of was OMR 26.85 billion and reach OMR 34.791 billionby 2022.



Oman, officially called the Sultanate of Oman, is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It has a strategically important position at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest and also shares marine borders with Iran and Pakistan.



Oman had estimated population of 3.957 million in the year 2016 and expected to reach 4.769 million by 2022, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.14%.



Oman's real gross domestic product (GDP) was around OMR 28.012 billions in 2016 whereas the nominal GDP was OMR 24.289 billions. This resulted in GDP deflator 86.709. Per capita GDP was estimated at USD 15963.98 whereas purchasing power parity (PPP) based per capita GDP was estimated to be at USD 46697.96.



In 2016, Omani government's revenue was OMR 7.657 billions whereas the expenditure was OMR 12.65 billions. This resulted Omani government's net lending / borrowing negative at OMR 4.993 billion in 2016 indicating that enough financial resources were not made available by the government to boost economic growth.



The current account balance for Oman was estimated to be negative at USD 9.783 billions for the year 2016 and is expected to decline at a CAGR of 8.02% and reach USD 6.02 by 2022. This negative current account balance indicates the Oman is a net borrower from the whole world.



The newly launched market research reports featuring Oman's PESTEL analysis, SWOT analysis and Risk analysis are aimed at providing insights about Oman economy and market.



Scope of the Oman PESTEL Analysis, SWOT Analysis and Risk Analysis Market Research Reports

- These reports provide information about key macroeconomic indicators for Oman.

- These reports provide PESTELE (political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal) analysis for Oman.

- These reports provide SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis for Oman.

- These reports provide risk analysis for Oman.



For more information and to purchase Oman PESTEL Analysis Market Research Report please visit: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/market-research-reports-inc/oman-pestel-analysis-market-research-report



For more information and to purchase OmanSWOT Analysis Market Research Report please visit: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/market-research-reports-inc/oman-swot-analysis-market-research-report



For more information and to purchase OmanRisk Analysis Market Research Report please visit: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/market-research-reports-inc/oman-risk-analysis-market-research-report



About Market Research Reports, Inc.

Market Research Reports Inc. is world's largest store offering quality market research, SWOT analysis, competitive intelligence and industry reports. We help Fortune 500 to Start-Ups with the latest market research reports on global ional markets which comprise key industries, leading market players, new products and latest industry analysis & trends.



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Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/29/2017 -- Market Research Future adds new report of "Spain Fermentation Ingredients Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023" it contains Company information, geographical data and Table of Content



Major Landscapes:



The leading market players in the Spain Fermentation Ingredients market primarily are



- Archer-Daniels-Midland Co.

- The Dow Chemical Co

- Cargill, Incorporated

- E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.

- Evonik Industries AG

- Novozymes A/S

- Uquifa



Key players are focusing on expansion of their fermentation ingredient business. From six years, strategy of product launch and expansion of the fermentation ingredients business together holds around 50% of strategy share by key players. Acquisitions and agreement are two main factors which are contributing more than 40% of strategy share as it helping company to enhance their fermentation ingredients production capacity and to capture more market share in Spain and other regions in Europe.



Key Findings



- The Spain Fermentation Ingredients market is projected to reach USD 1,530 million by 2023 of 3.46%



- In Spain, application of fermentation ingredients in pharmaceutical is growing at higher rate of 3.83%



- In Spain., Alcohol fermentation ingredients type holds the major market share for the year 2017



Request a Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2984



Report Description:



Spain Fermentation Ingredients Market is anticipated to achieve USD 1,530 million by the year 2023 with development rate of 3.46%. Andalusia and Catalonia together holds over half of piece of the pie in 2017 as huge aging fixings organizations are situated in Catalonia and Andalusia. Spain is the third significant nation for generation of aging elements for synthetic and pharmaceuticals application which is supporting the development of the market in Spain. Madrid will witness higher development rate amid the estimate time frame.



On the premise of sort, Alcohol (i.e. Ethanol, butanol, BDO and Acetone) and Antibiotics (i.e. Beta-lactam, antibiotic medication and clavulic corrosive) maturation fixings holds over half piece of the overall industry in the year 2017 as in Spain lion's share of aging fixings is utilized for substance and pharmaceutical application. Amino corrosive is anticipated to develop at higher rate amid the figure time frame. Polymers and natural acids together holds over 30% of piece of the overall industry in the year 2017due to expanding interest of polymer over natural corrosive in Spain.



Browse Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/spain-fermentation-ingredients-market-2984



Fluid type of aging fixings holds over 55% piece of the pie in the year 2017, as in Spain dominant part of aging fixings, for example, liquor and natural corrosive are created as fluid. Dry frame is anticipated to develop at higher rate contrast with fluid shape amid the figure time frame because of expanding interest of polymer and modern compounds from most recent couple of years.



Expanding mindfulness about utilization of maturation fixings in individual care and pharmaceutical items is driving the development of aging fixings showcase. Rising notoriety of nourishment and drinks items made by utilizing maturation fixings is boosting the market development in Spain. Presentation eco-accommodating generation framework from aging fixings makers and propel innovations in maturation process is additionally affecting the development of the market. Rising creation of sugar stick, beet, custard and corn is assuming the significant part in the development of aging fixings showcase in Spain.



Target Audience



- Fermentation Ingredients Manufacturers

- Food and beverage Industry

- Chemical Industry

- Pharmaceutical Industry

- Retailers and wholesalers

- Traders, importers and exporters



Request Table of Contents for this Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/2984



Regional and State wise Analysis of Spain Fermentation Ingredients market Development and Demand Forecast to 2023 Market



The reports also cover region level analysis:



Spain

- Andalusia

- Catalonia

- Madrid

- Valencian Community

- Rest of Spain



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.
A journey toward understanding

Students, faculty and staff invited to join the Welcome Table

Registration is now open for the Welcome Table on campus this fall.

For four days this summer, a group of black and white faculty and staff members gathered in a classroom in Hamilton College. There, they formed a large circle and began the messy work of racial reconciliation.

These trained facilitators will lead dialogues on campus this fall, and in South Carolina communities in the months to come, as part of the South Carolina Collaborative for Race and Reconciliation. The collaborative  and its signature program, the Welcome Table SC  works to encourage communities to address racism by building stronger relationships across racial lines. Its based on a successful program started at the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation at the University of Mississippi.

South Carolina, like Mississippi, has a painful, traumatic racial history, says Susan Glisson, the founding director of the Winter Institute who led the training at Carolina. Its a history that demands honesty, like it does in Mississippi and Georgia and Alabama. And because its small and there are some existing relationships, that can be a good basis for conversations."

The Collaborative for Race and Reconciliation at Carolina was born in the wake of tragedy. After the murders of nine churchgoers at Mother Emanuel in Charleston by a white supremacist in June 2015 and the wounds that were revealed when the Confederate flag was removed from the State House grounds, it was evident the state and university needed to come to a place where real conversations could happen. That led the university to contact Glisson, who now is a partner in the consulting firm Sustainable Equity, which works with corporations, police departments and public institutions to foster racial dialogues.

The collaborative started out of a recognition that as a university we have a unique opportunity to help our city and state; yet, as a microcosm of our broader society we  as a university  also have our own challenges that we must face and address, says John Dozier, the universitys chief diversity officer who heads the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, where the collaborative is housed. For healing to begin, we must have honest conversations about race, conversations weve maybe not had before, in part because they are difficult or uncomfortable.

Its a journey into family and local history. Bud Ferillo

They are difficult because we all hold stereotypes and biases born out of the places where we were raised; circumstances and communities that have influenced how we see the world and our neighbors. The conversations are uncomfortable because they are charged with feelings associated with a past that weve not effectively addressed as a society. How do you begin to have these difficult conversations? The Welcome Table SC  introduced to us by Dr. Glisson  provides the structure for us begin and is a natural extension of what we should be doing as the flagship university in our state.

The first Welcome Tables were held on campus last spring, and a new round begins this fall with trained faculty and staff facilitators leading discussions among students, faculty and staff members. The plan is to create five Welcome Tables, with about 20 participants in each, to meet on campus starting in mid-September. The program is open to anyone, and registration has begun. Participants commit to six meetings on campus, along with a half-day retreat.

Its important work on campus because racial reconciliation needs to happen in the university community just as it does in neighborhoods, small and large communities in our state, says Bud Ferillo, the coordinator for the South Carolina Collaborative for Race and Reconciliation. We are especially proud that the flagship university is hosting this project, especially in this tumultuous period where race issues are top of mind in our state and nation. It is a leadership position that plants USCs flag in the midst of the need for deep and effective conversations, interracial alliance building and concrete action plans to address race issues in our communities that arise in the sessions.

The process follows the Winter Institutes curriculum, and much of the work is done through storytelling. By truly listening to people of different races and backgrounds talk about their life experiences, participants are able to relate to those stories, break down the barriers of differences and begin to trust each other. The idea is that once you trust someones story, you no longer doubt the validity of that persons beliefs.

The idea is to get participants to talk about their own racial identities, when those identities were formulated in their minds, what they learned from their families, when they learned about other races and whether that was a positive, negative or mixed impression. They also talk about how that changed over time from childhood to adolescence to adulthood, Ferillo says. Its a journey into family and local history.

Dozier says he was skeptical when he went into his first Welcome Table gathering. He said that like most people, he walked into the room and immediately started making judgments about other participants. He said that like all participants, his stereotypes were quickly proven wrong and through the process, a trusting, motivated community was formed.

Id say that if we want to create a better university community, we should start by better understanding who is in our community and ways that we can live the Carolinian Creed. That cant happen through an hour in diversity training, he says. That cant happen by simply assuming that you know things about the people around you. It cant happen without committing to a space and a process that allows you to begin to trust, understand, grow and reconcile the things that you believe with the thing that you do. Thats what the Welcome Table provides  thats the power of this space and process.

The Welcome Table SC encourages communities to address racism by building stronger relationships across racial lines.

The university has trained 16 faculty and staff facilitators, with 12 ready to lead groups this fall. Ferillo says eight communities across the state have contacted him, including Columbia, Darlington, Orangeburg and Beaufort, wanting the collaborative to bring the Welcome Table to their towns in the coming months and years. A Welcome Table is set to begin in Camden this fall.

Some who will sit around the Welcome Table will be lifelong South Carolinians, others will be part of an incoming population that doesnt have deep South Carolina roots and ties to the states history.

That diversity and inclusion is very healthy for a state that has been known as a closed society for so long, Ferillo says. Our participants get to talk about that in great detail. Out of it comes a sense of community-mindedness that offers a hope for unity.

Ferillo says attitudes about race are measured at the beginning and end of each session to see how successful the dialogues are in moving people from who they are to who they want to become in terms of racial sensitivities.

I get a lot of pushback from some members of the community that we need to do something, that were tired of talking. But it is my belief that it is indeed the talking, and intentionally creating spaces to have difficult dialogue across societys entrenched racial boundaries, thats able to educate and change peoples hearts. Thats the action we should be taking, because I believe that its the only action that has lasting impact, Dozier says. Policies and laws are absolutely needed but are often ineffective if they dont reflect cultural norms. The work of the Welcome Table is an effort to help each participant to think differently about the members of our communities. Its shifting our cultural paradigm one Welcome Table at a time.

As Glisson says, the conversation offers a chance to reconnect with what matters  compassion, mercy, gratitude, forgiveness, patience. We know this work is going to be messy, but conversations can lead to an epiphany, and that can lead to a different way of doing business.

Join the Welcome Table

Registration is now open for university faculty, staff and students to participate in a Welcome Table on campus this fall.

The dialogues are guided by trained facilitators who help group members understand and talk about racial divisions that have hampered unity and social justice. The hallmarks of these discussions are candor, mutual respect, listening and learning from each other and are based on trust and perseverance. The discussions remain confidential.

Participants must commit to attend six sessions along with a half-day retreat.

For more information, contact Bud Ferillo, coordinator for the South Carolina Collaborative on Race and Reconciliation, ferilloj@mailbox.sc.edu, 803-777-1108.

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In a study published Friday in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, paleontologists report the discovery of a partially-preserved skeleton of one of the earliest known elasmosaurs, from the Early Cretaceous (130 million years ago) of Germany.

Elasmosaurs (Elasmosauridae) were a family of plesiosaurs that flourished during the Cretaceous period, about 145 million to 66 million years ago.

They were fully adapted to an aquatic lifestyle, and had a distinctive body plan comprising a streamlined body, paddle-like limbs and a very long neck with up to 75 individual vertebrae.

Named Lagenanectes richterae, the newly identified elasmosaur was 26 feet (8 m) long and inhabited a shallow sea around what is now Germany some 130 million years ago.

Private fossil collectors recovered the perfectly preserved bones of this ancient marine reptile (most of the skull, which had a meshwork of long fang-like teeth; vertebrae; ribs; and bones from the four flipper-like limbs) from an abandoned clay pit near Sarstedt in northern Germany in 1964.

Despite being discovered nearly half a century ago, Dr. Sven Sachs of the Natural History Museum in Bielefeld, Germany, and colleagues were only recently invited to study the specimen by the Lower Saxony State Museum.

It was an honor to be asked to research the mysterious Sarstedt skeleton, Dr. Sachs said.

The jaws of Lagenanectes richterae had some especially unusual features, said co-author Dr. Jahn Hornung, a paleontologist based in Hamburg, Germany.

Its broad chin was expanded into a massive jutting crest, and its lower teeth stuck out sideways. These probably served to trap small fish and squid that were then swallowed whole.

Internal channels in the upper jaws of Lagenanectes richterae might have housed nerves linked to pressure receptors or electroreceptors on the outside of the snout that would have helped the reptile to locate its prey.

The bones also showed evidence of chronic bacterial infection suggesting that the animal had suffered from a long-term disease that perhaps eventually claimed its life.

The most important aspect of this marine reptile is that it is amongst the oldest of its kind, said co-author Dr. Benjamin Kear, from the Museum of Evolution at Uppsala University in Sweden.

It is one of the earliest elasmosaurs, an extremely successful group of globally distributed plesiosaurs that seem to have had their evolutionary origins in the seas that once inundated Western Europe.

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S. Sachs et al. A new basal elasmosaurid (Sauropterygia: Plesiosauria) from the Lower Cretaceous of Germany. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, published online August 25, 2017; doi: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1301945
Inspector General of Police Zahoor H Zaidi and 7 other policemen were arrested by the CBI after one of the accused Suraj died in police custody.

By Manjeet Sehgal: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zahoor H Zaidi and 7 other policemen in connection with the custodial death of an accused in the Shimla gangrape and murder case.

Besides Zaidi, DSP Manoj Joshi, Rajinder Singh, Kotkhai's ex-SHO ASI Deep Chand Sharma, head constables Surat Singh, Mohan Lal, Rafiq Ali and constable Ranjit Singh were arrested by the CBI.

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"The arrested accused were produced today in the competent court in Shimla and were remanded to police custody till September 4," a CBI spokesperson said.

The agency had registered two FIRs on July 6 and 19 on the directions of Himachal Pradesh High Court.

IGP Zaidi was removed as SIT chief on July 19.

Facing the allegations of spoiling the evidences and botching up the probe in the case, the state government on July 19 had removed IGP Zaidi, SP Shimla besides placing SHO Kotkhai under suspension.

The death of one of the accused Suraj, a Nepalese national, in police custody had raised suspicion on the role of the police in the case of rape and killing of a schoolgirl in Shimla.

The 16-year-old girl had gone missing in Kotkhai area here after school hours on July 4 and her body was found in the nearby Haliala forest on July 6.

The arrested persons are prime accused Rajinder Singh, who offered her the lift, Ashish Chauhan, Subhash Bisht, Deepak Kumar, Suraj Singh and Lokjan.

The autopsy report mentioned injuries on the girl's body.

However, a new twist in the case came after Rajinder Singh allegedly murdered fellow accused Surat Singh in the police lock-up in Shimla on July 19.

Following the gang rape of the girl, people held massive protests in Himachal Pradesh. The family of the victim alleged that the "real culprits", who belong to high-profile families, have gotten away "scot-free".

Later, on the plea of the state government the state High Court recommended a CBI probe into the case.

Also read:

India Today Investigation: Shimla gang rape victim was subjected to horrific torture

Shimla gangrape-murder case: Protests rock hill city, people accuse police of mishandling the case

Shimla gangrape case: Accused found dead inside Kotkhai police station

Shimla rape outrage: How Himachal, other states fare in crime against women

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JOHNSONVILLE, S.C.  This summer, Florence County School District Five completed several repairs at the three schools, and Superintendent Randy Smiley said funds from the Abbeville County School District lawsuit will assist with even more.

Johnsonville elementary, middle and high schools saw repairs this summer to plumbing, painting and flooring, among other things, but the district has plans for more renovations to include track and field replacements, new camera and phone systems and security locks for school entrances.

Since Florence County School District Five was part of the Abbeville lawsuit that challenged funding of public primary and secondary education, the district is eligible to receive part of the $54 million appropriated by the state legislature, according to Smiley. The funds are to help fix rural school districts in the state.

So now, they put that money out in grants to the districts that were part of that Abbeville," Smiley said. "We then had to apply for the money.

Forty districts were part of the lawsuit, Smiley said.

The state encouraged districts to apply for up to $1 million for three priority areas. District Five applied for about $2.5 million. Its top priority is to replace all lighting in the district. The districts second priority is security upgrades, and the third priority is more HVAC and window replacements, according to Smiley.

Replacing the districts lighting would be a huge energy-saving measure, Smiley said. Also with priority one is the idea to replace HVAC at Johnsonville Middle School, along with the replacement of the districts water heaters with on-demand gas water heaters.

With the second prioritys security upgrades, a key system will be installed in the districts buildings, and all doors will be locked.

Teachers will have a key swipe to get in all of the exterior doors in the district, Smiley said.

The district submitted the three priority grants during the first round of the process.

The funding for these will be recommended to the state board. I think it's Sept. 12, Smiley said. I feel like from what Ive been told, itll be recommended that we be funded for our Priority 1 at that time.

After all districts have an opportunity to apply for the first round of grants, money left from the original $54 million will be available for districts during a second round, Smiley said.

After District Five receives its grant money, Smiley said the board will revisit what priorities they should focus on with the leftover funds.

In other business, the board voted to release three students from the district and approved an overnight field trip for both the middle and high schools.
By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Aug 29 (PTI) The office of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, set up during the previous Obama administration, would be merged with the South and Central Asia Bureau of the State Department, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said.

In a letter, Tillerson informed Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on realignment of State Department structure which includes abolishing several posts and a number of special envoys positions.

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"The Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) will assume the functions and staff of the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and coordinate across the government to meet US strategic goals in the region," Tillerson wrote.

He has sought feedback from Corker on his proposals.

According to Tillerson, his proposals on abolishing the office of Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan will involve removing the title and sustaining the realignment of nine positions and USD 1,985,000 in support costs.

"Given the administration?s recent South Asia policy announcement, the Secretary will consider options regarding diplomatic responsibilities in the region as needed," he said.

"I believe that the Department will be able to better execute its mission by integrating certain envoys and special representative offices within the regional and functional bureaus, and eliminating those that have accomplished or outlived their original purpose," Tillerson wrote.

"In some cases, the State Department would leave in place several positions and offices, while in other cases, positions and offices would be either consolidated or integrated with the most appropriate bureau. If an issue no longer requires a special envoy or representative, then an appropriate bureau will manage any legacy responsibilities," he said.

This integration, he wrote, would also eliminate redundancies that dilute the ability of a bureau to deliver on its primary functions.

"Empowering regional and functional bureaus will make knowledge and resources more accessible, provide clarity in reporting authority, strengthen communication channels, and create a more efficient State Department," Tillerson said.

While indicating that he plans to abolish a number of positions, Tillerson said he intends to keep the special position on Tibet.

Corker has welcomed the move in general.

"Through the years, numbers of special envoys have accumulated at the State Department, and in many cases, their creation has done more harm than good by creating an environment in which people work around the normal diplomatic processes in lieu of streamlining them," he said.

"That is one reason our committee took bipartisan action last month to require Senate confirmation of special envoys while empowering the secretary to reduce bureaucracy by reining in these often unnecessary positions. I appreciate the work Secretary Tillerson has done to responsibly review the organizational structure of special envoys and look forward to going through these changes in detail," Corker said. PTI LKJ ZH

--- ENDS ---

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By PTI: (Eds: Updating with additional details, reax)

Amaravati, Aug 28 (PTI) In a fight that was seen as a precursor to the general elections due in May 2019, the ruling TDP today won the by-election to Nandyal Assembly constituency by a big margin against the main opposition YSR Congress.

TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu dubbed the "morale boosting victory" as an "endorsement" of his three-year rule, while YSRC president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy called the loss a "temporary setback".

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Bhuma Brahmananda Reddy, TDP candidate and a political novice, won the bypoll with a margin of 27,466 votes. He dealt a crushing blow to his YSR Congress rival Silpa Chandra Mohan Reddy, a former minister, by securing 56 per cent of the valid votes polled.

While Bhuma got 97,076 votes, Silpa managed 69,610 out of the total 1.73 lakh votes polled in the election held on August 23.

The Congress candidate lost his deposit, getting only 1,382 votes, sources said here, adding 1,231 NOTA votes were polled.

The by-election was held following the death of sitting MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy, who had won the seat as YSRC nominee in 2014 by a margin of 3,600 votes against TDPs Silpa Chandra Mohan Reddy.

In February 2016, Nagi Reddy switched over to the ruling party, but died of a heart attack in March this year.

Just days ahead of the by-poll, Silpa joined the YSRC after it became clear the TDP would field Nagi Reddys nephew Brahmananda Reddy.

"The TDPs victory in the by-election reflects peoples trust in his governance," Naidu said and thanked the people for their support.

"People have endorsed development agenda, upheld values in public life. Rejected and punished negative politics and disorderliness. It has given us a new strength," the chief minister said.

On his part, Jagan said, "I would accept the peoples verdict, but at the same time it is a mistake for Chandrababu Naidu to claim victory.

"The setback (for the YSRC) is temporary and it is not prudent for Chandrababu Naidu to describe it as a victory," the Leader of Opposition added. PTI DBV KRK RSY SRY

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By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Aug 29 (PTI) US President Donald Trump has defended his controversial pardon of former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio calling him a "patriot" and alleged that the previous presidents, including Barack Obama, have pardoned "criminals".

Arpaio was convicted of criminal contempt last month for ignoring a court order in a racial profiling case. He has been accused for years of violating basic human rights in his prisons, but Trump insisted yesterday that he was no worse than Americans who had been granted clemency by previous presidents.

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"Sheriff Joe is a patriot. Sheriff Joe loves our country. Sheriff Joe protected our borders. And Sheriff Joe was very unfairly treated by the Obama administration, especially right before an election -- an election that he would have won."

"So I stand by my pardon of Sheriff Joe and the people of Arizona, who really know him best, would agree with me," Trump said.

If you look at, as an example, President Clinton pardoned Marc Rich, who was charged with crimes going back decades, including illegally buying oil from Iran while it held 53 American hostages -- was not allowed to do that, selling to the enemies of the United States, he alleged.

He was pardoned after his wife donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Clintons, Trump alleged.

"Then you have dangerous criminals. President Clinton pardoned Susan Rosenberg, a member of the Weather Underground, charged as part of a bank robbery that led to a guard and two police officers being killed. President Clinton commuted the sentence of Carlos Vignali, a central player in a cocaine ring that stretched from California to Minnesota," he alleged.

"President Obama commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, who leaked countless sensitive and classified documents to WikiLeaks, perhaps and others. But a horrible, horrible thing that he did. Commuted the sentence and perhaps pardoned," he said.

Obama also commuted the sentence of Oscar Lopez Rivera, who was charged as part of a violent independence group from Puerto Rico, responsible for 28 Chicago-area bombings and many deaths in the 1970s and 1980s, Trump alleged responding to a question on why he pardoned Sheriff Joe, for which he has been widely criticised. PTI LKJ AMS AKJ AMS

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By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Aug 29 (PTI) President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his commitment to build a wall along the southern border of the US, saying it is badly needed and Mexico will eventually pay for it.

"We need the wall. Its imperative. We may fund it through the United States. But ultimately, Mexico will pay for the wall," he told reporters at the White House yesterday.

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Referring to the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the president said it is one of the worst trade deals.

"...its one of the great deals of all time for them (Mexico). One of the worst trade deals ever signed. NAFTA is one of the worst trade deals ever signed at anytime, anywhere in the world," Trump said.

"And I can understand why Mexico is being difficult because why wouldnt they be? theyve had it their way," he added.

NAFTA is an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico and the US to create a trilateral trade bloc in North America.

Trump insisted that Mexico will pay for the wall, even though it is through a reimbursement.

"Mexico will pay for the wall. It may be through a reimbursement. We need the wall very badly. As you know, Mexico has a tremendous crime problem, tremendous, one of the number two or three in the world. And thats another reason we need it," he said.

"Just to add on, tremendous drugs are pouring into the United States at levels that nobody has ever seen before. This happened over the last three to four years in particular. The wall will stop much of the drugs from pouring into this country and poisoning our youth," he added.

"Were in the process of renegotiating the (NAFTA) deal. I believe that you will probably have to at least start the termination process before a fair deal could be arrived at because its been a one-sided deal," Trump said.

This includes Canada also, he noted, saying American workers have lost their jobs due to the deal which has been one-sided for Canada and Mexico.

"The United States workers, all of these incredible people who have lost their jobs because of NAFTA, theyre not going to be suffering any longer. Its been unfair for too long," the US president said.

"So we will build the wall, and we will stop a lot of things, including the drugs are pouring in at levels like nobody has ever seen. Well be able to stop them once the wall is up," he added. PTI LKJ ASV

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According to local reports the Paragon drillship DPDS1 grounded after two tugboats attempted to bring the vessel under control, sinking one of the tugboats and damaging the other in the process.

Paragon Offshore reported that the crew of both vessels were safe and the drillship appeared to be stable.

The Port Of Corpus Christi cannot reopen until Army Corps of Engineers inspect the vessel and it is refloated.

Continued bad weather has hampered the US Army Corps of Engineers efforts to collect data and assess the damage needed to approve reopening the port, said the Ports Executive Deputy Director Sean Strawbridge, MySantonio reported.
The spin off of now insolvent German shipowner Rickmers Group ran into trouble last year when bondholders rejected a proposed financial restructuring on which the trusts refinancing was dependent.

In a statement to the Singapore Exchange Rickmers Trust Management said the final distribution to unsecured creditors, equivalent to 12.1% recovery, had been made.

The winding up of the trust has been completed and consequently, the units of the trust and the notes shall cease to exist, Rickmers Trust Management said. The notes will be delisted on Wednesday.

The bankrupt trust sold its fleet of 14 containerships to Navios Partners Containers for $113m.

The listed shipping trust model was launched in 2006 by Singapore as an alternative to Germanys KG funds. Of the three trust listed only one is still trading  First Ship Lease. Pacific International Lines Pacific Shipping Trust was taken private in 2011.
By PTI: By K J M Varma

Beijing, Aug 27 (PTI) Pakhar, the 14th typhoon to hit China this year, today made landfall in the city of Taishan in Guangdong province bringing gales of up to 33 meters per second, days after Hato left a trail of death and destruction.

Pakhar, named after a freshwater fish that lives in the lower Mekong River, made landfall four days after typhoon Hato landed on Wednesday in Zhuhai, some 80-km away from Taishan.

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The meteorological centre of Zhuhai said the city would see rainstorms and fierce winds today.

A temporary closing of local companies, government agencies, schools and public places started yesterday.

Chinas National Meteorological Center (NMC) said that Pakhar would move northwestward, entering Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in the evening while losing strength.

The cities in the province that suffered from typhoon Hato last week issued a red alert today, the highest level of warning against this natural disaster, the report said.

The agency forecast Guangdong, Fujian and Hainan provinces as well as Guangxi would see torrential rain from today to tomorrow afternoon.

Hainan local maritime authorities suspended the service of roll-on/roll-off passenger ships and cross-sea trains running in and out of the province. A total of 24,124 fishing boats have been put into harbor.

Ma Jianhua, official with the Yangtze River flood control headquarters, said Hato had brought about the obvious rising of water levels in the Yangtze.

The headquarters has dispatched personnel to Sichuan and Yunnan to aid flood control.

In Yunnan province, two more people have been found dead in disasters triggered by Hato, bringing the death toll in the province to five.

Six people went missing after houses collapsed in a flood caused by heavy rain on Friday in Yanjin county. Rescuers found two bodies in the debris yesterday and today respectively.

Meanwhile in Hong Kong, the airport authority confirmed that about 30 flights had been diverted to other destinations.

At least 300 flights in total in Hong Kong were either cancelled or delayed due to the storm, with 50 planes left stuck on the tarmac as the city was pummelled by its second severe storm in a week.

Hato, that has claimed at least 16 lives, was the 13th typhoon to hit China this year. PTI KJV KJ

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By PTI: By Aditi Khanna

London, Aug 29 (PTI) British and European Union negotiators were locked in a tug of war this week, with the economic bloc being adamant that the cost involved with UKs exit must be decided before any future deal can be considered.

The British government has produced a series of so-called "position papers" to set out its stance on major subjects involved with Brexit in the lead up to the third round of ongoing discussions, which opened in Brussels yesterday.

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While Britain is determined that any talks of an exit strategy must move in parallel with negotiating a future trade deal with the remaining 27 members of the bloc, the EU has been adamant that the so-called "divorce" and the costs involved with it must be thrashed out before any future deal can be considered.

"We believe the EU needs to show more imagination and flexibility when it comes to these discussions," British Prime Minister Theresa Mays official Downing Street spokesperson said today.

"There are lots of issues where we believe you cant separate withdrawal from future relationship, and thats what were seeking to agree... that we can move on to talk about our future relationship," the spokesperson said.

The statement came as European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told a conference of EU ambassadors in Brussels today that Britains efforts in the negotiation process were not "satisfactory".

Speaking in French, he said: "We need to be crystal clear that we will commence no negotiations on the new relationship particularly the new economic and trade relationship between the UK and the EU before all these questions are resolved ? that is to say the divorce between the EU and the UK."

On the series of position papers produced by the UKs Department for Exiting the European Union, he added: "I would like to be clear that I did read with the requisite attention all the papers produced by Her Majestys government and none of those is actually satisfactory."

His tough stance comes in the wake of the EUs chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, telling a press conference yesterday that he was "concerned" at the progress so far and that the UK needed to begin "negotiating seriously".

"We need UK positions on all separation issues. This is necessary to make sufficient progress. We must start negotiating seriously," he said.

The EU wants "sufficient progress" in three key "separation areas" by October for negotiations to move onto the subject of the future UK-EU relationship.

The areas chosen by the EU are ? citizen rights, Northern Irelands border, and the divorce bill owed by the UK.

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The UK?s Brexit secretary, David Davis, said his team was ready to "roll up their sleeves" to get down to business and called for more "flexibility" from the EU27 in his opening statement that kick-started the latest round of talks Brussels yesterday.

He said: "We want to lock in the points where we agree, unpick the areas where we disagree, andmake further progress on the whole range of issues. "But in order to do that, well require flexibility and imagination from both sides ? something I think the [European] Council has asked for on some subjects."

The UK government hopes the next round of talks, scheduled for September, will achieve sufficient progress to convince EU leaders that Brexit is on track at the European Council meeting set for October. PTI AK ABH

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Press Release

August 28, 2017 Message of Senator Loren Legarda

The Philippine Red Carpet Premiere and Post Documentary Film Discussion of

"An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power"

28 August 2017 | Trinoma Mall, EDSA, Quezon City Today, we remember courageous Filipinos who fought hard and well for our sovereignty. It is a very auspicious day for the Philippine premiere of the sequel to An Inconvenient Truth because it makes one think: "How do we pay tribute to our national heroes and use their struggles and successes to help us resolve today's challenges?" The great battle confronting our generation is one that has to be fought within ourselves and among our communities. A lot has changed since 2006 when the first film was launched, especially on how we perceive the climate change phenomenon. I recall that during that time, climate change was still considered an issue that was best left for scientists. It was not easy to make people understand the link between climate change and agriculture, food and water security, health, and jobs and economic development. Even those in government did not easily recognize it as a gut issue. Similarly, even among the great minds in the Senate there was at first defiance. Some of my colleagues did not see the wisdom of enacting a climate change law or creating a standing committee on climate change, until Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng inundated almost the whole of Metro Manila, making everyone realize that even our country's seat of government and commerce, not just the far-flung municipalities, would now be feeling the effects of extreme weather events linked to the climate crisis. Afterwards, the Climate Change Law was enacted in 2009 and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act was signed into law in 2010. Fast forward to 2017, and the Philippines is now regarded as an important voice in the global climate initiative. We led the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) that pushed for the 1.5 goal in the Paris Agreement; we spearheaded the creation of the Vulnerable Twenty group of Ministers of Finance or V20, which works to address climate change more assertively through innovative financing and technology; we have been climate-tagging our expenditures under the national budget; and we have acceded to the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement has been hailed by many as a landmark agreement, but its aspirations will not happen on its own. We must all contribute to make it work. This is the important message of this film, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. Even as more nations, leaders, communities and individuals have embraced the battle against climate change as their own, there remain climate deniers. We are hopeful as we see global action gain more momentum, yet we worry if this will be enough to halt the Earth's warming and allow communities to adapt to the impacts. All of us here today, climate warriors: let us take that one step further. We are all urged to choose the path of resilience and sustainability--to veer away from the throwaway culture and move towards zero waste; to turn our back on extractive and consumptive practices and adopt a low-carbon lifestyle; to choose clean sources of energy over dirty fossil fuel. More than a century ago, our heroes fought for our right to democracy and independence. Today, let us fight for our right to a living planet. Let us triumph over this climate battle so that we ignite hope not only for the present but also for the future generations.
Press Release

August 28, 2017 Long weekend brings major gains for ruling party Senate President and PDP Laban President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, together with House Speaker and PDP Laban Secretary General Pantaleon "Bebot" Alvarez, were present as the leadership of the province of Compostela Valley and of the regional center Tagum City, Davao del Norte, pledged their allegiance to the ruling party PDP Laban in twin events this weekend. Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy, Vice Governor Manuel Zamora, 1st District Representative Maria Carmen Zamora, and 2nd District Representative Ruwel Peter Gonzaga led almost all of Compostela Valley's provincial and municipal officials in an oathtaking ceremony on Sunday, and was followed by Mayor Allan Rellon of Tagum City swearing in 7,000 new members of the Party on Monday. "By joining PDP Laban, Compostela Valley and Tagum City are declaring their support for the Party's, and the President's, agenda for Change. They will stand with us as we shift to Federalism, wage war against drugs, end corruption, and uplift our countrymen from poverty", said Pimentel. Joining Pimentel and Alvarez were Department of Energy Secretary and PDP Laban Vice Chair Alfonso Cusi, and Representatives Karlo Nograles of Davao City and Geraldine Roman of Bataan. Cusi expressed his appreciation for the enthusiastic support of Compostela Valley officials, saying, "I am very happy with the very solid support shown by the leaders of Compostela Valley and Tagum City for the programs of our Party Chairman, President Rodrigo Duterte." Pimentel, referring to previous events where provincial officials took their oaths en masseas Party members, said, "There is no stopping Change. Province by province, we are gathering the momentum we need to sweep away the old structure that allowed our problems to fester for generations." With such a massive show of force from the Party, Alvarez warned the new members about those who seek to cash in by associating with PDP Laban. Alvarez said, "As legitimate members of PDP Laban, it is your duty to make sure that the Party stays true to its advocacy of Change. All members must be subject to Party discipline. Report those who try to extort money from politicians and prospective members so they can be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.
Press Release

August 29, 2017 Transcript of Interview with Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon DRILON: The Ombudsman has confirmed that she has concurrent jurisdiction with the DOJ insofar as Kian's killing is concerned. But, because of the MOA, it's the DOJ that's assuming jurisdiction. She is, in fact, conducing a fact-finding investigation on the same case, on a number of issues. She told me that she's conducting a fact-finding investigation and she confirmed that indeed she has concurrent jurisdiction. The fact that all the respondents have salary grades below SG 27 affects the jurisdiction of the Sandigabayan; in other words, the case must be filed before the RTC and not in the Sandiganbayan. But insofar as preliminary and fact-finding is concerned, the Ombudsman has jurisdiction. That's constitutional so you cannot remove the jurisdiction in the Ombudsman. In fact, if the Ombudsman can investigate impeachable officers, they conduct investigation only that they cannot file cases against an impeachable officer, they can in fact conduct preliminary investigation. If the Ombudsman can conduct preliminary investigations on impeachable officials, how much more of an ordinary policeman? That only indicates the erroneous interpretation of the justice secretary in the desire to just assume the jurisdiction over the investigation. Q: Some are asking Sec Aguirre to inhibit DRILON: Yes, I read that. That is consistent with the provisions of the law and also better policy. Q: Paano n'yo ipaglalaban si Kian kung yung parents niya nagpunta na kay president? DRILON: It's not a question of ipaglalaban, it's a question of the investigation being done properly. This is a criminal case. Ang importante rito ay yung testigo. Hindi naman private issue ito, where the parents of Kian can, for example, even if they desist, theoretically, that will not affect the case because this is a People of the Philippines vs. the policemen. This is not a private case, so even if the parents of Kian, after talking to the president file an affidavit of desistance, ang importante rito yung witnesses, who witnessed the incident. It can be prosecuted independent of what the parents feel, because this is a case involving the public. Q: Senator Gordon said sumulat na raw si SP Pimentel sa Chinese gov't for them to explain whatever their position in the shipment of shabu. Is it about time to ask Chinese government for their position? DRILON: We can ask them but they need not response to us. They are a sovereign nation. We can always ask, nothing wrong with asking, baka sakaling sumagot. Pero kung hindi sumagot, wala tayong magagawa. Q: Sabi ni Sen. Gordon, we have to revisit our relationship with China if they don't answer us? DRILON: China is a sovereign country. They promulgate foreign policies in accordance with what is best in their national interest. If they believe that it is not with their national interest to reveal anything out of China, that's their prerogative. We cannot do anything.
Press Release

August 29, 2017 Villanueva bats for bill promoting flexible work arrangements including 4-day workweek scheme Senator Joel Villanueva has formally filed a bill on Tuesday that gives employees and employers an option to adopt flexible working arrangements. Senate Bill No. 1571 espouses alternative working arrangements that allow both employer and employee to agree on a beneficial arrangement of work that works best for both parties. It amends Article 83 of the Labor Code which limits normal hours of work at 8 hours a day for five days. Under the filed measure, an employer has an option to implement any type of flexible working arrangement which includes: 1) Compressed Workweek, 2) Gliding or Flexi-Time, and 3) Flexi Holidays Schedule. In a "Compressed Workweek" arrangement, the employee may opt to reduce the number of days dedicated to work, provided that the worker maintains the minimum number of rendered hours required. The bill sets a minimum of 40 hours a week and a maximum of 48 hours per week. "Gliding or Flexi-Time" refers to work which may be completed within the establishment but where they can determine their arrival and departure time. It means an employee may choose to start his work at any time he wants but still needs to complete the required work hours per day. Meanwhile, "Flexi Holidays Schedule" is where employees agree to avail the holidays at some other days provided there is no diminution of resulting benefits. The proposal is different from the Telecommuting Bill which Villanueva also authored. Telecommuting, or more commonly known as "work from home" is a scheme where an employee may accomplish his work tasks outside the office for at least one day a week. The bill was already passed on third and final reading in the Senate. "The Flexible Work Arrangements Bill limits the work duration to [a maximum of] forty-eight (48) hours per week to safeguard the rights, health, and well-being of each employee. With this measure, an employee is given greater liberty to allocate his work hours to the number of days that works best for his situation," Villanueva said. The senator also sees the proposal as one way to decongest traffic and lessen the hassle being faced by employees as they may opt not to go to work on a specific workday granting that they have already completed the required work hours. "Lubos na makatutulong po ito lalo na sa mga manggagawa natin na lagi nalang naiipit sa matinding trapik papunta sa kanilang opisina at pauwi ng bahay. Sa halip na gugugulin nila ang oras sa pagko-commute ay mas magiging produktibo po sila, at ang oras na matitipid nila ay maaari pa nilang maibigay sa kanilang pamilya," the senator further stressed. However, Villanueva clarified that the adoption of flexible working arrangements is voluntary on the part of employers and employees as well. Flexible working arrangements will also depend on the nature of work. Among the countries which have already implemented flexible working arrangements are France and US (with 4-day workweek), and Sweden (with 6-hour workday under a two-year trial). In the Philippines, some business process outsourcing (BPO) companies like Convergys have carried out compressed workweek scheme. The Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development chaired by Villanueva will conduct a hearing on the said measure on September 13, Thursday.
By PTI: children died

(EDs: Updating with fresh inputs about arrests)

Lucknow, Aug 29 (PTI) The U.P. Special Task Force today arrested the former principal of a government-run medical college in Gorakhpur and his wife in connection with the deaths of 60 children at its hospital.

These are the first arrests in the case that had shaken the country.

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"Dr. Rajiv Mishra and his wife, Dr. Purnima Shukla, who are named in an FIR lodged by the UP government, were arrested from Kanpur. They are being taken to Gorakphur," IG, Public Grievances, Vijay Singh Meena said here.

Mishra was suspended as principal of BRD Medical College on August 12 after the deaths, which occurred over a span of five days, were reported. He resigned the same day.

According to SSP, Gorakhpur, Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj, a police team last night also went to the home of Dr Kafeel Khan, the former nodal officer of the acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) ward in the hospital who was removed after the deaths, to quiz him but he was not there.

Mishra and his wife, as well as Khan, were among those named in the FIR lodged by the state government following a report by the state Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar, who headed a probe that went into the causes behind the child deaths.

An STF official said Mishra and his wife were being quizzed but declined to share further details.

The couple were picked up from Kanpur where they had reportedly gone to consult a lawyer.

"The STF team then left for Gorakhpur to carry out further interrogation there," Pankaj told PTI in Gorakhpur. The FIR was lodged in the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow against nine persons, including Mishra, in connection with the deaths of children at the hospital attached to the college due to alleged lack of oxygen supply. The case was transferred to Gorakhpur. The proprietors of M/s Pushpa Sales, the company responsible for the supply of liquid oxygen, have also been named in the FIR.

On Dr Kafeel Khan, the SSP said, "Police reached his residence for questioning. However, he was not there. His family members have been told to support the police, so that they do not face any legal action during investigations." Recommendations were made by the probe team to initiate criminal action against Dr Khan for allegedly concealing facts and filing false affidavit and working against the rules of the Indian Medical Council.

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However, a group of doctors at AIMS-Delhi had come out in his support, alleging that he was being made a scapegoat by the authorities.

Cases were registered under various sections of the IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Medical Council Act against Dr Rajiv Mishra, Dr Purnima Shukla, Dr Kafeel Khan, Dr Satish, Chief Pharmacist Gajanan Jaiswal, Accountant Sudhir Pandey, Assistant Clerk, Uday Pratap Sharma of Pushpa Sales and Manish Bhandari. The IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide. The official report by the chief secretary, however, denied lack of oxygen as the cause of death. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had formed the committee on August 12, a day after the deaths of children were reported at the hospital. The state government had also shunted out additional chief secretary medical education Anita Bhatnagar Jain.

The issue had acquired a political hue with the BJP government drawing flak from the opposition over the deaths in Gorakhpur, which Adityanath had represented five times in the Lok Sabha. PTI NAV SMI RT AKK VJ RT

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: By Seema Hakhu Kachru

Houston, Aug 29 (PTI) Two Indian students are in a critical condition after they nearly drowned in Lake Bryan in the US state of Texas, which is battling "catastrophic" flooding and torrential rains after Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc, claiming at least five lives.

The Indians, studying at the Texas A&M University, are in a critical condition. They were rescued from the lake, where they had gone swimming, by a police officer on Saturday.

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According to the Bryan police, an officer patrolling the lake was flagged down by a person who said two people swimming in the lake were in distress.

The person who alerted the officer was with the two students, both in their 20s. He had managed to rescue one of them, while the police officer rescued the other one and treated both of them with CPR until medical help arrived, the police said.

The students were identified as -- Shalini, and Nikhil Bhatia. They were taken to the CHI St. Joseph Hospital, where their condition is stated to be critical.

It was not immediately clear as to why they were swimming in the severe weather.

Indias Consul-General in Houston has been monitoring the two students medical needs and the situation closely.

According to the consulate office, Nikhil Bhatia is yet to show signs of improvement, while Shalini showed some improvement today for the first time since her arrival at the hospital.

Nikhils mother, Dr. Suman Bhatia, has arrived from India and was assisted by the consulate office amidst the devastating flood situations here after being received at the Dallas airport. Whereas, Shalinis brother will be arriving tomorrow, the consulate said.

Around 13 million people were battling "catastrophic" flooding and torrential rains in the storm-ravaged Texas where Hurricane Harvey has wreaked havoc, turning streets into raging rivers and claiming at least five lives.

Meteorologists have forecast that the historic rainfall will dump up to 50 inches by Wednesday.

Heavy rain bands were expected to move in over the Houston area overnight, which will continue the catastrophic and life-threatening flash-flood emergency in the area.

At least 200 Indian students are stranded at the University of Houston due to "catastrophic" flooding after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas were being evacuated to safer places, authorities have said.

The students were being provided food and other supplies by the Indian-American community in the area.

Indias Consul-General in Houston Anupam Ray has been in touch with the students and monitoring the evacuation process. PTI SHK ASV

--- ENDS ---

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In the aftermath of a right-wing rally Sunday that ended with anarchists chasing attendees from a downtown park, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin urged UC Berkeley on Monday to cancel conservatives plans for a Free Speech Week next month to avoid making the city the center of more violent unrest.

I dont want Berkeley being used as a punching bag, said Arreguin, whose city has been the site of several showdowns this year between, on the one hand, the left and its fringe anarchist wing, and on the other, supporters of President Trump who at times have included white nationalists.

I am concerned about these groups using large protests to create mayhem, Arreguin said. Its something we have seen in Oakland and in Berkeley.

The mayor wants UC Berkeley to halt plans by a conservative campus group, the Berkeley Patriot, to host right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos during its scheduled Free Speech Week from Sept. 24-27. Berkeleys right-vs.-left cage matches began with an appearance that Yiannopoulos was to have made in February at a campus hall, an event that was aborted when black-clad anarchists like those who broke up Sundays downtown rally stormed into Sproul Plaza, smashed windows and set bonfires.

Trump himself denounced UC Berkeley in a tweet the next day, and his supporters have since made a point of bringing their fight to the famously liberal college town.

There have been reports that the Berkeley Patriot is also trying to lure ousted White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and right-wing commentator Ann Coulter to appear on campus during its Free Speech Week. Bryce Kasamoto, a spokesman for the group, said Monday, We are still working out the logistics of this event with the university and law enforcement. Once we have worked out final specifics, we will be able to confirm speakers for Free Speech Week.

Arreguin is wary of the whole idea.

Im very concerned about Milo Yiannopoulos and Ann Coulter and some of these other right-wing speakers coming to the Berkeley campus, because its just a target for black bloc to come out and commit mayhem on the Berkeley campus and have that potentially spill out on the street, Arreguin said, referring to militants who have also been called anti-fascists or antifa.

The anti-Yiannopoulos protesters inflicted $100,000 worth of damage to the schools student union in February before taking to the streets of Berkeley, where several businesses windows were smashed. Arreguin said inviting the former Breitbart News editor and other right-wing speakers was setting up a possible repeat of that destruction.

I obviously believe in freedom of speech, but there is a line between freedom of speech and then posing a risk to public safety, the mayor said. That is where we have to really be very careful  that while protecting peoples free-speech rights, we are not putting our citizens in a potentially dangerous situation and costing the city hundreds of thousands of dollars fixing the windows of businesses.

UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said the university is working with the Berkeley Patriot to come up with a time and location for Yiannopoulos appearance. He emphasized that UC Berkeley wasnt the one extending the invitation, but that we have neither the legal right nor ability to interfere with or cancel (students groups) invitations based on the perspectives and beliefs of the speakers.

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Where we do have discretion is around everything that has to do with the safety of our communities, and the well-being of those who may feel threatened or harmed by what some of these speakers may espouse, Mogulof said. We can assure you that those priorities, along with our commitment to free speech, remain at the center of our planning and priorities.

Also on tap for next month is a campus appearance by Ben Shapiro, another former Breitbart News editor, who is scheduled to speak Sept. 14 at the 1,900-capacity Zellerbach Hall. His appearance is sponsored by Berkeley College Republicans.

Shapiro told The Chronicle last week that he would welcome anyone who wanted to protest his appearance, but that Im actively telling people not to show up to defend my free speech. Thats the polices job.

UC Berkeley is charging the organizers of Shapiros appearance $15,000 for the campus security costs.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross
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As the director of San Franciscos Department of the Environment, part of Debbie Raphaels job involves making sure the city selects the most environmentally friendly products possible in the thousands of purchasing decisions made by dozens of government departments each year.

Over time, Raphael and her staff have built up a comprehensive list of green products  everything from liquid cleaners to light bulbs and furniture  to encourage city departments to buy more eco-friendly supplies.

But theres a problem. While they may be able to highlight the greenest products available, Raphael and her team have no way of knowing in real time what city departments are actually purchasing. Blame it on old technology.

I dont have confidence that the data is complete, Raphael said. Its not nimble. We dont know which departments are doing great and which ones need help.

But after years of being hobbled by outdated systems, San Francisco city government is in the midst of the largest technological upgrade in its history. The result, city officials hope, will be a government that conducts business more efficiently and transparently than ever before.

City Halls appetite for upgrades has arisen now because the city has both the need to modernize and the means available to do it, City Controller Ben Rosenfield said. In June, the city hired Linda Gerull as its new director of technology. Over the next few years, Gerull said there would be an explosion of new services that will benefit both bureaucrats and the public by digitizing processes currently being done on paper or in-person.

Thats already started. Last month, the city switched over to an all-new, $60 million computing system that will administer its $10 billion budget, manage invoicing, purchasing and payments to over 5,000 vendors, and handle the payroll for the citys 30,000 employees.

Its the backbone of the citys back-office functions, said Rosenfield, who oversaw the rollout. San Francisco, he said, is the last county in the state to embark on a major upgrade of its technological underpinnings. And thats just a start: The citys Department of Public Health is also getting new technology to track thousands of patient records.

The new financial systems predecessor, which Rosenfield described as very stable, but very limited, was switched on in 1980 and hadnt seen a meaningful upgrade since 1997. Because of its limitations, Rosenfield said, city departments independently adopted bespoke financial systems for contracting, dealing with vendors and recording the funds flowing in and out of their offices.

Some departments had sophisticated online systems, and others have been doing it all on paper, Rosenfield said.

When its fully operational, the new system will allow 80 subsystems used by individual departments to work together.

Being able to quickly access data should provide some relief to Raphael as she tracks the citys eco-friendly purchasing efforts.

Raphael and her team have had to stitch together an annual report of the citys green purchases from a patchwork of disparate data. That process takes a staffer hundreds of hours each year and provides a frustratingly incomplete picture of whether the city is living up to its buy-green goals.

The city has these great intentions, and we want to fulfill them, but were hamstrung by technology, she said. If we had real-time data, we would be able to ensure that every dollar of public money spent maximizes its protection of the planet and the people. The new system will allow her to do that.

Rosenfield said technical kinks are still being worked out and employees are getting used to the new system, but, with time, vendors will be able to register to do business with the city, bid on projects and get paid, all online.

As it is now, each city department has its own method of contracting with vendors and tracking payments, making the process of doing business with the city very uneven and overly cumbersome, Rosenfield said.

Another benefit, Rosenfield said, is that the city will be able to track large amounts of data to create more detailed and better-informed budgets.

Were going to have much more information on what the city is spending and with whom its spending at a much more granular level and in a much more transparent way, he said.

The overhaul represents the largest information technology project in city history, but it will soon be eclipsed by an ambitious medical records upgrade under way at the Department of Public Health.

The department is working to unify the digital records system for its entire health network, which treats 100,000 patients at nine hospitals, clinics and health centers. Using a single system, instead of the 50 now in use for things like clinical documentation and regulatory compliance, will allow the patient medical information to move more easily through the departments health care system and provide clinicians with better access to patient data.

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It is an essential tool for the organization to function as a unified network so that patient care and experience is consistent and of the highest quality, wherever the patient may be, said Dr. Albert Yu, the departments chief health information officer.

Over the next 10 years, the project is expected to cost around $377 million, which includes staff training. The Health Department hopes to begin rolling out its new system in July 2019.

Despite the recent improvements and big projects on the horizon, some of the citys inner workings remain deeply mired in the technological past.

In November, Muni fell victim to a ransomware attack that one independent cybersecurity analyst blamed on outdated software.

And the citys Assessor-Recorders Office, which tracks $2.7 billion in property tax revenue each year, is running on a computer system fraught with many inefficiencies, according to Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu.

The programming language is no longer being taught, and inputting and accessing is cumbersome, Chu said. But Chu said that she expects to begin soliciting proposals for a new department system later this year.

Its not really an option for the city not to be paying attention to how we modernize our property tax system, Chu said, adding that while governments dont operate with the nimbleness of the private sector, they should still work to meet citizens growing expectations for service in the modern age.

People want to see a government thats responsive to them, that helps to make their lives easier, she said. Even though were not there yet, we should strive for that.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa
The California Supreme Court handed down a ruling on Monday that could make it slightly easier for citizens to levy new local taxes through voter-sponsored ballot initiatives.

The ruling rested largely on how the court interpreted sections of the state Constitution impacted by Proposition 218. Passed by voters in 1996, Prop. 218 spells out how local governments may levy new taxes and fees, including the vote thresholds that have to be met to approve proposed taxes.

At the heart of the courts ruling is the notion that ballot initiatives generated by citizens arent subject to the same constraints as local governments.

The lawsuit in the case was brought by the California Cannabis Coalition against the city of Upland (San Bernardino County). In 2014, the Cannabis Coalition began circulating a ballot initiative that would have repealed an existing Upland ordinance banning medical marijuana dispensaries and also would have spelled out rules under which dispensaries could operate in the city, including paying a $75,000 annual fee.

The nonprofits initiative secured signatures from 15 percent of the citys residents, triggering a state law that required Upland officials to either adopt the initiative or put it up to a vote in a special election. After reviewing the proposal, however, the city said it would only require a $15,000 licensing fee from dispensaries. The excess as proposed by the coalition constituted a general tax, the city contended, and therefore could only be decided on in the next general election. The city refused to hold a special election for the proposal.

The group sued, insisting that it was entitled to put its proposal in front of voters during a special election, and that it shouldnt have to wait until the 2016 general election. At a special election, its easier to get voters out. We thought (the ballot initiative) would have more of a chance to win if its in a special election, said Roger Diamond, the attorney for the Cannabis Coalition.

Diamond successfully argued that regardless of whether the money paid by the dispensaries would be a tax or a fee, its being imposed by the initiative process, so were exempt from the requirement that the measure go on the general election. Only tax measures imposed by a government are required for a general election, under Prop. 218.

The court agreed. Writing for the majority and referencing Homers The Odyssey, Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuellar said that the law, as it stands, does not bind voters to the constraints placed on local governments by Prop. 218, which are intended to make it more difficult to create new taxes.

As Ulysses once tied himself to the mast so he could resist the Sirens tempting song , voters too can conceivably make the clear and important choice to bind themselves by making it more difficult to enact initiatives in the future. Cuellar said. The electorate made no such clear choice to tie itself to the mast here.

The city of Upland, the court ruled, violated state law when it tried to deny a vote on the coalitions ordinance in a special election. Local governments, by contrast, must always bring proposed general tax increases during a general election, a distinction  as the court clarified  that derives from the laws intent to give more power to citizens. In short, the court said it should be easier for citizens to propose new taxes, compared with proposals introduced by local governments.

The city of Upland could not immediately provide a representative to comment on the ruling.

The courts ruling did not touch on the question of whether voter tax initiatives would be subject to a simple majority vote or a two-thirds majority, the threshold governments are subject to when they want to raise a tax for a specific purpose, as opposed to one where the revenue gets put into the general fund.

Darien Shanske, a professor at UC Davis School of Law, said that vote-threshold question would likely have to be decided by a future court case. But he said Mondays ruling left open the possibility that tax increases proposed by voter initiatives would be a lot easier to pass during special elections.

That could be very helpful for groups capable of organizing and putting a tax increase on the ballot, Shanske said.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa
Foes of a Santa Clara County judge who gave a six-month jail sentence in a Stanford sexual assault case were granted the go-ahead Monday to resume collecting signatures for his possible recall, a court spokesman said.

Judge Kay Tsenin lifted a stay issued Aug. 11 that prevented the signature-gathering. Tsenin, a retired San Francisco judge sitting in Santa Clara County Superior Court, said she would issue a full ruling on the matter Thursday, said court spokesman Benjamin Rada.

Aaron Persky is the Santa Clara County Superior Court judge who set off national outrage for his sentencing of former Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner in his felony sexual assault case. Prosecutors had asked for a six-year prison term for the January 2015 assault, but Persky gave Turner a six-month jail sentence.

Persky said that he was following a probation-department recommendation and that the six-month sentence would have a severe impact on Turner. Critics said the judge has a history of leniency in sentencing male sex offenders and began the recall campaign.

Perskys lawyers had argued that the recall petitions should be submitted to state officials, not county officials. Recall proponents called that effort an attempt to stall the campaign and said a swift ruling was essential if the recall were to qualify for the June 2018 ballot.

By law, recall proponents have 160 days to collect 58,634 valid signatures of registered voters. Persky, a former prosecutor, was appointed to the bench by then-Gov. Gray Davis in 2003.

Only four judges have been recalled in California history. The last was in 1932.

Stanford law Professor Michele Dauber, a leader of the recall campaign, had said that the suit to stop the signature gathering based on the office to which the signatures were to be delivered was gamesmanship and shenanigans.

Obviously, were very happy and thankful the judge ruled in favor of Santa Clara County voters and their constitutional rights, Dauber said shortly after Tsenin issued her ruling. This upholds what we said  Persky filed a frivolous lawsuit in order to stall and delay.

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Elizabeth Pipkin, a lawyer for Perskys campaign to stop the recall, said she was optimistic that Tsenin would reverse her order.

We are hopeful the court will change its tentative ruling after considering our arguments, she said. The California Constitution provides protections for judges who are the targets of a recall campaign. These protections are vital to ensure an independent judiciary.

The Aug. 11 order to halt the recall effort in the first place was issued by Marjorie Laird Carter, the retired Orange County judge who has since been removed from the case in a challenge by recall supporters.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com
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German automaker Daimler AG has, for more than a century, focused primarily on one mission  building and selling cars.

Now, facing a future in which private car ownership may fade, Daimler is ramping up efforts to create new products and services  even business models.

The automaker is taking its 10-year-old Business Innovation unit, with offices in Sunnyvale, and turning it into an in-house incubator called Lab1886.

Lab1886 will solicit ideas from Daimler employees, subject them to a Shark Tank-type competition to select the most promising, and then develop them  aiming to move as quickly as possible. If they work, those ideas could be incorporated in Daimler itself or spun out into their own companies.

Named after the year of the automobiles invention, Lab1886 is part of Daimlers larger effort to rethink its future according to a set of expectations known as CASE, short for vehicles that are connected, autonomous, shared and electric.

Its also part of a trend among automakers to describe themselves as companies that provide mobility services rather than just building wheeled machines. Witness Ford Motor Co.s Ford Smart Mobility unit, backer of the GoBike bicycle-sharing program in the Bay Area.

We need to convert from being an automobile manufacturer to being a mobility service provider, said Rasheq Zarif, head of Lab1886s North American operations. Well still be building cars, but in quantities to be determined.

Zarif, who lives in San Francisco, works out of the Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America lab in Sunnyvale. His business unit already developed the car-sharing service Car2go, which has become a Daimler subsidiary, as well as a partnership with Vivint Solar that pairs lithium-ion batteries with home solar arrays.

It has also piloted a few ideas in the concierge economy, such as delivering laundry and nonperishable groceries to subscribers cars.

Were not so efficient that we can deliver ice cream to your trunk, Zarif said. Were trying to figure out if people want it and are willing to pay for it.

Some of the ideas Daimler has proved willing to pursue may seem far-fetched.

The company this year led a $30 million funding round for German startup Volocopter, which is developing a small electric helicopter with multiple rotors. Lab1886 will work with Volocopter to develop a urban air taxi service, according to Daimler.

But much of Lab1886s focus will go to ideas that can help Daimlers existing business units, from automobile and truck manufacturing to finance. The lab will have offices in Sunnyvale; Stuttgart and Berlin in Germany, and Beijing.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
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Hurricane Harvey is not expected to raise National Flood Insurance Program premiums, with one possible exception.

People who file a flood-insurance claim that puts them into a severe and repetitive loss category could see their premiums go up 25 percent per year. This happens when a home has either four separate claim payments of more than $5,000 each, or two claim payments that exceed the homes current value. In either case, two of the claim payments must have occurred within 10 years of each other, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which runs the program.

The problem is, the claims history applies to the home  not to the homeowner  going back to 1978 or to the construction date if it is later than 1978.

If homeowners dont know that claims were filed before they purchased the home and file one that throws the property into the high-risk category, their premiums could soar.

FEMA does not make it easy to find a homes claims history. There is no public database, and for privacy reasons, the program will disclose it only to the homes current owner  not to prospective home buyers  and only in writing after a written request, said Kevin St. Pe, an insurance agent in south Louisiana.

Consumer groups have been urging Congress to create a database (with personal information redacted) in which homeowners and buyers could look up the claims history of individual properties. However, California and most states require sellers to disclose any known flooding on the property, FEMA flood insurance specialist Edith Lohmann said. Local officials can also provide information related to neighborhood flooding events and frequency, she added.

Robert Hunter, insurance director with the Consumer Federation of America, also wants Congress to disclose to current and prospective homeowners the difference between the homes current premium and a rate that reflects the full risk of the property. Many homeowners are paying less than the full-risk rate thanks to grandfathering (which protects some policyholders from rate increases when flood maps change) and various discounts.

By law, the premium on a homeowners primary residence generally cant go up more than 18 percent a year (except for people in the severe-and-repetitive category). This year, the average premium, including mandatory fees and surcharges, went up 5.4 percent to $1,005.

Harvey will put another hit on the beleaguered program, which is deeply underwater and not likely to repay the billions of dollars it borrowed from the U.S. Treasury after Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. But it wont raise premiums across the board.

A single event, like Hurricane Harvey, does not precipitate insurance premium changes nationwide, a FEMA spokesman said in an email. Flood insurance rates are based on factors specific to the property, such as the age of the building, flood zone, amount of coverage, and occupancy and foundation type. These bases of rating are applied across the country, not uniquely to a state or region, he added.

When people enter the severe-and-repetitive category, their premium can go up by 25 percent a year until it hits their full-risk rate.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Lisa Sharrard, an insurance agent and owner of U.S. Flood Solutions in Columbia, S.C., has a client whose annual premium jumped to $5,144 from $2,836 after he got thrown into the severe and repetitive category. He made two claims on the policy, not knowing that the home had two claims before he purchased it dating back to Hurricane Hugo in 1989, she said.

FEMAs Lohmann could not say why this policyholders premium went up by more than 25 percent without knowing the specifics of the case, but she said there are many factors that affect premiums.

FEMA makes grants available to policyholders in the severe-and-repetitive category to help pay for flood-mitigation projects, such as elevating the home. However, homeowners cannot apply for these grants themselves, they can only come through state or local governments, and many local governments say they dont have the resources to apply for them from FEMA, Sharrard said.

Policyholders can contact the flood program at (866) 395-7496 to get information on their homes flood-loss history.

Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender
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California already has some of the most rigorous laws in the country regarding farm animal welfare, but the states rules surrounding pigs, chickens and cows could get even stricter.

On Tuesday, the Humane Society of the United States introduced a ballot initiative called the Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animals Act, which calls for a requirement that all pork and veal sold in California be produced without restrictive crates, and that all eggs produced and sold in the state be cage-free. It would make California the only state other than Massachusetts, which passed similar legislation last year, to have such regulations on farm animal welfare.

California is a bellwether state that sends a very strong signal to the rest of the nation, said Paul Shapiro, vice president of policy engagement at the Humane Society of the U.S.

The Humane Society and other welfare groups that introduced the legislation said that the goal is to strengthen the states existing regulations: Approved by voters in 2008 and implemented in 2015, Proposition 2 requires that hens, pigs and calves in California farms must be able to stand up, lie down and fully extend their limbs. A follow-up law enacted by the state Legislature, AB1437, requires that those same standards be applied for any eggs sold in the state.

In the decade that has transpired since (Prop. 2 passed), not only have other states like Massachusetts implemented stronger laws, but the marketplace has largely moved beyond the Prop. 2 standard, said Shapiro. He also said the proposed law, which has more enforceable language, would improve the welfare of egg-laying chickens since after Prop. 2 was passed egg producers can still use cages, but they just must allow more space for each bird.

Most egg-laying chickens (in California) are still confined in cages to this day, said Shapiro.

United Egg Producers, the countrys largest egg industry group, did not take a position on the ballot initiative.

Our farmer-members support all types of hen housing, said Chad Gregory, United Egg Producers CEO and president, in a statement. Changes in hen housing are complex and costly, and they require close collaboration with customers. Our focus remains on proper management of hen health and well-being, and meeting or exceeding all food safety requirements.

Richard Blatchford, an assistant cooperative-extension specialist at UC Davis department of animal science, said the proposed law appears to have more enforceable language than Prop. 2, but he noted that cage-free systems for hens are not without their flaws, even in Europe where theyve been used for a while.

Aggression (among hens) tends to be really high. You tend to have higher mortality overall, he said.

However, the biggest potential impact of the initiative could be on pork. California does not have a large pork industry, and most of the pork sold here comes from out-of-state producers who would have to comply with the regulations when selling their product here.

As of 2012, an estimated 85 percent of breeding sows in the United States were kept for the majority of their lives in gestation crates, a type of housing that animal welfare advocates say is cruel because it restricts the ability of the pigs to move and sometimes even lie down. But according to Jim Monroe, spokesman for the National Pork Producers Council, many members of the pork industry favor gestation crates because they say they prevent aggression among sows, injury and mortality.

Any change in production practices should be based on signals from the marketplace, said Monroe. Pork producers, not activists, know far better whats good for their animals.

The marketplace will dictate some changes to the national pork industry, however, now that large food-service companies like McDonalds, Subway, Dennys and many others have pledged to stop serving pork raised in confinement systems in the next five to 10 years.

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Monroe said there would be significant cost when changing from one housing system to another. One estimate predicted that a total national ban on gestation crates and the resulting transition would cost the pork industry between $1.9 billion and more than $3.2 billion.

Not surprisingly, those costs can be passed along from the producer to the consumer, said Monroe, who pointed to a 2016 Cornell University study that showed Californias ban on battery cages added 49 cents to the cost of a dozen eggs.

Other studies show a potentially smaller impact of a ban on gestation crates. The Humane Society cites a study from the Department of Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University that showed that the cost of building new housing would be the same for farmers building a gestation crate system or a group housing system, which allows sows more room to move around.

The next step is for organizers to get more than 365,000 signatures within 180 days in order for the initiative to be placed on the statewide ballot in November 2018.

The Humane Societys Shapiro said he is confident that the initiative can pass in California, where Prop. 2 passed by 64 percent of the votes and where voters have approved many other animal protection laws.

Blatchford, a member of the Center for Animal Welfare at UC Davis, said the proposed law could have a large impact on out-of-state egg producers since many California producers are already cage-free.

I had a feeling we were heading that way in advance of the rest of the country anyway, Blatchford said.

Tara Duggan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taraduggan
Funn Fisher likes to experiment.

When I showed up at her shop, Secret Scoop Thai Gelato in Berkeley, she was testing new sorbet recipes. There was a blackberry with Singha, the Thai beer whose flavor reminded her of an ice cream shop in Bangkok that served alcohol-flavored ice cream. Then there was mango with Tajin, the Mexican chile-lime salt.

In Thailand, I would dip fresh tamarind, green or ripe mangoes in chile, sugar and salt, Fisher says. Tajin reminds me of that flavor.

No one goes to Secret Scoop for a traditional ice cream experience. Thats because Fisher creates flavors based on her childhood in Bangkok. Instead of chocolate, pistachio and salted caramel in her ice cream case, youll find chocolate-lemongrass gelato, soursop-ginger sorbet and salted tamarind sorbet. There are cones, but also fragrant pandan waffle bowls, an invention of Fishers, and the more traditional Thai ice cream accompaniment of sticky rice, served underneath a scoop of gelato or sorbet. Hers is flavored with sweet coconut milk and pandan leaves that tint it a bright green.

When I was a kid, an ice cream tuk tuk (a tiny three-wheel rickshaw) would sell chocolate, strawberry and coconut ice cream, served inside of a bread bun with sticky rice and toppings like peanuts, she says, referring to khanom pang ai tiim, a Thai ice tradition that is basically a sundae served in a bun, a literal ice cream sandwich.

Fisher prefers to sweeten her gelatos and sorbets with brown sugar instead of corn syrup, using as little as possible to keep it light. She even pasteurizes her own gelato base to control the sugar. Thats because she hates how her body feels after eating super sweet gelato or ice cream. Customers should leave feeling happy, she says, not weighed down with sugar. Since she lowers the sugar content, she keeps her sorbets scoopable by adding a mixture of dextrose and guar gum.

To test new mango sorbet recipes, Fisher made one with Tajin, one with chamoy (a sour, salty and sweet chile powder) and one plain, so we could taste the Tajin and chamoy in the sorbet and as a topping. Straight out of the ice cream machine, the mango was so creamy, I thought it had dairy (it didnt). The best, she decided, was with Tajin in the sorbet, whose salt and subtle heat accentuate the mangos fruity flavor.

Its possible that her experimental style comes from her background, which is far from the world of food.

Fisher worked as an architect and university design instructor in Bangkok and Singapore before heading to UC Berkeley in 2008 for a degree in urban design. But job hunting during the recession was difficult, so she started working on more creative projects.

Paul Chinn/The Chronicle

After spending eight hours a day sending out resumes, she would need a break. So one day she tweaked some online recipes for gelato, adding Thai flavors and churning it in her tiny Cuisinart Ice Cream maker. After encouragement from friends, Fisher joined collective retailer Cortland Marketplace in 2010, and later San Francisco kitchen incubator La Cocina, which brought her to festivals. When she finally took the jump to a brick-and-mortar location in March of this year, it was completely self-funded.

Finding affordable Thai ingredients locally has been a struggle. She sources fruit like tamarind, soursop and passion fruit frozen from a restaurant supply store. Frozen pandan and extract come from 99 Ranch in Richmond and Roong Zing Zing, a Thai grocery in El Cerrito. Because Secret Scoop is such a small operation, Fisher also outsources her sticky rice to a local Thai restaurant, Sa-Wooei, using a recipe on which she and the chef collaborated.

Paul Chinn/The Chronicle

There are also occasional language barriers, such as negotiating things like insurance for the shop. My husband (an American) has no problem getting insurance, but with my voice, its harder, she says.

Then there is the fact that she is an Asian making a traditionally Western dessert. Some people think Im trying to change it, that its not sweet or creamy enough, she says. Once, an Italian man came in just to tell her that Thai gelato isnt as good as Italian. In Thailand, western ice cream and Italian gelato are incredibly popular, in addition to Thai traditions like fried ice cream rolls, khanom pang ai tiim and sticky rice.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

But its been a slow process introducing Thai ice cream flavors and traditions to American customers. She ended up removing bread from the menu because customers said the bun made it heavy, but people are slowly becoming interested in the sticky rice. She also sells a variety of Thai toppings, including roasted coconut, jackfruit and lychee-coconut gel. Wanting to re-create her experience of eating fresh tamarind in Thailand, she recently introduced her own version of Mexican chamoy powder as a topping for her salted tamarind sorbet. The feedback has been positive, with some customers enjoying it on other flavors, like her roasted coconut gelato.

It typically takes Fisher four to five months to perfect a new gelato or sorbet recipe. But by the end of our cooking session, she was confident the mango with Tajin is ready to sell. I have to be careful and have Americans taste it, she says. Thai people wont notice the chile, but Americans might find it spicy.

Secret Scoop: 1922 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Berkeley. (415) 939-2832 or www.secretscoopgelato.com. Monday - Thursday 1 p.m.-9.30 p.m. Friday - Sunday 12 p.m. - 9.30 p.m.

Leena Trivedi-Grenier is a freelance writer living in the Bay Area. Follow her on Twitter at @Leena_Eats. Email: food@sfchronicle.com
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Despite initial plans to the contrary, Mourad Lahlou will not reopen his seminal Moroccan restaurant Aziza (5800 Geary Blvd.).

Instead, the Michelin-starred chef will open a new restaurant, to be named Amara, in the space. It will be a Moroccan-Mexican restaurant steeped in the same pioneering attitude as its predecessor. Think of it, as Lahlou puts it, as an evolution of Aziza.

Louis Maldonado, Lahlous close friend and longtime chef de cuisine at Aziza, will be leading the kitchen. If all goes as planned, says Lahlou, it will be the first restaurant of its kind in the country.

Theres no blueprint for this type of restaurant. Theres nothing, Maldonado adds. So were just learning as we go. We have to ask ourselves all the time if were digging in enough, or (if) we are just scratching the surface.

The 15-year-old Outer Richmond destination closed its doors in May 2016 for what was originally supposed to be a remodel. It spent a year in limbo bouncing between renovation complications and permitting issues. Meanwhile, Lahlou concentrated on his downtown Moroccan restaurant, Mourad (140 New Montgomery St.)

So what might Mexican-Moroccan food look like?

Early Amara dishes in the works are starters like smoked lamb riblets with achiote, tabbouleh and serranos, or roasted and raw Little Gem lettuces with tahini, chipotle and sunflower seeds. Larger dishes, served with flatbread, might include marinated beef skewers with root vegetable escabeche, arugula, lime and harissa glaze. Dishes are expected to be priced between $10 and $30 with an emphasis on shareable plates.

Similar to Mourad, Lahlou and Maldonado are using familiar flavors as a springboard for innovation.

The biggest thing for me is: Would my Mexican grandmother get it or would Mourads mom get it? Maldonado says. Would there be things they identify immediately from the flavor profiles? We dont want anything to be traditional Moroccan or Mexican.

Initially, Maldonado wasnt sold on the concept, saying people might not understand it, or the crossover might be hard to pull off. Lahlou, on the other hand, already had a sense of the publics interest. In 2016, he partnered with New York taco guru Alex Stupak on a dinner combining Moroccan and Mexican food.

The goal is to open between December 2017 and January 2018, but Lahlou says the team is anxious to get rolling.

Were still paying rent on the space. We need to get some money coming in, he says with a laugh.

Aesthetically, the old Aziza arches have been removed to open the space up, says Lahlou, so the ceiling at Amara will be higher. There will also be a dedicated bar area, with more of a lounge-style experience.

Mourad bar manager J.P. Smith is putting together the cocktail list, which is expected to mirror the food menu with its use of spices and ingredients, anchored by mezcal and Tequila. Another Mourad vet, Tara Patrick, compiled a wine list of 80 selections ($40-$80 per bottle) from around the world.

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Whatever I do, I want it to have a story. Amara has a story, Lahlou says.

In a sense, Amara is Lahlous way of closing a chapter on Aziza while metaphorically transferring its spirit into a new project.

Azizas history was bigger than the food, bigger than the space. It was hard for me to say I was going to dress it up and open it and itd be the same, Lahlou says. Im excited about Amara. Its going to be just as special.

Amara: Opening late 2017 or early 2018; 5800 Geary Blvd.; it will be open for dinner seven days a week and brunch on the weekends.

Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
A court today rejected the bail plea of Vikas Barala, the son of Haryana BJP chief Subash Barala and who is accused of stalking and attempting to abduct a 29-year-old woman on the streets of Chandigarh earlier this month.

By India Today Web Desk: Vikas Barala, the son of Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subhash Barala, and Ashish Kumar, both accused of stalking and attempting to kidnap a 29-year-old woman in Chandigarh, were denied bail today.

The two men had allegedly stalked and tried to abduct Varnika Kundu, the daughter of a former IAS officer, on the streets of Chandigarh earlier this month in a case that attracted national headlines.

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Vikas and Ashish, were initially arrested hours after the August 4 midnight incident. However, they were soon let out on bail by the Chandigarh Police, which, in a controversial move, dropped serious and non-bailable charges of kidnapping against the two men.

However, they were arrested again on August 9 after the charges were restored.

Both were booked under non-bailable offences, including attempt to abduct Kundu, under Section 365 (kidnapping or abduction with intent to confine person) and Section 511 (attempt to commit offence punishable with life imprisonment) of the Indian Penal Code.

Kundu, 29, daughter of Haryana Additional Chief Secretary V.S. Kundu, had complained to police that the two accused, who were drunk, had stalked and intimidated her and tried to abduct her on August 4-5 night.

Vikas and Ashish have denied that they intended to abduct the woman, who is a disc jockey.

(With inputs from IANS)

ALSO READ | Chandigarh stalking case: CCTV video shows Vikas Barala's SUV following Varnika Kundu's car

ALSO READ | Why Chandigarh stalking is not a shocker: A look at crime against women in numbers

ALSO WATCH | Chandigarh woman stalked by Haryana BJP chief's son narrates ordeal to India Today

--- ENDS ---
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The streets of San Francisco and Berkeley were dominated by counterdemonstrators to hard right-wing groups this weekend, offering a strong message to the country about the Bay Areas opposition to racism and white supremacy.

While San Franciscos protests were overwhelmingly peaceful and successful, Berkeleys was plagued  again  by a violent outburst.

A successful counterprotest wasnt guaranteed in San Francisco. There was plenty of confusion on Friday evening, when the right-wing Patriot Prayer group announced it would cancel its Saturday rally at Crissy Field, and instead hold a news conference at Alamo Square Park.

Local officials were particularly concerned that the sudden shift from a permitted rally at Crissy Field  where a comprehensive security plan had been developed  to an unpermitted event in a compact neighborhood park would create unsafe circumstances for everyone involved. Past Patriot Prayer events in other cities have attracted violent individuals and white supremacists.

So officials shut down Alamo Square Park on Saturday morning, erecting a fence around the perimeter. Police officers surrounded the area, turning away counterprotesters who showed up.

Most of the counterprotesters, to their credit, stuck with their original plans to march and gather at various locations around the city. Local officials encouraged these peaceful responses. Saturdays success was the result of quick thinking and smart, flexible solutions from San Franciscos local leaders, law enforcement and citizens.

Things didnt go as smoothly in Berkeley.

Amber Cummings, the organizer of Sundays No to Marxism rally in Berkeley, also called off her event on Friday evening. In Berkeley, as in San Francisco, protesters showed up anyway at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park  both a few far-right supporters and a far larger number of counterprotesters.

But while the mornings protests were peaceful, things turned bad in the afternoon. The police, who numbered about 400, allowed hundreds of people angered by the presence of the far-right demonstrators to climb over park barriers.

Some of those counterprotesters were masked, and they chased the right-wingers out of the park, attacking several and threatening to attack reporters who were trying to document their actions. The hate and the violence they exhibited were despicable  and an affront to the peaceful message of the vast majority of protesters. By the time it was all over, police had arrested 13 people and reported six injuries.

The difference between the two cities is in their planning and their leadership. Berkeley police said that they backed off as a safety decision and that theyre trying new and different strategies. But this isnt the first time things have gone badly in Berkeley, so the citys leadership needs to learn faster.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
Terray Sylvester/The Chronicle

Given paralyzing divisions over campaign cash restrictions and influencers knack for evading rules, disclosure may be the most pragmatic available check on money in politics. Even the most conservative opponents of campaign finance regulation  including the current U.S. Supreme Court majority  have endorsed full disclosure of the sources of funds.

The chief opponents of this unobjectionable idea are politicians and patrons who want to keep voters in the dark. Of course, those turn out to be formidable forces in Washington and Sacramento, which have repeatedly killed measures to identify the corporate, union, and other interests swaying elections.
Whos a bigger terror threat to the United States right now: Islamic extremists or white nationalists?

Thats been a big question on Americans minds, especially since a neo-Nazi killed a counterprotester and injured 19 others during an Aug. 12 white-nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va. Democrats are more worried about white nationalists, while Republicans are more likely to identify Islamic extremists as the greater terror threat.

But heres what neither side will tell you: In both cases, the threat is negligible. Whatever their politics, Americans radically exaggerate the danger of radical terrorism. They just point to different terrorists, depending on their point of view.

And that speaks to the real problem here, which doesnt have to do with terrorism at all. Its the hyper-polarization of our politics, which leads us to demonize the other team. Most Muslims are not Islamic extremists, any more than most supporters of President Trump are white nationalists. But the bogeyman of terrorism blinds us to these distinctions, transforming our political opponents into existential enemies.

Witness how both sides cite their own statistics, each designed to make the other look worse. After Charlottesville, liberals pointed out  accurately  that there have been more fatal attacks on U.S. soil by far-right extremists (62 incidents) than by Islamic extremists (23 incidents) since Sept. 11, 2001.

And conservatives said  again, correctly  that more people had died at the hands of Islamic extremists (119) than at the hands of the far-right attackers (106). But nearly half of the people murdered by Muslim terrorists died in a single incident, the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting; if you subtract that, liberals countered, the murder toll from the far right is almost twice as high as that from Islamic extremists.

But guess what? In the grand scheme, all of these threats are infinitesimal. Since 2001, your chance of being crushed to death by an unstable television or piece of furniture has been greater than your chance of dying at the hands of a terrorist. About 100 Americans die every day in automobile accidents. So this coming weekend, more of us will perish on our roads than the total number of deaths from terrorism since 2001.

Here liberals will insist that white nationalism is different from Islamic extremism, because racism is baked into Americas historical DNA. And it has recently received a big boost from the president of the United States, whose odious violence on both sides comments after Charlottesville placed white nationalists on the same moral plane as their opponents.

All true. Its also true that the Trump administration recently cut federal funds for groups that fight white supremacists and neo-Nazis, focusing the governments antiterror efforts on Muslims. Indeed, many Americans still dont seem to regard white racists like James Alex Fields  the alleged killer in Charlottesville  as terrorists at all.

But its absurd to saddle all Trump supporters with the mantle of terrorism. And if you think otherwise, think back to the Orlando shooting and the ways that some conservatives used it to slander all Muslims.

When Omar Mateen murdered 49 people at a gay nightclub last year, conservatives were quick to note that Muslims are less likely to embrace equal rights for homosexuals than other Americans are. About two-thirds of Americans support same-sex marriage, for example, but only 4 in 10 American Muslims do.

And worldwide, majority-Muslim countries are overwhelmingly antigay. In a 2013 poll, 97 percent of people in Jordan said that homosexuality should not be accepted by society; in Egypt, 95 percent agreed; in Tunisia, it was 94 percent.

So Islam is an intolerant religion that provoked Mateen into mass murder, right? Wrong. Not every Muslim is antigay, of course. And even among those who denounce homosexuality, the vast majority dont think its legitimate to take up arms against it.

Likewise, not everyone who voted for Donald J. Trump is a hard-core racist. About 30 percent of them were Latino and 8 percent were African American; indeed, Trump polled better among both groups than GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney did four years earlier.

Did Trumps calls to build a wall and ban Muslims galvanize white racists to his side? Of course. Theres a reason the likes of David Duke have praised him, after all.

But no matter how much racism they harbor in their hearts, most of these voters would never wear Nazi regalia or carry a tiki torch in a white-supremacist parade. And, most of all, they would never consider murdering in the name of their beliefs.

There are plenty of bigots in the United States, of every creed and color. And yes, we have to be vigilant about identifying and neutralizing the real terrorists among them, whether Muslim or white supremacist.

But imagining everyone in the other camp as a potential terrorist  or as an apologist for the same  is the ultimate red herring. Its bipartisan, infecting liberals and conservatives alike. And its time for it to stop.

Jonathan Zimmerman teaches education and history at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author (with Emily Robertson) of The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools (University of Chicago Press, 2017).
ANAHEIM  Jed Lowrie was back in Oaklands lineup Monday after taking a foul ball off his left shin during his third plate appearance Sunday.

Its considerably better, said the As second baseman, who played another inning in the field before exiting Sunday. Its still a little sore, but yesterday it would not get loose.

Lowrie, naturally, doesnt wear a protective pad on his back shin, but he was a little surprised by a first-pitch slider from Austin Bibens-Dirkx. Unless I start wearing catchers gear to the plate, I dont think I can prevent that, he said.

Lowrie lives in Houston during the offseason, but he said his wife, Milessa, and children, Saige and Miles, are in Southern California with him this week, while his mother-in-law stayed behind in Houston. Lowries home is near Rice University and is not in the floodplain. But theyre expecting another 6-10 inches of rain, so weve been texting with her to make sure everything is OK, Lowrie said. Its a bad situation and its not going to end anytime soon.

Lowrie was glad to see that MLB and the players association have each donated $1 million to relief efforts in Houston. He said he and Milessa already have had talks about trying to help in some way. We definitely want to do something, he said.

Briefly: Manager Bob Melvin said the CT scan of right-hander Paul Blackburns right hand was negative, so he does not have a hairline fracture. The rookie starter, hit on the hand by a line drive last Tuesday, still was having trouble forming a fist over the weekend. He is on the disabled list and is expected to miss at least two starts. ... When Renato Nunez joins the As as a September call-up, hell probably see a little time at DH and maybe in left field, Melvin said. In an organization that has a lot of prospects, he kind of gets lost in the shuffle, Melvin said. ... Well have to find some at-bats for him because he can hit as well as any of these guys. Its first and foremost rewarding him and getting him here and then figuring out where the at-bats come.

Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.

On deck

Tuesday

at Angels

7:05 p.m. NBCSCA

Smith (0-3) vs. Scribner (2-1)

Wednesday

at Angels

7:05 p.m. NBCSCA

Graveman (4-4) vs. Bridwell (7-2)

Thursday

Off

Leading off

Honors in minors: Renato Nunez, who will be called up from Triple-A Nashville in September, is on the all-Pacific Coast League team, and Nashvilles Ben Bracewell was named the PCL Pitcher of the Week.

 Susan Slusser
Harris town hall: Sen. Kamala Harris hosts a town hall from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Beebe Memorial Cathedral, 3900 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland. Admission is free, but attendees must RSVP for tickets. Limit one per person. Information: http://bit.ly/2wN8DqI.

Climate change: Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, hosts a conversation on climate change with UC Berkeley Professor Daniel Kammen and Impossible Foods CEO Pat Brown. The event is from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the San Francisco Zoo, Sloat Boulevard and Great Highway. Tickets required; event will also be streamed on Speiers Facebook page. Information and tickets: http://bit.ly/2uZ9ELJ

Environmental authors: Litquake presents a panel of authors discussing Trump administration environmental policies. Panel members include Kenneth David Brower and Mary Ellen Hannibal. Free event is from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Koret Auditorium, Main Library, 100 Larkin St. in San Francisco. Information: http://bit.ly/2wcxkeo

Virginia candidate: The Sister District Project is raising funds for Kathy Tran, a candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates, by hosting a discussion with Rita Bosworth, the Sister District Project founder, and former California Assemblyman Ted Lempert. 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Half Moon Bay Brewing Co., 390 Capistrano Road, Half Moon Bay. Information: www.goo.gl/d2KVLu

Sexual minorities: Phillip Ayoub, assistant professor of politics at Drexel University, discusses the recent history of transnational movement in Europe and the reasons for states varying approaches to legal recognition for LGBT rights. His talk begins at 4:10 p.m. Thursday in Room 382 of the humanities building at San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave. at 19th Avenue. Admission is free. Information: https://lca.sfsu.edu/events/2017-08-31-231500/817163.

Town hall: Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, hosts a town hall meeting at the Crockett Community Center, 850 Pomona St., from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday. Information: www.facebook.com/events/336289353489096

Indivisible: General meeting of Indivisible to plan weekly actions. Meeting starts at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at 1661 15th St. in San Francisco. Information: http://bit.ly/2xrMHOK

Town hall: A forum for students in West Contra Costa middle and high schools and Contra Costa College. Speakers include members of the Richmond and El Cerrito city councils and other government panels. The event, hosted by Contra Costa Young Democrats, is at 5 p.m. Sept. 7 at John F. Kennedy High School, 4300 Cutting Blvd., Richmond. Information: www.youngdems.org

Voter registration: Volunteers will help new U.S. citizens register to vote after a swearing-in ceremony. Sponsored by Democracy Action, which works to advance Democratic candidates. 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 7 outside the Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. Information: https://demaction.us

Town hall: State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, and other community leaders discuss reforming Proposition 13s commercial property tax system. Hosted by Make It Fair, the event is from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at the First Congregational Church of Oakland, 2501 Harrison St. Information: http://bit.ly/mifbay17.

Picnic in the park: Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, hosts a picnic in Golden Gate Parks Marx Meadow picnic area Sept 10. RSVP: http://chiuassembly.ngpvanhost.com/form/-1081566039410473216

Prayers for peace: Multifaith prayers for peace and justice on the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Event is from 7 to 8 p.m. Sept. 11 at King Plaza, 250 Hamilton Ave. in Palo Alto. Information: http://bit.ly/2wQEUNz.

Climate action: Climate Action in the City, a panel discussion on adapting to climate change in San Francisco, sponsored by San Francisco Tomorrow. Event is from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Richmond District Police Station community room, 461 Sixth Ave., San Francisco. Information: http://www.sftomorrow.org/.

Town hall: Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, holds a town hall at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at Dance Palace, 503 B St., Point Reyes Station. Information: http://bit.ly/2vpinSI

Cap and trade forum: Oil industry experts and activists in the climate and environmental justice movement will explain Californias cap and trade law and its recently approved extension. Hosted by Sunflower Alliance and 350 Bay Area. The event runs from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 17 at 155 Grand Ave. in Oakland. Information: www.sunflower-alliance.org/the-cap-and-trade-scam-sept-17/

To list an event, email Trapper Byrne at tbyrne@sfchronicle.com.
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The jeers lobbed at Berkeley police officers during Sundays right-wing rally spilled over into Monday and Tuesday  via emails and calls from people all over the world, police say.

People apparently riled up by images and videos of right-wing demonstrators getting pummeled with no police in sight have been venting to Berkeley police. One officer said hes taken calls from Florida, Georgia and Australia.

Its worldwide news. Its a hot political potato, and were caught in the middle, said Berkeley police Officer Brandon Smith, a community liaison in the department. We try to take it all into consideration.

Now Playing: Police said 13 people were arrested during a protest Sunday at Berkeley's Civic Center Park. Some demonstrators exchanged blows and deployed pepper spray. Credit: Guy Wathen, Lizzie Johnson Video: JW Player

Berkeley Police Sgt. Spencer Fomby was one of several officers who went to a coffee-with-a-cop event Tuesday at a local Starbucks and described what the department has been going through since Sunday. He said people on both sides of the political spectrum wished the other had been targeted more aggressively.

Were trying to allow lively political debate, until it crosses a line, said Fomby, who chatted with residents over a cold brew coffee before returning to work, which involves overseeing the citys community liaisons.

Battered from all sides, the department isnt shrinking away. Everyone from the command level on down is picking up the phone, reading the emails and trying to take the responses in stride.

Weve definitely gotten some positive feedback and certainly some negative, said Lt. Kevin Schofield. We recognize this is two days after, so were happy to answer questions.

The police say constructive comments from the community are essential to improving how future demonstrations are handled  including those expected next month when a conservative UC Berkeley student group hosts a Free Speech Week.

Most of the people who showed up at the Starbucks were employees of the chain more concerned about drug use in store bathrooms and the homeless outside than about the management of political rallies.

The cheerful affair  one in a series of meet-and-greets the department is hosting  was in stark contrast to the weekend melee, when every officer in the department was called in, vacation days were canceled and police from neighboring cities were brought in as backup. More than a dozen people at the protest were arrested, and several were hospitalized with injuries.

Smith, who was part of an arrest team Sunday driving around the city, said the police made conscious efforts to de-escalate tensions. When members of the so-called black bloc, mostly masked anarchists, came toward officers, he said, we backed away a little bit.

Most of the hate mail Smith said hes gotten has come from people who werent at the protest or who dont live in the area.

Those are intense situations, and we have to make decisions on the fly, he said. We dont always get it 100 percent right.

Although most of the thousands of people who turned out were smiling, laughing and hugging one another, Smith said, arresting the few who were violent could be difficult because they used the mass of mostly peaceful people for cover.

They would rush in, attack, then back into the crowd, he said.

The approach by the police was appreciated by Fred Dodsworth, a 66-year-old poet and retired journalist who met with the officers Tuesday. He said he came to express his thanks and make sure they knew that I wasnt the enemy.

Dodsworth said he was worried that when he went to Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, right-wing demonstrators would bring weapons. But the polices backpack searches made him feel safe.

The police did a very good job on Sunday, Dodsworth said. They came with overwhelming force, so everyone knew that if youre a bad guy, youd be held accountable.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov
By PTI: By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Aug 29 (PTI) Pakistans former envoy to India Abdul Basit has slammed former top diplomat and the countrys ambassador to the US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry as the "worst foreign secretary ever" and blamed him for several foreign policy disasters including the Ufa joint statement with India.

Basit, who was twice overlooked for the post of foreign secretary, made the harsh remarks in a letter - widely circulated on social media - dated July 5, 2017 and printed on his official letterhead while he still served as Pakistans high commissioner in New Delhi.

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The Foreign Office has not confirmed the authenticity of the letter. However, the Dawn news, which published the letter on its website, quoted its sources in the Foreign Office as saying that the letter is authentic.

"The more I think the more I am convinced that you have been the worst Foreign Secretary ever," Basit wrote in response to a farewell letter by Chaudhry which he sent to Basit on March 12 after his appointment as the ambassador of Pakistan to Washington.

Instead of wishing him good luck on his new assignment, Basit had an ominous warning in the letter: "My concern is that you would also end up being the worst Pakistan Ambassador in Washington D.C."

He asserted that Chaudhry was not made for the "delicate profession of diplomacy" and cited the Ufa joint statement with India and Pakistans failure to get re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council as leading examples of his failures.

The joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharifs meeting in Ufa in 2015 on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation mentioned terrorism and the need to expedite the Mumbai trial but Kashmir was conspicuously missing in it.

Leaders and media in Pakistan had criticised the Sharif government over the absence of any mention of the vexed Kashmir issue in the joint statement.

Basit said Chaudhrys "heart was not in the right place" and argued that it was in Pakistans interests that he should be immediately removed from his post as ambassador to the US.

He further said that if Chaudhry was not removed then he should not be at least given any extension beyond February 27, 2018, the date of his retirement.

"May Allah help Pakistan when people like you with weak and dubious credentials are at such important positions," Basit ended the letter with these grim words.

Basit opted for an early retirement earlier this month and was replaced by Sohail Mahmood as the high commissioner.

It is pertinent to mention that Chaudhry was appointed as the foreign secretary by ignoring Basit.

Basit was again ignored this year when his junior Tehmina Janjua was appointed foreign secretary, replacing Chaudhry who was sent to the US as Pakistans ambassador. PTI SH ZH AKJ ZH

--- ENDS ---

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Nearly a dozen immigrant workers living in squalid conditions were freed Tuesday from a forced labor ring in Hayward, authorities said.

The victims were allegedly exploited to work at construction projects around the Bay Area and lived in an industrial building without running water that was locked from the outside at night.
Foes of a Santa Clara County judge who gave a six-month jail sentence in a Stanford sexual assault case were granted the go-ahead Monday to resume collecting signatures for his possible recall, a court spokesman said.

Judge Kay Tsenin lifted a stay issued Aug. 11 that prevented the signature-gathering. Tsenin, a retired San Francisco judge sitting in Santa Clara County Superior Court, said she would issue a full ruling on the matter Thursday, said court spokesman Benjamin Rada.

Aaron Persky is the Santa Clara County Superior Court judge who set off national outrage for his sentencing of former Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner in his felony sexual assault case. Prosecutors had asked for a six-year prison term for the January 2015 assault, but Persky gave Turner a six-month jail sentence.

Persky said that he was following a probation-department recommendation and that the six-month sentence would have a severe impact on Turner. Critics said the judge has a history of leniency in sentencing male sex offenders and began the recall campaign.

Perskys lawyers had argued that the recall petitions should be submitted to state officials, not county officials. Recall proponents called that effort an attempt to stall the campaign and said a swift ruling was essential if the recall were to qualify for the June 2018 ballot.

By law, recall proponents have 160 days to collect 58,634 valid signatures of registered voters. Persky, a former prosecutor, was appointed to the bench by then-Gov. Gray Davis in 2003.

Only four judges have been recalled in California history. The last was in 1932.

Stanford law Professor Michele Dauber, a leader of the recall campaign, had said that the suit to stop the signature gathering based on the office to which the signatures were to be delivered was gamesmanship and shenanigans.

Obviously, were very happy and thankful the judge ruled in favor of Santa Clara County voters and their constitutional rights, Dauber said shortly after Tsenin issued her ruling. This upholds what we said  Persky filed a frivolous lawsuit in order to stall and delay.

Elizabeth Pipkin, a lawyer for Perskys campaign to stop the recall, said she was optimistic that Tsenin would reverse her order.

We are hopeful the court will change its tentative ruling after considering our arguments, she said. The California Constitution provides protections for judges who are the targets of a recall campaign. These protections are vital to ensure an independent judiciary.

The Aug. 11 order to halt the recall effort in the first place was issued by Marjorie Laird Carter, the retired Orange County judge who has since been removed from the case in a challenge by recall supporters.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com
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Jefferson Davis never set foot in California or Nevada, but two peaks  one in each state  bear the name of the president of the Confederacy.

One, the third-highest mountain in Nevada at 12,771 feet high, towers over Great Basin National Park. The other, 444 miles to the west, is a little known and rarely climbed volcanic plug near Lake Tahoe in Alpine County.

The latter's rugged, near-vertical slopes seem out of place with the surrounding terrain. They look like they belong in Arizona's Monument Valley.

Matthew Holliman on the mountaineering forum Summitpost.org calls the crag "unquestionably the most impressive summit in the Lake Tahoe Area."

Supposedly settlers of nearby Summit City, a mining boom town that has long since vanished from the landscape, were Confederate sympathizers who named the crag after the slave-owning leader of the South.

So far, there hasn't been a huge outcry for California and Nevada to change the name of the two Jeff Davis peaks, possibly because both are in remote areas well out of the public eye.

"I've never heard a peep, not one," Steven Mietz, superintendent of Great Basin National Park, told the Reno Gazette-Journal when asked in May if the Nevada mountain's name generated any controversy.

Same with Jeff Davis Peak in California. "No controversy that we know of," said Clare Long, public information officer for the Stanislaus National Forest.

But with the recent violence in Charlottesville, Va., and the backlash against Confederate monuments erected during the Jim Crow era, that might be changing.

An Aug. 18 letter in the Las Vegas Review-Journal urged Nevadans to support the renaming their Jeff Davis Peak.

"Confederate symbols on public land, in effect, endorse a movement founded on white supremacy," wrote reader Anna Blige Henderson.

"We must show the country that Nevada gives no safe harbor to such hatred."

Less than two weeks ago, the city of San Diego removed a plaque honoring Davis in the park at Horton Plaza.

At least one person in California wants to see Jeff Davis' name erased from the volcanic formation in Alpine County.

Insurance salesman and history buff Anthony Oertel of San Rafael is the driving force behind the Frederick Bee project, a website dedicated to the memory and deeds of Frederick Bee, a leading figure in 19th-century Northern California.

Bee, a self-described capitalist, wore many many hats. He was a Gold Rush pioneer, miner and merchant. He worked for the Pony Express and erected the first telegraph wires over the Sierra Nevada. He developed Sausalito, which has a street named after him, lobbied for the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, and operated a vineyard near Martinez.

But perhaps his noblest calling was defending Chinese immigrants against discrimination and persecution. His efforts led to China appointing him consul to represent the interests of the Chinese community.

"Frederick Bee was a builder of the telegraph over the Sierras," Oertel said. "Bee should be recognized with his name on a summit, instead of a traitor to the Union."

In an email, Alpine County Supervisor David Griffith said he was skeptical about changing the name of the peak, but had no strong feelings about it and and would listen to the community before making any decision.

"To date there hasn't been any significant local controversy over the name of Jeff Davis Peak that I am aware of," Griffith said.

Asked about the suitability of having a mountain named after Davis in the light of the recent events in Charlottesville, Va., Griffith noted that at the time of the Civil War, it was a close call whether this part of the Sierra would join the Union or the Confederacy. (California entered the union as a free state.)

"The history of Charlottesville and the old South is very different than the history here, so while the events at Charlottesville are likely to have significant ramifications though out the old South, as they should, I am not convinced that it applies here," he said.

While it's easy to request a name change for a landmark on federal land, getting it approved isn't.

Any member of the public can submit a change-of-name request through the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The board then researches the request, assesses whether it's justified, and sees if there are objections to the proposed change.

The board has a history of granting changes to names deemed racial slurs or vulgar. But it's not clear whether glorifying historical figures who fought for or led the Confederacy would warrant a name change in California.

If the board does not act in a reasonable time on a request, a 1947 statute gives the secretary of the Interior the authority to change names on his or her own. Sally Jewell, Interior secretary under President Obama, used this law to change the name of Mt. McKinley to Denali over the objections of Ohio congress members.
Facebook hired Michael Sayman for an internship when he was 17, and gave him a full-time engineering job at 18. Now, the wunderkind is leaving for Google. He turned 21 last week.

At Facebook, Sayman was a product manager who helped the social media giant understand how his generation uses their phones, advising on experimental products for teens and helping executives understand trends. At Google, hell be a product manager for Assistant, a voice service built on the search engines giant database.

Assistant is a top priority for Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The Mountain View company is working to embed the tool across a range of its own products and on other companies devices, facing stiff competition from Amazons Alexa and Apples Siri. Google confirmed on Monday that Sayman was hired for the Assistant team.

Facebook discovered Sayman, who taught himself to make mobile apps at age 13, because he was using the companys developer tools for an iPhone application he created. Ahead of his internship, the company flew him out to meet CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He brought his mom. Sayman was still wearing braces when he became one of Facebooks youngest employees.

In a Facebook post confirming his departure, Sayman said he taught himself to code by looking up tutorial videos on Google.

On a personal level, I also see the Assistant as an opportunity for Google to lower the barrier of entry for kids/teens of all ages and backgrounds, to learn how to program  and encourage them to explore the world of computer science in ways that were once considered impossible, he wrote. Sayman noted that Zuckerberg has been an incredible inspiration and absolute pleasure to work with.

Acquisitions

CBS deal may

boost streaming

CBS Corp. snapped up ailing Australian television broadcaster Ten Network Holdings, securing an offshore testing ground for its on-demand streaming service.

The most-watched U.S. network agreed to buy money-losing Ten, sidelining a potential bid from News Corp. Co-Chairman Lachlan Murdoch. Terms werent disclosed.

The deal shows how U.S. media companies are looking overseas for growth as the domestic advertising market struggles. It also gives CBS a boost as it competes with other media giants, like Netflix and HBO, who are expanding online services worldwide.

Led by CEO Les Moonves, CBS has reduced its reliance on advertising in part by selling shows in international markets. The New York company, which airs The Big Bang Theory and NCIS, said this month it would take CBS All Access outside the U.S. next year, starting with Canada.

The network plans to introduce its service in Australia, more than two years after Netflix started streaming Down Under. Netflix, available in almost 200 countries, is prompting legacy television companies to offer their own programming to subscribers via the Internet.

New York

Cigarettes to hit

$13 per pack

The price of a pack of cigarettes in New York City is going up  to at least $13  and the number of places you can buy them is going down under legislation signed Monday by the mayor.

The new minimum price law, which takes effect on June 1, will make New York the most expensive place in the U.S. to buy cigarettes, Health Department officials said.

We are sending a loud and clear message that we will not let their greed kill any more New Yorkers without a fight, Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a bill signing ceremony at a Brooklyn hospital. These new laws will not only help reduce the number of smokers in our city, but also save lives.

Currently, the minimum allowed price per pack is $10.50.

The planned price hike is one of seven bills the Democratic mayor signed Monday aimed at pressuring the citys 900,000 estimated smokers to quit.

Another new rule will reduce by half the number of retailers licensed to sell tobacco products. About 8,300 businesses now have a license. The numbers will be reduced through attrition, officials said. Philadelphia and San Francisco have similar licensing restrictions.

Venture capital

New fund focuses

on mature startups

Silicon Valley venture capitalists are looking to create a publicly traded fund with a single focus: investing in mature startups to provide them with a way to reach a wider group of investors while skipping some steps involved with an initial public offering.

Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. plans to raise cash from investors in an IPO and then invest the cash in one or more late-stage companies, according to a securities filing last week.

The fund, which is whats known as a special purpose acquisition vehicle, will be able to set the value of its holdings and let backers trade its shares without the private companies having to go through their own IPOs. The value of the shares then fluctuate based on market demand.

A spokeswoman for the fund declined to comment, citing U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules. The Wall Street Journal earlier reported the news.

Chamath Palihapitiya, managing partner of venture firm Social Capital and an owner of the Golden State Warriors, will serve as CEO, while Ian Osborne, co-founder of venture firm Hedosophia, will serve as president. Adam Bain, the former chief operating officer of Twitter, will become a director.

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A San Francisco-based startup has shut down operations, leaving many customers who paid upwards of $139 for a pair of wireless earbuds empty-handed.

Like many startups that came before, Kanoa Inc. ran out of capital, according to a statement on its website. But this startup, which one customer called "the Fyre Festival of wireless earbuds," flamed out after two years of promises.

"This is not the outcome we had foreseen, and with the quick turn of events, we are emotionally overwhelmed," the company wrote in its statement. "We know you are disappointed, and can only ask that you understand that we genuinely tried."

One such unforeseen event included a scathing review on YouTube on Aug. 19. Cody Crouch was one of a number of reviewers and backers who received headphones earlier this month, says Fortune.

In his 27-minute review, Crouch lists a handful of complaints about the earbuds, claiming they struggled to pair with the app, failed to cancel ambient noise as promised and disconnected from the phone when in his back pocket. Crouch also alleged that the company bribed him with $500 in exchange for a "good review."

Less than one week later, Kanoa's investors backed out and the company shuttered. The farewell statement even appears to reference Crouch's video.

"Setbacks and some bad publicity, like reviews of non-shippable beta units, stirred our audience," it says.

The statement also indicates that customers who pre-ordered the headphones, which were set to retail for $300, probably won't get their money back.

"We are in negotiations with investors for funding, and also large tech companies on an acquisition, while prioritizing our commitment via KANOA to you," it said. "Unfortunately, without that investment, we do not have enough capital to stay operational while we find a solution."

The company also said it had let go of all employees.

Kanoa Inc. dazzled customers with its promise of Bluetooth-enabled wireless earbuds in 2015, more than a year before Apple released its AirPods. Jarrett Abello, the director of software development at a South Florida tech company, bought into the promises. He purchased a pair for $139 in April of 2015. Two years later, he had yet to receive the product.

Abello began calling out Kanoa on Twitter and Facebook, after which he says the company blocked him on all social media. He eventually got a refund after "spamming" the customer service email.

Others weren't so lucky. Ben Fink, of New York, says he and his roommate paid $159 for the earbuds about nine months ago. As an avid tech user, Fink had set up a Kanoa user group on Facebook for troubleshooting. After the announcement, group membership ballooned from 200 to 1,200 overnight. As of Monday, over 2,000 people had joined the group, many of whom took to the page to share their anger.

A separate Facebook page, created to organize a class action lawsuit, claims it has already found an attorney for representation. As Fortune points out, if a class action lawsuit does succeed, it's uncertain where the money would come from.

Requests for comment via Kanoa's customer service email were not immediately returned.

Although Abello got his money back, he says he's miffed as a matter of principle.

He said of the company, "They're the Fyre Festival of wireless earbuds."

Read Michelle Robertsons latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.
Its official. Dara Khosrowshahi is the chief executive officer of Uber Technologies Inc.

The ride-hailing company made the announcement late Tuesday, confirming reports by Bloomberg and others, as well as comments he made to the press. The selection of Expedia Inc.s outgoing CEO concludes a months-long search to replace Travis Kalanick.

Uber took the early part of the week to wrap up negotiations and paperwork, following a contentious yet ultimately unanimous board vote. Khosrowshahi was the dark-horse candidate, and his name didnt appear in public while high-profile candidates such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.s Meg Whitman and General Electric Co. Chairman Jeffrey Immelt were known to be in the running for the job.

Dara is the best person to lead Uber into the future building world-class products, transforming cities, and adding value, Uber said in a statement that had the names of Kalanick, co-founder Garrett Camp and other board members and executives.

Although Khosrowshahi, 48, called his new job the opportunity of a lifetime in an interview with Bloomberg, hes facing a long list of challenges. The company is losing hundreds of millions of dollars a quarter. Its staring down two Department of Justice investigations, one into the companys Greyball software that obscured drivers from law enforcement officials and then a second, revealed Tuesday, into bribes paid to foreign officials. Benchmark, the companys largest shareholder, is locked in a legal fight with Kalanick over the allocation of board seats. To top it off, many of the executive ranks sit empty; theres no chief financial officer, no chief marketing officer and no general counsel.

Are there difficulties? Are there complexities? Are there challenges? Absolutely, but thats also what makes it fun, Khoshrowshahi said Tuesday in an interview shortly before Uber made his appointment official. I am not in this to coast. Im in it to get my hands dirty and build a team and do something that people will look back on with tons of satisfaction.

Despite the circumstances, the selection of Khosrowshahi was a fairly prompt process, as far as CEO searches go. Fewer than 12 weeks had passed from Kalanicks June 20 resignation. Yet amid the headlines over the presumably secret search process, Uber employees were eager for it to be over. The San Francisco company, which has been run by a 14-person executive committee, is ready for a single leader again.

With its $69 billion valuation, the company has effectively made an enormous promise to investors that it will be a once-in-a-generation technology company. There are signs that Uber, despite its many challenges, has a path to achieve its grand ambitions. Ride-hailing and the dream of self-driving cars have already begun to transform the transportation industry. Last year, Uber generated $20 billion in bookings (the total value of fares paid out to drivers), and that number is growing each quarter.

Here are some other comments and tweets by stakeholders, some referring to Khosrowshahi by his Twitter handle, @dkhos:

Kalanick: With a deep passion for team building, Dara grew Expedia into one of the worlds most successful travel and technology platforms. Casting a vote for the next chief executive of Uber was a big moment for me and I couldnt be happier to pass the torch to such an inspiring leader.

Arianna Huffington, board member: Delighted to welcome @dkhos as @Ubers new CEO

Benchmark: Weve been admirers of the work and character of @dkhos for years, and are thrilled to have him leading @Uber 2.0

Hui-yong Yu contributed to this report.

Eric Newcomer is a Bloomberg writers. Email: enewcomer@bloomberg.net
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Crown Heights begins with Grandmaster Flashs The Message, a scene-setting snippet of music to establish Colin Warner as a struggling 18-year-old in the early 1980s.

Hes close to the edge  stealing a car not long after we meet him  but hes not guilty of murder. Warner is grabbed by police, thrown into jail, and the music stops. The young mans life, and the movie it inspired, become hyper-focused on the byzantine legal nightmare waiting like a trap for inner-city youth.

Matt Ruskins film is about atmosphere as much as the actual events. His directorial choices give the viewer an unrelenting experience  devoid of montages, obvious feel-good moments, soundtrack cues and other cliches that inhabit more mainstream legal and prison dramas.

Crown Heights has some narrative shortcomings. But the filmmakers respect the subject matter too much to ever take the easy way out. Its close in tone to the challenging The Night Of  HBO miniseries, requiring an initial emotional investment, before yielding its rewards.

Lakeith Stanfield is solid as Warner, a real-life immigrant from Trinidad who was convicted of a 1980 murder in Brooklyn, even though the evidence was ridiculously thin. When overworked public defenders and immoral appeals attorneys let him down, it was up to Warner and best friend K.C. (Nnamdi Asomugha) to keep the case alive.

Asomughas performance would be remarkable, even if he wasnt a star for Cal and a two-time All-Pro defensive back with the Oakland Raiders. In Crown Heights, K.C. is our tour guide on the streets to encounter the hopelessness, personal sacrifice and collateral damage that follows a crime  even a two-decade-old one. (The pain from this hasty injustice extends to the haunted men who were coerced into identifying the wrong shooter.)

K.C. is so dogged that loved ones wonder if he committed the crime himself. Why else would he feel so much guilt? Working off Ruskins tight script to presents K.C. as more of a co-lead than a supporting player, Asomugha inhabits the part with dignity and nuance.

With a 94-minute run time, other supporting characters are more two-dimensional, including the women in Colin and K.C.s lives. Lawyers and prison inhabitants get seconds of screen time. Exceptions are veteran stage actors Bill Camp and Sarah Goldberg as William and Shirley Robedee, who show some compassion for Colins situation.

Crown Heights is adapted from a This American Life podcast, and the transition to cinema results in some inconsistent pacing. Warners first six years in prison fly by too fast in just a few sequences, and then the research-heavy ending starts to drag. Its a courtroom drama that runs out of courtroom scenes.

But thats a credit to the filmmakers as well. They respect this material, and real-life innocent people who have been incarcerated, too much for a heavy fictionalization. Crown Heights is a challenging film with long treks between uplifting moments. And theres no question the film earns every moment of grace.

Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicles pop culture critic. Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub

Crown Heights

Drama. Starring Lakeith Stanfield, Nnamdi Asomugha and Bill Camp. (R. 94 minutes.)
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ABOARD THE NIMITZ  Half a world away from two deadly U.S. Navy accidents, sailors on Americas massive Nimitz aircraft carrier reflect on the shipmates they knew who are gone. Their commanders want to make sure the same thing doesnt happen again.

The wrenching deaths of sailors, drowned last week while trapped in their bunks on the John S. McCain, have reverberated around the American fleet. The Navy has found the remains of 10 sailors after the ship crashed into an oil tanker in coastal waters off Singapore. Just in June, seven sailors died when another destroyer, the Fitzgerald, hit a container ship off Japan.

Out in the blazing Persian Gulf heat on the Nimitzs flight deck, fighter jets line up to launch for surveillance, intelligence and bombing missions in Iraq and Syria. Up to 10 times a day, a wave of aircraft blasts into the sky to support the U.S. militarys fight against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.

But those battle flights off the Nimitz will soon pause for a day.

Adm. John Richardson, the top U.S. Navy officer, has ordered that ships around the world stop and retrain, relearn and focus on proper procedures and safety precautions to prevent more collisions or mishaps.

Its important for all of us to take a knee, said Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, commander of the carrier strike group that includes the Nimitz and six other ships in the Persian Gulf and surrounding region. It makes all of us appropriately ask ourselves, Are we ready if it happens to us?

In response to the McCain and Fitzgerald accidents, Richardson, who is chief of naval operations, removed the commander of the Navys 7th Fleet and ordered all ships to pause while they ensure safe operations. Among the questions theyre supposed to answer: Are sailors standing watch with vigilance? Are they communicating with commanders when problems arise? Are commanders responsive or asleep at the wheel?

There has been a renewed focus on even the simplest of things, Cdr. Dave Kurtz, executive officer of the Nimitz, said. These include asking sailors if they have a safe, rapid way out when theyre in their bunks, or if anything is blocking their path.

The Navy hasnt said on what day the pause in operations will happen.

And the Nimitz is in a unique situation, conducting combat operations in two countries. A large ship like an aircraft carrier cant simply be shut down for a day, so the pause will have to be planned and coordinated carefully.

Byrne said the entire air wing will try to do it all in one day. He said the wars make it difficult for the wing to just shut down operations, so the pause will have to be planned for a day when air strikes arent needed from the carrier.

Visiting the Nimitz and another Navy ship this week, Gen. Joseph Votel, the top U.S. commander for the Middle East, offered condolences for the lost shipmates. He called the incidents a heavy reminder of what comes with service to our nation.

Both of the recent Navy accidents are being reviewed. An initial investigation into the Fitzgerald collision found that poor seamanship and flaws in keeping watch contributed to the collision.

Lolita C. Baldor is an Associated Press writer.
SEATTLE  A lawyer for President Trumps administration faced tough questions Monday from three federal appeals court judges over who should be allowed into the U.S. under the travel ban affecting six mostly Muslim nations.

In June the U.S. Supreme Court said the presidents 90-day ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen can be enforced pending arguments scheduled for October as long as those visitors lack a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States, such as a close family relationship.

The government interpreted such family relations as including immediate family members and in-laws, but it excluded grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. A judge in Hawaii overruled that interpretation, expanding the definition of who can enter. The administration appealed that order to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard arguments in Seattle on Monday.

The judges grilled Justice Department lawyer Hashim Mooppan. Judge Ronald Gould asked from what universe the government got the idea that grandparents dont constitute a close family relationship.

Judge Richard Paez questioned why an in-law would be allowed in, but not a grandparent.

Could you explain to me whats significantly different between a grandparent and a mother-in-law, father-in-law? Paez asked. What is so different about those two categories? One is in and one is out.

Mooppan said parents-in-law are only one step removed from the family unit, while a grandparent or grandchild is more than one step removed. He said the government wasnt disputing that people could have a profound connection to their grandparents, but the administration was relying on a standard set by Congress to come up with a workable definition.

Trump issued his initial travel ban in late January, bringing chaos and protests to airports around the country. A Seattle judge blocked its enforcement in response to a lawsuit by Washington state  a decision that was upheld by the Ninth Circuit.

The president then rewrote his executive order. The new version, designed to better withstand legal scrutiny, named six countries instead of seven  dropping Iraq  and spelled out more of a national security rationale. Several states and civil rights groups also challenged the revised ban, saying it remained rooted in discrimination and exceeded the presidents authority.

Gene Johnson is an Associated Press writer.
Associated Press

CHICAGO  The city of Chicago changed course Tuesday and said it now wants to carry out far-reaching reforms of its police department under federal court supervision, with Mayor Rahm Emanuel accusing the Trump administration of being disinterested in reform.

Emanuel and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan held a news conference to announce the change, saying they are seeking court oversight through a new lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court by the state of Illinois. It names the city of Chicago as the defendant.
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HOUSTON  As one of the most destructive storms in the nations history pummeled southeast Texas for a fourth day, forecasts on Monday called for still more rain, making clear that catastrophic flooding that had turned neighborhoods into lakes was just the start of a disaster that would take years to overcome.

Local, state and federal officials conceded that the scale of the crisis was so vast that they were nowhere near being able to measure it, much less fully address it.

Across a region that is home to millions of people and includes Houston, the nations fourth-largest city, no one has a clear idea how many people are missing, how many evacuated, how many hunkered down or were trapped in their waterlogged homes, or how many inundated houses and vehicles are beyond saving.

It is one of the largest disasters America has ever faced, Gov. Greg Abbott said, warning against expecting anything resembling recovery anytime soon, or a return to the way things were. We need to recognize it will be a new normal, a new and different normal for this entire region.

Local officials reported 10 deaths possibly related to the storm, six of them in Harris County, which includes Houston. But the painstaking and heartbreaking work of clearing streets, going door to door, assessing damage  and finding victims  has not yet begun.

Scenes of people and pets being rescued from the roofs and upper floors of houses revived memories of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when early estimates vastly understated both the material devastation and the death toll, and recovery efforts lasted years.

The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, said Monday that he expected more than 450,000 people to apply for federal assistance.

Were going to be here for several years helping you guys recover, he said. The state of Texas is about to undergo one of the largest recovery housing missions the nation has ever seen.

For the time being, efforts are focused on the most basic elements of keeping people alive  plucking stranded survivors from the flood; providing shelter, food and water; and restoring electricity to hundreds of thousands of people who were left without power.

Long said that FEMA was shipping 2 million liters of water and 2 million meals to the region. Other government agencies, charities and corporations were also moving supplies into the region.

In Harris County alone, several thousand people stranded in vehicles and buildings by the water were rescued by law enforcement and firefighters using motorboats and helicopters, and legions of volunteers used their own boats to ferry people to safety. Abbott activated the entire Texas National Guard to aid in rescue and recovery, raising the number of troops involved to 12,000 from 3,000. And he praised Texans for rushing to rescue their neighbors.

Countless abandoned cars and trucks blocked the regions flooded roadways, raising questions about whether their drivers had escaped safely. They sat at odd angles, some showing no more than a few inches peeking above the water, while others sat half-smashed in roadside ditches or alone in muddy fields.

Almost every evacuee had a dramatic story to tell.

Glenda Walton, standing in a damp gray T-shirt among five family members in an evacuation center, could think only of the days events. She said she watched as a woman hugging a tree lost her grip, got caught in the churning water, and drowned. She went limp, just like that, Walton said.

Officials estimated that more than 30,000 people had taken refuge in emergency shelters, including some that had opened in cities far inland, like Dallas, more than 200 miles from Houston. The mayor of Dallas, Mike Rawlings, said the city had been asked to brace for numbers that could be up in the tens of thousands.

In San Antonio, sprawling vacant warehouses had been turned into shelters that could hold more than 4,100 evacuees.

How many residents had fled to hotels or the homes of friends or relatives was anyones guess.

The city of Houston put out a call for doctors, nurses and social workers to go to the George R. Brown Convention Center, where thousands of people took shelter.

At a school gym in San Antonio that had become a shelter for hundreds, people watched television coverage and searched social media feeds in hopes of collecting clues about the homes and neighbors they left behind. They dialed and redialed phone numbers that went straight to voice mail, or just rang, unanswered.

Eight oil refineries, with about one-eighth of the nations refining capacity, shut down because of the storm, which could affect gas prices around the country. Both of Houstons airports were closed, and hundreds of passengers were stranded.

Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Friday night as a Category 4, the most powerful storm to strike the United States in more than a decade, and though it has been downgraded to a tropical storm, it lingered over the coastal region.

By Monday, it had swamped the Houston region with more than 30 inches of rain in some places, and forecasters warned that the totals in some areas could top 50 inches before the storm moves on some time later this week.

It is expected to move to the northeast, toward far eastern Texas and Louisiana, and bands of heavy rain were already lashing those regions. In New Orleans, which faced flooding earlier this month after heavy rains overwhelmed its drainage system, news that the far-flung storm could bring up to 10 inches of rain raised tension levels. Mayor Mitch Landrieu advised residents to stay off the streets on Tuesday.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for parts of several coastal counties south of Houston, home to hundreds of thousands of people. Many more residents were covered by voluntary evacuation directives issued by counties and cities.

Julie Turkewitz, Richard Perez-Pena and Jack Healy are New York Times writers.
The floodwaters brought by Hurricane Harvey haven't yet receded in much of Houston, but some are already taking to the internet with controversial takes, blaming the city for the disaster.

In one case, a sociology professor at a Florida university was fired after tweeting Sunday that the damage from Hurricane Harvey was karma for Texans voting for President Trump.

University of Tampa visiting assistant professor Ken Storey has since deactivated his Twitter account, but on Sunday wrote, "I dont believe in instant karma but this kinda feels like it for Texas. Hopefully this will help them realize the GOP doesnt care about them."

The backlash was swift as Storey's comments made the rounds. On Monday, the University of Tampa issued a statement condemning Storey's comments, and on Tuesday it was followed with a statement saying he had been fired.

"We condemn the comments and the sentiment behind them, and understand the pain this irresponsible act has caused," the statement said. "Storey has been relieved of his duties at UT, and his classes will be covered by other sociology faculty."

In a statement to ABC Action News, Storey apologized for the tweets and said they were taken out of context, writing, "I was referring to the GOP denial of climate change science and push to decrease funds from agencies that can help in a time like this. I hope all affected by the storm are safe and recover quickly."

Some cheered the firing, but others expressed concern that Storey was punished by the university for speech he made on his personal account.

"While his comments were completely out of line, it is his right to have such a vile opinion, express it outside the workplace and NOT be fired for it," one person commented on the statement on the university Facebook page. "What happened to freedom of speech?" another asked.

Storey's comments were not the only ones to place some blame for the devastation sweeping Houston on the city itself. A column published Tuesday in the Sydney Morning Herald suggested that Houston bears responsibility for the flooding because of its role as a major oil and gas hub.

"Yes, Houston, you do have a problem, and  as insensitive as it seems to bring it up just now  some of it is your own making," wrote Peter Hannam in the Herald, going on to use the disaster as a news peg to discuss climate concerns.

"Given its unusual dependence on fossil-fuel industries, though, it will be interesting to watch if Houston queries  tactfully and delicately  its own contribution to the catastrophe," he continued.

Not to be outdone on the insensitivity front, Ann Coulter weighed in as well, tweeting, "I don't believe Hurricane Harvey is God's punishment for Houston electing a lesbian mayor. But that is more credible than 'climate change.'"

Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and visit her on Twitter.
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  A man wanted in connection with the beating of a black man in Charlottesville on the day of a white nationalist rally turned himself in to authorities in Georgia and will be extradited to Virginia, officials said.

Alex Michael Ramos, 33, surrendered Monday evening at the Monroe County Sheriffs Office, Sgt. Lawson Bittick said Tuesday.

Ramos faces one count of malicious wounding in the attack on DeAndre Harris, which was captured in photos and video that went viral. The Aug. 12 attack by a group of men left Harris with a concussion, cuts and bruises that included a head laceration that required staples, a knee injury and a fractured wrist, according to his attorney.

Ramos agreed during a hearing Tuesday to be extradited to Virginia, said Kathy Barfield, deputy clerk of the Monroe County Magistrate Court.

Bittick said Ramos is an unemployed construction worker, and he didnt know if Ramos had obtained an attorney.

In an interview with Atlanta TV station WGCL, Ramos said that he hit Harris once and that others beat him with sticks and shields. He called the incident a defensive attack.

Ramos also said he is not a white nationalist.

I was there because, pretty much, Im a conservative. ... There were some non-racist members who were going to a free speech rally, he said.

Harris, a 20-year-old special education instructional assistant, attended the rally with friends to show his opposition to the white nationalist groups, his attorney, S. Lee Merritt, said.

A member of Harris group began arguing with a white supremacist over a Confederate flag, Merritt said in a statement. Harris intervened just as the white supremacist attempted to spear his friend with the flags pole, the statement said.

Harris tried to retreat but was pushed to the ground by a man holding a shield with the symbol of a white supremacist group, and the group of men swarmed him, beating him with blunt objects, according to the statement.

Another man accused in the beating, Daniel Borden, 18, of suburban Cincinnati, appeared by video Tuesday and declined to waive extradition to Virginia, where he also faces a charge of malicious wounding. Hamilton County Magistrate Michael Bachman set bond at $100,000 and scheduled a Sept. 29 hearing.

Attorney Greg Berberich has said Bordens family expects him to be exonerated.

Merritt said he intends to file a federal civil rights lawsuit in the coming weeks against all parties responsible for the attack.

Ramos and Borden were identified through the efforts of journalist and activist Shaun King, who has been posting photos and video of the assault on social media and offered a reward, Merritt said.

With information including affiliated organizations, clear photographs and recordings, it is disappointing that the combined efforts of federal and local agencies have failed to lead to either the identification or arrest of additional suspects, Merritt said in the statement.

Meanwhile, a Ku Klux Klan member charged with firing a gun during the rally remained in Baltimore County pending extradition.

Randy Mentzell, the county Department of Corrections commitment manager, said she didnt know when Richard Preston, 52, would be transported to Virginia.
Victims of Hurricane Harvey's devastating flooding in Houston and Southeast Texas have a new threat to worry about: floating colonies of aggressive fire ants.

A CBS news correspondent tweeted out a picture of one floating island of ants and it quickly spread online.

Unlike the fake photo of a shark on the freeway, this appears to be a real problem Houston-area residents will have to deal with in the coming days. The insects are known for the painful stings they inflict when they come in contact with skin.

WORKING OVERTIME: Photo of exhausted sheriff after Harvey rescue efforts goes viral

As the Houston Chronicle reported in 2015, the red fire ants, or Solenopsis invicta, evacuate their underground nests when the tunnels start to flood.

"By the time water covers the mound and the tunnels are flooded, the ants have moved up and out of the nest, locking legs together and forming a floating mass of fire ants, called a raft," Dr. Robert Puckett, assistant professor and extension entomologist at Texas A&M University told the Chronicle.

DEVASTATING STORM: How to help victims of Hurricane Harvey

The colony of fire ants will float along until it finds something solid to stick to, which could be anything from a tree branch to the roof of someone's flooded house.

Experts at Texas A&M warn not to make contact with these floating ant colonies, not even with the oar of a boat because they may "climb aboard."

"Debris piles from the floodwaters or piles of items from flooded homes are potential nesting sites for fire ants," Puckett told the Chronicle. "Be aware that fire ants can be under anything."

That includes carpet, damaged hardwood floors, and furniture.

When floodwaters recede, people should still be careful when picking up debris, and wear bug repellent and protective gear, like long sleeves and rubber boots.
An Aeromexico flight from Mexico City to San Francisco had to make an emergency landing Aug. 22 so flight crew could remove a disorderly passenger.

Video taken on board shows the man screaming, struggling and cursing in Spanish as officials try to remove him from the plane.

"He's biting me," says one of the employees trying to remove the unruly man. Another employee urges the resisting passenger to stay calm. A flight attendant can also be heard asking passengers to turn off their cell phones.

TRAVEL NIGHTMARE: Passenger reportedly forced to spend flight sitting in someone else's pee

20-year-old Laura Aceves was on Aeromexico flight 664 and took the video above on her phone. She said about 30 minutes into the flight, a flight attendant announced they would be making an emergency landing.

"Hearing that, my boyfriend and I became worried and started thinking the worst," the San Jose resident said.

When another traveler asked what was wrong, a flight attendant said a passenger was drunk and "being aggressive."

The plane had to make an emergency landing in Guadalajara, according to Aceves.

RATS ON A PLANE: SFO-bound flight delayed over nine hours after a rat found on board

"It took them 30 to 40 minutes to get him out of his seat and off the plane. He was hitting and punching other passengers as they were trying to drag him out," Aceves told the San Jose Mercury News.

Aeromexico has not responded to SFGATE's request for comment.

After officials removed the disruptive passenger from the aircraft, the flight resumed its route toward San Francisco. It touched down at SFO at 10:53 p.m., about an hour and 20 minutes late, according to Google's flight tracker.

Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com.
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UPDATE: As of noon Tuesday, Lakewood has formally opened its doors to people seeking shelter from Tropical Storm Harvey. See the story here.

Following claims from around the internet that Lakewood Church, and its leader, Joel Osteen, weren't doing anything for the victims of Tropical Storm Harvey, the organization is speaking out Monday night to try and set the record straight.

Two media giants, the New York Post and New York Daily News, gave credence to angry Twitter users and other media personalities questioning the megachurch for not opening its doors to people forced from their homes from flooding.

Now Playing: Not specified Video: Brandpoint

Don Iloff, spokesman for Lakewood, told Chron.com late Monday night that the church has never been closed during Harvey and staff was instructed to aid anyone who came to their doors looking for help.

WHERE TO GO: Here is the full list of shelters in the Houston area during Harvey

"It's not our unwillingness, it's just practicality. It's been a safety issue for us," Iloff said, adding that Harvey's heavy rainfall almost spilled over Lakewood's floodgate this past weekend. "Lakewood Church has a heart for this city."

Osteen echoed Iloff's comment Tuesday morning, claiming Lakewood never closed its doors and "will continue to be a distribution center for those in need" and is "prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity," according to the Associated Press.

Later Tuesday morning, Lakewood said it is now "receiving people who need shelter. We are also coordinating with the city as a collection site for distribution," it said on Twitter.

The church will be open Tuesday at noon to collect baby food, baby formula, baby diapers, and adult diapers on behalf of the city. Lakewood was in communication with the city today and said it would shelter Harvey victims once other shelters are full, Iloff said.

As of noon Tuesday, Lakewood has formally opened its doors to people seeking shelter from Harvey.

A photo appearing to show air mattresses lined up inside Lakewood went viral Monday night. It was provided to writer and Army veteran Charles Clymer by someone working for Lakewood, Cylmer told Chron.com.

HELPING HAND: How you can help victims of Hurricane Harvey

Iloff could not confirm Monday night if the mattresses belonged to the church but said Lakewood has already began preparing to host people displaced by Harvey.



On Sunday evening, Lakewood Church, Joel and Victoria Osteen all tweeted to raise money toward Samaritan's Purse, an organization that raises funds to help communities in natural disasters like Harvey, but no word on whether they would open the church's doors.

On the Lakewood Church website, a post was shared to promote the fundraising effort, saying in part:

"Over the last couple of days, as the enormity of this storm was being realized, we have been working to organize relief efforts for the Houston area with our friend Franklin Graham and the disaster relief organization that he oversees, Samaritan's Purse. Samaritan's Purse has been, since its inception, organized to respond to situations just like Hurricane Harvey, and we are grateful to be able to partner with them to provide assistance to the Houston area."

TRAGIC: Cajun Navy volunteers attacked in Houston while helping Harvey victims

As Tropical Storm Harvey continues to dump historic levels of rain across Houston, thousands of residents have been displaced from their homes.

The church, which was once Houston's Compaq Center, can house more than 16,000 people at a time.


Evelyn Huynh/Silicon Valley Shakespeare

As summer winds down, there are still plenty of opportunities to catch theater in the great outdoors. But one that wraps up this weekend is Silicon Valley Shakespeares repertory season.

Founded in 1999 (and formerly known as Shady Shakespeare Theatre Company), the troupe stages two shows each summer at the amphitheater at Sanborn County Park in Saratoga, which is densely lined with redwoods. Angie Higgins directs an all-female Hamlet, with Anne Yumi Kobori as the brooding prince charged with avenging the murder of his father by his uncle Claudius (in a fiendish twist, Doll Piccotto plays both of those roles).
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A coalition of government agencies and advocates for sustainable fisheries came together Tuesday to launch a long-term effort to save Californias beleaguered salmon populations in the Sacramento and San Joaquin river systems.

The Central Valley Salmon Habitat Partnership will include 21 members  state and federal water and wildlife agencies, plus groups representing conservationists, farmers, water suppliers and the fishing industry  seeking to study, develop and fund projects to restore and protect vital habitats.

The partnership deal was signed Tuesday by John Laird, Californias secretary for natural resources.

This group will take meaningful, decisive action to restore the types of habitat  in the right places  that these fish need to survive and even thrive, said Curtis Knight, executive director of the conservation group California Trout.

The Central Valley rivers and tributaries are historically the second most productive habitat for salmon on the West Coast, behind the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest.

But dams, channels, and the destruction of wetlands and floodplains over the past century have impeded access to spawning grounds, ruined food sources and made salmon vulnerable to predation. Steelhead trout and two of the four distinct runs of Chinook salmon are now listed as threatened or endangered.

The fish population hit bottom in 2008 and 2009, when there were so few salmon in the rivers and ocean that fishing was banned off the coasts of California and Oregon. The three years starting in 2007 were the worst period for the fish in the Central Valley watershed since records were first compiled in the 1970s, biologists said.

Chinook have recovered only slightly. State and federal scientists say there are about 230,000 Chinook in the ocean now, compared to 800,000 to a million in a good year. The commercial fishing season, which normally opens in May, was delayed for three months because of the paltry numbers.

The partnership hopes to develop measurable, geographically specific goals to improve the fishs prospects.

Salmon recovery happens one stream mile at a time, said Scott Rumsey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations deputy administrator for the West Coast region. By spurring restoration efforts, this group will, ultimately, help bring back the economic and environmental benefits of salmon to California communities.

The group is modeled after the Central Valley Joint Venture, which has been working for decades to restore native and migratory bird populations.

Although we may not always agree on water decisions, said John McManus, the executive director of the Golden Gate Salmon Association, we can all work together to restore some of the river bank, side channel and floodplain habitats in the Central Valley which are crucial to rearing baby salmon.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @pfimrite
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The largest "sea dragon" fossil on record sat unstudied in a museum for nearly 20 years until a German scientist "rediscovered" it last year.

Paleontologist Sven Sachs of the Bielefeld Natural History Museum in Germany spotted the specimen, a marine reptile in the Ichthyosaurus family, on-display at the Lower Saxony State Museum.

Heightening the mystique, the tail from another Ichthyosaurus had been stuck onto the end of the pregnant fossil.

"Sometimes, as in this instance, specimens aren't exactly what they appear to be," Sachs said in a press release.

Sachs informed the University of Manchester's Ichthyosaurus expert Dean Lomax, and the pair determined the specimen to be an Ichthyosaurus somersetensis, a new species identified last year by Lomax and colleagues.

One finding led to another and paleontologists uncovered not just one dragon, but two. The 11-foot-long reptile was pregnant. The paleontologists published their findings Monday in Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.

The Bielefeld fossil, which dates back 200 million years to the Early Jurassic period, was unearthed on the Somerset coast in the mid-1990s. Ichthyosaurus specimens are some of the most common reptile fossils in the United Kingdom, but this is only the third pregnant Ichthyosaurus to be discovered.

In this instance, the embryo was but seven centimeters long and composed of only its backbone, forefin and ribs. The paleontology pair found its bones were not fully ossified, indicating that the embryo was still developing at the time of its mother's death.

Two decades is but a smudge on the timeline of Jurassic creatures, but it's understandably substantial for scientists with human lifespans. Sven says the Biefield specimen is an essential paleontological find that "may help to date other ichthyosaur fossils."

Read Michelle Robertsons latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.
GOTEMBA, Japan  The Japanese soldiers jumped out of the jeeps, unloaded the antitank missiles and dropped to the ground. Within minutes, they aimed and fired, striking hypothetical targets nearly a half-mile away.

The audience of more than 26,000, crammed into bleachers and picnicking on camouflage-patterned mats on the ground, clapped appreciatively, murmuring, Sugoi!  or Wow!  during live-fire drills conducted over the weekend by Japans military here in the foothills of Mount Fuji.

Pacifism has been a sacred tenet of Japans national identity since the end of World War II, when the United States pushed to insert a clause renouncing war into the countrys postwar constitution. But there are signs that the publics devotion to pacifism  and its attitude toward the Japanese military, known as the Self-Defense Forces  have begun to change, in part at the urging of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Abes slow, steady efforts to remove pacifist constraints on the military may have gotten help Tuesday, when North Korea fired a ballistic missile that sailed over Japans northern island, Hokkaido. The missile landed harmlessly in the Pacific Ocean, but Abe called it an unprecedented, grave and serious threat.

We have been living in peace for such a long time that we believe this peace is going to last forever, said Ichiro Miyazoe, 74, walking in the Ikebukuro neighborhood of Tokyo. Japan has had a weak attitude, like a losing dog. We must have a stronger military.

At events like the Fuji live-fire drills, some members of the public are starting to consider the possibility that their military could be called upon to perform more than live exercises or disaster relief.

Once the U.S. or South Korea engages in a war, Japan will also have to take part, said Masaaki Ishihara, 60, a manager at a construction company in Yokohama. Japan will be forced to get involved.

Analysts said the public has yet to reckon with just how far it is willing to go in the name of national security.

I think that ordinary people tacitly want to avoid thinking about a potential contradiction between the notion of the pacifist clause of the constitution and the reality of changes in Japanese defense policies, said Jiro Yamaguchi, a professor of political science at Hosei University.

Motoko Rich is a New York Times writer.
Mercer Group posted a wider loss as the cost of restructuring and foregone tax assets weighed on the bottom line.

The Christchurch-based company reported a net loss of $7 million, or 16.96 cents per share, in the year ended June 30, from a loss of $6.5 million, or 39.15 cents, a year earlier, it said in a statement. The bottom line was weighed on by a $2.1 million tax expense after the firm gave up tax assets during a $7 million capital raise through a rights issue, which diluted the shares on issue and meant the earnings per share loss shrank.

On an earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation basis, Mercer's loss was $3.5 million, compared to $3.2 million a year earlier, although that included $2.2 million of restructuring and impairment charges as Mercer repositioned the business into what it now sees as a holding company for three separate businesses: automated and robotic bulk foods handling system Haden & Custance; the still-to-be-commercialised medical sterilisation technology unit S-Clave; and the traditional stainless steel fabricator Mercer Stainless. Revenue gained 3 percent to $26.9 million.

"While the annual result is not where we need or want it to be, the efforts of the past year have been focused on fundamental change to our operations and strategy," chair John Dennehy and chief executive Richard Rookes said. "We are forecasting a continuation of the improved operating performance for the 2018 financial year."

Mercer has overhauled its business over the past year and a half, raising equity to repay debt and replacing related party loans from Gresham Finance, a vehicle affiliated with majority shareholder Humphrey Rolleston, with a banking facility with Bank of New Zealand. Of the company's $7.7 million of loans, $6.6 million is due to BNZ.

The company's operations generated a cash outflow of $4.7 million in the year, compared to a $1.6 million deficit a year earlier. After investment and financing activities, the firm was $237,000 in overdraft at the June 30 balance date, a smaller overdraft than the $479,000 a year earlier.

The company's board may look to raise more capital in the current financial year with a review scheduled for the first quarter. Dennehy and Rookes said each division has opportunities ahead of them and that they're open to more acquisitions and partnerships.

"At a strategic level, we are comfortable with the businesses," Dennehy and Rookes said. "Robotics and automation (H&C) and medical technology (S-Clave) are highly relevant in today's world and we now have a settled structure and platform from which to grow in both of these space."

The shares were unchanged at 36 cents, and have slipped 5.3 percent so far this year.

(BusinessDesk)

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Australian infrastructure and mining firm Downer EDI spent A$55.4 million snapping up local construction firm Hawkins which was in need of capital at the time of the purchase.

The sale price, which was withheld at the time of the deal in March, emerged in Downer's annual report released today, showing the Sydney-based company paid A$52.6 million, with the gross consideration including A$2.8 million cash balances acquired. At the time of acquisition, Hawkins had negative working capital leading to a negative net asset value of A$16.3 million, resulting in Downer recognising A$71.7 million of goodwill in the deal.

The acquisition brings "significant technical capability," said chief executive Grant Fenn in a statement. The move let Downer increase its presence in the growing market for infrastructure and building in New Zealand, making it the country's No. 2 'vertical' construction company after Fletcher Building. At the time of the purchase, Fenn said an estimated $50 billion will be invested in non-residential construction in New Zealand over the next five years.

Downer didn't break out Hawkins' contribution to the group, saying the newly-acquired business helped lift earnings in its engineering, construction and maintenance division, where revenue was up 6.2 percent to A$2 billion in the year to June 30. The unit's earnings before interest and tax rose 8.5 percent to $52.3 million, partly due to contributions from the Hawkins acquisition and new contracts in New Zealand, it said.

Within New Zealand and the Pacific, its total revenue was at A$1.5 billion versus A$1.3 billion in the prior year. Downer's total revenue - with the bulk being generated in Australia - was A$7.3 billion versus A$6.9 billion in the prior period.

Downer reported a net profit of A$181.5 million and said it is expecting a net profit of around A$190 million in the year through June 2018, excluding any earnings, costs or synergies related to its acquisition of cleaning and catering firm Spotless Group.

The company said its A$1.26 billion takeover bid for Spotless is now closed and it holds 87.8 percent of Spotless shares on issue, just short of the 90 percent required for a compulsory acquisition.

Once Downer completes a review of Spotless's business planning, budgeting, and target setting process it will update guidance, it said. In a target statement in April, Spotless forecast net profit of between A$85 million and A$100 million in the 2018 financial year.

Downer shares last traded at A$6.87 on the ASX. and are up 20 percent so far this year.

(BusinessDesk)

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The New Zealand dollar fell against the yen after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japans northern island of Hokkaido, sapping risk appetitie. News that a cattle disease had been detected on another three properties also weighed on the currency.

The kiwi was at 78.58 yen as at 5pm in Wellington versus 79.24 yen at 8 am and from 78.96 yen late yesterday. The yen - widely considered a safe haven - jumped to a four-month high against the US dollar in Asian trading. The kiwi was at 72.25 US cents from 72.38 US cents late yesterday.

"It's mostly North Korea but then the cattle disease headlines had an impact," said Westpac Banking Corp senior markets strategist Imre Speizer.

The missile - the first Pyongyang has fired over Japan's main islands since 2009 -- sparked a harsh response from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. "This outrageous action of firing a missile over our country is an unprecedented, grave and serious threat that seriously damages peace and security in the region," he said, according to the Wall Street Journal. "We have firmly protested to North Korea."

Speizer said markets are now watching and waiting for any reaction out of the US. "It's not clear what they will do and until it looks like it will escalate the market will take the view that it's bad but things always calm down, or at least they have so far," he said.

The kiwi also lost ground when the Ministry for Primary Industries said three new properties tested positive for the bacterial cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis, bringing the total number of infected farms to six. MPI has said Mycoplasma bovis is commonly found in cattle globally, including in Australia and it does not infect humans and presents no food safety risk. It is the first time it has been found in New Zealand.

The kiwi dollar fell to 60.32 euro cents from 60.70 cents yesterday. It slipped to 91.12 Australian cents from 91.17 cents and traded at 55.82 British pence from 56.18 pence. The kiwi fell to 4.7735 yuan from 4.8051 yuan.

The trade-weighted index fell to 75.66 from 75.86.

The two-year swap rate fell 2 basis points to 2.14 while the 10-year swaps fell 4 basis points to 3.08 percent.

(BusinessDesk)

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Powerhouse Ventures, the ASX-listed incubator that put one of its investments into liquidation this month, says managing director Stephen Hampson has resigned, effective immediately, and has been replaced by chief financial officer Paul Viney.

Chairman Russell Yardley also said John Walley will step down as a director at the Christchurch-based company's annual meeting in November, although his departure was "part of a planned, considered and strategic board refresh programme as announced in Powerhouses prospectus in 2016."

Yardley said Hampson was key to the creation of Powerhouse in 2006 and over the past decade had "overseen the incubation and growth of more than 20 science-based companies."

Powerhouse went public in a A$10.2 million initial public offering last year at A$1.07 a share. It last traded at 33 Australian cents on the ASX.

Earlier this month, the company secured a High Court order to appoint an interim liquidator to Hydroworks, a hydroelectric turbine designer in which it held a 24 percent stake. It has written off the value of the investment.

Issues at Hydroworks come after the resignation in June of Blair Bryant from the board of Powerhouse after he was ousted as chairman for failing to disclose his bankruptcy in the US. But the company also enjoyed success this month, with CropLogic, which successfully raised A$8 million in an initial public offering ahead of a planned listing on the ASX.

Yardley, who joined the board in March and was appointed chair in June, said Powerhouse "is evolving, and to help our portfolio companies achieve their full potential, we need to deepen the governance and executive skills, with particular focus on capital markets expertise and international corporate growth expertise."

"I am confident, with deeper and more specialised executive and governance experience, we can build our portfolio of companies into the global forces they have the potential to be," Yardley said.

Powerhouse, which received funding from Callaghan Innovation as did some of the start-ups it invested in such as CropLogic, is scheduled to release its full-year results this week.

The biggest shareholder in Powerhouse is Christchurch City Council-owned Canterbury Development Corp (CDC) with 22.5 percent.

(BusinessDesk)

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New Zealand shares dropped in a sea of red after North Korea fired a nuclear missile over Japan, with Chorus and Metro Performance Glass extending their recent declines.

The S&P/NZX50 Index sank 88.53 points, or 1.1 percent, to 7,738.34. Within the index, 34 stocks fell, 12 were unchanged and four rose. Turnover was $170 million.

"The stocks that haven't delivered have continued bearing the brunt of the selling - Chorus is top of that queue - but in general, most of the market is not taking the Korean activity too kindly either, you've had a broad brush sell off in pretty much every market that's open at the moment," said David Price, broker at Forsyth Barr. "At the end of the day, earnings season came in ahead but the thing we have seen is cuts to FY18 numbers - revenue, earnings per share and divs. It's looking a bit softer than previously thought."

Stocks across Asia fell amid reports North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japans northern island of Hokkaido, sapping investors' appetite for riskier assets such as equities. At 5:10pm New Zealand time, the ASX was down 1 percent, the Hang Seng was down 0.4 percent and the Nikkei 400 had fallen 0.2 percent.

"We've had massive PE (price-to-earnings) expansion, the market needs to have a pickup in earnings to justify some of the re-ratings the stocks have had," Price said. "You've got markets trading at all-time highs on a PE basis and an absolute basis, earnings are growing but probably not fast enough to justify the prices we're seeing."

Chorus plunged 7.7 percent to $4.05, a five-month low, and leading the index lower for a second day. Yesterday, the network operator lifted annual profit 24 percent to $113 million after cutting costs and changing the way it capitalises some labour costs, making up for a decline in connection numbers that's been driven by its biggest customer, Spark New Zealand. It forecast gross capital expenditure for 2018 of $780 million-$820 million, up from $639 million in 2017.

"There's decent sized volume and a decent sized haircut on the day," Price said. "Debt levels going up, they're increasing the dividend which was not expected so that becomes an issue from the rating agency point of view, they're having to spend more on marketing; there's a number of little crosses."

Metro Glass dropped 3.7 percent to $1.05, hitting a record low. Trade Me Group fell 3.2 percent to $4.51 and Vista Group International declined 2.8 percent to $5.19.

Investore Property was the best performer, up 0.7 percent to $1.36.

Outside the benchmark index, Airwork Holdings declined 4 percent to $4.32. It lifted annual profit 0.7 percent to $24.8 million, in line with its guidance, as a bigger fleet in its fixed wing division delivered better earnings offsetting a weaker result from its helicopter unit. Revenue rose 1.4 percent to $168.4 million.

New Zealand Oil & Gas gained 1.5 percent to 69 cents. It was back in the black and kept its dividend unchanged after reaping a $95 million gain on the sale of its stake in the Kupe oil and gas fields and trimming its operating and exploration costs. The Wellington-based company reported a net profit to shareholders of $61.2 million, or 20 cents per share, in the 12 months ended June 30, turning around a loss of $35.9 million, or 8.6 cents, a year earlier.

Veritas Investments was unchanged at 15 cents. It has to find $28.5 million in the next year or so after ANZ Bank New Zealand said it won't renew its banking facilities as they come due.

(BusinessDesk)

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The environment in which intelligence agencies are working is one in which the president has evidently made up his mind about how to proceed, even though US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley made statements to the contrary last week. Haley said that the White House is examining the evidence but still maintains that the Islamic Republic is generally untrustworthy and clearly out of compliance with parallel agreements such as UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls upon Iran to avoid work on nuclear-capable ballistic missiles.

Haleys comments came in the context of a visit to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is tasked with monitoring Irans nuclear activities and enforcing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. This visit was met with harsh criticism by Iranian officials, several of whom asserted that the actual American intention was not a neutral assessment of the IAEAs investigations, but rather the spreading of doubt about the compliance judgments that the IAEA has already made.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has already sent a formal letter of complaint to the head of the nuclear monitoring agency over this issue, and Daily Trust reported on Monday that the Iranians had also declared their intention to call a meeting of the nuclear negotiating parties, known as the P5+1, within the context of the larger meeting of the UN General Assembly, which is set to take place between September 12 and September 25. The announcement was made by Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, following up on his previous letter referring to the harassing acts of the Americans with regard to the nuclear agreement.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi indicated that Tehran would use the planned meeting to reinforce the notion that inspections of Iranian compliance would only be carried out within the framework of Irans own policies. Primarily, this signifies rejection of the idea often voiced in the US and by harsh critics of the Islamic Republic, that effective verification of Iranian compliance depends upon unqualified access to suspect sites within the country, including military sites.

It is not clear whether President Trump is personally convinced that the Islamic Republic is carrying out nuclear research or development at these sites, but The Guardian indicates that focus on military sites is one means by which the White House could precipitate the cancelation or renegotiation of the JCPOA. If the US convinces the IAEA that there is evidence of illicit activities at those sites, the international body can push for and ultimately force inspector access under the terms of the deal. But having made this issue a prominent red line in the past, the Islamic Republic might simply walk away from the deal rather than allow this procedure to proceed.

Thus, suspicious activity at military sites is one piece of intelligence that the Trump administration would very much like to get its hands on. And according to The Guardian, the White House is actively pushing for the revelation of this or any other data that might justify Trumps decertification of Iranian compliance on the basis of something other than violations of the deals spirit.

This apparent pressure has led to numerous unfavorable comparisons to the politicization of intelligence regarding weapons of mass destruction in the run-up to the US invasion of Iraq. But The Guardian also quotes David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security as disputing this comparison and noting that the Obama administration downplayed and even hid violations and problems, leaving serious questions open about the true extent of Iranian compliance.

The same report quoted Richard Nephew, a member of the JCPOAs American negotiating team, as saying that there is a responsible way of asking intelligence analysts to sift back through information that has already been looked at and that might have been unjustifiably dismissed.

It is an open question as to whether the Trump administration is following such responsible procedures, as opposed to pushing a pre-determined narrative. But at the same time, the mere existence of pressure on this matter may be leading to the Islamic Republic unwittingly exposing itself to additional scrutiny. As was reported last week, various Iranian officials have responded to that pressure by saying that the country could dramatically increase its levels and quantities of nuclear enrichment in a matter of days.

Although intended as a threat against decertifying Iranian compliance, these remarks may also have the effect of raising questions about how the Islamic Republic could resume nuclear activities at such a high level if it had not been engaged in undisclosed activities while the JCPOA was being enforced.
The presidents reelection campaign had doubled down upon the moderate image of his first campaign, effectively rebranding him as an all-out reformist and leading some of his supporters to anticipate significant changes in the first weeks after his reelection. Prominent among these expectations was the appointment of female heads of cabinet ministries. Rouhani had explicitly promised to bring more women into government, and no women have served in cabinet positions since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

But following apparent consultation with the hardline Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who is the ultimate authority in all matters of Iranian policy, President Rouhani appointed only male Shiite Muslims to all 18 cabinet positions. Women were appointed only to two vice presidential positions, which wield very little influence. And the significance of even these appointments was arguably diminished when it was reported that Joneidi, the vice president for legal affairs, had begun wearing a highly conservative chador, despite having previously been in the habit of wearing only a loose head covering, or hijab.

Wearing the hijab is legally mandated for all women in Iran, but the AP report notes that wearing anything less concealing than a chador  a long, loose-fitting, one-piece garment that leaves only the face exposed  is still considered a taboo among Iranian female politicians. The change in wardrobe is being regarded as a further sign of the presidential administrations capitulation to pressure from hardline authorities, and it is made worse for reformists by the fact that Joneidi reportedly made the change specifically at the request of President Rouhani.

This enforcement of hardline standards, coupled with the lack of female representation in the new administration, casts serious doubt upon any notion that Rouhani might have pushed back against escalating pressure on secular or feminist social pressures. Under his first term, Rouhani was already widely criticized for inaction in the face of the announcement of harsher enforcement of the female dress code and other fundamentalist Islamic laws. This escalation included the deployment of larger numbers of undercover morality police in public areas, leading to sometimes violent arrests and public harassment.

Last week, Iran Human Rights Monitor published two videos on its website depicting Iranian women being physically assaulted and forced into vans by female agents of the Guidance Patrol. The text accompanying the videos explains that according to the Iranian governments own figures, an average of 2,000 women are apprehended in cities throughout the Islamic Republic for violations of the mandatory dress code. Once detained, these women face up to two months in jail, plus a cash fine, and the possibility of receiving 74 lashes.

These videos appeared around the same time it was reported that Irans Education Ministry had released a list of ailments that disqualified people from working as teachers. The list as a whole simply illustrated a strange preoccupation with physical appearance and what might be called genetic undesirability. The original publication of this list by FARS News Agency pointed out that teachers spend more time on medical tests than they do on training.

But some items on the list provide still further evidenced of institutionalized sexism, insofar as infertile women and women with facial hair are among those who are barred from pursuing careers in education. According to EuroNews, the criticism of this list on social media prompted a response from President Rouhani. But of course the seriousness of his administrations commitment may be widely questioned in the wake of broken promises regarding other criticism of hardline policies and practices.

Nevertheless, many of those women have participated in social media campaigns to secretly violate the female dress code, and many others test its boundaries, sometimes leading to their apprehension by the Guidance Patrol. The Associated Press pointed to this trend in its reporting on Laaya Joneidis adoption of the chador. But that story adds to the perception that such progressive social pressures have no analogue within the Iranian political establishment, which remains dominated by hardliners who face little to no serious challenge from self-described moderates and reformists like President Rouhani.
Nurses are regularly taking part in protests because of their professional situation. They are under a lot of pressure in their jobs and are exposed to harm and risk, yet they do not have proper employment contracts. Most nurses in Iran work on temporary contracts for a very small salary. Even worse, their salary is not regularly paid to them.

Last week, nurses took to the streets in Boushehr because they had not been paid their salaries for 8 months. Female nurses protested in Semnan last month because of the non-payment of their salaries for 11 months. There have been many such protests already this year.

The Nursing Organization has admitted that the nurses are obliged to do overtime and recognised that this has not been paid for almost a year.

Officials in the regime state that there have been 16 deaths of nurses in the past 18 months due to heart problems brought on by workplace stress and working shifts, etc. However, it is presumed that the number is much higher because the regime underestimates and falsifies figures to hide the truth about what is really happening in the country.

International standards dictate that there should be one nurse for every four patients maximum, however in Iran there is only one nurse for every 15 patients.

Reports indicate there are tens of thousands of unemployed nurses in the country, many of whom do not want to work because of the lack of job security. They have no support from the government and are left to do a skilled and stressful job for a very small salary. Doctors in most countries get paid around three times more than a nurse. In Iran, the difference is 100 fold, with cases of up to 500 times more.

There is a high number of Iranians who graduate from nursing, but because they are unable to obtain an employment licence, many move abroad to work. This is creating a great shortage of nurses in Iran.

However, instead of remedying the situation, the Ministry of Health has decided not to make nurses employment official and is taking advantage of young university graduates by paying them next to nothing.
The committee is supported by numerous Italian members of parliament and senate, politicians and human rights activists. They issued a press release highlighting the situation of the prisoners.

As well as being mistreated, the prisoners have been deprived of their personal belongings, which includes essential medication, and have been transferred to another part of the prison where the conditions are even worse.

They highlighted that they are monitored by CCTV and listening devices, even in the bathrooms and showers. All windows are covered causing poor circulation of air and provoking headaches and hypertension. They are not allowed to contact their family by telephone and are denied visits. They do not have clean drinking water.

The prisoners striking are students, journalists, members of the Bahai community, trade unionists and human rights activists.

Another Italian group, Hands Off Cain, has urged the Italian Government to listen to the demands of political prisoners. Secretary Sergio dElia, and Treasurer Elisabetta Zamparutti said: We cannot remain indifferent to the inhuman and degrading conditions in which these people, who should not even be in jail, have had their crimes prosecuted. We cannot ignore the charges of indictment against them and how they are forced to live. This is why we urgently need a visit by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran in the jail of Rajai Shahr, as well as an intervention by the Italian Government, both bilaterally and multilaterally, to ensure that the demands of the political prisoners of Rajai Shahr prison are met and that their human rights are respected.

Prisoners in other prisons across the country are also participating in hunger strikes in solidarity. In several cities in the West, Iranian people have held protests and rallies in a call for the international community to support the prisoners demands.

However, the Iranian regime seems to be indifferent to the situation. The Attorney General of Tehran Jafari-Dolatabadi (who has been blacklisted by the EU for serious human rights violations) said, in a threat to the prisoners, that their actions will fail.
Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

STATEN ISLAND, NY  For a guy who spends much of his time chilling in arctic temperatures, Jeff Orlowskis work is very hot.

The Eltingville native's award-winning National Geographic documentary, "Chasing Ice," is screening at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29, at the Staten Island Museum on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 1000 Richmond Terrace in Livingston.

Using stunning time-lapse imagery, Orlowskis film follows environmental photojournalist James Balog's exhaustive efforts to capture irrefutable evidence of global warming.

Here are 11 things you need to know about this important film:

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AP Photo | Victoria Will

Director Jeff Orlowski, left, and actor James Balog, from the film "Chasing Ice," pose for a portrait during the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, in Park City, Utah.

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

THE SCREENING WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A DISCUSSION WITH EXPERTS

Move Forward Staten Island, along with co-sponsors Sustainable Staten Island and Communications Workers of America Local 1102, is presenting a Q&A discussion with scientists and policy advocates following the film.

The panel, moderated by Move Forward Executive Committee Member Jose Ramirez-Garofalo, features:

Dr. Lisa Manne, Professor, CUNY Graduate Center

Shay O'Reilly, Organizing Representative, Sierra Club

Dan Sherrell, Campaign Coordinator, NYRenews

Beryl Thurman, Executive Director, North Shore Waterfront Conservancy of Staten Island, Inc

Note: The event from 7-9 p.m. is free but a donation to the Staten Island Museum "upon entry would be greatly appreciated."

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Photo by Adam LeWinter

JEFF WAS AHEAD OF HIS TIME

The filmmaker's 2012 big-screen debut couldn't have been more timely, considering the fallout from Hurricane Sandy and eco-activist outcry over the presidential candidates' apparent refusal to acknowledge the changing planet on the campaign trail.

"What's happening with Sandy is a complete shame," said the globe-trotting, pony-tailed Orlowski at the time. "The only silver lining is that people are seeing climate change is a reality and  we need to pay attention."

The film's pre-release tagline was almost prescient: "As the debate polarizes America, and the intensity of natural disasters ramps up globally, "Chasing Ice" depicts a heroic photojournalist on a mission to deliver fragile hope to our carbon-powered planet."

BTW: Jeff has a brand new film generating major buzz right now on Netflix. Check out the trailer for "Chasing Coral" at the bottom of this page.

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Photo by James Balog

Filmmaker Jeff Orlowski shoots in a canyon on the Greenland Ice Sheet.

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Photo by Jeff Orlowski

JEFF IS AN EXTREME FILMMAKER

Balog risked his career (not to mention his life) in pursuit of what he considers the biggest story facing humanity. He launched his Extreme Ice Survey (EIS) project in 2007, recruiting a team of young adventurers  Orlowski among them  to attempt a comprehensive, multi-year study of the world's vanishing glaciers across the brutal Arctic.

"It was a full-time job just keeping up with James," says Orlowski, via cell phone from Boulder, Colo. "But after a year of documenting him and his camera network, I knew we had the footage to tell an important and powerful story that needed to be shared."

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Photo by Jeff Orlowski

HE'S ALSO HIS OWN CINEMATOGRAPHER

Orlowski structured his film around stationary set-ups in Greenland, Iceland, Alaska and other Arctic regions, where Balog's revolutionary time-lapse cameras compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate.

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Photo by James Balog

"Chasing Ice" director Jeff Orlowski shooting in Uummannaq, Greenland, summer of 2007.

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SCARLETT JOHANSSON IS ON HIS A-TEAM

Orlowski recruited an A-list team to help him fulfill his cinematic vision: Paula DuPre Pesmen, producer of 2010's Academy Award-winning "The Cove," Oscar-nominated producer Jerry Aronson ("The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg"), writer Mark Monroe ("The Last Play at Shea"), editor Davis Coombe ("The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner"), and music by J. Ralph (the Oscar-winning "Man on Wire").

Heck, there's even an original theme song, the Oscar-nominated "Before My Time," performed by actress Scarlett Johansson and violinist Joshua Bell.

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AP Photo | Chris Young

ROBERT REDFORD IS A BIG FAN

"You've never seen images like this before," raved Robert Redford in an interview to promote Orlowski's film. "It deserves to be seen and felt on the big screen."

"Hauntingly beautiful" (as Redford described it) imagery aside, "Chasing Ice" also doubles as a compelling character study of Balog, whose devotion takes a physical toll. Once a skeptic about climate change and cynical about the nature of academic research, Balog has gone on to make presentations at the White House, U.S. Congress, NASA and Apple headquarters. His images are exhibited widely and published regularly in esteemed titles such as National Geographic and The New Yorker, among many others.

"I'm honored to be the subject of Jeff's first feature film, and thrilled that our years of hard work on EIS are documented," Balog says. "(We) can now reach a world stage ... where viewers can see for themselves the reality of our rapidly changing planet."

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Exposure Lab

The film's official, heart-in-your-throat trailer has 1,943,251 views on Youtube.

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Connie Orlowski with her New Dorp Friendship Club pals (Staten Island Advance Photo | Irving Silverstein)

BUT JEFF'S GRANDMA IS HIS BIGGEST FAN

FLASHBACK TO 2012: On the homefront Wednesday in post-Sandy Eltingville, the Orlowski family had more to celebrate than getting its power turned back on earlier that morning.

"I'm very thrilled, very excited about the movie  and I've got 14 seniors from the New Dorp Beach Friendship Club who are going to go see it with me," says Connie Orlowski, the 86-year-old grandmother of the director. "I tell you, he was always a brilliant boy, and not just because he's my grandson. It just came naturally. If something needed put together, he did it without instructions."

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James Balog

HE WENT FROM SUNDANCE TO NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

"Chasing Ice" premiered Jan. 23, 2012, at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, where it won the Excellence in Cinematography Award. National Geographic Channel purchased television rights shortly after its first screening, and the winning streak continued in February, with Best Feature and Best Adventure Film honors at the Big Sky and Boulder International film fests, respectively (22 more awards and 50 festival showcases followed).

Burgeoning art-house studio Submarine Deluxe eventually snatched up U.S. distribution rights, following the film's theatrical run with with DVD/Blu-Ray and On-Demand cable releases.

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HE HAS A NEW MOVIE: 'CHASING CORAL'

Beneath the waves, coral reefs are dying on a massive scale. These scientists and filmmakers are fighting to stop it. "Chasing Coral" is now streaming on Netflix.

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Staten Island Advance Photo | Jan Somma-Hammel

BEFORE HE WAS FAMOUS ...

Before he was scaling massive glaciers, Jeff was on the debate team at at Bernstein Intermediate School, Huguenot.

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

JEFF WAS A TEEN MTV STAR, TOO

Thats right "Chasing Ice" isn't the 33-year-old filmmaker's first brush with environmentally friendly fame.

Eagle-eyed pop culture connoisseurs might recognize Orlowski as the grand prize winner of 2004's MTV Free Ride Essay Contest, which "celebrated higher education and the pursuit for a cleaner environment." The then-19-year-old took home a hybrid Toyota Prius and $50K in scholarship funds (he went on to graduate from Stanford University in 2007).

"Yeah! No one else has mentioned that, but my essay was actually about creating a marketing campaign for the environment," Orlowski says. "That's essentially what I'm doing right now: Raising awareness in a way people can understand."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The borough's beloved Father Vincent R. Capodanno is the subject of a documentary, "Called and Chosen," premiering at at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, on the Eternal World Television Network. There is an encore presentation at 3 p.m. on Labor Day, Sept. 4. The channel can be found on Channel 285 on Verizon FiOS and Spectrum Cable Channel 460.

The EWTN broadcast celebrates the 50th anniversary of the death of the Maryknoll Missionary, U.S. Navy chaplain and lieutenant, who participated in seven combat operations before he was killed by a sniper on Sept. 4, 1967, as he ministered to a wounded Marine in Qui Son Valley.

"Called and Chosen" follows an 8 p.m. panel discussion hosted by Father Mitch Pacwa. Panelists include James Kelty, writer and director of "Called and Chose - father Vincent R. Capodanno" retired Marine Corps Cpt. Geoge Phillips, board chairman of the Father Vincent Capodanno Guild, who served with Father Capodanno, and Mary Preece, vice-postulator of Father Capodanno's canonization cause.

The "grunt padre" from Mariners Harbor, who was hit 27 times in the back, neck and head and who became known for putting the well-being of U.S. Marines above his own safety, moving among those wounded and dying on the battlefield in order to provide medical aid, comfort and the last rites -- was just 38 years of age at the time of his death.

During the Vietnam War, while serving with the 5th Marines, Chaplain Capodanno learned that 2nd platoon, Company M, was engaged in a violent battle in Quang Tin Province, resulting in many U.S. casualties.

He volunteered to work his way through the battlefield to administer last rites and provide aid to his Marines during Operation Swift.

He moved to the side of a badly wounded corpsman and, as he sought to administer aid, placed his own body between the wounded man and an enemy machine gunner.

Despite the passage of years, his legacy lives on through the countless lives he touched.

For his valor, bravery and sacrifice, Father Capodanno was awarded the United States Medal of Honor, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts and was acknowledged as a Servant of God, a process that could elevate him to sainthood.

Staten Island musical director, Al Lambert, a cousin of Father Capodanno, said "He epitomized what a saint is or what a saint ought to be."

In speaking of his charisma, he explained the way everyone wanted to be near him or involved in his life. He continued: "He had a mission in life, one in which he fulfilled."

Father Capodanno's brother, James Capodanno -- a US Marine corporal with the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Tank Battalion -- mission, was to keep his brother's memory alive. Sadly, James passed in May of 2014.

Father Capodanno is survived by his sister, Gloria Capodanno Holman and his sister-in-law, Lydia Capodanno, and several nieces and nephews.

The doc on Father Capodanno's life will be rebroadcast Saturday, Sept. 2, and Monday, Sept. 4, at 3 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 11, at 8 p.m. and Monday, Nov. 13, at 1:30 a.m.

A Memorial Mass will be offered Sunday, Sept. 3, at 9:30 a.m. at the Father Capodanno Memorial Chapel at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, where the principal celebrant and homilist will be Father Daniel L. Mode, author of "The Grunt Padre: The Service and Sacrifice of Father Vincent Robert Capodanno, Vietnam, 1966-1967."

On Tuesday, Sept. 5, at 6:30 p.m. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdioceses for the Military Services, USA, will celebrate the annual Mass for Father Capodanno in the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Charter schools in New York City receive almost $5,000 less per student than city public schools, according to a new study released Tuesday.

The report, "Charter School Funding: Inequity in New York City," was compiled by a team of researchers at the University of Arkansas, and is based on data from in-depth financial records provided by the city Department of Education.

The publicly funded, privately run charters have less money for each student because they get less funding from the city and the state, the study found.

Staten Island charter school students received $4,657 less per pupil than the city's district average per-pupil amount, according to the report.

Still, Staten Island, which has the fewest charter schools, and fewest number of students, had the second-highest level of per-pupil charter school funding, spending $21,290 on every charter school student.

The borough has fewer than 2,500 charter school students spread across two schools -- the John Lavelle Preparatory Charter School, located on the Teleport campus in Bloomfield, which offers classes from kindergarten through high school under different umbrellas, and the New World Preparatory Charter School, a middle school in Port Richmond. More charters may be on the way in the next few years if approved by the state Education Department.

Only Manhattan -- which has the greatest number of charter schools, including those in the Success Academy network of schools -- spent more money per pupil, at $22,288 per student.

The report also found that charter school students are also more likely to be economically disadvantaged, falling below national poverty levels, and many have special learning needs. Bronx and Staten Island charter schools serve higher proportions of economically disadvantaged students than Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, according to the report.

"New York City is home to one of the most dynamic and closely watched charter sectors in the nation, and its policies offer a number of lessons for other cities," said Larry Maloney, lead researcher for the study.

"Policies and practices put in place by city leaders a number of years ago have yielded greater equity over time, although charter students continue to receive less public funding than their peers in district schools," he said.

A large contingent of charter school supporters, parents and students lobby each year in Albany to increase state funding to charter schools, to close the funding gap.

A DOE spokeswoman said the city school system treats all public schools and students equally, but said the city school system is responsible for other costs, such as contractually negotiated obligations for salaries, benefits and pensions, that charter schools are not obligated to provide employees.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The son-in-law of the 81-year-old man found dead in Clove Lakes Park Saturday said he was a man who loved his family.

Anthony Moliterni, of Castleton Corners, was found floating in the lake near the Martling Avenue entrance to the park at about 8:40 a.m, according to sources with knowledge of the incident.

His son-in-law, Robert Denmark, said Moliterni's very large family was the most important thing to him.

"He was a great father-in-law," Denmark, of Grant City, said Monday night. "I couldn't have asked for anything better."

Moliterni, a retired city Sanitation worker, had been battling depression for about a year, his daughter previously told the Advance. She said he had been undergoing treatment for his condition since June.

Denmark said he had spent a short time in the hospital in June, but would not say what the visit was for.

"He was always willing to help anybody," Denmark said. "They don't make them like him anymore. He was a different breed."
There are several indications to suggest this. For one, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, last year insulted the Saudi royal family and criticised its role as caretaker of the holiest Islam sites.

Only a few months ago, the former defense minister of Iran Hossein Dehghan warned Saudi Arabia: If the Saudis do anything ignorant, we will leave no area untouched except for Makkah and Madinah. One of the princes of Saudi Arabia said that his country is well aware that it is a main target of the Iranian regime and said that instead of waiting for the battle to come to Saudi Arabia, they would work to have it in Iran.

Saudi Arabia and its allies in the GCC took action to stop Iran from opening the military corridor that would have led the regime right to the Saudi border.

However, there may be an even more pressing danger.

At the minute, Tehran has control over an alarming amount of space in Syria and Iraq. It is using its forces in Iran, and Assads forces, to provide a safe route of almost 2,000 kilometres linking Tehran and Beirut. This will give Iran the chance to supply its militias, including the notorious Hezbollah, with supplies and heavy weapons without being hindered by checks, border verifications, etc.

Iran has been identified as the biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world and it is not even trying to cover up its terrorist activities.

President Trump announced that he was considering the United States position with regards to the 2015 nuclear deal, and President Rouhani responded by saying that Irans nuclear program could be restarted immediately.

The Iranian regime is out of control and threats like these show that there is no chance of bringing moderation to the ruling powers of Iran.

As well as threatening the international community, the Iranian regime is threatening people at home. The Iranian people have no right to free speech and are threatened with prison, cruel punishments, or in some cases execution.

Now that Iran and Qatar have restored ties and Turkey and Iran are planning joint military action against Kurdish groups, foreign governments need to pick a side. Non-complaint states should have their diplomatic ties severed and a devastating result needs to be avoided.
Michael Ciaglo

92-year-old rescued

A rescuer moves Paulina Tamirano, 92, from a boat to a truck bed as people evacuate from the Savannah Estates neighborhood as Addicks Reservoir nears capacity Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. ( Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle)

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David J. Phillip

Residents wade through floodwaters

Residents wade through floodwaters as they evacuate their homes near the Addicks Reservoir as floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey rise Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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Eric Gay

Home destroyed

Shane Johnson removes items from a family home destroyed in the wake of Harvey, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Rockport, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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Scott Clause

Residents rescued

Volunteers and first responders work together to rescue residents from rising flood waters in Houston, TX. Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017.

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Mark Mulligan

People walk back in to help others

People walk back in to help others evacuate their homes near south Beltway 8 up Telephone Rd., Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. (Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle)

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Jay Janner

Family hugs

A family hugs upon their arrival at a shelter at St. Thomas Presbyterian Church in west Houston after Harvey on Tuesday Aug. 29, 2017. Their home was flooded out the night before. ( Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

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Scott Clause

Volunteers and first responders work together

Volunteers and first responders work together to rescue residents from rising flood waters in Houston, TX. Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017.

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Michael Ciaglo

Chest deep water

People wade through chest deep water down Pine Cliff Drive as Addicks Reservoir nears capacity due to near constant rain from Tropical Storm Harvey Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. ( Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle)

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Gregory Bull

Pets rescued

Daniel Lugo waves to a neighbor as he is rescued from his apartment among floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Kingwood, Texas. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

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David J. Phillip

Residents evacuate

Residents evacuate their homes near the Addicks Reservoir as floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey rise Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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Scott Clause

First responders use an airboat

Volunteers and first responders work together to rescue residents from rising flood waters in Houston, TX. Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017.

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David J. Phillip

Businesses and cars flooded

Businesses and cars are flooded near the Addicks Reservoir as floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey rise Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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David J. Phillip

Homes flooded

Homes are flooded near the Addicks Reservoir as floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey rise Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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Eric Gay

Family home destroyed

Andy Guerra works to salvage items from his family home that was destroyed in the wake of Harvey, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Rockport, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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David J. Phillip

Businesses, neighborhoods flooded

In this aerial photo, businesses and neighborhoods near Addicks Reservoir are flooded by rain from Tropical Storm Harvey Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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Wochit Video

Harvey Continues To Threaten Texas' Gulf Coast

Harvey, a tropical storm by Tuesday morning with its eye hovering over the Gulf of Mexico, could still dump up to 15 inches of rain on portions of southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana, including the saturated Houston area, where thousands have been rescued and many more people still wait for help, according to CNN. (Wochit video)
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The ACT government should call for expressions of interest to build a new convention centre and "get out of the way", ACT Tourism Industry Advisory Council chair David Marshall says.

Dr Marshall told an ACT parliamentary inquiry into the long-talked about centre he believed it should be built through a public-private partnership, with a contribution of about $160 million from the ACT government.

A 2015 artist's impression of the proposed convention centre, the Australia Forum, designed by Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas.

Their contribution could stem from the land for the new convention centre on Lake Burley Griffin's West Basin and for neighbouring hotels, as well as the sale of the old centre on Constitution Avenue, Dr Marshall said.

"The government does not have to fork out $400, $500, $600 million dollars to build a convention centre," Dr Marshall said.
A Canberra nursing home has been sanctioned after failing to meet government standards for clinical care, medication and the treatment of dying residents.

Inspectors from the federal Aged Care Quality Agency visited the Adria Village nursing home in July, finding that these issues could put its elderly residents at "serious risk".

A Canberra nursing home has been sanctioned after a government audit found it did not meet a number of standards. Credit:Rob Homer

"Management is not able to demonstrate care recipients' medication is managed safely and correctly," inspectors wrote in their report.

"The medication auditing and reporting system does not include the administration of insulin.
Owners Scott and Lauren Gilbert had left the light on while Jack finished his dinner and prepared to come back inside.

Dog of the year Jack with his owner Scott Gilbert at home in Evatt. Credit:Rohan Thomson

Eight-year-old golden retriever Jack woke his owners up with barks and whimpers when an outdoor lamp set alight.

Man's best friend more than earned his title the night he saved an Evatt family from a potentially serious house fire.

"I was like 'Yeah, Jack just do your business, I'll be there in a minute', then he stood underneath our window which faces on to the backyard and he was whimpering and crying," Mr Gilbert said.

"Normally he doesn't do that."

Worried about annoying the neighbours, Mr Gilbert peered outside to make sure everything was OK. He started to suspect something was wrong after realising the light was no longer on.

"There was like an orange flicker, so I was like oh, nah, that's not normal, so I opened the back door, had seen that the light fitting had caught fire, had melted the plastic housing, and it dropped the light on the ground," Mr Gilbert said.

"Basically there was melting, burning plastic on a chair as well as on the roof, so I just yelled out to my wife 'Shit, the house is on fire, quick, get up'."
A Nigerian-born man accused of importing 10 kilograms of ice in golden fish statues has been found guilty by a jury.

Jackson Igwebuike, 34, was caught in a police sting after Australian Border Force officers intercepted packages destined for Canberra.

Jackson Igwebuike, 34, pleaded not guilty to importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug. Credit:Facebook

Prosecutors in his ACT Supreme Court trial said the drugs were discovered when three 20 kilogram statues that arrived in a shipping crate from China were X-rayed by officers at Port Botany on October 8 in 2015.

Inside one statue of a fish they found 43 packages that contained a combined total of 10.58 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Kim Bradshaw is a woman on a mission.

The boss of the new Calvary Bruce Private Hospital wants to shake up health care in the ACT, lift expectations of customer service and drive her staff to be innovative and creative in patient care.

Calvary Bruce Private Hospital newly appointed chief executive Kim Bradshaw. Credit:Karleen Minney

A onetime trainee nurse in the Victorian city of Geelong, she's unashamedly optimistic about Canberra's newest hospital and ready to tell anyone who will listen.

"When you get out here and see this magnificent new hospital we've just built, fabulous and state-of-the-art, it is just so exciting," Ms Bradshaw said.
Two rainbow buses will enter service in Canberra ahead of the postal vote on same-sex marriage, as the ACT government shows its support for the "yes" campaign.

The rainbow bus wraps cost $22,000, sourced from the existing Transport Canberra and City Services budget, and will be seen on buses for a minimum of three months.

Minster for Transport Canberra and City Services unveils a rainbow bus in support of marriage equality on Tuesday. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

They are part of a suite of activities designed to show the territory's support for LGBTIQ people before Australians cast their vote for or against marriage equality.

Transport minister Meegan Fitzharris signalled a rainbow crossing would be placed somewhere in the city precinct as well over the coming months, an idea raised by the ACT Greens when the taxpayer-funded support of the "yes" campaign was debated in the Legislative Assembly.
Much of the focus will be on one man as the AFL's best 22 players this season are honoured.

Richmond star Dustin Martin is a certain selection for his second-successive All-Australian team.

All eyes are on Dustin Martin. Credit:AAP

Martin is set to attend Wednesday night's All-Australian function at the Palais Theatre, the night after arriving back from his much-publicised trip to New Zealand.

He and his manager Ralph Carr visited Martin's father Shane to discuss the monster seven-year offers from the Tigers and North Melbourne.
We've got whispers about the very high-profile Collingwood player and his wife who had to hand their car back, plus Jordan Lewis' epic on-field spray and an Instagram post that let the (retiring) cat out of the bag.

This week on a special extended edition of the Real Footy podcast, Michael Gleeson, Caroline Wilson, Greg Baum and Sam McClure have the answer.

Why did the Pies reappoint Nathan Buckley?

It's the decision that has footy fans - particularly Collingwood fans - divided.

The panel talks finals, including the real premiership contenders, how West Coast managed to scrape into the eight and the players that will be key to premiership chances.

Oh, and Richmond are a "sneaky chance" for the flag.

Also, reviews of all the teams that didn't make the eight, including the heartbroken Dees, the optimistic Blues and the prime for "relegation" Dockers.

And the biggest news to hit New Zealand since the birth of Barnaby Joyce.

Listen via iTunes, acast, Pocket Casts or Whooshkaa.
Ahmed Fahour's ability to wring money out of the poor patsies on the board of Australia Post was considered world class, even before he walked out the door for the last time with $10.8 million in his mail bag.

The Blackmores' annual report, released on Tuesday, contained the pay packet of its departing boss  Fahour's replacement Christine Holgate  and it makes for quite the contrast.

Holgate does not leave Blackmores until the end of September, so this is not her final pay packet, but the annual report reveals that her decision to leave  far from enriching her  has so far cost Holgate $2.63 million in forfeited share rights.

The report says 12,127 share rights for the 2016 financial year and another 15,051 granted last year "were forfeited due to Christine Holgate's resignation prior to completion of this service period".
Caltex Australia will cut jobs as part of a review of its operations as it looks to offset the impact of losing its supply contract with Woolworths.

The fuel retailer on Tuesday announced a restructure that will result in the loss of 120 jobs and deliver initial cost savings of around $60 million.

The review, dubbed Quantum Leap, will look at improving efficiency and earnings growth and Caltex chief executive Julian Segal did not rule out asset sales or demergers in the future.

"Certainly at this stage the two businesses are very much interdependent but in time there could be a conclusion that those assets might be delivering more value to the business in a different structure," Mr Segal said.
Ten's retail shareholders are calling for a class action or regulatory investigation into boardroom secrecy ahead of the broadcaster's administration, as it becomes clear they will be completely wiped out by the deal KordaMentha and PPB Advisory have struck with US broadcasting giant CBS.

Shareholder John Homewood says he would "love to have a class action" and has been frustrated by the lack of communication to shareholders in recent months.

"It just seems to me that these administrators ... it is as if the poor old shareholder has been pushed out of the way of a business that for all intents and purposes was viable," he told Fairfax Media.

"I have come to the realisation that effectively shareholders will have their equity interest just transferred over to CBS. It is really the lack of information being provided that has got me a bit hot under the collar."
Jakarta: US mining giant Freeport McMoRan has signalled it believes a breakthrough agreement allowing it to continue operating a massive gold and copper mine in Indonesia will win the approval of Rio Tinto.

Indonesian Energy and Minister Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan said on Tuesday that after "tough negotiations" Freeport had agreed to give up its majority stake in the Grasberg mine to Indonesia.

Richard Adkerson, chief executive of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.; Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati; and Energy and Minerals Minister Ignasius Jonan in Jakarta. Credit:AP

The agreement will require Freeport to cut its ownership of the mine from 90.64 per cent to 49 per cent, provide more state revenue, adopt a special licence and build a second smelter by 2022.

Freeport's chief executive Richard Adkerson said the mining company would need to obtain approval for any changes from Rio Tinto, which has been a partner in the operations in Papua, a restive eastern province of Indonesia, since the mid-1990s.
REPORTER: North Korea launched another missile this morning. Can you please explain what responses the Government will be taking?

PRIME MINISTER ABE: The ballistic missile launched by North Korea flew over Japan and fell into the Pacific Ocean. The Government has stayed fully abreast of the developments related to the missile since immediately after its launch, and has been taking all possible measures to protect the lives of the Japanese people.

A missile launch across Japan is an outrageous act that poses an unprecedented, grave and serious threat, and significantly undermines the peace and security of the region. The Government has lodged a firm protest against North Korea. We ask the United Nations (UN) Security Council to convene an emergency meeting. The Government will collaborate with the international community at the UN in urging the further strengthening of pressure on North Korea. We will make every effort to ensure the safety and security of the Japanese people with a sense of urgency to be able to deal with any situation under the robust Japan-U.S. Alliance.


Australia's biggest iron ore producers are spending as much as $US10 billion ($12.5 billion) on mines so they can keep pumping out shipments to China as demand from their biggest customer shows little sign of easing.

Led by Rio Tinto, the nation's top three exporters plan to add about 170 million tonnes of new capacity to replace exhausted mines, and are studying investments in infrastructure and equipment to boost export capacity to their long-term targeted rates.

Output will rise 9 per cent to 843 million tonnes in 2022, according to Deutsche Bank estimates.

Forecasts of a slowdown in China's steel industry are proving to be misplaced with BHP Billiton saying production hasn't yet peaked and likely won't do so until the middle of next decade, while steel-making raw materials will continue performing well over the coming 12 months.
German industrial giant Siemens and paint manufacturer Dulux are set to offload property into the hottest market since the global financial crisis.

They are joining a wave of corporates looking for new high-quality space in cheaper digs who are keen to make the most of a 20 per cent lift in industrial land prices in the eastern suburbs.

The new Dulux factory which Vaughan Constructions is building at Merrifield. Credit:Cloud 9 Aerial Photography

Colliers International agent Justin Fried said: "What's really driving it is the significant uplift in values. A number of privates and owners who have had long-term ownership in these areas are looking to capitalise on market conditions.

"In some cases they're looking to move out of older buildings and relocate to more affordable but higher quality real estate closer to the freeways."
Sydney's hotels have been "standout performers" this year, but a surge of new hotels in Melbourne has reduced occupancy levels in the southern capital, according to research on Australia's hotel market by Ray White Commercial.

A favourable Australian dollar has resulted in more international visitors and strong employment in Sydney and Melbourne has boosted corporate travel.

Melbourne's Langham Hotel is perfect for NYE fireworks.

Occupancy in Sydney's hotels traditionally peaks in February/March and again in October/November.

"The 12-month moving average has seen good results this year, peaking in March 2017 at 87.7 per cent where the prior years had been in the 86 per cent range," the Between the Lines report said.
In 2017, the Australian way of life  a fair day's pay for a fair day's work, equal opportunity for all and preventing excessive inequalities of wealth, status and power  is fraying. While we avoided the GFC's worst effects, inequality has risen to heights not seen since the early 1940s. Good, secure, well-paying jobs are being replaced by low-skill, low-wage insecure work. Less than half of Australian workers hold down full-time jobs; 23 per cent are employed casually. Underemployment has hit a record high of 8.6 per cent. Wage theft is rife. Company profits remain healthy  rising by 40 per cent in 2017  yet wages growth is sluggish. The fruits of 26 years of continuous, record economic growth have not been shared equally, which is bad for working people, bad for the economy, and bad for democracy, encouraging extremist politics. In any case, our world-beating growth numbers belie a more fragile outlook. Productive investment is poor. Exports are less diversified than any time since the 1950s. Our economic institutions are not working in the interests of the majority.

To save the Australian way, a new policy settlement is required. Australians are keen to see more bipartisanship and co-operation, and not just in politics. To address the big challenges facing our country we need a workplace and corporate culture fit for purpose in the 21st century. We must re-create a resilient pro-business, pro-worker framework which prizes profit and productivity as much as co-operation and fairness. We need to recreate institutions to sustain a high-growth, high-skill and high-wage economy tailored towards the long-run, not sustained by ephemeral mining and property booms, or which relies upon lazy, counter-productive measures such as cutting wages. One idea, drawn from Germany, is to encourage and, if need be, legislate for employee representatives on company boards.

Codetermination might militate against financial difficulties leading to the sudden collapse of firms as in the recent case of steelmaker Arrium. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The post-1948 West German "economic miracle" is a misnomer. Sustained German prosperity was not some accident, but the product of determined co-operation between government, business and workers. The centrepiece of its social market economy, the German Codetermination Act (Mitbestimmungsgesetz) of 1951 became part of its corporate furniture. The codetermination principle is simple: for the good of all, workers must have a fair say in the governance of the companies they make productive and profitable. Social market measures have been maintained by both sides of German politics and enjoy deep popular support. Whereas Australia has a unitary board structure, Germany boasts a two-tier system of supervisory and management boards. The German One-Third Participation Act allocates one-third of supervisory board seats to employee representatives for companies with between 500 and 2000 employees. A company of more than 2000 employees ensures just under one half of seats. Half of the supervisory board members of Germany's largest corporations  think Siemens, BMW and Daimler  are elected by their workforces. The supervisory board is tasked with overseeing company strategy and is responsible for appointing the management board which oversees day-to-day operations. Neither board can interfere with each other's operations and typically work together in a spirit of collaboration.

Codetermination draws on the irreplaceable shop floor knowledge of a company's workforce. Conflict between management and workers is reduced and communication channels are vastly improved. There is less resistance to technological and structural change. Directors are drawn from a wider social and professional circle. All this promotes long-term decision-making, making for better-paid, more productive and safer workplaces, and improving the transparency of information for investors, workers and consumers.
A weak Clean Energy Target would shift the emissions reduction burden away from the electricity sector, undermine investor certainty, and potentially leave power stations pumping out pollution into the next century, according to analysis by RepuTex.

In modelling commissioned by the Australian Conservation Foundation, RepuTex examined the effect of a CET to cut 2005-level emissions from the electricity industry by 28 per cent by 2030, as outlined by the Finkel review into energy security.

The consultancy found that goal  in line with Australia's Paris climate agreements  was far short of what could be achieved by the power sector. It urged the CET have a higher rate of at least 45 per cent.

"The electricity sector is a critical sector for decarbonisation," Bret Harper, RepuTex's director of research, said. "The technologies are certainly available to reduce carbon emissions, even to go to zero."
Two of Australia's most prestigious Catholic schools have cautiously endorsed same-sex marriage in messages to parents, staff and students, directly rebuking recent statements from church leaders.

While stopping short of advocating a "yes" vote, St Ignatius' College in Sydney and Xavier College in Melbourne appealed to Pope Francis' teachings on love, mercy and non-judgment, and urged the school community to dwell on their own consciences.

The two Jesuit schools have educated generations of Australian politicians. St Ignatius', which is independent of the Catholic system, is the alma mater of former prime minister Tony Abbott and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, while Opposition Leader Bill Shorten attended Xavier College.

Father Chris Middleton, rector of Xavier College, called on the church to reflect on the overwhelming support for marriage equality among young people, and cited an Irish archbishop who called for the church to take "a reality check".
For a man that rather enjoys surrounding himself with blonde women, you'd think US President Donald Trump might be better at being able to tell them apart.

In what could perhaps be blamed on the time he looked directly at the eclipse without protective sunglasses, the president appeared to be confused by the appearance of two blonde reporters at a press conference in the White House.

Alongside Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, Trump held court answering questions on diplomatic matters, as well as Hurricane Harvey and Trump's controversial pardoning of former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio.

As the Washington Post reports, typically this kind of gig means answering two questions from US reporters and two from the country of the president's counterpart at the conference.
North West, daughter of app and beauty mogul Kim Kardashian West and Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West, has given her first "tell-all" interview at the age of four, accompanied by her artwork (well, she is her father's daughter).

No stranger to the spotlight, she featured in her first Vogue spread captured by Annie Leibovitz at 10 months and wore Chanel in CR Fashion Book one month later, is a Keeping Up With the Kardashians and front row regular, and the focus of hordes of paparazzi on a daily basis, frankly, it's surprising that a compelling sit-down and cover shoot has taken so long.

For the September issue of Interview magazine, the pint-sized heiress fielded questions from other A-listers, including model Kaia Gerber (daughter of 90s supermodel Cindy Crawford), Strangers Things actor Millie Bobby Brown, Sean and Jayden Federline (Britney Spears' sons), Penelope Disick (her first cousin and fellow reality TV star, daughter of Kourtney Kardashian and Lord Disick), and the late Andy Warhol (who founded Interview magazine in 1969).
Telstra CEO Andy Penn said at the telco's results two weeks ago that the NBN funds would be used to pay down debt by $1 billion and the remaining $3 billion used in share buybacks. Credit:Pat Scala Australian shares, including dividends, returned 6.6 per cent for the year to July 31, 2017 while a portfolio of the nine equally weighted stocks favoured by small investors returned 5.9 per cent. That is a better relative performance than for the year to January 2017, when the market returned 11.6 per cent and the Mums and Dads Index produced a return of only 0.9 per cent. Craig James, chief economist for CommSec, created the Mums and Dads Index in 1999. Chris Batchelor, independent market commentator, says to get growth in their portfolios, small investors should be adding a bit of exposure to stocks outside of the household names.

"Many investors are attracted to these stocks because of the high levels of franked dividends, but ultimately it's the combination of dividends and share price growth that determines an investor's total return," he says. Batchelor says small investors typically have no or little exposure to resources, technology, infrastructure and real estate sectors, among others. The score card Qantas

Result: For the year to June 30, 2017, profit was $852 million, down 17 per cent from 2016, when it received a windfall from the sale of its Sydney Airport domestic terminal. Positives: It's Qantas' second-highest profit; beaten only by the previous year's profit. Qantas continues to enjoy earnings growth from domestic flights and its loyalty business. Negatives: Qantas' international division reduced its profit margin on international routes, contributing to a 36 per cent fall in earnings before interest and tax to $327 million. Key point: Discounting for international airfares continues to be a challenge for the airline's international business Dividend: Announced a $373 million on-market share buyback and declared a dividend of 7 a share taking the total dividend for the year to 14.

Woolworths Result: Woolworths reported a 3.6 per cent drop in underlying profit from continuing operations for the year to June 25 to $1.422 billion from $1.476 billion last year. Positives: Total sales at Woolies and its retail offshoots grew 3.7 per cent to $55.5 billion over the year. Negatives: Losses at Big W increased from $14.9 million in 2016 to $150 million, with total sales falling 5.8 per cent. Key point: Same-store supermarket sales grew 3.6 per cent during the year, outpacing the sales growth of rival Coles.

Dividend: A final dividend of 50 per share to take total dividend for the year to 84, a 9.1 per cent increase on the prior year. Commonwealth bank Result: Australia's biggest bank pulled off another full-year record profit of almost $10 billion, almost 5 per cent for the year to June 30 compared to the previous year. Positives: The bank just keeps making record profits, with a consistently good performances across its divisions. Negatives: Allegations have been made that Australia's biggest bank breached laws to combat money laundering. The banking regulator is to conduct a public inquiry into "organisational and cultural" issues at the bank.

Key point: The bank will look to sell its life insurance business in Australia and New Zealand in a deal which could be worth up to $5 billion. Dividend: A final dividend of $2.30 per share, giving a full-year dividend of $4.29. IAG Result: Net profit after tax increased almost 50 per cent to $929 million, helped by stronger investment income, higher insurance prices and releases from reserves. Positives: IAG has done well for its shareholders for the year to July 31, 2017 with its share price at about $5.70, about a dollar higher than a year ago.

Negatives: The company's outlook for reported insurance profit margins left some analysts underwhelmed. Key Point: It's expecting claim costs to rise. Dividend: IAG will pay a fully-franked final dividend of 20 a share, taking its full-year dividend to 33 a share. Suncorp Result: Full-year cash profit of $1.075 billion, an increase of 3.6 per cent on the previous financial year.

Positives: Strong performance of its insurance arm. Negatives: Despite the lift in profit, the result fell short of market expectations. Banking and wealth earnings were subdued. Dividend: An increase in final dividend by 2 to 40 a share to takes full-year dividend 73, up 7 per cent on last year. AMP Result: A fall for six months to June 30 of about 15 per cent to $445 million, compared to the previous corresponding period.

Positives: Underlying profit was $533 million for the half year; almost 4 per cent higher than the earlier corresponding period's $513 million. Negatives: Some analysts questioned whether AMP could make better use of the capital released in the life insurance business rather than returning the capital to shareholders. Key Point: Will complete a reinsurance program for its life insurance business by year-end that would release $1 billion in capital and protect it from spikes in claims. Dividend: AMP will pay a 14.5 a share dividend for the half-year, an increase on 14. Telstra

Result: Full-year profit in the year to June fell by about a third to $3.9 billion. However, that was mainly due to a $1.8 billion windfall gain in the prior year from the sale of Chinese car web site Autohome. Positives: Without the Autohome sale, comparable earnings were up 1.1 per cent at $3.87 billion. Negatives: Telstra said it will cut future dividends by up to 30 per cent. Key point: Telstra is challenged by stronger competition. Dividend: Telstra will pay a final dividend of 15.5 to take the full year dividend to 31.

Tabcorp Profit: Tabcorp reported a full-year net loss of $20.8 million because of costs related to its proposed merger with Tatts, legal battles and expenses at its new British business. Positives: Though a loss, the gaming company reported a 2 per cent lift in revenue to $2.23 billion for the 12 months to June 30. Negatives: The gaming giant was hit by $199.7 million in costs, including, among others, costs for its acquisition of gaming tech firm Intecq and proposed takeover of Tatts. Key point: The main worry is the uncertainty surrounding the proposed merger with Tatts.

Dividend: A final dividend of 12.5 will be paid, taking its full-year distribution to 25. Wesfarmers Result: The conglomerate reported a net profit after tax for the 12 months to June 30 of $2.87 billion, up from $2.25 billion a year earlier, excluding impairments against Target and its coal assets in 2016. Positives: Its industrials division did well, mostly as a result of higher coal prices. Kmart's earnings grew 17.7 per cent to $553 million with a 7.5 per cent lift in sales. Negatives: Coles earnings fell 13 per cent as it tripled it further discounted prices and improved customer service.
There is a $2.85 billion-a-year shortfall in what employers should be paying their employees in super.

For the first time, the Tax Office has estimated the shortfall by comparing what employers should be paying with how much actually ends up in the super funds of their employees.

The Tax Office estimates $2.85 billion a year in super is not paid to employees. Credit:Rob Homer

The estimate comes after a report by the Senate inquiry into unpaid super, released in May 2017, found the Tax Office's approach to unpaid super to be "inadequate" and "problematic".

Half of the inquiry's recommendations were aimed at improving the Tax Office's monitoring and compliance efforts.
PARIS -- Paris Community Hospitals Clinic Manager Eunice Chaney was recently presented with the 2017 Rural Health Administrator of the Year Award from the Illinois Rural Health Association (IRHA). The award was presented in conjunction with their Annual Educational Conference held in Champaign.

The complexities and federal regulations involved in managing Rural Health Clinics are extremely difficult to navigate and Eunice has been very proactive in the Illinois Rural Health Association promoting educational opportunities to help others understand these processes better, IL Rural Health Association Executive Director Margaret Vaughn said in a press release.

Paris Community Hospital/Family Medical Center (PCH/FMC) President & CEO Oliver Smith, who spoke at the presentation, said, ..Im very proud of Eunice. We are fortunate to have her leadership as the manager of our clinics. She is truly deserving of this award.

I am very honored, but believe a leader is only as good as those around her. I come to work knowing we have a great team that is going to make a difference. I could not have accomplished this without the support of family, friends, and this community. I am proud to serve the residents of Edgar County through Paris Community Hospital/Family Medical Center and give back to the communities that helped me get where I am today," Chaney said.

First organized in 1989, the Illinois Rural Health Association (IRHA) is a collaborative association comprised of over 700 members including hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, public health departments, practitioners, consumers and public officials, whose mission is to strengthen health systems for rural residents and communities through advocacy, education, networking and leadership.
As Sarah McDonald recovered from the "traumatic" birth of her second child, the mechatronics engineer knew there had to be a better way to help manage the risks and uncertainties of pregnancy and labour.

Four years later, Ms McDonald's innovative real-time monitoring pregnancy patch is one major step closer to becoming a reality, winning $1.47 million to bankroll its development thanks to the NSW government's Medical Devices Fund.

PhD Candidate Sarah McDonald, who is working with the RPA Women and Babies team, holds a proof-of-concept device for patches that will monitor pregnancy and labour progression. Credit:Kate Geraghty

On Tuesday night at Parliament House, the "Oli" was one of four promising new medical devices awarded a share of $6.61 million in funding grants to bankroll their commercial development.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the fund gave entrepreneurs the opportunity to get game-changing ideas to market, "not only keeping medical device companies in NSW, but [also] significantly improving health outcomes and even saving patients' lives".
The move also sets up a reshuffle of some key federal department secretary positions in Canberra.

His surprise departure from Health, announced by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last week, comes as Calvary boss Mark Doran leaves the organisation.

Outgoing Health Department boss Martin Bowles is set to join the Calvary Health Care network in November, ending his 40 year public service career.

The organisation runs the Calvary Public Hospital in Bruce and Calvary John James Hospital, and is preparing to open the new Bruce private hospital next month.

Founded by Catholic order the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary, Calvary operates 15 public and private hospitals nationally as well as 17 aged care homes.

Mr Bowles leaves the Department of Health on Friday and begins his new job in Sydney on November 1.

Little Company of Mary Health Care chair, John Watkins, said Mr Bowles brought vast experience in health and excellent leadership capacity to Calvary.

"Martin's obvious capability, outstanding leadership qualities and deep commitment to serving the people of Australia strongly aligns with Calvary's mission to provide quality, compassionate health care to our communities, including the most vulnerable and those reaching the end of their life, Mr Watkins said.
The woman accused of attacking three people with an axe at a 7-Eleven in Sydney's inner west will go straight to trial.

Evie Amati, 25, appeared in Central Local Court on Tuesday via audio-visual link from maximum security custody, looking gaunt, with her hair in cornrow braids.

A screenshot from the CCTV inside the 7-Eleven at Enmore. Credit:Nine News

The charges against Ms Amati have been upgraded since her arrest in January, and she is now accused of wounding three people with intent to murder, and a further three charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

She briefly appeared in court to waive her right to a committal hearing, opting to go straight to trial in the NSW District Court.
Fire and Rescue NSW was not called to the incident. A salvage operation is under way.

"It was a huge bang, it startled me, I thought a bomb had gone off," he told ABC News .

A crane has collapsed into Sydney Harbour near the iconic Luna Park. Credit:Luke Bayly/@bayly

Luke Bayly watched the crane topple from a barge about 1pm near Milsons Point on Sydney's lower north shore.

A crane has collapsed into Sydney Harbour, snapping a large cable which damaged the iconic facade of Luna Park.

The crane, positioned under the Harbour Bridge, was being used to build the new Milsons Point ferry wharf.

A spokesperson for SafeWork NSW said police had alerted them to the incident and inspectors were on their way to the site.

It is unclear at this stage what caused the incident on Waterway Construction's barge.

"Roads and Maritime Services is supporting Safework NSW as it investigates an incident on a worksite near Milsons Point Wharf which involved a barge-mounted crane in Sydney Harbour," a Roads and Maritime Services spokesperson told Fairfax Media.
Accused murderer Ron Medich and his property developing brother Roy are set to make hundreds of millions of dollars after secretly selling their substantial landholding adjacent to the proposed second airport at Badgerys Creek.

Ron Medich and his brother Roy are set to make hundreds of millions of dollars from a Badgerys Creek land deal. Credit:Daniel Munoz

The sale, rumoured to be more than $500 million, is to companies associated with Chinese property billionaire Shen Yuxing, also known as Tin Ching Shum.

Sources close to the deal say it's contingent upon Foreign Investment Review Board approval. This may not be straightforward given the land's proximity to the proposed airport.
Burwood Liberal councillor Tony Doueihi did not declare an interest and voted to approve extra apartments in a $26 million development in which his son had recently purchased a unit when it came before a state government planning panel on which he sits.

Cr Doueihi also voted when the matter came before Burwood council, despite rules stating councillors must leave the chamber if they or a relative have a pecuniary interest.

Burwood councillor Tony Doueihi voted twice on an application for a development in which his son owned an apartment. Credit:Facebook

Property records show Phillip Doueihi purchased a two-bedroom apartment at 36-38 Victoria Street, Burwood for $700,000 on May 28, 2015.

Despite this, Cr Doueihi did not declare an interest when a development application to add additional floor space came before the Sydney East Joint Regional Planning Panel.
A Somali refugee who attacked his former partner with a machete in Brisbane's south should be sentenced to nine years behind bars partly because of the traumatic experiences he has endured, a court has heard.

Earlier this year, a Brisbane Supreme Court jury found Muhumed Samow Ali guilty of attempting to kill his partner after he ran her off the road and chased her down a street in suburban Wacol brandishing a 40cm blade in September 2015.

Defence barrister Ben Power told a sentencing hearing on Tuesday his client's moral culpability was reduced "to some extent" by a litany of traumatic experiences, including an apparent "mental breakdown" after about 15 years in a refugee camp.

His son, then aged seven, also disappeared during a rebel raid before the family went into the Ethiopian camp, it was heard.

Years later, they learned the child had survived and was living in Somalia.
Queensland will be home to the east coast and Pacific operations of Qantas's newest aircraft, the Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner.

Announcing the deal, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the decision by Qantas to base half its Dreamliner fleet in Brisbane would put the city in direct range of Dallas, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Chicago and Seattle, opening up new markets for business and tourism.

The four Dreamliners were collectively worth $1 billion.

Queensland will be home to the east coast and Pacific operations of Qantas' Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner.

The move would support 470 jobs, with 120 Dreamliner flight and cabin crew to be based in Brisbane and a crew base of 350 jobs.
Australians are in the prime position to make food and brands that will resonate around the world, the founder of American yoghurt success story Chobani says.

Hamdi Ulukaya bought a disused Kraft plant in New York state and launched his line of Greek yoghurts in 2007.

A decade later, Chobani has become the highest-selling yoghurt brand in America, with sales of more than $1 billion a year, and is growing rapidly in Europe and Asia.

Now Mr Ulukaya says he sees Australia as home to the best opportunities for other entrepreneurs to follow his lead and build world-beating food companies from scratch.
Its purpose is to make products and services with a social benefit. "We don't go to India, make socks and sell them back in Australia, and then fund some project over in India. What we're trying to do is make a product and service that fits a market we're working in," Tink says. A farm agricultural project in Fiji is an example. "In a country like Fiji you have farms of about five hectares; subsistence family farming, where goods are sold into local markets. These people don't have access to good agricultural advice or support. "So we're building a digital solution that involves smart phones, drones and soil testing to provide a solution. Farmers can get advice on their mobile phone in real time about what to grow, when to grow it and when to harvest. It helps them understand pests, pesticide usage and get good agricultural advice," says Tink. Project Everest is working with the Fijian Ministry of Agriculture alongside a number of other partners. Farmers will pay $200 a year to access the app, which Tink says is a fraction of what a similar service would cost in Australia. "But we only want to take businesses from zero to one. We start out with design thinking and understanding the end user, communities in developing countries. Then we come up with ideas, create prototypes and test in the community. We prove there's a potential business entity that could attract investment through venture capital to build the social business up. And at that stage we pass them off into other businesses to help them succeed," he adds.

Tink acknowledges there are challenges in running a social enterprise. "There's no legal definition of social enterprise in Australia. Some people don't agree with what we do [but] I feel like we're doing it the right way given what we're trying to do. "When you use private enterprise; getting people to pay for the solution, not by giving it to them, that's a massive ideological shift." On the continent Tink is in Europe at the moment expanding the business. Project Everest is already working with University College London.

Being Australia-based, Project Everest only generates revenue across the mid-year and summer university holidays when students have time away from their studies to take part in projects, so cash flow management has been a serious challenge. "It's been a painful process. I have a finance background so I thought I had it covered. But we have cash flow issues because we can only sell four months of the year," he says. Expanding into Europe means Project Everest can earn revenue in the European university holidays by sending students on projects during those times, which are March through May and August and September. "In Europe it's a different education system, so we're navigating that, but the university response over here has been great," he says. Project Everest has been self-funded so far but Tink is open to external investment down the track. "We are not a unicorn because we don't have a digital base, but [a digital base is] my goal."

US bespoke car maker Local Motors has a business model he admires. It designs cars from scratch, using a collaborative model where people from all around the world come together to design cars, which are built in micro-factories around America. "I want to be able to solve social problems in a collaborative fashion. We've had our first crack at this through our Crowdicity platform, which we launched in July," Tink says. Crowdicity is an online platform where people can collaborate on projects. "I want to facilitate an engineer in Australia having input on a problem we're facing in a rural village in Malawi. I see that as the future of our business," he adds. Another idea is to effectively codify and license Project Everett's processes so they can be used by other organisations. Tink's advice to other social entrepreneurs is to always look after the team working for the business.
MATTOON (JG-TC) -- The Mattoon Police Department has released information about six arrests that were made from Friday through Sunday.

Dakota I. W. Tipton, 21, of Mattoon was arrested at 10:45 p.m. Friday in the 800 block of West Park Plaza on a charge of criminal trespass to property. The charge alleges that he was trespassing at West Park Plaza, an apartment complex from which he had been previously banned. He was given a notice to appear in court.

Separately, Lancler D. Bland, 30, of Charleston, was arrested at 11:01 p.m. Friday at Steak-n-Shake, 1400 Broadway Ave. East. Bland was wanted on a Coles County warrant for contempt of court. Bland was taken to the Coles County jail.

In another incident, Melissa S. White, 38, homeless, of Mattoon, was arrested at 2:42 a.m. Saturday in the 1400 block of Champaign Avenue on charges of driving on a suspended license, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of methamphetamine. The latter charges allege that she was found to be in possession of crack cocaine and meth. White was taken to the jail.

Separately, Greg A. Fultz, 41, of Mattoon was arrested at 4:20 a.m. Sunday in the 1400 block of Broadway Avenue. He was wanted on an arrest warrant from Otero County, N.M., for forgery. He was taken to the jail.

In a separate incident, Jeffrey A. Reeder, 41, homeless, of Mattoon, was arrested at 6:52 p.m. Sunday in the 1400 block of Piatt Avenue on a meth possession charge. Reeder was taken to the jail.

Also, Mathew D. Estes, 42, of Mattoon was arrested at 10:09 p.m. Sunday in the 3000 block of Commercial Avenue on a charge of domestic battery. The charge alleges that he battered a female. Estes was taken to the jail.
A dentist charged with sexually assaulting three patients allegedly put his hands on a woman's face and motioned for her to smile after she tried getting out of the dental chair.

But a dental nurse who worked alongside Nasheet Michael told Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday that her former boss often motioned for patients to smile.

Nasheet Michael outside the Melbourne Magistrates Court. Credit:Joe Armao

She and another dental nurse told the court they never saw Dr Michael act inappropriately with patients.

Dr Michael, 58, is accused of sexually assaulting women he treated in 1996, 2013 and 2014. Among the 15 charges he faces is an allegation he put his hand down one woman's jeans in October 2014 at his Dandenong clinic while a nurse was assisting the patient.
During the fleeting visit the crew plans on soaking up all the city has to offer, including exploring Melbourne's sights, culture and food.

The ship's 2500 crew from the United States stopped in Melbourne after a military training exercise off the coast of Queensland.

Credit:Darrian Traynor

Activities planned for the sailors and marines include a trip to a wildlife sanctuary and a local rugby match.

Among the USS Bonhomme Richard's key responsibilities is monitoring escalating tensions from North Korea. Its flight deck spans 844 feet. Below deck is a multitude of army vehicles and a fully furnished hospital.

The US Navy wouldn't say how long the ship would be in Melbourne. The ship will not be open to the public during its stay.

The ship and its 2500 crew have been in Australian waters for more than a month, taking part in a joint exercise with Australian defence forces. Three US marines are missing, presumed dead, after a helicopter launched from the ship during the exercise reportedly hit the deck of another vessel and slid into the water on August 5.
Illegal dumpers are notorious in the Serpentine Jarrahdale area. Credit:Riann Laubscher: Serpentine Community "We go out and collect wood usually around this time of the year... soon we could see it... it was everywhere and it was disgusting." About four kilometres into the track, Ms Gibson came across a burnt-out car with its boot open, large oil drums, spray can bottles, plastic and a barbeque strewn around the forest floor. Ms Gibson said while she was disappointed by what she found, she wasn't surprised. "My brother goes up there a lot for firewood, he knows it pretty well," she said.

"He reckons there was a few tyres there he hadn't seen last week." Despite this being quite common, Ms Gibson snapped a photo of the dumped industrial and commercial waste and posted it to social media. In her post, she implored locals to stop dumping their unwanted foods in the "beautiful" state forest. Ms Gibson said while she hoped to make a difference by sharing what she found, the problem never seemed to get better. Only a month prior to Ms Gibson's visit, keen bushwalker and Port Kennedy local Tracy Lindsey visited the Jarrahdale State Forest for the first time.

She walked the Jarrahdale Heritage Trail, and said she had a very similar experience to Ms Gibson and her brother. She had heard rumours about the extent of the problem, but still went along to see it for herself. "It was the first time I had experienced a trail that was just completely littered and disgusting," Ms Lindsey said. "I was so upset by it."

Like many others before her, Ms Lindsey took to social media to try and rally her environmental troops. She took to her popular blog, Off The Beaten Track, and wrote about what she had found. "If you're in the market for a new bumper, muffler, wheelchair, tyres, umbrella or kitchen sink then you will find these items and many more on the Jarrahdale Railway Heritage Trail," she said. "This eight kilometre trail starts at the corner of Nettleton Road and Jarrahdale Road and takes you through jarrah and wandoo bushland, along the disused railway built in 1872. "At times you will be blessed with some beautiful views of small creeks, granite boulders and surrounding hills but you will be sadly let down by the amount of rubbish that has been dumped in the area.

"It's horrible; I don't understand how people don't have more respect for it. "It's horrible that people think it's some sort of dumping ground." Also like many others before her, Ms Lindsey gathered 20 volunteers with help from the local Serpentine-Jarrahdale Council, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and Keep Australia Beautiful. On a Sunday afternoon, the group meticulously worked their way through the trail on the corner of Jarrahdale Road and Nettleton Road, and walked up and down the four kilometre stretch for hours. "We saw two washing machines, mops, TVs, big bags of rubbish that had just been dumped, mattresses, a car bonnet, a muffler, heaps of tyres  it was crazy. We spent the whole afternoon in there," she said.

"We filled the skip-bin to the point where it was overflowing, and we did trips with our utes to cart stuff up and down the four kilometre trail. "We filled four ute loads full of bulk rubbish, and then another extra car on top of that." Despite the group's efforts, a number of locals said it is only a matter of time before the forest becomes littered with tyres, burnt-out cars, oil drums, old desks, chairs and plastic again. It's difficult for locals to know who to call about possible illegal dumpers, as the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions are responsible for sections of the 75,000 square kilometre forest. The park does not belong to a single city, or government, limit.

A Shire spokesperson said the council often received reports of illegal dumping, and workers did what they could within their boundaries. "The Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale receives many calls relating to illegal dumping of rubbish and waste materials," a spokesperson said. "At a considerable financial burden, the Shire undertakes a clean-up on land that is under the management of the Shire." Between 2016 and 2017, the council spent $170,000 cleaning up illegal dumping across the Shire. Depending on the size of the rubbish collection, it can sometimes take up to four staff, a truck and a bobcat to remove the rubbish. "Where the land is not under the Shire's management, the dumpsite details are forwarded to the appropriate management agency, being the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Parks and Wildlife Service in this case," a council spokesperson said.

Shire rangers are known to regularly patrol known dumping hot spots and undertake clean ups when necessary. The Department, however, is unable to respond to some community concerns due to a lack of resources - or the area is simply not in their jurisdiction. "The illegal dumping of rubbish occurs throughout the outer metropolitan area and along the urban interface near townships," a spokesperson said. "Unfortunately, the department is forced to divert valuable resources and funding to the removal of dumped rubbish. The Perth Hills district has spent about $100,000 on the removal of dumped rubbish from forests and national parks during the past 12 months." While the Department of Parks and Wildlife does what it can, it often has to rely on the help of volunteers or residents in order to keep Jarrahdale clean. "The department receives reports of illegal dumping of rubbish along the Darling Escarpment, including the forest and national parks surrounding Jarrahdale.

"Patrols are conducted in illegal dumping hotspots and supported by the use of surveillance cameras. Surveillance is considered an effective way of gaining evidence and the necessary details to identify offenders," a spokesperson said. "Parks and Wildlife Service staff participate in multi-agency patrols with other government agencies, and regular rubbish removal occurs on Nettleton Road... local interest groups and the mountain bike community regularly assist with rubbish collection on volunteer days with a focus on areas with public facilities." The authority division inside the Jarrahdale State Forest seems to have caused a grey area, and has meant many illegal dumpers continue to use the forest as a makeshift rubbish dump. Local volunteer groups and bushwalkers also maintain the problem had only continued to worsen due to the increased presence of four-wheel-drives, quad-bikers and dirt-bikers on the trail. Jarrahdale Heritage Society spokeswoman Vicky Kerfoot said the distinction had meant some council employees were called to work in areas that were not technically their jurisdiction.

"My husband came across a dumped trailer load in front of our property," she said. "He called the Shire, and they removed it really quickly  even though it wasn't really their job." As the local council and residents continue to fight against illegal dumpers in the forest, Ms Kerfoot said she often received feedback from bushwalkers and tourists about the state of the trails. "If you were to ask those people who live on Nettleton Road how long people have left their rubbish there, they'd tell you 'forever'," she said. "It never gets any better. A group will come out and clean it  like the Karnet prisoners, or another bushwalking group  and they clean it up, but then it just gets worse again, almost right away."

The Serpentine Jarrahdale region does not have a designated rubbish dump, and some locals have raised concerns that the lack of a tip or designated tip passes may encourage people to dump in the state forest. However, it is understood horse-riders had previously gone deep into the forest and found abandoned building materials, including untreated asbestos. Industrial and commercial waste is typically the most common material dumped in the forest  and council confirmed a local tip would not accept these materials regardless. "The waste illegally dumped recently in the photos on the Facebook post was predominantly industrial and commercial waste that a tip would not accept including car bodies, tyres, petrol and paint containers, therefore issuing tip passes would not address this issue," a council spokesperson said. "The Shire provides two green waste and one hard waste pick-ups per year in lieu of tip passes.
A 20-year-old Midland man trying to escape from police had to be rushed to hospital after crashing his car into a wall outside a Balga home on Monday night.

Police spokeswoman Ros Weatherall said about 10:30pm police tried to stop a Holden Commodore on Templeton Crescent in Girrawheen, but the driver failed to stop.

The 20 year old was being pursued by police at high speed when he lost control and hit a brick wall. Credit:9 News Perth

A short time later police saw the car parked in a driveway on Greville Way.

As the driver spotted police, he drove off again and sped down Wanneroo Road before losing control of his car at the intersection of Camberwell Road in Balga, where he crashed into the retaining wall of a house.
A 42-year-old man has been charged after he refused a security search while attending the Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court and spat in the face of a court officer.

At around 9.10am on Monday morning, the man was pulled aside for a security search with a metal detector wand by a court security guard and a custodial officer.

Kalgoorlie Courthouse. Credit:Google Maps

He refused the search and left the building.

Police said as the man left, the court custodial officer observed him act aggressively to a passing member of the public.
Los Angeles: A child pornography investigation that began in Australia with the discovery of graphic images shared by paedophiles on the internet has led to the rescue of a six-year-old victim in Canada and the arrest of an alleged child rapist.

Police in the Canadian city of Winnipeg were notified last week of an investigation involving Australian authorities, including South Australia's Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team.

Child sex charges were laid against a 34-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman in Adelaide's northern suburbs and a 32-year-old woman from regional NSW.

A trail of clues also led to Canada.

"The ICE (internet child exploitation) unit continued with an investigation and learnt that between January 2017 and early August 2017, a six-year-old victim was sexually assaulted at a residence in East Kildonan," Winnipeg police said in a statement.
Colombia: Accused drug courier Cassandra Sainsbury, who could face up to 30 years in prison on drugs charges, is optimistic, her lawyer said, despite the first hearing of her trial being postponed today.

Ms Sainsbury was present in the court, but no translator was available because of a last minute problem. For this reason, her hearing came to an end and has now been postponed until September 26.

This was meant to have been the formal presentation of in-writing documents of accusation, the first step in the formal trial of the South Australian.

This is the first time that Ms Sainsbury has fronted court since August 10, when a senior Colombian judge rejected the deal struck between the prosecution and the defence that would have seen the 22-year-old serve a maximum of six years prison, instead of a potential 30 years.
Washington: Donald Trump was in a bad mood before he emerged for a confrontational speech in Arizona last week.

TV and social media coverage showed that the site of his campaign rally, the Phoenix Convention Centre, was less than full. Backstage, waiting in a room with a television monitor, Trump was displeased, one person familiar with the incident said: TV optics and crowd sizes are extremely important to the president.

As his surrogates warmed up the audience, the expanse of shiny concrete eventually filled in with cheering Trump fans.

But it was too late for a longtime Trump aide, George Gigicos, the former White House advance man who had organised the event as a contractor to the Republican National Committee. Trump later had his top security aide, Keith Schiller, inform Gigicos that he'd never manage a Trump rally again, according to three people familiar with the matter.
United States President Donald Trump said that "all options" are under consideration in response to North Korea firing an unidentified ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday.

"The world has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: This regime has signalled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour," Mr Trump said in a statement issued by the White House.

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table."

The missile landed in the Pacific Ocean about 1,200 kilometres east of Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters. South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered a show of force in response, with four F-15K jet fighters conducting bomb-dropping drills.
US President Donald Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, holds up a Texas flag after speaking with supporters outside Firehouse 5 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Credit:AP Mayor Turner earlier said on Tuesday that a city police officer died in floodwaters over the weekend while driving to work. "While I've encouraged other people to stay at home, our first responders they have been working 24 hours, 24-7, on behalf of the people of the city of Houston," the mayor told reporters. "At the same time, they have been putting themselves in harm's way." First lady Melania Trump listens during a briefing on Harvey relief efforts in Corpus Christi, Texas. Credit:AP "Today, I'm sad and deeply saddened to announce the death of Sergeant Steve Perez," he said, adding the 60-year-old officer died Sunday.

Separately, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said on Tuesday that officers in the city have rescued more than 3500 people so far amid Harvey's flooding. But the storm's impact remained unclear, as the Houston mayor said officials are "still trying to assess" how many people are missing. Volunteers Brenda Tcoc, right, and Hugo Wilson help sort bags of donated clothes for victims of the flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey after a shelter opened at the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. Credit:AP Lashing rain continued to pound Houston on Tuesday, falling on people who desperately sought groceries or trudged through water in search of shelter. The streets in the city's centre were littered with abandoned cars, and almost no stores appeared to be open, though people said they needed food and supplies. Outside a Kroger grocery store in southwest Houston, dozens of people had lined up hours before the store opened. Another crowd had lined up outside Fiesta, a nearby grocery store, where the line grew so long that store officials were limiting how many people they let inside. Water is released from the Addicks Reservoir as floodwaters rise from Tropical Storm Harvey. Credit:AP

"Meat," said Morgan Lewis, 23, who was first in line at Kroger at 7.30am. "I need some meat. I'm tired of eating sandwiches." The National Weather Service reported that more than 100 cm of rain has already fallen in Houston due to Harvey. Planes sit at a flooded airport near the Addicks Reservoir as floodwaters from Harvey rise. Credit:AP Some parts of Louisiana have also seen more than 30 cm of rain, and flash flood warnings and watches were in effect for much of the Lake Charles region as the rain is expected to continue. New Orleans was under a tornado and flash flood watch until Thursday. In Texas, one of the two massive stormwater reservoirs to the west of downtown Houston began spilling over on Tuesday - US Army Corps of Engineers efforts Monday to release water as water levels in the reservoirs swelled to record levels.

The Army Corps of Engineers said that water was spilling out from around the dam gates of the Addicks Reservoir, and officials also said they expect the Barker Reservoir  to the south of Addicks  to also begin overflowing some time on Wednesday. Near the Barker dam, helicopters were attempting to rescue families, while some people spent their morning hopping onto jet skis and into boats to help as well. "We never flood," said a dismayed Gloria Strayhorn, a retired interior designer who was out for a walk with her husband Bill. They were in raincoats and shook their heads at a nearby man-made lake that was overflowing, saying these were only adding to the problem when the dam releases: "They were just refurbished this spring and they spent so much money setting up benches and now look." Officials in Brazoria County, south of Houston, also warned that a levee there had breached. Harvey continued grinding toward the northeast, with its centre expected to be just off the upper Texas coast through Tuesday night, the National Hurricane Centre said. After that, the storm is forecast to move inland on the northwestern Gulf Coast on Wednesday. Forecasters say more than 30 cm of additional rain is still expected to fall through Friday over parts of the Texas coast and Louisiana, and the National Weather Service warned Tuesday of potential flooding in southern Mississippi as well as southeastern Louisiana.

Trump arrived in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Tuesday morning, and intends to visit Austin, the capital, later in the day. His spokeswoman told reporters on Air Force Once that Trump will visit "a different part of the state" on Saturday, while he has also discussed visiting Louisiana the same day. During a news briefing in Corpus Christi, Trump praised the response from local officials in Texas as well as federal authorities who were grappling with the devastating storm. He also spoke to a group that had gathered to see him. "This is historic, it's epic what happened, but you know what, it happened in Texas and Texas can handle anything," he told the crowd, which applauded his remarks and cheered more loudly when he waved the Texas state flag. When Trump arrived, about 50 apparent supporters had gathered near the runway to wave signs bearing his name and welcome him. Suzanne Guggenheim, wearing a red hat bearing Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan, said she felt he had handled the disaster well. A small group of young Democrats protested Trump's arrival. Marco Garcia, chairman of the Texas Young Democrats Latinx Caucus, called Trump's visit is disrespectful of the region and of the nation's Latino community.

"Trump should be focusing on getting help to the people who need it, not taking resources by tying up the roads and creating chaos in this region that needs so much help," said Garcia, a 24-year-old business management major at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, who said he has been helping evacuees from Rockport who have no shoes or food. The Department of Labor on Tuesday announced that it had approved an initial $US10 million grant to help with cleanup efforts in Texas. Trump on Monday declared "emergency conditions" in Louisiana, and not long before that, federal authorities had warned Harvey could force more than 30,000 people from their homes by the time skies are expected to clear later this week. Life across Texas has abruptly shifted as floodwater turned streets into rivers. Hundreds of schools shut down in the state. Thousands of people have already piled into shelters in Houston and beyond, seeking safety from the storm without a clear idea of when, or if, they could return home. The George R. Brown Convention Centre in downtown Houston had taken in 9000 people as of Tuesday morning, said Charles Maltbie, a regional disaster officer for the Red Cross who is at the convention. That number is nearly double the centre's anticipated capacity of 5000. Loading
Beijing: Ten days ago, amid a lull in rockets, it seemed the diplomats were making headway, and a Beijing-brokered return to the negotiating table with North Korea was on the cards.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson even said so.

Beijing had backed tough economic sanctions, and appointed a new point man.

So what happens now, after Kim Jong-un's provocative firing of a ballistic missile over northern Japan, the first since 2009? Japanese subway stations blared warnings to take cover.
Kabul: A Taliban suicide bomber struck at a bank not far from the US Embassy in Kabul, killing five people on Tuesday as government employees lined up to withdraw salaries ahead of a religious holiday.

Meanwhile, there were conflicting reports on deaths from an airstrike that sought to target a Taliban command post in western Afghanistan outside Herat. Provincial officials claimed that civilians were killed, but the Afghan Defense Ministry said Taliban militants were hit.

In the blast at Nawe Kabul bank, the Taliban said the suicide bomber targeted security forces waiting to withdraw cash ahead of Eid al-Adha, the holiest periods of the Muslim calendar.

A police official said that the bomber was shot as he attempted to make his way inside the bank but that he managed to detonate his explosives. The Interior Ministry said eight people were wounded in addition to the fatalities.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Saturday, August 26th at approximately 00.40 a.m. a lady reported to the Police Head Quarters in Philipsburg that her life and that of her friend were threatened by a man she knows who was accompanied by several other men on the Cannegieter Street. She also stated the man in question was in the possession of a fire-arm.

Immediately after receiving this information several police patrols headed to the location to investigate what had taken place. On arriving on the scene the investigating officers saw a man standing next to a white vehicle with license-plate P-6830 while another man was sitting in the driver seat of the car. The officers recognized this person very well-known to police. This man took off running when he noticed the police had arrived on the scene. The officers also saw a Hyundai I-10 with license plate P-4292 parked at the same location. Two men were standing next to this vehicle while another was sitting in the driver seat. One of the men standing outside of this vehicle was recognized as K.L.B. and very well known to the police department.

K.L.B. started behaving very suspicious with both hands in his pockets and refused to take them out on orders of the officers. During a search of K.L.B. which he resisted heavily a black GLOCK 22 pistol, a gun holster and two small plastic bags containing an amount marihuana were found and confiscated. K.L.B. was arrested on the spot.

As the investigation continued on the scene a search was also done in the Hyundai I-10. During this search, a pistol of the brand RAVEN was found under the front passenger seat along with a plastic bag containing an amount of marihuana. These items were confiscated for further investigation. The driver of the vehicle identified by the initials S.R. was immediately arrested.

A third vehicle at the location with license plate P-6828 driven by a man identified with initials A.J. was also searched. During this search a pistol of the brand RUGER, a bulletproof vest and a plastic bag containing an amount of marihuana were found and confiscated. A. J. was also arrested in connection with this investigation. All confiscated items were taken to the Philipsburg Police Head Quarters along with the three suspects who remain in custody for further investigation.

The police chief Carl John commends the investigating officers for their swift and effective handling of this investigation and for successfully removing three more illegal guns from the streets of Sint Maarten.
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Federal Emergency Management Agency officials have asked Lincoln Fire and Rescue to consider sending more firefighters to assist rescue efforts in hurricane-ravaged Houston, the fire chief said Tuesday.

No decision has been made yet, Fire Chief Micheal Despain said on a conference call with reporters Tuesday.

He was reaching out to his chiefs to see whether the department can send other members of the Lincoln-based Urban Search and Rescue Nebraska Task Force 1 who did not deploy to Texas last week.

A contingent of 45 Lincoln firefighters deployed early Friday to assist in emergency efforts as Hurricane Harvey made landfall, and its heavy rain inundated Houston over the weekend.

The local task force's operations are covered by FEMA funding, which also covers the overtime expenses accrued by Lincoln firefighters working additional hours to maintain staffing levels here.

Despain said the department is at its regular staffing levels but its ability to maintain those will factor into any decision to send additional firefighters.

The Nebraska National Guard will send three additional helicopters and crews to Texas for a total of seven helicopters and 37 soldiers from the state assisting in relief efforts.

On Tuesday, the specialized search and rescue team, which also includes firefighters from the Omaha area, staged on an interstate in Katy, Texas, and prepared for a day of rescue operations as authorities predicted more flooding after water was released from overflowing dams, officials said.

Along with a similar team from Ohio, Nebraska's task force rescued an estimated 350 people on Monday, including bed-ridden nursing home residents and people endangered by rising floodwaters, LFR Battalion Chief Brad Thavenet said by telephone from Texas.

"Theres no searching going on," he said. "Just pure all-hands-on-deck in rescue mode."

His teams expect to continue evacuating scores of people as emergency officials in Houston worry about a lake north of the city reaching its capacity.

Thavenet said it's impossible to know how long they'll be needed in the Houston area. The team specialized in search operations, which will be prioritized once the floodwaters recede.

Despain said last week that teams typically are in place for seven to 10 days, but can stay longer.

Four to five inches of rain fell overnight, with an additional eight inches expected Tuesday in association with Harvey, now categorized as a tropical storm, Thavenet said.

Two feet of floodwater covers the parking lot at the Houston Emergency Operations Center where Thavenet is working to coordinate the task force's efforts, he said.

No injuries have been reported among task force members working in the area.

"They were exhausted as one could imagine, but theyre totally gratified that theyre able to help and assist," Thavenet said.
James Krauseneck maintained his innocence at the sentencing Monday and was supported by his daughter, Sarah, who was 3 at the time and saw her deceased mother, Cathleen Cathy Krausneck, 29, a Macomb County native.
Claudettes release new album with show at The Acorn in Three Oaks
A Ralston man has sued President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and both houses of Congress, accusing them all of "colluding and conspiring to destroy America and any and all true Americans."

DyJuan Barnes filed the lawsuit, which also names the Republican and Democratic parties and Sen. Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, on Friday in U.S. District Court in Omaha.

In the 11-page complaint, Barnes, who lists his title as Lord Reverend, accuses them of attempting to destroy the social safety network of America, "just to be able to give his/their friends etc. all kinds of tax breaks, tax cuts, etc. to the rich, wealthy, ultra wealthy, etc."

Barnes said he was requesting that all of the defendants "be arrested for their disregard for Americans and the United States of America." He also has asked for damages of $300 trillion.

The case is unlikely to survive initial review, the hurdle where a judge determines if a case is frivolous or fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted or seeks money relief from a defendant who is immune from such lawsuits.

In May, Barnes tweeted in all caps that he was running for president in 2020.
The owner of an Omaha mental health and substance abuse treatment company has been sent to prison and ordered to pay more than $100,000 for health care fraud.

Chandra Wrightsell, who ran Evol Consulting LLC, pleaded guilty to one of 15 counts as part of a plea agreement.

Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf sentenced her Tuesday in Lincoln to 18 months in federal prison, to start Nov. 1, followed by three years of supervised release.

She also was ordered to pay $105,550 in restitution.

In court records, the U.S. Attorney's Office said between Dec. 15, 2011, and July 25, 2014, Wrightsell submitted 1,150 claims to Nebraska Medicaid that were false.

In 2007, she got 15 months in federal prison for embezzling $101,000 from First National Bank, where she had worked as vice president of marketing.

A day later in a civil case in Lancaster County District Court, Wrightsell was ordered to pay the state $439,777, three times the $146,000 the state said she received.

The judgment was tripled according to the Nebraska False Medicaid Claims Act.
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Brazil, August 29, 2017 (SPS) - The Workers' Confederation of Brazil (CTB), has approved in its fourth congress meeting in the city of Salvador de Bahia held between August 24 to 27, 2017, a motion to support the Struggle of the Saharawi people for self-determination and independence.

The Brazilian trade union organization hailed the Saharawi people for their heroic struggle of more than four decades, condemning the systematic violation of human rights in the occupied territories of Western Sahara as manifested in the brutal sentences handed down by a Moroccan court against Sahrawi Human rights activists ranging from two years to life imprisonment without any concrete evidence according to international observers present at the trial.

The motion unanimously adopted in the plenary, supports the Saharawi people rights for self-determination and independence, calling for the respect of human rights, the freedom of all political prisoners and the end the exploitation of the natural resources of Western Sahara.

The Saharawi delegate Emboirik Ahmed, invited to the Congress, had the opportunity to hold working meetings with delegations from different countries. SPS

125/090/TRA
Maputo (Mozambique), August 29, 2017 (SPS) - The International March for Women called on the international community and the African Union to act as soon as possible to end the illegal Moroccan occupation of party of the Sahrawi Republic.

The International Women's March said in a statement that what happened in Maputo during the summit of the partnership between the African Union and Japan on August 23 and 24, and the conduct of the Moroccan delegation is irresponsible and contrary to the decisions and principles of the African Union.

"We, the women of the International Women's Movement, strongly condemn this unacceptable act of the Moroccan delegation," the statement said, calling on the African Union to reject it categorically.

The International Women's March also called on the African Union to commit itself to assuming full responsibility for the Western Sahara issue.

The statement stressed the need to accompany the international march of women to the Saharawi people until they achieve their freedom and independence. SPS

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Applying for life insurance is not most people's idea of a good time, especially when it comes to the required medical exam. Thanks to new advances in the insurance industry, you may be able to get insurance without having to be probed or prodded at all.

Says Kirby Thomas, Customer Service Lead at LifeInsuranceToday.US, "The required life insurance medical exam of the past is going away. Multiple carriers offer insurance without an exam. Looking at it year by year, the changes are coming fast, and each carrier is looking to the left and right to see where to move next without taking on too much risk as a pioneer of tech-driven processes paired with life insurance."

Historically, the life insurance medical exam has been an important part of assessing risk  and it still is for people with various medical conditions and risk factors  but, in today's world, insurance companies have access to massive amounts of publicly available data that can help them calculate life expectancy with limited additional information. Examples of relevant data include your prescription drug history and motor vehicle records. Predictive algorithms on life expectancy have advanced to the point that, for many applicants, insurance companies can correctly measure risk and underwrite policies without the need for a qualifying medical exam.

This risk assessment process, known as accelerated underwriting, allows online insurance providers to respond rapidly to applicants. You begin by providing information regarding your health and relevant areas of your family's medical history, and the insurer secures your permission to access other available data. The insurer pulls this supplemental data from readily available sources and feeds this data into the predictive algorithms to calculate your offer, if any.

You may have concerns about the insurance company's ability to access your records, or find the lack of pricing transparency troubling. Insurance regulators are considering how to deal with the side effects of accelerated underwriting, and regulations may adjust in the future to accommodate the changes  but, if the concept troubles you, you still have the option of dealing with an agent directly.

Why would insurance companies want to do away with medical exams for any potential client? Two reasons  to save money and make the process easier and more convenient for both the insurer and the insured.

If an insurance company can make an accurate data-based risk prediction without having to pay for a medical exam, that's direct savings to the insurer. Meanwhile, insurance industry research has found that the longer it takes to process an application, the less likely applicants are to buy insurance  and it can take two weeks or more to get an insurance medical exam completed and assessed.

Says Thomas, who specializes in online insurance sales, "Personally, I like the idea of skipping the exam. Currently, the limits are the face amount, as higher amounts will not qualify for the no-exam approach, and some carriers don't yet offer digital signature capability."

You can still purchase insurance online even if a medical exam is required in your case. The insurance company will assess risk based on what they know and either activate the policy once the exam results are in, or activate the policy immediately and adjust the price if warranted by the exam results.

By purchasing insurance online, you give up the personal face-to-face service of an insurance agent for the convenience and speed of an online application  with a good chance of lower cost as a further benefit. Online processes allow you to easily comparison shop and find the best policy for your life insurance needs.

Thomas predicts that, "Within a decade, I believe that automated underwriting, no exam approvals, digital signatures, plus some other things will be more prevalent, and will be a reality on larger policies, as well." In the meantime, if you are in the market for a life insurance policy, why not see if you qualify for an online policy that requires no medical exam? Of course, we are assuming that a life insurance medical exam is not your idea of a good time.

You can get free life insurance quotes and apply for your top choice in minutes using our Life Insurance Quote Comparison Tool. If an exam is required, you can schedule it online.
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Several southwestern Connecticut restaurants land among Connecticut's best, according to a new guide released by Thrillist.

The lifestyle site named the state's top restaurant in several categories ranging from ramen and sushi to Polish food and modern Italian cuisine.

"Connecticut is responsible for gifting the world a number of important foods: the hamburger, the lobster roll, and New Haven-style pizza," the site writes. "And while you'll still find excellent versions of all of these in the Nutmeg State, its dining culture has also expanded well beyond them."

The site named The Green Grunion as the best food truck in the state. The truck is based in Danbury, but often travels around to local breweries.

"Connecticut may be more than 2,000 miles from California, but you can still get a proper San Diego-style burrito here," Thrillist said. "(The Green Grunion) doles out tightly wrapped, house-made tortillas filled with ingredients like chicken, beef, chorizo, and the requisite French fries."

With area locations in Fairfield, New Haven and Norwalk, Mecha Noodle Bar ranked number one in the noodle category.

The site writes, "While you'll find ramen and plenty of other noodle varieties at this local chain, the main focus here is pho, served with both traditional ingredients (like chicken, beef, and shrimp) and not-so-traditional ones (like beef meatballs)."

Click through the slideshow above for a look at the local restaurants named among the best in Connecticut by Thrillist, and here for the full list.

If you're looking for the best barbecue the state has to offer, Hoodoo Brown BBQ in Ridgefield is the place for you, according to the list. The site said the "Texas-style barbecue joint" opened in 2015, and quickly saw lines out the door.

Cody Sperry, owner of Hoodoo Brown BBQ, said in a recent interview, "Connecticut isn't exactly a barbecue mecca, but we are definitely a unique dining experience in the area."
Michael Duffy / ST

RIDGEFIELDThe current head of school at the Ridgefield Academy, Jim Heus, will step down at the end of the school year after 19 years leading the private school.

Heus, who will leave the school on July 1, 2018, will be succeeded by Thomas Main, a former member of the Ridgefield Academy Board of Trustees. Main is the current head of school at King School in Stamford.
Attorney General Doug Peterson said Tuesday he will seek a second term.

Peterson has stressed his years of legal experience, the importance of upholding the rule of law on the state and federal levels, and making Nebraska communities safer.

I am very pleased to say that we have gone a long way in accomplishing several of our goals to make Nebraska communities safer," Peterson said.

Child sexual assault is being addressed statewide. There are stronger human trafficking laws and awareness, and consumer protection issues have received attention, he said.

"We have also been successful in fighting federal overreach and working to maintain strong criminal penalties for violent crimes, Peterson said.

He made his announcement Tuesday afternoon at a campaign kickoff with his family at the Grand Manse in downtown Lincoln.

He wants to continue, he said, because his office is in the middle of some important things, and another term would allow him to keep working on those issues, such as the opioid drug crisis in Nebraska.

Peterson has been in the middle of some controversial issues. He said he does not seek out controversy, rather it comes to the attorney general's office.

Early in his term, Peterson, a Republican, went forward with a lawsuit filed by his predecessor, Jon Bruning, against the state of Colorado over legalizing marijuana.

"It is not Nebraska's position to stand idle and watch Colorado's failed experiment as it spills over to our state," he said in January 2015.

In March 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit. Then Nebraska and Oklahoma asked to be added to a case in the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver filed by legalization opponents. The court ruled it didn't have jurisdiction and the states would have to seek original action.

"Now we're in discussions with Oklahoma as to what will be our next move," he said.

Peterson more recently joined with nine other attorneys general asking the Trump administration to reverse a decision to allow so-called DACA youths to retain legal presence in the United States. More than 3,000 young immigrants brought here by their parents when they entered the country illegally live in Nebraska under that protection.

Peterson stressed that DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, was a constitutional issue.

"When we see the executive branch exceeds (its) authority and by doing so impacts the state, it is necessary for us to challenge the actions of the executive branch," Peterson said in July.

He said he was committed to taking politics out of the attorney general's office.

Peterson said there is still more to do in protecting Nebraska communities.

I seek the privilege to continue to be an advocate for Nebraska, and to continue to stress the importance of following the Constitution as we go forward into challenging times, he said.

Peterson said one thing that has been new for him in this office is his interaction with the Legislature, and he has had several instances in which senators have challenged him on issues.

"That continues to be something that I have to get accustomed to addressing," he said.

Peterson had prostate cancer surgery in March 2015, and is cancer free now.

"I'm feeling great," he said.
Volunteers from Louisiana were attacked in Houston this weekend while trying to help victims of flooding caused by Tropical Storm Harvey.

The reports were confirmed by Jon Bridgers, founder of the Cajun Navy 2016 Facebook page, in an interview with Chron.com.
The fate of beer sales in Whiteclay is now in the hands of the Nebraska Supreme Court.

During a 40-minute hearing Tuesday at the Capitol, justices quizzed opposing lawyers in an appeal by state regulators to prevent four beer-only liquor stores from reopening in the tiny village, a short walk from South Dakota's dry Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Before the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission shuttered the stores in April, citing inadequate law enforcement in Whiteclay, the stores sold millions of cans of beer and malt liquor each year to the reservation's Oglala Lakota residents.

The stores argue the commission overstepped its authority by refusing to renew their licenses.

A decision from the state's high court should come in the next two months.

As is common in high-level appeals, Tuesday's arguments focused on technical matters of law.

An attorney for the beer stores, Andrew Snyder of Scottsbluff, argued the Liquor Commission had no right to deny renewal of their licenses based on law enforcement.

"The commission had no authority to do what they did," Snyder told the justices.

Alternatively, lawyers for the state and four Sheridan County residents who oppose the stores raised problems with the owners' appeal and with a decision in the stores' favor by a Lancaster County judge in April.

Any of those arguments could form the basis for the Supreme Court's decision, which could end the case outright or send it back to the lower court.

Snyder pointed to a 1996 case involving Grand Island Latin Club, in which the high court determined that the holder of a liquor license has a "constitutionally protected interest" in having that license renewed so long as the licensee is still qualified and the premises haven't changed.

Allowing the Liquor Commission's Whiteclay decision to stand would require the Supreme Court to overrule itself, Snyder argued.

At least two justices seemed to show discomfort with limiting the Liquor Commission's authority to that extent.

"That doesn't get to the subject of how the business is being conducted or the consequences," said Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman, who was appointed in 1998.

Justice John Wright, who wrote the 1996 decision, noted Snyder's interpretation would mean a liquor license could never be denied unless the premises changed or licensee became unqualified.

On the other side, lawyers opposing Whiteclay beer sales focused their efforts on squelching the beer stores' appeal.

James Smith, the state's solicitor general, and Dave Domina, an Omaha attorney representing Sheridan County residents, said Snyder improperly excluded Domina's clients from his initial appeal of the Liquor Commission's decision, and didn't properly notify them or the state about the case.

In that regard, Domina said, "the beer stores are 0-for-5."

Snyder maintained the Sheridan County residents aren't parties to the case under state law and that the state didn't raise its own notification concerns until it was too late for them to matter.

After the hearing, Snyder said he couldn't make a prediction about the outcome.

Moments later, Whiteclay opponents celebrated outside. Bryan Brewer, former president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, pointed to a fellow activists' sign that read "Shut Down Whiteclay."

"This has happened today," Brewer said. "I am very confident that Whiteclay will never open up again."
OMAHA  Boys Town, an Omaha-based nonprofit that helps at-risk youth, is focusing less on the residential care model that made it well-known.

Boys Town officials announced in June that the 100-year-old organization was closing residential care sites in New York, Texas, California and Florida.

The organization began a century ago when a young Irish priest welcomed homeless boys into a run-down mansion in downtown Omaha. The residential care model involves placing groups of six to eight children with emotional and behavioral issues in single-family homes with married couples. The average stay is 12 to 18 months, with the goal of returning kids to families.

Boys Town leaders are investing in alternatives to residential care, including in-home family consulting. Officials say the organization helped nearly 9,000 children nationwide last year through family consultants, compared with 1,100 children in the residential care model.

"Evidence is pointing to the fact that young people do best when they have permanency and are cared for in a family setting," said Polina Makievsky, a member of nonprofit Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, which is based in Washington, D.C.

The Rev. Steven Boes, president and national executive director of Boys Town, said the original mission of caring for American families and children remains, despite what he called tough decisions to close sites.

The site closings leave nine Boys Town sites in six states and the District of Columbia. The organization had 16 sites in 2000, though some were shelters without residential care.
Probably.

The fate of the North American Free Trade Agreement is balanced on that one word and the unpredictable whims of President Donald Trump, who said last week that he probably will end up terminating NAFTA at some point.

Such a move would devastate Nebraska, which has benefited immensely in the deals 24-year history. Jobs would certainly be lost. And the entire state would feel the pain of even further decreases to tax receipts, which continue to lag below forecasts because of the ongoing downturn in agriculture, the states largest industry and one of NAFTAs biggest beneficiaries.

Nebraska exported nearly $6.4 billion worth of goods in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while importing about $3.6 billion  a nearly $2.8 billion trade surplus in just one year.

Yet, a majority of those exports can be assumed to have gone to Canada and Mexico, the partners in NAFTA. Based on 2014 data from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the most recent year available, Nebraskas biggest export markets of Canada and Mexico combined for $3.5 billion  a figure thats almost surely increased and nearly matches the entirety of all imports into Nebraska.

Nebraskas governor and entire congressional delegation, all Republicans, are doing their part to preserve market access for their constituents. All have broken with the president on the issue and defended free-trade agreements that are a boon for Nebraskas producers and manufacturers.

Rep. Adrian Smith, who represents the states ag-dominated 3rd District, correctly noted NAFTA has done some great things for American agriculture." Sen. Ben Sasse took it one step further, calling the Trump administrations trade theory just wrong and reminiscent of 1820s-era mercantilism before hitting the nail on the head: "More trade is good. More trade is great for Nebraska."

As is often said, A rising tide lifts all boats. Nebraskas economy has long been buoyed by selling the fruits of its land labor, whether farm commodities or manufactured goods, across the world. Free trade and the resulting access to foreign markets are vital to continuing this success.

Last Friday, Gov. Pete Ricketts, a strong proponent of trade deals, told the Journal Star that he remains confident in (Trumps) ability to do the right thing, while noting the presidents threat to exit was a different strategy.

We hope the governor is right. But Trumps accusation that Canada and Mexico were being very unfair in negotiations and his subsequent, demonstrably false claim that NAFTA is the worst trade deal ever made give us pause.

Free trade in Nebraska supports jobs and generates tax revenue  and NAFTA has been a great deal for this state worth preserving. Pulling the rug out from under Nebraskans would be, to use one of Trumps favorite words, a disaster.
GERING  Hurricane Harvey, which hit Texas Friday, Aug. 25, evening, has left a catastrophic trail of flooding and damage. The parents of one former Texas resident Crystal Patterson, who now lives in Gering, found herself tied into events as her parents readied to evacuate. Pattersons parents, Mark and Glenda Lindsay live in Rockport, Texas, right where the eye of the hurricane hit.

They live in Rockport off of Water Street, Patterson said. They had to evacuate. They left on Thursday night with the RV, the boat and the two cars and they went to Kerrville and stayed at an RV park.

Pattersons dad, Mark, was in Dallas for work on Thursday morning. He drove his rental car back to Corpus Christi where Glenda picked him up. They then drove back to Rockport, loaded up a few more items and headed to Kerrville.

Patterson said her family originally thought they wouldnt be able to get back to their house for another four to six weeks. However, against official advice, Mark drove back on Sunday to survey the damage to his home.

Fortunately, he found his home still standing and in good condition.

Yes, its pretty miraculous is the only word for it, Patterson said Because other houses are terrible. Theyre only missing some gutters and some shingles and they think it is just because it was a newer home and it was built really well.

Mark and Glenda wont be allowed to move back into their home for a while though they are allowed to enter the area to work on relief every day from 7 a.m.  7 p.m.

Instead of making the three -our drive from Kerrville on a daily basis to help with relief, the Lindsays are moving their RV a little closer to home.

They have friends that live near Rockport that dont have electricity, but they have water right now, Patterson said. And so their plan, hopefully tomorrow, (is that) theyre going to head down and theyre going to park the RV right outside their friends house. That way they can at least have a shower, because theyre not there to do anything other than to help people.

Glenda also shared her side of the story of evacuating and leaving her home.

I was really more or less worried for safety of getting out of there than leaving my house, Glenda said. Because of the water that was going to be coming, I was worried about getting caught in my car or something without any place to go.

Glenda shared her initial thoughts and concerns about Hurricane Harvey.

Well, it was kind of a shock because I wasnt expecting it. When I found out my husband was still out of town at the time so you know whether he could get in to help me get things out was on my mind, Glenda said. And second of all, usually when you have a hurricane, what they do is they let everybody out, they dont let anybody in so that was a big issue.

As she learned that the storm was no longer headed for Corpus Christi, but for Rockport, well, thats when we stepped it up and said we need to get out of here, Glenda said.

She said she felt relieved to learn her home was still standing and had minimal damage.

It was a relief, especially after looking at all my friends posts on Facebook about their homes being roofless, and their homes having water in them and also just the devastation of the pictures that I was seeing throughout the Facebook posts and the weather and all that other stuff.

Patterson said she wants to be able to go down and help her family and other Texans.

Number one, you cant get down there anyway because its a mess, Patterson said. Hurricane relief takes a long time; its not going to be even a few months.

Hurricanes happen in the fall and usually you can go in the spring and summer and still help out. So if no other time Id like to go help next summer. If I could I would leave today, but I cant.

Patterson said if anyone wants to help with the relief of Hurricane Harvey they can donate to the Aransas County Firefighter Relief at www.gofundme.com/4c8jxvk. Donations made here go directly to helping the victims of Hurricane Harvey.
By MARK EVANS mevans@stegenherald.com Westover and Smith roads, on the far western edge of the county, will get paving priority for 2023. Country commissioners and Scott Schmieder, county road and bridge foreman, decided at last Thursdays commission meeting to go ahead and seal up that corner of the county. That way, graders will not have
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RACINE  A Racine man is facing charges after he allegedly got drunk and walked down the street shirtless with his pants down below his waist.

Eligio Vargas Jr., 35, of the 400 block of Seventh St., is charged with misdemeanor charges of lewd and lascivious behavior and disorderly conduct.

According to the criminal complaint:

At 7:04 p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to the 900 block of Wisconsin Avenue after it was reported that a man, later identified as Vargas, was reportedly walking down the street with no shirt on and his pants around his ankles.

Police found Vargas in the parking lot of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1391, 820 Main St. Vargas was reportedly getting into an argument with VFW patrons because they would not let Vargas in because he was allegedly very intoxicated.

Vargas told police he was good and going home, but officers asked him to wait a few minutes so they could figure out what was going on. Vargas reportedly began walking away and officers detained him.

When police asked for Vargas' address to drive him home, he reportedly could not remember it because he was intoxicated and then allegedly shouted at the officers to take him to jail.

Police said that a preliminary breath test allegedly showed that Vargas had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.243.

Vargas remained in custody as of Monday evening, online records showed.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Melescanu said on Tuesday that preparations for the Great Union Centennial, the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council and the bid for OECD membership are the "landmarks" of the Romanian diplomacy. "We equally need a more result-oriented economic diplomacy," Melescanu told the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomats taking place in Bucharest, adding that the country's diplomats also need to better connect to Romania's most recent innovative projects.

The ForMin said that Romania's European stake is to ensure the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2019, a historic opportunity for the country's foreign policy. "Romania's interest is to reinvigorate development policies from the perspective of economic convergence and deeper European integration. At the same time, we need to update our country profile, to intelligently increase our influence to the standards our entire society deserves and wishes for. (...) Outside country borders we must reach the repute, respect and recognition capable of making us proud as a country and as citizens of Romania. We must be far more active in promoting Romania's national interests on the EU subject and we need to be more actively promote Romania's national interests regarding EU and bilateral relations with the member states," Teodor Melescanu stressed.

The Romanian chief diplomat mentioned that "security remains the key stake from the transatlantic and global perspective," adding that by the end of the year Romania will host the Annual Romania-US Strategic Dialogue Meeting where the priority actions and projects to deepen the bilateral relationship will be agreed upon. According to Melescanu, Romania's direct proximity is of particular importance. "In our neighborhood, the Republic of Moldova and supporting it for a European future remain a priority stake," the Foreign Minister said. The Minister of Foreign Affairs pointed out that Romania wants to have good relations with Russia and argued that the strategic relationship with Israel needs to be taken to a deeper level by expanding the areas of cooperation while enhancing the relations with the Middle East as a whole.

Agerpres.
Regarding the situation of the Romanian citizens blocked at the Madrid Airport, Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) said on Tuesday that a specialist team is working on repairing the faulty aircraft. The consular section of the Romanian Embassy in Madrid handles as a priority the situation of the Romanian citizens blocked at the Madrid Airport due to the cancellation of a TAROM flight for Romania due to technical faults, according to a press statement released by MAE.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the consular representatives undertook, as a matter of urgency, steps at TAROM's office in Madrid to check the latest developments in the situation of the Romanian citizens, and representatives of TAROM announced that a specialist team is working on repairing the aircraft. The Romanian citizens were accommodated in hotels near the Madrid-Barajas Airport. The embassy's consular section monitors the situation and maintains uninterrupted contact with both the Romanian citizens and the airline officials, ready to provide consular assistance.

Agerpres.
MADISON  Cathy Stepp, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources secretary and former state senator representing Racine County, announced Tuesday that she has accepted an appointment with the Environmental Protection Agency as the deputy administrator for Region 7.

The White House presented me with an opportunity I couldnt ignore, Stepp said Tuesday morning in an email to agency staff. Stepp was active in Donald Trumps successful campaign for president last year.

Stepps new position is in the EPA Region 7 office in Kansas City. The region encompasses the states of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, as well as nine tribal nations.

In her email to staff, Stepp said she looked forward to new challenges at the federal level.

Im excited about the possibility of bringing some of the reforms weve been able to put in place here in Wisconsin to the national stage, Stepp said. There is so much to share about what we have all done together.

Stepp, 54, is a Wisconsin native who represented Wisconsins 21st Senate District from 2003 to 2007. At the time, the district encompassed all of Racine County except for the city and town of Burlington and the village and town of Waterford.

In a statement Gov. Scott Walker, who appointed Stepp six years ago, praised her tenure in his administration.

Cathy is a strong, trusted reformer who will serve the country well at the EPA. As DNR secretary since 2011, she has led an outstanding workforce committed to preserving and promoting our natural resources while placing a strong focus on customer service and common sense. We will miss her optimism and energy at the DNR, and we wish her success in her new role, Walker said.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, praised Stepps strong work ethic, business sense and enthusiasm, which he said, will be a benefit to the EPA in her new position. She has made a positive impact on the DNR during her years as secretary by improving customer service, simplifying the permitting process and protecting our precious natural resources.

Reaction from some conservationists has been swift, including Kimberlee Wright, who directs Midwest Environmental Advocates, a public interest law firm that has mounted legal challenges to DNR pollution permitting.

Under Secretary Stepps watch, public health and the rights of future generations to clean and abundant water have been seriously eroded, Wright said. Stepp failed to defend the agencys public mission against special interest attacks and in doing so shifted the costs and burdens of protecting public health and our natural heritage to the very citizens most at risk from lax enforcement of our most basic environmental laws.

Conservationists said Stepps DNR went too far to accommodate businesses.

Of the seven DNR secretaries I have known, she clearly had the worst record in terms of standing up for protection of natural resources, whether it was water, air, or fish and wildlife, said George Meyer, a former DNR secretary who now directs the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.

Trump has vowed to dismantle the EPA. His EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, has taken steps to delay or block more than 30 environmental rules in his first few months, the New York Times has reported.

Walker appointed DNR Deputy Secretary Kurt Thiede to serve as interim secretary effective Thursday.

Thiede, who holds a UW-Stevens Point degree in wildlife biology, served as a DNR land administrator, customer service supervisor and wildlife manager before Walker appointed him deputy secretary in 2015.

Stepps rise

Stepp and her husband, Paul, owned First Stepp Builders, a residential construction firm that was based in Mount Pleasant. Among the companys projects was constructing the Racine Police Departments Community Oriented Policing houses.

She is a past president of the Racine-Kenosha Builders Association and also served on the board for FreddieMac (formerly the Federal Home Mortgage Corp.), a stockholder-owned corporation chartered by Congress in 1970 to create a continuous flow of funds to mortgage lenders in support of home ownership and rental housing.

Stepp was serving on the state Natural Resources Board when she made a run for the state Senate in 2002. She beat then-Wind Point Village President John Knuteson by a 4-to-1 margin in the Republican primary before defeating incumbent Democrat Sen. Kim Plache of Racine in the general election.

During her term, Stepp endured protests outside her rural Yorkville home by the Latino organization Voces de La Frontera, which protested her support of a bill that would make it harder for illegal immigrants to obtain a drivers license. She also was the target of a formal ethics complaint by the Green Bay-based Clean Water Action Council. The complaint alleged that Stepp used her position to promote a jobs creation bill that would provide her with substantial personal financial gain. The state Ethics Board dismissed the complaint in 2004 as being political in nature.

After one term in office, Stepp opted not to seek re-election in 2006.

While I have enjoyed many successes with the help of my staff and colleagues in Madison, Stepp said at the time, it is time to focus my attention on my primary responsibility to be a wife and mom devoted first to those who have been entirely devoted to me.
David Nicklaus David Nicklaus is a business columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow David Nicklaus 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

Sergio Marchionne plans to retire in April 2019, and he doesnt want to go out a wallflower.

The chief executive of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has been unusually candid about his search for a merger partner, making clear that his company is too small to compete long-term in the global auto industry. Having been rejected by General Motors in North America and Volkswagen in Europe, Marchionne is turning his attention to Asia.

There, hes at least getting a come-hither glance. Great Wall Motor, Chinas largest maker of sport utility vehicles, confirmed a week ago that it wants to talk with Fiat Chrysler. Its unclear whether Great Wall wants the whole company or just the iconic Jeep brand, but the vague comments boosted Fiat Chryslers shares 18 percent last week.

Also unclear is how Great Wall, with a market capitalization of about $16 billion, might finance a purchase. Fiat Chrysler shares are worth $23 billion at current prices, and the company carries $19 billion of long-term debt.

Whats clear is that Marchionne is a motivated seller. Fiat is struggling, says Ken Elias, a partner in automotive research firm Maryann Keller & Associates. Europe is a tough place to play, and you have stronger competition in Brazil, where Fiat is a major player.

Its been said that Marchionne rescued two companies when he took a stake in bankrupt Chrysler back in 2009. Today, Jeeps and Ram trucks are Fiat Chryslers most profitable products, and underused car plants in the U.S. and Italy have been converted to Jeep production.

The problem, for Great Wall or any other buyer, is that those crown jewels come with plenty of dross. Anybody looking at this would have to ask, Why do we want to get involved with a company thats a high-cost manufacturer in Europe? Elias said. The Fiat product line clearly needs a lot of investment.

One possibility is a breakup. Fiat Chrysler spun off Ferrari last year, and it could do the same with Maserati and Alfa Romeo. A parts unit also could stand on its own, and any sale of Jeep and Ram would fetch a premium price.

After those moves, though, what happens to the leftovers? A remnant Fiat-Dodge-Chrysler business would face a tough road, having to spread product investments over a much smaller sales base than competitors such as GM, Volkswagen and Toyota.

They are between a rock and a hard place, Elias says.

So Marchionne continues his role as salesman-in-chief, probably hoping he can entice a couple of rivals into a bidding war.

The fact that one of those rivals is Chinese will raise eyebrows in the U.S., given the emphasis President Donald Trump has placed on auto industry jobs and winning in trade with China.

Theodore Moran, a professor of international business at Georgetown University, said an auto industry merger typically wouldnt raise red flags for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., a federal agency that examines cross-border deals. It doesnt involve military equipment, scarce inputs or technology that might be vulnerable to surveillance or sabotage.

Something as simple as a presidential tweet, however, could cause a potential buyer to have second thoughts. Trump is a wild card, Moran added. Im not predicting that nothing would happen, because Washington is just too volatile.

Thats just Marchionnes luck. He finally has another automaker interested in Fiat Chryslers grab bag of assets, but he must add the U.S. political climate to an already long list of complicating factors.
Agnes Wilcox, the actor and director who took theater behind bars when she founded Prison Performing Arts, died Monday (Aug. 28, 2017) in Canada, where she and her husband were vacationing.

The couple, who celebrated their 47th anniversary last week, visited Canada almost every summer, said Bob Wilcox, a longtime St. Louis theater critic. He is co-host of Two on the Aisle on HEC-TV.

They built the trip around the Shaw Festival at Niagara-on-the-Lake. But first, he said, they liked to find a little place just to relax on the water. This year they went to Greater Fort Erie, Ontario, near Buffalo, N.Y.

On Monday, Mrs. Wilcox went for a swim; later, her body was found at the edge of the water. Its very puzzling, her husband said. She was a very good swimmer, and she seemed to be in great shape. She seemed fine, just fine. We were having a wonderful time.

Changes come to Prison Performing Arts But its mission to change lives with theater remains.

Mrs. Wilcox, 70, was a major force on the St. Louis theater scene for years. More than 30 years ago, the University City couple moved here from New York to teach, she at Webster University and he at Blackburn College. In the 1980s, she founded The New Theatre  known as TNT  which concentrated on contemporary plays. It quickly established itself in the burgeoning off-Broadway movement here.

Along with such memorable productions as Smoke on the Mountain, which ran for an astonishing 17 weeks, and Love! Valour! Compassion!, TNT set up a special project to work with prisoners around Missouri. When TNT folded in 1999, Mrs. Wilcox turned her full attention to theater performed, and sometimes created, by incarcerated men, women and youths.

Ive known Agnes since our days at the University of Wisconsin, said Steven Woolf, artistic director of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. She was whip-smart, with an indomitable spirit.

Agnes filled any room she was in with joy. She charted new territory in St Louis  (with) TNT and Prison Performing Arts. Our theater community will be bereft with this loss.(tncms-asset)20de79ba-335e-585a-84b4-db2715452e7f[1](/tncms-asset)

Her work brought her wide recognition. In 2015, the St. Louis Theater Circle gave her its special award for the body of her work, and in 2016 the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis gave her its award for lifetime achievement.

The acclaimed PPA program drew national attention, especially when NPRs This American Life devoted an entire show to its production of Hamlet at the Missouri Eastern Correctional Center in Pacific.

Hamlet sounds daunting, but Mrs. Wilcox said it turned out to be the perfect choice.

At first, she wasnt sure what kind of plays would interest actors in prison. What kind of plays could they understand? What could they carry off with only the simplest props and costumes?

Mrs. Wilcox, a petite woman whose white pixie cut and owlish glasses gave her the air of a perpetual grad student, said a friend suggested Shakespeare.

I immediately said, Hamlet, she recalled in a Post-Dispatch interview in 2014, when she stepped down from PPA. Christopher Limber succeeded her.

True, she acknowledged, many of the performers had never read Shakespeare, or much of anything.

On the other hand, she asked, how often can you stage a play about murder with actors who have personal experience with that crime? Or with a performer who feels that his bad decisions have reduced him to a rogue and peasant slave?

They understand Shakespeare very well, she said.
Judith Newmark Judith Newmark is the theater critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Judith Newmark 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

With its first-rate cast, ready humor and delightful setting, Rebels and Misfits Uncle Vanya is a production that St. Louis theatergoers will cherish for years to come.

Its not really immersive theater, as advertised; theres little interaction between actors and members of the audience once the opening scene, a preshow tea party, is over. (The tiny sandwiches are particularly tasty.)

Nor is it site-specific theater. Nothing is done to amplify nor even to acknowledge the setting, a gorgeous midcentury house in Ladue thats currently on the market.

In fact, this production of Chekhovs 1899 masterpiece might just as well have been performed on (gasp!) a stage. But apparently that option did not appeal to director Kelly Hummert, who is also artistic director of Rebels and Misfits.

Well, fine. No matter what she had in mind, she has mounted a superb production of a truly modern drama, a production that makes sense, that emphasizes Chekhovs wry humor and that gives two gifted actors, James Butz and Andrew Michael Neiman, rich roles that they dig into with brains and style.

In Uncle Vanya, a pompous professor (Peter Mayer) and his beautiful, young second wife, Yelena (Sophia Brown), have retired to his estate in the Russian countryside. Actually, the property belongs to his grown, unmarried daughter, Sonya (Francesca Ferrari). Sonya and Vanya (Neiman)  Sonyas uncle, the first wifes brother  have run the estate for years, subordinating themselves to the professors every whim.

Vanya is a smart man; so is the local doctor, Astrov (Butz). Both of them are in love with Yelena, who is of course beyond their reach  just as Astrov is scarcely aware of Sonya, pining with love for him.

Astrov, at least, tempts Yelena a little. Besides, he has other passions  notably, reforestation  to occupy him. In one of the plays funniest, most touching scenes, Butz burns with urgency as he displays his maps of diminishing trees to Yelena alone, his eyes afire and his voice ripe with emotion.

But when the scene comes to a climax as he presses his lips to hers, theres scarcely any change in mood. Astrov knows full well that he has no future  not with Yelena, not with replacing all the trees lost to the timber industry. Nevertheless, he acts on his passions. In this world, that probably makes him an optimist.

Vanya is another story. In one of the plays early, most telling moments, Neiman wedges himself into a tiny space where two stone walls meet at a right angle. There could scarcely be a clearer explanation of how trapped Vanya feels.

Even in long speeches about the years he has wasted, and his fears that he will also waste his future, Neiman is simply elaborating on that initial, excruciating image. Not for nothing is he the title character.

All these tensions are clear to Vanyas snooty mother (Suzanne Greenwald), the kindly housekeeper (Donna Weinsting) and the devoted groundskeeper (Kent Coffel). They come and go through the house just as we do, schlepping behind the principals from parlor to kitchen to office. A few pieces of old-fashioned furniture, plainly not of this house, tell us what room were in. On opening night, a persistent beep from the refrigerator supplied a comically anachronistic counterpoint to Sonyas heartfelt conversation with Astrov.
MOUNT PLEASANT  Negotiations between the State of Wisconsin and electronics manufacturer Foxconn Technology Group have been making great progress, according to a statement from the company.

The Journal Times submitted a list of questions to the company related to the contract negotiations with the state, the proposed incentive package, what Foxconn employees already in Wisconsin are doing, and the location of the proposed manufacturing facility.

When asked about the location of the facility, the company stated we are progressing very well in our review of potential locations and we look forward to making an announcement in the very near future.

Foxconn, a Taiwanese technology company, has announced plans to invest $10 billion to build a large liquid crystal display (LCD) production facility in southeastern Wisconsin. The location has not been announced, but it has been confirmed that property owners in Mount Pleasant in Racine County and the Town of Paris in Kenosha County have been approached about selling land for the plant.

On Monday, the Mount Pleasant Village Board and Community Development Authority met in closed session to discuss an unspecified development project with the village. Similar closed-session meetings have taken place in Mount Pleasant in recent weeks.

Recently, the village hired former Burlington mayor Claude Lois to be the villages project director. Part of his duties will be to work with business inquiries related to the prospect of Foxconn coming to the area. Lois also will assist interim Village Administrator Tim Zarzecki.

Investment could benefit all parties

When asked about the Legislature discussing the $2.85 billion Foxconn incentive package to create an electronics and IT manufacturing zone in Wisconsin, the company said projects of this size requires partnerships with the relevant governments because of the significant infrastructure and related requirements of those initiatives.

That infrastructure is generally not directed at supporting the needs of just our project, it also supports the projects of other companies in the large supply chain that is created around our investments and the many other companies that are attracted by the catalytic role our investments play in most of the locations where we invest, Foxconn stated. As such, investments from both our company and the related governments, including such things as investment-linked tax benefits, are required if these project are to achieve the goals set by our company and by the governments in locations where we seek to invest.

Foxconn goes on to state that these investments, if done right, would be beneficial to all involved and would be very wide and very long-term.

Members of Gov. Scott Walkers administration were questioned by members of the Joint Finance Committee at a meeting held Aug. 22 in Sturtevant. At that meeting Mark Hogan, secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., informed committee members that Foxconn employees have spent in excess of 500 hotel room nights in the state over the last three months.

When asked about the work Foxconn is already doing in Wisconsin, the company said it takes this project very seriously and we have devoted the appropriate time and resources to all stages of this initiative.
Southern Illinois University's standing as an accredited research institution could be at risk after the developers of a herpes vaccine, including a professor, bypassed U.S. safety standards to test the shot on Americans flown to a Caribbean island.

The complicated saga involves the U.S. drug approval process, a wealthy Donald Trump supporter and William Halford, an SIU biology professor who spent his career trying to find a cure for herpes before dying of cancer in June.

Kaiser Health News reports that Peter Thiel, a tech billionaire and Trump adviser, invested $7 million in Halford's company, Springfield, Ill.-based Rational Vaccines.

The university promoted Rational Vaccines' work to produce a vaccine to treat herpes viruses, which infect half the world's population and can cause outbreaks of sores around the genitals, mouth and eyes. The university holds a patent on the vaccine.

Last year, the company flew 20 U.S. and British citizens to the Caribbean island of St. Kitts to test out Theravax, a herpes vaccine. Experts said the offshore trial was dangerous because it wasn't monitored under U.S. drug safety rules.

"What they're doing is patently unethical," said Jonathan Zenilman, chief of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center's Infectious Diseases Division, in an interview with Kaiser Health News. "There's a reason why researchers rely on these protections. People can die."

The university said in a promotional story that "the trial was designed for convenience, speed and efficiency" and produced 100 percent improvement in the participants' herpes symptoms.

A spokeswoman said the university was not involved in the clinical trial that involved one of its professors and its patented vaccine. She did tell Kaiser Health News that the university would "take this opportunity to review our internal processes to assure we are following best practices."

The lack of oversight for the trial could put the university's federal funding at risk. Most research institutions, including SIU, file agreements with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to follow safety rules and have an ethical review board to oversee any research involving people.

"Anytime you associate with a group that seems to so openly reject very basic protections we put in place in this country ... you jeopardize the public trust in clinical research," said Kelly Dineen, a bioethics expert and law professor at Creighton University and formerly of St. Louis University.

The company said there was little risk to the trial's participants because they already had herpes. But Dineen points out that there are plenty of other risks with experimental vaccines, including severe immune reactions.

Critics of the time and costs required to get Food and Drug Administration approval applauded the company for going outside the country.

"This is a test case," said Bartley Madden, another investor in the vaccine who spoke to the news agency. "The FDA is standing in the way, and Americans are going to hear about this and demand action."

The federal agency is unlikely to approve drugs tested outside the U.S. unless the methods are approved by a designated review board.

Theres a tradition of having oversight of human experimentation, and it exists for good reasons. It may be legal to be doing it without oversight, but its wrong," said Robert Califf, who served as FDA commissioner in the Obama administration, to Kaiser Health News.

While facing an aggressive cancer, the main investigator Halford moved the clinical trial to the Caribbean after failing to secure federal funding and ethical approval. He was 48 when he died in June. The co-founder of Rational Vaccines said they will seek FDA approval for the vaccine.
Charges have been dismissed against two police officers in Vandalia, Mo., after a new police administration accused the former part-time employees of lying on their time sheets.

William Parker, 38, and William E. Jones, 44, were charged Aug. 14 with multiple counts of forgery. Their attorney said officials told him Monday that the felony charges were being dismissed.

Online court records no longer list the accusations.

Montgomery County Prosecuting Attorney Nathan Carroz, who signed the charging documents, didnt return a call for comment Tuesday morning. A clerk from his office declined to discuss the cases, which originated in neighboring Audrain County.

Vandalia Police Chief Christopher Hammann said the forgery probe was turned over to Carroz in May as a special prosecutor in the matter because the former part-time police officers had served in Audrain County.

We dont have anything to do with that case, Hammann said of the charges being dropped. For whatever reason, (Montgomery County) did what they did, and thats their choice.

This is the latest in a series of events involving public officials in Vandalia, 100 miles northwest of St. Louis. In January, Parker, Jones and a third officer were fired from the police department by a city administrator who was also later fired.

Parker had raised eyebrows for ticketing Hammann, a brand new police chief at the time, for driving an unlicensed vehicle. Around then, another police officer ticketed the controversial city administrator and Chief Hammann.

Capt. Donald Elkins, a new hire at the police department, investigated former employees. In court records filed this summer, he accused Jones and Parker of making erroneous time sheet claims. The formal allegations were based on radio log data.

A former interim police chief during the time in question told the Post-Dispatch in an interview last week that he wasnt contacted for the investigation. He said that officers didnt always log in by radio for some of their duties.

The forgery charges caused Parker and Jones to be put on administrative leave from their full-time jobs at the Missouri Department of Corrections. Jones is a deputy warden at Northeast Correctional Center in Bowling Green. Parker works in maintenance and as a vocational teacher.

Parker and Jones returned to work at the prison Tuesday, corrections officials said.
Barricades have gone up around two downtown courthouses and city police headquarters ahead of a judge's ruling in the first-degree murder trial of ex-St. Louis Officer Jason Stockley.
Opponents and defenders of President Donald Trump will share the streets of Springfield, Mo., Wednesday  along with a local police force determined to prevent the kind of violent clashes other cities have seen  as the president speaks inside a manufacturing facility there about his tax reform plans.

The speech, set for 1:30 p.m. in the southwestern Missouri city, will be closed to the public, with only an invited audience. But interest from the region and beyond is high, with different groups organizing pro- and anti-Trump rallies through competing Facebook pages and Twitter announcements.

Opposing activists  organized primarily under an anti-Trump group called Springfield Indivisible and a pro-Trump group called Patriots Protecting Trump  are urging followers to refrain from violence.

Springfield Indivisible is committed to resisting the Trump administrations ... un-American agenda through persistent legislative action and community events, reads a Facebook statement from organizers of what is being called The Peoples Protest. Agitators are not welcomed to our assemblies.

Steve Culp of Bolivar, a Patriots Protecting Trump organizer, wrote on his groups Facebook page: This is to be a non-violent show of support for the president. If you are showing up to this event, spoiling for a fight with protesters, feel free to stay home ... I dont want Springfield to look like another Charlottesville.

Violence erupted in Charlottesville, Va., this month, with clashes between white supremacists marching against the planned removal of a Confederate statue and counterprotesters who opposed them. A 32-year-old woman was killed when a car allegedly driven by one of the white supremacists plowed into a group of counterprotesters. The driver has been charged with murder.

That conflict wasnt initially about Trump, until he made comments that critics say drew moral equivalence between the white supremacists and those opposing them.

The resulting controversy over race was torqued up again last week, when Trump pardoned former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio from Arizona. He was awaiting sentencing for contempt of court for ignoring a court order to stop violating the constitutional rights of suspected undocumented immigrants.

During the seven months of Trumps presidency, his speaking events have tended to fall into two categories: formal, staid policy speeches, made from teleprompters to calm invited audiences; and raucous, campaign-style rallies thrown open to the public, in which Trump ad-libs and often makes his most controversial statements.

The Springfield speech appears likely to be the former. The closed event will be conducted at Loren Cook Co., a ventilation equipment manufacturer owned by prominent Republican political donors, with the speech focused on making the case for the GOP policy goal of simplifying the tax code and lowering tax rates.

Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams issued a statement Tuesday saying his force is ready to maintain a safe environment for our citizens and visitors.

We expect any and all demonstrators to let their voices be heard in a peaceful and civil manner, Williams wrote.

There was some social media discussion Tuesday about whether guns will or should be present at the rally. The presence of legally carried weapons in Charlottesville, though they werent used in the violence there, has sparked a national debate over whether firearms should be banned from such protests.

Williams, the Springfield police chief, said in a written statement when asked about that issue: I would certainly discourage anyone from bringing a firearm to ANY type of protest, but ... Missouri statutes allow for open carry in public spaces throughout the state, including Springfield.
WASHINGTON  The interim director of the national NAACP said Tuesday that his organization supports a travel advisory for Missouri because the state presents a policy landscape that is detrimental to African-Americans health.

The advisory, which interim national NAACP President Derrick Johnson said bubbled up from actions from the Missouri state chapter, will remain in place until at least late September.

Johnson is a Mississippi activist who was named interim president of the national organization on July 22. He said he believes the advisory has worked because of feedback the NAACP has received.

Based on the number of calls we have had from different groups who are considering holding their events in the state of Missouri, we think it is effective, Johnson said after a speech at the National Press Club.

The advisory is just that  we are telling people to travel at your own risk  very similar to what the State Department does with countries. We are not saying, Dont go. We are saying be advised that there are some racial issues here that if you do travel it should be at your own risk.

Without giving specifics, the head of St. Louis tourism and convention agency said last week that hotels had lost business because of the advisory, and that her industry was being used as a weapon politically.

We have been notified by a number of area hotels that they have lost meeting groups that were in contract phase, said Kathleen Kitty Ratcliffe, president of Explore St. Louis.

Missouri NAACP President Nimrod Chapel said Tuesday the travel advisory will remain in effect until further notice. The state conference of the NAACP meets Sept. 22-23 in Springfield, where members will discuss the advisory and other action the NAACP may take, he said.

Chapel left open the possibility that the group could craft other responses to what it sees as lagging efforts to address racial discrimination in Missouri.

The state chapter initiated the action in June after Senate Bill 43 was approved, and the national organization gave its vote of support a month later. Gov. Eric Greitens said the new law brought the state in line with more than three dozen other states.

SB 43, which took effect Monday, makes it harder for employees to win workplace discrimination suits. Under the law, employees must prove their protected status  such as race or sex  is what motivated a superior or colleague to mistreat them. The old law only required employees to prove race or sex was a contributing factor to their mistreatment.

Johnson said that law and other issues, including traffic enforcement that targets African-Americans, were why the national NAACP supported the state chapters efforts.

By and large, we as people of color are just like any other citizens  law-abiding, we love our families, like going to work, want to go home, go to church, participate in our communities and grow old with a lot of happy memories, Chapel said.

But, he said, the NAACP believes that in Missouri, the level of civil rights violations weve seen at this point have not abated.

Johnson took over the national NAACP after Cornell Brooks, the previous president, did not have his contract renewed in May.

In his National Press Club speech, Johnson addressed claims that the organization had outlived its usefulness as younger activists have gravitated toward Black Lives Matter and other groups in the wake of Ferguson and other epicenters of unrest.

Johnson said that in many rural communities, the NAACP is the only vehicle that individuals have to raise their voice, and pointed to the organizations long history that began with an anti-lynching crusade in the early 20th century.

We are too quick to follow trends, bells and whistles, Johnson said. As to the organizations relevancy, he said, just watch the news  a reference to violence and controversy in Charlottesville, Va., recently.

Johnson said President Donald Trump had created an environment of false equals between white supremacists and counter-protesters that allowed domestic terrorists to feel comfortable to walk in public without their hoods.

Johnson said he met Tuesday with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials about the response to Hurricane Harvey, which has devastated Houston and parts of southern Texas and Louisiana. He said the NAACP would monitor the recovery to make sure that there is an equitable distribution of government resources in the region.

On another matter, Johnson said that the national NAACP had not yet heard from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about its request last week for a meeting about former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick sparked controversy last year when he protested inequality by refusing to stand for the National Anthem. He became a free agent after last season and has not been signed by another team.

Johnson said that Kaepernick was following in the footsteps of entertainers like the late Dick Gregory, who used their fame as a platform for social justice.
RACINE  A series of speakers at a local rally Monday called for President Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to do more to keep American jobs from going offshore, as they appeared in support of one of Ryans potential election opponents, Randy Bryce.

The one-hour rally, held at the edge of Southside Industrial Park, was the third stop on a Midwestern tour designed to hold Trump accountable, according to organizers. It involved representatives of several groups including the Communications Workers of America, Good Jobs Nation, Wisconsins Working Families Party and Fight for $15.

Speakers decried the loss of call center jobs to other countries such as India and the Philippines. The approximately 45 participants, including organizers, repeatedly chanted Off shore  no more!

They were highly critical of Trump and called for him to sign an executive order that would prevent the loss of American jobs to other countries overseas.

Bryce, who is seeking to challenge Ryan for his U.S. 1st Congressional District seat in 2018, said the president has signed 93 executive orders, and not one has helped American workers. About 200,000 U.S. call center jobs have been lost in recent years  jobs that were supposed to replace lost manufacturing jobs, he added.

Executive Director Marina Dimitrijevic of the Working Families Party said Ryan should use his influence to move H.R. Bill 1300, the United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act of 2017, through the House of Representatives.

Racine mayoral candidate and state Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, was among the rallys 11 speakers. In the past quarter-century, he said, Racine has lost more than 12,000 manufacturing jobs.

But we certainly have to make sure were keeping the ones that weve got, Mason said.

Besides Bryce, at least one other Democrat is seeking to challenge Ryan in the 2018 election: Janesville School Board member Cathy Myers.
O'FALLON, Mo.  A 72-year-old man was injured when a robber assaulted him and stole his car Tuesday morning, police here said.

The assault happened at about 6:35 a.m. in the 200 block of Belmonte Circle.

Police released few details about the incident other than that the victim was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The vehicle stolen was as silver 2010 Ford Edge Limited SUV with Missouri license plate PE3G3U.

The robber was described as a white man in his late 40s to early 50s with graying hair who was wearing light-colored clothing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 636-240-3200 extension 5579.
TOWN OF NORWAY  Fire crews from four counties helped the Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Department battle a grain silo fire at a local farm on Sunday evening.

The call came in at about 5:30 p.m. at the Saltzmann Family Farm, 23705 Kramer Road.

According to Wind Lake Fire Chief Rob Robins, the fire began in a silo 70 percent full of rye. The silos on the property are used to store grain for the farms dairy herd.

No one was injured, Robins reported.

A spokesman for the farm said the fire will not affect day-to-day operations. The farm has been in the Saltzmann family for four generations.

Although a farmer noticed a burning smell earlier in the day Sunday, the incident went unnoticed until a passerby on Highway 36 noticed smoke coming from the silo.

To get the fire under control, 240,000 gallons of water were needed to be shuttled to the scene, Robins said.

Robins said fire crews were busy containing the fire until about midnight Sunday.

The Racine County Fire Investigation Task Force was called to investigate, but no cause for the fire had been released as of Monday morning.

Fire crews responded to the scene from Racine, Waukesha, Milwaukee and Walworth counties. The Racine County Sheriffs Office, Norway Police Department and Racine Fire Bells also assisted at the scene.
Thanks to Tony Messenger ("Deception at work on county ice rink," Aug. 25) for the enlightenment of the unbridled shenanigans taking place in Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park and the ongoing controversies regarding the ice rink saga.

Are there any levels of government or politicians left that still represent the wishes of the majority of their constituents and not a self-serving agenda for wealth or patronage?

I guess it's the slick politicians of both parties who have gone to school on the methods of our commander in chief. Circumventing established steps, laws and regulations in the proper disposition of this issue is at most illegal in some aspects, and at least morally reprehensible for the gains garnered by those politicos reaping the harvest of park green space through environmental destruction.
MADISON  A Madison library has invited a drag queen to read stories to children, replicating a trend that began at a library in San Francisco.

Pinney Library in Madison started Drag Queen Storytime earlier this summer, according to media reports. Miss Gretta, played by Craig Schlagel, reads a book, and then the kids participate in a sing-along.

Library assistant Danny Atwater said children can relate to drag queens because they often play dress up.

Schlagel said children are sometimes hesitant when meeting their first drag queen but that he presents a nicer version of his drag persona to the children.

"It's kind of like children interacting with clowns," Schlagel said. "You never know what's gonna go on because it's like a person in a costume, but they aren't exactly sure how to interact with them."

Youth services librarian Holly Storck-Post said the event doesn't define what a drag queen is and tries to normalize different gender expressions.

"I think that a lot of the kids who were in attendance had no idea what a drag queen was, maybe didn't even know that this was a drag queen story time," Storck-Post said. "They just knew that this was a special, fun storytime at the library."

Schlagel said when kids ask if he's a boy or a girl, he explains that he's a boy that dresses up as a girl to entertain people.

"Saying that to a child is so much easier than interacting with an adult who has more of a closed mind," he said.

Beth Myers said she brought her two children to the event so they could learn that although everyone looks different, everyone is still worth loving.
MADISON  Republican lawmakers writing the next state budget voted Monday to include a $639 million funding increase for Wisconsin schools  about $10 million less than the record amount Gov. Scott Walker proposed earlier this year.

The budget-writing committee also increased the household income limits for participation in the statewide private voucher school program.

The 2017-19 spending plan also sets up a timeline for a potential turnaround program for the Racine School District and limits the number of times a school district can ask voters to raise property taxes to pay for building projects and school operations.

The GOP plan also allows school districts that spend less per student than the average to raise their property taxes, eliminates expiration dates for teacher and school administrator licenses and gives about $9 million to public and private schools to buy computers for ninth graders.

Despite the increase in funding, which Democrats have long called for after years of cuts or no increase in state funding for schools, the proposals drew the ire of Democrats on the budget committee over the voucher provision, expansion of independent charter schools and adding state money for services at private schools.

"How is it that we can continue to divert money to private schools?" said Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh.

But Rep. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, said the Republican plan aims to allow parents, regardless of their household income, provide the best choice of school for their children.

Over all, Walker proposed $11.5 billion for schools, including the $649 million increase.

A spokesman for budget committee co-chairwoman Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, said the Joint Finance Committee reduced the increase to $639 million because of reductions to funding proposed by Walker for rural school districts and for schools in the Milwaukee School District that meet academic achievement goals.

Walker in a statement thanked the committee for its actions after the package was approved 12-4, with all Republicans voting for and all Democrats voting against.

Schools officials supportive

School district administrators and board members have hailed the thrust of the governor's budget proposal: a provision that would increase the $250 school districts currently receive per student by $200 in the 2017-18 school year and another $204 in the 2018-19 school year.

The "per-pupil" amount is delivered to schools regardless of how much the districts get in other forms of state aid or can raise from local taxpayers. The bulk of state aid is determined by a complex formula that takes into account student population, the wealth of a school district and numerous other factors.

However, school officials also are starting the next school year without knowing for sure what type of state increase they might see because lawmakers are so late in passing a budget, which was due July 1.

Darling said lawmakers in the Assembly and Senate will vote on the full budget during the week of Sept. 14.

The plan

The Republican-authored plan eliminates a provision in Walker's proposed spending plan that ties new school funding to whether a district's staff pays at least 12 percent of their health care costs. Instead, lawmakers have proposed to require districts to submit a report on their health care plans to the state Department of Administration, which will forward the reports to the budget committee.

About $18 million in funding for rural schools proposed by Walker was eliminated in the GOP plan, as well as about $3.4 million for the Milwaukee School District.

Meanwhile, the proposal requires school districts to call for a referendum during regularly-scheduled elections and only twice a year. School districts also would be prohibited in 2018 from exceeding their state-imposed limits on raising revenue to pay for energy efficiency projects. Walker had proposed eliminating the revenue limit exemption altogether.

The plan also allows school districts that spend less than $10,000 per student because of those state-imposed caps to raise property taxes to increase their per-student spending to $9,800 by 2022. School districts also would get $1.6 million over two years to help pay for special education services that are more costly than others.

School districts wishing to consolidate also would be eligible for another $150 per student for the first five years after consolidation and a reduced amount two years after that.

Voucher income limits

The committee also voted to raise the income limits for the statewide private voucher program to 220 percent of the federal poverty level. Under the new limits, a family of four with a combined income of $53,826 would be eligible to receive a voucher.

Currently, the program is limited to families who earn a combined income of 185 percent of the federal poverty level, or $45,263 for a family of four. The voucher program aims to provide taxpayer-funded vouchers to students to attend a private school in areas outside of Milwaukee and Racine.

Currently, school districts' state funding is reduced by each student that leaves the district schools for a private voucher school. The districts are able to count that student when reporting enrollment figures to determine state funding, however.

The GOP plan also eliminates some enrollment rules for the state's voucher programs, which limit enrollment to students in certain grades and authorizes a state charter school office to create charter schools statewide without the approval of local school boards. Currently the office is limited to creating the schools in Madison and Milwaukee.

In an effort to prevent a widespread shortage of teachers, Republicans also eliminated expiration dates on licenses for teachers and school administrators who have worked for at least three years. Anyone with a bachelor's degree who has completed an alternative teacher certification program and has passed a background check also could receive a teaching license under the plan, and the number of subject areas teachers must be licensed in before being able to teach would be reduced.
In a significant development, Pakistan and China on Monday joined hands in opposing the new US strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia, as the two countries  contrary to Trump administrations reliance on military options  called for a political solution to the long-running conflict.

The development came on a day when Acting US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Alice Wells was supposed to be in the town. Her visit was postponed earlier at Islamabads request. Instead, Chinese Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs Ambassador Deng Xijun arrived in the capital for crucial discussions with Pakistani authorities on the implications of Trumps Afghan strategy.

In his new policy announced on August 21, the US president laid more emphasis on finding a solution through the use of force while also antagonising Pakistan, a country pivotal to any endgame in Afghanistan, by accusing it of supporting agents of chaos, violence and terrorism.

Against the backdrop of the evolving situation, the visit of a senior Chinese diplomat has high significance.

Ambassador Xijun held talks with Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and discussed regional and international efforts for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office.

The Chinese envoy reaffirmed his countrys continuing and firm support to Pakistans commitment and efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan while emphasising that there was no military solution to the conflict. He also underlined the need for a politically-negotiated settlement through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, according to the Foreign Office.

His statement clearly suggested that China, like Pakistan, is not enthused by the new US plan for Afghanistan.

Even American commentators have been critical of the new plan on the grounds that the Trump administration is trying to resolve the issue through the use of force while ignoring regional players such as China, Russia and Iran, which can play a crucial role in bringing peace to the war-torn country.

Meanwhile, in another sign of Chinas unflinching support to Pakistan, the Chinese envoy lauded Pakistans contribution and sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.

In this regard, he said: Pakistans efforts towards eliminating the scourge of terrorism should be fully recognised by the international community.

Foreign Secretary Janjua underlined the importance of the Pakistan-China strategic partnership while emphasising the need for close cooperation and coordination between the two countries for promoting the shared objective of peace and stability in the region.

She also expressed satisfaction at the productive deliberations held between the two sides during her visit to Beijing last week.

They agreed to strengthen cooperation in the ongoing efforts to facilitate peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan as well as promoting meaningful engagement between the three neighbouring countries.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif is also expected to go on a tour of regional countries, including China to garner support in the face of renewed strains in ties with the US.

Analysts have already warned that Trumps new strategy could not only antagonise Pakistan but also push it further closer to China and Russia.

Although there has been no official confirmation yet, the government is also planning to convene a conference of envoys posted in key world capitals to seek their input before formulating a policy on the new US strategy for Afghanistan.

The envoys conference, sources suggested, may take place soon after Eid.
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel says he's heading to Washington for face-to-face talks with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson amid multiple urgent issues.

Gabriel said before his scheduled departure Monday that North Korea's nuclear program, the situation in Afghanistan, the crisis in Qatar, the Iran nuclear agreement and U.S. sanctions on Russia are among the topics on his agenda.

Germany has been critical of the Trump administration's climate policy and escalating rhetoric on North Korea, while the U.S. has questioned Germany's large trade surplus, among other issues.

Gabriel said: ""America's the most important European ally and even though important issues currently separate us, we need to seek dialogue with those willing to cooperate."

Other details of the Tuesday meeting haven't been released.
MADISON  The first ad from state Superintendent Tony Evers' Democratic gubernatorial campaign blasts the $3 billion taxpayer incentive package Republican Gov. Scott Walker has proposed for a Taiwanese electronics giant.

The radio ad, which airs in the Milwaukee, Green Bay and Wausau markets, also ties the Foxconn deal to GOP President Donald Trump, who helped announce it last month in an event at the White House with Walker and Foxconn CEO Terry Gou.

"The Donald Trump-Scott Walker $3 billion deal for Foxconn might sound good, until you look at the fine print," Evers says in the ad.

The ad criticizes the deal for lacking requirements that Foxconn workers be Wisconsin residents, exempting the project from state environmental protections and for taking 25 years for the state to recoup its investment in the development. The deal calls for giving Foxconn $2.85 billion in refundable tax credits tied to the project over the next 15 years.

"Sounds good for Foxconn, but what's in it for the rest of us? Just think if we invested that money in our schools instead," Evers says.

Evers made his candidacy official last week.

State Rep. Dana Wachs of Eau Claire, Milwaukee-area businessman Andy Gronik and Barneveld newcomer Bob Harlow also are officially seeking the Democratic nod for governor in 2018.

Other Democrats who have registered campaign committees but haven't formalized a run include state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, former state Reps. Brett Hulsey and Kelda Helen Roys, and political activist Mike McCabe. Madison Mayor Paul Soglin also has said he's considering a Democratic run.

Walker is widely expected to announce soon that he will seek a third term.

Republican Party of Wisconsin spokesman Alec Zimmerman said Evers' stance shows he's putting "political futures ahead of Wisconsin families.
Between borders

Nepali political class has to convey stability in foreign policy
Reconciliation and Muslims of Sri Lanka View(s):

Excerpts from the Colombo, Zahira College Founders Day Oration delivered by Presidents Counsel M.M. Zuhair, former Member of Parliament, on Reconciliation and Muslims of Sri Lanka on August 21 at the College Ghaffoor Hall. Zahira College Principal Trizviiy Marikkar presided.

We have gathered here today on the 125th Anniversary of the founding of Zahira College. To be invited by the management of Zahira, to deliver the College Founders Day oration on such a milestone of an occasion as the 125th Anniversary of the College, is a great honour for me. I feel truly humbled, more so because I am an old boy of this unique educational institution.

Let us see the then background briefly. By the time Zahira was founded in 1892, there were already in existence in the country, 61 colleges of repute, 50 of which were established by the American missionaries, the Methodists, the Anglicans and the Roman Catholics who appeared to be in competition with each other, while the British Empire was firmly in the saddle, in the then Ceylon. The Buddhists had by then established only six schools, including Ananda College in 1886 and the Hindus had established a mere four schools including the Jaffna Hindu College in 1887.

That the Sri Lankan Muslims were being left behind in the competitive quest for quality education, pursued by others actively, could not have been lost on the community and its then leaders. It was in this background that an inspiring speech delivered in 1891 at the Maradana Mosque by that legendary Muslim activist of that time M C Siddi Lebbe, a lawyer by profession, which led to the establishment of Zahira College the very next year.

Let us remember now, those great founders by name: M C Siddi Lebbe, A M Wapiche Marikar, Orabi Pasha, N D H Abdul Ghaffoor, N H M Abdul Cader, I L M Abdul Azeez, Careemji Jafferjee and P B Umbichy. Support for enhancing the infrastructure facilities continued from benefactors such as Muththu Wappa, Pallak Lebbe & Co., M I M Naleem Hadjiar and more recently on my own initiative from Al Makthoum Foundation of Dubai, UAE, followed by Deshamanya Professor M T A Furkhan, who donated the Prof. Furkhan Building. The Swimming Pool project and the renovation of buildings were completed with the enthusiastic support of the old boys, parents and well-wishers, initiated by Mr. Fouzul Hameed, the present Chairman of the Board. There is now a dedicated team led by the Principal, Mr Trizviiy Marikkar, working under the guidance of the Board of Governors struggling to restore Zahira to its past pristine glory.

This historical process of establishing Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim schools over the past 150 years undoubtedly played a major role in uplifting educationally our communities. Indeed the standards introduced by the American and British missionary schools upgraded the quality of life of all Sri Lankans. We are no doubt appreciative of these colonial time rewards.

But, did this colonial process also result in undue divisions and excessive communal compartmentalisation, amongst us Sri Lankans? Did it also damage even partially, the prospects of establishing healthy co-existence among the different communities and unity amidst diversity? Did this process together with other factors also contribute negatively towards advancing the Sri Lankan identity and national integration? Jane Russel, the British researcher, in her thesis Communal Politics under the Donoughmore Constitution refers to nearly a hundred years of communal politics in this country, which had distanced communities, each from the other. There are also those who argue that the British policy of divide and rule, led to the present ethnically divisive and at times confrontational politics in our country.

Zahira had always accommodated a recognisable percentage of students from the Sinhala and Tamil communities. During the stewardship of A.M.A. Azeez as principal, of the 138 Zahirians who entered the faculties of the then Ceylon University, 37 were Sinhalese while 21 were Tamils. Eighty or 58 percent were Muslims. Like Zahira, there are other schools which also accommodate a fair number of students from other communities.

But there are also leading national level schools which accommodate students virtually from a single ethno-religious group only. Such practices violate the fundamental rights provisions in the Constitution. These, indeed require political decisions to pave way for reasonable integration while respecting diversity. Ethnic and religious coexistence must begin from classrooms. Respect for other beliefs and cultures must echo from schools.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga articulated this effectively when she addressed the Royal College, and on another occasion, the Ananda College staff and students at meetings organised earlier this year, by the Ministry of National Integration and Reconciliation under the guidance of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. She said it is impossible to achieve national integration, unless every school opens its doors for admission of a reasonable percentage of children from other communities.

When I spoke at Ananda College on the same occasion, I urged the Anandians, past and present, to give leadership to uniting the people of this country as Sri Lankans, without sheltering any longer within enclaves. I also referred to the then Mr. T B Jayah and Mr C. Sundaralingam, who were highly respected teachers at that time at Ananda College. I told the Anandians that when Jayah, who was your teacher, was invited to head Zahira as its Principal, Anandas teacher Mr Jayah declined the prestigious offer, unless Anandas Principal Mr Kularatne agreed. When Mr Kularatne heard about the offer, though Ananda was going to lose a competent teacher, Mr Kularatne readily agreed to the mosque authorities to release Mr Jayah to head Zahira.

You will note the high level of cordiality and respect the two leaders showed each other and thereby to the two institutions  Mr Jayah not betraying the trust that Ananda had reposed on him and Mr Kularatne rewarding Zahira with the most illustrious Principal that Zahira ever had. We need to remember this as an encouraging example of fostering national unity while respecting diversity.

The point I wish to make here is the need for Zahira to revive closer relations between not only Zahira and Ananda, but also similar warm relations with the Hindu, Catholic and Christian schools around Zahira. This will help unity and reconciliation and overcome deficiencies that compartmentalisation had brought about.

Sport is another arena which could become an effective unifying platform. Sportsmen undoubtedly etch an unforgettable aura of friendship that generally lasts a lifetime or more. I wish to commend a few friendly matches to be considered for inclusion in the College calendar, in which students from Zahira and neighbouring schools form into one team and play versus other similar teams.

Our duty is to create a friendly environment for sustainable security for every child. We need to overcome the forces that seek to divide us. There are serious attempts worldwide to isolate the Muslims, labelling them as fundamentalists, terrorists and violent extremists. While we condemn all forms of terrorism and violent extremism, we need to be fully alert to the reprehensible attempts to blame the criminal acts of a few on Islam and on whole communities of Muslims.

Criminals need to be punished, irrespective of ethnic, caste, religious, regional or national persuasions. We need to be alert and cooperate with the authorities to apprehend and deal with such criminals. We need to be also alert to external elements which can create conflicts. We need to be aware of warmongers, dealers in weapons and traffickers in narcotics. We owe this to every child in this country. We owe this to our motherland.

We need to be fully aware that the threat to national reconciliation could come from those attempting to blame whole communities of people for the criminal acts of a few. Attempts to extend the blame for the acts of criminals on any religion or community of followers have no place in any civilised country or legal system. Of course one who conspires or abets the commission of an offence is also an offender. But by no means could that be extended against a whole community of people.

We need to be watchful of sinister attempts to castigate whole communities and malign a particular religion, under cover of false allegations, as for example, that Islam incites violence. Nothing is further from the truth. These allegations are a cover for militaristic invasions of other countries. These falsehoods are also spread to justify interference in the internal affairs of other countries. The fear mongering helps the sale of weapons and security equipment. Countries with high percentages of poverty are compelled thereby to waste funds, which make the poor, poorer. What I have referred to briefly is the international perspective, but of great relevance to our future. Any attempt to isolate the Muslims here, based on false propaganda and false allegations of violent extremism, will adversely affect the process of national integration and reconciliation which are top priorities for development and economic advancement.

Internally, the Muslims of Sri Lanka have to be watchful of current developments. Left under the carpet, some of these issues can cause serious harm. During the past eight years following the end of the war, several issues concerning our community have been raised by extremist groups in the country. These groups are a small minority. The issues raised are based on false fears, unfounded utterances, fanciful fabrications and mind-boggling myths. There are also others trying to echo these myths.

We need to recognise two important factors. Firstly, lies and untruths repeatedly uttered by those making the allegations have created a spectrum of prejudices against the Muslims, among a wider section of the people. We need to understand the feelings of this wider section, some of whom genuinely believe the allegations to be true. There is a need to address this group differently from those who spread the lies and deception. We need for instance, calm and convincing responses. Some responses in the social media are counter-productive and often abusive.

Secondly, we need to understand that highly respected members of the Buddhist clergy have, since July 20th that is about a month ago, raised in a dignified manner some issues that relate to our community as well. Regretfully, sections of the media have reported their views in an anti-minority perspective. We need to be mindful of the genuine concerns of the Buddhist clergy, even though most of them are based on false fears and past prejudices.

Appropriate steps must be taken to ensure that the trust and confidence in our loyalty and patriotism to our motherland, meticulously built by our forefathers over the past 12 centuries, are not damaged or dented. There are attempts to damage this bond of friendship. It is originating from vested interests outside our borders. We need to be vigilant. We learnt when we were students here, Wendell Phillips famous quotation, that, eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

There is an eerie feeling of insecurity within the community since the end of the war in May 2009. The initial post-war euphoria shared by all communities, began to evaporate within months of the end of the war. Muslims contributions to the success of the Sri Lankan war on terrorism were soon overlooked.

This war was certainly not against any community. It was against terrorism. It was against the division of our country. The entire country needs to be repeatedly reminded of the patriotic role of the Muslims in firstly not supporting the division of the country, secondly that Muslims of the North and the East thereby paid a heavy price for not supporting the racist division, being evicted from the North, murdered in mosques in the East and subjected to extensive destruction of properties and livelihood; thirdly that Muslims particularly in the intelligence units of the armed forces such as Major Muthalif, Col. Lafir, Col. Nizam and hundreds of others, played a key role in the war fronts sacrificing their lives and fourthly that Muslim countries such as Pakistan, Iran and Libya played significant roles in assisting the government in its war efforts. The point is this war was never won by any single man. We need to demonstrate that the patriotic role of the Muslims of Sri Lanka had also contributed immensely for the victory of all the people of this country. We as a community will never allow our patriotism to our country to be ever questioned.

This I believe is vital to help cement our traditional bonds of friendship and unity with all communities. Amity is the foundation upon which national reconciliation and integration with respect for diversity could be built.
Shakya is the founder CEO of beed, an international management consulting and advisory firm. He is the author of Unleashing Nepal and Unleashing The Vajra.
Waikato Police have rescued two hikers overnight from Crosbies Hut in the Coromandel Forest Park.

At approximately 6pm last night, a distressed man called 111 to report he and his hiking partner were cold and wet, likely suffering from hypothermia.

The Auckland hikers had been intending to complete an overnight walk from Sunday to Monday, but were held up in the wet weather.

On Sunday night they made an overnight shelter on the track with a blanket, before heading further towards the hut on Monday.

On Monday afternoon, the two arrived cold and wet at the hut and were unable to make a fire to warm themselves up.

Following the 111 call last night, a search and rescue team of nine people, including LandSAR volunteers and three police officers, entered the track.

Due to poor weather, police say a helicopter was not able to assist.

The rescue team walked up the wet track with warm and dry gear for the two hikers and arrived at 1am this morning.

The team stayed at the hut with them overnight.

This morning, the Westpac rescue helicopter uplifted the two hikers for treatment at Thames Hospital.

Police say the hikers were in a moderate condition.

The rescue team walked out at approximately 9am today.

Sergeant Phil Bell says the hikers were ill-equipped for an overnight trip, particularly in the harsh weather.

Both of the hikers have assured us they will be getting more appropriate equipment before they head out for another hike, he says.

Although they had enough food and water, they had no sleeping bags and no proper rain coats. They were already dangerously cold when they got to the hut, which didnt help with their ability to light a fire for self-recovery.

Without a dry set of clothes, they are very lucky that there was sufficient cell phone reception.

We remind anyone walking on New Zealands outdoor tracks to prepare for changing conditions as worse-case scenarios can and do happen.

Anyone going on a hike should always have warm and waterproof layers with them and an appropriate means of communication.

Further details on keeping safe outdoors, even on a short walk, is available at the New Zealand Mountain Safety Councils website: https://www.mountainsafety.org.nz
Survivors of a fire in a sleepout in Carmichael Road on Monday night did everything right to get out alive, says fire safety investigator Luke Burgess

They had smoke alarms and an escape plan, and they called the fire brigade after they were out of the building.

Its really a timely reminder to ensure that we have working smoke alarms, says Luke. Fortunately the occupant was awake and managed to escape and alert another person in the premises that there was a fire.

He had it worked out so he did the right thing in getting out and getting the fire service there as quickly as possible.

Hes a little bit surprised at how quickly the fire took hold and grew, so its a really timely reminder for everyone to have working smoke alarms  and an escape plan.

Everybody seems to underestimate the speed of fire, says Luke.

The fire took hold about 7pm on Monday. The male occupant says he noticed a sparking and when he went to investigate, noticed the curtains and wall were on fire.

He got his friend out who was sleeping in the adjoining room and called the fire brigade, says Luke.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined.

We have got an area where it started, and what caused it to start in that area I cant say 100 per cent, so it is going down as undetermined.

It wasnt a gas bottle, it wasnt electrical, theres a few things I can rule out that it wasnt, but I cant say 100 per cent what it was.

We have a very high burden of proof, says Luke.

The New Zealand Fire Service received multiple calls to the fire at the back of the Carmichael Road property in Bethlehem around 7pm.

The sleep out was completely ablaze when firefighters arrived.

Fire and Emergency NZ Northern Communication Centre shift manager Colin Underdown says there were reports of a gas bottle exploding during the fire.
Dahal claims CPN (MC) win in phase III local polls

Former Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has claimed that his party would become first in the third phase of local level elections slated in Province 2 for September 18.
Diarrhoea, fever cases up

Viral infections and diseases continue to stalk the flood-hit areas in the Tarai districts, with health workers blaming contaminated water and food for the outbreaks.
Export cash incentive to be hiked to 4 pc

The government has started work to hike the cash incentive provided to firms exporting certain products to 4 percent of their export value from the current 2 percent, the Finance Ministry said.
In Biratnagar village, Life limping back to normalcy after floods (in photos)

Normal life in and around Katahari Village of Biratnagar has been gradually limping back to normalcy, two weeks after the colossal floods battered the settlements.
Samsung has finally started rolling out the Android 7.0 Nougat update for its Galaxy J7 (2016). For now, the update is only rolling out in Russia, but it's likely coming soon to

other regions.









The Android 7.0 Nougat for the Galaxy J7 (2016) brings

a newer user interface similar to the one found in the Galaxy S8, a slightly different version of Multi Window mode, enhanced notifications, Samsung Pass, and improved UI functionality.





If you haven't received the update yet, Just go into the settings, Software update, and then hit the Download updates manually button.





Samsung recommends to use a Wi-Fi connection for downloading Software updates. Got the latest update? Let us know in the below comment section.









Via: GalaxyClub
Apple plans to refresh its iPhone, TV and watch lines at an event scheduled Sept. 12, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

In addition to upgrading its iPhone 7 models, the company is expected to debut a new mobile phone to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the brand, which the press has dubbed iPhone 8.

It reportedly will have an OLED display with barely any bezel, a fingerprint scanner at the rear of the phone, and support for facial recognition and wireless charging. Reduction of the bezel, the area around the display, allows Apple to fit a 5.8-inch screen in a form factor just slightly larger than the current 4.7-inch iPhone 7.

Apple plans to hold the event in Apple Park at the newly constructed Steve Jobs Theater, according to the Journal.

Pricing for the iPhone 8 is expected to start at US$1,000, while pricing for the new iPhone 7s and 7s Plus models will be in line with current pricing, which starts at $649.

The refresh of Apple TV reportedly will include 4K HDR output, and some models of the new Apple Watch will include LTE cellular support.

Potential Shipment Delays

If the Sept. 12 date is solid, then Apple likely will start collecting preorders for the new products by Sept. 15 and start shipping a week or two later.

That might not be the case for the iPhone 8, however.

I dont know if the totally redesigned phone will be shipping by the end of September. It seems a fair bet it wont, said Bob ODonnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research.

Im sure theyll have the 7s ready to ship, but its very unclear when the redesigned phone will get out the door, he told TechNewsWorld.

Its not unprecedented for Apple to delay shipments of the advanced model of a product, noted Ross Rubin, the principal analyst at Reticle Research.

Compared to iPhones in the past, there are a number of new components in the iPhone 8, including the first major change in display technology since the first iPhone, he told TechNewsWorld.

That change alone could hold up shipments.

There are fewer suppliers available for OLED displays, and Apple usually has pretty demanding specifications for its components, Rubin said.

Fevered Anticipation

Although the arrival of a new iPhone always creates a buzz, the anticipation around this round of models appears to be particularly high.

Anticipation has been high because this is the 10th anniversary iPhone and people are expecting it to have significant new features, observed Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies.

Anticipation levels for an iPhone havent been at this level since the release of the first Plus model of the mobile, noted Technalysis ODonnell.

When Apple jumped to a bigger screen size, that made a huge difference for a lot of people, he said,  but even that doesnt compare to this at all.

As high as anticipation levels are, it remains to be seen if the enthusiasm extends beyond the Apple faithful.

The company is in an enviable position insofar as having a large, dedicated customer base that enthusiastically gobbles up new iPhones regardless of how good or costly they are, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

Im not sure whether the current hoopla will sizably increase the size of that group, he told TechNewsWorld.

Strategic Leaking

Helping to build anticipation for the next generation of iPhones, especially the iPhone 8, has been a steady flow of rumors and leaks.

It does seem like the churn of rumors about the new iPhones started earlier and has been more continuous than previous Apple handsets, observed Pund-ITs King.

The supply chain has been very talkative over the last few months, Creative Strategies Bajarin told TechNewsWorld.

Apple fans should avoid getting too invested in rumors, though, warnedKevin Krewell, principal analyst at Tirias Research.

There are leaks, but we dont know if all the details are correct, he told TechNewsWorld. Some could be misdirection or wishful thinking. 

High-Stakes Game

Apple may have more to gain  or lose  with this product refresh than with many previous ones.

I believe the stakes are higher than ever for Apple, said Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy.

Anticipation is high, and Apple finally has some competition in the super-premium smartphone market from the Samsung Note8, he told TechNewsWorld.

Apple raises the bar for itself every time it releases a new iPhone, Bajarin noted, but since this is the 10th anniversary edition, there is a bit more interest when it comes to how many new things Apple will add to this model than its added in past models.

Apple may not be the only company hoping that the iPhone 8 fulfills the buildup of anticipation.

There have been signs that smartphones as a segment are reaching a plateau, King said. As a result, a lot of folks, including competitors, are hoping the new iPhone will help revive the market and open new vistas.
There are no good outcomes of an electronic data system breach. At best, companies dealing with e-commerce technologies face the formidable task and the resulting cost of repairs.

In addition having to fix information technology systems, companies suffering breaches may be increasingly vulnerable to legal action taken by customers whose personal data was affected. A federal appeals court decision handed down earlier this month underscores the potential legal leverage available to consumers whose electronic records are hacked.

Taken together, the recent decision and similar rulings by other courts significantly expand the circumstances under which consumers may pursue class actions against companies victimized by hackers who access highly sensitive personal information, commented Edward McAndrew, a partner at Ballard Spahr.

The case involves the hacking of nearly 1 million customer records maintained by health insurance company CareFirst. The company suffered the attack in July 2014 but only detected the breach in April 2015. The company notified customers in May of 2015. Shortly thereafter, several customers filed a class action suit against CareFirst, attributing the breach to the companys carelessness, and alleging that customers suffered an increased risk of identity theft as a result of the hack.

Appeal Decision Favors Consumers

CareFirst won the first round. A federal district court dismissed the complaint by ruling that the class action plaintiffs failed to provide adequate support for their claim that the breach caused any substantial harm to customers. The court characterized the assertion of harm as speculative.

However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia earlier this month reversed the district courts decision. The customers allegation of harm was correct, the appeals court said, because the district court had misread the complaint as to the nature of the data involved in the case, and that the plaintiffs had established that personally identifiable information (PII), protected health information (PHI) and sensitive information had been hacked.

These categories include Social Security and credit card data, the Chantal Attias v. CareFirst appellate ruling notes.

The appeals court then connected the dots between the type of data involved in the hack and the subsequent potential for identity theft, and determined that the customers had established plausible grounds for suffering harm as a result of the breach.

Nobody doubts that identity theft, should it befall one of these plaintiffs, would constitute a concrete and particularized injury, appeals court judge Thomas Griffith wrote.

The plaintiffs had established that any harm resulting from the breach would be fairly traceable to CareFirst, according to the ruling.

In its submission to the appeals court, CareFirst contended that the customers had failed to show that the risk of harm is certainly impending or has a substantial risk of occurring.

CareFirst, through spokesperson Sarah Wolf, declined to comment for this story.

Companies Face Massive Settlements

The impact on e-commerce could be substantial if customers are allowed to file suit against companies that have experienced breaches without sufficiently establishing harm, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The organization supported CareFirst in the appeals court litigation.

If plaintiffs are permitted to pursue cases like the one against CareFirst, the Chambers members will be mired in lawsuits over breaches that have not caused any actual or imminent harm to the plaintiffs  and yet those cases threaten to extract massive settlements from businesses that were victimized by hackers or thieves, the Chamber of Commerce argued in an amicus brief.

We have nothing to add here, so well let the brief speak for itself, spokesperson Lindsay Bembenek told the E-Commerce Times in response to our query about the decision.

Companies experiencing hacks likely will be unhappy with the results of two other recent cases that reinforce consumers rights in situations similar to the CareFirst incident.

The Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals earlier this year ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in a suit filed against Horizon Healthcare Services regarding a breach of records, in which the court upheld the assertion of harm. The Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in a 2015 case decided in favor of the plaintiffs in a suit against Neiman Marcus, citing grounds similar to those in the CareFirst and Horizon cases.

However, in contrast to the CareFirst and Horizon decisions, the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals this spring ruled against the plaintiff in Whalen v. Michaels Stores, finding that the plaintiff had failed to establish a concrete injury sufficient to bring a suit related to a breach of private data.

Establishing the element of harm or injury is essential for affected customers to achieve legal standing for filing suits.

Ultimately, whether data breach plaintiffs can survive a motion to dismiss for lack of standing will continue to be a key issue. The split in the circuit courts will heighten the cost of litigation for all and increases the potential risk of liability for companies facing class action suits based on allegations of increased risk of identity theft after a data breach, wrote Sidley Austin attorneys Edward McNicholas and Grady Nye.

The differences among appeals court decisions in such data breach cases could bring the issue before the U.S. Supreme Court.

I think there is a strong possibility that the Supreme Court will eventually weigh in on how standing doctrine should apply where individuals sue companies that suffer data breaches involving sensitive personal information, Ballard Spahrs McAndrews told the E-Commerce Times.

However, the Supreme Court may wait until a variety of associated legal issues play out in lower courts, he said.

In the meantime, commercial companies must be more vigilant than ever  not only regarding technical issues, but also concerning the legal implications associated with data breaches.

Companies Must Up Their Cybersecurity Game

The D.C. Circuit decision and others like it are likely to lead to an increase in the types and numbers of civil cases filed against organizations that suffer data breaches of personal information. First, and foremost, organizations must develop a track record  provable in a courtroom  of reasonable actions to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, McAndrew noted.

Companies need to create and implement a sound cybersecurity program  including appropriate administrative, technical and physical controls and documentation. Then they must actually follow that program and the policies and procedures that govern it, he said.

In addition, organizations must conduct cyberincident response and internal investigations while anticipating litigation, McAndrew advised.

Litigation invariably involves not only why a breach occurred but also on how an organization responded to the incident.

Not understanding and managing the legal risk related to a cyberincident during the response and investigation phases is one of the biggest mistakes I see organizations of all types make. Too often, incident response activity remains at the information technology and security or compliance levels of organizations, being conducted by individuals with no expertise or experience in how the developing evidence is likely to be used in litigation that follows, McAndrew pointed out.

Bringing the lawyers in later does not work, he said. Unless lawyers are helping to lead cyberincident responses, the die of liability will likely be cast well before the incident response process ends.
Photos posted to Twitter show the next Samsung Note phone will have a dual lens camera.

When it rains etc. pic.twitter.com/D0lFR5Wn1B

 Evan Blass (@evleaks) August 1, 2017

Evan Blass, a reporter for VentureBeat, posted a photo of the front of a black Note8 to Twitter on Monday. On Tuesday, he added front and back images of gold and black versions of the phone, as well as a stylus device called the S Pen.

The latest photos show a dual lens camera at the back of the phone. The mobiles front has an edge-to-edge display across the width of the device and thin bezels at its top and bottom.

The photos represent early renderings of the phones, Blass tweeted.

While these early-stage "DIY renders" certainly give a feel for a phone's basic design, the final product can differ significantly. pic.twitter.com/YwQMAx6Y3X

 Evan Blass (@evleaks) August 1, 2017

However, its noteworthy that his past early renderings have proven to be very accurate.

Maximized Display Real Estate

Blass photos appear to support other reports on the Note8 build.

The device is designed to maximize screen real estate on its 6.3-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display. The power-lock screen key is on the right side of the phone. On the left are the volume buttons and key for accessing Samsungs Bixby digital assistant.

Along with the dual cameras on the back, theres a dual LED, dual tone flash; fingerprint scanner; and, according to some accounts, a heart-rate scanner.

Chances are there will be two versions of the device  one with a Snapdragon 835 64-bit octa-core SoC and another with Samsungs Exynos 8895 64-bit octa-core chip.

The unit is expected to have 6 GB of RAM, 64 GB or 128 GB of expandable internal storage, and a 3,500-mAh battery. It likely will run Android 7.1.1 Nougat with the customary Samsung UI on top.

Similar to Galaxy S8

Although the Note8 is larger than the recently released Galaxy S8, there doesnt seem to be a lot of physical difference between the devices.

There appears to be very little to distinguish the two phones at this stage, beyond the presence of the S Pen, said James Moar, a research analyst at Juniper Research.

The same bezel-less design is evident, as well as a dedicated button for Bixby, he told TechNewsWorld.

The biggest distinguishing feature appears to be the dual camera, which is becoming a standard feature for many current-gen smartphones, Moar added.

In the Note8, Samsung may try to address an issue that already has cropped up with the S8 since its release.

Feedback from users of the S8 is that when theyre not looking at the phone, theyre putting their finger on the cameras lens instead of the fingerprint sensor because theyre adjacent, said Jeff Orr, senior practice director for mobile devices at ABI Research.

Maybe that gets remedied on the Note8, because theres more room on it to move around the cameras sensors or the fingerprint sensor, he told TechNewsWorld.

An Edge in VR

When the Note8 is released, it can expect some tough competition from phones like the LG V30, Huawei Mate 10, Google Pixel 2, and of course the iPhone 8.

A key difference between the Note8 and other phones will be its broader support of virtual reality platforms, Junipers Moar maintained. The LG and Google models will support the Daydream platform, but the Note8 will support both Daydream and Gear VR platforms.

This will be a big draw to both VR early adopters and some industries looking to deploy smartphone VR to their customers, he pointed out.

That, along with Samsungs strong relationships with channel partners, could help the company outsell its competitors  if the price is right, suggested Moar.

However, there are signs that the price wont be right. There are reports that Samsung may be getting Apple fever and could price the Note8 at US$1,000 or more.

This would put a huge dent in sales, both for the real price hike and the psychological effect of the $1,000 barrier on consumers, Moar maintained.If priced at over $1,000, the Note8 will fare badly, particularly with the S8 being so close to it in features for $200 or so less.

Marketing Muscle

Pricing may not be a problem in the United States, though.

Theres an appetite for higher-end phones here, said Ramon T. Llamas, a senior research analyst at IDC.

There are also plans in place for people to buy high-end phones, he told TechNewsWorld. If you tell someone theyve got to pay $1,000 up front, theyll probably balk at that. But tell them to put $200 down and $25 a month, and they can deal with that.

With the exception of Apple, Samsung has another advantage over its competitors.

People dont know these other brands as well as they know Samsung, said Jack E. Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates.

People know Samsung and feel comfortable with it, he told TechNewsWorld.

Samsung also does a better job of marketing its phones than others, added Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

Its going to come down to marketing execution, he told TechNewsWorld. I have no doubt that theyll have the budget because they just had a phenomenal quarter.

However, there is already speculation about the Note 9, Enderle noted.

That could do damage to the Note8 the way iPhone 7 sales were hurt by the expectations that the iPhone 8 would be a very special phone, he said.

Weathering Firestorm

Samsung no doubt hopes that its Note8 launch at the end of the month will not be plagued by the problems that doomed its predecessor, the Note7. That model made headlines with its battery fires and subsequent recalls. After less than 90 days on the market, Samsung stopped producing it.

Its not likely that those headlines will impact Note8 sales, however.

Not that many people were affected by those problems. I think 95 percent of the people dont even remember the problems, Gold said.

They appear to have recovered from the problems, and people arent avoiding the brand or the product, Enderle noted.

Given the similarities between the Note8 and the S8, said Moar, that is likely to have a bigger impact on sales than the Note7 problems.
Uber has picked Dara Khosrowshahi, chief of online travel company Expedia, to helm its chief executive position on Sunday, Aug. 27, according to reports. The official selection closed the ride-hailing company's tumultuous search for a new leader after former CEO Travis Kalanick resigned late June.

Uber Finally Picks Its New CEO

Khosrowshahi became one of three leading candidates over a weekend of board meetings, according to The New York Times, citing sources. Jeffrey R. Immelt, former CEO of General Electric, was one of the potential finalists before ultimately withdrawing. For a certain period, it was believed Hewlett Packard CEO Meg Whitman was going to take it. But plans changed, and the position eventually was given to Khosrowshahi.

Finally deciding on a CEO is a crucial development for Uber, the world's top ride-hailing company, which has been operating without a chief since Kalanick left the post in June amid several company scandals.

The selection also ends a two-month search that was met with constant speculation and reported meddling by Kalanick, which lead Benchmark, one of its largest investors, to sue the former CEO over allegedly pulling strings to return as chief. Reports previously suggested Kalanick was aiming to "Steve Jobs" the situation, meaning after being dismissed, he planned to return triumphantly. For him, it seems now that things didn't go as planned.

Is The Expedia CEO Fit For The Job?

Some might think Khosrowshahi isn't a good fit for a transportation service as the head of a travel company, but he's actually not that far removed from the transportation industry, according to The Verge. Expedia works with car rentals and other similar services to help travelers get to where they want to go, which makes him a good fit to lead Uber's business.

Uber has yet to officially announce its new leader, and Khosrowshahi has yet to accept the new position, though he is expected to. Suppose he does take the job, it remains unclear when he'll start. It also remains unclear how Expedia plans to search for a new CEO.

Uber Is Going To Be A Tough Gig For Khosrowshahi

It won't be all glitter and gold for Khosrowshahi, though, seeing Uber's present condition. Right this very moment, the company is embroiled in a messy intellectual property theft battle with Google's Waymo unit. Additionally, some things inside its workplace need to be fixed, such as multiple reports of a sexist culture, engineers and managers sabotaging each other, and more.

It's a tough gig, and it's easy to imagine Khosrowshahi being in the crosshairs of eager analysts waiting to see if the chief executive can clean up Uber's mess. He won't be alone, of course. It'd also be nice to see how his leadership approach differs to that of Kalanick. The company's board members have to hope they picked the right fella.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Apple has aggressively moved to shut down apps created by Iranian developers for users in the Middle East country, a location where the company officially does not even exist.

Due to sanctions by the United States against Iran, Apple has no official presence in the country, with no iPhones for sale and no Iranian App Store. However, that has not stopped Iranians from using Apple's products and services.

Apple Moves To Shut Down Iranian Apps

Apple officially does not exist in Iran, but Iranians own millions of iPhones that were smuggled into the country from places such as Hong Kong and Dubai. Iranian developers have also created thousands of apps for Iranians, offered through App Stores of other countries.

Apple, however, has now started to aggressively shut down these Iranian apps. The company recently pulled Snapp, a popular app in the country that functions similarly to Uber, from all versions of its App Store. This follows a purge across recent weeks for Iranian apps created for shopping, food delivery, and other purposes.

Back in January, Apple started taking down Iranian apps such as DigiKala, the biggest e-commerce app in the country. DigiKala offered in-app transactions, which is illegal according to U.S. sanctions, as Apple would be taking a cut of all purchases made through the app.

The new activities by Apple are an expansion of this earlier move, as more Iranian apps are in the company's crosshairs.

"Under the U.S. sanctions regulations, the App Store cannot host, distribute or do business with apps or developers connected to certain U.S. embargoed countries," Apple said in the message sent to the developers of the Iranian apps. Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr confirmed that the message is true, but declined to issue further comments on the matter.

Google, on the other hand, allows Iranian developers to publish Android apps on the Google Play Store as long as no purchases are involved. It also appears that Google is not taking the same aggressive approach in taking down Iranian apps.

Apple vs China And Apple vs Iran

Apple's removal of Iranian apps is compared to the company's agreement with the Chinese government to take down VPN apps in the App Store in the country. However, the two things are entirely different.

While Apple complied with Chinese laws to continue operating in the Asian country in the second case, the first case is all about an American law being applied to Iran.

It remains to be seen how the situation will play out in Iran, but for now, it appears that Apple device owners in the country are in for troubling times.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung is holding a Galaxy Note 8 trade-in promo for Galaxy Note 7 owners where they stand to save up to $425.

The thing is, taking advantage of the offer isn't as easy as 1-2-3. In other words, there's a lot to take note of in the fine print.

Only Samsung Offers The Deal

First and foremost, you can only avail the Galaxy Note 8 trade-in promo from Samsung. That means you can't just go to your carrier or other local retailers and expect the deal.

Only US Customers Can Avail It

You have to be in the United States to be eligible. It's still unclear whether or not Samsung intends to launch the promo or something similar in other countries.

The Offer Lasts Only Until Sept. 30

The Galaxy Note 8 trade-in promo is good only until Sept. 30. That's roughly a month away from now, so you'd better be quick to decide whether you want this or not.

Galaxy Note 7 Proof Of Purchase Is Required

You need to send Samsung your proof of purchase for the Galaxy Note 7. According to the company, that may include your original register receipt, your credit card bill, contract or lease agreement, and carrier bill that prove you bought the Galaxy Note 7.

Once you've gathered them up, head on over to Samsung's official page and send your email for further instructions.

Trade-in Device Must Be In Good Condition And Fully Paid For

No one wants a faulty device, and Samsung's no exception to it. Put simply, the device you're trading in should be in good condition.

Just to be clear, it should still turn on, have a working touch screen, and wiped via factory reset. It should also be free of major damage (i.e., huge cracks), and it should have been bought legitimately, aka it should not be a stolen device.

Speaking of which, it should be completely paid for already. In layman's terms, if you still have payments to make as part of an installment plan, then you can't trade it in just yet.

Participants Need A Samsung Account

You need to have a Samsung account to participate in the Galaxy Note 8 trade-in promo. This part is easy, though. You can either sign up for one via your phone or just make an account on your desktop through the Samsung Account page.

Minors Are Not Allowed To Join

If you're not 18 years old or above, then you can't join. However, you can get your parent or your legal guardian to take care of things for you.

Old Device Must Be Sent Within 15 Days After Receiving The Galaxy Note 8

If you do everything correctly, Samsung will send you instructions on how to turn in your device, and you'll have only 15 days to comply.

Now if you fail to do so, get ready for some possible consequences: Samsung will either charge your credit card the full $930 price of the Galaxy Note 8 or hound you down until you pay up.

Also, it should be mentioned that at the event Samsung deems your trade-in device to be in bad condition, it'll give you only a $25 discount.

Galaxy Note 8 Preorder Goodies Are Available Too

Samsung has some Galaxy Note 8 preorder treats in store, offering either a Gear 360 camera or a 256 GB microSD card and a wireless charger. The best part is, the deal is also available to those who join the trade-in promo.

The Bottom Line

Before wrapping things up, keep in mind that Samsung won't send back your old device, so get ready to part with it. The Galaxy Note 8 also won't work with the current Gear VR headsets, and you'll need to buy the new model, which is still priced at $129.99, if you want to continue using virtual reality on your phone.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Microsoft revealed that its Windows Mixed Reality headsets, which will be featured at the upcoming IFA 2017 trade show in Berlin, will bring virtual reality technology to homes for as low as $399.

The Windows Mixed Reality platform is also revealed to be the host of the next Halo game, so fans of the massively popular franchise should definitely check out Microsoft's latest product.

Windows Mixed Reality: What's It All About?

The Windows Mixed Reality headset is Microsoft's attempt to "democratize virtual reality" by allowing all head-mounted displays to have access to virtual reality software.

One of the characteristics of Windows Mixed Reality is that the platform is very easy to setup, as it does not use the cumbersome external cameras that certain virtual reality headsets require. The Windows Mixed Reality headsets will come with built-in sensors to track the wearer's physical position, for a plug-and-play experience that offers portability.

Microsoft also said that a variety of Windows Mixed Reality headsets and motion controllers will be launched this holiday season by Acer, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Bundles for the platform will have price tags as low as $399 and will be compatible with both current and new PC models starting at $499. This makes the technology very affordable, compared to other headsets that require high-end PCs. For example, while the HTC Vive price was reduced by $200 to $599, the headset requires a powerful PC that will cost several hundreds of dollars.

Microsoft also said that it is currently working with a long list of partners to provide content for Windows Mixed Reality through the Windows Store. One of these partners is 343 Industries, the developer behind the Halo franchise.

The Next 'Halo' Game Will Be On Windows Mixed Reality

The next Halo game will not be on the Xbox One or the PC, but rather among the first wave of content that will arrive for Windows Mixed Reality.

Microsoft did not provide any specifics for the upcoming Halo title, but knowing the franchise's strengths, it will likely place the headset's wearer within a futuristic space shooter.

Other apps that are coming to Windows Mixed Reality include Rec Room, an online social virtual reality hub; Super Hot, a slow motion ninja simulator; and Hulu, a video streaming platform.

In addition to the pending arrival of Halo, Microsoft revealed that Windows Mixed Reality headsets will be compatible with Steam VR content, vastly opening up the content that customers will be able to load into the platform once it is launched in the upcoming holiday season.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The New York Police Department has confirmed that it will get rid of 36,000 Windows phones and have those replaced with Apple's iPhone by the end of the year.

NYPD To Dump Thousands Of Windows Phones For The iPhone

The transition is more than a switch of preferred brands. The NYPD is actually forced to upgrade since Windows phones are already obsolete and can't be updated, according to the New York Post.

The report adds that the city purchased Windows-based Nokia smartphones as part of a $160 million NYPD Mobility project, which Mayor Bill de Blasio called "a huge step into the 21st century."

But just months after deploying the phones to officers, officials are now planning to replace all models with iPhones, according to several sources. It makes sense, too, since Microsoft has essentially made Windows phones defunct. In July Microsoft officially announced it's ending support for Windows Phones.

All Windows Phones out in the market will no longer receive updates or technical support  such a phone is certainly a big no-no for lots of people, especially for someone who enforces the law.

The NYPD bought two phone models in October 2016: the Nokia Lumia 830 and the Lumia 640 XL, which launched in 2014 and 2015, respectively. At the time of purchase, several excellent phones were already available: the iPhone 7, Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, and even the OnePlus 3. Yet the NYPD chose the Lumia phones.

These phones were slightly different than mainstream consumer models; they had special 911 apps, case management apps, and police officers received assignments via the device.

Some tech publications and experts expressed their disappointment when the NYPD chose Microsoft phones instead of something that ran Android or iOS, two of the most popular operating systems in the market.

The decision to go with Windows phones was made solely by the NYPD's deputy commissioner for IT, says the New York Post. Apparently, no experts were consulted before implementing the program.

NYPD iPhone Switch: Which Model?

The NYPD failed to specify which iPhone model it plans to give its cops, but if it's worth mentioning, it will switch to iPhones long after the iPhone 8 is released. It's unlikely the NYPD is aiming for the latest iPhone version, however, since last time it went for much older Lumia models. Also, with the rumored iPhone 8 $1,000 price tag, it seems highly unlikely for the NYPD to buy handsets with that kind of price.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Nintendo is ramping up production to make sure that there are enough Nintendo Switch units for sale in the upcoming holiday season, amid renewed criticisms that the company is purposely limiting the hybrid console's supply to keep demand for the device inflated.

The Nintendo Switch has been a massive success for Nintendo, placing the company back on the map in the video game industry that it once dominated. However, the hybrid console's infamous supply shortage has both held back its potential and kept the hype surrounding the Nintendo Switch at deafening levels.

Nintendo Switch Supply In The Holiday Season

In a report by The Wall Street Journal, a spokesperson for Nintendo claimed that the Nintendo Switch supply will be enough to meet the expected heightened demand for the hybrid console in the holiday season.

"We're doing everything we can to make sure everyone who wants to buy a Nintendo Switch system can do so," the spokesperson said. "We will ramp up production for the holiday period, which has been factored into our forecast."

That forecast is officially pegged at 10 million units by Nintendo, which is viewed as a very low number of the first year of sales for the Nintendo Switch. However, sources involved in the hybrid console's supply chain told The Wall Street Journal that Nintendo has requested production for 18 million units.

Nintendo has recently been able to refill stocks in retailers faster, with customers to feel further improvements moving forward.

Is The Nintendo Switch Shortage Intentional?

The report by The Wall Street Journal suggests that Nintendo is intentionally limiting Nintendo Switch production to artificially manufacture hype, an allegation that the company has heard multiple times in the past not just for the hybrid console, but also for its previous products.

Earlier in the year, Nintendo Senior Director of Corporate Communications Charlie Scibetta pushed back against such allegations of an intentional Nintendo Switch supply shortage. According to him, the company simply underestimated the demand for the Nintendo Switch, and that Nintendo wants to release as many units of the hybrid console as it could to support all the current and upcoming games.

The problem, however, is that even if Nintendo really wants to ship 18 million units for the first year of the Nintendo Switch, it likely has to fight for factory space against other companies ramping up production for the holiday season.

One of these companies was previously reported to be Apple. The Nintendo Switch supply could come up short as Apple has started to increase production of its upcoming new iPhone models, including the premium iPhone 8.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
In the line of fire

Increasing costs may outweigh the opportunities for Nepalis in Afghanistan in the days ahead
A mistake by Google literally broke the internet for half of Japan, causing disruptions that lasted for hours.

The incident, which happened last week, revealed that even just a small error can have massive effects in a world that is increasingly becoming dependent on being online.

Google Breaks Japan's Internet

On Aug. 25, a Google employee made a small mistake while updating an internet routing table, which is a collection of IP addresses. An error made it appear as if internet traffic can be routed through Google through IP addresses that were actually owned by internet service providers in Japan, so a large amount of Japanese internet traffic was sent to Google by major ISPs such as Verizon.

The glaring problem is that Google is not a service provider and is not capable of routing internet traffic. This meant that all the traffic that was headed to Japan was sent to practically nowhere, leading to an internet outage.

According to Google, it spotted and corrected the error in just 8 minutes, with connectivity restored within the hour. However, the damage was already done. Slow connection speeds resulting from the error affected a variety of industries in Japan, including finance, as online trading was suspended; and transportation, as riders of the East Japan Railway were not able to purchase tickets to get on trains. Millions of customers of NTT Communications, the largest telecommunications company in Japan, also saw their service go down. Other services that saw disruptions included Mercari, a flea market app, and Line, a popular communications app.

"We set wrong information for the network and, as a result, problems occurred. We modified the information to the correct one within eight minutes. We apologize for causing inconvenience and anxieties (among Internet users)," a Google spokesperson told The Asahi Shimbun.

The impact of Google's mistake actually pushed the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry of Japan to launch an investigation into the incident.

The Internet Is A Fragile Thing

Japan's internet was back to normal by the end of the day, but the massive effect of a relatively small error shows the fragility of the internet and its architecture. The incident is similar to one in March, when a typographical error resulted in an Amazon Web Services outage, leading to a four-hour internet shutdown.

Today, the world has become so dependent on the internet, and it is scary to see that an unintentional error can take down half a country. Fortunately, for this incident, Google took only minutes to identify and solve the issue, but it is a chilling thought to imagine what may have happened if the problem was irreversible.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Kathmandu National Hospital will be shut: Health Ministry

The Health Ministry on Monday said it is discussing with the stakeholders about shutting down the Ghattekulo hospital run by the Kathmandu National Medical College (KNMC), which recently got affiliation from the Tribhuvan University to run MBBS classes.
KMC provides 50 wheel locks to control haphazard parking

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has provided 50 sets of wheel lock to the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) in a bid to support traffic police to put an end to haphazard parking of vehicles in the Kathmandu Valley.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that six people were killed and 53 injured in the blast. | Read More
Lalitpur Mobile Expo to begin from Sept 1

Lalitpur Mobile Complex is organising the Lalitpur Mobile Expo, the largest mobile expo in the area from September 1 to 11. The company located at the second floor of Lalitpur Mall, Lagankhel is organising the 4th Lalitpur Mobile Expo to celebrate the upcoming Dashain and Tihar festivals.
Largest case on hundi deals filed

The Department of Revenue Investigation on Monday filed a case against seven individuals at the Kathmandu District Court by maintaining the largest ever misappropriated amount on charge of running a hundi business.
Like homeless among ruins of their homes

Floods triggered by incessant rainfall washed away the house of 71-year-old Mahendra Mahara of Ram Nagar Rural Municipality-7 in Sarlahi two weeks ago.
HOUSTON  As Harvey's floodwaters rose around her house Monday night, marooning her and her family, Kristin Barboza reflected on the lessons she learned in Hurricane Katrina.

"Personal things don't matter," Barboza, a New Orleans native, said from her home in Pearland, Texas, a suburb south of Houston. "It's the people that matter, and that's been our mindset."

Barboza, whose family lost its home in Katrina, has been hunkered down for days here with family, friends and neighbors, weathering a powerful hurricane  and now tropical storm  that has dumped record-shattering amounts of rain across the Houston area.

The group has come together, Barboza said, cooking and eating together and monitoring the water, which had receded earlier Monday before rising to an unprecedented level.

Can't see video below? Click here.

Doctors in the neighborhood made rounds to check on sick children, while two women who went into labor were airlifted by the U.S. Coast Guard. The storm turned Barboza's subdivision, Southern Trails, into what could only be described as an island.

"We live in a neighborhood that has four or five really big lakes, and the lakes are now huge bodies of water that are encompassing the entire streets," Barboza said. "Nobody thought we would need to evacuate. Everybody kept saying, 'Stay put.' "

Barboza, who moved here for good after college, had been among the estimated 250,000 people from in and around New Orleans who fled to Houston before and after Katrina  the biggest group absorbed by any city.

Some 25,000 of those evacuees were initially housed in the Astrodome, having been bused 350 miles west after conditions deteriorated in the power- and water-deprived Superdome.

Estimates vary on how many people in the diaspora made Houston their new home on a permanent basis, though U.S. Census figures put the number at about 12,300 in 2012.

Jacquelyn Brown, 70, counts herself among the many New Orleanians who never envisioned themselves starting a new life in Texas but did so nevertheless.

Harvey also stranded Brown, who provides in-home health care for the elderly and was stuck at work for days waiting for her relief to arrive. She called Harvey "a horse of a different color" compared to Katrina, noting the slow pace of this storm, which drifted back into the Gulf of Mexico on Monday even as it continued to inundate Texas and Louisiana with seemingly endless rain.

"This one really is a monster because it's just sitting out there," said Brown, who lost her 9th Ward home to Katrina. "On the drive home, I don't know what I'm going to encounter."

Harvey's wrath has drawn comparisons to Katrina in recent days, especially as it pertains to property damage. But it remained far too early on Tuesday to assess the aftermath or even begin to guess at a body count, which appears to have crept into the double digits but could go much higher. (At least 1,833 deaths  the vast majority of which occurred in Louisiana  were attributed to Katrina and its attendant flooding in 2005, making it the deadliest hurricane to strike the United States since 1928.)

Even for New Orleanians here whose homes were spared by Harvey, the disaster has brought back horrific memories, while creating new nightmares for residents unaccustomed to epic flooding.

Busy freeways remained eerily empty, and submerged vehicles dotted communities in which most residents lack flood insurance. Rescue teams took to helicopters and motorboats to bring stranded residents to safety.

And in another echo of Katrina, federal officials warned Tuesday that recovery will take years, not months.

"It's just heartbreaking," said De'Osher Holder, 32, a New Orleans native who moved here a few years ago and who lost two uncles to Katrina.

Holder's home did not flood in Harvey, but she noted that the devastation playing out around here came precisely on the 12th anniversary of Katrina.

"It just reminds me of the day that I spoke to one of my uncles and he told me everything was fine," she said. "Everything was OK in the New Orleans area and then, later on that day, on the news, I saw my grandmothers house under water."

Another New Orleans native, Kendra Dorsey, said she decided not to evacuate because her neighborhood, near Pearland, does not typically flood. But she said her area has now experienced flooding reminiscent of Katrina.

"I have to keep turning the news off because watching it is depressing," said Dorsey, who also moved here after Katrina.

"I think it will take us a while to bounce back," she added, "but I think Houston has more resources, so it will be faster."
NADA Auto Show 2017 kicks off in Capital

The biggest automobile extravaganza NADA Auto Show 2017 kicked off at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu on Tuesday.
While well to the east of Tropical Storm Harveys destructive path, the parishes in the Baton Rouge region are expected to get soaked with 4 t
The Central school system has postponed for a year the idea of dropping its own self-funded insurance and joining the states Office of Group Benefits.

Superintendent Michael Faulk said hes not abandoning the idea, but wants to take more time.

Its a big decision and its hard to go back, Faulk said.

So for 2018, the school district plans to keep going it alone on employee medical coverage.

Faulk said hes going to try again to see what kind of rates Central can attract from health care networks. The school district can either stick with UnitedHealth, which has been Centrals carrier for the past two years, or try another vendor.

Central schools weigh shifting to state Office of Group Benefits for employee health insurance, while waiting on LSBA insurance plan Faced with a potential double digit hike in employee health insurance premiums, the Central 

Earlier this year, Central reviewed proposals from UnitedHealth, Humana and Blue Cross Blue Shield. The cheapest was UnitedHealth, but it still proposed a 14.5 percent overall increase in premiums, negotiated down from 17 percent initially. Central reluctantly approved renewing with UnitedHealth, but only through December.

An employee insurance committee in June suggested to Faulk dropping UnitedHealth in 2018 and joining the Louisianas Office of Group Benefits instead. The state program lists more than 400 government agencies as clients, including 44 traditional school districts and 17 charter school groups.

On Monday, the Central School Board took a step in that direction, agreeing to let the state agency conduct a risk assessment of its employees and retirees going back three years. That is a prerequisite for joining OGB, but the assessment will likely take a couple of months to complete, Faulk said.

OGBs annual deadline to sign up for the new year is Oct. 1

Faulk said hes still looking at alternatives besides OGB. In particular, hed like to see if the Louisiana School Board Association starts a health insurance program.
Many people are suffering, particularly our friends in greater Houston, but it is an ill wind that blows nobody any good  at least in purely political terms.

Maybe things have not been going swimmingly for Gov. John Bel Edwards in the State Capitol, with budget and tax issues often snarled by opposition from the House GOP leadership. Outside of the building, Edwards remains a popular chief executive. This weeks events are likely to play to his strong points, and maybe provide a little help down the road with his problems with Congress.

The former Army captain, a Ranger, is close to law enforcement  he is from a family of sheriffs and policemen  and his work with local officials during the floods of 2016, and the shootings in Baton Rouge in July, earned him plaudits across party lines. That is reflected in good poll numbers for the lone Democratic statewide elected official.

Tragedies are not without their political implications, good and bad: Ask Aaron Broussard, the disgraced parish president in Jefferson, who withdrew men from the pumps during Hurricane Katrina. Or ask former Gov. Bobby Jindal, who was in deep political hot water because of a legislative pay raise debate in 2008. His situation was righted by his energetic performance as chief executive during hurricanes Gustav and Ike that summer.

Should Edwards continue to be a committed and engaged leader during this crisis, he will benefit politically.

The aftermath? Hard to judge right now, but one of the problems that Edwards had was the halting pace of federal recovery assistance from last year's floods. It was appropriated by Congress in fits and starts, and by the data compiled by the governments own Federal Emergency Management Agency, is still $2 billion short of meeting the housing recovery needs from 2016.

Members of the Louisiana delegation in Congress, all but one Republicans, have worked on the aid package. The most outspokenly critical of Edwards has been U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, whose district was slammed by the 2016 floods. Its hard to ask for more money when most of it, Graves complained just a few weeks ago, has not been received by homeowners yet.

The bureaucratic problems of recovery aid and its management will become familiar to southeast Texas over the coming months and years. It is no picnic; short-term money from FEMA will be of obvious value, but for the long term, recovery aid can become snarled in approvals and cross-checks.

But for Louisiana and Edwards, the Houston floods are quite likely a transformational event.

Surely a major aid package from Congress will attempt to clear the decks. Another $2 billion in that bill for Louisiana looks like a rounding error compared to the losses in Texas, although Louisianas southwestern parishes  at the least  will also require a new tranche of aid, beyond what the 2016 floods justified.

Unlike Edwards, President Donald Trump has not exactly reveled in poll results these days. But with his quick and entirely nonpartisan response to the Hurricane Harvey crisis, he clearly understands its importance for his administration. Without regard to party affiliation, he immediately directed every federal agency to help the governors of Texas and Louisiana, one Republican and one Democrat.

The long term consequences of such a dramatic turn of events cannot be easily predicted. But for both Trump and Edwards, good performance is likely to be rewarded with esteem from the voters.

Email Lanny Keller at lkeller@theadvocate.com.
Labor Day weekend is normally a time when New Orleans people take some time off, forget their worries and start thinking of the good times com
With Tropical Storm Harvey still making its slow and unpredictable crawl along the Texas coast and with major questions remaining about New Orleans pumping capacity, Mayor Mitch Landrieu on Monday called on the city to essentially shut down ahead of potentially heavy rains Tuesday.

Heavy rain bands from the storm, which has dumped record amounts of rainfall in Texas, are expected to start hitting the New Orleans area by Tuesday, leaving city officials warning of potential flooding on the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

With its diminished pumping system, New Orleans is the only government in the area concerned enough about potentially heavy but not catastrophic rainfall to urge emergency measures.

A potential test of the citys fragile drainage system during brief but heavy storms on Monday provided little comfort, as both a recently repaired pump and a piece of power equipment had to be taken offline when they broke during the rains.

Monday's rain led to street flooding in Mid-City, Lakeview and Gentilly, again raising questions about the drainage system's current capacity, which was first called into question after the Aug. 5 flood exposed serious problems with equipment and staffing.

Those problems, as well as continued uncertainty about Harveys path and impacts, appeared to have Landrieu and other city officials on edge Monday and expressing further doubts about the Sewerage & Water Boards longtime assurances about the capacity of the drainage system.

Can't see the video below? Click here.

New Orleans is under the threat of flash floods, and National Weather Service forecasters have warned of possible tornadoes connected to the storm.

How much more uneasy could you feel right now in the city of New Orleans, other than to say, 'There but for the grace of God go I in Houston'? Landrieu said in response to a question about the chance of flooding on the anniversary of Katrina.

Its a very difficult day for everybody in New Orleans because those images (from Houston) bring us immediately back to (Katrina), and given all the things that have happened to us, it will make us anxious.

Landrieu called for the closure of all city offices  including the S&WB's  on Tuesday and urged residents to stay at home that day, saying that decisions would be made later about how the city should approach the rest of the week. Schools and universities in the city also announced closures.

Officials urged residents to avoid driving if possible and to move their vehicles to higher ground if necessary to prevent flooding.

The warning came with familiar calls not to drive through flooded streets or underpasses, to leave flooded cars even if they are blocking lanes of traffic and not to block streetcar tracks when parking on neutral grounds.

New Orleans is expecting a total of 4 to 10 inches of rain through Sunday, a forecast that has changed little in recent days. But judging by Monday's downpour, it seemed that some areas might well experience much higher totals before Harvey is done making its way through the state.

The rain is likely to lessen during the latter half of the week, the National Weather Service said.

We can stand it, said Gavin Phillips, a forecaster with the service's New Orleans/Baton Rouge office, said of what is expected. There could be some flooding with it, but for the most part it doesnt look like theres anything we cant deal with.

Wave of heavy rain in New Orleans prompts some street flooding New Orleans experienced its first wave of heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Harvey on Monda

Theres still a chance some rain bands could stagnate over New Orleans, which would potentially bring double the predicted rainfall. Those bands are highly unpredictable.

However, even as Harvey drifts offshore, the chance it could gain strength over the Gulf of Mexicos warm waters and rebound as a hurricane remained low Monday, Phillips said. Thats because much of the storm remains over land, its core is weak and it wont stay in the Gulf for long.

Instead, it is expected to travel upward through Texas to northwest Louisiana and Arkansas and later Missouri, where it will weaken further and eventually dissipate.

This storm has everything bad about it you could want in a storm, Landrieu said.

Mondays brief deluge exposed the fragility of the repairs so far to the city's drainage system.

A recently repaired pump caught fire and had to be taken offline at the critical Pump Station No. 6, which helps push water into the 17th Street Canal from areas stretching from the Central Business District to Carrollton and also serves Old Metairie and Old Jefferson. That one pump provides more than a tenth of the stations maximum capacity.

Overall, about 94 percent of the capacity provided by the citys 100 main drainage pumps is now online, as is about 69 percent of the capacity provided by 20 small constant duty pumps typically used only on relatively dry days.

More problems cropped up when a frequency changer at the S&WB power plant, which is used to convert electricity from Entergy to the older standard used by about half of the citys pumps, had to be taken offline because of moisture issues. It is not clear when it will be brought back online.

The power situation as a whole remains one of the most precarious elements of the system. Only two of the five turbines that provide power to the pumps are working, though the system typically can also draw power from Entergy. A third turbine was expected to be repaired by midday Tuesday.

Officials could not say how much of the system could be powered by the amount of electricity now available. Paul Rainwater, a member of the interim management team at the S&WB, said determining that capacity is not an exact science due to the two different power standards in use and the ability to shuffle electricity through the system to the pumps most in need.

Landrieu and other officials have previously backed off the familiar claim, made for many years, that the drainage system can handle an inch of rainwater in the first hour and a half-inch every hour after that.

I havent seen any evidence of that. Im questioning everything now, Landrieu said Monday. I dont know whether it means were better or worse. I dont know.

+3 Here's how, where N.O. residents can donate to Harvey flood victims Looking to help the victims of Tropical Storm Harvey in Texas? Here is a list of where and h

New Orleans experienced its first wave of heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Harvey on Monday, with some areas getting more than 3 inches of rain in little more than an hour.

Areas in Lakeview saw the worst of the sudden downpour Monday afternoon, with up to 3.5 inches of rain falling between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., according to the online forecasting service Weather Underground. Gentilly saw 2 inches.

Elmwood and River Ridge in Jefferson Parish got between 2 inches and 2.5 inches of rain in less than two hours.

By 3 p.m. Monday, more than 50 locations in parts of Mid-City, Lakeview, Gentilly and New Orleans East had experienced street flooding, according to Streetwise, an online tool residents can use to track flooding and traffic incidents in real time in their areas. The updates are based on calls for service made to 911.

Local education officials said that all New Orleans public schools would be closed Tuesday. Catholic schools in Orleans Parish will also close, the Archdiocese of New Orleans said.

The University of New Orleans canceled classes on Monday afternoon because of "heavy" street flooding around the school's lakefront campus. UNO and most other universities and colleges in the city will also be closed on Tuesday.
Norvic hospital tense after infants death

Thapathali-based Norvic Hospital remained tense on Tuesday following the death of an infant during the course of treatment.
Former Eden-Monaro MP and Malcolm Turnbull loyalist Peter Hendy is the newest member of the Commonwealth Grants Commission.

Treasurer Scott Morrison named the defeated Liberal MP and former economics advisor in the Prime Minister's office to a five-year term on the commission, responsible for the carve up of the GST.

Former Liberal MP Peter Hendy with his onetime rival, Labor's Mike Kelly. Credit:Rohan Thomson

Dr Hendy lost the one-time bellwether seat to Labor's Mike Kelly at the 2016 federal poll and is seeking Liberal preselection for the next election.

Elected to Parliament in 2013, Dr Hendy is a former Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive and hosted plotters backing Mr Turnbull's coup against former prime minister Tony Abbott at his Queanbeyan home in September 2015.
Graham Stuart Dillon used his fists, lit cigarettes and belts to assault his nine-year-old son repeatedly for months. More than once he beat Bradyn around the head, until one final flurry of blows, in February 2016, knocked the boy out. He never woke.

Before a packed Canberra court on Tuesday, where Bradyn's mother sat watching, Dillon, 39, stood with his hands gripped behind his back and pleaded guilty to murder. And five other violent crimes committed against his son over a period of months.

Bradyn Dillon was murdered by his father.

Bradyn's mother and family cried at the back of the court.

It has been more than a year since February 15, 2016, the evening paramedics and police were called to the Jacka home where Dillon lived with his son.
The founder of an Indigenous youth program that has helped more than 100 children stay in school in the past four years says he will be forced to shut it down if he cannot secure longer term government funding.

Bill Bashford, who earlier this year quit his role as an official visitor because of concerns about the operation of the scheme, has been operating Solid Sistas and Brothas on a series of running federal government grants, but can no longer operate on such insecurity.

Solids founder Bill Bashford. Credit:Karleen Minney

His $87,000 federal grant runs out at the end of the year, and he will learn in December if he will have the funding to open his doors in January.

That precariousness has taken its toll on Mr Bashford, who says he is working five days a week on two days of pay because he believes in what his program is giving young Aboriginal Canberrans.
The hope of a better Myanmar under the much-admired Aung San Suu Kyi now looks forlorn. The crisis of Myanmar's Muslim minority community, the Rohingya, continues to escalate. Since Friday, news has been emerging of mass violence between the Myanmar army and Rohingya militants. At least 90 people are reported dead.

The Rohingya are the world's biggest community of stateless people. Somewhere around 1 million of them live among Myanmar's 50 million Buddhists.They've lived in northern Myanmar's Rakhine state for centuries yet are despised and denied the right to citizenship. Some reported being called "Bengal bastards" as their Buddhist neighbours joined the army in clubbing them on the weekend.

Thousands of Rohingya civilians responded to the fighting by trying to flee the country, crossing the Naf River into Bangladesh. Some made it but the Bangladeshis are turning most back.The Rohingya are not blameless; their militia reportedly started the violence on Friday by attacking 30 police stations in Myanmar. But they are not the sole culprits. In fact, it seems that the Rohingya resistance is fighting back after brutal years-long repression by the authorities.

Late last year the government forces committed crimes of rape and murder and arson against the Rohingya that "seem to have been widespread as well as systematic, indicating the very likely commission of crimes against humanity," according to a February report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Aung San Suu Kyi's response? The State Councillor and de facto ruler of Myanmar said the reports were made up. Consistently, she blames the Rohingya and refuses to accept any government responsibility.
There are clarifying moments in every presidency, choices that define the administration's values and goals in ways mere rhetoric never can. For Donald Trump, one such moment occurred on Friday, when he issued a pardon to Joe Arpaio, the notorious Arizona sheriff convicted of contempt after refusing to follow a court order to stop racial profiling.

The Arpaio pardon is clarifying not because it will change the course of Trump's presidency, but because it succinctly sums up the Trump doctrine for domestic and international policy: not more effective, just more cruel.

Cruelty is the defining feature of the two law enforcement officers Trump holds up as heroes, Joe Arpaio and David Clarke. Both men came to national fame as regulars on Fox News, and both appeared at the Republican National Convention in support of Trump. Conservative media mainstays and Trump loyalists, Arpaio and Clarke have the perfect resumes to win plaudits from the President.

But there's something else that connects the two men: their cruel disregard for people's lives and civil liberties. Arpaio carved out a uniquely brutal regime in Maricopa County, where he served as sheriff for 14 years. There he created a tent city  fondly referred to by him as a "concentration camp"  in which inmates were kept outside in Arizona's punishing 54 degree heat. For a while, Latino inmates were kept in a segregated section within the camp.
Australia's big banks are expecting to face a royal commission some time in this or the next term of government, if momentum is maintained.

The banks reached this conclusion some months ago, and the argument for an official probe into such an economically and socially crucial sector has only grown since then, with the latest revelations of egregious malpractice by the Commonwealth Bank sparking an unprecedented public inquiry by one of the industry's regulators, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, into its culture, governance and accountability.



This and other fallout, including the announcement of the chief executive's departure, from the CBA's alleged failure on more than 50,000 occasions to report deposits that might have involved money laundering by organised criminals and terrorists, has caused investors to cut the company's shares significantly in recent days, toppling CBA from the perch of Australia's biggest company.

This lack of investor confidence is mirrored by declining trust in the banks in the broader community. That will not be restored by APRA's investigation into CBA, although that is welcome. APRA and corporate watchdog the Australian Securities and Investments Commission have been reasonably criticised for an insufficiently robust response to the scandals.
It's no easier to move from rags to riches in Australia than it used to be, and no easier than anywhere else.

That's the surprising finding from a new study of intergenerational mobility that negates the traditional wisdom that it's twice as easy to get ahead in Australia as in Britain or the United States.

Jobs in the elite professions tend to stay in the family. Credit:Jessica Shapiro

The new study has created Australia's first very long run estimates of social mobility, using data on rare surnames among doctors and university graduates from 1870 to the present.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said Australia is prepared to expand its supporting role in the global fight against the so-called Islamic State by sending troops to train and advise counterparts in the Philippines.

Ms Bishop said on Tuesday morning that she had personally offered Philippines leader Rodrigo Duterte "to assist the Philippines in their fight against terrorism".

She said she had not offered ground troops but had raised as an example of useful help Australia's current role in Iraq, where about 300 regular troops are training local forces and about 80 commandos are "advising and assisting" close to the front line.

"We offered to provide what support they need," Ms Bishop said. "They haven't identified what it is, but obviously we would be ready to support the Philippines in the same way we are supporting Iraq in advising, assisting and training.
Australia has vowed to help exert "increasing pressure" on North Korea after the rogue regime launched an apparent ballistic capable of carrying a nuclear warhead across Japan, pushing tensions to their highest level yet in the Korean crisis.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joined other world leaders in swiftly condemning the "reckless, dangerous and provocative act", which came despite a looming wave of fresh economic sanctions against the regime.

"Australia will continue to work with all our partners, including the United States, Japan, South Korea and China, to bring increasing pressure on North Korea to end its dangerous behaviour, which poses such a threat to the security of our region and of the world," Mr Turnbull said.

Experts were generally pessimistic about the chance the West has to find some peaceful way to reverse the course of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, who they said is moving ever closer to becoming a fully-fledged nuclear power.
Shortly after Pauline Hanson wore a burqa into the Senate in an attempt to prove some kind of dubious point about her desire to ban that item of clothing, she appeared on Sky News to bemoan the rise of political correctness in this country. This political correctness, Hanson argues, is preventing 'Ordinary Astrayans' like her from "having a say".

It's a line the Queensland senator and founder of One Nation has trotted out on numerous occasions, usually in appearances on television, in newspaper interviews and on the radio spots that deliver a steady deluge of Hanson into the public eye. For someone so horrendously "silenced", she has certainly been given ample access to a microphone to air her grievances.

One Nation senator Pauline Hanson takes off the burqa. The stunt would likely not have been allowed under old Senate rules. Credit:AAP

Hanson's childish whinge reminds me of the reaction had by Andrew "Australia's Most Read Columnist (Unless You Count His Book Sales)" Bolt following findings of the Federal Court that he had breached Australia's Racial Discrimination Act.

The day after the verdict was handed down, Bolt appeared on the cover of the Herald Sun under a gigantic headline screaming, "I WAS SILENCED." He was not only defended in the newspaper's editorial but also given a double page spread to dissect his feelings about what it meant to be denied a voice. No doubt he expanded on those feelings throughout the course of the week during both his regular appearance spot on 2GB and on his eponymous television show, The Bolt Report.
PMs remarks on statute inappropriate: Dahal

CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed his dissatisfaction at the remarks made by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in New Delhi on constitution amendment.
Does the ordinary Australian find the c-word offensive?

That is a question a NSW District Court judge had to consider on Tuesday during an appeal for Danny Lim, a man many Sydneysiders would recognise from his bright sandwich boards bearing political and social messages.

Danny Lim was issued with an infringement notice for offensive behaviour. Credit:Jeremy Hillman

Mr Lim was convicted of offensive behaviour for standing on busy New South Head Road, Edgecliff, one morning in August 2015, wearing a sign that appeared to call then prime minister Tony Abbott a "c---".

The front of the sign read: "PEACE SMILE PEOPLE CAN CHANGE TONY YOU C---. LIAR, HEARTLESS, CRUEL. PEACE BE WITH YOU."
Construction work has started on Cross River Rail, but the uncertainty surrounding the project, which has been discussed for more than a decade, looks set to continue.

Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Jackie Trad said the Labor government was progressing construction work, but that did not mean it was immune from the chopping block.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad says Cross River Rail could still be scrapped, despite work beginning on Tuesday. Credit:Darren England/AAP

"After the next election, anyone can cancel any project they like," Ms Trad said.

"Construction companies are actually assembling their workforces as we speak and putting in their expressions of interest process.
A plan to pump thousands of extra vehicles into central Melbourne via a new toll road is "a fundamental betrayal" of decades of effort to reduce cars in the CBD, Melbourne City Council says.

The council on Monday began its arguments before a panel of planning experts advising the state government on the $5.5 billion West Gate Tunnel project.

The part of Moonee Ponds Creek where Transurban and the Andrews government want to build new flyovers. Credit:Joe Armao

The project would see a new motorway built under Yarraville and a complex junction of flyovers built in North and West Melbourne.

These flyovers in particular have angered the council, which argues they will dump 9000 extra cars a day into the area.
The alleged killer of a Melbourne baby found bruised, with the drug ice in his system, claimed the injuries happened when he was spooked by a spider.

Six-month-old Chayse Dearing was found pale and covered in bruises when emergency crews attended a Glenroy unit on the morning of June 26, 2016.

Dwayne Lindsay is charged with murdering six-month-old Chayse Dearing.

His mother's boyfriend, 34-year-old Dwayne Lindsay, has been charged with murder.

The court heard he was minding baby Chayse while the boy's mother, Michelle Dearing, was out shopping and later told his girlfriend he had jolted, causing the infant to roll off a mattress and hit his head.
A hospital in Melbourne's north has admitted it failed to provide proper care for a man dying of cancer who was placed in the same room as a dead patient.

In the final hours of his life, the man was moved into a room with a dead patient.

Northern Hospital in Epping.

An internal review was conducted at Northern Hospital in Epping, after a complaint was lodged by the man's family.

"There is no doubt we failed our patient and his family at their time of greatest need," a Northern Health spokesman said.
Melbourne Express: Wednesday, August 30, 2017

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It was during coded conversations on the phone and in prison visits that a mother and son concocted a plan to kill the key witness in a murder trial, a court has heard.

Facing the prospect of life in jail for the brutal murder of Victorian mother Karen Chetcuti (nee Verbunt) in January 2016, 50-year-old Michael Cardamone set about trying to kill the witness in the case.

Michael Cardamone was sentenced to life without parole. Credit:James Wiltshire/Border Mail

That witness was Myrtleford man Eddie George, who had helped Cardamone set Ms Chetcuti's car on fire at the time, having been told it was an insurance job.

Friends in prison helped set up Cardamone with a hitman named Matty Thompson.
A woman who was gang-raped at a party when she was a teenager has reported the crime to police 32 years later, in the hope that the men involved will be found.

In 1984, the woman was 15 years old and living in Clunes with friends, a small town north of Ballarat.

Police. Credit:Michelle Smith

Police have not revealed any specific dates or location of the attack but say in late 1984 the woman went to a local pub for dinner with her friends.

After dinner the group walked to a house party at a property close to the main street of town.
A teenage boy has died following a shooting at Neerim East, 115 kilometres east of Melbourne.

The 17-year-old boy suffered head injuries in the incident near Memory Lane, an off-road track deep in the Neerim East Forest, on Sunday.

Paramedics were called to the scene about 2pm.

He was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition and died on Tuesday.

Police have been told the victim was with two friends when the incident happened about 1.30pm on Sunday.
Beirut: A convoy of Islamic State fighters and their families have left the Lebanon-Syria border region under Syrian military escort, surrendering their enclave and travelling to eastern Syria after a week-long battle.

A line of ambulances and buses were shown on Syrian state television driving slowly through the arid countryside, the border's pale hills behind them, as they departed on Monday.

A Lebanese soldier salutes the national flag atop an armoured personnel carrier on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek, north-east Lebanon on Monday. Credit:AP

The transfer ends any insurgent presence on the border, an important goal for Lebanon and Hezbollah, and marks the first time Islamic State has publicly agreed to a forced evacuation from territory it held in Syria.

IS agreed a ceasefire deal that took effect on Sunday with the Lebanese army on one front and Hezbollah with the Syrian army on the other. The militants had lost much of their mountainous enclave straddling the border since the two offensives began on opposite sides of the frontier.
Private companies may be enlisted to install electricity lines

The Energy Ministry has been thinking about engaging the private sector in transmission line projects most of which are being implemented by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).
Paris: Europe's "big four" continental powers and three African states have agreed a plan to tackle human trafficking and support nations struggling to contain the flow of people across the desert and Mediterranean sea.

The 28-nation European Union has long struggled to reach a coherent answer to the influx of migrants fleeing war, poverty and political upheaval in the Middle East and Africa, and the crisis is testing cooperation between member states.

After hosting the leaders of Germany, Italy, Spain, Chad, Niger and Libya, French President Emmanuel Macron said it was time for greater coordination.

"We must all act together - from the source countries to Europe and passing by the transit countries, especially Libya - to be efficient," he told reporters.
Chandan Kumar Mandal is the environment and migration reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering labour migration and governance, as well as climate change, natural disasters, and wildlife.
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...
When they return

The irrelevancy of the skills migrants learn abroad prevent them from doing business
Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple rum launched

Portmore Rum Company, manager of the Jamaica Cove Rum brand, has launched a new variant, Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum.

The new rum, which is being launched with UK distributor Mangrove, is a blend of Jamaican pot and column stills, laced with pineapple. It has been aged for up to three years and has an ABV of 40%.

Portmore believes that Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum is the perfect base for adding depth and pineapple kick to classic Pina Coladas  which it tips as the next trend in cocktails.

The Jamaica Cove Rum brand draws its inspiration from tales of smugglers landing on Cornwalls beaches in the dead of night in small skiffs. The coves around Falmouth became a favourite smugglers haunt; shipwrecks were marooned off the rocky Cornish coast and the coves were used to conceal the plundered Jamaican Rum and botanicals on board. The Jamaica Cove Rum

name replaces Jamaica Inn 1750 which was originally used to soft launch the Black Ginger Rum in the UK in early August. It strengthens the global imagery of Cornwalls historic smuggling past and the trading link between Jamaica and Cornwall, alongside its rumbustious activities.

Nick Gillett, managing director of Mangrove, comments: Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum, alongside the Black Ginger Rum are flavourful, quality additions to the Mangrove portfolio. The infusion of pineapple - which is an increasingly popular ingredient amongst bartenders - with a quality Jamaican rum offers greater depths of flavour for creative cocktail making.

Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum has an RRP of 22 (70cl) and will be targeted at both the on and off-trade. International distribution is being sought.

28 August 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor
Sean Johnson still has a picture on his computer from when members of the Texas A&M Forest Service went to New York in 2012.

"I had a cowboy hat on and everything," said Johnson, the spokesman for the New York City Fire Department's Incident Management Team.

Fifty-five members of the Texas A&M Forest Service team went to New York for two weeks to help the FDNY respond to Hurricane Sandy. Johnson said they were the only incident management team to relieve them during Sandy, a hurricane that required incident management services, Johnson estimated, from October to mid-December.

"For people to leave and go somewhere else during the holiday season, that's huge," Johnson said.

The FDNY Incident Management Team is returning the favor: 11 team members were in College Station on Monday to get briefed on Hurricane Harvey and prep for a Tuesday deployment to coastal areas hit hard by Hurricane Harvey.

Johnson said 40 FDNY incident management team members will be in Texas to support the state as it manages catastrophic flooding in coastal cities.

Members of the FDNY made the roughly 1,600-mile trek to College Station, Johnson said, out of remembrance of "those who take care of you," but also because "it's the right thing for the country."

'Whatever we're needed for'

Phillip Truitt, communications specialist for Texas A&M Forest Service, said more than 445 members from the Texas A&M Forest Service -- most of whom are firefighters -- and local fire departments have been deployed to areas from Corpus Christi to the Louisiana border, where they are supporting local governments, planning rescue operations and providing food and water.

Asked to describe the mission of the incident management teams, Truitt sighed before answering with a single word: everything.

"Whatever the state needs, we help out," he said.

Johnson's description of the FDNY's role was similarly broad.

"The mission is whatever we're needed for," he said. "They hand us the problem, we manage the problem."

The FDNY's incident management team, Johnson said, will stay in Texas for "as long as they need us."

Johnson said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott requested support from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, after which New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio gave permission for the FDNY to travel to Texas to help.

"We have a relationship of helping each other out when we need it," Truitt said.

'Not a routine event'

David Morkal, deputy incident commander for the FDNY team, said it was unclear where the FDNY would be going with its 40-member team, but it would likely be Houston. The 11 who were in College Station for the briefing were learning about the hurricane and its effects and would drive to Houston on Tuesday.

"You don't really understand how bad it is until a few days in," Morkal said of natural disasters, though he said Harvey was clearly "not a routine event."

"Texas has a robust emergency response system," Morkal said. "If they're calling us, we're glad, and we're more than willing [to help], but it gives you an idea of how bad it is."

Morkal said the FDNY Incident Response Team went to Louisiana for Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav, and incident managers have been sent out West to deal with wildfires, so they're not just coming out to repay a debt from the help Texas A&M Forest Service offered them in 2012.

"Any time there's somebody in need, anywhere in the country, we want to help," Morkal said.

Morkal described the responsibilities of the FDNY team as "CFLOP," an acronym meaning command, finances, logistics, operations and planning. The responsibilities sound broad, he said, but "it's all one mission: help the people."
Lake Bryan, which was closed to the public on Saturday, will reopen Wednesday.

According to a press release, the lake will resume normal hours of operation Wednesday. Because of the weather and out of a concern for patron safety,the lake was closed to the public Saturday night.

Two Texas A&M students were seriously injured after they nearly drowned while swimming in the lake on Saturday.
Michael Moores one-man show on Broadway is at times hilarious, at times tedious. While theater critics found The Terms of My Surrender greatly wanting, the liberal audiences seemed grateful for some comic resistance to the Trump era.

Problem is, Moore is their problem. Or, at risk of inflicting a narcissistic injury on the lefty provocateurs sense of centrality in great liberal causes, part of the problem. Had ticket buyers known his history of aiding and abetting the forces he purports to fight, they might have added Moore to their boycott lists.

They certainly would have choked at Moores opening complaint: How the f--- did this happen? The second time in the last 16 years we got the most votes!

Ah, 16 years ago. Thats when Moore and other purifiers of the rigid left openly urged liberals to throw the election to George W. Bush. The race was so close that Republicans were sending checks to the campaign of left-wing spoiler Ralph Nader. It was in all the papers.

But Moore worked the Nader rallies with his rumpled-workingman shtick. A vote for Gore is a vote for Bush, he insanely bellowed. If they both believe in the same thing, wouldnt you want the original than the copy?

Democrat Al Gore won the popular vote by a half-million but lost the Electoral College, as Nader siphoned off a few progressives in Florida.

Later in the show, Moore bitterly denounced Democrats who voted for Bushs war and the liberal publications that endorsed it. Truth is, the claims that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction were more believable at the time than the contention that Gore was just like Bush.

The lesson of 2000 had clearly been forgotten by 2016, when Bernie Sanders and allies caricatured Hillary Clinton as a handmaiden of dark Wall Street forces. They condemned her as a toady of corporate America for having backed the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Actually, that partnership was a good deal for most American workers but an easy target for demagoguery. (Trump ditched the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and now most Democrats support it.)

Sanders was not a spoiler in the Ralph Nader sense. He vied for the Democratic nomination and eventually came around to supporting the Democratic candidate. But self-importance  stoked by adoring followers  so clouded his judgment that he saw little danger in letting the witch bleed until almost the end.

Even after Clinton amassed 3.6 million more votes than he, Sanders withheld his endorsement for weeks. At the Democratic convention, some Sanders ninnies booed Clintons name without serious reprimand by their leader. And  shades of 2000  a Bernie group put out a flyer reading, Join us to hear why Hillary Clinton is more dangerous than Donald Trump.

Trump picked up the talking points where Sanders left off. Clinton admittedly ran a flawed campaign, but when Sanders said after the election that she should have been able to put Trump away, you just wanted to ... .

So what should Democrats do? They should encourage states to hold primaries attracting a broad swath of voters rather than caucuses dominated by a few well-trained strategists. They should require Democratic candidates to be registered Democrats. And they should insist that candidates for president release their tax returns.

All the above Sanders opposed. He does get some grievance points for the party leaders favoritism toward Clinton. They should desist.

Meanwhile, Democratic leaders should stop indulging heretic hunters who cant tell the difference between Gore and Bush, Clinton and Trump. Better that they leave the tent in a sulk than juggle blowtorches on the inside. As for problematic hangers-on such as Michael Moore, they are simply a burden. Its time to label them as such.

Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com.
At Arup, our projects are carried out with circular principles in mind. We recently worked with Del Monte for example, to create a new cost-effective plant which treats wastewater from pineapple washing and processing.

Using an anaerobic reactor, waste water from the pineapple washing and processing areas is treated to lower contaminant levels. Gas generated from the anaerobic process is captured and then transferred to new combined heat and power engines to produce electricity.

As a result, Del Monte have stopped using their coal fired power station, and bolstered the resilience of their plant during a power outage, all while reducing operating costs.

The water lens

Arup encourages the organisations we work with to apply a water lens when evaluating their processes and systems. This means assessing how they can reduce consumption and reuse water, as well as improving the design of their business models, materials and products to cut waste.

Having a coherent vision of how the circular economy can deliver value is crucial for all organisations, whether private or public.

We have developed our own Design with Water Framework to demonstrate how water management needs to be integrated as part of the water cycle.

Addressing issues such as resilience, flood risk, water supply and wastewater treatment, the framework places the water cycle at the centre of sustainable planning.

Collaborating for sustainable solutions

In a world with rapidly depleting resources, private sector water companies who wish to keep turning over a healthy profit need to adapt their business models to reuse materials wherever possible.

When engaging with local communities and stakeholders across the water cycle, the business and societal benefits of integrating the circular economy principles into projects must be clearly outlined at an early stage.

At the same time, theres the opportunity for water companies to work together with other organisations  public and private  to ensure water becomes a more significant driver in the planning and development of future community projects. This type of collaboration brings a shared case for investment, as well as environmental and societal benefits.

Whats next?

Organisations will need to step up to the plate and take advantage of emerging technologies and best practice examples to adopt a circular economy approach.

At a national level, there are significant issues for the industry to tackle. Considering an estimated 3.3 billion litres of water are lost daily in the UK due to leaking pipes, there are glaringly obvious opportunities to repair ageing infrastructure and rethink design with reuse as a priority.

On a bigger scale, the industry needs to think outside the box to deliver solutions. For example, as well as purifying, delivering, collecting and treating water, utilities could extract and sell resources from wastewater.

Wastewater plants could become bio-refineries for example, where organic materials could be converted to useful products.

Clear governance and regulation will be key, as many existing frameworks for both natural and man-made water management fail to offer clear guiding principles for design, engineering and construction projects. Integrating circular principles into frameworks will ensure that we manage water in a much more sustainable way.

We still have a long way to go before we achieve the type of behavioural change needed to secure our future water supply. However, dispelling the view of water as an end-of-life concept is a good place to start.

If there was a message I wanted to deliver at World Water Week 2017, it was this: encouraging a circular approach to water is no longer just a conceptual nicety  its an economic and environmental must.

This Author

Dr Mark Fletcher (FICE, FCIWEM, FGS) is director and global water business leader at Arup.
Funding -- it giveth and it taketh away.

Few things feel better than that first round because it validates your idea and sets it on a path. At the same time, your company is now on the clock with a narrower margin for error and limited flexibility.

And theres plenty of evidence to show that funding isnt a cure-all. Who could forget the Kickstarter misstep of the Coolest Cooler, which raised $13 million and has nothing to show for it? Or the Fidget Cube, the stress-reliever that brought in $6.5 million but was undone by the faster-to-market Stress Cube?

Funding is nice to have, but those two examples show that execution is always key. Instead of putting all the companys eggs into a VC-woven basket, entrepreneurs should adopt a different philosophy, one near and dear to my Middle America upbringing: the Midwest mindset.

Related: 3 Reasons Why Startups Should Consider Launching in the Midwest

A different frame of mind

Whats the Midwest mindset? Its when founders rely on their own hard work and sweat equity -- not financiers -- to bankroll their ideas. A premium is put on humility and a can-do attitude, not wooing backers with a growth-at-all-costs strategy.

It also includes common sense. Because its cheaper to live -- and therefore work -- in the Midwest, the region has a built-in advantage over its coastal counterparts. When a founder spends less on rent and other ancillary business costs, the business needs less funding to survive.

The Midwest mindset shelves contemporary beliefs about fundraising and focuses on getting more output with less input -- what I call "doing more with less." We pinch pennies -- but not to the point of destruction -- and know how to weigh the value of a dollar. Growth at all costs? We've never heard of such a thing: Efficiency is our motto, not high burn rates fueled by constant fundraising.

Related: What Nobody Tells You About Taking VC Money

Finding -- and thriving -- in the middle ground.

The Midwest mindset sets the structure for business measurement and becomes an attractive beacon to venture capitalists who like to put their money toward winners. For founders, using sales and other internal efforts, rather than funding, to boost their bank accounts allows them to reinvest instead of extending their palms to venture capitalists. Here are a few basic tenets to get there:

1. Emphasize efficiency.

Marketing. Sales. Engineering. Finance. Human Resources. Each department is tasked with countless things to do each day to help keep a startup moving, which can sometimes bog down a startup's ability to focus on big-picture duties.

The "more with less" mentality isn't just a financial approach; pulling bodies off menial tasks and investing in automation takes the onus off employees and allows them to focus on duties that can move the company forward.

Dotloop, a Cincinnati-based real estate productivity platform, decided to invest in automation and innovation early on. It should know: The company now uses an end-to-end approach to form creation, transaction logging, and e-signing documents. This helps the team drive growth for agents and realtors by optimizing businesses with streamlined automation and up-to-the-minute transaction information.

Get on board early by checking out the various simplification tools and platforms available on the market. Instead of going through the motions to get through the day, leaders and team members can put their energy into duties that'll drive revenue and stave off the need for financiers.

Related: Want to Save Your Business an Hour a Day? Automate These 11 Tasks

2. Prioritize building high-quality customer relationships.

Its OK to put time into nonscalable to-do items, especially if they will drive high return on investment. For instance, your sales team might spend extra dollars to meet with a customer or solve a clients issue, but the result could be a long-term, loyal partner.

Relationships matter, as evidenced by a Radius Globe study that broke down the top influencer methods by generation. For Millennials, word-of-mouth marketing is the preferred influencer for apparel, packaged goods, financial products and big-ticket purchases.

Pay attention to your storytelling and person-to-person brand bonding, and provide a high level of customer service to receive referrals, positive reviews and more. The Midwest mindset is built on consistent quality. Make that a part of your ethos from the start, and the story will tell -- and sell -- itself to consumers, and they will become your best advocates.

3. Invest to drive long-term value.

Cheapskates make poor business mavens because they lack the foresight that businesses require investment. A Midwest mindset focused on efficiency isn't solely about lowering costs; it's about investing in efficient, high-leverage outcomes.

At my company, we weigh our costs, which includes the total cost of the time and resources required to produce an expected outcome. We never say no just because a solution comes with a substantial price tag. Investing in the right solutions can pay long-term dividends that significantly outweigh the initial capital expense. Put money in programs, solutions and people that will help you succeed quickly, but dont be penny-wise and pound-foolish.

Funding is great, but it takes a startup only so far. Instead of putting value in how much a VC firm says your company is worth, drive organizational value through an efficient approach straight out of America's heartland.

Related:

3 Ways a Midwest Mindset Can Build a Better Business

VCs Ask Men About the Future and Women About Failure, New Study Finds

Sophia Bush Is a Staunch Supporter of Entrepreneurship



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Many entrepreneurs create a Facebook page for their business, expecting it to be a goldmine of engagement, referral traffic and sales. Unfortunately, most business pages fail and turn into a dead zone. To make pages work, you need to run paid ads, placing them directly in front of your target audience.

Its difficult for most businesses to create an engaged page without an advertising budget. Also, most consumers view a business page on Facebook as an advertisement. This leads to frustration and many business owners abandoning Facebook. Rather than do that, switch your focus to building a Facebook Group for your business.

Its a viable way of building a highly engaged community of individuals who are likely to be interested in your business. I recently created a closed group, E-Commerce Rockstars, because I truly believe Facebook Groups provide several benefits. Here are five reasons I decided to create a group, and why you should also consider it.

Related: 5 Social Media Rules Every Entrepreneur Should Know

1. It provides more personal engagement.

The majority of business pages on Facebook lack the type of engagement the page owner craves -- likes and comments that fuel the discussion. This is where a Facebook Group thrives. The right discussion can really take off because its not as intimidating as a business page.

Most consumers dont want to join the conversation on a post made by a business, but if its in a group setting, that barrier is removed. It gives you the opportunity to be more personal. You are the face behind the group, not a company name and logo. Consumers want to engage with a person, not a company.

2. Drive focused attention to a call to action.

In a group, you have the ability to pin a post to the top. This is a great place to put a call to action and guarantee you draw eyeballs to it. You dont want to throw up something overly spammy, but an invitation to join your newsletter is perfectly fine, especially if you provide value to the group members.

Not every group member is going to jump on your offer immediately, but if you remain value-focused, you will see group members join that want to receive more of your content. I am a member of several Facebook groups, and I have been converted on pinned posts in the past simply because of the value offered within the group.

Related: 10 Laws of Social Media Marketing

3. Receive immediate feedback from polls.

Groups are a great source of immediate feedback, and if you build a niche group from the beginning, the feedback you receive will be extremely valuable. By creating a poll in your group, you can receive feedback on any subject matter or question you might have.

This can provide beneficial for every business -- from consumer brands to B2B businesses. Facebook Groups allow you to poll your members, and receive feedback as well as start a conversation around any topic. From product concept feedback to customer experiences, its a source of the most raw and honest feedback you can find in an online environment, says Steven Zeldes, CEO of AvaCare Medical.

Ive seen several successful polls in groups that I am a member of on product design, packaging and price-points. Its generally high-quality and valuable from a business owners point of view.

4. Announce offers.

I created my e-commerce focused group to gather entrepreneurs that build online businesses for several reasons -- bounce ideas back and forth, share experiences, ask questions and create a community of the best in the e-commerce game.

I also did it to announce an offer down the road. Creating this group gives me a highly targeted audience to present the offer to when that time comes. But, that is a long time away. In the meantime, Ill be focusing on creating a value-packed community. Without that element, nobody will be interested in the offer.

Related: 12 Social Media Mistakes That Entrepreneurs Make

5. Build trust by providing value.

All four points previous discussed above require one element -- trust. Without trust, you wont have a highly engaged group, you wont drive interest to your call to action, your polls wont receive feedback and any offers you announce wont be well received.

To build trust, you must provide value. Things like sharing first-hand experience, answering questions and simply providing the community can all help strengthen the relationship between you, your members and your business. Holding question-and-answer sessions and creating exclusive content for your group are just a couple examples of how you can provide added value.

Related:

5 Benefits of Creating a Facebook Group for Your Business

Co-working: A cost-effective, New-age Concept of Networking

Building A Brand In The Age Of Millennials



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


One of the issues to emerge with the widespread legalization of marijuana is in the area of law enforcement.

Specifically, how to tell if a driver is impaired by marijuana use.

The easy solution is simply not to drive when partaking of cannabis. But given that the same message has not worked so well with alcohol, law enforcement agencies across the country are understandably concerned about how to address the problem.

Obviously, not long ago when marijuana was illegal everywhere it was a simple matter of testing for any presence of THC, the active chemical in marijuana that causes the high. Now, more refinement is needed.

But the issue is complicated. Not all scientists agree on what constitutes being impaired. Even the federal government is having trouble tackling the issue. And state laws are all over the map.

Related: The Feds and the NFL Both Forbid Marijuana. Both Are Studying It as an Alternative to Opiods.

Congressional report.

In a report to Congress this summer, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) made a series of recommendations. They fell into three main categories.

1. Training officers on detecting and measuring the impairment of a driver using field sobriety tests and technology. The agency has developed training to help officers in detecting possible impairment of drivers by marijuana, called Drugs That Impair Driving

2. Continued research to develop a standard for drug impairment while driving, similar to the levels of alcohol present in the blood stream

3. Encourage states where marijuana is legal to continue efforts to collect data on the number of marijuana-related driving impairment arrests

The federal agency also encouraged states to separate drug-related driving arrests from those involving alcohol. Further, they suggest clearly defining which drug was involved in the incident.

In short, the report calls for more study. It also warned that state laws on impairment from marijuana appear to have been based on something other than scientific evidence.

Related: To Understand the Forces Favoring and Opposing Legal Marijuana, Study Arizona.

Challenges

Various studies have reached different conclusions about marijuanas impact on driving.

Part of the issue is how marijuana works. The high effects can vary depending on whether it is smoked or ingested. In some cases, the effects can wear off in as little as 30 minutes, even if traces of THC are still in the blood or saliva.

And studies have been all over the map. A University of Colorado study in 2014 found that the number of fatal accidents involving marijuana-impaired drivers had jumped almost 5 percent between 2009 and 2011.

But a study from Virginia conducted by the NHTSA in 2015 found that drivers under the influence of marijuana had the same chance of having an accident as those who were completely sober.

And theres the issue of combination. According to the Denver Post, 36 percent of drivers involved in fatal accidents who tested positive for marijuana had also tested positive for alcohol.

Related: Oakland Explores Reparations for Those Persecuted by the War on Drugs

All this hasnt stopped states from trying. Colorado and Washington, both states where adult-use marijuana is legal, have set a limit of 5 nanograms per milliliter as the level of impairment. But even there, differences occur.

In Colorado, a law enforcement officer can use that level to charge someone with impairment, but its up to a judge or jury to decide if the driver was truly impaired based on other evidence. In Washington, its more like the limit set on alcohol, and no further proof of impairment is needed.

John Jackson, police chief of Greenwood Village in Colorado, told the Post that debate continues on what constitutes actual impairment. Were in the infancy with this, and its very much an unknown since we dont have the data, he said.

Follow dispensaries.com on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest cannabis news.

Related:

How High Is Too High to Drive? Law Enforcement Agencies Tackle Complex Issue.

The Feds and the NFL Both Forbid Marijuana. Both Are Studying It as an Alternative to Opiods.

To Understand the Forces Favoring and Opposing Legal Marijuana, Study Arizona.



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Miniature pigs may soon be allowed within the Grand Island city limits following a recommendation from the animal advisory board Monday afternoon.

The board voted 4-2 to recommend revising 5-41 of the city code to allow mini pigs in the city of Grand Island. Central Nebraska Humane Society Executive Director Laurie Dethloff and board member Doug Jensen voted no.

Angela Alexander brought the request before the board after having her pet mini pig, Otis, taken away from her, placed at the Central Nebraska Humane Society and later at a foster home. She urged the board to approve the city code change to allow her to bring Otis home.

I did bring Otis back into my home after I was told not to, Alexander said. He did go to my friends house, but Otis is my child. I consider him my baby and I am his mom. He got very depressed and would not eat. They think that, as a parent, you got rid of them and do not want them. When I picked him up from the Humane Society last time, he wouldnt even look at me. He was very sad.

Assistant City Attorney Stacy Nonhoff said 5-41 of the city code currently prohibits anyone from owning any swine within the city limits. She added it does not pull out, or exclude, any breeds, such as miniature pigs.

Councilman Mitch Nickerson, who serves as the Grand Island City Council liaison to the animal advisory board, asked if there were any statutes that pertained to mini pigs.

Alexander responded that there are 242 cities in the United States, including Kearney and Omaha, that allow mini pigs within city limits.

Nickerson also asked Dethloff if this is the first time the topic of mini pigs has come up over the years. She said they have dealt with pigs before, but not the issue of having one as a pet.

Im surprised we have not been challenged on this before because they are very common, Nickerson said.

During Wednesday afternoons meeting, held in the legal library at City Hall, Alexander told the animal advisory board about Otis, his living arrangements and his lifestyle.

Otis is potty trained. He sleeps in the house, has a puppy bed where we chill out at night and watch TV, she said. Otis is not aggressive. The most he will do is he will smell your leg with his snout.

Alexander also told the animal advisory board that Otis is her support animal and that he helps her to not have anxiety attacks.

I have not had one anxiety attack since Ive had Otis, she said. They can detect seizures. If I feel an anxiety attack coming on, I will sit with Otis and it makes it 100 times better. He comforts me.

Nonhoff said, under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Nebraska state law, the only recognized service animal is a dog and that the ADA does not recognize a comfort animal as a service animal.

Dethloff told Alexander that Otis being a service animal is not an excuse for having him within the city limits when it is against city code.

We made you aware that the pig wasnt to be back in town, she said. You broke the rules and brought him back into town. If it is a comfort animal, there is a contradiction when we ask you to come out and make foster arrangements. You didnt do that and you are not visiting now.

Prior to owning Otis, Alexander said, she did almost a year of research on mini pigs. Nickerson asked if she was made aware in her research that she was not allowed to have a mini pig within the city limits.

Believe it or not, no. When I did my research, I did my research on mini pigs themselves, Alexander said. I did not know that there are city ordinances prohibiting them.

Jensen said he was frustrated with the fact Alexander put in pages and pages of research on mini pigs, but failed to look to see if she could even legally own one. He added the first thing the mini pig breeder should have asked Alexander when she bought Otis was whether she could legally own him.

Grand Island Police Chief Robert Falldorf asked Alexander if her neighbors know about Otis and whether they had any issues with him. Alexander responded that her neighbors do not have any issues with Otis and actually love seeing him.

Animal control officer MiKayla Bailey said the issue the Central Nebraska Humane Society has with allowing mini pigs within the city limits is that it does not have the equipment or the resources to deal with them. Nickerson asked Bailey and Dethloff what sort of equipment they would need for a large pig versus a large dog.

We would probably have to have some type of livestock trailer. Right now, we have to borrow one. But if we are going to open that up, we might as well have the equipment.

With the recommendation by the animal advisory board to revise city code to allow mini pigs within the city limits, Nonhoff said she was not comfortable having a weight limit because an owner may claim a pig is within a certain weight when it is merely overweight by a few pounds.

Nonhoff emphasized that the City Council has the final say in changing city code to allow for mini pigs to be within the city limits. She added that even with the animal advisory boards vote to amend city code to allow for mini pigs within the city limits, that does not guarantee Alexander will get Otis back.
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
Question: A long time ago, I drove through Illinois to visit some friends. I live in St. Louis, and have a Missouri driver's license. I got a speeding ticket, and I was told that I got supervision through the mail. Supervision, I was told, was not a conviction. Just a little over a month ago, I got stopped in Missouri, and was arrested because my driver's license was revoked. I have never been in trouble before, and I had to bond out of jail like a common criminal. I went to court recently, and was told that my license got suspended because of the speeding ticket in Illinois. The judge said that all that matters was that my license was suspended. I do not know how Missouri ever found out about the speeding ticket in Illinois. How did this happen? I also do not know how I could be arrested when I did not even know about my license suspension, or does this make my arrest illegal?

Decades ago, an interstate agreement was created that allowed states to communicate with each other concerning certain criminal offenses  so that an offense committed by a driver in one state would be reported to the state in which that driver's license had been issued. An interstate agreement is just that: an agreement between states. As it relates to driver's licenses, each state passes similar laws that allow for certain information exchanges between states.

Whether the readers of this article know it or not, it is hard to keep certain things secret from the state that issued one's driver's license. Each state has their own laws that have consequences for any person's license. It is possible for a person to commit an offense in one state, where he or she does not reside, resulting in the suspension or revocation of his or her license, even when that license was not issued in the state in which the offense was committed. Furthermore, a person can commit an everyday offense like speeding in a state in which he or she does not reside, and have that offense reflected on his or her driving record, even when his or her license was not issued by the state in which the offense occurred.

Through interstate compacts, states can communicate with each other, so that traffic offenses committed by non-residents in one state can be reported to other states. How this typically works is the government body that issues driver's licenses in one state will communicate information to the government body that issues driver's license in another state. This way, a person who should be suspended because of an offense committed in one state will be suspended by the state that issued his or her license. In addition, the record of a person's driver's license will reflect traffic offenses that were committed in other states  in which he

As indicated by your question, problems can develop when different states treat certain offenses differently as well as when different states levy different sentences for offenses. For this reason, it seems that Missouri, the state that issued your license, did not honor the non-conviction sentence you were granted from the state of Illinois. There are any number of reasons why this happens that are too lengthy to go into now, but the good news is that some of them can be corrected.

In relation to your question concerning your arrest when you did not know your license was suspended  it is difficult to answer without knowing more. The main reason why many people are unaware until they are arrested that their licenses are suspended or revoked is that these peopled fail to keep the governmental body that issued their license up to date on their current addresses.

Although it is undoubtedly frustrating, humiliating, and costly to be arrested for an offense like this, the arrest is not an illegal one. An officer pulling someone over, totally unaware of the validity of the persons driver's license, is required to arrest that driver when he or she has committed an offense necessitating his or her arrest.

Have questions for Brendan Bukalski? E-mail him at askthelawyer@gmail.com, or write him, c/o The Edwardsville Intelligencer, 117 N. 2nd St., Edwardsville, IL 62025.

Editor's note  the answers provided in this column are general in nature, and should not be relied upon as legal advice or interpreted as creating an attorney-client relationship. As a general rule, all specific legal problems should be handled by an individual's personal attorney. Any submissions to the author are subject to being published and to being modified prior to publication.
A death investigation has officially ended into a family tragedy that began with a shooting death and a fire at a home in Glen Carbon and ended minutes later with a drowning and a heroic rescue from Silver Lake in Highland.

A statement issued Monday by the Madison County Coroners office offered few additional clues into the March 16 deaths of Cristy L. Campbell and her former husband, Justin L. Campbell.

Cristy Campbells body was pulled from Silver Lake around 5:30 a.m., about 15 minutes after authorities were notified of a house fire on Dogwood Lane in Glen Carbon. Police found the body of Justin Campbell inside the house and determined that he had died of a gunshot wound to the head. They later determined that he had been shot by Cristy Campbell.

The couple was divorced but had been living together at the house on Dogwood Lane.

An autopsy found that Cristy Campbell, 32, died as a result of probable drowning complicated with hypothermia. The manner of death was classified as undetermined because the investigation did not yield enough information as to Cristy Campbells state of mind and intent at the time of her death. Toxicology tests showed the presence of caffeine, nicotine and nicotine metabolite. She was also found to have had a blood alcohol level of .012.

Routine toxicology tests were also performed on Justin Campbell. They showed the presence of caffeine, nicotine metabolite, marijuana and its metabolites, and a 7 percent saturation of carbon monoxide  a level that may be found in cigarette smokers, according to a press release from Madison County Coroner Steve Nonn.

The investigation was conducted by Glen Carbon Police, the Madison County Sheriffs Department, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services, the Illinois Office of State Fire Marshal, and the Madison County Coroners Office.

No one else was found to have been involved in the deaths, according to the investigation report.

As horrific as the events were, there was a silver lining to the tragedy. Sheriff John Lakin told reporters that paramedic Todd Zobrist swam more than 50 feet out to the SUV that Cristy Campbell had driven into the lake and pulled the couples three-month-old baby from the vehicle.

The infant was rushed to a hospital and survives.

The couple divorced in 2012 and had seven children.

Also on Monday, the coroners office ruled the manner of death of a 52-year-old St. Louis man to be undetermined. The body of Jimmie Melvin Allen Jr. was found April 8 in a retention pond in Pontoon Beach. An autopsy failed to reveal a cause of death and a toxicology test revealed only the presence of caffeine.

As the circumstances surrounding Mr. Allens demise remain quite vague, it was the opinion of the attending forensic pathologist that the death be classified as undetermined, Nonn said. He added, It would be improper to draw definitive conclusions based of the limited amount of information.

There were no overt signs of injury or foul play. Allen had worked at the Proctor and Gamble facility within the complex of warehouses where he was discovered, according to the release.

Pontoon Beach police investigated the death with the assistance of the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services.
Circuit Judge David W. Dugan has announced he is running for circuit judge in the November, 2018, election.

Dugan, a Republican, has been serving as a Madison County circuit judge since Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Lloyd Karmeier appointed him last year to replace John Barberis. The seat became vacant after Barberis was elected an appellate judge in the Fifth District Appellate Court.

In a statement, Dugan said he has enjoyed his short time on the bench and would be honored to be elected to a six-year term next year.

My background in private practice over the past 30 years included representing both plaintiffs and defendants in civil matters, Dugan said. I believe my experience shows my ability to see both sides of a case and to be impartial in all my decisions. I have been assigned to the civil docket where I hear a wide variety of civil cases, including overseeing the entire arbitration docket.

Earlier this year, Maryville attorney Marc Parker, a Democrat, announced that he is also seeking the vacant circuit judge seat.

U.S. Congressman John Shimkus will serve as Dugans campaign chairman.

He is a respected leader, and I appreciate his friendship over the years and his advise throughout the appointment process, Dugan said in his press release.

Madison County Treasurer Jeremy Plank will serve as Dugans campaign treasurer. Plank is chairman of the Madison County Republican Central Committee.

Shimkus said he has known Dugan for more than 25 years and has found him to be a well-respected conservative voice.

He has a reputation for fairness, integrity and service in the community, Shimkus said. I am proud to call him Judge Dugan and offer my endorsement and complete support.

Dugan has a degree in political science from Eastern Illinois University and earned his juris doctor from Valparaiso University School of Law in 1985. He served as an assistant Madison County States Attorney under state Sen. Bill Haine and has been in private practice since 1986.

Haine recently announced that he will not seek another term as state senator.

Assistant Madison County States Attorney Rachelle Crowe is running for his seat in the 56th Illinois Senate District.

Dugan is a lifetime NRA member and a member of the Edwardsville Gun Club.

He and his wife Susan live in Bethalto. They have one daughter, U.S. Air Force Academy Capt. Sarah E. Martin, who is married to Capt. Joe Martin.

Dugan is a board member for Riverbend Family Ministries, which provides services to victims who are in crisis. He is also past volunteer President of Options Now, a pregnancy resource and medical clinic for women. Dugan has also provided pro bono legal services to Refuge, which is dedicated to preventing childhood exposure to violence and abuse, and the Community Hope Center.
Although he graduated last year from Edwardsville High School and is now a college student, Todd Schultz, Founder of Painting the Town Gold, returned to where he began his quest to raise awareness and funding for pediatric cancer. Schultz and several Painting the Town Gold committee members attended the Edwardsville District 7 Board of Education general meeting Monday night to request the districts participation in the third annual Painting the Town Gold, a pediatric cancer awareness and fundraising event originated by Schultz that takes place the entire month of September which is pediatric cancer awareness month.

Painting the Town Gold was born back in 2015 after Schultz was diagnosed with cancer and watched helplessly as two other teens he had met during treatment died because there was no research or medicine to save them. Schultz, with the help of his former Lincoln Middle School Teacher Carla Fink in addition to family and friends, set out on a mission to bring community-wide awareness to the statistics of pediatric cancer and raise funds for much needed research.

Painting the Town Gold committee members Lucas and Tori Siron, Vickie Schultz, Lindsay and Chris Shaw, Marge Ogle, Carla Fink and Founder Todd Schultz visited the school board meeting Monday night to request that the district again host its Coins for Cancer fundraiser in the District 7 schools during the week of Sept. 25.

Fink, who is also a Painting the Town Gold Board Member, introduced Schultz. To date I have had five students sit in my classroom who have been diagnosed with cancer. Todd Schultz is one of those students, she said. Since his diagnosis in the summer after his eighth grade year, he has become my teacher, my inspiration and my hero. So Im honored to be a small part of what is happening in this district and community through Painting the Town Gold.

Schultz thanked Edwardsville District 7 Superintendent Lynda Andre and the board for their support since April of 2015 when Schultz first stood before the board and asked for their help in Painting the Town Gold. I had no idea what that would mean, Schultz said. In the last two years, this district has raised more than $225,000 for pediatric cancer with a great portion of that going to St. Baldricks. The most amazing part of it all, is you, District 7 - the students, faculty, staff and administration of this district - have raised over $31,864 of that. We asked you all to Paint the town gold. and youve more than done that.

Schultz noted that District 7 had not only raised money through its Coins for a Cure fundraising efforts but also had contributed over 500 volunteer hours to the cause.

It would be easy to walk away now. I'm healthy, Im in college, and we have donated an overwhelming amount to research, but I will not walk away because cancer is still coming after kids in our community, Schultz added. During the 2016-17 year, there were three new kids diagnosed in our community and sadly two brave warriors were called home to peace. It is easy to get discouraged. It would be easy to say why bother, but that is what cancer wants. It wants to win and we will not let it. Our journey and our mission at Painting the Town Gold is to defeat pediatric cancer. And we will not stop until we find a cure and better treatments. We can not do this without your support... I am asking once again that you support Painting the Town Gold by hosting Coins for a Cure during the week of September 25. Together we can win this war.

Painting the Town Gold officially kicked off with a festival in Miner Park on Aug. 26 but several other events are scheduled in September.

A Music Trivia Night is scheduled for Sept. 9 at the Edwardsville Knights of Columbus located at 7132 Marine Road. Doors open at 6 p.m. with trivia beginning at 7 p.m. All team players must be 21 or older. The cost is $160 per table of eight and includes 16 beer tickets per table. Participants should bring food for their table. Other adult beverages will be available for purchase at the KC Hall.

Tickets for a table can be purchased through Eventbrite www.eventbrite.com/e/go-gold-music-trivia-tickets-35968725426 (a $9 processing fee is included) or by downloading the Trivia Night registration form through www.ptgglened.org

Running for Gold 5K Run/Walk follows a week later on Sept. 16 in Township Park in Edwardsville. Register through the Painting the Town Gold Web site.

In addition to these events, community members can also contribute to Painting the Town Gold by patronizing local businesses during Dine/Play/Shop for a Cure. On the following selected days in September, local businesses will be donating a portion of their daily sales to Painting the Town Gold.

Sept. 1-Annie's Custard, Sept. 2 - Wild Heart Boutique, Sept. 5 - Source Juicery, Sept. 6- 1818 Chophouse, Sept. 7- Wooden Nickel, Sept. 8 - Los Tres Amigos, Sept. 11  St. Louis Bread Company, Sept. 12 - 222 Artisan Bakery, Sept. 14 - Penn Station, Sept.15 - Happy Up, Sept. 16  Whisker Bones, Restore Decor and Edisons, Sept. 18  Crushed Red, Sept. 19  Cleveland Heath, Sept. 20  Sgt. Peppers from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. only, Sept. 21  Recess Brewing (pint sales only), Sept. 22  Teaspoons Cafe, Sept. 23  Tot Spot Resale, Sept. 24  Global Brew, Sept. 25  Catrinas, Sept. 27 Northside Dairy Haven and Sept. 28  Sugos.

To learn more about the Running for Gold 5K run/walk, visit its website at www.runsignup.com/RunningforGold.
Any time Elliot Mwanza visits one of the five Zambian schools he helps administer for the non-profit organization African Vision of Hope, he can tell when lunchtime is on the horizon without a watch.

Many students there are orphans whose only meal that day might come at school. Which explains why, with lunchtime approaching, their concentration sharpens.

They are just waiting for the bell to ring. Thats the time they dash for the kitchen, says Mwanza during a recent interview at the AVH local office in Maryville. Mwanza is an academic counselor and the Child Sponsorship Coordinator for AVH.

The organization ensures that every student in each of their five schools and 38 classrooms in Zambia receives a meal each day around 11 a.m. They provide more than a half million hot lunches each year.

Mwanza traveled to the Maryville office recently accompanied by Kennedy Hakobwa, who is Program Director and Orphanage Manager for AVH. He and Hakobwa have been learning recently about the U.S. education system and meeting with Christian schools to learn, among other things, how to integrate faith into their curriculum.

Mwanza is also on the organizations Search and Rescue team. His work there gives him a personal glimpse at the poverty that drives many kids there to enroll in an AVH school. He sees it first-hand when he tries to track down a student who hasnt been in school for a couple of days, says Bob Bertels, whose wife Judi Bertels is the organizations CEO and president.

Food for the schools is grown on a conservation farm in Chikumbi, near the border with Malawi and Mozambique. AVH started the farm in 2010 and trains small-scale, rural farmers about how they can grow nutritious food, improve their yields, restore degraded land and otherwise address the root causes of poverty in Zambia.

African Vision of Hope also offers women training in three areas: sewing, knitting and crafts. Their sewing and knitting efforts create uniforms that students wear to AVH schools. They also create crafts, many of which are sold on Saturdays at the Goshen Market in Edwardsville.

When they graduate we expect they will go on and use their skills so they can contribute to the welfare of the family, Kennedy Hakobwa said.

The womens empowerment training program has trained more than 200 women in sewing and arts.

Tuition at African Vision of Hope schools is free, in contrast to Zambias government-run schools.

The problems in Zambia are daunting. The country has more than a million orphans, and many of them go years at a time without getting new clothes, Hakobwa said. Requiring all students to wear uniforms each day prevents those who cant afford new clothes from standing out during the school day so that when you look at them you cant know if this one is coming from a good family or that one is coming from a poor family, Hakobwa says.

To address the orphan problem, AVH opened an orphanage nine years ago in Zambia. Six years later it reached capacity with 65 children, and today many more are on the waiting list, according to information from AVH.

Hakobwa and Mwanza say they have noticed that education is taken more seriously in the U.S. than in Zambia. School attendance there is not compulsory, and classrooms in Zambia are much more crowded.

In the government schools in Zambia you will find a classroom with 80 pupils and one teacher, Hakobwa said. The teacher would be very good, but when you talk about teaching 80 and you have to identify those who need personal help, its difficult. Practically, its not done.

African Vision of Hope schools, in contrast, average about 60 students per classroom, Hakobwa said.

The twin scourges of AIDS and poverty have decimated the country in recently decades, and Bob Bertels says AVHs efforts are just scratching the surface.

Our core makeup is children who are double orphans, which means they lived on the street but they might be living with one parent or a grandparent because AIDS has decimated the country.

For Bob and Judi Bertels, the goal of making AVH schools among the best in Zambia is critically important. They know that the only reason many impoverished children are able to attend school at all is because the education at AVH schools is free.

Judi Bertels says it would be impossible to keep the mission alive without donations, child sponsorships and volunteer help. People go and serve on the ground for short-term or longer-term trips, she said. A lot of work comes from volunteers, whether its IT or somebody licking stamps.

African Vision of Hope has an office at 8 Professional Park Drive, in Maryville. They can be reached at 288-7695 or at info@africanvisionofhope.org.
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Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 07:57 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae58e65 4 Editorial #Editorial,fake-news,hoax,#FakeNews,saracen,#Jokowi,Jokowi,presidential-election,democracy,freedom-of-expression,Internet,hate-speech Free

Fake news has become a real commodity, now that almost half the worlds population has access to the internet. In a political contestation, a single click of fake news targeting a certain candidate can sway the vote toward his or her rival.

Fabricated news played a significant role in the United States presidential election last year. In Indonesia, it could have denied now President Joko Jokowi Widodo a chance to win in the two-horse race against Prabowo Subianto in 2014. Hoaxes and hate speech also paved the way for the defeat early this year of incumbent Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama in the most divisive election since the 2014 presidential race.

Unsurprisingly, Jokowi could not hide his anger when commenting on the polices arrest of three people who had been caught running an online syndicate responsible for creating and spreading hoaxes and inciting hatred for money. Calling themselves Saracen, the group took orders from certain parties, including electoral candidates, to discredit political opponents for price tags ranging from Rp 75 million (US$5,770) to Rp 100 million per month, police said.

The President said he had instructed National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian to identify not only other members of the network, but also those who backed them and their beneficiaries.

The police discovered that the group owned and managed about 800,000 social media accounts used to broadcast hate speech. The groups female administrator was arrested for posting anti-Chinese slurs and defamation of the President, the police, political parties and mass organizations. Her colleague admitted to editing pictures and uploading them on social media.

While the police bear the responsibility for disclosing all parties involved in the hatemongering business, the investigation should not only focus on the alleged spread of hoaxes targeting the President and themselves. To avoid any conflicts of interest, the police should enforce the law against the suspects, simply because they could hijack democracy and eventually endanger the unity of this diverse nation.

Taking advantage of most Indonesian internet users lack of digital literacy and the wide sensitivity toward sectarian issues, individuals or groups like Saracen easily drive voters to choose their leaders based on ethnicity or religion over achievements, therefore preventing the most capable candidates from taking office.

Democratic elections should let the best win. With the simultaneous regional elections occurring in June 2018 and the simultaneous legislative and presidential elections making its debut in 2019, Saracens business model could be booming if the countrys justice system failed to generate a deterrence.

While charging the suspects under the Electronic Information and Transactions Law will complicate matters as the law itself is problematic, law enforcers can simply rely on the Criminal Code and demand the maximum sentence, considering the overarching social damage the group may have caused. Beyond Saracen, more people will develop sophisticated ways to spread hoaxes, but we should be able to stop them from monetizing their lies.
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Linkedin News Desk (Kyodo News)  Tue, August 29, 2017 16:38 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae732de 2 Art & Culture One-Piece,Manga,Malaysia,exhibition,#exhibition Free

The first Southeast Asian exhibition of Japan's best-selling manga "One Piece" is now under way in Malaysia to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its publication.

The exhibition at Isetan Japan Store Kuala Lumpur in the capital's posh Bukit Bintang district highlights cartoonist Eiichiro Oda's globally popular comic depicting the world of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew of Straw Hat Pirates.

"Young people in Malaysia are very lively, vibrant and receptive toward manga trends," says Hiroyuki Nakano, chief editor of Weekly Shonen Jump in which "One Piece" has been serialized for the last two decades.

More than 350 million copies of the comic series have been sold in Japan alone since its debut in the weekly magazine in 1997. One of Japan's most iconic mangas is also widely read in Asia, Europe and the United States.

Read also: Legendary anime Saint Seiya remake coming soon on Netflix

Maya Furuie, manager of the Japanese department store, says, "We are not only targeting local fans, but also tourists from other countries."

The exhibition titled "Eiichiro Oda presents Hello, ONE PIECE Luffy is here!" offers virtual reality experience and displays a replica of cartoonist Oda's workplace.

The organizers anticipate 20,000 visitors to the exhibition which opened Saturday and runs through Oct. 18.
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Linkedin Martine Pauwels (Agence France-Presse) London  Tue, August 29, 2017 11:05 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae679ba 2 People Princess-Diana,prince-charles,Queen-Elizabeth,Britain,royals Free

Public anger at the monarchy following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales marked a turning point for the royal family, forcing a revolution in its communications machine that helped revive the brand.

While mourners left thousands of bouquets of flowers at the gates of Buckingham Palace and nearby Kensington Palace, the royal family was nowhere to be seen after Diana's death on August 31, 1997.

Prince Charles, divorced from Diana, and his mother Queen Elizabeth II remained at Balmoral Castle, their remote Scottish residence, saying nothing for days.

Despite the British public's mounting anger at the royal response -- or lack thereof -- it was not until the day before Diana's funeral that the queen finally broke her silence with a live broadcast to the nation.

This file photo taken on August 31, 1997 shows tributes placed by the gates of Buckingham Palace in London 31 August 1997 after it was announced that Diana, Princess of Wales, and her companion, the Egyptian millionai film-producer Dodi al-Fayed, died in Paris after a midnight car crash. 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 Diana's death on August 31, 1997, the royal family were nowhere to be seen. (AFP/Gerry Penny)

The monarch's distance from the public outpouring of grief for the woman dubbed the "people's 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 the 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, Diana's former private secretary, said the current image of the monarchy was the product of a "very sophisticated news management campaign".

The current media strategy focuses on distributing positive information about the monarchy, while at the same time protecting the royals' privacy.

Read also: Diana still wreaking revenge on Charles: Biographer

This file photo dated 5 November 1989 shows the Prince (L) and Princess of Wales watching Indonesian tribal dancers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Princess Diana rocked the monarchy when she leaked shocking details of palace life to author Andrew Morton, who told AFP the revelations are still causing damage 20 years after her death. (AFP/Kazuhiro Nogi)

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 subjects.

Charles, mocked for being haughty and stiff, has also gone through a revamp since his ex-wife's 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 public's gradual acceptance of Charles's 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 Diana's eldest son Prince William married Kate in a ceremony watched worldwide as Britons held street parties in the couple's 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".

Queen Elizabeth fell well and truly back in favour at the 2012 London Olympics, when she approved a stunt that appeared to show her leaping out of a helicopter into the stadium alongside secret agent James Bond, played by Daniel Craig.

"They want to be a more approachable, less aloof family... Not these upper-class aristocrats who don't understand the people," said Borkowski.

A television screen grab image taken on July 29, 2012, shows footage featured during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games starring British actor Daniel Craig (L) playing James Bond escorting Britain's Queen Elizabeth II through the corridors of Buckingham Palace. (LOCOG/AFP/File)

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," said Jobson.

And as the 91-year-old monarch slowly steps back from some royal duties, her grandchildren princes William and Harry are taking on more public roles -- aided by a well-oiled media machine that helped burnish their image in the public eye.

"The whole place has been revolutionised," Borkowski said.
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Linkedin Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 09:08 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae5b5df 4 Art & Culture ballet,#ballet,inclusive,dance,people-with-disabilities,disability,disability-equality Free

Fourteen dancers moved back and forth on the stage, slowly at first, but later each went at a different speed and style, walking or running. At any time, one would stop and dance solo or tap another on the shoulder and dance together before passing by again.

Like a passage of clouds that accumulate near the end, the dancers intertwined with each other in bigger and bolder movements before dispersing again.

With the performance, no one in the audience could tell that six of the dancers were hearing impaired until right at the end when they bowed and cheered by raising their hands and twisting the wrists rapidly in response to the applause.

The 20-minute contemporary number showcased at the Jakarta Play House on July 8 is a work in progress set to be performed at the second installment of the Indonesian Ballet Gala on Sept. 23. Themed An Inclusive Dance Event, people with different abilities alongside standard dancers from the United Kingdom, Australia, France, South Korea and Italy  besides the Indonesian group CANdoDANCE  will share the stage.

Mariska Febriyani, a co-founder of Ballet ID, the organization that initiated the Indonesian Ballet Gala in 2015, said the idea to hold the inclusive dance program came about from her experience attending the Unlimited Festival of Disability Arts in the UK last year.

Body language: Dancers of CANdoDANCE lie on the stage during a preview of their contemporary dance. (JP/Ibrahim Irsyad)

I doubted the inclusive dance program would work at first. I never danced with dancers with disabilities and I often asked myself if I could. Before this, I even thought that I couldnt teach disabled person to dance. But Im convinced now that what limits a person is not their physical body, but the fear inside their heads, said the ballerina who was once a resident of the Bangkok City Ballet.

Collaborating with the British Council, Ballet ID received help from the London-based Candoco Dance Company, a group that for the past 26 years has facilitated and opened up more opportunities for disabled dancers.

CANdoDANCE is a concrete form of Indonesia-UK collaboration within the framework of creative relations between the two countries, which is the spirit of the 2016-2018 UK/Indonesia program, said Paul Smith, the British Council director in Indonesia.

Its an extraordinary initiative that raises the issue of diversity and inclusiveness through the arts, not simply to showcase but to encourage everyone to share their creativity and to work together because everyone is gifted with unique abilities.

The 14 dancers were selected through an audition of 30 participants in June and went through a workshop with Candoco members Mirjam Gurtner and Tanja Erhart. In the workshop, the dancers practiced the choreography for five days before going on stage.

Conversation on stage: Dancers of CANdoDANCE present a preview of their contemporary dance performance that will be showcased during the second Indonesian Ballet Gala in September. Themed An Inclusive Dance Event, it will be held at Teater Jakarta in Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta, on Sept. 23. (JP/Ibrahim Irsyad)

We just created this specific structure together yesterday evening and as a choreographer, I changed things an hour ago, said Gurtner after the performance. To see them on stage step up their game and awareness of each other was really exciting to watch.

Erhart, a disabled dancer who lost a limb when she was six, said the dancers shared the same passion and commitment to the project.

In rehearsals, disabled and non-disabled is not a distinction anymore. There is no difference. We make this together, she said about the dance.

Although all the disabled dancers had little experience on stage and only had training in traditional dance, the group as a whole managed to minimize the gap between the members with their own common language  which required active engagement from each dancer and a lot of talk over finding solutions to every difficulty.

One of the hearing-impaired dancers, Isro, 25, said at first it was difficult to keep up with the more experienced, non-disabled dancers because there were no counts or beats to follow as in traditional dance training.

We have to be creative and make our own decisions on when and what to do next. But as soon as all of us interacted better, we could get over the difficulties, she said. Im not totally deaf and some of us wear hearing devices so we can follow the music if its played loud enough.

Her colleague, Anissa Rahmania, 24, said she decided to join the audition to prove that people with disabilities were no different to those who are not in expressing themselves through the arts.

Nia, as she is fondly called, was born deaf to deaf parents. She has been active since 2012 promoting inclusiveness for young people through her organization Young Voice. Being deaf, she said, is her identity.

When talking about inclusivity, most people see it only as acceptance toward people with different abilities, while all we need is engagement and access to many activities. That is why joining the dance event is important to us.

The Second Indonesia Ballet Gala: An Inclusive Dance Event will be held on Sept. 23 at Teater Jakarta, Taman Ismail Marzuki, in Cikini, Central Jakarta. There will be two shows in the day, starting at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Ticket prices range from Rp 280,000 (US20.98) to Rp 1.25 million, available at www.loket.com or www.ballet.id/gala2017.
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Linkedin Ganug Nugroho Adi (The Jakarta Post) Surakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 09:24 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae5bc5e 4 Art & Culture history,ianfu,sex-slavery,violence-against-women,gender-based-violence,sexual-violence Free

Ngadirah, an 80-year-old Ianfu survivor, talked about the horror she faced during the Japanese occupation before dozens of audience who gathered in a recent discussion to commemorate the firth International Ianfu Day at the Central Java Cultural Park (TBJT), Surakarta, Central Java.

Young women were reduced to a total wreck. All my peers and I could do nothing. If the Indonesian government cant take it, just go ahead. But if the government accepts such treatment, I have no choice, Ngadiah said in Javanese.

Ianfu is the term of address for comfort women in Japanese. However, visual artist and womens movement activist Dewi Candraningrum said this meaning is in fact misleading because the women were forced to serve as prostitutes against their own will. The young females werent just Javanese but also those from Japanese occupied countries, abducted from their homes and lured by job offers.

Read also: Honoring our former military sex slaves

These women were then sent to Japanese military brothels or lanjo. The buildings used for this purpose were mostly former dormitories left behind by the Dutch in Indonesia or local peoples houses deliberately vacated by the Japanese.

After their capture, they were locked up and put to use to satisfy the lust of Japanese soldiers. I think the word Ianfu should be fairly chosen to describe their condition under the system of sex slavery, Dewi said.

Dewi, who is also a lecturer at Muhammadiyah University, Surakarta (UMS), said the public still has minimum knowledge on the brutal practice, which has been declared as a war crime by the international community.

The discussion, along with Dewis painting exhibition and two repertories from choreographer Dwi Surni Cahyaningsih entitled Ianfu and Kamar 11(Room 11), serve as a reminder to the public and the government on the presence of Ianfu.

Dewis solo painting exhibition, titled Dokumen Rahim (Document of Compassion), presented 24 acrylic-painted canvases and shawls portraying Javanese women forced to serve as Ianfu or sex slaves by Japanese soldiers during 1942-1945.

Under pressure: A repertory of the Ianfu dance by choreographer Dwi Surni Cahyaningsih depicts the suffering of women forced to serve as sex slaves during the Japanese occupation of 1942-1945. (JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi)

It was unveiled the cruelty of sex slavery. The 24 portraits were displayed in close rows, some bearing names such as Mardiyem, Sumirah, Emah Kastimah, Sri Sukanti, Paini, Suharti, Umi Kulsum, Tukiyem, Ngadirah and Sugiyem.

Visitors would be able to feel the victims sadness and courage at the same time. All the works appeared in portraits facing forward with a fixed stare. There were accentuated wrinkles of old age to indicate their sorrow, pain but also strength.

Prior to the exhibition, Dewi had visited some of the survivors in Salatiga, Purwodadi, Karanganyar, Central Java and Gunungkidul, Yogyakarata to observe their daily lives, families and how they looked at the grim memories.

Through her paintings, she wanted to remind people of the fact that the female bodies were only viewed in terms of their beauty. Worse still, the physical beauty was seen from the perspective of pornography and women as the owners of these bodies were often cornered and blamed as the result.

Ianfu wasnt a mere group of comfort women but was more a form of systematic and planned sex slavery. Ianfu constituted an oppression of hundreds and even thousands of women in an obvious and sadistic manner, Dewi said.

Eka Hindra, a researcher who has been studying Ianfu since 1999, said such exhibition could become a form of documentation of Ianfu.

Other countries have voiced the Ianfu issue to secure the moral responsibility of the Japanese government, she said.

Eka added the Japanese government should apologize in person to the Ianfusurvivors and write the Ianfu history to inform its younger generation of the war crime.

Today Indonesian people have yelled Merdeka [freedom] for 72 years, but not for the Ianfu women. They still have to struggle for justice. Ianfu has become a historical episode that is yet declared or possibly covered up, Eka said.
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) San Francisco, United States  Tue, August 29, 2017 10:35 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae62651 2 People Mark-Zuckerberg,Priscilla-Chan,family,Facebook Free

Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife welcomed their second daughter -- August -- to the world on Monday with a post on the leading social network.

As they did with after the birth of their first daughter, Maxima, in late 2015, the couple wrote the girl a letter, but this one spoke of reveling in the wonder of childhood instead of visions of a better world on the horizon.

"You only get to be a child once, so don't spend it worrying too much about the future," said the letter signed by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan.

"You've got us for that, and we'll do everything we possibly can to make sure the world is a better place for you and all children in your generation."

Read also: Kendrick Lamar dominates a politically tinged MTV awards

A Zuckerberg Chan Initiative established by the couple has pledged billions of dollars to improving life for their children's generation with goals such as eliminating disease.

The Facebook co-founder is among billionaires who have vowed to donate most of their wealth to charitable causes.

"With all the advances in science and technology, your generation should live dramatically better lives than ours, and we have a responsibility to do our part to make that happen," the couple wrote, referring back to a letter written to their first daughter after her birth.

"But rather than write about growing up, we want to talk about childhood. The world can be a serious place. That's why it's important to make time to go outside and play."

And, like many parents, they expressed hope their new baby would sleep soundly and take frequent naps.
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Linkedin Aman Rochman (The Jakarta Post) Batu  Tue, August 29, 2017 09:49 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae5c074 4 Art & Culture batik,#batik,environment,#environment,EcoFriendlyBatik Free

Several workers draw apple-patterned batik designs on white cloth using a canting (spouted copper containers) during a chilly day in Batu, East Java.

They work for home-based batik maker Sumari Batik, which is located on Jl. Raya Ngajum in Pandanrejo village in Batu.

Sumari Batik produces batiks by mixing nature-based and chemical dyes.

Batu is famous for its fruit and vegetables, especially apples and strawberries, and this inspires Sumari Batik owner, Sumari, to adorn his batik with fruits of the city.

His work includes images of apples and strawberries, along with vegetables, kites, childrens faces and animals, including butterflies and Javas long-tailed monkeys.

In 1996, I returned home to craft wayang kulit [leather puppets] for wayang shows. As I got used to drawing batik designs on puppets, I began to apply the art to batik cloth, said the 49-year-old.

To dye the batik, Sumari uses chemicals and organic dyes made from apple and avocado leaves, tea, carrots, papaya and roses.

Batik painted with chemical dyes takes a month to produce, while that using natural dyes needs more than three months, depending on the intricacy of the motif.

The organic method requires the dyeing process to be repeated three times to produce bold colors. On the other hand, the chemical method needs only one dyeing process, and the batik cloths cannot be dried in the sun.

Sumari Batik founder Sumari. (JP/Aman Rochman)

While the organic method takes longer, batik cloths produced using this method will also last longer than the chemical-based ones.

Natural colors make batik cloths last longer and dont trigger an allergic reaction, particularly in people who are sensitive to chemicals, Sumari said.

Sumari Batik produces 100 chemical-based batik cloths monthly and 20 organic-based ones every three months.

The products have earned a respectable reputation among batik enthusiasts in Indonesia and in the foreign market since Sumari officially opened Sumari Batik in 2003.

In Indonesia, Sumari sells his Batik to Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Denpasar at a minimum price of Rp 450,000 (US$33.7) for the chemical-based products and Rp1.5 million for each organic-based piece.

Colorful: Finished batik products adorned with vibrant motifs. (JP/Aman Rochman)

As for the foreign market, Sumari has shipped his products to the Netherlands, Japan and France.

Consumers from the Netherlands like Batik bearing childrens faces in wayang style and Japanese consumers are fond of fruit and plant motifs, which they say are good for their health, he said.

Sumari hopes to further expand his business, but he is finds it difficult to raise his production capacity as batik makers are rare in Batu, which is a farming region.

In addition, Sumari also finds it too expensive and complicated to obtain patents for the motifs he has invented. Nevertheless, Sumari is not worried about the possibility of his designs being stolen or copied.

If someone steals or copies my designs, then Ill just make new ones because my creativity cannot be plagiarized, he said.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 06:00 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae56744 1 City Blue-bird-taxi,driver,punishment,video Free

Blue Bird taxi company has disciplined one of its drivers after a video recording him scolding a foreigner went viral on Monday.

The drivers anger was apparently triggered by an accident involving the taxi and the foreigners car, which caused damage to the taxis front fender.

The details of the accident remain unknown. The foreigner vehicles plate indicated that it was a diplomatic car.

In the video, the taxi driver cursed the foreigner using Indonesian and broken English.

Do you think I am afraid with you? This is Indonesia you know, think, think, think, the driver shouted.

The driver also asked the foreigner to do something about the damage to his car.

You must compensate it, the bumper is broken, you must replace it, this one, Indonesia, he said.

Meanwhile, the foreigner looked busy on his cell phone. "No England, no USA, you know. I am no crazy, you crazy. I am not afraid with the police," he added.

Blue Bird spokesperson Teguh Wijayanto said the incident occurred on Saturday in the Senayan area, South Jakarta.

We have tried to resolve the problem,Teguh said Monday, as quoted by kompas.com.

The taxi driver, Teguh added, had been disciplined but he declined to give further details about the matter.

If we look at the damage, it might have been caused by grazing because the [foreigners] car is higher. The damage is on the right side. Compensation will be handled internally. We regret this incident but it can be resolved with care, Teguh said. (wnd)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 06:30 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae5769f 1 National defense,submarine,Navy,South-Korea Free

A brand new South Korean-made submarine arrived on Monday at the Indonesian naval base in Surabaya, East Java, to join the country's maritime defense system on Monday.

After traveling 15 days from the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) facility in Okpo, South Korea, the new submarine, the first of three ordered Type 209/1400 Chang Bogo-class submarines, was introduced in a ceremony during which it was christened the KRI Nagapasa 403.

"It was sent directly from Okpo, South Korea, to Surabaya," Navy chief Adm. Ade Supandi said as quoted by tempo.co.

Ade said the new submarine would join two German-made submarines purchased in the 1980s, currently operated by the Indonesian Navy.

The Chang Bogo-class diesel-electric attack submarine was handed over by South Korean defense contractor DSME on Aug. 2.

The second submarine is currently being constructed at the DSME facility and will be delivered in the near future. The third submarine will be built by state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL in Surabaya under a technology transfer agreement.

Indonesia and South Korea sealed a $1.1 billion contract for the three Nagapasa-class diesel-electric submarines in December 2011 as part of the Ministry of Defenses 2024 Defense Strategic Plan, which calls for the acquisition of at least ten new submarines.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 07:00 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae58634 1 City Depok,rape Free

Police in Depok, West Java, have released a sketch of a suspected rapist who attacked a woman in her home in Cilodong on Aug. 24.

Depok Police spokesperson Adj. Firdaus said on Monday that the police have gathered information from the victim and got the description of the perpetrator that will be used to develop the case investigation.

The rapist also stole Rp 1 million (US$75) in cash and two cell phones.

The victim was sleeping alone at her home at 1 a.m. when she was awoken by a black out. The attacker was in her room and warned her not to scream before raping her. (wnd)

Topics : Depok rape
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 09:00 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae5a86c 1 City cemetery,Buddhist Free

The South Jakarta administration is set to extend Tanah Kusir public cemetery in Kebayoran Lama for use by Buddhists.

The land for clearing is in the Buddhist plot of 1.9 hectares, said South Jakarta Forestry head Christian Tamora on Monday, as quoted by kompas.com.

According to Christian, the land has been available for some time but needed to be leveled before being used as burial plots as it was swampy.

Hence, the agency needs around 10,000 cubic meters of soil to fill it in.

The agency is collaborating with Jakarta Bina Marga road agency to conduct the filling in and it expects the land to be usable next month. (wnd)

Topics : cemetery Buddhist
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 08:00 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae59281 1 Business PT-Garam,salt-factory,East-Nusa-Tenggara Free

State-owned salt producer PT Garam will develop a salt field on 3,720 hectares of idle land owned by private company PT Panggung Guna Ganda Semesta (PGGS) in East Nusa Tenggaras (NTT) provincial capital of Kupang, an official has said.

PT Pangung and PT Garam are negotiating a business-to-business arrangement, said the Agrarian and Spatial Planning Ministrys spatial use and land control director general, Budi Situmorang, in Jakarta on Monday.

The land is controlled by PT PGGS with a certificate for the right to cultivate land issued in 1992.

Earlier this month, the ministry issued an order to PT Pangung to find a partner to turn the property into a salt production facility.

PT Panggung claims that the company could not develop the land because it was illegally occupied by people.

Budi said the development of the land into a salt field was expected to provide the people, formerly citizens of East Timor, with jobs.

Previously, Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said the government planned to develop salt fields on 5,000 hectares of idle land in the province in an effort to address the scarcity of the commodity.

The new salt fields will use technology offered by the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology.

The technology is said to shorten the production process from 15 days to only four days. (dis/bbn)
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Tue, August 29, 2017 20:15 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae7f139 2 World trump,Japan,missile-launch,NorthKorea,KimJongUn Free

US President Donald Trump warned Tuesday that "all options" remained under consideration after North Korea launched a missile over Japan.

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," the White House said in a statement.

"All options are on the table."

The statement said that the world "has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior."

The statement reiterates Trump's past threats to use military action to resolve the ongoing crisis with North Korea, including an apocalyptic warning of raining "fire and fury" on North Korea after Pyongyang last month carried out two ICBM tests.

Pyongyang in turn threatened to fire a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam.

Trump also spoke by phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe following the missile launch.

"The two leaders agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, as well as to countries around the world," the White House said in a separate statement.

"President Trump and Prime Minister Abe committed to increasing pressure on North Korea, and doing their utmost to convince the international community to do the same."
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Linkedin Aman Rochman (The Jakarta Post) Malang, East Java  Tue, August 29, 2017 23:00 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae83d06 1 National village-fund,village-funds,Malang,East-Java,corruption,Bibit-samad,graft Free

Alleged corruption related to the use of village funds has hampered the absorption of the funds in Malang, East Java, according to reports.

We are afraid that the use of village funds will lead to legal problems, said Bambang Hariarso, head of Telekung village in Batu, Malang, on Monday.

We are still confused about technical matters related to the use of village funds that should be in line with existing regulations [...].

Village Funds task force head Bibit Samad Riyanto said his institution had received 30 complaints on village fund irregularities and misuses.

He said three main problems had been identified in the monitoring of village funds, namely delayed disbursement, the misuse of funds and irregularities.

These problems were reportedly caused by non-synchronized regulations, technical problems and intentional irregularities by village fund administrators, among others.

We had seen some weaknesses in every stage of the implementation of village funds, starting from planning to reporting activities. There are worries among village apparatuses that incautious implementation of village funds may have legal impacts. Hence, there should be training programs on technical matters that village leaders should pay attention to in using the funds, said Bibit on Monday.

He further said the government would impose tough sanctions on any of the alleged irregularities. This can be traced from programs and fund disbursement plans in each village, said Bibit. (yon/ebf)
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Linkedin Jon Afrizal (The Jakarta Post) Jambi  Tue, August 29, 2017 22:49 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae832da 1 National haj,haj-fund,haj-pilgrimage,haj-pilgrims,Jambi,Religious-Affairs-Ministry Free

The Religious Affairs Ministrys Jambi office is investigating a suspected haj fraud case involving the Fathonah Haj Pilgrimage Counseling Group (KBIH Fathonah), which has allegedly failed to dispatch 33 would-be pilgrims to Mecca.

Abdullah Saman, head of the haj and umrah (minor haj) division at the Religious Affairs Ministrys Jambi office, said KBIH Fathonah officials had already provided their statements in the case.

Two KBIH Fathonah officials named Somad and M. Fikri have come to us. We have started to collect data and they promised to take responsibility of the problem, Saman said on Tuesday.

Somad and Fikri had vowed to refund the haj fees of six would-be pilgrims, but refused to repay 27 others because they had registered through agents, Saman added.

The government will revoke KBIH Fathonahs business permit should the investigation uncover proof of fraud.

Saman said his office would coordinate with the police if it received more reports from other KBIH Fathonah clients.

KBIH Fathonah has been operating since 2010 with a valid permit, which is renewed every two years. (yon/ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 19:42 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae7e1ce 1 Business automotive,luxury-car,tax,Gaikindo Free

The Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers Association (Gaikindo) chairman Jongkie Sugiarto said on Tuesday that the association had long lobbied the Finance Ministry to reduce the luxury tax on sedans.

He said the cut in luxury tax for sedans from 30 to 10 percent, a similar rate for multi-purpose vehicles, would encourage producers to manufacture more sedans, not only for the domestic market but also for export.

"Because of cheaper taxes, Indonesia has now become the king of MPVs, but our exports are just 200,000 units per year, from a total production of 1.3 million, Jongkie said during a discussion on the automotive industry organized by the Indonesian Business Data Center (PDBI) in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Thailand produces 2 million units of vehicles per year, but it exports 1.2 million because they produce everything from sedans and pickups to MPVs. The Thai government also does not discriminate in the taxes on the automotive products."

He said Gaikindo had already hired experts at University of Indonesia's Institute for Economic and Social Research (LPEM UI) to carry out independent research on the issue and the result was that a luxury-tax cut on sedans would increase sales by 17 percent.

This year, Gaikindo's efforts received support from Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto, but it was still struggling to convince the Finance Ministry.

"We have lobbied for so long [the Finance Ministry], but it has not moved," Jongkie said, adding that the association had proposed the tax cut since 2011. (bbn)
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Linkedin Theresia Sufa (The Jakarta Post) Bogor, West Java  Tue, August 29, 2017 22:05 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae82a05 1 City bogor,damaged-schools,schools,Education-and-Culture-Ministry,infrastructure,infrastructure-development,YAPPIKA-ActionAid Free

Bogor regency is home to the highest number of damaged schools in Indonesia, due largely to an insufficient budget for infrastructure development, inaccurate data collection and poor construction monitoring, according to a joint initiative between the Civil Society Alliance for Democracy (YAPPIKA) and ActionAid.

A roadmap to accelerate repairs of damaged school has been launched to help improve the education infrastructure of Bogor regency, YAPPIKA-ActionAid executive director Fransiska Fitri said during a public dialogue on Monday.

The event also launched a book that recorded key issues in the advocacy of safe and comfortable schools.

Jointly composed by YAPPIKA-ActionAid, the Indonesia Legislative Observer Committee (KOPEL), the Bogor regency administration and the Bogor Regency Legislative Council (DPRD), the road map contains strategies to complete the repairs of damaged classrooms by maximizing the use of regional resources, local budgets and the involvement of private entities and the public.

Education talk: YAPPIKA-ActionAid ambassador Reza Rahardian (wearing a red t-shirt), Bogor Regency Legislative Council Speaker Jaro Ade (center right, in a white shirt), and the Bogor regency administrations regional secretary Adang Suptandar (right) attend a public dialogue on damaged schools in Bogor on Aug.28. (JP/Theresia Sufa)

According to the 2016 Bogor Basic Education Data (Dapodik), 8,620 state elementary school classrooms and 1,407 state junior high school classrooms in the regency show various levels of damage.

Based on 2016 Bogor Education Agency data, 188,349 students are forced to attend lessons under unsafe and uncomfortable conditions.

Meanwhile, 140,820 other children have to carry out learning activities in partitioned-classrooms and on the terrace of local residents houses, Fransiska said.

Bogor Regency Education and Culture Agency head Lutfi Syam conceded that because of budget constraints, his agency could only build schools that must be renovated after 10 years of use. (yon/ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 15:09 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae70fd4 1 City Cikampek-toll-road,truck Free

To avoid gridlock affecting homeward-bound traffic on Idul Adha (Sacrifice Day), trucks will be forbidden to use the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road on Friday, toll road operator Jasa Marga has said.

Based on a letter issued by the Transportation Ministry, trucks are prohibited, Jasa Marga Jakarta-Cikampek traffic management deputy general manager Cece Kosasih said on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com.

He said the ban would run not only from Thursday midnight to Friday at 12 p.m. but also on Sunday from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., adding that he was confident the move would help ease traffic congestion at the capitals main land gateway.

Acting land transportation director general Hindro Surahmat said trucks carrying daily needs and fuel would be exempt from the ban. (fac)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 18:08 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae79d14 1 City East-Jakarta,land-dispute Free

Residents of Kayu Putih in East Jakarta plan to file a lawsuit with the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) challenging a gubernatorial decree on land acquisition in their area.

The challenge relates to Gubernatorial Decree No. 1323/2017 on the acquisition of a plot on Jl. Pulomas Selatan, Kampung Baru in Kayu Putih, which they claim belongs to residents.

The decree stipulates that the 541-square-meter plot, which had been earmarked for the administrations revitalization program, was transferred to Nurdin Tampubolon, a House of Representatives' member from the Hanura Party, for Rp 7 billion (US$524,699) in 2014.

Following the issuance of the decree Nurdin built a wall on the land earlier this month and closed residents' access.

He reportedly plans to build an office building for his television company.

The residents protested the move by holding a demonstration on Monday at City Hall and the City Council building.

They said that there had been no warning prior to the construction. They also claimed that the land did not belong to the administration but to the community.

The city administration suggested they submit a letter of complaint to Jakarta Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat and the council offered to mediate among the residents, Nurdin and the city administration.

Nurdin himself said that he did not need to ask permission from residents to build the wall as he had bought the land legally from the administration. (agn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 21:51 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae8128b 1 City bogor,fire Free

The badly burned body of an elderly man was found dead in a plantation in Bogor, West Java, on Saturday. It appears that the victim was burning trash at the time of his death.

Bogor Disaster Mitigation Agencys emergency and logistics head Sumardi said on Tuesday that the accident began when 70-year-old Karim set fire to trash and the fire spread to other peoples plantations.

We think that the man tried to extinguish the blaze but then he became exhausted and collapsed, said Sumardi as quoted on wartakota.tribunnews.com.

Karims son-in-law went looking for him at 4:30 p.m. and discovered the body of Karim with burns to his face and body. (syl)

Topics : bogor fire
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 13:31 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae6ce7e 1 Business Freeport-Indonesia,divestment,Freeport-shares,smelter,construction Free

Gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) has finally agreed to divest 51 percent of its shares and to other terms related to its contractual extension, after a long tug-of-war negotiation with the Indonesian government.

Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of US mining giant Freeport McMoRan, also agreed to convert its contract of work (CoW) into a Special Mining License (IUPK), build a smelter within the next five years and increase its contribution to state revenues from its Grasberg mine in Papua, announced a government-Freeport joint press conference on Tuesday.

In return, Freeports contract, originally set to expire in 2021, will be extended to 2041 under the new terms.

Read also: Talks on Freeport divestment in final stretch

Freeport McMoRan CEO Richard Adkerson said the compromise with the government was essential for the firm because although the open mine reserves were depleting, his company had seen large potential in its underground mine.

PTFI plans to invest US$20 billion over the next two decades, with $17 billion to be invested by 2031, he added.

To reach our objectives meant that we have to be willing to cooperate and build a smelter and divest 51 percent. We are working cooperatively with the government to achieve the objectives, Adkerson said during the press conference.

We have agreed to increase Indonesian ownership from 9.36 percent to 51 percent over time in a way that compensates the fair market value. We still have work to do to reach the compromise, he said. (bbn)
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Linkedin Katie Schubauer and Jenny Matthew (Agence France-Presse) Houston, United States  Tue, August 29, 2017 09:39 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae5be8d 2 World Hurricane-Harvey,US,SearchAndRescue,flooding Free

Rescue teams in boats, trucks and helicopters scrambled Monday to reach hundreds of Texans marooned on flooded streets in and around the city of Houston before monster storm Harvey returns.

US President Donald Trump promised that the federal government would be on hand to help Texas along the "long and difficult road to recovery" from the historic storm.

The medical examiner's office for Harris County, which includes the city of Houston, confirmed six deaths since Sunday "potentially tied to Hurricane Harvey." Three people were previously known to have died as a result of the storm.

But officials also warned that the danger has not yet passed, with more families still stranded or packed into emergency shelters and the tropical storm once more gathering strength on the Gulf coast.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said more than 8,000 people had been brought, soaking and desperate, to shelters in America's fourth largest city, and defended the decision not to evacuate before Harvey struck over the weekend.

"Search and rescue, that's the number one emphasis, the number one priority for the rest of the day," he said, recalling that around 100 people had died the last time officials tried to empty the city of more than six million.

The 911 emergency line has received more than 75,000 calls, but city officials urged residents facing life-threatening storm water floods to remain on the line and trust that help will come.

Houston fire chief Samuel Pena urged patience, promising: "We fully recognize there are many other people out there in distress situations and we intend to get to every one of them."

Coast Guard commander Vice Admiral Karl Shultz told CNN that he had 18 helicopters in Houston, and weather permitting about 12 in the air at any one time, alongside those of the National Guard.

"If you can get to your roof, wave a towel. Leave a marking on the roof so helicopter crews can see you," he said, describing the volume of emergency calls as "staggering."
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Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 12:18 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae6a15b 1 National missile,missile-launch,missile-test,North-Korea,Japan,South-Korea,Korean-peninsula,Foreign-Affairs-Ministry Free

The Foreign Ministry has issued a statement condemning North Koreas launch of a missile, which flew over Japan early Tuesday, saying it had escalated tensions in the region.

Indonesia condemns the missile test carried out by North Korea on Aug. 28, which passed though another country's airspace and was thus a dangerous flight path," the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Pyongyang fired a missile that flew over Japan and landed in waters off the northern region of Hokkaido early Tuesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said.

The missile, which experts said appeared to have been a recently developed intermediate-range Hwasong-12, was the first instance in which Pyongyang had posed a clear and present danger to neighboring countries. The missile test came as US and South Korean forces are at odds with North Korea over military drills it has conducted on the Korean peninsula.

Underscoring the importance of stability in the region, Indonesia for the umpteenth time has called on all nations to contribute to the establishment of peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.

The ministry also urged all parties to fully comply with their international responsibilities, which includes UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

"The test was a clear violation of North Korea's responsibilities with regard to relevant UNSC resolutions, particularly Resolutions 2270 (2016), 2321 (2016), 2356 (2017) and 2371 (2017)," the ministry stated. (ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 22:01 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae81a4a 1 National #KPK,KPK,corruption,#corruption,Tegal Free

Investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested on Tuesday Siti Masitha Soeparno, the mayor of Tegal in Cental Java on allegation of corruption.



KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo has confirmed about the anti-graft body's operation in Central Java, but he declined to give details regarding the arrest.



"The arrest took place in Central Java. Let's wait [for the details to be revealed in] a press conference," Agus said on Tuesday evening, as quoted by kompas.com.

Siti was believed to be arrested while chairing a meeting at the city hall of Tegal.



KPK is planning to announce her arrest on Wednesday.

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo also confirmed that Siti had been apprehended by the KPK on Thursday.

"I have given warnings that their places are not beyond reach. They are constantly monitored," Ganjar said as quoted by tempo.co.

Siti is not the first mayor of Tegal to face an investigation by the anti-graft body. Her predecessor, Ikmal Jaya was sent to prison in 2015 for corruption surrounding a botched land procurement case.

(ipa)
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Linkedin Djemi Amnifu (The Jakarta Post) Kupang  Tue, August 29, 2017 14:46 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae6fb4a 1 Business Binusindo-Energi-Indonesia,oil,terminal,East-Nusa-Tenggara,Kupang Free

East Nusa Tenggara-based PT Binusindo Energi Indonesia (BEI) is investing Rp 1.5 trillion (US$112.39 million) in an oil terminal in the Bolok Industrial Estate in the provincial capital of Kupang.

Construction of the terminal is to support the government program to meet energy demand in the province, said Binusindo president director Fabianus Banase on the sidelines of the project's groundbreaking ceremony on Monday.

The construction of the Kupang Oil Storage Terminal is expected to be completed within two years to anticipate increasing energy demand as a result of the growing tourist industry and other business activities in the province, he said.

Fabianus said his company also planned to construct compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquid natural gas (LNG) distribution centers in the industrial estate as an alternative energy for small, medium and large enterprises.

He said the industries that were and would be developed on the 20-hectare Bolok Industrial Estate included storage businesses, independent power plants, factories of N2 and OC gases and a water treatment plant.

Fabianus said his company also planned to operate outside NTT, including possible investment in neighboring Timor Leste.

Meanwhile, NTT Governor Frans Lebu Raya welcomed the construction of the oil terminal, but stressed that any business operating in the province should benefit local people.

We understand any investment expects profit, but the local people should also benefit from the industry, he said, adding that locals should be prioritized for employment. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 17:29 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae770d8 1 City Presidential-Palace,paspampres,social-media Free

A naked man whose attempt to enter the Presidential Palace was foiled on Monday, tested positive for methamphetamine use, the police have said.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said on Tuesday that the 33-year-old man, identified only as BS, tested positive after undergoing a urine test on Monday.

He did not have the drug in his possession, but he tested positive, Argo said on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com.

The Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) caught BS attempting to enter the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Monday morning.

The man approached the palace via the Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara entrance, which was tightly guarded by Paspampres and military police personnel, who immediately apprehended him.

In a video uploaded on Facebook by a netizen with the account name Novita Sitinjak, it can be seen that BS attempted to escape from the three Paspampres members who caught him. The incident, which occurred at 7:35 a.m., became a media highlight on Monday. (fac)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29 2017

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati warned on Sunday politicians against abusing the annual funding for political parties, which had been significantly increased by the government.

The state budget is not for private gain, not to enrich oneself. The ideal purpose is to meet the national goals, Sri Mulyani said in her speech as quoted by tempo.co.

She said the party funding was designed to improve the capacity of political parties in carrying out their role as the peoples political representation. The government has increased funding for political parties from Rp 108 (less than 1 US cent) to Rp 1,000 per valid vote per year. The Political Party Law stipulates that besides state funds, the financial sources of party funding also include members dues and legal donations from private agencies.

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Linkedin Sebastian Berger (Agence France-Presse) Seoul, South Korea  Tue, August 29, 2017 09:21 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae5b698 2 World North-Korea,missile-launch,Japan,kim-jong-un,PacificCoast Free

Nuclear-armed North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday in a major escalation by Pyongyang amid tensions over its weapons ambitions.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was an "unprecedented, serious and grave threat" and called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting.

The last time a North Korean rocket overflew Japan was in 2009, when Pyongyang said it was satellite launch. Washington, Seoul and Tokyo believed it was a clandestine test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Pyongyang last month carried out two overt ICBM tests that appeared to bring much of the US mainland within reach for the first time and heightened strains in the region.

At the time, US President Donald Trump issued an apocalyptic warning of raining "fire and fury" on the North, saying Washington's weapons were "locked and loaded", while Pyongyang threatened to fire a salvo of missiles over Japan towards the US territory of Guam.

The latest missile was launched at around 2057 GMT Monday from Sunan, near Pyongyang, travelling "over Japan", the South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

It flew around 2,700 kilometres (1,700 miles) at a maximum altitude of around 550 kilometres.

Guam is about 3,500 kilometres from North Korea -- although the missile was fired in an easterly direction and not towards the US outpost, home to 160,000 people and host to major military facilities.

Abe said the overflight was an "outrageous act" that "greatly damages regional peace and security", telling reporters Tokyo had protested to Pyongyang.

In a 40-minute telephone call with Trump, he said, the two allies had agreed to "further strengthen pressure against North Korea".
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 18:30 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae7b9f3 1 Business Jokowi,investment,Standard-and-Poor Free

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has reminded relevant officials in his administration that now is the time for Indonesia to attract more investments as the country is scoring well in global surveys and has a stable economic situation.

The President explained that since Indonesia had received better investment grades from the three main global ratings agencies, it should be easier for the country to convince investors to disburse their money.

In May, Standard & Poor's raised Indonesia's long-term sovereign credit rating to BBB-. Fitch Ratings, upgraded Indonesia's sovereign debt rating to investment grade in 2011, followed by Moody's Investor Services in 2012.

"This is the right time now because Indonesia has gained the confidence of the world. We must take advantage. There will not be a second or third chance. The opportunity is in our hands," he said during the opening of a Cabinet meeting in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

However, he noted that lengthy red-tape was still hindering many who wanted to invest in Indonesia. He also cited ministerial decrees that were issued without sufficient studies and without proper consultation.

Therefore, he warned his ministers to refrain from issuing regulations and policies that were not based on in-depth studies or in consultation with relevant stakeholders, because the results would be contrary to the public interest. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 14:55 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae70277 1 National hoax,fake-news,false-information,false-news,Rudiantara,Communications-and-Information-Ministry,saracen,National-Police Free

Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara has indicated that online news syndicate Saracen would not be shut down until a police investigation had been completed.

It has not yet been blocked. This decision was based on our coordination with the National Police because they are also investigating the Saracen site, not just its Facebook presence, Rudiantara said as quoted by kompas.com in Jakarta on Monday.

When asked about content of the Saracennews.com news site, which has been accused of containing hatred or hostility based on ethnicity, religion, race or societal group (SARA), Rudiantara said that was what the police were investigating.

However, he confirmed, there was a connection between the Saracen site and those arrested for the alleged distribution of information containing hate speech via Facebook.

Rudiantara said the perpetrators had uploaded content that violated the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, particularly articles 27, 28, and 29 on the spreading of information containing SARA elements.

Weve seen that Saracennews.com and a Facebook account are connected. One cannot be separated from the other; hence, we will take measures, said Rudiantara.

Last Wednesday, the police arrested three people accused of acting as Saracens administrators since July. The three, identified as Jasriadi, MFT and SRN, have been declared suspects for allegedly spreading hate speech and hoaxes on social media.

The group is believed to have spread hoaxes and hate speech against President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo" and former Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, among others. (yon/ebf)
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Linkedin Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura, Papua  Tue, August 29, 2017 17:46 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae78adf 1 National HIV,HIV-AIDS,AIDS,Papua,mother-to-child-transmissions,health-ministry Free

The Papua administration is stepping up efforts to prevent the spread of HIV by providing antibody tests to pregnant women seeking healthcare services at hospitals or community health centers.

By finding pregnant women who test positive for HIV, health authorities can take measures to prevent the transmission of the chronic disease to their babies.

This is one of the ways to cut the HIV transmission chain in Papua, Papua Health Agency secretary Silwanus Sumule said in a public dialogue in Jayapura on Tuesday.

The Health Ministrys HIV sub-directorate official Triya Novita Dinihari said the government was aiming to achieve the three zeroes by 2030, during which Indonesia would see no more new HIV/AIDS infections, AIDS-related deaths or stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS (ODHA).

Triya said all stakeholders must work together because preventing HIV/AIDS was not the sole responsibility of the Health Ministry.

All societal elements, including religious and traditional leaders and community figures, must be involved. This is because introducing HIV control and prevention in grassroots communities will be effective only if it involves leaders in society, said Triya.

Data shows that 97 percent of HIV infections in Papua have been transmitted via sexual intercourse. Around 16,620, 57.57 percent, of total HIV cases in the province affect people at the productive age of between 25 and 49 years.

The Papua Health Agency records that as of June, it found 27,771 HIV/AIDS cases, which had spread in the province since 1992. Of the total, 10,134 cases are HIV while the remaining cases are AIDS, of which 1,883 patients have died. (ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 18:06 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae78c45 1 Politics FPI,clerics,Rizieq-Shihab,police,pornography Free

The Jakarta Police maintain that they will not drop the investigation into the pornography case involving leader of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab.

Head of the Jakarta Polices special crimes unit Sr. Comr. Ade Deriyan said the ongoing investigation had uncovered evidence of criminal activity.

"Police investigators have come to the conclusion that there has been a criminal offense," Ade said as quoted by tempo.co.

Ade added that investigators handling the case had already collected enough evidence to incriminate Rizieq.

"Investigators have completed all stages of the investigation and they believe that all evidence has been collected," Ade said.

Lawyers for Rizieq have called on the police to drop their probe into the firebrand cleric, saying that allegations against their client are based on doctored evidence.

Rizieq was named a suspect in the pornography case following the dissemination of sexually explicit WhatsApp chats allegedly between him and Firza Hussein, who has also been named a suspect in the case.

Earlier this month, police investigators questioned Rizieq in Saudi Arabia, where he has resided since May, shortly after being named a suspect in the case. (mtr)
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 21:17 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae80a14 1 National First-Travel,umrah,umrah-pilgrims,PPATK,Bareskrim Free

The Financial Transaction Report and Analysis Center (PPATK) has frozen at least 50 bank accounts belonging to First Travel, a travel agency suspected to have siphoned off money from would-be umrah (minor haj) travelers.

PPATK chairman Kiagus Ahmad Badaruddin said the amount of money in the 50 bank accounts reached Rp 7 billion (US$524,619). The agency has also frozen seven insurance accounts, Kiagus said.

We have handed over findings from our investigation and analysis to Bareskrim [the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department] for a follow-up, Kiagus said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He said that the PPATK had managed to get information regarding the flow of funds used by First Travel owner and president director Andika Surachman to buy 40 percent shares of a restaurant in London, UK.

We have traced details from transactions related [to the share purchase]. We will find more about the remaining funds, Kiagus said.

Bareskrim has named Andika a suspect in an alleged fraud and money laundering case, together with her wife Anniesa Hasibuan, owner and director of First Travel, and her sister, Siti Nuraidah Hasibuan.

The police said First Travels suspected umrah scam practices inflicted at least Rp 848.70 billion losses upon 58,682 would-be pilgrims. (ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 19:57 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae7e30e 1 Politics kalla,election,Jokowi,vice-president Free

A senior Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician has proposed Vice President Jusuf Kalla to serve as campaign team chairman for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's reelection bid in the 2019 general election.

Tjahjo Kumolo, who is also Home Minister in Jokowi's administration said that if Kalla decided not to join the 2019 race as Jokowi's running mate, he would be best-suited for the position.

"This is my personal opinion and this does not mean that we have shut the door for his [Kalla's] candidacy," Tjahjo said as quoted by kompas,com.

Tjahjo added that political parties in the ruling coalition had already prepared their candidates to run as Jokowi's running mate in the next presidential election.

"But if Pak Kalla wished to run again as the President's running mate, then parties in the coalition should talk about it again," Tjahjo said.

Many have speculated that Kalla, who would turn 77 in 2019, would not join Jokowi's ticket in the 2019 presidential election.

Last week, Kalla had to hold a press conference to dispel rumors circulating on social media that he had to be rushed to a Singaporean hospital for ill health.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Tue, August 29, 2017 10:16 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae61f3c 2 World trump,Russia-meddling,collaboration,Putin Free

Donald Trump's real estate company actively pursued plans for a commercial development in Moscow while he was running for president, Trump Organization lawyers said in documents reviewed and reported by US media Monday.

The involvement by the then-candidate in a proposed commercial property in Russia contradicts Trump's repeated declarations during the presidential campaign that he had no business ties to the country.

The deal, in which a Trump Tower-style edifice was planned for Moscow, reached the "letter of intent" stage, but ultimately was not finalized, the Trump Organization's chief counsel at the time, Michael Cohen, told ABC News in a statement.

"Certain documents in the production reference a proposal for 'Trump Tower Moscow,' which contemplated a private real estate development in Russia," Cohen said.

The decision to pursue the proposal was "unrelated" to Trump's presidential campaign, Cohen said. But he added that he personally told Trump about the proposal "on three occasions, including signing a non-binding letter of intent in 2015."

According to ABC, the revelation came as Cohen's attorney provided several documents and emails to US congressional investigators.

The commercial proposal was first reported Monday by The Washington Post.

The newspaper detailed how a Russian-born real estate developer, Felix Sater, urged Trump to push the deal.

Sater also boasted of his ties to Vladimir Putin, saying he could get the Russian president to say "great things" about Trump, according to people briefed on the exchange.

"Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it," Sater wrote in a November 2015 email quoted by The New York Times.
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Linkedin Fadwa Hodali and Jonathan Ferziger (Bloomberg) Tel Aviv, Israel  Tue, August 29, 2017 22:59 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae835bf 2 World Israel,Palestine,UN,Two-State-Solution Free

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to stop settlement construction in the West Bank and pledged his commitment to a two-state solution.

Guterres spoke in Ramallah a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went to a West Bank settlement 30 miles to the north and said he will never remove any of the more than 100 Jewish enclaves in the territory that Israel captured in 1967. U.S. President Donald Trump has declined to endorse establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel, saying the two sides must thrash out a solution themselves.

There is no plan B for the two-state solution, Guterres said Tuesday after meeting Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. We believe that settlement activity is illegal under international law. Its an obstacle to the two-state solution.

Palestinians have expressed frustration with Trumps approach and are trying to ratchet up international pressure for a settlement freeze, an action Netanyahu dismisses as useless. Last weeks visit by the U.S. negotiating team led by Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner left Palestinians impatient for an American plan that might renew peace talks, which have been frozen since 2014.

They promised to come back in a few weeks with clearer answers, Hamdallah said of the Trump negotiators at a news conference with the UN chief.

Guterres is scheduled to spend the third day of his trip in the Gaza Strip, where he will visit UN facilities but wont meet with its militant Hamas rulers. The group called his planned visit to the territory unwelcome.

Although he lashed out at the UN on Tuesday for an absurd obsession with Israel, Netanyahu told Guterres a day earlier that he expects to open a new page with the organization. Israel is currently seeking a seat on the Security Council, vying with Germany and Belgium.

The Israeli leader, who is trying to strengthen international alliances, has made several trips to Africa over the past year and is planning to visit Argentina, Colombia and Mexico next month before addressing the UN General Assembly in New York. He has also said Arab states in the Persian Gulf that were once enemies are now cultivating wider ties with Israel.

None of this is likely to impact UN voting patterns that regularly condemn Israels settlement construction and 50-year occupation of the West Bank, said Jonathan Rynhold, a researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv.

I dont think its within Israels ability to change things structurally, he said.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 22:30 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae8323c 1 World Myanmar,UNHCR,Rakhine,Rakhine-state,Rohingya,Rohingya-people,refugees Free

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has communicated with the Bangladesh government about its readiness to support the country in helping Rohingya refugees fleeing across the border.

It was estimated that, as of Sunday, some 5,200 people had entered Bangladesh from Myanmar since Thursday. Several thousands were reported to be in locations along the Myanmar side of the border.

UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards said that in Bangladesh, some people were in cordoned-off areas near the border while others were in the Kutupalong area.

Most of them are women, children, or the elderly, and there have been reports of wounded people among them, said Edwards in a statement posted on the UNHCR official website on Tuesday.

UNHCR underscores UN Secretary General Antonio Guterress statement on Monday, in which he condemned the violence in Rakhine State.

Aid efforts involving Bangladeshi authorities, local communities, UNHCR partners and NGOs have been underway, including getting food, water and medical help to the new arrivals, he said.

Rapid needs assessments are being planned. However, with the precarious situation inside Myanmar, we are concerned that numbers of people needing help may rise further over the coming days, Edwards said.

Separately, UNHCR Jakarta data shows that, currently, there are 13,800 refugees in Indonesia, five percent of whom are Rohingya. They live in several cities, with some staying in immigration detention centers (Rudenim) while others live in community housing. (yon/ebf)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 30 2017

A naked man whose attempt to enter the Presidential Palace was foiled on Monday, tested positive for methamphetamine use, the police have said.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said on Tuesday that the 33-year-old man, identified only as BS, tested positive after undergoing a urine test on Monday.

He did not have the drug in his possession, but he tested positive, Argo said on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com.

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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse)  Tue, August 29, 2017 11:03 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae66da5 2 Destinations neighborhood,destination,#destination,travel,tourism Free

A district in London that lays claim to having the one of the best curry corridors in England, and a park in Brooklyn that offers sweeping views of lower Manhattan, have been named some of the coolest neighborhoods to visit right now by travel experts at Lonely Planet.

In their list of top 10 neighborhoods around the world, local experts helped spotlight some of the trendiest areas in their city at the moment, neighborhoods that dont necessarily make the cut in generic travel guides.

They represent areas that have either been steadily developing over the years, or that are currently in the midst of a rapid transformation, ripe for exploration right now.

For travelers looking to experience a destination like a local, here are a few highlights:

Seongsu-dong, Seoul

Labeled the Williamsburg of Seoul, Seongsu-Dong is an industrial hub, home to abandoned warehouses and factories that have been salvaged and revitalized into trendy cafes, restaurants, galleries and independent shops. Some of the trendiest cafes include Cafe Onion, Zagmachi and OR.ER.

Read also: 10 destinations to visit in Lampung

Sunset Park, New York City

Located below Park Slope, on one of the highest hills in Brooklyn, Sunset Park has become a popular gathering place for locals looking to savor the last rays of the summer sun this season. With Chinatown bordering the park on the east, and the Latin American community to the west, the park is described as a heady mix of cultures and traditions. Its prime location likewise offers sweeping views of lower Manhattan.

Tooting, London

Curry lovers will want to bookmark a trip to South Londons Tooting neighborhood, where restaurants like Dosa n Chutny and Apollo Banana Leaf helped make its high street one of the best curry corridors in the country. Tooting Market has been selling arts and crafts, apparel, and multicultural fare for 80 years. Punters can also grab a pint at quirky watering holes like The Castle, The Antelope and The Little Bar.

Read also: Four cities in Indonesia where you can travel by foot

Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur

Its one of the most affluent neighborhoods in Kuala Lumpur that has seen an uptick of shiny shops, community-focused eateries and cosmopolitan conveniences. Look no further than the cafe-bakery Huckleberry, the speakeasy Skullduggery, and Flour, a North Indian restaurant that serves a knockout biryani for proof.

The full list can be found here.
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Tue, August 29, 2017 15:06 1902 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ae70a3c 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,ende,Wonderful-Sail-2-Indonesia-Rally-2017 Free

After traveling to several beautiful locations in Indonesia, such as Southeast Maluku, Banda Neira, Namroli and Wanci in Wakatobi, participants of Wonderful Sail 2 Indonesia 2017 arrived at Namrole Beach in Ende in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Aug. 28.

These participants hailed from 11 different countries in America, Oceania and Europe regions.

The yacht rally kicked off its journey in Opua in New Zealand in July and traveled to Papua Nugini as the first destination. The rally will be conducted for three months from the Pacific to Indonesia.

Read also: Gili Ketapang: Many goats, ample fish  but leave your bikini at home

"This rally event allows yachters to make a stop in several tourist destinations where they will be welcomed by the tourism agency of that place, said Tourism Ministrys Marine Tourism Development Acceleration team member, Raymond T. Lesmana, who also organizes the event.

Raymond also expressed his hope for provincial administrations and regents to develop a special terminal for foreign ships. Yachters will shop and eat there without having to go to large ports or resorts, he added.

In order to ease foreign yachters in dealing with the immigration, the ministry has created a special website http://yachters- indonesia.id where they are only required to fill in the online form. (kes)
If you were a kid in the 90s, just the word Jumanji might bring back feelings of nostalgia  but this artists masterpiece will take you to a new level.

Steven Richter, from Long Island, New York, spent seven months creating an exquisite replica of the magical rainforest-themed board game Robin Williams battled his way out of in the 1995 film.

(Steve Richter)

Richter created a timelapse of him at work on the masterpiece, which shows the incredible lengths he went to crafting each piece of the board.

Crafted on-and-off over his weekends, Richters masterpiece is exquisitely detailed down to the four playing pieces and aged-looking dice.

(Steve Richter)

There was a lot of patience involved in doing as exact a replica as I could, Richter told the Press Association. I didnt want to cheat, so every leaf on the board is sculpted to match the screen used

prop

.

Richter works at Tom Spina Designs, a company specialising in movie prop restoration and display.

Ive been working there for five years over which Ive honed in my sculpting skills and picked up various other hobbies and skills, said Richter.

(Steve Richter)

Ive been an artist for as long as I can remember and Ive been obsessed with the Jumanji board since I was six, said Richter. I still have drawings I did of the board from kindergarten.

(Steve Richter)

For others looking to start crafting their own artwork, Richter suggests YouTube is the best tool.

People make videos about every minutia of every skill, he said. You just have to go find them.

(Steve Richter)

Richter has showcased his talents on his own YouTube channel , with other builds including a miniaturised remake of Doctor Whos Tardis to house a Sonic Screwdriver replica.

In the future Im looking to make more timelapse videos as they are a good way to help me focus on finishing pieces, said Richter. Being able to show people how I made it at the end was even more exciting than showing them the finished product.
As A-Level and degree results continue to roll in, hundreds of thousands of you are likely to be at a crossroads and planning the next chapter in your lives. Or maybe youre enjoying summer.

Its clearly a difficult  and stressful  time, especially if youre transitioning into the world of work. But whether youre choosing further education, an apprenticeship, starting a business or entering the workplace, here are some top tips from a range of experts to help you along the way.

Make a good first impression, be your best self - and stand out from the crowd

Youre unique. And your CV is your first chance to make an impression on a potential employer, so make sure its clear and current. Check out the National Careers Service for CV writing tips. During your time in education, youve probably achieved loads of great things that will help you stand out in a busy marketplace. Really take the time to think about these experiences and how you want to best present them.

There are plenty of ways to get ahead of your competition. Donna Browne, a Recruitment Manager at Boots, says: When applying for a role, really get to know the company youre applying for, not just the information on the website. Check out their values and what their employees and customers think of them. A great site to look at is Glassdoor; its a bit like TripAdvisor but for companies. Get involved with group projects or a part time job to gain confidence and skills. And be fabulous, because this is your time to showcase yourself.

A first-time earner? Living away from home for the first time? Managing your money is an important skill

Earning a regular income for the first time after leaving education is quite exciting. However, its important to manage your money well and spend responsibly. If you need help in budgeting why not try the Money Advice Service? Its a free and impartial service that offers tips, tools and calculators to help keep track of your well-earned money and to plan ahead. Support is also offered over the phone.

Make sure you have a workplace pension

While retirement may seem a distant prospect, starting a habit of long-term saving is essential.

So, if youre new to the workplace, or even if youre an older student with a part time job, you will most likely be eligible for a workplace pension.

Since 2012, pension saving has been transformed in this country thanks to automatic enrolment. It means that as long as youre aged 22 or over and earning at least 10,000 a year, your employer is legally bound to enrol you onto a workplace pension.

In return for you paying in a minimum of 1% of your salary, your employer will match it. Its one of the easiest ways to save for a financially secure retirement from day one, so ask your boss for more details.

Thanks to automatic enrolment more than 8.3 million people are saving, and as long as you meet the criteria, you can look forward to joining them!

Apprenticeships or internships are a great way to enter the workplace  but dont be exploited

An apprenticeship is an increasingly popular route into the workplace and for good reason. Working for a company as an apprentice gives you the opportunity to gain on-the-job experience. This is something that businesses really value. And at the same time youll be earning a wage. Theyre also open to all ages  whether youve just received your GCSE, A-Level or degree results.

Employment Minister Damian Hinds told The National Student: Everyone from law firms to software companies are offering increasingly competitive apprenticeship routes that lead to highly rewarding careers.

If youre looking to build up your confidence and skills part-time volunteering and work placements are also available.

But remember your rights. An intern is entitled to the National Minimum Wage if they count as a worker. An intern is classed as a worker, and is due the National Minimum Wage if theyre promised a contract of future work.

Further advice is available to you by contacting the Acas helpline or using Acas Helpline Online.

Know where to look for work

Obviously most vacancies are advertised online and Universal Jobmatch is a great site for finding vacancies near you, with over 700,000 adverts at any one time. Alternatively, why not try professional social media platform LinkedIn?

Speaking to The National Student, Jason Ramtohul and Julius Amoah of Support for Schools said that research and preparation were the most vital things to help young people source, obtain and sustain careers.

However, like with internships make sure youre wary of people trying to exploit you. Recruitment fraud is a serious, yet lesser-known crime that often goes unreported by jobseekers. However research shows that one in ten jobseekers have been a victim of a job scam.

The chairman of SAFERjobs, Keith Rosser, told the National Student that Recruitment fraud is varied and affects people in different ways. It can be a fake job offer advising that the individual needs to pay for security checks, online training, visas or insurance, or a work-from-home scam conning people.
British actor Ed Skrein has left the upcoming reboot of Hellboy after his casting sparked claims of whitewashing.

The Deadpool actor was cast in Hellboy as Major Ben Daimio, who is of Asian heritage in the comics that the films are based on.

The announcement last week triggered an outcry, with critics accusing Hollywood of whitewashing  where Caucasians are chosen for roles that should have gone to actors from other ethnicities.

Skrein, 34, has now said on Twitter that he did not realise the character was of Asian heritage when he accepted the part and that he is now stepping down from the role.

He said although he is sad about it he must do what I feel is right so that the role is re-cast appropriately.

He told his 32,000 followers on the site: Last week it was announced that I would be playing Major Ben Daimio in the upcoming Hellboy reboot. I accepted the role unaware that the character in the original comics was of mixed Asian heritage.

There has been intense conversation and understandable upset since that announcement, and I must do what I feel is right.

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.

I feel it is important to honour and respect that. Therefore I have decided to step down so the role can be cast appropriately.

Ed Skrein (PA)

He added: Representation of ethnic diversity is important, especially to me as I have a mixed heritage family. It is our responsibility to make moral decisions in difficult times and to give voice to inclusivity.

It is my hope that one day these discussions will become less necessary and that we can help make equal representation in the arts a reality.

I am sad to leave Hellboy but if this decision brings us closer to that day, it is worth it. I hope it makes a difference.

He signed off: With love and hope, Ed Skrein.

Many people on social media have said they are impressed with Skreins decision, which appears to have won him new fans.

One wrote: I admit Im not familiar w/ your work, but I will keep track now & make sure to support your roles in the future. Thank you for your stance.

I admit I'm not familiar w/ your work, but I will keep track now & make sure to support your roles in the future. Thank you for your stance.  SUZANNE (@425suzanne) August 28, 2017

I know this show business and whatnot but all my respect towards you sir; you have earned my respect and honor, said another.

I know this show business and whatnot but all my respect towards you sir; you have earned my respect and honor.  Twiggystar (@Twiggystar) August 28, 2017

Hellboy is to be the third film in the comic adaptation franchise.
Wine experts have warned that there are shortages of French wine ahead as France faces its poorest wine harvest since 1945, following an unusually mild March and quite a frosty April - although the hot summer promises to deliver top vintages.

Jerome Despey, the head of a governmental wine advisory board, said: "At harvests everywhere, in places where we thought there would be a little less, there's a lot less."

To make us even more concerned, experts in wine-making have reminded us that the 2016 harvest was also one of the poorest in the last 30 years. Assessments were made earlier in the month, before the beginning of the harvest, which has alreay started in the southeast regions of France and is two weeks earlier than expected.

Worryingly, some 40% drop in output in the prime wine-growing region of Bordeaux, the country's largest, is expected.

It is the frosty April weather that negatively affected the wine harvest

White wine lovers have not been spared the bad news as vineyards in north-eastern Alsace, which produces mainly white wines, were also hard hit.

The damaging cold struck twice within a week in April, ravaging the fragile shoots and buds that had emerged prematurely following mild temperatures in March.

In attempt to fight the frost, winemakers in Bordeaux set fires in oil drums, then positioned them carefully between the rows of budding grapevines. Giant fans were also used to battle the cold, damp air settling on the plants. On the unsurprising side, some losses are also anticipated in the Burgundy region, where the grapes have been repeatedly hit by hail in recent years.

And if you thought the bad news was over, vineyards in the south - particularly Beaujolais and the Rhone Valley - have suffered an exceptionally dry summer that will further depress yields, the agriculture ministry has said.

Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Hungary also suffered frost this year that could damage 30% to 60% of the harvest in in some parts of those countries.

To all the wine lovers out there - let us all hope the new world wines are safe.
http://mynameisprince.co.uk/

My Name Is Prince is the first official exposition showcasing unique artefacts direct from Princes famous American estate, giving an exclusive insight into his fascinating life and intricate creativity.Hundreds of items with be on show, including: several of his customised guitars, clothing from the 1984/1985 Purple Rain tour; wonderful stage costumes, diamond studded cane from 2015 and the infamous third-eye sunglasses from 2014. Prince performed a record-breaking, 21 day run of concerts at The O2 Arena as part of the Earth Tour in October 2007, and in celebration the exhibition will run for the same amount of time from 27 October. Excited to show the world Princes amazing objects, some of the stars family will be in attendance for the opening of the exhibition. His siblings said: Our family is extremely honoured to have this exhibit at the O2, and we know Prince would be as well. He loved to share his work and life with his fans. We know him as a brother who became not only one of the most prolific songwriters of all time, but an entertainer and musician who was unlike any other. Prince died aged 57, of an accidental overdose of prescription painkillers in 2016.
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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

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When it comes to education nothing is too late as one can start from anywhere he wants to. Vocational learning is something which is going to help those aspirants who are looking for job oriented courses.

This is traditionally non-academic in nature and is totally related to specific trade, occupation or vocation. In todays economy, vocational jobs are becoming more and more vital. Aspirants are being prepared as it covers a large number of careers and industries like trades and office work, retail, hospitality and technology.

Such courses can be at the secondary or post-secondary level and can interact with the apprentice-ship system. Increasingly, it can be recognised in terms of prior learning and partial academic credit towards tertiary education. However, it is rarely considered in its own form to fall under the traditional definition of a higher education.

Vocational education helps people in better performance of their jobs as they acquire a great learning experience. Working professionals gets a chance to hone their skills while making money. Such courses are designed to help you learn in a practical way about a specific area. They can help you get the skills you need to start a job, progress in a career or go on to higher levels of education. The World Bank report shows that among persons of age 15-29 only about two per cent reported to have received formal vocational training.

The proportion of persons who received formal vocational training was the highest among the unemployed. There is little capacity in India and even that is under-utilised. World Bank Report suggests that the enrollment figure is less than three per cent of the students attending Grades XI to XII.

Vocational courses are offered in various fields including health care, engineering, hospitality management, management, fire and safety, computer and IT, creative fields like graphic and web designing, food technology and cosmetology, event management, fashion designing, telecommunication, footwear designing, tailoring and embroidery, tool designing, jewellery designing and more.

Generally, it is understood that employers choose to hire a student who has done a vocational course rather than a simple college pass out. The student already owns the right personality, skills, potentials and education for the job and the companies feel that he will be more fruitful due to his practical knowledge.

The time period for the course is less, but the expertise that is imparted is fairly equivalent to any college education.

Thus, by doing a vocational course, an expert can enrich his career forecasts and accomplish success.

(The writer is chairman, GMVSS)
The high court made the observation while rejecting a plea of an RTI activist, who was barred from entering the AIIMS premises, that he had an unrestricted and untrammelled right to visit the institution which was a public hospital.

Undoubtedly, AIIMS is a public place. However, it is an institution meant for imparting education and medical treatment. It is not a place for busy bodies to saunter in whenever they like, without any business in the institution, Justice Vibhu Bakhru said.

The judge said the court was conscious of the volume of persons visiting AIIMS for medical treatment and prima facie, permitting any person to visit the premises without any business at all was likely to add further pressure on the institution and disrupt its functioning.

The court also said that such disruption would inevitably be at the cost of patients seeking medical treatment.

Therefore, this court finds no infirmity with the decision of the AIIMS authorities restricting the entry of the petitioner to the AIIMS campus, the court said.

Petitioner Raj Narayan was restrained from entering the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) premises after he had joined a protest on February 4 last year with doctors and faculty members when permission to protest was only meant for the faculty members.

It was alleged that he had indulged in certain violent acts on that date, though the police authorities had found these allegations to be incorrect.

Narayan had approached the high court against the February 5 last year order of AIIMS authorties.

The court disposed of his petition with the direction that unless the man was able to satisfy the authorities regarding his bonafide need to visit the premises, the AIIMS authorities are under no obligation to permit him to enter their campus.

A status report filed by the police had indicated that the man was taking photographs without permission, which had resulted in a minor altercation between the protesting doctors and faculty members and him.

According to the police authorities, no cognisable offence was made out and, therefore the complaint made by AIIMS has been disposed of.

The mans counsel had said that since the allegation of violence has not been found to be correct, the order restraining his entry into AIIMS should be quashed.

On being asked by the court as to what business does he have with the AIIMS, the counsel had submitted that it was a public place and he had a right to visit it.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday accused the BJP of trying to turn the issue of Article 35A of the Indian Constitution into a Hindu versus Muslim issue.

The BJP was also trying to convert the issue into a state versus rest of the country issue after falling short of arguments to justify their moves on the matter, the National Conference Working President said while addressing people in Darhal area of Rajouri district.

Abdullah asked how could critics of the National Conference point fingers against it for opposing what he called were clandestine moves to get repealed Article 35A, which he said was a constitutional guarantee to the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh for preserving their distinct identity and dignity, irrespective of religion or caste.

He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of dividing people on region and religion lines to further its anti-people agenda.

Article 35A reflects our identity, it allows us to shape our destiny, and so we cannot let it go, the former Chief Minister said.

The National Conference leader cautioned people not to remain complacent on this sensitive issue.

The pen and inkpot party (Peoples Democratic Partys election symbol) had been conceived to further the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the BJP in this state, he claimed.

Omar Abdullah accused the PDP of submitting to the BJPs whims and fancies, be it on the Goods and Services Tax or the National Food Security Act.

He said GST implementation was a tremendous setback to the states fiscal autonomy while the NFSA had broken the backbone of the poor.

I opposed the Food Security Acts implementation despite frequent demands by our then alliance partner the Congress. By agreeing to implement the NFSA, the PDP has forced the states people into submission and deprived them of the bare minimum rations, the former Chief Minister said.
The Capital is in the grip of dengue which has claimed life of a 12-year-old boy in South Delhi. With 288 cases reported in a week, dengue infection has marked a 46 per cent increase over last year.

The municipal report on vector-borne diseases said, at least 945 people have been affected by dengue this season in the city as compared to 644 cases during the corresponding period last year.

Of the 945 dengue cases, 435 affected people were residents of Delhi, while the rest were traced to other states. The South Corporation has reported 95 cases of dengue, while the North Corporation has recorded 30. East Corporation figures stood at 16. As many as 294 were reported from areas outside the jurisdiction of the three municipal corporations.

The people of Delhi have been battling malaria and chikungunya too. The number of people affected by malaria till 26 August was reported to be 473, while the figure for chikungunya stood at 339.

Last week the South Corporation, which compiles data of vector-borne diseases on behalf of all the civic bodies, confirmed the death of 12-year-old Nitish Kumar who hailed from Bihar but was residing in Safdarjung area of South Delhi.

Vector-borne diseases are reported to be high between mid-July and November-end. However, cases of vector-borne diseases were reported earlier than expected this year. Doctors attributed them to early arrival of monsoon. Dengue and chikungunya are caused by Aedes aegypti mosquito which breeds in clear water. Anopheles, which causes malaria, can breed in both fresh and muddy water.

According to the report, breeding of mosquitoes was reported from 23,157 houses in Delhi. All the three municipal corporations had reportedly stepped up awareness drive against vector-borne diseases by distributing pamphlets and announcements through loudspeakers mounted on vehicles on dos and donts for prevention of diseases.

Besides, the Delhi government banned over-the-counter sale of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and brufen as their use is understood to pose a threat to dengue and chikungunya patients.

At least 21 deaths due to dengue were reported last year at various hospitals, including nine at AIIMS, though the official tally of the civic bodies stood at 10. Seventeen deaths suspected to be due to malaria in 2016 were also reported by the civic bodies.

At least 15 fatalities were reported last year at various hospitals in the city due to complications triggered by chikungunya, though the civic bodies maintained there were no deaths.
Kriti Sanon who has captivated her audience with a superior performance in Bareilly Ki Barfi has found an admirer in Amitabh Bachchan.

As a token of appreciation, Bollywoods Big B sent a handwritten note with flowers to the residence of the young actress.

Kritis stellar performance in Ashwiny Iyer Tiwaris Bareilly Ki Barfi has drawn accolades from the audience as well critics alike.

The latest audience to the slice of life flick was Amitabh Bachchan who touted Kritis performance as  competent and excellent.

Kriti Sanon is seen playing the role of a young Bitti who is an outspoken rebel girl who is happy in her own skin.

The legendary actor earlier took to Twitter saying, T 2530  Saw Bareilly Ki Barfi last night .. a delightful film and such competent and excellent performances .. !!

An overwhelmed Kriti Sanon regarded this compliment as a career milestone and replied, This feels like a milestone in itself!!youve been such an inspiration..Thank you so so much, Sir!!This really made my day!@SrBachchan.

She further added, Im so so elated that you liked the film, Sir! .

This feels like a milestone in itself!!you've been such an inspiration..Thank you so so much Sir!!This really made my day!@SrBachchan pic.twitter.com/z8xKtF5fiA  Kriti Sanon (@kritisanon) August 29, 2017

Kriti Sanons Bareilly Ki Barfi is garnering much love from across the quarters and has been witnessing strong positive word of mouth.

The film is witnessing a strong hold at the ticket window with the films collections showing a consistent trend in its 2nd week.

Bareilly Ki Barfi is produced by Junglee Pictures and BR Studios. The film has released on 18th August 2017 and is running successfully in theatres.
Ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes visit, the Japanese government is sending a team of railway safety experts to India following a request by New Delhi last month.

The Japanese experts team will visit from August 28 to September 1. During their visit, the expert team will have discussions with the Ministry of Railways and railway safety experts in India, and will conduct site visits related to railway safety, said a Japanese Embassy statement.

The visit also comes days after two back-to-back railway accidents in Uttar Pradesh, that claimed over 20 lives, and have raised concerns over the safety of the Indian railways.

The statememt said that both the governments are working closely on railway safety in India, based on the Memorandum of Cooperation between Japans Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Indian Ministry of Railways on Rail Safety, signed in February 2017, in response to Indias request for Japanese Governments support on railway safety, in December 2016.

The Japanese government dispatches this railway safety expert team based on the Government of Indias request submitted in July, 2017, it said.

The expert team consists of railway safety experts from railway related organizations, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). The team dispatched by JICA will examine the current status of railway safety in India and Indias needs for capacity development for railway safety for considering further cooperation through JICA.

The Government of Japan expects that the dispatch of this railway safety expert team will enhance the level of cooperation on railway safety between Japan and India, it said.

Abe is to visit India in the middle of September when he is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for Indias first ever high-speed rail network.
The judge didnt show leniency neither in awarding jail term nor in using the words in his order. Three days after CBI court judge Jagdeep Singh convicted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of rape, he awarded the Dera Sacha Sauda chief 20 years rigorous imprisonment (10 years each for the rape of two disciples), comparing the convicts act with that of a wild beast.

A man who has neither any concern for humanity nor has any mercy in his nature does not deserve leniency, the judge said in his order. The judge ruled that Ram Rahim did not deserve sympathy of the court as he did not even spare his own pious disciples and had acted like wild beast. Ram Rahim Singhs actions, he said, reflected irreparable damages caused to the heritage of this ancient land.

Ordering a compensation of Rs. 28 lakh to be shared by the two victims, the judge said Ram Rahim committed breach of the gravest nature. Such criminal acts are bound to shatter images of pious and sacred spiritual, social, cultural and religious institutions existing in this country since time immemorial, which in turn reflects irreparable damages caused by the acts of the convict to the heritage of this ancient land, the judge said in his order.

Acts of convict in sexually exploiting his own female disciples and intimidating them is taken note of, and such kind of person does not deserve sympathy of the court

During arguments on the quantum of sentence, the CBI prosecutor said the act of the Dera chief was one of custodial rape and that he had shattered the faith and exploited both the victims physically and psychologically.

The CBI urged the court to treat it as the rarest of rare case and award maximum punishment..

The Dera chiefs counsel sought leniency, saying the convict had motivated people to do social works.

Visibly crestfallen, Ram Rahim refused to move out of the courtroom after being sentenced to 20-year rigorous imprisonment. In tears, Ram Rahim reportedly sat on the floor in the courtroom after the sentencing and had to be dragged out, reports said.

Ram Rahim has been given the tag of 1997  the number which he will be identified with during his jail term.
Friday 25 August was a black day when the writ of the Haryana government collapsed in the state. It was the day Ram Rahim, a selfstyled godman, was to face judgment in a rape case at Panchkula CBI court.

For a week, lakhs of his supporters had been entering the city, jamming sidewalks and parks, creating confusion amongst residents and conveying the clear message that they would become a law and order problem when the judgment was announced.

The day dawned with news channels showing state police in large numbers, Rapid Action Force (RAF) jawans with helmets, DIGs of SSB and CRPF interacting with senior police officials, in short, a state confident of handling law and order. It had scores of central police force companies along with thousands of state police forces, all primed for action.

Numerous spokespersons stated that they had the requisite forces. As the day progressed, reports came in of a 200-vehicle convoy accompanying the accused on his move to court. This is possibly the first time in recent history that an accused moved to court, to be judged for a crime, like a prince, escorted by special security personnel of the state. Each halt along the route incited supporters who were willing to protest in case he was sentenced.

The state was almost at the mercy of a so-called godman, a rape accused. It appeared the government was protecting its vote bank and the man who ensured its victory, leaving the region at the mercy of his supporters.

While the state government refused to act, the courts came into the picture, questioning why it had not imposed Section 144. Vague answers justifying the decision cut no ice. Strictures by the court compelled the government to act.

This state had experienced similar situations earlier, but had refused to learn, basically because political compulsions dominate law and order. Votes are more important than a few lives. The government was playing to the galleries, keeping the so-called godman and his supporters in good humour, while hoping that the situation would remain in control. Panchkula was on lockdown, almost a police state, with thousands of security force personnel to ensure law and order, with residents too scared to even venture out.

With the court pronouncing the godman guilty, mayhem commenced. State police forces were incapable of even escorting the accused to the helicopter, which was to move him to prison. It was a small army column which was pressed into service. The move was incident free however, for even as the region exploded in violence, the accused accompanied by his so-called daughter travelled in comfort in a state helicopter.

There have been claims that there was an escape plan to take the accused to a safe location, with representatives of the state police involved, thwarted solely because the army was involved. Within a short time, the mass of security forces lost control of the situation in Panchkula and Sirsa. Almost 70 companies of CRPF, SSB, RAF and thousands of state police proved incapable, with local police even abandoning their posts and running away.

This was witnessed in earlier incidents over the past few years, yet police officers refused to learn, refused to retrain and reorganize their forces. News reports mention that the state administration in panic, requested army columns, which had been requisitioned, to move in. The army had less than a dozen columns in the region. In a short time, it controlled the violence, secured the colonies and restored order. The reason is that the army had reconnoitred the area; war-gamed the situation and planned the movement of columns.

It was prepared, while others were not. Residents claim that it was the army which saved the day, otherwise there would have been excessive damage and losses. It is surprising that despite such open display of panic, the state police authorities claimed in subsequent press conferences that they had led from the front and were in control of the situation.

Led whom was the question, as the state police was nowhere to be seen. Even in Sirsa, where the main dera was located, the mass of police and other security agencies were incapable of handling the situation. It was again the army which was stepped in. The taxpayer pays for maintaining massive state and central police forces, but if they are incapable of even holding the fort for a few hours, ensuring the safety and security of residents, is maintaining and equipping them essential? The Haryana Chief and Home secretaries, responsible for security of the state and its people, have remained underground till date.

Neither has made a statement nor offered to resign, despite failure commencing at their table. It is the same army which the government has lowered in status and reduced in privileges that brought peace and succour, while others vanished in panic.

The Justice Mathur pay commission had graded the IPS and IAS as the creme-de la-creme of the nation and the armed forces notches below, solely based on the commonality of an entrance exam.

The combination of the creme-de la-creme (IAS and IPS) has failed the nation every time, while the army has ensured safety and security. It has respect and gratitude of the nation but faces apathy of the government. The army, as always, quietly did its task, restored peace and moved back to the barracks, while the IPS suddenly seemed to find its voice, conducted press conferences, claimed success and normalcy.

They attempted to project a few specific incidents of courage, but if their own personnel left the ground, was it courage or poor leadership?

Admission of failures, lack of decision making, poor leadership and unpreparedness were missing from the press conferences, so also the admission that the army saved the day, while their own forces ran for safety.

No army officer gave a statement; after all the army has been ensuring national security since independence, which the nation knows and the government takes for granted.

(The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.)
Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has completed his fourth five-day state visit, from August 23 to 27, to India, successfully signing eight MoUs and streamlining hydro-power cooperation.

With regard to flood control, he talked to the Bihar Chief Minster, who agreed to look into the problem jointly. His visit was different from those of his predecessors, PK Dahal Prachanda and KP Sharma Oli as these two leaders are of communist background, whereas he has democratic credentials.

Naturally, it would have been comfortable for India to deal with him. Nepal-India relations have been cooling over several decades and have deteriorated considerably with India not welcoming the new Constitution, which different groups of people are opposing. Interestingly, this was the third visit of a Nepalese PM since the new Constitution was adopted in September 2015. Oli and Prachanda had visited India as Prime Ministers.

In spite of the then Indian President Pranab Mukherjees visit to Nepal last year and Nepalese President Vidhya Devi Bhandaris reciprocal visit to India, relations are yet to warm up significantly. PM Deuba has returned to be greeted with both brickbats and bouquets.

Media at the airport questioned him on his reference to the amendment to the Constitution while in India. He, however, stoutly rejected the allegation of denigrating the prestige of the country leveled by Oli who held Deubas remarks as a shame for the country, alleging that he raised the issue of the Constitutions acceptability out of context in a foreign land.

Despite the reality that all members of both the Nepali Congress (NC) and the Maoist Centre (MC) had voted in favour of the amendment, Oli added, He took the oath of office and secrecy under the same constitution. He was elected PM under the same constitution. Significantly, the government led by PM Deuba with support from the Maoist Centre had tabled the amendment motion. The present strength of the House is 592.

Out of the 553 lawmakers present in the House, only 347 members had voted in favour of the bill. The bill could not be passed due to lack of a two-thirds majority, falling short by 48 votes. PM Deuba really showed his sincerity by making a statement of fact against the backdrop that all Madhescentric parties would continue to agitate for their demand to amend the Constitution, though they had decided to contest the elections.

Seemingly, these parties did not leave the House, since it could have changed the chemistry of the House affecting the ruling coalition. Relevantly, PM Modi, while terming the first two phases of local level elections held in Nepal as great leap forward in implementing the new constitution, hoped that Nepal would be able to successfully implement the constitutional scheme by accommodating the aspirations of all sections of its diverse society.

In reply PM Deuba had assured that the Constitution would be amended once Parliament had the required numbers to do so. In his own words, To address the demands of the people living in the south, we had initiated the amendment process but we could not make it this time. In order to make it broad based and to meet the demands of the people from the south, east and north, we will continue to push the amendments.

Significantly, although MC leader Prachanda had held the visit a success, he had criticised PM Deuba the other day by stating, It was wrong to express commitment to amend the Constitution in India when the amendment proposal has already rejected by parliament.

The issue of the one-to-one meeting between the two Prime Ministers that was scheduled to be held on 24 August but was held a day earlier also invited criticism.

It is being viewed from two angles in Nepal. Why was it rescheduled? And why was PM Deuba invited to the residence of the Indian PM? If it was really a respectful gesture, PM Modi could have visited Rastrapati Bhavan himself to meet PM Deuba.

By inviting him to his residence, PM Modi had shown his superiority and not respect. However, some view it as a good gesture as Modis invitation to Deuba for evening tea showed the close relationship between them.

Again, rescheduling of the oneon-one meeting proved that either there was no proper homework or it was sought to discuss important subjects at the earliest. PM Modis reference to accommodate the aspirations of all sections of people in implementing the Constitution, has drawn two responses  either it is viewed as irrelevant as it is an internal matter of Nepal or it is suggested that PM Deuba should have skipped the issue.

A biased mind however views even a good gesture as a bad design. Of course, it is natural for small countries to be sensitive, suspicious and scared of a big neighbour. Small countries always seek equal and just treatment from big neighbours.

Nepal is no exception. It would be no exaggeration to hold that the politics of Nepal, ever since it acquired the present geographic form, is more or less Indiaspecific. It has always been guided by the sentiment expressing favour or opposition to any Indian policy. The psyche of a majority of the hill origin intelligentsia, media and the political class is to be obsessed with the Indian role.

They suffer from an inferiority complex not because of geographic size, but on account of Nepals economy being totally dependent on India. Consequently, these groups are oversensitive to the pseudo-nationalism initiated by then king Mahendra, and revived recently by Oli to get support from the majority of innocent hill people.

Ultimately, Nepal, as a whole, will have to suffer.

(The writer, a former Election Commissioner of Nepal, is associated with the Nepal Transition to Peace Institute.)
Currently, the India-US relationship is in good shape. This represents a considerable change from the days when there were many many uncertainties between them and neither could be entirely comfortable with the other.

Even in those less agreeable days, however, it was often suggested that these two countries were natural strategic partners, and charting the high potential of their relationship received more than a passing thought in think-tanks which, then as now, have been important contributors to US policy, and have now become more visible on the Indian scene. Yet official establishments were slow to respond even when interests were convergent, as at the time when the USA went through a drastic re-ordering of its involvement in South Asia as it entered into a war in Afghanistan, whose effects are still with us.

Notwithstanding the considerable community of interest in those circumstances, there was very little by way of joint activity to give practical shape to perceptions of their shared regional interests. Efforts to develop practical strategic cooperation between them were made on a number of occasions, notably during the negotiations for the Indo-US nuclear deal, but there was still a gap between them.

Their regional priorities were never harmonized in a manner that could give equal comfort to both. It is only now, after a slow inching forward by several of his predecessors, that President Trump has given an important indication of what he seeks as a solution to his countrys Afghan imbroglio, and his perceptions have important implications for the region as a whole.

Unlike many before him, he has not shied away from open criticism of Pakistan for providing covert support to the Taliban while claiming to oppose them in the field. This was a development waiting to happen, for it has been increasingly apparent that Pakistan has given succour to the Taliban and permitted its favoured terror groups to use the Pak-Afghan frontier region as a base for militancy in Afghanistan.

Despite increasing discomfiture in Washington, Pakistan persisted with this approach, to the point that the US President has finally felt obliged to make a characteristically blunt criticism of Pakistans ways.

Now, after he has spoken, Washington may be more critical of Pakistani prevarications and less willing to continue to turn a blind eye to what has been taking place in Afghanistan. This change of approach by the USA has already had a marked impact in the region, and further consequences can be expected. India, which has warmly welcomed the US move, can now hope that there will be real improvement on the ground and a better chance of regional calm and stability.

Covert Pak support for the Taliban has not only frustrated the USA but has also added to Indias security problems, for the terrorism nurtured in parts of Afghanistan has been deliberately directed towards India. Kashmir is the main target, as it has always been, but the militants have also been bold enough to choose targets in other parts of the country, to promote disruption and create incidents that can carry the danger of a wider war. Combating terrorism has thus become a principal focus of Indian foreign policy and India has worked hard at successive international meetings to raise awareness and promote action on this theme.

Everybody endorses the principle but few have been prepared to take effective action, so there is an especially strong sense of vindication in Indias welcome for Trumps forthright words, which according to some knowledgeable observers amount to a paradigm shift in US South Asian policy. Seen from New Delhi he can be regarded as paying heed to what India has been urging for so long, and finally agreeing on a course of action to effectively combat the plague of terrorism. Though the wind is now blowing in a different direction, it should not be supposed that Mr Trumps words alone could lead to restraint and caution in regional affairs.

Pakistan has been quick to defend itself against any suggestion of wrongdoing and has been in consultation with China, as well as Russia and Turkey, in an effort to rally international support to compensate for the rebuke it has received from the USA.

This should come as a surprise for Pakistan could not have been expected to respond meekly, and it is all too accustomed to being able to dodge its way through difficulties when similar situations have arisen in the past. Even now, despite the clear and forthright words of the US President, Pakistan may not be without support in Washington where its strategic location and the embedded influence of its longtime friends are not to be ignored.

Nevertheless, the consequences of the US pronouncement can be weighty and have long-term effect. For India, this represents a vindication of what it has been saying, again and again, about Pakistans policy of deliberate deception, and hence there is wide welcome in New Delhi of Trumps forthright words. While there is satisfaction at this turn of events, there are some other less favourable aspects of Trumps South Asia policy that should not be ignored. He was direct in his criticism of Indias trade surplus with the USA, some $ 26 billion according to his reckoning, and sought corrective measures.

This came as something of a surprise: much has been said about the US trade deficit with China, amounting to around $ 350 billion in 2016, which is of an altogether different order and has had a profound effect on the relations between the two countries. By comparison, the deficit in US-India trade has merited little attention, though there have been efforts from the US side to boost sales of high-tech equipment, especially in defence supplies, where they are in rivalry with suppliers in Europe and Russia.

To be noted, too, are comments by senior US officials indicating that they would expect stronger commitment and participation by India in the effort to rehabilitate and strengthen Afghanistan.

As it is, India has made a huge effort to provide Kabul with economic and technical support, which is acknowledged and appreciated on all sides, though there could now be expectations that India will take on an even bigger share of the burden. Some years ago the Afpak idea was born in Washington under which India was expected to take on enhanced security responsibilities in Afghanistan within a US-led programme.

But India resisted the suggestion, and it may have reservations if something similar were to be envisaged again. So even while India-US relations are currently at a high point of mutual satisfaction, there are still quite a few issues between them that require discussion and sorting out.

(The writer is Indias former Foreign Secretary)
Frances President on Monday welcomed the German chancellor and the Prime Ministers of Italy and Spain to Paris, where the leaders held a summit to examine further security measures that can be taken by the European Union to tackle the threat of terrorism.

Emmanuel Macron received Angela Merkel, Paolo Gentiloni and Mariano Rajoy at the Elysee Palace, the seat of the French presidency, just 11 days after a series of terror attacks struck the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia, Efe reported.

Following the attacks of August 17, which left 15 people dead in Barcelona and one victim dead in the seaside town of Cambrils, Rajoy requested from Macron that the talks touch upon how the EU could collaborate more in the fight against terror.

Spains government was hopeful that all possible EU security mechanisms would be put in place to render its counter-terror mission effective as well as to facilitate the rapid sharing of intelligence between EU member states.

The summit on terror was preceded by a separate meeting on migration, which was attended by the EUs foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini, the presidents of Niger and Chad, Issoufou Mahamadou and Idriss Deby, and the chairman of the Libyan presidential council, Fayez al-Sarraj, as well as the four EU leaders who took part in the terror summit.

The meeting in Paris follows a similar summit held at the Palace of Versailles on March 6, which was hosted by the then-president of France, Francois Hollande.
France and Germany urged Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian opposite number to ensure that a new ceasefire in eastern Ukraine is enforced, warning there has been little let-up in the violence.

France and Germany unfortunately have to acknowledge that the security situation in the East of Ukraine has not significantly improved, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a joint statement.

The ceasefire which officially came into force on Friday has not been fully implemented by the very same parties which signed it, the two leaders said.

There is still a large number of cease-fire violations, including with the use of heavy weapons, the statement added.

We urge President Putin and President (Petro) Poroshenko to fully abide by their commitments, publicly endorse the ceasefire and ensure that proper instructions have been passed on to the military and forces deployed on the ground.

The ceasefire between government forces and pro-Russian separatists was intended to come into force before the start of the new school year.

But the Ukrainian side of a joint ceasefire-monitoring centre said the first breach was recorded less than two minutes into the truce, when the separatists shelled the village of Talakivka in the Donetsk region with small arms and heavy machine guns.

The rebels meanwhile accused government troops of breaking the truce, saying a separatist fighter killed by a Ukrainian snipers bullet had become the first victim of the ceasefire.

More than 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict since 2014, when pro-Russian forces occupied parts of eastern Ukraine and Moscow annexed Crimea.
North Korea fired a missile on Tuesday and it fell into the Pacific Ocean off Hokkaido Island after passing over the Japanese archipelago, government officials said here.

The missile was fired around 5.58 a.m., from the western coast of North Korea towards a northeastern direction, and passed over Cape Erimo in Hokkaido around 6.06 a.m., Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.

The missile flew over 2,700 km with the highest altitude at 550 kmhigh, and fell into the Pacific Ocean some 1,180 km east of Cape Erimo around 6.12 a.m., Xinhua news agency quoted Suga as saying.

He said that it was possible that the missile separated into three parts over the Sea of Japan, and the Japanese government is analysing the situation.

He also said that the missile firing posed an unprecedentedly serious and grave security threat to Japan and the country will work closely with the US and South Korea to address the issue.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the missile launch poses a grave threat to regional peace and security and Japan strongly protests against the missile launch.

He added that Japan is to call for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and to call on the international society to cooperate and impose more pressure on North Korea.

Following the missile launch, the Japanese government held a National Security Council meeting.
Russia on Tuesday said it was extremely worried about the situation in North Korea, hitting out at a tendency towards an escalation after Pyongyang fired a ballistic missile over Japan.

We see a tendency towards an escalation  and we are extremely concerned by the general developments, Russias deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti state news agency.
The daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. stood beside her fathers newly unveiled statue on Monday, just a few blocks from where he grew up, handing out hugs and telling each well-wisher: Its about time.

The statue paying tribute to King made its public debut on Monday on the Georgia Capitol grounds in front of around 800 people including Governor Nathan Deal, many other state political leaders and several members of the King family.

The sculptures installation comes more than three years after Georgia lawmakers endorsed the project.

Forty-nine years ago when my father was assassinated, he was the most hated man in America. Today, he is one of the most loved men in the world, the Rev Bernice King said of her father, who was slain in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

A replica of the nations Liberty Bell tolled three times before the 2.4-metre bronze statue was unveiled on the 54th anniversary of Kings I have a dream speech at the 1963 March on Washington.

The sculpture depicts King in mid-stride, as his left arm holds an overcoat while grasping a batch of papers.

Today, we as the sons and daughters of former slaves and former slave owners are here to witness the unveiling of that statue, Bernice King said.

It is a glorious and grand day in the state of Georgia and in the United States of America and all over the world.

Kings statue was erected in his Southern hometown at a time when monuments honouring Civil War Confederates are coming down in many other places across the South.

Bernice King said she hopes the erection of her fathers statue can now spark conversations about the impact of monuments in public spaces.

This statue being unveiled today, I believe, also provides a sense of hope to a nation that is in turmoil once again, as many people around this nation are removing and taking down Confederate monuments, she said.

Other statues on the Capitol grounds include Confederate General John B Gordon and segregationists Senator Richard Russell and Governor Eugene Talmadge.

Bringing Kings statue into reality took multiple struggles. Officials had to negotiate with Kings family for the right to use his image.

Then an artist was selected for the project, only to be killed in a motorcycle accident. After a lengthy screening, sculptor Martin Dawe was chosen to replace him.

Dawe said he knew other tributes to King had been criticised and he set one goal: Make the statue look like the man.

This feels right, said Dawe while looking up at the statue. Im in awe of this.

Democratic state Rep. Calvin Smyre, who sponsored the bill to place the statue of King on Capitol grounds, believes the statue will be inspiring and give hope to generations to come.

This tribute is important and a lasting statement about the value of inclusion, the strength of our diversity and the power of grace and how it changes hearts, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said.

This statue comes at a time when there are many conversations about historical monuments going on nationally and within the state. When the time comes, Im confident in the city of Atlanta that we will walk it together as we have again, again and again.

Reed said $40 million is being invested to redevelop the Martin Luther King Jr. drive corridor to improve mobility and safety. The mayor also said a $23 million MLK Recreation and Aquatic Center will be opened in Atlanta by the end of the year.

Morehouse College professor Timothy Miller kicked off the ceremony singing Ray Charles song, Georgia on My Mind.
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 ...
Patnaik's close aides say that to understand him, one has to understand his empathy

By Pratul Sharma/Photos Sanjay Ahlawat
North Korea firing a missile over Japan on Tuesday hit stock markets world wide, as fresh geo-political tensions sent investors rushing to save haven assets. The global shock, coupled with the expiry of futures and options contracts this week, led to India's benchmark indices declining more than 1 per cent, after having gained for four consecutive sessions.

The BSE Sensex tumbled 362 points or 1.1 per cent to end at 31,388.39 points while the NSE Nifty closed 117 points or 1.2 per cent lower at 9,796.05 points.

The indices had in the session slumped to their biggest intra-day percentage fall in almost nine months; the Sensex hitting a day's low of 31,360.81 points.

"Geopolitical worries have reared its ugly head again. Just as when traders breathed a sigh of relief as India and China managed to resolve Doklam logjam, North Korea has played mischief after it launched a missile that flew over Japan, triggering losses in assets across the border," said Sageraj Bariya, vice-president at East India Securities.

Among the Sensex components, 28 of the 30 stocks ended in the red on Tuesday. ONGC, Coal India, Reliance, HDFC, Sun Pharma and NTPC, all ended more than 2 per cent lower.

Heavy selling by Foreign Institutional Investors (FII) over the past month also ensured that "risk appetite was down to a trickle," said Anand James, chief market strategist at Geojit Financial Services.

So far in August, FIIs have pulled out Rs 14,610 crore from India's equity markets, according to data from NSDL as concerns grew over rising US-North Korea tensions as well as the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Sikkim.

India and China had on Monday decided to withdraw troops from the Doklam region.

In other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei Stock Average, Singapore's Straits Times Index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed about 0.5 per cent lower. European markets also fell sharply, with the FTSE100, German Dax, France's CAC40 and the Madrid General Index all trading more than 1 per cent lower.
The speculation about Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis joining the Union government is dominating discussions in the corridors of power in Maharashtra. A few news agencies too reported that Fadnavis has been called to Delhi to join the Union ministry to take charge of the defence ministry. Arun Jaitley, handling the important finance ministry, is presently burdened with the additional charge of defence after Manohar Parrikar vacated the post to return to Goa in February, 2017. There are also rumours that Chandrakant Patil, a close confidante of BJP national president Amit Shah, will replace Fadnavis as Maharashtra chief minister if the latter opt to go to Delhi.

Speculations about Fadnavis going to Delhi have been going on ever since Parrikar resigned from the Union ministry to become the chief minister of Goa.

Former chief minister Narayan Rane is likely to join the BJP soon and will mostly be given the important PWD ministry, presently held by Chandrakant Patil.

However, Santosh Pradhan, a senior journalist said,  Fadnavis won't be called to Delhi. Right now, he is the only BJP leader who can win the elections for the BJP. No one else has that potential. A big state like Maharashtra is very important in the larger plan of BJP. He added that the BJP's national leadership is not sure of repeating the performance of 2014 in UP, MP, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The BJP is planning to compensate that loss in other bigger state like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Karnataka. Be it forming an alliance with other parties or increasing its own numbers, BJP can't take chance of shifting Fadanvis to Delhi before 2019 Parliament elections, Pradhan said.

The BJP government in the state is presently facing the major issue of delivering the promised loan waiver to 40 lakh farmers. The senior leaders also expect some resistance from its own second and third rank cadre especially after Rane and his sons join the party. Eknath Khadse, a senior leader, is already angry and disillusioned with the kind of treatment meted out to him especially when almost 15 other ministers are facing allegations of corruption. Sachin Sawant, Congress spokesperson said, Khadse was singled out and was asked to resign when allegations were levelled against him. Other ministers like Pankaja Munde, Vinod Tawde, Prakash Mehta, Jaykumar Rawal and Subhash Desai have far more and bigger allegations to their credit. They are not facing even a judicial inquiry.

Despite of all these issues and Shiv Sena not losing a single opportunity to throw spanners in the government functioning, Fadnavis remains to be the only leader with state wide appeal. Pradhan said, He has proved himself to be a victory snatcher. He has mastered the art of using coercive power and skill of managing elections.

Fadnavis, while addressing BJP office bearers and party workers on August 17, said, I am not going to Delhi till 2019. Raosaheb Danve and I will continue to deliver our responsibilities as state party president and chief minister for two more years. This was expected to stop the speculations but BJP's victory in the Mira-Bhayander municipal elections have further fueled the rumours.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday admitted that the issues in Darjeeling are very sensitive and it could not be solved by holding a single meeting.

After holding the first meeting with hill parties in Darjeeling, Mamata said series of meetings will be held in the future. The next meeting will be held on September 12 in North Bengal.

The chief minister also admitted the fact that there was nothing wrong on the part of the hill parties in raising demand for separate statehood for Darjeeling.

"People of hills have been demanding separate state not just today, but for years. The parties have raised this as well. I accept that as their prerogative and they can raise the issue. I have nothing to say regarding this," said Mamata. The chief minister just stopped short of calling the demand valid and legitimate.

She said, "But through accepting the fact that they could raise their voice, I have told them that we could not discuss the issue because separate statehood issues dont come within our area of work. I also accept that Gorkhaland demand is part of their democratic right. At the same time we would not be able to do it."

Sources said Mamata government was pressed hard by the Modi government to find a solution in the Darjeeling issue.

Mellowing down for the first time since the issue started 80 days ago, with her decision to impose Bengali in school curriculum in Darjeelings schools, Mamata bowed down to hill parties and appealed them to stop the bandhs in the hills. But the parties could not give her any assurance.

"We told her we would go back and discuss the mater with the central committee of our party and get back to her," said Binoy Tamang, assistant secretary of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), who represented GJM.

Meanwhile, GJM demanded that the state government withdraw criminal cases against the leaders of their parties. It has also asked the CM to order CBI inquiry into the death of eight GJM workers in the hills. Also, they asked for NIA investigation regarding the explosions in the hills.

Mamata also said she had asked GJM and other parties like GNLF and JAP to withdraw bandhs from the hills and acknowledged their basic rights.

The political observers see the chief minister's statement as complete acceptance of her failure to handle the issue of Darjeeling.

"She created problem by not allowing the GTA to function. Now, she is accepting the separate state demand of the people of hills and their political parties. State government for the first time has accepted it and this would strengthen the hands of people who would like to divide Bengal," said a CPM state secretariat member, on the condition of anonymity, as the party would give an official statement on the issue.

Hill leaders said the meeting was a victory for them.

"For the first time a West Bengal government accepted our rights of demanding separate state. We see it as a very positive step," said a GJM leader.
Right before the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, there is a storm brewing for the Congress in the hill state, with its Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh issuing a threat that he will neither contest the polls nor will he work for the party in the elections.

Virbhadra has shot off letters to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party vice president Rahul Gandhi, marking a copy to the AICC general secretary in-charge Sushil Kumar Shinde, in which he has complained that the party high command has not taken any action on his repeated complaints to the leaders about the issues in the Himachal unit. He said that in this kind of a situation, he will neither contest the elections, nor will he have any role in it.

According to party sources, Virbhadra is upset over the perceived importance that the party high command is giving to his detractor, Himachal Congress President Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.

The chief minister has had a long running rivalry with Sukhu. He has repeatedly asked the party high command to replace Sukhu, claiming that the state unit chief has been working against him. He has refused to attend meetings with the party leadership along with the Himachal Congress chief.

Rahul is said to favour Sukhu, and the latter has been holding meetings with senior leaders in Delhi, including Sonia's political secretary Ahmed Patel and Shinde. This has upset Virbhadra as he feels the party high command is giving importance to Sukhu even as it has discounted the concerns voiced by him. The chief minister feels that the assurance given to him by the party leadership earlier that he will be the face of the party in elections even as Sukhu handles organisational affairs has been breached.

Handling the crisis is crucial for the Congress, as Himachal goes to polls shortly. As the party battles anti-incumbency, its prospects in the elections could be hurt by the allegations of corruption against Virbhadra.

A senior party leader said that Virbhadra, who is feeling the pressure, could be making an effort to force the hand of the party high command with his threat to not contest elections. Virbhadra enjoys almost the same stature in Himachal that Capt Amarinder Singh has in Punjab, and the party cannot move forward without him.
One day after India and China publicly annouced a de-escalation in the Doklam standoff, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China and Myanmar from September 3 to 7.

The BRICS summit is being held at Xiamen in China's Fujian province from September 3 to 5. It was crucial for both sides to resolve the standoff before the summit, as Modi's attendance was under a cloud. China, as the host, would not want the meet to be derailed.

Although both countries had signalled that diplomatic relations would continue throughout the two-month long standoff, the belligerence at the tri-junction of India, Bhutan and China had the potential to snowball into something far more dangerous. An important factor that helped reach a peaceful resolution was the Astana Consensus, credited to India's Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar. It called for both countries to stop their differences from escalating into disputes. The consensus was crafted days before Doklam became big news, when Modi met his counterpart, Xi Jinping, at Astana in June for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet. It was India's debut appearance at this club outing. Was it premonition?

At that time, China was not too happy with India having abstained from attending the One Belt One Road (OBOR) meet it had hosted. China was also not happy with India having allowed the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh. But the Astana consensus was tested when the standoff began. India's external affairs ministry repeatedly invoked it everytime China or the Chinese media made a particularly proactive statement on the subject.

Modi and Xi met each other again in Hamburg in July for the G20 summit. They also met for a quick BRICS huddle on the sidelines of the summit. Modi made it clear then that India stood by its commitment to BRICS. However, the meetings did not result in any positive movement towards resolving the standoff. It took another month and a half of hectic diplomatic parleying before the situation diffused and the enviroment became conducive enough for Modi to announce his visit.
As the Doklam crisis stares the Narendra Modi government in its face, the absence of a national security doctrine is telling in more ways than one. Several drafts have been made over the last many years, but none has been adopted. Today, there is no attempt to even formulate one.

In 1999, the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), which reports to the prime minister through the security adviser, had prepared a draft nuclear doctrinemade public by then national security adviser Brajesh Mishrain the midst of the Kargil war. It generated a healthy debate, and the doctrine, with a few changes, was formally adopted by the government in 2003.

Since then, the attempt had been to draft a national security strategy. A few drafts were made during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. When I was the NSA, we worked on it, said M.K. Narayanan, who was Manmohan Singhs security adviser during the first term. There have been several drafts, but none was approved. That was probably because the government could not come to an understanding on what constitutes national security policy.

Another draft was made by the 16-member NSAB, headed by former foreign secretary Shyam Saran, during the UPAs second term when Shivshankar Menon was the NSA. The board made a presentation before Prime Minister Modi in September 2014. Saran used his bilingual (Hindi and English) skills, which gave a softness to a complex issue that needed the indulgence of his audience. During the hour-and-a-half audiovisual presentation, Modi asked several questions, particularly on the recommendations to set up a cyber command and space command. This discussion was the boards swan song. Four months later, the members met Modi over a farewell lunch. The doctrine has since been gathering dust.

A new board was set up in 2016. Instead of 16 members, there are only four nowP.S. Raghavan, former ambassador to Russia, heads it, with former Research and Analysis Wing official A.B. Mathur, Lt General (retd) S.L. Narasimhan and Prof Bimal N. Patel of Gujarat National Law University as members.

The Saran-headed board had wanted their draft doctrine, a 45-page document accessed by THE WEEK, to be put up in the public domain to generate discussion and debate. But, nothing has happened. We made the presentation to the political leadership, but it is for the leadership to decide upon implementing the recommendations we made, said Saran. THE WEEK got in touch with the office of National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to seek his response, but Doval gently excused himself.

The decision-making today, pointed out a former NSAB member, is largely ad hoc. When something happens in Doklam, we react to that. When something else happens elsewhere, we react to that, said the member. But the overall way in which we can deal with these challenges requires a well-thought-out strategy. Today, there is an asymmetry between India and China, and, if that asymmetry expands, our room for manoeuvre gets limited. So, how do we get out of that?

The draft doctrine covered six dimensionsdomestic, external, military, economic, ecological and strategic communications. The point was that Indias options should not get limited with a growing asymmetry. If the asymmetry becomes so large on its borders with any of its neighbours, there will be no military options left, said the member. The enemy does not need to fight a war then. So, how do we make certain that we have at least the minimum capabilities, so that if the adversary wants to do anything, it is clear to him that it will be a risk?

The Saran-headed board had made specific recommendations like the need to deploy additional air strike capabilities and attendant ground facilities to deal with the logistic and transport asymmetry on the Sino-Indian border; the need for power projection using naval assets by giving priority to the Indian Navy among the three armed forces; and appointing a chief of defence staff who will be a senior authoritative interface of the armed forces within the government to promote jointness of military forces to meet challenges of modern warfare.

The focus on maritime assets was explained in terms of expanding footprints of both India and China in southeast Asia and east Asia. Though the Indian Ocean is low on Chinas priorities at present, given its preoccupation in the Yellow Sea, Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, the presence of Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean will become more ubiquitous, Saran told Modi. Indias edge in the Indian Ocean could be eroded if it does not build up the quality and reach of its maritime assets.

Another key recommendation was on the need to develop nuclear capabilities based on the no-first-use doctrine. For a no-first-use doctrine to be credible, it should be backed with a robust retaliation capability, after suffering the first attack by the enemy. Unless you have survivable forces, you cannot have that capability, the board said. India needs to focus on not only having more nuclear submarines in the next few years, but also longer-range ballistic missiles that can be fired from those submarines. India must also take into account the possibility of Pakistans nuclear weapons or dangerous fissile material falling into the hands of jihadi or terrorist elements who may target India, the draft doctrine stated. There was also stress on strengthening a ballistic missile defence system against the possibility of a first attack by the enemy.

The draft had talked about the importance of strategic communication. It even suggested making communication a part of each cabinet note, where it would explain how the government should use the media to communicate its policy decisions to the citizens. The doctrine wanted to change the all-too-secret image of the government.

But, why do we need a doctrine? When the business of the state has become so complex, not having that broad picture in front of you can lead to inefficient decision-making, explained Saran. What the national security strategy does is to give you a certain degree of coherence in dealing with the challenges you face. It comes with a clear picture of what you are trying to achieve not in the immediate term but in a five-year, ten-year or fifteen-year time frame.

According to Narayanan, a national security strategy is a combination of both actionable points as well as an overarching policy framework. Definitely, we need a national security strategy, which is why it has been in the works for the last 10-12 years, he said.

Strategy is about making choices because you cannot do everything, summed up Saran. Every country needs to decide what is important and what is not, he said, what is a greater priority and what is not, so that you direct the limited resources you have to what your priorities are.
President Donald Trumps personal lawyer acknowledged Monday that the presidents company pursued a Trump Tower in Moscow during the Republican primary, but that the plan was abandoned for a variety of business reasons. He said that at one point he sent an email to the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin about approvals from the Russian government.

The attorney, Michael Cohen, said in a statement to the House intelligence committee that he worked on the real estate proposal with Felix Sater, a Russia-born associate who he said claimed to have deep connections in Moscow. The panel is one of several on Capitol Hill investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The discussions occurred in the fall of 2015, months after Trump had declared his candidacy, and ended early last year when Cohen determined that the project was not feasible, according to a copy of Cohens statement obtained by The Associated Press. Cohen also disclosed that Trump was personally aware of the deal, signing a letter of intent and discussing it with Cohen on two other occasions.

The potential deal shows that the Trump Organization was actively considering doing business in Russia during the presidential election, providing special counsel Robert Muellers investigators considerable fodder for turning their investigation into Russian collusion toward Trumps personal and business finances. Trump has said Mueller would be crossing a red line by delving into his finances.

In a statement, the Trump Organization emphasized that the licensing deal was not significantly advanced, noting that no site or financing materialized during the negotiations. The company also said it was never paid any fees as part of the deal, and the signed letter of intent was nonbinding.

To be clear, the Trump Organization has never had any real estate holdings or interests in Russia, the company said.

The negotiations of the possible Trump Tower Moscow deal were first reported Sunday night by The Washington Post. On Monday, The New York Times reported on an email in which Sater appeared to boast that the real estate deal could help Trump get elected. Sater did not respond to a request for comment from the AP on Monday.

Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it, Sater wrote in an email, according to the Times. I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this, I will manage this process.

He also said in another email about a possible ribbon-cutting: I will get Putin on this program and we will get Donald elected.

In the two-page statement obtained by the AP, Cohen said he emailed Putins press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, after Sater suggested that the proposal would require approvals within the Russian government that had not been issued. Cohen said he did not recall any response to his email, or any other contacts with Peskov or other Russian government officials about the project.

Cohen portrayed the proposal as one of countless that the Trump Organization has received for developments around the world, noting that Trump had properties and developments in about a dozen different countries.

Cohen said that the project first came to his attention in September 2015 when he received a proposal for a Trump Tower Moscow that would house a luxury hotel, office spaces and condominiums.

Cohen said that he performed some initial due diligence to determine whether it was a good fit for the Trump Organization, and Trump ultimately signed a nonbinding letter of intent with a Moscow-based developer, I.C. Expert Investment Co., on Oct. 28, 2015.

After the signing of the letter, Cohen said the Trump Organization sought building designs from architects and held preliminary discussions regarding potential financing for the building.

Cohen said he also communicated extensively with Sater, who was brokering the deal and stood to receive payment from the Russian developer if it came to fruition.

Sater was a former real estate executive at Bayrock Group LLC, a development company that leased space in Trump Tower and also partnered with him on various deals. Sater was previously convicted of assault in 1993 for stabbing a man in the face with a broken margarita glass. He later became a government informant upon his conviction years later in a $40 million Mafia stock fraud scheme.

A judge is reviewing requests by news organizations and others to unseal court records detailing his cooperation on behalf of the government in what prosecutors have described as national security matters. Federal prosecutors have opposed disclosing such information, arguing doing so could jeopardize investigations and put lives at risk.

In his statement, Cohen downplayed the comments Sater made in email correspondence about the Trump Tower Moscow deal.

Over the course of my business dealings with Mr. Sater, he has sometimes used colorful language and has been prone to salesmanship, Cohen said. As a result, I did not feel that it was necessary to routinely apprise others within the Trump Organization of communications that Mr. Sater sent only to me.

Cohen said that Sater constantly invited him to travel to Moscow and encouraged him to bring Trump. But Cohen said he rebuffed the overtures. He said he has never traveled to Russia, and never considered asking Trump to go to Russia, which he said he only would have encouraged if there was a definitive agreement in place.

Cohen said the proposal, which was contingent upon the developer finding an appropriate property and getting necessary permits, was under consideration until the end of January 2016. At that point, he said that he determined the proposal was not feasible for a variety of business reasons and should not be pursued further.

He said neither the decision to pursue the development nor the decision to abandon it were related to Trumps presidential campaign.

(AP)
Today, a school funding bill that includes a historic $100 million scholarship tax credit program passed the Illinois House of Representatives. After a drama-filled day in which the bill failed, following weeks of drama and contentious debate, an alternative that did not include the scholarship tax credit was voted on and also failed. Then, the initial bill was recalled for reconsideration and passed.

The bill was a product of months-long negotiations, and the scholarship tax credit program was included as part of a larger compromise involving statewide public education funding reform. The new program will enable thousands of children to attend the, school deemed the best for them by their parents.

Agudath Israel of Illinois (AIOI) has advocated for a school choice program for many years, and is a primary focus of Agudath Israel of Americas legislative efforts nationwide. On AIOIs annual missions to Springfield, the concept was often discussed with Speaker of the House, Michael J. Madigan (D-Chicago), and Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) who had both expressed support for the program if there would be sufficient revenue, and at this years meeting, they reiterated that position. Governor Rauner has long advocated for school choice programs and made it part of his campaign platform in 2014. Todays action back up those commitments.

More recently, AIOIs director of government affairs, Rabbi Shlomo Soroka Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, has been intimately involved in advocating for the program, helping craft policy, and discussing the various details with leading negotiators in the legislature, General Assembly leadership, the Governor, other lobbyists and fellow coalition members. He has spent many long days and nights in the states capitol and countless hours advocating, negotiating, and helping craft policy that would be of maximum benefit. This accomplishment culminates over a decade of work to bring school choice to the children of Illinois.

With such a significant beneficial program on the line, a group of dedicated lay leaders and Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman, CEO of Agudath Israel of Illinois, made a special trip to Springfield this morning to join Rabbi Soroka and meet with key legislators to secure key votes.

This is a huge victory for our community and for all the children in the State of Illinois, said Rabbi Soroka. Its also historic in terms of the scope and magnitude of the program.

Agudath Israel of Illinois has been working on this initiative together with a large coalition that includes the Catholic Conference of Illinois.

AIOI applauds the support of Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and the vital assistance of Representative Lou Lang, Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R- Burr Ridge), Senate leadership, and Governor Rauner for pushing for this issue in attempting to deliver on his campaign pledge.

The bill is expect to pass the Senate in short order, and subsequently be signed by Governor Rauner. Agudath Israel will be in touch with further updates and guidance to make this ground breaking program a success for our community.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
President Rivlin: The world must call on Hamas, to return our sons. Return them home. To their families. I urge you to take this mission and to help us bring back our sons.

I call upon you, Mr. Secretary-General, to work to end the discrimination against Israel in some branches of your organization.

Secretary-General Guterres Those that call for the destruction of the State of Israel is a form of modern anti-Semitism.

We will always be very frank in the dialogue with the State of Israel in trying to find ways for peace to be possible in this region, but we will always be very committed to make sure anti-Semitism doesnt prevail and that equality in the treatment of all states is fully respected.

President Reuven Rivlin held a working meeting at his residence on Monday morning 6 Elul with United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, who was making his first visit to Israel since his appointment. Before their meeting both men gave media statements.

President Rivlin began by welcoming the Secretary-General to Israel and wished him success in his new role on behalf of the Israeli people. The President noted, We do appreciate all that the UN is doing to fight world hunger, to improve access to clean water, and to raising awareness about climate and environmental challenges. He stressed, However, as we stand in Jerusalem, the ancient and eternal capital of the Jewish nation, I would like to remind us one important lesson. The United Nations was established with an understanding of the importance of nation states. The UN makes it possible for nation states to work together as equals, for the sake of all humanity. No one understands this better than us, Israelis.

The President urged the Secretary-General to work to end the discrimination against Israel in sections of the UN, and said, The State of Israel is the one place in which the Jewish nation can fulfill its right for self-determination. Unfortunately, all around our region we are witnessing these days, how dangerous is the collapse of the nation-state. We are witnessing with our own eyes, terrible humanitarian disasters where the state is too weak and cannot help its people. And because the idea of the nation-state is so deeply rooted in the values and principles of the UN, I call upon you, Mr. Secretary-General, to work to end the discrimination against Israel in some branches of your organization. This targeting of Israel, this singling out of the worlds only Jewish State  and even actions and statements that threaten to destroy Israel  are unacceptable and should come at a price. The President added, No member state in the UN should be allowed to behave like that. These actions weaken cooperation between states and are against the rule of law.

He added, Mr. Secretary-General, we appreciate your brave leadership regarding the discrimination against Israel. We hope that working together, we can create a more productive partnership, between Israel and the UN, for the sake of our region, and for the sake of all humanity.

The President continued, Secretary-General, Israel remains committed to peace with its neighbors. Hamas in Gaza must not be allowed to rebuild their weapons, and the world must call on Hamas, to return our sons. Return them home. To their families. I urge you to take this mission and to help us bring back our sons.

Secretary-General Guterres thanked the President and noted, I started this visit to your beautiful country with two very emotional moments. First in Yad Vashem, and then in the Grove of (Righteous Among the) Nations. And Yad Vashem is to remind us of the Holocaust, and to remind us of how important it is even today as the Holocaust was not more than the culmination of millennia of the expression of anti-Semitism around the world, through discrimination, through persecution. Yad Vashem is there to remind us that we need to be in the first line in fighting against anti-Semitism, but first of all fighting against all other forms of bigotry be it racism, xenophobia, even anti-Muslim hatred, to promote understanding and to promote dialogue, and I am very appreciative Mr. President for what has been your commitment to dialogue and understanding.

He continued, I want to express to you Mr. President that you can be fully confident that in my role as Secretary-General, and in relation to the functions of the secretariat that I am supposed to meet, I am very keen in stressing the values of the Charter, and the very important value of the Charter, impartiality. And impartiality means treating all states equally, and I am totally committed to that in my action and in everything I can do for the organization I lead. I do believe that in particular when you mention those that call for the destruction of the State of Israel that that is a form of modern anti-Semitism, but you also understand that I sometimes disagree with positions with the Government of Israel or any other government, and that is absolutely normal in a society where many of your citizens have exactly the same expressions of opinions. We will always be very frank in the dialogue with the State of Israel in trying to find ways for peace to be possible in this region, but we will always be very committed to make sure anti-Semitism doesnt prevail and that equality in the treatment of all states is fully respected.

During their meeting, the President stressed to the Secretary-General that it was inconceivable that Iran could have the rights of a member of the United Nations and continue inciting against the State of Israel. The President made it clear that these statements contradicted the values of the UN, and allowed for the spread of anti-Semitism from this important stage.

The two discussed the current situation in Gaza, the role of UNDOF along the northern border of Israel, and the importance of restoring confidence as a central component of Israeli-Palestinian discourse.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
The secretary of the Degel Hatorah Moetzas Gedolei Torah, Rabbi Avraham Rubinstein, explained in a radio interview with Kol Beramas Noam Zeigman that the three Torah Councils will not convene in a combined session this week, adding I hope they will meet in the future.

Rabbi Rubinstein on Monday, 6 Elul did not provide details other than to say, because of technical reasons, but persons involved in the effort explain it is because of the weakened state of HaGaon HaRav Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita.

Rubinstein acknowledged that chareidi faction heads in Knesset have turned to him, expressing the urgency of such a meeting due to the ongoing and expanded Chilul Shabbos taking place by Israel Railways.

Rubinstein added that based on the information he has received, the Moetzas Gedolei Torah of Agudas Yisrael will not be convening alone this week, basing this on a conversation with Rabbi Stern, the secretary of that council, adding the two speak twice daily.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Fund management has its fair share of super stars with names like Neil Woodford, Nick Train and Terry Smith almost household after years of stellar returns.

Investors who backed these managers early have reaped the reward but who should investors be backing today to make the most of their money in the future?

According to Darius McDermott, managing director of fund ratings firm FundCalibre, Holly Cassell of Neptune Investment Management is one to watch.

Cassell was promoted to co-manager of the Neptune UK Opportunities fund and deputy manager of the Neptune UK Mid Cap fund in May, after a meteoric rise through the ranks.

This is Money spoke to her to find out what makes her tick and why investors should be interested.

Holly Cassell now co-manages the Neptune UK Opportunities fund with the fund house's investment director and head of UK equities Mark Martin

Cassell joined Neptune in September 2013 as an investment analyst, having previously qualified as a chartered accountant at Deloitte. She graduated from Oxford University in 2009 with a degree in philosophy, politics and economics.

She now shares the reins of the Neptune UK Opportunities fund with Mark Martin, the firm's investment director and head of UK equities.

The fund invests in UK companies, including those the duo consider to be special situations where companies are out of favour, misunderstood or where management changes or takeovers are expected. Ongoing charges are 0.98 per cent.

Its largest holdings are retail technology firm Paypoint, UK defence specialist Ultra Electronics and telecommunications firm Spirent Communications.

Its portfolio of around 30 stocks fall within a 'silo' approach to investment, with each holding catergorised as one of three themes: economic recovery, structural growth, and operation turnarounds.

This is to minimise correlation and to serve as a hedging strategy to moderate downturn risk, Cassell explains.

'I view the mid-cap fund as his baby and I help where and when I can, but there is a greater potential to put my own stamp on the opportunities fund while using the market expertise Mark has built up over the years,' she says.

Holly Cassell said there have been some good investment opportunities in the FTSE 250 following Britain's vote to leave the EU

'We have a collaborative approach. In terms of buying stocks, Mark and I will run our own investment screen. We often find a lot of crossover when we compare the findings of our research and often select these companies.

'When it comes to selling stocks, we have price targets. This does not mean that a stock that hits its targets would be sold straight away. We reassess the investment case for these stocks. It may be the stock has simply had a good run of positive performance.'

One company that Cassell pushed for inclusion in the portfolio is British multinational firm Babcock, which specialises in support services managing complex assets and infrastructure in safety.

The company's share price has plunged over the past five years by 43 per cent from a peak of 1,471p at close of 28 February 2014 to 844p as at 31 July 2017. But Cassell believes she has stumbled across a gem here.

She says: 'Recent sentiment on the support services industry has been negative and Babcock has been affected by that and sold off unfairly. But on closer inspection, the contracts they hold - particularly with the Ministry of Defence - show that it, in fact, remains a good quality proposition.'

One of the more pertinent challenges that Cassell and other UK focused fund managers have to contend with is political uncertainty stemming from Brexit negotiations.

Fund in brief Name: Neptune UK Opportunities Ongoing charges: 0.98 per cent Return: (to 15 August 2017) One-year: 14.03 per cent

Five-year: 73.70 per cent

10-year: 199.90 per cent Yield: 2.05 per cent

Cassell, who served in the investment teams of both funds prior to her recent promotions, says the holdings of both funds were means tested based on valuation ahead of the contentious referendum.

There were plenty of opportunities to be found in firms in the FTSE 250 in the immediate aftermath of the vote, she explains, because of the perceived implications that a fall in sterling would have on the UK's medium sized businesses.

What most people failed to realise, Cassell suggests, is that around 50 per cent of the revenues generated from FTSE 250 companies come from overseas, and would therefore benefit once the cash is translated back into pounds.

'A cloudy macro picture presents difficulties, but what we can do is focus on good companies that are undervalued. We try not too focus too much on politics.'

The fall in the pound over the past year or so has made Britain's businesses susceptible to foreign takeovers as it provides foreign investors the opportunity to snap up quality British firms at a discount.

However, the political uncertainty that followed Britain's shock vote to leave the European Union has chilled the appetite for mergers and acquisitions of British companies to the lowest level in at least two decades as bosses grapple with what Brexit will cost.

Thomas Reuters data of pending and completed mergers shows the number of deals involving UK companies fell to 707, a total value of 66.2billion, in the 11 weeks immediate after the Brexit vote - down from 1,060 deals worth a total of 94.7billion in the same period last year.

The line graph shows the growth of the Neptune UK Opportunities fund versus the Investment Association UK All Companies sector over the past five years

Cassell says: 'We are likely to see more M&A activity in the future. It has taken some time for acquirers to have confidence in UK plc amid a volatile political situation.

'We do not invest in companies based solely on the fact that they are likely to be subject to a takeover bid from overseas. However, it could tip the decision.'

How does the market view Cassell?

Cassell has drawn high praise from FundCalibre's McDermott. He said: 'We've been very impressed with Holly. She is extremely knowledgeable about all the companies held within the fund, as well as the wider market, answering questions articulately and with ease.

'Anyone seeing her present could be easily mistaken for thinking she has run money for a long time.'

The Neptune UK Opportunities has endured a highly volatile time since May - with returns dipping in and out of the red on numerous occasions over the period. The fund returned 0.8 per cent over a three month period to 28 July 2017 - 1.5 percentage points below the Investment Association's UK All Companies benchmark.

Of course it would be desperately unfair to judge Cassell over such a short investment horizon - after all, the rule of thumb is to stay invested for a minimum of five years.

Over this period, the fund outperformed the benchmark by just under 5 per cent - returning 80.1 per cent versus the benchmark's 75.5 per cent.

Only time will tell whether she lives up to her billing.
Creating swimwear for the stars, Orlebar Brown already counts Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds among its A-list fans.

But the high-end British brand is reportedly looking to win over private investors, too, as it plans a 50m sale.

The firm, which came to prominence when Daniel Craig wore a pair of its trunks in the James Bond film Skyfall, is said to have hired Cavendish Corporate Finance to explore future funding options.

Sea change: The firm is said to have hired Cavendish Corporate Finance to explore future funding options

Orlebar Brown, which is expected to generate revenues of 23m this year, was started in 2007 by photographer Adam Brown, who wanted to make a tailored range of Sixties-style mens beach shorts.

He was inspired to set up the firm after noticing on holiday how womens swimwear was far more stylish than mens.

Its trunks sell for up to 395, and have been worn by the likes of rapper Jay-Z, model David Gandy and actors Damian Lewis and Michael Fassbender.

Another fan is former prime minister David Cameron, who was seen on holiday wearing a 225 pair of the firms trunks in Corsica last year.
AstraZeneca has struck a 309m deal with Takeda Pharmaceutical

PHARMA DEAL Drugs giant AstraZeneca has struck a 309million deal with Takeda Pharmaceutical to create a treatment for Parkinson's disease.

The FTSE 100 firm has joined forces with the Japanese drugs giant to bring the Medi1341 antibody to market, with clinical trials set for later this year.

PRICES DIP House prices slipped to an average 210,495 this month, according to building society Nationwide  down 0.1 per cent on July's figure.

They are 2.1 per cent higher than a year earlier, a fall from the 2.9 per cent annual growth clocked up last month.

AIRLINE DEFEAT Airline Ryanair has admitted it has little hope of stopping Lufthansa taking over parts of insolvent rival Air Berlin in what it claims is a 'conspiracy'.

David O'Brien, the airline's chief commercial officer, said: 'We have made a complaint to the German cartel office and the European Commission. We shall see what happens but we are not entirely hopeful.'

CHEAPER GOODS The average price of goods in British shops is 0.3 per cent lower than it was a year ago in a boost to millions of families, according to the British Retail Consortium.

Non-food products are 1.3 per cent lower while food prices are up 1.3 per cent.

CONFIDENCE BOOST Confidence across Britain's high-growth companies is at a record high, as firms capitalise on the weak pound to stimulate exports.

The firms, dubbed Gazelles, have been targeting new markets in Europe and the US, with more than eight in 10 saying they expect revenue growth of 10 per cent or more, up from 44 per cent last year.

EXPANSION BID Stationery design firm IG Design is ramping up its expansion plans after a strong first quarter.

The group, which designs gifts, stationery and creative play products, said its order book is yet again at record levels.

NEW LENDER Business lender Redwood Bank is open for business, four months after regulators gave it a banking licence. It is focused on Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Warrington.

SOFTWARE SALE British patent software firm CPA Global is being bought by US investment firm Leonard Green for 2.4billion.

It was yesterday unclear what impact the sale would have on CPA's 2,000 employees, who work across four continents.
MBABANE  Fear has engulfed residents of Mahwalala following 10 rape incidents that have been reported since the beginning of the year.



The disturbing aspect is the fact that the suspected rapist has not been captured due to his evasive stunts but police are working day and night to bring him to book.



Residents from this area, especially those frrom Zone V and VI have been warned to make sure their windows are closed, have burglar bars and doors are locked with the key removed from the keyhole. Police confirmed that they were dealing with about 10 cases of rape reported from this location alone.



Independent investigations conducted by this newspaper revealed that a higher number of women had come up claiming to have been raped by the same suspect who is for now unknown.



Community leaders had suggested that the women raped by the suspect could be as high as 30, though police could not corroborate this figure.

The suspect apparently threatens the women with a panga after entering the houses, and he is said to operates around 2am and 3am. He is said to target women between the age of 20 to 30, who are renting flats within the area.



Those who have fallen victim of the rapist described him to the police to be tall and dark and he wears lipstick to confuse the women into thinking he has red lips.
EZULWINI  People will once again be getting free meat from the Muslim community this coming weekend.



This would be in line with their annual festival known as Eid Ul adha, which comes about two months after Ramadan.

Ramadan is the official fasting which normally happens between June and July depending on the phase of the moon. The Muslim community normally begins and ends their fasting at the new moon.



The meat would come from the different animals that would be slaughtered which include cattle, goats and sheep as a sacrifice to Allah.

Sayed Matsebula, the Muslim Liaison Officer in Swaziland confirmed the festival this coming weekend.



Matsebula said unlike last year, where members of the public were invited to the Ezulwini Islamic Institute Centre to collect the free meat, this year the Muslims would be distributing the meat to the needy people across the country to make sure that all those who needed the meat received it at no cost.



He said they had already communicated with the communities to identity those who were interested in getting the meat. The meat would first be distributed to all the nine mosques in the country before being taken to the nearby communities.

The new logistics, according to Matsebula came after they realised that many people missed out in last years distribution.



We received numerous calls from people who missed out last year and we have been made aware that some couldnt make it to the mosque for many reasons. Some were sick and others had no money for transport, he said.



We want to make sure that all those who need the meat get it this year, he added.

Asked about the essence of the sacrifice, Matsebula said it was meant for Muslims to demonstrate how they spent what they had before Allah.
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By Mark Hallum

Richard David, one of three contenders for the City Council formerly held by convicted felon Ruben Wills, a Democrat from Jamaica, was endorsed by Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) Monday at the intersection of Lefferts Boulevard and Liberty Avenue.

The only Republican in city government, Ulrich said he was endorsing David because he would oversee issues regardless of political party. Ulrich also lauded David as the most qualified candidate in the race, with more experience in the public sector, including a background with the city Economic Development Corporation, Consumer Affairs and Administration for Childrens Services.

Our district is emerging from an era of corruption, weve lost probably up to 10 years. We got to get it right this time, David said. Our districts are side-by-side, but statistically the graduation rates [in the 28th District] are lower and the asthma rates are higher. The homeownership rates are about the same, but the foreclosure rates are higher here. Theres no reason to have this disparity in two neighboring districts that are identical in every other way.

District 28 covers Richmond Hill, Jamaica and part of Ozone Park, where David is one of four vying for the seat. Hettie Powell and Adrienne Adams are also in the Democratic primary race.

According to David, the district has lost years of progress under Wills, who was convicted of funneling $33,000 in government funds to his own non-profit organization. He also argued that the district had lost out on up to 30 years of civic growth under poor leadership, and the result was a lack of community centers and programs, as well as a high school drop-out rate of about 50 percent.

In 22 days, the voters of the 28th District will elect their next member of the City Council. Im going to have to work with the person they elect at City Hall to fight for better transportation, to fight for better access to quality healthcare, to fight for more affordable housing, Ulrich said. Im supporting a Democrat in this race who I believe is going to be effective, who is honest and who I know is going to work for all the voters in his district.

At 31 years old, David is the youngest person running for public office in the city.

On July 20, Wills was convicted after an 11-day trial of five counts of grand larceny. Supreme Court Judge Ira Margulis ordered the disgraced politician to repay the $33,000 he took from his Council district and pay an additional $5,000 in fines for using funds from the citys Campaign Finance Board and the states Office of Children and Family Services on top of being sentenced to two to six years behind bars.
Did you vote in the midterm elections as if your countrys existence depended on it?

columns
WASHINGTON, D.C.  President Trump on Monday rescinded Obama-era limits on providing surplus military equipment to police departments, but Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple doesn't anticipate a wild procurement spree.

''This is not like a great boon for law enforcement, or any kind of pick-me-up,'' he said. ''A lot of the equipment banned by Obama has no place in law enforcement anyway. We don't need missile launchers.''

The 1990s-vintage Defense Department program has resulted in the provision of $6 billion in military gear to state and local police departments, which pay only for shipment costs.

Then President Barack Obama issued an executive order in 2015  in the wake of civil disturbances in Ferguson, Mo.  barring the transfer of big-caliber weapons as well as grenade launchers and armored vehicles.

Obama at the time justified the limits on the grounds that police should not appear to be ''an occupying force'' in times of trouble. Police displays of heavy-duty military equipment "can alienate and intimidate local residents and send the wrong message,'' he said.

As part of his campaign to undo much of the Obama regulatory scheme in a variety of areas, Trump signed an order Monday restoring the Defense Logistics Agency program back to its pre-Obama-order status.

Speaking Monday before a meeting of the Fraternal Order of Police, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Obama ''went too far'' and the Trump administration would ''not put superficial concerns above public safety.''

Civil rights groups condemned the Trump order as a provocative heightening of tensions between police and minority communities nationwide. Police groups including the FOP and National Sheriffs' Association hailed it.

The Albany Sheriff's Department obtained an MRAP armored vehicle in 2013, raising some eyebrows. The vehicle weighs 14 tons and is designed to withstand land mines and full-scale assaults.

The department saved money by not going through with its plan to purchase a smaller, less-imposing Bearcat vehicle for $329,000.

Apple ordered the machine-gun turret taken off the MRAP because ''we didn't want people to think we were invading Albany.''

He acknowledged the military vehicle is ''intimidating,'' but insists it has tremendous utility in difficult law enforcement encounters.

He pointed to the barricade situation in 2014 in the town of Knox, when deputies were able to drive the MRAP right up to a distraught shooter who had burned down his house and barn. Kenneth Fortuin, then 49, surrendered without incident.

''I would not get rid of it for anything,'' said Apple, who noted it's a big hit at ''truck touch'' events in which small children get to climb up and around fire engines and other large vehicles.

A list maintained by the Defense Logistics Agency's Law Enforcement Support Office shows other New York law enforcement agencies have benefited from the program over the years.

The New York State Police has gotten night-vision equipment, a cargo truck, a cargo-hauling airplane and a helicopter, according to the list. The Albany Police Department got a utility truck.

The Saratoga County Sheriff's Department obtained underwater sound equipment, industrial goggles and its own mine-resistant vehicle.

In a Facebook post, Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, quoted a Seattle police chief as saying "the police are not at war, and Americans are not the enemy.''

''We do ourselves, our community, and the local police officers and departments who serve us a disservice when we cast them as instruments of war instead of as officers of the peace,'' he said.

In addition to the MRAP, the Albany Sheriff's Department also obtained utility trucks, a Humvee and M-4 military assault rifles, which were given back to the Defense Department ''because we didn't think they served any purpose.''

Apple said law enforcement always needs to navigate between its mission to protect innocents and pursue criminals, and its responsibility as a positive force in any community it serves.

''It's a delicate balance,'' he said.

dan@hearstdc.com
Albany

Bennington College and several scientists and former environmental regulators are teaming up to conduct an informal health survey analyzing six illnesses tied to a toxic manufacturing chemical that polluted water supplies in several communities in Rensselaer County and southern Vermont.

The grassroots survey, which is not sanctioned by a government agency, was announced Tuesday at the New York state Capitol, where Health Department officials in June released the results of a controversial study they said found no evidence of increased cancer rates in Hoosick Falls.

The state Health Department, in turn, issued a news release Tuesday announcing their agency has set up an online portal to continue gathering similar health-survey information from residents in Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh, where drinking water supplies were found to be contaminated with the chemical PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid.

The agency also released a letter Tuesday that it signed last week with five other states calling on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to undertake a multi-state health study using data from a multitude of communities where perfluorinated chemicals have contaminated drinking water supplies.

The states joining New York's Health Commissioner, Howard A. Zucker, in calling for the CDC initiative are Vermont, New Hampshire, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Alaska.

"We welcome the opportunity to share additional information about our affected populations as part of a national effort to develop a plan to study health outcomes in multiple PFAS-affected communities," the letter states.

Judith Enck, a former regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency who is working with Bennington College on the informal survey, welcomed the additional efforts by the state and characterized the timing of the agency's announcement on Tuesday as "curious."

"But it validates the importance of doing a community health questionnaire which we were very proud to announce today," Enck said Tuesday. "The real disappointment here is the Health Department could be doing more bio-monitoring in Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh. That would not be a redundant contribution."

Enck notified the state Department of Environmental Conservation on Monday that her group would be announcing their survey effort Tuesday morning, she said.

It's unclear whether multiple health surveys will overwhelm residents.

Enck said their group will use social media, newspaper ads and other methods to solicit residents of the town of Hoosick, village of Hoosick Falls, Petersburgh and Bennington, Vt., to fill out the questionnaire. Manufacturing plants in those communities contaminated public and private water supplies with PFOA. The chemical has been linked to six serious illnesses: thyroid disease, testicular and kidney cancer, high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis and pregnancy-induced hypertension.

The effort by Bennington College to conduct a more comprehensive survey of residents took shape after the New York Health Department released the results of its cancer study in June that found the rates of the disease in the village of Hoosick Falls are not extraordinary. State officials previously acknowledged the data-driven study was conducted to narrowly determine "whether village residents who consumed contaminated water had increased rates of cancer relative to the rest of the state."

A Health Department spokesman said they support the effort being coordinated by Bennington College.

"On our end of it, I think what they're doing is pretty complimentary to what we have," said Gary Holmes, an agency spokesman. "We're supportive of their efforts to do that and hopefully they're supportive of ours."

Enck said it's unclear how long residents of Petersburgh, Hoosick Falls and Bennington have consumed drinking water containing PFOA. The manufacturing plants that have made Teflon-coated and other heat-resistant products in those areas used the PFOA chemical for decades.

"Whatever we find we will share with the communities, local officials and regulators," Enck said. "If a trend is found, it is our great hope that a more comprehensive health study will be done."

Enck was flanked at the news conference by David Bond, associate director of the Center for the Advancement of Public Action at Bennington College, and Dr. Howard Freed, a former director of the state Health Department's Center for Environmental Health.

Bond has obtained government grants and crafted a special curriculum at his college to study multiple issues related to PFOA contamination, from its levels in local maple syrup to how far pollution plumes have spread around various factories in the region.

"We want to give greater prominence (to) the knowledge the community has of its own health," Bond said of the survey, which must be submitted by Oct. 1.

Enck, who left the EPA's Region 2 office earlier this year, said the survey will seek to pinpoint health trends and data that doesn't exist.

Freed stopped short of criticizing the state's cancer study.

"There are no math errors and they accurately reported the result of the analysis that they did," he said. "We're doing something else. We're looking at all of the illnesses linked to PFOA, not just cancer. ... We thought it was important to talk directly to the residents."

Bennington College officials said any individual health information will remain confidential; the college developed a website to host the study and securely store information. Only general findings will be shared publicly.

In June, the Times Union published a story citing multiple people with expertise in health fields or the methodology of cancer studies who said the state's analysis, which compared a cancer data registry with residents of Hoosick Falls during a 20-year period ending in 2014, did not account for an unknown number of residents who moved out of the small village in the past several decades.

Those who left were not included in the data even if they were later diagnosed with cancer or other serious diseases that have been linked to long-term exposure to PFOA.

In February, DuPont/Chemours, a former major manufacturer of PFOA, agreed to a $670 million settlement in a federal class-action lawsuit in Columbus, Ohio, that was filed on behalf of approximately 3,550 people who said they were afflicted with diseases as a result of PFOA contamination of their drinking water.

A research group known as the C8 Science Panel  C8 is another term for PFOA  conducted years of research as part of an earlier settlement paid out by DuPont. The study closely examined people in Ohio and West Virginia who were exposed to PFOA in their drinking water. The panel's work included examining the levels of PFOA in the blood of those who consumed the contaminated water or were exposed to PFOA in other ways, and also researching their health issues in connection with how much tainted water they may have consumed over time.

Freed, who was director of the Health Department's Center for Environmental Health for four years until 2012, said that as part of their informal research they will consult with Dr. Marcus Martinez, who runs a family medical practice in Hoosick Falls. Martinez was one of the first community leaders to raise concerns about what he believes was a high rate of rare cancers and other diseases in the small village.

Elevated levels of PFOA were found in the village's public water system in 2014. The state Health Department and village officials were widely criticized because they waited roughly 16 months  and faced pressure from the EPA  before they warned the public to stop drinking the water.
Albany

Anja Adriaans is inviting anyone from Albany to join her in September in Nijmegen for a six-day celebration to mark the 70th anniversary of the sister-city connection, which was forged in the aftermath of World War II when Albany residents shipped relief supplies to their counterparts in the Dutch city.

There's still time to book a flight to the Dutch capital of Amsterdam. From there, Nijmegen is a 90-minute train ride. The trip is about 3,800 miles each way, but Adriaans insists it's a much shorter journey given its emotional underpinning.

"When your heart's in it, you feel that our cities share a special bond that can never be broken," said Adriaans, the leader of Friendship Albany-Nijmegen, or FAN. "Sister Cities for Life" is its motto. FAN is a not-for-profit organization committed to deepening the bond between the two cities.

More Information Info Box For more information on the sister-city program in Nijmegen, go to the FAN site on Facebook or its website at http://www.stichtingfan.nl/en/ Contact Paul Grondahl at grondahlpaul@gmail.com See More Collapse

Adriaans has made five trips to Albany in the past four years, most recently in May to celebrate the sister cities' 70th anniversary at the Tulip Festival. Adriaans and her husband, Walter Hamers, joined in the ceremonial scrubbing of State Street, were honored at a Tulip Festival ball and spoke about the historical connection between the two cities at the Albany Institute of History & Art. "Walter and I had a wonderful time in Albany," she said. "The reception we received was terrific."

Now, Adriaans is reciprocating. She and a group of volunteers organized a historical exhibit, a concert, special meals and tours of Nijmegen during the anniversary celebration, which runs Sept. 15 through 20. Many of the events, which are free, will be held in St. Stephen's Church, originally built in the 13th century. The church's steeple and interior were severely damaged in World War II and the Albany shipment included building supplies to help repair the church. Nijmegen dates to Roman times and is the oldest city in the Netherlands.

The sister-city link was formed in 1947 when residents of Albany collected 300 tons of donated food, clothing, medical supplies, household goods and building materials. The humanitarian shipment helped rebuild Nijmegen, which was devastated by bombing and fighting during the war. In gratitude, the Dutch sent a shipment of tulips, which were planted in Albany's Washington Park. That was the genesis of the city's Tulip Festival, which began in 1948.

During the Allied offensive to liberate the city from the Nazis, 48 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne were killed Sept. 20, 1944, during an attack on the German-held bridge over the Waal River. Nijmegen is located on the border with Germany in the south of Holland. The 82nd Airborne is revered in Nijmegen and each night at sunset, Dutch veterans lead a solemn march across the bridge to honor the sacrifices of the fallen soldiers and their American liberators. The bridge has 48 lights that illuminate as people walk past. It is considered the longest World War II memorial in the world.

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Nijmegen Mayor Hubert Bruls  the Dutch term for mayor is burgermeister  will lead a ceremony and deliver speeches marking the sister-city connection. Sheehan will be the first mayor of Albany to visit Nijmegen. Two mayors of Nijmegen have traveled to Albany since 1947. The Albany contingent is expected to include Jay Jakovic, a former official of the Dutch Settlers Society, and Tony Esposito, the former chairman of the Capital District Transportation Authority and a history buff.

"It's important to mark the 70th anniversary of our sister-city bond and I wanted to be there personally to help them celebrate the connection," said Sheehan, who is paying her own way. The trip is a gift to her husband, Bob, for the hard work he put in on her mayoral primary campaign, which prevented the couple from taking a vacation this summer. They'll leave two days after the Sept. 12 primary and spend four days in Nijmegen and a few days in Amsterdam.

"When I tell people the story of the Albany-Nijmegen bond, they are moved by it," Sheehan said. "I want to help keep that history alive."

During World War II, more than 2,200 civilians were killed and 5,500 more were critically injured in Nijmegen, a city of 120,000. Bombing destroyed 2,260 homes, ruined 400 streets and reduced to rubble much of the historic center.

"I appreciate the historic ties and the friendship between Albany and Nijmegen," Bruls told me during an interview in his City Hall office in the summer of 2016. "Our younger generation has forgotten the Albany story and we need to remind them. I imagine it's the same in Albany, where people don't know where Nijmegen is located, or how to pronounce it." (Nijmegen is pronounced NIGH-may-gun).

Today, Nijmegen's population is about 175,000 and it's growing by 1,000 to 3,000 residents each year, drawn by its high-tech sector and Radboud University, a highly regarded research and medical facility. The city's unemployment rate is about 5 percent. About half of the residents hold a college degree.

Nijmegen housed and resettled more than 3,000 Syrian refugees in 2016. "Hundreds of people volunteered to help. That showed the spirit of Nijmegen," Bruls said.

Bruls, 51, is the father of two teenage daughters. He earned a political science degree at Radboud University. He has traveled to New York City as part of a United Nations delegation. He hopes to visit Albany and to make a side trip to Memphis to see Graceland. Bruls has a large portrait of Elvis Presley above his desk, next to King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

"We have a king, but there's only one king of rock 'n' roll," said Bruls, who crooned a few bars of "Blue Suede Shoes."

Paul Grondahl is the director of the New York State Writers Institute and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com
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Glenville

Britton Otiss first-grade teacher noticed something was wrong.

Britton worked hard, but her performance didnt match up. As Brittons mother, Kim, explained it, her teacher would have to repeat instructions, but it was as if Britton heard them for the first time  like a blank happened.

Britton spaced out at home sometimes  she would occasionally ignore Kim calling her, for instance. But Kim had two healthy older boys who did the same thing. Still, she took heed when the teacher, Michele Bowker of Pashley Elementary School, encouraged her to have Britton checked for neurological problems.

Videos: absence seizures What an absence seizure looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3iLQi6wt94 What a conversation sounds like to someone having an absence seizure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFJ48aYRGnw See More Collapse

A series of electroencephalograms, which test electrical activity in the brain, showed seizure activity. Britton had epilepsy.

It was very hard for us to come to terms with the fact that there could be a problem with our daughter, with her brain, Kim Otis said.

Britton had absence (pronounced ab-sahns) seizures. Formerly known as petit mal seizures, they are milder than the violent convulsions of what used to be called grand mal seizures (now more often called generalized tonic-clonic seizures). Absence seizures can be brief and look like nothing worse than a blank stare, but in fact are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

As the school year approaches, advocates for people with epilepsy want teachers to be on the alert for the easy-to-dismiss episodes. Its sometimes harder for parents to identify them in the midst of family activities that dont require their children to focus, said Erica DeNicola, a health educator at the Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York.

Oftentimes absence seizures are noticed by teachers at school because they get a lot of face time, she said.

Misty Hayes, a fourth-grade teacher at Red Mill Elementary in East Greenbush, observed a smart, hardworking child in her class two years ago who, like Britton Otis, would periodically have attention blackouts. Because Hayes daughter has epilepsy, she understood that the behavior might be serious. The students mother, however, didnt think much of it until Hayes alerted her to how unusual his zoning out was in its frequency.

EEGs showed he was having seizures in his sleep.

Its important that teachers just dont discount it, Hayes said.

Once Britton Otis was diagnosed, teachers met with her at the end of each day to make sure she hadnt missed something. Even classmates became proficient at recognizing one of Brittons seizures and helping to fill in the gaps.

Absence seizures are more common in children than in adults. Dr. John Pugh, a pediatric neurologist at Albany Medical Center, likened them to pausing a cassette player. The childs brain picks right back up when the seizure is over, as if the record button has been hit again.

The problem is, of course, that life doesnt pause, so moments are missed. But children can often compensate for the lapses.

Often those little pauses are so brief, that you can fill in the gaps, Pugh said.

Britton, now 11, said that during a seizure, she would hear someone talking to her, but not understand them or be able to respond.

Absence seizures are benign, Pugh said. They are seen in children with otherwise healthy brains, who often outgrow their epilepsy by adolescence with no lasting effects.

Nonetheless, they should be treated, Pugh said. Some children can have dozens an hour. The seizures can impede not only academic performance, but safety  imagine having one while swimming or crossing a street. Theres also some thought that treating them decreases the chance of having epilepsy later in life, Pugh said.

Theres an easy way to tell the difference between an absence seizure and daydreaming, Pugh said. A seizure cannot be interrupted, even with a vigorous shake.

Kim and Britton Otis can joke with each other about certain some aspects of Brittons condition, now that her seizures are far less frequent and she no longer needs medication. At home in Glenville in mid-August, Britton said sometimes she cant respond from her room when her mother calls.

Kim raised her eyebrows skeptically: Listen, sister, that ship has sailed. Caught in a fib, Britton laughed: Most of the time, Im just on FaceTime with my friends, and she calls me down to clean.
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QUEENSBURY  On Sept 11, 2016, veteran State Trooper Timothy Pratt led Gov. Andrew Cuomo's memorial motorcycle ride from the state Capitol in Albany to New York City.

Less than seven weeks later he stepped off the running board of an 18-wheel truck whose driver was stopped in the turning lane of Ballard Road in Wilton. An oncoming vehicle struck Pratt, 55, who died three hours later.

Now, the family of the fallen trooper is suing the driver of that oncoming vehicle, the driver of the truck and the company that employed the truck driver.

Pratt's sister, Laurie LaFountain of Gansevoort, his daughter, Sarah Pratt of Wilton, sons James Pratt of Glens Falls and Shane Pratt of Fort Edward, filed the suit July 7 in state Supreme Court in Warren County.

The lawsuit contends truck driver Mikail Grudko and Monroe Transport Services were "careless and negligent so as to proximately cause the wrongful death" of Pratt on Oct. 26, 2016 .

The suit said Grudko created a dangerous situation for drivers and pedestrians. It alleged the oncoming driver, Joel Duguay of Corinth, who was driving east, caused "severe and diverse injuries to (Pratt) with pre-impact terror, conscious pain and suffering and ultimately his death."

Pratt suffered blunt force trauma, to his lower extremities and cardiac arrest which caused his death, the suit said.

The suit, which did not specify monetary damages sought, alleges both drivers and the company caused "careless, negligent, wrongful, reckless and unreasonably safe acts, conduct and/or omissions..."

Police did not bring charges in the incident. At the time, since-retired State Police Maj. William Keeler, the commander of Troop G, said: "It was an accident."

The suit was filed by Queensbury attorney Brian Breedlove, who did not return a call for comment. Attorneys for the defendants could not be immediately reached.
HUDSON  City police said they've made an arrest in two related cases that occurred in recent days.

Last Thursday police were told that a man reached over the counter at Antigo vintage goods retail store at 337 Warren St. and made off with $505 from the cash register. The man ran away, but police said they quickly developed leads.
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Dragging a long green kayak behind her, Elizabeth Lindsey waded through pungent, waist-deep water toward her camper, now sitting only inches above the top of the water that filled her Fannett neighborhood off FM 365 Monday afternoon.

She had gone to stay in Beaumont with friends, thinking her belongings would be safe, until rains from Harvey flooded the area late Sunday night. She returned Monday with her brother, his truck and a kayak to make her way back to the camper, where she hoped to salvage important documents and to get what furniture she could off the floor.

"I'm born and raised here, and it's never got this high," Lindsey said.

Esteban Lopez and Matt Spence were driving around

the neighborhood north of Interstate 10 off FM 365 in their ATV, looking for neighbors who needed help evacuating. They offered Lindsey a lift, driving through several feet of water to drop her in front of the trailer.

"That's a canal, and that's a yard," Lopez said, gesturing to where the two had become indistinguishable. More than a foot of water covered most of the neighborhood, reaching and flooding homes that had previously been safe distances from the canal's banks. A pasture had become a lake, the steps to a home on piers sat below the waterline.

Just south of Interstate 10, Cortney and James Purcell loaded belongings into a boat, where neighbor O'Dell Booker sat waiting to ferry them to and from their car. Their home was surrounded by deep water, which forced them to evacuate with their family to nearby Grace Community Baptist Church until the waters recede, Cortney said.

She and James carried their seven chickens Monday morning from a submerged-coop to a picnic table on the back porch, where the birds perched above the water, pecking at a bowl of food.

"I never thought I'd see the day you had to use a boat to visit the neighbors," she said.

"Hopefully it drains," James said. "But for now, we wait."

But with Harvey forecast to make a second landfall near High Island later this week as a tropical storm, bringing more heavy rainfall with it, the likelihood of floodwaters receding is low.

The National Weather Service expected Harvey to move off the central Texas coast Monday. When the storm makes landfall Wednesday, it is expected to bring winds up to 40 miles per hour and a storm surge up to 3 feet.

Swollen rivers already overflowing will likely flood further. That prompted mandatory evacuation orders Monday in Jefferson County's Bevil Oaks and Northwest Forest subdivision. Voluntary evacuation orders were issued for residents living in flood-prone areas of Hardin, Jasper, Tyler and Newton counties.

Beaumont mayor Becky Ames issued a voluntary evacuation for the area near Pine Island Bayou, and said Monday afternoon she hoped people would be able to leave the area before dark Monday night.

Record river flooding is possible on Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake and Bevil Oaks, according to the National Weather Service. Major flooding is possible on Village Creek near Kountze, and the Sabine River near Deweyville, the NWS said.

As of Monday afternoon, the Toledo Bend Reservoir was at 171.25 feet. When the level reaches 172.5, the Sabine River Authority will open the dam and release water to the area south of the lake, assistant general manager Ann Galassi said.

Jefferson County closed the flood gates on FM 365 near Port Acres Monday afternoon because of water coming in from Rodair Gully. Closing the gates on FM 365 cuts off access between Fannett and Port Arthur.

Deputy Marcus McLellan said Monday afternoon that the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office had been involved in about 10 rescues from houses and cars since 4 a.m. Monday.

Throughout the area, neighbors with boats, ATVs and trucks helped each other leave their flooded homes.

The American Red Cross has opened shelters at the Beaumont Civic Center and the Bob Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur. Other shelters opened at First United Methodist Churches in Vidor and Mauriceville.

Beaumont's shelter has 100 beds available and another 100 on standby. A few more than a dozen people were staying at the shelter Monday morning.

Sherry Ulmer, public health director for the city, said she anticipates that number increasing if Harvey makes landfall again this week as predicted.

In Vidor, church members and neighbors have been gathering since Saturday when Pastor John Mooney and his wife Sharon knew they might be needed.

"We thought worse case scenario because this neighborhood floods so regularly," Sharon Mooney said, standing among inflatable beds and sleeping bags in the church gymnasium on Main Street. "We wanted to be here for the church."

They will take in those rescued by Vidor Emergency Services as well. The Red Cross provided extra supplies, including 30 cots for the church.

Children thrown together by disaster became fast friends as they played together with various family dogs. Church members were making pancakes and taco soup.

The church has showers for their regular mission to help the homeless, and the bathrooms are well-stocked with towels, toothbrushes and soap to keep everyone feeling their best, Mooney said.

Most schools in Southeast Texas have canceled classes for the week, with many planning to resume or start the school year on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

With Harvey's track and impact this week uncertain, residents of already-flooded homes weren't sure what to do next, aside from hope for an unlikely respite.

Cody Heckaman stood in knee-deep water in his Fannett driveway on Monday, carefully watching the water lap just below the top step to his front door.

"I've got about 6, maybe 7 inches" before the house floods, he said. The garage, shed and his wife Jessica's SUV had already flooded, when water rose from a few inches to a few feet Sunday night.

His land had a levee around it, and a drainage system installed by his grandfather in the 1980s, neither of which stopped the inundation of water. They'd moved the family's camper to higher ground before it flooded, giving them a place to stay if they needed to evacuate.

"We'll be able to get out of here if we have to," Jessica said. "I hope it goes down, but I don't think we'll get that lucky. The water doesn't have anywhere to go. There's nothing we can do."

LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/LizTeitz
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CATSKILL  Police are looking for a man suspected of shooting an acquaintance outside of a village bar on Monday.

Catskill police and State Police want Paul "Pablo" Maldonado, 38, of Leeds, on charges of attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
WASHINGTON _ With Republicans appealing for swift Congressional action on a relief package for Texas victims of Hurricane Harvey, Democrats wagged a collective finger by recalling GOP resistance to similar funding in the wake of Hurricanes Irene and Sandy.

Most Democrats who pleaded for aid after Sandy in 2012 and Irene in 2012 _ both of which devastated different parts of New York _ appear ready to vote for Harvey relief.

But not before savoring the irony of the political moment.

''The pictures from Houston bring back such horrible memories for all New Yorkers who suffered so greatly from Superstorm Sandy's wrath, and the devastation upstate from Irene and (Tropical Storm) Lee,'' said Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer in a statement. ''Unlike so many representatives from Texas who tried to block the Sandy Relief bill, when Congress returns next week we will work to provide appropriate relief to Houston.''

Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, cautioned fellow Democrats not to succumb to temptation for payback.

''When your neighbor's house is underwater, you don't haggle over the price to get into a rescue boat,'' he said. ''That kind of political response wasn't worthy of our nation in 2011, and we should not revisit that approach now.''

The battle shaped up along geographic lines as much as political ones, with Republicans including Rep. Peter King of Long Island and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie joining Democrats in blasting the turnaround of Texas Republicans in particular.

Their main target was Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who led Republican opposition to Sandy aid in 2012 unless it was accompanied by equal spending cuts in other areas. Other conservative Republicans outside the Northeast fell into line, delaying a relief package until four months after Sandy devastated the coastlines of New Jersey and Long Island and caused flooding in Staten Island and even Lower Manhattan.

Irene and Tropical Storm Lee gave upstate a one-two wallop in 2011, with flooding that caused widespread damage and power outages. New York state spent $574 for recovery, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the following year.

Cruz defended his Sandy position, saying in an interview on MSNBC that the $50 billion package was filled with unnecessary ''pork'' spending.

''It's not right for politicians to exploit a disaster when people are hurting to pay for their own political wish list,'' he said.

President Trump visited Texas on Tuesday and declared relief was a multi-pronged effort. ''It's a real team, and we want to do it better than ever before,'' he said.

On Monday in a news conference with the president of Finland, Trump said, ''You are going to see very rapid action from Congress, certainly from the president.''

New York political figures from both parties expressed support for Harvey funding but were loath to enter the fray over Republican opposition to funding previous natural disasters.

''Senator Gillibrand will support funding to help Texas recover from Harvey,'' said Whitney Mitchell Brennan, spokeswoman for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. ''She hopes this funding doesn't get caught up in political games and is passed without strings attached.''

Brennan declined to address the partisan divide over past disaster-relief funding.

Similarly, spokesmen for Reps. John Faso, R-Kinderhook, and Elise Stefanik _ neither of whom was in Congress in 2012 during Sandy _ sidestepped the politics of disaster spending.

''Congressman Faso would support assistance to communities affected by this extreme and difficult situation,'' said his spokesman, John Lange.

''Congresswoman Stefanik believes the federal government needs to provide the necessary resources to communities impacted by this terrible storm,'' said her spokesman, Tom Flanagin.

The urgency of Harvey relief money comes at an inopportune time especially for congressional Republicans, who are wrestling with their own conservative consciences over raising the debt ceiling and reaching a budget deal by Sept. 30.

Although both branches of Congress are under GOP domination, Trump is threatening a shutdown unless he gets funding to build his promised wall across the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border.

dan@hearstdc.com
[August 29, 2017] Hydro-Quebec to sponsor TeamMTL's entry in Solar Decathlon China

McGill University and Concordia University students are teaming up as the sole Canadian entry in the prestigious international housing design competition MONTREAL, Aug. 29, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Hydro-Quebec announced today that it will sponsor TeamMTL's entry in the Solar Decathlon China 2018, which takes place in Dezhou, Shandong Province, in northeastern China. Hydro-Quebec, with the support of Quebec's Ministere de l'Energie et des Ressources naturelles, will provide the team with $250,000 in funding, as well as in-kind support, to help complete the construction of its green residential design concept. The house was recently opened to the public and will later be disassembled and rebuilt in China. TeamMTL is a joint project of McGill University and Concordia University. A student-led team, the group is composed of roughly 40 members from both institutions. Their entry, known as the Deep Performance Dwelling (DPD), combines Montreal row-house design with elements of traditional Chinese siheyuan courtyard architecture. "By supporting TeamMTL's innovative project, Hydro-Quebec demonstrates its ongoing commitment as a central player in technologies that will make our houses even smarter and help us meet our customers' needs into the future," said Eric Filion, Vice President - Customer, Hydro-Quebec Distribution. "We want to lead the energy transition and help our customers choose the right technology." "We are extremely grateful and excited that Hydro-Quebec is willing to support us throughout this significant research endeavor," said Sophie Jemtrud, Communications Lead for TeamMTL. "The opportunity to work with industry partners in the design and construction of a home that is a model of sustainability and affordability is rare for students, and it is an invalable learning experience for our team. The support of a prestigious company like Hydro-Quebec will go a long way to ensuring our success in the Solar Decathlon China 2018 competition."



"Our government's energy policy is clear: the success of our energy transition hinges on innovation," added Pierre Arcand, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. "Projects like those of TeamMTL will enable us to reach our GHG reduction targets and use the energy we do consume more efficiently." "Working with Hydro-Quebec is a huge boost to the validity of our concept," said Yves Beauchamp, Vice-Principal, Administration and Finance, McGill University. "We're continuing to bring together numerous public and private sector partners who have a shared concern for building a sustainable world while simultaneously educating the best and brightest young thinkers and doers from our community."

"This project demonstrates the key role universities play in shaping smart, sustainable and resilient cities," said Alan Shepard, President of Concordia University. "With the support from Hydro-Quebec and the Government of Quebec, TeamMTL now has even more momentum going into the Solar Decathlon competition. These young urban leaders are making a difference in proposing solutions to create sustainable cities." The competition requires each team to design and build a two-storey, Net Zero Energy capable, solar-powered house with a floor area of 120 to 200 m2 (1290 to 2150 ft2) that is equipped with all necessary household appliances and capable of charging an electric vehicle. Each entry will be evaluated for cost feasibility, power efficiency, environment adaptability, power generation capacity and architectural quality. The house was officially opened to the public at a ceremony on Thursday, August 29, at 11:00 AM, at Concordia's Loyola campus (7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6). About Hydro-Quebec

Hydro-Quebec generates, transmits and distributes electricity. Its sole shareholder is the Quebec government. While using mainly hydroelectric generation, it supports the development of other technologiessuch as wind energy and biomassthrough purchases from independent power producers. It also conducts R&D in energy-related fields, including energy efficiency. The company has four divisions: Hydro-Quebec Production, Hydro-Quebec TransEnergie, Hydro-Quebec Distribution and Hydro-Quebec Innovation, equipement et services partages. For more information, please visit our Web site and follow us on Twitter (@hydroquebec). About TeamMTL

TeamMTL is a collaboration between McGill University and Concordia University comprised of faculty and students from several different and diverse departments including architecture, design and computation arts, engineering, business, management, dance and theatre. The design, construction, and operation of the Deep-Performance Dwelling is an active partnership with inter-disciplinary and cross-institutional teams working side-by-side in an integrative design process. This dynamic collaboration capitalizes on the expertise, strengths, and resources of two preeminent Quebec universities. The student team is comprised of undergraduate and graduate students at all stages in their career from a wide array of disciplines. For more information on the house, visit http://teammtl.ca SOURCE Hydro-Quebec

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[August 29, 2017] Inspur Cloud Announces 2017 New Strategy to Boost Sales Revenue to 20 Billion Yuan by 2020

BEIJING, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 28, "Computing Everywhere" Inspur Cloud 2017 New Strategy Conference was held in Beijing, China. Inspur Cloud announced the "1-2-3-3" strategy at the conference. In this strategy, Inspur will focus on 2 dimensions of market in China and other countries for both government and enterprises. With 3 moves (expanding the layout of cloud centers, building the cloud open platform and improving the cloud ecosystem) and 3 features (secure and trustworthy, data service, customized), Inspur will work hard to achieve one goal of 20 billion yuan sales revenue by 2020 and become a world-leading cloud service provider. Executive President of Inspur Group Richard Wang and Vice President of Inspur Group James Wang attended the conference. In the future, besides 4 core cloud centers and 34 municipal cloud centers which are already built, Inspur Cloud will expand and build 7 core nodes and 50 sub nodes in China, providing computing service everywhere for the interconnected IoT system and innovative applicaion. Meanwhile, to accelerate global business, Inspur Cloud announced the "overseas plan" to build 5 cloud center nodes in Seattle (North America), Columbia (South America), Frankfurt (Europe), Moscow (Europe) and Ethiopia (Africa), supporting countries involved in the "Belt and Road" Initiative with computing and data.



Moreover, with experience of providing cloud service to government and enterprises for years, Inspur Cloud will open up the platform and improve the cloud ecosystem. Nearly 3,000 partners, including those on platform technology, application market, cloud solution and cloud migration, will join to enrich the application market. Inspur Cloud's new logo and slogan "Computing Everywhere" were revealed. The logo of Chinese style represents the updated Inspur Cloud exporting China's cloud computing capacity to the world.

"In five years, Inspur Cloud will invest 10 billion yuan to expand the layout of cloud centers in Chinese market and launch the 'overseas plan'. With five cloud center nodes all over the world, Inspur Cloud will develop global business and provide services to more than 100,000 government clients and over 1,000,000 enterprise clients. And Inspur Cloud will team up with partners to build Inspur Cloud's ecosystem. By 2020, Inspur Cloud will work hard to boost the sales revenue to 20 billion yuan and become a world-leading cloud service provider. With 'Computing Everywhere', we will show the world China's cloud power," said Richard Wang. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inspur-cloud-announces-2017-new-strategy-to-boost-sales-revenue-to-20-billion-yuan-by-2020-300510751.html SOURCE Inspur Group

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[August 29, 2017] Kansas City Southern to Join Employees in Support of Hurricane Harvey Relief

Kansas City Southern (KCS) (NYSE: KSU) today announced its charitable fund will immediately donate $50,000 to the American Red Cross to aid in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in south Texas. In addition, it will also match employee gifts to the American Red Cross via the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation-KCS Fund, dollar for dollar up to $25,000 for a total possible gift of $100,000 from KCS and its employees. Employee gifts can be made here. The Houston, Texas and Gulf region are central to the KCS rail network with many employees and customers located there. The safety and well-being of these communities is paramoun. KCS is keeping customers apprised of how the network is affected by Hurricane Harvey through Service Status Updates in the Customer Resources section of www.kcsouthern.com.



KCS continues to monitor the situation and any consequences in other states where employees may be affected in the days ahead, and may provide additional relief. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., KCS is a transportation holding company that has railroad investments in the U.S., Mexico and Panama. Its primary U.S. holding is The Kansas City Southern Railway Company, serving the central and south central U.S. Its international holdings include Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., serving northeastern and central Mexico and the port cities of Lazaro Cardenas, Tampico and Veracruz, and a 50 percent interest in Panama Canal Railway Company, providing ocean-to-ocean freight and passenger service along the Panama Canal. KCS' North American rail holdings and strategic alliances are primary components of a railway network linking the commercial and industrial centers of the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170829006084/en/

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[August 28, 2017] Saudi Arabia Launches Digital Platforms to Give the Entire World a Window to View the Hajj

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hajj2017.org and SaudiWelcomesTheWorld.org to provide updates to pilgrims, worldwide audiences and media The Ministry of Culture and Information (MOCI) of Saudi Arabia has launched two digital platforms in the lead-up to the Hajj, which will provide information and insights to pilgrims in Makkah, worldwide audiences and local and international media. SaudiWelcomesTheWorld.org conveys a message of compassion and inclusion to the entire world, both near and far. It tells the stories of the millions of pilgrims of every ethnicity, race, colour, and culture, who undertake what is for many the height of their spiritual lives. The platform provides an open windo onto their journeys and invites the world to learn and share in the true values of Islam.



It complements the media portal http://www.Hajj2017.org which provides information, updates and news about Hajj 2017. Through this portal, journalists will be able to access and download media materials such as images, infographics and press releases. The portal will also allow users access to all official live stream channels. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and comprises a journey to Makkah to perform religious rituals described in the Koran. Every adult Muslim is obligated to make the pilgrimage at least once in their lives provided that they are physically and financially able.

More than 1.5 million pilgrims have already arrived - in Saudi Arabia and some 500,000 more pilgrims are expected to come to perform Hajj, which starts on August 30 and ends on September 4. Media Contact For any queries, members of the media can contact: The Center for International Communication (CIC), Ministry of Culture and Information, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Telephone: +966-53-839-3535, Email: [email protected], Twitter: @CICSaudi

SOURCE Ministry of Culture and Information, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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[August 28, 2017] INVESTOR ALERT: Goldberg Law PC Announces the Filing of a Securities Class Action Lawsuit against Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited

Goldberg Law PC, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited ("Dr. Reddy's" or the "Company") (NYSE: RDY) for violations of 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors who purchased the Company's shares between June 17, 2015 and August 10, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the firm before October 24, 2017, the lead plaintiff motion deadline. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss during the Class Period, click here to participate.



We also encourage you to contact Michael Goldberg or Brian Schall, of Goldberg Law PC, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067, at 800-977-7401, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at http://www.goldberglawpc.com/, or by email at [email protected]. The class in this case has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.

The Complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Dr. Reddy's made false and/or misleading statements, and/or failed to disclose, that the Company lacked an effective corporate quality system; and thus its public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On August 10, 2017, Dr. Reddy's disclosed that the Regulatory of Germany (Regierung von Oberbayern) did not renew the good manufacturing practices compliance certificate of a formulations manufacturing unit of its German subsidiary Betapharm Arzneimittel, located in Hyderabad, India, following a recent inspection of the plant. Following this news, shares of Dr. Reddy's dropped in value materially, which caused investors harm. Goldberg Law PC represents investors around the world, and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170828006097/en/

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[August 28, 2017] Telkomsel and Youtap expand digital payments offering for transport with TCASH Bus Rapid Transit Pass in Semarang, Indonesia

SEMARANG, Indonesia, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile operator Telkomsel has expanded its TCASH digital payments offering by conducting trials of the TCASH Pass payment service for the Semarang Rapid Transit Bus (RTB). Telkomsel developed the TCASH Pass feature to address the need for rapid and repeatable digital payments in the transportation sector. The technology enables bus passengers to "tap and pay" with TCASH mobile money easily and quickly using a sticker attached to their phone, without the need to enter a PIN. The service relies on near-field communication (NFC) technology developed by Youtap, a global provider of contactless mobile payments and financial services software. Telkomsel's sales director Sukardi Silalahi said, "The pass feature in our TCASH service is an effort to accelerate the development of the Smart City concept, as well as to support the naional non-cash movement initiated by the Indonesian government through the digitisation of transportation service payments."



Telkomsel's senior vice president of Mobile Financial Services Danu Wicaksana added, "The integration of the TCASH Pass for BRT Semarang answers the needs of customers who want to use TCASH as a means of payment in their daily lives. We also hope that TCASH Pass will make it easier for the people of Semarang to become a digital society in the midst of this rapidly growing technology." The new payment system is live on more than 100 buses. Semarang RTB has six corridors that can carry nine million bus passengers annually.

Telkomsel launched the service at a formal event in Semarang last week attended by the mayor of Semarang. About Telksomsel (www.telkomsel.com) Telkomsel is Indonesia's largest mobile operator with more than 178 million subscribers. To serve customers all over Indonesia, including in remote areas, outer islands and border areas, Telkomsel has built more than 146,000 BTSs. Telkomsel has consistently implemented technology roadmaps of 3G, HSDPA, HSPA +, as well as being the first mobile operator in Indonesia to commercially launch the 4G LTE services. Entering digital era, Telkomsel has been continuously developing a wide range of digital business, such as Digital Advertising, Digital Lifestyle, Mobile Financial Services, and Internet of Things. To serve the needs of customers, Telkomsel operates a 24-hour call center and GraPARI service centers across Indonesia. About Youtap (www.youtap.com) Youtap is a global provider of contactless mobile payments and financial services software enabling mobile money and stored value wallet customers to tap and pay at any point of sale using any device. Youtap's secure NFC and QR code solutions support payment acceptance for contactless and non-contactless cards, NFC tags and wearables, and NFC phones. Youtap supports MNOs and retailers by incorporating loyalty programs and other responsive functionalities that benefit both consumers and merchants. Website: https://www.youtap.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/youtap-limited

Twitter: https://twitter.com/youtap2pay Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170825/1927622-1

Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170825/1927622-1LOGO SOURCE Youtap

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[August 28, 2017] AMBROSUS Partners with TREK THERAPEUTICS to Develop a Blockchain-powered Method to Track Quality in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

ZUG, Switzerland and BOSTON, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ambrosus, the world's first trusted blockchain-based ecosystem for the supply chain, today announced a partnership with pharmaceutical pioneer Trek Therapeutics, PBC (Trek) to apply integrated sensors coupled with blockchain-based technology to pharmaceutical drug manufacturing. Combining high-tech sensors, blockchain, and powered by smart contracts, Ambrosus is building the world's first publicly-verifiable, community-driven ecosystem to ensure the quality, safety, and origins of essential products, such as medicine, food and commodities. As part of the collaboration, Ambrosus will conduct pilot projects with Trek to monitor the quality, safety and integrity of all stages of the pharmaceutical manufacturing process. Trek Co-founder and CEO Dr. Ann Kwong said, "Currently the pharmaceutical manufacturing process is highly regulated in an extremely labor-intensive and expensive manner. We hope to partner with Ambrosus to create a continuous monitoring and tracking system that will be less labor intensive, less expensive, and more transparent with a stake in quality pharmaceutical manufacturing. "Patients currently have no way to ascertain the quality of medicine. Trek believes it is important to demonstrate to patients that while our drugs are affordable, they're also of the highest quality," Dr Kwong added. Ambrosus Co-Founder and CEO Angel Versetti said, "Following the successful implementation of the Ambrosus protocol in global food supply chains, we are delighted to now apply our blockchain protocol to hlp ensure the quality of another vitally important product - pharmaceuticals."



Trek Therapeutics, PBC is a privately-held, public-benefit corporation developing treatments for serious infections. Its mission is to provide cost-effective, affordable, and accessible medicines to treat patients that suffer from infectious diseases and commercialize them for global populations. As part of the pilot projects, Ambrosus's protocol will work to track the entire manufacturing chain from the primary chemical starting materials through multiple steps of synthesis, purification, and verification of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API); followed by formulation of the API into drug product; packaging, labeling, storage, and shipping to clinical trial sites.

Joining the Ambrosus team as an Advisor is blockchain luminary Jaron Lukasiewicz. A notable bitcoin and blockchain industry figurehead, Lukasiewicz founded and served as CEO of Coinsetter, a bitcoin exchange, which was acquired by Kraken, the world's largest digital asset exchange in Euro volume, in 2016. Ambrosus Co-Founders Angel Versetti and Dr Stefan Meyer are available for interview About Ambrosus: Founded in 2016 by Angel Versetti and Dr Stefan Meyer, Ambrosus is the world's first publicly-verifiable and community-driven system to assure the quality, safety, and origins of products such as food and pharmaceuticals. Officially endorsed by SQS (Swiss Quality and Safety Association), Ambrosus boasts the support of significant global bodies and associations including the United Nations, EPFL, the Crypto Valley Association, and financial backing from the Government of the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. With an underlying ERC20-standard token called Amber, Ambrosus will complete a token sale in September 2017 that will serve to fuel the development of the Ambrosus ecosystem. For more information, or to see technical papers for Ambrosus sensors, marketplace and non invasive analytics, visit www.ambrosus.com. About Trek: Trek Therapeutics, PBC is a private, clinical stage public benefit corporation developing treatments for serious infections. Its mission is to profitably develop affordable and accessible medicines to treat infectious diseases and to commercialize them for global populations starting with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Its commercial strategy is to price their treatment regimen low enough to include the majority of patients infected with HCV who cannot afford the expensive treatments available today. Trek is currently raising Series B financing to support the completion of its Phase 2a program and initiate its Phase 2b studies. Trek is examining the possibility of a listing on the Euronext Growth and other markets. For further information, please visit http://www.trektx.com/. Media Contact: Alex Sheehan

Senior Account Executive / Wachsman PR

[email protected] / +353 87 097 9702 Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170828/1928437-1 SOURCE Ambrosus

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[August 28, 2017] Segway's Stunning New Product Debut in Seoul: Trend-Setter in "Driving the Future"

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Segway, the world leader and inventor of self-balancing Personal Transporter, brought its Asia Pacific New Product Launch in Seoul, Korea to a successful conclusion. The COO of Segway, Ms. Zhao Zhongwei and CEO of Segway's Asia Pacific Region Business Center, Mr. Huang Chen made a live release of new products. Likewise, sales agents from each country in Segway's Asia Pacific Region and overseas media from the Asia Pacific Region attended. Four new products debuted and won the unanimous admiration of the VIPs. This Asia Pacific Launch took "Driving the Future" as its theme, making Segway's intelligent short distance travel products a closely-associated part of people's future lives as well as making people's future more convenient, fashionable and high-tech. The four new products which were released include Segway miniPLUS; Segway miniLITE; Ninebot Kids Bike; Ninebot by Segway KickScooter.



Segway miniPLUS includes multiple examples of "Fantastic High-Technology," such as Intelligent following, one key call, scalable PTZ cameras etc. Ninebot by Segway KickScooter is a high-performance-to-cost-ratio, aesthetically pleasing, safe and practical scooter for users. Segway miniLITE is a lightweight self-balancing vehicle especially designed for children over six. Ninebot Kids Bike is fun, safety and comfort all rolled into one and tailored especially for children. The new product models will be put up for sale mainly in Asia Pacific countries and regions such as Korea, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, and Taiwan, China. Of the products, Segway miniPLUS, Ninebot by Segway KickScooter, and Segway miniLITE will be for sale in September, while Ninebot Kids Bike will be sold at a later date.

Meanwhile, the VIPs in attendance did an on-site trial ride of the newly released transport product models. From this they were able to more clearly experience Segway products' Fantastic High-Technology performance and outstanding ride feel. This Segway Asia Pacific New Product Launch brought Segway's cool new products to its large user group and fan base in the Asia Pacific region. Once again it brought innovation to short-distance travel methods in the region, ushering in new fashions for "Driving the Future". These will be sure to stir up a new round of fashionable-travel-technology craze in Asia and the Pacific. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170828/1928465-2

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[August 29, 2017] Wirecard Brazil Launches New White Label Solution With Enjoei, One of Brazilian's Biggest Online Fashion Marketplaces

MUNICH and SAO PAULO, August 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- - Wirecard Brazil launches the added value feature 'Transparent Account' for Enjoei - Enjoei expects to increase its Net Promoter Score by 50% The leading specialist for digital financial technology, Wirecard, launches a new white label product for Enjoei, one of the biggest online fashion marketplaces in Brazil. The feature called 'Transparent Account' by Wirecard Brazil enables the entire post-transactional management in Enjoei's interface. As a result, Enjoei can unify the whole sales experience, which includes onboarding and payment processing on the platform. The Brazilian e-commerce sector is growing steadily. According to statistics provided by FecomercioSP/E-bit institute, a further increase in online trade of up to 15% is expected for 2017. Enjoei supports this trend: with more than 1 million vendors on its platform, Enjoei is one of Brazilian's biggest online fashion marketplaces. Due to Transparent Account, the white label solution by Wirecard Brazil, Enjoei expects to increase its Net Promoter Score by 50%. The Transparent Account is a white label solution, which offers a large range of features including financial reports, transfers and banking reconciliation inside the marketplace interface. This fully-integrated solution offers merchants an optimal selling experience by centralizing all the financial requirements. Tie Lima, Co-Founder of Enjoei, comments, "When we started in 009, we already knew that in order to reach our mission we would have to rely on a company capable of fulfilling our long-term needs and be capable of developing custom features for our type of business. Wirecard is now supplying technical support and creating safe solutions that helps us to gain market share."



Sandra Meermann Hying, Executive Vice President Sales Operations and Member of the Board at Wirecard Brazil, says, "We are delighted to strengthening the Brazilian e-commerce market with our payment methods while simultaneously offering customers like Enjoei innovative digital payment services, thereby driving online trade forward in Brazil, which is already in a very strong position." About Wirecard:

Wirecard AG is a global technology group that supports companies in accepting electronic payments from all sales channels. As a leading independent supplier, the Wirecard Group offers outsourcing and white label solutions for electronic payments. A global platform bundles international payment acceptances and methods with supplementary fraud prevention solutions. With regard to issuing own payment instruments in the form of cards or mobile payment solutions, the Wirecard Group provides companies with an end-to-end infrastructure, including the requisite licences for card and account products. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Securities Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060, WDI). For further information about Wirecard, please visit http://www.wirecard.com or follow us on Twitter @wirecard. About Enjoei: Founded in 2009, in Sao Paulo, Enjoei (http://www.enjoei.com.br) is a Brazilian social e-commerce platform for buying and selling used items, such as women's clothing, shoes, accessories and other fashion items. With more than 3.5 million users and 20 monthly visits, their main differential compared to other consignment marketplaces is the model that allows users to create their customized stores. Enjoei also monitors all the items before they are posted, which includes photo and description's approval. Enjoei is available for free on iOS, Android and Web in Brazil. In Argentina, it is available through the brand https://www.yafue.com.ar. Wirecard Media Contact:

Wirecard AG

Jana Tilz

Tel.: +49(0)89-4424-1363

Email: [email protected]



Enjoei Media Contact:

In Press Porter Novelli

Amanda Lima

Email: [email protected]



Juliana Prando

Email: [email protected]





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[August 29, 2017] HCA Healthcare Gives up to $2 Million for Hurricane Relief in Texas

HCA Healthcare (NYSE: HCA), a leading healthcare provider with 177 hospitals and 119 freestanding surgery centers in 20 states and the United Kingdom, today announced a donation of $1 million to the American Red Cross to help people affected by Hurricane Harvey. In addition, HCA will match employees' donations to the HCA Hope Fund, the company's employee assistance nonprofit organization, up to $1 million. "HCA's culture of caring is never more evident than when adversity strikes, and I'm proud to say that over the last few days countless members of the HCA family have pulled together to support the needs of our facilities in Houston and Corpus Christi," said Milton Johnson, chairman and chief executive officer of HCA. "Our donations to the American Red Cross and the HCA Hope Fund will help care for people and communities in need." "The Red Cross is working around the clock in extremely challenging conditions in Texas to help people impacted by Hurricane Harvey," said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. "We couldn't do it without the generosity of our amazing donors - like HCA. With their support, the Red Cross can be there when disaster strikes to respond with shelter, food and the necessary supplies to ensure people are cared for, and to help during the recovery process. We're extremely grateful for their support." The HCA Hope Fund is an employee-run, employee-supported 501(c)(3) charity that provides fiancial aid and resources to employees after extended illness, injury, disaster or other special situations. HCA employees, vendors, affiliated physicians, patients and the general public can make tax-deductible donations to the fund. Since inception, the Hope Fund has provided more than 23,000 grants totaling more than $35 million in assistance to HCA employees. To make a donation or for more information on the HCA Hope Fund, visit https://www.hcahopefund.com/.



HCA operates approximately 50 hospitals, 27 surgery centers in Texas, including 15 hospitals, six freestanding emergency centers, five surgery centers and one freestanding cancer center in Houston; and a hospital with five campus locations and a freestanding emergency center in Corpus Christi. Of the 55,000 HCA employees in Texas, approximately 14,000 are located in the Houston and Corpus Christi area. About HCA Healthcare

Nashville-based HCA Healthcare is one of the nation's leading providers of healthcare services, operating 177 locally managed hospitals and 119 freestanding surgery centers in 20 states and the United Kingdom. With its founding in 1968, HCA created a new model for hospital care in the United States, using combined resources to strengthen hospitals, deliver patient-focused care and improve the practice of medicine. HCA has conducted a number of clinical studies, including one that demonstrated that full-term delivery is healthier than early elective delivery of babies and another that identified a clinical protocol that can reduce bloodstream infections in ICU patients by 44 percent. HCA is a learning healthcare system that uses its more than 27 million annual patient encounters to advance science, improve patient care and save lives. Please click here to connect with HCA on social media. All references to "Company" and "HCA" as used throughout this document refer to HCA Healthcare, Inc. and its affiliates. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170829005851/en/

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A.M. Best's 2017 Insurance Market Briefing - Canada to Take Place September 6 in Toronto

A.M. Best will host an Insurance Market Briefing on the state of the Canadian insurance industry on Wednesday, September 6, at the Sheraton Centre Toronto, Canada.

A.M. Best analysts will deliver market insights, present an overview of the state of the industry and discuss rating trends at this complimentary annual event. A.M. Best will also present updates on the recent changes to Best's Credit Rating Methodology.

The event will conclude with a lunch to offer attenees the opportunity to network with A.M. Best and other industry professionals.







Attendance is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. To view the agenda and register, please visit the conference home page at http://www.ambest.com/conferences/imb.html. Follow the event on Twitter (News - Alert): #AMBToronto17.

A.M. Best is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2017 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170829005873/en/
[August 29, 2017] WorkWave Named A Top 250 Privately Held Company By NJBIZ

HOLMDEL, N.J., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- WorkWave, a leading provider of cloud-based software solutions for field service, "last mile" delivery and logistics industries, has earned a spot on the NJBIZ Top 250 Privately Held Companies list. WorkWave ranked 105th on this year's list, which evaluates companies based on revenue, growth and employee count. WorkWave's ongoing growth led to a relocation of its U.S. headquarters to Bell Works in Holmdel, where the company will continue to flourish within the community. "Earning a spot on the Top 250 Privately Held Companies list is an honor," said Chris Sullens, President and CEO of WorkWave. "This recognition further validates my team's hard work and dedication to providing our clients with superior products and services that allow them to run their businesses more effectively and efficiently." To learn more about WorkWave, visit workwave.com. About WorkWave WorkWave is dedicated to simplifying the complexity of running field service and other fleet-based businesses, large or small - a $45+ billion market worldwide. The company's suite of solutions, which include PestPac, WorkWave Service, ServiceCEO, WorkWave Route Manager, WorkWave GPS, GPS Heroes and ContactUs, allow WorkWave clients to easily attribute and automate sales and marketing activities, improve their back office efficiency and increase their visibility into field operations through a single, easy to use interface. WorkWave's platform provides its 8,000+ clients an unprecedented level of business insight and information, enabling them to increase efficiency, increase revenue and provide a 5-Star customer experience. Founded in 1984, WorkWave has been recognized with multiple awards for its outstanding growth and culture, including the Inc. 5000, SaaS Award, and Best Place to Work by NJBiz & Inc. Magazine. For more information, visit www.workwave.com. About NJBIZ NJBIZ, New Jersey's leading business journal, produces a weekly print edition with a circulation of more than 15,000 copies, as well as providing 24/7 business news coverage through its NJBIZ.com website and multiple daily e-newsletters. The publication, founded in 1987 and based in Somerset section of Franklin Lakes, is also well-known throughout the state for its events honoring New Jersey's top business professionals.







Contact Danielle Panichi Email [email protected] Phone 800-792-6067 Website https://www.workwave.com

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/workwave-named-a-top-250-privately-held-company-by-njbiz-300510964.html SOURCE WorkWave

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[August 29, 2017] Iron Mountain Opens New Customer Welcome Center at Pennsylvania Underground Campus

BOYERS, Penn., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE:IRM), the global leader in storage and information management services, today announced the grand opening of its "Guardian Gateway" facility - a new customer welcome center at its underground campus in western Pennsylvania, located outside Pittsburgh. Iron Mountain marked the opening of this center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and guided tour. Guests included Butler County Commissioners Kevin Boozel, Kim Geyer, and Leslie Osche, State Senator Scott Hutchinson, State Representative Tedd Nesbit, and U.S. Representative Mike Kelly. "Congratulations to everyone at Iron Mountain on the opening of their new Guardian Gateway welcome center," said U.S. Rep. Kelly. "This exciting new addition to The Underground is great news for everyone in our community, from both an educational and economic perspective. It affirms Iron Mountain's commitment to staying a global leader in what it does best while providing opportunity for those who proudly call this area home." "It was exciting to participate in today's ribbon-cutting for the new welcome center," said Sen. Hutchinson. "Iron Mountain's continued investment in the Boyers Underground is important for the many employees of the facility and the communities they call home." Rep. Nesbit remarked: "For so many years, Iron Mountain has been a great addition to Butler County, not only providing jobs to local residents but being a good neighbor, and we are happy the company has further invested in its location here." The new 11,600 square-foot facility, located outside the company's premier campus in Boyers, Penn.  nicknamed "The Underground"  enhances the location's physical security capabilities, as well as the security of customers' shipments to the campus  such as servers and other hardware. The new $4.5 million facility, offers amenities such as conference rooms, office space, a lounge and kitchen and extended parking. Also, a new 5,600 square foot shipping and receiving area, adjacent tothe welcome center, features three loading docks and enough secure storage to hold customer material from two semi-trucks.



The Butler County Board of Commissioners together remarked: "We are extremely fortunate to have this world class facility in Butler County that has immeasurable impact on world business, archives, and security. The new Welcome Center provides an outward face and even greater security for Iron Mountain and its customers and we remain committed to investing in surrounding County infrastructure that will improve access for customers and employees." Pennsylvania is home to Iron Mountain's global business and customer operations centers in Collegeville and Royersford and more than 1,100 Iron Mountain employees throughout the state. More than 1,500 people, including 250 Iron Mountain employees, work at The Underground, a former limestone mine located 220 feet below the earth that provides capabilities for secure storage, imaging, data management and restoration, and data center capacity.

"We are proud to open this new addition to The Underground, our signature facility, which will serve as the primary focal point for visitors to our underground campus," said Dale Lawing, senior vice president and general manager for Iron Mountain's North Central region. "The security and safety of our customers' information and data assets is our highest priority, and this new welcome center underscores that commitment while providing our customers with a modern, comfortable space while they visit the Boyers campus. We have deep roots in Butler County and are happy to continue investing in the community with this new multimillion dollar facility, bringing our total capital investment in our Boyers campus to nearly $100 million in just the past five years." About Iron Mountain

Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE: IRM) is the global leader for storage and information management services. Trusted by more than 230,000 organizations around the world, Iron Mountain boasts a real estate network of more than 85 million square feet across more than 1,400 facilities in 52 countries dedicated to protecting and preserving what matters most for its customers. Iron Mountain's solutions portfolio includes records management, data management, document management, data centers, art storage and logistics, and secure shredding, helping organizations to lower storage costs, comply with regulations, recover from disaster, and better use their information. Founded in 1951, Iron Mountain stores and protects billions of information assets, including critical business documents, electronic information, medical data and cultural and historical artifacts. Visit www.ironmountain.com for more information. For More Information:

Owen Davis

Iron Mountain Incorporated

617-535-2807

[email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iron-mountain-opens-new-customer-welcome-center-at-pennsylvania-underground-campus-300510754.html SOURCE Iron Mountain Incorporated

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[August 29, 2017] Esquire's CIO to Speak on Information Security at First Chair Conference

ATLANTA, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Esquire Deposition Solutions, LLC (www.esquiresolutions.com), the nation's leading provider of court reporting, video, and interpreting services, announced today that Jim Ballowe, Esquire's Chief Information Officer, will be speaking about information security at the First Chair conference on Wednesday, August 30, 2017, in Chicago. First Chair is designed to bring together a community of accomplished attorneys in private practice with their talented in-house peers in order to recognize achievement. Ballowe will share his expertise in a breakout session titled "Is Your Law Firm's Data Safe?" with some of the more than 500 attorneys set to attend the conference. "I'm excited to share some important security best practices with the First Chair attendees," said Ballowe. "Even if your security ecosystem is locked down, your law firm can still be vulnerable to the often overlooked attack vectors of third party vendors and partners." Two-thirds of chief legal officers view cybersecurity as veryor extremely important, according to the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Chief Legal Officers 2017 Survey. The average total organizational cost of a security breach in the U.S. is $3.62 million, according to the Ponemon Institute and IBM.



"For corporate legal departments, the weak link may be an outside law firm. For a law firm, the weak link may be a deposition solutions provider," continued Ballowe. "Armed with a few simple questions for vendors, law firms can mitigate the risks inherent to third party relationships, avoiding costly and embarrassing security breaches." Ballowe has spent over two decades in the information technology field, including working with global technology pioneers Digital Equipment Corporation, HP, and Lucent. He leveraged this experience to start, build, and sell two technology consulting firms before joining Esquire in 2015. As Esquire's CIO, he is responsible for enterprise architecture, infrastructure, product development, and information security, and he is helping Esquire and its clients navigate Litigation 2.0.

Esquire is a Platinum Sponsor of the First Chair event, which includes a full day of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programming. It has become the must-attend event for in-house counsel and their partners in the private legal community. For more information on the importance of knowing the security of your service providers, please read "Cybersecurity: have you checked your service providers?" on our blog. About Esquire Deposition Solutions Esquire, a national provider of deposition solutions, helps law firms, insurance companies, and corporate legal departments get it right every time. Continually rethinking how depositions have always been done, we provide personal, precise, worry-free deposition services supported by innovative technology solutions. To learn more, visit: www.esquiresolutions.com. Media Contact:

Rhonda Sneed

Esquire Deposition Solutions, LLC

(404) 443-7151

[email protected]

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/esquires-cio-to-speak-on-information-security-at-first-chair-conference-300511141.html SOURCE Esquire Deposition Solutions

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[August 29, 2017] CAMS Software announces Prospero Inbound: Combined with Prospero and Prospero Mobi represents the first end-to-end transportation system purpose built for the grocery industry

New Solution enables real time communication between grocery retailers and wholesalers and the carriers they hire to transport product from their suppliers to their distribution centers. VANCOUVER, Aug. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - CAMS Software [Prospero.com], the North American market leader in grocery transportation systems, announces the immediate release of their new managed freight application Prospero Inbound. Combined with CAMS flagship Transportation Management System, Prospero  and the newly released grocery specific ELD, Prospero Mobi, this new transportation suite represents the first purpose built end-to-end transportation solution for the grocery industry. The Prospero suite of products will enable large scale grocery retailers and wholesalers to substantially reduce their transportation costs whie at the same time improving their service levels to their retail customers.



Brian Taylor, President, CAMS Software unveiled the new product at the fourth Grocery Transportation Summit, held here in Vancouver attended by transportation thought leaders from major grocery retailers and wholesalers from across North America. "Combining Prospero with our new products, Prospero Mobi and Prospero Inbound, we have satisfied our clients' objective to have a comprehensive end-to-end transportation solution, providing them with unparalleled visibility and control over their business." For the first time grocery transportation departments have a truly integrated solution enabling visibility and control of all transportation planning and execution functions both inbound and outbound. This new solution enables resource sharing and swapping of assignments between the private fleet and managed carriers in both directions, as well as reducing clerical requirements while improving data accuracy, timeliness, and completeness. About CAMS Software - Prospero Solutions is an end-to-end transportation system serving grocery transportation operations. Purpose-built for the logistics-intensive grocery industry, our comprehensive platform helps our clients make strategic, cost-saving decisions by delivering integrated, real-time data from varied sources.

Prospero combines a 100% deployment success rate, and a customer support team with deep industry expertise to give transportation professionals the confidence and visibility they need to support optimal transportation efficiency. SOURCE CAMS Software

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BNL girls thump Mitchell at The Hive

Bedford North Lawrence defeated Mitchell 78-20 at the Hive on Saturday evening. The win moved the Stars to 3-0 on the season.
Image 1 of 8

We caught up with PCI-SIG, the organization that defines the PCI Express bus and form factor specifications, at the yearly Hot Chips conference. PCIe is the ubiquitous engine that pulls a big part of the computing locomotive down the trackit touches nearly every device in your computer. As such, it is the linchpin for the development of many other technologies, such as storage, networking, GPUs, chipsets, and many other devices.

Considering its importance, it isn't surprising to find the PCI-SIG with 750 members worldwide. Unfortunately, large organizations tend to move slowly, and PCIe 4.0 is undoubtedly late to market. PCIe 3.0 debuted in 2010 within the normal four-year cadence, but PCIe 4.0 isn't projected to land in significant quantities until the end of 2017a seven-year gap.

PCI-SIG representatives attributed part of the delay to industry stagnation. The PCIe 3.0 interface was sufficient for storage, networking, graphics cards, and other devices, for the first several years after its introduction. Over the last two years, a sudden wellspring of innovation exposed PCIe 3.0's throughput deficiencies. Artificial intelligence craves increased GPU throughput, storage devices are migrating to the PCIe bus with the NVMe protocol, and as a result, networking suddenly has an insatiable appetite for more bandwidth.

The industry needs PCIe 4.0 to land soon, and PCI-SIG assures us it will ratify the new specification by the end of 2017. The sluggish ratification process hasn't hampered adoption entirely, though. Several IP vendors already offer 16GT/s controllers, and many vendors have already implemented PCIe 4.0 PHYs into their next-generation products. These companies are plowing ahead with the 0.9 revision of the specification, whereas the final ratified spec debuts at 1.0.

PCI-SIG says it is accelerating the development and feedback processes, along with simplifying early specification revisions, in a bid to reduce time to market for future specifications.

PCI-SIG indicates that PCIe 4.0 will be a short-lived specification because the organization has fast-tracked PCIe 5.0 for final release in 2019.

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PCIe 4.0 will bring us 64GBps of throughput, while PCIe 5.0 will double that to 128GBps. Both revisions still leverage the standard 128b/130b encoding scheme that debuted with PCIe 3.0. PCI-SIG representatives said they are satisfied with the 20% reduction in overhead facilitated by the 128b/130b encoding, and further encoding refinements to reduce the current 1.5% overhead are subject to a diminishing point of returns.

Although we have yet to see PCIe 4.0 on the market, the fast-tracked PCIe 5.0 is already on revision 0.3, and the group predicts 0.5 will be available by the 4Q17.

The PCI-SIG defines the specification, but it has no control over when the end devices make it to market. Intel and AMD are the key enablers for the broad desktop market; we certainly won't see PCIe 4.0 GPUs and SSDs without a slot to plug them into. AMD has slated PCIe 4.0 for 2020. We imagine Intel is also chomping at the bit to deploy PCIe 4.0 3D XPoint and NVMe SSDs, but the company remains silent on its timeline.
Apparently, the alleged price tag associated with fighting for women's rights in Kansas City earned a bit of rebuke:

Just a quick slice of life for the early morning . . . Not so long ago this Summer, while waiting in line for overpriced coffee . . . Noticed this bit of Midtown Kansas City discourse on the price of an upcoming lady conference . . .None of this is to say that activism isn't its own reward and there are other, cheaper ways to get involved in the struggle . . .But I digress . . .Given that the handwriting is neat and legible . . . It looks like the scribbling of another lady to contradict this allegedly expensive advocacy offer with a KCMO class-war price check.And that brings us to our point, which is that Midtown KC is delightfully morethan most people realize . . . Even the Democratic Party establishment.You decide . . .
Trump coming to Springfield, public not invited Plans for President Trump's visit to Springfield were released today and the public is not invited. Trump is scheduled to speak at 2:30 p.m. at the Loren Cook Company, where he is expected to talk about tax reform. From the St.

Quick blogger perspective from the Turner Report reminds us that this campaign event is pretty much closed to the public. Checkit:
Clay Chastain Press Release: City subverted light rail election. Chastain asks Jean Peters Baker to prosecute Sly James and the Mo. Bar Assn. to oust City Attorney and the Missouri Bar Assn. to punish Sly and City Attorney

The latest word from Clay seems exceptionally "enthusiastic" and detailed given that his question before Kansas City voters was struck down by a resounding margin . . . Local media has not yet reported his threats to recall Mayor Sly that have grown increasingly loud.Here's the word from the local transit activist that has been circulated to reporters across the city . ..Mayor Sly James and the City are currently being sued over the matter and a petition to recall Mayor Sly James is being readied.I offer Jackson County's Chief Prosecuting Attorney, Jean Peters Baker, and the Missouri Bar Association the following evidence as proof these two co-conspirators have undermined democracy, the integrity of elections and the democratic petition initiative process in Kansas City.(1) In 2015, James and the City's legal department changed the meaning of a valid light rail petition proposal, submitted to the City by the people, by deliberately placing before voters ballot language that not only did not represent the intent or "substance" of that light rail petition (signed in behalf of by 4,000 Kansas City voters)They did this because legally they could. But James and the City's legal department violated the public trust by deliberately misleading voters and ignoring the mandate from the thousands of voters who signed the valid light rail petition.(2) On August 8, 2017, James and the City's legal staff repeated their crime. They changed the meaning of a valid transit petition ballot proposal from the people. The City deliberately placed before voters ballot language that did not represent the intent or "substance" of that rail petition proposal. In the Kansas City Star ( 8 / 9) City Attorney Cecilia Abbott was quoted as saying she wanted to, make the petition ballot language "comprehensible to voters.". Mayor Sly James and the City's legal department wanted to make the petition's ballot languageto voters as follows:(a). The City's deliberately confusing, vague and incomprehensible ballot language referred to the transit plan proposed by the petition as(b) The City's deliberately confusing vague and incomprehensible ballot language completelyand where the stops would be as outlined in the petition's ballot language in its "original form."(c) The City's deliberately confusing, vague and incomprehensible ballot language said the planelectric buses, when the plan directly stipulated an electric bus fleet be established to expand the service area of the rail system.The result: Kansas City voters were confused and misled by the corrupted ballot language deliberately placed before them by Sly James and the City's legal department. And thus, voters were manipulated and the integrity of a Kansas City, Missouri election subverted by the blatant misconduct of co-conspirators...Mayor Sly James and the City's legal department.We now entreat upon higher authorities to come to the rescue of Kansas City voters, free elections in Kansas City and the democratic petition initiative process in Kansas City for crimes committed against all three by co-conspirators...Mayor Sly James and the City's legal department.#############
More than 1,500 exhibitors are expected to take part in the 82nd Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) that will open its doors on Saturday, September 9, the managing director of TIF-Helexpo Kyriakos Pozrikidis said on Tuesday, in an interview with the ANA radio station Praktoreio 104.9 FM.

This includes a large number of Chinese exhibitors, he continued, since China is the country of honour at the 82nd TIF. "There will be more than 150 innovation and IT businesses from China in the exhibition?s largest pavilion, which has the number 13," Pozrikidis said.

Other highlights of this year's TIF include a beach bar with real sand, to be set up in the open air outside the Aimilios Riadis Hall. As Pozrikidis noted, this will be a point of interest that features many surprises, to be unveiled once it is completed, and is expected to become a major draw.

Ticket prices remain at the same levels as last year, Pozrikidis clarified, enabling visitors to see the pavilions and enjoy the various shows, such as the Chinese acrobats, performances, karate demonstrations and concerts, as well as a "re-enactment" of the Great Fire of 1917 in Thessaloniki, marking the first centenary since the disaster.

"The Thessaloniki International Fair is an important political and business event that attracts a lot of visitors," the vice president of Thessaloniki Hoteliers? Union Constantinos Tornivoukas said to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency. "The fact that China is the country of honour in this year's exhibition is expected to attract a lot of Chinese visitors," he underlined.

On his part, Pozrikidis referred to the good prospects for increasing tourist flows from China. "The Chinese love the Greek culture and our country," he stressed, adding that the Athens-Beijing direct flight to be launched by Air China in September will also help boost tourism.

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: Zweifussler License: CC-BY-SA

Source: ANA-MPA
The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has announced two entrants into its regulatory sandbox, which provides a virtual space for companies to test their financial technology based solutions.



They are: Tramonex, a London-based forex cash management solution for businesses, and Now Money, a Dubai-based account and remittance service for low-income workers in the GCC.



Launched in June, the Bahrain regulatory sandbox is open to existing CBB licensees and other local and foreign firms.



By offering firms an opportunity for expansion and innovation, the framework is expected to help boost fintech businesses around the globe and consolidate Bahrains position as a fintech and financial services hub.



For companies dealing in multiple currencies, Tramonex offers an efficient, quick and cheaper way of processing and transferring funds. The start-up focuses on facilitating conversion and settlement services to automate cross border transactions, and provides competitive services.



Now Money is the first fintech company in the Gulf region to use mobile banking technology to provide accounts, financial inclusion and a range of low-cost remittance options to low-income workers. It aims to provide access to affordable financial services for everyone.



The Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) assisted and advised Tramonex and Now Money in registering for the regulatory sandbox.



Khalid Hamad, executive director of banking supervision at CBB, said: We are pleased to welcome the first two entrants into the regulatory sandbox, in the early stages of the frameworks launch. This initiative highlights the CBBs continuous efforts as the Kingdoms single regulator to update and develop the fintech ecosystem and enable industry players to create innovative and forward-looking fintech products while maintaining the overall safety and soundness of the financial system.



Khalid Al Rumaihi, chief executive of Bahrain EDB, said: This announcement is a testament to Bahrains attractive investment proposition in the Gulf. Bahrain is a great testbed for innovative products in this space due to its size and easy market access to the GCC.



The kingdom is ready to be at the forefront of financial innovation and technology as global fintech investment reaches $3.2 billion. In addition to the development of the regulatory sandbox, we have a number of further initiatives we expect to be launched in the coming months including a venture capital fund-of-funds. We are seeing real signs of momentum in the sector and are excited by the potential it will bring.



Earlier this year, the CBB issued the Regulatory Sandbox Framework directive, which includes the eligibility criteria, filing requirements and timeline for the process. -TradeArabia News Service
Kuwait National Petroleum Company's (KNPC) expenditure for the next five years is likely to touch KD3.5 billion ($11.6 billion), the company's CEO Mohammad Al Mutiari has said.



In an interview with local Al-Rai daily, he said that such expenses are earmarked for ongoing projects as well as launching new ones. KNPC's total capital for the 2017-2018 fiscal year was at KD6.1 billion ($20 billion), a Kuwait News Ageny (Kuna) report said.



KNPC is developing the Clean Fuels Project that will upgrade and expand two of its largest refineries to make higher-value products such as diesel and kerosene for export.



Al Mutairi said the first instalment of a $6.25 billion loan from international lenders was expected to be received by the end of September.



He also said the ageing Al Shuaiba refinery will be closed and it is now up for sale following the completion of all procedures.



He said a gas line project with a capacity of 805 million cu ft per day, being built at a cost of KD428 million ($1.4 billion), is currently under way. The project entails separating methane and ethane gases through a highly intricate process, the report said.



Al Mutairi also spoke about the construction of new KD210 million ($696 million) liquid sulphur treatment facilities at Al Ahmadi refinery and work to upgrade equipment in those storages.



On the local market's soaring demand for fuel, he noted that a warehouse in Al Ahmadi area is currently undergoing rennovations at a cost of KD75.6 million ($250 million), while a new facility will be built shortly in Al-Metla'a area.



The KNPC CEO also revealed plans to buld 100 new fuel stations to ensure adequate power supply amid growing urbanisation in the country.



On KNPC's total workforce, Al Mutairi said that 6,281 employees had been registered as of August 13, while the company is expected to hire an additional 377 workers.
Bahrain's Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning has announced that it will start inspecting labour accommodations in Hoora and Gudaibiya areas of Manama.



This follows the directives from His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa during the weekly Cabinet meeting, said a Bahrain News Agency report.



The ministry will coordinate the inspection campaign with other relevant government parties, said Undersecretary for Municipal Affairs Dr Nabeel Abul Fateh, adding that the Capital Trustees will also be involved in the inspection.


Coffee exports from Brazil to the Arab region witnessed a 29.7 per cent increase to $112 million during the first seven months of the year, compared to the same period in 2016.



A total of 653,200 bags of coffee were exported to Arab counties between January and July 2017, while 645,100 were exported during the same period last year, indicating a 1.2 per cent increase in export volume to Arab countries, Brazilian Coffee Exporter Council (Cecafe) said.



Lebanon remained the top buyer of Brazilian coffee in the Arab world with a recorded $29.9 million spent on coffee imports during the same period, it said.



It was followed by Jordan at $14.6 million, Saudi Arabia at $12.9 million, and the UAE at $10.2 million, it added.



Other major importers of Brazilian coffee in the region include Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Kuwait and Morocco.



As coffee exports from Brazil to the Arab region continue to rise, the overall revenue recorded from international coffee exports saw an increase of 7.2 per cent, at $2.9 billion, with the US as the top importer accounting for a 20 per cent share in total coffee exports from Brazil.



Germany followed with a 17.5 per cent share, Italy with 9 per cent, Japan with 7.1 per cent and Belgium with 6 per cent. In July alone, Brazil exported 1.7 million bags of coffee, grossing $283.4 million.



Dr Michel Alaby, secretary general and CEO of Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), said: The large amount of coffee being exported to the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region from Brazil during the first seven months of the year indicates a growing market for Brazilian coffee in this part of the world.



As demand for Brazilian coffee grows, we expect to witness larger demand for this product in the Arab market over the next few years, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29

A local court today rejected the bail plea of Vikas Barala and Ashish Kumar, accused of stalking and attempting to abduct 29-year-old Panchkula resident Varnika Kundu. The police argued that accused Vikas, being the son of Haryana BJP president, could influence witnesses. The defence counsel said the accused were already in judicial custody and further captivity would mean pre-trial punishment.

The police filed their reply today, which said the accused could influence the witnesses. It also said the accused might leave India without disclosing their whereabouts, which would affect the trial. The reply added that the accused acted like a beast in lust and deserved no leniency.

The reply said the victim had to undergo trauma and torture for about half an hour. She was made to speed up her vehicle in a manner which could have ended her life..., the police said.

Co-accused booked for abetment of suicide in Hisar

The police reply has revealed that the co-accused, Ashish, already has an FIR registered against him in an abetment-of-suicide case. The bail application for the accused said further custody will not serve any useful purpose. It said bail and not jail was a fundamental principle of law and said the police added Section 365 of the IPC (abduction) later because they were pressured to do so.

Father thanks Judge on FB

Even as an aggrieved father of the complainant, I believe our legal system is designed to deliver  bail application of Asheesh Kumar and Vikas Barala denied on Tuesday by the Judicial Magistrate (First Class). The investigation and the prosecution team worked really well for this, as did Pankaj Bhardwaj, our lawyer. And of course, the Magistrate, who was truly fair. Our deep appreciation and gratitude.

Varnika thanks judicial system

The law of a state is only as good as the people who uphold it; and the judgments this past week, including the bail that was denied on Tuesday, have done wonders for the faith of the public in the judicial system! Taking this opportunity to thank everyone who made sure the system worked for those who need it, and the media, who have been nothing but supportive from Day 1, and of course, every single person whose wishes and blessings have been my familys strength through this ordeal!
Pavneet Singh Chadha

Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 29

The slaughter of birds at a meat shop in the vicinity of an anganwadi in Kumbra village has become a nuisance for nearby residents.

The anganwadi, where children from the village in the age group of 2-5 are provided day care, is adjacent to the butcher shop.

The animal waste from the meat shop is dumped in the open. Repeated appeals by the residents to relocate or close the meat shop, to the local panchayat and Municipal Corporation officials have fallen on deaf ears.

Mandeep Kaur, a helper at the anganwadi, said they had requested MC officials to close the shop as it was a health hazard for children.

The butcher dumps the animal waste right in front of our gate. The unbearable stench is a health hazard for children, she said.

Dr Jyoti, Ayurvedic Medical Officer at the Civil Dispensary in the village, said, The waste from the butcher shop can cause respiratory infections. The waste keeps lying here for days since the MC staff only collects waste once in three days.

Parents of the children said they had approached health inspectors and MC officials in this regard but the civic body failed to act against it.

Balwinder Singh, a local resident, said: Stray animals in the village feed on the waste and attack children. The stench is intolerable when it rains.

Another resident said, The owner of the property decided to rent it to a butcher because he was paying more money. The residents have tried to coax him but he stays adamant that the shop will remain open. s
Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29

The Panchkula police have tightened their grip around dera followers who went on the rampage in the city after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted on August 25.

In the latest development, the Panchkula police have now slapped sedition charges on 137 dera followers, who were arrested on August 25 and 26.

A majority of the dera followers booked under sedition charges are from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Initially, the Panchkula police had registered FIRs under Sections 146 (rioting), 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing a public servant in the discharge of public functions), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty), 307 (attempt to murder) and 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house) and under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and the Arms Act.

Now, the police have slapped sedition charges under Sections 121 (waging or attempting to wage a war or abetting waging of a war against the Government of India), 121 A (conspiracy to commit offences punishable under Section 121) and 122 (collecting arms with intention of waging a war against the Government of India) of the IPC on these dera followers. The police have also informed the Panchkula court about it.

A senior Panchkula police official said they slapped sedition charges after further investigation in these cases. The investigation in some cases was still pending and if something substantiate was found against the accused, the sedition charges would be slapped on them as well, he said.

Public urged to provide videos, CCTV footage

Panchkula: Police Commissioner AS Chawla has appealed to residents to submit video recordings captured by them on their mobile phones and recordings in CCTV cameras installed outside their shops/houses and offices during the violence by dera followers in Panchkula on August 25. The police have given their mail ID dcppanchkula@gmail.com and WhatsApp No. 8146631013 on which the residents can submit these recordings. The Panchkula Police Commissioner said these recordings could help the police identify people who damaged properties and vehicles in the city. The identity of the person would be kept secret, he assured. TNS

Top dera functionaries plotted violence

The Panchkula police informed the court that top dera functionaries of Sirsa and Panchkula had plotted the violence. Dera followers reportedly told the police that the dera management had conveyed to them to start violence if the court verdict went against the dera chief.

Had planned to help dera chief escape

Dera followers told the police that with the use of arms and petrol bombs, there was a planning of the dera management to help the dera chief escape from police custody. Vandalising of vehicles, government property and targeting policemen and paramilitary forces were also part of the dera managements planning, the dera followers told the police.
Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, August 29

A court on Tuesday acquitted self-styled godman Rampal and others in two criminal cases, but he won't walk free as he is facing several other charges, including murder.

The court of Judicial Magistrate was shifted to the Central Jail to pronounce the verdict in the case.

Rampals lawyer AP Singh said: It is a victory of truth.

However, Rampal will remain in jail as there are more cases pending against him.

The district attorney (DA), Rajender Kumar, said that the court was temporarily shifted to the Central Jail number 1 in view of the security arrangements where the accused Rampal is presently lodged with other accomplices.

The court of Judicial Magistrate (first class) Mukesh Kumar had completed the process of evidence in the FIR numbers 426 and 427 registered in Barwala police station on November 17 and November 18 in 2015, respectively.

Rampal had resisted the police operation to arrest him on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court while holed up inside his Satlok Ashram in Barwala town of Hisar.

The standoff turned violent resulting in death of five persons and injuries to several others. Among the accused are Rampal and some of his key associates, including Purshotam Dass , Rajkumar, Mahinder Singh, Rajender Singh and Rajkapoor. Rampal is presently lodged in jail.

Sources said the accused were facing charges under Sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), and 342 (wrongful confinement) of the IPC in the two criminal cases.

The Judicial Magistrate Mukesh Kumar had deferred the date of hearing to August 29 after the police cited tension in view of the Sacha Sauda case during previous hearing on August 24.

The verdict was being eagerly awaited in the wake of the CBI court sentencing Sirsa dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 20 years in jail.
Tribune News Service

Sirsa, August 29

Deputy Commissioner Prabhjot Singh today lifted curfew from Sirsa town as no untoward incident was reported during relaxation from 7 am to 9 pm. However, the curfew would remain in force from Shah Satnam Chowk to Nejia Khera T-point, Kanganpur road and Najia Khera T-point to the Bajekan railway crossing.

The security agencies in Sirsa reclaimed all three roads leading to Dera Sacha Sauda by setting up barricades at less than a kilometre on three sides of the dera premises. A large number of devotees are said to have already moved out of the dera. The curfew was relaxed from 7 am to 7 pm and later increased to 9 pm.

The security forces have set up barricades on both sides of the Sirsa-Chopta road, around 500 meters from the dera. Another barricade has been set up on the Nejia road too.

The Deputy Commissioner said the district administration today sent 650 persons from the dera to their homes and now only 250 to 300 followers are left. During the past two days, about 6,500 followers moved out of the dera, he added.

Educational institutions and banks, besides liquor shops remained open today. However, the eight educational institutions run by the dera remained closed as the curfew was not relaxed in the areas where they are situated.

Sources in the dera said all educational institutions and factories on the premises had been shut till further notice. The authorities have freezed all bank ccounts of the dera.
Chandigarh, August 29

Peace prevailed in Haryana and Punjab on Tuesday with life gradually returning to normal in violence-hit areas, a day after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping two of his followers.

No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the two states, officials said. Authorities in Sirsa gave a 12-hour curfew relaxation from 7 am after no violent incident was reported from anywhere in the district.

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Curfew had earlier been lifted from other towns of Haryana where it was imposed including Panchkula and Kaithal.

Sirsa town is home to the sprawling Dera headquarters where the sect's followers had gathered in large numbers ahead of Ram Rahim's conviction.

However, most of the followers, who had come from different parts of Punjab, Haryana and elsewhere had left after the administration helped them come out of the premises.

Life in sensitive districts of Punjab, including Bathinda, Patiala and Moga where there is sizeable presence of Dera followers, was gradually limping back to normal.

However, the two states were still on high alert to prevent any incidence of violence or arson as was witnessed in Panchkula on Friday last after conviction of the Dera chief by the CBI court.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has appealed to the people, especially Dera Sacha Sauda followers, to respect the sentence pronounced by the CBI court in the case and help in maintaining peace in the state.

Khattar had said effective arrangements have been made to maintain peace in the state following the decision of the court. Strict action would be taken against any person who attempts to disturb the law and order situation, which was reviewed at a high-level meeting held here yesterday, he added.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh yesterday met Governor V P Singh Badnore to apprise him of the law and order situation and the steps taken by his government to prevent any breakdown of law and order in the wake of the sentencing of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief.

On the continuation of curfew in some sensitive areas of Punjab, the chief minister said the state government would review the situation again today before taking any decision on lifting the curfew imposed in some areas as a precautionary measure.

Curfew has already been lifted from five of the 10 districts where prohibitory orders were imposed.

Ban on mobile Internet services in Punjab and Haryana would be lifted today. A decision on opening schools and colleges in the sensitive districts of Punjab, where these were shut for past few days, has been left to district authorities concerned, Amarinder had said yesterday. PTI
Sirsa, August 28

Reports of unrest trickled in from Sirsa on Monday as followers set light to two cars minutes before Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced.

Violence was reported from Phoolka and Kotli villages in Sirsa. Unrest was also reported outside the Dera headquarters.

ANI reported that two cars were torched in the violence.

Dera chief was given two jail terms of 10 years for each of the rape case he was accused in  that is, he has been jailed for a total of 20 years. The two jail terms will run consecutively.

Indian Army held flag marches in Sirsa after a court passed Ram Rahim Singh's sentence.

Meanwhile, chief ministers of both Punjab and Haryana held separate review meetings. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh met Punjab Governor V. P. Singh Badnore over security arrangments in the state.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar held a high-level meeting with chief secretary, home secretary, and the state's DGP, among other people, to review the state's law and order.

Security had been beefed up in Sirsa hours before the sentence was announced on Monday.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Though the exodus of Dera followers from the sects headquarters in Sirsa started Saturday, several supporters of the self-styled godman are still present in and around the sprawling premises.

Locals have been asked to stay indoors as a preventive measure.

We have made appropriate arrangements to maintain law and order in the district, a senior police official said.

The district administration is also providing buses to facilitate the departure of Dera followers.

A multi-layer security cordon has been thrown around the Rohtak district jail, where the CBI special court judge will be flown to pronounce the quantum of sentence against convicted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh today.

50-year-old Gurmeet Ram Rahim has been lodged in the Sunaira jail in Rohtak after being convicted of raping his two women followers by a special CBI court in Panchkula on Friday.  Agencies/ ANI
Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29

Refusing to go into the police firing in Panchkula after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today said it was a war-like situation that required to be fought like a war.

Rejecting submissions by lawyers present in the court on the use of pellet guns by the police instead of bullets to disburse the mob, a Full Bench of the High Court thundered: You want the police to soft-pedal. In case you are indulging in nonsense, you have to be shot.

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The assertion came soon after the issue of deaths in police firing was raised before the Bench. More than 30 persons were killed in Panchkula on Friday in rioting that broke out minutes after the CBI court held Ram Rahim guilty of rape.

The Bench of Acting Chief Justice SS Saron, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Avneesh Jhingan said the rioters were the king and the police victims in the incident. You have to be hard in a riot situation When people come armed with petrol bombs, sticks and other weapons, and it is an organised attack, you have to be firm. If they are indulging in riots, arson and mayhem, they could be killed.

The Bench made clear its intent to frame guidelines on the use of full force to specify situations where use of water cannons, lead or rubber bullets were required to deal with mobs.

The Bench ordered the setting up of special investigation teams for Punjab and Haryana to be headed by officers not below the rank of Additional Directors General of Police for supervising and monitoring probes into the FIRs registered post conviction. The Bench also made it clear that judicial magistrates in both states would examine the status of investigations in the FIRs before submitting comprehensive reports to the High Court. The Bench has carried out the experiment of involving magistrates in the supervision process with success in Haryanas reservation row cases last year.

Virtually admonishing Haryana Advocate-General Baldev Raj Mahajan on contrary stands in the court, the Bench said on the one hand he was trying to propagate the theory that crowds were allowed to swell in Panchkula to lure Ram Rahim into coming to the court and on the other claiming that non-inclusion of instructions prohibiting the assembly of five and more persons on the order under Section 144 was a mistake. How do you reconcile the two stands?

Referring to the state governments decision to place under suspension the services of Panchkula Deputy Commissioner of Police for a defective prohibitory order, the Bench added if the state had deliberately allowed the people to come, the omission was not a mistake.

AG cornered

Haryana Advocate-General BR Mahajan virtually threw up his hands when the court questioned him if vehicles ferrying Ram Rahims own security men were checked. Amidst chants of shame-shame by lawyers present in the court, he said it was impossible to do so.

Observing that Ram Rahim had his own security, the Bench asked Mahajan to specify the number of vehicles and those travelling in these, if they were armed and how were they allowed to enter Panchkula. The AG replied: My Lords, it was not possible to check.

The Bench also asked Mahajan on how more than 350 vehicles were allowed to accompany Ram Rahim from Sirsa when a curfew was in place.

Seize Dera chiefs properties to pay violence victims: PIL

New Delhi: A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking that the damage to life and property due to the violent clashes after the conviction of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in rape cases, be compensated by confiscating and auctioning the properties of Dera Sacha Sauda and its chief. It said that government money should not be used to compensate the victims of violence. The petition also sought setting up of an expert committee to assess loss of life and property. PTI
Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, August 29

A local court today acquitted controversial dera chief Rampal and seven others in two criminal cases of wrongful confinement and obstructing public servants from performing their duties registered in 2014.

Rampal will, however, stay in jail as five more cases related to the 2014 Satlok Ashram violence are sub-judice.

The court of Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Mukesh Kumar held the accused not guilty after the prosecution failed to prove the charges. The witnesses, mostly policemen, who deposed in court were unable to prove the charges, said Rampals counsel AP Singh.

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We closely examined the chargesheet and cross-examined the witnesses in the two cases registered at the Barwala police station on November 17 and 18 in 2014. Its a victory of truth, he said after emerging from the court.

The others acquitted are Virender, Ramphal, Purshotam Dass, Raj Kapoor, Baljeet, Mahender and Rajender.

The accused were facing charges under Sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 342 (wrongful confinement) of the IPC. Earlier, Rampal, lodged in Central Jail No. 2, appeared for the hearing via video-conferencing after the court was shifted to Central Jail No. 1 over security concerns.

Rampal is still facing charges under Sections 302 (murder), 121 (waging war, attempting/abetting to wage war against the Government of India), 121A (conspiracy), 122 (collecting arms with intent to wage war), 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war) and other sections of the IPC in five other cases registered at the Barwala police station in November 2014.

The magistrate had deferred the date of hearing to August 29 after the police cited tension in view of the Sacha Sauda chief case.

Rampal had evaded arrest in connection with a 2006 case involving his followers after they opened fire at villagers in Rohtak, killing one.

Rampal ignored Punjab and Haryana High Court summons after he failed to appear in court. The HC then issued non-bailable warrants.

In November 2014, he resisted a police operation to arrest him while being holed up inside his ashram. The violent standoff ended in the death of five persons.

Faces murder charge

Rampal, who heads Satlok Ashram in Hisars Barwala town, and others have been acquitted of rioting, unlawful assembly, obstructing public servants from performing their duties and wrongful confinement charge. He, however, still faces serious charges like murder, waging war and conspiracy in five more cases surrounding the 2014 ashram siege. The HC had earlier issued non-bailable warrants against him in a 2006 murder case.

Haryana to challenge verdict

The Haryana Government will file an appeal in the district court against the acquittal of Rampal and other accused, said district attorney Rajender Kumar. The next hearing in one of the five cases still being heard by the court is due on September 18.

(With agency inputs)
Naveen S Garewal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29

With no untoward incident reported from anywhere in Punjab and Haryana during the past 24 hours, life is gradually limping back to normal in the region.

Barring Sirsa, curfew has been lifted from most places, but heavy deployment of security forces continues. Thirty-eight persons were killed in the violence that erupted after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted of raping his two followers.

Editorial: A tale of two Sants

Oped: Order on quantum of sentence against MSG

The state police have slapped cases of sedition against 137 dera followers booked for violence in Panchkula, but observing that the situation was getting back to normal, authorities in Sirsa gave a 12-hour relaxation in curfew.

Meanwhile, Internet services were today resumed at many places in Punjab and Haryana. However, the services continue to be suspended in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Jind, Hisar and Kaithal.

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Meanwhile, on the direction of the Centre, the Haryana Government has provided Z-plus security to the CBI special court judge who convicted the dera chief. The additional district and sessions judge rank official, Jagdeep Singh, has been provided 55 policemen, including 10 NSG commandos, who will guard the judge and his family members 24x7.

The judge and his family had been receiving threatening messages besides being constantly intimidated, allegedly by the dera followers. The Union Home Ministry had on Friday asked the Haryana Government to provide the highest-level security to the judge.

Senior officials said though no untoward incident had been reported from the region, Punjab and Haryana were still on high alert and security agencies were keeping a close watch on the movement of dera followers.

In Haryana, the security of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was today beefed up after being reviewed.

Meanwhile, senior officials in Panchkula are preparing a report based on the turn of events on August 25 that resulted in violence and suggest measures to avoid such incidents in future.

Z-plus cover for CBI judge, family
Chandigarh, August 29

Speculation was rife on Tuesday on who will succeed convicted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, with the names of his son Jasmeet, adopted daughter Honeypreet and Dera chairperson Vipassana Insan doing the rounds.

However, Dera sources said no such move yet had been initiated by the Dera management.

The first priority of the Dera will be to file an appeal in the High court against the sentence pronounced by the Special CBI court, sources said.

Fifty-year-old Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping two of his followers.

Jasmeet, who is in his thirties, is married to the daughter of former Punjab Congress legislator Harminder Singh Jassi.

If Jasmeet is appointed as successor of Ram Rahim, it will be breaking the tradition of the Dera which has never appointed a person as its chief who is from the family of the present sect head.

Honeypreet Insan, who is considered close to Dera sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, is also seen as the likely successor of the Dera.

Honeypreet, who is in her thirties, had accompanied Ram Rahim when he was brought to the Special CBI court in Panchkula for the pronouncement of verdict in the 15-year-old rape case on Friday.

Honeypreet, who describes herself as papas angel, philanthropist, director, editor and actress on social media, is an adopted daughter of Ram Rahim Singh.

Vipassana Insan is the chairperson of the Dera Sacha Sauda and holds the top position in the Dera management which takes care of several activities like farming, social welfare, factories, educational institutions, etc.

After the mayhem at Panchkula and Sirsa following conviction of Dera sect head, it was Vipassana who had issued an appeal in a video message, asking followers to maintain peace and calm.

Vipassana, when contacted, said there was no move to appoint a new Dera sect head. There is no succession move. Followers have complete faith in Guruji, she said.

However, she said for the time being, all educational institutes and factories of the Dera had been shut.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was appointed as the third head of the Dera Sacha Sauda on September 23, 1990 at the age of 23.

The Dera Sacha Sauda was founded by Mastana Maharaj in Sirsa on April 29, 1948, to encourage spiritual awakening among masses to uplift humanity and to create better world. In 1960, Mastana Maharaj, who originally hailed from Baluchistan (Pakistan), handed over the reins of Dera to his successor Shah Satnam Singh.

The dera, which claims to have millions of followers, runs educational institutes, hospitals, carrying out farming and manufacturing activities, etc.

It has several wings like administrative, political, youth federation, social welfare, medical, education and IT.

PTI
Our Correspondent

Chamba, August 29

More than four lakh pilgrims from various parts of Himachal, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Jammu visited Manimahesh while 60,000 pilgrims have a holy bath in the icy cold waters of the Manimahesh lake till today, the last day on the occasion of Radhashtami.

Later, the valley was lashed by torrential rain, Additional District Magistrate, Bharmour, Vinay Dhiman said and appealed to the pilgrims to halt at safe locations. On the issue of parking problem, the Chamba DC said efforts would be made to develop parking space along the roads starting from Lahal to Bharmour and up to Hadsar.

Manimahesh pilgrim dies

Kangra: A 31-year-old Manimahesh pilgrim from Ludhiana, who slipped on a track near Hadsar while descending, succumbed to his injuries at Dehra today.

Lalman Sharma, Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Dehra, said the victim had been identified as Kamal Jeet of New Janta Nagar, Ludhiana. He had gone for the yatra with his friends and was on his way back when he slipped on the track near Hadsar while coming down and was left with a head injury, he added.

He was taken to Bharmour hospital where from he was referred to the Chamba district hospital.

Doctors at Chamba further referred him to Tanda medical college.

His relatives wanted him to take to the DMC, Ludhiana, but Kamaljeet succumbed to his injuries and doctors at Dehra hospital declared him brought dead.

The SDPO said preliminary post-mortem report suggested that the victim died of head injury.
Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 29

The CBI today arrested eight Himachal Pradesh Police officials, including an Inspector General, in connection with the custodial death of an accused in the Kotkhai rape and murder case.

Those arrested are Zahur H Zaidi, IG, Welfare and Administration, who headed the special investigation team (SIT) formed to probe the rape-murder of a minor; then Theog DSP Manoj Joshi and SHO Rajender Singh, ASI Deep Chand Sharma (trio also part of SIT); Head Constables Surat Singh, Mohan Lal and Rafiq Ali and Constable Ranjit Streta.

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A local court later remanded them in policy custody till September 4. Suraj (29), a Nepalese labourer and one of the six accused, was allegedly killed in lock-up at the Kotkhai police station on the intervening night of July 18 and 19. The police had claimed that another accused, Raju, hit Suraj on his private parts and banged his head against the wall, which proved fatal.

Alleging a cover-up to shield the main accused, an irate mob had set the Kotkhai police station afire.

The 16-year-old Class X girl had gone missing while returning from school on July 4 and her naked body was recovered from Halaila forests (Kotkhai) near her village on July 6. A case of gangrape and murder was registered following a postmortem, but the police failed to identify the culprits.

The SIT was constituted on July 10 and all six accused were arrested within two days. Following public outrage, the government handed over the case to the CBI, which registered two FIRs on July 22. On August 24, the High Court had given the CBI two weeks to complete its probe and file a status report on September 7.
Shimla, August 29

One more minister came out today to demand that the Congress should go to the next Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh under the leadership of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who is unhappy and has said he would not contest the elections.

Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes said there is no substitute to Singh in the party and the Congress high command should give him a free hand for the Assembly elections this year-end.

She gave the example of Amarinder Singh, saying the party had won in Punjab because of his leadership.

Stokes is the third minister after Animal Husbandry Minister Prakash Chowdhary and Health Minister Kaul Singh to say that the party should contest under the leadership of Singh.

Virbhadra Singh is the only capable leader who could win the elections for Congress party and there is no substitute to him, Stokes said in a statement issued here.

She said that during the 2012 assembly polls, the Congress party was in a problem and she had suggested the name of Singh to lead the party in the state.

The proposal had resulted in a landslide victory for the Congress, despite defeat of the party in nearby Punjab, she said.

It was possible due to the rich experience and hard work of Virbhadra Singh that ensured victory for Congress party, Stokes said.

She emphasised that a strong regional leadership was important in elections as public has more faith in regional leadership.

In this context, she cited the example of Punjab, saying the victory of the Congress party in the assembly elections was possible because of strong regional leadership of Capt Amarinder Singh and that his leadership played a catalytic role in victory of Congress.

She said the BJP was only creating a hype and did not enjoy the support of the masses who were aware of failures of the NDA government at the Centre.

"Moreover, the tussle for leadership in the state BJP will mar its poll prospects," Stokes claimed.

Singh has already said that he would neither contest the assembly polls nor lead the party in the polls.

Singh is said to be unhappy with the functioning of Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukkhu and wants him to be replaced before the polls due in November this year.  PTI
Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 29

History is repeating itself in Himachal Pradesh where Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh is once again testing the might of Congress leadership by threatening to withdraw from the upcoming elections lest his demands regarding poll strategy are met.

The Chief Minister wants state party chief Sukhwinder Sukhu replaced and has in a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi explained the reasons behind his decision to neither contest 2017 Himachal elections nor lead the party. On August 25 when he addressed Congress MLAs in Shimla, the Chief Minister told them he did not want to kill himself after being humiliated by a pygmy. That reference, a senior party MLA says, was to Sukhu.

Sonia Gandhi has now asked her political secretary Ahmed Patel to rush back from Gujarat and control the potential damage of Himachal the Chief Ministers statements. With Singh already in Delhi for a court hearing, a meeting between him and Patel is likely tomorrow amid Congress anxiety to placate the regional strongman.

That said the question insiders are asking is, Why doesnt the Congress learn its lessons?

In a similar turn of events on the eve of 2012 Himachal elections, Sonia Gandhi had removed the then Himachal unit president Kaul Singh Thakur and named Virbhadra Singh as the new chief. The announcement in August 2012 was followed by Singhs resignations from election committees and his covert threat to fight Himachal polls in alliance with the NCP.

Its August and things have again come to similar pass for the Congress which realises its poor electoral chances in the hill state without the 83-year-old warhorse and a six-time CM. Even in 2012 Congress left damage control to the last minute when it sent Ahmed Patel and AK Antony to pacify Singh following the latters remarks of a historic announcement in Chandigarh.

Congress insiders remember how Patel travelled to Sonepat to meet Singh who was en route to Chandigarh and how within hours Singh was named Himachal Congress chief and Kaul Singh Thakur removed.

Even in 2012, Ahmed Patel was the one who mollified Virbhadra Singh. Its sad that things should take such a turn. The Chief Minister has been asking for Sukhus removal for months and has said he cannot deliver with Sukhu around, a state party MLA says.

Aware of Virbhadra Singhs support among 30 of 35 Congress MLAs in Himachal, the Congress may act now though party vice president Rahul Gandhi is said to be backing Sukhu. AICC general secretary for Himachal Sushil Shinde is unavailable and is in Mumbai for Ganesh festival celebrations.

We are waiting to hear from the leadership before making our next move. One thing is clear  without the CM, Congress is not in the fight in Himachal and many MLAs may not contest if he does not lead. Its a pity that the Chief Minister has had to suffer humiliation at the hands of state party chief. Sukhu recently put a poster in Kangra with a huge picture of himself and a very small one of his. District chiefs appointed by Sukhu dont acknowledge the Chief Minister in speeches. This is the state of affairs, a Himachal Congress MLA rues.

Though Congress seniors concede to similarities between 2012 and 2017, they say in 2012 the clash was between titans Kaul Singh and Virbhadra Singh and the fight was for the CMs chair. This time the clash is between a titan and a political pygmy, a senior Congress MLA said.

History repeats in Himachal
Aman Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29

Your tears have shaken many hearts. The sacrifice made by your father will always be remembered. You are too young to understand as to why this happened. In a moving letter, the J&K police have shared the grief of seven-year-old daughter of a slain ASI.

ASI Abdul Rashid was shot dead by militants at Mahendi Kadal in Anantnag on Monday.

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An emotional letter by the DIG of Police, South Kashmir, addressed to Zohra, daughter of Rashid, says, People responsible for such violence who attack the lawful symbol of the state and society are indeed insane and enemy of humanity. Your father like all of us represented Jammu Kashmir police force  a hallmark of valour and sacrifice.

Read: Cop gunned down by militants in Anantnag

Militants fired at and injured Abdul Rashid, who was busy regulating traffic at the Mahendi Kadal junction.

Rashid was rushed to district hospital at Anantnag, from where he was referred to Army's 92 base hospital at Badamibagh cantonment here for specialised treatment. However, Rashid succumbed to injuries at Armys hospital.

Many of our police families have suffered and undergone irreparable trauma defending the common good for the society. All those faces and stories indeed create a rich history making us proud, reads the letter posted on Facebook.

Remember we all are one family at this critical phase. Every drop of your tear sears our heart. May almighty give us the strength to go ahead with our mission of rendering services for the betterment of the society we will always cherish the memory of ASI Abdul Rashid as a true policeman who sacrificed his life in the line of the duty. RIP
Q.I am doing BA (Hon) English and enjoying it greatly. While I am keen on pursuing a career in journalism, I am also fascinated by law. Could you please tell me whether its possible to pursue both courses simultaneously?  Chitra Madhavan

A.As youre interested in both law and journalism, I dont see why you cant pursue courses in both disciplines simultaneously.

The way to go about doing this would be to opt for a regular course in the field that interests you the most and enroll for a distance-learning or part-time course in the other. However, theres a bit of a hitch. While there are plenty of MA (English) and even journalism courses available through distance learning, only a 2-3 distance learning courses are available in Law. And, pursuing them wont entitle you to argue in a court of law. Which means youll have to go for a regular LLB programme as far as studying law is concerned.

Of course should you wish to become a legal correspondent or advisor or work in the field of legal transcription, the distance learning programme in Law will do.

So, if you can comfortably manage both courses simultaneously, just go ahead have your cake, and eat it too!

Check out the SWAYAM portfolio

Q.I am a BSc student of LPU. Is it possible to access teaching facilities of colleges in DU. Do we have an option to avail of the courses online?

 Sukhraj Singh

A.Students like you will now be allowed to take online courses in select subjects offered by other universities, and the credits earned would be transferred to your college mark sheets.

The UGC has asked the Central Universities to introduce online courses under the governments SWAYAM (Study Web of Active Learning by Young & Aspiring Minds) platform which you can browse on: https://swayam.gov.in/

Youll be amazed to see the array of course offerings from top-of-the-line institutions like the IITs, IISR, ASI, IIMs, Delhi University and the like.

This would also help the students from backward areas to access teaching facilities of renowned institutes that offer online courses. Whats more, no university can refuse credit mobility to any student.

Now students residing in any part of the country will also be able to pursue courses of their choice thanks to a new MHRD initiative that harnesses technology to deliver courses offered by the best of teachers through the MOOCS platform.

And talking of MOOCS, do check out the amazing range of courses offered by the best of universities in the world (apart from India). High quality and reasonably priced, they offer excellent value-for-money. Browse through the offerings on courser, edX, Udacity etc

Colour blindness is not a hurdle

Q.Our son who is currently in Class XII has been diagnosed as colour blind. He has been preparing for his medical entrances for the past two years. He is utterly heart-broken that he wont be able to clear the screening for CVD for taking the NEET. Does this only apply to MBBS also?  Anu Ahuja

A.Following the recommendation of the Supreme Court-appointed committee, the Medical Council of India has lifted its decades-old ban on people with colour vision deficiency (CVD) from taking the NEET.

As a result, the mandatory screening for colour-blindness has been done away with. Not just that, the panel also suggested that CVD should not be an absolute bar even in the medical profession  i.e. not just for NEET but even upon completion of study or while registering as a medical practitioner.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has just patented a new trade logo (Dr written in white in the center of a red cross) to establish the identity of MBBS and higher medical degree-holders. This will distinguish genuine allopathic doctors from unauthorised doctors, RMPs and quacks.

Homeopathy, Ayurveda and Veterinary practitioners as well as pharmacies and chemists have been barred from using this new logo. Those using the logo in an unauthorised manner will be liable for legal action. So now your son can happily sport this logo once he graduates. Just encourage him to continue his preparation in dead earnest.

What is the scope of PG diploma or MBA in Insurance?

Q.I am a recent BBA graduate and keen to explore career options in the Insurance sector other than actuary, surveyor, etc? What is scope of PG Diploma/MBA in Insurance? Which are the good places to pursue this course?  Sidharth Jain

A.Despite being an overpopulated country and one of the fastest growing economies, Indias share of the total global insurance premium is only 1.5 per cent. But with digitisation combined with insurance distribution going online, much more traction is expected as e-commerce reaches out to Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

While this is a small figure in terms of percentage, the size of the market is huge: General insurance: Rs 1,20,000 crore and life insurance: Rs 1,75,000 crore.

Despite there being over 36,000 vacancies in the industry, there are less than 300 insurance management professionals.

Typically, PG-level programmes in Insurance are offered as a combination with either Banking or with Risk Management. Those graduating from these programmes would find openings in Insurance & Re-insurance companies, Banks and Financial Institutions, Insurance Brokers, Credit Companies, and online insurance distribution. Those with Risk Management profiles can also look profiles in General Management, IT Services and Consulting firms.

Some of the institutes/ universities offering specialised programmes in Insurance Management are given below:

National Insurance Academy, Pune

PGDM in Management (2-yrs)

Institute of Insurance & Risk Management, Hyderabad

PGDM in Management (2-yrs)

Jamia Hamdard, School of Management & Business Studies, Delhi

MBA in Insurance, (2-yrs)

BIMTECH, Greater Noida

PGDM in Insurance Business Management (2-yrs)

Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi

MBA in Banking and Insurance (2-yrs)

Chitkara University, Punjab

MBA in Insurance and Financial Planning (2-yrs)

 email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com
Amarjot Kaur

In the last four years, Panjab University (PU) has witnessed a steep rise in the number of student political parties growing from 10 to 21, reportedly. A few of these newly formed parties are challenging the rhetoric of muscle power and mainstream political-party funding associated with election campaigning.

With events like street-plays, poetry, singing, open debates and discussions, the feisty new kids on the block are raising party funds though cultural evenings. At these events they address issues like woman safety, timing restrictions on girls hostels, more hostel accommodations, and affordable co-operative messes.

Counting, from the left

Among 11 new student parties formed since 2013, Students for Society (SFS), Pal Pehelwan Students Organisation (PPSO), Panjab Students Union (Lalkar), and All India Students Association (AISA) are vociferously left leaning. The Indian Student Association (ISA), however, claims to be a centrist.

As they fight it out with parties backed, both monetarily and ideologically, by influential political leaders the only thing they bank on is their progressive ideology and uncompromising struggle against the establishment, says Daman Preet, party president of SFS. Not too sure if he will be the one fighting elections from the party blaming Lyngdoh recommendations, but hed rather talk about issues his party eyes at the moment. We want more hostels, no time restriction on girls hostel, cooperative messes, and transparent online tendering of shops on campus. Also, we want the authorities to revise the CBS limit for research scholars and compulsory 75 per cent attendance, he says.

PSU (Lalkar) is preparing to host a progressive literature book exhibition on campus. Its media in-charge, Manav Jot Singh of PUs Department of Urdu, 24, says they also host film screenings, seminars, and debates. Formed in 2014, the left-leaning party will be contesting elections here for the first time. The university charges up to Rs 2000 for the auditorium hall, which should be made available to students free of cost, he says. However, 22-year-old Vijay Kumar from AISA, an all-India student party that will debut at PU this year, says that the party is an off-shoot of the one in JNU. We want the library timings to be extended up to 10 pm, if not 24-hour open library. Also, except for the Government College for Girls in Sector 42, there are no ramps for visually impaired students in any other college or universitywe want them to construct ramps, he says. Vijay is doing his masters in Punjabi from PU.

Now PPSO has been around in Punjabi University since 2006, and contested in PU first in 2015. Last year, we fought for the post of vicepresident and got 1,100 votes. We have basic needs like active placement cell for professional courses and gender equality, and woman safety.

Neither left, nor right

ISAs campus president Karan Randhawa, 22, is a second-year M.Sc. student at Department of Anthropology. He is also a former president of SOI (Student organisation of India). ISA was launched on June 30, this year. We have been pushing for Hostel Number 10 to be constructed by September 15. Two of its floors have been made already. Our demands include free of cost rickshaws for specially-abled students, and give basic facilities like gym and salon at international hostels that charge Rs 8,400 a month per student, he says. ISA too is funded by the students. We follow the best of both, left and right ideologies.

Party president Ajay Sharma, 23, shares that PUHH makes Rs 200 a month as funds from students. We got 1,936 votes last year, contesting for the post of general secretary. We root for vehicle-free zones in PU. CCTV cameras should be installed on the campus to ensure the safety of students. Also, there should be strict rules on the entry of outsiders in PU, he says.

amarjot@tribunemail.com

SOPU had a great fall

Presently, SOPU has no representative for their elections. When I was a student back in 1995, the university would conduct indirect elections. We formed SOPU in 1997, aiming for a democratic campus. We were not supported by a big political party. However, in the last two or four years, many political parties started funding students from student partiesthats when things spiralled downwards. Also, the gangster culture is responsible for SOPUs decline, says founder of SOPU party DPS Randhawa.
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 29

The NDA government has opposed criminalising marital rape, saying it may destabilise the institution of marriage.

In an affidavit filed before the Delhi High Court in response to a petition filed by RIT Foundation seeking to criminalise marital rape, it cited the example of the misuse of anti-dowry provision -- Section 498A of the IPC.

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It has to be ensured adequately that marital rape does not become a phenomenon which may destabalise the institution of marriage apart from being an easy tool for harassing husbands. The Supreme Court and various high courts have already observed the rising misuse of Section 498A of IPC, read the Centres affidavit.

The affidavit cited the reports of Law Commission and Parliamentary Standing Committee which did not favour criminalising marital rape.

The Centre has consistently taken a stand against criminalising marital rape. On August 9, it had sought to defend a provision of criminal law, according to which sexual intercourse by a man with his wife aged 15 years or above was not rape even if it was without her consent.

Section 375 of IPC defines rape as sexual intercourse without consent and against the will of a woman. An amendment to rape law in 2013 said any kind of penetration of a male organ or any object into any body part of a woman would be treated as rape.

But according to Exception 2 to the Section 375 IPC, sexual intercourse by a man with his wife, who is 15 or above, is not rape even if it is without her consent.

Womens rights activists want this exception to be done away with and marital rape to be made a criminal offence on the ground that it forces women to suffer the worst form of sexual violence silently within their matrimonial homes.

However, the Centre said, Merely deleting Exception 2 will in no way serve any useful purpose as a man is said to commit rape as defined under Section 375 of IPC cannot be the same in the case of marital rape.

If all sexual acts by a man with his wife will qualify to be marital rape, then the judgment as to whether it is a marital rape or not will squarely rest with the wife. The question is what evidence courts will rely upon in such circumstances as there can be no lasting evidence in case of sexual acts between a man and his own wife, the Centre said.

Any legal prohibition on marital rape had to be accompanied by change in attitude of prosecutors, police officers and members of the society in general, it added.

The fact that other countries, mostly western, have criminalised marital rape does not necessarily mean India should also follow them blindly. This country has its own unique problems due to various factors like literacy, lack of financial empowerment of the majority of females, mindset of the society, vast diversity, poverty etc. and these should be considered carefully before criminalising marital rape, the Centre submitted.

It requested the court to hear various state governments before deciding the matter as criminal law fell in the Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution and implementation of criminal law was with states. There is a vast diversity in cultures of these states, it added.

The Centre has claimed it cannot criminalise marital rape because India has its own unique problems due to illiteracy, lack of financial empowerment of females, mindset of society, vast diversity in the cultures of states which implement criminal law, and poverty, etc.

Lastly, the Centre has also claimed that it is necessary to implead the state governments in the matter to know the opinion of these states to avoid any complications at a later stage.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 29

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China to attend the 9th BRICS Summit being hosted at Xiamen in Fujian province of that country. The official announcement by New Delhi came a day after the resolution of the Doklam standoff.

Subsequently, the PM will pay a state visit to Myanmar from September 5 to 7 at the invitation of Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw. This will be his first bilateral state visit to Myanmar. During the visit, he would hold discussions with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President U Htin Kyaw. Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, he would visit Yangon and Bagan, the Ministry of External Affairs said today.

India and Myanmar have a history of cordial relations and share land and maritime boundary. Myanmar shares 1,600-km boundary with Arunachal, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland and is the only ASEAN country adjoining India.

During November 2014, PM Modi had attended the 12th ASEAN-India Summit and the 9th East Asia Summit while in August that year External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the 4th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meet and the 21st ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting.

In May, Foreign Secretary and Myanmar MoS for Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Tinwhen held Foreign Office consultations where issues pertaining to boundary, security and border management, connectivity, trade and investment and Indian Line of Credit were reviewed. Besides these, India and Myanmar have a border and security cooperation with New Delhi, including training and high-level staff visits.
Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai , August 29

With parts of Mumbai receiving a whopping 298 mm of rainfall over just nine hours, the country's financial capital has come to a complete halt.



According to the private Skymet weather station, its observatory at Santa Cruz in the suburbs received 298 mm of rain between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm. The city received more rain only on July 26, 2005 when it poured more than 900 mm in span of just a few hours.



Tens of thousands of Mumbaikars were stranded across the city as transport has come to a complete halt. Police and fire officials said they have rescued a number of people from drowning in the floodwaters that rose above the waist level late in the afternoon. Heavy rains coinciding with high tides at 4.30 pm worsened the situation as the pumps meant to evacuate floodwaters had to be shut down, officials from the disaster management cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said.



Both the Central and Western Railway services suspended operations of suburban train services as tracks were flooded. The Western Railway also rescheduled the Rajdhani Express to Delhi that was to depart at 5 pm. It is not clear when the train will depart from Mumbai..



The derailment of the Mumbai-Nagpur Duronto Express outside Mumbai

this morning also added to the woes of Mumbai's commuters.



With people stranded across the city, good samaritans opened their homes to strangers and provided them with succour. Religious organisations like gurdwaras also announced langars to provide food and water to those in need.



Healthcare across the city was also affected with several public hospitals being flooded as well. The state-run KEM hospital postponed surgeries after rainwater flooded its ground floor, sources said.



At many places police personnel were seen asking car owners to abandon their vehicles and wade through the flooded streets as a safety measure.



While the Maharashtra government declared a holiday and asked its employees to go home, Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray appealed to people not to venture out on the streets and stay put in their offices instead.



Flights connecting Mumbai too were affected with parts of the city airport being flooded. Several airlines cancelled flights out of the city and those scheduled to land in Mumbai were diverted to other cities.



A low-pressure area that had developed over Odisha has moved westwards towards the central parts of the country. There is an upper air cyclonic circulation over eastern part of the state and a trough that extends over the west coast. All these factors have led to very

heavy rain over the Konkan coast, especially Mumbai, said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general, western region, India Meteorological Department (IMD) in a statement.
Jitendra K Shrivastava

Tribune News Service

Patna, August 29

A day after the RJDs historic rally at Gandhi Maidan, Income Tax officials questioned party chief Lalu Prasad Yadavs family members at its Patna office in connection with benami property cases on Tuesday.

A special team of I-T officials, who landed in Patna from Delhi, questioned Lalus wife and Bihar ex-CM Rabri Devi, his son and former deputy CM Tejaswi Prasad Yadav and his daughter and Rajya Sabha member Misa Bharti over their benami assets. They are believed to have concealed property details in their I-T returns.

The I-T Department had reportedly summoned four of Lalus family members a day earlier. Only three  Rabri, Tejaswi and Misa  turned up.

Tejaswi appeared at 10.30 am, while Rabri and Misa arrived at 2 pm, while their interrogation continued till 6 pm today. After the interrogation, Lalus family remained tight-lipped while heading to their residences, parrying questions from the media.

Citing illness, Lalus elder son and former state Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav escaped I-T officials questions. Envious of the successful anti-BJP rally on August 27, the BJP is indulging in political vendetta. Taking advantage of power, the BJP has implicated Lalus family in various corruption cases and employed probe agencies against him, said RJD spokesman Shakti Yadav.

BJPs Sushil Modi had exposed Lalus benami properties worth Rs1,000 crore.

Tej Pratap doesnt turn up
Tribune News Service

Patna, August 29

Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, her son and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav and her daughter and Rajya Sabha member Misa Bharti were being questioned by Income Tax officials in Patna on Tuesday.

It is believed that I-T officials had already prepared questionnaires for quizzing them.

I-T officials refused to answer the media about the interrogation but accepted that RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadavs family members were being questioned in connection with benami assets.

I-T and ED officials had already questioned Misa Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar earlier.

In days to come, the troubles of Lalu family are expected to increase in connection with benami assets cases.

Senior BJP leader and Bihars Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi had continuously exposed benami assets accumulated by Lalu Prasads family in April-June this year.

Before embracing the BJP, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had dumped the grand alliance (RJD and Congress) for the alleged involvement of Lalus sons in benami assets cases.

The CBI had also carried out raids at Lalus residence in connection with land for Railway hotel case.
Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, August 29

The management of a historic gurdwara at Thehri village near Malout today refused to give bir (a copy of Guru Granth Sahib) to a baptised Sikh family, whose 16-year-old son Lovepreet Singh alias Buggi died during violence in Panchkula on August 25.

The victim had gone there for an outing with his aunt, a native of Sriganganagar district (Rajasthan) and a follower of Dera Sacha Sauda.

Deceaseds father Kaka Singh raised the issue with local SGPC member in Malout following which the gurdwara management, which is under the control of the SGPC, agreed to give the bir.

Lovepreet was killed after a bullet hit him in the back. The family had to begin a sehaj path at their house today for the peace of the departed soul.

Kaka Singh said: We are a family of baptised Sikhs. I am a small farmer and also sell utensils outside the village gurdwara. Everyone in the village knows me. Still the gurdwara management snubbed us.

The granthi told me that he had been told not to give bir on the orders of the manager, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Muktsar. The matter was sorted after the intervention of the SGPC, he said.

Jarnail Singh, manager, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Muktsar, said: We were unaware that the boy belonged to a Sikh family. It was mandatory for us to get approval from senior officials of the SGPC before giving them the bir. On learning about their plight, we immediately agreed to their request.
Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29

On the afternoon of May 8, 2002, a postman delivered an envelope at rationalist leader Raja Ram Handiayas house at Kalayat in Kaithal district of Haryana. Within a day or two, several human rights activists in Punjab and Haryana received the same letter.

Raja Ram, a teacher and a known face of rationalist movement in Haryana, says he was shocked to read the three-page letter typed with an electronic typewriter and addressed to the Prime Minister. It was an anonymous letter written by a sadhvi, with which began the end of the dera chiefs barbarism against his disciples.

Raja Ram says soon he came to know that several rationalist leaders in Haryana like Balwant Singh, who later became a witness in the case, and some in Punjab also got the same letter. Jagwanti Sangwan of the All India Democratic Womens Association says they had also received the letter, but instead of bringing it in public domain, they first went on to check the facts, which took some time.

On May 15, Rabesh Chand, a clerk posted at Secretariat of Punjab and Haryana High Court, too received the letter addressed to the Chief Justice.

The choice of recipients reveals that it was being circulated among Left and progressive-thinking individuals.

Most of them remained silent or shared it in their close groups. But what happened to Raja Ram was different. In good faith, I shared the contents with a friend, who further shared it with his colleagues in the school where several teachers were under the influence of the dera. Some teachers objected to it as the word spread, says Raja Ram.

In the meantime, Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chandra Chhatrpati, in his evening newspaper Poora Sach, had started reporting about the exploitation of women inside the dera in bits and pieces. Some other newspapers even published brief news regarding the letter without naming the dera.

Raja Ram was then threatened by dera premis and was asked to come to Naam Charcha Ghar at Kalayat for a compromise on June 1. As soon as I reached there, I was attacked by a mob, he alleges. A few days later, he gained consciousness at the PGIMS, Rohtak.

Raja Ram later contacted Punjabi daily Desh Sewak in Chandigarh. He recalls: I gave Shameel (the then deputy editor of the newspaper) a copy of the letter. He listened to me carefully, but said the dera was a big institution, so we cant publish an anonymous letter.

Shameel, however, got the matter investigated by their reporters. We had our limitations as it was an anonymous letter. I was waiting for an opportunity to publish it, he says.

Almost three months later on the evening of September 24, 2002, Shameel was finalising the pages. I still remember when our court correspondent left a typed news items on my desk without saying anything. During a cursory look, I noticed a brief item about the High Court ordering a CBI probe against the dera chief, says Shameel, now based in Canada.

I immediately stopped the pages and called up the reporter. I thought since we had the letter, we would publish it and score over other papers, he says. Desh Sewak thus carried a Punjabi translation of the letter along with the news on its page one.

Interestingly, the next morning no other paper even had the news of the court order. Within an hour, I started getting calls that the paper is not available. I was told that there were instances when even a single photocopy of the newspaper was sold for Rs200, claims Shameel.

After congratulation calls, he says followed numerous threat calls. At that time, it was simply beyond imagination to speak against Dera Sacha Sauda, he recalls.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 28

Punjabs industry has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore as a fallout of the dera case verdict, according to Ludhiana-based Chamber of Commercial Undertakings (CICU). These include production and man-day losses, delay in despatch and extra charges incurred by sending cargo by air.

The chamber has demanded compensation from the state government and requested it to provide details of the losses to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

In a joint statement, Avtar Singh, president, CICU, and Upkar Singh Ahuja, general secretary, said businesses and industrial production in the region had come to a standstill due to the incidents of violence by the dera followers.

Ahuja said the industry had failed to keep its commitment for the supply of goods to OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and exports. The manufacturers of auto parts have not been able to supply scooter and car parts on a regular basis. They were left with no option but to send spare parts by air, incurring a huge cost, he added.

According to industrialists, disruption in the modes of transportation, such as trains, buses and goods vehicles, and the fall in tourist arrivals could also eat into the state governments revenue.

Due to the ongoing unrest, foreign business delegates deferred plans to visit Ludhiana and the industry failed to get fresh orders, as per the union representatives.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 29

Labour and Forest Minister Harak Singh Rawat held a janata darbar at the BJP office here today. He addressed a number of complaints pertaining to appointments and problems being faced by people on account to heavy rains.

The minister was particularly irked after the staff at a pharmaceutical company based in Selaqui failed to recognize him during a phone call.

Earlier, Vasudev Jhakmola, employee at a private pharmaceutical company, had complained to the minister stating that he was unfairly dismissed by the company in violation of the labour laws. I was neither informed nor given notice by the company before being dismissed, he said.

After hearing the complaint, Rawat called up the company officials concerned who in turn failed to recognise minister, which angered the minister.

He then directed his personal assistant to ask Labour Department officials for initiating action against the company. This will not be tolerated. Companies cannot fire employees at their will, he said.
Islamabad, August 29

Pakistan's former envoy to India Abdul Basit has slammed former top diplomat and the country's ambassador to the US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry as the "worst foreign secretary ever" and blamed him for several foreign policy disasters, including the Ufa joint statement with India.

Basit, who was twice overlooked for the post of foreign secretary, made the harsh remarks in a letter  widely circulated on social media  dated July 5, 2017 and printed on his official letterhead while he still served as Pakistan's high commissioner in New Delhi.

The Foreign Office has not confirmed the authenticity of the letter. However, the Dawn news, which published the letter on its website, quoted its sources in the Foreign Office as saying that the letter is authentic.

The more I think the more I am convinced that you have been the worst Foreign Secretary ever," Basit wrote in response to a farewell letter by Chaudhry which he sent to Basit on March 12 after his appointment as the ambassador of Pakistan to Washington.

Instead of wishing him good luck on his new assignment, Basit had an ominous warning in the letter: "My concern is that you would also end up being the worst Pakistan Ambassador in Washington D.C."

He asserted that Chaudhry was not made for the delicate profession of diplomacy and cited the Ufa joint statement with India and Pakistan's failure to get re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council as leading examples of his failures.

The joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif's meeting in Ufa in 2015 on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation mentioned terrorism and the need to expedite the Mumbai trial but Kashmir was conspicuously missing in it.

Leaders and media in Pakistan had criticised the Sharif government over the absence of any mention of the vexed Kashmir issue in the joint statement.

Basit said Chaudhry's "heart was not in the right place" and argued that it was in Pakistan's interests that he should be immediately removed from his post as ambassador to the US.

He further said if Chaudhry was not removed then he should not be at least given any extension beyond February 27, 2018, the date of his retirement.

May Allah help Pakistan when people like you with weak and dubious credentials are at such important positions," Basit ended the letter with these grim words.

Basit opted for an early retirement earlier this month and was replaced by Sohail Mahmood as the high commissioner.

It is pertinent to mention that Chaudhry was appointed as the foreign secretary by ignoring Basit.

Basit was again ignored this year when his junior Tehmina Janjua was appointed foreign secretary, replacing Chaudhry who was sent to the US as Pakistan's ambassador.  PTI
Baghdad, August 28

A car bomb ripped through a busy market area in eastern Baghdad today, killing at least 12 persons, Iraqi officials said.

The explosives-laden car went off at the wholesale Jamila market in Baghdads Shia district of Sadr City, a police officer said. The explosion also wounded 28 other people, he added, saying the death toll was expected to rise further. A medical official confirmed the casualty figures. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to journalists.

A plume of thick black smoke billowed from the area and people were running away in panic. At the site, twisted metal and shards of glass littered the pavement, along with vegetables and other goods sold at the market.

It was a thunderous explosion, said Hussein Kadhim, a 35-year old porter and father of three who was wounded in his right leg. It sounds that the security situation is still uncontrollable and Im afraid that such bombings will make a comeback.

At least one soldier was seen being evacuated from the scene, which was sealed off by security forces.

The Islamic State group quickly claimed responsibility in an online statement on its media arms, the Aamaq news agency. The Associated Press could not verify the authenticity of the statement. Sunni militants consider Shiites to be apostates and Shiite-dominated areas are prime targets for IS.

The bombing came as US-backed Iraqi forces are in final stages of recapturing the northern town of Tal Afar from IS, about 150 km from Syrias border.

Yesterday, Iraqi military said it had fully liberated Tal Afars town center from IS militants. Today, the troops fought at the outskirts of al-Ayadia district, about 10 kilometres northwest of Tal Afar, where most of the militants fled.

Tal Afar was one of the few remaining towns in Iraq still in IS hands following the liberation of Mosul in July from the Islamic State group. The Sunni militant group still controls the northern town of Hawija, as well as Qaim, Rawa and Ana, in western Iraq near the Syrian border. AP
Ascathing letter written by Abdul Basit, the former ambassador to India, addressed to Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry dated July 5, has surfaced online, in which the former lambasted the latters tenure as foreign secretary apparently over a number of foreign policy gaffes made during Chaudhrys time in the office.

The more I think the more I am convinced that you have been the worst Foreign Secretary ever, Basit wrote in the letter. Sources in the Foreign Office confirmed that the letter is authentic.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The former envoy to India, who was replaced after opting for an early retirement earlier this month by Sohail Mahmood, had written the acerbic letter in response to Chaudhrys farewell letter which he wrote after being appointed the ambassador to United States.

Basit also expressed concern in his letter that Chaudhry would end up being the worst Pakistan Ambassador in Washington DC. The ex-ambassador then went on to list the reasons behind his critique of Chaudhry: while alleging that Chaudhry was not made for the delicate profession of diplomacy, Basit cited two incidents as example  the joint statement issued after a meeting in the Russian city of Ufa between ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in 2015, and Pakistans failure to get re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC).

The Ufa joint statement had been criticised at the time for being the first prime minister-level joint statement in which Kashmir was not specifically mentioned. Later, in 2015, Pakistan suffered diplomatic humiliation after losing in a bid for re-election to the UNHRC. The defeat was shocking because it was the first time that Pakistan had lost a major election at the UN.

Secondly, Basit wrote in the letter, It is more worrisome [that], your heart is not in the right place.

The former ambassador said it was in Pakistans interest that Chaudhry is removed as the envoy to US. Failing that, he said, Chaudhry should not be given an extension beyond his superannuation in 2018.

Despite repeated attempts, Basit did not respond to telephone calls.

About Chaudhry

Chaudhrys career as a foreign service officer spans 36 years. Before being appointed ambassador to the US, Chaudhry had been serving as Pakistans foreign secretary since December 2013.

Who is Abdul Basit?

Before he was appointed the high commissioner to India in February 2014, Basit served as the ambassador to Germany. Later, he had been tipped to succeed former foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, but the PML-N government changed its plans at the last minute and instead made him the high commissioner to India.

Courtesy: Dawn
London, August 29

Mona Lisa  the enigmatic muse of Italian polymath Leonardo da Vincis famous painting  was married off to a much older slave trader at the age of 15, according to a new book which suggests that her dark life may hold the secret to her mysterious smile.

In the book Mona Lisa: The People and The Painting, authors Martin Kemp from the UK and Giusepps Pallanti from Italy reveal the events of the dark life of Lisa Gherardini -- the painting's real-life Mona Lisa -- and others involved in the work.

Gherardini, born in Florence in June 1479, was married at the age of 15 years to a much older Francesco del Giocondo, who was a wealthy 30-year-old merchant and widower in 1495.

A prominent Florentine businessman, del Giocondo kept slave girls to serve as maids throughout his life and for generations before, 'New York Post' reported.

"Since his childhood Francesco had lived side by side with some female slaves who had converted to Christianity, bought by his father, and after (his father's) death it was his responsibility to find new ones. Sometimes he bought more slaves than he needed," the authors wrote.

He regularly bought girls from North Africa and converted them to Christianity with many working as maids at the del Giocondo household and it seems likely, and that "he took part in the slave trade.

The authors list the names of young girls he had baptised, noting that there were simply too many to have served in the del Giocondo household.

"They could not have all remained in his household. Three were too many and one or all of them would have been sold on," they write.

It is unclear how da Vinci came into contact with Gherardini, but it is known that the artist's father was a lawyer and her husband was one of his clients.

In 1503, the master painter started working on a portrait of the woman who would be his most famous subject in the years to follow.  PTI
Seoul, August 29

Nuclear-armed North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan today in a major escalation that triggered global alarm and a furious response from the government in Tokyo. The test, one of the most provocative ever from the reclusive state, came as US and South Korean forces conduct annual military exercises on the peninsula, angering North Korea which sees them as a preparation for invasion.

A visibly unsettled Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was an unprecedented, serious and grave threat, while the UN Security Council called an emergency meeting at Tokyo and Washingtons request.

The last time a North Korean rocket overflew Japan was in 2009, when Pyongyang said it was a satellite launch.

Washington, Seoul and Tokyo believed it was a clandestine test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Pyongyang last month carried out two overt ICBM tests that appeared to bring much of the US mainland within reach for the first time and heightened strains.

China, the Norths key ally, urged restraint on all sides, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying saying the situation had reached a tipping point but warning pressure and sanctions cannot fundamentally solve the issue. Russia, which also has ties to Pyongyang, said it was extremely worried, hitting out at a tendency towards escalation.  AFP\

Abe, Trump to hike pressure on North

"We must immediately hold a meeting at the UN, and further strengthen pressure against North Korea. Increasing pressure, Japan and the US are in complete agreement about this." Shinzo Abe, Japanese PM

"The two leaders agreed that North Korea poses a direct threat to the US, Japan, and South Korea, as well as to countries around the world. "  White House

All options on table: US Prez

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regimes isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table. The world has received North Koreas latest message loud and clear: this regime has signalled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour."  Donald Trump,
Berlin, August 28

Germany said on Monday it had reached a deal with Egypt to stem the flow of migrants from the Arab country, part of a broader push by Berlin to head off waves of migrants that have stoked domestic political tensions.

The arrival in Germany of a million refugees over the last two years, mainly from Syria and Iraq, opened deep rifts in Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party and is becoming a campaign theme ahead of a September 24 national election.

Merkel and the European Union have already sealed a migrants deal with Turkey to stem the flow from the Middle East and her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said the Egypt deal would "fight illegal immigration and the criminal smuggling of people".

"Under this agreement, there are a number of measures for political and economic support so that a better climate and better living conditions can be achieved for refugees in Egypt," Seibert told a regular government news conference in Berlin.

"Together, we will set up a centre for jobs, migration and reintegration", he added. This centre would be in Egypt, a transit country for migrants striving to reach Europe.

In Paris, meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron prepared to host a summit of Europe's "big four" continental powers including Germany, as well as three African nations to tackle Europe's migrant crisis. Libya, Chad and Niger are all transit nations for migrants bound for Europe.

Since Turkey and the EU reached an agreement a year ago to curb the flow of migrants and refugees sailing from Turkish shores to Greece, most migrants have taken the more dangerous route from North Africa to Italy.

In Libya, people traffickers have operated with relative ease, but many migrants and refugees also set off from Egypt.

Merkel said in a weekend newspaper interview she has no regrets about her 2015 decision to open Germany's borders to hundreds of thousands of refugees and added she will not be deterred from campaigning by angry hecklers.

Seeking a fourth term, Merkel has had to contend with loud and sustained heckling on her campaign trail from demonstrators strongly opposed to her refugee policies.  Reuters
Islamabad, August 29

Pakistans anti-graft watchdog plans to file four corruption cases against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, according to officials.

The Supreme Court verdict in the Panama Papers case would be implemented in letter and spirit, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry said on Monday.

The apex court on July 28 disqualified 67-year-old Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.

NAB had decided to file four corruption references against Sharif, his children and Dar soon after Eid-ul-Azha (September 2) as the Supreme Courts six-week deadline would end soon, a senior NAB official was quoted as saying by Dawn.

The official said the apex court had set the NAB a deadline for September 11 and the Bureau was expected to file the references in an accountability court in Islamabad in the second week of September.

He said NAB would file references on the basis of statements of Sharif, his sons Hussain and Hassan Nawaz, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and Dar, recorded by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

They would also consider the JITs report (especially Volume 10) and the material received from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The official said NAB had served three notices on the members of the Sharif family but they had refused to appear before NAB investigators till the apex court announced a decision on their review appeals against its verdict.

He said that members of the JIT, who had prepared the report on directives of the Supreme Court, would also be summoned to record their statements before NABs combined investigation team.

The official said the NAB headquarters had been provided a copy of Volume 10 of the JIT report to prepare references in the light of Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) with different countries and their replies.

According to the MLA with British authorities, it has been proved that Maryam was an owner of the Avenfield properties.

Similarly, the United Arab Emirates government had sent a letter that rejected the Sharifs stance on the Gulf Steel Mills and thus nullified the letter from former Qatari prime minister Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani, which had been presented to explain the money trail of their off-shore assets, he said. PTI
Houston, August 29

Two Indian students are in a critical condition after they nearly drowned in a swollen lake in the US state of Texas, where Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc, affecting about 100,000 Indian-Americans living here.

The Indians identified Nikhil Bhatia and Shalini, both students at the Texas A&M University, were rescued from the Lake Bryan, where they had gone swimming, on Saturday.

According to the Bryan police, an officer patrolling the lake was flagged down by a person who said two people swimming in the lake were in distress.

The person who alerted the officer was with the two students, both in their 20s. He had managed to rescue one of them, while the police officer rescued the other one and treated both of them with Cardiopulmonary resuscitation until medical help arrived, the police said.

The students were taken to St Joseph Hospital, where their condition is stated to be critical. It was not immediately clear as to why they were swimming in the severe weather.

Indias Consul-General in Houston has been monitoring the two students medical needs and the situation closely. According to the Consulate, Nikhil is yet to show signs of improvement, while Shalini showed some improvement today for the first time since she was admitted to the hospital.

Nikhils mother, Suman Bhatia, has arrived from India. Shalinis brother will be arriving tomorrow, the Consulate said.

At least 200 Indian students stranded at the University of Houston due to the flooding after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas were being evacuated to safer places.

The Consul General of India in Houston, Anupam Ray, tweeted a contact number (+18322311988) for Indians in distress.  PTI
Kabul, August 29

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a bank in the Afghan capital Kabul today, days ahead of the Eid holiday, killing five persons and injuring several others in an attack claimed by the Taliban.

It was the latest in a series of deadly attacks to hit the city and comes three months after a massive truck bomb ripped through the same area, killing about 150 persons.

The bomb went off outside the Kabul Bank, which usually pays the salaries of security forces personnel and government employees.

The latest report shows five, including a guard, were killed and eight civilians were wounded in todays terrorist attack, said interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish.

The Taliban later claimed responsibility on social media for the bombing.

The blast happened today morning at a time when many officials were expected to be collecting their salaries ahead of this weeks Eid al-Adha holiday. It shattered the banks exterior, mangling metal beams and covering the street outside with shattered glass and splattered blood.

The blast occurred on a street lined with shops and banks leading to Massoud Square, near the United States embassy and Kabuls diplomatic area.  AFP
Bangkok, August 29

Thailand's former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra kneeled before a row of saffron-robed Buddhist monks last Wednesday as she offered them fruits and sticky rice soaked in coconut milk and longan juice, a specialty from her northern region.

At the auspicious hour of 9 a.m. she released fish at the Temple of the Bells near Bangkok's Chaophraya river, a practice Thai Buddhists believe brings good karma.

At that point, aides say they believed she still intended to appear on Friday for sentencing in the criminal negligence case brought by Thailands junta over a costly rice subsidy scheme.

Within about a day, she had left the country.

"She chose to leave because she heard from her sources that the court would give her a heavy sentence and would not grant her bail," said one source close to Yingluck. "She's not a last minute person. She always plans things very carefully. This was a last-minute decision."

Yingluck fled with two aides but left her only son, Supasek Amornchat, 15, behind in Thailand, the source said.

Another aide, who had worked with Yingluck for a decade, said that she was gone by Thursday afternoon.

Yingluck, whose government was ousted in a 2014 coup, went to Dubai, where her brother former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has a home, via Singapore, aides and other sources in her Puea Thai Party told Reuters.

Reuters was not able to contact Yingluck. An aide for Thaksin in Dubai said she was not authorized to speak to the media.

Door left open?

Exactly how Yingluck escaped from Thailand remains a mystery.

At 10:55 am on Thursday, she posted one last time on her Facebook page in a message that apologised to her supporters for being unable to greet them at court because of heightened security, but at the same time implied she would show up.

Even some of Yingluck's closest aides said they were not aware how she left the country.

Deputy national police chief General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said police intelligence showed Yingluck was at her Bangkok home at least up until 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

It was not clear why the police had information up to that point but not beyond.

The junta has denied leaving a door open for Yingluck to escape - solving a problem for Thailand's generals concerned that if she was imprisoned she would become a martyr - but both her supporters and enemies have questioned whether she had official help.

Sources in the Puea Thai Party said she fled first to Cambodia - a route often used by Thai opposition figures in the past as the border is porous and it is less than four hours drive from Bangkok.

Thai media have said she took a private jet from Cambodia to Singapore and then on to Dubai.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen denied on Sunday that Yingluck used Cambodia as part of her escape route.

By 9:40 a.m. on Friday morning, the Supreme Court had issued an arrest warrant for Yingluck, saying it did not think Yingluck was ill with an ear problem as her team claimed. She had pleaded not guilty to the charge, which carried a sentence of up to 10 years.

Hours after the verdict against Yingluck had been due, the court sentenced her former commerce minister in a related case to 42 years in prison. He was denied bail pending appeal because it was too late in the day. Seventeen other people were given sentences of between 4-48 years in the case.

Lieutenant General Werachai Indusobhana, commander of the Terrestrial Defence Command, told reporters on Monday that Yingluck's son Supasek showed up for student officer training on Saturday as required for Thai male students of his age.

Reuters
WASHINGTON, Aug 29

The United States and Iraq have banished a senior Islamic State finance official from their financial systems, the US Treasury Department said on Tuesday.

The US Treasury named Salim Mustafa Muhammad al-Mansur, a finance official for the Islamic militant group, as a "specially designated global terrorist, a move that freezes any property he might have in the United States and bars Americans from dealing with him.

Iraq's government also barred Mansur from its financial system and froze any assets under its jurisdiction, Treasury said. Islamic State, also called ISIS, seized large swathes of Iraq in 2014 in a bid to establish an Islamic caliphate, but has since lost territory in a US-backed campaign against the group.

"Treasury continues to work in close collaboration with the Government of Iraq to dismantle ISIS financial networks both inside and outside of ISIS-controlled territory," said John E.

Smith, director of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which enforces sanctions.

In 2014, Mansur helped transfer hundreds of thousands of Iraqi dinars to Islamic State in Mosul, and then helped launder and transfer money for the group and sold oil it extracted from Iraq and Syria, Treasury said.

As of early this year, Mansur had moved to Turkey but was still serving as an Islamic State finance official for Mosul, Iraq, Treasury said. Reuters
California legislators may soon target older diesel trucks in a new round of tough state emissions regulations. Photo: Jim Park

California seems determined to defy the Trump administrations efforts to turn back the clock on The Paris Accords and other emissions control measures. Four California state senators have called for significantly increased state funding to further reduce emissions from trucks and buses in the state. The legislators said such funding is needed to improve air quality and help reduce toxic emissions along freight corridors and near ports and schools.

California state Senators Ricardo Lara, Nancy Skinner, Richard Pan, and Bob Wiechowski led the call.

In the final weeks of the 2017 legislative session, the senators are calling for $1 billion in funding from the California greenhouse gas Cap-and-Trade program to be focused on cleaner trucks and buses. This would amount to a tripling of the amount of funds spent last year.

It comes on the heels of just-released study by The Diesel Technology forum, which polled Californians and found that an overwhelming majority of respondents support tougher emissions reduction standards and technologies in the Golden State.

The Diesel Technology Forum is a national association of diesel vehicle, engine and equipment makers, suppliers and fuel providers. The survey of 2,190 registered voters found that 89% of California voters believe a balanced mix of energy and transportation options is needed to achieve cleaner air and lower carbon required by the California Air Resources Board's 2030 and 2050 deadlines.

The survey also found that some 75% of registered voters agree California must balance its investments between proven technologies and those that might benefit the future. In ddition, Californians said they see low emission vehicles and reduced fuel consumption as the largest contributors to better air quality. Of those surveyed, 73% view clean diesel technologies as positive contributors to air quality.

We're at the State Capitol to check out #cleantruckbus day. Clean transportation leads to cleaner air! pic.twitter.com/ZlR4haJzL9  CA Lung Policy (@CALungPolicy) August 29, 2017

Calstart, which bills itself as the nations largest clean transportation technology industry organization, strongly backed the call made by the state senators for tougher air quality standards.

We are at a pivotal point where the technology is emerging, and we now have the chance to move toward a future where trucks and buses produce either zero or virtually zero emissions," said Bill Van Amburg, Calstart senior vice president. "In addition to improving public health, California policies are resulting in significant new job creation. Companies are moving to California to build trucks and buses because this is where the market is growing the fastest.

"California is at a crossroads," said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum. "Substantial clean air challenges are yet to be met, while new aggressive climate and carbon commitments have been adopted, making decisions on fund allocations increasingly important. Our data shows 64% of Californians believe investments in clean transportation need to be balanced by continued use of existing, abundant and low-cost clean technologies and fuels such as clean diesel, at least until alternative energy sources are more available and cost-effective."

Zero and Near Zero Emission Truck Tech Improving - But Early Market Needs Boost from CA Cap & Trade funding #cleantruckbus @JerryBrownGov pic.twitter.com/l3tBAxX5ph  CALSTART (@calstart) August 29, 2017

Tthe senators are calling for $1 billion in funding from the California greenhouse gas Cap-and-Trade program to be focused on cleaner trucks and buses.

In addition, California is set to receive approximately $423 million as part of the emissions settlement from the Volkswagen (VW) Environmental Mitigation Trust, part of the settlement from last year when the German automaker was found to have fixed passenger cars to comply with emissions standards during testing but exceed those standards during normal use. This money is earmarked for projects that immediately reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), to mitigate the excessive NOx generated by diesel VW cars operating in California. In addition, California's recently extended carbon cap-and-trade program makes available nearly $2 billion for carbon reduction projects in the 2017-2018 budget year.

Across all regions, more than three-quarters of Californians clearly want to see this money, already earmarked for air quality mitigation, targeted to areas where it can have the greatest impact on the most people, in the most cost-effective way, targeting the largest sources of NOx emissions in a timely manner," said Schaeffer. "Policymakers should take heed that voters want state funds allocated based on a clear understanding of what all citizens and industries need on a region-by-region level."

The Diesel Technology Forum's survey data also highlighted opinions on the effectiveness of California's existing air quality regulations vary by region. Voters in the Central Valley say conditions have deteriorated over the last 10 years, while South Coast residents say conditions have improved.

Applying VW settlement funds and carbon auction revenue to replace or repower California's largest and oldest trucks, industrial marine and locomotive engines with new technology would yield immediate and significant NOx benefits at the lowest cost per ton, compared to electrification and other as-yet commercially widespread technologies, say proponents.

Trucks Could Bear the Brunt of New Regulations

The Diesel Technology Forum report also noted that only around 23% of California's commercial heavy-duty diesel trucking fleet  the largest in the United States at nearly a million vehicles  uses the newest, cleanest diesel technology, according the Forum's analysis of IHS Markit data. The national average is 30% adoption.

"It's astounding that the state that leads the nation in electric car registrations ranks 47th out of the 50 U.S. states for adoption of the latest in low-emission commercial truck technology," said Schaeffer. "Investments in future technologies, while important, won't pay significant clean air dividends for decades. In contrast, the newest and cleanest diesel engines, trucks and machines are on dealer lots today. Californians shouldn't have to wait for cleaner air when cleaner trucks are available right now."

According to the Diesel Technology Forum, some of the oldest trucks operating in California today have 60 times the emissions of a new diesel truck. Meanwhile, the newest clean diesel technologies offer 90% fewer emissions than older models, and some clean diesel options are 200 times or more cost-effective at reducing NOx than other alternative fuel strategies.

The report also cites U.S. Department of Transportation data, which noted that using the latest emissions model generated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, one ton of NOx emissions may be eliminated by investing, on average, $20,000 in clean diesel technology  compared to investing $1 million in alternative fuel infrastructure. Moreover, the South Coast Air Quality Management District estimates that NOx emissions could fall by 70% or 86 tons each day if every commercial truck in the region were powered by the latest clean diesel engine.

"State air regulators have said the fastest reductions in NOx emissions in 2035 won't come from power plants or even the electrification of passenger vehicles," said Schaeffer, "but rather from the turnover of older commercial trucks powered with the latest clean diesel engines. It's a proven strategy, as evidenced by the clean truck programs enacted by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. These programs moved truckers to newer technology so quickly that port pollution was reduced by 70% in only one year."
Photo: FMCSA

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association filed a petition with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Aug. 29 asking it to delay the implementaton of the ELD mandate that goes into effect Dec. 18, contending that 26 states have not yet incorporated an electronic logging regulation into state law and are not authorized to enforce the rule until they do so.

OOIDA said that it supports a proposed delay to the mandate due to a growing number of reasons, including the lack of preparedness of law enforcement agencies. The associations petition says that more than 20 states are years behind in adopting amendments and additions to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations into state law.

In addition, OOIDA claimed in a press release that to qualify for federal grants under the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, states are required to incorporate the FMCSRs or their equivalent into state law. In 2016, 95% of motor carrier and driver enforcement violations were issued by MCSAP states, the association noted.

The petition also states that serious legal problems arise because states are attempting to enforce federal safety standards that have not been made part of state law. OOIDA contends that when FMCSA amends its regulations, the states must incorporate those amendments into state law before they can enforce them.

We are concerned about numerous states issuing citations for the violation of non-existent state laws, said Todd Spencer, OOIDA executive vice president. OOIDA noted, for example, that Delaware has not updated its incorporation of the FMCSRs since 2006; Arizona last updated its in 2012, and Kansas did so only in 2013.

That means that new regulations and amendments to old regulations promulgated by FMCSA since the last incorporation date for these states are not part of state law, continued Spencer.

In its news release, OOIDA also referenced the action taken earlier this week by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. As reported by HDT on Aug. 28, CVSA sees no reason to delay the December start date for the electronic logging device mandate, but its members will delay implementing out-of-service criteria related to ELDs until April 1, 2018. In addition, CVSA said each jurisdiction will have discretion as to whether they actually issue citations in the beginning.

However, OOIDA apparently is not satisfied with that approach. We know that state enforcement officers lack the training and equipment to operate in an ELD environment, said Spencer. This lack of preparedness should come as no surprise given that half the states have not even adopted FMCSAs ill-conceived ELD rule into state law.

No state law enforcement should be implementing the ELD mandate until they actually adopt the mandate into state law and train and equip their enforcement personnel to enforce it properly, he added.

HDT contacted both FMCSA and CVSA to independently ascertain the validity of OOIDAs view that states must incorporate their own ELD rules before they can enforce the federal ELD mandate. FMCSA has not yet replied.

As for CVSA, Deputy Executive Director Adrienne Gildea told HDT that it is too early for the group to comment on the OOIDA petition. Weve only just received it ourselves and are currently in the process of gathering the necessary information in order to effectively respond to OOIDAs assessment, she said.
OKLAHOMA CITY  The Environmental Protection Agencys inspector general will investigate Administrator Scott Pruitts recent taxpayer-funded travels to Oklahoma.

This assignment is being initiated based on congressional requests and a hotline complaint, all of which expressed concerns about Administrator Pruitts travel  primarily his frequent travel to and from his home state of Oklahoma at taxpayer expense, the inspector generals office wrote in a letter to Pruitt and other EPA leaders Monday.

Pruitt, a former Oklahoma attorney general who maintains a home in Tulsa, has been criticized for his travel by the Environmental Integrity Project, a group of former EPA officials.

Read the rest of this story online at Newsok.com. A subscription may be required.
"This assignment is being initiated based on congressional requests and a hotline complaint, all of which expressed concerns about Administrator Pruitt's travel  primarily his frequent travel to and from his home state of Oklahoma at taxpayer expense," the inspector general's office wrote in a letter to Pruitt and other EPA leaders Monday.
Update: Wagoner County authorities report that the subject of a late Monday night Silver Alert was located safe.

Kay Palumbo, 79, for whom the alert was issued Monday night, was located Tuesday in Columbia, Illinois, Wagoner County Deputy Nick Mahoney said.

Palumbo was last seen Monday morning in the Broken Arrow area of Wagoner County. Illinois authorities stopped the woman, who told them she was on her way to Pennsylvania. Mahoney said Palumbo is safe and her family was notified.

A Silver Alert has been issued for a woman who was last seen in the Broken Arrow area in Wagoner County on Monday morning.

Kay Palumbo, 79, disappeared about 10 a.m. and is believed to be heading to Illinois and then Pennsylvania, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Palumbo, who was wearing a black shirt and black shorts when she was last seen, may be driving a silver 2011 Chevrolet Aveo with Oklahoma license plate No. DBJ472.

Anyone with information about Palumbo's whereabouts is asked to call 911.
DJIBOUTI, 10 August 2017 (UNHCR) - His Excellency Tatsuo Arai, Ambassador of Japan, visited the Holl-Holl refugee camp together with an Economic and Development Cooperation Officer and members of the Japanese Self Defence Force. They were accompanied by UNHCR Representative in Djibouti, Mr. Abdoulaye Barry and Head of the Ali Sabieh Field Office, Mr. Jean Claude Barashyikirana.

The objective of the mission was to observe the condition of the refugees, to hear their concerns and assess the current situation, as well as possible opportunities for further cooperation. The occasion marked Ambassador Arais first visit to the Holl-Holl camp and completion of visits to all three refugee camps (Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, and Obock) hosting all 27,601 total refugees in Djibouti.

Holl-Holl, situated over 30km from the Djiboutian capital, hosts a mix of approximately 4,617 Somali, Ethiopian, and Eritrean refugees. It was created when the number of refugees in nearby Ali Addeh camp swelled beyond capacity. As such, Holl-Holl camp continues to grapple with the challenges of addressing the needs of its population.

The delegation paid a courtesy call on Mr. Mohamed Waberi Assoweh, Prefet of Ali Sabieh, the region where the Holl-Holl and Ali Addeh camps are located. The Prefet welcomed the group, expressing his gratitude for their visit, but he also conveyed an appeal to continue their part in collaborating with donors like the Government of Japan in safeguarding the wellbeing of both the refugees and the host communities. In a show of solidarity and support, the Ambassador said that Japan and UNHCR were ready to continue their assistance.

Upon arrival at the Holl-Holl camp, the delegation was warmly greeted by refugees. They met with refugee leaders who described their day-to-day experiences, especially the needs and challenges they face. In response, the Ambassador stated that he was eager to hear how the Government of Japan could help. A common issue raised was the lack of a secondary school and lack of vocational training opportunities, which could enhance activities in the camp and help make refugees self-sufficient and foster a pathway for growth and independence.

The delegation toured the various projects made possible by funding from the Government of Japan including health assessment facilities, the medical supply room, a solar panel installation, as well as a primary school. In 2016, Japan contributed $3.5 million to UNHCR to aid in refugee protection, various livelihood projects, as well as to ensure basic needs (access to potable water, nutrition, and health services) are being met.

The delegation concluded their visit with a meeting with partner organizations including the Danish Refugee Council, Lutheran World Federation, Norwegian Refugee Council, as well as the Government of Djiboutis organization tasked with looking after the wellbeing of refugees, ONARS (lOffice National dAssistance aux Refugies et Sinistres).

The Ambassador reiterated throughout the visit, that Japan stands ready to work with UNHCR and its partners in assessing those needs and gathering the aid and resources to effectively address them. Collaboratively, as we look at the record of past projects and current experiences, we also anticipate future challenges and brainstorm ideas to turn problems into opportunities for positive and lasting change.

Contact: Vanessa J. Panaligan, [email protected] +253 7723 0180
KHARTOUM, Sudan, 8 August 2017  The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) welcomed a GBP 3 million (approximately US $3.8 million) contribution from the United Kingdoms Department for International Development (DFID) that will provide humanitarian assistance to 150,000 South Sudanese refugees and 15,000 individuals from the host communities in Sudan.

The funds will support vital work in the areas of education, water and sanitation, registration and shelter covering three states (White Nile, South Kordofan and East Darfur).

UNHCRs Representative in Sudan, Noriko Yoshida, said: Since the conflict in South Sudan erupted in late 2013, the United Kingdom has shown tremendous support for refugees coming into Sudan. Britain has given over 11 million pounds (close to US $16 million dollars) to support critical basic needs for South Sudanese refugees here.

Noriko Yoshida especially welcomed the United Kingdoms support for education of refugee and host community children, saying it would help increase the protection of children. When children can attend school, they can learn valuable life skills as well as gain knowledge for their development and their futures. Schools can play an active role in ensuring students facing challenges are identified, and children are taken care of in a safe environment during the day.

It is estimated that over half of South Sudanese refugee children of school age in Sudan are out-of-school due to lack of facilities and materials to support their education. Local Sudanese schools in host communities are equally facing challenges to accommodate large numbers of refugee school children and need support.

Dr. Christopher Pycroft, Head of the UK Department for International Development in Sudan, expressed concern for the needs of children. In Sudan, 65% of the new arrivals are children under the age of 18 years of age. While there are many competing needs from shelter to clean water supply, we must not lose focus on the importance of refugee education and the protection it can offer to vulnerable children.

UNHCRs Representative Yoshida welcomed Sudans continued contribution to refugee protection in the region through receiving refugees seeking safety in the country.

Over 424,182 South Sudanese have crossed into Sudan across 9 states since December 2013. In addition, estimated 350,000 South Sudanese are remaining in Sudan since the secession of South Sudan. UNHCR is seeking to assist all South Sudanese refugees in Sudan through support for their basic needs.

End

For further information, please contact:

Mohamed Elfatih Elnaiem, Assistant PI & Communication Officer, UNHCR Sudan, +249 -183 493 664. Email: [email protected]

Hala Elhaj, British Embassy Khartoum, Tel: +249 (0) 912 158004. Email: [email protected]
After months of dedication and hard work, UNHCR and Djiboutis Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (Ministere de lEducation Nationale et de la Formation ProfessionnelleMENFOP) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which opens the doors for refugee children in the country to receive the same quality education as Djiboutian children.

The event, held at the Kempinski hotel, was attended by the Minister of Education and Vocational Training, the Minister of Interior, the Director of Multilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Charge dAffairs of U.S. Embassy, the UN Resident Coordinator in Djibouti, and several Government officials, including those of the Ministry of Environment, ONARS (the Government department in charge of the well-being of refugeeslOffice National dAssistance aux Refugies et Sinistres), the Djiboutian Agency for Social Development as well as representatives of UN agencies, the World Bank, key donors (U.S., Japan, and the European Union), and refugee representatives.

The ceremony opened with Omar Yacin, a refugee leader, expressing gratitude for the initiative finally coming into fruition. A dream come true, he stated that the refugee community in Djibouti had waited many years for their diplomas to be recognized.

UNHCR Senior CRRF Officer and Officer-in-Charge, Albert Katumba, then took to the stage, extending thanks and recognition to MENFOP, the Djiboutian Government, the U.S. Embassy, as well as the sister agencies of UNICEF and UNESCO, in contributing to the realization of this milestone. He lauded Djiboutis commitment to the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), which leverages the integration of refugees in the national system. Acknowledging donors operational and financial support, he urged continued cooperation in giving Djiboutian children access to good education.

UNCT Resident Coordinator, Barbara Manzi followed, stating that this was a progressive step for Djibouti in providing a fundamental right to refugees and was also well aligned with the Geneva Convention of 1951. She also extended the assistance of the UN agencies in jointly addressing development challenges in the country. She commended the Djiboutian Government of being in line with the CRRF approach by supporting the signing the MOU on education with UNHCR to include refugees into the national education system.

UNHCR and MENFOP had been in close collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in coordinating the education plan. As major donors to UNHCR Djibouti, the U.S. has heavily invested in the area of education and sponsored many self-reliance programs and activities. Charge dAffaires, J. Alexander Hamilton applauded the Djiboutian Government for their response to a vital need and for giving refugee children access to decent and quality education.

Minister of Interior Hassan Omar reminded the audience of Djiboutis history of welcoming and taking care of refugees. He asserted the Governments steadfast support of UNHCR and MENFOP in guaranteeing the inclusion of refugees in the national system.

Lastly, Minister of Education Moustapha Mohamed recalled Djiboutis pledge during the New York Summit of September 2016, reiterating President Guellehs promise to integrate the refugee children into the national education system and to offer quality curricula. He reaffirmed the states commitment to upholding refugee welfare, which is at the heart of the National Refugee Law promulgated in January of this year. The Education Action Plan (Plan dAction de lEducation), which covers 201719, is an extension of this Law and is a strategy to bolster refugee inclusion.

With the new academic year in the horizon on September 10, the partnership will leverage the implementation of MENFOPs education plan for refugees. UNHCRs country operation in Djibouti stands committed to helping refugees and host communities turn challenges into opportunities.





Contact:

Vanessa J. Panaligan, [email protected] +253 7723 0180

Mohamed Mahdi Ahmed, [email protected] +253 7772 6636
After fleeing violence in Myanmar in October 2016, Rohingya refugees live in overcrowded makeshift sites in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. New shelters are erected frequently to house more families.  UNHCR/Saiful Huq Omi

In light of the dramatic worsening since Friday of the situation in Myanmars Rakhine state, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has today communicated to the Government of Bangladesh its readiness to support Bangladesh in helping refugees fleeing across the border.

As of Sunday it was estimated that some 5,200 people had entered Bangladesh from Myanmar since Thursday. Several thousand were reported to be in locations along the Myanmar side of the border. UNHCR underscores the UN Secretary-Generals statement of Monday in which he condemned the violence in Rakhine State.

On the Bangladesh side of the border some people are in cordoned off areas near the border, and others are mainly in the Kutupalong area. Most are women, children, or the elderly, and there have been reports of wounded people among them.

Aid efforts involving the Bangladeshi authorities, local communities, UNHCR partners and NGOs have been under way, including to get food, water, and medical help to the new arrivals. UNHCR is grateful to the Bangladeshi authorities for the support being provided. Rapid needs assessments are being planned, however with the precarious situation inside Myanmar we are concerned that numbers of people needing help may rise further over the coming days.

UNHCR is aware of several reported instances of people being prevented from entering Bangladesh. This poses very grave risk to the individuals affected. Bangladesh has hosted refugees from Myanmar for decades, and UNHCR believes it is of the utmost importance that it continue to allow Rohingya fleeing violence to seek safety there. UNHCR also calls on the international community to support Bangladesh in doing so, with all necessary aid and other help.

In Myanmars Rakhine State meanwhile, the security situation means that access to populations in need of help is severely restricted. We are appealing to the Myanmar authorities to do everything possible to facilitate humanitarian help and ensure the safety of our staff.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi meets with refugees and staff at the Cafemin shelter in Mexico City, Mexico.  UNHCR/Santiago Escobar-Jaramillo

MEXICO CITY  Offering a menu based around local dishes, the busy diner is like many others in the sprawling Mexican capital. What is unique are the staff.

The cooks, waiters and waitresses have all fled violence and persecution for safety in Mexico, and are getting a chance to start over at the restaurant.

It was opened specifically for us refugees to have good jobs and to get ahead, says Patricia,* who escaped gang violence in her native El Salvador two years ago with her children. It's felt really great to have this place.

She is among a soaring number of refugees fleeing insecurity in the north of Central America, who are getting a shot at a new life in Mexico.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is working with government institutions and local partners such as Cafemin and Casa Refugiados to integrate hundreds of refugees like Patricia who are seeking safety here each year.

It was opened specifically for us refugees to have good jobs and to get ahead.

The restaurant pays her more than a previous survival job, and, crucially, gives her more flexibility to care for her daughter and two sons who escaped a street gang back home that was forcing them to carry drugs.

Mexico is receiving a growing number of men, women and children fleeing crime and insecurity in the northern region of Central America. In 2016, Mexico recognized 3,078 as refugees, a 206 per cent increase from the previous year, and the number of asylum applications keeps growing. The vast majority of the new arrivals are Central Americans and, in 2017, Venezuelans.

While UNHCR continues to improve financial support, legal aid, and safe housing for asylum seekers, the long-term stability of refugees remains a concern.

A recent study conducted by UNHCR and the International Labour Organization found that nearly half  47 per cent  of those interviewed said their job in Mexico represented a step down from their previous employment at home, raising concerns that refugee skills are being wasted.

In addition, 90 per cent of those interviewed said they did not have a contract with their employer. This was the case with the first waitressing job Patricia found after she abandoned El Salvador in 2015.

They were paying me 400 pesos (US$22) per week  we couldnt live on that, she says.

Finding secure work has also been an issue for Beatriz since she abandoned Guatemala four years ago, with her three children and three grandchildren. Last year, they were all granted refugee status. UNHCR partner Casa Refugiados helped her find work at a call centre where she is better paid and feels more comfortable.

We have received a lot of support from Casa Refugiados and Comar (Mexicos Refugee Agency)  and we are very appreciative, she says.

For decades, Mexico City has been a place where people from many different international communities have been able to make their lives, shelter their families and take the first steps in the integration process.

This collaboration is an important example of solidarity as a value underpinning the policies of this global city.

During a recent visit, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi signed a compact with Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera, including refugees in a range of social programmes run by the city. It also provides those forced to flee their countries with job options, training and economic support.

This collaboration is an important example of solidarity as a value underpinning the policies of this global city, Grandi said at the signing ceremony. He praised efforts by the authorities to develop lasting solutions for refugees, principally through local integration.

While in Mexico as part of a 10-day, fact-finding tour of the region, Grandi met with President Enrique Pena Nieto to discuss strengthening Mexicos refugee protection system and supporting regional responses to forced displacement.

The High Commissioner stressed that, through the adoption of progressive policies, Mexican institutions and civil society groups can inspire other countries in the region to enact concrete measures to support refugees.

In this spirit of responsibility sharing, UNHCR is working with governments in the region to develop a Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS is the Spanish acronym). Based on last years New York Declaration, it is a step towards the Global Compact on Refugees to be agreed upon in 2018. It seeks to address the full scope of forced displacement, from its root causes, strengthening asylum systems and working on durable solutions.

So far Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador have joined the regional initiative.

*Refugees names have been changed for protection reasons.
The children of a family newly displaced from the surroundings of Telafar, Iraq, are vaccinated at a mustering point before being transported to a camp.  UNHCR/Amira Abd El-Khalek

BADOUSH, Iraq  Hafiza Ismail*, 43, sits dazed and exhausted at the Badoush mustering site, some 10 kilometres northwest of Mosul, having just led her large family on a hellish three-day journey on foot to escape the fighting for control of the Iraqi city of Telafar.

Carrying and cajoling her 13 offspring  the eldest, a 17 year-old and the youngest, just a toddler, barely able to walk  the family trudged for days, forced to sleep rough, drink unsafe water and rely on the kindness of strangers for food in order to survive.

We asked people along the way for directions. Some gave us bread, Hafiza says, struggling to recall the details through her fatigue. Then we followed the Tigris River. We had no food. We drank from the river. I gave my children water from the river because we had nothing else with us.

She recounts the horror of encountering bodies lying in the open along their route, not knowing who they were or how they died, and quickly shepherding her children past them. The people were just lying there, men and women, she says quietly, her head bowed.

They made their escape last week from Abu Maria village just east of Telafar, when the sound of planes and helicopters overhead signalled the start of fighting to retake the area from the armed groups that have controlled the district since 2014.

"We had no food. We drank from the river ... we had nothing else with us."

It was loud and we were afraid the house would collapse on us, so we left with only the clothes we had on, she says. While those who attempt to leave areas controlled by armed groups often face severe punishment or even execution, Hafiza believes the fact they had nothing, and there were so many children, meant they were not targeted.

The battle for control of Telafar, some 65 kilometres west of Mosul, began on August 20. With a pre-conflict population estimated at around 200,000, since April this year more than 40,000 people have fled the area, with many living in camps sheltering other displaced families mainly from Mosul.

People leaving Telafar report having to walk long distances in scorching heat to reach safety, often with no food or water and at great personal risk. Those arriving at mustering points such as Badoush are physically exhausted and dehydrated, with large numbers having sustained wounds from sniper fire and exploding mines.

Humanitarian agencies have been unable to access to Telafar since 2014. It is estimated that thousands could remain trapped in the city. Conditions are reported to be dire, with food and water running out, a lack of electricity and diminishing health facilities.

What am I going to do now? How am I going to survive? We dont even have a home to go back to.

Hafizas husband was killed by sniper fire three months before they fled, and they struggled to survive with only bread to eat and 250 litres of water to last them for two months. It was disastrous. No one cooked with oil as it was too expensive, and there was no fruit or vegetables, she says.

There were some health services, but we had no money to pay for medicines. Drugs and consultations were only free for the families of the extremists, she adds.

Hafiza and her children will spend the night at Hammam Al-Alil transit site, where, in the last week alone, UNHCR  the UN Refugee Agency  has provided shelter and other basic essentials to some 9,000 Iraqis displaced by the recent fighting in Telafar.

From there, many will be sheltered in newly opened camps  such as Nimrud, which opened on Saturday, built by the government and managed by UNHCR  and provided with food and household items.

Still in shock from her recent ordeal, the events of the past few months appear to overwhelm her as she thinks of her husband and holds her face in her hands. What am I going to do now? How am I going to survive? We dont even have a home to go back to.

*Name changed for protection reasons
UW Art Museum Will Host Lunchtime Conversations with Curators Sept. 6

The University of Wyoming Art Museum will host Lunchtime Conversations with Curators Wednesday, Sept. 6, from noon-12:30 p.m.

Lunchtime Conversations with Curators is an informal gallery walk-through with museum curators and special guests that focuses on one of the exhibitions on view in the museum. Visitors are encouraged to bring lunch and continue the conversation after the in-gallery session. The event is free and open to the public.

Septembers event will feature Changing Faces: Traditional and Contemporary Mexican Masks on view through Saturday, Nov. 18. Visitors will be joined by Katie Christensen, curator of education and statewide engagement, and special guest Mary Katherine Scott, acting director of the UW Office of Global Engagement and scholar of Latin American art, who will guide the conversation at the UW Art Museum.

Discussions will be casual and informal, and will include stories behind the art.

For more information, call the Art Museum at (307) 766-6622, visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum, or follow the museum on Facebook.

Through its Museum as Classroom approach, the UW Art Museum places art at the center of learning for all ages. Located in the Centennial Complex at 2111 Willett Drive in Laramie, the museum is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday hours are extended to 7 p.m. February through April and September through November. Admission is free.
UW Receives High Marks for Energy Savings

The University of Wyoming has been recognized by Rocky Mountain Power for taking some big steps in saving energy and has been named the 2017 wattsmart Business Partner of the Year.

Last year, UW saved more than 752,771 kilowatt-hours, equivalent to the energy used by 85 homes in a year. In 2016, the university completed eight wattsmart business projects and received $80,368 in wattsmart incentives from Rocky Mountain Power, which helped with lighting, insulation, cooling and heating upgrades.

The wattsmart program has helped us achieve our energy goals, which include reducing costs and consumption without sacrificing comfort, says Frosty Selmer, UWs deputy director of utilities management. The incentives make more energy-saving projects economically viable, allowing UW to do more without increasing project funding.

Since 2011, the university has completed 44 projects through Rocky Mountain Powers wattsmart business energy efficiency program, which offers technical expertise and cash incentives for improving efficiency. Through new construction and retrofit projects, UW is saving more than 6.5 million kilowatt-hours.

UW has taken an active role in saving energy while being mindful of the environment, and those efforts have yielded outstanding results, says Cindy Crane, president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Power. The university is a valuable partner of the wattsmart business program, and we applaud their great work.

About Rocky Mountain Power

Rocky Mountain Power provides safe and reliable electric service to more than a million customers in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. The company works to meet customers growing electricity needs while protecting and enhancing the environment. Rocky Mountain Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity providers in the United States. More information can be found at www.rockymountainpower.net.


Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada has unveiled this years signature cocktail to be served during the 2017 Dessert Before Dinner Gala. Created by Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits of Nevada, Less is Smore will be paired with this years collection of showcased desserts at the citys only event where guests feast on sweet confections before they dine (Pictured: Francesco Lafranconi with Less is Smore cocktail).

Dessert Before Dinner will take place Saturday, Sept. 9, at Caesars Palace starting at 6 p.m. More than 700 of the citys top influencers and community leaders are expected to attend.

Established as one of the citys most exciting fundraising events, the gala will bring and all-female lineup of Southern

Nevada chefs together to create the ultimate dessert incorporating the beloved flavors of this years signature cookie, the Girl Scout Smores. Guests will indulge in the chefs imaginative Smores-inspired desserts before the first course is even served, then cast votes for their favorite sweet concoction. At the end of the evening, the top three winning chefs are announced and presented with medals.

Francesco Lafranconi, executive director of mixology and spirits education, Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits of Nevada, describes the drink as very indulgent and adds, the drink promotes sweet baking spices notes with a delicious, sumptuous finish.

Less is Smore recipe: Ingredients 1 oz. Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum

1 oz. Om Spirits Organic Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Liqueur

1 scoop of Marshmallow Cacao Sorbet by DolceVita, which is also produced in Las Vegas Method: Stir the liquors together over ice, then strain into a cocktail coupe previously rimmed with torched marshmallow. Serve with a scoop of cacao sorbet. Garnish with another torched marshmallow, a drizzle of caramel chocolate sauce and graham cracker.

Lafranconi is a national ambassador and founding member of the U.S. Bartenders Guild Accreditation Program, as well as a member of the Museum of the American Cocktail. He holds certificates and appointments in the field and has received worldwide recognition for his mixology skills. Lafranconi founded The Academy of Spirits and Fine Service in 2000 and was recently awarded Best in Show at the Iron Mixologist competition.

In addition to the chefs competition, an array of the citys most high-profile women will be honored for being outstanding role models, while paving the way for success for future female leaders in Southern Nevada. They will also receive honorary badges, selected specifically for them based on their own professional and philanthropic achievements. Click here for the full list of honorees.

Gala proceeds will continue to lay the foundation for all girls in Southern Nevada to become tomorrows female leaders. In addition to funding scholarships, proceeds enable the organization to reach girls in all demographics and areas of the community as well as expanding upon current programming such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM), social values and financial literacy. Most importantly, support for Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada helps encourage girls to embrace imaginative and innovative approaches to everything they dowith the goal of creating a better world for all.
SOM3 placed liberalisation and cooperation in focus to achieve APEC 2017's goals (Photo: Le Toan)

The SOM3 meeting welcomed nearly 200 participants from 21 member economies, representatives from the Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), the Joint Advisory Council APEC (APAC), APEC International Secretariat, and numerous international organisations. The meeting runs until the end of August 30.

At his opening speech, SOM APEC 2017 chair and Vietnam Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son stressed that since the beginning of the year, through more than 200 meetings at all levels, APEC cooperation has achieved positive results.

Among these are commitments to trade and investment liberalisation and inclusive growth by all trade ministers of the APEC, said Son in his opening speech.

Over the last ten days, the participants have attended nearly 80 meetings related to many areas of APEC cooperation.

At the opening session, as the chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) in 2017, Vietnam announced the results of the ABAC 3 Conference (held in Toronto, Canada, from July 26 to 29) and the ABAC's documents are scheduled to report to senior leaders this November.

Also as chairman of the Senior Finance Officers Meeting (SFOM), Vietnam has announced the results of financial cooperation in recent months.

SOM3 was the final preparatory step before the APEC Summit in Danang this November (Photo: Le Toan)

All presentations emphasised the co-operation focus of business and financial channels that will complement and contribute to the concretisation of the theme and priorities of APEC 2017.

Since August 18, a series of APEC-related meetings took place in Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho province.

SOM 3 includes 75 meetings, conferences, and dialogues of APEC committees and working groups in various fields, including trade and investment liberalisation and business facilitation. The meetings cover many different fields, such as economics, finance, quality growth, small- and medium-sized enterprises development.

Through 27 years of establishment and development, APEC continues to affirm its role as the leading economic cooperation initiative in Asia and the Pacific, focusing on the three main pillars of cooperation in trade and investment liberalisation, business facilitation, and economic and technical cooperation.

SOM 3 is the final important preparatory step for the APEC Summit to take place in Danang this November.
Popular brand K&K Fashion has been wisely utilising technology to boost sales

Massive surge of international fashion brands

According to newswire Vietnamnet, there are nearly 200 foreign fashion brands in Vietnam, which hold up to 60 per cent of the market share. Many of them are affordable fashion brands, luring in customers by their diverse fashion products at reasonable prices, such as Mango, which has been present in Vietnam since 2004, the UK brand Topshop, which entered Vietnam in 2013, and the famous affordable brand Zara with its debut in 2016, and recently, Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) from Sweden announced launching its first store in Ho Chi Minh City on September 9 this year.

The images of long queues of fans in front of fashion shops show the great potential of the Vietnamese market. Thus, some domestic fashion brands may worry about being dominated by these famous brands, as Vietnamese youth prefer foreign labels to catch up with the latest trends in the world.

However, the price is still a barrier for these famous brands, as affordable in developed countries may not be really affordable in a developing country like Vietnam, although peoples incomes are gradually enhanced, increasing the demand for clothing.

Therefore, there is still room for Vietnamese fashion brands if they understand Vietnamese taste and offer products at more reasonable prices. Besides, spending more on advertising to grab the attention of customers may go a long ways to accelerating brand awareness.

Promising modern marketing tool

The dominance of foreign fashion brands has awakened domestic enterprises, forcing them to look for solutions to regain market share and survive. Otherwise, they may gradually lose customers to foreign brands and then go bankrupt.

Realising the rising market competition and the strength of its rivals, K&K Fashion, a well-known Vietnamese office fashion brand, has followed the upward trend of e-commerce and utilised the application of Criteo Commerce Marketing Ecosystem to specify its targeted customers and accelerate sales revenue.

After six months of applying this modern marketing tool, K&K Fashion reported positive results of 43 per cent growth in click-through rate, 66 per cent growth in conversion rate, and 121 per cent increase in successful transactions.

Criteo Commerce Marketing Ecosystem is an open, secure, transparent, and fair environment where retailers, brands, and publishers collaborate to put data into action at every point of the purchase journey. The Wall Street Journal commented on this marketing tool, The idea is that with more accurate data covering consumers offline and online shopping habits, retailers and brands can better target ads at people who are most likely to make purchases.

K&K Fashions case is an example of a fashion brand gaining success by the application of modern technology in marketing in the era of globalisation. It is also hoped that in the future more Vietnamese enterprises will turn to innovative strategies and utilise advanced technology to push up their sales and compete with numerous rivals, especially international giants.
Carnival performers parade in the sunshine on the main Parade day of the Notting Hill Carnival in west London. (Tolga AKMEN/AFP)

Carnival performers parade in the sunshine on the main Parade day of the Notting Hill Carnival in west London. (Tolga AKMEN/AFP)

The carnival procession halted and the blaring sound systems fell silent in memory of those killed - at least 80 people - in the June 14 inferno.

"It was a sad moment. We took our time. It was very, very painful," said Odella, a teacher in her 50s, her voice breaking with emotion. "But we remembered the people that died, and so we're here together in a community spirit. It was wonderful," she told AFP.

The west London carnival traces its roots back to Caribbean music festivals in the 1950s after the first surge in arrivals from former British colonies after World War II.

Feathered dancers, steel bands and earth-shaking sound systems featured in the vibrant celebration of British Caribbean culture.

But the two-day festival has been careful to remember the victims of a tragedy which stunned Britain, and took place just a stone's throw away.

The estate where the tower stands was fenced off from the main carnival procession, out of respect for mourners.

The release of dozens of white doves marked the start of the festivities on Sunday, followed by a minute's silence.

"Everybody's been in a sad mood. I've been in a sad mood because I've lost people in there. Everybody who lives in the area has probably lost somebody," said Jenny, a 52-year-old beautician.

"But I think today is a good day. We needed this to bring some happiness ... And the sunshine helps a lot."

Ashley, a 29-year-old bus driver, said it was better to mark the tragedy at the carnival rather than cancelling the festivities, which he said would mean "it gets swept under the carpet and unsaid".

"It's better putting it out there," he told AFP. "You still see the posters up: people still need aid, people still need help. It's nice that everyone's gone out of their way and made it a little bit special this year for people, for Grenfell."

'FRACTURED BUT HEALING'

Police have said they believe more than 80 people lost their lives in the disaster. To date, 53 victims have been formally identified.

On Sunday, London Mayor Sadiq Khan pledged to "make sure those responsible are held to account".

Clarrie Mendy, a relative of fire victims Khadija Saye and Mary Mendy, said she felt the carnival had been a healing experience for those grieving.

"People came out with respect and with Grenfell in mind. We've told people, 'come and have a good time, we've been fractured but we're healing, come down here and join us in our healing'."

She added: "A lot of people are finding their voice and saying this is the first time since it happened they've actually found a voice to speak."

Along with a heavy police presence for the carnival, steel barriers and concrete blocks were put in place to guard against the threat of a Barcelona-style terror incident.

The London Ambulance Service said it had treated 344 patients during the first day of the festivities, many for alcohol-related injuries.

Police told AFP that 122 arrests were made on Sunday, many for drugs offences. Some 27 arrests had been made in an early count on Monday.

The carnival started in 1966 when local resident Rhaune Laslett organised a "jump up" for local children in Notting Hill, which at the time was considered a slum but is now one of the most expensive areas in London.
MoET ask schools to impose tuition fees not exceeding the tuition fee cap regulated by the Government. - Illustrative Photo vov.vn

The school year officially starts at the beginning of September.

Extra fees have been a lingering problem for students at schools of all levels in Viet Nam. In many cases, extra fees imposed on students, such as fees for upgrading classroom facilities, fees to renovate school infrastructure and fees for extra classes, far exceed the actual tuition fee.

According to the new request, the MoET also asked schools to impose tuition fees not exceeding the tuition fee cap regulated under Governments Decree 86/2015/N-CP, which prescribes collection and management of tuition fees of educational establishments under the national educational system.

Schools are requested to abide by MoETs policy for tuition fee exemption, reduction and support from the 2015-16 school year to the 2020-21 school year.

They should set up transparent in-house expenditure mechanisms and publicise them so that staff, students and other organisations can monitor their activities, the MoET said.

Localities are responsible for monitoring educational establishments under their management and can order disciplinary actions against organisations or individuals violating the regulations.
From now through 2020, MoIT will divest from six firms, and VEAM is first, Photo: Le Toan

Last week, a list of six firms slated for partial and complete divestment was released by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), in line with Decision No.1232/ QD-TTg signed by Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue on August 17.

This list includes industry giants such as seafood producer Seaprodex, oil retailer Petrolimex, textile firm Vinatex and steel group VNSteel.

The level of withdrawals varies from firm to firm, as noted in the accompanying table. Most notably, the ministry intends to sell its entire stake at Vinatex in one fell swoop next year, while dividing its sale at Vinaincon, VNSteel, and Vietnam Engine and Agricultural Machinery Corporation (VEAM) into two blocks.

Among those listed, VEAM stood out as the only firm scheduled for immediate divestment this year, aiming to slash the MoITs ownership to zero by 2020.

Established in 1990, VEAM is a major state-owned enterprise with 22 subsidiaries and 7,000 employees. The firm produces engines and agricultural machinery, including tractors and other water and inland transportation equipment. It conducted its initial public offering (IPO) last August, raising VND2.1 trillion ($92.3 million) in capital from 240 investors. This transaction went down in history as Vietnams biggest listing of 2016, with 30 million shares purchased by foreign investors.

Besides its divestment plans, VEAM is also scheduled to debut on the stock exchange in the third quarter of 2017, allowing investors to trade their shares publicly. When listed, VEAM is likely to become the 21st-largest public company, with 12.6 per cent of free-float shares for foreign ownership. So far, the firm is yet to find a strategic investor, even after holding four auctions post-IPO last year.

In 2016, VEAM reported VND2.3 trillion ($101 million) in revenue for the parent company, up 26 per cent from 2015. Its profit stood at VND3.8 trillion ($167 million), an increase of 13.4 per cent year-on-year. It is noteworthy that VEAMs profit is bigger than its revenue, thanks to its holdings at various automobile firms in Vietnam. These affiliated companies have brought massive dividends throughout the years to the agricultural giant.

Specifically, VEAM currently holds a 30 per cent stake in Honda Vietnam, 25 per cent in Ford Vietnam, and 20 per cent in Toyota Vietnam. According to researchers at Saigon Securities Incorporation (SSI), without massive financial earnings from these profitable firms, VEAMs business results in 2016 would have been even.

Analysts believed that VEAMs dependence on lucrative dividend earnings, instead of its core agricultural business, may spell trouble for the firm in the long run. This can be a major concern for potential investors as they consider buying the MoITs stake at VEAM.

Among VEAMs 12 subsidiaries, only five reported profits last year, while three were roughly flat and four posted losses. It could be problematic for the parent company in the long term if no serious restructuring is done, said Lien Le, head of institutional research at Maybank Kim Eng Securities.

This is more urgent as VEAMs financial earnings from automobile firms can diminish in the coming years as these companies face stiff competition from cheaper imported cars  automobiles manufactured in the ASEAN region will enjoy zero tariffs in Vietnam from 2018 onwards.

Nguyen Ngoc Thach, head of the Retail Customer Department at SSIs headquarters, noted that the use of machinery in agricultural production in Vietnam is expected to rise from 1.6HP to 3.2HP per hectare in 2020. VEAM then, stands a good chance to raise profits from its main business of agricultural machine production in the future, minimising its over-reliance on dividend earnings.

Despite obvious opportunities for market expansion, VEAM still needs to ward off strong competitors China and Japan, so its growth prospects may be average, said Thach. He expects VEAMs share price to stabilise in the next three years.

Further details of the MoITs divestments at VEAM and five other firms will be updated very soon, subject to approval from the prime minister.
View of repossessed Sai Gon M&C high-rise building project. - Photo sbv.gov.vn

Previously, because of rules and a cumbersome, lengthy legal process, it took banks and the Viet Nam Asset Management Company (VAMC), a State-owned company that specialises in buying non-performing loans (NPLs) from banks, several years to repossess collateral.

Because of lack of clarity in the countrys laws on collateral repossession, the VAMCs cumulative NPL recovery rate has been low at around 20 per cent.

However, on August 15, the National Assembly enacted Resolution 42/2017/QH14 that permits banks and VAMC to deal with NPLs by rapidly repossessing collateral in the event of borrower default.

The ability to repossess collateral is a critical next step in resolving NPLs, and we expect Resolution 42, which removes previous legal impediments, to help improve the rate of collateral repossession by banks and the VAMC, Moodys noted.

The new regulation also rebalances the bargaining power of banks and the VAMC vis-a-vis borrowers.

The effectiveness of the regulation is apparent in the VAMCs first repossession of collateral for an NPL, which it completed in just one week after Resolution 42 took effect. On August 21, the VAMC repossessed Saigon One Tower in downtown HCM City.

Investors kicked off the VND5 trillion (US$220 million) Saigon One Tower project in 2007, and construction was slated to be complete by 2009. However, the project dragged on and construction came to a standstill in 2011 when 80 per cent of the work was over. The investors had incurred around VND7 trillion in debts.

However, Moodys noted, though banks can reduce their reported NPLs by offloading problem loans to the VAMC, the banks asset quality and profitability will improve only if and when the VAMC successfully sells the repossessed assets.
PetroVietnam is willing to let Dung Quat Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. fall without recovering its $221 million investment

On July 25, PetroVietnam, the owner of Dung Quat Shipbuilding, submitted plans to deal with the ailing company to the government and the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

Notably, first, PetroVietnam will put the company on sale. In case the company proves unmarketable, the company will be permitted to go bankrupt and then the companys assets will be sold through competitive bidding.

PetroVietnam also asked MoIT to propose the prime minister to assign the State Audit of Vietnam to audit the dossiers of a 104,000 DWT tanker to determine its value in order to complete the handover between PetroVietnam and Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (SBIC).

PetroVietnam has been waiting for the authorities answer.

Previously, Phan Tu Giang, director of Dung Quat Shipbuilding, said that the company has not stopped operating yet and the losses are accumulating.

However, Nguyen Vu Truong Son, general director of PetroVietnam, said that going bankrupt is the best solution for Dung Quat Shipbuilding, although PetroVietnam will continue to bear Dung Quat Shipbuildings debt afterwards.

However, if the company closes, the asset value that it acquires from bidding will still be lower than its debt, thus PetroVietnam will not recover its investment capital worth over VND5 trillion ($221.07 million).

Dung Quat Shipbuilding was established in 2006 as a member of SBIC, formerly Vinashin. In 2010, the company was transferred under the management of PetroVietnam. After taking over the management of the company, PetroVietnam pumped VND5.1 trillion ($225.49 million) into the company, including a charter capital of nearly VND2 trillion ($88.4 million) and VND3.1 trillion ($137.1 million) for paying its debts.

The company has been incurring cumulative losses in the billions of dollars. Figures showed that by the end of June last year, the shipbuilders total debts were VND6.89 trillion ($304.6 million), accumulated losses VND3.68 trillion ($162.7 million), and negative equity VND1.18 trillion ($52.2 million).

The shipbuilders equipment was described as inappropriate and out of date, and had failed quality requirements for manufacturing and production processes, resulting in large annual depreciation costs for the shipbuilder, according to the ministrys assessment, as reported by newswire vneconomy.

The firm was one of additional loss-making projects reported recently by MoIT, raising the number of failing projects to 12.

The projects, five of which invested by PetroVietnam and four by national chemicals corporation Vinachem, include Dinh Vu Polyester Plant, Phuong Nam Pulp Factory, Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Joint Stock Corporation, Dung Quat Bioethanol Plant, Ninh Binh Fertiliser Plant, Ha Bac Fertiliser Plant, DAP 1 Lao Cai Fertiliser Plant, DAP Fertiliser 2 Haiphong, Ethanol Binh Phuoc, Ethanol Phu Tho, Dung Quat Shipyard, and Lao Cai Steel Plant.
The seminar saw widescale participation from delegates and urban development experts of Vietnamese authorities

Vietnam Urban Development Technology Seminar was co-organised by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Heerim Architects & Planners Co., Ltd. (Heerim) on August 28, 2017.

The seminar attracted the participation of delegates and urban development experts of Vietnamese government authorities, relevant universities and businesses, including Hanoi Department of Planning and Architecture, National University of Civil Engineering, and Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUD Group), among others.

Professor Yu Jai Deuk, Representative of ILLO Architecture Company and Professor of Satellite Cities Faculty at South Korea Hongik University

Especially, the presentation of Professor Yu Jai Deuk, representative of ILLO Architecture Company and Professor of Satellite Cities Faculty at South Korea Hongik University, and Kim Young Hoon, senior vice president of Urban and Landscape Design Studio of Heerim, provided valuable knowledge and shared experiences of transportation, housing, open space, and housing planning in the cities of Korea.

Besides, the seminar also introduced a wide range of innovative technologies that have been applied throughout Koreas urban development. This new and useful knowledge is expected to contribute to the technical advancement in urban development for Vietnamese enterprises.

According to Kim Mi Hye, deputy director of KOTRA Hanoi, Vietnam Urban Development Technology Seminar would help improve the expertise of technology experts in Vietnamese enterprises. Furthermore, this is also an important opportunity to promote further friendly relationships between the two governments, state authorities, and enterprises of Vietnam and Korea, said Hye.

Moon Byung Inn, vice chairman of Heerim Architects and Planners Co., Ltd. (Heerim)

Heerim Architects and Planners Co., Ltd. (Heerim), a major global construction design company providing integrated construction services in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, hospital, hotel, house, etc., now owns innovative technologies together with high-quality human resources and has performed many prestigious projects in Korea and overseas.

Especially in Vietnam, Heerim has been carrying out many major projects, including Military Hospital 175, Central Military Hospital 108, Headquarters of Vietnam Electricity (EVN), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building, Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower, etc., contributing to building the foundations for economic cooperation between the two countries.
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue signed Decision No.1232/QD-TTg on August 17, approving the state stake divestment for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and corporations in 2017-2020, with Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV) and the flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (VNA) both named among the many in line for divestment.

ACV will have to sell off 20 per cent of its state stake in 2018 and 10.4 per cent in 2019, while VNA will have to sell 35.16 per cent in 2019, thus cutting state ownership in the firms to 65 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively.

The divestment will be a good chance for foreign investors to join the local aviation market. Many foreign investors are interested in acquiring stake in the firms, Deputy Transport Minister Le Dinh Tho told VIR.

According to Thomas Treutler, partner and managing director of Tilleke & Gibbins Consultants Limited, foreign investors will certainly be interested in investing in well-established airlines. Travel to Vietnam for business and tourism will continue to rise, as will outbound travel for Vietnamese businesses reaching out internationally to investors and Vietnamese citizens travelling internationally for tourism.

Domestic travel within the country is also booming, with more affordability. Thus, it certainly has the potential for continued development and can be a lucrative investment, Treutler said.

ACV and VNA are quite appealing to foreign investors, both having demonstrated solid performance in 2016.

ACV  the operator of 22 airports across the country  made a net revenue of VND13.4 trillion ($609 million) last year, up 23 per cent on-year, while its pre-tax profits rose 58 per cent on-year to over VND4 trillion ($181.8 million).

VNA  which holds a 42 per cent market share in the domestic airline sector  reaped consolidated revenue of VND76 trillion ($3.45 billion) last year, up 10 per cent on-year. It also achieved record-high consolidated pre-tax profits, raking in VND2.5 trillion ($113.6 million), up 140 per cent on-year.

The two groups are also planning ambitious future investments to increase operational efficiency. Specifically, the Hanoi-based carrier has decided to invest a large sum to increase its fleet from 93 to 120 aircraft by 2020. It is also set on maintaining its annual growth of 16.1 per cent during the next three years.

The robust performance and future potential of the aviation industry has made it very attractive to foreign investors compared to other forms of transportation.

According to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV), Vietnams aviation industry, which contributes $6 billion to the countrys GDP annually, grew 29 per cent on-year in terms of passengers in 2016.

In addition, Vietnams passenger:population ratio is less than 1:1, compared to rates of 4:1 or 5:1 in more developed markets like Singapore, Hong Kong, and the US. Thus there is plenty of room for future growth.

Foreign investors often target large-scale firms and firms that are in the same business field as they are. VNA and ACV are good examples of past targets, said another senior official in the Ministry of Transport.

In 2016, the stake sales by VNA and ACV were among the hottest in the aviation industry, as many multi-national corporations lined up to take part in the auctions.

Paris Aeroport, which manages 37 airports, outbid rivals including Singapores Changi Airport International, and Japanese investors Taisei and JATCO to become ACVs strategic foreign investor.

Also last year, VNA gained a valuable partner when ANA Holdings  Japans largest airline  bought an 8.8 per cent stake in the state-owned firm for VND2.38 trillion ($108 million).
Vac cake is basically a dumpling comprising of two small 2-inch diameter rounds of rice paper, with a dime-sized lump of meat filling right in the center.

When the rice paper is steamed, the edges get soft and chewy and warp a little, making the dumpling look like a white flower.

They are presented about 15 on a plate, topped with crunchy bits of toasty garlic and served with a sweet dipping sauce.

When prepared well the texture is soft but slightly chewy, sweet from the sauce and crunchy/salty from the toasted garlic, savory from the shrimp meat filling.

The translucence of the flour along with the color of the shrimp meat gives it the appearance of a white rose petal.
With safety in the operating room as one of the top priorities, VietMedical organised a training course with focus on the safe handling of electric scalpels for nearly 100 nurses from ten major hospitals in Hanoi.

The operating room nurse is the right hand of a surgeon. During the surgical procedure, these nurses prepare surgical instruments for the operation and monitor the procedure to provide correct surgical instruments and assistance to the surgeon when necessary. The job requires strong professional knowledge and proficient use of surgical instruments.

Scalpel is an indispensable tool in surgical procedure. According to Dr. William Halsted, a rare authority on modern medicine, there are five principles to heal surgical incision best, which are: good hemostasis, minimised damage to tissues, good preservation of blood supply, strict asepsis, minimum tension of tissues. The selection and use of the right scalpel can affect the first three principles: hemostasis, tissues handling, and blood supply.

Different types of scalpels work differently and have different effect on tissues, thus the selection of the appropriate scalpel is one of the factors in a successful surgery. Electric scalpels are widely used in the operating rooms of all hospitals thanks to their advantages, such as effective cutting and cauterising and rapid hemostasis. However, there are still accidents resulting in burns to the patients or medical staff, thus good understanding and application of safe practices when using electric scalpels will help ensure safety during operations.

At the training session, Nguyen Thu Huong, in charge of the operating room equipment sector of Medtronic, a leading provider of healthcare solutions, shared useful information on safety in the operating room, and especially the safe usage of electric scalpels. Operating nurses at the training session also had the opportunity to share and exchange related information and practices with Medtronics modern medical equipment.

Speaking about this event, Nguyen Thu Nam, PhD, MD, director of training and product application at VietMedical, said: We understand the importance of balance between developing human resources and upgrading facilities and equipment in the healthcare sector, therefore apart from high-quality medical products and services, we also pay attention to the training of the medical staff. This training session is part of VietMedicals efforts to develop alongside the healthcare sector.
Experts shared thoughts at Food Safety Summit held by AmCham in Ho Chi Minh City

The agriculture, fisheries, and food sector accounts for 46 per cent of Vietnams workers, and a significant amount of Vietnamese exports.

Seafood alone accounted for $7 billion of Vietnamese exports in 2016, of which $1.4 billion of fish and shellfish exports went to the US, accounting for over 40 per cent of US agricultural product and food imports of $3.5 billion from Vietnam.

However, with new US food safety regulations on imports, based on the Food Safety Modernization Act and the shift in responsibility for catfish imports inspections from FDA to USDA, AmCham was concerned that a lack of awareness of the new regulations might result in a significant decrease in Vietnamese agricultural and food exports to the US, and a similar decrease of employment and incomes in the sector.

For example, in December 2016, there were 1,845 food facilities in Vietnam registered by the FDA to export to the US. However, in January 2017, this number dropped to 806. Under the new regulations, all registered facilities are required to renew their registration every two years, starting from 2016, between October 1 and December 31. However, more than 1,000 Vietnamese companies were unaware of this new requirement, failed to renew their registration, and were dropped from the list, losing the right to export to the US.

To support Vietnamese enterprises facing great challenges to export, AmCham Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City, together with the High-Quality Vietnam Products Association and Global Food Safety Forum, organised the Food Safety Summit themed Growing markets for Vietnamese products. on August 28, 2017.

The summit discussed the challenges and opportunities in the global food safety area, with new food safety requirements.

Ratih Puspitasari, the representative of Cargill, said that, There is a growing demand for healthy animal protein and other tropical food. The question is how to empower the Vietnamese food industry, to promote sustainable farming, and comply with the new FDA requirements. It is all about quality, safety, nutrition, and sustainability.

Clear policies that advance food safety, good production practices, strict hygienic and farming environment control, regulations for proper animal medicinal drug use, science-based animal care and well-being practices that are consistent with globally recognised standards and best practices can help open the doors of the US market and others for made-in-Vietnam food, he said.
Foreign tourists visit Song Chay, Quang Binh

In August only, the country attracted over 1.2 million foreigners, a monthly increase of 18.5 percent. This is the sixth time in 2017 Vietnamese tourism drew over one million international tourists in a month.

In August, the countrys tourism sector launched numerous tourism promotion events overseas, such as in Australia and China. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism will organise a tourism promotion event in Cambodia from August 28-30.

According to the latest report of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Vietnam was ranked 10th in the list of emerging destinations favoured by tourists worldwide.

Meanwhile, the worlds largest tourism website TripAdvisor announced a list of ten most attractive spots in Vietnam voted by tourists. Notably, the central province of Quang Binh climbed to the fourth in the list, behind Hoi An, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City only.

According to TripAdvisor, Quang Binh was described as a heaven for exploration and experiences with various tourism destinations and routes such as Son Doong cave, Tu Lan cave system, Da Nhay beach and Phong Nha- Ke Bang cave, among others.

Thanks to tourism promotion events and new domestic and international flights, the locality attracted a number of tourists as well as international filmmakers.
Earlier this year I upgraded my main DJing laptop to a 2016 MacBook Pro with TouchBar. I have mixed-feelings about this computer, but it's still the only laptop I can find with a 2TB SSD (I hate using external drives for DJing) and since I'm using videos now I need all the space I can get. As a sidenote I also do some software development and find a Mac to be a more ideal dev machine than Windows.Anyhow, after a few months of DJing and VJing with this laptop, I can confirm that it makes a fine (albeit expensive) system for DJing, with one caveat: USB-C. The new MacBook Pros have ONLY USB-C ports and a headphone jack. There is no other way to plug anything (even power) in to these machines.This is not just a Mac specific issue though - USB-C is quickly becoming more common on Windows laptops as well, and within a few years I think it'll be commonplace for all the ports on a laptop to be USB-C.There are several ways to connect DJ controllers (which typically have a USB-B port) to USB-C, each of which "work" with various levels of success.You can get one of these tiny adapters and use the same USB cable you've always used: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015Z7XE0A You can get a larger adapter that gives you a USB-A + HDMI + Charging all on one port, handy if you're VJing, but check the problems below:The way I have gone though is to just get a USB-C to USB-B cable. Some are better than others, as detailed below.USB-C is a terrible connector for DJ's. The metal part of the plug (the actual area that gets inserted into the port) has a significantly smaller surface-area than USB-A ("old" USB). This gives it considerably less "grip" inside the port than the older-style USB cables. The cables pop out of your laptop very easily with just the slightest amount of tension. If this happens you can lose audio, video, charging, or all of the above.In the world of DJing where keeping these things plugged in is mission-critical, we are always one vibration or drunk a-hole away from disaster. Even shifting your laptop too far in one direction can easily and accidentally yank a cable out. And because USB-C is so easily disconnected, it makes me nervous every time I have to use it.Remember the adapter I spoke of earlier, USB-A + HDMI + Charging? They look like this: http://i.imgur.com/p5nupsI.jpg And there are a bunch of companies that make similar units, not just Apple. They are a BAD idea for DJing. Why? Now instead of one cord all plugged into one port, you have three.Especially for those of us who keep our laptops elevated, that's 3 cables worth of weight all pulling down and exerting gravity on one tiny USB-C port. And if it falls out, you lose EVERYTHING all at once. I learned this the hard way during sound-check one night. I ended up using electrical tape to hold the plug in the port all night. Of course the tape leaves residue on your laptop too, but better safe than sorry when you make a living by keeping audio up.Then there are the USB-C to USB-B cables, of which I've tried many. Each manufacturer has slightly different standards and some seem to feel looser or tighter in the port than others.The best ones I've found are either the Belkin: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WJSPW6S or the Cable Matters: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YQFPX8Y I give a slight edge to the Cable Matters because it fits a bit more snugly and it's cheaper.While I'm a big fan of MonoPrice's cables, their nylon-braided USB-C to USB-B cable ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EGQUZ1W) fit a little too loosely in the USB-C port for me to recommend it wholeheartedly, but it WILL work in a pinch if you've got nothing else, or as a backup cable. Just be careful.Apple doesn't make a USB-C to USB-B and instead sell a Belkin, but they market it as a "printer cable," and I haven't tested the one they sell so if someone else has it please comment.Anyway, this sums up my experience with USB-C. Anyone else have anything to add or found something else that works? This will soon be an issue that we all probably have to deal with at some point.
Over the past few years, China AI experts have shown quite a steep development curve in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) research. In the coming decade, they intend to overtake their international competitors and become the No. 1 player in the AI market.

It was not long ago that China was considered to be a technology development laggard. In recent times, however, China seems to have grasped AI as an opportunity to overtake its foreign peers.

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Clear goals of China AI experts

Beijing underlined its plans for Chinese companies to become global leaders in AI technology by 2030. By 2025, the almost 1.4 billion inhabitant-strong nation plans to be the world leader in artificial intelligence.

Chinas plans are an indirect challenge to the leading nation that currently dominates the AI field, in terms of the number of AI companies and the number of funds flowing into its sector  the U.S.

Strong Financing

A key element of Chinas strategy to become the dominating force in the global AI market is an investment.

China plans to grow its fundamental AI industries to over 150 billion yuan ($22.15 billion) by 2020 and then leap to 400 billion yuan ( $59.07 billion) by 2025.

The local and central government are supporting this AI effort, said chief technology officer at PC maker Lenovo Group, Rui Yong, during an AI conference in Shanghai recently.

Rui Yong further added that: They see this trend coming and they want to invest more.

Collaboration and innovation

Various Chinese provinces and cities are laying out financial incentives for AI start-ups. With its recent and future policies China hopes to inspire more innovations from both smaller and giant companies.

Internet giants like Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, along with many start-ups like Megvii, iCarbonX, Mobvoi, and SennseTime, are all investing in or experimenting with AI technology.

Companies are looking for new, innovative ways to streamline their services and technological products  to make them more AI.

Just recently, Fine Art AI software won against the high-ranked Japanese Go player Ryo Ichiriki.

Fine art was developed by the Chinese Internet giant Tencent, winning all 11 games it played at the tournament that was held at the University of Electro-communications (UEC) in Tokyo.

Academia and research

Lately, AI research in academia has spread like wildfire, from being the focus at just a few elite universities to being one of the main research agendas at universities across China.

The Chinese academics have established a versatile research community, allowing them to collaborate internationally in different languages and tap into large AI resources both inside and outside of China.

Better access to socio-behavioral data

Ever wonder what all the data the Internet stores about you and your behavior could be used for?

No one is quite certain, but one thing China plans on doing with its large datasets of the behavior patterns and daily lives of Chinese citizens is to allow AI researchers to conduct mass-scale studies and experiments, faster and more intensely than their foreign peers.

Conclusion and a vision of utopia

The future of business is data. Why? Everything you do on your phone while watching TV, while browsing the Internet, or working in the network at your job creates a trail of data. There is so much data created daily that it amounts to mountain heaps of virtual data-stuff.

IT companies, financial companies, advertising companies, and co. have all noticed how valuable this so-called data-stuff can be for business. Because one thing the data helps them do is to understand you, the consumer, much better.

By understanding you better, they believe they can serve you better or even go a step further, and predict what you will need next before you want it.

Whether China can accomplish its impressive goal is a thing of the future and no one can say. One thing is certain, however  those at the front of the race should never underestimate those behind them.

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President Trumps project to reorient US foreign and military policy from imperialism to cooperation is beginning to bear fruit. Since his speeches in Riyadh and Brussels last May, almost all Muslim states (with the exception of Pakistan, Qatar, Sudan and Turkey) have ceased supporting the bevy of jihadist groups born of the Muslim Brotherhood. Simultaneously, NATO has made a 90 degree turn and has also begun to fight the jihadists which, until now, it had been supporting on several theatres of operation.

But while the situation has considerably improved over the last three months in Iraq, Libya and Syria, it continues to deteriorate in Afghanistan.

Lets remember that, contrary to the reassuring declarations by Presidents Bush Jr. and Obama, the presence of NATO forces over the last 16 years in this country has not only failed to eradicate the Taliban, but has made the daily life of the civilian population ever more precarious and dangerous. Today, there are more deaths due to terrorist attacks and combat than before, whether during the Communist period or that of the Islamic Emirate.

So everyone was waiting for Donald Trumps decisions concerning this country. The United States were shocked by the revelations of Michael Hastings about the management of Afghanistan [1]. They concluded that, contrary to consensual rhetoric, the primary cause of the current problems facing Afghanistan is the prolonged presence of the US armies. This idea was vulgarised by David Michods film War Machine, which brought the work of Hastings to the screen. We see General Stanley McChrystal (played by Brad Pitt) explaining to the peasants that he wants to   win their hearts and minds  by  killing their neighbours.

In this context, the US Press  and by mimicry, the Press of other Western countries  welcomed the announcement of the deployment of reinforcements to Afghanistan as a turnaround by Donald Trump, and his alignment with the policy of his predecessors Bush Jr. and Obama. It is a fact that during his campaign, he had announced his intention of extracting his troops from Afghanistan.

First of all, this is an error of interpretation by US opinion, and then a further error concerning President Trumps objective.

Trumps electors chose him in order to put an end to the terrorist policies of Bush Jr. and Obama

Fashionable commentators have never admitted Donald Trumps anti-imperialism, and have interpreted his policies as isolationist, which they are not.

A study by professors Douglas Kriner and Francis Shen, published in June, establishes that the electoral districts which voted most heavily for Trump were those which had suffered the greatest number of deaths in Afghanistan and in Iraq [2]. Popular support for the President of the United States would therefore have little to do with the revolt of the  under-privileged white classes , as we are constantly being told, but with the depression of those families who have lost children, who left with a generous commitment to establish democracy and died overseas installing chaos.

The electors of Donald Trump are not  isolationists . They are perfectly capable of assuming the deployment of reinforcements to Afghanistan as long as they understand and share its aim, which is to say that Washington changes its policy.

Trump against the manipulation of terrorism by his predecessors

In a speech to his troops, broadcast live on TV on the evening of 21 August, President Trump explained his strategy, which is to cut off all state support for terrorism [3]. Specifically, concerning Afghanistan, to cut off Pakistani aid for jihadists in general and the Taliban in particular.

From his side, National Security Advisor General H.R. McMaster declared to the Press that the Trump administration has no desire to remake Afghanistan into a  state in the image of the USA , but to respect its culture  a way of putting an end not only to the fantasies of General Stanley McChrystal, but also to the manipulations of the CIA. The commander of US and NATO troops in Afghanistan, General John W. Nicholson, indicated that he had no instructions to fight the Taliban, but to reintegrate them into civil life [4].

Let us note that President Trump has confided this mission to his troops, not those of NATO. He could have asked for their participation, but did not do so, an indication that he is not sure of the will of his allies.

The specific case of Pakistan

In order to give an identity to Pakistan, which the British had separated from India by brandishing the menace of a Hindu religious state, the CIA sent one of its agents, Said Ramadan. He spread the doctrine of the Muslim Brotherhood, then, with the help of Abul Ala Maududi, constituted the militia of Jamaat-i-Islami, which drew up the Pakistani constitution. When National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski decided to overthrow the Communist Afghan government, he called on the Muslim Brotherhood, who sent Oussama Ben Laden and his mujahidins. Simultaneously, he overthrew Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and placed in power General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq - a member of Jamaat-i-Islami, the local branch of the Muslim Brotherhood [5].

Since then, and despite several upheavals, Pakistan has always offered a rear base for the jihadists, not only for their actions in Afghanistan, but also for the rest of the world. However, because of their continued participation in the Anglo-Saxon double game, the Pakistani state has weakened.

Reacting to this disintegration, China launched a vast programme of aid for Pakistan. It has planned to invest 50 billion dollars in Afghanistan. 3,000 Chinese are rapidly building the Pakistani portion of the  Silk Road , while Beijing is arming the country. US influence is therefore clearly diminishing, despite the 30 billion dollars they have already invested since Bush Jr.

Over the last few months, Islamist Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (successor to General Zia-ul-Haq) has been called into question after the political about-face of his sponsor, Saudi Arabia. He was brutally impeached for tax evasion on the testimony of the Panama papers, after he had released false documents in an attempt to justify himself. He was  temporarily  replaced by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, whose father-in-law directed the Pakistani secret services in the days of the secret war against the Afghan Communists. Reacting to the speech of President Trump, Abbasi hastened to Riyadh, on 23 August, where he was received by Prince Mohamed ben Salmane. The de facto sovereign of Saudi Arabia gave him instructions to cooperate with Washington - a position immediately confirmed by the Pakistani ambassador in Washington [6].

It is unlikely that Nawaz Sharifs brother, Shehbaz Sharif, will be nominated as Prime Minister in September, despite the engagements of one and the other. On the contrary, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi should maintain his position at least until the general elections in 2018, with the double support of Saudi Arabia and the United States. In the next few months, we shall see whether or not he will keep his promises facing the jihadists.

The effect on India

From the Pakistani point of view, events are difficult to manage - in 1893, Sir Mortimer Durand traced the frontier between Afghanistan and todays Pakistan by dividing the Pashtun tribes between the two countries. During the secret war against the Afghan Communists, the Anglo-Saxons encouraged the Pakistani secret services to rely on this ethnic group, from which the Taliban were born. Consequently, when India attempted to play a role in this theatre of operations, it relied on the non-Pashtun people, mainly the Tadjiks. Considering that if Pakistan were to distance itself from the United States, India may move away from Russia and turn to Israel (which has become its primary supplier of weapons), Donald Trump did not fail to appeal to New Delhi to bring pressure to bear on Islamabad [7].

This brief overview of the facts enables us to conclude that President Trump has not changed his strategy and adopted the policy of Bush Jr. and Obama. He pursues his own plan against the jihadists without deviation, in obvious concertation with Moscow and Beijing.
Ed Westwick in White Gold. Photo: BBC Two/Netflix

If youve been following the postGossip Girl career of Ed Westwick, youd know that his television track record in recent years  a dull serial killer in Wicked City? Some random drug lord in Snatch?  has been mediocre at best. And its a shame. Look at that face! Listen to his accent! Westwicks a talented guy, but finding the right role has proved to be difficult after playing everyones problematic favorite billionaire, Chuck Bass. Not anymore, though.

This spring, BBC Two debuted the six-part series White Gold, a comedy set in the 1980s that showcases everything that made us attracted to Westwick in the first place: He gets to be alluring and smarmy, yet underneath his devilish exterior is a relentlessly quotable man with a well-tailored wardrobe and a decent heart  and he gets to keep his natural accent. In other words, the series could very much be retitled Chuck Bass: The Parallel Universe Essex Years. If youre still not convinced White Gold is worthy of your time  its now streaming in full on Netflix  allow us to convince you in a few other ways.

What exactly is the white gold in White Gold? And hows Westwick involved with it?

In classic British fashion, the premise of the series is unconventional yet amusing in nature: Westwick portrays Vincent Swan, the head salesman at a window showroom that specializes in double-glazed styles. (The plastic is the white gold, because its ridiculously cheap to manufacture but sells for a fortune.) Able to turn on the charm offensive at any given time, Vincent is a conniving sonofabitch who knows how to effortlessly sell windows to potential customers like no other  so despite his expletive-laden monologues against his aerated condom and weasley fucker underlings, he can get away with them because of his untouchable sales. Wanna know the percentage of people who sleep on it and call you back? A big, fat, fucking zero, he explains in one of his many fourth-wall-breaking speeches during a house call. Salesmen are like vampires. Never invite one into your home. Once you do, we wont leave your side until we taste blood. Not even for a piss.

So hes part Chuck Bass, part Don Draper, part Frank Underwood?

Thats a good way of putting it, and it certainly helps that hes out of the constraints of the CWs zero-tolerance cursing policy. This pep talk he gives to his two employees  played by the delightful Joe Thomas and James Buckley, of Inbetweeners fame  pretty neatly sums up who he is: We never rip off anyone in our town. These are our neighbors, our friends. We always sell our windows at one price. A fair price. Sometimes over, sometimes under, but always at one price. The people who pay more? Dickheads. The terminally stupid. The people who pay less? No one, if we can help it. The one thing Chuck, Don, or Frank would never do, though, is literally piss their pants, which happens to Vincent in one bizarre scene early on.

Is there a Blair Waldorf equivalent?

Not really, but can anyone really serve as a suitable stand-in for Blair? (No.) Vincent is seemingly happily married to a woman who has two kids from a previous marriage, but, in a classic plot deviation seen many a time on Gossip Girl, he has no problem lounging around with some hookers, Champagne and cigarettes at his side. He also seems to be a genuinely decent stepfather despite his somewhat sporadic presence, showering the two kids with thoughtful presents every now and then. (Shout-out to the snazzy Sergio Tacchini tracksuits of yesteryear!) Hes smart enough to know that he needs those cheeky little monkeys to like him, and keeps his work life, home life, and philandering life separate to the best of his abilities.

How are we first introduced to Westwick?

Hes wearing some red briefs, rockin a gold chain, and dancing alone in his bedroom to Gloria by Laura Branigan. Its  very nice.

Six episodes might not be enough to fill my Bassian needs.

Good news! Due to its popularity overseas, BBC Two recently announced that it renewed White Gold for another six-episode season  and its going to revolve around the unscrupulous sales trio abandoning windows in favor of selling timeshares in Spain. Were also promised that Westwick will be frequently sporting many pairs of tight swimming trunks. Itll debut sometime next year. Praise the heavens!
The Heart of Texas Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is seeking volunteers to deliver meals to homebound residents, help in food pantries and thrift stores. In addition, several volunteers are needed to support students by greeting them and directing to academic resources. For more information, please call 299-8766.

Alzheimers care

The monthly Alzheimers Association Education Series features Jon Searles, certified senior advisor, who will discuss person-centered communication and care of individuals with dementia.

Participants will join in a panel discussion about effective techniques to work with difficult behaviors. The meeting starts at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Area Agency on Aging, 1514 S. New Road. RSVP to Christine Schroeder-Morren at 753-7722.

Preparedness for the deaf

The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District and the Communications Axess Ability Group will partner to present a training on disaster preparedness for the deaf, hard of hearing and late-deafened. The free two-hour training program will be Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Public Health District building, 225 W. Waco Drive.

Those who need real-time captions or a voice interpreter please RSVP at 512-481-7700. Requests must be received by noon Friday.

Battle of the Badges

The next Battle of the Badges Blood Drive is Wednesday at Fire Station No. 11, 7600 Imperial Drive, from 7-11 a.m.

Donors will receive a 2017 Battle of the Badges T-shirt. The blood drive is through Carter BloodCare and is sponsored by the Waco Police Department, McLennan County Sheriffs Office and the Waco Fire Department.

Kiwanis Club seniors

Educator Gayle Avant will speak on the United States role in the Middle East at the weekly Kiwanis Club of Waco Seniors meeting Wednesday.

The club meets at Golden Corral Restaurant in Waco from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Portraits, Inc. enrollment

Portraits, Inc., a 25-year-old performing arts youth mentoring group, will have open enrollment Wednesday on the fifth floor of Cashion on the Baylor University campus.

The group is for ages 3 through college. Practice time is every Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and the semester fee is $10.

Call Pearl Beverly at 710-6939 for more information.
Gasoline pumps at scattered outlets around Greater Waco are sporting plastic bags that proclaim fuel is not available, all victims of Hurricane Harvey and its rampage across the Texas Gulf Coast.

Nearly a dozen refineries ceased or curtailed operations as the wind and drenching rain threatened the concentration of oil drilling and processing operations, sending shockwaves across the petroleum industry, according to analysts and sources involved in fuel distribution locally.

Shortly after noon on Monday, the parking lot of the Valero convenience store at New Road and Bosque Boulevard appeared deserted except for customers walking inside to buy snacks. Signs informed those who drove onto the premises that the pumps were out of service.

We see people pulling in and then pulling out angrily, said employee Peter Almanza, pointing to security cameras. Weve been out since Sunday, and I dont have any straight answers for those wanting to know when well be back in business. Maybe tomorrow.

With regular unleaded priced at $1.96 a gallon, the fuel islands at the H-E-B at Wooded Acres Drive and Bosque Boulevard had customers lining up and jockeying for position shortly after noon on Monday. Several motorists said they drove to H-E-B after encountering fuel outages at nearby Alon and Valero convenience stores.

Everybody I know told me to stock up, that were running out of gas here in Waco, said Adrienne Bovee, 29, who was driving a Helpful Hands Cleaning business truck. My husbands best friend works for an air-conditioning company, and they were told to top off their fleet vehicles.

Bovee said she also read several Facebook posts on Sunday from people who encountered problems finding a retailer with gasoline.

I hate lines, and I wouldnt be in this one if I could have found gasoline at the two places I visited before coming here, including the Valero over there, said Richard Black, 71, pointing to the convenience store near Waco High School.

Black described himself as cynical, and said he wonders if reports of gas shortages represent an excuse to raise prices.

Prices for regular unleaded locally on Monday ranged from $1.96 at the Murphy USA station adjacent to the Walmart in Bellmead, as well as at the H-E-B on Wooded Acres Drive, to $2.35 at the Chevron station at China Spring and Steinbeck Bend roads, according to GasBuddy.com.

GasBuddy.com released a report late Sunday showing the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded had risen 2.1 cents in the past week, after sliding by 4.7 cents a gallon the previous week. The norm stood at $2.07 Sunday, but had risen to $2.09 by mid-afternoon Monday.

Gas prices are up in many places, and motorists should be gearing up for more in the coming weeks, thanks to Hurricane Harvey inundating significant refineries along the Texas coastline, leading to closures and tilting the delicate balance of supply and demand, said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com, in a news release. Prices will likely rise nearly countrywide heading into Labor Day, with nearly everyone feeling a bit of a pinch at the pump from Harvey.

Reached by phone, DeHaan said, Large refineries in Corpus Christi and Houston have been impacted, so I would expect gas prices all over the U.S. to increase. They could climb 10 to 20 cents there in Waco during the short term, even double that if conditions worsen.

Leslie Sweet, spokeswoman for H-E-B, said in an email that we are diligently monitoring and working to keep our fuel stations supplied during this time of spiking demand. We have a plan in place to continue to deliver fuel to all of our customers. If we do run out of unleaded temporarily, we will offer higher grades of gas at the lower unleaded price.

The Mission Petroleum fueling terminal on South Loop Drive supplies fuel to such customers as H-E-B and Valero, said supervisor Steve Snow, who added deliveries are running behind due to Hurricane Harvey.

We have fuel pumped directly to our facility underground from a pipeline in Houston, but we have reached our allocation for this area, so were having to send trucks out of town, to Dallas, Arlington and Caddo Mills, said Snow. Shortages are being created, in part, because people are panicking and knocking the stores down to get gasoline.

Calls to more than half the Valero-branded convenience stores in Greater Waco revealed each had run out of gas entirely or were offering only premium or diesel grades on Monday or sometime during the weekend.

We ran out Saturday, received a delivery Sunday morning, and we just ran out again, said Mike Herring, who helps staff the Valero at Memorial Drive and Valley Mills Drive, reached late Monday afternoon.

We have gas now, about 2,100 gallons, but we did run out two days ago, said Christin Ash, speaking from the Valero at Memorial Drive and New Road, near the Doris Miller Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Calls to Valero seeking comment were not returned. An update Monday on the Valero website said the companys Gulf Coast refineries in Corpus Christi and Three Rivers remain out of commission.

Alon USA spokesman Keith Johnson said he was not aware of gas shortages in Waco, but would check on the status of stores here.

We will monitor the situation daily to meet the needs of our customers in reaction to market conditions, he said. We do know the hurricane has had significant impact on operations in Corpus Christi and Houston, but most of our refining is done inland and should not be affected.

Texas is home to 5.6 million barrels per day of refining capacity, and Louisiana next door has a capacity of 3.3 million barrels per day. More than 2 million barrels of daily refining capacity was curtailed due to Hurricane Harvey, according to a report by Reuters on investing.com.
A week ago I expressed the hope that President Donald Trumps lamentable performance after the protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, would hurt his standing in the polls. This didnt happen. If there was a blip, it was in the other direction. Id be pleased if Trumps regrettable decision to pardon former sheriff Joe Arpaio dented his popularity, too, but Im not holding my breath.

Trumps supporters are loyal. What is one to make of this?

There are two main theories of Trumps support. One is that a large minority of Americans  40 percent, give or take  are racist idiots. This theory is at least tacitly endorsed by the Democratic Party and the mainstream liberal media. The other is that a large majority of this large minority are good citizens with intelligible and legitimate opinions who so resent being regarded as racist idiots that theyll back Trump almost regardless.

They may not admire the man but hes on their side, he vents their frustration, he afflicts the people who think so little of them  and thats good enough.

Its disappointing that Charlottesville hasnt changed their minds  but then it hasnt changed my mind either. I still think the first theory on Trump supporters is absurd and the second theory basically correct.

The first theory, if it were true, would be an argument against democracy. If tens of millions of Americans are racist idiots, how do you defend the popular franchise? That isnt a sliver of reprehensible people wholl be safely overwhelmed when elections come around. And theres plainly nothing, according to the first theory, you can say to change their minds. Why even go through the motions of talking and listening to those people?

This sense that democratic politics is futile if not downright dangerous now infuses the worldview of the countrys cultural and intellectual establishment. Trump is routinely accused of being authoritarian and anti-democratic, despite the fact that he won the election and, so far, has been checked at every point and has achieved almost nothing in policy terms. (He might wish he were an authoritarian, but he sure hasnt been allowed to function as one.)

Many of his critics, on the other hand, are anti-democratic in a deeper sense: They appear to believe that a little less than half the country doesnt deserve the vote.

The second theory  the correct theory  is a terrible indictment of the Democratic Party and much of the media. Why arent the intelligible and legitimate opinions of that large minority given a hearing? Why must their views be bundled reflexively into packages labelled bigotry and stupidity? Why cant this large minority of the American people be accorded something other than pity or scorn?

Those who scorn Trumps supporters might argue that none of their opinions are in fact intelligible or legitimate. After all, dont their views on immigration boil down to racism and white supremacy? What about their idea that the Charlottesville protesters and counter-protesters were morally the same? Or their morbid fear of change? Or the hypocrisy of their opposition to big government, when everybody knows that Trump-voting states such as West Virginia are the biggest net recipients of federal money? If you read the New York Times, you know they have an endless supply of stupid, evil opinions.

In fact, this automatic attribution of stupidity and bad faith is just another kind of bigotry.

Im a liberal on immigration  but it isnt racism to favor tighter controls if you believe that high immigration lowers American wages. It sure isnt racism to believe that the laws on immigration should be enforced, and that sanctuary cities violate that impeccably liberal principle. It isnt racist to say that many of the Charlottesville counter-protesters came looking for a fight. Casting Trump supporters as fearful of change is risible  he was hardly the status quo candidate. And I cannot see what principle of political economy makes it stupid to be a fiscal conservative if you live in West Virginia.

Its worth pondering whether opposing removal of Confederate monuments may soon make you a racist, if it doesnt already. After Charlottesville, PBS reported that 86 percent of Americans condemn the rhetoric of the white supremacy movement, while six in 10 Americans, including a narrow plurality of African Americans, believe the statues of Confederate leaders should remain. This would seem to refute the suggestion that opinion on the statues has much to do with white nationalism. These findings were presented under the inviting heading Confederate Statues and White Nationalism.

For what its worth, I think the statues should go, but most of those who support leaving them in place arent racist. Its sad that this should even need saying.

Democracies that work make space for disagreement. You can disagree with somebody in the strongest terms, believing your opponents to be profoundly or even dangerously mistaken. But that doesnt oblige you to ignore them, scorn them or pity them. Deeming somebodys opinions illegitimate should be a last resort, not a first resort. Refusing to engage, except to mock and condescend, is both anti-democratic and tactically counterproductive. Proof of that last point is the dispiriting tenacity of Trumps support.
By Moses Kyeyune:

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has asked the Security Minister Henry Tumukunde and his internal affairs counterpart, Gen Jeje Odong to explain the rampant killings of women in Wakiso district.

This comes after atleast 19 women were killed in different parts of Wakiso akiso in a space between May and august.

The ministerial statements will be tabled on Tuesday next week as Parliament resumes business after a one-month recess.

The Speaker, who has these afternoon addressed journalists at Parliament in Kampala, has also condemned the killings.
Police seize illegal water pumping systems from Lake Bracciano.

Plans to reduce Rome's water pressure at night could be introduced on Monday 4 September, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

The measures, being taken by the city's water authority ACEA in response to Italy's ongoing drought, will reportedly affect 90 areas of the capital between 23.30 and 05.00.

The move comes as police seized 20 illegal water pumping systems from private properties around Lake Bracciano, with 20 people facing potential charges of environmental crimes.

Located north of Rome, Lake Bracciano is an important but recently much-depleted source of potable water for the capital. Earlier this summer its declining water levels placed it in the middle of a tug-of-war between Rome mayor Virginia Raggi - who wanted to keep water flowing into the city - and the Lazio Region governor Nicola Zingaretti who wanted the pumps turned off. In the end Rome was saved from the threat of water rationing after Italy's environment ministry intervened on the grounds that it presented a risk to public health and tourism.
Wanted in Rome is a monthly magazine in English for expatriates in Rome established in 1985. The magazine covers Rome news stories that may be of interest to English and Italian speaking residents, and tourists as well. The publication also offers classifieds, photos, information on events, museums, churches, galleries, exhibits, fashion, food, and local travel.
Jakarta: Malcolm Turnbull's desire for a "high quality" free trade agreement with Indonesia will confront Jakarta's protectionist impulses, with chief negotiator Deddy Saleh saying his country was shooting for a "good quality" agreement instead.

"High quality" free trade was different to "good quality", Mr Deddy explained to Fairfax Media, because, "A 'high quality' agreement suggests opening the markets fully".

Mr Deddy told Fairfax Media that Jakarta questioned the purpose of opening its markets to Australian exports if it disrupted Indonesia's domestic industries, saying "the biggest hurdle is the level of ambition".

"I'm saying the agreement must be mutually beneficial. So that is where the negotiation lies right now. We are negotiating the 'good' (versus) the 'high' quality agreement."
Australia's latest asylum policy appears to be deportation by destitution. By cutting financial support from 100 asylum seekers and issuing a new "final departure Bridging E Visa", the government is putting vulnerable people at risk of homelessness and privation. This might seem like an act with purely domestic consequences. But Australia's harsh asylum policies impact not only on those individuals living onshore and in limbo, or held on Manus or Nauru. They also have a deep and abiding impact on the nation's international reputation, which matters.

Earlier this year, the United Nations Human Rights Council heard evidence of "deteriorating mental health, homelessness and destitution" among asylum seekers living in the Australian community. Special Rapporteur for the human rights of migrants Francois Crepeau told the council that Australia's asylum policies "blemish" the country's human rights record. Now, removing welfare and shelter from this small group of asylum seekers will exacerbate their plight and stretch what Crepeau recognised as the dedication and energy of civil society organisations.

The irony is, Australia's international credibility in humanitarian affairs is essential to achieving what the government wants from its current asylum policy. In 2016, the Obama administration agreed to the Turnbull government's request to consider resettling refugees from Manus and Nauru in the US only because of Australia's status as "a leader in humanitarian assistance and refugee resettlement globally".

This status was earned long ago, through Australia's principled leadership in UN and regional forums on forced migration, and through the key role Australia played in the resettlement of refugees from Indochina in the 1970s. Today's policies were put on the table then, too, but the Fraser government rejected them. Records show the then-government determined that cutting welfare support for asylum seekers would be "widely regarded as a vindictive measure", and would never deter people in need of protection. Instead Fraser's government touted that Australia had established "a very high standing" on refugee matters and refugee policy "was now an important part of our foreign relations".
By Ritah Kemigisa:

The ministry of trade and cooperatives has boosted of making progress ever since the BUBU policy was launched in March this year revealing that over 756 stockists especially in supermarkets where more shelf space has been given to Ugandan products thus accounting for 40%.

Speaking to the media yesterday, the trades Minister Amelia Kyambadde said the ministry has also been able to profile producers and service in the BUBU priority sectors like steel, Cement, Textile, Pharmaceuticals and Accountancy firms.

Kymabadde meanwhile revealed that the ministry has adopted Zimba Uganda as the BUBU brand name and that a logo will be developed to be used on all Ugandan products.

She says the Zimba Uganda brand name will be launched in October this year by the ministry.
Sydney's main weather radar at Terrey Hills will be offline for more than a month for an upgrade ahead of this year's thunderstorm season.

The Bureau of Meteorology is updating equipment at sites near Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney to improve forecasters' ability to differentiate types of precipitation and improve early-warning services.

Existing Doppler radar sites in those cities now only issue horizontal pulses that are reflected off rainfall droplets in clouds.

The upgrade will add a vertical detection capability, providing the bureau with a clearer view of the size and shape of the rain droplets - and whether it's falling as hail - or if the reflections are from smoke particles or even insects.
Six Chinese men have successfully landed on Australian territory by boat, in an apparent blow to the Turnbull government's claims to have stopped the boats.

Fairfax Media can reveal that a boat carrying six Chinese nationals and an alleged Papua New Guinean people smuggler  all of whom were men  reached Saibai Island on August 20.

The boat that reached Saibai Island is understood to be much smaller than this asylum seeker boat from 2013.

Saibai Island is a low-lying island about four kilometres from Papua New Guinea and home to about 300 people. It is nearly 150 kilometres north of the Queensland mainland but is part of the state.

As recently as Monday, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton boasted that "we've not had a successful boat now in well over 1000 days".
A surfer says he's "really, really lucky" to have punched and kicked his way out of the jaws of a shark, with one witness saying it was like Mick Fanning's miraculous escape "but worse".

Marcel Brundler, 37, has just a souvenir scratch on his back after the three-metre shark grabbed him while surfing at Cathedral Rock near Lorne, south-west of Melbourne, on Tuesday.

"At first I didn't think anything of it, we have lots of dolphins in the water here, but then I realised it was big, much bigger," Mr Brundler said.

"I'm no expert but this was at least three metres long."
Police are searching for two men who tried to run over another pair of men with their ute in Perth's south-east.

Police said at about 2:35pm on Tuesday two men leaving a take away store near the Leach Highway intersection on Welshpool Road when two male occupants from a vehicle stopped near them.

The grey utility. Credit:WA Police

The men from the vehicle became aggressive and a fight broke out, with the two men from the store copping bruises and swelling to their faces.

The other men drove off in a grey Mitsubishi Triton utility, and then a short time later the same vehicle mounted the kerb near a petrol station and drove at the victims, just missing them before driving off eastward on Welshpool Road.
Almost as soon as the water began seeping into the assisted-living center in Dickinson, Texas, Susan Bobrick knew about it.

Bobrick, of Houston, has a sister who lives there, and an employee of the centre, La Vita Bella, called residents' relatives to alert them that water was reaching into the single-storey building.

That was a couple of hours before dawn Sunday, when the water inside was less than 1 inch deep (2.5 cm). Bobrick, 68, said she was told that emergency responders had instructed staff members and residents to stay put. But as the day went on, the water continued to rise.

Bobrick said she wanted to help but felt trapped in her home in Houston. A storm was surging around her, and anyway, she couldn't get to Dickinson -- a city in the southern reaches of the Houston metropolitan area -- even if she tried.
ANGOLA  Dr. Fred Doloresco and his wife, Joanne, moved to Steuben County in 2012 into a house for which Fred did a lot of the design work, including the indoor decor.

In addition to being a cardiologist, Fred is an accomplished oil painter, and the two are heavily into collecting the art that accents their Lake James home.

Fred first became interested in painting and collecting art when visiting a friend who was taking courses in college in art and art appreciation. The two painted the day Fred visited, and although he said it wasnt a good painting, Fred found the art interesting.

Id do one or two bad paintings a year and quit, he said.

Later, he found himself doing a painting that wasnt too bad, and it inspired him to take a painting workshop with his mentor, American impressionist painter Don Stone, in Maine.

His work with Stone got him into learning about American art history and the impressionist style in which he paints.

He wanted to paint more, and 10 years ago he approached the cardiology group he was a part of and asked if he could step down to a few days a week so he could paint more frequently.

I went into painting because I couldnt buy a painting every day, and I needed more art in my life, he said.

He purchased his first painting at an auction. Theyd attended not even planning to buy anything.

They since have amassed a collection of paintings that decorate their home and have hung in galleries, including a few in Indiana.

Three years ago, some friends and I arranged for an exhibit of Cape Ann paintings at the University of Saint Francis museum. It was written up in the magazine American Art Review, he said. One of the paintings was featured on the cover, and we own several of the others in it.

A piece he painted won best of show at the Indiana Heritage Arts festival this year, and it marked the fourth time hes won that show. Hes pretty sure its a record number of wins. The painting was purchased by the organizers of the festival for the museum.

An avid kayak paddler, Fred goes out in his kayak daily and takes his phone so he can take photographs of what he sees on the lake so he can recreate it in a painting. He also spent several months going around the lake painting old cottages he came across.

Ive also painted a particular flower garden from Lake George that is beautiful, he said.

Hes also painted figures of his children, his grandchildren and other scenes from in and around Steuben County.

I am struck by the historic aspect of the Amish, he said. I won an award at a show for a painting of two Amish women helping an Amish man load hay onto a wagon.

When his grandchildren come to visit, they do art projects. These projects include a painting of Lake James in their home they painted with Fred in a day and a statue of an alligator they constructed that stands outside the home. He said some of the art and projects they do together are really interesting.

Art isnt relaxing for me, but its rewarding, he said.

Joanne said Freds attention to detail has played a role in both his art and his career as a physician.

When designing their home, Fred was told the pergola on the front porch could be built out of cedar, as it was the best wood to get for the project. He wanted more and told the contractors to give him a bit to find what he wanted.

Thanks to the internet, he found some old-growth redwood that had been harvested in 1850 and caught in a logjam, pushed into the silt, and not unearthed until 1970.

Its a religious experience, almost, walking under that wood thats 1,000 years older than Christ, he said.

Its details like the redwood and the craftsmanship throughout the home, all of which are art and craft from someone, that set it apart. They wanted to live surrounded by art and craft.

The Doloresco home along with the home of their neighbor, Yvonne J. Boesker, will be open for an art tour Sept. 24 from 1-5 p.m. as part of the Art and Architecture tour with the Fort Wayne Art League. The Dolorescos as well as Boesker will be present during the tour to answer questions and share about their art and homes.

Tickets for the tour must be purchased by Sept. 10 at the price of $75 per person. Only 100 will be sold. Parking for the tour is at Mad Anthonys Lakeview Ale house, 4080 N. 300W, Angola, with shuttles running to the homes.

More information about the tour, including a link to the registration pamphlet, can be found on Facebook, @FWArtLeague.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 29, 2017 | 02:00 PM | PADUCAH, KY





The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce will hear from Colonel Stanley Sliwinski, Commander of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Sustainment Brigade from Fort Campbell at their next monthly breakfast on August 31st.The breakfast begins at 7:30 am at the Julian Carroll Convention Center's Ohio room.Colonel Sliwinski will speak about the opportunities available for partnerships between the local community and Fort Campbell as well as the communitys efforts to work with assisting the transitioning soldiers from Fort Campbell into the local workforce.Colonel Stanley J. Sliwinski was commissioned in December 1991 in the Transportation Corps after graduating from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. He later earned a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and a Masters of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Colonel Sliwinski has served in a multitude of assignments and positions ranging from Platoon Leader to Military Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, U.S. Department of State, to the Acquisition and Logistics Team Chief in the Office of Business Transformation, Office of the Under Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC., all the way to brigade commander, where he is currently serving in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). He has deployed in support of Operation Support Hope, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.Leadership Paducah Class #31 will also be introduced at the breakfast.The breakfast was moved from Sept. 7 due to scheduling conflicts. The Chambers DC Fly In will be held on September 6 and 7 in Washington.Cost: $15 for Chamber members; $25 for non-Chamber membersIf you are not a Power Card holder, please make your reservations by Tuesday, August 29, to the Chamber at 443-1746 or info@paducahchamber.org.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 28, 2017 | 09:24 PM | TRI CITY, KY

A Calloway County man faces burglary and drug charges in Graves County.

According to Graves County Sheriff Dewayne Redmon, a deputy was dispatched on Monday to a home in Tri City for an unwanted person. When the deputy arrived, he could hear a woman screaming inside the home.

The deputy attempted to make entry into the front and back doors of the home. As the deputy started to force entry into the home, the woman came out and told him that a man had entered a bedroom window and had fled behind the home.

The deputy located the suspect and took him to the ground. Thirty-four-year-old Joseph Burgess of Dexter, was arrested and charged with burglary, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was lodged in the Graves County Jail.
By The Associated Press Aug. 28, 2017 | 11:35 AM | FRANKFORT, KY

An independent consulting group says Kentucky lawmakers should take away some cost-of-living raises awarded to state retirees over the past 20 years as part of a strategy to keep the retirement systems solvent.

The PFM Group told the Public Pension Oversight Board that lawmakers need to make dramatic changes to keep the state's retirement systems from running out of money.

From 1996 to 2012, state lawmakers approved cost-of-living raises for state retirees receiving monthly benefit checks. The consultants say lawmakers should eliminate those raises. They also recommended lawmakers increase the retirement age to 65 for most workers, stop letting workers use leftover sick days to boost their benefits and offer a 401(k)-style plan for all new hires.

Republican state Sen. Joe Bowen noted lawmakers would make the final decision.

Kentucky's budget director says the state will need nearly an extra billion dollars every year to fix the state's public pension system.

John Chilton says the state will need $700 million per year to pay toward its pension systems for state workers and teachers. Plus, the state will need an extra $200 million to put into the state's reserves.

To find this money, lawmakers would have to make deep cuts in the state's annual operating budget. If lawmakers exclude services like public education and Medicaid, it would require budget cuts of 34.4 percent. Chilton said lawmakers could cut $510 million from K-12 education funding to soften the severity of the cuts. If they did that, it would require budget cuts of 16.8 percent.
Alec Baldwin sues to 'clear his name' in movie set death
An expert meeting was held at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Serbia to discuss the upcoming early presidential elections, as well as the progress and dynamics of systemic political reforms carried out by the President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
New Ross mourns tragic death of Anthony Rochford (47): We will remember him for all the great times
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It seemed utterly appropriate that, having knocked regular reviewing on the head after a mere 45 years  the last ten here at WhatsOnStage  I should find myself writing the text for Peter Dazeley's stunning collection of photographs of four dozen venues in and around the West End.

I didn't even have to see the shows, or mingle with audiences. I simply spent several months visiting theatres in daylight hours, climbing to the fly floors, descending to the sub-stages, poking my nose into dressing rooms and corridors, prompt corners and workshops. I even went on the wonderful theatre tours you can sign up for at Drury Lane, the Palladium, Royal Opera or the Coliseum.

Having spent my life in these theatres I soon realised how much I'd missed

In other venues, we were entertained by company managers, theatre executives and, at the Old Vic, the stage doorman Ned Seago, an extraordinary character who dates back to my early days of queueing along the Waterloo Road for tickets to see Olivier play Othello and Maggie Smith in The Recruiting Officer.

Having spent my life in these theatres I soon realised how much I'd missed. If you now go to a Delfont Mackintosh theatre  magnificently refurbished by Cameron Mackintosh, who really kick-started the phenomenal West End restoration programme after the government said they weren't interested twenty years ago  you should spend time looking at the walls, for he's created a living museum of these theatres' histories.

ATG followed suit. The Duke of York's, for instance, has a Peter Pan display in the stalls bar to complement the under-stage wooden machinery, still intact, for the show's premiere in 1904. And did you know that in the lovely circle bar at the Duke of York's there's the original document signed by actors at the formation of Equity in 1929? I didn't. Take a look. Most of the signatories are actresses, not actors. Feminism has ruled in the British theatre since Lilian Baylis set about "improving" our cultural life at the Old Vic and Sadler's Wells; her story runs through our book at those theatres, the National and the Royal Opera.

Steve Tompkins is the modern architectural hero of the book

Really Useful are about to spend a fortune on Drury Lane. And of course Cameron's own 30m re-fit of the Victoria Palace opens with Hamilton later this year. Steve Tompkins  responsible for the extraordinary re-definitions of the Court, the Young Vic, the Donmar, the National  is now onboard at Drury Lane. He's the modern architectural hero of the book in succession to the great Victorian visionaries Frank Matcham (Coliseum, Hackney Empire, Richmond) and WGR Sprague (Gielgud, Aldwych, Ambassadors, Wyndham's). Wyndham's is probably the most beautiful theatre in London, the Palace the most magnificent, the St Martin's the most surprising and under-appreciated.

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Like the Phoenix and the Criterion, both of which I love, the St Martin's is a theatre of marked and singular individuality. It has remained in private ownership since its inception. The Mousetrap has now been in situ there for longer than it was in its original home, the Ambassadors, so "no-one we know" ever sees it.

But I urge you to take another look, even if it means re-visiting or even actually seeing The Mousetrap for the first time. The auditorium is a unique creation of Italian walnut balconies and balustrades, warm and seductive, a sort of interim statement between the Edwardian plasterwork and decorative extravagance of many West End theatres and the sleek art deco lines of, say, the Adelphi, the Cambridge or the former Whitehall, now obscured in the vandalism of the Trafalgar Studios.

Audiences love the West End theatres, despite cramped seats and troublesome toilets

We tell a tale of evolution and regeneration in the West End while the new commercial NHS alliance (Nicks Hytner and Starr) in their new warehouse theatre The Bridge seeks to prove that the West End is not fit for purpose (Starr's phrase). Our book's foreword, by Mark Rylance, rebuts this canard big-time, but we do not gloat. Audiences love the West End theatres, despite cramped seats and troublesome toilets, though both these disadvantages are under constant review and frequent improvement.

And the unconventional spaces of the Young Vic, the Almeida, the Tricycle (we've celebrated the old courtyard structure, now removed in the current refurb) and the retrieved Victorian music hall of Wilton's are as interesting to us as the glorious Haymarket or the sumptuous Savoy.

The other thing is - the history of these places, all different, all fascinating, is amazing. I hope we've captured something of that. There's a hint now, too, of new development not only with The Bridge, but with the restoration of Alexandra Palace, where Gracie Fields once strutted her stuff in revue. My all-time favourite theatres? The Theatre Royal Stratford East, for all sorts of reasons, subjective and objective, but also the Wyndham's, the Palladium and the Royal Court. I hope you share that love.



London Theatres by Michael Coveney and Peter Dazeley, with a foreword by Mark Rylance, is published by Frances Lincoln.
PARDEE/UNC HEALTH CARE PHYSICIANS EARN "BEST DOCTORS IN AMERICA" DISTINCTION

DRS. JAMES RADFORD AND STEVEN CRANE

Pardee UNC Health Care announced today that James Radford, M.D., of Hendersonville Hematology and Oncology at Pardee, and Steven Crane, M.D., of WNC Family Medical Center, have both been peer-selected to the Best Doctors in America List for 2017-2018. Three hundred and seventy-two (372) physicians affiliated with UNC Health Care were also on the list. Approximately 4 percent of doctors in America earn this prestigious honor, as a result of the biennial Best Doctors Poll. Each listed physician has received peer consensus as a physician from whom other physicians would seek care and is verified as being clinically active with an active medical license free from disqualifying disciplinary actions.

Our mission at Pardee is to improve the health of the communities we serve. Our vision is to lead the transformation of health care in our communities with the best people providing the best care, said David Ellis, M.D., FACOG, chief medical officer for Pardee UNC Health Care. Dr. Radford and Dr. Crane are a testament to that  ranked among the best in America and here at home.

Pardee has more than 230 physicians and specialists on its medical staff, with a total of 175 physicians holding full admitting privileges and 40 specialties represented.

A selected Best Doctor doesnt remain in the database forever. The peer-review process requires every listed physician to be re-evaluated by their peers in each poll. Best Doctors does not pay physicians to be included in the database, nor can physicians or their organizations pay Best Doctors. A physician cannot apply to become a Best Doctors physician. The only way for a physician to be selected is to be nominated by and then receive voting consensus from current Best Doctors physicians.

As a result, Best Doctors has a proprietary, global database of physicians  free from commercial and financial bias  numbering more than 50,000 in over 450 specialties and subspecialties worldwide. There are close to 40,000 Best Doctors physicians in the U.S.

Gallup has audited and certified Best Doctors, Inc.s database of physicians, and its companion Best Doctors in America List, as using the highest industry standards, survey methodology and processes.

The physicians included in the Best Doctors in America database provide the most advanced medical expertise and knowledge to patients with serious conditions  often saving lives in the process by finding the right diagnosis and right treatment.

About Best Doctors, Inc.:

Founded in 1989 by Harvard Medical School physicians, Best Doctors is a privately owned, global benefits provider and medical information services company that connects individuals facing difficult medical treatment decisions with the best doctors, selected by impartial peer review in over 450 subspecialties of medicine, to review their diagnosis and treatment plans. Best Doctors has grown to over 40 million members worldwide. The innovative services offered by Best Doctors include access to an unrivaled database of physicians who have been selected as the best in their field by other leading doctors. The Company also employs leading analytics and technology platforms that help people in need get the right diagnosis and treatment plan, which significantly improves health outcomes while reducing costs.

For further information, visit Best Doctors at www.bestdoctors.com.
OVER 200 HENDERSONVILLE-ASHEVILLE AREA VOLUNTEERS HELPING IN HURRICANE HARVEY RELIEF

TO VOLUNTEER GO TO THEIR WEB SITE redcross.org

Allie Trask is Executive Director of the Western North Carolina American Red Cross which serves the Hendersonville-Ashevilole area, and she confimred for WHKP News on Monday that over 200 volunteers from the Hendersonville and Asheville area are now in Texas helping in various ways with Hurricane Havery relief.

Tens of thousands in Texas and now Lousiana are in need of assistance, and Trask says there is a special need for health care and mental health care worker who can volunteer to help. She encourages any potential health care or mental health worker who can volunteer to call her directly at 828-333-9296.

Financial donations are badly needed, she said...and checks can be made out to the American Red Cross and mailed to or dropped off at their Asheville headquarters at 100 Edgewood Road, Asheville NC, 28804.

Those who donate to hurricane relief in other ways should be careul to avoid scams...and the followinbg suggestions are being offered:

By Larry Freeman

BBB Wise Giving Alliance suggests that donors keep the following tips in mind to help avoid questionable appeals for support as Harvey affects Houston, or any time you want to lend a hand:

Understand crowdfunding. Keep in mind that some crowdfunding sites do very little vetting of individuals who decide to post for assistance after a disaster, and it is often difficult for donors to verify the trustworthiness of crowdfunding requests for support. If you decide to contribute via crowdfunding, it is probably best to give to people who you personally know that have posted requests for assistance. For more Give.org tips on crowdfunding, check out this Wise Giving Wednesday post.

See if the charity has an on-the-ground presence in the impacted areas. Unless the charity already has staff in the affected areas, it may be difficult to bring in new aid workers to provide assistance quickly. See if the charitys website clearly describes what the charity can do to address immediate needs.Find out if the charity is providing direct aid or raising money for other groups. Some charities may be raising money to pass along to relief organizations. If so, you may want to consider avoiding the middleman and giving directly to those that have a presence in the region. Or, at a minimum, check out the ultimate recipients of these donations to see whether they are equipped to provide aid effectively.

Be cautious about gifts of clothing, food or other in-kind donations. In-kind drives for food and clothing, while well intentioned, may not necessarily be the quickest way to help those in need  unless the organization has the staff and infrastructure to distribute such aid properly. Ask the charity about its transportation and distribution plans. Be wary of those who are not experienced in disaster relief assistance.

Verify the trustworthiness of soliciting relief organizations by visiting Give.org to access free reports that specify if the charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.
On June 10, 2016, Marc Ma went paddle boarding on Lake Tahoe near Homewood, Calif. with his friends, but winds picked up and created unsafe conditions. Ma got separated from the group and was never found.

On July 31, after 416 days, Bruces Legacy of Black River Falls found Ma in 240-foot water, providing closure to a grieving family.

Suddenly, Keith Cormican, director of Bruces Legacy, was famous.

We had eight news channels that came and did a story on us that afternoon. They drove from over two hours away to come and setup an appointment with us, Cormican said.

Even though Bruces Legacy had done what many viewed as impossible, Ma was one of many lost souls Bruces Legacy gets calls about.

We spent the next day and a half on the phone talking to families from all over California, Nevada and Washington that asked us if we could come up and look for their family, Cormican said explaining that they talked to 16 different families that requested his help.

Even though Cormican helped find Ma, he tends to think more about those he cant find, like 12-year old Marcos Vasquez who went missing after going kayaking in July with his cousin on Stampede Reservoir in California.

Vasquezs parents are immigrants and so Cormican and his crew didnt get a lot of help initially.

We actually went and looked for him for two days before the Lake Tahoe one, and we just didnt get any help by the local authorities. It was like they didnt even care. It was very sad. They didnt have any information they wanted to share with us, Cormican said.

Bruces Legacy did eventually find Vasquez on a second trip they took to California in August.

In some cases it might be thankless and some cases it is very appreciated by the families, said Sandra BlackDeer, Cormicans relative who helps with Bruces Legacy.

Behind Bruces Legacy

Bruces Legacy began as a way to honor Cormicans brother, Bruce Cormican.

Bruces Legacy is in memory of my brother. My brother was a firefighter for Black River Falls that passed away in a recovery operation of a drowning victim back in 1995, Cormican said.

On Aug. 21, 1995, the Black River Falls Fire Department conducted a search for a victim that had drowned in Robinson Creek near Black River Falls over the weekend.

During the search, three firemen were pulled into a whirlpool created by the small waterfall known as Polly Falls.

Two of the three firefighters made it out of the whirlpool alive, but Bruce Cormican did not have any neurological activity and was taken off of life support on Aug. 25, 1995.

I was able to put this together about four years ago and wanted to honor my brothers name and do the work that both of us had visions on and thought it would be a great legacy for him, Cormican said explaining that he and his brother had talked about creating a dive rescue team for the area before his death.

A huge part of what makes Bruces Legacy so successful is the equipment it uses, which also aids in increasing safety.

Bruces Legacy uses a side scan sonar on its boat to find points of interest for the team to explore. Once a point of interest is found, a remote operated vehicle is deployed to retrieve the person which removes the need to dive.

It is this expensive equipment that makes Bruces Legacy such a success, but also makes it hard for a non-profit to survive.

Most of our funding is directly from family and friends, Cormican said. Unfortunately we dont get a lot of donations.

Cormican also typically doesnt ask local governments to cover the costs. What Ive found in Wisconsin is everything is within a few hours. What happens if I tell them just pay for my fuel, then now they have to have an act of congress to pay for it. So I just made a rule a few years ago that anything in Wisconsin there is no charge.

If you would like to donate to Bruces Legacy or read updates about their most recent searches, go to www.bruceslegacy.com.
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The last court ordered date for Thomas J. Rohn of Ohio to bring his 1524 Clinton Road property up to codeAug. 1has come and gone.

The property in question, Money Creek Townships old schoolhouse, has been a safety hazard since a fire destroyed most of the building about 10 years ago. Rohn has owned the two uneven lots that the schoolhouse sits on for the last 10 to 12 years.

The Houston County District Court ruled that the county could raze and remove the structure if no corrections were to be made by Aug. 1.

After hearing Money Creek residents complain about the propertys safety and rodent issues last October, the board agreed to give Rohn 30 days to bring the property up to code starting Dec. 21, 2016. Rohn was served with Houston Countys Notice of Motion and Motion for Default on March 13.

We tried working with the present land owners, but there was little progress being made to bring the property up to code, said Houston County Environmental Services Director Rick Frank.

The property not only needs to be razed and cleaned, but an asbestos abatement, a well removal and the septic system removal will have to be performed by a general contractor if the county takes over the clean-up.

If we were to make the lots even, then someone could buy them at a later time and we could recoup our loss at that point, said Houston County Attorney Sam Jandt. The county does not have to do this though. The township or the municipal officials could do it.

Although the county is not ordered by law to take care of the building, the board has begun to look at estimates for the project. The countys general fund would be used to cover the projects costs.

Houston County Auditor Char Meiners suggested that if the inspections and the razing of the building take place in January the county could save money by putting the work in its March taxes.

Working through the winter could be hard, Frank said.

The board agreed to begin what could be a first step in the buildings removal, contacting general contractors to see if the work could be completed in the short time-frame as well as cost estimates.
The vehicle had traveled about 40 feet off the roadway near mile marker 128, coming to a rest by the tree line. The driver was found deceased in the vehicle. There were no other occupants.
What Richard Beilke lacked in blood relatives he made up for in family.

For more than a quarter century, Beilke, an Illinois transplant, owned and operated the Maid-Rite restaurant on Caledonia Street, a restaurant known as much for its loyal following as the food.

He knew just about everybody who walked through the door, said waitress Sandy Feyen. They were like his second family.

Beilke died Monday, less than nine months after closing the iconic North Side restaurant. He was 85.

Friends and customers describe Beilke as generous and trusting  almost to a fault.

He took care of everybody and anybody he could the best way he could, said Jeff Grant, who grew up working in a family business two doors down from the restaurant. There isnt anything Dick wouldnt have done for anyone if they asked him.

Customers who were short on cash got fed just the same.

Hed let them run a tab and pay when they could, Grant said.

Born in 1932, Beilke spent his first three years in an orphanage before Charles and Ruth Beilke adopted and raised him on their farm in northern Illinois. He tasted his first Maid-Rite in 1938, when a sandwich and malt cost a quarter and were considered a luxury.

Beilke enlisted in the Army in 1951 and served in Korea before returning to work as an electrician. He spent 34 years with Chrysler as an electrician and maintenance supervisor at a plant in Belvedere, Ill.

Though he never married, Beilke raised two sons, Michael Lanham and Scott Glass.

Glass said he was 13 and living on the streets of Rockford, Ill., when he met Beilke.

My family was in turmoil, he said. He took me in and raised me like his son.

After retiring in 1985, Beilke got the idea to open a Maid-Rite franchise, and in 1989 he purchased the Caledonia Street location, which had closed earlier that year.

Glass said Beilke was set financially and put his life savings into the restaurant.

Thats what he lived for, Glass said. He didnt do it for the money. He went broke. He did it for the camaraderie, the relationships.

With just six small booths and 15 stools, dining at the Maid-Rite was a social experience.

You cant have a place like this without a counter, Beilke said in 2003. You sit down next to a stranger and pretty soon theyre not a stranger anymore.

Mark Doolittle, 83, was a Maid-Rite regular since around the time it opened in 1947.

They had good food, good coffee, and always good conversation, said Doolittle, who ran a neighboring jewelry store and estimates he ate there about 1 times a day.

Sue Hofer got to know Beilke as a customer. In 1996, she agreed to fill in for a couple of weeks at the restaurant and ended up staying until it closed in 2016.

Hofer said the restaurant attracted people from all walks of life and all parts of the country.

People would come in from out of town to see him, she said. We would have to call him to come down to visit with people.

Beilke survived a robbery in 2004 and a fire that closed the business for a month in 2006. He continued working into his 80s despite debilitating arthritis. Hofer recalls Beilke fastidiously arranging the restaurants signature loose-meat sandwiches.

Everybody would sit there watching, she said. Hed have to put the pickles just so, and if they werent right hed have to re-arrange them.

Hofer said Beilke could have retired, but the restaurant  and its customers  were his life.

Ive made a lot of friends, Beilke said in 2008. They get to be like family.
Members of the Minnesota Supreme Court posed tough questions Monday to lawyers on both sides of the dispute between DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and the Republican-controlled Legislature over Daytons line-item vetoes.

Dayton had appealed a lower courts decision that said his move to cut spending for the House and Senate was unconstitutional and declared his vetoes null and void.

The wide-ranging questions from the justices brought up everything from the Federalist Papers to state and federal court cases. They came down to whether Dayton had the power to cut spending for another branch of government and whether the Legislature had any recourse short of taking the matter to court.

In response to a question from Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, Daytons attorney Sam Hanson, himself a former member of the high court, told the justices that the state Constitution clearly gives the governor power to line-item veto any spending without exception.

The powers that the governor asserted here were powers that hes had for over 100 years in that office, Hanson said.

Hanson called rhetoric from members of the Legislature that Dayton had tried to abolish the legislative branch over the top. He said Dayton was merely using the least disruptive alternative available to him to compel legislative leaders to reopen negotiations over items in the budget he disagreed with.

Members of the court, particularly Dayton appointees David Lillehaug and Natalie Hudson, pressed Doug Kelley, the attorney for the Legislature, on why legislative leaders adjourned their special session without waiting for Dayton to act on the bills they passed. The justices suggested that the legislators could have used their power to override the line-item vetoes had they stayed in session.

In response to a question from the court, Kelley said there was a big difference between a normal veto and what Dayton did.

When you veto the bill, when you veto the whole bill, both sides lose what they had in the bill, Kelley said. There are compromises. The governor had things he wanted, the Legislature had things it wanted.

Kelley contended that a Ramsey County judge had acted properly in ruling that Dayton abused his veto power in this case.

The arguments lasted more than an hour. Justice David Stras, whom President Trump has nominated for a seat on the federal appeals court, did not take part. In addition to the uncharted constitutional territory, the session was also historic in that it was the first such proceeding live-streamed by the court in what it says will now be standard practice.

The justices gave no indication of when they would rule.

Dayton and several legislators attended the hearing.

The core question here, which the supreme court I hope will answer, is, is my veto constitutional? I believe it clearly is, Dayton said.

Top lawmakers were similarly confident about their opposing position. But Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa, acknowledged that a ruling that overturns the district court would have consequences.

If they do rule in the governors favor, he suddenly has more power than hes ever had before, Gazelka said.

If they do rule in the governors favor, he suddenly has more power than hes ever had before. Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa
Minnesota conservation officials on Monday expanded bans on feeding deer after finding multiple captive deer infected with chronic wasting disease at farms in Crow Wing and Meeker counties.

The new feeding ban is in place until February 2019 for 11 central and north-central Minnesota counties surrounding those farms. A similar ban continues for five southeastern Minnesota counties, the state Department of Natural Resources said.

A deer feeding ban has been in place in Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, Mower and Winona counties since December and is in effect until June 2018.

Feeding bans in central and north-central Minnesota are precautionary, said Lou Cornicelli, the DNRs wildlife research manager, said in a statement. Wild deer in these areas are not know to have CWD. These feeding bans are a proactive step to keep CWD at bay.

CWD is a fatal brain disease to deer, elk and moose, but is not known to affect human health.

The central Minnesota counties affected by the ban are Kandiyohi; McCloud; Meeker; Stearns; Wright; and the portion of Renville County north of U.S. Highway 212. North-central Minnesota counties affected are Aitkin; Crow Wing; Morrison; the portion of Cass County south of Minnesota highways 34 and 200; and the portion of Mille Lacs County north of County Road 11.

As a precaution, the agency said it will be testing in those 11 counties to determine whether the disease may have spread from captive to wild deer. Samples will be collected from 5,400 deer harvested in permit areas immediately surrounding CWD-infected farms near Merrifield in Crow Wing County and Litchfield in Meeker County.

The feeding ban in southeastern Minnesota also includes fluids such as deer urine, blood and gland oil.

Feed is not just a pile of corn or grain, Cornicelli said. It includes salt and mineral blocks that many hunters use as well as fruits, vegetables, nuts, hay and other food that is capable of attracting or enticing deer.

Not feeding deer is a simple step citizens can take to help prevent the spread of disease, Cornicelli added. Although well-intentioned, feeding wildlife often does more harm than good.

People who feed birds or small mammals must do so in a manner that prevents access by deer or places the food at least six feet above the ground, the DNR noted.
Community members on Winona Area Public Schools facilities task force admit that closing schools is tough and complicated.

What they dont understand, though, is why the school board declined to pass either of the two facilities plans recommended by the task force, and why the board decided to pass its own plan  a plan that has been roundly criticized by the voters who will decide its fate.

What was suggested by the task force is nothing like what is being brought forward, Nicole Schossow, a task force member, told district officials at a meeting Monday. Im really struggling to support this.

In December, the task force  comprised of residents, district staff and school board members  offered the board two plans intended to consolidate the districts five elementary schools and ease the schools growing burden on the districts budget.

One recommendation was to expand Jefferson and Goodview elementary schools, while closing Madison, W-K and Rollingstone.

The other was to keep Jefferson, Goodview and W-K, while closing Madison and Rollingstone.

The board, however, passed its own plan in June. Board members voted 4-3 to keep Goodview, W-K and Rollingstone, while closing Jefferson and Madison.

Residents dont vote on the referendum until Nov. 7, but the plan has already received strong pushback.

At public hearings in late May, community members were strongly opposed to the idea of closing Madison and Jefferson, particularly the latter. They questioned the logic in closing the districts largest elementary school  in both the square footage of the building and the acreage of the property  while trying to squeeze roughly 500 students into an already cramped W-K.

Amanda Indra, who teaches in the Spanish Language Program at Madison, said even district staff are lukewarm, at best, on the plan.

Teachers are your biggest supporters, she said Monday. The teachers Ive talked to agree that we need fewer elementary schools, but they dont think these are the right buildings to close.

Added task force member John Schollmeier: The 4-3 vote by the school board tells me they werent unified on this, either.

But WAPS officials say they stand firmly behind the plan, and that community members might, too, if they could see things from the districts perspective.

Superintendent Rich Dahman said W-K is valuable for its position on the east end of town, and for its ability to sway east-end voters.

Rollingstone, according to Dahman, was kept as a small-school option and could easily be closed if money is tight in the future.

Kelly Halvorsen, the districts director of teaching and learning, also made a case against the task forces three-school plan, which included Jefferson, Goodview and W-K. This combination of schools, she said, would likely lead to enrollment issues for the lower elementary grades, causing the school board, once again, to address its facilities situation.

But task force members were not entirely convinced.

Indra, who lives in East Winona, said none of her neighbors feel passionate about having an elementary school in their neighborhood.

Id rather my child ride the bus for five or 10 minutes and go to a school where she can play in the grass, said Indra, referring to W-Ks lack of green space. (WAPS plans to purchase additional property near W-K if the referendum passes.)

Julie Heinrichs, a task force member, said its unwise for the district to take a wait-and-see approach with Rollingstone. According to her, the board should have closed it when it had the chance.

It seems inevitable that that school is going to close sometime soon, she said. We know how much the district is hurting, cutting special ed and the arts. It hurts to watch these budget cuts when a large sum of money could be saved by closing that school.

The facilities plan, if it comes to fruition, would save the district more than $1.1 million annually, sparing the district and its students from even deeper budget cuts.

Half the battle in getting the referendum passed, according to task force member Dennis Meyer, will be convincing the community that its voice was heard.

I feel the school district needs to move forward with something; for far too long, weve had nothing, he said. But the public perception is that the school board did its own thing, that they went against what we did. Thats going to be a real problem.
Winona

Friday

1:24 p.m.  A man reported a laptop and a pair of shoes missing from a house on the 500 block of Harriet Street.

10:28 p.m.  Kyle Thomas Nichols, 20, Kasson, and Kevin Dwane Lorton, 20, Bloomington, were cited for a loud party on the 300 block of Center Street.

Saturday

12:25 a.m.  Police responded to a burglar alarm at Freedom gas station down town, where the front door had been shattered, apparently by a propane tank.

1:59 a.m.  Charges of third-degree drunken driving and driving after revocation-inimical to public safety were referred against Robert Dustin Nelson, 33, Winona, after he was stopped for speeding near Broadway and Main Street.

3:05 a.m.  Charges of fourth-degree drunken driving were referred against Nicole Lynn Gilow, 24, Winona, after being stopped near Broadway and Main Street. Her blood-alcohol level was 0.15 percent.

11:52 a.m.  A man reported two windows broken in an apartment on the 500 block of Harriet Street.

1:39 p.m.  A woman reported a picket from the fence had been taken and shoved through a bike tire on the 450 block of West Broadway.

2:20 p.m.  A man reported a pink and black Mongoose bicycle missing.

3:09 p.m.  Amanda Kay Fast, 33, Winona, and Jacqueline Louise Klees, 66, Winona, were both cited for theft by shoplifting at Walmart.

5:35 p.m.  Cleveland Allen Brown, 21, Winona, was cited for theft by shoplifting at Shopko.

7:34 p.m.  A man reported a black, 15-speed mens bicycle missing from the 50 block of West Third Street.

Sunday

1:02 a.m.  Luke Steven Hendrickson, 24, Prior Lake, was cited for disorderly conduct after yelling and swearing at a clerk at the Mankato Ave. and Braodway Kwik Trip and pounding on the windows.

1:38 a.m.  A 17-year-old male was cited for underage consumption near King and Huff streets.

9:08 a.m.  A woman reported dents on the top of her car that looked like someone walked on it near the intersection of Broadway and Ewing Street.

3:27 p.m.  A man reported that his home on the 350 block of West Sanborn Street was entered through a broken screen and a PS4 console plus a controller were missing.

4:45 p.m.  Kevin John Peters, 56, Winona, was cited for theft at Arbys after allegedly taking two $50 bills while working there.

Winona County

Saturday

12:52 a.m.  Mathew Thomas Tuma, 20, Jordan, was cited for underage consumption and using a fake Minnesota ID after being stopped near Fourth and Winona streets.

11:07 p.m.  Charges of second-degree drunken driving and fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance were referred against Blayr Muguette Thompson, 21, Winona, after she was stopped for nearly hitting a deputys vehicle near the intersection of Main Street and Broadway. Her blood-alcohol level was registered at 0.20 percent and a trace amounts of a substance testing positive for cocaine was found in her purse at the jail.

Sunday

12:45  Derek Joshua McMahon, 18, Zimmerman, was cited for possession of a small amount of marijuana in a motor vehicle after being stopped for a suspended object near Walnut and Third streets.

2:35 a.m.  Charges of third-degree drunken driving were referred against Alexander Aaron Schrenk, 25, Winona, after being stopped for speeding near Broadway and Bierce Street. His blood-alcohol level was 0.17 percent.

5:30 p.m.  Noah Joe Carpenter, 29, Holmen, was cited for a small amount of marijuana in a motor vehicle after being stopped for speeding in near Main and Washington streets in Dakota.

6:34 p.m.  A Pennsylvania man reported that a hunting camera was taken from the woods near Rollingstone where he hunts. A different camera took pictures of a man taking it, which were given to area law enforcement.

10:44 p.m.  Deputies reported seeing the door of a storage building on Veterans Road in Dresbach shattered and determined the cause to be from a pellet or BB gun.
Winona

Monday

3:37 p.m.  Alyssa Kay Corey, 39, Winona, was cited on the 850 block of West Broadway for theft by shoplifting after Kwik Trip on South Baker was able to review tapes from earlier Monday morning and saw Corey removing batteries.

4:58 p.m.  Thomas Latodd Pepper, 26, Chicago, was cited for theft by shoplifting at Target.

Winona County

Monday

10:18 a.m.  A man reported that his Minnesota City business had garbage and other items illegally dumped on the property, and other bags dumped in the dumpster.
What would we do if there was a church in town that helped the poor, but taught black kids that, as Mormon founder Joseph Smith claimed, they are cursed by God because black skin is the mark of Cain?

What if a sect in town comforted the sick, but preached, like 19th century Southern Baptists, that God approves of slavery?

What if a religion today fed the hungry, but indoctrinated Jewish children to believe that, as some past priests taught, that God hates them because of the execution of Jesus?

Of course these are some hateful mistakes of our religious ancestors. Fortunately, enlightened and brave people came forward and challenged the hateful theology, which helped replace the hate with love and understanding. It is easy for us to see the mistakes of our ancestors, but very difficult for us to see the evil in our own mistakes.

Today, in Winona, we have some churches that help the poor, comfort the sick, and feed the hungry, but program self-hate into gay kids by teaching them that God considers the love they experience disordered. Their main Biblical proof is that God destroyed Sodom, not because they neglected the poor and needy as God stated (Ezekiel 16:49), but because some of the townspeople wanted to commit same-sex rape.

Condemning as disordered the love experienced by millions of humans is an insulting rejection of a main teaching of both Jesus and John, the young man Jesus loved (John 13:23). Love is sacred.

So what do we do about these churches and their immature moral theology? We go to them, give them money, avoid criticizing them, and enable them by making them tax-exempt, thereby encouraging the hate.

Must we tolerate gay kids having their dignity trampled on by those who believe this pleases God? Is hate acceptable here in Winona because it is being inflicted on kids by religious people?

Where are the brave Winonans who are willing to come forward in our time and do whatever is necessary to replace the veiled religious hate-which some tacitly promote-with love and understanding?

John Rupkey, Winona
Baraboo residents may be asked to vote on whether theyre willing to pay a special vehicle registration fee to fund local road repairs.

On Monday, the City Councils Public Safety Committee voted 3-0 to recommend holding a referendum on a proposed $20 wheel tax. That recommendation will go to the full council. If the measure passes, the referendum question could appear on Aprils election ballot.

The committee was cool to another proposal to generate revenue, a street light fee.

Wheel tax

City leaders have discussed for several months options to generate revenue needed to fund street work. In recent years, the city has borrowed less than a half-million dollars a year for street work. City leaders estimate theyd need to budget $2 million a year to keep up with repairs.

Charging an extra $20 on top of the $75 registration fee the state charges vehicle owners each year would generate $270,000. Municipalities across Wisconsin are enacting wheel taxes to compensate for diminishing state transportation aid.

But a bill introduced in the Legislature this summer would require municipalities to get voters permission  via referendum  before collecting such fees.

Alderman Phil Wedekind said the city should go ahead and put a $20 wheel tax to a vote.

If you tell people why and how we need this, I dont think youll have a problem, Wedekind added. Weve got to tell them why we need it and what were going to do with it.

Colleagues agreed, saying a referendum vote would give city leaders the input they need. Mayor Mike Palm sought feedback on the wheel tax through the city newsletter, and found opinions mixed. An unscientific online poll hosted by the Baraboo News Republic, Portage Daily Register and Beaver Dam Daily Citizen found 64 percent of respondents oppose wheel taxes.

Thats one way to get the question answered, Palm said of the proposed referendum.

Street lights

City leaders also have discussed other potential revenue generators, such as a half-cent sales tax permitted under state law for tourist areas. On Monday, the Public Safety Committee discussed establishing a street light utility. This body would issue quarterly bills for street light use, with the proceeds going toward street repair. The citys annual street lighting budget is about $135,000.

Aldermen expressed concern about overburdening taxpayers who already are paying for construction of a Public Safety Building and renovation of Baraboo High School. They opted to pursue only the wheel tax for now.

Thats just something well keep on the radar for the future, said City Engineer Tom Pinion.

City Administrator Ed Geick said a background study would be needed before the city could create a street light utility and collect fees. Theres a lot of preliminary work that needs to be done, he said.

The nearby village of Prairie du Sac enacted a street light fee in its 2017 budget, charging residents $2.13 per month and business owners $4.26 per month for an annual total of nearly $65,000.
A West Virginia man who was a former contractor in Iraq proposed setting up a meeting with Russians and the Trump campaign last year to discuss their "shared Christian values," raising new questions for investigators to explore as part of their Russia inquiry.

Current and former US intelligence and law enforcement officials, as well as other intelligence experts, say that Russians sought to employ covert tactics to find entry points into the Trump campaign. And more broadly, experts say, Russian intelligence services have sought to court conservative organizations, including religious groups, to build alliances in the United States.

It's unclear whether this attempted meeting amounted to such a tactic, or if it was simply an innocent request.

The Trump campaign appears to have rejected the meeting request -- and seemed to believe it was serious enough to suggest that the matter should be handled by the State Department, CNN has learned.

The West Virginia man, Rick Clay, told CNN Friday that he called one of then-candidate Donald Trump's top aides, Rick Dearborn, to pass along a request from a friend who wanted to set up a meeting with Russians and the Trump campaign.

Clay, 54, said his friend was a devout Christian who had come in contact with Russians through their work in Christian organizations. Clay could not recall the names of the Russians, and he did not disclose the name of his friend who sought the meeting, only saying he lives part of the year in Alaska and part of the year in Pennsylvania.

"The thought was if there was an opportunity there to get two sides together to talk about Christian values, then that's important," Clay said of a Russian meeting with senior-level Trump officials. "That was the gist of it, and it didn't go anywhere."

Dearborn, who is now the White House deputy chief of staff, did not act on the request and told Clay it was "inappropriate," saying such matters needed to go through the "proper channels" of the State Department, according to Clay.

At least one member of Congress was aware that Clay wanted to contact Dearborn about meeting with Russians: Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a West Virginia Republican.

Clay had told Capito about his desire to discuss the Russia matter with the campaign, a Republican source said, and she passed Clay's contact information along to Dearborn because of the role he played as a campaign liaison to GOP senators. The GOP source said that was the extent of Capito's involvement.

"Sen. Capito received a request from a constituent to pass along his contact information to the Trump campaign," a Capito spokesperson confirmed in a statement Thursday evening. "She did so and asked the campaign to follow up."

Clay said that he had been in contact with Dearborn before reaching out to Capito.

The matter burst into public view last week when CNN reported about an email turned over to multiple congressional committees as part of their classified investigations into Russia meddling in the election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.

According to sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Dearborn made brief mention in a 2016 email about an individual only identified as "WV," who wanted to connect the campaign with Russian President Vladimir Putin. One source said Dearborn suggested in the email he was skeptical of the meeting request.

Clay told CNN that the meeting request was not with Putin himself but with "lower level" people, though he did not specify whom.

The White House would not comment on or confirm Clay's account, or respond to questions about the Russian contacts with whom Clay was seeking to connect the campaign.

But the President's special counsel, Ty Cobb, told CNN that Dearborn has been "vindicated by the actual facts" and any suggestions that the senior White House aide did anything wrong amounted to "salacious speculation" by the media.

"The relevant congressional committees and special counsel are receiving full cooperation from the White House, and we are respecting their respective processes," said Cobb, who is handling the Russia investigations for the White House.

The Dearborn email was sent in June 2016, right around the time that Donald Trump Jr., Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner as well as then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, had privately met with Russians at Trump Tower after the younger Trump was promised dirt on the Clinton campaign and was informed of the Russian government's desire to aid his father's campaign.

Other Trump campaign officials also had contacts with other Russians during the campaign season and transition period, and campaign adviser George Papadopoulos repeatedly tried to set up meetings between high-level Trump officials and the upper ranks of the Russian leadership, CNN and The Washington Post have reported. The campaign did not act on Papadopoulos' request, a source told CNN.

The Dearborn email raised questions among intelligence officials about whether the requested meeting was part of an overall pattern of Russians trying to find new ways into the campaign.

Asked if he viewed this requested meeting as a Russian intelligence operation, Clay was skeptical but wasn't sure.

"I mean you never know about that," said Clay, who worked as a contractor during the Iraq war and was severely injured there. "I mean how can anybody ever know about that? You kind of look at people you know -- when you meet Russians and people come from other countries, and I travel all over the world. You try to trust them, and if you are dealing with someone from the government, or the Russian government or from another form of government, you got to be careful because you never know."

Clay added: "I think you would be stretching it to say it was an intelligence effort to infiltrate the Trump administration. I think you're stretching that. But, you never know."

Experts in Russian covert activity say that Russians have sought to build ties with conservative groups and religious organizations as part of an effort to build alliances with the United States.

Steve Hall, a retired CIA chief of Russian operations, said Russians have tried to "use right-wing religious parts of the American right to find common ground with Russian orthodoxy."

Hall said there has been a "long and torrid history" of cooperation of the Russian intelligence services and Russian religious institutions.

"The (Russian) church has always been willing to act as an enabler either by the intelligence services or the Kremlin itself," said Hall, who is also a CNN national security analyst.

Some of the Russian outreach focuses on gun rights and Christian causes -- bread-and-butter issues for American conservatives, but not a major part of Russia's political landscape.

Hall said the goal of the Russian intelligence services is to "focus on how are we going to penetrate the American political system."

But Clay said that it never crossed his mind such a meeting request was a Russian intelligence operation, saying he believed it was just an effort to bring both sides together to discuss shared Christian values.

"The context of the thing is this was before even the Russian collusion thing was even talked about," Clay said.

CNN's Marshall Cohen contributed to this report.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp is leaving the agency to become deputy administrator in a regional office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

During Stepp's six-year tenure at DNR, fines for environmental violations dwindled, and the EPA twice stepped in to spur department action after residents complained of problems like manure-contaminated drinking water.

Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican who appointed Stepp six years ago to instill a "chamber of commerce mentality" in the agency, said she used common sense while protecting the environment.

"Cathy is a strong, trusted reformer, who will serve the country well at the EPA," Walker said. "We will miss her optimism and energy at the DNR."

But conservationists said Stepp's DNR went too far to accommodate businesses.

"Of the seven DNR secretaries I have known, she clearly had the worst record in terms of standing up for protection of natural resources, whether it was water, air, or fish and wildlife," said George Meyer, a former DNR secretary who now directs the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.

"Under Secretary Stepp's watch, public health and the rights of future generations to clean and abundant water have been seriously eroded," said Kimberlee Wright, who directs Midwest Environmental Advocates, a public interest law firm that has mounted legal challenges to DNR pollution permitting.

"Stepp failed to defend the agency's public mission against special-interest attacks and in doing so shifted the costs and burdens of protecting public health and our natural heritage to the very citizens most at risk from lax enforcement of our most basic environmental laws," Wright said.

Under Stepp, the EPA called the department's DNR effort to control fine-particle air pollution a failure, and the state's nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau found the agency failed to enforce its own standards for industrial and municipal water pollution 94 percent of the time.

In an email to staff and a press release, Stepp cited a department reorganization and "the customer service ethic we watched flourish in our staff" as accomplishments.

"We assist people and businesses in understanding the law so they can proceed with their plans and not be delayed by bureaucracy," she said.

Stepp announced her move in a Tuesday morning email to DNR staff, saying: "The White House presented me with an opportunity I couldn't ignore."

Trump campaign and climate change

Stepp appeared on stage at two Trump rallies in Wisconsin, but later she said she didn't know he viewed climate change as a Chinese hoax.

At the time, she told the Wisconsin State Journal she hoped a President Trump would make "business-based decisions," relax "strangling" regulations and allow Wisconsin to work with polluters to find creative solutions.

In her email to DNR staff, Stepp said she looked forward to new challenges at the federal level.

"I'm excited about the possibility of bringing some of the reforms we've been able to put in place here in Wisconsin to the national stage," Stepp said. "There is so much to share about what we have all done together."

'Tremendous black mark'

Stepp was an outspoken critic of the agency before she became its chief. She has lamented that changing the DNR was difficult compared to the ease with which she could adjust staffing at a McDonald's she once managed.

In a 2016 interview, she claimed progress in what she called her primary mission of forcing the agency to provide better customer service. Stepp said she exhorted employees to address the public with a pleasant tone and a full willingness to explain.

"Some people misconstrued that, at least early on, to infer that it means something that it doesn't mean: saying yes to every question you are asked, granting every permit that's applied for," Stepp said in the interview.

While the audit bureau study covered a 10-year period extending before her tenure, some of the most serious problems were traced to job vacancy rates that grew worse under Stepp.

Similarly, 75 water program deficiencies the EPA cited in 2011 originated before Stepp's time, but her department missed a 2013 deadline for addressing them and many remain unresolved today.

When Barack Obama was president, the EPA twice intervened at Stepp's DNR in response to petitions from Wisconsin citizens and conservation groups over water pollution problems.

"That is a tremendous black mark on the legacy of her tenure here," said Meyer, the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation director. "That really illustrated how different her approach was from the past."

Meyer said Stepp's new job in Trump's EPA was a reward for her record of lax environmental enforcement in Wisconsin.

"What really worries me is that if the EPA is hiring people like Cathy Stepp, will it do that in our region, too?" Meyer said. "The EPA has provided such a valuable backstop in the past."

Trump has vowed to dismantle the EPA. His EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, has taken steps to delay or block more than 30 environmental rules, the New York Times has reported.

DNR decline

Full-time DNR staffing has declined since the 1990s, including cuts by Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle after the 2008 recession hit tax revenues.

Stepp said her record as a DNR critic gave her credibility to defend the agency's budget, but in 2015 Walker and the Republican-controlled Legislature cut scientists who researched climate change and environmental hazards from mining, saying such work wasn't needed.

Demands by elected officials prompted a reorganization that dispersed remaining research scientists, altered law enforcement in parks, and led to cuts in public education efforts such as the DNR's magazine and presence at the state fair.

Stepp said she'll start work in the EPA Region 7 office in Kansas City early next month. The region covers Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.

Stepp, 54, is a Wisconsin native who was highly critical of the DNR when she represented a Racine district in the state Senate from 2003 to 2007, and when she worked as a homebuilder.

DNR Deputy Secretary Kurt Thiede will become interim secretary on Aug. 31. Thiede, who holds a UW-Stevens Point degree in wildlife biology, served as a DNR land administrator, customer service supervisor and wildlife manager before Walker appointed him deputy secretary in 2015.
A handful of people showed up for a presentation from a firearms safety group in Reedburg.

Moms Demand Action member Jocelyn Miller hosted the event Aug. 24 at the local library in response to a fatal shooting in Loganville earlier this month. Timothy Herschberger, 14, died during a games of cops and robbers when his younger brother accidentally pulled the trigger on what was believed to be an unloaded rifle.

Miller said the turnout isnt surprising because gun discussions can be uncomfortable. Participants may fear protests or confrontations while others believe Moms Demand Action champions gun restrictions and bans.

She emphasized the nonprofit is only interested in safety education. Guns will never go away so its important to be prepared, she said.

Moms Demand Action compiles data on shooting incidents involving children, and so far there have been 181 cases this year, or an average of 23 per month, Miller said. There have been 5 in Wisconsin, including the Loganville accident.

Steps

Moms Demand Action touts the SMART mantra: Secure guns, model responsible behavior, ask about firearms, recognize the risk of teen suicide, and tell others. Miller said parents can lead by example by taking a training class and keeping guns and ammunition locked and out of reach. If children spend time at other homes, ask the parents if they exercise safety measures with their firearms.

If its too uncomfortable to ask, phrase it with other precautionary concerns, such as asking about allergies or pets, she noted.

Orie Eilertson of Merrimac doesnt mind talking candidly about firearms. He said he has two guns because he used to sport shoot.

I have 4 children and 9 grandchildren and they come over quite often, he said.

Miller emphasized the value of trigger locks, which prevent children from firing even if they get hold of a gun.

If that gun in Loganville had had a trigger lock that shooting wouldnt have happened, Miller said. Sad but true.

Suicide

Miller, a child psychologist, said shes seen more children turning to death as a solution to problems, but most youth dont understand the finality of suicide.

In her experience, children who use medications or other means are more likely to survive than if they use a gun, she said.

Adults should watch for warning signs, including changes in mood or behavior, talk of wanting to die, and frequent sadness, irritability or hopelessness. Sufferers may talk about others being better off without them.

That is not a normal thing for teens to say, Miller said. You cant brush that off.

The presentation was offered in conjunction with Reedsburg Area Concerned Citizens, which supports arts, education, the environment, farming, health care, social services, voting and rights.
It was a typical, cold January day in 2015 when Prairie du Sac resident Lory Seffrood answered a telephone call that would change her very existence.

Seffroods oldest daughter, who lives in Michigan, told her tragedy just struck their family: Seffroods middle daughter, Morgan Slaight, had shot herself and two of her three sons in the apartment the two sisters shared.

Nothing in the human experience can prepare you for a moment like that, Seffrood said. I heard her talking, but I couldnt wrap my head around it.

Seffrood said she recalls her knees buckling as she fell to the ground with the telephone still in her hand. Then slowly, the harsh reality of the situation came crashing down on her.

Statistics say that if you refer 10 people to get help, nine will live, Seffrood said. My daughter was the one-in-10 that didnt.

Slaights youngest son, who was six, died at the scene. Her other son, who was eight, survived the ordeal and is still recovering in a brain trauma center in Oklahoma, Seffrood said. Slaights youngest child resides with Seffrood and her family.

Slaight also survived the initial trauma, but died 11 days later. She was 28.

Morgan lived in the ICU for 11 days  I had 11 days with her and as a mother, it was an extraordinary gift, Seffrood said. Her sisters were able to say goodbye. Her youngest sister got to say, Thanks for being my hero.

It might be confusing to some to understand why her sister felt this way about Slaight after such terrible pain, but Slaight was deeply hurting in the years prior to her death.

Morgan was a fighter, Seffrood said. She had a history of methamphetamine use and was three years sober. But it left her with meth-induced delusional schizophrenia. She was able to leave an abusive relationship and she was rebuilding. She was sober and thriving.

Things began to turn for Slaight when, for unknown reasons, doctors began taking her off the medication helping her function. In addition, she was also prescribed the smoking cessation medication Chantix. Some of the known side effects of the drug include feeling anxious, depressed, restless, or irritable; seeing or hearing things that are not really there; and thoughts of hurting yourself or others, unusual moods or behavior.

Seffrood said Slaight did everything right.

She fought for three years to get her pills back, Seffrood said. She checked herself into an emergency room at a local hospital. She was released after a few days and told her not to hurt herself.

Slaight even checked herself into a hospital with a crisis intervention contract thinking shed be there for eight months. Instead, she was released a little more than a week later.

They took her off her medications and decided quitting smoking should be her number one priority, Seffrood said. To this day, I still cant understand why.

Left with the loss of her daughter and one grandson, Seffrood began looking for answers and support.

Seffrood eventually found Hope Sauk Prairie; a coalition of community stakeholders who were also searching for answers in the wake of a series of suicides in the Sauk Prairie School District.

We just put out there if anyone was interested in doing more to work on suicide prevention and at the first meeting, about 20 people showed up, said John Ramthun, another member of the coalition. We are just a group of people made up of law enforcement, business leaders, community members and teachers who want to help spread the message of hope and love and support those in crisis.

Each year Hope Sauk Prairie holds an event to raise awareness for suicide prevention and offer support and resources to the ones left behind. This years event will take place Sept. 24 from 1-3 p.m. in Meyer Oak Grove Park in Sauk City.

Seffrood said she will be there talking about the things to say and not say to someone who has just lost someone to suicide. Another individual, who survived an attempt at suicide, will talk about how they found hope. Pathways to Wellness will show art therapy techniques. A memorial tree will bear the names of those who have gone too soon and an honor roll will be said for each name.

Thats important because with a suicide everyone stops talking about them, Seffrood said. After losing Morgan I was part of a survivors e-mail thread and one of them told me Morgans name would be read aloud at an event they were having. I just cried because nobody was saying Morgans name.

In addition to the speakers, live music and a memorial tree, 751 pairs of shoes will be on display representing the lives lost to suicide over the past 10 years in Sauk, Columbia and Dane counties. Donations can be dropped off at the Sauk Prairie Chamber of Commerce, 6:8, River Hills Church or Pathways to Wellness now up through the week prior to the event. The type of shoe doesnt matter and anyone wishing to have their shoes returned to them can fill out a form to attach with their shoes. Remaining shoes will be donated to St. Vincent de Paul.

An exit by suicide shouldnt define a person; its one act. Its not all of who they were, Seffrood said. Morgan  she fought long and hard and she did it all on her own. In the end, she just didnt want to hurt anymore.
UW-Eau Claire awards scholarships

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire awarded the following area incoming freshmen scholarships for the 2017-18 academic year: Solomiya Kavyuk of Wisconsin Dells, and Tessa Nelson of Wisconsin Dells.

Fedewa named to deans list

Caleb Fedewa of Wisconsin Dells, a student in the Doctor of Chiropractic Program at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, has been named to the spring 2017 trimester deans list. To be eligible for the deans list, a student must achieve a minimum grade-point average of 3.50 in all studies for the respective term. The highest possible GPA is a 4.00.

Area students graduate

The following students received degrees this spring from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater: Kathryn Gnadt of Wisconsin Dells graduated with an Education Specialist in school psychology; and Nicole Warren of Wisconsin Dells graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in early childhood education. Students celebrated their achievements with friends and families at the commencement ceremonies on May 13.

Rohling named to deans list

Dakota Rohling of Wisconsin Dells has been named to the deans list at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for the spring 2017 semester.

Drew graduates from UW-River Falls

Amanda Drew of Oxford received a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science during spring commencement at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in May.

Williams graduates from UW-La Crosse

Jacob Williams of Lyndon Station received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in May. The 107th annual Spring Commencement was held May 14 at the La Crosse Center.

Braun named to deans list

Tyler Braun of Wisconsin Dells was named to the deans list with high honors at Milwaukee School of Engineering for the 2017 spring quarter.

UW-Platteville announces deans list

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville announces its deans list, honoring full-time students who earned high honors in the spring 2017 semester. Students from this area include Cassandra Sorensen of Wisconsin Dells, and Brooke VanBeek, Wisconsin Dells.
On Oct. 7, more than 100 riders will come together to enjoy a scenic tour of Wisconsin landscapes as part of annual Hitting the Road for Hospice, a fundraiser for Home Health United--Hospice. The ride also includes a poker run, raffle and a cookout provided by The Barn Restaurant in Baraboo. Motorcyclists, cars and trucks are all welcome.

Registration starts at 9 a.m. and the ride begins at 11 a.m. from The Barn Restaurant in Baraboo. Riders are invited for a cookout, raffle and prizes at The Barn Restaurant from 3 to 6 p.m.

Funds raised will specifically benefit Home Health Uniteds Camp GLOW. Camp GLOW (Giving Loved Ones Wings) is a grief support day camp for children ages of 6 to 14 and their family that have been affected by a loss of a loved one.

If you are interested in participating in this event or sponsorship opportunities, contact Jenn Clough at 608-567-9358 or visit Facebook event at https://m.facebook.com/events/670982209749424.
LEWISTON, Minn.  For the past 11 years, Lee the Horselogger has been traveling coast to coast in a horse-drawn wagon, grabbing attention from onlookers, curious locals and media.

But theres no hidden message, reason or attention-seeking goal involved, Lee said  its just what he wants to do.

Its life, Lee said. Its not an agenda.

Lee the Horselogger, as much an identity as he is willing to share, made his way through the Winona area this week, spotted on Hwy. 14 just outside of Lewiston, Minn., Tuesday afternoon.

Traveling with his three horses, Fey, Alice and Dink, Lee was on his way to Wyoming to visit his adoptive grandparents before making the trek up to Alaska.

Originally from Montana, Lees trips began on Aug. 9, 2006, when he made a horse-drawn voyage to visit a childhood sweetheart.

The duo spent time together in New York, but Lee decided he wanted to keep travelling. While that was not the life of his sweetheart, a man who grew up in the wild logging industry of Montana knew he didnt want to sit still for long.

Traveling in a metal and wooden wagon with a tarp, hay and an American flag, Lee makes his way down U.S. roads, stopping when he needs to for rest and hay. Since beginning his trips, Fey has walked across the U.S. three times, while Dink and Alice have done it twice.

And the traveling life isnt easy living.

Lee said it takes a tremendous amount of work and the tasks are tiring, but it does allow for him to meet interesting people and watch the terrain change. Traveling away from the Mississippi River into Lewiston, Minn., Lee said, he has enjoyed noting the difference in landscape and the subtle temperature changes as summer begins to turn into fall.

As for a final destination, Lee is enjoying the idea of Alaska and the lonesome quiet of a barely inhibited land  as long as he has his horses to take care of, the horselogger said he is home.
Alyssa White only had 30 days to prepare for a year living in Thailand.

The 17-year-old La Crosse Logan High School senior visited the Asian country last summer as part of a year-long Rotary Youth Exchange. The program, which sends area high school students to live with Rotary host families in other countries, had originally set her up for going to Turkey, but when the attempted coup and unrest broke out in the country last year, they had to switch plans at the last minute.

Scrambling to get a visa and other documentation ready, White said she didnt have a whole lot of time to learn about the country she was visiting. But once she got to Thailand, it was an incredible experience learning the culture and making connections with her host families and fellow students.

I went into the country blind, she said, and had no idea of the culture and the language. But everyone was super nice and really helpful.

Missy Plunkett, a junior at Onalaska High School will spend the next year in the Czech Republic after connecting with the exchange program. She said she became interested in becoming an exchange student after a family friend started hosting exchange students through a different exchange program.

Involved with her schools Rotary Interact club for students, Plunkett said she had shown interest in the exchange program since the eighth grade. She said shes excited for learning about a new country and recommended any student interested in learning about the world to check out the program.

Rotary will hold its annual informational meeting about the program at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Childrens Museum of La Crosse. Interviews for those interested in the program will be in early October, and was how White got connected to the program.

She said one of her teachers at Logan suggested she look into it, and after attending the informational meeting in 2015 went through the whole process. She left for Thailand in August 2016, returning to the U.S. this past July.

The first few months were a little rough she said, as she bounced between excitement for exploring the country and culture she was immersed in and missing friends and family she had back home. Around Christmas, she said she decided it was time to jump in headfirst, and spent the rest of the exchange making friends and learning.

Thailand was a lot different than she thought it would be, such as cultural norms of taking off shoes before entering a house.

The country is very religious, she said, and the Buddhist faith permeated everything from the education system to family life.

The school system was different as well, with classes structured more like college where students dont take the same subject every day. White said she made some of her best friends at the school and stays in contact with them and the host families she stayed with during her trip.

That was the biggest thing I took away from it, she said. I got a new family.

I went into the country blind and had no idea of the culture and the language. But everyone was super nice and really helpful. Alyssa White, Logan High School senior
Practicing medicine

A patient has just come in. His names Alan. His sister said hes an asthmatic and when he woke up, his chest was really tight and he couldn't breathe.

His oxygen saturations are dropping. He needs medical attention. Please can you assist?

Wits students in the Health Sciences can now practice lifesaving techniques and other medical procedures in the new simulation laboratory. Alan is SimMan3G, a high fidelity simulator.

Several simulated medical emergencies were set up for the Wits Students Physicians Society in July 2017. This society exposes medical students to specialist fields within internal medicine.

The undergraduate Physicians Society had heard of our new sim lab and contacted me to assist them in developing a complex patient scenario that will promote their society and benefit their learning, says Dr Hilary Thurling, simulation laboratory coordinator in the Centre for Health Sciences Education (CHSE) at Wits.

Thurling told students: This is your start on your road to developing clinical judgment in medicine. It really is a learning experience. He [SimMan3G] will respond. He will not die. Youve got to talk to him and treat him like hes an actual human being.

Students were exposed to four simulation stations including phlebotomy [an IV station to demonstrate drawing blood], airway intubation, oxygenation task training, and the high fidelity simulation asthma scenario with Alan the Asthmatic.

The important thing is that he [Alan] cant respond unless you actually implement a treatment. He can only improve on a drug if you verbalise that youre giving it. Equally, hes only going to give a blood pressure reading if you start the blood pressure machine, said Dr Stuart Pattinson, associate lecturer in the Unit for Undergraduate Medical Education in the School of Clinical Medicine, who operated Alan.

Thurling emphasises the importance of debriefing after a simulation. Debriefing is one of four best practices she describes in her PhD, awarded in July 2017, entitled: The Design and Development of a Programme for Simulation Best Practice in South African Nursing Education Institutions.

Other best practices include identifying learner objectives, integration of simulation into the curriculum, and the inclusion of deliberate practice.

Initially, students exposed to high fidelity simulation describe the medical experience as overwhelming  which is often how they experience their first actual patient interaction. Simulation is designed to be less traumatic than first clinical placements, as it provides a safe space for students to practice their skills, where a patient is not harmed.

The Physicians Society students confirmed in the post-simulation debriefing that they had learnt skills they could now more confidently apply in a clinical situation.

Thurling, who participated in the National League of Nurses Simulation Leaders Programme in 2015, has driven the introduction of simulation in the undergraduate nursing curriculum at Wits. Furthermore, she is introducing simulation to the undergraduate and postgraduate medical curricula, through training and raising awareness of simulation-based learning.

Her research found that, despite simulation being part of health care education for the last 40 years, there is resistance to embedding the education methodology in nursing and medical curricula. In South Africa presently, simulation is only being used in pockets at universities and nursing colleges, with no formal contextually relevant training programme in place - despite evidence that simulation improves students' outcomes and critical thinking.

Dr Dragan Mandic, senior clinical tutor in the Unit for Undergraduate Medical Education, ran the airway intubation station. He says his unit is struggling with the number of students. Simulation presents a possible solution.

The first time they get to Airways is the fifth or sixth year when we actually allow them to touch a patient [so] were trying something new here, he says.

The sim lab is available to disciplines across the Faculty of Health Sciences and to students. My thesis was nursing orientated but can be translated into all medical faculties, says Thurling, who encourages use of the sim lab.
Lawyers against Abuse is recruting

LvA seeks to appoint an Attorney on a full-time basis, based in Diepsloot, Johannesburg

Lawyers against Abuse (LvA) is an NGO based in Diepsloot, an informal settlement in the northern part of Johannesburg. They provide direct legal and psychosocial services to victims of gender-based violence (GBV), including sexual violence, domestic violence, and child abuse. LvA works closely with local state actors, including police officers, prosecutors, clerks, magistrates, and government health officials. LvA is also involved in empowerment-based community engagement initiatives school and community workshops.



LvA seeks to appoint an Attorney on a full-time basis, based in Diepsloot, Johannesburg.

Expected Start Date: As soon as possible

Salary: Negotiable, based on experience and qualifications



Responsibilities:

Providing direct legal services to clients, including assisting clients in obtaining protection orders and supporting clients through criminal cases including regular engagement with police officers, prosecutors and other court personnel to ensure the law is being applied accurately and effectively

Managing LvAs state actor accountability and capacity-building initiatives to address identified systemic gaps and shortcomings of local criminal justice system

Developing and leading local advocacy efforts in Diepsloot

Engaging with key community stakeholders to implement a coordinated response to GBV in Diepsloot

Engaging with broader NGO sector including other womens rights and human rights organisations

Writing reports and other documentation

Requirements:

LLB degree required

LLM in human rights or Social Science degree preferred

Minimum of two years experience in community-based work, working effectively with various stakeholders

Experience working with victims of GBV or other vulnerable populations

Strong understanding of womens rights and issues around GBV

Experience designing and leading advocacy campaigns

Prior experience working with state actors preferred

Fluency in isiZulu, Sepedi and/or Tshivenda

High levels of flexibility, strong leadership skills and a clear sense of purpose

An ability to find creative solutions to problems

Demonstrated ability to work efficiently, both individually and in a team

Analytical skills

Oral and written communication skills in English

Ability to exercise discretion and maintain the confidentiality required

Strong computer skills, especially with Microsoft Office suite

To apply, submit your CV and motivation letter to info@lva.org.za

Late applications will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

LvA reserves the right to not hire for this position should no suitable candidates apply.

To know more about Lawyers against Abuse, refer to www.lva.org.za
A species of toad believed to have been extinct for more than 30 years has been rediscovered in the Dracula Reserve region of Ecuador.

The distinctive Carchi Andean toad was found by an international team of British and Ecuadorean scientists after decades of no sightings.

A small population was discovered in the recently established Dracula Orchidology Reserve, named after the Dracula orchid prevalent there, in the north western Andes of Ecuador.

The last time a specimen of Carchi Andean toad (Rhaebo Colomai) was observed in Ecuador was in 1984 so it had been presumed extinct.

The expedition was carried out by scientists from the University of Wolverhampton, Londons Natural History Museum, University San Francisco de Quito USFQ (Ecuador) and the Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad INABIO (Ecuador).
Faculty and staff discuss W&M after Charlottesville

William & Mary faculty and staff packed the Campus Centers Little Theatre on Thursday morning to engage in a conversation about Charlottesville: how recent events there affected them and what plans are in place should something similar happen in Williamsburg.

On Aug. 11 and Aug. 12, several white supremacist hate groups, such as the KKK and neo-Nazis, converged on Charlottesville and the University of Virginia campus, inciting violence that led to tragedy, including the loss of three lives. In the aftermath of the violence, communities are coming together to attempt to understand what occurred, why it occurred and how to prevent it in the future.

Dania Matos, deputy chief diversity officer, organized the After Charlottesville event at W&M for people to share personal reactions and ask questions. More than 200 faculty, staff and administrators from throughout campus attended, with some people even having to stand in the hall due to the high turnout.

Policies and procedures

Several people asked questions about the universitys policies on external groups hosting events at W&M. Anne Arseneau, director of student leadership development, said the university has a Use of Campus Facilities Policy, which is posted on the William & Mary website. Students, faculty, staff and recognized student organizations can request to reserve space on campus through the W&M Scheduling Office, but external groups without a university sponsor cannot, Arseneau said. There are also several spaces on campus designated for spontaneous demonstrations, and those spaces are also only available to members of the W&M community. Outside of the academic year, external groups without a sponsor may make requests through Conference Services.

Provost Michael R. Halleran said three factors are taken into consideration when potentially controversial events are reviewed: safety, free speech and inclusion.

The university values free speech and is committed to protecting a persons right to express themselves on campus, Halleran said. He also added that not all forms of speech are protected.

We all know that free speech is not absolute. For example, you cannot in a crowded theatre yell, Fire! unless there is, in fact, a fire, he said. We need to be careful, but we also need to be firm that even if its permitted speech, meaning legal speech, that doesnt mean its acceptable. It doesnt mean its equal to other forms of speech. We should call hatred and bigotry what it is.

Cheesebro, who managed highly charged events with groups such as Westboro Baptist and the KKK when she was deputy police chief the University of Michigan, discussed the planning and training William & Mary Police and others around campus have done to prepare for potentially disruptive groups or events.

We really do have an extensive plan to deal with these sorts of things, said Cheesebro, adding that in cases of immediate threat, the campus community would receive information and instructions via the mass notification system, which includes text, email, website, social media and cell phone messaging.

When asked how members of the W&M community might safely voice their opposition to events on campus, Cheesebro requested that people respect the boundaries that police establish.

If youre in a situation and you want to come out because you want your voice heard, too, because youre not in agreement, we want to protect your right to do that, she said.

Cheesebro said that her department works closely with the City of Williamsburg and its police department, and they keep her well-informed about events in the area that may have an impact on campus. Williamsburg Police Chief Sean Dunn, who attended the discussion with Deputy Chief Andy Barker, agreed and added that both administrations are also in regular contact.

Its a great situation, a wonderful partnership and a wonderful working relationship, Dunn said. We are here to serve the W&M Police Department, the student population and all of you, so if theres anything at all we can do now or as we move forward, dont hesitate to reach out to us to let us know.

Everyday situations

While some of the faculty and staff who attended the discussion raised questions related to a Charlottesville-like scenario playing out in Williamsburg, others commented on everyday situations related to bias on the campus community, including equity concerns among staff and inappropriate statements or behavior among students.

Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler said that her team works to educate students from the moment they step onto campus. We have to be very clear about what we value and what we will and wont tolerate, and then we need to communicate those values regularly in small groups and large groups, she said.

Anyone who witnesses or is the victim of inappropriate behavior was encouraged to contact the Dean of Students or the Title IX and Compliance offices.

Roxie Patton, associate director of the Center for Student Diversity, also talked about the importance of all community members  no matter their race  playing a role in building a more unified community. Patton said she often hears from people of color on campus that they are exhausted trying to educate others on issues related to racism and bias.

People of color are burdened with this every day whether they want to be or not, said Patton. White people get the choice. We get the choice of whether or not we want to engage in that conversation.  Lets not expect every person of color to take every second out of their day exhausting themselves trying to educate people when theyre the ones being the most emotionally harmed by whats happening. We have to be willing to take that, and that may be uncomfortable to us but I think thats a huge part of our responsibility for the community we say we want to create here.

Joint effort

Matos and Chief Diversity Officer Chon Glover said that the Office of Diversity & Inclusion would host more events like the one on Thursday. Glover thanked everyone for attending and encouraged them to participate in the training and other opportunities already available through her office.

We dont want to wait until theres a tragedy for us to sit down and talk, she said.

Glover encouraged conversations outside of formal settings, as well.

William & Mary is not where we want to be; I will say that with regards to diversity and inclusion. We have been working really hard, and we will continue to work hard, but its not just our office that can do it, Glover said.

Weve got to do it together.




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During a 2015 talk at a management seminar in Florida, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp described the way she felt after she first assessed the department's strengths and weaknesses:

Oh my god, I wanted to crawl in a hole and not come out for about a week, Stepp said in a videotaped speech.

Before Gov. Scott Walker picked Stepp to run the DNR in 2011, the agency had gone through years of hiring freezes and job vacancies. Stepp said she inherited very overworked, burned out staff who were mad and frustrated and frankly werent real politically aligned with our new admin, most of them.

Two former DNR secretaries, Scott Hassett and George Meyer, have taken issue with Stepps statements in the speech. They said Stepp was incorrect about previous DNR management practices, and they said current and former DNR staff tell them morale under Stepp is worse than ever.

The seminar was sponsored by Denison Consulting, a company that advised Stepp on managing the agency. The Wisconsin State Journal transcribed her talk. Heres an excerpt:

 many of my employees have been with the agency since the early 80s, late 70s, during some of the Earth Day movements, and have very strong, personal passions of, frankly, an us-against-them mentality, (and its) difficult to channel that energy into being productive and into partnering with the private sector in order to have economic development and environmental protection at the same time. And thats why we needed Denisons help," Stepp said.

So I talked about my early perception of the DNR. Again, I was a home builder. I saw them as barricades, hurdles, (saying) Heres why you cant do something instead of Heres how you can, she said.

So turning our agency from being a prohibiting agency to a permitting agency, which is what I felt strongly we were supposed to be, has certainly been a tall challenge," she said.
Duke seeks to cancel plans for Lee AP1000s

29 August 2017

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Duke Energy has said it is seeking regulatory permission to cancel its plan to construct the William States Lee III nuclear power plant. Duke was issued with a licence in late 2016 to build and operate two AP1000 units at the site in South Carolina.

The company said on 25 August it is seeking approval from the North Carolina Utilities Commission to cancel the development of the project due to the recent bankruptcy of Toshiba Corporation's Westinghouse Electric subsidiary and "other market activity".

"Most notably, risks and uncertainties to initiating construction on the Lee nuclear project have become too great and cancellation of the project is the best option for customers," Duke said. The company said it will maintain the licence to construct a new nuclear power plant at the site in future, "if it is in the best interest of customers".

Duke, operator of 11 nuclear units in the Carolinas at six plant sites, noted: "Nuclear energy is a vital component of Duke Energy's generation portfolio now and in the future - providing reliable, carbon-free electricity to the Carolinas."

Duke submitted a combined construction and operation licence (COL) application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the proposed Lee plant at the end of 2007. The application is based on two Westinghouse AP1000 pressurized water reactors with a combined capacity of 2234 MWe at a greenfield site near Gaffney in Cherokee County.

The utility said in July 2013, when a delay in the site safety evaluation was announced, that it would maintain a target completion date for the new power plant proposal for some time in the 2020s.

In August 2016, the NRC completed its final safety evaluation report for Lee COL application. The regulator concluded there were no safety concerns that would inhibit a construction and operating license for the project.

The NRC issued Duke with a combined construction and operating licence for the Lee plant in last December. At that time the company said it had yet to decide whether or not to go ahead and construct the plant.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Fuel bank site inaugurated

29 August 2017

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The storage facility for a low-enriched uranium fuel bank was inaugurated today in a ceremony involving Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of Kazakhstana and Yukiya Amano, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The official name of the facility is IAEA LEU Bank Storage Facility. It is an 880 square metre high security warehouse at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan, and is owned and managed by the IAEA.

The fuel bank exists to provide a supplier of last resort to a country using nuclear power which for some reason is unable to obtain supplies of uranium from the normal commercial market. To use the bank a country would have to be in good standing regarding their Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations.

How the new facility looks - empty at present. (Image: NTI)

It will hold a reserve of 90 tonnes of enriched uranium, which the IAEA described as enough to power a large city for three years. It will be held in the form of gaseous uranium hexafluoride enriched to 4.95% uranium-235. IAEA already has funding and authority to purchase the uranium, and with the inauguration of the storage facility it will presumably do so shortly.

Each reactor design requires a specific design of fuel assembly so any fuel bank customer would still need to secure the right manufacturing service before usable nuclear fuel is made.

The uranium would also need to travel from storage at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Kazakhstan to a fuel manufacturing plant. Both Russia and China have signed agreements with the IAEA to guarantee safe and secure transit of uranium to and from the fuel bank.

Today, Amano said he was grateful to all donors, "whose generous financial contributions have made this project possible." The project has been funded by donations since being kick-started by American businessman Warren Buffet who pledged $50 million through the Nuclear Threat Initiative in September 2006, conditional on nations providing a further $100 million and the IAEA taking the necessary actions to approve the establishment of the reserve. The financial commitment target was met in March 2009 when Kuwait agreed to contribute $10 million to the project in addition to the US pledging $50 million, the European Union committing $32 million, the United Arab Emirates contributing $10 million and Norway committing $5 million.

How containers of LEU will be stored inside (Image: NTI)

The concept of a multilateral nuclear fuel bank has been under discussion for many years, and the IAEA convened an expert group to look at multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle in 2004. It recognised that providing assurance of nuclear fuel supply to countries that would voluntarily forego developing such technologies themselves would be a key element in limiting the spread of sensitive nuclear technologies and increasing non-proliferation assurances.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
10. Moscow is supposedly home to a secret metro underground, called Metro-2.

The city of Moscow in Russia operates one of the worlds fastest and most efficient transport systems, called the metro. However, a secret system known as the Metro-2 parallels the metro-1 system and was built during the time of Joseph Stalin. It is operated by the Ministry of Defence and Directorate of Special Programmes in Russia. Metro-2 is said to be a secret transport channel that links underground military bunkers - connecting the Federal Security Service headquarters with Kremlin. Three lines of the Metro-2 include the D6 line, the Vnukovo airport line, and Ismaylovo line.

9. The world's longest continuous railway can be found in Russia.

Russia is hailed as home to the worlds longest single railway, which is known as the Trans-Siberian. The railway is 9,200 kilometers long. It starts in Moscow and goes through seven time zones, ending at the port of Vladivostok. A non-stop journey from Moscow to Vladivostok takes 152 hours and an additional 27 minutes. The railway was built from 1891-1916 and goes through several cities such as Omsk, Perm, Chita, Krasnoyarsk, and Irkutsk among others.

8. It is home to the Volga, the longest river in all of Europe.

The Volga River is regarded as Europes longest river and the national river of Russia. It drains into the Caspian Sea and possesses some of the worlds largest reservoirs like the Saratov, Uglich, Ivankovo, and Volgograd reservoirs. The rivers that feed Volga River include rivers Oka, Sura, Kama, and Vetluga. Volga River flows through the large, heavily populated parts of Russia. The area covered by the river is approximately 1,350,000 square kilometers.

7. 70% of Russia is Siberia.

Geographically, Siberia covers more than half of Russia. Specifically, it covers 5.1 million km2 of Russia which is about 77% of its total area. Siberias topography varies from one geographic zone to the other. Some zones are grasslands, others are permafrost, and yet others are flat and swampy. Additionally, Siberia is surrounded by mountain ranges called the Altai Mountains, Ural Mountains, and Verhoyansk Range. Siberia is known for its extremely cold temperatures which get as low as -47 degrees celsius. Vegetation in Siberia is one of three kinds: tundra, taiga, and temperate forests.

6. And 77% of the russian population lives in European Russia.

Russia is the world's seventh most populated country after China, India, United States, Indonesia, Brazil, and Pakistan. Amongst the inhabitants of Russia, 77% live in a part of Russia commonly referred to as European Russia. Technically, Russia is located in Eurasia, which is made up of Europe and Russia. Around 25% of Russia is in Europe and 75% is in Asia. The population of Russia is 144 million people, 110 million of which are found in the European part of Eurasia. Furthermore, the two largest cities in Russia, namely Moscow and St. Petersburg, are also located in European Russia.

5. There are almost 9 men for every 1 woman.

There are approximately 10 million more women than men in Russia. The large difference is attributed to the huge number of men who died during World War II. Furthermore, statistics show that 25% of males in Russia die before attaining the age of 55. This statistics is made worse by the decline in new borns in Russia. Other theories for as to why men die early include risky habits such as smoking or heavy drinking.

4. The world's coldest city, Oymyakon, is located in Russia.

Oymyakon is the coldest village on Earth. It is also called the Pole of Cold. Oymyakon city has a population of only 500 inhabitants. It is located in Oymyakonsky District in Sakha republic, Russia. Temperatures in January are normally -50 degrees celsius and the lowest temperature ever recorded in the city is -71.2 degrees celsius. During such times nothing grows and mobile phones do not work. Interestingly, it is so cold that people have to keep their cars running all day long. The explanation for this is that cars may refuse to start if the engines are turned off.

3. Like Baikal, in Russia, is the world's deepest lake.

Lake Baikal is located south of Siberia. It is the worlds deepest lake, at 5,387 feet deep. The lake is surrounded by many hiking paths which are famously known as the Great Baikal Trail. There are also high, snow-capped mountains around the lake causing it to beam with the radiance of unmatched beauty. Lake Baikal is made up of 20% of the worlds unfrozen fresh water. The amount of water that it holds is much more than the amounts held by all the Great Lakes in North America. Lake Baikal is also the oldest lake in the world since it has been in existence for over 30 million years old.

2. The siege of Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) during WWII was the deadliest siege in history.

The siege of Leningrad took place in present day St. Petersburg. It occurred when the Nazis attacked the Soviet Union and a German Army besieged the city of Leningrad. The siege took place between 1941 and 1944, lasting 900 days. Hitlers strategy was to strangle and starve the city of food supplies until it surrendered to the Nazis. The siege was so horrific that the citizens had to be evacuated across Lake Ladoga which was ice cold and hazardous. The cities oil and coal supplies were exhausted and civilians suffered very cold temperatures. Food supplies ran out and people resorted to eating dogs, cats, horses, and rats. A total of one million civilians and 300,000 Soviet soldiers lost their lives during the siege.

1. Moscow has one of the world's highest concentration of billionaires.

According to Forbes, Moscow is inhabited by 60 billionaires whose combined net worth is $217.6 billion. The city is made up of more billionaires than any other city in the world. The number of billionaires has significantly increased from the year 2002 when the city had only five billionaires. Billionaires are usually attracted to cities which have favorable tax breaks, less expensive standard of living, and world-class restaurants and night clubs. The billionaires often flaunt their wealth through fashion and lavish lifestyles. Apart from Moscow, other cities of billionaires include New York, Hong Kong, and London.
People around the world often use the words bison and buffalo interchangeably, but the truth is, they are two completely different things. Buffalo and bison do share some similarities, like their large size and the fact that they both have horns. This article takes a closer look at the differences between these two animals, which are divided into four species: American bison, European bison, Cape buffalo, and water buffalo.

Bison

The European Bison

The European bison was considered extinct in the wild by 1919 due to overhunting practices, although reintroduction efforts have resulted in a wild or semi-wild population size of around 3,500 currently. The majority of these animals, the largest land mammal in Europe, can be found in Poland and Romania. The second largest population size inhabits state-owned forests in the Netherlands as well. Other countries with even smaller European bison populations include: France, Germany, Russia, Spain, the Czech Republic, the Ukraine, and Denmark. Today, this species is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.

The European bison lives in either mixed-sex or entirely male herds of between 8 and 13 individuals. This species may grow to between 6.9 and 11.5 feet in length and between 5.2 and 6.4 feet in height. Males weigh an average of 1,398 pounds while females weigh around 935 pounds.

The American Bison

It is the American bison that is commonly, and incorrectly, referred to as a buffalo. In fact, a traditional American-Western song famously includes the line, Give me a home, where the buffalo roam, to refer to the American bison. Interestingly, however, buffalo have never inhabited the Americas. This misnomer is believed to come from the fact that when early European settlers arrived to North America, they saw a resemblance between this animal and the buffalo. Another theory suggests that the word buffalo is derived from the Latin word bufalus, which means wild ox, another animal that closely resembles the bison. For example, French fur trappers in North America referred to this species as boeuf.

The American bison was nearly brought to extinction during the 19th century due to overhunting, like the European bison. Today, this species is considered near threatened by the IUCN. It grows to between 6.6 and 11.5 feet in length and may weigh anywhere from 794 to 2,178 pounds, depending on sex.

Differences Between The American And The European Bisons

The American and European bisons can be differentiated by a number of characteristics, including: height, hair, and horns. The European bisons have longer legs than the American, making them the slightly taller of the two. Additionally, the American bison grows thicker, slightly longer body hair than the European bison, which does have longer hair on its tail. The horns are also different; that of the European bison face forward.

Buffalo

The Cape Buffalo

The Cape buffalo, also known as the African buffalo, has a population size of around 900,000. It can be found throughout the areas of sub-Saharan Africa in both savannas and mountain forests. This species can reach between 3.3 and 5.6 feet at shoulder height and weighs between 600 and 2,200. The Cape buffalo found living in the forest are smaller than those living in the savannah. They have relatively short body hair and are easily recognized by their long, curved horns, which almost form a perfect loop.

The Water Buffalo

The water buffalo, also known as the wild Asian buffalo, has a population size of around 3,400 and is considered endangered by the IUCN. The vast majority of these animals currently live in India with smaller populations in Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, and Bhutan. This species reaches a height of roughly 5 to 6 feet at the shoulder and a weight of between 1,300 and 2,600 pounds. The water buffalo has short hair and long, curved horns. Its horns are different from those of the Cape buffalo as they do not form a complete loop.

Differences Between The Water And Cape Buffalos

The water and Cape buffalos have a number of physical differences in addition to the shape of their horns. The frontal forehead of the Cape buffalo is covered by a large, bone-like substance that extends from the bottom of its horns. Additionally, the Cape buffalo has a smaller, less splayed foot structure than the water buffalo, which has adapted to the harder surface that it lives upon.

Differences Between Bison And Buffalo

The differences between bison and buffalo involves more than simply the continent that they inhabit. These differences have largely evolved due to the different climates faced by each species. Bison are from the much colder climates of North America and Europe while the buffalo is found in the warmer climates of Asia and Africa, for instance.

If a bison and buffalo were standing side by side, the first most obvious and biggest difference between the two is the shoulder hump. Bison have a large, tall hump located squarely on top of its shoulders; this hump is absent in the buffalo species. The bison has evolved this hump over time in response to its habitat. The hump give this species a particularly powerful head, which allows it to push aside heavy snow drifts that occur during the cold North American and European winters. Generally, this hump is covered in fur. Additionally, the bison has longer facial hair along its lower jaw, making it appear to have a beard.

As previously mentioned, buffalo have long and curved horns, which are longest in the Cape buffalo. The bison, in contrast, does not have such long horns. Theirs are shorter and sharper, allowing them to fight against each other with their heads. The buffalo has a lighter coat of short fur, which allows water to roll off its back, whereas the bison has longer, thicker fur to keep it warm in the winters. In addition, bison are known to run faster and over longer distances than the buffalo, which is known as a relatively slow-moving animal that runs only if provoked by a predator for example. Finally, the less obvious difference between these two species is in their life expectancy. The bison has a life expectancy of anywhere from 13 to 21 years of age, while the buffalo lives a longer life of between 25 and 30 years on average.
The state capital of South Dakota is Pierre. It is one of the least populated state capitals in the United States. It is also where the county seat of Hughes County is located. In 1880s, the city was made the state capital because of its central position. It is located on the East of Missouri River, and the city is also known for Fort Pierre, which serves as a major tourist attraction.

History

In 1743, Louis Joseph de La Verendrye and Francois arrived at the present day Fort Pierre from Quebec on their expedition. They claimed the land for France and buried a metal plate on a hill on their journey. In 1832, Fort Pierre Chouteau was established as a trading post by Pierre Chouteau Jr. who was a fur trader. In 2017 Fort Pierre will be celebrating its bicentennial to mark 200 years of uninterrupted settlement at the confluence of Bad and Missouri Rivers. The city Pierre has been South Dakotas state capital since the state attained statehood in 1880.

Geography

The city of Pierre covers an area of 13.07 square miles, out of which 13.06 square miles being land and water covers an area of 0.01 square miles. The city of Pierre lies on the eastern part of Missouri River banks and it overlooks its stretch, which is a short distance from Lake Oahe. Lake Oahe is among the largest human-made lakes in the world, and it was created to control floods and to help in irrigation. Presently, the lake is a famous tourist and fishing destination.

Economy

Pierre is a major trading hub in central and South Dakota, and the economy of the city is supported by agriculture, government, and recreational services that are closely linked to the Missouri river. The retail businesses in Pierre cover an area with a radius of about 100 miles, and there are about 100,000 inhabitants within the radius. The nearby Sarpe and Oahe lakes which are a reservoir of river Missouri enable the business community of Pierre to enjoy low electric rates and abundant water supplies. The economy of the city depends mainly on the state government which is the largest employer, and its operations are mostly centered in the city. The biggest private employer in the city is St Marys hospital, which employs about 500 workers. Tourism and small business are the primary sources of jobs and income in the city.

Demographics

The population of Pierre stood at 13,856 as of 2016 census. Approximately 47.8% of the population are men while 52.5% are women. 89.2% of the population are high school graduates while 32.5% are college graduates, and 1.7% are attending college. The per capita income in Pierre is $28,801 while the median household income is $53,202. Approximately 11.6% of the population lives below poverty line

Transportation

River Cities Public Transit in Pierre provides public Transit, which is the primary means of transportation. A regional bus service is provided, and the locals have a shared taxi program. Pierre is among the only four state capitals in the US that are not served by an Interstate highway; the other states include Alaska, Delaware, Dover, Juneau, Missouri, and Jefferson. Pierre also is the only state capital in the country not served by any expressways and the closest Interstate highway is Interstate 90, which lies approximately 34 miles south of Pierre.
Do you recognise this vehicle? Police release images following attempted cash machine theft

This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Aug 29th, 2017

Images of a vehicle wanted in relation to the attempted theft of a cash machine have been released.

Last Thursday Wrexham.com reported that North Wales Police had issued an appeal for information after thieves attempted to steal a cash machine at a petrol station in the early hours of August 24th.

Officers were called to the garage on Mold Road Caergwrle at 1.41am following reports that four occupants of a white Nissan Navara car had tied a rope around the stand-alone cash machine and then attached the rope to the vehicle in an attempt to dislodge it.

They failed in their attempt to remove or break into the machine and drove off.

Images of a vehicle that police say is wanted in relation to the attempted theft have since been released.

Anyone with any sightings of the vehicle or has any further information should contact police on 101 quoting reference V128932.
Republican lawmakers writing the next state budget voted Monday to include a $639 million funding increase for Wisconsin schools  about $10 million less than the record amount Gov. Scott Walker proposed earlier this year.

The budget-writing committee also increased the household income limits for participation in the statewide private voucher school program.

The 2017-19 spending plan also sets up a timeline for a potential turnaround program for the Racine School District and limits the number of times a school district can ask voters to raise property taxes to pay for building projects and school operations.

The GOP plan allows school districts that spend less per student than the average to raise their property taxes, eliminates expiration dates for teacher and school administrator licenses and gives about $9 million to public and private schools to buy computers for ninth-graders.

Despite the increase in funding, which Democrats have long called for after years of cuts or no increase in state funding for schools, the proposals drew the ire of Democrats on the budget committee over the voucher provision, expansion of independent charter schools and the addition of state money for services at private schools.

How is it that we can continue to divert money to private schools? said Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh.

But Rep. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, said the Republican plan aims to allow parents, regardless of their household income, provide the best choice of school for their children.

Overall, Walker proposed $11.5 billion for schools, including the $649 million increase.

A spokesman for budget committee co-chairwoman Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, said the Joint Finance Committee reduced the increase to $639 million because of reductions to funding proposed by Walker for rural school districts and for schools in the Milwaukee School District that meet academic achievement goals.

Walker in a statement thanked the committee for its actions after the package was approved 12-4, with all Republicans voting for and all Democrats voting against.

Officials supportive

School district administrators and board members have hailed the thrust of the governors budget proposal: a provision that would increase the $250 school districts currently receive per student by $200 in the 2017-18 school year and another $204 in the 2018-19 school year.

The per-pupil amount is delivered to schools regardless of how much the districts get in other forms of state aid or can raise from local taxpayers. The bulk of state aid is determined by a complex formula that takes into account student population, the wealth of a school district and numerous other factors.

However, school officials also are starting the next school year without knowing for sure what type of state aid increase they might see because lawmakers are so late in passing a budget, which was due July 1.

Darling said lawmakers in the Assembly and Senate will vote on the full budget during the week of Sept. 14.

The plan

The Republican-authored plan eliminates a provision in Walkers proposal that ties new school funding to whether a districts staff pays at least 12 percent of their health care costs. Instead, lawmakers have proposed to require districts to submit a report on their health care plans to the state Department of Administration, which will forward the reports to the budget committee.

About $18 million in funding for rural schools proposed by Walker was eliminated in the GOP plan, as well as about $3.4 million for the Milwaukee School District.

Meanwhile, the proposal requires school districts to call for any referendum during a regularly scheduled election and only twice a year. School districts also would be prohibited in 2018 from exceeding their state-imposed limits on raising revenue to pay for energy efficiency projects. Walker had proposed eliminating the revenue limit exemption altogether.

The plan also allows school districts that spend less than $10,000 per student because of those state-imposed caps to raise property taxes to increase their per-student spending to $9,800 by 2022. School districts also would get $1.6 million over two years to help pay for special education services that are more costly than others.

Income limits

The committee also voted to raise the income limits for the statewide private voucher program to 220 percent of the federal poverty level. Under the new limits, a family of four with a combined income of $53,826 would be eligible to receive a voucher.

Currently, the program is limited to families who earn a combined income of 185 percent of the federal poverty level, or $45,263 for a family of four. The voucher program aims to provide taxpayer-funded vouchers to students to attend a private school in areas outside of Milwaukee and Racine.

Currently, school districts state funding is reduced by each student that leaves the district schools for a private voucher school. The districts are able to count that student when reporting enrollment figures to determine state funding, however.

The GOP plan also eliminates some enrollment rules for the states voucher programs, which limit enrollment to students in certain grades and authorizes a state charter school office to create charter schools statewide without the approval of local school boards. Currently, the office is limited to creating the schools in Madison and Milwaukee.
A Russian liquefied natural gas tanker completed its maiden voyage through the waters of the Arctic Sea last week without the use of an icebreaker, ushering in a new step in the exploitation of the dramatically warming polar region.

The specially constructed 300-meter tanker Christophe de Margerie became the first tanker to complete the Northern Sea Route voyage unassisted. The ship sailed from Norway to South Korea in just 19 days, 30 percent faster than the usual route through the Suez Canal. The Northern Sea Route tracks the northern coast of Siberia, which may provide an efficient alternative for trade between northern Europe and east Asia as climatic conditions change.

And those conditions are changing rapidly. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the global average. As a result, both the extent and volume of sea ice is decreasing. The area of the Arctic Sea covered by ice in September has fallen by half compared to the average of recent decades. Likewise the average thickness of what remains has declined by 1.8 meters.

Scientists expect these observed trends to continue and even accelerate. Some scenarios envision largely ice-free polar seas during summertime as soon as the 2030s. While ice will continue to lock up the waterways during winter, the length of shipping seasons will grow. By the end of the century most of the Arctic may be open water half the year or longer.

The retreating ice is not only expected to open up shipping lanes, but also unlock more areas for oil and gas drilling. The Arctic holds perhaps an eighth of the worlds undiscovered oil reserves and up to a third of its gas reserves.

The voyage completed last week coincides with the development of the massive South-Tambeyskoye natural gasfield in northern Siberia. The field holds an estimated 926 billion cubic meters of untapped gas. Russian natural gas giant Novatek and major Chinese and French firms have formed a joint venture to extract, liquefy and transport up to 16.5 million tons of the liquefied gas each year.

The Christophe de Margerie is the first of 15 tankers planned to haul the massive payloads to markets in Europe and Asia. The new fleet will have reinforced hulls capable of cutting through two meters of ice. With the decreasing thickness of the sea ice, the ships are expected to operate nearly year-round on portions of the Arctic Sea.

The prospects for Arctic oil and gas development and open sailing are not limited to the Northern Sea Route and Russia. The Northwest Passage through the Canadian archipelago has seen a significant growth this decade in commercial and tourist activity, including a 1,600-passenger luxury cruise ship this summer making its second excursion along the Passage.

The warming temperatures and declining sea ice have brought with them intensified conflict over claims of sovereignty and expansion of military activity. The United States, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Russia all claim significant tracts of the Arctic, much of which is disputed. The US insists the shipping lanes are international passages, and a December 2016 Department of Defense Arctic strategy report highlighted the necessity to conduct Freedom of Navigation operations to challenge excessive maritime claims when and where necessary.

The US Air Forces Alaska Command in May led the most recent joint military exercise with 6,000 personnel, 200 aircraft and several ships to simulate combat in the Arctic. Russia recently reorganized its Arctic Command and renovated Cold War-era Arctic bases.

Yet even as competition in the Arctic heats up, the variability of the weather has kept the risk high and reliability low. While container ships, oil tankers and cruise ships are now all active in the Arctic, the traffic relative to southern routes remains minute. Ice blockages during summer months are common. Ice flows and melting vary significantly from year to year and month to month. Shipping companies with regular schedules and tight deadlines are in no rush to reroute vessels north, a situation that analysts predict will persist for some time.

Compounding the extreme weather risk is a lack of infrastructure, which could prove catastrophic when disasters strike. Much of the Arctic is still poorly charted, with distances of hundreds of kilometers between ports, putting ships many days away from help if they encounter difficulty. Groundings or collisions could result in ships sinking or spilling its cargo. The danger is far from theoretical. In December of 2015, a Russian tanker carrying 200,000 gallons of oil ran aground in the North Pacific. The most well-known oil spill in the northern latitudes, the Exxon Valdez spill of 11 million gallons, is still impacting the Alaskan environment more than a quarter century later.
Manitoba MP Niki Ashton is being portrayed as the left, even socialist, candidate in the race to succeed Thomas Mulcair as leader of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP). The chief role in perpetrating this fraud is being played by Canadas pseudo-left groups, which have rushed to anoint Ashton as Canadas Jeremy Corbyn, in reference to the left-talking leader of Britains Labour Party.

Pseudo-left groups like Fightback and the NDPs anemic Socialist Caucus are maintaining a conspicuous silence on Ashtons attitude toward Canadian imperialisms involvement in wars of aggression around the world. This is because an honest examination of her political record shows that Ashton, like the NDP as a whole, supports the waging of war to uphold the interests of Canadian big business.

In 2011, Ashton twice joined with her NDP colleagues, including current leadership rival Charlie Angus, in voting to support NATOs bombardment of Libya, which led to the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, the lynch-mob murder of Muammar Gaddafi, and plunged the North African country into a brutal civil war that continues to this day. In a moment of candour, Canadian Armed Forces officers acknowledged that Canada and its NATO allies functioned as Al Qaidas air force in Libyai.e., worked with Islamist militia, dissident members of the Gaddafi regime and various long-time CIA assets.

The first vote came in March 2011, when the NDP joined with the Liberals and Bloc Quebecois in unanimously backing a Harper Conservative government resolution mandating the deployment of CF-18 fighter jets to wage war in Libya. The Greens, then not represented in parliament, meanwhile issued a statement of support, declaring the Gaddafi regime must "not be able to outlast the current UN intervention."

The NDP played a critical role in providing humanitarian garb for what was from the outset a US-led regime change operation aimed at bolstering imperialism in North Africa, which had been shaken by the overthrow of longstanding US-backed dictatorships in Egypt and Tunisia. Invoking the liberal imperialist Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrinewhich Canada and then Liberal leader and prominent Iraq war enthusiast Michel Ignatieff had played a major role in formulating in the early 2000sthe NDP justified its support for the NATO intervention in Libya with the lurid, never substantiated, claim that this was the only way to prevent Gaddafi from massacring the population of Benghazi.

The NDP and Ashtons second vote in favour of the bombardment of Libya came three months later, in June, when the character of the intervention as a deliberate act of aggression to topple the Gaddafi regime had been spelt out in blood. By then, a Canadian general had taken command of the NATO war in Libya, where Canadian aircraft would fly some 1,500 sorties by the end of the intervention in October. On this occasion, there was a single dissenting votebut not from Ashton or any other member of the now more than 100-strong NDP caucus, but from the Greens Elizabeth May.

In none of the laudatory interviews published by the pseudo-left Fightback and International Socialist groups, and in Jacobin magazine, do the interviewers dare to ask Ashton about this episode. The only time it has even been alluded to was in a private conversation between radical journalist Yves Engler and Ashtona conversation that Engler later reported on his blog.

Engler wrote, I asked Niki Ashton whether she voted in favour of bombing Libya. The NDP leadership candidate said she and a few other MPs sought to dissuade then leader Jack Layton from supporting the NATO war. Failing to convince him, Ashton said she couldnt remember if she voted Yes on Libya.

This is a transparent lie. By pleading political amnesia, Ashton clearly was seeking to bolster her very modest left credentials under conditions where widespread popular opposition exists to Canadas involvement in brutal US-led military interventions around the world, from its participation in the 1999 NATO war on Yugoslavia to its leading role in enforcing the neocolonial occupation of Afghanistan, the onslaught on Libya, and the current US war in Iraq and Syria.

The World Socialist Web Site doesnt believe for a moment Ashtons claim of a memory lapse. But, for the sake of argument, what if she were telling the truth and cannot remember how she voted, on two separate occasions and three months apart, on the Libya warand under conditions where every other NDP parliamentarian lined up with the Conservative government in support of war?

It would be difficult to imagine a more telling admission of Ashtons lack of political seriousness.

The question of support or opposition to imperialist war puts all political tendencies to the test and reveals where their true class interests lie. Moreover, as twice before in the last century, the crisis of capitalism is leading to a massive intensification of great power and imperialist conflictin which Canadian imperialism is playing a major roleplacing the struggle against war at the very center of the struggle for socialism.

If Ashton genuinely tried to persuade Layton to oppose Canadas participation in the Libya war, why did she not raise this issue publicly? Why are there no press accounts of any debates within the NDP caucus, never mind on the floor of the House of Commons? Why did she, or her alleged supporters within the NDP, not call for public demonstrations to oppose the conflict? And why, if her parliamentary colleagues refused to listen to her, did she not take a principled stand and vote in the House of Commons against the dropping of Canadian bombs on Libyas towns and cities?

The answers to these questions are all too obvious. Ashton, a member of the NDP establishment who has served in parliament for close to a decade, is not opposed in principle to Canada deploying its military might around the world to uphold the interests of the corporate elite. She has no intention of mobilizing popular opposition against war, or any other of the pressing issues arising out of the deepening capitalist crisis, such as rising social inequality, attacks on democratic rights, and the persecution of refugees. Instead, she seeks to use left-sounding rhetoric, which is amplified by her pseudo-left cheerleaders, to dupe workers into believing that the NDP can be made to stand up and fight for their interests.

This is precisely the role Corbyn has played in Britain. Since becoming Labour leader on the basis of left and even socialist rhetoric, he has capitulated time and again to the partys right wing, including by allowing them to vote in favour of war in Syria and the retention of nuclear weapons. It was also the role played in the US by Bernie Sanders, with whom Ashton campaigned and who she regularly cites as an inspiration. After attracting millions of voters with his claim to be a socialist, Sanders threw his weight behind the preferred candidate of Wall Street and the military in last years election, Hillary Clinton.

To give Ashton her due, her vote in favour of the Libyan war was not chiefly a personal failing. She is a member of a political party that has loyally endorsed every military adventure in which Canada has been involved for the past two decades. The NDP embraced the fraudulent humanitarian pretext used by the Liberals and Conservatives to legitimize the bombing of Belgrade, backed Canadas role in the neocolonial occupation of Afghanistan and even agreed in 2008 to form a coalition government with the Liberals on a pledge to wage war in that impoverished Central Asian country for a further three years.

The NDP gave its tacit approval to the US-led military deployment to Haiti to oust its elected president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and has echoed the anti-Russia agitation of successive Conservative and Liberal governments that has led to the stationing of 450 Canadian troops on Russias border and a mission to train the Ukrainian army.

Workers and young people seeking genuine opposition to the growing war danger, exemplified by the Trudeau governments pledge to support the Trump administration as it issues reckless threats against North Korea, will not find it in the NDP. Only by breaking decisively from any illusions in this pro-war, pro-capitalist party and turning to the building of a new anti-war movement based on an internationalist and socialist program can the fight against war, and the capitalist system which gives rise to it, be conducted.
Tests on the fire resistance of aluminium cladding systems in England currently suggest that at least 228 high-rise buildings, over 18 metres in height, are potential death traps.

The tests, carried out on behalf of the British government by the British Research Establishment (BRE), are the latest in a hastily arranged series following the catastrophic June 14 fire at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington, London, which killed at least 80 people.

The tests involved a large-scale test fire on an aluminium composite material (ACM) filled with retardant polyethylene installed with phenolic foam board insulation. Twenty-two buildings are known to use this specific type of cladding, adding to the 206 buildings clad with ACM using differing types of filler and insulation. So far, of systems installed, only those with fire retardant ACM and mineral wool insulation have passed the tests.

No complete list of the buildings involved has been publicly provided, but all are likely residential tower blocks, each housing hundreds of working people and run either by housing associations or local authorities. The government is reported as having informed the buildings owners and recommended remedial measures. If the experience of evacuated residents in Londons Chalcots Estate is a guide, emergency measures amounted to improving fire doors and installing fire stopping measures between flats and floors, and unblocking stairwell ventilation. An unknown number of low-rise and private sector buildings may use the same dangerous combinations of materials.

The current set of tests is the second conducted on ACM cladding. In the days following the disaster, Conservative Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid offered free testing of ACM samples to landlords. Initially as many as 530 buildings were thought to have ACM cladding, but early investigations reduced the number to 259, including 240 public sector residential blocks. Landlords were encouraged to submit two 250 x 250 mm ACM samples for testing by the BRE. Of samples eventually submitted, all failed. The test that generated the extraordinary 100 percent failure rate was authenticated as sound by the Sweden Research Institute.

In July, Javid told Parliament that thus far only the core of the ACM panel was being tested. In response, housing authorities and fire safety commentators demanded supposedly more representative test methods in which a mock-up of a full cladding installation, including the ACM panel, the insulation and fire stopping, should be used. Concerns were raised that potentially safe systems were in danger of being removed from buildings.

Hoping, no doubt, for a meaningful reduction in the number of dangerous buildings, Javid called for the new tests, of which six of seven have now been completed by the BRE. But only 13 of 241 buildings covered by the more realistic test have passed, arguably a more devastating outcome than the initial tests, and exposing a regulatory collapse of unprecedented proportions.

Every single one of the cladding systems now being exposed as deadly had previously been signed off as safe. How can this be?

Responsibility lies with all the major political parties, and successive governments, who over the last three decades have embraced deregulation and privatisation and the subordination of public health and safety to private profit. There are many aspects of this revealed by Grenfell.

In England now, following years of erosion, there is no unified regime of building inspection run by local authorities retaining any degree of independence from the building companies. Nor is there an arm of government tasked with overseeing building standards.

Rather, building contractors themselves can hire an Approved Inspector, whose job is not to ensure adherence to a strict set of prescriptive standards but to follow looser functional guidelines assumed to be needed for building safety. A host of private and semi-private organisations, such as the Building Control Alliance (BCA), have sprung up to exploit the regulatory vagueness and loopholes regarding the materials that can be used in any given set of circumstances.

The BCA advised on three mechanisms whereby a cladding system could be approved, in line with building regulations which stated that external insulation should be of limited combustibility, defined as A2. Option 1 stipulated that all the component materials could simply be of A2 combustibility resistance or better. Option 2 proposed a fire test be set up, that could include inferior products, but if the fire test was deemed safe all was well. Option 3, clearly the easiest, involved a desktop study where cladding materials could be deemed safe without any tests and without any specified combustibility standards merely on the basis of considering similar scenarios. No records of these studies were required to be kept.

Even more reckless were guidelines issued, now withdrawn, by the National House Building Council (NHBC), another private body, closely tied to the building industry, which issues insurance to house builders and offers building inspection advice. According to the BBC, the NHBC simply decided that sub-A2 materials were acceptable based on a review of a significant quantity of data from a range of tests and desktop assessments.

Perhaps most seriously, the BRE, the organisation most directly responsible for fire testing and providing fire safety advice, has itself been compromised. The BRE was established in 1921 as an arm of the civil service tasked with improving house quality. Over the years, the organisation established itself as a reputable, state-funded source of building and fire safety advice, with a degree of independence from the building materials and construction companies. Privatised in 1997, the BRE has subsequently sought to establish itself as a global brand for sale of fire safety advice, drawing in revenue from the very organisations whose products and operations it should be policing.

In 2016, the BRE issued a report, External Fire Spread, following studies commissioned by Javids Department of Communities and Local Government into the dangers of cladding fires.

The report, clearly intended to silence growing alarm, is cynical and complacent. The authors complained that high-rise flat fires are visually impressive, high-profile and attract media attention. To avoid the fuss, unsuitable cladding materials should be dealt with as part of the fire safety risk assessment carried out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 [12] ...

This order, passed under the Labour government of Tony Blair, removed fire safety responsibly from the Fire Service and allowed anyone to set themselves up as a fire risk assessor, regardless of skills, experience or qualifications. In 2010, fire assessor Carl Stokes won the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chealsea fire assessment contract, including Grenfell Tower, by undercutting rivals Salvus Consulting. Stokes was praised at the time for his willingness to challenge the Fire Brigade  if he considered their requirements to be excessive.

Part one of the BRE report concludes with the assertion: With the exception of one or two unfortunate but rare cases, there is currently no evidence from these investigations to suggest that the current recommendations, to limit vertical fire spread up the exterior of high-rise buildings, are failing in their purpose.
The indictment on August 25 of Frances top anti-drug police officer casts a sharp light on the police forces, who have had virtually unchecked powers since the imposition of the state of emergency by the Socialist Party (PS) government of former President Francois Hollande in November 2015.

Francois Thierrythe former head of the Central Office for the Repression of Illicit Drug Trafficking (OCRTIS), already placed in preventive detention this March in the context of an investigation of the General Inspection of the National Police (IGPN)was indicted on charges of complicity in the holding, transport, and acquisition of narcotics and complicity in the exportation of narcotics in an organized gang.

Thierry was nonetheless left at liberty by the investigating magistrates overseeing the case. He will remain in service at the Anti-terrorist Sub-Directorate (SDAT) of the judicial police, where he was sent in May 2016 after one of his former informants accused him of drug trafficking. According to press reports, Thierry still has the confidence and support of his superiors in the anti-terror police. He is, however, facing three different judicial investigations.

The Paris prosecutors office indicted him after a two-year investigation, triggered when the National Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigations (DNRED) seized seven tons of cannabis resin, on October 17, 2015. These were located in several vans parked on Boulevard Exelmans in the wealthy 16th district of Paris, just outside the luxury apartment of Sofiane Hambli, one of Europes main drug traffickers.

This shipment was, according to Liberation, part of a convoy transporting 40 tons of cannabis that was split up between Venissieux, Mulhouse, Nantes and Paris and traveling under the control of the OCRTIS, which responded by accusing customs officials of torpedoing one of their operations.

In this matter, Hambli functioned as one of the principal informants of the anti-narcotics police. According to Le Figaro, At age 42, he is seen as one of the key figures importing drugs to Europe, but also as one of the most important informants ever to have worked with the drugs office.

In May 2016, in article titled Revelations on state trafficking, Liberation accused the OCRTIS outright of organizing drug trafficking in France itself. The investigation that led to the current indictment is concentrated on the methods used by the OCRTIS leadership that are now being denounced by the judicial machine, that is to say the close collaboration between anti-drugs police and the major drug traffickers.

For a long time, such special methods were hailed as particularly effective in the struggle against drug abuse, and police and the media presented Thierry as a past master of these methods.

According to an August 23 article in Liberation, Hambli helped police with the identification of several dozen high-level criminals, the arrest of around 100 people, and even the transmission of information regarding radicalized Islamists.

Thierry is accused of having overseen deliveries under surveillance operations, ostensibly aimed at infiltrating drug trafficking circles, that above all allowed Hambli to eliminate his competitors on the French illegal drug market. This allowed him, according to Liberation, to set himself up as Frances biggest trafficker thanks to the protection of the former head of French counter-narcotics.

?The judges are not accusing Thierry of having used these methods for personal enrichment, but of not having informed the legal system of the enormous quantities of drugs that were being delivered in these operations. Thierry insists that the relevant judges were always completely informed.

The Thierry affair is not the only one to have shaken French law enforcement in recent months. In May 2017, the entire national investigation service of the customs office was decapitated, as numerous top officials in this service were fired due to grave events, according to the customs office. One official was indicted in April for complicity in the importing and holding of counterfeit merchandise in an organized gang.

According to Mediapart, the customs office is hit by a half-dozen investigations that discredit its methods. One investigation involved among other subjects the seizure of Kalachnikov rifles at a Reims toll booth in November 2013, in which the customs office of Le Havre was implicated. Some 800,000 were seized and a customs official committed suicide on January 5, 2017.

In May, another top cop, the number two of the Lyon judicial police, Michel Neyret, was accused of protecting and maintaining close relations with high-ranking organized crime figures. He was sentenced to two and a half years in prison without parole.

Independently of the motivations of the rival factions of the judiciary and of the police apparatus, these affairs partially lift the veil on the deep collusion in France between police and a wide variety of traffickers. It underscores the essential hostility to legal and democratic rights of police forces who have extraordinary, virtually unchecked powers under Frances state of emergency.

Whereas in French suburbs, police impose brutal and humiliating searches based only on suspicions that individuals could be drug dealers, the top layers of the same police force are coordinating with gangsters the wholesale supply of drugs to the same suburbs.

The Thierry affair raises many serious questions. If the counter-narcotics police chiefs personally supervised the proper functioning of these special operations drug deliveriesThierrys top assistant, former anti-terror prosecutor Patrick Laberche, travelled to Moroccoand they did not enrich themselves with the proceeds, what were the profits then used to do?

And why was Thierry, the former chief of OCRTIS (who was previously tasked from 2006 to 2010 with leading the anti-narcotics section on infiltrations) promoted directly in May to the Anti-Terrorist Sub-Directorate of the judicial police where he is currently the number three official?

Islamist networks responsible for terror attacks are often linked to drug-trafficking, and terrorists are often recruited from those who have served prison time on drugs charges. One example is Moroccan imam Abdelbaki Es-Satty, the alleged leader of the terror cell that carried out the recent Barcelona attack, who was imprisoned on drugs charges from 2010 to 2014. On this basis, it is legitimate to ask whether there was a link between Hamblis collaboration with the state, whether as a trafficker or an informant on Islamist terror circles, and terrorist acts in France, Spain and beyond.
Yesterday, heads of state of Germany, France, Italy, and Spain and of the African states of Niger and Chad, together with UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj of Libya attended a summit on immigration hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

The purpose of the summit stamped it with a politically criminal character. It discussed how to deny the right of asylum to hundreds of thousands of refugees and block their travel through Africa north to Libya and across the Mediterranean to Europe. The conference, attended by European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, discussed using the armed forces of the African regimes to detain refugees and send them back toward the countries they had fled, thus keeping them in Africa and deterring further migration.

The conference was an attempt above all to deal with the disastrous consequences of the 2011 NATO war in Libya, which destroyed the regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and unleashed a bloody civil war that rages to this day. The summit also tried to contain escalating tensions among the European powers over which armed factions to support inside Libya.

Last week, the UN released a devastating report highlighting the horrific fate of vast numbers of refugees trapped in the civil war conditions of post-2011 Libya and exposing the forces that the EU is proposing to rely on to police refugees.

The UN reported, Migrants continued to be subjected by smugglers, traffickers, members of armed groups and security forces to extreme violence; torture and other ill-treatment; forced labour; arbitrary deprivation of liberty; rape; and other sexual violence and exploitation. On 11 April 2017, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) denounced the presence of slave markets in Libya, where sub-Saharan migrants were bought and sold and women were traded as sex slaves.

Based on reports from the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the UN painted a portrait of conditions in detention camps set up for migrants in Libya to halt and deter migration. The UN found that victims of brutal conduct from the various warring militias that rule post-Gaddafi Libya had little avenue for redress, due to a general state of lawlessness and the weakness of judicial institutions.

It wrote, UNSMIL visited detention centres under the control of the Department for Combatting Illegal Migration in Gharyan, Tripoli, Misrata and Surman, where thousands of migrants have been held arbitrarily for prolonged periods of time with no possibility to challenge the legality of their detention. UNSMIL had documented cases of torture, ill-treatment, rape and other forms of sexual violence. Detention centres remained overcrowded, and detainees were often malnourished, living in poor hygienic conditions and with limited or no access to medical care.

The UN also documented the brutal conduct of EU-backed armed forces in Libya, who try to catch refugees to return them to these detention camps. Its report noted, UNSMIL received numerous reports of dangerous, life-threatening interceptions by armed men believed to be from the Libyan Coast Guard. UNSMIL has been reviewing its support to the Libyan Coast Guard in line with the United Nations human rights due diligence policy.

The conference issued a brief resolution late last night, calling for the EU to bring particularly vulnerable migrants from Libya to Europe, while relying on the armed forces of Niger and Chad and the various militias in Libya to keep refugees from reaching the Mediterranean. The conference also proposed to provide more equipment to the Libyan Coast Guard for its anti-refugee missions.

Macron said he wanted to identify which migrants are true refugees in Niger and Chad, before they could reach Libya on their journey north, so that others could be turned back. He blamed the terrible conditions that exist for refugees in Africa on people smugglers, declaring: Certain trafficking groups that traffic in weapons, in human lives, and in drugs, and groups linked to terrorism have turned the desert in Africa and the Mediterranean into a graveyard. These same people are profoundly linked to terrorism.

These are political lies, designed to falsely present a brutal EU policy of denying asylum rights to refugees based on outright armed repression as respecting human rights. It is not people smugglers or refugees that are responsible for civil war conditions in Libya, but the NATO powers, which bombed Libya and armed various Islamist militias in a war for regime change. As in imperialist wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, Libyan society rapidly disintegrated.

Wars across the Middle East and Africa have now produced the greatest refugee crisis since World War II, with over 60 million people displaced from their homes. The reaction of the imperialist powers is not to halt the war drive or to seek to address the military conflicts and the poverty that is driving tens of millions to abandon their homes. Rather, they aim to work more closely with military dictatorships and irregular militias to prevent this unprecedented wave of migrants from reaching Europe.

Despite the European powers criticisms of US President Donald Trump, including his call to build a wall to block Mexican immigration north into the United States, their own policy towards African refugees is equally ruthless and brutal. As thousands of refugees crossed in the Mediterranean, EU officials sought to limit rescue operations, hoping news of refugees drowning at sea would deter migrants from trying to reach Europe.

Rescue operations encourage migration, one British diplomat explained, and create an unintended pull factor thereby leading to more tragic and unnecessary deaths. The solution was to eliminate the pull factor created by rescue measures and discourage migration by allowing refugees to drown. Since then, thousands of innocent refugees have drowned in the Mediterranean2,400 in the first eight months of 2017 alone.

Under these conditions, the EUs claim that it will bring particularly vulnerable migrants to Europe is another utterly cynical gesture. Any refugee in Libya is vulnerable due to the civil war conditions in the country, and promises to bring those that are particularly vulnerable only amounts to giving EU authorities the right to cherry-pick which refugees they will grant asylum.

According to initial reports, European officials at the conference summarily dismissed arguments by African heads of state that migration would continue so long as large parts of Africa are very poor. The problem is poverty, Mogherini said, but she ruled out launching a new Marshall Plan to devote substantial funding to create jobs in Africa. European officials are reportedly thinking of spending 6 million initially on poverty programmes, or up to 50 million in the long terma drop in the bucket in a poverty-stricken region inhabited by hundreds of millions of people.

The summit not only reflected the EUs militaristic and anti-refugee policy, but featured growing rivalries among the European powers over who would set the agenda and announce more ambitious plans to limit immigration to Europe. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is seeking re-election and trying to burnish her anti-immigrant credentials, announced yesterday a deal with the bloody Egyptian military dictatorship of General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to limit migration to Europe.

Macron was compelled to abandon his plan to build French hot spot detention centres in Libya, presented in July amid sharp tensions with Italy, the former colonial power in Libya, as Paris and Rome backed rival armed forces inside Libya, led by General Khalifa Haftar and the Misrata militias, respectively.
Stories of devastation along the Gulf Coast continue to emerge three days after Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas.

Perhaps the most glaring and harrowing example is an image that has gone viral on Twitter showing a number of elderly women sitting helplessly in water inside a nursing home in Dickinson, Texas. It was not until the image spread across the Internet that any rescue efforts were made.

Incidents such as these have been common throughout the flooded areas in and around the city of Houston, large swathes of which have been submerged in up to ten feet of water. Individuals have turned to social media to reach out to relatives, friends, neighbors and relief organizations capable of helping them escape the rising waters.

Fouad Hijazi, an immigrant from Lebanon, told the WSWS of the great efforts working people have taken to help their neighbors.

You can hear rescue helicopters not too far from here, but if you walk to Stella Link you can see people in their own motorboats, big trucks and kayaks trying to reach others. I saw James [a neighbor] wearing a life vest and rope going to help out.

Regular transportation into and out of the city has been virtually shut down as parts of Interstate 610 are completely underwater.

Fouad said, Over here we didnt get water in the house, but the streets were still flooded. The closer you get to Braes bayou, the worse it gets. No one can really get around because theres water everywhere.

Local rescue efforts have been limited by available resources. President Donald Trump pledged rapid action from Congress, stating that recovery from the disaster will be a long and difficult road, but not all residents are convinced that the federal response will come as promised.

Sejeia Freelon, a resident of Spring, Texas, just north of Houston, told the WSWS that she expected that the state and federal government response would be half-assed. She continued, The response to the flooding will only be so much. Theyll drain the city, but beyond that is questionable. Rebuilding efforts will be slow and any funding that is actually allocated for disaster relief will go to the more affluent areas.

When asked about the impact of the storm along class lines, she stated, Yeah, the storm hit everyone because its a natural disaster, it doesnt discriminate. But the response and how people are affected will depend on class.

Houston, nicknamed Bayou City, has over 2,500 miles of waterways, many of them built to deal with the city being prone to flooding. However, there is little other infrastructure to deal with regular flooding, and not all the waterways serve their intended function.

Ronald Harrell, a retired truck driver, lives in a neighborhood with a bayou that is blocked off by a major freeway. He told the WSWS, Ever since the city built the beltway, it always floods here. The neighborhood, which borders Beltway 8, has experienced severe flooding in every major storm since the waterway was blocked off. The residents sued the city after the first incident of flooding but have not been successful in their efforts since then.

When asked about the emergency preparedness of the city, Harrell responded, I dont think theres much we could do. Theres six million people here and only three ways out. Hats off to Mayor Sylvester Turner for not calling a mandatory evacuation of the city.

Despite repeated flooding, emergency response and evacuation planning in the region is criminally inadequate.

Many residents remember the disaster caused by the mandatory evacuation called in advance of Hurricane Rita in 2005, in which traffic jammed for 100 miles in the midst of a brutal heat wave. Gas stations along the evacuation routes ran out of fuel supplies, as an estimated 3.7 million people fled the Texas coastline. Ninety people lost their lives during the chaotic flight from the city.

Meteorologists say that Harvey has brought the worst flooding Houston has ever seen. With parts of the citys highways, the only major routes out of the city, having been quickly submerged, one can imagine hundreds of people may have drowned if an unplanned mandatory evacuation had been called.

That, however, does not mean that a planned and timely evacuation, mapped out and prepared in advance, could not have made a major difference in reducing the human impact of the storm.
India and China moved yesterday to defuse their ten-week-old dispute over control of the Doklam or Donglang Plateaua dispute that brought the nuclear-armed rivals and worlds two most populous countries closer to a military clash than any time since they fought a month-long border war in 1962.

In choreographed steps, Indias Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement at midday yesterday announcing that an expeditious disengagement of border personnel  at Doklam has been agreed to and is ongoing. Approximately ninety minutes later, a Chinese government spokeswoman said Beijing had confirmed trespassing Indian personnel have all pulled backed to the Indian side of the boundary. In accordance with the changes of the situation on the ground, China will make necessary adjustments in its deployments, added Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.

For the preceding two-and-a-half months, hundreds of Indian and Chinese troops had faced off eye-ball to eye-ball, separated by little more than a hundred meters, on the Doklam, a remote Himalayan ridge at the tri-junction of the borders of India, China and Bhutan.

Even more ominously, New Delhi and Beijing traded bellicose threats and taunts, poured thousands of troops into the eastern sector of their almost 3500-kilometer disputed border, and otherwise took steps to prepare, and demonstrate their readiness, for armed conflict.

What India is terming the Doklam Disengagement Understanding was reached one week before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to travel to China for the September 3-5 BRICS heads of government summit in Xiamen.

No text of this Understanding has been released by either government, nor is any expected to be.

Underscoring that none of the underlying issued that led to the tense military standoff has been resolved, India and China are each suggesting that it was the other that ultimately gave way.

Beijing is emphasizing the withdrawal of all Indian troops from the Doklam to nearby positions in the Indian state of Sikkim. Throughout the stand-off, Beijing demanded an unconditional withdrawal of the Indian forces. It insisted that Indias intervention was unprecedentedly provocative, since New Delhi makes no claim to ownership over the remote ridge, but rather intervened in the name of Bhutan, a small Himalayan state that for decades New Delhi has treated like a protectorate.

At yesterdays press conference, Hua said China will continue to exercise its territorial sovereignty over the Doklam, including through patrols by Chinese border troops.

For its part, New Delhi has emphasized the sequential character of the de-escalation, with China indicating it will reduce its deployments in the disputed area.

Nothing has been said about the issue that prompted India to send troops onto the Doklam on June 18: Chinas plans to expand a road on the ridge which it currently controls but Bhutan also claims. India charges Beijings road-building violated an agreement with Bhutan to maintain the status quo in all disputed areas pending final delineation of the Bhutan-China border.

For weeks, both the Indian and Chinese press have been full of discussion about the possibility that the Doklam dispute could spark an armed clash.

Various Chinese analysts, cited in that countrys state-owned press, expressed confidence such a conflict could be confined to a short, border war. Indian commentators frequently begged to differ.

As the impasse continued, both the US and Japan intervened to demonstrate their support for India, which they view as a pivotal ally in thwarting Chinas rise.

Indeed, the principal factor in the deterioration of Indo-Chinese relations of which the Doklam conflict has been both an expression and an accelerant is Indias integration into Washingtons military-strategic offensive against China.

Under Modis three-year-old government, India has been transformed into a veritable frontline state of American imperialisms war drive against China. The Modi government has parroted the provocative US positions on the South China Sea and North Korea disputes, thrown open Indias airbases and ports to routine use by US warplanes and warships, and dramatically expanded strategic cooperation with Washingtons principal Asia-Pacific allies, Japan and Australia.

In response, China has deepened its decades-long alliance with Indias arch-rival, Pakistan. Chinas support for Pakistan, including its plans to make it a pivot of its Belt and Road Eurasian infrastructure building scheme, has further exacerbated tensions with New Delhi.

Earlier this month Japan explicitly endorsed Indias stance on the Doklam dispute and compared it to its own territorial disputes with China. Tokyo also let it be known that increased military-security ties with India will be at the top of the agenda when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits New Delhi next month

Publicly the Trump administration maintained a position of neutrality on the Doklam dispute, but it took a whole series of actions in recent weeks aimed at highlighting the strength of the Indo-US global strategic partnership. In an Indian Independence Day phone call, Trump and Modi agreed to establish a new strategic dialogue involving their countries respective foreign and defence ministers. And in his address last week outlining US plans to intensify the Afghan War, Trump supported Indian ambitions to play a greater role in Afghanistan while putting Pakistan on notice that if it doesnt do Americas bidding it will be punished with cuts in arms sales and military aid.

The US is above all anxious to expand military cooperation with New Delhi in the Indian Ocean, whose sea lanes serve as the conduit for 80 percent of the oil that fuels Chinas economy, as well as much of its export trade to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

In mid-August, in remarks touting Americas eagerness to assist in the modernization of Indias military, the head of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Harry Harris, repeated his call for India to join the Pentagon in joint naval patrols in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

While India has not yet agreed to that step, it has initiated plans, according to India Today, to spread its influence and further strengthen its grip in the Indian Ocean in response to the Doklam war crisis. These include reviving the dormant Indian Ocean Naval Symposium and using it as a platform to develop military cooperation with friendly countries, beginning with a major naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal, and expanding naval training for officers from other South Asian and Indian Ocean states.

Most significantly, the Indian Navy will henceforth permanently deploy Indian warships at the western entrance to the Malacca Straits, the most important potential Indian/Pacific Ocean chokepoint and long a key focus of US plans to impose an economic blockade on China in the event of a war or war crisis.

Whilst India and China appear to have stepped back from the brink over the Doklam, the recent crisis has only served to highlight the extent to which South Asia and the Indian Ocean region have been swept into the maelstrom of great power and imperialist conflict.

Significantly and no doubt with the foreknowledge that an agreement to defuse the Doklam crisis was imminent, the head of Indias army, General Bipin Rawat, warned in a public lecture last Saturday that there will be further military crises with China. Let us say this standoff is resolved, said Rewat, our troops should not feel it cannot happen again  So my message to troops is do not let your guard down.
The world is looking on in shock as Houston, Texas, the fourth-largest city in the United States, is engulfed by flood waters. At least nine people are dead, a figure that will no doubt rise in the coming days. Thousands remain stranded, awaiting rescue. Tens of thousands have been forced to take shelter in emergency accommodations. Some of the worst rain is yet to come.

The catastrophic flooding engulfing Houston and southeast Texas is spreading to cities as far away as Dallas and Austin and threatening to once again overwhelm New Orleans, Louisiana. Hurried evacuations are being organized in cities throughout the region, as well as previously unaffected neighborhoods in Houston, where residents are being forced to abandon their homes as officials release water from overwhelmed and endangered reservoirs.

Twelve years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, an even larger and more populous metropolitan area is being turned into a scene of indescribable suffering. The countless examples of human solidarity among the victims, overwhelmingly working class and of all races, contrast starkly with the indifference and incompetence of the government and political establishment.

Like Katrina, Hurricane Harvey has lifted the lid on the ugly reality of American society, exposing colossal levels of social inequality, pervasive poverty and ruling class criminality. Behind the mindless media commentary, generally favorable to the White House and the right-wing Republican governor of Texas, and the pro-forma statements of politicians, one senses nervousness and fear that this latest demonstration of the failure of American capitalism will trigger an eruption of social indignation.

But the authorities cannot conceal their complacency and indifference. In a disgusting performance, President Donald Trump gave a press conference Monday in which he combined lavish praise for the official response to the flood disaster, calling it incredible to watch and a display of cooperation and love, with bathos about one American family that hurts together and endures together.

Reciting his scripted remarks as though he were reading the phonebook, Trump offered no proposals to relieve the suffering of the victims or provide them with money to rebuild their lives. He evaded a question about his proposal to slash hundreds of millions of dollars from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including steep cuts to the Federal Flood Insurance Program.

FEMA administrator William Brock Long on Monday gave himself and the government a blanket amnesty for their dereliction, declaring, You could not forecast this up. You could not dream this forecast up.

The Wall Street Journal sounded the same theme in an editorial posted Monday. Immunity from natures fury, the newspaper wrote, is an illusion that humans cultivate until we are forced to confront that fury again. We forget the damage that storms and earthquakes can do.

This renunciation of any responsibility for the unfolding disaster in Houston was combined with praise for the massive accumulation of wealth among the uppermost layers of society, declaring that Complex societies can better cope with the damage if they have a reservoir of accumulated wealth among private sources. Thus, according to the leading mouthpiece of Wall Street, the answer to the unfolding tragedy in Texas is the further enrichment of the financial oligarchy!

Such claims that catastrophic events like the Texas flood are inevitable natural disasters, and nothing can be done either to forestall, contain or manage them, are self-serving lies.

Houston is the most frequently flooded urban area in the country. Officials at the federal, state and local level were repeatedly warned by scientists and weather experts that the license given to real estate developers and speculators to pave over wetlands, as well as the governments refusal to build proper flood defenses, was setting the city up for an unprecedented flood disaster. These warnings were ignored.

This is the 21st century, not the Dark Ages, and the United States is the richest country in the world. Four hundred years ago, the Dutch figured out how to build cities situated below sea level. The US is, moreover, home to some of the most advanced research and engineering institutes in the world. Yet supposedly no one could have anticipated or planned for the flooding of a major city on the Gulf of Mexico?

What has been done in the 12 years since Katrina to prevent more hurricane disasters? Nothing! Or, more accurately, less than nothing, because Katrina was seized on as an opportunity to treat New Orleans as virgin territory for the privatization of public assets and establishment of a free market paradise for big business, to be replicated across the country. The most overt example of this plundering operation was the dismantling of the public school system in favor of private, for-profit charter schools.

Catastrophes such as the Texas flood are social crimes, committed by a financial aristocracy that has spent the past half-century plundering the country and neglecting its social infrastructure, while accumulating unimaginable sums of personal wealth. According to the corporate-controlled media and the entire political establishmentDemocrats no less than Republicansthere is no money to build up flood defenses or rebuild crumbling bridges, roads and water systems, modernize and expand public transport or provide decent schools and housing for the population.

But there are trillions of dollars stashed away in the bank accounts and stock portfolios of the rich and the super-rich. Hundreds of billions are squandered every year on the instruments of war.

The country staggers from one preventable disaster to another: Katrina in 2005, the BP oil spill in 2010, Superstorm Sandy in 2012, and now Harvey. In between are countless floods, tornadoes, fires and other events that wreak havoc on working class and poor families, who are left to fend for themselves by a ruling elite drowning in its own excess.

Just as in the feudal era, when the development of society required the expropriation of the landed aristocracy, so today society must seize control of its own resources from the modern aristocracy of finance and corporate wealth. The barbarians of today, who hoard societys wealth and say nothing can be done to address poverty, disease, war or repression, must go the way of all ruling classes that stand in the way of social progress.

It is not that society cannot afford the type of social investment needed to prevent or minimize the impact of events such as Hurricane Harvey. What society cannot afford is the rich.

It is to the working classunited across all racial, national and ethnic lines, both in the US and internationallythat the task falls of removing this monstrous obstacle to progress from the historical scene. The capitalist parasites must be expropriated, their wealth used to meet social needs, and their stranglehold over the means of production shattered to allow the rational, planned and humane development of economic and social life on the basis of socialist ownership and democratic control of industry, finance and the planets natural resources.
President Trump signed an executive order Monday morning reinstituting a federal program to supply military-grade weaponry and equipment to state and local police forces. The program had been suspended since May 2015 under an executive order signed by Barack Obama that Trump has now rescinded.

The Obama administration was compelled to restrict, at least temporarily, the distribution of surplus military equipment after widespread public outrage following the deployment of armored vehicles and other military weaponry in Ferguson, Missouri, after mass protests that followed the August 2014 police murder of 18-year-old Michael Brown Jr.

When thousands took to the streets in anger over the police killing of the unarmed youth, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat, mobilized the National Guard, backing the local authorities, who employed armored cars, armed helicopters and police equipped with assault rifles pointed at demonstrators.

Trump signed the executive order without ceremony, leaving it to Attorney General Jeff Sessions to announce the policy change formally in an address to the convention of the Fraternal Order of Police held in Nashville, Tennessee.

I am here to announce that President Trump is issuing an executive order that will make it easier to protect yourselves and your communities, Sessions declared, to loud applause from the assembled police. He is rescinding restrictions from the prior administration that limited your agencies ability to get equipment through federal programs

The program to supply military gear to local police, known as the 1033 program, after the section in the National Defense Authorization Act which first established it in 1990, allows the Pentagon to transfer equipment ranging from body armor and bullets to aircraft, armored cars and tanks, at no cost to the local or state government.

Obamas executive order did not halt the entire program, but restricted distribution of the most flagrant offensive weapons, including grenade launchers, armored cars and armored helicopters. Last year there was a limited recall of equipment that had been placed on a prohibited list, including armored cars, aircraft and explosives.

Sessions boasted that the latest executive order was only one part of a wide range of measures taken by the Trump administration to boost local police, including the reinstatement of civil asset forfeiture, which allows local police to confiscate cash and property from people based only on suspicion of crimes, without a warrant or court hearing.

Local police officials interviewed by the press in Nashville said their departments had become increasingly dependent on the free hand-me-down equipment from the Pentagon, under conditions of mounting budgetary pressures on state and local government.

The program was created under the first Bush administration, initially limited to drug enforcement units, but in 1997, under the administration of Democrat Bill Clinton, it was expanded to include all local law enforcement units. More than $5.4 billion has been transferred to local police, a huge subsidy from the Pentagon for building up a police-state apparatus in America.

A White House background paper rejected claims that military-style equipment made the police look like an occupying force, saying that the decision sends the message that we care more about public safety than about how a piece of equipment looks, especially when that equipment has been shown to reduce crime, reduce complaints against and assaults on police, and makes officers more effective.

The document characterized the equipment as entirely defensive in nature, although it includes helicopters, armored cars, battering rams, explosives and .50 caliber machine guns, as well as assault rifles.

The White House cited mass casualty shootings in San Bernardino, California and Orlando, Florida, as well as the current flood rescue operations related to Hurricane Harvey, as instances in which such equipment had been put to use. There was no mention of the far more frequent use of such materiel in protests over police violence, or its likely future use in the event of more widespread civil disorder provoked by the economic and social crisis of American capitalism.

Trumps action seemed deliberately timed to mark the third anniversary of the police violence in FergusonMichael Brown was shot to death on August 9, 2014, and his funeral, attended by thousands, took place on August 25, 2014.

The policeman who shot the 18-year-old to death, Darren Wilson, was never tried for the killing, after a grand jury refused to bring charges against him, in a rigged proceeding stage-managed by St. Louis County prosecutor Robert P. McCulloch, a Democrat.

Both Trump and Sessions have been vehement defenders of killer cops, opposing all efforts to hold police accountable for killing more than 1,000 Americans every year, nearly all of them poor and working class, black, white, Hispanic and immigrant.

Trumps executive order came barely 48 hours after his issuance of a full pardon to Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona (Phoenix), who was convicted of contempt of court for defying injunctions against racial profiling in the arrest and detention of Hispanics under suspicion of being undocumented immigrants.
The Unison trade union held a public meeting in the Greater Manchester city of Salford last Tuesday titled We demand safe secure homes.

With 29 flats covered in highly combustible and toxic cladding, Salford has the highest number of tower blocks outside London to have failed government fire-safety tests, rolled out after the terrible fire that consumed Grenfell Tower on June 14 that left at least 80 dead. Yet, two months after the fire, the hazardous cladding is still in place.

The meetingattended by about 50offered no way forward for residents, of Salford or elsewhere, who are forced to live in potential death traps.

An invited speaker on behalf of Justice4Grenfell, Moyra Samuels, explained to the meeting that the Grenfell action group predicted this fire ... they wrote about it nine months ago, and the people who wrote this were threatened, and [it] was actually inferred that they may be drunks.

The conservative-led Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council, with reserve funds of 275 million, signed the death warrants for the victims of Grenfell Tower when they decided to make 300,000 savings on refurbishment, choosing the cheaper type [of cladding] above the safer, more expensive, and fireproof cladding, she explained.

Deputy Mayor of Labour Party-run Salford Council John Merry told the meeting, I am going to the City Council to ask them to authorise the borrowing of 25 million to sort out the issues on the precinct and the tower blocks that we are responsible for.

Salford runs nine tower blocks through Pendleton Together. Decladding work on the other 20 failed blocks in Salford, run by Salix and City West, has stopped.

The loan would be repaid with annual interest at 1.5 million, which according to a council report quoted in the Salford Star will mean more cuts. The borrowing will exacerbate existing budget pressures and increase the revenue funding gap in 2017/18 and future years.

Merry was standing in for Salford Mayor Paul Dennett, a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn who has just signed off the closure of The Grange, the only residential school for disabled children in Salforda city with a population of 233,000.

Speakers from Unison and the Fire Brigades Union on the platform, as well as Merry, put sole blame for the Grenfell fire on the Conservative council and Conservative governments. As if austerity, privatization, and the gutting of fire safety regulations were not also the hallmark of the Blair/Brown Labour governments, as well as the local Labour councils.

Unite member Glynn Robbins, a London Housing worker who stood as a candidate for the Socialist Party-fronted Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition in Bethnal Green and Bow in 2015, suggested the way forward was a turn to the forthcoming Trades Union Congress and Labour Party conferences. He claimed that the Labour Party had changed with the election of Corbyn, so we have to acknowledge the possibility at least of a prime minister in this country who is genuinely committed to building council housing.

In this framework, the Socialist Party urged Salford City Council and Mayor Dennett to implement a socialist housing policy, and called for an independent inquiry led by tenants and trade unions.

A speaker from the Socialist Workers Party declared, Jeremy Corbyns victory was a moment of neo-liberalism being defeated.

Socialist Equality Party member Geoff Williams, a resident in a Salford high-rise for over 30 years, told the meeting, The SEP has been campaigning in London on the Grenfell issue since the fire, and we held a very successful public meeting there last Saturday, well attended with a hundred people present ...

What is glaringly obvious, though Grenfell is in the Tory borough of Kensington and Chelsea, its not only Tory boroughs, but Labour councils up and down the country that have been privatising social housing for decades ...

Haringey in London has the worst record on social cleansing in the country, but Manchester and Salford are challenging that.

The gentrification of Ordsall, in Salford, became the feature of a Channel Four news programme two weeks ago, on which counsellor Merry spoke, defending the privatisation of social housing.

Cash strapped Salford, as a contributor to the Greater Manchester Housing fund, has made available as a loan to the billionaire bookie Fred Done 22.5 million, so he can build, not social housing, but private apartments.

In 2015 there were 14,000 homeless people in Salford on the waiting list, and we were told that half of them could never expect to be re-housed.

At this point the chair Ameen Hadi of Unison intervened to stop Williams speaking. They wanted to discuss what we will do next, and not just recount history, he said, It was a pity you wasted your three minutes in a negative way.

Other residents expressed their anger with Salford council. Elizabeth, who spoke to the SEP later outside the meeting, declared, Its blatantly class warfare, and racism, thats whats going on here. They believe that if are you are a person of colour, if you are born working class, you dont have a right to decent housing.

You are supposed to just put up with your lot in life. Britains resources belong to everybody and forcing people to stay in blocks when theyre not happy, is wrong.

One man climbed onto the platform and challenged Merry directly. He explained he had a fire in his flat and sued the council for faulty electrics. Six years later, indebted to the tune of 25,000, he is still fighting his case.

Another member of the audience, in response to the chairs repeated attempts to steer criticism away from the Labour Party, shouted out in exasperation, You wanted anger, this is how people feel!

At the end of the meeting, most of the local residents declined an invitation from the chair to join the platform for a photo-op holding Fight the Tories posters. Socialist Party and Socialist Workers Party members joined the photo-op.

Elizabeth has lived in Spruce Court for two years, one of the tower blocks that is encased in highly flammable cladding. She was scathing about Salford Labour Council, saying that if you contact them only 50 percent of complaints get a reply. We have power surges in Spruce. Theres no fire extinguishers, no fire blankets; they put a fire alarm [in the block] but we cant hear it.

The council said they would remove the cladding, but they started on the low-rise blocks first10 weeks later! Theyre not bothered, its just greed, they devalue human beings and put profit first.

People burned alive in Grenfell. They were having to throw their kids out of the windows, and [the authorities] are blatantly lying about the numbers [who died].

When asked about the meeting, Elizabeth said, It was just stage managed. They talk like it was the tenants fault. Salford Council wont take responsibilityit is corrupt.

John, who has lived in Arthur Millwood Court for five years, left the meeting early in disgust. He told the SEP that the organisers said they wanted people to be angry, but when we were openly angry they tried to shut us down. I live in the top floor of a cladded block, and our lives are in danger.
Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was removed by Thailands current military rulers in the May 2014 coup, fled the country on Friday. She was due to appear in the Supreme Court in Bangkok to hear its verdict on trumped-up charges that could have seen her jailed for 10 years. Yingluck is thought to be in Dubai.

Around 3,000 Yingluck supporters, including some who came from the north and northeast of the country, gathered outside the court to hear the verdict and were confronted with thousands of police and barricades. While the military junta allowed the gathering to take place under strict conditions, it previously threatened to arrest those who gathered at Yinglucks last court appearance in July. Yingluck advised her supporters not to turn up last Friday.

The judges issued an arrest warrant for Yingluck, revoked her bail of 30 million baht or about $900,000 and ordered it be forfeited. The next court date is set for September 27.

Yingluck was charged over her governments rice subsidy schemea measure designed to assist farmers, particularly in impoverished areas. The farmers were paid above market price and the rice was stored in the hope that world prices would rise. Instead prices fell, leaving rice rotting in warehouses and the government facing substantial losses.

The junta exploited the policy failure to bring criminal charges in an attempt to stamp out the influence of Yingluck, and her brother Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted as prime minister in the military coup of 2006, and their Pheu Thai party.

The military rulers represent the countrys traditional elites. They are deeply hostile to the Shinawatras, who built a base of support among the urban and rural poor through limited social reforms, including the rice scheme, a health program and village subsidies. Thaksin also alienated sections of less competitive Thai business by opening up the economy more widely to foreign investment.

The flimsy character of the charges against Yingluck over the rice scheme is underscored by the fact that the military introduced an almost identical subsidy program in November 2016 in order to avoid widespread mass unrest in rice growing areas. Farmers were paid to hold on to their crops for several months until market prices rose.

In addition to seeking a 10-year prison sentence for so-called criminal negligence over the rice scheme, the junta issued an administrative order imposing an unprecedented personal fine on Yingluck of $US1 billion, supposedly to partially cover the governments losses. She is barred from politics until 2020 after being impeached by the military-appointed parliament in 2015.

Last Friday, the Supreme Court also imposed draconian sentences, ranging from 24 to 48 years in prison, on 20 others, including five former officials in Yinglucks administration, for allegedly profiting from the rice subsidy program. Former Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom was sentenced to 42 years and his deputy 36 years.

The Trump administration effectively gave the green light for this judicial witch-hunt in early August when US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson became the most senior American official to visit Thailand since the 2014 coup. Former army chief Prayuth Chan-o-cha, the coup leader and prime minister, has been invited to Washington in October to meet with Trump.

Tillerson held discussions with Prayuth and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai. He reportedly pressed the regime to further isolate North Korea and discussed security and trade matters but made no comment on the juntas repressive police-state measures. Tillerson later made perfunctory remarks at the US embassy, saying he hoped elections would go ahead in 2018.

The junta exploited the death of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej last October to postpone national elections for the third time, until sometime in 2018. Bhumibol was key to the coups against elected pro-Thaksin governments. The junta is less than enthusiastic about his son, Maha Vajirlongkorn, now due for coronation in November.

The chief concern, however, is that even with the militarys highly restrictive constitution an election could result in a pro-Thaksin victory in the lower house of a new parliament. Pro-Thaksin parties have won every election for more than a decade, in spite of the militarys efforts to prevent that outcome.

The military junta has sweeping powers under section 44 of its interim constitution to stop any act which undermines public peace and order or national security, the monarchy, national economics or administration of state affairs. The section has been invoked more than 150 times. Other measures include a ban on gatherings of more than five people, censorship of Internet activity and trials of civilians in military courts on sedition charges.

More than 100 people have been arrested under the countrys reactionary lese-majeste laws for supposedly insulting or offending the royal family. King Bhumibol was the linchpin of the state apparatus and the countrys ruling elites, including the military, state bureaucracy, the courts and sections of business. His death is compounding the political crisis facing the junta, which fears that rising social tensions will lead to mass unrest.

According to the Asian Development Bank, the Thai economy is expected to grow by just 3.5 percent this year, down from around 5 percent a decade ago. A 2017 report by Credit Suisse said Thailand became the third most unequal country in the world in 2016, with 1 percent of the population owning 58.0 percent of national wealth, beaten by India into second place. The highest concentration of poverty is in the rural areas.

The junta is well aware that it is sitting atop a social time bomb and is determined to suppress all opposition. On July 29, ten armed men in black balaclavas physically abducted a vocal opponent of the military, Wuthipong Kochathamakun, from his home in the Laotian capital Vientiane, where he was living in self-imposed exile.

Wuthipong is regarded as one of the more radical members of the Thaksin-affiliated United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD). The UDD led the mass demonstrations in Bangkok in 2010 against what amounted to a judicial coup that removed a pro-Thaksin government in 2008. The army brutally suppressed the protests, killing more than 80 people, but was eventually forced to concede elections that led to Yinglucks victory in 2011.
Workers at Walgreens Specialty Pharmacies throughout the country are facing increasingly harsh working conditions as profit margins from the companys drug business decline. Walgreens, the second-largest pharmacy store chain in the United States, operates specialty pharmacies in many of its over 1,800 stores nationwide, processing prescriptions for complex medical conditions such as chemotherapy and AIDS.

Similar to the notorious Amazon fulfillment centers, the Walgreens Specialty Pharmacies are large distribution plants in which workers are expected to meet high packing and production standards for low hourly wages.

The pharmacies employ a wide array of workersfrom pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, to packers and supervisors. Workers on the fulfillment team for Walgreens Specialty Pharmacies are a group of pharmacy technicians who are engaged in processing and packaging prescription orders for shipment. Pharmacy technicians receive prescriptions from the Walgreens call center, label, fill prescriptions and send them to pharmacists, who check the specificities of each prescription. At the end of the process, packers package prescriptions for shipping standards.

Fulfillment workers at a Michigan Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy recently spoke to WSWS reporters about their experience in the fulfillment center. They asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their jobs.

Workers on the fulfillment team are among the most highly exploited. One worker explained that employees are often hired through recruitment offices who seek out people to work the fulfillment jobs at the lowest possible rates. All of the workers complete the same job, the work said. We are recruited by various outlets but are given different pay. Temporary worker pay fluctuates from $10 to $15 per hour, while the pay scale for a permanent worker can range from $16 to $18 per hour. This creates a scenario in which two employees working side by side, performing the exact same job, could have a pay discrepancy as high as $8 an hour.

Specialty pharmacy employees are placed into various stations designated by a particular drug and illness. Despite serious health concerns that come with handling many of these strong prescription drugs, workers are given only minor safety precautions. Those packing chemotherapy drugs, for example, are given only a pair of safety gloves and warning that if they are of childbearing age they must be wary.

Conditions in the filling center are very stressful. The management staff pushes the mantra of working as a team, while simultaneously promoting competition between the workers and enforcing strict rules to prevent fraternization. We are constantly in competition with each other on the floor packing and making sure we fill more prescriptions than others and discouraged to work with one another, one worker said.

Those who do not question the status quo are targeted for positions in management, regardless of productivity. Workers report that those who protest conditions or question company policy come under fire from management. Some of us who question the procedures are given less of a chance at raises or promotions or full-time employment, one worker noted. When we pose questions to each other we are constantly warned by management about how its counterproductive. It seems like they want us to simply work methodically and mechanically.

Like workers at Amazons fulfillment centers, Walgreens workers are expected to stay silent and work quickly and accurately. When theres a question for our managers to help us be more productive it is hard to contact them. But when we ask the rest of our fulfillment team [our coworkers] on the floor we get notified by management for talking too much and are emailed for time wasted. In one of our meetings someone asked about our inconsistent production methods and the supervisor rejected her question and said the meeting only had a few minutes.

Workers complain about the high stress levels caused by the unrealistic production demands as well as constant surveillance by management. Constantly [the manager] is watching us by pretending to help people or watching the cameras, one said. Then we are expected to go to meetings to discuss our low production when we are packing higher than our goals. Right before lunch and other breaks they talk about how more managers are going to come in. Not only are we watched, but at the start of the day we are sent discouraging emails. An email comes in by management in the morning saying it is going to be a tough day, then we work 10 hours.

Fulfillment workers are often personally blamed for mistakes that are the outcome of the pressure to perform their tasks as quickly as possible: If any employee makes mistakes we are personally berated. Then later we are publicly berated as a team by management.

Employees on the fulfillment team often work very long hours. We have mandatory overtime for the next month, most likely through September, explained one worker. If we have a sick day or try to take a day off we are sternly rejected or are called by our recruiters or management that we will be terminated if we take too many days.

According to another worker, attendance policy is particularly draconian. Days off must be scheduled well in advance and can be rejected by management, personal days included. We are mandated to work 10 hours plus, the worker said. If we call off due to illness, and the days are three consecutive days, we are given three points towards our attendance. If the days are not consecutive we will be given six and then be terminated.

After difficult 10-plus hour shifts, employees are constantly called by recruiters or management to warn the workers about their attendance. The overall scheduling policy is promoted by management in meetings as a flexible way for workers to take advantage of their employment.

Despite numerous requests from workers for more working space at their stations and more supplies, they are often left to work in cramped areas with few resources. Response from Walgreens has instead been to hire more managers to oversee the workers.

Many other workers approached by WSWS reporters declined to be interviewed, noting that they feared being reprimanded or fired for speaking out, a fear shared as well by all of the workers who volunteered their interviews. The employees who spoke to the WSWS all shared disgust of the working conditions as well as frustration with management. One compared the strategy of constant surveillance to an early 1900s factory.

Some of the most draconian working conditions for fulfillment team workers were implemented following the launching of a massive cost-cutting plan announced in 2015, which aimed to cut $1.5 billion in costs by the end of fiscal year 2017. Walgreens, which reported $117.4 billion in global revenue last year, has historically earned about two-thirds of its US sales from prescription drugs sold at the pharmacy counter in the back of its stores.

Profits from the prescription drugs have experienced a significant decline due to a steady reduction in reimbursements from private insurance companies and the government, which pays for Medicaid and Medicare prescriptions.
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature by writing to comments@wsws.org.

Striking Toronto baggage handlers reject offer

Workers at Torontos Pearson International Airport employed by Swissport International who have been on strike for over a month, last week rejected a proposed contract that was reportedly almost identical to the one they originally turned down.

The 700 baggage handlers and other ground crew rejected the latest offer by 98 percent, up from 95 percent who voted against the contract that took them out on strike. Though details have not been made public, according to the Teamsters Union, their bargaining agent, Swissportwhich provides services for a number of major airlinesis demanding a three-year wage freeze, cuts in benefits and greater control over work schedules.

Some flights have been affected by the strike and the union says that 250 replacement workers hired since before the strike began are poorly trained and responsible for lost and damaged luggage among other problems.

Ground crew have been on strike since July after overwhelmingly voting down the companys final offer. Details of the latest proposal have not been made public.

Locked out B.C. health plan workers head to mediation

Over 600 workers who have been locked out for two months by Pacific Blue Cross, one of the provinces largest health benefits providers, is heading into mediated negotiations next week following numerous fruitless efforts to reach a new deal.

The workers are organized under the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), whose negotiators have reached an impasse over benefits and pensions. The union claims that the non-profit company would return less than one per-cent of payroll costs if their concession demands were granted and that any savings would be rolled back into the business.

Latin America

Mexican college workers strike over benefits, irregularities, workloads

Professors and administrative workers at campuses of the Baccalaureate College of Chiapas (Cobach) went on strike August 23. The walkout followed fruitless discussions with the general director of the Cobach system.

The striking workers named a number of reasons for the job action: lack of infrastructure and their own area; failure to deliver benefits to workers under the collective contract; irregularities in assignments of posts at work centers by management.

In addition, they say that the authorities in the general directorship have reneged on contract agreements with their union, Suicobach, and on guarantees not to let hourly workloads be affected, the latter a byproduct of the new education model. They also point out that although the Cobach directorate recently claimed to have suffered a budget cut of 200 million pesos (US$11.3 million), nonetheless, in the documents that resource appears as earmarked.

Puerto Rican unions call for protests against austerity measures

A number of Puerto Rican unions called for protests on August 25 and August 30 against austerity measures imposed by the fiscal control board appointed to shift the islands economic crisis onto the backs of the working class. The mobilizations were scheduled to take place in the capital San Juan, on the so-called Golden Mile, the banking district, site of the World Plaza Building, where the board is headquartered.

The protests aims are to demand the rescission of various board measures: reduction of the work day for public employees; elimination of the Christmas bonus; a 10 percent cut in retiree pensions; privatizations and layoffs, among others. Protesters will also demand an independent citizens audit of the public debt.

Paraguayan teachers hold two-day walkout over wage demands

Primary and secondary public school teachers in Paraguay stopped work on August 24 and 25 to press their salary demands. The Teachers Federation called the strike following meetings with Education Ministry negotiators.

The government offered an increaseto take effect in 2018of 8 percent for teachers with 20 years seniority, and 5 percent for those with less seniority. The teachers want a 32 percent raise, in a nation where the average teachers monthly salary is 1.9 million guaranies, the equivalent of US$340. The teachers demand is 3 million guaranies, or US$540.

According to the Teachers Federation, participation in the strike was around 90 percent on the first day, but fell the next day. Since the protests had no effect on the government, federation officials plan on protest marches in various cities nationwide this week, with an indefinite general strike to follow.

One-day strike and march by Argentine teachers in opposition to wage offer

Two Buenos Aires teachers unionsthe Education Workers Union (UTE) and the Middle and Superior School Teaching Association (Ademys)held a 24-hour strike on August 24. In addition to the strike, teachers gathered at the City Education Ministry and marched to the National Congress.

The walkout was called in opposition to the citys wage raise offer of 21.5 percent, which union leaders called one of the lowest salary recompositions in the nation, and compared it to the 30 percent raise obtained by the Lighting, Sweeping and Cleaning union.

Education Minister Soledad Acuna called the UTE a union of the left, absolutely minoritarian, that never accepts any agreement, and noted that 15 of 17 unions accepted the offer on August 10. Ademys secretary general Jorge Adaro asserted that the teachers in those unions had not accepted the proposal, but had been informed of it through the media.

UTE claimed 80 percent adherence to the job action, while the citys Minister of Education contended that the figure was 30 percent. Adaro called the proposed salary below the poverty line and advocated a channel of dialogue to improve this proposal that stayed below even the proposal of Buenos Aires province.

Chilean plant and animal agency workers strike over contract issues, work status

Workers for Chiles Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) went on a 24-hour strike on August 24. Their main demands were the transfer of nonpermanent, fee-paid workers to permanent status and respect for the agreement signed in December.

SAG is responsible for inspecting and certifying agricultural, forestry and livestock products, preventing the entrance of diseases and pests from other countries, and certifying the health of plants and animals for export. Its workforce is a mix of permanent, temporary and honorario or fee-paid workers.

In the north-central coastal region of Coquimbo, some 1,400 workers are on the fee system in SAG, and they earn less and gain fewer benefits than their permanent-status fellow workers. The striking workers there considered the action a warning strike that coincided with other protests by truckers in the region.

However, SAG management clarified that, although the tasks connected to services took place slowly, necessary measures were taken so as not to affect work of border control, importations, exports and certification, as well as work in slaughterhouses, reported diariodeldia.cl.

The United States

Seattle office workers strike union pension administration office

Some 100 office administrators from Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 8 in Seattle struck the Welfare and Pension Administration Service (WPAS) last Wednesday against company attempts to impose draconian concessions. The office workers, without a contract since February, reached the end of their rope after 11 months of negotiations and 12 bargaining sessions.

The WPAS, which administers benefits for union pension plans, wants to eliminate seniority rights and have the power to lay people off at managements discretion. It also wants to decrease company contributions to medical benefits and is demanding higher contributions from its workers. WPAS also wants to lengthen the time needed for part-time employees to qualify for health benefits, and it wants to remove the cap on medical premium cost share increases. Last year the office workers agreed to withdraw from their pensions, and now WPAS is refusing to contribute to employee 401k funds to a level that will reestablish their retirements.

Management is offering a measly 12.5 percent salary increase over four years and a similarly miserly contribution to benefits and 401k plans. The average salary is only $27 per hour.

WPAS claims that some workers have crossed the picket lines. The company also has been hiring temps to continue its operations as well as using other locations from California to Alaska to assist it in the attempt to wear down the strikers.

Spectrum strike continues through fifth month

The strike by 1,700 Spectrum telecommunications workers in New York and New Jersey is now heading toward completion of its fifth month, with the International Brotherhood of Electrical workers and the Communications Workers of American continue to isolate the workers.

The workers struck after rejecting plans by Spectrum to move them into a substandard pension and health plan. The strikers include technicians, dispatchers, constructors, engineers, and warehouse workers.

The strategy of the unions, based on pressuring Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, has failed miserably. The isolation of the Spectrum strike follows the betrayal last year by the CWA of the strike against Verizon, which ended with workers paying sharply higher heath care expenses.
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) - A 20-year-old man is being charged with murder after the bodies of his teenage girlfriend and their infant son were found inside a burning Florida apartment building.

The Bradenton Herald reports that Larry Bernard Williams was charged Sunday with first-degree murder for the deaths of 18-year-old Diamond Shelman and 8-month-old Jeremiah Shelman.

They were found dead Sunday inside the Manatee County apartment.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said Diamond Shelman had injuries that were inconsistent with the fire, which appeared to be arson.

The fire had been noticed by a passing firefighter.
SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A student died after collapsing at a Florida middle school.

Florida Today reports that the seventh-grade boy collapsed between classes Monday afternoon at DeLaura Middle School in Satellite Beach. He was taken to a local hospital, and school administrators later learned that he had died.

Brevard Public Schools spokeswoman Jennifer Wolfinger says grief counselors went to the school Monday and would return Tuesday.

The students name wasnt immediately released. Officials didnt know what caused him to collapse.

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Copyright 2017 WTXL via Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The spirit of aloha is shining in the Lone-Star State as former Hawaii residents are working to save trapped neighbors, and feed hungry shelter residents in true Hawaii fashion.

Joann Burch, a former resident of Nanakuli, made huli huli chicken, mac salad, poke and beef stew for a Houston shelter where Hurricane Harvey victims are staying.

"However I can help out," she said. Burch moved to Houston 15 years ago and currently works for Continental Airlines.

From her Downtown highrise, she can see rescue boats bringing in displaced residents.

The flooding is just outrageous," she said. "It's like the whole city of Houston... is just covered with water."

Meanwhile, a Kauai family is also doing their part to help out.

Davin Nobriga and his 16-year old son, Dawson, originally from Hanamaulu, used their family boat to save eight people trapped by high water.

"When my son went out, he said it was about 5 feet of water. It was up to his chest," says Rose Nobriga, "He said there were so many people that were thankful and were happy that they came."

Her son and husband returned at dark after warnings about what could be in the water.

"They're warning people (to) be careful of snakes and alligators," she said. Piles of fire ants are also floating. "They will go back out and help, but they'll wait until morning."

The Hawaii natives say they remember Hurricanes Iniki and Iwa but say the flooding in Houston following Harvey is incredible.

"Right now we're on day three of a five day storm," says Nobriga.

Burch says the water isn't receding because it's still raining and the water has no where to go.

In addition to these families, over a dozen Red Cross Hawaii volunteers were sent or are heading to Texas and Louisiana to Texas to aid with recovery efforts.

Copyright 2017. Hawaii News Now. All Rights Reserved.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A special ceremony was held this afternoon to recognize local Veterans.

The Leon County Veterans Treatment Court held its fourth graduation, recognizing the successful completion of an intense program to help Veterans overcome unhealthy situations.

Today, two Veterans celebrated getting through the program, leaving happier and healthier than before.

It's often what are known as "invisible wounds" like PTSD, major depression and traumatic brain injury that make it difficult for Veterans to return to civilian life.

Other times, it's drug addiction and substance abuse.

But today, two Veterans have pushed through what was holding them back.

The Veterans Treatment Court was created a few years ago by a judge who is also a Veteran.

Today, Army Veteran Vivian Scott and Navy and Vietnam Veteran Charles Taylor were recognized for completing a program that is designed to last 18 months.

Vivian said she started the program with an addiction to marijuana but now, ten months later, she's finally clean.

"I just want to tell anybody, if they ever get in a situation like this, it's not as hard as it seems," said Scott. "All you've got to do is get a good support system -- somebody to talk to -- and everything will run smooth."

The treatment court is a state-funded program administered by Leon County. The veterans get connected to mentors and other community partners to get through it.

Vivian told me she's working on getting her associate's degree from Tallahassee Community College.

Eventually, she wants to find work with the V.A. and give back to her fellow veterans.
MIAMI (AP) - A Florida prison sergeant accused of raping an inmate has been charged with sexual battery by a corrections officer.

The Miami Herald reports prosecutors released an arrest report Monday saying the jailer at Homestead Correctional Institute claimed he never attacked the inmate and only entered a utility room with her to find her "contraband stash." The woman says he began fondling her inside her cell on May 18 before asking her to meet him in a closet where she was attacked.

The report says Miami-Dade police began investigating after she reported the incident to a superior of 50-year-old Trevor Hampton. The Florida Department of Corrections says it's moving to fire Hampton and that he's been removed from contact with inmates.

Hampton was arrested Friday. It's unclear if he has an attorney.

MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go.

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - In Tallahassee, the American Red Cross, Capital Chapter is sending people to help with relief efforts as well as taking up donations.

Days after Hurricane Harvey ripped through Texas leaving behind widespread devastation, the American Red Cross is now preparing to provide aide.

The Red Cross Capital Chapter is getting supplies and volunteers ready to help those impacted.

While donating food, water and clothing is appreciated, organizers say there is a more efficient way to donate.

"The best thing people can do is to give financially," explained Sharon Tyler.

"We actually use the money in order to order bulk supplies in Texas and Louisiana, so it's easier for the people there on the ground to know exactly what is needed and to be able to use the financial donations in order to be able to order it."

You can donate to relief efforts by clicking here.
TALLAHASSEE, FL -- U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy Devos is scheduled to be in the Capital City Tuesday.

The visit will include stops at Holy Comforter Episcopal School from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Devos will then visit Florida State University School from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Secretary Devos has been criticized in recent months after her comments referring to historically Black colleges and universities as pioneers of school choice.

Opposition to Devos visit came immediately after it was announced Monday including from Joanne McCall, president of the Florida Education Association.

She has long shown her opposition to public schools, her support for unfettered vouchers and for-profit charter school chains and her desire to privatize all education in this nation, McCall said.

Devos is set to continue her round of school visits throughout the week.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - U.S. Secretary of Education Besty DeVos will be staying an extra day in Tallahassee.

Bethel Missionary Baptist Church has confirmed that DeVos will be visiting the Bethel Christian Academy to speak.

Her official public schedule does not note that she will be speaking at the academy.

On Tuesday, DeVos made two stops: One at Holy Comforter Episcopal School at 10:30 a.m. and another at Florida State University School at 12:30 p.m.

Though DeVos was making her rounds to highlight innovative ways students are getting educated in Tallahassee, officials write that DeVos is "continuing to demean the value of public schools."

Leon County Schools released this statement regarding DeVos' visit:

"Todays visit further highlights the divide between leaders in our government who believe in public education and those who do not. The Secretary chose to tour a private, charter and voucher school while not even reaching out to our school district to let us know she was coming to Tallahassee. Leon County Schools is one of the top districts in the State of Florida with more than 40 schools and over 2,400 teachers. Not visiting one of our outstanding campuses and continuing to demean the value of public schools is disrespectful towards those men and women who wake up every day committed to the success of our 34,000 students."

However, Lynn Norman-Teck, the executive director of the Florida Charter School Alliance felt DeVos is an advocate for "quality education and parental choice."

"Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, like Arnie Duncan -- who was appointed by President Obama  is an advocate for quality education and parental choice," wrote Teck in a statement. "We hope her visit to Tallahassee gives her an opportunity to see first hand the great things educators and school advocates are doing to help raise student achievement, close the achievement gap, support teachers and increase college readiness in Florida."

Bethel Academy is a charter school and "ministry" of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.
WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump declined Monday to tag Russia as a security threat, saying he would put "many countries" in that category instead.

"I consider many countries as a security threat, unfortunately, when you look at what's going on in the world today," Trump said after a Finnish broadcaster asked specifically about Russia and whether the president would consider it a threat to security.

The president commented during a White House news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto after they met in the Oval Office.

The Finnish broadcaster referenced Niinisto's concern about the security in the Baltic region and Russian planes flying there without transponders, which transmit information about their locations. The reporter asked Trump, "Would you consider Russia as a security threat?"

"We consider that a very, very important part of the world," Trump said, noting US relationships with countries in the region. "And so I would consider many countries threats, but these are all threats that we'd be able to handle if we have to. Hopefully we won't have to handle them, but if we do we will handle them."
An IDF force operating in the Balata camp in Nablus opened fired at a suspect overnight Monday, the IDF Spokesman's Office said.

The Palestinians reported two wounded in clashes in Nablus in light-to-moderate condition.
Knesset members Yehuda Glick (Likud) and Shuli Mualem-Rafaeli (Bayit Yehudi) visited the Temple Mount on Tuesday morning as part of a new pilot program allowing MKs to hold visits to the holy site coordinated with the police.

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Glick was visiting the site for the first time since he was sworn in as a Knesset member in 2016.

In October 2015, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu barred members of Knesset from entering the compound in an attempt to calm escalating tensions amid a wave of terror attacks that had started the previous month. Jewish MKs protested the decision to forbid them from visiting the siteand the ban was extended to all MKs

MK Yehuda Glick at the Temple Mount (Photo: Uri Benk)

The MKs were allowed to return to the Temple Mount Tuesday as part of a pilot program in which the Knesset's security officer approved their requests to visit the holy site after coordinating their visit with police.

While the police determined a year ago there was no security impediment to MKs visiting the Temple Mount, the approval of their visit has been repeatedly postponed by political officials.

"I would like to hope opening the mountain to MK visits will not be a one-time event, but rather a proper re-opening to the holiest place in the world," Glick said.

"I prayed for me and my family and my children and my wife, and I prayed for world peace," added Glick, who is currently nursing his wife after she had a stroke a few months. "I prayed that God would give our prime minister strength to do his job, that he would be exonerated of all the crimes he is suspected of and would continue to unite the entire nation.

"I asked for peace in Syria, in Iran, in Afghanistan, in Yemen, that nation shall not lift up sword against nation."

MK Shulamit Mualem-Rafaeli at the Temple Mount

Members of Knesset from the Joint List announced that they are boycotting the pilot.

"Arab MKs will enter (the Temple Mount) whenever they want, not whenever Netanyahu gives the OK," said MK Ahmad Tibi.

Tibi also denounced Glick and Mualem-Rafaeli as "right-wing extremists" who "broke into al-Aqsa Mosque with the help of the Israeli government and its police."

"They want to allow them to pray in the mosques courtyard," Tibi fumed.

Several Peace Now left-wing activists demonstrated at the entrance to the Temple Mount against the MKs' visit. They carried a sign with the caption: "You crazy people, get off the mount, your pilot endangers us all."

Peace now activists with signs saying: 'You crazy people, get off the mount, your pilot endangers us all' (Photo: Ir Amim)

In recent months, Glick has been waging a struggle to allow MKs to visit the Temple Mount. He rejected the claim he was doing this as provocation.

"I have a very strange worldview that whoever is responsible for terror attacks is the person who commits them, and whoever incites to murder is guilty," Glick said. "I am convinced that whoever visits to the Temple Mount with good in his heart adds peace to the world, and whoever promotes incitement and hatred is the culprit."

Glick is a well-known outspoken activist for Jewish prayer rights at the holy site, making him a bete noire to many Arabs and left-wing Israelis. He was shot and nearly killed in 2014 by a Palestinian terrorist following a lecture at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem entitled "Israel Returns to the Temple Mount." The assailant apologized before shooting him, but said he has to do it because Glick is an "enemy of Al-Aqsa."

Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at Ir Amim, an organization promoting "stability, equality and an agreed political future in Jerusalem," said that "the return of Knesset members to the Temple Mount means that representatives of the Israeli government, members of the coalition and the prime minister's party, come to the holy site to challenge the status quo and the agreements signed by the government of Israel with the Jordanian government.

"For the Palestinian, Jordanian and Muslim public, this is another proof the State of Israel indeed supports organizations that aspire to take control of the Temple Mount and to build the Third Temple where the Dome of the Rock now stands.

"If the prime minister chooses not to intervene, he will convey to the Jordanians and the east Jerusalem community that there is no one to prevent Knesset members from acting to realize those goals, and that if they want to defend the holy site they must do so on their own."
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas on the return of three Israeli citizens and the bodies of two IDF soldiers have been defined by high rank intelligence officials as "really stuck" and a "non-starter."

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The bleak assessment comes following the recent resignation of Col. (res.) Lior Lotan , the coordinator for POWs and MIAs in the Prime Minister's Office, and the harsh criticism from the families of the two soldiers against Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who they dubbed as a "coward" and "weak."

Over the last year, efforts have been made to clarify the situation of the POWs and MIAs being held by Hamas in Gaza.





Col. (res.) Lior Lotan (Photo: Ofer Amram)

Israel's intelligence community determined with high certainty that Hamas is holding two Israeli citizens: Abera Mengistu, 30, from Ashkelon, who has been in the strip since September 2014, and Hisham Shaaban al-Sayed, a Bedouin man from Hura, who crossed into Gaza in April 2015. Both are alive but suffering from physical and mental problems and need to be on medication on a regular basis. Israel has tried, with an unknown measure of success, to transfer the medications they need through several different intermediaries and channels.

In addition, Hamas is holding the bodies of IDF soldiers Lt. Hadar Goldin and Sgt. Oron Shaul, who were declared dead based on forensic, medical and intelligence assessments, as well as Jewish law.

Hamas is also holding an additional Israeli citizen, Jumaa Ibrahim Abu-Ghanima, whose presence in Gaza is defined as a "security affair" by the intelligence community, and he is not included on the list of POWs and MIAs. There is also doubt as to whether he really wants to return to Israel.

Top: Jumaa Ibrahim Abu-Ghanima, Sgt. Oron Shaul; Bottom: Lt. Hadar Goldin, Abera Mengistu

The negotiations with Israel are being led by two Hamas officials: Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar and his aide Jihad Yaghmur, who were both released as part of the 2011 Shalit deal. Both were sent to prison, among other things, for planning the kidnapping of IDF soldier Nachshon Wachsman. In a cruel twist of fate, it was during Wachsman's failed rescue attempt in 1994 that the same Lior Lotan was seriously wounded. He was awarded a military citation for his actions in that mission.

When they were released from prison, the two promised the prisoners left behind that they would not abandon them. Sinwar sees it as his duty to keep that promise.

Yahya Sinwar upon his release from prison as part of the Shalit deal.

Following what Hamas and the Palestinian public view as the great success of the Shalit dealwhich saw the release of 1,027 Palestinian imprisoned in Israel for terror offenses, some of them very severe, in return for one soldierit is considered the starting point for any future deal. To make that clear, Hamas conditioned merely information on the fate of the POWs and MIAs with the release of the Shalit deal prisoners who have been arrested again since.

Hamas has already given Israelthrough intermediariesits main conditions for a full deal, and they are more or less similar to the Shalit deal as far as the numbers go: The release of some 1,000 living prisoners, as well as the return of bodies and other terms.

Israel unequivocally rejected these conditions. "There's nothing to talk about," said the Israeli negotiation team, led by Lotan, after taking the Hamas terms to the prime minister, defense minister, and Security Cabinet.

"Israel of today is not the same Israel that existed on the eve of the (October 2011) Shalit deal," explained a senior Israeli official. "Primarily, because the deal that was signed had already carried with it strong criticism from the public. Secondly, because living citizens who were taken by Hamas, partially due to their own fault, are not considered by the public to be soldiers who were taken captive while defending the country. This is why the public is only willing to pay a lower price for them. Third, because in light of the Shamgar Commission's conclusions on the price that should be paid for POWs and MIAs, there are those in the political ranks, the intelligence and military ranks, and among the public, who want to exchange bodies for bodies rather than pay the price of living prisoners, certainly not prisoners with blood on their hands."

Col. (res.) Lotan realized that in the current state of affairs, there is no chance of reaching a deal, and after three difficult and exhausting years doing the job voluntarily, he decided to resign his post.

The families demand taking other measures against Hamas, such as military operations to release the bodies and the captives, or economic and internal pressure on the Gaza terror group.

Simcha and Leah Goldin, parents of Hadar Goldin (Photo: Shaul Golan)

It is safe to assume the defense establishment would not rush to any military operation to release the citizens and return the bodies of the soldiers that could risk soldiers' lives.

As for economic pressure in the form of a complete and air-tight closure of the strip, preventing the transfer of merchandise, equipment, food etc. inside, the senior Israeli official noted it was "Undesirable to impose a boycott similar to what the Defense Ministry put on Gaza in order to pressure Hamas to release Shalit. Primarily, because it didn't work last time either. We didn't get Shalit despite all of the steps we took, including the arrest of Hamas leaders, more bombardments, or imposing a stricter blockade on Gaza. Second, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is so severe and the population's situation is so bad that any change could lead to an explosion, the collapse of the Hamas rule, chaos and war against Israel."

"In fact," the official concluded. "Israel is interested in the stability of the Hamas rule in Gaza, because the alternative is far worse. This is why there isn't a more intense pressure put to return the captives and soldiers' bodies."
Syria's state news agency says buses taking hundreds of Islamic State militants and their families from the border area between Lebanon and Syria have arrived to eastern Syria.

SANA says the buses with the militants and their families arrived on Tuesday in Deir el-Zour province, an IS-stronghold.

Some 600 militants were allowed to leave as part of a deal, negotiated by Lebanon's Hezbollah, in exchange for identifying the location of the remains of Lebanese soldiers captured by IS in 2014, and later killed. The deal has provoked controversy in Lebanon, as some voiced opposition to negotiations with the militants

IS' departure leaves the border between Syria and Lebanon free of extremists for the first time in years.
French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to the Middle East next spring, in a trip including Israel and the Palestinian territories, to help the peace process in the region and promote a two-state solution.

We will continue our efforts with the United Nations to find a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, living safely side-by-side within borders recognised by the international community, with Jerusalem at the capital of both states, he told a gathering of French ambassadors.

Besides Israel and the Palestinian territories, Macron said the trip will include Lebanon and Jordan.
PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to the Middle East next spring, in a trip including Israel and the Palestinian territories, to help the peace process in the region and promote a two-state solution.

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We will continue our efforts with the United Nations to find a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, living safely side-by-side within borders recognized by the international community, with Jerusalem at the capital of both states, he told a gathering of French ambassadors.

Besides Israel and the Palestinian territories, Macron said the trip will include Lebanon and Jordan.

French President Emmanuel Macron (Photo: AP)

Macron met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in July and made an appeal to him for renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

The French president also warned the Israeli prime minister that continued Jewish settlement construction could threaten such negotiations and eventual peace prospects.

"I call for a resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians in the framework of the search for a solution of two states, Israel and Palestine, living in recognized, secure borders with Jerusalem as the capital," Macron told reporters.

At his side, Netanyahu said, "We share the same desire for a peaceful Middle East," but didn't elaborate on eventual peace talks.

Macron further said France is ready to apply diplomatic levers toward renewed negotiations but gave no specifics. He didn't indicate any eagerness for France to spearhead such negotiations, after a fruitless French diplomatic effort early this year.

Fight against 'Islamist terrorism' first priority

In a speech that touched upon a wide array of topics on Tuesday, Macron told French ambassadors that the fight against "Islamist terrorism," especially in Syria and Iraq, is the first priority of his foreign policy.

Macron proposed creating a new "contact group" including the other permanent members of the UN Security Council to help handle negotiations with Syria. He didn't give more detail about the exact role and composition of this group.

Macron said the Islamic State group is "our enemy" and "we must end the war" in Syria, and called for a political transition in Iraq.

Macron also said he wants to organize in Paris an international summit "against the financing of the terrorism" at the beginning of next year.

The French president also discussed the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal amid threats from Tehran it would back out of the agreement if the US continues imposing sanctions on it, saying there was no alternative to the deal.

In a message aimed at US President Donald Trump, who has ordered a review of the lifting of sanctions after the agreement and called it "the worst deal ever negotiated," Macron asserted the agreement was good.

"There is no alternative to the regime on nuclear non-proliferation," he said. "In the context of what we are living through, the 2015 agreement is what allows us establish a constructive and demanding dialogue with Iran."
Israel's ambassador to Egypt has returned to his post, eight months after he and his small staff returned home because of unspecified security threats.

Cairo airport officials say the ambassador, David Govrin, flew back to Cairo on Tuesday with eight staff members. The ambassador and his staff are expected to resume work from the envoy's suburban Cairo home.

The Israeli Embassy in central Cairo has been closed since protesters stormed it in 2011.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment. The airport officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Prior to their departure in mid-December, the ambassador and his staff routinely flew home on Thursday and returned to their post on Sunday.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman lashed out Tuesday against the recently ratified Regulation Law which retroactively legalizes government-backed outposts in the West Bank, warning that it causes tremendous damage to, and sabotages communities in Judea and Samaria.

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Liebermans comments were made in reference to the advancing of of the required process designed to retroactively legalize buildings constructed on private Palestinian land.

The bill passed its second and third Knesset reading last February , making way parties on the Right to head a campaign to grant official state recognition to outposts in the area around which legal ambiguity existed.

As a result of the law 10,000 Palestinian homes in Area C will be legalized and only 2,000 homes belonging to Jewish communities, Lieberman said during a press tour of the West Bank.

Avigdor Lieberman (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Addressing the international communitys reaction to the law, particularly the USs, Lieberman stressed that he had adopted a totally open and frank position and that while disagreements did exist, no confrontation had surfaced.

I have a policy of a game with all cards shown to the Americans. I dont hide anything. They dont always agree but it doesnt cause a diplomatic crisis, he told his listeners.

He went on to launch into the Hilltop Youth, denouncing them as idiots and disturbed. Some of them are absolute anarchists. They have caused severe damage. The most serious damage are the terror attacks that they committed. When they burn families or a Palestinian boy it damages the communities (in the area). It delegitimizes the entire settlement enterprise.

He also expressed his support for the administrative detention decrees for some of the groups members.

Dealing with them starts in the education system, but I have no problem signing administrative detention orders for these gangs, he said, adding that the number of people belonging to the organization was on significantly on the decline.

Lieberman also addressed the numerous construction battles currently underway in the West Bank, one of which concerns the outpost of Sde Boaz in Gush Etzion, from which the High Court ordered four houses be vacated.

Anyone who builds in a partisan fashion cause us serious damage, he charged. In Sde Boaz there is a problem with four houses and the other 40 are absolutely fine. The four houses were built in a partisan fashion. We are not talking about destroying an entire community. Dont preach to me about building in Judea and Samaria.

Regarding the delays in the building of the new Amichai settlement that was supposed to be established for evacuees of the Amona outpost , Lieberman reiterated his opposition to his ministrys invovlement in the first place.

Its no secret that we, as a ministry, objected to being part of the establishment of the community. The Defense Ministry doesnt establish communities. The moment we found a place in the territory it was no longer in our hands. At the moment, discussions are being held with the Ministry of Housing and Interior.

Asked about the legality of building in the West Bank, Lieberman emphasized that the Civil Administration was plagued by a manpower shortage, which was therefore not sufficiently equipped to deal with, or provide answers to, the legion of petitions and legal discussions.

Amona evacuation (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

There are today more than 400 appeals through the High Court of Justice, more than 120 of which are against Jews and another 300 against illegal Palestinian construction, he said. We are trying to look for another solution in order to cope with the matter more thoroughly.

The central issue which is most disconcerting for the residents in the West Bank is the budgeting for security components in the communities, particularly in light of the deadly terror attacks which have taken place in the area in recent years and months.

But Lieberman was keen to point out statistics demonstrating his commitment to the security of the residents. According to him, the cost of improving the security apparatus stands at 3 billion shekels.

It is at the top of our priorities at the moment, he promised, before pointing out that since he took office as the defense minister, the number of terror attacks had notably declined, while the budget had risen.

Since June 2016 until August 2017, 138 terror attacks took place, not including ones involving Molotov Cocktails and rocks, and the Defense Ministry gave the communities 99 million shekels. In the same period the previous year, there were 235 terror attacks and the Defense Ministry allocated 77 million shekels.
Lebanon's foreign minister said on Tuesday he supported renewing the mandate of UN peacekeeping forces in the country for another year amid US and Israeli criticism that the peacekeepers should do more to stop Hezbollah gaining arms.

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"Preserving the mandate of @unifil is necessary for peace and stability, otherwise will jeopardize efforts of @UN," Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said on Twitter.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrols Lebanon's southern border with Israel.

In the past, UNIFIL has deflecting responsibility and denied prior knowledge of the presence of armed Hezbollah militants along the border with Israel.

Its annually renewed mandate was expanded from the original 1978 mission following a 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group.

This tasked UNIFIL with making sure southern Lebanon was "free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons" other than those belonging to the Lebanese government or UNIFIL.

Photo: AP

Hezbollah, which supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has a strong presence in south Lebanon, repeatedly threatens to destroy Israel.

Israel has regularly complained that UNIFIL has too soft an approach towards enforcing the 2006 ceasefire and would like to see stronger action against Hezbollah military deployment that Israel alleges is taking place in violation of the ceasefire.

Lebanon also accuses Israel of violating the ceasefire by sending warplanes into its airspace. In January, Lebanon's new government affirmed its support for the security council resolution outlining UNIFIL's current mandate.

Hezbollah defends its possession of weapons as necessary to defend Lebanon, but does not say where they are. But in one of many of its threats against Israel, the movement's leader Hassan Nasrallah threatened, as late as this month, that "the defeat Israel suffered in 2006, it will suffer again, but it will be a much greater defeat."

Israel's ambassador to the UN Danny Danon called in an August newspaper column for UNIFIL to be able to inspect Lebanese towns more stringently and insist on unlimited access to all suspicious sites.

Israeli officials want UNIFIL and the Lebanese army to act against Hezbollah by uncovering hidden weapons and emplacements, of which they say there are thousands that Israel has mapped.

Photo: AP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday raised the issue in a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

Netanyahu said the UN has failed to report any of the "tens of thousands of weapon smugglings into Lebanon for Hezbollah".

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Friday criticised UNIFIL head Irish Major General Michael Beary, accusing him of an "embarrassing lack of understanding" in not uncovering Iranian arms supply to Hezbollah.

The UN Security Council will vote on renewing the mandate this week before it expires on Thursday.

"We are not looking to change the mandate itself. We are looking to include language that clearly directs UNIFIL to do what it should have been doing for years," Haley said.

A UNIFIL spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
BEIRUT  Buses carrying hundreds of Islamic State militants and their families arrived in eastern Syria on Tuesday following a negotiated evacuation from the Lebanon-Syria border, where the US-backed Lebanese army deployed for the first time in years.

The evacuation agreement, the first such publicized deal concluded with the extremist group, angered many Iraqis, who accused Syria and Hezbollah of dumping the militants on the Iraqi border rather than eradicating them.

Some 600 militants were allowed to leave as part of a deal, negotiated by Hezbollah, in exchange for identifying the location of the remains of Lebanese soldiers captured by IS in 2014 and later killed. The deal also provoked controversy in Lebanon, as some have voiced opposition to negotiations with the militants.
Israel's ambassador to Egypt has returned to his post, eight months after he and his small staff returned home because of unspecified security threats.

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Cairo airport officials say the ambassador, David Govrin, flew back to Cairo on Tuesday with eight staff members. The ambassador and his staff are expected to resume work from the envoy's suburban Cairo home.

The Israeli Embassy in central Cairo has been closed since protesters stormed it in 2011.

David Govrin

The Israeli Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment. The airport officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Prior to their departure in mid-December, the ambassador and his staff routinely flew home on Thursday and returned to their post on Sunday.

A February report in the British newspaper, The Telegraph, claimed that Govrin was returned to Israel at the end of 2016 and has not visited the Egyptian capital since. He did however continue to perform his duties from Jerusalem.

The report made no mention of specific security threats that abruptly prompted Gavrin's surprise departure, but the concerns are said to have emanated from the numerous terror attacks that had struck Egypt during the same period.
With emotions running high in the political establishment and on the streets of south Tel Avivwhich has been hardest hit by illegal migrationfollowing the High Court of Justice's (HCJ) Monday decision stating illegal aliens cannot be detained for more than 60 days, Eritrean migrants have also weighed in.

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According to the decision, the illegal aliens can be forcibly deported to a third African country, but obstacles have been placed upon implementing such a policy due to prior state assurances against it.

"I came here after suffering through wars in Eritrea. I came here to live my life and to no longer be made miserable," said an illegal migrant identified as 'B.', who came to Israel from Eritrea in 2012 and is now being held in the Holot detention facility.

Detainees in the Saharonim detention facility (Photo: Haim Horenstein)

"The Ministry of the Interior never replied to my request for asylum," he claims, "made immediately upon my arrival. I've been in Holot for the past six months and spent three months in Saharonim before that. I hope we can finally be free but I'm not optimistic, because the state always finds a way of getting around the court's decisions. Were it up to me I wouldn't stay here for one minute longer, but I just have nowhere else to go."

"It isn't easy being a normative person who's locked in prison," adds B. "They say the facility's open and you can go wherever you like and only come back at night, but it's not really true. There are a lot of Ministry of Interior decrees and we're being intimidated. They don't want us asking for anything: if I say I need to leave for a wedding or a funeral, I'm told I'm a liar and I shouldn't open my mouth in Israel."

'H.,' another illegal migrant being held in the Holot detention facitlity, says that he too never came to Israel to cause problems. "I'm an asylum seeker," says H. "I didn't come here to commit crimes or make a mess. I don't know why I'm being held in Holot or why the state won't reply to my asylum request. If Israel signed a refugee protection convention all I'm asking is that it stand by it.

"I couldn't live a normal life in Eritrea," H. recounts, "it's like one giant prison, living under a dictatorship and war. I only want my freedom and hope we'll soon be released."

Detainees in the Saharonim detention facility (Photo: Haim Horenstein)

Current Israeli law says a foreign national may be detained indefinitely until they're "convinced" to agree to willing deportation. The judges' recent ruling, however, severely curtailed Israel's ability to forcefully deport those objecting to it by using prolonged incarceration.

Dr. Tally Kritzman-Amir, an expert on refugee law from the Ramat Gan College of Law and Business, clarified the meaning of the ruling. "The High Court never invalidated the possibility of removing asylum seekers to Uganda and Rwanda, despite the fact they don't seem to be able to offer those deported complete safety and the fact that the details of the agreement to move these migrants to the two countries weren't divulged," she explained.

"Nevertheless," Kritzman-Amir continues, "the court insisted asylum seekers cannot be coerced into agreeing to deportation by using prolonged incarceration on the ones who won't cooperate, saying a third-country removal requires willful consent and cannot be coerced by the revocation of liberty."

Three of the judges ruling against prolonged detainment: Hanan Melcer (L), Miriam Naor and Elyakim Rubinstein (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky, Guy Assayag)

"By so doing the court blocked yet another attempt to exert undue pressure on the asylum seekers, in essence pushing them out of Israel by making their lives here so unbearable they end up agreeing to be deported," she concluded her analysis.

Data presented by Amnesty International shows that until June 2017, 8,490 asylum requests have been submitted to Israel by Eritreans and 5,274 by Sudanese, totaling 13,764 requests.

Until November of last year, 2,066 of these requests were summarily rejected and 1,350 were rejected after a brief legal procedure. In total, 7,282 asylum requests received no reply.

Amnesty claims only two Sudanese and eight Eritreans received a refugee status in Israel.
Israels fightback against the relentless barrage of slander campaigns in the international sphere has become a central focus of the government and of numerous organizations in Israel and around the world.

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Some of the most effective methods for countering anti-Israel activities include not only going out to advocate for Israel on the university campuses and communities where anti-Israel rhetoric finds its most fertile grounds, but also bringing people to Israel and enabling them to view first-hand the realities on the ground.

Briefing by Deputy Minister, Dr. Michael Oren (Photo: Shmuel Cohen)

Caesarea (Photo: Shmuel Cohen Photo Agency)

One of the transcendent organizations in this field, dealing in the promotion of Israeli policy and strategy, but not advocacy, is Our Soldiers Speak . They are raising the discussion of Israel to new heights, from a position that contributes Israels voice to the global discourse without engaging in advocacy, much less in a defensive manner.

Founded in 2006, Our Soldiers Speak, a US-based NGO, is the first, and currently the sole organization globally, that brings uniformed IDF soldiers, officers and generals from the field to the campuses and communities throughout the English-speaking world,

As part of their 360 degree approach, they recently implemented a groundbreaking project bringing 28 cadets and Midshipmen from the US Naval Academy, Annapolis and the United States Military Academy, West Point to embark on a journey throughout Israel stretching from its Negev desert in the south to the northern frontiers of the country.

The twelve day tourIsrael Through the Defense & Policy Lensprovided the participants the opportunity to visit some of Israels most prestigious sites which form the cornerstones of the countrys heritage, culture and political institutions. They included, inter alia, the Knesset, Massada, the Dead Sea, Yad Vashem, Independence Hall, the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, Caesarea and the Sea of Galilee.

In addition to receiving tours of Israels borders with Syria, Gaza and Lebanon, the cadets were afforded a unique opportunity to receive briefings from some of the most prominent names in Israels political arena, among them Minister Yoav Galant, former Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren, Ambassador Arthur Koll and Director General of Ministry of Justice Emi Palmor, no less than five Majors General and several Brigadiers-General, as well as Supreme Court Justice Neil Hendel.

Briefing by Minister Yoav Galant (Photo: Shmuel Cohen Photo Agency)

Moreover, participants were treated to military briefings delivered by the IDFs most distinguished experts, such as Major Generals Noam Tibon, Dan Efrony and Gershon HaCohen

Speaking in an interview with Ynetnews, four of the cadets shared their thoughts on their first experiences of the country.

Lauren Larar, a senior at the academy and a student of Political Science, said that while it was a somewhat peculiar site for her to witness IDF soldiers carrying guns when she first walked Israels streets, any anxiety was swiftly replaced by a heightened sense of security.

For Lauren, the trip also offered the chance to put into perspective the media reports filling the TV screens and headlines back home.

Lebanese border briefing (Photo: Shmuel Cohen)

I think you kind of have a misconception in your mind before you comeBeing here and actually seeing everything and seeing all the people certainly put meaning behind everything you see in the news and all of the media and everything you learn in school, Lauren said.

We have had a unique perspective in that we have spent a lot of time talking to people who live here. We heard opinions from both sides on a lot of different issues and I think that is something you just cant get unless you come here and actually see it with your own eyes and talk to the people yourself, she continued

Upon completing her tour of Israel, Lauren acknowledged the limitations of acquiring comprehensive knowledge about the country from afar.

To be honest I think I didnt really have such a great idea of the reality of Israel until we came here in terms of the security aspect, she added, emphasizing that one of her first observations was the stark contrast between that which she encountered and the international medias coverage of the conflict.

Austin Neal, a 22-year-old pre-law major from West Point was able to draw on knowledge he gained during classes he elected on Middle Eastern issues. Prior to the tour, Austin said he believed he had formed a reasonable idea about the country given the medias extensive reports, particularly about Gaza, Syria and Lebanon. Nevertheless, he said he recognized the shortfalls in his understanding which were most conspicuously highlighted by his exposure to the reality on the ground.

He too noted the differences between the preconceptions constructed by the media and the reality he witnessed during his whirlwind visit.

Concurring with Laurens analysis, Austin said I expected it to be a lot more intense, especially around the borders we went to, but I felt safe even around the hot areas. It didnt seem nearly as violent as it is has been portrayed to me.

Director-General, Israeli Ministry of Justice Emi Palmoor (Photo: Shmuel Cohen)

Even when glimpses of danger occasionally arose, such as when the group found themselves in Jerusalem during the Temple Mount terror attack, Austin said that at no point did a sense of trepidation suffocate his sense of security.

We were in Jerusalem when an attack ocurred a few days ago and there wasnt a time when I didnt feel safe. I felt safe the entire time, he continued, adding that in terms of security, Israels got a hold on what theyre doing pretty well.

Drew Bennet, a junior at the US Naval Academy, studying Political Science explained that the concerns of his parents during his trip turned out to be entirely unfounded.

Ive been in touch with my parents because they are very nervous on my behalf for coming here, but I keep telling them I feel a lot safer here than I do in a lot of US cities walking around at night, he asserted.

Drew also stressed that fully comprehending Israels minuscule size, and the concomitant security challenges the country faces, was next to impossible by merely poring over a map.

Only being informed that the worlds most war-torn spots lay just a matter of hours away enabled Drew to develop a greater appreciation and understanding of Israels geographic hardships.

Outside the Knesset (Photo: Shmuel Cohen)

Coming here and just seeing just how small it is, especially coming from the US where everything seems really big and oversized, was what most struck Drew. This is a very condensed place and when we were standing on the Syrian border and they said a 6 hours drive away from here is Bagdad or Damascus it put into perspective just how close by everything is.

On a map it looks small but its all a very faraway perspective when you are reading about it and I think coming and realizing that things are merely a six hour drive that way is a lot easier to comprehend.

At the same time, Drews newfound comprehension of Israels narrow borders also fostered greater admiration for the country which he said he commended for its marked preeminence in the face of adversity.

Beyond the borders there are a lot of other things going on but within the borders everything seems to be moving in a very positive direction, he stated.

Human Geography student Hannah Fairfield, who will soon be a West Point senior, is interested in culture and said she was excited to familiarize herself with the different cultures Israel had to offer, but she also explained how hearing from generals and commanders who fought in some of Israels most famous wars, on the very battlegrounds on which they were fought, was an unforgettable experience.

You can read about this battle or that battle but actually hearing from a general who actually went through battles and hearing the thoughts that went through his head at the time is an invaluable experience to gain knowledge, Hannah said. Just as we have the opportunity to gain that insight from people from the US military at school, its interesting to get it from a different perspective.

Visiting the Israeli National Police HQ (Photo: Shmuel Cohen)

Asked which of the sites she visited had the most profound impact on her, Hannah pointed to the proximity of Israels air defense sites to the civilian population. It was crazy to me just how close we were to the city. Everything is just really compact and they really dont have much operational depth. The IDF is really impressive in that sense how they still get everything done that they have to get done.

I would say the Valley of Tears (a battle site during the 1973 Yom Kippur War) just because of the magnitude of that battle and just how Israel responded, severely outnumbered. It didnt have the advantage of terrain, Austin interjected, before reflecting on the words he heard from an IDF commander who fought there.

Touring the Supreme Court (Photo: Shmuel Cohen)

For him to stand up there and relive his story and for us to make that connection with it was probably the most rewarding thing for me.

Yet beyond the operational difficulties with which Israel contends, the most impressive reality for Austin were the positive results and the fruits of comparative peace that have flowed out of Israels military prowess.

Israel was born and the next day they were attacked by 5 Arab nations and that has been their role for at least the better half of a century just having to fight and be the underdog. We have had the advantage of coming here now in 2017 and we are learning that Egypt and Jordan are on better terms. Thats what sticks with me.

But while Drew also paid homage to the military success of the country, it was what he described as the miracle of the Jewish people that he said reserved the most prominent spot in his memory of the tour.

I think I am taking away a much greater appreciation for the Jewish people in general over the last 2000 years and how much of a miracle it is that Israel has become what it is today by all historical accounts, Drew said.

Cadet greeting Supreme Court Justice Neal Hendel (Photo: Shmuel Cohen)

Citing the contrast between the modernity of Tel Aviv and the troubled broader region within which it has blossomed, Drew went on to laud the one gem of a country that is able to stick out against all the odds.

But Lauren was most profoundly struck by Israels sense of patriotism, which she said constituted the most inspirational takeaway of the tour.

To us we think oh my goodness, they have to deal with this, but no matter how difficult the situation was that they told us about, the reoccurring theme at the end of every conversation with every person was just how much they love their country.

While appreciative of Israels achievements and challenges, Austin praised the organization, Our Soldiers Speak, for its efforts and the indelible impression it had left on him, expressing faith in its abilities to reach greater heights as it continues to bring the best of Israel to the world and the best of the world to Israel.

I think the organization that brought us over here, Our Soldiers Speak, did a lot of great work bringing in people for us. We met military generals, we got to visit the Knesset, we met journalists and everything. From what I saw I think its a really good organization I think its going to be a really good thing for Israel once it gets up to its full capacity, he concluded.

Founder and Director of the organization, Benjamin Anthony, himself a combat reservist in the IDF, who served as a lone soldier in the Second Lebanon War of 2006, told us that he and Rozita Pnini, President of the organization, are largely uninterested in Israel advocacy.

Briefing by Neal Hendel (Photo: Shmuel Cohen)

I think its counter-productive. Instead, Anthony said we strongly believe that whether due to positive circumstances or circumstances that are less than positive, Israel has acquired a degree of expertise in the context of her own challenges that render it a thought leader in matters that have now become issues of international intrigue and global significance.

"Whether in the realm of traditional counter-terror work, or in the realm of lone wolf attacks, whether in the realm of international humanitarian law or in the realm of the internal judicial process, whether on refugee policy, medical aid, humanitarian missions or interfaith dialogue and co-existence, the State and the people of Israel have a voice that is now more relevant and central than ever before when it comes to the global discourse. Our task is to bring that voice to the world and to bring those willing to listen, to learn and to contribute, back to Israel. We wont do that from the stance of advocacy. That is wholly uninteresting.

Emphasizing the organization's reluctance to engage in advocacy work, Anthony said: Where placards are foisted in the air, and slogans hijack civil discourse, or shallow catchphrases are deployed, you will not find us there."

On the other hand, he continued, "Where Israel is discussed in a substantive, informed way; from elite campuses, to select graduate schools and in the offices of elected officials, that is precisely where we will be; proudly undertaking our duty to draw together substance, pride and results, based upon policy, strategy and a readiness to educate."

Finally, Anthony expressed his gratitude to the cadets for joining his organization on the tour.

"It was our privilege to host such unique individuals as those who came from the academies. They will one day be the guardians of the great United States in the US Armed Forces. We thank them for their time and their commitment to their country. It is a testament to them that we were able to reach such great heights during this tour. We look forward to following along with them and we appreciate having the opportunity to educate them on realities that will surely escort them throughout their careers as officers and far beyond. Now we look forward to taking our work to the next level," he concluded.
KIRKUK, Iraq  Iraq's oil-producing Kirkuk region will vote in a referendum on Kurdish independence on Sept. 25, its provisional council decided on Tuesday, a move that could increase tension with Arab and Turkmen residents.

The ethnically-mixed region is claimed by both the central government in Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq.

The vote is "definitely happening" on Sept. 25, Kirkuk Governor Najmuddin Kareem said after a majority of the provincial council voted in favor of taking part.
JERUSALEM  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's vow to never evacuate Jewish settlements in the West Bank drew outrage from Palestinians Tuesday.

Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, denounced Netanyahu's comments and said they hinder US peace efforts.

"This is an Israeli message to the US administration," he said. "We call upon the US administration to deal with these provocations," which, he said, hinder American peace efforts and are "an attempt to return things to square one."
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met Tuesday evening in Ramallah with families of terrorists and Palestinian prisoners who are locked up in Israel and receiving medical care while serving their sentences.

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According to a report in the Palestinian Wafa news agency, the family members asked Guterres to act seriously to save the lives of more than 6,500 male and female Palestinian prisoners who are being subjected to serious harm.

Photo: EPA

Chairman of the Palestinian Prisoners Authority, Issa Qaraqe, asked the secretary-general, who also visited Yasser Arafat's grave, to convene a special meeting in the UN General Assembly on the matter, to which Guterres reportedly responded:

We understand the suffering of the Palestinian prisoners, and are working with the relevant officials in order to stop their suffering.

Guterres visits Yasser Arafat in Ramallah (Photo: EPA)

Also present at the meeting with Qaraque were Secretary General of the PLO Executive Committee Saeb Erekat and the Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour.

At the conclusion of his meeting on Monday with President Reuven Rivlin , Guterres said that while he did not always agree with Israeli policy, You can be sure that I will be careful to implement the UN Charter to treat the State of Israel with equality.

Guterres is currently in the midst of a four-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority as part of a wider tour of the Middle Easthis first since taking up his new position at the end of last year.
Signs are emerging that the capital inflow from mainland China into the Australian property market is slowing down. However, this decline is being offset by investment from other countries and territories into Australian property, analysts say.

According to Cushman & Wakefield, despite lower Chinese investment, commercial real estate in Australia is on track to achieve another robust year, with the firms research forecasting total investment of approximately $30bn for 2017.

This follows Chinas State Council issuing the first rules on overseas investment by Chinese companies on August 18. A new list of banned investments includes casinos and defence technology, while overseas property development and hotels were classified as restricted.

Chinas National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said that companies investing overseas in real estate could be harming Chinas financial stability by increasing capital outflows.

James Quigley, head of capital markets, Australia and New Zealand, at Cushman & Wakefield, said that in the first half of this year, the largest source of foreign capital for Australian commercial real estate was Singaporean investors. Meanwhile, Hong Kong investors were responsible for recent landmark deals in London and Australia.

Despite the decline in investment from mainland Chinese, Australian property investment volumes are on track for another robust year supported by investors from Singapore, Hong Kong, the US and Germany as well as local institutions such as Dexus and Charter Hall, Quigley said.

John Sears, national director of research at Cushman & Wakefield, said some of the many reasons behind the decline in Chinese investment include limited available assets, uneven investments in 2016, and changing regulation related to Chinese outbound investment.

Areas which experienced the largest drop in Chinese investment volumes half-on-half were development sites and hotels, down 85 per cent and 67 per cent respectively, he said. Investment in retail rose from a low base, just $8.2 million in the first half of 2016 with the largest transaction in 2017 being the Arena Shopping Centre, $36.6 million, in Victoria.

While there were concerns over the potential impact of a further decline in Chinese investment in Australian commercial property, overall volumes are expected to remain firm and demand for Australian commercial real estate remain robust, supported by inquiry from a variety of global sources, including Singapore and Hong Kong, Sears said.

Sears also pointed out that the Chinese government has not banned overseas real estate and hotel investments outright. The latest restrictions could also stimulate other sectors.

For example, logistics could receive increased interest following its inclusion in the encouraged investment category. Additionally, research and development centres in business park-type facilities may receive additional capital allocations, Sears said.

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Washington: US President Donald Trump on Monday issued an executive order revoking limits imposed by predecessor Barack Obama on the transfer of surplus military equipment to local law enforcement agencies, the White House said.

Obama had curtailed the equipment transfer programme after law enforcement officers using military-style armoured vehicles and guns confronted protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 following the fatal police shooting of a black teenager.

Trump`s executive order said, "All executive departments and agencies are directed, as of the date of this order and consistent with Federal law, to cease implementing those recommendations and, if necessary, to take prompt action to rescind any rules, regulations, guidelines, or policies implementing them."

The Republican president has reversed or cut back many of his Democratic predecessor`s policies since taking office in January.

The use of military equipment in Ferguson prompted a wider outcry over the use of war-fighting equipment by local law enforcement agencies in the United States.

After a review, Obama barred the military from transferring certain types of equipment to police or sheriff`s departments, including tracked armoured vehicles, armed aircraft or vehicles of any kind, .50-caliber firearms and ammunition, grenade launchers, bayonets and camouflage uniforms.

Obama also required law enforcement agencies to justify the need for items like helicopters and other aircraft, wheeled armoured vehicles, unmanned drones, riot helmets and "flash-bang" grenades.

"These restrictions that had been imposed went too far," U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions told a meeting of the Fraternal Order of Police union in Nashville, Tennessee, earlier on Monday.

"We will not put superficial concerns above public safety. We will do our best to get you what you need." Sessions did not specify what those superficial concerns were.

Sessions said helmets and body armour available through the Defense Department programme were the types of equipment that saved the life of a police officer during the 2016 Orlando, Florida, nightclub shooting. And helicopters and armoured vehicles are vital to emergency and disaster response, he said.

Monday`s order drew criticism from some of Trump`s fellow Republicans in Congress.

"It is one thing for federal officials to work with local authorities to reduce or solve crime, but it is another for them to subsidise militarization," Senator Rand Paul said in a statement.

Paul promised to introduce legislation that would ban transfers of certain military equipment to local law enforcement agencies, improve transparency surrounding such transfers, and require the agencies to return equipment prohibited under the proposed law.

U.S. Representative Mark Sanford also condemned the executive order, criticizing the transfer programme as a potential waste of taxpayers` dollars. He said in a statement that he had introduced a bill in 2016 to auction off military equipment instead of give it to local agencies.

The Defense Department`s law enforcement support programme has transferred more than $6 billion worth of equipment to police agencies since its inception 25 years ago, Pentagon figures show.
Cox's Bazar: At least 6,000 Rohingya civilians fleeing renewed violence in Myanmar are stranded near the border with Bangladesh which is blocking their entry, a senior Bangladeshi official said Tuesday, as the United Nations urged Dhaka to let them in.

Bangladesh has barred thousands of members of the stateless Muslim minority from entering the country since Friday, when fresh fighting broke out between Myanmar`s security forces and Rohingya militants in neighbouring Rakhine state leaving at least 110 people dead.

The UN refugee agency has said some 5,200 people have managed to cross into Bangladesh in the past three days.

But the majority have been stopped at the border despite heavy fighting in nearby villages, even coming under fire on Saturday as they huddled along the "zero line" which marks the northernmost part of the border.

"Around 6,000 Myanmar nationals have gathered on the border and are trying to enter Bangladesh," a senior Border Guard Bangladesh official told AFP, referring to the Rohingya.

The official said the situation across the border, which is demarcated in parts by narrow stretches of the Naf River, was "still volatile".

"Last night we heard heavy gunfire by automatic weapons in phases and saw smoke billowing from burnt villages across the border," he said.

Another border guard official estimated the number of Rohingya in limbo could exceed 10,000, as many were believed to be hiding in hills and forests to escape nearby violence.

But border guards have been ordered not to let them cross.

"How can I deny shelter to (a) newborn who is dying from cold?" said the border guard, who asked to remain anonymous.

With around 400,000 Rohingya already living in squalid camps in Bangladesh, the government has instructed its border guards to prevent another influx at all costs.The UN rights chief said decades of "systematic" abuses against the Rohingya, who are reviled in Myanmar with most refused citizenship, were largely to blame for the spiralling violence and insisted authorities could have prevented the bloodshed.

Zeid Ra`ad Al Hussein said in a statement the "deplorable" violence "was predicted and could have been prevented".

"Decades of persistent and systematic human rights violations... have almost certainly contributed to the nurturing of violent extremism, with everyone ultimately losing," Zeid said.

In a separate statement the UN`s refugee agency said barring entry to the fleeing Rohingya posed a "very grave risk" to their lives, reinforcing a message from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who called on Bangladesh to step up assistance to escaping civilians, in particular the wounded.

Instead nearly 500 Rohingya have been detained and returned trying to cross the border since Monday, according to Shariful Islam Jamaddar, a deputy border guard commander.

Border guards have been driving Rohingya who have managed to cross into Bangladesh back across the border several times a day, an AFP correspondent said.

Some Rohingya have made it just inside Bangladeshi territory, momentarily safe from violence but unable to move onwards to shelter.

Mohammad Ismail had taken shelter from the rain under a plastic sheet erected by border guards, but the shelter has since been torn down.

"The border guards let us take shelter here but I don`t know now what I will do with my son," he told AFP, gesturing to the shivering boy.

Amid the turbulence and monsoon downpours, an 11-year-old Rohingya girl named Marium was separated from her parents.

"I went to the toilet when the (border) guards drove away my parents. Where shall I find them now?" the young girl told AFP in tears.

On Monday Bangladeshi authorities proposed joint military operations with Myanmar against Rohingya militants fighting in Rakhine, hoping to stem the flow of displaced.

The militants say they are fighting to protect the persecuted roughly one million-strong Rohingya and accuse the state and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists of trying to force them from Myanmar.

The Rohingya are not recognised as an ethnic group, which would be protected by law, but are instead branded `Bengalis` -- code for illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Their ability to move, work and receive basic services is tightly controlled.

Speaking to ambassadors in Yangon, Myanmar`s Home Affairs Minister Kyaw Swe, repeated the official line: "There are no Rohingya."

The recent attacks by militants are because "Bengali people... tried to occupy lands" in Rakhine.

Last week a commission headed by former UN chief Kofi Annan called for Myanmar to find a pathway to citizenship for the Rohingya and ease suffocating controls, or risk inflaming religious hatreds.
New Delhi: Filmmaker Karan Johar heaped praise on Rajkummar Rao, one of the most talented and versatile actors of this age, after watching the trailer of his upcoming Bollywood film 'Newton'.

The ace director took to his Twitter handle and appreciated the work of 'trapped' star and wrote, "Such a good trailer! And what a super talent @RajkummarRao is....."

After winning the Jury Prize for Best Film at the Hong Kong International Film Festival, the trailer of 'Newton' was released Tuesday.

The political black-comedy revolves around a clerk placed on election duty in a conflict-ridden area of Chhattisgarh and depicts the journey of Newton Kumar, a rookie government clerk on election duty to a Naxal-controlled town in the conflict-ridden jungles of Chhattisgarh.

The movie is Amit Masurkar's second film after 'Sulemani Keeda' in 2014.

The film had its world premiere at Berlinale, won the Art Cinema award for the Forum section there and also went to 16th Annual Tribeca Film Festival.

The movie, which also starring Anjali Patel, is set to hit the theatres on September 22.
New Delhi: Responding to the allegations made against him by his father Vijaypat Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director of the Raymond Group , Gautam Singhania, said that he is the only legal heir to Raymond.

Gautam is contesting a legal battle with his father presently.

According to a report by the Economic Times, Gautam was quoted saying that elder Singhania had no other option but him since he was the only legal heir to the group.

He dismissed the allegations of his father saying that not only was he the only son of his father but also ran the business successfully for over 35 years.

The 52 year old business tycoon told the Economic Times that the pasisng over of 37.17% stake in the company worth over Rs 1,000 crore to him was part of the family understanding.

Talking to the Mint, Singhania said that business should be kept separate from family politics.

Earlier in an interview to the ET Now, Gautam Singhania had said that unbending people or people who are not going to change are going to fall by the wayside, apparently hinting at his father's accusations.

Even a coconut tree swings to change. If you are rigid like a tree, you fall and break, the Raymond current boss had told ET in a curt reference.

Vijaypat Singhania has already moved the Bombay High Court alleging that his son is refusing to fully honour an arbitration award over a property dispute among the family members.

However, the Bombay HC has suggested that Vijaypat Singhania and his son should try and resolve their property dispute amicably.

Raymond Ltd has not yet given him possession of a duplex in the multi-storey JK House building in south Mumbai as per the award, Vijaypat Singhania's petition said.

As per a 2007 family agreement, Vijaypat Singhania, his son Gautam, and the widow and two sons of Vijaypat's brother Ajaypat Singhania were to get a duplex each in JK House, a family property.

The court, while adjourning the hearing to August 22, said Raymond shall not create any third party rights (sell or lease out) in the two floors of JK House which are subject matter of dispute until further orders.
New Delhi: Tata group hospitality firm Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) on Tuesday said it has appointed Duetsche Hospitality Chief Executive Puneet Chhatwal as its Managing Director and CEO.

He will take over from incumbent Rakesh Sarna, who is stepping down on September 30.

The board of directors of the company at its meeting held today approved the appointment of Chhatwal, the company said in a BSE filing.

Chhatwal is currently Chief Executive and Member of Executive Board of Duetsche Hospitality/Steinberger Hotels AG, a large European hotel chain, it added.

He has over two decades of leadership experience in the global hospitality industry, having worked with some of the leading hotel groups in Europe and North America. He had started his career in India, it added.

In May this year, IHCL had announced that Sarna has resigned citing personal reasons.

Sarna was one of the high-profile recruitments from outside the Tata group made by ousted Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry.

With Mistry's departure from the group, there were speculations that Sarna was also likely to follow suit. He was considered to be a confidant of Mistry.

He had joined IHCL in September 2014 replacing the company's long-serving head Raymond Bickson. Before he joined IHCL, Sarna was the Group President - Americas of Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
New Delhi: Days after a board upheaval at Infosys, co-founder N R Narayana Murthy on Tuesday said his concerns with the previous board led by R Seshasayee were poor governance, ex-CFO being paid large severance as 'hush- money' and alleged irregularities in Panaya acquisition.

Murthy, who had not spoken ever since Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka quit on August 18 citing slander by founders, said co- founder Nandan Nilekani taking over as Chairman is good for the company as he is "stickler for good corporate governance".

"The rejuvenation of the Board has already begun with the resignation of R Seshasayee and some other board members. However, it is still work-in-progress," he said at an investor call.

A week after the Board, in an unusual move, issued a statement blaming Murthy for Sikka's exit, Seshasayee and three other directors last week quit Infosys and Nilekani made a comeback to the board after a decade.

"My main concern is the poor governance practised by the previous board," he said adding that "contrary to the views of many, my actions always keep in mind the long-term interests of all shareholders. It has never been and never will be for my individual or personal gain."

Infosys Board, on August 18, had launched an all-out attack on Murthy, accusing him of running a "misguided" campaign. They also held him responsible for Sikka's resignation.

Murthy said the recent developments were directed as a "personal attack" on him.

Murthy said though he was appointed chairman for five years, he left the company after 15 months in October 2014, during which revenue growth rate doubled to 11.6 per cent as well as innovations and enhanced productivity were introduced.

"As far as I know, there is no parallel in the Indian corporate world where founders with significant shareholding voluntarily left their company leaving behind nothing but culture, values and goodwill," he said.

The founders, who hold 12.75 per cent stake in Infosys, together with a dozen leading institutional investors with a cumulative stake of about 10 per cent forced the Infosys board to bring back Nilekani.

Referring to his disagreements with the previous board, Murthy said Seshasayee told shareholders on June 18, 2016 that ex-CFO Rajiv Bansal was being paid an excessive sum as severance because he was "privy to a lot of price sensitive information".

He cited media reports to say that the Board had not recorded minutes of the decision to give Bansal's severance package.

"No previous CFO of the company, nor the current CFO had or have such an excessive severance pay clause in their contracts," he said adding when he sought to know the reasons the response was "inconsistent" ranging from the reason being was confidential to Seshasayee saying the board felt generous.

On the summary of independent investigation into the USD 200 million acquisition of Israeli tech firm Panaya exonerating the management, he said the statement "does not mention whether the investigation addressed the allegations of the whistle-blower regarding the serious governance deficits of the board and the CEO."

He hoped that the full report would point out gaps in governance and suggest corrective actions. "These are the only reasons why I asked for the full report to be disclosed," he said.

"Once again, let me reiterate that my primary concern about the Summary Finding Statement was that it missed covering the governance deficits and corrective steps to be taken, if any," he said adding the previous Board refused to take any corrective action.

Nilekani, he said, is a "stickler for good corporate governance."

"Now we can all sleep better knowing that, under his leadership, the corporate governance standard practised by Infosys will be on par with the global best standard," he said.

He hoped Nilekani would take appropriate corrective actions to bring back the rigour of governance standards at Infosys.

"I would also like to reiterate my confidence in the current senior management of the company," he said. "I wish Nandan the best of everything in his effort to bring back 'acche din' to Infosys."

Murthy said the lesson learnt from the entire episode is that when there is a cloud around how the organisation is being governed, one must speak up.

"This is the key ingredient to keep an institution healthy in the long-run and hold it accountable to all stakeholders," he added.
New Delhi: Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy on Tuesday said that his main concern was the poor governance practised by the previous board of Infosys.

Defending his role in a months-long war of words with the company`s board that led to changes at the top, Murthy said that his actions were in the interest of shareholders.

My actions have never been and never will be for individual or personal gain, Murthy said during an investor call in Bangalore.

Murthy said he hoped the company`s management would rally behind Nandan Nilekani, a co-founder and a former Infosys CEO, who was named as non-executive chairman last week.

"Now we can all sleep better knowing Infosys is under leadership of Nandan Nilekani," he added.

This month, Vishal Sikka, the first CEO of Infosys drawn from outside its founders resigned, blaming Murthy for creating an "untenable atmosphere", sparking a sell-off and wiping billions of dollars off Infosys`s market value.

Sikka`s sudden exit sparked a sell-off that wiped billions of dollars off Infosys`s market value, forcing India`s No. 2 IT services firm to reshuffle its board and bring back Nilekani.

The return of Nilekani, who is credited with quadrupling Infosys` revenue to $2 billion, has cheered investors - he is widely expected to end the board`s row with founder executives, help clients and boost employee morale.

Nilekani told investors last week his priorities were to find a CEO, reconstitute the board and shape future strategy.

With Agency Inputs
New Delhi: The government is unlikely to be change the financial year to January-December. However, there are reports that the government may consider advancing the date of Budget presentation by a fortnight or such.

India currently follows the traditional April-March financial year.

There are reports that the government may set up a committee to decide upon the issue of change in financial year.

The government this year presented the Budget on February 1, departing from the British-era practice of announcing Budget proposals on February 28.
New Delhi: The government on Tuesday imposed inventory level limits on sugar mills in an attempt to keep prices under control during the upcoming festive season.

Sugar mills will not be allowed to hold more than 21 percent of their output in stocks by the end of September, and they have to bring down stock level to 8 percent of output by the end of October, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on twitter.

"We have imposed stock limits on sugar mills for the month of September and October to keep prices under control," Paswan tweeted.

For keeping prices of sugar under control during the festival months of Sept. & Oct. 2017 stock limits have been imposed on sugar mills.  Ram Vilas Paswan (@irvpaswan) August 29, 2017

Sugar production in India, the world's second largest producer, is estimated to decline to around 21 million tonnes in 2016-17 season ending September from 25 million tonnes in the previous year.

Sugar demand is estimated at 24-25 million tonnes annually.

The minister said that the stock limit for September has been kept at 21 percent of the total sugar available with the mills during entire 2016-17 marketing year (October- September).

The stock limit for October will be 8 percent of the total sugar availability during the current marketing year, the minister said.

The measure is aimed at preventing mills from artificially withholding sugar in storage in order to push up prices during the high demand festive season of September and October.

Sugar prices are ruling at more than Rs 40 per kg in the retail market while branded sugar is available at Rs 50 per kg.

The government last month had increased import duty on sugar to 50 percent, up from 40 percent, to restrict cheap inward shipments and maintain domestic prices.

With Agency Inputs
New Delhi: Various student political outfits on Tuesday filed a total of 205 nominations for contesting the upcoming JNU Students' Union polls.

Left-wing outfits AISA (All India Students Association), SFI (Students Federation of India) and DSF (Democratic Students Federation), who have formed an alliance, have chosen Geeta Kumari (AISA) for the president post, Simon Zoya Khan of the same party for vice president, SFI's Duggirala Srikrishna for general secretary and DSF's Subhanshu Singh for the joint secretary post.

Congress-affiliated NSUI has chosen a first year Phd student of the School of Social Sciences, Vrishnika Singh, for the president post, while three candidates from ABVP - Abhijeet Dwivedi, Lalit Pandey and Nidhi Tripathi - have filed nominations for the top JNUSU post.

"One of the three will be finalised tomorrow," said a spokesperson of the ABVP.

The final list of candidates contesting on behalf of each student body will be announced tomorrow.

The JNUSU elections are scheduled to be held on September 8 and results will be declared on 11 September, according to a release from the varsity.
Kurukshetra: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh exploited scores of his female disciples but the tortured victims would stay silent due to a feeling of "community shame", says the woman, who had dared to challenge the self-styled godman.

But she and her family had to cope with countless threats and mental pressure for 15 years, the victim says. Her brother was murdered as well.

Now, with Ram Rahim Singh behind bars, sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection with the sexual exploitation of the victim and another woman, an atmosphere of jubilation prevails in a village along the GT road, around 10 kms from here.

The victim, whose family lives here, said that they had been connected with the Dera for 40 years since Baba Satnam Singh was its head.

She was teaching in a school being run by the Dera and the real face of the sect chief Ram Rahim Singh stood exposed before her in 1999 when she came to know that innocent girls were being sexually abused.

Girls were deployed as security persons at the entrance of a 'Guffa' (cave) where the Dera chief used to stay and she too was deployed there, the victim said.

She started noticing that some of the girls coming out of the 'Guffa' would be weeping. Later, the Dera chief eyed her and she was sexually exploited, the woman claimed.

She disclosed it to her parents who were aware of the the Dera chief's power and sent her back to their village. Later, the entire family left the Dera in 2001.

The victim said the family remained under mental pressure for the last 15 years and received numerous threats.

"The Dera chief sexually abused a large number of girls but they kept silent due to community shame," she told PTI.

The victim claimed that when the CBI started probing the case on the basis of an anonymous letter, she got her statement recorded so that the Dera chief gets punished for his misdeeds.

FAMILY AWAIT JUSTICE IN THE MURDER OF THE VICTIM'S BROTHER

However, it was not just the crime against the woman that her family had to cope with.

Her brother, was shot dead in 2002, allegedly by the Dera chief's henchmen on suspicions that he was behind an anonymous letter to the prime minister of India and the chief justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court alleging sexual exploitation of female disciples by the Dera chief.

It was this letter that led to a CBI probe into the matter in which Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh became an accused.

Family members and relatives expressed satisfaction over the judgement that put the powerful Dera chief behind bars.

It was a long battle but the family were convinced from the beginning that ultimately justice would prevail, said the slain man's brother-in-law.

We had full faith in the judiciary and hope that a stringent sentence would be given to the Dera chief in murder case as well as in connection with the killing of Ram Chander Chhatarpati, a Sirsa based journalist, he added.

He also hoped that after this judgement, more victims of the "powerful" Dera chief would come forward to expose his atrocities.

The husband of the victim 'sadhvi' said the news of maximum jail term to the Dera chief had brought relief to the family which had been fighting a tough legal battle for over 15 years.

With political regimes creating hurdles in the murder case since 2002, we had started believing that the Dera chief would manipulate any establishment, he said.

The CBI probe and the court verdict have reinstated our faith in the system, he added.

Police protection have been provided to family in their village as well as to the victim 'sadhvi' in Kurukshetra.
Rohtak: A flamboyant lifestyle, lakhs of followers, Z+ security cover, cavalcade of fancy cars, glittery designed outfits and not to forget the female attendants -- Gurmeet Ram Rahim will no longer have the 'comfort' he enjoyed during his stint as the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, as he faces a grim future ahead.

'The Rockstar Baba', as he was called, Gurmeet, ran multiple ashrams across India and outside. However, on Monday, he miserable begged for his mercy before a CBI court judge during his sentencing.

After being awarded 20 years of rigorous imprisonment in a rape case, Gurmeet is now the prisoner number 1997.

On August 28, he spent a sleepless night in the Rohtak jail. With two white bed sheets and a blanket given by the jail authorities, Gurmeet went off to sleep in the wee hours on Tuesday.

He was also given a plate and a mug for having food and tea. Besides this, his red suitcase, which he was seen carrying with him in the Army chopper to the Rohtak jail, was returned by the jail authorities.

He claimed uneasiness on days of his conviction as well as his sentencing, however; he was not allowed to carry any outside medicine with him inside the jail.

He claimed to have guided lakhs of distressed followers, however, he has been allowed only one meeting a week during his stay as a prisoner.

He was also given two sets of prison clothes, a far cry from the blingy outfits he had been donning since he went under a major makeover for his movies.

Gurmeet was accorded the Z+ security cover by the Haryana government. After his sentencing, the jail authorities have assigned two senior officers for the protection of the VIP prisoner. Two more security staff have kept guarding near his cell.

The bejewelled head of the Sirsa headquartered sect was known to be surrounded by female disciples. However, he has been kept secluded in his cell. In addition, his plea to keep his 'adopted daughter' Honeypreet Insan with him inside the jail has also been turned down by the jail authorities.

As he has been awarded a rigorous imprisonment, Gurmeet is also likely to be assigned a job inside the prison, depending upon his skill and health. He will also be given daily wages against his work.
New Delhi: A team of doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) performing a complicated surgery to separate a pair of conjoined twins from Odisha has completed 30 per cent of the surgery and the condition of the twins who are joined at the head is stable.



"The first phases of the surgery was successful. It means 30 per cent of the surgery is completed. However, the second phase which is extremely important is yet to be performed. The team of doctors from the neurosurgery, anesthesia, and pediatrics met today (Tuesday) to discuss the matter," a doctor, part of the medical team treating the twins, told IANS.



The surgery for separation of conjoined twins Jaga and Balia is being performed in two stages. The first stage began at 9 a.m on Monday and was scheduled to take seven hours. However, the procedure took nearly 20 hours due to medical complications.



The two-and-a-half year-old craniopagus twins, or fused at the cranium, were brought to AIIMS on July 14, from Milipada village in Kandhamal district of Odisha.



According to doctors, the surgery is not going to be easy and the twins have undergone several tests before undergoing the surgery.



The medical team treating the twins comprises 40 members, including a top surgeon from Japan.



While conjoined twins are known to occur in about every 2,00,000 births, craniopagus twins are rarer still, accounting for about only two per cent.



The Odisha government has already sanctioned Rs 1 crore for the surgery at AIIMS.



Earlier, the twins had undergone medical check up at at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
New Delhi: Bhutan on Tuesday welcomed the end of the 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Dokalam and hoped it would help in ensuring peace and tranquillity at the tri-junction.

"Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area," the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

In a major diplomatic breakthrough to end the prolonged standoff between their troops, India and China yesterday disengaged their border personnel at Dokalam.

"We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquility and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries," the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Dokalam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area. India had deployed about 350 Army personnel in the area.

Bhutan and China have a dispute over Dokalam, a strategically key area at the Bhutan-India-China trijunction in the Sikkim sector.
New Delhi: The BJP on Tuesday urged the Election Commission to introduce a two-way electronic voting process for armed forces personnel, saying response to e-ballot facility in Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa assembly polls this year was "sub-optimal".

A Bharatiya Janata Party delegation, including J.P. Nadda, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Bhupender Yadav, and Arun Singh submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission and sought adequate legal and administrative provisions to ensure electronic casting of votes.

The party said there was an urgent need to take steps to create awareness on e-ballot among the armed forces.

It said the poll panel had agreed to introduce one-way electronic balloting for service personnel following a party representation and consequently the conduct of Election Rules of 1961 were amended in 2016.

"The e-ballot facility extended to service personnel was introduced in Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa assembly elections in February 2017 but the voter response was sub-optimal. The reasons could be many, including non-availability of computers in remote locations, or inadequate propagation at the unit level," the BJP said.

It said according to the present provisions, the electronic ballot papers are transmitted through the Web and the votes cast were then sent to the respective returning officers through regular postal service.

"Instead of only one way, the commission may introduce a two-way electronic voting process," the party said.

The BJP said legal and administrative provisions for electronic submission of votes would ensure that service personnel, wherever deployed, were able to cast votes without delay.

"This will vastly improve participation of a sizeable population of the country guarding our borders in the democratic processes," the party said.

It urged the poll panel to explore ways for acknowledgment of e-ballot as was with voter verified paper audit trail.

"We request the Election Commission devise ways in consultation with the three service chiefs to ensure that defence personnel who wish to exercise their franchise are able to do so."

It urged the commission to ensure that personnel have immediate access to electronically transmitted ballot and timely submission of votes to returning officers.

"We request that immediate steps for awareness, sensitisation, and training are taken in view of elections due this year and early next year," the party said.
When I went to Bryn Mawr, more than three decades ago, there was only one woman connected with the school who really impressed me, and that was Kate Hepburn.

I was in awe of the greatest American actress of the 20th century, and could not believe that I was following in her footsteps around campus. I perfected my impersonation of her, so good that they asked me to perform it in a May Day sketch (and as you scratch your head and try and figure out what exactly a May Day sketch is, I can confirm that many a woman would trade her Emmy and Oscar to appear in one of those.)

It wasnt until my second or third year at the old Ivy-covered homestead that I realized the true heroine of Bryn Mawr College was its founder, M. Carey Thomas.

The M stood for Martha. She was born in Baltimore and she was one heck of an iconoclast. To Thomas, it was important to provide women with the same educational opportunities as men, and not simply provide glorified finishing schools where they could pass their time learning the domestic arts which would make them suitable brides. She was a fierce suffragette, a feminist of the early part of the last century and a woman who truly cared about educating female minds.

She was also, by some accounts, a racist and an anti-Semite. There are comments attributed to her that, seen through a 21st century lens, show that she was not exactly the paragon of virtue I was led to believe in those halcyon days on the Main Line. And yet, she was heroic when it came to fighting for women and their educational opportunities.

Of course, we are now supposed to erase from the corridors of history the footprints of anyone who did not wear a progressive halo. By that I mean, if there is a hint of political incorrectness in your past, you do not make the final cut into the Hall of Socially Approved Fame. As we have seen in Philadelphia over the past few weeks, Frank Rizzo wouldnt have even been nominated for inclusion, and Robert E. Lee, some of those other confederate generals, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and even Abraham Lincoln himself would have been eliminated before the swimsuit competition.

I get that its a brave new world where the concept of intersectionality is all the rage and we cannot honor a person who was a great feminist if she happened to also support the rights of the unborn (Susan B. Anthony), or if she happened to hold some unfortunate views on race relations. The multi-cultural litmus test is unforgiving, and unless you pass muster by each social metric (racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation and philosophical purity), you are not worthy to take your rightful place in the annals of history that matters.

Recently, my alma mater acquiesced in the demands of current students and agreed it would no longer refer to the most important building on campus, Thomas Great Hall, as Thomas Great Hall.

According to a statement from President Kim Cassidy: While Thomas had a profound impact on opportunities for women in higher education, on the academic development and identity of Bryn Mawr, and on the physical plan of the campus, she also openly and vigorously advanced racism and anti-Semitism as part of her vision of the college.

And in reaction to the uproar in Charlottesville, Va., and other cities where the population is pulling down statues that offend and trying to excise from the public consciousness the existence of people who did not measure up to present-day standards of tolerance, Cassidy has decided to ban the use of the name Thomas from campus, for the foreseeable future. As she noted, We will make a concerted effort to remove as many references to the name as is possible for this year.

So let me put my alumni cards on the table: Im disgusted with the way my school has decided to handle what is absolutely not a difficult issue. There are ways to criticize Thomas, and that includes doing exactly what Bryn Mawr has always (at least up until recently) done: allow for open and respectful debate about an issue of fundamental importance to everyone who has ever walked across that gorgeous campus.

What the school has decided to do is to pander to some extremely narrow-minded young women who believe they now own the soul and spirit of the school, and that there is no place for dissent. In Facebook forums and elsewhere, alumna who have suggested that placing a moratorium on the name of Thomas borders on the ridiculous have been harassed, attacked and treated with incredible disrespect. A friend of mine, a Jewish woman, was compared to a Nazi for opposing the moratorium.

Let that sink in for a minute. A female Jew was called a Nazi. By Bryn Mawr students. When I heard that, I took my class lantern, the one with the green glass panes that I so deeply cherished, and threw it down the basement steps. It was actually quite cathartic.

I watched over the past year as college students on other campuses became overheated and emotional when they were faced with the prospect of having to listen to a campus speaker who triggered in them feelings of anxiety and despair. Whether you liked Charles Murray, Ann Coulter or Milo, or you simply wanted to shove their heads into a meat grinder, there was no excuse for the infantile way these babies vomited all over the First Amendment. And smugly, I said to myself this would never happen at Bryn Mawr.

Well, this hasnt exactly happened at Bryn Mawr, not yet. But when you have the school acquiescing to some students who think that an imperfect hero is unworthy of recognition, even when they wouldnt even be getting an education if that hero hadnt moved heaven and earth to will their (and our) college into existence, you know that its time to make other plans for reunion weekend. Its also time to realize we have created a generation of victims.

Or as the great Kate would have said: We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers  but never blame yourself. Its never your fault. But its always your fault, because if you wanted to change youre the one who has got to change.

I cant be the only one whos happy shes not around to see this.
New Delhi: A Delhi Court on Tuesday framed charges against Indian Mujahideen terrorist Yasin Bhatkal in two cases related to the 2010 terror attack near Jama Masjid.

The court also listed the matter for October 23 for recording of statement of prosecution witnesses in the case.Earlier on August 1, the court discharged three-co-accused- Syed Ismail Affaque, Abdus Saboor and Riyaz Ahmad Sayeedi - in the Jama Masjid car blast case, over lack of evidence.

These men were arrested from Bangalore in 2015 for alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and supplying explosives for the blasts.The court had also ordered framing of charges against 11 accused including Indian Mujahideen chief Yasin Bhatkal.

Earlier in July, the court reserved its order for framing charges against the Indian Mujahideen co-founder Bhatkal and others in four separate terror cases.Bhatkal, his aide Asadullah Akhtar and other IM operatives are facing trial in various terror cases including 2010 Jama Masjid attack and 2008 serial blasts cases.

On September 19, 2010, two bikers had fired upon tourists at the gate of Jama Masjid in which two Taiwan national had sustained bullet injuries.Earlier, Bhatkal had claimed that the allegations levelled against him of hatching a conspiracy for carrying out the September 2008 Delhi serial blasts, was unsustainable.Bhatkal was arrested from the India-Nepal border in August 2013.


Delhi: The Central government on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that criminalising marital rape could destabilise the institution of marriage and become an easy tool for harassing the husbands.

It also maintained that India could not blindly follow Western countries.

The Centre, in an affidavit filed in response to pleas seeking criminalising marital rape, said the Supreme Court and various High Courts have already observed the growing misuse of section 498A (harassment caused to a married woman by her husband and in-laws) of IPC.

The reply, filed before a bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar, also sought to implead state governments in the matter to know their opinion to avoid any complication at a later stage.

The Centre submitted that what constituted marital rape and what would constitute marital non-rape needed to be defined precisely before a view on its criminalisation is taken.

"It has to be ensured adequately that marital rape does not become a phenomenon which may destabilise the institution of marriage apart from being an easy tool for harassing the husbands," the affidavit, filed through central government standing counsel Monika Arora, said.

The Centre also said that marital rape has not been defined in a statute or law, while the offence of rape is defined under section 375 IPC. Hence, defining marital rape would call for a broad based consensus of the society.

"What may appear to be marital rape to an individual wife, it may not appear so to others. As to what constitutes marital rape and what would constitute marital non-rape needs to be defined precisely before a view on its criminalisation is taken," it said.

It added that merely deleting the exception which provides protection to husbands from prosecution for the offence of rape, may not stop marital rape.

"Moral and social awareness" plays a vital role in stopping such an act, it said.

"If all sexual acts by a man with his own wife will qualify to be marital rape, then the judgment as to whether it is a marital rape or not will singularly rest with the wife. The question is what evidences the courts will rely upon in such circumstances, as there can be no lasting evidence in case of sexual acts between a man and his own wife," the affidavit reads, as per PTI.

Citing the Justice JS Verma committee report on 'Amendments to Criminal Law', it said it was recommended that the exception to marital rape be removed, but it also pointed out that it is also important that legal prohibition on marital rape is accompanied by changes in the attitude of the prosecutors, police officers and those in society generally.

Regarding the petitioners' submission that other countries, mostly western, have criminalised marital rape, the Centre said it does not necessarily mean India should also follow them blindly.

"This country has its own unique problems due to various factors like literacy, lack of financial empowerment of the majority of females, mindset of the society, vast diversity, poverty, etc. And these should be considered carefully before criminalising marital rape," it said.

The affidavit said that criminal law is in the Concurrent List and implemented by the states and there is a vast diversity in the cultures of these states.

During the day's hearing, senior advocate advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for one of the petitioners, argued that marriage cannot be viewed as giving a husband the right to coerced intercourse on demand.

He said a marriage licence cannot be viewed as licence for a husband to forcibly rape his wife with impunity and a married woman has the same right of full control over her body as an unmarried woman. He also referred to various judgments of foreign countries.

The division bench has been hearing petitions filed by NGO RIT Foundation, All India Democratic Women's Association and a marital rape victim, challenging the exception to rape under Section 375 and Section 376B as unconstitutional.



A men`s right group - Men Welfare Trust - has also approached the HC contending that the existing laws were "very much capable of dealing with the cases of sexual abuse of women" and there is no need to either bring a fresh law to deal with it nor is there a requirement to withdraw the protection granted to husbands under Section 375 of the IPC, as per IANS.



"The sexual abuse in a domestic relationship should not be termed as rape," the men`s plea has said.



(With Agency inputs)
Hisar: A day after sentencing Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 20 years in jail, Haryana is gearing up for the verdict on another self-styled godman  67-year-old Rampal, founder of the Satlok Ashram in Haryana's Barwala.

On Tuesday, August 29, a Hisar court is expected to pronounce the verdict in two cases against the sexagenarian and his 10 accomplices. The verdict was originally supposed to be announced on August 24, but postponed due to the Dera case.

Rampal, who was arrested in 2014, is currently inside the Hisar jail. He, along with his supporters, have been accused of firing on villagers in Rohtak, killing one person and injuring several others.

During his arrest, nearly 15000 formed a protective circle around Rampal, announcing that to arrest the godman, police first needs to kill his 1 lakh supporters.

To make followers leave the ashram, police cut off food and power supply. Later, many claimed that they were held forcefully in the ashram to support the shield. When the police tried to get into the ashram, the followers of Rampal threw stones, acid and petrol bombs at the police.

The standoff between police and Satlok Ashram, were the first major clashes in Haryana under the current Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government.

Last week, the Punjab and Haryana high court blasted the Khattar government over the deadly riots in Panchkula and Sirsa that killed 38 and injured over 300 people. The riots ensued after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted of raping to sadhvis or female followers.

Yesterday, Singh was finally sentenced to 20 years in jail.
Beijing: A day after both nations decided to withdraw troops from the Sikkim border in the ongoing Doklam stand-off, China`s People`s Liberation Army (PLA) has asked India to draw lessons from the entire episode.

We remind India to draw lessons from the stand-off, abide by established treaties and the basic principles of international law, and work together with China to safeguard peace and stability along the border and promote the healthy development of the two militaries," said Wu Qian, a senior PLA colonel, in a statement.

The 75-day Doklam stand-off was diffused following diplomatic talks between both sides. The Ministry of External Affairs informed that both the countries have decided to 'disengage' troops.

The Chinese military will remain vigilant and firmly defend its national territory and sovereignty following the military stand-off between China and India," said Qian.

He further added, "Peace and stability along the China-India border concern regional peace and stability and accords with the common interests of people on both sides of the border.
New Delhi: Lockheed Martin is closing in on an international deal for F-16 fighter planes, and has offered to eventually build all the jets at a proposed plant in India if it wins a bigger order to supply the Indian Air Force, a top executive said.

The US defence giant and Sweden`s Saab are in a two horse-race to equip the Indian military with at least 100 single-engine jets that have to be produced locally under Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s `Make-in-India` plan.

Randall L Howard, who leads F-16 business development, said Lockheed is offering to make India the sole F-16 production centre, so eventually it will make the planes not just for India, but also for other countries.

Lockheed is closing its F-16 production line at Fort Worth, Texas and will supply new orders from a new facility at Greenville, South Carolina. But the plan was to eventually build the planes in India, Howard told Reuters.

"Our next customer, which we believe to be very soon... we will produce those aircraft out of that (Greenville) facility," he said.

"As you look beyond that, the opportunity for India is to then move all of that into India and that`s what`s being proposed... to have a single production line in India that would service the new production requirements of global demand, the global market."

India`s government is set to issue a formal request to Lockheed and Saab over the next few days to provide information about their plans to design, develop and produce combat jets in India, a government official said.

The planes will be produced under a new `strategic partnership` policy under which the foreign aircraft maker will collaborate with an Indian firm to develop a world-class indigenous aeronautical base that India has struggled to build for decades.

Lockheed has picked Tata Advanced Systems as its local partner, while Saab has not yet announced its Indian collaborator to produce the Gripen E aircraft that it has offered to the air force.

Howard said the plan to relocate the F-16 plant to India enjoyed the support of the U.S. government after initial concerns it would conflict with President Donald Trump`s `America First` campaign under which he has pressed for companies to invest in the United States and create jobs.

Howard said winning the Indian contract worth billions of dollars will protect thousands of jobs at Lockheed in the United States as well as at dozens of components suppliers, since the Indian facility will come up gradually.

"We will start with an assembly, you can`t go from ground zero, from a standing stop to full production in a week. You have to phase it in."

India`s air force is running short of hundreds of aircraft as its indigenous Light Combat Aircraft programme is dogged by delays and quality issues.

Modi`s government last year cleared the purchase of 36 Rafale combat jets from France`s Dassault Aviation, scaling back a plan to buy 126 planes, leaving the Air Force scrambling for replacements.
Udaipur: Taking a swipe at the previous government's incomplete and stagnant projects, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said, Some of the projects being inaugurated were pending for years. Our focus is on timely completion. We will complete projects we begin.

Speaking on the importance of infrastructure and roads, PM Modi said, "(We need) To take India to newer heights. The role of infrastructure, railways, roads is very important."

"Roads are not only connecting Rajasthan & the nation, they are gateways to progress," said the Prime Minister, speaking at a public rally in Udaipur. He further added, "Good roads will help Rajasthan in particular. Tourism will get a big boost due to a strong roads network in the state."

Highlighting farmer's benefit through road development, he said, "Better roads will help our farmers immensely. This is one of the reasons why Atal Ji dreamt of a strong roads network across India."

PM Modi, who's in Udaipur, will inaugurate several projects worth over Rs 15,000 crore in Rajasthan. The projects include 11 National Highways, covering a total length of about 873 km.

He also addressed the importance of tourism in Rajasthan's economy, "With a tourist comes economic opportunities for the locals."

Speaking on the flood-hit state, the Prime Minister said, We are standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of Rajasthan who are battling the floods.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court will, on Tuesday, hear the review petition filed by Vikas Yadav, convicted for the abduction and murder of 25-year-old Nitish Katara in 2002.

Last year in October, the Supreme Court modified the sentences of Nitish Katara murder case convicts Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal Yadav and reduced their jail terms to 25 years.

The apex court sentenced another accused Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehelwan to 20 years in prison.

An apex court division bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra passed the order after hearing a detailed argument from both sides - the prosecution as well as the defence.

The apex court had on August 17, 2015, upheld the conviction of Vikas, Vishal and Sukhdev, saying 'only criminals are crying for justice' in this country.

The three convicts were serving a life-term awarded by the lower court in May 2008 for abducting and killing Katara, a business executive and the son of a railway officer, on the night of February 16-17, 2002, as they opposed the victim's relationship with Bharti, Vikas' sister and the daughter of Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav.

The Delhi High Court had on April 2, 2014, upheld the verdict of the lower court in the case and described the offence as "honour killing" stemming from a "deeply-entrenched belief" in the caste system.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Tuesday said that any unilateral plans by India aimed at modifying the terms of the Indus Water Treaty will not be acceptable.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, who was minister for water and power in the erstwhile Nawaz Sharif Cabinet, said that Pakistan was fulfilling its share of responsibility with respect to Indus Water Treaty, Radio Pakistan reported.

"Any unilateral plan by India aimed at modifying the terms of the treaty will not be acceptable to Pakistan," he said addressing a seminar titled 'Indus Water Treaty: Issues and Recommendations' organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies here.

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory.

Asif alleged that India was involved in "serious belligerence on water issue" as it has been designing many water resources (which, according to him, are detrimental to interests of Pakistan).

He said Pakistan has conveyed its reservations regarding construction of hydroelectric and storage projects by India.

Asif said the World Bank must play its due constructive role to resolve the issue as India has deliberately delayed the resolution.

Pakistan has always expressed its willingness to resolve all issues with India including the water distribution problem, through dialogue, he added.

Earlier this month, the World Bank said that India and Pakistan concluded the secretary-level talks over the 1960 IWT in a spirit of "goodwill and cooperation".

"The parties have agreed to continue discussions and reconvene in September in Washington, DC," it said in a brief statement.
San Francisco: Googles head of communications Jessica Powell has quit the company to pursue further studies, a media report said.

Mike Nelson will become interim lead of the unit, which has over 200 employees, until a permanent replacement is selected for Powell.

According to a memo Powell sent to staff late on Monday, she is apparently already enrolled and has been going to classes for the last two weeks and would take off for good on September 1, ReCode reported.

Reportedly, she has been a close adviser to Google`s India-origin CEO Sundar Pichai.

The well-regarded executive was instrumental in communicating the search giant`s transition into the Alphabet structure and also around its push from what Pichai calls "AI-first" computing, the report said.

"It`s a rare person who feels the itch for a challenge beyond the already challenging role of leading comms at Google," ReCode quoted Pichai as saying.

"But Jessica is that rare person. I am extremely grateful for all that she has done for Google, most especially for leading a strong comms team that represents us so well and thoughtfully to our employees and the world," he said.

Powell delayed her departure after fired engineer James Damore wrote a controversial anti-diversity memo.

She took over the top comms job in 2015 after Rachel Whetstone joined Uber.
Seoul: Prosecutors on Tuesday demanded a harsher punishment for the heir to the Samsung empire, appealing against a court ruling that sentenced him to five years in prison for bribery.

Lee Jae-Yong, the de-facto head of Samsung Electronics, was found guilty last week of bribery, perjury and other charges related to payments made by Samsung to ousted president Park Geun-Hye's secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil.

Four other top Samsung executives were also convicted, with two jailed for up to four years, and the other pair given suspended terms.

The prosecutors appealed part of the verdict that found Lee innocent of some of the bribery charges and said the punishment meted out to the five accused was too mild, Yonhap news agency said.

"In light of the roles the five accused played in the crime, which was the most outstanding among all wrongdoings committed by Park and Choi... The lower court ruling was too lenient", the prosecutors were quoted as saying in the appeal.

A day earlier, lawyers for Lee filed their own appeal against the conviction, claiming he is innocent of all charges.

In total 8.9 billion won (USD 7.9 million) was paid in bribes in return for favours including government support for Lee's hereditary succession at the group after his father was left bedridden by a heart attack in 2014, the court found.

Samsung is by far the biggest of the chaebols, as the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate Asia's fourth- largest economy are known, with its revenues equivalent to around a fifth of the country's GDP.

But while the economy is still growing, frustrations have mounted over inequality and the demonstrators who mounted giant candlelit protests against Park last year also targeted Lee and other chaebol chiefs.
President Trump recently said he would not endorse "nation building" when he outlined his policy on Afghanistan.

Can a policy to upgrade Afghan troops hope to succeed without also strengthening the Afghan government?

Also, if it nation building isn't a goal, will U.S. troops be a permanent fixture in Afghanistan in order to prevent the Taliban or ISIS from securing a sanctuary?

Later, President Trump seemed to contradict himself by stating that the Afghan government needs to eliminate corruption.

I am still at a loss to thoroughly understand America's policy for Afghanistan.

John Wetzel, Holmen
Mumbai: Torrential rains accompanied by strong winds lashed Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad and other parts of Maharashtra for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, severely affecting normal life and disrupting rail, road and air services.

Thousands of vehicles were stranded on arterial roads in Mumbai in Lower Parel, Dadar, Kurla, Andheri, Khar West, Ghatkopar, Sion and Hindmata areas that were under knee to waist deep water for several hours, many having broken down.

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that in one hour, Mumbai recorded a staggering 70 mm rainfall, while it touched 100 mm between 8.30 am and 1 pm.



Till 3 pm, the BMC said Mumbai received 106 mm rainfall in about six hours, while the eastern suburbs got 78.5 mm and the western suburbs notched 85 mm during the same period.



The BMC appealed to people not to step out of their home unless absolutely necessary, while the entire civic force - Mumbai Police, Fire Brigade and other agencies - were on high alert to combat the situation.

Schools and colleges have been ordered shut following forecast of heavy rainfall, Education Minister Vinod Tawde said.

Flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport saw delay and disruptions since morning. Till evening, the airport saw six flight cancellations, 10 go-arounds and 10 diversions, airport sources said, as per PTI.

The Central Railway mainline was completely suspended for over four hours, Harbour Line was completely down, the Western Railway worked slowly and erratically, while there were disruptions on the Konkan Railway.

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rains for entire Konkan region during the next 24 hours owing to a 'low pressure' area over south Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh, which was expected to be upgraded to a 'deep depression'.

Mumbai IMD head KS Hosalikar said that heavy to very heavy rains for at least the next 24 hours all over Maharashtra was forecast, especially over Mumbai and other parts of the state.



The IMD warning says "intense precipitation likely to occur over Mumbai city, suburbs, Dahanu and Raigad during the latter part today (Tuesday)," as per IANS.

All the gurudwaras, several Hindu and Jain temples, Ganeshotsav marquees, mosques and dargahs, churches, Parsi organisations, NGOs, charitable institutions, housing complexes and individuals made arrangements to offer food and beverages to the weary and stranded commuters and arrangements to rest for the night.

Meanwhile, Prime Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rains and promised all possible support from the Centre.

Spoke to Maharashtra CM @Dev_Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain in Mumbai & surrounding areas. @CMOMaharashtra August 29, 2017

Centre assures all possible support to the Government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

Urge the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe & take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

In the wake of warnings issued by #IMD people in Mumbai and areas around #Mumbai are advised to stay back home unless there is an emergency.  CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) August 29, 2017

However, the essential services and critical staff in the Government will be on duty tomorrow. August 29, 2017

If you are stuck on the road , kindly dial 100 or contact us on Twitter. We will assist you  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017

(With Agency inputs)
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government sounded high alert on Tuesday after heavy rains pummelled Mumbai and adjoining areas, disrupting rail, road and air services and threw normal life out of gear.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the State Disaster Management Control (SDMC) room here and took stock of the situation arising out of the heavy rainfall which has crippled the financial capital of the country.

The Mumbai Police and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) are continuously updating the people with updates.

The police, NDMA and BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appealed to people not to step out of their home unless absolutely necessary.

The National Disaster Response Force launched a rescue mission with police to evacuate people from low-lying areas. It has also issued an emergency number 1916.

The Mumbai Police, Fire Brigade and other agencies are on high alert to combat the situation.

Traffic jams were reported on all major arterial roads, including the Eastern and Western Express Highway, Sion-Panvel highway and LBS Marg as the rains continued since Monday night.

Traffic was closed on Bandra Worli sea link due to water logging at Worli end. Milan subway and Andheri subway closed due to water logging.

Traffic as slow at Dadar and Nagar and people were advised to avoid going towards Bandra Kurla Complex duet to water logging.

Waterlogging was also reported from Dahisar, Borivali, Kandivali, Malad, Andheri, Jogeshwari, Santacruz, Bandra, Matunga, Elphinstone, Mumbai Central, Mazagaon, Lalbaug, Wadala, Bhandup.

Suburban services were disrupted with trains on all the three lines--western, central and harbour--running late. Waterlogging on tracks was reported in Andheri and Bandra, civic officials said.

Thousands waded through waist-deep water to reach home after the city received more than 100 mm (4 inches) of rainfall. Children were sent home early from school.

Weather officials have predicted more heavy rains over the next 24 hours and have urged people to stay indoors.

Operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were hit, There is an average delay of 35 minutes.

IMD has already given heavy to very heavy rainfall warning to Maharashtra and Gujarat governments, IMD Director General KJ Ramesh told PTI.
Mumbai: Torrential rain accompanied by strong winds pummelled Mumbai on Tuesday, disrupting rail, road and air services, uprooting trees, swamping homes, and bringing the megapolis to its knees.

People's woes were compounded by the high tide that prevented natural drainage of water into the sea.

Thousands of vehicles were stranded on arterial roads in Lower Parel, Dadar, Kurla, Andheri, Khar West, Ghatkopar, Sion and Hindmata areas that were under knee to waist deep water for several hours, many having broken down.

Amidst the chaos, there were many good samaritans who reached out to those in distress.

The hashtag #rainhosts started trending on micro- blogging site Twitter and there were scores of others using platforms like Facebook offering assistance.

South Mumbai resident Mehul Ved began putting together a spreadsheet of those offering help at 1:45 pm and had over 2,000 entries by 8:25 pm, along with addresses and other details.

Following are some of those who offered to help on Twitter.

All the gurudwaras in Mumbai are open for Langar and shelter for everyone who is stuck at any part of the city???? #MumbaiRains  Rajni Kalra ????? (@rajjorani) August 29, 2017

If you or your loved ones are stuck in/around Andheri, please take shelter at Innov8 with hot beverages and internet.#mumbairains #rainhost pic.twitter.com/geR88B9Oc2  Innov8 Coworking (@innov8cowork) August 29, 2017

If any friend is stuck in and around Kharghar Navi Mumbai, please feel free to contact me and come home until rain stops. #MumbaiRains  Dinesh (@Dineshmadhwanij) August 29, 2017

If anyone is stuck in Vashi, feel free to get in touch. Happy to host. Complimentary Maggi /filter coffee / khichadi.#MumbaiRains #RainHosts  Aakash Dagade (@AakashDagade) August 29, 2017

All pandals, Gurudwaras and masjids are providing shelter right now. Go to the nearest one if stranded. #MumbaiRains  Stuti Mishra (@StuteeMishra) August 29, 2017

Anyone stranded around Powai/Chandivali can crash at my place! DM #MumbaiRains #RainHosts August 29, 2017

If anyone needs shelter and food around #Airoli, feel free to get in touch #MumbaiRains #rainhosts  Ajinkya Sanap (@Ajinkya_Sanap) August 29, 2017

Whoever is stuck in Khar bandra or santacruz can find shelter at Bombay Adda #MumbaiRains  Bitter_wishes (@A_Pogonophile) August 29, 2017

The Mumbai Police appreciated those offering help and tweeted about some of them.

If you are stuck on the road , kindly dial 100 or contact us on Twitter. We will assist you #MumbaiRains August 29, 2017

When whatsapp groups don't just forward messages but also extend help exactly when needed the most #MumbaiRains #SaluteMumbai pic.twitter.com/F0trg5Rjzj  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017
Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday expressed concern over the situation arising due to incessant rains in Mumbai and adjoining areas.

Both PM Modi and the Home Minsiter spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister and assured full support of the Centre.

"Spoke to Maharashtra CM @Dev_Fadnavis on the situation arising due to incessant rain in Mumbai & surrounding areas," Modi tweeted.

"Centre assures all possible support to the government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state," he added.

The prime minister urged the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas to stay safe and take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rains.

Had a telephonic conversation with Maharashtra CM Shri @Dev_Fadnavis regarding the situation due to heavy rains in Mumbai and nearby areas, Singh tweeted.

I also assured the Maharashtra CM of all possible help from the Centre. The NDRF teams have already reached Mumbai for rescue & relief ops, the Home Minsiter added.

Torrential rains have paralysed Maharashtra and high high alert has been issued in Mumbai.
New Delhi: Actor- filmmaker Neeraj Vora who is known for films like 'Hera Pheri', 'Welcome Back' and 'Bol Bachchan' to name a few was in coma for the last 10 months after he faced a massive heart attack and a brain stroke back in October 2016.

To everyone's relief, the actor has finally shown signs of recovery, a report suggests.

He was admitted in AIIMS from where he was shifted to his friend, Sajid Nadiawala's house in Mumbai where a room was converted into an ICU.

According to a Hindustan Times report, Sajid said in a recent interview:

Hes been responding to audio therapy, particularly when we play his fathers (Pandit Vinayak Rai Nanalal Vora) music. He has yet to recover his speech but there are no infections or bed sores and the doctors have assured us that his life is out of danger.


Mumbai: Actress Esha Deol thanked her younger sister Ahana for hosting the "most fun-filled baby shower" for her.



Esha, who is expecting her first child with husband Bharat Takhtani, tweeted a photo of the couple in which she is seen kissing him.



"Ahana thanks for hosting the most fun filled baby shower! And all my friends a big hug for making it a superhit," Esha captioned the image which she posted on Twitter on Tuesday.



Ahana, along with their common friend Varun Kapoor, hosted the party on August 27 setting the theme of the party to 1970s to 1990s retro music.



They planned it with lavender themed invites, balloons, floral arrangements, assorted candies and personalised banners with a special lavender-based chocolate Belgium cake, with a miniature version of a vintage perambulator o top.



Hydro-mocktails and cocktails, with Awadhi and Mughlai dishes were also served.



The special thematic baby shower party also included fun games like tug of war, measure the mummy's waist guess, diaper pasting games and more. The theme included guests wearing blue if they guessed it was a boy or pink if they guessed it was a girl.



Ahana also ensured return gifts for the guests like customised bracelets for all, pocket square for boys and scarf for girls, special double Choco-chip and salted caramel cookies.



Ahana said in a statement: "I wanted to do this for Esha because she threw a surprise baby shower party for me. So, I decided to do the same for her. As sisters, these are the fun girly moments in our life. Thanks to Bharat for sneakily getting me the measurements of Esha for the gown and managing to keep it a surprise for her."
Mumbai: Zareen Khan, who made her acting debut with Salman Khan starrer "Veer", says her criteria for doing a film is a good story and she has no qualms in working with relatively new actors.

After "Veer", Zareen was seen in a special song in Salman's another film "Ready" and then she was seen in "Hate Story 3" featuring Sharman Joshi and Karan Singh Grover.

Her next film "Aksar 2" will see her alongside television actors Gautam Rode and Abhinav Shukla.

"I am an actor first and my job is to act. It's the story that matters to me rather than who is part of the film or not. If I work with actors who are not that big then that doesn't make the film or my work less.

"I am thankful to be a part of this industry. I am grateful that I got a dream debut in 'Veer' with Salman Khan," she told reporters at the trailer launch of "Aksar 2".

The trailer shows some intimate scenes between Zareen and Abhimanyu but the actor says it was wrong to dismiss a film just because it had bold scenes.

"It has a story. Why there is so much (hullabaloo) over me doing hot and steamy scenes. Today a lot of them are doing it."

The film also stars popular television actor Gautam Rode and he says the gap between small and big screen is reducing.

"There is a difference between the two mediums (Television and films), you get the script on the sets when you do a television show while in films you have the script with you before you start shooting."
New Delhi: Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg on Tuesday ruled out reintroduction of Rs 1,000 currency notes that were scrapped as part of the demonetisation move last November.

"There is no proposal to reintroduce 1,000 rupee note" said Economic Affairs Secretary in a tweet.

There is no proposal to reintroduce 1000 rupee note.

 Subhash Chandra Garg (@SecretaryDEA) August 29, 2017

The statement comes amid reports that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Centre have finalised plans to launch a new series of Rs 1,000 notes to replace the demonetised notes in November last year.

Meanwhile, the RBI has launched the Rs 200 note with an aim to make it easier for the common man to transact in lower denomination currencies.

Following the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes last November, the central bank had introduced Rs 2,000 notes and new Rs 500 notes.

The RBI had said that Rs 200 note will provide the "missing link" and ensure optimal mix of currency denominations.

Prior to the introduction on the new notes, India has currency denominations of Rs 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 2000.

As such, in the lower end of the denomination series, Rs 200 has been the missing link. The RBI had recently introduced Rs 50 note with a new look and additional security features.

Earlier this month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said that the government is not considering banning Rs 2,000 notes.
Chennai: Actress Natasha Doshi, who has started shooting for her Telugu debut film, is thrilled to be part of the yet-untitled project starring Nandamuri Balakrishna.



Having worked in Malayalam films such as "Manthiran" and "Hide and Seek", Natasha is making inroads into Telugu filmdom with this project.



"I'm thrilled to be part of this amazing team. To be making my debut in a project alongside Ravi Kumar sir, Balakrishna sir and Nayanthara ma'am means a lot. It's an absolute honour to be part of this project," Natasha told IANS.



Heaping praise on her director K.S. Ravi Kumar, she said: "With his experience, he can make his assistants get all the work done. But he gets so involved; he doesn't even rest for a minute when we're working. There is so much one can learn from him."



Tipped to be a commercial entertainer, the film marks the third time collaboration of Balakrishna and Nayanthara.
New Delhi: NASA's next Mars mission known as InSight, which is scheduled for a 2018 lift-off, will focus on examining the deep interior of Mars, says the US space agency.



The long form of InSight`s name is Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, reports Xinhua news agency.



The mission is expected to launch after May 8, 2018, from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, with a Mars landing scheduled after October 2018, the agency announced on Monday.



Information gathered by mission will boost understanding of how all rocky planets formed, including Earth.



"Because the interior of Mars has churned much less than Earth`s in the past three billion years, Mars likely preserves evidence about rocky planets` infancy better than our home planet does," Bruce Banerdt, InSight principal investigator of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of NASA, said in a statement.



InSight is the first mission of NASA to investigate the deep interior of Mars and is part of a legacy of robotic exploration that is helping to lay the groundwork for sending humans to Mars in the 2030s.



The mission will place a stationary lander near Mars` equator. With two solar panels that unfold like paper fans, the lander spans about 6 metres, according to NASA.



Within weeks after the landing, InSight will use a robotic arm to place its two main instruments directly and permanently onto the Martian ground, an unprecedented set of activities on Mars.



The mission was originally scheduled to launch in March 2016, but NASA suspended launch preparations in December due to a vacuum leak in the lander`s prime science instrument.



(With Agency inputs)
Chennai: The faction led by Chief Minister Palaniswami had held a meet to put on notice AIADMK chief VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran on Monday, but was left in a complete shock after as many as 21 loyal party lawmakers appeared as absentees.

The absence of MLAs from the meet was a setback to the newly-combined faction besides the other 21 rebel MLAs, who continued to stay at a Puducherry resort.

Asked about this and party sources told PTI that some of the MPs were members of parliamentary standing committees and hence could be in other states as part of their work. They, however, claimed most of the MLAs were present at the meet.

Though it was not clear how many MLAs and MPs attended the meeting, a TOI report claimed that the abstention of 21 MLAs left the EPS-OPS side was a blow for the united faction.

After the meet, the joint faction convened the AIADMK's General Council and Executive on September 12 where the party is likely to take a decision on removal of Sasikala as AIADMK general secretary and Dhinakaran as the deputy general secretary.

The meeting will be presided over by party presidium chairman E Madhusudhanan, the release said.

The expulsion of Sasikala had been the main demand of the OPS camp prior to the formal merger of the two factions on August 21.

A senior leader of the party told IANS earlier that the general council will be called mainly to nullify the appointment of Sasikala, who is currently serving her jail-term at the central jail in Karnataka. According to him, the general council has around 1,300-1,400 members and nearly 85 per cent of them are in support of the ruling faction.

The meeting was attended by Palaniswami, Panneerselvam, ministers, legislators, Members of Parliament and other office bearers.

According to the statement, individual invitations to all the general council members were being sent.

In the resolution passed on Monday, the EPS-OPS faction also termed the recent appointments made by Dhinakaran as invalid.

"Dhinakaran had no authority or qualification to remove those appointed by late AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa from party posts and his announcements in this regard were not binding on party affairs," a resolution adopted at the meeting said.

The first of the four resolutions adopted at the meeting said Dhinakaran had been 'removed' as deputy general secretary on August 10, 2017 at the then meeting headed by Palaniswami.
California: Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife welcomed their second daughter -- August -- to the world on Monday with a post on the leading social network.

As they did with after the birth of their first daughter, Maxima, in late 2015, the couple wrote the girl a letter, but this one spoke of reveling in the wonder of childhood instead of visions of a better world on the horizon.

"You only get to be a child once, so don`t spend it worrying too much about the future," said the letter signed by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan.

"You`ve got us for that, and we`ll do everything we possibly can to make sure the world is a better place for you and all children in your generation."

A Zuckerberg Chan Initiative established by the couple has pledged billions of dollars to improving life for their children`s generation with goals such as eliminating disease.

The Facebook co-founder is among billionaires who have vowed to donate most of their wealth to charitable causes.

"With all the advances in science and technology, your generation should live dramatically better lives than ours, and we have a responsibility to do our part to make that happen," the couple wrote, referring back to a letter written to their first daughter after her birth.

"But rather than write about growing up, we want to talk about childhood. The world can be a serious place. That`s why it`s important to make time to go outside and play."

And, like many parents, they expressed hope their new baby would sleep soundly and take frequent naps.
Mumbai: Owing to ill-health, Kapil Sharma had to call off the shoot of yet another episode at the eleventh hour. Ajay Devgn and the team of Baadshaho who were apparently on the sets of The Kapil Sharma Show on Saturday, had to leave without shooting the show, reports suggested.

It was being believed that Ajay stormed out of the sets of the show because he was miffed with Kapil. But that isnt the truth.

According to a report in India.com Ajay was concerned about Kapils health and sad about the unfavourable situation. So reports of Ajay walking out of the sets in anger are completely baseless.

For the uninitiated, this is not the first time Kapil had cancelled a show. Because of ill-health, he had to call off the shoot on a number of occasions in the past too.

Heres wishing Kapil speedy recovery and good health.
New Delhi: One of the most controversial shows on Indian television at present, 'Pehredaar Piya Ki' received a major blow after the channel didn't telecast it on the night of August 28, 2017.

The show has been in trouble ever since it went on air. According to dnaindia.com, the channel has apparently pulled it off after receiving much flak for airing a regressive show.

The show has been at the centre of controversies for projecting objectionable content where a 9-year old boy getting married to an 18-year-old girl forms the basic plot. After the online petition to ban the show reached the ministry, the time slot was changed from prime time 8 pm to late night 10 pm.

But looks like even that hasn't done any good and finally, the channel pulled off the plug. Dnaindia.com originally attributes the report to Hindustan Times and quotes the actor Jiten Lalwani, who stars in the show as saying, Yes. If the episode hasnt aired then you know the news is true.

Former 'Bigg Boss' contestant Suyyash Rai, too is shocked at this sudden change of events. If this is happening, then I am shocked. I was waiting to re-enter the show after the leap. Tejaswi is a close friend so I wanted to be a support to her and work with her. I wanted the show to do well as a lot of hard work goes into a show when it is launched. So many people including technicians will lose their jobs when the show shuts, he has been quoted as saying.
Lucknow: Aiming to encourage officials and Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) to exploit their creative potential, an "Idea and Innovation" competition was held at the Command Technology Centre of the Indian Army here on Tuesday.



A total of 36 innovations generated by the personnel of Central Command were displayed during the event, said a Defence spokesperson.



Lieutenant General JK Sharma, Chief of Staff, Headquarters Central Command, was the chief guest at the event. He was briefed first hand by the innovators along with the Service officers of Lucknow Station.



In addition, children from the schools in the station who were invited for the event demonstrated keen interest in the innovations. They gained first hand experience in application of science theories being taught in the school curriculum.



The event assisted in identification of the pool of talent in the field with the objective of promoting an innovative spirit and creativity, officials said.



They added that the event also facilitated overcoming challenges related to critical equipment and weapons systems besides motivating the participants to evolve effort saving techniques, create new designs to fill existing voids and optimise software and applications.
Gorakhpur: Seven more children have died due to Encephalitis in last 48 hours in Gorakhpur 's Baba Raghav Das Medical College.

Meanwhile, the suspended principal of BRD Medical College Rajiv Mishra and his wife were today taken into custody by Uttar Pradesh's Special Task Force (STF) after more than 60 children, including infants, died in a span of six days in the hospital.

Earlier, an FIR was lodged against Misra, along with six other hospital personnel, and two officials of the oxygen-supplying agency Pushpa Sales Private Limited, Manish Bhandari and Uday Pratap Sharma under the charges of criminal negligence.

Cases were registered under various sections of the IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Medical Council Act against Dr Rajiv Mishra, Dr Purnima Shukla, Dr Kafeel Khan, Dr Satish, Chief Pharmacist Gajanan Jaiswal, Accountant Sudhir Pandey, Assistant Clerk, Uday Pratap Sharma of Pushpa Sales and Manish Bhandari.

While the Uttar Pradesh government led by Yogi Adityanath has vehemently denied that lack of oxygen led to the deaths, a high-powered probe committee headed by Chief Secretary Rajeev Kumar indicted Mishra and others on laxity and other charges.

CM Adityanath had formed the committee on August 12, a day after the deaths of children were reported at the hospital.

According to SSP, Gorakhpur, Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj, a police team Monday night also went to the home of Dr Kafeel Khan, the former nodal officer of 100-bed AES ward in the hospital who was removed after the child deaths, for questioning but he was not there.

Recommendations were made by the probe team to initiate criminal action against Dr Khan for allegedly concealing facts and filing false affidavit and working against the rules of the Indian Medical Council.

However, a group of doctors at AIIMS-Delhi had come out in his support, alleging that he was being made a scapegoat by the authorities.

The FIR stated that the government hospital had received a total fund of Rs 454 lakh for the financial year 2017-18, of which Rs 63.65 lakh was supposed to be given to Pushpa Sales in April.

Therefore, the BRD hospital personnel have been charged for "deliberately not submitting the payment despite repeated written request by the supplier to the principal" in want of bribe.
Lucknow: Former principal of the government- run BRD medical college in Gorakhpur Rajiv Mishra and his wife were today taken into custody by Uttar Pradesh's Special Task Force (STF) for questioning in connection with the death of 60 children within a span of 48 hours at the hospital.

According to SSP, Gorakhpur, Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj, a police team last night also went to the home of Dr Kafeel Khan, the former nodal officer of 100-bed AES ward in the hospital who was removed after the child deaths, for questioning but he was not there.

Mishra and his medico wife Purnima Shukla, who are named in an FIR lodged by the UP government, were picked up from Kanpur, where they had reportedly gone to consult a lawyer.

"The STF team then left for Gorakhpur to carry out further interrogation there," Pankaj told PTI in Gorakhpur.

Mishra had been suspended as principal of the college on August 12 after the deaths were reported and the same day he resigned owning moral responsibility for the incident, which acquired a political hue with the government drawing flak from the opposition.

As leaders from the Congress and the Samajwadi Party rushed there to make an "on-the-spot assessment", Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath retorted saying that Gorakhpur should not be made a "picnic spot".

The state government also maintained that the deaths were not caused due to shortage of oxygen but various diseases.

The doctor couple was named in the FIR lodged by the state government after a report by Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar who had headed a probe team that went into the causes behind the deaths earlier this month.

The STF official said they were being quizzed but declined to share further details.

Asked whether the duo had been arrested or detained, he said legal formalities will be carried out by the Gorakhpur police.

On Dr Kafeel Khan, the SSP said, "Police reached his residence for questioning. However, he was not there. His family members have been told to support the police, so that they do not face any legal action during investgation."

Recommendations were made by the probe team to initiate criminal action against Dr Khan for allegedly concealing facts and filing false affidavit and working against the rules of the Indian Medical Council.

However, a group of doctors at AIIMS-Delhi had come out in his support, alleging that he was being made a scapegoat by the authorities.

The FIR was lodged in the Hazratganj police station here against nine persons, including the former principal, in connection with the deaths of children there due to alleged lack of oxygen supply. The case was transferred to Gorakhpur.

The proprietors of M/s Pushpa Sales, the company responsible for the supply of liquid oxygen, have also been named in the FIR lodged by Director General, Medical Education, KK Gupta.

Cases were registered under various sections of the IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Medical Council Act against Dr Rajiv Mishra, Dr Purnima Shukla, Dr Kafeel Khan, Dr Satish, Chief Pharmacist Gajanan Jaiswal, Accountant Sudhir Pandey, Assistant Clerk, Uday Pratap Sharma of Pushpa Sales and Manish Bhandari.

The IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.

The official report by the chief secretary, however, denied lack of oxygen as the cause of death.

Adityanath had formed the committee on August 12, a day after the deaths of children were reported at the hospital.

The state government has also shunted out additional chief secretary medical education Anita Bhatnagar Jain.
Lucknow: The Election Commission (EC) set in motion on Tuesday the process for filling up four vacant UP Legislative Council seats by issuing the notification for the by-polls.

There has been speculation that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his two deputies and a minister could become legislators within the stipulated six-month period after assuming office by getting elected to the Upper House.

Chief electoral officer Amrita Soni said the notification was issued today.

The last date for filing nominations is September 5 and the scrutiny will be done the next day. The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is September 8.

Polling will be held on September 15 and counting of votes will be done the same day.

Soni said the EC had also announced today the schedule for the bypoll to the fifth vacant seat in the UP Council, for which a notification will be issued on August 31.

The Election Commission had announced on August 24 the election schedule for the four vacant seats of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

Adityanath, who took over as the chief minister on March 19, has to become a legislator within six months of assuming office and the deadline expires on September 19.

Besides Adityanath, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, and ministers Swatantra Dev Singh and Mohsin Raza are not member of either of the two Houses.

Adityanath and Maurya are still members of the Lok Sabha.

All of them have to get elected to either the assembly or the legislative council before September 19 -- when they complete six months -- in order to continue as ministers.

If Adityanath chooses the council route, he will become the third successive chief minister, after Akhilesh Yadav (SP) and Mayawati (BSP), to opt for the upper house.

The four seats for which bypolls will be held on September 15 were vacated by MLCs Bukkal Nawab, Yashwant, Sarojini Agarwal and Ashok Bajpai - all members of the Samajwadi Party.

Another seat fell vacant when Thakur Jaiveer Singh, a former BSP MLC resigned from the party and joined BJP.

There has been speculation that Adityanath and his four colleagues could contest from these five seats.

Other UP chief ministers who had opted for the Legislative Council route are Narain Dutt Tiwari and late Ram Prakash Gupta (BJP).

Former chief minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh had become a member of UP Legislative Council in November 1980 after assuming the chief minister's office in June 1980.

He later contested a by-election from Tindwari assembly constituency, and became a member of UP Legislative Assembly in 1981.
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday held talks with political parties of Darjeeling hills and requested them to withdraw the indefinite bandh, which entered the 76th day.

"Talks were cordial and positive. Dialogue has started and it will continue. The next meeting will be held at Uttarkanya secretariat in north Bengal on September 12," she said after the meeting at the state secretariat here.

"They (the hill parties) raised the Gorkhaland issue but we did not agree. They can raise their voice. It is a democratic set-up," Banerjee added.

She said major political parties in the hills including Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Gorkha National Liberation Front and Jan Andolan Party participated in the dialogue.

All the parties agreed that peace and normalcy should be restored in the hills and "we requested them to withdraw the bandh", she said.
Kolkata: West Bengal Minister and Trinamool Congress MLA Siddiqullah Chowdhury on Tuesday refused to accept the path-breaking Supreme Court verdict striking down the 1,400-year-old practice of instant 'triple talaq' among Sunni Muslims.

The Supreme Court and the government can ponder on the triple talaq judgement. We Muslims believe in Islam and it permits triple talaq and it will remain that way, Minister for Libraries in the Mamata Banerjee government said, adding, We will not tolerate any interference in it."

When asked whether it worries him that his statement could amount to contempt of court proceedings against him, the TMC MLA from Mangalkot in Bardhaman district said, That will be decided by the court and not the media, what we are saying is absolutely right.

Referring to former chief Justice of India JS Khehar's judgement on triple talaq, Chowdhury said, the honourable judge had said that here is no room for interference in Muslim Personal Law, triple talaq and marriage.

He called for review of the SC order by a nine-judge bench.

The Trinamool leader made the comments while speaking to Times Now.

A five-judge Constitution bench, by a majority of 3:2 in which Khehar found himself in a minority, had said in its order, "In view of the different opinions recorded by a majority of 3:2, the practice of 'talaq-e-biddat' or triple talaq is set aside."

Khehar and Justice S Abdul Nazeer constituting the minority in the five-bench Constitutional bench had ordered an injunction on triple talaq at least for six months - by when the government should consider steps to initiate legislation on the issue.

The other three judges had disagreed.

"In view of the different opinions recorded, by a majority of 3:2 the practice of talaq-e-biddat - triple talaq - is set aside," the bench comprising Khehar, Kurian Joseph, Rohinton F Nariman, UU Lalit and Abdul Nazeer had said in the concluding para of the 395-page ruling.

The apex court gave its judgment on a petition filed by Muslim woman Shayara Bano, joined by a Muslim group and four other women.
Dhaka: Bangladesh has proposed joint military operations with Myanmar against Rohingya militants fighting in Rakhine state, as the UN raised fears over reports of civilians killed during fresh violence in recent days.

An upsurge in fighting in Rakhine, an impoverished state neighbouring Bangladesh, has been raging since Friday when Rohingya militants staged coordinated ambushes against Myanmar`s security forces.

More than 100 people, including around 80 militants, have been confirmed killed in the fightback, which has seen thousands of Rohingya villagers fleeing for Bangladesh.

The United Nation`s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "is deeply concerned at the reports of civilians being killed during security operations in Myanmar`s Rakhine State," according to a statement from spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

He called on Bangladesh to step up assistance to civilians escaping the violence, noting "many of those fleeing are women and children, some of whom are wounded".

More than 3,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar, where the stateless Muslim minority faces persecution, in the past three days, the UN refugee agency said Monday.

Bangladesh has said there are thousands more Rohingya massed on its border with Myanmar, where it has stepped up patrols and pushed back hundreds of civilians who have tried to enter.

Their flight comes as Human Rights Watch said it has satellite data "consistent with widespread burnings" in 10 populated areas of the violence-wracked wedge of Rakhine State near Bangladesh.

Those include Rohingya villages as well as Rakhine-majority settlements attacked by the militants.

In a meeting with Myanmar`s charge d`affaires in Dhaka, a top Bangladeshi foreign ministry official proposed joint military efforts against the militants along the border.

"If Myanmar wished, the security forces of the two countries could conduct joint operations against the militants, any non-state actors or the Arakan Army along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border," a foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity, as he was not permitted to speak to the media.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) is a militant group that says it is fighting to protect the Muslim minority from abuses by Myanmar security forces and the majority-Buddhist Rakhine community.

There was no comment from the Myanmar diplomat. At the weekend, as violence in Rakhine worsened, Bangladesh`s foreign minister summoned Myanmar`s charge`d affaires in Dhaka to express "serious concern" at the possibility of a fresh refugee influx.

There are already some 400,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh in squalid camps near its border with Myanmar.

Bangladesh is waging a bloody crackdown on homegrown Islamist militancy and has vowed `zero tolerance` towards violent extremism, domestic or otherwise, on its soil.

Dhaka has repeatedly asked Myanmar to take back the Rohingya refugees and address the root causes of problem.

Despite decades of persecution, the Rohingya in Myanmar`s western Rakhine state largely eschewed violence.

But in October ARSA, a small and previously unknown militant group, staged a series of well coordinated and deadly attacks on security forces.

Myanmar`s military responded with a massive security crackdown. Some 87,000 new refugees flooded into Bangladesh bringing with them harrowing stories of murder, rape and burned villages.

The UN believes the army`s response many amount to ethnic cleansing, allegations denied by the government of Aung San Suu Kyi and the army.

In recent months the day-to-day fighting died down, but civilians described being trapped between army "clearance operations" and an assassination campaign by the militants, who are murdering anyone suspected of collaboration.
Kabul: An explosion hit a bank in an area of the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday close to the heavily protected US embassy compound, officials said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the blast occured at the entrance to a Kabul Bank branch, not far from the embassy.

There was no immediate word on casualties.
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey, which has already killed at least seven people in Texas and was expected to drive tens of thousands from their homes, will likely rise in the coming days, officials warned on Monday as heavy rains continued to pound the U.S. Gulf Coast.

U.S. lawmakers are expected to pass a large aid package for victims of Hurricane Harvey, but specifics of the plan and its price tag are unclear as Congress awaits a funding request from the Trump administration.

National Guard troops, police officers, rescue workers and civilians raced in helicopters, boats and special high-water trucks to rescue the hundreds of people still stranded in and around Houston, the nation`s fourth-largest city.

The storm was the most powerful hurricane to strike Texas in more than 50 years when it came ashore on Friday near Corpus Christi, 220 miles (354 km) south of Houston, and the worst was far from over as the National Weather Service issued numerous flood warnings across the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to go to Texas on Tuesday to survey the damage and may in the future visit Louisiana where the storm is now dumping rain.

Trump, facing the biggest U.S. natural disaster since he took office in January, has signed disaster proclamations for Texas and Louisiana, triggering federal relief efforts.

Harvey has killed at least six people in Harris County, where Houston is located, said Tricia Bentley, a spokeswoman for the county coroner`s office, including a man who died in a house fire on Friday night and an elderly woman driving through flooded streets on the city`s west side the next day.

A 60-year-old woman died in neighbouring Montgomery County when a tree fell on her trailer home while she slept, the local medical examiner said on Twitter. With other people missing, the death toll could rise.

Both of Houston`s major airports were shut down, along with most major highways, rail lines and a hospital, where patients were evacuated over the weekend. As of Monday evening 267,000 Texans were left without power in the southeast corner of the state.

One of three main rivers crossing Houston, the Brazos, was expected to crest sometime on Tuesday at 59 feet (18 meters), the National Weather Service said. The San Jacinto River was expected to crest over Interstate 10, the major east-west artery through Houston.

The Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management issued a "shelter in place" warning to residents of La Porte and Shoreacres, about 25 miles (40 km) east of Houston, after a chemical leak was caused by a ruptured pipeline.

As stunned families surveyed the wreckage of destroyed homes and roads flooded or clogged with debris, Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned Houstonians to brace for a long recovery.

"We need to recognise this is going to be a new and different normal for this entire region," Abbott said.

Harvey was expected to linger over Texas` Gulf Coast for the next few days, dropping another 10 to 20 inches (25 to 51 cm) of rain, with threats of flooding extending into Louisiana.

In scenes evoking the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, police and Coast Guard teams have rescued at least 2,000 people so far, plucking many from rooftops by helicopter, as they urged the hundreds more believed to be marooned in flooded houses to hang towels or sheets outside to alert rescuers.

Harvey`s centre was about 100 miles (160 km) south of Houston and forecast to arc slowly towards the city through Wednesday, with the worst floods expected later that day and on Thursday.

Schools and office buildings were closed throughout the metropolitan area, home to 6.8 million people, as chest-high water filled some neighbourhoods in the low-lying city.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday that it was releasing water from the nearby Addicks and Barker reservoirs into Buffalo Bayou, the primary body of water running through Houston.

"The more they release it could go up and it could create even additional problems," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner warned. But the release was said to be necessary to prevent an uncontrolled surge of water, which Turner said "would be exponentially worse."

Torrential rain also hit areas more than 150 miles (240 km) away, swelling rivers and causing a surge that was heading towards the Houston area, where numerous rivers and streams already have been breached.

About 5,500 people were in shelters as of Monday morning, city officials said, with Federal Emergency Management Agency director Brock Long forecasting that 30,000 would eventually be housed temporarily in shelters.

Regina Costilla, 48, said she and her 16-year-old son had been rescued from their home by a good Samaritan with a boat. She worried until she was reunited with her husband and large dog, who had been left behind because they did not fit into the boat.

"I`m not complaining; we`re alive," said Costilla. "When I saw the forecast of the storm I said I`ll be happy if we get out with our lives."

In Rockport, National Guard troops passed out water to residents as utility crews worked to restore power in the city, amid reports of sporadic looting.

Houston did not order an evacuation due to concerns about people being stranded on city highways now consumed by floods, Turner said.

Abbott, who had suggested on Friday that people leave the area, declined to second-guess the mayor on Monday, telling reporters, "Decisions about evacuations are something that are behind us."

Gasoline futures hit their highest in two years as Harvey shut down multiple refiners, knocking out about 13 percent of total U.S. refining capacity, based on company reports and Reuters estimates.

Almost half of the U.S. refining capacity is in the Gulf region.

The nation`s second-largest refinery was shutdown in Baytown, and the nation`s largest refinery in Port Arthur was weighing shutting down with a final decision expected Tuesday, sources told Reuters.

The floods` path of destruction could destroy as much as $20 billion in insured property, making it one of the costliest storms in history for U.S. insurers, according to Wall Street analysts.
Tehran: Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said on Monday the Islamic Republic will further enhance its missile capabilities for defensive purposes.

Hatami was speaking on a live TV program as he said, "Iran's current missile might was good and was one of the main components of deterrence."

According to the Brigadier General, with Iran trying to intensify its defensive capabilities, enemies would also try to excel their powers. "We will boost (our) defensive power so much that no one would dare violate Iran," he told PressTV.

Hatami further said that the S-300 surface-to-air missile defense systems which Iran had bought from Russia have also been inducted to shield sensitive sites.

"The domestically-built Bavar-373 air defense system would soon be used alongside the S-300," he added.
TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired a missile early on Tuesday that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific waters off the northern region of Hokkaido, South Korea and Japan said, in a sharp escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula.

The last North Korean projectile to fly over Japan was in 2009. The United States, Japan and South Korea considered that launch to have been a ballistic missile test while North Korea said it was a rocket carrying a communications satellite into orbit.

South Korea`s military said the latest missile was launched from the Sunan region near the North Korean capital Pyongyang just before 6 a.m. (2100 GMT Monday) and flew 2,700 km (1,678 miles), reaching the altitude of about 550 km.

Japan`s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the North Korean missile fell into the sea 1,180 km (733 miles) east of the Cape of Erimo on Hokkaido.

"It is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat to our nation," Suga told a briefing, adding the government had protested the move in the strongest terms.



Suga said the launch was a clear violation of United Nations resolutions and Japan will work closely with the United States, South Korea and other concerned nations on a response, he said.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported the missile broke into three pieces and fell into the waters off Hokkaido.

The Japanese government`s J-Alert warning system advised people in the area to take precautions.

The Japanese military did not attempt to shoot down the missile, which passed over Japanese territory around 6:06 a.m. time (2106 GMT).

The Pentagon confirmed the missile flew over Japan but did not pose a threat to North America and said it was gathering further information.

The launch marks a sharp escalation in tensions over Pyongyang`s pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles in defiance of U.N. sanctions.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un earlier this month threatened to fire missiles into the sea near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam and U.S. President Donald Trump warned Pyongyang would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States.
Florida: Two more days of heavy rainfall are expected over parts of Texas and Louisiana as Tropical Storm Harvey churns offshore, preparing to make landfall again on Wednesday.

"The single greatest threat continues to be the rainfall," Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman for the Miami-based National Hurricane Center, told AFP, describing the situation as "catastrophic."

"This is not over," he said.

Already, some 50 inches (127 centimeters) of rain have fallen over Houston since Harvey hit Friday as a Category Four hurricane, sparking massive floods across the densely-populated metropolitan area.

"Relentless torrential rains continue over southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana," the National Hurricane Center said.

Harvey is edging away from Houston and is currently in the Gulf of Mexico.

With neighboring Louisiana squarely in the storm`s path, Harvey, now a tropical storm, is pressing eastward and is expected to make landfall again late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

New Orleans residents are bracing for heavy rain and flash floods over the next two days.

As of Tuesday morning, two inches of rain had already fallen over New Orleans.

"Flash flooding is expected to begin shortly," said the National Weather Service in New Orleans.

The city famous for its jazz music and cuisine is particularly vulnerable because it lies below sea level.

New Orleans is also fresh off another major flood earlier this month that was exacerbated by problems with the city pumping system.

"It is really sort of a wild card right now," meteorologist Eric Holthaus told AFP.

"There are some forecasts for up to 10 inches of rain over the next 36 hours or so for New Orleans. I would definitely not be surprised if it became more than that."

Houston can expect two to four more inches of rain as the storm moves away, but flooded conditions will likely linger through the end of the week as the rainfall drains off, Holthaus said.

The National Hurricane Center said six to 12 inches of rain could accumulate by Friday over parts of upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana.

Arkansas and Tennessee could see four to eight inches of rain as the storm heads inland.

Forecasters say Harvey will likely dissipate after it hits land again, and the rains should be all but over by Friday.
Vilnius: The United States on Tuesday sent extra jet fighters to patrol the skies over Baltic states to reinforce its NATO allies as Russia gears up for major major military drills, Lithuania`s defence ministry said.

Seven US F-15 fighter jets landed at the country`s northern Siauliai military air base, where NATO member Poland ran patrols using four jets over the last four-month rotation.

The beefed up contingent arrived two weeks ahead of massive military exercise "Zapad 2017" ("West") in neighbouring Russia and Belarus.

Lithuanian intelligence has warned that the "exercise scenario will simulate an armed conflict with NATO" but Moscow on Tuesday insisted they would be "purely defensive" and not directed against any specific enemy.

According to Russian Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, the drills will involve 12,700 troops, but critics, Lithuania included, claim there could be as many as 100,000.

Belarus` military chief of staff Oleg Belokonev indicated Tuesday the exercises` scenario involves an assumed threat from neighbours to the west and said that the number of troops participating will be "13,800 servicemen."

NATO has been guarding Baltic skies since 2004, when Lithuania and fellow Baltic states Latvia and Estonia joined the defence alliance but lacked the air power to monitor their own airspace.

Last week, NATO jets were scrambled four times to intercept Russian planes approaching Baltic countries` airspace, including an Il-22 bomber and seven Su-27 fighter jets, according to Lithuania`s defence ministry.

NATO has also deployed about 1,000 soldiers in each of the Baltic states and Poland in response to growing concern over Russian intentions after Moscow`s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. Multiple firefighters continued tackling the blaze in the Nairit plant overnight in the citys industrial district.

Authorities told ARMENPRESS the fire in 3 of the 4 ethynol containing reservoirs has been extinguished as of 09:00, with one more small section remaining ablaze.

Numerous firefighters and equipment are dispatched in the area.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged congratulations on the occasion of 20th anniversary of signing the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation, the Presidents Office told ARMENPRESS.

President Serzh Sargsyans congratulatory letter to his Russian counterpart reads:

Dear Mr. Putin,

Please accept my sincere congratulations on the 20th anniversary of the conclusion of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation.

The past period convincingly demonstrates that the Treaty meets the historical traditions of friendship between our two fraternal peoples. It provides a solid basis for the progressive build-up of the Armenian-Russian alliance, which stands out for the active top-level dialogue, effective foreign-policy coordination, successful interaction in the sphere of security, as well as in the military and military-technical fields.

Bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation is expanding from year to year in trade and economy, energy, transport, innovations and mining areas; promising investment projects are being implemented, interregional and humanitarian ties are gaining momentum.

The strategic nature of our countries bilateral cooperation is being built on constructive partnerships at multilateral, international and regional platforms. Yerevan and Moscow are acting as highly committed participants and reliable allies in dealing with large-scale tasks to promote integration processes within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union and further strengthen the Collective Security Treaty Organization in the best interest of peace, stability and security in the South Caucasus and the CSTO responsibility zone, as a whole.

In his message, the Russian president emphasized the old and rich history of the Armenian-Russian relations, the foundation of which has always been the strong ties of the friendship and mutual respect which ties the two peoples.

The 1997 treaty signaled the beginning of the modern phase of the Russian-Armenian intergovernmental relations. The signing of such an important document created conditions for expanding dialogue and qualitative growth of bilateral cooperation in the commercial, scientific-technical, humanitarian and other fields, Vladimir Putin said in the message.

President Putin praised the development of the Armenian-Russian relations, which have elevated into the level of allied partnership during the previous two decades: Moscow and Yerevan are effectively cooperating on the sidelines of the Eurasian integration processes, and are coordinating efforts for the security and stability in the region.

Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his readiness to continue joint works for further developing the entire complex of the Armenian-Russian relations  for the benefit of the two brotherly peoples.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Ambassador to Moldova Jivan Movsisyan on August 25 met with Prime Minister of Moldova Pavel Filip, press service of the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

During the meeting the development prospects of the Armenian-Moldovan relations, the intensification of trade-economic cooperation and other issues of bilateral interest were touched upon.

The Moldovan PM expressed satisfaction over the opening of the Armenian Embassy in Moldova, stating that it will contribute to developing and strengthening the political dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. The PM said Moldovas President Igor Dodons official visit to Armenia is scheduled in autumn of this year, and attached importance to the first session of the Armenian-Moldovan intergovernmental economic commission to be held in Yerevan in November 2017, adding that it is an important step to expand and develop the commercial ties.

Ambassador Movsisyan presented the Armenian Governments ongoing steps aimed at boosting foreign investments and export of Armenian products. He also touched upon the past and upcoming events aimed at development of bilateral ties, including the political and legal consultations held in Yerevan, the events dedicated to the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

At the meeting the sides discussed issues relating to transportation communication, as well as the prospect to launch Chisinau-Yerevan-Chisinau flight.

Issues relating to the Armenian community were also touched upon. It was stated that the Armenian community is actively taking part in Moldovas development and statehood strengthening process, at the same time maintaining the national identity, the traditions, fully utilizing the opportunities created for the national minorities in Moldova.


YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. German Chancellor Angela Merkel once again called on the Turkish authorities to release jailed German citizens, Deutsche Welle reports.

Unfortunately, its necessary to reconstruct the bilateral relations due to detention of German nationals in Turkey. This will also affect the economic ties with Turkey. Of course, all this makes me sad, but it is a necessary step, Merkel said.

She reminded that Turkey has not yet fulfilled its commitments to the EU, and most of the 3 billion USD directed to Turkey for refugees has been spent on projects that have not been implemented.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. The unidentified man who had taken a woman hostage earlier today in a billiard club in Erebuni district has been neutralized by the Yerevan Police Department.

A police sharpshooter took out the hostage-taker, the Police HQ told ARMENPRESS.

According to several media reports, the man died in the hospital.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. The Israeli defense ministry has enforced a temporary ban on Aeronautics Defense Systems for the supply of 20 million dollars worth of Orbitier K1 unmanned aerial vehicles to one of its important customers, the Israeli Bizportal reports, citing the companys data in the stock exchange.

The supply had to be carried out in 2017-2018, and in 2016 the acquisitions of this customer comprised 20% of the Israeli companys income, while in 2015  18%.

Although the company has not disclosed on which customer this ban has been imposed, the information says it is a country which has a Ba rating according to Moodys and has close commercial relations with Israel. It also said a factory of Aeronautics Defense Systems spare parts operates in this country.

The article emphasizes that only two countries from Aeronautics Defense Systems customers have Ba ratings  Serbia and Azerbaijan, while it is only in Azerbaijan that the Israeli company has a plant for spare parts of the UAVs.

The Israeli Newsru.co.il websites editorial board contacted the Israeli defense ministry for comment, but did not yet receive a response.

A few weeks earlier Israeli media reported that the defense ministry is validating information alleging Aeronautics Defense Systems had declined to display the capabilities of their new UAVs, which are being supplied to Azerbaijan, on Armenian positions. The media report said a complaint had been filed to the Israeli defense ministry on the matter. Aeronautics Defense Systems denied the accusation. The incident is said to have occurred when the companys delegation had arrived in Baku to re-negotiate supply conditions. Azerbaijani military officials requested the Israeli defense manufacturers to display their products during live combat operations, on the Armenian military. The Israelis denied this request.
YEREVAN, 29 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 29 August, USD exchange rate down by 0.34 drams to 478.65 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 4.72 drams to 576.25 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.05 drams to 8.14 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 2.96 drams to 620.71 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 14.05 drams to 19779.42 drams. Silver price down by 0.19 drams to 261.92 drams. Platinum price down by 10.66 drams to 15004.23 drams.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. Foreign ministers of Armenia and Estonia Edward Nalbandian and Sven Mikser exchanged congratulatory messages on the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Estonia, press service of the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

The Armenian FM in his message said over the past 25 years the two countries managed to form a firm base for the constant development of bilateral friendly ties.

He attached importance to strengthening of bilateral business ties, stating that there is a great potential for boosting the trade-economic ties.

Minister Nalbandian appreciated the Armenian-Estonian productive cooperation within the frames of the EU. He also emphasized the role of the Armenian community in terms of making close the two countries.

In his turn the Estonian FM said over the past 25 years the relations between Armenia and Estonia have further intensified, the two countries deepened the practical partnership for the prosperity of the two peoples.

Minister Mikser highlighted that the Estonian government has declared the Eastern Partnership as one of priorities of its chairmanship in the Council of the European Union and expects the signing of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership agreement between Armenia and the EU which will further expand the framework of relations.

Summing up his message, the Estonian minister expressed confidence that the joint efforts of the countries will serve as a firm base for further strengthening of bilateral political and economic ties.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. At the invitation of the Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian the Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Igor Crnadak will pay an official visit to Armenia on August 30-31, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of MFA Armenia.

"The President of the Republic will receive the Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Igor Crnadak will meet with the President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ara Babloyan.

The negotiations between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are scheduled on August 30, which will be followed by a joint press conference", reads the press release of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. Citizens of Japan will be exempt from visa requirements when visiting Armenia. They will be able to remain in Armenia for 180 days within a year, Armenpress reports the draft decision is included in the agenda of the Cabinets meeting of August 31.

According to the justification, Armenia is in friendly relations with Japan and has mutually beneficial cooperation with that country, the relations between the two states develops, while the opening of the Armenian Embassy in Tokyo in 2010 and the opening of the Embassy of Japan in Yerevan in 2015 further fostered the development of relations in all the spheres. There is mutual interest in further deepening the relations. Therefore, unilateral abolition of the visa requirement for Japanese citizens will create more favorable conditions for developing economic relations, as well as fostering tourism.

Starting from January 1, 2017 Japanese citizens can freely travel to 172 countries without any visa requirements. Japanese passport is the 5th freest in terms of tourism.

Citizens of Japan can visit Georgia without visa, while they receive the visa upon arrival in Azerbaijan.
AMSTERDAMKiiroo announced today it will release the second generation of its Pearl vibrator.

The interactive sex toy makers said the Pearl2 is the ultimate interactive G-spot vibrator. The Pearl2 can control or be controlled by other interactive devices, and can also be synced to an extensive volume of interactive content.

Our team has been working tirelessly for quite some time now on the next generation of our products, said CEO of Kiiroo Toon Timmermans. After years of research and feedback from our customers we have created Pearl2 to fill the gap in the interactive sex toy market. Creating an innovative, interactive pleasure product, that caters to a diverse audience was our goal, and we are proud to present Pearl2 to the world today.

Pearl2 has a beautifully designed exterior, and boasts some of the most unique and progressive technology on the inside. The interactive vibrator has a powerful motor and is waterproof. With frequent firmware updates, Pearl2 is a timeless piece of art that will never go out of date.

Pearl2 is compatible with all existing and future Kiiroo devices. The content on FeelMe.com and Pornhubas well as existing video, VR, 3D gaming and device partners of Kiirooare also compatible.

The Pearl2 is available now in Australia, Canada and the U.S. For European customers, availability is scheduled for Sept. 10.

Click here for product images and promotional videos for Pearl2.

Visit the website and follow Kiiroo on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more information.
LOS ANGELESBrazzers is offering American university students of legal age a free four-month membership to Brazzers.com. University life can get stressful, with a heavy workload and awkward social situations, so Brazzers says it is providing university students with "the perfect study partner to help them succeed."

Brazzers released a safe-for-work commercial for the initiative starring Nicolette Shea, Luna Star, Bridgette B, and Charles Dera. The commercial follows a selection of university students as they struggle through their day on campus, and shows how Brazzers helps them thrive academically and socially.

We know that university life is by no means easy and were empathetic," said Brazzers Marketing Director Gary Ticher. "Being away from home and overloaded with studying and peer pressure can be tough, so we wanted to do our part to help university students relax their minds and ease their loads. Weve decided to offer the best porn on the market as a study accessory to help university students relax, sleep better and focus harder in class.

To participate in the "Brazzers Back-To-University" program, university students must complete the application form on trendzz.com/zzbtu and submit a photo of themselves holding a valid student ID with birth date. Photos must be clear, with all info and dates clearly visible. Students must be 18+ to be eligible. The deadline for submissions is September 5, 2017.

In addition, Brazzers is hosting an essay contest and will be offering a 25-year membership to the winner. Applicants must submit a short video (maximum 2 minutes in length) or a written essay (minimum 100 words in length)  How Brazzers Will Help Me Graduate on Trendzz.com/zzbtu. The deadline for submissions is September 5, 2017. Brazzers will select the 25-year membership winner by November 8, 2017.

Students can apply to the "Brazzers Back-To-University" program on Trendzz.com/zzbtu today. Submissions on Trendzz are open as of today for a semesters worth of free access to Brazzers.com. There is a limit of 5,000 4-month memberships that will be distributed via this promotion.

Watch the safe-for-work trailer here.

To apply for the program, click here.
Cake cases manufacturer Herald is to expand its Barking facilities following a 20% increase in sales of bespoke bakery products over the past year.

The company - which sells cupcake, muffin and jelly cases - says independent bakers and smaller bakery chains are driving growth in its printed products, and Herald will be increasing its bakery range over the coming 12 months to drive further growth.

Alongside a range expansion, Herald is investing 1m in extending manufacturing and storage facilities, including investment in extra injection moulding machines.

Herald has also added a business development team to its staff and is due to launch a new website later this year to showcase its new range.

There is an appetite for tailored designs and branded items as businesses have to work harder to stand out in an increasingly competitive market. A lot of our customers are taking the first steps in moving away from plain white or brown packaging, said Herald MD Yogesh Patel.

Bakers are prepared to pay more for printed items, Patel added, as they develop an identity and look to stand out from the rest of the market.

The key to securing new business for us will lie in our ability to hold larger amounts of stock, thanks to our increased warehouse space, and the variety of our range. As long as we continue to ensure our products are competitively priced, the upward sales trajectory should continue, he said.
New Bake Off judge Prue Leith has offered her support for the Real Bread Campaigns Honest Crust Act to protect the provenance of artisan bread.

Leith, who is a patron of Sustain, the charity that runs the Real Bread Campaign, said consumers should know what is in the bread they eat.

The Real Bread Campaigns call for better labelling legislation will help small, local bakeries thrive, said Leith.

Real Bread Campaign co-ordinator Chris Young exclusively told British Baker it is set to launch a new action in early September as part of its Honest Crust Act drive.

In April, the campaign sent a letter to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) stating Brexit offered a unique opportunity for the government to review and update British loaf labelling and marketing legislation.

Such an Honest Crust Act would help to create a more level playing field on which small, local, independent bakeries will stand a better chance of thriving, Young said in the letter.

And earlier this month, the campaign gave its views on the legal definition of wholegrain, which is part of the groups call for an Honest Crust Act.

There is no legal definition for what wholegrain is. This allows marketers to use the healthy halo of wholegrain to promote products that have very little nutritional value.

The Real Bread Campaign will next month be running #SourdoughSeptember for a fifth successive year.

Meanwhile, Leith will appear alongside Paul Hollywood on the judging panel of the new Channel 4 series of the Great British Bake Off tonight (29 August) from 8pm.
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.
Contact: Ford Porter

Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov

RALEIGH: North Carolina is sending help to Texas as the state endures catastrophic flooding flowing Hurricane Harvey. Two Helo-Aquatic Rescue Teams, known as NC HART, are en route to San Antonio, Texas to help with flood rescue and response.said Governor Roy Cooper.Some of the same crews heading to Texas helped rescue people trapped in floodwaters last fall following Hurricane Matthew. Search and rescue crews pulled more than 2,300 people from flooded homes and cars when the storm hit North Carolina last October, including more than 100 rescued by helicopter.Two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and eight airmen from the N.C. National Guard, six rescue technicians (three from the Charlotte Fire Department, two from Asheville Fire and one from Transylvania EMS), and two N.C. Emergency Management area coordinators will spend the next 10 days supporting rescue missions in San Antonio. The area coordinators departed Sunday afternoon for Little Rock, Arkansas where they rest before reporting to San Antonio on Monday. The Blackhawks and rescue crews will fly out Monday morning and meet up with the area coordinators in San Antonio in the afternoon.said Public Safety Secretary Erik Hooks.NC HART is a North Carolina Emergency Management asset that pairs the best civilian rescuers with military and law enforcement aviation assets. Local rescue technicians complete extensive helo-aquatic rescue training and are paired with helicopters from the State Highway Patrol or N.C. National Guard. On any given mission, two or three of the 60 specially-trained technicians are called upon and paired with helicopter pilots to rescue stranded or injured persons. Technicians and pilots train together monthly, rotating training sites so they can practice various types of rescues: people stranded in rapidly moving water, on mountains, cliffs or waterfalls. Formally established in 2004, the NC HART program was the first of its kind in the nation to implement a regimented training and response program that combines civilian and military resources.Texas requested help from North Carolina through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which helps coordinate relief for disaster-stricken states to make available the right type of resources at the right time. The requesting state (Texas in this case) fully reimburses the assisting state for the total costs incurred. All resources are coordinated between state emergency management agencies.The EMAC system was developed by state governors following Hurricane Andrew in 1992 when critical resources were needed by the state of Florida. North Carolina has sent teams to help with numerous disaster response efforts including flooding in South Carolina and West Virginia in 2015, Virginia tornadoes that same year, to Louisiana and Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina, and Alaska following flooding in 2007.said Cooper.
Democrats argue race is a necessary factor in drawing districts; GOP says court gave no order to consider it



Julian Pridgen, one of the plaintiffs in the Covington v. N.C. lawsuit, spoke Tuesday at a joint legislative redistricting hearing. (CJ photo by Dan Way)

Republicans chose to shun race as a consideration in remapping 28 legislative districts federal courts have deemed racial gerrymanders.Relying so heavily on that strategy might backfire as the case moves forward, a constitutional scholar says. While the GOP's eventual goal is to maintain its supermajority status in both bodies of the General Assembly, courts may reject a plan ignoring race. So far, judges have accepted plaintiffs' arguments that the racial composition of the outlawed districts - nine Senate, 19 House - matters.said Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow in constitutional studies at the Cato Institute, and editor-in-chief of the Cato Supreme Court Review.Shapiro said. In large part, the plaintiffs won using that argument at the U.S. Supreme Court in the Covington v. North Carolina case.Shapiro said.Republicans would do well to pursue some other strategy to maintain their supermajority, Shapiro said.But House and Senate deliberations on proposed maps show they intend to exclude race as a factor in drawing districts.On Friday the Senate passed Senate Bill 691 , that body's redistricting plan, by an initial 27-16 vote . Sens. Deanna Ballard, R-Watauga, and Rick Horner, R-Wilson, voted with Democrats against the bill. No Democrats voted for the measure. Seven senators were absent.The bill is expected to have its final vote and go to the House when the Senate reconvenes Monday at 5 p.m.The House redistricting committee on Friday passed new districts for that body, House Bill 927 . The measure is on Monday's calendar for a floor vote. The vote was 25-16, with Rep. Michael Speciale, R-Craven, the lone crossover.Legislative leaders restated their starkly divergent approaches on Friday.said House Minority Leader Darren Jackson, D-Wake.He said Republicans' strategy ignores the Voting Rights Act and Constitution.Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue, D-Wake, said during Senate debate.Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, House redistricting committee senior chairman, thinks Republicans are on safe ground.In his view, by ignoring race, Republicans were responding to the three-judge panel, which chided GOP mapmakers for failing to justify moving black voters into "majority-minority" districts where their voting age population would exceed 50 percent of the electorate.Republicans said they did so to comply with federal Voting Rights Act requirements to provide black voters an opportunity to elect the candidates of their choice. They pointed out the General Assembly has 25 black members, eclipsing the numbers elected when Democrats drew the maps.The Covington plaintiffs said Republicans made the moves to concentrate black voting strength in a few districts while diluting it elsewhere. Democrats argued blacks may be elected in larger numbers, but their voices are muted when Republicans dominate the legislature.Not considering race at all would answer the court's question, Lewis said. Neither the court nor anyone else has provided additional evidence why race should be considered, he said.The legislative debate has highlighted what observers call a growing rural/urban/suburban split in the state. The divide raises the stakes for partisan control of the legislature.House and Senate Republicans refused to approve any part of an alternative map produced by the Covington plaintiffs.Lewis said.GOP members contend the alternative map would create gerrymandered districts that extend Democratic urban centers' power into small towns where their message is unpopular.Rep. Bill Brawley, R-Mecklenburg, cited his district as one example. The plaintiffs' map would split the small, Republican-leaning cities of Mint Hill and Matthews into three Democratic districts with a heavy Charlotte presence.he said.
Amidst apparent riots in Berkeley by Antifa members , the Berkeley police once again stood aside and allowed violence to flourish. According to The Washington Post:But Antifa protesters - armed with sticks and shields and clad in shin pads and gloves - largely routed the security checks and by 1:30 p.m. police reportedly left the security line at the Center Street and Milvaia Street entrance to the park. Berkeley Police Chief Andrew Greenwood told the AP the decision was strategic - a confrontation was sure to spark more violence between the protesters and police.Greenwood said.Except, of course, that this was literally their job. There were innocent people out there. Videos of Antifa members beating the living hell out of peaceful protesters and journalists quickly went viral on Twitter:This is the police's only job: protecting innocent citizens in the performance of their rights. Yet over and over again, we have seen apparent stand-down orders from political figures and police chiefs designed to allow Antifa to roam free. At California State University at Los Angeles, left-wing agitators got violent with students seeking to attend one of my speeches; police were allegedly told by the administration not to prevent those agitators from blocking entrances. At University of Wisconsin, administrators reportedly told police not to clear the room of protesters. At Berkeley last year, police did virtually nothing as Antifa ran wild, burning cars and smashing property, supposedly in response to a Milo Yiannopoulos speech.And it's not just on college campuses. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake infamously stated that she wanted to give rioters "space" to get violent during the Freddie Gray riots. Police did little to tamp down violence in Ferguson, fearful that doing so would blow back on them.This must end.I spoke at Berkeley in February 2016, and the event carried zero security risk.No longer.I'm scheduled to speak at Berkeley on September 14. My presence has been approved by the administration. The chancellor of the school, Carol Christ, has blessed the event, calling it a part of Berkeley's "Free Speech Year." Young America's Foundation, which is sponsoring the event, has already footed an extra $15,000 surcharge for security. I have called and will continue to call on all those who attend to remain non-violent under all circumstances - I don't need my free speech rights protected by anyone other than the police. This is still America, a civilized country.If the police refuse to do their jobs, or if they are told not to do their jobs by governmental or administrative figures, Congress should move immediately to cut off funding for the campus and any police agencies who do not tamp down violence. The rioter's veto must end, and it must end now. We should not have to fear violence every time someone with a dissenting view steps into the public square.For Antifa, though, the views aren't even at issue. I despise the alt-right, as I've made clear at every turn; I've been in open political warfare with the alt-right for years. But I doubt Antifa will care. They believe that anyone who isn't a communist or an anarchist is an enemy.So the only questions will be three: First, will Antifa act with violence? Second, if they do, will the police do their jobs? Third, will the media be honest about the violence, or will they attempt to blame conservatives like me for the violence of violent groups, and the malfeasance of police?All this can be avoided with a simple prescription: police doing their jobs, and citizens doing theirs. But the way things are headed in Berkeley, that prescription may not be so simple after all.
The General Assembly shall prescribe the functions, power, and duties of the administrative departments and agencies of the State and may alter them from time to time. ...

The power struggle between the Republican-led General Assembly and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper resumed Monday in two cases argued in state Supreme Court.In Cooper v. Berger, the governor said the General Assembly violated separation of powers when it merged the State Board of Elections and the state Ethics Commission and, with the move, stripped some of Cooper's powers. In the Dickson v. Rucho redistricting challenge , plaintiffs said the state justices should send the case back to a trial court, even though federal courts are considering the legality of disputed congressional and legislative districts at the same time.Attorney Jim Phillips, who represented the governor, frequently cited last year's McCrory v. Berger decision. In it, the state justices rejected a commission created by the legislature with executive-branch duties as a violation of the separation-of-powers doctrine.The court in McCrory ruled the governor must have the power to appoint, remove, and supervise members of commissions who share his "views and priorities," Phillips said. The court also rejected the legal structure of the board in McCrory. In both instances, he said, the new Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement failed the McCrory ruling's requirements.The General Assembly formed the election/ethics board earlier this year after the court declared a similar board (created in December, just before Cooper was inaugurated) unconstitutional. A three-judge panel said the eight-member board created last year - giving the General Assembly and the governor four appointments - violated separation of powers.The governor would pick all eight members of the new board, divided equally among Democrats and Republicans, based on a list of candidates provided by the state parties.Phillips said this change wasn't good enough.Because the board administers and executes campaign laws, has discretion over matters including early voting hours, and would be chaired by a Republican during even-numbered (legislative election) years, it cedes too much power to the General Assembly.Phillips also objected to a provision in the law leaving State Board of Elections Executive Director Kim Westbrook Strach in charge of the new board until 2019.Legislative attorney Noah Huffstetler said the board is quasi-judicial. It can conduct hearings and receive sworn testimony. He also noted the governor has full appointment power of all board members, even though the candidates come from lists submitted by the political parties.Huffstetler also cited Article III, Section 5, Part 10 of the North Carolina Constitution, which states:Article III is specific, he said, and should take precedence over the general provision of separation of powers or any "views and priorities" a governor may hold.Dickson v. Rucho redistricting caseMonday's hearing marked the third time the justices have confronted Dickson, which has ping-ponged for years between the federal and state courts. Several Democratic legislators and activists sued in 2011, claiming Republicans violated the Voting Rights Act by packing too many minority voters into legislative and congressional districts. The state Supreme Court in 2014 rejected the lawsuit, but on appeal the U.S. Supreme Court returned the case to North Carolina. In 2015, the state justices said race was a factor but not the main one in the design of the maps. The federal justices have called on their state counterparts to reconsider Dickson in light of the latest redistricting rulings from Washington, D.C.This time, attorneys representing the legislature said the court had no reason to rule in the case, as the matter was moot.The attorneys noted the U.S. Supreme Court will fold Dickson into a case argued in October involving gerrymandering in Wisconsin. And the General Assembly is wrapping up a new set of court-ordered legislative maps which will go before a three-judge U.S. District Court panel, and almost certainly again to the federal justices on appeal.Ultimately, the legislature's attorneys said, federal courts will decide whether the maps pass constitutional muster, so the supremacy doctrine - federal constitutional matters supersede state actions - would overrule any ruling the state Supreme Court might make.The plaintiffs said federal courts might say new district maps satisfy racial gerrymandering concerns. But in doing so the maps may violate other state constitutional provisions.It's unclear when the justices will rule on either case.
NC Senator Bill Cook to Retire in 2018

News Release:



Raleigh, N.C. Four-term state lawmaker Sen. Bill Cook (R-District 1) announced Tuesday he will not seek re-election in 2018. Below is a statement from Sen. Cook:



"When I first earned the right to represent the folks of Eastern North Carolina in 2011 - our state had some of the highest taxes in the Southeast, regulations were strangling our economy and teacher pay was among the lowest in the country. I am very proud that with the help of my fellow legislators - we now have the lowest taxes in the Southeast, regulation is under control and teacher pay is greatly improved," Cook said. "I am proud of my work in promoting our oyster industry, keeping our inlets open and defending our fishermen. I am most proud of starting a new industry in North Carolina - deep water fish farming - an industry that will greatly benefit our economy.



I've tried to be a good servant to the people of Eastern North Carolina. However, the recent redistricting changes have prompted me to reevaluate my commitment to my family. And as much as I love the folks of Eastern North Carolina, I love my family more. I have decided to not seek another term in the State Senate. I am blessed to have a wonderful family and I need to spend more of my life with them - especially my grandchildren."



First elected to the N.C. House of Representatives in 2010, Cook represented the 6th District, which included Beaufort County and a portion of Pitt County. In 2012, Cook was then elected to the State Senate, representing Beaufort, Hyde, Dare, Currituck, Camden, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans counties. Cook ousted Democratic incumbents in both 2010 and 2012 elections. In fact, Cook became the first Republican ever elected to the State Senate representing Northeastern North Carolina and was re-elected in 2014 and 2016.



"Over the past six years, Bill Cook has traveled thousands of miles across all eight counties of Senate District 1, earning his reputation as one of the most engaged and responsive legislators in the General Assembly," said Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham.) "From championing a new marine aquaculture industry to helping ensure safe access to channels along the Outer Banks, Bill has advanced important priorities for the people of his district. We'll miss Bill's warm, accessible and affable presence in the Senate and wish him all the best in his retirement."



Since 2015, Cook has served as co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Natural and Economic Resources as well as the Senate Agriculture, Natural and Economic Resources Committee. In addition to overhauling useless regulations, Cook has been a champion for family values.



Dr. Mark Creech, Executive Director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina said, "when entering the Legislative Building in Raleigh, one has to pass by a 28 foot terrazzo mosaic of the Great Seal of North Carolina. Many great persons have taken that path to a House or Senate seat in service to the people. It is painfully difficult to learn Sen. Bill Cook will no longer walk that way. His leadership will cast a long shadow for good on that Seal. His strong conservative values have always represented what is best about North Carolina."



Contact: Jordan Hennessy, (919) 715-8293



jordan.hennessy@ncleg.net


Czech president: "Burkini must not be used in Czech swimming pools"

29. 8. 2017

cas cteni < 1 minuta







It is undesirable that muslim women should enter swimming pools dressed in burkini, said Czech President Milos Zeman, reacting to a wave of hate speech directed at an aquapark near Prague whose management said that there is no reason to bar access to women dressed in burkini.



"There is no reason for anyone to bathe dressed in burkini in Czech swimming pools," said Zeman in an interview for the tabloid newspaper Blesk. "You never know what disgusting stuff can those textiles contain. If Czech women tried to enter Arab swimming pools in their bikini, I fear they would end up rather badly," added Zeman.



"There are women in this world which should be covered up really thoroughly," added Zeman. "And then there are girls and I would tear off their burkini straight away. It all depends on their physical shape." According to Zeman, this applies to all women, not just to muslim women.



Source in Czech HERE







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In his usual crass fashion, rather than focusing on the catastrophic hurricane that was hitting Houston, Trump spent his presidential energy on Sunday tweeting about how Mexico is going to pay for the wall. "With Mexico being one of the highest crime Nations in the world, we must have THE WALL. Mexico will pay for it through reimbursement/other."

And how did Mexico respond? "The Mexican government takes this opportunity to express its full solidarity with the people and government of the United States as a result of the damages caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas, and expresses that it has offered to provide help and cooperation to the US government in order to deal with the impact of this natural disaster  as good neighbors should always do in trying times."

This puts Trump in an awkward spot.

"If he were to accept aid, he could be accused of hypocrisy over his stance on Mexico. But should he refuse, he could be seen as acting callously while Texans suffer," according to The Independent.

At least some Harvey victims are frustrated with Trump's Sunday tweeting. According to the Huffington Post:

Kyle Souder, a 22-year-old student at the University of Houston whose car was flooded, said he was frustrated with the president for tweeting about the border wall as the hurricane spread through Texas. "Mexico sent their own people to help during Katrina and you want to tweet this Shit right now?" Souder tweeted at Trump on Sunday. "I feel like we do need foreign aid," Souder told HuffPost on Monday. "We're completely underwater."

The US hasn't yet decided whether it will accept Mexico's offer or not, but "Our offering is open and permanent," Carlos Sada, Mexico's undersecretary for North America, told the Huffington Post.

Trump is visiting Houston today.

Image: Government
Let's say you're a state senator, but the house you'd like to own isn't in your district. No problem! Just propose a boundary change to include the new house!

That's what North Carolina State Senator Ben Clark of the state's 21st district did after he bought a home in the 19th district. Via The Fayetteville Observer:

The committee, including Clark, voted unanimously to add a wedged-shaped peninsula to Senate 21 that runs nearly 5 miles along N.C. 24 from the Cape Fear River to Baywood Road east of Interstate 95. This includes Clark's new house near the Interstate 95 interchange at N.C. 24. According to data from the 2010 Census, the Clark extension moves about 1,055 people out of the proposed Meredith Senate 19 district into the proposed Clark Senate 21 district.

 Senate map gerrymandered for senator's house (Fayetteville Observer)
JAKARTA (Reuters) - A Jakarta court has sentenced a female would-be suicide bomber to seven and a half years in prison, prosecutors and her lawyer said, the first time a woman has been convicted in Indonesia for planning such an attack. Dian Yulia Novi, 28, was arrested late last year on suspicion of plotting to blow herself up outside Jakarta's presidential palace during the changing of the guard. She was arrested along with her husband, Muhamad Nur Solikin. Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, has seen a surge in homegrown militancy inspired by Islamic State, and has grappled with a series of small-scale attacks in the past two years. Prosecutors had demanded a 10-year sentence for Novi, whom they said received instructions to carry out the attack from Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian militant believed to be fighting with Islamic State in Syria. "Her sentence was reduced because she admitted to her actions," Novi's lawyer Kamsi told Reuters on Monday. He said the verdict was handed down by East Jakarta District Court on Aug. 25. Judges delivered the verdict earlier than expected because Novi is pregnant and due to give birth in early September, her lawyer said. She is detained at a Jakarta area facility. Her husband is on trial for the same plot. His next hearing, at which he is expected to enter a plea, is scheduled for Sept. 6. Kamsi said Novi, who was believed to be radicalized through social media while employed as a domestic worker in Taiwan, did not intend to appeal her verdict. Police said they had intercepted a letter that Novi intended to send to her parents stating her intention to carry out jihad. Later an unexploded bomb was found in a room the woman had rented in Bekasi, about an hour outside Jakarta. Counter-terrorism forces are worried that militants may be using new and more sophisticated tactics to try and carry out attacks - like recruiting female suicide bombers or using dangerous chemicals to make "dirty bombs". (Reporting by Stefanno Reinard; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Richard Borsuk)
After eluding top U.S. law enforcement for more than a decade, one of America's most wanted fugitives and the suspected ringleader of a powerful drug-smuggling organization was caught by two bicycle-mounted police officers in Montreal.

Katay-Khaophone Sychanta, a 35-year-old dual citizen of Laos and Canada, was arrested Aug. 23 by officers on bike path patrol in the city's Saint-Laurent borough.

He was nabbed at the Bois-Franc train station after attempting to flee from the officers, one of whom got off his bike and chased the suspect down on foot.

The officers had suspected Sychanta and a second man of possessing drugs.

Police say Sychanta gave the officers fake U.S. identification, but fingerprinting later revealed a different identity.

"Luckily, with the identification we were able to locate a man that was wanted for three years," said Montreal police spokesperson Const. Jean-Pierre Brabant.

May face extradition

A native of Laos, Sychanta, whose last name is also spelled Sychantha, was on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's list of 10 most wanted fugitives.

He was first indicted in Michigan in 2005 for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

But Sychanta evaded capture and allegedly continued to supervise a drug smuggling organization based in Windsor, Ont., according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In 2013, Sychanta's continued alleged illicit activity led to a second indictment in Michigan for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

According to ICE, he is the suspected head of a drug-smuggling ring that supplied millions of ecstasy pills and hundreds of pounds of marijuana to distributors in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, Georgia and New York.

He has also allegedly directed individuals to smuggle millions in bulk cash, guns, cocaine and heroin from the United States into Canada.

'History of violence'

Before being tracked down in Montreal, ICE suspected he could be "hiding in the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Asia."

Story continues

"He has a history of violence and has allegedly made threats against HSI Special Agents and other law enforcement officials," ICE states on its website, adding that he should be considered "armed and dangerous."

Sychanta appeared in a Montreal court last Thursday, where he was charged with possession, obstructing the work of a peace officer and using a forged document.

He has now been transferred to Ontario Provincial Police and may face extradition to the U.S.
No plans to remove John A. Macdonald's name from federal properties, Trudeau says

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government has no plans to remove the name of John A. Macdonald from any properties or structures under federal purview.

Trudeau was asked about the issue on Monday, more than a week after members of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario called on schools named for Canada's first prime minister to remove the moniker.

"As has been pointed out a number of times, reconciliation is not just about the relationship between government and Indigenous people," Trudeau told reporters during a press conference at Rideau Hall after his cabinet shuffle.

"Non-Indigenous Canadians have an essential role to play in how we shape a better and more responsible future for everyone who shares this land and these conversations are extremely important to have, to reflect on our past and to build the right future forward together.

"But I can say, unequivocally, there are no plans by the federal government to change the name John A. Macdonald off of anything in our responsibility."

Last week, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said the ETFO proposal to remove Macdonald's name "missed the mark," but Perry Bellegarde, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, spoke in support of the union's motion.

Among the federal properties named for John A. Macdonald is a prominent building across from Parliament Hill in downtown Ottawa.
By Jason Patinkin KAMPALA (Reuters) - United Nations peacekeepers in South Sudan are moving more aggressively to protect civilians caught in the country's four-year civil war, after years of criticism for failures that led to the sacking of the mission's military chief last year. This year, the U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has rescued aid workers and U.N. staff during attacks, saved civilians from abduction by armed groups, and pushed past roadblocks to a massacre site. "A lot has been done ... to improve UNMISS' ability to deliver on its protection of civilians mandate," said Lauren Spink, a South Sudan specialist for the independent U.S.-based advocacy group Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC). South Sudan was the world's youngest country when it became independent from neighboring Sudan in 2011 following decades of conflict. But the new nation dissolved into civil war less than two years later, after President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, fired his deputy, Riek Machar, a Nuer. Since then tens of thousands have died, and 3.5 million of the country's 12 million citizens have fled their homes, creating Africa's largest refugee crisis since Rwanda's 1994 genocide. BASE PROTECTION As the war spread, families flooded into U.N. bases seeking protection. More than 210,000 people now stay in six such bases, too fearful to go home. Between December 2013 and July 2016, more than 100 civilians and four U.N. peacekeepers were killed in attacks on U.N. bases when peacekeepers didn't shoot back, fled, or delayed responding, according to data from the U.N. and CIVIC. But a chastened UNMISS has gradually taken a tougher stance, boosted by the January arrival of new chief David Shearer, a former New Zealand labor party leader. "We are trying to make our peacekeeping more robust," Shearer told Reuters. "Our peacekeepers are going to stand up to situations and challenge them." Several incidents demonstrate the change. In April, peacekeepers deployed to Aburoc, a village on the Nile. After the U.N. arrived, rebels withdrew, and a government offensive that had displaced 20,000 civilians paused. Aid workers then intervened to stop a cholera outbreak. The same month, peacekeepers went to Torit in the southeast to protect an orphanage housing 250 children caught between the front lines. Mongolian peacekeepers in northern Bentiu town have repeatedly rescued civilians from abduction by armed groups this year, including one incident where they fired their weapons. Reuters was unable to find records of such interventions for previous years. "There is improvement," said Peter Ruach, who lives in the camp outside the U.N. base in Juba. A year ago government troops raped dozens of women who ventured outside the fence to search for food. "The Ethiopian battalion have cleared a buffer zone and they make sure that when women are going out for collection of firewood they are protected," he said. Since the buffer zone opened at the end of November, serious crimes like rape and murder reported near the camp had dropped from around 48 per month to between 1 and 5, the U.N. said. STRAINED HISTORY U.N. peacekeepers have been in South Sudan since before independence, but found themselves frequently criticized after war broke out by aid groups like Doctors Without Borders, who said they were not doing enough to protect civilians. A year ago, peacekeepers at the U.N.'s main Juba base ignored desperate pleas for help when government troops attacked a hotel a mile away, killing one aid worker and gang-raping others. In following days, government troops raped dozens of Nuer women outside the same base. Ten aid agencies released a joint statement accusing peacekeepers of failing to adequately patrol the area. "The inability of UNMISS to protect civilians threatens to undermine any attempts at safety and security in the country and makes it impossible for humanitarian agencies to provide the help that is so urgently needed," Frederick McCray, South Sudan Country Director at charity CARE, said at the time. The U.N. eventually launched an investigation that led to the firing of UNMISS' top general, Kenya's Johnson Ondieki, in November. In response, Kenya pulled its troops from the peacekeeping mission. PROBLEMS REMAIN Despite more robust peacekeeping, the violence continues. The mission has 12,000 armed peacekeepers and a budget of over a billion dollars. But that's not enough to patrol a nation the size of France with under 300 km (185 miles) of paved roads. Peacekeepers were too stretched to deploy to Pagak, a rebel stronghold in the northeast, where a government offensive has displaced thousands and forced dozens of aid workers to evacuate since July, Shearer said. U.N. patrols did not intervene in the northwestern town of Wau in April when a government-aligned Dinka militia went door-to-door, executing at least 16 people of other ethnicities. Part of the problem is that the U.N. needs permission from South Sudan's government for its presence. That can interfere with investigations or interventions aimed at government forces. Last week, the government grounded U.N. flights after a dispute about the deployment of an additional 4,000 troops to beef up the peacekeeping mission. The government is reluctant to accept the new force. "The U.N. cannot be totally independent in a country that is sovereign. They need to be working in cooperation with the government ... They cannot run a parallel government," said presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny. He denied that government forces had killed or abused civilians. "Government ... cannot do anything harmful to civilians that requires someone to come and protect them," Ateny said. Shearer has responded to some roadblocks with public pressure. He took to U.N. radio to demand access to the Torit orphanage, and has ordered peacekeepers to hold their ground when their patrols are blocked by troops. "We've had several instances of platoons sleeping at checkpoints for up to three days until they were finally persistent enough to be allowed to go," he said. But for some, U.N. intervention came too late. The U.N. did not arrive in Aburoc until April, well after the government offensive began in January. In the meantime, government forces killed civilians, bombing and shelling the area, and burning people alive in their homes, rights body Amnesty International said. (Editing by Giles Elgood)
TUESDAY, Aug. 29, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Contrary to what you might think, moles are not the most likely place for a deadly melanoma to develop, a new analysis shows.

In fact, a review of 38 previously published medical studies involving more than 20,000 melanomas showed that only 29 percent of the skin cancers started in moles patients already had, while 71 percent arose as new lesions on the skin.

"Patients and physicians should be aware that skin without moles is more at risk than moles to develop a melanoma," said lead researcher Dr. Riccardo Pampena. He is with the dermatology and skin cancer unit at Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico at Reggio Emilia in Italy.

Melanomas that arise on their own also tend to be more aggressive than melanomas associated with moles, suggesting the two types of malignancies might be different, Pampena added.

Regardless, dermatologists should always do complete skin examinations and follow up any atypical moles, Pampena stressed.

"Not only moles, but the whole-body surface should be monitored by patients and physicians," he said.

The report was published Aug. 29 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Dr. Victoria Sharon, a dermatologist at Northwell Health in Manhasset, N.Y., agreed that patients need to be on the lookout for any new moles, since most melanomas don't spring from existing ones.

"Although it is important to survey one's existing moles, it is equally important to examine your skin for new suspicious lesions," Sharon said.

Another dermatologist noted there has been debate on the issue.

"Whether melanoma arises from existing moles has been an area of controversy," said Dr. Doris Day, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

"Some people say that existing moles are like any other skin and are not precancerous, but we do know that melanomas can arise in pre-existing moles," she said.

Although the best way to find any skin cancer is to examine your skin, patients often misunderstand what they are looking at, Day added.

"Patients are looking for raised moles and other things that, to a dermatologist, are not important," she said.

"As a dermatologist, I have criteria that I use to evaluate pre-existing or new brown spots to determine if they're something that has existed since childhood and are fine or if they are new and I need to do something about it," Day said.

People should examine their skin to look for any changes, she said.

"They need to know their own skin," Day said. "If they see anything that looks to them new or different they need to show it to their dermatologist," she said.

Day recommends a yearly skin exam by a dermatologist to look for any potential problems. "I say, 'Get your birthday suit checked on your birthday,'" she said.

Day also recommends having someone, such as a friend or spouse, look at your back, and you can look at theirs.

To prevent skin cancer, you need to be "sun-smart," Day added. That starts with keeping yourself covered when you're in the sun, she said.

"It means wearing a hat, sunglasses, staying in the shade when you can, avoiding the midday sun, and applying and reapplying sunscreen regularly," Day said.

More information

Visit the American Cancer Society for more on melanoma.
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Nairobi, August 29, 2017The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply troubled by reports that a South Sudanese army spokesman today denied that U.S. freelance reporter and photographer Christopher Allen, who was killed covering conflict there on August 26, was deserving of civilian status. CPJ called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Allens death, and urged authorities to respect all journalists status as civilians.

South Sudans army, a rebel spokesman, and the U.S. Embassy in the capital Juba confirmed to CPJ that Allen was killed during fighting between government and rebel forces in Kaya, near the borders with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Allen had been embedded with opposition forces for two weeks, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, the rebels deputy spokesman, told CPJ.

At a press conference today, South Sudan army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said journalists who enter the country with rebel forces will not be protected, The Associated Press reported. Anybody who comes attacking us with hostile forces will meet his fate, Koang told journalists, according to AP.

Taking photographs and reporting events is not attacking. It is journalistic work done by civilians, who are protected under international law, said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal in New York. We call for a credible, independent investigation into the killing of Christopher Allen so that those responsible can be held to account.

Gabriel, with the rebel forces, told CPJ that the South Sudanese military deliberately targeted Allen for taking pictures of the fighting, but he offered no evidence when asked to back up this claim. Gabriel said the rebels failed to recover his body because of heavy fire, but did get the journalists camera and bag.

In an interview with CPJ yesterday, Koang denied that the army deliberately targeted Allen.

Reuters on Saturday quoted a rebel fighter who said Allen was wearing a press jacket at the time of his death. CPJ was unable to independently confirm this.

According to AP, South Sudans chief army medical examiner, Peter Ajak Bullen, said Allen was shot in the head, though it was not clear if the bullet entered at close range.

Yesterday, South Sudan deputy army spokesman Col. Domic Chol Santo told CPJ that the army had no way of identifying Allen as a journalist until his body was recovered. He said the army was looking into Allens illegal entry into South Sudan. He also said the army had no immediate plans to investigate the killing.

Apart from confirming Allens death, the U.S. Embassy yesterday did not respond to any additional questions, including those on the repatriation of Allens body, and his migrant status in South Sudan. The embassy said it was still in the process of obtaining all information related to this situation.

A civil war has been raging in South Sudan since 2013, displacing millions, and leaving tens of thousands dead in its wake. In response to coverage of the fighting, authorities have closed and obstructed access to news outlets, arrested journalists, and expelled reporters, according to CPJ research.
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New York, August 29, 2017The Security Service of Ukraine today said that it barred the Spanish freelance journalists Antonio Pampliega and Angel Sastre from entering the country for three years over their reporting on the conflict in the east, according to news reports.

A SBU spokeswoman said that the journalists were barred because of their activities that contradict the national interest of Ukraine, according to reports. She added that their publications and social media posts contained anti-Ukrainian messages. The spokeswoman cited articles by Pampliega and Sastre that allege Ukrainian troops shelled civilian areas, according to Reuters. The SBU said the reports were false.

We call on the Security Service of Ukraine to stop its offensive against journalists who challenge the government-approved line on sensitive issues, including the conflict in the east, said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova. Ukraine should overturn its ban on Antonio Pampliega and Angel Sastre, and allow all journalists to report freely and without fear of harassment.

Security officials detained the two journalists at Kiev airport for 20 hours before expelling them on August 25, according to reports. The journalists report for outlets including the Madrid-based El Confidencial.
Have you seen a coupon on your Facebook feed that seems too good to be true? If so, it probably is. Fake coupons can have a very real impact on your wallet if they turn out to be part of a scam. How can you tell if an online coupon is a deal or a dud? Follow our tips to stay safe.

Fake Coupons Are a Real Pain

While you may think there's no harm in a fake coupon  other than not getting the deal you were hoping for  coupon scams can steal your personal information or infect your computer with a virus.

SEE ALSO: Everything You Need to Know About Online Coupons

For instance, these coupons may direct you to a fake survey site, allowing scammers to collect data to steal your identity. Alternatively, they may direct you to sites packed with viruses that can also steal your personal information  or even hold your computer for ransom.

Some scams are more blatant, asking for your credit card or other financial information before you can access the "deal." No matter what a scam coupon's goal is, it's never good.

Check the Source

A legitimate coupon will always come from a legitimate source. The scam coupons that circulate on Facebook or show up in your email may look real, but they won't come from a company's official social media page, website, or email account.

A fake coupon won't come from a company's official social media page, website, or email account.

However, you might have to be sharp-eyed to spot a source that isn't official. A fake coupon for Target, for example, might come from a Facebook page called "Target Coupons" or "Target Deals." But neither of those are actually Target; the retailer's Facebook page is simply named "Target." Coupons from any other source are suspicious at best.

If you aren't sure whether a coupon shared over social media is legitimate, look at the account to see if it has a blue circle with a white check mark next to the name  that means it's a verified, official account on Facebook or Twitter. If you don't see a check mark, search the company's official webpage for links to its social media accounts. If the account doesn't match the coupon source, it's not legitimate.

If you can't spot any clues from the coupon's source, consider where the coupon is sending you. Going back to the Target example, this is the company website. Any other address is not Target  and that means the coupon isn't real.

Branding Matters

While scammers are good at mimicking official corporate branding, sometimes you'll see signs that something is off. Always look out for:

Images or logos that are low resolution or grainy, which could be caused by a scammer copying an image from another source.

Fonts that change, which could be a sign that a scammer has pasted their own text onto a legitimate coupon.

Typos or awkward language, as scammers don't typically have the same quality control a big company does.

While none of these signs are definitive proof that a coupon isn't legitimate, remember that retailers typically take the time to make their advertising (and coupons) look good. If something looks off, the coupon is probably a scam.

Read the Fine Print

Real coupons are packed with fine print, but fake coupons skimp on the details. A legitimate coupon will usually list:

An expiration date, which should be found on almost all coupons (although some scams will list an incorrect date, like June 31).

Exceptions to the sale, which are common with flat-discount coupons.

The exact sizes of eligible items  a grocery store may have a sale on 2-liter bottles of soda, but not on 20-ounce bottles.

If there's no fine print, the coupon definitely isn't legitimate.

Don't Give Out Your Information

No legitimate company will ask for personal information in exchange for a coupon. A popular scam is to offer coupons in exchange for completing surveys. Each survey completed nets the scammer cash from a survey company, or lets them collect information that can help them steal your identity.

One popular scam is to offer coupons in exchange for completing surveys.

Some fake coupons require you to "register" (or give out personal information) to access them. Once again, these scams are usually trying to steal your identity or access your online accounts. They may even ask for financial information or require a payment before giving you the coupons, which gives the scammer an immediate payday.

Our advice? No matter what you're doing online, you should never give out your personal information to an unknown source.

Don't Download Anything

If a coupon requires you to download software to access it, just don't. There's a good chance that instead of getting a coupon, you're getting a virus.

Do a Reality Check

Coupon scams try to get you to ignore your common sense by offering a truly great deal  and that's the very first sign of a scam. Let's consider some examples from the past few years:

$100 anniversary coupon from Kohl's

$75 coupon from Costco

50% off your entire purchase at Target

$100 off at ALDI

$75 off any purchase at Bed Bath & Beyond

$50 off at Lowe's

Unfortunately, coupons promising huge discounts like this are usually too good to be true. Before clicking on a coupon like this, be sure to double-check everything we've mentioned above.

SEE ALSO: 10 Sneaky Ways Retailers Fool You Into Spending More

If you're still not sure, check with the company that supposedly issued the coupon. Although there's always a chance it could be real, it most likely isn't.

What to Do With a Fake Coupon

First things first: never share a coupon you think might be fake. While you may be tempted to send it to your friends just in case it turns out to be real, you're only exposing more people to a potential scam.

If you've found a coupon scam on social media, you can report it on both Facebook and Twitter. You can also report the scam to the company directly, which is a good way to help warn others of the danger.

Readers, have you ever tried to use a fake coupon? Did you report it? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
Former governor urges greater spending on alternatives to alleviate poverty and prevent crime; group launches 'million conversations'





Former Gov. John Kitzhaber is the most prominent voice against Oregon's death penalty, but he says repeal is a step toward a greater goal.





"Not only do we want to repeal the death penalty, I think it is equally important we are cognizant of those social factors and risks that lead people into a life of crime in the first place," Kitzhaber said last week (Aug. 24) at the annual meeting of Oregonians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.





Kitzhaber, who in his third term in 2011 instituted Oregon's current moratorium on executions, spoke just before the group launched the "One Million Conversations" project.





The group wants to encourage one-on-one conversations before it seeks repeal at a future statewide election.





Tom O'Connor, a former research manager and head chaplain for the Oregon Department of Corrections, said the project's goal is to promote dialogue and not provoke an already heated debate.





"It's about the emergence of meaning. It means there are no winners or losers, because the meaning of dialogue is common to everybody," said O'Connor, who now leads Transforming Corrections, which seeks to promote alternatives to simple punishment.





"It's the kind of thing I think we need if we are going to move in this arc toward life."





Ron Steiner, the group's chairman, said death penalty opponents have not yet amassed the support they will need in a statewide campaign.





"We hope to repeal it before we get a governor who thinks otherwise," he said.





Oregon's current death penalty dates back to 1984. Voters have gone back and forth on it since the state took over responsibility for executions in 1903. According to the Oregon Department of Corrections, 33 men and one woman sit on death row as of Jan. 19.





Oregon is one of 31 states with the death penalty  and four where governors have declared a temporary halt to executions.





Moratorium and more





Oregon's only two recent executions occurred during Kitzhaber's first term as governor in 1996 and 1997, when he let them proceed despite his personal opposition to the death penalty.





Kitzhaber described his reversal on Nov. 22, 2011, when he granted a temporary reprieve to Gary Haugen and imposed a moratorium on executions carried over by his successor, Kate Brown.





"It was the right thing to do. It was what I should have done 20 years ago. I didn't, and I can't change that," Kitzhaber said to an audience of more than 50 at Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ in Beaverton.





"I am here tonight because I want to do all I can to help you and other like-minded Oregonians have a good honest debate about this and find alternatives to the death penalty. But there is more to it that that."





When Kitzhaber won his first term in 1994, Oregon voters also approved a ballot measure setting mandatory minimum prison sentences for 16 (now 21) violent and serious sex crimes. Measure 11 was the impetus for a prison construction program that more than doubled Oregon's inmate population now topping 14,000.





"The real tragedy to me was that the building and operation of those prisons sucked all the money out of a robust juvenile crime prevention and early childhood intervention package I funded in my first budget," he said.





"It is clear that what our society does is systematically pulls money out of investments that could prevent crime and gives it to incarcerate people who commit crimes.





"I want to know why it is not cruel and unusual punishment to condemn millions of children to lives of poverty and economic struggle and hardship, simply because we refuse to make the family investments that would improve their lives."





How he felt then





For the first time in public  the other occasion was at a symposium March 16 at Willamette University law school in Salem  Kitzhaber talked about his feelings before the September 1996 execution of Douglas Franklin Wright and the May 1997 execution of Harry Charles Moore. They were the first Oregon executions since 1962, and both waived appeals.





Wright was convicted of the murders of three homeless men, and admitted to the killing of a 10-year-old boy later. Moore was convicted of the murders of his half-sister and former husband.





"There is no question these men did horrible things," he said. "I had no compassion for them. I had tremendous compassion for their families."





Both times he sat in his Capitol office late at night, one phone line connected to the attorney general and the other line to the Oregon State Penitentiary, where the executions were scheduled.





"I spent most of my adult life saving lives," said Kitzhaber, an emergency room physician for 24 years. "For the past six months, I stood by while the state took two.





"I doubt that anyone can really understand until you sit by yourself in your office in the middle of the night and allow an execution to go forward, knowing that you are the only person in the world who can stop it.





"I was struggling at the time between what I thought was my responsibility to uphold the Constitution, which clearly endorses the death penalty, and my own personal opposition to capital punishment. My decision to uphold the Constitution made it seem clear, but it did not make it easy."





 | 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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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Call to condemn Tehran, condition relations on halting executions





The religious dictatorship ruling Iran continues to issue death sentences and carry out executions. The number of prisoners executed in the month of August alone has reached over 50.





Seyed Jamal Seyed Mousavi, a Sunni Kurdish political prisoner, was executed on August 23 on the bogus charge of moharebe (enmity against God) for having contact with Sunni groups. He had endured nine years behind bars.





The day before Ariya Javeedan was executed in Kerman prison for moharebe and disrupting security.





Alireza Tajiki, arrested at the age of 15, was executed on August 10 after enduring six years behind bars in Diesel Abad prison of Shiraz. A large number of prisoners, arrested under the age of 18 for their alleged crimes, are currently on death row.





moharebe or mofsed fel-arz (corruption on earth). Moreover, another so-called court in Iran has sentenced Mohammad Ali Taheri to execution. Introducing himself as the founder of Iranian simontology, Taheri has committed no crime, possessed no weapon, and based on this regimes own medieval and cruel laws cannot even be charged with the vague charges ofor(corruption on earth).





To justify this execution ruling the Iranian regime has charged him with providing illegitimate education, distributing visual-audio work, and illegal use of scientific titles. Whereas all Iranian regime officials are involved in embezzlement and huge theft from public funds.





Many senior officials of the regime, from its President Hassan Rouhani, Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaie, Expediency Council Member Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and former interior minister Ali Kordan claim to be doctors. They are all ridiculed by the Iranian people.





These titles are entirely fabricated or simply documents issued by the regimes own educational institutions based on orders from the Ministry of Intelligence and Revolutionary Guards.





The Iranian Resistance calls on all human rights advocates and relevant United Nations organs to strongly condemn the mullahs regime for issuing death sentences, including the recent ruling of Mr. Taheri, and to take urgent action to halt mass executions in Iran. Continuing and expanding political and economic relations with this regime must hinge on halting executions and improving human rights conditions.

 | 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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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Ludolf Von Maztlan at his organic farm. LUIS ALMODOVAR

What is the difference between an organic and a conventional egg? At first sight, none at all. What changes is the process prior to the egg going on sale: no synthetic pesticides, no farms packed with animals, no intensive growing. Its more sustainable, concludes Joyce Moewius of BOLW, the umbrella organisation of the eco-food industry in Germany, the leading organic market in Europe, ranking second in the world just behind the United States. The EU has been working since 2014 on new regulations for a sector that grew by more than 7% in 2015, and is worth 75 billion globally. Lack of consensus regarding some issues, in particular pesticide levels, unleashed war in Brussels and, as a result, the regulations were among the most disputed in the history of the EUs agricultural policy.

The issue is not the product but the process. The regulations state how products are produced, labeled and controled, says Moewius. European organic farmers are prohibited from using synthetic pesticides (but they have permission to use some phytosanitary products) and from supplying antibiotics to animals, which must receive natural sunlight and roam freely in the open. Greater biodiversity and variety of crops are assured, says Anna Maria Haring, Professor of Agricultural Food Industry Policies and Markets at Eberswalde University in Germany, adding: animals are prevented from becoming resistant to bacteria, which would not be good for their health or that of humans.

I buy organic every two days. We are using too many chemicals , and this is my little grain of sand Daniel, a customer at German wholefood store AlNatura

To earn organic certification, producers must not use any type of fertilisers for three years, although the seal of approval is granted, even if the end product has traces of chemical substances that are prohibited for these types of foods. But, of course, certain thresholds cannot be passed, exactly the same as with conventional foods. The problem is that contamination may come from anywhere, says Isabelle Buscke, the head in Brussels of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (known by its German acronym, VZBV). If your neighbour is a traditional farmer, you cannot stop the wind from taking the pesticides he uses to your ecological crops.

A decade ago, Ludolf Von Maztlan took the helm at Brodowin, an organic farm spread over 1,000 hectares between Berlin and the Polish border. It is profitable, but you need to invest a lot of time and money, he says. With 1,600 hens, 220 cows and 300 milk-producing goats, he has his own brand that supplies local stores, as well as through its farm shop.

Milk-producing goats at the Brodowin organic farm, 80 kilometers northeast of Berlin. LUIS ALMODOVAR

A small shop filled with organic products from the farm is a mandatory stop prior to visiting the stables. Our animals go out to graze in the fields every day, says Von Maztlan, proudly displaying his livestock. A few minutes away by car along a dirt path are fields overflowing with onions, potatoes, different types of cauliflower and pumpkins. One of the major nutrients for plants is nitrogen, the farmer said, a substance that improves the yield of the crops and becomes fixed thanks to the bacteria living in the roots of leguminous crops.

Eco-farming has garnered support among consumers at a time of increasing concern for wellbeing, health and the environment. Both in Germany and in other European countries, there are growing numbers of specialist shops, while organic foods have flooded into supermarkets selling traditional foodstuffs. But price remains one of the major barriers for consumers. Organic products are usually between 30% and 50% more expensive, Von Maztlan says, but many people are willing to pay the price for it. Its not a matter of its being healthier, because nutrition today, whether organic or conventional, is fantastic. What matters is the fact that it is less harmful for nature.

One of the organic markets that grew the most in 2015 was Spain, hiking by over 20%

While Von Maztlan voices his reasons, a legislative war is underway in Brussels over new regulations for organic production. Following the dioxin scandal of 2010, when the German market was flooded with contaminated eggs, the European Commission launched a public enquiry, and in 2014 decided to regulate the sector. After years of tough negotiations, in early July a timid political agreement was reached between the Commission, the Parliament and the Council, prior to the final vote, which is pending.

Negotiations were tough from the start, says Norber Lins, a European MP with the Popular Group. He explained that the most controversial issue was the Commissions suggestion that only foods entirely free from traces of pesticides (less than 0.01 mg per kg, the same as for baby foods) could be certified as organic. There was a very heated discussion, says Lidia Senra, a Spanish European MP from the ranks of the European United Left. The proposal, which was finally not included in the text, led to opposing views, she said. We agreed with the Commission and proposed that, in the event of involuntary contamination, an organic producer should be compensated, but the amendment was not passed.

Cows at the Brodowin organic farm, which spend time outdoors every day. LUIS ALMODOVAR

Eduardo Cuoco, director of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), says: what is considered biological comes from a certificate of the process, not of the product. In the last 15 days, we have worked intensively to reach an agreement, and the way to solve the problem is by not solving it.

A niche business

In Berlin, it is easy to find open-air organic flea markets and shops that only sell certified products. There is even a bio hotel on the east side of town. Almodovar Hotel, named in tribute to the Spanish film director, is located in the alternative neighbourhood of Friedrichshain. It has tables of solid wood from India and oriental-style furniture along with a daily menu, written with chalk on a blackboard, ensures that the food is 100% organic. We visited a number of banks before finally getting a loan; they said we were mad, said the owner, Alexandra Muller-Benz, who inaugurated her project in 2012. Today we have clients from all over the world, although there are people who make their reservations unaware of the fact that everything is sustainable, including the paint and the floors, she adds.

To earn organic certification, producers must not use any type of fertilisers for three years

Although it is still a niche business, ecological crops have grown at a pace of 500,000 hectares a year in Europe in the last decade, according to Eurostat, and in 2015 they accounted for 6.2% of farmlands. The goal is to reach 50% by 2030, Cuoco says

Kirsten Arp, quality manager at BNN (German association of organic food processors, wholesalers and retailers), says that Germany already has shops specialising in organic foods at the end of the 1970s, though in the absence of European regulations providing a legal framework for the industry. The first EC regulations were passed in 1991 and in 2010 the organic leaf label was introduced, a seal certifying that the process meets the standards. We were pioneers, Arp says. Today we have around 2,500 shops, and sales of organic products represent 5% of the whole food sector.

Thanks to its demographic muscle and the political support it receives, especially from the Green Party, Germany is the undisputed leader in terms of the size of the market -in 2015 it grew by 10% with a turnover of 8.5 billion, nearly one third of the European market (30 billion) - but climate conditions do not allow Germany to lead the production classifications. We import from southern Europe and other countries, Arp says.

Chefs at the Almodovar Hotel in Berlin preparing organic food. LUIS ALMODOVAR

Maria Dolores Raigon, a lecturer at the Polytechnic University in Valencia and president of the Spanish Society for Organic Farming, says "there are two Europes with different goals: northern Europe is a consumer and southern Europe, a producer. But things are changing, she said. According to statistics from the Research Institute for Organic Farming, FIBL, one of the markets that grew the most in 2015 was Spain, hiking by over 20%.

One of the major criticisms of organic farming is that yields are lower compared to traditional methods, because more land is needed as intensive production methods are not used. But there are studies to the contrary, Haring, from Eberswalde University, says. We need to continue with our research and change consumer patterns if we are to foster this type of farming, he suggests.

The organic products shop at the Brodowin farm. LUIS ALMODOVAR

I buy organic every two days, says Daniel, a young designer from Hamburg at the AlNatura store in Berlin, which is one of the largest specialist chains in Germany. I feel like we are using too many chemical products, and this is my little grain of sand.

Consumers trust the seal, but they dont always know what organic means, Buscke adds, and labels arent always helpful. Aside from the European seal, several countries such as Germany have their own certifications, each with its own label. Work needs to be done here to avoid confusion, Buscke says. The most important thing is for consumers to know what they are buying.

Translation by News Clips.
During his time in detention in July, Venezuelan violinist Wuilly Arteaga says he was beaten and his instruments smashed. But as the 23-year-old tells EL PAIS, he refuses to be intimidated and will keep up his opposition to the regime of Nicolas Maduro: Ill continue fighting in the streets with my violin .

Venezuelan musican and Maduro opponent Wuilly Arteaga at a press conference on August 17. RONALDO SCHEMIDT (AFP)

He has since recovered from the beatings and abuse he suffered at the hands of the paramilitary Bolivarian National Guard in Caracas after he was picked up on July 27 and accused of possessing weapons, inciting disorder and conspiring to commit a crime.

But as soon as he felt well enough, he began performing again in the streets and squares of the capital, as well as in the homes of fellow prisoners  to provide encouragement to their families and fulfill a promise he made to them while imprisoned to continue the fight against Maduro and to return Venezuela to democracy.

I think the world knows that Venezuela is no longer a democracy Wuilly Arteaga

Arteaga denies he admitted guilt while in detention. Theyve distributed a video that puts words in my mouth  things that I never said. In Con el mazo dando [roughly translated as Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition], a government television program. They engineered my voice to deliver sentence after sentence, saying that Im sorry for what I did and that I recognize the authority of Maduro. I will tell all Venezuelans that the real facts are worth far more than the words in that fake video.

Artega came to Caracas from his hometown of Valencia, in northern Venezuela, where he taught himself to play the violin. I watched videos of Hilary Hahn and then luckily found my way into the core of El Sistema [a publicly financed music program founded in 1975 ] he says. He quickly rose through the ranks, but grew disenchanted on a number of issues: We had to play for the government.

They distributed a video putting words in my mouth, things that I never said Wuilly Arteaga

So the musician moved to Venezuelas capital with his violin, playing on the streets and the subway. Little by little, he joined the protests  with music. At first, I thought it would bother the others, but I discovered that I was effective with my violin, he says. The strange thing is that it also seemed to calm the spirits of the forces charged with suppressing the demonstrations. I would pay close attention to them and notice their expressions. Sometimes, I could see them feeling remorse, with tears in their eyes.

But one day, police officers tried to wrest the violin from his hands: I clung to it, and they dragged me. I did not want to let go. It was his first warning. The instrument was smashed, but replacements soon arrived. Among them, one that he received during a visit to Washington that had belonged to Armando Canizales, a 17-year-old violinist who was shot by security forces. This violin, too, was confiscated.

Arteaga says he is determined to recover the instrument. Im going to demand that I get it back. It has his [ Canizaless] name etched on it, he says.

While in detention, and without his violin, Wuilly sang: to the prisoners and to the guards. Songs that touch us all: Alma llanera, Venezuela, our national anthem, always serves to unite, never to divide. At first, the guards told me to be quiet, but they came to like and even encourage my singing, he confesses.

While in detention, Arteaga sang to the guards, who eventually encouraged him

He later appeared in court where he faced criminal charges related to his playing of violin in public. On August 16, he was released with a warning to stop using his music to protest. He says he will continue opposing the government the only way he knows how. I think the world knows that Venezuela is no longer a democracy. They started stealing from us 18 years ago, when [former president Hugo] Chavez came to power. There is no way out of this mess other than through pressure from the streets. This kind of protest is the only way we have to show the world that we dont recognize the government or the current system. What will happen, I dont know. But I am certain that the fight will continue.

English version by Henry Hahn.
Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido, left, and the head of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), Abel Caballero at yesterday's press conference. EFE

Even before the terrorist attacks of Barcelona and Cambrils earlier this month by young men who had been indoctrinated by a radical imam, the Spanish Interior Ministry had already developed a plan to combat the problem, but so far its guidelines have barely been implemented by local officials.

In January 2015, the ministry presented its National Strategic Plan to Fight Violent Radicalization, including all forms of extremist thought. The project was based on coordination between local groups that would answer to municipal authorities, sharing information about individuals at risk of being targeted by, among others, jihadist recruiters.

Its each man for himself, there is no sharing of anything

Counter-terrorism official

The plan involved social workers, schools, local police officers, courthouses and civic associations. But so far, only 13 out of Spains 8,000 towns and cities have effectively implemented the plan.

Of these, only Malaga has openly recognized its involvement. Madrid is in there as well, for instance, but they [local authorities] generally prefer not to show up because it implies admitting that they have a problem with a specific community, and they want to avoid criticism over xenophobia or criminalization, say officials in charge of the plan.

Meanwhile, Catalonia and the Basque Country have launched their own anti-radicalization plans without any kind of coordination, say national counter-terrorism sources. The national plan establishes mandatory cooperation between national and regional law enforcement agencies in cases whose complexity exceeds a local or provincial treatment.

No information-sharing

Just hours after the attacks in Catalonia, when photographs of the suspects began to circulate, two people recognized the suspects almost immediately: a high school teacher and a community worker from Ripoll, the small town in Catalonia where the men involved in the attacks all came from.

The social worker wrote an open letter published by EL PAIS, titled How can it be Younes?, expressing her shock at what her kids from Ripoll had done. Their school teacher noted that some of the members of the terrorist cell had dropped out of school a year ago. But the teacher and the community worker had never had a chance to exchange their opinions about the young men.

Municipalities prefer not to show up because it implies admitting that they have a problem with a specific community

National Plan official

Its each man for himself, there is no sharing of anything, says a high-ranking official who works in counter-terrorism. The interior ministry plan, which was drafted by the Intelligence Center Against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO), is eminently social in nature and follows the prevention guidelines necessary to fight jihadism; it seeks to coordinate all stakeholders to detect sources of radicalization, says the same source.

But two and a half years after it was introduced, the plan has only been adopted by 13 municipalities in Spain, say counter-terrorism sources. They were selected because of their problematic situation; deals were reached with local governments of various political stripes and sizes, notes one of the people in charge of the plan.

No political will

High-ranking counter-terrorism officials blame the inertia on a lack of political will, because anything involving coordination between administrations in this country seems doomed to fail.

The same experts also underscore that this is not a funding issue, because the plan is about coordinating human and material resources already budgeted for, along with creating corresponding departments in municipal governments that should report back to a National Group  made up of representatives from 12 ministries, the police, the Civil Guard and others. There is, however, a technical issue that does require financial support: We need to create software to collect and share the information.

English version by Susana Urra.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Ankara will continue supporting Baku and strengthening ties with Azerbaijan in all areas, a source in the Turkish presidential administration told Trend Aug. 29.

Turkey and Azerbaijan have not only strong political ties and common historical roots, but also joint economic and energy projects, the source said, adding that Azerbaijan is a strategic partner of Turkey.

Strengthening relations with Azerbaijan is one of priorities for Turkey, the source noted.

According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, trade turnover with Turkey amounted to $1.45 billion in January-July 2017.

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Ilhama Isabalayeva  Trend:

For the further development of tourism, over 1,000 hotels of different types and levels of service need to operate in Azerbaijan, Muzaffar Agakarimov, adviser of the chairman of Azerbaijan Tourism Association (AzTA), told Trend Aug. 29.

He said that at the moment there are 575 hotels in Azerbaijan, and it is not enough.

The importance of attracting more tourists to Azerbaijan has been repeatedly noted, he said. However,there are about 155 hotels in Baku, and also there are hotels in Azerbaijan, which have only 7-10 rooms.

It should be noted that 956,000 tourists arrived in Azerbaijan in January-May 2017 as compared to 768,000 tourists in the same period last year.
Tehran, Iran, Aug. 28

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Unlike some other countries where there is great concern over gender pay gap, in Iran the payments for women and men are virtually the same, a member of the Iranian Parliament says.

"The minimum wage and basic salary are essentially the same for men and women here, because of the laws that we have," Parvaneh Mafi, who has also served as a member of the Society of Women of the Islamic Republic, told Trend August 28.

"There, however, may be minor differences that have to do with the fact that men are usually the bread winners of families, where sums are added to their salaries, or else differences in special occupations where the nature and field of job so necessitates," the parliamentarian said.

She also noted that for women who head households there are legal considerations that contribute to their income as well.

The gender pay gap is the average difference between a man's and a woman's remuneration.

There are two distinct numbers regarding the pay gap: unadjusted versus adjusted pay gap which takes into account differences in hours worked, occupations chosen, education and job experience.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Construction of a logistics center within the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway project is going on according to schedule, a source in the Ministry of Transport, Maritime and Communications of Turkey told Trend Aug. 29.

The source noted that the logistics center, being built in Turkeys Kars Province, will be commissioned in October 2018.

Ahmet Arslan, minister of transport, maritime and communications of Turkey, is expected to inspect the construction of the logistics center on Aug. 29, the source added.

The projects cost is about 94.3 million Turkish liras (about $27.34 million as of Aug. 29).

Earlier, Turkeys Ministry of Transport, Maritime and Communications told Trend that a land plot of 300,000 square meters was allotted to construct the logistics center.

Annually, 412,000 tons of cargo will be transported through the logistics center.

An agreement on creation of the logistics center was signed on July 19 during the visit of Head of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Javid Gurbanov to the Kars Province in order to get familiar with the progress in the BTK project.

The BTK railway is being constructed on the basis of a Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement. Peak capacity of the railway will be 17 million tons of cargo per year.

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

A subsidiary of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, Logistics Company called ADY Express LLC has launched new container block train on the Poti/Batumi (Georgia) - Keshla station (Azerbaijan) route, said companys the website.

The train is scheduled to depart three times a week and cover a distance of 900 kilometers in 30 hours, according to the website.

The all-inclusive tariff for the transportation of a 20-foot container is set at $800, while the all-inclusive tariff for the transportation of a 40-foot container is set at $1,000.

ADY Express LLC was established by Azerbaijan Railways CJSC. Companys main goals are comprised of the provision of online services for the freight forwarders and large cargo owners, as well as the attraction of new transit cargo volumes to be transported through Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Baku International Sea Trade Port in Azerbaijans Alat settlement will make a great contribution not only to the countrys economy, but also to the economy of the whole region, Elvyn Masassya, head of the Indonesia Port Corporation II (IPC), told Trend.

He said that his current visit to Baku is logical continuation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mutual cooperation signed between IPC and Baku International Sea Trade Port CJSC.

Azerbaijan and Indonesia have many opportunities and directions for cooperation, said Masassya.

He noted that, he visited the new port and was very impressed with the planned introduction of a new concept, called the integrative port in Indonesia, at the new port in Baku.

The integrative port concept envisages integration between the main activity of port, activity of terminals and the industrial zone, he said, adding that, Baku is following a new trend in the port industry of the world.

Masassya noted that Azerbaijan has strategic geographical location.

Azerbaijans proximity to the Caspian Sea and the countries of Central Asia makes it possible to transport a great number of goods, he said. The availability of the port will help maximize the benefits of the geographical location, he noted, adding that, it will be possible to distribute goods from the port through the Central Asian countries to the east and back to the west.

The Indonesian representative also recommended the use of the digital port concept in Baku International Sea Trade Port.

All activities should be automated, because its required by customers, by the port network, and by time itself, he said.

The Baku port could research the digital port concept, which make the work of the port more efficient, productive and integrated with other ports, said Masassya.

He added that the sides have a lot of plans for cooperation.

First of all, Indonesia can share the experience and provide technical assistance, especially in terms of port technologies that can be implemented in Baku; at the same time, we can cooperate on the Baku ports terminals, said Masassya.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is monitoring the situation caused by Hurricane Harvey very closely and is in contact with authorities in the United States.

It is too soon to know how long oil production and refining operations will be disrupted, or the extent of the damage. However, for now, the IEA does not see a need to act as the market is amply supplied. Oil stocks, both crude and products, are well above the five-year average, in the United States as well as globally, said the message posted on IEAs website.

The situation is being reviewed constantly and the IEA stands ready to act as required, according to the message.

Hurricane Harvey has caused a catastrophic flood in Houston, forcing about 2,000 people to flee. State of emergency has been declared in the city, where transportation is practically paralyzed.

US President Donald Trump will visit hurricane-ravaged Texas on Aug. 29, the White House announced Sunday afternoon.

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Albanias gas transmission system operator company Albgaz is in discussion with the consortium on construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) on providing maintenance service in the pipelines Albanian section, a source in Albgaz told Trend.

In April, DESFA, the Greek gas transmission system operator and Albgaz signed a memorandum of understanding to create a joint venture for maintenance of TAP in Albania.

We have not received yet the scope of works as the first step from TAP AG which thinks to hire a company (local gas transmission system operator (TSO) for maintenance service in its Albanian section. Albgaz is in discussion with TAP AG and we believe to have all the chances to conclude within this year, said the source.

The source noted that Albgaz was in discussion with Greek DESFA but the company will not anticipate any joint venture or other form of future cooperation regarding the maintenance services to Albanian TAP section with no one unless it receives full scope of works, philosophy, strategy, and details of operations and maintenance from TAP.

Right now, we believe to be in a better position, than the ones when we were established, because we have been certified as TSO by the Albanian Regulator and recognized and certified by Energy Community Secretariat. We will get the full license within September 2017. With all this happening we then will continue collaboration with all TSO's to future potential gas developments in the best interest of Albgaz sh.a. and Albania, added the source.

TAP is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union. The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries.

The pipeline will connect to the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italys south.

TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 kilometers, Albania 215 kilometers, Adriatic Sea 105 kilometers, and Italy 8 kilometers).

TAPs shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Norways IKM Cleandrill has been awarded a contract for riserless mud circulating system services by Total E&P ABSHERON BV on behalf of JOCAP, Joined Operating Company for Absheron Project, said the message from the company.

The company will start offshore operations at Absheron in early 2018, according to the message.

The contract will include the installation of IKMs MRR500 mud recovery system onto a new semisubmersible drill rig named after Heydar Aliyev, and provision of subsea drilling fluid pumping services as part of Absheron projects drilling campaign, said the message.

The project is technically challenging, with deep water, high mud weights and potentially harsh environmental conditions. IKM is upgrading their standard MRR500 system with increased pumping power to meet this requirement.

This contracts award represents a significant win for IKM Cleandrill, said Tom Hasler, Managing Director.

Total undertook a detailed evaluation of the MRR500XL system as part of the bidding process, and our technical department has once again re-set the benchmark for mud recovery technology to meet their requirements. Moving into the Caspian region is strategically important for the company. We look forward to providing excellent service for Absheron project, added Hasler.

Earlier, Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR and TOTAL signed a framework agreement on the main contractual and commercial principles regulating the program of the first phase of Absheron fields development.

The first phase of the fields development envisages drilling of one well at a sea depth of 450 meters. The production will stand at up to 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year and these volumes will be used in Azerbaijans domestic market. It is planned to produce first gas from the field in 2019.

TOTAL is expected to adopt the final investment decision on Absheron by late 2017 and the first appraisal well will be drilling in late 2017. The approximate cost of the first phase is estimated at $1 billion.

Absherons reserves are estimated at 350 billion cubic meters of gas and 45 million tons of condensate, according to the estimations of SOCAR geologists.

Absheron project will be operated by JOCAP (50 percent SOCAR, 50 percent TOTAL).

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Baku, Azerbaijan, August 29

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

The Southern Gas Corridor is the most viable option for Israeli gas export, Cyril Widdershoven, a Middle East geopolitical specialist and energy analyst, a partner at Dutch risk consultancy VEROCY and SVP MEA-Risk, told Trend Aug.29.

Israeli Minister of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz has said that Turkey and Israel intend to sign an agreement on construction of a gas pipeline to Europe by late 2017.

The option of exporting gas to Turkey seems to me still the most viable, as it not only gives access to a growing market (Turkey) but also will be an option to bring it to Europe. The main issues here still to be solved will be the costs and technical challenges of a deep-water subsea gas pipeline, which will be staggering, the expert believes.

Regarding the supply of gas from Israels Leviathan gas field to Egypt, Widdershoven noted that Egypt's growing domestic demand is also very attractive.

However, the security situation in Sinai, through which Israeli gas can be delivered to Egypt, is a major stumble block, he noted.

The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.



At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage.



As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans Adriatic Pipeline.

The Leviathan field was discovered in 2010. Its recoverable resources are estimated at 21.9 trillion cubic feet (620 billion cubic meters).

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will be completed in September, Ahmet Arslan, the minister of Transport, Maritime and Communications of Turkey, said in an interview with TRT Haber TV channel.

According to the minister, the work is underway to complete the project on the territory of Georgia.

Arslan said that, after the BTK is built in September, the opening of the railway will take place during the next few months.

The minister said that, BTK is one of the most important projects in the region.

He added that, the work is also underway to build a logistics center in the Kars Province.

It is planned to build a number of logistics centers in Turkey, after the construction of the logistics center in Kars is completed, the minister said.

An agreement on the creation of the logistics center was signed on July 19, during the visit of the Head of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Javid Gurbanov to the Kars Province. That visit was related to Gurbanovs familiarization with the progress of the BTK project.

The BTK railway is being constructed on the basis of a Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement. Peak capacity of the railway will be at 17 million tons of cargo per year.

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug 29

By Kamila Aliyeva  Trend:

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev held a meeting with International Atomic Energy Agencys (AEIA) Director General Yukiya Amano, the Akorda press service reported, Aug 29.

Amano's visit to Kazakhstan is timed to the opening of the Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) Bank of the IAEA.

Today's event is the result of many years of joint work to create a bank of low-enriched uranium. This is a very important event for Kazakhstan," Nazarbayev said at the meeting.

He stressed that, Kazakhstan acts as the leader of the global anti-nuclear movement.

"As a state, possessing large volumes of uranium-containing raw materials, we contribute to the peaceful use of the atomic energy," Nazarbayev said.

He also emphasized the comprehensive and strengthening nature of Kazakhstan's cooperation with the Agency.

In turn, the Director General of IAEA stated that, besides the unfolding mutually beneficial cooperation between the Agency and Kazakhstan, the current event became possible due to Nazarbayevs personal support and participation.

In addition, Amano noted that, along with the opening of the low-enriched uranium storage building, issues of procurement and transportation of these types of raw materials are as important.

The IAEA LEU Bank will be a physical reserve with the capacity of up to 90 tons of LEU, sufficient to run a 1,000 MWe light-water reactor. Such a reactor can power up a large city for three years. The IAEA LEU Bank will be located at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Oskemen in north-eastern Kazakhstan. It will act as a supplier of LEU for the IAEA Member States, in cases when there is a shortage of LEU on the global or local markets.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Aug. 29

By Demir Azizov Trend:

Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have played the role of a bridge between the East and the West, the two countries also have served to the integration of science and culture in the Muslim world, said Professor Isa Habibbayli, PhD, vice president of Azerbaijans National Academy of Sciences (ANAS).

He made the remark on Aug. 29, at the plenary session of the international scientific conference Central Asian Renaissance in the history of world civilization, which started on Aug. 28 in Samarkand city.

Ancient caravan routes and the Great Silk Road, which connected the East and the West, played leading roles in the emergence of Muslim Renaissance culture in the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus, including Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, he said.

According to Habibbayli, the processes, which had started with the establishment of economic ties, gave impetus to the development of a dialogue among cultures.

Thus, cultural integration, along the routes of the Great Silk Road, had a strong impact on the development of science, culture and literature in the countries, the territories of which these routes crossed, including Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan; this had happened while the cultural revival in Central Asia and the Caucasus made an outstanding contribution to the development of world civilization, Habibbayli added.

Earlier, it was reported that the international scientific conference  Central Asian Renaissance in the history of world civilization has started its work in the Samarkand city on Aug. 28.

The conference is being held under the auspices of UNESCO.

Representatives of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the Research Centre for the Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) under the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and other international organizations have been invited to participate in the forum.

During three days of the work of the forum, famous scientists, experts and historians will make speeches on various aspects of the period of renaissance of science, culture, architecture and art in IX-XV centuries in Central Asia.

Within the conference, the results of studies devoted to the Renaissance in the Central Asian region will be presented. Particular attention will be paid to the study of the historical significance and the role of the Great Silk Road in the economic and cultural development of the Asian continent, as well as in the evolution of scientific thought.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Unblocking banned social media platforms could help the Iranian government bring down the unemployment rate which has already climbed over 12.5 percent, touching 3.3 million individuals in the country.

Derin Cag, Board Member at UK-based Humaniq, believes that social media is a valuable asset to any economy leveraging it and this is indisputable.

While Iranians have been barred from access to popular social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter for years, the countrys top communications official, Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, says that negotiations are underway that could lead to unblocking of Twitter.

Social media creates new jobs for entrepreneurs, copywriters, app developers, web designers, security experts and digital marketers to name a few. As a result, this brings down national unemployment, which improves economic indicators. In addition, social media improves sales by double-figure percentages for all types of businesses, hence stabilizing consumer prices and increasing GDP in parallel, Derin Cag told Trend.

Facebook and Twitter have been heavily filtered to prevent access in the Islamic republic following the 2009 post-election disputes. However, social media has hardly been ignored by some of the country's high-ranking authorities, including the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

A Facebook-sponsored study found that the social network has created 4.5 million jobs around the world and added $227 billion to the global economy in 2014, Derin Cag said citing an earlier report by CNN.

According to the World Bank, the Iranian economy bounced back sharply in 2016 at an estimated 6.4 percent. However, the unemployment rate returned to a three-year high of 12.7 percent (or 3.3 million unemployed) in the second quarter of 2016 despite the high growth rate in this period.

Furthermore, social media enables the forming of important relationships between businesses and their market by simplifying ways of advanced communications. And the most impressive part of using social media is that all this can be accomplished with little or no budget, Cag said.

Derin Cag added that Iran is currently deprived of such opportunities because of restrictions on platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

There is a lot to gain and little to lose by unblocking the usage of prominent social media platforms in this region, Cag said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 27

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

The value of Turkeys total imports form Iran has witnessed a considerable surge over the first half of the current year, amid a sharp hike in oil imports.

According to the latest figures by Turkish Statistical Institute, the value of the countrys total imports from Iran in the first six months of 2017 hiked by 72 percent year on year, posting $3.783 billion.

Turkey over the first half of 2016 imported worth of $2.199 billion of goods and commodities from Iran.

Energy sector has apparently played a key role in the dramatic rise of Irans exports to Turkey, accounting for about 82 percent of the total imports of Turkey form Iran.

Oil

The volume of Irans oil exports to Turkey over the first half of 2017 increased 2.5 times compared to the same time last year.

The latest statistics by Energy Market Regulatory Authority of Turkey indicates that the country imported about 244,000 barrels of oil from Iran on a daily basis in the first six months of the current year.

According to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), per barrel of Irans oil over the first half of the current year valued at about $49.91 which means that Iran exported worth of $2.1 billion of oil to Turkey in the mentioned period, accounting for about 55 percent of the total exports of the Islamic Republic to its north western neighbor.

Turkeys daily imports of oil from Iran in the first half of 2016 stood at 105,000 barrels.

Gas and electricity

The 2017 figures by Energy Market Regulatory Authority of Turkey, shows that the country imported about 26 million cubic meters of gas per day from Iran which indicates a surge of 23 percent compared to the first half of 2016.

The value of per cubic meter of Irans gas exported to Turkey stands at 20 cents which means that the Islamic Republic exported worth of $940 million of gas to Turkey.

Although Turkey in the recent years was among Irans power costumers, the report has not provided the latest figures on the country's electricity imports from Iran since the second half of 2016.

Non-oil goods

The above-mentioned figures indicate that the value of Irans non-oil exports to Turkey in the first half of the current year stood at about $740 million.

Irans non-oil exports to Turkey in the same period of time last year stood at about $728 million.

Comparing the figures of Irans non-oil exports to Turkey in the first six months of 2016 and 2017 shows the value of non-oil exports has remained almost same.

The trade turnover between the two countries hit $5.32 billion over the first half of 2017.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug 29

By Kamila Aliyeva  Trend:

Declaring Iran non-compliant with the JCPOA (aka nuclear deal) without the evidence would be difficult, an expert believes.

Till now, Iran is keeping all of its promises made during the deal. Without a legal base or evidence of breaches, it is very difficult to declare that Iran has violated the agreement, Andrea Falconi, security and political analyst, told Trend.

Therefore, it cannot simply be done because of Trumps decision, according to the expert.

Moreover, this decision would be disavowed by the defense and security counselors of Trump, he noted.

As in every negotiation, we have two plates of the balance. On one you have the possibility to declare Iran compliant or non-compliant, on the other, you have Iranian involvement in Syrian civil war, he said.

Thus, Trumps final decision will depend on the willingness of the US to keep Iranian soldiers on Syrian soil fighting against ISIS.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council  the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia  plus Germany signed the nuclear deal on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.

The agreement limits Irans nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic.

The US Congress requires the administrations certification (every 90 days) of Irans compliance with the nuclear deal. Trumps administration has already declared Iran in compliance, as required by law, twice during his tenure.

Nonetheless, Trumps remarks forecasting that the US would declare Iran non-compliant when the next review is due in September, have cast shadows over the future of the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Irans new Minister of Education Mohammad Bat'haei has joined a social media campaign urging the right of education for the Afghanistani refugees currently in Iran.

Despite the fact that, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had issued an order permitting schooling, regardless of their residency status, to all refugee children in Iran back in 2015, access to the education appears to be full of obstacles for many Afghans residing in the Islamic Republic.

Mohammad Bat'haei in a recent Twitter post said that, access to education, under any circumstances, is a right [given] to all individuals, pledging to make full efforts aimed at upholding the right of education to every student from any nationality.

Famous Iranian actor, Habib Rezaee is also among those who support Afghanistani kids right of education, in view of upcoming academic year.

Saying that childhood should not be bound by any borders, Habib Rezaee called on Iranians to help on prevention of injustices faced by the refugees.

Currently, Iran has become one of the most refugee flooded countries in the world. The majority of refugees in Iran are from Afghanistan.

Back in 2015, Iranian officials had announced that, more than 350,000 Afghanistani children were registered and were legally attending the local schools, while approximately 500,000 of them could not attend schools due to the lack of identity papers.

Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, about six million Afghans fled to the neighboring Iran and Pakistan. After almost four decades since the Soviet invasion, 1.5 million Afghans registered as refugees are still reside in Iran.
Iran will not allow any foreign inspections at its military facilities despite US pressure, government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht said Aug. 29, Sputnik International reported.

Irans military facilities are secret (sites), and not everybody can have access to them, Nobakht said at a press conference, as quoted by the Tasnim news agency.

The spokesman added that the US was simply dreaming when it talked about foreign access to Iranian military facilities. Nobakht also pointed out that such remarks were unacceptable.

Last week, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to seek access to Iranian military bases in order to make sure that they were not used for activities banned under the Iranian nuclear deal, which has been largely criticized by President Donald Trump and some members of his administration.

Earlier this month, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned that Tehran may pull out from the nuclear deal if the US continues its policy of sanctions against Tehran.

In July 2015, Iran, the EU and the so-called P5+1 group of nations, comprised of the US, Russia, France, Germany, the UK and China, signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) known as the Iranian nuclear deal, which implies the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions on Iran in exchange for assurances that Tehrans nuclear program remains peaceful. However, the US introduced new sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program prompting Tehran's criticism.
Tehran police chief denied that the deadly knife attack in a passenger terminal in the south of Iran's capital, Tehran, on Aug. 29 afternoon was a terror attack, Mizan Online News Agency reported.

The attacker stabbed three men following an argument with them and there was no terrorist intention in the assault, Sardar Rahimi told Mizan.

One man was killed and two others were injured in the knife attack in the Southern Bus Terminal of Tehran at 16:30 local time (GMT + 3:30) on Aug. 29, the report quoted a deputy for emergency operation of Tehran as saying.

Sardar Rahimi also confirmed the casualties, saying that the police have arrested the attacker and the investigations are underway.
A North Korean ballistic missile launched on Tuesday from near the capital of Pyongyang flew about 2,700 km (1,677 miles) and reached an altitude of about 550 km, Reuters reported citing South Koreas military.

The missile was fired at around 2057 GMT Monday and flew over Japan, South Koreas Joint Chief of Staffs said, adding that it and the U.S. military are analyzing more information.
South Korea said on Tuesday it strongly condemned the ballistic missile launch by North Korea earlier in the day that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific waters off Hokkaido, Reuters reported.

We will respond strongly based on our steadfast alliance with the United States if North Korea continues nuclear and missile provocations, the Souths foreign ministry said in a statement.
Turkey late Monday condemned the use of disproportionate force by Myanmar security officials in Rakhine state after militants attacked police and army posts, Anadolu reported.

We are deeply worried that operations by Myanmars security forces in pursuit of (those behind) the August 25 attacks in Rakhine state will result in a serious humanitarian crisis. We condemn the use of disproportionate force which has led to hundreds of deaths and thousands of displaced people, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Our concerns have been conveyed to Myanmars authorities. We placed emphasis on protecting civilians from being harmed during operations, on not making more people displaced, on providing uninterrupted humanitarian aid to the region.

The ministry said Turkey is ready to help Rohingya civilians fleeing Myanmar cross into Bangladesh and has informed the authorities in Bangladesh about this.

Our expectation that the (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) will immediately take action has been conveyed to its general secretary, it said.

In order to resolve this sorry state of affairs, our efforts for Rohingya Muslims will actively continue.

Deadly attacks by insurgents on border posts in Rakhine state broke out Friday, leaving nine police dead.

Later, media reports emerged that Myanmar security forces used disproportionate force and displaced thousands of Rohingya Muslim villagers, destroying homes with mortars and machine guns.

Tensions between Buddhists and Muslims have been simmering in the region since communal violence broke out in 2012.

A UN report last year said there had been human rights violations against Rohingya by the security forces, including crimes against humanity.

The UN documented mass gang-rape, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings and disappearances. Rohingya representatives have said approximately 400 people were slain during a security crackdown last October.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkish intelligence agencies should be controlled by the government, the countrys media outlets quoted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying on Aug. 29.

In case Turkish government does not control the intelligence forces, this may lead to serious problems, according to him.

In all super powers, intelligence agencies are controlled by the government, Erdogan noted.

On Aug. 25, certain decisions were taken amid the state of emergency in Turkey, according to which the countrys National Intelligence Organization will become subordinate to the presidential administration.

On July 15, 2016, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country as a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed.

More than 250 people were killed during the attempted coup.

Shortly after the prevention of the coup attempt, on July 20, the state of emergency was introduced in Turkey for a period of three months. After this, the state of emergency was three times extended for three months.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Six members of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group were detained in Turkeys western province of Izmir, the provincial police said in a message Aug. 29.

According to the message, three detained terrorists are Syrian citizens, and the other three are citizens of Turkey.

Earlier, Istanbul police said 117 operations were held against IS members from August 2016 to August 2017, as a result of which 648 people were detained on suspicion of having links with the terrorist group.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkeys Foreign Ministry condemns the decision of Kirkuk Provincial Council on taking part in the referendum on independence of the Kurdish autonomy of Iraq, the Turkish ministry said in a message sent to Trend on Aug. 29.

It should be noted that the Kirkuk Provincial Council has decided to participate in the referendum on independence of the Kurdish autonomy of Iraq. The referendum is scheduled for Sept. 25.

According to the message, Turkeys Foreign Ministry the Kirkuk Provincial Councils decision contradicts the constitution of Iraq.

The Kirkuk Provincial Council, like the Kurdish autonomy of Iraq, opposes the Iraqi constitution, says the message.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
KYODO NEWS - Aug 29, 2017 - 11:54 | World, All

South Korea denounced North Korea on Tuesday for test-firing a ballistic missile earlier in the day amid already growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula following a number of short-range missile launches conducted over the weekend.

"The (South Korean) government strongly condemns North Korea's provocation made again in spite of a grim message by the international community when it adopted the U.N. Security Council Resolution 2371," the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry was referring to a new sanctions resolution adopted unanimously by the 15-member council earlier this month. The fresh sanctions would slash the reclusive country's $3 billion in annual export revenues by a third.

"The North Korean government should clearly realize its denuclearization is the only genuine path to ensure its security and economic development," the ministry said, urging Pyongyang to "come to the path of dialogue" instead of "making reckless provocations."

Still, if North Korea ignores such calls and continues with its provocative actions, the ministry warned that South Korea and the United States would respond strongly.

South Korea's military also issued a strong warning to North Korea, with Roh Jae Cheon, spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, saying the North would face "resolute and strong retaliation" if it continues its provocative actions.

The spokesman condemned the missile launch as a "serious, provocative act" which poses a threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and across the whole of Northeast Asia.

Pyongyang's testing of nuclear and ballistic missile technology is banned by the United Nations and is the subject of multiple international sanctions. The latest resolution bans North Korea from exporting coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood so as to curb funding sources for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's nuclear and missile ambitions.

In the wake of Pyongyang's missile launch early Tuesday, South Korea convened a National Security Council meeting led by presidential security adviser Chung Eui Yong.

Chung also discussed over the phone with H.R. McMaster, U.S. national security adviser, measures to deter North Korea's provocative behavior, South Korea's presidential office said in a statement.

During their 15-minute telephone talks, the two sides consulted about the "deployment of (U.S.) tactical assets to deter North Korea in an effective way" and how to impose further U.N. Security Council sanctions, according to the statement.

South Korea responded to North Korea's launch by undertaking a bombing run on a test range Tuesday morning, a South Korean presidential spokesman told reporters during a briefing on the council meeting.

The exercise, involving four FK-15 jet fighters, was held at the instruction of President Moon Jae In at 9:20 a.m., Yoon Young Chan said, adding eight bombs were dropped on the Taebaek firing-drill site.

North Korea's latest launch came after it fired short-range missiles on Saturday. The South Korean military on Monday revised its assessment of the projectiles, saying it is highly likely that they were ballistic in nature.

Both missile launches came during an annual joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 28, 2017 - 12:18 | All, Arts, Japan

The Omagari fireworks competition was held on Aug. 26 in Daisen in northeastern Japan, with a total of roughly 18,000 fireworks set off during the event.

While the Akita Prefecture city suffered flooding the day before following torrential rain, organizers decided to stick to the original plan and hold the annual event.

A total of some 740,000 people came to see the fireworks display, according to the organizers.

Municipal officials were forced to prepare crowd seating through the night after the Omono River in the city flooded the day before due to torrential rain.

The city was also flooded after rain in July, with over 800 homes affected.

A total of 27 competitors from 12 prefectures took part in the 91st national competition.

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Whole Foods Bananas Whole Foods is trying to win over budget shoppers following its acquisition by Amazon.

Its new marketing is reminiscent of another retailer: Walmart.

With low prices, budget-centric marketing, and new non-grocery items, Amazon seems to be taking some pages from Walmart's playbook as it plots Whole Foods' future.

On Monday, Amazon's $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods formally went through. And, the e-commerce giant didn't waste any time in making changes.

Amazon immediately began working on Whole Foods' reputation as an expensive store where you quickly spend your "whole paycheck." Prices on staples like ground beef and avocados plummeted on Monday  and the retailer was eager to showcase the lower costs.

more to come whole foods

Every item that had its price cut because of the acquisition had an orange sign that said "new lower price" and contained the Whole Foods and Amazon logos. Some signs also said there was "more to come."

However, the signs trumpeting Amazon's role in bringing lower prices to the chain aren't the only way Whole Foods is trying to win over budget shoppers.

Numerous "low prices, great quality" signs now hang around the store. Yellow sale signs broadcast deals apparently unrelated to the acquisition. Even signs that highlight locally grown items have a similar vibe, with "local find" signage echoing the language of bargain hunters.

All in all, the location seems less like a gourmet, "whole paycheck" grocery store and more like another retailer: Walmart.

whole foods save big

Walmart is famous for its low prices. In 2016, the retailer made a multiyear, multimillion-dollar investment to lower prices even further.

Meanwhile, Whole Foods' shift into marketing strategies that seem straight out of Walmart's playbook predates the Amazon deal.

Last year, Whole Foods began stamping paper shopping bags with the tagline "great everyday low prices"  nearly identical to Walmart's "everyday low prices" motto that has been the focus of the retailer's marketing strategy for the past 50 years.

Story continues

whole foods everyday low prices

The Amazon deal gives Whole Foods some new ammunition.

Being acquired by a $474 billion company means Whole Foods doesn't need to worry as much about profit margins. It can cut prices if it means repairing Whole Foods' expensive reputation and persuading more people to visit the retailer.

Plus, Whole Foods now has a vast array of products that it can add to stores at any point. On Monday, Whole Foods locations began selling the Amazon Echo, something that pre-acquisition would seem like a ridiculous item to sell at any grocery chain.

Walmart is more than just a grocery store  it's a discount department chain. Whole Foods has never had a reason to expand its offerings beyond groceries.

Now Amazon can use the stores to sell whatever shoppers might want, whether that's the Echo or any of the other millions of items available on the e-commerce site. Amazon has already announced plans to add Amazon Lockers at select Whole Foods stores, meaning shoppers could pick up anything ordered through Amazon at those locations.

With low prices, budget-centric marketing, and the addition of new, non-grocery items, Whole Foods is evolving. And in that evolution, Amazon is creating a version of Whole Foods that looks a lot more like Walmart than before.

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Uber Technologies Inc. uber will appoint Expedia Inc.s Dara Khosrowshahi as chief executive officer of the global ride-hailing leviathan, a person familiar with the matter said.

The Expedia CEO is set to succeed co-founder Travis Kalanick, who grew Uber into a $20 billion annual booking business last year, only to resign as CEO in June under investor pressure. Uber and Expedia didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

Khosrowshahi will face a number of hurdles as Uberwhich has raised more than $15 billion from private investorsnavigates its way toward a still-unscheduled initial public offering. The new top executive must grapple with the companys persistent losses, a high-stakes trade secrets suit filed by Alphabet Inc.s Waymo, a tarnished brand and low morale among Ubers more than 15,000 global employees.

Ubers board met over the weekend for a last round of interviews with candidates and to discuss the options, said people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations were private. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. CEO Meg Whitman gained support from some board members after presenting her vision for the company on Saturday, despite repeated public denials that she would take the job, but she ultimately lost out. General Electric Co. Chairman Jeffrey Immelt was another finalist but failed to win the boards full backing. He withdrew his name Sunday morning in a Twitter post.
Time and again, research has shown that the machines we build reflect how we see the world, whether consciously or not. For artificial intelligence that reads text, that might mean associating the word doctor with men more than women, or image-recognition algorithms that misclassify black people as gorillas.

Google, which was responsible for the gorilla error in 2015, is now trying to educate the masses on how AI can accidentally perpetuate the biases held by its makers. Its a nice bit of public relations, but also a pretty good overview of simple ways AI programmers can bias their algorithms.

The video outlines three kinds of bias:

Interaction bias: The user (you and me!) biases an algorithm by the way we interact with it. As an example, Google asked users to draw a shoe. Users drew a mans shoe, so the system didnt know that high heels were also shoes.

Latent bias: The algorithm incorrectly correlates ideas with gender, race, sexuality, income, etc. This is the idea of correlating doctor with men, just because thats what stock imagery says.

Selection bias: The data used to train the algorithm over-represents one population, making it operate better for them at the expense of others. If image recognition is trained only on white people, theyll win AI-judged beauty contests.

These arent the only mechanisms for AI to be biased, but its a good starting point for becoming acquainted with the idea. For a deeper dive, read some of Quartz previous coverage on the subject.

Story continues

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donald trump

President Donald Trump confused two Finnish journalists at a joint press conference on Monday.

After taking several questions, Trump encouraged Finish President Sauli Niinisto to take an additional question.

But when he called on a Finnish reporter, Trump interrupted him, appearing to mistake the reporter for another member of the Finnish media who had asked him a question several minutes earlier.

"Again? You're going to give her the same one?" Trump said.

"No, she's not the same lady," Niinisto said. "They are sitting side by side."

"We have a lot of blond women in Finland," the reporter joked.

Though Trump has regularly criticized American reporters, his treatment of foreign journalists has also raised eyebrows.

Earlier this year, Trump interrupted a diplomatic phone call with Irish Prime Minister Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to tell an Irish reporter she had a "nice smile."

"She has a nice smile on her face, so I bet she treats you well," Trump said to the prime minister.

Trump asks the Finnish president why he called on the same reporter twice, but they were different women. pic.twitter.com/JAala68MJ6  Axios (@axios) August 28, 2017

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Hurrican Harvey

A report published in June in the journal Science predicted that climate change would hit America hard but unevenly, with Texas among states bearing the brunt of the damage.

The findings highlighted flooding as a major risk factor for the region (as have dozens of other previous reports on climate change). Those warnings now ring particularly salient as Hurricane Harvey wreaks havoc on Texas  though it's difficult to determine exactly how much climate change contributed to the disaster.

The report estimated that for every degree Celsius the temperature rises between now and the end of the century, America could see roughly 5.4 more deaths per 100,000 people. Those figures were far higher in many southern counties in Texas and Florida, however  the numbers there reach 20 to 40 deaths per 100,000.

"Past models had only looked at the United States as a single region," Robert Kopp, a climate scientist at Rutgers who was a lead author of the report, told The New York Times on June 29. Those models, he said, "missed this entire story of how climate change would create this large transfer of wealth between states."

Screen Shot 2017 06 29 at 3.13.44 PM

Several factors will contribute to the rising death toll, which were previously documented by many other reports on climate change. A 2012 report by the Climate Vulnerability Monitor cited flooding, heat waves, wildfires, and crop shortages as some of the primary issues. Other problems expected to affect America's South include elevated energy use (to cool homes and buildings during heat waves) and increasing costs related to weather damage on the nation's coast.

While Southern states will most likely face dire consequences as a result of the planet's warming, others  mostly in the north  could emerge virtually scot-free, according to the report's map.

An interactive map of temperatures and emissions based on the report is available on the Climate Impact Lab website.

Story continues

Madeleine Sheehan Perkins wrote an earlier version of this post.

For more science news, useful insights, and cool stuff, follow us on Instagram.

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AP_17223394605777

North Korea launched a missile that flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido at 5:58 a.m. local time on Tuesday, according to Japanese government officials.

Japan's NHK News reported that the missile passed over Japan, with people in the country's north warned to take precautions.

Japanese officials said the missile "blew apart" into three pieces before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

South Korean military officials confirmed reports of the missile launch and said that the missile flew for 1,677 miles at a maximum altitude of 341 miles. North American Aerospace Defense Command, North America's foremost missile-warning system, determined that the missile did not pose a threat to North America.

During the tense moment, multiple prefectures in Japan were reportedly put on alert.

"We'll take utmost efforts to protect the public," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said shortly following the launch.

A subsequent report in The Japan Times said Abe called the launch "an unprecedented, grave, and serious threat" that damaged the security of the region.

Abe discussed the incident with President Donald Trump in a phone call Monday, according to Reuters. The two agreed to increase pressure on North Korea following the missile launch. During the 40-minute call, Trump also reiterated that the US was "100% with Japan" and was supportive of Japan's defense efforts, Abe told reporters.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered a military show of overwhelming force in response to the North's actions, Yonhap News reported. Four South Korean F-15K fighter jets were dispatched to drop eight bombs at a simulated target.

The latest launch was conducted days after North Korea fired what was believed to be three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and a month after an intercontinental ballistic missile flight test, the Associated Press reported.

Story continues

Shinzo Abe

Following a Washington Post report describing North Korea's surprising advancement in its nuclear-missile program, Trump said North Korea's threats would be "met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

US-North Korea rhetoric grew hotter once North Korea threatened to strike the US territory of Guam, with Trump doubling down on his initial statement by saying it "wasn't tough enough."

During a campaign-style rally in Arizona last week, Trump said North Korea was "starting to respect us."

"I respect that fact very much. Respect that fact," Trump said at the time. "And maybe, probably not, but maybe something positive can come about."

Moon recently called for South Korea to prepare to "immediately switch to offensive operations" if the North makes a "provocation that crosses the line," NK News reported.

Here's an initial illustration of the missile's trajectory:

Illustration animated GIF for North Korea missile launch over Hokkaido, Japan into Pacific oceanhttps://t.co/spPcDvaIgo pic.twitter.com/l2fOcqOd1M  Liveuamap (@Liveuamap) August 28, 2017

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Vehicles and RVs pass parked oil platforms as they are ferried away from Port Aransas, Texas, after a mandatory evacuation was ordered in preparation for Hurricane Harvey, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017.

Some oil production in the Gulf of Mexico returned Monday, as companies began to recover from Hurricane Harvey.

An estimated 18.9% of the Gulfs 1.75 million barrels per day of crude output was offline, according to the U.S. Department of the Interiors Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). Thats down from a Sunday estimate of 22%. The agency said 98 platforms remained evacuated, while seven returned to action.

The BSEE also determined that natural gas production improved. Approximately 18.1% of production was shut down, compared to 25.7% a day earlier.

Gas prices are expected to rise across the country in the coming days after Harvey, now a tropical storm churning near the Gulf Coast, forced refineries and oil platforms to shut down. Harvey also affected shale oilfields and some pipelines that transport crude oil to refineries.

Shares of Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM), Chevron (NYSE:CVX) and Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDSA) were trading lower Monday.

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A Trump Organization executive emailed a Kremlin aide during President Donald Trump 's run for the White House seeking help on a "stalled" Trump Tower Moscow plan, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Michael Cohen, a Trump lawyer who was then an executive vice president at the Trump Organization, reached out to Dmitry Peskov, the top spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Over the past few months I have been working with a company based in Russia regarding the development of a Trump Tower  Moscow project in Moscow City," Cohen wrote. "Without getting into lengthy specifics. the communication between our two sides has stalled."

"As this project is too important, I am hereby requesting your assistance. I respectfully request someone, preferably you, contact me so that I might discuss the specifics as well as arranging meetings with the appropriate individuals. I thank you in advance for your assistance and look forward to hearing from you soon," he wrote.

Cohen told congressional investigators that Trump business associate Felix Sater recommended that he write the email, the Post added. He said that "he did not recall receiving a response," the newspaper reported.

In a statement to NBC News, Cohen called the Moscow plan "simply one of many development opportunities that the Trump organization considered and ultimately rejected." He said that he "abandoned" the proposal in January 2016 because he lost confidence that the licensee could complete it.

New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman later added that Cohen emailed Peskov at a general press address, not his personal email address. It suggests that he did not have direct access to Peskov, she said.

The development comes as federal and congressional investigators probe Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign coordinated with the Kremlin. Trump has denied any collusion, although developments since the election have shown that Trump associates were at least willing to accept Russian help during the election .

Story continues

Later Monday, NBC News, citing three sources familiar with the matter, reported that investigators working for Robert Mueller, the special counsel in the federal Russia probe, are focused on the president's role in formulating a response to an article about a meeting between his son Donald Jr. and Russians in June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York.

The investigators want to determine what the senior Trump knew about the meeting and whether he tried to conceal the purpose of it, the sources told NBC.

Separately on Monday, the Times reported that Sater emailed Cohen in 2015 saying that a Russian business deal "will get Donald elected."

A plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow never came about. In a statement to the Times on Monday, the Trump Organization said it "has never had any real estate holdings or interests in Russia."

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Trump Xi

US-China relations could deteriorate significantly following North Korea's latest missile launch, in which the country fired a missile over Japan early Tuesday morning local time.

Analysts argue that it's possible the US could ramp up economic pressure against North Korea's neighbor, China, which would then further strain relations between the two powers.

"After significant delay, I'd expect a real deterioration in US-China relations as we head into fall," Ian Bremmer, the president of Eurasia Group, told Business Insider over email.

"Because the military options won't be recommended by [Defense Secretary James] Mattis and the generals, near term [US President Donald] Trump's clearest options are to up the pressure on China  something he's been intent on doing anyway," Bremmer added.

Trump has long maintained strong rhetoric against China and its trade practices. During his campaign, he vowed to label the country a currency manipulator on his first day in office, although he ultimately did not do so.

It's likely that Trump pulled back on calling China a currency manipulator at the time given the delicate situation with North Korea, which he himself implied in an interview with The Economist published in May (emphasis ours):

"Now, with that in mind, [Chinese president Xi Jinping] representing China and he wants whats best for China. But so far, you know, hes been, hes been very good. But, so they talk about why havent you called him a currency manipulator? Now think of this. I say, 'Jinping. Please help us, lets make a deal. Help us with North Korea, and by the way were announcing tomorrow that youre a currency manipulator, OK?' They never say that, you know the fake media, they never put them together, they always say, he didnt call him a currency [manipulator], number one. Number two, theyre actually not a currency [manipulator]. You know, since Ive been talking about currency manipulation with respect to them and other countries, they stopped."

Story continues

More recently, however, the Trump administration has taken steps towards putting economic pressure on China and its companies. In mid-August, US initiated an investigation into China's thefts of US intellectual property (IP) using Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. And a few days later, the US announced sanctions on Chinese and Russian companies and individuals for supporting North Korean Weapons programs.

The president also reiterated his desire for tariffs on China during "a small Oval Office meeting, venting at senior staff for sometimes resisting his hawkish trade agenda," Axios reported Monday.

North Korea's latest missile launch could also shake up the dynamics in the White House. Bremmer told BI, "North Korea's escalation gives Trump leverage against Gary Cohn and the other White House advisors trying to keep a steadier relationship with Beijing."

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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Mullah Abdul Rauf claims to have raised funds for Afghanistans hard-line Talibans war from his hideout in southwestern Pakistan for more than 15 years.

But the former member of the Talibans finance commission returned to Afghanistan with his family three months ago. He is a prominent beneficiary of an amnesty scheme pioneered by General Abdul Raziq, the powerful security commander of Kandahar Province in southern Afghanistan.

The promises of peace and security guarantees prompted me to return to Kandahar, he told Radio Free Afghanistan in Kandahars rural district of Panjwaee on August 29. Raziqs open arms and guarantees to welcome all Taliban [willing to return to live peacefully] have encouraged many to return to this district.

Rauf is one the 15 former Taliban leaders and senior officials that Raziq recently claimed have returned from Quetta, the capital of the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan, to live peacefully in Kandahar. Teeming Quetta has served as a de-facto Taliban capital after the demise of their hard-line regime in late 2001.

They include some small and major military commanders and at least two governors who served in the Taliban regime in the 1990s, Raziq told journalists on August 27. This is the result of relentless efforts by local tribal leaders.

In an unprecedented Afghan effort to undercut Pakistans sway over the Taliban late last year, Raziq promised to provide a safe zone for insurgent leaders and foot soldiers if they abandoned their sanctuaries in Pakistan.

If successful, this initiative could turn the tide of the Afghan war. Since 2002, Afghan and Western officials have accused Islamabad of providing safe havens and covert assistance to the Taliban. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump warned Islamabad that Washington can no longer be silent about Pakistans safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond.

Rauf is still careful about what he says publicly about his former colleagues and hosts in Pakistan but speaks of exhaustion and a lack of any real decision-making power.

We were only playing in the hands of others and had no real independence [in running our affairs], he said, adding that he and other Taliban leaders realized that the war in Afghanistan was being imposed upon them.

I occasionally face threats from my former comrades, but some contact me to explore how they can join me here, he said. I personally know of some 60 diehard Taliban members who have returned, but people I know speak of hundreds more who have returned. These include members of various leadership commissions, governors, and commanders.

Mohammadullah Khan, another former Taliban member, is reluctant to divulge details of his role in the insurgency. He says he was one of 500 Taliban inmates who escaped from Kandahars notorious Sarpoa Prison in 2011.

Khan told Radio Free Afghanistan he decided to return to Kandahar after Pakistan forced hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan last year.

I was living in Quetta and was disappointed by the Pakistani crackdown of Afghans, he said. They even forced families, women, and children to leave. This made me worry about my familys fate, and I returned.

The Taliban, however, contested claims that their cadres have joined a government amnesty scheme. In a statement, they labeled the issue as far from reality.

Abdul Salam Zaeef, a former Taliban diplomat who now lives in Kabul, however, confirmed that some Taliban leaders have abandoned Pakistan.

Pressures in Pakistan have prompted many Taliban to leave the country along with their families, he told Voice Of America. Some of them have gone to the regions controlled by the Taliban, but I do not know much about those returning to the areas controlled by the Afghan government.

Nevertheless, Zaeef says such returns are a good omen for peace in Afghanistan.

If dealt with tactfully, this can be a boon to peace in the country, he noted. If all Afghans, whether pro-government or in opposition, return to the country, it will help in regaining sovereignty and future peace.
For decades, Pakistans quest to shape neighboring Afghanistan by supporting hard-line Islamist militants has faced feeble but noisy opposition from the countrys politicians and intellectuals.

U.S. President Donald Trumps new Afghanistan policy, which centers on persuading Pakistan to abandon its backing of the Afghan Taliban and other extremist groups, now has an underestimated side effect.

The policy has revived domestic critique of Islamabads Afghanistan approach, with many renewing their calls for reviewing policies that have brought death and destruction to hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis and Afghans.

We need to look at Trumps policy as an opportunity, Senator Farhatullah Babar, an outspoken leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, told Radio Mashaal. This is not a moment of danger or threat. Pakistani national security [concerns] requires us to reflect on this issue [of terrorist sanctuaries] and not let any terrorist group operate in our country who are responsible for terrorism in other countries.

Trumps speech about a strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia on August 21 singled out Pakistan for housing the very terrorists that we are fighting. He warned Islamabad that Washington can no longer be silent about Pakistans safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond.

Islamabad, however, rejected Trumps assertions and complained of being scapegoated by Washington for failing to win the Afghan war.

Pakistan had to manage the blowback of a protracted conflict in Afghanistan that resulted in [a] deluge of refugees, flow of drugs and arms, and more recently in the shape of terrorist safe havens in eastern Afghanistan from where anti-Pakistan terrorist groups continue to operate and launch attacks inside Pakistan, read a statement by Pakistans National Security Committee on August 24. The fact remains that the complex issues and internal dynamics inside Afghanistan pose a grave challenge not only to Pakistan but to the broader region and the international community.

The hard-liners who openly support Afghan militants delivered an even stronger message. We are fighting the Americans in Afghanistan, and those who cannot fight are waging jihad with their words and pens; the whole nation needs to rise up to defeat the West, Maulana Samiul Haq, a senior leader of the Defense of Pakistan Council, told journalists on August 24.

The cleric said the Pakistani military will not move against the Haqqani network -- a deadly Taliban wing responsible for devastating attacks in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

The council is a coalition of numerous hard-line organizations and political parties that mobilizes whenever Islamabad is pressured to turn its back on Afghan militant groups.

Author Ayesha Siddiqa says mobilizing the Defense of Pakistan Council and expressing the countrys foreign policy choices through militant organizations would be short-sighted.

The American president's seeming policy shift does not bode a doomsday scenario for Pakistan, she wrote. This is the time to hear voices rather than curb dialogue. Pakistan needs alternative voices to the security and foreign policy debate.

Writing in Pakistans daily Express Tribune, veteran journalist Muhammad Ziauddin advised Islamabad to adopt a new approach to Kabul after Trump ruled out a rapid U.S. troop withdrawal.

With the U.S staying put in Afghanistan ostensibly until the full obliteration of the Taliban, [Pakistan should start] redesigning a new Afghan policy based on the premise that we do not need the Afghan Taliban anymore, he wrote. At the same time, we need a brand-new policy to win the hearts and minds of the people of Afghanistan so that they would also feel that it was time for them to decide that they do not need the Pakistani Taliban anymore.

As Afghanistans eastern neighbor, Pakistan shares deep ethnic, linguistic, and historic ties with the country. But the two countries have never managed to establish a stable, cooperative relationship. Kabul has never formally recognized the 19th-century Durand Line as its international border with Pakistan to keep its irredentist claims alive.

It was, however, Islamabad that practically eliminated the border by hosting millions of Afghan refugees and a number anti-Soviet Afghan Islamist factions during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

The collapse of a central government in Afghanistan during the civil war following the demise of the socialist regime gave Pakistan the opportunity to mold Afghan politics by backing a hard-line student militia -- the Taliban -- which emerged in southern Afghanistan in the mid-1990s and swept most of the country by the end of the century.

Afghan and Western officials accuse Islamabad of continuing to bankroll the Taliban even while ostensibly helping Washington topple their regime in late 2001. For years, Islamabad denied a Taliban presence in Pakistan.

But aided by Islamabads covert support for the Afghan Taliban, a Pakistani Taliban movement eventually emerged. Since 2003, this duplicitous approach to violence in Afghanistan has threatened Islamabads authority in parts of the country. In a remarkable blowback of nurturing jihadists, more than 60,000 Pakistani civilians and soldiers have died in attacks by the Pakistani Taliban and allied groups.

Islamabads support for the Taliban was showcased by the killing of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansur in the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan in May 2016. His predecessor, Mullah Muhammad Omar, also reportedly died in the country in 2013. Even a former senior Taliban leader accused his successor, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, of being camped in Pakistan.

Pakistan has failed to bring any longer-term coherence to its Afghan policy, noted former Pakistani diplomat Ashraf Jehangir Qazi. [Islamabad] has extended a range of deniable support to extremist organizations operating in Afghanistan.

Qazi says Islamabad even squandered an opportunity to cultivate a cooperative relationship with Kabul after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani invested his political capital into reaching out to the countrys powerful military generals after assuming office in 2014. The outreach, however, failed as Taliban violence skyrocketed, prompting Ghani to declare that his country is in a state of undeclared hostilities with Pakistan.

The failure pushed Ghani to embrace Pakistans archrival, India, as his main ally. For decades, Pakistani military strategists have argued that an influence over Afghanistan would prevent it from falling into New Delhis pincers.

Lawmaker Babar, a member of the upper house of the Pakistani Parliament, says Islamabad can still extricate itself from the emerging quagmire.

Nations sometimes face movements when they need to reflect on their weakness and failures to mitigate them, he noted.

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NEW DELHI  India and China have reached an agreement to end the most serious confrontation in decades between the Asian giants along a disputed border in the eastern Himalayas.

A brief statement by Indias foreign ministry on August 28 said the decision follows diplomatic communications between the two countries. On this basis, expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to and is on-going, the ministry said.

The foreign ministry in Beijing said Chinese soldiers will continue to patrol the area. According to Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, China will continue to exercise sovereignty rights to protect territorial sovereignty in accordance with the rules of the historical boundary.

The announcement comes days before Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is expected to travel to China for the summit of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) nations scheduled to be held next week. The two sides were under pressure to find a solution before that visit.

The standoff over the strategic Doklam plateau in the eastern Himalayas had dragged on for two and a half months, much longer than previous border flare-ups that have erupted along their 3,500 kilometer border, parts of which are still disputed.

What Started Standoff

It began when Indian troops obstructed China from building a road at Doklam, a Himalayan plateau disputed between China and Bhutan. Since then, about 300 troops from each side have been confronting each other, raising fears of a wider conflict. Fears that control of the plateau would give Chinese troops easy access to a strategic strip of land which connects India to its northeast had prompted New Delhi to refuse to vacate the territory, despite angry demands by China.

While China accused India of entering its territory, New Delhi maintained the plateau was disputed territory between Bhutan and China and it had moved in to help its tiny neighbor.

We were able to express our views and convey our concerns and interests," the Indian foreign ministry statement said.

While New Delhi wanted withdrawal by both sides, China had insisted on a unilateral pullback of Indian troops even as sharp rhetoric from Chinese media had called on India to remember its humiliating defeat in a war they fought in 1962.

In China, spokesperson Hua said, China hopes India respects the historical boundary and works with China to protect peace along the border on the basis of mutual respect of each others sovereignty.

Welcome News

Commentators in New Delhi welcomed the thaw and said both sides appeared to have found a face saving solution.

Former India diplomat K.C. Singh told NDTV television India would not have objections to Chinese patrols in the area because they took place in the past also. What they (India and Bhutan) have objected to is changing the status quo, which is building a road, which is bringing bulldozers and a construction crew.

The official announcements did not mention the status of the road.

-- Anjana Pasricha wrote this for the Voice of America
Christopher Eriobu, Legit.ng reader recently reported that a young boy named Ezeanyika Hyginus Anthony Kenechukwu left home on Sunday, August 27 by 7:30am to attend mass at Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Mushin area of Lagos state.

UPDATE: According to Legit.ng reader, the boy was found healthy four days after on August 31 in Onitsha, Anambra state.

The boy is yet to be seen by anyone both in church and at home since he left home for the morning mass at the said church.

The reader wants that anyone with any useful information or have seen the young boy should contact the following numbers: 08033228240, 09095016561, 08173739318.

See the picture of the boy as sent below:

Missing person Ezeanyika hyginus Anthony kenechukwu

The picture has since been posted on our Facebook page and comments have been coming in. Although, there is yet to be any information that could lead to his discovery. Please share this information till the young boy is found.

READ ALSO: Your friend or loved one gone missing, kidnapped?! Send an alert to millions via Legit.ng

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Kanpur, Aug 29 (IBNS): The UP Special task Force has arrested ex-principal of BRD Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur- Dr Rajiv Mishra and his wife Dr Purnima Shukla- in connection with the death of several infants in the hospital in a week, media reports said.

They were arrested from Kanpur on Tuesday, reports said.

They were named in the FIR which was lodged by the government following the report by the Principal Secretary.

More than 70 infants died in the BRD Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur in a week.

Rajiv Mishra was suspended following the incident over charges of negligence.
Angolans have elected their first new president in nearly forty years.

Joao Lourenco, the president-elect, has said he wants to reduce the country's dependence on oil. But critics say the country's economic problems and inequality do not come from dependence on oil. Rather, they say that these problems come from bad governance.

Many Angolans hope economic conditions improve.

Kialopo Feliciana sells food at a market in Luanda. She makes about $18 a day.

But, the business is very costly, she told VOA recently. That is why she has little money for her home and family.

Of the money she makes, Feliciana brings home about $9 a day. But her family depends on the money, she says, because her adult son cannot find a job.

Unemployment is around 26 percent in the country.

On the other side of town from Feliciana, there are large houses and upscale stores on many streets. At a gelato shop, customers spend what is equal to Feliciana's daily income in one visit.

Retiring President Jose Eduardo dos Santos lives in this neighborhood. During his 38-year rule, he was often accused of spending the government's oil income on himself and those close to him.

Angola is Africa's second-largest oil producer, but that wealth has not helped all Angolans. President-elect Lourenco says he wants to develop industries other than oil.

Before the election, he told a crowd that he wants to increase activity in agriculture, tourism, industry, and other areas of the economy.

Accusations of Bad Governance

But his critics say the problem is far simpler. Manuel Fernandes is an opposition lawmaker. He told VOA that poverty in the country is not because of the drop in oil prices. Poverty in the country, he said, comes from bad governance.

Government critic and reporter Rafael Marques says Lourenco is in a difficult situation because dos Santos still controls much of the nation's wealth.

"The question is, how is he going to run the country without money, he said. Marques says that people who were members of the government are living with a tight control over the economic assets of the country, which they will not pass on to the new president."

It is a difficult situation for Lourenco. Once the official vote count is confirmed, he must turn to the task of governing.

I'm John Russell.

Anita Powell reported on this story for VOA News. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

upscale  adj. relating to or appealing to people who have a lot of money

gelato  n. Italian or Italian-style ice cream

asset  n. a valuable person or thing
Download Lesson 50

Speaking

Pronunciation

Conversation

Anna: Hello, and welcome to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.! I am going back to school! Georgetown is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit university in the United States. The Jesuits are a religious order known worldwide for their many colleges and universities. Students have been studying here since 1792!

Sarah: Hey, are you finished with your report?

Taylor: Almost. I have been writing and re-writing since last night! The subject is really interesting to me.

Sarah: Me too! I have been studying this topic* for a long time.

Anna: Am I late?

Sarah: Youre a little late. But dont worry. The professor isnt here yet.

Anna: How long has the class been waiting?

Taylor: Weve only been waiting for about 10 minutes.

Anna: Oh good. Oh, no! I forgot my pencil sharpener. Excuse me, do you have a pencil sharpener I can borrow?

Taylor: No, sorry.

Anna: Oh wait. I found my extra one! Whew, that was close.

Anna: So, how long have you been studying at Georgetown?

Andrew: Ive been studying here since 2015.

Anna: Awesome. You know, I've been wanting to go back to school for a long time. So, here I am!

Andrew: Well, you picked a great school. Ive been really happy here.

Anna: Awesome. See, Ive been working for several years now. So, going back to school makes me a little nervous.

Randall: Dont be nervous. Just pay attention and do your best!

Anna: That is great advice. You know, I have been paying attention. But sometimes I still feel like I dont understand. Like last week 

Anna: Whats that?

Jada: This is my draft.

Anna: What draft?

Jada: The professor told us to bring our drafts.

Anna: I think she said giraffe.

Jada: No. She didnt.

Anna: Here comes the professor.

Dr. Jones: Hello class! Sorry I'm late, but the snow storm made getting here really difficult. I see youve been waiting very patiently. So, lets get started! Who wants to give their talk first?

Anna: Oh! Oh! Please, please pick me.

Dr. Jones: Anna?

Anna: Who me? Sure. Thanks.

Anna: Here is my report on Violins in the City.

Anna: People have been looking for a solution to the problem of violins in the city. I say stop! Stop! They are not the problem! In fact, violins are part of the solution!

Anna: Violins create beautiful music that can fill a city with hope.

Dr. Jones: Anna 

Anna: If we put a violin in the hands of every child 

Dr. Jones: Anna! The topic is Violence in the city. Violence. Not violins.

Anna: Until next time Like I was saying, many people are saying that violence in the city is a problem. A very big problem.

* topic = subject Thanks to Georgetown University for allowing us to film on their historic campus. And a special thanks to the Georgetown students and staff who appeared in this episode: Andrew Debraggio, Sarah Mucha, Taylor Soergel, Jada Bullen, and Randall-Grace Johnson.


President Donald Trump says all options are on the table in connection with North Koreas launch of a missile over Japan.

Trump released a short written statement Tuesday. It said the launch signaled North Koreas contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations.

The statement also said that, Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regimes isolation in the region and among all nations of the world.

Trump later told reporters, Well see, well see when asked what he would do about North Korea. Trump was leaving the White House for a trip to examine storm damage in the American state of Texas.

Hours earlier, North Korea had fired a midrange ballistic missile that flew over Japans Hokkaido Island and landed in the sea. This marked the first time that North Korea sent a missile over territory of a U.S. ally.

With minutes of the launch, residents on the northern Japanese island received emergency messages on their cellphones. Officials sounded alarms and sent emails telling people to stay indoors. Speakers broadcast a message saying, missile is passing, missile is passing.

The launch followed three other short-range missile tests last week as the U.S. and South Korea were holding their joint yearly military exercises. North Korea has repeatedly described the exercises as preparation for invasion.

U.S. officials, including former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, have said all options on the table in answer to North Koreas nuclear and missile tests before.

But many experts believe that the North would likely answer a U.S. strike by attacking South Korea or Japan. About 25 million people live in or near the South Korean capital, Seoul, within range of North Korean artillery fire along the border.

The U.S. has said it wants to use economic and diplomatic pressure to win a negotiated solution.

Just last week, Trump praised North Koreas decision to back down from its earlier threats to launch missiles into the sea close to the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam.

He added, Kim Jong Un, I respect the fact that I believe he is starting to respect us And maybe, probably not, but maybe something positive can come about.

Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan spoke on the telephone about the latest missile test. The White House said the two leaders agreed that North Korea creates a grave and growing direct threat to the U.S., Japan, South Korea and countries around the world.

Abe said in a statement that Trump also expressed his strong commitment to defending Japan.

I'm Caty Weaver.

Hai Do adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on Reuters and Associated Press news reports. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

option - n. choice or possibility

midrange - n. middle distance

resident - n. someone who lives in a particular place

positive - adj. good or useful
Augmented Reality has been around for almost as long as smartphone cameras have existed. An app called Layar allowed you to point your phone at real-world objects and see virtual signs overlayed on them in real-time way back in 2009.

But things have really started to get good in the past few years. Googles Tango technology allows Android phones with special cameras to make precise measurements and create 3D maps of real-world environments for gaming, home decorating, and other tasks.

And this year Apple launched ARKit, bringing some pretty impressive augmented reality features to phones that dont have any special cameras.

So now that Google wants to compete and there are only two phones that support Tango on the market, the company is followuing suit with its own augmented reality SDK called ARCore.

An ARCore preview SDK is available to developers starting today, and unlike Tango, apps developed with ARCore will be able to run on existing phones with single or dual-camera systems.

Initially that means the Google Pixel, Pixel XL, and Samsung Galaxy S8 as long as theyre running Android 7.0 or later. Eventually Google plans to add support for other phones from Samsung, Huawei, LG, and Asus, among others. The goal is to bring ARCore support to 100 million devices at the end of the preview.

ARCore may not offer the same kind of precision you get with Tango. But it uses your phones hardware to track motion, measure ambient light, and recognize some objects such as horizontal surfaces.

That lets you do things like place a virtual object on top of a real table or desk and then move around that flat surface and view the item from different angles.

So what does this mean for the future of Tango? Googles not killing that project entirely, at least not yet. But its about to become a niche technology for those interested in the few things that Tango can do that ARCore cant like depth sensing. But eventually we may see Tango-like features including IR projectors and sensors added to mainstream phones.

In other words, ARCore is already built on technology developed for Tango but its designed to work with the hardware youve probably already got in your phone. And if it catches on, phone makers may add some hardware that had previously been Tango-specific to future devices to make ARCore more powerful.
Chip maker MediaTek is launching two new system-on-a-chip solutions aimed at mid-range devices. The MediaTek Helip P23 and P30 will be available in China in the third quarter of 2017 before possibly making their way into devices sold internationally.

Both are 2.3 GHz octa-core ARM Cortex-A53 processors with ARM Mali-G71 MP2 graphics and support for dual-cameras. But the P30 has faster graphics, higher-resolution cameras, and features a new vision processing unit with support for real-time bokeh affects, among other things.

Both chips also feature support 4G LTE dual-SIM phones with dual standby support.

Heres an overview of the specs for each new chip:

MediaTek Helio P23

8 ARM Cortex-A53 CPU CPU cores at up to 2.3 GHz

ARM Mali-G71 MP2 graphics at 770 MHz

Max display resolution: 2160 x 1080

Up to 13MP + 13MP dual cameras

Up to 4GB of 933 MHz LPDDR4x RAM or up to 6GB of 1600 MHz RAM

Video decoding: 1080p @ 30 fps (h.264 and HEVC)

Video encoding: 1080p @ 30 fps (h.264)

802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth, GLONASS, FM radio

4G LTE Cat-7 DL / CAT-13 UL with VoLTE support

MediaTek Helio P30

8 ARM Cortex-A53 CPU CPU cores at up to 2.3 GHz

ARM Mali-G71 MP2 graphics at 950 MHz

Max display resolution: 2160 x 1080

Up to 16MP + 16MP dual cameras

Up to 4GB of 933 MHz LPDDR4x RAM or up to 6GB of 1600 MHz RAM

Video decoding: 4K @ 30 fps (h.264 and HEVC)

Video encoding: 4K @ 30 fps (h.264)

802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth, GLONASS, FM radio

4G LTE Cat-7 DL / CAT-13 UL with VoLTE support
Jordan has balked at Berlins demand for complete immunity for its soldiers to be deployed in the country as part of US-led coalition against terrorism in Syria, delaying the move.

German media have confirmed that bilateral talks to station 250 German soldiers in Jordan have hit a roadblock as Amman refuses to grant total immunity to German soldiers in view of the Jordanian jurisdiction.

Der Spiegel noted over the weekend that the demand by German authorities met with Jordanian refusal.

We already started the deployment  and are expecting to be fully operational by October, a spokesman of the German defense ministry was quoted as saying.

An unnamed Jordanian official told media that the talks halted over diplomatic rules and demand by the kingdom for equal mutual treatment, The New Arab reports.

The German soldiers would be stationed at Muwaffaq Salti (Azraq) air base.

Germany decided to transfer its soldiers to the Jordanian air base after Turkey recently refused that a delegation of the defense committee of the German parliament visits the German soldiers at Incirlik base.

Germany and Turkey have been embroiled in tense diplomatic relations since last years failed coup in Turkey. Turkey accuses Germany of sheltering coup instigators and housing terrorists aligned with Erdogans US-based enemy, Gulen.
Credit: Yale University

A team of researchers led by the Yale School of Public Health has found that the Lyme disease bacterium is ancient in North America, circulating silently in forests for at least 60,000 yearslong before the disease was first described in Lyme, Connecticut, in 1976 and long before the arrival of humans.

For the first time, the full genomes of the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, were sequenced from deer ticks to reconstruct the history of this invading pathogen.

The finding shows that the ongoing Lyme disease epidemic was not sparked by a recent introduction of the bacterium or an evolutionary changesuch as a mutation that made the bacterium more readily transmissible. It is tied to the ecological transformation of much of North America. Specifically, forest fragmentation and the population explosion of deer in the last century have created optimal conditions for the spread of ticks and triggered this ongoing epidemic.

Katharine Walter conducted the research while a doctoral student at Yale School of Public Health and is lead author of the study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution.

"The Lyme disease bacterium has long been endemic," she said. "But the deforestation and subsequent suburbanization of much of New England and the Midwest created conditions for deer ticksand the Lyme disease bacteriumto thrive."

Deer ticks are collected on Mashomack Preserve on New York's Shelter Island by dragging a one-meter square section of corduroy across the forest floor. Credit: Katharine Walter

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in North America. Since it was first described in the 1970s, the disease has rapidly spread across New England and the Midwest. Reported cases of Lyme disease have more than tripled since 1995 and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now estimate that more than 300,000 Americans fall ill each year.

The team turned to genomics to reveal the bacterium's origins. By comparing B. burgdorferi genomes collected from different areas and over a 30-year period, the team built an evolutionary tree and reconstructed the history of the pathogen's spread.

Researchers collected deer ticks, vectors of B. burgdorferi, from across New England. They focused sampling efforts in areas predicted to be sources of the epidemicCape Cod and areas around Long Island Sound. Over 7,000 tick were collected from these areas during the summer of 2013. To extend the spatial scope of the study, collaborators in the South, Midwest, and across Canada contributed ticks to the team.

Using a method the team previously developed to preferentially sequence bacterial DNA (and avoid sequencing only DNA from the tick), the researchers sequenced 148 B. burgdorferi genomes. Earlier studies of the evolutionary history of B. burgdorferi have relied upon short DNA markers rather than full genomes. Reading the one million letters of the full bacterial genome allowed the team to piece together a more detailed history. The team drew an updated evolutionary tree which showed that the bacterium likely originated in the northeast of the United States and spread south and west across North America to California.

Birds likely transported the pathogen long distances to new regions and small mammals continued its spread. Imprinted on the bacterial genomes was also a signature of dramatic population growth. As it evolved, it seemed to have proliferated.

A tick collecting site on Cuttyhunk Island, one of the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. The earliest records of deer ticks in the northern United States were on the Elizabeth Islands as were some of the first reported cases of Lyme disease. Credit: Katharine Walter

The tree was also far older than the team had expectedat least 60,000 years old. This means that the bacterium existed in North America long before the disease was described by medicine and long before humans first arrived in North America from across the Bering Strait (about 24,000 years ago)

This findings clarify that the bacterium is not a recent invader. Diverse lineages of B. burgdorferi have long existed in North America and the current Lyme disease epidemic is the result of ecological changes that have allowed deer, ticks and, finally, bacterium to invade.

The explosion of deer in the twentieth century into suburban landscapes, free of wolf predators and with strict hunting restrictions, allowed deer ticks to rapidly invade throughout much of New England and the Midwest. Climate change has also contributed. Warmer winters accelerate ticks' life cycles and allow them to survive an estimated 28 miles further north each year.

Ticks expanded into suburbanized landscapesfull of animals like white-footed mice and robins, excellent hosts for B. burgdorferi. The expansion of ticks into habitats with ideal hosts allowed the bacterium to spread.

More information: Katharine S. Walter et al. Genomic insights into the ancient spread of Lyme disease across North America, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2017). Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution Katharine S. Walter et al. Genomic insights into the ancient spread of Lyme disease across North America,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0282-8
CANTOS findings. Credit: Brigham and Women's Hospital

In most clinical trials for cancer therapy, investigators test treatments in patients with advanced disease. But a recent cardiovascular secondary prevention study has given researchers a unique opportunity: to explore the effectiveness of giving a drug to patients before cancer emerges. At the European Society of Cardiology meeting, Paul M. Ridker, MD, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at BWH, and colleagues presented findings from CANTOS (Canakinumab Anti-inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes Study). In addition to their cardiovascular results, Ridker and colleagues shared that patients who received the anti-inflammatory therapy canakinumab had a marked reduction in the incidence of lung cancer and lung cancer mortality. In this high-risk population, death from cancer was reduced by half in the group of people who received the highest dosage of the drug. These findings are detailed in a paper published simultaneously in The Lancet.

"As an inflammatory biologist and cardiologist, my primary interest is in heart disease, but my colleagues and I were aware of experimental research indicating a connection between cancer and inflammation, and we recognized that our cardiovascular clinical trial could be the perfect place to explore this link," said Ridker. "The data are exciting because they point to the possibility of slowing the progression of certain cancers. However, this is an exploratory study that needs replication."

CANTOS, designed by Ridker and his colleagues and sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals, is a randomized, double-blinded trial of the anti-inflammatory drug canakinumab, with the primary goal of testing whether the drug lowered rates of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death. More than 10,000 patients with a history of heart attacks who had high levels of C-reactive protein (hsCRP) - a biomarker of inflammation - were enrolled in the study. None of the participants had been diagnosed with cancer.

Participants in the trial received 50 mg, 150 mg or 300 mg of canakinumab or a placebo, injected subcutaneously every three months. They were followed for up to five-and-a-half years. The researchers observed a marked cut in rates of total cancer death, but especially in death due to lung cancer, as well as in the incidence of lung cancer among patients who received the drug. This effect was dose-dependent - for example, lung cancer rates were reduced 26 percent, 39 percent and 67 percent, respectively, for the low, medium and high doses of canakinumab.

Patients who received the highest dose of the drug (300 mg) had approximately half the rate of total cancer deaths and one-quarter the rate of fatal lung cancer compared to those who received the placebo.

Inflammation is one of the body's first lines of defense against harmful invaders such as bacteria. Inflammation can also occur in the lungs, for example, when a person smokes, inhales polluted air or is exposed to toxins such as silica and asbestos. That inflammation is known to increase the risk of lung cancer.

CANTOS evaluated participants with a history of heart attacks who were selected for elevated hsCRP, itself a risk marker for lung cancer. Ridker and colleagues knew that this population - many of whom were smokers - would be at high risk for lung cancer. Therefore, the team had formed an adjudication committee of leading cancer experts as part of their safety monitoring plan, in anticipation of cancer-relevant results.

The research team notes that it's unlikely canakinumab directly prevents new lung cancers from developing - instead, they believe it's more probable that the drug helps slow lung cancer progression and invasiveness, consistent with prior studies in animal models.

"These are fascinating, human findings that open a potential new class of therapies for cancer," said Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, president and CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who was not involved in the study. "We look forward to working with Dr. Ridker and his colleagues to develop and further evaluate anti-inflammatory therapies for lung cancer."

The team closely monitored for adverse events and found an increased risk of fatal infections among approximately one of every 1,000 patients treated. As reported at ESC today, CANTOS met its primary cardiovascular endpoint, reducing risk of a composite of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death by 15 percent (more details in an accompanying BWH press release and simultaneously published New England Journal of Medicine paper). The research team also found significant reductions in arthritis, gout and osteoarthritis, due to the drug's anti-inflammatory properties.

The drug used in this study - canakinumab - is a fully human monoclonal antibody that neutralizes interleukin-1. Interleukin-1 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that, if overexpressed, results in increase inflammation throughout the body as well as increased levels of hsCRP. Canakinumab is currently an "orphan drug" indicated to treat several rare inherited conditions associated with over-production of IL-1?. Ridker is also serving as a principal investigator for CIRT (Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial, sponsored by the National, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute), an ongoing clinical trial testing the effectiveness of low-dose methotrexate in cardiovascular disease. In contrast to canakinumab, low-dose methotrexate is a generic, inexpensive drug commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Results of CIRT are expected in two to three years.

"Our work builds on the idea that cancer and inflammation are intimately linked, and gives novel insights regarding how inhibiting inflammation may slow cancer progression and invasiveness," said Ridker. "While confirmatory work in formal cancer studies are needed to address if and how canakinumab can be integrated into lung cancer protocols, this work represents a stepping stone toward what we hope will be a new treatment approach."

Many Brigham researchers and Brigham-led clinical trials have helped build the case that hsCRP is a marker of inflammation. After making initial observations in the Brigham-led Physicians Health Study and Women's Health Study, Ridker and colleagues continued to unearth evidence of a connection between higher hsCRP levels and greater risk of atherothrombosis through a series of additional Brigham-led clinical trials, including Cholesterol and Recurrent Events (CARE), PRINCE, LANCET, PROVE IT - TIMI 22 and JUPITER. Multiple studies have since shown that hsCRP levels are also predictive of future lung cancer.

CANTOS was proposed and designed by investigators in the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at BWH, in collaboration with Novartis. In addition to Ridker, other Brigham and Women's Hospital researchers who contributed critically to this work include Jean MacFadyen, BA; Brendan M. Everett, MD; Peter Libby, MD; and Robert J. Glynn, ScD. Ridker and Glynn received financial support for clinical research from Novartis to conduct the CANTOS. Ridker has served as a consultant to Novartis and is listed as a co-inventor on patents held by BWH that relate to the use of inflammatory biomarkers in cardiovascular disease and diabetes that have been licensed to AstraZeneca and Siemens.

More information: Paul M Ridker et al, Effect of interleukin-1 inhibition with canakinumab on incident lung cancer in patients with atherosclerosis: exploratory results from a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, The Lancet (2017). Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine , The Lancet Paul M Ridker et al, Effect of interleukin-1 inhibition with canakinumab on incident lung cancer in patients with atherosclerosis: exploratory results from a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32247-X
Credit: University of Manchester

Bacteria may be responsible for more than we suspect. Especially when it comes to inflammatory diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

Prof. Resia Pretorius from Stellenbosch University (SU) in South Africa and Prof. Douglas Kell from The University of Manchester have conducted a series of studies that are drastically changing the way scientists think about the effect bacteria have on a number of diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Sepsis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and most recently type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Previously, Pretorius and Kell have established that these chronic inflammatory diseases also have a microbial origin. "If the bacteria were active, or replicating, as in the case of infectious diseases, we would have known all about that," says Kell. "But the microbes are not replicating, they're mainly actually dormant."

Because their dormant nature meant that they did not manifest under standard microbial test conditions, bacteria were previously thought to be absent from human blood, consistent with the view that blood is 'sterile'. However, high levels of iron in blood (typical of inflammatory diseases) can effectively bring these bacteria back to life. Previous research suggested that under these conditions, the bacteria start replicating and secreting lipopolysaccharides (LPS), leading to increased inflammation.

The one thing these chronic diseases have in common is constantly elevated levels of inflammation. Pretorius and Kell had already established that anomalous amyloidogenic blood clotting, a cause of inflammation, is linked to and can be experimentally induced by bacterial cell wall constituents such as LPS and Lipoteichoic acid (LTA). These are cell wall components of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively.

These coagulopathies (adverse blood clotting) are also typical of inflammatory diseases and the researchers have long shown that they lead to amyloid formation, where the blood clotting proteins (called fibrinogen) are structurally deformed from a-helixes to a flat b-sheet-like structures, potentially leading to cell death and neuro-degeneration.

As a result, the fibrin fibres of blood clots in diseased individuals are distinctly different from those of healthy individuals. This can be visualised microscopically and is discussed in various publications from the group. "In normal blood clots, these fibres would look like a bowl of spaghetti" explains Pretorius. "But in diseased individuals, their blood clots look matted with large fused and condensed fibres. They can also be observed with special stains that fluoresce in the presence of amyloid."

The researchers found that this changed clot structure is present in all inflammatory conditions studied, now including type 2 diabetes. But what is the link between this abnormal clot formation, bacteria, LPS and TLA? And are there any molecules that may "mop up" LPS or LTA and that might be circulating in the blood of people with inflammatory diseases?

In their 2017 study, recently published in Scientific Reports (a Nature publication), Pretorius and Kell, along with MSc student Ms Sthembile Mbotwe from the University of Pretoria, investigated the effect of LPS-binding protein (LBP), which is normally produced by all individuals. They added LBP to blood from T2D patients (and also to healthy blood after the addition of LPS). Previously they had showed that LPS causes abnormal clot formation when added to healthy blood, and that this could be reversed by LBP. In this publication they showed that LBP could also reverse the adverse clot structure in T2D blood. This process was confirmed by both scanning electron microscopy and super-resolution confocal microscopy. The conclusion is clear: bacterial LPS is a significant player in the development and maintenance of T2D and its disabling sequelae.

"In an inflamed situation, large amounts of LPS probably prevent LBP from doing its work properly," explains Pretorius.

So what does this mean in terms of treatment?

"We now have a considerable amount of evidence, much of it new, that in contrast to the current strategies for attacking T2D, the recognition that it involves dormant microbes, chronic inflammatory processes and coagulopathies, offer new opportunities for treatment," the researchers conclude.

More information: Etheresia Pretorius et al. Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) reverses the amyloid state of fibrin seen in plasma of type 2 diabetics with cardiovascular co-morbidities, Scientific Reports (2017). Journal information: Scientific Reports Etheresia Pretorius et al. Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) reverses the amyloid state of fibrin seen in plasma of type 2 diabetics with cardiovascular co-morbidities,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09860-4
Parkinson's disease is an insidious disease: by the time it manifests as the typical motor dysfunctions such as tremors or muscle rigidity, portions of the brain have already been irreversibly destroyed. By this stage, the disease will have often begun already decades earlier. In search of an early portent of the disease, researchers led by Prof. Paul Wilmes, head of the Eco-Systems Biology Group at the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) of the University of Luxembourg, may now have found one in the gut: they have shown that the bacterial community in the gut of Parkinson's patients differs from that of healthy people even at a very early stage of the disease. The researchers present their results in the scientific journal Movement Disorders.

Experts have long been discussing the notion that Parkinson's disease originates far outside the brain. According to the "dual hit" hypothesis, a hitherto unknown pathogen intrudes into the body through two ports of entry: the nose or the gastrointestinal tract. Once there, it sets a pathological process in motion, above all the misfolding of the protein alpha-synuclein. This is a protein whose exact function remains unknown. Among other things, it is presumed to be involved in the excretion of messengers such as dopamine. The misfolding of this protein could propagate through the nerve pathways, where - decades later - it produces the typical clumping in the dopaminergic cells, known as Lewy bodies, that are characteristic of Parkinson's. Ultimately, nerve cells start to die off and the typical symptoms of Parkinson's disease appear.

The researchers led by Wilmes, together with physicians Prof. Brit Mollenhauer and Prof. Wolfgang Oertel and their teams in Gottingen, Kassel and Marburg, explored the question of whether the early events in the course of the disease also change the bacterial community, the microbiome, at the two possible ports of entry. They took samples from the nose and gut of 76 Parkinson's patients and 78 healthy control people who are taking part in a long-term study. They also examined the microbiome of 21 subjects diagnosed with iRBD, Idiopathic Rapid-Eye-Movement Sleep Behaviour Disorder. People with this sleep disorder have a greatly elevated risk of developing Parkinson's disease later in life.

It turned out that the bacterial community of the gut differed considerably between all three groups. "Parkinson's patients could be differentiated from healthy controls by their respective gut bacteria," explains the first author Dr. Anna Heintz-Buschart from the Eco-Systems Biology Group. And the majority of the differential bacteria showed similar trends in the iRBD group. For example, certain germs were more prevalent in one group while the count was lower in others. In the samples from the subjects' nasal cavities, however, the researchers found no such differences. The study also revealed that certain gut microbes are associated with non-motor Parkinson's symptoms, for example depression.

"We hope that, by comparing the groups, we will learn to better understand the role of the microbiome in the process of the disease and to find out what changes occur and when," Paul Wilmes explains. "This might deliver new starting points for early treatment of the disease. It would also be essential knowledge for one day being able to use the absence or presence of certain bacteria as a biomarker for early detection of the disease."

Apart from the LCSB researchers, scientists from the Paracelsus-Elena-Klinik in Kassel, the Department of Neurology of Philipps Universitat in Marburg, and the Departments of Neurology and Neuropathology of the University Medical Center Gottingen were involved in the study. The work was supported by the Luxembourg Rotary Club under its "Espoir en tete" programme, by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) and the German Research Foundation (DFG).

More information: Anna Heintz-Buschart et al, The nasal and gut microbiome in Parkinson's disease and idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, Movement Disorders (2017). Anna Heintz-Buschart et al, The nasal and gut microbiome in Parkinson's disease and idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder,(2017). DOI: 10.1002/mds.27105
Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

New biologic drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies and immunotherapies in clinical development, designed to target metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) and stimulate the immune system to destroy tumor cells are a significant advance in treatment over conventional chemotherapy. A comprehensive overview of novel approaches to combating CRC, the fourth most common type of tumor worldwide that has already metastasized when diagnosed in more than 50% of patients, is presented in Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals.

In the article entitled "Molecular Targeted Drugs and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer: Recent Progress and Future Perspectives," Fang Geng, Zheng Wang, Hang Yin, Junxian Yu, and Banwei Cao, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China, provide insights into the new biological agents approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for metastatic CRC and their ability to extend patients' medical overall survival. The authors also present a detailed examination of investigational drugs currently in clinical trials, including immunotherapeutic agents such as monoclonal antibodies targeting PD-1/PD-L1, which have been approved to treat other types of cancer. The discussion on future directions and prospects for novel therapeutic strategies includes topics such as the promise of combination therapies, and approaches to overcoming drug resistance.

"This review highlights the significant progress that is being made with targeted biological agents alone, and in combination with chemotherapy, for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, including the use of immunotherapy. It is a valuable resource for current research in this area," says Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals Co-Editor-in-Chief Donald J. Buchsbaum, PhD, Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

More information: Fang Geng et al, Molecular Targeted Drugs and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer: Recent Progress and Future Perspectives, Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals (2017). Fang Geng et al, Molecular Targeted Drugs and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer: Recent Progress and Future Perspectives,(2017). DOI: 10.1089/cbr.2017.2210
Cells imaged in an electron microscope. A mitochondrion of one cell is highlighted in red. Credit: Hartwig Wolburg / Universitat Tubingen

A diabetes drug might help in certain types of Parkinson's disease, reports a team of German brain researchers headed by Dr. Julia Fitzgerald at the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, the University of Tubingen and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Tubingen. The neuroscientists identified a protein that plays an important role in the energy balance of cells. If the protein is missing, the energy balance is disturbed leading possibly to cell death and ultimately to the onset of the disease. In Parkinson's disease, nerve cells die off in a brain area responsible for movement control. Using cell cultures, the research team has now shown that the diabetes drug metformin acts on the energy budget, thereby protecting the cells. The study has been published in the current issue of the journal Brain.

"When studying cells from a patient suffering from Parkinson's disease we saw that they lack an important protein which regulates the energy production," explains Fitzgerald. As a result, the cells keep on producing energy in their mitochondriathe cells' powerhousesunchecked and less regulated. Energy production comes at the cost of the generation of free oxygen radicals. The radicals damage the cell and lead to aging and, in the long term, sometimes to cell death. "The diabetes drug acts like a brake in this process. It slows down the uncontrolled generation of energy, thereby protecting the cells from the negative effects," the researcher reports.

The study by the Tubingen neuroscientists provides another indication that diabetes drugs might have a positive influence on certain types of Parkinson's disease. "Only recently, an Anglo-American research collaboration showed that another diabetes drug can reduce movement disorder symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease," says Fitzgerald. The new findings of Fitzgerald and her colleagues contribute to the development of personalized medicine which aims at treating the disease with interventions tailored to the underlying individual trigger factor in each patient. In Parkinson's disease, both hereditary predisposition and environmental influences play a role in the development of the disease. "Ultimately, the cause varies from person to person," explains Fitzgerald. "In the long term, our study will be beneficial to patients suffering from faulty energy production in cells." At present, there are no drugs available that may stop or slow down Parkinson's disease, physicians may only treat symptoms. Worldwide, there are about 10 million people affected by the disease.

More information: Metformin reverses TRAP1 mutation-associated alterations in mitochondrial function in Parkinson's disease. Brain, doi.org/10.1093/brain/awx202 Journal information: Brain Metformin reverses TRAP1 mutation-associated alterations in mitochondrial function in Parkinson's disease.
HMS Professor John Kelly helped to create the "Addiction-ary," a glossary of addiction-related terms to help medical professionals and the general public modify their language about addiction. Graphic by Rebecca Coleman/Harvard Staff

When confronting the power of addiction, the power of language is important to keep in mind, specialists say.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic handbook, describes someone struggling with addiction as having "opioid use disorder." But many of us are more familiar with "drug abuser," as well as the term's negative connotations.

"It's so hard for people to give up the 'abuse' word," said Sarah Wakeman, medical director of the Substance Use Disorders Initiative and the Addiction Consult Team at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), during an interview at her office.

Wakeman has written frequently on the topic, urging people to adopt medically accurate, "person-first" language.

The terms "abuse" and "abuser," she wrote in an article published last year by the American Society of Addiction Medicine, "imply a willful misconduct and have been shown to increase stigma and reduce the quality of care." Equally harmful, she added, is the language often applied to the most effective form of treatment.

"The stigma surrounding the use of pharmacotherapy, in particular opioid agonist therapy, is arguably more potent and harmful than the general stigma about addiction," Wakeman wrote. Drugs such as buprenorphine, which can curb cravings and withdrawal symptoms, are too often called a "replacement addiction." To counter that misconception, the use of buprenorphine, which is marketed under the brand name Suboxone, should simply be called "treatment" rather than "medication-assisted treatment," Wakeman said.

For Wakeman and other specialists, the distinction between "dependency" and "addiction," two terms that are often interchanged, needs to be made clear. Many people who use an opioid to treat chronic pain become dependent on the drug, meaning if they stop taking it they will go through withdrawal, said Wakeman. By contrast, addiction is a medical disorder in which "you are compulsively using more and more of a drug that can cause bad things to happen in your life."

Descriptions such as "clean" and "dirty" also have to go, Wakeman said.

"A doctor would never tell a patient suffering from diabetes that their blood was dirty with glucose," said Wakeman, demonstrating her simple rule for language choices.

"We should ask, 'Is this a term that we would use for another medical condition?' If the answer is 'no,' we shouldn't use it."

For many, the first step toward recovery means admitting a problem. In abstinence programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous participants often say their name followed by the statement "and I'm an alcoholic." While Wakeman urges people to say whatever makes them feel comfortable, from health care providers she expects "medically accurate terms."

"The power of language is so strong, and the stigma is so deeply felt," said Wakeman, who bristles at the terms "junkie" and "addict."

That power was clear in findings by Harvard Medical School's John Kelly, who in 2010 conducted a pair of studies to test his theory that people exposed to certain terms associated with addiction display unconscious biases.

Kelly, the Elizabeth R. Spallin Associate Professor of Psychiatry in Addiction Medicine, crafted two descriptions of someone struggling with addiction. In one paragraph he referred to the person as a "substance abuser," which he believed might suggest the notion of willful misconduct and lead to more punitive approaches. In the other paragraph he wrote "substance use disorder," a term he thought might convey the idea of a medical malfunction and lead to less punitive, more treatment-oriented attitudes.

Kelly then randomly assigned the descriptions to 600 doctoral-level clinicians and asked them to answer a series of questions including whether the person should be punished or treated, whether he should be blamed for his condition, and whether he was a threat. Later Kelly repeated the test with the general population.

In both groups the research found that "individuals who were exposed to the 'substance abuser' term had much more punitive attitudes toward the subject than if he was described as having a substance use disorder," Kelly said.

After the Medical School published the findings in its Mental Health Letter, word spread. Kelly traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Michael Botticelli, then-director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, and he presented the research at the first national drug policy reform summit in 2013. Soon the White House adopted his recommended terminology.

In 2015, Kelly spoke before the International Society of Addiction Journal Editors at a conference in Budapest. In response, the group formulated a consensus statement that recommends against using stigmatizing terminology, most notably "abuse" and "abuser," in published addiction science.

Another move influenced by his research, Kelly said, was the decision by the Associated Press to include a new entry on addiction and to revise drug-related entries in the latest edition of its stylebook.

The work continues. As the founder and director of MGH's Recovery Research Institute, Kelly helped created a web tool called the Addiction-ary, a glossary of addiction-related terms including several words that come with a bold "stigma alert" warning. The national nonprofit Facing Addiction has adopted the tool, he said.

"If we want addiction destigmatized, we need a language that's unified and really accurately portrays the true nature of what we've learned about these conditions over the last 25 years," said Kelly.

"This goes beyond political correctness," he added. "It's not just a matter of being nice. What we now know is that actual exposure to these specific terms induces this implicit cognitive bias. If you really want to solve the problem, you want to remove any barriers and obstacles."
Researchers at St George's, University of London say the new speedy test will mean that for the first time ever patients with common sexual infections will be able to get their diagnosis, results and treatment in one clinical visit.

Placing these rapid and accurate tests into clinics may also have a big impact on the fight against antibiotic resistance, as they enable correct diagnosis of infections that have similar signs and symptoms. It has the potential to be used in specialised sexual health clinics as well as outreach and community settings.

The test works by placing a swab or a small amount of urine into the test cartridge, placing the cartridge into the shoe-box sized diagnostic machine, designed by innovation firm Atlas Genetics Ltd, and waiting just 30 minutes for the result.

The project between experts at the university's Applied Diagnostic Research and Evaluation Unit (ADREU) and Atlas Genetics Ltd and Aquarius Population Health (APH) aims further the development and implementation of the test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Together the St George's team and Aquarius Population Health (APH) will assist the adoption of this new technology into NHS services.

Local clinical trials, led by Dr Emma Harding-Esch ADREU Programme Manager and Epidemiology Lead at St George's, will establish the accuracy of the test and APH will provide essential data on cost-effectiveness.

Key to the success is a programme of work led by Dr Sebastian Fuller, ADREU Social Science Lead researcher, also based at St George's, which is designed to identify the main factors that might facilitate or obstruct adoption of new technologies in the health system.

Dr Tariq Sadiq, Director of ADREU and Reader in Sexual Health and HIV Medicine, said: "This is a highly exciting and innovative approach to overcoming the substantial challenges to getting great technology adopted into the NHS by shedding light on potential routes through the complex landscape of factors and obstacles in our health systems."

The work is being funded by a two-year grant from Innovate UK, the UK's innovation agency which helps take new ideas to market by supporting and connecting innovative businesses, awarded to Atlas Genetics Ltd.

Dr Elisabeth Adams, Managing Director of Aquarius Population Health added: "We are very excited to collaborate on this Innovate UK funded project. We hope that our innovative digital value proposition tool will help sexual health clinics in their commissioning and adoption of this new technology."

Dr John Clarkson, Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Genetics, said: "We are delighted to have been selected for this substantial follow-on contract.

"The work being done by this collaboration will enable us to better understand how best to integrate our io system into UK sexual health clinical practice. Innovate UK's commitment to introducing new, pioneering approaches to healthcare validates both our technology and our leading role in molecular diagnostics."
Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks at the annual conference of the National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children at the KI Convention Center on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Green Bay, Wis. (Adam Wesley/The Post-Crescent via AP)

Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday called drug overdose deaths "the top lethal issue" in the U.S. and urged law enforcement and social workers to "create and foster a culture that's hostile to drug use."

Sessions spoke to the annual conference of the National Alliance For Drug Endangered Children. He said preliminary data show nearly 60,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2016, the highest ever.

"Our current drug epidemic is indeed the deadliest in American history. We've seen nothing like it," said Sessions.

He highlighted Department of Justice efforts to curb opioid abuse, including a pilot program announced Aug. 2 to send 12 federal prosecutors to cities ravaged by addiction to investigate health care fraud and opioid scams.

At one point he accused Hollywood, the media and government officials for sending "mixed messages about the harmfulness of drugs." He didn't name any government officials.

"This is not acceptable," Sessions said. "We must not capitulate, intellectually or morally, to drug use. We must create and foster a culture that's hostile to drug use."

In May, Sessions reversed an effort from the Obama-era Justice Department that called on federal prosecutors to rein in the use of long, mandatory minimum sentences for some drug criminals to focus resources elsewhere. Sessions is now directing prosecutors to pursue the toughest punishments against most suspects.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is calling the epidemic of drug overdose deaths "the top lethal issue" in the U.S. and urged everyone "create and foster a culture that's hostile to drug use."

Sessions delivered the remarks Tuesday to the National Alliance For Drug Endangered Children, which is hosting its annual conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Sessions told conference attendees that preliminary data showing nearly 60,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2016 will be the highest in the country's history.

Sessions spoke for about 25 minutes and left without taking questions.

At one point, he accused Hollywood, the media and government officials for sending "mixed messages about the harmfulness of drugs." He didn't name any government officials.

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Have you noticed a number of low objects installed Downtown lately that are hidden beneath tarps? These mysterious things were unveiled today and are meant to help Milwaukee's homeless population.

While on a road trip last month, I noticed that Louisville has change collection boxes along its downtown museum row. The Positive Change boxes collect change for programs that benefit the homeless. I thought the boxes, installed in 2011, were a good idea.

A few days later, back in Milwaukee, I learned that these masked arrivals Downtown are a similar project. They are coin collection meters that are part of Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21's Key to Change collaboration with Milwaukee County's Housing Division, Marquette University, MPD, the City and the Districts Attorney Office.

The Key to Change mission is "To elevate awareness of our communitys quality of life programs, which are key in effectively assisting citizens with mental health and substance abuse issues, and end chronic homelessness and public nuisance behaviors."

Phase one of the program includes the installation of the first seven of the 20 key-shaped meters that will be installed in East Town, Westown and The Third Ward. Just as in Louisville, 100 percent of the proceeds will be used for housing assistance, including an outreach coordinator, move-in kits and more.

Donations to Key to Change can also be made online at keytochangemke.com. Using the online system allows donors to receive a receipt for their tax-deductible contributions and to allocate their donations to one of three programs: Downtown Homeless Outreach Coordinator funding, Housing First Endowment Fund support or for the purchase of move-in kits for Housing First participants.

For more information on Key to Change, visit keytochangemke.com.
In 1978, Dawn Bersch was 10 years old and her parents, Sam and Liz Armato, bought a franchise called Wicks N Sticks inside the Northridge Mall. The family moved from Rockford, Ill., to Brown Deer so they could run the store  which they did until 1990.

Aptly named, Wicks N Sticks sold primarily candles and was located in the mall next to a maternity shop called Lady Madonna (which was also next door to Spencer Gifts) and across from Kay-Bee Toys and Kinney Shoes.

Bersch spent many hours of her childhood inside the shop with her parents and, when she got older, worked there.

"Nothing could ever replace the experience of working in the mall during that time period. It was a culture, a community," says Bersch. "I made so many friends: Rose from Buddy Squirrel, Ralph and Sharon from Slicers, Don the UPS guy and Randy, the customer who bought any type of rose merchandise we had."

Through the store, Bersch also befriended coworkers and now longtime pals Agnes Miller, Mary Behlert, Ellen Harris and Deb Schultz, whose father  ironically  was a firefighter and didn't want her to burn any candles at home for fear of a house fire. Schultz says she and Bersch, who have been friends now for 40 years, were inseparable as teens.

"Dawn and I were like sisters," says Schultz. "She practically lived at my house. I was the youngest of eight and shes really quiet so my parents didn't really mind or even know that she was there."

In the 70s and into the 80s, most Wicks N Sticks items were wax based, including basics like tapers, pillars, "drip candles" and votives along with more elaborate wax sculptures shaped like dragons, castles, tree faces, wizards with "glowing" eyes, parrots, butterflies, horse heads, unicorns, waterfalls, cheeseburgers, banana splits and real glasses filled with wax soda and beer.

"They all had wicks, but most people didnt burn them," says Bersch.

Because the food and drink candles looked so real, some customers stuck their fingernails into the candles to make sure they were, in fact, fake.

"This led us to post signs throughout the store that read our candles do not itch, so please do not scratch them," says Bersch.

Bersch remembers taking extra-special care to wrap the unicorn candles so the horns wouldnt break off.

"We wrapped the horns in bubble wrap, and the whole unicorn in tissue and then carefully placed it in a box with Styrofoam chips," she says.

Despite the careful wrapping, a man came to the store a day after Christmas and claimed the unicorn candle he bought for his wife was broken when she opened it. Bersch reminded him that they took extreme precaution wrapping and packing unicorn candles to ensure that didn't happen.

"The man got so mad he threw the unicorn on the floor and it shattered everywhere. Security came and made him pick up every single piece and then escorted him out of the mall," says Bersch.

"The month of December was crazy and sometimes it was difficult to even walk through the store because there were so many people. It was my favorite time of year, though. My mom is very creative and she put together some amazing displays and it was fun to watch her."

Because it was years before Internet shopping was a possibility, holiday consumers were bound to the mall for their gift selection. Thus, Bersch says they could sell almost anything in December.

"Especially to the guys," she says. "We could put anything out and theyd buy it because they were in a panic to get something for their girlfriends."

Although the holiday season was her favorite time of year at the shop, Bersch also appreciated the warmer months.

"I loved the quiet months of summer, when customers would trickle in, usually looking for help in purchasing a wedding candle," she says. "I also loved watching the people pass by our storefront, bags in hand, scanning the lit up store names deciding which one to hit next."

Halloween was also a big holiday for Wicks 'N' Sticks.

Later in the 80s, Wicks N Sticks turned into a home decorating store featuring hurricane globes, sconces, hand-blown glass wind chimes, glass oil lamps with smokeless fiberglass wicks, music boxes, "Books of Love," collectibles such as David Winter Cottages and carved wedding candles.

Berschs parents sold the store in 1990 because the mall was in decline and because Berschs father wanted to move to a warmer climate. The couple moved to Las Vegas to be closer to friends  who also owned a Wicks N Sticks  and the fond memories continue to burn with Bersch and with Schultz to this day.

"It was very much a family environment," says Schultz. "Wed still work there if we could."
Mountain Caribou in British Columbia, Canada observed during a population census. Credit: Robert Serrouya

What happens when invasive and native species are eaten by the same predator? If the invasive species is abundant, the native species can go extinct because predator numbers are propped up by the invading species. This process is called "apparent competition" because on the surface it "appears" that the invading and native prey directly compete with each other, but really the shared predator links the two prey.

Apparent competition is an increasing problem, causing endangerment and extinction of native prey as abundant species colonize new areas in the wake of human-caused change to the environment. This is exactly what is happening to the iconic woodland caribou across North America. Prey like moose and white-tailed deer are expanding in numbers and range because of logging and climate change, which in turn increases predator numbers (e.g. wolves). With all these additional predators on the landscape, more caribou become by-catch, driving some herds to extinction.

A short-term solution would be to kill wolves but this can be seen as just a band aid, and is no longer politically acceptable in many jurisdictions. As a more ultimate solution, Serrouya and colleagues used a new government policy and treated it as an experiment, to maximize learning. The new policy was to reduce moose numbers to levels that existed prior to widescale logging, with an adjacent reference area where moose were not reduced. The results of this research are published in an article titled "Experimental moose reduction lowers wolf density and stops decline of endangered caribou," and is published today in the peer reviewed and open access journal PeerJ.

Graphical abstract for "Experimental moose reduction lowers wolf density and stops decline of endangered caribou." Credit: PeerJ

Following the reduction of moose using sport hunting, wolf number numbers declined, with wolf dispersal rates 2.5  greater than the reference area, meaning that dispersal was the process leading to fewer wolves. Caribou annual survival increased from 0.78 to 0.88 for the Columbia North herd, located in the moose reduction area, but survival declined in the reference area (Wells Gray). The Columbia North herd probably stabilized as a result of the moose reduction, and has been stable for 14 years (2003 - 2017). By expanding their comparison across western Canada and the lower 48 states, they found that a separate herd subjected to another moose reduction was also stable, whereas at least 15 other herds not subjected to moose reductions are continuing to decline.

The results obtained by Serrouya and colleagues are similar to other studies that used more controversial approaches. For example, in Alberta, 841 wolves were removed in the Little Smoky caribou herd over 7 years, but results were as good or better using the less controversial approach of reducing invasive prey (moose). But, population stability is insufficient to achieve recovery goals for caribou, which require population growth. This conclusion suggests that several limiting factors and management levers must be addressed simultaneously to achieve population growth for caribou. These levers include habitat protection, reducing invading prey, and if needed, short-term and focused predator removal.

More information: Serrouya et al. (2017), Experimental moose reduction lowers wolf density and stops decline of endangered caribou. PeerJ (2017). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3736 Journal information: PeerJ

Provided by PeerJ
"Inclusion bodies" of amyloid plaque are visible in a subject's retina in this scan published in Dr. Peter Snyder's 2016 paper. Credit: Snyder et al.

Mark Wolff wanted to know. To him, the thought of suffering through Alzheimer's disease the way his father didwithout knowing, and without his family knowing, what he was up against until late in its progression is worse than learning, even while he's still perfectly healthy, that a possible precursor of the disease has gained a toehold.

"I'm not a worrier by nature," Wolff said. "I just don't want to wind up like my dad. It was just a nightmare what happened to him. He didn't get the medical attention he needed and his quality of life could have been better."

So Wolff, a lighting company executive from Bristol, R.I., enrolled in a trial at Butler Hospital and found out through a positron emission tomography (PET) scan of his brain that he has early signs of amyloid plaque. The presence of plaque, a tangle of proteins that could eventually cause the neurodegeneration of Alzheimer's disease, is a risk factoreven so, Wolff might never develop the disease. Or if he does, it might not affect him for a decade or more.

The trial, being conducted at both Butler and Rhode Island Hospital, is led by Dr. Stephen Salloway, a professor of neurology at Brown University and director of Butler's Memory and Aging Program. It has two goals. One is to test whether the drug solanezumab will prevent or delay memory loss and slow amyloid plaque buildup in people at increased risk for Alzheimer's. The other, via a sub-study launched at Butler Hospital, is to test whether a retinal scan can monitor that progress as well as the much more expensive PET scans. Salloway is working on the larger trial with Dr. Brian Ott, a Brown professor of neurology and director of the Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Center at Rhode Island Hospital.

As part of the research, Wolff returned to Butler on a warm summer afternoon for what unfolded like an eye doctor's appointment. Nurse practitioner Brittany Dawson dilated Wolff's eyes with drops. From there, he stared into the same optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanner that an ophthalmologist or optometrist would use to look for macular degeneration or glaucoma. For about 20 minutes, while postdoctoral researcher Dr. Jessica Alber operated the machine and guided him through the experiment, Wolff posed his retinas for multiple close-ups that will be independently inspected for the presence of amyloid plaques.

Inspired in large part by research led by colleague Dr. Peter Snyder, a professor of neurology and ophthalmology at Brown and senior vice president and chief research officer at Lifespan, Salloway and Ott believe that the retina may provide a reliable reflection of early but significant Alzheimer's disease risk in the brain. If so, that could vastly expand the number of people around the world who receive an early risk assessment and could save tremendous amounts of money compared to $5,000 PET scans, Snyder said.

The best chance for treating Alzheimer's, Snyder said, will be to identify and treat the disease long before symptoms arise, because by then too much damage may be done. Meanwhile, the need is so widespread that it must be done inexpensively and with non-invasive equipment as common as an OCT eye scanner. PET is both too costly and not widely available enough to be the first-line screening tool.

"We have to identify markers that are accessible to point-of-care clinicians," Snyder said. "The number of people with Alzheimer's disease is going to triple over the next 50 years. We have to change the impact of this disease. If we don't get this right, the burden on society is going to be devastating."

Snyder expects that doctors will need to combine several biomarkers to produce an estimate of patients' eventual Alzheimer's risk: family history, genetics, and cognitive and memory tests will likely combine with multiple retinal indicators into a comprehensive algorithm. Those with especially high emerging risk might then go on to PET scans and early-stage treatmentsperhaps solanezumabas those are proven, he said.

Mark Wolff prepares for a series of retinal scans for a study that may help to determine whether the eyes provide a useful window into the early development of Alzheimers disease. Credit: Nicholas Dentamaro

The brain in the eyes

The retina is a part of the central nervous system that doctors can see by opening nothing more than an eyelid.

"Potentially, the eye could be the window to the brain in the fight against Alzheimer's," said Salloway, who along with Ott and Snyder is affiliated with the Brown Institute for Brain Science,

The retina has the same biochemistry and similar organization and cell types as the brain, Snyder said, so it makes sense that it, too, would be similarly susceptible to amyloid plaques. It's no surprise given that the retina forms out of the same tissue as the brain in just the first few weeks of an embryo's development.

In recent years, scientists have noticed that amyloid plaques built up in the retinas. In 2016 in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia, Snyder and co-authors published a study of 63 cognitively normal adults with at least one parent with Alzheimer's (just like Wolff) that compared the results of OCT scans with PET scans in the same patients. Snyder's team found a significant relationship between amyloid levels in the cortex of the brain, as measured by PET, and the total surface area of what appear to be amyloid plaques visible in the retina.

"Our findings support the hypothesis that retinal biomarkers could be a useful screening tool to distinguish individuals at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, and could be helpful in identifying ideal candidates for secondary prevention trials," he and his co-authors wrote.

That hypothesis is now being tested further in Salloway's sub-study.

In other recent work, Snyder's research group led by Alber showed that retinal scans can also indicate other potential precursors of closely related neurodegenerative disorders, such as cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

The group is also studying how OCT can image changes in the vasculature of the retina, because amyloid can attack and alter blood vessels as well as neurons. Finally, the researchers are measuring associations between the presence of amyloid plaque and the thickness of individual layers of the retina. In a recent presentation in London of a small study, the team reported that the retinal nerve fiber layer thins as amyloid plaque in the brain increases.

In stunning detail Brown engineer Jonghwan Lee can use retinal scanning technology to image the vasculature of neural tissue. Credit: Jonghwan Lee

Pushing the technology further

As sensitive as conventional OCT has proven to be in measuring the retina, Snyder said, it could get even better through the work of Jonghwan Lee, an assistant professor of engineering at Brown.

In his work to improve neural imaging, Lee has developed sophisticated algorithms that amplify the signal of OCT and reduce the noise. These improvements have allowed him to produce stunningly high-resolution imaging of blood flowred blood cell by red blood cellin even the tiniest capillaries of neural tissue. That means he might be able to very precisely observe some of the small but early changes in vasculature that Snyder is interested in.

The two have begun to collaborate. Working in a mouse model of Alzheimer's and with healthy controls, Lee hopes to track down the earliest vascular, neural and behavioral changes associated with the disease as the mice age.

"Our first hypothesis is that maybe alterations in vasculature and blood flow will appear in the brain first, so we are imaging the animal brain every month," Lee said. "And at the same time we are testing the cognitive function of the animal and how it declines and we are looking at blood flow and vasculature in the retina."

"So we will make a bigger picture of which one is first, which one is earlier and how much it is earlier and significant," Lee said.

The goal would be to compile a predictive algorithm of the disease's progression in the mouse from its very earliest stage using a similar combination of biomarkersphysiology, cognition and geneticsthat Snyder suspects will need to be compiled for people.

The study is very early stages, Lee said: "No one knows the exact answer yet."

'Better to know'

In the exam room at Butler, Betty Wolff, Mark's wife of 45 years, shared that it was initially hard for her to hear the results of the PET scan, but she agreed that it's better to know. If the infusions he'll begin later in the summer contain solanuzemab rather than the placebo and if the medication works, his enrollment in the trial might help to stop or slow the disease even before it even gets started. And at least if Wolff becomes symptomatic with Alzheimer's down the road, the family will have had ample warning and will be able to manage the condition as well as possible, right from the start.

None of those possibilities was available for Wolff's dad, which is why he's so eager to volunteer to advance this research. He's no stranger to volunteering, having been a blood donor and a Big Brother for decades. Volunteering for research is a way to help society get the upper hand on Alzheimer's disease, he said, and the huge suffering and costs that it brings.

"We're living longer and we understand what makes our bodies live longer," said Wolff, who turns 70 in September. "If this is something that they don't conquer, people are not going to have a quality of life at the end."
Climate change is a test of our ability to identify, understand and act on critical global environmental issues. Credit: Lars Schmidt via Flickr

We humans have tried to dominate this planet and the earth has served as the basis for the material wealth enjoyed by many in the developed world. As our population has grown dramatically over the past hundred years, the planet's ability to handle all of our needs has come under stress. I firmly believe that with ingenuity, technology, management and care, we can develop a renewable resource-based economy that can provide for all of us without destroying the planet. But a sustainable economy requires that we recognize our impact on the planet and learn to manage that impact. That requires science, engineering, management and a willingness to deal with reality.

Denying that humans cause climate change is a problem because climate is actually one of the more straightforward environmental impacts that we have identified. We know what causes greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them. By transitioning from fossil fuels to other forms of energy we can reduce human-made climate change. Changing the energy base of our economy will be a long and difficult process, but it is not particularly complicated.

Other problemssuch as preserving biodiversity, the accumulation of marine debris, deforestation, and the release of toxics into our air, land, and waterare far more complex. The chemicals we have fabricated make our buildings more durable, our autos more efficient, and bring enormous benefit, but the flip side of their durability is that they are not biodegradable. They persist in the environment and must be managed to prevent harm. Some are toxic, others are simply persistent and end up where they don't belong. We need to learn how to address the problems we understand before we get on to some of the more complicated problems that we are still trying to assess. We have to do a better job of recognizing the signs of environmental stress all around us. We know how to do this and have successfully grown our economy while reducing environmental impact. America's air, water, and land are far cleaner today than in 1980. We have accomplished many environmental goals while continuing to grow our population and GDP. But we need to continue building our ability to protect the planet. Unfortunately climate change has become an ideological issue in the U.S. at the very moment we need to develop a consensus about the facts of human impact on our ecosystems.

We need to do a better job of building consensus on the facts of our impact on the planet. Let's agree that population has grown. The world had 1.6 billion people in 1900, 2.5 billion in 1950, 6 billion in 2000 and 7.5 billion in 2017. The U.S. doubled in population from 1900 to 1950, growing from 75 to 151 million people during that half century. By 2000 we had 281 million people in the U.S. and this year we estimate our population at 326 million. Our use of energy and material resources has grown and in the developing world an era of rapid growth is now underway. We know that as people get wealthier, the rate of population growth slows and we expect the planet's human population to peak at between 9 and 10 billion people, assuming that economic development takes place throughout the world.

The world's population has grown by well over 400 percent since 1900. Our growing wealth and consumption has been even more dramatic, so here's the obvious question: Could that amount of growth have taken place without significant negative impact on the planet's air, water, and land? The technology that our economy is built on is far more toxic than we want to believe. That does not mean we can or should turn off the economy, but we must learn to understand its environmental impact. The fact of environmental damage is obvious and needs to be accepted. But more than that, we need to learn how to measure our impacts and minimize them when possible. I am not arguing that we need to change our way of life, but we need to pay more attention to what we are doing and do it with the least possible impact.

I believe that most climate deniers refuse to see the facts of human impact for one of two reasons: 1.) They do not want to change their lifestyle and resent being told they have to do so; or 2.) They have a vested economic interest in fossil fuels. I believe it is possible to maintain our lifestyles while reducing environmental damage, but the long term economic future for fossil fuels is not good. Energy use will continue to grow, since it is central to modern life. But fossil fuels are going the way of the horse-drawn carriageuseful during its time, but eventually displaced by better technology. The fossil fuel companies should become energy companies and get into the renewable energy business. Other businesses have managed to change with the times. The second "T" in AT&T stood for "telegraph." The phone company got out of the telegraph business, and into the cell phone business. They recognized that the technology of communication was changing. The technology of energy is changing too. No amount of lobbying is going to change that.

Which brings me to climate change. The data is clear that the planet is getting warmer. While we can survive on a warmer planet, the impact of climate change on extreme weather events, agriculture, water, infrastructure, and other elements of the built environment will be profound and disruptive. Moreover, because there are more people on the planet, more people are in the pathways of climate impacts. This past weekend we saw Hurricane Harvey make landfall in Texas. The impact was devastating and is continuing. The storm was made intense by the warmth of the Gulf of Mexico, and the growing population of Texas placed many people in the path of the storm. These impacts and the destruction we are seeing are the new normal. We need to mitigate climate change to reduce the probability that things could get worse. We also need to do a better job of funding and managing recovery, a point I made in the Huffington Post three years ago.

Climate change is a test of our ability to identify, understand and act on critical global environmental issues. It tests our ability to work across national borders and across academic and professional fields of knowledge. Climate change affects food production, global production supply chains, extreme weather events, water supply and many other elements of the complex network of resources and institutions that make our lifestyles possible. We know many of the steps we need to take to mitigate climate change, but the impact of those steps on economic and political life are less well understood. We need to make the transition to a renewable resource-based economy in a way that facilitates rather than impedes economic growth. Any other method could result in political instability with unpredictable outcomes. The transition will be long and difficult.

Denying the existence of a problem makes it impossible to address that problem. It is clear that the Trump Administration does not accept the facts of climate change, and does not think much about the global challenges of environmental sustainability. Over the short term, progress will come despite their lack of interest. It will come because most of the world's business and political leaders recognize the problem. They certainly have come to understand climate change.

The great advance in Paris was that 195 nations signed the climate agreement. Only Syria, Nicaragua and now the United States have refused to sign. The danger of global climate change and the science that explains that change is understood and accepted by nearly everyone. This has happened before, but is rare. Over a half century ago scientists taught us about the dangers of radioactivity from nuclear testing and in an effort to mitigate this early global environmental problem the U.S., U.S.S.R., and Great Britain signed a nuclear test ban treaty. In the past half-century we have learned about other global environmental threats and have struggled to address them. Climate change matters, because it may demonstrate our ability to identify, learn about, and act on a threat to the global environment that is deeply embedded in our economic life. We are still taking the test, but I believe we have a chance of passing.

Provided by State of the Planet

This story is republished courtesy of State of the Planet (http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/). Read original story here.
A stream turned yellow after the ore tailings from mercury sulfide are flushed out. Credit: Flickr/Jerry Burke

Mercury gets a bad rap, and rightly so. It is incredibly toxic to many organisms, and it accumulates in the food chain. That means animals at the top of the food chain, including us humans, often get the highest doses.

To minimise the risk to humans and other living things we need to be able to accurately and efficiently measure concentrations of mercury in the environment.

The problem is mercury comes in many forms and is a slippery customer to track.

But researchers from the University of Melbourne and the University of the Balearic Islands in Spain have developed a new automated technique to isolate different forms of mercury based on the risk of each form moving into the food chain.

Most people are familiar with the liquid metal known as quicksilver, which is pure mercury, but Professor Spas Kolev says that this makes up just a very small fraction of the mercury found in the environment.

"Mercury that ends up in the environment takes other forms such as mercury sulfide, methylmercury, dimethylmercury, ethylmercury and phenylmercury," says Professor Kolev, from the School of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne.

"Some of these forms are much more toxic than others, and some are more mobile than others, meaning they can move through the environment and can into humans more easily.

"Methylmercury for example, easily dissolves in water and can easily get into plants, fish and other animals, while mercury sulfide tends to stay locked in sediment and soil and is much less likely to get into the food chain.

"Just knowing the total concentration of mercury in the environment doesn't give us enough information to determine the risk to humans. It is equally important to know how mobile mercury is which determines its bio-accessibility."

Professor Kolev and his colleagues at the Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM) are interested in the risk to humans and other organisms from mercury in sewage waste that is treated and then used as fertiliser in agricultural systems.

"There are established methods for measuring the mobility of mercury in environmental solids such as treated sewage," says Professor Kolev.

Professor Spas Kolev inspects an automated flow analysis system in his lab at the University of Melbourne. Credit: University of Melbourne

"We add a series of different chemicals to a solid sample, one at a time, and each chemical extracts a different type of mercury which can then be measured using a mercury analyser."

Professor Kolev says that these established methods of measuring mercury bio-accessibility in solid samples are slow, labour intensive, and subject to human error. As a result scientists and environmental monitoring agencies aren't able to measure as many samples as they need to.

But Professor Kolev and his colleague Dr Yanlin Zhang and Professor Manuel Miro from the University of the Balearic Islands, have collaborated to develop a new method and associated instrumentation that drastically reduce the time taken to measure the bio-accessibility of different forms of mercury in solid, organic-rich samples like solid sewerage.

The trick is to use a technique called flow analysis.

"We use a flow analysis system to automatically add four different solutions with increasing leaching ability to the sewerage sample, one at a time," says Professor Kolev.

"Each solution releases a different form of mercury, which then flows through a fluorescence spectrometer which measures its concentration. The first solution contains the most bio-accessible  and hence the most toxic  mercury. The mercury forms left last in the solution have very low bio-availability.

"Using this technique we have been able to reduce the analysis time from five days to just 14 hours."

This technique is almost completely automated, so not only is it much quicker than previous methods, it is also safer and more reliable.

"It allows cost efficient and rapid environmental and health risk assessment of soil and sediment contaminated with mercury to determine if remediation is necessary," says Professor Kolev.

"The way sewerage sludge is either disposed of or reused is partly dependent on the concentration and bio-accessibility of this toxic metal and these two characteristics can now be assessed easily by the new technique."

The research was supported by the Australian Research Council and the Spanish State Research Agency and was the featured article in the July issue of the respected chemistry journal Analytica Chimica Acta.

More information: Yanlin Zhang et al. An automatic flow assembly for on-line dynamic fractionation of trace level concentrations of mercury in environmental solids with high organic load, Analytica Chimica Acta (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2017.05.001 Journal information: Analytica Chimica Acta
Levels of ultrafine particulate matter in Sao Paulo City, Brazil, increased by up to 30% at times when ethanol prices rose and consumption fell. Credit: Leo Ramos Chaves / Pesquisa FAPESP magazine

When ethanol prices at the pump rise for whatever reason, it becomes economically advantageous for drivers of dual-fuel vehicles to fill up with gasoline. However, the health of the entire population pays a high price. Substitution of gasoline for ethanol leads to a 30 percent increase in the atmospheric concentration of ultrafine particles with a diameter of less than 50 nanometers.

The phenomenon was detected in Sao Paulo City, Brazil, in a study supported by the Sao Paulo Reserch Foundation (FAPESP) and published in Nature Communications.

"These polluting nanoparticles are so tiny that they behave like gas molecules. When inhaled, they can penetrate the respiratory system's defensive barriers and reach the pulmonary alveoli, so that potentially toxic substances enter the bloodstream and may increase the incidence of respiratory and cardiovascular problems," said Professor Paulo Artaxo at the University of Sao Paulo's Physics Institute (IF-USP) and a co-author of the study.

He says that between 75 percent and 80 percent of the mass of nanoparticles measured in this study corresponds to organic compounds emitted by motor vehicles. Levels of ultrafine particulate matter in the atmosphere are neither monitored nor regulated by environmental agencies anywhere in the world, Artaxo says.

"What these compounds are, exactly, and how they affect health are questions that require further research." The Sao Paulo State Environmental Corporation (CETESB), for example, routinely monitors only solid particles with diameters of 10,000 nm (PM10) and 2,500 nm (PM2.5), as well as other gaseous pollutants such as ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

Nonetheless, he explains that a consensus is forming in the United States and Europe based on recent research indicating that these emissions are a potential health hazard and should be regulated. Several U.S. states, such as California, have laws requiring a 20 percent-30 percent ethanol blend in gasoline, which also reduces emissions of ultrafine particulate matter.

Data collection was performed from January to May 2011, and the analyses took place before, during and after a sharp fluctuation in ethanol pricesowing to macroeconomic factors such as the international price of sugar (Brazilian ethanol is made from sugarcane)leading consumers to switch motor fuels in Sao Paulo City.

While no significant changes were detected in levels of inhalable fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), the study proved in a real, day-to-day situation that choosing ethanol reduces emissions of ultrafine particles. To date, this phenomenon had only been observed in the laboratory. "These results reinforce the need for public policies to encourage the use of biofuels, as they clearly show that the public loses in health what they save at the pump when opting for gasoline," Artaxo said.

According to Artaxo, the research included innovative approaches so that the study could focus on known aerosols that had already interacted with other substances present in the atmosphere. Thus, collection was performed in a site relatively distant from main traffic thoroughfaresthe top of a 10-story building belonging to IF-USP in the western part of Sao Paulo. "The pollution we inhale every day at home or at work isn't what comes out of vehicular exhaust pipes, but particles already processed in the atmosphere" he explained.

The research used data analysis techniques adapted from a model developed by Brazilian economist Alberto Salvo, first author of the article. The method meticulously integrates a large number of variables. "We adapted a sophisticated statistical model originally developed for economic analysis and used here for the first time to analyze the chemistry of atmospheric nanoparticles," Artaxo said. "The main strength of this tool is that it enables us to work with all these variables, such as the presence or absence of rainfall, wind direction, traffic intensity, and levels of ozone, carbon monoxide, and other pollutants."

Perspectives on low carbon emissions

In Sao Paulo, a city with 7 million motor vehicles and the largest urban fleet of flexible-fuel cars, it would be feasible to run all buses on biofuel. "We have the technology for this in Braziland at a competitive price," he said.

The fact that the city's bus fleet still depends on diesel, Artaxo warned, creates an even worse health hazardemissions of black carbon, one of the main components of soot and a pollutant that contributes to global warming. Alongside electricity generation, the transportation sector is the largest emitter of pollutants produced by the burning of fossil fuels.

For Artaxo, incentives for electric, hybrid or biofuel vehicles are vital to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "By incentivizing biofuels, we could solve several problems at once," he said. "We could combat climate change, reduce harm to health and foster advances in automotive technology by offering a stimulus for auto makers to develop more economical and efficient cars fueled by ethanol."

More information: Alberto Salvo et al. Reduced ultrafine particle levels in Sao Paulo's atmosphere during shifts from gasoline to ethanol use, Nature Communications (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00041-5 Journal information: Nature Communications

Provided by FAPESP
Instrument Scientist Michael McElwain and his team developed an integral field spectrograph called PISCES. The tabletop-sized instrument now is installed at a Jet Propulsion Laboratory facility to test light-suppression technologies for a planned follow-on to the James Webb Space Telescope. Goddard team members include Qian Gong, Tyler Groff, Jorge Llop, Avi Mandell, Maxime Rizzo, Prabal Saxena, and Neil Zimmerman. JPL team members include Eric Cady and Camilo Mejia Prada. Credit: NASA

NASA researchers say they have passed a major milestone in their quest to mature more powerful tools for directly detecting and analyzing the atmospheres of giant planets outside the solar systemone of the observational goals of NASA's proposed Wide-Field Infrared Space Telescope, also known as WFIRST.

In tests conducted at the High-Contrast Imaging Testbed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, in Pasadena, Californiaone of the world's most advanced testbeds of its kindresearchers created what they call a region of very deep contrast between a simulated star and its planet. They also demonstrated the ability to detect and analyze the planet's faint light over a relatively large portion of the visible to near-infrared wavelength band.

An instrument developed by scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Marylandthe Prototype Imaging Spectrograph for Coronagraphic Exoplanet Studies, or PISCESplayed an important role in the demonstration, showing that it could separate light of one or more Jupiter-sized exoplanets by their wavelength (color) and record the data at every position around a star.

To appreciate the researchers' milestone, it's important to understand the challenge itself.

The light from these planets is exceedingly faintfainter than their host stars by a factor of 100 million or more, and from our perspective on Earth, these planets appear quite close to their stars. With a conventional imaging camera, the planet's light is lost in the glare of the star. However, with a coronagrapha device that suppresses the glare and creates a dark zone around a starthe faint light of an exoplanet can be revealed.

Working in concert with the coronagraph, an integral field spectrograph, or IFS, such as PISCES, would be able to separate the exoplanet's light by its wavelength and record the data, revealing details about the planet's physical properties, including the chemical composition and structure of its atmosphere.

During the test, the Goddard-JPL team maintained a very deep contrast over 18 percent of the coronagraph's wavelength banda record that bodes well for future missions like WFIRST, which has baselined a coronagraph and an IFS-type instrument on the mission. (To put this in perspective, the human eye can see the full visible spectrum of colors, from blue to red, which corresponds to a 50 percent bandpass. In comparison, a laser pointer has one single color, which is much smaller than one percent.)

"Achieving a contrast this deep over such a broad band has never been done before and was one of our goals. Ideally, we would like to observe the entire spectrum of the planetin other words, see all its colors at oncebut that's not yet possible with current coronagraphic technologies. Eighteen percent, as demonstrated by PISCES, is the current state of the art," said Goddard scientist and PISCES Instrument Scientist Michael McElwain. In comparison, JPL's laboratory coronagraph maintained the same level of dark contrast over 10 percent of the optical-wavelength bands before the commissioning of the table-top PISCES last year.

"We are not done yet and are still trying to get to higher contrasts, but the 100 million-to-one over 18 percent of the optical wavelength band is an important and significant milestone," said Maxime Rizzo, a postdoctoral student who is working with McElwain and his team to advance PISCES. "With the increased bandpass, we can get many colors at once. This enables us to identify more molecules in the atmospheres and get a big picture."

PISCES, which McElwain developed with funding from Goddard's Internal Research and Development program and the prestigious Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship, separates light a little differently than more traditional spectrographs.

As an IFS-type device, PISCES takes a coronagraphic image and samples it with a micro-lens array made up of more than 5,800 tiny glass segments no larger than the width of three human hairs. The micro-lens creates an array of "spots" that is then dispersed by a prism and finally re-imaged onto a detector. In practice, each micro-lens, or lenslet, isolates a small portion of the coronagraphic image, creating micro-spectra for the light that passes through each tiny lenslet. The multiple spectra then are combined into a data cube that scientists analyze.

The IFS provides all the wavelength information simultaneously across the entire field of view. With more traditional imaging observations, scientists must cycle through the different wavelengths, which takes time and requires a mechanism to change the filtersrequirements not desirable with an orbiting observatory that only has limited time to spend on a target. The optical system itself changes over time due to thermal and dynamic variations, further underscoring the need for simultaneous spectral observations.

"That's why WFIRST planners baselined the IFS-type spectrograph in the first place," Rizzo said. "In this case, PISCES offered information over a full 18 percent of the bandpass, instead of the traditional 10 percent that had been demonstrated at JPL without an IFS. PISCES showed that it could enable more science."

Even though the team demonstrated the deep contrast over a greater portion of the visible to near-infrared bandpass, and in doing so, raised the technology's readiness level, work remains, said Avi Mandell, the WFIRST IFS project scientist. "The success has opened up all new starlight-suppression ideas that we want to test."
When more white people in a community hold African-Americans in greater suspicion, that prevailing view may influence police behavior in ways that drive the outsize use of lethal force against African-Americans by cops, a recent study shows.

It's a finding likely to stir controversy and spark new interest in the phenomenon of implicit bias - the beliefs and prejudices we hold beneath our level of awareness.

Studied and measured by psychologists since the early 1990s, these unconscious views - which sometimes conflict with the opinions we explicitly embrace - are thought to shape our behavior every day. That influence may be subtle, psychologists say. But it's never more powerful than when we are under extreme stress or time pressure, as police officers often are.

For the study, a trio of psychologists built a map of the racial bias and stereotypes that prevail among whites across the United States.

They gathered individuals' answers to a pair of online tests that measure implicit bias and stereotypes about black and white people. Then they arranged them in geographical clusters according to the recorded location of the test-taker.

When the researchers overlaid those maps with their hot spots of white racial bias and presumption of violent intent against African-Americans, they discerned a strong correlation with a very different map: one showing where, in the first nine months of 2015, African-Americans were killed by police in disproportionate numbers.

The study, published last month in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, was conducted by psychologists Eric Hehman of Ryerson University and Jessica K. Flake of York University, both in Toronto, and by University of California, Davis social psychologist Jimmy Calanchini.

It relied upon millions of individuals' scores on online tests taken between 2003 and 2013. Those quizzes use word associations and time pressure to capture beliefs and associations that people hold and make without always being aware of those biases.

The researchers also used a database of people killed by police in the United States (called "The Counted") that has been compiled by the Guardian newspaper since the start of 2015.

The team considered two measures of community belief: implicit racial bias and a stereotyped view that black people are more threatening than whites. They found that the latter was a better predictor of disproportionate police killings of black people. When many more white people in a given community revealed in tests that they considered black people more threatening than whites, that community was more likely to have rates of lethal force against black people that were out of proportion to their numbers in the local population.

"The idea here is that context influences behavior," Hehman said. Our behavior is shaped not just by our own beliefs, he said, but by beliefs that are dominant in a community.

"We're tapping into that and finding the associations," he added.

Researchers have long believed that demographic factors - such as poverty, high crime and employment rates, and a preponderance of idle young men - are the most powerful drivers of police officers' use of lethal force.

Because black communities typically have higher rates of all those factors, outsize rates of police killings in those communities are to be expected, many believe.

The new research does not cast doubt on that explanation. But it does offer evidence that a psychological factor - prevailing racial attitudes in a community and police officers' embrace of those views - may be a contributor too.

"Prevailing racial attitudes and beliefs in a region are related to life-or-death decisions that police officers make in the line of duty," the researchers wrote. Other studies have found that an individual's biased racial associations may influence life-or-death decisions. This study, the authors contend, extends that finding to whole communities.

By now, Hehman said, police officers' disproportionate use of lethal force against African-Americans has been pretty solidly established.

"We still don't understand all the factors that are giving rise to this phenomenon," he added. "This is really a first step in examining this. It's really been impossible to do this before without data. Hopefully, over time and with more research, we can do better."

2017 Los Angeles Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
SnakeMap Melbourne map 2015/2016 season. Credit: University of Melbourne

As the weather warms up, veterinarians are preparing for snakebite season with an interactive map to record when and where pets are bitten. The SnakeMap Project aims to better predict, prevent, diagnose and treat snakebite in animals as well as people.

The SnakeMap Project is the first of its kind in Australia and was devised by emergency and critical care veterinarians Dr Manu Boller and Dr Kylie Kelers from the University of Melbourne's U-Vet animal hospital.

Dr Boller teamed up with UVet Animal Hospital snakebite expert Dr Kylie Kelers, along with veterinary emergency and critical care experts from across Australia, epidemiologists and human snakebite experts.

The secure, electronic research database was established to allow veterinary hospitals across Australia to enter their snakebite data. The data can then be used as a medical resource for vets and, in the future, as a snakebite forecasting system for pet owners and the public anywhere in Australia.

Data collected in the SnakeMap includes information on the bitten animal, the location and time of the snakebiteincluding exact coordinates of the bite if known, the treatment provided, including antivenom administration and breathing support, and the outcome of the treatment.

Dr Boller says that due to the exceedingly large number of highly venomous species in Australia, snake envenomationis of unique significance in this country, both in human and veterinary medicine.

"Because of their inquisitive nature, dogs and cats are at particular risk of being bitten, and will succumb to the rapidly acting potent snake venom if not treated promptly. Consequently, snakebite is a common emergency presentation of dogs and cats to veterinary clinics throughout Australia," says Dr Boller.

"With SnakeMap, we now have unprecedented insight into the epidemiological dynamics where the canine and feline snake envenomation events rise in early spring, peak in the summer and recede in the fall.

"From last year's data, we can already see that most reported snakebites in dogs (73%) occurred in their backyards. We knew that dogs are occasionally bitten in 'their backyard', but did not expect the extent with which this is happening. Cats on the other hand are less predictable about the location of the snakebite as they roam more and snakebites are rarely witnessed."

Dr Kelers says SnakeMap gives an indication of which breeds of dog are most likely to be bitten.

"In the current data set, one out of four snake envenomed dogs was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and one out of 10 a Jack Russell Terrier, however 38 other breeds and of course mixed-breed dogs were affected also," Dr Kelers says.

"The SnakeMap may also highlight, in not previously seen detail, the relationship between the location of a snake bite occurrence and snake habitat, and, in the long term, how this relationship is influenced by human behaviour and settlement.

During the inaugural 2016/2017 season, the SnakeMap Project received data from 14 veterinary hospitals in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales. For a more comprehensive map, the project encourages veterinary hospitals across the country to join in.

"The SnakeMap project is a not-for profit, volunteer-based initiative, and we would like to look at it as a veterinary community run initiative, where veterinary hospitals across the country, small and large, are joining in to contribute to new knowledge about a condition that is so unique to Australia and affects so many pets, pet owners and veterinary professionals," Dr Kelers says.

Data collected is available to SnakeMap Consortium vets for data analysis for specific research projects with the results being made accessible to the veterinary community via scientific publications.
Scientists in MITs Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) have for the first time determined the strength of the stratospheres circulation, based on observations of key chemicals traveling within this atmospheric layer. Credit: MIT News

When commercial airplanes break through the clouds to reach cruising altitude, they have typically arrived in the stratosphere, the second layer of Earth's atmosphere. The air up there is dry and clear, and much calmer than the turbulent atmosphere we experience on the ground.

And yet, for all its seeming tranquility, the stratosphere can be a powerful conveyor belt, pulling air up from the Earth's equatorial region and pushing it back down toward the poles in a continuously circulating pattern. The strength of this circulation can significantly impact the amount of water vapor, chemicals, and ozone transported around the planet.

Now scientists in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) have for the first time determined the strength of the stratosphere's circulation, based on observations of key chemicals traveling within this atmospheric layer.

In a paper published today in the journal Nature Geoscience, the team reports that the stratosphere pulls about 7 billion kilograms of air up through the tropics per second, worldwide, at an altitude of about 20 kilometers. The researchers estimate that the average parcel of air can spend about 1.5 years within this layer before circulating back down to lower layers of the atmosphere.

The new estimate can help scientists gauge where and for how long water vapor, ozone, and greenhouse gases remain within the stratosphere. Scientists can also use the team's method to determine future changes in the stratosphere's strengthessential information for tracking the recovery of the ozone hole and the progression of global warming.

The paper's lead authors are Marianna Linz, a former PhD student in EAPS who is now a postdoc at the University of California at Los Angeles; and Alan Plumb, a professor emeritus in EAPS; along with researchers from New York University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Cambridge University, and Caltech.

Chemical laps

The circulation of the stratosphere is known to scientists as the meridional overturning, referring to the pattern in which air is pulled up into the stratosphere near the equator and transported along the Earth's meridians, or longitudinal lines, before being drawn back down at the poles. Scientists have attempted to measure the strength of this overturning circulation, concentrating mainly on the speed at which water vapor rises through the stratosphere near the equator.

"Others have looked at this region of the equator where they think most of the stuff is coming up, and they've tried to characterize this using water vapor," Linz says. "But that's just looking at this narrow region, and it's difficult to infer what the rest of the circulation looks like."

Linz, Plumb, and their colleagues took a more global approach, making use of atmospheric measurements of two atmospheric chemicals, sulfur hexafluoride and nitrous oxide, taken around the world by satellites, weather balloons, and aircraft. They considered these chemicals to be ideal candidates to track, as they have no "stratospheric sinks," or methods by which the concentration of these gases would change once they reached the stratosphere.

"The thinking is that what goes up must come down," Linz says.

The scientists compiled measurements of both chemicals between 2007 and 2011, with the idea of estimating how long these chemicals took to enter, then exit, the stratosphere. They culled through the measurements, noting each chemical's concentrations in given parcels of air throughout the stratosphere

at various locations and altitudes.

In particular, they looked over time to identify parcels of air rising up in the tropics, and later, parcels of air with the same concentration of chemicals, being drawn back down at the poles.

They reasoned that the time lag between the rising and sinking would indicate the time that parcel spent in the stratosphere. A simple calculation, factoring in the total mass of air in the stratosphere, would yield the speed at which that parcel traveled through the stratosphere, which essentially reflects the strength of circulation.

"If you think of a racetrack, and someone doing a lap on that track, you can measure the time they entered the track, and the time they came out of it, and you can calculate their average speed around the track if you know the track distance," Plumb explains. "So this is like that, in a way."

The air up there

The team performed these calculations and averaged the results for various altitudes throughout the stratosphere. Their calculations for both chemicals agreed almost perfectly at lower altitudes of around 20 kilometers, yielding a circulation strength of about 7 billion kilograms per secondcomparable in magnitude to the strength of the overturning circulation in the ocean.

"The most important thing to know in terms of impacts on climate change and ozone is what this circulation strength is like at this lower altitude, because that's what is supplying chemicals to the stratosphere," Plumb says.

Linz and Plumb compared their estimate with predictions of stratospheric circulation made by several climate models, and found that their estimate agreed with some models but not others. Linz says the team's new estimate, and the method to calculate the stratosphere's strength, can help to improve model predictions of warming and ozone development.

"If climate models are getting their stratospheric circulation wrong, they're probably getting their ozone distributions wrong, which will have definite impacts on what the [predicted] trends are for global warming," Linz says. "So having this benchmark is really valuable."

The researchers are working to obtain more measurements, higher in the stratosphere, to better characterize the stratosphere's strength at higher altitudes as well as within lower layers.

"We have this data and can say what the strength is at this level, but because we don't have the data higher up, we can't say nearly as much. So we really do need better observations in the upper stratosphere," Linz says.

More information: Marianna Linz et al. The strength of the meridional overturning circulation of the stratosphere, Nature Geoscience (2017). DOI: 10.1038/ngeo3013 Journal information: Nature Geoscience

This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching.
The Thor weather forecasting supercomputer acquired in May 2017 by Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., generates thunderstorm likelihood and potential, and compiles many other weather scenarios that could impact military operations. When purchased, Thor was ranked the 150th most powerful supercomputer on earth, and is now located at Offutt AFB, Neb. Credit: U.S. Air Force Graphic by Benjamin Newell

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center here acquired a supercomputer that is the latest step in a long-running weather prediction arms race.

The system, named Thor, models global weather patterns and provides individual air bases and army units with specific forecasts for areas as small as 17 square kilometers. The computer system is comprised of nearly 1,000 individual blade servers. When constructed in May 2016, Thor was the 150th most powerful supercomputer on earth, according to TOP500, which rates supercomputer speeds.

"Knowing accurate weather forecasts has always been a military imperative," said Dr. Frank Ruggiero, Thor's lead engineer at AFLCMC-Offutt AFB, Nebraska, where the system is located. "Going back to D-Day, one of the major reasons that operation was successful was surprise. That surprise was generated partially because the Germans did not have accurate reads on weather in the North Atlantic. They thought we couldn't invade June 6, 1944, because the weather wasn't good enough."

Today, accurate weather modeling is dependent on a few major factors. Initial data gathering via satellite, buoys and ground weather stations provides current weather conditions at the point of collection. The ability to compile that data is a second step. The final step relies on some of the largest computing centers on earth to crunch composite conditions and forecast the likely future state of the weather. This third step is where Thor comes in.

Prior to acquiring Thor, Army and Air Force weather predictions relied on data from the United Kingdom Meteorological Office. Thor's increased capacity allows weather Airmen at Offutt to generate initial conditions and process them. Locally produced baseline data, combined with Thor's increased processing speed, results in forecasts reaching the warfighter in half the time. This gives forecasters and mission planners up to three extra hours to exploit forecasts.

Hanscom's acquisition process began in 2014, and development by the prime contractor, Northrop Grumman Corp., took one full year. Northrop installed Thor in early 2016 and handed it over to the Air Force in May 2017.

"We're running the same modeling program as our allies in the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand," said Robert Born, Thor program manager. "That way, when we're in joint operations, we can all be working off the same forecast and aligning our plans to the same base assumptions."

In addition to providing a processing location for all U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army forecasts, Thor is able to provide more customized forecasts for military applications. Aeronautical forecasts include up to 80 weather gradients reaching high into the atmosphere, whereas civilian forecasts usually only cover ground reports. Thor also works to provide narrow forecasts in remote areas where military units are active, typically overlooked in more regionally-focused forecast models.

"An accurate forecast is a force multiplier," said Ruggiero. "We know that military operations depend on weather, and Thor can provide commanders with that knowledge."

Provided by Air Force Office of Scientific Research
The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world.

The Amazon, often described as the "lungs of the Earth", is the largest rainforest in the world. Its extraordinary biodiversity and sheer scale has made it a globally significant resource in the fight against climate change.

But last week the Brazilian president Michel Temer removed the protected status of the National Reserve of Copper and Associates, a national reserve larger than Denmark.

The reserve, known as "Renca", covers 46,000 square kilometres and is thought to contain huge amounts of copper, as well as gold, iron ore and other minerals. Roughly 30% of Renca will now be open to mining exploration. Renca also includes indigenous reserves inhabited by various ethnic communities living in relative isolation.

The decision, which has been denounced by conservation groups and governments around the world, comes as the unpopular Temer struggles with a crushing political and economic crisis that has seen unemployment rise above 12%.

Political and economic turbulence

Brazil is currently in the middle of the largest corruption scandals in its history. Since 2014, an ongoing federal investigation called Operation Car Wash has implicated elite businesspeople and high-ranking politicians, uncovering bribes worth millions of dollars exchanged for deals with the state oil company Petrobas. According to the BBC, almost a third of President Temer's cabinet is under investigation for alleged corruption.

There is no doubt that Brazil needs to find ways out of recession and unemployment. As the minister of mining and energy has said, "the objective of the measure [to allow mining] is to attract new investments, generating wealth for the country and employment and income for society."

However it's not clear that this move will benefit ordinary Brazilians. This is not the first gold rush into this area, and the Amazon still has high indices of poverty and many other challenges.

During the 1980s and 90s tens of thousands of miners flocked to gold deposits in the Amazon, driven by high international prices. One of the most famous examples, "Serra Pelada," saw 60,000 men dig a massive crater in the Amazon Basin.

These mining operations typically provided little economic benefits to the local populations. Instead, they attracted thousands of people, which led to deforestation, violent land conflicts and mercury pollution in the rivers.

In reality the Amazon and its people deserve a sustainable model of development, which takes advantage of the outstanding biodiversity and beauty of its standing forests. The historical record shows mining is likely to lead to a demographic explosion, and further deforestation, pollution and land conflicts.

The principle of non-regression

One important aspect of international environmental law is called the "principle of non-regression". The principle states that some legal rules should be non-revokable in the name of the common interest of humankind. Essentially, once a level of protection has been granted there is no coming back.

This principle is reflected in article 225 of the Brazilian constitution, which lays out the right to a healthy environment: "All have the right to an ecologically balanced environment [] and both the Government and the community shall have the duty to defend and preserve it for present and future generations."

The Brazilian constitution also describes the Amazon forest as a "national heritage". It must then be treated accordingly.

While the Amazon is a fundamental part of Brazil's history, it's also an essential part of the global battle against climate change. The Amazon contains half the worlds' tropical rainforests, and its trees absorb and store vast amounts of carbon dioxide.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, land use, including deforestation and forest degradation, is the second-largest source of global emissions after the energy sector.

Developed countries around the world have committed resources to help Brazil offset the costs of safeguarding their forests. One example is the Amazon Fund, created in 2008. It has received billions of dollars from foreign governments such as Norway and Germany, to combat deforestation and to promote sustainable practices in the Brazilian Amazon.

But with 14 million Brazilians unemployed, further assistance is required to ensure that they can protect their forests.

As well as governments, companies have also committed billions of dollars to fight climate change and support projects that reduce carbon emissions and promote energy efficiency. Most businesses have also created self-regulatory standards to ensure compliance with international laws and ethical standards.

The decision of the Brazilian government leaves us with two questions. How will the international community honour their commitments to keep global warming below 2, if countries begin rolling back their environmental protections? And how will companies involved in mining projects in the Amazon honour their social responsibility commitments and moral obligation towards present and future generations?

The degradation of the Amazon will affect the entire world. The clearing of the Amazon for mining will lead to the emissions of thousands of tons of greenhouse gases, furthering global warming and causing the irreversible loss of biodiversity, and water resources, as well as damage to local and indigenous communities.

Let us not take a step back towards more destruction. Rather, let us strengthen the protection of our remaining forests.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
This graphic depicts the orientations of electron spins in a magnetic skyrmion that is 100 nanometers in diameter and composed of about 8 million atoms. The spin of the central atom points down (yellow), while those of the surrounding atoms change slowly, eventually flipping to the up orientation at the circumference. Credit: Greg Stewart/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

A new way of operating the powerful X-ray laser at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has enabled researchers to detect and measure fluctuations in magnetic structures being considered for new data storage and computing technologies.

In a paper published earlier this month in Physical Review Letters, a team led by Joshua Turner, SLAC staff scientist, and Sujoy Roy, staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), reported measuring the fluctuations in these structures, called magnetic skyrmions, with billionth-of-a-second resolution, 1,000 times better than had been possible before.

Catching Fluctuating Spin Textures

Skyrmions are multi-atom vortex spin textures in which the atoms' spin orientations change from one direction in the middle to the opposite direction at the circumference. They move easily in response to electric fields, which makes them attractive for use in data storage technologies, shift-register memories as well as advanced computing technologies.

The charge and spin aspects of atoms are not rigid. They respond to a host of forces with vibrations and other movements  collectively called fluctuations  some of which even affect the motion of the atoms themselves. Theorists have proposed recently that fluctuations may have key roles in determining how complex materials behave, such as in the phenomenon of high-temperature superconductivity.

Until now, however, there was no way to analyze skyrmion fluctuations in the thin-film structures needed for technological applications. This new result was made possible by a recently developed "two-bucket" mode for creating pairs of X-ray pulses at SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) free-electron laser that allows researchers to study equilibrium phenomena that takes place in time periods less than a billionth of a second long for the first time.

While individual LCLS pulses are usually separated by about 8 thousandths of a second, the two-bucket technique creates pulse pairs that can be as close as a third of a billionth of a second apart. When he learned of the two-bucket mode two years ago, Turner knew immediately that it should be useful for measuring fluctuations in magnetic systems, such as skyrmions.

"Before this study, scientists have used LCLS to study non-equilibrium physics at even faster timescales," Turner explained. "The new technique opens the door to a whole category of experiments that can be now be done in equilibrium at a X-ray free electron lasers."

By coincidence, Roy, a longtime friend of Turner's, had been using soft X-rays at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS) to examine skyrmions and their fluctuations, most recently in an iron-gadolinium layered material grown by UC-San Diego professor Eric Fullerton. The two quickly agreed to use LCLS to see if they, in collaboration with Fullerton, could see rapid skyrmion fluctuations using the same sample.

SLAC scientists Matt Seaberg (left) and Josh Turner get ready to study rapid changes in magnetic skyrmions at the Soft X-Ray instrument at LCLS. These magnetic whirlpools could be manipulated to create new types of memory storage devices. Credit: Amanda Solliday/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Using X-rays to Tease Out Magnetic Changes

The detection process used to view the fluctuations is called X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy. Shining an ultrashort pulse of coherent X-rays on the sample produces a speckle interference pattern that represents the sample's magnetic features. Following up quickly with a second pulse adds a second speckle pattern on top of the first on the same detector. Any fluctuations will cause the second pattern to be different, so the level of fuzziness in the combined image indicates the magnitude of the fluctuations in the sample.

"This technique is similar to measuring the twinkling of stars to elucidate details of turbulence in the earth's atmosphere," Turner said. "In this case, the goal of measuring the 'twinkling' of the detected X-rays is understanding how the material's magnetic structure is fluctuating and how it impacts the material's properties."

One of several challenges to making these measurements was reducing the intensity of LCLS's X-ray pulses so they would not create their own fluctuations in the sample. Various techniques ultimately reduced the flux of X-rays hitting the sample to a millionth of the original pulse energy.

"We want to just tickle the sample," Turner said. "It's a far cry from the typical LCLS 'pump-probe' experiment, where the intense X-ray pulses can, by design, modify, or even blast the samples away."

Developing ways to measure the X-ray intensities of each pair's pulses and their time intervals and to detect so few photons in the speckle patterns were also very difficult, added Matt Seaberg, SLAC associate staff scientist and first author of the paper. The researchers adjusted the time between each pair's pulses from a fraction of a nanosecond to 25 nanoseconds (a nanosecond is a billionth of a second) and also tuned an external magnetic field to span a range of magnetic conditions in the sample.

"This is a completely new way of doing this kind of measurement," Roy said. "The time resolution is limited by the time separating the two pulses that the accelerator produces."

When they tuned the external magnetic field to be most ideal for skyrmions in the sample, they saw that fluctuations occurred with a period of about 4 nanoseconds. But when the magnetic field was reduced slightly to where the circular skyrmion structures begin to give way to another phase with striped magnetic domain structures, the fluctuation period plummeted to only a fraction of a nanosecond.

"This result indicates that the fluctuations are larger and more rapid near the boundary of the skyrmion and stripe phases," Joshua Turner said. "This information is important in deciphering the role that magnetic fluctuations play as the material transforms from one phase to the other. It also will allow us to connect to theoretical models used to understand how fluctuations promote phase transitions in a multitude of magnetic and magnetic-type solids."

The collegial culture at SLAC played a big role in the success of this research, Turner added. The scientists worked closely with accelerator physicists Jim Turner and Franz-Josef Decker, who devised the two-bucket technique.

"This all came about because of the close working relationship between the LCLS physicists on the X-ray side together with those on the accelerator physics side," he said. "Sometimes it's not clear how we can use their amazing developments. But working together made this a very fruitful endeavor."

The same team is continuing to use the same techniques to examine Fullerton's material in more detail, and future work planned for this winter will explore other magnetically complex materials, such as spin ices and high-temperature superconductors.

More information: M. H. Seaberg et al. Nanosecond X-Ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy on Magnetic Skyrmions, Physical Review Letters (2017). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.067403 Journal information: Physical Review Letters
Conformance Fights Transaction Laundering, Celebrity Endorsement Fraud & False Merchants

RENO, Nev., Aug. 29, 2017  (Business Wire)  Conformance Technologies, a fast-growing provider of technology solutions, education and expertise used to manage business compliance requirements, today announced new automated transaction laundering, fake celebrity endorsement fraud and false front merchant detection enhancements to its InConRadar offering. The patent pending Conformance Compliance Operating System facilitated rapid development and deployment of the new capabilities, helping merchant acquirers and independent sales organizations (ISOs) meet global card brand merchant risk standards, while avoiding non-compliance assessments.

We are an early adopter of InConRadar and its been very effective in reducing our risk profile, while increasing efficiency in dealing with risk and underwriting issues that crop up, said Deborah Brown, executive vice president and chief operating officer for TriSource Solutions. With InConRadar, were scanning our merchant portfolio dozens of times daily to uncover potential violations requiring further investigation, added Brown. InConRadar has proven to be quick, easy and a real time-saver for our organization, and these new enhancements are very advantageous to us.

Honored with the Electronic Transactions Associations (ETA) PayPal Tech Innovation Award for risk product of the year, InConRadar is a continuous merchant website and risk factor monitoring service. Suspicious commercial activities, plus potential image damaging circumstances and business practices, are identified and presented in a consolidated format so that risk managers can investigate and take appropriate action. Scanning merchant websites dozens of times daily, InConRadar can be used to streamline and enhance Know Your Customer (KYC) due diligence by learning more about merchants digital environments before onboarding and connecting to the payments system, as well as regularly thereafter.

Acquirers and ISOs are frequently frustrated with these blatant forms of merchant fraud because they are difficult to investigate on an ongoing basis, said Darrel Anderson, president of Conformance Technologies. We communicate regularly with the card brands who encouraged us to come up with a solution to effectively address these hot fraud trends, added Anderson. With the Conformance Compliance Operating System, we are able to quickly enhance InConRadar with functionality that addresses fast-changing card brand demands on merchant due diligence processes.

Transaction laundering, also known as factoring, consists of processing fraudulent payment transactions on behalf of other merchants, commonly with stolen credit card numbers. Another form of transaction laundering is when legitimate merchants process contractually prohibited business transactions in addition to their own valid transactions.

False front merchants are entities who hide the true nature of their businesses and sales of card brand prohibited goods and services. These companies do not actually engage in selling what they claim during the merchant underwriting process, and usually are involved in illicit, illegal endeavors.

A popular new merchant fraud trend is falsely claiming celebrity endorsements, when stars never actually authorize the advertising statements. Fake endorsements fall under card brand deceptive business practice rules, which require banks to review merchant intentions during underwriting and periodically thereafter to ensure no dishonest or misleading sales and marketing practices are employed.

To learn more about how InConRadar and other Conformance Technologies products and services can help you and your portfolio of merchant customers, please telephone 775.336.5533 or email info@conformancetech.com.

About Conformance Technologies

Conformance Technologies is a fast-growing provider of technology solutions, education and expertise used in managing business compliance requirements. More than 300,000 small and midsize business end-users rely on Conformance Technologies solutions to protect their businesses every day, both domestically and in 19 countries around the world. Privately held and headquartered in Reno, Nevada, Conformance Technologies evolved from a payments consultancy and PCI compliance firm originally established in 2003. Today, the company has become a leading provider of automated compliance and sensitive data protection systems and services and is a PCI Security Standards Council Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) organization. For more information, please visit conformancetech.com.

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Dominos and Ford Begin Consumer Research of Pizza Delivery Using Self-Driving Vehicles

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/  Dominos Pizza (NYSE: DPZ), the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, and Ford Motor Co. are launching an industry-first collaboration to understand the role that self-driving vehicles can play in pizza delivery.ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/  Dominos Pizza (NYSE: DPZ), the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, and Ford Motor Co. are launching an industry-first collaboration to understand the role that self-driving vehicles can play in pizza delivery

As part of the testing, researchers from both companies will investigate customer reactions to interacting with a self-driving vehicle as a part of their delivery experience. This research is important as both companies begin to examine and understand customers perspectives around the future of food delivery with self-driving vehicles.

As delivery experts, weve been watching the development of self-driving vehicles with great interest as we believe transportation is undergoing fundamental, dramatic change, said Patrick Doyle, Dominos president and CEO. We pride ourselves on being technology leaders and are excited to help lead research into how self-driving vehicles may play a role in the future of pizza delivery. This is the first step in an ongoing process of testing that we plan to undertake with Ford.

As Ford builds out its business enabled by self-driving vehicles, conducting research with companies, like Dominos, will be crucial to ensuring that the technology is applied in ways that enhance the customer experience. With a plan to begin production of self-driving vehicles in 2021, Ford is taking steps to design a business to meet the needs of both partner companies and their customers.

As we increase our understanding of the business opportunity for self-driving vehicles to support the movement of people and goods, were pleased to have Dominos join us in this important part of the development process, said Sherif Marakby, Ford vice president, Autonomous and Electric Vehicles. As a company focused on the customer experience, Dominos shares our vision for a future enabled by smart vehicles in a smart environment that enhance peoples lives.

Over the next several weeks, randomly-selected Dominos customers in Ann Arbor will have the opportunity to receive their delivery order from a Ford Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle, which will be manually-driven by a Ford safety engineer and staffed with researchers. Customers who agree to participate will be able to track the delivery vehicle through GPS using an upgraded version of Dominos Tracker. They will also receive text messages as the self-driving vehicle approaches that will guide them on how to retrieve their pizza using a unique code to unlock the Dominos Heatwave Compartment inside the vehicle.

Were interested to learn what people think about this type of delivery, said Russell Weiner, president of Dominos USA. The majority of our questions are about the last 50 feet of the delivery experience. For instance, how will customers react to coming outside to get their food? We need to make sure the interface is clear and simple. We need to understand if a customers experience is different if the car is parked in the driveway versus next to the curb. All of our testing research is focused on our goal to someday make deliveries with self-driving vehicles as seamless and customer-friendly as possible.

Local partner Roush Enterprises fabricated the prototype vehicles pizza container, the Dominos Heatwave Compartment, based on its experience working with Dominos on the DXP delivery vehicle in 2015. Ford and Dominos completed preliminary testing of the delivery process using the vehicle in self-driving mode at Mcity, the simulated urban environment on the University of Michigans campus. The city of Ann Arbor also has been supportive of the testing process.

Im delighted that Ann Arbor continues to be at the forefront of autonomous-vehicle research, said Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor. While its pizza delivery today, my hope is that collaborations such as this will enable even more innovations tomorrow.

For additional images and b-roll of the vehicle, please go to either media.dominos.com or media.ford.com.

About Dominos Pizza

Founded in 1960, Dominos Pizza is the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, with a significant business in carryout pizza. It ranks among the worlds top public restaurant brands with a global enterprise of more than 14,200 stores in over 85 international markets. Dominos had global retail sales of nearly $10.9 billion in 2016, with more than $5.3 billion in the U.S. and more than $5.5 billion internationally. In the second quarter of 2017, Dominos had global retail sales of more than $2.7 billion, with over $1.3 billion in the U.S. and nearly $1.4 billion internationally. Its system is comprised of independent franchise owners who accounted for over 97% of Dominos stores as of the second quarter of 2017. Emphasis on technology innovation helped Dominos reach an estimated $5.6 billion in global digital sales in 2016, and has produced several innovative ordering platforms, including Google Home, Facebook Messenger, Apple Watch, Amazon Echo, Twitter and text message using a pizza emoji. In late 2015, Dominos announced the design and launch of the DXP, a purpose-built pizza delivery vehicle, as well as Piece of the Pie Rewards, its first digital customer loyalty program.

Please visit our Investor Relations website at biz.dominos.com to view a schedule of upcoming earnings releases, significant announcements and conference webcasts.

About Ford Motor Co.

Ford MoTor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 203,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

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Shoptalk and RILA Partner on Shoptalk Europe 2017 and Shoptalk 2018

New York, NY and Washington, DC  August 29, 2017  Shoptalk, organizer of the worlds largest conference for retail and ecommerce innovation, and RILA, the trade association of the worlds largest and most innovative retail companies, today announced a partnership focused on creating a global community and conversation for retail and ecommerce innovation. The partnership will include Shoptalk Europe, which will be held in just over 30 days on October 9-11, 2017 at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, as well as Shoptalk 2018, which will take place on March 18-21, 2018 at the Venetian in Las Vegas.

As part of the partnership, RILA will host the inaugural European meeting for its (R)Tech Center for Innovation immediately preceding Shoptalk Europe at the Bella Center in Copenhagen on Sunday October 8, 2017, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The objective of the RILA meeting is to:

Build a community of European retail innovators to share challenges, best practices, and case studies; Introduce the (R)Tech Centers program and specific activities; and Gauge interest in connecting European and U.S. retailers to facilitate sharing around retail innovation.

More information about the (R)Tech Center is available at http://rtech.org. To request an invitation to the (R)Tech Center meeting, please email Adam Siegel, RILAs Senior Vice President, Research, Innovation & Sustainability, at adam.siegel@rila.org.

Additionally, retailers and brands wishing to attend Shoptalk Europe, can do so with complimentary tickets and up to 650 in travel/hotel reimbursement ($1,000 if traveling from the U.S.) as part of Shoptalk Europes Hosted Retailers & Brands Program. Retailers and brands can apply for this program at https://shoptalkeurope.com/register. The deadline for enrollment in this program is Friday, September 8, 2017.

Were thrilled to extend our partnership with RILA to include 2017s Shoptalk Europe and 2018s Shoptalk, said Anil D. Aggarwal, founder and chief executive officer of Shoptalk. Shoptalk Europe is an important stepping stone to expanding the geographic scope of the conversation and community of innovators, which we have championed for more than two years. We look forward to working with RILA on Shoptalk Europe, and as we continue to grow the global footprint of our March 2018 event in Las Vegas.

We listened to the industrys needs and challenges in America, and recognize that the same disruptive forces are pressuring change in Europe, said Siegel. Were delighted to be working with Shoptalk Europe on bringing the (R)Tech Center for Innovation initiative to Europe this Fall and continuing our partnership with the global Shoptalk event planned for Spring 2018.

Shoptalk Europe is tracking to exceed its target of 2,000 attendees. More than 250 CEOs have already registered and over 220 world-class speakers are confirmed to address the ongoing global digitization of retail and ecommerce. Attending companies include established retailers and brands, disruptive direct-to-consumer startups, established and emerging tech and Internet companies, investors, media and analysts. The final speaker lineup is available at https://shoptalkeurope.com/speakers.

About Shoptalk

Shoptalk is the worlds largest conference for retail and ecommerce innovation. Held annually in Las Vegas, Shoptalk is an unprecedented global gathering of individuals and companies reshaping how consumers discover, shop and buy. The event provides a platform for large retailers and brands, startups, tech companies, investors, media and analysts to learn, collaborate and evolve. Shoptalk will be held on March 18-21, 2018 at the Venetian in Las Vegas. For 2017, Shoptalk will also be held in Europe on October 9-11, 2017 at the Bella Center in Copenhagen. For more information, visit www.shoptalk.com and www.shoptalkeurope.com.

About RILA

RILA is the trade association of the worlds largest and most innovative retail companies. RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad.

RILA launched the (R)Tech Center for Innovation in partnership with Accenture in March 2017. The new (R)Tech Center performs four key functions: researching best practices and trends, connecting retail executives to the innovation ecosystem, helping retailers develop their own cultures of innovation, and burnishing retails reputation as an innovative and forward-thinking industry.

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Inventory needs to be managed and managed well, or you are going to get in recurring trouble, and lose your credibility and hard-earned conversions, whether 

Read more
By Elsa Court

The city of New Haven, located on Long Island Sound, once shared the status of state capital of Connecticut, but lost it to the sole ownership of nearby Hartford in 1873. Home to Yale University since its foundation in 1701, New Haven has historically been the most dynamic city in the state for research and industry.

Yale University Art Gallery

The Ivy League institution hosts a cluster of museums across the arts and sciences, from the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History and the Yale University Art Gallery to the Yale Center for British Art.

Charles Dickens, on a brief visit in 1868, is claimed to have described Hillhouse Avenue in the centre of the university campus as the most beautiful street in America. Surrounded by the university campus and almost entirely Yale owned today, the upper block of this row of 19th-century villas has been remarkably preserved and is where the president of the university traditionally has his home at number 43, built in 1871.

The Yale president's official residence

There is something besides Ivy League heritage, library collections and the stunning Victorian Gothic architecture of Prospect Hill and East Rock worth settling in New Haven for: traditional Neapolitan pizza, locally known as apizza, after the Italian dialect. This thin-crust, wood-oven baked pizza can be consumed on a red (with tomato sauce) or white base, and is usually ordered plain with just a sprinkle of grated pecorino. This simple recipe was introduced at the iconic Frank Pepes Pizzeria Napoletana on Wooster Street, which has more recently developed a popular white clam pie variation. This white-base apizza, topped with fresh seafood, takes inspiration from the regional produce of the citys coastal location.

The Daily Meal, the food review website, rated Frank Pepes pizza the best in America from 2013 to 2015. It remains in the top five, beating many New York City restaurants on the top-101 list.

If you fancy a sophisticated tipple before heading home, order a rye whiskey Old Fashioned at Ordinary, believed to be New Havens oldest tavern. Just off New Havens 16-acre historic town green, this restored bar, with its dark wood and taxidermy, gives a contemporary nod to Americas speakeasy tradition.

Photographs: Jon Bilous/Alamy; Dreamstime; Moment Editorial/Getty Images

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Browse in the worlds longest-running bookshop before getting a haircut in a jazz bar

By Melissa Lawford

A neighbourhood reborn

In 1988, a fire raged through Chiado that was considered the worst disaster to hit Lisbon since the 1755 earthquake. Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza was in charge of the areas reconstruction.

His redesign incorporated more public spaces and reserved the upper floors of each building for apartments. An area once described by The New York Times as as dead as Wall Street at night re-emerged as a residential haven.

Praca Luis de Camoes in Chiado

Jose Avillez

In 2014, Jose Avillezs Belcanto, on Largo de Sao Carlos, became the first restaurant in Lisbon to receive two Michelin stars.

The Portuguese chef has several eateries in Chiado and last year opened Bairro do Avillez  a small complex consisting of a mercearia (grocery store) and three restaurants. Pateo specialises in seafood while Taberna serves small plates. Try the suckling-pig sandwich with pickled seaweed and glasswort.

Erudite heritage

Chiado is steeped in literary history. Established in 1732, Bertrand Livreiros is the oldest bookshop in the world, while the Cafe A Brasileira off the Praca Luis de Camoes was a famous haunt of the poet Fernando Pessoa.

A statue of the poet Fernando Pessoa

In fact, it is thought that Chiado is itself named after a writer. Antonio Ribeiro lived in the area in the 16th century and was nicknamed Chiado, which, in Portuguese, means squeak.

Bohemian flair

Chiado is Lisbons theatre district. The Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos, which opened in 1793, is the national opera house and hosts the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra.

Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos

Each July, the theatre organises the Festival ao Largo in Sao Carlos Square  three weeks of free, open-air performances from the likes of the National Ballet Company and the Dona Maria II National Theatre.

A contemporary twist

The collection of the Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporanea do Chiado runs from the 19th-century Romantics to the 1940s Neo-Realism of Julio Pomar and 21st-century art by Joao Pedro Vale.

Works on display at the Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporanea do Chiado

If you are looking for a different kind of modernism, head to O Purista Barbiere. In this barbershop bar you can simultaneously enjoy a beer, listen to live jazz and get a haircut.

Photographs: Horacio Villalobos/Corbis via Getty Images; M Sobreira/Alamy; DeAgostini/Getty Images; Hemis/Alamy; Atlantico Press/Alamy

Related article: Lisbons golden visa age: residency scheme boosts homes market
Brazil is threatening to turn down Total's bid to drill in the mouth of the Amazon river, saying the French oil giant has not allayed concerns over its ability to protect a huge offshore coral reef. The government environmental agency Ibama said in a statement late Monday that Total is required to "leave no doubt about possible impacts to the coral reef and the wider marine biodiversity." The latest rejection of Total's environmental study puts at risk an ambitious bid by a group including Total, British Petroleum and Brazil's Petrobras to explore potentially vast oil reserves in the Amazon basin. The 2016 discovery of the coral reef, which scientists and activists including Greenpeace say could be devastated if there were an oil spill in the river mouth, put the brakes on the project. And Ibama says Total has still not done enough to overcome those concerns. In the statement, Ibama warned that it "has already made three demands for more information in the environmental study" and that "if the investor again does not respond to the points raised by the technical team then the licensing process will be archived." Total has previously said the reef, which is 17 miles (28 kilometers) offshore, would not be in danger. In a statement Tuesday, the company said it is "evaluating the request for technical information" and "at this point, the environmental licensing process is still underway."
A Spanish mother at the heart of a bruising public custody battle agreed Monday to hand her sons over to her ex-partner, closing a case that has sparked fierce debate in Spain. Juana Rivas accuses her ex-partner of domestic violence and after running away last year from Italy where they lived with their boys, aged 11 and three, she refused to let him see them. When a court ordered her to hand them over to her Italian ex-partner, Francesco Arcuri, in July, she went into hiding for one month with her children, before turning herself in last week to a court in the southern city of Granada. She was released but ordered to hand the kids over by Monday, which she did, according to a spokeswoman for the central government's representative office in Granada. "She handed them over to the Guardia Civil (police force)," she said, without giving further details. Spanish media said that Arcuri would come to fetch the children later on Monday. He is now able to take them back to Italy. In a July interview with Italy's Ansa news agency, Arcuri, who was found guilty of abusing Rivas in 2009, denied any violence. "I want to be able to hold my children again in my arms, I haven't seen them since last year," he said. Rivas's plight sparked a vivid debate in Spain, where the struggle against domestic violence is a top government priority. While some supported her, others criticised her for breaking the law. "I find it crazy that she hands over the kids to an abuser, I hope the judge won't come to repent what he has done," tweeted @palomaanaunica. " has opened her eyes and realising she may go to prison, she handed over the children," retorted @enavicens, using the trending Twitter hashtag on the case. "But she will have to be tried for what she did."
The Colombian government and the country's last active rebel force, the ELN, said Monday they hope to agree on a ceasefire before Pope Francis's visit to the nation next week. "We are determined to rise to the occasion of the Holy Father's visit and take a big step towards peace by sounding out the possibility of agreeing a temporary bilateral ceasefire," said Juan Camilo Restrepo, the government's chief negotiator at peace talks. He spoke during an appearance by delegates from both sides in the Ecuadoran capital Quito, where they are holding peace negotiations. National Liberation Army (ELN) negotiator Pablo Beltran added that he hoped the ceasefire would be secured Friday. Pope Francis visits Colombia from September 6 to 10. Colombia's biggest rebel force, the FARC, disarmed last month under a peace deal with the government to end more than half a century of civil conflict. President Juan Manuel Santos now wants a deal with the ELN to seal a "complete peace."
GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations on Tuesday said it was "disturbed" by the decision of Guatemala's president to expel the head of a U.N.-backed anti-corruption unit investigating his campaign financing. It called for guarantees judicial figures would be protected. Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales on Sunday ordered the expulsion of Ivan Velasquez, a veteran Colombian prosecutor who leads Guatemala's International Commission against Impunity, known as CICIG. Morales said the expulsion was a matter of foreign policy and therefore the responsibility of the executive, not the courts. But his order was suspended by the nation's top court hours later. "I am deeply disturbed by the unprecedented decision of the president of Guatemala," U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said in a statement. "I call on the Guatemalan government to allow CICIG to carry out its work unimpeded and to take steps to guarantee the protection of human rights defenders, judicial officials, including the attorney general and high court judges, as well as CICIGs staff." Velasquez and CICIG, together with the office of Attorney General Thelma Aldana, play a critically improtant role in the fight against corruption and impunity, Zeid said. The Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists said failure to comply with the Constitutional Court ruling could constitute "obstruction of justice", a criminal offence. "The presidents decision to declare Ivan Velasquez as 'non grata' and ordering his immediate removal from the country is in clear breach of international law," the ICJ said in a statement. CICIG wants Morales, a former comedian elected on an anti-corruption ticket last year, to be investigated over alleged illicit funding during his election campaign. He has denied any wrongdoing but CICIG is investigating some $800,000 in allegedly unexplained contributions to his campaign. Following Morales' announcement on Sunday, hundreds of Guatemalans took to the streets, mostly to defend Velasquez outside his offices and in the centre of Guatemala City. Some groups came out in support of the president and against foreign interference. Many politicians in Guatemala consider the foreign-led body, which is unusual among U.N. bodies for its powers to bring cases to prosecutors, to be a violation of national sovereignty. Anti-corruption activists credit it with cleaning up government. It is responsible for the arrests of at least 15 current and former members of Congress on corruption charges. (Reporting by Tom Miles, editing by Stephanie Nebehay)
Fighting "Islamist terrorism" is France's top foreign policy priority, President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday, vowing to make his country a leading power in an unstable, increasingly polarised world. "Providing security for our citizens means that the fight against Islamist terrorism is our first priority," Macron told some 200 French diplomats gathered in Paris. "There's no place for naivete, nor for fear of Islam that confuses Islamism and Islamic," he said, adding that assuring the security of the French was the "raison d'etre" of the country's diplomacy. Since early 2015, France has suffered a series of terror attacks that have claimed more than 230 lives, making it the country worst affected in western Europe. Macron, who took power in May on a promise to boost France's international standing, said he would work with the various powerbrokers in the Middle East -- including arch-rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia -- to try eradicate the jihadist threat. "Some have chosen (their camp). It's a mistake. The strength of our diplomacy is to speak to all sides," he said. France will host a conference on cutting off sources of funding for terror groups like Islamic State in early 2018, he added. - 'No alternative' - The 39-year-old leader also insisted there was no alternative to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which has been fiercely opposed by US President Donald Trump. "There is no alternative to the non-proliferation agenda. It enables a constructive and demanding relationship with Iran," he said. Faced with dismal approval ratings less than four months into his term, Macron was looking to burnish his foreign policy credentials with the speech, which is a fixture on France's political calendar. He won kudos for making a bold start on the international stage, hosting both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin within his first weeks in office. He raised human rights with Putin and spoke out against Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris accord on fighting climate change before later rolling out the red carpet to the Republican leader. On Tuesday Macron announced that Paris will host a summit to review progress on the 2015 accord on December 12. France's youngest-ever president has also irked some European partners, notably Poland, which he accused of "going against European interests in many areas". Warsaw has rejected tough proposals to overhaul a controversial EU rule on cheap labour. - Venezuela 'dictatorship' - On Tuesday, Macron singled out Venezuela for particular criticism, accusing President Nicolas Maduro of creating a "dictatorship" that was battling to survive in the face of deadly street protests. "A dictatorship is trying to survive at an unprecedented humanitarian cost, even though the resources of the country remain significant," he said, echoing the tough US position on Venezuela. Last week the White House piled financial pressure on Caracas, restricting access to vital US capital markets and pledging to "deny the Maduro dictatorship a critical source of financing to maintain its illegitimate rule." Tuesday's speech came a day after Macron hosted a mini-summit with African and European leaders on the migrant crisis. The leaders backed proposals to screen asylum seekers in Chad and Niger as a way to prevent thousands from taking perilous journeys across the Mediterranean. Macron said Tuesday he would soon travel to Burkina Faso to continue building a new relationship with Africa, "a continent of the future" which "we cannot abandon".
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday the heirs of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos had offered to return to the government some of the family's disputed wealth, including "a few gold bars". Marcos and his wife Imelda were accused of plundering about $10 billion from state coffers in 20 years in power. A bloodless "People Power" uprising in 1986 chased the family into US exile. The government announced last month that Duterte, a Marcos ally, may abolish a government agency that has recovered some 170 billion pesos ($3.4 billion) from Marcos and his family. But Duterte said in a speech to government officials: "They (the Marcos family) told me they'll open everything, and probably return what is uncovered." He did not name the Marcos family member who had approached him, the total being offered or the terms attached to it. The family member had told Duterte "we are ready to open and bring (it) back ... including a few gold bars", according to the Philippine president, but the amount involved was "not Fort Knox". Fort Knox is a vault that stores US gold reserves. Duterte said he would accept the Marcos offer and was looking to appoint a retired justice of the Philippine Supreme Court to negotiate with the family on the government's behalf. Duterte's announcement was the latest development in the remarkable political rehabilitation of the Marcos clan. Despite the dictator's death in Hawaii exile in 1989, his family has been making a political comeback in the Philippines with his widow, Imelda, and their children getting elected to office. No member of the Marcos family went to prison despite the government recovery of some of its fortune through litigation and out-of-court settlements. Duterte has openly supported the Marcos family, cheering on the Marcos son, Ferdinand Jnr, in his failed bid for the vice-presidency last year. The Marcos family is known to be grooming him for the presidency as well, and the son is challenging the result of the vice-presidential vote in court in a fight that could put him in the country's second-highest office. Duterte stunned the nation in November last year by allowing the body of the late dictator to be buried in the national "Heroes' Cemetery" despite a widespread outcry that his abuses and corruption exempted him from such an honour. Imelda, the widow of Marcos, denies the family's wealth is ill-gotten and at times has said her late husband recovered the treasure of Japan's World War II General Tomoyuki Yamashita that was looted from across Southeast Asia. "I will accept the explanation whether or not it is true, it does not matter," Duterte said Tuesday. What was important, he said, is it would be "something that really works for the Filipinos".
A Senegalese chef is one step closer to turning an ancient grain found in his country -- gluten-free and bursting with nutrients and amino acids -- into the next trendy superfood. Pierre Thiam, one of Africa's best-known chefs, told the TEDGlobal conference in Tanzania on Monday night of his dream to see "fonio" turn around the fortunes of the arid Sahel region which stretches just south of the Sahara The grain is a nutty-tasting cross between couscous and quinoa which has been cultivated on the continent for some 5,000 years. Thiam said he stumbled across it several years ago in south-eastern Senegal while doing research for a cookbook. He discovered it was once so popular it was found in Egyptian tombs, accompanying people to the afterlife, and that Mali's ethnic Dogon people believe the entire universe sprung from a grain of fonio. Now however, it is only produced in the western part of the Sahel in places like Kedougou, one of the poorest regions of Senegal. "Desertification and lack of job prospects means much of the youth have left, they choose the deadly path of migration in search of better opportunities," said Thiam "This is the reality of Kedougou and much of the Sahel today. A scary future, scarce food and no opportunities to change their situation." - Thrives in harsh environment - Fonio cultivation is "great for the environment", says Thiam. "It tolerates poor soil and needs very little water. It thrives where nothing else will grow." And with the developed world's multi-billion-dollar gluten-free industry and its obsession with superfoods and healthy eating, Thiam wonders if "bringing fonio to the rest of the world could be the answer". Last year he secured a commitment from US health food giant Whole Foods to carry the grain, with fonio appearing on New York shelves in July. However fonio is extremely laborious to husk, pound and turn into food, and having the grain readily available at a consistent quality for commercial users remains a challenge. Thiam said he would like to see a special African-owned and operated mill on the continent to streamline the process. - Tiny grain, big answers - And he rapped the "colonial mentality" that had made the Senegalese believe their own products were inferior -- enjoying rice imported from China and baguettes and croissants from France while believing their home-grown grain was for "country people". "There is untapped agricultural capacity in the Sahel, all it takes is changing market conditions to activate that capacity," he said. "In a drought and famine-prone region, fonio grows freely. This tiny grain may provide big answers." The TEDGlobal conference, which brings together speakers with innovative ideas, is taking place in Africa for the first time in a decade. "Africa has a chance to lead the world by creating a new path to modernity. The biggest challenges facing the world over the next 20 years are already playing out in Africa," said conference curator Emeka Okafor. These range from food security to creating millions of jobs in an increasingly automated world, redesigning cities, water scarcity and the fight against climate change.
Did you know 60 percent of small businesses that have been hacked go out of business within six months of the cyber-attack? With phishing scams on the rise, businesses need to be aware of the various attacks in circulation and how to be prepared if they fall victim to a malicious cyber-attack.

Phishing Examples

Take a look at the following ten phishing examples in 2017 that targeted small businesses.

The Shipping Information Phishing Scam

In July this year, internet security company Comodo disclosed a new type of phishing scam specifically targeting small businesses. Phishing emails were sent out to more than 3,000 businesses, including the subject line Shipping Information.

The email noted a forthcoming delivery by United Parcel Service (UPS) and included a seemingly innocent package tracking link. When the recipient clicked on the link it contained malware, potentially releasing a virus.

WannaCry

On May 12, 2017, WannaCry exploited a weakness in Microsofts operating systems to deliberately infect computers. When the worm was infiltrated, it encrypted the infected operating systems, rendering them unusable. The hackers subsequently demanded a ransom for unlocking the encryption. Small businesses void of up-to-take IT infrastructure were particularly exposed to the WannaCry attack.

Petya Cyber-Attack

In June this year, the Petya ransomware attack hit businesses, preventing victims from accessing their data until they paid $300 in bitcoin. The ransom ware exploited vulnerabilities in Microsoft systems.

Shipping company Maersk was a victim of cyber crime and has said, following the attack, it has put different and further protection measures in place.

Shadow Brokers

Hacking group Shadow Brokers first surfaced in August 2016, but in April this year the group made its most impactful release yet. The attack comprised of a trove of alleged NSA tools, including a Windows exploit known as ExternalBlue. The Shadow Brokers leak has revitalized concerns of the dangers of using bugs in commercial products for intelligence-gathering.

IRS W2 Tax Season Spear-Phishing Scam

At the beginning of this years tax season in the United States, a spear-phishing attack circulated. The W-2 Phishing scam involved cyber criminals sending out fake emails. The hackers deliberately made the emails look like they were being sent from corporate executives.

The fake emails requested the personal information of employees for purposes related to tax and compliance.

By the middle of March 2017, the phishing scam had compromised more than 120,000 employees at more than 100 different organizations.

Business Email Compromise (BEC)

Earlier this year, the Nigeria-based Business Email Compromise (BEC) attack hit over 50 countries, targeting more than 500 businesses, predominantly industrial companies. The phishing scam prompted recipients to download a malicious file. When the file was downloaded, malware would gain authorized access to business data and networks.

Phishing Attack on Chipotle

In February, a group of cyber-criminals in Eastern Europe sent out emails laden with malware to staff of Chipotle. By clicking on the fake emails, the oblivious staff inadvertently enabled the hackers to compromise the POS systems of the majority of Chipotle locations. The hackers were then able to obtain the credit card data of millions of people.

Google Docs Hack

In May, more than 3 million workers worldwide were forced to stop work when phishers sent out fraudulent emails invitations on Google docs inviting recipients to edit documents. When the recipients opened the invitations, they were taken to a third-party app, which enabled hackers to access individuals Gmail accounts.

Phishing Attack on Qatar

In the first quarter of 2017, businesses in Qatar were targeted with tens of thousands of phishing attacks in just a three-month period. Qatars phishing attacks involved the hackers sending out malicious emails and SMS texts to businesses, designed to compromise valuable information and data.

Amazon Prime Day Phishing Attack

Known as the Amazon Prime Day phishing attack, hackers are sending out seemingly legitimate deals to customers of Amazon. When Amazons customers attempted to purchase the deals, the transaction would not be completed, promoting the retailers customers to input data that could be compromised and stolen.

So, whats the morale of the story involving the huge rise in phishing attacks that target small businesses and cause so much destruction?

As the consequences for businesses which ignore the security risks of phishing attacks can be disastrous, it is within every companies interest to implement solid cyber security measures. Instead of essentially waiting for an attack to happen, businesses need to develop a security policy that becomes ingrained into corporate culture. Part of this culture should be paying extra caution when receiving emails from unknown sources and avoiding opening such emails or clicking on malware-infused links.

See Also: Small Business Confidence Was Higher Than Ever in 2017
As Tropical Storm Harvey moves towards Louisiana, catastrophic flooding continues resulting in increased damage for small businesses and homeowners around Houston and the Texas coast. But in the weeks and months following the storm, small businesses in the area may find their greatest challenge is trying to find a way to get back up and running.

Small Business Recovery After Harvey

This isnt just an important factor for the businesses and their employees. Small businesses also play an important part in the community. So they have a big impact on the overall recovery of the area.

Former Joint Task Force Katrina Commander Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore explained the harsh realities in an interview with Fox News: You know the old numbers  40 percent of small businesses dont survive these events Honore said.

Small Business Administration disaster offices around the country  like this one in Buffalo, New York  have started hiring temporary workers to respond to the storm and help people in the area with recovery efforts.

In addition, the SBA has some disaster recovery loans available for businesses that need some financial help to repair property damage or make up for other losses due to the storm. Interested businesses can find more about eligibility and start the application process on the SBAs website. Other entities like Express Business Loans also have disaster recovery options available specifically for businesses being impacted by Harvey.

Aside from applying for loans and assessing the damage from the storm, there are a few other things small businesses can do to pave the way to recovery. Here are some tips:

Check in with your employees as soon as possible.

Call your congressional representatives if FEMA has not responded in your area.

Review current loans with your banker to see if any adjustments are necessary based on damage from the storm.

Update your email auto responder and voice mail messages to reflect your availability during recovery efforts.

Be transparent with customers on social media.

Hire licensed and trusted contractors to handle any building or repair projects at your business.

Disaster recovery certainly isnt an easy process. But its an important one for small businesses and the communities they serve. And a look at Twitter shows other area businesses which have managed to make a difference as well.

As #HarveyFlood continues, @ellmcgirt reflects on businesss essential role when natural disasters hit https://t.co/3waukByny7  Dov Seidman (@DovSeidman) August 28, 2017

@bucees housing and feeding emergency personnel. Another TX business doing what it can to help #HarveyFlood pic.twitter.com/RaAdL7fq6E  Kinzie Craig Hall (@KinzieCraigHall) August 28, 2017

Our GF N FWRY & GF Grand PKWY stores are open for those in need. If you can safely join us, we invite you for shelter and food. God Bless. pic.twitter.com/IHHgjKmjMY  MattressMack (@MattressMack) August 28, 2017
The Slovak National Uprising was successful morally rather than in military terms. People understood that in a certain moment one can no longer just watch and wait for a satisfactory resolution, that others will do it for us.

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The walk from Spania Dolina to the rebel Mor Ho bunker takes two hours. The path in Stare Hory ends just above a slope. Only a steep path through wild apple trees leads down to the heart of the partisan republic, where an eponymous magazine was once published.

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What happened?

The place has been cleared, it looks like a hobbit house. There is a view over the forests to Donovaly and beyond, to the peaks of the Nizke Tatry, the Lower Tatras, in central Slovakia. In the hills above Stare Hory, there was fighting: German units and the Hlinka guards, traitors, collaborators, opportunists who persecuted the members of the Slovak army.

They caught generals Viest and Golian near Stare Hory. The insurgents would come down from there with news from the front, or to seek provisions. They stayed there from the summer of 1944 until the spring when there was nobody left to fight against anymore, when the front reached Banska Bystrica and the north. The Russian units advanced, the Romanian units advanced, the allied air force were supplying food and arms, and the insurgence turned into a political issue. Everyone sensed that the future of Czechoslovakia was at stake up in the mountains above Banska Bystrica, above Strecno, and in the Stiavnicke hills.

Read also:

Read also: Events not for idealising nor demonising Read more

But even before the Bolsheviks and Russian commissars took control of the dynamics of the uprising, before Stalin decided that support for the Czechoslovak resistance would become an excuse to take control of the country, something unprecedented happened in the minds of the people.

One day before the evacuation started, tens of thousands of men and women had no idea that on August 29 they would rise up against the fascist regime of the so-called Slovak state, and with that decision would put Slovakia on the side of the Allies. One day before the Uprising broke out, most of the future insurgents lived their wartime lives in the background of the front. They could rely on the local fascist propaganda telling them that Slovakia was an alleged oasis of peace and prosperity, a shameless lie that some historians repeat until this day. By the summer of 1944 Slovakia had deported most of its Jews and after the Uprising broke out, they started dispatching trains carrying Roma too. The price Slovaks paid for the so-called prosperity of the Slovak state were the state-organised murders of their own citizens, for which the state compensated the rest with the possibility of buying pork brisket from their butcher. The cowardice, the squealing, the dishonest life were at their peak just before the Slovak National Uprising (SNP).

The test of characters

My grandmother worked in the Grand hotel in the High Tatras town of Smokovec at that time. She and my grandfather were sent to the Dachau concentration camp after their own staff reported them for hiding a Jewish family in the hotel. It was done by Slovaks, those whose children and grandchildren today claim that they have nothing to do with that time, that we cannot keep repenting and feeling shame for something we did not do. After all, we were unwitting, they say, we just thought that the Jews from the house next door left for their holidays or something, never mind the fact that none of them returned for three years or ever.

On the night of August 29 there were more than 80,000 people who even six years after being fed the propaganda did not succumb to it. Not all of them believed it was right to have their own state at the price of teaming up with Hitler. Not all believed that the deportations of Jews and political murders were Tisos way to fight bolshevism. There were tens of thousands of families in Slovakia whose members joined the resistance movement.

Fascist historians from the exile, or their followers from the Nations Memory Institute, like to say that we are influenced by communist historiography, that everything we know about the uprising is a result of political rather than historical ideas, that we do not actually know how it really was, that the times were hard. But people's characters are not tested in resorts where everything works alright, but in the moments where one needs to make fast decisions, right and definitive. In this sense, the insurgents took their heroic approach to life into Slovak history and politics and they enriched us with that heroism. That made us a moral political nation and put us on the same level with those European countries that made the cultivation of moral heroism a tool with which to fashion their own historical perception

Small nations haunted by fear of extinction, who feel their historical existence just randomly occurred on the margins of big countries, only rarely make the grade to heroism. Slovakia has made it to an extent that greatly exceeds the proportional possibilities of a small country to interfere with history.

And today?

We have given thousands of lives to the European resistance movement, and thousands of stories of help and courage. SNP was successful morally rather than in military terms. People understood that in a certain moment one can no longer just watch and wait for a satisfactory resolution, that others will do it for us and we will again get out of it as we always did. Countries must also deserve their existence with their courage to change history and cultivate heroism.

In contrast with the events of 1944, not much has remained of our ability to confront ourselves with the components of destruction. In the summer of 1944 the Nazis had problems with the train of rebels; today the state has a problem with the Nazi patrols on trains.

The lack of ability to give living testimony from the SNP through clear attitudes, and the failure to name the real danger, cowardice and malice from fear and political calculation, are characteristic of those who are in political posts today.

The SNP was turned into a sterile tribune of small-mindedness, where we convince ourselves that we are so very awesome thanks to our smallness and the malice that we are cultivating.

The uprising no longer resonates in us, only wanderers visit the Mor Ho bunker, and in the onetime centre of resistance in Spania Dolina fascist kids in uniforms come to clean the streets. And we are scared; we are scared of foreigners, of migrants, of art and of television, we are scared of literature and of demons in videogames, we do not want to be heroes. And the fascist historians are talking their talk about Bolshevik conspiracies and that there was no other option.

Where is the courage that we inherited from the insurgents, and when will we start the evacuation?

Ed. Note: Start with evacuation. In response to the start of the Nazi German occupation of Slovakia, Slovak Army Lieutenant Colonel General Jan Golian issued this code for military units on the evening of August 29, 1944, which signalled the start of active military defence against the occupation.

Michal Havran is a theologian, editor-in-chief of jetotak.sk. This opinion piece was first published in the Sme daily on August 25.
These 12 FAQs will give you the basics on internships for foreign students in Slovakia, based on the experiences of a Slovak Spectator intern.

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Why Bratislava?

Finding an Internship

Preparing to Travel

Dealing with local authorities

Living in Bratislava

Why intern in Bratislava?

The location and size of Bratislava make it ideal for students interested in European culture who want an area that they can learn quickly and easily. As an English-speaker in Bratislava, your language skills will be greatly valued by employers.

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Bratislavas rich historical sites, vibrant downtown architecture, and accessible hiking trails also make the city a great place for you to explore on your own or with colleagues and friends.

How do I find an internship in Slovakia?

The easiest but most expensive approach is to apply (and pay) for an international program that will place you in an internship. These programs can handle the logistics of organising and coordinating the internship for you, but they can cost thousands of dollars, excluding travel costs. The AISEC program does offer internship and volunteers programs in Slovakia for a lower-cost fee, and participants have the possibility of receiving an accommodation and living stipend.

A cheaper option is to look for government-sponsored internship programs or grants that might cover or offset the cost of your time abroad. Students in the EU and participating countries accepted into taking part in the Erasmus+ internship program can look for internships in Slovakia through Placement Slovakia.

US students can apply for a State Department internship in Slovakia to work at the US Embassy in Bratislava, and recent graduates and those in graduate programs can also apply for teaching and research position fellowships in Slovakia offered through the Fulbright Student Program.

The most challenging - but most rewarding - way to find an internship in Bratislava is to look for it yourself. Reach out to companies, schools, and NGOs that operate in English and are geared toward your interests. You dont need to have a contact at the organization to ask if they offer internships, and your skills as an English speaker may be useful in a variety of organizations.

Can I earn funding for my internship abroad?

An internship abroad may not be paid, but you can talk with your host organisation about possible assistance with accommodations, transportation, or lunches.

If your university has an international education center or study abroad program, find out if they offer scholarships or grants that can be applied to internships abroad. They may be able to connect you with other private or public sources of funding that support experiential learning.

U.S. undergraduate students who are recipients of Federal Pell Grants can also apply for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, which could award up to $5,000 for an internship in Slovakia.

Will I need a visa?

http://www.slovak-republic.org/visa-embassies/

For a stay of up to 90 days, there are no visa requirements for citizens of the US, Australia, Canada, or the UK.

Slovakia is part of the Schengen Area, a territory of 23 EU countries and two associated countries of the European Economic Area that have agreed on common visa regulations and the abolition of border controls. Any foreigner with a Schengen Visa does not need to apply for a special visa for Slovakia.

What is the best way to travel to Bratislava?

Flying to Vienna and taking a bus to Bratislava is typically the cheapest way to reach the city. The bus trip from Vienna to Bratislava takes about an hour and costs approximately 5. The Bratislava airport is also connected with a number of European cities, mostly by low-cost airlines.

Will I need a residence permit or a work permit?

Residence and work permits are not required if your stay is less than 90 days.

Read also:

Read also: FAQ: Non-EU citizens - dealing with immigration authorities Read more

Will I have to deal with local authorities when I move to Bratislava?

Nope. For stays that are less than 90 days, you will not need to contact the authorities.

How many hours can I work per week?

The normal workweek is 40 hours, though you may agree on something more flexible with your organisation or employer.

How do I cover my medical costs during my stay in Slovakia?

You can receive medical services at a private clinic in Slovakia, though these could be costly. Working through a third-party organiser or university may give you free or reduced-cost travel insurance that will include health coverage. If you have health insurance in your home country, you can add an international plan to your coverage.

Where can I live?

It is a good idea to join Facebook groups for foreigners in Bratislava looking to rent out or add roommates to your flat. You can also explore housing complexes geared toward students, which can offer private or dormitory-style accommodations. Websites like airbnb.com and Homestay.com can match you with local residents of Bratislava, and Erasmus students can search an online portal for roommates and flats verified by the program.

Do I need to speak Slovak?

Speaking Slovak is not necessary to live in the city, but as with travel to any country, it helps to come with some knowledge of key phrases. If you work in Bratislava, you can expect to find English speakers in many shops and restaurants, and Bratislava teenagers and young adults have often learned English in schools.

Read also:

Read also: First time in Bratislava? This can help you find your way Read more

You should not expect, though, to hear English everywhere around you - though this can be helpful for learning Slovak or simply for further immersing yourself in a new environment.

What can I expect to do in Bratislava?

You can check out The Slovak Spectators page to find cultural and historical events in Bratislava and around Slovakia. Announcements for upcoming film screenings, shows and festivals and are also posted in the city centre. You can use the Bratislava City Guide for advice on everything from hiking trails and art museums to alternative coffee shops and bars.

You can look for networks of students and young adults who share your interests or join communities for foreigners living in Bratislava.
Marian Kotlebas the far right party LSNS has already won two trademarks; thus, nobody else will be allowed to use them, not even in jest.

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These two are verbal but four more, now in the process of being approved by authorities, include the double-cross used by the Nazi-inclined World War II-era Slovak State.

The party received protection for their name and the name of its chairman so from now on, the words and phrases Kotleba  Ludova strana Nase Slovensko (Peoples Party Our Slovakia) will not be allowed to be used by anyone else, not even in verbal jokes and wordplay appearing on T-shirts like

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Magian Kotleba  LSNS, or Na plaz  LSNS  until the trademarks expire at the end of 2026.

No one else can use the same or a similar name for goods and services without asking for their approval, patent representative Lenka Litvakova told the Sme daily. Apart from fines, prison sentences of up to five years can be given to those who violate this rule  if the court finds that the trademark owner has been seriously harmed. In fact, they have monopolised the use of this phrase, Litvakova explained.

Registering the trademark

The Marian Kotlebas party filed a motion with the Slovak Industrial property Office (UPV) last December, demanding protection for hundreds of issued items: from T-shirts and balloons, through watches, beer glasses, stamps to accommodation services. The extremists mostly use the name on the T-shirts or hoodies they wear during their propaganda train rides, concerts or gatherings.

In December, they also asked for four more trademarks, for four different variations of their logo, including an equilateral double-cross and the title Kotleba  Ludova strana Nase Slovensko. Three of them are black-and-white; one has a green background.

So far, they have failed to receive a trademark for them.

Questionable logo

Already in April, doctor and associate professor in criminal law, Peter Kovac, contested their request for trademarks at the UPV and opined that the party cannot register such logos. He noted, as cited by Sme, that the equilateral double-cross  a part of the LSNS logo  contradicts good behavior. Actually, the identical double-cross was used by the paramilitary Hlinka guard in the time of the totalitarian Slovak State, a satellite of Nazi Germany. The main state consultant for heraldics, Ladislav Vrtel, recently pointed to the undeniable message of the double-cross, connecting it with Nazism.

The authority asked LSNS for a stance the party recently sent; but UPV refuses to publish its contents. Its also not possible to estimate the deadline for the handling of the request, Eva Galatova of UPV told the daily.

Kovac noticed that a refusal by the office would be a breakthrough, and also the first official stance confirming that the equilateral double-cross is an extremist symbol. This would be a precedent for court cases as well, Kovac added.

If the UPV refuses to register the trademarks with an equilateral double-cross, this would probably have retroactive effects for LSNS. The party would probably also use the so-far registered trademarks for the old logo.

LSNS is currently facing the threat of being dissolved by the Supreme Court, or of its activities being banned. General Prosecutor Jaromir Ciznar filed the proposal.
The US space agency NASA is all set to examine the internal structure of the Mars with the InSight mission scheduled to launch in May 2018, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in central California. It is to be noticed that it will be the first ever interplanetary launch from the Americas West Coast in the history.

InSight is the first mission of its kind as it will examine the interiors of the Red Planet. Scientists believe that studying Mars will strengthen our understandings of the past. Principal Investigator Bruce Banerdt of NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, said that internal structure of Mars is better preserved when compared to Earth in the past three billion years. Thus, studying the internal structure of Martian surface can reveal key points about the history of our universe and past happenings.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems is assembling and testing the InSight spacecraft in a clean room facility near Denver. Our team resumed system-level integration and test activities last month, said Stu Spath, spacecraft program manager at Lockheed Martin. The lander is completed and instruments have been integrated onto it so that we can complete the final spacecraft testing including acoustics, instrument deployments and thermal balance tests.

As per the schedule, InSight will land on the Martian Surface near the equator on the eve of Thanksgiving next year. Banerdt revealed that the rover is equipped with two solar panels with a wing span of 20 feet which is enough to fulfill the energy demands to complete the daily task. The lander boasts robotic arms to dig in and check the internal structure of the Red Planet.

The two major instruments required for the mission are  a seismometer and a heat probe. Seismometer will detect fine movements beneath the ground. The device made by Frances space agency, CNES, with collaboration from the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Germany, is sensitive enough to even detect movements of the order of the size of a hydrogen atom. Scientists believe that it will check the meteor impacts happened in the past and help in studying the interior of Mars.

Another major equipment on the lander is the heat probe which will measure the amount of energy dissipated by the interiors of the planet in the form of heat. The device made by German Aerospace Center can hammer itself to a depth of 10 feet (3 meters).

We have fixed the problem we had two years ago, and we are eagerly preparing for launch, said InSight Project Manager Tom Hoffman, of JPL. Best opportunity to launch a Martian probe comes once in 26 months and scientists are eagerly waiting for the opportunity this time.

JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the InSight Project for NASAs Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. InSight is part of NASAs Discovery Program, which is managed by NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Together with two active NASA Mars rovers, three NASA Mars orbiters and a Mars rover being built for launch in 2020, InSight is part of a legacy of robotic exploration that is helping to lay the groundwork for sending humans to Mars in the 2030s.
Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.
(Adds Total comment)

By Jake Spring

BRASILIA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Brazil's environmental regulator Ibama said on Tuesday it has rejected Total SA (Paris: FR0000120271 - news) 's environmental study on drilling in the Foz do Amazonas basin, warning it needs more information or it will suspend the French oil firm's license application.

Ibama's repeated refusals to accept Total (LSE: 524773.L - news) 's environmental impact study has held up the company's four-year quest to explore the offshore basin, an area some geologists say could contain up to 14 billion barrels of petroleum, or more than the entire proven reserves in the Gulf of Mexico.

Total led a group including Britain's BP Plc and Brazilian state oil company Petrobras in buying five exploration blocks in the basin in 2013, but the discovery of a massive coral reef just 28 kilometers (17 miles) from the blocks has thrown environmental approval for drilling into doubt.

Total in Brazil said it is evaluating the request for technical information from Ibama.

"At this point, the environmental licensing process is still underway," a spokeswoman said in an emailed statement.

The firm's Paris-listed shares dropped as much as 1.6 percent on Tuesday before easing to a 0.2 percent decline.

Ibama said that technical documents issued late Monday listed areas of the study that must be addressed, amounting to a rejection of the environmental study.

The agency said in the documents detailing its decision that it has already requested information from Total three times.

"In the case the company does not meet the points demanded by the technical team one more time, the licensing process will be archived," it said, meaning any decision on Total's drilling proposal could be suspended indefinitely.

The agency wants the company to address how to limit the impact on marine mammals and turtles, clarify models for how oil in the water would disperse itself as well as address Ibama's initial rejection of Total's proposals for environmental monitoring and other projects.

Oil leaks in the Foz do Amazonas basin, named for its location near the mouth of the Amazon river, could wreak havoc on the rainforest in Brazil's far northern Amapa state in addition to harming the reef, scientists and activists say.

Total had said it expected a decision from Ibama this year and called for more flexibility from Brazil in awarding environmental licenses, saying Amapa deserves to know if there is oil off its coast. (Editing by Tom Hogue and Jeffrey Benkoe)
By Angus Berwick MADRID (Reuters) - Moroccan authorities have arrested a man suspected of supplying gas canisters to a jihadist cell that carried out a double attack in Catalonia earlier this month that killed 16 people, a source from the Spanish investigation said. The cell accumulated around 120 canisters of butane gas at a house in a town south of Barcelona with which, police say, it planned to carry out a larger bomb attack. Police believe the cell accidentally ignited the explosives on Aug. 16, the eve of the Barcelona attack, triggering a blast that destroyed the house in the town of Alcanar. The remaining attackers then decided to use hired vans to mow down crowds along Barcelona's most famous avenue and later mount an assault in the resort town of Cambrils. Moroccan police arrested the man in the city of Casablanca, the source said, without giving further details. Spain's interior minister, Juan Ignacio Zoido, said on Tuesday that Moroccan authorities had arrested two people linked to the attacks but declined to give details about them. Spanish news agency EFE said the second man was arrested in the city of Oujda and was a relative of one of the members of the Barcelona cell. The source did not confirm that. Zoido, speaking after a meeting with the Moroccan interior minister in Morocco's capital Rabat, said Spanish and Moroccan authorities were working closely together in the investigation. Most of the suspected attackers were Moroccan and an imam suspected of radicalising the cell travelled there shortly before the attack took place. Six of the attackers were shot dead by police and two died in the explosion at the house in Alcanar. Four other people were arrested over the assaults, two of whom have now been released under certain conditions. (Reporting by Angus Berwick; Editing by Jesus Aguado and Alison Williams)
BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia has sent a letter of protest to Venezuela after it said security forces from the socialist country crossed the border into the Colombian province of La Guajira over the weekend, two government sources said on Monday. The sources told Reuters the Colombian Foreign Ministry had given the letter to Venezuela's embassy in Bogota, although the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro denied on Sunday that the crossing into Paraguachon, La Guajira, took place. The governor of La Guajira criticized the crossing on Twitter over the weekend, saying the security forces came over the border on Saturday night and stole money and cellphones from residents. Long-standing tensions between the neighbouring countries have escalated since Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos joined with other countries in the region to criticise Maduro and said Venezuela was heading towards a dictatorship. Venezuela's former top prosecutor, who has accused Maduro of involvement with corruption, fled to Colombia this month. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Donald Trumps administration dont want to work with Boris Johnson because they think hes a joke, it has been reported.

The Times said Britains foreign secretary is considered a laughing stock by the US presidents government in Washington.

In an article titled, Our foreign secretary is an international joke, Times columnist Rachel Sylvester wrote that diplomatic sources in the US said Trump officials dont want to go anywhere near Boris because they think hes a joke.

This in today's Times is absolutely damning on the man charged with representing Britain to the rest of the world. https://t.co/1doT8ZAl47 pic.twitter.com/5fU5Sg2dsc  Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) August 29, 2017

She wrote: Ive just spent a fortnight in America and was shocked by the number of tech entrepreneurs, hedge fund managers and political strategists I met who asked: Why has your prime minister appointed a fool as foreign secretary?

One minister told The Times: Its worse in Europe. There is not a single foreign minister there who takes him seriously. They think hes a clown who can never resist a gag.

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The article claimed Mr Johnson has made enemies and alienated allies at a crucial stage in its dealings with other nations.

Ms Sylvester wrote: Boris Johnson is becoming the Wheres Wally? of international diplomacy.

All over the world the geopolitical tectonic plates are shifting yet at this time of huge global significance the foreign secretary is all but invisible on the international stage.

Story continues

'Boris Johnson has made enemies and alienated allies at a time when Britain needs a strong voice abroad' https://t.co/92X2dmsUOq pic.twitter.com/vBvFweSjAQ  The Times of London (@thetimes) August 29, 2017

On the nuclear threat posed by North Korea, the crisis over Saudi Arabia and Qatar or the clash between the US and China, he is irrelevant.

On Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, Turkey and Yemen, he is incoherent.

Donald Trumps team think Boris Johnson is a joke, reports say (Picture: Rex)

Occasionally he surfaces briefly, like a hostage paraded before the television cameras to prove he is still alive, as he did after a visit to Libya last week, but even then he is ineffective because he has ceded all influence to others.

Referring to Mr Johnsons relationship with Mr Trump, The Times accuses Mr Johnson of making a serious strategic error in aligning himself so quickly with a divisive populist across the Atlantic who no longer even has the support of his own Republican Party.
By Marine Pennetier and John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - Europe's "big four" continental powers and three African states agreed a plan on Monday to tackle illegal human trafficking and support nations struggling to contain the flow of people across the desert and Mediterranean sea. The 28-nation European Union has long struggled to reach a coherent answer to the influx of migrants fleeing war, poverty and political upheaval in the Middle East and Africa, and the crisis is testing cooperation between member states. After hosting the leaders of Germany, Italy, Spain, Chad, Niger and Libya, French President Emmanuel Macron said it was time for greater coordination. "We must all act together - from the source countries to Europe and passing by the transit countries, especially Libya - to be efficient," he told reporters. "Its a challenge as much for the EU as for the African Union." While the meeting was sparse on concrete details, the leaders agreed on the principle of setting up a mechanism to identify legitimate migrants who are fleeing war and persecution, and to use the United Nations to register them in Niger and Chad so as to prevent them being exploited by traffickers. "At the core of it, its all about fighting illegal migration," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference. She said that Berlin was willing to increase its efforts. "If we want to stop human traffickers, then this can only be achieved through development aid," she said. The migrant crisis has put Paris and Rome at odds. Italy has accused France and other EU states of not sharing the migrant burden and has also asked the EU Commission for more budget flexibility to help it tackle the crisis. Nearly 120,000 migrants, including refugees, have entered Europe by sea so far this year, according to the International Organization for Migration. More than 2,400 have drowned while making the dangerous journey, often without enough food or water in overcrowded dinghies run by people smugglers. "We are all committed to reducing the damage, the death of Africans in the desert, the death of Africans crossing the Mediterranean," Chad President Idriss Deby said. "The fundamental problem will always remain development. We need resources," he said. The informal meeting did not outline any new specific financing and the leaders repeated that stabilising chaotic Libya, where thousands of migrants end up before embarking on a perilous Mediterranean sea journey to Europe, would be key to any long-term solution. (Additional reporting by Michel Rose in Paris, Steve Scherer, Gareth Jones and Massimiliano Di Giorgio in Rome, Sarah White in Madrid, Paul Carrell and Michael Nienaber in Berlin; Editing by Richard Lough and Andrew Bolton)
By Parisa Hafezi ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran has dismissed a U.S. demand for United Nations nuclear inspectors to visit its military bases as "merely a dream". It also said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was unlikely to agree anyway. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, last week pressed the IAEA to seek access to Iranian military bases to ensure that they were not concealing activities banned by the 2015 nuclear deal reached between Iran and six major powers. U.S. President Donald Trump has called the nuclear pact -- negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama -- "the worst deal ever". In April, he ordered a review of whether a suspension of nuclear sanctions on Iran was in the U.S. interest. Iranian government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht responded at a weekly news conference broadcast on state television on Tuesday. "Iran's military sites are off limits," he said. "All information about these sites are classified. Iran will never allow such visits. Don't pay attention to such remarks that are only a dream." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani followed up later by saying the U.S. call was unlikely to be accepted by the U.N. nuclear watchdog. "The International Atomic Energy Agency is very unlikely to accept America's demand to inspect our military sites," Rouhani said in a televised interview. Rouhani gave no indication why he believed the IAEA would decline the request. Under the deal, the IAEA can request access to Iranian sites including military ones if it has concerns about activities there that violate the agreement, but it must show Iran the basis for those concerns. That means new and credible information pointing to such a violation is required first, officials from the agency and major powers say. There is no indication that Washington has presented such information to back up its call for inspections of Iranian military sites. "OFF LIMITS" Under U.S. law, the State Department must notify Congress every 90 days of Irans compliance with the nuclear deal. The next deadline is October, and Trump has said he thinks by then the United States will declare Iran to be non-compliant. So far, IAEA inspectors have certified that Iran is fully complying with the deal, under which it significantly reduced its enriched uranium stockpile and took steps to ensure no possible use of it for a nuclear weapon. This was in return for an end to international sanctions that had helped cripple its oil-based economy. During its decade-long stand-off with world powers over its nuclear programme, Iran repeatedly rejected visits by U.N. inspectors to its military sites, saying they had nothing to do with nuclear activity and so were beyond the IAEA's purview. Shortly after the deal was reached, Iran allowed inspectors to check its Parchin military complex, where Western security services believe Tehran carried out tests relevant to nuclear bomb detonations more than a decade ago. Iran has denied this. Under the 2015 accord, Iran could not get sanctions relief until the IAEA was satisfied Tehran had answered outstanding questions about the so-called "possible military dimensions" of its past nuclear research. Iran has placed its military bases off limits also because of what it calls the risk that IAEA findings could find their way to the intelligence services of its U.S. or Israeli foes. "The Americans will take their dream of visiting our military and sensitive sites to their graves ... It will never happen," Ali Akbar Velayati, a top adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's highest authority, told reporters. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi, Additional reporting by Francois Murphy and Shadia Nasrallah in Vienna; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
By Raya Jalabi KIRKUK, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's oil-producing region of Kirkuk will vote in a referendum on Kurdish independence on Sept. 25, its provisional council decided on Tuesday, a move that could increase tension with Arab and Turkmen residents. The ethnically mixed region is claimed by both the central government in Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq. The vote is "definitely happening" on Sept. 25, Kirkuk Governor Najmuddin Kareem told Reuters after a majority of the provincial council voted in favour of taking part. Only 24 of the 41 council members attended Tuesday's vote, with 23 voting in favour of participating in the referendum. One abstained. The remaining council members - all Arabs and Turkmen - boycotted the vote. Instead, they issued statements denouncing the vote as "unconstitutional." The KRG had said it was up to the local councils of Kirkuk and three other disputed regions of Iraq to decide whether to join the vote on the independence of the Kurdish region. The vote in the disputed regions would amount to deciding whether to join the KRG or remain under the jurisdiction of the Shi'ite Arab-led government in Baghdad. Baghdad says the referendum is unconstitutional. Speaking to reporters following a meeting of his council of ministers, Iraqi Prime Minister Hayder al-Abadi denounced Tuesday's decision as "wrong". "Issues are not handled like this," he added. Sunni MP Mohammed al-Karbouli told Reuters that Tuesday's decision "would help trigger ethnic fighting" in the region and would also "extend the life" of Islamic State in the country. "It's a stark violation of the constitution and a determined move to confiscate the rights of the Arab and Turkmen in Kirkuk. The government should intervene to stop this violation," al-Karbouli said. The United States and Western nations fear the vote could lead to conflicts with Baghdad and neighbouring Turkey and Iran, which host sizeable Kurdish populations, diverting attention from the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. A senior Kurdish official has said Iraq's Kurds might consider postponing the referendum in return for financial and political concessions from the central government. "Those who ask for a postponement - including Baghdad and the U.S. and Europe and whoever - should give us a time," Kareem said. "Why don't they propose a date?" Kurdish peshmerga fighters seized control of Kirkuk in 2014 when the Iraqi army fled from Islamic State's offensive across northern and western Iraq, preventing the region's oil fields from falling into the hands of the militants. The Kurds have been seeking an independent state since at least the end of World War One, when colonial powers divided up the Middle East and left Kurdish-populated territory split between modern-day Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. (Reporting by Raya Jalabi; Editing by Larry King)
yellowstone rex

Hollywood is obsessed with the idea of giant asteroids wiping out all life on Earth  but there could be a bigger threat lurking under our feet, NASA warns.

NASA says that supervolcano eruptions are a bigger threat to life than any asteroid  but the space agency has a plan up its sleeve in case the Yellowstone supervolcano under America ever erupts.

Supervolcano eruptions are a terrifying destructive force  which can blanket huge areas in ash and change the climate for decades.

The Yellowstone supervolcano is thought to contain up to 500 billion cubic miles of molten rock.

Brian Wilson of NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory told the BBC, 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.

The Yellowstone supervolcano could easily change life on our planet for centuries. Fortunately, NASA has a plan to tap into this massive geothermal area and prevent a potential catastrophe.

I came to the conclusion during that study that the super volcano threat is substantially greater than the asteroid or comet threat.

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But while the Yellowstone supervolcano does not pose any immediate threat, NASA already has an idea of how to stop an eruption.

Scientists from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory calculated that the supervolcano would have to be cooled by 35%  which could be achieved by pricking its surface.

Scientists propose drilling six miles into the hydrothermal water to the sides of the magma chamber  and injecting cooler water.

NASAs experts believe that this could  hopefully  cool the volcano enough to prevent a disastrous eruption.
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Aukkarapon Niyomyat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's junta has removed the head of the national Buddhism office, the prime minister said on Tuesday, after religious groups called on the government to sack him over his plans to clean up scandal-hit monasteries. But Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said it wasn't a punishment. Pongporn Pramsaneh, who joined the National Office of Buddhism in February, had vowed to reform Thailand's more than 40,000 temples by forcing them to open their finances to the public. They take billions of dollars in donations every year. The former policeman was appointed amid a standoff between security forces and the influential Dhammakaya temple in February. Authorities wanted to question the temple's chief abbot on money-laundering charges. Pongporn will now move to a lower profile post of inspector-general in Prayuth's office. "He has got some of the jobs done. He came in to solve temple issues," Prayuth told reporters. "I'll now bring him close to me, to help me work on religious reform... This is not a punishment." Pongporn told Reuters: "I have done my duties to the best of my ability." Buddhism is one of the three traditional pillars of Thai society alongside the nation and monarchy. It has largely eluded the junta's control as it has stamped its authority on other aspects of Thai life since a 2014 coup. The National Office of Buddhism is responsible for state administration of the religion followed by 90 percent of Thailand's 67 million people, but religious affairs are handled by a Sangha Supreme Council of elderly monks. Despite high-profile temple scandals over murder, drugs and sex as well as improper financial dealings, Pongporn's call for change had jarred on some monks. A group called the Thailand Buddhists Federation submitted a petition to the prime minister's office this month, calling for Pongporn to be removed to "prevent further damage to monks". "He painted monks as villains in Thai people's eyes," the group's secretary-general, Korn Meedee, said in a statement on Facebook. In July, another Buddhist group had called for Pongporn's removal, saying he had damaged the Buddhist institution. Phra Buddha Issara, a firebrand monk who called for reform of Buddhism, said the junta gave in to pressure too easily given government promises to fight corruption. "Are they still serious about tackling corruption or are they only moving against certain people and groups?" he said, adding that when it came to monks: "No one can touch them." Reuters reported exclusively in March that the junta was drafting a law which would significantly weaken the Sangha Council. The draft is expected to be brought to parliament this year. Thai security forces besieged the Dhammakaya Temple in February to try to catch its former abbot, wanted for questioning on money laundering. But police failed to catch him and he is still on the run. (Reporting by Aukkarapon Niyomyat, Panarat Thepgumpanat Panu Wongcha-um, and Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)
By Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra kneeled before a row of saffron-robed Buddhist monks last Wednesday as she offered them fruits and sticky rice soaked in coconut milk and longan juice, a specialty from her northern region. At the auspicious hour of 9 a.m. she released fish at the Temple of the Bells near Bangkok's Chaophraya river, a practice Thai Buddhists believe brings good karma. At that point, aides say they believed she still intended to appear on Friday for sentencing in the criminal negligence case brought by Thailands junta over a costly rice subsidy scheme. Within about a day, she had left the country. "She chose to leave because she heard from her sources that the court would give her a heavy sentence and would not grant her bail," said one source close to Yingluck. "She's not a last minute person. She always plans things very carefully. This was a last-minute decision." Yingluck fled with two aides but left her only son, Supasek Amornchat, 15, behind in Thailand, the source said. Another aide, who had worked with Yingluck for a decade, said that she was gone by Thursday afternoon. Yingluck, whose government was ousted in a 2014 coup, went to Dubai, where her brother former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has a home, via Singapore, aides and other sources in her Puea Thai Party told Reuters. Reuters was not able to contact Yingluck. An aide for Thaksin in Dubai said she was not authorized to speak to the media. DOOR LEFT OPEN? Exactly how Yingluck escaped from Thailand remains a mystery. At 10:55 am on Thursday, she posted one last time on her Facebook page in a message that apologised to her supporters for being unable to greet them at court because of heightened security, but at the same time implied she would show up. Even some of Yingluck's closest aides said they were not aware how she left the country. Deputy national police chief General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said police intelligence showed Yingluck was at her Bangkok home at least up until 2 p.m. on Wednesday. It was not clear why the police had information up to that point but not beyond. The junta has denied leaving a door open for Yingluck to escape - solving a problem for Thailand's generals concerned that if she was imprisoned she would become a martyr - but both her supporters and enemies have questioned whether she had official help. Sources in the Puea Thai Party said she fled first to Cambodia - a route often used by Thai opposition figures in the past as the border is porous and it is less than four hours drive from Bangkok. Thai media have said she took a private jet from Cambodia to Singapore and then on to Dubai. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen denied on Sunday that Yingluck used Cambodia as part of her escape route. By 9:40 a.m. on Friday morning, the Supreme Court had issued an arrest warrant for Yingluck, saying it did not think Yingluck was ill with an ear problem as her team claimed. She had pleaded not guilty to the charge, which carried a sentence of up to 10 years. Hours after the verdict against Yingluck had been due, the court sentenced her former commerce minister in a related case to 42 years in prison. He was denied bail pending appeal because it was too late in the day. Seventeen other people were given sentences of between 4-48 years in the case. Lieutenant General Werachai Indusobhana, commander of the Terrestrial Defence Command, told reporters on Monday that Yingluck's son Supasek showed up for student officer training on Saturday as required for Thai male students of his age. (This version of the story has been refiled to correct name of the fruit in paragraph 1) (Additional reporting for Prak Chan Thul in PHNOM PENH; Editing by Matthew Tostevin and Martin Howell)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Iraq have banished a senior Islamic State finance official from their financial systems, the U.S. Treasury Department said on Tuesday. The U.S. Treasury named Salim Mustafa Muhammad al-Mansur, a finance official for the Islamic militant group, as a "specially designated global terrorist," a move that freezes any property he might have in the United States and bars Americans from dealing with him. Iraq's government also barred Mansur from its financial system and froze any assets under its jurisdiction, Treasury said. Islamic State, also called ISIS, seized large swathes of Iraq in 2014 in a bid to establish an Islamic "caliphate," but has since lost territory in a U.S.-backed campaign against the group. "Treasury continues to work in close collaboration with the Government of Iraq to dismantle ISIS financial networks both inside and outside of ISIS-controlled territory," said John E. Smith, director of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which enforces sanctions. In 2014, Mansur helped transfer hundreds of thousands of Iraqi dinars to Islamic State in Mosul, and then helped launder and transfer money for the group and sold oil it extracted from Iraq and Syria, Treasury said. As of early this year, Mansur had moved to Turkey but was still serving as an Islamic State finance official for Mosul, Iraq, Treasury said. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
Following President Trumps reversal Monday of his predecessors restrictions on the flow of surplus military gear to local police departments, a Virginia Tech expert said that process in effect militarizes the police.

It is difficult if not impossible to gain community trust when communities are treated like enemies under occupation, said Wornie Reed, director of Virginia Techs Race and Social Policy Center. Military-style equipment is rarely needed for public safety.



Because this can be problematic, Reed said, President Barack Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing recommended a reduction in the program that transfers surplus military equipment to domestic law enforcement agencies.



Quoting Reed



Having armored tanks redefines the relationship between the police and the public, which police are charged with protecting. Many citizens and officials have called for shifts in law enforcement's approach toward community policing and trust building. It is difficult if not impossible to gain community trust when communities are treated like enemies under occupation.



The militarization of policing is exacerbating the current issue of the appropriate use of force by the police. When police use military-type weapons and tactics in response to demonstrations, they risk infringing on the First Amendment rights of citizens.



About Reed



Reed is the the director of Virginia Techs Race and Social Policy Center and a professor of sociology. His research and expertise focuses on race, social policy, criminal justice, discrimination, and ethnic health disparities.



Read his bio.



Schedule an interview



To secure an interview with Reed, contact Jordan Fifer at jordanfifer@vt.edu or 540-231-6997.



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Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE), an S&P 500<sup></sup> urban office real estate investment trust ("REIT"), is the first, longest-tenured, and pioneering owner, operator, and developer uniquely focused on collaborative life science, technology, and agtech campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, with a total market capitalization of $31.9 billion as of December 31, 2020, and an asset base in North America of 49.7 million square feet ("SF"). The asset base in North America includes 31.9 million RSF of operating properties and 3.3 million RSF of Class A properties undergoing construction, 7.1 million RSF of near-term and intermediate-term development and redevelopment projects, and 7.4 million SF of future development projects. Founded in 1994, Alexandria pioneered this niche and has since established a significant market presence in key locations, including Greater Boston, San Francisco, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle. Alexandria has a longstanding and proven track record of developing Class A properties clustered in urban life science, technology, and agtech campuses that provide our innovative tenants with highly dynamic and collaborative environments that enhance their ability to successfully recruit and retain world-class talent and inspire productivity, efficiency, creativity, and success. Alexandria also provides strategic capital to transformative life science, technology, and agtech companies through our venture capital platform. We believe our unique business model and diligent underwriting ensure a high-quality and diverse tenant base that results in higher occupancy levels, longer lease terms, higher rental income, higher returns, and greater long-term asset value.
Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. provides natural gas compression services and equipment to the energy industry in the United States. It fabricates, manufactures, rents, and sells natural gas compressors and related equipment. The company primarily engages in the rental of compression units that provide small, medium, and large horsepower applications for unconventional oil and natural gas production. As of December 31, 2021, the company had 2,023 natural gas compression units in its rental fleet with 418,041 horsepower. The company also engages in the design, fabrication, and assembly of compressor components into compressor units for rental or sale; engineers and fabricates natural gas compressors; and designs and manufactures a line of reciprocating compressor frames, cylinders, and parts. In addition, it is involved in the design, fabrication, sale, installation, and service of flare stacks and related ignition and control devices for the onshore and offshore incineration of gas compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gases. Further, the company offers customer support services for its compressor and flare sales business; and exchange and rebuild program for small horsepower screw compressors. Its primary customers are exploration and production(E&P) companies that utilize compressor units for artificial lift applications; E&P companies that focuses on natural gas-weighted production; and midstream companies. Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Midland, Texas.
President Donald Trump was sued again over his plan to ban transgender Americans from serving in the military, setting the stage for another bruising court battle about a directive from the White House.

The lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union, filed Monday in federal court in Maryland, alleges Trumps order violates the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution. An Aug. 25 White House memo gave Defense Secretary James Mattis six months to return to the previous policy barring transgender soldiers.

The ACLUs suit seeks a preliminary or permanent court order barring enforcement of the ban and preventing any transgender service members from being discharged, blocked from promotion or denied medical care.

Trump ordered the military to stop paying for transition-related medical expenses, unless the service members health was in jeopardy, and the ACLU asked the judge to reverse that order immediately. Itll be up to the judge to schedule hearings.

The ban is purely political, the ACLU said, reflecting a desire to placate legislators and advisors who bear animus and moral disapproval toward men and woman who are transgender in order to gain votes to pass a defense spending bill that included money to build a border wall with Mexico. Another suit filed Monday in federal court in Seattle by Lambda Legal said Trumps policy was unsupported by any compelling, important, or even rational justification.

The dispute was triggered by a three-part July 26 tweet in which the president said he needed to reverse his predecessors transgender policy to protect military readiness and reduce waste.

After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military, Trump tweeted. Our military must be focused on the decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you.

The ACLUs complaint purports to address each of Trumps stated concerns, using government-backed studies, an analysis of transgender-related costs and the apparent readiness of several U.S. allies that allow transgender soldiers to serve openly. Moreover, the civil rights group says, its a constitutional matter.

Trump has inflamed U.S. cultural wars since his election victory, pushing back on his predecessors liberal polices and pleasing his conservative base. His executive orders have targeted immigration, while his Justice Department started a review of affirmative action in colleges and joined a suit to halt the spread of gay rights in the workplace. The presidents policy proposals have also hinted at fights over abortion and doctor-assisted suicide.

We do not comment on active or pending litigation, Ninio Fetalvo, a White House spokesman, said in an email.

The plaintiffs in the suit include Petty Officer Brock Stone, 34, who has served in the U.S. Navy for 11 years, including a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan, and Staff Sgt. Kate Cole, 27, who has served in the U.S. Army for almost 10 years, including a year in Afghanistan where she was a team leader and designated marksman.

The Department of Defense concluded in 2016 that there was no basis for the military to exclude transgender men and women from serving openly, subject to the same fitness requirements as other Americans, the ACLU said. New transgender recruits were due to be permitted to enlist on July 1, it said.

The ACLU has also helped stall Trumps proposed ban against travelers from several Muslim-majority countries, a narrowed version of which took effect in June pending a U.S. Supreme Court hearing in October.

Thousands of transgender Americans serve in the armed forces, putting themselves in harms way to protect the rights and freedoms in the U.S., the ACLU said in the complaint.

Some perform critical roles in intelligence analysis, disaster relief, medical care, and pre-deployment training at bases in the United States, the organization said. Others have deployed to combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Trumps claim that allowing transgender Americans to serve openly would harm unit cohesion is undermined by the experiences of soldiers in 18 countries were theyre allowed to serve, including Canada, Australia, Germany and Israel, the suit says. That was the conclusion of a RAND Corporation study that investigated the matter for the Obama administration, according to the ACLU.

The suit quoted Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, an Iraq War veteran and a recipient of the Purple Heart, criticizing Trumps planned policy in a statement.

If you are willing to risk your life for your country and you can do the job, you should be able to serve  no matter your gender identity or sexual orientation, she said.

The suit also disputes Trumps claim that proving medical treatment for transgender men and women is too costly. The group cited a study showing an projected increase in spending of $8.4 million out of a $6.2 billion budget, according to the suit. The military spends ten times that amount  $84 million annually  providing Viagra and sexual dysfunction medications to members of the armed forces.

Treatment of transgender people has become a flash point as social conservatives lead fights in some states to require students and sometimes adults to use schools and public restrooms corresponding to their gender at birth.

Five members of the armed forces earlier this month sued Trump and his top military brass seeking to halt the reversal of the transgender policy put in place by the Obama administration. The new suit by the ACLU adds significant resources to the fight as the organization has seen its membership swell since Trumps election.

The service members in the earlier case, who are suing anonymously, say they disclosed their gender orientation relying on the existing policy that permits them to serve openly.
A suspect is in custody in connection with the shooting deaths of two people at the Clovis-Carver Library on Monday, according to Clovis Police Chief Douglas Ford.

Ford said in a news conference Monday evening that two females were killed while four others, two males and two females, were injured and transferred to outside hospitals for advanced care. He did not give their ages or names. He did not release the identities of the dead and said he would not do so until their families are notified.

Ford confirmed that a person photographed being taken away in handcuffs from the library is the primary suspect but would not release his identity.

This is a very young stage of this investigation, he said. Ford couldnt confirm how many people were in the library at the time of the shooting.

Clovis interim City Manager Tom Phelps said in an earlier telephone interview that police were called to the library around 4 p.m. and the situation ended fairly soon after officers arrived. Force was not used against the suspect, he said.

He surrendered peacefully, Phelps said.

Three of the injured victims were taken to a hospital across the state line in Lubbock, Texas, Phelps told The Eastern New Mexico News.

Clovis Mayor David Lansford at the news conference condemned the very tragic and senseless act that took two lives and injured others, some severely.

This is the last thing I wanted to do today, no doubt about that, Lansford said. Were all hurting as a result of what took place this afternoon.

Lansford thanked Clovis police for a quick and immediate response that stopped a situation that couldve been much worse.

Weve been hit hard, but were a community that will get back up, he said.

While there is still much unknown, it is clear this was a horrific attack, Gov. Susana Martinez said in a news release. I am directing the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, and other state agencies, to assist and support the Clovis Police Department. In the coming hours and days we will learn more information about this despicable act, but for now I ask all New Mexicans to pray for the victims and their families, and for the entire Clovis community.

Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a news release that his office had reached out to the local district attorney to offer any help.

New Mexicos thoughts and prayers tonight are with the victims, their families and the first responders on the ground, he said.

The Associated Press reported that Sojung Her, a 26-year-old cashier at the Shogun Japanese Steak House within view of the library, located on North Main Street, said the shooting left behind a sense of fear and vulnerability.

Its kind of a freak thing, she said. What if he just walked into our restaurant and started shooting.

Police cars and tactical officers crowded the streets outside as she arrived to work at the restaurant late Monday afternoon.

This kind of thing never happens here, she said.

A statement on the Clovis librarys web page read: Due to an incident at the library, we will be closed until further notice.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

While American Red Cross volunteers and staff from New Mexico have been deployed to Texas to assist in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, most local organizations are waiting for the rain and floodwaters to subside and ground access to improve.

At least nine Red Cross workers from throughout New Mexico have already been deployed as well as two Emergency Response Vehicles, or ERVs, containing food, water, blankets, clean-up kits, and other emergency supplies, said Kathy Segura-Salas, executive director of the American Red Cross in New Mexico.

The ERVs are generally dispatched to communities where residents could not get to a shelter. More than 200 Red Cross ERVs from around the country have been activated for the operation, she said.

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez on Monday activated the states Emergency Operations Center to help in the transfer of equipment and personnel that may be requested from Texas. Martinez also directed the state Transportation and Public Safety departments to waive overweight and oversize limits for vehicles transporting emergency equipment to Texas.

We continue to pray for those affected by Hurricane Harvey, the governor said in a statement. Martinez also directed all New Mexico emergency agencies to provide any aid requested, and she asked all New Mexicans to consider donating to the Red Cross.

In anticipation of the hurricane, the Red Cross last week pre-positioned blood products in Houston and Dallas to ensure an adequate blood supply would be available for hospital patients.

United Blood Services has sent out a national plea asking people to donate blood. The timing of the hurricane is especially concerning, given the approach of the three-day Labor Day holiday weekend, when donations dramatically decline across the country.

Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry and Police Chief Gorden Eden reached out to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, and told him that Albuquerque has a team of officers with expertise in search and rescue and water diving who could be deployed if requested. APD spokeswoman Celina Espinoza said Houston was also offered the use of APDs two jon boats, an airboat and a hovercraft.

Deputy Felicia Maggard, spokeswoman for the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office, said the department has a disaster plan in place and if requested can send an Emergency Response Team to Texas, including two helicopters with hoists to lift people to safety.

Meaghan Cavanaugh, spokeswoman for the Public Service Company of New Mexico, said New Mexico line crews are standing by and will travel to Texas to help restore power if requested. Were waiting to find out if we can even get crews on the ground in there because of the flooding, she said.

The Red Cross has already sent more than 80 tractor-trailer loads of cots, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, comfort kits, kitchen supplies and cleaning supplies to Texas from inventory available at Red Cross centers from coast to coast. Those supplies are enough to accommodate 34,000 people staying in shelters. Supplies for another 18,000 people are en route, she said.

In addition, more than 4,000 Red Cross disaster workers from around the country are expected to deploy to Texas by Wednesday, and thousands more will likely follow, said Segura-Salas.

While the American Red Cross is doing all that it can, access into many areas is still quite difficult, she said. Our first priorities are keeping people safe, while providing shelter, food and a shoulder to lean on. We will expand our reach into more communities as soon as officials say it is safe to do so.

At least 6,000 people are estimated to have sought refuge in dozens of shelters in Texas Sunday night. We believe this number could be much higher, she said. Shelters are also open in Louisiana as bands from the storm move to the east.

The Salvation Army is also providing disaster relief by deploying 42 mobile kitchens to Texas from centers around the country. Each of the mobile kitchens can serve an average of 1,500 meals per day.



 American Red Cross at

 Salvation Army at

 The Jewish Federations of North America: search online for the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund

 Also welcome are blood donations. To find the nearest United Blood Services collection center, go to

 The owners of Nick & Jimmys Restaurant, El Patron Cantina and Mykonos Restaurant will donate 25 percent of all proceeds from all three restaurants on Wednesday and Thursday. Nick & Jimmys is located at 5021 Pan American Freeway, El Patron is at 10551 Montgomery NE and Mykonos is at 5900 Eubank NE. Cash donations are welcome to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Donations can be made to: American Red Cross at RedCross.org  Salvation Army at helpsalvationarmy.org , or by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY The Jewish Federations of North America: search online for the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund Also welcome are blood donations. To find the nearest United Blood Services collection center, go to www.unitedbloodservices.org , or call for an appointment at 505-246-1457. The owners of Nick & Jimmys Restaurant, El Patron Cantina and Mykonos Restaurant will donate 25 percent of all proceeds from all three restaurants on Wednesday and Thursday. Nick & Jimmys is located at 5021 Pan American Freeway, El Patron is at 10551 Montgomery NE and Mykonos is at 5900 Eubank NE.

How to help
An Albuquerque city councilor is questioning a recent operation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that resulted in more than 100 arrests, many on drugs or weapons charges in southeast Albuquerque.

Pat Davis is calling for congressional hearings, a full explanation of the tactics used by the ATF, and for the federal agency to avoid similar operations in Albuquerque in the future. Hes introduced a bill that would take such actions that the council is expected to discuss at its Sept. 6 meeting.

Davis referred to much of New Mexico In Depths reporting on the ATF operation when crafting the legislation, according to a news release. He said the ATFs operation disproportionately targeted the homeless, poor and minorities in southeast Albuquerque.

The area is home to a disproportionate amount of crimes, according to a recent study by the city.

Davis, who is running for New Mexicos 1st Congressional District seat in 2018, said in a news release that the ATF took criminal offenders from outside the city and used them as informants. Because the informants had little knowledge about crime in Albuquerque prior to the operation, they often targeted low-level criminals who were vulnerable.

There was never a single day where this operation was likely to ensnare our citys violent criminal element. The ATF introduced serious violent offenders to Albuquerque and turned them loose to create crime targeting minority neighborhoods, Davis said in the release.

I want to know why, after these operations had raised questions about biased policing around the country, they were invited here and turned loose on one of our poorest black and Hispanic neighborhoods in a city that is supposed to be working in partnership with the Department of Justice to rebuild police and community relations.

The partnership Davis was referring to is a settlement between the DOJ and the city of Albuquerque that outlines a yearslong reform effort to improve policing in Albuquerque after the DOJ found the police department had a pattern of excessive force, which included police shootings.

Officials from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Mexico declined to comment on the operation. Defendants arrested during the operation are being prosecuted in federal court.

DOJ policy generally prohibits its component agencies, including the U.S. Attorneys Office and the (ATF), from commenting on matters that are pending in the judicial process, including prosecutions that have yet to be resolved by guilty plea or jury verdict, said Elizabeth Martinez, a spokeswoman for the office.

The operation, which unfolded in Albuquerque in 2015 and 2016, led to 102 arrests. So far, 74 of the cases have led to guilty pleas.
SANTA FE  Several members of the City Council here expressed doubts about whether Santa Fe should be considering merging its bus system with the North Central Regional Transit District line that serves four northern New Mexico counties  at least not right now.

I believe we have other work to do, Councilor Mike Harris said. I dont think its the time to do it now.

Harris said city government is already in the process of conducting a service evaluation of its Santa Fe Trails bus system, and he wondered if the city should wait at least until that study is finished.

He also noted that a $150,000 taxpayer-funded study shows the city bus service financially solvent for both short and long terms.

Thats not the case for the regional system. Its primary funding source, a one-eighth of 1 percent gross receipts tax in all four counties, is set to sunset in five years. The majority of voters in those counties  Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Rio Arriba and Taos  would have to approve an extension to keep the tax going.

Harris comments came during a special council meeting Monday at City Hall, held just prior to a public meeting on the same issue. Another public meeting to explain the contents of the study and gather public input is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center.

Harris wasnt the only skeptic of merging to the two bus systems. Im not necessarily inclined to have city staff work on something that wouldnt benefit the city of Santa Fe, said Councilor Carmichael Dominguez, who also had concerns over governance of the system.

Councilor Chris Rivera said another issue is union representation for the workforce. Currently, the employees of the NCRTD are represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, while city employees are represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. The pay scale and grievance process is different among the unions and the Teamsters contract has two years left to run, while AFSCMEs just expired and was currently being negotiated. Rivera said resolving which group would represent employees in a consolidated bus system was muddier than I thought it was.

Representatives of the analysis team said consolidation could potentially result in a savings to the city as operations become streamlined, but they could not say how much a savings could result.

Santa Fe Trails currently operates primarily within the city limits, covering more than 50 square miles with 10 fixed routes and two shuttle routes. NCRTD, which began operations in 2007, now serves a more than 10,000-square-mile area with 24 routes that run to Edgewood in southern Santa Fe County all the way to Taos.

Rosemary Romero, a former city councilor who served as project advisor for the study, said the role of the consolidation analysis team was to produce the report, take and summarize comments it receives during meeting of the various governing bodies and the public, and present them to policy makers so they can make a determination about the feasibility of consolidating the two bus systems and implementation strategies.
After five months of studying the issue, the state Supreme Courts Adult Guardianship Study Commission is scheduled to discuss recommendations on how to improve the guardian/conservator system in New Mexico on Friday.

The commission will hear from its subcommittees for proposed improvements to recommend to the state Supreme Court. The meeting runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the State Bar Center at 5121 Masthead St. NE.

It has until Oct. 1 to submit a report to the Supreme Court.

Chairwoman Wendy York has agreed to speak privately with people who have experienced adult guardianship issues but havent sent comments or appeared publicly before the commission.

Those interested should email her scheduler at nmguardianshipcommission@gmail.

At its Aug. 11 meeting, the commission inadvertently released an incorrect email address, which then appeared in Sundays Journal newspaper.
SANTA FE  A New Mexico judicial nominating commission has recommended six applicants to Gov. Susana Martinez for a vacancy on the state Court of Appeals.

The list of names sent to the governor for consideration includes 1st Judicial District Judge Jennifer Attrep, who handles criminal and civil cases from Rio Arriba County.

Albuquerque attorneys Emil Kiehne, Kerry Kiernan, Lauren Keefe and Edward W. Shepard were also recommended last week by the Court of Appeals Nominating Commission, along with Daniel Jose Gallegos Jr., a staff attorney for the Court of Appeals.

The vacancy on the 10-member Court of Appeals was created by the retirement of James Wechsler, who stepped down in July.

Whomever Martinez picks will have to run in a statewide partisan election next year. The winner of that race would then be up for retention in 2022, when Wechslers eight-year term is scheduled to expire.

Some of Martinezs previous judicial appointees havent fared well in such elections, though Supreme Court Justice Judith Nakamura won election last year after being appointed to the bench by the two-term Republican governor in 2015.

The governor also appointed Stephen French to the Court of Appeals in December 2016, even though hed lost a general election race roughly a month earlier to Democrat Julie Vargas.

New Mexico Court of Appeals judges make an annual salary of roughly $124,616, which is the lowest salary level among states with immediate appellate courts.
_boxhed>IF YOU GO

New Mexico high school students and recent grads interested in attending one of the U.S. military service academies can learn all about the application process from 6-8 p.m. today at the University of New Mexico, hosted by the staff of Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and staff of other congressional delegation members.

Four of the five service academies  the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy  require a congressional, vice-presidential or service-connected nomination as part of the application process. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not require one.

Each year, I am honored to nominate some of the best and brightest young people from across New Mexico to our nations military service academies, Udall said in a statement. This service academy information session offers a great opportunity to learn more about the nominating process and to meet with representatives from the academies and New Mexico collegiate ROTC programs.

The information session is for high school students and recent graduates interested in applying to the academies. Representatives from the military service academies will be available to field questions from prospective applicants and parents.

These academies are considered among the most competitive colleges in the country and provide an excellent education and opportunities for leadership in military and civilian life, the senator said in a news release.

Udall is accepting applications for nominations to enter an academy in fall 2018. Students have until Oct. 13 to submit an application.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to begin the application process well in advance. Applications can be submitted online at www.tomudall.senate.gov/help/academy-nominations.

For questions, please visit Udalls website or contact his Albuquerque office at 505-346-6791.

We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.  More than 60 business leaders have urged the federal government to release endangered Mexican gray wolves into the Grand Canyon area in northern Arizona and eastern Utah.

The business leaders are submitting their request in a joint letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The federal agency is seeking public comments on its draft plan that limits the wolf-recovery efforts to just one zone south of Interstate 40 in Arizona and New Mexico.

The business leaders include owners, managers and independent contractors from the tourism and service industries in northern Arizona and southern Utah.

They say the wolf-recovery efforts will have economic and environmental benefits.

The Fish and Wildlife Service is under a court order to have a completed recovery plan by the end of November.
SEOUL, South Korea  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for more weapons launches targeting the Pacific Ocean to advance his countrys ability to contain Guam, state media said Wednesday, a day after Pyongyang for the first time flew a ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload over Japan.

Tuesdays aggressive missile launch  likely the longest ever from North Korea  over a close U.S. ally sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct annual military drills. The Korean Central News Agency said the launch was a muscle-flexing countermeasure to the Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint exercises that conclude Thursday. Pyongyang views the drills as invasion rehearsals and often conducts weapons tests and escalates its rhetoric when they are held.

The KCNA report said the missile was an intermediate-range Hwasong-12, which the North first successfully tested in May and threatened to fire into waters near Guam earlier this month.

Kim expressed great satisfaction over the launch that he called a meaningful prelude to containing Guam and said North Korea would continue to watch the U.S. demeanor before it decides future actions, KCNA said. The U.S. territory is home to key U.S. military bases that North Korea finds threatening.

Kim also said its necessary to positively push forward the work for putting the strategic force on a modern basis by conducting more ballistic rocket launching drills with the Pacific as a target in the future.

The launch seemed designed to show that North Korea can back up a threat to target Guam, if it chooses to do so, while also establishing a potentially dangerous precedent that could see future missiles flying over Japan.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) and reached a maximum height of 550 kilometers (341 miles) as it flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

President Donald Trump said North Korea had signaled its contempt for its neighbors and that all options are on the table in terms of a U.S. response. Trump said in his statement that threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regimes isolation in the region and among all nations of the world.

The U.N. Security Council strongly condemned the launch, which came less than a month after the council imposed its toughest-yet sanctions on North Korea. The statement released after a meeting Tuesday evening in New York doesnt mention any potential new sanctions but calls for strict implementation of existing ones.

Any new test worries Washington and its allies because it presumably puts North Korea a step closer to its goal of an arsenal of nuclear missiles that can reliably target the United States. Tuesdays test, however, looks especially aggressive to Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.

North Korea has conducted launches at an unusually fast pace this year  13 times, Seoul says  and some analysts believe it could have viable long-range nuclear missiles before the end of Trumps first term in early 2021.

Seoul says that while North Korea has twice before fired rockets it said were carrying satellites over Japan  in 1998 and 2009  it has never before used a ballistic missile, which is unambiguously designed for military strikes.

North Korea also chose not to fire its most recent missile at a lofted angle, as it did in previous launches to avoid other countries, and Seouls spy service said the North launched from an unusual spot: the international airport in its capital, Pyongyang. The North still claimed on Wednesday that its recent launch had no impact on the security of the neighboring countries.

Some outside observers said launching a road-mobile missile from an airport runway could demonstrate the Norths ability to fire its missiles from anywhere in the country.

The launch is also another rebuke to Trump, who suggested last week that his tough approach to North Korea, which included threats to unleash fire and fury, meant Kim is starting to respect us.

Tuesdays missile landed nowhere near Guam, but firing a Hwasong-12 so soon after the threat may be a way for North Korea to show it could follow through if it chose to do so. Guam is 3,400 kilometers (2,110 miles) away from North Korea, but South Koreas military said the North may have fired the missile at a shorter range.

Guams civil defense office said the missile was determined to not be a threat. Residents said they were not worried, for now. Eddie Cruz, 60, said he is concerned that with each missile launch, North Korea is getting better. Theyre practicing, and thats exactly what Im worried about, he said.

North Korea will no doubt be watching the worlds reaction to see if it can use the same flight path for future launches.

Japanese officials made their usual strongly worded condemnations of the launch.

We will do our utmost to protect peoples lives, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat.

Tokyo said there was no reported damage from the missile. Residents on Hokkaido were warned by loudspeakers, phone alerts and an email that told them to stay indoors.

The launch was also condemned by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and a number of other countries.

Tuesdays launch came days after North Korea fired what was assessed as three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, and a month after its second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

In an unusual move, the South Korean military released videos of missile tests it conducted last week. They showed two types of new missiles with ranges of 800 kilometers (500 miles) and 500 kilometers (310 miles) being fired from truck-mounted launchers.

South Koreas Agency for Defense Development said the launches represented the last flight test for the longer-range missile before it is operationally deployed. Such missiles, which would be the latest additions to South Koreas Hyumoo family of missiles, are considered key components of the so-called kill chain pre-emptive strike capability that South Korea is pursuing to counter North Koreas nuclear and missile threat.

South Korea also said its air force conducted a live-fire drill involving four F-15 fighter jets dropping eight MK-84 bombs that accurately hit targets at a military field near the countrys eastern coast. Yoon Young-chan, chief press secretary of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said the exercise was conducted after Moon directed the military to display a strong capability to punish North Korea if need be.

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Associated Press writers Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo, Jennifer Peltz at the United Nations and Grace Garces Bordallo in Hagatna, Guam, contributed to this report.
CLOVIS  Run!, he yelled.

Why arent you running? Im shooting at you! Run!

Lisa Baird said she was maybe 20 feet from the young man shouting the words as he opened fire in the Clovis-Carver Public Library on Monday afternoon, killing two people and leaving four more injured.

Police declined to name the suspect, but said there was only one and he was handcuffed as police led him away from the scene soon after they arrived. Friends identified the teenager photographed in police custody as Nathaniel Jouett, a sophomore at Clovis High School.

Family and friends said Krissie Carter and Wanda Walters, both library employees, were killed.

Two men and two women were injured. Three of the injured were flown to hospitals out of town, officials said.

The extent of their injuries was not released.

Baird, in a lengthy exchange with The News through Facebook Messenger, said she was talking with a library patron from her seat at the librarys reference desk when she heard a very loud bang.

My initial thought was why would someone throw a cherry bomb or M80 firecracker into the library? Then I saw a young man aim his hand, which had a handgun in it, to the ground/carpet about 6 feet in front of him and he fired like four or five shots into the carpet.

Baird said she dove under a nearby desk and tried to squish up as small as possible.

From there, Baird said she could hear the man moving around the library and firing multiple shots.

Then I heard his pants shooshing as he approached the end of the reference desk. I heard a sound like a phone or something being put on the reference counter at the end of the desk, about 4 feet from my head.

Seconds later, Baird said police entered the library and began shouting for the man with the gun to lay on the ground repeatedly.

Police Chief Doug Ford said the suspect offered no resistance after police arrived.

Vanessa Aguirre said she was in the library with her son when a man came in and started to shoot into the air.

It all happened so fast, she said, minutes after it happened. We took off fast. My purse is still in there.

Aguirre said she did not see anyone shot, but the shooter was still in the library when she left. She said he fired into the ceiling. She said she thought he had a handgun.

Kim Tipton, who was in the American Classified building across the street from the library, said she saw multiple police officers arrive at the library a few minutes after 4 p.m.

Their guns were drawn, AK-whatever they were, they were drawn, she said.

Police Chief Ford said police entered the library immediately on arrival, minutes after they were called.

More than a dozen law enforcement and emergency vehicles surrounded the library as paramedics and law officers rushed in to begin treating the wounded.

Clovis Mayor David Lansford called the incident a tragic and senseless act.

This is a big blow to our community, he said. Were all hurting right now.

Ford said authorities had no motive for the shootings. Police were still on the scene late Monday night as television news crews conducted interviews with a backdrop of police cars flashing their lights

Curry County Adult Detention Center Administrator Mark Gallegos said the suspect remained in police custody at 9 p.m. and had not been processed into the jail.

Baird said she remained shaken hours after the shootings, in part because of the suspects demeanor.

When he was answering the cops questions, he was calm. His voice held no negativity or shakiness  no quavering at all, she said.

She also expressed anger.

That (expletive) better go away for the rest of his life, or disappear somewhere, she said.
Albuquerque-based FreeRange Shared Workspaces is opening its second co-working location in Nob Hill on Thursday evening and a third office already is in the works.

And the company, whose logo shows a rooster wearing an orange necktie, may also be spreading its wings in China later this year, perhaps opening near Shangahi, according to one of FreeRanges founders.

The latest entry: FreeRange Nob Hill, 4317 Lead Ave. SE, where an open house will introduce the concept to future tenants or just the curious, said Joe Pitluck, the company CEO, whos also a retired dentist and real estate investor. The new location, he said, targets people living nearby who are looking for alternate places to work beyond a home office, the library or places like Starbucks. Most of the people FreeRange is hoping to appeal to dont commute very far, many walking or biking to get there.

Youre seeing a shift in commercial real estate and the way people are working, said Pitluck, who is planning to transform a former fitness studio and quick lube shop into FreeRange No. 3 at Tramway and Candelaria. A September opening is planned at the 5,000-square-foot storefront at 12701 Candelaria Road NE, which is being fitted out to accommodate 50 co-working folks.

FreeRange and other co-working spaces are capitalizing on a growing gig-based workforce, where freelancers, entrepreneurs and startup types can grab desk space, hold meetings, generally get the feeling of being in an office and network with other professions  but without having to pony up the bucks for a years lease.

The cost for single-day pass goes for $25 and membership plans start at $99 a month. The price climbs as high as $499 per month for a private office.

FreeRange launched its first location earlier this year near UNM at Central Avenue and Pine Street SE. Other co-working spaces in town include Fat Pipe ABQ and the Simms Space, not to mention several incubators and accelerators that offer work spaces.

Now that Albuquerque co-workers have gotten a taste of FreeRange, the company is looking farther afield.

Were going to a global co-working conference in China this November, said Pitluck, referring to his wife and partner, Huan Yang, who still works as a dentist. The company has a potential partner looking to open a FreeRange space in a city about 30 mintues from Shanghai, he said.

And not a moment too soon. In the Chinese zodiac, 2017 is the Year of the Rooster, FreeRanges signature graphic symbol.
Workers begin repairs to a wall that was lost in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Rockport, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Gillis Leho looks for documents in her car that was covered by floodwaters brought on by Tropical Storm Harvey in Houston, Texas, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017. Leho had been planning to evacuate in her car but had to quickly escape with her grandchildren as rising waters rushed in from nearby Buffalo Bayou. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Family members react as a van is pulled out of the Greens Bayou with the bodies of six family members on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. The van was carried into the bayou during Tropical Storm Harvey as the water went over the bridge. ( Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP) Mary Colson wipes away tears as she sits on a cot at the George R. Brown Convention Center where nearly 10,000 people are taking shelter after Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017 in Houston. "I just don't know where I'm going to go," Colson said. "I'm just so uncertain." (Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle via AP) Michael Saghian carries a roll of bubble wrap and a box of sandwiches for workers helping remove items damaged by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey from his home Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) People evacuate a neighborhood inundated after water was released from nearby Addicks Reservoir when it reached capacity due to Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Members of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Louisiana National Guard help rescue with elderly people from the Golden Years Assisted Living home, which was flooded from Tropical Storm Harvey in Orange, Texas, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017. The residents and staff were high and dry on the second floor. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Barry Horvitz hugs his wife Kim while standing outside their home after removing items damaged by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Natalie Hausman-Weiss reacts to seeing a removed piece of furniture from her home damaged by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) People evacuate a neighborhood inundated after water was released from nearby Addicks Reservoir when it reached capacity due to Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Residents remove flood damaged items from their home as they cleanup after Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Morgan and Malachi Stone stand with family as they watch fellow evacuees continue to arrive Wednesday, August 30, 2017, at the Max Bowl, which was converted to a shelter for those displaced by flooding in Port Arthur, Texas. (Kim Brent/The Beaumont Enterprise via AP) People walk up a muddy median after evacuating a neighborhood inundated after water was released from nearby Addicks Reservoir when it reached capacity due to Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston, Texas. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) A couple on the top floor of their home in the Kingwood Greens Subdivision, in in Kingwood, Texas, surrounded by floodwaters from the San Jacinto River due to Tropical Storm Harvey, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via AP) People are rescued by large trucks along Tidwell Road near toll road 8 in Houston. (Jabin Botsford/Washington Post) Thomas Foreman looks out past the bull dozer he is using to empty the soiled carpeting from his home in the small community of Iowa, La., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017. Foreman took in several inches of water. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) A high water sign is partially submerged in Iowa, La., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Julie Fant, left, Era Monette, center, and Donna Banks, right, pray for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, in New Orleans, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) Volunteers help a woman after she was rescued by boat from her home in Beaumont, Texas, in the aftermath of Harvey on Wednesday Aug. 30, 2017. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) Quinisha Runnels holds her cousin, Mimi Runnels, 2, on a cot at the George R. Brown Convention Center where nearly 10,000 people are taking shelter after Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017 in Houston. (Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle via AP) Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks during a press briefing Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, at the State of Texas Emergency Command Center at Department of Public Safety headquarters in Austin, Texas as he updates the public about how the Texas government plans to help the people who are affected by the Tropical Storm Harvey. A weaker Harvey replicated its devastating roll Wednesday, returning to shore with a deluge of rain that inundated homes and highways and left police and government officials struggling to pluck people from the water.(Ricardo B. Brazziell /Austin American-Statesman via AP) Volunteers help handle a boat in a swift current during the rescue of of people from their homes in Beaumont, Texas, after Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday Aug. 30, 2017. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) An uprooted oak tree breaks through a metal fence after a tornado hit Petal, Miss., on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017. The National Weather Service says the tornado touched down Wednesday in the southern Mississippi town of Petal, which is near Hattiesburg. (Susan Broadbridge/Hattiesburg American via AP) Prev 1 of 25 Next

As the tropical storm Harvey continues to flood Houston, leaving thousands seeking shelter and services, businesses and organizations in New Mexico are offering to help. Follow the list below to learn more:

 St. Felix Pantry

St. Felix Pantry is looking for volunteers to sort through clothing that will be sent to Houston-area residents impacted by Hurricane Harvey. The Rio Rancho-based pantry that serves that city, Albuquerque and Sandoval County has teamed up with the Boys and Girls Club of Central New Mexico to sort and pack clothing.

As part of the effort, St. Felix is in need of volunteers to sort through the clothing and prepare it for shipping . Sorting and repackaging will be done at the Boys & Girls Club in Rio Rancho, 4600 Sundt Road NE, on , Sept. 2, starting at 9 a.m. Anyone interested in helping should Manuel Casias at 270-1366 or email at mcasias@stfelixpantry.org.

 MCM Elegante Hotel



The MCM Elegante Hotel in Albuquerque has set up a collection box in in the lobby so anyone interested in donating to the victims of Hurricane Harvey can just drop by. The hotel is trying to collect money, canned food, clothes, toiletries and blankets at the moment. All items will be delivered to the American Red Cross in Texas. The hotel is located 2020 Menaul Blvd NE.

 Pizza 9



All Pizza 9 locations will be hosting an emergency supplies drive through Labor Day to assist the victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas. People are asked to drop off nonperishable items and necessities, including cereal, canned fruit, fruit cups, peanut butter, water bottles, baby food, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, and other personal hygiene items. For more information call 505-764-3780.

 Bernalillo County



Bernalillo County is partnering with Roadrunner Food Bank to provide assistance and relief to the thousands affected by Hurricane Harvey. The public can participate in the donation drive that will run through the entire month of September.

Among the most needed items are hand-held snacks (granola bars, crackers, pretzels); ready-to-eat items (beef jerky, trail mix, dried fruit, boxed cereal); shelf-stable pantry items (peanut butter, canned foods, and can openers); bottled water; cleaning supplies (bleach, non-bleach, paper towels, etc.); personal hygiene items (toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, etc.). Clothing is not being accepted at this time.

Go to www.BernCo.gov/Harvey for more information about the donation drive, including drop-off locations and times, as well as updates on most needed items.

Go to www.rrfb.org to find additional details about donating funds directly to the food banks impacted by the disaster.

The community can also reach the BernCo information hotline at 468-7777 Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., or email at ContactCenter@bernco.gov.

 Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo customers can now donate to the American Red Cross at any of the 91 Wells Fargo branches in New Mexico and any of the companys 165 ATM machines around the state. There is no fee for using the service, and 100 percent of the donations will go directly to the Red Cross. Wells Fargo has also committed $1 million to support those affected by Hurricane Harvey, with $500,000 to the Red Cross and another $500,000 to local Texas nonprofits focused on recovery and relief efforts in Texas.

 Albertsons Market

Cashiers at Albertsons will be encouraging shoppers to add a dollar to their purchases, which will then be donated to the Red Cross. Donations will be matched up to $10,000, according to a news release from Albertsons. The donation period runs through Sept. 11, and stores in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas and Taos are participating.

 Archdiocese of Santa Fe and Catholic Charities of New Mexico

The Archdiocese and Catholic Charities are teaming up and asking for funds that will be sent to Catholic Charities branches in Texas and Louisiana to house victims. Donations can be made here.

 PurLife Medical Cannabis

A medical cannabis company is collection donations at its two Albuquerque locations. Donations will then be forwarded on to the Red Cross. Donation boxes have been set up at PurLifes dispensaries near Montgomery and Eubank and Carlisle and Menaul.

 The Food Depot

Northern New Mexicos food bank, located on Siler Road in Santa Fe, is asking for donations that will be sent to sister food banks in Texas. They are asking for:

 Hand-held snack items such as granola bars

 Pop-top ready-to-eat items

 Shelf-stable pantry items such as peanut butter, tuna and soup

 Bottled water

 Cleaning supplies (bleach, non-bleach, paper towels, etc.)

 Personal hygiene items (toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.)

 No furniture, clothing or toys (new or used) will be accepted!

Monetary donations can be made here.

Know of more local fundraising efforts? Email web@abqjournal.com.

_______________________________________________________

NATIONAL EFFORTS

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GIVE TO ESTABLISHED RELIEF AGENCIES

GuideStars website has a database that lets you vet charities . You can find information on a charitys expenses, assets and revenue, as well as its programs.

Stacy Palmer, editor of The Chronicle of Philanthropy, also suggests looking at a charitys website for information on how it will use donations. And look through local news reports for information on a charitys work, or contact the local United Way and the local Community Foundation  in this case Houstons.

Its up to you whether to go with a local charity that might know the area better, or a national charity that has wider reach. Palmer says both kinds of organizations have their place right now.

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TEXTING TO GIVE?

It might be tempting to make a donation through text and have the phone company charge it on your phone bill. Its easy, and it might feel as though its the quickest way to get money to a charity.

But Palmer says thats not the case, as charities have to wait for the phone companies to release the money.

The quickest way to give is to go to the charitys website and donate directly, using a credit or debit card. That said, relief agencies will need money beyond first few days or even weeks, so if the ease of text donations appeals to you, tap away. To donate $10 to the Red Cross via text, send a text message saying REDCROSS to the number 90999.

Apple users in the U.S. can also donate to the American Red Cross through the companys iTunes and app stores. Amounts range from $5 to $200, and you cant use store credit.

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TIMING

Donations often pour in immediately after disaster strikes but peter out during the long recovery process. While there are a lot of immediate needs, Palmer says, charities are going to need support on the long haul.

Consider saving some of your money so you can donate again in a few weeks or months. Better yet, set up a recurring donation to support your chosen charity over time.

Some charities will say when they have raised enough for a particular disaster and use any extra money for their general fund, Palmer says. This isnt bad.

One of the things this disaster shows is that its important to have resilience, she says. Its smart to just give and say that it can be used wherever its most needed.

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CROWDFUNDING

Group fundraising services such as GoFundMe let people raise money for friends, families, neighbors or themselves  as well as for charity. As always, do your homework before giving to a stranger or cause online.

GoFundMe has a special page for Hurricane Harvey pleas for charities, individuals and families. GlobalGiving, a crowdfunding site for charities, is trying to raise $2 million for local relief and recovery efforts.

Remember that donations are tax-deductible only if they go to a registered non-profit or charity. Otherwise, they are generally considered gifts.

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HOLD OFF ON MATERIAL DONATIONS

Donating food, clothing and household items can complicate and even hinder relief efforts, experts say. After Superstorm Sandy in 2012, for example, reports cited relief agencies not knowing what to do with the piles of clothing and other unsolicited items pouring in.

The U.S. Center for Disaster Information says such donations require transportation  which is expensive and logistically complicated  and a pre-identified recipient on the ground who will receive the shipment, pay customs and other fees, sort and distribute the items.

Unsolicited goods, the agency says , are never required in early stages of response, and they compete with priority relief items for transportation and storage.

It doesnt mean there will never be a time or place for such donations  check with relief agencies as time passes.

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CONSIDER SPECIAL NEEDS

Seniors, the disabled, children and even pets are particularly vulnerable during disasters. Consider donating to charities that focus on their needs.

The Texas Diaper Bank , for example, says diapers (whether for babies or adults) are not provided by disaster relief agencies. Again, these charities need money  not boxes of diapers you picked up at Costco.

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CHECK OUT MATCHES

Facebook says it will match every dollar raised through its service, up to $1 million, for the Center for Disaster Philanthropys Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund. The money will support local recovery and rebuilding efforts. U.S. Facebook users are getting a message at the top of their news feed on how to donate.

Google, meanwhile, is matching $1 million in donations to the American Red Cross. To donate, go to http://www.google.org/harvey-relief . The company also matched donations from employees and said Tuesday it donated $750,000 between its nonprofit arm, Google.org, and employee contributions to organizations such as the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and Save the Children.
Lavu, Inc., the rapidly growing Albuquerque startup, has opened an expansion office in Miami, company President Ohad Jehassi said Tuesday.

The office opened this month  its first expansion in the United States. Jehassi said the number of employees hired for the new office will be based on the talent we find.

The company last year opened an office in India.

Lavu, which began in 2010, developed software that allows restaurants and hotels to conduct their business on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones. With Lavus system, restaurants and hotels integrate all front- and back-end operations.

As of June, the company employed about 120 people, most of whom work out of its headquarters in the Theater Building at Central Avenue and First Street.

Jehassi said additional offices are planned to service the companys explosive growth.

Lavu has sales in 89 countries, but the fastest growing region is South America. Opening an office in Miami allows the company to take direct flights to those customers, Jehassi said.

He said the company has no plans to downsize its Albuquerque operations, although it has had its share of problems at its Downtown headquarters.

Jehassi sent a letter in June to Gov. Susana Martinez and Mayor Richard Berry threatening to leave Downtown and potentially the state because of the marked deterioration in the safety and security of the downtown Albuquerque area.

After a meeting with city officials, Jehassi told a local TV station that he was optimistic the administration would work to improve safety.

Berry responded with a crime-fighting plan that promised a greater police presence, better graffiti control and trash cleanup and connecting people with services to deal with homelessness, substance abuse and mental health issues.
Old Town resident Stella Padilla, who lost a legal battle to appear on this years mayoral ballot, isnt giving up just yet.

Padilla and two other Albuquerque residents filed to run as write-in candidates for mayor. Their names will not appear on the ballot, but voters are free to write them in. Other write-in candidates are Pablo Reyes, a lifelong Albuquerque resident who lives on the west side and sells firewood for a living, and Keith Judd, who lives in northeast Albuquerque.

There are already eight mayoral candidates on the ballot.

Election Day is Oct. 3.

Early voting begins Sept. 13.

But if you want to vote and havent yet registered, time is running out. The deadline to register is Sept. 5. Among the places you can register to vote are at the Bernalillo County Clerks Office and online through the New Mexico Secretary of States website.
In a strategic move to reinforce the existing senior leadership team of the agencys outdoor unit, Gour Gupta, CEO, DDB MudraMax recently announced the appointment of Yusuf Merchant as Vice President, DDB MudraMax-OOH and Adil Khan as Associate Vice President, DDB MudraMax-OOH. Yusuf would be based out of Mudra House, Mumbai and Adil would function from the agencys Gurugram location.

Yusuf will be reporting to Sanjay Shukla, President, DDB MudraMax (OOH & Experiential) while Adil will be reporting to Yusuf.

Quoting on Yusufs and Adils appointment, Sanjay Shukla, President, DDB MudraMax (OOH & Experiential) quoted, Both, Yusuf and Adil have reputed stronghold in the BTL market. They come from a credible, rich experience in the OOH domain. These are exciting times for the Group; them being added to the team just adds to the merry.

At DDB MudraMax, Yusuf and Adil would be responsible for bringing and managing new business; fostering the growth of the agency.

An Erstwhile Associate Vice President with Kinetic Worldwide, Yusuf joins DDB MudraMax with an experience of close to two decades. He has been associated with the Indian outdoor fraternity at multiple levels and has championed the cause of delivering optimal results and business value in stress environments. During the course of Yusufs career, his long-term stint with Kinetic Worldwide and associations with high profile agencies like Madison World and Rediffusion Y&R have engineered him to understand the nerve of the changing consumer dynamics and deliver solutions that are profitable for the businesses and are innovative in approach. Yusufs brand kitty boasts of some prestigious names like Castrol, Vodafone, HSBC, Idea, Kotak, Levis, Marico, Mondelez, Muthoot FinCorp and Volkswagen to name a few.

Quoting on his appointment, Yusuf Merchant said, Its great to be a part of this vibrant set up. I look forward to using my experience to enhance the DDB MudraMax product in the market. Our focus will be on OOH, integrated with technology.

In his career span of more than a decade, Adil Khan has been largely associated with Kinetic Worldwide; where he successfully handled a rich bundle of brands like Lufthansa, Google, Ford, Amex and HTC amongst others. He has also worked with Clear Channel Communication and Katha Mediatix during his initial years. Adil brings to DDB MudraMax, a strong diversified experience of business expansion, client management and team leadership. He has a proven track record of identifying new business opportunities contributing to growing revenues.

Quoting on his appointment, Adil Khan said, DDB MudraMax has a pedigree of great work that speaks great volumes of the companys conviction and commitment to its clients business. I am really happy to be a part of this dynamic group and am looking forward to exciting times ahead.
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BGL Real Estate Partners (BGLREP), a division of Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL), announced today the strategic opening of an office in San Diego. It is the fifth office in BGL's national network which also includes locations in Chicago, Cleveland, San Antonio, and Philadelphia. Joining the San Diego office is Joshua D.H. Rees as an Associate in the firm's national Healthcare Real Estate Group.

BGLREP specializes in representing private and institutional clients in Healthcare, Housing, Hospitality, and Industrial real estate. The expansion is to better service the rapidly-growing real estate market in Southern California.

The addition of Rees will build upon BGLREP's expertise in healthcare real estate. Rees will focus on advising physician-owners, as well as public and private owners of healthcare real estate, on single asset and portfolio dispositions, sale/leasebacks, debt/equity recapitalizations, and tax-deferred strategies such as the 1031 like-kind exchange and UPREIT.

Prior to joining BGLREP, Rees was an Associate in the London office of Knight Frank where he specialized in the disposition of all types of healthcare real estate assets, including medical office buildings, ambulatory surgery centers, short-stay hospitals, inpatient rehab facilities, and other inpatient and outpatient facilities. In addition to his strong relationships with U.S.-based buyers of healthcare real estate, Rees also has long-standing relationships with international investors, providing clients with the ability to leverage foreign investment demand and further broadening the investor base to achieve maximum value and optimal terms.

The San Diego office is located at 12707 High Bluff Drive, Suite 200, and will be run by Managing Director Christopher Stai. The new location replaces the firm's office in Irvine, California, which opened in 2014.

To learn more about BGL Real Estate Partners, please visit: http://www.bglco.com/investment-sales-brokerage.

About BGL Real Estate Partners

BGL Real Estate Partners is a leading national advisor in healthcare real estate, specializing in providing healthcare real estate owners with tailored transaction strategies, including debt and equity recapitalization, sale-leasebacks, partial sale-leasebacks, tax deferred transactions, such as an UPREIT or a 1031 like-kind exchange, and other nuanced transactions designed to optimize value and flexibility.

About Brown Gibbons Lang & Company

Brown Gibbons Lang & Company is a leading independent investment bank serving the middle market. BGL specializes in mergers and acquisitions advisory services, debt and equity placements, financial restructuring advice, and valuations and fairness opinions, with global industry teams in Business Services, Consumer & Retail, Environmental & Industrial Services, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Industrials, and Real Estate. BGL has investment banking offices in Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia and real estate offices in Chicago, Cleveland, San Diego, and San Antonio, in addition to Global M&A partner offices in more than 50 countries across 5 continents. BGL is able to deliver to our clients unparalleled access to strategic relationships, investors, and opportunities globally. For more information, please visit www.bglco.com.

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bgl-real-estate-partners-expands-southern-california-presence-300510720.html

SOURCE Brown Gibbons Lang & Company
Samsung has now begun to roll out the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the Galaxy S5 Neo after a variant of the phone showed up at the Wi-Fi Alliance in July with Nougat as its operating system, according to a new report by SamMobile. The report suggests that this may be the last major update that is coming to the phone before the South Korean tech giant finally stops rolling out support for the Galaxy S5 Neo, as the handsets support window is coming to its end.

The Android 7.0 Nougat update bumps up the firmware version for the Galaxy S5 Neo to G903WVLU1CQH4, and it is starting to hit the devices in Canada, though its arrival in other territories is expected to follow over the short term. The most recent update that came to the Galaxy S5 Neo was the March 2017 Android security patch. The handset also received the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update in June of last year, which brought a slew of features to the device including Doze and Google Now On Tap, among others. Launched in August 2015, the Galaxy S5 Neo hit the market initially with Android 5.1 Lollipop. Although the Galaxy S5 Neo is considered an inferior variant of the Galaxy S5, the device still packs some relatively decent features including a 5.1-inch full HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 10801920. Under the hood, the phone is powered by the Exynos 7580 Octa processor while its graphics performance is fueled by Mali-T720MP2. It also includes 2GB of RAM and 16GB of native storage that is expandable through a memory card slot.

Other key features of the Galaxy S5 Neo include a 2,800mAh removable battery, a fingerprint scanner baked into the physical home key, and a 4G LTE connectivity. On the optics aspect, the phone boasts a 16-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing shooter. The device also has an IP67 certification for dust and water resistance capabilities. The addition of Android 7.0 Nougat to the Galaxy S5 Neo is a very much welcome development, though it also means that the handset will soon become one of those Samsung devices that will no longer receive updates moving forward.
Samsung Electronics started distributing the August 2017 Android Security Update to unlocked Galaxy S7 Edge units in Europe. The software package is already hitting the smartphones bearing the model number SM-935F sold in Switzerland and presumably a number of other countries, though the South Korean original equipment manufacturer (OEM) may take a while to distribute the new patch to all devices on the Old Continent. Eligible smartphones are now set to receive the firmware build number NRD90M.935FXXU1DQH5 which carries Googles Android Security Update dated August 1, 2017. Samsung already detailed the general contents of the new mobile software earlier this month, revealing that it bundled Googles patches with its own fixes for some vulnerabilities specific to the mobile suite running on its Galaxy-branded devices.

The news of a new security patch for the Galaxy S7 Edge comes a few weeks after the software was originally sighted in Mexico, though its only now that Samsung is making it more widely available following a limited period of testing. As always, the phone maker is distributing the firmware as an over-the-air (OTA) update which will arrive to your device on its own if you wait long enough, though you always have the option of manually scanning for it from the system Settings app. The update is 312.97MB in size and doesnt specifically state its coming with any other additions save for the new security patch, though it ships with a generic changelog saying that the new software may introduce performance and stability improvements, bug fixes, and feature enhancements. As always, Samsung is recommending you download the update over a Wi-Fi network while your device is charging or at the very least has 50 percent of battery life left at a minimum. The latter part is particularly important as having your handset shut down in the middle of an update could brick it and essentially render it useless.

Unlocked variants of the Galaxy S7 Edge that are sold in Europe arent updated on a monthly basis, though they still receive new software in a somewhat regular manner and European owners of the SM-935F should be getting at least one more update by the end of the year. The device is also likely to receive Android 8.0 Oreo at some point in 2018 which should be the last major OS upgrade in its life cycle.
If the latest leak is to be believed, Elephone is actually working on Galaxy S8 look-alike, which will be fueled by the Snapdragon 835 64-bit octa-core processor by Qualcomm. This info comes from Weibo (Chinese social network), and along with the rumor itself, comes an image of the device, which looks almost identical to the Galaxy S8, at least based on this render. Now, the source also claims that the phone will sport an AMOLED display, with an aspect ratio of 18:9, which is not the display ratio of the Galaxy S8, as Samsungs flagship smartphone comes with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, but some other phones out there feature an 18:9 aspect ratio, like the LG G6, for example.

Thats not all, however, the source also says that this display will be 5.99-inches big, so it will be larger than the unit included in the Galaxy S8 (5.8-inch panel), and smaller than the one which ships with the Galaxy S8 Plus (6.2-inch display). To top it all off, the source claims that Elephones upcoming smartphone will be priced at $399, which will make it one of the most affordable Snapdragon 835-powered smartphones in the market, if not the most affordable one. The Xiaomi Mi 6 comes close to this price point, depending on where you buy it, but if this leak is accurate, the upcoming Elephone smartphone will look really sleek. Now, take this info with a grain of salt, of course, as this leak was not confirmed, at all, but such a phone would be rather interesting to some consumers, thats for sure. Many people out there would like to own a smartphone with the Galaxy S8s design, and cannot afford Samsungs flagship, well, maybe theyd be interested in the Galaxy S8s look-alike.

Elephone is not a stranger to taking design hints from other smartphone manufacturers, some people would even say that the company likes to copy designs, but the company does not seem to pay much attention to that, as its Elephone S7 and Elephone S8 smartphones have been quite successful for Elephone, well, the Elephone S7 has, the Elephone S8 is currently available for pre-order, and its too early to say how successful will it be for the company. The Elephone S7 was inspired by the Galaxy S6 Edge, while the Elephone S8 looks quite similar to the Xiaomi Mi MIX.

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A recent Galaxy J7+ leak points to a THB 12,900 price for the phone as well as a September 22nd launch date, set to follow the pre-order period for the device in Thailand which begins on September 1st and ends on September 17th. THB 12,900 is about $389 USD, which seems like it would be fitting pricing considering the cost is right around what it would be for a mid-range phone and the Galaxy J7+ is a mid-range phone with mid-range specs to match the price.

More than just the availability and cost information, there are details on incentives that customers will get for purchasing the Galaxy J7+ within the pre-order dates. This isnt too unlike what Samsung is offering to U.S. consumers for the Galaxy Note 8, though the timing for those gifts extends beyond the launch date of the phone, whereas the gifts that come with this device actually wont be offered to those who purchase after the 17th. Its also worth noting that this is for customers in Thailand and its not clear if the same kind of offer will be given to consumers in other regions where this device might end up being sold. As for the gifts, consumers who buy the Galaxy J7+ between September 1st and September 17th will get the new Samsung U Flex wireless headphones for free, which will normally retail for THB 2,490 within the country.

On top of the headphones, those who buy the phone specifically through the Samsung Brand Shop in the region will also get a clear soft shell case to put around the phone and keep it protected. So if you buy from the brand shop and within the listed dates, youll get a couple of freebies. Though the images here only show the device in a Black option, the phone will also be offered in Pink, and Gold, so there will be a few different choices for consumers who are interested in this device. The Galaxy J7+ will come running on Android Nougat with support for multi-window and other Nougat-related features, and it also supports Samsungs Bixby software, while coming with 32GB of internal storage space and support for expandable storage up to 256GB through a microSD card.
Google Maps navigation now works with PIP mode as part of its latest version update, which seems to be heading out to users already, and will bring Google Maps up to version number 9.6. PIP mode for those who arent familiar is the Picture-In-Picture mode that Google is introducing with Android 8.0 Oreo, which also means that anyone who isnt on Android Oreo wont be able to utilize this new feature, at least not until theyre updated, if they end up updated. Its also worth noting that this feature was technically available before, but it wasnt working the way that it should have. If you havent gotten the latest update to Maps yet, you can click the button below to grab the APK.

In addition to the new picture-in-picture mode working with navigation for Oreo users, Google Maps also supports video submissions along with check-ins for local guides. While its always been possible to attach photos to your Local Guides contributions, video enhances things a bit and will give those viewing your submitted content more of an idea of what to expect when visiting a place.

So far these are just a couple of the things in the latest version of Maps that seem to be new, but there are a handful of other features or changes coming that Google is already laying the groundwork for and should be available in a later update. For example, Google Maps is getting a food review option where users will be able to give a description of what they ate and how they rated the meal, and of course itll be possible to add photos to these reviews as well, though youll also be able to give things a simple thumbs up if you dont want to get too in depth. There will also be a new feature for personal notes landing sometime soon, where users will be able to write up a simple note about specific places on the map whether it be a place theyve been or a place they plan to go. It also looks like businesses are getting the ability to publish events, and when that information is published if users are looking at a venue where events are typically held than any published details about upcoming events should show up. Its not clear when some of these other features are going to be introduced officially but they may not be far off.
Google has activated its SOS Alert feature for Hurricane Harvey, and it has also donated to organizations handling the response efforts. The SOS Alert feature was launched by the search giant last month, and it is designed to provide all the necessary information about an incident at the top of search results. The alert for Hurricane Harvey incorporates the latest news about the disaster, Googles Crisis Map, and tweets from local government officials, although users who are still in the affected areas may also see the latest reports regarding traffic and flooding conditions. Google is also providing a list of websites that people may go to, in order to get the latest weather and road conditions, while those who live outside of the disaster-stricken regions will see instructions on how to donate, specifically to organizations that conduct relief operations.

The SOS Alert also includes a Crisis Map, a feature that visualizes the current weather alerts in the area, road closures, and shelters for evacuees. Users also have the option to highlight evacuation routes, which lead evacuees to other major urban areas in Texas, like Dallas and San Antonio. The Crisis Map may also be used by media outlets for their own websites by simply using the iframe functionality, which can be accessed through the share button found on the map.

Aside from its SOS Alert, Google is also granting donations to organizations handling the relief efforts. Google.org, the philanthropic arm of the Mountain View-based search giant, and the companys employees have donated a combined total of $500,000. Most of these funds will go to the response efforts of the American Red Cross, although portions of the grant will also proceed to organizations like Team Rubicon, Save the Children, and Habitat for Humanity. Meanwhile, Googles MVNO, Project Fi, is also providing $20 worth of service credit to its subscribers residing in impacted areas. In a Reddit post, a community manager for the carrier stated that the credit could be used to look for resources and contact loved ones, and the subscribers who will receive the credit will be identified through ZIP codes, which they provided for billing purposes.
Googles compliance deadline issued to the company by the European Union as part of the largest antitrust fine in the history of the Old Continent ends today, with the Mountain View, California-based tech giant now being expected to present competent officials with a plan on how it intends to stop employing anti-competitive practices which the EU believe benefit its online shopping service at a direct expense of alternative solutions. The antitrust division of the European Commission hit Google with a 2.4 billion ($2.9 billion) fine in late June, ordering the company to take immediate steps to stop its practices that regulators deem monopolistic. The actual deadline for implementing those changes ends on September 28, though Google is expected to outline its planned moves today.

If the Alphabet-owned company doesnt comply with the ruling by late September, it risks being hit with daily fines until it does so, with the current regulatory framework in Europe allowing the political bloc to penalize Google with as much as five percent of its daily revenue for every extra 24 hours that the firm takes to adhere to the ruling. While Googles fine is unprecedented in the history of the EU, the blocs past clashes with foreign tech giants over antitrust regulations indicate that the company may only be at the beginning of its legal battle in Europe; the previously largest anti-competitive fine in EUs history was that issued to Intel in 2009 which amounted to $1.2 billion, yet that particular case is still in trial and may only be resolved next month when the Luxembourg-based General Court rules on it following Intels appeal. Intel previously argued that the contents of the Commissions orders were unclear and the U.S. firm didnt understand what the regulator wants it to do to stop its supposedly anti-competitive behavior, which is a route that Google may also take in the near future.

Even if the Search giant decides to fight the decision  which is becoming increasingly more likely, given its recent efforts on this front  it will still be expected to comply with EUs orders in some manner before being able to reach a final verdict on the matter from one of the blocs top courts. As part of that resolution, the company now also must submit a compliance plan to the Commission by the end of the day which the regulator will inspect over the course of the next month. Google previously argued that its online shopping service is an integral part of Google Search and not an attempt to hurt competition, which are claims that the EU antitrust watchdog clearly dismissed, given the recent turn of events. The EU is still in the process of investigating anti-competitive charges against Google related to AdSense and Android, with those two cases being expected to be concluded in the coming months, at least in terms of initial verdicts.
Huawei Mobiles Germany website released a teaser for the Huawei Mate 10 about a week ago, and yet another video teaser surfaced not long after that, but has not been spotted until now. The last video teased the Huawei Mate 10s dual camera setup, while this one talks about the phones speedy performance, and it even mentions the upcoming Kirin SoC, though it doesnt exactly mention its model name, even though we all know that the Kirin 970 is coming, and will be Huaweis flagship processor.

If you take a look at the provided video, you will see that Huawei is very picky as to which words to use in order to describe the upcoming Mate 10, and most of them are speed-related. Do keep in mind that this video is in German though, but the company used the following words: Dynamic, Tempo, Will, Success and Speed. At the end of this video, Huawei clearly mentions the Huawei Mate brand name, but the company did not clearly mention the Mate 10, of course. Chances are that the company will release more videos like this before the Huawei Mate 10 becomes official, and if the latest rumors are to be believed, Huawei is actually planning to introduce two Huawei Mate 10 smartphones. The Huawei Mate 10 will be the companys regular upgrade to the Mate 9, while the Mate 10 Pro will be its bezel-less smartphone, which will sport the EntireView display. Huawei actually already teased the Huawei Mate 10 launch date, and it seems like the phones launch will occur on October 16.

The Huawei Mate 10 is expected to ship with the Kirin 970, as already mentioned, this will be the companys new flagship processor, which will utilize eight cores, and were looking at a 64-bit chip here. The device will probably ship with Android Nougat out of the box, unless Huawei finds a way to upgrade its Emotion UI (EMUI) skin to Android 8.0 Oreo by the time the Huawei Mate 10 arrives. The device will probably pack in 6GB of RAM, and it is even possible that Huawei might release an 8GB RAM variant of the device, though nothing regarding that has been mentioned in rumors / leaks thus far.

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Meizu had recently introduced the Meizu M6 Note handset, which is the companys first M Note smartphone powered by one of Qualcomms processors, and it seems like Meizu plans to utilize chips from all three major chip makers from this point on, including MediaTek, Qualcomm and Samsung. Meizus very own Ard Boudeling, companys Head of Global Marketing, reached out to confirm this, and in order to explain the companys decision, Mr. Boudeling said that all three of those companies and their products have their advantages, which will complement Meizus devices accordingly.

This confirmation basically puts an end to various rumors which suggested that Meizu is ditching both MediaTek and Exynos chips in order to release smartphones with Snapdragon-branded processors. Meizu was also kind enough to share a bunch of images which are showing off the companys manufacturing processor, there are quite a few such images included in the gallery down below, if youd like to check them out. Having said that, most of you probably know that Meizu introduced its Meizu PRO 7 flagship, the Meizu PRO 7 Plus, quite recently, and along with it, the company also announced the PRO 7 mid-ranger. Now, both of those devices are fueled by MediaTeks processors, while the M6 Note, that weve mentioned earlier, comes with a Snapdragon SoC. So, is Meizu planning to announce an Exynos-powered smartphone by the end of this year? That is possible, as the company introduced an Exynos-powered flagship in the last couple of years, so that might happen by the end of 2017 as well, even though the companys flagship landed quite recently.

Many would argue that the Meizu PRO 7 Plus landed a bit late in the year for Meizu to announce yet another flagship, but theres a chance that the company is planning to release something interesting later this year, and if some rumors are to be believed, it could be an Exynos 8895-powered flagship, which will sport really thin bezels. Do keep in mind that we did not see many such rumors, nor did a credible source confirmed such info just yet, but well see what will happen, were still a couple of months away from the end of this year, so theres still plenty of time for new announcements.

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Motorolas official Philippines Facebook page has just shared something rather interesting, an event confirmation for September 2. The company will be holding an event on the said date, and the provided image actually teases the hellomoto X announcement at the said event. The event will kick off at 6PM (local time), and it will be hosted by two Filipino actors, Nadine Lustre and James Reid. So, will this be the Moto X4 launch event? Well, it is possible, it seems a bit weird that this event was not teased by the companys global site, but this is not all that surprising for Motorola.

If the company intends to introduce the Moto X4 on September 2, that means that the phone will not launch during Lenovos event at IFA, as some rumors have been suggesting. Motorola did not introduce the Moto X-branded smartphone last year, but it seems like one will be arriving this year, as the phone already got certified by the FCC in the US, and it has also popped up in Brazil, at Antel agency. According to some recently surfaced info, the Moto X4 might cost around 350 in Europe, though chances are that the company will introduce more than one storage variant of this device, so it remains to be seen how accurate these leaks are. The Moto X4 will not be the companys all-new flagship, Motorola did introduce its Moto Z2 Force flagship back in July, the Moto X4 will be Motorolas mid-range offering, though it will be a rather powerful mid-range smartphone.

The Moto X4, if rumors are to be believed, will be made out of metal, and it will sport a front-facing fingerprint scanner. The device is rumored to sport a 5.2-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) AMOLED display, 3GB / 4GB of RAM and 32GB / 64GB of expandable storage. The device will probably ship with the Snapdragon 630 64-bit octa-core processor, and a 3,000mAh non-removable battery will be included in this package as well. The phone is rumored to include two cameras on its back, 12-megapixel and 8-megapixel snappers, while a single 16-megapixel shooter will probably be included on the devices front side. Android Nougat will come pre-installed on the device, and it is quite likely that this handset will include two SIM card slots.
The latest version of the Google Duo app  build version 17  hints at additional camera settings and some other improvements that the Alphabet-owned company is presumably looking to debut in the near future, as suggested by a recent APK teardown of the service. The code found in the new app suggests that the video Settings section of Google Duo may soon be ennobled with three additional color options  White Balance, Color Effects, and Exposure Compensation. The White Balance setting is relatively self-explanatory, being set to allow users to change the color balance of their video feed with the goal of either fixing a tinted display caused by any particular lighting type or simply creating a digital effect. The Setting itself wont allow you granular control over your white balance and is instead simply meant to provide you with a number of presets like Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, and Auto.

The Exposure Compensation setting will provide users with more in-depth control over their image exposure as it will seemingly be managed with a simple slider, whereas Color Effects will be more automated in nature and ship with filter presets like Sepia, Aqua, Whiteboard, and Mono. Its currently unclear when Google might activate the new camera settings on the user side of things, though more details on the matter may follow shortly. The Google Duo version 17 also ships with an image asset depicting a smoothie doodle that can be seen in the gallery below, though no known method of activating this Easter egg have yet been revealed.

While the aforementioned changes are still only code references, the apps frontend did receive one notable addition with the latest update in the form of Adaptive Icons support, as well as a new round icon that the majority of Googles other mobile offerings have already adopted. Support for Adaptive Icons is just the latest addition to Google Duo thats meant to make the app more compatible with Android 8.0 Oreo, the latest stable iteration of Googles omnipresent mobile operating system which was officially released earlier this month. A couple of weeks back, the video calling app was also updated with support for Notification Channels, another feature exclusive to Android 8.0 Oreo which allows users to categorize notifications and manage them in a granular manner.
OnePlus is giving a back-to-school gift to students in over ten countries and has launched a special offer over at its official website. Eligible college and university students can therefore register, providing a form of verification of their scholarship status, and will be granted a coupon valid during the current year. Once the coupon is redeemed, the student will have just one month to use it for purchasing the OnePlus 5 or any number of available accessories and will receive a 10 percent discount (shipping is charged separately). The coupon is valid for only one order and is bound to the users account. It also cant be reissued once expired or used, so the customer will have to wait for another school year to request another coupon.

Students looking to upgrade their phone to OnePlus 5 and use this special discount will first need to create an account or login at Student Beans, a coupon aggregator platform thats specialized in providing students with numerous discounts on food, tech, clothes and more. Once the Student Beans account is set up and verified, access to Student Program will open up, allowing the user to apply for their unique OnePlus coupon. Then, the coupon can be redeemed as previously mentioned and the user can place an order. The company has set a limit to the number of devices a student can order, though, so the order may only contain a single OnePlus 5 device. As for the accessories like bags, cases, chargers and t-shirts, there is no limit to how many of these items one student can place in one order, with or without their new phone.

The final caveat is that the Student Program is limited to a selection of American and European countries like USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany and France, excluding the Asian market. The full list of eligible countries can be found at the official FAQ on the OnePlus Student Program page. The OnePlus 5 has recently launched in over 30 countries and is becoming a popular gadget among the young consumers that are on a budget. OnePlus is more than aware of the phones appeal to college students and it already has plans to make this offer an annual event.
LG Electronics proposed a $1.2 billion acquisition of ZKW Group, a Wieselburg, Austria-based manufacturer of automotive lights, industry sources from South Korea said on Tuesday. The tech giant officially debuted its proposal as part of the main bidding round for ZKW Group in an effort to strengthen its automotive business, insiders said, though its currently unclear whether the companys bid was outdone by any other party interested in acquiring the Austrian firm. Likewise, no details on the financial structure of the proposed deal have been revealed as of this writing. An update on the situation is expected to follow shortly, with latest reports indicating that ZKW Group will decide on a preferred bidder in September.

LG Electronics has yet to comment on its supposed bid in any capacity but the company and its parent LG Corp have reportedly been preparing for the deal for over 18 months, a Korean official was cited as saying by the local media on Tuesday, adding that the Seoul-based original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is seeking to both strengthen and diversify its automotive electronics business with the acquisition. LG Electronics is expected to explain its role in the bidding round for ZKW Group by tomorrow at the request of the domestic stock exchange which gave the tech giant until Wednesday noon to do so.

The Austrian vehicle lighting manufacturer was said to be on the market for an acquisition since last year, with Panasonic Corp previously being identified as one of its likeliest buyers, though the two werent in any negotiations on the matter as of December 2016. Its currently unclear whether anything changed in the meantime as the main bidding round for the company was private and no other potential suitors have been revealed so far. LG Electronics recently opted to diversify its business portfolio as its sustainability was endangered by the continuous struggles of its smartphone division which has yet to return to the black. The company is currently preparing for the launch of its latest high-end handset offering in the form of the LG V30, though it remains to be seen whether that model allows it to strengthen its weakened position in the global smartphone segment.
Motorolas official Philippines Facebook page announced the September 2 event recently, and now the phones pricing has surfaced for the North American market. According to Andri Yatim (@HeyAndri on Twitter), the Moto X4 will cost $349.99 and $399.99 in the US, and quite possibly Canada. This suggests that the company will announce two variants of the phone, and based on the previous info, were looking at 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage models here.

Motorola Philippines will host an event on September 2, and even though the site did not confirm this is the Moto X4 announcement, the hellomoto X part in the teaser image suggests that the companys new mid-ranger is coming. The Moto X4 will not be as powerful as the Moto Z2 Force, not even close, but it will ship with a proper mid-range processor, most likely the Snapdragon 630, and it will be made out of metal. The device already got certified by the FCC, while it also received its certifications in Brazil as well. The Moto X4 will be a successor to the Moto X Style smartphone which was announced back in 2015, as Motorola did not announce the Moto X-branded handset last year. Having said that, some rumors suggested that the Moto X4 might drop during Lenovos IFA press event, but at this moment, that seems unlikely, it seems like Motorola will host a separate event for this announcement, as initially suggested.

If rumors are to be believed, Motorolas upcoming mid-ranger will sport a 5.2-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) AMOLED display. The device will also include a front-facing fingerprint scanner, while Android Nougat will come pre-installed on the device. This handset is expected to utilize two rear-facing cameras, 12-megapixel and 8-megapixel shooters, while a single 16-megapixel snapper will probably be included up front. A 3,000mAh non-removable battery had also been mentioned in some rumors, and the phone will likely launch in several color variants. This handset will probably be IP68 certified for water and dust resistance, and two SIM card slots will be included as well. Its also worth noting that the Moto X4 is rumored to cost around 350 in Europe, in case you were wondering.
Uber will stop tracking users after their trips are over and they exit the ride-hailing mobile app, the companys Chief Security Officer Joe Sullivan said during a Tuesday interview with Reuters. The move is meant to mark the latest step in the companys effort to increase the privacy of its users by eliminating a controversial feature that attracted major criticism from the general public in late 2016. The San Francisco, California-based tech giant is expected to officially announce the change later today, Mr. Sullivan suggested, adding that the decision to stop tracking users after their rides are over has nothing to do with the firms current corporate struggles that saw some of its investors fight for control of the most valuable startup in the world after co-founder Travis Kalanick was pressured to resign his CEO position in late June.

Up until recently, Uber was tracking some of its customers for five minutes after their trips, which the company said it was doing to ensure their physical safety, though many critics claimed the move is a breach of user privacy. Mr. Sullivan said the functionality was later suspended on Android and was never implemented on iOS devices, adding that the company made a mistake by not clearly communicating what it was doing with the data it collected and not revealing what customers can expect in return. Following that line of thinking, Uber CSO didnt exclude the possibility of the firm reintroducing the feature in some unspecified future but vowed to present it in a much more transparent manner in such a scenario.

Mr. Sullivans comments come only two weeks after Uber settled a privacy case helmed by the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) whose Acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen claimed that the company failed consumers by not doing enough to protect their data and misrepresenting the extent of its privacy-oriented endeavors. As part of its settlement with the federal regulator, Uber agreed to 20 years of regular independent audits of its security practices and also vowed to implement some immediate changes to its data protection and privacy solutions. The decision to stop tracking users after their trips may be related to Ubers FTC settlement though the company has yet to officially correlate the two.
Due to severely inflating her billable hours, a former associate in the US has not only ended her BigLaw career but has also been suspended from the practice of law.Mary Jaclyn Cook, a former associate at Faegre Baker Daniels in Denver, has agreed to be suspended for nine months after she inflated the time she had worked after returning in December last year from a two-week Hawaiian honeymoon, the American Bar Association said.Cook was short of Faegres 1,850 annual billable-hour target, Am Law Daily said. To make up for the deficit, she billed 21 workdays in December, including a 12-day period where she billed more than 15 hours each day. That period included back-to-back 18- and 19-hour days.The publication said that Heather Perkins, the firms Denver products liability practice head, noticed the unusual billing after Cook billed a single client for 175 hours, more than what she averaged for all of her clients in a single month.The inflated billable hours cost nearly US$40,000, the American Bar Association said.Faegre said in a statement to Am Law Daily that failure to meet hours isnt even a basis for dismissal from the firm.We communicate regularly with associates on the standards and competencies by which they are evaluated, and offer many resources to help our lawyers build successful careers. The firm also provides numerous outlets for associates who are concerned about their volume of work  high or low  including advisors, supervising partners, group leaders, office leaders and talent professionals, the firm said.However, Cook first claimed the hours were legitimate. She later admitted to inflating the hours and agreed to the suspension as a lawyer.Faegre is 68th in the Am Law 100 list of biggest firms in the US by gross revenue. The firm had 670 lawyers, gross revenues of US$489m, revenue per lawyer of US$745,000, and profits per partner of US$800,000 in the last year, according to The American Lawyer. Faegre lists 370 partners on its website.
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We mention that because these spy photos were taken not in California, but in Southern Europe. But that doesn't matter since all of the models are imported from the same place: Gwangmyeong in South Korea.The current generation is the third and went into production back in 2015. It's styled to look a little bit like a crossover, the Sorento to be precise. And like its high-rider brother, the front end needs some nip and tuck.Underneath the camouflage, we're expecting to find new front and rear fascias with redesigned lights. We also believe that the side of the greenhouse and the creases on the doors are also going to be revised.The burly 3.3-liter V6 engine doesn't look likely to change. Its 276 horsepower is roughly in line with the competition. However, an 8-speed automatic gearbox is going to take the place of the old six-speed. For South Korean markets, the Carnival is available with a 2.2-liter turbodiesel engine that puts out 197and 440 Nm (320 lb-ft). Could we also see a 2-liter turbo that eeks out a few more miles per gallon? The market doesn't seem to demand it, but Kia is always keen to test out new ideas.Last year, the company sold 44,264 units of the Sedona minivan in America, which is up 20% over 2015. However, the Sorento outsold it by a margin of more than 2: 114,000 units during 2016.Currently, the Sedona has a little less cargo space than some of its rivals. Perhaps more important is the fact that the second-row seats don't do clever stuff like fold into the floor or slide completely even when a child seat is attached. These are some of the things they'll have to improve.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller's federal investigators are zeroing in on the president's role in responding to reports that his son, Donald Trump Jr., met with a Russian government lawyer in Trump Tower last year, "three sources familiar with the matter" told NBC News. They're interested in learning what Trump knew about the meeting and whether he tried to hide its purpose.

The initial response on July 8 was that Trump Jr. "was asked to attend the meeting by an acquaintance, but was not told the name of the person [he] would be meeting with beforehand."

on July 8 was that Trump Jr. "was asked to attend the meeting by an acquaintance, but was not told the name of the person [he] would be meeting with beforehand." Trump "weighed in" on that statement , according to the White House.

, according to the White House. It was revealed the next day that Trump Jr. had been told he'd be presented with "official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary [Clinton]."

Why it matters: Trump's involvement in the drafting carries legal risks since he's "needlessly vulnerable to allegations of a coverup," as the Washington Post put it.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk from Marine One to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, for a trip to Texas to get an update on Harvey relief efforts (Evan Vucci / AP)
Ambassador John Bolton, a Trump ally who has been considered for top national security posts in the administration, says he now needs to resort to publishing advice in the National Review because he can't get in to see the president under the regime of new Chief of Staff John Kelly.

Bolton published today what he described as a "game plan" for Trump to exit the Iran nuclear deal struck by President Obama.

Along with the 5 page memo, Bolton wrote these eye-popping lines:

Many outside the administration wondered how this was possible: Was Trump in control, or were his advisers? Defining a compelling rationale to exit Obama's failed nuclear deal and elaborating a game plan to do so are quite easy. In fact, Steve Bannon asked me in late July to draw up just such a game plan for the president  the option he didn't have  which I did.I offer the Iran nonpaper now as a public service, since staff changes at the White House have made presenting it to President Trump impossible. Although he was once kind enough to tell me "come in and see me any time," those days are now over.

I called Bolton this afternoon to ask him about his comments. He said that he requested a meeting with the president "through the correct channels" but the request was denied. Bolton wouldn't elaborate further.

Why this matters: The new strict system imposed by John Kelly will work until close allies can't get through to the president. If Trump begins to feel cut off from people he once spoke to often, he could buck against the new order.

Counterpoint: Based on information they've been receiving from the intelligence community, White House officials are expected to consider Bolton's advice as simplistic and unhelpful. The reason they say they've advised President Trump to re-certify the Iran nuclear deal even though he doesn't want to is because they say the intelligence community doesn't have the evidence required to prove Iran has been noncompliant. Also, it's unlikely that any of Trump's top national security and foreign policy advisers will buy into Bolton's idea that you can rally the international community behind a U.S. withdrawal from the deal.

Bolton's retort is that the current line of thinking will inevitably lead to Iran developing nuclear weapons. Bolton has readily admitted that U.S. or Israeli military action may be the only way to ultimately prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
29 August 2017 16:34 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

A wave of malicious mail, the letters in which were forged by notifications from well-known delivery services was detected at the beginning of the second quarter.

Analytical report of the Kaspersky Lab reads that as an attachment to such reports a whole range of various malicious programs designed to steal logins and passwords was discovered, including internal services and financial systems of attacked organizations.

The target audience of such mailings was definitely the corporate sector.

The tendency to mask malicious mailings for business correspondence has intensified. Spammers are no longer just copying the style of business mail, they often use the real details of existing companies, copy auto-signatures and logos, even the subject of messages can correspond to the profile of companies.

One of the main topics of the last quarter in spam mailings, including for corporate users, was the coder WannaCry. In the mail around the world, there were proposals to provide services in the fight against a new malware: preventing infection, conducting training seminars and so on. Some letters were sent on behalf of well-known software manufacturers. They reported that the computer is infected and there is a need to install some update. The letter even contained a link on which this update can be downloaded, but it led to a fishing page.

With the help of the Anti-fishing system, 46.5 million attempts to switch to fishing pages were prevented in the second quarter of 2017. In total 8.26 percent of users of Kaspersky Lab products worldwide were attacked by fishers during the quarter.

In general, the overall share of spam in the global mail traffic grew very slightly and amounted to almost 57 percent.

The first place in the list of countries with outgoing spam was taken by Vietnam, whose figure was 12.37 percent. The U.S. occupied the second place with 10.1 percent. The third place-China and the country's indicator for the quarter is 8.96 percent. Azerbaijan took the 70th place.

Kaspersky Lab is a Russian multinational cybersecurity and anti-virus provider headquartered in Moscow, Russia and operated by a holding company in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1997 by Eugene Kaspersky, who is currently the CEO. Kaspersky Lab develops and sells antivirus, internet security, password management, endpoint security, and other cybersecurity products and services.

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29 August 2017 15:20 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

ADY Express LLC, subsidiary of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, announced the launch of a new container block train Poti/Batumi (Georgia) - Kishly station (Azerbaijan).

The train is sent three times a week and covers 900 kilometers of the track in 30 hours, according to the official website of the company.

The all-inclusive tariff for the transportation of a 20-foot container is $800, and a 40-foot container is $1,000.

ADY Express LLC was founded in 2016 to provide a full range of logistics services in line with international standards, combining rail and sea routes of Azerbaijan.

The main objective of the company is to increase the transit transportation between Europe and Asia through the territory of Azerbaijan, at the same time providing customers with convenient and cost-effective price.

Diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan and Georgia were established on November 18, 1992.

The two countries broadly cooperate in regional energy development, transportation and economic partnership projects such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway, the TRACECA, and the BSEC.

The two countries closely cooperate in such spheres as education, defense, culture, and economy. Azerbaijan occupies the leading positions in the list of the largest trading partners of Georgia.

Georgian exports to Azerbaijan include cement, locomotives and other railway vehicles, mineral and chemical fertilizers, mineral waters, strong drinks, glass and glass wares, and pharmaceuticals, among other things.

Azerbaijan mainly exports to Georgia oil and petroleum products, natural gas, plastic wares, furniture and building constructions.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Georgia amounted to $123.98 million in January-March 2017, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee.

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29 August 2017 14:11 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan State Theater of Young Spectators will take part in the 5th International Theater Festival of Small Forms "Northern Meetings in Nizhnevartovsk, Russia, on October 25-28.

The festival will bring together actors from different countries, including Russia, Moldova, Italy, and France.

The theater plans to present monologue "The Double Bass" by Patrick Zuskind with the participation of Honored Artist, laureate of international competitions Shovgi Huseynova, Trend Life reported.

Director, stage designer and author of musical design is People's Artist of Azerbaijan Irina Perlova.

"The Double Bass" is a play by Patrick Suskind, best known for his internationally acclaimed novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.

The monologue in one act premiered in 1981.

The play consists of an extended monologue delivered by a double bass player, who speaks to the audience in his small sound-proofed apartment while drinking beer.

The world of the double bass player is secluded and impenetrable.

The musician is in his mid-thirties and is employed at a State Orchestra. At first he praises his instrument and its importance in the orchestra. At the same time, he reveals more and more of his past and present rather than his current misery. He did not pick his instrument out of love and he never has company.

The play was appraised in Iran, Turkey, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine.

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

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29 August 2017 11:13 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The United States is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Schofer as the next US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, said the message from the US State Department.

The United States remains firmly committed to the Minsk Group Process and helping the sides reach a peaceful settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said the message.

United States supports a just settlement that must be based on international law and Andrew Schofer looks forward to helping the sides achieve this goal, said the message.

The governments Azerbaijan and Armenia have been informed of Andrew Schofers appointment, according to the message.

Andrew Schofer will assume his new position effective immediately.

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 have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijans territory, 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 region and the surrounding districts.

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29 August 2017 14:43 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan`s Ambassador to Brazil and Surinam Elkhan Polukhov has met Speaker of the National Assembly of Suriname Jennifer Geerling-Simmons.

They discussed a range of issues including inter-parliamentary ties, role of the parliamentary diplomacy in development of bilateral bonds, as well as the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azertac reported.

The sides said there is great potential for boosting bonds and stressed the role of legislative bodies in the relevant field.

Prior President of Suriname Desire Delano Bouterse also received Polukhov, where he emphasized the opportunities for developing relations with Azerbaijan.

Polukhov said he would spare no efforts to contribute to deepening Azerbaijan-Suriname ties.

The two sides discussed a wide range of issues relating to bilateral relations between the two countries.

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29 August 2017 13:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Ankara will continue supporting Baku and strengthening ties with Azerbaijan in all spheres, a source in the Turkish presidential administration told Trend on August 29.

Turkey and Azerbaijan have not only strong political ties and historical roots, but also joint economic and energy projects, the source said, adding that Azerbaijan is a strategic partner of Turkey.

Strengthening relations with Azerbaijan is one of priorities for Turkey, the source noted.

According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, trade turnover with Turkey amounted to $1.45 billion in January-July 2017.

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29 August 2017 16:17 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Civil aviation, currently accounting for 63.5 million jobs globally and 3.5 percent of global gross domestic product, is one of the most asset-intensive and regulated industries in the world.

With parts that are high-cost and low in numbers, even the slightest of improvements in asset functionality and maintenance can yield significant cost and efficiency advantages.

Azerbaijan, the South Caucasus's most developed economy, is experiencing an era of development in civil aviation. If earlier Azerbaijan Airlines AZAL provided passengers with ordinary flights, today the national carriers customers enjoy AZALJET, low-cost brand and only recently Buta Airways joined their ranks, as 100-percent owned subsidiary company of AZAL.

The first low-cost airline in Azerbaijan was founded in December 2016. The Airlines fleet consists of modern Embraer aircrafts.

To start flights in autumn 2017, Buta Airways will offer final minimum airfare for all destinations for only 29 euros one way.

President Ilham Aliyev viewed the first Embraer 190 aircraft on August 25, which was brought to Baku by Buta Airways.

President of AZAL Jahangir Asgarov informed the head of state of the new economy class aircraft, which has 106 seats.

Buta Airways will carry out flights to the most popular destinations. The carrier will launch flights from Baku to Moscow, Kyiv, Antalya, Kazan, Mineralnye Vody, Tbilisi and Tehran starting from September 1, as well as to Istanbul and St. Petersburg and from Ganja to Moscow beginning from October 29 in accordance with the winter flight schedule.

The company plans to deliver another Embraer 190 aircraft to Baku soon. In general, the airline's fleet will include eight Embraer 190 aircrafts.

Being a low-cost airline, Buta Airways will offer additional services such as carriage of baggage, hand luggage, hot onboard meals, as well as seat selection in the airplane on the flights on a paid basis.

Carriage of hand luggage of unlimited weight, with the sum of three dimensions not exceeding 110 cm will cost 25 euros. Carriage of baggage weighing up to 23 kg (inclusive), with the sum of three dimensions not exceeding 158 cm will cost 25 euros. When purchasing baggage on the website or at sales offices in advance it will cost 20 euros.

The airline will provide sandwiches and water free of charge on all flights, hot meals can be pre-ordered during the purchase of the ticket for 7.90 euro. A variety of drinks and cold appetizers are available on board the aircraft.

As additional options Buta Airways flights will provide comfortable seats in the aircraft cabin. Seats with extra legroom in the first row and emergency exit will cost 25 euros, priority seats at the front of the cabin - 15 euros. Check-in will be available online on the website and self-service check-in kiosks free of charge. Check-in at the counters at the airport will cost 3 euros.



Being a natural catalyst for the economic growth and development of Azerbaijan, civil aviation plays a crucial role in the country's socio-economic development, in particular in the development of tourism and business.

The countrys favorable geographical location, which creates good opportunities in terms of the establishment of the regional transport infrastructure and logistics, the further development of civil aviation is an important part of the country's economic strategy.

AZAL, a major air carrier and one of the leaders of the aviation community of CIS countries, is taking advantage of government support and is now one of the major companies not only in the region but also across the globe.

Total route network of the airline is 40 destinations in 25 countries. In 2016, Azerbaijan Airlines carried over 2 million passengers. And the number of its flights is increasing. More than 16,000 scheduled international flights depart Azerbaijan annually, destined for over 38 cities all over the world. More than 1,300 flights are available to passengers annually, destined for local airports.

AZALJET brand, opened last year operates to the most popular destinations of the nation. These destinations include Moscow, Istanbul, Tbilisi, St. Petersburg, Minsk, Kiev, Lviv, Tehran, Aktau, Kazan, Mineralnye Vody, Ankara, and the Turkish Antalya, Izmir, Bodrum and Dalaman resorts.

Sales and flight scheme on these flights is close to low-cost airlines, that is, passengers have a choice of several services in the form of paid options. At the moment, base rate for all AZALJET flights, including all taxes and fees, starts from 49 euros. This is one of the most competitive prices among all airlines flying to Azerbaijan.

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

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29 August 2017 17:56 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The agenda of next meeting of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia in Baku includes the development of cooperation in political, economic, energy, transport and humanitarian spheres, as well as an exchange of views on regional security issues, a diplomatic source told Trend on August 29.

The three countries foreign ministers, Elmar Mammadyarov, Mevlut Cavusoglu and Mikheil Janelidze will also consider the implementation of the countries cooperation plan at the upcoming meeting, to be held in Baku on Sept. 7.

This ministerial meeting was initiated on June 8, 2012, in the Turkish city of Trabzon as part of the Trabzon Declaration signed by foreign ministers. The Declaration reflects the most important areas of mutual cooperation among Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia in such areas as economy, energy, infrastructure, transport, culture and humanitarian sphere.

These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss the opportunities of regional partnership in a trilateral format, promote the development of bilateral relations based on mutual benefits, and strengthen regional prosperity, stability and security.

The previous meeting of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey was held in Tbilisi on February 19, 2016.

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29 August 2017 16:45 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order to provide funding for construction of Takhtanakaran-Miki and Takhtanakaran-Toradi roads in Astara district.

Under the presidential order, AZN8.5 million is allocated from the state budget for continuation of the construction of roads connecting 38 residential areas with a total population of 12,000 people, Azertac reported.

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29 August 2017 10:58 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

It is unlikely that the oil market balance will be achieved by March 2018, William Arthurs, chairman of the London-based Transatlantic Institute, told Trend.

"OPEC and the other producers, who have agreed to cut production up to March 2018, may attempt to stabilize or slightly increase prices," said the expert, adding that this will only encourage further investment in US shale production technology, which cannot be controlled by OPEC.

"For this reason, it is unlikely that market balance will be achieved by March 2018. (Any disruption in production in Venezuela, caused by the current political unrest, would have a minor effect on inventory reductions.)," added Arthurs.

These factors are likely to make concerted action on production cuts beyond March 2018, difficult for OPEC to follow through, he believes.

"For market balance to be achieved in the medium term, OPEC would have to inspire confidence and credibility in the market. With the disruptive effect of shale production, this will be hard to achieve. The real long-term price trend for oil will be down," said the expert.

The possibility of agreement within OPEC on further measures to extend or increase production cuts, depends on the relative standing of OPEC's individual members, between whom the current geopolitical situation has created stresses, and who have widely differing production costs: strains in these relationships are becoming apparent in current historically low compliance levels, as recently reported by the International Energy Agency, according to Arthurs.

On May 25, OPEC member countries and non-OPEC parties, Azerbaijan, Kingdom of Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Sultanate of Oman, the Russian Federation, Republic of Sudan, and the Republic of South Sudan agreed to extend the production adjustments for a further period of nine months, with effect from July 1, 2017.

The reductions will be on the same terms as those agreed in November.

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29 August 2017 15:52 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

BP has resumed production of natural gas at the largest gas condensate field Shah Deniz in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, stopped earlier due to maintenance works on the platform.

All planned work was completed on August 25, and gas production from the Shah Deniz platform was resumed. Currently, the whole system (platform, Sangachal terminal, South Caucasus Pipeline) has been gradually put into operation, communications manager of the BP Azerbaijan Communication and External Affairs Department Tamam Bayatly told Trend on August 28.

Bayatly added that respectively, the export of gas from Shah Deniz to Georgia and Turkey has been restored.

The contract for development of the Shah Deniz offshore field was signed on June 4, 1996.

The shareholders in the contract are BP (operator - 28.8 percent), AzSD (10 percent), SGC Upstream (6.7 percent), Petronas (15.5 percent), Lukoil (10 percent), NIOC (10 percent) and TPAO (19 percent).

Azerbaijan produced 5.1 billion cubic meters of gas and 1.2 million tons of condensate (nearly 9.7 million barrels) in January to June 2017, as compared to about 5.4 billion cubic meters of gas and 1.3 million tons of condensate in the same period of 2016.

British Petroleum, one of the world's seven oil and gas "supermajors", is a vertically integrated company operating in all areas of the oil and gas industry, including exploration and production, refining, distribution and marketing, petrochemicals, power generation and trading. It also has renewable energy interests in biofuels and wind power.

As of 31 December 2016, BP had operations in 72 countries worldwide, produced around 3.3 million barrels per day of oil equivalent, and had total proved reserves of 17.81 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

The company has around 18,000 service stations worldwide. Its largest division is BP America in the United States. In Russia, BP owns a 19.75 percent stake in Rosneft, the world's largest publicly traded oil and gas company by hydrocarbon reserves and production.

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29 August 2017 17:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Norwegian company IKM Cleandrill has signed a contract for the provision of services on deep-sea drilling technology at Azerbaijan's Absheron gas field with Total E&P Absheron, acting on behalf of the JOCAP, Joint Operating Company for Absheron Project.

The project is technically difficult due to the depth of the water and potentially severe environmental conditions, due to which IKM modernizes its MRR500 system, increasing the pumping capacity to meet these requirements.

The contract will include the installation of IKMs MRR500 mud recovery system onto a new semisubmersible drilling rig, and provision of subsea drilling fluid pumping services as part of Absheron Projects drilling campaign in Azerbaijan.

SOCAR, the national oil company of Azerbaijan, and Total signed a framework agreement in late 2016 on the main contractual and commercial principles regulating the program for the first phase of development of the Absheron field.

The development involves the drilling of one well at a water depth of 450 meters. The extraction will amount to 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas a year, which will fully flow to the domestic market of Azerbaijan, as well as significant amounts of condensate. First gas could be produced as early as in 2019.

Total is expected to make a final investment decision on Absheron until the end of 2017, and the first appraisal well will be drilled at the end of this year. The approximate cost of the first phase is estimated at $1 billion.

SOCAR geologists assume that the reserves of the Absheron field amounts to 350 billion cubic meters of gas and 45 million tons of condensate.

Total is the operator of Absheron with a 40 percent interest alongside SOCAR (40 percent) and ENGIE (20 percent).

Total has been presented in Azerbaijan since 1996, holding a 5 percent interest in BTC Co, owner of the BTC oil pipeline (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan), which connects Baku and the Mediterranean Sea.

IKM Cleandrill AS is a specialist service provider to the offshore drilling industry. The company utilises the latest generation of subsea and surface pumping technologies to manage drilling fluids in support of semi-submersible, drill-ship and jack-up drilling operations.

IKM Cleandrill develops proprietary technologies from headquarters in Bergen, Norway, and provides services to clients on a global basis.

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29 August 2017 12:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Although the main index of the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) saw an increase of 1.04 percent over the past week, a group of observers have suggested that the value of trades at the market has sharply dropped.

The value of the real trades at the market currently stands below 100 billion tomans (about $30.3 million at official rate) which is an insignificant figure concerning the number of TSE listed companies, Alireza Kadivar, a financial analyst and the deputy chief of Irans Novin Investment Bank, told Trend.

Forecasting about the performance of the market over the current year, he said that it heavily relies on situation of the commodities-driven firms.

About half of the shares offered at the TSE belong to this group of companies. Therefore, those companies involved in the production of minerals, steel, oil and petrochemical products would play a key role, Kadivar added.

In the meantime, the two factors of global prices of the commodities and the currency fluctuation have a direct impact on the profitability of these companies.

Saying that these businesses, normally, grow when the prices hike and considering the fact that such firms account for about half of shares offered at the TSE, Kadivar expressed hope that the market would demonstrate a better performance over the current year as the commodity prices continue to increase in the global markets and the rate of the US dollar against Iranian national currency is expected to grow.

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29 August 2017 12:42 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Although President Hassan Rouhani has appointed the same interior minister as before, the president is required by reformists to create a more inclusive political atmosphere at home and promote activities of political parties, Abdollah Ansari, member of Baran Foundation (Foundation for Freedom, Growth and Development of Iran, headed by former president Mohammad Khatami) told Trend August 26.

"We hope that some real change is made to the domestic policy. The minister (Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli) has himself promised some changes," Ansari noted.

Last week Rouhani received votes of confidence for all but one of his ministers for his second administration (2017-2021).

Fazli, a conservative, was once again appointed as the interior minister. He had served on the same position in the previous Rouhani administration.

Nevertheless, Ansari said, the new Rouhani cabinet needs to take into serious account the relegation of some of its authority to local and provincial officials in order for the administrative affairs of those locations to run more effectively.

As for the other reformist concerns and expectations of the Rouhani administration, Ansari said the livelihood of people should be put high on agenda, especially considering the damages that sanctions have wrought on the economy.

Issues of water management, agriculture, and environment are also important points in the demands that reformists have of the incumbent administration, he noted.

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29 August 2017 11:32 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

One of the most important aspects of the US-Iran relationship concerns the way in which the new administration is likely to see concessions in one place as creating possible danger in another, Patrick James, an expert in comparative and international politics and Dornsife Dean's Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California, told Trend.

Take, for example, the nuclear deal between Iran and the Obama Administration. This is seen in conservative opinion circles as a dangerous form of appeasement that could impact upon North Korean nuclearization and use of missiles in a very harmful way, he said.

The expert noted that as things get worse between the Trump Administration and North Korea, more assertive US statements and actions vis-a-vis Iran may be expected.

International players such as China and Russia will most likely stay away from US allies such as France and Germany in this case, he noted.

All of NATO is concerned about a nuclear-capable Iran. However, Russia is likely to support Iran, James added. China is in the most difficult position of all and it is not at all obvious what they will do.

Meanwhile, the expert believes that the likelihood of the White Houses declaring Iran non-compliant with the 2015 nuclear deal, aka JCPOA, is high, because the Trump Administrations base of support is very anti-Iranian.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council  the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia  plus Germany signed the nuclear deal on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.

The agreement limits Irans nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic.

The US Congress requires the administrations certification (every 90 days) of Irans compliance with the nuclear deal. Trumps administration has already declared Iran in compliance, as required by law, twice during his tenure.

However, Trumps remarks forecasting that the US would declare Iran non-compliant when the next review is due in September, have cast shadow over the future of the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers.

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29 August 2017 16:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Ali Mustafayev

After the North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Northern Japan, the officials of Hokkaido island, which is the nearest to the explosion point, have warned the residents to take precautions.

A Hwasong-12 missile launched on Tuesday from near the capital of Pyongyang flew about 2,700 km and landed in the Pacific Ocean in 1,180 km from Hokkaido, said Yoshihido Suga the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, RIA Novosti reported.

The governments of the United States, South Korea and Japan immediately reacted, severely criticizing this act.

The North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests, the most recent on Saturday, but firing over mainland Japan is out of bounds even for the Kim Jong Uns government.

The highest level of resentment was expressed by the Japanese government, since the ballistic missile landing near its border violates its national security.

North Koreas reckless action is an unprecedented, serious and a grave threat to our nation, stated Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Reuters reported.

The test followed the U.S.-Korean joint military exercises on the Korean peninsula and considered to be one of the most provocative acts ever from Kims regime.

The President of the United States Donald Trump contacted with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and assured that the United States are 100 percent with Japan.

South Korean fighter jets bombed a military firing range on Tuesday following a discussion of the situation with the U.S. regarding strategic asserts on the Korean peninsula.

We will respond strongly based on our steadfast alliance with the United States if North Korea continues nuclear and missile provocations, stated the Souths Foreign Ministry.

Along with the countries of the region and the worlds most powerful organizations, the Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg urged the North Korean regime to stop its missile programs, strongly condemning aggressive missile launches towards Japan.

The US, South Korea and Japan required to hold a meeting of the UN Security Council.

North Korea responded in its usual manner.

The U.S. should know that it can neither browbeat the DPRK with any economic sanctions and military threats and blackmails nor make the DPRK flinch from the road chosen by itself, stated North Koreas official Rodong Sinmun later on Tuesday.

Previously, Japan has announced the widening of sanctions against North Korea, which faced the UN sanctions earlier this month due to its missile tests.

Tokyo has now sanctioned 72 organizations and 81 individuals for their dealings with North Korea.

Ever since U.S. President Donald Trump warned Pyongyang not to carry out nuclear tests, tension has been escalating in the region. Washington urges North Korea to abandon its nuclear missile program and refrain from provocative actions.

Although Pyongyang recently stated that it was holding off from the announced missile attacks and stimulated Washington to see probable ways to dialogue, the recent step deteriorated already escalated relations.

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29 August 2017 17:26 (UTC+04:00)

By Ali Mustafayev

Turkmenistan and neighboring countries of the region, which have large stocks of hydrocarbon, advocate for the diversification of the energy flows.

The Parliament of Turkmenistan adopted new draft regulations on Ratification of an agreement on strategic cooperation between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan and Ratification of an agreement on strategic cooperation between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan, Trend reported.

The construction project of Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan - China gas line, realized in 2009 is a good illustration of this policy.

Another example of regional cooperation is the construction of Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway in 2014, which provide transport of 10-12 million of goods per year.

Large amount of cargos can be transported by this trade route to the countries of the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean and Europe.

Kazakhstan joined the project of the Central Asia - Middle East corridor in 2016 and since then remains a member of productive cooperation leading to highly developed trade relations.

Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan are focused on the perspectives of trade-economic partnership, the development of treaty and legal bases, the cooperation in natural gas issues, in agriculture and in trans-border mining.

The areas of transport, environment and fisheries are also included to the list of issues.

Ashgabat expresses readiness to start the cooperation amid the project on electricity supply from Central to South Asia via the Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan - Tajikistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan route.

The new corridor will make it possible for the countries of Central Asia to trade with ports of Persian and Oman Gulfs, using the optimal route.

Along with the targets listed above, the perspectives of customs cooperation, co-investment, railway, car and sea transport are being discussed on the experts level by the countries.

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29 August 2017 19:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Ali Mustafayev

Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel has demanded the release of German journalists arrested in Turkey.

The statement was made during the annual press conference held in Berlin.

Our demands are perfectly clear: the arrested journalists must be released, said Merkel, noting that she would like to be in good relations with Turkey, but the reality must be taken into account.

The list of the arrested German citizens includes journalist Deniz Yucel, who is suspected in support of terrorist organizations and imprisoned under the charge of espionage on 15 February.

Another German journalist Meshale Tolu was arrested on the same charges on May 2017.

The relationship between Turkey and Germany continue to deteriorate since the failed coup in Turkey in July 2016.

Turkey accuses Berlin in granting of asylum to the key members of the failed coup and support to the FETO terrorists, particularly Adil Oksuz, a theology professor accused by the Turkish authorities of being an influential figure within the Fetullah Terrorist Organization.

Tensions have worsened over multiple issues including a referendum campaign to expand Turkish President's powers. German authorities banned some Turkish ministers from campaigning for ethnic Turk votes in Germany during the April referendum.

The relations deteriorated further after Ankara blocked a group of German lawmakers from visiting the servicemen at the Incirlik Air Base and further attempts of Germany to urge the EU to exert economic pressure on Turkey.

Despite further compromise made by the Turkish government regarding the German MPs visit to military base in Konya headed by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and its Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller and European Unions refusal to reduce cooperation with Turkey, the relations between the two countries are being strained to date.

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Opinion | 04 November 2022 | Interviews

India needs to connect OPD with the cashless insurance network to bring them into the digital economy

After having raised $1.2 million from Entrepreneur First and GrowX Ventures in 2021, how do you see the perfor...Read more
Onam 2021: Brighten Up This Auspicious Day With Rangoli Or Pookalam Designs Decor oi-Lekhaka

Festivals in India is one grand affair and are always celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm. Onam reflects the tradition, culture and rituals of the people of the entire state of Kerala. This festival is celebrated with great pomp and show in Kerala, which is a true delight to the eyes, especially if you're visiting the state during this time. This year, in 2021, it will be celebrated from 12 August to 23 August.

People from all over the world come to Kerala during Onam to witness the joy and beauty of this festival. Onam is known to wait for an important visitor, King Mahabali. Legend has it that when he ruled over Kerala, everyone was happy, wealthy and prosperous.

And every year, people here believe their king returns during the Onam time to see how his subjects are flourishing.

There are a number of ways how Onam is celebrated in Kerala. This includes the onasadya, the pookalam, the snake boat race, the elephant procession and many other attractions. These are what draws in thousands of tourists to be a part of the spectacular harvest festival.

Rangoli Or Pookalam Of Kerala

The women of Kerala make intricate designs out of flowers and lay it on the floor. This tradition of decorating the Pookalam is very famous in Kerala and is considered to be one of the most important rituals of every household during the harvest festival.

The Pookalam is also known as Rangoli in Kerala. They make use of flowers to make this type of rangoli. Pookalam is made up of two words. 'Poov' means flowers and 'Kalam' means the colour sketches. It is considered to be very lucky to prepare the Pookalam during the celebrations of the harvest festival.

Various Types Of Rangoli Designs

Since no coloured powder can be used, the women use different kinds of flowers to complete the rangoli. This flower rangoli is also known as the 'Aththa-Poo' during the Onam celebrations. It is believed that King Mahabali visits almost every household when he comes to visit all of his subjects annually in Kerala. This is why the adolescent girls and the women prepare the elaborate rangoli designs on their doorstep and welcome their King.

Circular designs Circular designs can be created with flowers that are pink, yellow and purple. Within the circle, different colours of flowers like white or red can be used to make a star. This gives a unique design to the Pookalam and makes it look very beautiful. Abstract designs Most women prefer two contrast colours of marigold, as this flower comes in two beautiful contrasting colours orange and yellow. They create an abstract design and repeat the orange and yellow colours. These flowers are separated by pink flowers like the lotus. The Kathakali design Most women prefer doing the Kathakali design right in the center of the rangoli. A red coloured flower can be used as the base, and the Kathakali design can be decorated with the yellow flowers. The borders can be done beautifully in horizontal patterns with orange and yellow petals. The three-dimensional design To make the three-dimensional Pookalam design, one needs to be very skilled and dedicated. Different coloured flowers are used in order to give a beautiful effect to the rangoli. These colours make the Pookalam stand out and give a three-dimensional effect, which is very eye catching. The different rangoli designs can be done best by the women who are skilled and have a lot of patience. There are many other rangoli designs, which include the geometric patterns or the spiral patterns.
They Met At A Sex Change Clinic And Are All Set To Marry Life oi-Syeda Farah

They say love is blind and a transgender couple proved this saying right as they fell in love at a place which was changing their lives forever and this is nothing else but a sex change clinic!

This is a story of a couple who met when they were at a sex change clinic and were discovering their true identity...

The couple had an instant liking towards each other when they met and discussed their life and problems and now there is no turning back.

Check out the unique love story of Sukanyeah Krishna And Aarav Appukuttan...

It Was Love At First Sight For Him When Aarav Appukuttan saw Sukanyeah for the first time, the only thought that came to his mind was that he couldn't resist talking to her. Since then there has been no looking back for the couple as they are getting married in a few weeks time! The Couple Met At A Sex Change Clinic Aarav who is 46, was assigned female at birth, while Sukanyeah is just 22, and was assigned as a male. The couple are from Kerala, and they met by chance at a hospital 3 years ago. Around this time neither of them knew they both wanted to get a sex reassignment surgery at that time. pulse Amazing Transformations Of Transgenders That Will Blow Your Mind! Aarav Revealed... "Whenever someone would approach me or make fun of me based on my identity, I would just smile. They would always wonder if I was a woman or a man, and I would happily clear their doubt. It's nothing to be ashamed of, my mother taught me that," said Aarav. While Sukanyeah Revealed It Was Not Easy... "You know how our society is. The experiences were pretty bad. Just recently I had applied for a job in Bengaluru. I excelled in every test, and got a great feedback. But when the employers saw my Facebook profile and figured I was a transgender person, they rejected my application. They told me the clients wouldn't be comfortable in dealing with someone like me." Then Destiny Played A Role When they met for the first time, and striked a conversation, they knew they had something special as when they booked the second appointment in the hospital on the same date, only to realise that they were already in love.
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Vortex KLCC Apartments offers accommodations in the heart of Kuala Lumpur's city centre. Petronas Twin Towers is 500 metres from the property.

Situated in Kuala Lumpur, 7.9 km from Berjaya Times Square and 8.7 km from Starhill Gallery, Eko Cheras Residences by De Space features accommodation with free WiFi, air conditioning, an outdoor...

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Providing city views, Expressionz KLCC by Wodages in Kuala Lumpur provides accommodation and an outdoor swimming pool. Free WiFi is provided and private parking is available on site.

Situated a few steps from Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur Suite At times Square offers a restaurant, a fitness centre and air-conditioned accommodation with a balcony and free WiFi.

Situated within a few steps of Berjaya Times Square and 1.8 km of Kuala Lumpur Convention Center in Kuala Lumpur, Moonlight Service Suite features accommodation with a kitchen.

Featuring city views and free WiFi, Sky Suites KL City Centre features accommodation ideally set in the centre of Kuala Lumpur, within a short distance of Petronas Twin Towers, Suria KLCC and Kuala...

Located 600 metres from Petronas Twin Towers and 700 metres from Suria KLCC, The Sky Suites KLCC Kuala Lumpur in Kuala Lumpur provides air-conditioned accommodation with views of the city and free...

Set in Kuala Lumpur, 1.6 km from Berjaya Times Square and 2.7 km from KL Sentral, Opus Residences by SA Hospitality KL offers accommodation with free WiFi, a garden with an outdoor swimming pool, pool...

Set in Kuala Lumpur, a few steps from Berjaya Times Square and 1.8 km from Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, KL Time Square suit At Berjaya Times square offers accommodation with free WiFi and access to...

Situated in Kuala Lumpur, near Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur Convention Center and Petronas Twin Towers, Vortex Suites KLCC by Luna Suites features free WiFi, and guests can enjoy a restaurant and a bar.

Situated in Kuala Lumpur, 1.2 km from Petronas Twin Towers and 1.3 km from Suria KLCC, City Stay at The Platinum KLCC features accommodation with free WiFi, air conditioning, an outdoor swimming pool...

With lake views, Eaton Suites KLCC is set in Kuala Lumpur and has a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk, bar, garden, year-round outdoor pool and children's playground.

Boasting a swimming pool, a fitness centre, a bar and views of the pool, Platinum Service Suites KLCC by SA is situated in Kuala Lumpur and features accommodation with free WiFi.

With Berjaya Times Square reachable in a few steps, KL Star Suite At Time Square provides accommodation, a restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a bar.

Luxe Suites at Vortex KLCC features air-conditioned guest accommodation in the centre of Kuala Lumpur, 1 km from Suria KLCC, less than 1 km from Kuala Lumpur Convention Center and a 12-minute walk...

With Petronas Twin Towers reachable in 700 metres, Star Residence Suites KLCC provides accommodation, a restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool, a bar and a garden. Complimentary WiFi is provided.

Featuring city views, Blue Sky Apartment at Times Square in Kuala Lumpur features accommodation, a restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a bar. Complimentary WiFi is available.

Set a few steps from Berjaya Times Square, Raymond Suites At Berjaya Times Square offers accommodation with a fitness centre, a bar and a 24-hour front desk for your convenience.

Boasting a swimming pool, a bar, a garden and views of the city, Platinum Suite KLCC by City Box is set in Kuala Lumpur and offers accommodation with free WiFi. Private parking is available on site.

Commission paid and other benefits may affect an accommodation's ranking. Find out more.

This is a Preferred Partner property. It is committed to providing guests with a positive experience thanks to its commendable service and good value. This property may pay Booking.com a bit more to be in this Programme.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/08/2017 (1902 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They would have been in the midst of a relaxing vacation to mark their 20th anniversary, if not for Veronica and Bill Adams plane touching down in Houston.

The Brandon couple landed in the hurricane Harvey-hit city en route to Costa Rica on Saturday afternoon, arriving at an airport that aside from the odd staff member appeared like a ghost town.

With all their flights cancelled for the night, Veronica said they gave up on the idea of departing and checked into a hotel for what proved a sleepless night.

Submitted Veronica Adams stands in floodwater in Houston, where her and husband Bill's flight was grounded over the weekend after hurricane Harvey hit the city.

The most wicked thunderstorm Veronica said she has ever experienced kept them awake throughout the night.

They gave up on sleeping by 2:30 a.m. in order to catch a ride in a four-wheel-drive truck back to the airport, where theyd learned that a flight to Atlanta had opened up.

This effort was cut short when the driver failed to make his way through the rapidly-rising floodwater, which forced him to turn around and drive back to the hotel.

Back at the hotel, Veronica said they watched the floodwater rise by at least three feet between 2:30 a.m. and approximately 7 a.m.

They continued watching floodwater rise throughout the day, during which floodwater began spilling into their ground-level unit, forcing them to change rooms.

They relocated to the third floor, which Veronica said they felt was a bit safer.

Told to stay where they were, Veronica said when the chance to attempt catching another flight came up, they jumped at it and piled into another four-wheel drive on Monday morning.

Submitted Brandon couple Bill and Veronica Adams, who accidentally spent their 20th anniversary in the midst of hurricane conditions in Houston.

This time around, they made it all the way to the airport, where they spent a few hours lined up to catch a humanitarian flight to Detroit, which by early afternoon they successfully boarded.

With subsequent flights to Costa Rica cancelled, Veronica said that theyd resolved to give up on the vacation and return home to Brandon.

Although it wasnt the vacation  their long overdue honeymoon  they had dreamed of, and certainly didnt lessen their stress levels as any good vacation should, Veronica said that it had certainly been memorable.

Set to begin work as vice-principal of Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School next week after serving several years with Ecole Secondaire Neelin High School, Veronica will have an inspirational message to share with students.

Although the natural disaster presented many challenges to those in Houston, countless numbers of people stepped up to help out wherever possible, including the two drivers who tried to help the Adams get to the airport and the various Good Samaritans they found floating about in inflatable rafts to visit people.

At one restaurant early on during their time in Houston, Veronica said one waitress was left all alone, running her feet off to be as helpful as possible to patrons.

The Adams also lent a hand during their time in Houston by sharing food with others, including a small dog they found struggling outside in the elements, offering their fuzzy friend a short reprise from the hurricane.

Submitted Veronica Adams is seen with a dog she and husband Bill helped out in Houston.

Through it all, Veronica said she recognizes that many others were much more severely impacted by the hurricane than they were over the weekend, adding, Weve been safe and warm.

The Canadian Red Cross is supporting the Hurricane Harvey Appeal being undertaken with its American sister organization, and is collecting funds online at redcross.ca to help people recover from the disaster.

 tclarke@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/08/2017 (1902 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man guilty of a vigilante killing on the Birdtail Sioux First Nation has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison.

Steven Lee Gregory, along with co-accused Lisa Phyllis Bunn, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in May for the death of Stanley Benn. They admitted killing the 59-year-old at his home on July 8, 2016.

The background to the incident that resulted in Mr. Benns death is sad and obviously tragic, Judge John Combs said in Brandon provincial court on Monday.

In this case, the accused determined that the deceased was guilty of the allegations made against him. He did not accept the perceived lack of action by the police and determined to take the law into his own hands  he became the judge, jury and ultimately the executioner.

Benn was under police investigation at the time of his death over allegations that hed sexually assaulted Bunns young daughters.

The day Benn was killed, the girls who were allegedly assaulted provided statements. A police investigation had begun, but no charges had been laid.

Gregory called 911 the same day, upset the Dakota Ojibway Police Service hadnt arrested Benn yet.

Gregory then went to Benns house, joining Bunn, who was already at the residence drinking beer.

Gregory attacked Benn, causing the fatal injuries  including eight cut or stab wounds and 31 blunt-force injuries.

Mr. Gregory did not intend to kill Mr. Benn, and when he left the residence Mr. Benn was still alive, Combs said.

(Benn had) a broken nose, jaw and cheekbone and was obviously subject to a vicious, sustained beating  The autopsy disclosed he basically slowly bled to death  the deceased was in very poor physical health and his body could not handle the strain of the beating that was inflicted on him.

A portion of the attack is also believed to have been witnessed by some of Bunns children, Combs noted.

Defence lawyer Barry Sinder previously argued Gregorys motivation for the attack was a mitigating factor rather than an aggravating one  explaining that Gregory grew up witnessing physical and sexual abuse. As a child, he could do nothing to prevent it, but as an adult he felt compelled to act.

Ultimately, Combs said he could not agree.

While physical and sexual abuse is far too prevalent in communities like Birdtail, so is vigilantism, Combs said. The message needs to be clear  taking the law into your own hands will not be tolerated.

After credit for time in custody, Gregory has 94 months  just less than eight years  left to serve.

Bunn is scheduled for sentencing at a later date.

 edebooy@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @erindebooy
Since its invention in the early 1900s by Ms Swinglehurst's great-great-grandfather, Lucas' Papaw has been used predominantly as a treatment for rashes, burns and other aches and pains. Never advertised much - when her grandmother May Talbot ran the business, Ms Swinglehurst said it was sold door-to-door - the product became hugely popular after another use for the ointment was found. About 15 years ago it was used - and I still remember the phone call - used by a make-up artist on McLeod's Daughters, she said. She rang me and said it was good for keeping eyebrows in place and gloss on lips. Ms Swinglehurst said she was blown away by the product's cosmetic use, and how it then took off.

Before we knew it, it just turned into this 'thing'. It got a cult following and just went crazy, she said. Half the people buying it probably dont realise it has this medicinal purpose as well. With requests to put Lucas' Papaw in a tube, the family started off with a second-hand tube-filling machine before realising, quite quickly, that was not going to keep up with the demand. At that stage, we only really had it in pharmacies, she said. The old shed Ms Swinglehurst's mother and grandmother used to work out of when making the ointment. The cream house was her grandmother's home, which was later knocked down to build a new TGA-approved factory.

And then it got into people wanting to sell it in Target, so we have wholesalers that supplied to Target and Woolies, and that's when they'd had to give us notice of how much they wanted so we could work really hard  It was a very small little business. The team that makes Lucas' Papaw is still relatively small, with just 30 people producing the product seemingly in every major pharmacy, supermarket and department store. We have about 30 working here now, three lines at a time, two tube-filling machines and one jar-filling machine, can make up to about 90,000 tubes a day if we wanted to. Its a far cry from the days of helping her grandmother make it in the small wooden shed next to her house in St Lucia. Back in the day in the first little shed, it was all relatives," she said.

"Now we have 17 people cutting papaws. Taking control of our own destiny John McLean describes himself as the muggle of his familys business, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks. Previously a teacher, Mr McLean said he had no desire to join his wifes family business but his persuasive father-in-law, Cliff Fleming, eventually talked him around and gave him an all-round experience in the business before making him chief executive 10 years ago. I guess by sheer determination he wasnt going to let me fail, Mr McLean said.

(But) the way that we run our business today to the way we ran our business way back then is vastly different. The company, originally Electra Breweries, was bought in the 1960s by Neville and Gladys Fleming, along with their son Cliff and daughter-in-law Lee Fleming. The Bundaberg Brewed Drinks family, left to right: Michael and Belinda Fleming, founders Cliff and Lee Fleming, and current chief executive John McLean and wife Rae-Lee Fleming. Initially making brewed and non-brewed soft drinks for Schweppes, Mr McLean said by the 1990s the family had decided to focus on the one thing they did really well - brewing ginger beer in that familiar stubby bottle. In '97 we decided to make a business decision to go out of all brands of soft drink and just focus on Bundaberg Brewed Drinks and market them exclusively - taking control of our own destiny, he said.

While that meant the companys revenue dropped from about $15 million to $12 million, Mr McLean said it built back up again quickly. Once we took the time and didnt have to talk about someone elses brand, and we were able to really focus and really deliver results, we were able to grow our brand and take our business further and further afield, he said. The change happened not long after Mr McLean joined the company, and he said it had grown from employing 43 people in Bundaberg to about 250 people in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Its a vastly different organisation, he said. From a management perspective, some things have changed - they no longer discuss business in detail at the familys Sunday lunch - but in other ways, Mr McLean said things are the same.

We work with 250 families, and thats what we consider a family business. He sacked me about three times Now an international health supplement company with more than 1000 employees, Blackmores was founded in Brisbane in 1938 by Maurice Blackmore with a naturopathic health food store and health clinic. My father was the consummate professional, and he believed that the profession was unprofessional and needed to be professional, so he had two nursing sisters, with white hats like the old days, they were the first contact for the patients, Marcus Blackmore said. Mr Blackmore took the reins of his fathers business in 1975, and said his father had fought hard to make naturopathy an accepted practice in Queensland.

He was called a quack, Mr Blackmore said, adding he had also spent his life defending natural medicine. A historic photograph of one of Maurice Blackmore's original shop fronts. As well as conflicts with state government - in 1955, Queensland tried to restrict the practice of naturopaths in the state with the Medical Amendments Act - Mr Blackmore said there was also plenty of internal conflict. After he started working for his father when he was about 18 years old, Mr Blackmore said he was sacked a number of times. He sacked me about three times, he said.

The first time he left he went to work in a boatyard, and the second time Mr Blackmore said he got a job working with Queensland Pastoral Supplies. Third time, I got conscripted not long after that, did a six-month tour of Vietnam, and went back to business after that, he said. I got the sack again, for an argument over the design of a toothpaste tube. Mr Blackmore said he remembered the fight: he was in his early 20s and still living at home, and he and his father argued in the tiny bathroom. I said, If youre not going to listen you might as well get rid of me'.

So his father did, over breakfast. I not only lost my job, I got thrown out of the house as well. Marcus Blackmore said a positive management style was key to a healthy business. Credit:Andrew Quilty Mr Blackmore said that experience - which left him unemployed for a while - made him a better manager in the long run. That time of unemployment had a fairly significant effect on my life, which is why Blackmores now has a reputation for looking after staff more than most companies, he said.

An international expansion Blackmores, an ASX listed company, reported sales for the 2016 financial year of $717.2 million; according to their last annual report, their 14th consecutive year of growth. The vast majority of Blackmores sales - 69 per cent - was from Australia and 18 per cent was sales in Asia. But thanks to Chinese buyers in Australia sending Blackmores products overseas, the report said 50 per cent of the company's sales came from the Asian market. The Asian market has also been interested in Lucas Papaw thanks to the revelation of online shopping, Ms Swinglehurst said.

"We've never gone berzerkand not been able to keep up, the only time we sort of realised what was going on here was about two years ago when e-commerce came and people could order for personal use from all over the world, and it was in demand for China," she said. "The Asian market's come into it since e-commerce has come on, and it's gone crazy." When all the Chinese started loving it, people were just trying to take it in we had to let all our wholesalers know you've got to find out where it's going. Mr McLean said Bundaberg Brewed Drinks had changed from the days when everyone lived within an hour's drive of the factory. "When I joined in 1995 it was 43 people. Today weve got about 250 people, and theyre employed in Australia, New Zealand and the US," he said.

"As weve developed an grown, our furthest employee is in New York state." While not listed, the company has annual sales of more than $100 million. Mr McLean said the future holds "more of the same" for the company, but they also have a great innovation department that will tweak things when needed. "We're constantly looking at how we can stay relevant to consumers, or changing recipes when required," he said. "We just released a tropical mango drink, and our feedback is wonderful."

Learning from family business Mr Blackmore said the companys success had a lot to do with its people management. My best tip for managers is to spend your time trying to find people doing something right, not people doing something wrong, he said. People think my job is to find people making mistakes, whereas if you find people doing things right, its about a pat on the back. Ms Swinglehurst said the most important tip she could give others in a family business was to not take on too much at once.

Thats how weve run the place; weve never looked too far ahead ... weve just never bitten off more than we can chew, she said. My dads motto ever since Ive worked with him has been slowly, slowly. Mr McLean said Bundaberg Brewed Drinks philosophy was to not continually redefine its business, but stay true to what it did best. "One of the things we want to make sure is we dont want to sit on a beach and smell roses, we want to stay true to our business," he said. We just do our one thing we can work really strongly at and thats helped us to be sustainable ...weve only done what we could.
US comedian Kathy Griffin has lashed out at Samantha Armytage, telling the Sunrise host she was "full of crap" for attempting to justify the backlash to Griffin's controversial Donald Trump beheading stunt.

The comedian, who announced an upcoming tour of Australia on Monday, was widely condemned in June after appearing in a video clutching a fake, bloodied, severed head of Trump.

The public fallout saw the comedian being fired from a regular gig on CNN, losing sponsorship deals, and even being personally called out by Trump, who said the stunt had traumatised his son Barron.

Armytage appeared to play devil's advocate during the interview on Sunrise on Tuesday morning, saying the fact that Griffin's liberal friends  including Chelsea Clinton and Will & Grace star Debra Messing  had slammed the stunt was proof she'd gone too far.
A Sydney family is lucky to have returned home from a weekend at Anna Bay in one piece after unknowingly playing a risky game of fetch with their dogs.

Dennis Spring and his daughters, Mischa, 17, and Shenandoah, 12, were exploring the Birubi sand dunes on Saturday afternoon when their dogs Peppah, a white female staffy, and Brixton, a brindle-coloured male staffy, began playing fetch with what looked like an old car part.

White staffy Peppah with the unexploded WWII ordinance she found in sand dunes at Anna Bay on Saturday. Credit:Dennis Spring

It turned out, however, to be an unexploded WWII mortar.

"Peppah is obsessed with playing fetch but we didn't take [anything] with us into the dunes," Mr Spring, from Castle Hill, said.
An off-duty police officer has been hailed as a hero after kicking down the door of a burning house in Sydney's inner west to rescue an elderly couple trapped inside.

Brenton Charlton, Chief Inspector of the NSW Police Rescue and Bomb Squad, was driving along Unwins Bridge Road in Sydenham at 5.45am on Wednesday when he saw flames and smoke coming from a house.

Wearing thongs, Penrith Panthers shorts and a top, the quick-thinking cop smashed his way into the home and rescued a man and a woman with the help of several passers-by.

The couple, believed to be in their late 70s or early 80s, were taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where they are being treated for smoke inhalation. They are both in a stable condition.
The United States Weather Service, normally not an agency prone to colourful language, issued an extraordinary statement on Sunday regarding hurricane Harvey, saying, "This event is unprecedented and all impacts are unknown beyond anything experienced". It is now predicted the storm could eventually drop over 150 centimetres of rain in some areas, more than any other in the region's history.

Far from over, it is already clear that Harvey's impact is catastrophic. Six people are confirmed dead and that number is expected to increase. Cost estimates range up to $US100 billion.

America's efforts to combat climate change have been battered by President Donald Trump. Credit:AP

Meanwhile flooding in Bangladesh, India and Nepal during the region's worst monsoon season in a decade has killed an estimated 1200 people.

Climate scientists are reluctant to attribute any particular weather event to global warming, though in this case the signs are that human behaviour contributed to the formation and severity of the storm and its impact.
Peter Dutton is right. Those immigration lawyers representing asylum seekers are unAustralian. They dont stand with us. They dont stand for us. They undermine the very idea of what it means to be Australian.

Unlike Governor Phillip, they did not dispatch marine corps patrols into the wilds of Botany Bay, there to kill as many of the local people as might suffice to "spread an exemplary terror among the natives".

Australians, all let us rejoice our Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Unlike John Macarthur, late of the $2 note and celebrated father of the Australian wool industry, they did not launch a military coup against the lawful government of the colony to protect their private commercial interests.

Unlike Lachlan Macquarie, sent from London to restore the authority of the Crown in the wake of that rebellion, they did not hang the bodies of the Aborigines from trees on the edge of the settled areas, as an example to their displaced kin that a new people have taken dominion here.
The Brisbane City Council has ruled that prayers within council chambers will stay despite almost 500 residents calling for them to be banned.

On Tuesday the council's Finance and Economic Committee discussed the 493-signature petition requesting the council remove religious prayers and references from all council business.

"The petitioners have particular concerns that a prayer is recited during meetings of council," the submission said.

"It is their view that prayers during council meetings impose the beliefs of one religion in an elected public forum, which compromises impartiality as Christian prayers may be inappropriate to people of other faiths or of no faith."
Residents dumping items such as couches and washing machines on the side of the road and in bushland is costing ratepayers about $800,000 every year.

In the 2016-17 financial year, Brisbane City Council received more than 970 reports of illegal dumping, a reduction from the 1450 reports in 2015-16.

Runcorn and Inala received the most complaints about illegal dumping in the past financial year, both with 27 reports, while Forest Lake had 22 reports.

Illegal rubbish dumping at Kuraby.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said there was no excuse for dumping in Brisbane streets and bushland and portable surveillance cameras had been introduced to catch dumpers in the act.
Investigations have been launched into possible contamination of groundwater at Swanbank, described as Australia's dumping ground in the wake of cross-border dumping revelations.

A spokesman for the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection said "the department was investigating concerns about groundwater contamination at Swanbank".

No further information was provided on Tuesday night, despite several requests.

One of three landfills operating in Ipswich, where odour complaints are becoming regular. Credit:Tony Moore

If contamination was confirmed, it would begin a major scientific and environmental investigation in south-east Queensland because the local waterway, Six Mile Creek, flowed into the Brisbane River.
A Somali refugee has been sentenced to 10 years behind bars for a "vicious and cowardly" machete attack in which he tried to kill his former partner.

Earlier this year, a Brisbane Supreme Court jury found Muhumed Samow Ali guilty of trying to kill the woman when he rammed her car, chased her down a suburban Brisbane street and struck her several times with the weapon in September 2015.

Justice Roslyn Atkinson on Tuesday sentenced the 53-year-old to a head term of 10 years imprisonment, describing the crime as a public attack on a defenceless woman who wanted to end their relationship.

A victim impact statement written by the woman and read aloud in court said she "went numb" when she saw Samow Ali behind the wheel of a car in her street in Wacol on the morning of September 10, 2015.

She said she cried out in fear and tried to run away but couldn't escape the repeated blows dealt by her attacker.
They said they would like to learn English and sewing and computer skills. Ms Williams said everything was being provided by volunteers; sewing machines, English classes, second-hand computers and community members as teachers. The idea is that after two years it will be a self-maintaining project and we (the Red Cross) will walk away from it. And it will be a selfmaintaining project, she said. The women will be leaders in the project, they will be able to reach out to other people in the community and encourage others to come along." About 30 of them meet every Tuesday in Gattons Seventh Day Adventist Church down the road from the old brick council chambers.

Awech Kiir From: Sudan

Lives: Gatton

Arrived: 2004 Awech Kiir from Sudan at Gatton's Tuesday Club Credit:Tony Moore Ms Kiir has five children and left Sudan as a 19-year-old, when she fled to Egypt with her husband and youngest child. She arrived in Australian in 2004 and her husband now works as a tomato farmer. Ms Kiir likes Gatton. It is quiet and peaceful.

I come to these classes to learn English, she said. She is embarrassed when I tell her she speaks well and says she is concentrating on sewing and learning English. Her youngest child, Mary, bounces through the church being cuddled by every woman who passes. Its very good this place. I like Australia. It is better. Virginia Haak From: The Philippines

Lives: Esk

Arrived: 2005

Virginia Haak, originally from The Phillipines, who migrated to Thargomindah, before shifting to Esk. Credit:Tony Moore Ms Haak married an Australian man and moved from Brisbane to Thargomindah. She became lonely, but pushed ahead to learn English and computer skills in Ipswich. Her husband is now retired, but worked on a local councils road gang team. She now helps train the other Tuesday Club women. When I came to Australian for the first time, we lived in the outback at Thargomindah and I lived by myself, she said. Her husband worked away from town on a council road gang, Monday to Friday.

It was very hard for me. Ms Haak lasted eight months at Thargomindah. When you come from the place where you live, you have lots of family around you. At Thargomindah, no-one knew me," she said. Ms Haak says the classes are a catalyst for change and the English and sewing classes are very basic, but absolutely essential. I would like to see it (the classes) government funded, so we can get the certification and we can get a job," she said.

That is why we are doing the extra sewing. We can sell it. The classes are right at the beginning. It is our beginning. Dianne Francis From: Papua New Guinea in 2013.

Lives: Gatton

Arrived: 2013 Dianne Francis, with daughter Ilma Rose Douba Credit:Tony Moore Ms Francis said she faced in uncertain future in Port Moresby after dropping out of school in Year 8. She came to visit her mother who had shifted to Gatton many years ago and decided to stay. She now has permanent resident status.

Im hoping to pick up computer skills, so I can go to school and maybe get some short-courses and get a good job, she said. I was living in Port Moresby. It was not really good. If I didnt finish my school I would end up with a married guy who has a lot of money. My life would be danger. Because of the married men, their wives. They can kill me, they can harm me. They can anything to me. So it is not safe to for the young girls. I think I will say here. I have a good church here, and I have good friends here.

Nahla Adam From: South Sudan.

Lives: Gatton (via Toowoomba)

Arrived: 2010 Nahla Adam, from Sudan, now lives in Gatton. Credit:Tony Moore Ms Adam was four years old when she left South Sudan and travelled to Egypt with her family. She spent several years in Cairo trying to get assisted passage to Australia. She first shifted to Toowoomba, which has a large Sudanese population. Her family arrived in Toowoomba in 2010. Nahla met her Sudanese husband in Toowoomba and they shifted to Gatton. He works on a farm. Ms Adam speaks very good English, courtesy of her time in Cairo and TAFE lessons in Toowoomba.

Australian is a multicultural country. There are so many Chinese, there are many PNG people, she said. But we are stuck within our communities. Our whole idea was to communicate with women from different countries. Ms Adam says the women have plenty to offer. If we get good with the sewing, I think maybe we can open a small shop and make clothes and sell them," she said.
When Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull scoffed at the suggestion that the same sex marriage campaign would engender homophobia I don't think anybody, least of all himself, swallowed his line that Australians "have demonstrated that they can have a respectful discussion."

The homophobic propaganda strung up in capital cities around the country in recent days is an indication of the sort of respectful discussion we can expect over the next two months, which is set to become ever more visceral as tensions mount.

Sophie Donaldson with her partner.

It makes me feel as though I am in a bad recurring dream, when in fact it's just a bad recurring reality. Having lived through the same-sex marriage campaign in Ireland just two years ago I can't quite believe our politicians are putting Australia's LGBT+ people and their families through that same experience. I can assure Malcolm Turnbull that while he may have "great confidence in the good sense" of Australians it is impossible to enter into respectful discussion when the outcome so adversely affects only one side. For a gay person, this is not a discussion. It is a plea.

The months leading up to the referendum revealed a very different Ireland to the one I had come to call home. Prejudices that had long been swept under the rug were aired in the name of fair debate. The societal fabric began to fray, then it unravelled at an unruly pace.
It's one of the most glaring gaps between theory and practice in our community, a huge disconnect between our democracy and our economy. A terrible injustice most of us could face. Everyone knows about it, but it's rarely discussed. What is it?

The prohibitively high cost of justice. We're all supposed to be equal before the law, but you ain't anything like equal if they can afford a lawyer and you can't.

The president of the Law Council of Australia, Fiona McLeod, is running a campaign to highlight the plight of people who, in theory, should be receiving aid to help them with their legal problems but, in practice, often aren't.

People who include Indigenous Australians, those with disabilities, older people, children, the homeless and those experiencing economic disadvantage, prisoners and detainees, asylum seekers and other recent arrivals to Australia, people who have been trafficked and exploited, LGBTI people, those experiencing family violence and those in regional and remote areas.
Malcolm Turnbull is being encouraged by senior ministers to run from behind, allowing him to use his underdog status to highlight the growing "danger" of Bill Shorten becoming the nation's 30th prime minister.

The shift is designed to free the Prime Minister from the ongoing indignity of insisting that "black is white" in the face of bad polls while also facilitating a more surgical attack on what the taxation polices of a Shorten Labor government would mean for business and jobs.

Facing searching questions over the 30 consecutive losing Newspoll benchmark he used to justify his challenge to Tony Abbott, Mr Turnbull's closest advisers in cabinet believe there is no longer any point in denying they are failing to connect with voters or that they would need to come from behind to win the next election.

A senior source revealed Mr Turnbull was being urged to concede the point and to hold off on going to the people until 2019, despite a widespread expectation within the government that the next election would be held in late 2018.
The controversial Cloud Arch has cleared its first hurdle, after a majority of councillors at the City of Sydney voted to approve the sculpture at a fiery council meeting on Tuesday night.

The $11.3 million sculpture was approved six votes to four following more than an hour of heated debate over the project's substantial cost blowout by $8 million.

A battle over the Cloud Arch had been brewing among the councillors since last week, when updated plans for the artwork were released, revealing the cost had increased from $3.5 million to $11.3 million.

Lord mayor Clover Moore attributed the cost increase to "serious and unforseen constraints" caused by the incompatibility of the initial Cloud Arch design with the light rail and transport infrastructure located beneath George Street.
Extra funding will be provided to Queensland groups to help them cope with extra demand for support during the marriage equality postal vote.

Queensland Health will give $338,000 to four non-government organisations to protect the mental health of LGBTIQ community members.

The one-off boost will go to Lifeline, Kids Helpline, Queensland AIDS Council and Open Doors Youth Services to help them deal with any unexpected increase in demand for services until the end of November, once the survey is completed.

There have been reports of homophobic posters surfacing in Brisbane recently claiming "A vote for gay marriage is a vote for child abuse".
Australian pirates have just been put on notice. The chairman for Creative Content Australia  a consortium of rights holders that counts Foxtel, Village Roadshow and the Australian Screen Association (ASA) among its members  has issued a stern warning to anyone who continues to access pirated content. In short, you can expect to be sued this year.

[Update: A previous version of this story mistakenly attributed Graham Burke's comments to Creative Content Australia. CCA is an industry initiative that seeks to raise awareness of the value of screen content and copyright, and the impact of content theft. It does not personally engage in legal action against pirates.]

Ben Pobjie finds it astounding that anyone could receive the blessings of Game of Thrones and do anything but rejoice. Credit:HBO via AP

The announcement follows the government-imposed blacklisting of more than 60 piracy sites in Australia. If you're one of the many Australians who has been circumventing the blocks, it's time to start worrying.

After successfully lobbying the government to force internet service providers (ISPs) to block so-called piracy websites and associated domain names, the rights holders are preparing to come after individual infringers. If you've been torrenting season 7 of Game Of Thrones instead of paying Foxtel, this means you.
Australia stands ready to support Japan "at any time", as leaders from across the political spectrum condemned the "illegal, provocative and threatening" behaviour of North Korea after it fired a missile over Japan.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia was focussed on de-escalating tensions, which had increased following the succession of Kim Jong-un to North Korea's leadership.

Ms Bishop said China was playing " a significant role" in persuading Pyongyang to halt its nuclear weapons program by participating in the toughest sanctions ever placed on the regime.

China has agreed with UN Security Council resolutions to ban the export of North Korean coal and seafood, as well as stop the issuing of work visas to the nation's residents, in moves that are expected to have a severe economic consequences.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga arrives at the prime minister's official residence following a report of North Korea's missile launch. Credit:AP

Still, this launch, coming after last month's launch of two intercontinental ballistic missiles theoretically capable of reaching the US mainland, underscores both Kim's defiance of the international community and his determination to press ahead with his missile program. Kim has now ordered the launch of 18 missiles this year alone, compared with the 16 missiles his father, Kim Jong-il, fired during 17 years in power.

The White House did not immediately respond to the latest provocation, but Abe's office said he and Trump talked by phone for 40 minutes after the launch, agreeing that the test was unprecedented and that they should further increase the pressure on North Korea.

North Korea's first launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, which took place in early July. Credit:Korean Central News Agency via AP

The UN Security Council confirmed it would hold an emergency meeting in New York on Tuesday to discuss the latest provocation. Missile launches and nuclear tests are banned by the UN Security Council, but North Korea has paid no attention to its resolutions.

In Seoul, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a liberal who has promoted engagement with Pyongyang, ordered an "overwhelming show of force" in response to the missile launch. South Korea's military aircraft dropped eight bombs on a shooting range on the southern side of the border with North Korea.

Analysts said the latest launch marked a worrying escalation from North Korea.

"This is a much more dangerous style of test," said Abraham Denmark, director of the Asia program at the Wilson Centre and a former top East Asia official at the Pentagon.

North Korea's recent missile tests had been carefully calibrated to go nearly straight up and land in the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, rather than overflying Japan.

Australian in Japan

Bruce Holcombe, a Tokyo-based interpreter, has told radio station 3AW he first knew of the threat when his wife turned on her mobile phone to find an alert from the government at precisely 6.06am.

"Japan has got a system called J-Alert, which sends out alerts for any emergency," Mr Holcombe said.

"When we switched on the TV  all stations were running the same message over and over again.

"It said don't approach anything that's on the ground, don't go outside, that sort of message.

Mr Holcombe conceded it was a concerning time to be living within range of North Korea, saying Tuesday's events "up the ante".

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"You feel uneasy. Everything else about Japan is great [but] that aspect about it is concerning, obviously," he said.

Washington Post, Reuters, Fairfax Media
London: Around 900 companies will be forced to publish the ratio between executive and worker pay in what Theresa May's government described as "world-leading" corporate pay reforms, but which fell short of the British prime minister's original pledge to also put workers on boards.

The British government said on Tuesday it would introduce new laws which would force listed companies to reveal the difference in pay between the salary of their average worker and that paid to their bosses, matching US law.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, centre, meets workers during a tour of the bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis in Guildford. Credit:AP

A name and shame register will also list the names of companies where a fifth of investors have objected to executive annual pay packages.

When Mrs May was campaigning for the Tory leadership she said: "If I'm prime minister ... we're going to have not just consumers represented on company boards, but workers as well."
Nairobi: Kenyans producing, selling or even using plastic bags will risk imprisonment of up to four years or fines of US$40,000 from Monday, as the world's toughest law aimed at reducing plastic pollution came into effect.

The East African nation joins more than 40 other countries that have banned, partly banned or taxed single use plastic bags, including China, France, Rwanda, and Italy.

Many bags drift into the ocean, strangling turtles, suffocating seabirds and filling the stomachs of dolphins and whales with waste until they die of starvation.

"If we continue like this, by 2050, we will have more plastic in the ocean than fish," said Habib El-Habr, an expert on marine litter working with the UN Environment Programme in Kenya.
Bamburi posts decline in half-year profit

29 August 2017

Bamburi Cement posted a 36 per cent decline in its half-year net profit to KES1.8bn (US$17.4m) compared to a KES2.8bn recorded in the first six months of 2016.



Turnover stood at KES17.5bn which is KES1.6bn behind prior year while operating profit reduced from KES4.1bn to KES2.7bn.



Management attributed the decline to a difficult business environment in Kenya characterised by a contracting market, low private sector investment resulting in a slump in construction activity, especially in the individual home builder segment, and drought conditions.



On the other hand, Uganda enjoyed better market conditions in both domestic and export markets with Hima recording a good performance.



The firm projects that the Kenyan market will rebound in the last quarter while the Ugandan market is expected to continue performing well in line with the forecast growth in both the domestic and regional markets.

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Australian Anglican church elects Kay Goldsworthy as first female archbishop

Australia's first female Anglican archbishop has been elected to head the church in Western Australia.

Kay Goldsworthy will replace Roger Herft, who stepped down a year ahead of schedule after admitting he had let down survivors at the royal commission into child sex abuse.

Bishop Goldsworthy stressed that the Perth diocese had put in place a raft of policies and legislation to ensure protection for its most vulnerable members.

She said she hoped to rebuild and regain the trust of the community but her first concern was for survivors of abuse.

'There are people who have been badly affected and hurt, survivors who are incredible in the way they approach life,' Goldsworthy told AAP.

'I think - how do we care for people, what do we do or say? Because we were caught up in something awful, how do we do what's best for our vulnerable?...The church I know is the one that heals.'

Born in Victoria in 1956, Goldsworthy spent 27 years in Perth, first as the chaplain of Perth College in 1988 before being consecrated as Australia's first female bishop in 2008.

She said rising to be archbishop has not always been easy: 'Over the years it's been a mixed bag, both difficult and demanding, rough at times, but also hugely supportive being in a company of people with the same ideas.'

Appointed to the Order of Australia this year, Goldsworthy was recognised for her distinguished service to religion and as a pioneering role model for women. 'What a surprise that was,' she said.

'I had no idea at all, I thought I was being asked to write a reference.'

On the question of the royal commission, Goldsworthy said that the Anglican Church and other denominations had lost the trust of the community at a national level.

'Our reputation is not great at this point in time, nor should it be,' said Goldsworthy, who is married with two adult twin sons.

'There are some awful stories that we've heard and that have shocked us all, and there are people who've been really, really hurt.

'Hopefully we'll come together and deal with some of the issues that have been painful.'

Goldsworthy plans to devote attention to reconciliation and family violence in her new position, according to ABC.

'I'm coming to Perth to be a Bishop to the people,' she said. 'I hope that I've got something to contribute more widely.'

Goldsworthy will not officially begin her new role until February 10, 2018, when she will be installed as the eighth Archbishop of Perth at St George's Cathedral.
Awaiting the footsteps of the Messiah: How Jews follow the 'twists and turns' of Jerusalem with love

The Isaiah passage we read last Shabbat are verses 51:12-52:12. To many people this passage is famous for the soprano aria from Handel's Messiah, 'How beautiful are the feet...'

But Jews tend to translate differently as the 'footsteps' of the herald coming nearer and nearer with the announcement that the Messiah, long-awaited by the Jews, is finally arriving.

For Jews the key lines are at the beginning. G-d addresses Jerusalem and promises her that she will overcome in the end. G-d and G-d alone is the comforter. Whatever the world throws at the Jewish people, she finally be vindicated:

It is I and I alone who comforts you. Who are you that you should fear mere mortals who will die or the son of man who will end up as grass...

Awaken, awaken, put on your strength, oh Zion. Put on the garment of your beauty, Jerusalem, the Holy City.

We have just marked the yahrzeit (anniversary of the death) of two great Israelis who also lived to see Jerusalem rebuilt in different stages and who themselves contributed towards this rebuilding.

The first was Rav Kook (1865-1935), mystic, seer, poet and visionary, who became the first Chief Rabbi of Israel under the British Mandate. While still a young man in Latvia during the pogrom period, he knew that the answer was Israel and that he would be part of the solution. So he arrived in Jaffa in 1904.

The second yahrzeit is that of Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen of Haifa (1927-2016), who died exactly one year ago, aged 88.

Shear Yashuv was Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem during the time of her reunification after the Six-Day War of 1967. This momentous event in the history of the Jewish people took place 50 years ago, during the life-time of many of us. As Deputy Mayor of reunified Jerusalem Shear Yashuv worked hard on educational projects and helped Jerusalemites adjust to the new reality which for many was a miracle that they had never expected to experience in their own lifetimes.

This is what is meant by the expression: 'In the footsteps of the Messiah.'

Let's end with some words written by Rabbi Shear Yashuv himself, shortly after the Six-Day War, about why he so rated Jerusalem (translated by myself in a recent biography):

Why do I love Jerusalem?

I love her because she is a city of contradictions and conflicts.

I love her for her twists and turns, her hopes and despairs

Her yearnings and agonies, her ups and downs.

I love her for her fallings-out and patchings-up.

I love her as do all her children and builders (banim and bonim)

Every single one of whom cleaves to her totally.

For in the midst of the squabbling, the in-fighting and the dissent,

One thing unites all Jerusalemites: their unique love of Jerusalem:

A love like no other.

'Seek the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper who love thee' (Psalm 122:6)

Dr Irene Lancaster is a Jewish academic, author and translator who has established university courses on Jewish history, Jewish studies and the Hebrew Bible.
Charity Commission finds public benefit in Plymouth Brethren Gospel Hall Trusts

The Charity Commission has today published findings from its review of Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC) Gospel Hall Trusts, concluding that there are 'no significant regulatory issues relating to the charities' compliance with their governing documents'.

The Commission also found that there is 'sufficient evidence of each charity's engagement with the wider community' to demonstrate public benefit.

However, the report does set out a number of areas in which the Commission provided regulatory advice to trustees of the Gospel Hall Trusts, including on the charities' control of charitable collections made at meetings of Gospel Hall congregations.

The findings come after the regulator committed to monitoring a sample of recently registered PBCC charities to ensure they were complying with their governing documents.

More than 100 Gospel Hall Trusts have been registered since 2013. Of that number, 24 were selected for monitoring, including those about which the regulator was contacted with individual concerns.

Some, including the Horsforth Gospel Hall Trust, had charity status before the Charities Act 2006, which removed the assumption of public benefit for religious organisations, making it more difficult for organisations such as PBCC Gospel Halls to become charities.

The Commission said that it had spoken to a number of individuals who were concerned about the treatment of former members at Gospel Hall Trusts.

It concluded that, on the evidence seen, the trustees of these particular charities have acted in accordance with the requirement for compassion.

Michelle Russell, director of investigations, monitoring and enforcement at the Charity Commission, said: 'This is an important example of our proactive case work focused on recently registered charities.

'Our aim in monitoring new charities is to ensure they are operating in line with their governing document, and are following any regulatory advice and guidance, to help ensure that the public can support charities with confidence.

'In this case, our review is able to provide public reassurance that the trustees of Gospel Hall Trusts are taking steps to embed the principles of the Deed of Variation in the running of their charities; we have provided regulatory guidance to some individual trusts and expect them to follow that advice consistently.'

This review follows a report into the first PBCC charity to register, the Preston Down Trust, and concludes the Commission's programme of post registration monitoring of PBCC charities. The regulator said that it will carefully assess any concerns that may be raised in future, as is the case with any charity.

The Plymouth Brethren are a conservative Protestant evangelical Christian movement originating in Dublin in the late 1820s, originating from Anglicanism.

The full Charity Commission report is available on gov.uk.
Council under fire after Christian girl placed under Muslim foster parents

A council that forced a Christian child to live with Muslim foster parents is facing fury and will be forced to explain its decision to the children's commissioner.

MPs have been urged to launch an inquiry into the incident after it was revealed the girl, aged five, was looked after by two different conservative Islamic households, forced to remove her crucifix necklace and told not to eat carbonara sauce on spaghetti because it contained bacon.

According to confidential council papers revealed by The Times, the girl was told 'Christmas is stupid' and begged not to be sent back because 'they don't speak English'.

Anne Longfield, the children's commissioner for England, said she would be in contact with the council to demand the facts.

'I am concerned at these reports,' she said told the newspaper. 'A child's religious, racial and cultural background should be taken into consideration when they are placed with foster carers.'

Robert Halfon, chair of the Commons education select committee, urged the council to investigate the 'concerning' incident, adding: 'I'd be equally concerned if a Muslim child who didn't speak English was placed with a Christian foster carer whose family didn't speak the child's language and, at times, appeared to show little respect for his cultural heritage.'

And Philip Hollobone, Tory MP for Kettering, told the Evening Standard: 'The original heritage of the child ought to be respected by the foster family, whatever their own faith happens to be. The council needs to review this case urgently.'

The girl's family repeatedly begged the east London council to place the girl under the care of family or close relatives instead of her foster family but Tower Hamlets refused.

British fostering guidelines say a child's cultural background must be taken into account when placing young people in care.

Tower Hamlets council said they could not say why the decision was made.

A spokesman for the council said: 'We are unable to comment on individual cases or those that are subject to court proceedings.

'Tower Hamlets Council's fostering service provides a loving and stable home for hundreds of children every year, and in every case, we give absolute consideration to our children's background and to their cultural identity.'
Diana TV drama explores stars' reaction to Princess' death

A new TV drama will explore why Princess Diana's death meant so much to ordinary people with stars revealing how the tragedy affected them.

Veteran broadcaster Martyn Lewis, who broke the news of the crash on August 31, 1997, spoke of how his daughter woke him at 1am who told him of the accident.

'I knew instantly what it had to be,' he told the Radio Times.

'There was a dark grey suit, white shirt and black tie kept in a wardrobe at the BBC for occasions like this and that's what I changed into to announce the news of her death.'

Ahead of the 20th anniversary this Thursday Sir Martyn said he couldn't help but be caught up in the emotion.

'Newscasters have to develop an emotional cocoon and I was used to not letting myself be affected by the enormity of stories I read.

'Yet I have to confess that there was a moment I lost it for a brief few seconds. I felt myself start to go when repeating the words Tony Blair spoke about her: "She was the people's princess and that's how she will stay, how she will remain in our hearts and in our memories forever."'

Actor Neil Morrissey describes the moment he remembers finding out about Diana's death.

'I wasn't particularly a royalist and while nobody likes to see someone's life taken in such a tragic way, I didn't quite get it at first why the nation was in such a furor,' he said.

'Then I couldn't help but be affected by the way everyone was affected. That's the way it caught me  I was carried along with it.'

It comes after a priest close to Princess Diana revealed she would have gone on to marry her Muslim boyfriend Dodi Fayed. Father Frank Gelli was an Anglican priest who was close to Princess Diana before the tragic Paris car crash that claimed her life on August 31, 1997. He told the Sunday Express: 'She wanted to know if it was possible for two people of different religions to marry. I told her it was.'

Gelli said: 'As we spoke her telephone rang. It was obviously Dodi. Her eyes lit up. As she was leaving she asked me if I would be able to perform the service when she got married. Her love was obvious.'

Gelli was the curate at St Mary Abbots church in Kensington, West London, near the Princess' former home at Kensington Palace. He said that Diana had sometimes visited his church and quietly prayed at the back to avoid attention.

Diana and I will be aired on BBC Two on Monday 4 September at 9pm.
Pope Francis in Myanmar: He can expect rape, war crimes and ethnic purging

When Pope Francis visits Myanmar in late November and early December he will be going into a maelstrom of racial conflict, war crimes, gang rape and ethnic purging bordering on genocide.

Despite a relatively small Catholic population, the Vatican confirmed reports the pontiff will visit Myanmar, sometimes referred by its old name Burma, from November 27 to 30, stopping in Yangon and in the capital, Naypyitaw and then going to the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, from November 30 to December 2.

The announcement on Monday came hours after Bangladeshi border guards pushed back thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing the worst violence in Myanmar in five years, with 104 people killed.

This incident typifies the struggle the Rohingya  one of the most persecuted people groups in the world.

Largely Muslim, 1.1 million live in Myanmar and claim their roots there go back centuries. But are not recognised by the largely Buddhist ruling government, are denied citizenship and systematically persecuted.

A series of coordinated attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security forces on Friday triggered fresh violence that led to thousands trying to flee into Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is already host to more than 400,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled Buddhist-majority Myanmar since the early 1990s and Dhaka has insisted it could not accept any more.

But the United Nations has urged Bangladesh's government to give Rohingya shelter as they face increasing persecution at home.

Reporters from Reuters saw women, some carrying children and the sick, fording the river, which at that location is less than 10 metres wide. Bangladeshi border guards permitted about half a dozen people at a time to cross to access a pile of donated medicines.

'We came here out of fear for our lives, but we can't cross. So we don't know what to do,' said Aung Myaing, from Taung Bro Let Way village, standing knee-deep in the river.

He said the military and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists were looting and setting fires to their villages, including by using grenade launchers.

When asked about insurgents he said: 'We didn't see them, we have no relation to them. But Myanmar doesn't distinguish between the terrorists and civilians. They are hunting all the Rohingya.'

For Myanmar's national leader Aung San Suu Kyo, hailed the country's saviour when elected in the credible poll for 25 years, the army's treatment of the Rohingya and her failure to stop it blights her records and international reputation.

Amnesty International have accused Myanmar's mainly Buddhist military of murder, rape, torture and looting in the Rohingya's northern state of Rakhine.

'Soldiers and police have randomly fired on and killed civilians, raped women and girls, torched whole villages and arbitrarily arrested Rohingya men without any information about their whereabouts or charges,' the report's summary read.

'These actions have been a form of collective punishment targeting Rohingya in northern Rakhine state, and may amount to crimes against humanity.'

The report comes after a separate UN official said Myanmar was conducting 'ethnic cleansing' against the Rohingya.

Pope Francis has met Aung San Suu Kyi twice, once in 2013 and a second time this May. His warm welcome to her may give him influence but their mutual respect may be strained when he undoubtedly speaks against her country's hidden horrors.

Additional reporting from Reuters.
'Racism is America's original sin': 3,000 pastors march in Washington to protest white supremacy

Thousands of pastors and religious leaders marched in Washington, DC yesterday in a politically charged protest against white supremacy.

As many as 3,000 religious leaders, spanning a range of traditions, gathered on Monday as part of a demonstration titled 'One Thousand Ministers March for Justice,' as RNS reported.

The march was intended as a faith-based protest against hate crimes and discrimination, held on the 54th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr's March on Washington, in which King made the infamous 'I have a dream speech'. However, the recent white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia  and its political fallout  escalated the import of and interest in the event.

'We wanted to say this nation is in moral trouble,' said the African-American Rev Al Sharpton, whose organization National Action Network organized the rally.

He added: 'You're going to see the victims of Nazism, the victims of white supremacy march today to the Justice Department. And say we don't care what party's in. We are not going to be out.'

The activist and pastor Rev Jim Wallis was amongst the assembled, and urged the need for clergy to speak out against white supremacy. 'We have to preach from every pulpit in America that racism is America's original sin,' he said.

Sikh leader Rajwant Singh spoke to the crowd: 'Let me tell all the white supremacists and KKK and everybody that America is a multifaith country  Do you all agree? America belongs to all of us.'

Baltimore Methodist Episcopal pastor Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant criticised the evangelical advisers surrounding Trump who support the 'lie' that 'Donald Trump is a man of God'.

'They do not reflect the body of Christ at large', Bryant said. 'He [Trump] is not God's man.'
Suicide bomber kills at least 5 in bank blast near US embassy in Kabul

A suicide bomber this morning blew himself up at a bank close to the heavily protected US embassy in the Afghan capital of Kabul, killing at least five people and wounding eight more, according to the country's interior ministry.

The bomber hit the entrance to a Kabul Bank branch in a relatively wealthy area close to the main diplomatic quarter, said a ministry spokesperson, Najib Danish.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which came as banks were busy with people taking out money ahead of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday at the end of the week, saying it had targeted soldiers and police withdrawing their salaries.

The latest in a long series of suicide attacks in Kabul highlight the danger in the city, where 209 civilians were killed and 777 injured in the first half of the year, according to UN figures.

Many of the attacks have been carried out by the Taliban, fighting to restore Islamic law and drive out international forces backing the government in Kabul.

Other militant groups, including the affiliated Haqqani network and the local branch of Islamic State, have carried out others.

Attacks on banks where soldiers and police withdraw their salaries have become a regular tactic of the Taliban and the movement's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said several members of the security forces had been killed. There was no confirmation of this from the government.

President Ashraf Ghani's government, which is facing growing public anger over insecurity in Kabul, has started tightening checks around the centre of the city, where many of the most deadly attacks have taken place.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
'The Strain' season 4 episode 8 release date, spoilers: Human rebels take over blood bank despite losing Manhattan bridges

In the next episode of "The Strain" season 4, the human rebels attack Sanjay Desai's (Cas Anvar) blood bank facility after suffering a significant setback.

The trailer for episode 8 of the action-horror show was just released and it shows Vasily Fet (Kevin Durand), Dutch Velders (Ruta Gedmintas), Mr. Quinlan (Rupert Penry-Jones) and Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) disguised in enemy uniforms and attacking Desai's blood bank facility.

Fet and Dutch sport handguns to take down the bodyguards in the hallway while Eph takes control of the operations center as he tells the guard on duty, "Please don't make me kill somebody today."

Desai realizes it's too late and says, "They're in the building."

In the last episode, the rebels suffered a loss when the Master (Jonathan Hyde), Thomas Eichorst (Richard Sammel) and Sanjay blew up all the bridges leading to Manhattan. This prevented them from transporting the nuclear bomb into the city where the Master and his strigoi minions are languishing.

The Master told Eichorst to use whatever means necessary to stop the human insurgents from bringing the warhead into the city and detonating it because his headquarters is centered there. Eichorst had failed earlier when Fet and Quinlan managed to escape his machine-gun fire at an airport runway.

In the new footage, the rebels seemingly have another plan up their sleeves which involves Sanjay's facility which drains the blood from humans for the strigoi masses.

It remains to be seen how taking control of the blood bank will give Eph, Fet and Quinlan the upper hand in their battle against the Master. Also, how will they bring the nuclear warhead to Manhattan now that there are no bridges and that the Master has guarded all entrances into the city with the vampiric monsters?

"The Strain" season 4 episode 8 will hit the airwaves on Sunday, Sept. 3 at 10 p.m. EDT on FX.
Authorities in California say they have found a smuggling tunnel that carried dozens of people across the border from Mexico into the United States. Agents detained 23 Chinese nationals and seven Mexican citizens they believe crossed into the U.S. illegally through the tunnel. Border Patrol agents discovered the crude tunnel described as a hole in the ground with a ladder inside it over the weekend near San Diegos Otay Mesa border crossing. The San Diego Union-Tribune says agents saw a group of men and women in the street who ran when the agents approached. Some people tried to get back into the tunnel. Authorities say the tunnel may be an extension of an incomplete tunnel previously discovered by Mexican authorities.

Family of abducted Chinese scholar speak of helplessness

The suspect in the abduction of a University of Illinois scholar from China is scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial status hearing. Lawyers for Brendt Christensen indicated before todays hearing that theyll ask the federal judge overseeing the case in Urbana to delay the trial date. Its currently scheduled to start Sept. 12. Requests by defense attorneys for more time to go through evidence are common.Yingying Zhang disappeared June 9, weeks after arriving at the central Illinois campus. The 26-year-old was doing research in agricultural sciences and expected to begin work on her doctorate in the fall. Investigators say they believe shes dead. Her bodys hasnt been found. Christensen is suspected of abducting her in Urbana while she was going to sign an apartment lease.

One dead, 37 missing in Guizhou landslide

A landslide buried dozens of homes in southern China, killing one person and leaving 37 missing, the local government said. The side of a mountain crashed down on the homes of 34 families on the outskirts of the city of Bijie around midday, the Guizhou provincial government said on its microblog. It said rescue teams had been dispatched along with tents, blankets and other emergency supplies. Mountainous Guizhou is one of Chinas poorest provinces and the provincial government estimated losses at more than 5.1 million yuan. There was no immediate word on the cause, although southern China has been battered in recent days by a pair of typhoons bringing heavy rain that can saturate soil and destabilize steep land.
Sam Sifton, food editor at The New York Times, published an email newsletter late last week featuring suggested weekend recipes including Thai-style spare ribs, and appended his summer reading list. Out of the nine books he read, only one was written by a woman.

At the end of his article, Sifton acknowledged the lack of female authors and asked readers to send him suggestions. The New York Times later tweeted out Siftons call from its main Twitter account.

Here's @SamSifton's summer reading list. He's looking for more books by women authors. Tell him your suggestions: https://t.co/QLQSDaIjNa pic.twitter.com/sOYd1Q3O6i  The New York Times (@nytimes) August 25, 2017

The message attracted a collective groan of disgust from Twitter: The idea of a New York Times editor having to crowdsource books by women struck many, me included, as absurd. Did he consult with his colleagues who write about books? (Apparently not, we found out later.) Did he miss the Times reviews of Hunger and The Leavers and Life in Code? Stop by a bookstore? Ask a friend? Conduct a quick Google search?

RELATED: NYTs botched boba story stereotyped Asian culture

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The tweet left the impression we were crowdsourcing women writers or novels from women, acknowledges Sifton in an interview with CJR. The problem, he says, is he writes his daily newsletters as a kind of intimate exchangeoffering cultural tidbits and discussion. The newsletter typically ends with a personal paragraph or list of recommendations (movies, novels, poems, etc.) to tie cooking and food into the cultural conversation, he says. In this instance he was aiming not for a prescriptive list but a documentary one of his own vacation reading.

The tweet lacked context, Sifton says, so it didnt play well. As I was reporting for this piece, the Times apologized and called it a bad tweet.

The internet can be an excellent resource for learning more about a topic, but the tweet showed surprising tone-deafness for an institution with as many resources as The New York Times. It also underscored one of the risks of repurposing content aimed at a narrow audience for a larger one, without thoughtful consideration of the clout that an institutional social media account carries.

My suggestion is that the Times hire more editors who read and value women's work. https://t.co/knr4zm98wt  Jennifer Weiner (@jenniferweiner) August 25, 2017

The idea that it requires LOOKING to find books by women authors is offensive. Reading widely is a personal and ethical duty. It is a gift. https://t.co/Ow0kuUKvJp  melanie conklin (@MLConklin) August 27, 2017

in a day of completely unfathomable news I am somehow still fixated on how very sad this tweet is https://t.co/c0OaFOMkcC  Doree Shafrir (@doree) August 26, 2017



maybe the public shouldn't be the ones to have to find women worth reading https://t.co/bz4STMoDqL  #rachelsyme (@rachsyme) August 25, 2017

The core complaint: Asking women to invest time, energy, and links is no substitute for doing your own work. It is not that people arent willing to help; its that journalists should demonstrate theyve done at least some work on their own before outsourcing to people whove been made weary by the same asks over and over again.

Good books by women are not in short supply. The online community Electric Literature compiled a list of 34 books by women of color to read in 2017, and the New York Public Library shared 365 books by women for International Womens Day. The @Read_Women Twitter account has more than 22,000 followers and retweets author recommendations and books by women daily. Publications including Cosmopolitan, Elle, BuzzFeed, PBS, Teen Vogue, and The Guardian have all compiled their own lists of female writers to read.

Defenders of the Times on social media often posed the same questions: Isnt it a good thing for someone to realize his own biases and then seek to correct them? Isnt the best way to just be honest and ask for help? Whats the harm in asking for some book recommendations if it encourages people to read more diversely?

ICYMI: Eight simple rules for doing accurate journalism

Asking for book recommendations may seem like a minor issue, but making the mistake that acknowledging ones biases is sufficient often extends to other discussions. Jamelle Bouie, Gene Demby, Aisha Harris, and Tressie McMillan Cottom have discussed at length the expectation to answer questions from random white people who havent bothered to do their homework first on race and politics. On Another Round, Roxane Gay has talked about the unpaid emotional labor of teaching people how to treat her and her body.

So the question posed by The New York Times should not have been What books by women should we be reading and promoting? The question shouldve been, Why are the only books we read or can think to add to reading lists written by (mostly white) men? The underlying examination should be focused on who and what influences the decisions we make to read certain books. Where do you get your news? Who do you talk to? What other types of media (podcasts, newsletters, television, film) do you consume? How much time do you put into diversifying those aspects of your life? This is the work.

The mishap has accomplished some good: Several people who work in publishing and authors (including Jen Agg, the only woman mentioned in Siftons book list) have shared my tweetstorm, encouraging people to #ReadWomen and to interrogate their own reading habits:

GREAT thread. I don't think he AT ALL gets why this was so offensive an ask AND IM ON THE "LIST"  Jen Agg (@TheBlackHoof) August 27, 2017

Yeah, if you work in publishing in 2017 & haven't yet figured interrogated your own reading habits, I'm looking at you like pic.twitter.com/Qs81pRaImM  Amy Jo Cousins (@_AJCousins) August 27, 2017

Sifton said The New York Timess original tweet makes conversations like the one were having right now possible, and thats probably good for the culture. I suggest publishing, hiring, promoting, following, listening to, and reading women and women of color. Ultimately, it is not just about investing time and money on books by women. Its about investing in women and their work.

RELATED: Nate Silver unloads on The New York Times

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Nicole Zhu is an engineer on the publishing team at Vox Media. She is also the co-host of Sweet and Sour, a podcast that explores the common threads and nuances of the Asian American experience. Follow her at @nicolelzhu.
Around the world, many media organizations are not truly independent. Think of Sheldon Adelson buying the Las Vegas Review-Journal, or accusations over the influence of Spanish telecom giant Telefonica over El Pais, or Thailand and Italy with their crony-owned media outlets, or the rise of media outlets in Turkey and Hungary that have the support of government and the recent, relentless persecution of journalists who dont. These are just a few examplesin a very long listof countries where political parties and corporations work in tandem to subtly or boldly pressure media to produce favorable coverage.

Theres a term for this: media capture. Capture is different from the old-school forms of control with censors marking up copy in red ink or government agencies issuing directives as to what should be covered. Its a form of soft pressure that is ubiquitous and increasing in many parts of the world. Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, professor of democracy studies at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, defines media capture as a situation in which the news media are controlled either directly by governments or by vested interests networked with politics. The definition provides a useful framework for understanding the continuing rise of right wing populism and how governments maintain their hold on the public. It also helps to explain the increasingly tangled relationships between repressive regimes and the news media they seek to dominate.

ICYMI: Facebook is eating the world

Government and corporate control of the press is certainly not new but has gone in a new direction, exacerbated not just by the rise of right wing populism but also by digital technology and the far reach of the internet.

Its hard to remember now how many people thought the internet would secure the reign of independent journalism by boosting the flow of information. Instead, the loss of advertising revenues for traditional media has created a cascading effect that in some countries has left the press fighting for its life. This collapse of the old business model paved the way for media capture to take hold. Finding solutions to the problems of capture, or at least ways to limit its effects, is one of the crucial challenges of our time. Government regulation of cross-ownership, digital taxation, and financial support for quality media are just a few much-needed solutions.

Its hard to remember now how many people thought the internet would secure the reign of independent journalism by boosting the flow of information.

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The theory of media capture comes from economics, and indeed, economists were the first to use the term about 15 years ago when they expanded on the idea of regulatory capture. The concept was the work of Nobel Laureate George Stigler, and explains how, for example, financial regulators fail to properly regulate the banks and financial institutions they are supposed to be supervising. Economists understood the economic incentivesthe revolving door to jobs in finance means that regulators do not properly supervise banks and financial institutions because the regulators may end up working for the organizations they regulate. Poacher turned gamekeeper is one of way of understanding the concept of capture.

The handful of economists who began to use the concept of capture to discuss the media explored both the occurrence of media capture and its consequences. In 2006, Timothy Besley of the London School of Economics and Andrea Prat of Columbia Business School looked at Mexico, Russia, Thailand, Italy, and India and concluded that even in countries that have a free pressat least theoreticallythere can still be a substantial chilling political influence on the media. That same year, Giacomo Corneo of the Free University of Berlin looked at the political outcomes of this kind of influence, and argued that increased economic concentration in societies makes the occurrence of media bias more likely. Maria Petrova of the Institute for Political Economy and Governance in Barcelona wrote in 2007 that voters may not know their true interests, and that inequality may be worsened as a result of media capture, particularly in a situation in which the media is captured by the rich. Politicians will likely be voted out of office at some point. The wealthy, on the other hand, could retain control for far longer, and cause more damage. The rich therefore have more incentive to take control and keep control of the media.

New forms of capture: the effect of digital technology and the decline of advertising revenues

Digital technology has proven to be a game changer for theories of media capture, both in terms of the prevalence of capture and the quality of the media.

Ten years ago, many scholars, though not all, assumed that since it was now so easy for a news organization, big or small, to publish online, governments and advertisers would have a much harder time co-opting media. Because even if parts of the media were captured, the outlets that still retained their editorial independence would provide the necessary checks on corporate and political interestsexcept in those cases where the government suppressed access to the internet. Basically, the theory went, since the internet allowed for the existence of so many outlets, it would be impossible to capture them all. And, scholars surmised, the increased competition might even lead to higher-quality news.

In fact, the opposite may have happened. The rise of digital media paved the way for the decline of traditional business models. The dramatic fall in revenues caused by the migration of advertising to the internet, the massive job losses in the print industry, and the ease of free distribution hurt news quality and introduced new forms of capture.

As media outlets became desperate for revenue, economist Julia Cage has argued in Saving the Media (Harvard University Press, 2016), they rushed to compete for mass audiences and quality fell. At the same time, many digital-first news outlets emerged and gained high readership rates despite sometimes lower standards of reporting. And many of the legacy outlets known for their rigorous editorial standards have welcomed financial arrangements, such as native advertising, that they might have rejected 20 years ago. The growth of native advertising, along with an erosion of the wall between the editorial and advertising sides of many publications, have made it harder for the media to act as a watchdog and cover big business critically.

ICYMI: Writers dish on scoops that slipped away

Then came Facebook and Google. As their news-delivering power increased, so did the possibilities for new forms of media capture. Not only have these digital intermediaries scooped up most of the advertising revenue from traditional news outlets, but their algorithms make decisions as to what news and information reaches the public. In a paper, Efrat Nechushtai raises the idea of what she calls infrastructural capture. Google and Facebook own the platforms used by publishers, which poses a problem for news organizations as users and watchdogs of those platforms. While news organizations are expected to cover Google and Facebook critically, they rely on them for news distribution, data, and revenue.

Traditionally, media owners were attracted by power, public service, profit, argues Rasmus Kleis Nielsen. Others would add status. But owning a media company is no longer the profitable investment it once was, which makes it more likely that wealthy business people would want to own media outlets to advance their political agendas rather than their bottom lines. Digital media, then, for all its accessibility and reach, may be doing exactly the opposite of what people had hopedinstead of creating a new landscape in which it is much more difficult for governments and businesses to influence content, it may be making it much easier. Indeed, according to Columbia Business School Professor Eli Noam, who has recently mapped media ownership globally, when non media companies move into media its usually because they view media properties as the mouthpiece for personal and business interests. William Randolph Hearst moving from silver mines to newspapers is one example. Ronald Lauder (cosmetics) owning media properties today in Israel largely to promote his perspectives on Mideast politics is another, Noam notes in a forthcoming paper for Journalism.

While news organizations are expected to cover Google and Facebook critically, they rely on them for news distribution, data, and revenue.

New forms of capture: the role of philanthropy

When advertising revenues collapsed and news outlets were unable to persuade readers to pay for high-quality news, foundations and philanthropists including George Soros, the Ford Foundation, the Knight Foundation, Australian entrepreneur and philanthropist Graeme Wood, and the Sadler Foundation, stepped into the breach, intending to bolster floundering news organizations across the globe by giving them money. They have been hailed in many corners for doing so.

But even as they introduced a new source of funding and a possible lifeline, they also opened the door to a new form of media capture. Some journalists worry that this kind of funding carries with it potential threats to newsroom independence, because while some donors provide general support for reporting (such as a grant for investigative reporting), many of the new donors, including the Omidyar Network, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, underwrite reporting on topics they believe are important, such as the environment or governance. The most commonly cited example is that of the Gates Foundation, which funds reporting on health and education and has strong views about the kinds of stories and solutions that should be covered. Many media outlets need funds, and are willing to accept money from foundations. The result? Coverage to meet donors demands. In a forthcoming paper in Journalism, Rodney Benson argues for policies that can protect the independence of media outlets. Reforms encouraging more long-term, no-strings attached funding by foundations, along with development of small donor and public funding, could help nonprofits overcome their current limitations, he writes.

New Forms of Capture: Political transition in the 21st century

In many cases, political transition has freed the media, but in others, these transitions have led to new forms of capture. Typically, political transition, such as the end of a war or toppling of a dictator leading to democracy, creates a flowering of media outlets that are unable to support themselves financially and then close. As transitions take place, new alliances emerge that can pave the way for capture in place of pure government control. In an essay on Tunisia, Kamel Labidi explains that after the death of Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, the family and friends who had been given radio licenses during his regime joined forces with newly emergent Islamists parties to block attempts to open up the media sector. Other papers look at how political transition has affected press freedom in Burma, Czech Republic, the Balkans, and Hong Kong.

During times of political transition, many scholars look wistfully at the British Broadcasting Corporation and wonder whether its possible to turn their local state-owned television station into an impartial, high quality public broadcaster. Yet Marius Dragomir says that public funding can become a tool for capture when its selectively given to media that doesnt threaten the government while being withheld from independent, critical media. By financing media and journalists willing to toe the government line and by not funding independent, critical media, authorities manage to suppress large parts of the media sector, he writes. In some countries, the entire media industry is controlled by governments, directly or indirectly.

When non media companies move into media its usually because they view media properties as the mouthpiece for personal and business interests

Despite Dragomirs gloomy assessment, public broadcasting is, in many countries, still one of the best ways to ensure at least one major media outlet is not captured and can serve as a standard-setter that might encourage others to start media organizations focused on editorial independence and quality. In Scandinavia, for example, public broadcasters are highly trusted and government subsidizes media to ensure diversity of opinion and high quality information.

Finding a solution to the problem of media capture means devising and implementing policies that will be effective as the media landscape evolves. The threats from social media and digital technology will only grow, and they must be dealt with. If media capture is impossible to eradicate, and it most likely is, then we will need to look to governments (including those in Scandinavia) that have policies that encourage true media diversity and create opportunities for equal time for outlets and candidates of differing political persuasions. This is particularly true for coverage of politics and economics. Regulations governing cross-ownership, government advertising, and transparency of ownership will be needed if we want to protect quality media from the worlds leaders and their friends.

Additional research by Susanna de Martino and editing by Andrea Gurwitt. This piece was adapted from the introduction to the forthcoming special issue of Journalism on media capture.

ICYMI: Journalistic carelessness caused the project to backfire, and thus miss its target

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Dr. Anya Schiffrin is the director of the Technology Media and Communications specialization at Columbia Universitys School of International and Public Affairs.
The 29th Macao International Fireworks Display Contest, which was slated to begin on September 2, has been cancelled, following an official announcement. The government has announced that a number of its organized cultural, recreational and exchange-related activities will be cancelled so that more resources can be allocated to the restoration work after the natural disaster. Meanwhile, the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) said that it has requested local travel agencies suspend their arranged tour groups in Macau until August 30. Since Typhoon Hato washed through the peninsula, MGTO has received 22 enquiries, complaints and suggestions regarding visitor itineraries, taxi and travel agency services, and hotel room rates.

Seniors Day set for Chung Yeung

September 9 in the Chinese calendar (October 28 this year) has been set as Seniors Day, according to a notice published in the Official Gazette. The announcement was published yesterday, and according to the notice signed by the Chief Executive, took effect on August 18. Seniors Day will be held at the same time as Chung Yeung Festival, which falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, and has always been a mandatory public holiday in Macau. The festival is traditionally used in Chinese culture to pay respect to the elderly.
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Six Flags CEO Talks Value

James Reid-Anderson, chief executive officer of Six Flags Entertainment Corp. Scott Eells | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Six Flags' stock may have gotten hit after a weaker-than-expected earnings report in July, but CEO Jim Reid-Anderson told CNBC that he has since only reaffirmed his faith in the company. "Last Friday, I spent $3 million buying the company's shares because I believe that the stock price, where it is today, doesn't reflect the true value of this company," Reid-Anderson told Cramer on Monday. "A 5.1 percent yield, Jim. That's the highest yield in the industry. And so right now, it's an opportunity." While the CEO acknowledged that management was disappointed with the earnings miss, he maintained that revenue and profitability reached record highs in the second quarter. He also said that in six of the last seven years, Six Flags shares declined during the third-quarter period, making this quarter the prime time to buy the stock.

How Harvey Hit Stocks

A resident floats his pets and belongings on an air mattress along Mercury Drive as he flees flood water at his home in Houston, TX on Sunday, Aug 27, 2017. Jabin Botsford | The Washington Post | Getty Images

Veeva Systems CEO: Quality Product

Then, Cramer spoke with Veeva Systems founder and CEO Peter Gassner, who spoke to the cloud company's new QualityOne product. The cloud-based quality management program applies to new fields for Veeva that include cosmetics, chemicals, food and industrial manufacturing, Gassner said. "We have an offering for them now, and we're just starting to get traction out there," the CEO told Cramer on Monday. "We're talking about health and human safety, absolutely, but we're also talking about quality as it refers to the brand reputation." Gassner said the biggest draw for new QualityOne customers was their need to coordinate quality management with suppliers. The best way to reach suppliers is through a cloud-based system, and no programs exist currently that serve that kind of correspondence, Gassner said. "We're going to serve this under-served market," Gassner said. "It reminds me of what ServiceNow did when they really started focusing on IT operations, really bringing a cloud solution ... and all of a sudden you've got a big market. That's what we're trying to do with QualityOne. There's a big, pent-up demand there, and I think we're uncovering it."

Esperion: Secondary Offering, First Warning?

Finally, Cramer looked into Esperion Therapeutics , a small-capitalization, development-stage biotechnology company that just issued a large secondary offering. "When a little company with a red-hot stock does a big equity offering, that tends to be a pretty strong signal that you need to get more cautious," Cramer warned. Amid years of wild trading, Esperion, which focuses on treatments for high cholesterol, has issued several stock offerings, usually following promising news about its drugs. "First, you have to remember, as an early-stage biotech with no drugs on the market, no earnings, and no sales, this stock trades purely on how people feel about its longer-term prospects," Cramer explained. "The bottom line is that early-stage biotech stories are inherently risky. The last time Esperion did a secondary offering after announcing strong data, its stock ended up losing 90 percent of its value before it bottomed. I'm not saying that'll happen again. I just think you need to be careful, and while the company has definitely improved and it's farther along and we love stage 3, stocks like Esperion? Well, I've learned my lesson. I think they're too risky for me to recommend on Mad Money." In response to CNBC's request for comment, an Esperion spokesperson emphasized the company's announcement of positive top-line results in its Phase 2 study of a treatment for inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease. "Based on the positive reaction to this news, the company made the decision to opportunistically conduct a financing, helping to further strengthen their financial position as they progress further in to Phase 3 development and approval. As importantly, the financing provided large, long-term, institutional investors the opportunity to build substantial ownership positions in Esperion," the spokesperson wrote. "It's also important to highlight that the management team of Esperion continues to be "fully-invested" in the current and future success of the bempedoic acid franchise. We are large and long-term holders of Esperion stock and options."

Lightning Round: Caution is Prudent
As federal and local authorities rush to mitigate the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey, CNBC's Jim Cramer took to tracking the storm's impact on industries in its path.

"No two horrendous storms are alike. They're all terrible, and while it continues, the only thing that matters is that people are dying. Anything else is just much, much less important," the "Mad Money" host said. "But I know that many of you want to know if Harvey has any impact on investing, specifically on your portfolios, so I've got some ideas based on history."

So Cramer put together a worst-case scenario for those invested in the storm based on the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Katrina, a massive 2005 storm that killed 2,000 and caused $100 billion in damage, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The "Mad Money" host began with the losses incurred by the oil and gas industry. The United States exports roughly 5 million barrels of oil a day, including 3 million barrels of refined crude.

Considering the major refinery shutdowns that have occurred in Houston, Galveston and Corpus Christi, Cramer assumed that some 30 percent of the product will be taken out of the equation.

"That should jack up the price of refined product considerably around the country, even more than what's occurred. Now, Valero is the single most dominant refiner in the country, and on the company's website it says that it's not experiencing any material shutdowns in its operations. There should be an immediate spike to Valero's earnings," Cramer said.

While Cramer added that the impact on other oil refiners would be too difficult to gauge, he said the stock of Valero, a San Antonio, Texas-based oil producer, should see more gains thanks to the jump in gasoline prices.

But the drop in crude oil prices, paired with the refinery closures, has hit oil producers hard, particularly those in Texas' oil-rich Permian Basin.

"So much of their capacity is exported, particularly refined product, which makes it even worse for them," Cramer said.

Cramer also examined Harvey's impact on insurers. After Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, large insurance companies like Allstate , Progressive and Chubb rallied for the following three months.

Allstate shares gained 10 percent in the three months after Katrina, Progressive's stock jumped 20 percent, and Chubb shares vaulted 27 percent.

"I think these insurers are all buys after another day or two of selling," Cramer said, including Hartford as another option. "In fact, it might not be an apples-to-apples comparison, as I expect the federal flood program will bear the brunt of the losses here. But it's safe to expect that insurers will be able to raise rates after a storm of this magnitude."

The National Flood Insurance Program is part of FEMA, which announced Monday that over 450,000 people are expected to seek some form of flood-related disaster assistance.

Re-insurers like AIG and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway , which help smaller insurance companies manage risk, will likely see a more complex outcome, Cramer said.

After Katrina, most re-insurers' stocks took an initial hit, but recovered over the medium term because they were able to raise insurance rates.

"I like this choice most of all given that Becky Quick from CNBC interviews Warren Buffett Wednesday and he will, no doubt, be extremely bullish about his company's prospects," Cramer said.

Insurance brokers' stocks like Marsh & McLennan rose alongside the insurers. As for the outliers, real estate giant CBRE gained 35 percent after the 2005 disaster due to mass re-locations.

While home improvement stocks like Lowe's and Home Depot ticked up on Monday, Cramer said not to expect substantial gains for do-it-yourself names.

"Look, I feel miserable telling you how to profit from this very sad event. But history tells us what can happen in the worst-case scenario, and that case would end up applying here, which is why it's something we need to consider, and perhaps even act on," Cramer concluded.
Two local siblings, a 73-year-old man and his 68-year-old sister, have been presented to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) for spreading rumors related to the typhoon, the Judiciary Police (PJ) revealed yesterday at a police press conference.

According to a PJ spokesperson, while conducting inspections on online platforms, the PJ found the two siblings spreading rumors.

The brother was initially taken to the police station for interrogation.

During the investigation, the police found a message on the mans Wechat account saying that the Macau government had completely blocked information regarding five dead people who had been found in a parking lot located in Fai Chi Kei.

According to this rumor, four of the dead people were from one family.

The rumor alleged that the government did not allow people to know nor allow journalists to report what had happened. The rumor also urged whoever read it to spread the message.

During the investigation, the man admitted to the police that it had been his sister who sent him the message.

The sister was then taken to the police in an continuation of the investigation. The woman said that a third party had forwarded the message to her.

The two siblings sent the message to at least six Wechat group chats, and to 30 private conversations.

Having already been forwarded to the MP, the sentence will depend on offices decision. If the MP decides to punish the duo, they will face a maximum of six months in prison or a maximum penalty of 240 days of fines.

According to the PJ, this is the first case in which people have been arrested for spreading rumors related to the typhoons aftermath.

The PJ is currently investigating the case, and it has not excluded the possibility of more people being involved.

The police authority also calls the public not to resend information relating to Typhoon Hato without first confirming the authenticity of the facts in order to avoid unnecessary panic and chaos, as well as false assumptions.

The authority also noted that spreading fake information might violate the law.

VIETNAMESE ARRESTED FOR FRAUD

A 49-year-old Vietnamese woman has been arrested for keeping money given to her by a victim who wanted the money to be sent to her daughter. The arrested woman, referred to by the police as Mguyem, is a domestic helper in Macau.

The victim, named Phan, is a 43-year-old Vietnamese woman who, back in July, gave MOP40,000 to the suspect for her to send to Phans daughter, who is in Vietnam.

Later on, Phans daughter reported to her mother that she had not received the money. Phan then reported the situation to the police.

On August 21, the suspect was arrested, but denied having kept the money. However, the police had already collected sufficient evidence to charge the suspect, and forwarded her to the prosecution authority.

USURY VICTIM IS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT

Four mainland residents were arrested for illegally imprisoning a mainland woman in Macau, who was later discovered to be an illegal immigrant. The four arrested consisted of one woman and three men, all between 20 and 30 years old.

The victim, a 48-year-old mainland woman, borrowed HKD200,000 from the four for gambling purposes. Later on, she lost all the money she had borrowed.

Her travel documents were kept by the four, who made HKD35,000 in interest while the woman was gambling. The woman was then imprisoned in a hotel located in Cotai. The case was reported to the police by a hotel employee.
More than 60 military aircraft are involved in the Harvey disaster response effort, and the Navy is making preparations to send ships.

At the same time, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated all of the state's National Guard, resulting in about 12,000 troops available in the state. There also are troop units from other states, including Arizona, California, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Kentucky and Oklahoma, among others.

The U.S. Air National Guard also has aircraft and troops assisting in urban search and rescue efforts in Houston, the nation's fourth largest city. The National Weather Service is forecasting more rain and river flooding for the next few days from what is now a mega tropical storm.

"Continuing rainfall from the hurricane is expected to cause devastating and life-threatening flooding throughout this week," Army Col. Robert Manning told the media in a briefing Monday.

The state and federal response to the disaster also includes emergency supplies, including food, water, medical and other supplies. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Texas on Tuesday to see some of the damage firsthand.

The U.S. Coast Guard, which operates under Department of Homeland Security, had at least 20 helicopters operating earlier in the day in the greater Houston area and reported that air and ground teams had rescued more than 1,450 people by 2 p.m. ET.
studioEAST | Getty Images

Asia Pacific has no dearth of digital-payment options as smartphone ownership picks up, but cash is still king in most of the region's major markets, according to a new study from PayPal . The report, titled "Digital Payments: Thinking beyond Transactions," found 57 percent of the respondents said they preferred cash for their day-to-day transactions. related investing news Solana is facing its 'crucible moment' after the FTX blowup sent it down 50% last week Another about 24 percent of the participants said they preferred using other traditional payment methods, such as bank transfer, internet banking and credit or debit cards. Only 12 percent said they frequently used digital wallets to make payments and a very small number of respondents said they preferred contactless methods using their smartphones. Geographically, more than 70 percent of the respondents in India, Philippines and Indonesia said they used cash most often. In Hong Kong and Singapore, the financial hubs of the region, about 44 percent and 43 percent preferred cash respectively. Finally, in China, where the likes of Alipay and WeChat Pay have seen massive uptake in recent years, only 25 percent indicated they still preferred using cash for transactions.

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The report, which surveyed about 4,000 people across China, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia, also found that despite the preference for cash, awareness of newer methods of payments was high. Nearly half said they were familiar with digital wallets and 23 percent said they knew what contactless payments using credit or debit cards was, with another 23 percent saying they understood what making contactless payment via mobile phones meant. "There's a lot of awareness of digital wallets, but engagement is much, much lower and there's a big gap," Rohan Mahadevan, senior vice president for Asia Pacific at PayPal, told CNBC. That was despite some of the common problems people said they had with cash or credit and debit card transactions, including not having enough cash on hand, lack of easy access to ATMs, long queues in banks or even fees for late payments. Mahadevan pointed to several reasons why many people still preferred using cash. First, there wasn't enough information about each digital payment method, he said. For example, there are various e-wallets, such as PayPal, and also in-app payment systems, such as GrabPay or Uber pay, or digital currencies, including bitcoin. Yet, many people don't have a clear understanding of what each payment option does and what kind of value it can provide, Mahadevan said. Conversely, cash is a straight-forward option in use for centuries. The complexity of setting up a digital wallet or any other online-payment method, such as additional security measures, could also turn people away from using them, according to Mahadevan. On top of that, concerns over privacy were always a priority, with users wondering if their financial records will be kept safe, he said.

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According to the letter the executives sent to Trump on Tuesday, "Time is running out for the industry and its workers and we urge you take immediate action under the provisions of U.S. law that allow you to intervene to ensure that domestic producers can meet the national security needs of our great country by imposing a combination of quotas and tariffs."

The Department of Commerce has undertaken an investigation into whether foreign-made steel imports threaten U.S. security . Trump signed a memorandum in late April asking Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to prioritize the probe, which could result in higher tariffs for Chinese and other foreign steel firms, to the benefit of the U.S. steel industry.

The chief executives of 23 pipe and tube manufacturers are urging President Donald Trump to move forward quickly on steel import restrictions, according to a letter obtained exclusively by CNBC.

The executives are members of the Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports (CPTI), a trade association.

The CEOs of ArcelorMittal , Bristol Metals and Boomerang Tube, who signed the letter, said the situation is not sustainable and warned it would only deteriorate further.

"Because the U.S. pipe and tube industry is the third-largest purchaser of flat-rolled steel ... reduced pipe and tube production will also greatly harm the U.S. flat-rolled industry," they said.

"Based on the amount of imports flooded into America now we will not be able to help rebuild Houston," Robert Griggs, president and CEO of Trinity Products, told CNBC.

"Not one U.S. pipe company will get a lick of work in rebuilding Houston. It will all go to China. The president needs to level the playing field and make it fair. The way it is now, American steel pipe companies will lose the opportunity to rebuild Houston," said Griggs, who also signed the letter.

During the rebuilding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Trinity produced 10,000-15,000 tons of steel for infrastructure projects. Trinity Products makes the second-largest large diameter structural pipe, which is used in bridges, tunnels and other heavy construction projects



Executives enclosed a chart of carbon and alloy steel pipe and tube from July 2016 to 2017 showing a steady increase in foreign steel imports since the president announced the investigation.

The CEOs specifically cited China, Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and Vietnam as the major sources of foreign imports into the United States.

"The staggering levels of pipe and tube imports clearly indicates foreign competitors refuse to do so and that is why we support the remedial action," said Lee Searing, CEO of Searing Industries.

Barry Zekelman, executive chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries, the largest independent steel tube manufacturer in North America, told CNBC: "The pipe and tube industry has been used as a conduit for foreign steel producers, primarily China, to circumvent duties and decimate our industry for many years. We are tired of playing 'whack-a-mole.' The future of our industry is at stake, we don't want handouts, just fair trade!"

The trade association represents companies that purchase steel from integrated manufacturers to make tubular products. It has 40 members that operate 123 facilities in 32 states and employ more than 40,000 workers.
Evacuees arrive to seek shelter with Red Cross volunteers at the George Brown convention center after flood waters of Hurricane Harvey forced them to leave their homes in Houston, Texas, August 27, 2017.

Hurricane Harvey has ravaged southeastern Texas. Rain has flooded Houston. People are waiting in hours-long lines to buy groceries. The storm is not yet over, but companies are already starting to donate money to relief efforts.

Wal-Mart  Wal-Mart and the company's foundation will provide cash and product donations of at least $1 million to organizations helping with relief, such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Convoy of Hope.

PepsiCo  PepsiCo and its foundation are providing more than $1,000,000 in cash and products to the Red Cross.

Starbucks  The Starbucks Foundation will donate $250,000 to Hurricane Harvey relief. The coffee chain will also allow customers to make a donation to the American Red Cross in its stores. Employees who donate money can request a matching donation.

Microsoft  Microsoft has donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross "as an initial step" to help those affected, the company said in a blog post. "More help is needed, and the company and its employees pledged to do more," the company wrote. A link to donate was also included in the post.

Aetna  The Aetna Foundation will give $100,000 to the American Red Cross, $100,000 to the Community Foundation of Greater Houston and $50,000 to Team Rubicon.

Allergan  The Allergan Foundation will donate $100,000 to the American Red Cross.

Amazon and Whole Foods Market  Amazon and Whole Foods Market will match up to $1 million in donations made to the American Red Cross via Amazon. The website includes a link to make a donation as well as one to send essential items from the Red Cross' wish list.

Caterpillar  The Caterpillar Foundation is giving $300,000 to the American Red Cross. The company has started sending power generation equipment from other parts of the country and begun staging equipment in anticipation of clean-up efforts, CEO Jim Umpleby said in a statement.

Cheniere Energy  Cheniere will donate $1 million to the American Red Cross.

Lowe's  Lowe's has contributed $500,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief. The hardware chain has also started allowing customers to donate in-stores and online.

Home Depot  The Home Depot Foundation has pledged $1 million to organizations including the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Convoy of Hope, Operation Blessing and Team Rubicon. The hardware store company will also send its Team Depot volunteers to help the cleanup effort and deliver supplies to the affected areas.

Western Union  The Western Union Foundation is donating $30,000 to the American Red Cross. It will also match contributions from employees. Customers can also donate directly to the Red Cross.

Apple  Apple has donated $2 million to the American Red Cross. It has also started allowing people to make donations through iTunes.

Google  Google is making a $250,000 grant to the American Red Cross and will match employee donations up to $250,000. The contributions will go toward the American Red Cross, Save the Children, Habitat for Humanity and Team Rubicon.

JPMorgan Chase  JPMorgan Chase will donate $1 million to the American Red Cross and other organizations who are working to help those affected.

Target  Target will donate $500,000, which will be distributed to the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army and Team Rubicon.

UPS  The UPS Foundation has pledged more than $1 million to organizations including the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army..

ABInBev  ABInBev 's emergency water program has sent more than 155,000 cans of drinking water to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Arlington, Texas, to help those in need.

These donations were all announced before the end of business on Monday.
Khosrowshahi is also on the board of Fanatics , a company that recently snagged a $1 billion deal from SoftBank  a free-spending Japanese company that's also said to be eyeing a stake in Uber.

Khosrowshahi is also no stranger to some of the other important people behind Uber. Expedia founder Richard Barton is a partner at Benchmark, one of Uber's top shareholders.

Khosrowshahi's impressive Rolodex make sense given his start at Allen & Co  the " person-to-person " banking firm that hosts a posh networking event at Sun Valley, where CEOs are known to seal deals. His brother works there now , and he has many other influential family members in the business community, The Washington Post reported.

"He's got an extraordinarily deep network," said Brad Gerstner, founder and CEO of investment firm Altimeter Capital, which owns shares of both Expedia and Uber. Gerstner spent five years on the board of Orbitz, through 2015.

While Uber's choice for CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, may seem less familiar than choices like Meg Whitman or Jeff Immelt, Khosrowshahi knows who matters.

All those connections make Brian Neider, Lead Edge Capital Partner, "super comfortable" and "pumped" with the choice, he told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday, adding that it would be great for Uber to get the stamp of approval from funds like SoftBank.

While Kalanick has come under scrutiny for his lack of soft skills, Khosrowshahi has spent years honing them, according to a deeply reported profile in the Puget Sound Business Journal last year.

"This is a guy who could spend a decade working side-by-side, very successfully, with [IAC's] Barry Diller, who is no shrinking violet," Jeff Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean for leadership studies at Yale, told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" on Monday. "I think that speaks legions for him."

And that's helped him restructure Expedia many times over, making deal after deal. That's something something Uber's been trying to do, selling off its Russian and Chinese businesses into new joint ventures and examining options for its leasing division.

Khosrowshahi was the head of corporate development, mergers and acquisitions for the companies that became media conglomerate IAC.

"When Expedia was struggling, he went in and became the lead operating executive. He uniquely possesses both operating capabilities as well as capital markets capabilities, which not a lot of global executives have. It's a nuance that Wall Street appreciates, but it's hard to understand," Gerstner said. "That's really pertinent to a company like Uber that's strategically competing on a global basis. They have to figure out how to compete in all those different markets -- and to partner, sell, or operate on a stand-alone basis."

Plus, Uber has a slew of vacancies to fill: President Jeff Jones left the company. The search for a chief operating officer is still underway, and the executives in charge of business, finance, communications, engineering and self-driving cars are all out the door.

"He knows how to identify talent," Gerstner told CNBC. "He knows what a world-class executive looks like. He has the frame of reference to evaluate candidates who exist within Uber and also has the network to attract the talent needed to take the business to next level."

Then there's hard-charging former CEO Travis Kalanick, who is still on the board of the company and poses "personality" issues, one investor said.

"It seems to me, from what I've read and what I've seen from other people covering this, that Dara is the type of person that's going to come in and institute a culture that's going to take away some of those distractions and probably put them on a more professional business path," Paul Holland, an Uber investor and general partner at Foundation Capital, told CNBC's "Squawk Alley" on Monday.

"And I think to that extent, as a major shareholder, whether it's Travis or anybody else, they should all be pretty excited about this. And I suspect folks will get behind him to drive the company, ultimately towards an IPO."

 With reporting by CNBC's Deirdre Bosa
Abe said the missile was an unprecedented, serious and grave threat to Japan. The Japanese prime minister also said he would ask the United Nations to up the pressure on Pyongyang.

North Korea fired a ballistic missile that passed over Japan early Tuesday, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had strong words about its gravity.

A South Korean military official told NBC News that the missile was fired around 5:57 a.m. local time on Tuesday. The official said that the missile flew for about 2,700 kilometers (1,678 miles), reaching a maximum altitude of 550 kilometers (342 miles). U.S. Pacific Command projected that the missile splashed down at 6:29 a.m. local time.

Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that the North Korean missile broke into three pieces and fell into the sea.

Here's Abe's full comment when asked what actions his government planned to take, according to NBC News:

The ballistic missile launched by North Korea flew over our nation and landed in the Pacific Ocean. We, as the government, were completely aware of the movement of the missile since immediately after its launch and in order to protect the public we had a well prepared system in place. This reckless act of firing a missile over our nation is an unprecedented, serious and significant threat, one that seriously diminishes the peace and safety of the region, and as a result we have lodged a firm protest against North Korea. We have also requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. By working together with the international community, we will seek to further strengthen pressure against North Korea. Under the firm Japan-U.S. Alliance, so that we can deal with any circumstance, while maintaining a sense of tension, we will do our utmost to ensure the public's safety.

CNBC's Christine Wang contributed to this report.
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President Donald Trump holds a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto following a White House meeting on Monday.

It is the U.S. president's first formal press conference since his defiant response to violence at a white nationalist rally in Virginia earlier this month.
It was mid-morning on Wednesday, August 23, when Typhoon Hato violently hit Macau, creating dreadful havoc for anything in its path. Almost all the areas in the peninsula and islands were significantly affected, leaving some injured, some dead, and a trail of destruction reaching an amount hard to comprehend. Houses to road vehicles, from public to private facilities, as well as schools, hospitals and heritage sites all suffered severe damage that go beyond what the eye can see.

But that is the story that has now many times been told, and is one of many others that rise from the mix of debris, dirty water, and domestic waste that accumulated in the pungent streets.

However, there are also others worth sharing; stories of solidarity, strangers helping strangers, love and care; stories of humans, and of great humanity.

As soon as the waters lowered to the sidewalk level, the staff from Cafe Kam Ma Lon located at Rua dos Mercadores, one of the streets formerly submerged in one meter of water, started to put their hands to work, cleaning the coffee shop. In less than two hours, it was reopened and back to business as usual, without one single whine uttered by the workers.

A few meters further down the alley, a resident who owns a egg distribution business had finally come out to open the gate of his storage shed to find nothing but mud and destroyed goods, along with a flooded motorcycle that he used for the distribution.

Scratching his head the man, who was over 60-years-old, whispered to himself in Cantonese Its OK. Passing by were some neighbors who asked how things were, while lending a hand to pull some of the items piled by the entrance out into the alley.

By the end of the same day, the egg distributor was already riding another motorbike borrowed off a friend and modified on the spot, to restart egg distribution.

In the same alley, many neighbors were seen entering each others houses with brooms and mops, and buckets filled with water borrowed from fire hydrants, as the area did not have any water or electricity supply at that time or during the days that followed.

At the same time, information started to appear on social network platforms about people both in need and offering help, and groups of volunteers were starting to gather and discuss where to go to lend a hand.

In the Inner Harbor area, one of the areas most affected by the flooding, fire service trucks were trying to make their way into the alleys to reach the calls for help of the people trapped inside shops. They would not have arrived in time had it not been for the locals that helped out. Groups of men spontaneously gathered around flooded cars that were blocking the streets and pulled them by hand to the sides of the streets, allowing the rescuers enough room to pass. The same was happening in many other places across town.

In the following days the number of volunteers boomed, whether it was in association with company-organized groups or even individual and through spontaneous actions, people from all nationalities, locals and tourists alike, were seen helping each other with all they could. Groups of students from local secondary and tertiary education were in great number and in good spirits side-by-side with soldiers from the Peoples Liberation Army that were deployed in several areas of the city.

In the corner of the Rua dos Faitioes and Rua do Tarrafeiro, also in the Inner Harbor area, a local bakery was in the street distributing bread and cakes to passers-by, specifically to elderlies. Not far away another group, organized under Macau Red Cross and local neighborhood associations, was distributing bottled water house-by-house, knocking on doors to offer help.

Among neighbors the solidarity was also present. Within communication apps, conversation groups were created to discuss issues among the condominiums and to distribute tasks. Returning from work in local hotels, some carried home small water bottles, leaving them behind at neighbors doorsteps as they made their way up the stairwell.

As water and electric supplies were still not available for a good number of people, help from others, those more fortunate, was being offered all across social networks; a place to shower, drinking water, food and even a place to sleep were widely offered to all those in need.

With bottled water out of stock in most of the supermarkets and convenience stores and some shop owners taking advantage of the situation to sell bottled water for as much as MOP150, some local restaurants turned to Facebook to inform the public they had stock of the liquid to be sold at regular prices, or even to give away to those in extreme need. The same happened with food, with several stores announcing the give-away of food boxes, restoring the hopes of many in despair, and restoring faith in shopowners doing the right thing.

Faith was restored in a sector that has been on many occasions addressed as a great example of greed and unlawful behavior, with taxi drivers from both companies being seen throughout those days offering free cab rides for the stranded, while other logistic professionals were also seen offering transportation for flooded motorbikes to a safe or fixing location.

The work of all of these volunteers and authorities was also boosted by some local companies that offered their staff equipment such as trucks, water pumps, electric generators and heavy machines to help on the task of cleaning the streets. They also contributed to the reestablishment of basic services and utilities.

As the days go by, and basic cleaning and fixing gets close to completion, the calls for help get less frequent. However, we all still need to go out on the street and continue the good examples of providing a helping hand to fix Macau, as soon as possible.

Supermarket prices stable despite large demand

After Typhoon Hato left several supermarkets and convenience stores with almost no bottled water for sale, some stores took advantage of the shortfall in supply, selling drinking water at inflated prices.

Until Friday, many residents were still struggling to find distilled water, while some were charged at least double the standard price in a few small stores.

Michael Lio, general manager of Supermercado Seng Cheong, which currently operates three groceries in the city, told the Times that supermarkets should practice social responsibility and not take advantage of residents in times of calamity.

Weve been in the business for over 50 years [and] it is not good to take advantage of people who are in need. [] Actually in Macau this is illegal, said Lio.

[If] were raising the price when everyone is in need of water and food, its not good for Macau, he added.

Supermercado Seng Cheong is one of the many groceries in the city who encountered difficulties in the supply of products  particularly during the first two days  due to logistic issues, in addition to many other traders, who also had their premises flooded.

Readers corner

Remembering Typhoon Hato

A leap-days morning after,

The typhoons touches still remain:

Uptorn trees, a tangled mess of branches

Like shorn Medusas hair,

Carelessly swept aside

From the visage of streets.

Normally, typhoons clean things, but this one

Has left dark glaciers of mud.

Grim-grinning he hacked through windowpanes

Shattered like raining hail.

Most of our local typhoons are benign,

But he drew blood and tears.

Now in our homes, no running water.

Dreamily I buy up Fanta and Coke.

I can drink but I cannot shower.

I shudder to remember

Hatos hateful incursion

Into our lives.

Joanna Radwanska-Williams

Macao, 25th August, 2017
Uber's new CEO pick, Dara Khosrowshahi, is not a household name, unlike other candidates who were on the shortlist, including Hewlett Packard CEO Meg Whitman.

But Khosrowshahi has C-suite chops: He's been CEO of travel website Expedia since 2005, leading the company though brand expansions including Expedia.com, Hotels.com and Hotwire.

Now, Uber reportedly wants him to right the ride-sharing ship, replacing controversial co-founder and CEO Travis Kalanick who left the company in June. In the top spot, Khosrowshahi will have a litany of issues to deal with, including a broken workplace culture, a legal battle with Google parent company Alphabet  and more.

What's clear is the Iranian American business leader will have a challenge ahead of him. What's less well known to most is what Khosrowshahi is like as person and as a leader.

A dig back through his Twitter posts shines some light.
The only way to stop the cycle of overspending in Washington and then fighting over raising the debt ceiling is to reform entitlements, anti-debt crusader Alan Simpson told CNBC on Tuesday.

"Do something with the solvency of Social Security, which is the biggest elephant in all the rooms," said Simpson, retired U.S. senator from Wyoming and GOP co-chair of former President Barack Obama's bipartisan debt commission. Erskine Bowles, former chief of staff during Bill Clinton's presidency, was the Democratic co-chair.

Among the ways to shore up Social Security would be to "change the retirement age to 68 by the year 2050," Simpson said on "Squawk on the Street."

Workers who are 62 in 2017 can retire with full Social Security benefits when they're 66 and two months. The full retirement age is increasing gradually to age 67.

Raising the retirement age was a key debt-reducing component of the 2010 Bowles-Simpson plan, which fell short of the votes from the bipartisan panel needed to recommend the framework to Congress.

"You can't do any of that [or] AARP will tear your underwear from your body. They don't care about anybody under 50," Simpson said. "That's a monstrous organization."

An AARP rep said, "AARP cares about Social Security for current and future generations of American families."

Simpson's appearance on CNBC came after last week's annual saber rattling over increasing the debt limit. President Donald Trump on Thursday accused Republican leaders in the Senate and the House of botching efforts to avoid an unprecedented default on the national debt.

I requested that Mitch M & Paul R tie the Debt Ceiling legislation into the popular V.A. Bill (which just passed) for easy approval. They

...didn't do it so now we have a big deal with Dems holding them up (as usual) on Debt Ceiling approval. Could have been so easy-now a mess!

Trump was calling out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, both of whom dismissed the president's critique and said the borrowing limit would be raised.

Every year, hardline conservatives play a game of chicken with paying the interest on the national debt, which is approaching $20 trillion. They threaten a default, trying to get spending cuts.

A 2011 standoff between Republicans and the Obama administration was not resolved until the eleventh hour and prompted Standard & Poor's to impose the first-ever downgrade of America's credit rating.

Simpson, who spent decades on Capitol Hill, said the debt-ceiling fight is a "horrible dream." While an advocate of spending cuts, he said that using the full faith and credit of the United States as a bargaining chip is the wrong way to go about it. "You've already blown the money."

Politicians want it both ways, he added  they say they want to cut spending and they say that it's possible without touching entitlements. Simpson said anybody who says that's possible is a "lying sack of  " He did not finish the sentence.

The Treasury Department has said the debt ceiling needs to be raised by Sept. 29 to avoid potential default on government obligations including Social Security and interest payments.

 Associated Press contributed to this report.
Despite fears of irrevocable damage, the City of London is unlikely to change substantially once the U.K. leaves the European Union. The financial services industry has been quietly preparing for Brexit given that it's likely to lose its EU passporting rights  meaning that it will need extra licenses to serve EU-based customers. The negotiations between London and Brussels are still ongoing and it is unclear how many employees will have to be moved from London to other European cities. At the moment, the disruption appears to be minimal compared to the overall size of the industry. But there are clear winners from the exit of some jobs from London with Frankfurt and Dublin the top destinations for institutions that wish to continue working with clients across the EU.

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CNBC spoke with banks across the City to take a closer look at their plans so far:

Barclays

The British bank has said it will expand its Irish subsidiary to continue its European trade. The bank hasn't revealed figures of how many new jobs it will need in Dublin as it is still in negotiations with regulators and waiting for more details from Brexit talks. For now, the expectations are that about 150 jobs will be added in Dublin, but not all of them will be moved over from London as the bank intends to also hire locally.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Bank of America has also chosen Dublin as its preferred location to place its European legal entities. "Dublin is the home to more of our employees than any other European city outside of the U.K. We already have a fully licensed and operation Irish-domiciled bank," the bank said in a statement in July. BofAML will be moving "hundreds" of roles to Dublin, but also to a few other undisclosed EU locations.

Citigroup

Citigroup might create 150 new jobs in different EU locations. The bank said that it will convert its existing subsidiary in Frankfurt into an investment firm. Other capabilities such as private banking will also be enhanced in other cities, such as Amsterdam, Dublin and Paris.

Credit Suisse

The Swiss bank is "currently exploring solutions to various outcomes, including a hard Brexit," a spokeswoman told CNBC. The bank hasn't presented any Brexit strategy as of yet, but as a result of restructuring plans, the UK-based workforce has been reduced over the past few years.

Deutsche Bank

The German lender hasn't specified its Brexit plans but it is set to beef up its Frankfurt basis. In April this year, the bank said that it could move up to 4,000 jobs to Germany - the highest potential bank move, but for now the bank is still assessing the situation.

Goldman Sachs

The investment bank hasn't presented its plans for the post-Brexit world but its management team has given a few indications of what might happen. Richard Gnodde, head of Goldman Sachs Europe told the BBC in late July that the bank has begun moving operation from London to Frankfurt and other European cities. "Client-facing staff will move closer to their clients, be it Milan or Madrid or any other European capital," he said. At the moment there are 200 bankers based in Frankfurt, which according to Gnodde, could at least double.

HSBC

HSBC's CEO Stuart Gulliver said during the bank's full year results: "We employ 43,000 people in the UK. When they leave the single market, which obviously the Prime Minister has indicated that we will, we will employ 42,000 people in the UK and a thousand jobs will be unlawful to carry out from the U.K. once we've left the single market." The lender chose Paris because it owns a bank in France that has all the licences.

JP Morgan

JP Morgan is expected to move "hundreds" of employees. It will use Dublin, Frankfurt, Paris and Luxembourg as "legal anchors" but it hasn't yet announced details for such moves. A spokeswoman for JPMorgan said in October that the bank could increase its headcount in Paris by roughly 60 people. However, the final numbers will depend on the outcome of negotiations.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)

The bank has said that it is looking at placing its EU-focused business in Amsterdam. "Obviously we've got a bank there with the appropriate licenses, we've had a long history in Amsterdam (and) for us at least it is a very logical choice," Ewen Stevenson, RBS chief financial officer told CNBC during the bank's latest results earlier this month. He added that "probably no more than about 150 people" will be relocated.

Standard Chartered

"We are in the process of submitting an application to an EU subsidiary to be based in Frankfurt, This is not our headquarters, which will very much remain in London," the bank told CNBC. The British bank is expected to move only a "minimal" amount of jobs.

UBS
Berkshire Hathaway made good on its plan to convert warrants into 700 million shares of Bank of America common stock, the bank announced on Tuesday.

Warren Buffett's conglomerate held the warrants since a deal in 2011, when he invested $5 billion in preferred shares of Bank of America, which at the time was struggling with large legal bills in the aftermath of the subprime lending crisis. The preferred shares paid 6 percent annually, or about $300 million.

But Bank of America raised its dividend to 48 cents a share annually after the Federal Reserve gave it the go-ahead in June. That was just what Berkshire was waiting for. At 48 cents, the dividend on the common shares pays about $336 million annually.

Berkshire's agreement was to convert the warrants to Bank of America shares at $7.14 each. The shares closed Tuesday at $23.58, meaning Berkshire's paper profit on the stake is about $12 billion.
Electronics retailer Best Buy said a viral photo of cases of water selling for north of $40 was "a big mistake."

Tweets surfaced on Tuesday purporting to show a Best Buy in Houston touting packs of 24-count water bottles at a massive uptick in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

However, the company told CNBC that it does not sell water by the case and the signage promoting the offer was a mistake made by several employees.
A Bitcoin conference in New York. Getty Images

Exactly four weeks since split into bitcoin and bitcoin cash, the original digital currency hit a record high Tuesday while the offshoot fell to its lowest in more than a week. Bitcoin rose more than 6.5 percent, to a record high of $4,703.42, up nearly 70 percent for the month, according to CoinDesk. Bitcoin edged off that high in afternoon trade, hovering around $4,603, still more than quadruple in value for the year and up about 60 percent for August. related investing news Solana is facing its 'crucible moment' after the FTX blowup sent it down 50% last week Bitcoin cash hit a low of $559.61, its lowest since Aug. 18, before recovering to around $575, according to CoinMarketCap. The alternative version of bitcoin, supported by a minority of developers, is still up about 170 percent from a low of $210 hit on Aug. 1, the day of the split.

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While digital currency "miners" temporarily found bitcoin cash more profitable than the original version to mine, by Tuesday it was 32 percent more profitable to mine bitcoin, according to data from the Coin Dance website. "With Bitcoin back to being more profitable, Bitcoin cash lost some steam," Nolan Bauerle, director of research at CoinDesk, said in an email to CNBC. Relative profitability to "mine" bitcoin cash vs. bitcoin Source: Coin Dance Meanwhile, institutional interest in bitcoin is rising. A Tuesday report from financial research firm Autonomous Next identified 55 crypto-related funds. "I think it's just new money coming in," said Brian Kelly, a CNBC contributor and head of BKCM, which runs a digital assets strategy for clients. He noted the bulk of the gains in bitcoin came just around the time of the U.S. stock market open Tuesday morning. Another digital currency, ethereum, climbed nearly 5 percent Tuesday, to around $364, according to CoinMarketCap. Ethereum is up more than 4,400 percent this year and has gained nearly 79 percent this month.

Some analysts also attributed bitcoin's gains to investors looking for a safety trade after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan. "With both bitcoin and ether, we're seeing a flight to safety due to the issues in North Korea, similar to when investors previously flocked to gold out of equities during previous wars," said Andrew Keys, head of global business development at blockchain software developer ConsenSys. Demand for bitcoin and ethereum from Japanese and South Korean investors remained strong, according to CryptoCompare. The site showed trade in the Japanese yen and South Korean won accounted for nearly half of all bitcoin trade volume, while won-denominated ethereum trade accounted for about 22 percent. Asian stocks closed mostly lower, European markets fell more than 1 percent and U.S. stocks opened lower after North Korea late Monday Eastern Time fired a ballistic missile over Japan. Local broadcaster NHK said Japan took no action to shoot down the missile, which later broke into three pieces and fell into the sea. U.S. stocks recovered most of their losses to trade narrowly mixed midday Tuesday. Gold futures for December delivery extended Monday's jump to climb more than half a percent Tuesday to $1,331.90 an ounce, their highest since Nov. 9. Many digital currency enthusiasts expect bitcoin to become the "digital gold" of cryptocurrencies since its supply is limited to 21 million but demand remains strong as many investors use bitcoin as their way into the digital currency world. That said, bitcoin is far from reaching the same status as the precious metal. About $7.5 trillion of gold is in circulation, while the value of all digital currencies only reached $160 billion Tuesday, according to CoinMarketCap. Bitcoin had the largest share at nearly $75 billion, while ethereum was second with a market value of $34.7 billion, the site showed.

WATCH: Dark web finds bitcoin increasingly problematic
Volunteers get a briefing at the George Brown Convention Center that has been turned into a shelter run by the American Red Cross to house victims of the high water from Hurricane Harvey on August 28, 2017 in Houston, Texas.

Hurricane Harvey has ravaged southeastern Texas. Rain has flooded Houston, and people are still fleeing the rising water. The storm is not yet over, but companies are already helping relief efforts.

Verizon  Verizon has pledged $10 million to Harvey relief efforts. The company said it is working with local and state government officials to identify four nonprofit agencies. It will share more details in the coming days.

Walgreens  Walgreens has committed $200,000 to the American Red Cross, and the company will enable customers to donate at its stores. Walgreens is also donating food items, first aid and medical equipment to the American Red Cross' emergency shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. The company is partnering with United Airlines to transport items from Chicago to Houston.

Kroger  The Kroger Foundation has committed $100,000 to the Houston Food Bank. The Foundation will donate $5, up to $100,000, for every social media share of the #KrogerCares post. Kroger will also give customers the opportunity to donate in stores.

HCA Healthcare  HCA Healthcare will donate $1 million to the American Red Cross. It will also match up to $1 million in employee donations to the company's employee assistance nonprofit organization.

Bank of America  The Bank of America Charitable Foundation has made a $1 million commitment to Harvey relief. The foundation will initially give $250,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and will allocate the rest later once long-term recovery needs are identified. It will also match employee pledges.

AT&T  AT&T is donating $350,000 in aid. Of that amount, it will donate $100,000 to the Greater Houston Community Fund, $100,000 to the American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey Fund and $50,000 to the Coastal Bend Community Foundation in South Texas. The company's foundation will also match employee donations up to $50,000 each to the AT&T Employee Disaster Relief Fund and Team Rubicon.

Coca-Cola  The Coca-Cola Foundation has pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross. The company is matching employee donations, up to $100,000, to the Coca-Cola Employee Disaster Relief Fund, which will go to company associates affected by the storm. The Coca-Cola system has also donated nearly 25,000 cases of water, milk, sports drinks and other beverages to people in the affected areas. The company said it expects to donate more in the coming days.

Comcast NBCUniversal  Comcast NBCUniversal has pledged more than $1 million to relief efforts. The contribution includes $500,000 in cash that will be shared between the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and the American Red Cross. The company will also donate advertising time to the organizations.

Google  Google will match up to $1 million in donations made to the American Red Cross. Google has already committed $750,000 to relief efforts through company and employee donations. In total, the company is pledging $2 million to relief efforts.

Bayer  Bayer is committing $200,000 to relief efforts. It will send half the amount to the American Red Cross and the other half to Direct Relief. The company is also working with its nonprofit partners to determine needs for product donations.

Facebook  Facebook will match up to $1 million raised on the social media site for the Center for Disaster Philanthropy's Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund.

Dow Chemical Company  The Dow Chemical Company Foundation has pledged $1 million to relief efforts. It will donate $100,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, $100,000 to Team Rubicon and $200,000 to other local nonprofit organizations. The foundation will match employee and retiree donations up to $100,000. It will use the remaining $500,000 to help long-term rebuilding efforts.

Kendra Scott  Kendra Scott is donating 50 percent of its online sales on Tuesday to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief.

GoFundMe  GoFundMe is pledging $100,000 to the Direct Impact Fund. A page on the company's website allows people to donate to the fund. Their money will support individuals with verified campaigns on the fundraising site. People can also choose to donate directly to a campaign on the site.

Bass Pro Shops  Bass Pro Shops is donating more than 80 boats to government agencies and rescue organizations in Houston and other Texas communities. The outdoor retailer is also donating truckloads of relief supplies totaling $40,000 to Convoy of Hope and the American Red Cross.

Gallery Furniture  Gallery Furniture has transformed two of its Houston-area stores into shelters. Founder Jim McIngvale tweeted photos of people lounging on couches and children playing on mattresses that were pushed together. Our GF N FWRY & GF Grand PKWY stores are open for those in need. If you can safely join us, we invite you for shelter and food. God Bless.

Jefferies  Jefferies will donate $1 million to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. It will also donate all net trading commissions on Wednesday from U.S., European and Asia equity, fixed income and foreign exchange trading. Employees have the opportunity to donate, too.

ExxonMobil  Exxon Mobil Corporation will give the United Way of Greater Houston $500,000 in addition to the $500,000 it gave the American Red Cross.

Wal-Mart  Wal-Mart and the company's foundation will provide cash and product donations of at least $1 million to organizations helping with relief, such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Convoy of Hope.

PepsiCo  PepsiCo and its foundation are providing more than $1,000,000 in cash and products to the Red Cross.

Starbucks  The Starbucks Foundation will donate $250,000 to Hurricane Harvey relief. The coffee chain will also allow customers to make a donation to the American Red Cross in its stores. Employees who donate money can request a matching donation.

Microsoft  Microsoft has donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross "as an initial step" to help those affected, the company said in a blog post. "More help is needed, and the company and its employees pledged to do more," the company wrote. A link to donate was also included in the post.

Aetna  The Aetna Foundation will give $100,000 to the American Red Cross, $100,000 to the Community Foundation of Greater Houston and $50,000 to Team Rubicon.

Allergan  The Allergan Foundation will donate $100,000 to the American Red Cross.

Amazon and Whole Foods Market  Amazon and Whole Foods Market will match up to $1 million in donations made to the American Red Cross via Amazon. The website includes a link to make a donation as well as one to send essential items from the Red Cross' wish list.

Caterpillar  The Caterpillar Foundation is giving $300,000 to the American Red Cross. The company has started sending power generation equipment from other parts of the country and begun staging equipment in anticipation of clean-up efforts, CEO Jim Umpleby said in a statement.

Cheniere Energy  Cheniere will donate $1 million to the American Red Cross.

Lowe's  Lowe's has contributed $500,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief. The hardware chain has also started allowing customers to donate in-stores and online.

Home Depot  The Home Depot Foundation has pledged $1 million to organizations including the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Convoy of Hope, Operation Blessing and Team Rubicon. The hardware store company will also send its Team Depot volunteers to help the cleanup effort and deliver supplies to the affected areas.

Western Union  The Western Union Foundation is donating $30,000 to the American Red Cross. It will also match contributions from employees. Customers can also donate directly to the Red Cross.

Apple  Apple has donated $2 million to the American Red Cross. It has also started allowing people to make donations through iTunes.

JPMorgan Chase  JPMorgan Chase will donate $1 million to the American Red Cross and other organizations who are working to help those affected.

Target  Target will donate $500,000, which will be distributed to the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army and Team Rubicon.

UPS  The UPS Foundation has pledged more than $1 million to organizations including the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army.

ABInBev  ABInBev 's emergency water program has sent more than 155,000 cans of drinking water to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Arlington, Texas, to help those in need.

 CNBC is a unit of Comcast NBCUniversal.

These donations were all announced before the end of business on Tuesday.
Conservatives are beginning to draw battle lines in next month's fight over raising the nation's borrowing limit, setting the stage for a showdown that could rattle the markets.

North Carolina Rep. Mark Walker, head of the influential Republican Study Committee, said this week that any increase in the federal debt ceiling should be paired with more stringent eligibility requirements for Medicaid. The committee is still considering whether to seek other spending reforms as well and will discuss their priorities with GOP leadership next week.

But the committee represents more than half of the Republican lawmakers in the House  endangering any bill that does not have its full support.

"We're very aware and understand the ramifications, and we want to make sure that we don't default," Walker told CNBC. "But at some point  we have to look at specific reforms to make sure that we're being fiscally responsible."

Lawmakers are up against a Sept. 29 deadline to raise the debt ceiling or risk a potentially catastrophic default on the nation's debt. In 2011, the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index dropped more than 20 percent and the ratings agency stripped the United States of its AAA rating as Washington wrestled with lifting the debt limit until the eleventh hour.

Over the past few months, the White House and Republican leadership have tried to reassure the public that there is no danger of default. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has urged Congress to pass a "clean" bill, with no strings attached.

But raising the debt ceiling has become a perilous vote for Republicans, with fiscal hawks balking at the prospect of approving an increase in federal borrowing without corresponding reductions in spending.

An internal memo from the conservative advocacy group FreedomWorks warned that voting for a clean bill would "demoralize conservative grassroots activists after the failure on Obamacare repeal and the lack of any significant legislative victories from a Republican-controlled Congress." The memo suggests tying the debt ceiling to efforts to roll back regulations or to a so-called "debt brake" that would limit future spending to a percentage of GDP could win support among the base.

The House Freedom Caucus staked out its opposition to a clean debt limit increase back in May. The group has backed a bill sponsored by Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., that would allow the government to prioritize interest payments to avoid default  a controversial process that Mnuchin has opposed. The Freedom Caucus has also floated the potential for $250 billion in cuts to mandatory spending programs.

But any deal to win over conservative lawmakers in the House would almost certainly face defeat in the Senate. Republicans hold only 52 seats in the upper chamber, and raising the debt ceiling would require a filibuster-proof 60 votes to pass.

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer has emphasized that Democrats will be loath to support lifting the cap if Republicans' tax reform proposal adds to the deficit. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell met with Mnuchin and Schumer early this month to discuss options for moving forward. Speaking in Louisville last week, McConnell projected public confidence even though no deal has been reached.

"There is zero chance  no chance  we won't raise the debt ceiling. No chance," he said.
President Donald Trump's proposed tax overhaul could face delays once again as the administration and Congress focus on the devastating impact from Hurricane Harvey, CNBC's Jim Cramer said Tuesday.

The White House said the president is expected to visit Harvey-devastated areas of Texas on Tuesday as the disaster unfolds on an epic scale, with the nation's fourth-largest city mostly paralyzed.

"Doesn't this once again delay the idea that they can spend time on tax reform?" Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street." "If it's a Katrina-like event, it's all hands on deck."

In an interview with the Financial Times published last week, Trump's chief economic advisor, Gary Cohn, said the president will begin a campaign for tax reform Wednesday in Missouri. It's unclear if that may be shifted due to the storm.

Cohn added that the administration does not have a "fixed or detailed plan for tax reform" and will leave it to the congressional committees to finalize the legislation.

Trump on Monday promised federal assistance to parts of Texas and asked Congress to move quickly on a multibillion-dollar recovery package as the government has indicated it could run out of funds in the next few weeks.

"There could be a gigantic rebuild," Cramer said. If there is a massive rebuild, Cramer said that could spur economic growth.

"Three or fourth months from now, we will be talking about maybe even a GDP expansion, if the president goes down there and says he's going to have the greatest rebuild in history," Cramer said. "But will the Congress let him spend that money?"

Cramer added: "The president has to go down there and say this is the greatest reconstruction in history because the president is given to hyperbole ... and that's going to require money. But where's the money coming from?"

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hurricane Harvey has rerouted four cruise ships that were supposed to return to Texas over the weekend.

The Port of Galveston closed last week ahead of Hurricane Harvey making landfall in Texas. One Royal Caribbean cruise ship and three Carnival cruise ships were unable to unload passengers. They're still waiting for the port to reopen and are planning on returning Friday.

Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas was scheduled to arrive in Galveston on Sunday. It instead sailed to Miami, where it will arrive on Tuesday. The ship will spend a few hours there before sailing to Galveston, a company spokeswoman said in an email.

Carnival's Freedom and Valor ships were supposed to arrive in Galveston on Saturday. Its Breeze ship was supposed to return on Sunday. They arrived in New Orleans at different times between Monday and Tuesday and will leave for Galveston at different times between Tuesday and Wednesday, a company spokeswoman said in an email.

Passengers on both cruise lines have the option to end their trips at their current stops.



Christopher Smith, who is sailing on the Carnival Breeze with his fiancee and her three children, is opting to wait it out. Smith said his family has been attending comedy shows, eating and touring New Orleans.

He commended the ship's captain for keeping them updated and the staff for keeping them entertained. He said the cruise had not experienced any bad weather until today when it started to rain in New Orleans.

Harvey is expected to bring torrential rain into southwestern Louisiana, according to the National Weather Service. Smith is planning on staying on the ship until it returns to Texas instead of getting off in New Orleans and driving back to his home in Arkansas.

"I could try and drive through it or I can stay on the cruise, eat for free and be entertained for free," Smith said. "The ship's not going to flood."

All four cruise ships were supposed to board new passengers over the weekend. They had originally planned to offer shortened itineraries but have since cancelled the cruises altogether.

Carnival will provide guests a full refund and a 25 percent future cruise credit if booked within the next 60 days. Royal Caribbean will also provide a full refund and a future cruise credit.
India and China have agreed to pull back their troops from a face-off in the high Himalayas where China, India and Bhutan meet, signaling a thaw in the months-long standoff, Indias government said yesterday.

Indias Ministry of External Affairs said India and China had diplomatic exchanges in recent weeks over the situation on Doklam plateau in the eastern Himalayas and both had agreed to go back to the status quo before the standoff.

Both India and China said their troops would continue to patrol in the Doklam area as they did before the face-off.

The breakthrough comes just days before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to travel to China for a meeting of BRICS leaders next month. The BRICS grouping comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters that Chinese forces in the area had verified the Indian pullout and that China will continue to exercise its sovereignty and uphold its territorial integrity in accordance with the historical conventions.

Hua said Chinese border troops were continuing to patrol in the area, but made no mention of their road-building activities that had prompted India to send its forces across the border nearly three months ago.

An official of the Indian ministry said his country also planned to verify in due course of time that Chinese troops have also moved back.

Both sides have acted maturely and have agreed to go back to the status quo, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The confrontation, which began in June when Indian troops moved in to stop China from constructing a road in the Doklam region in Bhutan, was the worst in decades. India had insisted that the impasse would be resolved through diplomatic talks, while China demanded that India withdraw its troops from Doklam before any talks could take place.

Doklam is also claimed by the tiny kingdom of Bhutan, but Beijing says it belongs to China based on an 1890 Chinese-British treaty.

The area, also popularly referred to by Indians as the chicken neck, is a narrow corridor that links mainland India with its remote northeastern states.

New Delhis concerns about the Chinese presence in Doklam stemmed from fears that if China was able to block the corridor, it would isolate Indias northeast from the rest of the country.

Relations between the two Asian giants have often been strained, partly due to an undemarcated border.

China claims some 90,000 square kilometers (35,000 square miles) of territory in Indias northeast and cites the regions cultural affinity with Tibet as evidence that the area is part of what it calls southern Tibet. India says China occupies 38,000 square kilometers (15,000 square miles) of its territory in the Aksai Chin plateau in the western Himalayas.

Differences also remain over the presence of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled China in 1959 during a failed uprising against Chinese rule. The Dalai Lama and the self-proclaimed Tibetan government-in-

exile have since been based in the northern Indian town of Dharamsala.

China and India fought a brief war in 1962, leading to fears that the recent row could spiral out of control. Nirmala George, New Delhi, AP
Elon Musk is warning  yet again  about the potential power of artificial intelligence.

"AI will be the best or worst thing ever for humanity," says the billionaire entrepreneur via Twitter on Tuesday.

He also recommends a book on the subject: "Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" by MIT professor Max Tegmark. Musk says the book is "worth reading."
Heavy rainfall from Hurricane Harvey has left Houston and other parts of Texas and Louisiana underwater this week, with areas in the region expected to see a year's worth of rainfall before the storm dissipates on Thursday.

The deluge has threatened Texas' agricultural economy and will likely have devastating effects on farmers not only in the area but around the U.S.

"I can't think of a crop that is designed to handle four feet of rain in a short period of time," Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, told CNBC.

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration warned that crops exposed to flood waters should not be eaten and should be disposed of instead.

"Grains and similar products stored in bulk can also be damaged by flood waters. These flood damaged products should not be used for human and animal food," the FDA said in statement.

The Lone Star state produces high volumes of cotton, wheat, rice and soy and is a large exporter of crops from around the country. As floodwaters continue to rise, so too does the risk of damage to unharvested produce and stored crops.

While about 70 percent of Texas' rice harvest was complete by Aug. 20, the same can't be said for the state's cotton harvest.

"The cotton crop in this area of Texas is the biggest and most beautiful that anyone can remember in years, and probably two-thirds of it is still in the fields," Michael Klein, a spokesman for the USA Rice Federation, told CNBC Friday. "It's going to be disastrous for them."

The second-largest area for cotton production in Texas is in Corpus Christi, a coastal city about 200 miles from Houston, Gene Hall, director of communications for the Texas Farm Bureau, told CNBC.

"There was a bumper crop of cotton," he said. "The Corpus Christi classing office has recently upgraded their estimate to a 2 million bale crop and that's not going to happen."

Hall said that about 98 percent of the cotton in the area had been harvested, but unfortunately that doesn't mean the crop is safe from the storm.

Farmers in the area use cotton modules to pound the crop into large rectangular blocks. These blocks are then covered with a secured tarp and left out in the fields until there is room for the crop at the gin. These bundles are susceptible to wind and saturation damage from the storm.

"I don't know how many farmers were able to move those out of harms way," Hall said. "But I know a lot were left in the field."

As for the rest of the cotton left in the field, Hall said that "anything on the stalk is a near total loss."

And cotton isn't the only crop that could be in danger of being contaminated by storm water. Hall said that any corn crop that was harvested is at risk if the storage areas flood.

"When that happens that water just travels right up that stored grain like a wick on a lantern," Hall said.

Additionally, any supplies that were shipped to the area from other parts of the country and are slated to be exported from the Texas Gulf are at risk for contamination. Some 24 percent of the wheat crop in the United States is shipped through that part of the country, according to Steenhoek.

Until the storm passes, they will not be able to assess the structural integrity of railroad tracks or bridges, Steenhoek said. And because of these transportation issues, grain elevator operators, which will have reached capacity, will discourage farmers from delivering crops by lowering the commodity prices that farmers are usually paid, he said.

"A lot of wheat is grown in Kansas and Oklahoma, Illinois, so here's a situation where an event that is occurring 700 to 1,000 miles from where wheat is grown will actually have an impact on the individual profitability of the farmer," Steenhoek said.
The Federal Reserve stands ready to supply whatever cash demands are needed in Harvey-devastated areas of Texas like it did during Hurricane Katrina and other disasters, former Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher told CNBC on Tuesday.

Fisher explained that banks will send their armored vehicles to the Fed  either bringing currency back or taking currency out  and then circulate it through the system.

"It's about getting that lifeblood of cash into the economy, so you can fill ATMs and people can get to them so they can have it," Fisher, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas from 2005 to 2015, said in the interview on "Squawk Box."

"This week, they've instructed banks in the region ... to withhold as much cash as possible to get it out so they can get their trucks eventually to the Houston Fed vaults, take that money out, or use the Dallas vaults, if they need to," he said.

Fisher said Texas has the largest vaults supplying as much as it can to the system.

"The two biggest vaults in the system here are in Dallas and in Houston," he said.

"Houston has the largest above-ground vault in the United States," he said. "Between the two of them, they're the two largest vaults in the Federal Reserve system. One hundred and twenty-seven billion passed through those vaults last year."

Also important to note, Fisher said, is this is leading up to the Labor Day holiday, so usually the state has a greater demand for cash in a very cash intensive society.

"The Fed is open in Houston. It's open here in Dallas," Fisher said.

The Harvey disaster is unfolding on an epic scale, with the nation's fourth-largest city mostly paralyzed by the storm that has parked itself over the Gulf Coast.

Rescuers continued to take people out of inundated neighborhoods. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner put the number by police at more than 3,000. The Coast Guard said it also had rescued more than 3,000 by boat and air and was taking more than 1,000 calls per hour.

Regarding a Harvey-related economic impact, Fisher said it will be difficult to judge but added it will likely be temporary followed by a snapback.

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A woman uses a coat hanger to try and retrieve an item from a destroyed house after Hurricane Harvey struck Fulton, Texas, August 26, 2017.

Goldman Sachs sees "property damages in the range of $30 billion" from Harvey in Texas, and a reduction in overall U.S. economic growth due to storm-related energy disruptions.

"We estimate that disruptions in the energy sector could directly reduce Q3 GDP growth by as much as 0.2pp [percentage points]," Goldman said.

The Goldman commodities team estimates Harvey and its lingering effects in the Houston and Galveston, Texas, areas have shut down more than 16 percent of the nation's oil refining capacity.

The rains from Harvey continued early Tuesday in many of the flooded-out areas.

The center of the storm, which originally made landfall late Friday, has moved off the coast but is expected to track back inland over southeast Texas on Wednesday, according to forecasters.

Over the next several days, periods of torrential rain were expected over Texas and Louisiana.

Gasoline and oil futures, however, were steady Tuesday morning.

On Monday, gasoline prices surged nearly 2.75 percent on supply concerns, while oil prices fell by about that same percentage on worries that demand for crude by refiners would decline.

Harvey-related energy disruptions in the U.S. OPEC efforts to rebalance the oil market, according to a note Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Goldman's $30 billion projection for property damage would make Harvey the ninth-worst U.S. hurricane since World War II in terms of destruction.

However, Goldman remains uncertain whether damages and energy disruptions, in addition to other negatives associated with powerful storms such as a "temporary slowdown in retail sales, construction spending, and industrial production, as well as a pickup in jobless claims" would impact economic growth in the second half of 2017.

"The negative effects are likely to be offset [in the near term] by an increase in business investment and construction activity once the storm has passed," Goldman said.

On Monday, pegged eventual insured losses from Harvey

By comparison, many estimates say Hurricane Katrina in 2005 caused about $50 billion in insured losses in New Orleans and other flooded areas in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
Lawmakers now have another complicated task awaiting them when they return to Washington and an already packed September calendar: potentially approving billions of dollars for Hurricane Harvey recovery.

Authorizing aid opens another window for Congress to potentially play politics and bicker over policy ahead of two key deadlines.

President Donald Trump, who visited Texas on Tuesday, has promised swift help for the state after Harvey, which was the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in more than 50 years when it came ashore Friday. A number of people have died and billions of dollars in damage have been caused in southeast Texas, where some areas could see as much as 50 inches of rain from the lingering storm. Rescue operations are ongoing in Houston and surrounding areas, where flooding has stranded residents.

When Congress gets back from its August recess, it will have to respond to the storm as it already faces two politically contentious deadlines. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has warned that the U.S government will hit its borrowing limit on Sept. 29 and potentially risk defaulting on its obligations without raising the debt ceiling. Lawmakers also need to pass a funding bill before Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown.

The hurricane adds another wrinkle to what could already become a messy set of negotiations.

"Congress can always find time, find a way to do the things it needs to do in an emergency," said Steven Billet, director of the legislative affairs program at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. "The bigger question is who may or may not be tempted to play politics with [disaster relief.] ... The temptation will most assuredly be there for a lot of people."

Both raising the debt limit and funding the government will likely come with complications. The White House has called for a "clean" debt ceiling increase without other provisions attached. Some conservative Republicans have previously called for spending cuts along with raising the borrowing limit and could seek concessions in the bill this time around.

Trump has also threatened a government shutdown if Congress does not fund his proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats have opposed approving money for the project.

Throwing in Hurricane Harvey relief my make September even more complicated.

Even legislation to approve disaster aid has proven contentious in the past. In 2013, many Republican lawmakers  including some from now storm-ravaged Texas  voted against a Hurricane Sandy relief bill. Some said it contained too much funding for unrelated provisions or sought corresponding spending cuts.

Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., head of the influential Republican Study Committee, told CNBC he is not taking a hard line on spending reforms with disaster relief funding.

The potential effect of Harvey aid on Congress' ability to meet its goals in the coming weeks will depend on whether lawmakers attempt to approve aid on its own or tie it to a spending or debt ceiling bill, said Molly Reynolds, a fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution.

On its own, an aid vote could face opposition from some Republicans. But that backlash may fade with Democratic President Barack Obama out of office, Reynolds said.

She said that attaching Harvey relief funding to a short-term bill to keep the government running could help to "smooth over" disagreements among Republicans and make it easier to pass.

But either conservatives insisting on spending cuts or Trump pushing for the bill to include border wall funding could make the process more difficult, Reynolds added.

On Monday, Trump pledged that the government would take "rapid" action to fund disaster relief.

"I think that you're going to see very rapid action from Congress, certainly from the president  you're going to get your funding," he said at a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.

"We think that Congress will feel very much the way I feel ... I think you'll be up and running very, very quickly," Trump added.

In a statement Monday, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said, "Republicans must be ready to join Democrats in passing a timely relief bill that makes all necessary resources available through emergency spending."

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has been forced to defend his 2013 vote in recent days as Harvey wreaks havoc in his home state. On Monday, he told NBC News that the bill was "filled with unrelated pork" and that "two-thirds" of it had "nothing to do with Sandy."

But the vast majority of the bill did have to do with Sandy recovery, The Washington Post found.

Both Billet and Reynolds ultimately expect Congress will pass a small aid package relatively soon after it returns before debating a larger measure later in the month. It will fall on the Trump administration to estimate how much funding will be needed long term, which will take until experts can assess the damage in the coming weeks.

 CNBC's Ylan Mui contributed to this report
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) talks to Chinese President Xi Jingping during the BRICS meeting in Goa, India, on October 16, 2016.

India's prime minister has confirmed he will visit China next week for a summit of the world's leading emerging market economies  a day after Beijing and New Delhi agreed to withdraw troops from a disputed border area in the Himalayas.

Narendra Modi will travel to the coastal city of Xiamen to attend the gathering of BRICS leaders from September 3 to 5, India's external affairs ministry confirmed on Tuesday.

The other BRICS nations are Brazil, Russia and South Africa. The bloc covers 40 per cent of the world's population and 20 per cent of its gross domestic product.

Modi will visit Myanmar after Xiamen, the ministry said in a statement.

The announcement came a day after China and India agreed to halt a two-month stand-off on the remote Doklam plateau. The dispute began in mid-June when China began building a road in the area where China, India and Bhutan meet.

The face-off has seen China and India mobilizing troops to the area, while the Chinese military staged drills nearby on the Tibetan Plateau and in the Indian Ocean.

As border tensions continued to simmer there had been speculation that Modi might skip the summit in southeastern China. The annual meeting has been attended by the top leaders of the five member nations since it was set up in 2009.

Next week's trip will be Modi's second visit to China as prime minister since he came to power in 2014. His last three-day visit was in May 2015.

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Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., walks down the House steps at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

A Republican congressman from Pennsylvania backed by President Donald Trump will challenge incumbent Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., for his seat next year.

Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., officially announced his bid to unseat Casey, a two-term senator, on Tuesday. In a campaign video, he referenced making "Pennsylvania and America great again" and said that "Pennsylvania deserves better than an obstructionist senator."

Casey is one of several Democrats facing re-election next year in a state that Trump won in 2016, though by only a narrow margin in Pennsylvania's case. Party incumbents in Ohio, West Virginia, Missouri, North Dakota, Indiana and Michigan also will have to fight for seats next year.

The Republican Party currently controls the Senate with 52 seats and has opportunities to add more with a favorable map in 2018. However, Democrats see a chance to perform better than expected as Trump faces a dismal approval rating.

Barletta, 61, has served in the House since 2011. A congressman who takes a hard line on illegal immigration, Barletta supported Trump early in his presidential run. Trump had urged him to run for Senate.

Barletta previously was mayor of the eastern Pennsylvania city of Hazleton. His largely rural 11th congressional district in the central-eastern part of the state contains Hazleton.

Casey, 57, won his last re-election bid in 2012 by about 9 percentage points.

Casey's counterpart, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., won his re-election bid by 1.5 percentage points last year. Trump won the state by less than a percentage point.

In a statement, Pennsylvania Democratic Party spokesman Max Steele called Barletta an "ethically challenged congressman" and said "the commonwealth deserves better" than him. He highlighted Barletta's vote for the American Health Care Act, the House GOP's Obamacare replacement that was expected to lead to millions more Americans uninsured and higher costs for older and poorer Americans.
Earlier, the U.S. 10-year note yield hit a low of 2.086 percent, the lowest level for the 10-year since November 2016 when it yielded as low as 1.9910 percent.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note sat lower at around 2.129 percent at 1:55 p.m. ET, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was lower at 2.738 percent. Bond yields move inversely to prices.

U.S. government debt prices rose on Tuesday, as investors found shelter in safe-haven assets, following news that tensions between North Korea and the West had once again intensified.

In recent weeks, concerns around North Korea have subsided as tensions appeared to have eased between the country and the West.

On Tuesday however, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that a ballistic missile which was fired by North Korea had passed over Japan. Abe has since stated that the missile posed a grave threat to the country of Japan, and that he would ask the United Nations to ramp up the pressure on Pyongyang.

Markets worldwide showed signs of nervousness, with investors turning to safe-haven assets. Futures in the U.S. pointed to a negative open on Tuesday, while markets in Asia and Europe fell deep into the red on the back of the geopolitical news.

Aside from North Korea, domestic politics will be of key importance as President Donald Trump heads to Texas on Tuesday amidst the flooding that is causing chaos in Houston. Investors will also be looking for how the U.S. incumbent will respond to recent reports about his presidency and how he will handle North Korea.

Investors stateside are likely to keep a note of how much of an impact Hurricane Harvey will have on the energy sector, as well as other businesses such as insurance, after several businesses and refineries had to temporarily shut due to the natural disaster.

On the data front, consumer confidence hits 122.9 in August versus expectations of 120.3. The major indicator of consumer optimism rose in July to 121.1, a 16-year high.

The Treasury Department auctioned $28 billion in 7-year notes at a high yield of 1.941 percent. The bid-to-cover ratio, an indicator of demand, was 2.46.

Indirect bidders, which include major central banks, were awarded 68.8 percent. Direct bidders, which includes domestic money managers, bought 16.6 percent.

CNBC's Christine Wang and Christopher Hayes contributed to this report.

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The U.S. needs to turn up the heat on sanctions against North Korea, experts said on Tuesday after the reclusive nation fired a missile that flew over Japan, sharply escalating tensions in the region. "It's long past time to increase sanctions," said Bruce Klingner, a senior research fellow at conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation and a former deputy division chief for Korea at the Central Intelligence Agency. Sung-Yoon Lee, Korean Studies professor at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University concurred that the U.S. can do a lot more to pressure North Korea economically. "It really is counter-intuitive that we don't have stronger sanctions on North Korea than on Iran, but the opposite has been true," Klingner told CNBC's "The Rundown."

More sanctions ahead?

The problem, Lee said, is that the U.S. has not been seeing its sanctions through. "With each major provocation, the temptation to step back and return to negotiations with bigger concessions in tow, that's been the problem so far. That kind of attitude, trying to get North Korea out of the headlines, has led to premature relaxation of sanctions and North Korea has been getting away with virtually murder," Lee said. Pyongyang's latest missile launch came on the back of several short-range missile tests on Saturday into the sea off its east coast as the U.S. and South Korea conducted annual joint military drills. The latest missile test was "designed mostly to demonstrate Pyongyang's opposition to joint military exercises currently being conducted by the U.S. and South Korea," Scott Seaman, director for Asia at consultancy Eurasia Group, said in a note. "It might also have been planned to occur when Pyongyang assumes that Trump's team is preoccupied with Hurricane Harvey," he added.

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Seaman said Pyongyang's defiance will likely spur the U.S. and its allies to expand sanctions on the reclusive regime. Klingner added the U.S. can better engage Chinese banks and businesses to curb trade with North Korea. The Treasury Department earlier in August announced new penalties against 10 entities and six individuals, mostly Chinese and Russian, for providing support to North Korea in ways that aided the rogue state's missile and nuclear weapons programs. The Treasury characterized the targets of its new sanctions as "third-country companies and individuals." Beijing, Klingner said, has been "part of the problem rather than part of the the solution" on North Korean issues. "It has turned a blind eye to North Korea's violations and proliferation occurring on Chinese soil. They certainly would know some of the illicit activity that's occurring in China on behalf of North Korea's prohibited nuclear and missile program," said Klingner.

China likely to give standard refrain

China, however, would probably give a "standard, very angry and upset" refrain on the back of the latest test, said Rodger Baker, vice president of strategic analysis at geopolitical intelligence firm Stratfor.

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North Korea accused the United States on Tuesday of driving the Korean peninsula towards "an extreme level of explosion" and declared that it was justified in responding with "tough counter-measures."

The combative statement came hours North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan's northern Hokkaido island into the sea, drawing a sharp reaction from Japan, the United States, South Korea and other states.

Han Tae Song, North Korea's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, did not explicitly refer to his country's latest test. But he said U.S. "pressure and provocative acts" would only give his country grounds to take unspecified measures.

"It is an undeniable fact that the U.S. is driving the situation of the Korean peninsula towards an extreme level of explosion by deploying huge strategic assets around the peninsula, by conducting a series of nuclear war drills and maintaining nuclear freeze and blackmail for over half a century," Han told the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

Fears have grown over North Korea's development of missiles and nuclear weapons since Pyongyang test-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in July. Those fears worsened after Trump warned that North Korea would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States.

Joint U.S.-South Korea military drills, currently taking place on the peninsula, are part of "long-standing U.S. hostile policy" towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Han said.

"Now that the U.S. has openly declared its hostile intention towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, by waging aggressive joint military exercises despite repeated warnings... my country has every reason to respond with tough counter-measures as an exercise of its right to self defense," Han said.

"And the U.S. should be wholly responsible for the catastrophic consequences it will entail."

U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood, speaking to reporters, said that North Korea's test was "another provocation" and "big concern" to be discussed by the U.N. Security Council later in the day.

"My country and I know a number of other countries are going to continue to demand that North Korea ends these provocative acts and take a different path," Wood told the forum.

The United States has "an iron-clad commitment to its allies," he added.

Both Wood and South Korea's envoy Kim Inchul called for Pyongyang to resume talks on giving up its nuclear arsenal.

"Denuclearization is the only way forward to guarantee security and economic viability instead of continuing with provocations which are unacceptable," Kim said.

Japan's envoy Nobushige Takamizawa condemned the missile test noting it also posed a danger to aviation and navigation.
A would-be suicide bomber was sentenced to seven and a half years prison for plotting to bomb a guard-changing ceremony at Indonesias presidential palace in Jakarta, her lawyer said Monday.

The lawyer, Kamsi, who uses a single name, said that her client Dian Yulia Novi, 28, will give birth within days and doesnt plan to appeal.

Novi was arrested in December after police detected the plot to bomb the ceremony, a popular family attraction in the capital, Jakarta.

She was among four suspected militants that included her husband, Solihin, arrested one day before the planned attack.

A three-judge panel sentenced Novi on Friday immediately after hearing the last presentation from her lawyers, shortening the usual process due to the woman being in the final days of her pregnancy.

She planned to run close to the presidential guards during the ceremony and blow herself up with a pressure cooker bomb, said the presiding judge, Syafrudin Ainor Rafiek, at the East Jakarta District Court. The defendant has been proven guilty of violating the anti-terror law.

Prosecutors had sought a 10-year prison term for Novi, a former migrant worker in Singapore and Taiwan.

Kamsi said that Novi wasnt aware of her pregnancy until several weeks after being arrested.

In a separate trial at the same court, the judges sentenced a second woman, Tutin, to three and a half years in prison for hiding information about the plot from authorities.

Police say Tutin helped to radicalize Novi, encouraged her to become a suicide bomber and introduced Novi to Solihin.

Prosecutors have requested 15 years in prison for Solihin, the alleged leader of a small extremist cell in Central Javas Solo city, and eight years for a fourth suspected militant, Agus Supriadi. Their verdicts are expected in mid-September.

Solihin previously told Indonesian TV that he married Novi as his second wife to facilitate her desire to become a suicide bomber.

Novi said in a television interview after her arrest that she learned about jihad on social media and was influenced by articles written by Aman Abdurrahman, a radical cleric who police last week declared was the key suspect behind a suicide bombing and gun attack that killed eight people in Jakarta last year.

She admitted during her trial that she took orders from Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian with the Islamic State group in Syria accused of orchestrating several attacks in Indonesia. AP
Tokyo-based Nomura said it expects the North Korea tensions to stay controlled, even after the rogue state on Tuesday fired a missile over Japan.

"We see today's provocation as in line with our base case for the [Korean] peninsula  that

tension will remain elevated for some time, but also remain contained," a team of Nomura research analysts said in a Tuesday note led by Hong Kong-based economist Minoru Nogimori.

The analysts cited a Friday report from Alastair Newton, co-founder and director of Nomura geopolitical consultant Alavan Business Advisory, that lowered the probability of war breaking out on the Korean peninsula to about 35 percent from nearly 50 percent.

Number of North Korean provocations

Source: Arms Control Association, Nomura Global Economics

Although Newton said the probability will "almost certainly" fluctuate, none of Nomura's three early warning signals of potential U.S. military action have yet appeared this year.

The signals are: a U.S. government evacuation order to U.S. citizens in South Korea, a large scale U.S. military build-up near the Korean peninsula resembling 1994, and a ramp-up of the U.S. defense readiness condition to level three from level four, the Nomura report said.

Early Tuesday morning local time, or late Monday Eastern time, North Korea fired a ballistic missile that flew for about 2,700 kilometers (1,678 miles), a South Korean military official told NBC News. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the action an unprecedented, serious and significant threat, and President Donald Trump said "all options are on the table" in response to the missile firing.

The missile launch coincided with regular joint military exercises by the U.S. and South Korea.

Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, questioned in a briefing the effectiveness of the exercises and called for "restraint" and dialogue.

News of the missile firing sent global stocks mostly lower and gold higher as investors sold risky assets and turned to safe-haven trades.

The South Korean won fell nearly 0.9 percent against the U.S. dollar, to 1,128 won overnight and was last trading near 1,124 won, according to FactSet.

The iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF (EWY) , which counts Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor among its largest holdings, traded more than 1 percent lower Tuesday morning. EWY is up 28 percent so far this year.

That said, the North Korea nuclear threat is growing more serious.

"Tensions between North Korea and the US have, in our view, reached levels unseen since 1994, when the Clinton administration considered air strikes on North Korea's main nuclear facility at Yongbyon," the Nomura analysts said.

The analysts expect South Korea's economy gross domestic product to grow 2.3 percent in 2018, slightly below the consensus 2.6 percent. Nomura also forecast the South Korean won to weaken about 1.4 percent to 1,140 won versus the U.S. dollar by the end of 2018.
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North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan's northern Hokkaido island into the sea early on Tuesday, prompting warnings to residents to take cover and drawing a sharp reaction from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The test, one of the most provocative ever from the reclusive state, came as U.S. and South Korean forces conduct annual military exercises on the peninsula, angering North Korea which sees them as a preparation for invasion. North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under young leader Kim Jong Un, the most recent on Saturday, in defiance of U.N. sanctions, but firing projectiles over mainland Japan is rare. "North Korea's reckless action is an unprecedented, serious and a grave threat to our nation," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters. Abe said he spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday and they agreed to increase pressure on North Korea. Trump also said the United States was "100 percent with Japan", Abe told reporters. The U.S. disarmament ambassador said Washington still needed to do "further analysis" of the launch, but it will be the subject of a U.N. Security Council meeting later in the day. "It's another provocation by North Korea, they just seem to continue to happen," U.S. envoy Robert Wood told reporters in Geneva. "This is a big concern of course to my government and to a number of other governments," Wood said before a session of the U.N.-sponsored Conference on Disarmament.

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North Korean Ambassador Han Tae Song told the session the United States was driving the Korean peninsula "towards and extreme level of explosion" by deploying strategic assets and conducting nuclear war drills. In China, North Korea's lone major ally, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the crisis was "approaching a critical juncture", but it was also maybe a turning point to open the door to peace talks. South Korea's military said the missile was launched from near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, just before 6 a.m. (2100 GMT Monday) and flew 2,700 km (1,680 miles), reaching an altitude of about 550 km (340 miles). Four South Korean fighter jets bombed a military firing range on Tuesday after President Moon Jae-in asked the military to demonstrate capabilities to counter North Korea. South Korea and the United States had discussed deploying additional "strategic assets" on the Korean peninsula, the presidential Blue House said in a statement, without giving more details. North Korea remained defiant. "The U.S. should know that it can neither browbeat the DPRK with any economic sanctions and military threats and blackmail nor make the DPRK flinch from the road chosen by itself," North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun said, using the initials of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Loudspeaker warnings

Global markets reacted to the escalation in tension, buying safe-haven assets such as gold, the Swiss franc and even the Japanese yen on expectation domestic investors would bring large amounts of currency home in times of uncertainty. Stocks fell, with Japan's Nikkei 225 index closing down half a percent, and South Korea's KOSPI index 0.25 percent lower. Some experts said the test appeared to have been of a recently developed intermediate-range Hwasong-12 missile, but there was no clear consensus. This month, North Korea threatened to fire four missiles into the sea near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam after Trump said it would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States. "Alas, Pyongyang has demonstrated that its threats to the U.S. base on Guam are not a bluff," Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of Russia's upper house of parliament's international affairs committee, said on social media. North Korea fired what it said was a rocket carrying a communications satellite into orbit over Japan in 2009 after warning of its plan. The United States, Japan, and South Korea considered it a ballistic missile test. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the latest missile fell into the sea 1,180 km (735 miles) east of Cape Erimo on Hokkaido. Television and radio broadcasters broke into their regular programming with a "J-Alert" warning citizens of the missile launch. Bullet train services were temporarily halted and warnings went out over loudspeakers in towns in Hokkaido. "I was woken by the missile alert on my cellphone," said Ayaka Nishijima, 41, an office worker on Honshu island. "I didn't feel prepared at all. Even if we get these alerts there's nowhere to run. It's not like we have a basement or bomb shelter, all we can do is get away from the window," she told Reuters by text message. This month, the 15-member U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea in response to two long-range missile launches in July.

Path to dialogue?

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appeared to make a peace overture to North Korea last week, welcoming what he called the restraint it had shown by not conducting any tests since July. The United States has said all options, including military, are on the table, although its preference is for a diplomatic solution. Some experts said Kim was trying to pressure Washington to the negotiating table with the latest tests.

KCNA
Internet users who believe their (real) lives in the physical world will be shielded from online behavior are mistaken, cybersecurity experts say.

"The notion that there's this world on the internet and then there's real life, and that these are two separate things is simply not true anymore," says Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which promotes free speech online.

And believing otherwise can have grave consequences, especially for political activists, human rights advocates or others who express opinions online that prove unpopular or controversial.

Galperin told a recent cybersecurity forum in San Francisco that a belief one can stay anonymous on the internet is "one of the core conceits" of our age.

Anonymity in the digital world -- if it ever existed at all -- has largely been eliminated, Galperin and others say, by a combination of technology and online behavior.

That includes the pervasiveness of tracking and surveillance software and the global proliferation of malware produced not just by individual hackers but by nation-states and organized criminals.

Just as important is the sheer number of devices now accessible over the Internet.

In February, the research firm Gartner predicted that 8.4 billion "things" would be linked online this year. That's a rise of 31% from 2016.

More devices mean more targets.

"We see 120 million attacks every day," or almost 1,400 per second, says Vincent Steckler, CEO of Avast, a private security-software company based in the Czech Republic with 65 million U.S. users.
Qatar's central bank governor Sheikh Abdullah bin Saud al-Thani attends a meeting with other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) central bank chiefs in Kuwait City on March 24, 2010. GCC central bank chiefs are meeting to discuss progress towards regional monetary union.

Qatar's lenders are quite capable of withstanding the conditions imposed by the Saudi-led boycott despite the country's , central bank governor Sheikh Abdullah bin Saud al-Thani said on Tuesday.

Fitch downgraded the Gulf state's sovereign long-term debt rating by one notch to AA-minus on Monday, with the two other major rating agencies  Moody's and Standard & Poor's.

Fitch also forecast a negative outlook for Qatar, adding the country did not appear close to reaching a diplomatic solution with four of its Gulf neighbors.

Sheikh Abdullah argued "abnormal" geopolitical events in the region had likely prompted the rating agency's decision but the central bank believed its classification would change back in the "very near future", according to a statement on its website.

, Standard & Poor's rating agency slashed its credit rating for Qatar after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt all severed diplomatic relations and transport routes with Doha.

The four countries accuse Qatar of destabilizing the region by backing terrorism, a charge it denies.
Chinas National Peoples Congress (NPC) Standing Committee yesterday continued its review of the draft laws on the national anthem, suggesting the inclusion of the national anthem in the textbooks of both primary and middle schools, according to Xinhua.

Previously, Sonia Chan, the Secretary for Administration and Justice said that it is mandatory for Macau to implement Chinas national anthem laws.

I think that if a national anthem law is proposed in the future, then it is mandatory that it be implemented in Macau as a national law, said Chan.

Last year, the local government also announced that it had reached a consensus with mainland authorities to produce standardized textbooks, particularly for the study of history.

The NPC further suggested yesterday that the anthem should be regarded as important content by primary and middle schools within the curriculum of patriotic education.

Moreover, it says schools should organize students to sing the anthem, as well as teach them to understand the history and spiritual connotation of it.

Earlier, Qiao Xiaoyang, a member of the Standing Committee of the NPC, also pointed out that the anthem law will be listed in Annex III of the Basic Law in both Hong Kong and Macau.

Qiao said that, in Hong Kong and Macau, any legal articles which can reflect the state sovereignty, and any territorial integrity, national flag, national symbol, and national diplomacy which reflect one country, should all be included in the Basic Laws annex.

According to Sonia Chan and to Qiao Xiaoyangs previous response, the national anthem should also be featured in Macaus primary and middle school textbooks in case the anthem law is eventually established in Mainland China.

The latest draft suggests a maximum of 15 days of detention, or a warning issued by the police authority, if anybody changes the anthems lyrics or dishonors it while it is playing or being sung.

The draft made it clear that the anthem should not be used in commercials. The draft also bans using the anthem in private funerals or on other occasions deemed unsuitable by authorities.

People attending events where the anthem is being played or sung should behave solemnly and must not display any behavior that disrespects the anthem. (More on p11) JZ
Small-business hiring showed a slowdown for the sixth consecutive month in August but hourly earnings continue to gain momentum, a report from human resources firm Paychex said Tuesday.

The Small Business Jobs Index declined 0.02 percent from last month and 0.74 percent from a year earlier. Small-business wages continue to rise, reaching a 3 percent, or 76 cents, annual growth rate in August and a 3.27 percent three-month annualized growth rate, Paychex said.

(Source: Paychex)

"There was little change in August, signifying the index's dip below 100 in July was not a fluke," said James Diffley, chief regional economist at IHS Markit. "Earnings continued to accelerate, with the growth rate now up 3.00 percent from a year ago."

Paychex said national hourly earnings in August were $25.98, a 7-cent increase from July.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last month that nonfarm payrolls grew more than expected, but the closely watched wage number was unchanged from previous months.

(Source: Paychex)

Tennessee remains the top-ranked state for small-business job growth, the report said, while Arizona ranks first in annual hourly earnings growth. Dallas widened its lead as the country's top metro area for small-business jobs, Paychex said.

The Paychex report comes three days before the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its closely watched employment data for August.
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Target is struggling mightily to compete with Amazon in retail, but it's finding other ways to fight back. The discount retailer is scaling back its use of Amazon Web Services, according to sources familiar with the matter, as the company aims to take greater control over its infrastructure and stop financing its chief rival. Amazon's purchase of Whole Foods is the latest sign of how deep the e-commerce giant is moving into all forms of retail. Microsoft Azure is among the rival cloud vendors vying to nab Target's cloud business, said the sources, who asked not to be named because the plans are confidential. Google and Oracle are also beefing up their cloud offerings. Like all big box stores, Target is being trounced by Amazon, which is selling more items for cheaper and delivering them faster. Target's annual revenue is lower than it was five years ago --though the company has sold off its credit card business and pharmacy division during that stretch -- and the stock has lost 23 percent of its market value in the past 12 months. On Monday, Amazon finalized its $13.7 billion purchase of Whole Foods and instantly cut prices in stores by more than 30 percent on organic fruit and meat. From electronics and household goods to toiletries and groceries, Amazon is expanding its inventory.

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While there's little Target can do to impede Amazon's dominance in retail, the emergence of other cloud providers at least allows the company to spend its computing and storage dollars elsewhere. According to one source, Target is planning to aggressively move e-commerce activities, mobile development and operations away from AWS through the end of the year and probably into 2018. A Target spokesperson said the company doesn't discuss details of its vendor relationships, but added that "we currently use multiple cloud service providers and will continue to do so." An Amazon representative declined to comment. Target hinted at its plans in October, when the company said it adopted an open-source system called Spinnaker that Netflix built to enable developer teams to customize their clouds. One key component is that "Spinnaker was built to work with multiple public clouds versus just one," Target said in a post on its website. Target isn't the only large retailer taking aim at AWS. The Wall Street Journal reported in June that Wal-Mart was telling its tech vendors not to run applications on Amazon's cloud and that for its own infrastructure the company uses a combination of on-premise servers and services provided by Microsoft and others. "If I'm running Azure or Google, I'd go right after those guys," said John Vrionis, a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners who backs infrastructure start-ups. "I'm sure they could package a compelling migration plan and those are segments are probably most thirsty for that." Still, AWS has yet to see any mass exodus. In the second quarter, AWS controlled 34 percent of the cloud infrastructure market, topping Microsoft, IBM and Google combined, according to Synergy Research Group. Brands and stores including Brooks Brothers, Nordstrom , Nike, Under Armour and Lululemon are all AWS customers, though sources say that many retailers are considering other cloud providers.

Target isn't talking publicly about where it will host its data and apps, but the company isn't hiding its efforts to invest in software development. Since Mike McNamara, chief information and digital officer, joined in 2015, Target has hired more than 1,000 engineers and has prioritized bringing technical talent in-house, rather than outsourcing it. Of the 95 openings for technology positions on Target's website, about 80 percent were listed since the beginning of July. In the past week, jobs have opened up for senior database engineers and experts in open-source tools like Node.js and Cassandra. All of the seven positions that require experience in cloud infrastructure call for expertise in some combination of AWS, Azure, Google or other offerings. Digital commerce is one area where Target is seeing improved results. In 2013, the company introduced Cartwheel, a mobile discounts app that has become a popular way to shop and was just integrated with the core Target app. According to research advisory Gordon Haskett, the number of Cartwheel users increased 50 percent in 2016, and the firm predicted that the combination with the Target app will drive even more business. "Once complete, the consumer will be able to make their lists, find items in stores, take advantage of great offers, and pay for their orders, all from within a single app," the firm wrote in a report on May 8. Updates with comment from Target spokesperson and to say that the company sold off two businesses in the past five years. --CNBC's Eugene Kim contributed to this report.

WATCH: Big-box stock wars
Most feel-good stories come and go. Somebody does something wildly creative or uncommonly kind. Maybe both. We're impressed, but seldom do we hear about long term consequences. (When there's a follow-up, it's often because the tale turns out to be phony or it has a bitter conclusion.) Yet once in a while, stories just keep getting better and better. This is one of them. More from Michael Wheeler:

Are you ready to burn some bridges?

How to shut down an interrupter. Finally!

What you should learn from Shark Tank Two summers ago I wrote here about Dan Price, a Seattle-based entrepreneur who set $70,000 as the minimum wage for each one of his employees. The post drew half a million views, the highest any of my fifty-plus posts has received. Most commentators applauded, but a few were critical. Several people called Price's action "socialistic." That reaction struck me as weird, as Price was acting privately as the majority owner of his small credit card processing company, Gravity Payments. There was no government involvement at all.

Then a year ago, I wrote an update to report how things were going for Price and his company. There had been bumps in the road, notably a dispute with his brother who also held some Gravity stock. Two experienced employees quit, because their raises weren't as big as those for people lower on the scale. A few customers cut their ties, as well. The upside, though, was far greater. The publicity landed Price many new customers. Revenue and profits went way up, plus Price was flooded with thousands of applications from talented job candidates. Another year has passed, so now it's time to check in again. The news continues to be strongly positive on two different fronts. On the business side revenue continues to grow, as the company has rapidly expanded its customer base. The number of employees has climbed by 40 percent. I recently asked Ryan Pirkle, Gravity's head of marketing, how it is that they prosper, in spite of their higher labor costs. "We don't compete solely on price," he said, (though they charge significantly less than the industry average.)

NBC | Getty Images

"We're old school," says Pirkle. "No robots. No telephone trees. Instead, real people are our infrastructure." The key to the company's success is a dedicated, engaged support team. When one of their customersa restaurant, let's sayis having credit card problems on a busy Friday night, its manager will talk directly with a knowledgeable Gravity person who can solve their problem. In the long run, it's not just a matter of landing more customers. Keeping them is the critical factor. And Gravity's retention rates are very high. The news is also positive in another way. Price didn't set out to change the world. He and his colleagues understand that other businesses already operate on the margin, especially mom-and-pop operations. Nevertheless other companies are taking note. Earlier this year, Forbes featured an interview with Megan Driscoll, CEO of Pharmalogics Recruiting. After hearing Dan Price speak, she was inspired her to bump the starting base pay of her employees by 33 percent. When Driscoll put her plan into effect in January 2016, her business had $6.7 million in revenue and 46 employees. Now the staff is 72 and she anticipates revenues of $15 million this year. Driscoll can point to metrics that show that her people are working harder and smarter than before. After the pay raise, for example, there was a 32 percent increase in the number of qualified candidates her recruiters generated for clients. And the company's own retention rate jumped from 40 to 84 percent. (Here's a link to a montage of Pharmalogics video clips that includes comments by Driscoll and her employeesplus a surprise visit from Price.) Others are experimenting with alternative forms of compensation to foster productivity. Stephen Aarstol, CEO of Tower Paddleboards, felt he couldn't finance a pay raise, but he boldly cut the work day of his employees down to five hours. As a result, their focus and engagement skyrocketedand with that, so did his business. Mark Cuban calls his own funding of Aarstol's business "one of my best Shark Tank investments."
"The fire and fury policy of the president has, in a sense, crashed and burned. This is not a policy that's working," said Rubin, a former deputy assistant secretary of state in the Obama administration.

The latest missile firing by North Korea is a clear sign that the U.S. policy for dealing with Pyongyang isn't working, national security and foreign policy strategist Joel Rubin told CNBC on Tuesday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un guides a target-striking contest of the special operation forces of the Korean People's Army to occupy islands in Pyongyang on Aug. 25, 2017.

He said the United States' allies do not have the confidence the U.S. has a real strategy to prevent North Korea from continuing to provoke nations and expand its nuclear and missile programs.

"We really need to get into the diplomatic track more aggressively than we have been so far," he said in an interview with "Closing Bell."

While the U.S. has said it prefers a diplomatic solution, Trump has previously left the door open for all options. Earlier this month, the president promised "fire and fury like the world has never seen" if North Korea continued to threaten the U.S. and its allies.

Rubin said North Korea was testing the limits with its latest move.

"This is North Korea doing what North Korea often does. However, what's different this time is that they have technical capacity that many analysts did not think they were going to achieve so quickly."

He called the policy of the last 15 years "failed" and said there needs to be a broader diplomatic policy than just asking China to intervene.

John Merrill, former chief of the Northeast Asia division of the bureau of intelligence and research at the State Department, said North Korea is getting frustrated with U.S. policy, which is based entirely on sanctions.

"People sometimes forget that sanctions carried to an extreme can sometimes get us into real trouble," he told "Closing Bell," pointing to the oil and scrap metal embargo on Japan in the early 1940s.

"When they felt that their economy was being choked they responded with a military attack on Pearl Harbor. So that's the danger with sanctions, they can be carried too far," he said.

 CNBC's Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report.
Protestors confront a convoy of Missouri National Guard humvees as they drive near the Ferguson police station on November 25, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. Getty Images

What Obama's restrictions did

On a technical level, the Obama administration changes restricted and, in some cases, banned the use of certain kinds of military equipment. The gear, from special guns to grenade launchers to armored vehicles, was available through a variety of programs by the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security  originally to help combat drug cartels and terrorists, but now widely used in standard police operations, even protest responses. Here is a list of the banned gear (see graphic here). And here is a list of the restricted equipment, which under the Obama rules had more requirements  training, data collection, and approval from local officials  for police to obtain (see graphic here). Even with the restrictions in place, it remained fairly easy for police to obtain the weapons. Earlier this year, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced it had obtained roughly $1.2 million in military equipment by setting up a sham police department with a bogus website and physical address. As Zina Merritt of the GAO explained to the Marshall Project and Wired, "They never did any verification, like visit our 'location,' and most of it was by email. It was like getting stuff off of Ebay." On a more practical level, the Obama rules weren't just about which gear is available and how it's obtained. As Radley Balko, a journalist and author of Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America's Police Forces, explained on Twitter, the restrictions were about shifting how both the police and public perceive the role of law enforcement. @radleybalko: Reversing the Obama restrictions on military gear for cops isn't about protecting police. The restrictions were important, but more about /1 "The Obama  restrictions were about telling both cops and the communities they serve: The police are public servants, not an occupying force," Balko wrote. "They're there to protect and serve, not to harass and intimidate. It was a modest attempt to address the 'us vs. them' mentality." Indeed, the Obama administration suggested as much through a 2015 report put out by its task force on policing. It emphasized "minimizing the appearance of a military operation" and "avoiding provocative tactics." Task force member Susan Rahr noted: In 2012, we began asking the question, "Why are we training police officers like soldiers?" Although police officers wear uniforms and carry weapons, the similarity ends there. The missions and rules of engagement are completely different. The soldier's mission is that of a warrior: to conquer. The rules of engagement are decided before the battle. The police officer's mission is that of a guardian: to protect. The rules of engagement evolve as the incident unfolds. Soldiers must follow orders. Police officers must make independent decisions. Soldiers come into communities as an outside, occupying force. Guardians are members of the community, protecting from within. The task force wanted the Obama administration to draw a clear line between police's "guardian" role and the military's "warrior" role. The administration figured that one way to do that was by making it more difficult for police to obtain weapons that are seen by the public as tools of warriors instead of guardians.

Why Trump and Sessions are doing this

The Trump administration obviously disagrees, focusing on arguments that not letting the police obtain military weapons makes their jobs more dangerous. They claim that police need the gear to combat criminals, such as drug cartels and terrorists, who can be just as heavily armed. But this is also part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to unleash the policethrough a 1980s-style "tough on crime" framework. Earlier this year, for example, Sessions's Justice Department pulled back investigations of local and state police forces. The Obama administration aggressively pursued the investigations, finding that police departments often discriminated against minority residents and using the findings to push for reforms. Without these investigations, the federal government isn't going to have as much of a role in ending police misconduct and discriminatory practices. But Sessions, who admitted in February that he hadn't even read the full reports from previous federal investigations into Chicago and Ferguson police, argued that the investigations created a chilling effect among police: By shining a bright spotlight on law enforcement, the investigations led cops to fear that they might be caught inadvertently doing something wrong  and such concerns led police to pull back from proactive tactics and other "tough on crime" policies that, from Sessions's perspective, keep communities safe. To Sessions, then, the primary worry isn't whether police are breaking the law; it's whether police are doing everything in their power to stop lawbreaking from others. In a speech given on the 99th day of the Trump administration, Sessions said as much: "I have directed our department to develop strategies to support the thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country that seek to prevent crime and protect the public. And I have made clear that this Department of Justice will not sign consent decrees that will cost more lives by handcuffing the police instead of criminals and stopping lawful police procedures that have been proven to reduce crime." Trump, for his part, has endorsed this view. He ran on a 1980s-style "tough on crime" campaign in which he said police should be far more aggressive than they are today, particularly by using the controversial "stop and frisk" strategy that a court struck down in New York City because it was used to target minority Americans. Sometimes the Trump administration's rhetoric defies reality. In April, Sessions's Justice Department argued that "New York City continues to see gang murder after gang murder, the predictable consequence of the city's 'soft on crime' stance." This has been a common criticism among the right after a court ended the unconstitutional implementation of stop and frisk. Yet following the end of stop and frisk, New York City's crime rate fell to historic lows  suggesting that such aggressive tactics aren't needed to keep communities safe. Still, the overwhelming concern for the Trump administration is restraining police in any way  which, in their view, will lead to more crime.

Police need to repair community relations to do their jobs
"Goldman has thrived by hiring strong individuals with very different backgrounds and putting them together on a team," Lloyd Blankfein, the chief executive of Goldman Sachs, said in an email. "Gary and Steven are both steeped in that tradition from their years working side by side on the trading floor  not a bad training ground for the pressure cooker that is Washington."

For Mr. Cohn and Mr. Mnuchin, quiet competitors since their days as new partners at Goldman Sachs more than two decades ago, the task is a consequential test of whether real-world experience in finance has equipped them to carry out a delicate political negotiation, and whether two Jewish New Yorkers who have been lavish supporters of Democrats can succeed in Mr. Trump's Washington.

Already, their ambitions have drifted from the president's original mark: A 15 percent corporate tax rate proposed in April is now likely to move to the 20 to 25 percent range, say two people familiar with the officials' recent thinking. And a proposed 35 percent ceiling on the highest personal income tax rate could be shelved altogether, leaving the current 39.6 percent cap intact.

"They are facing big frustration among policy makers, the business community and investors that there's been months of inaction, and the perception out there among investors is they don't think this is going to get this done this year," said Stephen Moore, a Heritage Foundation economist who advised Mr. Trump during the campaign.

Mr. Trump hopes to jump-start the process on Wednesday, traveling to Springfield, Mo., for a speech calling for large tax reductions and a long-anticipated revamping of the code. But he has largely left it to Mr. Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council, and Mr. Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, both new to government, to devise and execute a winning legislative strategy. And their involvement has some conservatives for whom tax cuts are a signal issue deeply concerned.

WASHINGTON  Gary D. Cohn and Steven Mnuchin have spent months behind closed doors with Republican congressional leaders sketching the contours of an elaborate and politically difficult tax overhaul that is President Trump's top priority.

Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury secretary, speaks as Gary Cohn, director of the U.S. National Economic Council, left, listens during the White House press briefing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, April 26, 2017.

Mr. Cohn  who wears monogrammed shirts, gold cuff links and a Rolex watch next to a brown leather bracelet with a "peace" tag and a black beaded one with silver skulls  has brought a brash style and a take-no-prisoners approach to the tax issue. He is facile with data and has a keen understanding of the economy, according to people who have attended meetings with him, and he moved quickly to hire several experienced and well-connected aides  including Jeremy Katz, his deputy, and Shahira Knight, a former tax-writing congressional aide  who have been drivers in the private talks with Congress.

But Mr. Cohn has also rankled lawmakers in both parties with comments that they suggest betray a lack of understanding about the political process and the intricate policy trade-offs that undergird a large tax rewrite. In a meeting with a group of Senate Democrats this year, according to people who were present, Mr. Cohn jokingly dismissed concerns about the wisdom and cost of repealing the estate tax, remarking, "Only morons pay the estate tax."

A source close to Mr. Cohn denied that he had used the word, saying he had been referring to "rich people with really bad tax planning."

Mr. Mnuchin, bespectacled and crisply formal in his slim-cut business suits, is more reserved and careful than Mr. Cohn. A quick study on economic policy matters, he talks frequently about his level of access to the president and the strength of their relationship, making it clear to members of Congress as well as tax lobbyists that he has Mr. Trump's ear and is speaking for him on the tax plan. Mr. Mnuchin has been deferential to lawmakers, indulging House Republicans for weeks in talks about their idea of imposing a 20 percent border adjustment tax even after it became clear that the idea did not have enough support to be included in the plan.

"Gary is pretty direct  he's come to the whip team meeting and he's probably less politically correct, and I use that in a loving way," said Representative Pat Tiberi, Republican of Ohio and a member of the Ways and Means Committee. "The secretary is more correct. They complement one another."

Early in their respective roles on Trump's team, the two appeared to be jockeying for position in what one person who observed the dynamics described as an "unholy alliance."

During the transition, Mr. Mnuchin made a surprise visit to Mr. Cohn's job interview with Mr. Trump, greeting Mr. Cohn in the 26th-floor lobby of Trump Tower in Manhattan to escort him to the president-elect.

In meetings early this year before Mr. Mnuchin was confirmed, Mr. Cohn told key lawmakers that he would be leading the tax effort for the administration as the chief architect of Mr. Trump's economic policies, according to several people familiar with the conversations who spoke about them on the condition of anonymity. Mr. Mnuchin appeared "zen" when he learned of the meetings, said one person who was aware of the tension, assuring staff members that Mr. Cohn, whose job does not require Senate confirmation, was doing the right thing.

"They are working together," Mr. Moore said of Mr. Cohn and Mr. Mnuchin. "But there's no question they're competitors."

Their differences extend beyond style or policy. After the racially charged violence at a neo-Nazi and white supremacist march this month in Charlottesville, Va., the two men had vastly different reactions to the president's equivocating response. Mr. Cohn condemned the administration's approach in a newspaper interview, letting it be known that he considered resigning over the issue, while Mr. Mnuchin vigorously defended Mr. Trump, saying he never dreamed of quitting.

Mr. Cohn and Mr. Mnuchin declined to be interviewed for this story.

Aides to both deny any ill will or any attempt at one-upsmanship, describing any friction as a result of stylistic differences. And the two men have been virtually inseparable while working on the tax rewrite, talking at least once a day, dining together more than once a month at such popular Washington spots as Rasika and the Trump International Hotel, and keeping a singular focus on achieving the biggest tax cut possible in line with Mr. Trump's desires. Mr. Cohn was invited to Mr. Mnuchin's recent wedding to the actress Louise Linton, said a person who was aware of the invitation, although he did not attend.

The men have tried to avoid the mistakes that plagued the collapsed effort to repeal and replace the health care law, placing a premium on communicating with key members of Congress and finding a common approach to which the White House and Republican lawmakers could agree.

"I credit Secretary Mnuchin and Director Cohn for playing a key role in the work we have done to unify behind bold principles for tax reform, which really wasn't the case in health care," said Representative Kevin Brady of Texas, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.

They recently intensified their efforts to present a united front. Last week, Tony E. Sayegh Jr., a top public affairs official at Treasury, was detailed to the West Wing to work with Hope Hicks, the interim White House communications director, on messaging for the tax push.

"This is an administration where everyone is celebrating Festivus every day and airing grievances, and there's none of that here," said Rohit Kumar, a tax specialist at the accounting firm PwC and a former deputy chief of staff to Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader.

Still, Mr. Cohn and Mr. Mnuchin have yet to produce the kind of comprehensive plan Mr. Trump has promised. A hastily compiled one-page document they presented in April proposing an array of tax cut bullet points in different fonts and type styles drew private ridicule from lawmakers in both parties and tax specialists throughout Washington as the mark of an administration wholly unprepared for the heavy legislative lift it was about to undertake.
Russias economy minister, a rising star in Kremlin politics, said yesterday that his country is no longer suffering from U.S. and EU sanctions, and sees better prospects for future trade in Asia instead.

Maxim Oreshkin told The Associated Press that the Russian economy is on track to grow at least 2 percent this year  a first after 2014, when the economy sank into recession driven by sinking oil prices and sanctions over the Kremlins actions in Ukraine.

Oreshkin slammed new U.S. sanctions imposed last month as interfering with European trade, but shrugged off the economic impact of the measures, saying that Russias trade with the U.S. remains much much smaller than with European and Asian partners.

He wouldnt comment on widespread Russian disappointment that the Trump administration hasnt been as friendly toward Moscow as many expected, and instead stressed that his country has turned the corner after the recessions blow thanks to domestic reforms.

There was a negative effect, it was a big one, but it is already behind us. [] Of course without sanctions it will be even better, he said in an interview in Paris after meeting with French energy, pharmaceutical and other executives active in Russia  who are also eager for sanctions to be lifted.

Oreshkin said Russias government is building budgets based on the assumptions that the European and American sanctions will remain in place, and we should concentrate on what we are doing domestically, on what reforms are working and what are still needed.

After unusually strong second-quarter economic growth of 2.5 percent, he forecast roughly the same pace through the end of the year, and overall growth of 2 percent or 2.1 percent for the year. However, the Russian economy remains heavily dependent on oil and gas, and efforts to diversify have lagged.

As western sanctions reach into their fourth year, Russia is turning toward Asian markets, where Oreshkin has a string of upcoming visits.

While the EU was once Russias No. 1 trade partner and remains a key player, he said, these days China is taking the first place in this competition.

We see more willingness on the Asian side to work with us. We are working with those who want to work with us, he said.

Oreshkin, 35, rose quickly in government and has heightened the profile of his ministry since being named earlier this year. Asked about Russian media speculation that he could be a potential future prime minister, he said only: I have a lot of work to do on my current job  I prefer to do what I have to do.

Oreshkin welcomed more openness from French President Emmanuel Macron than his predecessor toward Russia, and said the pace of high-level political and economic meetings has increased since Macrons May election.

In a diplomatic speech yesterday, Macron said its important to keep dialogue open with Russia, but has insisted on seeing more progress on peace in Ukraine before sanctions could be lifted.

Macron has made the fight against Islamic terrorism in Syria and Iraq the top priority in his foreign policy agenda.

Speaking to French diplomats gathered at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Macron called the Islamic State group our enemy.

Restoring peace and stability  Iraq then Syria  is vital priority for France, he said.

He proposed creating a new contact group including the other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council to help handle negotiations with Syria. He didnt give more details about the exact role and composition of this group, saying the main players of the Syrian crisis would be involved.

The group will first meet at the United Nations in New York next month. Angela Charlton, Paris, AP
In private and sometimes in public, Travis Kalanick was fond of describing Uber, the car-hailing service he co-founded and commanded absolutely, as the Amazon of the transportation business.

The similarities were clear. Amazon began as an online bookstore, but it was never just about selling books; over two decades, Amazon's founder, Jeff Bezos, methodically expanded his company's range, operational infrastructure and ambitions to ultimately pose an existential threat to the entire retail industry.

Uber, in Mr. Kalanick's expansive vision, was similarly never just about hailing rides. To him, a taxi-like car service has always been a gateway for a business model that he believed would upend the entire trillion-dollar global transportation industry, altering the way people and things move around the world  and turning Uber into one of the handful of American tech giants that will lord over this century.

More from the New York Times:

That vision now lies in the hands of Dara Khosrowshahi, the longtime chief executive of the online travel company , whom Uber on Sunday picked to replace Mr. Kalanick. Mr. Khosrowshahi faces one primary question in that role that has everything to do with ambition: Will the company still aim to become the Amazon of transportation, or will it settle for being the Expedia of its market  one of the largest of several players in its industry, but not expansionist and messianic, hellbent on becoming the next great American technology behemoth?

Mr. Khosrowshahi is a cipher in Silicon Valley. Much about the future of transportation, as well as the start-up scene in Silicon Valley, rides on his still unknown plans. Expedia declined to comment and Uber did not return a request for comment.

But Mr. Khosrowshahi's past at Expedia sheds some light on his temperament. He has had a largely successful run there, and appears to be a patient operator who can fix an ailing company.

His tenure also suggests a very different outlook from Mr. Kalanick's. In one of the biggest misses of Expedia's history, Mr. Khosrowshahi appeared wary of taking a big, potentially lucrative risk on a groundbreaking new idea in his industry  and he came out the loser. To his credit, he helped steer Expedia to adjust from that mistake. But his initial impulse may suggest a more risk-averse mindset than Mr. Kalanick's  though that, of course, may be just what Uber needs now.

The story of Expedia's big early miss is well-known in the online travel industry. Expedia was one of the pioneers of online travel bookings. The company was created by a team at Microsoft in 1996 and later merged with properties at the media company IAC, then spun off as an independent public company in 2005, with Mr. Khosrowshahi as C.E.O.

Its hotel booking business grew out of an acquisition that Mr. Khosrowshahi made while he was an executive at IAC in the late 1990s, and for several years, it looked unstoppable and deliciously lucrative.

Expedia then operated according to what's known as the "merchant model." Under this system, when you booked a hotel, you would pay up front to Expedia, which would take a profitable cut of the deal and buy the room on your behalf. Expedia's margins were startling  the company got 25 percent or more of what you paid for the room.

But there was a great disrupter on the horizon. As Dennis Schaal, who covers the online travel industry at the travel-news site Skift, has reported, in the mid-2000s a small Amsterdam-based site called Booking.com set about turning the merchant model on its head.

Instead of taking a large cut of the room, Booking.com used what is known as the "agency model." The site let hotels set their own far smaller commissions  as low as 12 percent. And it also let hotel guests pay when they got to the hotel rather than up front.

Mr. Khosrowshahi and his team considered buying Booking.com, but as he explained to Mr. Schaal in 2014, Expedia was too fixed in its ways, and could not tolerate Booking's lower margins.

"I think it was because we were attached to the merchant model and we were attached to high margins at the time," he told Mr. Schaal. "And I think in hindsight that blinded us."

It was a costly mistake. Expedia's biggest competitor, Priceline, swooped in to buy Booking.com  and turned it into a monster.

Under Priceline, Booking.com quickly became the largest hotel booking site in the world, because its cheaper model created a dynamic that Mr. Khosrowshahi and others at Expedia had not anticipated. It lowered prices and vastly expanded the number of hotels participating on the site  making Booking.com very popular with hotel-seekers, and making it impossible for hotels to pass up.

Ben Thompson, who writes the tech newsletter Stratechery, argued in his Monday edition that Mr. Khosrowshahi deserves credit for recognizing the mistake and working to repair it. Expedia began delving into the agency model and now runs something of a hybrid approach, and in recent years its growth rate has been catching up to Priceline's.

This history, Mr. Thompson wrote, might inform how Mr. Khosrowshahi approaches Uber. In the same way that Booking.com became popular with hotel guests because it had the largest inventory of hotels, Mr. Khosrowshahi might understand Uber's secret is its popularity with riders.

"In fact, what makes Uber so valuable  and still so attractive, despite all of the recent troubles  is its position with riders," Mr. Thompson wrote. "The more riders Uber has, the more drivers it will attract, even if the economics are worse relative to other services: driving at a worse rate is better than not driving at a better one."

This sounds reasonable enough. Yet I still found myself fixated on Mr. Khosrowshahi's initial dismissal of Booking.com. I suspect that if you told Mr. Kalanick, not to mention Mr. Bezos, that there was a competitor out there that had figured out a way to sell the same product at a vastly lower price, they would have moved instantly to purchase or copy it, regardless of the risks to short-term profits. Sacrificing lots of money today for a potentially huge share of the market in the future  that's classic Mr. Bezos, and then classic Mr. Kalanick.

In fact, that's pretty much what Mr. Kalanick did when he created UberX, a cheaper version of his original black-car service, in response to lower-priced entrants like Lyft.

That Mr. Khosrowshahi did not do that suggests he has a very different appetite for risk. It also suggests he may seek to turn Uber into a more normal, slower, less intense, less globe-swallowing company  but perhaps also a better company to work for, and one that may begin making money instead of losing it.

For everyone who's had enough of Uber's drama lately, that may be a fine trade.
The financial offices of banks in the financial district of Canary Wharf, are pictured from Greenwich Park in London on January 17, 2017. Ben Stansall | AFP | Getty Images

British listed companies will soon have to reveal and justify the difference in pay between their chief executive and their average employee, under new reforms aimed at tackling excessive boardroom pay. Public businesses where more than one-fifth of shareholders are opposed to the salaries of board members will then be named and shamed on a public register, according to new government measures to be published Friday. Britain's business secretary Greg Clark said the rules would make companies "more accountable to their employees and shareholders," yet critics have insisted that the plans have been watered down.

The Prime Minister, Theresa May, is pictured while speaks to the media at Downing Street, following the Manchester terror attack, London on May 23, 2017. Alberto Pezzali | NurPhoto | Getty Images

British Prime Minister Theresa May announced an offensive against the "unacceptable face of capitalism" when she came into power last July, and pledged to do more to shrink pay differentials between senior executives and their staff. However, Tuesday's reforms strip back earlier plans to put workers on board and give shareholders binding votes. The final guidelines will see companies given a choice between assigning a non-executive director to represent staff, creating an employee advisory council, or nominating a director from the workforce. This means that companies will no longer by obliged to give employees a direct seat on their board. Britain's shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said that the changes were an example of the incumbent Conservative party's tendency to back big business.

Klaus Vedfelt | Getty Images
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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will provide an update on Hurricane Harvey's damage Tuesday morning, as well as on ongoing rescue and relief efforts.

Roughly 280,000 people remain without power along the Texas's coast and in the Houston area on Monday, according to reported outages by the state's investor-owned utilities.

With the Buffalo Bayou river surging, floodwaters rose a dozen feet or more in some places near downtown Houston.
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
A small but growing army of often elderly men and women regularly swing South Korean banners and scream outrage at the jailing of a woman they consider their spiritual mother: disgraced former President Park Geun-hye.

They lash out against politicians, judges and a government they never wanted, against media they accuse of lying to keep leftists, traitors and opportunists in power. The nations only way forward, they say, is the release and redemption of Park, the daughter of a slain anti-communist dictator and conservative icon.

What was it that she did so wrong? Why is there so much hate against her? a tearful Jang Hyeong-ryeol, 48, said outside the courthouse where Park appeared Friday. This country is not normal. It has lost all objectivity. Its dying.

Park was stripped of her presidential powers and jailed in March in South Koreas biggest corruption scandal in decades. She could receive a lengthy prison term in a trial expected to reach a verdict in mid-October.

Pro-Park demonstrations remain tiny relative to earlier protests that demanded her removal from office and brought millions into the streets. Her supporters refuse to accept the possibility that Park may not be the selfless daughter of South Korea she has always portrayed herself to be.

The fury is the latest reminder of how deeply South Koreans are split along ideological and generational lines, the result of a long-simmering standoff with rival North Korea and the lingering fallout from the conservative military dictatorships that ran the country until the late 1980s.

Thousands of Parks supporters marched in the capital, Seoul, on Saturday in their biggest gathering in months, waving South Korean and U.S. flags. They shouted for Parks release and urged a dying South Korea to wake up.

The latest rally was a reaction to a court ruling Friday that sentenced Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, the countrys most powerful businessman, to five years in prison for crimes including offering bribes to Park. The protesters fear the ruling will work against Park in her own criminal trial.

South Koreas judicial system has committed suicide, Jung Mi-hong, a former television anchorwoman and one of the rallys organizers, shouted into a microphone as she stood atop a van. We need to take a stand against the North Korea-sympathizing leftists who threw a person in jail when she didnt even take a penny in bribes, and show them once and for all whos in control.

Despite a heavy police presence, some protesters fought with pedestrians, but there were no reports of injuries. About 8,000 people protested, according to a police officer at the scene who didnt want to be named because he wasnt authorized to speak to reporters.

Three people died amid violent clashes between Parks supporters and police on March 10 after Seouls Constitutional Court formally removed her from office.

The angst is more than just political.

South Korea has a decaying employment market, a widening gap between rich and poor and arguably the worst elderly poverty rate among developed economies. Some experts see the pro-Park demonstrations as driven by struggling older people who feel marginalized and cling to memories of the 1970s and 80s, when jobs were easier to get under the aggressive industrialization polices of authoritarian leaders including Parks father.

The younger Park, 65, enjoyed a meteoric career as a politician before being elected the countrys first female president in 2012. She convincingly beat her liberal rival, current President Moon Jae-in. Her base was conservative older voters who consider her father, Park Chung-hee, a hero who lifted the nation from the devastation of the 1950-53 Korean War and rescued millions from poverty in the 60s and 70s, despite a brutal record of civilian oppression.

Park Geun-hyes image of selflessness for her country collapsed for many amid allegations that she colluded with a longtime confidante to take tens of millions of dollars from companies in bribes and through extortion, and allowed the friend to manipulate state affairs from the shadows.

But to her remaining supporters, Park remains the wronged mother of the nation.

Kim Jeong-hi, 71, said Park couldnt have taken bribes because she was raised and educated by Park Chung-hee.

Parks supporters feel North Korea adds urgency to their cause.

Many of them call Moon, who took office in May after winning a presidential by-election to replace Park, a North Korea-

sympathizing leftist whos persecuting Park because of a political vendetta. Their rallies often rail against North Koreas expanding nuclear weapons program, the policies of liberal governments in Seoul that sought rapprochement with Pyongyang in the 2000s, and Moons desire to reach out to the North despite a flurry of missile tests.

We need to drive out the leftist dictatorship or this country will be ruined, Chung Kyung-

ae, 62, said during the march Saturday. She was repeatedly interrupted by a man who yelled, Kill the reds.

Theres also frustration over the economy.

What did the leftists ever do for this country? 58-year-old Son Tae-ho said. They did nothing. They just brought a spoon to the table. Now they have the power and are trying to find and persecute every single right-wing person like me.

Son said he doesnt have a regular job and earns a modest living off the stock market. He used to run a record store and video rental shop before the internet killed them in the early 2000s.

Son looks most fondly on the era of Chun Doo-hwan, the military dictator who took power in a coup shortly after Park Chung-hees assassination in 1979. Chuns government bowed to massive protests and accepted free presidential elections in 1987.

For me, the Chun Doo-hwan period was the best. Back then, anyone could get good jobs if they just put in a little work, Son said.

Dozens, sometimes hundreds, of Parks supporters have been appearing in front of the Seoul Central District Court on the days of her court appearances. Many supporters who managed to win seats in the courtroom were kicked out for chanting, for giving Park military salutes or for insulting courtroom guards and reporters.

The intensity of the protests is expected to pick up in coming weeks as Parks verdict nears.

As Parks bus left the court for her latest appearance Friday, hundreds of supporters fanatically waved South Korean and U.S. flags and chanted President Park Geun-hye and We love you Park Geun-hye.

Some of them wailed. Kim Tong-Hyung, Seoul, AP
Global consultancy and business services firm Accenture unveiled a partnership with Apple designed to help businesses develop new applications and use cases for iPhones and iPads.

Accenture, which helps companies develop and deploy custom business apps, announced a new dedicated iOS practice within its Digital Studios in select locations around the world. Experts from Apple, including software and hardware developers, data architects and data scientists, will also be co-located in Accenture's iOS practice offices.

One reason Apple needs consulting partners like Accenture is that iOS-based mobile apps must connect to legacy back-end systems to access data. Apple will be making use of Accenture's systems integration expertise and its partnerships with software and networking providers such as SAP and Cisco.

Accenture said its new effort with Apple will help enable Internet-of-Things services featuring new tools, templates and pre-designed code to help clients take greater advantage of the data from IoT platforms in their iOS apps, "putting more power into the hands of workers."

It will also eventually spawn data migration services to help clients transfer their existing legacy applications and data to modern iOS apps.

Based on experience in developing mobile apps, "iOS is the superior mobile platform for businesses and are excited to be partnering with Apple," said Pierre Nanterme, Accenture's chairman and CEO.

While Accenture may be gushing over its new business partnership, Apple is by no means monogamous. It has already announced similar partnerships with Deloitte and IBM.

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In fact, IBM reacted to the Accenture-Apple news today by reaching out to the business press to remind them of its expanded partnership with Apple  announced in June.

IBM's deal with Apple also focused on the growing demand for mobile innovation in enterprises by creating cross-brand teams for designing iOS apps and services. IBM's partner locations currently include Atlanta, Cupertino, Toronto, Chicago and a MobileFirst for iOS Garage in Bangalore, India. It is also working on global hubs in Shanghai and Bucharest dedicated to the creation and delivery of apps across mobile platforms.

Apple CEO Tim Cook believes iOS devices have only begun to "scratch the surface" of what businesses "can do with our products."

Jack Gold, principal analyst with J. Gold Associates, agreed, adding that Apple only has about 5% of the desktop market, with Windows owning the lion's share. While Apple believes it has an enterprise play, in reality it has a strategy but no firm tactic for gaining a significant foothold in the enterprise market.

"So they really need partners like IBM, Accenture and HP," Gold said.

"Everyone does stuff with Apple today because they have to," he said. "This really is just a realization that Accenture has clients who use iPhones and iPads, so let's try to build a closer relationship with Apple. To some extent this is really marketing as much as it is anything else.

"Is it significant? It's significant if you're an Accenture client, but it's not clear exactly what it's all going to mean longer term," Gold said.

Kevin Burden, vice president of Mobility Research & Data Strategy at 451 Research, said Apple's newest partnership is noteworthy in that Accenture's core mission is "to make technology, existing or new, more useful to its users."

"This is certainly different than some of its past partnerships, such as one it entered into with IBM just a few years ago, which was seemingly centered on creating new, enterprise-grade applications for iOS," Burden said.

While enterprise mobility has been marketed as a way to enable all the applications, data and workflows that run a business to be functional on mobile devices  which would increase workflow flexibility, speed up processes and boost accuracy by capturing data in real time  the reality has been quite different, Burden said.

That's because new apps needed to be built and the expertise to make legacy back-end systems accessible and useful on mobile devices was not universally available, he said.

"So, part of this partnership is Apple recognizing and accepting the unique characteristics of each enterprise and the importance of their legacy, and sometime even archaic backbends that require the types of professional services Accenture delivers to make them useful on iOS devices," Burden added.

Just as enterprise mobility came with great promise, augmented reality and virtual reality have also been marketed as having tremendous business value, one that Burden believes is another driver of the Apple-Accenture partnership  to move the technologies into real use cases within enterprises.

"Microsoft will continue to feel the pressure the more Apple is able solve the mobile footprint within enterprises," Burden said. "When Apple/Accenture designed mobile workflows are as robust and capable as the ones they are supplementing  that's when it gets real interesting."

Gold, however, doesn't believe Apple will be disrupting the Windows enterprise market anytime soon as it's too well established. But the new partnership does enable better communications between the Apple and Accenture, "and that's not a bad thing."
As Labour commits itself to staying in the Customs Union and Single Market, Im reminded that they dont make em like Peter Shore anymore pic.twitter.com/lH07PO2UGb  Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) 29 August 2017

Watching the above video of Peter Shore making the case for a No vote at the Oxford Union, a couple of days before the 1975 referendum, brought a few disparate thoughts to mind.

First, how little some of the essential arguments have changed in 42 years  Shore effectively attacks Project Fear in the cause of taking back control.

Second, what a contrast between Shore and Keir Starmer, between a prominent Labour figure willing to espouse clear principles and one who prefers to skulk behind careful ambiguities.

But aside from the politics of Brexit or of the modern Labour Party, the third thing that struck me was the sheer quality of Shores oratory. The artful combination of phrasing, cadence, rhythm, tone and gesture serves to elevate his argument to a degree that Id hope is recognisable regardless of whether you happen to agree with him or not.

As a result of his oratorical skills, Shore delivered not just an argument but a great speech. But he wasnt a freak, or even a wildly renowned public speaker in his day. I suspect his contemporaries would recognise a good speech in the footage above, but wouldnt view it as something that was truly extraordinary. In the Commons of that era were quite a lot of politicians who were accomplished orators.

Whats striking is to try to list the modern speeches by Parliamentarians which have achieved the same quality. Ive wracked my brains and, frankly, I cant think of any. To be quite honest, while there are many excellent MPs in todays House of Commons, I cant think of a single one who speaks so well. Probably the most famous good speech of recent years was delivered by Hilary Benn, in the Syria debate  but watch it back, and youll see that while it was effective, it was done with notes and is still seen as exceptional rather than normal.

Depressingly, most of our Parliamentarians do not seem to prize public speaking. Indeed its a fairly regular occurrence to see some of them apparently struggling to convincingly read out loud from a bit of paper. Many are perfectly serviceable speakers, but compare modern performances to those from 40 or 50 years ago and it seems that todays greats are not as great, the average is somewhat worse than it was, and the worst are now really quite dire.

Somewhere along the way, we ceased to value oratorical skill in our politicians. Perhaps it was the decline of the public meeting and the rise of soundbite-dominated TV campaigning that did it. Or maybe the decision not to teach school pupils how to debate left millions unduly intimidated by the idea of even trying to speak in front of an audience. Theres also a suspicion in some quarters that public speaking is somehow inherently elitist  a fallacy, given the many great orators who once arose, largely self-taught, from the union movement in particular, but a self-fulfilling belief, in that if you tell the majority of kids that only the rich and posh do speeches then you run the risk that they will believe you.

This is a clear loss to the character and effectiveness of our politics. How often do we hear people lament that politics is boring, that its main characters are bland, or that they dont understand what its all about? It cannot have helped to have reduced the art and feeling in how we communicate about politics, and abandoned a means to compellingly communicate often complex concepts to mass audiences.

Thats not to say that the art of political oratory is gone forever. Were unlikely to see a new generation of politicians who have formally studied Ciceros musings on rhetoric (excluding the eventual arrival of the Rees-Mogg children on the green benches), but technology is moving in a way that makes the spoken word more important again. Amid the generally rising importance of social media in political campaigning, video is experiencing a huge boom. Images, of course, remain dominant, but here is an opportunity to hone once more the power of speech to advance a political cause. I cant wait to see how people experiment to make the most of it.
08/29/2017

Photo via Google Plus Last week, Aetna came under fire after it was discovered that the company had inadvertently disclosed the private health information of approximately12,000 of its customers.

Reports indicate that the company sent letters to these consumers in July that provided details on pharmacy benefits and access to HIV medications. Unfortunately, anyone handling mail for these individuals was able to see the information due to the companys use of envelopes with clear windows.

On Thursday, attorneys working for the Legal Action Center and AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania sent Aetna a letter demanding that it immediately stop sending the communications.

The Legal Action Center and the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania write on behalf of individuals in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C., to demand that Aetna immediately cease and desist from breaching their privacy by sending mail that illegally discloses that they are taking HIV medication, the letter stated.

Breach of confidentiality

The attorneys go on to say that Aetna violated HIPAA statutes when it sent the letters, as well as several other statutory and common laws designed to keep health information private. They called on the company to take corrective measures to ensure that this gross breach of privacy and confidentiality never reoccurs.

In a statement, Aetna apologized for the mistake and said that it would be doing everything it can to remedy the situation.

This type of mistake is unacceptable. We sincerely apologize to those affected by a mailing issue that inadvertently exposed the personal health information of some Aetna members, the company said.

Regardless of how this error occurred, it affects our members and it is our responsibility to do our best to make things right. We will work to ensure that proper safeguards are in place to prevent something similar from happening in the future."

"Incalculable harm"

Despite the companys apology, many consumers were rightly outraged by the gaffe. Legal groups quoted by the Washington Post pointed out that despite medical advances, widespread stigma still exists against people living with HIV. The attorneys who sent the cease and desist letter added that Aetnas privacy violations had caused incalculable harm to the companys beneficiaries.

While many consumers immediately filed complaints to the Office of Civil Rights and the Deparmtnet of Health and Human Services, a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia is seeking class-action status to hold Aetna accountable.

It demands that the company cease their practice of sending information about HIV medications through the mail, reform its procedures, and pay damages to affected consumers. Thus far, Aetna has declined to comment on the lawsuit.
The NCUA is prepared to assist some 178 federally insured credit unions in areas of Texas and Louisiana affected by Hurricane Harvey, agency officials said Monday.

We have been monitoring the situation constantly since last week, and NCUA staff are coordinating with other agencies and working continually to provide assistance to credit unions and their members, NCUA Board Chairman J. Mark McWatters said. This has been a devastating storm affecting millions of people, and the effects will be felt for months or even years. The NCUA will be on the job as long as necessary.

All of us were stunned by the power of this storm and moved by the suffering inflicted on the people in its path, NCUA Board Member Rick Metsger said. As the area works to recover, our agency will work to help credit unions and their members get back on their feet.
Some 50 bankers were on trial yesterday in Vietnams capital of Hanoi for alleged graft and mismanagement causing USD69 million in losses.

The case is part of communist authorities efforts to tackle corruption.

Among those accused were Ocean Banks former chairman Ha Van Tham and general manager Nguyen Xuan Son, who were accused of embezzling $2.2 million and abuse of power in appropriating another $8.8 million. They were also accused of economic mismanagement.

Being convicted of embezzlement carries the possibility of a death sentence.

At the time the bank was 20 percent owned by state oil-and-gas giant PetroVietnam, where Son had previously served as chairman.

Another 44 senior Ocean Bank executives were accused of abuse of power or economic mismanagement. Five executives from different companies were also named in the case.

The case was first brought to trial in February, but judges asked police to investigate further and prosecutors pressed for embezzlement charges to be added against the banks two former leaders.

The trial is expected to last more than three weeks. MDT/AP
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Citizens Bank, National Association that provides retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, corporations, and institutions in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking. The Consumer Banking segment offers deposit products, mortgage and home equity lending products, credit cards, business loans, wealth management, and investment services; and auto, education, and point-of-sale finance loans, as well as digital deposit products. This segment serves its customers through telephone service centers, as well as through its online and mobile platforms. The Commercial Banking segment provides various financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, and interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as syndicated loans, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and debt and equity capital markets services. This segment serves government banking, not-for-profit, healthcare, technology, professionals, oil and gas, asset finance, franchise finance, asset-based lending, commercial real estate, private equity, and sponsor finance industries. It operates approximately 1,200 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia; 114 retail and commercial non-branch offices in national markets; and approximately 3,300 automated teller machines. The company was formerly known as RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. and changed its name to Citizens Financial Group, Inc. in April 2014. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1828 and is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island.
Both the water and electricity supply have been reestablished to almost everyone, according to information provided by persons responsible for both utilities in a joint press conference, where an evaluation was given on the current status after the passage of typhoons Hato and Pakhar.

Regarding the water supply, Susana Wong, director of the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) informed, Almost all Macau is back to normal [in terms of supply]. Nevertheless there are 25 buildings with problems. She added that Macao Water services are following up and dealing with these cases individually.

For those residents that are still without water supply, Wong said the bureau will provide help through tanker trucks.

The head of DSAMA also informed that four swimming pool facilities have already reopened their shower rooms to the public in order to provide assistance with personal hygiene.

As for electricity, the head of the Office for the Development of the Energy Sector (GDSE), Hoi Chi Leong, said that the latest typhoon, Pakhar, didnt cause any important damage to be reported. He noted that the supply of energy from CEM should be reaching virtually 100 percent of the population, with exceptions in particular cases where the problems affecting certain buildings were due to the buildings own wiring system, which in specific cases were damaged and not yet able to be repaired.

According to information provided to the Times by in-field staff, such problems stem from specific parts that are different than those commonly in use by most of Macaus systems and had to be ordered from abroad, which explains such a delay.

The city experienced a cut-off in the supply of both electricity and water after Typhoon Hato struck the territory last Wednesday. It took several days for the water supply to be restored for most of the population.
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.
Weatherford International plc, an oilfield service company, provides equipment and services for the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. It offers artificial lift systems, including reciprocating rod, progressing cavity pumping, gas, hydraulic, plunger, and hybrid lift systems, as well as related automation and control systems; pressure pumping and reservoir stimulation services, such as acidizing, fracturing and fluid systems, cementing, and coiled-tubing intervention; and drill stem test tools, and surface well testing and multiphase flow measurement services. The company also provides safety, downhole reservoir monitoring, flow control, and multistage fracturing systems, as well as sand-control technologies, and production and isolation packers; liner hangers to suspend a casing string in high-temperature and high-pressure wells; cementing products, including plugs, float and stage equipment, and torque-and-drag reduction technology for zonal isolation; and pre-job planning and installation services. In addition, it offers directional drilling services, and logging and measurement services while drilling; services related to rotary-steerable systems, high-temperature and high-pressure sensors, drilling reamers, and circulation subs; managed pressure drilling, conventional mud-logging, drilling instrumentation, gas analysis, wellsite consultancy, and open hole and cased-hole logging services; reservoir solutions and software products; and intervention and remediation services. Further, the company provides equipment and drilling tools; tubular handling, management, and connection services; equipment rental services; and onshore contract drilling and related services through a fleet of land drilling and workover rigs. Weatherford International plc was incorporated in 1972 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland.
Brad Little wants to cut income taxes by $350 million if hes elected governor.

This is perhaps the most eye-catching promise in Phase Two of Littles Idaho grown jobs plan, which he released last week and which focuses on ways to cut taxes and government spending.

The other proposals in the plan include eliminating the sales tax on groceries, which is supported by all three of the major candidates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination and which passed the Legislature this year but was vetoed by Gov. C.L. Butch Otter; mandating that new tax exemptions be linked to an equal spending cut; and cutting the unemployment insurance tax, which would save employers more than $100 million over the next three years and which had wide support in the Legislature this year but didnt pass because it was tied at the last minute to a bill containing a more controversial income tax cut. Little also wants to increase the personal property tax exemption from $100,000 to $250,000, and let counties go even further, even to removing it fully if they so desire.

Little released Phase 1, which was focused on health care policy, reducing regulations on businesses and proposals to keep young people in Idaho rather than leaving the state for jobs, a month ago. He is running for the GOP nomination against U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador and Treasure Valley developer and doctor Tommy Ahlquist. The primary is in May 2018. Otter is not seeking another term.

That $350 million in income tax cuts is a goal, and not one that would be met in one year  if it were that would be almost 17 percent of the combined $2.1 billion in individual and corporate income tax the state collected in 2016 according to the Tax Commissions numbers.

It depends upon the rate of growth in the state, Little said in an interview with the Times-News editorial board Thursday, when asked how long it would take.

Little didnt say exactly how he would want to restructure the states income tax brackets but did say he would get the top rate down to somewhere in the 6-percents, as opposed to the current 7.4 percent top rate.

Little said reducing income tax rates is especially important now given the talk at the federal level of getting rid of the deduction for state and local taxes. The components of his plan, Little said, are pieces that are generally agreed upon by many in the Legislature  many of them have come up, in various versions, in legislation proposed in recent sessions.

Little also said getting rid of the tax on groceries is a matter of keeping business in Idahos border communities rather than seeing people drive out of state to shop. All the states bordering Idaho either dont have a sales tax on groceries (some because they dont have a statewide sales tax, others because groceries are exempted) or tax them at a lower rate than the 6 percent Idaho collects on groceries and anything else that isnt specifically exempted from sales tax.

Were not competitive because nobody else taxes groceries, he said.

Little said an increased focus on collecting taxes on Internet sales, including the states deal earlier this year with Amazon to start collecting tax on its sales, could help make up for money lost from not taxing groceries.

Little was also skeptical about changing the law to let more cities and counties levy a local option sales tax; currently, that power is mostly limited to a handful of resort communities.

A hodgepodge of different taxes creates problems and dislocation, he said.

If it were to be expanded  and there hasnt been much appetite lately in the Legislature to do so  Little said it would have to be regional in nature, rather than limited to one city that would get the benefits from taxing outsiders who come to shop.

You want to be careful youre not in a situation where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, he said.

Generally speaking, the idea of expanding local sales taxing authority has some support from officials and business leaders in regional hub cities such as Twin Falls, casting it as a matter of fairness since they have to pick up the increased tab for city services due to the large number of non-residents who come into their cities every day. Lawmakers who represent smaller communities tend to oppose it. Little said cities like Twin Falls already benefit from growth, such as collecting more in property taxes due to development.

By being the commercial and the retail hub theyre getting that money right now, he said.
Workday, Inc. provides enterprise cloud applications in the United States and internationally. The company's applications help its customers to plan, execute, analyze, and extend to other applications and environments, and to manage their business and operations. It offers a suite of financial management applications, which enable chief financial officers to maintain accounting information in the general ledger; manage financial processes; identify real-time financial, operational, and management insights; enhance financial consolidation; reduce time-to-close; promote internal control and auditability; and achieve consistency across finance operations. The company also provides cloud spend management solutions that helps organizations to streamline supplier selection and contracts, manage indirect spend, and build and execute sourcing events, such as requests for proposals; Human Capital Management (HCM) solution, a suite of human capital management applications that allows organizations to manage the entire employee lifecycle from recruitment to retirement, and enables HR teams to hire, onboard, pay, develop, reskill, and provide employee experiences; Workday applications for planning; and applications for analytics and reporting, including augmented analytics to surface insights to the line of business in simple-to-understand stories, machine learning to drive efficiency and automation, and benchmarks to compare performance against other companies. It serves professional and business services, financial services, healthcare, education, government, technology, media, retail, and hospitality industries. The company was formerly known as North Tahoe Power Tools, Inc. and changed its name to Workday, Inc. in July 2005. Workday, Inc. was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Pleasanton, California.
The following companies are subsidiares of American International Group: AGC Life Insurance Company, AIG APAC HOLDINGS PTE. LTD., AIG Aerospace Insurance Services Inc., AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd., AIG Asset Management (Europe) Limited, AIG Asset Management (U.S.) LLC, AIG Assurance Company, AIG Australia Limited, AIG Brazil Holding I LLC, AIG CIS Investments LLC, AIG Canada Holdings Inc., AIG Capital Corporation, AIG Capital Services Inc., AIG Claims Inc., AIG Credit Management LLC, AIG Egypt Insurance Company S.A.E., AIG Employee Services Inc., AIG Europe Holdings S.a.r.l, AIG Europe S.A., AIG Federal Savings Bank, AIG Financial Products Corp., AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., AIG Global Asset Management Holdings Corp., AIG Global Operations Inc., AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp., AIG Global Reinsurance Operations, AIG Holdings Europe Limited, AIG Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, AIG Insurance Company China Limited, AIG Insurance Company JSC, AIG Insurance Company of Canada, AIG Insurance Company-Puerto Rico, AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited, AIG Insurance Management Services Inc., AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited, AIG International Holdings GmbH, AIG Investments UK Limited, AIG Israel Insurance Company Ltd, AIG Japan Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha, AIG Kenya Insurance Company Limited, AIG Korea Inc., AIG Latin America I.I., AIG Latin America Investments S.L., AIG Lebanon SAL, AIG Life Holdings Inc., AIG Life Limited, AIG Life South Africa Limited, AIG Life of Bermuda Ltd., AIG MEA Holdings Limited, AIG MEA Limited, AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad, AIG Markets Inc., AIG Matched Funding Corp., AIG PC Global Services Inc., AIG Philippines Insurance Inc., AIG Property Casualty Company, AIG Property Casualty Inc., AIG Property Casualty International LLC, AIG Property Casualty U.S. Inc., AIG Re-Takaful (L) Berhad, AIG Resseguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., AIG South Africa Limited, AIG Specialty Insurance Company, AIG Technologies Inc., AIG Travel Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., AIG Travel Assist Inc., AIG Travel Assist Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., AIG Travel EMEA Limited, AIG Travel Inc., AIG Uganda Limited, AIG Vietnam Insurance Company Limited, AIG WarrantyGuard Inc., AIG-FP Pinestead Holdings Corp., AIG-Metropolitana Cia. de Seguros y Reaseguros S.A., AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund I GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund II GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund II GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund III GP LP, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund IV GP LLC, AIU Insurance Company, AM Holdings LLC, Ageas Protect, AlphaCat Managers Ltd., American General Corporation, American General Life Insurance Company, American Home Assurance Co. Ltd., American Home Assurance Company, American International Group UK Limited, American International Realty LLC, American International Reinsurance Company Ltd., American International Underwriters del Ecuador-Holding S.A. en Liquidacion S.A., Arthur J. Glatfelter Agency Inc., Blackboard Insurance Company, Blackboard Specialty Insurance Company, Blackboard U.S. Holdings Inc., C.A. de Seguros American International, Commerce and Industry Insurance Company, Crop Risk Services Inc., Eaglestone Reinsurance Company, Ellipse, Franklin Life Insurance Company, Fuji Fire and Marine, Glatfelter Insurance Group, Glatfelter Underwriting Services Inc., Globe and Rutgers Insurance Group, Grand Isle SAC Limited, Granite State Insurance Company, Illinois National Insurance Co., Inversiones Segucasai C.A., Johannesburg Insurance Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Laya Healthcare Limited, Lexington Insurance Company, Lexington Specialty Insurance Agency Inc., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh Pa., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Vermont, New Hampshire Insurance Company, PCG 2019 Corporate Member Limited, PT AIG Insurance Indonesia, Pine Street Real Estate Holdings Corp., Risk Specialists Companies Insurance Agency Inc., SAFG Capital LLC, SAFG Retirement Services Inc., Service Net Warranty LLC, Stratford Insurance Company, SunAmerica Asset Management LLC, Talbot Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Ltd., The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company, Travel Guard, Travel Guard Group Canada Inc./Groupe Garde Voyage du Canada Inc., Travel Guard Group Inc., Tudor Insurance Company, VALIC Financial Advisors Inc., Valic Retirement Services Company, Validus Holdings, Validus Holdings (UK) Ltd., Validus Holdings Ltd., Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd, Validus Reinsurance Ltd., Validus Ventures Ltd., Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services Inc., and Western World Insurance Company.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.: 2235158 Alberta Limited, A.J. Amer Agency, AHC Digital LLC, AIX Limited, AJG Coal LLC, AJG Financial Services LLC, AJG Meadows LLC, AJG North America ULC, AJG RCF LLC, AJGRMS of Louisiana LLC, ARM RE Ltda., AVIATION INSURANCE SERVICES, AVRECO, Ace IRM Insurance Broking Group, Acumus Holdings Limited, Acumus Interco Limited, Acumus Ltd, Adams & Associates International, Adaptive Marketing LLC, Adco General Corporation, Advanced Benefit Advisors, Aequus Trade Credit, Affinity Marketing Group, Ahrold Fay Rosenberg, Aires Consulting Group, Alesco Risk Management Services Limited, Alize Limited, Allied Claims Administration Inc., Alternative Market Specialists, Altman & Cronin Benefit Consultants, American Freedom Carriers Inc., American Security Services Corp., American Wholesalers Underwriting Ltd, Andrew-Anthony Insurance Agency, Anthony Hodges Consulting Limited, Antrobus Investments Limited, AquaSurance, Argentis, Argentis Financial Group Limited, Argentis Financial Management Limited, Argus Benefits, Armstrong/Robitaille/Riegle, Artex (SAC) Limited, Artex Cedar Hill, Artex Corporate Services (Malta) Limited, Artex Corporate Services Limited, Artex Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Artex Holdings (Malta) Limited, Artex Insurance (Guernsey) PCC Limited, Artex Insurance (Tennessee) PCCIC Inc., Artex Insurance Brokers (Malta) PCC Limited, Artex Insurance ICC Limited, Artex Intermediaries Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (Bermuda) Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (Cayman) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (Gibraltar) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (Guernsey) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (International) Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (Malta) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (UK) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions Inc., Arthur J Gallagher (Norway) Holdings AS, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AUS) Ltd, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Bermuda) Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Illinois), Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Insurance Brokers of California Inc., Arthur J. Gallagher (Aus) Pty Ltd, Arthur J. Gallagher (Bermuda) Holding Partnership, Arthur J. Gallagher (Life Solutions) Ltd, Arthur J. Gallagher (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Arthur J. Gallagher (U.S.) LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher (UK) Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher Asesoria S.A.C., Arthur J. Gallagher Australasia Holdings Pty Ltd., Arthur J. Gallagher Brokerage & Risk Management Services LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Broking (NZ) Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher Financial Services Professionals Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Group Quebec ULC, Arthur J. Gallagher Holdings (UK) Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher Latin America LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Management (Bermuda) Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher Real Estate Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services (Hawaii) Inc., Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services Inc., Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services of Utah Inc., Arthur J. Gallagher School Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Service Company LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Services (UK) Ltd, Ashmore & Associates Insurance Agency, Atlantic Risk Management Corp., Atrex Insurance (Cayman) SPC Limited, Avantek Pty Ltd, Axe Insurance PCC Limited, BIS Insurance Services, Baker - Tillys employment benefits solutions, Ballard Benefit Works, Bankers Financial Benefits, Barmore Insurance Agency, Behnke & Co. Inc., Bellisle Pty Ltd, Belmont Associates Consultants, Belmont Insurance Holdings Limited, Belmont International, Belmont International Limited, Benefit Development Group, Benefit Management Group, BenefitLink Resource Group, Benefits Planning & Insurance Agency, Benefits Unlimited, Bennett & Shade Co., Bergvall Marine, Bergvall Marine A.S., Besselman & Little Agency, Big Savings Insurance Agency Inc., Blenheim Park Ltd, Blenheim Park Services Limited, Blue Holdings Pty Ltd, Blue Horizon Insurance Services, Blue Water Benefits, BluePeak Advisors, Blueleaf Consulting Pty Ltd., Bluewater Incorporated Cell Insurance Company, Bollinger Inc., Bollinger Insurance Services Inc., Bowen Miclette Britt & Merry of Arkansas Inc., Brendis & Brendis, Brim AB, Broker Benefit Services, Brokerage Professionals, Brown Hobbs & McMurray Insurance, Bultman/Bell Associates Inc., Burkwald & Associates, Burns-Fazzi Brock & Associates, Bushong Insurance Associates, C&B Consulting Group, CGM Gallagher Insruance Brokers (Trinidad & Tobago) Limited, CJM Solutions Inc., CMA Solutions LLC, Cairnstone Financial, California Insurance Center, Capital Bauer Insurance Agency, Capitol Benefits Group, Capsicum CRLA LLP, Capsicum Re Brasil Participacoes Ltda, Capsicum Re Latin America Corretora De Resseguros Ltda, Capsicum Reinsurance Brokers Bermuda Limited, Capsicum Reinsurance Brokers Miami Inc., Carefree Marketing Inc., Carpenter Cammack & Associates, Cashan & Co., Castle Insurance Associates, Centennial Insurance Agency, Charity First Insurance Services Inc., Charles Allen Agency, Charter Lakes Insurance Agency, Chris Schroeder Insurance, Christie-Phoenix, Cintran Claims Canada Limited, Classic Insurance Services, Cleaveland Insurance Group, Cohen & Lord Insurance Brokers, Cohn Financial Group, Coleman Group Holdings Limited, Coleman Holdings Limited, College and University Scholastic Excess Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Commercial Insurance Brokers, Complete Benefit Alliance, Complete Financial Balance, Complete Financial Balance Pty Ltd, Consolidated Casualty Specialties LLC, Construction Risk Solutions, Contego Underwriting Limited, Contego Underwriting Ltd, Continental Excess & Surplus, Convergence Risk Services Ltd, Copper Mountain Assurance Inc., Cornwall & Stevens Co., Corporate Benefit Advisors, Corporate Life Consultants, Countrywide Accident Assistance Limited, Coverdell & Company Inc., Coverdell Canada Corporation, Cowles and Connell, Craig M. Ferguson & Co., Crist Elliott Machette Insurance Services, Crombie Lockwood (NZ) Limited, Davis-Poston & Associates, Denman Consulting Services, Detlefs Johnson & Partners, DiBrina Group, Dickinson & Associates, Discount Development Services L.L.C., Discovery Benefit Solutions, Dodson-Bateman & Co., Donald P. Pipino Co. Ltd., E. S. Susanin Inc., EHE Holdings LLC, EHS Holdings Limited, Elantis Premium Funding (NZ) Limited, Elantis Premium Funding Limited, Elite Benefits Insurance Marketing Services, Employee Benefits Analysis Corp., Employee Benefits of The Carolinas, Encore Insurance & Bonding, Everett James, Evolution Risk Services Limited, Evolution Technology Services Limited, Evolution Underwriting Group, Evolution Underwriting Group Limited, Evolution Underwriting Limited, Excel Insurance Services, FYI Direct Canada Corporation, FYI Direct LLC, Farallone Pacific Insurance Services, Fenchurch Faris Limited, Fidelity Benefits & Insurance Services, Financial Profiles Inc., Finergy Solutions Pty Ltd, First Agency, First Iowa Insurance Agency, First Premium Inc., First Premium Insurance Group, Fish & Schulkamp, Fishermans Insurance Services, Foley Healthcare Limited, Fortress Financial Solutions Pty Ltd, Fortress Insurance LLC, Foundation Strategies, Fox Lawson & Associates, Franklin-Case Agency LLC, Fraser MacAndrew Ryan Limited, Friary Intermediate Limited, Fuller & O'Brien, G.S. Chapman & Associates Insurance Brokers, G.S. Levine Insurance Services, GBS (Australia) Holdings Pty Ltd, GBS Administrators Inc., GBS Insurance and Financial Services Inc., GBS Retirement Services Inc., GBS Specialty Markets LLC, GGB Finance 1 Limited, GGB Finance 2 Limited, GGB Finance 3 Limited, GGB Finance 4 Limited, GPL Assurance, GPL Assurance Inc., Gabor Insurance Services, Gale Smith & Co. Inc., Gallagher (Bermuda) Insurance Solutions Ltd., Gallagher - Grace/Mayer Insurance Agency, Gallagher Bassett Aires Inc., Gallagher Bassett Canada Inc., Gallagher Bassett Insurance Services Ltd., Gallagher Bassett International Ltd., Gallagher Bassett NZ Pty Ltd., Gallagher Bassett Services Inc. , Gallagher Bassett Services Pty Ltd., Gallagher Bassett Services Workers Compensation Victoria Pty Ltd., Gallagher Benefit Services (Canada) Group Inc., Gallagher Benefit Services (Holdings) Limited, Gallagher Benefit Services Inc., Gallagher Benefit Services Management Company Limited, Gallagher Benefit Services Pty Ltd, Gallagher Benefits Consulting Limited, Gallagher Bomford Couch Wilson, Gallagher Burgess, Gallagher Canada Acquisition Corporation, Gallagher Caribbean Group Limited, Gallagher Clean Energy LLC, Gallagher Communications Limited, Gallagher Community Clinic RPG LLC, Gallagher Consulting Ltda, Gallagher Corporate Services LLC, Gallagher Coyle, Gallagher CyberRisk, Gallagher Energy Risk Services Inc., Gallagher Fiduciary Advisors LLC, Gallagher Holdings (UK) Limited, Gallagher Holdings Bermuda Company Limited, Gallagher Holdings Four (UK) Limited, Gallagher Holdings Three (UK) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (Barbados) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (St. Kitts & Nevis) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (St. Lucia) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (St. Vincent) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers Jamaica Limited, Gallagher International Cash Management s.r.l., Gallagher International Holdings (US) Inc., Gallagher Investment Advisors LLC, Gallagher Inwest Group, Gallagher Koster, Gallagher Lambert Group, Gallagher Madison Risk & Insurance Services, Gallagher Mauritius Holdings, Gallagher Mississippi Brokerage LLC, Gallagher RE Colombia Ltda Corredores de Reaseguros SA, Gallagher Risk & Reward Limited, Gallagher Risk Group LLC, Gallagher Risk Placements Pty Ltd, Gallagher SKS, Gallagher Service Center LLP, Gallagher-Tarantino, Galtney Group, Game Day Insurance Inc., Gardner & White Corp., Gardner Marine Agency, Garza Long Group, Gatehouse Consulting Limited, Gault Armstrong Kemble Pty Ltd, Gault Armstrong SARL, Giles Group, Giles Holdings Limited, Giles Insurance Brokers, Gillis Ellis & Baker Inc., Goodman Insurance Agency, Grandy Pratt Co., Greenseed Alternative Mangaers Platform Ltd, Grossman & Associates, Group Benefits of Arkansas, Group Insurance Associates, Gruppo Marcucci, HLG Holdings Limited, HMG-PCMS Limited, HPF Investments LLC, HR Owen Insurance Services Limited, Hagan Newkirk Financial Services, Hagedorn & Company, Hardman & Howell Benefits, Harlequin Insurance PCC Limited, Hartstein Associates Inc., Healthcare Professionals Purchasing Group LLC, Healthcare Risk Solutions, Heath Lambert Group Ltd., Heath Lambert Limited, Heath Lambert Overseas Limited, Heiser Insurance Agency, Henderson Phillips Fine Arts Insurance, Herbruck Alder & Co., Heritage Insurance Brokers (CI) Limited, Hesse & Partner AG, Hesse Consulting, Hexagon ICC Limited, Hexagon Insurance PCC Limited, Hill Chesson & Woody, Hogan Insurance Services, Home & Travel Limited, Honour Point Limited, Horseshoe Corporate Services Ltd, Horseshoe Fund Services (Cayman) Ltd, Horseshoe Fund Services Ltd, Horseshoe Fund Services USA Inc., Horseshoe ILS Services UK Ltd, Horseshoe Insurance Advisors US LLC, Horseshoe Insurance Advisory Ltd., Horseshoe Insurance Services Holdings Ltd, Horseshoe Insurance Services Holdings US Inc., Horseshoe Management (Gibraltar) Limited, Horseshoe Management (Ireland) Ltd, Horseshoe Management Ltd., Horseshoe PCC Limited, Horseshoe Re Limited, Horseshoe Services (Cayman) Ltd, Horseshoe Services (Pty) Ltd, Horton Insurance Agency, Housing Authorities Services Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Human Resource Management Systems, I-Protect Underwriting Pty Ltd, IBIS Advisors, IBS Reinsurance Singapore Pte Ltd, ILS Fund Services Ltd., ISG International, ITI Solutions, Igloo Insurance PCC Limited, Independent Benefit Services, Independent Fiduciary Services, Ink Underwriting Agencies Limited, InsSync Group Pty Ltd, Inspire Underwriting Limited, Instrat Insurance Brokers, Instrat Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd, Instrat Integration Holdco Pty Ltd, Insurance Acquisitions Holdings Limited, Insurance Associates Inc., Insurance Dialogue Limited, Insurance Dialogue Ltd., Insurance Plans Agency, Insurance Plus Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Insurance Point, Insurance Risk Managers of Missouri Inc., Insure My Villa Limited, Insure Pty Ltd, Integrated Healthcare Strategies, InterNational Insurance Group, InterPacific Underwriting Agencies, Intermountain Financial Benefits, Interstate Insurance Underwriters, JPGAC LLC, James F. Reda & Associates, James R. Weir Insurance Agency, Jenkins and Associates, Joe E. Martin Inc., John P. Woods Co. Inc., Jones Brown, Jones Brown Group Inc., Jones Brown Insurance Solutions Inc., Joseph Distel, Joseph James & Associates Insurance Agency, Just Landlords Insurance Services Ltd, KDC Associates, KRW Insurance Agency, Kahl Insurance Services, Kaler Carney Liffler & Co. Inc., Kane Group - Insurance Management Operations, Kelly Financial, Kent Kent & Tingle and RBS, Keyser Benefits Corp., Kingspark Enterprises Pty Ltd, L&R Benefits, LSG Insurance Partners, Learn About Money Limited, Lewis & Associates Insurance Brokers, Leystone Insurance & Financial, Life Plans Unlimited, Lincoln Financial Management, Longfellow Financial, Lucas Fettes Limited, Lucas Fettes and Partners Limited, Lutgert Insurance, MA Underwriting Pty Ltd, MDM Insurance Associates, MG Advanced Coal Technologies-1 LLC, MGA Insurance Services, MRS Holdings Ltd., Madison Scott & Associates, Managed Healthcare Solutions, Mannequin Insurance PCC Limited, Marchetti Robertson & Brickell Insurance, Marine Insurance Service, Martin Gordon & Jones Inc., McDowall Associates Human Resource Consultants, McIntyre Risk Management, McLean Insurance Agency, McNeary, McPherson Benefits Group, McRory & Co., Mecacem Insurance SPC Ltd, MedInsights Inc., Melton Insurance Associates, Memberworks Canada LLC, Merit Insurance, Metcom Excess, Metzler Bros. Insurance, Meyers-Reynolds & Associates, Mid America Group, Midwest Surety Services, Mike Henry Insurance Brokers, Mike Henry Insurance Brokers Limited, Mike Henry Insurance Funding Limited, Miller Buettner & Parrott, Miller-Harrison Insurance Services, Milne Alexander Pty Ltd, Minvielle & Chastanet Insurance Brokers, Monument Insurance (NZ) Limited, Monument Llc, Monument Premium Funding Limited, Mortgage Insurance Agency, Murphy Consultants, Mutual Insurance Services, NationAir Aviation Insurance, National Administration Co., National Ethics Association, National Transportation Adjusters, Nelson/Monarch Insurance Services, Nicoud Insurance Services, NiiS/Apex Group Holdings, Nonprofit Insurance Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Noraxis Capital Corp, Nordic Forsakring & Riskhantering AB, North Alabama Insurance, Nourse Insurance Brokers, O'Gorman & Young, OAMPS (UK) Limited, OAMPS Gault Armstrong Pty Ltd, OAMPS Limited, OAMPS Special Risks Ltd, Offshore Market Placements Limited, Optimum Talent, Orb Financial Services, Orb Financial Services Limited, Osprey Insurance Brokers Limited, Oval Group, Oval Healthcare Limited, Oval Insurance Broking Limited, Oval Limited, Oval Management Services Limited, Oxygen Insurance Managers, P2 Group, PEN Insurance Management Advisors Ltd, PT IBS Insurance Broking Service, Pacific Insurance Agency, Palmer Atlantic Insurance, Palmer Atlantic Insurance Ltd, Palmer Atlantic Risk Services Ltd., Park Row Associates, Parkstar Enterprises Pty Ltd, Parmia Pty Ltd, PartnerSource, Pastel Holding (NZ) Company, Pastel Holdings Pty Limited, Pastel Purchaser (NZ) Limited, Pastel Purchaser Pty Limited, Pavey Group Holdings (UK) Limited, Pavey Group Holdings Limited, Pavey Group Limited, Pearson Dunn Insurance Inc., Pen Underwriting Canada Limited, Pen Underwriting Group Pty. Ltd., Pen Underwriting Limited, Pen Underwriting Pty Ltd, Persing Dyckman & Toynbee Inc., Personal Advice Services Pty Ltd, Petty Burton Associates, Pointer Insurance Agency, Portmore Insurance Brokers (Wilshire) Limited, Portmore Insurance Brokers Limited, Potter-Holden & Co., Powell Insurance Agency, Premier Insurance Services Inc., Premier Risk Services, Premium Finance Corporation, Preston-Patterson, ProSource Financial, Professional Agents Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Professional Claims Managers, Proinova AB, Proinova Agency AB, Pronto California Agency LLC, Pronto California General Agency LLC, Pronto Florida Claims LLC, Pronto Florida General Agency LLC, Pronto Franchise LLC, Pronto General Agency Ltd, Pronto General Agency Management LLC, Pronto Holdco Inc., Pronto Holding California LLC, Pronto Holding Florida LLC, Pronto Insurance Agency of Laredo Inc., Pronto Premium Finance LLC, Property & Commercial Ltd., Property Insurance Initatives Limited, Property and Commercial Limited, Protected Insurance Company, Protection Plan Association Inc., Protek Group Limited, Providium Consulting Group, Ptarmigan Underwriting Agency Limited, Ptarmigan Underwriting UK Limited, Purple Bridge Claims Management Limited, Purple Bridge Finance Limited, Purple Bridge Group Limited, Purple Bridge Investments Limited, Purple Bridge Online Services Limited, Purple Bridge Publishing Limited, Quantum Underwriting Solutions Limited, Quillco 226 Limited, Quillco 227 Limited, R. L. Youngdahl & Associates, R.G. Speno Inc., R.W. Scobie, RA Rossborough (Guernsey) Ltd., RA Rossborough (Insurance Brokers) Ltd, REGENCY Group inc., RGA Referencing Limited, RGA Underwriting Limited, RIL Administrators (Guernsey) Ltd., RJ Dutton Inc., RSM Insurance Services Limited, Reassurance Holdings Inc., Rebholz Insurance Agency, Reid Manson Ltd., Reimbursement Services, Rentguard Limited, Reward Management Limited, Reynolds & Rodar Insurance Group, Riley & Associates, Rio 587 Limited, Rio 588 Limited, Risk & Reward Group, Risk Management Partners Limited, Risk Placement Services Inc., Risk Planners, Risk Services (NW) Limited, Risk Services (NW) Ltd., Risk Solutions Group Limited, Robert A. Schneider Agency, Robert Keith & Associates, Roberts & Roberts Insurance Service, Robinson-Adams Insurance, Rossborough Healthcare International Ltd, Rossborough Insurance (IOM) Ltd., Rossborough Insurance Services Ltd. (Jersey), S. A. Freerks & Associates, SEG Insurance Ltd, SGB-NIA Insurance Brokers, SHILLING Ltd, SKANCO International, SMERI AB, SRS Underwriting Pty Ltd, Secure Enterprises Pty Ltd, Securitas Re, Sellers Group, Sentinel Indemnity LLC, Septagon Insurance PCC Limited, Shuford Insurance Agency, Sigma II Insurance Agency, Sinclair Billard and Weld Limited, Sobieski & Bradley, Solid Benefit Guidance, Spanjers Insurance Agency, Spataro Insurance Agency, Specialised Broking Associates, Specialty Risk, Stackhouse Poland, Stackhouse Poland Bidco Limited, Stackhouse Poland Group Limited, Stackhouse Poland Holdings Limited, Stackhouse Poland Midco Limited, Stackouse Poland Limited, Stanton Group, Stark Johnson & Stinson Inc., Steel Agency, Strata Solicitors Ltd, Strategic Health Plans Corp., Strathearn Insurance Brokers, Strathearn Insurance Brokers (Qld) Trading Trust, Strathern Insurance Group Pty Ltd, Strathern Integration Holdco Pty Ltd, Strathern Unit Trust, Strong Financial Resources, Summit Insurance Group, Sunday and Associates, Sunderland Insurance Services, Super Advice Corporate Services Pty Ltd, Taylor Benefits, Texas Insurance Agency, Texas Insurance Managers, The BeneTex Group, The Buchholz Planning, The Chapman Group, The Commonwealth Consulting Group, The Daniels Group Inc., The EHE Group LLC, The EHE Insurance Agency LLC, The Eagle Insurance Agency LLC, The Eriksen Group, The Forker Company, The Gleason Agency, The Great Lakes Agency, The HR Group, The Hawk Agency, The Human Capital Group, The Lance Group, The Levitt/Kristan Co., The MW Bagnall Company, The Old Greenwich Consulting Group, The Parks Johnson Agency, The Plus Companies Inc., The Presidio Group, The Producers Choice, The Rains Group, The Splinter Group, The Titan Group, The Treiber Group, The Woodsmall Companies Inc., Title & Covenant Brokers Ltd., Title Investments Limited, Tom Sherwin Insurance Agency, Total Reward Group, Total Rewards Group (Holdings) Limited, Towle Agency, Transwestern, Tri-State General Insurance Agency, Triad Insurance Agency, Triad USA, Tribeca Strategic Advisors, Trinder & Norwood, Trip Mate, Trissel Graham & Toole, Tropp & Co., Tudor Risk Services, Tyloma Holdings Limited, Uni-Care Inc., Unison Inc., Universico Group, Unoccupied Direct Limited, V2V Holdings LLC, VEBA Service Group, Vasek Insurance Services Limited, Velo ACU LLC, Velo Holdings Inc., Verbag AG., Vertrue LLC, Victory Insurance Agency, Vincent L. Braband Insurance, Vital Benefits, Voluntary Benefits Solutions, W. E. Kingsley Co. Inc., WM. W. George & Associates, Walker Taylor Agency, Welling Associates, Wesfarmers Insurance - Insurance Brokerage Operations, Western Benefit Solutions, White & Company Insurance, Whitehaven Insurance Group, William Gallagher Associates Insurance Brokers, William H. Connolly & Co., Williams Insurance Agency Inc., Williams-Manny Insurance Group, Winn & Company Insurance Brokers, Wischmeyer Benefit Partners, Woodbrook Underwriting Agencies, Woods & Grooms, WorkCare Northwest, Worksite Communications, Y. S. Liedman & Associates, YOA Capsicum Reinsurance Broker Limited, Zenor Limited, Zuber Insurance Agency, and e3 Financial.

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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.
GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the creation, discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products, vaccines, over-the-counter medicines, and health-related consumer products in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals R&D, Vaccines, and Consumer Healthcare. The company offers pharmaceutical products comprising medicines in the therapeutic areas, such as respiratory, HIV, immuno-inflammation, oncology, anti-viral, central nervous system, cardiovascular and urogenital, metabolic, anti-bacterial, and dermatology. It also provides consumer healthcare products in wellness, oral health, nutrition, and skin health categories. The company offers its consumer healthcare products in the form of nasal sprays, tablets, syrups, lozenges, gum and trans-dermal patches, caplets, infant syrup drops, liquid filled suspension, wipes, gels, effervescents, toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes, denture adhesives and cleansers, topical creams and non-medicated patches, lip balm, gummies, and soft chews. It has collaboration agreements with 23andMe; Lyell Immunopharma, Inc.; Novartis; Sanofi SA; Surface Oncology; Progentec Diagnostics, Inc.; Alector, Inc.; and CureVac AG., as well as strategic partnership with IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. The company was formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline plc and changed its name to GSK plc in May 2022. GSK plc was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Brentford, the United Kingdom.